A Queen Must Serve... (Patreon)

Hey folks!

Heatwave's starting to die down around here, but my, summer's only just starting. This one's going to get intense, huh? Best of luck to everyone out there.

I've got a fairly major project to get done this month, so hopefully that doesn't get in the way!

But enough about me. Please enjoy this tale of treason, maids, and the dangers of not being specific with your instructions...

“So, after all of those years of loyal service, it’s come to this…” Magister Yara descended the steps into the dungeon cell with firm, precise steps, her cold green eyes focused on the prisoner chained to the far wall. “I thought better of you, Champion. Or I suppose it’s just Kaelyn now, isn’t it?”

The redheaded prisoner glared. “I’ve committed no crime. You know as well as I do that something is wrong. Queen Eliza would never act like this. Open your eyes, Magister!”

“My eyes are quite open, thank you.” The cold blonde reached the bottom of the stairs and tapped the base of her staff against the stone floor. “And I’m afraid that all I see is a traitor. A woman who betrayed everything she ever swore to serve, and put lie to any honour she was ever granted.”

The prisoner snarled, straining against her chains. For a moment, it even looked like her powerful muscles might break free. “How dare you! I am as true to my oaths as I have ever been! Whatever poison has infected our Queendom is nothing of my doing! I was trying to save our people!”

The Magister simply continued speaking as if she hadn’t heard a word. “Losing your title as champion of the realm is a slap on the wrist, as far as I’m concerned. The Queen has always been fond of you, but now her mercy goes much too far. If it were up to me, you’d be given a far more fitting fate.”

“Yara, please.” A note of desperation entered Kaelyn’s voice. “None of this is right. The goddess has always protected our lands – to turn our backs on her based on the empty words of false priests is madness! The Queen I know would never do such a thing – the woman holding the throne now can only be an imposter!”

The blonde mage sighed. “Even now, I can see nothing will convince you of your folly. Surely you understand that I, if no one else, would recognise it if Queen Eliza had been replaced? I’ve known her for far longer than you.”

“Then how can you not see what is wrong here? The Queen’s devotion to the goddess has always been beyond question. The temples she now constructs around her lands are obviously profane. Something has happened to her!”

Yara stepped closer, frowning. “So you still stand by your claims, even now?”

The redhead’s gaze didn’t waver. “Of course I do.”

The blonde shook her head. “Even now, your stubbornness shocks me. Tiresome. But very well. I will admit your allegations are troubling to the point where I cannot ignore them entirely. Have you any proof of your claims, other than some questionable construction projects, or do you hope to convince me with words alone.”

The prisoner blinked in surprise, and then frowned. “I’m chained up in the dungeon, Yara, what proof do you expect me to give you? Where would I even carry the stuff?”

“Then all you have is flippancy.” The mage turned away. “And I’ve no more time to indulge you.”

“Wait!” Kaelyn winced, calling after her. “I’ve no proof to show you in here, yes. But the Queen’s personal chambers – I know there must be proof in there. You’re the only one who can access them other than her. If it’s proof you seek, there’s no question, it must be found in there!”

At that, Yara paused, tuning to look at the chained woman incredulously. “The Queen’s personal chambers? Are there no bounds to your insolence? Even I am only permitted entry to them in the direst of emergencies.”

“Which is exactly why it’s the one place to search to find out the truth of what has happened to our ruler.” The redhead pointed out firmly. “Whatever you find in there will surely lead you to the truth, no matter how dark it may be.”

But the mage shook her head again. “No. I certainly won’t allow that.”

Kaelyn growled. “By the lady’s love, Yara, you must-!”

“If you are so confident in your proof,” the blonde interrupted. “Then you will accompany me and find it yourself. And if you fail, I will enact a final punishment for your crimes. Am I understood?”

Again, she had stunned the prisoner. You- Wait, you would have me come with you?”

Yara sighed. “I suppose it was never your intelligence that got you the title of Champion,” she muttered. Kae’s eyes narrowed, but she decided not to argue the insult. This didn’t seem like the time. “Let me be clear: I will take you to her rooms. There, surely, you can find your evidence. And if you do not, then no one will ever see or hear from you ever again. Is that acceptable to you? Or will you finally admit your delusions?”

“I’ve no delusions to admit,” the prisoner snapped, doing her best not to growl now that she was being given a chance to free herself. “Your terms are more than acceptable. Now release me. Every second I am chained down here is another second that the enemies of the realm may use against us.”

“Always so dramatic…” The mage rolled her eyes and snapped her fingers. Instantly, the chains fell from Kaelyn’s wrists and ankles, their manacles sprung open. The former Champion rose to her feet, rubbing at her arms, and stepped away from them warily, as if worried they would snap back up to seize her again. She was watching the wrong direction, though, and was taken completely by surprised when Yara grabbed her and pulled her towards the stairs. “Now come along. I am a busy woman, and I’ve only so much time to deal with this farce.”

-

Passage through the royal palace was an awkward affair, and not one that Kaelyn enjoyed. When she had been Champion, she strode through these halls like a hero in shining metal armour, basking in the respect and admiration of all who saw her. Now, though, she was dressed in little more than rags, her equipment and weapons long stripped from her. There would be no respect or admiration in anyone’s gaze this time – not since she’d been branded as a traitor.

So it was probably no surprise that she was skulking and sticking to the shadows a little. Dealing with other people right now was the last thing she wanted to do. Even though she felt she should keep her head held high, she didn’t want to see those she’d considered friends disappointed in her.

Yara, of course, had limited patience for this. She marched through the palace without a moment’s hesitation, only ever pausing to pull her old friend/prisoner along whenever the other woman hesitated. Any questions or objections were silenced with ice cold glares, and anyone who tried to bar her path was swiftly shoved aside.

Unsurprisingly, this made for a rather silly trek, but ultimately quick won out over hesitant, and soon the pair arrived at the Queen’s chamber doors. The guards in front of them certainly had a few problems allowing someone who had just been declared an arch-enemy of the realms not one week earlier, even though many of them may have had private concerns about how accurate that designation had been – but none of them could hope to prevent the Court Magister from sweeping them out of the way.

“There,” she said, all but shoving the former Champion over the threshold. “We’re here. I don’t know what you’re hoping to find, but you’d better dig it up quick.”

“I can walk just fine, thank you…” The redhead grumbled, shaking her off, before looking around. Even as the Champion of the realm and one of the Queen’s closest friends, she’d never entered these rooms before. They were certainly extravagant – as you’d expect of the royal bedrooms, of course. Blue wallpaper made the place look like a sunny day, even if the wide windows that led out onto the balcony showed storm-clouds. A large, plush bed took up one wall, covered by silken sheets and more pillows than she’d ever seen in her life, protected from the world by hanging drapes. Bookshelves took up another side of the room, mostly filled with tales of fictional romances, a vice that Kaelyn was well aware that Eliza held.

And of course, there was all sorts of tatter and bric-a-brac laying around. The Queen had never been an especially tidy woman, especially when there weren’t servants around to clean up after her. She had always been of the habit of picking something up and forgetting where she’d gotten it from, leaving all kinds of items in all sorts of unexpected places. Seeing her room made it quite clear that looking for signs of her corruption was going to be a long task. Hopefully Yara would give her enough time to do it.

“Have you been in here before?” She asked, glancing towards the mage. “If you see anything that looks different, that might be a good place for us to start our search.”

But it didn’t look like any help was going to come from that quarter. “What part of ‘direst of emergencies’ did you not understand?”

“Fine, fine.” She turned back to the task at hand, trying not to roll her eyes. Yara was taking a risk, giving her this chance. The woman being rude didn’t cancel that out. “Then I guess I’ll start by…”

The former Champion would have gone further – her ability to strategise on the fly was one of the reasons she’d achieved the title of Champion in the first place! – but suddenly there was no need to. This was because someone else had just entered the room from one of the passages at the side, the one that led to the Queen’s private bathroom.

“Ah, Mistress, I thought I heard your voice! I was just running a bath for you to enjoy later – do you want to have it now, or would you rather have me instead? Oh hey Kae!”

Oh.

Oh, that was different.

That was very different.

The Queen of the realm was a regal and beautiful woman. Countless people, from commoners to visiting dignitaries, had been left breathless at the mere sight of her. Her long, chocolate-brown hair and sweet green eyes were paired with sharp, gracefully sculped features that only the gods could have created to make for an almost divinely striking figure. Clad in her royal robes, she was the unforgettable gem in the crown of the realm.

She was not supposed to be wearing a slutty maid outfit like some tawdry themed tavern maiden.

Kaelyn stared at her, slack jawed. “Your… Your majesty?”

“Heya~” The- The maid/Queen skipped over and pressed a kiss against the stunned Champion’s cheek. “I’ve missed you! Sorry about throwing you in the dungeons like that, Mistress kind of insisted, and I really can’t refuse her. I’m glad you’re out of there! Though we definitely have to get you some new clothes…”

“Eliza, what are you-?!” The redhead’s shock was more than enough to overcome her normal formality. “What are you wearing?!”

“Oh, this?” The brunette giggled and gave her a twirl. “Don’t I look cute? Mistress has a real thing for maid outfits, apparently. I never knew! But now that I do, ugh, kinda sucks to wear anything else. You know how stuffy royal robes get in summer?”

… There was something so endearingly Eliza about the way the Queen was babbling that instantly dispelled any notion that this woman could be an imposter. She was so very obviously the Queen that it hurt. But then why was she acting like this…?

Then the Champion’s brain finally started to process what the other woman was saying. “Wait. Mistress?”

There was only one other person in the room with them.

A person who had just locked the doors, in fact. And was now giving the pair the most sarcastic kind of clap that Kae had ever heard.

“I was wondering how long it would take you to figure it out,” Magister Yara snorted, giving the redhead a smile with absolutely no warmth whatsoever. “Thank you, Elly, for that little show. If you’d go ahead and restrain Kaelyn for me now?”

“Sure thing, Mistress!” The maid flashed forwards, suddenly behind the redhead and grabbing her arms, holding her tight. It was a laughably weak hold. There were a dozen ways of breaking out of it. Hells, just flexing her muscles ought to do the job. But…

“I know you’re strong enough to break her grip, ‘Champion’,” the sinister Magister chuckled. “But if you do so I’m afraid you’ll have to hurt your dear Queen quite severely. Are you willing to do that?”

…

Kae grunted, glaring at the woman with all of her might, but she didn’t move. It… It would probably be pointless anyway. Yara was a powerful mage, there was no way she had left herself completely unprotected. If she tried to attack, she’d just be hurting Eliza for no reason.

“I thought not.” The blonde shook her head, striding into the room with a grin. “Well, how delightful. I wasn’t sure I’d be able to deal with you so easily, but you practically threw yourself into my clutches, didn’t you?” She reached out and taped the Champion on the nose lightly. “If only I and my maid emerge from these chambers, no one’s going to have any questions after you agreed to my offer. Clearly, you simply failed to find proof of your ludicrous claims.”

Damn it. Damn it all, she really had played completely into the other woman’s hands, hadn’t she? But she’d never thought Yara would be capable of working against the realm like this. She had thought her just as loyal as she was herself! How had this happened? And, most importantly…

“What did you do to her?”

Yara sighed as she took a seat on the Queen’s bed. She seemed very familiar with it. “Elly, why don’t you explain? It’s more fun for both of us.”

“Oh, Sure thing, Mistress!” Eliza chirped happily from behind the bound Champion. “You see, Kae, Mistress was poking around in one of those ancient libraries she’s always going on expeditions to? You know, those ones we were always worried about because those places are always infested with dark magics and forgotten evils, and we figured it was only a matter of time before she got herself in trouble?”

Kaelyn noted with at least a small degree of satisfaction that Yara did not look like she enjoyed that description. “Yes, my Queen, I remember.”

“Well it turns out that on her last trip, she found a book by some old evil dark gods or something! Anyway, they totally took over her mind when she read their sacred text, and then she marched back here, snuck into my chambers after sundown, and then spent all night brainwashing me into being her obedient little plaything! So we didn’t need to worry after all!”

Hm. Hmm. Yeah, Kae felt like she might have a slight disagreement with that last part, but everything else made perfect sense. She gave the Court Magister a flat look, and was rewarded with what looked like at least the start of a blush as the woman looked away.

“The evil book is just over in the next room by the way,” Eliza whispered in the Champion’s ear. “It’s got this whole evil glow thing, impossible to miss.”

The redhead blinked. Huh, was it really now? That was interesting. If she found it, maybe she’d be able to do something about all this madness…

Of course, the odds of that were low – not with Yara and Eliza watching her like this.

“Well, maybe not quite how I would have put it, Elly, but good enough.” The mage smirked, twirling her staff as she regained control of the conversation. “The important part now is what to do with you, Champion? I mean, I was hoping to find some way of encouraging you to retire, or perhaps just find a difficult enough quest to send you off on for years and years… But sadly, you’ve gone and ruined all of that, so I suppose I’ll just have to brainwash you as well.” She rose to her feet. “I mean, I do need a maid to serve me on occasions when my dear Elly isn’t available – she still has some Queenly duties to attend…”

Behind Kaelyn, her royal majesty whined. But she perked up again quickly. “Oh, right, Mistress, I nearly forgot! One of your dark masters called, through that crystal ball you set up in the study? He wouldn’t tell me what he wanted, but it sounded important, and he said you needed to call him back straight away.”

“Oh!” The Magister’s attitude immediately flipped from sultry sorceress to panicked minion. “Elly, why didn’t you say so! I’d better – Ah, I’ll be right back, Kae, don’t go anywhere!”

She grabbed the bottom of her robes with her free hand and practically sprinted out of the room, hurrying away and out of sight. The Champion watched her go with silent bafflement. That, uh, that book had really done a number on the woman, huh?

But this was the chance she’d been hoping for! If she could reach the book before its minion returned, maybe there was a chance to undo all of this. All she had to do was break free and move quickly. That would involve hurting her Queen, though. Could she truly do such a thing, even if it was to save her?

… She’d have to. The redhead took a deep breath, silently asking forgiveness from both her goddess and her Queen, and then-

- Almost tripped as she found Eliza releasing her all on her own. “Okay, she should be distracted for a minute or two. I don’t have any weapons in here, but maybe you can use the letter opener? That’s pretty sharp, you can probably stab right through the book with it.”

Kae was stunned again. That had been happening far too much lately. “Huh?”

The brunette gestured for her to hurry up. “The book, the evil magic book, remember? I told you where it was already, so go destroy it!”

… Time was very much of the essence here, but the Champion couldn’t stop herself from asking a very important question. “I thought you had to obey her?”

Her royal highness shrugged, almost popping out of her top. “Hey, she said to restrain you. She never said how long I had to do it for. ‘S kind of the thing, she’s not great at being a Mistress, I have to keep cleaning up after her. Like, duh, how did she think you were going to take us building all those dark temples?”

That was… Okay that sounded pretty fair, yeah.

“Anyway, she brainwashed me to love and obey her. She didn’t say anything about those dark gods, except that I wasn’t allowed to touch their book - and quite frankly I think they’re a bad influence.” The brunette gave her a gentle shove towards the door. “You can touch it all you like, so go get rid of them already!”

Well. If she was going to put it like that…

“As you wish, my Queen!” The redhead nodded, bursting into a sprint and snatching up the letter opener from one of the royal’s desks as she passed it. She knew she only had a brief window of opportunity here, and she wasn’t going to let it go to waste!

Shouldering her way through the doors and into the library, it immediately became clear where the problem was. Queen Eliza hadn’t been wrong. The book couldn’t have been more obvious. Black flames surrounded it like an aura, even as it lay closed on the lectern. Its cover was red, scrawled over with golden text that Cae couldn’t hope to read, and a big black gem in the middle just in case you weren’t immediately convinced that it was evil.

Seriously, Yara, did you actually try reading from this thing? Well this Champion wasn’t going to make the same mistake!

“- No idea where I’m going to fit another dark temple,” she heard a familiar voice muttering as Yara walked out of the study just down the hall. “But if my masters command it, then- Hey-!”

The Magister shouted in alarm as she spotted what Cae was doing, but it was far too late to stop her. The redhead had already crossed the room, and even as she heard the yell, her sword-hand was already descending, with all of her considerable heroic might behind the blow!

She slammed the improvised blade home, skewering the book straight through the gem. Instantly, a dozen cacophonous voices screeched in pain and alarm. The sound alone nearly made Cae’s ears bleed. For a moment, the entire tome wriggled on its stand, like it was trying to escape, but the letter opener had pinned it to the stand. Then the black flames that surrounded it turned red, and flashed out of existence a moment later – leaving the book to crumble to ash in their wake.

And as the last of said ash collapsed, there was a similar, though much more human scream from Yara, who fell to her knees clutching her head as the dark presence that had been controlling her was banished. Queen Eliza was instantly at her side, holding her up and rubbing her back.

“Oh.” The Magister groaned as she regained herself, a deep frown settling itself on her features. “I see. Oh dear. Corrupted and controlled by the dark gods like a novice. You know, I’m not sure I’ve ever felt so humiliated.”

Caelyn snorted as she walked across the hall, offering her old friend a hand up. “Even so, I’m pleased to see the real you once again. Now…” Her eyes drifted to the still quite clearly smitten Queen at the woman’s side. “Can you perhaps return our Queen’s real self as well?”

“I’d love nothing more,” the Magister admitted with a sigh as she stood. She had a worryingly troubled look on her face. “Unfortunately, there’s another problem.”

The redhead quirked an eyebrow. “What problem?”

Now Yara looked truly embarrassed, her cheeks flushing bright red. “The spell I used on her Majesty can’t be undone. I’m afraid she is my, ah…” She coughed, looking for any word other than the one she was about to use. “Loveslave on a permanent basis.”

Oh by the divine lady’s grace- “Seriously? Seriously Yara? Why would you- Rgh.” She closed her eyes and shook her head. No, she refused to accept this. “There has to be something we can do.”

“Well… I do have one idea.” The Magister picked up her staff, offering the end of it, the one capped by a clear crystal orb, to Caelyn. “Look here for a moment?”

Cae blinked one last time as she peered at the offering. “What-?”

Then the end of the staff lit up with bright white light – light so bright and pure that the Champion couldn’t look away from it. She couldn’t even close her eyes. It was strange, but gazing into it was rather peaceful. It felt nice. And as her vision began to go completely white, she felt like that niceness was seeping into her brain.

“Wha- What… are you…?” She managed to mumble weakly, before the light erased the words from her mind.

“I can’t undo what’s been done to her majesty,” Yara explained with a shrug, keeping her staff level so the light could do its work. “But I can do it a second time - to you.”

“Buh…” She wasn’t sure what she was trying to say. She wasn’t sure she was even trying to say anything. The half-formed word spilled out of her mouth as her jaw went slack, and then she forgot she’d made a sound at all.

“I really do thank you for your service, Cae. I’m glad to know I won’t be ushering in the newest dark age of torment and suffering. But obviously, no one can know about the Queen’s new… condition outside of this room. Even you can’t be trusted with that. So…” She couldn’t help but grin a little. “You’ve saved the realm one last time, Champion. You’re owed a pleasurable retirement anyway. Now give in, and become my sexy little maid.”

Maybe not everything she’d done under the book’s control had been the dark god’s influence…

Maid…

Maid…

MAID…

The word repeated over and over inside the redhead’s blank mind. It was the only thing in the otherwise empty white space, the only word she knew, the only concept she could think of.

Maid…

Maid…

MAID…

She was a maid!

The word cemented itself into the core of her being, and she felt pure joy as it radiated through her soul. What a fool she had been, thinking herself a warrior and a hero. She’d been a humble servant all along, a simple cleaner and carer. Serving Magister Yana as her maid was all she could ever have aspired to do with her life – it was so clear now!

“Mistress,” the voice of the Queen echoed around the light. “Don’t forget the rest, too.”

“Hm? Oh, right.” Her Mistress’s voice filled her once more. “Yes, you’re my loveslave, too.”

Loveslave…

Loveslave…

LOVESLAVE…

Serving Magister Yana as her slutty, sultry, seductive maid and bed servant was all she could ever have aspired to! The redhead’s blank smile quirked a little, her thighs rubbing together. Oh yes, she couldn’t wait to serve her Mistress in every way possible

“Do you think that will be enough?” There that wonderful voice again.

“We can spend some time hammering it home in bed, Mistress.” And the Queen – her sister slave, Cae realised now.

“Well good. And here I thought you might be… y’know.”

“What, jealous? Never, Mistress! I want to share her with you~”

The Mistress’ voice sighed. “Hm. You know, I feel like the old you would have approved of this too. Alright. Cae! Wake up!”

Awareness slid over Caelyn like the dawn sun rising over the realm. It was an interesting sensation. The peaceful calm of the light was gone now, but it had been replaced by another, deeper happiness. She felt good. She felt at peace. She felt like a whole new woman.

She felt like a maid.

“There.” And her owner was right there in front of her, peering up at her face. “Feel better now?”

“I feel wonderful Mistress.” Smiling, the former Champion leaned down and gave the blonde a passionate kiss, only relenting when they had to come up for air. “How may I serve you?”

“Hooo…” Yara needed a little time to cool off already. “Good- Good girl. Now, we’ll have to get you your new uniform – you’ll look amazing as a maid, Cae But first… Let’s see how you do without one” The mage grinned, taking both of her maids by the arm, and leading them back towards the bedroom.

Both women only had one thing to say to that.

“Yes Mistress!”