Following many trials of sheer physical tolerance to a full range of tortures on her body, Polly is finally prepared for the ultimate punishment by the disciples of the Marquis de Sade in his temple. And to be reunited - briefly - with her father.
*
Polly and her friends enjoyed the freedom of the island the next day. Lucy and Marina had found a mutual delight in each other. The Eurasian girl was the perfect slave and Lucy her perfect mistress.
At the appointed hour, Polly was escorted to the small temple in the grounds of the villa, overlooking the bay. The sea was a deep blue. The housekeeper had dressed Polly in a pair of silk panties and a series of gossamer silk robes and veils, until she resembled a bride. Her hair was combed down her back, a ringlet of flowers was placed over the veils covering her head. The housekeeper, dressed all in black, and a butler also in black, walked before and behind Polly down the paths to the door of the temple.
Waiting there on either side of the door, were two tall figures in black tunics and hoods. Each carried a long horse-whip, thongs turned back in a loop, fastened to the stock. They entered the temple at Polly's side, her head bowed, escorting her to an altar on the centre of the circular room. It was covered with several velvet cushions all in white. Beyond the altar, Polly saw a beam hung with heavy chains, suspended some two metres or so from the floor. It sent a chill of fear down her spine.
When she reached the altar, she was turned to face the door. Through the veils, Polly could detect the semi-circle of men. All had white hoods over their heads and wore short white tunics, belted round the waist. The two black-hooded men, looking like executioners, stood on either side of Polly, the stocks of their long horse whips resting on the marble floor.
Polly was shaking with nerves. Her throat was dry, her knees like jelly. The anticipation of excruciating pain from one hundred lashes filled her with a thrilling foreboding.
Polly recognised the voice of Cronos. 'Oh, mighty Marquis de Sade, we thy servants, thy disciples, pay homage to your teachings of pain and punishment. We praise thy name and offer this, our slave, as a sacrifice to glorify thy name and teachings.'
Another voice took over the incantation. 'This young white virgin will be subjected to one hundred lashes in thy name, oh great one. Give her the strength, oh mighty Sade, to endure the punishment, so that we may rejoice with her in her pain.'
Polly thought she head heard that voice before. It was muffled by the hood, but it stirred in her mind. But, just then, a drumming started. A rhythmic beating. Polly's nostrils twitched as the smell of an aromatic incense permeated the air. A musk-like odour, sensual and pleasant.
The disciples then moved in single file to Polly's left. The first removed her floral coronet. Polly could see the gleam of fervour in the eyes behind the hood. The second disciple removed the veil from her head, draped down her back. Then the veil covering her face was removed. She could now see clearly the mocking look in the eyes, a look of triumph, which met her own. Five more hooded figures removed a veil from her shoulders until she stood naked apart from the panties. Each face behind the mask showed diabolical cruelty in the gleaming eyes.
No one had tried to touch her body in any lewdness. She was treated with the utmost respect. But Polly was under no illusion about their intentions. The eight men returned to their original positions in a semi-circle facing her, four each side of the central aisle. Beneath their hoods, all admired the beauty of Polly's perfect figure.
'It is right that such female perfection should be sacrificed to the Marquis.'
'Strike the gong. Bring on the instruments of torture.'
A gong sounded. Then, through the door came the butler carrying a wide silver tray. Polly face blenched as she saw the array of instruments on the tray. A thin crop, a tawse, a multi-twigged birch, a paddle, a simple willow cane, long and thin, a leather strap, encrusted with fine gold studs, a triple willow, three half-metre long thongs bound into a plaited handle, and the strong stalk of a rose with vicious barbs.
The butler passed round the semi-circle as each disciple selected an instrument of punishment. Polly was turned to face the altar by the two hooded guards. They pushed her body over the altar, each fastening a wrist to a ring set into the side of it. Her ankles were manacled to metal rings set into the floor at the base of the altar. Her pale bottom was exposed to their sadistic pleasure, smooth hairless genitals, pink and defenceless. The delicate folds of her inner lips pushed through to show themselves timidly.
Eight pairs of lips were being licked at the thought of thrashing such innocence. Polly's nerves were stretched to breaking point. Perspiration stood out on her forehead. Her body tensed against whatever indignity and punishment was waiting. A hundred strokes! With those awesome instruments! It wasn't possible! Her body would break.
A deep gong sounded. A faint sing of the crop a split second before it reached her out-thrust buttocks. The barbs of pain cut cruelly into Polly's loins as she recoiled against the blow. The thin strip of leather bit into the silk of her panties for the second stroke. Polly tried to blot out the sensation of the sting exploding in her groin. She concentrated on the still reverberating sound of the gong. The fabric of her panties blunted the edge of the pang, though the insistent regularity of the slashes, aimed accurately across the cheeks of her buttocks, burned into her whole nervous system.
This was an experienced caner. The blows never fell on the same spot twice. That process would follow later. Grunts escaped Polly inevitably as the lashes tore at her buttocks, but she never cried out in pain. Then, to her great relief, Polly realised that the first ten strokes were finished. A sigh of relief escaped her. Even though the severity of the lashes had been restrained, the burning was spreading throughout her belly like a sea of pain. The reverberations of the gong died away.
'Praise be to the Marquis!' was shouted from behind her as eight voices rose together in worship of their idol.
The drum now started its rhythmic pattern of sound. Soft and menacing. After allowing her muscles to relax and recharge, Polly stiffened again. The next ten strokes would come any time. The wide tawse struck her a heavy blow across the back, jarring the breath from her lungs. Her waist, shoulders and upper thighs were beaten by the leather strap, its three thongs raising crimson weals over the pale flesh. The back and shoulders were bearable, but the pain from her fleshy thighs stabbed down her legs and into her groin.
Polly knew that the gusset of the silk panties would be darkened by the spreading stain of her secretions. The men would be aroused by the sight. But, so long as the panties remained covering her buttocks, she had some protection, however slight, from the harrowing blows. Polly concentrated her mind on her father, imagining it was he who was beating her. He would hold her tight afterwards. The fantasy raised her lustful response to the thrashing. Her first orgasm rattled through her blazing loins, giving some relief to the agony overwhelming her.
When she came back to reality, there was a pause in the punishment. Her breath was rasping in her throat, her body heaving.
'Praise be to the Marquis!' came the shout of worship.
There was silence. The heavy aroma of incense filled her nostrils. The gong reverberated softly. A side drum suddenly split the quietness. Loud and rousing. Polly tensed again. But she was unprepared for the barrage of lashes across her buttocks and thighs. It was the birch, cutting into her skin in quick successive lashes. Polly's mind went into orbit with excruciating anguish. Each lash sent bolts of pain shooting through her body.
She bit her lower lip to prevent her crying out. But her high-pitched moans and jerking limbs told their own story of suffering. The lashes stopped as abruptly as they started. Polly was swimming through a sea of red waves. Her whole body seemed to be swollen to several times its normal size. Her buttocks were numbed with a blazing ache. She had never experienced anything approaching this level of agony.
As her feeling returned in some slight measure, Polly became conscious of her rectum being stretched and entered. It could only be a penis, she thought. As her senses returned from the blanket of agony, the slow movement in and out, soothing away the scalding feeling, gave some solace. The indignity was of no consequence to her.
Relief was all she pleaded. Her breathing became regular again, matching the rhythm of the invader. Polly begged to herself for it to continue as long as possible. Some relief from the whipping, whatever it was, offered a little respite. The thrusting got more urgent, came to a climax. A flood of warmth inside her passage. The invader withdrew, leaving Polly rippling with her own minor orgasm, to a patter of applause vaguely in the recesses of her ears.
'Praise be to the Marquis!' came the shout.
How Polly survived the next punishment she would never know. All idea of time and place had deserted her. Wallowing in her bed of dull numbness, the paddle beat her flesh ruthlessly. She no longer counted the number of strokes. She no longer cared. Unconsciousness would be a welcome end to the punishment. But she remained acutely aware of her punishment, grunting as the paddle struck her raw flesh.
The shackles were released on her wrists and ankles. There was no longer any need for restraint since Polly was incapable of movement. She was turned onto her back, the skimpy panties, torn and shredded, dragged from her before she was gripped by the ankles and her legs lifted high and wide. This presented her inner thighs and genitals to the gaze of the assembly. Surely they'll not beat my tender secret folds, she thought. Polly watched in horror and disbelief as the long, thin willow cane slashed into her inner thighs. Excruciating pain racked her. Her scream could no longer be stifled. It was too horrific.