Jewel Ascending Ch. 08

Mother superior seemed surprised by the question. She held Donnas' steady curious gaze without flinching. After many more moments, it seemed that some internal struggle was resolved as she finally answered the question.

"I had made Lady Delacroix an offer. It had been a week and I came to ask her if she was willing to accept the offer."

"What offer?"

Mother superior stood, crossed herself after her prayer, and then sat down upon the pew. She shifted uncomfortably in her seat.

"Mother," Donna demanded "What offer?" she asked as she sat down beside her.

Donna watched as the Mother Superior, seemed to collapse and withdraw inside herself. At length, she answered.

"I asked her to join the convent and become a sister of the holy order."

Donna was gob smacked. She opened her mouth to speak, thought better of it, closed her mouth, took a breath, and then tried again.

"You invited her to take vows and become...a nun?"

"Yes."

**

3 years earlier.

Jewel wondered why she was pulled from class and being called to meet the mother superior especially as it was this close to vespers. As she made her way to the chapel she wished she had been given the time to return to her apartment in the dormitory and could have changed back into her uniform.

The school uniform skirt and sweater would be more appropriate for an audience with the mother superior than the ballet tutu that she was currently wearing.

As she walked past the dining hall refectory she found she was growing nervous. Why does she want to meet with me? And why in the chapel and not in her office?

Jewel wondered if her "in-between" state as a student and as a teacher's assistant was the issue. The staff loved her as their built in substitute teacher but the mother superior never officially endorsed her position. Rather she just 'accepted' it.

Jewel walked down the cloister and admired the beauty of the small garden that the nuns kept where they grew food and flowers before arriving at the chapel doors. Steeling her resolve with a breath and squaring her shoulders she pushed open the door and made her way into the chapel.

Mother Superior was kneeling in prayer at the front pew facing the altar. Jewel walked quietly so as not to disturb her. When she reached the front pew she smoothed down her tutu underneath her and gracefully sat near Mother Superior.

Mother Superior was an unhurried woman so it surprised Jewel ever so slightly when she spoke right away.

"I suppose you are wondering why I summoned you here."

"Yes Mother Superior." Jewel answered truthfully.

"I many ways having you here has been a blessing. In many other ways it has been a burden."

"I'm...sorry?"

"The nobles who run this country are querulous and scheming, conniving and duplicitous. It seems they make a game of deceit and are always positioning and plotting. Whoever is the most devious somehow seems destined to become their leader as if that position is somehow a reward for their deceitfulness and treachery. They pray and attend church yet seem to be without god in their lives."

Jewel's interest was piqued. Technically she was a noble by marriage now, however reluctantly. She said nothing and waited.

"Yet here you are; legally a noble-woman, almost without guile, considerate of others, hard working, innocent..."

Jewel considered that if the mother superior thought she was innocent then she was unaware of her affair with the headmistress. Legally I am a noble-woman, and technically I am also committing adultery.

"The headmistress speaks highly of you, and so do the other ladies of the teaching staff."

Mother Superior seemed to be waiting for a response of some kind.

"I am very fond of her as well," Jewel allowed "she treats me as a member of the staff and not just as a student."

"Yes, we are lucky to have her. She seems to have a way with difficult and troubled girls."

Jewel wondered if Mother Superior now thought she was difficult or troubled.

"I know that you are happy here because as an arranged male bride being here means that you are NOT in the company of your husband."

Jewel merely nodded in agreement.

"And that you are opposed to the life in which you now find yourself."

"Yes."

"And how many times you have tried to escape that life"

"Three." Jewel answered simply. There were actually more, but only three had been serious attempts...and she had been caught each time.

"What if I can offer you an escape?"

Jewel was dumbfounded. A chance to escape? Would Mother superior assist her in leaving the country?

"We can offer you a choice" she began. "You could join us here, in the convent, as a sister of the holy order. That would mean you must live a life of isolation, dedicated to prayer and reflection, sequestered with the sisters."

Jewel was stunned at the offer. It was completely unexpected and an option she had never even considered before. She still hoped for escape and freedom and to someday resume her life as Jules from Moose Lake Minnesota.

"How can that even work? I am already married." Jewel asked.

"Many young women run away to a convent to escape from their troubled marriage. There is ample precedent throughout history. In fact some women have even entered monasteries for similar reasons."

"Saint Marina the Monk entered a monastery with her father to avoid marriage. She dressed as a man, shaved her head and lived as a monk, undiscovered until her death. She was even wrongfully accused of impregnating a woman. A dishonor she bore stoically. She is now considered a symbol of penitence and forbearance."

"Others include Theodora Alexandria."

Jewel interrupted "And I am also male...a man."

"So having a man enter a convent would certainly be a precedent, that we know of, but it would not be...unprecedented?"

"Nonetheless, if you choose you may first become a lay sister and still stay and work here. There is still ways your husband could recall you although it would be more difficult and socially embarrassing for him."

Jewel chose to sit in silence, uncertain.

"Or if this offer doesn't appeal to you at all then you could stay here until your husband calls for you and you could continue to live a miserable life as a forced male-bride-wife in an unhappy arranged marriage."

"So what is the difference between being a nun and being a lay sister?"

"You could be a lay sister due to no longer being a virgin and your prior marriage, if you feel that the religious demands would be too difficult to bear. If you decide to embrace the holy order then you would be a probationary nun until such a time as we feel you are ready to take holy vows."

"So back to the most important hurdle, have their ever been any men who have been nuns?" Jewel asked bluntly.

"Not that we know of for certain but as I said, there is always a first time." Mother Superior smiled. "We seem to be living in an age where there are all sorts of 'firsts' happening."

"I don't know what to say...how to answer...this is all so sudden...and unexpected..."

"I was taught that prayer helps. Pray for what you want, pray for guidance, and pray for serenity and forgiveness." Mother Superior answered. "Maybe you should try it."

Mother Superior took Jewels hand and guided her down onto the kneeler. The padded surface was surprisingly comfortable.

Jewel clasped her hands together in imitation of Mother superior.

"What do I do now?"

"Appeal to god and say in your thoughts what you really want."

Jewel closed her eyes and tried to pray.

"Dear lord"...she began silently...unsure and uncertain of what to say... "Please get me out of this...mess"

Mother Superior watched for a moment as Lady Delacroix in a childlike moment scrunched up her eyes in concentration and prayed.

Mother Superior resumed her prayers, only this time, she was praying for guidance and forgiveness.

**

"And then what happened?" Donna asked.

"As you are aware, when I went to inquire after her a week later I discovered the two of you were...intimate."

"We were having sex, you mean."

"Yes. Of course that meant she had to be expelled."

"And that I had to be fired"

"Yes."

"I suppose that was convenient. Everything all wound up in a neat little bow. Problem solved, and problems gone."

"Not quite...there was one thing that bothered me then and still bothers me now."

"What's that?"

"Count Delacroix was going to recall his wife anyway."

"Why?"

"That I do not know. I believe it had something to do with his health."

"Did you ever really want Jewel to become a nun?"

"I wish she had. After her husband's death her strict observance of the mourning period and near total isolation and withdrawal from noble society and her perceived religious feelings had the effect of leaving Lady Jewel with the reputation of being a good and patient wife. Her behavior continues to help to make arranged male brides more acceptable. Joining us here at the convent would have had the opposite effect, making them less acceptable."

"Yeah, running away to join a convent to embarrass a powerful count and the nobility. Why didn't this plan work? Gee I wonder..."

"...Thanks a lot Mom!" Donna rose angrily from the pew and stormed out from the chapel.

**

Dianne was thrilled when the gossip columns revealed there was a new love interest in the countess's life. Much hay was made over a 25 year old countess dating a woman 5 years her senior. And her former school headmistress to boot.

As disappointed as she was to see Jewel marry a woman, Dianne tried to convince Jewel to have a huge society wedding. She was disappointed again as their wedding party was to be a small intimate affair with fewer than 100 guests. Their wedding announcement and their intentions to honeymoon on their yacht for a month long cruise were all dutifully covered by the appropriate reporters.

Hiding in plain sight, Jewel thought as she walked down the aisle for the second time in her life. Her wedding dress a sheer yet simple style compared to her first dress. But Donna helped pick it out for her, despite the custom of not seeing the bride before the wedding, and Jewel helped choose Donnas' dress, a black and white tuxedo style that looked simply amazing on her as Jewel willingly walked down the aisle toward the altar.

The small ceremony held in the gardens of her Manor home, Only a few society ladies and their husbands, some former school friends and staff, and her therapist were invited. Donna seemed pleased when Mother Superior Mary Agatha gave her blessing. She also was surprised when Marci arrived with Clark, expressing her gratitude for their attendance.

Phoebe Mills covered for the society and fashion reporters and described her as resplendent. Jewel only wished her mother and sister could have flown in from America and been there, but after her escape attempt to the embassy they were still persona non-grata in Allegoria.

Donna wanted Jewel to be beautiful for their wedding and Jewel decided she didn't mind being beautiful for Donna. After all, beauty was meant to be appreciated.

**

Jewel was exhausted from their lovemaking. Despite the many opportunities they had before; making love on their wedding night honeymoon would always be special.

"I think you're going to give me a heart attack." Jewel complimented her female-husband as she gasped for air.

"Only if you don't give me one first!" Donna shot back, equally breathless.

Embraced together on the rotating bed of the master stateroom Jewel couldn't help but marvel at the difference in his situation.

"You know, I never thought that I could ever sleep in this bed again...after...I mean..."

"Your first husband?" Donna asked, recovering, she rolled over onto her side to allow Jewel to spoon her. She also smiled at her jest. On the marriage certificate, thanks to the blending of traditional and progressive values in what were now called 'the Delacroix Precedent' Donna had to sign the marriage license as groom because Jewel had already established the precedent of being assigned as bride.

"It's ok to talk about it. I'm certainly not jealous."

Jewel wondered about her good fortune, finally being able to be with someone who loved her as much as she loved her.

"It's just...the anal sex...it hurt too much; being someone's plaything, someone's...possession."

"I would never hurt you." Donna stated firmly.

"I know...besides," Jewel teased, poking Donnas' ass "If anyone here is going to get it Count Donna Delacroix-Hancock it's you!"

"Oh Behave!" Donna teased back.

Jewel slipped immediately into her hypnotically commanded state.

Donna felt Jewel lower her face to her pillow and her breath tickle the back of her neck. She enjoyed the warmth of her cuddle.

"But seriously, would you ever let me do that, make love to you...anally?" She asked with a small bit of trepidation in her voice. She thought of the toys she had locked away.

"Yes." Jewel whispered in answer.

I'm a good girl, she thought, her hypnotic conditioning still in full force, and a good girl does as she is told.