In the dark gloom of the pirate galley's hold, Bauska sat against one wall of the iron cage, listening to the water crashing against the side of the vessel and the ship's timbers creaking. The young handmaiden shared the large cage with her mistress and six other young women kidnapped from the village by the pirates. Visible through the bars of the cage were five other cages, each containing about half a dozen captives each.

In had been, by Bauska's reckoning, six days since the pirate raid and their capture. Since then, the pirates had been cruising steadily southward, which left no doubt in the young woman's mind about their destination: Mortuas. The small, barren island was a notorious haven for pirates and its slave markets were infamous, spoken of with dread across the White Sea. Along the way, the pirates had stopped and raided two more small coastal villages, adding a dozen girls to their living cargo at each one.

Sitting beside Bauska was the Princess. Krasta had her face buried in her hands, she wept freely. She'd been doing a lot of that since their abduction. Though abduction and captivity had been hard on all of the women, none of them had suffered quite as much as Princess Krasta, at least in her own mind. She was a princess, used to the comforts of the palace! Yet here she was, a prisoner, locked in the wet, smelly hold of a vermin-ridden pirate ship!

For someone who was used to being able to snap a finger and order servants around, the helplessness of their situation was shocking. Unable to come to terms with that, the Princess had spent the voyage alternating between fits of apoplectic rage at her captors and broken weeping at the horribleness of it all.

All of a sudden, the boat lurched, throwing the captives unlucky enough to be standing off their feet. Bauska heard sand grating against the bottom of the hull as it came up on a beach. "Mistress!" She whispered, placing a hand on the other woman's naked shoulder. "I think we've landed!" Krasta looked up, her eyes red from crying and wide with fear.
The captive women sat, silently, wondering if the hellish voyage was over at last or if this was just another raid, and the nightmare would continue, with some new companions to share their misery. They listened intently for the sound of the pirates leaping ashore, shouting their battle cries, as they chased after the terrified villagers.

Instead, a dozen pirates suddenly ran down the stairs into the hold. The door to the first cage was unlocked and flung open. One of the pirates reached inside and seized the girl closest to the door. The helpless captive cried out, struggling, but she was quickly pulled out. Bauska was grabbed next. The pirate roughly yanked her to her feet. Stumbling over her own feet, the handmaiden was pushed out the door into the arms of another pirate. Her hands were grabbed and crossed behind her back. She winced as rough cord cut into her bare skin. A leather strip was forced between her teeth, gagging her.

Within minutes, all the captives had been taken out of the cages and restrained. Stumbling, the girls were forced up the narrow stairs onto the deck. Bauska blinked in the bright, midday light, blinded after so many days trapped in the gloom of the hold below deck. As her eyes adjusted, she saw a harbor filled with dozens of small boats pulled up onto the beach; swift raiding vessels, armed for war, as well as large, fat merchant ships, most likely the victims of the pirates. Lining the beach was a motley collection of ramshackle, wooden buildings, with more solidly built stone ones scattered here and there among them. Dominating the barren, rocky heights circling the harbor was a massive stone fortress overlooking everything.

Dragging their frightened captives into place, the pirates roped their captives into a long coffle. One of the pirates went down the line, hobbling each of the women's feet. Bauska and Krasta were tied together at the neck, standing separately from the other captives. The captain, a scarred, bearded giant of a man, barked an order to his men. Wielding short, leather whips on the flanks and rears of their helpless captives, the pirates marched the slave coffle down the gangplank onto the beach and into the town.

Bauska wobbled slightly as her legs readjusted to being back on dry land instead of the rocking deck of a ship at sea. Glancing over, she saw the other women being led down the docks. The slaver holding her own leash growled something in his own language and tugged sharply on the rope. Helpless, the two women had no choice but to follow him away from the ship. As they walked up the main road from the docks, a trio of pirates fell in step around them, weapons sheathed, but obviously ready should they have to use them. The pirates were taking no chances with such a valuable prize as a Princess of Cantu.

The party of captives and guards followed the winding street of ramshackle buildings up from the beach. Bauska blushed crimson as people in the streets turned and watched, horribly aware of the leering eyes on their naked bodies. With her hands tied, however, Bauska couldn't try and cover herself up, much as she wanted to. Behind her, Krasta fumed, growling through her gag at being shamed like this. She was a Princess, not some shameless peasant girl to be gawked at! To the people around them, however, she was just another captive, and they would stare at her all they wanted.

They passed by a pair of sailors, who leered, loudly telling each other what they would do with the two women, given the chance. Bauska flinched and turned away as one of them mimed with his hands. Krasta stopped walking and shrieked indignantly at the lewd suggestions. Her muffled threats only made the sailors laugh. The pirate holding her leash pulled sharply, nearly pulling the Princess off her feet. The sailors laughed uproariously, as she hurried after her captor, face crimson with embarrassment.

The pirate town seemed extremely busy. The streets were full of people going to and fro. They pressed in close around the tightly bound slaves. Bauska grunted indignantly as a hand brushed against her naked backside or casually groped on breast. The captive's escorts formed around the women, one on either side, holding the crowds back, while the third went in front, clearing a path with curses and blows for anyone too slow to get out of the way. The two women sighed in relief as the crowd backed off. Their escorts didn't stop the people from leering, but now, at least, that was all they could do.

Along the way, heading up from the beach, they passed by numerous Tabernas, the customary grape vine hanging over an open door through which the sound of music and revelry poured out into the street. Just as numerous as the drinking houses, were the gambling dens and brothels, brightly painted and decorated to attract attention. Beauties in various stages of undress leaned out the windows or stood out in front, trying to attract customers. From the expressions on most of the girls, Bauska guessed they would have rather been somewhere, anywhere else. Unfortunately, the collars they wore, and the chains attached to those collars, left them little say in the matter.

Further inland from the docks and the sailor's dives, were merchant's offices and craftsmen's shops. A fat, bearded trader haggled with a pirate over a crate of goods stolen off a trade ship or from a coastal village. Nearby, they passed by a smithy where the blacksmith was hard at work hammering out swords to arm the pirate crews. Across the road, a woodcarver was turning out oars for the raiding galleys.

At the far edge of town were the large pens where the victims of the pirate's raids were kept, while they awaited either ransom or the auction block. When they neared the collection of buildings, Bauska quickly realized why they were kept so far away from the rest of the town. The whole place was rank with the smell of hundreds, if not thousands, of unwashed bodies pressed close together, chained up in the hot sun. Huddling in their pens, the slaves stank of fear and misery.

A slave auction was taking place in front of the pen. A large crowd of men, merchants and pirates, were gathered in front of an open wooden stage. As Bauska watched, a young girl, likely snatched off the shores of the western coast, was dragged onto the stage by the slavers. The ragged remains of her dress were torn off; leaving her naked as the day she was born. The poor girl, her wrists lashed behind her back, could do nothing to stop the auctioneer from pointing out her "assets" to the crowd of men.

The men in the crowd jeered, shouting lewd suggestions to the auctioneer. Grinning, he ordered the frightened girl to spread her legs. When the slave was slow to obey, he lashed out with his short whip, leaving a bright red strip across her naked flank. She cried out in pain. With tears in her eyes, she struggled to spread her legs, exposing her sex, to the cheers of the men in the crowd.

Bauska turned her head, unable to watch as the bidding began. As the group passed on, the auctioneer pronounced the weeping girl "SOLD!" The sobbing slave was led off to meet her new owner, while another struggling girl was dragged from the pens to the stage. The rest of the slaves huddled fearfully, as far from the cage door as possible, watching glumly through the bars and awaiting their turn to be sold.

Past the slave pens, the buildings thinned out, then disappeared entirely, leaving only rocks and what little, scrabbly vegetation survived in the barren landscape. The light breeze coming in from the harbor, however, ensured the smell of the slave pens and its occupants stayed with the procession for some time after words.

The path they took grew steeper, cutting back and forth in a narrow switchback up the mountain towards the large fortress looking over the island. Bauska felt her legs burning as she struggled up the rocky path. The rough stones underfoot hurt the bare soles of her feet; the pirates paid no attention to her pain. Her bare skin was quickly coated with of sweat. And if it was hard for the slave, it was impossible for the Princess…

Krasta staggered up the path after Bauska. As she fell behind, the rope tying the two women together at the neck grew taut, until she was jerked forward by the rough leash. After struggling to keep pace for a while, the Princess began to fall behind again. When, at last, she felt she could go no further, Krasta sank to her knees, her chest rising and falling as she panted for breath through her gag, sweat pouring over her. She hung her head, weeping bitterly at the unfairness of it all.  

The pirate holding the women's leash turned, glaring angrily. He shouted for Krasta to stand up and keep moving. The Princess ignored him. Pulling a leather flog from his belt, the pirate walked over and brought it down hard on the young woman's bare shoulder. Krasta let out a sharp cry of pain, staring at the man in shock. Bauska didn't think she'd ever been struck in her life, certainly not like this!

The second stroke of the flog snapped Krasta out of her daze. She screamed in pain as the leather straps slapped against her naked skin. The pirate repeated his command, raising the flog threateningly. Anger flashed across Krasta's eyes for a brief moment. Then the Princess realized there was nothing she could do, anger quickly turning to helplessness. Tears flowing freely down her cheeks, Krasta struggled to her feet, on shaky legs. With a grunt of satisfaction, the slaver stuck the handle of his whip back into his belt, grabbed the rope leash once more and their progress up the mountain resumed.

Stumbling with exhaustion, the two captives and their escorts came at last to the gates of the fortress. A pair of guards stood in front of it, dressed in bronze scale mail and armed with spears. The lead pirate spoke quickly with one of the guards. Coins were exchanged. It seemed the pirates wanted to keep their valuable captives in the fortress, safe and secure, while they arranged the Princess' ransom, they were arguing over the price for guarding the two women.

Eventually, the guards and pirates came to an agreement. He pounded on the gate with the butt of his spear. Creaking loudly on unoiled hinges, the doors opened up. Bauska felt a sharp tug on her leash. She had no choice but to allow herself to be led through the dark portal into the fortress. Behind them, the doors slammed shut, plunging the two frightened captives into darkness…    

          
"Ugh!" Krasta growled in frustration. "How much longer must I be confined here!?!"  The Princess paced furiously back and forth across the small cell, bare feet padding softly on the smooth, cold stone. It had been over a week since the two women had been locked in here.

"Patience, mistress." Bauska said, looking up from where she sat. "Patience…please. I'm sure your father has been informed of your plight and even now, his men are on their way with ou-your ransom." Bauska almost said "our ransom", but caught herself at the last moment. None the less, the young handmaiden was keenly aware the only hope she had of getting off this island was if the pirates decided to include her with the Princess' ransom. She shivered, partly from the fear, partly from the cold; she certainly didn't want to end up going to the auction block…

"God's smite their ransom!" Krasta exclaimed angrily. "I hope my father sends his entire army to burn this place to the ground and kill every last whoreson here!"

Bauska flinched; hoping none of the guards heard her words. Though none of the pirates had thus far spoken their language, Bauska doubted that meant they couldn't speak it…or understand what the Princess was saying. But how could she explain that to Krasta? Trying to convince her not to speak her mind was like trying to talk down a raging fire. Futile and either way, in the end, you would get burned.

A sudden clamoring at the cell door made both women glance over. Someone turned the lock and the heavy wooden door opened with a loud creak. Three guards entered. The lead Pirate barked an order in his own tongue, gesturing the two to come forward. With a sigh of resignation, Bauska got to her feet and walked to the center of the cell.

The guard ordered the two captives to turn around. Glumly, she turned and felt rough hands grab her wrists, crossing them behind her back. She winced as rough cord cut into her skin. Beside her, Krasta glared, but turned and let the guards bind her hands without a word. A cloth bag was dropped over the young handmaiden's head, plunging her into darkness. One of the pirates grabbed her arms and half-marched, half-dragged out of the cell. Nearby, she heard the Princess complaining loudly through the hood, as she was manhandled along as well.

Bauska stumbled down the stone corridor, guided by the firm grip of the guard. Behind her, Krasta swore as she stumbled over the uneven stones of the floor. Silently, Bauska wondered where they were being taken and for what reason. Had the ransom been paid? Were they about to be set free?

The guards and their captives passed through a doorway into a large hall, judging from how the sound of their footsteps echoed as they entered. Nearby, Bauska could hear a large fire crackling in a fireplace. Bauska heard voices talking, in a language she didn't recognize. They stopped suddenly, as the two nude women were brought in and forced to kneel on the hard stone floor.

"You!!!" Bauska heard Krasta exclaim suddenly, as the hood was pulled off. The young maid blinked as her own bag was yanked away, temporarily blinding her. As her eyes adjusted, she saw the subject of Krasta's exclamation: a young man seated at the long table in front of the kneeling captives. A pair of guards stood on either side of him. He wore an embroidered tunic and cloak and a circlet of gold on his brow.

A moment later, the slave girl recognized him as well; Prince Danarkis of Gnossis. He'd been one of Krasta's many suitors who'd tried and failed to impress the King, her father. The young royal looked down haughtily at the two helpless women. Bauska cringed. She'd been glad when the Prince had been sent back to his palace empty-handed; the man had a cruel reputation. Beside her, Krasta struggled to summon up whatever royal dignity she had left, kneeling, hands bound, naked and dirty, in the presence of a fellow royal.

"Well, well…" Prince Danarkus chuckled, standing up. "How Fortuna's Wheel turns. The last time we saw each other was when your father rejected my proposals. Now, here I find you, a helpless captive up for sale."

"My father would never let me marry a man like you!" Krasta snapped back. "He saw you for the cruel, vile scoundrel you are!"

"More likely, the Prince failed to meet his price." Bauska thought to herself. The Princess' father was, after all, a practical man who knew how to drive a hard bargain.

"What your father wants or thinks no longer matters, my dear Princess." Danarkus sneered. "I must say I was surprised when my agents told me you'd been abducted and brought here, but who am I to question such good fortune? The pirates were more than pleased with my offer for you and your handmaiden. So now, you have a very simple choice before you, you can be smart, and join me as my queen, or you can refuse and become my personal slave."

Forgetting dignity and composure completely, Krasta that launched into a verbal tirade, calling the Prince everything foul she could think of. "Silence her." Danarkus said, snapping his fingers. One of the pirates stepped forward and roughly forced the leather gag between the Princess' teeth. Leaning forward, Danarkus placed a finger under the captive woman's chin and forced her to look up at him. "Such a fiery tongue for such a lovely creature…" He grinned, as Krasta chewed angrily on the leather strip in impotent rage. "I would cut it out, but I'm looking forward to hearing you beg me for mercy, Princess."

He waved to his guards. "Take the two of them to my ship and prepare to set sail. I'll join you once I've talked with these men." The two captives were roughly hauled to their feet. Bauska, who hadn't said a word this whole time, was gagged as well, which struck her as unfair, and the two were hooded once more. A rope leash was looped around Bauska's neck and pulled snug, cinching the cloth bag tight across her face. She felt a sharp tug on the leash. Guided by it, the handmaiden was led after the guards, through the fortress, Princess Krasta stumbling along beside her.

Outside the castle, the path grew too rough for the blindfolded slaves to walk, guided only by the tugging of the rope. The guard ordered them to halt. Bauska felt her leash be removed. The guard then picked her up and lay her down on the ground. Quickly, he lashed her feet together with the rope to stop her struggles. He tied the end of the rope to her already bound wrists, bending the young maiden into a taut bow.

The young woman squealed into her gag as she was picked up and thrown over one of the man's shoulder. Beneath the hood, Bauska's faced flushed red as she felt him set a hand on her naked bottom to steady her, taking the opportunity to feel her up, of course. Nearby, Krasta cried out into her hood as well, as she too was picked up and unceremoniously thrown over the other guard's shoulder.

Squirming and complaining through their gags, the two women were carried down the mountain and back towards the harbor. Bauska heard bystanders point and jeer at the sight of two naked women, bound hand and foot, being carried through the streets like sacks of grain. If her cheeks had gotten any warmer than they already were, Bauska thought the hood covering her face might have caught flame.

Eventually, the captives were set down again, on the hard deck of a ship. The guards forced the women to kneel and took up position on either side of the helpless captives. They waited, sweltering in the hot afternoon sun, listening to the sounds of the crew preparing for the coming voyage. After what felt like an eternity, Prince Danarkus boarded the ship to a loud whistle. A second later, he gave the order to cast off.

The drummer began to beat tempo, the slave drivers whips cracked on galley slaves' backs. The slaves groaned as they plied their oars once more. Slowly, the ship pulled away from the harbor docks and out into open sea once more. Bauska blinked in the sudden light as the hood was pulled off. She groaned, seeing a group of sailors gathered around, leering at the two naked women. They parted, allowing Danarkus to come and inspect his prizes.

"Well, Princess…" he said, as Krasta snarled muffled curses at him, "we'll sail through the night and reach Gnossis tomorrow morning, and I'll expect an answer to my question. Until then, I'll leave you to think it over during the morning." He turned to the guards. "Tie them to the mast. Any man who lays a hand on the Princess will lose that hand!"

Squirming furiously, Krasta was dragged to the mast and her back pressed against it. One of the sailors cut the rope of Bauska's hogtie and she too was pressed to the mast on the other side. Coils of rope quickly encircled the two women at the knees and chest, lashing them tightly to the mast. Though forbidden from touching Krasta, the crew was under no such order when it came to her handmaiden. Numerous hands reached out and felt up the helpless captive. She groaned miserably. The next morning felt like it was years away…