Chapter 6

Suzan was stilling sitting on the bed looking around trying to piece together what had happened to her.

The last clear thought was the time during the afternoon when she kept finding things wildly funny but couldn't understand why. She couldn't make herself stop laughing from time to time for some reason.

Though when she tried really hard to concentrate, she could just barely remember tiny bits and pieces, flashes really, that came to her about the time when she was seated at the table with her friends or a few jumbled moments because she was finding it too hard to concentrate on what they were saying.

Then ... nothing.

She couldn't remember a single thing until she awoke on the bed in this room

A few minutes into sitting and thinking she heard what softly sounded like a large bolt on the large door being thrown.

Suzan waited to see what would happen. She could still be assaulted, but if they wanted to really hurt her they could have done it while she was out, unless they were real sadist, but she was hoping that wasn't the case given the state of the room she was in.

As she sat watching, a young woman she guess to be in her early twenties came into the room flanked by two guards carrying short spears with wide dual blades. She was walking with a tray of food in front of her as she headed for Suzan.

The young woman was dressed similar to how she was, but in a brown top and skirt, which was trimmed in darker brown threading. Suzan couldn't see her face because she kept her head down, but she could see the extremely long brown hair that was swept back over her shoulders and hung down to her mid back.

The hair was so shiny that it was almost blinding when it caught the light in the room.

The other noticeable thing was that that girl's lithe figure had plenty of definition on it. She had a very athletic build with small to medium breasts that worked well on her frame.

Once the young woman was about ten feet away she set it off to the side, but on the top of the circular steps, and then stepped back went to a kneeling position, where she then sat back on her heels, with her head still down, and waited for something.

Looking back towards the door, Suzan took better notice of the two men who now stood on either side of the open doorway.

While she had to admit they were larger than her husband, they weren't that much larger. But they had the same type of muscle definition he had. She also noted that the two of them both had deep summer tans.

They were dressed similarly, but only in the same styled skirt that came down to mid thigh, but theirs were cinched tight at the waist. Their chest muscles were very ripped and defined. The way they moved said to Suzan's trained eye that they weren't just here for show, they knew how to use their weapons.

Something about the one on the right with the light brownish blonde hair looked faintly familiar, and nagged at her mind, but for the life of her she had no idea why. She couldn't remember where she might have seen him before.

But so far not one of the people who entered had said anything.

While the men watched the room, they both seemed to be avoiding directly looking at her, but Suzan was sure if she threatened either the girl or tried to leave the room that would quickly change.

Sitting quietly she waited for whoever they must be waiting for as well.

She didn't have to wait to long.

Sweeping into the room was an older woman, probably in her late fifties, or at worst early sixties, but she was still a very striking woman with her long hair was almost an impossible jet black. It was so black and shiny that it looked reflective.

Suzan noted that the woman had hardly any wrinkles or lines on her face. In truth the woman might have been in her late forties as well by her looks, but about her made Suzan sure she was older.

As the woman can into the room Suzan tried her best to study her.

The woman was about her height with breasts almost as large, and for her age a distinct hour glass figure that carried no fat on it. Suzan could also still see her lean muscles ripple as she walked towards stairs leading down to the bed she was on.

She was dressed similar to how she and the other woman was, but her top and skirt was made of some type of black material that was also trimmed with some type of glossy black thread.

The woman had bright blue eyes that had a light color of blue eye shadow over them and her lips were also painted ruby red and shared the same wet look as Suzan's. Strapped to her side and swinging low was a sword in a battered leather case. She had on female heeled ankle boots, but they were folded at the tops to rest on the top of her boots.

As she approached her Suzan realized that instead of the gait practiced by nobles and royalty to give one the impression that they were floating, this woman had a surefooted and practiced gait.

It came to Suzan that she had been a warrior before and probably still was!

As that realization came to Suzan, it became obvious that the sword on her side wasn't just for show. If she was any good then Suzan's chances of taking it from her probably weren't very good, so she discarded that as an option as well.

She was now more curious than ever why she was here.

"So my dear, have you been made comfortable? How are your accommodations?" asked the woman swinging her arm around to encompass the room.

"Where am I and why am I here?" asked Suzan dangerously.

"My, my, when they told me you had a voice that drove men wild I thought they were just making that up. I can see that the reports on you were accurate," smiled the woman.

As she finished Suzan just sat and waited. Her questions hadn't been answered yet.

"My dear we'll get no where if you keep acting like this. Lets talk for a moment," said the woman taking a seat on the foot of the bed well away from Suzan.

She sat so that her sword was still able to be pulled free if she needed it and not trapped beneath her and the bed. Suzan's estimation of her went up yet again.

"You are in the Kingdom of Senegal to answer the question of where, and the why is because you have been chosen to be the bride of my son and eventually the next queen," said the woman with a smile.

"WHAT! I am already married! I will not marry someone else, and you can not make me," said Suzan in anger.

She wanted to impress on them just how dangerous this could be for all involved, including this woman's son.

"No one will make you do anything you don't want to, but you will come to find that you eventually want to, just as I did. Many seasons back it was me where you are now, saying pretty much the same thing that you are saying now as well, but after a while I came to appreciate the alternatives," said the woman smiling

"If you've been here before and really been in my position then you'd know I'd never betray my husband for anyone," said Suzan heatedly

"Well I wasn't in your exact position. I didn't have a husband, just a string of broken hearts to my name. I was known as Jolica the Wild when I was younger," said the woman with a smile.

"Not the Jolica? It was said that you had Kings and Princes everywhere trying to marry you. It was said that any army who could pay your price could count on you to then lead them to victory. That often kingdoms would refuse to fight and quickly settled their dispute if they heard your price was met by the other side. When I was little I wanted to be you. I grew up hearing of all your adventures," said Suzan suddenly in awe.

"Yes that was me. I was a real terror in my youth then. But from what I've been hearing about you, you could be me, and now you truly have the same chance to follow in my footsteps completely," said Jolica with a smile.

"NO! I already have the man I've always wanted! I've waited my whole life for him! I will NOT give him up," said Suzan as the anger returned to her face.

"Ok, let's set that aside for the time being, have you noticed everything that has been done to you yet? Isn't it impressive?" asked Jolica

"Yes and how do I get it off?" asked Suzan wiping her mouth with the back of her hand.

Laughing the Queen covered her mouth with similarly bright red painted fingernails as Suzan's. Her soft laughter made a very pleasing sound. It was easy to see why she had been someone who was so sought after before.

"You don't. It's all permanent. You can never remove any of it. Even the hair on your head will never lose its shine and color over the seasons no matter how old you become, they were very through. These people are very accomplished chemists. Every female of age here in the palace goes through this process," said the Queen with a smile.

"YOU DID WHAT TO ME!" screamed Suzan.

"Yes, I remember having that reaction as well. We really are very similar. The people of Senegal prize looks and appearance over everything. They have designed things like the makeup, when applied correctly, as something that is permanent and never washes off or needs to be reapplied. Same as with their skin softening treatments, it will never fade.

"But I do have to say, what they did to you is far more stunned than what they ever did to me. You are completely breath taking aren't you?" said the Queen as she looked Suzan over completely.

"Get this crap off me! Get ... it ... off ... me ... NOW!" said Suzan in anger and through gritted teeth.

She was so angry that the muscles and veins in her neck were now showing as she spoke.

"My dear I know you heard me correctly. Even if I wanted to, it can never be removed. Just like the hair on your lower body will never grow back. You will never grow any hair on your body from the neck down anymore. All of this can no longer be changed, it's a done deal and for all of us now a fact.

"You were soaked in a special bath that completely kills all the hair it encounters forever and made your skin where it touched silky soft. With your mane it was tricky to make sure the hair on your head stayed out of it and wasn't harmed, but it was done. The hair on your head was later treated to forever bring out its true brilliance for the rest of your life," said Jolica smiling.

Suzan felt at her temple and tried to steady herself.

She was reeling from what she was hearing. How could anyone do things like this to someone without their permission? What else had they done while she was out?

"I ... I ... I..." began Suzan.

"Yes I remember doing that as well. Trust me, after a while it feels as natural as anything else you've ever done to your body. And with your build it will only enhance your looks even more, if that could ever be possible," said Jolica with a smile.

Looking down for a moment Suzan said nothing.

Jolica worried that Suzan might start crying but Suzan suddenly said with a growl, while still looking down "So which one of these clowns got their jollies bathing and feeling me up as they dressed me."

Clapping her hands together and smiling as she realized that Suzan was accepting her situation for the time being, Jolica said "None. Only your hand maiden and the courts female beauticians were allowed to see you and they did it all.

"They spent "hours" matching colors with your skin tones while you bathed until they got the right ones to make everything look "natural" and to enhance your inherent beauty. Besides, no male would dare touch you without your consent, it's the law."

"So what, I should be grateful for this? This invasion of my body, just because it was done by females? Are you crazy?" asked Suzan in anger.

"No, I'm not. I know that right now it's all new and hard to take in all at once, but once you think about it and see the many benefits of this and you'll come to understand that it was for the best. For one the hair treatment also enhances all stimulation, sexual or otherwise, beyond your imagining. That is a "major" bonus for those of us who receive it," said Jolica with a smile.

Suzan just stared at her like she had lost her mind.

"But now, back to what is going on. You were decided on because, while my son had already reached the age of maturity, his father has recently died. Now after a season of mourning, we have a need for your special brand of skills right now to solve a problem and prove your right to rule. It was time for him to pick a queen anyway before he reached thirty, and lets be honest I won't be around forever, so we could continue the royal family line," said Jolica.

"You must be insane if you think I'm going to have children with anyone by my husband. I will have his children and no one else's," said Suzan as she stared hard at Jolica

"I think you might change your mind inside of a week, three tops. While we pride ourselves on the fact that we won't make you do anything you don't want too, after a while you will find yourself changing your mind. Have you looked at all of the men here? It will be hard to resist all these hard bodies after a while.

"Before you know it you'll be touching yourself to the thought of them. Then you'll find your self sneaking glances when you are sure that they aren't looking and won't notice, but I assure you they will always know when you do it. Then you'll find yourself justifying why it's ok to brush up against, touch, or rub up against them a few times while saying "what harm can it do".

"And then before you know it you'll be in bed with your legs swinging in the air having completely the best sex of your life. The men her are very accomplished at what they do, but as you'll later find out later of all the men no one but the royal family can set you off like they can. Before long you won't ever care to leave.

"I know I didn't, and I said pretty much everything you said at first as well. I know what you are thinking and I was just as determined to leave as you are now, but you'll eventually find out that you enjoy being here instead very much," said Jolica with a smile.

"I'm not going to become someone's slut just because you did," said Suzan in anger as her eyes narrowed.

The smile slipped off Jolica face for a minute as she stared hard at Suzan in return. Then it came back in full force.

"I totally forgot I did and said the very same thing to my mother in-law the former queen, funny how that came back to bite me in the ass both by hearing it from you just now and my doing exactly what she said I would do, just like what I'm saying to you now.

"Yet, I still I didn't believe it would hurt as much as it did when I heard it from someone else. Well, just wait until it's your turn to hear it and you'll know what I'm talking about, and you will hear it. All the women brought here to become the eventual Queens I'm told do pretty much the same thing," said Jolica smiling.

"Why me, why did you pick me?" asked Suzan in frustration changing tatics.

"The men here, the rulers I mean, while they are great lovers they aren't very quick thinkers. They just don't think fast on their feet. Don't get me wrong there is nothing wrong with them, but they tend to take their time considering every angle before they act. That is something that makes them great rulers, but very poor tacticians on a battlefield, though they do run a very efficient city. You'll understand what I mean eventually.

"So by the time they have all the information they need to make a decision during a battle, the battle would normally be long over. So that is where we come in. They need Battle hardened veteran's to lead the troops, to make quick command decisions, and lead everyone to victory.

"As such we can make quick decision to do the right thing and do what is needed when it needs to be done. We know how to look around us and take command because that's why we were picked in the first place. And as such we've had our eyes on several different young women for awhile, but you were at the very top of the list. The last test was this contract for Stockworth," said Jolica

"What about it. That had nothing to do with you," said Suzan in shock.

"Oh but it did. The kingdom's council set their well thought out plan in motion. Your friend Tonya wasn't called away because of a random family emergency. We setup of the letter and sent it so that she wouldn't be around to help with the contract. We needed someway for you to be on this mission. The emergency wasn't true and nothing was done to her, so she decided on her own to stay and visit for a while," said Jolica smiling

"That's a stupid claim. How did you even know that I would be the one Joi picked to fill in? You're just bluffing and are trying to claim a hand in something that you couldn't have possibly had a part in," said Suzan smugly.