The Serenity of Servitude

The Serenity of Servitude (M/F, F/F, D/s, BD, Humiliation, Toys, Consensual) by I_am_His_Beloved 2008 ============================================================================

The Serenity of Servitude Chapter 1 - Princess Perky in Turmoil - A woman grappling with her emerging submissiveness

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Tears obscured Nicole's vision as she drove down the single lane highway that Wednesday night. The usually perky and bubbly DJ and Karaoke hostess was uncharacteristically miserable. She had held it together from Sunday until now and once she no longer had to hold things together and be perky and friendly for customers, she could not stop the tears. Thankfully she was not going to a gig but to a friend's house, her closest friend as a matter of fact: Megan. Nicole lived in a small prairie town and Megan lived in an even smaller town, a short distance down this single lane highway. In this area, a fifteen minute jaunt down the highway was practically next door. That is why it was nothing for Nicole to be driving, in tears, at night down the highway to visit a friend. Even though Megan was younger (26 to her 29) than she was, she always seemed to be the more mature one of the two. Nicole regularly went to Megan with

problems in her life. Somehow Megan had a way of helping Nicole to feel better, and see things clearer. Nicole had doubts whether even Megan could help this latest pain go away. Until Sunday Nicole's life had been going well, blissful even; all that came crashing down Sunday. Nicole had never been they type of woman to let men in close. After a single serious relationship had gone bad ten years ago, she has had a number of superficial relationships, but none that touched her heart; that is until John. John was the one man she truly let into her heart and her world eventually revolved around him. Nicole met John at one of her Karaoke gigs a little over a year ago. After a few conversations and some light flirting (nothing unusual for Nicole) she agreed to go back to his house and talk. He was not the type of guy that she usually went for, but something about John drew her to him. He was selfish, self-centered (qualities Nicole herself shared), but he was also charming, friendly and of course, confident. While it wasn't until a few weeks later that they started "officially" dating, Nicole started to lose her heart to John that night. Nicole spent every spare moment with him, neglecting her business and friends. Her focus instead was on what she could do for him, how to make him happy. All that ended Sunday when John sat Nicole down and quite plainly broke up with her. He told her that she was disorganized, childish, emotionally irrational and clingy. In short form, it had stopped being fun for him. She spent the better part of an hour trying to convince him not to give up on her; she could change, could be better... whatever he wanted. Nothing Nicole said moved or affected John in the slightest. John added that they both knew this relationship was never meant to last. Nicole wanted kids and John, at 45 had already raised his kids and had no desire to have more. Despite the heartbreak of having this man break up with her, her pride too suffered a blow as it was usually she who ended things... on her terms and in her own time. In her humility Nicole begged him to stay with her, and adding insult to injury, none of this worked. While the break-up hurt Nicole it was not the real reason she was in such turmoil. John's reasons stuck with her and resonated within her, she knew he was right. All of her friends knew she was a bit of a scatterbrain, who was constantly running late. Her house was a disaster of disorganization. Part of the success of her DJ and Karaoke business was attributed to her " Perky Teenager" act. The trouble was that she had been putting on that act in front of people for so long that even she was unsure who the "real" Nicole was. Even worse was the fact that it was now as if her eyes were finally opened and she was seeing her life from an objective point of view. When Nicole had started her DJ and Karaoke business ten years ago she wanted to be rich by the age of 30. She saw it as a stepping stone to her dreams of owning a string of investment properties. Now, ten years later she had a modest amount of savings in the bank and two plots of land with two dilapidated trailers on them which were a long way from being habitable. Where had her life gone so wrong? How could she have been treading water for the past ten years, getting nowhere? She was not the woman she used to be, nor who she wanted to be. Her world was in chaos and turmoil because she had no idea how she got where she was or how to get her life back on track. On the surface Nicole's was not all that bad: she was not broke, she owned her own house and she was in good shape physically. She was not into drugs, rarely drank to excess, watched what she ate, worked out on a regular basis and ran daily. All of this had given her the runner's body that the men in the bars liked to drool over. Her long, brown hair, Hazel eyes and impish face only added to her charms, combined with her "perky teenager act" men didn't stand a chance. The only thing Nicole disliked about her body was her smallish breasts that came part-and-parcel with the "Runner's Physique. " The screeching from the seat beside her brought Nicole out of her distracted funk. Looking around her she noticed that it was her cell phone going off. Answering it was not what she wanted to do but she stifled her tears and picked up the phone. "Hi," Nicole said curtly into the phone. "Where are you?" Megan asked, out of curiosity rather than concern, being late was a given with Nicole. "I'm about 20 minutes away from your house," Nicole said with a good measure of hurt entering into her voice. "What's wrong," Megan said in a knowing tone of voice ending with a sigh. "John and I had a serious talk on Sunday," Nicole said, and had to pause to once again get a hold of her emotions. "How serious was it?" Megan asks, curious to know to what degree she would have to patch Nicole together again. "Very . . . we broke up," Nicole said with a bit of a whiny tone to her voice. "Oh, Lord," Megan sighed, "Well, put a stopper on the waterworks, my kids are still up. Once they're settled you can fall apart," Megan finished in a compassionate tone of voice. "Thanks," Nicole said with a relieved tone of voice. "Okay, see you in a bit," Megan said and hung up the phone. As Megan was hanging up the phone, Nicole heard Megan yell at her kids in her "Mom" tone of voice. That sent a shiver though Nicole and she almost dropped the phone; instead she tossed it down on the seat beside her where it

bounced onto the floor. As Nicole pictured her friend disciplining her kids she wondered what it was that made Megan so different than her? Why did it seem that Megan had everything together and she didn't? Megan was a mother of four kids: 2 boys, age 8 and 6, and 2 fraternal twin girls age 4. Megan had gotten involved with the wrong guy at age 16 but it took 10 years and 4 kids before she finally left him for good. Megan wasn't a stay at home mom either. She was a manager at a local clothing store, worked 40 hours or more a week, was a single

mom, and still somehow managed to keep her house clean, organized with time left over for creative projects as well as be a good girlfriend to those who needed her. Perhaps it was the fact that Megan got up early. To Nicole getting up early was waking up before 1:00pm. She worked the bars and the nightlife suited her just fine. All this worrying and wondering would have to wait, for Nicole was now pulling up in front of Megan's trailer. It wasn't fancy but it was affordable and in a spacious quiet trailer park made it the two reasons that Megan lived here. It was an older trailer which the owners had tried to spruce up a bit, yet on a budget. It was not fancy, yet it was not a dump. Three small bedrooms and one bathroom made up the back half of the trailer, the front half was divided equally between a living room area and a kitchen area. In the kitchen was a small kitchen table pushed into a corner of the kitchen close but not right up against the pass-through to the living room. The living room had a loveseat, a comfy chair with two small end tables along one wall. Along the opposite wall tightly packed together was an assortment of chest of drawers, cabinets and an entertainment centre, as well scattered around on top of them all were a few DVD organizers. The wall between these two walls contained a large window. If you get the picture that Megan's place was cluttered or disorganized you couldn't be further from the truth. Everything had its place and everything was in its place. Neat, tidy and organized was how Megan kept her home, yet she had enough flexibility to allow her kids to be kids, (as long as they cleaned up afterwards). As for Megan herself, she had reddish-brown hair that was quite thick and perpetually in a body wave, naturally, and reaching just past her shoulders. Giving birth to 4 kids had taken its toll on her body, yet not nearly as bad as some of her friends. Megan still had the hourglass figure of her youth; she simply had few extra pounds evenly distributed on it. The delight of having a few extra pounds evenly distributed about her body, however, was that it gave her a generously proportioned set of breasts, easily a D cup. Her green eyes sparkled and lit up her cherub face when she smiled, behind her stylish glasses. She had a body and personality that was just made for cuddling up with. As Nicole walked into the front door she was attacked by four kids screaming "AUNTIE NICKI" and once again Nicole "switched on" and she was the " perky teenager" once again. For the forty-five minutes before the kids were put to bed, Nicole played with those kids as if she was one of them; one of the reasons Megan's kids loved her so much. Eventually the kids were tucked in, all insisting to be tucked in by Mom and "Auntie Nicki." As Nicole sat down on the couch she breathed a sigh of relief, the kids were now asleep and it was just her and Megan. Nicole could now "Switch off" and relax and be herself once again. Megan was one of the very few people that got to see the real Nicole. Nicole fell apart and the tears flowed freely as she collapsed forward into the waiting arms of her best friend. Over the next long while Nicole cried as she opened up and told Megan everything she was feeling after the loss of John. Megan listened to Nicole cry and talk, as she had done so many times before. This time seemed different, this time Megan picked up on something she had not been able to see before. It was only recently that she had come to terms with it within herself, and once she had embraced what she knew was within the core of her being, she was much happier. Megan suspected that she and Nicole had this, seldom talked about thing in common: they both were Submissive. The difference was that Megan had embraced her Submissive side and

had found the right Dominant: Mark. Interestingly enough it was Nicole who introduced Megan to the man who was now her Master. Nicole had met Mark three years prior at a local community group that meets once a week. Mark had pursued Nicole and was unsuccessful but they had developed a close friendship but they were not as close as her and Megan. Nicole always figured that Mark was looking for an opening to date her and was relieved when Megan and Mark hit it off. What Nicole didn't know was that Mark was a Dominant who had not come to terms with his Dominant side. Mark had always seen it as a "dark side" a side which only served to "subjugate" and "abuse" women. Megan was a Submissive who had not yet come to terms with her Submissive side, never trusting her now ex-husband Jack enough to explore that side of her personality which, upon reflection was what enabled her to take the years of mental and emotional abuse. After a few conversations skirting the issue of Domination and Submission, and one particular evening where a lot of alcohol had been consumed, the inevitable happened. They both opened up to each other and explored the aspect of themselves that they had tried to push away and deny was there. That set the two of them down a path to embracing their true selves as Master and Slave. Megan now could see that Nicole was a Submissive who probably didn't know that she was a Submissive. Megan had picked up on a few hints that Nicole had said during her explanation of what had happened. Megan understood what was bothering Nicole was that she was a Submissive who felt lost without her

Dominant. Even though neither John nor Nicole saw their relationship in that light, it did not mean that Nicole had not come to rely on him as her Dominant. In short she felt lost without having him to serve. The dilemma that Megan faced was that should she point this out to Nicole, or just let Nicole discover it on her own. Megan now knew that Nicole would never really find peace until she had come to terms with this aspect of her nature. Discovering one's Submissive side is generally done in private, upon much reflection. Megan decided that since she had some knowledge and guidance to give in the area of Submission, she had an obligation to help her friend out. "Can I ask you some questions?" Megan asked at long last. "Sure," Nicole replied. Nicole was relieved that Megan was about to say something, for the longest while Megan had just sat there and listened to Nicole talk. Nicole was all cried out now, and calmly sipping on her tea. This was what Nicole had come here for, Megan's guidance. Nicole hoped that Megan would know just what to do to make everything alright. "So, you said you did things for him, what kids of things did you do?" Megan asked Nicole calmly. "All kinds of things, cleaned his house, did his dishes, generally helped him out," Nicole replied, not sure what this had to do with anything. "Would you say that you did more things for him, he did more things for you, or was it equal?" Megan asked and sipped her tea, to cover her eagerness to hear Nicole's answer. "I did more things for him, I suppose . . . but it was my choice. I never felt used or anything, if that's what you're getting at," Nicole answered in a slightly defensive tone. "But why did you do these things for him? How did doing these things for him make you feel?" Megan asked and again sipped her tea. "I just wanted to, I guess. I liked taking care of him; it was just a way to show him my love." Nicole replied with a puzzled look on her face. Inside Nicole wondered what was so wrong with wanting to take care of her man. "So, taking care of John made you feel good?" Megan asked with a raised eyebrow. "Yeah," Nicole shrugged and the expression on her face demanded some sort of explanation for this line of questioning. "Were there any times that John told you to do something, not asked, but TOLD you to do something?" Megan asked, leaning forward just a little bit. "Sure," Nicole said an uneasy tone. "Did you do what he said?" Megan asked with an intrigued tone of voice. "Yeah," Nicole asked as she shifted in her chair, slightly embarrassed at the admission. "How did that make you feel? Were you mad?" Megan asked with a smirk on her face that she tried hard to hide. Nicole did not answer Megan's question but in her mind she flashed back to the first time John had raised his voice to her. They had been dating for a few months by then. John had been working on a particularly hard project in his workshop. Nicole had been hanging around wanting to help, and had been offering her "two cents worth" of advice. John was getting frustrated with both the project and Nicole's "nattering" as he called it at the time. John had said he was hungry, Nicole suggested they take a break, go into the house side and have lunch. John responded by suggesting that she make him

lunch and bring it out to him. Nicole laughed and tugged John's arm, expecting him to come with her into the house. When Nicole tugged on his arm, John glared up at Nicole and told her, sternly to make him lunch, and bring it out to him. Nicole instantly let go of his arm and did just that. Looking back on it, it is odd that Nicole didn't get angry for John's curt attitude. When John complimented her on the lunch, Nicole was pleased to know she had made him happy, at least in a small way. "How did it make you feel? How did doing what John TOLD you to do, make you feel?" Megan asked again after Nicole had remained silent, looking like she was almost pouting. "Look! I just did what he said in order to make him happy!" Nicole angrily snapped back. "Have you ever tried Submission?" Megan asked plainly. "What?" Nicole asked in shocked reply, not entirely sure what Megan meant, nor where such an odd topic would come from if it was what Nicole was thinking. "Have you ever experimented with being dominated? Did you and John ever experiment with Domination/Submission? Have you ever played Submissive to his Dominant?" Megan asked as calmly as she could on the outside even if she was nervous on the inside. "WHAT? NO!" Nicole stammered in shock. "That's disgusting! I would never do anything degrading like that!" she finished and stared at Megan in utter disbelief. "Don't think of it like that. It's not what you think." Megan replies with a furrowed brow. "What are you saying? How can you defend some woman groveling to a man?" Nicole replied in shock and disgust. "Because I am a Slave to a wonderful Master and it is not disgusting and I never feel degraded at all!" Megan said in as convincing a manner as she could muster. "WHAT! Does Mark know?" Nicole shrieked in shock. "Who do you think is my Master?" Megan replied in a dumbfounded look on her face. "MARK?" Nicole said and then burst out laughing. Nicole found immense humor out of the thought of her friend, Mark, the " computer geek" as she saw him trying to act like a "Macho Man." Nicole didn' t laugh long as Megan did what was second nature to her when anyone disrespected her Master. Megan slapped Nicole in the face and instantly Nicole fell silent. "Never speak of Master that way!" Megan snapped as she stared angrily into the shocked face of a silent Nicole. Megan went on to explain the symbiotic nature of their relationship. She explained that they each gave something to the other and each received something from the other. Mark gave: Domination and guidance to Megan and in return Megan gave Submission and service to him. They took care of each other in different yet equally important ways, all the while filling a basic need the other had. Megan tried to explain how the things she did for Mark on a daily basis was not all that different than the things Nicole had done for John. Megan tried her best to explain how close this had brought the two of them and that they now felt complete and could truly be themselves. Nicole looked on in shock and horror as Megan explained what Nicole saw as a twisted relationship between two people who she felt she didn't know anymore. "Megan, you don't need any of this shit! I had no idea that Mark was just like Jack. If this is how he has twisted and corrupted your mind then leave him!" Nicole urged Megan, not able to keep silent anymore. "Don't blame this on him! And Mark is nothing like Jack! Mark is a Good Dom and Jack was a Bad Dom!" Megan replied forcefully. "'Good Dom?' How the fuck could there be such a thing as a good version of a person who walks all over you?" Nicole challenged. "All Jack wanted was to take from me. That's the mark of a Bad Dom. All Mark wants to do is to give to me. That's the mark of a Good Dom." Megan replied in frustration. "Megan, you are a strong and confident woman who should never be walked all over by any man!" Nicole urged passionately as she reached out and held Megan's hand. "My strength and confidence comes from my Master. It is only through embracing that I am a Submissive that I have found peace. It is only through my service to my Master that I feel complete and have become the strong and confident woman that I am." Megan said with conviction. In response Nicole stared blankly back at Megan, not sure of what to say. Nicole was mostly disgusted by everything that Megan had told her. Yet there was a part of her that understood what Megan was saying, that was the most troubling part. Nicole was confused and felt she was no closer to getting the resolution she sought when she had come over here. Nicole had just about had her fill of this bizarre conversation and felt like she had to get this talk back on track. "I'm glad you two are happy," Nicole started out in a condescending manner but had to pause to shake her head. "But what does this have to do with me?" "Because, Nicole, what really is bothering you is that you are a Submissive woman who has just lost her Dominant. This is compounded by the fact that you don't even realize that you are in fact a Submissive woman." Megan explained with confidence and compassion. "Now I know that you're full of shit! There is no way that I would have the slightest inclination to do any of that BULLSHIT!" Nicole scoffed in disgust and stormed out of the house. "Oh yeah, defiantly a Submissive in denial," Megan said to herself. Megan pondered on the events of the evening. Perhaps she told Nicole too much too soon; it is a lot to absorb at once. Nicole can be a silly little thing though, and if she does come around it will have to be handled carefully. One thing was for certain though, if Nicole continued to treat Megan the way she had she would not be welcome in Megan's life. With that resolve, Megan finished tidying up and went to bed. Nicole was in no better a state than she had been before she visited Megan. For the rest of the week Nicole kept a low profile with Megan and Mark, not knowing how to relate with either of them at this moment. Try as she might, Nicole wasn't able to see a solution to the life-questions that swirled around in her head. Nagging at her was the conversation she had had with Megan and Megan's accusation that she, Nicole, the ultimate "modern woman" was a Submissive! The most aggravating thing was that a small part of her thought Megan might be right but Nicole ignored that part of herself, writing it off to chaos and confusion that her life was currently in. When Nicole walked into the community meeting that next Monday night (late as usual) she got quite a shock when she saw Mark standing there talking to

another member of the group. The last people she wanted to see right now was either Megan or Mark. It was not odd to see Mark at a community meeting; in fact it would be odd not to see Mark at the community meetings. Nicole stood there in just inside the doorway and looked over her good friend whom she felt somehow betrayed by. Nicole tried to see if she could see some telltale sign of what she now knew to be true about him. He had always been a good man: caring, giving, compassionate and a good friend. He wasn' t bad to look at, but he wasn't overly handsome, either. Mark stood a little short for a man at 5'6 but had the broad shoulders and solid figure of a stocky build. His hair was buzzed short and the bald patch on the top of his head had always been there, as long as she had known him. Likewise his glasses had always been a part of him. It was his glasses along with his keen mind and training in computers that had garnered him the label of "computer geek" from her. Nicole didn't know how to relate to him, as that label didn't seem to fit him. For one thing Mark seemed more confident, more sure of himself than she had known him to be in the past. Perhaps it was just her own perceptions of Mark were changing and not Mark, himself. This thought was the most distressing thought of all for Nicole. Even though Nicole barely spoke two words to Mark all night, he never left her thoughts. For the remainder of the meeting Nicole watched Mark, trying to figure out what made him tick. It was her thought, that if she could discover his secret, then she could help Megan see Mark for the controlling jerk he was. On some level she still wanted to be his friend, she didn't hate him, just what he was doing to Megan. All of this attention focused on Mark made Nicole acutely away of Mark's needs that night. Those needs she took care of, almost on a subconscious level, her mind was distracted by thoughts of how twisted Mark was. What she did was never anything large or noticeable. When his throat sounded dry, she poured him a glass of water. When his pen ran out of ink, she fetched him another pen. It was these little things that she did without thinking of, or being asked. A small part of Nicole took pride and pleasure in taking care of Mark, even if in small ways. Oddly enough even Nicole didn't realize what she was doing or why. It wasn' t until she was on her way home that the though hit her that she was actually "serving" Mark and liking it! The thought hit her so hard and shocked her so much that she almost swerved off the road. Nicole panicked at the mere thought that perhaps there was a chance that Megan was right! Nicole pushed that thought out of her mind and continued on home.

The Serenity of Servitude Chapter 2 ============================================================================

Megan welcomed Mark home after the meeting, and they chatted about their respective days while Megan finished up the dishes. Mark was in a frustrated mood after the meeting, and explained to Megan why he was so irritated. "It's that damn Nicole," Mark began with a grumble. "What she do this time?" Megan asked as she rolled her eyes. "She's always running late and never has her act together. She seems to float through, thinking that everyone will pick up the slack for her, because she acts like a cutie-pie. The most frustrating thing is that it works!" Mark grumbled and walked down the hall towards the bathroom, leaving Megan to ponder his words. Nicole may have been successful in pushing that thought away that night but time and again over the next week her thoughts drifted to the conversation that she had had with Megan and the strange way she had behaved at the community meeting. Nicole even thought about her life and career: she was a hostess. She played music, talked to people, and did what it took to make them happy and she took great pride in joy in doing so. It was during a typical bar gig that Nicole watched the interaction between an overbearing man and a mousy little woman and saw that both of them were happy. Nicole realized that it didn't matter what others thought, all that mattered was that people loved each other and made each other happy. Since Nicole was happy taking care of people at her gigs, perhaps she could be happy taking care of a man, like Megan had described. Still, it was not something she could accept, just yet, but the she had to admit that the idea did appeal to some increasingly vocal part of her that wouldn't be silenced. She still had more questions than answers, and needed help sorting it all out. Begrudgingly she realized that she would have to go back to Megan and apologize. While this was not something she was looking forward to, the help and guidance that she needed was worth the sacrifice of her pride. A shrill sound jarred Megan out of the novel she was reading, and with a sigh she left the book to check the Caller ID. Noting Nicole's number she answered it warily." If you're calling to lecture and complain about who I am, I'm not in the mood." Megan spoke tersely into the phone. As Megan and Nicole had always shared a special closeness in their years of friendship; the coldness in Megan's voice startled her. Realizing the hurt she had caused her friend Nicole spoke carefully." I was wondering if I can come out and talk to you." "It's getting late, but I can talk for a little while. It's 9:00 now. If you're not here by 9:30 don't bother coming out." Megan said in a commanding tone, thus setting a guideline she was sure Nicole could not meet. "I won't be late." Nicole replied, feeling contrite with the distance between herself and her closest friend. "Fine. See you shortly then." With that abrupt comment Megan hung up on Nicole. Looking around her living room in a moment of panic, Nicole realized she had to hurry as it was a 15 minute drive to get to Megan's house in the next town. Quickly gathering up her jacket, phone and keys, Nicole hopped in her truck and headed out of town. A semi truck hauling some large piece of equipment was slowly moving up the highway, backing up traffic. Nicole joined the long line of cars, hoping for an opportunity to pass as she watched the numbers on the dashboard mark the passage of time. With each passing minute getting closer to the deadline Megan had imposed Nicole felt her agitation growing. Thought of her friends displeasure swirled in her mind, with increasing worry about being late. Realization hit her like a brick when it dawned on her that it wasn't so much being late that worried her as she was late ALL the time... it was being late after Megan had TOLD her not to be. Fast on the heels of this revelation came the thought that this was just one more piece of evidence that Megan was right. Finally able to pass the lumbering semi, Nicole pushes the limits of her truck and arrived at Megan's house at 9:31. Timidly she knocked on the door. Megan opens the door with a steely gaze. "You're late." The displeasure in her voice was evident. Megan has known Nicole for 10 long years and like John had grown tired of Nicole's selfish ways. Nicole stood trembling on the porch as her long time friend looked at her. "Please may I come in. I really want to talk to you about what you mentioned last time I was out. I'm sorry I was late, there was a big truck moving something on the highway and it held up the traffic. I really tried to be here on time and..." Nicole's words dwindled off when she realized she was rambling and that it was not having any effect on Megan. They stood in silence for a moment before Megan spoke. "What does it mean to be on time?" "It shows respect." Nicole meekly answered. "And if punctuality shows respect what does lateness show?" Megan asked with an edge to her voice. "Disrespect... but that wasn't what I meant to do. I didn't mean to disrespect you, I was just..." Again her words trailed away when she saw the look on her friends face. "If you can't respect me enough to be on time then there is nothing I can teach you. And since you disapprove of Mark and I then there is no reason for you to be here after the allowed time to visit." Megan spoke coldly to the once treasured friend who had now lost the little respect Megan once had for her. "I am sorry. And I don't exactly disapprove... I just don't understand. But I am willing to try to understand, and I would like to discuss it with you. Please." On the last word came a contrite tremble to Nicole's voice. Hearing the hint of submissiveness in Nicole's voice Megan smiled, and let her friend into the house. The groundwork had been laid, now it was time to see where it led. Nicole removed her coat and kicked off her shoes at the door. Intending to leave them where they lay until she saw the look on Megan's face. Putting her shoes on the rack, and hanging up her coat she followed Megan into the Living room where they each sat down to talk. "I have to work in the morning and I have to get the kids off to school. So let's make this brief. I don't have the luxury of sleeping till noon." Megan conveyed with her tone she was not in the mood for any of Nicole's antics. "I've been thinking." Nicole started nervously. "About?" Megan asked in the same cold tone. "About the things you said... About being a Submissive." Nicole's words belied the embarrassment she felt. "Have you now," Megan replied dryly. "Yes... And I'm afraid you might be right." Nicole's voice trembled slightly. "Might? Is that all or do you feel anything else?" Megan asked kindly, fully understanding the turmoil that comes before embracing something you've denied for so long. "I'm also afraid... And I'm worried." Nicole replied, relieved her friend was speaking to her in a more pleasant tone of voice. "Why?" Megan's tone encouraged Nicole to continue. "My life is a mess. I haven't made any progress in growing my business, nor in developing my rental properties. The trailers are still a wreck and I' ve had them for years now. I just lost John and I love him so much. There' s this huge distance between us now, Between Mark and I also. I just don't know what to think anymore about either of you." Nicole began trying to explain the maelstrom of thoughts swirling inside her mind. "Be careful how you speak of Mark and I. I won't tolerate the same behavior as the last time you were here." Megan spoke curtly. Realizing how precarious her friendship with Megan was at the moment Nicole spoke quickly. "Oh no... that's not what I meant. Simply that all I thought I knew seems to be changing and I'm not sure how to handle it... even my

perceptions of myself." Nicole finished meekly. "Really... how so?" Megan asked curiously, with a knowing smile. "I've noticed a tendency to serve in my life. I do what I can to make people happy at work, through my job. I was happiest when I was doing something for John to make him happy. I like to do things for people... most of the time, if it doesn't conflict with what I want. It is things like that that make me think you could be right... but on the other hand I've had to admit that John was right about a few things. I am selfish, and childish. I want things my way, and I'm bossy. Those are dominant traits. I just don't know who I am anymore. How can I have traits of both if I'm a Submissive?" Nicole finished with a confused look on her face. "Now that you mention John, I have another question for you. What drew you to him in the first place? What are some of his qualities as a person?" Megan asked trying to help her friend understand what she was inside. Nicole reflected on the past for a moment in silence before answering " Well he's handsome, charming, smart, funny, confident, self employed and relatively well off." Nicole replied wondering where this was going. "Confident?" Megan asked in a teasing voice. "Yes, he has something about him that makes it seem like he has it all under control," Nicole replied even more confused. "You forgot to mention that he is also selfish, and sarcastic, and arrogant... but never mind that for now. His confidence drew you to him among other things, right? That is because he is a Dominant. Your submissive side was searching for a Dom, whether you consciously realize it or not. It is a part of you, deep inside at the core. I've always had it but only realized it recently. For some Domination and Submission is just a game they sometimes play. But for others it is more than just bedroom games. The ones that play at it have not come to terms with their true selves just yet. They may never fully grasp it. For some they are too scared, or shy, or just plain in denial. However, until they embrace it there will always be this yearning inside for something they are afraid to even name, let alone reach out for." Megan spoke gently to her friend. "That makes sense... sort of." Nicole uneasily replies while blushing furiously. "You asked how you can be a Sub while having dominant traits. Well I ask you, would you have characterized me as a Sub? On one hand I have been " trained" by my parents, teachers, and my ex to be obedient; to do as I'm told and that their will overrules mine. I like to do things for others, even at my own expense. I have always desired to please others. It is these aspects of me that were the beginning of my Submissiveness. On the other hand I am a Mom which is a dominant position if there ever was one. Plus I'm the Manager of my store. I organize and keep order in both my home and my work. In those aspects yes I am dominant. However there is a difference between acting and being. I can act dominant when it's necessary but that doesn't change the fact that I am a Sub." Megan finished with a satisfied smile, noting the look of understanding beginning to creep across Nicole's face. "But how do you know that I am a Sub when I have so many Dominant traits? I can see how you see yourself that way, but I can't wrap my head around that view for myself. I have too much self respect to grovel for anyone." Nicole replied defiantly, trying to deny that Megan's words rang true. "Well, you said yourself that you loved serving John, even when he was less than nice about asking for things. You also said that in your work, which you love, you spend a great deal of time and energy making people happy. You like to please people. Plus you admitted that I am right. You are a Submissive, period." Megan spoke decisively "When did I admit it!? I said you might' be right!" Nicole sputtered indignantly. "You were only one minute late today. When was the last time you were within a half an hour of being on time, let alone one minute late? And why was that? It was because I TOLD you to be here by 9:30. Plus look at your behavior at the door. Look how you conducted yourself." Megan replied confidently. Megan sat back with a smug smile. Nicole's brow furrowed with concentration as many thoughts and emotions swarmed across her mind. Could it be... was Megan right... no matter how she tried to deny it, something deep inside her was calling out, recognizing the truth. Leaving Nicole to argue with herself (knowing full well how futile it was to deny the truth) Megan went out for a smoke. When she was done Megan returned to the living room to find Nicole still pondering over this new found sense of peace. With a calm voice she turned to Megan and asked "How did you know for you... that you were a Sub?" "It's not as simple as knowing, nor is it something you should just jump into. For so long I was looking... looking for something I didn't even know I was searching for. I only realized that I had been searching for something once I found it. And what I found changed my life. It was something so subtle and yet so important, IT is a part of me inside, at the core, who I REALLY am. And now, finally, I know what I was missing, why I was unhappy... because now, that I have accepted it...admitted it... embraced it... I am happy, I feel complete. It has been a journey of taking baby steps. The first boyfriend I really loved was a Dominant in bed. We explored light bondage, and I found I enjoyed it. The feeling being dominated gave me was very erotic but it also brought a sense of something more, a peace that I was coming close to but had not reached yet." Megan paused to gauge her friend's reactions... noting Nicole was listening intently she continued. "After I took each step, I found myself wanting to do more... I hadn't found the something missing yet. Each time I pushed back the boundary of what I was comfortable with, in regards to submission, the further I wanted to push that boundary. With Jack I couldn't trust him enough to explore those feelings. However with Mark the trust is there. Together we pushed the boundaries in small steps beyond the bedroom and now I've found the something'

that I was missing... I'm at peace." Megan said in a knowing and sage manner. "So you think the confusion I'm feeling is because I'm denying that side of me? How will it change me?" Nicole asked fearfully. "You will change only for the better my dear, only for the better. The confusion will leave. You will regain a sense of purpose. It is very empowering." Megan says with a smile. "Empowering?" Nicole pounces on the last word... sure that this will make her friend admit that it's all a lie. This is her last hope before accepting the inevitable. "Yes. It's empowering. I know that seems like an oxymoron... how can a Slave be empowered by service? I know that doesn't seem to make much sense but its true. I have always searched for approval, my submissiveness needs that. I never felt that I was good enough to be loved. Now I know I am, but more than that, I know My Master will stand with me and face anything. With him there is nothing I cannot do. This is the security and faith I have found with him," Megan tries to explain. Megan further illustrated this point by reciting both the "Master's Creed"

and the "Slave's Creed."

The "Master's Creed" is a Master's promise to his Slave.

*** The Master's Creed *** ======================================= I am your Master, and you are my Slave.

Because,

I Dominate, you Submit. I Command, you Obey. I Lead, you Follow.

Though,

I will be Unwavering in my Protection. I will be Careful with my Strength. I will be Wise with my Guidance. I will be Fair with my Discipline. I will be True with my Nurturing. I will be Unceasing with my Love.

Yet at times,

My Actions may seem Strange. My Motives may seem Unclear. My Orders may seem Frightening

But,

Trust in me to know what's best. Trust in me to look out for you. Trust in me to never betray you. Just trust in me and Obey

Because,

I am your Master, and you are my Slave.

The "Slave's Creed" is her promise to her Master.

*** The Slave's Creed *** ======================================= You are my Master, and I am your Slave.

I exist only to serve you. I desire only to please you. Use my body for your pleasure. Do with me what you will.

But please . . .

Protect me with you strength. Guide me with your discipline. Nurture me with your love.

And I will . . .

Follow you faithfully, and obey you without question.

Because . . .

You are my Master, and I am your Slave.

As understanding finally crosses Nicole's face Megan continues. "You see, it is a special bond, in which we take care of each other." "Hmm, so you're saying this is something I can try out and see if I like it?" Nicole replied with an uneasy manner. "You are at a crossroads right now. You feel lost without John, because you miss your Dom. You can choose to explore your submissive side, or you can refuse to. Ultimately the choice is up to you." Megan says poignantly and looks at Nicole, waiting for a response. "But how would I go about finding a good' Dom in the first place? I know you have Mark and that's great for you... but this isn't exactly something you take out a personal ad for you know!" Nicole quips. "You wouldn't find one like Mark anywhere that's for sure!" Megan replies proudly. Nicole snorts "That's good for you, but what about me?" Megan calmly replies "I know someone who would be a great Dom to you. He would treat you wonderfully. And then you would finally have the Peace you seek through Submission." "Really? Who?" Nicole asks curiously. "Well..." bracing for another outburst Megan replies "since I realize how rare and special my Master is, I have agreed to let him take on other women as Slaves, in order to give them the Calming Serenity of Servitude to him. " Nicole blinks her eyes at her friend, her jaw slack with disbelief. After a few moments of silence Nicole speaks slowly "You mean you're willing to share him... and this is OKAY with you...What the hell are you thinking?!" With amusement at her friends shock Megan replies "I just know how wonderful he is and how much he can help others. Why should I deny another woman like you the same happiness I have. Men like Mark are few and far between, and there are far too many unhappy women out there. If you look hard enough you may find a good' Dom but most are like my ex... and John... selfish and uncaring, wanting only to take and unwilling to give. I am lucky to have Mark as my Master and I want to help others find the same joy I have... that is if they're worthy." The last words of this speech fall on deaf ears, as yet again Nicole has breached her comfort level with this new information. Terrified she rushes out of the door desperate for time to process this new information and try to get back into her comfort zone. Try as she might sleep eluded Nicole that evening as she warred with herself over this new insight. She recalled how `normal' Mark and Megan's relationship seemed to be. Sure, Megan cleaned Marks house, and got him things when he asked, sometimes before he even made the request... but she had done the same things for John. And she knew that the other more intimate aspects of their life together were wonderful. Even without any details there was no mistaking the satiated look in Megan's eyes now and again. Megan seemed happy, not depressed and downtrodden like she was when she was still married to Jack. Is it possible that just because Megan was Mark's Slave, it didn 't mean that she was being abused? Could Nicole's preconceptions of Domination and Submission be nothing more than stereotypical overreactions? Nicole shook her head as though trying to clear away those thoughts. Even if Nicole was ok with the idea of being a Slave... being dominated like Megan is... How could she share a man... more to the point they were talking about Mark for Pete's sakes! Finally, around 3 am, the emotional drain of the war inside her won out and the sweet oblivion of sleep descended over her. But her sleep was not to be peaceful. Her slumber was haunted by images of her life, from childhood right up to present day. She recalled moments when she had been deferential to those in authority and praised for her obedience by those asserting their power over her. She smiled in her sleep, remembering the pride and pleasure the kind words of praise had given her when spoken to her by teachers, friends, siblings, even her parents and managers. But then the dreams took a darker, more erotic turn... In her dream she found herself on a ship, hands bound in front of her in leather cuffs, scantily clad with a heavy iron collar around her neck. Attached to the large ring on the collar was a sturdy chain. Nicole's eyes follow the chain to the other end and realize it is held by a masked man dressed in sailor garb. His pants flap in the light breeze and his bare chest glistens in the sunlight. He crosses the deck reeling in the chain as he approaches her. The other men on the ship defer to him as he passes by them, his boots rapping out his steps with authority. He stops before Nicole and his presence is so powerful, it is humbling, and Nicole sinks to her knees in its wake. Then she notices someone kneeling beside her and with a shock recognizes Megan. The masked man speaks softly but with great power underlying every word. "That's right my pretty one, kneel before your Master." A great wave of desire sweeps through her with those words. So strong is her lust in response to his domination that it is plain for all to see shining in her eyes. Beside her Megan chuckles softly and murmurs in her ear. "See... I told you... this is what you are. This is what you want... THIS is what you need. You ARE a Slave." Nicole moans in her sleep as the desire sweeps through her in the dream. The masked man runs his fingers through her long hair, wrapping them in the auburn locks, then pulling slightly to tilt her face up to look at him. At the feeling of being MADE to look up Nicole moaned in pleasure. "What do you

want Slave?" A delightful shiver runs through her with the word "Slave". Nicole's voice quivers with need as she replies "I want only to serve you... to pleasure you... in whatever way you ask of me." He then pulled her closer to his stomach and she took the hint, kissing his abdomen, savoring the salty taste of his skin. As she kissed lower she felt the bulge of his cock pushing at her. She reached out to touch him, the need to please this man who exuded total control over her in a way that was almost overwhelming. The sharp pain on her cheek as he backhanded her came as a shock to her. She almost lost her balance and toppled over but the taut chain attached to her collar still held by his hand kept her from falling. Megan was laughing softly at her. Nicole didn't understand what she had done wrong. "Why did you hit me? I sought only to pleasure you!" Nicole asked in a confused voice. "You were not granted permission to have the delight of pleasuring me."

His commanding voice brought another flood of juices to her already wet pussy. "Beloved" the one word was more of a command than a name, but nevertheless Megan responded to it immediately. "Yes Master?" she asked happily. "Why don't you show this novice how it is done?" He said in a jovial tone. " Master... May I worship you... please?" The need in Megan's voice illustrated her growing desires. The Master chuckled softly and with great pride said "That's right, my Beloved Slave... yes. You may worship me as a reward for your devotion." He then pulled Megan in closer by her collar and she set about to continue where Nicole unwillingly left off. Her lips ticked his skin as she skimmed over his hot flesh, teasing him with a preview of what was to come. Megan's tongue encountered the cold steel of his belt buckle and set about to open it with her tongue. With this display only inches from her face, Nicole was ever increasingly turned on. Nicole watched as Megan's talented tongue worked the belt free of its clasp and began to open the buttons of the Masked Master's trousers. Realizing that Megan's hands were cuffed in back Nicole was impressed with her friend's dexterity and determination. With deft motions Megan soon had his pants open and began savoring the treat she found inside. Nicole watched with growing frustration. She too wanted to please this wonderfully dominant man standing oh so close. Finally need overcame pride and she pleaded with the Master "Please Master... I need to taste you." He didn't appear to hear her. She tried again a little louder... "Master please let me take you into my mouth I want to taste you so much." "Such insolence..." the Master replied shaking his head. "That kind of behavior will earn you a whipping if you don't be careful. I give few warnings, so heed this one. There won't be another. Now be quiet." At the thought of being whipped by this virile dominant male drove her desire almost to a fever pitch. Realizing that what she wanted or needed didn't matter... she would derive great pleasure simply from knowing she had pleased him. Nicole struggled to remember what words her friend had used "Master... May I worship you... please?" She braced for another hit, as she had not remained quiet as told, but instead sighed with relief as he pulled out of Megan's mouth and turned towards her. Megan's saliva coated him like the dew on grass in the morning but Nicole didn't hesitate one moment. She slowly took his length into her mouth, marveling over the feel of him like steel covered velvet. His hips began to move slowly in time with her mouth, as she swirled her tongue around his sensitive head. She had never felt as peaceful as at this moment, kneeling before her Master pleasuring him with her mouth. She felt peaceful yet incredibly horny. He caressed her face gently before pulling her hair to bring his cock deeper into her mouth. Just as the telltale pulsing began in his sac signaling the impending orgasm, he demanded she look up at him. "Look into my eyes as I cum my Slave." It was a tone of voice she could not deny and titled her face up to him. He removed his mask and she saw his face for the first time as wave after wave of semen crashed across her tongue she recognized the face of her Master. With a scream Nicole woke up to find she had 2 fingers inside herself, her hand soaked in her juices and so horny she couldn't stand it. Before she could stop and think desire took over and she quickly brought herself to another earthshaking orgasm. As the orgasmic glow faded and her hormones returned to normal, with it came rational thought. And the memory of the incredibly vivid dream... And the identity of the man she had willingly knelt before in servitude. Tears of confusion blurred her vision, and though blurry, the clock was still readable. She had slept only 3 hours. After she had run out of tears she resigned herself to the fact that no more sleep was to be had that night. Unsure if she really wanted to return to sleep again in case the dream continued she got up, got dressed and set out for a nice long run. As night faded and the sun greeted the world, all was bathed in a beautiful glow, but Nicole was trying to outrun her thoughts and feelings and noticed none of the beauty of the new day. Eventually, Nicole could run no longer and so she returned to her house, sweaty, tired but still refusing to sleep. After a quick shower and some coffee to refresh herself she decides to keep busy, in hopes of staving off the damn dream from invading her waking thoughts. Nicole worked at a slow, yet steady pace as she sifted through the mountain of filing and other business related paperwork she had been neglecting. The usually perky and pleasant Nicole was quite grouchy and prickly that day and so it was a good thing she was alone, as there was no one, other than her cat to take her frustrations out on. That evening Nicole didn't have any gigs scheduled, and perhaps that was a good thing, as she was too tired grumpy and confused to be her regular bubbly self. But it was a bad thing too, for it meant that there was nothing to take her mind off of the dream. Afraid to go to sleep for fear her dreams will take her back to that ship, Nicole stays awake as long as she can, but eventually sleep claimed her, as she slumped over on her couch, watching late-night television. Nicole's fears were realized when her dreams did return her to that ship, that night and every night. Awaking after just a few hours of sleep, as the dawn was greeting the new day. Upon waking, her calm and rational self would reflect on the previous night's dream, and the things she did in that dream, and would be horrified, unable to accept it. The soaked sheets each morning however, told her that not all of her hated the repeating dream. It was as if Nicole were living two lives, DJ and Karaoke hostess by day and ship-board Slave by night. Each time she slept she returned to the ship, each time she was dominated in her dreams, the less shocking it became to her through the comfort of the dream world. By the end of a week, images from her dreams started to play in the back of her mind during her waking hours as well. Nicole awoke from the dream yet again one morning a little over a week later, just as an orgasm hit her. When Nicole calmed down and realized to her horror that she had actually cum in her sleep from that damn dream, she knew the dreams had to go. Throwing on some clothes, she grabbed her keys and stormed out of her house. Nicole knew what she had to do to get rid of the dreams; she had to confront the source of these dreams: Megan. She didn't know how her friend had done it, but Nicole was convinced that somehow Meagan was doing this to her. Nicole pulled out of her driveway and sped down the road she gripped the wheel tightly and gritted her teeth. All of the anguish and frustration that a week's worth of unwelcome and disturbing dreams now had a target to fixate on, and that woman would pay, friend or no.

The Serenity of Servitude Chapter 3 - Megan's Initiate ============================================================================

The sun shines in the window on this early Friday morning as Mark releases Megan's cuffs from the bed frame. He can't help but grin with satisfaction as he dresses for work. Megan has the day off and her kids are at their dad's today so she has no immediate obligations. Contentment radiates from her as she stretches and snuggles back under the covers, planning to sleep another hour or so. "Thank you Master. What a wonderful way to wake up." Megan said with a smile. Mark returned to her side for one last kiss from his Slave before heading off to work. "Sleep well, Beloved. I will see you later. Have a good day." he spoke gently as Megan's eyes were already beginning to close. Mark backed out of the drive way and headed off to the city to work. As he turned onto the highway, a familiar black truck passed him heading into the little town both he and Megan lived in. "Couldn't be Nicole, its way too early for her to be out and about," Mark muttered to himself as he shook his head while completing the turn onto the highway. Figuring it was just a similar vehicle, not the one belonging to their friend. A loud banging startled Megan out of her doze. With some effort she focused her mind enough to realize it was the door. Shrugging into her housecoat and tying the belt on the way Megan went to see who was here. Megan holds her housecoat tightly closed as she cracks the door open, which was still being pounded on. Megan was surprised to see Nicole standing there a little after 7 in the morning. Blinking away the remnants of the sleep that she almost had, Megan tried to wake up. "I figured you were here after there was no answer on your door. Now let me in! You have some explaining to do you... you.... WITCH!" Nicole hissed angrily as she pushed Megan gently out of the way and walked into Mark's house. Slightly reeling from the vehemence of Nicole's words Megan stepped back and after Nicole was inside, shut the door, and then went in search of some caffeine. The slight push had loosened Megan's hold on her housecoat and while it was not exposing anything private, it was gaping slightly. Nicole watched silently, mouth open, while Megan got a cup of coffee. Nicole was staring at her friend in complete shock. When Megan had reached out for the coffeepot her sleeve slid up and exposed a black leather bracelet... complete with silver buckle and ring. And now that the front of the housecoat wasn't gathered so closely Nicole could see a matching collar around her friend's neck. Nicole slumped into a nearby chair, trying to process this normal sight of Megan drinking her coffee looking totally at ease while wearing a collar and cuffs. "Ok. Try again now that I'm a little more coherent. Why are you here this early? Did you stay up all night again? And did you call me a witch?" Megan asked groggily. "No..." Nicole stammered, "I slept already... I woke up at 6:00 AM and..." "6:00 AM..... YOU.... you got up at 6:00 AM... are you feeling okay?" Megan said with a surprised laugh. "Yes, I got up early! Not that I wanted to! It's been like this all week... and it's all YOUR fault!" Nicole snarled petulantly, still staring at Megan's collar. "My fault.... how do you figure that one? What is going on here? Why are you looking at me like that anyways?" Megan asks curiously. "What is that around your neck and wrists?" Nicole asks reluctantly. "What does it look like? It's my collar and cuffs. I always wear them when I'm home, without outside company." Megan answers in a matter of fact voice. Nicole shakes her head, muttering to herself, "I knew I shouldn't have asked," and then continues in a louder voice. "And it IS your fault I can't sleep. I've barely slept 4 hours a night all week. I try to stay up as long as I can to avoid that damn dream, but it always comes anyways and then I wake up around dawn and I am too afraid it'll come back to try to sleep more. I'm exhausted and miserable and I can't take it anymore. YOU started the dream.... YOU figure out how to get rid of it. I need peace!" Nicole is almost hysterical by this point. The lack of sleep and increasing desires sparked by the dream has pushed her to the edge of her limits. "What dream? I honestly have no idea what you're talking about Nicky... please... calm down and explain what's going on." Megan speaks in a soothing tone. Megan starts out with a puzzled and concerned expression, but as Nicole's account of the dream that is plaguing her sleep continues, amusement slowly spreads across Megan's face. Nicole is blushing harder and harder as she recounts the dream and how it made her feel... but upon reaching the point where the Master removes his mask Nicole hesitates. Megan has a good idea who it was in Nicole's dream but wants Nicole to admit it. "Oh come on, don't leave me hanging... who was it?" Megan demands in an excited voice which matches the shimmer in her eyes. "Mark," was all Nicole said. Nicole's one word answer conveyed all the shame, frustration and embarrassment that had welled up inside her. Fully expecting to be thrown out for fantasizing about her friend's man Nicole was surprised by Megan's reply. "Well what happened next?" Megan asked curiously. Nicole looked up at her friend and in a shocked voice whispered "It doesn' t bother you that I had a kinky dream about your boyfriend?" "No, why should it? I understand how wonderful my Master is, that's why I' m willing to help some other poor miserable woman find peace through service just like I have... so go on... what happened next?" Megan asks eagerly. Nicole shakes her head in confusion, but continues her tale. "Not much, I wake up with a scream, but feeling very horny, sometimes I masturbate after... last night I actually came in my sleep... This has got to stop. Whatever you did to implant these thoughts in my head... fix it! It' s starting to become a daydream too! I can't go on like this. I'm barely sleeping and so agitated during the day. Please Megan... Help me.... I need peace!" Nicole pleads. "Nothing I can do to help... It was Nothing I did to cause it either. It' s you Nicole. Your submissive side is trying to tell you something. It wants you to recognize it. Your subconscious will keep plaguing you with thoughts like this until you give in to it. Just like a craving for chips won't go away until you taste some." Megan gently tries to comfort Nicole. With a loud sob Nicole bursts into tears and Megan holds her as she cries. "How can I go back to the way I was? I don't like feeling like this all the time. How can I make this all go away? I'm miserable. I feel like.... I don't even know," Nicole finishes with a sigh. "You feel like something is missing... something that will bring you comfort and peace?" Megan asks with a smile. Nicole looks up with tear filled eyes and solemnly nods. "The something you're missing is Submission. I know... I've been there too. But the only way to make it better is to submit, you will have greater peace than you have ever known before. Before you can submit though, you need a Master. I know Mark would be willing to help you out on that one," Megan finishes with a grin. "Ok, I'll try it. I'll try anything to stop feeling like this," resigned, Nicole speaks in an uncertain tone. "Well I will help you any way I can, but you are not yet ready to enter into his service." Megan stops speaking at Nicole's alarmed and puzzled expression. "Part of the agreement Master and I have reached is that I must first approve of any potential Slaves of my Master. This ensures he is not inconvenienced by the beginning stages of training, and that by the time He meets them, they are worthy. You have a lot to learn before you could deserve the privilege of entering into the service of Master." Nicole is shocked and slightly insulted by this little speech, but then John's words came back to haunt her. Words like: selfish, childish, lazy... Those are not qualities for a Slave, and Nicole (although reluctantly), wants to try to be one. She turns to Megan with hopeful eyes and asks "What do I have to do?" "I am willing to take you on as an Initiate.' This stage will help you understand what it means to be a Slave, as well as learn the behavior expected of you. Then it will be up to you to prove you can properly function as a Slave before you are granted the pleasure of serving my Master." Megan replied with a smile. Her apprehension evident in her eyes and posture, and Nicole's voice is also shaky. "I want to learn. I would like to be your initiate. Please Megan, Help me find Peace." With those words, Megan hugged Nicole and then stood up. Nicole watched her friend stand, and somehow just by that simple act, Megan seemed to exude more energy, she seemed more formidable now. Nicole ponders this change of perception, and wonders if it not she who has changed, as now she sees Megan as something more than a friend. Megan's next words convince her that it is her perceptions that changed as indeed Megan is now more. "From now on, whenever we are alone, you will address me with the proper respect. Mistress' is the only acceptable title. I will address you as Initiate.' If we are in the company of others, then use our regular names. However, just because we use our regular names doesn't mean that the positions are no longer valid. This is something a Slave must learn, and remember. I don't wear my collar outside the house, but I conduct myself as if I was still wearing it. The collar is only a symbol, a tool. It represents the bond inside, between Master and Slave, and it is to be respected at all times."

Megan's authoritative words ring true in Nicole's mind." Furthermore, do NOT mention this to Mark. When and if you prove yourself worthy, I will bring you before him then, but otherwise there is no need for anyone else to know. Is that understood?" "Yes." Nicole replies quietly. "Yes what?" Megan asks in an irritated voice. "Yes Mistress," Nicole replies with a blush that is only partially caused by embarrassment. "Part of being a Slave is taking care of your Master, his house, and his belongings. This is not an obligation... simply your privilege. So, in your training you will begin there. Go clean the kitchen." With those abrupt words, Megan turns away from a very confused Nicole and turns on a movie, settling into the corner of the couch. Nicole realizes she's been dismissed, and so with only one choice, gets up and begins cleaning Mark's kitchen. As Megan keeps her Master's home fairly clean in the first place there is not much to do, but enough to keep Nicole busy during half the movie. When the dishes are all washed, dried and put away, and the rest of the kitchen has been tidied up, Nicole returns to the living room and moves to sit on the couch next to Megan. With the movie still playing in the background, Megan turns to Nicole with a disapproving gaze. "You need to remember you are my Initiate, and I am your Mistress. You may only sit beside me when invited. When you have finished an assigned task, you are to kneel before the one you're serving. Now Kneel." With stern words Megan points to the floor at her feet. Nicole nods quietly, and drops to her knees. "May I watch the movie with you Mistress?" Nicole asks with cheeks aflame. "You have done a good job in the kitchen. Yes, you may stay there, and watch the rest of the movie with me". Megan's kind words made Nicole's blush deepen. A multitude of feelings were running through Nicole. The newness of it all was quite concerning. However much she felt alarmed, she also felt excited. Nicole was also aroused like she had never been before. This confused her as Megan had been entirely proper, and there had been no sexual component to the morning's events. Nicole also felt comforted by serving Megan. As she knelt there on the floor beside Megan's chair Nicole felt wave after wave of contentment wash over her. Two weeks ago Nicole would have been outraged at the suggestion she would kneel before someone, as she felt no woman should be subjugated like that. But now, Nicole realized that submission does not mean humiliation and that domination does not mean disrespect. As she tried to make sense of the maelstrom of emotions in her heart, the one thing that shined through all the confusion was happiness; Nicole was content and happy to be serving her Mistress. As the movie continued, Megan idly ran her fingers through Nicole's hair, across the back of her neck and over her shoulders. The skin exposed around Nicole's tank top tingled in response to Megan's unconscious caressing. The innocent caresses felt somehow intimate, and compounded by the pleasant ache in Nicole's knees were quite arousing. That Megan seemed indifferent to Nicole's increasing desire only made matters worse for Nicole. With startling clarity, Nicole realized that THIS was part of what Megan was talking about, that indefinable something that servitude brought. The joy and serenity Nicole was feeling by submitting to Megan was unlike anything

Nicole had ever felt. It didn't matter that her knees were beginning to get sore, or weather she wanted to be touched or not; Megan could do whatever she wanted and Nicole would accept it happily. This was not a conscious decision, more of a subtle realization of a choice already made; a choice that resonated with righteousness inside Nicole with the first acknowledgement of Megan as Mistress'. Megan's words startled Nicole out of her revelries of self reflection. " You have done well today Initiate. I can see changes in you, your manner, your tone, even in your eyes that show how you are learning. The most important lesson for an initiate to learn is Obedience. But this goes hand in hand with Respect. Respect for the one you serve. You have been extremely disrespectful in the past and this will NOT continue. What is one way you have shown others disrespect?" Nicole bowed her head and shamefully replied "There have been many ways. In the two weeks since John dumped me I have done a lot of thinking about my behavior. He was right about a lot of things. I expected to get my way in everything, and was very selfish; I felt that I was so adorable that people should let me get away with it... and they usually did." Megan's tone was cold and hard as marble. "This is true. Even Mark and I as some of your closest friends felt your indifference to other's feelings. This attitude was extremely disrespectful. How can you show your respect for others?" "I am not sure Mistress." Nicole quietly replied. "The next community meeting is on Monday. It starts at 7:00pm but you will be early." At the word early' a flash of panic hit Nicole's eyes. Megan ignored it and continued in the same rock hard tone "You WILL arrive at 6:30. You will bring with you some form of baking, but homemade, not store bought. Get the coffee started. As each member arrives greet them with fresh coffee and a serving of the baked goods. If anyone asks why you are doing this, simply tell them you wanted to help out." "But I can't!!" Nicole stammered indignantly. "I'm never on time! I can' t..." The sharp report of skin hitting skin cut Nicole's words off before she could finish her sentence. The outline of Megan's hand was quickly rising in red on Nicole's cheek. Nicole was astounded to realize that it was not indignation at being slapped that was rising in her, but pride that her Mistress had disciplined her, and shame that it had been necessary. Megan's green eyes flashed with an icy fire as she spoke in a tone that was more threatening in its control than if she had shouted at her insolent initiate. "You WILL be early. I don't care how you manage it. You have the weekend to plan and bake. But know this. I will be very displeased if I hear you have not followed your instructions. Being prompt is not a difficult skill. You simply must set aside your own desires for someone else's. This is a basic element of servitude." Nicole shivered as the controlled tone changed slightly, giving away the anger underneath it. "Furthermore... you must NEVER talk back to or disobey the one you serve again! That is unacceptable, and you will be punished severely for it." Nicole had no doubt that it was a very real threat implied by those words, and while part of her shivered in fear, the rest of her anticipated the opportunity for Megan to prove the veracity of her words. Nicole also felt the natural stirring of a Slave; the desire to please the one they serve so no such discipline is necessary. "Your service here, and this learning process is voluntary, Initiate." Megan spoke in an indifferent tone "However, if you choose to continue and IF you gain the necessary progress to earn the privilege of becoming a collared Slave... that bond is much harder to walk away from. What is your choice? " Panicked at the thought of losing this wondrous feeling she had just gained, and realizing that the serenity if servitude was what she had been missing for so long Nicole was eager to assure her Mistress that she had no intention of walking away from this opportunity to improve. "I am not sure how I will manage it, but I WILL manage it Mistress." Nicole assured Megan with a nervous smile. Seeking to placate her Mistress she continued. "What can I do for you now Mistress?" With a smile Megan instructed Nicole through the steps of making lunch for the two of them, setting lunch on the table, and asking permission to join Mistress at the table before sitting down, and then cleaning the kitchen after the meal was finished. Together they also got Mark's supper started in a crock pot. Megan was quite pleased at the way this Initiate was shaping up. "May I make you some coffee Mistress? I woke you early this morning and you look tired." Nicole spoke with a yawn, showing her own exhaustion as well. Megan's voice gave away none of the pleasure in Nicole's progress that showed in her eyes. "Yes. Coffee would be lovely." Nicole's eyes understood what her ears didn't hear. She could see the pleasure in her Mistress' eyes, even if the sound of the words didn't convey it. Nicole felt a warmth inside that came of the knowledge she had pleased her Mistress. She loved this feeling, this serenity... it was like a drug, and already addicted, Nicole wanted more. After presenting her Mistress with a fresh cup of coffee, Nicole knelt down awaiting instruction. As she sipped the coffee, Megan reached out and placed her hand on Megan's cheek, fingers tracing the sensitive skin that still

bore faint red marks from the hard slap delivered there earlier. Nicole's eyes were closed as she reveled in the sensations she was feeling. As Megan continued caressing her Initiate, in a non sexual but still extremely intimate way she noted the quickening of Nicole's breath, and the tensing of her muscles. Could it be this little one harbored other tendencies as well that she had also denied? `How interesting...' Megan thought to herself. Her nimble fingers began to take a longer stroke on Nicole's skin, each time ending slightly lower than the previous had been. Megan's touches lingered on Nicole's

collarbone, and then lower still until her fingers traced the edge of Nicole's top, which barely concealed her small, yet firm breasts. Nicole held her breath in anticipation, and was not sure if she was relieved or disappointed when Megan ended her caressing and spoke softly "That will be all for the day Initiate. You have come far, and are progressing nicely." Nicole beamed under this praise, while Megan continued, "However, remember the lessons you have learned today about respect, and obedience. These are not lessons to be forgotten." Nicole nodded her head gravely, and rose from the floor to get ready to head back to her house, and looking forward to a much needed nap. Just before she leaves the house Megan calls out in a tone that tells Nicole she is not to be disobeyed. "Initiate." The one word is more a command than a name. "You mentioned you had barely slept over the last two weeks." "Yes Mistress." Nicole replies contritely, but with confusion. "How have you spent your time since you couldn't sleep?" Megan demands to know. "I began trying to tidy my incredibly messy house. I figured since I couldn 't sleep I may as well get something useful done." Nicole replied matter-of-factly. Megan gave her Initiate the next order with a smile. She fully intended to help Nicole become a better person whether she wanted to or not. "Well that is good to hear that you have gotten a head start on it. I will be at your house Sunday night at 8:00pm. I will be inspecting your house. You cannot keep to a schedule if you cannot find anything. I expect to find things tidy and organized, your filing is to be done, and there is to be no clutter."

Nicole nodded and replied "Yes Mistress." With true panic showing in her eyes at the sheer amount of work left to be done, and realizing there would be no nap for her that day she headed back to her pigsty to comply with her Mistress' order. With a chuckle at Nicole's plight, and quite pleased with the progress she had seen in Nicole that day, Megan smiled to herself as she looked around her Master's house. He would be home shortly from work. Since Nicole had taken care of the dishes, there was not much else to do to ensure her Master' s home was ready for his arrival. Megan glanced at the clock, and after giving supper a stir in the crock pot, changed out of her basic collar and cuffs and into the recently finished harness she and her Master had made themselves. Made from cotton strapping (a softer version of what you would find on a nylon backpack strap) and metal rings, the full body harness framed Megan's breasts, and abdomen. Added to those, the Collar, the 3 straps on each arm, and 4 on each leg, offered 32 fully adjustable tether points for whatever position her Master decided to tie her up into. The most recent addition to the harness was snap on fabric covering her ample breasts and two snap on pieces of fabric, one in front the other behind, discretely covering Megan, yet keeping her accessible to her Master at all times. As usually Megan was properly attired, kneeling on the pedestal Mark had made for exactly that purpose when he arrived home from work. He was not entirely in the door when she rose from her spot, crossed the room and knelt at his feet. "Please Master, May I worship you?" Her voice quivered with the need she had kept in check all day. "Of course you may, Beloved." He granted her wish with curiosity at the intensity of her desire. Mark began fishing for information as to why she is so eager for him. His words barely spoken before she had him in her mouth. "You must have had a good day to be this aroused, Beloved Slave.' His tone though teasing asked for more information. "Yes Master." Megan paused in her oral attentions just long enough to answer him before returning to the task at hand. Mark's knees began to tremble from the intensity of her assault. Megan usually greeted him at the end of the day with a blowjob, but while she enjoyed pleasuring him, she was not usually this enthusiastic. Something was going on that had turned her on more than usual, and Mark was determined to find out what. Pulling Megan's hair and bringing her up to face him. "Why are you so aroused Slave? What is going on?" Mark's tone demands an answer. "Nothing is going on; it's just a surprise, Master." Megan is uncomfortable evading her Master's question, as obedience to him is ingrained in her. However it is the agreed upon procedure that he not be informed of any Initiate, until she gains Novice standing and is brought before him. His displeasure evident in his tone, Mark repeats his question." What is going on?" Fully aware that until Nicole is ready she will not bring her before her Master, and reluctant to spoil the surprise; yet uncomfortable denying a direct order Megan humbly replies, "I won't tell you... not yet....it's not the right time... Please Master; it is a surprise for you" Anger flashes in his eyes as Mark pulls her by the ring on Megan's collar over to the pedestal. "You defy me Slave? I asked you a question, and I will have my answer." Megan knelt down on the pedestal, as Mark opened the lock on the chest beside it. The clanking of the chains sent shivers down Megan's spine, all the way to her pussy. The cold steel brushing against her skin as he clipped the rings on her harness to the eyelets at the base of the pedestal only increased her arousal. Once Mark had secured his Slave, kneeling and leaning forward, at enough points she couldn't move at sat back and let his eyes roam her body. With her head down she couldn't see the items he took out of the chest, and the anticipation made her arousal even greater. Megan heard the whistle of leather cutting air moments before the crop touched her skin, the force of it a sweet pain, making her moan quietly. As the blows slowly rained down on her skin, in various areas of her body her arousal grew. A cold pressure on her backside told her Mark had pulled out one of the various sized butt plugs. Megan sucked in her breath as her Master quickly inserted it to the hilt, and then moaned again at the sensations it caused inside her. Mark smiled down at his Beloved Slave, knowing full well that just like the crop, the plug served to steadily increase her desire; however it alone was not enough to bring her the release she needed more with each passing moment. Mark now began slowly but forcibly whipping his Slave with the crop again, this time focusing on her ass, occasionally smacking the end of the plug making her shudder and moan with desire. As he moved around her, coming close enough she could reach his cock in her rigidly tied position, she gratefully sucked him into her mouth, her moans adding a wonderful vibration to her talented suckling. "Will you tell me your secret now Slave?" Mark playfully asked knowing how badly she desired release. "I will not allow you to cum until I am satisfied with your answers." Mark punctuated the threat with a series of fast blows right on the end of the plug teasing her further. With an audible pop she broke the suction on his cock and sheepishly replied, "It was simply not time to tell you yet, but I have begun training an Initiate. I wanted to surprise you with it once she was ready." Megan's words to her Master were swift, and excited, and every bit of her need was evident in the tone of those words. Mark swelled further, and his desire rose to new heights. So this was why his Beloved was so aroused this evening. Unable to hold back any longer He slid his hard cock all the way into his Beloved Slave's pussy, feeling the hot silky skin enfold him and hold him tightly. Megan sighed as her Masters cock filled her; coupled with the plug in her ass she felt so full and horny she almost couldn't stand it. "Now I understand, my Beloved Slave. An Initiate... this is Wonderful news. I am pleased... very pleased... For this news you deserve to cum." Megan could hear the pride and desire in her Master's voice, which alone was almost enough to trigger her orgasm, but not quite. Then a new sensation began as Mark began slowly stroking his cock in and out of his Slave's pussy. She preferred it hard and fast, as it reminded her that she was his with that forceful type of fucking, and this slow teasing pushed her almost to the limit of endurance. Unable to move but still able to speak she began to plead for her release. "Master..." Megan gasped out between moans." Please... Master... I need it... I need to cum... Please Master.... May I cum?" The extreme desire made her voice quaver on each word. "Not yet Slave..." Mark growled into her ear, enjoying the sensations of her quivering pussy contracting around his cock as he teased her. She whimpered with need and her Master decided that she deserved to cum. He slowly withdrew the plug on his next out-stroke, pushing it back in with his in-stroke, matching its speed with his own. Megan was now beyond words, and simply moaned with the pleasure of this double fuck her Master was giving her. Feeling her body contracting harder around his cock he picked up the pace, until he was slamming into her, his very way of handling her reminding her with each stroke that she was His. Feeling his own orgasm steadily approaching he reached one hand out and wrapped his fingers around her luxuriously thick hair, tipping her head as far back as the chains would allow. "Now... Slave... Cum." Moaning with his desire, his words found her ear, and then struck an arrow right to her core. His words combined with the sensations her Master had created triggered her orgasm to begin, long and hard.

The contractions from her orgasm caused his own explosion, and he pushed both himself and the plug in as deep as they could go as he pulsed inside her, triggering another explosive orgasm for her. Sated, she slumped over the pedestal, stunned by the force of pleasure her Master had just wrung forth from her body. He unclipped enough of the chains that she could free herself, and then left her to clean up the pedestal and toys while he went to shower and then have supper. With weak legs she set the area to rights again, and then headed for the shower herself to clean up. After her shower, they both ate supper, then Megan prepared for the next morning before requesting permission to join him in his bed. It was a mere formality in the special relationship these two shared, but it conveyed their respective places. Mark welcomed his Slave into his bed as was usual on the nights she didn't have her children. "You have pleased me greatly tonight Beloved Slave. As wonderful as the prospect of an initiate is, she could never surpass you." Mark whispered in her ear. "Thank you Master. I love you." Megan replied sleepily as they drifted off to sleep.

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