Author's Note: It is recommended to read the previous chapters of this story, to better understand the storyline and characters. It starts slow, but gets going pretty quickly. The tension between the players works the best if you know the characters and their progressions well. Here is a quick remainder of the story so far.
To recapitulate..
Queen Elanor, the Great Chaste of Wolkernshire, is having a hard time keeping a level head, navigating the daily politics and policies of her court, while mourning from the unexpected demise of her true love, King Barthomius. Wanting to relieve the chaos in her mind, with all conventinal aids failing, the Queen decides to employ a promising horse trainer, Bellatrix of Agrafena. Her rationale being, unorthodox problems demand unconventional solutions. Bellatrix correctly identifies the key to solving it, but it involves manipulating the Queen's bodily cravings, primarily the sexual kind. The only problem being, the Queen's unswerving determination about preserving her chastity.!
Though deeply in love with King Barthomius, due to traditions and circumstances, the Queen hadn't consummated the marriage yet. And now she felt it impossible to part with the one thing in her mind, that she truly had promised her man. Her virginity. Bellatrix took upon the challenge, to treat the 'condition' in secrecy, without violating the Queen's chastity, nor risking any exposure that would compromise her Queenship. After a few trial and errors, Bella realized the best way was to observe the Queen's immediate responses to deeply sexual scenarios, which she termed 'tasks'. Though soon it became obvious, the trust they put in each other played as key a role, as much as the complexities of each task.
To avoid suspicion, Lady Agrafena was given the official title of 'Head of Households', a powerful position in its own right. The last we saw, the Queen had successfully completed a night-time stroll across the Royal gardens, while remaining undetected by the patrolling guards, with nothing but the shadows covering her shame. Only, the experience seemed to have woken something up in her.
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Trial of Celibacy
In short strides Elanor walked back to her chamber, thinking.
'What a bizarre night!'
Bellatrix followed a few feet behind. She didn't show it, but she was even more baffled than the Queen's conduct. The way she remembered, she had left Elanor clad in a full length stola, at the very end of the royal garden. Sure she was soaked to the core, and it'd have left not much to the imagination, but she left her fully clothed nonetheless. What stood before her now was beyond what she had concocted in her wildest dreams.
Sure she might have teased the Queen, but every time Elanor seemed to manage, intentional or not, to push herself beyond any limits of shame set for her. It was the same with the Templeton finale day. All she had planned was to take the Queen on a naked night time stroll. The horse was just decorative if anything. And the moment she looked away, the Queen just took the horse and went on a joy ride. Bare ass naked!! Like, who does that..?!
Now she couldn't figure if it was her acting out intentionally, or the fate toying with them. But either way, Elanor didn't seem to be complaining. If anything she was embracing it, asking for more even. It confused her, whether her duty was to push the Queen or tame the crazy out of her. Because no rationale sufficed for the way she behaved so far. For a Queen of all, that is.
And how did she end up reeking of piss? It was unmistakable, the stench. And somehow it didn't even smell like her own piss, though Bella couldn't put her finger on why she felt that way. It almost felt like the person walking in front of her was someone else entirely. Of all the times Bella met the Queen, she had never behaved so submissive, not once. Now she just obeyed her, like a puppy.
A meek, naked and ornate puppy, that is.
Since the guards were still in front of the Queen's chamber, Bella took Elanor through the secret pathway between the palace walls. Being the Head of Households came up with special privileges, and access to the secret architectural archives of the Castle. Now she knew all the emergency exit systems and secret pathways through out the major forts. Elanor herself had disclosed some of the secret paths as she figured it'd come in handy in case any of the tasks got messed up.
Bella led her to the royal baths, where the Queen cleaned herself of all the dirt from the night. Bella collected all the ornaments, and secured it meanwhile. Once within the chamber, Bella put her to bed and told.
"You opened the letter, so you know. By rule, you now have a new special task. We'll discuss the task tomorrow, for now you just rest. But one minor change."
As Elanor wondered what it is now, Bella took her both hands and held it above her head. Then she pulled a long silk cloth and fastened her both wrists together, and tied it to the bedpost.
"Consider this practice for the next week's task. I wasn't sure if it was appropriate, but watching you tonight I realized. If anything, I should be pushing you harder, driving you wilder."
Elanor didn't nod, nor respond. But simply listened.
"From now, every night you'll sleep tied up. I want you to be comfortable being bound for prolonged times. I want you to feel at home, being immobile. I want you to miss the feeling of rope against your skin, while you do your court duties. Today is a simple wrist lock, but we will increase the complexity in the coming days. So embrace the feeling, this will be your sleep from now on. I'll come early in the morning, and untie, so don't worry. Just make sure you don't call the guards in when you wake up, by force of habit. Unless you want to give them an eyeful, that is."
Saying that, Bella smiled and adjusted her blanket. Then left the room, through the same secret passage. The Queen was way too tired to think, so she tried to get past the new sleeping posture. It did not feel natural, nor restful. But Elanor's body was exhausted by now, by all the running and sweating and shaming. She could have slept standing. And in a few breaths, she sure drifted into it.
A long, deep, sound sleep.