Allegra

If she was to save the Holy Order and the Queen, Emily realised there was no time to waste. It was clear to her that the only possible answer was that Allegra was the traitor, and Alexa, Champion of the Holy Order was the one who would prove it. Now, about step one: escaping from this wooden frame. Alan, the creepy guard had moved his camping chair over to the stage next to the pillory and was now seated, reading something on his phone.

Her back was really starting to ache now, so she tried bending her knees slightly and arching her spine. That helped a little, although she knew she was effectively sticking her bottom out further. Hopefully, and as far as she knew, there was nobody back there though. She tried pulling her hands free, but this was no good. Craning her neck she could see the ends of the frame, that the top section was hinged on the left end, and on the other end a metal clip held it tight against the lower part. If only there was a way of loosening that clip she could probably lift the top and slide out. She tried shaking her shoulders, feeling her breasts swinging as she did so, but the frame did move a little and the clip wobbled a tiny bit. So it was possible to move it, and it might not take too much. But she wasn’t going to be able to do it from this position.

Alan looked over as she shook the pillory. ‘Settle down,’ he mumbled, ‘or I’ll have to punish you.’

‘Please,’ Emily asked, thinking of a plan as she spoke, ‘could you get me a drink of water?’ She looked at the crowd of onlookers for a moment, many of them had started to drift away now that they had taken their photographs.

Alan looked back to his phone. ‘Ain’t got none.’

‘There’s a bottle next to your chair.’ He literally had a litre bottle of water right there. She didn’t really want to drink out of a bottle he had used, but this was the best plan she could think of for now.

He looked at her, irritated, and put his phone away. ‘Oh, this one?’ he said, picking up the plastic bottle. ‘You want a drink of my water?’ He held it toward her face, out of reach.

‘Yes please, I’m parched.’

He stood up, then crouched in front of her, his face just next to hers. Emily didn’t like the way he was smiling at her. It wasn’t friendly. ‘Watcha gonna do to earn it?’ He spoke quietly, so the crowd couldn’t hear.

‘What do you mean?’ she asked. ‘Surely you can just give me some water?’

‘I mean, surely you can give me something.’

Emily literally had nothing to give him. Obviously she had no money or anything, as she was stuck, naked in this contraption. She furrowed her brow as she wondered what he thought she might have that he could want.

‘Oh, never mind,’ he sighed, taking a swig of the water. Emily hadn’t felt thirsty when she asked for a drink, but now, seeing the beads of condensation on the bottle, imagining how cold and refreshing it must be, her mouth felt quite dry. He stood up straight, and leaned against the frame right by the metal clip. Emily heard some of the onlookers gasp, and looked out at the crowd as some called out ‘No!’ and some grinned and shouted ‘Yes!’ She looked up at Alan, but could only see him playing to the crowd, eyebrows raised, one hand cupped around his ear, his other arm reaching over the pillory above her. What was going on?

He turned and walked behind the frame out of her sight. She straightened her legs, keeping her back straight. She had no idea what was coming, but she tensed every muscle. He wouldn’t touch her, surely? He had been instructed not to. The crowd became louder, some people took their phones out again and started recording. Whatever was about to happen, she was at least pleased to see that Alan had knocked the clip down; as long as he didn’t notice she might be able to escape when the moment was right.

Suddenly she screamed, her eyes wide at the sudden shock of ice cold water on her bare back. Almost in slow motion she felt her skin tighten as the chilled liquid poured between her shoulder blades, then down her spine and over her bottom. She felt the water travel in streams under her arms and over her breasts, around her sides and over her tummy, down her legs and between her buttocks. She gasped for air as she felt freezing water dripping from her nipples, dribbling between her cheeks, numbingly cold as it washed over her bum hole and her lady bits, trickling icily along her stomach and down her thighs.

Alan was smiling next to her again. ‘Whoops.’ He said, taking his seat as the crowd made cheering and booing noises.