Dinner and bed

Sister Nightingale was passed out on her cot, the skirts of her robes still tucked into the rope belt of office and the pink folds of her cunt fluttering like petals in a summer's breeze. Beldan smiled in satisfaction, not only had he been able to cum down one of the most talented throats in the Church, but then she had willingly offered herself for his enjoyment, and he had yet to rule on her petition. How many more times would she give herself to him as she attempted to influence his judgment on her request? He enjoyed using the power of his position as much as the ring to bend her will to his, perhaps even more. With a slight frown, Beldan considered the implications of Nightingale's growing mastery of the psi-net, he knew that the device made his Voice more sensitive to the emotional states of those she was near. Was she able to read his emotions as well, or did the controller ring offer him immunity from that intrusion?

Irritated with the idea of anyone reading his state of mind, Beldan left her chamber and returned to his offices. Both Anna and Louis were sitting at the desk working through the hundreds of files on this year's initiates. Beldan watched them carefully before he entered searching for any sign of intimacy between them that he could use at a later date. If Anna did come to care for his pathetic clerk, he could pretend to threaten Louis and have the pretty little novice beg him for leniency. It would be even better if he could arrange for Brother Louis to watch as his sweetheart did everything in her power to please him, knowing that it was because of the pair's forbidden relationship that Anna had to appease her tormentor. Beldan spied on the two for several minutes, but other than an occasional half smile, Beldan saw no evidence that either one was even slightly infatuated.

Beldan entered with a suddenness that made the two cringe on their stools and Beldan smiled as he saw the fearful looks on their startled faces.

"Carry on." He directed the pair and then turned his attention to the various assorted reports that filled most of his day. Sister Anna looked particularly relieved that he did not summon her to his side. Beldan briefly considered having her clean the pussy juice from his cock, but after emptying himself twice into Nightingale, he doubted his cock would thicken even a little in her mouth. The High Priest hated the thought of anyone ever thinking about how small and limp his cock was even if they were sucking him at the time.

The rest of Beldan's afternoon passed without incident, he OK'd Louis' schedule of interviews without comment and sent the document to the Mother Superior in the convent. As requested, Winlay Grace was slotted into the last interview before his lunch break. For the most part Beldan did little or no preparation for his private interviews with the initiates, but he carefully looked over all the documents involving Winlay. One of these documents was from the Mother Superior herself. Winlay had been requested as a worker in the convent gardens. What nonsense! The convent leader was another dried up prune of a woman whose wrinkled turkey neck and flat sagging tits were an eyesore at every meeting they shared. (When he had the power he'd appoint only women who didn't make him puke to any positions of power.)

"Anna." He spoke softly but he could see her flinch when she heard him call her name. "Come my daughter." He told her and took the long fingers of her hand from where they rested on a pile of documents, in his large palm. For just an instance he thought she might protest, but then without a murmur she climbed obediently to her feet and followed him from the offices to his private chambers.

"What did you think of this year's initiates?" Beldan asked the novice as he escorted her to his rooms. The young sister mumbled something that sounded appropriately sincere. Servants opened the doors to his private chambers but carefully avoided making eye contact with either him or Sister Anna. As soon as he was in the privacy of his suite the High Priest asked again, but this time his hand gripped her firmly by the thick black hair twisting his fingers in her curls and forcing her eyes up to meet his.

"I asked you, What did you think of this year's initiates?" He asked again "Do you think any of them will be able to please me any better a slut like you?"

"I hope so Your Holiness." Her words were soft, but clear. "I'm sorry you don't find me satisfactory anymore." Beldan doubted that Anna was sorry at all. Some years the toys he chose were distraught when they deduced that they would soon be replaced, but Sister Anna didn't seem to care about much anymore. Unlike his discussions with Sister Nightingale who would still show sparks of spirit, conversations with Sister Anna were irritatingly dull.

"Bathe me." He ordered the novice, and then in a attempt to get some reaction from her added - and when I am dressed you may return to your cell and contemplate your whorish faults." The sister accompanied him into the bathing room and filled the oversized tub with hot soapy water without saying a word and Beldan considered in anticipation how good it would be to have sweet, shy, Winlay be the one who would wash the day's sweat from his body.

Beldan sent Sister Anna to her room even before he was completely dressed. Even the dutiful touch of her hands as she washed and dried him were not enough to coax any reaction from his spent cock, and he found her subdued presence irritating. He finished dressing himself in robes of dark green velvet that hung from his corpulent body in great folds. The color was not one of the shades proscribed for the clerics of Xelta, it was too close to the imperial green of the Veertor emperors. However, Beldan had seen the soft fabric in the tailor's shop and had insisted on a set of robes be fashioned for him out of the fabric, once fully dressed he admired himself in the full length mirror. He wore the color much better than either Victor or his father ever did.

Dinner this evening was spent with six mid-level clerics who managed a small part of the vast powerful bureaucracy that was the source of the Church's power. Beldan had an eye for spotting men yearning for advancement in the Church's Byzantine system of checks and balances, and he had been cultivating these men's hopes and fears in order to bind them to him when the time came. The High Priest flattered them and their ability as the seven men enjoyed the different courses served by the Holy Palaces staff of chefs.

After opening dishes of broiled shrimp and a roasted skreep for each of his guests, the main dish arrived, the palace chefs had prepared one of his favorite dishes; veal stuffed with sweet fresh crab meat. The tender flesh melted in his mouth and the crab stuffing was well worth the significant expense of shipping the crustaceans from the cold northern waters of Veer. The wines he served were a heady collection from West Phalia, each bottle complementing the nuanced flavor profile of the dishes. By the time the clerics were savoring the last bit of ginger flavored sorbet, all of them were nodding in agreement as he explained that changes would be needed for the Church to continue its growth and that he hoped he count on the youth and energy of the select group before him.

Beldan had held many of these informal dinners with many officers of the church before this one, and was starting to feel a surge of support from key areas in the Church. He left the dinner in good spirits, both from the multiple glasses of wine and the willingness of the six clerics to support him and his causes. Mostly though, he was in good spirits because tomorrow he'd start the process of converting the pretty and earnest Winlay Grace into the woman of his dreams.