Pagan Princess

Antoninus dismounted from his horse and accompanied by three centurions walked from one hut to another. In the darkness of one of the huts they came upon a young girl cowering in the corner, she was clearly afraid of the invaders. The girl was in her early 20's and was called Meena, she was a small lean girl, with a pretty round face and light straw coloured hair. She was barefoot and wore a rough dress made of sackcloth.

Antoninus who spoke the Saxon Language addressed the girl. "Come outside, we wish to ask you some questions." He grabbed her by the elbow and dragged her out of the hut. He liked it when they were afraid, the frightened ones always proved very helpful.

"You can start by telling us your name girl!" Yelled the first centurion as he towered over her.

"M.m.my...n.n..name..is..Meena." She stammered, hardly able to speak.

The villagers looked on, they were all truly terrified by this unwelcome intrusion by so many Romans. They all knew why they had come it was only a matter of time, now here they were in terrifying numbers surrounding the village.

Antoninus put his hand on the centurions shoulder and moved him to one side; he then gripped Meena's shoulders. "What can you tell me about the attacks on our patrols Meena?" His fierce eyes burned into her.

"I..I...know nothing of what you ask sir." She whimpered, terrified of the large Roman.

Antoninus turned to one of his centurions. "Did you bring your whip Drachius? I think Meena's memory is somewhat lacking." He continued to gaze into the girls eyes, looking for tell tale signs that she knew more then she let on.

Drachius nodded and fetched a fearsome looking whip from his saddlebag, in full view of Meena and the villagers he uncoiled it.

Antoninus turned to the villagers. "I have no stomach for putting young women under the lash, so if anyone would like to give me the information I seek then we can put an end to all this unpleasantness!"

There was just a murmured shuffling amongst the villagers but no one spoke up.

"Very well then, the lash it will be, seize her up!"

Three soldiers stepped forward and dragged Meena to a nearby post. They stripped her naked and tied her hands above her head. The girl stood trembling and braced herself for the ordeal that was to come.

Antoninus address the assembled villagers once more. "There is no reason for this girl to receive a single lash if I receive the information I need!" He waited for an answer but none came, the villagers just stared down at their feet.

"Very well Drachius lay it on!" Antoninus stepped back

Drachius was a well-muscled man with immensely powerful arms; he drew the whip back and laid the first lash squarely across Meena's shoulder blades. The blow completely knocked all breath out of the young girl and drew a shrill scream from her which was followed by loud sobs. A large red weal quickly formed on her soft skin.

Antoninus addressed the villagers again. "As you can see I am not bluffing, he turned to the girl. "Meena, there is no need for you to suffer this torture, tell me what I want to know and I will have you cut down!"

Meena spoke through continuous sobs. "P..P..Please s..s..sir..I cannot help you with the information you seek, d...d...don't hurt me anymore, this is so terrible for me!" She sobbed even more.

Antoninus countered, "That is not the right answer, Meena, Drachius, lay it on until I tell you to stop!" He stepped away once more.

Drachius drew back his mighty whip arm and struck the girl firmly across the shoulders once more, her whole body shook and another ugly weal criss-crossed the first. Meena screamed so loudly her voice became hoarse. The soldier struck again, this time the lash landed across the young girls backside, her buttocks trembled under the blow. Meena struggled wildly in a vane effort to avoid the punishing strokes; her body glistened in the sunlight as the pain from the welts burned into her skin. This was a pain like no other she had ever experienced in her young life, she hoped beyond all hope that her suffering would be worthwhile for she did not want to betray Melissia or her army.

Drachius continued to lay stroke after stroke across Meena's back, buttocks and thighs. She had now lost her ability to scream, her vocal chords were damaged and she was loosing control of her bladder.

Antoninus ordered the soldier to stop; he turned once more to the villagers. "I am going to ask one last time for the information I seek, if it is not forthcoming I will have this girl lashed to death!" He paused to wait for an answer that did not come. He spoke to the two soldiers that were standing each side of the suspended girl.

"Very well, turn her around to face us, we will see how her breasts and stomach fare under the lash!"

Meena could not believe what she had heard; having lacerated her back they were now going to do the same to her front. She squeezed her eyes shut and gritted her teeth.

"Proceed!" Antoninus turned to the crowd once again. " I mean what I say, please understand she will be whipped to death!"

The two flanking soldiers turned Meena's body around for her to receive lashes to the front of her body. As Drachius drew his arm back to continue his onslaught one of the village elders stepped forward.

"STOP!" he shouted, "I will give you the information you require, I cannot standby and watch you murder this young girl!"" A murmur went through the assembled crowd.

Antoninus immediately gave the order for Drachius to stop and had Meena cut down. He beckoned for the old man to follow him to a nearby hut. "Come old man, tell me everything about this mysterious army that is killing my compatriots, I want to know every last detail."

The Tribune and his three centurions listened to the old man as he unfolded his story. They stared at the village elder with more and more incredulity as they learned about the Pagan Princess Melissia and her army of 'Warrior Women.'

"Are you telling me old man that our troops are being massacred by a bunch of little girls?" Snarled Antoninus through gritted teeth.

"Well, they are not so little." Replied the old man. "And they are highly trained in guerrilla fighting and blinded by revenge. They dearly want to avenge the slaughter of their men folk." The elder gave the assembled Romans a woeful look that said I am so tired of all this violence and death.

Antoninus sighed. "What is your name old man?"

"I go by the name of Frederick" He replied

The Tribune rose from his crude wooden chair. "Well Frederick you have given us much to ponder and I thank you for your candour regarding these serious matters, you may leave us now."

As soon as Frederick left the hut anger erupted from the three centurions.

Antoninus held up his hand to silence them. "Gentlemen, calm down, we must approach this problem calmly and logically. An army has been constructed from the very persons we overlooked, the women. Therefore we must take steps to see that this cannot happen ever again. So centurions, instruct your men to round up all the capable women and little girls and have them ferried to the galleys. We must let this Pagan Princess know that her people are once again under our total control. Also let it be known that we are retaining a small proportion of children as hostages. She must be advised that if she does not surrender herself to me personally within the month the hostages will be put to death. So let it be written, so let it be done!"

Shouts and screams came from the villagers as the Roman soldiers rounded up the women and children. They were put into crude wooden cages that had been commandeered from the village. The cages containing the captives were then loaded onto wooden carts to begin their arduous journey to the south coast of Briton. The Tribune left word that he would receive Melissia's surrender at the very town she called home, Storrings Town.

Thanks to Frederick Antoninus had been furnished with all the information he needed regarding the errant Princess. He knew she would surrender herself once the plight of the hostages reached her. Already in his mind he planned her punishment. It also crossed his mind what the Consul would have to say when he heard that his troops had been dieing at the hands of a young woman and her female friends. He also remembered the Consuls last words to his General; 'I want the transgressor brought to me alive!'

'Ah yes.' Thought the Tribune. 'I will save enough of her for the Consul to set his example to the people. In the mean time I will make her scream for mercy, to beg for death, the road to Nova Magus is a long one.' He smiled to himself. 'Soon Melissia, soon your skin will be mine.'

It only took a few days for the news as to what happened in Middle Hurst to reach Melissia. She was mortified at what the Roman heathens had done to the women and children. She called a meeting of her commanders.

Helena was the first to speak. "NO Melissia! We cannot condone you surrendering to that man, he is a monster." She said tearfully.

The other commanders suggested that they "all surrender, no one woman should receive Roman punishment on her own." Melissia however, had other ideas.

Helena and Melissia had a farewell night of unbridled passion; tongues and fingers worked their magic in the most delicate of places. The two girls brought each other into the erotic world of multiple orgasm, they writhed simultaneously in each other's arms for most of the night. Their exertions caused their golden skin to glisten in the moonlight. Totally exhausted and sexually sated Helena relaxed in Melissia's arms.

Helena sighed deeply and whispered to her lover, "Melissia, please change your mind about surrendering to those Roman murderers."

Toying with a strand of Helena's blond hair Melissia replied, "This is the only way, my surrender will save the children."

"But Melissia," Helena countered, "What if that cruel Tribune is not a man of his word?"

"Then you my dear lieutenant you will have to take my stead and wipe him and his murdering soldiers from the face of this earth!" Melissia gripped Helena's shoulder and shuddered at the thought of leaving her, she whispered under her breath in Latin. "Nil illigitimus carborundum."

Helena looked puzzled, "What does that mean?"

Melissia laughed, "It means, don't let the bastards grind you down!" Giving Helena a hug she went on. "It will take more than one Roman Tribune and his cohorts to snuff the life out the Saxon women of this land. Come Helena, the dawn comes we must put our plans into action, do not fear, the gods are with us." With that Melissia and her lieutenant dressed and summoned the leaders of their army.

*********

Some days later Antoninus lay in his tent unable to sleep, he tossed and turned on his makeshift cot. The deadline for that woman to surrender herself was almost up and he really did not want to kill the hostages. Perhaps he had misjudged her? Perhaps she really would let them die rather than surrender to him? He drifted off into a fitful sleep, his throat irritated him, the constant prickle at his neck, and a musky smell of a sexually charged woman permeated his nostrils. It all seemed so real, even the soft whispering voice in his ear telling him to wake up. He opened his eyes, the tickle at his throat was real, the smell of a woman was real, and here she was in his tent with a fiendish looking sword at his neck.

"Ah he wakes." Whispered Melissia. "Just stay where you are Tribune, else I cut you a new mouth!"

"By the gods, how did you slip by my sentries?" he snarled, pulling himself up on his elbows.

"Move not one more inch Roman, I want to look at the man who has been sent to capture me!" Melissia dug the point of her sword harder into the Tribune's neck. She ran her eyes over her quarry; his physique was outstanding, as were his powerful arms and chest muscles. She marvelled at his incredibly muscular thighs and the magnificent phallus that lay between them, Melissia salivated.

"So Melissia." He had used her name for the first time, for he too wondered at the exquisite creature that stood before him. "Are you going to surrender to me, or kill me?" He raised a quizzical eyebrow.

Melissia having devoured the Adonis before her lowered her sword. "Yes I have come to surrender myself to you and your empire, so take me in return for your captives, do with me what you will but spare the children."

Antoninus took the sword from her. "This is all very noble of you Melissia but my duties regarding you are quite clear. I will keep my word and release the hostages and you young lady have an appointment with the lash. My centurion Drachius is a master of it; you will be whipped all the way to Nova Magus. Then I am to save a small piece of you for the Consul!"

Melissia folded her arms across her chest, "And here's me thinking that it might have been something I said!"

That remark earned Melissia a slap across her face; the powerful blow sent her sprawling across the floor. Melissia wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth, she went to get up but the Tribune stopped her by putting his foot on her chest.

"Not so fast princess, I am not done with you yet!" Antoninus grabbed her by the leather halter she was wearing and pulled her roughly to her feet.

"Ever since that old man in Middle Hurst described you I have dreamt of the day I would possess you, now that moment has come!"

With that he grabbed Melissia's flimsy leather top and ripped it from her chest.

"By the gods, Frederick was right, your beauty surpasses you." He stared at Melissia's firm breasts, his hand moved down to the chamois leather loincloth she was wearing and tore at it eager to get to the honeyed treasure beneath. She said nothing to him, she knew that this would happen and she wanted it to happen ever since she laid eyes on him. His hand found her vagina and parted the soft fleshy lips, he plunged a finger into her and then withdrew it to examine the wetness he found there.

"Ah my presence is expected, so let's not disappoint you Melissia!" He said in a heavily whispered voice as he pinned her down on his map table.

Melissia felt him prise her legs apart and then felt his phallus enter her. With one very hard thrust Antoninus burst through her hymen. She cried out more in ecstasy than pain, for his delightful meaty rod filled her to the very limits.

"Ah the rumours were true, you were a virgin princess!" Said the Tribune as he continued to pound into her.

Melissia spoke for the first time since her rape began, she looked deeply into her assailants eyes.

"Yes what a pity it has to be with a pig from Rome!" She gasped as Antoninus' thrusts gathered momentum.

"Well spoken young lady that will earn you extra time on the whipping frame." He panted as his tongue raped her mouth.

"Better to spend more time on the whipping frame then having to endure you between my thighs you Roman dog!" She gasped as she tried to avoid his probing tongue then she felt the Roman reach a thundering climax.

Antoninus did not reply to her derogatory comments as he was busy emptying his seed into her. Her pelvic grip was intense, she was able to wring every last drop from him, he had never known anyone who could do this before.

"Have you quite finished?" Melissia exclaimed as the Tribune withdrew from her.

"I shall never be finished with you young woman!" Replied Antoninus as he poured some water into a bowl to wash the virgin blood from his loins.

"Each night when Drachius has finished flaying your body, I shall satisfy my lust on your body. That Melissia is my promise to you!"

Melissia's eyes flashed. "As I said before you spawn of Rome, do with me what you will, all I ask is that you keep your promise and release the hostages!" She stooped to retrieve the remnants of her garments.

The Tribune started to dress himself. "To you I may represent all that is evil Melissia but I am a man of my word." Antoninus buckled up his beautifully tooled leather breastplate. "Then after their release, your punishment will begin."

"Very well Tribune, I thank you for that, I will gladly die for what I believe in!" She said as she bathed her bloodied thighs.

Antoninus countered. "Oh no, I will not be granting you a swift death Melissia, you will beg me for it but I shall deny it to you. Believe me I shall keep my word on that too!"

Antoninus had his personal guards arrested and put in irons; he was incensed that the girl had entered his command tent undetected. Their punishment was to be a severe flogging, castration and then returned on the galleys to Rome to serve as eunuchs.

Melissia was taken to a makeshift prison cell in the town. The sheer numbers of soldiers that were assigned as her guard flattered her. She had been stripped naked and suspended by her wrists to a beam in the ceiling. As the joints in her shoulders burned she reflected on the fate that awaited her. Nova Magus and the Roman Consul were three days march away. That meant at least three sessions under Drachius' whip plus whatever they were going to do to her this day. Her loins still ached from the Tribune's violent administrations and with the promise of more to come caused her flush.

Melissia was paid a visit by the centurions Drachius, Marcellus and Drusus. The three men were equally as powerful in physique as Antoninus.

Drachius spoke first. "So this little girl is the one that has been causing so much trouble?" He stood squarely in front of Melissia and unleashed an incredibly hard slap to her face. Her head snapped back from the force of it and blood flowed freely from her nose and mouth.

"And that little girl is just my hand, imagine if you will what my lash will do to you." He stood back awaiting her response.

"Ah yes....Roman rhetoric. I've studied Greek, and recall that this was the classic Roman response to Philosophy. You are a strong man Drachius but your blows lack the force of logic".

Livid, Drachius held Melissa by the hair and pulled back his massive fist. Antoninus had entered the cell unseen and gripped the centurion's arm.

"That will do for now - we want her to feel your expert attentions. And I will visit you later Melissia, to give you my attentions...."

"I notice you didn't say 'expert' attentions." Melissa added, audibly, under her breath.

He turned and went outside to breath in the air of the fresh dawn; the girl troubled him as he reflected.

He must faithfully discharge his commission to punish her, taking her before the Consul humble and powerless. This could be done; it would be like overcoming the natural fear all men felt before battle. The witch had undoubted power but she would be no match for a Roman Officer.

When their eyes had met he was, despite all this, unprepared for the force of it. He felt almost dizzy. Her taste was in his mouth; her intoxicating scent in his nostrils - the sound of her voice flogged him: "You are wrong again Roman. I am willing to die but will never beg you for it. Torture is the only example of Roman artistic originality so I expect to be tortured. But remember well the circumstances of our meeting. And know that on the next occasion I will not restrain my blade".

Oh yes she troubled him immensely, maybe he would snap out of it when her punishment began. Antoninus ordered that all available soldiers be assembled in the town square. The carpenter knocked together a formidable whipping frame that would stretch the girl to her very limits. It was designed so that she would not be able to flinch from the lash. Having caught a brief glimpse of her it had become a labour of love to build such a fiendish device.

When all were assembled Melissia was brought out into the strong morning sunlight. Her naked body glistened as the sun bounced off her delectable skin.