Chapter 9

THE STORY SO FAR

Immediately after her escape from Hell Island, a feat none had previously though possible, Roberta and her loyal follower Paula had been captured by bandits. At the bandit lair, Roberta had been ritually flogged at the behest of the female sage, Philippa, in order to collect enough of her blood for the wise old woman to use in order to divine Roberta's guilt or innocence by mystic means. This oracle had pronounced the wronged Roberta an innocent woman. The pair then left the robbers' hideout and started out on the long journey back to the Royal Palace and a confrontation with the real villains, who continued to menace the King's life and the security of the realm.

On the way Roberta was involved in a number of adventures. Her first two had brought her a total of three severe floggings, despite the great services she had performed in ridding two communities of deadly enemies, the so-called Lord Gerald and the brutal mercenary fighter Rodrigo.

Roberta's continuing nudity, an asset when a member of the King's Golden Guard, was a painful liability out in the world of ordinary folk, increasingly terrorised by a rabidly puritanical group called the Ladies' League for Truth and Decency.

Here begins:-

ADVENTURE NUMBER THREE

"Twenty five"

Swish, CRACK!

"No more, Roberta. Please!"

"Twenty six"

Swish - Crack!

"I'll never step out of line again, Mistress Roberta, my love! Honestly!"

"Twenty seven"

Swish - crack!

Paula held her peace thereafter - for several reasons. For one thing, she was going to get as many strokes as Roberta wanted to give her, laid on with all of the enraged fighter's prodigious strength and that was that! What was the point of crying out and disgracing herself further? Roberta was, rightly, somewhat pissed off with her these days. And, let's face it she thought, it wasn't that bad! Now that her bottom was so much raw meat she was quite getting into it, and in a big way!

"Fifty!"

Swish - crack"

"LOVELY!! LOVELY!!! More, more! Give me more!

"Sorry, you fucking pervert! I'm too tired for any more today!"

A week had passed since Roberta had left the last village, in possession both of a stick to beat Paula and yet another extremely sore back. When, bit by bit, she had got Paula to tell her all that had happened to her while her Mistress was either working her butt off or being immured in a stinking dungeon, Roberta had blown her top and in a big way!

The caning she had just administered was the third so far and the longest. It would not be the last. Roberta's anger was as incandescent as ever! As soon as Paula's arse had healed she would get another. It was not so much the little girl's living it up while her Mistress was going through yet more pain and grief that had so enraged her. It was more than that!.

Roberta was perfectly happy to collect all the pain and let Paula live in comfort. It was the way she had surrendered her body to so many men on the nights after the fight that had truly disgusted Roberta. The thought that she had been locked up down below while the little tramp had been betraying her like that made her truly livid.

She mounted Paula's horse and spurred it into a trot, Paula, her arse still throbbing painfully and her soles sorer and sorer on the rough stony ground, ran barefoot and naked beside her. The little assistant was barred clothing for another week. Those nice fine garments that Paula had acquired recently with money Roberta had earned by the sweat of her body were stowed away in a saddle bag and there they would stay until the miscreant had spent a few frosty nights under the stars. And it was getting nice and chilly at nights.

It was the cold rather than the caning that really got to Paula. As indicated above, the stick gave her more pleasure than pain after the first few strokes. It was the cold at night and Roberta's continuing anger and denial of her body to her that caused the real pain. Men had been great fun for those few wild nights, but Roberta was better than all the men in the world and she hungered for her already. She hungered for a return of her affection and for the feel of her warm and strong body against hers.

And then, the very next day, Paula woke up in the morning to find herself covered in furs and her clothes laid out for her to wear. Roberta might have a furious temper, but her rages, so terrifying while they lasted, didn't usually last that long. As far as the former Golden Guard was concerned, all was forgotten and forgiven. They breakfasted, eating fish that Roberta had caught and cooked while Paula still slept, and resumed their journey, Paula astride her horse and wearing all her finest clothes and naked Slave Roberta walking swiftly beside her.

"Will my Mistress forgive her Slave for caning her and stripping her?" asked Roberta at mid day when they had stopped to water and feed the horse, as well as themselves. Roberta had killed a deer and they had dined well.

"You are the Mistress, Roberta. You are the glorious woman I have worshipped for so long ever since I saw you running with the King's carriage. Those fools at the village might have forced me to call you my slave, but we both know better than that!"

"I think, for the purposes of the journey, with you clothed and riding a horse and me naked and on foot, it makes sense if others think of me as the slave, Paula! That way my nudity might not get me into quite so much trouble! And this pretence will be easier to make convincing if we live the situation every second of the day. So, I repeat my question. Will my Mistress forgive her slave for her gross insolence in caning and stripping her?"

"If my Slave will promise to cane her Mistress from time to time, then I forgive her for stripping me. The caning was wonderful after the first few strokes. As far as that is concerned, there is nothing to forgive!"

They finished their meal and Paula ordered Roberta to kneel so that she might mount her horse more easily. It was a very long way up for such a tiny girl and Roberta's strong young back was a great help, especially as the intelligent Slave rose with Paula on her back and elevated her to the saddle! It was a lot easier for Roberta this time than it had been before when Paula had stood on her raw and bleeding back after her last whipping.

"I see a small settlement ahead, Slave!" said Paula anxiously. She was higher up than Roberta, who was running by her side as she kept the horse trotting. The exercise was good for Roberta's legs and the Slave was enjoying the chance to stretch herself. Paula had been keeping her doing this cracking pace for two hours now and sweat was pouring off her, despite the frosty weather.

"What does my Mistress propose we do? Make a detour?"

Roberta knew what would make most sense. Keep well away from towns, especially towns where the Ladies' League for Truth and Decency was strong! Roberta wanted no more floggings just yet. Unlike Paula, whose backside was already craving for more lovely swishy strokes, she was quite happy to postpone her next whipping indefinitely - for ever, even! There was more to life than a succession of severe whippings - or ought to be!

"What would the Slave do - if she weren't a Slave?" Paula sounded uncertain. Authority was all very well, but not when important and rather tricky decisions were to be made!

"The Slave has no idea. The Slave does not have ideas above her station. The Slave is a good and humble Slave!"

Paula cursed under her breath. There was no need to play this game quite so much by the book! Roberta would know what to do. She did know, but was letting Paula decide. The mistress thought the matter over for a few minutes and then decided a little tentatively.

Paula recollected those days in that cosy little cottage with the Mayor making sure she lacked for nothing. It would be nice to stay in a comfortable inn, especially now that the frost seemed to be a permanent feature of life on the open road!

"We go to the town and hope there is a nice warm inn with plenty of food and wine to warm me after all this cold. I'm fucking perished! It's OK for you, Slave. You're not human! If you were human you'd be blue, not a healthy pink! And let's give this horse his head! Come on, Slave! Move that lazy butt! What do you think I feed you for?"

This time it was Roberta who cursed Paula for playing the game of Slave and Mistress a little too much for real! After two hours of jogging, she was more ready for a rest than a hectic sprint! But she kept up the increased pace until the outskirts of the small community were reached.

Two elderly people, a man and his aged wife, came out of the first cottage. They stared at the utterly naked Roberta, wearing not even her weapons any longer - these were in Paula's safe keeping nowadays. The woman saw the red marks around Roberta's ankles where her flesh had been seared by hot metal not very long since. This was a former prisoner, whose shackles had but lately been struck off her felon's body! Could it be the fearsome warrior who had slain the mighty Rodrigo? There had been mixed reports about Roberta, but the balance was unfavourable.

"Is there a good and comfortable hostelry in your town?" asked Paula, looking very imperious on her fine horse, despite her diminutive size. The villagers in the last port of call had fitted her out superbly.

"We have two inns, Mistress. One is for low types and very rowdy and disreputable The other is a little further past the first and is well fitted for a great lady like yourself!"

"A great lady! Did you hear that, Slave!" giggled Paula as she spurred her horse to complete the rest of the journey.

Roberta smiled. Paula looked so pleased with herself to be thus addressed and she could see why the old couple had been impressed. Paula looked like a queen these days! It was fortunate, though, that the couple had not been able to see her still bruised and liberally striped arse!

Because of the continuing discomfort in her rear quarters, Paula was glad to be helped down by her Slave. Leaving Roberta to hold the reins, she went into the inn. The owner was waiting for her, rubbing his hands and smiling subserviently. He knew who Paula was and who her companion was, also. This lady had much to spend and he was grateful she was going to spend it here - for times were hard lately!

He showed her to the finest room and she looked around appreciatively. Very nice indeed! This would do her very satisfactorily for a few days!

Having had her belongings taken up to the room, she made sure that the fine horse was stabled. Roberta was taken to the blacksmith's to have a fresh manacle fitted - to one leg only. - and with a very short chain. Then she was secured to the iron rail which enclosed the public fountain. Because of the waterlogged nature of the ground in this low lying area the cellars were flooded and unsuitable. So Roberta got to stay above ground and in the fresh air. (And in the freezing cold!).

Happily for the Slave, the Ladies League for Truth and Decency were not strong in this particular town. The place was dominated by red blooded men who appreciated the sight of a pretty woman and were fascinated by Roberta,! Drooling with unsatisfied desire, they lined up to examine her - at a safe distance, for she looked pretty angry to be ogled and they knew her reputation!

Long after Paula had dropped off into a nice deep slumber, cosseting her body between freshly laundered and lavender scented sheets in a lovely warm room with the affectionately purring hotel cat for company, the men hung around and admired the tethered Slave, gloriously naked and out in the continuing cold.

They all averred that none had laid eyes on such a cunt before - not in all their born days. They all agreed that it was a veritable joy to behold. Oh! To be the one to insert his eager member into that passage of delight! Oh, to be the lucky man to taste the sweet juices that oozed from out of that sweet cave of love! Tough luck, guys! No man ever had, or ever would! Finally they drifted off to their homes and their less than pulchritudinous wives. At last, Roberta was able to snatch a few hours sleep herself.

It was exciting to be shackled again! She was beginning to like this game. Before she drifted off into a shallow and chilly sleep, she shook her leg and heard the chain clink and rattle. This was fun! Paula and she must go on playing this game!

Paula woke up an hour after sunrise. The darling cat was still sleeping and she slipped carefully out of bed in order not to wake her.

Looking out of the window she saw that Roberta was awake and being appraised by a couple of men, both of them on their way to work in the fields. Roberta looked oddly happy. Could it be that she liked sleeping buck naked in the freezing cold? Obviously she did! But Paula preferred her nice warm bed and the company of the darling adorable pussy cat!

The cat had started to move. Now that the warmth from Paula's body was no longer coming up through the bedclothes she was aware that it was time get on with things! Out there were birds to be caught and killed, mice to be played with and put to a grisly death, milk to be drunk, fish to be eaten and - above all - shit to be expelled from her lithe and furry body onto some proud gardener's lovingly tended borders. Another day! She stole gracefully downstairs and was allowed to exit the building. After some thought she decided on shitting in the Mayor's garden this morning. She'd never liked the bastard and when he angrily threw things at her, he always missed! That creep was fucking pathetic!

Paula ate eggs, bacon, freshly baked rolls and a whole bunch of grapes for breakfast. Afterwards she drank several cups of incredibly aromatic coffee. She had always wondered, heretofore, why coffee always seemed to smell so much better than it tasted. This incredible brew tasted a hundred times better than it smelled! And it smelled pretty good!

She looked up and saw a very important looking man crossing the room. If it were not for the tethered but still formidable Roberta's jealously, she would have fancied him! The man stood over her and coughed with extreme delicacy and politeness. He looked a real toff! And to think that she had once been a mere maid and now she was being deferred to by men like him!

"Are you the owner of the Slave in the square, madam?" he asked.

"I am. I was told that she could be left there overnight, so long as she was securely shackled."

"Indeed, Madam! No problem! But we wondered if she might be the same mighty warrior who recently killed that over the hill drunken bum Rodrigo?"

"My Slave is the very same woman. No one, male or female, can fail to be defeated by my obedient and loyal Slave. So watch out!"

"Just as you say, Madam!"

Paula continued to eat her delicious breakfast. The sweet cat, having crapped over the Mayor's prize tulips and dug them up in a ritual burial ceremony, wrapped her sinuous body around her sweet ankles.