The Judgement Moon Pt. 04

"There you are," purred a familiar-sounding voice. She raised her head in alarm--it was still heavy--she was still weak--but the voice of one of the monsters came from a similar beast--but white--and more like a fox than a cat.

She managed to sit up some, propped against a wall. Looking at it in terror. She was in a room of luminous white stone. She was still on the pallet.

"W-wh-what?" she managed. Her throat hurt. She coughed.

"You were taken by a Jaguar," said the thing--bigger than a horse. It sat next to the bed, towering over her. "Nasty--yes--but that's over now and I don't mean to have you myself--at least not that way--so you needn't be afraid of that."

She let herself droop a bit. She squirmed: the pain and discomfort might be "further away" but it was still powerful. The swelling made her tender and sore. The entire situation was humiliating in so many ways.

"What are you going to do with me?" she asked.

"Since you are about yourself now," said the fox-thing, "I am going to bring you to the Jaguar Throne. We shall see if they lay claim to you."

"No," she begged, "please, Miss--"

"You may call me Finna, and don't fear too much: the Jaguar Throne is bad, yes, but it's not like they would throw you in the Jaguar Pens. No, if you are fairly taken by them, you will be fitted as a thrall and you'll have a placement."

Heather sobbed that she wanted to go home, but the fox thing ignored her and dipped its head behind her neck, somehow picking her up again. This time she could see more, as she was able to raise her head. There were huge structures and long streets and everything was made with a luminous white stone that still somehow had shadows. She was carried off the ground by what felt like a light cloth over her shoulders and back that stuck and lifted her. She felt weightless.

There was some kind of huge room with multiple of the white people working at stations where snake-like machines curved around and twisted across it. Cranes lifted boxes and cylinders. Huge rolling carts moved of their own volition. She saw what she recognized as punishment centers where some of the milk-skinned people lay on their backs, legs up and open, as others dressed in nurse-like uniforms worked between their thighs. It was overwhelming, and she shut her eyes.

"Don't be too scared, little one," said the fox thing, softly. "It is a hard time of it for most--but it has rewards. You will be cared for."

A series of chambers, each with a massive rectangular arch. She passed through them. She heard ethereal music. Snaps of a spanking or paddling. Moans that sounded more like pleasure than pain. And then--a black marble floor.

She saw what had to be the Jaguar Throne.

Her terror at the cat thing on it--the same as the one that had taken her--but far larger--almost like a mountain, sat on a carved black basalt throne of equally immense size. Its head, larger than a house, looked down at them with green cat's eyes large enough to swallow her. Down to the dais on which it sat, the throne was intricately decorated with lines and shapes she couldn't wrap her eyes around--but at the bottom sat what she thought was an orchestra.

The white-skinned people--many wearing thin robes or jackets sat on padded benches. Some had strange instruments that looked like harps. Others had things that looked like brass instruments. But what she saw near the front made her heart leap!

Kalvan lay over the lap of one of the milk-skinned girls. He was naked, and she held a small hairbrush like paddle, and was rubbing it over his buttocks and talking to him with a smile on her face that didn't appear sneering or malicious.

"KALVAN," she cried as loudly as she could. The chamber was not silent. There were seating stands to either side of a grand procession that led up to the black throne and those were full of things--of people--of lords or ladies or objects wrapped in brightly colored cloths. They were all involved in conversation and the murmur filled the room.

Kalvan's head raised, though, and he saw her.

Heather was surprised that the girl, following his gaze, listened to his frantic explanations, and seemed to accept what he said. She beckoned to Heather's fox.

"Nnmph," Finna made a noise of confusion and then stepped across the floor. Walking up to the base of the Jaguar throne, where the people sat around it. If the huge thing on the throne saw them, it gave them no reaction. Kalvan threw his arms around her, gasping with relief. For her part, she sobbed against him.

The girl clapped excitedly! "Another capture!" She looked up at the fox-thing. "Mistress Fennic?"

"I am here with a partial capture," said Finna. "The girl was found by me. I was escorting a shadowed Jaguar which failed catastrophically. She was its prey, but she did not reach the processing.

The girl eyed Heather. "My pawn--" she gave Kalvan a light smack on the top of his head, "was searching for her. He was very intent. He had a sword and everything!"

"Nnmph," Finna grunted again, sounding as bewildered by this as Heather was. "Does the throne claim her?"

The girl considered. "Well, HE claims her--and I captured HIM--so I guess?" She paused. "Leave her here. I'll take care of her."

Kalvan turned from where he was holding Heather. "Miss Yassana? My friend has been savaged by one of the unclean--she is... in a great deal of distress. Please--Can we take her somewhere?"

The girl holding the small paddle peered down at Heather, who lay in Kalvan's arms. "Mmmph," she said. "I was far worse when I came in for processing. She'll be fine. Just let her rest a bit. I'll send for some cushions and strong drink!"

Kalvan was starting to protest, something Heather thought very unwise of him, when horns blew--trumpets. All heads turned, and a procession of men clad entirely in dark armor, carrying a palanquin with a huge... egg atop it. Came marching down the arcade.

"THERE HAS BEEN A DEVELOPMENT," a young man in a uniform of many brilliant colors cried out. All heads turned, and a hush fell.

THE THIRD RIDING - THREE DAYS LATER -- EMILY

Emily sat in one of the comfortable chairs on the flagstone deck at the rear of the knight's stronghold. She had warm tea. Her charge was very well behaved, sitting with three of her cousins around the poor servant who'd apparently been promoted to permanent pet-girl status. At least the girl was making a good go of it, looking only a bit embarrassed when made to do humiliating "tricks" and then being showered with praise for executing them properly.

Jasni had been shocked that the girl ALWAYS had to be walked to pee. She'd been allowed to take Yais-pet out herself to prove it! This had adorably embarrassed Yais--even more so when it was explained that Jasni had to wipe her up after. Emily didn't think the girl was ready to learn that no exception was made for the girl "going poo."

She, herself, was fortunate: the shame scope meant her natural modesty was much heightened, which would make most punishments unbearable, but she wasn't punished THAT often, thankfully. Maintenance punishments would be awful, but most disciplinarians would say that was the point!

When the Dame Knight had kicked in the door to her room, she had been released from the control collar. Apparently, by the time the Dame Knight reached her, she had been the top dominant in the chains that held command over the collar.

Jasni had been even more fortunate: The Jaguar on her--they had climbed the walls, creeping through various windows and taking those within-- had been enjoying her helpless terror and had been toying with her in the X-rack when they had reached her.

"The reason it passed you by," the Dame Knight had told Emily, "as that if you were what they consider 'clean' they have a hard time seeing you. I think that it didn't have you in the bed's slime puddle meant you've been quite well behaved."

"And very sexually frustrated," agreed Emily.

The Dame Knight laughed. "Getting married properly can help with that--but only a bit." Emily had been told that she could join the Dame Knight in her bed by the Dame Knight's handmaiden. She was considering it: the experience would be intense, but she would likely be allowed a clean orgasm from the powerful woman.

THIRD RIDING - THREE DAYS LATER - YAIS

The city was very fortunate that Cais had been in residence when the Dame Knight returned. Being a member of a Great House, he had recognized what was going on and had gone with Dame Listily to the Governor to take actions to stop the wave of "Jaguars" that was spilling from the woods. She wasn't, herself at all, sure what the plan had been--and didn't understand it--but from what she got from the stragglers limping in with the knight whatever was out there was fearsome.

She had been left in the house with three scared girls and a very shook up mother and father--and a missing foot-boy and daughter. Things had been bad and she had felt helpless until the Handmaiden Trudy put her in charge of amusing the children. The kids were assured that Yais-pet was being punished so she had to act like a family pet--and that they ought to help by treating her like one--even if they treated her nicely.

When they saw they could throw a stick as far as they could manage and Yais could, on all fours, crawl faster than any of them could run, they were fascinated with her. However demeaning being treated like an animal was, being able to help, if only in a small way (and a grateful Mistress-Holly assured her it was no small thing!) had pleased Yais in a way she'd never believed possible.

When she entertained the family with a show of remarkable sleight of hand, an impressed Handmaiden Trudy had taken her into the great bed where she slept when the Dame Knight was away. The handmaid terrified Yais--but her night had been shockingly pleasant and satisfying!

Harder had been tending to the niece and her stern governess. Both had been through the ringer but the niece was first horrified and then delighted with the concept of pet-punishment. She told Yais (speaking softly when they were alone as if she might get in trouble for talking to Yais like a girl!) that they didn't have pet-punishment where she was from... but she'd instate there if she could! Yais didn't tell her that pet-punishment was a worse punishment than she probably realized.

Her governess had fully understood Yais' position as punishment and when Yais had kept her company, she had made things hard on her. This had been until Yais surprised her when she was changing. It wasn't Yais's fault--she had been waiting quietly by the door to go out when the girl entered with a towel about her and seeing Yais, had blushed horribly and fled. Yais, fearing there was something she had done, raced after the young governess and found her whimpering and red-faced by the bed. Yais had sat with her and she had explained about the "modesty treatment" she'd received, and Yais had curled up next to her, suggesting she ought to be modest around another girl--but around a pet, there was no reason to be concerned.

Over the next two days, she had joined the governess in her bath--and then, finally, in her bed. Yais had gotten the girl to relax, finally, and the two cuddled. The governess, Emily, didn't allow either of them to spend but Yais had enjoyed it, even when she acted "above her station" and Governess-Emily gave her a light spanking for it, it was clear that she was enjoying Yais' company and only delivered the spanking because she felt required to.

Yais had long ago given up on her body doing anything but applauding her being punished. Now she was waiting for Cais... Master-Cais... to let her know what to do about Kalavan and Heather. She was intensely curious about what had happened to them--but they had been sequestered by the Dame Knight and Cais. She wanted to know.

THIRD RIDING - THREE DAYS LATER - HEATHER

"THE BALANCE HAS SHIFTED," announced the herald, his voice ringing in the chamber. She had gripped Kalvan's arms, huddled against him, listening to the voice of the herald carry like thunder.

"THE ALLIES STILL SLEEP. THE ATTACK IS LOST. THE QUEEN IS TAKEN."

Things happened after that--the exact details had partially evaporated like a dream after waking. They had been taken somewhere, her lifted again by the fox, Kalvan marched, still naked and caged, but treated with respect to a place where he knelt and spoke to both men with the milk-white skin and wearing robes and the huge black jaguar things (and the fox carrying her soothed her that they would not take her again--unless she insulted them).

She had a flash of understanding that what the procession had announced meant that a "reset" would return Kalvan. The girl who had been with him--who had spanked him--was called before them, and she declared she had given Heather to him when presented. Therefore, she was his to leave or take.

The fox carried her before them and, dangling helplessly from its mouth, wearing nothing but a diaper, and racked with soreness and bloating, the things examined her and the fox-thing, Finna, declared what the girl said was true.

The last time she saw the girl, she was settled in the arms of one of the Jaguar things, leaning against it. She got the impression her decision with the captive would cost her later--but she seemed somewhat cheerful, hugging the furred leg as another of its paws petted her shoulders and back.

They tumbled down a well, and onto the moorish hills within sight of the stronghold. Kalvan, naked, had to go for help and a group of women and a boisterous woman who proved to be her aunt, came rushing to her and they carried her into the stronghold and again, she lay in a darkened room and slept.

She became aware when they changed her--a variety of maid-girls sent to attend her. They had Kalvan brought to her as well, and he examined her as she dozed in and out, the exhaustion taking hold. She dreamed of the moon-place and the strange chambers and beings.

She was incontinent for several days following the ordeal, an awful humiliation. Her mother--what was she doing here--insisted on caring for her, but the maids apparently declared it their duty and so they had mortifying debates over who was to clean her, and change the absorbant she wore!

When, finally, she was more herself; she was aware of a girl, dressed to look like... a kitten? Someone had painted a black smudge on her nose and small lines like whiskers on her cheeks. She was cute and, perhaps, a little skinny, as though for a long time she had been underfed--but Heather could see the definition of muscles in her skin. She sat like a cat, watching Heather benevolently, and when Heather blinked and sat up, the girl, slightly surprised, crawled over to her.

Heather gave a stifled moan and drew the blanket tight about her. It was cool in the room. "I'm messed," she whimpered as the girl settled next to her.

"I know," the girl said soothingly. "one of my punishments is a very sensitive nose. It's okay. I'm here by choice and I'm used to such trials. You were vigorously punished!"

The pet-girl lay her head against Heather's shoulder.

"You are being punished, too?" Heather asked the girl.

"Yes, constantly," she sighed. "Call me Yais--or, better--Yais-pet."

"Do you know what happened to me, Yais?" Heather asked softly, as the girl shifted and took Heather's arm, wrapping it around her shoulder.

"I'm not sure anyone does," Yais said. "But my master and the Dame Knight are returning from DunnisUrom and the Judgment Moon has gone. I think those are good tidings. I understand you were... eaten by an Unclean?"

"After being taken horribly by it, at length," she said. "Master Kalvan saved me by slaying it before it could finish with me."

Yais snorted softly. "We should tell the maids he's heroic," she said, sounding like she was grumbling bit. "They were afraid they'd lost him and they've been... affectionate... with him since his return." The way she said 'affectionate' made it clear this was somehow a punishment.

She shifted, the discomfort in her lower quarters asserting itself.

"We made it to the keep, I take it. My mother--my sisters are here?"

"All, yes--and fine for it. They were attacked on the road but the Dame Knight is formidable beyond measure," Yais told her. "I understand she single-handedly stormed an old manor house where malefactors were plotting something under the moon's watch."

"Oh. But it's over?"

Yais was quiet, rubbing against her slightly, as a cat might.

"I don't know," Yais admitted. "I think, yes? When master and mistress return, I believe you will be escorted back to your home. I understand this danger has passed." After a time, "I'm going to fetch the maids," she said. "It's time to have you cleaned."

Heather gave a little moan of embarrassment and flopped back. "I have my strength back--I could clean myself."

"They wouldn't hear of it, Heather-Mistress," Yais told her.

EPILOGUE

The stronghold tower had a sturdy, reinforced stone balcony that could serve as a high look-out or a platform from which to rain arms on attackers below. The tower was seldom used unless in a siege, but now Cais and Dame Listily stood on the platform looking out at the countryside.

They had presented to the High Court and the Council of the Great Houses and DunnisUrom, like a great beast, had mobilized for war. The Legion garrison was out now, encampments throughout the riding. They could see some tents and flags of the Crown and Throne flying above them.

Everything appeared quiet, though. The Unclean, named Jaguars, were no long seen at night. To Cais, the mobilization had the feel of a precaution more than an engagement. The delegation from the order, though, had bristled with interest and deep concern when they had produced the chessboard Dame Listily had recovered from the Manor House.

She quite wished either of the two men who had run the house--or their astrologer--had been retrieved. None of them were. She had bested their leader--a Mr. Rath who was known in DunnisUrom as powerful and connected Merchant Prince. He had attacked the Dame Knight with some clever exotic weapon that had given her a nasty shock. If he'd been quick and trained, he might have delivered another--which could have proven decisive--but he was neither and she shattered it with a blow from her mailed glove. Then she struck him, sending him sprawling. He was gone shortly after, although the Dame Knight had torn through the Manor House, seeking their captives and slaying Jaguars who had infiltrated it.

Cais suggested the man might have escaped and should be sought--but Dame Listily knew different. Where he had lain was a puddle of slime, mucous, and semen. He had been devoured. The Judicial Slave Astrologer's remnant was worse--a grand splatter of fluids on the grand table in a meeting chamber. All manner of fluids stained maps and papers, and the splatters showed evidence of frantic struggling and a lengthy desperate attempt at escape--but he was missing as well.

The final puddle was in the bed of one of the Master Bedrooms. The captive governess had heard and partially seen the consumption of Mr. Towbee. He was identified as a patron of the Dathmore Punishment Prison. He had a long family legacy of building such prisons and sitting on the board of discipline on them.

What exactly they were planning was still not exactly known--nor why the Dame Knight's Footboy and the girl had been returned. But he understood that the Arts at play were the old and delicate ones where the right threads of fate could be tweaked like the strings of a vast harp to create strong changes in the world. These men, and their chessboard, had been such an instrument: what they did with it resonated in cause and effect around them, and they had been close to some play that would bring a dire cascade of events down on The Land.