From master to slave (closed)

Nathaniel rose from his straw mattress and headed to the riverbank. The storm had worsened over the night, and his bare feet sunk down to his ankles as he made his way across the plantation he had spent most of his life at. The mud and the rain barely bothered him: he had worked through far worse than this. He looked up at the sky and smiled as a bolt of lightning arced down in the distance and the rain became a downpour.

"Yes sir, perfect weather."

Despite the longhouse he and the other former slaves were crowded in being the closest building to the riverbank, Nathaniel still took nearly 20 minutes to reach his destination. The plantation had barely been impacted by the war between the blue coats and the gray coats. Fields of corn, cotton, and hot peppers stretched out before the tall, muscular man and behind him was fields for livestock, gardens, an anvil and furnace, several barns, chicken coops, stables, a smokehouse, and of course the pantation house where Nathaniel's former master and current employer, Miss Harriet, was sleeping away. The only reason the North hadn't looted it was because it was so far south that the soldiers they sent were too tired to really try.

There hadn't been any dramatic freeing of Nathaniel and the other unfortunate souls who had been trapped there for most of their lives. A single lieutenant came while they were working, told them they were free and then met with Ms. Harriet to tell her the war was over. That was it. They even had to break their own manacles on the anvil while the only remaining foreman tried to whip them back into subservience before he was dragged away by several of the men who had enough spark left in them to know what freedom meant.

Nathaniel reached the riverbank and smiled as he saw the water was only a few inches away from covering the single bridge that connected it to the outside world. That had been the other reason the blue coats hadn't made much of an effort to take the plantation: between April and June, the plantation was cutoff due to the rains, the flooded riverbank making a surprisingly effective moat. It kept almost everyone out and made escape for slaves a deadly proposition.

"So it's gonna be tonight Nathaniel?" An aged voice asked.

Nathaniel turned and smiled, "Shouldn't you be inside old man? After all, we agreed you would go first. Hate to have you disappoint Missus Harriet cuz you came down with pneumonia."

The other man, an old man with dry wrinkly skin and a balding head stood with a small smile, "Oh no, wouldn't want to disappoint her after all she's done for us." He paused and frowned, "Nathaniel, you all can still back out. I'm too old to do much else with my life but you and Mary got that nice family up North who would take you in. Even if our plan works, it's not like we'll be safe here forever."

"Old Daniel, it's sweet of you but this ain't about safety. This is about reckonings. We all owe Miss Harriet. You for your family, me for these scars, he snaked his arm back and ran it over the mess of scar tissue that was almost the entirety of his back, Mary for...well."

Old Daniel clapped him on the back, "Wasn't nobody's fault Nathaniel. Nobody's but Miss Harriet. You and Mary fought it best as you could and, even if it wasn't the right way, your children are a blessing."

--------

Mary untangled herself from Delilah and got ready for the day. The others didn't understand their love but the only sin they commited was against the white god that the white devils had tried to beat into them since they were born. After gathering up Nathaniel's burlap sacks he used for a blanket to cover her lover, Mary considered putting a dress on but shrugged and walked naked to the plantation house: she'd have to change anyway once she got inside and the rain helped wash away her sweat. As Mary reached the house, she looked out over the fields and saw her friends going out to the smoke house and the butcher's hut, preparing the supplies for tonight. She felt a twinge of desire as she thought about what would happen that evening.

Once inside, she got on her apron and maid's outfit: despite being in the ass-end of nowhere, Miss Harriet made any of the slaves who worked in her house (or "sharecroppers" as they now had to be called) dress nice. It took nearly 20 minutes to get herself done, including her hair but at the end of it, Mary looked her best. She then went into the kitchen where a number of women were bustling about, both preparing breakfast for the plantation, as well as secretly preparing tonight's feast.

"My, miss Orpah, looks like you're up bright and early getting Miss Harriet's breakfast done. Mmm, bacon, eggs, pastries...why it looks like all of her favorites. What a good little house girl you are."

"Well Miss Mary, it is a big day for her now isn't it? Besides, it's rainy season, gonna need somehting warm in her belly."

The two women shared a laugh. and Mary took the loaded tray up the stairs to Miss Harriet's bedroom. She smiled all the way there but as she go to the door, her heart suddenly stopped and her breathing became labored. The tray rattled in her hands and tears rushed to her ducts.

"You get a hold of yourself Mary. Last attack you'll have. No reason to be scared...no reason to be scared."

The anxiety attack passed and Mary pulled her tears back in. Even now, Miss Harriet terrified her. Despite the rage she and all of the others had, the woman behind that door had made herself far more than her shapely body suggested. It had taken all of them coming together after they had been freed to come up with their plan and even now it felt like the slightest act of rebellion would be crushed mercilessly. Images of beatings, being locked in a box on a hot day, and being bred to make more slaves filled her mind as she reached for the doorknob. As the door opened, she thought of her friends being put in cages and being used for sport by Ms. Harriet and her guests, families being sold off, acts of torture...

"Miss Harriet. It's time for your breakfast. come on now, just cause it's raining don't mean you should spend all day in bed." Mary said in her sing-song voice, masking her terror, "We even got a warm bath for you and your favorite dress is laid out for you."

Harriet Mountford awoke to the smell off bacon and eggs, and felt entirely vindicated. She had always insisted that there was a natural order of things, that some people were born to own, and others born to serve. Regardless of the spurious claims and military success of the north, she had always remained fully confident that her own slaves would continue as they always had done; to serve her. The smell of a cooked breakfast being brought up to her simply helped to prove her point.

Of course, the political situation was a headache, though it was yet to interrupt production as much as the coming rains. Her grip on her possessions, be they crops or people, was less tight than she would have liked, but she had ridden such waves before, and would undoubtedly do so again. The key to it all was implementing the lessons she had learnt when her father died, and she had become the only major female plantation owner in Louisiana, aged just twenty three. More than a decade ago now, but she remembered his words so well: do not give an inch. She knew that, in order to avoid constant rebellion, she must become more hated, more feared, than any owner in the south; and that was exactly what she had done. It wasn't long after she began that she realised the best thing was, she hugely enjoyed it, too.

She had immediately instigated a harsh regime of corporal punishment. Whilst her lieutenants favoured the whip across the back, her own distinct preference was to deliver lash, strap, paddle or cane across the bare buttocks. In the case of the women, she enjoyed the soft, smooth, yet resilient flesh joyously bounce to the rhythm of the beating. In the case of the men, the act of baring the buttocks also uncovered those enormous, astonishing pieces with which they were endowed, and with which Harriet had developed a rather indecent fascination. Some of them had been as long and thick as her forearm, and she wondered how on earth the women handled such monstrosities.

Soon enough, Harriet decided that she needed to vary the disciplinary regime, as much for her own amusement as for the efficient running of the plantation. Sometimes she would while away the hours of long, hot summer nights dreaming up new humiliations with which to torment her workers. Of course, she was despised, but why did that matter? She was successful, entertained and settled. She wanted a husband, but the small circle of men she considered her social equals had yet to yield a suitable candidate.

She heard the door open, her maid bringing in her favourite breakfast. She sat up in bed, her nightgown sliding softly up her long legs. Her eyes found her hairbrush; after she had eaten, she would have the maid brush her blonde locks, and then perhaps beat her bare bottom with the brush afterward, just for the fun of it. What was the point of having possessions, if you couldn't enjoy them?

Mary choked down her fear as she entered the room and strode over to the bed where Harriet was sitting up. Mary was younger than Harriet but her hard life made her face look almost a full decade older than the white woman. If Harriet hadn't spent the better part of Mary's life tormenting her and her companions, she might have been considered attractive by the former slave. While Mary didn't have too many white women to compare Harriet to, the ones who would come to the parties were less attractive by comparison...at the very least, the few men who could still look at Harriet with lust seemed to think she was a gorgeous example of a woman.

"You're looking happy today Ms. Harriet. You have a nice dream?" She extended the tray's legs and set it down for Harriet, "It's always good to see your smile. Why I'd say your smile is a ray of sunshine on these rainy days."

She forced her warmest smile and tried to peer out the window towards the riverbank where Nathaniel was without alerting Harriet. It would certainly finish flooding tonight. Today was the last day she would have to put on this charade.

"I'm so happy that you took me back Miss Harriet. I don't know how I even spent a day away from you." She saw the brush and sighed. While Harriet had lost much of her physical power when her foremen had up and left (some into shallow graves), she still had been as disturbingly creative as ever and Mary, who had to attend to her personally as she always had, was almost always in arm's reach when the white devil wanted to inflict a new punishment. Mary could never tell if it was pure sadism or if the horrible woman wanted to also have an excuse to see her slaves naked but Harriet always loved getting her personal targets naked when she beat them. If she could even talk her way out of one more beating, Mary would happily do it.

"Ms. Harriet, is there anything else I can do for you?"

“Take care with that button!” Harriet hissed as the girl fumbled to fasten the dress around her owner’s pale, slender back. “You don't want to go back over the dresser, do you?”

The girl - Harriet never cared enough to quite recall their names - shook her head with comical earnestness. After brushing Harriet’s blonde hair, she had found her Mistress in a gleefully sadist mood. Harriet had informed her that she was going to get the flat of the brush across her bare backside, and made her strip naked. She had presented to change her mind, and made the girl dress again, before forcing her to strip a second time. Once bent over the dresser, Harriet had delivered the kind of viciously efficient spanking that comes with a decade’s enthusiastic experience. Big, agonising seats, mixed in with faster flurries of whacks, and soon the howling girl’s backside was palpably bruising. Harriet always grinned at how the purple marks could be seen, even through the natural deep coffee colour of their buttocks; she took it as a personal endorsement of her efforts.

The girl had been required, as was customary, to thank her Mistress effusively for her punishment, and to request a much more serious one should she ever infringe again in the future. Harriet had smiled in satisfaction, and made the girl do fifty star jumps. This was a favourite of hers for certain girls, such as this, who were particularly well-endowed in the chest area. Harriet liked to watch those big, dark breasts slap up and down, beads of sweat emerging as the girls exerted themselves.

“Perhaps I should get the ruler out, just to make sure,” Harriet had mused, and the girl had been delightfully terrified. They all hated the ruler, which Harriet applied across the soles of their bare feet. It was an especially nasty punishment, and only suitable for the women, as it could adversely affect the men's ability to work. Profit before pleasure had always been Harriet’s mantra.

Once dressed, she dismissed the girl, no doubt heading down to the solace of the scullery maids far below. Perhaps one of the menfolk would give her solace, too, much later, with their huge endowments. Who knew what went on in those hideous camps after dark? Harriet shuddered at the thought. She would have to make her presence felt around the plantation, and exert her authority in these turbulent times, but nothing could make her set her perfectly-pedicured feet inside those miserable huts.

She looked out of the window. The rains were coming, which could mean isolation for quite some time. Such a relief that her slaves held her in such a combination of adoration and fear that no thought of insurrection would ever cross their minds! Harriet smiled complacently, and settled down to her cup of tea.

Mary stumbled away from Harriet's room and headed for the pantry where Delilah awaited her with a tearful embrace and a pair of eager lips. The beating she had received was far from the worst she had received from her sadistic mistress...not that the monster hadn't put all of her back into it. What was killing her was that she had willingly gone along with it like she always did. Mere hours from what was supposed to be their moment of retaliation and she had reverted back to being a slave. She tried to make herself believe that she was just playing the part but she knew it was a lie. As she took comfort in Delilah's kisses, she tried to forget how easily she played up her cries of pain in hopes of appeasing Harriet's sadism and eagerly bent over backwards to meet every whim.

----

Old Daniel had made it to the house and changed into his suit while Harriet had entertained herself with Mary. The older man caught several dirty looks from his peers as he took a silver tray from the kitchen loaded with tarts and another kettle of tea and carried it to meet Harriet. At 60 years old, he was a rarity and the reason for the looks he received was how he survived. He wouldn't have lived to his old age working out in the field. He could only survive by constantly working in the plantation house...and he could only do that by selling his pride. He humored every request, took every beating, and gave of himself more and more while singing the praises of the white devils who had enslaved generations of his family and reduced them to chattel.

...and it had all been for nothing in the end. He suffered less physical abuse but he had lost just as much as everyone else. He was now just a withered old man with nothing worth showing for it. With luck he could survive maybe a few more years but that would be it. The only thing he had left to live for was revenge against the woman he was setting the tray down in front of.

"Morning Miss Harriest, that sho is a fierce bit of rain we have this morning. Though looking at you it's like the sun is right here in this room." He bowed deeply, almost falling over. "Is there anything Old Daniel can do for you?"

Outside, several men were tuning old cracked fiddles and a hog was being lead to slaughter.

I will be filling in until barefoot nikki returns to continue this very good roleplay thread in the role of Harriet.. Angelique

Harriet ignored the house boy, if the old slave could even be considered such, as he complimented her and bowed after placing the tray and hot tea in front of her. He knew better than not to mind his manners.

" ... Is there anything old Daniel can do for you ? " he asked politely.

" I do declare old man, if it would have taken you any longer to bring my tea up here, I would have died of thirst. How many times have I told you to move a little faster ? By time you get here my tea is not very hot the way I expect it to be...." the lady complained sternly.

Old Daniel said nothing but stood there with his hands behind his back and his eyes downcast. The old man wanted nothing more than to be dismissed and not have to listen to her spoiled little rants and complaints. Very well, this may be the very last time he would have to endure it, God willing.

Harriet took a bite of the pastry, wincing in disgust, " Oh my God...did the cook forget to add sugar ? They are supposed to be sweet. I should have her punished for serving me this vile slop ! I wouldn't even feed these to the hogs, they deserve better. I have half a mind to go down to the kitchen and make her eat every last one. "

The little ol' bitch probably did it on purpose, she fumed. Outside she heard yelling and a hog squealing.

Old Daniel went back to the kitchen, gritting his teeth all the while. He gingerly placed the tray down, where he and his cohorts quickly devoured the morsels, as they often had done in the past. Nothing could go to waste when the men and women of the plantation were forced to work all day without rest and on a mere pittance of food despite the bounty that grew around them.

The preparations were going faster than expected, though the older man supposed it made sense; hardly anyone had slept last night. The several dozen former slaves had dreamed of today's events ever since they planned it out. The ballroom was already set with several long tables that were set with fine china and silk tablecloths and the kitchen had prepared its first hog and chickens and platters that were loaded with delicacies and sides.

At the longhouses, the men and women were dressing in their Sunday best. Miss Harriet might hav been as cruel as any white woman could be but she as also vain. It was fashionable for plantation owners and a sign thy were good Christians to make their slaves dress up for worship so she made sure each of them had one set they could be put in for the white preacher and for parties so she could accentuate her wealth.

Nathaniel smiled as the riverbank finally swelled over the bridge. He walked back to the longhouses and waved to his friends, who went inside to the house to assemble in the ballroom. Nathaniel went to go get his own suit on.

Old Daniel took a deep breath and beckoned to Mary and Delilah, who were still locked in each other's embrace. The two women nodded and Mary slid a pistol into her apron. It had been difficult hiding the thing and they had oly been able to scrounge up one bullet for it but it would do its job if necessary.

The Old man patted the two women carefully on the head and said a small blessing as they went to face Miss Harriet.

"Ms. Harriet," Old Daniel said, putting on his sweetst smile, "I'm sorry you didn't like your pastries but we here have a little surprise for you. We know you been feeling bad about not having your fine white friends over after those boys in blue stole their land but we felt that's no reason we couldn't hold a party in your honor. After all, where would we be without you?"

Mary and Delilah both forced a smile. The parties had been a special kind of hell. the men were often forced to fight for the amusement of the white guests, both men and women were molested or raped right at the party, with any children born from the unions being made into slaves and sold off if they were too light skinned so rumors wouldn't spread. Sometimes their friends would even be hunted for sport.

...this party would be a bit different.

"Come on Ms. Harriet, let me and Delilah get you all gussied up. Might just be us black folk here but that just means you'll shine even brighter."

Mary bowed, the gun still in her apron pocket, "Come on Ms. Harriet, let's get you in that fine dress. A beauty like you deserves to be given the finest things in life. We live to give you everything you deserve and more."

" A party in my honor ! Why, how delightful ! " Harriet exclaimed, fanning herself.

It has been several years since she had attended a party or a ball ever since the dreadful war of northern aggression had started. Her dear beloved daddy had hosted several grand parties before the war had ruined everything by taking away all her young, dashing, handsome prospects for marriage. How she loved to flirt like any proper southern belle did at the time, Harriet's dance card filled for hours on end, the young males competing for her attention...

Excited, she rushed to her chest of drawers and found her pair of silk stockings imported from Paris that she was dying to wear for such an occasion. While no one would notice the delicates she wore underneath her gown Harriet loved to dress up and feel female. Some women hated wearing a corsett but Harriet liked how it made her waist appear so slim and small. Opening her jewelry box she found her precious pearl necklace...

" What are you'all waiting for ? Make me look my best. " she demanded.

Mary let out a sigh of relief when Harriet went to her room and she put the gun in Nathaniel's hand. While she wanted revenge more than anything, she didn't want blood on her hands or to even take the risk that she would kill Harriet. Delilah took her hand and clasped it as they followed Harriet up to her room.

When the women heard their former master's order, they bustled about, getting her ready. It had been some time since they had dressed Harriet in full refinery but they knew every step and where every article of clothing was. Mary quickly fetched Harriet's undergarments while Delilah laid out her pollonaise dress and accessories.

The stockings went on first. Years of practice made Mary know how to perfectly slide it up Harriet's legs and align the toes in a single movement up the cruel woman's ivory legs. Any pleasure she or Delilah had from handling Harriet' gorgeous body had evaporated from years of abuse...though Mary did allow a small smile to grow on her lips when she pulled the corset tight on Harriet, almost tearing the laces out with how strong she pulled.

The petticoat, gloves, and dress were imported like the stockings. Each item cost more than Harriet spent on caring for her workers in a year and were made of material that they could barely appreciate the texture of with their calloused hands. Delilah slid them all on with her painted smile: this room held more positive memories for her than Mary. While her treatment had been no less brutal, she more easily remembered the silver linings, like the time Harriet had sent her to care for Mary after she had gone past her normal level of abuse and she and Mary had made love for the first time.

Jewelry, make up and hair were all done with great care. The women took their duties seriously, even as they prayed it would be the last time. The shoes came last and once again, Mary made sure the laces were tight. The women stayed knelt when they finished and held up a silver mirror.

"Miss Harriet...is everything to your liking?" Delilah asked.

"I hope so Delilah." Mary chimed in, "If Ms. Harriet got any prettier, the angels themselves might snatch her up for Heaven and we shore couldn't live without her."

------
The final dish, a suckling pig, was brought to the long tables and the workers sat down. The tables surrounded a smaller circular one that was set with the finest china and and a crystal flute that was filled with wine. Each of the men and women patiently waited for their former slaver to make her way down.

Miss Harriet studied her image in the mirror and was pleased by what she saw. She looked perfect, all dolled up in her jewels and pearls and expensive finery.

" Miss Harriet, is everything to your liking ? " Delilah asked, kneeling before her superior.

She batted her eyelashes several times, I do declare, how I wish I had someone worthwhile to flirt with...

" I hope so Delilah. If Ms. Harriet got any prettier the angels themselves might snatch her up from heaven and we shore couldn't live without her. " Mary complimented.

She had to agree, they were so lucky to have her, otherwise they would perish, unable to take care of themselves...that's why most have stayed here instead of leaving when those hated yankees came and set them free.

" I doubt I'll be going to heaven anytime soon. I'm needed right here, ruling over you little ol' helpless souls. Once a slave always a slave, my dear daddy always said. Why, you both should thank me for being such a firm master and teaching you'all proper manners and how to behave around your betters. "

Both former slaves kept their eyes lowered, looking at the floor, saying nothing.

" I do declare, are you going to thank me or not ? " Harriet demanded, her anger growing.

" Yes ma'am...thank you. " Mary finally whispered softly.

" That's better, now let's go downstairs and enjoy the feast before I decide to disapline you both first for being so defiant. " Harriet suggested getting to her feet and walking to the door. Lifting her skirts she descended the staircase carefully followed by her former female slaves. The aroma of the food prepared in her honour almost made her mouth water. Harriet paused at the table, allowing a black male to seat her in a chair like a gentleman. Her eyes widened in delight at the many dishes on the table.

" How splendid this all looks ! And all this in my little ol' honor...please would someone like to pour me a glass of wine ? "

Mary and Delilah followed behind Harriet, every step strengthening the anticipation that was building in their hearts.

----

A mix of fear and excitement filled the air as Harriet sat down. The former slaves were united in their goal but a past of abuse and torment bore down on them like a heavy boulder. When she asked for wine, the room seemed to freeze. Everyone in earshot felt like they had gone back in time.

Everyone save for Nathaniel, Daniel, Mary, and Delilah, that was. The two women slowly moved back to the door and locked it, while Old Daniel dutifully poured the wine. Nathaniel meanwhile stood next to Delilah and bowed while delivering his best smile.

"There you go Ms. Harriet," He said warmly, extending his own glass for Daniel to fill, "Tonight is all about you and we want to repay every kindness you've given us. Could you please grace us with a toast though? Your beautiful voice would be a blessing."

The workers whooped and smiled, broken out of their fear induced stubor. They politely applauded and grinned with anticipation.

Harriet was overwhelmed by the applause her 'darkies' gave her, after Nathaniel suggested she give a toast, it just showed how much they all appreicated her and all she had done for them. Besides she always liked being the center of attention. Deep down inside they all loved and admired her, and this feast just proved it. The whippings were necessary and needed to keep them in line...


" Well let's see...I do think you'all should be toasting me tonight actually. After all is said and done, I have provided you'all with a fine place to live, shelter from the elements, food in your belly when you are hungary and yes, you have all done your duty by serving me, but that is only to be expected. So each and every one of you should give thanks to me... and oh don't forget my late dear ol' daddy. "

Harriet smiled, feeling entitled and above everyone in this room, as she drank from her glass of wine...

A spell seemed to be cast over the room as Harriet drank her wine. A few of the men and women continued to clap, a trained response, but the rest remained silent. Some seethed with anger, some were overcome by fear, some were merely shocked at how little pity and empathy Harriet had. Even Nathaniel, with all his strength could barely stand when next to the contemptuous presence that had lorded over them.

In the end, it was Old Daniel who broke the silence. The elderly man was weaker than most of the other men in the room. His wiry muscles wouldn't survive a day in the fields, let alone years. His eyesight had started to go and his arthritis sometimes hurt so much that he begged for a beating to take its place. He wasn't the worst off either: most of the men and women assembled that night had suffered just as much as him if not worse.

However, he had one advantage over all of them:

He no longer gave a damn.

Not about his safety.

Not about the future.

And certainly not one fucking goddamn bit about the white bitch whose family had made his entire existence a living hell.

"Well spoken, Ms. Harriet. Well spoken. We have a lot to thank you and your daddy, god rest his soul, for. So I think I will go first with my thanks."

Old Daniel spread his arms and addressed his friends, "I want to thank Ms. Harriet and her daddy for teaching me about love." He waited for the stunned looks of his peers to appear, "You see, that preacher man they brought around? What was his name? Nah, not important now. He told me when I first arrived that god loves his white children more than anything else and even loves the black people like us when we behave and are good little slaves."

Old Daniel circled around the table to where Harriet sat. He placed his hand on the back of her chair but was careful not to touch her. He stroked his chin with his other hand.

"Now that always confused me. See when I was being raised by my auntie, little before I got sold to a plantation-that was before I came here-she said she loved me to pieces and you showed love by hugging and kissing, by being nice to each other...but this god didn't do none of that. Noooo sir! This god burnt a city down cause he thought they were sinning and turned a woman to salt so her daughters could rape they daddy. This god made his own people slaves and then when he got bored with that, he sent frogs and made rivers bleed so the people that enslaved them let them go and when his children did anything wrong, he'd let em get conquered...and when he got bored, he put a baby in a little Jewish girl had it grow up and then had him nailed to a piece of wood! That's a strange kind of love, now ain't it. I mean, when's the last time one of ya'll got asked by a voice in the sky to slit your children's throats? Or had an invisible man sneak into your bed and get you a baby that brings the dead back to life?"

The atmosphere changed. A few of his peers laughed.

"So I thought, 'well, I guess god don't love us black folk.' So I went back to loving my wife and daughter how I always did. Hugging and kissing them, taking beatings for them when I could." A tear rolled down his face. "Then I got to thinking. I think it was right when I watched my baby girl and grandbaby get sold on an auction block to separate houses in places I'll never find. I realized it right then. God don't love us so he sent Ms. Harriet and her daddy and all those white folk to love us for him. After all, God likes enslaving his people but it wasn't god that made us slaves. God likes raping girls but it wasn't god who raped my wife while his friend had a loaded shotgun to my head. Wasn't god who 9 months later made me push my wife into a shallow grave and then whipped me for crying that night at his daughter's birthday party because my newborn daughter would never know her mother. Wasn't God who forced my baby girl to play with her and beat her for fun. Wasn't god who let her think she was her friend before leaving her tied up for 3 days in the fields and beat anyone who tried to help or showed her any compassion Wasn't God who made me beg and beat myself raw to try and keep my baby girl home and then sold her anyway. No, God didn't have that love for me!"

His rage made Old Daniel strain his face. He cried openly and bared his teeth. He pulled the gun out and forced it into Nathaniel's hand, whether because he was afraid he wouldn't have the nerve to fire if necessary or if he feared he would kill her if the temptation was given to him for even a moment longer, he didn't know.

"But Ms. Harriet, you had LOTS of love, didn't you?! SO MUCH LOVE! And you gave it in abundance along with your daddy, didn't you? You gave it in torture, murder, rape, and in so VERY many types."

He started laughing. Not a laugh of amusement, more like the chortling laughter of a Hyena signalling its pack that prey was cornered.

"So I got to thinking, Yes ma'am I did. So much love, yet god never gave you that love, did he? Nah, worst happened to you was your daddy dying. He barely felt god's love but you didn't let that stop you. You gave us even more love, despite god never showing you an ounce of love...Well, that ain't right, no...no not at all.

Not.

One.

Bit."

Old Daniel then finally broke the taboo a man like him was never to do with a any white woman, let alone his master, former or not. He grabbed the back of her head, leaned down and planted his lips against hers. He hadn't kissed another woman in decades so he took his time, enjoying her full lips. He let his tongue go out to briefly flick against hers. The full act only took a few seconds but it broke the spell. The crowd started cheering him on as he pulled back and then forcefully pushed the chair back so Harriet fell.

"So Ms. Harriet. While we stuck here during the rains, we're gonna give you back all of god's love and more besides. We're gonna give you so much love it will be like a baptism and every one of us is going to be thanking you. Now what do you think of that, Ms. Harriet?"

It all happened so quickly, one minute she was in control, adored by her former slaves, both male and female, and the next thing she knew knew the old house nigger gave a rather long speech about God and love and all this silly nonsence before forcefully putting his filthy lips and wicked lying tongue in her mouth !

All the while they cheered him on, as if like she deserved this treatment. Harriet was toally stunned at first and then flushed bright pink with anger and embarrassment, until he withdrew, smiled and shoved her chair backwards onto the cold marble floor...

It was so unexpected and she was totally surprised that as she fell backwards her fine silk dress and petticoats fell upwards and exposed the intimate delicates that she wore underneath for everyone to see.

" How dare you ! I swear I will have you punished for this ! " Harriet hissed as she tried to regain her compure, pulling her skirts down over her knees but making no move to get up from the floor. All of a sudden she felt very helpless and vurnable, the atmosphere had changed and Harriet was no longer in controll. She was the only white woman, or person for that matter left on her plantation...

Perhaps I can save face and still reason with these darkies, she thought, not fully aware of the danger she found herself in yet...

" Please, kind sir, would you be a gentleman and assist a lady to her feet ? " Harriet asked Nathaniel, who seemed to be the leader or the one who could possibably restore order here if needed. Why was this happening to me ?

Nathaniel cracked a wide smile.

"Kind sir? Why Ms. Harriet, since when was I a 'kind sir?"Nathaniel said, leaning over her, "white folks sure are funny. You serve them and they call you 'boy' give em a kiss and knock them down and they call you 'kind sir."

The room burst into laughter but Nathaniel reached down and pulled the woman up onto her feet and then turned her around to face his friends. he placed his hands on her sides and then slid them in front of her belly where he let them come together. His muscular frame dwarfed her completely. He leaned down and sniffed her hair before laying a kiss on her cheek.

"Now Ms. Harriet, I won't say i know what Old Daniel was on about with god and love...but he had a point. You treated us good, didn't you? You and all of those white people you brought over only did what was best for us right? So you'd be happy to have the same happen to you, right?"

He licked her ear lobe and then growled, "WELL? ANSWER ME YOU WHITE BITCH!"

The younger big muscled slave, Harriet still considered them her slaves bought and paid for, helped her to her feet but not without mocking her for referring to him as a 'kind sir'. He then forced her to turn around and face the other darkies in the room who all seemed to be enjoying her sudden humilation. To make matters worse he tightened his powerful hands around her waist, making her feel helpless before inhaling deeply her perfumed hair and then he boldly kissed her on the cheek...

Harriet started shaking, turning bright pink, partly in rage mixed with a little fear at her situation which was becoming dire. Inside a minute she had been kissed twice by two different ungrateful black brutes. Why that alone was considered a crime and would be punishable by hanging from the nearest tree.

She felt him lick her earlobe..." WELL ? ANSWER ME YOU WHITE BITCH ! "

The blonde southern belle winced in fright. Despite her whole world suddenly falling apart, Harriet tried to regain her composure. She knew that she must not show fear or bow down to these people who were beneath her.

" I demand an apology. I also insist that you take your filthy hands off of me at once. " Harriet stiffened her spine in an attempt to restore order...

This time, Harriet's demands carried no weight. They had all seen her wince and that had been enough for her authority to shatter. Nathaniel tightened his left arm around her waist while his right slid up her body, over her breasts, and then to grip her chin.

"...Filthy? Nah Ms. Harriet, I cleaned. We all cleaned." He moved his index and middle finger up and forced them into her mouth where he pumped them against her tongue, "If you think they are dirty though, give em a good cleaning."

His calloused fingers were like iron. The muscles in them made them thick and he could bend a nail between them if he felt like it. He had little fear about getting hurt from a bite. Besides, it might be nice to see what her mouth could do.

"Now, since your stupid little white brain seems to be on mend, I'll spell it out for you like a good master should." The crowd cheered, "I asked you a question and you failed to answer. We want to give you the same love and attention you gave us but you're making this difficult."

"HEY!" He yelled to the crowd, "Who's got a whip? I think this uppity cracker needs to be taught her new place."

"Over here!" One of the violin players held up an old bullwhip, whose end had frayed from all of the punishment it had doled out. Everyone was ecstatic, "But I don't remember us getting whipped in the middle of parties...still, first time for everything."

Nathaniel pumped his fingers farther back in, "Well, maybe we can be a bit nicer. Hey Delilah, what did you have to do during these parties."

Delilah smiled wickedly, "I danced for Ms. Harriet's white friends."

Nathaniel and the others smiled knowingly, he removed his fingers, "All right Ms. Harriet, decision time. Whip or dance, what will it be? choose anything else and you get both."

Harriet felt like a little ol' helpless ragdoll in the big black brutes powerful arms, and she knew it was hopeless to struggle but she did her best not to give in to panic. At least not yet...until one of his hands moved upwards over her breasts and gripped her chin. The next thing Harriet knew she was almost gagging as he stuck a finger into her mouth. Her first reaction was to bite it with her teeth but resisted that impulse knowing it wouldn't hurt him very much and might make him even more angry.

Oh God please make them stop...why is this happening to me ?

" HEY...who's got a whip ? I think this uppity cracker needs to be taught her new place. "

They wouldn't dare ! " Harriet thought filled with fear, dreading the whip and the pain it would inflict, not to mention the red welts it would cause on her creamy white skin.

Someone must have found one because the crowd cheered, but thankfully for her a voice offered a short reprieve from a whipping until Nathan asked the housemaid Delilah how she entertained at the parties.

" I danced for Ms. Harriets white friends. " Delilah answered.

" All right Ms. Harriet decision time. Whip or dance, what will it be ? Choose anything else and you get both. "

Harriet held back the tears, how could she choose between a brutal whipping or humiliating herself by dancing in front of these worthless undeserving darkies ?

" Please... I beg you, don't do this to me. I promise if you'all leave now I won't report you to the hated yankees. Take what you need and go, I beg you. Take everything please ! "
Harriet would have dropped to her knees and pleaded for mercy but the big black brute held her trembling body tight and deep down inside she knew they could not or would not forgive her for the past sins. Her pleas fell on deaf ears. They were not going anywhere until they got their wicked revenge and made her suffer. And the yankees were not about to come to her rescue any time soon. Of course, given the choice the lady of the house would favor dancing over a whipping despite the shame and humiliation it would bring her.

All of a sudden a violin started playing a slow mournful tune...

" Very well... since I have no other choice in the matter, I will dance. " Harriet said, the last of her resolve melting.

Nathaniel nodded and released her, before kneeling down then leaping up with a single swift movement, taking the dress and a petticoat off. The crowd howled and cheered; most of the men and a few of the women looked lustily at the bits of flesh that were exposed and eagerly awaited the moment where the rest of her garments would be stripped.

"That's better. You don't need a fancy dress...especially for your whipping." He knocked her face first onto the table and another man, Ezekiel ran up to hold her arms down while the whip was passed to Old Daniel, who practiced twirling the the whip.

"Now Ms. Harriet, I said you had to choose one or the other. If I wanted to hear you beg, I would have told you to. Besides, how would it look, a bunch of old slaves carrying off a rich woman's things...we'd be lynched in no time. No, the only thing all of us want is you, lucky little you. Now, speaking back is 10 lashes, right?" He asked rhetorically, "Since it's your first time though, you get this. We don't want your back all bloody when you dance for us."

The "this" referred to a dried piece of cowhide which was draped over Harriet's back. It was torn and had holes from all of the whippings it had weathered and was too thin to lessen the blows or pain....it would just keep the whip from breaking her skin open. It was given to first time 'offenders.'

The whipping began, with the music still playing and the crowd cheering Old Daniel on. The old man took a long time with his wind up before delivering the blow.

As the blow landed, Nathan circled around and yanked Ezekiel's pants down, letting the young man's cock spring forth in front of Harriet's face.

"Here Ms. Harriet, something to keep your mind off the pain." The young man then thrust forward into Harriet's mouth. As the next blow landed.

Before Harriet knew what happened, the big muscled black brute who seemed to be the ringleader, tore off her expensive gown leaving her lower legs, as well as her shoulders and creamy white cleavage above her corsett exposed. The corsett not only served to make her waist appear slim but pushed her breasts upwards to make them look fuller and more enticing. The crowd voiced their approval, seeking justice in her punishment.

It was only going to get worse she realized...

The next thing the blonde female slaveowner knew she was shoved face down on the table, her arms held down by a young buck so she could not resist or avoid the lashes. The mean black brute threatened her with ten lashes for talking back.

By now Ms. Harriet knew she was in deep trouble. No one here in the crowd was going to defend her honor or speak up to stop this madness. Despite the thin rawhide covering her dainty back she still felt most of the pain when the old house slave named Daniel started his punishment. Ms Harriet whimpered, trying not to cry out in pain, although the music would have muffled her cries, if not for the the big black cock that was soon shoved in her face.

" Here Ms. Harriet, something to keep your mind off the pain ! "

Taken by surprise the young buck thrust forward into her mouth...shocked she did her best to adjust to the invasion from the large member. Never in her lifetime did the entitled southern belle ever imagine something like this happening to her...let alone even with a white gentlemen. Once again the whip slashed her back causing her to wince and arch her back. Twisting away, as best as she could, Ms. Harriet managed to let the big black cock slip from her mouth...

" Oh God help me...please stop...I beg you... I'll do anything...anything you want...please... just have mercy on me ! " the white female victim pleaded, a tear streaming down her cheek.

Harriet heard laughter and was aware that they were all dancing in celebration as someone gripped her long blonde hair and forced the erect cock back into her mouth silencing her protests...

Old Daniel kept the whip going, even as Harriet begged. He didn't see a woman anymore; just a beast that needed to be brought down. He made sure every blow struck home on her back. He considered adding a few more but stopped himself; not out of mercy though, he just remembered how much Harriet and her friends liked hearing them beg.

Ezekiel meanwhile was doing his best to enjoy Harriet's mouth. He was the youngest man there and perhaps that was why he was risking his manhood. Not that he was in much danger, his cock was thick and hard like iron, even if she bit down, he would at worst get some scraped skin. He laughed as she managed to get his member out long enough to beg and then grabbed hold of her hair and shoved it right back in.

"Now Ms. Harriet, you don't gotta worry about that. You gonna do anything we want and we'll give you mercy when we feel like it." He thrust his hips, "My god, Ms. Harriet, no wonder none of your white men snatched you up: you can't suck a cock to save your life. I'd have more fun wrapping your hair around me. Well, till you learn, I guess I'll settle for your throat."

He pressed himself deeper into her, until his cock was pressing back against her tonsils. Ezekiel wasn't the most endowed of his peers but he still had 8 inches of hard meat thrusting into her unskilled throat. He savored feeling; the power of making her gag and having control over her head...he'd have to fit in some time to teach her technique. He didn't want to ruin everyone's fun though so he settled on holding his cock in the back of her throat, making her gag and spit around his engorged penis until he pulled out and smacked his tip against her face right after the last blow from whip was delivered.

"Hmmph, couldn't even get me off, could you bitch?" Ezekiel said, sliding his precum over her forehead. He spat on her and walked over to his wife, Jessie, who had hopped up on the table and spread her legs for him. She had enjoyed watching Harriet get abused and was ready for a little action of her own.

Nathaniel laughed at their antics and removed the cow hide. Several welts had sprung up on Harriet's previously flawless skin. He poked one and sneered.

"Oh my, Ms. Harriet, this looks like it hurts. Poor thing. Now, come on, up with you...time to dance." He yanked up on the string tying her corset and snapped it in two places, leaving it looser but still holding on as he forced her to her feet, "If you want mercy, you better start dancing Ms. Harriet and you better make it interesting or you won't get a rawhide and you'll get far worse than ten lashes."

Poor little Ms.Harriet didn't know what was worse, the pain from the whip or the brutal rape of her mouth by a filthy young darkie. Never had she performed such a distasteful act before, not even with her late husband, bless his heart who was a white gentleman. To even think she would ever be doing this to a black man, in front of a roomful of his peers was unthinkable. The entitled blonde struggled to breath as he forced it down her throat as far as it would go, meanwhile mocking her for being inexperienced. Finally after minutes of gagging on the big black cock he thankfully removed from her mouth, only to add to her humiliation by slapping her face with it afterwards.

Trying to maintain her dignity, or what was left of it, she only winced but didn't cry out as another painful blow struck her back. She heard laughing and closed her eyes ignoring what was happening around her. It was then the big cruel brute removed the rawhile covering from her bruised back. At first she was relieved until he poked his finger into a painful welt and jeered at the pain.

"...poor thing, now come on, up with you...time to dance. "

Harriet couldn't help but remember those grand parties her father held and the private affairs that happened upstairs for several honored male guests and a few select females and wives. Harriet herself enjoyed watching the female slaves dance enticingly, always ending up almost naked. It was important that a slave know their position in life, that they were there to do their owners bidding, whatever it was. A slave had no choice in the matter...

Nathan threatened her by saying she had better make it interesting or else...

The blonde lady of the house knew it was useless to protest, or beg for mercy at this point and obediantly rose from the table holding her almost ruined corsett to her chest. Closing her eyes she stepped to the middle of the marbeled floor, once again praying to God to send someone to save her from this horror...

The room was almost silent, everyone waiting...someone coughed and the music began again this time playing an old haunting irish tune. At first Harriet didn't move, gathering her courage to do this wicked thing...how many times had she danced at the many balls and parties, her dance card filled with endless admirers, but of course this was far different...it was something to be done in private.

Nevertheless she decided to block everyone out of her mind except for her main tormenter the big black brute named Nathaniel...taking a step forward she spun to face him and looked directly in his brooding dark eyes. Gracefully Harriet swayed and moved to the tune of the music, not taking her eyes off of him. Spinning on her heel she twirled around letting her remaining petticoat rise up exposing her stocking tops as she did while clutching her corsett to her ample breasts. Even while the blonde turned her near naked back to Nathan, she kept her gaze focused on him from over her shoulder, wanting to appear almost defiant and not afraid. Instinct took over as she moved her body seductively to the music until Harriet fell to her knees before the big black brute. Looking him directly in the eye, the blonde knew he had a perfect view of the top of her creamy white breasts...

Throwing caution to the wind, Harriet's blue eyes fell submissively to the floor while she permitted the corsett to fall forward, and cupped her creamy white breasts with her hands as if offering them both to her new master...

The whipping and Ezekiel's assault had helped soothe the crowd's bloodlust, at least enough that those inclined were able to watch Harriet's dance. Even Old Daniel, whose rage had barely abated, had to appreciate the way she displayed her natural assets and erotic charms as she shimmied and worked her hips with a deft amount of skill.

Nathaniel watched it all, not just Harriet's tempting dance but also his friend's reactions, especially Mary's. As he gazed at her tantalizingly smooth creamy skin, one that until now had known no hardship, he looked at his "wife" and her lover. When Old Daniel had come up with the plan, Nathaniel had initially balked at it. Nathaniel wanted Harriett dead, period. A quick snap of her neck and they could toss her in the river while they fled to the North. Yet Mary, who had suffered far worse than him, had taken him aside and begged him to join the plan.

"I don't want the father of my children to be a murderer Nathaniel," she had said, "Ms. Harriet's done enough to earn it, we all know that, but that sort of revenge ain't gonna help anyone. No, what we gotta do is harder than that, both for us and for her...we gotta break her and make her something new."

Nathaniel kept that in mind as he watched Harriet finish her dance. It was clear the woman was still fighting to keep some control and the way she was focusing on him was clear that she thought he was in charge, the only person she had to win over to be free of the torments that were waiting to spring at her. Yet another thought captured him: it was clear she had been watching when the women were made to dance for their pleasures of their white slavers. While she carried an air of defiance that none of the former slaves would dare express, her movements were close approximations and could have only been done with years of watching. In her own way, it showed a twisted kind of admiration or fetishistic fascination with her former slaves.

Harriet finished her dance and displayed herself in front of Nathaniel. Nathaniel could tell she was far from broken. She was willing to submit in the moment but not yet be truly submissive. Still, that would do for now. He reached down and tore away the corset with his strong fingers and flung it away, fully exposing her breasts.

He clapped his hands loudly until everyone else joined him.

"Wonderful Ms. Harriet! Wonderful! I can see you watched our girls carefully and you gave a fine display. She's a gorgeous woman, ain't she?"

The crowd cheered. He took both of her breasts in his hands and began to knead them, rolling her large sensitive flesh and nipples in his calloused hands. "Yes, you know what your place is and I think that deserves a reward. Mary, could you take over for me?"

Mary nodded and walked over to kneel behind Harriet. She was nervous but began to run her hands over Harriet's body before finding her way to her pale breasts. She pinched and teased her nipples while her lips burrowed in the nape of her neck and began to kiss and suckle on Harriet's flesh. These actions were less enthusiastically received by the crowd but it didn't matter: she was owed her pound of flesh and how she chose to take it she was entitled.

Nathaniel meanwhile stood and dropped his pants, letting his manhood spring forward, mostly erect. Even so, his impressive cock bounced and surged with hunger at 10 inches, with a thickness that rivaled Ezekiel's. A fat mushroom tip extended out from the end of his cock which was long and smooth save for several angry veins. that led back to a low hanging scrotum, with heavy balls full of uncountable sperm. He stepped out of his pants and returned to his seat in front of Harriet.

"Here you go Ms. Harriet. I know you loved looking at it when I was your slave. Always seemed like we had to be naked when you watched us get beaten and I remember you taking time to look at my friend here, just like you like making Mary get naked when you beat her? Is that why you forced us to wed and then beat us till we fucked for your amusement? You just wanted to see the two slaves you found attractive go at it like animals since you couldn't bear to admit you wanted to lie with them."

His tone softened, "But it's no matter. This is a reward after all. You've got your personal slave who cared for and dressed you every day tending to your body while your personal favorite cock is bouncing right in front of you. You even have every eligible man and woman putting all of their attention on you. You're a lucky girl, aren't you?"

He scooted closer so his cock was an inch away from her lips. The tip started to leak out precum as the shaft hardened and widened.

"Go on Ms. Harriet, enjoy yourself."

Ms. Harriet had never felt so alone in her entire life...here she was surrendered by hostile ungrateful monsters who hated her very existance, forced to dance for their pleasure and stripped almost naked for all to see. To make matters worse her former loyal housegirl was behind her playing with her milky white breasts causing her nipples too grow stiff for all to see. Yes, Harriet had to admit she loved the times that she had made Mary give her soothing massages starting on her shoulders and continuing down her entire body, even her derriere but never her breasts. They were off limits to all darkies...

And now she was kneeling before the big black powerful ringleader who stood over her with pure distain, offering his very large black cock as a reward. To think it would ever come to this...for many years the slaveowners feared an uprising of their slaves.

The shameful memories came flashing back before her very eyes. Harriet was only nineteen when she and her favorite cousin Isabelle accompanied dear daddy to a slave auction in New Orleans where several slaves were purchased. Daddy desired a 'breeder' a slave that was virale and could provide offspring for more profit. He would be expected to mate with several female slaves and in return for being a stud he would recieve extra benefits such as better food and no forced labor in the fields. When daddy went outside to pay for his purchases Harriet and Isabelle were left alone with the big muscled slave who was chained to a pole of course.

Looking around to make sure no one could see them, her older beautiful cousin asked, " Do you know why they call them breeders ? "

Boldly reaching into into his thin torn cotten trousers Isabelle pulled out the biggest dick she had ever seen. Not that she had seen very many at her age...

" Oh my God, it is huge ! However would a female take all that inside her ? " Harriet gasped.

" Don't you worry you're pretty ol' head. Those slave girls love every inch of that big black horse cock. " Isabelle assured her. Oblivious to the slave chained to the pole Isabelle offered, " I do declare...feel how heavy it is cousin ! "

Unable to resist the wicked temptation Harriet gripped the very large black cock in her hand..." Oh my...it's so heavy ! "

" And he is not really fully erect yet ! " Isabelle giggled, " Go ahead make him hard. "

" How ? " Harriet asked innocently.

" Like this." Isabelle whispered, once again looking around to make sure they were still alone. She began to softly stoke his cock with her gloved hand.

Harriet did the same with her hand, thrilled by her behavior but not wanting to get caught doing this because the penalty would be severe. Before long the black slave's cock was totally stiff and throbbing...

****** ****** ********* ********** ********* *********
Years later, on her knees in front of this black stud, Harriet knew she was at his mercy. She could not deny throughout that time of her short lived marriage and afterwards she had wicked 'thoughts' ...but she had never considered acting upon them. It would have brought extreme disgrace to herself and her family. Besides these people were beneath her station in life and only existed to serve their masters...

" Go on Mizz Harriet, enjoy yourself. "

The words of her new owner and master echoed in her mind.

This time, unlike the moments before when she had been forced to take the young black mans cock into her throat, Harriet had a choice to make. Would she willingly take Nathans huge black cock in her mouth and submit to him ? She knew that it would be better to please him than too resist...

Harriets fingers reached out grasped his huge black cock with her hand. Closing her eyes she leaned forward and licked the the bottom half gently with her tongue. It was so big and thick but she knew that she had to do a better job this time in pleasing him unlike the first time. Opening her deep blue eyes she gazed up at him submissively from under her long lashes. Did Nathan see the devotion from his new white slave there ?

Acting on instinct Harriet did her best to please him, licking and kissing, trying to take the huge nigger dick into her mouth. The blonde knew things had changed and now she was at their mercy forced to do anything that they wanted.

Nathaniel merely let Harriet go at her own pace. She certainly wasn't skilled but then again it wasn't just Harriet's body that caused his cock to twitch; despite his anger, there was pleasure to find in watching the white woman try and tend to his cock on her own terms. After years of being under her thumb, even being used to breed like he was some prize stallion or pleasure her "adventurous" guests, it was a delight to see her under him.

Still...there was a whole crowd that wanted their turn. At the rate she was going, the rainy season would be over well before she even got through a tenth of them. Nathaniel stroked her face as he considered yanking her by the head and shooting his first load straight down her throat. However, he saw Mary giving a coy smile to him and put his hand back on his thigh.

"Well Ms. Harriet, you got some spirit but that seems to be it." He said, "My poor dick is going to dry out before you even finish getting me hard."

Mary meanwhile beckoned for Delilah who crept over to her holding a jar of olive oil and a shucked but uncooked cob of corn. Without warning, Mary dug her fingers into the last petticoat and tore it open, as Delilah poured half of the jar onto Harriet's naked body before shedding her own dress and helping Mary with hers. The two women attacked her naked flesh, spreading the oil over her soft flesh, especially her breasts, which quickly glistened with oil.

"Now Ms. Harriet," Mary said, a hint of cruelty slipping into her smile, "Are you going to just leave it at that? That beautiful cock you've been wanting, your master's cock is going to dry up and shrink down, do you want to happen? You can't do anything and now you can't even pleasure one man. Now me and Delilah have to help you like the dumb little white girl you are."

She pressed Harriet's soaked breasts together, "You got a whole body Ms. Harriet and he only needs his cock and balls to please...if you can't do it with your mouth then use the rest of it.

Nathaniel smiled, getting the idea. He leaned down and dragged Harriet closer and pressed his cock between her breasts and gave a few thrusts help Harriet get the idea.