The King's Way

After the last scene, the performers were swallowed up by the chorus of applause. Every member of the audience stood and cheered so that the ground shook with thunder. It had been ten years since a play had performed in the Grand Palace Theatre. The show was better than I'd expected. Much better. I found myself torn with guilt and sadness by the story in which the leading actress had to choose between her two lovers. Of course she chose her husband, as all good citizens of our country would applaud, but the story was so well written, and the actress so skilled at portraying her predicament, that we all knew her true feelings. Well, I knew what I thought of course, that she only picked her husband because it was the right thing to do.

Some of the scenes were overtly sexual, yet done so in a way that our government would approve. The play was written for an audience a thousand years ago, a much more liberal audience--and I wondered how those scenes must have been written. There are accounts of actual fornication on the stage by ancient actors and actresses of the day.

The protagonist, named Acire, had an affair right under her husband's nose. Yet, I felt pity for her, not scorn for her actions. She'd thought her husband was dead on campaign, and when he'd returned she'd already fallen for another. And even though her husband was back, she continued to meet with her new lover. The scene that most riled me up was the one where she had her lover Blue, in her chambers and her husband, Red, rushing home on intuition banged on the locked door. Acire quickly hid Blue under the bed. Then Red took her on the bed. All the while Blue was underneath the bed listening. Such audacity. And the actress portraying Acire was beautiful as well.

I'm sure she kept every male's attention in the theatre, whether they enjoyed the story or not.

I was glad to have taken my literature and art tutor's advice and attend the play. No wonder so many were throwing roses up to the stage. It had been some time since I was able to forget the problems that now inundated me daily. For a few hours I'd been able to escape, and for that I was thankful.

As the performers left the stage, my Velvet Guards led my way out from the royal booth. Already I could smell cigar smoke begin to permeate the air and mingle with smell of the theatre's timber and mold.

In the hallway I saw the Lady Visa. She looked surprised to see me. I saw her eyes widen on her otherwise straight and proper face. Her thin lips were painted bright red. She clung to the arm of her husband, my economic minister, Dr. Hun. She'd aged only just slightly in the six years since I'd last seen her. It was only upon my return four months ago that I'd ran into her.

She was one of my favorite tutors as a youth, as strict and stuffy as she could be, she had a passion for literature and plays which sparked my own interest and love for the arts. It was under her suggestion that I read, A Long and Short Life, a novel which helped me through my initial hard time adjusting to Rifle and Artillery School.

Someone called out, "The King is in the hallway. Make way, for his majesty."

The sounds and murmurs of joyful conversation died off. I still wasn't accustomed to the call for me as King. It'd only been four months since my father's passing and I still hadn't gone out much since the funeral. Everyone stood as straight as they could and put a single finger to the center of their foreheads. An ancient way of showing fealty to the dynasty.

"Carry forward." I said aloud.

"Carry forward, he says. Carry on." My guard Selvus called out in a much deeper tone. Soon the sound of quiet conversation built back up.

My senior advisor and the Chief of the palace staff, Adolfo came to me first. "Wonderful showing. This company has been around for some time. Wonderful showing. I'd always appreciated Odepus. I'm so happy we are finally able to put on one of his plays. I'm sure this will bring some joy to the citizens, especially after the passing of your beloved father so recently. The kingdom is in need of this. We must thank the Economic Minister's wife, the Honorable Mrs. Visa for persuading the company to make their way to the palace." He said.

"Yes, send flowers. I think a dinner should be had in celebration. Invite the cast and the Honorable Mrs. Visa. Let it be after the harvest ceremony. And...see what the King's private library has. There must be something on this play. Bring anything Odepus you can find, so that I may gift it to the actress who played Acire and something for the Honorable Mrs. Visa as a gift." I said.

"What a grand idea. Ah, your majesty, you will be a kind King. The countryside will soon be speaking of your gratitude. The revival of the arts is a grand thing." Adolfo said. He shook his head as he spoke and his round red cheeks jiggled. His wife Audia appeared, her face just as round and cheeks as red as his. She began speaking to him, something private so that I just couldn't hear.

Audia's sharp blue eyes darted around the room, scanning the faces of the crowd around us. I couldn't help but notice her swollen breasts. Everything about Audia was round. Her eyes. Her face. Her lips. Her arms. Her chubby backside and breasts and fingers. Everything about her looked dramatically ripe and ready to burst at the seam. The both of them were valuable allies and good people.

I looked away and saw the Honorable Mrs. Visa talking to a group of other noblemen. She wore long red gloves. In her hand was a fan and she waved it a bit, then stopped and looked at me. Her eyes were wide and sharp. Her face long. Her glasses thin and round. Cheeks powdered slightly red and purple, contrasting with the overtly white face makeup that was in fashion. She lifted her eyebrows slowly up and down, her version of a smile or nod, seeing that I was looking at her. Then looked away, almost too purposefully.

It was there in that stuffy corridor of the theatre that I first saw her in another light. The silver gown she wore was that of silk, and it clung to her body in a way that exposed her curves to all. Very different attire than the academic black cloak she wore around the palace university giving lectures and at her court proceedings. As a professor of both law and literature, I'd only seen her dressed conservatively and with hardly a smile ever on her straight and stoic face. There was much talk and lobbying to have her appointed as the first female High Judge to the Moral Court.

But seeing her now, she looked anything but judicial and proper. Of course the dress covered her skin, but it also revealed her shape. Her breasts were tilted upwards and loose under the fabric. When she moved, so did her breasts. They looked so supple under the thin silver dress material. I could almost make out her nipples beneath the dress. The theatre gown also struggled against her curved hips, only to hug her thighs in a delightful way. Her waist was so thin, compared to her wide hips. Her buttocks flared out abruptly from her lower back. To my shock, Lady Visa owned a bulging round butt that seem to want to wiggle away on its own every time she moved. The silk dress draped curtain like over this ripe bulbous fruit and hid nothing.

The dress was cut extremely short too, just above her ankles. And she wore what appeared to be sheer nylon stockings over her feet and legs. Yes, the light shined a bit too bright off her legs and feet now. And I saw the sewn line of nylon at the back of her legs, just a sliver of skin exposed, but enough to tell me what she wore hidden. She knew I was watching her, and I felt her avoiding my gaze. Purposefully turning away. But in turning away, her backside was tantalizingly exposed to me.

Was this really Mrs. Visa? The staunch conservative law professor wearing a skirt that showed her hosiery and the shape of her butt? The same lawyer who fought to send women to prison for immodesty in public? The same woman who rallied against women exposing their legs and supported the outlaw of nylon stockings? Could she really be so hypocritical?

Yes, well I guess she could. No one would dare question her.

Then I remembered that we weren't exactly in "Public".

Commoners weren't allowed here. I'd given the approval to have this event be called a 'Private Affair', for nobles and officials. And this area was an extension of the private booths, much like the royal dinner parties in the gardens...where the rules could be relaxed. All the other women were allowed freedoms to dress as they pleased in this environment, it was only because Mrs. Visa was such a proponent of conservatism in the kingdom that it seemed out of character for her to wear nylons and a thin gown.

But here she was taking advantage of the relaxed rules. Could anyone blame her? Could any judge her? I smiled thinking that there must be another side of her I didn't know at all.

Adolfo soon began the parade of pretty young women to introduce themselves to me. All of them looked the same. Dramatic makeup of white faces and red and blue cheeks. They were dressed in fine dresses that covered them from their feet to their necks. Ministers, generals, governors, all of them had someone to introduce me to. All with the hopes that I might take a fancy and marry one. But I was only eighteen then. Marriage wouldn't come for a number of years.

Still, amid the introductions, my eyes kept falling back to Lady Visa. The economic minister's wife of fifteen years. The ultra conservative lawyer. The professor of literature and law at the palace university. The mature prudish woman who I'd spent a great deal of time with being tutored. She carried herself in a very confident manner. Her arms bent at the elbows, wrists flared down in a feminine way. Mrs. Visa held a cigarette in her hands and used it to point as she spoke and nodded. Every so often her eyes would dart over to me.

Finally, she turned and came over. Her arm still clasped under her husband's arm. The old economic minister Dr. Hun shuffled by and gave me a bow and put his index finger to his forehead. His long white mustache covered up most of his mouth.

"Sire." He said, half looking at me. Then he turned to another one of the palace nobles and started talking about oat harvest tax in the southern regions. His voice droned on in the overly arrogant tone that he used when discussing anything to do with taxation and interest rates for the nobles.

She came over to me and placed her hand on my shoulder, leaning in so that I could smell the lavender perfume that wafted from her hair. "So I see you took my advice and came. Good for you my majesty." She whispered, backing away and getting caught in a conversation before I could speak.

I watched her as she spoke. Her green eyes, normally cold and judging, seemed vibrant at the moment. Actually I felt a sense of shame for never noticing how attractive she was before. Her pert nose sat just above a thin top lip that always gave the impression of a suppressed sarcastic smile. Her bottom lip was much fuller and more supple than the top. And her eyes, like cold green jewels on a crown, ruled her face. Her brown full eyebrows were just as long as her eyes, neat and proper. Her eyes looked down upon everyone who crossed her. None was good enough or had standards that she might agree with. That was what she said with her eyes anyway.

And she mostly spoke with her eyes. Lady Visa kept such a stoic face. Hardly showing any emotion. Lips straight. Head upright. She was the ideal "proper lady". So full of confidence, and with an accolade of degrees and intelligence to back up her prudish demeanor. To think that she was an actress at university, something that my history tutor told me once in secrecy years ago.

"Don't mind her." Dago once told me. "You know, she wanted to be an actress at university. My sister knew her then. To think, her, an actress?" He laughed. "No wonder she's a great lawyer and orator. Deep down she's not a prude, at least I hope not."

Maybe that was what drew me to her that night. Suddenly out of nowhere she was the most beautiful woman in the room. A glowing ember of mature femininity that put the other younger women around me look like foolish kittens. I wanted Visa. That's when it hit me. That's when I knew. And that's the start of this story.

The crowds became too much and the conversation dull. I allowed myself to be led away back to the palace. The royal carriage was waiting for me on the street under the electric lights. Inside of the carriage I could see Abby, my chief housemaid. If there was ever a time I craved for her it was now. My penis had been hard since the sexual nature of the play, and even harder after seeing Mrs. Visa in such an immoral light.

I entered the carriage and before the driver could take off, I pulled out my throbbing cock. Even the cool night air seemed to give it a relief.

"Ohh, your majesty...I see someone must have gotten you excited tonight. Who was it?" She asked. In the dark carriage only her eyes and teeth were visible and she looked strangely like a ghost. A goblin of the night.

She pulled out a small vial of oil and dropped some lubrication on her hands. Then proceeded to jack me off in a workmanship manner. My cock began to warm from the friction. She'd only started "servicing my stress", as she liked to call it, last winter. By now, she knew to keep a vial of lubrication oil in her pocket...and a towel.

"Put it in your mouth." I said.

"Sire, you know very well I can't do that." But she gripped me tighter when I asked her. "I'm only here to quench your urges--by hand. You know that to give yourself to me, would be to curse your gods and bring bad fortune to any heir. Speak the name of the woman who got you like this. Describe her as I touch you and please you."

"Lady Visa."

She was right. Abby was of the race of the south. From a place where the sun was intense and the world dry and hot. The people who lived there had dark skin, darker than the olive bronzed skin people of those on the coast. More like the color of roasted coffee beans. Our armies had only just penetrated the frontiers of their land, unable to go any further than a few leagues into the waterless waste of the south. A few large undefended cities were sacked along the border, and this is where she hailed.

She wore a locked leather chastity belt in my presence. A belt locked by one of the palace's high priestesses, just in case she tried seduce me with her dark magic. She'd been specially chosen to work in my palace chambers since I'd arrived in the Summer Palace a few months ago to take up my duties as King. When I'd turned 18, Adolfo, the palace chief of staff, had taken me to the side and told me to use her to relieve any stress that I might have.

"It's quite normal to use those barbarian maids to relieve you, but with her hands only. It will keep you out of trouble till you're married. The King can't be found in an uncompromising situation. No scandals. Or certain rivals will use this to try to take the throne. There are many eyes in the palace watching for any reason to unseat a young King." He'd said, his face becoming redder as he spoke. "Only the hands, my King. The gods would never forgive anything else. A King who leads a morally right country must lead by example. You have to uphold the conservative way. Do you understand?"

"I think so." I'd said, still not truly understanding, but too afraid to ask. By the tone of his voice and reddening of the face I knew it was something never to be spoken of again.

Still, it took two months before I knew what he'd meant. I'd waken one morning with an erection, and as I stood to dress, Abby walked into my chambers without knocking. She stopped and looked down at it, clean linens in her hands.

"Sire, forgive me. I thought you were riding this morning..."

"Abby. Please go."

"Shall I?" She'd said. "Or shall I go, my prince?"

I stared at her not saying anything as she'd slowly neared and her face melted into a warm smile. She was taller than me. Her hair thick and black. Skin dark and deep like night. On her forehead was a red dot that signified her obedience to our kingdom and her status as a slave.

My penis throbbed, beating with my heart, and she dropped the linen into a neat pile, then reached out and touched me.

"It's ok my King. Abby is going to make you feel better. I knew this day would be here. Now it is. I was specially chosen for it. Don't be scared now. Ima' take your stress away. It will be my honor to help you, my King."

She spit into her hand and rubbed the tip of my penis till it was shiny and tingling. It was the first time a woman had ever touched me. And when I came in a few strokes she grabbed one of the clean linens and let me shoot my seed into it.

#

A few days passed before Mrs. Visa agreed to meet with me. I'd sent her a note requesting a brief private visit. She'd responded saying she was very busy, but could make time for me between court proceedings. I hadn't been able to get both the play and the Economic Minister's wife out of my mind. Since then, when Abby relieved my stress, I would close my eyes and pretend that it was Mrs. Visa touching me.

This pained me much. I shouldn't have feelings like this for a married woman. There were plenty of pretty young women around the palace who I should have been fantasizing about. For example, the actress Acire. What a beautiful woman. If you were to put the beautiful actress side by side with Lady Visa, I'm not sure any man would think twice about which woman to fantasize about.

"So you've decided to continue with your lessons, your majesty?" Lady Visa asked me when I entered the bright room that served as my study.

"His majesty, the King is here." Adolfo announced from behind me. Lady Visa instantly straightened, if she could straighten any further, and touched her finger to her forehead.

"Carry forward." I muttered with a wave of my hand.

"Yes. I'm glad you could meet me on short notice, Lady Visa."

"Of course, for you there will always be time. I have an hour before I must be back in court and the recess is over."

"What's the case?"

"Immodest behavior in public. A woman, who frequents a cafe on Safren Avenue, has been showing her legs off while she sits outside. She'd been warned and now we must prosecute. A fine on the establishment. And classes on modesty for the young woman."

"For the Great Good of society." I said. "Showing off ones legs, is...."

"Is immoral and indecent. It's vile. For the Great Good." She replied.

The room had tall windows that looked out over the gardens and ponds of the palace grounds. The frescoed floors glimmered in the morning light. There were mirrors lined up along the walls that reflected the sky and jagged mountains that surrounded the summer palace. The palace sat tucked away in a green valley full of raging rivers and meadows, yet surrounded by sheer granite cliffs and snow capped peaks. Impenetrable by any army. And this is where the kingdown was ruled during the warm summer months. In the Winter the entire palace governing body moved down to the White Castle where roads could be kept open.

The honorable Mrs. Visa looked like another woman compared to the one I saw at the theatre. She wore her hair up now. Pulled tighly back and slick to her head. Gone was the powdered face and red lips. Over her body was a loose black cloak of an prosecutor. Gold ribbons dangling over her shoulder to show all that she served the palace. Her makeup was simple. Her lips nothing like the apple red at the theatre. They were a soft pink now.

"I'm so glad you recommended the play." I said. I turned and saw Adolfo following me in and I waved him off shutting the doors.

"Wait, your majesty. I shall need a third party witness of some kind. We can't be alone...you know the rules. You are now eighteen. I'm married. Things have changed since I tutored you in the past. Adolfo should be in here for our private sessions. There are many who would wish to take you down with rumor. We shall leave no room for that." Mrs. Visa kept her face as straight as possible, but her green eyes were quick and unsure.