The Island Ch. 08

Now, as the last of the dinner plates were discreetly extracted from beneath their noses, she realised she had probably been aiming her concerns in the wrong direction.

Dinner had been a strange experience. The number of eyes, both from the high table and those below, scrutinising her was an entirely new and slightly uncomfortable feeling. The majority were not hostile, simply curious – in fact, even the other higher tier girls didn't appear jealous or unkind. Lux wondered if this was due to her new firm place amongst the group, or because of the noticeable absence of Lana.

Likewise, she wondered if the strange tension in the air could be attributed to Lana's absence, or her presence in Lana's place, or just whatever appeared to have the King in such high spirits.

She came to the suspicious and not entirely comfortable conclusion that all three were probably linked, and that there were probably more surprises in store.

It was almost a carnival atmosphere. There was a level of excited murmuring behind all other noise, and a sexual tension in the air that was almost palpable.

After her experiences the previous evening, Lana had half expected the King to be garish over dinner, or in some way suggestive to her, since she was now a piece of his official property. On the few occasions she had crossed paths with him, he never seemed to behave in any way she expected, and tonight was no exception.

He had held her chair for her when she entered, filled her wine glass, and been every bit the gentleman. He had said very little to her, except to briefly admire her new tattoo, and congratulate her. She had forgotten how intense his cold blue-grey eyes were, and he had occasionally looked at her intently, then smiled to himself and looked away.

In fact, he said very little to anyone over dinner, save occasionally turning and quietly remarking to Prince Felis. Felis had looked distant and tense, the King only quietly pleased.

Lux could see the resemblance, sitting close to them both. With little else to do, she had sat and attempted to interpret the strange dynamics around the table. She was none the wiser when the end of the meal came about.

The King rose gracefully, and those at the table, then every table below throughout the hall, followed suit.

"Ladies and guards of the higher tier, If you would retire with me to the higher lounge."

He took her arm in the crook of his, for all the world like she were some queen, and lead the procession out of the hall.

Lux's stomach twisted slightly.

Leon looked down at her.

"Have you been in the higher lounge yet?" He asked quietly, in a conversational tone.

"No. Your Highness."

He smiled to himself.

***

The lounge.

It was a spectacular room; a round space at the centre of the higher tier, between the semi-circle of the King's quarters and the echoing semi-circle that housed the Prince. There was an enormous hearth on the back wall, while the front wall – if a circular wall can have a front – featured a large curved panel of window – which Lux supposed would show that landscape fast becoming familiar, over the valley of Pantheon – were it not currently draped in heavy claret velvet to keep out the dark.

The room was not the object of her attention, however. In the centre of the space, surrounded by a smattering of huge throw cushions and a few armchairs, were two vertical cast iron posts – like curtain rails standing upright.

Between these posts, stood – or rather, stretched – Lana.

***

It was exactly as Felis had expected, so he barely acknowledged that Lana was tethered naked between two posts in the centre of the room. He noticed Lux, on the arm of the king in front of him, pause barely perceptibly as she entered the room. He hoped that Luca had at least slightly prepared her for tonight's entertainment.

The King loved a good celebration of his return, almost as much as he loved inventive punishment, so it make perfect sense that he should combine the two.

They settled, the King and Prince in large armchairs facing Lana, the ladies reclining and stretching out on the huge pillows in a circle around her. The guards stood around the walls of the room, still looking every inch alert and professional – but they were not really here to protect tonight. Felis had personally seen to it that there were still men guarding the key posts of the upper circle corridors – the rest were to enjoy the celebration.

The lounge was designed to make an impact – a striking combination of the King's love of minimalist style, and the Prince's taste for old world. The result was heavy furnishings on pale walls; draped curtains and deep carpets, with a minimalist but enormous fireplace. The most striking feature, however, was the array of mirrors of all sizes, shapes and ages surrounding the circle, which threw firelight around in the evening and were currently reflecting shards of the decadent scene in the centre of the room.

The King had drawn Lux down to sit on a cushion beside his chair. 'The newest lap dog...' Felis thought, grimly– although he was amused by how she somehow managed to maintain complete dignity, straight-backed and aloof, at his feet.

He cast an eye over Lana. The leather cuffs securing her wrists to the posts, high up so her arms were slightly raised, were gentle and not too tight. There were cuffs at the bottom of the post, but her ankles remained unsecured, so she stood in her usual seductive pose, hips tilted to one side, thighs together. She was clearly enjoying the scrutiny.

He had seen her face, however, when Lux had entered with the King. Rage had flitted rapidly across it, and Felis was still unsure whether the King's big show towards Lux was out of genuine fascination with the girl, or simply another form of punishing Lana.

He supposed tonight would make that clearer.

The girls of the circle were whispering and murmuring quietly amongst themselves, clearly anticipatory. One had, at the king's gesture, begun to hand out tall glasses and pour sparkling wine for everyone in the room. Only when everyone had a drink did the king begin to speak.

***

Lux felt coiled like a spring, she was so tense. At the same time, she was slightly disgusted to realise that she was excited, in a curious, nervous way. She had no idea how the evening was going to play out, and the atmosphere was heavy.

The King stood up from the chair beside her, and everyone fell silent. He began to casually stride around the group of gathered people, around Lana at their centre.

"Ladies, gentlemen," He nodded in their general directions, "Thank you all for joining me this evening."

Did anyone here have a choice? Lux thought. Looking around though, the company looked almost relaxed, if excited – except perhaps for Felis, who as usual, looked completely neutral. Lux found it impossible to tell what the Prince was thinking.

"As you are all aware, I have been called away from Pantheon and my people several times recently, and I fear, there will be more times to come, in order to ensure the safety and prosperity of this city. I have gathered you all here this evening, firstly, because it is a delight to be home – something I wished to celebrate." He paused, and a ripple of laughs and smiles spread about the room. He smiled slightly.

"It is my desire to acknowledge and congratulate my son, your Prince, who rules in my absence. My thanks to you all," he gestured around the room, " for your continual support and work in the city."

Lux was starting to appreciate exactly how the King was King. He was a clever bastard. He spoke in a low, almost conversational tone; but Lux was no fool. Everything the man said was carefully thought out, perfectly executed, down to the smallest pause. Not only was he an expert actor, but he was strangely charismatic.

She cast her eyes smoothly and subtly about the room. Everyone was staring at the King, enraptured. In fact, only two people were not. Lana, whom the king was currently walking behind, was glaring at Lux, but looked up and away when Lux met her gaze. Impressive, that someone could try to appear superior when tied between two posts naked. The other person was the prince, who was scanning the faces in the room much like Lux. Their eyes met very briefly. Lux had half expected him to look away, cold and impenetrable as ever, but his eyebrow and lip quirked up in a brief sardonic smile, and Lux found herself mirroring it before the King spoke again, and they looked away.

'What was that?!' she thought, almost shaking her head at herself.

"Of course, we have another reason to celebrate." The King stepped towards Lux and courteously took her hand to raise her to her feet.

She suddenly had to work hard to remain calm as every eye in the room turned towards her curiously.

"I'd like to introduce our newest member to the higher circle in two years; this, ladies and gentlemen, is Lux." He smiled at her and Lux gave a little half-nod, half-curtsey before dropping back to her seat.

The Kings face turned serious. 'Here it comes...' Lux thought, 'The real point of this evening.'

"Unfortunately, this evening is not purely about celebration. It is only natural, I suppose, that in the absence of a King, occasionally subjects forget their place, and the rules that allow them to live here in peace and safety."

The King, behind Lana again, stepped toward her and idly ran the back of his hand from her shoulder, down the curve of her back. Lux watched as Lana drew in a silent breath, her eyes drifting shut slightly. The whole room watched intently – clearly the King was going to use his power over those present to the maximum.

"As you know, I am a great supporter of the rules, made by my fathers and their fathers before me... without which, Pantheon would not exist."

To this, murmurs of agreement throughout the room. He turned abruptly away from Lana, who sighed imperceptibly. His voice turned harsher.

"Lana recently chose to disregard one. She deliberately provoked and fought with another consort of the circle."

Silence.

"I need not remind you that discord and fighting of any kind amongst yourselves is prohibited. No-one is exempt from punishment for rule-breaking."

At this, he gestured to one of the guards standing at the edge of the circle, and a muffled gasp went up from the girls.

"Sabien." The King smiled. "Sabien guarded me closely during my trip to the mainland, and deserves rewarding. As many of you may be aware, he is most skilled in the art of punishment."

Sabien was tall and wiry, with dark hair and dark eyes. He had a disarmingly cheerful grin, but his expression was disturbingly dark to be quite so gleeful. It took Lux all of thirty seconds to assess that every girl in the room was slightly afraid of him.

'So you are the King's bad cop....' She mused.

Even Lana was showing signs of alarm, although she did a good job of hiding it.

Sabien stepped up to a chest in the corner and began to select several brutal looking leather objects from within.

"So to the rules of this evening," The king continued, conversationally, "Ladies, you may play amongst yourselves," Here a raised eyebrow and a grin, with giggles in response, "and gentlemen of the guard, you may pick and share amongst the ladies, after of course – myself and the Prince. Tonight is your reward."

"Sabien," He turned to the guard.

"Your highness" Sabien bowed slightly.

"You know the rules as well as I do. You may do what you will with Lana this night, she is yours, and yours to share if you wish. Only she is not allowed to climax at any time."

"Leon, please!" Lana blurted out, with indignation bordering on panic.

Everyone in the room froze.

The King turned calmly to face her.

"I am your King, Lana. You will address me as such. You shall learn to serve others, not simply yourself." He turned to Sabien. "Blindfold and gag her, and begin when you please."

Sabien bowed and began to secure Lana's ankles to the leather cuffs on the posts. She struggled slightly and he simply laughed. He circled her, tweaking leather here and there.

Lux had a strange flashback to a scene from a pre-war film, something her father had shown her. She had sat for hours, fascinated. Women in strange, billowing dresses, dancing; and this image, a man checking the leather straps on some huge animal – a horse- that was what it was called. She had never seen a real one, there had been none on her island, at least.The shock of the flashback shook her; a memory that had been undisturbed for years.

Childhood memories did not belong here, in this place, in this room. She shivered slightly.

She felt completely isolated from the atmosphere around her. The carnival air of excitement was still there, laced with a heavy tension. The girls of the circle were whispering amongst themselves, throwing comments and glances at the guards behind them.

It occurred to Lux that they rarely got an opportunity to touch anyone but the King - and when not in his favour, anyone at all. This was an exciting night for both the guards and the consorts.

A movement beside her made her turn, and she watched as Felis rose smoothly. He stopped in front of one of the women, and held out a hand with a formal nod.

Lux recognised the girl from the hall dining table; she was blonde, with marble pale skin. She had always seemed quiet and pleasant – she had smiled at Lux, once, when their eyes met at the table, talking only briefly to those around her. She blushed and looked down as she took the Prince's hand, and returned with him to sit beside his chair.

The King was watching his son with a look of wry satisfaction. As he looked on, his hand drifted down beside his chair, and he idly ran a finger lightly down Lux's shoulder.

It was obvious, she realised with a start, that she had been marked as the King's for the evening – but the realisation only truly dawned on Lux at that moment. For the second time in the King's presence, she realised she was scared. How did he manage to have this effect on people?

'Right now,' she thought, 'I think I'd rather join in an orgy with all the guards here, than spend any alone time with the King....which makes no sense.'

But then, maybe they wouldn't be alone – maybe they would stay here, in a room full of people. Would that be worse? Possibly. But safer, surely? Then she thought of Lana, and realised that public clearly didn't equate to safe in Pantheon.

Lux's mind was still whirring through these conflicting thoughts, when a sharp crack of leather against skin turned every head in the room.

***

At first, she was simply horrified. She fought to keep her face neutral, and watch, as Sabien swung the evil looking thing back again. The whip had three leather thongs swinging from its leather-wrapped handle, and she couldn't believe it hadn't drawn blood with the first lash across Lana's flesh.

But that had been a while ago – Lux realised she had completely lost track of time. It couldn't have been that long, could it? She broke her gaze away from the macabre image of Lana and Sabian to scan the room quickly.

The guards and their consorts, often in groups of three or more, were sprawled in groups around the room. Wine was flowing freely. Some were watching the scene in the centre of the room with avid fascination and arousal, some were utterly preoccupied with their partner/s of choice. Most were in some state of undress.

The room was full of sound; moans, laughter, and increasingly some more animal than that – flesh on flesh, mouths.

Behind it all, the swish of the whip, the crack, and Lana.

To start with, each crack of the leather had brought a muffled wail from behind the gag. Sabien had not whipped relentlessly though; it became increasingly obvious to Lux that he knew exactly what he was doing. In between groups of lashings, he would pause suddenly, and step in to Lana.

He would circle her, sometimes massaging the red, inflamed flesh of her buttocks, sometimes trailing a hand over some other part of her body. He would lean in and whisper into her ear, but what, Lux had no idea. As he circled her, Lux realised that he scrutinised Lana as though she were a work of art he was creating; with an almost critical tenderness, appraising his work and addressing areas for improvement.

And then she noticed that Lana's responses were changing. From the initial wails and tensing of limbs, now her protests became almost groans.

Now, she watched as Sabien delivered several quick blows of the whip in succession. Lana shuddered and emitted an almost guttural moan. Sabien stepped around her, and ran the loose, draping tails of the whip lightly over the skin of her thighs, her stomach, and finally her breasts.

Her nipples were already pebbled in arousal, and Lana visibly shuddered as he lowered his head and took a bud in between his lips. When he broke away, it glistened. He reached down, and ran the handle of the whip along the crevice between her thighs, slowly, teasingly. It came away gleaming with moisture.

This time, Lux heard him as he leaned in to place his lips to Lana's ear, and whispered: "That's my girl."

Lux felt numb. 'This is fucked up, god, so fucked up...' she thought, her mind racing. But the noises, the atmosphere – it was all getting to her. There was no use denying it, the whole decadent tableau was an arousing spectacle.

The King was observing the whole scene with casual interest, as though every evening consisted of entertainment such as this. Lux sincerely hoped it did not.

The Prince was leaning over, talking quietly to the blonde girl – his chosen entertainment for the night. He showed no sign of touching her yet, but every so often the girl blushed and giggled at something he murmured to her.

Lux was astounded to feel a slight twinge of bitterness towards the girl, and gave herself a quick mental slap. For god's sake, the Prince may be a slightly less dangerous evening's companion that the King – but the last thing she needed was someone who wanted to actually talk. That involved some acting skills. She was feeling sufficiently thrown this evening to know that to survive tonight and have a chance at the kings confidences, she needed to capture his interest. The more he wanted her, the lower his guard...and the easier it would be to take him out.

She realised with a start that the object of her current scheming was at this moment analysing her. She quickly looked away, studying the room.

The King leant down towards her, close enough that his breath moved her hair.

"Now, what can it be that Lux is thinking so hard about?" He murmured, with an edge of amusement. He rolled her name around in his mouth like it was some kind of fruit.

For a split second, Lux envisaged calmly responding 'Oh, just how many times I may need to screw you before I can kill you...' and couldn't resist a small smile.

The Kings eyebrow quirked up in puzzled amusement at her smile. Lux managed to supress a sudden surge of anxiety when he suddenly rose and held a hand out for her to follow suit.

She steadily stood, and beside them, the Prince and his consort did the same. Perhaps he was required to stay until the king did?

Sabien was approaching Lana with a new leather contraption, and paused to nod to the King as he lightly tucked Lux's arm over his and drew her towards the lounge exit. They were leaving in the direction of the King's chambers.

***

Felis lead Eloise gentle across the lounge towards the door to his chambers. As he held the door for her, he threw a quick glance over his shoulder.

The room had dissolved into writing bodies, but he was looking above the scene, glancing at the retreating back of Lux and his father as the door closed behind them.

As he lead the quiet, pretty girl down the corridor to his room, he felt uneasy. The King had left early, unusual – he usually stayed and took his pleasure there and then, staying with the company until the early hours.