The Cleansing Ch. 01

Sunlight caressed the young woman's face, slowly warming her skin, tickling her sub-conscious and drawing her mind into the waking world. She yawned loudly and stretched her body out on the straw. The smell of horses surrounded her senses and a chicken clucked beside her head, making her body start.

"Good morning, Miss Bella," she cooed at the fat hen, reaching her hand out and brushing the chickens feathers. She stretched again before standing herself up and making her way over to a bucket of stale water.

She quickly washed her face, staring into the dirty copper mirror with her pale blue eyes. She had average features, dull brown hair which fell flat about her head. Her body, though not plump and voluptuous as the fine ladies in the palace, was thin and her skin was rough, calloused. The only thing she liked about herself, was her education. She could read and write.

Her mother, a cook in the palace kitchens, used to sit her daughter at the giant table and teach her how to be proper, starting with reading and writing and eloquence. How she missed those days. The day she could carry a tray, or sweep a floor was the day she was forced out of the servants quarters and into the stables.

"Lotty! Are you awake? Its past dawn and you haven't brought the eggs. What is with you child?" a kind voice called from the other end of the stable.

"Yes mamma. I'm coming now," she called back. Lotty hurriedly tied her hair up with a piece of material while she made her way past the horses and into the glorious morning sunlight.

Lotty wandered up the grassy hill beside her mother, carrying her basket of eggs. Dark clouds were coming over the mountains in the distance, and Lotty turned to her mother, but was suddenly struck still.

Her mother was always pretty and happy, but her mahogany hair was beginning to grey and thin, her face was wrinkled from years of hard labour and her shoulders drooped from sadness. Lotty kept walking, but her mind had drifted from the weather to the future. What would happen to her once her mother had passed? Could she keep working?

The servants quarters sat behind the palace, above the stables, but far enough away from the main entrance, so as not to attract attention. Lotty's mother walked inside, holding the door open for her daughter, before she closed and locked it.

It was protocol to keep it locked at all times, in-case the servants should try to mingle with the upper class. It was forbidden for them to be even seen, but, on rare occasions it did happen, and that servant was beheaded the next day. It was unfortunate that the rule existed, but it did exist, almost exclusively so the young gentlemen didn't try to play around with creatures who were beneath them.

Lotty followed her mother through the off white hall. Her eyes barely noticed the flat hard beds she had seen so many times before. Personal possessions were hidden, but she noticed the odd bits of colour here and there. It was against another rule for the servants to have any kind of material objects. It distracted them from their work. Lotty didn't know any better though, so to her it was normal.

She had never left the palace grounds in her life, and didn't have an inclining to do so. Everything was provided for her by her mother. Food, water, clothing. However, there was one thing Lotty wanted, that she knew she could never have, and it made her heart ache.

The smell of dirt wafted over to Lotty, and she looked through a hidden doorway, into nothing but darkness. It was the servants tunnel. It went through the hill, and up into the Palace. Lotty sighed and walked down the familiar steps, waiting for her mother to grab a candle and lock the door.

"Don't stop there child! Keep moving," her mother snapped.

Lotty was surprised. In seventeen years, she hadn't heard her mother raise her voice once, or even be short with her. Something had happened and she was going to find out. But, as she reached the other end of the tunnel, her question was answered. There was going to be a royal wedding, and the entire staff had to clean the Palace from top to bottom. All one hundred and seventy-five rooms, six ball rooms, the throne room, and a manner of other different things. A mop and bucket was thrust into Lotty's hands and she sulked out of the cavernous kitchens.

* * *

Lotty hummed quietly to herself. Occasionally another flustered servant ran past her, and she had to re-mop the floor after them. But otherwise, she was in a normally unoccupied wing, so she cleaned at her own pace and ignored everything around her. But she wasn't completely alone. A girl was watching her. Not just any girl either. She was a concubine of the Crown Prince, and even though this new girl enjoyed being ravished by the man, her heart was heavy with longing for someone else.

"Lotty," she called softly. Lotty stiffened. She knew that honey coated voice, but she kept swishing her mop back and forth.

"Tilly?" Lotty replied, even quieter, not looking up. The rustle of heavy fabrics, and the tapping of heels on marble sounded behind her, and before Lotty could tell what was happening, she was dragged into a room off the wing.

Lotty spun herself around, and pushed her friend against a cold wall. Arms encircled her waist, and silken lips brushed her neck, sending shivers down her tingling body, but Lotty grabbed Tilly's face, ignoring the girls giggles, and kissed her deeply. How she had missed her beloved. It had been too many days between now and their last encounter. Her body was on fire, and a hunger she knew only too well began to fill her insides, making her kiss her lover even harder.

Tilly kissed back, forcing herself off the wall and pushing Lotty backwards. A little gasp of surprise sounded from Lotty's mouth as she tripped over the lengthy material that adorned Tilly's waist. She crashed to the floor, dragging her lover down with her. The two girls collapsed into fits of giggles. It was a funny sight. Tilly sat above Lotty, her skirt almost covered the poor girl completely.

"Why must you wear such a heavy thing?" Lotty giggled.

"Because its required of me," Tilly replied, her face began to lose some of its sparkle as her mind drifted to the numerous rules she had to follow.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you,"

"It is fine. I am used to it." Light filled Tilly's green eyes once more and she leant down over Lotty, kissing her again, much harder than before. Lotty wrapped her arms around Tilly's waist, pulling her down so she was lying almost on top of her.

She slowly moved her hand over her back, shoulder, neck and finally let it rest on Tilly's breast. It was so hard to feel it through the many layers of clothing, but Lotty only wanted to feel the pounding of Tilly's heart. Tilly stiffened, and before Lotty could ask what was wrong, she had turned her head and faced the door behind her. It was then that Lotty heard the footsteps on the marble.

Lotty picked herself up off the floor and ran over to a door at the back of the unused and empty room. It was a small washroom, but she didn't care. She flung herself into the room and pulled the door shut behind her. Trying to latch it as quietly as she could. The door to the room itself opened, and she heard Tilly leave. A polite exchange of muffled greeting was muttered and soon the corridor was silent. Lotty sighed heavily and slowly crept out of the room and back into the long wing. Her mop was where she left it, and, with a frustrated heart she grabbed it and continued to mop that endless corridor.

* * *

A plate of left over chicken was thrust into Lotty's hand, and she slowly picked at the food. In her mind she pictured Tilly's golden hair, flowing around her delicate, porcelain features. Tilly's bright green eyes faded from Lotty's mind as someone poked her in the back.

"Will you hurry up? Its almost night and I am not comfortable with you walking over the hill in the darkness," her mother said sharply. Lotty obliged and hurriedly stuffed the food into her mouth before heading through the tunnel.

She came up into the servants hall and wandered past the girls who were getting ready for bed. It was a long day for most of them, but it was going to be a longer day tomorrow. Lotty sighed and rushed through the hall. She wished she could sleep in the servants quarters, but they were full, so Lotty had to sleep with the horses and the chickens. Not that she minded all that much. The chickens tended to sleep around her, keeping her warm, and the horses always alerted her if any Night Terrors entered the barn.

Lotty kissed her mother goodnight and began down the soft grassy hill. She started picking up her pace and her body almost flew through the wide open doors. She didn't have time to stop before she ran straight into a short, solid creature. Lotty fell hard on to the stone floor and her eyes began to tear as pain shot through her body. She looked up, and into a pair of gorgeous deep green eyes, surrounded by golden flowing hair.

"Tilly! What are you doing here?" Lotty gasped from the floor. Tilly reached down and pulled up her beloved.

"Coming here to see you, of course,"

"Of course," Lotty replied, a smile broadening on her lips. But it soon disappeared as she realised where they were. Lotty wasn't the only person who slept in the barn; there were several others. She grabbed Tilly's hand and lead her down to where she normally slept, and pulled her down into the hay.

"Lotty what-" Tilly stopped as soon as she saw Lotty's finger press against her lips. It wasn't clear to her why she had to be quiet, but she went along with it anyway.

Lotty waited, holding her breath; her ears picking up the sounds of the animals. It was dangerous for Tilly to be there with her, but she couldn't send her back. Not now. Night had almost fallen and dark things, terrible things, prowled the countryside. Picking off any creature foolish enough to be in its path. She couldn't contain herself anymore and with a small whimper she threw herself at her lover, crushing her lips against Tilly's.

Surprised, Tilly only sat there for a moment, before she began to kiss back, slowly pushing Lotty's body down onto the hay. Her hands moved down Lotty's chest and stomach, pulling at the course plain fabric, hoping to find a way in so she could caress the soft silken skin of her secret mistress. Her hand slid beneath the clothing to cup the firm breast of her lover. She caressed it softly and Lotty moaned into Tilly's kisses. The noise seemed so loud in the quiet stable, but the two girls didn't care.

Lotty rolled Tilly over onto her side, pushing her voluminous skirts out of the way and gently stroking the velvet skin with her fingers. She felt Tilly shiver under her touch and slowly she inched her hand higher, feeling the heat radiate down.

Tenderly, Lotty's fingers reached Tilly's pussy, and with just the tips of her fingers, she gently stroked the silken lips of her beloved. A soft moan was heard throughout the stable, unbeknownst to the young women, a young servant, hoping to elevate her status, waited until the lovers fell asleep, before she crept out of the stable, and disappeared into the night.

* * *

A scream wrenched Tilly from a deep, blissful sleep. She opened her eyes, waiting for them to adjust to the darkness when Lotty screamed again, and before she could react, Tilly was grabbed roughly by the waist and carried out of the stables.

"Put me down! Please. I beg you!" Lotty cried fearfully.

"What is going on here?" demanded Tilly, but no one answered her. She tried to move but whoever had a hold of her was not going to let her go. She looked up and saw the lights of the Palace come closer and her heart became cold. So she was to end up like all the others. Beheaded in a public ceremony along side her stall mucking lover. It was the ultimate disgrace. She only prayed the King would be merciful.

Lotty hit the marble floor hard, and she didn't bother to get up. Her sobs echoed around the room and she could do nothing but wait for the death sentence that was sure to follow. She felt Tilly thrown to the floor beside her, and heard the defiance in her voice as she growled at the royal guards. Strong until the very end. That is why Lotty loved her.

"So! I give you a lovely room to yourself, fine clothes, your own hand maiden, and a place beside me in my bed, and yet, you have to lower yourself to this filthy wretch? I would have thought your mother taught you to be grateful Chantilly. But this is unforgivable. For this, you will spend a year in the deepest, darkest and filthiest dungeon this Palace has to offer."

Lotty was shocked to hear the Crown Princes voice. She knew he was speaking to Tilly, but even she felt pain as his cold unfeeling words echoed around the room. Lotty just waited to be taken, not daring to raise her head from the floor. She would be together with Tilly until the very end, and that was all that mattered. She wasn't prepared for what happened next.

"You know me William. I would never bother myself with a piece of filth like her. She black mailed me. She said she would ruin me and feed me to the Terror's if I didn't do what she wished. I was so exhausted by what she forced me to do that I couldn't keep my eyes open. My heart and soul is yours William. I only want you. No other!" Tilly cried out. Her voice unwavering as she did her best to lie to the Crown Prince, but Lotty heard no lies and in that moment, her heart broke in two.

"If this is true, then you will have to be purified again. I wouldn't dare touch you after you have been with that," he spoke again, disdain and disgust layering his speech.

"It is true your Highness. I would not, could not lie to the Crown Prince. The magic that keeps this kingdom safe would tell you. You are all powerful and I do not deserve you," Tilly said, as though she had said it before. The Prince did not hear anything but devotion in her voice.

"Fine. Take the filthy brat to the dungeons. She can rot in there for all I care. And get Chantilly purified immediately."

With that, he walked out of the room.

Hands grabbed Lotty and began to lift her. She cried out in terror but all the fight had gone. Her heart was shattered and all she felt was pain. She would die in a stone room, never to see the sun again. Strangely, she accepted this fact. She was the lowest of the low, and she had tainted the purity of the Prince's concubine. It was the right punishment, and she truly believed it.

Tilly watched as Lotty was removed from the room. Pain was etched over her lovers face, and she knew it was her fault, but Tilly had at least saved herself from a fate worse than death. She was pushed roughly towards another door and fear crept around her heart. Purification was better than what Lotty would face, she thought to herself. She held her head high and walked towards the room that would cleanse her of her infidelity.

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Ok, so this is like my first real try at writing xD. No doubt I have heaps to improve on :)