As we had approached the town after having travelled fully three hours in shackles it had become clear that this was an altogether bigger place than the town where the slave auction had taken place. We made our way through a maze of narrow alleys and streets towards the castle that dominated the town, much in the way, as I was to discover, that it’s owner intended to dominate me. Walking still in my shackles and chains behind Lady Athelnia’s horse I was led across the castle moat. The gate was opened as the rattling of my irons as I moved had served to alert the guard of the castle. More faces had appeared high up in the stone walls, watching our progress with interest and curiosity as we entered the bailey with me roped to the saddle of the Lady’s horse. My new owner slipped deftly down from her mount, standing before me. She cut a magnificent figure, her head held high, hands on her hips. I lowered my gaze to the ground deferentially. She untied the rope that had connected me to her saddle throughout our journey. Her voice was clear and commanding, echoing slightly within the high walls of the castle battlements that shaded us from the early evening sun.
” Kneel before your mistress slave.”
I lowered myself gingerly to the ground before her, the rough gravel painful on my knees, my eyes still respectfully averted from her body. Those magnificent boots appeared in my eye line, set well apart, spurs gleaming. I studied the highly polished black leather, still immaculate despite her long ride. I was naked and chained before her, powerless to resist whatever she might chose to do with me. I have no doubt now that her intention was to humiliate me as part of her softening up process.
” Now kiss your mistress’ boots.”
In just twenty four hours I had gone from battle hardened warrior, respected throughout the society I had lived in, to this….and yet…
My cock was already firming again between my legs. When my wife lay naked on our bed, inviting me to fill her to satiate my lust I quickly reached this state, but to find myself in the same condition merely by the act of kneeling before a fully clothed woman and being ordered by her to perform the strange, humiliating act of kissing her boots.
All thoughts of my wife were quickly driven from my head. I glanced up as Lady Athelnia casually tossed her long auburn hair, shaking it from her bare shoulders and exposing her prominent clavicles. I leaned forward until my lips made contact with the fine almond shaped toe of her left boot, kissing it gently. Without being directed to do so I moved across to the right boot and repeated the process, eager to please my owner who I was well aware possessed the ultimate power over me.
” And that is your position slave, you will remember it or else your mistress will punish you severely, do you understand ?”
I lowered my head once again and nodded my acknowledgement.
” Good.”
My mistress picked up the rope that had been used to secure me and turned towards the heavy timber door studded with iron bolts that gave access to the castle. I followed on all fours. It was then that I saw the flag. It hung limply in the still air above the entrance to the keep. The red and yellow diagonal quarters emblazoned with a black eagle sparked something in my distant memory, It registered in my mind, I had seen it before somewhere.
Inside the door smooth stone pamments at least provided some relief from the agony of kneeling on the gravel outside. The walls of the hallway that we made our way along were hung with fine tapestries. Many of them were embroidered with various scenes of people riding and hunting. Metal sconces mounted along the walls held candles. Their flickering flames at least alleviated the internal darkness and gloom of the castle to an extent. I was led into a large open area, the main hall of the castle. A huge timber table stood at the centre of the hall, already set with all manner of fine foods, cooked meats, fruit, cheeses and flagons of wine. The aroma of food made me realise just how much my hunger had built during the day. I was led directly through the hall to the kitchen. If the kindly elderly cook bore any kind of grudge against soldiers of an enemy province she showed no sign of it. I was fed well and given two full goblets of red wine with which to wash it down.
Sleep came fitfully to me that night. I had been led down into the dungeon deep within the castle keep. Lady Athelnia had personally taken me there, still in my chains. I felt it significant that she did not delegate these matters. My mind went back to the scene as we had first arrived when I had been ordered to kneel down and to kiss her boots. Although as yet unspoken there was certainly some kind of chemistry developing between us, although I knew that this was based on the imbalance of power between Mistress and slave. The psychology of it however was totally bewildering. I was a fine physical specimen, the tallest in my village with broad shoulders and strong limbs, a fighting man. I told myself that this was the reason why my new owner had willingly parted with such a vast sum of money at the slave auction. But a good, sturdy labourer could be hired for little more than two Reals a week so it would take ten years to recoup the money that she had paid for me. It made more sense however if there was another, more personal reason, for her wanting to own me.
After lying awake contemplating my situation for a long while sleep eventually came to me again. Wild dreams formed a maelstrom in my head, images of the battle in which our army had been defeated as well as the man that I had killed as he fell. Strangely in my dream he wore the red and yellow insignia that flew over the Schanzenberg castle, despite him being only a yeoman and not a man of high birth who might be entitled to wear the colours of the ancient dynasty that had ruled over the province that I now found myself in for almost the last four centuries.
When I awoke for a second time there was light in the dungeon from the four metal wall sconces that held candles. Although they did not produce a huge amount of light the absolute darkness of the night had gone. I rubbed the sleep from my eyes. A metal tray lay beside me on which was placed slices of dark bread and a flagon of apple juice that the orchards of this province produced in great quantities, much of which was brewed into a strong cider that was held responsible for the fights that the inns of the province were renowned for. It was even given to their armies before they went into battle to increase their aggression.
I ate and drank, grateful at least for the fact that, whilst still being kept in shackles, I was being looked after in a reasonable way, although nobody was going to pay a thousand Reals for a slave and then neglect him. Of course I had grave misgivings about my future within an enemy province where I depended upon the good will of Lady Athelnia. It was perfectly possible that if she tired of owning me I could be sold on to an owner who cared nothing at all for the well being of their slaves and merely worked them to death. This was an issue that was soon to be addressed.
She sat before me in the great hall of the castle in a throne like carved wooden chair. We were alone in this massive open room, the high ceiling with it’s heavy timber frame of oak beams forming an arch way up above us.
” I feel that despite our relative positions that you deserve an explanation of your future.”
She reached forward and retied the lace of her left boot as she spoke, above the knee an expanse of milky white thigh. I guessed that she was perhaps ten years older than me but nevertheless possessed a superb body and finely muscled limbs. I had no doubt that she was an excellent horsewoman. She continued.
” You may have noticed yesterday that there was a rival bidder to myself, one who pushed your price up considerably higher than I had been led to expect.”
I nodded that I had indeed seen this other bidder.
” He is a well known dealer, a man with considerable experience of buying slaves, acting on behalf of a client, and a messenger arrived this morning enquiring as to whether I might be prepared to sell you on, at I may add, a very handsome profit.”
She paused to allow this information to sink in.
” The buyer who is driving this owns a large number of orchards and he wants more slaves to work there, however that isn’t his only motive. If I tell you that he doesn’t negotiate with me directly because I am a woman that may give you a clue as to his unusual inclinations.”
I had heard rumours that in this province the practice of using male slaves sexually by their male owners was rife. Many dismissed this as propaganda designed to make our soldiers fight more ferociously to avoid being taken prisoner, but I had no reason to think that what Lady Athelnia was telling me was not true. She continued.
” So, if I am to reject this generous, I would say almost rash offer, I need to know that you accept fully and unconditionally the situation that exists between us. Should you harbour any ideas of being an unwilling slave then I would need to consider that also. But I would also say that these wars between our provinces are not our affair.”
She extended a foot, clearly an invitation to show my obedience. I kissed the offered boot without any hesitation, partly because it was expected, but partly due to the feeling that it engendered deep within me. To have said that I was an unwilling party in this would have certainly been not a true representation of our situation.
” You do need to understand however that I won’t be at all an easy mistress to please. My expectations are very high, especially from a slave who has cost me as much money as you have. I admit to enjoying the control that I have over a strong man immensely, in that respect I am not like other women, it provides a thrill like no other, rather akin to controlling a powerful horse and there will be times when I feel the desire to punish you, sometimes harshly. These actions provide for me a pleasure that other women do not understand. Do you wish to agree to these terms? If you do so then I shall feel inclined to reject the very lucrative offer that I have received.”
I thanked Lady Athelnia for her frankness. Her offer didn’t really need a great deal of consideration given the alternative offered, that of being owned by a man rumoured to not only treat his slaves harshly but also to be in the habit of using, and most probably abusing them, sexually.
Without any hesitation I spoke out loud and clear.
” Mistress, yes I do accept your terms.”
I thought that I detected the merest hint of a smile playing on her lips as she heard and considered my response. Clearly she was a woman very much used to getting her own way. Standing, she now crossed to a heavy oak table that stood in the centre of the hall, her boot heels tapping out a tattoo on the hard floor. Returning she held a small metal key in her hand. She unlocked the steel collar and my manacles before handing it to me.
” Remove your fetters.”
I did as she had instructed, placing the shackle set on the floor. Now standing completely naked before her. Once again I felt my cock begin to twitch as I contemplated her booted and leathered figure before me. She reached out and touched my cock, very slightly squeezing it in her leather gloved hand. It responded immediately, expanding in volume considerably as the blood flowed involuntarily into the shaft. This appeared to arouse a curiosity in her.
” Very interesting, but I don’t allow my slaves to have any form of sexual release, I find that it tends to be bad for their discipline. You will be fitted with a device later that has been specifically designed to prevent you from indulging in any activity of that nature.”
I listened to this with a considerable degree of despondency. Nothing however compared to my feelings later when she appeared holding the artefact in question. She held up what appeared to be a silver metal cage comprising four concentric hinged circular bands with a fifth at right angles.
” I personally designed this equipment and the best craftsman in the province kindly put it together for me. Once fitted it will prevent you from touching yourself without access to the key, which I will keep in a safe place.”
She approached me and took my cock in her hand once again. She slipped the fifth metal circular band behind my testicles and I heard the click of the ratchet as it closed tightly into position, squeezing the soft flesh of my sac until my balls were compressed. One by one the four bars around the shaft of my cock were closed and tightened until my cock was completely encircled and locked inside the impregnable metal cage. Lady Athelnia stood back admiring her handiwork, a look of satisfaction showing on her face. She checked the security and seemed completely satisfied.
” Yes, I am very pleased with how that works. I understand that a man such as yourself has sexual needs and desires but those are now very much subservient to those of your owner and it will be a very long time before you take any pleasure in that way. For now your life passes entirely into my hands, that is the reason that I have bought you and that will be how your life will be lived from this point on. I suggest that you view your current situation particularly in regard to this delightful little piece of equipment as representative of your position in our relationship.”