Back to Chapter 23
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 cold water. The Priestess then unbraided Anyia�s
hair and shampooed it. The Clergywoman ran a comb through the younger
woman�s 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
badly; within a month she had earned the enmity of the school�s 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.
Jennifer�s 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 before� not only red on her
head but also thick red curls covering her vagina. The American�s 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
Jennifer�s 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 friend�s 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 Anyia�s
romantic attentions became focused on the sons of her father�s political
associates. Jennifer pursued her college classes while Anyia finished
high school, so the two friends saw 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 Jennifer�s punishment always fascinated
her. She remembered the entire incident in loving detail: Jennifer�s
terrified teary face, her lovely body, the cruel red switch marks on her
white skin, and the girl�s screams� yes, 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 Jennifer�s
punished bottom. Each time she was about to climax, she imagined herself
whipping Jennifer.
The Priestess thought about Anyia�s confession. Could it be that
Jennifer�s switching was an important event in Anyia�s 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 them� Could 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 1700�s, 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.
Anyia�s thoughts returned to school and specifically to her friend
Jennifer. She hadn�t 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 school� or 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 one�s 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 life� and not becoming the terror and the
degenerate she had turned into. To be simple� like her brother, or her
former housemate Kimberly Lee, or even like her father�
Her father� Anyia 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
man 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. I�ve 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 country�s 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 more� more servants� more dresses� more adoration.
She was living in a nice house with a husband who loved her and was
well-liked by the public: why wasn�t that enough? Indeed� why wasn�t
that enough? That was one of the questions she would have to answer over
the next several days.
----------
Anyia�s 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
hard to think about one�s 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 wet and the
park was completely deserted. It was a perfect setting for a quiet
conversation, even though Anyia�s 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 Anyia�s cruelty, but her greed and her insatiable desire for
more things and more servants. The Priestess believed that was the root
of the Grand Duchess�s 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 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 morning�s 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 Minister�s
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 shouldn�t have had to do that, Priestess. It was my fault� I was the
one who� I mean, he didn�t do anything��
�Anyia Dukov, the Creator has determined that your husband must
sacrifice what is most dear to him, just as you must sacrifice.�
�I� I�ve destroyed him� and the Royal Family� I�ve ruined everything��
�I don�t think that is true, Anyia Dukov. It was the proper time� that�s
all. The time of the Royal Family has passed, and you and your
descendants 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, Priestess� I suppose that�s true. But I can�t 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 won�t
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 significant, because she understood
that she had already passed through the worst part of her personal
abyss.
The final part of Anyia�s journey took her through Dan�bikt M�skt. 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 city�s suburbs. They emerged
into the historical business district and approached the Old City Wall.
Their trip led them right though the city�s 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
nation�s 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 Anyia�s collaring would be
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 Anyia�s 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 that� there 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.
�I� there�s 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 Priestess�s last words greatly put her
at ease. She would be formally 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 Anyia 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 Anyia�s shoulders. After a short
prayer she asked the Grand Duchess 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; 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 Anyia�s 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 Anyia�s 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 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 Dan�bikt M�skt�s 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 likely the fact Danubia�s 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 Minister�s office, but she knew the
relative privacy would be only momentary. She also knew that, at that
moment, the people who had seen her were telling their co-workers about
having seen the Grand Duchess wearing a Church collar� and not just an
ordinary Penance collar, but a lifetime collar.
Dukov�s 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 Minister�s 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 only
semi-hereditary. 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 plant�s 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
Anyia�s 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 same night, Anyia�s 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 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 as a gesture of rejecting fashion. Many
of those admirers took oaths to remain collared as long as the Grand
Duchess remained collared, not realizing that she was wearing a
permanent collar that would never be taken off her neck.
