Back to the Present 6

Tabea gulped. It was not only the humiliation of having to lick another woman`s foot; it was also the fact that she as a Black should demean herself towards a white girl. It would hurt her pride if she did so – but on the other hand, she was hungry. And, as Bertolt Brecht had put it, eating came before moral. So, when Fiamma repeated her question, she nodded.

»I washed my feet yesterday«, Fiamma said with a smile whilst Ornella loosened the knots of Tabea>`s cleave gag. When she took the gag from her mouth, some drool dripped on her chest and Ornella giggled.

»Looks as if she cannot await licking your toes!«

Tabea had drooled because the scent of the chicken had made her mouth water, but she forced herself to remain calm and said:

»Get me something to eat first! Otherwise, I might bite off your toes and swallow them raw!«

Perhaps, they were impressed by her brave attitude or maybe, they had heard some stories about cannibals, but after some more joking around, they let her indeed have the chicken leg and gave her some water. It wasn`t much, but it soothed Tabea`s hunger a bit and she took a deep breath, steeling herself for the coming ordeal.

Fiamma raised her leg and held her foot in front of Tabea`s face. She reluctantly placed a kiss on it, then, she licked over her skin. As Fiamma had promised, at least, her feet were clean. She let her tongue brush over the foot once again when suddenly the door opened and Gritti stepped in.

Since getting her foot up had let Fiamma`s slip slide up her thigh, she stood there in a very revealing position and she turned deep red as the Doge looked at her with a mocking grin. He then looked at Tabea and said:

»You know, as my Mistress, you would be the one whose feet would be kissed. And maybe, the position has become vacant earlier than anyone would have thought!«

Now, Lorenzo and Luigi stepped in, the latter pulling a bucking woman with him. Tabea recognized her as Aurora. She was gagged and had her hands tied behind her back, but what amazed Tabea more was that her dress had been ripped open, baring her breasts. Gritti announced:

»Aurora has betrayed me by helping one of my captives escape! So, I will no longer have her by my side! She will stay here until I decide what to do with her!«

Tabea stared at the other woman. Had she really helped Jelena to escape? When the guards had captured her, she had believed that Jelena was the replacement of her Lady`s maid, but even if Gritti had found out about that, he would not punish her so hard for such a minor mistake. Had Aurora found out about who Jelena really was – and then helped her to escape?

Luigi and Lorenzo seemed a bit uncertain about how harsh they should treat someone who had fallen from grace, but who had been above them in the hierarchy until half an hour ago. Finally, they placed her on a stool and waited for further instructions. Gritti approached Tabea and said:

»So, I hope you have thought a bit about my offer when you and the maids were joking around?«

Tabea forced herself to look at him and replied with a cold voice:

»Would your fine friends really approve that — a black woman on your side?«

For a moment, Gritti seemed puzzled, but then, he laughed.

»They will sure say the most evil things – but they won`t dare to say it to my face! And they won`t dare to say it to you either, as long as you are my Mistress! You can ask Aurora! There have been all kinds of rumors when she came to the palace. Did you know she was one of Venice`s finest prostitutes before she became my mistress? Well, perhaps, she will return to her old business now!«

From behind Gritti`s back, a muffled cry could be heard. Suddenly, Tabea understood: the Doge didn`t really care much about whether Aurora had helped Jelena to escape, either willingly or by accident. He just took it as a pretext to get rid of his old Mistress to make room for the new one.

She quickly considered what this meant to her. Now, Jelena was free and sure, Gritti`s bedroom would allow her to escape more easily that this dungeon did. So, she said:

»Is that the way you treat your future Mistress?«

She slightly writhed in her bondage and tried to look as dignified as being stark naked and tied with spread thighs allowed. Gritti smiled sardonically, but his eyes also showed some approval.

»I will have to decide whether you are trustworthy before. As you see, sometimes even after twelve years, one forgets about loyalty!«

»Hhrrrrmmmm!«

Again, Aurora protested and this time, she also stood up from her stool. Her bare breasts heaved and she looked at Gritti with a mixture of fear, hatred and disappointment. The Doge looked at her, then at Tabea and back to Aurora again and Tabea could almost read his thoughts: he was comparing them.

Aurora was still a beautiful woman, but Gritti only saw the small wrinkles around her eyes, the grey hair at her temples and the fact that her breasts weren`t defying gravity as Tabea`s did. She suddenly felt pity for the former Mistress: she owed everything she had to Gritti and if he sent her away, she would be a woman of some 40 years with no money and a bad reputation. In a few years, she would likely be an old prostitute.

»Do you remember how you came to the palace, Aurora?«

»Mhm?«

Gritti smiled and positioned himself so he could address both Aurora and Tabea. Then, he told them the story:

»I met her in a house of ill repute, but with a fine and expensive service – and well she served me!«

He grinned and brushed his beard. Though everyone in the palace of course knew that Aurora shared the Doge`s bed, Aurora could not help blushing from being reminded of her time as a common, though expensive prostitute.

»After some time, I decided to take her to me and so, I had a talk with her Mistress. And little later, Aurora was brought to me like Cleopatra was brought to Julius Caesar!«

He looked at Tabea, obviously insecure whether he would have to explain his last sentence, but Tabea answered:

»Rolled into a carpet.«

Gritti nodded approvingly, obviously impressed that a woman he considered to be a descendant of savages knew about ancient history.

»Rolled in a carpet, dressed with nothing more than a few drops of perfume. Well, I think that should be a proper way to say Goodbye, too!«

Aurora`s eyes widened and she shook her head no, but Gritti continued mercilessly:

»The carpet got lost over the years, but I am sure an ordinary burlap sack will do, too! Lorenzo, Luigi!«

The two men stepped to Aurora´s sides and grabbed her arms. Aurora screamed through her gag and squirmed, but Gritti just said:

»Tie her wrists to that hook and strip her naked!«

»Hhrrrmmmmm! Nnnggggg!«

Aurora now kicked and tried to fight the two men, but they raised her bound arms upwards and tied them off to a ceiling hook, forcing her to stand bent forward, her breasts dangling. Then, they ripped her clothes from her and even took her shoes, so after some seconds, Aurora was standing in a pile of rags, panting and moaning and closely watched by the two guards. Gritti also looked at the naked woman and said:

»You will go as you came, Aurora! Without the carpet, of course, but I will send the new brothel owner a few Scudi for that!«

He then went over to a small cabinet in a corner and took a bottle from it. He poured some wine from it into a silver goblet and approached Tabea. She knew that his rude behavior towards his former Mistress was meant to frighten her, but she had to admit that it had worked. She was shivering from the idea of becoming this man`s Mistress, albeit only for the time it would take her to run away.

Gritti now again showed his friendly smile and held the goblet to her lips.

»May I offer you a drink of the finest Barolo, Tabea?«

She saw no point in being defiant and so, she drank. The wine was indeed good and only when she had emptied the goblet, she noticed what had seemed strange to her: not the fact that Gritti had offered her a wine that sure had cost a year`s salary of one of the maids, but the fact that he hadn`t drunk, too. Then, she felt that her limbs became numb.

»Wha-what was that?«, she croaked, finding it hard to control her tongue properly. Gritti, who suddenly looked slightly blurred, said:

»Just a harmless sleeping drug, dear Tabea. When you wake up, you will be in my room and Fiamma and Ornella will prepare you for my visit!«

Tabea moaned and wanted to pull on her bonds, but the drug worked quickly. After a few moments more, she passed out. Gritti smiled and told Luigi:

»Untie her and get her to my room! Just put her on the bed and come back immediately! Ornella and Fiamma will take care of her, as soon as I have given them my instructions!«

Whilst Luigi followed this order, Gritti waved the two maids to come closer. Whispering, he gave his instructions to them. Both girls blushed at what he said and seemed reluctant, but when he offered each of them another 100 Scudi, both curtseyed and Ornella even showed a mean grin. The two maids then left after Luigi who had put the unconscious Tabea over his shoulder and Gritti stepped in front of Aurora who pleadingly looked up to him between strays of her disheveled hair.

»Twelve years, Aurora!«

»Mhhmmph!«

Aurora moved her head, trying to get off her gag. She wanted to tell Gritti that he was wrong about her and the escape of Jelena or perhaps, that she had just felt pity for the girl. But it seemed that her worst nightmares had come true: she had lost her position, her money and even her clothes. Gritti sat on the stool and looked at her.

»The years have been merciful to you, Aurora. Maybe, it will help you to make a living. However, there is one last favor I can do for you.«

He waited until he could see a spark of hope in her eyes. Perhaps, she thought he would allow her to keep some of her money or at least to leave fully dressed. However, he just asked:

»Do you admit that you did wrong?«

Aurora`s eyes widened. Her first impulse was to shake her head, for if she admitted to her guilt, he would have all right to send her away. But then, she hesitated: Gritti had already judged her and if she refused to confess, he would perhaps have her tortured. Aurora had never loved Gritti, but he had always been generous and kind and so, the abrupt change in his behavior frightened her. Slightly, she nodded. Gritti smiled and got to his feet, approaching her. With a gesture that was surprisingly gentle, he caressed Aurora`s chin.

»I am glad you are not pretending to be innocent. And therefore, I will not allow Luigi or Lorenzo to lay hands on you, except for tying you up later when you will be brought away!«

Aurora panted from relief, though she also had heard the strange undertone in Gritti`s words. He seemed to have something mean in his mind. Gritti now looked at her eyes and said:

»Do you know that today, it is 631 weeks that you came to this palace?«

She said nothing. Aurora knew that they had celebrated her 12th anniversary a few weeks ago and she also knew that a year had 52 weeks, but she had never counted the days in the palace. Gritti slowly stepped behind her.

»You don`t seem to be sure, Aurora. But I think that I can make sure you will never forget the number 631!«

Aurora mewed when his hand landed on her buttocks with a slapping sound.

»One!«

He hit her again and though he didn`t really hurt her, it tingled in her butt and she knew that she would scream and wail, long before the ordeal was over. Aurora bit on her gag and saw that Lorenzo was watching her with a lewd grin.

»Two!«

***

Whatever Gritti had given her, it worked off quickly. Tabea blinked and saw she was looking on something white. Slowly, she raised her head and gasped when she spotted a naked black woman opposite to her.

It took Tabea a few seconds to realize that she had looked into a mirror. She looked around and saw it was the room where she and Jelena had been brought by their abductors and that she was sitting on the bed. Or rather kneeling, for she again had been tied up thoroughly.

This time, her captors had used silk scarves to truss her up, but that didn`t mean that the bondage was lenient. Her wrists were tied behind her back, just like her elbows, forcing her to thrust out her ample boobs. Her legs were tied ankle to thigh and her feet had been additionally tied together and another scarf connected her ankles to her wrists, forcing her to sit upright. A scarf around her neck that had been tied to the canopy forced her to sit upright, though the silk noose did not block her breathing unless she tried to bend forward. Finally, two scarves had been tied to her knees and then had been fixed to the bed`s sides, forcing her to kneel with her legs splayed open, unable to hide anything.

»She`s awake!«

It was Fiamma who approached her, holding a crystal glass in her hand. The girl was naked and soon, an equally naked Ornella approached, placing a bowl between Tabea`s open thighs. When the girls climbed on the bed, Tabea could see that a golden liquid was swaying in the bowl.

»I-is that-«

Again, the two girls giggled and Ornella put her finger into the bowl. Then, she licked it and said:

»It`s not pee, Tabea, don`t be afraid! In fact, it is the best wine you may ever have drunk!«

Again, she put her finger into the bowl and this time, she put it into Tabea`s mouth. It was indeed wine, obviously of a high quality, though Tabea thought it was too sweet. Then, she shuddered, remembering where she was and what she was doing.

»What are you doing with me?«

She tried to sound calm, but the idea of these two maids being naked whilst she was tied up made her feel uneasy. Ornella reached to the side and held up a bundle of white items. It were two pairs of women`s stockings, obviously those the two had worn previously. Ornella held them to Tabea`s nose and then put them into the bowl.

»In my opinion, it`s a waste of good wine, but His Highness was very clear in his orders!«

»Will you be a good girl if we will now gag you, Tabea?«, Fiamma asked. She had crawled behind Tabea and now slung her arms around her, placing her chin on Tabea`s shoulder.

The Black knew that she had few options. She could try to fight, scream her lungs out and try to avoid getting gagged with the used stockings of these two. However, bound as she was, it would be a one-sided fight.

»You sure will not believe me if I will promise not to scream?«

»I can promise you that you will scream!«, Fiamma purred enigmatically and Ornella took the first of the soaked stockings.

»Now, open wide, Dear!«

Tabea obeyed and Ornella wrung out the stocking before slowly putting it into Tabea`s mouth. It was a flimsy material, but it tasted vile, despite the wine, and Ornella stuffed it deep into her oral cavity. Then, she added the second one.

»Mph!«

Fiamma now rose and took her head between her hands, pressing the back of Tabea`s head against her breasts. So, Ornella could press the third stocking into her mouth, pressing the wet fabric very dense and filling her mouth to the bursting. However, she was keen on adding the fourth and last stocking, too.

»Gllfff!«

Tabea retched and tried to squirm, but Ornella stuffed and prodded with both her hands. Some wine ran down Tabea`s chin and she felt she would choke as more wine found the way down her throat. Finally, Fiamma pulled a thin silk strap between her lips, tightened it repeatedly and then tied it off at her nape.

»All that good wine! It will only get your skin sticky!«

Tabea cringed as the two girls now licked the wine from her chin, neck and breasts. She could only make small throaty sounds and when she had to gulp, she had to find out that the wine had lost some of its lovely taste when it had been filtered by worn stockings.

Fiamma now tied another scarf over her mouth, followed by another one she pulled over her nose and chin, taking care Tabea had to bite down on her gag before she tied it off. Now, she had to breathe through a layer of silk and had to concentrate on breathing.

Another scarf was tied over her mouth and then, she saw Ornella had taken some way from a candle, forming two small balls. These were worked into her ears and immediately, Tabea felt even more helpless when she was unable to hear anything except for some indistinct faint sounds.

Next, a blindfold was tied over her eyes and then, a large scarf was pulled over her head, gathered at the back of her head and knotted off, hooding her completely. Finally, Fiamma tied two narrow cloth bands over her mouth and eyes. When Ornella pinched and twisted Tabea`s nipples, the girl reared up, but her scream could barely be heard by the two girls sitting close to their victim.

»Now, for the fun part!«

Neither Ornella nor Fiamma could be called prudish and several of the young guards had lost their virginity to them. However, even they had blushed at what Gritti had ordered them to do. However, it was also intriguing and in addition, a hundred Scudi more for each of them would mean that they could either get some really expensive clothes and jewelry or think about settling down and getting married.

Gritti had told them to »stoke the oven«, but to not let the fire get out. Also, he had said something about »carrot and stick«. The two girls took another glass of the sweet wine each and then, slightly tipsy, they climbed onto the bed again. They had drawn sticks previously and so, Ornella went behind Tabea whilst Fiamma knelt between her thighs.

Tabea twitched when she felt a strange touch at her left buttock. When it was done to the right side, too, she was sure it had been the girl snapping her finger against her butt.

SLAP! SLAP!

She moaned into her massive gag when two slaps followed, each on one buttock. Unbeknownst to her, Ornella had taken a leather belt and used it to spank her victim. The leather was broad and soft, but it tingled and whilst she was still coping with the slight pain, she felt another touch.

»Ghhhhhhmmmmmmm!«

Tabea cringed and writhed as Ornella brushed over her bare soles with a feather. She pulled on the scarves tying her to the bed, but the material was soft, but strong. She barely noticed that Fiamma had started to knead her breasts when Ornella stroke again. She was working after a perfidy rhythm: two slaps on Tabea`s buttocks were followed by two slow strokes of the feather over her soles. Then, Ornella hit her soles with the belt and then brushed over her buttocks with the feather before she started the game again.

Tabea could not help screaming and twitching. The pause between the strokes gave the pain time to develop and so, wave after wave strayed through her butt and feet, followed by other sensations as she felt the feather tickle her increasingly sore and sensitive skin.

Meanwhile, Fiamma had decided that 100 Scudi were worth some real effort. She had changed her position and whilst she still was kneading and groping Tabea`s breasts, she had brought her head between her legs, kissing and licking the girl`s middle. She had started shyly, but more and more, she lost her inhibitions. She traced Tabea`s labia with long strokes of her tongue and in between these plucked on her clit with her lips, also teasing it with her teeth.

The helpless Tabea felt as if she had been thrown into hell. Unable to see or hear, her other senses were even more sensitive and so, every slap, tickle or kiss felt even more intense. Her buttocks and soles were aflame, but at the same time, the feather made her gasp, explode in helpless laughter her gag stifled. And then, there was the other girl. Tabea felt how her nipples had hardened from the massage and now, there was this lovely mouth between her legs. Her clit and labia were swollen, hot and wet and she moved her hips, thrust her pelvis forward to feel her inside her, too. Strays of pleasure shot through her loins and connected with the strays of pain and she knew that she was close to an orgasm. Now, when she was cringing from another time the feather caressed her soles, she felt the other`s tongue push inside her and she accelerated her moves. Soon, soon-

Then, it stopped. Tabea rocked her hips for a few moments more before she noticed her tormentors had withdrawn. She let out a faint moan of protest.

Fiamma and Ornella looked at the bound and gagged girl, now covered with sweat. Her hard nipples seemed to point at them and her middle looked like it was still slightly pulsating, waiting for them to continue.

»Let`s have a small sip of wine and then, we will continue! How about changing positions, my wrists hurt from the beating!«

»Well, ask me about my tongue!«, Fiamma replied and the two naked and also slightly aroused girls burst out laughing and hugged before they sipped on their wine glasses, collecting strength for the next round of tease and denial.

***

Janika and Jelena had found a pleasant and clean hotel and checked in for the night. If the keeper had wondered why they were without any luggage, he had kept it to himself, obviously more interested in Janika`s money than her background.

However, Jelena had been unable to find some sleep and had finally persuaded Janika to have a walk and to observe the Doge`s Palace, though it was unlikely that they would see anything but a dark facade and the guards standing at the main gate.

The palace actually consisted of two complexes on different islands, connected by the infamous »Bridge of Sighs«. Jelena also sighed when they crossed the public bridge from which they had a look at the narrow canal. Then, Jelena spotted a gondola.

»Look!«

It had been the fraction of a second that she had seen something. A door had opened close to the water and for the moment when light from inside had fallen upon the small boat, she had seen a man carrying a sack over his shoulder. And Jelena was sure that the sack had slightly moved.

»We have to follow that boat! Quickly!«

It was easier said than done, but to their luck, the man on the stake was rather trying to be soundless than fast and so, they could follow it on narrow paths that became increasingly dirty. The gondola finally stopped at a large building. The small pier was lit by a single lantern and there was only one man leaning by the door. He slowly approached as the boat landed and as one of the man had jumped from the boat and stood opposite to him, he said:

»Lorenzo! Has Gritti raised your salary so you think you can afford our services?«

Jelena`s heart pounded. Lorenzo was the name of one of Gritti`s henchmen and now, she recognized the silhouette of the man. Sure, the tall one at the stern of the gondola was Luigi.

»It`s rather a present for you from His Highness – or I should say, it`s for your Master!«

Now, the man came closer and Lorenzo pointed at something inside the boat. The girls couldn`t understand what he said, but after a few seconds, he went for the door and knocked. When it was opened from inside, he slipped in.

»That`s our chance! Quick!«

Janika approached the gondola, pulling Jelena with her.

»Distract him, just for a few seconds!«, she hissed and then, she ducked behind a barrel. Jelena stood a bit puzzled, but Janika pushed her from behind and she staggered into the light.

»Hey, what do we have here?«

Lorenzo looked at the small girl and grinned. Jelena forced a smile on her face and, remembering an old cartoon where a prostitute had played a role, she gathered her skirts, exposing her leg. Slowly, Lorenzo approached her.

At the same moment, Janika darted from her cover and hit him with a front kick to his chest. Lorenzo staggered backwards and with a cry of surprise, he landed in the canal.

»What the-«

Luigi had heard the splash and now balanced towards the gondola`s bow. He bent forward to reach out for the struggling Lorenzo when Janika jumped aboard and attacked him from behind. Soon, the bulky man was in the water, too.

»Nelly, quick!«

Jelena sprinted to the gondola and jumped in, causing the small boat to sway and nearly sending Janika overboard, too. The blonde cursed, but regained her balance and loosened the tow from the post whilst Jelena grabbed the stake. Now, the door opened and three men came out. First, they laughed when they saw Lorenzo and Luigi splashing in the muddy water. Then, they helped them out, joking about their clumsiness.

Janika had loosened the rope and pushed the gondola into the canal. Jelena tried to stake it away from the pier where the men now had noticed what was going on. They yelled and one threw a knife that hit the planks close to Jelena who shrieked and nearly dropped the stake.

Janika pulled the knife from the wood and threw it back. She had thrown it with more impetus than aiming, but instinctively, the men ducked. The blonde took the stake from Jelena`s hands and now, since she was stronger, the gondola became faster, allowing them to get into the dark.

With all her strength, Janika steered the boat into a small side canal and then stopped behind a larger boat where they couldn`t be seen easily from potential pursuers. She hugged Jelena and whispered:

»Phew, that was the kind of mission I like! Now that we have Tabby back, we only have to get back to our hotel and tomorrow, we get to Bela and will leave this city forever.«

»Uuhmmm! Mmhmmm!«

The bundle now moved again and Jelena wanted to free Tabea immediately, but Janika told her to help her get the trussed up woman to the quay and then carry her some yards away to a better hideout. They did so and when they were in some pitch black passage between two buildings, Jelena suddenly laughed.

»It seems that luck is still with us!«

At the end of the passage, there was a small piazza and some moonlight fell upon a well with a statue. By sheer coincidence, they had reached their hotel.

Looking for any followers, they sneaked inside and up the stairs, Janika carrying the bound and gagged woman over her shoulder. They managed to reach their room unseen and Janika dumped the bundle to the bed whilst Jelena lit the lamp.

»Now, we can unwrap you, Tabby!«

»Fuck!«

Jelena had put the lamp on the nightstand. The light was dim, but even now, they could see something: the sack that had been secured by several loops of rope reached down to the woman´s ankles, but her bare feet protruded, slightly wriggling. It was a pair of white feet.

»T-This i-isn`t Tabby!«, Jelena stammered. However, whoever the woman was, they sure had to free her and so, they began to work on the tight knots. Finally, they could pull the sack from the woman`s body and saw that she was stark naked. She was tied up with enough rope to secure several women. Her arms were tied at wrists and elbows and more rope welded her arms to her upper body. Her legs were tied together at her thighs, above and below her knees and at her ankles and an extra tight rope was wound twice around the woman`s waist. from it, an even tighter rope cut deep into the woman`s pubic mound, disappearing at the apex of her thighs.

»Mhhmmmm!«

Jelena looked at the woman`s head. She couldn`t see much, since she was gagged and blindfolded with tightly bound rags. She began to work on the knot of the blindfold whilst Janika had started to untie the woman`s wrists.

»Uuuhmmm! Mmhhmmph!«

»I am working as fast as I can!«, Janika cursed. Meanwhile, Jelena had loosened the knot and could pull the cloth from the woman`s face. Two lumps that had been held by the cloth band fell off and a pair of green eyes blinked and then widened as she stared at Jelena. She could not believe it, but she had seen those eyes before.

»A-Aurora?«, she breathed, staring at the bound and gagged Mistress.

***