Royal Affliction

Light noises made Sybari open her eyes. She lifted her head from the pillow, pushing up on her elbows. Seeing she was alone in bed, she expected to see May sweep aside the bedroom curtain. Instead, it was a blue-skinned dark elf with black hair.

"Hello," said Sybari.

The girl squealed. "I'm sorry. I didn't know there was anyone in here."

"It's okay. I don't think many demons know I'm here. Who are you?"

"I'm Mirthly. Princess Deploria just appointed me in charge of cleaning her chambers. I came in to get the sheets, but I can come back."

"Oh, sure." Sybari threw the covers off. "It's about time I got up anyway. I can't sleep all day." She swung her feet to the floor and stood up, walking across to her pack to dig something clean out so she could take a shower. She eyed the doors to May's giant wardrobe. "Uh..."

"Something wrong?" Mirthly asked, pulling off a pillowcase. She seemed only briefly perturbed by the fact Sybari was naked apart from a delicate lingerie corset.

"I'm not sure if I should steal a pair of clean knickers or not. I don't have any of my own you see. May's been giving me hers. But I'm not game to take a pair without asking."

"Oh, do you need some? I can send someone to buy some for you."

"I don't have money for things like that," Sybari explained.

"Not from your money. On behalf of the Princess." Her face fell. "Although, I think I have to ask her. I'm not sure how this works. It's my first day, you see. I've come out of the laundry and I've no idea what I'm doing."

"It's okay. I'll ask May when she comes back."

She could just sit on a towel. She didn't have her chains anymore, so she wouldn't make such a mess. Where was May anyway? She was already gone when Sybari woke up earlier and she couldn't see a note left anywhere.

"Um, do you take clothes for washing too?"

Mirthly nodded.

"Could you do mine, please? I don't have much and I'm running out of things to wear." Sybari gathered up a bundle of her dirty clothes and left them by the door on her way to the bathroom.

>*<

Mayhem tapped her quill on the edge of the ink well. She was only half way through her report on the western territories she'd visited and she was incredibly bored. The worst part was Depravia probably wouldn't even read it all. May could have just told her what was going on in a couple of sentences.

"Here you are. Working hard already?" said a smooth voice behind her.

May glanced at Despondia, giving her a weak smile. "I thought I'd better get it out of the way."

Despondia slid onto the bench beside her, close enough that their thighs touched. "Are you sad because your squawky bird is gone?"

"Not overly. I've been without her for months."

"And you have your little succubus now. That's nice. You'll have a lot of fun with her."

May sighed. "I don't know how long Sybari's staying, Dessy."

Despondia put her arm around May and kissed her hair. Unlike Depravia, who May suspected was a psychopath, Despondia could be genuinely nice on occasion. Their older sister meanwhile was only capable of façades, at least with anyone other than Despondia. The two of them were only six years apart and quite inseparable, ruling more like co-regents, though Depravia held all the real power.

May allowed herself to be held, though she chided herself at the same time. Despondia was the closest thing to a mother she had left. The demons that raised her had all moved on, leaving her abusive sisters as the only kind of family love she had. It was why she liked to have long-term relationships, rather than flings. Having someone else there to ply her with attention meant she didn't go seeking her sisters' toxic brand of affection.

"Are you nearly finished?" Despondia picked up the sheet. "Just add a couple more sentences. It needn't be so complex. She'll barely glance at it."

"I know."

She'd also complain if it wasn't lengthy. The Queen was impossible to please.

With her sister humming at her side, Mayhem finished her report. As soon as the quill was back in the ink, Despondia jumped up.

"You may as well give it to her now," she said.

"Can't you just take it if you're going back to her?"

"She'll want it from yoooohooo," Despondia sang.

"Pedantic."

She chuckled.

Begrudgingly, May went with her to the domed room they used for entertaining. As customary, she let her go in first. The Queen wasn't alone however. Two male demons occupied chairs by the fountain.

"The little Princess has made a report from her travels," Despondia said as she swept through the room.

May held her distance, now unsure if she should continue. The way the Queen's expression changed made it clear she shouldn't.

Depravia took one look at her and pointed at the door. "GET OUT!" May took a step back as she continued. "Don't come in here unbound. We are entertaining guests!"

"Oops, I might have forgotten to tell you that part." Despondia flashed May a gleeful smirk.

She was such a two-faced bitch.

May scurried from the room, hurrying through the castle to her chambers. She needed the solace of her own space right now. Remembering Sybari was there brought a smile to her face. The girl would happily give her a hug if she asked. Hell, she was a succubus. She was willing to do way more than hug.

May was feeling less aggressive when she got to her suite. The walk had calmed her down a bit, though she was still edgy. Her hooves clicked on the marble, but Sybari must not have heard over the fountain. She was curled up in the window box reading a book, only looking up when she sensed someone there.

"May." Her face softened with warmth. That she was so pleased to see her made Mayhem feel instantly better.

May sat her report down and came over to squeeze her shoulder. "Find something you like?"

"It's all right." She closed the book and set it aside, adjusting the skirt of her black dress, which sat bunched about her hips so it wasn't underneath her.

May scratched her head. She might not understand the succubus's ways, but she wanted her lovers to be comfortable and was always happy to accommodate their cultural traditions no matter how weird they were to her.

"Is that towel okay? Can I get you one of these special ones you mentioned?"

Sybari glanced down at her thighs and the towel she'd stolen from the bathroom. "Oh, I just...I do have one actually, but it needed to be washed. Your little cleaning girl came in earlier. Awfully timid she is. Anyway, she said someone could get me some panties. I didn't want to take yours without asking."

May rested her head in one hand and let out a groan. "That's right, you have hardly any clothes." She sighed. "Sorry, I should have asked if you wanted me to send for some."

Here she was thinking how odd it was for her wanting to sit on a towel, when the poor girl didn't even want to be doing so.

"Well, I was asleep, so I don't know how you would have done that."

"If you need anything, just let me know. You can wear anything of mine too. I don't mind my lovers doing that. Auchery just had her own clothes because..." She made a gesture with her hands in front of her chest.

Sybari giggled. "Can I choose things for myself? I'd love it if you came with me and taught me all about underwear."

May brushed her hand. "I'd like that. We can get you your replacement jewellery while we're in the marketplace too. Why don't we go now? It would nice to get out of here."

Sybari jumped down to the floor and ran to find her shoes. May picked up her chiffon robe, but the chime of the bell stopped her from putting it over her shoulders. She opened the door to a nervous looking servant, a newly acquired incubus she hadn't seen before.

"Yes?"

"I have a message from the Queen."

"Shit." She stomped her hoof. "Out with it then."

"Lunch will be served in an hour. She says,

'Remind her to dress appropriately.'

These are her words," he stressed, even putting on a bit of a voice. "

Maybe her freakish wench would like to come.

"

"Who's at the door?" Sybari breathed so quietly May hardly heard her. She peered out from behind her shoulder, probably frightened at the prospects.

May flung the door wide and stepped aside. The incubus spotted Sybari and smiled, recognising one of his species.

"Hello," Sybari said.

"Hi," he replied, looking between them like he wasn't sure he was allowed to take his attention from May.

"You two stay there and make friends if you want then. I have to get ready." May waved her hands and hurried off. She went to her wardrobe to get something nice to wear, selecting a gold dress with an open stomach section and puff sleeves. The skirt was a gold and purple bustle of frills.

"You mean for lunch?" Sybari asked, apparently abandoning the incubus.

May shimmied into the shiny fabric. "Yes. I'm afraid we may not get to go shopping today." She scanned the racks for another suitable garment, pulling out a dress of crimson velvet trimmed with brown fur. She looked at Sybari and then the dress, before shoving it back and taking the blue dress next to it with a skirt of pleated fans. She thrust the dress at Sybari. "Here. You need some sparkle."

She tentatively took the dress. "What's this for?"

"Lunch."

"She said

if

I wanted to go. I'd rather fuck myself with a live crab."

May sucked a breath through her teeth. "You have to be careful, Sybari. Depravia's not often direct. Anything remotely like a suggestion or invitation is actually an order."

"Are you saying if she asked me if I wanted to come to her bedroom I'd have to go?"

May put her hands on her shoulders. "No, that's not a formality." She took in the succubus's confused expression. "Look, if you're unsure, ask me. Or one of the servants. They'll know what she really means."

From a drawer, she produced a length of purple fabric and a small velvet bag, taking them over to her dressing table. In the mirror, she saw Sybari moping about as she slowly got dressed. The succubus wandered over to watch May spiral the fabric around her tails, securing it every few inches with a gold band. When she got to the end, May removed the eight rings from her heart fins and pinned them together with four barbells.

"May?" Sybari was looking at her with the saddest eyes. "Why?"

"The Queen has guests. I'm to bind myself when we have visitors," she said coldly, letting her tails fall behind her. The added weight and confines made them heavy and hard to move.

"Couldn't you wear a longer skirt?" she suggested.

May snorted. "She wants me

dressed appropriately

. That means bound and in a short skirt so everyone can see my tails. You can't miss them done up like this. She wants demons to see. When I was little the adults wanted to cover it up because it shamed them. Depravia wants everyone to know so it shames me."

Sybari let out a whimper and folded herself around May's shoulders. The tender display of affection struck May at her core. She really hoped the succubus didn't leave. It felt so nice to have someone care about her.

She patted Sybari's hand on her shoulder. "That dress looks lovely on you."

The compliment did little to cheer the girl up. "Thanks."

"I have to finish getting ready. Help yourself to some make-up." May extracted herself from the embrace and went to the bathroom to get out her file. Her hooves were in bad shape from walking on rocky roads. Even oiling them every day they were still chipped and flaking. She would normally get a pedicure farrier in to help when they were this bad, but she didn't have time.

"Do you need help?" Sybari stood in the doorway, eyes thick with black and lips smeared with pink and green.

May took in the odd position she was in trying to file her hoof. "If I was as flexible as you I could put them over my head to reach the bottom." Sybari giggled and May dropped her hoof to the floor. "Uh, there's not much I can do for them now. I'll have to paint them."

"This?" Sybari picked up the pot and brushes on the counter.

May gave a nod and leaned her weight back on her hands. Sybari sat down on the floor and took a gentle hold of her leg, painting the dark starry mixture over the keratin in even strokes. She smiled at her work, admiring the galaxies she laid down.

"This is beautiful. You're making me wish I had hooves."

"You can do your toenails if you like."

Sybari finished the edge of May's hoof with the small brush, before putting a little of the polish on her toes.

"We better get going," May said, standing up and offering her hand. She pulled Sybari up and took the polish from her, putting it back in the cupboard.

The succubus stared at her feet as they left the bathroom. "Um, should I wear shoes? I don't have any nice heels, only those ratty sandals."

Not being something she had to consider, May paused for a moment. "It's up to you. Half the demons here have hooves or paws. Out of those with feet, only some wear shoes. Do you usually wear them back home?"

"Only when walking long distances or over rough terrain."

May let them out of her quarters, taking Sybari on a familiar path through the castle. When they reached a small sitting room adjacent to the dining hall, she gestured for Sybari to wait on a red velvet couch with her. From their vantage point, they could see through the doorway where the servants had just started to set the table.

"We have to wait for Depravia," May explained. "When they're ready we can go in. Take the seat on my right, so you'll be furthest away from her. And don't sit down until after I have."

Sybari remained silent as she watched the table fill with food. After the rest had left, a lone demon was left to open the doors at the other end of the dining hall. The Queen's two male guests came in, laughing as they worked out where they were supposed to sit.

"Here?" said the big red one with curly horns.

"One of us each side though," replied the voracis. "That's the Queen's chair there."

May crept into the room while their backs were to her, Sybari quietly following at a distance.

"I'm taking the one next to her." Red gave him shove. "You can sit next to the witch princess."

He leaped back from the table. "Urgh. Can't I sit next to you?"

Mayhem seized the voracis by the shoulders, digging her nails into his skin. "You will sit where the Queen tells you!" she hissed.

He cowered away from her, dropping his head. "Oh! My Grace, I didn't hear you come in. I am honoured to be seated by your side."

Unimpressed with his act and denial of wrongdoing, May slapped him hard across the cheek. She turned to stand in front of her place, checking that Sybari was where she wanted her. From the doorway came a sharp cackle and the sound of a gong as the Queen and Princess Despondia sauntered in.

"Midas, did you upset the Princess?" Depravia said with a laugh.

"Not at all, my Queen."

Not game enough to hit him in front of her sister, May sent him a festering glare and slapped his leg with her tails.

Both her sisters snickered and took their seats. Sybari, poised for her cue, sat down immediately after May. The two guest demons took a more casual approach.

"You think he came onto her?" Depravia said to Despondia with a grin. She shot Midas a glance. "Not a lover of cock, our sister. Probably been decades since she had one up her cunt."

Well, she wasn't wrong.

Despondia shook her head. "No one comes onto Deploria. I think he might have mentioned her... condition."

The Queen laughed. "Midas, were you really that crass? You're lucky she didn't tear your testicles off."

>*<

Sybari didn't dare reach for food until she was permitted, but no one expressly told her it was okay. It took May nudging a plate in her direction for her to know it was safe. Even then Sybari kept her eyes from doing any more than glancing at the demons around her while she ate. The Queen and Despondia practically ignored May, talking only to their guests. Apparently, when they weren't toying with her, she didn't exist.

At least the food was good. She'd never eaten as well as since she'd gotten here. She had to stop herself from going for more when she saw the Queen wiping the grease from her hands. Depravia downed a goblet of wine while she spoke to the red org demon about his wild antics on a recent trip to Earth. When he'd finished his story, she refilled her goblet and passed the jug to Despondia. The Princess poured herself a drink and swirled the liquid around in her goblet while she stared at Sybari.

"Succubus..." she whispered. "I bet you're a better fuck than the big breasted birdie."

"Yes, how is your bendy little pet?" the Queen asked May. "I'm surprised she stuck around. You must have impressed her with those tail piercings."

May acted disinterested. "She's fine."

"I'm glad you like my gift. See how good I am to you? I take something you don't need and give you something better. I could have taken her myself to tease you, but I thought how sad my poor little sister gets when she has no one to love her and shove a tail up her twat."

May barely hid her annoyance.

Despondia smiled at Sybari. "Do you come with a name, love?"

She gave the Princess a bashful look. "Sybari."

Her eyes became soft. "Pretty

and

wicked."

The Queen drummed her claws on the table. "You're a strange one. Most creatures I shun go on their way. You've decided to cuddle up to my sister."

"I like her company. I'd rather stay with her than go home."

"You know she's a harbinger of misfortune. Terrible things happen about her. Don't say you weren't warned."

"I don't believe that."

The Queen raised an eyebrow. "No? You should. She killed her own mother."

Sybari stared at her in shock.

May calmly reached for her drink. "Would have thought you'd hold that in esteem, Depravia."

"I would if you'd done it with intent. Stabbed her for the right to the throne or something." She looked at Sybari. "Babies don't willingly murder their milk supply."

"Maybe she didn't like the taste of her," Despondia suggested.

"Oh, was that it, Deploria? Was her milk a bit sour? Still doesn't seem to necessitate killing her."

May groaned and rested her face in her palm.

Sybari rubbed her back, not really sure what to make of her sisters' jokes.

"Well, little succubus, how about you give us some entertainment?" Depravia proposed.

Sybari glanced at May, but the voracis was already glaring at her sister.

"No," Mayhem said coldly.

"Just a bit of harmless acrobatics for our guests." The Queen grinned knowingly at Sybari. "You'd love to, wouldn't you? Can't stop a dancer from dancing."

She did love to perform. If it were just her, she would be happy to show off. But she didn't want to upset May by pandering her sister. She couldn't be sure the Queen wasn't playing at something.

May must have seen it in her face because she sighed and stroked Sybari's thigh. "Only if you really want to. You're not obligated."

Sybari gave a nod.

"And you have to pay her," May told the Queen.

"Of course!" Depravia acted appalled at the very thought.

With May's approval, Sybari stood and pushed back her chair. She hiked her blue dress to her hips so it wouldn't get in the way and went to climb onto the table.

"Take those off!" ordered the Queen, pointing to the blue panties she'd stolen from May's drawer. "It's more fun that way."

May looked like she wanted to stop her, but Sybari happily wriggled the underwear free. She'd never performed with them in the past, and succubi were never ones to care about modesty.

She placed her hands on the edge of the table and raised her weight onto them, pulling her legs up in a straddle all the way to a handstand, before letting her back curve and bringing her legs to a horizontal position above her head. She bent one into single stag position and walked on her hands to the middle of the table like that, turning to face her audience. Bending her other leg, she turned it into a double stag, then brought both feet to touch her head.