One Week Ch. 06

A note from the author

This is very much a make or break story for me. The more I wrote, the more ideas came flooding in, but one thing remained very much constant. Louise and Jade. I kept wanting to write for them. Nicola, Heather, Crystal. They all have backstories that I'd love to explore, but I keep coming back to these two. Perhaps because the main character is so close to me, though very much in an aspirational sense!

I realised that, if I wanted to write for these two further, then I would have to change them. Have them altered by the events they were caught up in as I would soon get bored if there was no plot, no story for them to become part of. This is why this story, more than any other, pushes the reader just a little further than before.

I was very much struck by a review of Part Four where the reviewer said that someone who was transgender had too much going on to be able to plan such an elaborate set up that Louise did. It gnawed at me for some time. As someone transgender, why can't I achieve the same as anyone else? Why can't I be strong and powerful? Do I have to be constrained by worry and doubt?

Each story I write starts with an image, an emotion, and this story came from that place. That desire to show that anyone can be tough and strong and powerful. An image of Louise ready to fight wouldn't leave and so this is my retort to anyone who says that if you are transgender, you are inferior.

I hope that you enjoy this story and want to see more of Louise and her adventures. There's so much more to explore, but, as ever, that is entirely down to you...contact through this site or my Amazon page; I'm always happy to chat!

*****

Part 6.

Jade

Day one.

Jade peeled off her ball gown and let it slip to the floor, the faint rustle of satin the only sound in the room. The dress was covered in grime and she was glad to step from it. She untied her corset with practiced hands and pulled the strings out with a hooked finger so that she could unclasp the front and let it fall to the bamboo floor. Finally she slipped out from the stockings and tossed them in the same heap as the dress.

Numb with emotion, she stepped into a hot bath and cleaned herself down. She was alone in the room but could hear the shuffling of the guard outside as he paced back and forth. She could also see his shadow through the thin dojo walls and saw the outline of the weapon strapped to his back. Putting him from her mind she closed her eyes to try and find some focus. The grief of being separated from Louise was too raw and she focused instead on cleaning herself and locking her grief away.

Cleaned, she stood up and padded across the wooden floor to take a towel from the rack and pat herself dry. The solitary dress hanging by the mirror made it clear what the expectation was and she sat at the dresser and applied some make-up from the bag provided. Taking some chopsticks from the bag, she trussed her hair up into a bun and felt a great wave of sadness wash over her at the image of her doing the same to Louise a year ago.

Hair fixed, she took the dress from the hanger and smirked at the irony of the colour. Red signified luck in China and she wasn't feeling particularly lucky. The dress was a Chinese bridal gown, with the traditional sleeveless top and high neck. It clung to the body down to the waist and, from under the skirt of the red satin, bellowed another layer of lighter red silk that would swish behind her as she walked. There was a zip on the side and cloth buttons slashing across the red satin by the shoulder. Before putting it on, she clinched her waist with a matching corset and shrugged into a red silk bra. Adjusting the bra until it was comfortable, she then pulled the lacy knickers she'd been supplied with up her smooth legs and tucked her large member into a hidden pouch.

The dress embraced her curvaceous figure tightly as she pulled it up and zipped herself in. It had clearly been designed with a Western physique in mind. She sat on the edge of the bath to put on a pair of five inch court shoes with a spiked heel and stood up to smooth her dress down in front of the mirror. As she finished, the bamboo door to the room slid to one side and Crystal entered. She wore a satin maid outfit and high heels that forced her to take small steps. The outfit she wore today was shocking pink, pinched in at the waist and flared out at the hips, barely reaching to her stockings and revealing the lacy tops. The bodice of the outfit was fastened tightly and would have pushed her breasts so that they almost spilled from the strapless top, but she had no breasts and no silicon falsies, a move designed to remind everyone that she was no woman. She wore shoulder high gloves and a thick collar that kept her back straight and her chin held high. Her make-up was thickly applied in a caricature of femininity and Jade looked through that to the person beneath. With the right touch, she would look stunning. She curtsied as she entered and her eyes drank Jade's slinky form in. As she spoke, Jade could tell that she'd had no help with her voice and out came a falsetto imitation of a woman. Her heart went out to Crystal and, despite her own, misfortune, she still felt empathy for the girl.

"Are you ready miss?" asked Crystal. Jade turned once more to the mirror and pushed her grief, terror and sadness away. It took a while and, eventually, she nodded her assent before following Crystal out of the room.

Earlier that day.

Jade felt, rather than saw, the plane land. She'd been confined in a dark container with Emma for hours, a simple camping toilet and a box of tinned food lit by a ruddy lamp the only distraction. She'd refused to use the toilet in front of Emma, but had relented when desperation set in.

After they'd been sold, Emma and Jade had been led to a room off to one side of the private suite by the guards. They held their guns loosely by their sides, their intent clear, malice suffusing their every movement. Jade, panic setting in, searched desperately for a way out, for any gap in the wall of men. Finally deciding that she would make her move regardless, she coiled herself for action. Suddenly a rag was shoved into her mouth from behind and the world swam as consciousness drifted away on the acrid smell of chloroform.

She woke to find herself in the container, Emma wailing uncontrollably in the metal box, her screams echoing off the walls and deafening Jade. Clearing the grog from her skull, she snapped at Emma.

"Give it a rest will you." Emma glared at Jade defiantly, but kept her mouth shut. As Jade eased some life into her stiff muscles, the container shifted suddenly and she realised that they were on a plane, the air currents moving the plane and the container with it. She glowered at Emma.

"I'm guessing this is your fault," she said, bitterness lacing her tone. Emma flinched as if slapped and Jade didn't bother to ask any more questions. She didn't need to know, nor did she care. She felt it then. The tidal wave of grief a thin line in the distance, growing larger as it rushed towards her. Louise. She closed her eyes and found her focus as Master Leung had taught her. Grief hurtled closer and she stilled her mind. There would be time for grief later. A voice pierced the darkness, soft in its tone and filled with love, telling her of the moon and stars.

Jade smiled. As she lay in a coma, Louise had read to her every day. Deep in the darkness, Jade had heard that voice and followed it home as her love had read from The Lord of the Rings. She opened her eyes and found Emma giving her a puzzled look. She smiled enigmatically.

"She'll find me," she said and stepped up to get some food, ignoring Emma's snort of derision.

Hours later, they felt the plane land and, after it had taxied to the end of the runway, they heard loud clanging and voices arguing as the large container was removed from the vehicle. Without warning, bright light flooded the container as the doors were opened. Throwing a hand up to shield her eyes, Jade staggered out from the metal box, her stockinged feet almost slipping on the metal slope. Emma followed behind her, content to let Jade lead the way. Surrounding them were several Chinese men, all dressed in expensively tailored suits and all carrying guns. Their positioning funneled them to a black Mercedes that waited with the door open.

Realising that she had no option, Jade walked to the car and slid in to be greeted by an old man with grey flecking his temples and a long, thin mustache. He bowed his head as Jade slid across the opposite seat and, once Emma had sat down next to her, nodded at the driver to take them away.

The windows were tinted, which meant that no one could see into the car, but Jade could see out. She recognised the streets, bustling with activity and the cries of the street vendor.

"We're in Hong Kong," she said and the man opposite smiled.

"We are indeed Miss Jade. You have been here before then?" Jade sighed at the memory and turned to face him.

"A few times on business. I used to love it." He nodded graciously at the unspoken message and opened his hands to take both Jade and Emma in.

"May I formally welcome you to Hong Kong. My name is Li and I'm here to explain to you what is happening. I work for Master Peifu and he has spent a great deal of money to secure your services. Some of his concubines are delighted to share in his wealth and power. Most, however, are unwilling and may wish to escape." His matter of fact tone sent a shiver of horror down Jade's spine as she knew with certainty that this kindly looking man was anything but.

"Some have tried and all have failed. The punishment is...brutal. No one has yet survived. You will be looked after and treated well once you acquiesce to his pleasures as I am sure you will. You are to be presented to him tonight and I expect you to please him. Only then will your training begin."

"And what if we don't please him tonight?" asked Jade, knowing the answer. Li smiled. It held malice and suffering.

"You won't," he replied. He then settled into his seat and turned to the window, ignoring them for the rest of the journey as the car wound through the streets and came to a halt outside a large building. The walls were high and it occupied most of the block. Large wooden doors creaked open as we arrived and Jade saw a large courtyard with several smaller buildings dotted along the sides. At the back of the dojo, a large stone building sat proud, several floors high and decorated elaborately with wooden carvings along the edge. To one side, she caught a glimpse of a small garden. Had the circumstances been different, she'd have found it beautiful, but the guards walking around the perimeter and the group of men practicing Wu Shu gave it a sinister edge.

As she stepped from the car, Li came round the side and ushered her and Emma into the dojo, a loud bang as the doors were closed behind them. Li clicked his fingers and Crystal came scurrying out, the sight of her in a sissy outfit a stark contrast to the surroundings. The attire was designed to humiliate. Despite the heavy make-up, Jade recognised Crystal instantly as Guy's lost SIS agent and her heart went out to her. She'd volunteered and now she was being punished in a most cruel way.

As she scurried up, Li gave her some orders in Mandarin and she asked us to follow her.

"I will see you both later," said Li and gave us a formal bow before walking to the main building as Crystal led us to a smaller building set to one side.

That evening

As Jade followed Crystal down the corridor, her Chinese Bridal dress clinging to her every movement in a sensual manner, she heard the sounds of a party in the courtyard. It seemed that her new Master had invited guests for their unveiling. Crystal stopped at another door and knocked quietly before entering. Jade heard a pained conversation through the door as she cajoled Emma into getting dressed. Whilst she waited, she reflected on the conversation that Crystal had shared with her before she had bathed and dressed for the evening.

"You're Paul, aren't you," whispered Jade as Crystal showed her where the towels were and how to use the fiddly taps. She started suddenly and glanced at the door to see if they were being overheard.

"I was," she said sadly and indicated her sissy clothes. "Not anymore." Jade took her hand and held it to her chest.

"I'm so sorry," she said. Crystal shrugged.

"I was a fool," she said. "I convinced Guy that I could do it." Jade reached out and pulled her into an embrace and she felt Crystal start to cry. It was the first moment of compassion that she'd had for a long time. "I'd never even worn a skirt before," she said, controlling herself and dabbing at her tears with a paper towel Jade had offered her.

"I'd always wanted to, just never had the courage. I thought it would be an exciting adventure." Jade smiled at that. She'd always treated everything as an adventure to be tried at least once. "I never really convinced Dmitri I was a real tranny, but he took me in anyway. I couldn't believe my luck. The girls were nice, but they knew I wasn't real." She twisted the tissue in her hands as she spoke and pulled it apart into tiny pieces. "One night, Dmitri called me to his office and as I entered everything went blank. All I can remember is waking up here and Li telling me that I was to be punished as a lesson to SIS and any other agency to keep out of their business. I don't mind the clothes so much, I quite like them," she said simply. "I just wish I wasn't here." There was such sadness and pain in her voice that Jade forgot about her own situation and consoled Crystal as best she could.

Jade was shaken from her reverie as the bamboo door slid open and Emma stepped out of the room wearing a matching dress. Despite Jade's dislike of the woman, she did admit that she looked stunning. Crystal shut the door and ushered the pair out of the building and into the courtyard where they would be presented to their new master.

The courtyard was lit with candles and it gave the dojo an ethereal air of beauty. A band played Traditional Chinese music and its soft notes drifted lazily across the courtyard, wafting between the excited chatter of people. They were dressed in all manner of clothing and speckled amongst them were the Dojo's trainees who served food and drink. They wore the simple black Gi's of the Dojo with an insignia of a red dragon splashed across the black. Their dark clothing stood in stark contrast to the guests who were splendidly dressed in all manner of colourful silks and regalia. They wore their wealth with ease and chatted amicably amongst each other, virtually ignoring the students as they supplied them with ample amounts of wine and champagne.

At the far end of the courtyard, the wide doors to the main building were open and a large wooden chair dominated the entrance. It was gilded with gold and intricately carved with ferocious dragons spilling from the sides to breathe fire, forming the armrests as they did so. Around the chair, a dozen beautiful women fanned themselves and picked daintily at the food and wine as it passed and looked around with distain. Jade recognised them for what they were instantly, a brow ridge just slightly too large there, an Adams apple just showing here and a shoulder slightly larger than hip just there. None were Asian. To most, they would pass, but Jade had spent many years living as a woman and judging herself too harshly before she became comfortable in her own body.

As Emma and Jade were led down the courtyard towards the large chair, the crowd suddenly went quiet. An expectant mood fizzed around the court and Jade would have shivered in fear if she had not been so in control. She tilted her chin up, kept her back straight and walked with purpose, lifting the hem of her dress up to avoid dragging it on the floor and tucking it by her side in a simple and elegant gesture. She would not be intimidated and knew the silence for what it was. The crowd wanted blood. As she drew near to the chair, she studied the man who occupied it.

He was enormous. Swathes of fat swaddled his huge frame and thick plump lips dominated a balding head. His eyes were beady, full of malice and his tongue darted out to lick his lips, moisture dribbling down his chin. He wore expensive robes that enveloped his frame and did little to hide the sweat patches that riddled each fold of flesh. His hands, pudgy balls with thick fingers, were covered in gold rings and he clapped them together as we approached. Jade saw Emma falter, just a slight pause in her step, and determined not to do the same.

As they reached the end, Li slipped insidiously from the crowd and came to stand by us. He ushered Crystal away and addressed Master Peifu. The girls surrounding Peifu glared openly at both Jade and Emma, doing little to hide the sneers they wore. They were Master Peifu's concubines and disliked potential competition. Jade stood still as Li discussed them both. She could understand him perfectly. Her language skills had helped her Firm create many links with local businesses across China and helped them expand throughout Europe. She kept that to herself, preferring them to speak openly around her thinking that she understood little.

"Master Pifue," he said, his voice carrying easily across the crowd. "May I present to you your newest candidates. I'm sure that you will find them most pleasing on the eye. I present to you Jade, a famous beauty from the shores of England. She is healthy, intelligent and well trained. I also present Emma. She comes from a rich background and has been given as a gift from the Bratva. A gesture of their goodwill and continued relations."

Peifu regarded the pair silently. He gestured Emma to turn around and she did so, biting back sobs at every shuffle of her shoes. As he beckoned Jade to do the same, she dropped the hem of her skirt and twirled athletically, her bridal dress swirling around her in a sea of silk. Completing the turn, she bowed deeply, never taking her eyes from Peifu. A smattering of applause rippled through the crowd at her elegance and Peifu nodded sagely, accepting their wisdom. He raised his hands in a gesture of acceptance and spoke, his voice a deep bass.

"Excellent," he said. "I am most pleased. I can see that they will both come to me and be grateful for all they shall receive." With that he took a glass of champagne from a student and raised a toast. We were clearly dismissed as the crowd turned from us and continued with their chatter. Perplexed, Jade looked to Li, but he shrugged off her query and gestured for Crystal to take them away. She struggled across the graveled floor in her shoes, Jade waiting patiently for her to arrive.

"What's going on?" hissed Emma, her eyes darting around nervously. Without looking at her, Jade replied quietly.

"We're dismissed." As Crystal drew near, Jade took her hand and supported her as she led them back to their rooms. Turning away from the main building, she caught the eye of one of the concubines who shot her a venomous look.

As they were led back to their rooms, Crystal spoke over the chatter of the crowd.

"Master Peifu does not want to take you. You must go to him willingly and offer yourself." Emma snorted with derision.

"Go to that fat pig? Never!" she cried. Crystal hushed her and glanced around in fear to see if she had been overheard. Jade shot her a warning glance and Emma gave a guilty look of apology. Jade asked Crystal to continue.

"If you go to him, he will treat you kindly. You will be given everything you ask for. In exchange for your freedom and your body when he asks for it. You may find that it's a small price to pay."

"How so," asked Jade. Crystal gave her a sad smile.