***
"Whats it for tonight, sweet maid? Bondage games? The sweet torturing of our pleasure slave?"
Tashmal sat on the waste bowl, her trousers down over her light green boots.
"I dont know, mylady. What do you propose?"
"Well, I think we... wait... what do you think you are doing there?"
Dana had opened Zushas manacles.
"I am freeing Zusha, as mylady can see. There is no need she is bound inside our cabin."
"Really? She might kill us while we sleep! Klish, silly one."
"She wont, mylady. We have talked."
"I see. Put her manacles back on, thats an order, silly one," Tashmal snapped ice cold.
"No, mylady. She is my slave. You said this in the morning. She is my responsibility. She wont be secured in the cabin. And when we reach Achaia, I will free her."
"Lookie here, the sweet maid gets claws. Anyway, I dont want my throat slid while I sleep. I treasure my life. I enjoy being an achaian whore. "
She rose from the bowl, started to clean her butt with the soft tissue she called "toilet paper" and had a roll in her rucksack, always using it instead of the straw provided with the waste bowls, and turned to Zusha.
"Why will you not kill us, slave and try to escape?"
"Zusha has decided to stay with the blonde mistress for a while. And Zusha is grateful that the blonde mistress will free her. It would fall back on mistress if Zusha harmed anyone on the ship. Regarding brunette mistress, Zusha doesnt care for her, but blonde mistress is in love with her, and would be sad should I kill her."
"I see. Blonde mistress is in love with me?"
Dana reddened deeply. Tashmal laughed. It was a cruel laugh, and Dana was sad for her again.
"Anyway. Fine. Very fine. I know Tra Ka Dars dont lie, so, we can forget about the issue."
She closed her trousers and came over to the other two.  Her anger seemed to have vanished as quickly as it had come.  She even smiled.
"I will have to think about the problem how I explain to my employer the 600 dublones I spent on a slave with no slave to show for."
"600?" Dana blurted.
"What do you think slaves cost, sweet maid? Let alone one as beautiful and hot as she?"
"I am sorry, mylady. But I WILL free her."
"Its okay, sweet maid, I already said that."
"May Zusha speak?"
"You dont have to ask, Zusha," Dana said.
"Zusha is curious why an employer in Achaia is willing to spent so much money to see blonde mistress brought to him."
Dana suddenly realized she had never asked that very obvious and very important question since the fateful night in the inn.
Tashmals answer was short:
"I dont know. Honestly. I am curious too, Tra Ka Dar."
"I am only a simple girl from Moravan. An inn maid."
"Mistress is an inn maid?"
Zusha showed real astonishment.
"It is true, Tra Ka Dar. Our blonde, booted young lady was a week ago only an inn maid in a very remote place. I have been sent from Lashayette to find her and bring her to my employer savely, as others are hunting her. Among them Donna Bondas from Liganor."
Among them? There were more? Dana shook her head. She nestled for her Laxagos and mouthed one. What was so special about her? It couldnt be her boobs.
Tashmal lit Danas smoke and reached for her pack herself. To her surprise, she offered it to Zusha.
"Kaskagos, I take it your brand, Rondaka?"
"Yes. Zusha thanks you, brunette mistress."
"My name is Tashmal. Our sweet maid isnt able to call me that, for whatever  reasons. I would appreciate if you had no such difficulties."
Both lit up. Dana wandered about the cabin, as small as it was. Two feet to the left, two to the right, and back. She was deep in thought.
Achaian and Rondaka watched her while they smoked.
"She is pretty, isnt she?"
"More than pretty, Lady Tashmal."
"Yes. One should strip, rubberize, bind and gag her and sell her as a slave."
"She would bring a high prize, even untrained, Lady Tashmal."
"Even 600 dublones?"
"Maybe not here, but in Rondakalor for sure. More than that. Her breasts are phenomenal."
"I noticed that too. Shall we do it?"
"You have the materials ready?"
"Sure. We can use your latexa wear on her."
"What are you talking about? You want to sell me as a slave?"
"Definitely an option now. It would solve the problem of the 600 dublones."
Tashmal seemed dead serious.
Dana said, uncertainty in her voice:
"You two are joking."
"No", said Tashmal."
"Yes, mistress", said Zusha.
The blonde felt relief. Mylady had said that Zusha wont lie. So it WAS a joke.
"You spoke about lessons you needed a third person for, Lady Tashmal."
"So you were not sleeping, Zusha. I suspected that. Anyway, I want to teach our booted maid
bondarat, the art of tying and untying. "
"And she will train with me."
"Thats the plan."
"Shall we start?"
Tashmal nodded.
"Stop worrying, sweet maid. There are lessons waiting."
***
Dana rose and admired her handiwork. Before her on the bed, Zusha lay bound and gagged, with white rope and a latexa gag respectively.
Tashmal was on the other side.
"You may start, Zusha."
The Rondaka started to wriggle in her bonds.  
That will do you no good, Dana thought, you are completely helpless.
The ropes around Zushas torso and arms came loose, then her hands were free. Dana starred in disbelief. The Rondaka took of her gag and finally the bounds of her legs.  
She had gotten free in three or four minutes.
Tashmal laughed.
"You should see your face in a mirror, silly one. Dont despair, that was the first lesson of the night.
Now I will tie her up. Watch closely. While she tries to get free again, I will show you the knots I used."
"Is the gag necessary for the practicing, mylady?"
"In any case, sweet maid. A gag impedes and alters your breathing. And breathing is fundamental to untying oneself. But we will get to that later."
It took Zusha twenty minutes to get out of the bind, but she managed it.
"It is easy because she isnt aroused. Usually gags are impregnated with aphrodisiaka like Gnuvala or Lashimelle, and often the customers are put in latexa." Tashmal explained.
Dana nodded. She had watched closely while Tashmal had bound the Rondaka, and later tried to understand the knots she had shown her.
"Now try once again. You dont have to do it exactly as I, but make good knots like I showed you."
This time Zusha needed nearly as long as with Tashmals bondage, but the gag band  and strap came loose and the Rondaka spit out the packing.
The Achaian rose an eyebrow.
"Thats  unusual. A gag is relatively easy to apply."
Zusha, rubbing her wrists, explained:
"Blonde mistress didnt made it tight enough."
"I didnt want to make you pain!"
Both other women looked at the blonde.
"What?"
"Dont be so silly. Zusha is no child. Besides, a bit of pain is part of the fun, no?"
"If mylady says so."
"Anyway, otherwise you improved considerably."
"Mistress learns fast, yes."
Dana reddened, but it was joy this time.
"Thats enough for tonight. Now to the fun."
"What about packaging you, Lady Tashmal?"
"I would really love to be sex tortured by you two, but as long as I havent  delivered the blonde maid to Lashayette and into safety, no bondage for me."
Zusha nodded.
"But we can torture our blonde a bit, what do you think?"
"I can imagine that to be fun, Lady Tashmal."
"Will someone ask me what I want?"
"You object, booted maid? "
"No, that would be wonderful. But I want to be asked nonetheless."
Tashmal smiled at her. She seemed very satisfied, for whatever reason.
"You are so right, blonde beauty. So, would you like to get the treatment  tonight? Ropes, gags, latexawear, all that?"
"I would love to, mylady."
***
"Your feet!"
"Watch my eyes. They tell you what I will do next!"
"Dont think about my next attack, think about attacking yourself!"
Their swords met again, two, three times, then they parted again.
"Well parried, my love."
They were on the upper deck, training with the sword as every day. It was the third day of their journey on the river. It was a cold day, their breath came out in white clouds.
Zusha knelt to one side, manacled at wrists and knees. But she was ungagged and a canteen of juice and Danas cigarettes and matches  were near her knees, and a bowl of dried fruits too.
There were more spectators, other passengers and crew members of duty. Because of them, Tashmal called Dana "my love", "honey" and the like. They were companions after all, according to myladys cover story.
The Achaian attacked again. Both had smoked a Kaskago before beginning the training, and Dana felt strong and quick.
The blades met, five times. Then Dana cried:
"No!"
They parted. Blood was running down Tashmals face. There was a deep cut in her right cheek.
"I didnt want that, I am so sorry. You need a healer, myla... uuh, honey."
"It is nothing, sugarmouth. I am so proud of you. You hit me. After 10 days of training with a sword. I have never seen a girl learning the fencing art so quickly and well. We will make a sword mistress out of you."
Dana was totally surprised by this praise. But myladys cheek!
Zusha said:
"It is hard to believe that she started only ten days before. Not knowing it, I would have guessed she is in the eight or tenth month of training."
Tashmal nodded. She pressed one of her silken handkerchiefs to the wound. A crewwoman approached them.
"I have fetched some healing oil, mylady."
"Thank you, river woman. What do you charge?"
"The captain said its for free. He is glad you and your companion are aboard. The river is not secure nowadays."
"I see. Thank you again."
"It must be stitched." Zusha said. "I can do that."
"You are right. Lets go to our cabin."
"Stitched? Oh no! You can do that, Zusha?"
"Yes, mistress."
"I cant watch that. I will faint."
Tashmal chuckled.
"Maybe healer is not the right profession for you after all. So you better stay on deck. Zusha can apply the oil too."
Dana nodded.
Tashmal and Zusha left and Dana headed to the place where the Rondaka had knelt. She drank from the juice, cherry, which Zusha liked better than apple, and took a cigarette.
As she mouthed it, she felt the eyes of someone on her. Looking up, she noticed a Zoralad priestress on the other side of the deck starring at her. Dana shuddered.
As a child, she had be afraid of the Zoralad priestress in the village. She had even nightmares about her. She realized she was still afraid of their kind.
Zoralad was the goddess of death, grief and dreams. Her priestresses were responsible for burying the dead, easing the grief of the living, and maintaining the cemeteries. They also were dreamwanderers, but the majority of the people hadnt to do with that high art.
The priestresses wore black and painted their faces snow white, with black eye and lip makeup. Their faces looked like masks of evil daemonas.
This mother, all priestresses of deity were adressed as "mother", was clad in linnen trousers, a blouse, a leather vest, knee high boots, short leather gloves and a wide cloak, naturally everything in black. Her hair was light blonde, and it fell around her white painted face to just above her shoulders. It was curled and held out of the face by a black shiny band of Latexa.
This hair band  would make a perfect gag band, Dana thought. She imagined gagging the Zoralada with it, after stuffing her mouth with a packing. Then tying her up, strictly, elaborately.
Apart from getting hot, the fantasy helped her in other ways. Her sudden fear subsided. Yes, packaged, this priestress of death would be like every other woman.
She lit her cigarette and inhaled. Remained the question while she was starring at her. Tashmal had explained to her what paranoia was, on which occasion Dana had thought that mylady was just that sometimes, but now she asked herself, if the Zoralada could be an enemy, out for her too.
She was a priestress of an aspect of light.  Even if  it was the by far darkest of the good aspects. She couldnt be a huntress. Or could she? Dana still knew much too few about the world.
The blonde smoked and looked again at the priestress. She still glared at her. The white mask of her face was expressionless.  Dana noticed her eyes were green. The Zoralada mouthed a cigarette herself, lit it, inhaled deeply. Had she just wanted to observe Dana smoking? And had gotten hot to the point she had to smoke herself? Or maybe just Danas boobs again?
I am getting paranoid like the mistress, the ex maid thought and slowly took another drag. Suddenly she smiled broadly, still directly looking at the Zoralada. Now the priestress turned away, looked out on the river.
She had to tell mylady about her. Tashmal had said another thing:
"The thing with paranoia is: We are paranoid, but are we paranoid enough?"
***
In the evening, Tashmal took a close look at the Zoralad while the passengers were eating. She seemed not concerned this time.
Her comment was:
"She is probably hot about you. You are beautiful, and are becoming more so by the day. Or it is because she had watched the fight. Some women are aroused by watching violence and are hot for violent women."
The mylady was probably right. Probably? Dana remembered thinking the mylady was always right just a few days before. She was changing. Maybe she was becoming of age. Nonsense, Dana, she thought. Dont be too proud of yourself. Thats a sin before the goddesses.
Two more days passed. The ship lay anchor at several towns as in the days before. Passengers left it, others boarded. Sword training during the day, bondarat in the evening, pleasure in the night. No hunters trying to abduct her.
The Zoralad priestress was still on the ship, alone, talking to no one. She hadnt starred at Dana again and the blonde was now convinced she was no danger.
This night, after the pleasure - this time the three women had just kissed, caressed and licked together without bondage or dildo - Dana felt the need for fresh air, as they had smoked quite much and the Chruchor, the magical smoke-evaporator of the cabin, had difficulty defeating the blue clouds. She left the two others ,who were talking in the hard language of Zusha, which Tashmal to Danas surprise spoke obviously very well, and went on deck.
She didnt like the others speaking in a language she didnt understand. Apart from being bad manners again, they surely spoke about her or about things they didnt want her to know. They still treated her like a child.
It was raining outside, as often in the last days, and a sharp wind came from the east. Winter was approaching. But Dana liked rain and wind. She headed to the reeling, looked out on the dark river.
There was movement to her right. The Zoralad priestress was on deck too. She hadnt seen Dana yet. She tried to light a cigarette in the strong wind, obviously without success.
The blonde hesitated only shortly, then approached her.
"May I help you, mother?"
"OOhh. That would be nice, mylady."
The Zoralada had a soft, friendly girls voice, and Dana now saw that she was young, only three or five years older than herself.
She lit another match and Dana put her hands around it to shield it from the wind. The priestress lit up and inhaled.
"Uff, thats good. Want one too, mylady?"
"Thank you."
The Zoralada offered a red pack of Malego. The brand of lust, Dana noticed with no small surprise. She took one nevertheless and lit it, this time helped by the shielding hands of the other blonde. The Malego  set immediately to work, but meanwhile she was more used to it, and it didnt arouse her as much as in the beginning. Furthermore, it was cold, raining and windy. Not the ideal surroundings to be aroused.
"May I ask your name, mylady?"
"Danadeva, mother."
"I am Venjaned, mother second grade. I am pleased to meet you, Lady Danadeva."
"The pleasure is mine."
Another of Tashmals lessons. If Dana had to impersonate a mylady, she had to act and speak like one.
"I have to apologize to you, mylady. A few days ago, I starred at you openly. That were very bad manners.  I did it because I find you extremely attractive."
"I see. I am sorry, but my companion is very jelaous I am afraid."
"Your companion is a dangerous woman. She is under the strong spell of a dark aspect, my Karma told me that."
"Karma" was the magical energy and power of the priestresses.
Dana suddenly shuddered, and not from the cold.
"Which aspect, mother?"
"I dont know, but as I am a priestress of death, it must have something to do with death and violence."
"I will think about that, mother."
"Dont be too afraid. Not all dark aspects, even those of death and violence, are completely evil. There is still hope for your companion. But she needs help."
"Thank you for your advice. May I ask were you are traveling too, mother?"
"To Pliefurt, a small village to the southwest. I will leave the ship tomorrow afternoon and continue by coach. I will take up post of priestress in the village. My first assignment of that kind. I am more than a bit nervous."
Dana had to smile. She didnt fear the mother any more. But the information about Tashmal... that was a grave issue. She had to think about it later.
Suddenly, several shadows rose around the two women, but before Dana could scream or act, a latexa club landed on her head and everything went black.