Queendom 08: Poppetry

"The royal-double of course, Jokshun. Also known as, the Decoy protocol. But we are planning to expand the responsibilities.." Now addressing the whole table, Bella continued.

"You remember the assassination attempt at the Deznian King, six years back? The one that happened in the middle of the royal procession, witnessed by hundreds in the capitol. The one that he miraculously escaped, recovering in a matter of days.! Well, that's because the procession was attended by the royal-double in his stead. A perfect look-alike, trained to imitate not just the King's voice, but his public persona as well."

"Wow! Does that mean the double..?"

"He survived. But the internal injuries left him crippled, so unless he's to stay seated, he's never doubling again. But I digress.. The incident, along with the recent reports of conspiratorial movements in certain sects of Wolkenshire, forces us to act smartly. We got lucked out with Gertha, a rare find, not in mere likeness, but her chameleon-like ability to mimic the Queen herself, even vocally. She's expecting, again, so we can't rely on her for an year at least, considering the time required to get back in shape."

"Wait, you mean this girl... She's to be the body-double of Her Highness. Oh god! Should we be gazing her way then, clad in such simple fabric?!"

Jokshun wondered out loud, as Hoyt joined him in averting eyes.

Tabitha stayed indifferent, but Jezeb's pupils visibly dilated. His gazed fixed at the remaining maiden's heaving breasts. She's breathing with her chest, and increasingly so. She's equally blind to these proceedings, she's stressed. Something he found oddly erotic in a woman. Well, minds are of all kinds, including sick. He chuckled to himself. A gesture Bella made a note of, as she explained.

"Gentlemen.! There is a reason, though it may seem to stray from the expected courteous conduct. The reason for summoning you four, specifically. See, the new role requires of the body-double, not just mimicking, but a perfect embodiment of Her Majesty. In all her mannerisms.. From afar, and upclose. Not just in crowds, but in the court itself, if situations deemed so. Three of you have been worked closely with the Queen for almost two years now, some even longer. You know her presence, the effect it has on the common crowd, the sensation it should elicit.. You have experienced her regal eminence, first-hand. And you are her loyal subjects, above all."

Jezeb noticed the girl gulp down at the mention of them 'experiencing first-hand'. Have we met before?

"And sentry-man Hoyt, I greatly value to your sense of duty, even when facing a superior. Such character is a prerequisite, for the role that I envision for all four of you. See, body-doubles are actors, at least in the iteration I intend to utilize. And after a time, they tend to collapse into the feedback, to the role itself, if not the power that comes with it. They act out, overplay, and if left unchecked, make an irreparable mess. Besides, they lack the point of view of a common man, the average audience, if I may. She may observe Her Highness to master certain mannerisms, but she can't stay objective, and stay true to an ongoing performance. Not even Number Four here, is that smart. That's where you come in."

"Excuse me Lady Agrafena.." Hoyt interjected. "You want us to what.. Train her?"

"Not exactly.." Bella smiled and leaned against the table, staring down the leering Jezeb, blocking his view of Number Four.

"I want you, all four of you, to keep her in check. I am given six months to perfect her, and her duties includes not just staying silent in a ceremonial state, but going into complex spaces to negotiate, posing, even acting as Her Highness. Enemy territories, warn-torn regions, places too risky for the true ruling monarch, yet places where her mere presence could sway the power. So her is what's expected of you.."

All four seemed motivated to hear the rest and be helpful, though their true motivations were clearly different. Bella continued.

"Before each of you is a file, detailing your duties. The basic points, the dos and donts. Number Four here is Imperial property. And if you are to say take the job, you'll be personally responsible, not just for her life, but of all things protected by the Royal edict. I'm a little pressed for time, so you may read upon later. The rules are different for each, and same goes for expectations. If you are to say yes, you may take ring attached to the file. Some of you may recognize the insignia."

Bella reached over and opened the long wooden box. It had four thick silver rings, spaced apart for effect.

"The Cross of Absheil.?!"

Hoyt exclaimed, grabbing the closest one, observing it up-close, almost obsessively. Tabitha was intrigued too.

"Really?! I thought it was a myth. Like the King's key!"

"Oh the King's key is a myth.." Tabitha corrected.

This is the Cross of Absheil, the 'open-sesame' ring! Reserved for the specially-privileged, up in the noble-class.. The infamous one, which Duke Murian had used to walk in on his own wife, with the King, sleeping..?"

"Sleeping?! Hell, I heard the King was going at it full with the Duchess, gripping her hair like a horse reining.. Oh sorry, was I being too loud..?!"

Jezeb looked around, unusually concerned. Almost as if to not risk getting kicked out.

"Yes, the same."

Bella interjected, denying him the attention. "Show the ring, and all doors in Wolkenshire will open. All doors with royal guards, that is. You may even walk up to the King's chamber, and demand an audience. The King must let you in, or come out and meet you. Or, in our case, the Queen. But I would advice against, strongly. If the Queen finds your topic unworthy, if its not a true emergency, you may not just lose the privilege, but end up in prison. The ring is never granted to the serving class, not even the Earls for that matter. Meaning, understand the weight of the responsibility. Use it with caution."

"Lady Agrafena.." Jokshun asked, struggling to make sense of the sudden influx of information. "All this power, all this requirements. It's a bit overwhelming. Could you please simplify, and tell it straight. What is expected of us, at the end of the day.?"

"Okay. Simply put, you are to keep her in check. The Royal-double, that is. For the next six months, I'll be managing the royal scheduling such that some times 'Number Four' here will be posing as the Queen. This switch will not be on record, so no one, not the ministers, nor the attendees, not even her own security detail will know in advance. That includes the four of you. It may be Tabitha serving the Royal dinner, Jokshun taking the royal carriage to the Templeton fairs, Jezeb securing her perimeter, or even Hoyt, running into the Queen with an urgent message... None of you will know for sure, if it's the true Great Chaste that you are interacting with."

This is all too astounding! The coachman tried to pacify himself, as his fingers fidgeted with his ring. He felt so relieved, knowing his neck wasn't on the line anymore, as he had feared walking down the undercroft. But it wasn't like these new responsibilities put him necessarily at a spot of comfort. His gaze momentarily locked onto the strange maiden before, like he could almost see her eyes though the mesh-net. Was she shaking? But why?! He couldn't figure, as his digit continued toying the ring. Hoyt cleared the throat and asked.

"How can we be of use, when we don't even know if it's the real Queen?"

"Exactly.." Tabitha added. "And why the four of us, specifically? Jokshun I get, but Jezeb.?! No offense dear.."

"Oh none taken, sweetums. I was wondering the same. Isn't this more Vlazid's cup of tea, Lady Agrafena?"

"Vlazid has too much on his plate already.. Following the schedules, conducting security drills, training in the off-days.. Besides.." Bella stopped herself from saying what she knew. That Vlazid lacked the kind of imagination required for what loomed ahead.

"Unfortunately, Queen Elanor isn't exactly a people-person. You are the best I can think of, amongst the ones that have had close interactions with her consistently. The ones who had a chance to develop a natural baseline, for the Queen's conduct. And Hoyt, your duties had been altered to observe specifically the royal conduct. All the time spend together, all these shared experiences, it invariably had you trained for a visceral recognition, of her Queenly presence. I'm sure, you all have felt the hair of your nape rise in surprise, the moment the Queen walks in unannounced. It's partly because, your body recognizes the alpha of the pack, the rightful Queen in her right mind. This makes you, in my eyes, uniquely qualified, in telling the Queen apart from the double. Even if she's perfectly disguised. It isn't a perfect science, but I believe it's our best shot. We need results."

"So you want us to observe, and report, whether the Queen acts odd.? To spot, if its the double, or the real thing? What is this, a betting game?!" Jezeb wasn't convinced.

"Oh, believe me, it wont be an easy bet. I've trained her well for months. In fact, Number Four had already fooled each of you at least once."

"I don't believe it.." Jokshun exhaled, as Hoyt joined in. "I haven't even met Her Highness, in person.!"

"I think it's possible." Tabitha, the ever-contrarian said, surprising even Bella.

"The past months, I had noticed Her Highness, acting odd, out of character at times. I thought it was the pressure of the throne, not to mention, the loneliness.. But now that I think.."

"See, I told you." Bella jumped in, closing the circle.

"In fact, I'm sure you all have felt it, that gut feeling. Of something not right about the person, even when you are bowing to her. That the true ruling monarch isn't acting like her true alpha-self, this particular time."

"And what if we felt it odd, from now on? Come notify you?!"

"No! This is her training. Number Four's objective is to stay undetected. Regardless the pressure.. So if her cover is blown, she failed. Which makes it your duty, to discipline her well. To teach her well, that she never dares repeat it."

"You can't be seriously suggesting for us to confront in public, and accuse Her Highness of being an imposter. That too, based on a hunch..?" Tabitha sounded highly skeptical.

"Of course not. But if you think it's not the real Queen, all you have to do is, tell her a key-phrase. A question, that no one should dare ask the ruling Queen. Use some discretion, obviously. Her Highness had been notified, so she'll probably ignore you. But if it's the double, she had been trained to respond a certain way. She'll clear the room, and make space for you to.. Well, for you to discipline her, as you see fit."

"What do you mean trained? What if the double ignores us and continues on..?"

"Oh, believe me Jezeb, there are ways of drilling psychological triggers right into your brain. She won't act foul, if she's been correctly spotted. Besides, the final reports come to me, so she knows well enough to not overplay her hand. She'd rather be disciplined by you four together, than spend five minutes with me. Isn't that right, Demura.?"

"Yes Mistress.." Number Four replied coyly.

Demura!

Both Jezeb and Jokshun leaned forward, eyes wide and puzzled. This can't the the same Demura, right? Tabitha wasn't much surprised. After all, this wasn't the first time she had been tasked with overseeing a 'Demura'. Her doubts were different.

"What do you mean discipline?"

"Exactly what it sounds like. Shame is a particular trigger of hers, so I'd lean into it. Pain too. Refer to the guidelines in you file. And of course, use your imagination."

Bella said walking around confidently, seeing most are into the roles by now.

"The ring, the Cross of Absheil, grants you access to even the private royal meetings. So you may walk in and stay, observe the proceedings in silence, unless Her Highness directly asks you to leave. The double knows well, to not to do so. Just do not use it, for a direct audience with the Queen. At that point, even I won't be able to bail you out. The Royal Wrath is infamous, for good reason.!"

The rest nodded, peering into the files.

"Now the success of this project is important to me, so I'm not going to micro-manage your methods. For instance.. Jezeb, I'll be re-assigning your duty to stand guard the arena in the mornings. Be discreet, but watch as Her Highness do the sword-training. Observe and take note of whatever you deem useful for the duty. Be it her attitude, her stance. Even 'jiggle' as you call it."

Bella had no idea how she managed to state it cold, and maintain a straight-face. Jezeb looked like he was having a stroke, and Tabitha too was puzzled by Bella's suggestion.

A royal pass to ogle in public, that too at the ruling monarch.?! Was she serious.?

Thankfully Hoyt and Jokshun where too deep reading through the files, to notice what had just been said. Bella walked around, stopping directly behind the four, her hands resting on the two middle chairs. Leaning forward, she said.

"Skepticism is expected. Test the waters lightly for now. By week two, I'm sure we'll all be on the same page. Now, the moment of truth. My best find to date. Number four! May we have a glimpse?"

As the girl removed her veil, unfurling her lush auburn hair, the room turned silent in a blink. Eyes widened, brows raised, and jaws surely dropped, as at least three of the five watched mesmerized, not just at the beauty of the visage, but the extreme likeness that made it feel almost unreal. Sure, her lips looks a lot plump, cheeks were a little swollen, eyes had a distinct green unlike Her Highness, and the hair... The quick paint-job she did had left a lot of her true-blonde strands poking out, with her eye brows remaining a natural blonde. Even with all this, she looked so much like the Queen Elanor they all knew and loved, for two long years. There was a palpable fear, or shame, in her eyes, that didn't fit the regal presence, but still. If not Queen Elanor, she could definitely pass for her long lost twin, or a maternal cousin. All except Hoyt, were definitely impressed by Bella's rare find. For Hoyt, had never interacted with the Great Chaste. Not to his knowledge.

"Gentlemen.. Lady.. I give you, Demura.! The latest of the Decoy protocol, the official royal double, in training. Any questions..?"

The room still stayed largely frozen, including Demura, who kept turning red as her breath quickened. Bella tried to alleviate the tension.

"In case you are wondering, she's a natural blonde. Once the dye is properly applied, I bet it'd be tougher to tell them apart. I can see she missed a few spots. Also, she is expected to stay hair-free, except her head, so in case you are wondering... It's all bare down there. Why don't you try interacting.. Jezeb? How about you Jokshun..?"

"I'll go." Hoyt stood up, quite enthusiastically, and walked slowly towards the maiden.

"Demura, I don't believe we have met. But your eyes.."

Elanor felt the same. Unlike the rest, she had no recollection of ever running across this young lad. Sure, she couldn't tell her bodyguards apart either, except by their smell. But none of them were named Hoyt. And his eyes.. It had a sense of judgement, edging on puritanical. There was no way of her forgetting such a gaze, had they ever met. Then again, with how things have been lately, she couldn't be sure. Moreover, she was surprised by the newbie taking charge suddenly, when she was so sure of Jezeb, jumping at the opportunity.

What Elanor, or Bella, couldn't comprehend was the impact such a reveal would have of the subjects. For the three servants, it wasn't just the likeness of their Queen, standing before in a simple shift. They saw the Queen herself, as much as they knew it was just a decoy. And it would take some getting used to, even for the irreverent Jezeb, to seeing her as just a body-double. This was nothing new. Most servants had a reverential relationship, even with Gertha, the other royal double.

To them, the Queen, her image, was pristine. High and holy, in its deepest sense. To them, she wasn't mere flesh and blood, nor a slave to the pangs, like the rest of them.

To them, she was divine.

Hoyt saw it differently. He grew up watching Pleshian War re-enactments in his hillside town fairs, which was famous for the look-alikes of older Kings and Queens, play-acting the drama. Look-alikes had seized to impress him long back. And unlike the rest, bar a few royal portraits and sculptures, he had no real reference of the Queen in flesh, particularly at such proximity. And unlike the other men, the name Demura had zero effect on him.

What intrigued him truly, was Bella's earlier words. Of her having fooled him before.

Of this feeling, that he remembered those eyes. From where? He had no clue.

"Well you do look a lot like Her Highness, Demura. Now lets see how well you've been trained." Standing two feet from her, Hoyt said the key-phrase he recalled from the file, a bit unsure of the tone.

"Who.. "

Please don't say the rest. Demura felt a knot tighten in her womb.

"Who are you..?!"

The maid suddenly dropped to the floor, as the startled Hoyt took a few steps back. Bella smiled from behind, thinking that Elanor was enjoying the play-act. For it was the first time, for a Queen to not just kneel, but prostate herself before her subjects, in the history of Wolkenshire. A rarity, that'll unfortunately stay far from the annals of history. Pulling her torso as close to the floor, as practiced, with her rear buns squishing into the heels, breasts to the stone-cold floor, and her gaze fixed down, Elanor stated in subservient monotone.

"This is Demura, The Imperial Decoy! Property of Wolkenshire. Slave to the Throne, and plaything to her handlers.!"

It took all her focus for the Queen, to avoid uttering something truly degenerate, like she had been trained to respond. Tabitha shook her head smiling, watching the disbelief in her fellow men. After all, she had personally witnessed the same girl do things far indecent and imaginative, the night of the retirement ceremony. She couldn't wait to get started.

"Lady Agrafena.. You weren't kidding about the training.. Handlers, huh?"

"Exactly Hoyt. She's the prime Decoy. And you for, her Handlers.."

Suppressing his chuckle, Hoyt stepped up looking down, his eyes widening as his feet stepped before her kneeling head. Have I done this before..?

"Demura, stay still, but.. Look up into my eyes please."

There we go again.. Men, and their weirdities. How is this the Grand task.? Shaking her head, Elanor looked up, her jaw dropping wide to match her posture, almost on instinct. But looking up she saw, as the spark went in her mind.

This feet, this scent. That face perching down, especially those intense eyes. Oh God!

She remembered well, from months before.. The night of the Diplomatic meet, that young guard at the gates. And her, alongside Uncle Belkin. Looking like a bitch, leashed and masked. The adamant one, whose dirty shoes she had shined, of all things orally. She saw it all now, clear as a day.

And she saw in his puritanical gaze , the same.

Recognition.

Those submissive eyes, that wet tongue dripping with saliva. The way her soul purred as she looked up. How could he ever forget meeting such a minx. Hoyt silently mouthed.

"Oh, I know what you are.."

It was surprising, how she could still feel petrified, by the same kind of disgrace. Made her wonder, how many layers of shame truly remained in her still. Whether she would like, what truly resided, underneath all those layers. After a long trial of irritating wait and shame, she felt the heat again, down her loins. His judging eyes, and the gears turning behind. Elanor had a clue what to expect, from a sleaze-bag like Jezeb. But this moralistic stare down, this pure condescension.. It was truly uncharted territory. And it would be lying to say, that it didn't elicit in her, a little fear. And a lot of hunger.