The Widower

For having had no more than a few hours sleep, John felt the spring in his step as he walked out the door and headed to the courtyard, a flask of coffee and a croissant in his hands, Marie walking alongside him.

Marie hadn't said much last night, had just said that she would work with John over the next few days, guide him if he wanted it. At breakfast, he had caught a hint of respect from Vicki, something he hadn't had before, but they still hadn't spoken much.

Now, as they walked along, Marie asked him the question that was on her mind.

'So, what's your plan for today?'

John stopped walking. 'I still don't think we know what her true abilities are yet.' Marie nodded, so he carried on. 'I want to run her through some sprint training, running from point to point in ever decreasing intervals. She can do that, both with and without weights of some form.'

Marie nodded again. 'Go on....'

'Then I think she needs to work on some strength. I think sometime on the plough might be beneficial..'

Marie smiled. 'I think you've got a good plan for today.'

John felt there was something being left unasked. 'Go on....ask the question.. '

'Last night, where did that come from, John? It's not that long ago that you didn't even know what a pony girl was. Now you're going all in as a dominant...'

John paused. 'It felt like dam bursting. I've seen all the pictures and video Lesley left, I've been here now for days. Yesterday, as you whipped Luci, it was amazing. Seeing someone surrender themselves like that, and then, last night to have them surrender like that to me...'

'It's quite a feeling, isn't it,' replied Marie. 'You have got yourself quite a rarity in Luci. She really seems to be quite a masochist at heart.'

'I guess we'll find out if you have a sadist in you...'

-*-

When they rounded the corner into the courtyard, they could see that Luci had slumped down some more between last night and now. Her knees were bent, and her head was forward, hair hiding her face from view. As they got up to her, John could see the strain that this position was putting on her arms and shoulders, but she raised her head, at the sound of their boots on the ground.

'Good morning, Sir....' Luci sounded tired.

'Good morning....' He paused. Should he call her by her actual name? He came to a decision quickly. '....Pony.' The grin on her face showed he had made a good choice. 'I hope you're ready for a long, hard day?'

'I was thinking you'd let me have a nap and a good breakfast first...' Luci's grim hadn't faded.

John smiled. 'Well, I can at least do you breakfast, but unless you want to spend the rest of the day as you are, then I'm afraid you're going to have to do what I tell you to...'

He broke off a horn from the croissant, and held it up to Luci's mouth, so she could nibble at it.

'If you've got coffee in that flask, I'll do anything you want...'

John nodded, and started to undo the chains.