Note: This story was dynamically reformatted for online reading convenience. ï>¿The Courier by EC 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 fiance, 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 fiance, 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 fiance 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." Chapter 14 - A summons from the Grand Duchess On Friday morning at the end of the first week in September, Maria Elena began her normal routine at home before reporting to the university for language tutoring and yet more hedge-trimming. However, no sooner had she reported to work and picked up the hedge trimmer, than her boss told her that she had a call from her Spokeswoman. The news was that she and her translator needed to report immediately to the Central Police Station. Although the man was speaking in Danubian, Maria Elena had learned enough of the language that she could understand what he was telling her. She knelt, was dismissed, and located Cecilia in her office. The urgency of Kim's request worried both women, but they rushed to the University trolley stop to catch the next trolley going downtown. As usual, Maria Elena had to stand; her hands gripping the pole above her head and her body totally exposed to the other passengers. However, she had become used to the restriction and no longer really thought about it. As much as she would have liked to take a seat, she knew that seating on public transportation was off-limits to anyone wearing a collar. A few minutes later, Cecilia and Maria Elena got off the university line transport, entered the Central Police Station, and ascended the steps to the third floor. When they entered the Spokeswoman's office, they noticed two men wearing tunics with the Royal House emblem engraved on their chests. Both men wore ceremonial swords on sword-belts and sported ridiculous-looking hats with large feathers. Maria Elena knelt, trying as best she could to not laugh at the two men's silly clothing. One of the men pointed at Maria Elena while speaking to Kim in Danubian: "Spokeswoman, is this the foreign criminal who was assigned the number 101025 by the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Danubia?" "Yes, Lord. She is my client, Criminal # 101025." "Excellent, Spokeswoman. You and your translator will have the honor of standing in the presence of the Grand Duchess of the Republic of Danubia and performing a service for Her Graciousness. You are ordered to bring your client to the Royal House and present her to Grand Duchess Anyia." Kim went pale, but managed to reply: "Yes, Lord. What time are we to comply with the wishes of the Grand Duchess?" "Now. You will bring this criminal to the main entrance of this building, where one of the Royal transports will be awaiting the three of you." "Lord, I will accept the honor the Grand Duchess has bestowed upon me. I wish for one favor in return. I'd like 10 minutes, so I can do several things, including calling my supervisor to tell him you've summoned me, turning off my client's collar transmitter, and dressing more appropriately to be in her presence. Can you grant me that favor, Lord?" "It is inappropriate to keep the Grand Duchess waiting, Spokeswoman. But we will grant you that request." With that, Kim and Cecilia saluted and the two Lords saluted back. The Spokeswoman left her client and her assistant kneeling in the front office, while retreating with Cecilia into the back office. She shut the door. As Kim dialed her supervisor, Cecilia whispered in English: "What's going on?" "What do you think is going on? Anyia. Our 'gracious' Grand Duchess. That crazy bitch wants to 'honor' us by having us go to her place, all the way to Daguruckt-Tok, and see how 'gracious' she is. We get the privilege to escape from our own pathetic existence and see the true splendor that... " Kim interrupted when her supervisor picked up. She quickly explained that she was summoned to go to the Royal House with her Colombian client and her translator and would not be able to make it an arraignment hearing she had with a new client in the afternoon. She vaguely hoped that the hearing would be too important and that Anyia would have to wait.s However, her supervisor told her to immediately go to the Royal House and that he would call the committee to postpone her client's hearing. Kim hung up. "How great. How fucking wonderful. Now Anyia even gets to mess with the arraignment schedule of the Ministry of Justice! In other words, I've got a client who's sitting in a holding cell and he's got to stay there until I get back... whenever that is!" Cecilia said nothing, noting that her friend was seething with anger. The Spokeswoman opened her closet and began tearing off her clothes. She grabbed a linen dress from her collection and tossed another to Cecilia. There was no way the two women could wear everyday clothing if they were going to visit the Royal Family. From experience Kim knew that she needed to be prepared for suddenly having to change into fancier clothing and kept her office closet well-stocked with outfits. As soon as Kim and Cecilia were properly attired in fine linen dresses, the Spokeswoman opened the door. Maria Elena was still on her knees with her forehead pressed to the floor. She didn't have a clue what was happening. After stopping on the ground floor to have the criminal's collar deactivated, the three women followed the two Lords to a waiting minivan. In any other country a ride in a minivan would have been no big deal, but in Danubia, where privately-owned vehicles were illegal, to ride in a car was a luxury that few people had experienced. The Royal Family was a major exception to the prohibition of cars, because the Estate had several minivans at its disposal. Unlike nearly everyone else, the Royals and their servants never rode on public transportation. The two members of the nobility, who had introduced themselves as Lord Horskti and Lord Vidmarkt, escorted the three women to a waiting van, where the driver and a kneeling naked male servant were waiting. As soon as everyone was on board, the vehicle pulled away and moved unimpeded towards the western edge of Danubikt Moskt. The van passed Vladik Dukov's house and the yellow sign that ordinarily would have marked the edge of Maria Elena's world. It emerged into the Danubian countryside and descended into a valley, passing several potato farms and fruit orchards. The van approached the western entrance of a provincial town called Daguruckt-Tok, but veered to the north and entered an estate at the foot of a forested hill. The vehicle proceeded under an ornate gate and continued along a tree-lined road that passed through a beautiful park. Finally the van stopped at a pretentious 19th-Century brick mansion that boasted a multitude of turrets, balconies, and towers. A man dressed in a tunic blew a horn as the van pulled up to the front entrance. Eight naked young men filed out the door carrying Royal banners and lined up along a red carpet leading into the mansion. They draped the banners over the carpet, but as the two Lords and their guests approached each banner, it was lifted out of their way. Maria Elena noticed two details about the young men. Like the female servants she had seen at the Prime Minister's house, all of them were handsome and in excellent physical shape. Also, the men wore ornate collars identical to the ones worn by Anyia's personal escort. Maria Elena and Cecilia still did not understand what was going on. Kim suspected that she did know, and her expression reflected a combination of anger and worry. She had noticed Anyia intensely studying her client at the Prime Minister's residence. That gave her a bad feeling, and the call from the Royal Household in the morning confirmed her concern. The two Lords and the three women were escorted into a reception area. They stood at attention while Maria Elena knelt. The Lords were perfectly silent, while Kim and Cecilia were too intimidated to move or make any noise. The group remained still for several minutes, enough for Maria Elena's body to start cramping from staying immobilized in an uncomfortable position for too long. Finally two of the female servants Maria Elena had seen at the Prime Minster's dinner appeared and opened the doors to the main ceremonial chamber. As soon as the doors were open the servants knelt and put their heads on the floor. Bewildered and frightened, Maria Elena followed her Spokeswoman and her translator to the main reception room. The room was the most attractive place Maria Elena had yet seen in Danubia, made from finely-crafted wood and decorated with amber, dimly lit by stained glass windows covered with dark silk curtains. A red rug led to a throne in which the Grand Duchess was seated. Her naked attendants were kneeling on both sides of the red rug, absolutely still and expressionless. Their uncovered bodies sharply contrasted with the rich colors of the room and Anyia's elaborate clothing. Kim and Cecilia led their trembling companion before Dukov's imperious daughter. The Spokeswoman pointed at the carpet, indicating that Maria Elena needed to kneel. Kim and Cecilia remained standing, but they had to salute Anyia before she would speak to them. The Grand Duchess held a finely crafted leather switch, which she used to point and to threaten servants she felt were not performing to Royal House standards. She used it to point at Maria Elena and addressed Kim in Danubian: "Spokeswoman Lee-Dolkivna, I am pleased that you have fulfilled your duty by bringing me this criminal." Kim saluted and replied: "Yes Grand Duchess." Anyia reached forward and tapped Maria Elena's bare back with the tip of her switch. "I want to examine your client. Tell her to stand up and assume the prisoner's stance." "Yes, Grand Duchess." Cecilia translated, telling the criminal to stand and face the Grand Duchess, then to spread her legs and put her hands behind her head. Anyia's eyes scanned her exposed body. For a Latin American woman she was tall and light-skinned, but her jet black hair and dark eyes set her apart from women in the Danubian Republic. Maria Elena could tell that the obnoxious young noblewoman was fascinated with her. The Grand Duchess explored her body with light touches of the switch, poking one of her breasts, pressing her inner thigh, stroking her cheek, and placing the tip of the switch under her chin to make her lift up her head. With a quick tap Anyia instructed Maria Elena to turn sideways, then with another tap instructed her to make another quarter turn to display her backside. "Spokeswoman, tell your client to face me and kneel." Once Maria Elena was kneeling, Anyia spoke again: "Tell your client to kneel forward, then to get up and get a tray from the kitchen. Tell her to pour me a glass of wine and to serve it to me. Tell her that she will bring me the wine on a tray, upon returning she will kneel without spilling the glass, and then she will hold out the tray to present the wine." "Yes, Grand Duchess." Cecilia translated the command, adding: "Please don't mess this up. The trays are in the cabinet on the right side of the main kitchen door. Just say 'vinokt' and the cook will get you a bottle and pour you a glass." Still trembling, Maria Elena did as she was told. First she retrieved a tray, then approached the head cook and said "vinokt", waited for him to fill a glass, and returned to the Grand Duchess. She managed to kneel without spilling the glass, in spite of being totally bewildered and terrified. When Anyia took the wine she spoke to Kim again: "Spokeswoman, has this Criminal gone on trial yet?" "Yes, Grand Duchess, she was tried and convicted about a month ago." "What are the crimes of which she was convicted, Spokeswoman?" "Drug trafficking, cocaine possession, and violating her body, Grand Duchess." "Hmmm... so her sentence is... " "She was sentenced to 35 years, Grand Duchess." "Good, a nice long sentence. Then, I want her for the Royal Estate. You will go to the judge who sentenced her and tell him that as of next Monday, the Ministry of Justice is ordered to surrender custody of this criminal to my representative. Next Monday morning you are ordered to take her to the Central Courthouse and have her collar removed so she can be fitted with a Royal House collar. You also will understand that from this point, any official working for the Ministry of Justice is prohibited from touching her. Do you understand me, Spokeswoman?" Kim's face went pale upon hearing the command, but she managed to respond: "Yes, Grand Duchess." Kim and Cecilia exchanged nervous glances. Anyia snapped: "Is there a problem, Spokeswoman?" "Grand Duchess, I'm... concerned about one thing. My client still doesn't speak much Danubian. The only language she knows is Spanish. We're working on that, but right now she needs to have a translator and... " Anyia cracked her switch hard against the chair and stood up. She then pointed the implement at Kim, as though she were threatening to punish her: "Listen, Spokeswoman... I don't appreciate you arguing with me... questioning a decision I've made on behalf of the Royal House! You're nothing but a low-level Public Servant and you need to remember that when you talk to me! The Royal House has made its decision and it's your duty to do what you need to do to facilitate that decision!" She cracked the switch on her chair a second time before touching it to Kim's cheek in a menacing manner. "Do you understand me, Spokeswoman?" Kim's eyes went wide with shock and anger. It was clear that both she and Cecilia were taken aback by the Grand Duchess's outburst, tone of voice, and the fact she dared to physically threaten her. Maybe it was true that she was the wife of the Grand Duke, but it was also true that it was not the Middle Ages. Even if Anyia was Royalty, she had no business speaking to a Public Employee in such a manner. However, Kim remained calm. She took a deep breath and replied: "Yes, Grand Duchess. I will do what I can to prepare my client for her duties in the Royal House." "Very well, Spokeswoman. I will overlook your vile display of disrespect. You are to inform your Ministry that this Criminal is now property of the Royal Family. I am granting you the privilege of temporary custody, pending her delivery to the Royal Estate." "Yes, Grand Duchess." "Good. Now you are dismissed. Make sure this criminal is properly cared for. I want her in top physical condition when she is brought to the Royal Residence." "Yes, Grand Duchess." Kim and Cecilia saluted the Grand Duchess before doing a crisp about-face. Cecilia instructed Maria Elena to get off her knees and follow them out of the room. The Colombian was totally bewildered, because she had not understood much of the conversation between her Spokeswoman and that weird queen, or whatever the hell she was. She knew something unpleasant had happened in that room, but didn't have a clue what. Lord Horskti and Lord Vidmarkt presented Kim with three sets of documents printed on Royal House parchment and decorated with Royal House seals. The Spokeswoman was ordered to present one set to the Minister of Justice and the second set to the judge who had presided over Criminal # 101025's trial. The final set would be placed into Maria Elena's folder in Kim's office. The documents officially transferred custody of her to the Royal Household once she was convicted. A representative of the Royal Family would show up next Monday at the Courthouse to collar her and transport her to the Royal Estate. Maria Elena watched the proceedings with concern, every so often casting a pleading glance at her translator for an explanation of what was going on. Cecilia said nothing, because she was afraid to speak without being given any instructions to do so. However, the Dominican's expression clearly indicated that something was not right. Finally the Lords returned the three women to the minivan for transport back to the Central Police Station. Kim held a folder containing the Royal House documents as she took her seat. Maria Elena noticed there were tears in her eyes and her hands were shaking. Cecilia's eyes were wide open and nervously looking around as the van quickly passed through Danubikt Moskt on its way downtown. When the van stopped, Kim and Cecilia saluted the two Lords while Maria Elena and the naked servant responsible for opening the car doors knelt. As soon as Lord Horskti and Lord Vidmarkt had returned to the van and departed, Kim clenched her teeth and began trembling with rage. She calmed down enough to speak to Cecilia in English: "That fucking megalomaniac! See what I told you? See what I told you? You didn't think she was that bad, did you?" Cecilia was at a loss for words: "I... didn't... I mean... but how... I mean, what happened to her?" "How would I know? I don't know what happened to her! I guess all that nobility crap went to her head... It pisses me that the Grand Duke puts up with it... It pisses me... because they're State employees, just like me... I mean, all that Royalty shit is just ceremonial... that's all it is, Cecilia... ceremonial... and they're nothing but a bunch of spoiled actors... She doesn't realize... " "So, what are you gonna do?" "With Maria Elena?" "Yeah... " "I've got to turn her over. I don't have any choice... " "Do you think she's gonna be OK?" Kim thought for a moment. "I don't know. To be honest, I don't think she'll be OK at all. The Royal House isn't where she ought to be. I wanted her to have a normal life, and she's not going to get that from our little 'Marie Antoinette'." "Can't you talk to anyone?" "To who, Cecilia? Who am I gonna talk to? The Prime Minster? He's got his hands too full as it is and right now can't afford a fight with the Grand Duke. To my supervisor at the Ministry? No... 'cause he'll support Anyia. It's a tradition the Royals get the pick of any criminals they want... it's a privilege that goes back eight centuries. I'm not going to be able to argue over who's getting custody of Criminal # 101025, 'cause no one's gonna support me. Everyone will say she's better off with the Royals 'cause it's tradition and they'll treat her nice... and they'll say that because they don't know what a crazy bitch Anyia's turned into!" "What about talking to Anyia, or the Grand Duke?" Kim shook her head. "Talk to Anyia? Anyia is worried about one thing in life, and that is, what's the latest thing that can make her happy. The Grand Duke is worried about one thing in life, and that is, what's the latest thing that can make Anyia happy. Everyone else on that estate is worried about just one thing in life, and that is, what's the latest thing that can make the Grand Duchess happy. It's all about keeping 'Marie Antoinette' happy." Kim calmed down enough to talk in a normal tone of voice and stop trembling from anger. She reflected: "The tragic part of all this is that the Royals are still popular. Not much of Anyia's behavior has leaked out to the public... yet. Once the truth gets out and the people become disillusioned with her... I don't know what'll happen. It'll hurt the Prime Minister, I can tell you that, because she's his daughter... and the reputation of the Royal Family... " "Then you need to talk him. You're not doing any good by telling me all of this. You need to tell it to Anyia's father." "Yes, I suppose you're right. I ought to talk to Prime Minister Dukov about Anyia. At least I can try to warn him. I can tell you though; this is not something he wants to deal with right now." "So... what about Maria Elena?" "We've got to tell her. We don't have the right to keep it from her. Anyhow, I'll have to tell her to learn as much Danubian as she can over the next couple of days. I'll try to put a positive spin on it, tell her she'll be living in a nice place, that she won't have to deal with the scheduled switchings, that she probably won't even have to do anything that will get her hands dirty. It's best that she go into the Royal Household with a positive attitude... " "That's not gonna happen, Kim... the positive attitude, I mean. She's not gonna want to go there." "Like that matters? It isn't what I want either, but I'm holding three sets of papers telling me that what I want, what I think is best for my clint, isn't worth shit." ***** Kim's plans to sit down with her client and calmly explain what was going to happen to her went awry the moment the three women entered the Spokeswoman's office. It turned out that Tiffany had gone into labor and it was unlikely she could be safely moved to a hospital. Fortunately the Central Police Station had a staff of doctors and nurses, so medical help was just two flights of stairs away. As a doctor and several assistants came into the front office, Kim and Cecilia moved a recovery table into the center of the room and tossed a sheet over it. The medical staff quickly took over and lifted the naked criminal onto the table. The Prime Minister's second grandson was destined to be born on the third floor of the Central Police Station, in the office where he had worked when he was a Spokesman himself. Kim called Vladik to let him know that his wife was giving birth in her office, then turned to Cecilia and Maria Elena to dismiss them. There wasn't any point in having them stay because the room was barely large enough for the medical staff, let alone any witnesses. Cecilia was not too concerned about Tiffany's safety; after all, the child was her second and the medical staff helping her was comparable to what she would have had in the hospital. She would stay out of the way and congratulate her the next day. Kim would remain in the office and comfort her, because Vladik was too far away to make it time to actually see the baby being born. ***** It was late afternoon when Cecilia and Maria Elena exited the Central Police Station onto the Central Plaza. With Kim occupied with her assistant, it was up to Cecilia to break the news about the Colombian's pending transfer of custody. She decided that it would be best if they walked back to the university so they could talk. They would be walking for about an hour, which would give her enough time to fully explain what Maria Elena could expect. Cecilia was not a subtle or tactful person, so she simply told Maria Elena what was going to happen the following week. At first Maria Elena simply thought that she no longer would be working at the university, but Cecilia corrected her: "No. You're not just changing your job. Your custodianship is being changed. The Ministry of Justice won't have any control over you at all. Spokeswoman Lee-Dolkivna won't be your custodian anymore because she can only be the custodian of a criminal who's assigned to the Ministry. You're going to be handed over to the Royal Family. They'll be your new owners, so my guess is that your custodian is gonna be the Grand Duchess." "But I thought that... my Spokeswoman said... the Danubian government owns me." "They do, but if the Royals want a criminal, it's a custom that the Ministry of Justice hands 'em over. They have a special arrangement that's a tradition. If they want you, they can take ownership of you at any time." "But... I don't want to go there... to that house... " "So? Spokeswoman Lee-Dolkivna doesn't want you to go there either. She's upset, but right now there's nothing she can do about it." ***** Tiffany's second son was born after a brief labor, which confirmed the decision of the doctor to have her deliver in Kim's office instead of transporting her to a hospital. However, as soon as it was clear that she and the baby were in good health, the medical staff moved both of them to the infirmary, for subsequent transportation to a nearby clinic. Vladik arrived on the scene, which allowed Kim to excuse herself and deal with her newest problem, the pending transfer of Criminal # 101025 to the Royal Family. Kim did not see how she could prevent the transfer from happening, given that she had such short notice. It already was Friday afternoon and the transfer would take place on Monday morning. However, the Spokeswoman decided to file an official petition to have the transfer reversed, which would work its way up through her supervisor to the Minister of Justice. It was possible that the Prime Minister himself would get involved, given that the Grand Duchess was his daughter and Criminal # 101025 was the lover of his brother. Kim cringed at the thought of involving the Prime Minister in a dispute between his brother and his daughter over the custody of a criminal, because the prospects of the affair blowing up into a public scandal were daunting. To file a petition was a grave decision for her own future as well. There was a possibility that officially confronting the wishes of the Royal Family would cost her career. However, she felt that she had no choice, because she had taken an oath to pursue the interests of her clients to the best of her ability. If she failed to uphold her oath, she would be dishonored, and to be dishonored was much worse than to be unemployed. She felt that it was clear that it was in Maria Elena's best interest to remain with Victor Dukov and continue her life working at the university. Spokeswoman Lee-Dolkivna would do everything she could to have custody of Criminal # 101025 returned to the Ministry of Justice. She was determined that her stay with the Royal Family would be as brief as possible. She had heard stories about some improper behavior going on at the Royal Residence... and knowing Anyia, she suspected that the stories were true.