The Alchemists Apprentice Pt 01

This story takes place in the fantasy world of DunnisUrom (see other stories by myself). There is a sort of main story-line going on, but I have taken some requests / suggestions from others to write a series of spin-off stories. In this case:

Dr. Emmas - An "Alpothecary" (an alchemist apothecary) who was first seen in Punishment Day Festival providing various mutations and magical assistants for a great-family's servants to endure.

Punishment Apprentice Eva - Also first seen in Punishment Day Festival where she was newly apprenticed to the fearsome Mistress Kava who is a Senior Disciplinarian of The Order of Sattva.

New Characters:

Journeyman Jathan - A few years ahead of Eva, he is another Order of Sattvas Disciplinarian in training.

Nami - A college girl Alchemist Trainee who is constantly late to class.

INDEXIUM GIRL'S COLLEGE CAMPUS - NAMI

Shit! Shit! SHIT!! Nami raced across the Indexium campus. The bells were tolling NONIS and if she wasn't in class by the final one, she'd be late--again. University students (boys) watched the college (girls) student with slightly messy hair and her skirts flying, race across a grass lawn (a minor demerit, if she was caught) towards the girl's alchemical building.

The stately brick structure loomed before her, its white washed entrances beckoning. She listened desperately for another bell! How many had that been? Was she late!? Shit.

Boys could get a way with a lot. Girls, far less so--but the alchemy track was especially strict. Even worse, Ms. Kleini, in advanced bio-alch, was an especially bad class to be late to: Ms. Kleini liked her.

She swallowed. Maybe just a LITTLE late? She'd have to risk it. She opened the door. Ms. Kleini stood at the front of the room with a measure in one hand, pointing the long, thin stick at the chalkboard. Next to her was Kit, her judicial slave assistant.

He looked cute and wretched, as usual. Ms. Kleini had the university purchase him from the courts, sparing him a few days stint in the tickle-dungeons in exchange for two years of judicial servitude. He was, apparently, extremely ticklish, and had begged the magistrate for the far longer sentence, if only to avoid the dreaded dungeons. He gave her a sympathetic look when all the seated girl's heads turned.

"Miss Nami," said Ms. Kleini, "Could you tell the class when we start?"

UGH! "At the last bell of NONIS, "mistress instructress," Nami said, sheepishly. The girls tittered slightly at her use of the submissive title of address.

"And it is past that time now, Miss Nami, isn't it?"

Double-ugh. "Yes, mistress instructress," she answered. "I'm late."

Ms. Kleini tapped the seat of feminine dress Kit wore. Under it, she knew from experience, he had bright, lacy white female panties he wore over a penis cage, with her measure. He blushed at the unexpected attention.

"Fetch a high-desk for her, Kit-slave," she said, using the slave suffix as an affectionate diminutive. She pursed her lips, considering. "You will see me following class, Nami. I think I have a proper chore to set you at."

Nine pairs of eyes lit with interest and intrigue: Nami's gonna get it!

Triple-ugh. Joy from the girls was expected. In their position, she'd be disappointed she wasn't going to get to witness one of them being punished. Sympathy from Kit, though, was worse. That meant it might really be awful!

The High-Desk was simply a substantially higher seat and writing surface than normal. It ensured she would stand out to everyone and make her feel self-conscious for the entire class. Kit positioned it so she wasn't blocking anyone, and she slunk into it, trying her best to radiate the contriteness she felt.

During the lecture, she kept her head down and took notes. She tried her best not to draw attention to herself, but as she literally stuck up in the air, there was nothing for it. Every time Ms. Kleini called upon her, and their eyes met, Nami cringed. Ms. Kleini didn't glare at her, but neither did she seem to forgive her student. It was the third time this moon she'd been tardy and while she'd accrued fractional demerits in her record (which had been highly unpleasant to pay off in dorm room punishments) it was clear her instructor planned something to put a halt to her decline in performance.

When the girls were filing out (Masti gave her a good sympathy hug) she climbed down from the high-desk and shouldered the satchel she held her books in. She trudged up to the teacher's desk. Kit was wiping down the chalkboard.

"I have to step out a moment, Nami," said Ms. Kleini, not unkindly--it seemed she knew her student was a bundle of nerves. "You will wait with your nose in the corner until I return."

Nami colored! Ughh. "Yes, Ms. Kleini, she intoned.

"Kit-slave, if you catch her squirming or breaking position, you'll not say anything, but will inform me for each offense. I shan't be long."

"I'm sorry, ma'am," she said, looking down. "The morning got away from me."

Her nose in the corner, stewing in a mix of embarrassment, humiliation, and shame, her curiosity finally got the better of her.

"Kit?" she asked softly.

"Miss Nami?" his voice coming from wherever he was working or cleaning things.

"Am I allowed to ask a question?"

"I guess we'll find out from Mistress when she returns and I tell her you asked," he said. ugh--UGH!!!

"Sorry," she whispered. "I just wondered if you knew what she has in store for me?"

She heard footsteps and felt his presence behind her. A light hand on her shoulder. She almost made to turn--but he stopped her: "don't. I you're not to break position."

She nodded, taking a breath that was embarrassingly ragged.

"When she purchased my writ," he said, "I was more than a terrible mess. I... had begged on the floor before the magistrate--pleading--hysterically."

She could hear the flush of shame in his words.

"When they... relieved me of the sentence to the tickle dungeons--which I was sure would slay me or drive me mad--I felt, just, so weak and ashamed that I couldn't even bare a few days of it and I had instead taken two years of being a judicial slave."

She nodded. She found herself sniffling now--she was furious with herself. Why had she slept in?? It had been so cozy--and she had tossed and turned in bed the night before--but she'd HEARD the morning bells. WHY HADN'T SHE RISEN ON TIME?!

"Mistress Kleini bought me pretty much right off the magistrate's floor," Kit said. "I'd heard that usually wasn't good: someone buys your punishment writ, it usually means they want to... see that you're thoroughly, thoroughly punished. And an Alchemist, no less. I was terrified."

Nami nodded. It probably was terrifying for a commoner to be put into the judicial servitude of an artisan. She wasn't as terrified of what Ms. Kleini maybe COULD do to her--but more that the woman, who was young, and beautiful, and brilliant--having already published a treatment on the use of female humors in transformation and transmutation--would think of her after her dismal record of late.

"Make no mistake," Kit told her. "She's ensured my writ is properly executed--but I thank Sattva each night for having found myself in her care than someone else's. I do think she means to punish you, Miss Nami--but I expect she'll seek to impose discipline you'll profit from."

Nami miserably whimpered. She was determined, if nothing else, not to break down and cry before her punishment even started!

ORDER ENCLAVE -- EVA

Punishment Apprentice First-Class Eva stood in her Mistress' Punishment Salon in one of the high towers of the Order's Enclave in the Key City of DunnisUrom. It was a prestigious posting in one of the jewels of the empire of the Crown and Throne. The mistress to which she was apprenticed was considered a fearsome talent in the order, and Eva felt that this pinnacle of posting was, frankly, her due. She was a Punishment Apprentice par excellence.

Her charges were both artfully immiserated and much improved under her application of discipline. She was dedicated, took wonderful initiative, and truly enjoyed almost every aspect of her work! She had earned the highest scores with the cane, the lash, the paddle, and even the more exotic implements she had been allowed to train with. Eva was equally skilled in handing the anatomy of both boys and girls! She was an adept scolder, having learned from her mistress to identify weak points in her charge's psychology and use it to improve the educational value of their experience!

She had wiped wet eyes, snotty noses, and dirty bottoms! Now, though, she stood naked, her hands folded behind her back, one hand on each elbow in the strict punishment presentation position. She was in her mistress' punishment salon and she stood with her nose less than an inch from Mistress Kava's posting pylon. She stood up on her toes so that her buttocks were more pronounced and, if left here long enough, her calves would begin to shake, and she would tire. There would be a punishment for putting her heels down--but even that form of relief would be denied her!

Her tongue was held out from her mouth, held against the narrow floor-to-ceiling posting pole. It was stuck to it with an art and she was intensely uncomfortable but dared not squirm. She also fought tears. THIS WASN'T FAIR! She was beyond furious with the smarmy Punishment Journeyman Jathan, who stood at a far more relaxed and dignified (and clothed) attention before the desk of her mistress.

She'd observed that most lower-order acolytes or apprentices were cowed in her mistress' presence--but this young man was so cock-sure of himself, he seemed at ease, even knowing that a minor mistake could subject him to her Mistress' expert attentions. Ohhh! Ohhh, she HATED HIM!!

Her mistress was reviewing the parchment he'd prepared and had provided her. Eva couldn't turn her head to look, and probably wouldn't have broken position if she could. But how she wished to see Mistress Kava's expression! Was her mistress scowling in fury or, worse, disappointment as she read this young man's report on her?

Certainly she'd dismiss his request to discipline her favored young apprentice? Surely he was over-reaching with a disciplinary prospectus prepared for a girl only a few years behind him and with a superior record to, well, anyone she was aware of (granted she couldn't see anyone's official record--but she felt certain she was at the top of the apprentice list!).

She was also burning with humiliation and anger at her mistress! Being posted nude in front of this boy was beyond awful already. Being ordered to assume the strict and fetching punishment presentation position was unnecessarily worse. Her mistress MUST know how unpleasant this was--just being put in a corner bare-bottom with her hands on her head would be bad enough!

The tongue binding, though, was mortifying. She knew her bottom cheeks were showing a blush the young man must find entirely pleasing! The humiliation was at work on her nether-lips as well. She was humiliatingly wetting down her thighs, something that doubtless amused the boy!!

She would resist crying! Oh, he was awful! Oh, her mistress musn't give in to his demands! Eva knew better than to squirm, but she couldn't help it! Worse, she knew they were both watching her, and could read the faint shifts in her body as a map of the discomforts that most vexed her! She was giving the instructions on best punishing her!! OHHHH!

"What are you thinking?" Mistress Kava asked the young man. She watched her apprentice squirm, fetchingly despite herself. The girl was already at the end of her tether--she had to admit Jathan was skilled.

"I should like to have her in my care for five days of treatment, Punishment Mistress Kava," he said. She would have found this request outrageous in its audacity--but he had clocked the girl perfectly and even incited her to argue with her mistress. When Miss Kava had told her apprentice, she was in the wrong and had earned punishment, the girl had still sought to argue her case! Miss Kava understood that Eva really knew better--as a Punishment Apprentice, she would apply additional ordeals for a ward in her care who had done the same.

And the Journeyman Disciplinarian had even predicted Eva would make such a breach. She was impressed, despite herself. She rubbed her fingers lightly on the desk as they watched the girl lose her battle not to squirm.

Jathan was battling with his own erection: he had excellent control--but the posture requirement and the tongue-lock were more than he could handle. As he watched Eva shift and suffer, he grew hard.

"Well, Journeyman Jathan--you have performed more than adequately. I will grant you either a single night with her as you are--or," she dipped her hand into one drawer on her desk and produced a penis-cage--"You may have the five days caged. And you will wear it for five days following."

To his credit, he didn't exactly blanch at the sight of it. He did color and she saw his jaw move. Punishing Eva was going to be a lot less fun in a cock cage! She waited patiently while he struggled with the decision and watched as his penis tried to make it for him. Having the small girl relieve his urgency would be one of the key joys of having her at his disposal.

She watched him come to a decision.

"Punishment Mistress, shall I step around for the fitting?"

She gave him a tight smile. He came around and remained at a relaxed attention while she opened his pants. He wore underwear with a padded front in a wool that was designed to prickle and itch if wet and to otherwise punish erections. She approved--but he had one now. She took a glass jar with a brush on the inside, dipped in the fluid and brushed it over his cock. He gasped, and whimpered, and gritted his teeth as his penis deflated. She put a little extra on the underside, which drew soft gasps. She was pleased with how he bore it.

She considered painting his scrotum--but decided against it. He had undertaken to teach her apprentice a lesson, and Eva had responded deservingly.

As he made soft, restrained noises of distress, she fitted him carefully into the chastity cage. She locked it firmly and placed the key back in her drawer. She watched him squirm, slightly.

"Wait outside Journeyman," she said, closing his pants. "I'll send her out. Do you want her dressed?"

"Thank you, Punishment Mistress," he said. "I would like her dressed for travel and... might I get a wrist lead?"

Mistress Kava nodded. "I think that is a good idea."

Eva knelt, naked, in front of her mistress. Her eyes burned with outrage!

"A penitent in Jathan's care made a mess--as happens," Mistress Kava said, looking down at her furious apprentice. "Journeyman Jathan told you to clean it up, apprentice," she continued. The girl colored darker.

"You, apprentice Eva, left the mess and fetched an orderly to clean it." Eva squirmed, slightly. Her eyes flickered, but she didn't look down. "When the Journeyman checked in, he saw an orderly scrubbing the floor and not the apprentice he ordered to do the task."

Eva's glare dimmed to a somewhat sullen look.

"Then," Mistress Kava continued, keeping her voice a bit light, "when your actions were brought to my attention, my apprentice chose to argue with me that her, being an apprentice," she said the term with a lofty flourish, "was technically allowed to order a simple, lowly orderly boy, to do things. So my apprentice told me that not only did she delegate--but she ought be allowed to."

Mistress Kava examined the girl. The girl wasn't cringing in terror: she'd come a long way from that first day. She also wasn't stewing in self recrimination. Mistress Kava found she appreciated both elements of the girl's character--but the latter would need some adjustment.

She squatted down to look her apprentice in the eye. Eva did recoil slightly at this, her Mistress dropping down to look her in the face was unexpectedly intimate and scary!

"Do you know," she asked, "Apprentice Eva, that Journeyman Jathan had met with me before I spoke with you and he assured me that my apprentice would debate me on this point?"

Eva blushed hard and blinked in surprise at this. Her eyes widened. Good, Mistress Kava thought. This was getting through to the girl. "He even estimated that my apprentice would inform me that she was elected to clean up the shit because she was a girl--when he ought to have selected the orderly--a boy."

Her eyes widened a little more. She stroked her apprentice's temple.

"I've placed a week of break on your calendar--"

"A week!?" she gasped. Mistress Kava inwardly smirked. The girl was rightfully horrified--and off balance enough to be losing composure.

"Yes, child. Five days in the care of the Journeyman. Two for recovery. I'll take your rest period in my own bed."

The girl was pale now, possibly more worried about taking her recovery from punishment in her Mistress' bed than being under the boy--but she was definitely desperate to find a way out of this and clever enough to know there wasn't one.

"Go and dress," she said. "I will get a wrist lead."

Eva stood, feeling like she was moments from a crying fit! She gratefully pulled on her panties and uniform dress. Her mistress returned with a fancy wrist lead. It went on to her left hand like a kind of glove. It had several straps and was decorated in polished brass and bright yellow leather. Around her wrist, it locked so she couldn't get it off.

Connected to it was leash in the same brilliant shiny leather. She looked at it, blushing. Being led around with it wasn't designed to be unpleasant, just humiliating. Mistress Kava walked her to the door, where Jathan waited outside. Eva managed a stony glare at him, which drew a smile. Grrrr...

He bowed to Mistress Kava and took the leash. "She is in good hands," he told Eva's mistress.

"She had better be," Mistress Kava said--but she seemed more like Eva's mother warning her date to treat her daughter correctly than a mistress consigning her apprentice to five days of torture! Eva knew better than to give her leash-holder any physical difficulty. She walked along with him and even found herself admiring his ability to stroll across the grounds with a leashed apprentice in tow, in no way seeming to be anything but ordinary!

"Do you think the wrist-leash is bright enough?" she asked, trying to sound like a girl trying on a dress and unsure if the color fit her hair.

"When I stop, you can squat," said Jathan. "It'll help draw attention to it."

Foo! "Yes, master," she said. Having to call a Journeyman 'master' because she was under his punishment, was appalling.

He nodded. "Better, Eva." He gave her a smile. They were heading towards the carriage houses. She quite didn't want to go out into the city under strict punishment! She didn't have much choice, though.

"I've read your record," he said. "Very impressive."

She said nothing, and he continued after a moment.

"When I was an apprentice, I had what some considered an impressive record as well! I would say I find our... trajectories a bit similar. I don't say that to try to claim some of your glory, Eva. I just want us to be clear that I find your ability promising.

"You told me to clean up the mess in an off-handed way so I wouldn't think it was a stern order!" She accused him. "If I didn't think you cared who cleaned it up, you knew I might delegate it!"

He nodded! "Very nice deduction, Eva."

Grr. "Thank you, master." she said, trying to say it as sarcastically as she could without getting flogged on the spot.

"... and you knew I'd been talking to Bree, the archivist apprentice, so you knew about the women's-work stuff!" she said, playing it through.

"Dirty diapers, cleaning toilets, washing soiled sheets?" He shrugged. "Girl's work, no?"