The blond dressed in deep burgundy spreading skirt and manteau. Her hair finely dressed and upswept to a tiara. Her earrings sparkling in the candle light, and a similar twinkle of reflected light from her tightly corseted bosom. Her companion wearing blue, a dazzling display of blue spreading skirt over a hooped undershirt with petticoats peeking out from just above the carpeted floor. Her blouse of the softest yellow chine de silk, buttoned tightly to her narrow swan like neck.

Warning these chapters describe the use of some drugs and chemicals that are harmful to humans and individuals. Please don’t read them if you are offended by this or if you would prefer not to.

This is the warning.

They are part of the story and a part of history, so I will not ignore them to satisfy some puritanical righteousness felt by some segments of our enlightened society.

As to what they are:

Laudanum was used in many countries during the period between the 1600’s until the 1910’s when it came to be governed in it’s manufacture and distribution as a narcotic. It is an opiate.

By the 18th century, the medicinal properties of opium and laudanum were well-known. Many physicians extolled the virtues of laudanum and recommended the drug for practically every ailment. Opium, and after 1820, morphine, was mixed with everything imaginable: mercury, hashish, cayenne pepper, ether, chloroform, belladonna, whiskey, wine and brandy.

As one researcher has noted: "To understand the popularity of a medicine that eased--even if only temporarily--coughing, diarrhea and pain, one only has to consider the living conditions at the time." In the 1850s, "cholera and dysentery regularly ripped through communities, its victims often dying from debilitating diarrhea," and dropsy, consumption, ague and rheumatism were all too common.

Cannabis Sativa or Marijuana and Hashish has been used since ancient times, for various purposes including religious, spiritual, medical, as well as recreational.

Many famous and enlightened people are said to have used Cannabis and it’s residue has been found in many ancient locales. As well as being mentioned in many and varied Historical documents.

Opium is a derivative of the opium poppy or Papaver somniferum. And again has been used for centuries by many cultures and societies for various purposes

This should not be in any way misconstrued as the Author endorsing their use or condoning it’s vilification.

Just say NO !

Thank you for your patience.

Here is another Warning for those of you who feel that you cannot read violence.

This chapter contains Violence. There is not an eyewitness account of this. But the depiction of it may have a detrimental effect on some, so if you feel that you cannot read this, without bad memories being conjured to the surface. Please don’t read this section. I included it because it has a direct connection with the story, as well as being a historical fact.

I was crying when I wrote it and again when I edited it. I’m sorry if some of you feel that you cannot read it, you will be missing out, it is very emotional and a part of the story that needed to be included.

If you wish to skip this disturbing part it is the very last section of this posting.

Lisele’s Love

Lisele let go of me and pulled herself back, I moaned at the loss of her lips and her warmth. I knew a loving look of desire and sadness came to my face because Lisele smiled and pulled me back into her arms. But didn’t kiss me, instead she just whispered in my hair.

“Milady we must get you dressed, for in your new boudoir you must present the most alluring picture of femininity, good manners and well bred ‘la haute couture’ as envisioned by Charles Frederick Worth. And soon you will be allowed to go on deck, doing the promenade, but only after the sun has gone down to begin with. We could not have this delicate pearly skin blistered by the harsh sun, now could we?”

I murmured. “No I would not like my skin blistered, Lisele.” Suddenly abashed that she had broken off our tenderest moment that we had shared so far. I could wish for far more of the passion that we had shared just a few moments before. Her lips and molten embrace still lingering.

I sighed as she moved over to the wardrobe and began pulling items out, draping them over my new bed. I didn’t pay much attention however, I was still lost in her last embrace. And consumed by the thoughts that I wouldn’t have the chance to express my love to her.

For I knew it now, beyond what we had said to each other was the fact of what we had not said to each other. And the looks that we had exchanged daily, were eating me away inside. The yearning and desire to have this person hold me and comfort me looked to be the only rewards in this existence. And now I was uncertain of that ever happening again. Oh how could I be more miserable than I was already?

Was I not allowed to love? Was I to be denied the compassion and understanding of a loving partner? Why? Why me?

I sat down heavily on the chaise, listless and depressed. I peered through heavy lidded eyes at her, wanting to …but no I had not the courage or fortitude to point blank, straight to the heart ask her such a thing.

Lisele turned sharply to look at me with slatted eyes. What had I spoken out loud unknowingly? Had something given me away?

She marched over and knelt in front of me, looked me right in the face and brought her palm up to caress my cheek. “Allyson, I know that I have been tough on you and unreasonable, that I haven’t shown you affection in the proper measure. I have to tell you once and for all why. Why I have been so standoffish to you and why I shy away from kissing your adorable face and hugging your body to mine.”

I stared at her with longing eyes filled with expectation and a desire to know.

“I want to give myself to you more than anything, But what stops me and what I’ve been hesitating to tell you is that I’m afraid I’m too manly for you to love. I know that you have told me that when you were dressed at home you wanted nothing more than to share your love with another girl dressed as well, find a lady who shares your love of the satin and silks of dresses, the snugness of a corset and the lovely image that you present. But as of right now I cannot do that, because I still have parts that don’t fit! I’m ugly and gross!” She was crying now, in despair and frustration, letting all of it out of her in one girly moment.

“I want to Allyson, I really do want to, and I do love you and we share the same desire to dress and present ourselves as the peak of femininity, but I cannot because… I’m not!’

I leaned down and hugged my crying friend, and spoke close to her ear, my face in her dark pined up hair. “But Lisele you are now and forever my best friend, You have taken the Doctor’s new formula haven’t you? You have a bosom now, that you didn’t have before, and you are going to continue to blossom as my girl, I know that you will.”

She sobbed and shook. “But my man’s part is not gone and yours is!”

“Oh you silly girl you, don’t you remember what the Doctor said? And not that long ago, that you may take a little longer to reach the point that I did so quickly, mainly because you started out as a man and I am young and started dressing younger than you and started taking the formula before I was really a man.”

“I know all that, but I’m still not where I want to be! To have a fine body and spirit of a young lady like you. And if I can’t change to someone like you th…then you’ll find someone else,…a man!” She wailed with fresh tears.
She was obviously too anxious and wound up for me to make sense to her. I loved her, but in the state that she is in I could not convince her so the next best thing was to calm her down.

I pulled her up and sat her next to me on the chaise, reached back to the hookah and placed it on the floor in front of me then grabbed a box from the table and opening it got a ball of hashish out and dropped it in the bowl of the pipe. Lucifers where were they, oh yes in the crystal bowl on the table, pulling one out and striking it on the side of of the bowl I handed her the hose making her take it. When she did I touched flame to the Hashish and she inhaled on the hose. I laid back against the rest and leaned her down into my arms hugging as tightly as I could and whispered to her. “Lisele my love, my friend, you and I are on this journey together, we need to trust in what the Doctor has told us, and you need to know that I wouldn’t leave you for anything especially not a man. I am yours and you are mine, when your change is complete you will see I will make beautiful love to you because you are the one I love …no one else just you. Do you understand what I’m telling you?”

She nodded in her drugged stupor.

“Do you trust me?”

She nodded again. “Good now we’ll lay here and be comfortable together until you can pull your self together, alrighty?”

She again nodded, but this time her head drifted to the side and she looked at me. “You love me? You won’t leave me?”

“No, no dearest Lisele how could I leave the one I love?”

The hose dropped from her grasp and she nuzzled into my bosom, and slept.

The First Dressing

Lisele came into the cabin after a small knock on the door. She has been inhabiting the smaller cabin that I was first lodged in just one door down the passageway, that being assigned to her and an improvement over where she had been sleeping in the much smaller officers quarters one deck lower in the ship. She usually dressed in there alone and then came to me when I needed her or in the mornings to help me dress.

Except last night when we both had slept wrapped in each others arms after her small episode of recrimination. She had gone early back to her cabin to change and clean up.

She moved over to the Wardrobe, opening the doors and looking in the drawers.

“First we’ll get you into your underclothes Allyson,” Lisele said, opening up a my topmost lingerie drawer. “Then we’ll get your hair and makeup done.”

I was starting to get somewhat excited about finally finding out what these clothes would look and feel like on my new body. Lisele handed me a pair of white satin bloomers, with six inches of lace, flouncing at the bottom of the legs. I noticed that they were crotchless.

“Why don’t these have a crotch Lisele?” I asked.

“You’ll understand once you’ve gotten the full rig on Allyson,” Lisele replied. She went on, “If you need to use the necessities you won’t have to completely undress, to do so. Now do you understand?”

I must have stared blankly at her for a moment and and she returned my stare with a look of concern that I didn’t get what she was trying to tell me. But then it dawned on me, and I giggled as she did too.

Smiling I put one leg at a time into the bloomers. They felt silky smooth against my legs. I pulled them up to my waist and then tied them up using a piece of cord that had been threaded through the waistband.

Lisele then handed me a white chemise in slippery soft satin, I pass it over my head and it nestles in place covering my budding breasts and rounder bottom and coming down to mid thigh. But the sleeves were off the shoulder. The top of the chemise just came up to the top of my breasts, so I was still showing ample cleavage.

Lisele pulled the next piece out of the drawer. It seemed to be a pair of panels of white, satin covered stiff fabric, connected with lots of lacing.

“What’s that?” I asked innocently, knowing full well what it was.

“Your corset.” she said, grinning ear to ear.

I sighed. “Why do I need to wear that?” taunting her.

Allyson responded pouting, “Now you know why… you need it in order to have the proper silhouette. Otherwise the dress won’t fit correctly or look right.” She thought for a second. “Don’t worry though. I got this one custom fit for the body shape the Doctor designed, so this will fit like a glove.”

“Alright,” I acquiesced. Sighing again.

She walked up to my front then put one panel behind my back and took it in her other hand. Making sure that the laces were in order she put the bottom nub of the busk into the matching ring, and then proceeded to fasten the corset up my front. It was a bit tight, but then again, she hadn’t even started tightening the laces yet.

“Alrighty, turn around Allyson Sophie,” he told me. (I was starting to get used to being called that I think, or perhaps it was just when she said it).

She turned me so that I couldn’t see my reflection in the mirror any more.
Lisele placed one hand at the small of my back and then grabbed the laces at the bottom of the corset. Then she pulled hard and I felt the corset tighten significantly. “You alright?” she asked.

I nodded. “Yip.”

She continued to tighten the corset laces from the bottom up and with each tug the corset hugged me tighter and tighter. It still felt fine. Finally she reached the middle of the corset and said, “Alrighty, now for the top.”

She placed her hand between my shoulder blades and then pulled the laces at the top of the corset. Suddenly the corset tightened quite a bit around my breasts, pushing them together and lifting them up. I gasped in surprise.

“Sorry Allyson, I probably should have warned you about that. You might start to feel like it is a bit tougher to breathe. Just take shorter, smaller breaths, and you’ll find you’ll be breathing higher up.”

“And then as you adjust to the corset, breathing will become easier.”

“All right Lisele,” I said. “You can continue.”

This time she tightened the laces downward toward the centre of the corset. The corset continued to get tighter and tighter. It was starting to get a bit difficult to breathe. She then went back to the bottom of the corset, tightened all the laces again from bottom to the middle, and then again from the top to the middle. Finally they were knotted and the loose ends wrapped around me.

“How’s that feel Allyson?” she asked. I placed my hand at my stomach and felt the rigid corset tied around me. I looked down at my chest. My breasts had been pushed up and squeezed so they now looked like large globes rising and falling with each breath I took.

I nodded. “It feels snug. It’s tight, but I can breathe.” I smiled a bit.

“It actually feels rather nice, like someone is constantly hugging me. What do you think Lisele?” I asked. As I did a slow turn.

She just smiled and said, “You look amazing.”

After grabbing a measuring tape and wrapping it around my waist. “19 inches, down from 22. We’ll need to adjust it again after we do your hair.”

“Really?” I asked.

“Yes, we need to get you down to 17 inches in order to fit your dress. It shouldn’t be a problem. I got that low when I was in the Mistress mode. Now if you could sit down we’ll get going on your hair.”

I sat down in the chair while she went to get a chair for herself. I noticed that the corset changed my posture while sitting. There was no way for me to slouch at all, with the corset keeping my torso very rigid. Lisele was back with her chair and sat down across from me with a big grin on her face.

“No wonder women get a reputation for taking forever to get ready for a evening out,” I joked.

She grabbed a brush and proceeded to brush my long blond hair.

“I actually grew it out that long for this,…special time,” I said.

“Really?” She replied, enjoying the small joke.

After brushing my hair out, she sectioned my hair up and clipped it. One section of hair fell to each side of my face. She stood behind me, grabbed some strands of hair from the back and began to braid it. After she finished she looped the braid to form something of a disk on top of my head. Then she pinned it down with several hairpins.

“What was that for?” I asked.

“That,” Lisele said, “was for this.” She opened a box and took out what appeared to be a very fine woven net, filled with hair. It was about as big as a large cantaloupe. Actually it seemed like it was about the size of my head.

“Wow. Thats pretty big,” I exclaimed.

“Yes it is. It’s called a rat. I’ll be using it to form as a base for your hair. The hairstyle you’re going to have has a...lot of volume.”

She then proceeded to attach the rat to the braided disk of hair. She then took sections of my hair, starting with the two clipped sections in front and pulled them up and sprayed the section with water and then stretched them over the rat, pinning them in the back. Then she followed suit with the rest of my hair that was hanging down my back.

I couldn’t actually see it, but I could imagine something like a watermelon shaped mass of hair sitting on top of my head. I could definitely feel the weight.

Lisele went back to her box of stuff and took out a coil of blond hair about a foot long and around an inch wide. She attached it to the front of my mass of hair, pinning it down. “These are hairpieces Allyson. I dyed them to match your hair, the Doctor told me what shade, so the colours would match perfectly.”

She took out three more hairpieces, all which appeared to be a mass of sausage curls, about a foot and a half long, mounted on hair combs. Two of them were attached to the sides of the gigantic bun on top of my head, with the other one being attached right at the back.

“And for the final touch...” Lisele said, reaching into the box. “A tiara!”

At this she took out a fairly large tiara and then placed it on my head, resting on top of the hairpiece that she had attached it to the front of the bun.

“Ooohh, that looks even better than I’d hoped,” grinning ear to ear.

“What, am I going to be a… princess?” I asked.

“Something like that,” he slyly replied.

Well, if I wasn’t already suspecting that whatever I was going to be was pretty girly gurl, that pretty much settled it. I shook my head gently side to side, getting a feeling for the mass of hair on top of my head. It was fairly heavy, but I figured I’d be able to deal with it. The sausage curls gently swayed side to side as well.

“So do I get to see?” I asked.

Lisele replied, “Not yet. I want you to see the whole look at once.”

I nodded. “Alrighty then.” Feeling strange but contented to wait until she was all done.

Makeup

Lisle brought over a makeup bag from the vanity. “Now were going to work on your face.”

“Now please, My Darling Mistress stay still.” I looked into her eyes and saw those blue orbs shining, just glowing back at me. Pools of shadow and light sucked me in and swallowed me. It felt so nice to be with Lisele now. So natural, feminine and soft warm and glowing.

Now I was about to experience something I never have before. Having someone who really cared about me do my makeup Getting dressed up under my mothers gaze had been defined as ‘children don’t wear makeup’.

Lisele explained what she was doing while she was doing it. “First we have to put some moisturiser on your skin.” She spread some cream all over my forehead, cheeks, nose. “Then we need to put on some foundation.” She spread some foundation over my nose, cheeks and my forehead over the eyes. She took a powder brush and lightly powdered my face.

“How you holding up Allyson?” Lisele asked me.

“All right I guess,” I replied. “Feels kinda cool actually. I like getting pampered.”

We both chuckled at that.

“Alright Allyson, now we need to work on your eyebrows.” Lisele said. First she combed my eyebrows and seeing a few that spoiled the line she proceeded to pull them out. With me yipping at each pull. She then brushed some makeup on them.

“Now we need to put some blush on.” Lisele put some blush on her fingers and then lightly swept them along my cheeks. “Allyson, I need you to close your eyes.”

I closed my eyes, and she proceeded to put some sort of makeup on my eyelid. She stopped for a second and then painted some more under my eyebrows. She continued to brush at my eyelids.

“Open your eyes now. Alrighty, this is going to feel weird, but I’m going to put some eyeliner around your eyes. Don’t jump or move suddenly!” she said. I settled myself down and she gently painted around my eyes.

“Now I’m going to apply the mascara. This goes on your eyelashes,” she said. I nodded in understanding.

It was a bit strange feeling, but I made it through as she applied the mascara to me.

“And finally, lipstick!” Lisele said with a smile. “You’re such a good sport for your first time Allyson.”

I smiled bashfully and she began to paint my lips with what looked to be a very deep dark red colour.

“And done!” Lisele exclaimed.

“Thank you!” I replied.

Lisele looked at me and said, “Now Allyson, we’d better start getting you into the rest of your clothes, but first I need to tighten your corset again,” Lisele soothed.

I stood up, asking, “Is it even possible to tighten it further?”

She nodded. “Your body will have adjusted to it, so now it can be tightened further.”

She got behind me, making sure I couldn’t get a look at myself in the mirror. Lisele untied the laces and then began to re-tighten them again, first from the bottom of the corset up to the middle, then from the top back down to the middle. She had to tug a bit harder, which caused me to try to resist getting moved around. The corset felt quite a bit tighter, and I definitely couldn’t breathe like I normally could, instead taking short shallow breaths from my chest. Even without a mirror I could tell I had a very full, and very heaving bosom. With each breath out my breasts sank into my corset, but with each breath in, they swelled and almost appeared like they would burst out of my corset. At Lisele’s direction I sat back in the chair.

She reached into her box of stuff again. “Now I need you to wear this blindfold,” she said. “We can’t have you seeing what you’re going to be wearing until the end. We’ll have to be careful though not to smudge your makeup.”

She stood behind me and then gently placed the blindfold over my eyes. It was lined with fur and very soft but I could see nothing, everything went dark.
I heard her go behind the divider and mess around with something. She walked back, dropped something on the floor a short distance from me and then said, “Alrighty then, now we have to put your shoes on Allyson. These have a bit of a heel, but only two inches.”

I put my feet out and felt her put the shoes on my feet. They actually felt more like small boots, and it took a few minutes for Lisele to button them up.
“Now stand up, I’ll help you,” Lisele said.

I stood up, a bit unsteady since I couldn’t see. Lisele guided me over to where she had dropped whatever she had dropped. And said, “Alrighty, right there.”

Then I heard her bend over and felt her pull something up over my waist.
I felt her tie something off and then she let go. It felt like something was hanging off of my waist, supported by the corset. It didn’t feel too heavy though.

Lisele said, walking back over to the screen. I heard her mess around with something. It rustled. A lot. She brought it back over and said, “Now Milady, put your hands straight up...now carefully over your head...watch.out..yup, that does it.”

I felt her put something large, made from some stiff fabric over my head carefully pulling it down so as not to mess my hair or pull the blindfold off. Lisele tried to smooth it out but I noticed that it didn’t rest against my legs. I could feel her tugging at it though, which came through to my waist.
“Allyson, can you just do one small hop for me?”

I hopped, and hear a big flooph sound. “Alright, that worked,” Lisele said. She then tied it off behind my back like she had before. She walked back over to the screen, grabbed something else and said, “Alrighty, we’ll need to repeat that.” I raised my arms, and Lisele settled whatever it was over me. Again it seemed to be supported by whatever Lisele tied around my waist initially.

Lisele adjusted it, again tugging at my waist. Finally she said, “That does it.” She fastened whatever it was with some hook behind my back. Walking back over again to the screen I could hear her move. Lisele said, “Almost done Allyson!”

Wonderful. The anticipation was starting to kill me.

Lisele came back over and said, “Now put your arms straight out.”

I did so, and she put something over first one arm, then the other. Then she walked behind me. I felt some pressure behind me, as if she had to walk into whatever was sitting on my waist. Then Lisele guided my arms completely through, and wrapped it around to my back. “Allyson you can put your arms down now,” She said. “But put your hands on your waist.”

I did so, and felt her begin to tie up, whatever she had just put on, up my back. This took a few moments. In the meantime I noticed that whatever she had just put on didn’t cover my breasts. It came up a bit higher than my chemise and the corset, but not much higher.

“Alrighty, now for the jewelry,” Lisele said. I felt her attach some earrings onto my ears. They weren’t heavy but definitely weren’t studs. They seemed to hang down a bit.

I felt her put something around my neck, that hung down toward my chest, and then secure it behind my neck.

“And one last thing, then were done!” Lisele exclaimed.

My breathing was becoming a bit laboured, I was that excited. “You look gorgeous Allyson,” Lisele whispered into my ears. I just grinned.

Lisele once again went into her box and said, “Now I have some gloves for you Allyson. Put your arms out.”

It took a bit of work, but she managed to get the gloves on my hands and arms. They felt exquisite going onto my slender arms. They seemed to be pretty long though, going up past my elbows. I felt Lisele put something around my right wrist and then put something into my hand. “Hold this,” she said.

“Now just turn a bit, like so,” Lisele said, guiding me slightly. As I turned I felt like I had a fairly large weight anchored to my waist, but it didn’t feel uncomfortable. “Now close your eyes, Allyson,” She said.

I did so, and felt her take the blindfold off.

“Now open your eyes and see your new dress and life!” Lisele said gleefully.
I opened my eyes.

My heart skipped a beat...then started pounding. My chest began to heave as I tried to breathe.

“Oh My God,” I gasped.

Presenting Allyson in the mirror

Lisele was right. I was gorgeous..

Under Lisele’s skilled hands I had been transformed into a American Southern Belle. I looked like I had jumped out of an antebellum plantation. I automatically tried to speak in a sweet southern accent, that was a dismal failure as the British tongue cannot wrap itself around the accent of the American south very well. I had at least the gown to play the part.

The bodice of the gown was made from a dark red brocade, in an off the shoulder style. It had just small puffed sleeves, supported by black lace, which also went around the top of the bodice. The bodice was very low cut, and definitely displayed my now-heaving bosom. The bodice tightly conformed to my body, narrowing down to my tiny waist (Ooohh My) and ending at a point. Then the gown suddenly expanded into an immense bell shaped ball gown skirt that surrounded me. It was about five feet across and also made of the dark red brocade and had two flounces of black lace trimming the bottom portions of the skirt.

My arms were covered in black satin gloves, and I held in one hand a black lace fan that was attached to my wrist with some red ribbon. I rested my hands on the gown skirt. The skirt supported my hands with just a slight bit of indentation. I walked toward the mirror, my gown swaying just slightly side to side as I walked. With my feet not showing, it looked like I was gliding elegantly on air.

I stopped a few feet short of the mirror, not wanting to bunch up the front of my gown. I took a closer look at my face and hair. My flawless white complexion contrasted nicely with the mass of blond curls piled atop of my head. My cheeks were lightly coloured pink, just giving a hint of colour, while my eyes with smoky eyeshadow looked like deep dark pools. The deep red of my lips matched the colour of the gown.

Dangling from my ears were two ruby drop earrings, and around my neck a beautiful ruby necklace.

“So what do you think?” Lisele asked. “Do you think that you can do this?
I turned around, making my gown twirl and sway. The gown made a lovely rustle as I turned.

I approached her, placing my hand in hers and said, even with my British imitation of a southern accent, “Why, I look beautiful, and yes I can do this to my own and everyone’s satisfaction.” I looked over to Lisele who was grinning from ear to ear. I then grinned to match her and said as I looked in the mirror. “Thank you.”

I turned back to Lisele and she gently took my hand and gently kissed it on the back. My heart was pounding so hard, and my laboured breathing made me nearly feel like I would faint, but at the same time sultry and sensual. “You are beautiful Allyson,” Lisele said looking deep into my eyes.

I placed my other hand to my breast and knelt into a deep curtsey. “Thank you, kind sir,” I replied. Then I stood back up, grinning widely. Never in my life had I felt this feminine, but I definitely felt like and looked like a beautiful young Lady.

“I’d always wanted to get dressed up as a real southern belle,” Lisele said.

“I saved up a lot of money to get that costume made, and although I’m not wearing it, I’m so glad to see you wearing it for me.”

“I admit, if I knew what it was going to be before hand, I might not have wanted to. But I feel so good wearing it. I feel pretty and alluring.” I turned again to the mirror, just taking in the visage. I gently touched my stomach, felt my waist, amazed how tight and secure it felt to be in the gown.

Feeling Dressed

I was starting to feel a bit warm, so I flipped open my fan and tried to cool myself off. “I feel as if we’ve jumped out of 1870 and back to the Antebellum South,” I said smiling.

Lisele reached over and took my gloved left hand and squeezed it slightly. “I’m so glad you’re enjoying this Allyson.” Then she gave me a knowing wink and a small kiss on the cheek.

Lisele put her hand around my tiny waist. I looked at her and said, “This is going to be a perfect adventure, I can feel it.”

I recovered quickly and began to enjoy the sensations that these silky and lacy garments were providing for me. The swish of the nets and the tightness of the corset, but it was a snugness now, no longer tight …good my body is adjusting quickly and I was falling in love with the sensations and feelings that this new body was able to arouse in me. Just like it had affected me in the past at home with mother and my auntie. Only now I was feeling completely womanish and my breasts only added to this emotion.

This was my life long dream: to be pampered to dress and act just like a lady of means, a life of satins and laces - ribbons and bows, silk dresses and corsets, luxury and leisure (and of course the attentions of a caring person I loved, Lisele. To be desired and encouraged into submissive sexual liaisons. Oh lord not that. I giggled.)

Even though I had never had any sexual experience, so this was especially exciting and frightening at the same time.

Lisele of course did not know any of this. I had never told anyone before not even my mother who had begun dressing me in silks and satins, I had never admitted it to her, but I think on reflection that she must have known I had enjoyed it or I would have put up more of a fuss.

For I do love to dress in the finer Ladies Lingerie to be encased in the tightness and forming of a satin corset with stockings and petticoats, a satin camisole and blouse is heaven. And now that I was again getting the opportunity to do the one thing I love, I was not going to fail and I was going to make myself the best Mistress of the Wardrobe ever.

I only gaped at her as she was now wearing a pair of yellow pantaloons of her own. Like mine, they went all the way down to the bottom of her ankles, which were ringed by three layers of lace ruffles. On me anyway, they looked cute. Giggle.

I was struck by how feminine the outline of my body suddenly was; my waist was tucked in to where it appeared to be narrower than my hips, and with my new breasts...I momentarily paused to stare down at myself.

“Come on,” Lisele said. I turned around. She had now put on her petticoat. I counted six hoops of gradually increasing circumference that, indeed, must have measured at least five feet across down around her ankles.

I was aware of the persistent rustling that all of this taffeta made as we moved. Lisele smiled gently at me. “You’re going to love the way you look in all the rest of the things in your wardrobe, sweetie,” She said, and I realised that she meant it. She had both hands underneath the dress now and was rubbing down there vigorously.

I felt the silky material tightening around my midsection. I gingerly reached down and pushed at one of the hoops; it gave slightly, but the entire skirt moved. I then looked at my shoulders, at the puffy little sleeves, a pretty, perfect Burgundy bow hanging from each one, and at the larger bow between the pair of small breasts on my chest, except I no longer looked as thought I had, a pair of socks strapped to my chest. I looked as though I had breasts, because I really did! I had breasts especially with my freshly transformed chest and arms the corset and the pulling and tugging …oh and all my hair oh yes… I remembered the list of things the Doctors Formula could accomplish.

First trip topside

My introspection lasted but a moment. Lisele is beside me, we are both looking in the mirror. The reflection tells a true story, two very beautiful ladies dressed in the finest clothing and adorned with jewels stare back and wait patiently. I’m seriously aroused by what my eyes behold.

The blond dressed in deep burgundy spreading skirt and manteau. Her hair finely dressed and upswept to a tiara. Her earrings sparkling in the candle light, and a similar twinkle of reflected light from her tightly corseted bosom. Her companion wearing blue, a dazzling display of blue spreading skirt over a hooped undershirt with petticoats peeking out from just above the carpeted floor. Her blouse of the softest yellow chine de silk, buttoned tightly to her narrow swan like neck. The face of love above that neck was radiant and glowing, cheeks ablaze with colour and eyes a flashing blue, her hair shining and dark as the night is also swept up and pinned to stay in place, a small cap set at a jaunty angle perches atop her head with a net cascading down to just below her pixy nose.

God could not have created two more heavenly creatures. We were absolutely stunning as we stared and absorbed the sight of us both.

Lisele spoke to my everlasting chagrin breaking my adoration of our reflection.

‘M’lady shall we have a turn upon the deck to breathe some refreshing sea air?”

I replied with a nod of my head, too taken by admiration of her to trust my voice. We advance to the door which she opened with a flourish, allowing me to precede her down the passageway after turning sideways to get through the door, to exit up a set of stairs to the upper gundeck the lowest exposed deck. We both held our skirts up when climbing the stairs to prevent our tripping on our own skirts.

Eight bells of the last dog watch was sounding as we made our way to the deck, darkness split only by the lamps adorning the gunwales was the only illumination. But it was enough, it seemed to me that everything was lighted up very brightly. I turned my gaze up to the heavens first, as this was my first time out on deck in many days. A clear cloudless sky greeted me the moon was high overhead and glowing a marvellous crescent casting shadows combined with the many stars which shown brightly like diamonds cast into the sky.

So much light was thrown by these two features that shadows were cast of us both as we walked to the stairs leading to the Quarterdeck. Again we gathered our skirts and stepped lightly up the stairs to the intense gaze of the Officer of the deck and his cohorts, busy sailing this ship on a speckled sea of white phosphorus wave caps, foaming beneath the stars.

A bellowed “look alive there” seemed to break my reverie and I glanced toward it’s source. There looking majestic in a dark uniform jacket and white duck trousers was the Purser, Mr. Harris. He stepped toward us and tipped his cocked hat, saying. “Evening Lady Allyson, Lisele. A fine night for a stroll above decks, I’m very glad you could come up during my watch.”

To which we replied in unison as though rehearsed. “Good evening Mr. Harris.” I tore my eyes from him and looked forward to the deck we had just vacated, noting the looks of the seamen stopped in their work. I blushed and looked down.

Lisele said to him, “This is M’ladies first trip upon the deck, Mr. Harris could we impose on you to show us around and make sure we don’t take a misstep anywhere?” Oh that was very coy of you Lisele.

The Purser grinned in the reflected light and sauntered over closer to us. Motioning us both to move over to the railing. When we had he joined us and looked around conspiratorially, then spoke in a low voice. “Allyson, Lisele I’m very glad that you could come on deck during my watch, we can have a quiet talk.”

“Mr. Harris what has happened?” I had spoken quietly and glanced around to see that no one was near.

“Lisele, you know about Blythe do you not?” seeing her nod in the semi-darkness he went on. “Well the Captain is set to give him 30 tomorrow.”

I started. "Thirty what?”

Lisele whispered. “Lashes, Milady thirty lashes of the cat.” She turned to the Purser and asked, “What has he done to deserve this harsh treatment Mr. Harris, Blythe couldn’t give offence, he hasn’t the brains or wherewithal to be able to offend anyone.”

“First Officer Brandt put him up on charges for silent insubordination of authority, and you know that just about anyone who doesn’t speak and remains dumb can be said to be silently insubordinate.” He looked at me and said by way of explanation, “It’s the services ‘catch all’ charge, anyone who remains silent when asked something can be charged with it and punished by it. If they speak to defend themselves they can be charged with a higher offence, if they remain silent to avoid a higher charge, then they are charged with this silent insubordination. Lisele can explain more to you later Milady.”

Lisele then said exasperatingly, “What did Blythe do?”

“Nothing that’s just it, Brandt was in a foul mood this afternoon and passed by Blythe, who failed to knuckle his forehead quick enough, but this happened on the gundeck in view of the Captain and Brandt in his foulness lost control of himself.”

“I knew that one day Blythe would run afoul of someone, it was just a matter of time. I’m just sorry it had to be now and with Brandt no less. Mr. Harris is there any way you could…no that would not do, you would only transfer Brandt’s anger onto yourself. Is there nought we can do for him?”

“I’m afraid there is little we can do at this point, it’s scheduled for four bells in the forenoon watch, 10 o’clock.”

I looked at them in confusion and fear. Lisele saw this and simply said "Later I’ll tell you later.”

Looking back at Mr. Harris she said, “Where is he now?”

“Up on the fo’castle looking at the stars where he always seems to be at this time of night.”

“Alrighty, we will go and see what he can tell us.” Turning to move forward she motioned me to her side and muttered. “This is bad, very bad.”

I followed Lisele to the fo’castle, waving my fan furiously and fretting what all this meant. Worried suddenly for someone I had never laid eyes on before. Thirty lashes, how barbaric and cruel.

Blythe

When we had climbed the stairs to the fo’castle, I looked around me, the guns were in place and ropes coiled neatly, there standing beside the port side rail was a slight figure of a man.

As we drew closer I noticed him gazing intently up at the twinkling myriad stars above. He was dressed in a shoddy fashion of torn breeches and shirt, with no shoes on his feet, dirty and smelling of sweat and tar. He looked as if he had not bathed in a decade.

Our heels made the requisite clicking on the deck, so had warned him that someone approached, he turned to look and immediately bowed his head, at the sight of two young ladies advancing on him.

Lisele spoke softly to him. “Mr. Blythe, what is amiss now, do you not know that you must give proper respect when an officer passes you?”

He just stared dumbly at what must have been a wondrous sight of two ladies who deaned speak to him.

Lisle carried on, “Mr Blythe this is Mistress Allyson Sophie, and we would like you to tell us what is all this about?”

Blythe’s face beamed in stupid pleasure at seeing us. I knew then that he was addled and touched in the head, which explained quite a lot, all at once to me.

Slowly with infinite shyness and halting speech he told us of the incident. His words were incoherent at times but he finally finished his tale of woe and oppression. I will not even try to replicate what he spoke for it was so filled with slang and heavy with accent I’m not sure that I could do it.

The gist of what he had spoken is the same as Mr. Harris’ tale, he was just too slow to give proper respect this time, and Brandt had needed to prove his worth in front of the Captain, in true lackey style, the end result was the administration of thirty lashes tomorrow at four bells of the morning watch.
When he had finished with his telling of the events, I felt an overwhelming pity for him and the state that he was in. I stepped forward and placed my gloved hand to his unshaven cheek and spoke in the softest voice I could muster to this pitiful man. “Mr. Blythe, you will endeavour to persevere through this pain and torture that you face tomorrow. I hope and pray that you will come though this with a full spirit and God’s grace.”

His eyes shone at me like the stars he had been looking at just a few minutes ago, and stuttered, “aye, M’liddy I shan’t uttera peep, no geve ‘em enny satees’facion at’ll.”

I smiled at his declaration and leaned forward and kissed his forehead. Then turned away as I knew I should, because the tears were coming now and I didn’t want him to see any sadness. I pulled my kerchief from my glove and sniffed, too loudly perhaps but this poor creature didn’t deserve anything that life had visited upon him.

Lisele had seen, as I walked away that Blythe had indeed seen my tears, and said nothing more to him, just patted him on the back and swished over to my side to assist me at the stairs. She put an arm around me and pulled me close as we descended the stairs to the gundeck once again, walking slowly back to my cabin along the passageway.

Once the door was closed behind us I let loose with a cry of anguish and pain, not for me but for that poor man and his fate on the morrow. Lisele held me close and shushed me like a mother should. Like any mother would, except mine who had never held me nor comforted me as Lisele was doing now.

When I had calmed down somewhat, she slowly removed my clothing and dressed me for bed, in a nice soft silk bed set of pale green satin. Not saying a word. I was numbly moved over to my luxurious bed and the covers pulled back and I climbed in and looked up at her with a piteous face.

I was still in a bit of shock at the inequities of life aboard this ship, and depressed by them at the same time.

“Will you stay with me tonight Lisele? I don’t want to be alone, and we could find comfort in each others arms nestled in this wonderful bed.”

She nodded and silently went to remove her clothing behind the screen, when she once again stood at the side of the bed and looked down on me, she wore a dark blue silk nightdress, with ribbons and lace adoring the neckline, but a very sad face was perched above.

She climbed in with me and wrapped her arms around me, silently assuaging my fears and anxiety, until sleep found us and we drifted off to the soothing numbness of slumber.

The Lashing

The morning came dull and sullen. The light filtering into my new cabin was muted and heavy.

Lisele and I were still abed, wrapped up close and warm snugged down in amongst the satin and silks and surrounded by softness. I adored my surroundings more today than yesterday but there was still an oppressive feel to the air.

This day did not bode well, I recalled what was to happen today, very shortly too. I felt slightly depressed and anxious for Blythe.Whom I had only met the evening before. Was this rational, or was I taking too much upon myself? I knew not, but to be whipped like a dog in the streets was unjust and barbaric. My thoughts turned to Brandt, the First Officer who had really manufactured this situation wholly to appear well in the eyes of the Captain. He was very obviously an evil spiteful man. And Captain Joshua Long, allowed these proceedings for what purpose, to appear as the major authority figure on this ship, surely there were other, better ways to assert one’s authority over a body of men? These events just steeled my resolve to thwart these two so called masters of the ship. But how? How could I have such influence over them? How could I make a difference?

Lisele stirred beside me, and I put my arms once more around her, looking to my right where she lay. I looked into her opening blue eyes and felt nothing but love for her, deep and abiding love for this lovely person sharing my new adventures.

She yawned and I took the opportunity to lean in and kiss her lips tenderly when her mouth closed. Moving her arms to embrace me more closely, I smiled at her and said, “Not to break this wonderful mood or lovely vision I see before me, but what are we to do about this abomination that will happen in a few hours?”

“I’m sorry M’Lady, I really am, but there is nothing we can do.”

“That is unacceptable Lisele, we have to do something we have to stop those proceedings.”

“Allyson, a ship has to be governed by rules and when those rules are broken there must be a punishment, there has to be law and order, otherwise you are just talking about anarchy and chaos. True the Captain and the First Officer are tyrants, small petty officials who have blown their worth and power out of all proportion. But what you speak of is mutiny, which is punishable by death. Perhaps I’ve been governed by these rules too long, but I have to abide by them otherwise there is no order to things and people are hurt and even killed. You may not remember the Nore mutiny, but it was beaten into my head when I was but a lowly midshipman. Many died for these same reasons that you now state as the cause of the injustice, and when it was put down ruthlessly there were more punishments and hangings.”

“No, there is a better way and we will find it, we just have to apply some reasoning and logic to it.”

I was not mollified, nor would I give up. This ship was now my home and the crew was family. There had to be something that we could do.

Lisele got up and stretched, yawning again. “You stay there while I get dressed and get us some food, then we’ll get you dressed and suitably fixed up for the day.”

I nodded still immersed in thoughts of what could be done.

A short time later when Lisele had returned and we had eaten our breakfast meal. And I had gotten dressed with Lisele’s help and guidance. We were practising walking in our heels and maintaining a correct posture while doing so. When a sudden thumping of feet on deck heralded the horrible event that was to take place topside.

I moved over to the chaise, seated myself demurely and motioned for Lisele to join me. We looked apprehensively at each other, and dreaded the coming moments. There was a drum roll and some murmuring could be heard then silence reigned over the ship I didn’t hear anything until the whip smack of the cat, when I jumped in my skin, and cringed closer to my love. This was followed again and again by the same whip smack, repeating forever it seemed. I covered my ears with my hands, but the sound still penetrated my coverings. Tears began to fall from my eyes and Lisele held me tightly and talked nothings to my covered ears. But this didn’t soothe my ruffled senses. Bawling my eyes out now, I could just picture the scene and tried very hard to block it out from my mind’s eye. But that was an impossibility, with that constant whip smack sounding still.

Finally there was silence again no more of that dreadful sound or that terrible drum roll that had continued all through the lashing of that poor dumb creature, Blythe.

I was very upset and still crying and trembling, even though I knew it was over, I could still hear in my head that horrific sound whip smacking repeatedly. Lisele reached back while still holding me to retrieve the hookah, dropped a ball of hashish into it and handed me a hose stem. She struck a lucifer and I sucked in the smoke gratefully, wanting and needing the oblivion of it’s effects. I kept that up until I could draw no more and then lay back with my eyes closed, Lisele soothing my shattered nerves and tried to restore some semblance of sanity.

Some time later we were still in the same position on the chaise when there was a scratching at the door. Lisele got up and went to see who was there, showing the Purser over and asking him to sit next to me. He did so, and began speaking softly to me, reassuring that everything was going to be fine.

When he deemed me calm enough he said. “I know that you are aware of what has just transpired on deck and I have a message for you. When Blythe was tied to the grating, he called me over to him before the master at arms began. He said ‘Tell the Mistress that for her own sake, I will make no cry of pain, for she kissed me and that is all anyone really needs, a beautiful woman who cares’ .“

I shook with tears again and bowed myself into a ball on the cushion almost falling to the floor. How could that little man take that beating and not cry out?

Mr. Harris stroked my sides and back and continued, tears in his eyes as well as rolling down his cheeks. “From the first to the last he uttered not a sound, the cat’o nine cut him very badly, but he remained silent. The Captain and Brandt were furious that they had been denied the pleasure of his torment by his silence. They left in a huff. When Blythe was cut down he still didn’t cry out, his mates and really the whole crew were astonished at this. The Doctor is now looking after him in the dispensary. But somehow word has gotten around the ship of what you said and did to him last night and his words were overheard today when he spoke to me. And there is amazement and gratitude aboard this ship now. You did very well Milady.”

“Not I,…Blythe endured the lashing and the pain. I did nothing… I could do nothing!” I blubbered between racking sobs.

“No Allyson, you gave him the will and the faith to withstand the pain. You did that, no one else could have done it”

My loved ones fell on to me hugging me and each other and we all cried, for a long while.

To be continued…

Good, Bad or Ugly I would like to hear your thoughts and feelings about this story.

I’ve been writing this for the past few years and editing it now for posting here on BCTS, so my opinion is slightly biased. I’ve enjoyed its creation and metamorphosis into what you are reading here.

But I really need some feedback as to what others think of it and whether it is enjoyable to read or just a chore for you, the readers.

I’ve become very thick skinned over the years so you will not shock me or make me angry. But I do need to hear from you. Even those of you who are guests can leave a comment. It’s allowed here!

Please leave a comment. I’ll even add a pretty please with sugar on top.

Danielle