Possessing Bella Ch. 17

"He's got a point," Kurt laughed. "Looking after you is almost a full-time job for the three of us."

"I'm sorry," Bella blushed deeply, "I don't mean to be so much trouble but in my defence none of this has been my fault." She swallowed down the guilt she felt over Vince's death.

Stephen said nothing. Bella's teary breakdown in Dorothea's kitchen and the old woman's harsh words had made him anxious that the intensity of his love for her might very well be the thing that drives her away. He admitted that even when she went home or to one of the other Masters for a time, she constantly had a dominant person watching over her like a personal bodyguard. He had made it clear to those who watched over her that should any harm come to her they would regret it. He tried to remember the last time she had even had an afternoon to visit her girlfriends alone.

"Go see Dorothea tomorrow. Talk it all out," Stephen suggested. He wasn't going to make any false promises about giving her the freedom she craved. He loved her and, if he needed to limit her freedom for her well-being, he would. "Try and understand that we are not so much concerned with what you might do as the unpredictability of what others may do with you, knowing who you are." He had included Rob and Kurt in his response, assuming they would agree with him.

"You'll let me go alone?" Bella asked softly.

"With the understanding that if anything untoward happens, we end up right back to where we are now," Rob nodded seeing that he was outnumbered.

*****

The small amount of freedom Bella enjoyed during her day with Dorothea was fleeting. She had arrived home and immediately begun to ready herself to leave for Jack's ranch early the following morning. She was looking forward to it on a number of levels, the main one being that it meant the end of the agreement she had with the masters who Mel had wanted to train her. She was ready to move on now.

She was also looking forward to seeing Samuel and thanking him properly for the assistance he gave her at the club. She smiled as she packed a small case with clothes she thought might be appropriate for a ranch. She wasn't sure what to expect exactly. Unlike the other Master's she had gone to, she had no inkling of what they required of her aside of a small amount of reading she had done on the lifestyle thanks to google searching.

The following morning she was ready when Stephen arrived to collect her. He gave her an appraising look and went to take her bag from her.

"You seem in good spirits," he murmured. "I take it your day with Dorothea went well?" Stephen inquired without asking outright.

"It was lovely, thank you," Bella smiled. "It was wonderful to just be able to do girly things like stop at a little café for High Tea without having to worry that I was holding up whoever was babysitting me."

"You talked out your worries from the previous evening?" he probed further.

"I didn't say very much about it to tell you the truth. We just had a lovely day like girlfriends do when they get together. I feel so relaxed now. Dorothea is wonderful company and puts things into perspective, even the normal things like going shopping or having tea with a friend," she smiled up at him as the elevator doors opened.

They drove out onto the highway heading north out of the city. It was unusual for Bella, who had over the last year always seemed to be heading south. She was content and relaxed and, even though she had said that she hadn't thought about her worries over her freedom, she had spoken to Dorothea about this last visit to the friends of Mel. She had determined to make the most of it and learn as much as she could. Each of the other masters had taught her so much about herself and the soul of a submissive in their type of lifestyle, but it was Dorothea who had pointed out the obvious to her.

She had explained patiently that even though these dominant men who surrounded Bella demanded power, control and obedience, it would all be nothing without her consent. Ultimately she held all the power in her relationships with those that would be her Master. It was her choice to obey or not, and that was why she and Mel got off to such a rocky start. He had not been entirely clear about that aspect of their relationship.

"Mel was desperate to have power and control over you and every time you seemed to waver and think for yourself, get nervous and run away from what he offered you, terrified him. In all the time, I knew him I never saw him compromise for anyone, not in business or pleasure until you," Dorothea had smiled softly. "It is the same with Stephen. He has always been as straight as a steel rod and very nearly as strong. He compromises for no one, I doubt many know about his brother, let alone have met him. Certainly no one would have guessed at what he was doing out there at the cove for people down on their luck," again that soft smile touched her face. "You, my sweet girl, have a way of bringing out that softer side of hard men."

"Oh you're exaggerating," Bella had blushed. Mel had always been caring and considerate of her. She had never known him to be another way. Stephen was a different matter. She could see the change from the stern, stoic man who managed the club and the girls it employed with an emotional detachment. He had always treated her with differential respect because of Mel. She knew his feelings toward her had deepened to love. She admitted she loved him in some way too. She worried about his jealousies and the restrictions he may place on her should she choose to become his and his alone, but she reasoned that it was something they needed to discuss beforehand.

She looked up at him as they drove, studying his features. He returned her look, raising a questioning eyebrow. "I was just thinking that this is the last time you would have to do this for me," she said quietly.

"I have to admit I am glad about that," Stephen's deep bass rumbled, and he reached over to place a hand on her thigh and squeezed it gently. Smiling in answer and leaning back in her seat, Bella gazed at the road ahead.

She knew that talking to Dorothea and seeking her advice was wonderful, but once her training was completed, she needed to talk to Stephen directly about her worries. She corrected herself, not only Stephen but also each of the men who had indicated their wish to continue to see her in the dating sense. Only one sprang to mind though, and the image of Arek formed in her mind. He was handsome and genuinely charming, but she admitted she didn't know him that well. The thought that living as a Gorean slave would possibly not readily include her career was not appealing at all.

Shaking her head, she tried to dispel her thoughts about the future. She needed to live in this moment and try to enjoy her time with Jack and Dusty with an open mind and be accepting of whatever was planned for her. She had asked for this time with them and Samuel. What might happen after her time here would happen regardless of her thoughts now. She turned her thoughts to Samuel Beckett, the man who had saved her at the club on New Year's Eve and the man who would be her Master for the next two weeks.

The comfortable silence between Bella and Stephen stretched out over the long drive with only an occasional interruption of small talk about the scenery, both seemingly lost in their thoughts. They turned onto a dusty driveway that meandered through lush green meadows where horses grazed, raising their heads to flick their tails disinterestedly at the car before turning back to the grass again.

When the ranch came into view, Bella's jaw dropped open. The house was nothing like she had expected. In fact, country manor was more the term she would have used rather than ranch. The drive turned into gravel as it wound a circular path to the front of the stately home. It shouldn't have surprised her after visiting islands, mansions and castles that Mel's friends were as equally wealthy as he was, but it still amazed her every time.

A burly young man came down from the wide double front door. "You can just leave the car here, I'll show you in," he smiled broadly at them as Stephen took Bella's bag from the car. "I'll take the bag for you," he offered and then led them inside.

The interior, as the exterior denoted, was stately and elegant. Bella took in as much as she could as they walked at a brisk pace deeper into the house, emerging into an open plan living area where Jack, Samuel and another man sat waiting their arrival.

"Ah, here they are," Jack stood and held out his hand in greeting to Stephen. "Thanks for bringing her down. It's a bit of trip, isn't it?"

"Especially as I need to turn around almost immediately to get back," Stephen nodded.

"At least have some coffee and pastries before you go. Hazel's been cooking up a storm this morning knowing we would have guests. Bella can spend a little time with Dusty before we all part company again." He turned to Bella then and wrapped her in a large embrace. "I am so glad you're finally here," he spoke quietly in his rough voice. "Come and let's find Dusty and those pastries I promised."

The kitchen was a large open room with a multitude of seating that made it oddly cosy and it smelt like a heavenly bakery. Bella smiled as she saw Dusty, hiding her surprise at the harness and pony girl attire she wore. Then as Dusty clopped toward her, she tried to imagine what it would be like to have to walk in boots that ended in a hoof and had no visible heel on them. She had googled pony girls in her curiosity, but the reality was more daunting than she could have imagined.

The women embraced and Dusty fussed over Bella, giving her juice and pastry as the men helped themselves from large platters of pastry and steaming pots of freshly brewed coffee. Dusty was usually quiet and rarely spoke unless necessary. This morning, however, she seemed to be full of excitement and energy as she sat with Bella, holding her hand and squeezing it affectionately as they listened to the men talk.

The additional man that Bella had not recognised was a veterinarian intern working with Samuel to learn both about the larger domestic animals found in rural settings, as well as this lifestyle. His name was Jyace, and he too seemed to be a man of few words. Shorter than Stephen and Jack, he, like Samuel, seemed to be of average height, which was still tall in Bella's eyes and he had a wide open face that lit up when he smiled. He had a close cropped beard that seemed to not have fully come in yet and his hair, while not considered long, still hung about his face and neck as if he hadn't considered having it cut in quite some time.

The dominant men she knew tended to be fastidious about their appearance. Jyace's almost unkempt appearance made her curious about him and the type of dominant he might be. She wondered idly if he would be involved in Samuel's training of her.

It seemed no time had passed at all when Stephen said his farewells and left the ranch, kissing Bella softly and promising to return the following weekend to check on her. She smiled and wished him a safe journey back, waving as the car disappeared down the gravel driveway.

Once they were back in the living area, Jack looked at his watch. "We will give you a few hours for Dusty to show you around and give you instruction on how to dress while you are here," he said in his slow, quiet tone. "Dusty, we will meet you back here for lunch at one."

"Yes, Master," Dusty's deep husky voice replied and, without further instruction, she took Bella's hand and walked from the room, her shoes clopping in a measured beat on the flagstone floors. They had been in the central hub of the house and, as Bella soon found, there were two wings that fanned out from there, one to the north and one to the south. On each side, the top floor of each wing was for dominants and guests, the lower floor was a form of stable for human pets. They had real stables and training grounds for the horses they bred and raced here, but that was totally separate to what happened in the house and its specialist training areas. Bella's mind boggled with the sheer vastness of the house and its surrounding estate. It took almost an hour for Dusty to rush through a hasty tour before leading Bella into the north wing stables.

"This wing tends to be reserved for close friends and more elite guests," Dusty explained, finally slowing her pace. They walked together down the north wing corridor with Dusty stopping along the way to show Bella the stables. "Master likes to cater for others' needs here, so we have rooms suited to other pets and slaves, rather than just ponies," she explained as each room was opened in turn. "The other wing has much smaller stables with little tack rooms for equipment."

"I don't need to be treated as special," Bella said quickly. "I can use one of the small rooms in case you get important visitors." She stopped and looked up at Dusty about to protest further.

"You are an important guest, silly!" Dusty chortled in her deep quiet way, tossing her head back so that her mane flared out behind her. "Master Samuel is important too, and you wouldn't want him to have to move to be near you as well, would you?"

"I don't understand," Bella frowned. She couldn't imagine that the trainers would stay in the stables with the ponies.

"The rooms in this wing have a passage that leads up to the Masters on the floor above," Dusty explained. "Samuel will be staying in one of the rooms directly above yours and Jyace in the other. Your stable is a bit bigger than these others. It was my room when I first came here many years ago and was modified, as I became Master's prize pony, in reward for my achievements."

"That's wonderful," Bella smiled, revelling in her friend's accomplishments with her. "In that case, I would be honoured to stay in your stable."

The word stable had not prepared Bella for the luxury of the suite she was shown into. It rivalled the hotel rooms she had stayed in with Mel in Italy, yet in an opulent country style. The comfortable sitting room led into a well-appointed bedroom and bathroom. It was the furthest thing from a stable that she could imagine, and she looked quizzically around the space before turning to Dusty for an explanation.

"You seem surprised," Dusty laughed. "Were you expecting a hay bale or two?"

"I didn't expect all this," Bella whispered in awe.

"Trust me, you will work hard to deserve this pampering at the end of the day," Dusty's deep voice still held her amusement. She guided Bella back through the sitting room to another door on the other side of the sitting room. "This is probably more like what you were expecting I guess." She opened the door into a tack room that was as equally luxurious as the rest of the suite.

The walls were panelled in a deep rich mahogany, and the rails and hooks gleamed with golden brass fittings beneath the leather straps and equipment Bella had expected. Twin velvet chaises lined one wall, and several devices and pieces of furniture similar to those she had seen in Mel's training room dotted the large space.

Dusty continued to walk through the room opening bi-fold doors to expose the world beyond the room. The grass was lush and green, and as Bella drew closer, she could make out fences and posts at varying intervals dividing small training yards that lead directly off the path that led from her rooms. A small distance to the left and right of this training area stood large barns, but before she could ask the question, Dusty's soft voice cut through her thoughts.

"A place to train in winter or when there's bad weather," her chin jutted toward the distant barns. "We better get you dressed, they will be expecting us back soon and the tour took some time." Bella helped her close the bi-fold doors, and they went back through the sitting room to the bedroom.

Bella's mind raced. The ranch was nothing like she had expected. It wasn't as if she had been denied anything previously, but what she had been given had been part of the Master's world and not her own space, or at least a space of her own that was this extravagant. It was hard to explain even to herself the strangeness she felt here in these rooms. Her idea of what being a prized pony, like Dusty was, took on a whole new meaning for her.

Dusty took her into a long narrow wardrobe that smelled of leather and the oil used to make it supple. Bella smiled and breathed in the scent deeply. Her desire for submission rose to the surface as she reached out a hand to stroke the soft leather straps of a rust coloured body harness.

"You will have to undergo intensive training because we don't have you here for long," Dusty took several items from the shelves as she spoke. "Girls usually have six months or more before attempting to join a show day competition, but Master and Master Samuel say that you will be ready within weeks. It will be difficult for you, I am afraid." They exited the wardrobe and Dusty placed the armful of items she carried onto the bed. "You won't be needing those clothes here," Dusty gave an encouraging smile and Bella began to undress.

With her feelings building with each garment she shed, Bella tried to remain patient with her quiet friend and the slow, precise way she moved and completed tasks. She watched avidly as each item was straightened and laid out before her eyes. She almost wished for the bubbling enthusiasm of Tali as she waited long moments before Dusty finally picked up what would be the first pieces of her clothing here and turned to face her.

"Some of these things will be uncomfortable at first, so ask if you need help. I don't want you to be hurt taking on too much too fast. I will also share some of the tricks and tips I have heard over the years for smaller fillies, but only you can judge how well you wear the tack," she moved toward Bella with a waist cincher and wrapped around her waist like an extra wide belt. Bella drew in a breath as she did when being laced into a corset and Dusty tightly secured the three buckles that gleamed at the centre of her waist.

"The hips are important to your presentation and the way you will need to move," Dusty explained as she held a G-string for Bella to step into. She settled it with infinite care over her hips pulling it up so as to highlight the cleft between her cunt lips. "We frame your hips like this so that when you bring your leg up to walk the judges will see the lovely lines and strength along the entire length of your thighs including your gluts." She demonstrated by gently lifting Bella's leg and stroking her hand along the angles made by her knee, hip and ass.

Bella touched the soft leather that wrapped her waist noting the many metal rings firmly moulded into its surface as once again Dusty took long moments to decide which piece she would give Bella next. For her part, Bella had remained silent, letting Dusty talk when she would and not asking any questions.

"These will be the most difficult for you to become accustomed to," She held up a pair of knee high boots with unusual hoof shaped soles. Bella has seen them in pictures as she had searched a few sites to try and get an understanding of what to expect. As always though, the internet had given a more stylised version of the reality that was the BDSM lifestyle.

"I had been expecting something like that," Bella said quietly, matching her friend's soft voice in volume.

"These have a sturdy chunky heel to help you to get used to walking on the balls of your feet. Over this first week you will graduate the heel down to nothing as you feel comfortable or as Master Samuel dictates," Dusty explained further watching as Bella sat and pulled on the boots. Satisfied that they fitted appropriately she offered her arm for Bella to balance on as she stood and took her first tentative steps. "How do they feel?"