by Van © 2024
		Chapter 2

Sky and Fiona's arrival at The Hermitage more or less lived up to everybody's expectations.

It was another clear, cool morning that would gradually and inevitably turn hot by mid afternoon.  The trail climbed a gentle slope... gradually crested a low pass... and spread before them the girls found a truly beautiful valley of waving grass and multiple isolated stands of Ponderosa pines interspersed with picturesque clusters of rugged boulders... and at the far end of the shallow bowl stood the clustered buildings of Sky's cousin's rustic home.  No landscaping enhanced the natural setting.  None was needed.

Sky-Fi summed up their individual reactions with a single spontaneous and simultaneous exclamation: "Wow!"

"Told ya," Sky sighed as they continued drinking in the magnificent panorama.

"Ya did," Fiona agreed.  They shared a happy grin, then once again trudged forward.

Kelly's three horses were out in the middle of their pasture and studiously munching on the delicious grass.  They were the first to notice the strangers' sudden appearance at the foot of the valley.  The two quarter horses and one appaloosa lifted their heads and gazed at the still very distant hikers with equine curiosity... but no show of alarm.  That said, they did remain in the middle of the field and at a substantial distance from what would be the hiker's closest point of approach to the pasture's wire fence.  After all... there was always the possibility (no matter how remote) that the approaching bipeds were actually grizzly bears in disguise... possibly even wolves.  One can never be too careful about such things.

Lorelei was the next to realize that the anticipated arrival of the students was finally happening.  The blonde appeared among the outbuildings and waved to the girls.  They paused to wave back with their trekking poles.  The compound was still at least a quarter of a mile distant and therefore too far for Sky and Fiona to make out much in the way of detail.  The waving blonde was just that: a waving blonde.

"That would be..." Fiona turned to Sky.  "Lorelei?  Her name's Lorelei, right?"

Sky shrugged.  "I assume that's Lorelei.  And yes, her name is Lorelei... if that's Lorelei.  It could be some other blonde, I suppose.  But she does look Australian... maybe."

"Well," Fiona smiled, "now that we've cleared that up..."

Sky answered with a smile of her own and they resumed hiking.

Meanwhile, Lorelei had disappeared into a garage-like outbuilding... there was a brief pause... followed by the faint, distant growl of a motor revving... then she emerged driving a compact, four-door, off-road vehicle, the kind designed to transport people and things around a farm or ranch or in off-road situations.

Sky paused to stare.  "Oooh!  Cool!  Is that a Polaris?"

Fiona frowned.  "A what?"

"The UTV," Sky clarified.  "I think it's a Polaris Ranger."

"I wouldn't know," Fiona answered, perfectly deadpan, "because I'm not a pathetic tomboy."

Sky grinned but didn't take the bait.

Meanwhile, Lorelei had swung the vehicle close to the compound's great big log cabin-style main house and skidded to a stop.  An excitedly waving woman with short red hair emerged from a side door and climbed into the alleged Polaris Ranger... then the motor revved again and they rolled in Sky-Fi's direction.

"Auntie Kelly!  Auntie Kelly!" Sky shouted, hopping up and down and enthusiastically waving her poles.

"Stop it," Fiona scolded.  "She can't possibly hear you and you're embarrassing yourself... and me.  And I thought she was your cousin, not your aunt."

"She is my cousin," Sky conceded, "but I started calling her 'Auntie Kelly' during my last visit, mom and dad thought it was funny, and Auntie Kelly did too."

"Oh," Fiona purred, "so your entire family is insane.  That explains sooo much."

"Don't make me hurt you," Sky chuckled, still hopping up and down and waving at the approaching UTV.

The Polaris Ranger (as confirmed by its markings) skidded to a halt, Kelly and Lorelei hopped out, backpacks were shed and trekking poles dropped, and much hugging, kissing, and squealing ensued, all interspersed with even more enthusiastic hopping.

The horses watched this unseemly human display with equine tolerance... and continued watching as the backpacks and trekking poles were loaded onto the compact flatbed of the UTV, the humans clamored into the Polaris, and Lorelei drove them all back to The Big House.  They recognized two of the humans as resident herd-servants, of course, both the one with a short chestnut mane and the one with the much longer palomino mane.  The two strangers also had chestnut and palomino manes, but they were strangers.  It was all confusing and new and would take time to sort itself out.

Belatedly, the horses realized they were missing a prime opportunity to be stroked, patted, and their Equine Magnificence fully appreciated and complimented—and the distribution of free apples wasn't out of the question.  They started ambling towards the fence... but it was too late and was not to be.  The UTV has halfway back to the main compound and the moment had passed.  At least they could now be reasonably sure the newcomers were neither bears nor wolves.

A light lunch was served.  Simple fare—sandwiches—but for the girls it was a welcome change from freeze-dried rations.  Kelly cautioned them not to stuff themselves as the evening meal would be out at the BBQ pit. 

"A cowboy feast!" had been Sky's enthusiastic response.  "I remember those!  Yum!"

Sky-Fi moved into their assigned and shared guestroom, a very pleasant and appropriately Western/rustic chamber with two full-size beds.  They changed into the robes Auntie Kelly had thoughtfully provided, then took turns in the bathroom down the hall for long showers.

While they were away, Lorelei brought in an armload of old clothes, her own and "Auntie Kelly's."  The girls had packed only one extra set of hiking clothes and at the moment everything was dirty.  Fiona and Kelly were the same size, and while Sky might be a "Munchkin," her difference in size with Kelly and Lorelei wasn't that great.  Lorelei placed the loaned clothes into the bedroom's chest-of drawers and closet... then absconded with the dirty clothes so they could be laundered.

The "cowboy feast" was, indeed, "yum."  Sky and Fiona were tired from their days of backpacking, but they weren't that tired.  That said, while on the trail they'd broken camp at dawn, hiked all day, and climbed into their sleeping bags soon after sunset.  Their bodies had grown accustomed to a strict diurnal routine.  So... not long after dinner they said their goodnights and retired somewhat early.  Clean, refreshed, and well-fed... the girls prepared to climb into bed.

"No," Fiona said flatly.

"You promised," Sky cajoled.

"I did no such thing," Fiona huffed.  "I am not going to let you tie me to my backpack.  Not now.  Not ever.  It's stupid.  You're stupid."

"You're just being a chicken," Sky countered with a lopsided grin.

"Hah!" Fiona counter-countered.  "You're the chicken 'cause it's my turn and you're a sniveling coward."

"Of course it's your turn," Sky chuckled.  "That's why I need to tie you up, 'cause it's your turn."

"Wrong!" Fiona huffed.  "It's my turn to tie you up... as you'd know if you weren't such a ditz and bothered to keep track of such things."

"But I thought up the backpack thing," Sky objected.  "It's... clever."

"We're not going to tie me to my backpack," Fiona decreed, then stomped to the backpack in question, unzipped a side pocket, and pulled out two coils of international-orange 550 paracord.  The four-millimeter, seven-strand, braided nylon sheath, 550 pound stress-tested cord was part of her standard backpacking kit and was admirably suitable for the rigging of clotheslines, lashing one's backpack against a tree trunk at a convenient height, or accomplishing other everyday campground lashing tasks (like tying up her BFF).

Both girls had already changed into their usual pajamas (panties, tank-tops, and no bras), so clothing interference wasn't an issue; however...

"I don't want to be tied up," Sky objected petulantly.  (She did not whine.  Being a proud tomboy Sky Dundee never whined.)

"Tough toenails," Fiona rejoined, spun the pouting tomboy 180°, pulled her freckled arms behind her back, and crossed her wrists against the small of her back (and atop her butt).  She then quickly and deftly released the hitch securing the 25' coil of paracord, readied it for use, and set to work.

Sky continued pouting as the cord tightened around her wrists and Fiona cinched it tight.  Clearly, the diminutive redhead was displeased with the situation; however (for some reason), she was also resigned to letting it happen.  "Ow!" she complained as her alleged BFF cinched the bindings, again, then tied a square-knot between her wrists but away from her groping, fluttering fingers.  The unnecessary tightening process hadn't really hurt, but bellyaching was appropriate behavior in such a situation.

"Big baby," Fiona purred as she tucked the free ends of the key knot under the other cords.  25' was more than enough cord to do the job.

"Callous jerk," Sky huffed, tugging on her crossed and conjoined wrists.  Fiona seemed to have done an adequate job, but Sky was sure that eventually she'd be able to wiggle free... maybe... possibly.  She stopped struggling (for the moment), did a half turn, and nodded towards the bedroom door with her chin.  "You didn't lock the door, did you," she stated.  (It was an accusation, not a question.)

Fiona had been busy preparing the second coil of orange cord for use.  "On the bed," she ordered.

"The door," Sky reiterated with a disapproving frown.

"Fiona smiled and rolled her eyes.  "Bed," she repeated, pointing at the waiting mattress, then turned and padded towards the unlocked door in question.  "I don't know what you're so worried about.  It's not like your 'Auntie Kelly' is going to barge in here and—"

At that moment—Rap-rap-rap!—there was a trio of sharp knocks on the door, the doorknob turned, the portal swung open, and the 40-something redhead in question strode across the threshold!

"I just wanted to check in on you girls before I..."  Kelly paused and her smile broadened (and possibly turned... coy).  "Oh."

Sky was sitting on her bed, wearing her panties and tank-top, her hands behind her back (and probably tied together), and she was blushing a shade of crimson that really made her freckles pop.

Also wearing panties and a tank-top, a loose coil of orange, 4 mm paracord in her right hand, Fiona was also blushing... really blushing... although no freckles were involved.

Kelly was not blushing; however, she was definitely smiling.  "I seem to have interrupted... a game?"

"Escape challenge!" Sky blurted.  "It's an escape challenge."

"Yeah," Fiona agreed, blinking furiously, "an escape challenge.  We call them escape challenges."  The blushing blonde then "noticed" the coil of paracord still in her hand and quickly jerked both hands behind her back, hiding the incriminating coil from Kelly's view (which made absolutely no sense but had seemed like a good idea at the time.)  "We do... escape challenges," she added rather lamely.

"Yeah," Sky nodded (nervously).  "We challenge each other to, uh, escape."

"I see," Kelly purred, then closed the bedroom door behind her, turned the privacy lock—Click!—stepped around Fiona, and strolled to the bed.  By the way, the senior ginger beauty (Sly's "Auntie Kelly") was also dressed for bed; however, unlike the girls, her costume of choice was slippers, a very short and revealing baby-doll nightie (with panties) and a frilly robe, all matching and all of gauze-thin, smoky, diaphanous fabric in a very pretty shade of jade-green that complemented Kelly's short red hair and freckled complexion but did little to conceal her fit, well-toned body.

Fiona was a little surprised to see her BFF's "elderly" cousin in such a feminine outfit as Kelly had struck her as something of a tomboy, like Sky.  All day Kelly had worn cowboy boots, jeans, and a Western-style plaid work-shirt with the sleeves rolled up.  Now Auntie Kelly was... very girly-girl.  It was unexpected, but at the moment not exactly at the top of Fiona's list of serious concerns.

Kelly had arrived at the bed, gently lifted Sky to her bare feet, spun her in a half turn, and (still smiling) was examining her young cousin's bound wrists.

Sky, whose freckled cheeks were still in danger of spontaneous combustion, "allowed" this examination to happen.  This was just as well, because quite obviously there wasn't a great deal she could do to stop it, other than complain and/or object and/or throw an embarrassingly immature tizzy-fit.  Instead, Sky bit her lower lip, stared into infinity, and continued blushing.

"A very credible job," Kelly nodded as she motioned for Fiona to come closer, "but I have a suggestion."

Fiona padded forward and watched as, with deft, nimble fingers, Kelly half-untied Sky's wrist-bonds, cinched them tight, and tied another square-knot.  Fiona noted that Auntie Kelly had used less of the 25' cord, but the restrictive effectiveness of the wrist-cords was undiminished; however, now about a foot of free cord dangled from either end of the newly tied knot.

"The square-knot will maintain the tension and prevent her from transferring any slack that results from her struggles," Kelly lectured, "and now—"  She spun Sky around until they were face-to-face, reached around her blushing young cousin's body from either side, pulled the free ends together across Sky's waist and bellybutton, drew the orange cords taut, and tied another knot.

"T-that's a surgeon's knot," Fiona noted, blinking and nodding at the knot in question.

"It is," Kelly confirmed.  "More difficult to untie, especially once I weave the free ends under the belly-cord and add an additional hitch... like this."  Just enough cord remained for Kelly to do so, but it was a near thing.  "With her wrists bound against her spine like this," Kelly continued lecturing, "its impossible for her to re-position her hands to the front and attack the knots with her teeth.  Understand?"

Still blinking (and blushing) Fiona nodded rapidly several times.

"Did you follow everything I did?" Kelly inquired, smiling sweetly.

"Yes, I did," Fiona answered.  Her blue eyes were wide but at least she'd managed to bring her blinking under control.

"No, I didn't," Sky muttered, then heaved a pouting sigh and tugged on her bound wrists.  Muttering, sighing, and pouting were all okay, while whining was not.  Tugging on her bound wrists was more-or-less mandatory.

"Oh, how inconsiderate of me," Kelly chuckled, snatched the second coil of paracord from the limp fingers of Fiona's right hand, spun the blushing blonde around, pulled her arms behind her back, and proceeded to repeat her demonstration, making sure Sky had a good view and could follow the entire procedure loop-by-loop, cinch-by-cinch, and knot-by-knot.

Fiona bit her lower lip (just as Sky had done) as the paracord tightened and was cinched and knotted around her crossed wrists... then was tightened and knotted around her waist.

The BFFs were now seated side-by-side on Sky's bed, identically dressed in panties and tank-tops and identically bound with orange paracord with their wrists crossed and snugged against the small of their backs.  Continuing to blush, they watched as Auntie Kelly the Expert Rigger—(Who knew??)—strolled to Fiona's pack, checked the still open side pocket... then strolled to Sky's pack and began methodically unzipping and checking its side pockets.

"Eureka," Kelly chuckled as she pulled out two additional coils of the same orange paracord currently binding the BFFs, then returned to the bed.  Once there she dropped to her knees in front of Sky and pulled her young cousin's ankles together.

The girls continued watching (and blushing, and occasionally blinking) as Kelly used one of the coils to tie Sky's ankles together... then loop and cinch cord around her pale and only lightly freckled feet... then tie her big toes together—and the final knot was tied between said toes!  This was a novel technique, something neither of the girls had ever even considered, and although they remained silent, they independently reached the conclusion that it was very cool!  They continued watching as Kelly shuffled to the side... readied the remaining coil of paracord for use... then lashed the dazed and amazed Fiona's ankles, feet, and big toes together in an identical manner to Sky's!

The girls tested their bonds and gazed at each other for several seconds... then watched as their captor/hostess rocked back on her heels, gracefully stood, smiled sweetly, and sauntered to the chest of drawers.  They continued watching (and squirming, tugging on their bound wrists, and twisting their bound feet) as Kelly opened a drawer, smiled, made four selections from its contents, then strolled back to the bed.

Among the wardrobe items Kelly had loaned her young guests had been several used, faded bandanas, the ubiquitous dust-masks/head-scarves that were generous squares of cotton fabric dyed in various colors and printed with similar stylized white floral patterns.  She'd selected four colors: golden-tan, sky-blue, olive-green, and a rusty shade of brown.  Some deft unfolding and refolding happened... and her intentions became obvious.  Kelly was making herself a pair of cloth bit-gags!  Each was a cylindrical tube wrapped around a narrowly folded bandage/scarf!

Sky and Fiona stared at the gags... and all they could be were gags... and they were ready for use!  Sky and Fiona stared at each other.  They independently come to the conclusion that somebody ought to say something (while they still could)... but what?  After all, gags were a standard part of any escape challenge, right?

Fiona decided Sky should be the one to object.  Auntie Kelly was her BFF's cousin, right?  And Fiona was only a guest.  She didn't want to be rude.

Sky, on the other hand, decided to rely on Fiona.  She didn't want to be seen as a scaredy-cat and a party-pooper.  Sky was a Heroically Brave Tomboy, and Heroically Brave Tomboys don't whimper, whine, and complain about every little thing.

Still, somebody ought to say something... but then it was too late... too late for Fiona, anyway.

Kelly picked up the sky-blue bandana wrapped-around the golden-tan bandage-bandana—thrust it into Fiona's mouth—then tied the ends together against the nape of Fiona's neck and under her hair!

And then... it was too late for Sky to complain as well.  Kelly thrust the olive-green bandana wrapped around the-rust-brown bandage-bandana—thrust it into Sky's mouth—and tied its ends together against the nape of Sky's neck.

Kelly smiled at her handiwork, then went back to her first "victim," made sure Fiona's semi-tousled flaxen curls were entirely free of the gag, then cinched the gag tight until Fiona's cheeks bulged.  She then retied the terminal knot.

Sky was next.  Kelly tightened her young cousin's gag as well; however, no adjustment or straightening of Sky's short red hair was required.

"Mrrrf!"  Sky had finally found her voice.

Fiona remained silent.

"There," Kelly said with a broad smile.  "Now you girls have a real escape challenge... both of you."  She pointed at the unoccupied bed across the bedroom.  "Is that the bed you chose, Fiona?" she inquired, addressing the blond captive.

Fiona blinked and stared at Kelly... shifted her gagged gaze to the bed in question... shifted her blue eyes back to Kelly... and gravely nodded.

Kelly lifted Fiona's bound and gagged form into her arms (!!!), cradling her like the proverbial baby... then carried her to her assigned/chosen bed and gently deposited her on its neatly made surface.  She kissed the still amazed blonde on her forehead—Smooch!—then turned out her bedside reading light.

Auntie Kelly then returned to Sky's bed, gently lifted her cousin up and lay her on the mattress, kissed her on her forehead—Smooch!—then turned out her bedside lamp.

Sky and Fiona watched as Kelly (in her semi-transparent nightie and robe) strolled across the now darkened bedroom to the door, opened it, then... silhouetted in the threshold... paused and looked back.  "You girls have fun, but we're all going to have a lot of fun tomorrow, so I want you to play for no more than an hour.  If one of you hasn't freed herself by that time—and thereby won the challenge—you should hop or squirm together and untie each other.  Then, both of you get a good night's sleep.  We'll discuss all of this in the morning.  I promise."  Her smile broadened.  "Goodnight."

Kelly stepped fully into the hallway and closed the door behind her, plunging the bedroom (and the escape challenge contestants) into near total darkness.  A little moonlight was filtering through the closed curtains over the bedroom window, but that was it.

"Mrrrm?" Fiona inquired.

"Mrrrf," Sky responded.  What else could she say?

A frenzy of squirming, wiggling, kicking, twisting, tugging, and generalized struggling followed.

Lorelei Mason had her own little "Bunk House" next to the stables, a cabin with a full-size bed and a pleasant little lounge area with a generously sized flat-screen TV and a good sound system.  She wasn't all that concerned about her privacy, of course, but Kelly agreed she needed to be close to the horses in case they decided to horse around during the night.

Anyway, despite the late hour Lorelei wasn't in bed.  Instead, Kelly's resident roustabout was padding down the dark hallway of back wing of The Big House and on her way to Sky and Fiona's guest bedroom.  She was dressed in panties and a t-shirt, her preferred sleeping costume for this time of year.  This evening's t-shirt was well-worn, slightly ratty, and a very faded shade of ocean-blue bearing a tribal-style image of a kangaroo and the motto "Save the Bouncy Dogs!"  It was one of her favorites and Lorelei would be very sad when it finally gave up the ghost and she'd have no choice but to consign it to the stable's rag bag.

Arriving at her destination, Lorelei gently took hold of the doorknob, rested her left ear against the panel, and listened.  ...  Nothing.  ...  She turned the knob, slowly and silently eased the door open... padded across the threshold... then slowly and silently closed the door behind her.

The bedroom was dark, of course, but Lorelei's eyes were fully dark-adapted so she found her way to the nearest bed without difficulty... then smiled and gazed down at its occupant.

It was Fiona, Lorelei's fellow blonde with the killer cheekbones and shy smile.  (Shy when she smiled at Lorelei, anyway.)  She was lying full length on the slightly rumpled bed in a tank-top and a pair of panties, and as Kelly had said might still be the case, her wrists were crossed behind her back and tied with a single-strand belly-cord pressing them against her spine.  Her ankles, feet, and big toes were lashed together as well, and she was bit/cleave-gagged with a light-blue bandana rolled around a narrowly-folded golden-tan bandana.  Also, Fiona was asleep.  Helpless.  Bound.  Gagged.  Asleep.

Lorelei smiled down at this tranquil tableau of semi-clothed bound and gagged pulchritude for several seconds... then turned and silently padded to the other bed.

There, the scene was more-or-less the same, only the bound and gagged captive was Sky, Kelly's diminutive young cousin; however, there was one significant difference: Sky's eyes were open and she was staring up at Lorelei!

Lorelei smiled down at Sky.

Sky stared up at Lorelei.

After something like about half a minute... Lorelei sat on the bed, reached out, and rested her left palm on Sky's tummy, directly over the knot securing the captive tomboy's belly-cord.

Sky flinched in response, but otherwise didn't react.  (Stoic.  Tomboys are stoic.)

"Kelly sent me to check up on you two," Lorelei whispered.  Her hand began to slowly move... sliding back and forth over the cord and the lower part of Sky's tank-top.  The captive ginger shivered in response.  "She was afraid this sorta thing might happen."  She placed her index finger on the knot securing the waist-cord, and gently pressed... which meant, as it was directly under the knot, she was also gently poking Sky's bellybutton.  "Ya couldn't escape, could ya?  When Kelly Dundee ties a person up... she stays tied up."  She tucked her finger under the cord and tugged.  "Still taut and secure."

Lorelei released the cord and placed her palm on Sky's lower stomach, midway between her bellybutton and crotch and atop the lower hem of the tank-top.

Sky shivered, tugged on her bound wrists, and stared up at the smiling Aussie blonde.

"Too proud to give up, ain't ya?"  Her hand slid under the lower hem of the tank-top and came to rest on Sky's bare skin.  "Too stubborn to admit defeat... and ya weren't about to hop over and untie yer mate.  If ya did that, she'd be the winner, right?"  Lorelei then untied the complex knot securing the belly-cord... rolled Sky onto her stomach... and untied her wrists.  She then climbed to her feet and padded to the bedroom door.

Sky rolled over onto her back, sat up, and rubbed her no longer bound wrists as she stared at the smiling Australian.

"You gotta learn to do what Kelly says, Sky," Lorelei whispered, then nodded at Fiona's bed.  "Untie yer mate, then go to sleep, the both of you.  If you're gonna let the boss show you her tricks, you're gonna need yer beauty sleep."  With that, Lorelei opened the door, silently slipped into the hallway, eased the door closed behind her... and was gone.

Sky stared at the closed door for several seconds... then reached behind her head, untied her gag, and pulled it free.  Licking her lips and working her jaws, she leaned forward and set about untying her big-toes, feet, and ankles.

Finally completely free, Sky climbed off the bed and padded to Fiona's bed.

Not to Sky's great surprise, Fiona was awake, her blue eyes blinking above her gag as she tugged on her bound wrists and kicked and twisted her bound ankles, feet, and big toes.

"I ought to get the other two coils of cord and hog-tie you so tight you'll be balancing on your stomach," Sky huffed.  "This is all your fault for not locking the door.  You're always supposed to lock the door.  Always.  Lock.  The door."

Fiona continued squirming and blinking her blue eyes.  By all appearances the bound and gagged blonde was a semi-terrified captive, but Sky wasn't fooled.  Was her "mate" (as Lorelei had put it) genuinely helpless?  Was she genuinely unable to free herself?  Yes, of course, but she wasn't scared.  Fiona was having fun... or a reasonable facsimile thereof... the twerp.

Sky watched Fiona's semi-clothed, bound, and gagged damsel-in-distress routine for several seconds... then rolled her eyes, sat on the bed, and began untying her BFF.

They were both tired, actually did need their sleep, and had their orders from Auntie Kelly, as repeated by Lorelei, the evil blonde from Down Under with the overly familiar hands.

They'd talk in the morning.

	◄		Chapter 1		Chapter 3		►