The iron doors to the rear entrance carefully swung open as the masked princess entered into the inner courtyard of the palace. During the day, this plaza would be bustling with tourists, dignitaries, and other esteemed individuals. But under the veil of night, it stood empty and devoid of life except for a few lanterns casting their glow. The princess breathed in the cool nordic air through her emerald hued nostrils and began to set foot on the deserted expanse. Guided by the memories of the girl beneath the mask, she had already charted the course to embark upon her royal ascendance.
However, she soon stopped in her tracks as a dozen royal guards surged forth from every entrance while directing their weapons at her. She paused as the guardsmen in their blue uniforms, metal helmets adorned with a sharp needle-like point, and weapon that consisted of a blade and rifle blocked her advances. There was a pregnant pause as the two sides stood across from one another until a gentle breeze wafted through the square; causing the princess's dress to sway delicately above the cobblestone pavement. The guards, particularly the younger ones, found themselves momentarily entranced by the blonde beauty and began to lower their weapons. Until suddenly a cascade of spotlights beamed down upon her and a triumphant fanfare filled the air, resonating with regal splendor and commanding attention to the new royalty that stood before the guards. The melody, foreign yet faintly familiar to the guards, held a profound significance for the princess, evoking fleeting memories of the very composition that had initially beckoned her to don her new striking complexion.
The guards exchanged glances amongst themselves and quickly drew their attention to a cavalcade of shadows converging towards them. They weren't expecting backup this late at night and was certainly surprised to see suits of armor filing into the square from every entrance. The head guard soon realized that oncoming reinforcements weren't wearing their modern blue uniforms but rather they were suits of armor that were devoid of a person wearing them. He experienced a trembling sensation in his legs as he grew uneasy with fear. In a fit of uncertainty of the situation, he adjusted his aim and fired a shot at one of the vacant suits of armor, resulting only in a ricochet that fractured a neighboring window. Another guard, who was also overcome with panic, directed his weapon at the princess and fired at point-blank range.
Without even a slight amount of hesitation, the masked princess caught the bullet in mid-air with her thumb and index finger and effortlessly crushed it into dust within her palm. Rather than retaliating with physical force herself, she gave the young guardsman an intense glare while her armored troops raised their weapons and completed their encirclement; leaving the guardsmen with no escape. The princess took another step forward and leaned into the faces of the huddled guards and asked a simple question in her native tongue.
"Nu maste du stalla dig sjalv en fraga: Kanner jag mig lycklig? Tja... gor ni, punkare?" [Now, you have to ask yourself one question: Do I feel lucky? Well... Do ya, punks?]
Her voice was infused with a sultry cadence while carrying a commanding tone that swiftly transformed the once headstrong guards into docile figures who genuinely feared for their lives. As the scene transitioned to the skies above, the call of trumpets continued to blare and soon followed by a series of screams and tearing of clothes.
Katelyn leaned wearily against a wall while catching her breath after running through the chilly streets in search of her friend and her mask. While Katelyn had a vague idea on how to temper and sometimes control her alter ego, she honestly had no idea how her friend would behave under its influence; especially on the first masking. Katelyn pulled out her phone and checked for any messages from her friend, but didn't see anything come in. She really wished her phone had a "Find My Mask" app to help her track it down or maybe play some sort of sound to help locate it.
Suddenly, she heard an attention-grabbing fanfare break through the silence and echo around her. She lifted her head and noticed a stream of men dressed in formal attire hurrying down a side street towards the source of the sound. She pushed herself off the wall and followed along until she found herself in front of a palace with a long red carpet at its entrance. Katelyn looked up above the royal palace and saw rows of projectors and lights decorate the skies with a vivid rainbow of colors followed by a scattering of green twinkles. She had a sneaking suspicion that the spectacle wasn't just a coincidence and figured it might be a hint that she was closer to finding her mask. Back down on the ground, she noticed that among the overwhelming convoy of men, there was a smaller percentage of pretty ladies wearing trench coats and heels entering the complex. Katelyn, who was definitely not dressed for the occasion, quickly noticed a pair of blondes in patent leather heels approaching and deftly maneuvered to slip between them; using their cover to surreptitiously enter.
Once within the premises, Katelyn felt something fall on top of her and quickly slid away from the pair of blondes to witness something that left her temporarily petrified. She watched as each woman in the hall simultaneously shed their coats to the ground and sauntered around nearly nude out in the open. There were a variety of nordic beauties with all sorts of body types, from petite to olympian, featuring breasts and butts that ranged between modest petite to clearly bulging through what little article of clothing they had left.
She snapped herself out of her stupor and looked towards the end of the hall and saw two lines form; one for the still-dressed men and another for women who were equally as glamorous and scandalous as the lady in front of them. Each line had an attendant, in torn clothing, distributing distinct masks to each line of people. The men received and wore masks that were white and devoid of expression, while the women were given ornately decorated masks with feathers and gemstone embellishments.
Katelyn was determined to find out more and looked around before backing herself into a dim corner to shed her clothes. While she wasn't too comfortable being consciously naked in public, she couldn't think of a better way to continue on without following along with the other ladies. She sheepishly lifted her top and bra off while sliding her leggings onto the floor. After all was said and done, Katelyn was as partially nude as the rest of the woman in the hall but she lacked one more thing to blend in; her shoes. She looked around and saw a display case that housed a collection of glittering open toe pumps in an assortment of sizes. Katelyn carefully lifted the top off and found a pair of heels that sorta fit her and sought to borrow them for the night. When she slid one on, she was genuinely surprised by how comfortable they were and slipped on the other to complete her "outfit". As she turned around and headed over to join the other ladies, she felt a gust of cool Swedish air nip at the tips of her bust; causing goosebumps to dance across her skin. She sighed to herself and pondered the lengths she had to go through to get back her simple green plank of wood. When she got to the front of the line, the attendant handed a smiling porcelain mask with gold paint around the eyes and feathers surrounding the edges. She nodded to the attendant and entered through a dark hallway ended up in the palace's ballroom.
The chamber boasted towering granite columns, an expansive velvet red carpet, and a congregation of two dozen ladies forming a circle, each holding a beautifully adorned mask. As Katelyn ventured a few steps into the room, she halted abruptly, startled by the resounding toll of the palace's bell chiming overhead. Her gaze shifted upward toward the source of the sound, then returned to the sight of every woman raising their mask to their face, deftly adorning their ornate disguises. One by one, each maiden felt their porcelain mask latch itself onto their faces while letting out groans and lusty moans. And while their masks didn't come to life and melt onto their faces like the Mask of Loki, by the end of their brief struggle their masks had firmly adhered to their hosts with no discernible seam to release them.
Katelyn, with her porcelain mask still in hand, found her fingers tightening around its edges as an irresistible urge compelled her to don it. It was not the mask itself that enticed her, but an external force beyond her comprehension that seemed to guide her. Gazing down, she slowly drew it closer to her face until it jerked towards her and sucked down upon her cheeks. Unlike the cascading tendrils of her Loki mask, that would devour her whole skull, this mask maintained its rigid form and covered only the front of her face. Katelyn bent down as she felt the mask apply a great amount of pressure to her already redden face. And after a few seconds, she felt a pleasant warm sensation flow through her body that not only protected her from the chilly midnight air but also any shame from being nude amongst the others in the room.
While she was still fully aware, her body began to move on its own accord and led her out from the shadows to join her sisters in waiting. Twenty-three women, with their hair ranging from blonde to brunette, stood prepared for the upcoming ceremony. A new attendant signaled for the ladies to follow him up a winding staircase and into a chamber dominated by a solitary throne adorned with emeralds and other jewels. On her left there was a row of men concealed pillows beneath their jackets, while to her right, a sequence of vacant benches swiftly accommodated her nude sorority sisters. The moment Katelyn settled into her seat, the same resounding fanfare she had previously heard resonated from the balconies overhead. Simultaneously, a side door swung open, unveiling the master of ceremonies who would orchestrate the festivities.
She watched as the green-faced princess strode confidently toward her throne, her dazzling gown shimmering beneath the chandelier's radiant glow. Katelyn, completely absorbed by her masked friend, attempted to fathom the profound impact the mask had on her. Emma now resembled a princess lifted from the pages of a fairytale; her teenage identity seamlessly transformed into that of a commanding mistress. This sight left Katelyn feeling both flustered and slightly envious, observing someone else harness the power of her mask. Now that she knew where her mask was, the only problem left was how to get it back.
Once the masked princess took her seat upon her throne, she turned to the head attendant and nodded her approval. The attendant stiffly walked towards the bottom of the elevated stage and proclaimed.
"In accordance with Her Royal Highness's wishes, you have all been summoned to partake in Her Majesty's court of judgment. Gentlemen, I beseech you to make a reverent bow!"
Katelyn glanced to her left and witnessed a procession of men, one by one, lower their heads in a respectful bow before the princess. A satisfied smile graced the princess's roussy-colored lips as she casually crossed one leg over the other; allowing her iridescent right pump to slip off her toes and tumble to the floor beside her chair. This impromptu act revealed her flawlessly pedicured toes, putting them on full display for all to admire.
"This evening, Her Royal Highness the Princess has graciously expressed her desire to encounter a suitor worthy of her esteemed station, a true Prince Charming. Each gentleman is cordially invited to present a pair of stylish and comfortable footwear for consideration..."
As if on cue, each gentlemen pulled out a cushioned pillow that sat a variety of types of shoes ranging from expensive heels to gladiator sandals.
"If it pleases her, you will be led by a member of her royal ensemble," he gestured towards the 23 woman wearing their white masks, "for final deliberations in the Princess' chambers."
"However," the attendant continued, "if you do not, to the dungeon you go!"
A door beside Katelyn violently swung open with an attendant standing guard to the entrance of the palace dungeons. The room sat in silence as the threat of persecution echoed in the room. The Masked Princess turned her head towards the head attendant and gave another nod.
"Let the judging begin!"
As each gentleman stepped forward to make their presentation, the Masked Princess adhered to a set of criteria. Being a woman of class, she sought not only an attractive and handsome suitor but also one who would treat her with respect and elevate her social standing. Some men proffered opulent footwear, only to be dismissed due to their demeanor or appearance. Others, possessing hearts of gold, found their offerings and appearances inadequate. It was a chore, yet the princess possessed a clear vision of her ideal partner. Out of the numerous suitors who paraded before her, only a select few advanced to the next stage. Those who left disheartened and frustrated were escorted to the dungeons; never to be heard from again. And whenever she was indecisive, the Princess relied on her vibrant mask to make the final judgement either with a fleeting shiver that traced down her smooth arms or a tightening sensation that matched her moist inner sanctum. It knew who was naughty or nice; it knew who deserved her and who to punish.
Katelyn counted seven men who advanced to the next round, and by 1 AM, the queue had dwindled to a solitary contender. Upon rejecting the final suitor's bid, the Masked Princess elegantly slid her heel back on and gracefully made her way toward a door leading to her private chambers. The remaining sixteen masked women, including Katelyn, exited the throne room and returned to the grand hall from whence they came. As Katelyn followed her sisters out of the throne room, she wondered what was going to happen to those who were selected to move on and how she was going to get her mask back from Emma before her flight tomorrow to her family's next destination on their trip in Europe.
If you'd like to see more stories in the future, please consider supporting with a cup of coffee for some late night writing at: bit ly/manifestbound
Supporters will have access to special chapters (like A Masked Vacation Chapter 3.5), ability to vote on new stories, and progress updates on upcoming chapters and new stories.