The King's High Justice

Foreword

It should almost go without saying that all the characters and situations following are entirely fictional and everyone is over the age of 18. All my other stories (check them out!) are posted under the BDSM category, which I consider my little corner here on Literotica, but the powers-that-be decided this one ought to go under Non-consent/Reluctance. I must confess, there are some very dark elements in this tale (even for me!) so be forewarned. But perhaps it will all work out at the end? -HS

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Part The First: The Meeting

Raul descended the stone steps leading down into the deepest part of the prison with typical resignation. It was a cold, dark, and dank place, utterly miserable, and it carried the aroma of fear and death. He'd visited here many times over the years as a part of his official position within the kingdom. Unlike prisons of a later era, in which the occupants were presumed to be in the process of being rehabilitated--a naive assumption at best--prisons in that day existed to house their inhabitants only until they were either found innocent and released, or found guilty and punished, either by torture--or worse, death!

The jailer, who led the way down the steps and who knew Raul well from their many years in service together, fished out the large ring of keys as they neared the bottom. Both of them carried lanterns, which provided small pools of light, but no hope. "Odd for a woman to be here." he commented, and Raul nodded. "It's almost always the men who act up and bring this kind of judgment upon themselves."

"Oh, there have been a few women who've met with me over the years," Raul replied, "but you're correct. It's rare, to be sure."

They approached a sturdy wooden door at the end of the hallway, and the jailer inserted a key in the large brass lock. "Nothing else to do for the present. I can wait out here for you. Just pound on the door when you're through."

"Thank you," Raul replied, and he walked through the open door, which the jailer closed behind him. His lantern fairly flooded the small space with light, and he saw the woman almost at once. She was half sitting, half reclining on the straw that covered the entire floor. He hung the lantern from a wrought iron hook attached to the wall. "Lady Constance," he began, his deep voice booming and reverberating against the bare stone walls, disrupting the silence. It was both a question and a statement. "You have been found guilty of treason against his majesty the king. You know what the sentence is for that. What say you?"

Lady Constance rose to her feet and dulcetly but assertively spoke up at once: "I am innocent, sir. I neither know who brought these charges forward nor the purpose behind them, but I am innocent. I have never, ever shown the slightest disloyalty to our sovereign."

Raul appraised the woman before him. She was in her late twenties or early thirties, fully mature and not unattractive. He was well used to hearing these protestations of innocence. They always said that, at least at first, but at the end, when there was no longer any chance of a pardon, and with eternal judgment facing them, they always confessed. And yet, Raul sensed an unusual determination in the lady's denial. Well, he thought, she would surely tell the truth at some point before the axe came down.

"You're to be beheaded tomorrow morning. For the sake of your own salvation, you ought to admit your crime."

In their time, it was thought that dying with unconfessed sin was a sure path to the eternal damnation of hell. So here was Raul, attempting to convince Lady Constance to tell the truth, both to insure her own place in heaven and to assure Raul that justice was being rightfully served by her execution.

But Lady Constance was steadfast: "I have no control over whether I am executed or not. That is in God's hands, but I tell you once again that I am innocent of these charges, and the Almighty well knows it."

"Very well, then," replied Raul. "As you wish. I'll see to it that you have a proper meal tonight. It will be your last. By your leave, my lady." And he pounded on the cell door. At once, the jailer let him out and refastened the lock.

"She claims she's innocent," he told the jailer as they both climbed the steps. Raul found her assertions unsettling. After all, if Raul was being tasked with executing someone, it certainly eased his conscience to know for certain of that person's guilt. Wrongly taking a life was about as damning as unconfessed sin.

"Don't they all say that, at least at first?" asked the jailer.

"Well, some do. But I'll get to the bottom of this. Listen, she gets her last meal tonight. I'll wrest the truth out of her then. You know what they say: In vino veritas. I'll bring food and wine. You can put fresh straw down in her cell and allow her to wash herself in preparation of the morrow. Once she's had enough wine, she'll talk! I must be going now." And Raul and the jailer parted ways with Raul heading toward a tavern for some mead.

He sat at a small table in the corner of the rustic tavern, sipping his mead and aimlessly picking at his food. For some strange reason, he just couldn't seem to get Lady Constance off his mind. He envisioned her neck stretched out on the chopping block, the axe falling and severing her head. Raul knew from firsthand experience that death was not instantaneous in a beheading, and the thought of her final sensation on earth being that of her head hitting the dirt was very troubling to him.

Suppose she's innocent, he asked himself. What then? It was confusing. Like everyone else in that time, Raul believed that kings reigned by divine right, which was to say that God Himself ordained those who ruled over both the common people and lesser nobles. It was unthinkable that God would allow His chosen monarch to mistakenly commit someone to a wrongful death. And yet Raul kept coming back to the nagging thought that somehow justice was being miscarried here. He thought and thought about it and finally decided to take some action which he hoped would clarify the matter. Raul downed the last dregs of his mead and left the tavern, making his way purposely to the castle. Once he'd been permitted entrance, he sought out the king's minister, either Martin or Oliver, whichever was on duty. It turned out that Martin had that responsibility today. "Martin, I need to speak to the king," Raul said, and Martin was more than a little surprised at the request.

"Raul, you're upset about something. What's wrong?"

"It's this execution of Lady Constance tomorrow. I'm... not convinced she's guilty."

Martin paled. "And you want to speak to the king and ask him to justify his decision? To you? Raul, are you insane? Did you sleep under the moonlight last night?"

"No, Martin, I am not a lunatick. I just...need to know. For my own peace of mind. Please."

"Very well, then. He's on the throne hearing petitions. I'll announce you. And good luck!"

Martin brought Raul before the sovereign. "Raul!" said the king. "I never see you here. What is the matter?"

Raul knelt before his majesty and was given leave to stand. "Your highness, I am not convinced that Lady Constance is guilty of the crimes she's been charged."

The king's demeanor changed instantly from goodwill to outrage. "You're 'not convinced' she's guilty?" he sputtered. "Tell me, Raul, when did it become your prerogative to question your king's decisions? You dare to come before me with this! Not that you're owed an explanation, but you might be interested to know that Lady Constance was convicted in accordance with all the laws of the realm. Two different witnesses testified to her misconduct, and the testimony of two witnesses is considered as fact." Raul felt like a fool. "I think this woman has bewitched you, Raul. Now, the only question here is whether or not you will warrant to carry out your duties and execute her tomorrow. Or do I have to find myself a new executioner?"

"No, your highness. I will carry out my duties."

"Good!" said the king with a tone of finality. "You now have my leave." And Raul knew he was being dismissed.

Martin followed Raul out of the king's audience hall. "You're lucky you're keeping your own head!" Martin said. "Whatever possessed you? What made you think she was innocent?" And Raul shared what he had heard from Lady Constance while Martin was showing him out of the castle.

Martin went back into the king's audience hall. "Unbelievable!" the king said to Martin. "My own executioner comes in here and openly questions my decrees!"

"Oh, to be sure, your majesty." Martin agreed, but after a pause, he added, "Still, he must have a reason to have really strong doubts about her guilt for him to take such a risk..."

"Humph!" said the king. Open-mindedness was not a dominant royal trait. But after a moment's reflection, he said, "Have Lord Grimsley sent to me. But first, the captain of the guard."

Raul stood outside the castle gate for some time to consider what to do next. Then, having come up with a plan, he first visited the royal armorer. "I need a pair of knives," he told the man. "About six inches long, and sharper than any other knives you've ever produced.

"How sharp would that be?" asked the armorer, and Raul told him. "My God, man! We'd have to work all day and night to get a pair of knives that sharp!" was the armorer's response.

"Do it for me, please?" begged Raul.

The armorer looked like he would say no, but then he relented. "Alright, my friend. You'll have them first thing in the morning." Raul hurried along. He had many more places to visit to prepare for the evening's activities.

Part The Second: The Last Meal

Lady Constance had spent the day in prayer and supplication. The jailer returned and oversaw some menials as they changed the straw in her cell. Then he brought towels, soap and buckets of water and told the lady the she was expected to see to her toilet in preparation for her last meal, and she did as she was instructed.

Near sunset, Raul returned to the jail and was given entrance to Lady Constance's cell. "Greetings, my lady," Raul began. "I've brought victuals." And he opened the several baskets he'd carried in to reveal loaves of freshly baked bread, new butter, cheeses and sausages, apples, honey, and of course, wine. For any other occasion, it would have been a feast, and Lady Constance would have been forgiven for having no taste for the food, given the circumstances. But having been incarcerated for some days now with little or nothing fit to eat, she was only too grateful.

An hour later, little remained of the feast. Both of them were sated, and Raul made sure Lady Constance's goblet remained full of wine. It was having its intended affect of loosening her tongue. "It was a surprise to me, I can tell you that!" she was saying. "Taken from the manor and put in here. Not even knowing who my accusers were or why they said whatever it was they said about me. I can say in all honesty that I've had what I believe to be a rather luckless life."

"But surely being a noblewoman must have provided you with some comfort," encouraged Raul.

"I'm sure many ordinary people would look upon me as privileged, but with privilege comes responsibility. It's not as easy as it appears, Raul. Especially when... well..."

"When what, my lady?"

Constance hesitated, but then decided that modesty would serve no purpose now. "I think my greatest regret will be having never experienced love. I mean, the kind of love the troubadours sing about: the passion, the majesty, the, um, carnality of it."

"But surely you're not a stranger to those things. After all, weren't you married?"

"Yes, I was married. But my husband lost interest in the bedchamber when it became evident that I couldn't bear him children. He had his dalliances to keep him satisfied. Then he was killed in the wars. And, truth be told, the fleshly aspect of our marriage was never about physical satisfaction but rather producing an heir." She drained her goblet and Raul dutifully refilled it. There was a long silence, then finally: "So, how will it happen? In the morning?" she asked.

"Are you sure you want to talk about that?"

"Well, considering that I will be one of the main participants, I believe I have an interest in it."

"Very well, my lady. You should know that I've given much thought to this and have come up with what I believe it as gentle a way to proceed as possible. The armorers are, at this very moment, even as we speak, in the process of sharpening two knives. I have instructed them to make the knives sharp enough to cleave in two a silk kerchief falling through the air. They will be working all through the night. At the appointed time, I will hold the knives against the sides of your neck and pull them across, severing the blood vessels to your head. The knives will be so sharp that you'll feel nothing. In a few seconds, you'll be insensible. Only after will we proceed to the axe. But you will have given up the ghost before then. Rest assured, there will be no pain."

"I suppose I should thank you. It would seem that only at the end of my life will I be given grace," she said, and then the tears began to flow. Raul didn't know exactly when or how he came to take Lady Constance in his strong arms in an attempt to comfort her, but he did. "I would ask you, nay, beg you, for one more kindness, sir. Make love to me tonight. Let me experience love just once before I leave this mortal coil."

The evening had not gone as Raul had expected. Instead of admitting her guilt, Lady Constance had repeatedly denied it. And Raul found himself becoming more and more attracted to her, so when she besought him to make love, he didn't hesitate at all. His lips found hers, and they embraced passionately. Gently, tenderly, he removed her clothing, then his, and used their garments to make a bed on the fresh straw. He laid her down on the bed and feasted on the vision of her nakedness. She was lovely. Raul was being carried away by his emotions. He had never experienced anything like this before. It was so different from the encounters he'd had with those tavern whores. There was something genuine, urgent, and even mystical about this, and he gave himself over to it wholeheartedly.

Lady Constance's aroused aroma filled the dank cell and transformed it into a garden of earthly delights that intoxicated Raul. She was on her back and he was on his knees near her hips. It gave her an unobstructed view of his member, and she was astonished at its length, thickness and hardness; so much more magnificent than her husband's. "Take me, Raul. Take me now," she whispered.

He moved to cover her with his body and wondered if he would have trouble entering her. He found he needn't have worried. She was dripping wet. He poked the head of his member against her opening and pushed forward. She was so unbelievably tight and was babbling "Oh, God! Oh, God!" and shuddering the entire time it took to gain full entrance to her. Once he did, he kept still for a few minutes. Lady Constance was savoring the sensations. By this time, her husband would have achieved his climax and withdrawn from her. This was something entirely different, and she began to feel a stirring welling up from deep within, something she'd never experienced before.

Raul began slow, long strokes in and out of her. He noticed with some pride that she was responding well to his ministrations. Then, placing his hands on her hips, he swung himself over onto his back, thus placing Lady Constance on top. "Ride me, my lady," he urged her. "Ride me to please yourself."

And she began moving up and down on his manhood, and as she did so, that stirring deep within her became stronger. He recognized the look on her face and used a thumb to start massaging her clitoris. That was all it took. From somewhere inside her, that stirring that Lady Constance felt, which had been just out of reach as though she had to run to grasp hold of it, that stirring overtook her. It was as if she'd been standing on the seashore and a tidal wave had washed over her! Her entire body convulsed, and she screamed in ecstasy. When she came to her senses once again, she found herself trembling, collapsed on top of her lover, who was holding her and praising God for allowing him to be a part of such an overwhelming experience. It didn't even matter to Raul that he himself had not climaxed. He rolled her off and turned her over so he could cuddle her from behind. His hands just naturally found her breasts, and he fondled her nipples with his fingers. She had never before experienced such profound peace as this. Neither had he.

Then it dawned on her that Raul had not been taken care of. She thought about what she could do and decided that nothing would now be too extreme for her where he was concerned. She took hold of his still hard manhood and moved down to kiss the head of it. Raul sighed with pleasure, and she took it in her mouth, savoring the taste of it. In short order, she was using her lips to move up and down on him in the same way she'd used her quent a short while ago.

He directed her to lay on top of him arranged so that his head was between her legs, and that permitted him to use his mouth and tongue to please her in the same way she was using hers to please him. This was yet another new experience for her, and she delighted in the exquisite sensations she was feeling. In no time, she was once more in the throes of orgasmic bliss.

Raul had by this time become so aroused from being both a part of and the cause of Constance's ecstasies that he, too, could hold back no longer, and he discharged his seed into her hungry mouth. She wasn't sure what to do now, but after concluding that the taste of his issue was far from disagreeable, she swallowed every drop.

They both lay there in the pitch darkness, holding each other for a time, neither able to say anything. Both of them were lost in their own private thoughts. Raul was accustomed to physical lovemaking. He'd had his share of women who'd allowed him to take pleasure from them at the cost of a coin or two. That kind of experience was certainly relieving, skin to skin, but it was nothing like the intermingling of souls that had transpired between him and Lady Constance this night. They had truly become one. For her part, Constance had never before felt the freedom to give herself so completely, so fully, and to be carried away to such heights of utter bliss. Neither of them knew what to say. Finally, Lady Constance whispered, "Thank you, Raul. Now I know what love is." He held her tightly by way of saying she was welcome.

Several hours passed during which one and then the other drifted off for a time of sleep. Finally, near morning, Constance was deeply asleep and dreaming, and Raul slipped back into his clothing. He wasn't sure if she would hear him, but he whispered to her, "I must take my leave now, my lady. I will return just after sunrise in my black cowl and black executioner's gown to fetch you." Wistfully, he touched her breast one last time, then he was gone.

Part The Third: The Execution

Constance could guess that the morrow had come because she could hear some activity outside her cell. She moved to stand but was taken aback with the pounding in her head caused by too much wine the night before. My aching head is killing me, she thought, and then she remembered the purpose of the day and realized that those particular words were not a matter for jesting.

It was then that she heard the key in the lock, followed by the opening of the door. Raul stood before her. He was a terrifying apparition dressed as he was in heavy black boots, the black gown and black cowl, and his eyes the only part of him that could be seen. His deep, rich voice spoke softly and sadly: "It is time, my lady."