Belle slapped Fiona hard with the flogger over her pretty little bum and then alternated forehand and backhand strokes up and down the girl's back and over her bottom, occasionally catching her over the top of her thighs. Belle was much stronger even than she looked, but she knew not to hold back.
This rapidly reduced Fi to a blubbering shrieking mess, and Manon only stopped it when Fi's legs slumped under her, leaving her hanging from her wrists for a moment until she steadied herself.
"Well done Belle, thank you," Manon said. She walked up to Fi, and stroked her face over the hood, "Almost over Fi, I'm going to mark you with a cane, which will leave some very sore red stripes, and then you are done." Fi squeaked and groaned, but nodded her head in understanding.
Manon picked up the thin cane, whipping it back and forth to test it. It was very thin, thinner than Manon actually liked, so there was a high chance it would cut the skin of whoever it was used on if a caning went on too long. Manon tutted with disapproval, she preferred a thicker cane for ordinarily punishments. It was less likely to cut the skin and left broader stripes, which were in Manon's opinion prettier.
Without waiting Manon struck Fi hard over the back of her thighs, just under her bottom and even through the gag and hood, her scream could clearly be heard. Manon then hit her five more times, leaving perfectly spaced angry red welts over her bum and back.
"Release her," Manon said turning away. "Whoever is next, assume the same position as Fi was in," Manon said. She turned around to find Beth sitting down with Fi in her lap, and Belle and Melissa were strapping Claire to the cross.
Manon went and whispered to Claire, "I am very proud of you, and your resolve, but you know that doesn't mean I am going to go easy on you?"
"I do miss," Claire said, a little shakily.
"Hood," she said to Belle, who had got another out of the box and was fitting the gag panel to it.
Looking over, Manon saw that Fi was still hooded and gagged, crying heavily and snorting through her nose. "For god's sake, get that off her, let her breathe!" she said.
There were sounds of furious protest from Fi, so Manon knelt by her, and released the gag, leaving it attached on one side.
"Fi, what are you trying to say?"
"Miss, please? Leave me blind. I don't want to watch." Manon ran her fingers over the girls lips, "very well, if you are sure, I'll allow it. Normally you'd be made to watch," she said.
"Miss," Manon heard Claire say, when I'm done, me too please? If you don't mind?"
"Very well Manon said, and looked at Beth, who shrugged. "I'm last, but I'll stay the same as them, please miss?" she said.
Claire was now firmly strapped to the cross, and hooded and gagged.
Manon handed Belle the tawse, who looked a bit worried but got into position. "Arse to neck again Belle. No overlaps, no gaps, and don't go soft on me, you hear?" Manon said.
Belle again started on the bottom, striking Claire hard over the crease where her thighs met it, and ignoring the deep groan from Claire, worked her way methodically up over her bottom to her shoulders, when she stopped, panting with exertion.
Claire was bawling her eyes out under the hood, and had been shrieking loudly into the gag. She got quieter, setting into a sort of rhythmic grunt. The tawse, a three inch wide leather belt, left a deep burning pain behind after the shock and sting of it's initial impact.
Claire's bright red skin was gradually deepening in colour as a result. Some of it would probably have bruised.
Sighing, Manon picked up the cane again, as now she was going to really hurt this girl, and leave her badly marked. What annoyed her was that she was going to be able to take no pleasure from it, either by forcing Claire to service her, or by ripping an orgasm or two from Claire, there wasn't time.
Pulling her arm back Manon struck her first blow diagonally across Claire's shoulders and without warning, so that she shrieked and jerked in the restraints in surprise at the sudden pain.
"Stay still girl," Manon said loudly to be sure Claire heard. As soon as she was still, Manon hit her diagonally again, leaving a clear X shape on her back as the girl again cried out and fought her restraints as hard as she could.
Again waiting for Claire to be still, Manon hit her again, making a diagonal stripe a bit lower than the first, then waiting until she was still before turning it to an X as well. Manon went on doing this until the last X was burned in to the tender skin at the top of Claire's thighs, and over her bum.
By this time Claire was much quieter, sobbing but no longer shouting or screaming into the gag. "Get her down. Belle once you are sure Claire is breathing alright and recovering, restrain Beth, but to the central pillar, and pull her tight vertically as much as you can."
Manon stripped down to her underwear, she was hot and sweaty, and strangely out of sorts. Normally reducing a pretty girl to a quivering wreck with corporal punishment would be very enjoyable, a prelude to some great orgasms for both of them. This was just brutality, and Manon wasn't enjoying it nearly as much as she'd like.
Belle must have realised, as she brought Manon a glass of water and asked if she was alright. "Thank you dear, we are all doing what we must, and compared to these girls, I have it easy," Manon said. "There'll be time to break them properly, and for you to play with them as well dear."
Claire looked up sharply at Manon, she'd heard what was said, as Manon had intended.
Fi was cuddling Claire to her, stroking her clumsily as neither could see, and humming a nursery rhyme to her. Melissa and Manon were both watching Belle, as she strapped Beth to the central column of the punishment cross, her legs held tightly together by a strap over her ankles, and her hands pulled high over her head.
"So Melissa, how should you be punished then?" Manon asked.
"Miss, that is up to you, but after watching what you just did, and what I think you are about to do to Beth, I'm terrified," she replied quietly.
"Well, answer me this then, what was the worst punishment you have taken and was the offence lesser or greater than the eavesdropping and disobedience?"
Melissa thought for a moment, watching as Belle seated the gag in Beth's mouth and pulled the hood and gag tight.
"Ah I got twenty stripes from a tawse, about the same size as yours miss. Honestly I don't know about the offence, I'd been a brat all day, so it's hard to compare," she said.
