Chapter 12

To: page@rosehouse.com
From: lordblackmon@rosehouse.com
Subject: Carl

Page,

It has been quite the adventure down here this week. Our ship was caught in the ice for almost twelve hours. The wind shifted and a nearby ice field decided to pack itself around our ship while we were trying to deploy one of the large telemetry buoys. The hull was damaged, but nothing major. The wind shifted again and we were able to work free. We might have to go back to New Zealand for repairs if the damage assessment is bad. That would either extend our trip or cut it short, I am not sure. We will see.

I am glad Carl has worked out so well. I had hoped to bring someone into our circle that we could trust and he has gained your confidence. I know that is not an easy thing.

I see some problems with your plan to take him to the Expo. I can understand why you think he needs to go. It will fully expose him to slave culture, but it could also scare him off. You know there will be masters attending that are over the top. He could freak out over some of the things he will see. Remember when we went for the first time? But I trust your judgment and understanding of the situation.

Willow is another issue. Will she be able to handle it? You have said almost nothing about how her training is going or what you think she will be good for. Is it time to cut her loose as a lost cause? We can discuss that when I get back.

So, let me set some ground rules for going to the Expo. The first is that you and Willow must be safe. I know you say you trust Carl, but you need to be careful. Can he keep you out of the hands of Master Lobo if he presses his desire for you?

The second is that the price of going to the Expo without me is that you must buy something there for me to use on you. I am not talking something small like a crop or clamps. Surprise me with something that will go in the Play Room or the garden. There is no spending limit if I am pleased.

Last is the price for Carl's services. I am not sure you realize how frustrated he probably is after being around you. But now you are going to take him where naked slaves are everywhere, where they are dressing in the most outrageous fetish wear and slaves are getting fucked all around him. This is not fair. The price of his services for the evening is he gets some satisfaction. I will leave that to you to work out.

Blackmon

One of the ways Lord Blackmon had invested his money was in startups. He was always on the lookout of talent and great ideas. He tried to find those infant companies with a strong core of talent so that he would not have to be very hands-on as they grew, but he also wanted to keep an eye out for obvious trouble.

Lord Blackmon owned an office building about three miles from the convention center where the Expo was being held. He would provide these small companies office space as part of his investment in them. The Rose Pavilion was a seven story building that hosted quite a few of these new ventures. Blackmon also maintained an office there, though no one knew that, including a private entrance from the parking garage. Because Lord Blackmon did not allow taxis or such to come to Rose House, and that it took more than an hour to get to the convention center from there, it was decided they would dress at the office and go by limousine from there.

Preparations for attending the Master's Lifestyle Expo had gone well. The elements for Page's and Willow's costumes had arrived and Carl's clothes had been picked up. After Lord Blackmon's email, there had also been some technical additions as well. The three of them had packed the Range Rover and had driven to Rose Pavilion.

Carl was wearing a deep charcoal wool suit with a burgundy vest. He wore his five hundred dollar shoes and a gold ring and watch Page had gotten from Lord Blackmon's safe. His hair was slicked back and he had grown a short beard. Page thought he looked like the Devil's own banker. He tried on his 'Master Car' face for the girls. Even though they knew it was an act, he still projected the aura of a stern master.

Page and Willow were wearing similar outfits. They were both in black platform high heeled shoes. The latex pants they wore were black as was the latex tops. The tops included long sleeves and a hood that covered the head but left the face open. The two major differences in the outfits was that Page's top left her breasts completely bare and Willow's left her ass completely exposed. After a great deal of powder and tugging, both Page and Willow finally were in their clothes. But they were far from finished.

Because Willow's pussy and ass was exposed, Page wanted to make sure no one randomly took advantage of the fact. A heavy leather belt went around Willow's waist and a crotch strap was added.

Page said, "Before we secure the strap, we have to accessorize you." She told Willow to put her hands on the wall with her ass out. Then Page took the biggest, stiffest cane they had at the house and stepped beside Willow.

"Slave, this is a test. Tonight you will see many things that will shock and terrify you. It is very important that you do not panic. I cannot correct your behavior and Carl is not experienced. That would mean another master would have to step in to get you under control. If that happened Carl would be exposed as an imposter and you and I might be killed as runaway slaves. I am trusting my life to you.

"So this is the test. I am going to give you three strokes of this cane. These will be the worst you have ever felt. Keep yourself together. These are also decoration. The masters that see these marks will be impressed with Master Carl.

"Are you ready?"

Willow swallowed and nodded her head. She heard the cane cut through the air and heard the sharp crack of the impact. The pain exploded through her so intense that it was impossible to move. Two more blows followed in quick succession. Willow sported three incredible marks on her ass that were already turning from angry red to purple. The training dildo and butt plug went in almost unnoticed by Willow as she reeled from the pain. The strap went from the front and through, deep in the cleft of Willow's butt and was locked, securing both devices in place. Even though she was not gagged, she never made a sound.

While Willow recovered, Page accessorized herself. She wiped down the sides of her breasts near her nipples with alcohol. Six very fine bore needles went just under the skin in each breast, three on each side of the nipple. The point of each needle came out of the skin about two inched from where it entered. After seeing Willow's marked ass and Page's tits, no one would believe Carl was a lightweight as a master.

Next up was the headgear. It went over the latex hood and looked like a horse's mane and ears. For Page, it also hid a transmitter. The microphone for the transmitter was hidden inside the muzzle piece of the headgear. The muzzle piece looked somewhat like a horse's nose and mouth. It had been designed for pony racing so it was not a gag per se. That would have made breathing difficult and would have slowed the racer down. Instead the muzzle piece was padded to muffle sound but still allow easy breathing. But Page had used this feature to embed a microphone in the muzzle piece. This way Page could talk using the transmitter but would not be seen or heard by those around them. Carl and Willow were in the loop through a very small earpiece. However they could not transmit.

Two more pieces completed their costumes. The first was sunglasses. It always amazed Page what could be done with inexpensive items. She had seen the cheap wraparound sunglasses in a catalog and they had reminded her of horse eyes. That had started the whole idea of going to the Expo as pony girls. The ear pieces of the sunglasses went under the latex hood and held them in place. This also hid the earpiece for the receiver side of the radios.

The last item required Carl's help. He buckled mittens on both Page and Willow, denying them the use of their fingers. There were rings sewn into the ends of the mittens and they were clipped to leather straps that looked like reins. Carl would use these to lead Page and Willow through the Expo.

The look of the outfits was striking. Carl would be leading two very fine mares. They were all in black with their faces completely obscured by the muzzle and glasses. Page's large, pale, and pierced tits were beautifully framed. Willow's pale, striped, and plugged ass also was showcased by the black latex.

Page had explained that there was a state organization of wealthy slave owner called the Slave Trainers and Owners of California, or STOC for short. While they were a state wide organization, it was the local chapter that was organizing the Master's Lifestyle Expo. And while it was held at the large Convention Center, there was no announcement on the electronic marque or signs pointing the way. The Master's Lifestyle Expo was not a publicly advertised event. It was by invitation only. Security was noticeable around and inside the building but there was no activity at the front of the building. All guest's vehicles had to go through security and into the parking structure behind the main exhibit hall. There was a walkway from there that led into the main building.

The limo pulled up to the walkway and the driver came around to open the door. There were bold signs explaining that this was a private party and violators would be removed or prosecuted. The signs created a gateway of sorts to the walkway. Carl eyed the security detail nearby and determined that they were not very professional. By this time the driver had helped Page and Willow out of the limo. He handed the reins attached to their hands to Carl.

"Master Carl, please lead us in," Page said through his earpiece.

The walkway between the parking structure and the Convention Center led to a set of heavy glass doors manned by security guards. They also were acting as doormen. They opened and held the door so Carl and his slaves could navigate through the entrance without a problem.

Just past the utilitarian looking warning signs, glass doors and guards, there was a very different sight altogether. Framing the entranceway were two naked slaves tied to whipping posts. One was a full figured redhead with large breasts. The other was darker skinned, maybe Latino, with black hair. They had been striped by a whip or a thin cane on almost every area of their bodies. The marks were vivid but not deep. They hung from their chains and moaned through their gags. Carl noticed a cane hanging from a hook on each post, just in case an arriving guest wanted to add a mark or two of their own. Stretched between the whipping posts was a banner that read 'Master's Lifestyle Expo.'

Page spoke into the microphone in the low tones that would not carry outside of the muzzle, "Slave, it is important that you remember to look around using your eyes and not turning your head. Keep you face towards Master Carl at all times. Do not talk unless absolutely necessary.

"Master Carl, please check that the punishment dildo is working correctly." Carl had his hand on the remote control in his left pocket. He pushed the button. The electrical shock of the dildo was not on a painful setting. It was meant to get Willow's attention. Willow jumped slightly but did not make a sound.

The three walked to the main greeting area. Instead of a table here was a raised platform. Kneeling on the platform was a slave wearing a heavy iron collar, cuffs and leg shackles. The collar was connected by a heavy chain to something that looked like a large piece of granite sitting on the floor in front of the platform. She looked to be around five feet tall but had very long black hair. As Carl approached she prostrated herself with her hands and arms outstretched and her face to the floor.

"Greetings and welcome sir," she said. "May I please have your name?"

"Master Carl," Carl responded.

The slave sat up and began looking at a group of papers.

"Sir, I do not see your name on the invitation list. I am not permitted to pass anyone not on the list. Please let me call someone." The slave pushed a button and a soft gong sounded. She had acted like Carl was going to scream at her or even beat her. But Carl stood rock still and waited. Page had anticipated this and Carl was following the plan perfectly.

After a wait of less than a minute, a very tall man with white hair approached them from the right of the platform. He was wearing black boots, black pants and a while silk shirt. Around his neck he had a gold chain that held a medallion. Carl could see the image of a lion etched on the face of the medallion.

For all his imposing presence, he spoke in even and quiet tones, "Sir, I am Master Blake. I am the chapter president of STOC here in the San Francisco Bay Area. I do not recognize you as one of our members." His tone was not hostile, just curious.

"I am Master Carl. I am not a member. I have just relocated to the area. I know Lord Blackmon and he told me about your event here. He was going to write someone that I wanted to attend. Is this going to be a problem?"

Master Blake nodded, "Yes, Lord Blackmon did inform me that you wanted to attend. I got his email yesterday but the guest list had already been printed. But that will not be a problem. Let me welcome you to our Expo as Lord Blackmon's guest."

At that moment a loud, higher pitched voice came from the same doorway where Master Blake had emerged, "Are we admitting tourist now Bob? Who would Blackmon send..."

The owner of the voice came barging into the space. He was quite short and very round. He had only a fringe of hair around his head and had a bright red, sweaty face. He was dressed in a black leather coat that brushed the floor. He turned to Carl and without a bit on manners or courtesy blurted out, "Who are you?"

Carl, not nearly as tall as Master Blake, still towered over the little red faced man. His head moved like a gun turret as he turned to look at the unpleasant man. Carl responded in a soft tone, "I am someone that is accustomed to being addressed with courtesy, and was unaware that people in this town were so rude."

The little man ignored the chastisement and went on, "Where is Blackmon? I have not seen him at our events in a long time, I figured he had decided we were too much for his thin blood, and..."

"Master Lobo!" Master Blake growled. The little man stopped his tirade. "Your place is in the Finale Room, not here. Please leave the greeting to me."

He did not comply with the dismissal instantly. Instead he turned towards Page and Willow. He moved with exaggerated slowness towards the girls, looking them up and down. Page gave a little shutter when he casually ran a finger across the skin on her right breast that was being puckered by the needles. "You must have similar tastes as Blackmon," he mumbled. "This one has breasts almost as lovely as his slave Page."

He then passed behind Willow, again running his fingers across her marked ass but Willow just barely lifted her head. When neither of these actions provoked a rise out of Carl, with a final sneer on his cubby face, the little man retreated back the way he had come.

"We are ... blessed ... with a diversity of personalities here in this chapter. Please be careful with your slaves around Master Lobo. Most do not survive the encounter intact," Master Blake said, still looking after where Lobo had fled. "More than one of our members has ... complained about him."

"Thank you for the warning," Carl said in reply.

Master Blake turned his full attention to Carl, "So then, what brings you to our gathering today?" Carl was quite gifted at reading people's body language to gauge intent. He could see no malice or dishonesty in the question.

"As I said before, I am new to this area and wanted to get some general information about others around here and maybe network a little. Lord Blackmon is a friend, but even he admits he has been somewhat disconnected lately."

"That is true. He took the loss of his slave very hard. In some ways that is why masters such as Lobo look down on Lord Blackmon. They think he is too soft."

"Master Blake, let me assure you, it would be a serious mistake to consider Lord Blackmon soft. Now, let us stop gossiping and please tell me what it is I am going to see tonight?"

Master Blake was glad to get the topic away from chapter politics, "We hold this event three times a year. We use it for a number of activities. Let me show you around."

With Master Blake leading the way, they walked down the hallway that opened out onto a two story atrium. They had entered on the second floor so it was necessary to take an escalator down to the main exhibit hall.

Carl followed Master Blake down with Page and Willow in tow. Master Blake began pointing out different rooms and activities that were a part of the Expo. As they descended, Carl began categorizing the people he saw. There were young men that were wearing red button down shirts and black pants. Some were carrying food and drink trays while others were moving slaves and other merchandise. These were the support staff for the event.

There were also some that wore black shirts and black pants. These were armed with batons and pepper spray and were clearly the security detail for the night. Again Carl's experienced eye judged them to be poorly trained and equipped.

The others had no uniform or dress code. Slave owners were walking or sitting all around the main atrium. As they mingled and socialized, slaves were kneeling at their sides or performing some kind of service. Some were sucking and some were fucking. Some were masturbating while others suffered in some type of restrictive bondage.

One severe looking woman was dressed in a white leather dress that displayed her ample tits and attractive legs very well. Her silver hair was pulled back in a tight bun and her hands were encased in elbow length leather gloves. She also was wearing what appeared to be a long train or cape. Three slaves, all dressed in white leather also, made sure the long piece of material never touched the ground by carrying it in their teeth.

As they reached the bottom of the escalator, the woman dressed in white approached Master Blake, "Good evening Bob. I have been waiting to speak to you."

"Sorry Jane, there was a question about the security arrangements. Let me introduce you to Master Carl, a friend of Lord Blackmon's. Master Carl, this is Madame Carronade," Carl stepped up and took her offered hand. While her gray hair indicated she was older, her skin was flawless and unwrinkled. She would have been stunning if she had been smiling.

"Lord Blackmon has disappointed us with his absence lately. I have tried to contact him but he has not responded. Does your presence mean he will be here tonight?" she asked.

"Madame, I am sorry, but I do not think so," Carl replied.

"It is not polite to ignore someone. I was hoping ... well never mind," she said quietly. In Carl's hear he heard Page's whispered voice over the radio connection, "She was a friend. Please apologize for Lord Blackmon."

Carl took a step closer, still holder her hand, "Madame, I would not dare to speak for Lord Blackmon, we are not that close. But his absence, and failure to respond, is not personal. He has been out of touch with all of us recently. I am sure he will be in touch in the future. Please allow him to explain."

There was a softening of her eyes as the searched Carl's. After a moment she said, "Please call me Jane."

"It is a pleasure to meet you Jane," Carl responded.

Jane turned her attention back to Master Blake, "Can we talk later. I have some information I would like to share with you."

"Gladly, let's talk after dinner, I really have no interest in Karl Lobo's sales pitch," he said. With that Jane walked towards the door marked as the merchandise area. Carl and Master Blake turned towards the other end of the Convention Center.

"As I was saying, we try to tailor this event to the needs and desires of the chapter members. One of the things most requested by our members is access and information about new products and services. We invite venders to display and sell their wares in one of the main exhibit halls.

"Another priority that we focus on here is sharing information about training, health, and other matters related to our slaves. It is an open forum to bring up topics and make comments. Everything is open for discussion but understand that if the topics are not moderated, neither are the responses or reactions of the listeners. The Open Forum is in one of the smaller rooms to the right. No slaves are allowed in that room. There are stalls and cages throughout the venue for you to store your slaves for a time if you so choose. If you do not want them touched or bothered, please indicate that by putting a red flag on the slave or cage.