THE  ADVENTURES  OF  BONNIE  &  GEORGE  (&  MAC)
				by Van © 2021
			Chapter 11

Apparently, Bonnie's captor/ravisher had exhausted herself giving Bonnie orgasm after orgasm, poor brat.  The naked ginger had an arm and a leg draped across Bonnie's naked, bound, and gagged body, and was quite obviously and soundly asleep.  At least she isn't snoring, Bonnie mused.

With respect to the orgasms in question, Bonnie had to admit Danu had done all the work.  This was hardly surprising, as Bonnie's upper body was rather haphazardly tied up with the single strands of a single coil of rope, and she was cleave-gagged with a knotted cloth.  Even if she'd felt inclined to help with her own ravishing (which she hadn't) Bonnie wouldn't have been able to enhance the kid's efforts with complementary efforts of her own, or even make helpful suggestions.  She'd been the passive target of Danu's lips, tongue, and fingers.  All she could do was lay there and go with the flow... begrudgingly.

That said (or mumbled through a gag), an orgasm is an orgasm.

After extracting a grand total of... very many orgasms from Bonnie's sweat-glistening body—(Bonnie hadn't bothered keeping count)—Danu had collapsed, still embracing Bonnie's panting body... then had closed her eyes and gone to sleep.  Remaining bound and gagged, and with one end of a second coil of rope tied in a loose collar around her neck with the far end tied through an iron ring set in the stone beside Danu's bed, there wasn't much point in Bonnie squirming out from under her slumbering young "hostess," taking advantage of her untied legs, and sneaking away... to the end of the rope.

However...

As Bonnie had emphasized during her Nawajutsu demonstrations for the First Legion, the basic capture forms are just that, capture forms.  They're designed to render a prisoner helpless and unable to effectively resist, thereby allowing the application of proper, inescapable bondage, which the capture forms were not.  Apparently, Danu had either skipped that lesson or believed the extra loops of rope she's tightened around Bonnie's wrists would be sufficient to prevent Bonnie from wiggling free.  If so, she was wrong.

A basic tenet of the Science of Escapology is that untying the Key Knot is required for a bound prisoner to escape; therefore, to prevent said escape, precautions are necessary.  First and foremost is the placement of the knot, and Danu had done a credible job placing her final knot just under Bonnie's navel and well beyond her reach.  However, equally important is crafting a pattern of rope that prevents the captive from manipulating her bonds and transferring slack from one place to another on her body.  In this, Danu had failed, and she was going to pay the price... eventually... if Bonnie was careful.

The last thing Bonnie wanted to do was wake up Danu and get caught in the act of manipulating the brat's handiwork, so her movements were glacially slow and calculated.  Bonnie tugged here and squirmed there—tightened the rope here at the cost of granting herself slack there—and finally succeeded in bringing the key knot just within the reach of her left fingertips.  Teasing the knot apart took a lot of time, and might have been impossible if Danu had used a better knot, but she'd gone with a simple "two-half hitches."  That was her second major mistake, or her third if you count messing with Bonfilia Plantuckett.

Once the knot surrendered, it was all over but the slow, careful unraveling of Bonnie's remaining bondage, and without disturbing the slumbering princess.  This took an additional half hour.  Finally, Bonnie was able to extricate herself from Danu's embrace and untie her rope collar/leash.

Next, Bonnie carefully slid off the bed... executed a slow, silent, full-body stretch... paused to untie and remove her knotted cleave-gag and ready the capture-rope for use... then paused again to smile down at the sprawled, toned and freckled form of the sleeping princess.  She made her final plans... then pounced!

"Wha-?"  By the time Danu was fully awake, her wrists were already tied together behind her back—"Hey!  Mrrrrfh!"—and the knotted cleave-gag (already damp with Bonnie's saliva, of course) was in her mouth and being knotted at the nape of her neck and under her tousled ginger hair.  And Bonnie was far from finished.

When Bonnie finally was finished, she climbed off the bed to once again smile down at the captive princess (in a gloating manner Danu no doubt found absolutely infuriating).  Squirming and mewling, Danu was bound in a mildly stringent version of the classic box-tie.  Her elbows were bent and her wrists bound together, behind her back and just below her shoulder blades.  Her upper arms were pinned to her sides with rope passing above and below her breasts.  More rope yoked her shoulders and were cinched around her waist, anchoring the tie above and below.  There would be no manipulation of the ropes for slack or the teasing apart of knots, key or otherwise.  The princess was well and truly helpless—"Mrrrmpfhrrumf!!—and not happy about it.
 
"Poor Princess," Bonnie commiserated as she watched Danu struggle.  She'd used both coils of rope, so technically, her prisoner was "free" to struggle to her feet and abandon her bed.  Danu tried just that tactic, and was unceremoniously returned to the mattress with a firm shove.  "Mrrrrrrrf!"  Then, Bonnie climbed onto the bed and the princess, straddling Danu's waist, and pinning her on her back.  This did not improve the princess' mood.  "Mfhrrrf!"

Just then, the bedroom door opened and—Uh oh!—Queen Epona appeared!

Bonnie blinked in surprise, swallowed nervously, and composed herself (or tried to, anyway).  She then executed a kneeling bow and greeted the Dearg monarch (and Danu's mother).  "Good evening, Your Majesty."
 
Pinned to her bed by Bonnie's thighs and flat on her bound back, Danu was frozen in gagged horror, her freckled cheeks blushing bright crimson and her green eyes as wide as the proverbial saucers.

Epona, on the other hand, was absolutely serene (with just the hint of a smile curling the Royal Lips).  "Good evening.  There's a rumor floating around the First Legion that one Subaltern Danu is boasting that she's going to trick Bonnie Brown Hair into bondage and use her helpless body for her pleasure.  I take it the rumor is... false?"

Bonnie decided she might as well have a little fun.  An hour from now she might be hanging in chains in the royal dungeon with George and Mac begging the queen for a stay of execution, but if she was reading the room properly... probably not.  "Oh, no, Your Majesty," she responded.  "I'm sorry to say she did just that.  It was horrible!"

Danu had recovered, meaning she was no longer in clinical shock and was shifting her gagged-gaze from her mother to Bonnie and back in amazement... which was morphing into anger.  "Mrrrf!"

"I see," Epona purred.  Much to Bonnie's hidden relief, she was still smiling... maybe.  She gazed down at her naked, bound, and gagged daughter.  "What am I going to do with you?  First, you pout like an ill-natured pup when Una rebuffs you as her Rider, saying she's found someone else and refusing to tell you who it is.  Then, you complicate my handling of our visitors by throwing a jealous tantrum when this one demonstrates her martial skills.  I told you to observe and report.  Instead, you mistreat our guest and seem to be doing everything you can to sour relations with an entire new world."

Bonnie started to speak, but Epona silenced her with a raised hand.

"Please, don't defend her," Epona sighed, "although you're most kind for trying to do so."  She focused on her daughter, again.  "So...  Obviously you need something to focus your mind.  Which will it be, a year of studying diplomatic records under the direct supervision of Archivist Bronwen to teach you tact?"

Danu's eyes widened even further, in absolute horror.

"Or," Epona continued, "I can ask Brigadier Caradoc to transfer you to the Seventh Legion Scout Cohort for a tour of duty tracking Lochlannach poachers up and down the mountain passes."  She turned to Bonnie.  "Wilderness border security is arduous but necessary."

Danu heaved a sigh, then glared at Bonnie with renewed ire.

Epona smiled at Danu and Bonnie for several long seconds... then her smile broadened.  "Or, I could make you Mistress Plantuckett's personal aide for the next several months.  Perhaps you'll learn something."

Danu's blush had returned; however, she didn't seem to be angry anymore.  Agitated?  Yes.  Angry?  No.

"I know it's a lot to ask," Epona said to Bonnie.  "Feel free to send her to the Seventh Legion if she doesn't work out."  And with that, she turned and padded towards the bedroom door.  "You can give me your decision in the morning.  You're invited to breakfast.  Good night."  And with that, the queen made her final exit.

Bonnie and Danu stared at the closed door... then each other.  Danu squirmed weakly in her bonds.  "Good night, Your Majesty!" Bonnie called, belatedly, then heaved a sigh... and smiled.

"Well," Bonnie said finally, "if you're going to be my aide, I suppose I should show you how I prefer to be entertained."  She then slid down the bed, grabbed hold of Danu's ankles and held them apart.  "Keep your legs spread like this," she ordered, "or I'll cross your ankles behind your neck and bind them together."

Danu nodded, rather meekly.  Obviously, her evening was not going entirely as planned.

Bonnie smiled, licked her lips, then leaned forward and gave the 20-something ginger's labia a slow... languid lick, the first of many before she moved on to probing with her tongue and nibbling with her lips and teeth (gently, of course).

Danu's reactions were entirely predictable.

The encampment at the base of the redwoods cradling The Spirit of Sky Woman had grown into a fortified construction site and small military base.  A second such base was located on the boundary between the forest and the grasslands, and the two sites were connected by what had become a narrow, sinuous, unimproved road weaving between the cedars and redwoods.  A total of two cohorts were on guard duty, one at each site, with regular patrols through the forest to keep back curious herders and foresters, and something like 100 Artisan Guild engineers and skilled workers slept in tents and labored in improvised workshops.  Dragons delivered the majority of the required supplies and machinery to the grassland base, where it was loaded onto auroch-carts and delivered to the crash site.  A few items, like long, curved replacement ribs for damaged sections of the airship's frame that were too bulky or oddly shaped to transport by cart, were transported to Sky Woman by dragons and lowered on ropes.

Structural repairs were more or less complete, and George, Mac, and the Dearg engineers were developing a plan for cutting Sky Woman free of her redwood cradle and floating her to an improvised berth beside the grassland base.  None of the cavorite lifting-modules seemed to have been damaged in the crash, so even if she had to be towed by dragons, Sky Woman should be hovering free of the trees in a matter of days.

Mac was busy finishing a level-two diagnostic of the attitude control system, with George manning the control panels in Main Engineering and Mac scampering through the ship, confirming that the readings were consistent with reality.  Level-two testing was as sophisticated as the adventurers could get, and they were doing most of the protocols from memory.  The reams of paper detailing how to conduct high-level diagnostics are normally not carried aboard any airship, but are archived at both their home aerodrome and parent airshipyard.

After confirming that the final module on her list was at the "ready-in-all-respects" state indicated by the glowing lights on the Main Panel, Mac returned to her private domain on Sky Woman, Main Engineering.  "Starboard cavorite modules, frames forty-seven aft, are confirmed," she announced to George, who was seated at the engineering watchstander's fold-down desk.

"Brilliant," George beamed and made several checkmarks on the list clipped to her clipboard.  Then, together with Mac, they secured the main panel, flipping switches until the last of the green indicator lights winked out.  They then signed the engineering log, documenting that the diagnostic had been completed with satisfactory results.

"I think we're ready to hover," Mac said with a bright smile.  That would require powering all the cavorite modules and adjusting the alignment of their internal slats to lift the ship, which would also require tapping the airship's batteries.  Sky Woman's banks of power-cells had been seriously depleted during the "Great Crystal Freak-out," but enough charge remained for the maneuver... if all went well.

"I agree," George said with a smile.  They were making real progress.

Two days later, with Bonnie, George, and Mac manning the controls, Sky Woman slowly lifted free of the redwoods... and was towed to the edge of the forest by a team of four large dragons.  Once there, she was carefully positioned over the newly-constructed cradle of massive timbers near the grassland base... and slowly settled into place.  The network of thick ropes and interlocking timbers creaked as the partial weight of the airship settled into the frame... and the deed was done.

The orientation of the cradle had been carefully chosen to face into the prevailing winds.  As a result, the many compact turbines positioned along Sky Woman's fuselage were already turning, trickle-charging the main batteries.

All that remained before the adventurers could return to their world was more testing (a lot more testing), redistribution of the resonance crystals into their optimal positions to reduce the "dragon buzz," and resolving any remaining Dearg "political concerns."

Queen Epona (and the Council of Guild Leaders) were allowing the repairs to proceed, but formal permission for Bonnie and George to depart had not yet been granted.  (And although it wasn't openly discussed, everyone was acutely aware of Mac's internal conflict.)

Mac couldn't return home without abandoning Una, and she couldn't abandon Una.  It would break the adorable "little" dragon's heart.  Bonnie and George were letting their junior partner work her way through the conundrum.  Their junior partner knew they were ready to offer their advice, but she also knew she had to make the decision on her own.  Epona, Mæn, and the other Guild Leaders were the same, ready to answer any questions Mac might have and address all her concerns.  But for now... everyone was giving Mac the space required to make her decision.

And if Una was aware of her Rider's inner turmoil, she was hiding it well.

The queen had declared a feast to celebrate freeing Sky Woman from the trees and to reward the members of the First and Third Legions and the many artisans and apprentices whose hard work had made the achievement possible.  More than a hundred large cook-fires were burning on the side of the grassland base opposite Sky Woman and her cradle, and whole bison and aurochs were turning on spits while hundreds of dressed pigs were roasting in stone-lined pits.  The cooking area was nearly as large as the base itself, not surprising as Mæn and many other dragons had been invited.  It takes a lot of roasted meat to feed a large dragon.

Mac was standing well away from the base and feast preparations, watching Una cavort with a medium-size dragon named Sahb.  Una's playmate (or perhaps babysitter) was young, but at least three times the size and weight of the dragon princess.  Una was not intimidated, however, and was having herself a fine time repeatedly stalking and pouncing on the tip of Sahb's flicking tail.  Mac smiled.  For all the world, Una was like a gigantic reptilian kitten.  Everyone on this side of the camp was smiling and watching, including the many lounging dragons.

Mac and Una had just flown in from the mountain, and Mac was wearing a pair of Legionary boots and her leather coverall.  Dragon riders usually wore trousers and tunics, as high altitude winds could be nippy, even in summer.  In cold weather they bundled up in padded trousers and long-sleeve coats, but Mac's outfit was causing something of a fashion revolution.  Lately, riders were commissioning leather coveralls similar to Mac's, or alternatively, linen coveralls with leather knee, crotch, and elbow patches.  Versions of Mac's leather flying helmet with ear flaps were also starting to appear.

Out in the field, Una had pounced on Sahb's tail for the umpteenth time, but this time Sahb had lifted and flicked her entire tail with full force, flipping Una head-over-tail into the air.  The "little" princess spun in midair and roared the dragon version of a delighted giggle.

Mac couldn't help but laugh.  Then... her smile faded.

"You've made your decision, haven't you?" Queen Epona inquired quietly.

Her Majesty had approached unnoticed.  Her two First Legion bodyguards and an aide with a compact writing desk were several paces away, giving the queen and Mac complete privacy.

Mac bowed to Epona.  (The Dearg weren't big on ceremony, but respect for the queen was expected.)  "Your Majesty."  She turned back to watch Una, who was squirming on her back and being vigorously nuzzled by Sahb.  Now both dragons were giggling.

"Well?" Epona urged gently.

Mac wiped away a tear.  "Yes.  Yes.  I've made my decision."  She smiled bravely (her eyes brimming) and gestured towards the frolicking dragons.  "How could I leave her?  How?  Tell me!"

Epona opened her arms and pulled Mac into a rather maternal embrace.  "You can't, darling," she sighed, "no more than I could tell Mæn to go find herself another Rider."

Now, Mac was crying.  She couldn't help it.  "My f-family," she sobbed.  "I... I had... p-plans.  Things I wanted to do.  Places I wanted to go.  Great cities I wanted to see."

"I know," Epona sighed.  "But now you have a new family, and imagine what you can accomplish here?  A whole new world to explore!  Who knows what the future may hold?"

Suddenly a strong gust of wing lifted Epona's tunic and caused their hair to flutter.

Darling, what's wrong? Una demanded as she nuzzled her Rider and the queen.  Obviously, she'd sensed Mac's strong emotions and had flapped over to provide comfort.  Her big golden eyes glared at Epona.  What did you say to her? she demanded.

"Una!  Mind your manners!" Mac scolded, laughed, and sobbed, all at the same time.

"I welcomed her to the family," Epona purred.  "For some reason, the silly girl responded with tears."

OF COURSE she's in the family, Una mentally huffed.  Mother is mother, isn't she?  And you're mother's Rider, so OF COURSE she's in the family.  She turned her rather large head and nuzzled Mac's side, again.  Don't be sad, Mæve.

Mac released the queen's embrace and hugged Una's head, taking hold of her Companion's horns.  "I'm not sad, darling.  I'm happy.  I'm happy because I'm staying."

Several seconds passed before Una answered.  Good.  I knew you would.  I knew it, and I'm glad.  Good.

"Such a clever girl," Mac sighed.  "You knew."

I knew you were thinking about your home... your OTHER home... the SAD home... the one without dragons.

Epona smiled and took a step back, giving Mac and Una more space to cuddle.

Meanwhile, preceded and announced by thundering footfalls and an even stronger gust of wind, Mæn had arrived.  Don't interrupt Epona when she's talking to one of her humans, she scolded her daughter, not even if it's your Rider.  However, it was obvious the huge dragon wasn't really angry.  She stretched down her gigantic neck until her gigantic reptilian face loomed close to Mac and Una.  Welcome to the family, she said to Mac, then shifted her gaze at Epona.  Your OTHER daughter isn't going to be a problem, is she?

"You know better than that," Epona chuckled.  "Danu has some growing up to do, but she'll behave.  And remember, I wasn't exactly the model of maturity when I was her age."

I remember, Mæn mentally purred.

Really? Una inquired, looking from her mother to the queen and back in wide-eyed interest.

Hush, darling, Mac chided her Companion (and managed not to giggle).  "I'm going to change into a tunic," she announced, released Una, bowed to Mæn and the queen, then turned and strolled towards the base with Una at her side.

Una's forked tongue flicked out and brushed Mac's cheek.

Stop that! Mac scolded.

I'm just licking the tears from your cheeks, Una explained.

Well please don't.  It tickles.

Sorry, Una mentally sighed, and placed her chin on Mac's right shoulder.  Mac reached up and patted the side of Una's head.

Epona and Mæn watched the new Rider and her young Companion stroll away.

Are preparations proceeding as planned? Epona inquired.

The last of the Companions and Riders should arrive at the site before sundown tomorrow, Mæn answered.

The feast was a roaring success—quite literally when the dragons lifted their heads and thundered their approval when the meal was finally announced.  Soon, the humans were queued up and loading plates with roasted vegetables, fresh-baked bread, and thick slices of roasted auroch, bison, and pork.  The dragons were munching on entire carcasses of roasted animals, as well as sucking the tender meat from entire sides of ribs dripping with a savory sauce.  An especially potent version of the ubiquitous fruit cider was the beverage of choice, and even the dragons imbibed, using large wooden barrels as cups.

Soon, everyone was tipsy (and a few a little more than tipsy), comfortably full, and lounging around a central bonfire.  Humans and dragons sprawled together.  There was singing and dancing, with the dragons complementing the human music with their telepathic harmonies, the way Una had "sung" a lullaby for Mac before they met face-to-face.

Mac went to her tent and returned with her lute.  Her father was a famous piper and her mother an equally famous bard, and while her voice and skill weren't at her mother's level, she was certainly no musical slouch.  She introduced the Dearg to Hibernian and Caledonian "old standards" (and a few of her mother's compositions) with her new compatriots quickly picking up the tunes and accompanying her on their drums, lyres, and flutes and the dragons mentally humming along.

The Dearg were mesmerized by Greensleeves, including the dragons, and in a way, Mac was envious.  They were hearing it for the first time.  She poured her heart into the ancient classic, and it was much appreciated.  So were the other "greatest hits" of the adventurers' dragon-less world, including Whiskey in the Jar.  That one really got the party hopping, although George pretended to be scandalized by the lyrics.  Mac had sung the song in Hibernian with Una mentally translating for the Dearg, but when the queen called for an encore (which did nothing to assuage George's feigned outrage), Mac switched to Dearg and the ballad celebrating highway robbery was even more of an instant hint!  Even Una danced, to the delight of the humans.  As a general rule, dragons do not dance (if you don't count high altitude acrobatics).

Mac was pleased to learn that even if she was a miserable failure as Una's Rider, they could fall back on careers as entertainers.  Maeve and Una the Amazing Dancing Dragon!  They'd travel from village to village and town to town, like true bards.

The next day began the next step in the process of returning Sky Woman to full airworthiness.  A committee of dragons began examining and categorizing all of the airship's crystals.  George supervised with a dozen Artisan Guild Apprentices assisting.  The process was expected to take at least three weeks.  Rearranging the crystals would follow.  George had already mapped out the "harmonic helix" that would reduce Sky Woman's "telepathic noise-level" to a minimum, and she was hopeful that when they returned home and manufactured replacement crystals, the noise would be virtually eliminated.

On day one of The Great Crystal Sorting, Bonnie and Mac helped (meaning sipped tea and watched), but late in the afternoon Mac received a message summoning her to the mountain.  There was no indication as to why or what for—no details at all, in fact—but the folded parchment carried the Royal Seal, so she didn't take it as a casual request.  Mac took her leave of Bonnie, George, and the work party and hurried to her tent.  There, she packed her traveling kit, a saddlebag of bare essentials, changed into her leather coverall, then harnessed Una.  And then, they departed for the mountain.

It was very late in the afternoon when they arrived at the First Legion Dragon Yard, a level, spacious shelf of stone in front of a large, open cave.  It had been built (meaning the cave and shelf improved by the Mason's Guild) to allow a sufficient number of large dragons to land and depart to transport an entire cohort in one coordinated lift.  When not needed for mobilization, the Yard was a routine landing point for non-commercial official traffic, like routine transfers, couriers, and those answering a Royal Summons.

To be more precise, Mac and Una approached the Yard, but they didn't land.  Epona and Mæn were waiting, with the queen already belted into the Rider's Saddle at the base of Mæn's neck... and Mac noted that the saddles further back on Mæn's harness usually occupied by a contingent of Royal Guards and at least one Royal Secretary were empty.

Come with us, Mæn commanded, then lifted into the air with a flap of her colossal wings and soared away.

Mother? Una inquired.

Follow, darling, Mac urged her Companion.  Obviously, something was up, but there was only one way to find out what it was.

Mæn is a powerful dragon, but Una had no difficulty keeping up.  She was small and quick.  They gained altitude, Mæn banked to the right, and Una followed.  They left the plateau and the majority of the city's cave openings below and behind, still gaining altitude.  They were already above the treeline and the air was decidedly cold and getting colder.  The snow capped peak and glacial valleys of the mountain loomed close.  Eventually, they passed from the afternoon shadow into the direct sunlight on the far side of the slope and continued gaining altitude.

Where are we going? Una mentally shouted.

Silence! Mæn sent back.

Mac was beginning to wish she was wearing a set of long underwear under her coverall, then a curious feature came into view.  It was a semi-circular, jumbled mass of huge boulders surrounding a level area about the size of a football pitch.  It was like a natural amphitheater, but Mac could see that it wasn't entirely natural.  Even from this altitude it was clear the stone floor had been cleared and chiseled smooth, there was a horseshoe-shaped, three-quarters-ring of bonfires burning, and a windowless, beehive-style stone building was tucked against the far side.  A number of large, small, and medium dragons were present, perched on the boulders or circling in the air around the amphitheater.  A corresponding number of humans were also present, all female, of course.  Most were dressed in the long trousers and padded coats of Dragon Riders, but a few were in the new-style linen and/or leather coveralls that were all the rage (thanks to Mac).

T-this is RIDERS' HOME, isn't it? Una broadcast.

I said SILENCE! Mæn responded.  Some said you are too young for this.  Don't embarrass me by proving them right.

What is it? Mac thought.  What is 'Riders' Home?'

I can't tell you, darling, Una responded.  I'm sorry.

Sorry?

Meanwhile, Una had landed, Epona and Mæn had landed as well, and Mac found herself surrounded by something like twenty of her fellow Riders.  She recognized many of them.

"Hi.  What's going on?  Hey!  Hey!  Mrrrmpfh!"  The Riders had dragged Mac from Una's back, stuffed a knotted cloth cleave-gag in her mouth, and cinched it tight at the nape of her neck!  And now, they were stripping her naked!  Mac was doing her best to resist, but had been caught completely unprepared, her attackers were strong, and there were far too many of them.  "Mrrrrr!"

Naked, gagged, her hair fluttering as she squirmed and fought, Mac was lifted overhead and carried to the center of the open ring of bonfires.  "Mrrrmf!"  Her green eyes popped wide!

Waiting in the center of the circle was a wooden frame.  It was more-or-less identical in design to the frames in the Audience Chamber back in the subterranean city to which Bonnie and George had been spreadeagled when the partners were reunited.  However, this particular frame was much heavier, constructed with squared logs rather than squared timbers.  "MRRRF!"

Mac was stretched across the frame and her wrists and ankles lashed in place.  Her predicament was strict, but her bonds redundant and supported her weight without biting into her skin.  She continued tugging and fighting, and her ginger locks fluttered in a tousled mass around her gagged head.  The bonfires were providing welcome heat, but this high up the mountain the air was cold.

Mæn was sitting close behind Mac and the frame with Una close to her side and sheltered under one of her mother's massive wings.

Una? Mac sent to her Companion.  She could see that Una was shivering, but not from the cold.  Dragons are more-or-less immune to cold.  Una was in distress.

Mæn opened her wings, lifted her head, and sent a trumpeting roar into the mountain air.  Una Mæn-daughter has found her Rider! she broadcast.

The surrounding dragons spread their wings, lifted their heads, and roared in answer.  The sound was deafening!

The Rider's name is Mæve, also known as Mac, Mæn continued.  Come and recognize her!  Come and taste her scent!

There was a pause while Mæn folded her wings, once again draping one to shelter her fidgeting daughter.

Mac noted that the Riders (her captors and fellow humans) had stepped back and gathered between the bonfires on both sides and were watching the unfolding drama.  Mac's heart was hammering in her chest and she was panting through her gag.

Then, one of the large dragons on the surrounding boulders spread her wings, vaulted into the air, and landed at the opening in the semicircle of bonfires, sending a flurry of glowing sparks into the darkening sky.  The dragon lumbered forward.  From Mac's perspective on the frame, the huge beast was silhouetted against the setting sun, and her golden eyes, glowing with the light of the surrounding bonfires, were focused on Mac's worried, gagged, wide-eyed face.  The dragon lowered her massive head, leaned close, and gave Mac's body a massive woof of a sniff, causing Mac's ginger hair to flutter.  She then opened her massive, toothy jaws, extended her huge forked tongue... and gave Mac a slow, languid lick, from the soles of her feet, up her legs, to her crotch, then her tummy, breasts, neck, and chin.  The tongue in question was more-or-less the size of a blanket, so its sloppy wet coverage of Mac's entire body was hardly surprising.

"MMMRF!"

Mac's hair fluttered again as the dragon lifted into the air and flapped away.

Her skin glistening with dragon saliva and, helpless in her bonds, Mac watched the dragon continue flying away... and as the dragon with the disturbing tongue flew around the side of the mountain, one of the circling dragons settled in to land on the boulder she'd recently vacated.

Once again, Mac's hair fluttered.

Another dragon had left its boulder and was approaching Mac and the frame.

"Mrrrf!" 

SNUFFLE!—SLUUUUURP!

The second dragon flapped away, another circling dragon landed, and a third left its boulder and approached Mac.

Nooo!

Be BRAVE, darling! Una sent.

SNUFFLE!—SLUUUUURP!

It happened over and over and over again... far into the night.  Lather.  Rinse.  Repeat.  (...if you count a tongue bath from a dragon as a "rinse.")