Part 17: More Training
Ideas spring up
when May decides to help Duke
so he has more time.
Duke strolled back into the offices of the training facility whistling a little ditty and grinning. All of the grooms there teased him with jokes, like Duke being the cat that ate the canary named May. He laughed with them because he was in way too good of a mood to let anything bring him down. As they briefed him on what they’d done while he was enjoying his nooner, he looked over the reports on which slaves were progressing, which were stagnating, and what his problem child was doing to further dig herself into a hole.
Geneva, number five, his problem child had thrown another temper tantrum while he was gone, disrupting the homage training in the big room. She’s already been beaten with a heavy plastic paddle for three of the four demerits she earned for defiance, but it was obvious that corporal discipline was not an effective training tool for her. She was aiming her own destiny at the scrap heap of the bald chattel. Disheartened, he thought about how they could turn this train wreck around. No one wanted to turn her into bald chattel, but she was too defiant to train at this point. Everyone seemed sure that she thought that if she acted out badly enough that they’d just give up on her and that would give her a chance to escape. She could not have been more wrong. It was almost time for special efforts to be made to reduce her defiant self-will into a whimper of uncertainty. These intense procedures would be the groom’s last course of action, but several of them were already doing the logistics for the others in case this uncompromising action was needed.
Duke decided to try and use reason with her. He pulled her out of training, immediately tied her arms behind her back at wrists and elbows and then pulled her into one of the discipline rooms. Once in a soundproof environment he forced her to her knees, grabbed a handful of hair and waited for her to calm down.
“Geneva, my name is High Lord Grandville and you and I are going to talk and settle a few issues before I put you back into training.”
“Your parents must have really hated you to give you the first name of High, and the middle name of Lord.”
“And your pathetically unimaginative retorts are sophomoric at best. I expected better out of you. I guess I was wrong.”
“You were also wrong if you thought you could break my spirit with beatings. You’re the pathetic one, having to kidnap your women for your little boy fantasies about women ever being property. You cannot break a real woman like this.”
“Anyone can be broken.”
The way he spoke then, those four words jolted her, and she was quiet for a few moments, reflecting on the steel in Duke’s voice when he made that simple statement. Duke could see her carriage break down from rampant defiance to a posture of fear and apprehension.
“What you have failed to understand is that as soon as you were kidnapped, we fulfilled our goal, which was to disrupt the male management of Tangram-Tessera International. Now, for the sake of simplicity, we could kill you and dispose of the body in any number of ways, none of which would ever be discovered. You mean nothing to us. We did not kidnap you so that you could be a slave to our little boy fantasies. We actually have a waiting list of women that volunteer to be slaves for this place. We do not kidnap women for our sexual pleasures. Those pleasures are met by women that voluntarily want to please us. They serve because they like that aspect of the male/female dynamic of relationships.
“Now, once we kidnapped you, for the purpose of ruining the lives of the pussy-whipped males of TTI, we decided to offer you a way to live. You will never see the real world again. You will not go shopping with your girlfriends. You will not jet off to foreign lands to see sites that are only interesting to the tourists and to the locals. You will not discuss world affairs over lattes or a fine wine. You will not watch reality TV shows and text your vote in for the winner. You will not tie knots in the needle-dicks of the males you deign to allow in your bed. You are no longer in control of your life.
“You have the right to die. Groom assisted suicide is an option you can decide to take. You have the right to be brainwashed into a vegetative state so that you may do manual labor for those that chose a higher path. You have the right to be sold to a much more brutal owner overseas that will treat you like a fuck-toy and a whipping-girl until he is tired of you and then he will kill you. Again, that is not our concern. Or, you have the right to cooperate with our training procedures, develop a positive attitude about serving someone in any way they choose for you to serve and learn to do that with a sense of pride and accomplishment. Our way is by far the most humane, but it is only for those that choose it. Do you understand these options, or would you like me to go over them one more time?
“Personally, I’m trying to save the mind that makes up Geneva Majan. If you have a death wish, I can easily accommodate you. Reaching down and snapping your neck would not phase me. I’ve killed humans, men and women many times in my life, and you would be just one more. Your obstinance annoys me, and my compassion goes only so far. If you want to be a complete non-entity, we can accommodate that too. However, you could live a refined life of service to another. The matter of whether you live, or die is up to you. We will not back down. We cannot be bought off. We will never free you back into the world you knew. You have nothing to bargain with. We do not want you. We are offering you a chance, one chance, to live a relatively stress-free life. You would have excellent medical care, and all your real needs would be taken care of. Your wants are a thing of the past. You can want all you care to, but they will never be met. The only want that you can generate, that will be granted, is the want you may have to die. I cannot stress enough that we do not care if you live or die. You’ve served your purpose. The pathetic leadership of TTI has been disrupted, which was our real goal.
“Now, I am going to lock you up in what we call solitary confinement. It is a three-foot-wide, by four-foot-long, by four-foot-high cell with no way to lay down comfortably or to even stand up straight. The built-in seat lifts up for a toilet. If you put your mouth up to a hole in the door when the bell rings, we will feed you gruel and water. If not, you can starve. It will be dark, just like this. It will be kept at 60-degrees Fahrenheit for your discomfort. You will smell nothing except your own stink, feel nothing except a chill, have nothing except your thoughts, and the only thing you will hear is one chime of the dinner bell, when and if we choose to feed you. Before you go into this cell, one of my grooms will come by and shave your head of all of your hair. Again, we don’t care what happens to you.
“The only way to avoid this is to convince me, right here and now that you deeply desire to go back to training with the more co-operative women, and that during your continued training, you will not be defiant or disruptive as we train you to be pleasing to us. So, what shall it be? Solitary confinement for an indefinite period of time or a return to the group? Answer me slave.”
“You can’t be serious you son of a bitch. Human life is sacred, and no one can just kill someone and not pay the consequences. I refuse to kill myself and you still cannot break me. Do whatever you want to me and I’ll show you whose will is stronger. You will not break me. I am an American woman with rights, and I will not be treated this way.”
“Okay,” and with that Duke left the room as two grooms came in to shave her head, give her an enema, hydrate her one last time and then lock her into solitary confinement.
Outside, one of the journeyman grooms asked Duke, “Do you want us to inject her with the paralytics and hallucinogens, or just let them go for now?”
“No, they’re only used if we need to extract necessary information from a recalcitrant slave in order to save someone’s life. For this, we can just let the cold, dark and silence do their jobs on her. Wait twelve hours and then step up her feeding schedule to once every four hours. Add metabolism suppressors to her gruel along with cannabinoid extracts to increase her appetite. I do not want her stoned and lethargic, so check with our labs to see which extract is the best one to just give her the munchies. Send me a report after every feeding and monitor her closely on camera. Also, I want my little talk with her edited for content. Keep in all the parts that explain their situation and edit out her defiance at the end. When you’re done, send me a copy for approval and then we’ll give the other ten something to listen to before bedtime and in the morning. So, how many are staying positive?”
“Well, so far today, the best have been Malory, of course, her sister Ariel, Vivian, naturally, after your little pep talk earlier, and to everyone’s surprise Amelia. She’s been spot on today. Jackie, Leigh and Phyllis have been adequate, but they seemed lackluster and their efforts perfunctory, at best. Diane and Cecelia have two demerits each and seem barely restrained. Serenity has been enveloped in Paul’s personal little world and neither of them have come up for air all day. We decided to just leave them alone. His actual training is ahead of schedule and she seems to be eating up as much training as he can throw at her. Is he going to keep her as his own?”
“Sure looks that way. I haven’t seen spontaneous chemistry like that in a very long time. I have no problems with him keeping her, and as long as no other High Lord or Lady bids against him, this looks like a sure thing. Are his outside shifts covered?”
“Yes Duke, we’ve all been covering for him. You do realize we have two recorders going just on them. We figure we’ll need a blooper reel one day and this is some prime material.”
“Okay, we’ll leave them alone and just watch. Tell the guys I’m going home again tonight after we do some groom corps classes.”
“Boss, if I had May waiting for me, and I was in your shoes, I’d go home now. We can handle it here. Just tell us who does what to whom and we’ll make sure it happens. You’ve been working harder than any of us and the break you just took has been the first one since before the mission. Let us pick up some of the load for you.”
“I’ll phone in the roster to Lee and he can send out the assignments for tonight, but I have reports to do, some personal training to go over with some of the journeymen and some personal instructions to go over with Vivian.”
***
Duke didn’t get to Vivian until almost dawn. His grooms came first, and his training procedures for them were well received. Duke’s grasp of manipulating slaves always proved informative for the grooms and they learned something every time Duke worked with them. In their minds, no one was better at reading women than Duke’s practiced eye and his even-handed approach to training them just made sense. He’d worked with his grooms through the night, so before he left for the day he went and woke up Vivian.
With his hand over her mouth he said, “Good morning slave. Did you have pleasant dreams all snug in this sleeping bag?”
Instantly awake and anxious for his touch, she eagerly nodded. Removing his hand, Duke rolled her over and untied her. She threw her arms around his neck and kissed him with passion. Then she slid down off of her cage/bed and assumed the personal homage position. Duke let her kiss his boots, enjoying the possessive grasp she had on his foot.
“Get up slave,” and she did.
Handing her a pair of five-inch strappy, stiletto sandals he told her to put them on. When she was taller, he pulled her into his arms, stroking her sides and the sides of her breasts with the backs of his fingernails. He would use the backs as he ran his hands down her sides and scrape his fingernails up her sides coming back up. Of course, she was ticklish to his touch and he continued to stroke her until she became used to this form of touching.
“You’re all of five-foot-nine now and this is much easier on me, so I’m going to pass down an order that you are to start sleeping in high heels just in case I want to stop by and visit with you.”
“Gladly High Lord Grandville. Anything for you.”
“Of course, slave. You are a practical, self-aware woman of the world aren’t you Vivian?”
“Yes, High Lord Grandville.”
“So, you know I’m training you personally for someone special, right?”
“I suspected as much High Lord Grandville. May I ask who?”
“At this stage of your training, all you need to know is that it is someone in an even more authoritative position on these Estates than I maintain. I would not pass you off to someone of lesser power and prestige.”
“Thank you, High Lord Grandville. You know that real power makes me more willingly servile. My juices flow and I melt when I’m in the arms of powerful men. It’s always been that way, from my real Daddy on.”
“We know Vivian, we know. We collected a surprisingly thorough background check on you. Today, I need to know if you are patriotic?”
“I do love my country, so I honor military men who earn my respect. Officers and gentlemen are always powerful in their own right. It’s just a very animalistic, primal power and I respond very well to them. Will your substitute be a military man High Lord Grandville? Possibly of an officer’s rank?”
“He was an Oh-Three SEAL when he served. His name is Dennis and he is a very good friend of mine.”
“Then I’ll enjoy serving him today, and under him later, if he chooses that tactic High Lord Grandville. I’ve never served under a SEAL before. I’m getting excited just thinking about how dangerous a man like that can be, and what those dangerous hands will feel like on my bound and helpless body.”
“You’re taking this better than I imagined you would Vivian.”
“We all heard your talk with Geneva last night before we were put down for bed. I choose to live, and thrive, and be happy with my new station in life. I know that all the owners on these Estates are powerful men, and with your promise to be handed off to someone more powerful than you, well, I can easily live with that and thrive under those circumstances. I am happiest being subservient to a strong and powerful man, so I am happy now and will do my best to be the best slave I can be for this man. In the meantime, I know that you know how to pull the best out of me, and I am delighted with the ride I’m on. I’m smart. I’ll learn everything you or another of your grooms teaches me and be happy dreaming about the man you’ll place me with. Your way sounds relatively painless and it actually sounds like a fun adventure. Will there be lots of new and expensive shoes like these, High Lord Grandville?”
“That always depends on how well you please the High Lord you’re assigned to be with. Remember, men like happy women, and good service always equates to good rewards. Knowing my friend, and if, big if there, if you continue with this positive attitude and please him, then you will most probably have a closet full of pretty new shoes, and clothes to match. He does expect and demand excellent service, but he rewards those who please him.”
“Then am I to assume that I will not be his only slave, High Lord Grandville?”
“No, you won’t be his only. Monogamy rarely works here. Two slaves are always better than one. It’s more practical that way.”
“Then I will strive to be the most pleasing slave he could ever imagine, High Lord Grandville.”
“I like that competitive spirit slave. And I’m glad you chose to live. Your trainer for today, and until I come back, will be Dennis, so be good to him and learn a lot. Make me proud of you slave. Good-bye.”
“I will High Lord Grandville. Have a wonderful day, and, thank you.”
Duke strolled out of the cell and Dennis strolled in to start her training. Going back to the control booth, Duke took the mike and said, “Good morning slaves. I hope you all realized that I was speaking specifically to Geneva, slave number five, but also loosely to all of you last night. I just talked to one slave that told me that she chose to live, and thrive in this environment, so I hope that all of you are as smart and practical as she is. She’ll be happy here because she will adapt and thrive. All it takes is a positive attitude. Be good slaves today. Make your trainers happy with your co-operation, and there may be a treat in it for you when I get back. If not, there’ll be plenty of canings to go around. Have a lovely day.”
***
When Duke stumbled in through his door, May got up from her exercises and after kissing him hello, she guided him through his office and back into his personal bedroom. She got him some scotch and he sipped it while she took his clothes off. Mothering away all of his half-hearted protests, she put him to bed and crawled in next to him, but not in a randy way. She just wanted to snuggle up to him to keep him warm and let his brain know that she loved him. Long after he began snoring, she stayed next to him, just holding him and trying to cover him with as much of her skin as she could squish against him. When she was certain he was in a deep sleep, she slid stealthily out from under the covers and went back to finish her exercises in the playroom.
Joining Brigit and Karl in the kitchen area May submitted to being tied for her meal. Brigit had already been fed while Karl finished his breakfast, and she just knelt there waiting for May to come in to eat.
“He’s worn out, M’Lord Groom Karl, Honey. He’s been working too hard. I have to find a way to reduce his workload somehow,” May said exasperated.
“May, I’ll call Lee and see what he suggests. He’s in charge of the scheduling when Duke isn’t around, so he’ll be able to juggle things around while Duke is here.”
After the call, Karl said, “May, this is an official suggestion from Lee. He said to go in and steal Duke’s iPhone, so no one can interrupt his sleep. Lee said that he would handle things for Duke until Duke calls him, and Lee has routed all the other groom phones through his office. Timothy is fielding any calls that would be going to Duke through the facility and the only other way Duke can be called is by someone with his direct number to his cell. If you steal his phone, he’ll get the rest he needs, and we three can stand guard over the door.”
“One of us is going to have to wait for Renee, so she doesn’t ring the doorbell, which would probably wake him up,” said May.
“I’ll just go up and tape a message over the doorbell. When she sees a big piece of paper over the ringer, she’ll read it and just come on down.”
“M’Lord Groom Karl,” asked Brigit, “wouldn’t it be easier to just call her and tell her what we’re doing? I mean we can still leave her a note to remind her, but I think a heads-up call would be a good way to address the issue.”
“Good idea. We’ll do it that way.”
After their morning ritual of soak, sweat, shower and getting dressed, they waited for Renee. About an hour later Renee showed up and for the rest of the morning she helped them polish their little secretarial production. She reminded Brigit not to get too fancy with the special effects and how to stay on the storyline without too many distractions. Renee ate with them and then they spent the time after lunch going over lessons to improve their stills. Renee was a stickler for being able to see, judge, frame and capture stills rather than just take a video and pull stills from the running movie. Renee had one of them play around for the camera while the other one took snapshots of the action, and then after a hundred or so exposures, she had them switch roles. After each round Renee went over their efforts and critiqued what they had done. May was getting a good 8% of her stills in the very good category and Brigit was getting closer to 11%. Late into the afternoon, Renee left, and May snuck in to see if Duke was still resting.
Tiptoeing back out she said, “My poor master must be exhausted! He hasn’t budged since I stole his phone. What am I going to do M’Lord Groom Karl?”
“Cross your wrists behind your back, so I can tie you for supper. You too Brigit. The boss will wake up when he gets rested and it’s our job to let him get as much rest as he can before he goes back to coordinating everything.”
After supper, with Karl’s permission, May went back in to snuggle up next to her master. Again, she had no intent with him other than to keep him warm. May held him for several more hours, laying as still as she could, content to just be close to him. Her mind wandered over all the wonderful things he’d done to her and for her, and May knew she was happy with this man. However, her mind also wandered over various options that she might use to make his life easier.
Eventually he stirred, stretched and grabbed May in a ferocious bear hug. She squealed her delight and reciprocated his affections. After a slow session of lovemaking, in which May tried to do most of the work, they snuggled down into each other’s arms and just got re-acquainted, chatting about inconsequential things.
Suddenly, May broached the subject that had been eating at her for a while now.
“Duke?”
“Yes May.”
“Can I train to be one of your grooms?”
Shocked but intensely curious, Duke thought about it for a few moments and then cocked his head and his eyebrow at her and just stared.
“I’m sorry if I made you mad. I just wanted to do whatever I could to ease your burden and I figured that if I was one of your grooms then I could do some of your work for you to give you more down time.”
“Ah, I see where you’re going with this. The answer is no, for many reasons. You cannot be a groom, but let’s explore your other options, Okay?”
“Of course, my love. Well, if I can’t be a groom for you, can I be an ambassador to other slaves?
May wants to help him.
She wants to ease his burdens.
Can she find a way?