INTRODUCTION
Princess
Venetia of Sythia has conquered the once all-powerful state of Barbaria.
Princess
Alexena, now re-named Xena, the former ruler of Barbaria, has been taken
captive, as have all the members of her Court. All are quickly made aware that
they are slaves, subject to Sythian rule.
Princess
Venetia decides to make Xena one of her personal slaves and to humble her to the
utmost. This is indeed a cruel fate for a proud and beautiful woman who has
enjoyed the heady heights of power for so many years.
Xena
is personally flogged by Princess Venetia ... and most mercilessly ... on
account of her 'defiance' of the new regime.
On
the following day she is put into a wooden cage, naked and blatantly displayed,
to be dragged round her former capital by six female members of her former
Court.
No
experience could be more totally humiliating for the ex-ruler of Barbaria. So
she believes at the time. But Princess Venetia has even more degrading ordeals
for her to endure ...
CHAPTER
ONE
Xena's
heart was so full of hate and bitterness. She thought it must surely burst.
Her
hate was directed at Princess Venetia who had humbled her and had her displayed
naked to her former citizens in a cage. Xena's bitterness was directed against
her former citizens. They had once held her in awe. Worshipped her, almost. Now
that she had fallen and was powerless, they had instantly turned against her.
As
she made two long circuits of the city, they mocked her, they derided her, they
even spat upon her. There were foul jibes and raucous laughter at her piteous
condition. The rawness of her breasts, buttocks and thighs, the result of the
terrible flogging she had received from Princess Venetia, were well noted.
Those savage weals were much commented on ... and much approved of, so it
seemed, as was her figure. Her breasts, her pussy, her buttocks, her thighs,
all were applauded and evaluated in an utterly derisory fashion.
Xena
prayed for death as the small procession made its slow way around the city. She
saw a whip falling repeatedly across the naked bellies of six of her former
courtiers as they the carried her in the wooden cage. Yet, she was sure, their
sufferings were not as great as hers.
The
higher one has been raised, the lower one has to fall.
Would
it never end?
The
baying and jeering of the mob?
It
was something that, hitherto, had been quite unimaginable. It was a kind of act
of blasphemy. Yet it was happening. Xena ground her teeth in wild torment at
the thought of this new conqueror sitting in her palace, gloating over what she
had ordered to be done.
At
the first opportunity, Xena told herself, I will end it all. I will kill myself
...
But
wait ... would that not be foolish? It would deprive her of any possibility of
ultimate revenge. Which was what Xena ached for so intolerably. Oh ... revenge!
Revenge ... that would be sweet beyond all imagining! Only by living did she
have any possibility of obtaining it.
After
all, there was always the hope of it. Had she not thought herself the ruler of
the world? Yet she had been conquered. Surely it was possible that the same
fate could befall this Princess Venetia.
It
was something to cling to, even in the most hopeless hours. A spark to nurture,
even if it constantly seemed on the verge of being extinguished.
Oh
... oohh ... give me strength to endure, Xena prayed.
To
endure in order to be revenged.
In
that moment, Xena decided not to kill herself, no matter how cruel and harsh
her treatment. She must, somehow, cling to that one hope. It would become like
a guiding star in all the terrible torments she was sure lay ahead of her.
REVENGE
must be her watchword!
The
procession continued ...
The
tumult of laughter and ribaldry went on.
"Oh
what an aristocratic-looking cunt!"
"She's
got a good arse on her ..."
"Well
striped too ..."
"Like
those lovely tits ..."
"She
had 1 coming to her, the wicked bitch!"
Xena
ground her teeth at the cruel injustice of it all, the vile treachery and
ingratitude of citizens. Once they had cheered and feted her when news of some
new conquest had been announced.
No
longer ...
The
strain on Xena's arms was becoming agonising as the second circuit of the city
was made. She was suspended by her wrist manacles and chains in the wooden
cage, feet not touching the floor, thighs spread wide, ankles manacled to each
side. If only she could faint. But she knew she wouldn't. As before her
terrible flogging, she had been given strong, sustaining potions. There was no
escape into oblivion.
And,
apart from the pain of her suspension, there was always the continuing pain of
the mass of weals which covered her breasts, her buttocks and her thighs.
Intolerable!
Yet
having to be endured.
After
two long agonising hours of utter degradation ... of torment and tears ... the
six ex-ladies of the Court dragged the cage back into the Palace yard. The
gates of the Palace closed. The sounds of the derisive mob faded away. Those
who had watched from the balcony were no longer there.
Except
Flavia.
Flavia,
the young captive whom she had treated so cruelly when she had been in power.
She was enjoying her own revenge to the full. Hopeless despair filled Xena as
she watched the young woman leave the balcony and then shortly appear in the
courtyard. Once always being kept totally naked, Flavia, beautifully groomed,
now wore a long, flowing gown of pale blue silk. Slowly she circled the cage,
looking in upon Xena's total distress. The six women who had pulled the cage
were sobbing with exhaustion. All of them carried whip-marks.
"Bring
her out," ordered Flavia.
Two
Overseers entered the cage and unshackled Xena. She slumped immediately to the
floor and was, at once, unceremoniously hauled to the door and dumped on the
stones of the courtyard. Her muscles, which seemed to be on fire, had no
strength left in them. Xena groaned helplessly.
"Get
up on all fours," a voice was ordering. It was Flavia. But Xena felt too weak
to move. "Did you hear me, slave? Get up on all fours!" Flavia signed to one of
the Overseers to pass over the plaited leather switch which dangled from her
belt. This was standard equipment for all Overseers. Teeth bared with relish,
Flavia flexed the switch and then lashed it across Xena's lacerated buttocks.
A
pitiful cry echoed around the courtyard. "I told you to get up on all fours,
slave!" barked Flavia. Oh the joy of having such power with such a victim at
one's mercy! Flavia laid on the switch a second time.
Another
cry ... and, somehow, Xena forced herself on to her hands and knees. The biting
cut of the switch was a potent incentive. It seemed to restore some of her
strength. But oh the effort!
"Up
... up ..." commanded Flavia. "On all fours, like the bitch you are!"
Groaning
horribly, Xena pushed herself up so that she took her weight on her arms and
partially straightened legs, her hindquarters thrust up. It was a most
humiliating posture. Xena wobbled from side to side, trembling weakly, very
aware that Flavia was all too ready to lash down the switch again.
"Put
a collar round her neck and attach a chain to it," Flavia ordered one of the
Overseers.
Xena
felt the iron collar locked on, heard a length of chain being attached. It
makes one feel like an animal, she thought wretchedly. Intentionally, of
course. Had she not, in her time, done the same to hundreds of others?
Flavia
took the chain in her hand and moved towards the Palace. The collar tugged
painfully. Perforce, Xena had to follow. Several times she collapsed down on to
the hard stones. Flavia did not pause. She simply dragged Xena along on the
ground, until she managed to push herself up on all fours again.
Into
the Palace they went, then along once-familiar corridors. Then down into the
less familiar dungeon area. Not surprisingly, Xena lost her balance on the
descending stone steps ... and Flavia kept pulling until the descent was
completed. However, Xena was already in so much pain, the additional bumping
and bruising seemed to make very little difference. Ultimately they arrived at the
door of Xena's cell and Flavia unlocked it and pulled her victim in.
It
was a small cell, as bare and bleak as it was possible to imagine. It had stone
walls, a stone floor, and a stone ceiling which was crossed with heavy beams
from which hung chains and manacles.
Against
one wall was a plain plank-bed.
"Get
up on there and kneel, slave," ordered Flavia ... and accompanied her words
with a vicious cut of the switch. Xena shrieked and clambered up on the wooden
pallet. Sobbing, she knelt, turning towards Flavia. The young woman lashed the
switch across the lush breasts which thrust towards her. Xena shrieked more
loudly.
"Where
are your hands supposed to be, slave?" demanded Flavia. Xena remembered. She
placed her clasped hands on top of her head, seeing the cruel young face
through a mist of tears. Flavia was blonde and exceedingly pretty but her
new-found authority seemed to have hardened her features somewhat. "I hope you
enjoyed your little tour, Princess," said Flavia with a thin smile. At the
cruel mention of her former title, tears spurted from Xena's eyes. "I am sure,"
continued Flavia, "that your once-loyal citizens enjoyed examining your wares,
which were so well displayed. Don't you think so, slave?"
"Y-Yes
... Miss ..." croaked Xena weakly. What else was there to say? She did not wish
to feel that switch across her so-tender breasts again.
"And
tomorrow you will make an even more enjoyable spectacle!"
A
dreadful terror welled up in Xena. Ever since Venetia had spoken those
unbelievable words in the Throne Room, Xena had forced them from her mind,
telling herself they were just a threat to frighten her into submission. For
surely no one, however evil, could do that to a woman who had once been a
Princess! Now, Xena was forced to recall the words which, at the time, had
caused her to fall into a faint. They were:
'Subsequent
days will be more entertaining. For, in the cage with you will be a dozen of
your ex-male slaves. They will, of course, be able to do whatever they like
with you!'
It
could not possibly be true!
It
was too utterly monstrous to even consider!
Xena
shook her head from side to side, as if to deny such a thing could be.
"N-No
... nooooo ..." she croaked weakly, "sh-she did n-not ... mean it ..."
The
switch lashed twice across Xena's wildly bouncing-juddering breasts. "You do
NOT refer to Princess Venetia as SHE, slave, but as Her Highness. Do so!"
When
Xena had caught her breath after a series of piteous cries of pain, her mouth
opened and shut several times and only a hissing sound came out. Then it formed
the word 'Highness'.
"H-Her
Highness ... did not mean it," she whimpered.
Flavia
smiled exultantly. "But oh yes she did! Oh yes ... yes ... YES! Tomorrow ...
you ... you once-arrogant bitch ... are going to be properly humbled. You're
going to be fucked around your former city. Twice around, in fact."
Xena's
eyes were rolling back in her head. Her breasts began to heave wildly in her
total distress.
"Nooooooo
... aaaahhhhh ... nooooo ... nooooo ... nooooo ..." she whined weakly. "S-say
it isn't tr-true ..."
The
switch lashed twice again, leaving Xena shrieking and twisting in torment.
"My
Lady," said Flavia.
"M-M-Mer
... My L-Lady ... My Lady ..." cried Xena. "Say it ... it isn't true ... M-My
Lady ..."
"But
I assure you it is, slave. I absolutely assure you it is!"
In
total despair, Xena's head slumped down. Her semi-deranged mind still could not
grasp it. "Nooo ... nnooo ... nnno ... nnooo ..." she went on whimpering.
"And,"
said Flavia harshly, "for daring to doubt the word of Princess Venetia, you are
now going to feel my switch across your backside. Get it up ... come along ...
get it up!"
Xena's
eyes glazed over. "H-Have m-mercy ... My L-Lady ... I beseech you ... oh ... h
... h-haven't you done enough?"
Flavia
smiled in sadistic joy. "Get your once-aristocratic arse up, right now," she
commanded, "Or I'll send for an Overseer and have you properly whipped!"
That
the threat was truly meant was certain.
With
a terrible groaning-cry of abysmal despair, Xena turned on the plank-bed and raised
her hindquarters. Already they felt on fire.
"Higher
..." came the order. Xena made herself force up higher. Oh the degradation of it! This young woman
had once been her slave. "Higher still ..." Xena forced herself to obey. Terror
pierced hSsssswweeee ... cccrrraccckkkk!
The
switch bit like fire across her agonised flesh. Xena screamed, squirming and
kicking. It was unbearable!
"Get
it up again." The young voice was cold in its insistent command. "You're
getting five more like that, you insolent bitch!"
Somehow,
Xena made herself thrust again, flinching and shuddering as she did so.
Momentarily, she recalled how she had once thrashed slaves in this merciless
fashion. Oh, if only I had not done so ... then I would have been spared all
this!
The
switch bit for a second time ... and had her writhing and jerking once more.
Flavia was smiling. Cruelly! Exultantly! This creature was going to get her
bottom up high for every stroke.
And
she, Flavia, was going to lay them on just as hard as she possibly could!