Flight to Submission Ch. 10

"You must do better than this, sub" he chided. "Remember what I said about grace and elegance... and don't bite your lip!" he said sharply seeing she was just about to do so. "Every time I see you doing that, you will incur punishment! You are too beautiful to mar any part of yourself with unnecessary actions!"

Stephanie blushed once again, embarrassed that she had been caught in a habit that had been ingrained in her since childhood. It had been a way for her to prevent herself from speaking out in complaint against the many injustices her mother and others had inflicted on her. It had progressed from there to an unconscious habit that occurred when she was worried about something.

She nodded in acceptance of his rebuke and moved back to the sideboard, concentrating hard on walking without losing her balance. Upon reaching it safely, she cut open several oranges, pressing them until she had a full glass of juice. Walking carefully, she managed to retrace her steps to the table and this time placed the glass in front of her Master without mishap. David glanced up and nodded approvingly.

"Pour me a cup of coffee, cream and one sugar," he ordered.

Stephanie complied, very aware that the repercussions would be serious if she spilt any of the hot liquid either on her Master or herself! She picked up the silver coffee pot and gently tilted it over the cup. The rich, dark liquid flowed out, its aroma scenting the room, making her mouth water. She added cream, watching her Master to indicate when he felt it was enough. Finally she added the sugar and stirred before placing it at his right hand. Then she sank back to her knees beside his chair.

David removed a double-ended clip from his robe pocket and drew Stephanie's hands down behind her waist before clipping them together. Her breasts were nicely displayed and he fondled them from time to time as he consumed his breakfast. By the time he was finished, her nipples were hard and erect and he was sure her pussy was wet!

"Refill the plate and bring it here," he commanded.

Stephanie rose to her feet and remembering what she had been told, cleared the plate from the right hand side. She teetered back to the sideboard and filled the plate once more with the smoked salmon and scrambled egg before returning to her Master's side. She placed the plate in front of him and then once again returned to his right side and sank to her knees. David picked up a clean fork and placed a small amount of salmon and eggs onto it. He then brought the fork to Stephanie's lips.

"Open," he commanded. "You have earned breakfast at the hands of your Master."

Stephanie opened her mouth. It felt unsettling to be fed like a baby but with her hands secured behind her back, she had to accept! She soon lost her discomfort, however, as the first forkful entered her mouth. The eggs were soft and smooth, contrasting beautifully with the saltiness of the salmon. The taste stimulated her appetite, which had been curtailed by the severity of the corset. She opened her mouth eagerly for the next forkful, and the next until she could feel her stomach pressing uncomfortably against the corset. David seemed to know instinctively that she could not eat another morsel and put down the fork. He commanded her to rise and squeeze a second glass of juice. When she brought it back to the table and once more sank to her knees, he picked up the glass and tilting it slightly, brought it to her lips. Startled, she could not prevent a small amount of the liquid from running down the side of her lip. David frowned and let the droplet fall onto her breast.

"That is the second time you have failed this morning, sub," he said. "This will be noted for your punishment session later!"

Stephanie trembled. Try as she might, she could not reconcile herself to the pain of those punishment sessions. She could not know that this was exactly how she should be feeling. The pure punishment sessions were meant both to train her and to cement the habit of obedience into her mind!

"Now it is time for your first session," David told her. "During your time here this week, you will be trained not only by myself, but by others who are more skilled in their disciplines that myself. The first of these will be taking your first session. Her name is Mistress C and I expect you to treat her with the utmost respect. She is extremely strict and will tolerate nothing less than your best efforts, so I advise you to do your utmost. Your behaviour, as you know, is a reflection upon me and my standing within the community," he paused, noticing the stress that had crept into Stephanie's face. He reached out a finger and tilted her face so that she was looking at him. "Stephanie, I have full confidence in you and your abilities. I am merely advising you that Mistress C is a very stern task master and you will be worked extremely hard by her! Obey her as you would me and I am certain that you will do well. I expect a favourable report from her."

Stephanie nodded, her confidence somewhat restored by David's belief in her. However, she was apprehensive about meeting this new Mistress! She followed obediently as David led her out of the dining room. He moved to a door a little further down towards the main hall and as he opened the door, Stephanie could see it led onto a dance studio, with one wall completely covered in mirrors, the floor of polished wood. In the centre, standing ramrod straight, a cane in her hands, was a stern looking woman with iron grey hair and hard planed features. There was a magnetism about her and Stephanie immediately felt tremendously in awe. The power that radiated from her was incredible. Her eyes snapped towards them as they entered but she made no move, waiting for them to approach.

David bowed slightly as he handed Stephanie's leash to the woman.

"Mistress C," he said. "Thank you for agreeing to train my new sub. I believe she has great potential and trust you to assist in bringing that potential to fruition."

"Is she obedient?" Mistress C snapped. "Your last sub presented considerable problems until she finally acknowledged her place!"

"Stephanie is completely the opposite, I can assure you," David replied.

Of course, he and Mistress C had already discussed everything about Stephanie, of his hopes and aspirations for her. This conversation was purely for Stephanie's benefit, to help bolster her confidence.

"Very well, I will see what I can do with her," Mistress C replied, her tone indicating she was bestowing a great favour upon him.

David once more gave a shallow bow and turning on his heel, strode confidently from the room without a backwards glance. Stephanie stood quietly where he had left her, eyes downcast. She heard the click of heels against the wooden floor as Mistress C circled her.

"Good body," the woman said approvingly "but your posture leaves a lot to be desired!"

Stephanie cried out as a line of fire streaked across her shoulders!

"Straighten up!" Mistress C commanded. "NEVER hold yourself with anything less than pride and confidence!"

Tears of pain welled in Stephanie's eyes as the line of fire burned across her shoulders but she made a concerted effort to straighten them. Her Master's words were ringing in her ears and the last thing she wanted to do was to let him down! She drew her shoulders back and tried to stand straighter.

"Better!" Mistress C said. "Now I have a tip for you. Imagine that you have a string running from your spine, through the top of your head, pulling you upwards at all times. This will have the effect of keeping your spine straight whilst leaving your shoulders relaxed. Practice this until it becomes second nature."

Stephanie nodded to show she understood.

"Now I want you to walk up and down the length of this studio in a straight line," Mistress C said.

Stephanie tried her best to comply but the stiletto heels destroyed her balance. Before she had taken a few steps, she was teetering. Another line of fire swept through her, this time across her ass.

"Concentrate!" Mistress C barked. "By the time I'm finished with you, you will be able to walk elegantly and gracefully no matter what you are wearing and what the circumstance! Now try again! Concentrate on placing one foot in front of the other. Move slowly and make sure you're centred before you take each step. Walk!"

This time, Stephanie concentrated hard on keeping herself centred. She placed one foot in front of the other and slowly made her way across the room. What she didn't realise was that by walking in this way, her movements became incredibly sensual and seductive. Mistress C nodded to herself in satisfaction. By the time she had finished with this one, no man would be able to keep his eyes off her!

Mistress C kept Stephanie walking up and down, occasionally reminding her with a stroke of the cane when she lapsed into old patterns. She did not strike hard as it was obvious that the girl was trying her best but she needed to correct that instinctive habit of assuming an apologetic manner. When Mistress C was satisfied that Stephanie was finally walking in the correct manner, she called her back to her side.

"Better," she said. "Now you will be learning how to move from position to position with the same grace you are using to walk."

Stephanie nodded and waited for further instructions, doing her best to ignore the sting across her shoulders and ass.

"Assume Position 1!" Mistress C commanded.

Stephanie quickly placed her hands behind her head, spread her legs wide and tilted her pelvis forward. Mistress C walked around her, inspecting her. She took hold of Stephanie's elbows and drew them further backwards. This had the effect of pushing Stephanie's breasts further forward.

"Look at yourself in the mirror," Mistress C instructed. "Study the way your body is now displayed. Embed this into your memory so that you will be able to assume this pose with complete ease."

Stephanie, obedient to the commanding tone, stared at herself in the mirror. Her breasts were thrust proudly out in front of her, rising from the top of her corset. Her pussy was clearly visible and she blushed to see herself so wantonly displayed!

She was shocked when a line of fire flashed across her ass.

"Do not be embarrassed by your body!" Mistress C told her firmly. "You are a woman, be proud of that! You are beautiful, be proud of that too! You are a sub and you should be most proud of that fact! Your Master chose to train you because of the potential he saw in you. Do not let him down by succumbing to the petty inhibitions that your upbringing has instilled in you!"

There was a power in Mistress C's words that Stephanie found impossible to refute. Once again she stared at herself in the mirror, trying to see what her Master and Mistress C could see. It was almost as if scales had been lifted from her eyes. Now when she looked at herself, she saw a young woman confidently displaying an admittedly beautiful body. Her eyes were clear and shining, her lips slightly parted. She had a finely boned face and the collar she wore encircled a slim, swan-like neck. The corset had given her a slim-waisted, hour glass figure and her breasts, supported as they were by that same corset, rose full and proud. Her pussy was smooth and bare and she could just see the darkening colour of her lips between her legs. Her slim legs were smooth and shapely, with no trace of flab or cellulite and were shown off to full advantage by the high heels she wore. The combined effect was visually stunning. The woman in the mirror was obviously made for sex but just as obviously a woman who stood proud in the knowledge of who and what she was!

Mistress C stood behind Stephanie and placed her hands on her shoulders. She nodded to herself as she saw the realisation cross Stephanie's face. It was a beginning. She knew it would take some time to erase the negative conditioning that Stephanie's upbringing had instilled in her but she was confident that now that first step towards realisation had been taken, Stephanie would find it increasingly easier to progress towards completion and the future that David had envisioned for her.

"Assume Position 2," Mistress C commanded.

Bearing in mind that she was supposed to move seamlessly from one position to another, Stephanie tried to sink to her knees but the high heels pushed her off balance and she had to put her hands out to steady herself.

Again, the cane kissed the skin across her shoulders.

"Not good enough!" Mistress C barked. "Concentrate! Now rise to Position 1 and try again!"

Stephanie tried to do as Mistress C had commanded and concentrated as she rose to Position 1. Again, however, the high heels interfered with her balance and she wobbled as she rose. The can fell sharply across her ass!

Mistress C walked around to stand in front of Stephanie. The girl's eyes were filled with pain and frustration! Mistress C's manner softened. Unlike Kristy, this girl was obviously trying as hard as she could to master the disciplines she was being taught! She reached out and placed her hands under Stephanie's arms, adding her support as Stephanie, concentrating harder than ever, sank once again into Position 2. This time, with Mistress C's assistance, she was able to manage with a modicum of grace!

"Better!" Mistress C said approvingly. "You need to use the muscles in your thighs to help you maintain control and again, think about a string rising from the top of your head to keep yourself straight. The combination of these two things will help you to move between the various positions you will be expected to assume."

Again and again, Mistress C had Stephanie move between Positions 1 and 2, and each time she grew increasingly more confident, balanced and graceful. Every so often, a lapse would occur, to be swiftly punished by the kiss of the cane but those occasions tapered off quickly.

Mistress C then alternated Stephanie's training between walking and moving through the required positions. By the end of the session, Stephanie was gliding across the floor, and she was moving almost easily between the various positions, her movements graceful and elegant. Her ass and shoulders were sore from the strokes of the cane but she was starting to automatically assume a more confident and poised attitude.

David appeared at the doorway and waited for Mistress C to indicate that the session had finished. He had been quietly observing for the last couple of minutes and was very pleased with what he saw. He strode confidently across the room, stopping a couple of feet away from the two women.

"How is my sub doing?" he asked Mistress C, although he could already see a great improvement in the way she held herself.

"She has done reasonably well today," Mistress C replied, "but she needs to overcome this constant lack of confidence in herself. It affects the way she holds herself! She doesn't seem to believe that she has any merit and this must be addressed before she can truly achieve her full potential!"

"I see," David said thoughtfully. "It seems I need to adjust Stephanie's training schedule. This issue needs to be addressed sooner rather than later. Stephanie, please remain here with Mistress C until I return. You may kneel at her feet with your hands placed on your knees in reward for your hard work in this session."

He waited until she had sunk into place, knowing that this position would ease the strain in her feet, legs and arms. She had worked hard this morning, as his cameras had showed and she deserved a short rest.

He moved down the corridor to the library, where Stephanie's next trainer awaited. He had a brief conversation with her, asking if she would be willing to come back in the early afternoon. She checked her schedule and although it was busy, she owed David a few favours. She said she would make a few calls and would come back around 2pm, if that was convenient. David agreed and showed her to the front door.

He returned to the dance studio where Mistress C and Stephanie were waiting.

"Thank you for your time and your advice, Mistress C," he said. "It is very much appreciated!"

"You are welcome, David," she replied. "This little one is going to be very special if you make sure you take care of her. I will return at the same time tomorrow, to continue her training."

With those words, she stroked a gentle hand down Stephanie's cheek before handing over the leash to David and striding out of the room. Truth be told, she had already developed a soft spot for the girl, she was so eager to learn, to please, and she couldn't allow herself to show gentleness at a time when what the girl needed most was discipline to ensure that what she learned now became so deeply ingrained that she would never again question her right to be admired and cared for and yes, to be loved by the right person! She joined with David in cursing the upbringing that had come so close to destroying the beautiful person that was Stephanie! Much longer and Mistress C could anticipate what would have become of her. She had seen it happen too many times before. A gentle young woman, unsure of herself, lacking self-confidence, taken by an unprincipled man who persuaded her that he was doing her a favour by being with her, ending up in an abusive relationship from which she couldn't escape! At least David had come along in time to rescue this one, and for that she was profoundly grateful! There was a lump in her throat as she strode towards the front door, determined to do everything possible to help David bring this young woman to her full potential!

Meanwhile, back in the studio, David was gently helping Stephanie rise to her feet.

"Come with me," he said, unclipping her leash and leading her from the room with her arm tucked under his.

He led her into the library where a side table had been laid with a coffee pot, cream, sugar and two cups, and seated her in a comfortable armchair next to the fireplace. He took the one opposite and leaned towards her, taking her hands in his.

"Stephanie, Mistress C has highlighted a fact that has been bothering me since we met," he said quietly. "You are young, beautiful and obviously intelligent, yet you have such a low opinion of yourself. I need to get to the bottom of this for unless we can work through this, you will never be able to achieve your full potential. You need to believe, fully and completely, that you are worthy of the love, care and attention you will receive as your Master's submissive. Only when you truly believe to your very core, will you achieve what I know you can! I need you to talk to me, tell me about yourself, why you feel the way you feel, how you see yourself in the future and what your deepest desires are. Only by knowing your mind and heart as intimately as I will know your body, will I be able to help you become what you need to be!"

Stephanie stared at this elegant man leaning towards her with sincerity showing clearly in his cool, grey eyes. She wasn't used to someone caring about what she thought or how she felt! She swallowed a lump that had arisen in her throat and her eyes prickled with unshed tears.

"What do you want to know?" she asked softly, hesitantly.

Little by little, David drew out all the details of her life. He left no stone unturned and through patient and gentle questioning revealed the dominant factors that had affected the way she felt about herself. He had already known that her mother was harsh and unforgiving of her daughter and that her father had not been able to stand up for her. What he hadn't known was that Stephanie had gone to a private school where she had excelled academically but with the result that she had been subjected to merciless bullying at the hands of a girl who was more popular but less intelligent than her. This girl and her coterie of friends had systematically ripped to shreds any pride that Stephanie had in her achievements until finally her grades had begun to suffer and instead of finishing with A grades across the board, she had only managed to achieve average passes and one single, solitary A grade in her favourite subject - English. David discovered how she would use books as her retreat from the world, preferring to inhabit her imagination as her self-confidence was continuously and systematically eroded both by her mother and her school mates! To be honest, David was amazed that she had survived the experience without disintegrating completely. He had known others who had broken down completely under much less. It was an indication of just how much inner strength she really had, whether she realised this or not!