Do We have a Deal?

Forsetton was a city with a unique quirk. Long ago a high priestesses representing the avatar of justice created a magical aura over her town, meaning that anyone who made a deal in Forsetton was magically compelled to keep their end of the deal.

This started as a way to sanctify their grounds but soon traders from all over the world wanted to trade out of Forsetton, craving the security from fears that they would be cheated by deal breakers. Taking taxes from these traders made the temple of Forsetti supremely wealthy and de-facto rulers of Forsetton and the high priestess who cast the deal making aura was given supreme power.

High priestess Ancyla had held sway over Forsetton for hundreds of years, but for some reason ever since she created the Aura her magic was heavily augmented and she had used it to maintain her youth and good looks. She still had her deep crimson hair and pristine golden skin, while she took care to wear flattering ceremonial robes that still hugged her ample curves. This was a slice of vanity but Ancyla felt that it helped her maintain her rule over Forsetton.

This morning she took her place at the head of the court, she would receive morning briefings and then hold trials over those who committed crimes in Forsetton. The first briefing was from Ramona, the court astrologer.

"If it pleases the high priestess, I usually do not give briefings as it has been made clear to me that my interest in the stars is much higher than the court and usually should not be shared unless requested." A few of the other priest and priestesses began to giggle at this until Ancyla shot them a dirty look, compelling obedience and respect. "However it is my duty to inform you there is a major planetary alignment inside the constellation of Forsetti. This has increased the power of the deal maker aura exponentially and as the aura keeper you may feel some effects of this."

"What sort of effects are we talking about?" Enquired Ancyla.

"I have some speculations but will discuss it afterwards, high priestess." Ramona replied. The room was relieved that Ramona would not be using all their precious time with star talk and took this opportunity to jump in with their own briefings, each vying for Ancyla's attention and approval.

Once the briefings were done the first of the accused was brought in for his trial. A local blacksmith was being charged with blasphemy, it seems he was locked in the stocks naked for a day for a different crime a few years ago and continued to talk about the injustice of the church since.

"Gaal Smithy, you are accused of blasphemy, how do you plead?" Announced Ancyla, her figure caused dread in Gaal, as he didn't realise that Ancyla would always subtly alter her appearance before trials to make herself taller and more intimidating.

"High priestess Ancyla, I wish to make a challenge to the punishment I was previously convicted under, if you agree that I was excessively punished then my speech would no longer be blasphemy." Ancyla was slightly taken aback by this, every citizen had a right to challenge whether the law they were being prosecuted for was just but this was the first time someone had challenged a different law.

"I will allow you to make your case." She announced, thoughtfully sitting back in her chair.

"I do not deny my crimes deserved punishment, I feel that a day naked in the stocks for giving the temple guard faulty armour was too much." Gaal pleaded.

"The temple guard were exposed by your actions so you were sentence to feel that same exposure." Ancyla responded, with a perfect recall of the trial.

"So the nudity was justified but what of the stocks. Stocks are painful and the reaction from the citizens is excessive. I do not believe anyone who knew their true effects would prescribe such a punishment. If you went to the stocks right now and spent just 1 hour going through what I went through and still felt it was a just punishment, I would plead guilty to the blasphemy charges."

All of a sudden a strange compulsion washed over Ancyla, her mind was awash with a supernatural force compelling her will, before she was aware of what she was doing she found herself in front of Gaal, her hand outstretched. Gaal immediately shook her hand and the familiar sound of a small pop filled the hall, this was the sound made when a deal had been brokered, a deal no side was allowed to break. Gasps rang out around the court as it dawned on Ancyla what had just happened. In an attempt to save face Ancyla addressed the court to give a rationale for her actions even though she didn't have one.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, Gaal's plea has struck a chord with me, we must be aware of the consequences of our punishments if our rules are to be just." She felt that was the end of her decree, however the deal maker Aura now compelled her to keep talking. "Guards, you are to immediately enforce upon me the same punishment this man went through." Ancyla tried to resist but she was stuck making orders to comply with the deal. "I am to go through exactly what he went through for 1 hour, then we return to hear the verdict of whether I feel his punishment was just."

There was a moment of awkward silence while Ancyla came to terms with what she had just said and the guards decided among themselves what to do. They were obliged to follow the orders of the high priestess and had taken vows to assist with the keeping of any deal that did not force someone to break the law. The most senior of the guards stepped forward, and with trepidation said.

"As you wish high priestess, although I must point out that people sentenced to the stocks are required to strip upon sentencing. Please can you remove your clothes and hand it to the bailiff." Ancyla turned purple with rage, she had no idea what force had compelled her to take the deal but she was now trapped by the deal maker aura and would willingly subject herself to walking naked through the streets before being strapped into the stocks for an hour.

Although wealthy, the temple of justice remembered its pious roots. While the robes became fancier and more elegant, the creed that a single robe covered priests and priestesses to keep them humble remained. So Ancyla's hands shook as she bent over and grabbed the hem of her robe, she closed her eyes as tight as she could and felt the wash of gasps from the court as she pulled her robes over her head, exposing her full naked body to the court.

She barely had time to cover herself before the guard took her robe, passed it to the guard next to him, then handcuffed Ancyla's hands behind her back and marching her towards the door of the court.

The shock of the population on suddenly seeing the High priestess being lead naked from the court was intense. They saw Ancyla, with tears in her eyes, being marched towards the stocks. Her hands behind her back forcing her ample chest outwards to bounce with every step she took. Her crimson pubic hair drawing the crowds eyes to her exposed pussy.

The stocks had been deliberately located in the busy Town square, a 5 minute walk from the courthouse. However for Ancyla that walk seemed to go on forever. The usual crowded streets of Forsetton swelled exponentially as word spread of Ancyla's humiliation.

Eventually Ancyla reached the stocks. The guard stood her in front of the stocks and uncuffed her. This would usually be the point where the guard forcibly bent over the prisoner, but in the guard's hesitation the deal maker aura worked it's compulsion on Ancyla, and seemingly of her own volition, she prostrated herself in front of the crowd, locking her hands and neck into the stock. The guard stepped forward to read the standard declaration that came with this punishment.

"Good people of Forsetton, before you stands a criminal, sentenced to one hour of penitence in the stocks. Please ensure that your distaste for crime is made known in any way that does not cause permanent damage to the miscreant. I remind the crowd that this is about the criminals penance not your sexual gratification, you will not be permitted to rape the criminal." The crowd burst into murmurs and hushed conversations, was the high priestess really inviting people to taunt and punish her like a common criminal.

A young child who did not recognize Ancyla broke from its mother and approached the naked priestess, there was a stunned silence as they watched the child spit in the priestesses face. The silence from the guards in response to this broke the dam of disbelief and soon the whole City was preparing to have 1 hour of torment for their previously untouchable supreme leader.

Immediately the crowd drew closer and began to have their way with her. The pious brought their children to suckle on her dangling breasts, hoping this would bless them, but all it did was make Ancyla's nipples tender. Meanwhile children got all manner of rotting fruit and refuse to pelt the helpless high priestess with. Men and women angry with the church went round to her exposed and upturned bottom. While they were banned from placing themselves inside her vulnerable pussy and ass, that didn't stop them fetching some courgettes to keep her filled. They then fetched a switch and a queue quickly formed to give the high priestess six of the best.

Ancyla closed her eyes as tight as she could and focused on enduring her humiliation, when suddenly she heard the last voice she wanted to hear.

"Well well well, look who finally came down from her high tower to join us humans?" Ancyla immediately recognised the self-satisfied drawl of Myra, high priestess of the temple of Freya.

The temples of Freya and Forsetti were bitter enemies. Freya was the god of freedom and the temple felt the deal maker aura was exploitative. However early in the city's development the 2 temples made a deal to respect each other and not repress the temple's right to religious freedom.

"So what crime did our noble high priestess commit to deserve such punishment?" Asked Myra. Anycla's reply was sporadic, broken by a wince every time the switch landed on her raw bottom.

"A defendant... felt that this... punishment is excessive... ahh... and I agreed... to undergo it... owwww... in order to judge... for myself." Anycla replied.

"Like I would believe the high priestess would subject herself to that, you got caught doing a crime and want to cover it up." Myra reasoned, suddenly she had an idea. "How about a deal? You tell me the truth about why you are in the stocks and in return, at noon today you'll finally give a speech at the temple of Freya like you always wanted."

Anycla was uncertain, the deal maker aura would force her to tell the truth and the last thing she wanted was for her arch nemesis to know the full story. While she was thinking through she heard that familiar pop of a deal being made, she looked up and saw Myra's hand holding hers locked in the stock and now she felt compelled to tell Myra her story.

"A defendant... said that if... argh... I spent an hour go... going through his punishment... ow ow ow... and still felt it was... proportionate he would plead guilty... to blasphemy... and I agreed." Ancyla was proud of herself, despite the distraction of regular swats she was able to think through her statement and make sure Myra didn't know about the whole story.

"Very nice, you must be starting to soften in your age, guess I'll see you later." Myra flicked her hair and turned to leave. She took a few steps before turning around and re-approaching Ancyla, without a word she knelt down, grabbed Ancyla's nipples and gave them a good twist, sending shudders of pain through her body. She then turned and left.

At the end of the hour the guards moved in a dispersed the crowd. They unlocked the stocks and Ancyla fell to the ground quivering. After a few moments she staggered to her feet and turned to the guard.

"May I please have my robes back?" She asked, trying to regain some dignity while still standing naked in front of the citizens, her bottom glowing red with pain.

"I'm sorry high priestess, clothes once confiscated. Are kept at the courthouse until the convicted returns to collect them." Ancyla felt a deep sense of dread, she still had to walk back to the court house naked and covered in rotting fruit and veg. One of the less pious members of the crowd had heard this and decided to heckle the high priestess.

"Come give me a kiss and I'll let you have my cloak!" He yelled. All of a sudden Ancyla felt that same compulsion she felt earlier. Beyond her control she began to walk into the crowd towards where the voice had come from. The guards accompanied the high priestess and the crowd parted to reveal the man who had yelled. The man tried to run but the crowd would not let him, they were clearly expecting some sort of swift retribution. Instead without warning the high priestess wrapped her arms around the man and embraced him in a passionate kiss, her naked form wrapping round the man too shocked to step away.

...

The high priestess returned to court wearing the peasants coat and walked straight past Gaal into the inner sanctum. She went to her room, washed and dressed herself before heading straight to Ramona's study, Ramona was deep into her reading as Ancyla slammed the door closed behind her.

"I need to talk to you in confidence." Ancyla announced.

"I will not speak a word of what happens in this room in exchange for being the first to speak at the morning briefing tomorrow" replied Ramona, knowing that Ancyla would be reassured by a deal compelling her confidentiality. They shook hands and with a deal struck Ancyla began an uncomfortable conversation.

"What do you think the effects of the planetary alignment are on the aura keeper?" she asked.

"Fosetti's presence is moved closer by the alignment, as the aura keeper that means that you are in complete harmony with the god of justice." Ramona explained.

"That means his will is also increasingly my own. Did you know that Forsetti loves the very concept of deals? Not just the keeping of them. In his unharmonised state all he could manage was to force people to abide by deals but I think as an aura keeper I go further. I cannot turn down a deal offered to me, no matter how one sided it is." Ramona looked at Ancyla with skepticism. "Fine I'll prove it, offer me a deal that you know I would never usually accept." Ramona gave Ancyla a quizzical look before walking to her desk and picking up a quill.

"I will give you this quill in exchange for your robes." Ramona offered flippantly, her hand outstretched. Before she knew it Ancyla was shaking her hand, and the pop of acknowledgement had barely finished when Ancyla had her robes over her head and laid at Ramona's feet. Ramona couldn't help but stifle a giggle at the embarrassed naked high priestess in front of her. A playful smile crossed her face as she decided to further test was necessary.

"I will give you this ink pot in exchange for you using it to write "dirty sow" across your breasts." Anycla stared daggers at Ramona as her shaking hand outstretched and shook Ramona's, with the pop of acknowledgement ringing in the air. Ramona's laughter was unrestrained as Ancyla began to write on her body.

"How long is this going to last?" She growled through gritted teeth.

"Planets will be in alignment for 2 days. Sorry but guess you can hide away in your room until it is over." Ramona explained handing Ancyla back her robes.

Ancyla signed a declaration saying she was under the weather and will isolate herself in her room. This meant she would not be taking appointments or seeing anyone for the next 2 days. She handed it to Ramona to share around the temple and headed for her room. However as Ancyla went to open her door she suddenly felt a compulsion not to. With a start she realised that she had made a deal to speak at the temple of Freya at noon, and it was almost time for her to be there.

...

The Freyan district was on the outskirts of Forsetton and was a much rougher place with more peasants and farmers than the wealthy merchant filled area around the town square and temple of Forsetti. Ancyla shivered as she walked past where the cobblestone streets ended and the smell of farming began to hit her from all sides.

Ancyla felt a deep feeling of dread as she approached the temple of Freya. She was in a very vulnerable position and was about to walk into a room full of people opposed to her position of power. As she arrived Myra was waiting at the temple door for her.

"Anycla, glad you cleaned yourself up for the benefit of us heathens, come in." Myra beamed as she opened the door to the temple. The Freyan temple was more modest than the temple of Forsetti, it only had 10 or 20 people present for today's ceremony. Before Ancyla could take the stage Myra addressed the crowd.

"Ladies and gentlemen, fresh from her morning of humility and perspective, we have the high priestess of Forsetti visiting." There was a thick tension in the crowd as Ancyla took to the stage. "Now I know you guys don't necessarily trust the temple of Forsetti but I have an idea to help with that. How about a deal?" Those words heralded a deep feeling of dread in the pit of Ancyla's stomach. "This will be a Q&A session. The audience will not interrupt you while you speak, and in return you will not be able to lie. Do we have a deal?" Myra's hand lingered in the air as Ancyla did everything in her power not to shake it, nevertheless the compulsion was too strong.

Pop

"First question, you are over 100 years old but still look young and radiant, what's your secret?" Myra asked.

"Being the Aura keeper for the deal maker aura has caused me extreme longevity, meanwhile I can use my magic to alter my appearance however I want." Ancyla explained, this was a secret she did not like telling but it certainly wasn't the worst she could say.

"Nice, I bet a lot of people would like to have that ability. Next question, why did you choose to put yourself in the stocks naked today?" Myra asked. Ancyla began to feel her stomach sink as she explained.

"I didn't agree, I was compelled by a deal."

"But you chose to make a deal?" Myra pushed. The compulsion to tell the truth was overwhelming and now Ancyla was about to let this room of hostile people know the last thing she would willingly tell them.

"Actually because of the planetary alignment I am currently physically unable to turn down a deal no matter how humiliating it is." The audience broke into ripple of murmurs and a malicious grin crossed the face of Myra.

"Really? That's interesting, so if I were to say, in exchange for giving me your robes and conducting the rest of this interview naked, you may kiss my feet you would shake this hand?" Myra enquired, her hand outstretched to her arch nemesis. Ancyla begged and pleaded with Forsetti not to force her to make this deal, but despite every prayer she knew, her hand moved of its own volition and shook Myra's, the pop of acknowledgement sealing her fate.

The crowd stared in awe as the high priestess that ruled their city let her robes fall to the floor. Her body red with humiliation as the words "dirty sow" were still visible across her breasts, heaving with her heavy breathing. She then turned to face Myra, bent down onto her hands and knees with her exposed ass pointing towards the audience and kissed the Freyan Priestess' feet.

Looking up at Myra, Ancyla could tell she had a lot planned with this information.

"Does anyone else know about this?" Myra asked.

"Just one Forsetti priestess who I have sworn to secrecy." Ancyla sobbed. "I didn't tell anyone else and instead issued a notice that I would be confined to my room until it is over."

"So nobody will come looking for you?" Myra reasoned, her ideas getting more wicked by the minute. "OK let's have some fun. In exchange for the privilege of serving the people, you will obey every command I give you for the rest of the day." Ancyla had given up trying to fight the compulsion and instead let out a deep sob as her hand outstretched and shook Myra's. The cheering crowd was so loud Ancyla barely heard the pop that sealed her fate.