Claiming Katy Ch. 13

--Dr Isabella Pacetti's Notes:

To recap: Sophie has had a crisis of confidence, lost control and hurt Katy. Mrs Alderney has stepped in and given Sophie an ultimatum: promise to treat Katy as she deserves, or promise never to touch her again. Distraught, Sophie consults the unorthodox Dr Pacetti (that is me) who helps her understand her problems, and gives her new confidence.

In this narrative Katy may seem helpless, or perhaps a victim. If you have been following her story you will know this is not true. Like all participants in these events she is a grown woman, actively seeking an outlet for her desires.

--Sophie's Statement:

I didn't sleep well. I was too excited and anxious. Overflowing with plans and fears. But I dragged myself out of bed early.

The fact was that, despite my new confidence and determination, I was facing an obstacle over which I had little control, and I hated it. I hated the fact that I was now in a position where I was dependant on Katy's response, and for the first time I couldn't be sure what that would be. And, even worse, I had put myself in this place through a silly momentary emotional outburst.

But I recognised the emotion, saw it clearly, and I could put it aside.

In the bathroom I looked at the mirror for a while, partly to examine myself, but also because it reminded me of the sweet, earnest messages she had written there. My resolve was growing all the time.

The shower helped. I felt more alert and decisive by the time I dressed in my work suit and went downstairs. I felt more assured of myself, too. It was still too early for Mrs Alderney to be down, so I knew I would find Katy first. She was there in the kitchen, preparing to make breakfast. She wore her usual uniform and was not gagged. She also wore black knee-high socks and simple flat black pumps on her feet.

She turned when I entered, but didn't speak. She looked cold and emotionless. I sat at the table and looked at her with friendly eyes.

"You're dressed differently today."

She looked down at herself.

"I thought it would..." she corrected herself with shrug. "Mrs Alderney thought it would be appropriate." The shrug and the tone of voice were surprisingly shocking. It was a bleak, dismissive attitude, but very... ordinary. A young woman, barely out of her teens, with all the sullen bravado that could entail. Ordinary. I realised I had never seen ordinary behaviour from Katy, and it reminded me how magical her usual oddness was. This had to be corrected, at any cost. That made it easier.

"Katy... I'm sorry for the things I said last night. You didn't deserve any of that. I let my small irritation hurt you profoundly. Whatever else happens, I'm sorry for that and it won't happen again."

Katy tried to maintain her cool manner as she spoke.

"I was only playing the game. You didn't tell me you'd stopped."

I was impressed. This was nasty, and to the point.

"It's not a game Katy. Whatever I said last night, it's not a game. It's real, and you're in my thoughts all the time. Too much, sometimes. That's why I was irritated last night. I was with another woman and you kept intruding on my thoughts. But that's my problem, and I'll deal with it. Oh God, Katy, please tell me I haven't lost my friend?"

Katy was blushing, and silent for a minute, but obviously trying to find her voice.

"Mrs Alderney said I shouldn't feel stupid. She said I was keeping up my side of the bargain and you... you weren't. But I felt so stupid. So fucking childish." She was angry. "Mrs Alderney thinks you had no right to treat me like that."

"And what do you think?"

Her face was tilted down, and she looked up briefly.

"I think she... I don't know why...I don't know."

I stood slowly and went to stand beside her. I put my hand on her shoulder. I felt like I had never touched her before.

"Please tell me what you think. It's important."

She rubbed her forehead angrily and waved her arm. I could see she was angry at herself now.

"I don't know why it hurt me. Of course you have the right to treat me like that, I gave you that right. I should have been able to say 'I'm sorry' and go to my room. And beg forgiveness and be punished. I thought I'd got braver. Why was I suddenly so... flaky?"

"Katy. I think it hurt you because you it was a betrayal. I was shattering everything we've shared. And I behaved as though our friendship wasn't real. Does that sound right?"

Katy nodded. "And you sounded like you wanted rid of me."

"I know I did. I did that because I wanted to hurt you, and that's the only reason. It was a lie to hurt you. I desperately want to keep you."

She looked away, then down at her shoes, and she shivered. When she spoke her voice was barely audible, but thick with emotion.

"Please... I want you to... keep me."

There she was: foolish, awkward, embarrassing herself. My Katy. I felt a rush of warm affection and I reached my arms around her. I pulled her close and hugged her. Her arms slowly reached around to hold me. She didn't make a sound for a while, but then she gave a tiny sobbing sigh. I didn't respond, just held her, letting her cry for a little while, all the time blinking back my own tears. When I felt my voice would be sufficiently under control I whispered in Katy's ear.

"You belong to me. I intend to keep you. You are my property and I treasure you. Okay?"

"Thank you."

--

Mrs Alderney was at her desk when I entered the office. I closed the door behind me and leaned against it. Mrs Alderney looked up at me.

"Well?"

I stared at her for a few moments.

"Well, I've decided I want to keep her. She wants that too. What do you want?"

She stood and walked across the room. She stood close and looked me in the eye. Her eyes were fierce, but her manner was crisp. She counted on her fingers: one, two, three.

"Happy, obedient, safe. That hasn't changed. I would rather that involved you because Katy is besotted with you and I think you do great things for her. Just please live up to expectations."

I nodded.

"Can you? Because last night you failed horribly."

I couldn't help smiling, because I felt no anger at this. The comment was true and fair, and I accepted it. I couldn't fathom exactly how Bella had done it, but she had worked a miracle.

"You're right," I said gently, "I did. And I know why, and I have solved the problem."

For some reason the calm, smiling response made Mrs Alderney look away and lower her head for a moment. When she looked back she said nothing, and seemed to be waiting for me to speak.

"And speaking of solving problems, I would like to take today off. I would like Katy to be excused her duties today too. This has messed up her head and I want to spend the day putting it right."

And now when Mrs Alderney spoke, she couldn't look me in the eye. "Yes, I agree. You shook all the life and joy out of her last night."

I nodded. "I know. I'm sorry."

"I'll give you the time you need to do it. And I'll leave you alone, but I won't leave the house. I want her to know I'm here."

"I understand. I'll tell her. And don't worry: I'll put her right."

--

Katy had breakfast ready on the tray when I came back to the kitchen. She put it down on the table and stepped away when I came in, apparently waiting.

"You'll be spending the day with me all day today. No chores, nothing else but you and me. Is that okay?"

There was a hint of emotion in Katy's eyes, but it was hard to examine. "Yes, that's okay."

"I will make some promises to you, and in return I have some special rules for you today. First, I promise to take everything you say seriously, and to be sensitive to your emotional state. You should be able to take that for granted, but I know you can't right now. Understand?"

She nodded silently.

"So whatever I do or say, I'm doing what I think is best for you. Now, in return you will agree to two rules. First, you will honestly express everything you want and feel. This is very important. Second, you will obey me. Will you agree to those rules?"

Katy looked uncomfortable. "I want to obey you, I don't need a special rule."

"I know you do, baby. But even the fact that you're talking like that tells me your head is not quite right. When it comes to it, you might feel awkward, or not sure how you feel. I need you to agree, standing here now, before we begin, that you will obey me."

"I will obey you."

"Thank you, Katy. Your first order is to take that breakfast tray and carry it upstairs to your bedroom. We'll eat it up there."

She looked horrified. "What about Mrs Alderney?"

"Ah-ah. I'm serious. Obedience, please. And what did you call her?"

"Oh... oh, I'm sorry. I meant 'Madame'."

"Okay, come on, upstairs."

--

We sat on the edge of Katy's bed, sipping coffee and nibbling croissants, very nervously in Katy's case. I explained that we were up here so that we could talk in privacy, and this was true. However, I was also intent on re-establishing the room as my territory. The last week had seen me exert great psychological dominance over her, and I worried that Mrs Alderney's visit last night might have diluted the memory.

Not that I intended to do anything but talk, for now. I complimented Katy on the breakfast and the coffee, and we chatted inconsequentially about food. After a natural pause in the conversation, I quietly asked:

"How are your marks at the moment?"

"Marks? Oh. Like from whipping? Gone. I looked carefully in the mirror yesterday and I don't think I have any." She hesitated and started to stand, hands moving to the hem of her dress. I put a hand on her arm and gently made her sit.

"I don't need to see, I believe you. When was the last time you had no marks at all?"

"Ages. I can't remember. It's weird."

"And how has the gag been? You were a little sore on the corners of your mouth."

She shrugged and a bashful smile pouted her lips. "No, that was fine. I properly forgot I was wearing them after a while. I mean... physically, I forgot, I couldn't feel them. But I remembered."

"I'm glad."

"Can I... should I take off my shoes?"

I was a little surprised by the change of subject, but it seemed to be something that had been on Katy's mind.

"Do you want to take them off?"

"Yes please. I feel wrong in all this. I'm wearing a bra too. It feels bad."

"Bad? Uncomfortable?"

"No, like I'm being bad. I feel like I want to apologise for wearing clothes I shouldn't. People clothes."

My hand wrapped around Katy's and squeezed.

"Oh sweetie," I whispered. "Oh, you're such a good girl. But I never said you couldn't wear them, did I?" She shook her head. "And you were told to wear them by Madame, weren't you?"

"Then I'm sorry for obeying her and not you."

This was so quiet and awkward, I could tell it was not something Katy felt comfortable admitting. I wanted to encourage her, so I affectionately stroked the back of her head. Her hair was deliciously soft.

"Good girl...that means a lot to me, thank you. I accept your apology. But it's okay, I want you to wear those clothes for now. And last night I agreed for Madame to talk to you, so you weren't disobeying me."

Katy was looking miserably down at her shoes. "They're cheap and ugly."

I smiled. "On you, shoes look kinky."

She grinned and looked away, embarrassed. While her head was turned away, I slipped off my own shoes and curled my legs up underneath me on the bed. I didn't want Katy to see my feet just yet, not while they were still slightly marked by my shoes. I wanted to be perfect for her.

Katy caught the movement in the corner of her eye and turned to look too late, then looked away quickly, perhaps a little ashamed.

"Don't worry, you look nice," I said, pretending nothing had happened. "I like your socks." (They reminded me of Bella.)

"Thank you," she said, still a little miserable about it.

"Tell me how you feel."

She didn't answer for a while. "I... you're being very kind to me. I like talking like this. I feel like you're deliberately treating me like a proper person. I'm glad. It feels nice. But I'm not sure... I don't know how I want you to treat me. Or how I should act... I'm nervous."

"That's okay baby. It's bit like we're starting from scratch, isn't it? Remember that whatever you say or do I will take you seriously and be as sensitive as I can. I promise." She nodded. "Are you happy talking here for a while?" Another nod.

I lay back and stretched out on the bed. It was so narrow Katy was nearly pushed off, and her hips were forced against my torso. I stretched out my legs and crossed my ankles, flexing my toes.

Katy watched this sideways, furtively, but unable to conceal her interest.

I smiled and pretended not to notice. "Your room's so empty. It's blank, no ornaments, no pictures... no personality. Does Mrs Alderney forbid decorations?"

"No... I just never had any. And I don't have money to buy any."

"What would you have? Music posters?"

"No. Maybe. Something classical, maybe." She sounded positively humiliated to admit this. I had no idea how to respond without patronising her, so I moved on.

"Film posters? Art prints?"

"I don't really know any art. But I did... no, I don't know any."

I propped myself up on my elbows, suddenly intrigued.

"What were you going to say? You can tell me."

She hunched and turned her back carefully. "You'll just think I'm some silly, horny kid."

I laughed. "What do you imagine I think of you anyway?" She looked round and smiled, blushing. I held her hand again. "You can tell me. I promised I'd take you seriously."

She shook her head, looking away, but surely knowing what was coming next. I stroked her arm.

"Answer my question please, Katy." I spoke in my kindest voice, partly to test whether Katy would obey such a gently phrased instruction.

"Sorry... I was going to say that there are some prints in the cellar. I think they're beautiful, but they're... a bit... porn-y..."

"No!" I said, surprised I had missed them. "Where?"

"In the bookshelf. There's a portfolio."

"Show me."

I swung my legs off the bed and kicked my shoes aside. I stood, took Katy's willing hand, and led her downstairs.

--

The cellar's flagstone floor felt smooth and cool beneath my bare feet, as we approached the bookshelf. I watched Katy retrieve a large black book from the shelf. It was slim and bound in leather, and hidden at the end of the shelf behind a couple of large hardbacks. I patted the leather bench and Katy laid the portfolio in front of me. She opened it reverently.

It contained a series of large photographs, mostly black-and-white, all featuring a single female model. They were variations on the same theme of BDSM, and all beautifully composed.

"Katy, these are the book covers!" I gestured to the series of novels I had been reading over the last week. "Didn't you notice?"

She shrugged. "I never really looked at the books. I suppose they are. This is from the story you were reading to me." It was indeed the image from the courtroom drama. I looked closely and began flicking through the images. The model in each picture wore a mask or a hood or was otherwise anonymous, but...

"I think they're all the same model. Look, you can see the tattoo on her ankle in a lot of them." I pointed to an image where a simple stylised outline of a keyhole could be seen on the model's leg. "Shit, they're not all from the book covers."

Towards the back were some images of the same woman crawling naked and wretched, or bound harshly with chains or ropes, and covered with fierce whipping marks.

"Some of this is pretty hardcore."

"But it... I think some of it's beautiful, too."

I ran my hand softly down Katy's spine.

"You're right. It's all beautiful. And I don't think you're a silly horny kid. You should put these on your walls."

She shook her head violently.

"No, they're Madame's."

"Okay. I should have said 'Put them on your walls' and don't answer me back. I'll take care of Madame."

"Sorry, Miss Sophie. Thank you."

I noted the use of 'Miss Sophie' with relief. Katy closed the book and looked uncomfortable.

"What's wrong?"

She turned and slowly, awkwardly, put her arms around my waist, holding me weakly and breathing hard. I held her tight and we embraced for a long time. I whispered in Katy's ear.

"What do you need? I'll hold you for as long as you want, but tell me if you want something else."

"I want..." she started to answer quickly, but then fell silent. "I want to... please, Miss Sophie, when can wuh..." Her voice failed her completely. I angled my face down to kiss her gently on her lips, not loosening my embrace for a moment.

"Ask anything Katy. That's the only way we'll progress. I need you to be brave and strong today, and I'll look after you."

"When may I worship you again?"

"Oh, Katy. How long has that been in your head?"

"About two weeks?"

I chuckled and squeezed her. "Oh, baby. Good girl. How will you worship me? Have you been thinking about that?"

"I would crawl on the floor. I would kiss the ground near your feet. And I'd hurt myself."

"Ooh. That's a new one. Well, I will let you do those things, but I want something else too. I want an offering."

"What's that?" I could feel Katy growing hot, and her heart was pounding hard.

"A gift. Bring me a gift."

"I haven't got any money." Her voice sounded pitiful, so I kissed her again, and stroked her head.

"I don't want anything bought. Anyone can buy gifts. You should devote your mind and body to pleasing me."

She nodded. "I'd like to. Maybe... if I picked you some flowers, would that work?"

"Around here? I don't want you stealing from gardens. But yes, if you do that I'll be impressed and it would be very sweet."

"May I go and look now?"

I pressed my lips against her beautiful soft hair, and kissed. "Good girl, of course you can." She made for the door and I saw she was a smiling as she left.

As soon as I could no longer hear her, I picked up the portfolio and made my way upstairs. I heard the front door close and I smiled as I imagined her pattering down the steps into the street. Where was she going to find flowers?

As I walked up the stairs Mrs Alderney emerged from her bedroom looking concerned.

"Did I hear the door?" Her eye was drawn momentarily to the portfolio under my arm, but returned to glare at my face. I tried to make my smile reassuring.

"It's fine. She's okay. She's going to pick flowers."

Mrs Alderney's face was almost comically incredulous. "What?"

I grinned, unable to hide my amusement. "Flowers. She wanted to bring me a gift." This was true enough for the moment. "It's good. She's so strong. You should be proud. She's wearing all her clothes, and there's nothing in her mouth. She's decent."

Mrs Alderney couldn't help smile as she thought about it. "Flowers? Round here?"

I laughed now, sheer relief making me feel a little high. I shrugged.

"I might bring her to see you later if that's okay. I can't talk now, anyway, I need to be ready when she comes back."

--

I dropped the portfolio on Katy's bed, picked up my shoes and then took them down to my own room. I went over to my dressing table and detached the mirror from its top. It was about twenty inches square, portable enough, but surprisingly heavy. I took it with me and returned to the cellar.

I heard the front door as I entered the cellar. I hurried to the throne, put the mirror down out of sight beside it, and then sat down. I arranged myself carefully, legs together, toes slightly pointed, hands on the armrests. I held myself upright and symmetrical.

Katy entered the room, looking miserable. When she caught sight of me she looked worse. I could see why: she had collected a bunch of flowers, but it was not spectacular. Mostly it was daisies, dandelions and some sort of chickweed. There were some tree blossoms and grasses too, but it was mostly rather pathetic, and Katy looked heartbreakingly defeated. I wanted to gather her in my arms and hold her, but that wasn't how this part worked. She approached, nursing the feeble bouquet, and stopped in front of the throne. She didn't look up.