The Retreat Ch. 03

Violet was incensed. She was starving and no one had told her how this place worked. Well, she wasn't going to go hungry as a lesson or whatever. She put in an order of steak and eggs with toast with the sous chef and waited.

It was by sheer luck that Violet just so happened to turn around and see Alexandra look around the room. Violet had an instinctive thought that the Domme was looking for her. She rushed out into the dining room and stood in the 'at your service' pose, standing at attention with her feet an inch or so apart, parallel, and her hands placed one on top of the other over her center, by the table.

Alexandra smiled, "You see Eva, James has taught her."

Violet felt a soft buzzing from deep inside her. It felt really nice and Violet almost let out a soft moan but bit it back, she remembered that while in a pose she wasn't allowed to speak.

"I'm impressed, she came right when I looked for her, and also assumed the correct pose. It shows that she's intuitive or at least can remember her lessons."

Eva didn't look impressed, "Yes Alexandra, I see that. And I might be inclined to agree, but didn't you just have to look around for her just now? Shouldn't a sub always be at hand to serve, regardless of where we are?"

Alexandra pursed her lips, "Yes, Eva you are correct. She should never have left the table side. But, then again, neither you nor I gave her instructions to wait by the table, did we?"

"No, but what difference does that make?"

"The world, Eva." Alexandra smiled, and Violet felt the vibrations inside her cease. Alexandra looked into the younger woman's eyes. "Each sub has their own unique abilities and traits; they are human after all and will serve according to their gifts and talents. It is our job as Dom/mes to guide and condition those traits to serve us as we wish. Some Dom/mes don't like having their sub standing by the table while they eat, some like to have them off to the side and behind them. Others want their subs to kneel by their chair. How each sub responds and behaves in each situation is as much a reflection of the Dom/mes wants and desires as well as the sub and how they serve their Dom/mes. Does that make sense?"

"I guess so Madame Alexandra," Eva replied.

Violet was irritated at being spoken about while she was standing right there. But she knew that while she was in a pose she couldn't speak or she'd be shocked and she was still enjoying that faded memory of the tingling sensation better than the shock from her collar. She was a little worried about when she was going to be allowed to eat.

Alexandra looked towards the naked woman standing next to their table, "have you eaten yet?"

"No Madame Alexandra, I have not eaten anything but I have put in my own breakfast order and it should be ready soon," Violet replied.

Alexandra smiled, "How cute. Well since you see fit to make us wait on you, why don't you go and refill mine and Eva's coffee." Eva snickered softly behind her hand, but Violet saw every gesture from her standing position.

This was getting a little old, but Violet knew what she had to do, "Yes Madame Alexandra." She grabbed the two empty coffee mugs and hurried back to the kitchen to get a refill on the caramel latte and a blackberry currant tea. Once refilled, she brought them carefully back to the table. Eva and Alexandra were talking about something about dress and behaviors and something about 'therapy'. Violet ignored what they were saying, and before either of them got around to giving her any other order she hurried back to the kitchen area.

Violet found a plate set off to the side that was clearly her order. The male sub smiled as he pointed to the plate, "better eat quickly."

Violet needed no further encouragement. She tore into her food with a wild hunger. She found a glass and a tap and drank a whole glass of water as she shoveled food into her mouth. The food was amazingly tasty and she would have really enjoyed savoring it, but she knew she was short on time.

She managed to finish her plate in minutes, drink another glass of water and wash her face and hands before rushing back out to the table, where Alexandra and Eva were just finishing their coffee and tea. And as if on cue, as soon as she assumed the 'at your service' pose Alexandra and Eva rose from the table. Without a word they left the dining room and Violet followed behind them.

"Eva, going back to what you were asking about, sometimes it takes a while for a sub to learn the skills you want them to have. You can't just assume or expect each sub to be able to give massages like a trained masseuse who has been working with you for years. The sub becomes an extension of you, and they are what you put into them. If you only punish, you'll have a broken meek puppy of a person who is so afraid of doing something wrong, they very rarely will do anything right. As with their skills. If you want them to be a masseuse, you have to pay for their training and then allow them the opportunities to practice and learn."

"So, I need to pay and spend time training them? What if I don't have time for that?" Eva asked almost complaining.

"You get out of a sub, what you put into them. There are a lot of older subs out there looking for a home who has had training in the skills you seek, but they have been trained and conditioned by someone else. Like a first love, the sub will serve and do their best to please you, but your bond with that sub will never be like the sub you train and spend time with yourself," Alexandra responded easily. "It's like getting a rescue dog that's eight or nine years old, versus the pedigree puppy you buy from a reputable breeder. You never know what baggage that dog from the rescue has, but you know exactly the kind of pedigree the puppy comes from and you have a blank slate to train, and love that puppy. And it will grow with you and be exactly the dog you have trained it to be. Understand?" Alexandra asked sweetly.

Violet felt more than a little pissed off at being compared to a dog, whether it's a pedigree line or mutt, she wasn't a dog. She let her anger grow as she stalked behind these two women who dared to talk about her in such vulgar, base terms.

"So how much time and money are we talking about? This seems like it could get really expensive," Eva said sounding more interested.

Alexandra laughed, "Have you not been paying attention, Eva? It will all depend on the sub and their traits, gifts, and abilities. Some people will never be good fighters, no matter how hard they train. Some will never be able to become master chefs, though they should improve and be good eventually. Everyone is different and everyone has different things they will excel at. It's your job as a Domme to learn about your sub and give them the ability to grow under you, by you guiding them towards what they're naturally good at."

"So, I'm at the mercy of what the sub is good at?" Eva protested.

"No," Alexandra said calmly. "A sub should never dictate to you what it is that you should train them as, or what areas of expertise you should train them in. But have realistic expectations. Just because you send a sub to a few dance classes, they're not going to all of a sudden become Vera Ellen or Fred Astair."

"Who's Vera Ellen and Fred Astair?" Eva asked.

Alexandra shook her head, "They were two of the best female and male dancers in Hollywood not so long ago, but that era is gone and it doesn't surprise me that you don't know their names." Alexandra sighed. "But enough of that. We have her till this evening, you were mentioning something about her look?"

Eva giggled as she glanced back at violet, "Yes, I want to see how she looks with different makeup. I want to see her with different looks, hair, makeup, nails, the works!"

Alexandra nodded and continued walking, "Well Eva, this will be a much less hands on kind of training, and you're in luck. The retreat just so happens to have a master makeup class and studio on the grounds that we can take her to and start her in her training in that area. Since she is still James' sub, we will need to ask permission to start her training in something that he didn't specify. Let me call him and you may take her down the hall and turn right. Follow the outside courtyard across to the other wing and turn right again, the studio is at the far end of A-wing."

Eva didn't look behind her but continued down the hallway, knowing that violet would be following her. She was almost excited to see this kind of thing. This is why she was so excited to actually find this kind of place and now she was going to see firsthand training of a sub. She couldn't keep the excitement out of her steps as she made herself calm down and stop walking so fast.

She followed the directions and found the frosted double doors of the makeup studio. She almost pushed open the doors, but she was still waiting on that guy, James, whoever he was to say yes or no about the training that she was going to start violet on. She really was eager to see the bitch that stole her promotion from her, in different looks. This James guy had better say yes.

She stood with a smile on her face, gazing deeply into the naked woman's eyes. She occasionally let her eyes slide down and look at her naked body under the collar. She really was attractive and she was in really good shape. She let her mind wander about other things. She almost giggled when she saw that violet had taken up a 'wait' pose. She kept her features smooth though and waited for Madame Alexandra to show up.

It was only a few moments before Alexandra showed up with a smile on her face, and Violet felt that warm buzzing deep inside her. Her eyelids dropped as she welcomed the sensation and just basked in the pleasure, knowing that she had done well, but not quite sure what that was, but she didn't care either.

"Did he say yes?" Eva asked impatiently.

Alexandra didn't answer but opened the door, and violet was ushered into the studio, as she started to move the buzzing inside her faded and she felt sad to have that soft buzzing go, but her eyes were met with a huge open space with salon chairs, sinks, and mirrors. This was the most futuristic salon she had ever been in. Everywhere she looked, she was met with rich and comfortable furniture, top of the line products in all shapes sizes and colors, and the place smelled amazing.

Alexandra moved into the room and smiled as she spoke with an older gentleman, "Pierre, so good to see you again."

The older man smiled and bowed to the Domme, "Madame Alexandra, you always brighten my studio with your presence. What may I do for you today?"

Violet noticed that Pierre nodded, and addressed Alexandra with her honorific but nothing in his posture or demeanor said anything about him being submissive.

Alexandra gestured to Eva, who said, "I want to start her," she said with a head toss towards violet, "on a training program with makeup and cosmetics. I want to know what she would look like with different looks, styles, different color hair, nails, I want her to know how to change her look however her Dom/me wants."

Violet was getting numb to people talking about her when she was standing right there. It was only here, and it was only for two weeks. She could deal with this, she had delt with more than that in her life. She felt stupid and almost shook her head. This was the dumbest thing that she had ever heard of. She was going to be taught how to do hair, nails, and makeup? Like she was ever going to be a position to actually use any of this in her hectic corporate life. But hey, maybe it'll give her something to focus on.

Pierre said, "We can start her on that path, I think. First, I'll need to do an assessment on her skills and where she's at. From here, do I have permission from her Dom/me to perform the assessment and begin the training?"

Alexandra nodded, "James has given his verbal consent to begin training and I trust her to your capable hands, Pierre."

"Very well, young lady, you may have a seat in the center chair," he said to violet directly.

Violet moved to the indicated salon chair and the mirror and the tired face that stared back at her. She didn't look like complete crap, but she had looked better.

Pierre came up behind her and cupped his chin in his right hand studying her. She felt really self-conscious all of a sudden.

"Hmmm... you have a classic, 'girl next door' look," mused Pierre. "Very pretty, but simple, easy to maintain, and not too taxing as far as maintenance goes." Pierre held up some colors to the mirror next to her reflection. "As an assessment, something to test you, I want you to apply makeup to craft a classic Adam's Family goth look, stark whites and deep shades of black. We won't worry about hair dye just now, but nails are a must. Do you understand what I'm telling you to do?"

"Yes, I understand but I don't know why I'm learning this or what purpose this will serve. And my name is Violet."

"As a sub, it is not your place to question what is being taught, only to accept the lesson and know that it is to please your Dom/me," Pierre replied ignoring the second part of her response. "I ask you again, do you understand what I have told you to do?"

"Yes, I understand," Violet said feeling silly and not just a little angry that this guy refused to address her by her name.

"Good girl, then you may begin."