The Acacia Dynasty had ruled the land for hundreds of years. Sometimes the queen was the daughter of the previous queen, and sometimes she was no relation, but always it was a queen on the throne. Men had not ruled the land since King Jagger sent hundreds of men to their death in battle against a neighbouring kingdom. That king had accused Jagger of raping his daughter; Jagger had in fact done so, and his own kingdom would not let him get away with this. Thus was the Acacia Dynasty founded, with his sister the first queen.
Acacia was wise and gentle, and loved by her people as much as her brother had been hated. Every queen following her was given the honorary name of "Acacia the X", depending on which queen she was in line. Currently on the throne was Queen Madeleine, Acacia the 15th.
Queen Madeleine was raised a princess and inherited the throne when her mother stepped down. Madeleine had been raised to become queen. She walked with quiet confidence, head held high. She was well-educated, and could speak the languages of every country around them. She had been given the best beauty regime available, and had soft, clear skin. She was known for her intelligent grey eyes, glossy brown hair that fell the length of her back, and her large breasts. The royal tailors dressed her to show her grey eyes and large breasts to advantage. No man was immune to her natural charm.
Foreign princes asked for her hand, and every man in her kingdom would die to defend her. At twenty-two she had been of marriageable age for two years, but wanted to adjust to life as a queen before getting married.
Knowing that power could go to a woman's head as much as a man's, everything was done to protect the queen from becoming promiscuous. If she wished to marry, her Elders composed a list of suitable candidates. She had the final choice from the list. Her husband did not have to be royalty, since he would never be king, but he must be a wise man, as he would no doubt advise his wife.
Following the fall of Jagger, changes had been made in the kingdom for the protection of all. Jagger's great downfall had been his unquenchable sexual appetite, his inability to keep his coluk to himself. It was agreed that men were to be protected against this, and were to remain virgins until they were married. Proposals were now offered by women to men.
In addition, a mage was brought to the kingdom to teach the queen to read thoughts. In this way, she would never be taken advantage of the way Jagger had taken advantage of another king's daughter. Any man with impure thoughts would not be able to get close enough to the Queen to act on those thoughts. Each queen passed on this skill to her heir.
From the time she turned eighteen, the Queen's ladies-in-waiting held a highly-revered monthly cleansing ritual to maintain her sexual purity. Because Jagger had used his sexual organ without restraint, putting his coluk where he chose, this monthly ritual served to cleanse the Queen from any impurities that may have entered her, pulling them out through three vulnerable areas of her body.
Follow along with us as Queen Madeleine undergoes this month's cleansing.
She has spent the morning bathing, having her skin scrubbed with brushes, then oiled and perfumed. Dressed in the opaque blue gauze wrap worn only on this day each month, letting the breeze blow through to her thinly-veiled skin to that no impurities can be trapped against her, Queen Madeleine walks slowly through her gardens. Lining the path on either side are the virginal males of the kingdom, aged 20 to 30. They are her gardeners, musicians, and cooks. Shop owners, blacksmiths, and scholars. All of them cleansed themselves this morning, as well, and are dressed only in thin cotton pants.
As she walks between the rows, the men with their heads bowed, she considers their form, their stance, their scent. From these many men she will choose three to partake in this month's ceremony. Those who participated in the ceremonies in the three previous months will act as guards, ensuring that everything runs smoothly.
A young man catches the Queen's eye. He is definitely among the youngest, but handsome, with a smooth, hairless chest. His muscular arms point to physical labour, but his lack of a tan suggests indoor work. He works with the barrel-maker, perhaps, or at the flour mill. She sees in him a quiet strength that appeals to her. She opens her mind to his thoughts.
I hope the Queen is pleased with today's ceremony. She is the most beautiful and kind woman; how I would love to be able to help with her cleansing today.
His simple but earnest thoughts draw her. She nods to her secretary, who touches the young man's arm, and he falls into place to walk behind them.
A breeze blows her gauze wrap, but her ladies wrapped it securely enough that it doesn't slip. She feels the wind tease her freshly-shaved Venubia. She shivers at the sensation, feeling exposed and yet anticipating the cleansing. Her Opia also pebble up at the breeze and remind her of the previous cleansing ceremony, when they were especially well-cleansed. It was a very memorable experience that she hopes to relive today.
Where the path enters the shade of a grove of trees, Queen Madeleine spots the ceremony's second participant. A head taller than the men beside him, with a full beard and a chest full of dark hair, he stands with his legs apart and arms crossed. She recognizes him as a former member of her military; he had injured his foot while out hunting, and had to return home to take up a new career. She is sure he is approaching the higher end of the age bracket, and is glad to have this chance to select him before he is married and no longer eligible.
There is no woman on earth like our Queen. No one can touch her in honour or beauty. If I could only get close enough to express my devotion, I would tell her that even retired, I will never let any harm come to her. What is that musky scent? It makes me strangely hungry.
She looks forward to seeing his dark eyes up close during the ceremony. After receiving the 'V' sign from her Queen, her secretary taps his arm and he, too, falls into step behind them.
Queen Madeleine wonders, as she searches for the third and final participant, what the two men behind her are thinking. Surely they have heard whispers of the secret ceremony. Participants are not to speak of what goes on, but she has no doubt that some do. Even if they haven't heard, the sight of her walking ahead of them in thin gauze must be quite intriguing to the two virgins.
Following the path around to where it curves back toward the palace, Queen Madeleine begins to think she will have to walk through the lines again, when at the very end of the line she spots him. Standing confidently, his bronzed body evidence of outdoor work, her eye is drawn to him. Lifting his eyes slowly, trailing up her body, his lips turn up in a sad smile. When his eyes meet her surprised ones, he looks down again.
Not sure what to think of his boldness in looking up, the Queen opens her mind to his thoughts.
She is even more beautiful than they have said. Oh, to put my lips on her skin. To suck on her Opia. With father sending me away next month, this is my last chance to worship her.
Intrigued, the Queen nods toward him, her selection now complete. Taking the path that leads to the Cleansing Sanctum, she begins to prepare her mind. To set aside all concerns and plans, to focus only on cleansing her body for the able management of her kingdom, and the future children she may bear.
Set a good way apart from all other palace buildings and activities, the Cleansing Sanctum is surrounded by a ring of trees three deep, for privacy. Inside the trees is a stone platform. The participants from the three previous months are already lined up around the platform, ready to guard the queen. Every second man faces outward, while the rest face inward. Nothing will come to harm the Queen from within or without while she is vulnerable.
In the centre of the platform is a stone chair, covered in the softest of leathers. On either side, and at the end, are three cushions on the floor, to protect the knees of the three participants. Solemnly, reminding herself of the importance of this ceremony, she allows her secretary to unwrap the gauze she wears. In the circle of guards, she sees the man who sat on her left in last month's ceremony. She trembles as she remembers how his lips felt on her.
Naked now, she sits on the leather-covered chair. It is built to allow her to be half reclined, but the other end is raised, and ends just past where her buttocks sit. She places her feet on either side of the cushion, her legs spread wide.
As her secretary informs the participants of their role in the ceremony, Queen Madeleine closes her eyes, enjoying the warmth of the sun on her bared flesh. She takes comfort in the ceremony, knowing it protects both her and her people, and is happy to submit to it each month. She hopes the three participants she has chosen realize the honour that is theirs.
"We begin!" her secretary announces. The three men arrange themselves on the cushions as she directed her secretary; the ex-military man at the foot, gazing intensely and hungrily at her Venubia, and the other two on each side of her. As a lute begins to play outside of the circle of guards, her Maiden-in-Waiting drips honey on her Venubia and Opia, the sweetness intended to draw out any impurities. After a minute of waiting to let it begin to work, her secretary signals for the three men to begin.
