Scarlet

"Wow. That's very nice. All very subtle too."

"Speaking of subtle, did you see it?" Violet asked her.

"See what?" Karen was unsure what Violet was talking about.

"Did you see her ask to be let into the dining area?"

"She didn't ask. She just walked up to the entry. They let her in."

"She asked to be let in." Chasandra pointed to the stanchions. "We do not tell, we ask if we are permitted. She asked when she touched the barrier."

"Wait, that was her asking for them to unhook the rope? I just thought that it was random or she was off balance or something."

"No. She was looking at the dining room. Security knows we don't usually walk around without a reason. When they see one of us stand up, they know something is calling for our attention. They watch and track us."

"In April's case, when she touched the stanchion, they knew she wanted to pass through the barrier. They told the Maitre at the entry to open the barrier for 'Mrs. Smith'." Violet nodded toward the man in the red jacket.

" He wears a walkie talkie. That's the black rectangle at his waist." Continuing on with her explanation, Violet pointed out other aspects Karen had missed. "She could have wanted to go out into the mall. If that was where she was going she wouldn't have touched the pole. She'd have done something else to show that she wanted out of our area."

"Why go through all of that? Why not just ask when you get there?"

Violet looked directly at Karen. "I used to do that. I'd get there and because I'm so small, they wouldn't notice me. I'd be left standing there waiting and feeling like I was being ignored. I got angry one time. I yelled that it was obvious I wanted something so they should pay attention to me."

"In those clothes I wouldn't think anyone could ignore you."

"Oh. That was before we started the pageantry game. At the time I was just wearing street clothes. Since I'm a tiny person, no one noticed me very much.

"She started carrying a wooden stick." Chasandra chimed in. "She'd hit things with it to get attention."

"It wasn't a stick. It was a baton."

"It was a stick." Chasandra corrected her. "You hit things with it. People too."

"Once. I only hit someone one time." Violet lifted her index finger shaking it at Chasandra. "Once. And, he deserved it. The clod. Thank God he's not here anymore. Dull and dumb with grabby hands."

"She got into a lot of trouble for hitting things. They spanked her with a belt. Every time she hit things with her stick they spanked her. It still didn't stop her."

"I told them I wasn't going to be ignored in my own club."

"After she hit, what was his name?" Chasandra paused while she looked at Violet who just shrugged.

"No matter. After that, they called Dominick in. They threatened to expel them both if she didn't follow the rules."

"There was a lot of shouting, but eventually I convinced them that I was right. It only took one incident with our witch doctor here to prove it."

"What did you do?" Karen was fascinated.

"I came in through the front. I walked up to the entry to come into our area. I stood there and waited. I said 'Excuse me'. I was told to go back and get in line."

"She ripped him a new one." Violet said with glee. "Look at her. She's impossible to forget. She's never unnoticeable. He should have known better."

"I did not 'rip him' as you say. I merely told him that I was an Owner and a VIP member. I told him he'd better open the gate or I'd have him fired. He opened the gate and let me in."

"Don't believe her. She ripped him. She roared at him. We could hear her upstairs. After that the Maitres started wearing the walkie talkies. We asked; Ok I asked," Violet said at Chasandra's look. "I asked security to watch out for us so that things like that wouldn't happen any more. Security said it was hard to see us in a crowd, but they'd try.

"I thought about it. After really thinking about what I wanted to achieve, I began to dress up. So they could see me better. I still carried the baton though. I would point with it where I was going. Security would tell the Maitres and I got my way."

"That's nothing new. Somehow you always get your way." Karen told her. Violet smirked.

"Yeah. I do. I wonder why that is?" Violet asked facetiously before going on. "It got expensive to dress up like that every time though. Some of the others couldn't really afford it. Dresses can be expensive, but have you seen the cost of suits for the guys? It's crazy. We were talking about what to do. Someone said it would be nice if the Club could help out a little."

"So you asked for your 'uniforms' from the Club?"

"No. What happened next was so cool. No one said anything, but about a week later we all got a delivery of clothes at our homes. With a note from the Dominus which said that for security purposes the clothes were to be worn when we were here."

"Wow."

"Yeah, it was a shock. It also proved that security could handle the extra work of looking out for us. Because someone in security apparently heard us talking about asking for help. They passed our 'request' to upper management. Who apparently held a meeting and decided that it was better than the way we had been doing it."

"Oh! That is so cool! Free dresses!"

"Yeah, well it comes at a price. We're expected to visibly help out, without being asked, when things are needed done. When things get hectic, or someone gets sick, or a work shift is short handed, we have to step in to cover for them. If we screw up, we get punished. Punishment detail is no fun. We also always have to be extra polite to everyone too. No matter what. Those are the rules we live by."

"I noticed that you say 'my pleasure' a lot."

"Well, in a way it is our pleasure to be helpful. My Master likes it when I'm a good girl. I really like it when he likes it." Violet smiled in dreamy satisfaction. "There are times when I really, really like it."

"It does no harm to speak so either." Chasandra said refocusing her on the topic. "It reinforces obedience to the Dominus' orders. It helps to keep us from the public eye better."

"Yeah, that too." Violet commented, then continued her narrative. "One of the other girls, Amy Ling, started carrying a fan. She'd hold it in front of her body. She'd tip it, or tap her arm, to show which way she wanted to go. I saw that and wanted to do the same. But, I couldn't carry a fan. My baton wouldn't work that way for me either. So, I started seeing how subtle I could be when showing my intentions. Security really woke up and started paying attention after I bashed a few more things. I had some more conversations with them and the Dominus. Eventually I didn't need the baton anymore. After a while everyone else caught on to what I was doing and started copying me."

"Clever girl," Karen said. Violet just purred happily.

"Ok, that explains about the dresses. I still don't understand the Mrs. White, Blue, Green, Yellow, whatever, thing. And, what about the club itself? Where did it come from and why is it here?"

"Well, the group name thing started because we are supposed to be anonymous. The club is a secret. So, since there are various, 'families' I guess you could call them, we came up with names to describe the differences and not have to act like we're concealing anything.

"I'm White because I'm in the family group that is monogamous. I don't have sex with anyone except Dominick. There are other groups that aren't like that. Black is interracial. That's not for me. Smith is for girls who like girls. Jones is for the guys who are like that. Green is non monogamous partners or couples or trios. They can be straight or LGBT."

"LGBT?" Karen was lost.

"It means Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual, and Trans-gendered. LGBT." Violet explained.

"Oh. Ok. I understand that at least. How does everyone know what group you belong to?"

"Our clothes reflect our groups. I'm Mrs. White so I wear white. Chasandra is black. She wears black. Etc."

"April was wearing blue. Is blue for Smith?"

"Yes." Violet nodded once. "Usually a bright blue. Not navy or dark colors. Jones wears brown. Green wears, naturally, green."

"So you can only wear those colors?"

"Yes and no. The predominate color has to be ours. We are allowed to add other colors to compliment, but the predominant color must be the one for our family group. Of course we could always just wear street clothes. If we do, we won't get treated the same. We might even get ignored because everyone expects us to dress up now."

"So, you could wear a white sun dress with big red flowers on it and everyone would still know you are Mrs. White?"

"Well, yes. But, red is reserved."

"Reserved?"

"For when we are unavailable for the scenes."

"Scenes?" Karen felt lost. Once again the conversation was using words she knew but she didn't understand what was being said.

At her look Chasandra spoke. "Scenes are what we call the club sessions. When we are ourselves with our Trainers and Masters."

"Oh. The bondage sessions."

"Not just bondage." Chasandra corrected her. "There are four categories. Bondage, Domination, Sadism and Masochism. BDSM. We do not allow anything other than BD here. For those who want SM that is for another club location. Here is too public. Too dangerous for them. Too valuable for us. We do not play with fire and blood here."

Fire and blood? I don't think I want to know. Karen shivered at the thought. "Ok. So you wear red when you don't want to play?"

"That's right. Usually when we're having our monthly period or we're not feeling good, or we just don't need a release, or a scene, but want to be close to our group families."

"But, why red? Why not some other color?"

"For that you have to understand how the club works. We have limits to what we are willing to do. Some of those limits are what we call hard limits. Those are things we absolutely will not do. For me, a hard limit is monogamy. There are other limits. Some limits are flexible in what we will and won't do. We call those soft limits. Those are boundaries which can be pushed a little. Not much but a little."

"I don't understand."

"Well, let's say you were into bondage like I am, but are a bit claustrophobic. That would mean no full hoods as a hard limit. But, a soft limit could be that you can't have anything more than scarf or something soft tied over your eyes. You can push that soft limit to maybe an eye mask or dark blindfold if you choose to. You see?"

"Yes."

"Ok. To be sure that everyone knows the limits, we all know the profiles of the others in our groups. Especially the Masters. That way no one is taken beyond their limits. To be positive that no one is hurt, or accidentally forced beyond their limits, we also have a simple color system. Green yellow and red. Green means we are ok. Yellow means we are comfortable, but at, or near, a limit. Red means STOP! Get me out of this RIGHT NOW!"

"Oh. So, if you wear red clothes that means no touching?"

"You got it. Except lipstick, nail polish, makeup, tattoos and things like that are ignored."

Karen turned to Chasandra. "So, your red pinstripes mean you're on your period?"

Chasandra barked a short laugh. "No child. I stopped having that problem years ago. Now I wear red because I have petitioned the Dominas. I am waiting for their answer. Until they do, I cannot play."

"Oh. So it's not a statement saying 'Stay away, I'm having my period, smell bad, am messy, and have PMS' or something?"

"No. It could be that you just want to be here to socialize, but don't want to play. For instance you remember April talking about Annie and the flash cards?" Violet prodded Karen's memory.

"Yes." Karen nodded her affirmative.

"Well, I'm positive that Annie is wearing something red while she studies. Because April is like family to her she comes here to study and get help so she can pass her exams. She doesn't need to be interrupted while she's studying. So, why should she worry that some Master will ask her to do a scene just because she's here? If she wears red no one will ask her, she is off limits. It is a house hard limit."

"So really I should be wearing red while I'm here?"

"Not really. You are a guest so you cannot be required to do anything. No Master, they wear dark gray by the way, no Master would ask if they don't know your profile. Since you're not a member, you don't have a profile. Ergo, they can't ask you."

"Also, you are wearing pants. We are not allowed to wear pants unless we are wearing red. So, not having any red on your person, yet wearing pants, tells all who look that you are a guest not a member. If you cross your legs at the same time it is unmistakable. If you do all of that, no one will lay a finger on you. No means no and everyone will be polite to you. Or they will be punished. Severely punished."

"Wow. It's all really simple when you know about it. Right there in front of you yet hidden. Subtle."

"Subtle," agreed Chasandra while looking at Violet.

"Of course, you have to understand that is just our color code system. It may not work that way at other clubs. It certainly doesn't work that way for the average person on the street. Lots of women wear red to be, or feel, sexy. They don't wear it to tell people to leave them alone."

"That makes it complicated." Karen was thoughtful. "Though it does make sure that you separate the Club from everyday life."

"It keeps us on our toes. Which is a good thing for us."

At Violet's comment, Chasandra just nodded in agreement.

Eight

Karen listened as Violet explained how the club got started. The whole story was fascinating.

"The club was established back in the roaring twenties. Prohibition, gambling, flapper girls, and all of that. Big money. Some players had our fetish. They wanted some place private where they could do their thing.

"Yet, they also wanted the night life at the same time. That meant that they couldn't buy some cheap building in a low class neighborhood, prohibition era cops would bust them in no time flat.

"What they did instead, was buy an estate in the country. They did some remodeling to make it into a private country club for gentlemen. Eventually the city grew until the club was at the city limits. That brought scrutiny once the public was aware of the place.

"To hide what they were doing, the owners put in the golf course. They opened the doors to paying private club members back in the fifties. That brought business to the estate and there was income for the owners. That was a good thing since the place now paid for itself. Better, it gave respectability to the club and the members.

"Fifties McCarthyism made everyone paranoid about what they called sexual deviants. That was called the Lavender Scare. The result was that the club became very careful in who they let in as a member. Lots of background checking and verification before approval.

"After that they did some more remodeling, adding some wings to the main building creating a vacation getaway. In the sixties people paid money to come here to stay for a week or two on vacation. They brought their families so the overall feel of the place had to change. Kid activities and things were incorporated. The original use was put way underground and hidden to protect the guests from being exposed to us even though we were still here. Very rigid rules were put into place so the guests didn't accidentally learn about us.

"Some Owners' wives and other members didn't want to drive all the way to town to go shopping, so the mall was added. Exclusivity was a requirement. High end was mandatory.

"Really nice shops moved in. Marco is the owner of the dress shop right inside the front doors. He was just starting out in fashion design at the time he came here. Someone from club management noticed him and actually invited him to open a store. I think he's from Prague or some place like that.

"He's extremely happy here. He has wealthy clients who have the money to spend on his clothes. He has us for walking mannequins and advertising. We will wear anything he designs for us. We beg for more of his things. He also knows why we want certain features in our clothes. He's not a member, but he is one of the very few nonmembers who know of the club. Apparently he sort of guessed when he was asked to make clothes with certain features; the front slit instead of a kick pleat for example. He doesn't care. He just wants to make beautiful clothes. He's an absolute darling.

"The restaurant started because way back when, some of the members would hang out at this little place in town. The food was great they say. When the place would get crowded some of the girls would just start helping out. They'd take orders, bus the tables, wash dirty dishes. Whatever it took to keep the restaurant guy happy. If he was happy, they'd have a place to call their own. A place where they could relax.

"After a while the club offered space to the owner of the restaurant here after it became a vacation resort. He moved in. The members kept on doing the helping out. Things got better. Everyone got happier. A tradition was started that we keep doing today. What ever, when ever, where ever, we help. Because we want to help, need to help. Because this is our place. Those businesses support our place.

"It is a small thing to do to have a place of our own where we can be happy, safe, and still have our fun. Without having to go some place in a back alley in the dark like the crazy zoning laws would force us to do. Crime, drugs, prostitution, ugh. No thank you, I'll stay here. None of that is here. We don't allow it. Anyone who does that stuff is expelled from the club. Another hard limit.

"Speaking of hard limits, another one is that you don't bring your sub-slave in chains and a leash to the club. You don't walk them around to display them for everyone to see. Things like that are not allowed. No sex in public. No overt fetishism. Period. Not even a slave collar. Nothing that would risk Scarlet. We don't allow that. Everything is done behind closed doors where only members are permitted. In public we dress and act like everyone else. It's a masquerade."

As Karen listened to Violet explain all about the inner workings, she fantasized in her mind a little bit thinking about a place where she could be happy and safe. That would be nice. Violet was enthusiastic in her descriptions which showed that at least she was happy here. Karen really had nowhere. Sure she had her home where she was happy. Truthfully though, home wasn't nearly anything like what Violet had in the club. Even with Mitch. Not that she really wanted to be anyplace that she would be noticed constantly by everyone. No.

Suddenly Chasandra went rigid. "What is he doing here? He knows he's not allowed up here. This is public. He shouldn't be here."

Karen looked over her shoulder in the direction Chasandra was staring. A man in a dark gray coverall was coming up the ramp from a serving tunnel. As she watched he turned onto their tier heading in their direction. Glancing at Chasandra she saw her make motions toward the security camera. Tapping her ear and giving a thumbs up. Yes, turn the microphone back on. Chasandra pointed at the man who was approaching. She scissored her hands that he didn't belong there. They needed someone to intervene.

Violet leaned out to look at the man approaching them. Sitting back she shrugged the blanket off her shoulders.

"Karen, just sit there. Don't do anything except cross your legs. Don't talk to him. Even if he tries to talk to you, don't talk to him." A quick grin as she flicked her own nose up. "Be snooty."

"Who is he?"

"He's a Master. Not one of the good ones." Chasandra told her as she looked at each of them before yanking her red and gold earrings out. Handing them to Violet she indicated to put them on in place of her blue teardrops. "You told April you were off line. You are in no condition for a scene either."