Sabel Ch. 07-10

Cathy crept into the stall and kissed Sabel's cheek. The girl opened her eyes, still half asleep. A lavender scent filled the pen: Miss Cathy had freed her hands and was gently rubbing her arms.

"Morning, Miss Cathy!"

She was surprised to see the Lady wearing only boots -- what could that mean? Her eyes wandered over the fair skin and the fine blonde hair: the teacher was very pretty naked like that, her silhouette cut against the rectangle of blue sky appearing through the open door.

"Are you sore in your arms? I brought you some milk to eat with your granola, dear."

"I'm o. k., Miss Cathy", Sabel said, and went into the yard to relieve her bladder. She washed herself at the tap, taking care to clean well between her legs, and came back. Miss Cathy had poured milk on the cereal; the ebony ate her breakfast, feeling thankful that this time she could use a spoon.

"I love riding naked in my surrey when inside the grounds", Cathy said, smiling mischievously. "There are miles of trails inside the farm, Sabel, with creeks to cross and steep hills to try your strong legs on. I will let you find inside yourself the strength to climb them -- no urging uphill, as this is not class."

Sabel squatted on her blanket to listen.

"I think I can do the hills, Miss Cathy."

Cathy raised her brows. That remained to be seen. She pointed to a knob that Sabel hadn't noticed yet.

"Open that door."

Behind the door there were full size drawings representing ponygirls in harness. Sabel's jaw fell to her throat as she saw her mother kneeling with her hands behind her back, attached by a waistband to a cart. Obe had a red harness, bells on her nipples and a flashy headstall.

"She never told you she was here, did she?" Cathy snapped.

Sabel shook her head. There were so many things about her mother's past that she didn't know! She touched the drawing, imagining how those bells would feel on her own nipples.

"Obe was my mother's ponygirl. The cart you saw yesterday was once pulled by your mother... but that story can wait."

Cathy came near the girl and examined the straps of her harness. The rough edges had left marks on the black skin. She took a kind of blade out of a drawer and rubbed it on the rough parts to smooth them. Sabel stood still, her heart warming at that demonstration of tenderness from her owner -- yes, she could already consider Miss Cathy as such! And in a few moments she was going to pull her for the first time... She shivered slightly as the Lady ran her nails over her buttocks.

"See, dear - now it is o.k."

Snapping a leash onto her collar, the teacher led Sabel into the tack room. She told the Nubian to sit down on a stool and slipped a headstall over her head. Pulling her ponytail through a ring in the back, she snuggled it into place, smiling as Sabel obediently opened her mouth for the bit. Her wrists were tied behind her back and the cuff tails buckled across her tummy -- and the girl felt a quiver going down her spine at the thought that she would be running on the same paths her mother had once trodden.

Cathy took a pair of boots from a big drawer. Sabel had never seen that kind of footwear: they were half the length of normal shoes and their front was round, making them look like horse hooves, and had a fancy trim just under the knees. The Lady slipped one on Sabel's left foot and laced it on her calf; it molded to the footpad, leaving her heel bare.

"These are show boots for your first day, honey, not for everyday", Cathy said, fitting the second one in place. She hooked the reins on Sabel's bit and lifted her head so that she could stand up. The ebony looked even taller with the boots; her tush was pushed out because of the buckled wrists and her tummy sucked in -- a delicious o picture that Cathy savored for some moments.

Sabel moved her toes inside the boots: the leather was soft, and they fitted nicely under the curve of her feet. Cathy let her make a few steps to get used to them and told her to kneel down. A bell was hooked on her forehead and two others attached to her nipples with silver clover champs. Sabel gulped: it was going to start for good!

"Up!"

She felt a tug on her leash and was taken into huge barn. A gleaming black surrey with narrow wheels was parked near a wall. Pink upholstery covered the seat; a cover, adorned with a fringe on the front and a small window in the back protected the driver from the sun or from rain. Sabel walked into the space between the shafts and the teacher hooked the short chains to her waistband. She closed her eyes and breathed deeply: it was there that she wanted to be, nowhere else!

Cathy's mind rushed as she walked back to admire her pony -- everything seemed to fit so perfectly. The surrey looked like it had been made for a black mare, and she had found the prettiest she could wish for.

"Sabel, I want you to make a full circle around me."

The ebony walked carefully, dragging the surrey behind her. It was lighter than the cart she had pulled in class, and because of the form of the boots she had to lean forward a bit to keep balance. Cathy walked up to her and tugged one of the nipple bells, making it ring with a merry sound. She went behind the pony and tapped on her right shoulder; as Sabel knelt down, she felt a silk scarf slipping over her eyes and being knotted behind her head.

"You have to trust me now, my Sabel", Cathy said softly, and flicked the crop twice on her shoulder.

Sabel put her forehead to the ground. How would she fare pulling a cart blindfolded, she wondered, and felt the stems being pushed down as the Lady took her place on the seat. Two clicks of her tongue - Sabel took some impulsion on her thighs and rose to her feet. All her senses were alert; the reins tightened as Miss Cathy pulled them back, and a "pop!" on her bottom cheek told her that she could go.

She moved ahead, very slowly, one foot after the other. The Lady was easy to carry, but now she depended entirely on her commands not to stumble or fall. Cathy directed her through the gate and her skin told her that she was in the open.

A light tug on the rein made her turn right; she executed the move with care, first her right leg, then the left one, until she was done and the cart was in the correct position behind her. A flick on her rump made her start off. As she was not able to see what she was doing, her other senses had become much sharper: as she moved on, she could smell the flowers to her right, hear the bells ringing, and feel the touch of the leather on her bare soles.

"Higher knees, my pony! Try to feel the cart jostling and make it smoother, please!"

The ebony kept her hips on a straight line and took care not to wiggle her haunches, feeling more secure as she walked. Cathy chuckled at the lovely picture before her eyes: Sabel's naked bottom pushed out, her wrists attached behind her back, the ponytail going though the ring and swishing slightly as she walked -- it was just as she had imagined it would be.

"Whooa!"

Sabel stopped and heard Shaka's voice:

"She is so pretty, Miss Cathy!"

"Shaka, go in front of her -- you will be so amazed!"

Sabel felt the smell of the servant's hair right under her nose.

"Just like Obe, Miss Cathy... only taller! It is incredible! But excuse me please, I have to rush."

Sabel heard the noise of Shaka's flip-flop sandals going away and began to walk, but felt a strong pull on her bit and stopped, surprised.

"Wait until I give you the sign! Tush out!"

Sabel obeyed and contracted the muscles on her buttocks, wondering where the crop would land -- right or left cheek? But Cathy did not punish her: she wanted her new pony to learn to pay attention to the commands of the reins and to the "crop language". Sabel kept still, tense as a spring: Cathy counted up to fifty and flicked the left rein. Sabel turned immediately to that direction and waited until the crop touched her rump, then started moving. The road went downward now: she pulled with care, all her attention concentrated on the reins and on what they would tell her.

Suddenly the smooth path ended and the faint mist of a pond touched her skin. She felt grass under her boots, and the cart became heavier on her hips as the wheels sank into the soft ground. She leaned forward and pulled harder; drops of sweat appeared on the rippled muscles on her back and damped the strap on her forehead.

"How will she fare on the hill?" Cathy asked herself as she flicked the crop on the naked black bottom in front of her: Sabel had slowed down because of the effort.

"You are very close to the lake edge, dear. Take care now, but keep going."

Sabel nodded: the smell of water had hit her nostrils. Cathy tugged to the right and she sensed the cart weighing more as she began to climb a hill, step after arduous step. Cathy smiled and muttered to herself:

"What a healthy girl she is, how prettily her rump flexes with this harder work! She seems so natural in a harness, really willing to do her job..."

Soon the path became flat and smooth again. Sabel breathed deeply and felt proud: she had done it - climbed a hill with a cart, and blindfolded!

"Time to trot, little, honey! Giddy up!"

Sabel took impulsion and started on a light trot, a bit worried but knowing that Miss Cathy would direct her with care. "Then this is what trust is about", she thought, "relying on her to know what I have to do!"

The hooves clanked on the road and the bells jingled happily as she gained more confidence. After some minutes Cathy felt some pressure on the reins, as if the ebony wanted to speed up, and held them firmly. "She has a wonderful sense of motion", she thought as the wind kissed her cheeks, "but still has to learn who is in command here..."

"There is a steep hill now, Sabel! Up you go!"

It was hard to pull the cart uphill and the ebony slowed down; the muscles on her thighs were contracting and beginning to ache. Cathy could see how she struggled to keep going. Not knowing how long she would have to go, Sabel saved her forces, feeling her heart thumping inside her chest. She wanted to succeed and show Miss Cathy that she could do what was required from her -- her calf muscles popped out as the hill became steeper, the wheels were sinking again because of the grass -- she leaned forward, pulling the surrey with her hips -- oh, when would that path end?

Cathy was very pleased. That hill was quite hard even for ponyboys. It was evident that the girl was determined to pass that test; she was bent forward, her legs moved slowly but firmly, her black skin was aglow with sweat, her respiration heavy. "She was born for this", Cathy thought, leaning back and letting the reins loose.

"Only a little more, sweet pony, and we reach the trees!"

Sabel gnawed on her bit and moved on. That was real hard, but she was going to do it! The cart seemed so heavy now; she had almost no forces left, and her body ached from the effort. And then the road became flat again and Miss Cathy tightened the reins; the bit pressed against the corners of her lips and she stopped. The cart stems lightened and she felt fingers caressing behind her neck:

"That was wonderful, Sabel!"

The scarf was whisked away and Sabel smiled faintly, trying in vain to lick some drool from her chin. She looked around and felt happy: the landscape was so beautiful! They were under a shady tree; down on the plain, farmhands were busy with their tasks; on the wide path leading to the barns, a few ponyboys were pulling carts filled with legumes and fruit. A soft breeze blew on her face as she struggled to recuperate her breath. Cathy took a bottle of water from the surrey and sprayed Sabel's body with it, laughing when she jumped and twitched from surprise.

"Oh, honey, I knew you were strong, but this is amazing! Most of the ponyboys cannot make it on their first trial! Wait until Mother hears of this... and Shaka... and Charmagne... Sabel, I do hope you will like being part of our life here!"

The Nubian's eyes flashed, showing how proud she was of her accomplishment, and even more so because the blonde Lady was praising her. Cathy let her cool down and sat again on the seat. She flicked the reins and Sabel moved on. After the hill, everything seemed easy; for almost two hours, with a few intervals to rest, she pulled Miss Cathy around, relishing in the sights and in the sheer pleasure of jogging under the warm sun.

***

When they reached the barn, Cathy unharnessed her pony and hosed her, laughing at her squeals as the cold water touched her skin. She walked to a shower and turned the water on, motioning for Sabel to bathe her.

The ebony took a bar of soap and went behind the Lady. Cathy leaned back to let her shampoo her hair, feeling Sabel's hands moving while she massaged her scalp.

"She will know how to wash me like no man could ever do!" she thought. "Why have I waited so long to allow myself such a pleasure?"

She opened her legs and closed her eyes. Sabel knelt down and felt a shudder: her owner's pussy was just before her eyes, rosy and almost asking to be kissed. She controlled the urge to press her lips against it and leaned back. Holding Miss Cathy's foot in her hand, she washed it carefully and went up along the calf and between her legs.

Cathy felt her sex tingle as those expert fingers covered it with lather. She glanced between the ebony's parted thighs: there it was, her chastity belt, shining with the water that poured on it. Clara's words came back to her mind: "they must save their energy to pull their owners around".

"Sabel has energy enough, but it its important to make her feel that she is now my property. The belt is a subtle means to assert one's authority", she thought as the girl's hands moved up her tummy and breasts. Sabel rose up and rinsed the Lady; how soft her skin was under her palms!

"Time for lunch, sweetie! You will go with me to the house."

"Oh, thanks, Miss Cathy!"

The teacher took Sabel's hand in hers and they hurried to the house. One could mistake them for two schoolgirls, were it not because on was naked, while the other wore a collar and had her pussy locked under a chastity shield. After washing their feet in a fountain in front of the house, they sneaked through the maze into the big room Sabel already knew. Cathy touched twice the ebony's shoulder and she went "Friday"; the teacher paced the room and filled her eyes with the gorgeous form so obediently waiting at her feet.

Finally Shaka appeared.

"I'm bringing Sabel for lunch, Shaka."

"Oh, so quickly, Miss Cathy? She must have been good, then!"

"You wouldn't believe, Shaka. She could outdo most of the ponyboys I've tested on Lark Hill. She has such wonderful ebony legs, and just digs deeper and deeper inside herself to find more power!"

"You always choose good animals, Miss Cathy."

"Well, I have been wrong sometimes. But you are right... she will make an excellent animal, I am sure."

Sabel felt a shiver at being called an "animal", but kept still, her eyes fixed on the tiny white toes in front of her. She could not know that Cathy was saying to herself: "there is something more here, something I am yet to know... I can feel it!"

Two clicks of Miss Cathy's tongue told her to stand up, and they followed Shaka into the next room. Sabel was astonished: she had never seen anything like that room. The ceiling opened up into the second story for nice cooling, and there were two fountains at the sides for the same purpose. Padded pillows lay on the hardwood-framed furniture. A beautiful chandelier made of ocean shells turned slowly around and back, making dapples and sprinkles of light along the walls. Portraits of Caroline, Charmagne and Miss Cathy with their naked bodies painted by the best body artists of all Auronia hung on the sides of a fireplace. On the opposite wall, there were silver-framed pictures of people Sabel didn't know, but she recognized the pretty blonde-haired girl she had met the previous day. She stopped before a picture of her mother in normal clothing and felt tears coming to her eyes.

"Lunch time!" Shaka said, interrupting Sabel's tour and putting on the table a tray with sliced fresh fruit and a big pitcher of lemonade. Cathy watched as the ebony sat down so gingerly and careful and ate a slice of mango, seemingly awed by the situation.

"Is your mother still alive, Sabel?" Shaka asked.

"I think so, Shaka. I haven't seen her for seven years, you know."

"Please, Shaka!" Miss Cathy said. "This wouldn't seem the sight moment for that!"

"Oh Miss Cathy, it is, if you allow it", Sabel said before she could control her emotion.

"This is so high in her mind that I cannot stop her", the blonde Lady thought, nodding and biting her lip.

"She never told you about your grandmother, did she, Sabel?" Shaka went on, and didn't wait for the reply. "She was my sister, Sabel. Obe is my niece."

The girl was so surprised that she let escape her slice of mango and had to fetch it from the ground. She tried to conceal how moved she was, but when Shaka opened her arms and said, "Come here, child!", she rose up and warmly hugged the black servant.

Cathy jumped up and hugged them. She was moved too. Her mind was in turmoil at the feelings that had been growing in her. From the moment she had set her eyes on that black beauty jogging in the park, she had imagined her as a ponygirl -- no, as her ponygirl. She was so tall and lean, so pretty -- how delicious it would be to tame her and teach her to respond to her commands! Then she had seen her working at the government building and caught herself imagining that round bottom naked and wiggling before her -- and those luscious lips lapping the juice that formed between her thighs at that idea.

Now there was another feeling - a kind of tenderness, a wish to open for her a whole world that she would never know if she spent her life as a Sixth Station cleaner: the nice world of a First Station family, of the simple life on the fertile farm that fed so many people and was such a perfect symbol of all the New State stood for. Sabel seemed to fit so naturally in that frame! The picture of her sleeping peacefully in her stall came back to Cathy's mind. That girl had been born to become a ponygirl: strong, fast -- and obedient. She was entitled to her share of happiness -- and she, Cathy Magnusson, was going to ensure that she would get it.

"She will make a fine pony, Miss Cathy", Shaka said, as if she had read Cathy's thoughts. "I am so happy you have found her!"

"Sure she will! I know what Obe has done, but Sabel will be different, Shaka. I promise! She will never help anyone turn against us."

Sabel swallowed. Was she going to discover more about her mother's misdeeds? But she remembered Miss Cathy saying that she had to wait until the course was over. She sat down again and went on with her meal.

"Oh God, I have said too much!" Cathy whispered as if talking to herself. She shook her head and sat by the table:

"Feed me, Sabel!", she said, leaning towards her and waiting to see what the Nubian would choose. Sabel picked a bunch of red grapes, squatted down by the Lady's feet and carefully put one on her tongue.

Cathy ate the grapes one by one, with a mischievous look on her eyes. Suddenly she leaned down and pinched Sabel's nipples, just enough to feel her becoming tense. Her mouth found the ebony's and she pushed the last grape into it, kissing her as she swallowed the fruit. How pretty were her dark brown eyes with high arching brows!

"I hope you make it past the midterm, Sabel, or this may be your last lunch here!"

Sabel's eyes opened in surprise and she shook vigorously her head.

"Of course she will", the black servant said, taking away the empty tray.

Cathy stood up and pulled Sabel's hand.