TALES OF THE FOXWOOD B&B _¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯by Van © 2009		_
		Chapter 9

Her Ladyship's Tangled Web
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By the time Alice, Cricket, and Constance strolled into the kitchen, the others had more or less finished eating breakfast.  Except for her iron collar, the red-haired Princess Thrall was naked, Cricket was in her elven-retainer uniform, with her cute little Elf-ears still attached, and Connie was in her usual dowdy medieval dress under a black scholar's robe.

"Sorry I'm late," Alice yawned, after the usual morning greetings were exchanged.

"No excuse, dire punishment, extra duty, yadda-yadda-yadda," Kayley chuckled, and nodded towards the laundry.  "Get dressed.  Make it fast and I might feed you."

"Ho'kay," Alice yawned, again, and padded away.

"Omelets?" Kayley asked the other newcomers, and they nodded.

"You just about ready?" Jillian asked her sister, and Sydney took a swig of coffee and nodded.  Her Ladyship turned to Ashley and indicated Pilar with an elegant wave of the hand.  "I'll be requiring the Desert Nomad in an hour or so," she said.  "Would you please be so kind as to make sure she doesn't wander off?"

"Of course," Lady Carleton responded.  "Always happy to assist a fellow noble-lady."  She then turned to Constance, who was pouring herself a cup of coffee.  "And as for you, young lady," she growled.

Connie blinked in surprise.  "What?"

"You're a certified genius!" Ashley gushed, with a huge smile.

"Hear-hear!", "Brava!", and "Well-said!" the others agreed, and politely clapped.

All except Sydney.  Her gloved hands were still wrapped around her coffee mug, but she did smile (for once).  "A certified evil genius," she purred.

"Girl genius," Cricket giggled.  "She even has the glasses."

"Please," Constance whispered, blushing and adjusting the glasses in question.

Jillian smiled at Sydney and Cody and nodded at the door to the main Keep.  "A pleasant day to all," she said, and started in that direction.

Sydney and Cody rose from their chairs and followed.

"The same!" Lord Carleton called after the trio, then turned to Cricket.  "I love that comic!"

"Comic?" Pilar demanded.

"Girl Genius, by Phil and Kaja Froglio," Cricket explained.

Pilar gazed at Mitch with a mocking grin.  "You like... comics?"

Ashley chuckled.  "Have you ever met a computer nerd who wasn't into comics?"

"Hey!" Mitch objected.  "It's not like—"

Jillian, Sydney and Cody were already across the threshold and whatever else the Earl of Gort was going to say in his defense was cut off by the closing door.

They made their way to the Stone Tower, but as they entered the stairwell, Jillian stopped and raised her right hand.  "All right, we're far enough away so they won't hear," she announced.

Sydney frowned.  "Won't hear wh—Hey!"  Cody had dropped a loop of rope over her shoulders and cinched it tight, pinning her upper arms to her sides.  "What the hell do you think you're—drfh!" Sydney demanded—until Jillian stuffed a rag in her mouth and began binding it in place with a narrow strip of linen.

"What are we doing?" Jillian chuckled, holding Sydney's arms as Cody lashed her sister's gloved wrists together behind her back.  "Why, we're capturing Red Sonya, of course.  We just had to make sure we were far enough away from the others so they wouldn't hear the commotion."

Hannah opened her eyes and lifted her head when she heard the cell door being unlocked.  That better be the She-Bitch-with-a-Sword, she fumed, and she better have some breakfast for me.  Her eyes popped wide when the door finally creaked opened.  It wasn't Sydney, but Lady Foxwood, in one of the swashbuckling costumes she favored in the role of Evil Lady Foxwood.  Her Swashbuckling Ladyship was accompanied by Cody the Wood-Elf, still in Foxwood retainer uniform.  "Mrfh?" Hannah "asked".

"Reinforce her bonds as we discussed," Lady Foxwood ordered.

Cody knelt, untied Hannah's knees, and used the rope to bind her breasts, encircling the tan globes and cinching the loops through her box-tie bonds until the they bulged and were pinched between the chest-ropes.  It wasn't tight enough to cause significant blood pooling and discoloration, but it did impart a slight blush and made the skin and nipples delightfully sensitive.  She then untied Hannah's ankles and used that rope to bind her thumbs, fingers, and the palms of her hands against her forearms and through the existing ropes.  Finally, she unlocked Hannah's iron collar and hauled the naked Saxon to her feet.  "Ready, Milady," the grinning Elf said.

Jillian led the way down the dark corridor to one of the torture chambers, the one that held the Keep's "horse"!

Hannah realized her pulse was pounding, and she was panting through her gag.  Jillian isn't going to make me ride the thing—is she?  Why?  This isn't in the scenario!  The scenario's supposed to be over!  Hannah willed herself to calm down.  After all, she'd already tested the horse, herself (when no one was watching, just to see what it was like) and it wasn't that bad.  But the horse was scary!

Just last week, Hannah had installed an upgrade to the beast in question.  The horse's rectangular base and and triangular end-panels were unchanged, but the side-planks had been replaced with horizontal hardwood dowels that freely spun in iron brackets welded to the frame.  Now, the feet and legs of a Damsel unfortunate enough to find herself straddling the horse's ridge wouldn't be able to get any purchase whatsoever on the smooth, waxed dowels.  She'd have no choice but to let her full weight rest on the ridge—especially if her arms were box-tied, or if she was bound en strappado, with her wrists tied to the rope running through the pulley overhead.

The horse's ridge-strip had also been upgraded.  Formerly, it was a length of triangular bar-stock with a somewhat rounded top edge.  Riding Jillian's horse wasn't what you could call a pleasant experience, but it was not torture.  The Hideous Device was carefully engineered to allow the rider just enough support to prevent actual pain.  This was still true, but now a pair of brackets had been installed that could be used to anchor one of five different ridges. 

The first was a simple rod with about six inches of soft padding covered with soft leather, the "Beginner's Saddle".

The second incorporated a steel saddle about the size of a person's open palm.  It was carefully sculpted to distribute the "Victim's" weight, and was dubbed "the Intermediate".

The third was the original triangular bar (the "Bitch-Bar"), with the required fittings welded to each end so it could be unbolted and changed out like the rest.

The fourth was something Cody had devised.  It was similar to the "Intermediate" saddle, but incorporated wicked-looking curved spikes positioned to threaten the rider's tummy and lower back.  It wasn't actually dangerous, of course.  The spikes were just for show.

Fifth and finally, there was the "Drowish Stallion", an "Intermediate"-type saddle that incorporated a "Demon Egg", a hen's egg size ovoid of clear glass that was imbued with Drowish Sorcery.  (It was a vibrator).  When active, it would flicker with tendrils of Fey Fire as it resonated with Demonic Energy.  (It was a glowing vibrator.)

They entered the chamber, and Hannah was surprised to find that an altogether new top-bar had been installed.  It was a double Drowish Stallion, two saddles and two glass eggs, mounted about a foot apart.  She noticed that a second pulley had been clipped to another of the eye-bolts in the ceiling joist directly over the horse, and from it dangled a second rope.

Another unexpected sight was Cody's newest masterpiece and Jillian's latest acquisition, the "Foxwood Maiden".  For some reason, it had been moved into the Horse Chamber and was positioned against the far wall, facing the horse.  In essence, it was an upright metal sarcophagus, with two front doors that opened and closed like the two halves of a human-shaped clam-shell.  It locked closed by means of hasps and medieval replica padlocks, and the front of the head region was sculpted as a female face, in Late Medieval style.  Jillian's new toy was similar to the infamous Maiden of Nuremberg, right down to the multitude of spikes lining the interior.  However, this Maiden's spikes were decidedly dull, rather short, and could be removed.  Also, the Foxwood Maiden was beautiful... in a chilling, blood-curdling sinister sort of way.  Cody had done a truly magnificent job executing the commission.

But why is it here? Hannah wondered, and why the double saddle?

Answers were not forthcoming.  Hannah was dragged to the horse and Jillian held her in place while Cody tied one of the ceiling ropes to the back of her box-tie bonds.

Jillian cupped Hannah's left breast with her right hand.  "You heart's beating like a frightened mouse," she whispered, locking eyes with her Saxon Captive.  "Be brave."

That's easy for you to say, Hannah thought, willing herself to relax, again.

Cody heaved on the rope, Jillian grabbed Hannah's waist and lifted, and she found herself straddling the horse.  She yelped through her gag as her weight came down on the egg.  It eased between her labia, and she came into full contact with the cold metal saddle.  Cody tied ropes around her ankles, threaded them through eye-bolts in the upper back frame of the horse, pulled out the slack, and tied them off.  This left Hannah's legs bent with her knees straight down and the soles of her feet nearly horizontal.  Finally, the free ends of the ankle ropes were looped around Hannah's big toes, adding them to her foot-bonds.  Hannah knew the toe-tying was just Cody being a pointy-eared bitch-elf.  She glared at the grinning Wood-Elf, then heaved the required Sigh of Despair.

Not too bad, Hannah thought, as she squirmed to find a comfortable seat.  The saddle was designed to give her some support, and her ankle bonds provided a little more.  The horizontal dowels, however, spun away from her thighs and legs if she tried to get a grip and lift herself off the saddle.  They were no help whatsoever.  The horse was insidious... but not too bad.

And the egg?  It was inside her, of course.  At the moment it wasn't vibrating, but if Evil Lady Jillian was running true to form, that was sure to change.

Cody adjusted the vertical rope.  It was taut... well, taut-ish.  It would take her weight if she suffered a Maidenly Swoon, but it was a safety measure more than part of a Let's Keep Hannah From Squashing Her Hoohaw support system.

"We'll be back," Lady Foxwood announced, and strolled out the door.  Cody gave her an infuriatingly smug grin, tweaked her right nipple, and followed her Mistress.

The door closed... the lock turned... and the Languishing began.

Hannah sighed and looked around again... not having anything else to occupy her time.  The glass eyes of the Foxwood Maiden glimmered in the flickering light from the chamber's Drowish Globes.  Rough stone walls, heavy wooden timber joists overhead, straw scattered on a floor of stone flags... typical Stone Tower accommodations.  She sighed and squirmed... then winced and decided to do that as little as possible, if she could help it.  The saddle still wasn't too bad, but—buzzzzz—Hello!  The egg had finally decided to start vibrating!  It throbbed for several seconds—then stopped—then throbbed, again—then stopped, again.

Oh great, Hannah fumed.  She's hooked up the computer.  A laptop could be hidden in the horse's base, and Cricket had devised a control program to modulate the egg.  Officially, Drowish Sorcerers had trapped an Evil Imp inside the egg, and the tiny, sadistic demon was what was entertaining the Stallion's rider.

The least Sydney could have done was show up and gloat, Hannah fumed.  Of course, expecting anything even remotely resembling a rescue from the Evil Baroness was out of the question.  And as far as "Red Sonja" was concerned?  Who knew?  Sometimes the She Devil was in a magnanimous mood, and sometimes... not so much.  Maybe that's the game.  Maybe Sonja's gonna be my Heroic Savior.  Her gaze dropped to the horse's second saddle and egg.  ...or maybe not.

As Lady Foxwood and her elf-retainer returned to the corridors of the main Keep, they heard music from the Common Room.  They entered from the back and found Pilar, Cricket, and Constance on the stage.  Pilar was naked and unbound and the other two were still in their former costumes.  The Courtesan Dancer and her supposed Wood-Elf Slave-Handler were dancing to the accompaniment of Connie's recorder.  Lord and Lady Carleton were comfortably seated at a front row table and enjoying the show.

It was a rehearsal, actually.  Pilar and Cricket would dance for a few bars... then Pilar would wave her hand and Connie would stop playing.  There would be a few seconds of whispered conference and correction of Cricket's hand or foot positions, and then they would repeat the sequence.  It might not be an actual performance, but watching a naked Pilar prance around the stage was very entertaining.  Of course, Jillian mused, watching a naked Pilar read a book or do anything is entertaining.

Jillian cleared her throat as she approached the Earl's table.  "If my Slave-Dancer escapes," Jillian intoned, "she's going on your tab."

"I'm ready to chase her down if she bolts," Mitch chuckled.  Leaning back in his chair with his boots propped up on the seat of an empty chair, he was hardly the image of a Vigilant Sentinel, but he was wearing his dagger and sword.

Ashley indicated the coiled leather thong on the tabletop, Pilar's former wrist bonds.  "We would have returned her in the original condition."

"Not counting the sweat," Jillian purred, then clapped her hands.  "Time for a different kind of dancing," she announced in a loud voice, and the music stopped.

Cricket embraced Pilar and they kissed.  "Thanks for the new moves," the grinning elf said.

"You are a natural," Pilar answered.  "We'll practice again, later."

Cricket's smile turned evil.  "Possibly."  They kissed again.  "Time for me to be a meanie," she whispered.

"And time for me to be return to being a Brave Prisoner," Pilar purred.

By this time, Lady Foxwood and Cody had mounted the steps and were drawing near.  The leather thong was still back on the Carleton's table, but Cody was carrying a large coil of hemp rope.

"Kneel," Her Ladyship ordered, and Pilar complied.

Cricket and Pilar proceeded to bind the Slave-Dancer in a classic Foxwood box-tie, with the added enhancements of binding the palms of her hands, her thumbs, and her breasts.  Granted, Pilar wasn't what you could call buxom, but her breasts were big enough to be bound, especially when she was forced to lean forward until they hung.  The elves and their Mistress were careful to position themselves so as not to block the view of their noble guests during the process.

Pilar turned her head and focused on Constance, who was busy encasing her recorder.

"Don't look at me," the Scholar said, with a shrug.  "This is all off script."

Pilar turned back to find Jillian tying an overhand knot in the center of a folded length of soft linen.  "You really give your guests their money's worth," she sighed.

"Enslaved Captives should be seen and not heard making out-of-character remarks," Her Ladyship chuckled.

Cody gathered Pilar's dark tresses atop her head, Jillian thrust the knot into her mouth and between her teeth, and Cricket cinched and tied a flat square-knot at the nape of the Dancer's neck.  Cody released Pilar's hair and the elves took a step back.  The gag was tight enough to make Pilar's cheeks bulge, giving her beautiful face the classic "gag-look".

Lady Foxwood turned to face her other guests.  "Lord Carleton," she said, "your wife and I have business to conduct.  Would you be so kind as to entertain yourself until this evening's feast?"

"I was thinking of hiking one of the valley trails," he answered, then focused on Constance.  "Perhaps a guide would prevent me from becoming lost."

Connie smiled and curtsied.  "It would be my honor to assist Your Lordship."  (Her cheeks were blushing a rosy pink.)

"Try not to walk him into the ground," Ashley chuckled.

Lady Foxwood pointed to the leather thong, and Lady Carleton picked it up, kissed her husband, and headed for the stage.  "Mitch has long legs," she whispered to Connie as they passed on the steps.

"I'll be okay," the Scholar responded, then grinned.  "I'm quicker than I look."

"I'm sure you are," Ashley chuckled, and joined Lady Foxwood and her retainers.  Pilar was still on her knees.

Jillian took the thong from Ashley, looped a turn around Pilar's throat, and tied a saddle cinch.  She then nodded to her retainers and they grabbed Pilar's arms and hauled her to her feet.  Lady Foxwood smiled at Lady Carleton and placed the end of the Slave-Dancer's leash in her hand.  "I have arranged a diversion down in the dungeons", she purred, then made a sweeping gesture towards the steps.

"How kind," Ashley chuckled, and began retracing her steps.

By this time the Earl, with the diminutive Scholar on his arm, were disappearing out the door to the main Keep.

Lady Carleton, with Lady Foxwood at her side and the Captive Dancer in tow, strolled in that direction.  The Wood-Elves followed a respectful two paces behind.

Thus far, the "Demon Egg" had only given Hannah one rather forgettable orgasm.  The damned imp's specialty seemed to be frustration, rather than entertainment.  It would buzz for a couple of seconds... then stop.  A minute or two would pass... and it would buzz again.  Only occasionally would it vibrate for any reasonable length of time, or with what could be called full intensity.  If Connie hasn't had a chance to 'meditate' on this thing and get her pussy teased by her programming handiwork, Hannah vowed, that's gonna happen!

Hannah's skin glistened with sweat.  The torture chamber was slightly overheated, as per Jillian's standing orders, but she knew the "glow" was mostly a consequence of the egg's teasing titillation.  The saddle still wasn't too bad.  A lot of thought (and experimentation, no doubt) had gone into getting the angle of the horse's sides, the size and shape of the saddle, and the amount of slack in the ankle ropes just right.  I wonder if Alice's engineering expertise is responsible, Hannah thought.  Maybe I'll find a way for her to 'meditate' on this thing too, just in case.

She heard the door being unlocked and turned her gagged head in that direction.  Sydney finally showing up to gloat and/or rescue me?  Evil Lady Jillian with a bullwhip?  ...or maybe a cage of crazed gerbils?  The door creaked open and Lady Foxwood entered, followed by Ashley Carleton in a medieval gown.  So... Ashley the Amazon has joined the Evil Leisure Class, Hannah mused—then her eyes popped wide.  Third through the door was a naked, bound, and gagged Pilar!  Her bonds and gag appeared to be identical to Hannah's, except for the leather leash cinched around her throat and clutched in Lady Carleton's hand.  God, she's beautiful! Hannah thought.  Just look at that smooth skin... and the way she moves, even when she's tied up.

God, she's beautiful! Pilar thought, as she was led towards Hannah and the horse.  I love her 'Saxon Braids'... and those baby-blue eyes.

The Saxon Maiden and Desert Nomad locked eyes as Cricket removed Pilar's leash and Cody knotted the second ceiling rope to the back of the Dancer's bonds.  Then, Cody and Cricket lifted Pilar onto the second saddle and tied her ankles.  The prisoners were now astride the horse and face-to-face, with their knees, thighs, and stomachs only about eight inches apart, and their pointing nipples even closer.  Cody adjusted the tension of Pilar's ceiling rope, as she had with Hannah's, then stepped back and joined Cricket by the door.  Pilar winced as she squirmed on the saddle and egg, and Hannah gazed at her fellow-captive, sympathy in her eyes.

Suddenly, Hannah yelped through her gag and shifted her focus to Lady Foxwood.  Jillian had pulled a small flogger from her belt and delivered a single, stinging lash to her thigh.  The Resident Artisan favored her employer with a scathing glare.

"This is the Saxon I told you about," Lady Foxwood told Lady Carleton.  "As you can see, I've only just begun to train her, but after I break her spirit I assure you she'll become quite servile.  They always do.  She'd make an attractive ornament for the Earl's Court, don't you think?  Imagine her gowned as a Saxon and in chains, possibly with a brank to keep her properly silent, and serving wine to your guests."

"Yes..." Ashley agreed, then reached up and caressed Hannah's rope-squeezed right breast.  "A noble, you say?"

"Of very high rank," Jillian nodded.  "Of course, they're all just blond barbarians as far as I'm concerned."

Hannah's outraged growl became a gagged squeal as Ashley pinched her nipple.

"Well, perhaps," Lady Carleton said.  "I'll ask the Earl if he can meet your price."

"I'm willing to barter," Lady Foxwood responded.  "I have to clear some dungeon space for a delivery from the Drow, next week—a Hyborean Clan-Chieftain's daughter and several of her cult-sisters, all captured when they wandered too far into the mountains, hunting."

"We'll see," Lady Carleton said, then turned to Pilar.  "And the Desert Nomad?"

"She's been sold to the Green Witch of the Dell," Lady Foxwood explained.  "She's asked me to begin her training, as a favor."  She smiled at Lady Carleton.  "It's always a good idea to remain in the good graces of a Powerful Sorceress."

"A wise course," Lady Carleton chuckled.

"And speaking of training..."  Jillian opened a belt pouch and pulled out a pair of steel clips joined by a light chain—a very short light chain, no more that two inches.  She smiled at Hannah.  (Gag aside, Hannah did not smile back.)  Her Ladyship opened one of the clips, positioned Hannah's right nipple between the serrated metal jaws... paused... and released the clip.

Hannah's eyes popped wide, again, and she gasped through her gag.  Not bad, she decided.  More an irritating burn than serious pain.  It wasn't like this was the first time she'd worn nip-clips, and this pair was more-or-less identical to Sydney's favorite "nipple sharks", not counting their unusually short chain.

The second clip was for Pilar, of course.  The Dancer watched the metal jaws approach her nipple with obvious dread.  The jaws closed, and a delicate shudder shook her bound body.

Lady Foxwood reached back into the pouch and produced a second pair of clips, identical to the first.  It was soon in place, and the captives were now joined nipple-to-nipple and breast-to-breast.

Lady Carleton swallowed.  "They don't seem to be particularly painful," she observed (with relief).

Lady Foxwood gazed at the captives.  "They become quite troublesome after a few hours," she explained.  "Constant reminders that a new slave is completely under my control are important.  Discomfort, hunger, thirst... and above all... time.  The slave must realize she is no longer what she was.  And simple torment is as effective as torture.  Applied correctly, even more so, and the value of the slave is enhanced rather than reduced by the mutilation that inevitably accompanies the application of serious pain."

Ashley stared at Jillian (as did Hannah and Pilar).  She's really good at this Evil Slaver stuff, she thought, then reasserted her character.  "You are truly Mistress of your trade," Lady Carleton purred.

Jillian nodded, acknowledging the compliment, then reached up and untied Pilar's gag.

Pilar licked her lips and worked her jaw, and watched Lady Foxwood untie Hannah's gag.

"Come," Jillian said, then walked to the door and paused.  "I've just acquired a keg of a sweet, amber sherris I think you'll enjoy."

Ashley gazed at her friend and the "Saxon".  Deciding to change sides and become 'the Earl's wife' was a REALLY good call, she decided, and left the chamber.

Jillian smiled.  "Pilar de la Calva, Hannah Blair," she purred.  "Hannah Blair, Pilar de la Calva.  This would be a good opportunity for you two to become acquainted."

Hannah and Pilar watched the door close, listened to the key turn in the lock... then turned and locked eyes.

"Uh... a pleasure," Hannah said, then winced when she rolled her shoulders and the nipple clamps fractionally tightened in response.

Pilar winced as well, then smiled.  "A pleasure for me as well... after a fashion."

Hannah smiled back.  "You're a photographer," she said.

"Yes," Pilar answered.  "I'm afraid I know nothing about you, Hannah."

"I'm Jillian's resident handy-woman," Hannah said.  "When something needs fixing or—ahhh!"  The damn egg had pulsed for a couple of seconds, again.

Pilar quickly suppressed a smile.  "A vibrator?" she asked.  God, she looked so beautiful when that thing buzzed!

"'Drowish Magic', supposedly," Hannah explained, "but yes, it's a vibrator."

"And it turns itself on and—Ahhh-off!"  Pilar's eyes popped wide and she gently bit her lower lip.  "Never mind.  I have my answer."

Hannah's eyes were on Pilar's slightly squashed crotch.  "You can see it glow," she whispered, "around the edges."  She lifted her gaze to Pilar's face—and blushed.  "Uh... I didn't realize you could see it glow."

Pilar's smile returned.  "This isn't as bad as I thought it would be," Pilar said, "the saddle, I mean."

"Jillian would never actually torture anybody," Hannah said, "certainly not a paying guest.  Except with her whip, maybe.  On the rare occasion when she gets in the zone, Jillian can get a little... enthusiastic with her whip."

"Jillian Foxwood?" Pilar demanded.

"On the rare occasion."

"I see—Ahhh-ah-ah-ah-Eeeeeeee!"  Pilar's eyes popped wide, and she began tugged on her bonds.  "Ahhhhh—Sorry—Ahhhhh!" she apologized, realizing her struggles were pulling on Hannah's nipples.  "It-it-it-won't-stop!  Ahhhhhh!"  She clenched her eyes tightly closed and her entire body quivered.  The bound beauty's shining face was a grimace of ecstasy.

Hannah ignored the sting of the nipple clamps.  A shiver of delight rippled through her sex, even though her egg wasn't buzzing.  She could feel some of the vibrations that were throbbing through Pilar's sex, transmitted along the saddle-bar, but her egg wasn't buzzing.  She's so beautiful.  My god, she's so beautiful!

Finally, it was over.  Pilar was panting... and trying to keep her breasts from heaving.  "That was... something," she said in a hoarse whisper.

"Yes, it—Wasss!" Hannah gasped.  Now her egg had buzzed, but it was only one of the teasing, two-second pulses.

"What's it like to live at Foxwood?" Pilar asked.

Hannah smiled.  "I love it here," she answered.  "I love Jillian, Kay-bear, Princess Alice and Cricket—"

"The 'Bobbsey Twins'," Pilar chuckled.

"Yeah," Hannah grinned, "and Connie is so smart and funny... and Sydney."

"Sydney can be very cruel," Pilar said

Hannah blushed.  "Uh... she's my girlfriend."

"I see," Pilar said.  "I did not mean..."

"No problem," Hannah chuckled.  "Syd can be cruel.  Well, she likes to act cruel... but I love her.  Jillian fixed us up, which pissed Syd off, big time."

"I can imagine," Pilar chuckled.

"I wasn't too happy about it either... but Jillian meant well.  Anyway... I love her."

Pilar smiled.

Hannah opened her mouth to say something else—buzzz—but her eyes popped wide as her egg began vibrating in earnest.  Buzzzzzzz-buzz-buzz-buzz-buzzzzzzz...  "It-it-it's-a-a-lo-o-ong one!" she gasped.

"So I see," Pilar purred.  She tried not to grin, but it was impossible to not appreciate the sight of a helplessly bound Hannah Blair approaching orgasm.  She let her gaze drop to her fellow captive's blond bush... and glistening thighs.   "You're right," she whispered.  "You can see it glow."

Hannah was trying to concentrate on not struggling and wasn't really listening.  The egg continued to pulse, and eventually, she closed her eyes, put her head back, and screamed!  "Ah-ah-ah-EEEEEEE!!"

So beautiful, Pilar thought.  She is so beautiful!

She loves me! Sydney thought, her eyes welling.  It was a dirty trick to be eavesdropping on Hannah like this, but it wasn't Sydney's dirty trick.

Sydney was naked, bound, and gagged.

Her Darling Sister and Cody had stripped her of her Red Sonja costume and then bound her with enough rope to render everybody in the entire Keep helpless.  It was a classic reverse-prayer box-tie, with her knees and ankles also bound.  In addition, an elaborate Kikkou harness of diamond hitches dimpled her flesh from shoulders to toes—for no good reason other than gross overkill, and to make me five-thousand-percent helpless!  Dammit, Jillian!!

And the gag?  Jillian had stuffed her mouth to capacity with soft linen, used a narrow cloth to tie the enormous wad in place, then mummified her lower face from just under her nostrils to just under the point of her chin with a dozen tight layers of linen bandage.

Then she'd added the crotch-rope, with several figure-eight knots nestled against all the right places, of course.

And—oh-by-the-way—she was inside the Foxwood Maiden, gazing through the glass eyes of the mask at Hannah and Pilar as they rode the horse.  Even more rope had been used to anchor her in place, hitched through lashing points in the Maiden's interior and tied to her existing bonds (including the crotch-rope).  They'd also lashed her hair in a topknot-ponytail and included it in her cat's-cradle of bondage.  She could barely squirm, and even the attempt brought her skin in contact with one or more of the dull "spikes" that lined the walls of her dark, stifling prison.

Sydney seriously doubted if the "equestrians" would be able to hear her if she tried to make her presence known.  The iron walls of the encasement were more than two inches thick, all the breathing holes were tiny diagonal channels in the back, and the Maiden had been positioned several yards from the horse.  She could try "screaming" through her gag... but decided to remain an unsuspected observer.

Hannah and Pilar's words—and all those delicious orgasmic noises—were conveyed by "Drowish Magic" to Sydney's ears.  (There were hidden microphones in the main chamber and mini-speakers built into the Maiden's "head".)

I'm gonna get you for this, Jillian! Sydney vowed.

Their first staggered orgasms behind them (or under them), Hannah and Pilar returned to chatting about Hannah's life at Foxwood, Pilar's photography studio, etc., punctuated by the occasional buzz from one of the eggs.  Both bound beauties were slick with sweat.  The short chains of the nipple-clamps linking their rope-squeezed breasts would droop—and then go taut as an egg throbbed and the recipient of the "Demon's caress" flinched in her bonds.

They are sooo sexy like that, Sydney thought.

Then, Hannah returned to the topic of her boundless, undying love for her girlfriend, while Pilar smiled and listened intently.

A tear rolled down Sydney's flushed, bulging right cheek, and was absorbed by her gag.  I love you too, Hannah-bear, the Prisoner of the Maiden thought, and the tears continued to flow.  Whether or not Jillian had fixed them up was entirely moot, and had been for several months.  Hannah and Sydney had been a couple-waiting-to-happen, and probably would have hooked up even without Jillian's "help"... eventually... but still...

I'm gonna get you for this, Jillian! Sydney vowed, again.  She hated it when her know-it-all older sister was right about things.