The Rules Of The Convent

by Kara Bryn

  They reached Sarah's door and they stood facing each other. Sarah could only see the faintest light reflected in Theresa's eyes but she could still feel and see kindness within them. She wrapped her arms around Theresa's shoulders and whispered to her: "Thank you".

  Theresa's arms wrapped around Sarah's waist and pulled her close to her. She savoured the moment, not sure if she would ever be able to repeat it, and they stood for a few seconds with their bodies pressed against each other.

  Sarah's mind began to recollect her dreams again and she was suddenly conscious of being held, naked, by her companion. Theresa sensed the change in the mood without knowing where it came from. She took a half step backwards and held onto Sarah's hands. Then, without thinking, she leant forwards and kissed Sarah on the forehead.

  "You sleep well," she said, and Sarah remained motionless, looking up at the Sister in front of her.

  Then, with nerves on edge, Theresa tilted her head downwards and forwards. Sarah's heart raced as Theresa's lips approached hers, and then they met. They were soft and the sensation took her breath away. They stood, their lips touching each other, for a few more seconds, both savouring a shared moment.

  Sarah looked down at the floor, confused by the situation, aroused and embarrassed at the same time. Perhaps this was tonight's dream after all and she had never woken up. The feeling between her legs said it might be, but it all felt too real. Perhaps she would wake up screaming in ecstasy in just a few minutes.

  With an urge not to upset Theresa by leaving things hanging, she quickly lifted her head and bestowed another brief kiss on her lips. "Goodnight," she whispered, and turned and fumbled at the latch of her room. Theresa returned to her room with a smile on her lips.

  Sarah closed the door and climbed back onto her bed. Her body had been cooled from the outside air, but inside she was hotter than ever. Right now, she didn't care what a nun was supposed to do. As far as she was concerned, she'd just resisted temptation in the form of another woman's body, so anything else was acceptable. She slid her hand down her front and between her legs. Even her own touch sent waves of pleasure through her body. She closed her eyes imagining Theresa was doing this to her and, within a couple of minutes, her pelvis was rocking beneath the sheet and she struggled to prevent her bed from squeaking. Her climax was brief but satisfying and she fell asleep soon afterwards.

  The next morning, as she sat alone at breakfast, still in nothing but her shoes and stockings, she dared not even make eye contact with Theresa. She didn't know what the previous night had meant. She didn't know if it meant anything at all. What if it already meant nothing to Theresa? If she said something then she might embarrass herself by presuming something that wasn't there.

  Jessica couldn't work out why Sarah was so distant while they worked together that morning. She laid the blame on the stress of her enforced nudity. It had been nearly forty-eight hours since she'd last been allowed to wear more than the pair of stockings, and those only served to highlight her nakedness rather than cover it.

  Lunch was also passed in silence for Sarah, and Theresa began to feel that she had overstepped the mark last night, that she had pushed the poor, young woman into a situation that she didn't want to be in and had exploited it for her own gratification. Well, it was better if Sarah felt nothing towards her, since it was simpler than the alternative. For as long as even the possibility of something between them existed then Theresa wouldn't be able to think about anything else, especially while all she had to do was to look over to see that beautiful, naked body striding around the cloister or knelt in prayer. But tomorrow would be the last day of her punishment, possibly the last day that she would be able to look on Sarah's elegant nude form. That was going to be both a shame and a relief.

  The Reverend Mother watched Sarah as she went about her work, her prayers, and her meals, and she felt satisfied. She appeared to be broken by her punishment. If this continued then by the end of tomorrow she would have learnt her lesson, and then she would be just another nun that she need not worry about again. Much like Theresa had been, Sarah was young and only just discovering her sexuality. It was this sexuality that had to be suppressed as soon as possible, for her sake. The Reverend Mother allowed herself a smile: perhaps it was fortunate that the whole situation had arisen in the first place. Or perhaps not just fortune, she thought with a look towards the heavens.

  Throughout the entire day Sarah barely spoke to a soul, and when she did it was only to acknowledge instructions. Of all the sisters, only Theresa and Jessica suspected that something was wrong with the girl; the rest were just glad that she didn't even attempt to communicate with them. By the day after tomorrow she would be given her habit and she would be one of them again, but until then no-one wanted to be tainted by her corruption.

  That night, Sarah laid herself in her bed covered with a sheet while she stared at the ceiling in despair. Whatever this was that she was going through, it wasn't what she had thought a life of religious servitude would entail. She thought that, perhaps, she longed to tell Theresa how she felt, or how she thought she felt. But how could she know? She'd never felt anything like this before. She was beginning to think that she had made some big decisions far too early in life to realise the significance of them.

  Sleep took some time to come, and with it another vivid dream began. She was standing in the chapel, dressed in her habit and holding a copy of the Bible and the rest of the convent were watching her. Sister Jessica came up to her and gently closed the book in her hand and took it from her. "You shouldn't be reading this," she said as she placed it on a bench beside her.

  Sarah turned around to see Sister Theresa on her other side. "And you don't deserve to wear this," she said and, along with Sister Jessica, she lifted Sarah's habit up over her body. Sarah raised her arms as they pulled the garment over her head. She found that she was naked beneath the course material. She felt much better without her clothing and, as she looked out at the sea of eyes looking back at her body, she enjoyed being the centre of attention.

  "Thank you," she said to Theresa with a smile. Theresa kissed her tenderly on the shoulder and, with Jessica, she steered Sarah towards the altar at the end of the chapel. The Reverend Mother was standing behind it; she also smiled at Sarah.

  "You have a beautiful body," The Reverend Mother said, "And if you weren't filled with the sin of the devil I'd love to run my tongue all over it."

  Sarah smiled and tingled at the thought of the Reverend Mother's lips on her bare skin.

  "But, we have to get Satan out, so up you hop," she continued, and patted the stone altar.

  Sarah turned around and pushed herself up onto it, and then she twisted to lie along its length. The Reverend Mother looked down on her.

  "It won't take long," she told her. Sarah smiled and looked at Theresa and Jessica standing at either end of the altar, Theresa at her feet and Jessica at her head.

  "These will stop Satan from escaping," Jessica said, and she produced a pair of handcuffs. She took Sarah's hands and stretched them over her head and handcuffed her wrists, and then a chain was run from the cuffs to the ground, holding her hands in place.

  Sarah looked down as she felt cold steel close around each ankle and chains were looped to hoops on the ground. Theresa tugged at the chains, pulling Sarah's legs apart, before she locked them in place. Sarah lay spread-eagled and naked on the cold stone and felt a tingling between her legs that began to spread through her whole body. Theresa stood and admired the naked woman who was now helpless in front of her.

  "You might even enjoy it," she said as she ran her hands up the length of Sarah's legs. Sarah gasped as she felt her friend's soft, probing fingers, and then another pair of hands caressed her arms, downwards, until the palms cupped her breasts and squeezed her nipples. Jessica's touch was as delightful as Theresa's and she closed her eyes.

  Sarah felt Theresa begin to climb onto the altar, moving between her legs, and she opened her eyes and looked down at her. T
hey held each other's gaze as Theresa put her hands on Sarah's sides and then, bowing her head, she poked out her tongue and her head sunk towards Sarah's slit. As she made contact and probed for the clitoris Sarah emitted a short, high-pitched yelp.

  "Now, let's get Satan out of you," the Reverend Mother said softly, and Sarah wondered if she, too, was going to add to this impossible pleasure.

  "Yes," Sarah said expectantly. One more lick from Theresa, or maybe two, was all it was going to take.

  But Sarah's excitement turned to dread as she saw the Reverend Mother holding something bright above her head. As it cut out the light from the stained glass window she could make out the long curved blade of the dagger. The Reverend Mother was poised to strike down. Sarah tried to lift her arms to stop her but the chains held her. She screamed "no!" over and over again and ever louder.

  "Satan is in you! You can save everyone!" the Reverend Mother said with fire in her eyes.

  "Noooo!"

  Sarah awoke with the scream still on her lips, and she knew that she had screamed aloud. She was sitting upright, the sheet wrapped tightly around her. She flung her arms around and wriggled free, tossing it to the ground, and then she lay back in the bed.

  Sarah began to weep and, unlike the previous night, this time she wept tears of genuine sadness. It was no use: she would have to leave the convent. She was not good enough to become a nun, and she wasn't sure she wanted to be.

  She barely heard the knock at the door as she lay there sobbing. Whoever it was, she didn't want to see them. Unbidden, the latch began to lift and Theresa's head appeared in the gap.

  "Hey," Theresa said softly, her heart melting at the sight of the young woman's sadness.

  Sarah put the back of her hand over her eyes to try to hide her tears, but it was no use. Theresa stepped into the room, closed the door behind her and sat down on the edge of the bed. She rested her hand on Sarah's shoulder: she felt she needed to touch her, to reassure her, but she didn't want to make her uncomfortable.

  "It's no use," Sarah said despairingly, "I can't go on like this."

  "Sshhh," Theresa whispered soothingly, "See how things look in the morning." She was concerned by what she thought were three nightmares in three nights: it was not a good sign for the girl's state of mind.

  Sarah squeezed Theresa's hand, grateful for the company after such a horrendous nightmare. "Can you stay a while?" she asked her, knowing what the answer would be.

  "Sure," Theresa said with a smile, and Sarah shuffled to one side of the bed. Theresa took the invitation and lay down beside her, sliding her arm beneath Sarah's neck and wrapping it around her shoulders. She pulled her close and Sarah put her arm around Theresa to rest her head on her shoulder.

  She wept for a while, and then apologised for making her nightdress damp, again. Theresa didn't mind at all. She was glad to offer some comfort and, although she felt guilty about it, glad to feel Sarah in her arms. She held her close, wishing that she could make everything better for her. They lay in silence for some time but she was surprised when Sarah fell asleep that way, and soon Theresa had done the same.

  The Reverend Mother awoke early as usual. She had come to a decision in the night: Sister Sarah had seemed thoroughly submissive the previous day and, although she wanted to break her spirit, she didn't want to destroy her entirely. As a reward for her good behaviour, she would end her punishment a day early.

  She took Sarah's habit from the locked cupboard and marched towards her room. If she arrived before the alarm went then Sarah could re-join her Sisters in wearing the habit from now on, assuming she continued to behave herself.

  She lifted the latch to Sarah's room and pushed the door open, and then dropped the item of clothing to the floor when she saw the two young nuns, still sleeping, one naked and one in a nightdress, their limbs intertwined on the narrow bed.

  Theresa was the first to wake to the sight of the Reverend Mother standing in the doorway, her eyes wide with shock and her finger pointing.

  "You!" was all the Reverend Mother could say as she pointed at Theresa. Sarah woke at the noise and the sudden tension in the previously soft body beside her.

  "It's not what you think!" Theresa said.

  "I had a nightmare," Sarah tried to explain.

  "Your worst nightmare is nothing compared to the punishment that's coming!" the Reverend Mother said angrily.

  Sarah wanted to curl up into a ball and disappear but Theresa's eyes were defiant.

  "Sister Francis!" the Reverend Mother called loudly, "Sister Francis!"

  She stood waiting until Sister Francis appeared in the corridor.

  "Fetch the restraints from the archive," the Reverend Mother instructed her, "And get everyone in the chapter house."

  The Reverend Mother remained standing in the doorway. Sarah and Theresa sat beside each other on the bed. Theresa had wrapped a sheet around Sarah and she put her arm around her shoulder.

  "What are you going to do?" Theresa asked.

  "Nothing worse than you've done already," the Reverend Mother almost spat back at her, "I fear your souls may be beyond salvation, but you can serve as an example to the others."

  Her words sent a shiver through Sarah's body and Theresa held her closer still.

  Sister Francis returned with an assortment of leather and metal. The Reverend Mother carefully picked an item out and held it in front of her: it was a pair of leather wrist restraints with a short chain between them.

  "Stand up and turn around," she told Theresa. The young Sister knew from experience that obedience would be forced on her if it was not given so she did as she was told.

  The Reverend Mother grabbed her hands and pulled them behind her back and Theresa felt the bands being wrapped around her wrists and a key turned in a small lock. She stood still and tried to give Sarah a reassuring smile, but inside she was trembling and her knees were weak. She wondered what the Reverend Mother had planned for them. Perhaps, if she hadn't been punished just a few days before, it wouldn't have been so bad, but two transgressions so close together… no-one had ever dared before, such was the rule of iron that was imposed on the convent.

  "And you," the Reverend Mother said, taking another pair of leather cuffs from Sister Francis and stepping towards Sarah.

  Sarah stood obediently, trying to keep the sheet wrapped around her she held her hands in front of her. The cuffs were fastened and she turned around to face Theresa, the two of them standing, Theresa with her hands fastened behind their back and Sarah with hers in front.

  The Reverend Mother pulled at the sheet that was loosely bundled around Sarah and tossed it to one side. Theresa concentrated hard on not taking another look down at that beautiful, naked body.

  "It'll be okay," she whispered softly.

  The Reverend Mother snorted derisorily and Sarah's eyes filled with panic.

  "This convent has an older history than you might think," she said to the two young women, "It dates back as far as the inquisition." She looked pointedly at the collection of items bundled together in Sister Francis's hands. "Bring them to the chapter house," she ordered.

  The four of them walked slowly in a line, the Reverend Mother first, Theresa next, then Sarah, and finally Sister Francis, who had been at the convent so long that she followed the instructions she was given without question, no matter what they were.

  They were led into the chapter house to find the rest of the convent waiting in a circle. Theresa was glad that she at least had her nightdress to cover her; Sarah had no such protection as she walked nude into the room.

  They arrived in the centre and Theresa turned around to face Sarah. The younger woman was holding up remarkably well, given the circumstances. The past few days had made her stronger.

  "It seems," the Reverend Mother began melodramatically, "That some amongst us would like to turn our peaceful convent into a house of sin." She looked at Theresa before continuing.

  "I don't know who is leading whom astray, but we have t
wo sisters who are committed to a path of self-destruction." She circled around Theresa. "We have already seen the sin of lust, and we thought we had vanquished it."

  She turned to Sarah.

  "And the sin of pride, which revealed itself despite all attempts at deception."

  She turned back to Theresa.

  "And the sin of envy. Envy of one so young and beautiful." She glanced at Sarah, although Sarah knew that there was no envy between her and Theresa.

  "And between them, they have conspired, and they have joined." She paused for effect and the circle of nuns gasped, as was expected of them. "Only this morning I found them both wrapped up in the other's soft flesh, having savoured each other's delights in the night."

  "That's not true!" Theresa said.

  "Silence!" barked the Reverend Mother. "And greed, yes! Sister Theresa saw Sister Sarah and she envied her, and she lusted after her, and she desired to own her. Yet still I do not know who was the predator and who was the prey."

  She turned to Sarah again. "They say that when the devil appears, then he appears mostly as an innocent, yet with all the beauty, and guile, and trickery that could fool even the strongest of men…" She paused again as she turned back to Theresa, "… or the weakest of women."

  Sarah stood still as the Reverend Mother walked around her, looking her naked body up and down.

  "Sister Francis," the Reverend Mother said, calling the nun over to her. She was still carrying the assortment of metal and leather items. The Reverend Mother picked out a length of chain with a hook on each end. She attached one of the hooks to the metal that linked Sarah's wrists.

  As if she had done this before, she tossed the other end up and over a beam in the ceiling, catching the free end as it fell. She pulled, and Sarah's arms were hoisted into the air. She pulled again and Sarah felt herself stretched upwards, stretched as high as she could be with her feet still on the floor.