The trials of Epiphany

[thehangingtree]

In a time parallel to ours exists the kingdom of Epiphany. It is ruled by King Relevant IV, who should not really be considered its ruler, but more on that later…

In the kingdom there is a collection of women who could be considered being closer than friends. As they matured beyond teenagers the woman noticed changes in their bodies. They explored those changes and found that both exploring and being explored but charming feelings they enjoyed but really could not explain.



As they aged their explorations became bolder. In the balmy climate, they would sneak away to their secret swim hole along a hidden part of a brook and endeavor in more intimate explorations of each other’s bodies.



As the women aged they would gather in the woods and enjoy nature and their bodies as they danced au natural together in the forest.



Having reached the full bloom of womanhood, the women enjoyed their private moments together



But near their hideaway they soon found an old forgotten entrance to a long unused tunnel. They would work up the nerve to one day explore where the tunnel led…

 

[thehangingtree]

In Epiphany King Relevant IV is the known ruler but he does not hold the power of the throne. He is guided by the state’s archbishop, a man filled with wisdom but devoid of ethics that should guide a man of such title. As it turns out, the archbishop is fond of the wine that T. H. Tree makes at Chateau du Tree. He keeps a large amount in the Cruxton Abbey’s cellar.



The women of the forest finally work up the courage to explore the old tunnel and find it leads to the abbey’s cellar. The women naively partake of the stash of wine they have stumbled upon.



They also procure bottles of the wine to satisfy their lust of the grapes’ product.

The women cannot believe their good fortune. They have access to all the wine they can drink when they raid the cellar and take enough to fulfill their desires when they are unable to get to the stash.



Of course, Archbishop Jollyrei notices his wines’ depletion and he visits the king at his palace.



He demands the king finds the preparators and punishes them to fullest extent of the law. King Relevant is annoyed by such a demand but will not cross the archbishop’s demands. It is unwise to rile the church! He calls in his head constable and orders him to find the thieves. Constable Montecrusto asks “What will I do with the perps once I catch them?”

King Relevant huffs “I can take care of the thieves once you find them. Now go out and catch them, whoever they are!”



Constable Montycrusto has his deputies set up roadblocks but they are unsuccessful at catching the thieves.



The women are using the secret tunnel and are very successful at evading the law!

 

[Wragg]

He is guided by the state’s archbishop, a man filled with wisdom but devoid of ethics that should guide a man of such title.

Archbishop Jollyrei

"A more ethical man than @Jollyrei I never knew!" - Cardinal Wragg

 

[thehangingtree]

The women are very successful at evading the law. To mention they are rejects from the city of Rogers, Arkansas police needs not be said.



Finally Archbishop Jollyrei resorts to doing what he despises doing and hires his wine supplier, Tree, who has a side business as a private investigator.



Tree (taking a large advance) takes on the case. In little time he tracks down one of the mob and has Kathy arrested.



Soon Messaline is in custody.



Using a disguise as the town drunk, Nicole is busted and dragged to the Epiphany jail.



Little Siss to a bit longer but she too ended up in the abbey’s jail.



He managed to track down Yupar and have her busted.



When he caught Willowfall, she put up a good pout as he led her naked except for the cuffs holding her wrists behind her back.



This of course left the rebel leader to find…

 

[messaline]

Soon Messaline is in custody.

What a pity ! All that for some glasses of wine ?!
Fortunately, I'm protected by the French'laws !

... and I'll be well defended !

 

[thehangingtree]

Such faith Messaline has...
On to the next chapter...

This of course left the rebel leader to find. Barbara is well aware that many of her friends have been incarcerated by the Epiphany Police Force and are being held in the god-awful confines of the abbey’s subterranean dungeon. She knows that the Epiphany Police were not that competent to track down her friends so there must be a outside force rounding up her friends. Barbara is going to find him and do something about it!



Much to the surprise of Tree, Barbara finds him quickly and pays him an unannounced visit. It hardly starts cordially. Barbara demands to know why her friends have been arrested.



Tree breaks the ice and offers her some of his fine wine. Barbara nearly chugs the first glass and holds her flute out for a refill, telling Tree that two glasses is her limit. Under the warm midday sun Barb peels her blouse of and, as she glares at Tree, asks “What has happened to my friends?”



Tree quickly figures this is not a woman to take lightly and tells her Archbishop Jollyrei had noticed the depletion of his wine adding it is not wise to steal and is damn foolish to do so from the abbey. Barbara reaches across the table, grabs on of Tree’s Madame Wu’s, and lights the joint cigarette. She blows a puff of smoke out and incredulously asks “You mean you busted my friends for supposedly swiping some wine?”



Tree pours Barb a third glass of wine. As he does so Barb takes off her pants to become more comfortable in the midafternoon warmth of the day. Tree says “Supposedly swiping some wine? You gals are going into the abbey’s cellar through the old tunnel I built years ago to hide my… before I went legit! I ought to haul you in right now except Bull and Gunner are down at the distillery tending to the next batch!”



Barbara lights up another Madame Wu and sips her wine. She says “You aren’t taking me in. The spring festival is coming, and I know what happens then!”

Tree acts dumb and says “I don’t know what you mean.”

Barb sees through Tree deception and as she sits naked across the table scowls “You damn well know what I mean!”



“That’s when the archbishop takes the women in jail and hangs them over the seeds that are going to be planted for the new crops. That isn’t happening to me!”



Tree wisely leaves off that the abbey guards have sex with the condemned women before they are hanged. Everyone knows hanging a virgin over seeds does not increase the seeds output! He pours Barbara a fourth glass of wine and she partakes of yet another Madame Wu. She surprises Tree when she (almost giddily says “Fuck it, you know about the tunnel! You’ll catch me there sooner or later. Go ahead and bust me now! Let’s get me hanged now!”



Tree raises an eyebrow and says “You sure you want me to take you in? You know the archbishop is pissed of and you’ll get the death penalty!”

Barb crosses her arms and says “Let me finish this glass of wine then you can take me in. I think I’ll look damn good hanged naked in the town square.”


She stands up and though somewhat wobbly positions her hands behind her back so Tree can tie them behind her back.



With a bit of a slur she asks Tree “You’ll come and watch them hang me, won’t you?”

 

[twonines]

Lately, it seems Barb is adding exhibitionism to masochism, always eager to improve!

 

[Barbaria1]

Barbara is going to find him and do something about it!

Yep, see that determined expression on my face? Hey! Look at my face. Damn it!

Tree breaks the ice and offers her some of his fine wine. Barbara nearly chugs the first glass and holds her flute out for a refill, telling Tree that two glasses is her limit.

Nice jeans, don’t you agree? And yeah, two glasses are my limit. Everyone at CF knows that to be true.

Under the warm midday sun Barb peels her blouse of and, as she glares at Tree, asks “What has happened to my friends?”

Like I said, nice jeans.

Barbara reaches across the table, grabs on of Tree’s Madame Wu’s, and lights the joint cigarette. She blows a puff of smoke out and incredulously asks “You mean you busted my friends for supposedly swiping some wine?”

Looking very cool and nonchalant here. Is it the wine or the Madame Wu’s?

Would you buy a used car from this guy … especially after I crashed it?

Tree acts dumb and says “I don’t know what you mean.”

He isn’t acting. How many glasses is that now?

Tree raises an eyebrow and says “You sure you want me to take you in? You know the archbishop is pissed of and you’ll get the death penalty!”

Archbishops don’t frighten me. I was Pope once. Remember?

Barb crosses her arms and says “Let me finish this glass of wine then you can take me in. I think I’ll look damn good hanged naked in the town square.”

ok, now I’m certain I’ve had more than two glasses!

She stands up and though somewhat wobbly positions her hands behind her back so Tree can tie them behind her back.

No one has ever accused me of being uncooperative (that’s a lie).

 

[thehangingtree]

No one has ever accused me of being uncooperative (that’s a lie).

We'll see how that goes!!!

 

[thehangingtree]

Tree takes Barb to the Epiphany Police Station. He figures she would be safe there than in Archbishop Jollyrei’s custody. He even gave her an old girlfriend’s outfit to wear as Barb had sullied her clothing as she undressed in the midafternoon’s sun. The outfit was a bit small on Barb but fortunately the cuffs that locked her hands behind her back fit well. As they pull up to the station Barb peers at the imposing building and asks Tree “Are you sure I’ll be OK in there?”



Tree assures her she is only a suspect in the thefts from the abbey but really what does Tree know about the law. He turns Barb over to some well-dressed policewomen and bids her a farewell. Shortly after tree leaves the woman in charge takes the handcuffs off Barb and firmly orders her to strip. Barb protests and says “But I’m only here for questioning!”

The head policewoman repeats her order and a few moments late Barb removes the last of her garments.



Barb throws her removed clothing in a bag and asks when she will get them back.



The head cop suggests that she won’t need clothing until she goes to court and locks Barb’s hands in the cuffs and hands her (mostly bare body) over to a thug of a male cop. He leads her into an interrogation room where two more cops await her arrival. Barb tries to resist but the cop escorting her pushes her into the room.



The police grope search Barb’s naked body. To Barb it was more like a rape than a necessary search.



When the police are convinced they have the right suspect they add shackles to her ankles and lead her to the women’s cellblock.



At the barred door leading into the block they hand her over to a female guard who hustles Barb down a dingy corridor. With the short chain of the shackles resisting the size of Barb’s steps she scrambles to keep pace with the guard. Barb demands “How long am I going to be here?”

The guard smugly answers “I’m sure you’ll tire of me before I do you.”

 

[Barbaria1]

Tree assures her she is only a suspect in the thefts from the abbey but really what does Tree know about the law.

Assurances? From Tree? Don’t make me laugh. I should have known better than to visit him on the Treehouse Deck. Nothing good ever comes of it. I always end up in deep shit, and this story isn’t any different on that score.

But I have to admit it’s rather engagingly written.

Don’t tell him I said that, though. I don’t want it to go to his head. And besides, I doubt it will get any of my clothing back.

I’m clearly doomed to spend a long night naked and shivering in a cell block cell.

Hopefully I won’t be molested.

 

[Wragg]

Hopefully I won’t be molested.

 

[ERIN the Brave]

Assurances? From Tree? Don’t make me laugh. I should have known better than to visit him on the Treehouse Deck. Nothing good ever comes of it. I always end up in deep shit, and this story isn’t any different on that score.

But I have to admit it’s rather engagingly written.

Don’t tell him I said that, though. I don’t want it to go to his head. And besides, I doubt it will get any of my clothing back.

I’m clearly doomed to spend a long night naked and shivering in a cell block cell.



Hopefully I won’t be molested.

That's like hoping that the fat kid doesn't eat the pie!

 

[phlebas]

The women are very successful at evading the law. To mention they are rejects from the city of Rogers, Arkansas police needs not be said.

View attachment 1081008

Finally Archbishop Jollyrei resorts to doing what he despises doing and hires his wine supplier, Tree, who has a side business as a private investigator.

View attachment 1081007

Tree (taking a large advance) takes on the case. In little time he tracks down one of the mob and has Kathy arrested.

View attachment 1081012

Soon Messaline is in custody.

View attachment 1081010

Using a disguise as the town drunk, Nicole is busted and dragged to the Epiphany jail.

View attachment 1081009

Little Siss to a bit longer but she too ended up in the abbey’s jail.

View attachment 1081011

He managed to track down Yupar and have her busted.

View attachment 1081013

When he caught Willowfall, she put up a good pout as he led her naked except for the cuffs holding her wrists behind her back.

View attachment 1081014

This of course left the rebel leader to find…

Does any one else see what I see? Willowfall is in the wrong thread, she has a third nipple, she's a witch!

 

[nicole]

Using a disguise as the town drunk, Nicole is busted and dragged to the Epiphany jail.

View attachment 1081009

My god what will happen to me

 

[thehangingtree]

Barb gets taken to the Epiphany city jail, is- um- ‘searched’, and taken to a cell in the women’s wing of the jail. Her handcuffs are removed and the guard shoves her into her cell.



Barb protests “I have just been brought here to give a statement! How long will I be here and where are my clothes?”

The guard says “You here till your trial. As for clothing, the voters cut our budget and you are wearing what we can afford. Besides, it makes escaping here more difficult!”

The guard locks Barb in her cell and walks away. Across the hall a familiar voice says “I never thought they’d catch you.”

“Messa, you’re safe!” Barb exclaims.

Messa huffs “Yeah, but for how long? They have taken our other friends to trial and all that you see are their empty cells.”



“Maybe they won their cases” Barb says hopefully.

“Get real! I’ll bet they are all on death row waiting for the archbishop’s noose at the spring festival” Messa sighs.



Messa sits on the board that passes for her bed. She says “My trial is today. If I get acquitted, I’ll send you a note. If you don’t hear from me…”

It is late that night. Barb lays on her cot. She can’t believe Messa didn’t come back and she didn’t get a note from her. She struggles to get comfortable with not much luck.



Barb lies to herself and says “She must be out partying. That’s why she forgot the note!”

 

[Barbaria1]

Barb protests “I have just been brought here to give a statement! How long will I be here and where are my clothes?”

Reasonable questions. I’m calm. Not belligerent. Haven’t uttered a single complaint. Hoping, for a change, that good behavior might be rewarded.

It is late that night. Barb lays on her cot. She can’t believe Messa didn’t come back and she didn’t get a note from her. She struggles to get comfortable with not much luck.

Well, look on the bright side. At least the bed has clean sheets … so far that is. I am naked, snd I don’t like the look in the eyes of the guards.

And as for the lack of any word from Messaline … I suspect the little French bitch bought her freedom by offering them a free supply of her French Premium Wood for constructing crosses, with a shipment of French Premium Noosing Rope thrown in as an added inducement.

 

[twonines]

Reasonable questions. I’m calm. Not belligerent. Haven’t uttered a single complaint. Hoping, for a change, that good behavior might be rewarded.


Well, look on the bright side. At least the bed has clean sheets … so far that is. I am naked, snd I don’t like the look in the eyes of the guards.

And as for the lack of any word from Messaline … I suspect the little French bitch bought her freedom by offering them a free supply of her French Premium Wood for constructing crosses, with a shipment of French Premium Noosing Rope thrown in as an added inducement.

Naked in your cell after a very thorough search, situation normal, no worries!

 

[messaline]

And as for the lack of any word from Messaline … I suspect the little French bitch bought her freedom by offering them a free supply of her French Premium Wood for constructing crosses, with a shipment of French Premium Noosing Rope thrown in as an added inducement.

Me ?

gif

 

[thehangingtree]

The next morning…

The head guard of the women’s wing comes to Barb’s cell. She calmly says “Barb, you go to…”

“It’s ‘Miss Moore’ to you! I am a forced guest…” Barb snaps but the head guard cuts her off.

“Prisoner 20211031, you go to court today. A guard will be by to fetch you in an hour. I suggest you don’t give him any shit. He has less patience than I do.”



She leaves and a hour later a male guard does come by. He tells Barb to stand with her back to him and to place her hands behind her. Barb quickly decides he statement was not merely a request and obeys his order.



“Don’t I get clothing to wear to court” Barb asks.

“There will be something for you to wear when you get to the courthouse” he explains “but till then you will have to make do with these cuffs.”

Barb sits in her cell with her hands cuffed behind her back another hour. A guard comes in and tells her it is time to go. Barb begins to explain the male guard did unmentionable thing to her after he locked her hands behind her back. The guard says “That’s mild. After your convicted, he can do what her wants to you whenever he wants.”

“Hey, I’m just going to court. They haven’t tried me yet” Barb exclaims. As the guard leads Barb do the corridor she snidely replies “I bet you are back and in a high security cell!”



She leads Barb to a pair of guards that are waiting to take Barb to the courthouse. One of them asks “Is this the one with the loose lips?”

“Yep, and she’s your problem now” The guard says. As Barb is led to the waitimg van the guard says “I can’t wait till they convict you. We’ll straiten your ass up then!”



Barb feels her stomach knot. ‘What if they do convict me’ she worries. It is a ten-minute drive to the courthouse. Barb is brought in the freight entrance wearing only the cuffs binding her wrists. The bailiff grabs her wrists and says “Let’s get you dressed. You can’t appear in a public courtroom buck-naked.”



Barb thinks she has found the first sane person in Epiphany’s legal system…