Chapter 20 The Dragon’s Tail
The Dragon’s Tail
Cloak of invincibility
I’m feeling up for the challenge until she nods to the St. Andrew’s cross. “Walk to it and press your stomach against the wood while I warm up.”
My smile falters, and I admit in a fearful voice, “I’m scared.”
“You will not be bound to it, aster,” she assures me.
Realizing that I must trust her if I expect her to trust me in return, I slowly walk to the large X-shaped frame. Goosebumps rise on my skin as I press my stomach against the middle of the frame and wait.
Mistress Kim walks up beside me with a gentle smile on her lips. Looking upward, she asks, “Do you see the metal fasteners?”
I glance up at them and nod uneasily. “Instead of cuffs, I want you to attach these.” She holds up two leather tassels, each with a carabiner on the end. “These will act as your arm restraints.”
I take one from her and attach the carabiner to the metal, listening to the chilling click as it locks into place. My hand trembling, I take the other from her and do the same.
“Well done, aster,” she states proudly as if she understands how difficult this is for me. “Now, reach up to grab the tassels tightly in your fists and widen your stance to match the wood frame at the bottom.”
Gripping the leather tassels, I take a wide stance while still keeping my stomach pressed against the wooden frame as she commanded.
Mistress Kim stands back, stating in a seductive voice, “Charming.”
I glance up at my white-knuckle grip on the tassels, appreciating her genius approach. I am connected to the wooden frame by my own effort. I can let go at any time, yet I am still “bound” with my arms and legs spread far apart, fully exposing my body to my Mistress for this scene.
“Aster, it is time to increase your pleasure…and your pain.”
I feel a thrill of anticipation as she swings and hits me with the dragon’s tail. It leaves a sting that is intense but quickly dissipates outward.
“Color, aster?”
“Green, Manim,” I answer excitedly.
Mistress Kim takes another swing, and my skin ripples from the impact of it. I let out a delighted yelp. The pleasant sting of it goes straight to my pussy even as the heat of the impact dissipates through my entire body.
I moan in excitement, begging for more. She lashes me again, using a quick succession of strokes. I gleefully listen to the auditorium being filled with the slapping sound of the dragon’s tail making rapid contact with my skin.
Mistress Kim places each stroke higher than the last so that she never hits the same area twice. When she stops, I hear her pant softly. “Your back looks so pretty in pink.”
I smile to myself, remembering to respond with respect, “Thank you, Manim.”
“From this point forward, I will assume your color is green, aster. I trust you to call out otherwise if that changes.”
When I hear her use the word “trust”, I realize Mistress Kim is offering me an olive branch, even though I broke that trust yesterday by lying to her. It sounds like such a simple exchange, but the meaning behind her statement speaks volumes to me.
I answer her with tears of gratitude, “I understand, Manim.”
“Good.”
Mistress Kim strikes me again and again with the dragon’s tail, increasing her force each time. The impact of the instrument leaves a series of lasting stings that begin to blend into one another. I want more and beg her not to stop.
She laughs, panting more heavily than before, and agrees, “Five more lashes, then.”
I close my eyes, my back burning from the multiple licks of the dragon’s tail.
“Count them out,” she orders.
I gleefully call them out as Mistress Kim indulges me by increasing the force of each stroke. After the fifth one, she sets the instrument down and asks me to describe to her how it feels.
“My skin burns, but I still want more.”
She lightly glides her finger over one of the raised lash marks and says in a thoughtful tone, “If I were to continue, I would draw blood and risk causing permanent scars.”
I grin, taking that as a compliment. It makes me feel like a total badass, just like that night when I scened with Lord Murray.
“You’ve earned this…” she murmurs seductively as she walks to the table and trades the dragon’s whip for a unique paddle decorated with a line of three flower silhouettes cut out of the wood.
“Return to the bench to receive your reward.”
I lay against the bench, curious how the thick paddle will feel.
She caresses my right buttock with her hand. “Do you want it here…or here?” she asks, touching my left buttock.
“You choose, Manim,” I answer with confidence.
“Very well.”
Mistress Kim lightly caresses my right cheek with the wooden paddle, and I let out a little squeak when the inner muscles of my pussy contract in response.
“Breath out slowly, aster.”
As I do, she raises the paddle high and strikes me hard with it. The sting of it steals my breath away, and I am engulfed by a sudden tidal wave of heat that bursts from deep within me. My entire body begins to shake, and my knees buckle from the power of my sudden climax.
She moves in close and whispers, “I believe in you.”
I close my eyes, reveling in her words as I ride the intensity of the climax and scream in glorious fulfillment.
When I stand before the trainers a few minutes later, Headmaster Wallace asks, “Miss Lane, how would you rate this scene?”
I struggle to look humble because I’m feeling extremely proud of myself. “I can confidently say it was a ten out of ten.” I notice Dono Marcelo scribbling something in his notes.
Headmaster Wallace directs his next question to Mistress Kim. “What are your thoughts about Miss Lane’s performance tonight?”
“Her pain tolerance is higher than I expected.”
“Noted.”
Feeling like a million bucks, Mistress Kim turns and takes my hand as she leads me off the stage. She heads to the private room for some aftercare while an assistant quickly gathers my clothes.
Once we’re inside, she sits down on the large couch and instructs me to lie on my stomach and put my head on her lap.
I do as she says and stare at the flickering flames of the candles while she gently applies a light cream to each mark left on my back.
“You did well tonight.”
I smile to myself and confess, “I didn’t want it to stop.”
She lifts her fingers from my back and pauses for a moment. “I’m not talking about the dragon’s tail.”
I crinkle my brow, unsure what she means.
Mistress Kim continues applying the soothing cream. “Would you like to know why I call you ‘aster’?”
I nod on her lap.
“The aster flower symbolizes patient elegance. In my country, the flower is given to others as a show of support during difficult times of refinement.”
She smiles when she glances at my ass. “That is why I marked your skin with it.”
I lift my head, looking at her questioningly, and she nods toward the full-length mirror on the wall. “See for yourself.”
I get up and walk to it, twisting around to look at my butt. I see three bright red flowers imprinted on my skin. “They’re beautiful,” I murmur.
“They are meant to encourage you, Miss Lane. Refinement and growth are never easy. Sifting through the things we cling to that no longer serve us is a worthy endeavor. Although the process is difficult and can be quite painful, the results are often magnificent…like the flower.”
I leave the school that night feeling physically drained but still riding the emotional high caused by my scene. While I’m waiting for the valet to get my car, Amethyst walks over and asks, “Hey, do you want to go out and celebrate your comeback? I know a good rave that’s not far from here.”
Although I’m intrigued by the rave and want to spend time with her outside of school, I regretfully turn her down. “Can I take a rain check? I feel like I’m going to crash hard when I get home.”
“That scene was intense,” she agrees.
Nash walks by, wearing a scowl, and waits as far away from me as possible.
“I don’t understand what’s wrong with that jerk,” Amethyst snarls.
I frown, remembering how violent he was in the hall. “He definitely has issues.”
“Well, I’m headed out,” she states when a valet pulls up with her car.
As soon as she leaves, Nash starts walking toward me.
I tense up, not wanting him to spoil my mood, and am thankful when my car is the next one to pull up. Jumping into it, I drive off as he stares after me and mouths the word Bitch.
Wanting to shake off his negative energy, I turn up the music in my car while I replay the scene with Mistress Kim in my mind. Everything about it was perfect!
Not only did I prove myself to the trainers, but I proved to myself that I am a fucking badass who deserves to be a part of the Training Center.
I think the day can’t get any better, but then I spot a large package waiting at my door when I return to my apartment. Certain I know what it is, I start to giggle with excitement when I spot the Submissive Training Center logo on the box.
Fumbling with my keys in my eagerness, I unlock the door and push the box inside. Too impatient to get scissors, I tear into the box and smile when I finally open it.
I coo, “There you are!” as I lift the verdant green beauty from out of the box.
The cloak is even more beautiful than I remembered. Slipping my arms into it, I wrap myself in its warmth.
My happiness increases when I realize the inside is lined with cashmere. “Matisse, you are too much!”
Buttoning it up, I feel invincible as I twirl in my exquisite cloak.
It’s crazy to think how close I came to leaving the Submissive Training program. If it hadn’t been for Gwen making me promise not to quit, I would have walked away tonight.
But look at me! Twenty-four hours later, I’m standing here feeling on top of the world.
I suddenly stop spinning, hit by a sobering thought.
How many times in my life have I quit, not knowing I was on the verge of a breakthrough?