EXTRACT FOR
Untouchable
(Fiaine Cluiun)

"If your lord father was to find out I'd allowed you to use the servant's stairs--"

Anthea turned, bracing herself on the narrow step with both hands as she pressed them to the walls. "My lord father, should he ever return, will hear nothing of this, or anything else unless it's to do with the protection of his lands, and his oath to the Duke."

"Please, Mistress Anthea, he'll have me strung up and whipped if he finds out." The maid shifted her weight from one foot to the next. 

"A spanking in the main hall is the worst he'll do to you." As Mary had anything to truly fear? "We all face such things in our lives, it is the lot of women. Our punishment for being touched by the darkness." She spoke without thinking about it, the information taught to all of them, regardless of standing, from birth. Only women carried the taint, and only men had the strength needed to keep the dark one from taking over their world through weak females and the curse.

"You don't know how angry he can be, Mistress." Mary twisted her hands together, her face pale, eyes filled with unshed tears. "What punishments he hands out."

No, of course she didn't, how could she when her father kept her far away from such things? "If I am to be a lady, with a household of my own, it's time I understood how matters are handled." And how punishments were handed out. 

Mary whimpered and bit her bottom lip, head hanging low. 

"Do you understand me, Mary?"

The servant nodded but remained silent.

Well and good. Anthea turned her back on the maid. If Mary faced punishment for this, then she would observe the girl's correction as was her right as an adult member of the household. Did her father want her to go into a marriage not knowing what was expected? Not understanding how corrections, discipline and punishments were all managed? For now she was safe enough from the hand of a man, but the servants? They were of a class that required such handling on a regular basis, being but low born beasts.

Would he see me punished? If true her punishment wouldn't be the same as when servants and serfs faced such things. At most there'd be a handful of spanks, over her clothing, and in private, though her father had never raised a hand to her. Her punishments had never been more than a day or two confined to her room, and there was no reason to change things now. Besides, the man was seldom home.

She paused at the bottom of the stairs, listening. Muffled voices, a cry of protest, and more voices. Had she missed it? Anthea flattened her palms against the wood, heart racing as her breath caught. Even now she could turn back, return to her room, and forget about this. 

A gasp, a woman's voice, muffled and mingled with tears. She didn't need to see them to know the distinct noises a woman made when they cried, but instead of pulling away her body tightened. Skin taut across her breasts and down between her thighs. She closed her eyes, allowing herself to sink into the sensations. A tingle played over her nipples, invisible fingers roused them into points pressing against the thin silk she wore beneath her long, linen and wool gown. 

If she pulled back, would it be enough? Could she return to the safety of her bed, and explore her body again with this new sensation now surging through her?

No.

She pushed, gently, on the door, not wanting to draw attention to her presence. No, safer for all concerned if they ignored her, and if they couldn't see her, then so much the better. 

"No, please. Have mercy," the woman's voice split the air as Anthea slipped into the room and kept to the shadows as she made her way around the room's exterior. No one looked her way, the attention of every man and woman in the room, remained fixed on the pleading female. "I won't do it again."

"Now, Belinda, you know we can't let this slide. What type of example would that set for everyone else?" The guardsman stood in front of the fire. "Keep this up and we'll take this to the courtyard, where everyone will witness your punishment. You should be thanking me for allowing this to remain here, limiting those involved in your shame."