The Palace And Pain And Pleasure

The Palace and Pain and Pleasure

Thank you for looking at my story. It is set in the future, after climate change has changed the political face of Europe almost beyond recognition, but because of the role of slavery in the narrative it is placed in the non-con section. I hope you enjoy reading it, and if you think it worth a rating or a comment, that would be much appreciated. If it is well-received it will become the first in a series.

The Princess

The palace of Princess Akobo was believed to be the most luxurious residence on Earth, and had been so since the days of her grandfather, Prince Akimbo. At its centre was the throne room, which was the size of most cathedrals and was lavishly decorated with fabrics, paintings and tapestries from all over the world. Those who sought an audience with the princess entered at one end and were given a bracelet that would warn them when their turn was approaching, but they might have to wait several hours. That was simply because there were so many of them. There was no malicious intent.

The waiting area was liberally provided with couches, many of them in little private alcoves, and slaves were always on hand to bring snacks and drinks. More important, there was at least one pleasure slave present for every visitor and they were naked and chained. It was usually possible to choose male or female, black or white, and anyone waiting more than a couple of hours would be offered a change. At busy times there might be two dozen copulating couples in the throne room, and some of the petitioners would have to return the next day.

Princess Akobo's throne and its accoutrements occupied the top third of the hall; what in an actual cathedral would have been called the choir. What surprised many first-time visitors- or the few that had not seen pictures of it- was that it was not raised- to force her subjects to look up to her- but sunken by a few feet. It was supposed to symbolize her subjection to the needs of her subjects, and her determination to live a life of service to them. They could look down on her as she reclined on her throne, demonstrating that, although she wallowed in the most extravagant luxury imaginable, she prized honesty and transparency above everything.

Akobo's throne was circular and about twelve feet in diameter, but it was so lavishly provided with silk-covered cushions and pillows that it was difficult to discern its exact shape. It was inclined slightly towards the larger part of the chamber, so that those looking down on her, or about to descend to her level, would have a perfect view. It was shaped like a shallow bowl, so that those occupying it with her would tend to gravitate towards her, usually lying against her body.

She never occupied the throne alone, nor was she ever completely naked. She wore a diaphanous, flowing robe that did not fasten down the front, and was often open. It was intended to convey opulence and majesty, but alone among contemporary rulers she thought it improper to conceal herself from her subjects. There was usually a breast showing- sometimes two- and watchers never had to wait very long for a glimpse of her hairless pussy. Much depended on what she was expecting from those who shared the throne with her.

The princess normally shared her throne with two female pleasure slaves, both of whom were completely naked, lacking even collars and cuffs. Instead, their wrists were tied behind their backs with rope, and a skilled rigger was always on hand to see that it was secure, to tie up replacements, and to put those finishing their four-hour shifts back into their irons and chains. She generally preferred them to be busty, fleshy and lightly oiled, so that her hands could roam over their bodies and always find something to grasp. She disliked piercings, and favoured big nipples with large areolas.

The colours didn't seem to matter, but all Akobo's pleasure females had big, pouty lips, wide eyes and round bottoms. As she usually occupied her throne for eight hours each day, she needed at least four, but with several spares, two of which had to be ready for immediate use. In practice, since she occasionally lent one to a favoured visitor, she needed a dozen girls who met the very highest standards. It was a challenge to source and maintain them in optimum condition, but her servants were helped by her preference for slaves who, although very beautiful, might have been rejected as overweight by perfectionists.

The shape of the throne caused the slaves to lie against their mistress and sovereign, and if she pulled them over to face her they often covered much of her body. She would often be French-kissing one of them while the other sucked at one of her nipples, and the two would change places every five to ten minutes. She was proud of her ability to enjoy them without losing concentration, even when discussing complex legal cases or difficult economic issues. Her hands would be roving all over their bodies, but she liked above all to hold, stroke and squeeze their breasts.

During less demanding business, such as presenting awards or receiving ambassadors, she would often summon a third pleasure slave to lie between her legs and give her gentle cunnilingus. The girls were all capable of keeping it up for hours without provoking an orgasm, but if she felt in need of one she would order her servants hold back the next visitor while she indulged herself. Then she would continue as if nothing had happened. The air-conditioning was capable of adjusting automatically to supply cooler, dryer air when it was needed.

She often took drinks or food while still conducting interviews, and there was always a household hucow present to be milked by a servant into her tea or coffee. A much less favoured duty, still performed by a lower-ranking pleasure slave, was to act as her toilet, whenever she needed to pee, for she could not be expected to rise from her throne to visit the bathroom behind the throne room, or to endure the indignity of using a bedpan. The slave's job was to drink while making it look as if she was eating her out, and not to spill a drop.

Although the princess much preferred women, there were always male slaves available. Petitioners who brought a definite proposal- a new building, a textile pattern, or perhaps a more efficient galley- were usually invited to spend the night at the palace or in one of its many annexes, and were lent a pleasure slave for the night; male or female according to their preferences. The most favoured who wanted females were assigned one of the girls who was attending the princess, and that was the usual reason why an immediate replacement was required.

The throne room was extraordinarily labour-intensive, and it was only the tip of the iceberg. In the palace complex as a whole there were more than a thousand slaves, all comely enough to provide sexual services. High standards were set even for the kitchen sluts, serving wenches and chambermaids, and many visitors and guests found themselves unable to resist the bathroom and toilet attendants.

Nine-tenths of the house-slaves were female, but in the grounds, the park and the demesne far more males worked as composters, hu-ponies, cart hu-horses and agricultural labourers. They were overseen mostly by free tenant farmers and artisans, but in the palace a dedicated

cadre

of indentured servants- about two hundred of them- ensured that the slaves were properly secured, restrained, trained and disciplined. The most senior roles- housekeepers, butlers, head cooks and caretakers- were free servants, although most of the free staff occupied positions that were more like the civil servants and ministers of a more conventionally governed state. There were almost always two or three of the latter in the throne room, for the princess expected to have the best possible advice available at a moment's notice. There were alcoves to the sides where they could rest and use the spare pleasure slaves as they waited.

Although the princess was decadent, extravagant and impulsive, she was not cruel. Her residence was called "The Palace of Pain and Pleasure" for largely historical reasons. Her father had been a martinet who insisted that the palace be run with military precision. Slaves were required to walk along marked lines and maintain perfect balance, and all tasks and functions were timed to the second. The slightest deviation, or a hair out of place or a finger or toe nail not trimmed quite right, meant a whipping, so the slaves lived in a state of constant anxiety.

The atmosphere was not improved by the Prince's use of the cellars as dungeons and interrogation facilities. It amused him to have the sounds from the torture chambers echoing faintly in the throne room, as if they gave him extra authority. The screaming caused petitioners and counsellors alike to lose confidence, and he was gratified to find that the numbers of visitors declined steadily during his short reign. He was not a ruler who liked to mix with his people.

Prince Eugen's sadism and paranoia were fuelled by his conviction that he would die by assassination, and that proved to be a self-fulfilling prophesy. His particular

bête noir

was the regional branch of the Anti-Slavery Society, and the efforts of his spies and

agents provocateurs

were lavished overwhelmingly on discovering and apprehending its members. Mostly harmless and ineffectual people, he enjoyed their screams while the small but fanatical republican movement plotted his downfall almost unnoticed.

A further distraction was his quarrel with his brother, who tried too hard to persuade him that he was turning critics into enemies with his harsh, unforgiving and expensive rule. Ultimately, Prince Hamsa went into exile with his family, using his share of the family wealth to found a new colony on the Moon.

That altered Akobo's prospects considerably. As her father's only legitimate child she was at least the heiress presumptive, but it was in his power to favour his brother, nephew or niece, or to supersede her by fathering a male prince. His daughter, however, displayed high intelligence, an instinctive grasp of business, and an awareness of her status and responsibilities, so even before she reached the age of majority he had named her heiress apparent and hereditary princess.

Not long after Akobo's eighteenth birthday, her father was shot dead by an assassin. The perpetrator was never caught, having fired from very long range as his target was leaving the palace and boarding his carriage. It was a remarkable shot, and there were no more than five people on the planet who could have made it, but afterwards, remarkably, they all disappeared. No objections were made to Akobo's succession, so she assumed that her uncle was innocent of any involvement. Nor did the republican movement attempt to exploit the crisis. It was easy to draw the conclusion that the family of one of Prince Eugen's victims, tortured to death for some minor act of defiance, had hired the killer.

***

As a sovereign princess, Akobo was a new broom. She had never opposed or criticized her father, but she wanted to live among subjects who were animated by their desire for pleasure and sexual fulfilment, not by fear of the lash or worse. Some changes were immediate, some more gradual, but when she had been on the throne for five years, the only thing about the palace that was still recognizable was the architecture.

Whippings were now a rarity, used only to punish obvious negligence or self-neglect, for slaves had to regulate their own diets, keep themselves fit, and stay within the weight limits prescribed for them. All but one of the torture chambers in the cellars had been repurposed as pleasure parlours, and the survivor had been soundproofed. The constant, intrusive surveillance of her subjects had been drastically curtailed. Talking shops were left to talk in peace, while genuine threats to the state and/or the crown just disappeared, to be wrung dry and then consigned to the deepest mines in the principality, never to be seen on the surface again.

Without the background screaming, the palace was a happier and more relaxed environment, and she steadily increased the number of slaves whose sole function was to give and receive sexual pleasure. Any criticism of her extravagance was deflected by keeping everything public. She was the only ruler in the world who was regularly seen almost naked. She and her most distinguished guests required privacy when on the toilet or having penetrative sex, but otherwise, everything in the palace was televised. The feeds were free for her subjects, and on pay channels in the rest of the world and in orbit, and the proceeds covered most of her costs.

Princess Akobo, with the help of a minister appointed specially to oversee the palace routines, developed a way of using the slaves efficiently while keeping them motivated. Every sex-slave was guaranteed an average of eight hours a day for rest and exercise, spent unchained and locked in a purpose-built room. Large parts of the cellars and the utility areas were divided into locking cubicles, each with a comfortable single bed, an armchair, an upright chair and desk, and varied types of exercise equipment. Every room had a small, basic bathroom.

There was nothing else; no screen, no books or pictures, and no means of playing music. Nor did slaves ever share a cubicle. They were there to rest and to exercise. Most slaves were not used to being alone, so they tended to welcome the handlers who came for them, reaching through a slot in the door to lock their hands behind their backs. They always left their cells in bondage, and remained so until they returned, albeit usually to a different cell. They were never allowed to establish a home where they could make marks on the walls, and/or record the passage of time.

The exceptions to that rule were the princess's personal pleasure slaves; the ones who shared her throne. When not in use there would always be two who were in her private apartments, chained to her bed. She often took an hour to rest after eating her lunch on her throne, and returned there after dinner in the evenings. They were changed for the night. One or two were usually lent for an hour or two, or sometimes a night, to VIP guests, ambassadors and artistic talents.

If one of the pleasure slaves was surplus to requirements for a few hours- occasionally overnight- she was caged and freed of restraints, and a bound and erect male would be put in with her. It was always done in a public place, so passers-by, or people waiting for appointments with officials, could watch them coupling. The princess knew that all her women were bisexual, and that they would be more devoted to her pleasure if not totally deprived of cock. It was an unbreakable rule, however, that no two slaves could have sex without at least one of them being helpless in bondage.

It was not only in the cages that the pleasure slaves enjoyed hard cocks. The princess was not always resident in the palace, and spent at least a quarter of her time in a smaller orbital version, in geosynchronous orbit. There she had about a third as many slaves, a few free servants, and when she was in residence, one or two ministers in attendance. Another quarter of her time was spent elsewhere on Earth, visiting fellow sovereigns or on progress around her own principality. Although it was not large, there were several great estates with the resources to keep her in the style to which she was accustomed. Both she and her state were rich beyond the dreams of avarice, and the distinction between the two was far from clear.

When Akobo was absent the throne was occupied by her ministers in rotation, and more than half of them were male. Her standing orders were that any man using the throne must be erect, but that his penis must never be visible in its entirety. It might be covered for short periods with clothing, but for the overwhelming majority of the time it would be in the mouth, pussy or bottom of one of her pleasure slaves. She wanted to know that no distraction would prevent her servants from conducting state business without fear or favour.

History 101

Most of Princess Akobo's contemporaries knew that she was the richest person in the world, and many knew that her state had the highest average

per capita

income, counting only her free subjects. That was an important qualification, for it also had the highest proportion of slaves; about three quarters of the total. She had about three quarters of a million free subjects, with another twenty thousand in the African territories or in orbit.

Why was she so wealthy? When global warming accelerated in the mid-twenty-first century, the temperatures in much of Africa and the middle east often soared to over fifty Celsius, and the populations left in their tens of millions to emigrate to the less populous parts of Northern Europe. The resulting multi-faceted crises destroyed the political and social structures in most of the world, but recovery came quickly as a dramatic fall in the birthrate stabilized the population despite a rapid increase in life expectancy.

The re-introduction of slavery, arising from the practice of forcing immigrants to become indentured labourers, was a lasting consequence of the changes, but it was patchy. In European countries the proportion of slaves varied between one in ten and four to one. In many states, many new routes into slavery were enacted, and interbreeding ensured that a minority were of African appearance. That was true of the free population as well, and Princess Akobo, despite her Sub-Saharan origins, looked Mediterranean. Her subjects, free and enslaved, were among the most diverse in the world.

Akobo's ancestors had responded to the rising temperatures in ways that their contemporaries did not understand. Vast tracts of land in central and northern Africa became uninhabitable, and therefore worthless, and they were acquired for the family for token amounts of money. As the political structures collapsed it was easy to turn ownership into sovereignty. A small but skilled and productive workforce remained, operating and working in air-conditioned bunkers from which they emerged only on the coolest nights.

Mining rare metals and precious stones, the family became rich enough to buy estates in Northern Ireland, while good marriages extended their holdings further. Consolidation followed, and Princess Akobo held sway over the old counties of Down, Antrim and Armagh, with many of the surrounding statelets being ruled by family members who acknowledged her as their suzerain. Several Scottish islands, and the Isle of Man, had also joined her little Empire, enjoying varying degrees of self-government.

By Akobo's time, only a fraction of the family's wealth was derived from minerals. The reactions to global warming had virtually eliminated the use of fossil fuels, while several accidents had forced the abandonment of nuclear power as a source of energy. Prudent ancestors had responded by covering their African territories with solar panels and laying cables to supply much of Europe with power. As a result, electric vehicles, trams and railways were making a comeback, although most local transport, especially for passengers, was by carriages drawn by human slaves. Because of a global shortage of the materials required for batteries, almost all farm labour was supplied by slaves, some of them bred for particular strengths, such as the shire-slaves who were used mainly for ploughing heavy soils and pulling heavy wagons.

Industrial labour was also supplied either by slaves or robots. Often it was slaves under the supervision of robots; a fate that was considered the most demeaning of human conditions. Akobo was doing her best to encourage the growth of industries producing consumer and luxury goods, including equipment for restraining, holding and punishing slaves. Under existing conditions she could charge as much for energy as her European customers could pay without deciding that it would be cheaper to invade her territories and dispossess her. Competition from the east was, however, increasing, and she felt the need to seek new sources of wealth.