"But he wants this for me," she thought. "Not just that he see me but that all see me."
"It gives the people such pleasure to see you," he had said tonight as they entered this little town. He had prodded her on up ahead of him, and she had been crying so fiercely as she saw all about her those shoes and boots from which she dared not look up.
"But you are so lovely, Princess, and they will be telling their grandchildren about it," said the tavern girl. "They cannot wait to feast their eyes upon you, and you will not disappoint them, no matter what they have heard. Imagine that, never disappointing anyone..." The girl's voice trailed off as though she were in thought. "O, I wish I could follow you to see it."
"But you don't understand," Beauty whispered, unable suddenly to contain herself. "You don't realize..."
"Yes, I do," said the girl. "Of course I do...I've seen the Princesses when they come through in their magnificent gowns covered with jewels, and I know how it must feel to be opened to the world as if you were a flower, all of their eyes like fingers prying at you, but you are so...so splendid finally, Princess, and so rare. And you are his Princess, and he has claimed you and all know you are in his power and must do as he commands you. It is no shame to you, Princess. How could it be, with so great a Prince to command you? O, do you think that there aren't women who would give up everything to take your place, if only they had your beauty?"
Beauty was startled by this. She thought about it. Women giving up everything, taking her place. It had not occurred to her. She remembered that moment in the forest.
But then she remembered being spanked in the Inn, and all of those others watching. She remembered sobbing helplessly, and hating her bu**ocks propped up in the air, and her legs open, and that paddle coming down again and again. Finally the pain was the least of it.
She thought of the crowds on the road. She tried to picture it. It would happen to her tomorrow.
She would feel this drenching humiliation, this pain, but all those people would be there to witness her humiliation, to amplify it.
The door had opened.
The Prince had come into the room. And the little tavern girl jumped up and was bowing to him.
"Your Highness," the girl said breathlessly.
"You've done your work very well," said the Prince.
"It was a great honor, your Highness," said the girl.
The Prince came to the bed, and clasping Beauty's right wrist, he drew her up out of the bed and stood her beside it. Obediently, Beauty looked down, and not knowing what to do with her hands, quickly brought them to the back of the neck.
She could almost feel the Prince's satisfaction.
"Excellent, my darling," he said. "Isn't she lovely, your Princess?" he said to the tavern girl.
"O, yes, your Highness."
"Did you talk to her and console her as you were bathing her?"
"O, yes, your Highness, I told her how much everyone admired her and how much they wanted to..."
"Yes, to see her," the Prince said.
There was a pause. Beauty wondered if they were both looking at her, and suddenly she felt herself naked in the sight of both of them. It seemed one or the other she could bear, but both of them staring at her br**sts and sex was too much for her.
But the Prince embraced her as if seeing that she needed embracing, and gently squeezing her sore flesh, sent another soft shock of shameful pleasure through her. She knew her face was red again. She had always blushed so easily. And were there other ways in which he could tell what his hands did to her? She would cry again if she could not conceal this mounting pleasure.
"Down on your knees, my darling," said the Prince with a little snap of his fingers.
In a shock Beauty obeyed, seeing the rough floorboards before her. She could see the Prince's black boots, and then the crude leather shoes of the serving girl.
"Now, approach your servant and kiss her shoes. Show her how grateful you are for her devotion to you."
Beauty didn't stop to think of it. But she felt her tears come again as she obeyed, depositing each kiss on the worn leather of the girl's shoes as gracefully as she could. Above she heard the girl's murmured thanks to the Prince.
"Your Highness," the girl said, "it is I who want to kiss my Princess, I beg you."
The Prince must have nodded, because the girl fell to her knees, and, stroking Beauty's hair, kissed her upturned face with great reverence.
"Now, you see there the posts of the foot of the bed," the Prince said to the girl. Beauty of course knew that the bed had high posts, which held a coffered ceiling over it.