20. Georgiana

The thought of Axl staying with me in my bed another night is definitely worth the price of whatever this alien bloody payment will be. I’ve never been whipped before, but the way Axl is talking about it, how bad can it be?

But I’m already uncomfortable. I don’t like the way all these religious people are watching me as I take off my clothing. I don’t like the way they are staring at my vulva. I’ve not seen many women naked in my life, but I don’t think my body is vastly different to other women. But still, I try to cover myself with my hands.

“Don’t conceal your body, Georgiana. You are beautiful that’s why they are staring.”

“They,” I move my eyes to the High Priestess’s followers, “are staring at me as if they’ve never seen a woman before.”

“They’ve probably never seen a human woman before. Remember, Alliance people don’t have body hair.”

“You really didn’t wax?”

“No.”

“Now I feel embarrassed.”

He moves his hands over mine and forces them away then runs his fingers through the hair between my legs. “You are stunning, and I wouldn’t want you to shave this. Without it your exquisiteness would be incomplete.” In the distance, I hear his phone sounding with the familiar notification of a fine from his government for touching me.

I want to say, ‘thank you,’ but I’m too moved. No man has ever spoken to me like that. I feel energized by his compliment. I’m ready to be whipped by the High Priestess is for our punishment if it means Axl will be with me tonight.

“And you don’t need to worry about your nipples not being pierced.”

“What?” I cover my nipples and he puts my hands at my sides and surveys my breasts. Out of the corner of my eye I see his penis twitching.

“I’m joking.”

Before I can reply one of the High Priestess’s followers has come to let us know they are ready. “Your purification can commence.”

We walk into the High Priestess’s Punishment Room. I smell incense burning, but it’s not enough to cover the smell of blood. It’s a spacious room made of dark yellow stone decorated with beautiful calligraphy on the walls.It takes a minute for my translator to register the artistic writing. The calligraphy highlights the benefits of extreme purification through blood and punishments. As we walk through with our bare feet, I notice the stone floor is wet. I hope it’s only wet with water, as it looks like it’s just been washed. Along the walls are many statues of various gods and goddesses with green candles, not white candles, burning in front of them. However, these statues are not presented in the grand manner they were in the last place we were that was called the ‘Chamber of the Gods.’ These statues are smaller and look angrier, or it might just be my imagination.

I look over at Axl and he feels my gaze on him and turns. I mouth the words, “I can’t do this.”

But instead of answering me, he takes my hand briefly and squeezes it while giving me a confident nod.

The High Priestess is waiting for us with another young woman who is wearing a long and flowing transparent green dress. I can see every part of her body. All I can think while looking at her is that Axl is probably telling the truth because this woman has no body hair. And there’s no question by her face, hips, and breasts that she’s a woman, not a girl. I find it strange that she’s in this religious place naked in this tantalizing dress. But this is an alien planet after all.

The High Priestess’s nuns tell us where to stand on the stone floor and I notice that there are geometric groves going around my feet. I hope that they are darker from the shadows of age and not from blood. I want to bend down and run my finger in the groove to test my hypothesis, but before I can the High Priestess is addressing me.

“Madame Georgiana Smith from Earth,” the High Priestess says and nods to one of her nuns and a drum begins to beat to a steady rhythm. “My disciple will now recite the Lost People myth to you. Please pay close attention.” The High Priestess is holding her whip as she tells me this with a certain look in her eyes I don’t like.

“You have my full attention,” I reply and I ready myself to listen to the young woman in the transparent dress recite something.

Long ago, when the Alliance was still an infant and ships got lost, a fleet of explorers and scientists were pulled to the other side of the galaxy by an unknown force. Unable to come back, they found an almost inhospitable planet, too bright, too hot, but uninhabited except for some small animals. They sent a message back to the Empire explaining their situation, begging to be rescued. The message took over one-hundred years to arrive. When it was received, the Alliance had already counted those in that fleet for dead. The Empress and Emperor then were very greedy and did not want to waste time and resources to go look for some citizens who may or may not be still alive and waiting to be rescued. The Imperial Family decided to conceal the information about the Lost People. They had the message destroyed. From that point forward, everything only got better for the Empire, technology, military, colonies and Alliance civilization in the known galaxy soared and no one thought about the rumored Lost People again, until we discovered a species almost like our own. They called themselves ‘humans.’ We sent ships to investigate them before they had the technology to understand what we were doing. We believed that these humans were most likely the Lost People. However, since the Empress and Emperor of past had all the original documents destroyed, no one remembered the exact location of the Lost People. So, it was decided, conveniently, that humans were not the Lost People and the Alliance continued to expand and to almost completely ignore humanity. But now, the gods are punishing the Alliance for not retrieving the Lost People when we were twice given the opportunity to do so. They are making us suffer with low-female birth rates and catastrophic disruptions to our perfectly ordered society. We have been given a third chance now, to accept humans back into the fold or die from our pride.

“See?” the High Priestess says. “You’re a part of the Lost People, Madame Georgiana. That’s why in a galaxy filled with thousands of distinct species, Alliance people and humans are the only two that are genetically identical. It isn’t luck. It isn’t by chance. You’re us. That’s why it’s only natural that you return to us now. Be thankful the gods never forgot humanity even if the Empire did.”

“Perhaps it’s too soon for humans to know,” I say honestly. But I realize quickly by the gasps around me that this was not the right thing to say at all.

“Blasphemy,” the High Priestess says. “It’s good that you came to see me today. It’s the gods’ will that you are purified before you sin again. Now that I have a gauge of your misbehavior we will begin. On your knees sinners,” the High Priestess demands, her strong voice echoing off the stones walls.

I get to my knees, the stone rough and cold against my skin. The High Priestess stands in front of me.

“I usually don’t do this myself, but for you, Georgiana, you need a sacred hand to guide this whip.”

I want to say, ‘Don’t put yourself out,’ but I bite my tongue. And part of my brain wants to revert to how I was before, believing all of this is a game. But I feel a mental buoy in my mind, it’s the doctor from House Zu’s voice, she’s grounding me here in reality. It’s such an odd sensation that I concentrate on that for a second rather than what’s happening to me here in the Punishment Rooms. Which is why I forgot I was going to be whipped until I felt the pain.

“Owww,” I scream when the whip hits my back. I turn to look at the High Priestess. The look in her eyes is something I’ve never seen before in my life. But instinct tells me to run. So I do. I run naked. I have no idea where I am or where I’m going. I run past people in green and through buildings smelling of incense, burning candles, everything. I run outside into a garden. Everyone looks at me as I run. Finally, I stop when I get to a large stone wall and there’s no way I can climb over it. I’m trapped. It’s not long before I see the High Priestess and Axl coming after me in hot pursuit. He’s naked, but unlike me, he looks glorious as if he could always be naked and still be highly respected. My eyes go to his face, he has a concerned look and the High Priestess looks thoroughly annoyed.

“Madame Georgiana,” Axl says comfortingly. “It’s okay.”

“This,” I point to the High Priestess’s whip, “Is not okay.”

“Let me take the punishments for us both. This is beyond Madame Georgiana’s endurance.”

“No Commander Axl, it’s perfectly clear she only wants her punishment out here where the gods and everyone else can see her.”

“No, she doesn’t,” Axl says gruffly. And by the tone of his voice, everyone goes quiet and I feel the dynamic changing. The High Priestess and Axl have their eyes locked as if in a private telepathic battle. Everyone’s eyes are on them.

After a few long minutes, the High Priestess says, “By the will of the gods, Commander Axl will take the punishment for Madame Georgiana and himself.”

Then as if I didn’t just run away naked, everyone begins walking back to the Punishment Rooms as if nothing happened. Axl motions for me to join him.

I don’t move from my safe space next to the wall in the garden.

He walks over to me. “Georgiana, this is nothing for me.”

“But…”

He runs a finger over my bottom lip to quiet me. “I’m here all the time. This is a part of my culture. But I’m more than happy to give you your own spanking later if you feel you owe me.”

I’m speechless.

“I’d like to see your pink rear red for punishment for not saying ‘no’ to me when I put my head between your legs.”

“I didn’t know I would be punished for it.”

“And I liked giving it to you. What’s pleasure without punishment? It makes the pleasure all the sweeter. Now come on, before the High Priestess decides the gods have spoken to her again.”

I halfheartedly walk with Axl back to the Punishment Rooms. Everyone is staring at us as we go. I don’t even care that I’m naked anymore because Axl is so confident in his nudity and I’m living off the compliment he gave me in the foyer. Without being told, we resume our places on the stone floor.

The High Priestess stands behind Axl with the whip in her hand. My back is still tingling with pain from the sensation of being hit only once. I feel guilty that Axl is going to do this for me. “Madame Georgiana, you will count. Imperial Fleet Reserve Commander Axl are you ready for purification for bringing Madame Georgiana to orgasm without being married? And are you ready for purification for Madame Georgiana’s sin for enjoying that orgasm from a man she’s not married to?”

“I accept the gods’ punishment through your sacred hand, High Priestess.”

The High Priestess raises her hand swings the whip hard it hits Axl’s back, and then she looks expectantly at me.

I forgot I was supposed to count. “One.”

The High Priestess swings the whip again with greater force. Clearly she wants him to make some noises which he isn’t doing, even though she has already drawn blood.

“Two,” I say and wipe some stray tears from my eyes. If he can take the pain, I can at least hold my emotions in check.

The High Priestess swings the whip and purposefully hits over the same place as she did before. Yet Axl makes no sound.

“Three.”

Smack! The whip continues to be swung by the High Priestess and Axl continues to remain stoic and not cry out. It’s difficult for me to watch his red blood flowing freely down his grey back and his labored breathing. We are up to ten lashes now. This must be over soon.

Another lash.

“Ten. Is he purified now?”

“Almost, now for your sins.”

I swallow hard. My sins.

“Eleven, Twelve, Thirteen.”

Axl does cry out now.

“Fourteen.”

Axl falters and leans forward on the stones and I go to him.

“You have reached atonement for these sins. Thank the gods I was here to help you both,” the High Priestess leaves the room with a satisfied air.

Axl is surrounded by his blood seeping out through his back. He is trying to speak, but I can’t make out his words.

“What? I can’t hear you.”

One of the nuns answers me, “He’s praying. You should take him to the infirmary.”

I look down at Axl. He’s almost a foot taller than me. “I can’t carry him.”

“No, you misunderstand. He must walk, but you can help him.”

“Where is it?”

“He knows the way.”

“Can you be any less helpful? He’s clearly not able to tell me where it is.”

“Walk in the gods’ light,” the nun says and then leaves us alone in the Punishment Rooms. Again, I have the feeling that this is all fake and I lose my grounding in the reality of the moment.

“I will help you,” I turn to see the young woman in the green transparent dress.

“Thank you,” I say as she gets to one side of Axl and I the other and we lift him between us. I can’t help but think what a strange sight we must be, carrying a naked man between us as I am naked and she is practically naked. One human, one Alliance, between the man.

“I’ve helped Commander Axl before.”

Jealous rips through me. I want to know all of the details now. Has he had sex with this woman? But I steady myself. I have to get him help and I need her help to do that so I say, “He said he has been here before.”

“Commander Axl is a frequent visitor for purification. It’s his job. He carries a lot of the Empire’s secrets, so that the Empress does not have to.”

That was not the answer I was expecting from the beautiful naked young woman. When I don’t respond immediately, she adds, “I thought you should know.”

Before I can think of what to say, we enter a building with the words ‘Grand City Temple Infirmary’ over it. A few female doctors in navy blue dresses greet us and they recognize Axl on sight.

“Oh Commander Axl,” one of the doctors says sympathetically. Then she looks at me. “At least this time it wasn’t work related.”

Before I can answer another doctor is leading me away, “Let me look at your back, Madame Georgiana.”

The young woman in the transparent dress makes a hand motion I don’t understand and leaves. I turn my attention to the grey skinned doctor treating me. “Is Axl going to be okay?”

“Yes, he’ll make a full physical recovery. He always does.”

“How often does he come here?”

“It’s difficult to say.”

I let that answer lie where it is.

“Are you married?”

“I don’t know.”

“Ah,” she answers. “That’s why.”

“That’s why what?”

“That’s why your mind is confused about it. But you went through the marriage ceremony you exchanged bracelets. Why aren’t you wearing them? Divorce is illegal in the Empire.”

My heart begins to beat so loudly I hear it in my ears. She’s not supposed to know that. “It was my fantasy. I am confused,” I say hoping maybe she thinks I have brain damage from my translator.

“I understand,” is all she replies with as she finishes healing my back. “You may wait for Commander Axl in the waiting area near where you came in. It will be about an hour or so before he is ready to leave.”

“And my clothing?”

“It will be brought to you.”

I sit in the waiting room at the front. Thankfully, I’m the only one there as I feel odd not having any clothing on. Although other naked sinners come in while I’m waiting which makes me feel more relaxed.

After about a half an hour a nun turns up with my and Axl’s clothing. She gives me mine and gives Axl’s to a doctor.

I get dressed in the waiting room; I see no reason not to as I’ve been sitting there naked. Although when I look at the chair again, I wonder how many naked people sat there before me. Oh well, the damage is done and try not to think about it. I’ve sat on dirty toilet seats many times in my life and survived.

Another half and an hour passes and then Axl emerges, clothed. He looks tired but his eyes are refreshed.

“Axl, are you okay? I’m so sorry.”

“I feel good. Are you okay? While the doctors were healing me I kept asking how you were. They kept reassuring me that you were fine, but I’ll never forget the look on your face when you ran. I’m sorry you didn’t enjoy this.”

“Did you enjoy this?” I ask incredulously.

“Only because it makes the pleasure sweeter.”

“Why not just the pleasure? Isn’t that allowed here?”

“I like both, but I understand if all of this was too much for you today. As I mentioned before, if you feel guilty you can repay me…”

“Of course, I feel guilty. I just watched you be whipped almost to death while I counted.”

“Not even close to death,” he counters.

“Closer to death than what I was comfortable with and all because we enjoyed one another’s bodies?”

“But doesn’t it feel good knowing there are consequences? That it matters to others what we do together?”

I don’t know what to say. “I don’t want anyone to have an opinion about what happens between us in the bedroom.”

“I’ll give you your own punishment later and then you’ll understand. Pleasure and pain are linked.”

“I don’t know if I want to understand, Axl.” I blush thinking about him spanking me.

“It’s time for the midday meal. We’ll miss it if we don’t go. I suspect you don’t want to share it with the High Priestess?”

“I would rather starve.”

“I thought so. Come on.”