Chapter 14

When a weary and wounded Francine finished her ten mile run with two injured thighs - one of them quite badly injured - she was ready to drop. She drained the filthy water at a single gulp and felt like drinking as much again, she was so horribly thirsty. She had scarcely started to recover when Frederica came out. Francine was astounded to see that her lover was wearing golden sandals, a silk gown and fine white gloves. So the lady Fortescue had freed her! She was happy for her friend, but sad and apprehensive that their respective positions were now to be so different. Frederica was accompanied by a male servant, so Francine knew she must show respect.

"How are you, Warrior Slave Francine? I am happy to tell you that you are a Trainee no longer but a full Warrior, ready to enter the Arena twenty days from now."

"Thank you, Mistress Frederica. This is the proudest moment of my life! I shall try to be worthy of the honour. I shall defend the Lady Fortescue's reputation with my life if need be. I cannot wait to shed my blood and suffer many blows in her defence and her interest."

"That is good, Warrior Slave! You must fight Patti in the Dagger Fight in twenty minutes. Are you ready?"

"I am always ready, Mistress! May I ask a question of the Mistress Frederica?"

"Any question you like, Warrior Slave Francine. What do you wish to know?"

"Am I to be clothed in the red thong of the Full Warrior Slave? And are you still to beat me?"

"It is the will of the Great Lady Fortescue that you remain totally naked. She even dislikes you wearing the leather strips for the boxing and you may well have to fight with bare fists in future. And I shall still beat you nightly, but there is a change. You are to be secured to a whipping post and whipped in public in front of all the Palace Staff. Then you sleep in the dirty cold cellar as usual."

The other servant went off to alert Patti and her trainer. Frederica kissed Francine.

"I still look up to you, my darling. I would give anything to be in your position, naked and maltreated as you are, just to fight beside you. But I am not made for combat."

"I didn't think I was before I came here, Frederica my love. But look what they have made me into! You could follow in my footsteps. You are pretty tall, if not as tall as I. Plenty of Warrior Slaves are no higher off the ground than you are."

"I'm a coward, Francine. I couldn't take all the punishments you get and all the pain I have seen Warriors suffer in the Arena. You are far my superior, even if you must show respect to me in public. I worship you, Francine!"

"And I adore you! I fight for you as much as for our Great Mistress. To fail would be to bring shame on you and I would sooner die than have that happen."

Patti then came into the courtyard, followed by many of the Palace Servants. The main gate was closed. The Lady Fortescue was not anxious for the general public to see just how good Francine was in advance of her first Arena Fight.

Warrior Slave Patti was dressed in a long scarlet cloak which she removed and handed to an attendant. She stepped out of the prized and much sought after Warrior's red thong. Naked, she advanced, dagger in hand to meet Francine, who had no need to undress, being for ever shamefully nude.

"At least I'm not the only naked Slave today" she thought as Patti disrobed.

She saw that Patti's cuts had been dressed. Adhesive dressings covered her stomach, side and thigh where Francine had cut her so badly. But Francine's wounds still wept and had not been treated in any way. Despite the fact that reopened wounds would not count towards the tally of six, there was no ban on reopening the said old wounds! Patti would make a beeline for her legs and open up those thighs, wait for the bleeding to weaken her and then start cutting her up! Not a pleasant prospect!

The pair circled each other, looking for an opening. Francine, knowing she had to finish this quickly, lunged at Patti's stomach which was momentarily unprotected. She slit her open just above the earlier stomach wound. She leapt back before Patti could retaliate and had the pleasure of hearing her gasp in pain. Francine felt something warm running down her left thigh and then down her calf. Damn! The wound was open again and there was nothing she could do to stop it.

She forced herself not to look. Her eyes must be solely focused on Patti and that wicked dagger she was wielding. Patti ran at her and she stepped aside but too late to avoid being cut on her forearm. Once again Francine ignored her sixth wound. Luckily for our proud heroine, Patti was too fond of admiring her knife work and this inattention cost her two quick slashes which left her cheek pouring blood and her free arm hanging uselessly by her side, the nerves cut. After today she would be weeks recovering.

Patti let her dagger fall to the ground. She fell on her face in the dust in a gesture of submission. Francine stepped up to her.

"On your back, Coward Slave Patti! I want to stand on your bleeding stomach!"

The Lady Fortescue nodded and Patti obeyed. Francine felt her defeated foe's blood oozing between her toes as she stood in triumph. Then she got off and let the wounded girl be taken off for treatment.

"Well done Warrior Slave! Well done! Do you want treatment for your wounds?"

"No, thank you Mistress. They will heal by themselves! What is your pleasure for the rest of the day?"

"You will be fed and rested. My dear companion Frederica will be with you until nightfall and reward you with her caresses, her warm lips and her moist and loving tongue in your secret places! But your whipping will still take place. Happy?"