Quan seemed more than a bit upset when he was risen from his sleep in the middle of the night, but when he realized what Xiao was offering to him, he was soon fully awake.
The girl, which now was standing in the court, was accompanied by three persons in black cloaks. These, she had draped over the bodies of the three women she had forced to come with her to Quan`s palace, but underneath, they were stark naked.
Once she had left the pavillon, she had taken a black cloth and wrapped it around Olga`s head before knotting it off in her neck. Then, she had tied a rope around the blonde`s waist and threaded the end of that between her legs, fixing it to her wrist bonds. When she forced the blindfolded Olga to walk towards where she had left Arlette and Diane, the sighs and mews told her that the crotch rope was trying to find a way inside Olga on every fast step she had to take.
When she reached the place where the two girls were bound, she was greeted by a mmphing, but none of them had been able to loosen their ties. Quickly, Xiao freed Diane from her leg ties. Before the girl could try to get up or to kick at the Chinese, Xiao pulled down her trousers and knickers with one yank. Diane moaned with protest, but by grabbing her hair, Xiao forced her to raise and to step out of the clothes. With her knife, she cut away the girl`s shirt and camisole, leaving her naked except for her sandals, but these, she had to step out, too. Then, she tied a rope around the American`s waist and between her legs before tying it off to her wrist ties.
Diane now tried to kick her, but Xiao avoided her legs and tied a short rope to her crotch rope, just above her thatch of pubic hair. The other end, she left dangling whilst she pulled Olga`s elbows together and tied them tightly. Then, she took the end of Diane`s crotch rope and tied it to Olga`s elbow tie. Both girls mewed when Olga`s fingers touched the other`s pubic hair and she tried to get away. But blindfolded as she was, she just stumbled around and pulled on Diane`s crotch rope who could do nothing against that except for standing still.
Now, she stripped Arlette and tied her identically before she connected her crotch rope to Diane`s elbow tie. Now, the three girls were standing in a row and could make no reasonable escape attempt since Olga, the first of them, was blindfolded.
Xiao picked up the two girls`s knickers. There was no need to change their gags, but Xiao wanted to be fair, since Olga had to chew on Mei`s loincloth. First, she forced her three victims on their knees which was a difficult task, bound as they were. Then, she cut the leather band over Diane`s mouth, removed the cleave gag and helped her to spit the rag out. Before Diane could say something, she forced Arlette`s knickers into her mouth and stuffed all the silky fabric deep into her throat before retying the cleave gag. Diane mmphed and retched a bit, but accepted to be gagged once again with another woman`s used underwear.
When she turned her attention to Arlette, the blonde French tried to avoid getting gagged with Diane`s knickers, but finally, she was chewing on the foul tasting garment, panting heavily through her nose whilst Xiao tied the cleave gag between her lips.
She then hooded the two blondes with cloths and draped a cloak over each`s shoulders. Xiao took great care that the cloaks hid as much of the girls as possible, though the elbow-to-crotch-ropes prevented the cloth from falling freely over their shoulders.
Next, Xiao took a long rope and tied a noose around Arlette`s neck who began moaning with panic. But Xiao only tied the rope around the other two`s necks, too. Now, they were not only connected at crotch level, but also on their necks, preventing the gagged and blindfolded girls from running away, though their legs were free.
Xiao took the end of the neck rope and began to walk, forcing her mewing and grunting victims to follow her at fast pace when she found her way to Quan`s palace. She was anxious to meet some guards, but luckily she reached the house unseen and the doorkeeper, who knew her, let her in and fetched Quan from his sleeping room.
„What on earth is that?“, the man asked her as he looked at the three girls standing in his court.
„They are from the Sultan`s palace, but I haven`t abducted them. They have left it deliberately and in secret. You may bring them back and get a reward. But maybe, you want to go to the temple of fertility before you decide your next steps.“
Before Quan could say something, the girl had disappeared in the night. Still a bit confused, he looked at the three girls. The cloaks had come off a bit, revealing the naked forms of the three captives who still were a bit out of breath from having had to walk fast whilst being gagged and hooded. He was sure that the girl in the middle was the American he had sold to his niece some weeks ago. But now, these girls belonged to the Sultan`s harem.
„Get these three into one of the cells. Take care that there is enough fresh straw and don`t touch them, but leave them like that for the moment. I will have to go for a while and decide what to do with them afterwards.“
The men obeyed, leading the reluctant girls inside. Two minutes later, Quan, accompanied by six of his men, left his palace and headed towards the temple park.
***
Once she had reached the palace, Xiao quickly went to the secret chamber and opened the lid of the hidden pit. It had been some six hours since they had left Zenobia and she feared for the worst when she heaved the trussed up girl from the narrow tube. But when she was lying to her feet, Xiao could see that her bust was heaving and she could even hear some faint moaning. Relieved, she planned their getaway.
Xiao knew that now she would be hunted by both twin sisters, no matter who detected them. Another danger was Quan. Once he had found out that his niece and her other maid were naked, bound and gagged in the temple, he would know that this palace was not occupied, allowing him to put his hands on the riches here. So, staying here was not an option.
Quickly, she collected some small sacks with gold and jewelry and hid these under her jacket. Then, she sneaked into the stable. Yamei, who was a lousy rider, had no horses, but among her several sedan chairs was also a little rickshaw she used when she wanted to get somewhere fast. This, Xiao pulled to a little side door just wide enough to let the vehicle pass through. Then, she went back to Zenobia, heaved the naked, bound and gagged girl on her shoulders and ran back to the court.
Drawing by hugues66
„Mmhhmm!“
Zenobia, who had no idea what was happening, was weakly trying to squirm, but Xiao sat her inside the rickshaw and closed the curtains. For a moment, she thought about loosening the loincloth tied over her nose or to release her from the agonizing crotch rope, but she decided against it. Zenobia could breathe and so, she could also enjoy Yamei`s fragrance a little bit longer. And the crotch rope would remind her of her helplessness.
Xiao took the rickshaw`s handles and left the palace. She could see that the sun was about to rise and so, the doors would be opened. She left together with some other early risers and the guard did not even give her or the person inside the rickshaw a closer look.
***
Some hour earlier, Quan had reached the pavillon and found the four naked, bound and gagged girls Xiao had left there for him to find. He oppressed a gasp and took a close look. The girl tied on the altar could not see him, since her vision was blocked by the thighs of another wome tied atop of her. This second girl had her braid tied to her crotch rope so tight that she had to arch back and could only watch the ceiling. With great difficulties, she turned her head a bit and mmphed weakly when she saw the seven men standing around. The beads of perspiration told Quan that these women had tried everything to get free, but had not been able to loosen a single knot.
„Mmhhmmmph! Uuuhhhmmmm!“
To his feet, two more naked women were lying. They were tied face to face – and body to body – and their fronts were mashed together by the many yards of rope that bound them together and individually. Quan first recognizet that these two girls, who were covered with sweat, too, looked exactly the same. Then, he saw that one of them was Yamei, meaning the other one was Mei, the Sultan`s concubine.
„Phew, I hope that your maids will be able to tell who is which!“
„Mmhhmmmph! Hhhmmmm!“
Then, Quan thought twice. If he handed the concubine and her maids to Du Wenxiu and would release Yamei and Lin, whom he had now recognized, since he knew the naked forms of that maid only too well, the Sultan would perhaps pay him a lavish reward. Perhaps. It could also be that he would suspect Quan to be behind the disappearance of his concubine and slaves and would punish him. And he could not be sure that the girls would say the truth. The fact that he and his men had seen the Sultan`s concubine stark naked could raise the wish inside Mei to have his tongue cut out.
Suddenly, another idea came up in his mind. If Du Wenxiu would find out in the morning that he was shy of some of his household, he would start a search. But if his soldiers would not find anyone, he would sure not dare to look inside his house. And even if he did, Quan had so many hidden cellars that he could hide a company of girls from even a thorough search. After a while, he would suspect the Black Fox or other slave traders to have kidnapped the concubine and her maids whilst Mei was trying to pray for the birth of a son. And sooner or later, Du Wenxiu would be too occupied with politics to care much about that crime.
„Get back to the palace and fetch my coach“, he ordered one of his men. When he had ran away, he told the other guards:
„Loosen the two girls from the altar, but don`t free them. Instead, make sure that they are tied and gagged so thoroughly that they can`t move at all or utter a peep. We will take them to the palace.“
„Mmhhhmmmph!“
Mei – or Yamei - , who was lying atop of her companion, was looking up to Quan with an expression of fear and disbelief. He bent down to the two gagged girls.
„Oh, you will be brought to the palace, too, of course – though I can`t offer you the best guest rooms for the next time. But you will have much company. All your maids are there, except Xiao, I am afraid.“
„Uuuhhhmmmmmphhhh! Hhhhrrrrrrrrmmmmm!“
Quan straightened and ignored the muffled pleading of the two girls. He could see that his men had loosened Lin from the altar and were just putting her into a rigid hogtie. There were quite a lot of things he had to think about. But once his wilful nieces and the two maids were securely stowed in his palace, he would have a lot of time to think about what to do with them.
***
The Black Fox had a strange kind of humor and he had some old fashioned thoughts about treating women, but he wasn`t a brute. So, he kept the speed of the little group so slow his victims could stand it even over a longer time. But after some two hours, Charlotte and her maids were quite exhausted and they stumbled more than they walked. The redhead was covered with sweat and she panted heavily through her nose. She was so groggy that she even ignored the humiliation of being naked, bound and gagged in a stranger`s hand and that she was forced to follow him by a stick pushed through her crotch rope and that of her fellow captives.
They were just walking over a grass-covered plain of some mile in diameter. They had reached the middle of the plain, when the Black Fox turned in his saddle and spoke to the three girls:
„When in forest, we break!“
Then, his helmet was blown from his head. About a second later, the sound of a shot could be heard.
The Black Fox jumped from his horse and drew his revolvers whilst his men examined the area with their rifles ready to fire. But there was no one around and the trees were some 800 yards away.
Suddenly, one of the men pointed at a small spark that was only visible for a minute between the trees. He jumped out of the saddle and a second later, a bullet was whistling through the air, followed by the sound of the shot.
The third man answered the fire, but his shot did not even reach near the trees and so, he dismounted, too.
„What kind of weapon ist that?“, he asked.
„Obviously, one of these American rifles they use for big game hunting. I have heard about them, but never seen one. They can hit a target over a distance of a thousand steps. Which is no exaggeration, as we now know.“
„But what shall we do now?“
The Black Fox hesitated. He did not know how many men were hidden in the trees, but if they attacked, they could kill them before they had even reached firing distance. He looked at his men, the three girls, who, despite their fear, had sunk to their knees and then, he made a decision:
„Let`s take all the horses and ride back. Then, once we are in the woods, we ride to the main road and follow it till we are at that little village where we usually buy ammunition. From there, it`s just a few miles to our camp.“
„And do we have to leave the girls here?“
„I am afraid so. if these men came to rescue them, they won`t pursue us. And if not, they are at least occupied with them.“
The men cut loose the ropes holding the stick shoved through the girls`s crotch ropes and bound together the reins of the other horses. Then, they spured their horses and left, followed by another shot that hit nobody, but once again showed them that they were in reach of their enemies.
The Black Fox did not look back. He felt like a coward, though he had just avoided a fruitless fight and saved the life of him and his men. But running away from a battle was nothing he could easily cope with. Once he had reached his camp, they would immediately ride for the French and start the new chapter of his life there.
„Uuuhhmmmmph!“
Charlotte moaned when she realized that they had been left behind. Then, she saw a group of five riders approach. Two of them were holding long rifles in their hands. Charlotte was glad that obviously these men would save them, but also embarrassed that they would be found naked and in a humiliating position.
„Ghhhmmph! Hhhrrmmmm!“
Ela, who had the sharpest eyes of them, now became exited and soon, Amila and Charlotte could see the reason for that. The men were Europeans! Soon, they could see that they were Captain Tyler and four of his men.
„They must have looked for us“, she thought with a mixture of relief and shame. Once Tyler was here, they would be in safety, but he would find them in their current predicament. Tyler had always blamed Charlotte for being nosy and too careless and finding her naked and bound and gagged by some brigants would add oil to his fire.
Her maids expected rescue with similar feelings. Amila was blushing all over whilst Ela accepted that last ordeal with stoicism.
„Well, what have we got here?“, Tyler asked mockingly once the group had reached the three damsels. Since he had a spyglass, he had recognized them long ago, but he enjoyed playing with them, having difficulties in oppressing a grin.
„Ah, Miss Charlotte Robertson and her maids. A plucky explorer who tried to find out about local customs and became involved a bit too much in these.“
Drawing by hugues66
„Mmmhhrrrrrmmmmpphh!“, Charlotte answered, staring daggers at Tyler. She wanted him to release her at once, but the Captain kept on talking:
„I hope that this has tought you not to walk around without protection. But to make sure you never forget this lesson, we will help you.“
To the horror of the girls, the men dismounted and instead of freeing them, they began to unload a large bag from one of the horses. Charlotte became pale when she saw it contained a camera.
„No! They can`t do that! No!“
„Mmhhmmph! Nnnggg!“
Amila and Ela joined in their muffled protests, but Tyler began to get the camera ready. When he was finished, he ordered his men to get everything ready for the foto. Three men stepped behind the three girls. The two standing behind took the ends of the stick and pulled it upwards, forcing the desparate girls to get on their feet. Then, each man grabbed the hair of the girl standing in front of him and forced her to look into the camera`s eye.
Tyler disappeared under the black cloth.
„Smile!“, he ordered.
When he lit the magnesium and took the foto, Charlotte closed her eyes in self-denial. Then, she started to sob. Tyler ordered one of the men to stow the camera and stepped over to her.
„This foto will only be sent to your family if you once again endanger the lifes of one of our group. I don`t mind if you want to walk around and do some research, dressed like a man, but I don`t want to risk my men`s lifes by trying to rescue you. Do you understand?“
Had Charlotte not been thoroughly gagged, her answer would have even made the hard boiled soldiers blush.
„Okay, if you think different, you will be left some time to think. Our camp is some seven miles from here. I will ask you again once we have reached it.“
„Mmhhhrrrmmphhh! Uuhhmmmmm! Nnnnngg!“
But the soldiers just tied the stick to two of their horses and soon, the little caravan was on it`s way towards the nearby hills. Charlotte groaned with sheer frustration, but she had to accept that the Captain clearly had the better arguments in that dispute.
***
Since it had been a long ride, Andrea did not wake up by the dawn`s early light as she had planned, but when it was late morning. She just wanted to climb down the ladder of the barn`s hayloft when she heard steps from outside. Hiding beside the hatch, she waited for what she thought would be a peasant.
However, it definitely wasn`t a peasant. It was a small figure carrying a body over her shoulder. Andrea could see that the arms of this person were trapped in a black leather sheath. A similar sheath covered the legs and a hood was hiding the head, except for a mane of black hair. Then, another detail made Andrea freeze to her tracks: the body was that of a woman and she definitely was a Black.
In the middle of China, this could hardly be a coincidence! Andrea`s last remnants of doubt disappeared when the other person – a Chinese woman, but dressed in men`s clothes – lowered the Black to the ground and turned her on her back. Andrea would have recognized Zenobia`s breasts from thousands of others. Without thinking, she jumped down on the woman.
To her surprise, the Chinese stepped aside and Andrea landed in the hay. Before she could get back to her feet, she felt a sharp pain in her neck and everything went black.
When Andrea regained her consciousness, she found herself sitting with her back leaning to a post and her hands tied behind it. The Chinese was just tying her elbows as tightly together as the diameter of the post allowed.
Drawing by hugues66
„Wha-what-?“
„You must be that Andrea Zenobia has told me about“, the woman said and balled up something in her hand. Andrea was so perplexed that the woman spoke fluent English and knew her name that she opened her mouth to say something and so Xiao could easily stuff the knickers into her mouth.
„Uuuhhmmph! Mmhhmmph!“
Andrea flailed with her legs, but the Chinese continued stuffing her mouth and then secured the gag with some soft rope she slung twice between her lips and around her head before tying it off. When she stepped back, Andrea realized that she was once again stark naked. Obviously, the other woman had taken her knickers to gag her and used the belt of her rope to secure the gag.
„Zenobia has told me a lot about you. She really seemed to miss you, but she found some consolaton in my arms.“
„Mmmhhmmph!“
„Oh, I know that you think she loves only you. But you have been god knows where and she was mad with sorrow. And so, I took care of the poor girl and gave her the love she was so desparately longing for.“
„Mmmhhmmm!“
Andrea was overwhelmed by the turn of events. All these months, she had been trying to get Zenobia back and here she was, but this woman was telling some nonsense about her and Zenobia having some relationship! Sure, this could only be a lie!
„If you don`t believe me how close we have become during the last weeks, I can show you!“
The Chinese loosened the straps of the leg sheath and pulled it from her. Zenobia weakly moved her legs. Xiao then removed the tight crotch strap and began to kiss the soft flesh between the Black`s legs.
Andrea screamed into her gag, but there was no reaction from Zenobia. What was wrong with her? This Chinese girl had just talked to her, so why did she not react? Andrea wondered if the hood Zenobia was wearing did not only block her eyes, but also her ears. It must be an extremely tight hood and obviously, Zenobia was very thoroughly gagged underneath, for she could only hear the faintest of sounds.
Xiao had placed herself between the Black`s legs and had put her hands under her buttocks. She slightly lifted her up and explored her with her lips and tongue. Zenobia was sure totally exhausted from being tied and gagged so long and from being close to suffocation for several hours, but Xiao could feel and taste the growing warmth in her womb and continued to tease and caress her with her mouth. For long hours, Zenobia`s crotch had begged for relief from the painful crotch rope and now, there was more than just a reduction of pain.
„Mhhmmmmmph! Hhhrrrrrrrrrr! Nnnnggggg!“
„No! Zenobia, darling! I am here! don`t give in to that woman!“
However, Andrea could see that her friend was responding to the other girl`s caresses. She lolled about and panted rhythmically through her nose covered by the black leather hood and a cloth tied over it. Small, guttural sounds could be heard and it hurt Andrea almost physically when Zenobia suddenly slung her legs around the Chinese and pressed her closer to her crotch. Minutes later, she was in the throes of passion and helplessly exploded in an orgasm that made Andrea jealous, even under the current circumstances.
Xiao turned her head to Andrea and licked her lips. Then, she said:
„Well, it seems that she definitely enjoys me. But let`s see if she is still able to look into your eyes, Andrea! Your beautiful blue eyes!“
She leaned over Andrea. She now could smell Zenobia`s specific fragrance that still covered her face and she turned her eyes away when Xiao kissed her cheek. Then, she went over to Zenobia and removed the hood.
„Mmhhmmmmph!“
Zenobia`s eyes became as big as saucers as she recognized that Andrea was sitting some two yards away from her, naked, bound and gagged, just like herself.
„Andrea, dear, you are here, I-“
Zenobia, who had been about to raise, stopped. With shame and embarrassment, she remembered what sight she had just offered to the woman she loved. When she saw tears in the corners of Andrea`s eyes, she buried her head in the straw and sobbed.
The triumphant smile on Xiao`s face disappeared. She had tried to show that White that Zenobia was her`s now, but now, she had to see that these two women really loved each other. She had thought that she was loving Zenobia, too, but now, she had to admit that it had been little morte than just carnal desire.
With nimble fingers, she plucked the wax from Zenobia`s ears. The girl shuddered, but continued to sob into the straw.
„Sorry, girl. I didn`t want to hurt you.“
Xiao rose from the ground and stepped over to Andrea.
„Well, it seems that she still has strong feelings for you. Stronger than those for me, I fear. And so, there is only one thing I can do.“
„Mmhmmmph?“
Andrea, who was crying, too, did not really understand what the other woman was talking about. Did she intend to kill the two of them, just because she was jealous? Or did she intend to kill herself?
However, Xiao`s plans were less melodramatic and lethal. She reached for her jacket and took out a sack. Looking inside, she could see it was filled with jewels. It was a little fortune, but she had several of these sacks taken from the palace.
„This jewels will get you more than enough money to get back to your country. The peasants will of course know that you are fugitive slaves, but I doubt that they will hand you over to the Sultan if you can pay them.“
She began working on Zenobia`s gag and when she had removed it, she helped her to get the two totally sodden loincloths from her mouth. Zenobia panted, but before she could say something, Xiao kissed her. Zenobia tried to turn away, but Xiao was obstinately and finally, she answered the kiss.
„Just to say goodbye“, Xiao said towards Andrea and now, there were tears glistering in Xiao`s eyes. Vigorously, she blinked them away and forced herself to smile.
„I just have to ensure that the jewels are secure.“
Carefully, she wrapped one of the loincloths around the sack with the jewels. Then, she forced the firm ball into Zenobia`s mouth. The Black moaned, but Xiao secured the gag with a tight cleave gag. Then, she took a rope and applied a crotch rope to Andrea who was too much in a turmoil to even resist.
She grabbed Zenobia`s legs and pulled her between Andrea`s legs. Then, she slung the girl`s legs around Andrea and tied Zenobia`s feet to Andrea`s wrists. Now, Zenobia was sitting between Andrea`s legs and their thrust out boobs touched. None of them twitched back, but none of them looked into the other`s eyes either.
„I have to go now. Perhaps, the Sultan`s army is already hunting for me. But you two are made for each other. So, don`t insist on being insulted, but just try to become reconsiled.“
Drawing by hugues66
Ignoring the two women`s muffled protests, she took the crotch strap of Zenobia`s arm sheath, threaded the end through Andrea`s crotch rope and buckled it tight, though by far not as painful as it had been before. Now, the two had to sit even closer and each shifting of their bodies teased their most intimate parts.
„Just remember, life`s too short to be permanently insulted. Old Chinese saying!“
This time, her smile was from real amusement and a minute later, she had disappeared.
„Mmhhmmmph!“
Zenobia looked at Andrea, finding that the other had turned her face to her, too. Her blue eyes were warm and friendly and only a small teardrop was still in the corner of one eye. Zenobia bent slightly forward and tried to remove it with her nose. Andrea giggled through her gag and seconds later, they cuddled to each other and enjoyed the close presence of each other after such a long time.
„I hope that the next person coming to this barn will not enter within the next few hours“, Zenobia thought when Andrea slung her unbound legs around her, pulling her closer to her nude body.
It was the last thing one of the girls thought for quite some time.
***
The End