i had not noticed that the woman who let us in had come back into the room.  She is carrying a tray with two cups and what i imagine can only be a pot of tea.  She sets the tray down on  a small table and then turns to Sir Joseph.  “What else would you like me to do, Sir?” she asks, as if i were not standing there half-naked with my arms securely fastened behind my back.

But Sir Joseph nods to my Sir, who says, “Sarah, would you mind taking her skirt off, please?”  My body tenses, and i make a sound, i think i am going to say no, but Sir holds me tightly at the waist and says, very close to my ear, “Shhh, now, you’re doing so well, little one, don’t stop now, you’re a good girl, show me what a good girl you can be.”

Seduced by those words, i actually lift my feet as directed so she can pull my skirt off.  i am not wearing stockings, just my high-heeled sandals, so now i am completely naked. If my hands had been free i would have covered myself, but that’s not an option, and when i try to cross my legs, my Sir smacks the side of my thigh with one hand, hard enough to leave a red mark.

i gasp but he says firmly, “No.  Open your legs.  Sir Joseph will punish you properly for that later, I’m sure, but i won’t have you disobeying me.   There, that’s better,” and as i obey him, he smacks the inside of each thigh several times so they’re stinging and red.   “That’s better,” he says.

Sir Joseph says to Sarah, “Let’s go ahead and put the ankle cuffs on her.  I don’t think we’ll need them, but better to get it out of the way.”  i am too shocked to react as Sarah kneels in front of me to fasten the leather cuffs around my ankles.

“Very pretty,” my lover whispers in my ear, and i am pleased with myself to have pleased him, even through the shock and the embarrassment.

“Do you have a collar for her, or do you want to use the training collar?” Sir Joseph asks.

Sir Michael responds, “I have a collar for her, but not until she completes training.  i want her to start with a regular training collar.”  Sarah brings the collar to my Sir and hands it to him so he can fasten it around my neck.  It is a match to the wrist and ankle bracelets – simple leather, with a ring in it so they can be fastened to each other, or to other objects easily with a hook or a clip.

My Sir takes the collar from Sir Joseph, and then releases me.  “Look at me,” he says, and i turn, a bit off balance with my hands behind me.   Facing him , i wait while he looks at me, his gaze moving from my face slowly to my feet and back up again.  “Very nice,” he says, and i let out my breath, which i had apparently been holding.

“Turn,” he says, and i pivot slowly, realizing when i face Sir Joseph that he is examining me with his eyes too.  He looks at my Sir, “Very nice,” he agrees with a smile, and i realize that i am delighted that they are both pleased, and humiliated to realize it.

Facing Sir Michael again, he says, “Kneel.”  i hesitate, not because i don’t want to obey him but because i feel so awkward with my hands behind my back i’m not sure i can do it without falling.  He nods to Sarah, and she steps forward and takes my arm, helping me stay balanced as i go to the floor.  i rock back on my heels, knees parted, and look up at my Sir, my love.

He smiles kindly, and says, “Now is the time that you can consent to the things that are going to happen, or not.  If you choose not to consent, we’ll take off the cuffs and collar, give you back your clothes, and you and i will leave.  If you decide to stay, you are agreeing  not only to obey me completely, when I’m here, but also to obey Sir Joseph completely, as if he were your Master too.  Do you have any questions?”

My mind is whirling, and i do have questions, but i don’t know how to ask them.  i want to know if they’re going to give me back my clothes, but at this point, does it even matter?   Sir had mentioned punishment, and i wonder if they will whip me or use some other technique.  i want to ask, but i’m afraid to ask.  He waits though and finally, i say, “Um, you mentioned punishment, what kind of punishment?”

Sir Michael looks at Sir Joseph then, “Joseph, you can answer that better than I can,” he says, and Sir Joseph moves to stand in front of me.  “That’s a good question,” he says gently, “our punishments can be as mild as writing lines, or an essay.  It can be corporal punishment.  We often use switches from the trees in the yard, and we may ask you to cut your own switch.   It’s also not unusual for us to use a riding crop, or give you an old-fashioned caning.   Corner time is part of our usual routine when we only have a few days to complete training, as is orgasm control.”

That startles me, and i blurt out, “Orgasm control!  Will you be having sex with me too?”

Both he and my lover shake their head then, “No,” Sir Joseph says, “I won’t have sex with you, you belong to Sir Michael, and he has not offered me your cunt or ass.”  Those words shake me a bit, although i have agreed before that i belong to Michael, it has been in the heat of passion and i have not thought of it this way, that he could offer me to his friend.

Sir Joseph has paused to let those words sink in, but i bring my attention back when he says, with a grin, “There will be dildos, and butt plugs and vibrators though.  And if you give your consent tonight, I may let you practice using your mouth to please.  But you may have to beg for the privilege.”

This is another shock to me, because i have always thought of that as something i do for my Sir by my choice, not something i need to be allowed to do.  Although of course, it is, i realize when i think about it.

“Any more questions?”  But i am too bemused to know what to ask.  My Sir says,  “Joseph, our tea’s getting cold, perhaps we’ll drink it now, and I’ll tell you what I’d like for her to work on, while she decides whether or not she wants to consent.”

Lost in thought, i barely notice when Sir Joseph nods and the two men settle themselves at the little table.  i am not paying attention when they ask Sarah to bring them each a shot of whiskey to go with the tea, and they turn on some soft music so i can’t hear them while they begin to plan my training.

i kneel, naked and a bit uncomfortable, ignored by the man who has brought me here, and the man who will be acting as my Master, if i agree.  i try to imagine what it would be like to say no.