Lien cursed when she returned to the place where she had left Elisabeth, only to find out that the blonde had disappeared. She looked around, but could only find a few scarves – and a wooden table, strange enough. It strongly reminded her of the table she had written the message for Cheng at, but this was completely scratched.
Traces of hooves told Lien that obviously some riders had taken the girl with them, wether with or without her consent, she couldn`t say. So, Lien decided to follow the tracks.
Had she looked behind her, she had seen a man somewhere in the distance. Cheng had quickly hidden when he had recognized Lien. Then, he thought of revealing himself to her, but decided against it. Perhaps, she would shoot and that was not how he wanted to have their reunion. So, he just follwed the girl`s tracks, careful to always keep at least half a mile between them.
***
Heinrich and Pedro watched Kilian as he read the letter Xenia had sent him. He had picked the paper from Andrea`s gag, not being interested in freeing the naked woman`s mouth. Now, she was sitting under a tree, guarded by the two men, and was more than curious what Xenia had planned in special and, most of all, if Zenobia was all right.
„Dear Sir“, the letter said, „Lady Elisabeth is with us. If You want to have her back in your arms, we will have to talk about some things, for example your cart, the horses and a young black woman currently under your custody. Please, do not try to find us, otherwise Lady Elisabeth will die. If You are interested, come alone and unarmed to the rock 500 yards away from the monastery.
P. S. Do as You please with my messenger. If You want to do her any good, get her together with the Black.“
There was no signature, but from the handwriting, Kilian could say that it had been written by a woman. He talked to the others about the letter`s content and then, he said:
„Well, we don`t know how many they are or what they exactly want. So, if we just try to get our way, it may result in a shooting and will get us to nowhere. So, I think that I will have to go.“
The others hesitated, but Kilian persuaded them that they still could fight if he hadn`t returned within the next hour. So, he left whilst Heinrich and Pedro were getting Andrea inside.
In the corridor, Andrea gasped when she saw what was waiting for her. There were six girls, all naked, hogtied and gagged, lying on the floor and mmphing through their gags. One of these women was Zenobia who had just cuddled against a young Mexican girl with big boobs.
„Mmhhmmmph!“
„Uuuuhhmm!“
Zenobia turned away from the girl and looked at Andrea with a mixture of joy and guilt. Andrea was glad to see Zenobia alive, but she also felt a bit jealous. However, there was not much time to think about that.
Heinrich loosened the rope around her ankles and took the noose from her head. Then, he loosened Zenobia`s and Paloma`s hogties and forced both women to get up to their knees. The young Mexican lowered her head and blushed all over when Andrea looked at her questioningly. Obviously, there had been some encounter between Zenobia and her. Andrea glanced at Zenobia with both anger and grief.
However, neither Pedro nor Heinrich wanted to give the three some time to consider their situation. They forced Andrea on her knees and pushed the three together until they were face to face and their shoulders touched. Since they were so close, their naked boobs also touched each other. Andrea shuddered when Paloma`s right breast rubbed over her left.
Pedro had widened the noose and put it over the upper bodies of all three before tightening it again, this forcing the three girls to lean towards each other and to squeeze their boobs between their bodies. Their faces could have touched, too, but all three avoided to look at each other.
Drawing by hugues66
Having checked the knots of the other girls`s ties and gags, Heinrich went back to the court whilst Pedro looked down at their other captives.
The muffled grunts and moans of six women greeted him when he stepped down the stairs, though not all of these could see him.
Mitzi and Heidi were tied in the most simple way. They were tied to the wall by chains attached to their handcuffs, forcing them to stand with their hands to the sides of their heads, but unable to work on their gags or to sit down. Each girl had a crotch rope tied between her legs.
Emilia and Carmencita had been stripped naked before the men had put them into a hogtie by using four pairs of handcuffs and tying their hands to the opposite feet. Then, they had gagged the reluctant girls with each other`s knickers, secured by a knotted strip of cloth tied between their lips. To add insult to injury, Heinrich had threaded two shoelaces through Heidi`s and Mitzi`s crotch ropes. Then, he and Pedro had leaned the two girls against the two Austtrian maids, forced their heads close to the equally reluctant Heidi`s and Mitzi`s pubic areas and tied the shoelaces around their heads, over the cleave gags. Now, Emilia was forced to breathe into Heidi`s crotch whilst Carmencita`s nose was buried in Mitzi`s thatch of pubic hair. The mmphing of the four girls told the men that they did not appreciate that idea, but there was little they could do to change their humiliating position.
Drawing by hugues66
All they could do was to decide whether they tried to lower their bodies, pulling on the other`s crotch ropes. Or they could remain more or less upright, which was straining both Carmencita`s and Emilia`s knees.
Inez, who had tried to break free, was tied with her hands and elbows behind her back after they had ripped all her clothes from her. Then, she had been gagged with Viola`s knickers that were held in her mouth by a strip of leather that cut into the corners of her mouth. However, they made her pay for her attempt to get away even more.
Viola, also stark naked and gagged with Inez`s knickers and a cleave gag, was lying on her back, her limbs stretched since she was tied to the torture rack. However, Pedro had taken care that her position was strenuous, but not especially painful. But Inez`s punishment had some humiliation for her, too.
First, they had slung a doubled rope around around the Mexican`s waist, threadened the ends between her legs and tied them to her wrist ties. The crotch rope made Inez cringe with revulsion, but it was just tight, not brutal.
Drawing by hugues66
But then, Heinrich cuffed a chain around her ankles and started to wind on a winch at the wall. The chain tightened and Inez`s feet were lifted from the ground, followed by her legs. Heinrich winded and winded until Inez was hanging upside down, screaming miserably through her gag and swinging slightly over the ground. Since the chain was running over a hook directly over the torture rack, Inez`s head now was some two feet above Viola`s crotch, her dangling hair tickling her loins. Inez mewed with pain and tried to find a position that was less inconvenient, but gravity definitely wasn`t her friend. All her weight hung on her feet, her arms were now pulling on her crotch rope and her head had already become red. Drops of sweat and drool landed on Viola`s pussy, making the woman blush with embarrassment.
Pedro looked for a while and oppressed his desire to take advantages of the girls`s helplessness. Then, he went outside and waited for Kilian to come back.
***
„So, that`s how we can do it. After all, a compromise is when every party is only a bit dissatisfied“, Xenia laughed.
When Kilian had reached the said rock, Annabelle had quickly searched him for arms. To his surprise, none of these three girls was decently dressed. The leader, a tall, blonde woman, was wearing a full slip whilst one of the others was wearing just a camisole, knickers and gartered stockings. The other one was wearing a silk jacket that was too small for her and also knickers, garters and stockings. However, they all had revolvers and what they had to say was quite interesting.
When he had questioned about Elisabeth, Annabelle had disappeared for a few minutes, only to come back with a girl that had a rope tied around her neck, just like a leash. She was tied with her arms behind her back and two cloths were tied over her mouth and eyes, but since she was naked, Kilian could easily recognize her as the real Lady Elisabeth. She seemed frightened and exhausted, but otherwise unharmed.
For handing the blonde back to him, the three wanted the cart – and the Black who obviously had been the slave of the blonde woman. Kilian had been reluctant. Even with Elisabeth in his hands, his position had improved little. He still had to avoid being seen by the Republicans and they still had no money. However, Xenia had an offer he could not refuse.
„My fiance is doing business with both sides. Since the side of Juarez has become more and more successful during the last year, he has turned his eye more on negotiating with the Republicans. And so, I could write some letters for you that will inform the right people about that you helped me and that your hostage really is an Austrian aristocrate. So, if you play your cards right, you will get quite a lavish reward.“
Kilian had hesitated. He had no proof if Xenia was telling the truth. However, there was little he could do. he could not wait at the monastery forever and besides, he would still have the horses and so, they could at least make their getaway. The cart would be useless to them anyway. So, he scratched his head and said:
„Write these letters and have the cart. We will send it to you, with the girl inside, and you may leave. One of you will just have to follow me with your horses. Then, we can decide what to do. However, there`s another problem: I now have more hostages than I can handle. Aren`t you interested in some more girls?“
Xenia smiled. If she had Andrea in her hands, too, she could use her to torment Zenobia even more. And then, there was that little maid Annabelle and Veronica had overpowered at Mazatlan and that had decided to travel with the two runaways. There was a small chance that she could tell the wrong people about what she had done.
„I can take the brown haired girl with me, the one I`ve sent to you. And you must also have a young Mexican girl, a small one with big breasts. These two, I have use for. But the others, I am afraid I can`t help you with. After all, we are just three weak women.“
Her cold eyes told Kilian something else and suddenly, he felt a little pity for Zenobia, Andrea and Paloma. But after all, he now had the letters Xenia was writing for him and so, maybe he could become a rich man soon.
So, he took the blonde`s hand and a minute later, he and Annabelle were riding towards the monastery. Led by the leash and forced to follow them on foot, was the naked, bound and gagged Elisabeth who had only been released of her blindfold to allow her to find her way without staggering.
***
Lien ducked deeper behind the bush where she was hiding. So, there were one of the women she had last seen when they had been bound and gagged by Cheng. Together with the man from which she had freed Elisabeth, they were forcing the said blonde to follow them inside the monastery. Lien thought of trying to free the girl, but then, she could see two more men with rifles standing at the door. So, she decided to wait. After all, as long as Elisabeth was inside the monastery, she knew where she was.
***
Two hours later, the cart left the monastery`s court. On the driver`s seat, Annabelle was sitting. She had dressed herself with one of the many dresses that had been in the cart and she was heading towards the rock where Xenia and Veronica were waiting.
Zenobia, Paloma and Andrea, who had been trying to avoid any movement or even to look at each other, looked at the entering maid with widened eyes. They all knew that where Annabelle was, her Mistress could not be far.
Whilst Elisabeth mmphed with fear when she saw the group of naked, bound and gagged women lying or kneeling in the corridor, Annabelle only showed a sardonic smile. She completely ignored Arina and the showgirls and stepped close to Zenobia and her two companions.
„So, here we are again. You will be glad to hear that you don`t have to say goodbye to that cosy arrangement of yours too soon. I have the order to take all three of you with me. Perhaps, you are looking forward to meet your future Mistress, Miss Xenia LaFayette!“
Now, Zenobia`s eyes twisted and she fainted. Her collapsing body was upholstered by those of Andrea and Paloma who gasped with surprise when this happened. Especially Andrea only knew her friend as strong and persistent. However, ther last hours had been too much for Zenobia. During the journey, the three enforced orgasms she had encountered had not only exhausted her, they had also caused some dehydration. Then, there had been her guilt towards Andrea and now, the prospect of being in Xenia`s hands once more had just been the final straw that broke the camel`s back.
Paloma, who was in little better conditions, was trembling like aspen foliage and only Andrea found the strength to answer Annabelle`s view. The maid now turned to Kilian and said:
„Please, help me to stow these three girls inside the cart. But before, we should give them something to eat and allow them to wash themselves. After all, we won`t be able to stop for that more than once every twelve hours or so.“
Pedro, who had always had a sense for easy solutions, just fetched a bucket of water and poured it ovet the three girls to revive them. Then, they cut them from each other and led them outside. There, always guarded by Kilian at gunpoint, Pedro and Heinrich freed them from their bonds and gags. Still, the three women avoided to speak to each other and only stretched their aching limbs. Greedily, they drank from the offered water and ate some of the oranges Heinrich had brought for them. However, when they had recovered a bit, the return of Annabelle from inside the cart showed them that this break had only been short-lived.
The maid now held a bar of soap and a large sponge in one of her hands. Over her other arm she had hung a pile of scarves. Smiling, she ordered the three girls to line up. Reluctantly, they obeyed. Only Paloma still tried to hide her charms with her hands, but Andrea and Zenobia had almost got used to being naked in front of strangers and stood with their hands hanging loosely by their sides.
„Now, we have to make sure that you will be nice and quite during your trip. But before, you will have to wash yourselves – or rather, to wash each other, for you will have to do this favour to one another. I am sure I won`t have to explain to you how to use these“, she raised the sponge and the soap, „however, there are some extra rules. The one who will be washed has to stand absolutely still and no one of you is allowed to say a single word. Any disobedience will cost you – and you all have a limited number of toes and fingers.“
As on keyword, Pedro now showed some big, vicious-looking pliers he had taken from the torture chamber. He grinned wolfishly and wielded the instrument to the frightened girls.
„All right, Zenobia, just stay where you are. It`s maybe the last time that you will be served by Whites and not vice versa, so, just enjoy.“
Annabelle threw the sponge and the soap to Andrea and Paloma and Heinrich handed them two buckets filled with water. Reluctantly, Paloma soaked the sponge and began to rub Zenobia`s bare skin, avoiding to look into her eyes and also avoiding her breasts, loins and butt. Zenobia panted, but a look at the pincers persuaded her to stay still and quiet.
It was hardly a surprise that Annabelle wasn`t pleased. She ordered Andrea to soap Zenobia`s body.
„And do a good job. I want every inch on her body covered with soap, even those your colleague has forgotten.“
Zenobia looked at Andrea with pleading eyes, her lips forming a soundless „I love you“. She did not look directly at her, but Zenobia could see tears in the corners of Andrea`s eyes. So, she at least still had some feelings left for her.
When Andrea gently, but matter-of-factly soaped her body, squeezing her boobs and buttocks and even soaping her pubic area, Zenobia had to oppress a sobbing. Tears were running down her cheeks and she felt miserably. Here she was, together with her beloved, and was touched by her, but Andrea did so only because she had been ordered to do so. it was clear to her that Andrea now even hated touching her and this was the hardest of all hardships.
When she was finished, Annabelle told Paloma to wash the soap from her. Paloma obeyed by just pouring a bucket of water over her. Still dripping wet, Zenobia now had to assist Andrea in soaping Paloma. The young Mexican trembled and sobbed when Annabelle told Andrea and Zenobia to divide her up between them. Andrea had to wash her right half, Zenobia her left. Though she almost died from fear and embarrassment, Paloma could clearly sense that Zenobia tried to be gentle whilst Andrea almost roughly did her job in cleaning her nude body.
When Paloma was finished, Zenobia prepared for washing Andrea, but Annabelle told her to let Paloma do this and to come over to her. Zenobia did not look at the two women when she was standing in front of Annabelle who was holding a black pair of knickers in her hands.
These had been worn by Heidi before Elisabeth had been gagged with them. Then, Elisabeth had worn them during her escape before they had been used to gag Andrea. To Zenobia, it was just another foul-tasting mass of silk that was stuffed deep into her mouth, causing her to retch.
„Oh, come on, I am hardly finished yet!“
Annabelle had tied a knot the size of a fist in the centre of a long scarf. This, she now forced between Zenobia`s open jaws, almost dislodging them and not stopping before she had worked the knot behind Zenobia`s white teeth. When she tied off the ends of the scarf in her neck, Zenobia mewed and panted through her nose, trying to cope with the taste of her gag and to oppress her gag reflex.
„You better get used to it, for you will stay like this for a long time!“
„Nnnngggg! Uuhhhmmmm!“
Annabelle finished her gag by tying another cloth over her mouth, securing this by a leather belt that had been put into water to allow stretching it more. Annabelle pulled hard before she buckled that belt shut.
Andrea and Paloma were gagged in the same way. Whilst Andrea accepted having her mouth stuffed with Paloma`s worn knickers as calm as possible, Paloma moaned and retched as Zenobia`s knickers went into her mouth once more. Their gags were completed with a knotted cleave gag, another scarf and a tightly buckled belt, too.
Now, Annabelle took a small sack and the men ordered the three naked and gagged girls to get into the cart. There, the beds had been folded to the walls, creating some space on the floor.
Annabelle told the girls to line up. Now, Zenobia stood between Andrea to her left and Paloma to her right. Annabelle took a couple of leather belts. There had been lots of them in the cellar. The maid tied one around each girl`s waist. She tied these quite tight, but with Heinrich standing in the door, holding a gun in his hands, there was no chance of getting away.
Surprisingly gently, Annabelle now took three more scarves and threaded these through the waist belts and between each girl`s legs. Since these cloths were very long, Annabelle could double them and knot the ends behind their backs, just above the butt. These silk crotch ropes were snug, but not painful at all and the two strands of cloth almost hid their pussies from view, but the three captives were sure that these were not applied to make them feel covered a bit.
Now, Annabelle forced Paloma and Zenobia to stand closer, making Paloma`s left hip touch Zenobia`s right. With two leather belts, she tied the Mexican`s left leg to the Black`s right. One was tied around both girls`s thighs, right above the knees, the other one forced their ankles together.
Two more belts tied Zenobia`s left leg to Andrea`s right. Still, their arms were free and so were Paloma`s right leg, and Andrea`s left. However, Annabelle wasn`t finished.
With the help of Heinrich, the three women had to sit down and to stretch their legs. With their legs tied to each other, this was not an easy task and it also made the cloths tied between their crotches tease their soft flesh, but still, it was not what could be called hard bondage. But now, Annabelle took a pair of handcuffs. With considerable glee, she threaded these through the cloth strand between Zenobia`s legs, causing the woman to mew with disgust. Laughing, Annabelle took Paloma`s left wrist and cuffed it. Then, she repated that with Andrea`s right. Now, Zenobia had two strange hands tied in her lap. She could feel the fingers of both girls touching her pubic area, only barely protected by her crotch rope.
Two more handcuffs were threaded through Andrea`s and Paloma`s crotch cloths and then, Zenobia`s wrists were tied to her companions`s laps. She looked questioningly, since she was sure that with a little effort, she would be able to free her hands. Besides, Paloma`s right and Andrea`s left arm still were not tied at all. But then, Annabelle called in Heinrich and Kilian.
Kilian grabbed Paloma`s free arm and leg whilst Heinrich did the same to Andrea. Accompanied by some frantic moaning and desperate struggling from the three captives, they pulled the two girls`s limbs together. Zenobia now understood the perfidy of that arrangement as her crotch opened. When Paloma`s right and Andrea`s left leg were buckled together at knees and ankles, the girls had to sit with their legs stretched and spread to an ankle of 120 degree. It was a straining and humiliating position, but when the men had cuffed Paloma`s right wrist to the cuffs in Andrea`s lap and vice versa, there was little they could do to change their inconvenient position.
„Just three more things, then we can leave“, Annabelle purred.
Taking a rope, she tied one end to as hook in the ceiling and knotted a noose to the dangling end. The three girls mewed with fear when she pulled the noose over their heads, but Annabelle took care that it only touched their necks very loosely. Besides, a knot took care the noose could not tighten any more.
„Just to keep you from bending forward and to reach for your gags. And, speaking of that...“
Without warning, she squeezed one of Zenobia`s nipples.
„Mmmhhhhrrrrrr!“
Zenobia bucked in her bonds and screamed into her stifling gag. Annabelle seemed satisfied, but repeated this „test“ to both Paloma and Andrea. Then, she stepped between Zenobia`s spread legs. She smiled friendly, but the look in her eyes made the Black shudder.
„Don`t think I have forgotten about your little present when we saw last.“
Annabelle lifted her skirt to her knees and managed to peel down her knickers without presenting her private parts to Heinrich, Pedro and Kilian who were watching gleefully. Despite Zenobia`s futile struggles, she pulled the sweaty undergarment over Zenobia`s head, taking care that the crotch part covered the Black`s nose. Then, she and the men left the cart and closed the door. A minute later, the vehicle left the court, shaking on the uneven road.
Drawing by hugues66
***
„So, it looks like the Princess is still inside that monastery“, Lien thought, lowering her binoculars. She had been able to see that none of the women that had been brought inside the cart that was now on the road to Torreon had been blonde. So, she would have to get inside, fight the three men still there and get the Princess back to her palace.
„So, that`s what you prefer to being together with me? Watching old buildings?“
Lien spun around and reached for her gun, only to find it in Cheng`s hand. However, instead of pointing it at her, he held it loosely in his right.
„I could take it without you even noticing me. You are getting old, my dear.“
„Cheng, it`s over. Can`t you just accept that and let me go?“
He looked at her with a sad glance in his eyes. Then, he asked her:
„Is it because I still haven`t fixed a date for our marriage? I wanted to give you some time to learn to know me better before.“
Lien shook her head.
„It`s because I was BORED! Not when we were in bed, if that comforts your hurt male soul. But all the time, it was just about buying tea, selling tea or counting money! If I had wanted to end up as a wife of a salesman, I would not have trained Kung Fu for more than 15 years! I am a warrior!“
„Who now earns her living as a cheap attraction for Mexican peasants“, Cheng replied. Lien wanted to shout at him, but she had to admit that Cheng was right. Although she had quite enjoyed the freedom of travelling around, it was not the life she really would have liked. But it was definitely better than sitting at Cheng`s house in San Francisco and doing nothing! And now, she could perhaps rescue a Princess!
„Just accept it, I won`t be your wife!“
Cheng slowly placed the revolver on the ground and stood up. Then, he took of his jacket and began unbuttoning his shirt.
„What`s that going to be? Are you proposing one last time together?“ She bit her lower lip. „Well, we can perhaps talk about that – Tiger.“
Cheng smiled when she called him by his nickname she had had for him in their intimate hours. However, he shook his head.
„You have just left me without even talking with me before. If you don`t want to talk to me, you maybe want to fight me.“
Lien raised an eyebrow.
„You mean, if I win, you will leave me alone forever and if you win, I will have to come back with you and become your wife and the mother of your five children?“
„Well, more or less, yeah.“ Cheng, who now had taken off all his clothes, except for his loincloth, looked at her. It seemed that he was hiding something from her, but Lien hardly had a choice. If she would refuse to fight with him, he would consider her to be a coward.
„Would you mind to wait until I have done my business at that monastery?“
„If you are as good as you think, you can go wherever you want in just a few minutes.“
Lien sighed. After all, he had only defeated her because she had underestimated him in their last fight one year ago. And besides, she had done quite some practice whilst Cheng had only sold tea during the last month. So, she took off her trousers and stood there in her loincloth and another cloth tied over her breasts.
„Let`s go!“, she said and waved at him with her right.
***
The same time, Kilian was coming back from the cellar. He had lowered the dangling Inez and allowed her to lie on the floor since he did not want her to get hurt. When he entered the court, he could see that Heinrich and Pedro were looking down the wall, obviously quite upset. Kilian went over and looked what was so interesting. Indeed, the sight was rather frightening.
Some half a mile ago, he could still see the cart, heading towards Torreon. And a group of riders that were on their way to the monastery. These riders had a flag with them he could recognize even from the distance: it was that of the Republic of Mexico.
„Perhaps, they are only on a patrol. After all, why should they know we are here?“
Heinrich shook his head and padded his spyglass that was lying beside him.
„I have watched them when they reached the cart. I could of course not see any details, but that blonde woman has pointed at the monastery before they continued their trip.“
Kilian cursed silently. So, Xenia had betrayed him, just to give herself a head start and to distract the soldiers from her cart. And now, the Mexicans were too close for them to make their escape.
„We still could offer them the girls in exchange for our lifes“, Pedro proposed.
„The girls that have been on the cart are somehow related to the Republican Army. They will tell them to kill us once they are free. No, I am afraid it will come to a different end“, Kilian said, grabbing his rifle.
***