Jennifer and Slave Sarah

"Please will you go and change into some normal clothes," I say to Sarah-Anne.

"I'm sorry, but I can't, Mistress," replies Sarah-Anne apologetically. "Master Pete ordered me to wear this outfit and he's taken the keys to the padlocks holding the harness in place. He'll not be back until after eleven o'clock tonight."

I study Sarah-Anne's attire. She's right. The harness cannot be removed without undoing the padlocks. I could boil Pete in oil for doing this to Sarah-Anne. I can guess why he's done it. He's trying to goad me into taking over from him as Sarah-Anne's dom. That way he can move out without feeling any further responsibility for what he's done to Sarah-Anne. I know he's helped her when she was desperate, but he's extracted ample reward for what he's done. For all I know, his actions have permanently damaged Sarah-Anne emotionally.

I sit down and look at Sarah-Anne kneeling on the floor in front of me. Adam said I should have her do this whenever Sarah-Anne and I meet so that she can confess any transgressions of our rules. But we haven't agreed any rules yet, other than the 'no sex' rule I arbitrarily made last Saturday in regards to Adam's and Sarah-Anne's budding relationship. As I study Sarah-Anne closely my anger at Pete is tempered by the sight of the strangely calm and confident girl kneeling on the carpet before me. Yet again I must remind myself that Sarah-Anne is a consenting player in this scenario. It's easy to think of a slave as someone who is downtrodden and abused. But before me is a willing slave who seems to draw strength from her bondage and submission. I've never felt any sexual yearnings towards girls, but I can't deny that Sarah-Anne's attire is having a strange erotic effect on me. Without making a conscious decision, I've mentally agreed to be a part of this game ... but on my terms.

"If ... and I repeat, if ... I agree to become your dom then we need negotiate some rules and conditions," I begin, remembering the relevant section in the booklet Doctor Wells gave me yesterday. "Firstly, Pete and I cannot both be your dom. It won't work with two of us giving you contradictory orders all the time. If you want me as your dom, then we must tell Pete that he's no longer your dom. I think he'll be alright with that.

"Secondly, I can't do this seven days a week. I have my studies and, as enjoyable as last Saturday was, I simply don't have the time. I know you want to be my slave all the time, but I can't see how we can do that in practise. Are you going to be happy with me only being your dom for part of the time?"

"Yes, Mistress," replies Sarah-Anne. "I don't expect you to be with me all of the time. You can still be my dom even when you aren't here. Pete only moved here because he was my pimp. He's delayed leaving because he wanted to protect me from Greg trying to control my life. I'll tell Pete tonight that I no longer need him to be my dom if you want."

"We need to negotiate some rules between us before I agree to take over as your dom," I say, determined that I'm not going to be rushed into agreeing.

Sarah-Anne prepares a meal for us while we discuss how our relationship is going to work, and some of the rules we shall mutually observe. If I were to take a step back and look at myself, I might be surprised at how I've changed in such a short time. It's as though this whole dom-sub relationship idea has opened a secret door in my personality, and allowed something powerful and exciting to emerge. I still can't bring myself to call Sarah-Anne 'Slave', but I can certainly think about her as my submissive friend. I even start to think of her as Sarah rather than Sarah-Anne. Not because she's submissive, but because she's matured into somebody very different from the Sarah-Anne of old. She's a much more assured and stronger person than before. It's hard to believe that she wants someone to be her dom at all.

Our discussions continue while we eat. We don't arrive at a complete set of rules, but we agree on some of the important ones. We decide not to rush into things and to talk about this some more when we next meet alone.

I remember to tell her about the meeting hall on Water Street. She acknowledges that her business is expanding and that she needs a lot more space. I give her the name of the agent handling the property on behalf of dad and Uncle Steven. Leasing the hall will give her the opportunity to change the address on her prostitute's license, but she needs to be certain that the hall suits her needs. In any event, it'll be impossible to change the address on her license before Saturday when Greg will be expecting Sarah to have signed his contract. Sarah has torn up the employment contract he left for her to sign, so he's not going to be pleased. Whether he will carry out his implied threat remains to be seen.

We finish our meal, and Sarah clears the dirty crockery from the table. We've discussed everything I felt we needed to discuss tonight, so I move the conversation onto more casual subjects.

"Are you still seeing Adam tomorrow night?" I ask.

"Yes, Mistress," replies Sarah. "But not until late. Pete received a call from Adam saying that he had to work at the Dosla tomorrow night. Apparently one of the regular Thursday staff suddenly quit and they need someone at short notice. Adam isn't going to be free until nearly ten o'clock."

"That's a shame," I reply. "How are you going to manage without a phone once Pete moves out?"

"That's something I'll have to sort out before Pete leaves. Most of my business orders arrive by email, but Pete doesn't allow me access to the email account either."

"No phone and no email," I muse. "That's not a good way to run your business."

"I can make outgoing phone calls," replies Sarah, defensively.

"What about finding new customers?" I ask. "Are Pete and Greg the only source of those?"

"They were at first, but more recently I've had orders from new customers based on the recommendation of existing customers. I'm hoping Pete will still refer new business to me, but I can manage if he doesn't."

"What about money? Do you have enough to run your business and pay your household bills?"

"Yes. Once I found my inheritance I've had no further money problems."

"I thought you weren't allowed access to that money until you are twenty five," I reply, knowing that her grandmother withdrawing all the trust money from the bank probably made a nonsense of that restriction.

"When Gran died my trust was left with no surviving trustee," replies Sarah. "As it was all in cash, I just dipped into enough money to pay my remaining debts. The rest I have put into a bank account in my name."

"Does Pete, or anyone else, have access to your money?" I ask.

"No," replies Sarah. "I'm may be a submissive, but I'm not stupid. Pete has never asked for access to my money. Greg's contract, however, would have allowed him total control over my money. That's why I shredded his contract."

"Are you going to end your relationship with Greg?"

"I want to, but until I'm certain that he won't tell the neighbours about my prostitute's license, I'll have to play his game for now. I don't get ownership of this house until I'm twenty five, so I can't risk being hounded out of my home by angry neighbours."

"If your trust has no trustee, then how are you ever going to get the house into your name?" I ask.

"I don't know. I suppose there's some way to appoint a new trustee who can transfer the house title into my name. I've not enquired in case all my money gets locked up until I'm twenty five. My clothing business makes enough to live on, but I need some of the trust money to buy new equipment. My grandfather's old machines are on their last legs, and if I'm going to lease some premises, then I'll need some capital to do that."

"Do you mind if I make some enquiries on your behalf about appointing a new trustee?" I ask, feeling that this is something I can do to help her as a friend rather than as her dom. My friend Fiona at university is studying law, so she can probably find out about it.

"I don't mind, Mistress, as long as it doesn't mean that I lose access to my money."

"I'm offering to do this as your friend, not as your dom. You don't need to call me Mistress," I reply.

"I know, Mistress," replies Sarah. "And thank you. But as I explained the other day, I need to call you Mistress. I need to be your devoted slave."

"That's what I don't understand, Sarah. Apart from having no access to your incoming calls and emails, you seem very much in control of your business and household finances. You can obviously manage to look after yourself. So why do you need a dom? Why do you have a need to be my slave? Has this anything to do with your time working as a prostitute?"

"My need for someone to be my master or mistress must have existed before I turned to prostitution," replies Sarah. "But I didn't know enough to realise that was what I was seeking. Pete has opened my eyes to the answer I've been looking for all this time. You know how disorganised and untidy I was in the years after my parents died. Gran would never say anything to bring me into line, so I gradually became like an untamed animal. But despite the apparent freedom of my life, I didn't like myself. I lost my self-respect. I wanted someone to tell me what to do. Someone to make me tidy my room; tell me to wash my hair; order me to clean my shoes."

"Are you sure Pete was helping you rather than trying to turn you into a more expensive prostitute?"

"There may have been an element of that," replies Sarah with a rueful smile. "He could certainly demand more money from clients once they knew I was okay with certain sorts of games. But it helped me as well. Thinking of myself as Pete's slave was a better alternative than turning to alcohol or drugs, which is where many prostitutes seek solace from their sordid life. I could convince myself that some of the disgusting things I was sometimes made to do were okay because I was a slave and had no say in the matter."

"But you aren't involved in prostitution any more ... are you?"

"No, Mistress," replies Sarah quickly. "But, as I said, Pete helped me discover that having a dom is what I really need at this stage of my life. Being treated like a slave is a drug to me. You saw how I reacted when we left the restaurant on Saturday night. And being made to sleep in bondage was the icing on the cake. You probably think I'm crazy, but I'm not. Kinky, definitely, but I'm not insane. It's just how I am. I admit that I'm strongly submissive and I like it when someone controls me. But it needs to be someone I trust. I thought Pete or Greg might fill that role, but I realise now that I was wrong about them. I trust you more than anybody else, and I would like you to help me satisfy my needs and be my mistress."

Chapter 8: Accepting a Punishment

"I suppose that if I'm going to be your dom, then I should commission you to make me a suitable outfit," I say.

"I've already started designing one for you, Mistress," says Sarah. "I'll have a design ready by Saturday for your approval. If you will permit me to take some of your measurements tonight, then I could have an outfit ready for you by this time next week."

"Yes, okay. I can come round after my Saturday morning run to look at your design. Would you like me to be here when Greg calls round on Saturday evening about the contract?"

"Yes please, Mistress," says Sarah. "I'm not certain how Greg is going to react, and I don't think Pete is going to be here."

We move upstairs to Sarah's workroom. She immediately starts to measure various parts of my body. I'm curious about the outfit she intends to design for me, but I resist the temptation to push her for details before she is ready.

"Just remember that I'm a poor student," I say when she has finished and we've returned to the living room. "I can't afford anything too expensive."

"This will be my gift to you, Mistress," replies Sarah. "Please allow me to show my appreciation for what you are doing for me."

"Don't thank me too soon," I laugh. "Do you remember when we used to play pirates and captured princesses? You might find me to be a demanding mistress who treats you cruelly."

"Oh, Mistress," sighs Sarah. "I do hope that's so."

Sarah's words stir what is becoming an all too familiar thrill inside me. Out of mischief I have her bring some padlocks and one of those boxes with a time lock on the lid. As I prepare to leave for home, I lock her wrist cuffs behind her and her ankle cuffs together. I leave her lying face down on the living room rug in a state of near rapture. I put the keys in the box and set the timer for two hours. My slight feeling of guilt at leaving her alone like this is drowned by my powerful arousal. In any case, Pete should be home in an hour or so and he can check on her. Just to be on the safe side, I add my mobile phone number to her telephone's single-button-dial directory and leave the phone within reach in case of an emergency.

On Saturday afternoon I let mum know that I'll be with Sarah this afternoon and tonight. I'm sure mum has noticed a difference in me over the last week, but she probably can't identify the cause. She, of course, remembers the slightly scruffy Sarah-Anne of old, so mum would be expecting me to dress down into T-shirt and jeans, rather than put on one of my smarter dresses.

"You look nice," comments mum. "Going on a date tonight?"

"No. Sarah-Anne's boyfriend may be joining us though," I reply, hoping we don't have to repeat last Saturday's exhibition.

The weather is fine, so I choose to walk to Sarah's house. I could have asked to borrow the car, but getting home would be a problem. I only have a restricted driving license, so I'm not supposed to drive after ten o'clock at night. By the time I reach Sarah's house it is nearly three o'clock. Pete has already returned from wherever he's been, and handed Sarah the sealed bag of clothes from Greg. Greg has sent instructions via Pete that he'll be here at five o'clock, so Jennifer has gone to take a shower and get changed.

"Sarah tells me that you've agreed to take over from me as her dom," says Pete.

"We have been discussing the subject," I reply. "But we have a few details to sort out before I can finally agree."

"What sort of details?" asks Pete.

"Mainly about you and Greg. You and I can't both be Jennifer's dom. And Greg is an unwelcome complication."

"Well, I'm easy to sort out," laughs Pete. "I can move out tomorrow if that's the only impediment to you taking over as Sarah's dom. Greg might be a bigger problem though. He still tries to control Sarah like one of his prostitutes."

"It's not just you moving out that's the issue," I reply, putting the subject of Greg to one side for the moment. "What about your control over Sarah's phones and her email account? And you introduce customers to her clothing business. I'd like those issues sorting out between us before you move out."

"The block preventing incoming calls on the land-line can be switched off at any time. I'll give you the password to do that now if you like. My advice, though, is to have incoming calls diverted to an answerphone. That way Sarah isn't going to be harassed by former clients wanting sex. Her regular clients know that she has quit prostitution, but some of them seem to have difficulty accepting her choice. Perhaps enough time has passed since she quit for those calls to have dried up.

"As for a mobile phone, then that's up to you. Sarah was far too distracted by the thing, so again, my advice is to deny her access to one. The same goes for her internet access. I found that's she's a lot more focussed on her work if she doesn't have the distractions of social media."

Pete gives me the passwords and details for me to access Sarah's phone and email accounts. I notice that he's left it up to me whether I retain control of them, or give them to Sarah. As for introducing new customers to her business, then he's agreed to continue doing so for a commission on the first order a customer makes. I think that is fair, but I tell him that he must negotiate the commission rate directly with Sarah.

"You'll be a great mistress for her, you know," says Pete. "You have the right mix of caring and cruelty."

"Cruelty?" I ask, suddenly puzzled by his terminology. "How does what I've done compare to you locking her in a leather bondage harness the other night when she had a friend coming round to visit."

"That was cruel, I admit it,"concedes Pete. "But you locked her wrists and ankles together when you left her on Wednesday night. You could have at least made sure she had used the toilet before you left her like that. The poor girl couldn't hold on until I got home, so she had a rug to clean up before she went to bed."

"Oh no!" I exclaim. "How thoughtless of me. I'll apologise when she comes out of the bathroom."

"You'll do no such thing!" laughs Pete. "You must punish her for soiling the rug. Besides, I think Sarah did it on purpose so that you can scold her. Even bound as she was, she could have at least made it into the downstairs bathroom. How do you think she manages when she's trussed up on a Saturday night? Don't go soft on her. Sarah is happier if you handle her with a firm hand. She's already testing you."

I'm surprised at Pete's words, but I realise that he could be right. Sarah could be testing me and I need to exert my authority over her from the outset. I wish I had better prepared myself for this challenge.

Sarah comes downstairs having changed into Greg's chosen outfit for tonight. Like last week, she's removed her steel collar and cuffs. She is wearing a floral pattern, snug fitting dress with very short sleeves and a deep round neck which gives the merest glimpse of her cleavage. The narrow fitted dress reaches down to her shins. It would be difficult to walk in it were it not for the long slit down her left side which almost comes as high as her waist. Unlike last week, tonight's outfit is decent enough to go into any club or bar.

"Is that your complete outfit?" I ask, remembering that last week there were leather collar and cuffs to add to her attire.

"This is everything, Mistress," replies Sarah.

"Well, it's an improvement on last week," I comment. "I believe you have something to confess about last Wednesday evening after I left you. Is that so, Sarah?"

"Yes, Mistress Jennifer," replies Sarah, dropping to her knees before me. "Please forgive me. I soiled the rug after you left me. I deserve to be punished for such a disgraceful act. Please punish me, Mistress."

Her words would have more effect on me if I felt they weren't spoken with a hint of enthusiasm. Pete was right when he said Sarah is trying to push me into punishing her. Which means I must think carefully before deciding what to do. I could fudge the issue by saying that I'm not her dom yet, but that will only postpone this battle of wills until another day.

"And what punishment is appropriate for such an act?" I ask Sarah.

"Whatever you consider appropriate, Mistress. Master Pete normally has me stand in the corner for minor offences, or a spanking if my faults are more serious."

I look towards Pete, who nods in confirmation of Sarah's words.

"And do you agree to accept whatever punishment I choose to impose?" I ask.

"Yes, Mistress Jennifer," replies Sarah, suddenly looking nervous that I might come up with a punishment that is actually a punishment, and not something Sarah likes.

"Go and fetch one of the whips you have hanging up in your workroom," I say to Sarah.

"Which one, Mistress?" asks Sarah nervously.

"I'll leave that choice to you," I reply.

Sarah does as she is told and goes upstairs. I leave Pete alone for a minute or two. When I return I find Sarah has removed her dress and is standing on the rug in her underwear. As soon as she sees me she places her hands on top of her head. It's a very erotic pose. The whip I sent her to fetch is neatly coiled on the chair.