Fifty Shades of Sleeping Beauty (10 page)

“This is the court of my husband,” Isis replied haughtily. “As king, he shall decide a fitting
judgement on my ill-begotten bitch of a sister.”

Osiman
grimaced. “I didn’t like to say, but as the King of Nysa
today
, no-one gets to administer capital punishment without my say-so.”

(“We need to talk about that some time, young man,” Magnus whispered behind his wife’s back.)

Isis fumed but then, mastering herself, said: “Very well,
King
Osiman. What do you suggest?”

Osiman
gave a calculating smile that showed he was going to easily be the match of his mother-in-law and then, addressing all three sisters began to speak.

“The story of the three witches of Nysa, and how you stopped the conquest of your kingdom by my ancestor,
Osiman the Mighty, is a fable that has long been known by my people. When every other country between the two seas fell to his sword, it seems the one sword that truly mattered could not master you three.”

“Well that’s a very tactful way of putting it,” Serena whispered to Talia, who was now looking at her mother in shock.

“And what is your point,
King
Osiman?” Isis asked spitefully.

“Outside these walls my men are waiting for my return. If the stories are true, I
realise how much you three women benefited from your encounter with my ancestor. As such, if Lady Bellatrix were to be turned over to them, a fitting punishment for her would be a bit of public chastisement.”

Both Isis and Bellatrix looked astonished and furious at this, Isis because she thought her sister would be receiving a reward not a punishment, Bellatrix because of the humiliation to her pride. Then, both of them seeing the same expression in each other’s face, they glared at each other for a few moments until they burst out laughing.

“Sister,” said Isis. “It’s been too long.”

“Sister,” Bellatrix replied. “You don’t know how much I’ve missed you.”

After the two of them had made up, Bellatrix gladly submitted to her punishment, being taken by ten rather surprised but also very willing guards outside the castle walls. Her howls of pleasure were such that several of the courtiers began to remember what the kingdom of Nysa had been like before King Magnus’s stern laws. Indeed, so severe was Bellatrix’s punishment that she decided she’d like to try it a second time, with her sister Serena joining in to make sure it was administered properly.

“Don’t you get any ideas,” Magnus growled at his wife. “I’ve got a century of sport to catch up with you.”

“Never crossed my mind, dear,” Isis lied graciously.

Having decided that he had not actually been ruling his kingdom in its best interests in the years before the curse was laid, and having satisfied himself that
Osiman had reigned in a much fairer and more just way than himself, King Magnus announced his intention to abdicate to his future son-in-law. Osiman refused, however, insisting that they would reign as joint monarchs, joined by ties of love.

As for the marriage, it was arranged as quickly as was deemed decent so that as much food could be brought from the countryside for the feast that was to take place. The bride and groom were unable to keep their hands off each other before the ceremony, which was itself marked by much giggling and groping, and the festivities marked a return to the good old days of
Nysan life, where false modesty was banished forever more and fun and frolics were to be had by all.