Madame Hortense lay tied to the four-poster bed, drifting in and out of consciousness. She awakened to the sensation of her eyelids being peeled open and the words "kootchy, kootchy" being whispered in her ear. She open her eyes fully to behold her erstwhile slave, David standing over her grinning broadly. "Hello, Madame Hortense," David said kissing her forehead. Madame Hortense eyed him quizzically. "David," she uttered weakly, "what have you done to me?" "Broken you," he said simply, kissing her forehead once more. Madame Hortense surveyed her bound condition. "How long have I been tied here?" she questioned meekly. "Quite some time," David replied. "You've been drifting in and out of consciousness and I've been watching you. You look so cute when you're tied up?" Madame Hortense was speechless. She wanted to voice some sort of reprimand to re-establish her power, but the words failed her. "Kootchy, kootchy," David teased her. Madame Hortense laughed faintly in spite of herself. "Oh David, stop. Please." she moaned. "You really enjoy torturing me, don't you--and after all I've done for you. What an ungrateful slave you've turned out to be! Shame on you! Untie me at once--or have you further plans to tickle me?" "Are you READY for another round of tickling, Mistress?" he inquired. "If you insist...Master," she sighed. "You know where I like it best," she wiggled her toes. "Use the feather." David started tickling Madame Hortense's toes with the feather. Madame Hortense giggled with glee, her laughter increasing as David's tickling of her feet intensified. She tossed back her head and cackled loud and long. Receiving tickle torture had now become a balm for her, a drug. She begged David to continue. "WHEEEEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHAHAHAHAHAHA!" she cackled. "Having fun, Mistress?" David inquired. "YES, YES, THIS IS ECSTASYYYYYYYY!" she cried. "DON'T STOP! TICKLE THE BACKS OF MY LEGS!" David moved the feather up Madame Hortense's ankles to the backs of her legs and tickled them with a smooth swirling motion. "HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" she laughed. "DO MY STOMACH NOW! TICKLE MY STOMACH!" David tickled her stomach and abdomen. Madame Hortense shrieked when the feather found her navel. "EEEEEEEK! EEEEEEEK! I'M GOING TO GET YOU FOR THAT, YOU NAUGHTY BOY! UNDO MY BRA! TICKLE MY BREASTS!" David did as he was told. Maybe Madame Hortense didn't realize it, but this was another area of her anatomy that had hitherto been off-limits to David. Madame Hortense's breasts were full and voluptuous. David traced circles around her nipples with the feather. Madame Hortense was hysterical. She was cackling so loudly that David wondered if the whole neighborhood could hear her. "Thank God for soundproof bedrooms!" he thought. He kept swirling the feather around his mistress's breasts and in between them. He was happy to be the one GIVING the tickle-torture instead of receiving it, but it occurred to him that it was Madame Hortense who had been directing just where the tickling was to be administered. "That Madame Hortense," he thought to himself, "even in captivity she somehow manages to remain dominant. Oh, well, at least I'M not the one tied to the four-poster. Don't know how long I can keep this up, though. God, she's insatiable! And she thought SHE'D created a monster!" Madame Hortense sensed him slowing the pace. "Why are you stopping, Master?" she taunted. "Is Mommy's widdle baby getting tired? Hmmm?" David had to admit he WAS starting to getting tired. His arms, hands and fingers ached from tickling his mistress for so long. "Oooooh!" teased Madame Hortense with raised eyebrows, "so Mommy's widdle baby can take it, but he can't dish it out...in that case...untie me at once!" and she eyed him sternly. David complied and untied his mistress's hands and feet, her limbs falling heavily on the bed. Madame Hortense heaved a sigh of relief. "My goodness, just how long were you planning to KEEP me in that God-awful position! My poor limbs will never be the same again...come sit next to me on the bed." David hesitated. "I'm not going to tickle you," she assured him, "I just want to talk to you. Please, sit," she said gesturing next to herself. Madame Hortense slowly rose to a sitting position on the four-poster and David sat down next to her. Madame Hortense squeezed his hands tenderly and gazed affectionately into his eyes. "You know, David," she said, "I've grown rather fond of you over these past five years--even when you ARE forgetting to wash the dishes. I'd like you to stay on here with me as my tickle slave...if you'll have me for a mistress. You do realize that your contract with me is about to expire and you'll be free to leave me if you wish, no questions asked, no strings attached?" "Oh, I could never leave you, Madame Hortense," David said gazing dutifully at her. "You've been very good to me these past five years and I appreciate all the things you've done for me." "Even all the tickling sessions I've subjected you to?" "Yes, every one. I wouldn't trade them for anything." "Were you surprised when I asked you to change roles with me?" "Yes, pleasantly so." "Well, I am a REASONABLE mistress--despite what you may think of me. Actually, I wanted to see if I was secure enough in my role as your mistress to allow myself to be dominated. Now that I know I am, it opens up whole new vistas for our relationship, don't you think so?" "Yes, the possibilities certainly are boundless." "They certainly are," Madame Hortense agreed, "and I think you'll find that I've taken those possibilities into account with your new contract." She reached into the night stand drawer and drew out a long sheet of paper. "This, my dear slave, is your new contract with me. Read it. Think it over. And sign it when you're ready." David started reading the terms of the contract to himself. When he got to the second paragraph, his jaw dropped. "Madame Hortense," he exclaimed, "according to this, you relinquish all claims to domination over me on weekends and stipulate that on Saturdays and Sundays I am to dominate YOU. You further stipulate that on those days I may avenge at my discretion any and all punishments carried out during the previous week, which I deem were wrongfully or unjustly administered!" "That is correct," she nodded. "But that's incredible!" She placed her hand gently on his lips. "You're QUESTIONING me again, slave" she admonished him. "Listen to me. I WANT things to be that way, do you understand? Even a hard-core dominatrix like myself needs a change once in a while. Now, if I can live with the terms of the new contract, I see no reason why you shouldn't either. You forget, I DREW UP the contract to read that way," she reminded him, "therefore it obviously reflects my desires." David didn't read any further. He was satisfied that his mistress was being fair with him and signed his name at the bottom--underneath his mistress's. Madame Hortense held David to her breast and kissed him profusely on the cheeks. "I'm very happy for us," she said hugging him. "So am I" he answered. Madame Hortense release her embrace and held David's hands tightly. "Let's establish some code words for when we've had enough tickling for one session," she suggested. "When you're tickling me on weekends, you may continue to tickle me as long as you like until I repeat to you the words 'no mas'. That will mean no further tickling for that session and that you MUST let me rest for a full twenty minutes. Is that understood?" "Yes, very clearly, mistress," David said, "and my code word shall be--" "OH NO! There will be no code words for YOU, my slave. I'm still the dominant one in this relationship even if I have granted you two days a week's grace period. You, my slave, will have to endure ALL the tickling I dish out, is that understood? I will decide when you've had enough!" "Understood, Mistress," said David. "It is now 11 P.M.," Madame Hortense said looking at her watch. "You have one full hour left before your day off is ended." She lay back on the bed, and outstretched her arms and legs to David for re-tying. "Use it well," she whispered. David reached for the silken scarves and re-tied his mistress hand and foot. "I see you prefer using the scarves on me," she observed. "Such a gentle Master." David only smiled. "Prepare yourself to be tickled, slave!" he commanded. "Yes, Master," replied Madame Hortense submissively. "I think I'll try something different," he said. "Wait here!" "Oh, I'm not going anywhere, Master," replied Madame Hortense, jiggling her wrists against the scarves. "You've already seen to that, haven't you?" "Enough talk!" David snapped. "I shall return shortly." He disappeared into the mistress bathroom and emerged with a box of Q-tips. He then took a bottle of Madame Hortense's favorite perfume off the dresser and doused a Q-tip with it. He started tickling Madame Hortense's feet with the perfumed Q-tip. The soft sensation of cotton mixed with the wetness of her favorite perfume on her feet caused Madame Hortense to chuckle. "My, my, what an innovative master I have. Why didn't I think of that before? I must remember to try this on you sometime." "You like?" inquired David increasing the pace. "I like, I LIKE!" cackled his mistress. "HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" David kept tickling her feet with the perfumed Q-tip. He ran it up and down her soles, along her toe joints, inside her toe crevices, along her toe tips, and over her metatarsal bones. "Oh-oh, it's drying out," he said, and he applied more perfume to the Q-tip. "Oh no, please, Master" pleaded Madame Hortense, "I can't stand anymore." "Now, now, my dear slave," David said patronizingly, "you must learn to take it like a lady," and he ran the re-moistened Q-tip over her toes once more. Madame Hortense was giggling senselessly. David had one-upped her. She had never thought of this kind of tickle-torture before and it was a blow to her vanity to know that her own slave had thought of it before she had. She would be sure to use it on him at some later time, to be sure, but for now she was too busy enjoying the sensation of her own perfume being applied to her feet with a Q-tip. David wet the Q-tip again and trailed up her legs to her navel. He tickled her navel with gentle poking. "EEK! EEK!" squealed Madame Hortense. "YOU NAUGHTY BOY!" "Kindly address me as your master, slave," David admonished her. "Yes, master," Madame Hortense replied, her voice almost child-like. David kept poking her gently in the navel with the Q-tip, causing Madame Hortense to squeal with each poke. "I'm tired of your noise," he said, "you must be silenced!" He reached inside the night stand drawer, drew out the ball gag and placed it over Madame Hortense's mouth. "Now let's see how much you laugh, slave," he spat contemptuously. "Mmmph, mmmph," uttered Madame Hortense. David continued poking her navel amid his mistress's grunts through the gag. He traced a slow circle around her navel and trailed upward to her nipples. "Time for more perfume, and a fresh Q-tip," he said. "Mmmph! Mmmph! Mmmmmmmph!" cried Madame Hortense through the gag. David wet a fresh Q-tip. "I think I'll 'swab' the deck like a good sailor," he said, and he swirled the wet Q-tip around Madame Hortense's nipples. "Ooh la la, Madame, your perfume is exquisite," he teased in a French accent continuing his tickling of her nipples. He traced all around Madame Hortense's breasts amid her muffled laughter from behind the gag. He trailed the Q- tip under her armpits. Madame Hortense was beside herself with subdued laughter. She wanted to cut loose but the gag wouldn't let her. David made a trail up her shoulders and under her chin. Next to her feet, Madame Hortense's chin was the most ticklish spot on her body and he tickled her relentlessly. Madame Hortense squealed uncontrollably her teeth digging into the ball portion of the gag. David then re-moistened the Q-tip. "Women love to put perfume...behind the ears," he grinned. "MMMMPH! MMMMMPH! MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMPH!" she utter wildly. David applied the Q-tip behind Madame Hortense's ears. The gentle, wet sensation caused the lady to go absolutely wild. She grunted, groaned and bucked wildly as David tickled her ears. She desperately needed to laugh out loud. All of a sudden a look of desperation crossed her face, and David could sense panic in her eyes. "MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMPH! MMMMMMMMMMMMMPH!" she uttered, twitching like a corpse in its death throes. "No mas?" inquired David. "MMMMPH! MMMMPH! MMMMMPH! MMMMMMMPH!" she nodded wildly. David undid the scarves and ungagged her, whereupon all that pent-up laughter she had been storing came out full force. "HA HAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHA!" she laughed uncontrollably. She doubled over into a fetal position and continued laughing herself silly. "How are you feeling, Madame Hortense?" David taunted her. Madame Hortense couldn't stop laughing. Her sides, stomach and abdomen ached, tears were running down her cheeks, but she had to get all that laughter out of her system. David had really turned the tables on her this time. Not only had he tickle-tortured her, but by gagging her had also deprived her of the ability to laugh, thus adding insult to injury. Madame Hortense's laughter finally subsided and she felt like a human being again. David put his hand on her shoulder. "Don't touch me, you bastard!" she said icily and she wheeled from the fetal position onto her back, eyes glaring at David. David knew that look. The old Madame Hortense was BACK! Madame Hortense looked at her watch. "It is now past midnight," she announced. "Your day off has now officially ended. You are now once again my slave." "Yes, mistress," David said simply. Madame Hortense slowly smiled and shook her finger at him. "You are good! You are VERY good!" "I learned from the best," he replied. "Why thank you," she said and kissed his cheek. "Fetch the wine glasses, love, and a bottle of the best." David got two wine glasses from the wet bar and a bottle of chablis. "You may decant the wine now, slave," his mistress bade. "Are we celebrating something, Madame Hortense?" David inquired pouring the wine. "Yes," Madame Hortense replied, clicking glasses with him. "Here's to five more glorious years." They drank their toast, tossed their glasses aside and embraced. "Don't forget the dishes tomorrow, slave," Madame Hortense reminded him with a smile. "I want us to start off our new contract period off on the right foot." "Yes, mistress," David nodded stroking her right foot, "I'll see you in the morning," and he turned to go back to his dungeon quarters. "I don't recall dismissing you," called Madame Hortense. "You know better than to leave my presence without permission. Besides, you're sleeping here with ME tonight." [ to be continued ]