Her Governess Ch. 04

The soggy chill of Veteran's Park was a welcome island of peace in their frenzied lives.

"Ah, good. It's still here," Mistress Kara said, pointing down the shoreline at a sturdy-looking, wooden pavilion.

It wasn't huge, maybe twice the size of their living room, but it had a roof and a few picnic tables and it would provide at least a little protection from the drizzle. The view of the lake was lovely, even under gray skies, and the mingled scent of the water and the trees was calming. She felt the stress of the last week beginning to ease.

Her Mistress collapsed her umbrella and sat on a wet bench at one of the picnic tables, and Ashley took a seat next to her. For a few minutes there was silence, broken only by the gentle lapping of the water on the shoreline and the whisper of drizzle on the soggy, leaf-covered earth.

"This is where Peter gave me my first collar. The one you're wearing now."

"Really? He sure picked a good spot. He was a bit of a romantic, I bet."

Mistress Kara nodded. Her eyes had a faraway look in them, and she had a small smile that looked a little sad. Ashley leaned in and nudged her Mistress' shoulder with her cheek, just to let her know she wasn't alone.

"When he slipped that leather around my neck and buckled it on, it was the happiest moment of my life up to that point. Probably the most important moment, too. It marked the death of the old Kara and the birth of the new Kara. A better Kara."

"That's so cool."

"I've been thinking of this place a lot lately. There have been so many changes, all coming so quickly. Not just this week with Chad, but for the last few months. I lost Peter. I met you, took on a new role. I've been growing into it, learning it. It's been fun, and intimate. Rewarding. Sometimes I can't believe it's only been a couple of months. It feels like you've been a part of my life for longer than that."

"You're an incredible Mistress. I love being your slave."

Her owner's smile became warmer on hearing the compliment, and Ashley smiled, too.

"I've watched you grow into your role as well. Your submission has become fearless and joyful. You're stronger now - a lot stronger than when I first met you. You've found your voice. You even stood up to Chad, all alone. It's been beautiful to witness your transformation."

"That's because of you. You're calm and gentle and super-nice. I know I can trust you. I love you so much, Mistress."

Mistress Kara nodded. "I love you, too."

The words were spoken so plainly that they didn't register for a few seconds, and when they did, Ashley was speechless.

Her owner grinned at the dumbstruck look, then leaned in and kissed her - cold lips and a cold nose somehow triggered a surge of warmth inside Ashley's chest and she returned the kiss eagerly. As usual, the other woman was in no hurry to break the kiss, allowing it to linger for ten wonderful seconds before putting her arm around Ashley's waist and pulling her into a side-hug.

"Before I called my parents and my sister to explain about the video Chad made, I gave a lot of thought to how I would describe my relationship with you to my non-kink family and friends. The only word that felt right was 'lover'. I think at its core, our relationship is about intimacy and love as much as dominance and submission. It was like that with Peter. It's like that with you."

"Oh, wow," Ashley whispered. "That's..." She didn't finish; emotion welled up and smothered the words.

Mistress Kara gave her another squeeze. "I wanted to be here at the lake when I told you that. It was here that the old Kara ended and the new Kara started. Maybe this is a good place for the old 'us' to end and the new 'us' to begin."

"I'm not sure I get what you're trying to say."

Her Mistress reached up, hooked her index finger through the D-ring on Ashley's collar, and gave it a couple of gentle tugs. "I'd like to collar you. Formally, I mean. If you're willing, I'd like to be your Mistress, long-term. Let's make it 'official'."

Ashley's eyes went wide, then she broke into a gleeful smile. She didn't even need to think about it. "I accept, Mistress. Thank you for taking me as your slave."

Mistress Kara leaned in and they shared another unhurried kiss, and even after it ended they stayed close together, nuzzling noses and rubbing cheeks, then huddled together and looked out over the gently rippling surface of the Pine Lake.

"I want to have a collaring ceremony at the next MAMM party. I want everyone to witness it," her owner said.

"That would be cool!"

"It won't be for a couple of months, so we'll have plenty of time for the planning. I'd like to have a Mistress-slave agreement in place, too."

"Did you have a written contract with Master Peter?"

Mistress Kara nodded. "We'd discussed the details verbally, and I thought I understood what I was getting into. But...seeing it written out in black and white made me truly appreciate how much of myself I was surrendering to him. It made my submission seem so much more...important, I guess. More tangible and weighty. Signing the agreement in front of witnesses made it feel like a serious, unbreakable commitment. I can still remember my heart racing as I signed my name - it felt reckless and exhilarating...almost euphoric."

Ashley grinned at the obvious pleasure the memory brought to her Mistress.

"So...will you write it and I just sign it?"

"I can write it, but before I do, I'd like you to give some thought about what YOU need out of relationship. What do you feel is mandatory? What things are strictly off-limits? What kind of future do you envision for yourself, and for us? Think about it and make some notes, okay?"

"Yes, Mistress. I can't wait!"

The conversation dwindled into a companionable silence as they gazed out over the lake and imagined their future together.

*

The black, satin mini-dress clung to Ashley like a second skin, the bandeau top hugging her small, unrestrained breasts, leaving her upper chest, shoulders and arms completely bare. The bottom hem ended just below her buttocks, leaving her legs exposed. She had to step carefully in her matching, black heels - too long a stride would have the dress creeping up her thighs, giving people a peek at her skimpy, black thong. The wide, wool-blend wrap her Mistress had bought would keep her shoulders and chest covered to ward off the chill of the early April evening.

Her Mistress had pinned Ashley's hair back so it flowed down between her shoulder blades, covering the tattoo on her neck and keeping stray wisps out of her face. Her only accessory was her shiny, leather collar with its silver buckle.

She'd never in her life worn an outfit so beautiful, and had spent several minutes posing and preening in front of her full-length mirror while she'd waited for Mistress Kara to get dressed for the dinner. She looked like a completely different person - classy, even elegant, and super-sexy. Every guy at the restaurant would be undressing her with his eyes. But the collar sent an unmistakable message: she was owned.

And the woman who owned her would be drawing plenty of hungry stares as well.

Her owner's scarlet dress had a ruffled V-neck that showed modest cleavage. The dress hung to the tops of her low, red heels, though there was a slit that ran up the left side to mid-thigh and showed enough bare leg to be interesting. The colour was rich and deep, and the stretch fabric had a lovely sheen that made it glisten in the right light.

Mistress Kara had made eight o-clock reservations at Gianna's Fireside - the kind of dim-lit, ritzy restaurant where the table settings had three different forks, and an appetizer cost more then a fast-food meal for two. Normally, Ashley wouldn't have gone anywhere near a high-class place like that, but they were going to be discussing the Mistress-slave contract and her owner insisted on 'a setting befitting the importance of the occasion'. She was kind of a romantic, it seemed, just like her late Master Peter had been.

The impeccably-dressed hostess walked them to a cozy, candle-lit table tucked away in a quiet corner. Her eyes lingered for just a moment on Ashley's collar as she set the menus down, and Ashley tilted her chin up a little to display the symbol of ownership more boldly, feeling a thrilling mix of pride and embarrassment.

She was careful to remain standing until her Mistress had been seated. Normally, she'd kneel next to Mistress Kara's chair in high protocol, but in a fancy place like this it might get them kicked out! To be on the safe side, she stayed where she was.

"Just one menu, please," Mistress Kara said, giving the hostess back one of the menus and keeping the other one in front of her.

Ashley was dying to look around and the fancy interior, and it was an effort to keep her gaze on her owner's face, where it belonged.

"You can sit," her Mistress said, nodding to the chair beside her on the right, then opening the menu. Ashley quickly took her seat.

The waiter arrived in a formal black suit, white shirt and a bow tie.

"I'll have a glass of your house white, and she'll have a strawberry daiquiri. I'd also like the veggie and cheese plate to start, please," Mistress Kara said, giving the man a polite half-smile, then returning her attention to the menu.

"Thank you, Mistress," Ashley said quietly. It was a new experience to have her Mistress order for her, and she found she liked it. Mistress Kara chose her slave's clothes, why shouldn't she choose her meal too?

Her owner looked up from the menu and gave her an approving nod. "You look incredible, Ash. You're a lovely young woman."

Ashley beamed at the comment; even after so many weeks she hadn't gotten used to the idea that someone found her beautiful.

"Oh, come on. It's just these amazing clothes you picked out."

"Ashley," Mistress Kara said in her pulse-quickening Domme voice, "The proper response to a genuine compliment is 'thank you'. Is that clear?"

"Yes, Mistress. Thank you for the compliment. It's just...kind of weird to think of myself that way."

"Better get used to it, if you're going to look that gorgeous in a dress."

The dim restaurant hid her blush. "Thank you, Mistress."

"Much better. Sit with your back straight, and fold your hands in your lap until I say otherwise."

She did as commanded, feeling her bra-less boobs press against the tight, stretchy fabric of the dress. Her hard nipples probably weren't obvious in the dark room, but she hoped her owner could at least see their outline under the black satin.

It was Saturday, and she was feeling a full week's worth of built-up lust. Although it wasn't a rule, her Mistress preferred to limit her slave to once-per-week orgasms, and Saturday was O-day. Ashley was already juicy under her thong, and an exhilarating tension simmered inside her, keeping her alert, attentive and hyper-focused on her owner.

The waiter brought the drinks and a small basket of fresh bread, wrapped in a white napkin, with a small bowl of whipped butter on the side. There was also a plate of different types of cheese and some multi-grain crackers, plus sliced carrots, peppers and a handful of grape tomatoes.

"I'll have your Filet mignon classic, medium rare, with baked potato and steamed vegetables. Could I also get a shrimp cocktail?" Mistress Kara said.

"Of course, ma'am." The waiter turned to Ashley, who struggled to keep her eyes on her owner's face even if it seemed a little rude not to look up at the man. "And you, miss?"

"Nothing for her, please." Mistress Kara said.

"Yes, ma'am." The waiter didn't seem fazed by that; he just collected the menu and left.

"Um...I'm not eating, Mistress?"

"Of course you're eating. I'll be feeding you."

"Really?" She couldn't help the excited tone. Her owner had only fed her once or twice and it was embarrassing in a good way, and strangely intimate.

In response, her Mistress spread some soft cheese on a cracker and held it out. Ashley leaned forward and took it in her mouth; she knew she wasn't allowed to use her hands.

"So...just over a month until your official collaring. I have to get started on the contract, and I'd like your input. You'd had time to give it some thought, right?"

Ashley chewed and swallowed. "Yes, Mistress. I've done a lot of thinking. I made notes on my phone." She nodded in the direction of her owner's purse.

Mistress Kara popped a tomato in her mouth, then fed one to Ashley before retrieving the phone from her purse and putting it on the table.

"You can use your hands for your phone, and for your drink."

"Thank you, Mistress." Ashley unlocked the phone, then quickly opened her Note app.

"Let's start with your needs, then we'll talk about limits."

"Okay. Um...the first thing is, I need you to be strict. I need to know what you want, and then be held accountable for serving you properly. If I mess up, I want you to discipline me. I want you to be my Mistress, not my Governess."

"Have I been strict enough lately? Am I giving you what you need?"

Ashley hesitated. "You've been really great since the MAMM party. You could even go a little more, if you wanted. I can take it."

Her Mistress nodded. "I understand, and thanks for being honest with me."

Honesty was one of the Five Principles, and that made the praise even more satisfying.

"The next need is, I want to give you full submission. You know, put myself completely in your control. I want you to have everything."

"What does 'everything' mean?"

"Like, you control what I eat, and when I sleep, and how I dress. You control my time and even my money. Stuff like that."

Mistress Kara was quiet for a moment as she helped herself to a carrot, then fed Ashley a little triangle of white cheese on a cracker.

"You're talking abut Total Power Exchange. That's...a big step. It was only ten weeks ago that I became your Governess - I feel this may be too much, too soon. And not just for you; it might be premature for me to accept that kind of responsibility until I know you better and can make decisions that reflect our best interests."

"Well...it's not that I'm disagreeing with you, but I'm one-thousand percent comfortable putting myself in your hands. I trust you more than I ever trusted anyone, and I love you more than anyone, too. I'm happy and secure when I feel your control strongly."

Her owner paused in thought for a few seconds longer. "How about we park it for now and discuss it a bit more later, rather than get bogged down in details during dinner? I'm sure we can come up with something."

Ashley nodded, then glanced back at the list on her phone. "Another 'need' is, I want to earn my way. I don't want to be a freeloader. I need you to make sure I'm pulling my weight. I don't have a lot of money, so I want you to make me contribute in other ways so it's fair."

"I'll work you like a slave," Mistress Kara said, with a grin. Ashley returned it automatically. Seeing her owner's smile always made her smile back. It was like a reflex.

"The last 'need' is that I want to serve YOU. Your body, I mean. I'm not only talking about sex and stuff, but I really like the feeling of touching you and making you feel good. I'm happy to do housework and put in time at the bakery and in the workshop, but mainly I want to bring pleasure to you. Did that make sense?"

"I'm not sure I could give that up even if I wanted to," her Mistress said, then took a sip of wine. That reminded Ashley that she hadn't even tasted her drink yet, so she took a mouthful and enjoyed the fruity sweetness and the faint after-taste of alcohol.

Ashley swallowed, then continued. "Okay. Uh...I have a couple of 'limits' here, too. I don't want to seem like I'm complaining too much..."

"I want to hear your limits, Ash. It's important."

"So, number one, I don't want you to give me to anyone else. You're the only one who gets to control me. Chad used to give me to his friends overnight..."

"I understand and agree. I'd have hated it if Peter had done that with me. I was his slave, no one else's."

Ashley gave a relieved sigh.

"Number two, I want to be your only slave. I think that's fair, since you're going to be my only Mistress, right?"

"I agree."

"And that's all. That's all I have."

"Just those two? Don't feel shy about adding more. It's not 'bad' to have limits, and it won't make me unhappy."

"It's not that. It's just...I want you to be free to explore me in all sorts of ways. You know, experiment and try new stuff. I think...the stuff I hated with Chad...I might actually enjoy that stuff if I do it with YOU."

"Oh? Such as what?"

Ashley felt her cheeks and ears get hot as a full blush came on. "Well...Chad used to make me do...watersports. It was totally gross, but..."

Her Mistress raised an eyebrow. "And you'd like that sort of thing from ME?"

The younger woman's face and neck felt like they were on fire. "I'm not saying I'd LIKE it. I'm saying...let's try it. Try everything. If I hate it, I'll tell you. I don't want to miss out on stuff just because Chad made it awful."

Thankfully, the meal came and they were forced to interrupt the suddenly dinner-inappropriate subject. Relieved to be past the awkward admission, Ashley chugged two quick mouthfuls of her daiquiri.

Mistress Kara's meal looked and smelled delicious, although the thick, circular cut of bacon-wrapped steak looked small on the large, white plate, even surrounded by a potato and steamed veggies. The shrimp cocktail only had five pink shrimp hooked over the lip of a martini glass filled with red sauce, but they were some of the biggest Ashley had ever seen.

Mistress Kara cut and ate a slice of the steak, and her eyes closed in obvious pleasure as she chewed. She was in no rush to swallow as Ashley looked on hungrily.

"Wonderful," her owner sighed, opening her eyes at last.

"I can tell you enjoyed that."

"Nobody does it better than Gianna's," Mistress Kara said. "Although at these prices, it's a once-a-year treat."

"Did you come here with Master Peter?"

"He was more of a Burger Joint kind of guy, but if I pestered him enough he'd eventually break down and bring me."

"Too expensive for his liking?"

"He just hated wearing a tie," her owner said with a wink.

She cut another piece of steak and held it out to Ashley on the end of her fork.

"Eyes closed. I want you to get the full effect."

"Yes, Mistress." Ashley closed her eyes and opened her mouth wide as her owner fed her. It was by far the best mouthful of food she'd ever tasted - salty and savory and melt-in-your-mouth tender. She let out a contented sigh.

"See?"

"Oh, wow. I'd wear a tie for this any day of the week."

They shared the meal at a leisurely pace, with Mistress Kara helping herself, then feeding a morsel to Ashley. It felt submissive and sexy to be forced to wait for each fork-full of food; she imagined herself kneeling, on the leash, being fed from her owner's hand. A persistent, demanding throb developed between her legs, and slowly grew in intensity. She squeezed her thighs together and squirmed her bum on the chair.

Her owner talked in between bites.

"I love the thought you put into your needs and limits. Good work."

"Thank you, Mistress."

"Did you find it hard to make your list?"

Ashley shook her head. "I know you don't get mad when I tell you my opinions. It just took some time to think of what I really wanted. Especially the limits - I can't imagine hating anything you wanted to do to me."

Mistress Kara nodded as she chewed a bit of potato, then swallowed.

"I found it tricky. I know what I want for you, but it was hard to figure out what I wanted for myself. It took a bit of soul-searching to figure out what MY needs were."

Ashley wasn't surprised her Mistress had put in so much thought; she was SUPER smart and gave every decision a lot of consideration. It was easy to trust someone like that.