Chapter 18

(In which Viola visits Abhlovia and is entertained by her former Mistress. She meets Clementine.)

"Why have we driven out here, darling" Viola asked Rashumba innocently. Inside her heart was working overtime. Could this be it?

She had been here for a week now and Rashumba and James had treated her magnificently. Had she not known of his betrayal of Clementine, Viola would have been happy to meet James again. He had great appeal and was still great to look at. She understood very well how Clemmy had succumbed to his charms. But James was busy today and Viola and Rashumba were alone, and driving out into the wilds.

Each day she had managed to keep in touch with Fox's two men who had been ensconced in the Consulate for weeks now.

"I thought you might like to see the country, especially the more rugged districts. You wouldn't care to live in these parts would you.?"

Viola shook her head. There was little vegetation growing in this rocky waste and what there was permanently bent and windswept. This high upland plateau looked about as friendly as the surface of the moon! It was a wilderness she had seen before, though, and Viola knew this was the area where those fights had taken place.

"You'll see later, why we've come here!" said Rashumba. Her face was lit up by one of her most cruel smiles. Viola prayed that the woman was about to lead her to Clemmy!

They left the car and climbed up a small hillock, which gave them a view of a fortress like building and precious little else of any interest. The ground was rocky and Viola had to take care not to trip. Not the place to be wearing anything but good stout shoes. Her city shoes were not the thing to be wearing at all! She made it to the top and Rashumba pointed. A few miles away was a moderately high hill, maybe eight hundred feet high, the beginning of a range which ran away from them due north.

Viola noticed a rough road leading from the fort in the direction of the hill and also spotted a truck in the distance and then looked again at the fort. It would make a good prison for housing no more than at the most a couple of hundred prisoners. In a small country like this that would account for a fair proportion of the country's female prison population. All the long term prisoners might be there.

She fought hard to conceal her excitement. As the truck rumbled slowly towards them she saw that there were people in the back, clutching the sides for support as the vehicle bucked around on the rough surface. Behind it some people were following on foot and having to run quite hard to keep up. She saw motorcycles and as the procession came nearer it was obvious that these outriders were uniformed women. This MUST be a work party returning after a day's hard labour. Yes!

What Viola had suspected from a distance was confirmed as they got nearer and nearer. The women on foot were all totally naked! She wondered if they had any kind of footwear. It didn't look like it, in which case they must be getting their bare feet cut to ribbons if the stones they were running over were anything like those she had traversed to get to this viewpoint! And she could see that one of the toiling running women was a blonde. She took her first quick look at Clemmy in over four years, pretended to have a speck in her eye and bent down as if to get it out. Rashumba must NOT know she had recognised her supposedly dead lover or that she had been looking for her.

When she straightened up the party was passing into the building.

"What was that, Rashumba? And why should you bring me here to see it?"

"That is a prison, Viola and James has influence there. That particular batch of villains quarry marble and are taken to and from the quarry workings daily. The women in the truck are ordinary prisoners and reasonably well treated. Those on foot are the lowest and most violent criminals and we show them no mercy. James markets the finished marble products on behalf of the government who get a share of the profits, He's got the prison staff under his control, having persuaded the Interior Minister to give him a free hand. He makes sure the women get a rough time and the Government think he does a good job, so he's let alone to run the place. He vets all appointments and only the strictest and most brutal of women are given jobs there. You know how I like using a whip on people, Viola?"

She nodded. She remembered all too well How could she possibly forget!

"And you liked being at the receiving end, provided it wasn't too severe!" said Viola.

"I did once, but I am solely a doer these days, Viola. I administer pain to others, and I get to torment a certain prisoner at that prison from time to time, a really hard case who keeps defying the authorities. I'm afraid they don't let me use the kind of monster whip I used on you. It takes a couple of hundred lashes from that feeble bit of leather to produce the effect ten did in our little act in Montmartre. Some of those hardened felons have pretty thick hides and my favourite victim needs a good, hard hundred just to make her bleed a bit! But I've made the bitch's blood flow down her stinking body - many times! And lately, these last few months, we've been using a special whip on her. She jerks and twitches under the lash a real treat! I just wondered if you'd care to see me in action again before you go home?"

"Not today, thanks. I'm too tired, Rashumba. I've been up since six and I'm quite bushed. But give me a call in the morning and we can arrange something. I would like to see you at work, as long as it isn't me you're flogging. I'm out of practice these days - all soft and tender."

This was readily agreed. Rashumba kissed Viola goodnight before dropping her off at the hotel and then went to tell James of her plans for the next day. He was happy to let Rashumba take the soon to be departed Viola to give Clementine the agony of seeing her with her former lover and seemingly back with her again. He agreed enthusiastically that this would definitely add to the prisoner's torment at a time when they were finding it hard to keep up the escalation of Clementine's misery.

Viola rang the Consulate and delivered the agreed coded message. One of Fox's men was waiting for her at breakfast. He gave her something and whispered instructions to her. Then he left. If anyone asked her what she was doing talking to him, she had her answer ready. She was a friend of the Consul and had been invited to a farewell dinner before leaving for home in a few days.

She had spent most of the night thinking of Clementine. The poor girl had almost certainly been running behind that truck all those miles to the quarry twice a day with all those other women for four years. And this was on top of being made to work hard all day in between. On the way back to the city, Rashumba had explained just how backbreaking the work was and how severe the punishments were for failures to fulfil norms. Apparently there was one prisoner who had made two escape attempts and was being punished by being given one hundred lashes every Friday, a punishment she would suffer right through the rest of her sentence. Rashumba proposed to do the honours herself tomorrow, it being Friday. Viola had feigned interest and she would be picked up about four o'clock. She knew this could be a dangerous day for her, but kept calm. After all, there was her trump card if things got nasty!

Rashumba came round earlier than expected and suggested a little tour round before going to the prison, They ended up at the quarry and an armed guard only let them approach when she recognised Rashumba. They were waved through with an outwardly friendly smile, although the guard, like all her colleagues, had grown to loathe Rashumba by now.

"Come on, darling We can watch them working for a few minutes. They will finish in an hour and go back to prison for their disgusting meal. And when I say disgusting, I mean it! I wouldn't feed that filthy muck to a pig! The nude prisoners are the hard cases. All big girls as you can see. Some of them are slicing up the marble and a couple are carrying the stuff to a truck. They all have a target to achieve day on day and woe betide a girl who falls short. We make them howl for mercy - which they DON'T get! That blonde over there is a fine specimen, don't you think? She's the one who tried to escape and gets the weekly whipping. She's pretty hard to handle and gets lots of other punishments as well, but they say she's kept clear of trouble the last week or two."

"Yes. Reminds me of Clementine, funnily enough. But that girl is bigger and stronger. She really does have some muscles, doesn't she!"

"There is a resemblance, I agree. They've got her wielding the pick axe today. The chips fly off a lot, of course and sometimes they cut her and sometimes she gets a speck in her eye and loses time getting it out. We don't allow her to wear goggles any more because she had been so naughty so often. She'll still be whipped if she doesn't do her quota, even if she thinks she has a good excuse for taking time out! These are all very bad women, you know, Viola. They deserve to be treated harshly."

"Has she committed a serious crime? How long did she get?"

"Twelve years for an offence against public decency. She's been here a year or two already. I forget her name."

Viola said no more. That was Clemmy alright! But Rashumba had no reason to think Viola knew her friend was alive. She couldn't wait to get inside that prison, although she would be relieved to get out again!

The couple followed behind the returning work party and Viola had a chance to see just what a gruelling run it must be for these tired thirsty women. Each and every one of them must be made of iron - that was all Viola could think. And her Clemmy was one of them. She felt so proud! There she was, running like the athlete she still was! She would have her own feet cut open after a few yards of this rough surface but her Clemmy could do mile after mile. It was good to have a Mistress who was so tough. After what she had endured, she would be hard as nails and her Slave would feel it! She felt her loins stirring ominously and fought to keep control.

In a few minutes no doubt she would get to see Clementine being whipped. Pity for the poor girl was giving way to desire! She desperately wanted to see Clemmy show her bravery under the lash. In a few weeks they would be back in England and Clemmy's Hell would be over, but Viola, as an ex sub wanted to see for herself just how her darling coped with all the pain.

Rashumba led Viola to a second-storey room inside the main block and took her to a window. There was a view over a large yard, on one side of which was a big iron cage, open to the elements. The naked prisoners were all inside and were eating and drinking ravenously. The feeding was animal-like in its ferocity and Clemmy was tearing the food apart and ramming it down her throat just like the others. Poor things, thought Viola. They must all be dying of thirst and hunger. Who could blame them for their poor table manners?

Then she saw Clemmy ordered out. She walked across to the prison wall to be flogged. Rashumba took three whips down from a rack and showed them to Viola. One was small but the others were much longer, heavier and wicked looking.

"These are the two we use on that bitch" said Rashumba. She handed them to two tall bare breasted guards who then left and were soon walking the short distance to where the unsecured Clementine was waiting, her hands against the wall and her back willingly offered up for her weekly flogging. Viola could hardly contain her excitement. Her feelings were the most extraordinary whirl of mutually conflicting emotions. On the one hand, the sado-masochist in her gloried in the prospect of seeing what was about to happen. On the other, she felt pity for this wretched girl, now well into her fifth year of this never ending, hopeless agony. She saw that all the other women were crowding along the side of the cage, expectantly watching the two guards walk over to the prisoner and start their work without standing on ceremony.

"I'll open the window, darling! Then you can hear Clementine being flogged! Yes - it is indeed she! I'll explain later! For now, just watch, listen and enjoy!"

Viola was ashamed that part of her was enjoying watching. She felt the old excitement and sexual high as soon as she heard the opening SWOOOSH as the first guard brought the whip down on Clementine's waiting back. "CRACK" echoed the lash as it landed on her. It seemed to echo around the walled enclosure. A red line appeared on that beloved, strong back. The guard gave her four more, timing her strokes to let Clemmy savour the pain and get every last ounce of torment from each lash.

"She's good - that guard." muttered Viola, trying to keep her hands away from her hot and moist crotch. This was damned good!

"Guess who taught her all she knew, darling!"

Vila watched in silence as thirty were delivered and Clementine's back became a uniform red. She doesn't seem to be bleeding, though, thought Viola. She must have a hide like an elephant! That whip was not the fearful implement Rashumba had been wont to use on her, but it was a wicked thing nonetheless and far heavier than that used on the other prisoners. It ought to be slicing into her, yet was hardly scratching her.

"Clementine must be well used to this, darling! She's taking it without moving a muscle! Very impressive!"

"Yes. She used to jerk about like a mad thing. But she's got used to it and so has that cursed thick hide. I shall have to think of fresh ways of getting to her! It's all on account of you, Viola! I arranged her capture. See how I love you so much that I devote my life to making her suffer!"

"The woman's mad!" thought Viola.

"It must have been hard to get her here. Maybe, you might explain some day. But let's finish watching!"

They did as Viola asked. Finally the hundred had been delivered. From where Viola was standing Clemmy's back did not look that bad after her weekly punishment. It was red enough, but there had been little blood - maybe a few beads -until the seventieth lash and then it had started to flow. Either the guards had been lenient or her hide was exceptionally tough. The guards did not look at all tender-hearted, so it must be the latter. Viola was forced to admit she had enjoyed the spectacle and it brought back memories of her kinky double act of four years ago!

Then Viola saw Clemmy tied to the wall, after taking her whipping so meekly and without the need to secure her. A guard muttered something to her and left her. It was bitterly cold out there and Viola could see Clemmy was shivering slightly. If it had been her, the cold would kill her, thought Viola! The women in the cage were all huddling close for warmth. It was a desolate scene and all Viola wanted now was to get her friend out as soon as possible! There was no romance about this place. It was squalid and evil and no decent person belonged within a mile if it.

Rashumba started to undress. When she had totally disrobed she came over to Viola and stood with her legs apart.

"Care to kneel once more - for old time's sake?"

"Whatever! You know me! Always game for a bit of nice pussy gobbling, especially yours, darling!"

And so Viola did what she had dreaded, and licked and sucked at Rashumba's juicy cunt once more. After the first contact she had to admit that it tasted as good tonight as ever and she had to be told to break it off before she wanted to. She got unsteadily to her feet. That had been positively atomic, but Clemmy tasted even better!

"Come on, darling! Let's go over to the prisoner and you'll see me give her a REAL whipping!"

"Aren't you getting dressed? It's bloody cold out there!"

"I always strip to give my beatings - you know that."

"I see. Well, you really ought to take off the shoes as well. You must remember how much I love those feet. I'll give you a quick toe job before we leave!"

"Later" But Rashumba took off her shoes all the same and the couple walked over to the wall, Rashumba picking up a fresh whip on the way out and swishing it repeatedly. Clementine did not look round. She had been ordered not to on pain of getting another hundred. Viola noticed that the women in the cage had stopped drifting away chattering about their leader's latest flogging and come back where they could get a good view. They all knew that Rashumba came over to talk to Clemmy for one reason and one reason only, and these days she never gave the girl less than four hundred! The sadistic bitches, much as they liked their chief, were agog with excitement!

Clemmy's cry of anguish pierced Viola like a sword of ice. She wondered if she could keep control of herself. She mustn't fail now!