Mantua - A Man's World Ch. 04

The names, characters, places and events in this story are products of the writer's imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. All characters are over the age of 18. Any similarities to real persons, living or dead, actual events, locales or organizations is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.

Thank for reading and I hope you liked this tale. Please do leave a comment as I read all of them and take them all onboard.

***

At breakfast, the manager of the Inn handed Skyann a sealed note. "Hand this to your mentor," he ordered her.

When Colfax opened it, he smiled. "We're going up in the world. We've been invited to dine with the Procurator of Port Janus himself tonight. Myself and two members of my harem. Too bad I've only got one!"

"You haven't got a harem at all. But I wonder why?" mused Skyann.

"Can think of two reasons -- he heard about my good fortune at the races yesterday and wants a 'donation' to city funds. Or he got wind about that very sexy dance you did and wants you to perform for him. Take this money and buy us two good outfits at the market."

No 'please' and no 'ma'am'. Skyann was about to open her mouth and insist that he respect her senior rank but thought better of it. Would the Procurator really want to watch her dance? One part of her mind was shocked at the thought that she might have to perform in front of many more people than saw her dance at the Inn while another part, darker and more primal, relished the thought that men would lust over her naked body as she displayed for them in a dance of wanton exhibitionism like the other night. Skyann shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts. This crazy world was getting to her and the sooner they left, the better. All the same, she rather enjoyed the tingling feelings coming from her nips and clit as she thought about what she might be asked to do.

However, she enjoyed her time in the market and bought fresh outfits for herself and Colfax. Gritting her teeth, she picked up something that seemed to be made out of white lace for herself. Let's see what that man makes of that, she thought. She used her time talking to the potter and several other women to get a deeper perspective on the status of her gender on Mantua.

That evening Phylebos, who was also invited to the banquet, hired a wagon and they set off through Port Janus's busy streets to the Procurator's Hall. It was set within its own walled grounds abutting the city's ramparts and provided a separate fortification if the city ever fell to an enemy. The liveried guards checked their invitations and waved them through.

"Best behavior," Colfax whispered to Skyann.

"I could say the same to you, Quarter-Captain," she hissed back.

The pillared main hall was sumptuously decorated with wall paintings depicting great triumphs in Janus City's history. Scented candelabra illuminated the room and the tessellated floor had been freshly polished. Taking up much of the room were three tables set in a squared U shape while a stage occupied the other end. The room was busy with well dressed men and scantily clad women. Everyone seemed to be talking and laughing -- particularly the women. Even with many beautiful women on show, Colfax was pleased that Skyann stood out. Her lacy top and split skirt left very little to the imagination and, despite the heat in the room, her circular dark pink nipples very much on show. However, the other women were also very much on display for their mentors.

A young woman knelt by Colfax's side and offered up a silver tray filled with small glasses.

"Wine, mentor?" she said.

He took a glass and savored the taste and raised an eyebrow when Skyann did the same. The serving girl stared at her but didn't say anything and hurried off.

They circulated and Colfax picked up some of the gossip and scandals about the local movers and shakers as well as a few business opportunities he might want to invest his winnings in. A papyrus making workshop sounded most promising. Skyann hated having to stand respectfully behind him, like the other harem girls did, while their men talked. She had so much to say to these sexist fools that she was fit to burst. She found she was there only in case she was needed to fetch or serve.

Colfax snapped his fingers. "Bring me another wine," he commanded. With that, Skyann had to find a serving girl. She took two glasses and drank one as she returned to where Colfax was talking with a grizzled ship's captain and a handsome cavalry officer.

"Only got the one girl?" Skyann heard the cavalryman ask as she returned.

"Yes, this one's enough for me," Colfax sipped his wine and thought for a moment. He would actually enjoy a harem. A bunch of willing women -- not like Bitch-Face -- eager to serve his every need. But he knew that would be impossible as there was no way he could take any natives back with him to the Convolvulus. All the same...

"Shame, as I have a girl who is looking for a new mentor. I've taken on a couple of new girls recently so I haven't been seeing to her needs as much as she'd like. She's good with her mouth."

The men grinned while Skyann stood nearby, fuming impotently in the middle of a little cloud of harem girls.

A gong rang and serving girls escorted the men to their places at the tables. Skyann looked for a place, too, but soon saw that she was expected to stand behind her mentor. Colfax found that he was on one of the legs of the U but very near the top table while his friend sat two places down. Once the men were seated, the gong rang again and the Procurator himself with his selected guests entered the Hall. The Procurator himself was a tall, lean man with silver hair which contrasted with his dark ocher skin. His face commanded attention dominated by an aquiline nose and, Skyann thought, thin-lipped cruel mouth. He wore an over-embellished purple tunic over white pants. Immediately following him was a thin, shaven headed man in what looked like a sea-green monk's cowled robe. Stitched on the front was a stylised design depicted a nine-headed dragon. Skyann shuddered as the picture looked evil somehow.

"He's the Chief Priest here of Tiamat -- the Nine-Headed Sea-Dragon, the goddess of primordial creation," Skyann overheard the ship's captain whispering to Colfax. "That monstrous cult is getting more popular all along the coast."

"Why -- what's up with them?" Colfax asked.

"Steer clear of them -- they take the best," he muttered but the skipper would say nothing more and turned away to talk with another guest.

The banquet was in several courses and wine was served throughout, the serving girls ensuring that the glasses were continually topped up while the harem girls standing behind their mentor attended to any other needs.

Colfax enjoyed the boiled tree-fern shoots in a spicy sauce and the tender roast indricothere steak was delicious. There were also sweet fruits. He felt so relaxed and good taking in the conversations around him. He paid attention to the nearby Procurator who was talking to an older man who was the ambassador from the nearby city of Pherusida.

"Of course, women need men more than ever," the Procurator was saying. "They have hollow places inside that can only be filled by a man. Now, a man is solid inside and that solidness attracts women as they need fulfilment."

"Hollow places?" the ambassador said.

"Yes. Their wombs and vaginas are hollow. You know how when you get hungry, your stomach feels empty inside until you've eaten? Well, a woman's empty womb makes her feel weak and hollow all the time until she is breeding. And she wants a strong man to fertilize her."

"I see."

"And, don't forget, a woman's brain is smaller than a man's so they are less intelligent and so need a man to guide them and steer them through life as they cannot manage by themselves."

"That's so true," said the ambassador. "The girls in my harem wouldn't know what to do without me telling them. They couldn't survive without a man -- probably starve to death or something."

The two men laughed.

"Which is why they get things wrong so often without a man's firm hand. I'm always having to discipline my girls. I had to spank several girls earlier before I came to your excellent feast," the ambassador continued.

"I hope your hand isn't aching now but firm correction is so important," said the Procurator. "It lets them know where they stand."

"Standing is what they'll be doing tonight," the ambassador laughed. "They won't want to sit down for a while!"

Once again the two men laughed.

Colfax was aware that Skyann standing behind him was getting more tense and agitated during this discussion but before he could say anything to defuze the situation, she erupted with fury. Her sheer rage purged her system.

"What absolute rubbish," she stormed, her face reddened with fury, "Hollow places in our bodies? You don't know anything about it. Women are the equals of men in all things and deserve -- demand -- to be treated with respect. Women are men's equals, not just in intelligence but in all aspects. It was a woman called Ada Lovelace who invented the very first computer..."

"What's a computer?" the ambassador asked.

"And a woman, Tiera Ammal-Yu, who discovered faster than light travel..."

"I don't think you can go faster than light," the Procurator said with a frown.

"...and so women deserve to be given parity with men as they are on all civilized worlds in the galaxy."

"What other worlds?" the Procurator wondered. Desperately, Colfax tried to get her attention and get her to be quiet but she ignored him.

"Women can manage our own lives with no input from men. We can make our own decisions and life choices. We are not just walking wombs for your breeding fantasies. Look at how this world has regressed to a state of near savagery. This is because you are ignoring the wisdom and intelligence of over eighty percent of the population and relying solely on a bunch of idle men with a vested interest in keeping things as they are."

"Please be quiet," Colfax pleaded. This had gone on too much.

Skyann turned to the women standing behind their mentors, their mouths open with amazement.

"You make up so much of this world. You should be ruling this world and making men your equals, not mentors. Get together and there is nothing stronger than womankind united in one purpose. Rise up, deny them their mentorships and you can free yourselves from male tyranny and decide your own fates and destinies. You are not here just to please men and then have their babies. Make them beg to have the honor of being with you on your terms. Women are strong; women are powerful."

Skyann paused for breath and saw for the first time how all the men were staring at her in horror while the women were equally thunderstruck. However, the priest of Tiamat was leaning forward, his ascetic face studying Skyann intently like a predator before prey. All the women standing near her had backed away not wanting to be tainted with guilt by association. Many women in the Hall were shaking their heads in denial but she did notice one or two looking very thoughtful.

"Your harem girl appears to be insane," the Procurator said to Colfax in the silence.

"I'm not his property," Skyann shouted. "I am my own woman."

Once again, the Procurator addressed Colfax. "Either she is your girl in which case you need to discipline her very severely or she is not, in which case she is insane and cannot be allowed to walk freely in Port Janus in case she does harm to others. If she is insane, I will have her committed to the Lunatic Asylum where she will be assessed. When... if she is found to be insane, she will be kept locked away in a padded cell for her own safety and that of others. Which is it?"

There was a gasp from the guests.

"Let me have a word with her, your highness," Colfax said.

The Procurator nodded agreement and Colfax and Skyann withdrew to one side.

"What are you playing at?" he growled.

"I couldn't take any more of it; it's so intolerable here."

"I've either got to punish you or they'll take you and lock you away. I can't fight them as I left my sword at the Inn and there's too many guards. Also, we're not here to kill the natives, only get information and get back to the ship."

Skyann blinked and a few tears came to her eyes. At that moment, she looked so vulnerable.

"I guess you'll have to punish me then," she whispered. "But I don't deserve it."

"Don't forget, I'm sure we'll be extracted soon and then you'll never have to see Mantua again," he reminded her.

Colfax turned back to the top table and bowed. "I am so sorry about that disgusting outburst and I apologize most sincerely for any upset." He tapped his temple with his fingertip. "My harem girl has issues and when we get back to our Inn, you can rest assured that she will be chastised most severely."

"No," said the Procurator. "You will punish her now in front of everyone and especially our harem girls who need to witness what happens when a girl steps out of line." He waved a hand and a chair was dragged out and placed in between the legs of the U.

Skyann blanched even beneath her peachy tan complexion. "No, please," she moaned.

Colfax dragged her over to the chair and sat down. He had no choice other than to put on a show which would satisfy the Procurator. "Strip," he ordered.

"Please, no," Skyann turned frightened eyes around the Hall but saw no sympathy from anyone except a couple of the women.

Slowly, she reached behind her and undid her lacy halter top, letting her firm boobs go free. Her nipples stuck out defiantly. Then she kicked off her sequined flip-flops before sliding down her lacy split skirt. Now her only protection was her tiny wispy thong.

"That as well," Colfax told her.

With a sigh of resignation, she pushed down her thong and stepped out of it, her boobs hanging forward and swaying delightfully as she did. There were one or two indrawn breaths at her naked beauty as she did so. Colfax grabbed her arm and dragged her down over his lap. It was no coincidence that her buttocks were facing the Procurator on the top table. With his left arm, Colfax held her in position.

"You may begin," the Procurator announced.

With that, Colfax raised his strong right arm, paused an instant, and then brought it down hard on Skyann's right buttock. The whipcrack of sound echoed around the Hall. That slap broke a dam in Colfax's mind. He rained blow after blow down onto her bottom. At first, Skyann withstood her punishment but after a dozen blows she was crying and after a dozen more she was screaming and begging for mercy. But there was none to be found as Colfax knew he had to punish her enough to satisfy the Procurator and the others. He carried on the spanking and, despite himself, enjoyed having his so-called superior officer squirming and sobbing on his lap. He felt his cock stiffening beneath her. With each blow, the flesh of her firm buttocks rippled.

More and more spanks pelted down. Now her apricot-colored ass was a deep scarlet. Skyann lost all dignity and her legs kicked and flailed as she tried to free herself but to no avail. She was helpless, unable to get away and had to endure her punishment. More and more swats landed on her upturned, defenseless ass, the sounds snapping around the Hall mixing with her screams and sobs. She so wanted this to stop but there was nothing she could do. Her legs lashed up and down as she sought escape, exposing the private cleft between her legs to everyone's gaze giving everybody sight of her smooth vulva with its swollen lips and even her anus.

Colfax paused in the beating to catch his breath. He looked around the room and saw from the watchers' avid faces that it wasn't enough yet. Even the harem girls wanted to see Skyann thoroughly beaten. Wanting to maximize her mortification he pushed his hand between her legs and slipped his fingertip in between her vaginal lips. He was shocked at how hot and wet she was as his finger came away slippery with her free-flowing juices. Skyann jerked forward, her eyes opening wide with surprise. Grinning evilly, he slipped his fingertip back in and moved it forwards until he found the swollen bud of her clitoris. This he gently rubbed and stroked for a moment. Once again, Skyann's legs kicked out but more gently as these odd sensations flooded her body and mind. He carried on for a moment longer, enjoying her squirms on his lap, hearing her moan more with pleasure than pain.

Skyann hated the humiliation and detested being laid over a man's lap and beaten for expressing her opinion. She was a well thought of Half-Captain on the Convolvulus, not some native harem girl. But they deserved respect as much as any woman. But to be an unimportant second class person because of her sex was not right. Pain and shock flooded her as the spanks rained down on her bare upturned ass. Her mind rebeled against what was happening. Then this man's finger slipped down and softly touched her so sensitive clit. What surprised her even more was that underneath her hurt was a warm, wet feeling down in her vagina. And a notion that even she required a strong man able to control her and look after her.

Meanwhile, Colfax reminded himself that this woman was not over his lap for any positive stimulus, whatever she might be feeling. He removed his fingertip from her dark red clitoris, slid it back along her vulva over her urethra and vagina until he paused over the most private hole of her anus. Then he speared it down, penetrating her asshole all the way. Skyann shrieked with the unexpected shock and mortification but there was nothing she could do to stop this invasion. He probed for a moment before withdrawing. Her mortification was utterly complete. Then it was time for her spanking to continue and so yet more slaps rained down on her left cheek, then right, left right, left right, left right. Immediately, Skyann started bucking and hollering and begging him to stop but there was no mercy for her. Everyone was watching but none more intently than that gaunt priest of Tiamat who was leaning forward and studying Skyann's genitals like he was assessing them.

Finally, long after Colfax was ready to stop, the Procurator raised a hand. "That is one well punished woman. I trust we will never hear such an outburst again."

"No, your highness," said Colfax as he helped Skyann stand. Tears flowed down her cheeks and onto her heaving breasts. But that wasn't the only part which was wet as it was obvious to all that her juices were flowing. She rubbed her buttocks but immediately pulled away as they were too tender to be touched at the moment.

"Go stand facing the wall. We don't want to hear another word from you this evening," Colfax said harshly. Without hesitation, still naked, Skyann hurried to the wall, her face buried in her hands and sobbed as quietly as possible, so aware that her battered ass was on full view.

Many of the men congratulated him on knowing how to correct a harem girl and, surprisingly, a couple offered to swap Skyann for any two or three of their current harem. He refused with a grin. The evening ended after several very erotic dances by the Procurator's harem. Colfax enjoyed the diversion but whenever he glanced around, he spotted the priest covertly studying Skyann's form. Something about the intensity of the priest's avid attentions bothered him.

The end of the evening came and once outside, the wagon collected their group to take them to the Inn. They settled back on the seats but even with cushions, Skyann wanted to walk behind it as she could not bear to sit yet. Two of the merchant's harem kindly walked alongside her, supporting her and giving her occasional kisses.

"You were very brave," they whispered. "It needed saying but I would never have dared to say all that."