The Priestess' Punishment

Warning: contains violent and non-consensual themes

Part II - Subjugation

The circular platform lowered until it came to rest before his feet. In all his 41 years, Barus had never felt so out of place, or so incredibly nervous. He was the blacksmith of his village; a craftsman in his own right. But never had he seen something like this. What kind of technology - no - it had to be a dimensional work that powered the device. But if that was the case, who was making the incantation?

The nun who had escorted him to the 99th floor nodded curtly, and he gingerly stepped on, and for better or worse, the platform detected it's payload and automatically began the return trip upwards.

Barus had known about this day for some time, ever since his name was the first drawn for the task of 'punishing the former Archpriestess'. It had been decided that

he

would be the first to visit her chamber, but he couldn't decide how he felt about his 'luck'. Why was it that he felt like a lamb being led to the slaughter?

For the past 2 weeks he had been put up in luxurious accommodations.

Isolated,

more like it. And he had spent much of that time wondering if this day would actually come. Would the Archpriestess ever awake from her coma? Would they really throw him into a room with her and expect him to...

take

her? Sexually? Was he truly going to have the chance to enjoy some human intimacy after 10 years of misery and loneliness? Did he dare to hope to see justice done, and to quench his own, personal thirst for vengeance?

He had climbed the various stairs and elevators to arrive at this strange, sterile looking room on the 99th floor of the architectural wonder that was Principal Cathedralis. Even on approach to the capital, he had gawked at the glass-like tower that rose far above all others until it disappeared up in the clouds. It had been the headquarters of the Primordial church, and its construction may be the single greatest achievement of human civilisation. But now that the church had been officially disbanded, well, exactly what grand purpose would Principal Cathedralis continue to serve?

There were no windows on the 99th floor, and in fact here he saw none of the great decorations, features or practical fitouts that he had observed each step of the way this far. On each other 'floor' of Principal Cathedralis, he had witnessed mighty pillars, or chandeliers and staircases, through to enormous trees and a majestic waterfall. There had been every conceivable artwork, utility and luxury, but there was also an eerie scarcity of people enjoying or maintaining the landmark's many functions.

Apparently the Archpriestess constructed each new floor as a worthy successor to the existing top floor. She would make the new area her personal quarters for a period of time, until she decided to extend Principal Cathedralis yet again. He speculated that the humble 99th floor may have been a kind of staging area for construction of the top floor, whilst also serving as a security checkpoint to ensure the Archpriestess' privacy.

No doubt in days past, a visitor of his lowly standing could have never reached the elevator on which he now stood. Well, a person such as he couldn't have entered Principal Cathedralis in the first place, much less climb this high. He struggled to comprehend that he was currently at an altitude higher than the clouds of the sky. It didn't feel real - and even less so for the purpose of his visit.

Well, the moment of truth approaches.

Suddenly he felt overwhelmingly giddy; lightheaded. He had to plant his feet firmly apart to ensure he didn't topple right off the rising platform, and he searched deeply for the courage to face this situation head on. After all, he

had

volunteered for this by his own free will.

Yes, he did well to remind himself that he had wanted this from the moment that word of the verdict had reached his village. And he had desired to be with a woman for many years following the loss of his dear wife so long ago. Certainly nobody could ever replace the love of his life. But still, this person - the Archpriestess of the Primordial church - it was said that she was the most beautiful woman in the entire Unified Empire!

But, also the oldest? Perhaps she had been a stunner when she was young? Or was it all just rumours born from reverence to the one who mysteriously ruled all, but who never showed herself publicly? Suffice to say, the Archpriestess was considered the great enigma of their society, even more mysterious than Principal Cathedralis itself. But here he was, about to learn the truth first-hand.

The platform came to rest near the edge of a huge, circular room, and no less than 10 metres above him spanned a grand dome of glass and decoration worthy of the greatest cathedral in the world. Or, at least, it had been. He could see numerous patches where broken glass had been replaced with temporary painted timbers. The furniture towards the middle of the room was of quality, but looked tiny amidst such a ludicrously sized space. This penthouse could have fairly served as an entire church in itself. But, there was a lounge, a dressing area, and a grand bed decorated in purple and gold trappings, and...

two

female figures. They were completely still, and regarded the intruder silently. With distrust and contempt, no doubt.

Front-most, there stood a regal looking woman of dark hair and copper coloured eyes - most likely from the eastern province of their Unified Empire. She was handsomely proportioned and strikingly attractive. If he was here to be with her, then he would have no complaints. But wait - there was a sword at her hip of a quality he had never seen the likes of, and suddenly he had a feeling that she was incredibly dangerous. Given the importance of where he was and who he expected to find here, there was only one likelihood. The woman was one of the mighty Primordial Paladins!

He couldn't see much of the figure hiding behind her, but he took her for a child, probably a handmaiden to the priestess. She sat with her face downcast, hooded by a fine silver blanket that masked her body. No doubt, she was nervous about his sudden intrusion, or even very frightened. It was understandable. He was a large man, and the children of his village were afraid of him. But was that because of his size, or because he lived alone, having missed the chance to sire offspring of his own?

Barus looked about for any other presence, specifically, his partner in this bizarre rendezvous - the Archpriestess herself. But, seeing nobody else, he decided to break the awkward silence. "Hi, uh, I mean... good afternoon, my lady paladin. I am called Barus, I uh, hope I was expected."

"Yes," the woman replied. "I am Filipia Designation Zwei, Knight-captain of the Society of Primordial Paladins. I'll be acting as witness and chaperone." At the last, the demure figure behind her put an unsteady hand on the knight's hip, and slowly rose to her feet. The silken blanket started to fall apart to reveal her form, though for the moment she remained mostly hidden from view. But perhaps his awkward manner had put the girl at ease?

Filipia continued, "and may I present her eminence; well - was - the Archpriestess of the Primordial church. Former ruler of the Unified Empire." The knight took a step to the side, exposing the figure who stood behind her.

Barus' heart surely stopped in his chest. The girl was actually a young woman, and she was beyond beautiful. She carried no blanket as he had at first thought, but in fact her hair was a glimmering silver fountain that cascaded both in front of her body, and down her back, all the way to her ankles. She was showing no small amount of skin, and it was like the purest fresh milk, free of any blemish or sign of age. Though certainly an adult, she had to be less than 20 years old! Was he supposed to believe that this was the same person who had ruled for as long as his own family history could recall?

Looking upon the deposed monarch, there was much to take in. Her appearance was enough to overwhelm a man; it knocked any thought out of his head and for a time he couldn't have composed a legible sentence if his life depended on it. She had a rounded, girlish face with a pointed chin. A small mouth framed by delicate looking lips, and a cute button-like nose. Her long, dark lashes were something of a stark contrast to her silver hair.

Her eyes were large and softened by recent tears, but the colour was a rarity he hadn't known existed. They were a sparkling violet - no wait, only the left eye was? Then Barus realised that her pupils were actually silver - much like her hair - but highly reflective, so that the violet he saw in one was actually due to the lush royal drapes hanging from the oversized bed.

She regarded him with intense suspicion, and he didn't blame her. He tried to convince himself not to feel ashamed of his purpose here, and that it was ok to let his eyes wander over her glorious figure.

The simple white nightshirt she wore may have hid the curve of her waist, but it hugged close to her chest, and the neckline was more revealing than what any decent woman would dare to present herself publicly in.

For some reason it was partly wet, and clung to her like a second skin. One of her breasts shone through the thin cotton, an erotic sight that took much away from her mystery. Her breasts were any man's dream, so wondrously full and rounded, and they sat high and proud on her body despite that her shift offered nothing in the way of support. It wasn't that they were the largest he had ever seen - even the paladin may have outclassed her in this one superficial regard - but they certainly

looked

large on the girl's small, yet curvy frame.

The icing on the cake was the slight indentation of a nipple cresting into the damp, sheer material. He hadn't seen a woman so scantily clad since he had been married, and he felt the onset of arousal beginning to win out over his nerves.

The priestess' shirt ended at her upper thigh, and the question of whether any underwear would be found above the hem was just one of the curiosities that stoked flames into the long dormant furnace of his lust. Beneath that, her smooth, porcelain legs had the illusion of looking very long, when actually her thighs were just slim, her calves sinfully curved. Her feet were dainty and pointed; it wasn't hard to imagine that many a subject would have happily prostrated himself before her for the chance to worship even her feet.

At first, Linarei had been undone by the threat of a man entering her chamber on such a premise. But as soon as she heard him speak, she had taken a hold of herself. He was nobody; about as inconsequential as an insect, and she was confident she could quash this matter by asserting some of her high-born authority. Well - that was the only card she had to play, though she was prepared to fight tooth and nail if it came to it.

"Commoner! I'm sure I can't imagine what fairy tale you've heard that makes you think you can even look upon me as you are now. I'm in a good mood, so I'll overlook such impudence this time. But away with you now! I have no more words to give to such an eyesore."

Her voice was sophisticated, enchanting music, but her words were like poised daggers. Barus froze for a moment; the tongue lashing had at least been enough to snap him out of his smitten-boy stupor. He glanced briefly at Filipia. The paladin's expression was unreadable, but at the very least she was not making a move to eject him from the penthouse.

He studied the Archpriestess with a more critical eye. Ten years had passed since his wife had been slain. Ten long, lonely years - without any pittance of justice. And this woman had created the Gospel Interdictum that permitted such things to happen. He had once vowed no mercy, should he ever get his hands on the person most responsible for what happened.

The calmness in her expression was evidence of a mighty confidence that she would not be defied. She spoke strong words, but it was hard to take them seriously coming from such a cute, girlish mouth. There was no use denying that he was taken by her at first sight. He was entranced by her lovely face; titillated by curves that elevated her to the epitome of femininity. He wondered if he would have it in him to cause any real harm to such an impossibly gorgeous woman.

But, his duty today was to

fuck

her. Yes, he could do that. Though, despite been granted a special privilege by the emergency governing council, despite his simmering animosity, the notion of

rape

did not sit well with him. He still would have liked to have had her consent, but, just this once, he recognised something frightening within himself. A hostile kind of lust, an unsympathetic intent to go through with this act regardless of the girl's cooperation. But it might not come to that, he assured himself. After all, she was surely aware of the punishment she had been sentenced to, and so she should accept him as the chosen instrument to deliver it.

She probably just needs buttering up a little bit.

Barus strode towards Linarei with purpose, and she stiffened up when she realised her directive had been ignored. He was a well-kept man, tall, and carried himself with a gait suggestive of good health and fitness. If she had to fight him off, he would be a handful indeed! She decided to try and hold her ground, not yet ready to give up on her psychological approach.

"Are you mad? Or do you mean to entertain me by getting yourself dismembered by the

Primordial Paladin

by my side?" Filipia had made her position clear enough. But perhaps

he

didn't quite know that. By making it sound as though he were risking his very life, she was testing his resolve.

The man did not stop, and he was now close enough that she could make out his features clearly. His face was on the large side, with a chiselled square jaw that was immaculately clean shaven. He was undeniably handsome, if a little weathered from a life of hard work of some sort. He had brown, wavy hair, and determined blue eyes that pierced her confidence. All of a sudden, she felt grossly underdressed, as if she were already naked before his stare.

In any case, Linarei was unimpressed by good looks. She needed to get a handle on the situation. Right now. "Very well," she pointed an accusatory finger. "Filipia Designation Zwei, slice this-"

Her hand was seized by one much larger, and an unprecedented strength yanked her forward with such force that she collided into him chest-to-chest. "Oww!" The impact made her bosoms hurt. Yes - they hurt quite a lot! Why was that? Linarei stepped back from his embrace, but his grip shifted to her wrist and she couldn't pull free entirely. She looked to the side at Filipia, but his other hand found her face and turned her back towards him.

And then he kissed her full on the lips. "Mmf!" Linarei's immediate protest was muted by the larger mouth that engulfed hers. Beyond that, she was dumbstruck. Never in her life had somebody dared! She had even inserted a specific law in the Gospel Interdictum, that prevented kissing one on the lips whom one was not married to! And here she was locked in the intimate act. He held her by just one hand; the other he used to press lightly against the back of her head. His touch was relatively gentle, but her legs were still so wobbly that she wasn't sure if she could escape even if she wrenched herself free.

His kiss became ferocious, needy, and she could smell recent soap on his skin. Apparently her cathedral had been quite the accommodating host, but no pleasant scent could make up for such blatant impertinence! His mouth was hot, wet, and uninvited. A dozen butterflies metamorphosed in Linarei's stomach and simultaneously took flight, and her body shook except for her hand and head that were held firmly by his strength. No doubt the kiss was exciting. But she refused to approve of him, and she frantically sought a means to escape.

Surely if she were to

bite

those big, fleshy, sensitive lips - that would be enough for him to release her. But she was afraid to do that. His hands were heavily calloused; he obviously had a labour intensive vocation, and her instincts detected an abundance of reserve strength in him. In any case, pressing her teeth into human flesh seemed so barbaric, and Linarei wasn't yet ready to resort to animalistic defence tactics.

The huge hand that still held her wrist moved down and behind her, and he pressed into her backside while simultaneously pinning her sword-arm safely away. Even with the fabric of her shirt interceding, his touch was passion behind stiff calluses, and the indecent manhandling turned Linarei livid.

The priestess gave just the reaction he had hoped for when he ventured his hand down to her butt. "Ah-" she tried to scream in outrage, but as soon as she did, Barus slipped his tongue into her pretty little mouth, and immediately found its dancing partner. Though, for the girl's part, it was her weak efforts to scream and turn away that put her tongue into range. Her silver eyes now sparkled with a fury he had never seen in a woman, and, as he stared at her, she stared right back, and those beautiful jewels took on a blue-ish hue as they reflected his own dilated pupils.

But what was really heating up his loins was the feel of the girl's ass. He could tell just from this much contact, that she was indeed naked beneath her thin cotton slip. He still held her wrist between thumb and forefinger, but she never stopped wriggling. Her struggles caused him to constantly shift his grip, giving his fingers the opportunity to move all over the soft warmth of her rump, here and there catching her bare skin under her inadequately short dress.

Barus was quickly losing himself in his passion for the young woman, and he saw no reason to hold back. With both arms he held her close, and the way her warm body trembled in his clutches was just too precious. He tuned his senses to discern every detail he could about his prey. Her hair was infinite strands of soft silk that caressed his cheek and hand as he maintained his hold on the back of her head. The scent of her light sweating and the roll of tears down her trembling cheeks told him she was afraid, but somehow that only encouraged him further.

He had been without a woman for ten years; had forgotten how wonderful it was to be this close to one. And the Archpriestess was no ordinary woman. Now that he touched her, now that he could

smell

her, his libido simmered with a decade of pent-up longing and need. And so he held her tighter, kissed her harder.

Perhaps it was just his arrogance, but he was sure she seemed to be kissing him back. He was finding her tongue here and there, even though she could have withdrawn it to the back of her mouth. And, the sounds she made? They might have been muted protests, but Barus convinced himself they were the whimpers of a girl submitting to the forceful attentions of a dashing member of the stronger sex.

He was acutely aware of the twin, warm mounds of her breasts against his chest, and he delighted in the feel of the soft valley of her belly as he poked into it through his trousers. He let go of her wrist so that he could slide his hand under the hem of her dress. He grabbed onto one bare, generously sized buttock and squeezed hard.

That was the last straw for Linarei. That, and a certain inappropriate contact between their bodies was enough to convince her of the precise nature of the trouble she was in. He had just released her arm, and, with his still reaching low, she was in a much improved position to fight him. Their mouths were still locked, and she was about done with tolerating his insolent tongue in her mouth.