Manon and Belle Pt. 11

Manon briefly considered how open to be, but decided to be frank. "You'd be playthings, Claire. Of course you are both going to be playthings anyway, but it wouldn't be the same. Something to amuse me and Belle for a while, and then sold when I tired of you. You'd probably have work to do as well, as domestic servants maybe, and your lives would be more demanding generally. And possibly shorter Claire, life can be hard on a slave, and so can I."

"Oh," Claire said, and she and Kitty exchanged solemn looks. "Thank you for being so open miss." She said very softly.

"So miss, what I wanted to ask before? What will we do for you then? I mean longer term? Will we have specific duties?" Claire asked, visibly trying to lighten the conversation.

"It's early days yet Claire, so I am not entirely sure. Kitty here, well, she's my new kitten, I am looking forward to having a kitten as my companion, so I rather think that is going to her job."

Kitty beamed happily, and said "meow" making them all laugh,

"But you? You have a good mind Claire, as well as a lovely body, and I think I am going to make use of both, not just your body. So I think I may send you to school." Manon said.

"School?" Claire asked, surprised.

Beside her Manon could feel Belle vibrate with excitement, but she squeezed her hand tightly to keep her quiet. "Belle, ask the driver how long we have before we get to the house?"

Having leaned out of the window, Belle sat back down and said, "about an hour miss, it isn't the best of roads apparently."

"Good well then that's enough time for me to tell you about my old school. So a little history, the sort they don't teach in most schools," Manon said.

"Forty years ago, her majesty had just become queen, but had few people of her own that she felt she could trust, particularly when it came to anything to do with politics and security. So she set up the Queen's Wardrobe, under Sir James' father, a retired soldier who had been one of her tutors. The wardrobe was an old royal office that had fallen into disuse but that still existed, so she changed it to being her own intelligence service, the name serving to hide it from people in government for a time, as it continues to shield it now more generally."

"However, finding recruits for the service was difficult, so her majesty decided to create a long term solution. So she set up schools, one for boys and one for girls. The boys' establishment is on the Welsh border, the girls' in Suffolk. They are both the same in organisation. A very large primary school, the girls' has 400 pupils, that educates and trains them up to 16."

"Most girls leave then, many going to the army and navy, some to civilian life, marrying and so on. Some girls go to the intermediate school, up to about 40 typically I believe, from the ages sixteen to eighteen, and some only join at 16. Even fewer of those girls go to the Ladies College, if they are thought suitable, and some girls like me, only start there at 18," Manon said.

"The majority of the older pupils are from service families, often either orphaned or where one parent had died."

"Now the curriculum at these schools is far from normal for either girls or boys. There is a lot of physical education, of a sort that traditionally would have been thought of as unhealthy for girls," Manon said snorting. "So for example training in arms, including firearms, starts at the intermediate school, and all the pupils, even the youngest are taught self defence and unarmed combat."

"At the finishing school, pupils are taught everything from navigation, wilderness survival and riding, to military tactics and history, intelligence work and use of explosives and much more besides more normal academic subjects. It is physically and academically demanding, and very competitive at the College. The graduates from it, those that make it, go into service to the Crown. The Army or Navy of course; some to the traditional intelligence services, and some few, like Belle and me, to the Wardrobe."

Kitty and Claire were both looking at Manon slack jawed as she finished. "Miss, you want me to go there?" Claire said, "But I'm nothing, a nobody?"

"Enough of that young lady. If I sponsor you to go to school, you most certainly won't be a nothing, and I do think you have the brain for it. There's no such thing there as terms, pupils come and go at any time, and if you go, you might be there for two or three years before you graduate, and certainly not less than one."

"There are no breaks there, no holidays. It's seven days a week, every week, all year," Manon said. "But Belle and I can get you trained up I think, so that if you go, when you go, you will not in fact be as nearly out of place as you might imagine.

"Miss, the twins could help a lot as well, especially on the classroom stuff," Belle added.

"Good point, they could. Oh and Kitty, even though you might not be going to school, you would have to do the same work as Claire, you aren't stupid either, and I like my girls to be clever."

Kitty didn't look terribly keen on that idea, but didn't say anything.

"Now we are about to arrive, so enough of this for now. Belle, since it is such a favourite of yours, why don't you tell Kitty and Claire how you and I met, on my first day? Then I'll pick up the story, perhaps tomorrow, it will help us pass the time. And help you decide if you want to go."

"I'd not command you to go Claire, I'd be more than happy keeping your tight little body by me."

"Miss, would Claire being a slave be a problem?" Belle asked.

"I don't see why Belle. All they care about is whether or not you are good enough to be there, and whether or not you are good enough to graduate. So, sure, other girls will pick on her because she is a slave, and make fun of her, but then they'd do that for any reason that stands out anyway, or no reason at all other than for a while she'd be the new girl."

"In effect every girl there is a slave to the school, having the brand doesn't really make any difference," Manon added thoughtfully.

Seeing Claire and Kitty's puzzled look, Manon just said, "Let Belle tell you the story, and then I'll continue it. That will make everything clearer."

"Er, Miss? When are you going to brand us?" Claire asked, "I've heard it hurts?"

"It does," Belle said. "At the moment when it is done, it's overwhelming, but it quickly fades to an ache, and that doesn't last more than a couple of days."

"Yes, thank you Belle dear, don't frighten the poor things. It does hurt, and is just like Belle says. You aren't ordinary slaves to me, so I will do it, in a few days when I think you are ready. It's a special thing, done right, between a slave and her owner that brands them. So I want a bit of time to make sure it's right and that you are too," Manon said.

"Yes miss," Claire said, and Kitty just curled her legs up under herself and put her head on Claire's lap, apparently falling asleep almost instantly. Claire absent-mindedly stroked Kitty's hair, getting a little purr and a wriggle as she got more comfortable.

Not long after, the carriage clattered across a bridge over a canal, and then turned through a gateway, driving up a long tree lined carriage way, and then through a gate in a low wall, the wheels crunching over gravel.

Manon and the others stepped down, getting their first look at where they'd be staying. The house was actually quite small, but very pretty. Three large windows on either side of the wide front door, approached by a flight of steps up. Small thin windows at the base of the house walls were clearly to light cellars of some sort. The first floor had dormer windows sheltering the glass from the direct afternoon sun, and there were smaller windows in the roof, no doubt serving attic rooms.

The house was whitewashed stone, and all the windows had shutters, currently folded back, painted like the front door a pale green. Two men emerged through the door, clearly servants from the way they were dressed, but Manon turned her back on them for a moment as they approached, surveying the grounds around the house.

The gate through the wall they had come through led straight over a decorative moat that ran around the inside of the wall on all three sides, as far as Manon could see. Formal and quite old fashioned gravel paths were planted like a parterre, but the symmetry of it all rather fitted the house.

Off to one side, their escorts were dismounting, and greeting more guards, who Manon had noticed were visible at points around the garden and house, all carrying long rifles, with a sword and pistol hanging from the belt and baldric combination that seemed the norm in Bordeaux.

"My lady, welcome to Chateau Helene," a deep voice said as she turned to face a neatly bearded man, wearing a long pale waistcoat, heavily embroidered, over a white shirt and dark trousers. His companion, though younger, was dressed similarly.

Introductions exchanged, they explained they had been seconded here from the Duke's household, to make sure all was in order. "We were given to understand that my lady prefers a female staff, and a small one at that, so with your permission we will withdraw. Cook will be on her way to see you, and she has three maids to assist her and take care of the house and you."

"The cook is indentured my lady, but the three maids are slaves, and entirely at your service. Should you require anything else or have any problems, the guards have instructions to get a message to me immediately, and I will attend."

Manon thanked them, and bowing they walked to the stable courtyard, where Manon presumed they would travel back to the City from.

A large, red faced and very hot looking middle aged lady was waiting on the steps, and greeted Manon with a deep curtsey. "Persil, my lady, at your service." Manon smiled at her and got a warm smile when Manon helped her up, leading her up by the hand.

"Madame Persil, a pleasure. This is my companion and slave, Belle, who speaks for me on all things. I tend to leave household management to her, as frankly she is better at it than I am."

"Now who are these?" Manon said, turning to the three young women who were kneeling by the front door. "Up girls, let me look at you," Manon said.

"Sage, Romarin and Thym," the cook said, each girl bobbing their head in turn. "I gather the Duke's household has a herb based naming policy then?" Manon asked, amused.

"He does my lady, his wife started it a while back. We were chosen because we all speak English. My husband was English, and these three are English." Manon wasn't altogether surprised that there were English servants and slaves in Bordeaux. The two countries were close, tied by a long history of opposition to the French, and strong trading links.

Manon looked the three over, none of them were more than teenagers. She also noticed that though they were all three impeccably neat and clean, that Romarin was shifting her feet about.

"Romarin?" Manon said. The girl looked up, startled and worried. "Child, do I guess that you are not used to wearing shoes?" At her look of alarm, Manon said, "You aren't in any trouble girl."

"If you are more comfortable, and would prefer to be barefoot, then that is fine, so long as it is safe for you. And that goes for all of you," she added.

Manon smiled and heard Belle giggle as all three girls quickly pulled their shoes off, and Romarin smiled and wiggled her toes on the stone pavement. Romarin was a pretty little thing, with pretty little feet.

"With your permission my lady?" and at Manon's nod continued "Off you go now, take my lady's luggage up to her rooms and then there's lots of dusting and cleaning yet to be finished. And then you are all wanted in the kitchen, so no idling about."

All three girls scurried off quickly, bobbing to Manon and then Persil as they went about untying the straps holding the luggage on the carriage, and getting it down. "They are good girls my lady, but very young and half trained, I hope they won't be a problem."

"They seem polite and eager Persil, which is half the battle. How old are they?" Manon asked.

"Romarin is eighteen, my lady, though seems younger. Sage and Thym are nineteen. This is Romi's first time serving upstairs as well as down miss, and she's scared to death."

"Well, we will be patient Persil. I've been loaned the house to convalesce, so I doubt we will trouble your girls much," Manon said.

"My lady, I don't mean to be rude but?"

"You are midway through cooking things?" Manon said laughing. "Don't let me keep you, Madame Persil. If it helps, I like a good breakfast, but only eat sparingly at lunchtime. Given that it is hot, I'd rather dine later than sooner in the evening, if that is convenient."

"It is most helpful, my lady, thank you," she said.

"The only other thing I need is to be able to get tea at any and all times," Manon said, knowing she was conforming to the stereotypical image of the English. abroad, "and my own staff here will serve, so your girls need do no more than get food to the dining room or wherever."

"If I may my lady, the terrace at the back of the house, it faces south, but is lovely in the mornings, so if it's fine and you would prefer to eat outside?" Persil said.

"That sounds wonderful, but eating outside at other times would be lovely too, if the weather allows. I've been kept indoors for too long, so being outside is very pleasant."

"Very good my lady. The master keys for everything in the house are on the table in the hall. Monsieur. Du Valle asked me to assure you that everywhere has been swept. Though I have to say my girls have had a lot of cleaning to do, so whoever did it for him wasn't very good," she muttered as she disappeared off.

Belle giggled, "He didn't mean that kind of sweeping did he miss?"

"No Belle, he didn't, but it does mean the palace has been thoroughly inspected and cleared as safe, now let's go get those keys, and explore."

Manon led Belle, Claire and Kitty upstairs first, as Manon wanted to change into something lighter, it was unseasonably warm and quite humid, and once down to just a white cotton blouse over a simple linen skirt, she felt a lot more comfortable and decided to stay barefoot.

Belle went a bit further, and stripped to her underwear, a pair of high cut knickers and a snug band holding her breasts, admiring her new collar in the mirror as she did.

"Belle dear, let's look around? Now Claire, Kitty? Whatever are you doing in so many clothes? Off with them all now, and you stay that way unless we tell you otherwise," Manon said.

"Er miss?", Kitty said, "my suit?" she said with a pleading look. "Oh very well, you may wear it Kitty dear, just be quick to get it on."

Manon wasn't surprised to find that the catsuit appeared to have been packed right at the top of one of the bags. "Belle dear, take Kitty's jewellery off, and then get it back on when she is in her suit please."

"Yes miss," Belle said. "Come here you," Belle said, making Kitty squeal and giggle as she chased after her. Manon took Claire by the hand, and led her out onto the balcony. She stood the naked girl up against the railing, and gently started to stroke her breasts and tease her nipples in the warm afternoon sun, as they looked out over the gardens at the back of the house.

The gardens at the rear of the house were much more informal, grassy lawns and shrubs, some large specimen trees dotted about. There was a large lake that the moat fed into and out of, with a summer house on a little island in the lake that had a narrow grass path leading to it.

At the far end of the garden, behind some shrubbery, Manon could see the line of the canal, and over to her right, there were some large low buildings. Presumably the barns or storage, as Manon recalled being told that the Dumains had used the canal to transport slaves.

Manon returned her attention to Claire, who was now wriggling, making little moaning noises, as Manon had gone on teasing her breasts and nipples all the while.

"Well, this is lovely, isn't it Claire," Manon said, leaning over and whispering in the girl's ear, before licking her neck from shoulder to hairline.

"Wonderful miss," Claire squeaked, shivering.

"Keep your hands on the railings, spread your legs and lean forward," Manon said.

"Yes miss," Claire said, and before she finished getting into position, Manon's right hand snaked around her tummy, travelling down so that her fingers started stroking and penetrating Claire's nicely wet pussy. Manon's left hand went on stroking her breasts and nipples.

"What would you like now Claire?" Manon asked, as Claire flushed pinker. Manon swapped hands, as Claire's pussy was now leaking juice, and then didn't make it easy for her to answer. She pushed her right hand, fingers held out straight, against Claire's lips, and then into her mouth when she obediently opened it.

"Lick. Clean my fingers off, suck them" Manon said. Claire groaned, and sucked and licked, doing the same when Manon again swapped hands, pushing her left hand almost entirely into the girl's mouth.

"You haven't answered me Claire?" Manon said, "Isn't there anything you'd like?" She took her hand out of the girl's mouth then, and went back to teasing her breasts, never stopping fingering her pussy.

Hearing a giggle, Manon looked over her shoulder to see Kitty, held in Belle's arms, being walked over to stand next to Manon on the balcony. Belle was holding the tall thin girl up with one arm clamped around her chest under her little breasts.

She'd lifted Kitty's feet off the floor and just stood her up when they got to the balcony. Kitty's cat suit was only partially on, it was hanging off her hips, and she was naked apart from that. Belle's other hand was thrust down the front of the suit, and Manon could clearly be seen vigorously rubbing at Kitty's pussy.

"Oh, miss," Claire said breathlessly, pulling Manon's attention back to her. "I want, no I don't want, I'm yours miss, Oh God!" she squeaked out as Manon pinched at a nipple hard.

"I mean miss, it isn't up to me, I'm yours, you can do what you want, OOOH misssss," Claire's talking degenerated into muttering as Manon had stuck two fingers into her vagina and twisted them in and out, pumping her.

"Very good answer Claire, but now it's an order. You have the choice, freely, what do you want?" Manon spun the girl round so that they were facing each other, but she bent Claire back over the railing slightly, kissing her and holding her up with an arm around her shoulders while with the other she continued to finger fuck her.

"Miss, if it's mine to choose. Oh god miss, oh god, I'd serve you. You've made me climax until I burst," a deep groan forestalled her talking for a moment, "and I want to serve you like that?" Claire said.

Manon pushed into her hard with her fingers, pushing in and out of her aggressively, and rubbing the heel of her hand over the top of Claire's pussy, pressing down hard over her clitoris. She pulled her head forward and kissed her hard, sucking Claire's tongue into her mouth.

She only let Claire go when she felt the girl orgasm, smiling to herself when she heard Kitty squealing out her own orgasm. She let Claire down gently, holding the girl steady in a cuddle while she recovered.

"Oh, god, thank you miss," Claire said.

"You deserved it girl, that was the best answer you could possibly have given me. And soon you will get your wish."

"Oh dear miss, I seem to have made Kitty get her suit all wet in places," Belle said.

"Well for now dear, that will have to do, it would be unfair to take it away even before she got on it properly. We are going to have to do something about this though," Manon said.

Kitty was sighing happily and wriggling as Belle smoothed the suit out over her body, which did nothing to help calm Manon's arousal at all. The way the girl moved in the figure hugging suit was one of the most sensuous things Manon had ever seen.