Chapter 15: Etiquette

There was a knock at her door.  Drowsily J pushed up on her elbows and mumbled, “Yes?”  She was not sure how long she had been asleep but sunlight was streaming through her windows. He opened the door and stepped into her room. 

“Are you still sleeping?” he prodded.  He walked to her and placed a large glass of water in her hands. “Drink.  You need to stay hydrated.”  Once she had taken a sip he continued, “I am not sure how it has been with your previous Masters but you will not sleep the day away in this house.  I lead a busy life and you have things you should be doing.”  He looked at her with a disapproving eye and she took another long draught and swallowed hard.  “I will be back in thirty minutes for breakfast.  I expect you to be ready to go as soon as we finish eating.  You will go with me while I make my deliveries and we can pick up the things you need on the way home.”  He shook his head at her, turned, and left the room.  J sipped the water watching him walk away and smiled to herself.  He was tall and lean with broad shoulders.  Just watching the way he moved made her shutter.  She ran her tongue along the edge of the glass thinking how much she wanted to feel his touch.  J set the water aside and got out of bed slowly.  She could not get him out of her mind.  She took a quick shower, because she did not have time to linger, but when she got out she wondered what she would wear until she got some clothing.  She wandered out and found the laundry room just off the kitchen.  She found a soft wool work shirt held it to her face sniffing it.  It reminded her of the blue-eyed man.  She slipped into it and savored the feel of it against her bare skin.  It obscured her curves and the sleeves hung past her fingertips, but after rolling them up a couple times she thought it would have to do and at least she was covered. 

She popped some bread into the toaster and was looking for eggs while she twirled around lost in the music and her memories of what happened in this very room just the night before.  She did not hear when he walked through the back door.  He leaned against the doorframe and watched her.  There was something about this strange girl that captivated him, even if she was wearing his clothes.  “Girl, what are you wearing?” he snickered.

“I hope you do not mind, but I did not have anything to wear,” she blurted out.  She felt nervous under his scrutiny and added, “I found it in the laundry.”

“Well, you do look adorable, but I cannot take you to town wearing men’s clothing.”

“But….”

He cut her off, “No, and I will not tolerate any arguments out of you.  Now where is that breakfast?”

Just as he asked the toast popped up as if on cue, “How does eggs and toast sound?” she asked sheepishly.

“It sounds great.  Let’s quit dancing and get moving.”

Over breakfast she tried to find a way to ask him what she should wear to town but every time she tried he would point to her food with his fork and tell her, “Eat your breakfast.  We are late.”

When they were through, and he told her to give the shirt back, she tried to complain, “But I have nothing to wear.”

He smiled at her sweetly and said, “That’s okay.  You look wonderful like this.  Now get in the truck.”  He opened the back door and pointed her out the door with a swat of encouragement.

They had already turned onto the road that led back to Mystic Cove before J got the nerve to bring the subject up again, “Forgive me Sir, but I am naked.”

“What is to forgive girl?”

“We are going into town and there are people there.”

“Why yes there are.  Is this a problem?” he asked.  J thought that she heard his voice shift from a tone of amusement, but she could not tell if it changed to one of disappointment or impatience.

“Yes,” J emphasized somewhat louder than she meant it to come out. “I cannot walk around in front of all those people with no clothes on.”

“Why not?  Are you thinking of your own vanity or of pleasing me?”  He paused taking his eyes off the road to look at her momentarily, “I like to look upon you and it pleases me to see you like this.  Is that not enough for you?”

J swallowed hard, “Well, I do want to please you,” she stammered.

“Well good.  Then it is settled.  Naked it is.  Besides, what good is a vessel with clothing?” He laughed, but J did not know what he found so amusing.

They made several stops to drop off bundles of flowers that had been loaded into the back of the truck.  At each stop J carefully made excuses to stay in the truck.  He always parked the truck behind the shop and J had slid down low in the seat.  He did not seem to notice or did not say if he did.  After one such stop he hopped back into the truck and announced, “One more stop and we can get your chitons, so you will feel more comfortable.”

J nodded, “Thank you, Sir”

The truck turned up a road that was familiar to J.  They were headed to the Squeeze Inn.  His hand was draped over the steering wheel and he seemed more relaxed than earlier, “I am sure you remember this place,” he remarked.  J nodded.  They pulled up to the back door, where J had once tried to venture out on an ill-fated quest.  There by the door, standing in five neat rows, were twenty-five of the Squeeze Girls she had seen before.  There was a man she recognized standing with them.  J smiled when she realized it was Richard.  He had tied her to the cross and helped Tracker Jenkins bind her for transportation to the Detention Center.  J stole a worried look over at the man sitting in the driver’s seat next to her and wondered if he was going to desert her here like Master Hunter had.  She looked at the ordered rows of Squeeze Girls and she knew she did not want to be in a small room like them; having to entertain any man that came to the tavern. “I,” she started to think of another excuse, but this time he stopped her.

“J I want you to stay in the truck again, please,” he declared before stepping out the door to greet Richard. 

They greeted each other with a vigorous handshake and a hearty, “Good Morning.”  However, Richard added, “Mr. Eder, you are late.  Is that fine new vessel of yours keeping you busy at home?” and he laughed lasciviously.

“She is quite a handful, but we are managing,” the blue-eyed man replied impassively.

Richard moved towards J’s open window.  His eyes were on her but he was talking over his shoulder.  “Well anytime she gets to be too much I would be willing to take her off your hands.”  Remembering his duties he added, “Girls get this truck unloaded or Miss Avishag will have us all whipped.”  He reached her door, folded his arms on the lowered glass, and leaned in. “Yes, as lovely as I remember. J, is it now?”

J nodded and dropped one hand, into her lap, to cover her shaved patch of bare skin and folded the other arm over her breasts in a vain attempt to hide from his gaze.

“The last time we spoke you were all covered up.  This is a much better look,” he smiled and turned back to survey the girls emptying the flowers from the truck.

“Yes, Mr. Eder, a very fine vessel.  It’s too bad you beat me out in the auction, but I am willing to pay handsomely if you ever change your mind.”  He leaned back on the window and spoke to J again, “You will have to convince your new Master to hold a levee and tasting party if he has not already claimed you.”  He smiled and added, “But a ceremonial party is fun too.”  He gently lifted the hand that was gripping her arm.  As he lifted it to his mouth his eyes dropped to admire J’s exposed breasts.  Kissing her hand he added, “I would be honored to attend.  Would you like that, J?”

A party sounded fun and she wanted to be polite so she smiled and nodded back at him.  She would, of course, want him to attend as he had been so kind to her that day at the Inn when Master Hunter had disappeared and the boys had chased her through the garden.  He had watched while they spanked her and then taken her away when the Inn’s owner had so unsympathetically demanded she be arrested.

Once the Squeeze Girls had emptied the truck of all of the flowers and Richard had handed over the next day’s order the blue-eyed Sir Eder had climbed back into the driver’s seat, next to J, and started the engine with a roar.  He pulled a watch out of his pocket and looked at the time before putting the truck into gear and backing away from the Inn.  Richard still stood outside watching as they pulled away.  “Sir?  What is a levee and tasting party?” She asked innocently.

He laughed uproariously, “Is that what he was whispering in your ear?”

J sunk down in her seat and nodded quietly saying, “Yes.”

“And what did you tell that ol’ fox?”

“He asked me to ask you to have the party, so I told him I would,” she replied slightly bewildered.

“Well, I am sure he asked to be the first on the guest list too,” Sir Eder chortled.  “As if I would let him near you,” he added with an edge in his voice.

“Sir?”

As they drove Sir Eder explained to her that a levee and tasting party is a party held when a new vessel has been purchased.  All of the man’s friends are invited to gather at the home. The vessel is, first, prepared by the women, with oils and perfumes.  Once she is ready she is brought blindfolded into the room where the men are waiting, silently.  If it is the first claiming the vessel may not even be aware that anyone else is in the room.  Her upper body is draped on a table. The women stay with her and hold her hands and tie her feet to supports.  The guests gather around to watch as the vessel is helplessly claimed for the first time by her new Master.  Then, with the blindfold still in place, each man steps forward to taste her.  She is then licked and prodded by each man, in turn, until the girl is able to recognize the touch of her Master.  The guests then declare him her one and true Master and the blindfold can be removed.  They then celebrate well into the night and she is often shared with the men in attendance.

J sat silently and listened to the explanation before she whispered, “He asked me to invite him to do that?”   When she realized what she had agreed to her face flushed before she covered her mouth and exclaimed, “Oh no, I told him yes.”

“Well then if that is what you want, I guess you better start planning,” Sir Eder said looking at her laughing uproariously.

“Oh no.  That is not what I want Sir,” she told him; her words rushing out of her in a panic.

He smiled calmly and touched his palm to her cheek, “Neither do I girl.”

She smiled, let out a deep sigh, turned her head and kissed his palm.  She closed her eyes and kissed him again.  He tasted divine on her lips.  She opened her mouth, brushed her lips against his palm once more and let her tongue delicately sweep across his skin.

He coughed, pulled his hand away, and cleared his throat before stating, “It is late and the shop I was going to take you to will be closed for lunch.  Let’s go to the market and see what the farmers have in fresh today.”

She looked down at herself and back to him before she slowly nodded.  Her hands twisted and she chewed her lip relentlessly until the truck pulled to a stop near a row of little shops facing the beach.  Silently she encouraged herself.  She wanted more than anything to please Sir Eder.  Wearing a bikini on the beach was one thing, but she had almost always worn a shirt over her swimsuit.  He stood at her door holding it open for her and she had to force her legs to move.  Timidly she let her body slide off the seat until her toes touched solid ground.  He closed the truck door and she stood exposed to the world.  She fought the panic rising in her and moved closer to Sir Eder. 

The two stood beside the truck parked near of a long row of small shops.  The shops along the esplanade faced the water and a wide cobblestone walk divided them from the sandy beach full of sun bathers.  They looked like the shops at the edge of the beach; near the bungalow she had rented with Meg.  “Sir, have you ever seen a record shop on a corner near here?  It has bongo drums hanging from the awnings.”

Thoughtfully he answered, “No I do not think that I have.  Why do you ask?”

“Well, Meg and I rented a small bungalow just a half block up from that shop and she does not know where I am.  I would not want her to worry.”

“Well, if we have time we can look for it later if you like,” he offered.  Then he strode off towards the third shop in the row and J ducked in behind him as closely as she dared.  She knew that she could not hide but it still gave her a small sense of comfort.

Inside the shelter of the shop J began to relax a little.  She still hid behind Sir Eder, but there were only a few shoppers and they were all women.  The shop was full of bins overloaded with fresh fruits and vegetables so they concealed her from watchful eyes.  Sir Eder looked over his shoulder at her cowering behind him and smirked, “Why so timid today?”

J looked up at his smiling face and forced herself to stand up straight and return his smile.

“Shoulders back and remember you are beautiful,” he encouraged and she rewarded his praise by doing as he asked.  She was surprised that his simple words kindled her desire to please him.

He returned to examining the bright red fruit. J looked around and for the first time was aware that no one was looking at her.  They were consumed with their own tasks and the knot in her stomach began to untwist.  Her smile felt more natural.  She concentrated on the way he examined the fruit and how he moved.  There was a quiet confident power in his effort to find perfection. 

Moments later she was watching him so intently that she did not hear a woman approach the bin beside her.  However, when J caught a slight movement out of the corner of her eye it made her jump.  She blushed, quickly pressed one arm over her breasts, and waved sheepishly, “Hello,” she offered in quiet greeting, “I am sorry I did not see you there.”

One woman nearby gasped, dropped her vegetables which rolled across the floor when she hastily fled from the shop.  The stunned woman next to J just looked from J to Sir Eder.  Her eyes darting around the store looking for some unseen answer and her mouth dropped open and closed, in silent shock.  Women throughout the shop gasped in disbelief and stood staring at J.  J tried to cover herself, but Sir Eder grabbed her arm and shook it forcing her to her knees, on the floor, while offering his measured apologizes to the speechless woman, “I am so very sorry Ma’am.  She will be reprimanded appropriately.”

“Well I should hope so” was the only response from the now indignant woman who dropped her basket on the floor in front of J.  She then huffed, turned on her heels, and left the shop.

“My apologizes to all of you fine ladies,” he announced before he hoisted J up by her arm until she was standing on tiptoe beside him.  In her ear he admonished, “I am doing this to save your reputation in this town so you had better handle this as well as you did in the tavern.”  He then turned to the shop owner and asked, “Sir, she will make amends but do you have a taw that I might borrow?” 

The shop owner shook his head and spoke hushed tones of comfort to the women standing next to him.  Still holding her on tiptoe Sir Eder hauled J out of the shop and onto the esplanade. 

“Sir, I did not think I should have gotten out,” she started but did not finish her sentence.

“Silence!  You foolish girl,” he scolded in a deep voice.

On the side of the walkway, opposite the shop, was a large wooden column that reached nearly to J’s waist.  Attached to the top was an aging metal ring with layers of black paint.  He marched directly to the column and stood J in front of it.  “You do not have a collar so bend over and hold on tightly to the post.”  Bewildered J did as she was told, but was met only by a deep sigh and his condemnation, “and for heaven’s sake spread your legs!”  J waited for him to spank her like he had the night before but instead he stood silently beside her with his arms folded watching the crowd.  Soon a coin dropped into a small woven basket that lay on the street beside the pillar.

“Fine specimen you have here Sir,” a strange voice offered in greeting. 

Sir Eder only grunted. 

J flinched when she felt a strange hand brush across her exhibited posterior.  She looked up to Sir Eder whose raised eyebrow warned her not to move.  The stranger struck three blows across her bare cheeks. His hand made another pass over her skin declaring, “What a lovely shade of pink. I think I shall have three more please.”  He dropped another coin in the basket and took three more swipes at J.  A tear ran down J’s nose and dropped to the pavement below. 

She bit her cheek and was still struggling to compose herself when she heard a young voice ask, “Mother may I try?”

A woman impatiently replied, “Jeremy you have a foster of your own.  Why would this girl interest you?”

He answered, “Because father says that I am too young to discipline my girl and until I am older he has forbidden me from touching her.”

Thoughtfully she replied, “Well I suppose that you need to learn somewhere and better here than on one of our girls.  Alright,” she relented.  Several coins dropped into the basket. 

He swatted at her three times, but it inflicted little pain.  “Mother look how lovely my handprints look on her skin,” he said with wonder.  “Sir, I would like another go,” he spoke to Sir Eder this time. 

“I am sure your father would never approve,” came his mother’s quick reprimand. 

“Hmm, what father does not know…” and several coins were drawn from his own pocket and deposited in the basket. 

“Jeremy, where did you get that money?” the mother scolded.

“Oh mother.  I am the son of the Aide to the Mayor.  Do you really think I have no access to funds?” the young man replied in a whiney nasally voice. 

This time the blows were harder, but they were over quickly.  His hand rested on her skin, “The heat feels lovely,” he commented and his hand began to slowly fumble lower searching for J’s exposed slit. 

J looked to Sir Eder; her eyes begging for rescue but his eyes were on the young man.  The bold young man slipped his pinkie finger between the separation of her cheeks and his hand slid towards her thighs.  When J reached a point where she was about to cry out Sir Eder’s hand shot out wrenching the young man’s hand away.  “You have paid for a privilege that you have already taken and I will thank you not to take more than you have paid for.” 

Quietly the mother offered her apologizes and dropped several more coins into the basket before hurrying the sniggering young man away.

This process continued with J accepting coins while Sir Eder stood careful guard.  She learned quickly that she could trust that he would keep her safe.  He did not stop the punishing blows but they were never more than she could bear.  J could not see what was happening behind her, but she watched his face for any sign of approval.  She savored those few appreciative glances.  Eventually the crowd that had gathered grew large enough that it spread to the sides and into her view.  She lowered her gaze to the ground and held the post so tightly her knuckles turned white.  Bits of conversation drifted into her ears; most of it reproachful.  She closed her eyes and stood still.  The sun was hot and her back ached, but she was determined to see this task completed admirably. 

A gravelly voice behind her startled her.  She had been unaware anyone had stepped so close.  He announced, “I was on my way to the pier to use a cage girl, but this hole will do nicely and I will not have to walk so far.” 

Sir Eder cleared his throat protectively, “Sir, it seems we are done for the day.” 

“What?  I will pay and when I have used her you can be on your way.” 

“No Sir I said we are done.” 

“Do you think your vessel is too good for me?” the man asked growing indignant.

“Yes, she is far too valuable to be used on the street like a common cage girl and I will be the only one to use her.” 

A harsh hand reached out and rested on her waist.  “I wonder if this girl has even been claimed.  Maybe I will claim her for my own.” 

“Remove your hand,” Sir Eder directed in a controlled voice.  He then added, “J pick up the basket and take it inside.”  J was stiff and when she retrieved the basket some of the coins toppled out onto the ground.  He raised his voice, with a sense of urgency, and added a stern, “Leave them!”

J scrambled with what remained in the basket and dashed inside the shop without looking back until she was safely hidden behind the tables of vegetables.  The two men stood toe to toe and nose to nose glaring at each other, but with nothing to fight over the gruff man stormed off in the direction of the pier. 

Sir Eder entered the shop grumbling, “… more trouble than she is worth.” 

Once his eyes adjusted to the light in the shop Sir Eder spotted J’s hiding place, “There you are.  Come here.” 

She thought she heard the sound of relief in his voice.  He smoothed back her hair and asked, “Are you alright?”  She nodded and offered him the basket.  Rather than take it from her he kissed her forehead and added the coins he had retrieved before he firmly grasped her arm and paraded her to the shop owner where he again pushed her to her knees on the floor.  “J, speak,” he ordered. 

J looked up at the shop owner.  She flinched and turned to Sir Eder and back to the shop owner again.  She stumbled over her words, unsure of what he wanted her to say, “I,” she halted not knowing how to proceed. 

“J, give the man his money, apologize, and hope that it is enough to cover all the troubles you have caused here today.”  J heard his level of impatience rise as she stalled.

She turned to the shop keeper still unsure of what she had done, but meekly offered a simple, “I am very sorry.  Here,” she said offering up the basket to him. 

The shopkeeper took the basket and fingered through the coins before he said, “It will do.”  He dumped the coins into his pocket and handed the empty basket back to Sir Eder.  Without another word he turned his back on them and walked through a doorway, behind the counter.

Sir Eder instructed, “Come J we will have to buy our supplies at another shop, but I may leave you in the truck next time.”  She lowered her head and quietly followed his feet back to where they had parked.  He held the door while she crawled back into her seat.  The door slammed shut rocking the frame of the old worn truck.  J stared down at her hands while he trudged back to the post to return the basket.

When he climbed into the truck he had walked off much of his adrenaline, but J sat silently listening to him fume.  Unable to bear the silence tears trickled down her face and pooled in her hands that lay clasped in her lap.  Finding her voice she whispered, “I really am sorry.”

He slipped the key into the ignition and turned towards her.  Compassion washed over his face, “Do not ever make me offer another apology for your behavior and we will never speak of this again.”  J sniffed, swiped at a new tear that had emerged, and nodded.

He turned the key and the truck roared to life. 

They turned up a quiet back street and parked.  He jumped out and as was now his custom he opened her door and waited for her to lower herself to the smooth cobblestones.  Her head was lowered, but he reached out and lifted her chin.  She struggled to keep her eyes on his.  She would hold his gaze for a moment and then hers would sink to the ground again.  He waited patiently for her to maintain her focus and turn her full attention to him. With one hand still supporting her chin he raised the other and held up a single finger to his mouth.  When she nodded he took her hand and without a word led her up the street to a plain door with a simple hand-painted sign hanging above it.  The sign was pink and in bold white letters it said, “CHITONS”. 

Inside the room was well lit.  There was a plump woman seated behind a high counter that served as a desk.  She stood to greet them.  “Good morning,” she said in a feigned exaggerated cheery voice, “How may I help you?”

He squeezed J’s hand; his grip was firm but not painful.  Reassured J looked up at Sir Eder and smiled.  He smiled back and her feelings of shame were soothed.

“I would like to outfit her completely.  We will need several chitons with matching bustiers,” he stated is a very pragmatic voice.

The woman nodded and dragged herself out of her chair.  “I see.  For the young lady?” she stalled, giving time for her weight to adjust to her new upright position.

Sir Eder replied simply, “Yes.”

“Very well; let’s put her up on the riser,” the woman said pulling out her long yellow measuring tape.  She trudged to the middle of the room where under bright lights was a large circular step and in the middle was a slightly smaller raised circle.

J reluctantly stepped into the spotlight.  Her hands folded in front of her she kept her eyes lowered to the floor as the woman prattled on to Sir Eder about fabric quality and design patterns.  It was decided that J would have a traditional knee length chiton for working around the house and the woman disappeared into a back room through a curtain in the wall.

Sir Eder took a seat near the door and watched her carefully.  When she finally peeked up at him from the corner of her eye he was grinning.  She blushed and returned his smile. With his finger he beckoned her to him and as she slowly stepped down from her perch he patted his knee.  She crept across the carpet and curled up in his waiting arms.  She buried her face in his shoulder and wrapped her arms around his neck.  “Better?” he asked and she nodded rubbing her face into his neck.

He kissed her forehead, again, and set her on the floor at his feet, “I think you need more than just work clothes.  I want to see you in something nice.  Would you like that?”  She nodded cheerfully and the light returned to her eyes.  “Okay then get back up there and make me proud to call you mine.”  She struggled to her feet and he patted her still rosy posterior. 

Proudly, back on her perch J waited until the woman returned laden with garments in every color.  J tried on the blue one first.  The first chitons were made from a single piece of long fabric that had a hole in the center so that it would slide over her head.  It draped over her figure clinging to her curves, but was open from her shoulders to the bottom, that just skimmed the top of her thighs.  The only stitching was a simple fabric trim and shoestring style ties, which hung loose, on each side at her waist.  She tried some that were draped around her body and tied at the shoulders but it was decided that the second style was impractical for Sir Eder’s needs.

J found one, made of a thin silk, that she favored above the others.  She especially liked the delicate beading along the hemline.  The saleswomen stood back, with one arm folded across her middle and her other arm propped up supporting her chin, while she studied J.  She walked from one side to the other and then around to J’s back.  She finally announced, “I think we have a perfect fit.” 

“I would like to see it with the bustier first,” Sir Eder corrected.

“Oh yes, yes, of course,” she proclaimed waving her arms in the air before lifting the fabric back off of J.  “With her coloring I brought out a royal bustier that I hope you will like,” she explained while she dug through the pile until she found the piece she wanted.  She brought the soft fabric and pressed it to J’s back.  It wrapped around and fastened in front, which she demonstrated while she explained its functionality.  It was snug around J’s ribs and pushed her breasts up so that she felt like a coquettish tavern wench from a Dickens novel.

Sir Eder shook his head thoughtfully, “No.  The bottom is nice, maybe a few too many stays, but there is far too much fabric on the top.”  He stepped up to J and tugged at the fabric covering her breasts.  “This should be lower.  I want support, but not complete concealment.”

They tried on three more before he was content with one that was made of sheer white lace.  It held J snuggly in place but just skirted below her nipples.  She felt sensual and when he asked her to turn she gladly complied.  He ordered eight of the bustiers and eight of the simple chitons in various colors.  Then he asked the woman to bring out some formal wear for J to try.

The woman disappeared behind the curtain and soon returned with a silver rack lined with flowing floor length gowns.  The fabrics were silk, satin, and lace.   J picked a deep blue with white lace trim.  The sales woman helped her put it on.  It too was open on both sides from her shoulders to the floor and the fabric was gathered at the shoulders where diamond encrusted broaches connect the front panel to the back and matching broaches replaced the ties at her waist.  The back panel had additional fabric that allowed it to hang open gracefully exposing her bare back.  There were additional panels covering her torso that had delicate flowers sewn in beads and diamond crystals lined the hem at her waist.  J had never felt more elegant.  She fell in love with the first one and found another just like it in red.  Sir Eder picked out one more that was dark at the top and changed to red as it got closer to her feet.  The entire gown was embroidered with bouquets of colorful flowers.  Her measurements were taken and it was decided that the formal gowns would be ready in one week’s time.

While Sir Eder paid the woman J put on one of the bustiers and a soft pink chiton.  The bustier held her breasts tightly in position and when the chiton fabric caressed her salient nipples they rapidly turned to small mounds that announced themselves to all who would listen.  She felt grateful to have clothes again so that she would not offend the ladies in the market, but wondered if she might draw more attention shrouded like a delicious piece of cotton candy.  She did not want to make the mistake of offending anyone again or have to endure having strangers torment her.  She gladly gathered up her packages and very politely offered the sales woman, “Thank you,” as they left the shop.

Before the door closed Sir Eder seized her and pushed her back against the wall, “Girl have you learned nothing today?”

“What?” J asked in horror.

“You do not speak unless you are spoken to.  Do you have no training at all?” Sir Eder growled.  He quickly turned to the sales woman and offered her an apology, explaining that J was a newly acquired and a promise that she would be properly punished.

The stricken woman fanned herself with some papers from the desk and gasped, “Just do not ever bring her back here.”

J nearly dropped her packages when Sir Eder grabbed her arm and rushed her towards the truck.  She pleaded, “Sir, I did not know.  I am sorry.”  When he did not respond she continued to beg, “I was excited and just wanted to thank her for being so nice.  I did not mean to do anything wrong.  Really.”

When he finally replied it was through gritted teeth, “Do not confuse my kindness with weakness.  If I am kind it is because I choose to be kind, not because of some weakness on my part.”  He frowned at J, “Do you expect me to believe that you did not know you were trampling on the most basic fundamentals of etiquette, not once but twice in one day?”  He stopped and turned her until she was facing him.  In a controlled lowered voice with his anger still apparent he asked, “What did you think all of that spanking was about?”

“I,” she hesitated and clutched at the packages as if they were her favorite security blanket.  “I thought I offended those women by being naked,” she mumbled in a vain attempt at explanation.

“You what?”  He sputtered; his voice rose in confusion and exasperation.

“I thought you were angry because the women saw me naked,” she replied blinking at her own candor.

“But I told you to leave the shirt at home,” he added flatly.

J shrugged and bit her lip.

Comprehension began to gather like the sun’s rays at daybreak, “Just how much training do you have?”

J shrugged again, “Just what Master Hunter taught me and what I learned in the prison.”

“Detention Center and do not shrug; it is unbecoming,” he corrected.  “Okay, so what did this Master Hunter teach you?”  She told him about the collar that controlled her movements and about holding up her arms when they tapped her with the stick in the Detention Center.  “And that is all?” he asked with an air of skepticism.

J nodded and could not fight the tear that slid down her cheek.  “I am really sorry.  You have been so nice I did not mean to cause any trouble.  You can take me back to the Detention Center if you want.”

Sir Eder stood up to his full height and squared his shoulders, “Let’s get one thing straight.  You do not tell me what I can do and I will not be taking you back to any Detention Center.”  Hearing his words J could not fight the slightest twinge of a smile as it fought its way to her lips. “However, before I bring you into town again we need to go over some basics.”

He turned and headed for the truck.  “Come on.  We,” he cleared his throat before correcting himself, “I need to make one more stop.”

A few moments later they pulled up in front of another shop.  Painted in bright colors across the front windows read, “Stop here for your Security Needs.”  He turned to J and told her to stay in the truck and admonished her to not speak to anyone before he jumped out of the truck, dogged two young kids on bikes, and rushed into the shop across the street.  He was not gone long, but when he returned to the truck he was whistling and carrying a large paper bag.

He placed the bag between then on the floor and fished around in it until he pulled out a small rubber ball.  He turned to J and said, “This should do the trick.  Open your mouth.”

J opened her mouth and he placed the ball between her teeth.  It was small enough that she could stretch her lips to cover it but too large that she would accidentally swallow it.  “Lovely.  That should remind you not to speak,” he said satisfied with his efforts.  “Do not remove that until we get home,” he admonished.  He fought the urge to take her straight home and instead drove to a market to finish the day’s errands.

He watched her struggle to keep the ball in position through the stores.  The truck seemed to crawl across the endless countryside during the trip home, but they had finally arrived to the solace of his farm.  J was clearly tired.  She had closed her eyes and leaned her head against the window, yet she never let the ball slip from her lips.  When they were home he helped her from the truck and carried the groceries to the kitchen.  While she took her packages to her room he slipped up the stairs and tucked the brown paper bag away in a cupboard.

In the kitchen J was already preparing a large salad.  He startled her when he walked up behind her, pressed his body against hers, and slipped his hands between the folds of fabric to lay his hands on her warm thighs.  She surprised him when she leaned back and he welcomed the return of his comforting gesture after a long day.  He reached around and gently removed the ball from her mouth and washed it in the sink before storing it in a glass.  They ate dinner quietly.  He watched the way her mouth looked as she ate and had difficulty focusing on his own plate.

After dinner he had her come to the living room and kneel for him.  He wanted to be sure that she was okay before he sent her off to bed for the night.  He liked the look of the chiton on her, but preferred to see her without it at home.  He pulled her into his lap and untied the fabric at her waist and slipped it over her head.  She nuzzled into his neck and he held her tight unsure if he felt her quiver.

“You were a good girl today,” he reassured, “and I was proud of you, but before we go to town again I will be sure you are prepared.  I want you to get a good night’s sleep because we are going to work hard tomorrow,” he explained with his cheek pressed to her head.  “Say goodnight.”

She kissed his cheek and whispered, “Goodnight, Sir,” with her lips pressed against his ear and they sent shockwaves through his body.  He was immediately aroused watching her bend to retrieve her chiton from the floor he and was tempted to drag her up the stairs to his room, but managed to restrain himself long enough for her to scamper off to the safety of her room and close the door.  He sat in his chair reminding himself of the importance of restraining his own urges over giving in to them, but it was a long hard battle before he could walk up the stairs to his empty bed.