And so began the hardest but yet in some ways most enjoyable road of Allegria’s life. The next day Carlos kept his promise and rode her naked and in private in the shower room, where he came all over her back and then fucked her with the strength of a madman possessed. Like Furio he was always going on and on in his elegant Spanish language, and Allegria would find out he was the real deal. A well trained rider imported directly from Spain who had worked with the elegant Lipizzaners’ and Andalusians back there.
Daniel was from an old family rich in racing horse tradition down from the fertile farmlands in Kentucky and he normally preferred training the human ponies on two legs or riding on a sulky around the ring with them. He only rode Allegria one time in the indoor ring, but at 240 lbs he was very heavy and she could only hold him a short time. Instead he worked her on perfecting her ponygirl walk on two legs and training her to the cart.
It was Valerio Moradelli who indeed seemed to take the most interest in Allegria and work her the most, both on two legs and riding her on all fours. Around everyone else he was harsh, quiet and often barked his orders in his rough New York accent, but when he had her alone, he was much kinder to her, often caressing her or telling her updates on Furio. While he never came out and said it, Allegria was smart enough to figure out that like Furio, Valerio must belong to some crime/Mafia family. One day as he was riding her around the outdoor ring at a relaxed walk snow began to drift down in fat thick flakes.
“Pretty huh?” Val said while he was dressed warmly atop her and riding her with that flat saddle. “Weather like this makes a man want to go hunting, to go find things…” he drifted a moment as if his own memories were circling around dark remembrances.
Allegria sighed deeply a moment and kept plodding steadily around the rail. Her heart would ache on occasion; she had been here nearly a week now and had not seen nor heard anything about her owner Furio.
“You miss him, wonder about him, don’t you?” Val’s voice seemed to interrupt her thoughts. She paused a moment and tried to look over her shoulder at him, tried to let him see the sadness and worry in her eyes.
“Move!” he dug his heels in her thighs, “I didn’t say you could stop!” Obediently she began to crawl again with him on her back.
“He is safe.” Val said a moment later as he pulled out a cigarette from an expensive case and lit it up. “I’ve heard from him. He is hunting right now, hunting those who hunted you guys.”
Allegria took a deep breath but just continued to walk on, her ears perked like radar scoops to Val’s quiet almost whispering voice.
“Another attempt was made on him, but he is Ok. Furio is strong, he is a good hunter. He will straighten this all out.” Val paused in his talking and drew a deep drag on his cigarette the smoke mingling with the fat snowflakes that were falling faster. At First Allegria was surprised he had ridden her outside today, a bitter cold front had come over instate New York and nearly all the human ponies were trained indoors now, unless they were on the track pulling the racing sulkies. But it now dawned on her why Valerio was riding her alone out here round and round in the outdoor ring, almost like a soothing trail ride. It wasn’t for training; it was to give her information where no one could overhear him. Her loyalty and respect for him soared a hundredfold.
“Not to worry my drafter.” Val shifted his weight atop her and let her continue to set the pace, to just plod along in a circle around the ring. “He said he will come see you when he can, that he is anxious to ride you in the fancy passo elegante, the piaffe and to see what else he can get you to do under him.” Val chuckled a moment and pulled her head roughly around so she would be walking now in opposite circles.
As they were riding around and the snow was falling even heavier now she could barely make out the huge 6 horse capacity horse trailer that was returning from Virginia with Lena, Carlos, Luciano and some of their finest jumpers and Andalusians.
“Ah, Sis is home.” Val pulled Allegria up a moment and sat squinting into the snow as his father and sister pulled up to the main horse barn. “And 10 to 1 she has a ton of ribbons and trophies with her as well. Shit, even my father rode in this event and it has been years since he competed.”
Finally Val dismounted off of her shivering body as he ordered her up onto 2 feet and then led her back to the stables. “I’ll give you information on him as I learn it.” he said to her as he caressed her lightly. “Oh yeah, Furio said you liked these.” He pulled out a small sandwich bag and inside were some gummi bears. “Said these were a special treat for you.” Her heart soared with happiness. Val poured out a few on his gloved hands and she neatly and nimbly scooped them up, respectful not to get any slobber or saliva on his expensive leather riding gloves.
She nudged him gently with her head to show her respect of him, to play with him, but once again that hard edge was closing around him. “Later Allegria, I gotta help my father and Lena unload the horses.” And then he handed Allegria off to yet another stable hand who worked part time, a short, thick black man named Sebastian, originally from South Carolina.
“Come along missy,” Sebastian pulled on her bridle as he led her into the stable to untack her as Valerio strode off to the horse trailer in the massive parking lot.
Most of Allegria’s days had been spent doing hard physical work and training, for almost 8 hours a day she would do exercise or be trained by someone or even just hooked to the hot walker to learn her gaits and to build up strength and endurance. Her diet was strictly monitored and while she toned up she was still built for comfort and strength. Never would she look like the exquisite and long legged Ribelle or Lucciola, instead she would eventually firm up with strong muscle tone, but still be built with strength and strong feminine curves and padding.
Occasionally the ponygirls were turned out together to frolic or run around in the fenced areas or even in the indoor ring for socialization and relaxation, and usually Ribelle was to be turned loose with no one other than Falla who seemed the only other ponygirl she got along with. But while Sebastian was a hard and kind worker was not a great reader. As he was putting up Allegria, Daniel popped his head into the door way, “Yo, ‘Bastian. The Moradelli’s want us to help unload the trailer. Put Allegria and another ponygirl in the main ring for exercise and come help out.”
“Yassir,” Sebastian answered. Never was he kowtowed but he was always respectful to everyone, it was just the way he had been raised back home in South Carolina. “It’s yer lucky day Missy.” He abruptly turned Allegria around and led her to the indoor ring, “You is gonna get you some free time.” He patted her and slipped off her halter as he left to go get another ponygirl. Normally Falla would run with Allegria in the indoor ring for play time and the two girls had developed quite a close friendship, Falla was friendly with everyone and she was also a total flirt as she kissed and nibbled the other ponygirls, but Allegria always welcomed Fall’s gentle playfulness and was looking forward to her being led in, when she suddenly froze as she saw Sebastian led in Ribelle and unhalter her.
Allegria could only stare as Sebastian turned Ribelle loose in the main ring and then abruptly departed shutting the main door behind him. If Ribelle would have been a true horse, at that moment her ears would have been pinned back and her mane would have been bristling. With an angry squeal she ran at Allegria with her hands outstretched like claws, her teeth bared like some wild tiger.
Allegria groaned and tried to back up and out of the way of Ribelle; she did not want to get into a fight with this woman. Why was Ribelle so volatile all the time? Forgetting she was not to speak, forgetting everything a moment, Allegria held up her hands and said “Whoa, whoa, I don’t want a fight Ribelle.”
“Fucking bitch!” Ribelle hissed low under her breath and nimbly spun on her heel and then launched herself at Allegria.
Allegria felt a hard hit to her chest and then Ribelle’s hands claw at her cheeks and eyes as both women hit the ground. Stunned and still trying to be a pacifist, Allegria only concentrated on trying to hold Ribelle off, not trying to hurt her. Allegria was definitely a good 35 lbs heavier than Ribelle and definitely stronger, but Ribelle was like some wild, vicious animal and the ferocity of her attack stunned Allegria.
Ribelle was atop her now, trying to pummel her, trying to grab her breasts and claw them.
“Will you fuckin’ quit?” Allegria moaned, “What the fuck is your problem?”
Ribelle’s only answer was a harsh bony knee to Allegria’s midsection and then more vicious slaps to her face. It was then as if some dam burst inside Allegria, her vision began to haze over as all she saw was red, angry, violent red like a bull.
With a violent move she threw Ribelle off, then cussing and moving in like a bear she grabbed the smaller woman and wrapping her arms around her bit into Ribelle’s shoulder, hard! Now neither woman was talking, only the grunts and screeches of their fight echoing off the metal walls of the indoor ring could be heard as they thrashed and fought.
Allegria tasted the salty metallic taste of blood and flung Ribelle away from her, both women had so much adrenaline coursing through them that the pain of their blows would not catch up with them until later. Ribelle moved in again, and instead of letting the other woman have the upper hand Allegria now moved forward also. They crashed like two battling mares in a fight for territory. Hands clawed, knees flew up, feet kicked and fists flew.
Somehow they ended up on the ground once again, and now pain was beginning to seep through the rushing high of the adrenaline. Allegria now had the top position, her arms wrapped around Ribelle from behind as she lay against Ribelle’s back and grapevined her legs. “What the fuck is your problem?” Allegria panted, “Why are you so pissed at me, at everyone?”
Ribelle was breathing raggedly now, tears streaming down her face. “Because you are free!” she hissed low under her breath, “You are like all the others who voluntarily joined this thing. Not me, not me!” a sob escaped her and she fought to control it, “Get off me, you bitch!” Ribelle tried to sound tough, but suddenly she didn’t sound so tough anymore. She sounded only frightened and wounded.
“No.” Allegria whispered back fiercely, “I’m not letting you up until you explain what you said.” but her heart was pounding now, pounding with fear and terror and she had a very dread feeling of what Ribelle was going to say, or what she meant my her earlier comment. Allegria didn’t relinquish her hold one bit; she still lay there wrapped around Ribelle, her strong legs controlling Ribelle’s legs.
“I was kidnapped 3 years ago,” Ribelle hissed with anger, with years of anger. “Beaten, taken overseas to rich fucking Middle Eastern fucks who put me in their ponygirl harems and enslaved me. No matter how I fought or even if I didn’t fight they always beat me, always used me however they wanted. Pretty soon all I could do was fight, fight everything.” She tried to shift beneath Allegria but was going nowhere. “Yeah they still beat me, punished me for my rebellion, but at least the pain was something I could hold onto, the one shred of something that kept me from going insane, from letting them break my soul. How could you possibly even understand, you who just do this for play…”
“You’re wrong.” Allegria whispered in her ear, “You’re right; I could never comprehend all that you have gone through, but I did not join this voluntarily. I was kidnapped too, I guess I was just lucky in that my Master was far more kind to me. But it wasn’t like I had a choice. He told me I could do this thing, be his ponygirl or he would kill me. I wanted to live.”
Finally Allegria began to loosen the grip of her grapevine on Ribelle’s legs.
“Does Luciano Moradelli know of this?” she asked.
“No, but what the fuck would he care,” Ribelle hissed in anger, “Valerio did the intake, and besides the damn Amir Hazeem has had the best lawyers both here in the US and in the United Saudi Emirates make up a bunch of bullshit contracts to make it look like I voluntarily joined. Don’t be so fucking naive of the US legal system. Money and power can buy you anything, even human slaves.” She wrenched her head away from Allegria, trying to look the other way, trying to hide the tears.
“Fuck.” Allegria whispered, “I will think and see if there is anything I can think of, maybe my Master can help you out. Does anyone else know the truth?”
“Only Carlos.” Ribelle barely whispered and Allegria had to strain to hear the words. “He knows, he really likes me, takes care of me. I wouldn’t mind being a ponygirl for him, but that damn Amir and his grooms are sadistic bastards.”
Now Allegria did fully release Ribelle and rolled off her. Both girls were coated in scratches, bruised and blooded. Ribelle from the deep bite mark Allegria had given her on the shoulder and Allegria from the scratches on her face and the punches to her nose and teeth. Allegria’s mind spun to Furio, yes he had kidnapped her as well, but now it was if both she and Furio had truly connected in some strange way. She couldn’t even imagine not being the ponygirl of Furio, and she wondered if Ribelle felt the same way about Carlos Delgado.
“Look, I will see what I can do to help. I can’t guarantee anything, but I do understand” Allegria reached up and softly caressed Ribelle’s shoulder a moment, “But know that I was kidnapped as well, brought into this whole world of Ponygirls the same as you.”
At first Ribelle pulled away from Allegria’s touch, the look in her eyes almost looking like she wanted to go a few more rounds with Allegria. But Ribelle knew Allegria was stronger, bigger and heavier. That and she had no more beef with Allegria after hearing this startling news that Allegria was also kidnapped into this thing.
“Yeah, I saw your Furio that day.” Ribelle whispered, sitting there looking like a defeated but anguished fighter. Still her eyes burned with the desire to fight, to lash out at all that angered her but not with Allegria. “I can tell he really likes you and you him. Guess you got lucky.” And it was then that both women heard the main door open and Daniel, Valerio and Carlos come rushing in.
All three men’s eyes were like angry lasers as they saw the two fighters bloodied, injured and bruised sitting on the floor of the ring.
“God fucking damn it!!” Valerio shouted and then began to curse in Italian, “I want to see Sebastian in exactly one hour! Call the goddamn doctor and have him get over here.”
The men began moving in with halters, as they quickly haltered up Allegria and Ribelle. Daniel had her halter and Carlos had control of Ribelle.
Valerio came over to Ribelle and glared at her with pure malevolence in his eyes, “And you will be punished for this Ribelle, I know you started it. You always fuckin’ start it!”
Allegria’s heart sank, especially as she saw Ribelle try and kick at Valerio, defiance still in her eyes towards him. Valerio slapped her viciously across the cheek and then ordered Carlos and Daniel to take the girls out. Allegria did not want Ribelle to take the fall alone for this, did not want her punished, not after she knew and had heard the womans tale. She had fought also and felt it only fair that she be punished as well.
“It wasn’t just her fault!” Allegria piped up while in Daniels strong hand. Immediately Daniel stopped half hanging the woman by her halter.
“Did you just speak?” Valerio advanced on Allegria, “I am disappointed Allegria, you know the rules, you weren’t give permission to speak. You will be punished with the bullwhip later.” He glanced away, anger in his eyes, “Take her out of my sight.” He said to the men and then strode out of the ring.
An hour later both Ribelle and Allegria were chained up in the small clinic room. Since Ribelle got the worse end of the deal the doctor was tending to the deep bite on her shoulder first. Allegria recognized the handsome and elegant black male doctor who had first examined her over a week ago.
“Clean this wound out with a saline solution Carlos,” he spoke to Carlos who was assisting. “Then we will put a drain in it.”
“No stitches, Dr. Warrington?” he asked.
“Not for a human bite like this.” The bald headed and well muscled doctor shook his head, “The human mouth is a cesspool of germs, no, the wound needs to remain open with a drain in it for a week and she will need to be put on antibiotics.” He fiddled around with some items on a tray as he took off his latex gloves, “She can be exercised, but no harness, I don’t want it rubbing on the drain. The rest of her injuries are just some simple bruising and swelling, rub some Absorbine liniment on them if you want to reduce the pain.”
Carlos nodded and was now flushing out the wound on Ribelle’s shoulder, the woman didn’t flinch at all but Allegria could see Carlos’ hands were tender and often soothing her. His eyes seemed to hold concern and worry for her.
The doctor now slipped on a fresh pair of latex gloves, “Now for you…” he turned to Allegria and completed the same head to toe exam. Allegria’s worst injuries were some scratches on her cheek and a split lower lip that thankfully would not need stitches and one heck of a shiner on her eye. The doctor cleaned out her scratches with some iodine and other cleaners and then pronounced her fine. “Just keep an eye on both of them to make sure there are no infections or complications. I will come back in 4 days and take the drain out of Ribelle. Allegria is fine, she won’t need any antibiotics but you can put this ointment on the scratches on her face to reduce any scaring.
Briefly Allegria and Ribelle’s eyes met. Ribelle had heard Allegria speak to Valerio, earning herself punishment as well. She just snorted softly a moment at Allegria and then looked back towards the wall as the doctor was now injecting a local anesthetic into her shoulder wound. There was no more animosity in Ribelle’s eyes towards Allegria.
Since Carlos was assisting Dr. Warrington, Allegria had no choice but to stand quietly and watch as the doctor stitched a rubber tube deep inside the bite wound Allegria had given Ribelle, then secure it and pack some antibiotic ointment into the wound. Allegria felt bad now that she had won the fight, that she had hurt Ribelle, it was even worse because Ribelle endured all of this in stoic silence. It was one of the few times Allegria saw her not fighting anyone.
After the doctor was done and had left, Daniel came into the room with a large thick cat-o- nine tails hooked to his belt. “Time for their punishments.” He said in a dark level voice.
“Wait…” Carlos stopped a moment as he was undoing Ribelle’s lead rope from the wall. “I will do Ribelle, you take Allegria.” The two men glanced at each other a moment and finally Daniel just nodded silently and moved over to Allegria. “Thank you.” Carlos added quietly as he took the cat-o-nine tails and led Ribelle away.
At first Allegria could not understand it; why oh why if Carlos liked her would he want to be the one to deliver Ribelle’s punishment? But then it began to slowly dawn on her as Daniel was unhooking her and leading her towards the indoor ring. Carlos wanted to be the one to punish Ribelle, because he cared, he wanted to be the one to wield the whip so he could soothe her, could make sure the whip did not lash at her fresh wound. Allegria could understand fully, if she would have had a choice she would have wanted Furio to be the one to deliver punishment because she knew he would not only soothe her afterwards, but his being there would offer her quiet strength and dignity. A single tear slipped out of Allegria’s eye.
“Scared little mare?” Daniel chuckled darkly, “You should be.”
But the tear was not for her own punishment, it was a tear of respect for the strength and kindness that Carlos was showing Ribelle. Allegria wanted to help her out even more. Daniel was rough and cruel and he tied her arms and legs spread eagle to a rack that had been set up in the ring. Allegria’s nude body trembled with fear, even more so as she saw Valerio standing dourly near the rail, his hands crossed over his chest, his dark eyes glaring at her.
Allegria heard a vicious hiss and crack and saw a large single-tail bull whip lash the wooden rack she was on. It was obvious Daniel was an expert with this thing and that scared her even more. A blindfold was now placed over her eyes by Daniel and her fear escalated even more…Now she would have no idea how and when the punishment was coming.
“Five lashes.” She heard Val’s voice direct in an almost angry timbre…Who was he angry at? Sebastian? Ribelle? Her?
Before she could even think about this further she heard a hiss and felt her world explode in pain she had never felt before. Her voice erupted out of her throat with a will of its own, a screech and strangled cry of anguish.
Hiss-Crack!!! Again the whip came across her upper shoulders sending liquid fire all along her nerves. Oh God! I can’t handle this! Her mind screamed, she was going to screech in agony again but before she could even catch her breath, the whip once again hissed and crashed against her flesh. She arched and tugged on the rack for all she was worth, panic, fear and pain cascading throughout her body, but she could go nowhere.
After that point she wasn’t even sure when the punishment ended. She wasn’t sure whether she had gotten only 5 lashes or 500, she only knew that she hung against the restraints limp and in extreme pain, tears streaming down her face her chest heaving in sobs her stomach churning in nausea.
She felt large hands undoing the restraints at her neck, wrists and ankles and then heard a female’s calm voice instructing, “Bring her to the stall.”
‘Lena!’ her mind moaned, ‘Lena was back. Lena, dear and powerful Mistress!’ Her thoughts coalesced into incoherent sounds, groans and whimpers of agony.
Daniel carried her body back to her stall and laid her down gently on her mattress on her stomach. “Leave us.” Lena instructed.
Allegria struggled through the surface of her consciousness, the pain now not so sharp but like a throbbing and quiet agony. “Easy girl.” Lena soothed and Allegria could feel Lena begin to gently but efficiently massage some type of cream onto her burning back. Whatever was in that glorious cream was helping to numb the pain, to put out the burning fire.
Allegria picked up her head and tried to nuzzle against Lena’s thigh as she was kneeling next to her. “Shhh, shhh.” The woman soothed as she used a soft cloth to wipe the tears and anguish from Allegria’s face.
“I am giving you permission to talk, Allegria. I want to hear what happened, from the start.” Lena said in both a calm voice but one that was still the powerful Mistress and trainer of the Moradelli House.
Allegria struggled to sit up so she could look Lena in the eyes, “Yes Mistress.” She answered respectfully. Her red hair now hanging in limp strands around her head and neck. She could see compassion in Lena’s eyes, but yet also a not to be denied control over her. Allegria knew that there were certain things she just could not tell Lena no matter how much she respected her. One she had promised Furio to keep silent about his kidnapping her, and two; she felt that somehow only Valerio was involved in any illegal criminal groups, not Lena or Luciano Moradelli. Allegria dare not say anything to anyone until she talked to Furio first.
Instead Allegria respectfully and sincerely explained that she and Ribelle had gotten into a fight and then afterwards she had spoken to Valerio without permission. “But Ribelle and I have settled our differences.” Allegria said softly, hoping Lena would see her as sincere and true. She did not want Ribelle in any more trouble.
Lena studied Allegria a moment, her hand beginning to caress around Allegria’s shoulders, across her breast and then up to her lips, where Allegria nuzzled and kissed her mistress’s hand. “Allegria,” Lena spoke and tilted up Allegria’s face, forcing her to look into her dark sensuous eyes. “You screamed in terror when you where whipped, but even under that duress you did not talk. Always you have followed the rules no matter how you were pushed to the brink, I don’t believe for a moment you just ‘slipped up’ when you talked to Val. Why did you do it?”
Allegria sighed a moment but did not dare break her gaze into Lena’s eyes. How could she say what was really in her heart? That she didn’t want Ribelle to take the full punishment for starting the fight, especially now when she understood why Ribelle was truly always so angry.
“Because Mistress,” Allegria spoke softly but honestly, “I fought too, and I did not want Ribelle to bear the brunt of the punishment alone.”
Lena’s laugh was instantaneous and almost lighthearted, “Well, you have loyalty girl.” She soothed Allegria’s face a moment, “I guess because I am Italian through and through I can understand why you did what you did, it was a loyalty thing wasn’t it, you wanted to stand with your friend and were angry that only she was going to be punished and not you?”
Allegria nodded, relieved that indeed Lena seemed to understand. “Well you got your wish.” Lena now began gathering up the soothing cream and the washcloth, “And, in any case, as I had told both my brother and Ribelle that day you were being tested, that you could kick Ribelle’s ass in a fight. But you shouldn’t have bitten her…” Now Lena’s eyes were dark, serious. “You damaged Amir Hazeem’s property and we better hope he doesn’t decide to demand exorbitant payment from us because his horse is scarred.”
It dawned on Allegria then the damage she had done, not just in the biting of Ribelle but putting the very livelihood of the Moradelli’s more ‘darker’ stable in jeopardy. She had never even thought of the fact that Amir Hazeem might be bankrupting the Moradelli’s because his property had been permanently scarred.
“Oh shit…” Allegria moaned and her shoulders sagged, “Oh Mistress, I am so sorry...Forgive me.” And the tears came again unnoticed, her shoulders shuddered in sadness.
“Calm down Allegria, and no more talking.” Lena said in a controlled tone, “I have heard your story, now silence. You are back to a horse, but I know you didn’t do it on purpose. We’ll work it out, and you will be working out beneath me first thing tomorrow morning to make up for it.” She said with a devilish gleam to her eyes and then roughly grabbed Allegria’s face and kissed her deeply on the lips, her tongue thrusting deep inside her mouth.
This time Allegria returned the kiss with equal intensity, she had wanted to wrap her arms around Lena and pull her close, but she knew horses did not do such actions. Instead she snorted softly and pressed her head against Lena as she got on all fours and pushed at her playfully. Once not so long ago the thought of being with another woman sexually turned her off completely, but she was finding that Lena was indeed a very sexy trainer, rider and caretaker indeed.
Lena grabbed the girls red mane, “Don’t tempt me!” she ordered, “You were just punished and sore, your back is full of welts that will be hurting a lot more in a few hours, you don’t really want me to be on that back of yours right now.”
Allegria did not want to disobey Lena, so instead she almost purred with gratitude and respect as she leaned gently against Lena, as she caressed her neck and shoulders.
“I’ve got to go mare.” Lena stood up and stood astraddle over Allegria’s body on all fours without sitting on her bruised back. “My brother is expecting a report from me from our talk. But tomorrow I will ride you.” With a deep sexy laugh she walked out of the stall and shut the door.
After Lena had left, Falla looked up over her stall with worry and concern in her eyes for both Allegria and Ribelle. Allegria caressed her neighbor with her lips and cheeks and tried to convey with her eyes and simple gestures that she and Ribelle were okay with one another now, that there would be no more fights and that the Moradelli’s would take care of any backlash with Amir Hazeem.
It was shortly after dinner was poured by Daniel into her feed tub that she heard the deafening silence that seemed to spread up and down the stall line. She could hear Carlos walking slowly down the hall, in his arms was the form of Ribelle, her back bruised badly as she lay limply across his shoulder.
Each human pony stood quietly not even daring to eat, just averting their head in respect as Carlos took Ribelle into her stall and laid her down on her mattress. His eyes were hard and angry with emotions he was controlling deep within him.
Finally each human pony seemed to quietly go back to what they were doing before, Daniel finishing up feeding and then leaving the stables to give privacy to Carlos and let him tend to Ribelle.
Allegria walked over and tried to glance down into Ribelle’s stall between the bars. “You!” Carlos hissed at her dangerously, his eyes flaring with anger like molten fire, “Get your fucking head back in your own stall!” he growled with an intensity that stunned her. “La vengaza es un coñazo!”
With a growing sense of anxiety Allegria quickly pulled away and went back to minding her own business. She lay on her mattress trying to drowse off, occasionally she could hear Carlos crooning sweet something’s in Spanish to Ribelle as he was tending to her, and she imagined he was caressing her, caring for her with devoted love and gentleness. She felt another tear slip past her eye as she thought of Furio, oh how she would give anything to have him here at this moment.
She was nearly asleep when she heard Ribelle’s stall door open and close, she saw Carlos glance around and then quickly he walked into Allegria’s stall, his eyes seeming to pierce her like daggers, a short 3 foot lead rope in his hand. “On all fours!” he growled.
To numb and terrified to do anything else Allegria immediately obeyed. She could see what Lena had meant ‘her wounds would be aching more’, just getting to all fours sent fresh throbbing agony through her bruised and welted back. While Daniel may have not done any permanent damage, Allegria knew she would be feeling this pain for at least the next 4 days solid.
Glancing around once again, Carlos now stalked over to her and swung his leg over her back and sat down hard on her. He was wearing jeans and as soon as the rough denim and his weight hit the bruises and welts on her back it sent fresh stinging tendrils of pain throughout her body. She gasped in pain.
Carlos now looped the lead rope around her neck like a garrote and Allegria began to truly become utterly panic stricken. Just what was he going to do to her? Usually Carlos had always been elegant and fair with her, but now he was positively livid. Was he blaming Allegria for what had happened to Ribelle? Somehow deep in her heart she knew this was exactly what was in the Spaniards mind, that he was pissed and Allegria was the most convenient tool to take it out on, especially since he couldn’t take out on Valerio or anyone else. She remembered when Ribelle told her that Carlos knew…He knew the truth.
His voice only hissed at her in cruel, insulting Spanish and she was sure he was calling her every vulgar name in the book. He now began to grind and drive his weight into her back; the harsh rough fabric of the jeans was like torture to her. She couldn’t cry out or make a peep as he used the lead rope like a garrote to throttle her to silence.
Over and over he harshly slid his ass over the cruel welts on her back, or slammed his weight brutally into her. After a few moments she collapsed beneath him but that only seemed to fuel him on more and he ground and rode her tortured back even more, hauling back on that garrote.
Tears streamed from her eyes and as she felt her back grow wet she had no idea if it was from sweat or from her own blood at this point. Her world was just one agonizing throbbing sense of pain, as if Carlos were rubbing Brillo pads onto her wounds. She was almost certain he was going to torture her to unconsciousness or strangle her to death.
“Carlos! Carlos, no!” A hoarse whisper came from Ribelle’s stall, “No please, stop!” again she whispered as quiet as she dared, so as not to be overheard but so Carlos could hear her.
Ribelle’s voice seemed to cut through the fog of his insanity of anger. He paused a moment still atop Allegria, his garrote still around her neck. “Be quiet mi amor.” He ordered, “Stay out of this; I am only paying her back for her injury to you, her getting you in trouble.”
“No,” Ribelle glanced around and then once again whispered fiercely at Carlos, “She knows, she knows the truth and understands, Carlos please…It’s not her fault, I beg you. Don’t harm her.”
“She knows?” he asked almost incredulously.
“Si,” Ribelle now whispered in fluent Spanish, briefly explaining something. “…So you see, she is like me.” She switched back to English as she finished her explanation to him.
“Is this true, mare?” Carlos asked Allegria in a low voice.
Allegria could only nod her head numbly; her body in a complete state of fresh agony from his reopening her wounds with his rough denim jeans the punishing of her bruises with his weight, her head and body lightheaded and dancing on the fringes of unconsciousness from him cutting off her air with that damn garrote. He cursed briefly in Spanish and immediately released the garrote from around her throat and got off her.
“Forgive me, Allegria,” he now soothed his voice calm as if he realized what his temper had done, “I am so sorry.” Immediately he began stroking her forehead and left the stall to get some items to clean her up. As he stood up Allegria could see the seat of his jeans dark with blood, she knew it was her blood.
Ribelle looked through the stall at Allegria with concern and compassion in her eyes but dare not speak anymore. She just nodded her head and tossed it up and down in a signal of frustration and compassion for all that had happened this day, tears streaking down her own face.
The main lights were switched off to the stable and Carlos was back with a bucket and warm water and ointments. Like Lena he now tenderly cared for Allegria the same way he had for Ribelle, “Forgive me sweet mare.” He crooned as Ribelle watched quietly from the other side, “I, I…” he paused a moment, “I just love her so, I want to help her and yet I am so frustrated. What can I do?”
Allegria saw a deep sadness in the man’s eyes as he tenderly cleaned her back and rubbed the ointments into the wounds he had reopened, “I am a hot tempered Spaniard, what I did to you was wrong and for that I beg your forgiveness. There was no excuse for my behavior,” he kneeled back and began to caress her cheek, “I always try to help Ribelle, I know the pain she suffers, the slavery she endures. I am so protective of her, but I had no idea you were in a similar situation.”
Allegria groaned inwardly, this is not what she wanted to have happen. She had promised Furio that she would not tell anyone he had kidnapped her, he had begged her not to tell anyone and she had promised.
“Not to worry yegua, I will tell no one your secret.” He said as if sensing her dilemma. He held her face in his hands caressing her cheeks and rubbing her temples, “Forgive me Allegria,” he spoke again, “I misjudged you and for that I am ashamed. If you wish to tell Valerio or any of the Moradelli’s of my cruelty to you, I understand.”
Allegria could see his heartache, his love for Ribelle and his frustration over her situation. She could also see his genuine sorrow and sadness at misjudging her and what he had done to her. Allegria nuzzled him gently, letting him know she forgave him and that she would say nothing of this night. Somehow she could picture Furio equally as protective of her, and she did not want to dare take away the one person Ribelle had protecting her.
Carlos slipped her a more heavy duty pain pill and then gently tucked Allegria into the bed and left the stables. As Allegria drifted off she caught one last glimpse of Ribelle looking at her with gratitude and even respect before she also sank down to finally sleep.