Agent in Distress Ch. 08

"Wait," she protested as the magistrate approached her from behind. "You said this was just an evaluation . . . there's no need to . . . tie me up!"

"Oh, this is part of the evaluation," said the magistrate. She felt him winding the soft rope around her wrists, binding them together. "You see, a free woman who tastes the slave ropes for the first time, often has a very strong and helpless reaction. Some females will fail the first two stages of the evaluation simply upon being placed in bondage."

Lana didn't understand, but he was right about one thing, being bound, without her abilities to comfort her, was indeed a frightening experience. She felt the thin rope being wrapped multiple times around her wrists and forearms, such that she knew there'd be no escaping these bindings. Lana noticed then the two other girls watching her with sympathetic looks. She frowned. "What constitutes failure? And what prevents you from arbitrarily declaring as such anyone you wish to fail?" she demanded.

"A valid question," said the magistrate. "To answer the second part, you need not be concerned. Our goal is not to take you against your will. You will only be relegated if you so choose, with your own voice. It will not be forced on you. We are here simply to help you make the right choice for yourself.

"As for the first part, there are three stages each female must fail to be relegated to a lower status. The first stage tests a female's mind. Does she show an obvious interest in or arousal from the idea of slavery. Look at those two slave girls." He gestured toward the two seated women who'd bathed her. Lana gasped, for she hadn't realized they were slaves. The magistrate continued. "A true free woman will show no interest in being a slave, while a natural born slave will be fascinated by her sisters in bondage, even envious of their status as slaves. If the subject demonstrates this, we move to the second stage."

"Well, there won't be any second stage, I assure you," she told the magistrate, interrupting. "I can tell you right now I will never choose 'relegation' as you call it. So you can save your time and effort."

The magistrate chuckled. "The second stage is the best part, we test your body. A natural pleasure slave is easily aroused despite her will, her body is highly responsive and sexual. A free woman's body is frigid and unresponsive." The magistrate smiled lewdly at Lana. "The test is rather unnecessary, I can tell immediately if a female is going to pass this test."

Lana blushed at the way he was looking at her. It wasn't fair, to do such a test when she was in this heated state from all that had happened, the fruit, Warrick's torments. "Do not concern yourself," she said after an awkward pause. "I will not fail your first stage, so no need to worry about the 2^nd one."

The magistrate smiled at her. "The third stage is my favorite. We test your will, to see if you would be an obedient, subservient slave, or a challenging, rebellious one. Some free women crumble in the presence of a master, and quickly become eager, obedient slaves. Others are difficult, hard to train and break. All three of these tests are necessary to identify a good slave."

"If you think I'd be a good slave, you are blind," said Lana, making a face.

The magistrate grinned his cruel grin. "We shall see, I'm afraid we cannot take your word for it just yet, for we do not want you to make an uninformed decision. "How can you refuse the life of a slave, while being fully ignorant of what that life entails?" Then he smiled. "Tell me, Miss Torina. What do you feel when you look on your slave sisters," he gestured toward. "Do you pity them, as you've been taught? Or do you secretly envy them their bondage?"

Lana felt her blood boil, overtaking the feeling of arousal for the moment. "Envy them? That's absurd." She then looked back at the two women, their eyes intently awaiting her answer. "I don't pity them," Lana said, "but I wish you would give them their freedom, so they can live a life they choose."

The magistrate shook his head. "Ahh, yes, the life of a free woman. Always pining for some prince who deigns to even look at you. Marrying some farm boy who has no inclination of how to please his female under the covers. Washing, cleaning, tending to house chores—Oh, perhaps not you, Miss Torina, you have the privileged look to you."

Lana bristled at his comment. "I am not privileged! I . . ." she hesitated, not wanting to reveal anything about herself and her upbringing. "And the life of a slave? No choice in who takes you to bed? Living a life of pain and suffering at the hands of cruel men?"

The magistrate shook his head, but kept smiling. "You have a misconception of their life. Girls, are you taken to bed against your will? Do your masters hurt you?"

"No, Master," said the two women in unison.

"You see, Miss Torina," said the magistrate. "We do not ever take a pleasure slave against her will. She is a most willing participant! Every day, a slave may attain heights of pleasure unimaginable to a cloistered free woman like yourself. You do not envy them, because you are ignorant of their life, and its exquisite pleasures."

Lana looked at the women, expected to see skeptical expressions, but instead they seemed to agree with the man. Were they so brainwashed they believed this nonsense?

"You've simply scared them so much they will agree with anything you tell them!" barked Lana. It was the same absurd argument she'd heard from Warrick and Lamare. She knew from talking to Nika that the Calambrian girl looked forward to her freedom, to return home. These poor slaves must know they'd be punished if they disagreed.

"Of course as a neglected free woman you cannot comprehend," said the magistrate. "Therefore . . . a demonstration." He looked at the older woman. "Mara, when was your last use?"

The pretty older woman met his gaze, saying "it's been two days, Master."

"And you, Paya?" he said to the younger blond girl.

She blushed. "I . . . the guards used me this morning, Master, and . . . they used a lot of slave ointment!"

Lana's eyebrows raised. "Slave ointment?" she said aloud without thinking.

The magistrate answered her. "We have several ointments we use on slaves, for different purposes. Which one did they use, Paya dear?"

The blond girl suddenly looked mortified, and she glanced at Lana for some reason. "Master, I—uh, they used some dragon's flower on me . . ." she stammered.

The magistrate frowned in confusion. "That's quite expensive, why did they use that on you?"

The girl again glanced at Lana, making her wonder what was going on. When she hesitated, the magistrate became annoyed. "Tell me girl, you look like you're hiding something. You don't want to do that!"

The words spilled out of Paya after his threat. "I found it . . . in Miss Torina's things, Master! Umm, when the guards found me holding it, they laughed and used it on me!"

The magistrate seemed genuinely surprised, and he turned to Lana. "Interesting," he mused. "Miss Torina, would you care to tell us why you, a free woman, was in possession of a vial of dragon's flower?"

Lana paled, realizing they were talking about her salve. She couldn't dare tell them why she'd been using it. Nor did she have to, she realized.

"It's really none of your business," said Lana, sternly. "And I'd like it back, you have no right to keep it."

The magistrate was taken aback, and then he smiled suddenly. "Miss Torina, the fact you are in possession of a slave ointment, and you want it back, seems to indicate a genuine interest in the life of a slave girl. I decry you have failed the first stage of the evaluation."

Lana gaped at him. She hadn't see that coming. "I—you cannot!" she said in alarm. "I have no interest in slavery, that's not true!"

"Then perhaps you'd be willing to tell us why you possess a vial of rare and expensive slave ointment?"

Lana grimaced. She didn't dare tell him about the fruit. But if she kept silent, they'd start the second stage of the evaluation, and she'd fail that for sure in her current overheated state! There was a real danger she'd fail the entire evaluation and be put in chains. Better to suffer verbal humiliation than the physical variety, she realized.

"Alright!" she burst, finally. "I'll tell you. I was given a large amount of Somarian fruit to eat, without knowing its effect -- I thought it was simply another sweet fruit." She paused. "You . . . are familiar with this fruit?"

"Of course," said the magistrate, "another rare and expensive slave training tool."

"Umm, yes," said Lana. "When its effects started to present themselves, my helper, a young slave girl, offered me that vial of salve to help calm the . . . burning sensations. So you see, it was not my fault I needed it, my hosts tricked me into eating so much of the fruit, and the girl was kind enough to offer me the salve to relieve my discomfort." She made a stern expression. "I have no interest in slave implements or lifestyle, so I have not failed the first stage."

Lana noticed the slave girls kneeling in the room looking at each other and then Lana in slight confusion. The magistrate looked amused, and spoke. "So you applied this ointment to yourself?"

Lana nodded. "Many times in fact. It seems to only last for a number of hours."

"Mistress," said Paya suddenly.

"Silence, slave," barked the magistrate. He then turned back to Lana. "And what effects of the fruit have you been feeling?"

Lana blushed. Did he really need more detail? He was a man, of course. "I—I'd really rather not talk about it. Look, I've shown you why I've passed your first stage, so I think you should untie me and let me go about my way."

The magistrate was deep in thought. "Do you know the purpose of the slave ointment you have been using?"

Lana frowned. "I told you, it eases the burning," she said.

"That is more of a side effect, not its main purpose," said the magistrate. "If you knew its purpose, you clearly would fail the first stage."

The older slave Mara burst out. "Master, she clearly does not know, or she'd never be using it!"

"Silence, slave!" said the magistrate. "Another outburst from either of you and you'll be sent to the outpost barracks to be used for rest and recreation!"

"Wait, what is the real purpose?" cried Lana. Suddenly she was fearful. She'd used the ointment an awful lot.

The magistrate shrugged. "It was rather hard to explain to a free woman, who doesn't know how slaves are trained, and why."

Lana gaped at him. She was worried now. "Please, tell me!"

"It's rather complicated, it involves slave training, I don't think you'd be interested . . ." said the magistrate, shrugging.

"I am interested, please . . . explain it to me!" pleaded Lana. "Is . . . is that why it only works a short time, you—you want the slave to . . . to think her discomfort is easing? Please, tell me, what is it doing to me?" When the magistrate didn't answer, she turned to Paya. "Paya, you said they used the ointment on you . . . what did it do to you?"

The magistrate grinned suddenly. "Lana Torina, you show clear interest in the training of pleasure slaves, and thereby I decree you have failed the first stage of the evaluation."

"W-what?" gasped Lana, confused. Then she glared at him. "You tricked me!"

The magistrate shook his head, grinning. "I did not, you had every chance to show you weren't interested. You clearly are thinking about how it feels to be a pleasure slave, and that is an important first step on your road to happiness."

"Happiness?" spat Lana. They were out of their minds. "I only want to know because I've been using the ointment!"

"A free woman would be too ashamed to apply such a thing to her most private parts. Your lack of modesty will serve you well as a slave, Miss Torina." He ignored her sputtered protests and gestured to the two men. "Men, let's prepare our Calambrian beauty for stage two."

"No please!" burst Lana. "Wait . . . you said you wouldn't take me against my will. Well, you haven't proven to me that I've failed, didn't you promise to do that?"

The magistrate held up his hand, thinking for a moment. Finally he smiled. "You are right, Miss Torina, forgive me my haste. I know what is best for you, but clearly you do not comprehend yet. I will prove that to you. We will continue with the first stage evaluation, as if your status was not yet determined."

The magistrate turned to the kneeling slave girls. "Paya, you seem eager to help me with my demonstration, do you not?"

The girl's mouth fell open. "I---no Master! I mean, whatever pleases you, Master!"

"Too easy perhaps; Mara would be a better demonstration. Come, Mara, stand here."

The younger Paya looked relieved, and Mara looked surprised, but she quickly stood and moved to stand in front of Lana. She looked a bit nervous, unlike her usual calm demeanor.

"Strip," commanded the magistrate. The slave quickly removed her silks, but the command seemed to increase her nervousness. Naked, she stood with her arms at her sides, making no attempt to cover herself, which Lana deduced was probably forbidden. "Good, now raise your hands above your head and keep them there." Mara did as she was told, her position lifting her modest sized breasts and showing off her toned curves. The redhead lacked the younger woman's youthful looks, but made up for it with poise and a confident air.

The magistrate turned to Lana. "Do you imagine yourself taking this slave's place, Miss Torina? Would you be as poised and graceful? Does her pose excite you?"

Lana glared at him. "No! I would not make a good slave, trust me! I am not the obedient type."

The magistrate laughed. "The disobedient types make the training much more enjoyable, do not worry about that!" Then he turned to the two men at his side. "Men, Miss Mara here has been feeling very lonely and neglected. Show her some attention." He turned to Mara. "Mara, you must resist, I don't want to hear even the faintest sound from your lips. I want you to show Miss Torina how strong you can be, show her that a slave can resist the touches of men. If you succeed, you will be rewarded. If you fail, you will be punished. Men, you may begin."

Lana gaped at the magistrate, then look at Mara. She seemed determined, watching the two men nervously as they moved to her side. Without warning, one of the men reached up, entwined his fingers in Mara's red hair, and tilted her head up as he lowered his lips to hers. She gasped in surprise, keeping her mouth closed as the man took a hard kiss. The other man moved around behind the slave, his hands coming up to cup her breasts from behind, fondling and squeezing her lobes while she squirmed, her lips still locked in a kiss with the first helper. Lana watched in shock as his hands moved to the slave's nipples, giving them a tight squeeze that caused her to moan into the other man's mouth.

"Mara, be strong," warned the magistrate. "Are you some wanton whore, who heats up at the touch of any strange man? No, you are not, so do not behave like one!"

The first man broke the kiss as he was speaking, so Mara nodded vigorously in agreement with the magistrate. The second man however, continued to fondle her breasts, which looks small in his large hands, while the first man knelt in front of her, his hands moving up to caress and explore her naked thighs. Mara closed her thighs tightly, but instead of forcing them open, the kneeling guard simply moved his hands where she was unprotected, the curve of her hips, the rounded lobes of her ass. Lana couldn't take her eyes off the scene as Mara struggled to keep her body still as she was touched by two skillful men. Her arms wavered in the air, and her body trembled and twitched. Lana was only vaguely aware of her own ragged breathing as her body responded to the show with empathic arousal.

"We don't have all day, men," said the magistrate. "Speak to Miss Mara, in the way she cannot resist."

Lana wondered what he meant, and then she saw the kneeling man suddenly press his face against Mara's tightly clutched thighs, his hands moving around front to spread her legs. A tortured sound from the slave's lips drew Lana's attention to her face, and she saw Mara's mouth gaping open in shock, followed by a stifled cry as the man moved in to attack his target with lips and tongue. The slave woman's hands dropped suddenly to clutch at the guard's head and her hips bucked.

"Please, Master!" gasped Mara, clearly still trying to resist, but failing miserably. Her breathing was coming in short raspy breaths, and her nipples were distended and puffy under the second guard's continued ministrations. Lana herself was having trouble standing still, her thighs clutched tightly together, and her breasts felt terribly ripe and sensitive.

"Enough!" cried Lana, finally, wishing them to stop, for her own sake as much as that of Mara's. "What point are you trying to make?"

The magistrate was patient, as if addressing a child. "My dear, this is your test. A true free woman would find what we're doing to Miss Mara here disgusting and revolting. However a true slave at heart find the scene terribly arousing, as she imagined herself being the slave. She would be filled with envy, wishing it was she being touched so intimately. Her body would be preparing itself for its own use, eager to take Mara's place." He was looking at Lana with a grin, then he pointed toward Paya, kneeling on the floor. "Look upon Paya, her cheeks red, her thighs tightly clenched, her breasts tight and her breathing strained. She is a true slave, reacting to Mara's condition with a pleasure slave's empathy." He took a couple steps toward Lana, and she cringed slightly. "And then look at you," he said, softly. "How are you responding? Are you reacting like a free woman, with disgust? Or are you experiencing Mara's arousal as your own, like Paya there?"

"With disgust!" blurted Lana, her eyes wide in alarm. "It's revolting, I want you to stop!"

"Is that so?" said the magistrate. He made a gesture to the men, and one of them suddenly reached down behind Mara. Her mouth flew open suddenly as his hand disappeared between her thighs, and then she gasped despite her tightly clenched lips. His hand continued to work her in unseen but imagined ways, and she squirmed and mewled about as he skillfully stoked her heat. Lana bit her lip as her own body responded as well, and she shifted her weight from one leg to the other, trying to ward off the growing heat between her own thighs.

"Would you like to be touched like Mara?" whispered the magistrate, leaning down to her ear. "You need only ask, and we would be happy to give you the same courtesy."

"Courtesy?" gasped Lana, appalled at his choice of words. "Leave the poor woman alone! There is no need for her to suffer just for my sake!"

The magistrate chuckled. "She is hardly suffering, my dear," he said. "I think it is in fact you that is suffering, envious of the attention Mara is receiving."

"You're mad!" said Lana, softly. She wanted nothing of his touch, and yet, why did her body betray her so? Her breasts felt so tight and ripe, and watching what they were doing to the slave woman was making things much worse. Her thighs were clenched tight, and she felt damp and moist down in her nether region. The magistrate was staring at her breasts, she realized, and she groaned, wishing she had a more substantial covering to hide her engorged nipples.

"Say the word and I will order these men to come to you, to give you the touches you are so clearly craving." The magistrates suggestive voice seemed to increase her arousal, and she quickly shook her head.

"No! That is the last thing I want!" burst Lana, squirming in the ropes that bound her arms helpless behind her back.