The Bishop orders Emmaline onto her knees

Emmaline was led to a lavish chamber, obviously a sitting room with comfortable couches and chairs. The Bishop sat in a large winged arm chair facing her, his face still kindly, and his penetrating eyes still frightening. He smiled as his companions escorted her in and shut the door, taking up positions around the room.

"I will hear your appeal my lady," he said gently, then made a gesture to cut off her words before she could speak. "I will hear it in the proper form. The supplicant must be on their knees before me, showing the full extent of their submission and willingness to plead for the accused." He nods his head, gesturing to where a cushion has been placed at his feet.

"Very well..." Emmaline said quietly. The words were mostly intended for her own ears as she accepted the situation for what it was. It was quickly becoming evident exactly what the Bishop wanted from her, but Emmaline was still having a hard time truly beleiving that a man of the church would as such a thing.

Emmaline stepped forward, quickly falling to her knees, at least a little thankful for the cushion making her kneeling position more comfortable. She bowed her head, doing her best to take on the image of a penitent member of a congregation, though she doubted that was what the Bishop truly had in mind for her. Emmaline could feel the eyes of the Bishops companions on her, the Bishop's as well. She did her best to ignore them, letting her eyelids fall shut and lowering her head in a slight bow.

"A penitent can only truly demonstrate the integrity of their position and their soul by shedding all of their earthly garments my lady. If you truly wish to properly appeal your sister's case you will follow all the protocols. You must kneel naked in the face of the Divine Breath" His voice, while still gentle, is firm as steel, and Emmaline saw no hint of mercy in his eyes as she looked up at him in surprise.

Emmaline supposed she had **** but to do as he said. She rose, starting to unzip the back of her dress, then paused.

"Surely we do not need additional... company for our discussion" she **** herself to look at the Bishop, but cringed away from his harsh gaze, turning to stare at the ground instead. "Err.... perhaps this would be best done with the kind of privacy that can only be had with the two of us, entirely alone."

Despite her words, Emmaline continued to undo the back of her dress, tugging the straps down over her shoulders, and letting the garment fall to the floor to pool around her feet. Now naked, Emmaline bent over to pick up the dress, trying to fold the thin material at least somewhat neatly so that it might still be wearable once this mess was over and pretending that the motion wasn't causing her to flash her private area at the men behind her.

She did nothing to try and hide her nude body as she came to kneel before the Bishop once more, giving him an annoyed smile that was really much closer to a grimace, her well rounded and rather large chest on full display.

"My companions will serve as witnesses to your penitence and piety, and the depth of your sincerity in appealing your sister's case." The Bishop looks at her placidly, his gaze once again seeming to look into the center of her being. "Besides, as skilled and practised inquisitors, they may have...questions that bear upon this matter."

Emmaline shuddered. She wasn't sure what he meant, but if things were heading in the direction she feared, she didn't want to think about it.

***

This chapter was co-authored by Shandy (https://chyoa.com/user/Shandy)-- Shandy is the author of Fox in the Henhouse and The Peril's of Lisa-- please check out his stuff! :)