Taxing Beauty

"Taxing Beauty"

by Sally J

Chapter Four

Julia watched the sun set behind the green mountains, unconsciously holding onto the bars, already taking the stance of a prisoner. Just as she grew weary of waiting, she heard a key turn in the lock of the large door. Her stomach did a quick turn from fear when she spotted a large uniformed man step over the threshold. However, fear soon turned to curiosity as an old woman stumbled in followed by yet another,

taller guard.

"Hello there!" the woman gave a hearty wave to Julia and pushed past the taller man and went to embrace Julia, holding both her hands lightly. She rolled her eyes at her companions, "Highly unnecessary nonsense I say. I've always said so. Let an old woman do her job. It's a delicate job too, what I do. We don't need two stodgy, over-dressed men watching over us, do we darling?'' She led Julia over to the bed and had her sit down, "Not that any women brought here by the prince ever resists. They're too excited or scared or what have you. But no, the prince makes a big show of protecting me and wouldn't hear of - I was his nursemaid you know, practically raised the lad, he and his crib mate, Roger."

Without missing a syllable, the old woman proceeded to undress Julia, roughly pulling off her short boots and stockings. Julia tried to cover her naked legs with her hands as the guards watched with intense concentration. Julia saw one moisten his lips with a slow, red tongue.

Following the surprised girl's eyes the old woman turned to look at the men, who quickly looked away, "Oh, don't worry about them. They're ordered by law not to watch what goes on in Sebastian's private rooms. They wouldn't dare - not if they want to keep their jobs, and this is a very desirable post."

One guard looked at Julia, winked lewdly, then put his index finger to his pursed lips. In tandem, the other guard suggestively dragged his index finger across his neck. Julia got the picture, "I'm sure it is," she answered sharply.

"What? Oh yes. Paid quite handsomely I understand. But then again, we're all very well taken care of in this castle. You should see what the prince has set out for you to wear! And you - an indentured servant! Your parents - conniving tax evaders I heard. Alas we can't what lot we were born onto. My own pappy, a stable hand and my mammy, a scullery maid and look where I am! Yes, there's hope for you yet. Don't you despair."

During her speech, the woman whirled around, unlocking drawers and armoires with a jangle of keys procured from deep within her apron. She finally held up a small lace nightgown, "A might flimsy, but then again, these fine things always look too flimsy for me." Julia looked at the 'too flimsy' nightgown and felt the eyes of the guards on her hotter than before.

The old woman grabbed Julia's dress under the arms, suddenly lifting her with the force and momentum and pulled it up and over her head. Julia gasped. She was left in nothing but her worn camisole and panties. "For shame, Girl! You're much too big for these underthings. You look as if you've worn these since you were in pigtails! Well, off they go. I will dispose of them myself. You mind me now, you will not be leaving us in this condition!" With a cluck of disapproval, she pulled at the edges of the offending garments. Julia suddenly realized she would be fully naked in front of those rude men!

At this Julia resisted, pushing the woman away. She had been humiliated enough. She grabbed the covering off the bed, "How dare you!" she hollered, surprising the tall guard who had been contentedly rubbing the crotch of his uniform. The other guard was first to respond and grabbed Julia's arms, the blanket falling to the floor. "Let me go, You Brute!" Julia struggled but the guard's fingers only dug deeper into her flesh.

The interrupted guard looked disapprovingly at Julia and shook his head as he gallantly helped the old woman to her feet. She brushed herself off, disorganized for a moment, and then she laughed out loud, "What on earth came over you?? We're having a pleasant chat one minute, and the next I'm wrestling dust bunnies in the corner!"

"We weren't having a pleasant chat, you were having a pleasant chat, and I won't stand by and let you strip me naked for the entertainment of these two peeping toms!"

"Why! I see. Well, it isn't up to you, My Dear Lady, and you'll just have to get over the presence of any guards here, especially now! Plus, insulting them by implying they could care two figs for the likes of you! They can have any lady they want in the kingdom and don't need to stoop so low as the prince's slaves. Oh, shocked are you now? Well there it is, I've said it. No use being kind to a ruffian who'll only bite you in return. While here, you are nothing than a slave working off your family's debt. So if I were you, I'd behave meself and thank the poor old lady for the pretty lace nighty, and mind my p's and q's with her guardsmen."

The woman's words wounded Julia, but she continued to struggle, because she didn't know what else to do. She knew she couldn't win, but how could she just allow her body to be flaunted like this? "Now, Harry, keep a firm hold on her while I get these filthy rags off her. Thomas, be a dear and grab her leg, I don't want her getting her ideas and kicking an old lady in the nose now." Julia stopped squirming, but the guard only held her arms ever tighter behind her. The guard, that had been supporting the old woman, now moved to Julia, clenching her leg within his two, strong hands.

Julia screamed, "No! No! Let me go! Don't do this!"

"Oh, these will come right off!" Julia heard a tearing noise and watched her old underpants come apart in the woman's hands. "Ha! If you hadn't come here, Young Miss, those panties would've fallen offa you in a week's time! Oh, don't cry, hush. Don't cry now. Here you go," Julia wasn't even aware of the tears running down her cheeks. They were tears for the destruction of her childish undergarments, for her helplessness in the hands of the guards, and for being so piteously exposed in this brutal fashion. On top of all humiliations, the old lady's proffered handkerchief was but her panties' tattered remains! Seemingly innocent of the irony, the woman tenderly blotted the young woman's eyes.

"Oh, such a pretty thing. Don't you worry, your little cunny'll be covered up in bed in no time. Thomas, Harry, bring her back over to that bed now." The guard kept hold of her arms as she was lifted off her feet and carried over to the bed. The cool sheet made her bare bottom shiver, and though still very sorry for herself, she enjoyed a chill of pleasure through her naked sex.

"Thomas," the old woman thrust something into the guards hands. Julia heard the sound of clanking metal and before she saw what was coming, her mind registered alarm. She tried to crawl up the bed away from the manacles, but Harry caught her calves and Thomas snapped the heavy cuffs onto her ankles, "I didn't want to have to do this, but the prince, he said, 'she shows you any resistance, and you restrain her for her own safety'."

Julia sobbed when she saw thick bands of steel cover her pale ankles. A chain, about two feet long, connected the two cuffs. She pulled on them, hard, "Owww!"

"Don't be daft dear, of course they'll hurt if you do that! Just relax."

The old lady retrieved the blanket from the floor and covered Julia's bare legs and virgin vagina. Then, walking to her side, she lifted the threadbare camisole over her chest and up and over lifted arms, "Oh, such lovely breasts," to Julia's amazement, the woman began fondling her tits. "They remind me of mine once! So soft and tender," she cupped her hands over Julia's breasts and squeezed firmly, giving both her nipples a solid twist, said, "Ah ha! Now I know why the prince chose you to work off your family's dept!" Still giggling quietly, the old woman pulled the lace nightdress over Julia's uncomfortably erect nipples and smoothed it over her lithe belly. She then tucked it under Julia's bottom, giving her a firm pat.

"Now that wasn't so bad, was it? Well maybe a little," the old lady said as she rubbed the hip she fell on. "One more thing, and then we'll be on our way. Harry and Thomas will now tuck you in for the night." The guards now worked efficiently, as one held her wrists high, and the other locked Julia's wrists into two more steel cuffs. These manacles were connected by a chain about two inches long. The connector was then locked to another chain bolted into the wall behind her head. The men pulled at the chain between her feet, which forced her to lay on her back, then hooked them to something solid at the foot of the bed. They tugged at the bonds to make sure her body was taut, but not too tight. Now that the woman was watching, they made a big show of averting their eyes from her privates, with one only 'accidentally' brushing a clumsy palm over her breast as he pulled the blanket up to her chin. Finally a long scarf was produced from the woman's deep pockets, and tied firmly over her eyes.

"Good night, my dear. I forgive you your transgression." Julia felt a pair of lips kiss her own, and she still had a shed of modesty left to hope the whiskers she felt belonged to the old woman.