A deep thrill bubbled up from within her stomach when the sticky ropes pulled tight against her skin. She chewed on the soft sponge she had stuffed in her own mouth and allowed the tight rag coated in adhesive to cling tight to her face.

Elyn thrashed about on top of her soft bed and giggled under her gag at the sensation of her bonds. She had wrapped the ropes around her ankles and above and below her knees. She managed to slip her arms into tight ropes that pinned her arms and place. She was sure to frame her chest perfectly and admired herself in the mirror after she shackled her own hands behind her back. Elyn had toyed back and forth with the idea of a blindfold but she liked the idea of seeing herself in her own scrying mirror better.

After hearing what Lanala had told her of the ropes that Jhana had used to bind the three of them within that cave, Elyn made a point of finding the adhesive that had made them cling so tight. She found the shipyard’s alchemist in Dasi, the capital, with loads of the adhesive in stock and bought as many bottles as she could afford. She coated half of her ropes with the stuff and it proved to be truly remarkable.

Elyn had a bit of alchemical knowledge herself and found that the adhesive remained sticky and waterproof, which is what made it ideal for repairing leaky ships. But the fact that it retained its initial property unlike conventional glue made it usable for many other purposes. She wondered if some type of sap had been used to create the effect but she didn’t know how the royal alchemists had managed to create a substance with an effect that lasted as long as this.

In that moment Elyn didn’t care. She hopped back to her feet and stared at herself, bound and gagged, in the mirror and thought the ropes just made her look better. If it were up to her then she might remain tied up forever. But that wasn’t up to her.

Despite her love of the sensation she had a duty to perform. It outweighed any other thought within her mind. She put up a cocky, uncaring front but she never was the type of person to sit by and let injustice stand. That was why she had joined the order in the first place. Elyn always had a need to do the right thing for no other reason than because it was right.

Her memories drifted then to her past with the old Royal Guild of Magic. She had been one of the most powerful and adept fire mages Ikaatan had ever seen and when she graduated from the old academy, the guild was knocking on her door right away. She remembered joining just after Jhana, who would become the Royal Spymaster. The two of them were often at odds in the guild but Jhana rose through the ranks quicker than Elyn and soon she became a leading member of the guild’s council. Elyn still butted heads with her and found herself out of the guild and out of a job because of... well, Elyn didn’t want to think about that right now.

She replaced her bad memories with her current, self-inflicted predicament and the thrill of it made her heart leap in excitement. Elyn admired herself in the mirror again and then hopped back onto the bed. She giggled behind her gag when she fell over and the fun of the moment made her want to test the gag as well.

“MMMMPPHHH! HRMMMMMPH! MMMPHH!”

Her muffled screams made hardly a sound. Her excitement grew and she squirmed and shuffled against her tight bonds to test them as well. They were as unyielding as her gag and she groaned into the gag with the sheer thrill of the feeling. Unlike her last self-bondage encounter, however, she heard the knock on the door this time and hopped to her feet. She managed to shuffle to the door and unlock the deadbolt when the person knocked again.

“Elyn? Are you in there?” Artema’s strong voice sounded loud and clear inside Elyn’s room.

She hopped back from the door and giggled when she nearly fell over.

“Hmms hmmpmmph,” she said.

“What? What did you say?”

Elyn smiled wide under the gag and giggled again.

“Cmmmph mmph.”

The door clicked open and the giant, purple-haired warrior cast her sharp green eyes upon the bound and gagged woman that stood just inside the room with smiling eyes.

“Did you lose your key again?” Artema asked with a sigh.

“Mmm mmm,” Elyn said, shaking her head. She nodded toward the vanity where her red key sat.

Artema looked to the vanity and picked up Elyn’s brightly coloured key. She stepped closer to the fire mage.

“You really ought to keep a spare,” Artema said. “It’d be safer.”

“Mmmph,” Elyn said, rolling her eyes and shrugging as much as the sticky ropes would allow.

“I’ll untie you in a minute,” Artema said. “But you’re in the perfect position to listen to me right now. I’m sending you out with Lanala on a mission. Luna and Taria are to travel with you.”

“Mmpph?”

“The rest of us will stay behind and protect headquarters in case Jhana sees what you’re doing.”

“Ammmd wmmt ammph wmm dmmimmg?” Elyn asked.

Artema had gotten used to hearing Elyn speak with a gag so she was able to discern most of what the fire mage said.

“You’re taking the relic they found to a place where no one will ever find it. I used to have a hideout in the woods. No one knows about it. There is a vault down there with just one key. Its door is unbreakable and there is no other way in. We’re going to keep it in there and I’m destroying the key so that, once it’s locked, it can never be opened again.”

“Wmm fmmr umph ummph?”

“The four of you can handle things if it comes down to a fight. Plus, with three magic users, that should be enough to handle anything Jhana can throw your way.”

“Shmmd?”

“Yes. Unless one of you decides to get themselves into trouble again,” Artema said, leaning down closer to Elyn’s face.

Elyn chuckled and rolled her eyes. She tilted her head to one side.

“Whmmph? Mmm?”

“Don’t play coy,” Artema said. “You know I mean you. This is vitally important, Elyn. I need you to understand that.”

Elyn’s eyes turned very serious and she held her leader’s strong gaze.

“Mm dmm, mmmph,” she said.

“I hope so,” Artema said. “Because if we don’t do this then I fear for the entire world if we let Jhana get her hands on that stone. All right. I need you to ready up. I’ll untie you now.”

“Mmmmmph,” Elyn said, disappointed.

“You can tie yourself right back up as soon as you get back, all right? Think of it as a reward for a job well done.”

Elyn murmured excitedly behind her gag and waited for Artema to untie her. It didn’t take long for the giant woman to untangle the sticky ropes and gag and remove Elyn’s shackles.

“You bought that damn adhesive?” Artema asked.

“What? It was fun,” Elyn said. “I just had to try it for myself.”

It was Artema’s turn to roll her eyes. “Just get out to the gate. The others are waiting for you.”

Elyn smirked and mock saluted her leader.

“Yes, ma’am. I’ll get right on that.”

“Now, damn it. Don’t make me carry you.”

Elyn’s smirk widened to a smile and she curtseyed to Artema before leaving her behind in Elyn’s room. The hulking warrior sighed and followed after her, closing the door behind her.

...

They found no path on their way through the woods and Taria stepped in front of them, hacking away at branches and bushes that hampered their progress. Lanala walked close behind her with a small, thick bag slung over her shoulder. The pair of them moved as quickly as possible through the thick brush and walked almost in lockstep toward their goal. But they had to stop every once in a while because, behind them, things were not going as well.

Elyn and Luna were making slow progress and bickering back and forth. Elyn loved to get under Luna’s skin and get a rise from her icy temper and Luna couldn’t stand the fire mage’s barbs. It had started just after they left and it was actually Luna who had started it.

“You never did tell us how you know Jhana, Elyn,” Luna had said.

“Did I say I knew her? You must have misheard,” Elyn replied with a wry smirk.

“Lanala and I were both there in that cave and you two definitely knew each other. So go on. How do you know Jhana?”

Elyn flashed a smile to Luna. “I really don’t. Whatever you heard was just me stalling for time.”

“You only did that after they tied you to that chair.”

“Yeah...” Elyn said, dreamily. “That was a fun time.”

“Fun!? Who knows what Jhana would have done with us if the others hadn’t come along. I’m betting you might.”

Elyn shrugged.

“I don’t really know anything of the sort,” Elyn said. “She always was hard to predict.”

“Aha! So you did know her!”

“Did I say that?”

“Shut up,” a steady voice said to them from the front of their little group. “You don’t want me to come back there and shut you up.”

Elyn chuckled.

“I’d burn you to dust before you could reach me, Taria dear,” Elyn said. “Do you want that?”

“You wouldn’t do that,” Taria said. “But you two will stop your bloody bickering.”

Elyn and Luna stopped speaking to each other for a short while before Elyn picked it up again.

“So, moon princess,” Elyn said. “Do you know the moon?”

Luna furrowed her brow. “What?”

“You asked me about my past,” Elyn said. “It’s only fair. Like, for instance, where are you from, really?”

“Ikaatan,” Luna said. “Same as you.”

“But what’s all that talk about the ‘moon’s tears’ and the ‘communion with the moon?’ None of that stuff is in any Ikaatan culture.”

“It’s... it’s part of my magical training. That’s all you need to know.”

“So all that non-academy training then? You know that technically makes you a Pamest Mage, right?”

Luna scowled and turned her glare upon Elyn’s wild eyes. The term was used by the Royal Guild for unlicensed magic users and those who did not receive academy training. Pamest Mages were outlawed in the capital but they were allowed to practice on the rest of the island, provided they didn’t give the Queen’s Honour Guard any reason to hunt them down.

“They made an exception for me when I joined the order,” Luna said. “You know that.”

“Yes I know,” Elyn said. “I just enjoy reminding you of your place.”

“My place!? And what is my place, you stuck-up merchant of death?”

Elyn chuckled again.

“Merchant of death? Do you speak to all your friends this way? Or just the ones who are more powerful than you?”

“Not this again,” Luna said. “You know very well the skill it takes to wield ice and water. Only the most practiced hand-”

“Blah blah blah, Luna. Your power is boring,” Elyn said, with a smile still on her face. She snapped her fingers and a large flame hovered above her hand. “Now this is real power, moon girl.”

“Girl!? I am a powerful sorceress of ice and you will treat me with proper respect!”

“Fine. Moon woman. Whatever freezes your boat,” Elyn said.

“I’m not from the bloody moon!” Luna snapped.

“Of course you’re not,” Elyn said.

“Don’t patronize me!”

“Oh I haven’t even begun to patronize you, moon girl!”

“You’re asking for it, Elyn. One of these days I will show you just how useless your death flames are.”

“Death flames sound pretty useful to me. And why wait? Let’s see that power of yours right now.”

“Don’t make me.”

“I’m not making you do anything. I thought you were your own woman.”

“I am!”

“Then why say I’m making you?”

“I... shut up!”

“Nice one!”

“All right, enough!” Lanala stopped in place and whirled around to face them. Elyn still had a wide grin on her face and Luna’s scowl remained. But they both paid Lanala proper attention. “It’s getting dark,” Lanala said. “We’ll set up camp here. And I’m keeping you two as far apart as possible. If I see either one approach the other than I am putting you both to sleep.”

“And how would you do that, dearest Lanala?” Elyn asked.

Lanala stepped close to Elyn’s face.

“You know I can. One thought and I’ll have you asleep for the rest of your life. Do you want that?”

Elyn’s smile remained but she took a step back from Lanala just the same. Despite both of their powerful abilities, neither of them could compete with Lanala. Before they had even met, Elyn had heard her name from the academy. Sure, she had a slightly forgetful nature but Lanala had been a magical prodigy from a young age. When she graduated from the Royal Academy, she had a position at the head of the guild waiting for her. She set two precedents in that the position was even left open to a new graduate and that she declined to take it. But none of the guild stopped her nor tried to coerce her into taking it. Lanala’s name was whispered in circles of magic practitioners in both reverence and fear. Jhana had been the only other person spoken of with such awe. So when Lanala told the two magic users to stand down, they listened.

“Don’t worry, Lanala,” Elyn said. “You have my word.”

“Whatever that’s worth,” she said. Lanala turned to Luna next. “And what about you, Luna? What do you have to say?” Lanala asked, trying to channel her wife’s voice. Artema is so much better at keeping them in line she thought.

“I have no problem staying away from this maniac,” Luna said. She nodded. “As you say, Lanala.”

“All right then,” Lanala said. “Let’s get to setting up camp.”

...

Taria and Lanala huddled over the fire as the sky quickly grew darker above them. Luna and Elyn each lay within separate tents on opposite sides of the camp. Taria, staring at the fire with her usual scowl, poked at it mindlessly with a thick twig. She shook her head.

“We wasted a lot of time today,” she said at a near whisper.

“I know,” Lanala said. “And it’s all because of those two.”

“We can’t afford another delay like this,” Taria said. “It gives Jhana that much more time to track us down and get after the relic.”

“But how do we get them to stop fighting?” Lanala asked. “They only ever really listen to Artema. I wish she’d come with us.”

“Well she’s not here. You’ll just have to make do.”

Lanala shook her head and stared into the fire with Taria. For all of Artema’s talk of Lanala being leader material she sure didn’t feel like it. Neither she nor Taria could get the two of them to settle down and stop arguing the entire day. It was only when Lanala reminded Elyn of her power that she got them both to stop and Lanala hated doing that.

She never liked to flaunt her power and she never wanted to use it to threaten people. It just wasn’t right. She knew Artema would sometimes use intimidation to get the others in line but she didn’t have to most of the time. Artema just commanded respect. But Lanala could only get respect with the use of threats and that just wasn’t her. Perhaps it was all the buried resentment most of the others still had toward her for being Artema’s supposed ‘favourite.’ All Lanala knew was that she had a hard time getting others to listen to her.

“I’ve got an idea,” Taria said.

“What?”

“What if the two of them just... stayed behind?”

“Artema wants us travelling with numbers, Taria.”

“I know but would she want us to sacrifice this much time in the name of keeping the group together? What do you think she’d do?”

“I don’t know. Only Artema can think like Artema.”

“And she’s not here,” Taria said. “So I say we leave them here, stash the relic in Artema’s hideout, and then come back for them.”

“It would help us move faster...” Lanala said.

“And we wouldn’t have to listen to them argue all bloody day.”

“So what do we do? Just sneak away while they’re asleep?”

“We make sure they stay put,” Taria said. She reached into the pack at her feet and pulled out long coils of rope and heavy rags.

“Oh. Yeah, I guess that’d work,” Lanala said.

“Can you think of anything better?”

“Not really,” Lanala said. “All right. But how are we going to tie them up without waking them?”

“I’ll take care of Elyn,” Taria said. “She likes it anyway. I’ll tell her that we’re letting her play in exchange for not arguing with Luna.”

“Well what do I do with Luna?”

“I don’t know. Put her to sleep, like you said.”

“I was bluffing,” Lanala said. “I can’t really do that. I just knew they’d buy it from my reputation alone.”

“Well, I don’t know. Give her a shock and put her out.”

“I don’t want to hurt her.”

“Then make it a light one,” Taria said.

“It’ll still hurt,” Lanala said. “Trust me.”

Taria sighed. “Listen, we need to move. Do you want those two slowing us down or what?”

Lanala relented. “Fine. Just a light shock, then. But I have to make sure it won’t hurt her.”

“Long as you get it done,” Taria said. “Here. Take some rope.”

Lanala removed the remaining coils of rope and a pair of rags from Taria’s pack.

“All right. Let’s do this then,” Taria said.

Taria stalked silently off to Elyn’s tent. When she got there, Elyn sat up straight and blinked at the lithe warrior.

“Oh hello there, you merc beauty,” Elyn said.

“Hey, not so loud,” Taria said. “Only you and Artema know about that.”

“You mean you haven’t told the others about your past yet, Taria?”

“It hasn’t come up. And it doesn’t matter,” Taria said. “Listen, I came over here to strike a deal with you.”

Elyn smirked. “Is that what the rope is for?”

Taria looked down at her hands.

“Yes. Lanala and I discussed it and we’ve decided that we’re going to let you play around for the night in exchange for keeping quiet for the rest of the trip. How does that sound?”

Elyn allowed her smirk to curl into a wide smile.

“You’re speaking my language now, Taria. That sounds heavenly.”

“And? Do you promise?”

“Promise what?”

“Elyn.”

Elyn chuckled. “Fine, fine. I won’t banter with the ice princess. Now tie me up already.”

“All right. Put your hands behind your back.”

“Do you even need to tell me?”

Elyn did as Taria instructed and crossed her wrists behind her back. Taria began winding rope around them and soon had them tightly tied in place. She continued with Elyn’s ankles and tied rope above and below the fire mage’s knees. She pulled two more tight around Elyn’s arms and chest above and below her breasts. She then laid Elyn on her stomach and very tightly secured a rope between Elyn’s wrists and ankles, leaving her in a hogtie.

“Oh, you spoil me,” Elyn said. “I haven’t been hogtied in ages.”

“Yeah yeah,” Taria said. “Just open your mouth so I can gag you.”

“Yes, mistress,” Elyn said playfully.

“Don’t call me that,” Taria said.

Taria wadded up one of the rags and stuffed it inside Elyn’s mouth. She sealed it inside by tightly securing the other rag behind Elyn’s head. She used a third and final rag to blindfold her captive and dragged her backward onto her bedroll.

“All right. I’ll come in and get you when it’s time to leave,” Taria said. “Will you be all right?”

“Umm hmmmph,” Elyn said with a nod.

Elyn tested the ropes Taria had tied her with and nothing came loose.

“Hmmmmph...” she moaned.

When Taria returned to the fire, Lanala was already there waiting.

“Is it done?”

“She’ll be out till morning,” Lanala said. “But yes. Hogtied, gagged, blindfolded and out of our damn hair.”

“Won’t she panic when she wakes up?” Taria asked.

“I left her a message,” Lanala said.

“How?”

“Well, I tapped into the energy of her mind and left my own imprint-”

“Stop. I don’t need to know the whole process,” Taria said. “It’ll just be gibberish to me anyway.”

“Fine. Let’s get some sleep and then travel at first light. We’ve still got a lot of ground to cover.”

...

When Luna tried to open her eyes, the world remained black. She struggled to get up but found her wrists and ankles were bound together. She kicked and bucked but she couldn’t move from her position on the ground. She then tried to speak.

“Hmmmph!”

Oh no! she thought. Am I tied up again? Did Jhana catch up with us?

“MMMPH! HLLMMMPH!”

She frantically looked around but the blindfold kept her in complete darkness. Then something deep within her mind seemed to speak to her.

Relax, Luna a voice said.

“Lmmllmmmph?”

You haven’t been captured. You’re still hack at camp. Taria and I had to move on without you two and your bickering. I’m sorry. I’ll make it up to you later. If you want, you can tie me up in the training cell when we get back home. For now, though, you’re both tied up and gagged at camp so we can make enough progress and hide the relic in Artema’s vault. Just try to relax. You won’t escape. I made sure of it. We’ll be back to take you both home in a bit.

The voice left her mind and Luna realized that her situation was less dire than she had originally thought. Still, though, she growled in frustration.

“MMMMRRRGH!”

The thought of Lanala leaving her bound and gagged in her own bedroll just made her angry. Artema had told them specifically to use their numbers to their advantage. Leaving her and Elyn bound, gagged, and blindfolded was not part of that plan.

Luna squirmed and struggled against her bonds but realized that Lanala was right. The spellcaster was a strong woman and had tied her up way too tight to escape from. Luna slumped her head onto the ground and let out a muffled scream in frustration.

“MMMMMPH!!”

That damn Elyn. If only she would have kept her mouth shut. Though, Luna supposed, Lanala had said that both of them were bound and gagged at camp. That meant that Elyn would have her mouth shut now for sure. The thought amused Luna and was enough to make her relax and even smile behind her gag.

Elyn, meanwhile, still enjoyed her bondage without a thought as to how much time had passed. The thrill of the tight ropes and the restriction of the hogtie made her forget her surroundings and just struggle the night away. She’d even slept a few hours in her bonds and when she awoke, the pull of the ropes gave her butterflies in her stomach. The tight blindfold made it extra exciting since she would never know when Taria would be back for her. She wouldn’t even see her coming.

“Mmmmmmph...” Elyn let out a satisfied sigh and decided to test out her gag.

“MMMMPH!”

Barely a sound. The thrill almost made her miss the sound of another muffled grunt from somewhere outside the tent.

That’s odd thought Elyn. Is someone else bound and gagged like me?

Elyn stopped struggling for a moment and listened carefully. She recognized the frustrated grunt from somewhere outside. It was Luna. Elyn realized what must have happened and laughed into her gag. It seemed Taria and Lanala had grown tired of their bickering and left them both tied up and gagged at their campsite. How long had it been? The blindfold prevented Elyn from knowing. But she thrashed and squirmed against her tight bonds, giggling all the while. She may as well enjoy her predicament until the other two got back.

Outside the tent, Taria and Lanala watched the two tied up and struggling women and smiled to each other.

“Should we let them out?” Lanala whispered.

“I’m kind of enjoying this,” Taria said. “It’s peaceful.”

“I do like not hearing them for a change,” Lanala said. “Should we at least let them know the relic is safe in Artema’s vault?”

Taria chuckled.

“Give it another hour or so. You hungry? I’ve got some dried meat in the pack.”

“Sure, all right,” Lanala said. “It was a bit of a hike, wasn’t it?”

The pair of them sat down by the fire and split a chunk of dried meat from Taria’s pack. All the while they listened to the muffled grunts of the two bound and gagged women in their tents.

“Mmmmph!”

“Hmmmph!”