A Life Discovered Ch. 06

Author's note:

Hi, and thank you for reading my work.

Readers may notice that it's a bit different to the previous chapters, chiefly in that it's about three times as long. There are a few reasons for that. I've had some readers get in touch and express a preference for longer chapters. I've also had more time to write due to the poor weather over the recent public holidays here in the UK. Also, I couldn't find suitable places to break the chapter into smaller pieces.

Just a word on the reason for the smaller chapters. I try to publish a chapter approximately every two weeks if I can. I find that deadlines - even if self-imposed - keep me focused. And, of course, the story comes back to the top of the "recently published" list, which is important so that potential readers see it. I can't promise to publish new content every two weeks - as someone who writes in their free time, other things sometimes get priority - and I can't promise long chapters either for the same reason. I can promise that I'll try, though.

I've been trying not to fill the story with explainers about things that have happened previously, so, given this chapter contains more back-references than average, here's a quick recap. If you like the story, I'd strongly recommend you read the previous chapters, as there are plot points in there that I don't have room to cover here.

Again, thanks for reading my work. Constructive comments are always welcome and appreciated.

--

Rhys Atherton: a naïve young man raised by an adoptive mother in the backwaters of the country of Seibjerg. Native language: Seibjern. Capital city: Roligvan. He wears a magical ring, a gift from his unknown father. He has been given an alternative identity as "Rhys Niain" but doesn't know why.

Minshull Foundation: A shadowy organisation sponsoring Rhys to go to university in Chatamor to study "General Studies", a euphemism for magical studies. It works for social justice across the Anaroc Alliance.

Jade Niain: A former pleasure slave whom the Minshull Foundation rescued and now works for them. She accompanied Rhys on his journey to Chatamor. She doesn't like talking about her background, but is very knowledgeable about magic and life.

Katarina (Kat) Wildwood: A former slave on the ship "Skotur" that Rhys and Jade boarded from Roligvan to Chatamor, which sank in a storm. Rhys saved her from the ship, and she saved Jade and Rhys from drowning. She took them to the magical plane and met her great-great-grandfather, Cadellin.

Richard and Sarah Spencer: a couple with two children who live in Chatamor and are members of the Foundation. Kat, Jade and Rhys are currently staying with them.

Anaroc Alliance: a defensive alliance containing the countries of Reiland, Seibjerg, Asterlia, Rovina, Wenland and Munnin.

Reiland: capital city: Chatamor. Language: Reijik. The largest country in the Anaroc Alliance and the only one where slavery is legal

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Chapter 6 - Our House

For the second morning in a row, Rhys woke up hearing strange, female noises nearby. This time, though, there seemed to be a weight on his chest accompanied by much wriggling. It was difficult for him to raise his head to see what was happening, and as soon as he tried, a bare foot caught him in the side of his head. He decided to lie there and see what happened.

What did happen was another few minutes of muffled groans and sighs plus more movement atop his chest, groin and legs. The movement and noises slowly increased in frequency and intensity until they peaked with soft cries, then a sudden silence and stillness.

Rhys risked looking up again and saw Kat's head on his chest and what appeared to be Jade's legs draped over his shoulders and head. Kat looked up at him with a sheepish grin. "Sorry, master," she said. We couldn't get off the bed, so we, ah, entertained ourselves?"

"Couldn't get off the bed?" asked Rhys.

"We think you might have created some magic to stop us falling out of this tiny bed," said Kat, "only it means we can't get out even if we want to."

"Oh, my goodness," said Rhys. "I am so sorry!" Kat suddenly rolled backwards and fell out of bed, followed almost immediately by a thump as Jade hit the floor, as Rhys abruptly cancelled his unintended magic. Kat sprang to her feet and ran towards the bathroom, followed by Jade, who shouted and laughed at her. Kat disappeared into the bathroom, flicking the door closed behind her. Jade stopped at the now-closed bathroom door, then turned and walked back to the bed, sitting on it next to Rhys's still supine body.

"You didn't mind us 'playing' together, did you?" she asked. "We didn't want to wake you to ask permission."

"Mind?" asked Rhys, sitting up. "Why would I mind? I know you want me to be your master, and I've promised to do that for you, but you're the one who suggested we try fire magic to remove Jade's collar. You're the one who decided what to tell Richard about events since the Skotur sank, and what not to tell him. You're the one who decided when we'd leave the magical plane and that we'd come here. If we're specifically being master-and-slave, that's one thing. But outside of that, as long as everyone involved is content, carry on as far as I'm concerned! If Kat and you want to do some 'playing' without me, have at it!"

Rhys had seen the bathroom door open, and Kat now stood in the door frame, leaning, naked, on one of the jambs. He turned to look at her. "Kat," he said, "I know we haven't explored how we both want our relationship to work, but I wanted you to know that the same goes for you. You don't need to involve me in anything that, well, doesn't involve me."

Kat looked back at him. "I know you've been careful around me," she said. "I understand why. But, just to set a starting position, I want what she has." She flicked her head at Jade, still sitting on the bed. "I want the sort of relationship she has with you. I want to learn some of her skills. Not just," she blushed, "in the bedroom, but in life. I can't think of anything I can offer in return, but if there's anything I can ever do, know that I will do so willingly and with pleasure. And, as regards Jade and me, I thought I could love her as a sister. But now that's not enough. I want to love her as a lover. And I want to love you, Rhys, as a lover. And I hope you want the same from me?"

Her fragility showed as she stared at the pair sitting on the bed with beseeching eyes. As one, Rhys and Jade rose and walked over to her before enveloping her in a three-way hug. Not a word was spoken between them. Jade started to turn the group slowly around until she stood in the bathroom doorway, and Kat and Rhys were in the bedroom. She broke the hug, stepped back and closed the bathroom door, saying "Sorry! Desperate!" as she went. Rhys and Kat broke their hug, giggling.

Kat collected their freshly laundered clothes from outside the bedroom door and, once Jade had finished in the bathroom, Rhys went to complete his morning ablutions. Just as he finished, the bell rang, signalling breakfast was ready.

They trooped downstairs, and Jade steered them into a different room where breakfast was served. She called it the "morning room", a large, airy room dominated by a massive set of bay windows with a bench seat below. There were rattan chairs arranged around the window. A sideboard on one wall held a stack of plates, a fruit assortment, and a tray of warm, sweet pastries. A bread board had a loaf of fresh bread, a small block of butter and knives. An insulated jug held hot water to make tea. There was also a glass jug with fruit juice and a small jug of milk.

Kat headed to the sideboard and started to make breakfast for Rhys and Jade. Rhys gave her a sideways look as if to say, "That's not your job," but Kat just shrugged in response, and Rhys didn't press the matter.

They sat on the rattan chairs, gazing out the window at the scene before them. The Spencer house sat atop a low hill, and the east-facing windows captured the morning sunshine and provided a panoramic view over Chatamor. The city sat in a coastal plain with the sea on one side and mountains on the other three sides.

Around to the right, on the city's edge, were the docks with the tall masts of the sailing ships and derricks slowly loading and unloading crates. Great warehouses lined the dock fronts. On the left were the leafy suburbs where the rich and powerful had mansions and fake castles. In the centre of the city was the Royal City, which held the King's palace and the official buildings of the Reiland government. And towards the front, by the sea, were grand buildings topped by tall towers flying flags of various colours. This was the University of Chatamor, where Rhys was ultimately heading.

In between, like arteries carrying the city's lifeblood, ran winding streets flanked by high-density buildings - shops, inns and houses of all styles. The buildings nearer the docks looked like they were of lower quality and, generally, shabbier. Dotted here and there were green areas; some were private parks owned jointly by several families for their own pleasure, but the more prominent spaces were open to the public.

The three friends marvelled at the city while eating their breakfast. Rhys had never seen a metropolis like it. Even Roligvan, the largest city in his home country of Seibjerg, was small in comparison. Kat had been in and around Chatamor for most of her life, but had never had this vantage point where she could see most of it at the same time. Jade had been in this room many times before, but even so, the sunny weather and the company of her lovers made her heart swell.

The door opened, and Richard entered, accompanied by the children dressed in school uniforms. They, again, rushed to be with Jade. Richard followed them more slowly and allowed them a few minutes to interact. The children chatted happily about their planned day at school. After a few minutes, a woman came into the room and ushered the children out.

"They go to a private school," explained Richard. "Public schools are good around here, but Sarah and I prefer that they get a broader schooling. The official Reiland curriculum can be fairly narrow in certain respects, and we want them to have more open minds." He pulled another chair over to sit by Kat, Rhys and Jade.

"Rhys, Jade," he said, "your new papers should be here by lunch. Kat, yours are being worked on, but as I said last evening, it will take a little more time. We hope to have your basic identity papers later today, but the supporting documents will take a few more days. There is, though, a problem."

The three looked up at Richard, who continued. "Reiland society is, as you know, rigidly hierarchical. Jade and Rhys are foreigners, so they sit outside the system. But Kat," he looked at her, "is to be a Reiland citizen so she needs a place in that pyramid. I've spoken to my colleagues at the Foundation and we've agreed that," he looked at Kat, "if you will accept the offer, you are to be Rhys's paid assistant."

Rhys and Jade stared at Richard, and Kat held up her hand as if to object. But Richard waved her down and continued. "It will put you in the Administrative rank, which is a respectable position, and there will be a small salary. Not enough for you all to live on, but combined with Jade's and Rhys's income, you will be comfortably off. And, before you say anything, it is not charity. We expect you to work at your new job, and that is what we will pay you for."

"There is a problem," Kat said. "I can't read or write. That's likely to be a red flag if I'm challenged."

"Oh," said Richard. "Yes, it may be. You will have to learn, and quickly. I'll have to look into tutoring - we can't have just any tutor teaching an administrative citizen how to read and write - that would also be a red flag. I'll see what we can do. However, the offer still stands."

"Thank you, Mr Spencer," Kat said formally, eyes downcast. "If Mr Atherton is willing to ask me to be his assistant, I would consider his offer." She looked up at Rhys with a tiny smile on her face.

"Ms. Wildwood," said Rhys, smiling too, "I'd like to offer you the position of my assistant. Would you be so kind as to accept?"

"Why, Mr. Atherton, I would be pleased to accept," said Kat and the two laughed and embraced. Jade moved across to join the hug.

Richard cleared his throat, embarrassed, and the hug broke up. "I've also been authorised to offer Kat a stipend so she can buy the clothes and accessories as befits her new position," he said. He reached around to a small purse hanging from his belt. He unclipped it and handed it to Kat. She released the drawstring and tipped the contents out into her hand. There were twenty gold coins and maybe fifty silver ones. She stared at it. Rhys also stared at it - it was more money than he'd ever seen except in a bank. It was more money, by a long way, than Kat had ever seen.

While the two were staring at the money, Richard continued. "Sarah has offered to take Kat shopping - Jade and Rhys are welcome to accompany her. Going in our carriage and being with Sarah will help you avoid attracting attention until your papers arrive. It's nothing to worry about; it's just that you're not familiar with life in Chatamor, and you may stand out because of that. You don't want to be stopped by the guards for an identity check and be unable to identify yourselves."

Everyone thought the shopping trip was a great idea. Richard went to make arrangements, and Kat put the money back in the purse. She reached down through the neck of her tunic and stashed the purse inside her bra, between her breasts. "I'll know if anyone tries to steal it from there!" she joked. They finished their pastries and drinks and returned the dirty plates and glasses to the sideboard.

Sarah swept into the room. She was dressed in a thick sweater with riding trousers and boots - a figure not to be messed with. "Girls' planning session!" she said, moving over to Kat and Jade. She looked at Rhys, who shrugged and went to sit on the bench seat under the window. He picked up a discarded newspaper.

The three women pulled into a tight group and talked in low voices. Rhys was pretending to read the newspaper but was surreptitiously watching the women. He could see that their discussion was animated, and they gestured with their hands to show each other shapes and lines. Each of them occasionally glanced at Rhys, then returned to their discussion. He saw eyes go wide, hands go over mouths and shakes of the head accompanied by giggles and the occasional "No!" or "Really?"

After ten minutes, Sarah announced, "We're ready! Rhys, you can stop pretending to read the newspaper now." Kat and Jade giggled. "Come on!" she told Rhys before turning and sweeping out of the room. The others followed her to the open front door. Outside stood a covered carriage with a pair of black horses harnessed. A driver sat on a bench at the front of the coach, and a footman opened the carriage door. Sarah climbed aboard with the footman's assistance. Jade and Kat needed a little more help as both wore long skirts. Last of all, Rhys clambered up the single step and sat beside Sarah. Jade and Kat were next to each other on the other side of the compartment, facing them.

The carriage started, and they went down the Spencer driveway and onto the road. They were travelling gradually downhill over a well-made road. The carriage was well sprung and very comfortable.

"We'll go to Miller Lane," said Sarah. "It's a side road with little passing traffic, so it's quite discreet. And it has some of my favourite shops. We're going to have fun!" Rhys turned his head to look at her and gave her a quizzical look. Kat and Jade giggled at his reaction. Sarah smiled at him. "Really," she promised with a smile.

It took about half an hour to get to Miller Lane. The footman helped the four shoppers out of the carriage and got back on the front. The driver steered the carriage down the street and around the corner.

Sarah, Kat, Jade and Rhys were standing outside a shop called "Modiste". It had displays of formal dresses in the window with tight bodices, long skirts and hats with feathers stuck at jaunty angles. Sarah led the way in, and a bell above the door jingled as they entered. A female assistant came over to greet them, and four women entered into yet another group discussion. After a few minutes, they moved across the shop and into one of a series of fitting rooms built into the side wall. The door closed behind them, and Rhys was alone on the shop floor except for a handful of assistants spread around the shop. They were all looking at him. He scanned the shop and took in the racks of dresses, skirts, sweaters, trousers and coats. The underwear section occupied a large section at the back of the shop by itself.

Another man was sitting on a bench by the wall next to the dressing rooms. Rhys exchanged a nod of greeting with him, then started to wander around the shop at random. He stayed away from the underwear section but noticed the shop assistants' eyes followed him. They weren't openly looking at him; they were just aware of where he was.

The dressing room door opened and Jade, Sarah and their shop assistant came out and dispersed to various parts of the shop. They gathered armfuls of all sorts of clothes and headed back into the dressing room, and closed the door. Rhys watched with a tinge of amusement, realising that he had no idea about women. He continued pacing around the shop until he got bored and headed back towards the changing room.

An older woman had come out of one of the other changing rooms and was talking to the man who had been sitting on the bench. Another assistant was carrying an incredibly frilly dress. The man looked at Rhys as he approached and gave him a resigned look. Rhys cast his eyes to the changing room where Kat had taken residence and shrugged. The man nodded and also shrugged before heading to the cashier's office at the back of the shop, presumably to pay.

Rhys sat on the bench just as the door opened to Kat's dressing room. Sarah, Jade and the shop assistant came out and repeated their trips to all corners of the shop before coming back with armfuls of clothes. Rhys closed his eyes. The women repeated it twice over the next half-hour, but were more subdued the fifth time they came out.

Jade approached Rhys. "I think Kat's a bit overwhelmed," she said. "Could you talk to her, please?" Rhys nodded and entered the dressing room, closing the door behind him.

Kat was sitting on a bench at the back of the room, dressed only in her pull-on bra and pants, surrounded by piles of clothing. She looked up at him, tears in her eyes. "I don't think I can cope with being a free woman!" she said. "All these decisions they're asking me to make. It's just too much. And they're only decisions about which clothes I like. How can I make life decisions if I can't even decide on clothes?" She was crying properly now. Rhys held his arms out and Kat leapt into them, hugging him tightly and crying into his shirt.

Rhys may not have known much about women, but he knew now wasn't the time for logic. He just held Kat quietly until her tears started to subside. They stood there for five minutes until Kat pulled away, looking embarrassed. Rhys held her by one hand and sat on the bench so he wouldn't look down at her, given their height difference. He pulled her into him, but she side-stepped, sat astride one of his knees and put her arms around his neck.

"I know it isn't easy," he told her. "I'm not going to pretend I understand your feelings, but Jade and I are here for you. Whatever you need, we give it freely." Kat had her eyes closed and was concentrating hard. Rhys noticed her hips were gently gyrating against his thigh as she sat on it. He put his arms around her, holding her in the small of her back, not applying any pressure on her, just letting her know he had her. Her hips started to speed up until she was fully humping his leg. She began to utter little "ugh, ugh" noises until, suddenly and spectacularly, her orgasm hit her and she fell forward into his chest. He pulled his arms further around her, holding her against him.

"I'm so sorry," she said into his chest. "I don't know what's wrong with me."

"As I said, I'm here for whatever you need. If you need a human rubbing post, I'm your man," he replied, trying to sound both flippant and tender at the same time.

"It's not that," said Kat. "I think I might be addicted to you. I was in here with Jade, Sarah and the shop assistant, and they asked me about this, that and the other. They weren't pressuring me or anything. It was just overwhelming. And then you come in and suddenly everything's better. And then you bring me off, and now I'm ready to go again."

"And soon," said Rhys, "I'll do more than 'bring you off' if that's what you want. You said I'd been careful around you, and that's true, but not for the reason you might think. I want our first time together to be beautiful, not a quickie in a shop's changing room; not us trying to keep from falling out of Jade's old bed; something we'll remember forever. Soon, my love. Soon. Can you wait a little longer?"

Kat nodded into his chest. "Soon, though, my love. Soon." She stood up in front of him. "Send them in again, master. I'm ready."

Rhys stood up, held her shoulders and looked into her eyes. Happy with what he saw, he kissed her forehead, turned and went out the door. Jade, Sarah and the shop assistant were standing a little way away, waiting for him, still with armfuls of clothes. Jade eyed the large wet patch on his thigh where Kat's juices had soaked his trousers. Rhys gave a tiny shake of his head and mouthed "later" at her. She nodded, understanding.

"She's ready to carry on," he said. "Please try to be calm around her and give her time. She's not used to this and found it difficult to cope." The three women nodded and went into the changing rooms with their load.

It took another ninety minutes and several more trips in and out of the changing room before the women had finished their task. Rhys had been dragged over to the underwear section and asked multiple questions. He had no idea what a young woman would like, but Sarah explained that Kat had asked them to get his opinion because she wanted to look attractive to him, and it would therefore be his fault if the rest of them picked things he didn't like. Rhys had thought that was fair, so he expressed a preference for frilly white underwear and hoped it would be enough.

Kat emerged from the dressing room wearing a plain grey blouse and tight black trousers. She looked as good as she'd looked wearing the custom clothes when they were in the magical plane. She looked timidly at Rhys, seeking approval.

He smiled broadly and moved to kiss her. "Beautiful, my love. Beautiful." She beamed back at him and followed the shop assistant, who had written out quite a list of sales, into the cashier's room at the back. Sarah quickly followed to help Kat with the paperwork.

When Kat emerged, she made for Rhys and Jade, who were waiting by the door. "The assistants are all free women!" she told them, surprised.

"Yes," said Sarah, coming up behind her, "it's why I shop here. The quality of their goods is superb, and both Richard and I approve of their employment practices."

"I tipped her!" confided Kat. "Another first for me!" She almost skipped out of the door. Rhys was relieved she'd recovered her mojo, and he followed.

Sarah treated them to lunch at a tea room at the end of the lane, and then it was back to shopping. They spent half an hour in a shoe shop and another hour in a boudoir from which Kat emerged with her plain short hair transformed into a bob cut that suited her, painted nails and with simple but effective makeup applied. She'd been shown the basics of applying makeup and had bought a starter kit. Jade also promised to show her some techniques that were popular with young women.

Finally, the four stood outside the last shop in the lane. "Millinery Plus," Rhys read for Kat's benefit. He wasn't sure hats would suit Kat and said so.

"She does need some rainwear," said Sarah, "and maybe a cap for winter. And a sunhat. But it's the 'Plus' that we're here for." She would not be drawn further on her meaning, although Jade and Kat barely suppressed giggles. Rhys knew he was being set up, but he followed with whatever game the women played.

The shop was, on the face of it, a typical hat shop. Kat, Sarah and Jade initially browsed the various goods on display and, as Sarah had suggested, picked a few items before Sarah went to the back of the shop and spoke to an older woman. The older woman looked at Jade, Kay and Rhys, then nodded and moved a curtain aside. Sarah beckoned the other three over.

There was a staircase behind the curtain that led to an upper floor. Sarah, Rhys, Kat and Jade followed the older woman up the stairs, and they emerged into a large room full of displays of odd-looking equipment.

"This is Mrs. Mather," explained Sarah to Rhys. "She caters to women's more private needs, if you know what I mean?" Rhys shook his head. Sarah looked a little exasperated. Jade and Kat were already exploring the goods on offer and discussing things between themselves and with Mrs. Mather.

"Both your women," continued Sarah, "are very sure that they want you to dominate them in the bedroom department. Surely you know that?" Rhys nodded. "How do you propose to do that?" she continued.

Rhys shrugged. "I thought we might get some ropes or something?"

Sarah shook her head. "Right," she said, "get over there and let Jade and Mrs. Mather explain things. Jade has some equipment in her trunk - she said you'd already played with some of her cuffs - and she wants more. Kat is a newcomer to this lifestyle and is learning from Jade. Start learning how to look after your women's needs."

Rhys sheepishly walked over to the three women, noticing at the same time that Sarah had gone to a different display and seemed to be examining leather straps.

"So this is your wannabe dom?" Mrs Mather asked Jade.

"Yes," Jade said. "He's got promise and is enthusiastic. We had a couple of sessions, one of which went well and the other ended in a bit of a misunderstanding. He has no experience, though, and he's relied on me for the few scenes we've attempted."

"If willing, he can be taught," replied Mrs. Mather, looking him up and down. She caught sight of the stain on his trousers and raised an eyebrow.

Rhys blushed. "Kat needed a little emotional support," he said, trying not to give too much away.

Mrs Mather raised her eyebrow further but didn't press the matter and turned her attention back to Kat. "Now, we've picked the ropes you'll need, so next we'll look at other types of restraints." She walked over to a display that featured collars.

Kat immediately chose one that resembled the collar Rhys had removed the previous day, except this one could be locked and unlocked with a key. "For old time's sake," she added wistfully.

Mrs. Mather turned to Rhys. "Get them to strip. I need measurements for the personal stuff. They can leave their underwear on if they don't want to get naked in front of me." Kat's eyes grew wide, but Jade didn't react.

"Um, Kat? Jade? Would you please get undressed down to your underwear for Mrs Mather?" Rhys asked. Kat stared at him, and Jade looked at him with poorly concealed amusement.

Mrs. Mather was also staring at him. "What. Was. That?" she barked. "You're supposed to be the dom. So dominate them!"

Rhys swallowed. He could see Sarah across the room, trying not to look at him. She was also trying not to laugh. His pride was now feeling quite severely damaged. He wasn't a natural dom nor, for that matter, a natural sub. He preferred not to give orders, and he preferred not to take orders from others. But now he realised he'd need to get past that if he was to be the person these two magnificent women wanted him to be.

"You two!" he ordered, pointing at Kat and Jade. "Strip! Then present!" He remembered Jade had explained what the present position was the previous day.

Both women snapped into action, removing their outer clothing and kicking off their shoes. Jade continued until she was naked, but Kat was wearing her newly bought frilly bra and panties and left them on, wanting to display them for Rhys. Jade put her hands behind her head, legs at shoulder width apart, and arched her body slightly forward. Kat watched her and copied her as carefully as she could.

"Better," said Mrs. Mather. "Better. Now hold there while I measure you both." She went on to take very detailed measurements from both women. She measured their neck circumference and height; their breasts around the bust, under the bust, around the base of each breast and the distance between the breast and the collarbone. She measured their stomachs around the belly button and the hips. She measured the gaps between their thighs and the distance from their waist, around their legs and up to the waist again. She measured the circumference of their thighs and ankles and the distance between hips, knees and ankles. She measured their feet. She measured their arms, wrists and hands in the same way. She also measured their heads and faces, including the size of their open mouths.

"We'll need their internal measurements for some of the personalised equipment," Mrs Mather said to Rhys. "Should I do that now or will you come back later?" Rhys knew that Kat was still a virgin, and he didn't want to put one woman through that and not the other, so he told Mrs. Mather they'd return to have that done.

Mrs. Mather nodded. "Judging by their state, that's probably for the best." Kat's panties were damp, and Jade's nipples were erect. Mrs. Mather's attention had clearly aroused them both. "I'm finished here", she said. "They can get dressed if you would like them to. There's a toilet over there," she pointed, "that they can use if they need to freshen up." Kat started to move, but Jade held her position. Kat noticed and moved back into position, too. Mrs. Mather smiled slightly.

"Go clean up, then come back here and get dressed," Rhys told them. The two women moved off towards the toilet.

"They are good girls," Mrs. Mather told Rhys. "It's obvious they love you. That is a good thing, but it can also be bad. We will need to teach you how to look after them." She moved over to a display of books and pamphlets and picked up a pocket-sized book. She handed it to Rhys. "Take it," she said.

Rhys looked at the book. "The Reluctant Master", he read from the cover. "Hah! That sums it up indeed! But I can't take this from you. Just add it to the bill."

"It's not a gift from me to you," Mrs. Mather said. "It's from me to them." She nodded towards Kat and Jade, who had just emerged from the toilet. "It's just you who needs to read it." The women were walking back towards them. Kat held her bra and panties in her hand, and both were nude. Kat handed the underwear to Rhys; Jade picked up her bra and panties from the floor and gave them to him. Both then put their outer clothing on.

The tour of Mrs. Mather's shop continued. Jade and Kat looked at the displays and discussed things. They chose matching sets of accessories, necklaces that looked like fine jewellery but functioned as a locking collar. More everyday collars, one in lined metal and another in leather. A pair of snug metal wrist and ankle cuffs, each with a soft lining. An intricate chastity belt each. A selection of gags, one that held the mouth with a metal ring, one that looked like a horse's bit, another that was just a ball which went into the mouth and another that had a panel which went over the mouth and had a gap where various attachments could be fitted. All of those would be customised for each woman according to Mrs. Mather's measurements.

They also chose lengths of chain and various buckles and clasps. They looked at some tiny clamps, one resembling a set of tweezers but could be adjusted and another with a spring-loaded jaw with a small bell. They took two sets of each.

Kat and Jade had examined the whips, paddles and riding crops, but Mrs. Mather wouldn't let them take any. "Come back after your master has learned how to use them," she said. "Untrained hands shouldn't use these things. I don't sell lightweight equipment. Even the least of these can cause injury."

Mrs. Mather went across to a desk by the back wall of the shop where Sarah was already sitting, reading something from a selection of magazines on a low table. Jade and Kat carried items they wanted that didn't need personalising, and Mrs. Mather put them in discreet bags. Kat paid for the items they were taking with them.

Everyone went back downstairs, and Mrs. Mather sent one of the shop assistants to fetch their carriage. Jade and Kat opened the bags to show Sarah what they'd purchased while Mrs. Mather took Rhys aside. "Come back here tomorrow at noon, on your own," she told him. "Read the book, all of it, before then. We can start showing you how to look after your women." Rhys nodded.

The carriage arrived; Sarah, Jade, Kat and Rhys climbed in with their bags - the bulk of Kat's clothes would be delivered to Sarah's house directly. The trip back was smooth and mostly uphill. Rhys started to read the book that Mrs. Mather had given him. Jade and Kat grinned and whispered to each other. Sitting next to Rhys, Sarah looked out of the window, a faint hint of a grin on her face.

The carriage pulled through the gates of the Spencer house and stopped outside the front door. Richard opened the door and welcomed the shopping party back, complimenting Kat on her outfit. She curtsied at him and was obviously delighted by his comments.

Richard showed them into the dining room again, where a covered salver sat on a sideboard, together with a flask of hot tea. Underneath the salver's cover lay a selection of open sandwiches; all five ate and drank.

There were two message containers on the dining table and a sheaf of papers. Richard indicated the papers. "They are copies of the papers from the Foundation that Jade had and that were lost in the sinking," he said. "Everything that you need is there."

He then picked up the containers and handed one each to Jade and Kat. They were metal cylinders with a screw cap at one end covered with a wax seal. "I've already checked the seals, but you should always check them yourselves," he said. "Remember what the designs on the seals look like and check that the wax isn't broken. Kat, yours is from the Reiland government's Ministry of Internal Affairs. Jade, Rhys, yours is from the Seibjerg embassy here in Chatamor and should have papers for you both."

The three friends checked the seals and opened them. In Kat's was a single paper with a smaller note clipped to it. "Could you read it for me, please?" she asked Rhys, holding it up so he could see.

"The little note says that there are more documents to come," said Rhys. "But the main one is a Reiland identity document." He pointed at some of the writing. "This says Katarina Wildwood. This says you have the rank of Administrator, giving your address as 12, Rowan Tree Road. Oh, isn't that the address of our lodgings in..." He was interrupted by Kat bursting into tears and burying herself in Rhys's chest again. It was becoming common, but he found it endearing how she expressed her emotions in such a way, looking to him for reassurance. He automatically put his arms around her, and she put her arms around him.

"It's all seemed a bit, I don't know, unreal until now," she sobbed. "It feels like I've just been playing at being a lady, a free woman. But," she was holding the paper behind Rhys's back and shaking it slightly, "this makes me realise it is real. It is true. I am a free woman!" Her sobs increased

Jade joined the hug, noticing Richard and Sarah were holding hands and watching. Sarah had a smile on her face, and Richard looked concerned.

Kat slowly stopped crying and wiped her eyes with her sleeve, breaking the group hug. "Thank you, Richard," she said. "Thank you, Sarah. You've both been very good to me, given that I showed up unannounced and unexpectedly at your house. I'm more grateful than you know. Thank you from the bottom of my heart."

"You're a friend of Jade's," said Sarah, "and that was good enough at the beginning. But now you're all welcome in this house in your own right. Now, if I may suggest, you have other matters to attend to today?"

Rhys took the two sheets of paper from the Seibjerg embassy's message cylinder. They were, indeed, identity papers. One was in the name of Jade Niain, and the other was in the name of Rhys Niain. It hadn't occurred to him at the time, but now he remembered Jade using that surname for both of them when they boarded the Skotur in Roligvan. Yet again, he made a mental note to ask her about something.

Jade was looking at the sheaf of loose papers. "They're copies of the papers we need to be able to move into our lodgings," she explained, "as well as Rhys's university admission papers, bank details and a few other things. We'll need some of these documents today. Sarah, may we borrow a satchel to keep them in while we're travelling?"

Sarah nodded and left the room. Richard turned to Kat. "Regarding bank details, Kat, your salary will be paid into an account at the Midshire Bank in the city centre. There is no hurry, but you should present your paperwork there in the next few days to access your money."

Kat nodded. "Thank you again, Richard," she said.

"Will you come back here tonight?" Richard asked.

"If that's not too much trouble," Rhys replied. "We will try to take possession of our lodgings today, but I'm not expecting them to be furnished, so we may not be able to stay there tonight."

Richard's mouth turned up at one corner as he suppressed a smile. "You're welcome to stay here until your lodgings are usable," he said. "If you return after we've eaten dinner, I'll arrange some food to be left for you. Would you like to borrow the carriage this afternoon?"

"Thank you for the offer, but I think we'd like to make our own way," said Jade.

Richard nodded. "Then I'll bid you good luck, and I hope to see you later." He turned and left the room.

"What's the plan for this afternoon?" asked Rhys. "We need to claim our trunks and have them delivered to our lodgings. We also need to go to our lodgings and see what they're like. And we could do with visiting the banks as we can't live off Kat's stipend forever."

"What's mine is yours," said Kat. "I've never had any money or possessions, and I never would have if it weren't for you two."

"We're a team," said Jade. "No more needs to be said," and she nodded firmly to make her point.

Sarah returned with what looked like one of the children's school satchels and offered it to Jade. She took it and put the sheaf of papers in it, thanking Sarah. Rhys added his and Jade's identity papers. Kat was still holding the document confirming her identity as a free woman, as if it were the most precious thing in the world, which, to her and at that time, it was. "You can hold it, if you like," said Jade, "or put it in with ours?" Kat looked conflicted but nodded and put the paper in the satchel.

"See you later!" Jade said to Sarah as the three friends headed for the door. They went down the corridor, out of the front door and down the driveway. They left the gates and walked down the lane to its junction with a larger road. Jade took the lead as she had more experience around larger cities and flagged down a Hansom cab. These were smaller, two-wheeled carriages, usually for two people and pulled by one horse. The driver sat in a seat behind and above the passenger compartment. It was a bit of a squeeze for the three of them, but they all managed to sit down. Jade shouted up to the driver that they wanted to go to the goods inwards yard at the docks.

The journey to the docks was exciting. The smaller Hansom cab was quicker and more agile than the heavier carriage the Spencer family used, and the horse pulling it made good time as they skirted the city centre rather than going through it. They had what seemed to Rhys to be several close misses with other carts and carriages, but their driver skilfully avoided collisions.

They arrived at the goods inwards yard and, after some wriggling to retrieve her money purse from her bra, Kat paid the driver through the hatch, and he unlocked the doors. They climbed down from the cab and walked to the brick building marked "Goods Inwards Reception". Rhys and Jade presented their identity papers to the clerk sitting at a desk behind a grille. He took the documents through a door at the back and returned a couple of minutes later. "They've both arrived," he said. "Would you like to take them or have them delivered?"

Jade opened her satchel and started rummaging around. "12 Rowan Tree Road," came Kat's voice from behind her as she sensed Jade was looking for the address of the lodgings. "I won't forget our first home, even if we've not been there yet!"

"Delivery, please," said Kat, smiling, "to 12 Rowan Tree Road." Kat paid the delivery fee, and the clerk gave her the receipt, which she put in her purse.

"I like paying for things," said Kat. "It's just a pity I can't add up, or I could be in charge of the money!" She said it in a bright tone, but neither Rhys nor Jade was fully convinced it was a joke.

Having dealt with collecting the two trunks, the friends went out of the yard and back onto the busy streets. This time, Kat flagged down a larger Hackney cab, and Jade asked the driver to take them to the National Bank of Seibjerg branch in Chatamor city centre. Hackney cabs were more like traditional carriages, having four wheels, forward and backwards-facing seats and a driver who sat at the front.

The journey was slower and less squashed than the earlier journey in the Hansom cab, so Rhys took out his book. He started reading and, after a few minutes, adjusted his trousers and crossed his legs, sending the women into peals of laughter. Rhys looked at them, trying to look cross. "I hope you realise this is all for your benefit. If you continue, I'll stop reading!". Kat and Jade stifled their laughter and sat, heads bowed, hands in their laps, trying not to smile.

They were heading to Chatamor's financial district outside the Royal City. As they pulled up outside the National Bank of Seibjerg, Rhys noticed that the Midshire Bank was a little further down the street. He pointed it out to Kat, saying, "We can call in and set up your account, too!"

The National Bank of Seibjerg was a large hall with cashier's windows down the two longer sides and a series of office doors at the far end. It was spacious and well-lit with the afternoon sunshine pouring through windows high up in the walls. Jade and Rhys queued at a cashier's window and, once at the front of the queue, presented their papers from the embassy. The clerk took the papers down to the far end of the hall and went through a door. A few minutes later, he returned, carrying more documents. He took their address details from them, got them to sign his paperwork, and then issued them a passbook for each account. The passbook included tear-off slips that they could use as promissory notes rather than paying people in cash for large purchases.

Rhys looked at the account balance the clerk had written in the passbook. It was a large amount of money, not as large as Kat's stipend, but more than he'd ever had in his own right. He asked the clerk for some coinage to tide him over, and the clerk updated the passbook with the withdrawal. Jade did similarly, and then all three went back into the street. They walked down to the Midshire Bank and walked in. It was a gloomier place than the National Bank of Seibjerg had been, but the basic layout was the same. Kat joined the queue for a cashier. She was obviously very nervous. It was one thing having a document that said she was a free woman; it was quite a different thing to interact with officialdom as though she'd been one all her life.

Kat got to the front of the queue and presented her identity document to the clerk just as Rhys and Jade had done. As the other clerk had done earlier, he took it into the bank's back room. Kat was getting increasingly nervous as time passed without the clerk returning. Eventually, the door opened again, and the clerk came out carrying more documents. He explained it all to Kat, who didn't seem to be taking it in, and, eventually, he presented her with a long piece of paper with small writing. He handed her a pen and asked her to sign.

That was the tipping point for Kat. She couldn't read or write, so she had no idea what to do. She'd never signed her name, even with an X mark. She started to hyperventilate and walked backwards away from the clerk. Rhys, who, with Jade, was waiting a discreet few steps away, rushed over to her. He stood in front of her and put his hands on either side of her head, holding it steady. "Breathe," he said to her, "breathe." She looked at him with wild eyes, and Rhys did the only thing he could think of. He kissed her. Not a peck on the lips, but a full lip-lock, still holding her head between his hands. He put all his effort into it and wished with all his heart that she knew how to sign her name.

The kiss ended with both Rhys and Kat gasping for breath. Her eyes were no longer darting about wildly, but steady, looking into his eyes in wonder. She brought her thumb up and touched his lips, smiling gently. "Thank you," she whispered.

Rhys let go of her head and moved away to stand by Jade. Only then did he notice that almost everyone else in the bank was looking at him.

Kat marched back up to the clerk, took the pen and piece of paper from him and, slowly and deliberately with the tip of her tongue peeking out the side of her mouth, signed "Katarina Wildwood". She returned the pen and paper to the clerk, who clearly had no idea what had gone on, with a satisfied and slightly smug look.

The clerk handed her a passbook, which Kat took from him. "Thank you, and good day," she said chirpily, turning and moving over to Rhys and Jade. "Let's go!" she told them, marching out of the bank. Jade and Rhys followed like sheep.

Outside, on the street, Kat flagged down another Hackney carriage. "12 Rowan Tree Road, please, driver!" she said brightly, opened the door and jumped in. Jade and Rhys followed and sat down.

"What just happened?" asked Jade.

"The clerk asked me to sign my name," Kat replied confidently, "and I got overwhelmed again. That's been happening a lot recently, and we've been hugging it out. That really helps, by the way." She smiled. "But this time, he", she gestured at Rhys, "kissed me, and suddenly I knew how to do it. It just came to me. So I returned to the clerk and signed my name on that paper. I had to concentrate because I don't think I have the motor skills yet, but I knew. I knew how to sign my name."

Both women turned to look at Rhys. "What?" he asked. "All I did was to try to let her know that I loved her, no matter what. I so wanted her to be able to sign that paper. I pictured it in my head and imagined how good it would be if she could do it. Maybe the kiss reset her breathing, and that helped?"

Jade and Kat both seemed unconvinced. "We'll discuss it later," was all Jade would say.

The ride to their lodgings was pleasant. Kat was in an excellent mood, and it rubbed off on the other two. They chatted brightly, commenting on the passing city and its citizens.

The cab turned onto a tree-lined road with townhouses with small, neat gardens at the front and steps leading up to brightly painted doors. They were built of dark brick and had three storeys plus attic rooms, judging by the windows on their fronts. The three friends peered around, trying to see which was their house, but apart from the colours of the doors and different planting in the gardens, they all looked pretty much the same.

The cab pulled up outside a house. It had a bright red front door, and the few small trees in the garden had white and pink blossoms. The three climbed down from the cab, and Rhys paid the driver. They stood in front of the gate, hand in hand, looking up at the house. A brass "12" showed on a black plaque by the door. Now that they were close up, they could also see a set of metal steps leading down to what looked to be a basement door.

"Home. At least for now," sighed Jade. The three squeezed hands and walked up the steps to the front door together. Jade, at one end of the threesome and with a free hand, used the door knocker, which, she noticed, was of an unusual dragon design.

It took a minute, but the door opened to reveal a smartly dressed, dark-haired woman. Rhys immediately noticed her jet black eyes and her nose, which was thin and relatively long, not such that it would stand out, it just gave her face a vaguely bird-like shape. She quickly looked at the three of them before he eyes alighted on Jade. She hesitated for a moment and then said "Jade!" before stepping out to greet her with a hug.

"Raven," said Jade, letting go of Rhys's hand so she could hug her back. "It's so good to see you again. How have you been?"

"I've been well," Raven replied. "The storm a few days ago was not good for my spirit," she smiled, and Jade chuckled, "but these last few days have been better. I've been keeping an eye on the house for you. The staff have been given leave until you got here, but they are due back tomorrow." She looked at Rhys and Kat. "I assume that this is Mr. Rhys Atherton?" she continued. Rhys nodded and held his hand out, which Raven shook. "It's good to see you, Rhys. And, if I may be so bold, who is this?" she asked, looking at Kat.

Kat curtsied to Raven. "I'm Katarina Wildwood," she said firmly. "I joined Rhys and Jade on their journey from Seibjerg, and we're together now."

"Well," said Raven, "there's no need to curtsey for me. I'm one of Jade's oldest friends, and she has exquisite taste in friends," she laughed, "so it's lovely to meet you." She pulled Kat into a hug, and Kat hugged her back.

"Anyway, as I said, no one is here today, but would you like to look around anyway?"

"No one here?" asked Rhys. "Are none of the other tenants around?"

Raven laughed again. "No, no, Rhys. This house is just for you three. No one else will live here."

"Oh," said Rhys, "I was told these were our lodgings and I'd assumed it'd be a room in an inn or a shared house..."

Raven held up her hand to stop him. Rhys noticed she had black fingernails that matched her hair and her eyes. "The house is yours for as long as you need it. And you have staff to look after it. You'll also have a bedroom at the university that you can use as often or as little as you like. I suspect, though, you'll stay here the vast majority of your time. I certainly would!" She laughed again. "You have a lot to learn," she added, somewhat cryptically.

"Now. How about a quick look round and move in properly tomorrow?" she continued. The three friends agreed, and Raven opened the door fully, let them in and closed it again. They stood in a bright hallway with polished wooden flooring and five doors leading off it. A grand staircase at the end of the hall led to the upper floors, and a more functional one led down. The hall contained a couple of fine wooden chairs against one wall, a stand for hats and coats and a small table on which sat two keys.

"There should always be someone from the staff in the house to let you in and out," Raven said, "but these are the keys for the front door."

Rhys scooped them up and handed one to Kat and one to Jade. "We'll get another cut for me," he said. Kat's eyes were shining again at the trust Rhys showed in her.

Raven led them on a tour of the house. Kat had found a notepad and a pencil in her satchel and had both in hand. The ground floor had a dining room, a sitting room with bay windows overlooking the front garden and complete with a harpsichord, a study, and an orangery. This room contained potted shrubs and plants, a set of doors leading to the rear garden and casual furniture. The back of the house caught the sun for most of the day.

The basement contained the service areas, a kitchen, a pantry, a laundry and some small offices that the staff used.

The upper floor had a large main bedroom overlooking the front garden and two smaller attached bedrooms, presumably for children or guests. Rhys was pleased to see that the bed in the main bedroom was larger than the one in Jade's bedroom, but they'd probably need a larger bed at some point if the three of them were going to be there for an extended period. There were also three bedrooms to act as standalone bedrooms for guests. Each bedroom had an ensuite bathroom, which Rhys found unusual.

Another staircase led to the top floor, which had more bedrooms and a communal bathroom. Some of the doors were locked but one was open. The room was simply furnished with two single beds, two small wardrobes, a dressing table and a desk with a chair. They peeked in, then closed the door again. Back in the corridor, a set of steep steps led up to the attic rooms, which were currently used for storage.

They went back to the orangery and out into the rear garden. It was spacious for a townhouse and had a paved area for entertaining, a lawn, and some clever planting of shrubs, trees and plants, including what looked like a small kitchen garden.

"I'm going to have to fly," said Raven with a snigger. "It was lovely to meet you all and I'm sure we'll meet again soon. It's always good to catch up with my old friend Jade."

Jade laughed and hugged Raven before stepping back. There was a sudden blur of movement. It happened too quickly for Rhys to see any detail, but Raven was gone, and a large, all-black bird was flying away. It circled the garden once, making a "caw" sound and then headed towards the distant hills.

"She's descended from the Morrigan," Jade explained. "She can change between human and bird form at will -- a sort of shape-shifter, I suppose. The original Morrigan were associated with war and death. She's fierce when she wants to be, but Raven's pretty cool."

Rhys added another entry to his mental list of things to ask Jade about.

They stayed in the garden for a while. The high walls around the rear garden made it peaceful and relatively private, although the upper floors of the neighbouring houses could see in. The three lovers lay on the lawn, enjoying the late sun on their faces and being at peace and at home after the drama of the last few days. Jade pulled the notepad and pencil out of the satchel again, and she and Kat rolled over on their stomachs, talking about plans for the house. Jade made notes, and Kat took the paper and pencil occasionally and, concentrating hard, slowly drew sketches of what she thought. As she had admitted earlier, she didn't have the motor skills yet, but Jade felt that, with practice, she had talent as an illustrator. Rhys, in the meantime, continued to read Mrs. Mather's book. He also lay on his stomach, but this was mainly to hide his erection.

Eventually, the shadows cast by the garden walls started to get longer, and the sun's heat dwindled. Kat sat up and looked around. "We said we'd go back to Richard's house tonight," she said. "We should be going soon." Jade and Rhys nodded in agreement and got to their feet. The three returned to the orangery and closed and secured the doors. Jade insisted that they check all the other exterior doors and windows if they were leaving the house empty as a matter of principle, so they split up and moved around the four main floors checking.

A knock came on the door as they met up in the hall. Rhys answered it. Jade's and Rhys's trunks had arrived from the docks. Rhys had the delivery crew leave them out of the way in the hall so no one would fall over them. He tipped the workers, and he, Kat and Jade followed them out the door. Kat locked it behind them, and they went to the end of the street where Jade hailed a cab.

The ride back to the Spencer house was uneventful, even though the traffic was heavier as the city workers made their way home. There were a lot more of the large carriages that carried dozens of people - Jade called them omnibuses - and their size and frequent stops meant some sudden stops and sharp turns. The traffic got lighter and the ride smoother as they made their way into the residential districts on the higher ground. They pulled up outside the Spencer house, paid the driver and made their way in.

Jade knocked on the door, and Kaspar let them in. "You're just in time for dinner," he said.

"Do we have time to freshen up?" Jade asked. Kaspar nodded, and the three made their way up to Jade's bedroom. They were in the process of taking turns in the bathroom when the dining bell rang. Kat and Jade waited for Rhys, who was last in line for the bathroom, to finish up before trooping downstairs together and heading for the dining room.

When they entered, Sarah, Richard, Violet and Lars were already seated at the table, so Jade, Kat and Rhys quickly joined them. While dinner was served, the children chatted about their day at school, excited to have someone other than their parents to talk to.

Violet, the elder of the two children, was learning foreign languages and wanted to practise her Seibjern on Rhys as it was his native language. Kat watched, bemused, as the two chatted incomprehensibly (to her) over their meal of smoked fish and rice. Jade tried to join the conversation at one point, but Violet told her she wasn't a real Seibjern speaker, which made Jade laugh. Eventually, Rhys had to remind Violet that they should speak in a language everyone around the table could understand. Still, if she wanted to practice Seibjern, he'd happily talk to her privately. Violet nodded and returned to her meal, and the conversation (in Reijik) resumed. Rhys saw Jade mouth something to Violet when the two happened to look at each other. He wasn't a lip-reader, but he could have sworn Jade had said "Me too" in Munn. Did that mean Jade was a native Munn speaker? And did that mean she'd been raised in Munnin? It wasn't important, Rhys thought, in the scheme of things. It was just interesting to note.

When the meal had finished and the children had gone to bed, the five adults retired to the sitting room with mugs of tea.

"Your shopping has arrived," said Sarah to Kat. "Including some of the 'plus' items you bought." She looked at Kat and Jade with a knowing look. Jade smiled, and Kat blushed. "We had the delivery crew put them in one of the guest bedrooms as, I suppose, you won't be using those rooms tonight?" Kat and Jade nodded, and it was Rhys's turn to blush.

"Aaah," said Jade to Rhys. "We should have packed an overnight bag using the stuff in our trunks. Another day in these clothes!"

"We can freshen them up again overnight, if that helps?" suggested Richard. Rhys and Jade accepted the offer and thanked him.

Jade related the events of the day to Richard and Sarah. She left out the kiss in the bank, knowing that Richard would report anything she said to the Foundation and not being willing to share all their secrets. Kat again asked Richard to pass on her thanks to the Foundation, prompting Rhys, with a bit of embarrassment at not having done it earlier, to do the same.

"Thank you also for the 'lodgings'," said Rhys. "I will admit to being a little shocked at having such a magnificent house all to ourselves. And even more so when I consider that when this was all organised, Kat wasn't in the plans, and no one knew if Jade would be staying. It could all have been just for me."

"I can't speak for the people who make those sorts of decisions," said Richard. "All I know is that the Foundation were already paying for the house and the staff, so if you look at those as overheads, it was cheaper than renting a room elsewhere. And the rooms at the university are basic, to say the least and not befitting someone of your..." He hesitated momentarily before continuing, "hoped-for ability."

Richard took several deep breaths. "I don't want you to think of yourself as running a guest house," he said, looking at all three of the friends, "but it would be beneficial for you to meet some of the other members of the Foundation. And it would be doubly beneficial if they could sometimes stay with you overnight while they're in Chatamor doing business. If you don't want to, it's fine, and the Foundation will look after you as they have been doing. But, personally, I'd strongly advise that you agree. You will meet people you wouldn't have met otherwise and who could be immensely helpful to you in the future."

Rhys looked at Kat and Jade. They both nodded. "We agree," said Rhys. "Although it would be useful if we could get some notice, so at least one of us is around to greet them?"

Richard nodded. "Of course," he said, "and thank you all."

"One more thing," Jade said to Richard. "Kat and I have had some design ideas. Could you take a look at them and give us your opinion on whether they'd be acceptable to the owners, please?"

Richard raised one eyebrow and gave a small smile. "Of course," he said.

Jade went over to the sideboard and pulled Kat with her. Sarah and Richard came over too. Wanting to Kat and Jade to manage their project, Rhys wandered over to one of the easy chairs, picked up a newspaper and started to read. Back at the sideboard, Jade dug out the notebook they'd been using earlier in the day and she and Kat went through the notes and diagrams. There was sniggering and the burst of laughter which made Rhys slightly nervous. He trusted Kat and Jade implicitly so he said nothing.

After 20 minutes, the group at the sideboard broke up. "I think that's all fine," said Richard. "No structural changes and it's all done in good taste."

"The illustrations and designs in there are excellent," added Sarah. She moved over to Rhys. "Kat has real talent as an illustrator," she told him, "especially given this was her first time trying it. It would be a shame to waste such talent." She looked straight at Rhys when she said that. Rhys understood the message and nodded his head. Kat, in the meantime, was beaming with delight at Sarah.

"If you'll excuse us," said Richard, "we'll leave you in peace. We'll make sure all your shopping is shipped across to Rowan Tree Road. We need our guest room back!" He smiled, stood up and, with Sarah, made his way to the door.

"We should go upstairs too," said Jade, leading Rhys and Kat out of the room, up the stairs and into her bedroom. Once the bedroom door had closed behind them, she turned to Rhys. "I've been thinking about what Kat did in her bank," she said. "Do you mind if we try a few things?"

Rhys wiggled his eyebrows at her, which caused her to laugh. She slapped him playfully on the arm. "Later!" she said with a laugh. She asked Kat and Rhys to undress and, while they did so, she pulled the chair out from beneath the small dressing table. She put it by the window, facing the door. The curtains were drawn, and the fire and candles lit the room.

Jade stood by the door and had Rhys sit on the chair facing her. She then asked Kat to sit on Rhys's lap, facing him and away from her. Rhys could see Jade over Kat's shoulder. "Hugs!" Jade instructed. Kat and Rhys put their arms around each other and hugged, Kat's chin on Rhys's shoulder. "Rhys, watch what I do, but don't say anything. Kat, no peeking. I want to see if something passed between you when you kissed in the bank that let Kat sign that document." Kat and Rhys nodded their understanding.

Jade reached down and picked up a door stop from the floor beside her. She held it up so Rhys could see it. "Kat, can you tell what I'm holding?"

Kat scrunched her eyes up and concentrated hard. "Is it something small? I can't really..." She felt Rhys tense up and squeeze her harder as he tried to focus on sending the image to Kat. "Is it round? You're holding it like it's quite heavy?"

Rhys realised what Jade was doing. He released Kat from the hug and leaned back so that Kat's head came off his shoulder. He moved so his face was in front of hers and looked deep into her eyes. He tilted his head to one side and proceeded to kiss her. She did likewise, and their lips touched. Rhys saw her eyes widen, and she pulled back out of the kiss. "It's a stuffed cat! A heavy stuffed cat! Haha! Kat saw the cat!" she cried.

Jade approached and moved beside them so Kat could see what she was holding. "That's incredible!" she said. "It's like telepathy, except it needs you two to be in contact. And the more intimate the connection, the better it works. Can we try one more thing?" Kat and Rhys nodded, intrigued. Jade had them stand up, turn the chair around and sit back down as they were, Kat straddling Rhys's legs. Kat could now see Jade, but Rhys couldn't.

Jade went to the borrowed satchel and retrieved her pencil and paper. She went to stand behind Rhys so that Kat could see her over his shoulder. She wrote something on the paper and held it up for Kat.

"I've no idea," said Kat sadly. Rhys took the initiative and moved his head slightly to capture Kat's mouth with his. He tried to put as much intensity into his kiss as he had done earlier in the bank. He saw Kat screw her eyes up again in concentration but nothing seemed to happen. Then Kat reached between their bellies and grabbed hold of Rhys's cock which had been erect between them. As soon as she got hold of it, she let go and broke free from his kiss. "It says 'Jade loves Kat'," she cried, jumped off Rhys's lap and launched herself at Jade. Jade caught her, staggering backwards slightly, and kissed Kat as Kat wrapped her arms and legs around her. "And Kat loves Jade too!" Kat added, close to tears.

Rhys had turned slightly in the chair to watch the two women. His heart swelled with love, and an idea formed in his head as he saw the clothed Jade standing with naked Kat's legs wrapped around her waist and her arms around her neck. With some difficulty and after adjusting his cock, he reached for his trousers and pulled them on, then headed to the door, telling Jade and Kat that he'd be back shortly.

He looked in each of the other rooms on that floor until he found what he was looking for - the room where the day's shopping had been stored. He checked through the bags from Mrs. Mather's shop until he found the two metal collars with a padded interior that he'd seen them buy. He also found two small locks, a short length of chain, a short hank of soft rope and a set of handcuffs. He took them all back to Jade's bedroom.

The women lay on the bed, Jade having apparently fallen backwards onto it. Kat was still wrapped around her as the two gave each other little pecks of kisses amid much quiet giggling. Rhys walked over to Kat and slapped her gently on one butt cheek. "Up!" he told her. Rhys poked Jade gently in the belly as Kat climbed off her. "Strip." He told her. Jade looked up at him, questions in her eyes. Rhys raised his eyebrows and moved over to Kat.

Rhys sat on the edge of the bed and gestured to Kat, "Kneel," he said, pointing at the space between his knees. Kat moved over to him, looking him in the eyes constantly, and knelt with a fluidity and grace that surprised Rhys. He'd never thought of Kat as someone with poise, but then again, he realised, she'd never been in the situation where she could show it. She was kneeling between his legs, hands on her thighs, sitting on her heels. She looked up at him, still with questions in her eyes. Rhys bent down, put his finger under her chin, and applied gentle upward pressure. Kat moved into an upright posture, still kneeling, and her face came almost level with Rhys's.

Still with his finger under her chin, he bent and kissed her. It was a chaste kiss. He then held the smaller metal collar up so she could see. Her eyes widened. "This isn't your collar," he told her, "and this isn't me collaring you. Yet." He closed the collar around her neck and held it closed by putting the lock through it. He didn't close the lock.

He turned to look at Jade. He pointed to the spot next to Kat. "Kneel here," he told her. As Jade moved into position, he gave Kat another small kiss and shuffled along the bed, so he sat in front of where Jade knelt. "This isn't your collar either," he told her. "That will come later." In the same way, he closed the collar and held it closed with the lock.

He wiggled back on the bed, so he sat with one kneeling woman on each side of him. He took the short length of chain he'd brought, looped it through the lock on Kat's collar and closed it. He pulled Jade towards Kat until they were sitting shoulder to shoulder, then pulled the chain tight and locked it to Jade's collar.

"Inside hands on my knees," he told them. They obeyed, and he handcuffed their hands together. "Stay," he said. He stood and lowered his trousers to his ankles, then sat back on the bed, penis pointing straight up. "Rules," he said. "Blowjob. Switch when I say so. If you need to use a hand, only the cuffed one. Jade, go."

Jade shuffled across so she was in front of Rhys, causing Kat to shuffle out of the way. She held her hand up to grasp Rhys's now limp cock. Kat's hand had to follow. Jade gripped it and started to massage it with her fingers, running her thumb over its tip. Rhys started to respond. Jade leaned forward when his cock was stiff enough, pulling Kat's head forward too. Jade took his cock in her mouth, tongue working hard at the underside, her head bobbing up and down his shaft. Kat was getting a close-up view of Jade's technique.

"Switch," called Rhys. Jade whined but released his cock from her mouth. The two women shuffled across until Kat was in position. She took him in her mouth, this time sealing her lips as far down his shaft as she could. She sucked, her cheeks going in and out as she breathed through her nose. She brought her hand up to cup Rhys's balls, Jade's hand forced to follow her. She watched Rhys's face as she sucked, trying to see whether she was doing well. He, in turn, looked her directly in the eyes.

"Switch," he said. Kat released his cock with a pop and the women shuffled back. Kat returned to bobbing her head up and down, pulling Kat forwards and backwards as she did. And then she pushed her head forward and took his whole length in her mouth and throat. She started to swallow and Rhys almost went cross-eyed with the feeling coming from his cock. Kat, forced to watch from a close distance, was frowning. She felt that she was at a severe disadvantage here. Jade had pleasure slave training but she, Kat, had only sucked one cock before, although that was Rhys's. She noticed that Rhys had moved forward and was now perched on the edge of the bed - a plan formed in her head.

"Switch," Rhys said again, and the women shuffled to the side. Kat pulled her and Jade's hands up to her mouth, causing Jade to look sideways at her, and she licked her index finger. Kat took Rhys's cock in her mouth again, this time using her tongue as Jade had done earlier. She also reached forward, again pulling on Jade's hand. Rhys, watching what was going on, assumed she was going to cup his balls again, but she kept going. She shoved her hand under Rhys. Jade's hand landed on Rhys's scrotum, and reflexively, she reached for him. Kat, had, however reached her destination and, without any warning, she found Rhys's asshole and shoved the tip of her wet finger into it.

Rhys squeaked in surprise and came into Kat's mouth. "You utter cow!" Jade laughed. "That was cheating! Save me some, though!" Kat had swallowed some of Rhys's cum but still had a mouthful and some had leaked out of the corners of her mouth and was running down her chin. She pulled away from Rhys, letting his cock fall out of her mouth and turned to Jade. Jade licked the cum from Kat's face then dived into a kiss with her. The two women moved the cum between their mouths with their tongues until they both swallowed. Jade bent over to Rhys's cock for cleanup duties and Kat shuffled over to give her access.

Once Jade had finished cleaning Rhy's cock and his pubic area with her tongue, Rhys unlocked the handcuff from Kat's wrist and the neck chain from Jade's collar, leaving the other end of each attached to the other woman. "Up," he said, gesturing with both hands. The women rose, almost together and stood in front of him.

Rhys also got to his feet. Jade was in front of him, and Kat was to the side. He reached out and took hold of Jade's nipples, giving them a tweak in the process. He put his face forward so their noses touched and looked into her eyes. He could feel her emotions in his head as well as see them in her eyes. What was she feeling? Amusement? A tiny bit. Pride in him? Yes, although he wasn't sure why. Arousal? For sure. With his face still up against hers and still holding her nipples, he spoke. "On the bed. On your back. Knees hanging over the bottom. Hands on your head. Move." He released her nipples, and she moved to do as he'd instructed.

Rhys moved sideways to now stand in front of Kat. He reached for her nipples and also gave them a tweak. He pulled them upwards, not forcefully, but enough so that Kat knew to get onto tiptoe. He still had to stoop slightly so he could go nose-to-nose with her. He didn't have the same sense of connection with Kat, but he could still feel something at this closeness. Mostly arousal, he thought, with strong undercurrents of both fear and trust. Interesting combination. He spoke again. "On top of Jade. On your back, knees raised to your chin. Put your arms under your knees to keep them there." Kat scuttled away once he'd released her nipples to obey.

Rhys went into the bathroom and found a couple of washcloths. He ran them under the water and then squeezed them out until they were damp. He returned to the bedroom, and the two women were lying on the bed. Kat was lying with her head on Jade's shoulder, so he reached around and reconnected the chain to Jade's collar, locking their necks together again. He took one of the damp washcloths and pushed it into Jade's mouth with his finger. He pushed it in just enough that Jade's mouth was full without causing discomfort. "Bite and hold," he told her.

Kat had done as she was told and was now using her arms behind her knees to hug them into her chest. He took Jade's hands and moved them to also be behind Kat's knees and locked the handcuffs on her, effectively locking Kat in position. He left Kat's hands free so she could steady herself on top of Jade and pushed the other washcloth into her mouth, repeating the same instruction.

He moved to the end of the bed. Jade's legs were hanging over the edge, feet on the floor. He took each ankle and, using the length of rope he'd brought in, tied each to one of the bed's legs leaving her pussy wide open to him. Now he moved forward. He checked Jade's pussy, finding it wet and ready for him. He inserted his cock into her, then leaned forward and inserted his thumbs into Kat's pussy to pull her labia apart, exposing her sex for him to use. He flicked her clitoris with his tongue a few times before moving down to put his tongue into her tunnel. He rested one hand on the bed so as not to put his weight onto either woman and, with the thumb of the other, gently massaged Kat's button. At the same time, he started to thrust in and out of Jade.

He would be the first to admit that none of them were in a comfortable position. Jade had Kat's, admittedly relatively light, weight pressing on her, and her torso and shoulders were pulled forward with her hands cuffed behind Kat's knees. Kat was bent double with Jade's arms folding her body ever tighter, and she fought to use her arms to stop the Jade-Kat pile from falling over. Rhys was hunched with his face in Kat's pussy and his prick in Jade's, trying to give both the most pleasure he could. And he could tell what each woman felt as they moved together in this intimate melding of bodies.

As he had felt before, it was like he was inside Jade's head, and the clarity of the feelings he was getting from her was amazing. "No cumming until I tell you to," he mentally pushed at her. He could feel her slight shock at receiving instructions from him this way, then her thrill at obeying him and the denial she would have to bring upon herself.

Kat felt less connected, although he acknowledged that their physical connection wasn't as intimate as his current one with Jade. He pushed the same instruction at Kat and felt her react with surprise and determination.

He stroked away at Jade's pussy, strummed at Kat's clitoris with his thumb and reached as far as he was able into her tunnel with his tongue. He doubled down on his efforts and was delighted to feel and hear both women respond. He could feel both were nearing climax, but Jade had more experience and was doing a better job at controlling herself. Kat, on the other hand, was struggling. He lifted his head from Kat's pussy and, with the hand he'd been using to stimulate her button, he slapped her pussy. Not hard, just enough to shock her, then he went back to stimulating her.

Kat's arousal had stepped down a level but quickly built up again. He repeated his action, pulling back, slapping her pussy, and then going back to her. Jade was now close to point of no return and so was he, despite having had a blowjob minutes earlier. "Cum," he pushed into both women's minds as he blasted his sperm into Jade's pussy, his knees almost giving way. And cum the women did. Jade was quite restrained, shaking and making little grunting sounds. Kat spat the washcloth out, screamed and passed out.

Slightly unsteady on his legs, he went around the side of the bed and uncuffed Jade's wrists, releasing tension in her arms and upper body. He took the washcloth from her mouth as she lay back on the bed, panting with the unconscious Kat still lying on her chest. He unlocked and removed her collar, then did the same for Kat. He then bent over and scooped Kat up in his arms. "Budge up," he said to Jade, who wriggled away from him to the far side of the bed. He laid Kat down in the space Jade had created and pulled a blanket over them. Jade immediately rolled over slightly, draped her arm over Kat and closed her eyes. Now that both women were unconscious, he pulled the chair towards the fire, sat, and resumed reading Mrs. Mather's book.

He didn't know precisely how long he'd been reading, maybe an hour, but he heard Kat stir and looked up. Jade was spooning her from behind, still with her arm draped over Kat. She was holding Jade's hand and looking at something on her wrist. Rhys saw her gently touch Jade's wrist and scrunch her eyes up. He felt something in the air, akin to the prickle he sometimes felt during thunderstorms, and saw a faint glow surround both Jade and Kat. Where she was touching Jade's wrist seemed to be glowing slightly more.

Kat's ministrations had woken Jade, who had taken her arm back from Kat and was looking at her wrist. Kat rolled over until she faced Jade, and he could hear the two women whispering. Then they started kissing. They weren't passionately kissing but more gentle kisses of affection and thanks.

Rhys stood, put his book down, and walked across to see what was happening. The women saw him coming and both sat up in bed. Jade held her wrists out for him to see. One wrist had an angry red ring around it, the other didn't. Rhys realised the mark corresponded to where he'd handcuffed her. The tension in the handcuffs from having her arms under Kat's knees must have rubbed her wrists raw. The glow he'd seen was Kat using Jade's flux to heal the first wrist.

"I'm so sorry," said Rhys to Jade. "Did the handcuffs do that?"

"Yes," she replied matter-of-factly. "It hurt quite a lot, but for me, pain and pleasure are connected, so I sort of enjoyed it."

"That's not the point, though," said Rhys. "I didn't pick up that I was hurting you. Even though this wasn't serious, it could have been far more so. We need safe words and actions."

"Safe words? Safe actions?" asked Kat.

"I read about it," said Rhys. "Some people find it erotic for their partners to cause them pain or to force them to do something they don't want to do. Protesting about it and then the dom doing it anyway is part of their kink, if you like. But there could come a point when it stops being enjoyable for the sub and they need to distinguish between 'I'm saying stop but I want you to carry on' and "really, stop!' So we all agree on a word we'd never use in those situations, and if the sub says the word, the dom knows to stop. It's an essential part of the trust between sub and dom. The dom trusts the sub won't use the safe word unless they're in trouble, and the sub knows the dom will stop when they use it.

"And if, for example, you've got a washcloth in your mouth and you can't say the safe word, we have safe actions. Something the sub can do which has the same purpose. Like tapping or grunting three times."

"I see the point of that," said Jade, "though whether I'll ever use it, I don't know. But I get that it's important."

Kat nodded her assent, then looked thoughtful. "A word we'd never use in our lovemaking," she said. "How about 'Skotur'? And the three taps or grunts sounds good." Jade and Rhys agreed with her suggestions. "Now," said Kat to Jade, "Can I try your other wrist, but this time on my own? I need to see how much flux I have rather than borrow Jade's."

Jade held her sore wrist out. Kat held the back of Jade's hand in her palm and touched the red mark around Jade's wrist with the fingers of her other hand. Kat screwed her eyes in concentration. Rhys noticed the glow again, but this time not including Jade. It took longer this time, but Kat eventually dropped Jade's hand, the mark on Jade's wrist having vanished. She leaned back, the sweat on her brow and laboured breathing showing the effort she'd put in, but her face showed pure delight and achievement. Rhys and Jade closed in on her and hugged her, whispering their congratulations, love, and, in Jade's case, gratitude.

"It was hard work," Kat murmured. "Much harder than the first time. But I did it! I can heal on my own. And, if great-great grandfather was right, it'll get easier. I'm so pleased." Rhys and Kat hugged her harder, and the three stood together for several minutes.

Kat yawned, the effort of healing having taken its toll. "We're not sleeping in the bed again," said Rhys. "Let's get the mattress on the floor." They pushed the bed against the wall between the three of them and dragged the mattress off it. They then took the thinner mattresses from the two folding beds and laid them on top of each other next to the bed mattress. Rhys pushed a thought at his ring to stop the mattresses sliding apart, and they draped the blankets from the beds over them and stacked the pillows. The three lovers then completed their evening bathroom routines, folded their clothes up, put them outside the bedroom door and then lay down on the mattresses. Rhys was in the centre with a woman on each side, both leaning into him, heads on a shoulder and each with an arm over his chest and a leg over one of his. Sleep came easily after a day that had been memorable in many ways.