The Toymaster's Castle

Chapter Ten - A Beautiful Toy

The next couple of days fell into something of a pattern. We did our exercise first thing and then, after breakfast with Daniel, I took something along for Susan to eat.

I was busy in the mornings with Helen, learning about etiquette, clothes, jewellery, make-up and generally dealing with people... the social type skills that had always given me so much trouble in the past.

And, whilst I couldn't help getting the feeling there was more to the whole game than could be learnt in the sort of lessons that Helen was giving me, I knew that, if nothing else, it would do great things for my self-confidence.

I spent the afternoon doing my homework with Susan and then, in the evenings, I dined in style with Daniel.

On the Thursday, there was a bit of variation. Helen had organised a team of beauticians to come in the next day to 'sort me out' and so, after our coffee - in which she had played the rôle of an impossibly argumentative neighbour - she had suggested we 'might like to think about what needs doing'.

"Just slip your clothes off," she told me as if it was the most normal thing in the world.

But I couldn't even get that right. "A dress is always removed downwards rather than upwards. The contortions that are required to take it off above your head like that are so ungraceful and besides, lowering the dress can be performed as an elegantly erotic 'slow reveal'."

I was not really sure how much of an 'elegantly erotic slow reveal' it would be safe to perform around Daniel but I did make a show of taking the thing off like she said. I mean... I felt impossibly self-conscious but Helen seemed to be more or less satisfied with my performance.

And, once I was completely naked, she started to inspect my body. I mean... I'd have died of embarrassment if it wasn't for the way that she was treating the whole thing so naturally, as if it was just another classroom exercise... and, besides, I suppose that, by now, I was pretty much used to being naked.

"Your hair clearly needs work," she said, starting at the top. "I would suggest we take a couple of inches off then thin it down so that it has more shape and flow. Maybe some highlights too, to give it a little variation. What do you think?"

"I really don't know enough to give a sensible answer," I replied, "but I'm happy to trust you on that."

"Very good!" She gave me a little smile. "Your eyebrows look fine but we need to get your ears dealt with... just a classic lobe piercing..."

She said it so naturally that I didn't even think about questioning her decision.

"We need to get you going with a daily skin cleansing regime. Finger- and toenails will need tidying up and varnishing, of course. Breasts..." she squeezed them slightly, making me gasp... "are more than satisfactory but, of course, your body hair..." she inspected me in excruciatingly embarrassing detail... "is going to need at least one, and possibly more, sessions with a laser. I'd recommend a natural-looking V-line for now. We can always refine it for you in the future."

She stood back slightly and studied me for several seconds. "Yes," she said at last. "That will be more than satisfactory."

Then she let me put my clothes back on and produced a laptop. "Now I'd like you to select a compact but effective wardrobe for yourself," she told me. "What do you think it ought to contain?"

Luckily, I'd thought about this with Susan as part of my homework, the day before, and so I could quickly come up with a set of outfits for the wide range of 'social situations' she suggested ranging from a trip in an ocean-going speedboat to a couple of work outfits and even a formal dinner at a high-class restaurant