The Courier
Copyright 2008 by EC
EC's Erotic Art & Fiction - http://www.ecgraphicarts.com/

(warnings: erotic discipline, sex between adults, medical fetish, 
forced public nudity, rape, harsh police interrogation)


Chapter 24 - Anyia's Journey

Upon arriving at the first church along the route Anyia had to 
walk over the next three days, the Clergy allowed her to rest, 
eat, and relieve herself. Then they led her to a stone platform 
that had chains with cuffs suspended over it. They placed her 
wrists in the cuffs and immobilized her with her hands over her 
head. Anyia started to cry, because she thought she was about to 
be whipped. However, the Clergy members only wanted to bathe her. 
They covered her in soap and then rinsed her off with very cold 
water. The Priestess then unbraided Anyias hair and shampooed 
it. She ran a comb through the young womans hair and announced 
that it would remain unbraided.

If you can demonstrate to me that you understand the meaning of 
your experience over the next three days, I will re-braid your 
hair before you assume the collar. You need to prove yourself, 
however. To have your hair braided will be a privilege to be 
earned, not a right to expect. Do you understand me, Anyia 
Dukov?

Yes, Priestess.

The Priests splashed her with several buckets of frigid water and 
then left her to shiver until the cool morning breeze had 
completely dried her. During her three-day walk she would be 
bathed in the same manner at sunrise and sunset. She was not 
allowed to touch her own body so she could not bathe herself. She 
could not dry herself with her own hands; she had to wait for the 
Creator to dry her body with the wind. The frigid water and being 
left to shiver was to remind her how exposed she was; her bare 
body presented to the mercy of the elements of the Realm of the 
Living. 

Once she was completely dry, the Clergy members unchained Anyia 
and led her into the church. She knelt in the proper position of 
Penance, with her hands placed on the ground in front of her, her 
head touching the floor, her knees spread and her back properly 
arched. She was the Grand Duchess, but like any criminal or 
servant, she could feel the cool air blowing against her exposed 
vulva and sphincter. Her bottom still had some belt-marks 
remaining from the punishment her mother had given her the day 
before and five sets of welts crossed her thighs. She was 
humbled, with nothing to set her apart from anyone else who was 
beginning Public Penance. Her hair fell dishonorably around her 
face, but she was grateful for that. Her eyes were covered and 
her view of the world concealed. 

The Priestess prayed, first in silence and then with a prayer in 
Archaic Danubian. She ordered Anyia to kneel upright and 
conversed with her, asking her about some of the mundane details 
of her life before she became Grand Duchess. The questions may 
have seemed trivial, but the Priestess was determined to 
completely understand the young woman in front of her, and often 
one can gain more insight from a trivial interest than from a 
major event. The conversation drifted to a friend that Anyia had 
in high school, an American exchange student called Jennifer 
Thompson. As she talked, Anyia was able to forget about the 
present and go back in time about five years in her life.

Jennifer was a year older than Anyia. Her school year abroad 
started very badly; within a month she had earned the enmity of 
the schools teachers by behaving like she would in the US, doing 
things such as skipping classes and smoking in public. About six 
weeks after classes started, Jennifer was caught smoking in a 
park and brought by the police to her school. The director was 
furious with both her and her counselor and ordered the girl to 
be switched in the gymnasium in front of 400 classmates. She was 
stripped, ordered to lie over a chair, and given the maximum 
punishment a student could receive, which was 25 strokes.

Jennifers behavior calmed down after she was switched, but she 
always fascinated Anyia. The most important detail was her bright 
red hair. Anyia had never seen a girl with red hair beforenot 
only red on her head but also thick red curls covering her 
vagina. The Americans hair obsessed Anyia during the entire year 
they were together in school. Jennifer was a senior, so when her 
class graduated she had to have her hair braided for the final 
ceremony. Anyia was the one who braided Jennifers hair and was 
elated to finally have the chance to touch it, comb it, and 
shampoo it. However, Anyia admitted that what she really wanted 
to do was to run her fingers through the thick red curls covering 
her friends vulva. She felt horribly ashamed of her thoughts 
because of the taboo Danubians had about people of the same sex 
touching each other.

Jennifer spent a second year in Danubia attending classes at the 
National University before she returned to the United States. 
That was the year Vladim Dukov campaigned to become Prime 
Minister and Anyias romantic attentions became focused on the 
sons of her fathers political associates. Jennifer pursued her 
collage classes while Anyia finished high school, so the two 
friends saw very little of each other. Although they now were 
separated, Anyia continued to think about Jennifer and longed to 
be with her and see her naked. However, during the few times they 
saw each other the two young women had no reason to take off 
their clothing and Anyia never saw Jennifer in the nude after 
graduation.

Anyia admitted that watching Jennifers punishment always 
fascinated her. She remembered the entire incident in loving 
detail: Jennifers terrified teary face, her lovely body, the 
cruel red switch marks on her white skin, and the girls 
screamsyes, Anyia remembered all of it. She wished she could 
have been Counselor Tolkiv, the prim imposing teacher who struck 
Jennifer and admonished her. Anyia spent endless hours 
masturbating over the incident and over the memory of Jennifers 
punished bottom. Each time she was about to climax, she imagined 
herself whipping Jennifer.

The Priestess thought about Anyias confession. Could it be that 
Jennifers switching was an important event in Anyias life, a 
single incident that fired up her imagination? That would make 
sense, because Anyia was fascinated with collecting foreigners, 
pushing them into servitude, and physically punishing themCould 
it be that her real desire dated back to her unfulfilled fantasy 
of touching and punishing her American classmate?

----------

A few minutes later the Priestess ordered the Grand Duchess to 
lie on a mat that had been placed on the floor of the church. The 
Clergy member stripped off her dress, hung it on a hook on the 
wall, and lay on a mat next to Anyia. Two Priests entered the 
room and also stripped off their robes. They set their mats a few 
meters away from the women and promptly fell asleep. 

Anyia was exhausted but could not fall asleep for several 
minutes. She studied the mosaic on the church ceiling, which she 
guessed must have been completed in the late 1700s, judging by 
its style. The topic of the artwork was a common religious theme 
popular at the time; a griffin battling a ball of fire in a 
darkened sky. Surrounding the main battle were black-robed winged 
figures that were immensely old. The figures were praying and 
looking at the battle with concern. The image was a 
representation of the time-old fight between the Creator and the 
Destroyer, with the Ancients offering up their prayers to help 
the Creator win. For several centuries Danubian artists had used 
mythical animals to represent the Creator in such works of art, 
although that practice was dropped in the mid-1800s.

Anyias thoughts returned to school and specifically to her 
friend Jennifer. She hadnt thought about Jennifer for a long 
time, because her father already was Prime Minister by the time 
Jennifer left Danubia. Anyia had become so different since that 
time in high schoolor had she? Maybe she was indeed the same 
person, but one that had been allowed to develop her fantasies to 
their extreme. Not many people have the chance to do that. 
Everyone has fantasies, but maybe it is just as well that most 
people cannot realize them, because to have unlimited access to 
ones fantasies was to eventually to become corrupted and fall 
into the trap Anyia Dukov had fallen into.

For the first time in her life the young woman regretted that she 
had become the Grand Duchess. She wished she could have been a 
simpler person, leading a normal lifeand not becoming the terror 
and the degenerate she had turned into. To be simplelike her 
brother, or her former housemate Kimberly Lee, or even like her 
father

Her fatherAnyia realized how superior her father was to her, the 
extent to which he was indeed a better person. Her father was 
Prime Minister, but the position had not corrupted him. He was 
still the same person he had been before he was elected. Unlike 
his daughter, whatever fantasies he had were left in the back of 
his mind. His duty as Prime Minister was to serve the nation, not 
to have the nation indulge him. 

Anyia thought to herself: that was my duty too, but I failed. I 
could have done so much good with my title, and all I did was 
cause trouble. Now I have to start over. Ive wasted so much and 
now I have to see how I can make up for that.

----------

Anyia knew that she would never again wear a crown. The crown 
traditionally worn by Grand Duchesses was in storage and would 
remain there until her successor was coroneted. The one she had 
bought from Monaco no longer existed. Undoubtedly her father 
would have its jewels appraised and then exchange them for gold 
ingots for the National Treasury. It was equally likely he would 
attempt to sell off her expensive collection of clothing. Perhaps 
Kimberly Lee or Cecilia Sanchez would be tasked with posting the 
items to one of those Internet auction sites. 

Anyia cringed at the thought of having her clothing and jewelry 
auctioned, but she knew how her father thought about such 
matters. He felt that it was his duty to the nation to attempt to 
recover as much of the money his daughter had spent as possible. 
There was no way he could come close to recovering the total 
amount she had wasted, but he would be determined to do what he 
could. Every time he could purchase an ingot and return it to the 
National Treasury was a small redemption for his own dishonor for 
having raised such a daughter.

As she lay on her mat staring at a mosaic on the ceiling, Anyia 
continued to think about her father. At first she resented him 
for being such a miser, for having no appreciation for the good 
things life had to offer. However, there was no question that if 
there was any man in Danubia who met the countrys definition of 
honor, it was Vladim Dukov. Anyia realized that her father had 
not changed at all when he became Prime Minister. He was the same 
man with the same outlook on life; a firm belief that the Creator 
had placed him in the Realm of the Living to serve. Being a 
collared criminal, or a Spokesman, or Prime Minister made no 
difference to him. Each position for Vladim Dukov was simply a 
form of service to the Creator and his fellow Danubians with 
differing demands and expectations.

Anyia knew that her father was not a martyr. He did not make 
unrealistic personal sacrifices, nor did he expect anything 
unrealistic from others. He disapproved of the writings and 
beliefs of people such as St. Augustine and Gandhi because he 
felt their expectations of people were cruel and unreasonable. He 
enjoyed a good meal or a good glass of wine or a comfortable bed 
as much as anyone else. However, he remained a simple man with 
simple needs. He wanted only enough from the material world for 
him and his family to be healthy and comfortable. To have 
anything more than that made no sense to him, because to have 
anything more would mean it had to be denied to someone else. His 
reasoning was that the Creator had given him a certain level of 
well-being, something that everyone in Danubia deserved. To want 
or expect anything beyond that would be dishonorable. 

Anyia was just beginning to understand why her father was so 
appalled by her lifestyle. His disapproval went beyond how she 
treated her servants or even her willingness to betray Danubia. 
He could not understand her insatiable quest for moremore 
servantsmore dressesmore adoration. She was living in a nice 
house with a husband who loved her and was well-liked by the 
public: why wasnt that enough? Indeedwhy wasnt that enough? 
That was one of the questions she would have to answer over the 
next several days.

----------

Anyias next night was not a night of reflection, but a night of 
discomfort. The weather had changed and there was a cold drizzle 
falling during the entire walk. She shivered as the cold water 
dripped down her bare skin and her feet sloshed through muddy 
puddles. The Priestess shivered as well, but suffering in such a 
manner was part of her profession, something to be withstood 
stoically.

Although Anyia was not able to think about much except being 
cold, wet, and muddy, the walk of the second night did help clear 
her mind. It is very hard to think about ones past or the deeper 
issues in life when one is exposed and shivering on a cold wet 
dark country road. When daylight came and Anyia saw the second 
church along her path looming in the distance, she felt deep 
gratitude toward the Creator for having made it through her 
second night of her journey. There would be just one more night, 
and then she would arrive at the Temple of the Ancients.

----------


After sleeping through the morning hours, Anyia and the Priestess 
spent the second afternoon of her journey talking in a quiet park 
near a small stream. The weather was clearing, but everything was 
still very wet and the park was completely deserted. It was a 
perfect setting for a quiet conversation, even though Anyias 
uncovered body was shivering in the damp air. 

You must learn to withstand the weather, Anyia Dukov. Your Path 
in Life is to forsake all clothing, and you must train your body 
to accept the consequences of your actions.

Yes, Priestess.

The Clergywoman spent much of the second day lecturing her ward 
about the futility of owning too much of the material world. She 
berated Anyia about the impact that her materialism had on the 
country and everyone surrounding her. She understood that the 
Grand Duchess was aware of the evil she had committed against her 
servants and there was no point wasting her time belaboring 
something she already knew. The big issue was not Anyias 
cruelty, but her greed and her insatiable desire for more things 
and more servants. The Priestess believed that was the root of 
the Grand Duchesss problem greed and an extreme feeling of 
entitlement. 

The two women sat in silence for a while as the sky continued to 
clear. Finally the sun came out and heated the air. Anyia was 
very grateful to feel it shining on her exposed body. Abruptly 
the Priestess changed the subject by taking a folded newspaper 
article out of a folder she was carrying. It was a front-page 
article of that mornings paper.

You are not the only one who must atone for your actions, Anyia 
Dukov.

Anyia saw a picture of her husband standing at the Prime 
Ministers podium in the National Parliament, with her father 
standing right behind him. She read the following:

Royal Grand Duke renounces the Rights and Powers of the Crown

The Royal Grand Duke of the Republic of Danubia formally 
introduced legislation in the National Parliament that requested 
the revocation of most Royal powers and privileges yesterday 
morning

Anyia read several paragraphs and started crying.

He shouldnt have had to do that, Priestess. It was my faultI 
was the one whoI mean, he didnt do anything

Anyia Dukov, the Creator has determined that your husband must 
sacrifice what is most dear to him, just as you must sacrifice.

IIve destroyed himand the Royal FamilyIve ruined 
everything

I dont think that is true, Anyia Dukov. It was the proper 
timethats all. The time of the Royal Family has passed, and you 
and your descendents must make your way in the Realm of the 
Living just like anyone else. The change was necessary. Necessary 
and predestined.

Anyia forced herself to read the rest of the article. The 
Priestess continued:

You are still the Grand Duchess, and your husband is still the 
Grand Duke, even if your role is now only ceremonial. You still 
have your duties to the nation. You still have your husband and 
your marriage, and eventually you will have your children. You do 
have a Path in Life, Anyia Dukov.

Yes, PriestessI suppose thats true. But I cant see how my 
husband is going to forgive me for what I did to him.

Both of you will have to come to terms with what has happened. 
It wont be as hard as you think, Anyia Dukov.

----------

When the sun set that evening, Anyia had to endure another frigid 
bath before the prayers that would precede the final part of her 
journey. The Priestess had one surprise for the Grand Duchess: 
she told Anyia that she needed to have her hair properly braided 
before leaving the Church. Anyia was elated at having that part 
of her life return to normal. It was something small, and yet for 
her very significant, because she understood that she had already 
passed through the worst part of her personal abyss.

The final part of Anyias journey took her through Danube City. 
The two women entered the outskirts around 9:00 pm, just as most 
people were settling down in their houses. For several hours 
Anyia and the Priestess walked through the deserted streets of 
the citys suburbs. They emerged into the historical business 
district and approached the Old City Wall. Their trip led them 
right though the citys main plaza and past the National 
Parliament Building. By the time they approached the Temple of 
the Ancients, the sky was starting to lighten in the east.

----------

Anyia was expecting to be collared in an elaborate ceremony, 
probably with Grand Prophet # 4 present along other members of 
the Church hierarchy. After-all, this was a momentous moment in 
the career of the Priestess and the history of the Danubian 
Church, the collaring of the nations Grand Duchess.

The Priestess knew her ward well-enough to understand that she 
expected her to make a big deal out of her collaring. It was 
precisely because of that anticipation that she decided that 
Anyias collaring would be very simple. Upon arriving at the 
Temple, the Priestess led the Grand Duchess to the back of the 
building, to the spot where the fire-pit was located. She ordered 
the young woman to stand still while she put her hands around her 
throat to measure her neck size. She wrote the measurement on a 
small piece of paper and handed it to a Temple attendant.

Anyia looked around, finding it hard to believe that no one else 
was present. She was deeply disappointed.

Anyia Dukov, wearing the collar is an agreement between you and 
the Creator. In the presence of the Creator you are not any more 
significant than anyone else.

Anyia struggled to answer: Yes, Priestess.

The attendant returned with a Temple collar. The Priestess placed 
the collar in Anyias hands and told her to kneel.

Take a look at this collar, Anyia Dukov. Tell me what you notice 
about it. Is it any different than a collar that we normally 
issue?

Anyia turned the collar over in her hands. It had the typical 
smooth appearance of a collar issued by the Temple. At first she 
thought it was just an ordinary collar, but then she noticed 
thatthere was no hole for a key. Her heart skipped a beat, 
because she realized there was no way to unlock the collar once 
it was on her neck.

Itheres no keyhole, Priestess.

That is correct, Anyia Dukov. This is a permanent collar. It 
will remain with you for the rest of your natural life. Once it 
is on your neck, you will never take it off.

Anyia started trembling.

Yes, Priestess.

A condition of this collar is that you will never discuss with 
anyone in the Realm of the Living why you are wearing it. Your 
Penance is between you and the Creator. Do you understand me, 
Anyia Dukov?

Yes, Priestess.

Anyia was still scared, but the Priestesss last words greatly 
put her at ease. She actually would be prohibited from ever 
talking about the actions that had led her to the Temple, which 
meant that she never would have to explain herself to anyone. No 
journalist could question her; no one could speculate about why 
she was doing what she was doing. By taking the collar, Anyia 
would free herself from her past and the consequences of what she 
had done over the past several years. She knew that was the only 
way she could hope to redeem herself.

The Priestess recited the basic protocol that she would have to 
follow once the collar was on her neck. She would have to 
properly kneel every time she spoke to any public employee or 
Church official and she would officially become property of the 
Danubian Church, with the Priestess as her assigned custodian. 

Just as the sun was rising, the Priestess finished her recital of 
the protocol. She placed her hands on Anyias shoulders. After a 
short prayer she asked Anyia if she was ready to accept the 
collar.

Yes, Priestess. The collar is my Path in Life and I accept it.

Very well, Anyia Dukov.

The attendant handed the Priestess a special set of clamps 
specifically for permanent collars. Anyia felt the metal surround 
her neck. The Priestess placed a small flat piece of wood under 
the open latch of the collar to make sure her skin would not be 
pinched when the device was closed. She nodded at the attendant, 
who squeezed the clamps. The collar clicked shut and the 
Priestess removed the wood.

Stand up, Anyia Dukov.

Anyia stood up.

The Church will always refer to you Anyia Dukov, because to us, 
that is who you are. However, when you leave this Temple, the 
world will see you as the Grand Duchess. You will serve; both the 
Church as Anyia Dukov and the nation as the Grand Duchess.

Yes, Priestess.

I will summon your father and your husband to escort you from 
the Temple. My understanding is that you are to perform a service 
for the public today.

----------

Anyia discovered that the Temple had an underground pool and 
bathing area beneath the main floor. Normally the area was off-
limits to anyone other than Clergy members and attendants, but 
the Priestess decided that Anyia should be properly cleaned up 
before leaving the Temple. She ordered a male attendant to take 
Anyia downstairs and bathe her. She also decided that because the 
Grand Duchess was about to make her first public appearance after 
being collared, it would be important that she be properly 
shaved.

Anyia expected another frigid bath, but the pool was fed by a 
natural hot spring that had been the reason that location was 
chosen for the Temple 3,000 years before. While the attendant 
watched, the Grand Duchess gratefully immersed herself in the hot 
water and allowed the soreness from all that walking to wash 
away. When the attendant called her attention, Anyia got out of 
the water and knelt. The attendant led her to a wash room and 
told her to stand with her hands behind her head. He shaved her 
armpits with an old-fashion straight-edge razor before turning 
his attention to her vulva. He lathered her with soap and quickly 
scraped away the final vestige of any modesty. He ordered her to 
get on her knees and stretch forward so he could shave the small 
amount of hair remaining on her backside. She felt his fingers 
spreading her labia and moving her skin so he could remove 
everything. Whenever the Grand Duchess knelt, everyone present 
would have an unimpeded view of her vulva and sphincter. Once she 
was properly shaven, the attendant ordered her to return to the 
pool.

A few minutes later the Anyias father and husband showed up at 
the Temple to retrieve her. They were initially surprised that 
the Grand Duchess already was collared and that the ceremony had 
not been made public. However, the Priestess explained that 
Anyias collaring was between her and the Creator and that there 
was no purpose in making that into a public spectacle. The 
Priestess then told the two men what she had told Anyia; that she 
was strictly prohibited from ever talking about why she had been 
collared.

The Priestess then sent for Anyia. She was freshly bathed and 
shaven and naked as a person possibly could be, with the pale 
skin of her recently shaved vulva contrasting with her tanned 
body and highlighting its exposure. It was obvious her 
personality was deeply changed, just by looking at her. She was 
very quiet and seemed to be withdrawn. The Grand Duke and the 
Prime Minister realized that she was in no mood to converse about 
anything, so as they escorted her from the Temple they left her 
alone with her thoughts. The Grand Duchess was grateful for the 
few moments of silence.

Once on the street the group was escorted by two cops as they 
walked to the Parliament Building. Anyia quietly followed her 
father and her husband, trying to ignore the shocked expressions 
of passers-by. She knew that the entire nation would have their 
shock later that day, because she had to attend a public event 
dedicating Danube Citys new power plant. As the Grand Duchess, 
she would be the most important person at the ceremony, which 
would be televised. All of Danubia would see her exposed body on 
their television sets that evening. If it was a slow news day, it 
was very likely the fact Danubias Grand Duchess was publicly 
naked would make international news.

Anyia cringed as she entered the Parliament building. As her 
father led her and her husband to his office, dozens of deputies 
and staff members saw her naked body. She noticed most of her 
spectators cast glances not only at her attractive figure, but 
also at her collar. She felt a small relief as she entered the 
Prime Ministers office, but she knew the relative privacy would 
be only momentary. She also knew that, at that very moment, the 
people who had seen her were telling their co-workers about 
having seen the Grand Duchess wearing a Church collarand not 
just an ordinary Penance collar, but a lifetime collar.

Dukovs receptionist let the group into the back office, where a 
lawyer from the Interior Ministry already was waiting. Dukov took 
his place behind his desk, while the Royal Couple and the lawyer 
stood together. As soon as the Prime Minister was still, the 
Grand Duke and the lawyer saluted and the Grand Duchess went to 
her knees. Vladim saluted back, ordered Anyia to rise, and 
ordered his guests to take seats.

You will understand that, as salaried employees of the National 
Parks Service, you will need to review and sign contracts to 
continue performing your duties to the nation. The Minister of 
the Interior has prepared contracts for both of you. Please 
review them, and if you find the conditions acceptable, you will 
sign.

The Royal Couple followed the Prime Ministers order to read 
their contracts. The positions of Grand Duke and Grand Duchess 
were described as historical ceremonial performance, a term 
that typically was used for any public employee paid to perform 
historical re-enactment on properties owned by the National Park 
Service. The contract outlined health benefits, a salary, 
specific duties, and also included causes for dismissal and 
grievance procedures. One major difference from an ordinary 
contract was that the agreement stipulated that the Royal Couple 
had to reside at the Royal Residence and perform their duties on 
a 24-hour basis. Another major difference was that the position 
was semi-hereditary, that if at all possible any new Grand Duke 
should be a direct descendent of the previous Grand Duke, as long 
as that person was qualified to hold the position. In the case of 
breach of contract by the current Royal Couple, the Interior 
Minister had the right to dismiss them. In such a case, all 
direct descendants of King Vladik the Defender would be eligible 
to apply for the position of Grand Duke or Grand Duchess, from 
which a panel of history professors would choose the most 
qualified candidate as a replacement. Treating other National 
Park Service employees with disrespect, any contact with 
foreigners not previously approved by the Prime Minister, and any 
financial transaction not approved by the Minister of the 
Interior were included as grounds for immediate dismissal.

----------

Later that afternoon the Grand Duchess of the Republic of Danubia 
took her position with her husband and her parents at the 
entrance of the new power plant. The ceremony was typical of such 
an event, with traditional dancers and music, as well as several 
songs performed by the children of the new plants employees. 
When the singing was over, the unclothed Grand Duchess passed out 
flowers and prayer cards to the multitude of children crowding 
around her. 

No one said anything about the naked Grand Duchess, because doing 
so would have been an act of disrespect towards the Danubian 
Church. However, throughout the event the news cameras focused on 
documenting Anyias body and there were plenty of spectators and 
plant employees who wanted pictures of her. She had to kneel in 
the traditional position of Penance during parts of the ceremony, 
placing her shaven vulva on full display. The news cameramen had 
no reservations about getting close-up shots of the Grand Duchess 
while she was kneeling. Anyia was well-aware of her exposure, but 
she was performing Penance and had forfeited her right to any 
modesty.

----------

That night the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess returned to a house 
that now was property of the National Park Service and ate dinner 
at a table that no longer belonged to them. The cooks already 
were back at work, having signed contracts with the Interior 
Ministry. The Royal Couple was served by a uniformed National 
Park Service employee. Eventually several collared criminals 
would be hired to replace Anyias servants, but they, like the 
cooks, would work directly under the newly-appointed 
administrator for the grounds. No one would be taking any orders 
from either the Grand Duke or the Grand Duchess, because their 
servants were public employees and role-playing actors, just as 
was the Royal Couple.

Anyia was not sure what to say to her husband, now that they were 
alone. Reallywhat could she say to him? Eventually they would 
have to start talking to each other, but what on earth could they 
say?

He told her to stand up and approach him. She obeyed him and 
knelt. At that moment the Grand Duke realized that he did have 
one servant remaining, his wife. She was collared and he wasnt, 
which meant that according to protocol she was obligated to kneel 
whenever she spoke to him. She would indeed follow protocolhe 
would see to that. She would learn to serve and feel the 
consequences when she fell short of his expectations.

Without telling her to get up, he went to the main reception hall 
and retrieved the finely crafted switch that had been hers, right 
where his father-in-law had thrown it after whipping her legs. He 
returned to the dining room and touched her on the shoulder. She 
knelt upright and nervously looked at the implement in her 
husbands hand.

The Grand Duke touched Anyia on the cheek, just as she was 
accustomed to doing with her servants. She took a deep breath as 
he offered her a hand to help her stand up. He led her to an 
antique table and told her to place her hands on the top. He 
gently stroked her backsideher shoulders, her legs, and her 
bottomwith the implement.

Youve never been switched, have you?

No. I never have.

Your father told me somethingon Monday. I had just finished my 
speech in Parliament and he had me join him for lunch in his 
officeand he talked about you a bit. He told me there was one 
time that he threatened to punish you, but he didnt want toand 
ended up just threatening you.

Yes, I was upset my parents wouldnt let me wear my school 
uniform the way I wanted to. I screamed at themfor days I 
insulted them and totally freaked out over it. And my father sat 
me down and told me hed punish me if I didnt shut up.

He talked about that. He told me that he deeply regretted not 
punishing you. Your mother wanted him to, but he didnt want to 
hurt you.

Anyia didnt know what to say. She wondered what would have 
happened had her father gone ahead with the switching. Maybe she 
would have hated him all that much morebut she knew that on that 
day she had learned the wrong lesson from him. She was not 
grateful at having a father who couldnt bring himself to punish 
her for insulting him. Instead she continued to secretly resent 
the limits that he had placed on her. From that resentment she 
developed a sense of entitlement, a feeling that was re-enforced 
by everything that had happened to her since her father became a 
candidate for Prime Minister. Everyone adored her, and she knew 
that was only natural because she deserved to be adored.

The Grand Duke interrupted her thoughts by tapping her bottom 
with the switch.

I wont tie you, because to be tied is unfitting for a Grand 
Duchess. But I do expect you to keep your hands on the table 
until I am finished.

Anyia nodded, positioning her backside for the first stroke. The 
Grand Duke twisted back and stuck her in the middle of her 
bottom. The stroke was not very severe, but Anyia took a deep 
breath as the pain mounted. The Grand Duke struck a second time, 
again with a stroke that stung sharply but was not overly severe.

The Grand Duke wanted to switch his wife for a very long time, so 
he did not hit her as hard as he could have with any single blow. 
Instead he struck her repeatedly; on her bottom, her thighs, and 
her back. None of the strokes was severe enough to make her 
scream, but her body heaved with sobs as the switch landed on her 
over and over, with no hint that the punishment would stop 
anytime soon. There were breaks during which the Grand Duke 
walked around the table tapping his hand with the implement, but 
she knew that soon enough the break would end and the punishment 
would begin again.

As the whipping dragged on, Anyia experienced something very 
strange. As desperate as she was to have the punishment end, 
there was a part of her that wanted it to continue. She was in 
pain, but also she felt increasingly satisfied, and even excited. 
When the Grand Duke finally did finish, she hugged him as she 
cried into his chest.

A few moments later the Royal Couple was in the antique bed that 
no longer belonged to them. She was on her hands and knees, with 
her husband vigorously thrusting into her as he ran his hands 
over her welt-covered back. Out of all of the orgasms she had 
enjoyed, this one was the best.

----------

That same night, Anyias fans and admirers watched her 
performance at the power plant dedication ceremony on television, 
transfixed by the idea she was performing Public Penance. Because 
the public did not know the real story behind what had happened 
the previous week, most of her audience assumed that she was 
collared because she had regretted her materialistic lifestyle 
and the evil worship of cloth, as the Church put it. That 
assumption had a very strong impact on thousands of young women 
who had been following her wardrobe. The Grand Duchess had 
repented of her materialism, inspiring many others to do the same 
thing. Over the next week hundreds of young people, mostly women 
but also some men, reported to Churches and Temples around 
Danubia to ask for collars and start performing Public Penance. 
Many of her admirers took oaths to remain collared as long as the 
Grand Duchess remained collared, not having realized that she was 
wearing a permanent collar that would never be taken off her 
neck.
 
