Chapter No. 47 Mendacium

Then shalt thou inquire, and make search, and ask diligently; and, behold, if it be truth, and the thing certain, that such abomination is wrought among you;

When the door to the inquisition chamber/interrogation room opened, Tara looked up with anxious eyes to see who was coming in. Her brow wrinkled when she saw Grimsy bouncing along in his inimitable manner.

"Hello, ladies," he greeted them with his usual sardonic grin. "How are all of you this fine evening?"

Tara flashed a cautiously brief grin back at him. "What brings you to this den of specious testimony my lord?"

"Oh, I just wanted to check up on you three, see how you're doing in your new office."

"So far we've handled three illicit affairs, a couple of legal disputes, and a domestic argument. Nothing really all that important."

"This job is boring," Lady Fenta said with a frown for emphasis. "None of the accused brought before us has resisted telling us all."

"Oh, you're so right. How utterly boring." He paused to look at Lady Hensan, giving her a salacious smile.
"But your luck has turned. I have a case you will most assuredly enjoy."

"Who is it, my lord?" Tara asked.

"Why Quninso, who else."

"Now what's he done?" Fenta asked, her eyes showing disgust.

"What he's so inept at: adultery."

Lady Fenta shook her head. "Who the hell does this idiot think he is: Casanova?"

"Actually, he's living quite dangerously. He's accused of having an illicit liaison with Dame Valento."

"Isn't she the Prefect's wife?" Lady Hensan asked.

Grimsy giggled as he shook his head up and down. He held a finger up and wagged it at the three. "I want a confession from him. Do what ever you must to get it. Understood?"

"Yes, my lord," all three answered nearly in unison.

They watched him bounce out of the chamber.

"I think he's suffering from dementia," Lady Fenta whispered. "Ever since his sister went off, he's been acting weird."

"He's changed all right," Tara said. "But I don't know if it has anything to do with his sister. He's always acted weird. Without his sister around he seems to be taken up with demented pleasures."

"Yes," Lady Hensan said. "Meanwhile the Empire is going to hell in a hand basket."

"Not our problem," Tara reminded them before flicking her head back. "Our problem is coming through the door."

They watched a guard manhandle Quniso up to a position in front of their table. He had a sheepish look on his face, a fact that made all three women laugh inside.

Tara had trouble repressing a grin. "Well, I see that you couldn't keep out of trouble."

"I have no idea what all this is about. I didn't do anything."

"We have evidence that you have committed adultery with Dame Valento. How do you plead?"

"Not guilty, your ladyship."

"Not guilty, my eye," Tara said in a chiding tone. "You have a penchant for illicit affairs with older women. Why don't you save us all a lot of trouble and simply confess."

"What's in it for me?" he asked, sounding snippy.

"Well for one, you would escape a whole parcel of pain and embarrassment."

"A little pain . . . I can handle a little pain," he boasted. "And I've been embarrassed before."

Tara gave him a mocking smile. "You know not what you say."

He quizzically tilted his head. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Take this prisoner out in the anteroom and strip his clothing from him," Tara ordered the guard after giving Quinso a scolding look. "And then bring him back in here."

"I object your honor," Quinso yelled.
"Should I manacle him, my lady," the guard asked.

"Yes," Tara said. "But fetter his hands behind his back."

The guard gave her a guarded smile before he led the protesting Quniso out of the chamber.

Tara smiled. "At least now we'll find out what all these women see in this philanderer."

The two other women looked at her for a few seconds before they broke out laughing. Their laughter escalated when they heard Quinso's protests in the anteroom.

Grimsy paced in front of his throne with an uncharacteristically nervous pace. Mensa's  head swiveled back and forth as he shifted his stance.

"You seem disturbed, my lord. Can I be of assistance?"

"I need a convincing ploy," Grimsy said without stopping. "We must get this female thorn out of her lair. Her destruction is of paramount importance."

Now Mensa began to pace. "We know that your sister has befriended the witch and that the lady Tara is her friend. Perhaps we could . . ."

Grimsy's face exploded with discovery. "Yes! Yes, my dear man. That's the delicious connection. She will make a most insidious enticement."

"Who, my lord?"

"Why, Lady Tara of course."

Mensa's eyes ballooned before they narrowed. "Ah! I see, my lord--a well conceived ploy."

The chamber door creaked open but no one entered; it seems that their favorite subject was too embarrassed to make an appearance.

"Come in," Tara ordered in a mocking lilt. "We cannot interrogate you when you are out of sight."

"But I protest this cruel indecency. My modesty is being most grievously violated."

Tara laughed. "I believe that your modesty is of little concern to you, especially in the company of women. Get in here or I will have the guard drag you in."

With a sheepish look firmly planted on his face, Quinso entered and slowly approached the three women. He was greeted by their leering stares and wide grins.

They had seen better male physiques. His was tall and nicely built with sharply sculptured muscles and smooth unblemished skin, sparsely decorated with finely tufted hair.

His narrow angular face sported a suitably offended frown. "The least you could do is allow me to have my hands fettered in front."

Tara turned to glance at her two cohorts. "Oh, I don't know," she said, supporting her chin in her hand and staring lecherously at his crotch. "I think I prefer you like this."

The three women laughed derisively, much to the ignominious embarrassment of the subject before them.

"I object to this wanton humiliating treatment. You have no proof of my alleged infraction."

"We have no need of proof," Tara said with a haughty flick of her head. "The offending instrument is clearly visible to us; although, I'm not impressed with its efficaciousness."

Lady Henson guffawed. "Perhaps, we could improve its efficaciousness by stretching it a bit."

"I for one would just love to see how much it could be lengthened?" Fenta said, her eyes teasing.

Quinso's eyes enlarged with fear. "Surely, you would not resort to such a crude violation of my person to obtain a confession?"

"Why not?" Tara said. "You committed your violation with it. Why not punish the offender by subjecting his offending instrument to torment?"

Quinso held his jaw defiantly.

"I have a better idea," Fenta said. "In addition to stretching his instrument, we should also squeeze its supporting attachments."

"Good suggestion," Tara said, rewarding her with an ornery grin. "I'm certain that the resulting discomfort would elicit a swift confession."

"Oh, no," Quinso screeched. "You wouldn't?"

Three grinning women gave him his answer, an answer he was not willing to accept.

###

"I got that confession you wanted, my lord," Tara announced after she executed the customary bow.

Grimsy looked at her with a dumbfounded expression. "What confession?"

"From Quinso. You remember. He's the idiot that committed adultery with the Prefect's wife."

"Oh." He didn't sound enthused. "My mind has been preoccupied of late."

"What's troubling you, my lord?"

"I've just received disturbing news. Our spies have informed me that the rebels are torturing my sister."

Tara lowered her eyes and sighed. "I'm sorry." She looked up at him with a veil of ostensible sadness over her face. "But I'm not surprised. She has tortured and killed several of their people."

"That was in accordance with her assigned duty and position."

"The rebels don't care about that. They just want to get even."

Grimsy sighed. "Unfortunately, you are correct. Nevertheless, I don't like this news."

"Nor I, my lord."

He looked away to hide the fact that his eyes were glistening. She wondered why he would feel sadness for his sister's plight when he almost executed her by his own hand.

He turned and his face beamed with amusement, a transformation that startled Tara.

"Did he confess voluntarily?"

"No, my lord. He needed a reminder that his maleness provides a measure of vulnerability."

"You didn't do what I think you did, did you?"

Tara grinned. "I don't understand why those women so easily succumbed to his charms. His love equipment was not all that impressive, but we threatened to improve its length."

"Oh, my! That hurts just thinking about it."

"I'm sure it would, my lord," she said with an appropriate grin.

Grimsy clapped his hands. "Oh, I wish I had been in attendance. What fun you had. Did your threat illicit his confession?"

"Oh no, my lord. We had to suggest a more effective persuasion to relieve his reticence."

Grimsy's eyebrows rose. "Really?"
"Yes. He became quite talkative when we threatened to squeeze his . . ."

"You didn't?"

"Actually, we didn't, but he thought we would."

"Oh, I bet he didn't like that one bit."

"Probably not, but our threat worked."

Grimsy was so excited he stood up. "Oh, I had no idea that you would have that much fun."

Tara stared at him.

He gave her a confused expression. "Didn't you enjoy it?"

"Well, as much as I enjoyed teaching this cad a lesson, I'm not sure that what we did was prudent."

"Why? We used to castrate males. Inflicting a little pain is insignificant compared to that."

"I agree that castration is a much more serious punishment, but a little pain is a gross underestimation of the intense suffering that would result from applying pressure to a man's organs. How would you like it if some woman squeezed yours?"

"I would no doubt suffer unbearable pain, but adulterous males deserve such suffering."

"Agreed, but I don't think it's a good idea to start up a pattern of evil again, at least not now."

Grimsy's face went through several transformations before settling on resignation. "You're right. It was just a thought."

Tara offered him a sly smile. "You are wise, my lord."

He smiled sheepishly. "Thank you, my dear."

She bowed, comforted by the realization that her wits were still intact and operating at full efficiency.

A humid night breeze warmed her face as she lay on her bed with her shirt opened and stared at the ceiling of her room. Her mind was staring at despair. She had trouble imagining what her best friend was going through, what pain and suffering she was enduring. The news that the rebels were torturing her did not sit well, so much so that she couldn't sleep.

Estard and her had been the best of friends since their childhood. She loved her as a sister, and she believed that Estard loved her. Their love had transcended simple friendship. There was an element of physical attraction in their relationship that made separation painful and it created a need to grieve.
A knock.

"Who is it?" she called, jumping out of bed.

"It's me, Tara."

Tara opened the door, took a look down the hall in both directions, and gestured for Lady Fenta to enter quickly.

Tara flashed a brief smile. "We don't want to give Grimsy an excuse to visit us."

"No telling what he's going to do next," Fenta said, plopping on Tara's bed. "He's as crazy as a loon."

"With a penchant for evil," Tara added.

Fenta gave her an acknowledging nod. She stretched her body, arching her chest. "What would you like to do?"

Tara lay near her and placed her hand around Fenta's waist. She positioned her face directly over the woman's. Her breath warmed Fenta's face before their lips met. The kiss lasted longer than either had expected.

"Well," Fenta said, beaming. "You certainly know how to greet a night visitor."

Tara sat up. Her lips did not show signs of a smile. "I need cheering up."

Fenta sat up with concern on her face. "What's wrong?"

Tara looked away. "Grimsy told me that the rebels have tortured Estard."

"Maybe he's lying. I'm sure he resents the fact that you were her best friend."

"I don't know what to think. Grimsy has a way of getting under your skin. He loves seeing people sweat."

Fenta stood up, walked over to a leather divan and sat down. "He certainly does. But have you noticed that he torments people through others. He never does anything himself."

Tara stood up and paced to the divan but didn't sit down. "You're right. Perhaps he lives his fantasies vicariously."

"That doesn't make any sense. He's the damn Emperor. He can do anything he damn well wishes."

"That's right," Tara said. "I'm sure it isn't because he's afraid. It must have something to do with the way that his father treated him."

"Or his mother," Fenta said.

Tara smiled. "Oh, now that's a wild thought. I really don't know what his mother was like. Estard never talked about her."

Fenta's smile widened. "Well, I heard a rumor that said she was a domineering bitch who hated men. His father had her executed."

"That would explain a lot. But it doesn't bode well for us."

Fenta's smile faded. "Why?"

"It could be that Grimsy hates women as much as his father did."

"Oh, I don't like the sound of that. His misogynistic tendencies do not bode well for us." She got up, paced for a moment in deep thought. "But if he does hate women, why did he assign us to interrogate criminals?"

Tara sighed. "He's obviously toying with us."

"Oh, well," Fenta said with a sly grin. "We're having fun."

Tara grinned back. "At least it involves we."

Another knock.

"Oh my, I hope that isn't Grimsy," Tara said in a whisper.

More knocks.

"Open up Tara. I know you're in there."

Tara smiled and ran to the door.
"Good evening, dear Hensan."

Lady Hensan entered quickly and Tara closed the door and latched it.

"Well," Hensan said. "The fabulous trio is here."

Fenta frowned. "If Grimsy shows up we'll all be in trouble."

"Maybe he's entertaining boys," Hensan said. "I think he prefers the company of males."

"Our conclusion also," Tara said.
Hensan looked at her for a moment and then smiled. "Well, now that we're all here, what do we want to do?"

"We," Fenta said emphasizing the word, "want to have fun."

"What did you have in mind?" Hensan asked.

Tara flicked her eyes back and forth before centering them on Hensan. "How about a soothing evening in my bath?"

Hensan opened her mouth but just as she was about to say something another knock echoed on Tara's door.

"Oh shit," Tara whispered.

She gingerly opened the door to Grimsy's grinning face.

"Ah," he exclaimed. "My marvelous interrogators. How goes it, ladies?"

They all sported facetious smiles.

"Fine, my lord," Tara answered.

"What brings you three together?" he asked.

"Well, my lord," Fenta said. "We ah . . . Well, we like to amuse ourselves."

His eyes brightened. "Oh, I wholeheartedly approve. Everyone needs to have fun once in a while. What did you have in mind?"

"We hadn't decided yet, my lord," Tara said.

Grimsy held up a finger. "You three appear to need a cool dip. It has been beastly hot of late."

"A dip, my lord?"

"Yes. There's a pool in my private courtyard. You may use it if you wish."

Tara glanced at Fenta and Hensan before she turned back to Grimsy. "Thank you for your generosity, my lord."

He turned to leave but they stood in their places.

"Well, come on," he said, gesturing.

They reluctantly followed him out into the corridor. He led them to his quarters and then to a stairwell that led down to a spacious courtyard. Colorful flagstones ringed a large pool of water that rippled with pink luminescence from torches burning around its perimeter.

"Very nice, my lord," Tara said as she surveyed the courtyard.

Fenta and Hensan stared wide-eyed. They had never seen anything like it. Tara had heard about it from Estard, but she had no idea that it was this impressive.

"Well, ladies," Grimsy said. "Don't just stand there. Go enjoy."

Tara gave him a confused stare. "I don't think we can enjoy water dressed like this, my lord."

"Exactly," Grimsy said with an ornery grin.

Tara repressed a frown.

Oh shit.