The patrol captain sat in the bar for a moment, getting ready for his morning patrol. Though it was barely sunrise, he was competent in his work as a guard and treated his position of captain as a privilege. Night time was a time of rest, but day was truly his time of labor. As he drank his ale and ate his breakfast in the bar, his subordinates came walking in, presumably the night patrol.
"Captain, drinking in the morning? Getting weary of the wife?"
"Ah, she's a bit annoying but I still love her. I just need a little peace and quiet away from my family for now."
"Well we got some stories to tell ya." Another patrolman said while sitting beside him.
"Who'd you catch this time?" The captain asked with a smirk.
"Some lads who thought that it was funny to hinder the construction team. Gave them a good beating."
"Aye, I can do you better." Another patrol man chuckled after sipping from his mug. "Met a lass who thought that she could get away with a few apples without paying."
"How is that any worse than mine?"
"She was more than willing to offer special favors in exchange for me letting her go." The guard said while leaning back.
The captain and his subordinate glanced at each other uncomfortably before asking.
"You didn't—"
"It's been weeks since I had a good fuckin', so I indulged in her offer."
"You do realize that this is fornication, and quite possibly rape." The captain said with utmost seriousness.
"Hah, you'd wish! The lass seemed to enjoy it more than I did!" The guard laughed before having another chug. "To this day, she begs for second helpings!"
"Then she is a slut." The patrolman concluded.
"That may be, but as long as she only comes to me, I might even consider marrying her to keep her around." The guard concluded before putting down his mug and wiping his mouth. "Well that's enough ale for me, I'll be going home to rest."
The guard left the bar immediately, leaving the captain and his subordinate to converse. The captain just sighed and returned to drinking.
"That man, I swear. He does not know what he is getting into."
"The local women are very voluptuous, I have to admit."
"Bah, the local girls have too big breasts for my tastes. Like those damned Poles and Russians. " The captain grumbled.
"But they do have the ideal hips for giving birth sir." The subordinate retorted.
"I concede to that point, but I am a married man, let the bachelors worry about the viable bachelorettes."
The captain noticed some young women eyeing him with interest, as some were biting their lips and others were twirling their hair. The captain sighed, as he still looked quite young for his age. It wasn't unusual for him to be the talk of the town. But he loved his wife, and wouldn't trade her for anyone else. He then gulped down his mug and said,
"I'll go start my patrol."
"Okay, best of luck captain."
The captain then set out, donned his chestplate over his gambesson, before putting on his kettle helmet, and readied his sword and heater shield. The town was too narrow for traditional battle with polearms, so patrols were issued with either a longsword or a broadsword and shield. The captain preferred the safety of the shield, even though he was the more well-armed member of the patrol, a man-at-arms to be exact. He was elected as bailiff and given command of his own personal platoon of sergeants by the Council of Nobles. To be a little more hands-on, he personally volunteered to patrol with his men, as not to discourage them from doing their jobs by leading through example. So far, it has worked well.
But his thoughts are interrupted by the commotion in a nearby house. There was screaming and crying. The captain could count about three people inside the house based on the noise, a man, woman and child. He immediately drew his sword and shield, running into the house and busting down the door and shouted.
"This is the town bailiff, what is all the commotion in there!?"
A pink-haired woman ran out with her child, as she fell before the captain and begged to him with tears in her eyes.
"Please save me and my—"
"YOU CHEATING WHORE!" A man shouted while running out with an axe.
"Get behind me." The captain said as he went into a defensive stance, before shouting at the man. "Stand down sir! We can settle this civilly."
"Out of my way! She needs to be punished!"
"We can do this peacefully." The captain reasoned, holding up his shield.
The captain took a closer look at the man, he bore the coat of arms of Thore, presumably a member of the local militia.
"Look fellow man in arms, let's calm down and settle this in court." The captain said peacefully, assuming a more passive position to try and calm the man. "I'm sure a good soldier such as yourself should know how to settle disputes."
"I'LL SETTLE THIS WHEN SHE EXPLAINS TO ME WHAT SHE DID!" The man snarled as he lunged with his axe.
The captain immediately assumed stance and blocked the axe strike, before plunging his sword into the man's stomach. The man dropped dead, with the wife embracing her daughter. The sound of clattering armor signaled the arrival of the town guard.
"What's going on here!?"
But the town guard then saw their superior on the steps to the house and bowed.
"Captain, what are you doing here?"
"I was doing my rounds when I heard the commotion in this house." The captain said while looking down on the bleeding corpse. "I had to put him down sadly."
"Shall we escort his wife and daughter to the guild?"
"Do that please, I will stay behind and search for any clue as to how this happened."
"Okay, God be with you sire."
The soldiers left, bringing the pink-haired woman and her daughter with them. The captain approached the body of the man and muttered.
"Why did you do this? Why did you attack your wife and child?" The captain wondered before resting his hand on the man's chest.
"Not… my… child…"
The captain froze, as he heard the man's voice. Though it was weak, he was able to decipher the full message.
"Not your child?" The captain asked, before realizing the man's injuries. "Wait right there, I'll go get a priest to heal you!"
Though it was unexplainable, senior priests were now the go-to for any grave injuries, ever since their healing ability was discovered, they have been prized by both the military and the locals as one to approach if you had grave wounds or injuries.
But the man stopped him, using his remaining strength to stop the captain by grasping his tabard.
"I… won't… make… it…" The man weakly said before handing a key from his pocket. "Drawer upstairs… get… my journal… open it..."
The captain took the key and watched the man's life slip away before he died peacefully. In pity, the captain did the Sign of the Cross and said a prayer for the poor man's soul. He then looked at the key in his hands, wondering what that man was going on about. He entered the house, seeing the results of the ensued chaos caused by that man. He needed more information. He climbed the stairs to the bedroom, which somehow carried the stench of semen. The captain held his nose as he looked for the drawer with a lock on it. He finds the lock and uses the key, successfully opening it and finding what was inside. A journal and pen, just like what the man had just said. The captain opened the booklet to see whatever was inside. And what he found was interesting. The journal was segmented into days, with each day carrying the personal anecdote of the writer, presumably the man from before. The captain decided to skim for important information, starting with page 1.
Day 1
I noticed that my wife has been acting strangely whenever I got home. I feel like she's hiding something from me, but I have no reason to snoop as she deserves her privacy.
Day 8
The neighbors say she's having an affair, I don't believe it. I refuse to believe it. She's such a good wife to me, I can't imagine her doing that.
Day 18
Came home early to see some men leave the house. Wife says that they're just tax collectors but they seemed too sketchy. I'm getting scared now.
Day 23
Younger sister came to visit, she's currently staying overnight at our house.
Day 25
It was horrible. My sister, she was found raped and covered in semen. What's worse is that it happened in our very home. I'm happy that my wife and daughter were unharmed but how did those bastards get to my sister? Even my sister doesn't want to talk about it.
Day 42
Goddammit, how could I have been so naive when it was so obvious all this time. So initially, I decided to pretend to leave so that I could see what was really going on. And peeking into our bedroom, I caught her in the act with three, fat old men. She was different from her usual demeanor. She seemed so mindless and wild, taking the old men's cocks into her ass, pussy and mouth. She seemed to enjoy it as she was screaming in ecstasy that she was their "fuckslut" and "cum dumpster". The worst part was when the old men brought up my sister, saying that it was "an awesome orgy" that they had. Another man had commented how he was amazed that they were able to hide this for four years. Listening to the whole conversation, I learned many things:
— My wife has been cheating on me for four years
— My "daughter" isn't really mine, most likely born from the affair
— My wife let these men into the house and let them rape my sister
If this is a nightmare, then please let it stop. She will tell me more about this, even if I'll have to hack it out of her.
The captain felt nauseous reading the journal. That man didn't deserve to die after all, it was his wife's fault all along. But he needed irrefutable proof that the wife had been cheating on the man. He went back down and decided to visit the neighbors to gather some evidence. He kept the journal with him as he needed to draw connections between the man's journal and witness testimonies. He first started with the shop nearby, approaching the young female shopkeeper and asking her about the incident.
"Oh her? I've been seeing fat old men enter her house ever since she and her husband moved there."
The captain wrote that down and handed the booklet and pen to the shopkeeper.
"Please write down your name and sign this paper to establish your testimony, I will return with your reward later." The captain said curtly. "About 20 florins."
"Well shucks, okay!" The shopkeeper said while signing the paper with a smile. "Don't know why you needed this information, but money is money!"
The captain then took the booklet and read the name. Ela, okay, he will have to summon her later on. He then went to the house right next to the scene of the crime. He sees a man working the garden outside the house. He called him over and asked him questions regarding the women next door.
"Ah, she's always noisy during the afternoon. The children can't even sleep with her moaning waking up her neighbors. So my wife and I just put padding over the wall."
Once again, the captain took notes of this, and handed the booklet and pen to the man.
"Write your name and sign this paper to validate your testimony." The captain said before taking the booklet and reading the name, James, before tucking into his pocket. "You will receive a reward of 20 florins, thank you for your cooperation good sir."
The captain rinsed and repeated this with a few more neighbors until he felt like he gathered enough evidence to testify against the lady. It was already almost midday and he was already tired, but he needed to see this finished. He ran into the guild, where the wife and child were waiting. After gathering everything about what she did, he couldn't see her the same way again. He tried to hide his face of disgust as the woman came running to him.
"Can we move back in now?" The mother asked while holding her child.
"Well, you can. There's just one little thing we need to settle." The captain said while signaling the guards to take the woman's daughter gently. "And I prefer that we both have some privacy."
The mother looked a bit worried as the men took away her daughter, but the captain then said.
"Don't worry, your daughter is in good hands." The captain said before glaring at his men. "She will be okay, right?"
"Yes sire." The soldiers bowed, as they gently brought the child away.
The mother was now nervous, seeing that she and the captain were the only ones left in the room. The captain then sighed and said.
"Follow me."
The captain and the woman walked until they reached a small room that had a table with a lamp and two tables. The captain sat near the window while the woman sat across him, fidgeting in discomfort.
"First, could you please state your name?" The captain asked taking out a pen and paper
"Samaria."
"Now Samaria, do you know why I called you here?"
"I-Is there something you need from me?" Samaria asked nervously.
"Are you aware of the new laws put in place ever since the Duke had conquered Thore?"
"No… Why?"
"I'll go straight to the point then, adultery is a very serious crime by the new laws." The captain said before setting down a booklet. "And I have proof that you have been doing just that."
"How dare you—"
"Now before you get upset, let me read a few lines that may ring familiar to you." The captain said before looking down on his booklet and reciting. "Day 18: Came home early to see some men leave the house. Wife says that they're just tax collectors but they seemed too sketchy. I'm getting scared now."
"So? What if they were just tax collectors?" Samaria asked skeptically, crossing her arms.
"Oh but there is more, even witness testimonies suggest so. Ahem, Ela: I've been seeing fat old men enter her house ever since she and her husband moved there. James: She's always noisy during the afternoon. The children can't even sleep with her moaning waking up her neighbors. So my wife and I just put padding over the wall."
The woman stayed silent at that, while the captain put down the booklet and sighed.
"I have irrefutable proof on this, so it's be useless to take it to court." The captain said while leaning back on his chair. "So I suggest you cooperate with me instead."
"What do you want from me then!?" The woman said with an outburst. "You already know, so what do I have to lose!?"
"I want you to tell me why you did it." The captain said darkly. "Having your hard-working husband have to support a whore like you and your bastard of a child."
"Don't call my baby a bastard you cur!" Samaria snarled.
"What's wrong with saying the truth?" The captain asked nonchalantly. "Especially when you've been pulling this charade since the day you were married."
The woman stayed silent, but still gave the captain a piercing glare.
"Anyway, tell me why you did it, and I might lighten your sentence."
"… Alright." Samaria sighed while adjusting her chair. "I did it because… it was something I was used to in my childhood."
"You mean to tell me that you have been involved in sexual activities since your younger years?" The captain questioned, repulsed by such a concept.
"My father, uncle, and cousins would… play with me… So it was something that I got so used to that I sort of missed it when I got married. So I expected the same from my husband, but didn't feel as good as he was always out for work."
"So how did those fat old men come into the picture?"
"They came to me while my husband and I were newlyweds. When my husband went out, they would come in, fondling my body and making me feel good. I tried to resist them, but I began to enjoy it, because my husband didn't make me feel as good as they did."
The captain was holding back the urge to vomit. This was repulsing, disgusting, and he would put an end to that. This woman only sought the sanctity of marriage for the pure physical pleasure of it rather than the grace of God. Absolutely barbaric. He was going to set things straight once and for all.
"Do you remember the names of these men, including your family?"
"Every single one." The woman admitted. "They would whisper their names to me in case i would like to continue our fuck sessions."
"If you consider writing them down, I will lighten your punishment even further." The captain offered while unrolling an empty scroll.
The woman looked uncertain as she looked at the captain and back onto the paper.
"We don't have all day, your punishment will be at midday, so you have but a minute to decide."
The woman took the pen and hesitantly wrote the names onto the scroll. The captain smirked as the woman wrote the names of the plenty men who had sexual relations with her. He then took the scroll and wrapped it. He then stood up and said.
"Good choice for you to cooperate, you have my thanks madam."
The woman didn't see the captain as he ordered his guards to take her away to the dungeons for the meantime. The captain didn't look back as he watched his guards drag the woman away kicking and screaming. He then spotted a batch of guards standing idly as he then called.
"Sergeants!"
The guards immediately stood straight and got into position. The captain then handed them the scroll and said.
"Find all the men listed here and bring them to me immediately." The captain said, handing the scroll to the platoon before sending them off. He then called over another group of guards. "And prepare the wooden platform, we will be hosting a public execution."
"Yes sir!"
The captain then sighed as he stared at the bell tower, the bell signaling the pass of the hour. It was only two hours until the public execution. He would get ready, because the people would not be pleased with what this woman had done.
And with that, two hours pass and the captain goes to see the guards, finally catching the men mentioned in the list. There were men of multiple body types, but one thing for sure, they weren't exactly good-looking. He took the scroll and unrolled it, declaring.
"Are you all members of the Samaria family?"
"Y-Yes." Some of the men replied.
"N-No…" The others answered meekly.
"Now are you all aware of the laws put in place after the Duke's Conquest?" The captain asked.
"You mean the one with the really hot wife, and that nephew with a really sexy girlfriend." One shamelessly asked.
"Guard, punish him for speaking like that."
The guard then kneed the man in the back, causing him to collapse on his knees.
"Don't speak of nobility like that." The captain coldly warned.
"But what if it's true?" The man persistently asked.
"Guard, kick him again." The captain nonchalantly ordered.
The guard smirked as he kneed the man's face, causing him to fall over in pain. The men knew better and stayed silent.
"Now I want you all to know that you are all under the suspicion of being fornicators, pedophiles, and incestophiles."
"What hogwash! Who would accuse us of such a thing?!"
"Samaria," The captain replied.
"Her!? She accused us of all this?" One man asked.
"She's family! Why would she do such a thing?" Another man questioned, appalled by the turn of event.
The captain signaled for his men to bring Samaria in. The men gave Samaria a glare as many of them began to shout and jeer at her. It was clear that they did not like her for doing that. But the captain knew these were the culprits, and he knew just how to make them show their true colors. The captain then forcefully took Samaria aside and ripped off her clothes, much to the shock of everyone, before pushing her down to the ground. He then took out a special loincloth, nicknamed lingerie by the locals and threw it to the woman.
"Put this on." The captain said.
"B-But—"
"You act like a whore, you dress like a whore, so make it quick before I bring out the whip!" The captain threatened.
The woman frantically put on the lingerie, as the guards looked away in disgust and embarrassment while the imprisoned men were looking in awe at the beautiful and voluptuous woman changing clothes before their very eyes. Samaria looked abashed as she tried to cover her body from the spectators. But the captain's cruelty did not stop there.
"So, you've had sex with multiple men, even letting them treat you like an animal!" The captain proclaimed in disgust while bringing out more props, such as cat ears and whiskers, to dress her up in. "Put these on as well!"
The captain's reasons were far from sexual. Back at home, being dressed as an animal was an insult to one's pride as a human being, and made for the perfect humiliation for those who were adulterous or "had sex like animals". The woman hesitantly put on the whiskers and cat ears, prompting the captain and his guard to laugh.
"Hahahaha! Good job captain, I think ya caught a biggun'!" One thick-accented soldier laughed.
"I have an idea!" A guard said while bringing out some rope. "Let's tie her to a post like an animal!"
The captain let them do it, as they tied her hands to the wall, exposing her behind as they laughed.
"Now for our last and final bit, meow like a cat for us!" The captain commanded.
"B-But—"
"Looks like she's had it boys! Let's grab the whip!"
"N-No! Meow! Meow! Meow!" Samaria frantically mewled while panting out of fear.
"GAHAHAHAHA!" The guards laughed in unison. "Looks like we've shown her true form! Now let's see how our prisoners are doing!"
The men were not themselves, they were drooling at the sight of the woman's rich and sexy body. They were entranced by its beauty and could not contain themselves as they broke free from their captors and tried to rush and grab her for their pleasure. But the captain signals for the guards to drag them back, as they screamed.
"Let me go! She looks too good not to fuck!"
"Grrr! Just let me grab that fine ass!"
"Set the bait, and the animal bites." The captain snidely remarked as he then untied Samaria. "You're all pathetic wastes of human flesh, and it's a wonder you lived this long."
"Wait!" One of the men pleaded. "We have more than enough money to recompense all the damage we've done!"
"Unfortunately, no amount of money can restore a man's death and dignity, as well as the integrity of his wife and family." The captain said while nodding at the guards to prepare to drag them off. "And there's only one thing that can be exchanged for something so priceless."
"No, NO, NO!" One of the men begged as he was being dragged off.
"Please don't!"
The captain waited until the men were gone as he pulled up Samaria and dusted her. He then snapped his fingers commanding the nearby handmaidens to dress Samaria in different clothes. He turned around and waited before Samaria was back into her old prison rags. Samaria was still in shock at the embarrassment and shame she felt from before.
"W-Why did you that!?" Samaria screamed with tears in her eyes.
"I'm teaching you what it's like to have your dignity being stripped away." The captain replied sternly. "It's already hard to respect your dignity knowing what you did."
"B-But I did it because—"
"It felt good? Oh don't give me that hogwash now!" The captain said exasperatedly. "If you had even the smallest form of spiritual guidance, this wouldn't have happened. You are too hedonistic to understand the true happiness that's beyond the pleasures of the senses."
The captain then grabbed Samaria's arm as he then began to drag her out.
"And there are consequences." The captain said as he opened the door, revealing a large crowd and a wooden stage.
A large number of people were gathered, both beastpeople and human alike, as they stopped their tasks to take a look at whatever was happening. The captain noticed a few Persians, Sudanese, and Arabians in the crowd as he then whispered to his cohort.
"Get me a translator for the other nationalities."
"There's a pair of Mamluks below us awaiting your words sire."
"Good, make sure they bring this message as well."
The captain then proclaimed before the crowd.
"Citizens, here you witness the scum of humanity! Here we have a woman who has committed adultery and made a fool of her husband!"
While some of the citizens were uncomfortable with this, the others jeered. They booed and threw rotten fruits and vegetables at the woman.
"Whore!"
"Prostitute!"
"You have displeased Allah!"
Samaria didn't like the bad attention, but the captain kept a tight grasp on her as he then tied her to a post and proclaimed.
"Now she shall pay for her uncleanliness!" The captain said as he brought out his whip. "Thirty strikes with a scourge shall do the trick!"
"No! Please don't do this!" Samaria begged.
"DO IT!" The crowd shouted, cheering the captain on.
The captain struck once, causing the woman to cry out in pain. Only twenty nine more to go. He struck again, much to the crowd getting wilder. He repeated his strikes in a slow and rhythmic fashion. With each blow, the woman began to lose her strength as she staggered, before finally falling halfway through her punishment. In less than a minute, the agonizing pain was over, and the woman was released from her bonds. The woman could barely stand as the guards carried her off and placed her in the background. The captain then sat down beside the woman as she then bitterly asked.
"Why am I still on the stage?" Samaria asked with tears in her eyes.
"Because I'm going to show you how lucky you are." The captain said as he showed her what was next.
The men who had cuckolded her husband, were tied to a stake, and set before the people. The people threw items at them as the guards set them back. One of the guards grabbed a torch and shouted.
"Lord, purge these unclean men for they have committed an unimaginable sin!"
"THEY CAN ONLY BE CLEANSED BY FIRE!"
"Then so be it then!" The soldier remarked as he set the dry leaves on fire, the flame rising and touching the perverted men.
Samaria watched in horror as the perverted men who had violated her before were being burnt alive. She could hear the screams for agony and help, but only heard cheers of approval from the crowd. These people meant business, and she solemnly swore to herself that she would never make the same mistake again. Not with these people as their rulers.
Later that day, the captain returned to his humble abode. Though he was from a minor noble family, he had chosen the simple peasant life for the sake of peace of mind. His house was small for a man of his blood, and did not house servants like others did. He entered the house and set his gear aside into the cabinet. He sniffed the air as he smelled food being cooked by the fireplace, finding his wife setting up the table. His wife looked up and smiled.
"Camelia, darling, I'm home!"
"Ah, Fang, I see you're home early!" The wife said with delight as she prepared the food. "Come sit, I prepared your favorite meal, marinated rabbit with bitter vegetables!"
Before she could even grab the food, her husband held her, putting them both face to face. She was a bit abashed to see her husband's handsome face so close to hers. He then said with much sincerity.
"Look, honey. I love you with all my heart, and I appreciated all that you've done for me. So don't feel unappreciated or unloved, because I always will do so."
This, of course, caught her off-guard, as she did not expect her husband to say something suddenly yet sincerely. The long pause was awkward, with Camellia struggling to find the words to even reply to him. Her face flushed quite a bit, until her cheeks were a healthy shade of pink.
"D-Did something happen at work dear?" The wife asked while trying to cover her blushing face.
"Oh nothing." Fang smirked while pecking his wife on the cheek. "Just an important lesson on marriage."
"Well we can discuss that over dinner then." Camelia said rosily, the sudden compliment making her feel merrier, while setting up the table. "The kids will be coming home from grammar school soon."
"Okay, I'll help you set the table."
Fang could see his wife giggle at the offer. This day was a blessing in disguise after all. It fulfilled him to see such a bright smile on his beloved's face. It only made him wonder why he hadn't thought of this before.