by Sarah Veitch
When Charlotte was fully spread-eagled, a youth stepped forward and used the trestle's straps to bind her wrists and ankles in place. He then brought another heavier strap across her waist, fixing her to the table like a butterfly on a pin.
Karo approached Charlotte's head.
'Slave, when we were on isle one, you were treated to the self control game. Do you remember?'
Her breath quickening, Charlotte nodded.
'Remind me of what it was,' Karo said.
Aware that a dozen strangers were listening, Charlotte sought to find the least demeaning words. 'You... restrained me on a table like this and... and fingered my private places, Mistress,' she said.
'I ran a finger down the crack in your arse again and again,' Karo said cruelly. 'And what did you do?'
'I got excited.'
'You wriggled like an eel and begged me for an orgasm,' Karo said.
Charlotte closed her eyes, sure that her face was going pink. She waited for Karo's teasing finger. But the woman walked away and the British girl momentarily relaxed.
She tensed up again as she realised that Karo was approaching one of the glass cases on the wall. She opened it and returned seconds later holding a very large feather.
'This is much more sensuous than a finger,' she warned. She looked at her watch. 'I'll start the Endurance Test now and it's to continue for half an hour. As the test is about self control, the object is that you don't give in to the urge to orgasm. If you do, I'll give you to the audience for ten minutes - and they're a creative lot.'
She wouldn't orgasm. She'd think of the most horrible images she could - of world famine, of war, of... The feather slid deliciously down her deep divide and Charlotte groaned.
Before she could recover her equilibrium, the feather traced its hellish path again. Desire rushed to her pubis. She pushed forward the little she could and realised that her clitoris was moving against some kind of wooden mound.
'It's a clitoral pleaser,' Karo explained, obviously realising that she'd encountered it. 'It doesn't move or vibrate - so you only feel it if you wriggle about.'
'It's not fair,' Charlotte muttered.
'Life isn't fair. Get used to it,' Karo said.
Charlotte moaned loudly as the feather produced its sensuous sensations again. Karo seemed to know just how slowly and lightly to apply the silken torment. The twenty-six year old cried out as the feather offered her buttock crack an immediate encore. To her shame, the audience broke into loud applause.
'She has a very fine arse,' Karo told them in a conversational tone. 'Very taut, very smooth - and very sensitive. I played with it on isle one and soon had her begging for release.' She feathered Charlotte's crack again and again. 'But you aren't allowed release this time, are you, sweetheart? If you come, the men and women here will want to teach you even more self control...'
'What if I can't help myself?' Charlotte muttered raggedly, her clit swelling.
'Then you'll make my guests very happy,' Karo said.
She applied the feather to Charlotte's buttock cleft for the umpteenth time, drawing it slowly down so that it awakened the tiny hairs and the numerous nerve endings. Charlotte could feel herself getting very wet. She wondered if the test was having the same effect on Karo who must enjoy watching her bare buttocks tense.
'And again,' Karo said.
Charlotte felt herself getting close to the edge. 'Mistress, I'll do anything.'
'Good, well don't orgasm then,' Karo said.
'Getting close...' Charlotte slurred as the feather was drawn even more slowly down. 'Soon,' she whimpered as the feather was applied again.
'Hold it, you disobedient little bitch,' Karo said, feathering and feathering.
'Got to...' Charlotte mumbled, 'oh please.'
'Don't you dare fail this first test,' Karo added, applying the soft down again and again to Charlotte's bottom.
Beyond endurance, Charlotte gave a series of little cries then came and came. When her climax at last subsided, she became aware that Karo was still staring down at her, disappointment clouding her face.
She shook her head. 'I might have known that you'd fail. I have to go out now. Would any of the assembled ladies and gentlemen like to take young Charlotte to task?'
There was a general murmur of consensus from the seated watchers.
'Mr Henson, you can go first,' Karo said.
A tall, greying man in his late fifties approached Charlotte's head.
'You've been such a naughty girl,' he whispered salaciously.
Charlotte gritted her teeth and forced back a rude response.
'Do you want her over your lap?' Karo asked, reaching for Charlotte's wrist restraints.
'No, leave her tied to the restraining table whilst she and I have a little talk.'
'All right, you can humiliate her as a punishment for orgasming without permission,' the older woman said.
She left. Mr Henson went up to the glass cases on the wall and opened one. To Charlotte's horror, she saw that he'd fetched another feather.
'Please, not again,' she begged.
'But I love to watch you squirm,' the man said, tracing the soft fronds between her buttocks, 'and hear you wail.'
A few minutes later Charlotte realised that her second orgasm was close. A climax would earn her further punishment.
'Can't I do something else to please you?' she whispered in a seductive voice.
'That depends. What have you got on offer?' Mr Henson murmured, tormenting her divide yet again with the hellish plumage.
'My mouth or my cunt,' Charlotte said.
'And is your cunt very tight and hot?' the man queried, using the feather to make Charlotte writhe.
'So hot and tight you can't imagine.'
'I suppose I might as well enter you seeing as you're so desperate,' the man said ungrammatically.
To Charlotte's disappointment, he didn't untie her from the trestle. Instead, he left her spread-eagled, unzipped himself and clambered on top. Seconds later she felt the head of his cock nudging at her entrance. He pushed harder and she felt him slide all the way in.
The man began to thrust in and out of her, sliding his hands under her body until he found her soft breasts. He held them as if they were reigns as he bucked in and out.
'You're a wet little minx,' he gasped as his thrusting intensified.
'Yes sir,' Charlotte muttered into the trestle table, glad that he'd put the feather away.
She tensed up as he shuddered to a climax. Would he start to torment her buttock crack again?
Suddenly a voice rang out across the hall. 'What exactly is going on here?'
Charlotte knew before she raised her head from the trestle that it was Karo's voice.
'You said I could humiliate her...' Mr Henson mumbled, clambering from Charlotte's back and rezipping himself. 'And she suggested this.'
'If she suggested it then it's hardly humiliation,' Karo said. She looked from one to the other, clearly displeased at their interaction. 'Charlotte, your training will recommence tomorrow. You're free for the rest of the day.'
As soon as they untethered her, Charlotte stumbled towards the Endurance Room door.
'Haven't you forgotten something?' Karo asked.
Charlotte stopped and stared. She'd been naked when she arrived so how could she have left anything?
'I don't think so,' she admitted, puzzled.
'You've forgotten to thank us all for the helpful training session,' Karo said.
Christ, the bitch was going to extract every last ounce of belittlement from this session.
'Thank you for the training session,' Charlotte murmured, bowing low.
'Be back here again at ten tomorrow for further training that may well involve these pretty, pointy nipples,' her mistress said.
'And I can leave the house now for a few hours?'
'You can stay out all night if it suits you. I'm only interested in having you back here, naked and tethered, tomorrow at ten.'
<
br /> This latest humbling over, Charlotte left and made her way to one of the first floor bathrooms. After a long bath, she wandered about the vast house until she found Nicki setting out cutlery in the dining room.
'Where do I find something to wear?' she asked, indicating her nakedness.
'You don't. Karo would have given you clothes if she wanted you to have them,' Nicki said.
'So I just wander about the island naked?'
Nicki nodded. 'You'll see other miscreants similarly nude.'
Charlotte hesitated. She hated the prospect of strangers eyeballing every inch of her flesh - but she also hated the thought of being stuck in the house when the entire island beckoned. Eventually, the lure of freedom won and she set off down the path and through the gates. All that she wore was her water bottle which was strapped, for ease of carriage, around her waist.
She walked for a long time, enjoying the sun on her bare shoulders. She walked past a cafe with smiling diners seated by the window then stopped to look in various small shops and furniture workshops. Just as she was tiring, she noticed a large library.
Charlotte walked in and two of the librarians giggled. Ignoring them, she hurried to the back of the room which had a long table, chairs and a microfiche. She didn't really want to check out the library's records - but she needed a rest and the microfiche hid her nakedness from most people in the room.
For fifteen minutes she sat, watching the various borrowers returning books and browsing the shelves. Suddenly a familiar voice called her name and she looked to her left to see a girl in school uniform hurrying towards her.
'Amanda!' Charlotte said, recognising her former friend. It seems ages since she and Amanda had shared a school dormitory here on isle two, often under the watchful eye of Mr Steen.
'What are you doing here? And why are you naked?' Amanda asked quizzically, pulling up a seat.
'I'm here for a break. That is, I was out for a walk and saw this place. I'm staying at Karo's. The bitch thinks it's funny to send me out without any clothes.'
'I heard that you'd been expelled - but I thought you were conscripted into the army?' Amanda said.
Charlotte nodded even more glumly. 'They were cunts there too so I ran away then got thrown in jail.' She leaned closer to the German girl. 'I didn't realise we had such a cushy number when we were at school.'
Amanda nodded. 'I like it there. Every day I learn more about the world, about my own psychology and physiology.'
'All I learn about is fucking feathers,' Charlotte said. She caught Amanda's puzzled look and added 'Don't ask.'
'So, can I visit you?' Amanda asked.
Charlotte wanted to see her friend again but didn't know if the rules allowed for it. 'I've no idea,' she admitted sadly. Then she rallied 'But I'm free for the rest of the day and the evening. How about we party now?'
'Drink, you mean?' Amanda asked.
'Yeah. I saw a couple of bars back there.'
'We could,' Amanda said slowly, 'but I'd have to change out of my school uniform.'
'I've found myself a washing line in the past...' Charlotte murmured.
'But Charlotte, that's stealing,' Amanda said.
Charlotte sighed inside but put on her sweetest voice. 'No Amanda, it's just borrowing. I put the things back.'
'Just as long as you don't expect me to borrow anything,' Amanda said.
The long-term borrowing turned out to be easier than they'd dared to hope. Charlotte found a loose grey dress pinned to a clothes line and quickly donned it. Meanwhile Amanda took off her school tie and school blouse and replaced it with her sports shirt. Then, giggling, they hurried to the nearest bar and ordered double gins.
'I love the fact that everything here's free,' Charlotte said as they found a cosy alcove near the open skylight.
'Well, it's not really free - we pay for it with our labour,' Amanda said.
Charlotte choked on her first sip of gin. 'What labour do you do? These fuckers have got you playing at being back to school.'
'Yeah, a school where I'm learning anatomy, physiology and health. I'll be more than ready to help Miss Barr teach gym classes when I graduate.'
'Well, all I'm learning about is the power of the restraint table,' Charlotte said.
Amanda, who was already halfway through her double gin, clearly decided to ignore this bizarre remark. Instead she asked, 'Weren't you useful in the army?'
'I guess so. We were getting fit so that we could save the island from storm damage or flood.'
'And did you have tasks to complete in prison?'
'Uh huh. I was making furniture.'
'So you more than earned her keep - and glasses of gin.'
'If you put it like that...' Charlotte said. She swigged back her drink and ordered another double. 'You know something?' she added angrily. 'That bitch Suki ruined everything for me.'
'Suki?' Amanda asked.
'Used to be a submissive little cow - but she's gotten uppity since she moved here to isle two and started police admin.'
Several drinks later, Amanda asked 'And how exactly did she ruin you?'
'Made up lies to the authorities about me,' Charlotte said. She drank yet more gin. 'We should wait near the police station and grab the little bitch. You can hold her down whilst I spank her. If we wear masks and don't talk she'll never know it's us.'
'It's a plan,' Amanda said drunkenly and the two girls clinked glasses.
'Let's go find her now,' Charlotte said.
'Okay, just give me a minute to go to the Ladies,' Amanda replied and hurried off. Moments later she was back and the two girls left the pub together. They walked; stopping for rests until they reached the police station then fell asleep in the shade of the perimeter fence.
It was dark when they awoke. 'Damn, I'd better get back to Karo's,' Charlotte said.
'And I'd better get back to school - my pass was only for three hours,' Amanda explained.
'I'll try to meet you back here on Wednesday at 2pm so that we can grab the bitch,' Charlotte suggested before she set off on the long trek back to her Mistress.
'Okay, try to borrow someone's bike next time to save your legs,' Amanda said.
Charlotte shook her head. 'Uh uh. I walk everywhere from choice. I'm hoping to win the Annual Race, remember? It's my best chance of getting transferred back to island one.'
Amanda looked at her more closely. 'I see what you mean. You've definitely shaped up since your expulsion.'
'I even tense and untense all my muscles when I'm tied to one of their fucking restraint tables,' Charlotte said.
She made the long journey back in several stages, stopping to refill her water bottle from the stream. When she reached Karo's she went straight to her room and fell into an incredibly deep sleep.
The following morning she ignored Nicki's repeated attempts to get her out of bed. Nicki at last disappeared down to breakfast and Charlotte went back to sleep, only dimly aware of Karo's warning buzzer. The voyeurs must have assembled in the Endurance Room but, oblivious, Charlotte slept on.
She was rudely awakened by two youths who pulled the top sheet off. 'Shower then get downstairs pronto for your training session. Karo's already sent for the nine-thonged whip,' one of the boys said.
Hell, it was ten past ten. Charlotte grabbed a banana from the fruit bowl and raced to the showers, eating her impromptu breakfast under the running water. She raced into the Endurance Room.
'Mistress, about my being late...'
'My whip is always punctual and it hates to be kept waiting,' Karo said softly. 'Take hold of the whipping post and count each lash then thank me for it.'
Only when Charlotte's buttocks and thighs were crisscrossed red did she stop and order that the sobbing girl be tethered to the restraint table. Then the terrible feather test began again.
'Will it never end?' Charlotte asked Nicki that night as they shared a whirlpool spa and compared lash marks.
'Well, the race that's supposed to save you is being
held next week,' Nicki said.
Chapter Fourteen
To Charlotte's surprise and joy, Nicki was right. She asked various guests at Karo's house and they all confirmed that the Annual Race was to be held in Course One the following Wednesday. She'd have to stand Amanda up, of course - unless the schoolgirl heard about it and decided to attend. Charlotte mentally shrugged off the image of leaving Amanda waiting at the meeting place. She had to put herself first for if she won the race she could ask for her reward, a return to isle one.
'Can I see the stadium in advance?' she asked Nicki over breakfast the following day.
Nicki shook her head. 'No, they guard the arena very carefully so that competitors from isle two don't know more about the terrain than competitors from isle one. That way, it's like they're both playing an away game. There's no favouritism on the Training Grounds.'
Charlotte digested this then added 'Well, can you tell me what distance we have to run?'
Again the maidservant indicated that this wasn't possible. 'I've heard that it changes every year.' She looked squarely at Charlotte. 'You haven't even been officially endorsed, have you? That means you can only enter the freestyle race.'
'Well, let's just say that I'm hoping for a last minute endorsement,' Charlotte said.
Knowing that her demeanour now was crucial, she went in search of Karo and stretched out at her feet to kiss her toes.
'Mistress, I know that physical fitness is very important here.'
'Absolutely. It's because we have such an extensive building programme going on,' Karo answered. 'A fit workforce makes all the difference.' Charlotte glanced up to see the older woman's eyes narrow. 'But since when did you of all people become interested in the island's philosophy?' she enquired.
'Oh well, I learned a bit through going back to school,' Charlotte said vaguely. She returned to her main point. 'Mistress, as physical fitness is so important I've been going out running in my spare time - and I'd love to represent you in the Annual Race.'
Karo frowned. 'The best athletes from each institution are usually signed up months in advance.'
'I know that, but I've been moved around so much that I never got the chance to register,' Charlotte said softly.
