Knights And Maidens Pt. 07

"Noli de gratuito munere judicare et, ut vulgare proverbium est, equi dentes inspicere donati."

"Do not judge free gifts and, as the common saying goes, look a gift horse in the mouth."

-- Saint Jerome, On the Epistle to the Ephesians

Once they had been cleaned and fed in the Annexe, the prisoners were returned to the Temple and put on display for passers-by and a more permanent audience of Knights and Maidens who had nothing better to do than loiter in the lobby.

Now in their white dresses, their hands still bound behind their backs, they stood rigidly at attention, facing towards the big bay windows which flanked the great oak doors, half on each side. Alice was positioned before the left-hand window, closest to the door. Blindfolded, not permitted to speak or to move, there was nothing they could do to alleviate the enervating tedium or the enveloping fatigue. The only noise was an occasional sigh and some heavy, deep breathing. Every so often one of the women would sway, just a little, and because they were close enough to be touching it sent a mild tremor or ripple through the others in the row. I wondered what they might be thinking about to occupy their minds, or if it would have been better to try to blank out all thought processes. It must have been close to torture.

They had been thus immobile for several hours when Ben and I stopped to inspect them on our way to dinner. Their stamina and perseverance were admirable, and I said so to Ben.

"Uh, I dunno," he scoffed. "No big deal."

"No big deal for us. I bet we couldn't last as long," I replied.

I realized I was speaking louder than necessary. So that Alice could hear me? Was that all I could do to assuage my guilt?

Ben just harrumphed. "We don't have to."

"That's my point."

He gave me a mildly contemptuous look -- as if I were saying something irrational or perverse -- so I said "Let's go" and headed for the dining hall. When we returned the women were still there, and there they remained for the rest of the evening. I had no idea why this was necessary. If the intent was to degrade our captives in the eyes of the onlookers, I think it did the opposite. If it was meant to fortify their will in preparation for the tribulations to come, it probably worked. If it was punishment for some uncodified offence, it was simply and gratuitously cruel.

It was around ten o'clock that the Senior Master announced that all the first-year Knights should assemble in the lobby. It had been almost empty for some time; the novelty of the static tableau of bound females seemed to have worn off. But many of the other Knights now came as well, in addition to a considerable number of Maidens, to witness the next part of the show. The prisoners were arranged in a single file. The two Maidens who had been in attendance for most of the day brought out a long rope with twelve loops, or nooses, attached at short intervals, and the women were leashed once more. They were thereupon led down the passageway into the Annexe. The stiffness and soreness from hours of standing stock-still caused them to slowly shamble, but they kept their backs straight and held their heads high. There was scattered applause from the spectators, and some quiet words of encouragement from some of the Maidens. There were no heckles or taunts, which was, in its way, gratifying.

The Senior Master called for the Councillors to follow the tethered line.

"Have fun," Ben snickered, and nudged me in the side with his elbow. But all we did was witness the dispersal of the hostages amongst the dormitories for the night. The halters were removed, and each of the women was taken away, still bound and blindfolded, by a pair of girls. Kate and Devi claimed Alice, which caused me some anxiety, because it was the first time that the three females who best knew my secrets and weaknesses would be together without my presence.

I followed them upstairs. All the roommates were there. A thin mattress had been placed on the floor. Alice's hands were untied but the blindfold remained in place. The girls were somewhat brusque in their treatment, which surprised me. Alice was ordered to kneel and to free her arms from the straps of her dress. I realized that she was now to be stripped.

Kate looked up from where she was crouching in front of the kneeling captive, scowled then smiled and slowly shook her head.

"Time to go," she said.

Downstairs, in the Annexe and in the Temple, all was quiet.

Our celebration on behalf of the new Maîtresse continued for a couple of hours. More women joined us in the Maidenhall, the rest of the residents and some junior girls from the Annexe. And this was any red-blooded, heterosexual male's dream scenario. We Knights were heavily outnumbered by attractive, scantily clad young women. It was hardly a revel, let alone an orgy, but there was alcohol and its combination with our high spirits made for a lively night of good cheer. Alice was somewhat rowdy, boasting about our relationship the way Devi had done during my induction, only louder. Noticing that Annabel was glaring, I defused the situation by taking Alice aside and engaging her in trifling conversation until her head started to clear. Then I heard Kate's voice. She was also a bit unsteady, babbling on about her baby brother. I took responsibility for steering her to a quiet corner for a timeout as well.

It was during this brief recess that my sister revealed out that she was breaking up with Philip. She was vague about it, but I gathered enough information to make me believe it had to do with her commitment to the Temple. And that inflamed my residual guilt complex. If it wasn't for me, and particularly my promotion, would the ties that held her duty-bound to the Order have been as strong?

In any event, it was peculiar how quickly the behavior of so many of the Maidens had changed, as if they were determined to let off steam, to be provocative and showcase their indecorum. I found myself intervening several times. I felt like a fireman hosing down little incendiary bombs before they went off. But I was already feeling a big-brotherly protectiveness towards these women who were so far ahead of me in age and experience. When we left, around midnight, I decided that my Knighthood would be served in shining armour.

The following day we held our next Council meeting. Andrew assured us newbies that the normal schedule would not be so demanding. We debated and voted on a number of items, generally to ratify existing policies so as to maintain continuity with the previous administration. I queried a couple of items, and was outvoted on one, but there was no acrimony, and neither much passion. Annabel was in attendance, the only female. She participated freely in the discussions and could be quite vocal, but was not permitted a vote, even on matters directly affecting the Maidens; and she never showed a reaction when the decision went against her recommendation. I admired her steady-eyed, steady-voiced stoicism.

At our second meeting a week later, Andrew passed around a list of executive "portfolios" in which each of us would take a special interest and prepare regular reports to the Council. I was impressed that we neophytes were given preference, but it actually made sense to have the more experienced members take on the more difficult or less glamorous assignments. I felt inclined to go with my strength which was in "accounts, records and archives", but decided that would be more a bookkeeper's job than historian's, so I opted instead for "general administration, welfare and services". I had not the slightest idea what that entailed, but it sounded down-to-earth and uncomplicated, albeit tedious. Yet I was chuffed to be anointed with the title of committee chairman, even if for the time being it was a committee of one.

As we adjourned, Annabel asked me to remain behind. We chatted for a few minutes and she seemed genuinely interested in my experiences as a young Knight. She informed me that most of her duties fell within my purview. She would assist me in getting on my feet.

"There's a lot to do," she said. Her expression and tone of voice were inscrutable, enigmatic. I had no idea why.

"Oh, I'm sure you will tell me exactly what to do," I said, only half in jest, already feeling out of my depth.

She frowned and shook her head, and her hair, long, shiny, chestnut, caramel-streaked, brushed delicately across her bare shoulders. She had a slim frame, and with the narrow straps drawn down her arms her dress drooped very low on her torso. I noticed that she kept her arms pressed to her side, as if holding up the dress so it didn't slump below her breasts. I wondered what it must be like, to be so constantly aware of your vulnerability, never quite relaxing, never able to. I remembered a saying I'd heard somewhere -- "You wear your clothes or your clothes wear you." To be honest, I don't know exactly what that means; but the Maidens' tiny uniform, especially in décolletage mode, was a potent symbol. It projected sexuality, of course, but also confidence and pride. It took an effort to wear with the straps lowered, and a lot of extra concentration when the girls were already focused on their duties. I remembered Kate's words. To wear it as designed required "luck, skill, hope and prayer," but from observation I would have added poise and, indeed, a haughty pageantry.

Perhaps I was becoming obsessed by that little item. But more likely I was awakening to a realization, that it was one of the key icons of the Templar way of life, much richer in its symbolism than many of the other emblems and rituals. Yet most Knights did not look past the obvious, the superficial. Naturally it was intended to be appealing to us males. But no woman, certainly no Maiden, dresses purely for the gratification of the viewer. Looking attractive means feeling attractive. It requires feeling attractive! So their uniform was an expression of the Maidens' perspective on themselves, as autonomous sensual beings, not docile, oppressed handmaidens.

"That's not how it works," Annabel answered, in a melodramatically hushed tone, as if someone were listening in (but no one was). "I follow your orders."

"You're right," I replied, weakly. Her reply to my insipid comment had broken my reverie.

She laughed and the tension broke. "Of course, if you choose, purely on your own volition, to take my advice..."

"Of course."

The message could hardly be more clear-cut, but it still had to be expressed in circumlocution. The façade had to be maintained, the power structure of the Order preserved. Yet that just emphasized the contrast, between us -- her age, sophistication and expertise against my youth, naïveté and ignorance.

This first impression of Maîtresse Annabel close-up was confirmed over the next few weeks. She was very serious, self-possessed and businesslike, but with a carefully crafted charm that I suspected straight away was part of her toolkit. She had undeniable charisma, radiated energy and intelligence. I was sure my tenure as Councillor would not be a dull one.

That was to prove one of my more memorable underestimations.

I soon discovered that my choice of the general administration, welfare and services portfolio had been a fortuitous one. My tasks included "liaison" with the Society of Maidens. In effect, I was to be in charge of coordinating all the services which the Maidens provided to the Temple -- in other words to the Knights. For this purpose I was assigned an office in the Maidenhall. I was, as well, allocated three executive assistants and an administrative assistant, all Maidens; and this is when I first became aware that the females of the Temple wielded actual power, albeit behind the scenes.

This was my committee and it was my prerogative to select the members. Technically no Maiden could refuse the "honour". And there were certain benefits, most importantly exemption from some (but not all) of the Maidens' duties. Of course, it was also one of the few ways that a female could have an input into the day-to-day administration of the Order. As the only member with a penis, I was the final arbiter with the ultimate authority, but I felt like a fraud, at first, because our initial meetings were taken up with my assistants bringing me up to date with the ways, whys and wherefores of the Templars' procedures and processes. So in return I resolved to do my job without fear or favour.

Of course, I had no intention of appointing anyone to the committee against her will. So when, out of pure self-interest, I approached Sabrina, she said she was not interested and I didn't pursue the matter. She was tempted, I could see that, but in the end I think the idea of being my subordinate was too much for her. That was understandable, and I had already encountered this attitude with most of those girls who were new to the Order. They were not exactly resentful that the males who joined at the same time as they had possessed all the extra advantages and privileges; after all, they knew the score when they signed up; but even so it was a hard adjustment.

Veterans like Devi and Alice had adapted to the status quo. So they accepted assignments like committee work with equanimity. In fact most were thrilled. When I called her to my office, Devi jumped at the opportunity; well, she leapt up from her seat and kissed me on the forehead. I thought that was just a little condescending, but I let it pass. She had no problem with the fact that in just a few months the pupil had become the master. Indeed, she was proud of her protégé, as she had shown that night in the Annexe when the new Council was presented to her and her fellow Maidens. It was the same with Alice, who responded with a big-sisterlike ruffling of my hair. I could tell that she didn't particularly welcome the extra workload but was flattered to be chosen. A committee appointment was the only role with actual responsibilities for a Maiden other than the Maîtresse.

It was a custom (I'd been told) to select a first-year Maiden, and the most logical choice was Rachel. I knew first-hand that she was highly intelligent and practical-minded, also audaciously and confidently critical when dealing with triviality and nonsense. A more pragmatic reason for my choice was that she was the daughter of the professor who I believed would make a useful contact as I discharged my executive duties and resumed my research into Templar history.

My administrative assistant was responsible for maintaining my office in the Maidenhall. I chose Lucy. This might have seemed to the cynical observer as frivolous and self-serving, but in reality I made the decision after some deliberation. Behind her whimsical, occasionally outrageous façade I detected a savvy sagacity that would keep me solidly grounded, albeit on my toes.

Of course, I apologized to Kate for not giving her the nod for any of the positions. She pretended to be offended for about three seconds. We both knew full well that it would not have worked out.

Notwithstanding the caveats, I was by now used to the deference shown by all the Maidens, and my vainglory skyrocketed each time I entered my office. It was a small room on the ground floor, at the end of a short corridor on one side of the lobby. Lucy was always there to greet me. Despite her playful and flirtatious ways, she was a diligent aide, which didn't come as much of a surprise. In fact, as I've stated, my main reason for appointing her was to see more of this more earnest side of her nature, which I had discerned on a few occasions. But she hadn't changed her outward ways. My assistants always wore their "slavegirl" dress, and hers slumped so low on her torso that it was held in place just by the facing along the top edge catching onto her nipples, which seemed to be perpetually erect. (I wondered if she kept herself aroused to prevent to dress slipping down to her waist. And while I might feel icky saying all this about any other girl, Lucy obviously delighted in her display.) She always kept her eyes downcast, but I wasn't fooled by this gesture of submission. It was clearly an act; she was playing a role and enjoying it. But that's the funny thing about play-acting. At some point it becomes reality. Even if it is simulated obeisance, it is obeisance nonetheless.

Lucy's task was not onerous because I have always taken pride in being neat and well-organized. She retired to the background to take the minutes when my executive assistants arrived for our weekly meeting. The office was cramped enough before all five of us crowded around my desk. (There was so little room that the extra chairs had to be stacked in the hallway when not in use.) We sat literally shoulder to shoulder, with me flanked by two of the women and the others sitting opposite. The décolletage and bare thighs, the subtle scent of perfume and shampoo, the delicate charms of these four glamorous Maidens made it difficult for me to concentrate... and I had no doubt that they knew it and took advantage of my lack of focus.

Most of the business we handled was routine "administrivia". However, in July I received a commission from my fellow Councillors which was guaranteed to put my name in the history books, at least as a footnote. It had not really occurred to me, until now, that this was the year that the Order celebrated the fiftieth anniversary of its founding. This golden jubilee provided motivation for some changes, and the one I found myself assigned to implement was that which was closest to my young man's heart. It was time to phase out the Maidens' traditional uniform. I immediately set my girls to working on this and was disconcerted to discover that they already had three designs ready for consideration. Perhaps they took advantage of my accommodating nature and easy-going leadership; but I did not have the expertise to impose my own ideas. Nevertheless, I conferred with Kate and she endorsed our final submission to the Council.

The simple dress was to be replaced by a more sophisticated style, a jersey-knit fabric teddy with a wrap-over front and satin straps and trim. There was to be just the one colour for all Maidens, a silver-grey. Without input from me, the girls had opted for an impressively sensual design, featuring a plunging V-neckline and a butt-baring panty. It was a reminder that the Maidens, like most young women, revelled in their sexuality. So while I was sorry to see the little dress being superseded, I decided this was an exquisite replacement.

The girls together produced a prototype, and Alice paraded before the Council to show it off. When she lowered her shoulder straps the front slumped alarmingly -- or adorably, depending on one's point of view -- and I saw that she had to spread her arms a little to keep it slipping below her breasts, which would pose something of a problem when serving dinner, for instance. In any case, after Alice had left the room my fellow Knights ratified it immediately. They commended me alone for the "first-class effort" and I felt obliged to clarify that my role in the design and production had been minimal; and Annabel subtly nodded her approval; but that changed nothing. It would be my name that ended up attached to the new uniform, which was to be introduced later that year. And this might have been my Templar legacy.

If only.

Intent on continuing my research into the Templars, I used my leverage as a Councillor to arrange an interview with Rachel's mother, the professor who had been a member of the old Order. Rachel at first seemed reluctant to get us together and I wasn't sure why. My guess was that she felt a little overshadowed as a protégé... much as I still felt about Kate, who had done the work to get me into the Temple.