Incassable

Entry 1: The Two Queens

Madame Vassale Rosaire had acquired me around the age of 12. The Madame was very devout to her faith and forced all the women who served her to take vows of celibacy. I would serve Rosaire's guests dressed in a white, full-length gown that covered each part of my skin and pearl mask. The mask was white with aspen twigs entwined along the top. My red horns were like blood in the snow behind the wooden crown. I am sure the Madame enjoyed the idea of locking away my color. Purifying me. Upon the left and right of the mask lay the white roses that were the symbol of Madame Vassale Rosaire. Pearls hung from my ears in long strings like hair and caused me to sparkle in the well lit halls of her palace. A lace veil covered the bottom half of my face with pearls woven within the delicate knitting. The only visible part of my face was my eyes. I had learned to control my eyes. To keep them at a dark pink color instead of the vibrant red they could turn. I could fill these pages with lines and lines of beatings. Maybe one day. Today, I am focusing on the important facts, not the emotional details. The Madame had personally seen to my beatings many times when anything beyond impassiveness changed the colors of my eyes. I learned to keep them steady and hidden well behind my mask. A mask that was perfectly tailored to my face so as to hide away any parts of me that may lay beneath.

The dress. I need to remember the dress. The full length, long-sleeve dress billowed around me and would cover all parts of my pink skin. It also hid the fresh whip marks that laid on my back. It was her daily sacrificial flagellation that the Madame required of me to ensure no evil spirits or thoughts would taint "perfection". The perfection she required of all of her servants. The Madame would grant me kindness and use her magic to heal any physical marks on my skin so as not to scar me but would ensure the pain remained as a penance for future sins. Over time, my potential was achieved and I was shaped into the perfect servant for the House of the Madame.

She greatly enjoyed the idea of having a tiefling who had been "tamed" and instead acted as a personification of virtue. In reality, I had been designed on the nursery planet to follow orders, so seeing her face light up at the retelling of the "Taming of the Tiefling'' always made me sigh inwardly. My black curls that would tumble down my back at the end of a long day would sit neatly pinned at the top of my head. My fangs were to be covered by my lips at all times. My tail was hidden from view. All the imperfect parts of me hidden behind the Madames perfectly tailored pearl mask and white ball gowns..

Once I met the Madam's expectations, I was proudly displayed as her virtuous "Chiffre" (Sheef). Chiffre were known, not only for their beauty, but for their virtuous natures and their perfection in ALL ways. Trained to be something of beauty that was looked at but not touched. I was a possession of the Madame to show off and use as she wished. Madame had many festivities where the other Chiffre and I would serve, sing for, and dance for her guests when commanded. We had to move in a specific way. Everything was choreographed and rigid down to the synchronized eye movements, smiles, and even the way our hands moved to chastely grab a partner by their hand for a dance. We were expected to be silent porcelain dolls when not in performance; looked at but not touched. It took me many years, and many days of "religious penance" before I mastered it. The Madame's Chiffre were so well known on S818 that no one would ever turn down an invitation from Madame Vassale Rosaire. Entertainment and wine flowed freely while the Chiffre acted as perfect party decorations. It was at one such festivity, although I do not remember the reason for the celebration in the first place, that I was taken from the Madame.

In her high ranking, she refused to share much of her past although the servants do talk. According to the whisperings late at night by the Unseen, Madame Rosaire was the eldest sibling in line for The Throne of S818. However, her religious calling proved too strong and she abdicated the throne. It is said that she despised the shameless and lewd security that the crown used to protect their power. Her sister, however, had lofty dreams for S818 and claimed the crown. The Madame was always in a twitchy mood when the Queen would not attend her extravagance. I had not had the opportunity to meet Queen Elenor François and only knew it was her by the Gilded Slaves that stood as her guard.

I had been expected to spend the night atop a small, ornate plinth with a gold tray of grapes. The guests would come and grab some before moving their conversation elsewhere. The muscles in my legs and back were accustomed to the work and I actually enjoyed watching the guests. It was close to the end of the night when I watched the Madame begin to lose her composure. The Madame was furious and her gentle features as red as her sister's hair while the Queen sat poised and rigid. The rest of the guests had stopped and watched for a moment but quickly regained themselves when the Madame cast her dark eyes in their direction. I forgot about it until the Madame sent for me. I had not even had time to put on my simple white dress; I was still clad in the Madames white finery.

When I entered the study I saw the Queen sitting calmly with a large Gilded Slave standing guard. She had a smile on her face as she stared into the fire. The Madame handed me some papers and told me I was property of the crown now. Ownership on S818 meant that I was an asset of the Queen herself and, as such, I dutifully followed her to her carriage with only my mask in hand.

Queen Elenor was surprisingly kind and filled our trip with useless gossip and important information that I still keep with me. She informed me, when we traveled to Regine Acrasia, that the two sisters had a falling out due to the Queen's absolute disgust for the radical religious beliefs her sister harbored. Queen Elenor had never met her sister's expectations and found her rather boring. She had also made a point to tell me that one of her informants had mentioned one of the Madame's dolls had quite an "alluring nature" and that she was excited to see me put to good use with "Regine". To this day, she is the only one who ever called her by her first name.

I was surprised at the stark difference between the sisters. Queen Elenor, sitting among the plush pillows in the carriage, was blunt and honest. The only time her optimism and excitement was dampened was when she spoke of her sister. She would look out the window with a look of regret. I would have a better view of her petite frame illuminated in the sunlight. Her red hair sat atop her head with white roses delicately placed within her soft updo. This was certainly to honor her sister. She looked as if she had stopped taking the elixir needed to age when she was around 25 years; common for those in power on S818. From my observations, the Queen was a sultry beauty while the Madame, who had stopped taking the elixir for age at 30, had a soft beauty. The Madame had black and silver hair that fell delicately around her face. She was not beautiful in the way of her sister but, rather, carried an air of gentleness within her features. This did not reflect on her nature as she would go to extreme means to force perfection on those around her. Her sister, however, looked as though she could command the attention of all yet she spoke with a softness. Her eyes were the true sign that there was kindness behind her striking features.

I was in a mixed state of unease and curiosity through the pass that led to Regine Acrasia. Not only had I been taken from the only place I ever considered home but I was not a possession of the Queen herself. The Queen was able to claim any asset she wanted within her lands as her property. I remember her eyes when they turned from looking out the window towards me. It was the only serious words she said during the half day trip. She had said that she could see power behind my mask. I had taken the pearl mask off before leaving and was surprised by her words. I, to this day, do not know how this would be possible unless she was sensing the Eros that had yet to be awakened. As someone familiar with its unique pull, she must have known what greedy beast lay beneath my eyes. As many who she had brought to Acrasia she must have hoped I could be used to strengthen the Crown's power on S818.