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Tales of the Cabal: Protecting the Mistress
by Tigger
Copyright 1999, All Rights Reserved.

Archiving and reposting of this work is permitted only on
sites where *no* fee (including so-called adult checks) of any
type is charged and provided that my authorship, the story
itself and this statement of rights are included and are
unchanged.

This story is based on the Cabal as I developed it in one of
my first stories, "Domination Games."  This story is archived
at the Nifty Archive.

Url:  www.nifty.org/nifty/transgender/by_authors/Tigger/

The file is Domination-Games.html

***********

Protecting the Mistress
by Tigger

Part 22: Confessions and Other Confrontations

It began as a fairly ordinary Thursday night.  That is, Gerald
thought later, if anything in the past weeks could be
considered even remotely "ordinary."  He'd arrived home, had
taken care of his evening chores, had eaten his dinner and
then had gone into his study to work. There had been a bit
more paper work in his briefcase than usual but still, he'd
only spent about thirty minutes more than his typical hour. 
That was all - just a mere half hour longer before coming back
out to face whatever Mistress Mary had planned for this
evening.  Nothing very significant in that.

There were, however, two very significant differences between
that Thursday evening and all but one of the other Thursdays
he'd spent in Mistress Mary's keeping.  The first was that
this particular Thursday immediately preceded a Cabal
Congregation weekend, which was why he had brought home the
extra work that evening.  He wouldn't have Friday night or any
other time over the weekend to catch up before Monday at the
office.

The second, more significant difference was that Mistress Mary
had not been ready or even wanted to play when he'd exited his
office.  When he'd started to make the ritual obeisance that
she had devised to put him back into his slave role, she'd
caught him mid-kneel and told him to remain standing. 
Instead, she had beckoned him into the living room.  Gerald
followed wondering just what the hell was going on.

She'd surely been acting strange lately, he reflected - very
quiet and pensive.  Even her scene chatter had seemed
restrained, almost forced - like something she felt she had to
do, but wasn't enjoying very much.  He hoped she wasn't
sickening or anything, but whenever he asked, she'd said she
was fine.  Maybe now he'd finally find out what was really
bothering her.

A crystal decanter of his favorite brandy and two snifters had
been set out on the small coffee table.  Mary settled herself
onto his sofa and then gestured him into his favorite chair -
a chair that had been denied him for the last eight weeks
except during his eight weekly hours of freedom. Mary had co-
opted it for her throne immediately after his period of
servitude had formally begun.

"We need a timeout, Gerald," she said firmly, using his
"freeman" name. 

"Yes, Mary?" he responded, his non-use of her title signifying
his acceptance of the temporary setting-aside of their formal
Mistress and slave roles.

Mary blew out a breath and took a sip of her drink.  She
started to speak at least twice and each time stopped at the
last minute, seemingly to reconsider.  Finally she shook her
head and looked him in the eye.  "Gerald, what I am about to
do could be construed as, and probably is a violation of the
contract, but I feel that I must do it anyway.  You know that
the contract prohibits me from telling you anything about what
I have planned for the demonstration scene before-the-fact?"  

Cautiously, he nodded, but did not say a word.  Mary sighed
again and then pressed on.  "Well, I am not going to really
tell you exactly *what* I am going to do, but I need to
discuss one aspect of what it will entail with you before we
go any further."

"I am not sure you are even supposed to do that, Mary," he
said thoughtfully.

She waved that away.  "Perhaps, but this cannot be helped. 
Gerry . . .  I mean, Gerald, the Cabal Council has
communicated a new requirement to me.  Unfortunately, that
requirement involves you *and* it involves the type of scene
they want me to carry out with you on Saturday.  In their
view, you have not *not agreed* to what they've requested. 
However, in my view, that is only a hair splitting
technicality and not the actual truth of the matter.  In fact,
you did formally appeal to the Council requesting to have much
of what they've demanded I do to you this weekend be excluded
from the contract.  Unfortunately, your appeal on that point
was specifically denied by Gemma."

Uncertain where she was going with this, Gerald said "Okay. 
So what is it you are trying to tell me?"

Mary set her snifter down and scooted to the edge of her seat,
leaning over toward him.  He'd never seen her look so . . .
earnest before, and it unnerved him.  "They want me to let
someone else - someone you do not know, in fact - work you for
part of the scene this weekend." She said, with her eyes fixed
on his.  "More to the point, they want this person to work you
without me being present during that part of the scenario."

Why, he thought stunned.  "Why?" he repeated aloud.

Wearily, Mary's head bowed under the stress she was feeling. 
"Because they know that if I come back to the Cabal, so will
you," she gave him a tired little half smile.  "At least, you
will if I have anything to say about it.  About the only thing
that scares a dominant more than an out of control, abusive
dominant is an out of control submissive with a potential for
violent reprisal against a dominant."

Mary took another sip from her drink before continuing.  "A
basic assumption of the Cabal is that, at the Lodge, anyone
there registered as a submissive wants to be there and is
willing to play within the rules. Or at least," she amended
quickly,  "That person doesn't mind being there in a
submissive role to balance an out of kilter distribution of
registered dominants and submissives if he or she had
originally registered as a switch.  Folks, particularly
dominant folks, react to the submissives accordingly.  They
figure any "resistance" they get from a sub while at the Lodge
is part of the game - part of the play from someone who wants
to be "conquered" by the dominant."

"And a submissive who might take violent exception to that
assumption and really take someone's head off before anyone
else could do anything to stop him is just too dangerous to
have around."  Gerald said with quiet resignation. 

She sat back in her seat and nodded.  "That's about it,
Gerald.  Someone has decided that you might be able to
translate your obvious caring and affection for me into
control that will assure my safety with you, but that no one
else could afford to rely upon you protecting *them*. There
are times at the Lodge when they hold "all submissives belong
to all dominants" congregations.  They are literally afraid
that you won't care enough about someone other than me to
control that beast they fear is inside you."

"And there is no other alternative to this little brainstorm
of theirs?"

"Yes.  You could sign a contract that would bar you from ever
returning to the Cabal and that would legally enjoin you from
ever talking about the organization."

"Why not just give me the contract to sign?"

Mary's eyes flashed angrily.  "Because I am not willing to ask
you to do that," she said flatly.

Gerald sighed, knowing that there was no point in arguing with
her about that.  "Well, assuming we make it through this, and
assuming we are still together, if they are so afraid of me in
that situation then why don't we simply agree not to attend
any of those "all subs submit to all dominants"
congregations?"

"Not good enough for them, I'm afraid," she said with a shake
of her head. "They insist I give you over to someone else
without me being there to help control you."

"God." Gerald replied in disgust.  "Why do I feel that is not
the worst of it?  Maybe because the scene itself is not going
to be very much fun?"

A sad smile answered him.  "I've already told you more than I
should, Gerald." Then her eyes went dark with fury as she
reconsidered that.  "Oh hell!  I don't give a damn about them
and their contract anymore.  This is beyond anything I ever
considered and to be all but ordered to do it!"

Gerald sat quietly, waiting for Mary to go on or to decide not
to say anything more.  The Cabal was hers and if she was to
endanger her standing in that organization, she would do so
without prompting from him.

Mary took a deep breath and continued with a wry smile.  "In
for a penny, in for a pound.  They have told me to conduct a
scene that I have done there in the past - before I met you
and one I haven't ever discussed with you.  A scene I have
never run on you, never planned to run on you, because I knew
that it would be hellish for you, love.  I may want you to
suffer and endure for me, but this is different.  What they
want me to do and to permit to be done to you is as close to
the edge of your limits as I have ever knowingly gone.  So
close, that it may well be over the line for you."

Damn.  "So why are you even telling me this?  Suppose they ask
me if you told me anything?"

"Then you answer them honestly, lover," she shrugged
indifferently.  "As to why I am telling you this?  Because I
want you to think very carefully about this, and in
particular, about how you might feel and react.  Think about
how you felt, about the emotions evoked during the most
difficult, painful, humiliating experiences I have ever put
you through . . .  " her voice trailed off "Short of that
night three months ago, that is, and then double or triple
those feelings and emotions.  And after you have all that
clearly in your mind, I want you to think about someone other
than me doing all that to you, without me there to protect
you."

Gerald started to speak, but Mary forestalled him.  "Don't
answer me now, Gerald.  Tomorrow evening, before we leave, I
need to know if you are *absolutely positively* certain you
can handle that kind of stress meted out by someone other than
me without you losing it.  And one more very important thing. 
I am fairly sure that whomever they pick will not be all that
interested in giving you any pleasure or cutting you any
slack.  That person will be testing you - period - to satisfy
herself and the Council that you are safe to play with.  If
you think you can handle all that without losing it and* if
after having been given this very minimal warning, you are
still willing, we will leave for the Lodge."

"What about my safe word?"

"It will still be invoked, darling, but I don't know what good
it will really do in the greater context of the contract. 
Recall that their evaluation of whether or not its use was
justified is very subjective and they specifically set this
scene up to see you in action.  The other scene and the one to
come are more to evaluate me."

"Shit" Gerald snarled disgustedly, his mind a wild,
uncontrolled maelstrom of swirling emotion and barely rational
thought.  "And if I cannot guarantee my control?"  There was
no question about him not going - truly willing or not.

"Then I phone Gemma and we call this whole trust demonstration
thing off.  I am not going to put you through that kind of
hell unless you go into the scene knowing and accepting that
it will be hellish.  And obviously, if you are not absolutely
sure of yourself under those conditions, I won't put you or
anyone else in that type of danger.  The Cabal is important to
me.  But you are infinitely more important."

"So, where does that leave us?"

"I am not going to train or play with you tonight, Gerald.  I
want you to go off and think on this.  Take a walk if you
want.  Go down to the corner bar and have a beer - talk to
your friendly neighborhood bartender to whatever level of
detail you can or want.  Come to your own conclusions.  I will
accept, without question or penalty, whatever you think best."

"My first conclusion is that this really sucks, Mary." She
winced at the utter disgust he invested in those words.

Sighing sadly, Mary nodded to him. "I know, love, and I won't
disagree with you." With that, she stood and moved over to
stand in front of him.  She took her face in both her hands
and brought her mouth down on his.  The kiss was fierce, at
once both possessive and giving.  She broke it and moved away
before Gerald's arms could fully enclose her.  "I am going to
bed, Gerald.  Forget that damned contract until we get to the
Lodge," she paused a moment and then amended.  "*If* we get to
the Lodge.  I want you to think this through carefully.  We
will talk again tomorrow evening when you get home.  Until
then, consider yourself a free man."

With that, she spun on her heel and moved quickly out of the
room.  Moments later, he heard the door to what had been his
bedroom close.  He contemplated the light playing off the
mostly untouched amber liquid in his snifter and wondered -
what the hell am I going to do now?

End Part 22


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