"How dare he tell me what to do?"
The beautiful, young, dark-haired bride gazed at the slumbering figure in the bed, smiled and turned to her lady in waiting, and said, "Shall we depart, Jeanette?"
"Yes, your highness."
The two women quickly stripped and then donned homespun garments and veils. Knowing that her impressive diamond and jewel-encrusted wedding band would draw unwanted attention, she slid them off and placed a simple traditional gold band on the third finger of her left hand. A single woman could also draw attention. A married, veiled peasant woman was invisible.
The two exited the princess's royal bed chamber. Jeanette spoke to the guards as they passed, "The princess is asleep. She that she is not to be disturbed."
The guards saluted smartly. The princess had a hard time suppressing a giggle as she passed them unrecognized. A few moments later the two women were outside the imposing castle heading for the row of merchant shops some distance away.
"Imagine the nerve of that man, forbidding me from even setting foot in the market!"
"The prince means well, your majesty."
"Jeanette! While we are in public refer to me always as Alice."
"Yes, yo...Alice."
"My husband may be a prince, but he can't tell me what to do! I've been cooped up in that castle for months! And for what? The troubles are at the border and that is many kilometers away! He is worried over nothing!"
"What if he finds that servant girl in your bed, Alice?"
"He's out inspecting the troops. Which is probably man-speak for playing cards and bedding whores!"
"The prince loves you, Alice."
"If he did, he would give me space to breathe. I'm just another shiny bauble for him to play with."
"Nearly every woman in the kingdom would enjoy being that bauble, Alice."
"So, you say. Too bad there aren't man whores on the sidewalks like there are the female kind. I'd love to see if he really is as talented as he claims or if he is just ordinary between the sheets."
"You are incorrigible, Alice!"
The women shared a chuckle before entering the first of the shops, a silk merchant.
For the next several hours, a disguised princess and lady-in-waiting happily shopped. Their bundle of treasures grew heavy.
They exited the last of the shops.
"It's a long walk back, Jeanette."
"My feet would greatly appreciate a royal carriage, Alice."
"So would mine!"
They were still some distance from the castle when a shout, "Raiders!" rang out. Princess and lady in waiting exchanged panicked glances. Just as they began to hasten their footsteps, they were surrounded by armored men on horseback. They could turn neither left nor right. A rider in the rear held a lance before him. Like the skilled cullers of men they were, the phalanx of mounted riders collected a swath of humanity. The disguised princess and her lady-in-waiting were swept up in the crowd. The skilled raiders steered their mass of humans into an alley where a cage mounted atop a wagon waited. Before any of the crowd could resist, they were in the wagon which was immediately padlocked and driven out of the capital towards the border at as high a speed as its drivers dared.
The clattering noise of the wagon and the high rate of speed at which it traveled prevented the young women from speaking. In duress, they hugged each other tight and prayed for deliverance.
**
The prince was furious. The nerve of the enemy striking on his very doorstep! He and his forces had arrived too late to prevent the raid. The stragglers his men did capture taunted the prince before they were executed, "We can strike anywhere at any time! Eventually, we'll take your kingdom and your crown!" It had been a long, humiliating day. He would address his generals in the morning. Right now, he needed a wash and a fresh uniform.
He strode into the royal bed chamber. A slim, dark pretty girl lay slumbering beneath the covers. She was, no doubt, in a gloriously nude state. Even at a time like this, the young prince's mind could turn carnal. He quickly divested himself of his clothing and raised the covers of the bed. The naked occupant turned towards him, displaying a fine body. Her hazel eyes opened wide, and she screamed and screamed. Thus was the princess's subterfuge discovered.
**
The wagon crossed the border. It was immediately surrounded by heavily armed men. One by one the occupants of the wagon were removed from it and nimbly frisked by a guard. The prisoners were led to a nearby open field. The soldiers surrounding them level their weapons. Menace was in their eyes. "My heavens, Jeanette," hissed the princess, "they mean to execute us!"
A commanding officer emerged from the encircling soldiers and loudly uttered one command, "Strip!"
**
"Sire, the princess and lady Jeanette gave me tea to drink that tasted a bit strange. I was flattered that she was paying so much attention to me, I only began working in the palace last week. How I came to be in a state of undress and in the royal bed I have not a clue. Please forgive me, your lordship."
Everything fell into place. The veiled women were obviously his wife, the princess, and Lady Jeanette. The fact that neither of them had returned to the castle led the prince to conclude that the two of them had been among the citizens captured. The prince took a long look at the dark-haired girl. The resemblance to his wife was more than passing. He could under no circumstances permit the enemy to know that they had captured his bride. It was safer for her and would not make him look like a fool. The girl was more than pretty.
"Woman you are forgiven. In fact, there is much service you can offer your kingdom. Do you like fine silk dresses?"
The young woman's eyes lit up.
"Oh, yes your excellency, very much!"
**
"I will do no such thing!" exclaimed the captured princess indignantly.
The commanding officer loomed over the princess, "Obey or I'll have my men cut those rags off you."
"I am Princess Alice Blake-Kole. I demand that you return me to my husband, the prince!"
Startled for a second or two, the general roared back with laughter, "And I'm destined to be the first man to walk on the moon!"
He gestured and three soldiers with knives surrounded the princess.
"I never repeat an order, woman!"
With a lump in her throat and on the edge of tears, Princess Alice stepped out of her shoes...
**
The girl was almost exactly his wife's size. She looked fabulous in the mauve dress and tiara.
"Stand next to me on the balcony girl and wave to the crowd with me."
"Yes, sire."
His wife's perfume was just as intoxicating on this stranger as it was on his wife.
**
Alice shivered naked in the twilight. Never had she suffered such an indignity! The weapons present and Jeanette's whispers had impressed upon her the need to be silent for now, but when her chance came, she would see that that impudent, foul general was drawn and quartered! She stood in line behind Jeanette. Off to one side, a bonfire created from the prisoner's castoff clothing raged. The line inched forward. Alice felt the stares of the soldiers as they toured her compact, ivory-toned form. All of them would suffer the executioner's axe!
**
The price shared dinner with the beguiling stranger. Like a skilled interrogator, he wheedled so much useful information out of her. Named Patrice, she was a simple girl from a simple peasant family. Completely without guile, she was quite frankly, a respite from the often whining and demanding Alice. As he dined, the prince's thoughts, which he knew should be focused on the fate of his abducted wife, found themselves instead contemplating what intimacy would be like with this look-alike.
**
The line ended at a cluster of soldiers. Alice was forced to cede her ersatz wedding ring. Like a common criminal, she was compelled to squat and cough! One foul brute ran his fingers through her midnight tresses and had the temerity to force his digits into Alice's quim and rectum! Alice committed his face to memory. This one would be publicly castrated by red-hot shears! She sojourned to a block with a half-moon divot in it. Alice had a moment of blind panic. Surely the enemy would not have gone to such great lengths only to execute them now! There was no blood present. nor was there a hooded man. Alice took a deep breath and slowly let it out. She bent her head and placed it in the half-circle. An efficient farrier slid a leather-lined metal collar about Alice's neck and permanently soldered the catch shut. Alice tugged on it. It refused to budge.
The enslaved princess was herded to another wagon, a large coach this time, it had padded seating and privacy curtains. Already in the wagon were Janette and nine other women. Even sheltered Alice could tell that, despite their tears and discomfort, they were all quite beautiful. A prosperous armed man entered the coach.
"Good evening, ladies. I'm your owner but not for long. Come the morn, I'll turn you all into gold." The wagon began to roll. The women began to cry piteously.
**
There was almost no one the prince could confide in regarding his bride's abduction. While the imposter was trying on dresses, he confessed what had happened to his closest confidant, a childhood friend who was now the head of his security service.
"Sire, the outlook isn't good. They make slaves of our people. Already the princess..." the man fell silent.
"Spill it, Paul."
"She's been transported across the border, stripped naked, searched, and collared. She'll be on the auction block by dawn. After that -- well she is a very beautiful woman and slaves are not permitted to say no."
"Alice in a collar?"
"Undoubtedly, Sire."
A sly smile crossed the prince's face before being replaced with a sober countenance.
"Can we recover her?"
"Maybe. The enemy doesn't know what they have. I'll have some of my agents put out feelers. It's going to take time though, sire. If the princess makes a spectacle of herself..."
"Who's going to believe her when the princess has been spied in this castle by hundreds of witnesses."
"The resemblance, sire, especially with her hair down is remarkable. Can you trust her?"
"Not a problem at all, Paul. no problem at all."
