A Maiden's Tale || NaruHina COMPLETED

Chapter 5

My hands shook nervously as I clasped them in front of my skirts, following after the queen as she instructed. I kept my eyes down as best I could. I paused at the door, waiting for any command.

"Come in, sweet," Shion hummed. "Don't be shy."

I swallowed thickly, pressing the anxiety back down into my throat. For months I had been told to stay away from the queen, that her cruelty was incomparable, and that she tortured the girls that were too pretty to be maids. Yet here she was, beckoning me to her side as she complemented me. I was confused- and that made me all the more fearful.

Standing before a long mirror, the queen gestured to her back. "My dear, would you mind helping me undress? I'm afraid this corset is absolutely impossible to manage on my own. Normally, Naruto would help, but..."

"Yes, Your Majesty," I said timidly.

"Oh please, my darling girl," Shion called with a flutter of eyelashes. "Ma'am will do just fine for now."

I nodded, tugging gently on the ebony strings. "Yes ma'am."

Shion's dress started to loosen, her pale skin revealing itself by the inch as the corset fell apart. She sighed dreamily as the material fell away. I held it for her as it slinked to the floor, allowing her to step out so I could pull the dress away. To my surprise, she didn't cover herself or move behind the curtain to change. She turned gracefully, proudly naked apart from the intricate garters and undergarments that hugged her lower half. High stockings, knit in large, looping patterns decorated her thighs down to her graceful feet. I couldn't help admiring her, understanding for a moment why Naruto tended to her so well; the queen was stunning.

"Tell me maid," Shion said, gently running a finger over the top swells of her breasts. "Is it true you have never experienced a man?"

My cheeks flushed, and I ducked my head to gently fold the gown still in hand. "Y-yes ma'am."

The queen tapped her chin thoughtfully. "Strange, a thing as adorable as yourself never finding a humble sculler to scurry off with. Do you have a distaste for men of your own peasant standing?"

"Ah, no ma'am," I said shyly, tucking the dress neatly into its box.

"Then what is it?" Shion chuckled dryly as she followed me to her closet. "Surely you must have found someone of interest by this point. Could it be that you are afraid of losing your innocence?"

I coughed uncomfortably as I placed the dress box back in its place. "Ahm, w-what would you like to wear this evening, Your Majesty?"

The queen narrowed her eyes, her voice biting. "I told you not to call me that, maid."

"I-I am sorry, ma'am," I said, bowing.

Shion's tone didn't shift as she directed me. "The red one." She pointed to a green box, and I took it off the shelf to pull out the contents. Inside was a fiery red satin dress, thin and slim with a flowing skirt. I walked out of the closet, holding the dress carefully in hand. The queen did not turn as she challenged me. "You did not answer my question, maid."

I bit my lip, clearing my throat as I circled her. "I am not afraid of men," I admitted. I inhaled thoughtfully, finishing, "I simply know nothing about them."

The queen stared at me, her eyes blank and unreadable. Then she licked her lips, and scoffed. "Men are not so difficult to understand, child," she said, balancing on my shoulders as she stepped into the pool of red fabric. "The first thing a woman has to learn about men is how weak they are."

Shion's nails dug into my back. I had to keep myself from wincing as she pushed down on me to prop herself. "Weak, ma'am?"

"Yes," she said, allowing me to slip the material over her supple hips. My thumbs brushed over the flesh around her sides. I almost couldn't believe how soft she was. I felt that I could push right into her with my hands, like bread dough. Yet her stature, her words, her aura- it was cold and hard, like stone.

"Men are the scum of this earth, merely put here as a joke to torture women. They are hardly even needed for reproduction- and it is their only true purpose. Women are strong. We produce life itself. Yet, men were given the right to rule women," she barked with laughter as I straightened her sleeves.

"Men. Ruling the world. This is why we have war, why we have anger and hatred. Men planted those seeds, and tore us apart. They took away our right to choose. When to have children, what life we would like to lead, who we could love..."

For a moment, I stopped dressing the queen. I was in awe. Shion's face fell, ever so slightly, and for a moment, I thought I saw true sorrow. Then, she straightened and glared at me. "Continue, maid."

I ducked behind her, and began pulling at the dress' laces.

The queen shook her head. "Women will never have a right to choose. I realized long ago that the only way for a woman to truly have freedom, is to control men. And oh," she giggled, the sound deep and rigid, "how easy men are to control. Do you know how to control a man, my dear?"

I shook my head, tightening the strings into a finishing bow. "No ma'am."

The queen whipped around, grabbing me by the waist and pulling me into her body. I could feel her full breasts pushing into my own, her powerful hips pressing against my shaking core. I gasped loudly when she placed a hand on the small of my back, the other caressing my chin. "With your body."

I shivered when her hand fell to my shoulder, and she squeezed lightly, digging her nails into my upper arm.

"To control a man, you must own his mind. Men's brains exist in their cocks. It is sad, but it is painfully true," she released me, and swayed over to her boudoir, leaving me clutching my chest awkwardly where she touched me. She sat leisurely at her cushioned seat, picking at the array of cosmetics available to her. "When a man lusts for your body, there is nothing like it; he thinks about your breasts, your legs, the way your cunt opens for him whenever he pleases." She snickered, powdering her nose. "He thinks you are serving him. But all the while, he doesn't realize you are the one who has already consumed his mind."

Shion held out a pair of red satin gloves, beckoning me. I dutifully shuffled forward, picking up a long glove and holding it out for her to slip on.

She grinned, wiggling her fingers into the material. "When you have consumed his mind, he will do anything for you. That is where the real power lies. Not in love, but in lust."

I watched her slip on the second glove, fitting her fingers in snugly. I mulled over her words, murmuring softly, "Do you think men are incapable of love, ma'am?"

Shion placed her hands on the table's edge, and stood to face me fully. "Men can love," she shrugged, "but they cannot women. Men love power, it is all they know. No matter a king or a beggar, men will always believe themselves above us."

I flinched when she reached out toward me, resting both hands on my shoulders. "They are all the same, my dear. Do not trust a single one. You'll remember this, won't you child?"

Though my heart sank, I nodded, bowing my chin. "Yes ma'am."

Shion almost smiled, but the gesture was far more serpentine than inviting. "Good. Now get back to work. I will be taking my supper soon.