Author: Thinking Horndog
Title: Second Best
Part: 108
Universe: Second Best
Summary: A full-length novel that follows several young couples and their
families through the period immediately preceding their Senior Prom.
Keywords: D/s bd hum ws anal toys

Keywords for full story:  F-solo, Ff-inc, M+F Ffm MF mf oral anal bd D/s Mg-
inc Fm-inc mm mmf rom MF-reluc

Chapter 108
Serious groundbreaking

      Robert threw his robe back on and gestured for Merry to follow him
from the den and they reconvened in the kitchen.  Ann had literally passed
out momentarily form the effects of her orgasm, and Robert was determined to
use the respite.  He regarded Merry, frowning, "You realize that being bound
was a big part of that one's arousal," he pointed out.

      "No, Master, I didn't," Merry replied, turning over the events in her
mind.

      "We may have a problem.  That one (who had ceased to be Ann in his
mind the moment she had submitted) wants to be enslaved.  But her drivers
are different from yours," Robert explained, "Some of them are the same:
She wants to be excused from her moral code, such that anything she does is
not her fault, and can be enjoyed without guilt.  But there is more to it
than that; she wants to be brought to that state the hard way - via pain and
humiliation.  At least this once, she wants to be spiritually broken - to
suffer, to give up her will because the alternative is too painful to be
borne.  The problem is, once it is done, there is no turning back - and
we'll have a dependent, at least an emotional one - on our hands.  In the
future, it may well be that reinforcement of that state will be a necessary
prelude to any sexual activity that she undertakes!"

      "Why do you consult me, Master?" Merry asked carefully.

      "As usual, I am the sole arbiter of this situation - but I value your
input, especially as the course we take tonight may have serious effects on
your work environment and your friendship with this person - even our home
life," Robert replied, his gaze firm.  "You may speak freely during this
conversation."

      Merry understood.  He could not release control of the situation, but
the underlying questions were, in his opinion, serious and far-reaching.
Therefore, he felt he should bend a bit.  Whatever she said had to be
clearly crafted NOT to back him into a corner.  "What are our options,
Master?"

      "We could vacate the challenge," Robert replied, "I expect that she
would consider this a victory, and might be pleased in the near term.  But
there would be implications.  She would have seen you thoroughly subjugated,
not only to myself, but to her.  This might affect your working
relationship; doubtless, she would not understand that these are special
circumstances, and she might attempt to dominate you there - she has a
strong lesbian streak that we've allowed to surface.  Additionally, I think
that in the long term, her disappointment with not having been subjugated
will resurface in - at best - repeated attempts to get me to do it, or - at
worst - she will fall into the hands of another, who will not be as
concerned with her well-being."

      "You think she might be injured, or killed?" Merry asked, worriedly.

      "It's distinctly possible, even by accident.  If she falls into the
hands of a completely amoral sadist, he might even convince himself she
wanted to die...  There are even those who either fantasize or even
participate in 'snuff' rituals - sex in which the victim is killed at the
moment of her or her partner's orgasm.  The fantasy is that she would want
it that way..."

      "Oh my God!" Merry husked.

      "More probably," Robert soothed, "what will happen is that she will
remain alone and frustrated, or turn to us again for relief; sadists aren't
exactly easy to find.  The Internet would offer her some options, though, if
she were desperate, but how safe she would be in following up any contact
there is questionable - she would already be skating on thin ice, after
all!"

      "And if you pursue our current course?" Merry prompted.

      "She will likely become emotionally dependent upon us, in the near
term, at least.  It would probably mean regular visits, as often as she can
get up the nerve.  These will be characterized by an initial period of
physical and emotional abuse designed to enforce her submission, followed,
or perhaps interspersed, with sexual encounters.  YOU would be expected to
participate in BOTH; to facilitate the streak of lesbianism, I see no other
option than placing you in the hierarchy above her as her effective
Mistress.  You would beat her and sleep with her, just as I would."  Robert
shrugged.  "She might end up just moving in."

      "I feel awful," Merry confided.

      Robert studied her, "Why?"

      "Because I don't find the idea as abhorrent as I know I should," Merry
replied, embarrassed.

      "If we proceed, your lack of squeamishness will stand you in good
stead!" Robert grunted.  "There ARE, however, other issues:  The effect of
this upon our children, for one.  I doubt we could hide these acts long..."

      "If asked for an opinion, Master, I'd advise that we not try," Merry
murmured.  "I trust them both - and Mandi and Bobby - to understand."

      Robert nodded, "Me, too, but its still a poor example.  Second, I'm a
limited resource - I never intended to be regularly serviced by more than
one woman..."

      Merry pondered this for a moment.  "Well, Master, there IS the lesbian
thing - or perhaps it is better defined as bisexual?"  Robert nodded,
approving the choice of wording.  "That's one relief valve."

      "True," Robert agreed.  "In time, we might come up with others.  I
know of one person whom I owe a sexual encounter who might be prevailed upon
to assist.  That would ease a debt you've incurred - although the fact that
he knows HER, too, might make things somewhat touchy..."

      Merry came up short; Robert meant Bert!  "Uh, Master, I think you
would want to examine that idea closely before implementing it."

      "Yeah, it could be a real furball, if not properly handled," Robert
agreed.  "But it DOES have a certain elegance to it..."

      Merry knew she was being deliberately baited, and therefore knew the
proper response.  "Yes, Master."

      "Any other observations, before I make my decision?" Robert queried,
"Issues, preferences?"

      Merry frowned - How to make this work?  "It shall be as Master
pleases, but avoiding exposing her to real danger is already high on
Master's list of priorities."

      Robert saw right through it, but... "Even given the probable
implications?"  Merry contented herself with a nod, and Robert returned it.
"Very well.  I have decided to go with my initial inclination, after all."
He snapped his fingers, "Heel.  Your obedience must be perfect."  He turned
and returned to the den, Merry two steps behind and to one side.

      Ann was awake, attempting to struggle up from the position she had
collapsed in without the benefit of her arms, which were still cuffed behind
her.  Fortunately, her widespread legs assisted in balancing her for the
position change.  She was incredibly surprised by the intensity of the
orgasm Merry had visited upon her.  The whole thing had so many forbidden
components: the fact that a woman was using her tongue on her, the fact
that, bound, she couldn't escape, Merry's uncritical willingness to perform
the act despite her admission that she had never done it before...  She'd
had the mother of all orgasms, and the night wasn't over yet, although it
was headed into darker waters.

      "You fainted," Robert observed.

      "Yes... Master," His frown prompted the amended address.

      "You enjoyed yourself, I trust?" Robert's expression was sardonic.

      "Yes, Master!"  Calling him 'Master' was coming easier, but...

      "Are you ready to demonstrate YOUR compliance?"  Ann opened her mouth,
but grew cautious, and nothing emerged.  It was the wrong answer, but the
expected one.  "I see that you are not," Robert continued, "Frankly, I
assumed that this would be the case.  Stand!"

      This proved to be somewhat difficult, with Ann's hands locked behind
her and her feet locked two feet apart.  Eventually, by leaning forward
quite a bit, she managed.  Robert looked on in amusement; Merry appeared to
be impassive.  Robert turned to Merry, "We simply MUST install a couple of
training stations downstairs in the family room.  How am I going to secure
her in place?"

      Merry looked around.  "There's that large hook in the beam that we use
to steady the Christmas tree, Master.  It should hold her."

      "Good idea!"  Robert turned to Ann.  "See the hook?  Hobble over there
under it.  A wide swinging step should work."  Ann worked her way across the
room.  "Stop!" Robert directed.  He scooped the harness from the table and
approached her.  "Open your mouth."

      Puzzled, Ann did so - and Robert popped the ball gag into her mouth,
settling the harness over her head.  "This will keep you from becoming TOO
noisy," Robert announced calmly.  "When we move on to the next phase, there
is a distinct temptation to make noise."  He affected unconcern.  "I'm going
to undo your handcuffs and shift them to the front, now.  Be sure to be
cooperative..."  He stepped to her rear, and opened one cuff, freeing her
left hand, while holding the right.  He examined Ann's position, which was
very nearly in the room's center, and the hook.  Finally, satisfied, he
directed, "Now, turn..."  Ann rotated clumsily until she faced him.  After
all, what else was there to do?  Her ankles were chained to a bar, she was
gagged, and he had her right hand...  The gag, by the way, was
uncomfortable; the only way to keep it from spreading her jaw uncomfortably
was to take it into her mouth - which caused its own problems, such as
drooling.  The idea that she might drown in her own spit occurred to her...

      Robert locked her wrists before her, and lifted her arms to drape the
chain over the hook.  It was actually a pretty good fit; Ann wasn't quite
hanging free, but she would have trouble releasing herself by lifting the
chain free.  Once her arms tired, it probably wouldn't be an issue.

      Psych warfare began.  "O-kay!" Robert announced, his voice
businesslike, "For the next several hours, you're going to learn a good deal
about the nature of discipline, of pain and submission.  At the end of your
training, you will rush to fulfill whatever outlandish requirement I come up
with, gladly, to avoid the alternative.  Do you understand?  You can nod..."

      Ann looked quizzical and tried (and failed) to speak.  Robert took it
up.  "What could be the matter?  Oh!  I know!  The 'several hours' part!"
Ann nodded emphatically.  "Well, you're right - three isn't several,
although it's more than a couple.  But - you know? - nobody wrote a start
time in the book..."  Robert picked it up and perused it.  "Nope, no start
time.  I figure I'll have you ink in some appropriate time once you're
broken in, nice and compliant.  Okay?"  He grinned unpleasantly.

      Ann's eyes saucered, and she began to struggle with her bonds,
grunting around the gag.  'My god!' she thought 'I'm trapped!'

      Robert appeared to ponder.  "Actually," he announced, "I could always
just cut out the page and burn it - that there would be no embarrassing
question over time..."

      Real fear finally gripped Ann; Robert was a little TOO complacent...
She turned her eyes to Merry, appeal on her face.

      Robert glanced back and forth between them as Merry maintained her
impassive mien.  "Whatever are you looking for?" he wondered aloud, "Surely,
you're not expecting Merry to step in to put an end to your abuse!  It
hasn't even started yet!  Besides, looking to Merry for assistance is total
foolishness; the only person in this room who can expect assistance from
Merry is ME!"  Robert frowned in thought, then his face cleared, "Ah, yes, I
remember some remark made when we were first discussing this..." His
expression changed to incredulity, "Surely you didn't BELIEVE that drivel?"
Shaking his head at this evidence of Ann's naiveté, Robert turned to Merry,
"Bring me some clothespins, will you?  A dozen or so, if we have that many."

      "Yes, Master!" Merry managed to maintain a straight face until she
turned, and managed to hold in a laugh until she was in the laundry with the
door closed - but it was difficult!  Ann was in no serious danger, she knew,
but Robert was playing her like a violin, and Merry couldn't help but admire
the effect!  Quickly, she collected the clothespins, and returned to where
Robert was circling Ann, taunting her.

      As Merry appeared in the doorway, Robert moved to stand behind Ann,
grabbing the small roll of fat that rode her hips.  "You're a bit chunky,"
he observed.  "Nothing that hard work and no food won't get a handle on.
Obviously, I won't need to worry about your grocery bill for a while..."  He
began running his hands over her ass, kneading and grabbing great handfuls.
"Nice ass, though.  I'm looking forward to entertaining myself with IT in
various ways..."  He gave it a good, open-handed swat, fairly lifting Ann
from the floor.  Merry absorbed - and realized that she was enjoying - Ann's
expression of pain and shock.  Robert moved back around to Ann's front,
where he slid his thumb between Ann's legs and dragged it from her anus to
her clitoris, none too gently, while remarking phlegmatically, "See how
effective the bar is?  You're totally exposed, and cannot protect yourself
from me!"

      Fear cascaded through Ann!  She was SOOO exposed!  And the things
Robert was doing!  He seemed to have no fear, no limits, no compunction!
This was total violation!  (God, why am I soaking wet?)  Ann didn't
understand it, but the more ruthless Robert was, the more he exercised his
dominance, the hotter she became!

      Robert turned to Merry.  "Ah, the clothespins!  Merry, why don't you
suck on this one's right nipple and get it nice and long and hard?"

      Merry stepped forward and engaged a nipple, but...  "Merry," Robert
frowned, "HER right, not yours!"  He punctuated this correction with a quick
swat on Merry's bare ass.

      "Sorry, Master!" Merry cried, and switched breasts, getting Ann's
right one this time.

      "Hmmph," Robert returned, "No real harm done."  He again addressed
himself to Ann, "I'm going to call you 'Belle'.  You have no identity, you
understand, other than what I give you...  Nod your head 'Yes', Dear..."
Ann, eyes huge, nodded.  "Good.  People who don't really know you will
continue to address you by whatever nomenclature that official documents
describing you designate - but the REAL you, the SLAVE you - will be called
'Belle' until I decide to change it - to 'Frog', maybe, or 'Toad'..."
Robert appeared to give the idea of changing it right away some thought.
"I'm sure that Merry has described the concept to you..."

      Ann was somewhat distracted by Merry's suction on her right nipple,
which appeared to have a direct nervous system connection to her clitoris -
but she nodded understanding.

      Robert smiled approval.  "When we're finished, if we're in a public
place, and you're standing on a stage in an evening gown, when I address you
by your true name, you will kneel and submit to me!"  His eyes bored into
Ann/Belle's and she KNEW that he WOULD shame her this way, at some point -
and she was already pretty sure that when that time came, she would behave
EXACTLY as he demanded...  Was that the additional piece that made the lips
on her nipple so maddening?

      "How are you doing, Merry?" Robert asked.

      Merry removed her mouth from the nipple to respond, "Fine, Master!
It's nice and fat and chewy!"

      "Give me a pin, then," Robert directed, taking one from her open hand.
"Go to work on the other one - it might be a bit more difficult..."  He
placed the clothespin on Belle's extended nipple.

      Pleasure turned to agony as the clothespin bit in, crushing Belle's
tender nipple.  Belle opened her mouth to scream, but the ball gag muffled
it to the point of being unrecognizable.  Oddly, though, her clitoris didn't
seem to notice the difference; it continued to peek out from under its hood,
suffused with blood.  And Merry was having no trouble coaxing extension out
of her other nipple, either, despite the fact that Belle KNEW what was
coming!  The mix of sensations made for a kind of sweet and sour sensory
overload.  Belle hung there, dazed by the mix, until Merry released her left
nipple and Robert pinned it, too.  Fresh agony flashed through her, but even
then...

      Robert reached down and dragged a knuckle over her clitoral hood, and
Belle more or less mindlessly followed the knuckle, trying to stay in
contact.  Robert stood back, arms folded across his chest, and announced,
"This is just a teaser - something to get your attention, and prepare you
for things to come.  Do you understand?"

      Belle nodded, but she was drifting.  Something about the mix reminded
her of her marriage...

      Ann had married Nick a dozen years before.  He was quiet and gentle
and sensitive, and things went well, except...

      Sex was boring.  Nick was kind and considerate and gentle.  He never
pushed anything on her, and they seldom did anything but plain vanilla sex -
no perversions, nothing off-the-wall.  Things became ho hum, and Ann began
passing the whole thing off.

      Nick wasn't thrilled, but he said nothing.  But one night, about a
year and a half into their marriage, Nick came home drunk - and angry.  When
Ann prepared to upbraid him for his condition, Nick displayed a mean streak
that she'd never seen before, manhandling and slapping her.  He shredded her
night robe, threw her over a chair and took her, brutally, without regard
for her pleasure.  The sex was rough, and painful, - and delicious!  Ann
came twice before Nick came, collapsed over her, and passed out.  He'd
touched something - a memory of her childhood that Ann didn't admit to
having, even to herself - and his brutality had been oddly satisfying.

      In the morning, they pretended that the incident had never occurred;
Nick was embarrassed, and Ann had no words (I love it when you're brutal?).
But the incident was a turning point in their relationship.  Ann basically
stopped providing Nick with sex in any other setting, which tended to
provoke him to go out and get drunk, so he could come home and vent his
anger.

      But the fact that they couldn't talk about the whole thing eventually
led to its destruction.  For Ann, it was about dominance and sex, but for
Nick it was about anger and alcohol.  After a time, Nick took to drinking
heavily and beating Ann regularly - but either couldn't perform or wasn't
interested in sex.  The situation collapsed.  Ann felt guilty about it,
because somehow she knew she had triggered the whole thing, but without sex,
it was just drunken abuse she was suffering, so she got out.  Afterward,
Nick had sobered up and tried to apologize, but she couldn't deal with Nick
on HIS knees; the situation was irrecoverable.

      Finding what Ann was looking for wasn't something that the dating
scene really made easy, so after a while, Ann just gave up...

      Tonight, however, had been a revelation.  Merry's master was capable
of being absolutely ruthless in the maintenance of his dominant position,
yet there didn't seem to be any anger in him.  The cool calculation in his
efforts was shocking - and exciting - to Ann.  Nick had abused her out of
anger, but the person in the unacknowledged childhood memory hadn't...
Robert abused her purely as an expression of his will to dominate her - and
that, she realized, was a good thing!  Robert hadn't broken her yet, and she
was prepared to put up a fight - but she wanted him to win...

      Robert had stood there, examining Belle for some moments.  Merry
looked on without understanding, but when Belle perked up and became alert
again, she realized that her Master had been waiting for something - this -
whatever this was...

      Robert had immediately sensed Belle's distraction, and that, given the
situation, she must be fighting with some personal demon.  He suspected that
the outcome of the session hung in the balance; it was quite possible that
when she surfaced, she would need to be released - to be Ann again -
immediately.  The outside chance that she might give up immediately wasn't
something he was prepared to entertain - it just didn't seem possible.  But
Belle had drifted this far, basically allowing herself to be manipulated
into this position...  No, her spirit was unbroken at this point - he'd have
detected otherwise.  She'd had no more idea than he'd had where this was
going when she arrived - she was reaching blindly, cooperating because
things appeared to be going in the proper direction - nothing more.

      As he finished second guessing himself while he watched Belle drift,
she visibly returned to the present.  And her reaction told Robert that he
had been correct; if she had had enough, she would have ignored him except
for a muffled demand to be released, concentrating on removing her handcuffs
from the hook above her, probably.  Similarly, direct submission would have
been made obvious by body language.  But Belle stood there quietly
challenging him with her eyes.  Yes, they understood one another: Robert was
to dish it out until Belle broke.  It would be VERY real, and Belle would
never be the same, after.  But they both knew of her expectations for that
end state, and Robert was prepared to deliver his portion of the bargain.
Robert nodded tightly, staring into Belle's eyes.  "I see that we're finally
ready to begin," he observed.

      Ann/Belle nodded back, equally intent, and Merry, unable to really
understand yet what was going on, recognized by gut instinct alone that
Robert was completely on track, and that the main event had finally begun.

      Robert wasted no time engaging Belle both physically and mentally.
Collecting another clothespin from Merry's unresisting hand, he squatted
before Belle.  She had just enough time to glance down in surprise before
the wooden jaws of the spring-driven pin began to crush the stalk of her
swollen clitoris!  Belle's eyes bulged, she drew in a huge breath and a
creditable attempt at a loud scream tried to force it's way past the ball
gag!  Pain roared through her system, radiating from her violated clitoris.
She could go nowhere, and do very little, so she danced mindlessly in place,
mincing back and forth within the area allotted her by her attachment to the
hook in the ceiling, the steps made awkward by the bar separating her feet.
Her efforts at escaping the pain had no effect on the pin, however; it
remained affixed, inexorably crushing the soft tissues.

      When the first flash was over, and Belle had recovered some focus,
Robert produced his best evil smile (he worked at it - it needed to be
effective) and announced, "Now that we're both completely engaged in the
project, its in both our interests to remind you that I hold almost all of
the cards - and that the game won't end until after you discard the last
one."  He glanced at Merry's punishment book.  "Since we appear to have no
time limit," he continued, underlining his earlier threat, "We'll leave that
up to you.  When you're done, nice and tender and compliant, we'll move you
on to the joys of servitude - something to look forward to while we go
through the mechanics of showing you your place.  I'm afraid that we've
already agreed that that will be somewhat of an ordeal..."  Robert's tone of
phony concern was carefully contrived; psych warfare was a major component
of his current effort.

      Belle found that she was unable to discount the effects of this ploy.
Previous to this evening, she had been pretty certain that Robert was no
monster - but everything he had said and done tonight argued otherwise.  The
fact that she had been clearly warned, yet had still stumbled blindly into
his clutches...  She couldn't bear to examine that quite yet.  Belle's
nipples had begun to settle down - or had her clit just eclipsed them?  She
didn't know...

      Robert had a good idea where she was.  "Hold still!" he barked,
irritated.  "Merry, get me the paddle!"  Merry dashed.  She'd seen this
Robert, and knew that, act or not, if she stepped out of line the least bit
she would suffer as badly as Belle.

      By dint of some serious willpower, Belle stopped shambling.  Robert
waited a moment, paddle in hand, and muttered conversationally, "These
things settle down a bit after a while, don't they?"  He flicked the pin on
Belle's left nipple with a finger, and Belle took another good flash of
pain.  "If you mess with them, though..." Robert flicked the other pin-
encased nipple, generating the same effect, "you can get a bit more from
them."  An open handed swipe at her crotch caused a detonation of pain
nearly as intense as the original attachment.  Robert grimaced in thought.
"Perhaps we'll do nipple rings!" he exclaimed.  "Then I can lead you around
by these..." He hefted her breasts, then dropped them, to new agony.  "A
chain between them might be decorative..."

      Belle was awash.  Each new touch brought a flash, and the waves kept
coming, like the surf.  Robert's alternation of targets only made it more
difficult to deal with.  Robert stopped for a moment, allowing her to
approach equilibrium, then started again, tapping one once every two to
three seconds.  The clitoris appeared to be the worst, so it got twice as
much attention as the breasts - but he ensured that there was no cycle;
anticipation was a major component.

      Very quickly, however, she reached the point where the individual
flashes didn't provide the peaks over the general plateau of pain that made
then unbearable.  The plateau itself was pretty high, however, and she began
to be dazed, and began to shamble again.  Robert frowned, and stepped behind
her.

      Swack!  The paddle, a wicked item with holes in it that they had
picked up at the Sex Shoppe, impacted, leaving a bright red streak and the
feel of a hundred stinging bees on the left cheek of Belle's ass.  Belle,
shocked into alertness, froze, even as Robert snarled, "I SAID HOLD STILL!"
He circled around Belle and regarded her for a moment, then resumed speaking
conversationally, "You know, one of the advertised effects of the pins is
that they eventually cut off the circulation, which dulls things somewhat.
But when you remove them, the circulation comes back..." He removed the pin
capturing Belle's clitoris, and she bent forward as a new and amazing type
of agony enveloped her crotch, an exquisite burning tingle as blood
reclaimed her nerves.  Robert watched for a few moments, then, as she
appeared to be recovering, he snatched off both of the pins attached to her
nipples, none too gently.  As Belle hunched to the new pain enveloping her
nipples, Robert announced briskly, "Okay, so much for appetizers.  Merry,
bring me..."  He stopped and frowned.  "No, you'll be running back and forth
all night.  Besides, perhaps we should display our wares, so that Belle
knows that we are properly equipped!  Merry, bring all of our toys and
corrective gear and make a nice display - there, along the wall!"  He
pointed to an area behind Belle.  "At the appropriate time, we'll let her
examine the collection...  In the meantime," his voice dropped to a whisper
as he leaned toward Merry to whisper in her ear, "bring me both sizes of
anal intruder and the lube."  Merry nodded silently and padded off.

      Belle was dazed.  So much pain!  How long could she hold out?  She
felt like collapsing at Robert's feet NOW, and he'd just indicated that they
were only just starting!  She'd expected to be beaten, but the pin thing was
beyond her experience - beyond her imagination!  It was...fiendish!  What
else was he capable of?

      Robert brought this period of introspection to a close by the simple
expedient of applying the paddle to Belle's right buttock.  He then followed
this at measured intervals with an additional whack to each buttock, coming
up from a position somewhat below and extending the coverage of the red
spots there by that amount.

      Belle, almost lifted from her feet by the second pair of blows, hung
there, trying to maintain her balance.  Her ass stung something incredible!
It burned!

      Robert accepted the anal intruders and the lube from Merry, who went
on to remove items from the chest and line them up along the wall.  Robert
slathered some lube on the more narrow of the probes, a rubberized plastic
item about five inches long, and tapering from a blunt point to a maximum
diameter of about an inch and a half before narrowing abruptly to half of
that just before expanding to a flanged base.  He leaned up over Belle's
shoulder and murmured, "I'm going to bugger you for a bit, now..."

      Belle nodded dumbly.  She didn't really absorb the comment, merely
nodded an assent that she didn't even realize she had no power to grant.
Robert took a finger dampened with lubricant and teased open Belle's anus,
then slowly began to insert the intruder.  The intent was to make her think
he was penetrating her, but he wasn't too worried about the failure of THAT
deception, as he had another in the wings.  "Bend over a bit, now - it'll
make things easier."  Slowly, he pressed the butt plug home, sliding it in
and out to spread the lube.  Finally, the flanged head passed Belle's
sphincter, and it dropped into place as it closed around the plastic.

      Belle gasped a bit. This whole thing - the stinging ass, the
unaccustomed, uncomfortable penetration of her ass - somehow, this was VERY
familiar...

      Robert turned and collected a vibrator from the selection that Merry
was creating on the floor.  He activated it and applied it to the butt plug,
transferring the vibration to the plastic insert.  "Now for a bit of the
carrot," he murmured.

      Belle's reaction caught Merry's attention as she returned with a load
of various whips and straps.  Her eyes unfocused, and her mouth opened; she
seemed amazed at the sensations she was getting.  There was something
incredible, just on the edge of her awareness, waiting...  The feelings that
washed through her were a weird, indescribable mix - but sooo good!
"Master, better have a look at this!" Merry observed.

      Robert stepped around, observed, Belle's odd, almost pained
expression, and recognized the primary component, at least.  It was if she
was reaching...  "You like that, don't you?" he asked.

      Belle focused and nodded.

      "We'll add that to the list of things good girls get, then," Robert
announced enigmatically.  "Unfortunately, we're not ready for that yet..."
He reached around and disconnected the vibrator, turned it off, and handed
it to Merry as she passed with her last load of paraphernalia.  "I'm afraid
that we cannot get deeply into rewards until you fully understand
punishment.  Belle nodded, looking down.  It wasn't all bad.  She worked to
keep her little secret; the vibrator was gone, but the probe still felt...
good.  Not incredible - she'd never orgasm from it, or anything - just...
good.  Full, maybe.

      Robert decided to unlimber his next psychological ploy.  "Obviously, I
didn't use THIS," he hefted his cock, "on you.  Instead, I used this..." He
hefted a butt plug that was at least twice the size of the one actually
inserted.  At its narrowest, the intruder was as wide as the crown of the
one actually in use; the flange was a good two and a half to three inches.
Belle's eyes bugged a bit.  Robert examined the item and shook his head,
"Boy, that's going to be a bear to get out..."  He wandered behind her and
gave a couple of mock tugs at the embedded plug, then observed, "Of course,
if we leave it in too long, you'll never get the thing closed up again..."
He was relying on ignorance and innocence here, both of which Belle had in
quantity.  "In fact:  Merry, do we have any rubber sheets or anything?
Tonight's training effort could be messy, and even though Belle is going to
clean up after herself with her tongue, it still might be a good idea to
minimize any damage..."

      Belle turned white as a ghost and began to shake and sweat.  What kind
of threat was that?  Did he expect her to soil herself?  Or something worse?
Was there anything worse?  Not from a cleanup point of view, she decided.
She could drink blood...  But that brought on another thought: she could
clean up blood - but the actual bleeding?  Undoubtedly, any blood shed would
be hers...

      Merry had taken off at a canter.  She certainly didn't want Ann to
mess herself on the den rug!  She collected a shower curtain and, after some
thought, a plastic dishpan.  Hopefully, that would handle big messes...

      When she returned, she found Robert again engaged in psych warfare.
He had rotated Belle 180 degrees and was displaying their wares, going
through the display that Merry had laid out and fingering this item or that,
and describing their use.  Merry noted with a wry grin that second copy of
the narrower version of the butt plug had disappeared (Robert had purchased
two, in case Rick wanted one for Mandi).  Robert looked up, "Ah, Merry has
returned!  Excellent!"  He directed Belle to shamble forward, and gestured
to Merry to place the shower curtain as a ground cloth, then had Bell re-
center herself below the hook.

      At this point, he matter-of-factly announced, "You've seen that
Merry's first punishment consisted of twenty lashes, dispersed among a
variety of devices and locations.  I propose that we duplicate the effort as
a starting point, in order to let you become familiar with the various
disciplinary tools.  Then we can move on to whatever appears to me
effective.  How's that?"

      Belle went white to the lips!  Twenty lashes!  As a starting point!
She managed a muffled grunt of despair - which Robert deliberately
misconstrued as agreement.  "Excellent!" he announced, "You're already
familiar with the paddle, but let me freshen your memory!"  Turning to
Merry, he directed, "Keep the count, Merry.  Nice and loud!"  The wink that
went with it told Merry that she was allowed to lose count, either way, when
and if it appeared to be effective.  Merry couldn't believe how much she was
getting off on this!  Certainly the flip side wasn't near as much fun!

      "One!...  Two!"  Merry counted as Robert delivered two measured
strokes with the paddle.  Certainly, Belle didn't really feel that it was
necessary to become reacquainted!  Her eyes began to water.

      "Okay!" Robert announced brightly, "On to the strap!"  He picked it up
and flexed it.  "The paddle can break things if applied improperly, but the
strap is MUCH more flexible!"  He wandered behind Belle, who tightened up
automatically.  "It needn't be applied across a soft padded area like the
ass; it can be applied HERE!"

      Smack! The strap curled around Belle's soft upper right thigh, leaving
a nasty welt, and bringing Belle a totally new kind of pain.  "Three!" Merry
sang out.

      "Or HERE!"  Robert added, slashing across Belle's left side at the
waist.

      "Four!" Merry announced, as Belle did her level best to scream bloody
murder through the ball gag.

      "Or even HERE!" Robert finished as he slashed down across Belle's
upper back from her left shoulder to her right hip.

      "Five!" Merry announced.  Belle didn't hear her.  She was screaming,
sweating, crying - anything to give voice to the agony she was feeling!  She
was absolutely certain that she had lost skin on her backside and that she
was bleeding from a half-dozen sites!  God!  She was going to die!  And this
was only five strokes!  She swam up from a haze of pain to hear Merry ask,
"Master, does that last one count?  I'm not sure you really got a good lick
in..."

      Belle turned her head and looked back over her shoulder at Merry in
shock, just as Robert murmured, "Yeah, it just didn't LOOK effective!"  And
Belle WATCHED the strap descend in an agonizing mirror stroke!

      "Oh!  I see!" Merry announced brightly, "Six!"

      Robert was already repositioning for the stroke across her upper left
thigh when Belle flinched her eyes away, so she knew where it was coming -
but that only seemed to make it worse!  She tightened up, and it REALLY
stung, slashing across her taut upper thigh.  As Merry intoned "Seven!"
Belle discovered that she knew where the next blow was to fall - and
devoutly wished she didn't!  The slash across her right side at the waist
struck tensed flesh, and Belle started to lose her grip.  As Merry raised
the count to eight, Belle cringed as best she could, suddenly realizing she
again knew not where the next blow would fall.  Tears ran, and she hurt from
neck to knees!  Certainly anything Robert wanted from her, he could have!

      But she couldn't tell him - she was still gagged!  Robert paused,
offering a respite - but Belle's gratitude was short-lived, as she watched
him select a new implement!  Oh, God!  The riding crop!  She watched in
horror as he picked it up, eyeing her significantly.

      Robert read the pleading glance, but steeled himself.  He knew that
she THOUGHT she was done - but he knew that to truly break her, he had to go
beyond this point.   So he ignored the look, and deliberately placed himself
in front of her for a pair of nasty swipes at her ribs just below her
breasts!  Belle closed her eyes, but the afterimages remained, along with
the stinging pain.  "Nine!...  Ten!" Merry added to the count.

      Robert circled around behind Belle, looking for a new spot, and a new
tactic.  A glance at Merry, watching avidly, suggested both.  "Here, you
try!" he directed, "I've plans for you, anyway!"

      Merry stepped forward, and took the crop.  "Where, Master?"

      Robert stepped up and ran a nail along the back of Belle's right
thigh.  Gooseflesh appeared.  Belle was watching him with wide eyes,
breathing hoarsely and shaking like a leaf.  "Here!" he directed.

      Whack!  Merry laid the quirt across the thigh, caning Belle with the
shaft.  Belle, having already experienced the horror of knowing that Merry
was going to actively assist in the beating, and having again had it made
clear exactly where the stroke was going to land, was recovering from the
smashing impact when she became aware of Robert remonstrating, "No, no no!
Not like that!  Don't beat her with the shaft!  Use the fringe!  Like this!"
And Robert's strike on her other thigh felt like he was raising blisters
with the fringed tip of the crop!  Worse than the sting, however, was
Robert's next offhand comment: "Sorry, Belle - that one doesn't count..."

      "It doesn't count?!"  Belle tried to voice her dismay around the gag,
and the utterance was recognizable.

      Robert's face became implacable.  "No, it doesn't," he confirmed, "And
neither do these!" He proceeded to lay five criss-crossing strokes across
Belle's back!

      Pain exploded across Belle's back again and again.  She wailed and
wailed through the gag!  The agony!  By the fifth stroke, Belle's knees had
given way, and she was hanging limply from the hook, dazed.

      "Do not question me!" Robert instructed in a frigid voice.  "It is not
your place!  Understand?"

      Blubbering, choking on sobs, Belle couldn't wait to get out an
emphatic grunt and the accompanying shake of the head.

      "Now," Robert handed the quirt back to Merry, "Try it again.  Stand
up, Belle!"

      Belle staggered up onto shaky legs.  Merry gave her little time to get
set before delivering another stinging swipe at her right thigh.  "That's
better!" Robert approved.  "What is that, ten?"

      Belle's eyes pled over her shoulder, but she said nothing.  The number
twelve was graven across her consciousness, but she knew better than to say
anything...  She was crying openly.

      "Time to move on," Robert observed.  He walked over to the display,
and recovered the small, single-tipped whip.  Bell eyed it.  Compared to the
others, it didn't look so bad... until Robert snapped it once!  That vicious
crack...  Belle was still re-evaluating when the evidence came in, with a
vengeance!  Robert deployed the whip with pinpoint accuracy, the vicious
snap ending precisely on Belle's left nipple!  Belle's eyes rolled up, and
she hung there, barely conscious.  The pain!

      Robert waited a moment.  Belle closed, then re-opened her eyes,
gingerly examining the undoubtedly shredded nipple.  The fact that it
appeared to be whole didn't really inspire confidence...  "Stand up!" Robert
ordered gruffly, "Even Merry took more than that!"  Of course, Merry had
been secured differently, and had nearly passed out, not to mention tried to
climb the bars...  Belle began to struggle into an upright position, but
Robert decided to up the ante.  "Too slow!" he announced and nodded over
Belle's shoulder - where Merry waited, still wielding the quirt!

      The blow fell from nowhere, and on a new location:  Merry had gotten
inventive, and targeted the back of Belle's right knee!  The knee promptly
collapsed, leaving Belle hanging again gasping in pain and shock.  Belle
struggled to bring her body back under control, knowing another blow could
fall at any moment, and managed to attain some semblance of a standing
position, carrying her right leg a bit.  Robert gave her no peace; as soon
as her knees locked, he shredded her other nipple!  Now, it wasn't REALLY
shredded - but you couldn't prove it by Belle!  She was shaking like a leaf;
fear and pain colored EVERYTHING!  As she watched Robert select his next
target, her memory of Merry's pictures flashed before her, she became
certain of what was coming next - and urine began to trickle down her leg.

      The humiliation was awful, but not as awful as the look in Robert's
hard eyes.  Her tormentors let her finish humiliating herself; Merry
actually moved the dishpan to collect some of the flow, and flipped up the
edges of the shower curtain to keep it from spilling  "Are you done?" Robert
inquired harshly.  Belle nodded, head hanging.  This had to be the
ultimate...  Belle now knew exactly what had happened to Merry that evening
- when she tried to think of the things she would do to escape further
punishment, her imagination failed her totally.  Robert walked around Belle,
doing a complete circle, examining her closely, and undoubtedly finding her
wanting...  He disappeared behind her a second time, leaving her to expect
that he would momentarily complete a second circuit...

      Slash, CRACK!  Belle went up on her toes!  Robert had delivered the
stroke that she'd seen in the pictures, coming up between Belle's legs from
the rear, leaving a welt along her labia and a stinging, burning, terrible
shattering snap right on Belle's clitoris!  Belle's stretching leap
literally unhooked her from the ceiling and caused her to sprawl forward,
smacking into the carpeted floor and leaving rug burns on both knees and
various other sites.  Dazed and agonized, she lay for a moment, then
struggled to her hands and knees...

      Robert just couldn't resist, however; the target was too tempting.
Leaning forward, he applied the whip to Belle's perineum, a mere quarter
inch from the clenched rosette of her anus!

      A second later, Belle found herself sprawled amidst the wreckage of
Merry's display of toys and apparatus, blinking owlishly while she recovered
from the stinging attack on her ass!  She had somehow leaped bodily a foot
and a half along the floor under the impetus of Robert's whip!  Merry stood
there, hand to mouth. "I'd have said that move was impossible!" she
exclaimed.

      Robert smiled wryly, "And I'd have agreed with you!"  He addressed
himself to Belle - now was not the time to ease the pressure: "Get up,
Belle, and hang yourself back up.  I'd hate to have to spank you..."

      The words were gentle, but Belle was galvanized.  Her head snapped
around, and fear-filled eyes tracked her master and the whip in his hand as
she struggled to her feet, clumsy more from an effort at speed than the
unaccustomed impediment of the bar holding her legs apart.  Hurriedly, she
shambled back into position below the hook, and, on the second try, managed
to re-hang the chain of her handcuffs over it, not removing her eyes from
Robert for more than an instant the whole time.

      "I don't know if we're going to make it to twenty," Robert observed.
"Where are we, anyway?"

      "Sixteen, Master," Merry replied, "if you don't count the incidental
corrections."

      "And if I do?" Robert mused.

      "Twenty two, maybe twenty-three."

      "Hmmm," Robert continued, "Tempting, but I can't set a precedent of
allowing corrections for errors in place to count against the main event
score.  You understand, don't you?"  Tears poured as Belle nodded, head
down.  Robert gave her no time; the next strike with the small whip snapped
at the tender flesh of Belle's right armpit.  Belle lunged away
instinctively, but had nowhere to go.  'Who'd have thought you could feel
such pain in an armpit?' Belle thought, dazed.  She settled herself to
endure the next strike - but it was impossible!  She screamed into the gag
as her left armpit exploded in pain.

      Robert stood a moment, thinking, then: "Merry, do the knees again -
both of them.  Take your time, and do a good job."

      Belle stood there, suffering the agony of anticipation.  Where would
the blow fall?  Merry actually touched her left knee with the whip,
apparently warning Belle - so she got set - only to have the blow fall on
her RIGHT knee!  The knee collapsed, but Belle managed not to fall and in a
few seconds managed to put her weight on it - and of course, as soon as she
did, Merry delivered the coup de grace.  Belle's left knee exploded in pain,
and she collapsed, hanging from her cuffs.

      "Okay, time to stop and get an assessment," Robert announced.  "Up to
now, we have just been setting expectations.  At this point, we'll allow you
to contribute a bit.  Further punishment will be for infractions - and will
be delivered rapid-fire, if I discover that we have failed to really
approach your limits.  Such sessions will be designed to be awful to
contemplate."  He removed her handcuffs from the hook.  "On the other hand,"
he observed, "you will receive opportunities to court the carrot.  Kneel!"

      Belle dropped to her knees.  There was no effort at grace, or to
protect her knees by going slowly.  She just made sure she was in position,
just as rapidly as she could.

      "Good," Robert approved.  "Remain upright.  Present your wrists."  He
fished the key to the handcuffs from his robe and undid the cuffs, dropping
them into the pocket. "Place your hands on your thighs.  Actually, the bar
is doing you a favor - it spreads your legs to approximately the 'Ready'
position.  This is the position I expect you to maintain at any time that I
- or Merry in my stead - don't instruct you to be elsewhere.  Do you
understand?"

      Belle nodded, watching Robert constantly.

      "I see that I have your attention," he observed mildly.  "Good.  I
should have it constantly when you are in my presence."  Robert stepped
forward and cradled Belle's head on his stomach while he undid the harness
for the ball gag.  He stepped back, and held out his hand.  Belle leaned
forward and laid the ball in his hand, watching him constantly.  She
manipulated her mouth a bit, recovering from the open-jawed position she had
been locked into, attempting to avoid the incipient cramps.  Robert watched
this, then asked, "Are you prepared to be obedient?"

      "Yes, Master!" Belle croaked, surprised at the sound of her voice.

      "Good!" Robert replied.  "The demonstration that we previously agreed
to will be the least of your tests; I will devise others, and failure will
occasion a beating that will make our recent interlude seem like a trip to
the fair!  Do you understand?"

      "Yes, Master!"

      "Merry, undo the bar.  I'll chase her around the room if I have to."
He regarded Belle, "On the other hand, if I tell you to lie spread-eagle on
your back while I whip your pussy with this, you will obey, won't you?"

      There was only one answer, and Belle gave it: "Yes, Master!"

      Robert eyed her.  "Do it!"  Belle obediently flopped over on her back,
watching him like a rabbit watches a wolf.  Merry, momentarily interrupted,
went back to work on the ankle restraints.

      Robert lingered over Belle, dragging the tip over her body while Merry
finished her task.  Belle didn't allow herself to flinch, or even to blink.
She KNEW if her eyes closed, he would bring her pain!

      Merry lifted the bar away, and Robert waved at the mess that had been
her display of devices.  "Why don't you tidy that up?"  Turning to Belle, he
directed, "Resume the ready position.  Belle did so via an interesting
contortion wherein she bent her spread legs and then raised her torso into
position.  Robert watched this maneuver with some interest and no little
amusement - who'd have thought that a woman that age, that heavy, could be
so limber?

      But Robert was distracted, and he gave voice to his irritation:  "All
right!  We'll press forward in a moment with the basics, after which I hope
to have come up with some inspiration!  I'm fresh out at the moment,
however; it's hard to think with a full bladder..."

      Belle shocked them all, including herself.  She watched Robert's
expression dissolve into irritation, and fear was born in her anew.  What to
do?  Master's bladder was full...  Without conscious decision, she leant
forward, and opened her mouth.

      Merry gasped, and Robert's eyebrows nearly merged with his hairline!
Was this...?  Eyeing Belle, he directed gruffly, "Continue."

      Belle undid the belt of Robert's robe, leaned forward, and took his
cock into her mouth.  The intent was clear...

      "This won't do!" Robert complained, "I'll be too erect to urinate in
no time!  Best just leave your mouth open... I'll hit it."  Belle opened up
and backed off a bit; the truth of Robert's assertion had been immediately
evident.  Robert initiated an exercise in willpower such as he had attempted
on few occasions, trying to override his arousal so that he could void.
"Have you ever done this before?" he asked.

      "No, Master!"  Belle reopened her mouth

      The effort deserved a proper response.  Robert, in an agony of
concentration, husked, "When I start, get your tongue under me.  My control
won't be that good..."  A good twenty seconds passed while Robert worked to
switch his internal plumbing from sperm to urine-delivery mode despite the
distraction, but, finally, he sighed as first a trickle, then a stream of
urine began to flow.  Belle didn't miss a drop; she caught the first drops
on her tongue, then used it to cradle his cock while the rest poured into
her open mouth.  Merry, fascinated, watched her throat work as she
swallowed.  As the flow ended, Belle wrapped her lips around the head and
sucked gently, getting the last bit.

      Robert shook his head in amazement.  "I'm impressed despite myself!
Certainly, you've exceeded expectation!"

      Merry couldn't keep quiet.  "Me, too!  Wow!  Would you have done that
for me?"

      Belle merely looked to Robert for confirmation.  It turned out that it
wasn't THAT bad...  Robert glanced at Merry in irritation, but nodded.
Belle arranged herself on her back, and waved Merry forward.  Merry knelt
over Belle, and she opened her mouth, cradling Merry's ass in her hands.

      But Merry had seen Robert's look.  "I just wanted to see how you would
do it," she murmured diffidently, "I don't have to go..."  She rose and
assumed the ready position to Robert's right.

      Robert decided to let it go.  Belle rose into position, duplicating
her earlier contortion, and Robert turned to Merry.  "Take her and let her
clean up.  Have her take this stuff with you," he waved at the shower
curtain and dishpan, "and have her clean it up, but given this recent
display, normal cleaners will do, rather than her tongue."  Turning to
Belle, he directed, "Merry is your superior in all things.  Where she
represents my wishes, she is effectively your Mistress.  You will follow her
instructions as though they were mine."  He turned to regard Merry, "And I
will punish infractions severely." He dismissed the pair with a wave of his
hand.  As they scurried out, he reviewed Belle's recent act of submission,
and wondered, 'How am I going to top THAT?"