Arillia by Illuminati Architect

Chapter Nineteen, Masks

After breakfast on Sunday, 19th Maalisku, 23rd year of Peter III, we returned to my room where Polly insisted that I wear a black mask with my “French Maid” costume for Carnel’s 16th birthday party. The purpose of this was soon revealed when Rebecka joined us, wearing an outfit identical to my own and a wig that matched the color of my hair. Our slight difference in skin tone could still distinguish us, and if one looked closely under the masks, our eye colors. Alice wore the same “Chinese” costume as Polly but with a stylized red dragon pattern instead of Polly’s blue dragon. (And a bigger waistline and other adjustments to fit her figure, which was fuller everywhere except for their identical sizes for breasts and buttocks, at least with proper underwear support for Alice’s merely human sag.)

When we four entered the great hall, I saw that Carnel was wearing a green costume with white fir trim with her red hair in twin ponytails under a hat with two horns while Elizabeth wore white robes with light gray trim, and her blonde hair flowed loosely under a crown of stylized snowflakes.

Carnel turned from her preparations. “Arillias?”

I curtsied to my sister. “What brings Poki, the legendary demigod founder of Nordisle, to this humble kingdom? And I see you are here with your mother, the goddess Skuda. Are you getting along well now?”

“Ha! She knows that I shall overcome every challenge she throws against me. From her volcanoes, I shall make an island. From the wild beasts she sends against me, I will have food and shelter, and should she send a warrior woman to take my life, then I shall have that woman as my bride!”

I was surprised that Elizabeth wasn’t attending the party as that bride. But I suppose she could have worn her usual clothing and hairstyle and matched the legendary warrior queen Brunde in size, strength, and appearance.

“May we inquire as to the occasion for this great feast your lordship has summoned we four humble maids to assist with?”

“It is the sixteenth birthday of some local princess.” Carnel waved her hand dismissively. “But what excuse have I ever needed for a party?”

I had Polly and Alice act as waitresses to assist the castle staff while Rebecka announced arrivals at the door, imitating my voice and being advised by me over our earring link as to the names of the guests. Most were shocked to be greeted by “myself,” but one late arrival was not fooled.

“Prince of Excelsior, Peter Matthews Fletcher.” She bowed to my blackish-blue-haired, purple-eyed former upperclassman, who seemed to have been one of the few who had “gotten the memo” about the costume party as he was dressed as Sir Peitieus, the legendary traveling bard from Frankia.

“You are not Arillia.” He reached out his hand to lift her chin and examine her face.

Let him walk into our trap! I told her over the link.

Rebecka allowed Prince Peter to tilt her head as he studied her face. So intent was he that he either paid no attention to her stance, lacked the combat training to understand the danger, or had total contempt for his survival.

I stepped forward. “Prince Peter, from how intimate you are being with Lady Rebecka, one might think you betrothed.”

He stepped back and bowed to us. “My apologies, Princess Arillia. I pray that the noblewoman will forgive my imprudence, Lady Rebecka of?”

“She is Lady Rebecka of Ioa. Might this humble maid introduce Sir Peitieus to Lord Poki?”

“Your demigod seems to be busy at the moment.” He glanced over to Carnel, who was seated at a table next to Elizabeth, while a dozen students from the academy crowded around to ask questions about her lectures. Carnel seemed to have forgotten the costume she was wearing and responded as herself to their queries.

Prince Peter turned back and let his eyes roam over my body in my tight dress before snapping up to match my gaze.

I smiled back at him. He was the biggest fish in attendance, and I was bait. If I could get my hooks in him, all of Hahnunah might fall before me. The united new continent could then stand against all the might of the old.

“In the meantime, might Your Highness grant me the honor of a dance?”

“For today, Sir Peitieus, I am but a humble maid and serve at your pleasure.” I curtsied to him.

He took my hand and led me to the hall’s center. “Do your musicians know Fille Taverne?”

“But of course.” I nodded to them, and they began playing the traditional Frankia song as the hall fell silent.

We danced together as we sang the duet in the roles of the two young lovers, their longing for each other, and the cruel fates that kept them apart.

He let his hands roam a bit too freely over my body during the dance, and at the final dip, I slid my left thigh playfully along his modest erection.

As he held me close, I whispered to him. “Your Highness seems to be in some discomfort. Perhaps we can retire to private quarters where I might assist him with that?” Once we were alone, I planned to turn my power on him. He was one of the few men who appealed to me physically, and once I had reshaped his personality to suit my needs, I would have no qualms about bearing the children of my puppet king of Hahnunah.

“Soon,” he replied, “But first, I must exchange greetings with your sister.”

We held hands as we bowed to the applause of the guests. Then I let him lead me by the hand to cut past the line of those waiting to see Carnel.

One of my former classmates in that line spoke out of turn. “Do my eyes deceive me? Princess Arillia holding hands with a man?” She turned to Polly (who had just finished delivering drinks to Carnel’s table) and asked, “What is in this beverage?”

“Deborah Swarey,” I responded to my former underclassmate and fellow academy drama club member, “What a pleasure it is to see you again.”

“Prince Peter,” She turned to him, “Has Princess Arillia told you about how she has gazed at my body?”

They exchanged nods.

Polly stopped and asked Deborah, “Why are you so full of hate …”

I frowned and noted that I would have to tell Polly about the incident in the baths during that school outing, but not here and now.

“… towards Princess Carnel?”

Deborah’s eyes widened in shock, and then she drew a dagger from her jacket.

Prince Peter yanked my right hand across his body with his and wrapped his left arm around my waist.

Deborah glanced at us, then turned, ran three steps, and jumped across the table towards Carnel to be knocked out by one slap of Elizabeth’s hand to the side of her head.

I pulled out of Prince Peter’s now relaxed grasp and turned to the crowd. “Thank you all for attending. Everything is under control now. Please remain seated.”

I waited for Elizabeth to escort Carnel away and then had the guests exit in a single file from the hall. Was that shock or disappointment on Prince Peter’s face as he left?

I had Deborah’s unconscious body carried to a cell in our dungeon, sent Alice to retrieve Deborah’s school records, made sure that my family was safe, and then returned to my room to change. I picked the adventuring outfit, which seemed the most fitting for the occasion.

As I strapped Sparot to my side, he asked. There is some excitement around thine castle?

“There was an attempt on Carnel’s life.”

Not thine own life? Is this not what thou hath plotted?

“I wanted these small fish to be caught in the outer nets, not inches from my sister’s heart.”

What task doth thou require of me?

“Lord Sparot, I do not foresee any use I will make of your services today. I’m just carrying you along to fulfill my oath to you.”

To seek thou justice?

“And other things.”

I went downstairs to the dungeon to investigate Deborah.

I noted that the cell was a bit chilly and had the guards bring wood for the fireplace, which I set alight with my magic, then had them stand watch two doors removed at the steps leading up from the dungeon, which I judged to be safely out of earshot, and used my power to keep them there.

Deborah had been chained naked by ankles and wrists on top of the bed in the cell with her jacket, dress, underwear, dagger, and wand on a table nearby. As she was a wizard, she had been blindfolded and gagged. I looked over her body and noted that her tight curls below were as blond as the looser curls on her head.

Then, I sat down and reviewed her school records. The only thing I had not already known was that she had turned 18 the previous month. She was a commoner born in our city of Spearland who attended the academy on a scholarship granted based on her academic ability and magical affinity. She was consistently in the top tenth of her class. Her family had Republican leanings but no known revolutionary ties.

I put aside her file and noted that the fire had brought the room to a comfortably naked temperature. I reduced the intensity of the fire but left it crackling in the fireplace. Then I bent over her and used my wand to cast heal on the bruise on the side of her head.

As she awoke, I told her. “You are a prisoner, completely at my mercy.” Then I removed her gag.

“Arillia? You damn lesbian bitch!” She started chanting out a spell.

“Do not cast any spells until I give you permission!”

She abruptly stopped her chant.

I reached over and removed her blindfold, revealing her startled blue eyes and leaving her wearing nothing but her chains.

“So, Arillia, you’ve finally got me naked again. Whatever sick pleasure you get out of this, you’ll get nothing from me but disgust.”

“Oh, who do you want to be held by?”

“A real man like our leader, Ezra Oliverson! What?” She stuck out her tongue and made to bite it off.

“Do not harm yourself or my family!”

She ran her tongue gently over her teeth. “What magic is this, Arillia?”

“Debbie, you will find that I have a power far beyond mere magic. You don’t mind if I call you Debbie, do you?”

“Fuck yourself, Arillia! You know I hate it when people call me that.”

“Correction. You hate it when other people call you Debbie because they attempt to intrude on our shared secret that this is your true name. Deep in your heart, you love only me, and your only pleasure is to please me. But you are oh so careful to always maintain the mask of Deborah Swarey at all times. You do this out of your total loyalty to me.”

“That’s absurd. I’m Deborah Swarey, and I’m not your puppet.”

“That’s very convincing, Debbie. Now take Deborah Swarey’s mask off, and show me your true self.”

There was a moment of confusion on her face, and then she smiled at me. “Was I convincing, Mistress?”

“Oh, very convincing, Debbie. You did a good job.”

She thought for a moment and then started to cry. “I’m so sorry I tried to kill your sister!”

“Now, now, that was all an act by Deborah. You were doing exactly what I wanted you to and wouldn’t harm me or any family member.” I used my magic to unlock her chains and held her until she stopped sobbing. Then she helped me undress, and I showed my new toy all the joys of womanly love. I had placed the Sword of Wraith in the corner so Sparot could have a good view of the proceedings.

Afterward, as we lay embraced, Debbie told me all the details that had been revealed to Deborah about her secret society. And how orders had been given to her recently to coordinate with Prince Peter to assassinate Carnel and perhaps our parents, but not to harm me, for her revolutionary society had plans for me. Terrible, terrible plans, she feared.

I used Telepathy to teach her the counterpart spell to help maintain this link at any distance and instructed her to silently accept my communications but never to show this in her face or surface thoughts while wearing the Deborah mask.

We dressed each other, and then I had her put “back on” the Deborah mask and escorted her to a meeting with my family in the Queen’s study.

Carnel saw that Deborah wasn’t wearing chains and looked up at me.

I had Deborah sit beside me on the couch, then told her, “Debbie, take off the ‘Deborah’ mask and show my family your true face now.”

“Did I do a good job, Your Highness?”

“Debbie, you are an excellent actress.” I wrapped my arms around and kissed her, and we entwined our tongues.

“Arillia!”

“Oh, sorry, Mother. May I introduce Debbie? Debbie, this is my mother and father. I suppose you’ve already met my little sister Carnel. Don’t you think you should apologize to her now?”

Carnel sat wide-eyed as ‘Debbie’ lunged forward.

I held up my hand to keep Father from rising in response as Debbie knelt with her face on the ground.

“Oh, precious Princess Carnel. To think that these wretched hands would ever threaten you. If your sister didn’t insist on using me, I would beg you to have my foolish head chopped off. I know that you can never forgive me, but I’m so sorry, so sorry.”

Debbie wept on the floor as Carnel yanked her feet up and folded her legs under her on the chair.

“Now, Debbie, I’m sure that Carnel forgives you.” I patted the space next to myself on the couch. “Come sit back over here, and I’ll clean you up.”

Debbie sat beside me with her hands on her knees while I used my handkerchief to wipe away her tears.

“Debbie, can you show us your dagger? You can put it on the table here.”

“Of course, Your Highness.” She reached into her jacket, unhooked her sheath, and put that with the dagger on the table before her. “I would just throw this nasty thing away if Your Highness hadn’t shown me what I need to do.”

Carnel’s jaw dropped as she turned to me and tilted her head slightly.

“Debbie, what is this important mission I have for you?” I put my right arm around her waist, and she leaned against me, with her left arm around my left shoulder and her head leaning against my right shoulder.

“You want me to pretend to be this ‘Deborah Swarey’ person to infiltrate and destroy from within the organization of Ezra Oliverson. Right?”

“Yes, Debbie, that’s correct. Now, can you tell us all you know about this organization? Mother, please keep notes.”

Over the next hour, Debbie gave a complete account of how Deborah had been recruited into the revolutionary organization, the places she had been, and the members she had met with. She rose to look over Mother’s notes, pointed out a few corrections, and then returned to sit beside me.

I put my right hand on her left knee and ran my pinkie along her inner thigh just below the hem of her dress. She responded by spreading her knees apart and rubbing her left leg against my right as her left arm wrapped around my shoulders.

“Mother, Father, Carnel, any more questions?”

Carnel leaped to her feet, yanked her wand out, and did the incantation for Magescan. She looked at Debbie and me, then dropped back into her chair and fiddled with her wand. “There’s no spell here. How are you doing this?”

“Debbie?” I turned to my toy.

“Princess Carnel, there’s no need for any spells. Your wonderful sister just showed me the real me. This is who I am. The rest is just an act. All’s the world’s my stage, and I’m merely giving you a peek behind the curtains.”

“Now, Debbie, it’s time to return to that stage. Put on the Deborah mask again.”

“As Your Highness commands.” She looked down at my hand on her knee. “Get your cunt soaked lesbian fingers off me, you damn bitch!” She withdrew her left arm from my shoulders, brushed my hand away, and swept off her knee. She then retreated to the end of the sofa with knees held together and arms wrapped around herself as she glared at me.

“Deborah, take your dagger, please.”

She snatched up the sheath and tucked this and the dagger it contained into her jacket. “I may have failed this time, but I won’t be the last. Watch your backs, all four of you. Your days are numbered, and the people of Ioa will be free soon enough.”

“Let’s go down to the throne room to read out your sentence.”

“Banishment? You’re a weak bitch cunt. I bet it’s because you lust after my body. Well, you’ll never have it. I’ll make sure that we send the most beautiful women of Spearland back here to tempt and destroy you, bitch Princess Arillia. And once you’re out of the way, the rest of your family will soon follow.”

“I look forward to getting to know them better.”