The Courier Copyright 2008 by EC EC's Erotic Fiction - /~caligula97030/ (warnings: erotic discipline, sex between adults, public nudity) Chapter 13 – Dinner with the Prime Minister The following day was Wednesday of Maria Elena’s third week in Danubia. She woke up and gently kissed Victor. She had spent yet another night in his bed, but still was too sore to have sex with him. She hoped that by that evening she would be recovered enough to resume that portion of her life. She got up and looked at herself in a full-length mirror. Her welts were still dark and painful, but she noticed that they had just started to fade. Excellent. Another day gardening in the sun would help, and hopefully by the beginning of the following week her skin would be completely healed. She helped Cecilia with breakfast. They chatted about the upcoming fall semester and a likely change in Maria Elena’s work schedule. Because the norteamericanos would be enrolled in normal classes with Danubian university students, the language training would end and Maria Elena would have to work longer hours in the garden. The Ministry would pay the university for a tutor, but only for two hours a day. Also, because she no longer would be part of the exchange group, Maria Elena would not have to attend physical fitness training. “I guess the point is you’ve gotten to know my students, but after next week you guys won’t be together in class anymore. They’ll all be in different classes taking different subjects. That’s when things are gonna change in the exchange program and people will start going their separate ways. It's like that every year, the summer group splits up once they start normal classes. The way things normally work is that several cliques will form; you’ll have groups that end up not having much to do with each other. I wouldn’t be surprised if the collared group forms its own clique at the beginning, but once their collars come off, I bet they’ll split up. Anyhow, whether or not you hang out with any of my students is up to you, but you’ll have to remember they’re free and you’re not, so they’ll always have more spare time than you.” Once she had cleaned up from breakfast, Maria Elena went to the university and reported for work. Her boss decided that she was healthy enough to rake leaves, so he handed her a rake. He then departed, leaving the criminal alone to reflect on her own situation. She realized that, as much as she idealized her classmates, it was true they would move on with their lives as soon as the semester started. She felt she was close enough to Carmen that their friendship would continue, but she did not feel she knew any of the others well enough to predict what would happen. One big problem was the reality that most of them spoke no Spanish and she did not speak English, so they would only be able to communicate in Danubian. As she raked, Maria Elena realized something else that troubled her. She did not much care for Cecilia. The Dominican’s abrasive and bossy personality grated on her, so she hoped to be around her as little as possible in the future. The sooner she did not have to rely on that irritating woman, the better. Cecilia had been extremely helpful and never did anything to offend her, so outwardly she would have to remain cordial. However, over time she hoped to build a life that would allow her to distance herself from her housemate. Being friends with Carmen offered one opportunity to not have to deal so much with Cecilia. Another opportunity she had was to finish taking over the responsibilities of the house, which would free Cecilia to spend more time away with Jason or with her students. Maria Elena had lunch with Carmen and the norteamericano who had translated for the group when they were at the Cathedral getting ready to demonstrate. It was strange to see them sitting in the nude at the university cafe. However, it seemed that Carmen was more at ease with being naked than she had been the day before. The guy still seemed a bit uneasy. From the cafe the three went to class. ---------- Maria Elena's love-making sessions with Victor resumed Thursday, three nights after her switching. Her body was still somewhat sore, but she was determined to put the punishment behind her and make her life as normal as possible. She got on her hands and knees so his weight would not press on her welts. She placed her body on display for her lover, showing him her markings as she assumed a submissive position and spread for him. To see her punished body presented for sex was a strange and sinister sight for Victor, because he never had made love to a woman who had been punished. Like everything else with the Colombian, it was a new experience for him, one that he found intensely erotic. The criminal's summer routine lasted one more week. In the morning she got up and prepared the kitchen for Cecilia to cook before helping Victor get dressed. She quit going to the university with her housemate, because Carmen started passing by to pick her up in the morning. Carmen admitted that she was still embarrassed walking around naked on campus by herself and liked having Maria Elena go with her for company. Every morning there was gardening and every afternoon there was lunch, class, and exercise. Carmen often went home with Maria Elena and chatted with her while she was setting up for dinner. She started staying for dinner and studied with her Colombian classmate in the evenings. That Saturday Cecilia and Maria Elena planned an interesting surprise for Carmen and the other protesters. They invited the 13 collared students to go with them to the Socrates Club. Cecilia realized that one way to reward the group that had shown solidarity with her housemate was to show them a place that none of her other students had ever seen first-hand. Yes they were foreigners with a sketchy command of the Danubian language, but their collars made them welcome among the city’s criminals. Jason accompanied his fiancé, of course. For the couple it was a typical night, socializing and dancing periodically interrupted when Cecilia took Jason to an intimacy room to spank him and make love to him. ---------- The next two weeks passed uneventfully as Maria Elena pursued her expanded work schedule and her reduced hours of language studies. She spent her free time with Carmen and her nights with Victor. There was one indication that Maria Elena’s life would have to change at least somewhat by the end of September. The days were getting shorter and the early mornings were beginning to get chilly. Often the prisoner shivered during the first part of the morning while she was gardening, which forced Cecilia to change her class schedule. She had to be tutored in the morning so she could be indoors when it was still cold and started working at 10:00, when the temperature outside was more comfortable. Summer was drawing to a close, but in Europe the richest weather often immediately precedes the cold rains of autumn. The warm late summer sunshine and cool breezes caressed Maria Elena’s bare body as she worked, making her feel sensuous. She knew that the final weeks of sunshine were something to enjoy, because soon enough it would be cold and rainy. Undoubtedly she would spend the rest of the year indoors stuck behind a customer service counter or serving food, so she knew that she had to appreciate the final days of her gardening position and the chance to be outside. There was nothing to indicate anything other than she would lead an ordinary existence as a criminal… or so everyone thought. ---------- The first Saturday of September was unseasonably cold and misty. That afternoon, Cecilia handed Victor a message from his brother Vladim. The Prime Minister had invited Victor’s household to a formal dinner at his official residence. Cecilia explained in Spanish that meant he and his sons and their wives were invited, along with Cecilia, Jason, Pedro, and Maria Elena. The criminal wanted to make sure she understood correctly: “Vladim Dukov… isn’t he… this country’s president?” “No, not the president… the Prime Minister…” “But he’s their leader, right?” “Yes.” “And… I’m supposed to go to his place?” “Yes, along with the rest of us.” “But…” “You’re part of Victor’s household, just like me and Pedro. He’s invited, so we’re invited.” “But…I can’t go see the Prime Minister. I’m not wearing anything…” “Maria Elena, you’re collared, so guess what? You’re naked. It’s what’s expected of you, and just because you’re naked doesn’t mean that your life or responsibilities have stopped. Jason won’t be wearing anything either, nor Tiffany. And if Cynthia and her husband show up, they’ll be naked too.” Maria Elena shuddered at the thought of being naked in front of the nation’s Prime Minister, but decided it was best not to argue further. Cecilia continued: “Now, obviously you need to show proper protocol when we get there. Just follow what Jason and Tiffany are doing. The Prime Minister will expect you to follow protocol, but he also knows you’re new at this and if he needs to, he’ll tell you what to do. Basic rule is: if he speaks to you, kneel before you open your mouth. Second rule is: don’t speak unless you’re spoken to. Anyhow, I’ll have to translate, so I’ll tell you what’s going on.” Victor re-appeared dressed in traditional attire; loose pants, boots, a linen shirt, and a gray tunic. Cecilia had to excuse herself to change into a long white linen dress and make sure Pedro was properly outfitted with a boy’s linen shirt and linen pants. Maria Elena took a shower, but there was nothing else she needed to do to get ready. She simply dried off and nervously waited for the rest of the household. Jason showed up at the door, his skin wet from the cold mist and his uncovered body covered with goose-bumps. Upon seeing Victor he knelt. Maria Elena followed suit and knelt next to him. She was grateful to have another collared person with her, to not feel so alone and freakish. A short while later Victor and his companions got off the trolley that took them from the university to a park outside the Old City Wall. The Prime Minister’s residence was just on the other side of the park. It looked somewhat like some of the nicer 18th-Century houses that Maria Elena had seen in historical districts in Colombia. It was not large, but the house and its architecture were attractive. According to Danubian custom, the Prime Minister’s son was responsible for greeting other members of the family and ushering them into the residence. Upon seeing Vladik in his police uniform, Jason immediately dropped to his knees and put his forehead to the ground. Maria Elena followed his lead. As she knelt and bent forward, she felt the cold air blowing against her exposed bottom-hole and vagina. She realized that she was lewdly displayed, and also that Victor was standing immediately behind her and could see everything. She blushed, but she knew that, as a prisoner, modesty was a privilege she no longer had. Vladik saluted Victor, Cecilia, and Pedro before granting permission to Jason and Maria Elena to stand up. Vladik then led his guests into the residence and into the main reception area. Victor’s sons already were present with their wives, as were Kimberly Lee-Dolkivna and her husband, and Kim’s sister with her husband. Also present was Criminal # 98946. Besides Pedro, there were several other children and babies in the house. Cecilia told Jason and Maria Elena to join Cynthia, her husband, and Tiffany in the center of the room. As dictated by protocol, the five collared people knelt together and placed their foreheads on the ground. The Prime Minister and his wife entered the reception area in formal attire. The couple greeted everyone standing; then told the five collared guests to kneel upright. One by one Vladim Dukov greeted them. He warmly took both Cynthia’s hand and Tiffany’s hand as he asked them to rise. When Jason stood up, the Prime Minister shook his hand and patted his arm. Maria Elena later would find out that he loved Cynthia and Jason as much as if they belonged to his own family and felt uneasy making them kneel. However, protocol was protocol. As long as they were collared, it was the Path in Life for the two Americans to kneel, regardless of whatever personal feelings the Prime Minister had towards them. Cecilia instructed Maria Elena to stand up when the Prime Minister greeted her. Blushing furiously, the Colombian complied while struggling not to cover herself or look away. She looked Vladim Dukov in the face. He looked much like his younger brother, but his hair was much shorter and his expression was different. Unlike Victor, who always wore an unpleasant expression, Vladim’s face was more tranquil and kinder, but also more reflective. Maria Elena could tell that, of the two brothers, Vladim was by far the more intellectual. The Prime Minister greeted Maria Elena, verifying that she was from Colombia and asking how she was doing in Victor’s house. Her heart pounding, the prisoner answered while Cecilia translated. It was a totally bizarre experience, to stand naked in front of a Prime Minister at a formal family dinner, an invited guest, even though she was a collared criminal. She has been arrested, publicly convicted, sentenced, and whipped, but for the moment she was a guest of the nation’s leader and would eat dinner with his family. The experience was about to become much stranger. Two naked collared young women entered through the front door, both holding bouquets. They knelt on opposite sides of the entrance. Two other naked young women then came in, carrying small trumpets. They blew a loud high pitched note before kneeling next to the women carrying the bouquets. A fifth naked young woman entered the room and announced: “Honored guests of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Danubia! The Grand Duchess of Danubia wishes to join the Honorable Prime Minister and his family for dinner!” Vladim Dukov responded: “We would be honored to have Grand Duchess Anyia sit at our table. Please tell my daughter I wish to have her join us.” The entire room came to attention, except for the five collared guests, who immediately dropped to their knees. Maria Elena was totally perplexed… had she understood right? Did Vladim Dukov say “my daughter”? A young woman, who could not have been any more than about 22 years old, entered the room followed by six naked attendants. She was dressed in elegant linen and wore a purple tunic with a gold griffin engraved on her chest. On her head she wore a small fancy crown covered with diamonds and sapphires. Maria Elena looked at her: daughter…yes…the woman looked like both Vladim and his wife Maritza. Anyia…yes…now she remembered that both Victor and Cecilia had mentioned that the Prime Minister had a daughter called Anyia, although no one had said anything about her being the Grand Duchess of Danubia. Anyia took the two bouquets from her kneeling attendants and continued towards her parents. The two women who had given her the flowers stood up to follow her, while the trumpeters stood guard at the entrance. The Grand Duchess approached the elder Dukovs and handed each a bouquet. Then, with a dismissive royal tone of voice, she addressed the five naked persons kneeling in the center of the room: “Collared guests of my father: I grant you permission to rise and to sit at his table.” Maria Elena’s companions responded in unison: “Thank you, Grand Duchess Anyia.” Anyia’s attendants took up positions around the table, with the Grand Duchess sitting at one end and her father sitting at the other. Ceremonially they were the most important people in the room; Vladim as the leader of the nation, and Anyia as the Grand Duchess, the wife of the country’s Grand Duke and representative of the Danubian Royal Family. They were seated first, although Vladim waited for his wife to join him before he sat down. After Anyia and her parents were seated, her attendants quickly took positions behind the other chairs to seat the remaining guests. When everyone was sitting, Anyia tapped a spoon on her wine glass to call her servants to attention. The young women immediately departed to the kitchen and reappeared with four bottles of fine wine and appetizers. One of the attendants presented a bottle to the Grand Duchess, who sniffed the cork and tasted a small portion. With a dismissive flick of her wrist she granted permission for it to be served. The servants filled everyone’s glasses, with the exception of Maria Elena and Tiffany. As collared criminals, they were not allowed to drink alcohol. As she ate the meal’s first course, Maria Elena noted that it was obvious the Royal House servants were extremely disciplined and highly trained. They moved silently and quickly, knowing their duties without the Grand Duchess or anyone else having to tell them what to do. Whenever they weren’t attending to someone’s needs, they immediately went to their knees and kept their eyes facing forward. Their faces were expressionless and their bodies immobile while waiting to serve or attend to the desires of their mistress. All of the women were attractive and in good health, but two of them had welts from a switch criss-crossing their bottoms and shoulders. Another interesting detail was that most of Anyia’s servants did not appear to be Danubian. There were two blond women in the group, one of whom was tall and had a tattoo on her ankle. There was a short woman with olive skin and thick black hair who was from Sicily. There were a couple of others that had mixed ancestry: two who appeared to be part Asian, and another who was part black. Maria Elena did not know it at the time, but the Grand Duchess was fascinated with having foreigners as her servants and liked to “collect” them. She noticed Anyia looking at her intently, but assumed that was due to simple curiosity. Maybe she never had seen a Colombian before… Maria Elena noted that the collars of Anyia’s servants were different from those issued by either the Danubian Ministry of Justice or the Danubian Church. They were much more elegantly crafted, inlaid with silver trim, and marked with the seal of the Royal House. As the meal progressed, it was obvious that the Grand Duchess was enjoying herself and the fact that her position allowed her to act so imperiously. The Prime Minister and his wife looked ill at ease with all the formality, precisely because it entailed their daughter. Everyone else sitting at the table also seemed unhappy with what was going on. Anyia’s older brother Vladik exchanged glances with his father and tightened his lips. Maria Elena noticed Kim and Cecilia exchanging nervous glances, Jason staring sullenly into his plate, and Cynthia with a hurt expression on her face. Anyia’s cousins and in- laws didn’t seem pleased either. However, the young woman was so full of herself that she was oblivious to the discomfort she was causing for the rest of her family. Maria Elena then observed the Prime Minister as he quietly took control of the table and put everyone at ease without overtly offending his daughter. He had a reputation as a skilled negotiator who could talk his way out of any difficult situation, a talent which saved the night for his guests. As much as Anyia wanted to be the star of the evening, her father undercut her without her even realizing it. He engaged everyone at the table in conversation, including the newest member of Victor’s household, but in a way that Anyia did not feel slighted. Still, everyone at the gathering knew that, without the skill of her father to keep her under control, Anyia quickly would have ruined the meal. ---------- Once the final course had ended, two minivans boasting the Royal House emblem arrived to pick up the Grand Duchess and her naked entourage. Anyia said goodbye to her parents by formally kissing each on the hand while her servants knelt with their foreheads pressed to the floor. As soon as Anyia was ready to step outside, the four tallest women of her group held a large canvas cover over her to protect her from the rain. The two trumpeters stepped outside as well, to blow their horns and announce the exit of the Grand Duchess. As Anyia’s servants boarded the minivans, Maria Elena noticed the Prime Minister tightening his lips and exchanging a disgusted look with his wife. Vladim Dukov was an unassuming person who treated everyone with respect and courtesy, while his daughter, because of the nobility she had married into, was totally the opposite. Presumably he should have been proud to see her in such an exalted position, but in truth he was profoundly disappointed and embarrassed every time she was in his presence. ---------- The departure of Grand Duchess Anyia and her entourage lightened the mood in the Prime Minister’s Mansion considerably. The Prime Minister passed out drinks to his brother and nephews, while Jason conversed with the husbands of the Lee sisters. Most of the women gathered around Maritza Dukov while she described a trip she recently had taken to Vienna. The children ran around the dining room table in circles and ducked under the chairs. Kim tapped Cecilia on the shoulder, letting her know that her translating services would be needed. She realized that Maria Elena was totally bewildered by the bizarre spectacle from the Grand Duchess that she had just witnessed, and felt that she owed her client an explanation. Kim explained that actually she knew Anyia well, having lived with her during her sentence as a collared criminal. Vladim Dukov had been Kim’s Spokesman and, because she had nowhere else to live, she stayed with the Dukov family. When Kimberly Lee first met Anyia eight years before, the girl was 14 years old. For a Danubian teenager she was somewhat rebellious, but otherwise was ordinary, with a typical circle of friends from her school. As a young teen, she had never really been pleasant company because of her ill temper and moodiness, but she was approachable and did enjoy having fun. Kim and Anyia spent a lot of time together doing mundane tasks such as grocery shopping. Anyia taught Kim many things she needed to know about her new life in Danubia, such as how to braid her hair and a multitude of slang expressions and popular phrases. Towards the end of Kim’s stay with the Dukovs, Anyia began to mature. That was to be expected, but no one, certainly not Kim, could have foreseen the Path in Life that the Creator had in store for her. Anyia’s personality and interests changed completely when her father was elected Prime Minister. As soon as he took over as the leader of Danubia, Anyia started hanging out with the sons of various leaders from his political party. As a teenager she dated several influential young men, coldly calculating which one could offer her the most in life. She built upon her experiences and set her ambitions higher as she completed her final year in high school. On the night of her school’s graduation ball, she met and danced with the Crown Prince of Danubia, the son of the nation’s Grand Duke. The Crown Prince already was nearly 30 and she was just 18, but she carefully assessed what she needed to do to win him. Within a few minutes of conversation she discovered that he was not happy with his fiancé, figured out why he was not happy, and presented herself as an alternative. Although she was not from the nobility, the Crown Prince was attracted to Anyia from the moment he met her. She was a commoner, but she also was the daughter of the nation’s Prime Minister, which would make her a respectable partner. She was attractive, her background set her apart from the other women he had known, and he found her to be a nice change in a life of Royal monotony. Within a month a scandal erupted when the Crown Prince broke off the relationship with his long-term fiancé and started dating Vladim Dukov’s daughter. However, the girl used her father’s popularity and some excellent acting to get the public to accept her as the partner of the Crown Prince. She had decided that her Path in Life would be as the wife of the Royal heir and the nation’s future Grand Duchess. Anyia was only 20 when she married the heir to the Danubian throne in a lavish ceremony. Perhaps she would have been alright had she and the Crown Prince had enough time to develop their relationship, have children, and prepare themselves for their ceremonial roles as the Royal representatives of the Danubian people. However, just a year after their oldest son married, the old Grand Duke and Duchess were assassinated by drug traffickers when conducting a state visit during a humanitarian mission to Africa. The murder of the Danubian Royal Couple caused several important changes in the Republic. Vladim Dukov’s government became even more intolerant of drug trafficking, passing several harsh new laws to augment the nation’s already draconian anti-drug efforts. Following the Grand Duke’s funeral, the Prime Minister went to the U.N. and gave a defiant speech that excoriated the failure of other governments to do anything about organized crime. As for the Royal Family, the old Grand Duke became a national martyr, even though in life he was a tepid person who had accomplished nothing apart from living off his ancestry. There was an outpouring of support for the Crown Prince and his young bride, both of whom were coroneted in a lavish ceremony. The early coronation, the tragic circumstances that brought it about, and the show of public support for the new Royal Couple had an unfortunate psychological impact on Grand Duchess Anyia. Already her ego was badly inflated because she was the daughter of the Prime Minister and the wife of Royalty, but now, at age 21, she also wore a crown and had become the country’s equivalent of a queen. Her circumstances had not given her the time she needed to mature and put herself and her relationship with the Danubian public in perspective. As she saw it, she was the most important woman in Danubia and embodied the soul of the nation. As such, she felt that the world owed her adoration. She was genuinely taken aback and offended when someone dared to not give her what she was due. Anyia’s relationship with the rest of her family had deteriorated over the past year. She knew that she could not view herself as superior to her father: after all he was the Prime Minister and the nation’s elected leader. However, the treatment of her mother, who was an academic researcher; her brother, who was a cop; and her uncle, who was a private businessman; reflected total contempt for their positions as commoners. Grand Duchess Anyia was so much above them… ---------- The gathering lasted until almost midnight, which was late by Danubian standards. The Prime Minister and his wife wanted to make sure that the evening ended well for everyone by ensuring that his family could go home with other memories besides Anyia’s oppressive spectacle. He passed out yet more wine and called his butler and cook to join the rest of the group. Vladim and Victor led the others in a round of singing, which was a favorite late-night activity of Danubians at parties. There were plenty of jokes that the two brothers should never audition for Kim’s band, since their performance was not stellar. But everyone in the room knew that their singing was genuine, serving no other purpose other than to have fun. Victor led his household home on the last trolley of the evening. Jason tagged along as well, because it was his duty to see that Cecilia was safely home before going home himself. As always, he knelt to say goodbye to Victor before kissing Cecilia and disappearing down the quiet misty street. Pedro was tired and his aunt occupied herself putting him to bed. When she returned to the kitchen, Maria Elena was still cleaning up. As she helped her finish, Cecilia commented: “Be real glad we don’t have to go to that very often. Having dinner with the Royals might sound exciting, but once you’ve done it a couple of times, it’s something you try to get out of if you can. I don’t mind the Grand Duke. He’s actually fun to talk to. But the Grand Duchess is someone you want to avoid like the plague. That’s especially true if you have to go to the Royal Residence. You do not want to be around Anyia when she’s at home bossing everyone around.” “She’s really that bad?” “Well, you saw her. What’d you think of her?” “I guess you’re right. I didn’t like her. She sort of scared me, to be honest.” “I can tell you something else, I feel sorry for her parents. They’re both decent people, and to have that person as their daughter must really suck.”