Jewel Ascending Ch. 03

Muriel and Dianne looked in through the doorway upon Jewel as she typed away on her computer in the manor private study. The looks of annoyance were not disguised.

"This cannot continue." Diane spoke softly.

"If she wants to remain in seclusion then isn't that her choice?" Muriel replied.

"Of course, but I am concerned for her and for her social life. She does nothing except work on financial reports and read legal documents now. Yes she is in mourning for a year but it has been almost a month since her 7 days of isolation ended." Dianne lamented.

"She does go out from time to time, she still attends church services as expected to light a candle for her husband. She still visits her lawyers, her therapist, and all those visits to the house by her financial advisors." Muriel Countered.

"That is NOT a social life! Even as a mourning widow she is allowed and expected to make social calls. This is just...just...ugh..." Diane waved her hands in frustration.

Lady Jewel Delacroix, Countess of the House of Delacroix, Dowager, was acting like a recluse. Her husband was dead now! She needs to get out and live a little!

"She needs to get out more!" Dianne affirmed loudly this time.

She watched a few moments more as Jewel read something on her computer and then typed some more...read...type...read...type...the boring repetition was causing a spike in Dianne's feelings of irritation.

"I'm going in there to talk to her." Dianne announced angrily.

"Well, good luck then." Muriel chuckled at Dianne's resolve.

Seriously, she thought, the invitations Countess Delacroix was currently receiving were for small and unimportant affairs...but ANYTHING was better than NOTHING.

**

Jewel's beauty routines always consumed a good portion of her day.

The hypnotherapist used her repetition techniques while Jewel was deep under hypnosis to remind her how routines give structure to her day. How routines take large and difficult tasks and make them smaller and more manageable.

Dr. Agonia smiled with satisfaction as Jewel's subconscious mind accepted her reasoning. She needed that acceptance to keep her other tells and behavior protocols in place. Jewel would never know that some of her choices were due to the hypnotic conditioning she was implanting into her mind. Her dead husband wanted to assert his plan and his control upon Jewel even after his death and the hypnotherapist had to satisfy the executor that Jewel was still properly conditioned and known to be acting according to her conditioning.

Proof was in the pudding and so far Jewel was unknowingly, subconsciously following her script almost perfectly.

Patricia finished her repetitions and moved on to something new. Establishing the subconscious conditions that would enable the widowed Jewel to accept conscious suggestions Patricia would propose at her next therapy session.

Countess Delacroix was so compliant and easy to train after 7 years of therapy that it took hardly any effort on the part of the hypnotherapist at all.

Easy money, she thought, and to think that Lady Delacroix is now actually paying for all of it anyway.

"No doubt you maintain your hygiene and beauty rituals for your own enjoyment, as do all women, but there must also be more."

Dr. Agonia looked upon the widowed countess as confusion manifested itself upon her face.

"What do you mean?"

"You are always perfectly made-up and with flawless appearance and public presentation. Even in private you maintain your beauty rituals and standards."

"Routines give structure to the day." Jewel answered.

Patricia smiled as she wondered if Jewel would ever realize that was the answer she programmed into her.

"True, but there is possibly something more..."

"What?"

"Did you ever stop to consider that aside from the fact that you enjoy maintaining a flawless feminine appearance that you may be doing it for future reasons?"

"What do you mean by that?"

"You stated many times that you just don't feel 'right' anymore unless you are dressed appropriately and made up. That you don't even feel 'clean' unless you have given yourself your enema, and then there is your flawless presentation on days where you have meetings and public appointments."

"Have you stopped to consider that maybe you do it so that if you ever meet the right man you may be allowing for the opportunity of physical intimacy?"

Jewel's look of disapproval was answer enough.

"Unless you try, you'll never know." Patricia tut-tutted in annoyance at Jewel's reluctance. She resolved to include more subliminal encouragement during her hypnosis session.

Patricia was pleased with Jewels conduct and how docile and cooperative she is. The therapy coupled with the training Leanne had implemented early in Jewel's marriage had overcome Jules initial reluctance and compelled her to embrace the opportunities she had been afforded.

Then aggressive hypnotherapy had conditioned her to control her desires and fulfill her duties as the arranged marriage male bride of a member of the nobility.

Patricia Agonia was fully aware that Jewel has symptoms and behavior indicative of Stockholm syndrome from her long captivity as Jean Claude Delacroix's arranged marriage wife. While Jewel never loved her captor she did survive captivity by fulfilling her duties, however reluctantly.

As Dr. Agonia began hypnosis and eased Jewel into a hypnotic state she decided she would challenge and encourage Jewel to accept a date. Dr. Agonia knew that Jewel's hypnotically induced compulsion to obey and submit would also further her own interests.

**

Jewel wasn't initially looking forward to attending the pool party. Her husband had only ever taken her out when he needed her for major social events among their peer group such as the annual royal ball, or top-tier charity events where their equals and wives attended; events where her presence would be expected and commented upon if she failed to show.

Count Delacroix considered that small informal gatherings such as a pool party among nobles of her age group were unnecessary. As a result, Jewel was often the youngest noble present at the events her husband required her to attend.

But with the death of her arranged marriage husband Jewel's staff and therapist were encouraging her to "get out more". Dianne in particular was keen to see her associate more with nobles of her age group.

These nobles were the children and heirs of the peers of her deceased husband. Dianne argued that it would be unconscionable to avoid associating with them. They will eventually inherit their titles, duties, responsibilities and wealth of their parents and building relationships with them was vital to her standing in society.

Jewel let Dianne prevail and reluctantly agreed to go, after she had consulted her therapist who also endorsed her participation.

Cliques, bands, partnerships and friendships would be vital to her success and position in the noble hierarchy. Influence and power can only be given, never taken. She would need allies and advocates to survive in the cutthroat culture that was the Allegorian Nobility.

While Jewel liked to do her own makeup these days it was easier to just let Muriel do it, it saved time for more important things.

"Please put that down and stop frowning while I'm working." Muriel commanded.

Jewel reluctantly put down her tablet. She wanted to keep up on her financial studies as Muriel did her makeup. She turned her attention to the financial news on the TV.

"If you like I can put in a bit of 'wow' factor for you. Play up your beauty and attractiveness. Get all the boys excited." She prompted.

Muriel wanted to help get Jewel and new husband.

"mmm...no...Simple, clean, and innocent is fine. Not interested in boys anyway" and seeing Muriel's strange expression felt compelled to add "I'm in mourning."

"And your hair?" Muriel fussed with Jewel's long brunette hair. She had recently had it cut to length ending at her mid back.

"Keep it loose. I want to be able to dry it out if I do any swimming."

Jewel wasn't sure she wanted to remain a Noble. Legally, by law and custom she would have to remain as a cross dressed male bride widow if she wanted to keep her title. She would have to remain as his widow for life if she wanted to keep the money. If she did remarry, she would still be subject to 18th century customs and mores about her behavior and she would lose the money as it would all go to her new husband.

Jewel didn't really care about title. She did care about the inheritance.

Jewel found that as much as she enjoyed her time alone learning of and managing her financial empire that Dianne and Muriel might have a point; except about boys.

It's been said that 'Living well is the best revenge.' But Jewel didn't want revenge on anyone. With the help of her therapist she finally accepted that the one man she would like to wreak revenge was already dead. Hardly an ideal outcome but facts are facts.

Jewel felt that her fortune and property were a reward for the suffering she endured. She had earned it...through hardship and suffering, tribulation and adversity.

Jewel sat in the back of her limousine as she was driven to the party and was actually starting to look forward to it.

Her black thong style bikini bottom and daring plunge style bikini bra top were brand new and one of the most popular styles of swimwear for the current summer season. The bikini bottom was high cut to generously display Jewel's firm, pert, round bottom and draw attention to her long legs. Muriel had commented that she had a nice ass...Jewel had admired her presentation in her mirrored room as was her routine...she didn't know if she had a nice one or not, just that her ass was full, firm, and definitely womanly.

With her small waist her bikini top had a plunge design to showcase her cleavage and the endowment of her full C cup breasts which were attractively displayed by the form fitting stretch material.

Her one reason for disliking the bikini though was her lower back tattoo.

Forced upon her as punishment for her most daring escape attempt to the US Embassy; Jewel's tramp stamp consisted of the Delacroix family crest in pastel colors flanked by angel wings extending out to her sides just below her Venus holes. The pastels in the ink glistened in the right lighting of the silver and white wings always caught the light and glittered.

Her black thong bikini bottom did virtually nothing to conceal it. The lower half of her tattoo was covered by her high cut thong bikini bottom which still left most of the crest and the wings uncovered for viewing.

Jewel wore black 4 inch high espadrilles. Heels any lower would cause the muscles of her calf to ache. Thanks to her former governess, Leanne; her tendons in her ankles had contracted from the enforced wear of high heels during the early years of her marriage. Nothing other than surgery could repair that damage now, and Jewel had a healthy fear of surgery after all the feminizing procedures her husband had decreed she must undergo.

Jewel wore a black skater mini-skirt and a black and white loose Polynesian print wrap top over all. The party was actually supposed to have a Polynesian theme and brighter colors would have been more appropriate but Jewel was still in her mourning period.

Her husband had died less than two months ago and courtly manners, custom, and indeed; law in her case dictated a year long mourning period. Private pool party themes not-withstanding, Jewel knew to closely adhere to custom. She did not want to risk her inheritance.

But right now what she really didn't care for was tucking. In order to wear her bikini she was forced to tuck her penis and testicles back between her legs.

Despite all her training and all the times she was forced to do so, tucking her penis and testicles was uncomfortable. She could easily go for about 6 or 7 hours comfortably but if she needed to go longer it became a problem.

Trying to conceal her average size penis at 6 & 1/2 inches and her average sized testicles wasn't fun for her. Pressing her testicles back up into her inguinal canals accompanied by the wholly unpleasant feeling of her scrotum being empty; and since she was likely to enter water Muriel insisted on the use of medical adhesive to keep everything 'safe' and eliminate the worry of 'slippage'.

It was Muriel who made the case that all women of her age-appropriate noble peers would undoubtedly be wearing bikinis for the pool party and she needed to wear one as well to "fit in".

As they arrived, her driver pulled the car up to the front entrance. Jewel waited for her chauffer to open her door and assist her in disembarking. She carried a woven shoulder tote bag to carry her essentials, as well as an outfit to change into later if the party went long or if she actually went swimming. It was a pool party but she had been informed that swimming was optional.

Her tote matched her wide brimmed straw hat where her black mourning veil had been wrapped around the crown and draped down the back in a fashionable style. Her tote, hat, and espadrille heels all perfectly complemented each other.

Her chauffer also retrieved a gift for the hostess; an incredibly rare Polynesian flower growing in a small yet oh so expensive hand crafted culturally appropriate pot she had imported for the flower. The flower came from the Delacroix Manor Conservatory, so it was a personal gift as well...

Jewel ascended the stairs to the front entrance of the home with her chauffer and gift in tow; it was time to try and make friends.

"Welcome to Montcalm manor, name please?"

Jewel looked at the young woman wearing a light weight tan skirt suit and blue Polynesian scarf. She was holding a clipboard.

"Jewel Delacroix, Countess." She answered informally. It was a casual affair after all.

"Oh my!" The young woman exclaimed. Jewel noted her plain features, plain brown hair and deep brown eyes that now seemed wide with surprise.

"Is there a problem?" Jewel asked, confused.

"Oh no, not at all, it's just that despite your RSVP we did not really expect you to show up. The hostess of the party, Lady Elizabeth, would have been here to greet you personally."

"You know, it is quite a coup to have you here."

"Why is that?"

"Well, you are the country's most reclusive male bride and to have you accept the invitation...was unexpected...but welcome, MOST welcome."

Jewel started to understand why the attendant seemed slightly flustered if not awestruck. Previously she was only ever seen at official functions and then only in the company of her husband

"Where is she now?"

"Out seeing to her guests." The attendant answered quickly. "I'll summon her now."

"No. Don't bother. Here," Jewel handed off he potted flower "I'll just go out and find her."

Jewel strode through the house and found the exit to the back and easily found the manor home's gardens and pool. There was quite a throng of young people partying and having fun in the sun. Music played from hidden speakers enhancing the festive atmosphere.

Jewel noted that all the men were wearing brightly colored Polynesian swim shorts and shirts while the women were wearing colorful Polynesian print bikinis. It would seem that Diane and Muriel were right; thong bikinis were the preferred swim attire for women. Her all black bikini was different from the colorful prints the others wore but since all the women were wearing the same thong bikini bottom style of swimwear she didn't stand out or draw undue attention.

She went in search of a lounge chair to drop off her items and as she walked past the first group of young nobles she saw that they watched her. Some of the young men actually followed her with their eyes, probably checking her out, but it seems she went unrecognized.

As she reached the chairs near the pool she heard something.

"She just arrived. Do you see her?"

Jewel glanced over at a small gathering of 4 or 5 young women. They seemed to be centered on one as their leader.

"What does she look like?"

Jewel knew that they must be looking for her.

"She's probably the one who looks like a guy in drag." Another said snidely.

"Look for the huge bulge in front." said another with a grabbing motion in front of her bikini bottom.

Jewel turned away, stunned. She didn't have time to think or regain her composure as she had turned and now faced someone new.

"Oh, who are you?" a young man asked, taking notice of her.

"I'm," Jewel paused "Veronica," she answered using her middle name, "nice to meet you, who are they looking for again?"

"Lady Jewel Delacroix, the OG male bride. She just arrived."

"Really? What does she look like?" Jewel asked.

"Not sure." He chortled.

Jewel, in a bit of a pique now, decided to play dumb. She was enjoying playing hard to find. These kids seemed to be in a bit of a tizzy over locating the 'male-bride'.

Jewel dropped her tote, hat, and wrap onto the chair and then bent at her hips to lower her skirt and remove it. After she stood back up she quickly glanced over her shoulder; she noted that the small gaggle of women were working their way around the far end of the pool, searching for her.

Closer by a group of four young male heirs were obviously checking her out. She turned to sit on the edge of the tanning chair and remove her espadrilles, stretching out each of her long coltish legs as she did.

She stood up quickly and stretched her body up high, her arms wrapped together above her head, lifting up through her abdomen and her chest.

Jewel knew the four young men would think she was flirting despite her routine was actually a trained, practiced, rehearsed, and ingrained behavior that was expected of her. Her husband made sure her fitness instructor saw to her fitness and that included stretching before a work out. Leanne, and then later Muriel, made sure she acted with femininity to entice and please her husband.

"Well, let me know if you see her." Jewel said to the first young man. She batted her eyes and graced him with a huge smile as she stepped to the edge of the pool and dove in.

The group of four young men grinned ear to ear.

"Dude, you see that tramp stamp?"

"Nah, I was watching her boobs. Nice."

"Sexy."

"She's hot."

Jewel swam a few languorous laps in the pool. She swam with the slow and steady and even stroke that she had practiced in her endless pool every swim day for the entirety of her marriage. A stroke that let her whole body roll from side to side as her long coltish legs kicked and her arms gracefully arched forward out of the water and then back through the water to propel her forward. She was in no danger of ever winning a swim race.

Jewel enjoyed the cool of the pool. It was a hot day and the cool water was refreshing. She also wanted to playfully avoid the gaggle of young women searching for her when they came too close. She wondered how long it would take them to find her and figure out who she was.

She reached the end of the pool and seeing the coast was clear decided to climb out.

"Let me give you a hand."

Jewel looked up at the extremely handsome young man who just spoke. He extended his hand down to her to help lift her out of the pool.

"Who are you?" She asked breathlessly. She had just swum several laps after all.

"I'm Rod."

Jewel extended her hand and took his and with surprising strength she was easily whisked up to the pool deck...and directly into an embrace with her helper.

Jewel was stunned to find she was now held tight against Rod's body.

"I'm all wet." She exclaimed as Rod pulled her dripping wet body against his open shirt and board shorts.

"Yes you are." Rod spoke in a low seductive tone.

Jewel was astonished. Rod was certainly bold. It didn't seem proper to stand in an embrace with someone whom she hadn't been formerly introduced.