Probation Period Pt. 01

NOW

The ceiling lamp flickers, intermittently bathing the windowless room in cold neon light. A naked body begins to move on the narrow bunk where silvery, shimmering chains wind their way over the pale skin of the stretched-out woman. Their soft tinkling is suddenly drowned out by a loud clicking noise from the heavy steel door's locking mechanism, then a tall woman with long black hair steps through the opening door and stops in front of the wall of bars separating the cell and bunk from the rest of the large room. Over her arm, she carries a comfortable-looking bathrobe, somewhat worn out, which forms a strange contrast to her immaculate black leather outfit.

"Good morning, Mistress." The young woman on the narrow bunk manages to rise halfway before being held back by her chains.

"Hello, Penny. I think we can leave the formalities aside. Do you know what day it is today?"

Penny freezes for a moment, then closes her eyes and takes a deep breath before silently nodding.

"You have persevered. You've endured everything. You can be very proud of yourself. I assuredly am."

"Thank you, Mi.. Victoria."

She waits patiently while Victoria unlocks the door of her cell, then, piece by piece, frees her of her chains. She stares meditatively at the wide metal cuffs tightly encircling her slender wrists, until Victoria has released the final chain to her collar so that she can finally stand up. With a brief gesture, Victoria points to the bathrobe she has dropped down on the cot next to Penny.

"Put that on. The rest of the house isn't as cosy and warm as your cell."

"Oh, I don't mind that."

"Maybe you don't. But be considerate of Alfred's blood pressure."

"It's not so easy to shock him," Penny contends, but still slips into the robe, then together they leave the room in which Penny has spent so much of her time over the past months and silently climb up the stairs to the light-flooded ground floor of the house. They proceed further up the generous staircase to the gallery on the first floor and upon arriving at the top, Penny suddenly stops and extends her hand towards Victoria.

"Please give me the keys!"

Victoria scrutinizes Penny's face, but her suddenly mask-like, rigid features don't reveal any emotion.

"Of course," Victoria relents after a moment's hesitation, pulling out the loop of her necklace from the front of her top. In place of a pendant, a clutch of unusually shaped, little keys dangles, which she now detaches and presses into Penny's hand.

"There, you have them. By the way, I've asked Alfred to prepare a bath for you."

"Huh? Oh, thanks, that's very considerate of you, but please leave me alone now?" Penny demands absently, staring spellbound at the cluster of strange keys in her hand.

"As you wish. I suppose I'll hear from you once you have decided. You know where to find me." Victoria turns abruptly and stalks away.

Penny looks up in surprise and raises her hand, as if intending to hold Victoria back, but remains silent. Instead, she leans against the railing and watches Victoria irresolutely until she disappears from her field of vision.

"Crap!" Penny exclaims softly, clenching her hands into fists, so that the keys press painfully into the soft skin of her palm, then she quickly turns away and hurries off in the opposite direction.

BEFORE

It took a while for the melodic humming of her smartwatch to penetrate Victoria's mind, indicating that her training session was over. Strangely enough, it was while running that she could best calm herself and think. With a regretful sigh she killed the alarm, jumped off the treadmill and began a series of stretching exercises.

When she straightened herself again, she found herself the subject of numerous admiring glances. Some of the men caught staring looked away in embarrassment, while the more self-confident ones tried a winning smile instead. Victoria was used to being the centre of male attention and didn't mind, even though she sometimes found it annoying. Some of her would-be admirers were so convinced of their own irresistibility that they misinterpreted her dismissive behaviour as a particularly challenging way of flirting - only being deterred from further advances by sharp-tongued rebuffs, or, in rare, even more obstinate cases, impressive demonstrations of her karate skills.

She grabbed her towel, then quickly left the fitness centre. Enticed by the prospect of a hot shower, she hurried with quick steps towards her cabin. The corridors in this part of the ship, reserved for premium passengers, were designed with a dignified elegance that her fitness outfit comprised of sports bra, short trousers and running shoes clashed with badly. This was made plain by the venomous glances of some elderly, costumed ladies that she overtook along the way. Fortunately, the cabin door accepted her key card without the bitching that was typical of over-sophisticated technology, and Victoria was able to escape their silent disapproval by withdrawing into the safety of her suite.

She went straight into the spacious bathroom and slipped out of her sweaty training outfit, but before taking off her smartwatch, she looked at the status display, whose soothing green assured her that everything was fine with Penny - at least to the extent it was appropriate to make such a statement given the circumstances in which Penny presently found herself. That thought brought a happy smile to Victoria's face and a pleasant shiver of excitement ran through her. Quickly she got into the shower and while she let herself be caressed by warm water, her hands wandered over her body, soon finding their way to her breasts and lap as if of their own will. Later, she admonished herself with a regretful sigh and grabbed the shampoo.

Half an hour later, she stood naked in front of the right half of the large built-in wardrobe in the suite's bedroom. In quick succession, she selected a black leather bra, a tight skirt made of the same glossy material and a pair of knee-high lace-up boots; tossing the ensemble onto the huge double bed.

First, she stepped into the skirt and with some effort, shimmied it up over her hips and buttocks until it hung loosely around her narrow waist. To close the zipper, she had to suck in her breath and hold it for a moment, but in exchange, when the zip was fully closed, the skirt fit like an expensive glove; emphasizing her (literally) breathtaking figure.

Next, after fastening the clips of the wide chest band over her spine, she shrugged her upper body into the expensive bra so that her firm breasts with their pertly protruding nipples disappeared into the tight-fitting leather of its deep cups, then she adjusted the shoulder straps to the point that they dug narrow furrows into her shoulders. Quietly cursing, she spent another 10 minutes lacing her slender calves into the high shafts of her boots, before getting up and posing in front of the mirror mounted on the inside of the cupboard door.

With a critical eye, Victoria examined her image; made only a few final adjustments, then was satisfied. Even a less biased observer would have to admit that her appearance was well worth all the effort. Her black, straight hair, strictly combed back and falling over her shoulders, combined favourably with her classic, perhaps somewhat sharply cut, facial features; her dark, almost piercing eyes and pale complexion were complemented by sensual, blood-red lips. Her appearance, combined with her leather outfit, constituted the epitome of the femme fatale, or the stereotypical dominatrix. She quietly closed the cupboard door. Showtime!

For a moment, she stood motionless and listened to the ship's various, subtle noises. If one listened carefully, amongst the rustling of the wind and the waves, the subliminal humming of the engines and the cheerful voices of the other passengers, from time to time other sounds could be discerned. A muted clicking and muffled moaning emanated from the closed wardrobe. But one had to listen very carefully indeed.

The furniture in the cabin was not only sturdily built, but also firmly anchored to the walls and floor, so that even in heavy seas it would not leave its assigned place and turn into deadly projectiles; a circumstance Victoria found convenient for her very own reasons. A smile played on her lips when she unlocked the doors on the large cupboard's the left side and quietly opened it.

Immediately, not only the volume of the moaning multiplied, but also its intensity. Probably, it was the light draught on her sweaty skin that had informed Penny about the end of her solitary confinement, since no other senses were at her disposal; this handicap enforced by the tightly laced, thick and insulated leather helmet that adhered to her head like a second skin. It was hermetically sealed except for two small, metal-reinforced holes below her nose. At the neck, the helmet merged into a wide posture collar that concealed the end of its rear lacing, being secured with a small, silvery padlock, thus preventing any unauthorized attempts to remove it - not that Penny's other bonds left her the slightest opportunity.

Her slim arms were confined behind her back in an armbinder that reached halfway up between elbow and shoulder, pressing her elbows firmly against one another. Lower down, the thick but supple leather casing firmly encircled her wrists, with the palms of each hand pressed onto the other by the tight mitten. To Victoria's delight, this aspect posed no real problem for the very flexible Penny, although it assuredly turned into a challenge in the long run.

The mercilessly tightened holding straps, each running over one shoulder to the opposite armpit and thus crossing over her chest, securely prevented escape of any kind - despite her dramatically backward bent shoulders. There was no possible way she could wriggle her arms out of their leather prison; a condition that the twin straps above her elbows and around her wrists could have guaranteed on their own. They too had been pulled taut and secured with locks like all the others of their kind.

As well, the wide strap around her wrists provided a stable anchor point for a short chain, the other end of which was attached to the clothes rail, mercilessly pulling her arms high up behind her. Combined with the wide belts that bound her ankles to her thighs, the result was a severe strappado that forced Penny to balance on her knees. This was a feat she had unwillingly, but valiantly struggled to accomplish for the last two hours.

Victoria crouched, smiling and with delicate, fingertip caresses, began to stroke Penny's thighs that trembled with tension. The subdued sounds that penetrated through the helmet took on an urgent undertone. Penny couldn't produce understandable words due to the firmly inflated butterfly gag she wore under her mask, but the message, however, was clear: she implored salvation from her torment. So not exactly what Victoria was up to now.

Victoria let her hand glide to Penny's crotch. Her fingers slid unerringly between the lust-swollen labia and penetrated deeply. Penny froze momentarily, then her formerly imploring moans were replaced by frantic but restricted inhalations, for she was now desperately struggling against the resistance of her tightly laced corset to suck more air into her lungs.

A tremor ran through her pinioned body when Victoria first gently circled her fingertips around the vaginal opening and then slowly ran them upward between her lips until they encountered the hopefully erected clitoris. The gentle touch made Penny shiver violently and a throaty wail pierced through her gag. Involuntarily, she tilted her hips forward and pressed her thighs together as if trying to prevent the intruder responsible for her wild flaming excitement from escaping.

"Not so fast!" Victoria freed her hand and had to smile. Her fingers were shining wet, a finding sweat alone could not provide a satisfactory explanation for.

"It seems to me that someone is enjoying her treatment. What do you think?" she mocked, holding her fingers under the helmet's breathing holes. "Maybe I'll allow you to climax later. Once you've earned it."

Penny sagged in her bonds with a disappointed groan, which due to her precarious position caused her arms to be instantly pulled up almost vertically behind her back. She immediately tried to straighten again, but Victoria beat her to it and instead released the chain that connected her wrists to the clothes rail, then she opened the lock on the posture collar and began to work on loosening the lacing of the helmet.

Two minutes later, she first pulled it forward over her prisoner's head and, finally, it came all the way off to reveal the sweaty face of a young woman with short blonde hair. The narrow straps of a gag harness dug into the skin of her head and around her neck she wore a snugly-fitted, stainless steel band that had previously been hidden by the posture collar. Above the wide leather shield that covered her mouth, green, slightly reddened eyes blinked in the sudden brightness and immediately directed an imploring gaze towards Victoria.

"I know, I know ..." Victoria gently stroked her dishevelled hair. "Wait, I'll free you from your gag right away."

With nimble fingers she had soon opened the many buckles until the mouth shield was held in place only by the thick latex balloon filling Penny's oral cavity to capacity. To get it to pass between her teeth without dislocating her lower jaw in the process, Victoria had to first exhaust nearly all the air via the integrated valve and only then was she able to extract the now flaccid rubber pad, accompanied by a surge of saliva.

"Ah!" With a relieved sigh Penny slowly closed her mouth. Victoria watched with interest while she moved her lower jaw back and forth with her eyes closed and pain-distorted features, intent to regain control over her stiff muscles before finally looking up.

"Thank you, Mistress. May I have something to drink, please?" Penny asked in a husky voice.

"Of course." Victoria fetched the water bottle with the straw from the bedside table, then sat down on the bed and pointed to the floor in front of her feet. "Come here!"

She waited patiently as Penny slowly crept closer on her knees, then, when she had reached the designated place, Victoria held out the bottle to her and allowed her to drink until she had quenched her thirst.

"Another sip?"

Penny shook his head. "No thank you, Mistress."

"Good." Victoria placed the bottle on the floor, then leaned forward and hooked her fingers through the front ring of Penny's steel collar and pulled firmly while slowly reclining and spreading her legs, forcing Penny's head deep between her thighs until she felt her slave's breath on her exposed pussy.

"You know what to do."

Much later, they both lay in bed, Penny closely cuddled up to Victoria, who stroked her hair absentmindedly. After Penny had used her tongue to bring Victoria, who was in this respect a discerning customer, to an apparently acceptable climax, the latter had returned the favour by stimulating Penny for what felt like an eternity - at least half an hour - with a vibrator; albeit without allowing her to climax. Every time Penny was a hair's breadth away from release, Victoria had paused her efforts and watched her helpless victim wriggle in wild frustration in her bonds until her arousal had dropped back to a sub-critical level. When Victoria at long last had had enough of this horrible/beautiful game, she had pushed Penny over the threshold by mercilessly using a strap-on dildo.

All of Penny's pent-up sexual energy was unleashed in a spectacular orgasm followed by a volley of smaller aftershocks that left her completely exhausted and numb. She had hardly reacted when Victoria freed her from the corset and armbinder, then pulled her into bed. The handcuffs, which now fixed her hands behind her back didn't interfere with Penny's contentment at all, but on the contrary, relieved her of the need to do anything other than just lie there and enjoy the lingering bliss of her climax.

"Do you think I'm too harsh on you?"

Victoria's sudden question broke Penny's post-orgasmic lethargy and made her flinch. She bit her lips to not spontaneously scream 'Yes!'. In truth, Victoria had always stayed well within the limits of their agreement and helped her to realize a long-cherished fantasy: to be treated like a mere sex toy, taken out of the closet only when needed, but otherwise left to languish helplessly and securely tied up in the cabin, while her mistress enjoyed all the comforts of the luxury cruise. Was it Victoria's fault that the reality behind her fantasy brought her to the limits of her stamina?

However, this was exactly the kind of thrill Penny sought and craved with a vengeance. While she still had been trapped in the closet, only the thought of her safe word had allowed her to endure the painful bondage; but now, the mere memory of the torments she had suffered during her martyrdom made her horny again.

Penny quickly looked up at Victoria's face. Depending on her mood there was no right answer to this question anyway. Yet, as usual, her mistress had her features under perfect control, unfortunately.

"It was very intense ..."

Victoria frowned. "You may speak freely."

"I'm treated in such a way, as Mistress considers fitting," Penny declared piously.

Apparently this was not the desired answer because Victoria's frown deepened and she sounded irritated when she reformulated her question: "Well then, if you had a wish, how should I treat you?

"It's not up to me to express wishes, Mistress."

"Suit yourself!" Victoria was now visibly irritated. She sat up with a jerk, slipped from the bed and retrieved the harness gag and the awful helmet from the floor. "If you don't want to talk to me, you shall say nothing at all."

NOW

In anger, Victoria slams the door to her suite shut and quickly crosses the living room to drop onto the bed in the adjacent bedroom, then rolls onto her back and stares sightlessly at the ceiling while she attempts to analyse her feelings. Why is she angry, disappointed and sad? What did she expect? After Penny has had to submit to her will (and whims!) every minute of every day for the past six months, she can hardly blame her slave for seizing the opportunity to run away from her now. Penny would want to enjoy her regained freedom to the fullest extent, and above all without her tormentor interfering.

In fact, their agreement stipulates that she must leave Penny completely alone for the next 24 hours because she has to be able to make her decision freely and without outside influence whether she wishes to continue their unusual arrangement. Or not.

In the seclusion of her bedroom, Victoria curses the restrictions imposed on her by her role as Penny's mistress. Right now, she would have liked to approach Penny as a confidante and friend. Or as her lover. But in any case without the obligation to constantly maintain the necessary distance between mistress and slave. She thinks back over the past months; these counting among the most intense and happiest of her life, and not simply because for the first time she has been able to let her dominant side run wild. In enforcing the subjugation of a headstrong, beautiful and rebellious slave and the ensuing contest of wills she has realized one of her life's passions.

Out of an initial sympathy for Penny, deep feelings have developed almost against her volition and so Victoria has found it increasingly difficult neither to show them nor be misled by them into misplaced lenience towards her charge. Is it possible then that, when her timid advances did not meet with enthusiastic acceptance, she has erred on the side of strictness in an effort to not give her feelings away?