Royal Flush

****** Please Read This First *******

I know, I know, I usually don't bother with the disclaimer bits either. Blah, blah, blah, over 18, blah, blah, blah, don't read if easily offended, blah, blah, blah. But, just this once, please bear with me and read this one.

Firstly, this is chapter five of ten and the story will only make sense if you read it from the start. If you haven't already done so then I sincerely urge you stop and go to chapter one. It will be better that way, honest.

Secondly, this is a work of fiction and all the characters are completely fictional. In particular, one of the main characters is Princess Charlotte who is, according to chapter one, "about tenth in line for the throne". Now, in real life, there can only be one person who holds that position but this story is not real life and it's definitely not about her.

Princess Charlotte is not a real person and any resemblance is purely coincidental. Before I get carted off to live out what is left of the rest of my life in the Tower Of London, I want to stress that this story is set in a parallel universe where Britain has a very different Royal family with a very different line of succession.

Thirdly, briefly but importantly, my heartfelt thanks to all those who have helped so much. Especial mention must go, as ever, to OneWhoAdores, 'V' and MartiniMan for plot advice.

Fourthly, once again, I fall neatly between the BDSM and Lesbian Love categories. This story centres on a BDSM club and much of the action has a BDSM theme. However, it's a bit short on the whips and chains to really be a BDSM story. On the other hand those looking for a lesbian themed story may well end up complaining, as a critic once did, that my stories always seem to feature a D/s relationship. This one is no exception; its a lesbian love story with BDSM overtones. If this is not what you're looking for stop reading now. That's kinder than voting one star because it wasn't what you were after.

Lastly, this is a story of deception and subterfuge. Most of the characters have at least two names, many three or even four. To help the reader keep track each chapter will start with a dramatis personae. The list for this chapter is:-

*Andrea, a journalist, masquerading as Emma Pearson from Paarl.

*Tamsin, another journalist, masquerading as Emma Pearson's sub, puppy name Snookums

*Euthenia, a Domme along with Calliope, her sub, puppy name Poohbear

*Arete, a Domme along with Aergia, her sub, puppy name Noodles

*Princess Charlotte, a princess royal, club name, Despoina

Enjoy

******

"Ah, Despoina, what a delightful surprise!" Arete exclaimed, "I'm so glad you could get here after all. Let me introduce you to Emma, who's joined us all the way from Paarl in South Africa. Emma, meet Despoina, one of my oldest and dearest friends."

"Emma, so glad to meet you at last. Lady Mary has been talking of little else for the last few days. Your fame has spread quite a bit among the crowd," Despoina, or should that Princess Charlotte, said smiling broadly.

Andrea got up from her chair and shook Princess Charlotte by the hand.

"I'm delighted to meet you as well, your.... It's so lovely to be making so many new friends," Andrea gushed and Tamsin could tell it was all she could do to stop herself from curtseying. Tamsin wasn't the only one who had spotted who this was.

"Despoina, can a pour you a glass of champers," Arete asked as she retrieved a champagne flute from the picnic hamper. From the fact that the glass was ready there waiting Tamsin guessed that Princess Charlotte's arrival wasn't entirely unexpected. Arete filled the glass and handed it over.

"Oh, you said you were going to try puppy play and here they are, here are the puppies. Aren't they just perfect!" Princess Charlotte continued, taking the glass from Arete and going over to where Noodles and Tamsin lay on the grass. "This one I already know but this one," she indicated Tamsin, "this one is new to me. Hello little puppy dog, whoever you are." She stood directly in front of Tamsin who looked up, their eyes met and, for a few moments, they just stared at each other. Then Princess Charlotte got down on her haunches and, as if drawn by the same thread, Tamsin got up on all fours. From behind the masks two sets of eyes stared at each other.

"Hello, puppy dog," Princess Charlotte said softly.

"Woof," Tamsin replied, equally softly.

Tamsin wondered what had come over her. The rest of the world seemed to have receded leaving her and Princess Charlotte alone together in some sort of bubble. What ever it was that she had been expecting when she finally met the princess it wasn't that she would be overwhelmed like this. She felt completely disconcerted and didn't know what to do or say. Oddly, it seemed that Princess Charlotte was equally tongue tied.

"That's Snookums, she's my puppy dog," Andrea's voice broke the spell, the bubble burst and, suddenly they were back on earth.

"Snookums, eh, well, you've certainly got a lovely puppy."

"We were just getting the puppies properly protected from the sun before we start playing with them," Arete cut in. "We decided that it would be more fun if we didn't stick strictly to the usual pairs and, seeing as how Emma has all but finished with Poohbear, perhaps you would like to apply the sunscreen to Snookums."

"Poohbear..., oh yes, of course, Poohbear," Princess Charlotte said. It was obvious that she hadn't heard the puppy names before and it took a moment or two for her to catch on. "Well, I'm not one to intrude uninvited with any one else's puppy but, as long as Emma has no objections, then I'd love to," Princess Charlotte continued

"No, no, be my guest," Andrea protested. "As Arete said, we're mix and matching and part of the fun is sharing."

"I think I'll wait until you've finished with Calliope... err... Poohbear before I start. That will give me a chance to settle down and have a drink." Princess Charlotte seemed to gather herself up before standing back up and turning to the Dommes. "Now, how is everybody?"

Princess Charlotte's arrival had completely changed the mood and Andrea was pretty quick to finish off applying the sunscreen to Poohbear who, once dismissed, returned to lie in the shade next to Noodles and Tamsin. Tamsin was expecting to be called almost immediately but Princess Charlotte was, by then, deep into telling a story about a mutual friend and, for a while, it was as if the puppies had been forgotten. Tamsin was actually enjoying herself. Once you got past the bizarre circumstances, not to mention the tail with its associated butt plug, it was a lovely afternoon for lying out all but naked on the grass and idly listening to another's conversation. Although she knew none of the participants the story was a good one and Princess Charlotte was quite the raconteur so she was far from bored.

But, even if the story hadn't been engrossing there was something about Princess Charlotte that held Tamsin's attention and she couldn't keep her eyes off her. She tried to keep it subtle but, here, in the flesh, Princess Charlotte was completely different from everything that she had been expecting. Whereas Lady Mary, and all of the others she had met so far, had, to some extent, displayed that upper class arrogance that irked Tamsin so much, Princess Charlotte, who, by their reckoning, outranked them all, came across as very down‑to‑earth and not in the least bit snobbish. But that didn't explain the fascination. For all that she didn't put on airs and graces, Princess Charlotte seemed to have a presence, there was no other word for it, and, as long as she was around, in Tamsin's eyes, everyone else was just background. She was dressed, as were the others, in a tweed skirt and jacket, the uniform of a puppy Mistress, but, unlike the others, she had the bearing for it as well. Tamsin had this urge to go over and rest her head in Princess Charlotte's lap but knew that this would just cause trouble.

At last, with the story drawing to a close, Princess Charlotte put down her champagne glass and picked up the Ambre Solaire.

"Right then, Snookums, it's time we got you sorted out," she said, turning sideways on to the table. Here girl, come here." She patted her lap.

Tamsin pushed herself up onto all fours and crawled over to face Princess Charlotte who then ordered her to 'sit'. She got into position and looked up. Again there was this connection and, when Princess Charlotte cradled Tamsin's face in her hands, Tamsin felt her flesh tingle. She tried to concentrate on the job in hand; she was here to unmask this woman, to take compromising photographs and write it all up for the front page of the Daily Sleaze. This was precisely when she should keep her eyes firmly fixed on the prize. However, right at that moment, what she wanted, what she really wanted, was to offer herself up, body and soul, and go wherever this feeling led them.

"Yes, she's, err, a very pretty puppy indeed," Princess Charlotte said. It would appear that Tamsin was not the only one affected and she also seemed flustered. However she pulled herself together and poured out a generous portion of Ambre Solaire onto her hand, put the bottle back on the table, turned back to Tamsin and started to smooth it across her back. She ordered Tamsin back onto all fours and she had to get off her chair and hunker down so as to reach all over. Unlike Andrea and Arete, she was very matter of fact about what she was doing. She wasn't interested in mere titillation; she was a puppy Mistress who wanted to give her puppy the required care for such a sunny day. Ironically, for Tamsin, this just made it more erotic. She was getting ever deeper into the role; it was all part of the game. A true Mistress looked after her puppy, cared for her; this was not sex play, it was love. As Princess Charlotte's hands smoothed the cream across Tamsin's breasts neither of them could fail to be aware of how hard her nipples were but, even so, they received no more attention than the rest of her body.

By the time Princess Charlotte was working on Tamsin's backside and inner thighs, Tamsin was torn between a desire for this pampering to go on forever and the growing need for more direct stimulation. As Princess Charlotte's hand slid between her thighs, brushing gently against her sex, she let out little whines of frustration.

"Now, now, little puppy, settle down," Princess Charlotte said gently. "I don't want to have to smack you for misbehaving," and, to show what she meant, she smacked Tamsin's left buttock lightly, the cream on her hand and Tamsin's buttock making the smack crisp and tight. This just inflamed things more but Tamsin was quickly learning just what it meant to be cared for by a real puppy Mistress. The hand that spread the cream around her inner thighs was under Mistress's control, not hers, and it was not there for pleasure but to protect her from the sun. As a puppy Tamsin was free to revel in her most animal instincts but also, as a puppy, she also had to accept the controlling confines of what was permitted by her Mistress. Soon, far too soon, Princess Charlotte had finished with her thighs and was working on her calves and feet.

"There, that's you done," Princess Charlotte said as she got back up and sat down on her chair again. "Now, off you go and lie down quietly with the other puppies."

Thus dismissed Tamsin went back to the shady patch and lay back down next to the others. As she did so she glanced across at Calliope, or should that be Poohbear, who gave her an understanding smile. Tamsin wasn't the only one who had been left wanting; all three puppies had been well and truly teased and the afternoon was just beginning. Tamsin looked at the dog bowl that had been left there for her. It wasn't purely for show and was full of water. Supping directly from the bowl was a little awkward, and the nose of her mask dipped in the water, but it was cool and refreshing for all that.

"So, ladies, what's the plan?" Princess Charlotte asked as she put down the cloth she had used to wipe the excess Ambre Solaire from her hands.

"Well, I thought we'd start with a little show. Let each one of us put her puppy on display and demonstrate how well she's been trained. Meanwhile the others can act as judges giving marks for such things as grooming, deportment and obedience. Emma is a professional dog trainer which gives her an advantage but the rest of us have watched Crufts on the telly so we know the sort of thing that's expected. That should take us to lunch and, after that, well, I thought we might lay out an obstacle course or some such."

"Wow, Arete, that's all a bit organised," Euthenia joked. "When do we get time to play with the puppies?"

"If a thing's worth doing then it's worth doing properly and there will be plenty of time for play later," Arete replied with mock severity. "What do you think, Emma?"

"I'm just happy to fit in with everyone else," Andrea replied, "but I know my puppy would love to be shown and, as for the obstacle course, that sounds like just the thing."

"And what about you, Despoina? What are your feelings on the matter?"

Tamsin noticed how all eyes were on Princess Charlotte. Whilst, on the surface, they were all just "members of the club", it was quite obvious that they all seemed to feel that Princess Charlotte's status as a member of the royal family made her someone special, someone to be deferred to. Much as Tamsin was somewhat smitten by the thought of Princess Charlotte as a puppy mistress, she felt that her nobility was a matter of character, not an accident of birth.

"I think that all sounds splendid and I'm sure we'll enjoy it immensely," Princess Charlotte replied, "but what about prizes? Have you thought of that?"

"Well, I haven't got rosettes or anything like that and, of course, the losing puppy is in for a smacked bottom but, seeing as how you're here, I'm sure the winner would love it if you would take them walkies?"

Tamsin was, quite frankly, amazed at such blatant kowtowing.

"Well, if you really think they'd enjoy that," Princess Charlotte replied. "I'm not sure..."

"Of course they would. Right, that's settled then," Arete said briskly. "As for choosing a winner, I thought we might let Despoina decide. After all, she's the only unbiased one here."

"Oh, I couldn't possibly," Princess Charlotte responded. "After all, as the one who will take the winner walkies, I can hardly be called unbiased. Hang on, I've got a better idea." She reached for her hand bag and pulled out a small notebook. She tore out a number of pages and, for a moment, was busy with a pen before handing the pieces of paper out.

"OK, these are voting slips. On each slip you'll see a puppy's name and the letters 'G', 'D', and 'O'. After each puppy has finished you put your marks out of ten for grooming, deportment and obedience next to the relevant letter and, let's see," she reached down to the hamper and pulled out a spare bowl, "pop them into this so that, when we've finished, we can count them up and see who's the winner. You'll notice I'm the only one with three voting slips. No one gets to vote for their own puppy."

"That's fair," Arete conceded.

"This is all bit over the top, isn't it?" Euthenia said as she looked at the slips. "I thought this was supposed to be a bit of harmless fun."

"It is fun," Arete protested. "You're just making a fuss because you know your Poohbear has no chance of winning."

"Winning, is that all you ever think about? It's been the same ever since we were at school together. I can remember when you were captain of lacrosse; you would always get stroppy when we lost."

"That was because every time we did lose it was because one of my star players was too busy flirting with the opposition instead of concentrating on the game. One glance of a gym slip used to send you weak at the knees; still does for all I know."

"I don't remember you being so very different. Now which one of us was caught in flagrante delecto whilst supposedly giving private coaching to Jenny McTavish? And there we all were thinking lacrosse wasn't supposed to be a contact sport!"

"Ladies, ladies," Princess Charlotte cut in, although it was clear that this was good natured banter and part and parcel of their long-standing relationship. "Now, who wants to go first?"

"Emma should go first. After all she's the expert," Euthenia suggested.

"That's fine by me, well, as long as Arete doesn't mind," Andrea replied. Arete waved her hand in assent so Andrea stood up, took Tamsin's leash out of her pocket, went over and attached it to her collar. "Come along, Snookums, let's show the others what an obedient puppy you are. Heel!"

And suddenly all of the practice they had done back in the flat paid off. All the moves they had worked out, all the twists, all the turns, it all came together and they actually put on a pretty good show. Tamsin knew that she ought to be embarrassed cavorting around stark naked in front of these women but, hidden behind the mask, it wasn't her who was cavorting, it was puppy girl and puppy girl just loved the attention. And when ordered to 'play dead', lying on her back, arms and legs in the air like a dog, although she knew she was showing her all she felt no more embarrassment than a dog would. For a while she got lost in it all and it became almost like a dance routine. What also helped spur them on was that, in rather different ways, both were keen to impress Princess Charlotte and both were therefore putting their heart and soul into it. When, at last, they had finished and Tamsin, sweating and panting from all the exertion, was 'sitting' at Andrea's side they even earned themselves a smattering of applause.

"Oh, well done!" Arete enthused. "You have set the bar high. Hopefully that will spur us on. Now, Euthenia, would you like to go next or shall I?"

"I'm not sure if we'll be able to match Emma's display but we'll give it our best shot. Come along, Poohbear, it's show-time," Euthenia replied.

Andrea unclipped the leash again and Tamsin settled back down on the grass. The exercise had left her quite thirsty and she was happy to once again drink from the bowl that was provided for her. She drank deep and all but emptied the bowl. Almost immediately it was refilled and, when she looked up, Tamsin saw that it was Arete, rather than Andrea, who was the one doing the refilling.

Meanwhile Euthenia and Poohbear were going through their paces. Despite Euthenia having shown such enthusiasm back at Lady Mary's house, it was obvious that they hadn't put in any practice in the meanwhile and puppy play was completely new to them. Indeed, most of their moves were clumsy copies of those Andrea and Tamsin had just demonstrated. Moreover it was clear to Tamsin that, for them, puppy play was a frivolity, an amusing sexual game, and not an end in itself.

It wasn't long before they had finished and it was the turn of Arete and Noodles. Here it was the other way around. Whereas Euthenia and Poohbear were treating puppy play as a light-hearted game Arete, and by extension Noodles, were taking the competition aspect far too seriously and were out to win at all costs. Tamsin could tell that they too had been practising but she felt that their seriousness was, in the end, their downfall. Euthenia and Poohbear had, at least, been fun and sexy, if rather uncoordinated and not very puppy like. Arete and Noodles were stiff and formal and, to Tamsin's mind, that missed the playful puppy element that was, for her, a central part. Still, she wasn't one of the judges so her thoughts were immaterial.

"Well, I thought all three puppies were splendid," Princess Charlotte said as, finished at last, Arete sat back down again and Noodles returned to her place on the grass. "So, do we want to know the scores on the doors," she continued as she took the bowl which was now full of the voting slips, "or shall we wait until after the obstacle course?"