Note: This story was dynamically reformatted for online reading convenience. This is a work of fiction. All characters and events are imaginary. Any similarity with real life events is purely coincidental. Some of these stories contain erotic and often very violent and immoral content. To continue reading, you should be 18 years or older, and over the age of majority in your country. You should also understand the difference between fiction and reality. If any of these conditions do not apply, leave now. --------------------------------------------------------------- Author: Doppelganger Main website: /~doppelganger/ Title: A Noble Princess Keywords: (M/F, humil, tragic, viol, snuff) Optional Keywords: (snuff) --------------------------------------------------------------- Selene is a princess who lives in the Whitestone castle, which is the heart of a small realm called Lumberia. Her father and brother are good and fair rulers, and they try to administer justice properly and keep people fed, invest gold reserves in infrastructures that benefit the common people too, etc. As a woman with an older brother, she is not expected to rule, but she invests time in studying to develop inventions, and just for the sake of knowledge too. She also invests time training in combat, to the point of being reasonably good for a woman (but realistic, though). One day, an army approaches Lumberia. News would be that they have laid waste to the previous lands they have sieged. The king and the prince join their army and go meet the invaders at the border, to avoid them ransacking and massacring the farms that stand in the territory outside the castle. They design a plan that would give them strategic advantage using the features of the landscape, but eventually they are outsmarted and ambushed. Besides, even though Lumberia has pretty advanced technology and a lot of natural resources in the lands around it, the focus of their development is not completely militar, and it is not big in terms of population. The invading army ends up being much bigger than theirs, and more experienced in battle. The king's army is defeated and massacred, and both the king and the prince die in battle. Now, Selene is the ruler of the realm, and the castle and the surrounding extended walls are the only remaining stronghold, almost without any more army or able men. Only children, women, elderly and very few remaining personal guards. The castle would not be able to withstand a final attack. But since it is still a pretty good defensive spot, avoiding open assault would to save casualties on the invader's side. Besides, they would be able to better exploit and reuse the rich infrastructures and resources of the castle if these are left untouched. The invader may also see an advantage in keeping most inhabitants working, because his army also needs supplies and fertile land being worked. Thus, the leader of the invading army sends a message, saying that he offers to engage in personal combat with the remaining element of the royal house, outside the walls of the castle. If he wins, he will leave, while if he is defeated he promises to spare the lives of the inhabitants and integrate them into his new realm without further bloodshed, as long as they submitted to him as new ruler. If the challenge is not accepted, he says, he will lay the castle to waste and slaughter every woman and child in it. Of course, he knows that the only remaining mbember of the house is a woman, and this will be a piece of cake for him. Selene faces now a dilemma: she could try to run away with a few loyal guards, or she could even kill herself in a quick way and avoid anu possible humilliation and pain. But she doesn't want to betray her people, and thus she has no other option than accepting the offer. He can put the conditions he wants for the duel, as he has clearly the upper hand. He wants to do things in a specially humilliating way for her, so the citizens, watching from the top of the walls, will be clear on who is the new ruler, and that he is to be feared.