ADVENTURE THE SECOND PART TWO

ROBERTA

Roberta was put back into the cellar after working the rest of the day. Now that the blacksmith had removed her chain she was free to move about. Not that there was far in any direction to move in this tiny room! The rings around her ankles were still there. It would take a file to remove them and there was insufficient time, so the smith had said. She guessed the chain would be re-attached after the fight.

She had readily  agreed to fight Rodrigo. As part of her preparation she had spent the afternoon carrying heavy rocks out of the village to a clearing in the woods about a mile away. At first she had been accompanied to make sure she didn't slack or pause. It soon became clear, though, that Roberta didn't slack. There was no such word in her vocabulary.  This wonderful strenuous activity after over two days being kept chained all day and night in that loathsome cellar was such a relief that every sinew in her body sung with joy as it was exercised to its limit once again.

The more she thought about the coming fight the more she felt she might be in with a chance this time. No swords would be involved and that was very bad news. Roberta’s skill with the steel blade was legend. Rodrigo was a master of unarmed combat. That was what this man had been used for in the training. He had made sure than a Golden Guard would be a deadly foe even without her weapons.

His brawny arms could crush most men’s ribs in seconds once he got a bear hug hold on. His fists were like rock and they moved like lightning, propelled by his muscular arms and shoulders. It had been a left hook that had sent her crashing bloodily into dreamland the last time she had fought him and lasted for all of eight minutes - to her own surprise.

If she had had any sense she would have let him knock her out after having survived the necessary five minutes, but stupid Roberta, with all the self confident arrogance of a seventeen year old Leading Cadet, had actually thought she might win! Rodrigo had warmly congratulated her  after she had finally woken up with a headache that had lasted for days.

"You are the best trainee I have ever fought against, Roberta! Look at this eye of mine! None of you have ever done that to me before! Have a cup or two of wine with me, my brave girl!"

As a rule, this was totally forbidden to all trainees. It was hardly encouraged even for mature members of the Golden Guard to taste wine. Roberta, even now, had little taste for strong drink. Clear, fresh and cool water was all she needed. But she had willingly accepted Rodrigo's offer and later staggered tipsily to bed.

She’d been well caned later, of course, after Rodrigo had left. That had been her last caning before she had graduated, and the last punishment of any kind for well over a year - until she had started her slide into disgrace and ruin.


She munched on the food and drank the water in her cell as she looked forward to her contest. The stuff they had given her tonight was as foul as ever, but at least there was plenty of it! She wondered how they fed their pigs! She doubted it was any worse  than that they fed to her! But, then, she was just a Slave these days and no better than a pig.

PAULA

Up above in the hall, the feast was taking place. Poor Slave Roberta was so far beneath the ground that she would have heard nothing. It was three flights of stairs down to where they kept her. Rodrigo was in a jovial mood as he downed one flagon of wine after another. Paula sat with James at the back and he had his arm around her. They kissed frequently and James was getting more and more daring as his hand crept under her dress and felt her erect and very hard nipple.

Paula was hoping that all this was not going to lead to her losing her virginity. If James, getting more desperate and audacious by the second, had anything to do with it, she would have lost it already! Soon enough one clammy hand found its way up her long skirt and into her crevice. She allowed him to explore and fondle her vaginal lips and move a little way inwards, then she slapped his face hard. The crack of that little hand hitting that manly cheek resounded around the hall and fifty shocked glances were directed at the furiously blushing boy.

Paula was not bothered again and James left, accompanied by two members of the council. She guessed Roberta might not be the only one to get whipped around here in the near future. Serve the dirty little sod right, she thought. Then she felt sorry for him and crept out of the crowded hall, pleading that she needed some fresh air.

Sure enough, James was tied facing the barn wall with no shirt on. His broad and manly back had received three lashes before Paula could get across to him.

“Please don’t hurt him! It’s partly my fault! I led him on a bit. I feel terrible about seeing him whipped. Let him go. He’s learnt his lesson!”

The two angry men ignored Paula and continued whipping James, taking it in turn to flog him. Paula, who had seen Roberta lashed many times and enjoyed watching it, was sickened to see James treated like this. She stood and watched with increasing anger as James got twenty lashes and then she had had enough. She placed herself between the whimpering boy and the two men and they were forced to stop. Then she untied him and helped him put on his shirt. His back didn’t look too bad and she took him home and dressed his cuts, which were deep and long. Paula’s professional eye saw clearly that the pair had done a good job on the lad! She hoped they would be used on Roberta in a few days’ time! Only the very best was good enough for her former Mistress and present Slave!

“Don’t try anything with me again, James!” she warned him. “You’re a nice boy and all that, but you are not for me! Now run along home and rest. In the morning you’ll be fine!”

She gave him a quick kiss and  pushed him out of the house. After this little drama she returned to the festivities which were really getting under way by now. Rodrigo asked her to dance with him and he proved to be a wonderful dancer, despite his great bulk and all the wine he had consumed.

“I hear that you own the Slave who I am to fight, Paula. And that the Slave is a woman. No woman has ever defeated me! Poor cow! I hope she came cheap, because you will not find her much use to you after I have finished with her!”

“I hope you are wrong, Rodrigo! She cost me every last penny! But we shall see how it goes - after another day of feasting. I like the feasting around here! It’s great stuff!”

“Indeed, Paula. They know how to throw a great party! Did you manage to rescue that amorous and rather inexpert young fool from having his back too badly hurt?

“So you saw it all tonight! You seemed too anxious to finish of the red wine to notice things like that! I see you are a hawk eyed man as well as a fearsome warrior! Yes! I let him get about twenty or so and pleaded with them to let him off the rest. Mind you, I am due to leave in a few days time. After I have gone they may resume his painful lesson in good manners!”

“You need a real man to take away your innocence, Paula! And you’re looking right at him as we speak!”

“No false modesty with you, is there Roddy!” laughed Paula, who had possibly - just possibly - consumed a smidgeon more wine than was good for her!

They continued to dance for a few more delightful minutes and then Rodrigo led her to a bench by the wall and the couple watched the proceedings. Happily for Paula’s much prized purity, Rodrigo was a gentleman as well as a lethal fighter. But his interest in the little girl was pretty obvious and she warmed to him - in a  way.

“You’d like to fuck the arse of me, wouldn’t you, darling?” she whispered.

“Sure thing, sweetheart! Be a nice way to end the day!”

“I’ll tell you what, darling! Beat my slave and you can have me! It’s as simple as that! Now, will you please take me home? I’m tired and more than a little drunk! With more feasting ahead on the morrow, I think I need my beauty sleep!”

Rodrigo left her at her front door but not before giving Paula  just about the most exciting goodnight kiss that  she could ever recall. Not that she had experienced too many. Hers had been a sheltered life until she met Roberta after which she had lost all interest in men. Or almost all interest. There was one - but that was just a pipe dream!

Rodrigo did things with his tongue that made the little girl’s pulses pound and her head reel. She broke free and shut the door behind her. Wow!

As she fell asleep she thought  that whatever the outcome of the Great Fight, she, Paula, would be the winner! While it would be wonderful, as ever, to see Roberta triumph, her defeat would mean Paula being deflowered by Rodrigo! And that would be something like going to Heaven early!

In the morning she awoke  rather late with a headache and a feeling of nausea, a condition she suffered in common with most of the villagers. By this time, of course, Roberta, her fighting slave, had been hard at work for hours! She saw her carrying a great rock, the weight of a man, across the square and out of the village. Those muscles looked awesome! She wondered if Rodrigo had seen her!

But Rodrigo was still asleep. He had more than a little overdone it last night and would not stir until late afternoon, when he would rouse himself and resume the feasting - and dancing with that bewitching little Paula! He was aware of a big woman carrying rocks about the place and guessed that he would have the pleasure of breaking her back across his knee next day, but did not recognise in that Superwoman, the Golden Guard Trainee who had given such a hard time four years ago. Roberta’s hair was still short. Short enough for her to pass as a man were it not for her firm and jutting breasts and her wide juicy cunt peeping brazenly from out of her golden bush!

Roberta certainly recognised Rodrigo and she was not impressed. The man was overconfident and riding for a fall. She guessed from his late arrival on the scene and bleary eyed appearance when he did surface, that he had feasted well last night. That was no way to prepare for a fight, especially a fight with Roberta! Far from regretting her isolation, Roberta was glad of it now. It was far better for her to languish under ground by night rather than to ruin her chances by over indulgence above it.

He was not going to be a pushover, even in his unfit condition. In fact Roberta knew that she might quite easily be beaten by him. The odds were probably slightly in his favour. He was still a fine figure of a man, wearing only his breeches in the warm afternoon sun. But there was more than a trace of fat on that once trim belly. She guessed he might be slower off the mark than four years ago. And she was as fast and deadly as ever! And she’d need to be! Would she ever need to be!

As she rested in her evil smelling cell, she imagined Rodrigo carousing up above and making her chances against him more favourable by the minute!

Meanwhile, Paula was resting from the non-stop and ever more energetic dancing. She had certainly wined and dined well this last couple of days and had a whale of a time! James had not turned up tonight and it was just as well. It would only upset him to see how friendly she was getting  with Rodrigo, who had pretty well monopolised her this evening! James was just a boy, but Rodrigo was a man with a capital M!

She guessed that this professional fighter had a girl in every village and town he visited and had left a trail of broken hearts and squawking fatherless brats in his wake. But Paula had no intention of being one of them! Before she had left the bandit’s cave, carrying no more than a pack on her naked back and her weapons,  she had been given some of the ointment they had used to soften and resensitise Roberta’s hardened leathery skin and a magic potion to use if and when she decided to sleep with a man. Philippa had assured her that this powder would mean that no embarrassing surprises would materialise in nine months’ time if she did allow Rodrigo into her bed and her body!

Rodrigo went on drinking and dancing with an ever more willing Paula until well after midnight. He escorted her home once again.

“How can you behave like this, Rodrigo, when you have a hard fight ahead tomorrow! Roberta may lose against you, but it won’t be easy! Go home and sleep it off!”

“Roberta? Golden Guard Roberta? Is that the giantess I saw working like a slave? How has it come to this? I had her marked out as a future Commandant! How came she to be a Slave and your property?”

“You hadn’t heard? You must be just about the only person I’ve met that hadn’t heard about all her troubles.”

“I have been on a long journey this last few months. And I left the King’s service two years ago. This town is the first place I’ve been to since returning. Tell me all about Roberta!”

Paula led him into her cottage and the pair talked for almost an hour before Rodrigo went back to his room in the local inn.

Rodrigo was impressed by Paula’s belief in her Mistress/Slave, but, like Roberta, he did not believe in Philippa’s mystic powers. She was no more than a barmy old crone with half her marbles missing - as well as all her teeth! Roberta was guilty as hell and in the morning he would save the executioner a job! He’d kill his opponent!

He slept well enough, but as he drifted off into sleep he recalled the black eye that the defiant young trainee had given him four years ago as she gamely went down under his battering fists, fighting every inch of the way. It might not be as easy tomorrow as it had been last year against that useless peasant boy!

*****************************

ROBERTA    

Roberta woke early and they came for her at dawn. She asked to be given time in the morning to train further for the contest which was to be held in mid afternoon. She carried the remainder of the rocks out to the clearing in the woods. Goodness knows what the purpose of all this was. Perhaps they intended building some kind of temple there. They had enough material to erect quite an edifice!

Three hours before the fight she was taken back down to her cell to await her entrance to the arena. As the seconds ticked away she became calmer and calmer. She had never been afraid of a fight, not even when she was in great danger. Whatever happened she would acquit herself well today! She slept for three hours and was roused ten minutes before the deathly struggle was due to begin.

PAULA

Paula woke early as well. She must be getting used to all this drinking and eating! Her head was clear this morning and she went out to take a morning stroll around the village. Roberta was already busy, she was pleased to see. The two exchanged a glance but nothing was said. Paula had taken to heart the warning that sexual relations between women were banned around here! But the original purpose of their coming to this town was still very fresh in Paula’s mind. As soon as they were away from the place Roberta would give her sweet little arse the caning of its life!

On second thoughts, though, decided Paula, perhaps they had better wait for a few days after the fight to give Roberta’s strong right arm time to recover from all the hard work it would be doing against Rodrigo. If Rodrigo won, then Roberta would no doubt go back to the cellar, in chains once more, to serve the rest of her time. If she were still alive, of course - that was doubtful!

 Paula had sensed Rodrigo’s disbelief after she had told him Roberta’s side of the story. All Paula’s talk of sorcery and potions and poisoned food had clearly not convinced a man who was every bit as sceptical as Roberta. She began to regret offering up Roberta as the challenger. All she would get in exchange for losing her friend would be a night of passion with a  man who would swiftly dump her as soon as he had slaked his lust on her body.  Although she would enjoy being made love to by Rodrigo, she would still miss Roberta.

Then the time finally arrived. The square began to fill up with villagers, both from this town and the rival community. Many were still bleary eyed after two days of feasting and wining. A few private fights had broken out over the last two days and a number of young men sported various types of facial bruises.

James was there. It was the first time Paula had seen him since she had caused his whipping to be curtailed. That had been a mistake! She ought to have let them do whatever they had to do. The stupid boy would get the rest of his stripes sooner or later. Paula had learnt that much! The Ladies’ League for Truth and Decency had been outraged at his groping the diminutive guest. The Mayor’s re election depended on James being made much more of an example of than the recent twenty three lashes. If one hundred and fifty were appropriate for Roberta then James should receive nothing less..

Stupid boy! He had said in the field that he was risking a hiding by seducing a guest. But his ardour had got the better of his discretion. His flagrant behaviour at the dance had been an open invitation to the moralists to make an example of him. At least he wasn’t having to fight Rodrigo! He should count his blessings! She put him out of her mind and concentrated on enjoying the fight. She loved seeing blood shed, especially when it was that of her brave and hardy Slave!

THE FIGHT

Roberta was brought up from the cells and Rodrigo came swaggering over from the inn, surrounded by a group of men from the rival village, all sure that their champion was set to defeat yet another challenger, leaving her bloody corpse for Paula to mourn over - after she had made love to Rodrigo.

People were clearly impatient and anxious to see the carnage begin after two days of anticipation. For a variety of reasons Paula was also keen to get the whole business over with, and in one way or another, get on with the rest of her life.

Roberta was already stripped for the fight, of course. That was one thing about her very exiguous uniform! No frequent changes of costume! Her sword, belt , bow and quiver had been taken from her before her imprisonment in the cellar, and she would not need them today in any case. This was a fight where bare body was to be pitted against bare body.

In honour of the occasion, she had been bathed beforehand by a couple of the village girls, both of whom had thrilled to touch  this Amazon. They had wished her success and apologised for the way she had been treated. “It’s awful the way they work you to death during the day and lock you in that dungeon at night. You show them, Roberta!”

She still had the metal bands on her ankles and each band had a ring on the inside of her leg to take the chain. Because of this obvious advantage to the Slave, Rodrigo was allowed to continue wearing light weight boots. He had stripped before coming from the inn, wearing only a loin cloth and looking every inch the champion. Except, alas, that there were rather more inches around his waist than last year!

Comparing the two fighters, the villagers began to hope against hope that this year they might have something to celebrate. She was recognisably a woman by her breasts, feminine posterior, lovely features and generously proportioned vagina, but there the resemblance ended! In every other way she was a mountain of lithe footed muscularity. There seemed to be no department in which she didn’t either equal or outgun Rodrigo. And she carried not an ounce of surplus weight, which Rodrigo undoubtedly did!

The Mayor made the announcement. “The annual contest this year again features Rodrigo, who killed our brave Antonio last year after a pretty brave show by our lad (cheers from the home village). Rodrigo, that mighty man of valour (cheers from the away supporters) is to fight the Slave of our honoured guest Paula. This mighty  Slave, is the former Golden Guard Roberta, disgraced and deservedly enslaved but still a fearsome warrior. (some cheers from the home supporters, who were glumly sure that they were going to be hammered by the opposition yet again, though at least it was only a Slave who would be killed this time and not some local mother’s beloved boy.)

“Let battle commence, after the fighters have shaken hands.”

“Looking a bit worse the wear this morning, aren’t we Rodrigo?” sneered Robert as she held her opponents hand in a fierce grip that was clearly hurting him. “You should know that’s no way to prepare for a contest to the death!”

“You’ll be the one to die, traitor Roberta! Take a last look at the world! You’ll soon be leaving it.”

“We’ll see soon enough! I’m ready to fight but I doubt that you are!”

The two fighters, one a woman and the other a man, stepped apart and waited for the command to start. It was soon given and Rodrigo started off aggressively by aiming a kick at Roberta’s stomach. The Slave stepped aside and took the blow on her side, most of the force being lost. It hurt all the same and she could see that Rodrigo had lost none of his power since their last encounter.

Roberta made no attempt to counter. She evaded Rodrigo’s next kick and the next. Then Rodrigo’s aim seemed to improve and Roberta grunted in pain as he landed a hit on her solar plexus. That should have finished her but she seemed unaffected by it and answered with a swift blow of her bare but still manacled foot into his face and drew blood. First blood, thought Roberta triumphantly.

After shaking him with that kick from a woman who should have been rolling on the ground in agony, Roberta danced away and kept Rodrigo on the move. This need for footwork was not to his liking and Roberta could hear his breathing become heavy and laboured. Too much booze and good food were having their effect already!

The kick to her stomach had hurt her and hurt her badly. Even as she countered and kept on the move, the agony from that direct hit to her nerve centre was slow to fade. But Roberta was used to pain. For six years she had been trained never to surrender to physical pain and since becoming a full member of the Golden Guard she had endured agonies both in the field of combat and at the whipping frame, such as Rodrigo could not even dream of.

Some awareness of this almost unnatural hardihood was beginning to percolate into his brain. If he did finally win it would only be after a terrible struggle which might leave him crippled. He tried to summon up enough energy to repeat his blow to Roberta’s belly, but once again she seemed to be feeling nothing and her counter was a punch to his face that broke his nose. Nobody had ever done that to him before! Certainly not a woman. He punched her face and had the satisfaction of seeing her bleed a little - but only a little and he was covered with blood as his nose gushed forth a red stream that soon covered his chest and began to drip onto the ground.

Roberta was not so stupid as to think the battle all but won. Sheer male pride would give Rodrigo a second wind and a new lease of life. He would not take defeat from the hands of a young woman lying down. That was for sure! Roberta aimed another kick and this time he was too quick for her - more like the Rodrigo of old.

Roberta retained her balance but was momentarily off guard and Rodrigo came at her and soon had her in one of his famous bear hugs. Roberta made no attempt to escape but countered by wrapping her arms around him and squeezing him as hard as he was squeezing her. Those nearest to the action could hear two tortured bodies creak and crack under the colossal strain.

Her cold blue eyes gazed calmly into his brown eyes and her calm features faced his agonised countenance. Fear was in that bearded face as Rodrigo tried in vain to secure a submission from a woman who seemingly was made, not of flesh and blood, but steel.

After five minutes in which neither fighter’s grip seemed about to loosen it was Rodrigo who muttered “Break?”.

Roberta smiled and nodded. The pair simultaneously disengaged and stepped apart . Then began a phase of the contest that had spectators gasping with sheer stupefied amazement that two people could do such things to each other and still remain, not only standing, but trading blows as powerfully as at the start.

Roberta aimed a punch at Rodrigo and let him return it without stepping aside or backwards. Both faces quickly began to show the effects of this uninhibited slugfest! Roberta was soon bleeding as badly as Roberto but she showed no sign of tiring of this very painful endurance test. Once again it was Rodrigo who muttered. “Call it a draw, Roberta? We’re getting nowhere!”

“No draw. Today you die” replied Roberta as she aimed a mighty kick at his throat, almost taking his head off. A neck less thick than that of the brawny Rodrigo would certainly have been broken, but he only staggered back, choking a little but still ready to carry on the fight. It was a contest he now had no hope or expectation of winning. That exchange had drained him utterly and Roberta, bloody though she might be, was as strong and as fresh as when they had first faced up to each other.

This time it was Roberta who got her opponent in a bear hug and it was Rodrigo’s ribs that snapped and cracked as she put on the hold with deadly force. Those days felling trees and carrying rocks and, above all, that year on the Hell Island, had given Roberta a body that was more than the equal of any man - even Rodrigo. If he had abstained from strong drink and prepared himself properly he might, with his years of experience and great skill, have prevailed. But the overweight boozer that he had now become was no match for the superbly fit Roberta.

He fainted after five minutes of increasing agony and Roberta picked him up and broke his back over her knee, just as he had imagined doing to her the previous night! Making sure that he was indeed dead as mutton, she stood and raised two bloody hands in a gesture of triumph. Rodrigo would kill no more untrained peasant boys as a way of boosting his reputation and lining his pockets. Today he had fought a true warrior and lost.

Paula was the first to congratulate her victorious Slave, putting her arms around Roberta’s neck and kissing that bloody face many times. Rodrigo would undoubtedly have given her a great time in bed, but on the whole she preferred him the way he was right now! And, as the owner of the Slave who had rid the village of a recurring nightmare, she could have her pick of a dozen good men tonight!

Paula was followed by the village maidens who had bathed her body before the fight. They too kissed her many times, vowing never to wipe Roberta’s blood off their faces! Then the young men crowded around and slapped her heartily on the shoulders, thanking her for redeeming the honour of the village. Then the Ladies’ League for Truth and Decency made their dour appearance. And there were a lot of them and they all had votes!

The almost universal wish of the youthful element to fete the victor was overruled by the more numerous seniors. It was pointed out that, as the one who had donated her Slave to be the challenger, it was Paula who deserved the town’s gratitude. Roberta was soon back at the blacksmiths, having a fresh chain, a much shorter one this time, attached. Within half an hour of her win she was back chained in the cellar and told she would be back to a reduced diet and not coming out for ten days.

“Ten days?” asked Paula later. “Surely it’s less than that? She had twelve days to serve after she finished clearing the trees early. You had her underground for two and a half days and then two days training and then today. She should only serve seven days at most. And after what she’s just done I’d have thought you’d have let her off even them and allowed us to be on our way. I’m really disappointed!”

“Don’t fret, Paula! We have three more days of feasting at which you are the guest of honour. And your Slave has earned you thirty five gold pieces. She will not feel pain in that cellar and we wil start to feed her well a couple of days before we bring up for her whipping so that when she takes her lashes she will be fit and strong enough to be punished. Forget about her, Paula! Come and enjoy yourself! You’ve earned it!” said the Mayor.

So once again, while Roberta was fed on stale bread and foul water - and not too much of either, Paula lived it up for three wild and roaring days of celebration. By the time it was over she had been shagged so many times by so many lusty young men that she wondered fearfully if Philippa’s magic powder would be proof against such a sticky tide of semen as had flowed and been pumped into her in that time.

On the third night, seven men had taken it in turn to fuck her time and time again until they all collapsed from exhaustion. Paula, though, was fresh as a daisy and ready for more! She left them sleeping and went looking for more lovely men. Her search was soon successful.

Her last few days in the village were spent under something of a cloud. The Ladies’ League had been shocked to think of their husbands queuing up to make love to the delicious little girl in preference to the charms of their unappealing spouses.

By the time Roberta was brought up from the cellar, taken to the blacksmiths to have her only body covering removed and tied to the side of the barn, Paula was more than ready to shake the dust of the place off her feet.

James sidled up to her after Roberta had received fifty lashes. Still a hundred to go and Paula was getting bored already! When you’ve seen one whipping you’ve seen the lot, was her feeling at that painful moment for Roberta! At least the bandits had hung her upside down and the guys at the last dump that they had visited had tied her to a cart to flog her out of town. But these arseholes had no imagination whatsoever. Paula yawned. They were doing a pretty good job on Roberta, though. Paula granted them that much!

“They want to do that to me when you’ve gone, Paula.” said James, a little nervously. Blood was flowing in goodly measure already. How did Roberta take it so calmly? She wasn’t moving at all.

“I know! Let it be a lesson in self control, James, darling!  See how brave my Slave is being under the twin lashes of your town‘s strongest floggers? Promise me you’ll be just as brave tomorrow - or whenever!”

“I promise. It was worth it, Paula. Kissing you was worth a thousand lashes.”

Paula smiled inwardly. If all the men who had shagged her last night were  to be lined up for a whipping, the carnage would take weeks to complete. And the two floggers would be under the lash themselves, since they had been among the most enthusiastic gang bangers last night! Their semen formed a goodly share of the fluid that was still trickling deliciously down Paula’s thighs as they whipped her slave!

*********

“ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY!

The whip landed for the last time - for now!

 “Slave Roberta’s punishment is complete. Return her with our most grateful thanks to her owner.” said the mayor.

The members of the ladies’ League for Truth and Decency applauded loud and long. They liked nothing better than to see a harlot punished. In a world without whores they would be denied the chance to see such miscreants flogged, a thought that did not cross their limited minds on that, or any other, day.

Roberta was escorted to Paula, who stood ready to mount her horse - a gift from the grateful villagers.

“Kneel before your Mistress, slave!” said the Mayor.

Roberta knelt humbly at Paula’s feet. Paula used Roberta’s lacerated back to  mount the horse.

“Up, Slave! Let us be on our way.”

When she was almost out of sight of the village, with Roberta walking strongly beside her steed,  Paula looked round. James, his lithe and athletic body bare from the waist, was being secured to the barn wall. She prayed that the poor boy might have the strength to be as brave as her former Slave - who was once again her adored Mistress!

As soon as they were quite out of sight Paula stopped the horse and dismounted.

“Would you like to ride, darling Mistress Roberta? You must be very weak after what they did to you.”

“Thank you, Paula! I think I will! It’s been a tiring time!”