Voyage of Self Discovery

Copyright © February 2022 by CiaoSteve

CiaoSteve reserves the right to be identified as the author of this work. This story cannot be published, as a whole or in part, without the express agreement of the author other than the use of brief extracts as part of a story review.

This is a work of fiction. The events described here are imaginary; the settings and characters are fictitious and are not intended to represent specific places or living persons.

Author's Notes

Foreword #1: All sexually active characters in this story are over 18.

Foreword #2: This is a story and intended purely for pleasure.

Foreword #3: This is a twelfth chapter in the Voyage of Self Discovery series. Although there is a little recap at the start of the story, you may want to read the earlier parts to get up to speed with the journey so far. If you are au fait with the story to date, then do start from the second set of asterisks.

Foreword #4: This story was inspired from a suggestion from a fellow reader, Bablee, whose name I have used in the story but for no other purpose than having a name for a character.

Foreword #5: Please note that this tale is a mix of genres, from light BDSM to exhibitionist, to lesbian.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

It was my darling husband who bought me this notebook, leather bound with gold trimmings, as an homage to my fifty years. It was my darling husband who also suggested I put it to good use. He even bought the pen that I have been using to write my memoirs. Sometimes I have to pinch myself to remember that it is a real story and one in which I was the centre of all attention.

So now my love life is better than it's ever been--okay, now that I am a little over fifty it is more about the quality than the quantity, but it is still better than ever. In my time away, I learnt much about myself and even more about my relationship with my darling husband. I just felt compelled to record what have been the best years of my life.

My introduction to this new world, at the ripe young age of forty-something, had been tentative to say the least. It started with a stranger on the top deck of a cruise ship. As I watched his wife getting ravaged by another's cock, he sat unperturbed and pleasured me past the point of no return.

It was just the start and left many a question to be answered. One by one they were, but for each which was answered another took its place. The more I found out, the more I wanted to discover, and so it was that I set embarked on my own pleasure cruise.

"You can go as fast or as slow as you want, everything is in your hands... mouth... pussy... and ass!" were the words of my wonderful teacher.

Given such a fantastic opportunity, I was going to make the most of every moment, and there were many. The only question now was which of the fantastic encounters would make it into my journal.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

I thought massages were meant to be relaxing, leaving you stress free, ready to face the rest of the day. Mine? Well, an appointment with Anthony did get rid of a lot of stress, but I wouldn't go as far as to say it was relaxing... stimulating maybe... exhilarating definitely... satisfying... oh yes, it was satisfying alright.

Back in my cabin, I showered, refreshing myself from the exertions of the morning workout. I slipped into some new clothes, then settled down for a rest. No sooner had I placed my head on my pillow, than I was asleep.

"Huh... wh... what!" I blurted out, as my siesta was cruelly ended.

I wasn't sure how long I had slept for, but it was a banging on my door which woke me from my slumber. It wasn't a knock per se, but more like somebody wanting to bash the whole thing in. I jumped up, rapidly trying to smooth my clothes out as I went to see what the panic was. Imagine my surprise when I opened the door to see Melodee standing there, a huge smile on her face.

"Come on," Melodee urged. "We're gonna be late. Trust me Bablee, you don't want to miss it."

"What... where... Melodee... please explain," I stuttered.

"I will, on the way. Didn't you get my note?" Melodee replied.

I glanced down at the floor and there it was, a folded scrap of paper. I picked the note up and read the message.

'Come round to mine at two. I forgot to tell you about today's event. Melodee.'

"What time is it?" I asked.

"Close to three," came the reply. "Why else do you think I'm breaking your door down. Now you'd better get your ass down here... toot suite."

Melodee was already half way down the gangway by the time I had slipped some footwear on and began following her. An event? What was she talking about? I wasn't exactly dressed for any sort of event, was I?

I glanced at Melodee as she sped on ahead. She looked great in anything, and the black tube dress with matching stilettos suited her to the ground. I couldn't help but stare at my friend and mentor as she walked along. The heels gave a most shapely look to her legs, making her hips sway as she went, pulling the stretchy fabric taut across her pert ass. Yes, that was how to dress for an event.

I turned my attention back to myself. I'd gone for a more casual look, not expecting to be doing anything much this afternoon. It was the day before we set sail and was meant to be a time for rest and relaxation. Jeans and jumper had been my outfit of choice, with a pair of flats. Comfortable it might have been, but not exactly what I would have worn to an event.

Still though, I was confused. What did she mean by an event anyway, and why was it such a secret?

"What is it, Melodee?" I asked, a little perplexed as to why we were rushing so fast.

"Keep up," Melodee urged. "We'll be late."

"Late for what?"

"The ceremony. Didn't they tell you? Every cruise, before we set sail, we always get together for the ceremony. It's our way of welcoming the newbies to the crew, and to their life as a black shirt."

"No... no..." I responded.

"Oh, of course not. You didn't start off life as a black shirt," Melodee responded. "Trust me, you're gonna really enjoy it."

The note might have suggested it had lain there for an hour or so, but actually it had only just been pushed under the door. It was the best way. Take them by surprise before they have the time to think about what was about to happen. Don't give them the chance to get stressed about it. It was one of those things. If you told them about the ceremony in advance, they would never come, or if they did, they would be so wound up about it that they wouldn't perform anywhere near their best.

We made sure they all came in the end. It was tradition and, to date, there was never a newbie who didn't enjoy the ceremony, never a newbie who didn't find it a most satisfying experience, never a newbie who didn't cum... and cum hard.

"But... but... I'm not exactly a newbie, am I?" I continued to press.

"Not exactly, by the letter, but back then you had two shirts. Now you only have a black shirt, so in their eyes you're as new as they come."

Melodee paused for a moment, letting me catch up with her, then set off again.

"Nothing to worry about, you know. As I said, it's just tradition. Get the newbies together in a more relaxed environment. You get to meet each other... you get to meet the crew... and we get to meet you. Keep it personal, you know. Think of it as an opportunity to be the real you... a chance to perform... to impress... a chance to be initiated into the life of a black shirt," Melodee continued, then laughed.

"What, Melodee? What? Why are you laughing like that?" I asked.

"Oh, nothing," Melodee replied. "I was just remembering back to the last cruise, when I was in your shoes."

That was reassuring. I hadn't considered that Melodee would have gone through the same, only a matter of weeks ago. I trusted her, and she hadn't let me down yet. It was just. No matter how much I tried to smile through my concerns, her more surprising choice of words kept coming back into my mind.

Over and over, they churned; personal, perform, impress, initiation.

I wanted to feel confident about it all, but somewhere deep inside I was nervous. No, that was an understatement. From the way my pulse raced, I was more than nervous. I had to admit it, I was anxious.

"So, how many newbies are there?" I asked. "Surely I'm not the only one."

"No... no... there's Sandy also. She's a real newbie. Never been to sea before, you know. Now, come on. First impressions count, and you don't want yours to be of a black shirt who's late. That's not going to make a good impression, and this job is all about impressions," Melodee continued.

We'd made it as far as the top deck, and automatically I guessed we were heading for Swingers. I'd been there before. Out front it was a restaurant come bar, a place to meet, a place to be seen, a place to make plans. Swingers by name, swingers by nature. Oh yes, I had fond memories of Swingers, or more of a husband and wife I had met there, and the way he had fucked me hard, up against his cabin window.

Then there was the hidden side of Swingers. Behind the bar was the secret room, the one used by the black shirts themselves to pick which plans they wanted to turn from fantasy to reality. I was already striding off towards the bar when I heard Melodee call me back.

"And where do you think you're going?"

I stopped in my tracks. What did she mean? Where else would you hold a ceremony with the whole crew? By the time I turned towards Melodee, she was standing in front of one of the cabins on the top deck of the ship. I knew those even better than Swingers. The bar was where plans were made. The cabins were where plans came to life. That bit I knew, but what I couldn't get my head around was how you were going to fit the whole crew into one of those cabins.

"Come on," Melodee continued, opening the door to the cabin. "Need to get changed first."

Changed?

Into what?

Oh, yes, of course. I smiled. It was obvious, wasn't it? At least it was obvious to this middle-aged mother. Melodee must have prepared in advance, knowing we would need to change on the way. If this was an initiation for black shirts, then it made sense I wore the uniform. It made sense I wore my black shirt.

With a spring in my stride, I headed after Melodee.

I nearly made it inside, but the sound of a second door opening on the other side of the upper deck, grabbed my attention. Without thinking, I turned my head towards the noise. I couldn't help but stare as the occupant, a tall slim woman with long dark hair, walked out of a similar cabin. It wasn't the woman I was staring at; in my mind she wasn't a patch on my Melodee. What had grabbed my attention was her outfit.

Oh my god, what an outfit. A wet look black dress didn't even fully cover her body. A zip ran all the way down the front, the top half already undone. Oh yes, that dress struggled to cover too much flesh. I caught an eyeful of deep cleavage, and a glimpse of soft ass cheek. That was nothing though, compared to the boots. Equally shiny, equally wet look, they were the longest boots I had ever seen, coming all the way up to mid-thigh, with the sort of heels you would consider to be killer.

Whoever it was, seemed oblivious to my presence. She just kept walking, ever so slowly forwards. It was then that I noticed she was holding something. I gasped, only just managing to keep myself quiet, as I realised what it was. In her hand, this dominantly attired stranger held one end of a lead.

Seconds later, my gaze fell on what was attached to the other end, or more accurately... who. I only caught a glimpse, as Melodee took matters into her own hands and yanked me into our cabin. It was a fleeting glance of another young woman, a glance which had me thinking twice, not believing what I had seen.

The cabin door closed behind me, and I was alone with Melodee. I wanted answers. I needed answers. Why was she walking so slow? Why was she being led? Why was she naked? Why did she wear a blindfold?

Images flooded back of my last time in Melodee's cabin, and suddenly I wondered. Had Melodee planned it? Had she given me a dress rehearsal of what was to come, breaking me in gently, so to say? Surely not. Melodee wouldn't be so underhand, would she? Or maybe it wasn't being underhand, if you did it for all the right reasons?

"Was that her?" I asked. "Was that Sandy? Why was she naked? And who is she with? And why is she dressed like that? And what's going to--"

The adrenaline took over and I fired questions off like a machine gun, as my mind raced ahead of me. What was this about a ceremony, or had she called it an initiation, and did I really want to be there, to go through with it? It was one thing to get your kit off in private, but for the whole bar? How many were going to be there? What if there was someone I knew? The last question was a bit stupid, given that I'd already stripped off naked in front of three of the crew, been fucked by two if you counted Melodee and her strap-on, and still wondered about a third.

"Come, come," Melodee interrupted. "No time to worry about Sandy... and didn't they tell you it's bad luck to see the bride before the marriage."

"Marriage?" I asked.

"Oh, just a figure of speech. Now, we're going to have to be quick. We've not got long to get ready," Melodee continued, heading off towards a bag on the bed.

I glanced at Melodee, the newbie who had joined at the same time I did, who already had one cruise behind her as a black shirt, who I now considered to be my confidante and mentor on my own journey of self-discovery. I watched as she took long strides inside, her ass swaying seductively, her long blonde locks bouncing with every step. She was young. She was beautiful. She was understanding. She was such a good teacher. Was there any reason to doubt her? Then, why was my heart pounding so fast? Why was I feeling on edge, nerves making me tremble?

Then there was the other woman, no not the one bedecked in leather, but the naked redhead being led purposefully away. She too was young, by appearance even younger than Melodee. She too was beautiful. She too had the looks, but hers were so different. The fiery red hair, sharp cut, oozed desire, exuded passion, overflowed with excitement. Her figure was as sharp cut as her hairstyle; wide hips, slender shapely legs, a tiny waist, and perfectly formed little tits. What hit me most though was her size. Oh yes, Sandy was diminutive in stature, a tiny bottle filled with pure delight.

If this was a competition, a challenge to see which newbie had it all, I might as well quit now. There was no way I could match the naked beauty I had just watched being led out of that room.

I wanted to talk to Melodee, but already she was undressing. I watched as she removed her dress, then bra, and finally the tiny little thong which did nothing to cover her ass. It was just like that first time in her cabin, only back then it had been me stripping off in front of an already naked Melodee. Where I was still a touch on the hesitant side, Melodee was just so confident with or without her clothes on. Don't get me wrong I was much better than I used to be, but still it took a while to get going. Once started though, there really was nothing to stop me.

I stood there watching as, one leg at a time, Melodee pulled a pair of sheer black stockings on. This woman exuded sex appeal. I had a tingle in my loins as Melodee bent over, her shaven sex smiling back at me in a sort of 'are you happy to see me' way. Would it really matter if we stayed here, just the two of us? Would we really be missed that much?

"Give me a hand, and then we'll get you changed," Melodee suggested, rummaging in the bag on the bed.

Changed? Well, Melodee had come well prepared for getting changed.

I was all ready to call out that I hadn't brought anything to change into, when a large black garment came flying towards me. I didn't need to look at it, to know what it was. I'd seen Melodee, or was it Mistress Melodee, wear something similar before. That time it had been with long latex or even rubber stockings, but it was no less commanding than this outfit would be.

"Come on then," Melodee urged, "wrap it round from the back."

I held the corset out, letting Melodee slip her arms through the shoulder straps, then pulled it up towards her back. Melodee took care of the front, easing up the zip, and pulling the buckles securely across the front. I stood back, admiring my wannabee lover, thinking my work was done, when Melodee called out.

"Don't stop now," she commanded, her voice seeming to take on the same dominance that the corset exuded. "Time to do me up."

I looked at the corset. In my mind it was already hugging Melodee snuggly, following her every sexy curve. Did she really want it tighter? There was a cord running down the back of the garment, leaving an inch or two of bare flesh between the leather sides. It was the only fastening I could see, so I guessed it was she wanted. As Melodee took a deep breath, I started to pull, working firmly from top to bottom.

"More," Melodee commanded.

Well, who was I to disobey? I pulled as hard as I could, watching as the garment became tighter. I was all ready for Melodee to call out that it was too much, but she didn't. I tied the cord off and Melodee spun around to face me. The leather clung to my mentor like a second skin, making her already small waist even tinier, presenting her large breasts voluptuously up and out. As I watched, Melodee attached wide black straps from the bottom of her corset to the top of her stockings, two at the front and two at the back of each leg.

She was so very sexy.

"Your turn," Melodee announced, running her hands over my soft jumper.

"But... but... I've got nothing to..." I started to protest, my words trailing off as I thought about what I had just seen outside.

"Don't worry, I brought a little something for you too. Now, don't be shy," Melodee responded.

It had been a rhetorical protest. I already knew what I was expected to be wearing, and I didn't mind stripping off in front of Melodee, especially this more dominant Mistress Melodee.

"What's going to happen?" I asked, a concerned tone to my question.

I had already pulled my jumper over my head and tossed it to the floor. My jeans were soon to follow suit. I wasn't expecting an answer from Melodee, so when one came, or at least a part of one, I was both surprised and somewhat reassured.

"It's just a chance for everyone to get to know each other. They do it every cruise, or at least every time there are newbies. It sort of... well, you get to meet the team, they get to meet you, and we all get to know each other that much better. Don't worry, Bablee. I'll be there with you," Melodee started to explain, without ever really getting into any specifics about what was ahead of them.

I pulled my trousers over my ankles, removed my socks, and stood there wearing just my bra and panties.

"Those too," Melodee commanded.

For a moment I stood there.

"You'll be there, with me?" I asked.

"Of course," Melodee responded. "Every newbie is assigned a mentor; somebody to look after them. Usually, it's one of the black shirts who's been around the block a few times, but I thought you might want a more familiar face... oh, and yes, I just couldn't resist the chance for us to continue together."

As she spoke, Melodee took a step forward, reached around and released my bra. I gave a shake and it fell to the floor.

"Do you know how many wanted to be your mentor, Bablee?" Melodee asked.

Melodee took hold on my panties and started to ease them down my legs, as I contemplated a response.

"Well, my girl, you seem to have quite a following already," Melodee continued. "It took some great persuading to get my name to the top of the list. You don't know it, but inadvertently you played a huge part in making it happen."