Between Tradition and Modernity 4

Daisy groaned with frustration. She had felt a wave of euphoria when she had been able to finally open her neck ring with the bent wire. However, the keyholes of the handcuffs were a different matter, much smaller, and poking into them with the wire had no effect on them. The same was true for the padlock securing her gag. Daisy would remain cuffed and gagged, despite her efforts.

At least, she could now walk around in her prison. Daisy approached the bars and examined the lock. It looked similar to the one that had secured her neck chain, so, she could perhaps manage to open it with her makeshift picklock.

»Maybe, the moment I step through the door, my captors show up!«

She could see the curtain separating her cell from the corridor, but still, no sound came from the other side. So, she decided to at least give the lock a try. Perhaps, she would not be detected, and perhaps, she would even find a possibility to remove her gag and cuffs once she was outside her cell.

The door’s lock was a bit badly lit, and so, she decided to reach through the bars and push the candle closer to it. Daisy had to distort her body till her cuffed hands could touch the candle, and she then realized that the wax running down the candle had glued it to the floor. Angrily, she pulled on it; the candle suddenly came free and toppled over.

»Mmhrrrmmmm!«

The small flame went out, leaving Daisy in complete darkness.

***

For some reason, it was Lilly who was allowed to ungag herself first. She felt a bit nervous by the implications of the order to place the cloths on a rock beside her, but she undid the knots in the stocking and then pulled the sodden scarf from her mouth, panting and wiping her lips. The woman handed her the canteen, and she took a few sips, realizing it was not water, but tea.

Next was Marguerite who said something once the gag had come off. The woman glanced at her, and quickly, Lilly explained to her that Marguerite only spoke French.

»Well, tell her that I don’t want her to chitchat in any language!«

Lavinia seemed a bit hesitant to drink from the bottle, but she finally also quenched her thirst. The small woman smiled and approached her captives.

»Now, since you insist on being so civilized, and I am a descendant of an old and rich culture, we should introduce ourselves. I am Ajala – Ajala Sahib for you! Over there’s my maid and counsellor, Laya, and my guards; the bearded one’s Jeevan, the handsome one’s Amal! Now, tell me your name, small brunette one!«

Lilly was sure that Ajala wasn’t taller than her with her 5’2’’, but she told her the fake name Lilliana van Bergen. Ajala looked at her, and she quickly added »Ajala Sahib«. Still, Ajala seemed to wait for something, and Lilly finally dropped a curtsey. Now, Ajala seemed pleased.

»Well – Lilly! Now, how about the blonde French?«

Marguerite had noticed what was going on. She straightened and looking calmly at Ajala, she announced:

»Countess Marguerite de Rey!«

Ajala waited for a few seconds; then, she said something in Hindi to Jeevan. Through her gritted teeth, Lilly hissed in French:

»Call her ›Ajala Sahib‹ and curtsey, for God’s sake!«

Jeevan now produced a leather strap and doubled it, making it clear that it would land on Marguerite’s backside if she remained defiant. With as much dignity as she could afford, Marguerite sank into a deep reference and almost mockingly said:

»Ajala Sahib!«

Ajala didn’t react to that and turned to Lavinia.

»You, I already know, Lavinia! However, just to please me, show me how nice you can curtsey!«

Lavinia stared at the Indian, her face showing a mixture of defiance and fear. Ajala said something to Jeevan, and he slapped Lavinia’s butt with his belt; it was just a light slap, but Lavinia gasped, and her eyes widened.

»In one minute, either your cheeks will be red from embarrassment, or your buttocks from the spanking!«

Ajala smiled like a Cheshire Cat, and when Jeevan raised his arm, she finally dropped a curtsey, too, slightly trembling from oppressed rage.

»Ajala Sahib!«

Obviously satisfied, Ajala gave another order, and whilst Laya Took Amal’s rifle to guard them, the men unharnessed the horses and provided them with water before they produced a big box with stakes protruding from it. They then saddled one of the horses and tied the stakes of the box to the other before opening it.

»Now, our travelling arrangements are almost ready! I will ride, whilst the others will have to walk – except for you who may lie down in this lovely bed!«

Whilst the men took their rifles back, Ajala pointed at the box with an inviting gesture. Lilly could see it was made of wicker and therefore, they would be able to breathe, but it looked barely bigger than a coffin.

She reluctantly stepped closer and when she looked inside, she couldn’t oppress a shriek. The bottom of the box consisted of solid wood, and from it, hundreds of nails protruded. Ajala, who noticed what Lilly had seen, giggled.

»Aren’t you Europeans fascinated by our Fakirs? Anyway, we are no monsters and so, you might upholster your new home – with your clothes!«

Lavinia gasped when she realized the alternatives, and Marguerite also shook her head when Lilly had translated it to her. Ajala shrugged.

»For my plans, there is no need you remain unharmed! It isn’t even necessary you all stay alive! So, it’s your choice how to travel!«

Lilly bent forward and tested one of the nails. She had heard that Fakirs often used dull nails, but these would pierce through her skin easily. With a sigh, Lilly turned her back to Marguerite.

»A hand, please!«

»You – you are doing that?«, Lavinia asked with disbelief, but Lilly ignored her and waited until Marguerite had opened the hooks and buttons at the back of the upper part of her dress. Then, she took it off, revealing her corset and her arms. She still was quite modest, and she rolled the dress to a sausage before pressing it into the box. It worked as an upholstery, but there was much of the nails still uncovered.

»The corset remains in place!«, Ajala ordered, and Lilly sighed. She wouldn’t have missed the inconvenient corset, and it would have helped to cover the nails. But obviously, she had fallen into the hands of a true sadist again. So, she loosened her skirt and took it off, too. Lavinia put her hand to her mouth, though Lilly still felt covered, wearing her remaining underskirt.

The skirt went into the box, and Lilly also sacrificed her underskirt. Then, she stopped. Without being allowed to touch her corset, she couldn’t remove her chemise, and whilst her stockings wouldn’t cover much, she didn’t want to sacrifice the knickers. Not with the men watching her. Putting her hands on her hips, she addressed her co-captives:

»Come on, girls! There is no dignity in getting pierced by hundreds of nails!«

Marguerite, who had survived being naked around an entire crew of pirates, now approached Lilly and made her help in getting off her dress. Though she was blushing all over, she then sacrificed her two underskirts, too. With a wryly smile, she pointed at her knickers and whispered:

»Back in my time, I wouldn’t have had these!«

Lavinia stared at the two girls in their underwear. Her cheeks had the colour of her hair, and she was shaking her head.

»I-I c-can’t! The m-men – if they l-look-«

Indeed, Jeevan looked with noticeable enjoyment whilst Amal seemed rather amused. Lilly approached Lavinia, put her hands on her shoulders and whispered:

»Lavinia, this is not the time to be prudish! As long as they just look, we won’t die from it! I am speaking from experience!«

If a gap to hell had opened at that moment, Lavinia would have jumped, maybe even had thanked for having that option. However, though she trembled, she offered no resistance when Lilly and Marguerite stripped her to her knickers, chemise, corset and stockings and finished upholstering the box. Ajala approached and stated:

»Now, that looks like a nice and comfortable bed to me! Lilly, step forward!«

Lilly obeyed, and Ajala made her step to a rock and place one leg upon it. Since her knickers had an opening in the crotch, they gaped, and she was very aware that Jeevan and Amal could see that, too. She blushed.

»Now, take off your stockings!«

With her one leg bent, and having to loosen her garters to do so, Lilly knew that she gave quite a show when peeling the stockings down her legs. She handed them to Ajala who gave them to Amal who bound her wrists behind her back, not too brutal, but tight, nevertheless. Meanwhile, Ajala inspected her and then shook her head.

»You should fire your maid! I mean, I never understood why you European women like these things, but there is no point in wearing one that loosely!«

She stepped behind Lilly, and she gasped when the Indian woman tightened the laces of her corset. She was reminded of »Snow White«, but obviously, Ajala didn’t intent to kill her – just to make her predicament a little more uncomfortable.

»It’s going to be a long trip – do you need to relieve yourself?«

The question surprised Lilly, but it also reminded her of her bladder, and though she felt her cheeks burn, she nodded, hoping that Ajana would give order to release her wrists. Instead, however, Amal grabbed her arm, led her a few steps aside, and then forced her to crouch.

»They – they can’t mean it!«, she thought, but it seemed that Amal had the intention to wait until she was finished. The opening in her knickers would allow her to pee, but she had no intention to do so with the man standing so close, though she could see that he wasn’t staring down on her. Ajala clapped her hands.

»Come on, it’s now or in the evening!«

With a sigh, Lilly did the inevitable. Amal then led her back to the box and tied her ankles with the other stocking. Then, she heard him say, in broken English and almost gentle:

»Open wide!«

Lilly knew he was about to gag her, and she also knew that any defiance would only have caused the man to either yank back her hair or spank her. So, she obeyed, having to fight her gag reflex as she tasted the wad of silk that was still wet with saliva. Only when the stocking was knotted at her nape, she heard Ajala chuckle.

»Oops, you got Lavinia’s gag! I hope you don’t mind!«

Lilly did mind having to chew on another woman’s saliva, but she couldn’t do much about it. Laya now brought two cords she recognized as her own shoelaces, and she handed them to Amal who bent down and used one to tie Lilly’s big toes, leaning the ends dangle. The other one, he tied around her neck which made her nervous, though he knotted the noose in a way it couldn’t tighten.

She was then bedded into the box, and to her relief, the padding of their clothes did a good job in covering the nails. Amal tied her toes to the wicker of the box’s walls, then also secured her neck to it, in a way Lilly could lie down and move a little, but not sit up.

She tried to adjust to her bondage, barely hearing the sounds of their captors now forcing Marguerite to undo her stockings and to relieve herself. Some time later, she was placed beside her, also tied hand and foot with her stockings, and gagged again. She was also secured to the wall by her neck and toe tie, then, it was Lavinia’s turn. Lilly, who had to stare into Marguerite’s blue eyes, could hear a short conversation between Lavinia and Ajala that ended with the latter stating:

»Well, I’ll ask you again in the evening!«

Lilly felt that the box was already full with her and Marguerite in it, but then, Amal and Jeevan heaved a squirming Lavinia into it, positioning her on top of them. With horror, Lilly realized that she had been turned the other way round, so her wriggling feet were constantly brushing over her and Marguerite’s face, and they had to smell the scent, knowing that Lavinia had to suffer similarly.

The lid was closed and tied, and then, the ride continued, obviously over some quite uneven terrain, given the fact how the box swayed around.

***

At the Colonel’s house, they had come to a terrible conclusion: Harry’s men would not find the time to release Daisy, but though she was locked somewhere and most likely was scared, she wasn’t in imminent danger. This could not be said for sure for the other three girls.

»I mean, why them? You said Lavinia isn’t that rich, and her father not that important – and Lilly and Marguerite are not even supposed to be here – like Sayana and me!«

Nesrin didn’t insist on that latter point; somehow, Blacksmith hadn’t commented on the time travel part of their story, either because he was too concerned with the other problems, or because he simply considered it a made up story. Now, he still was focussed on the fate of Lavinia:

»Her father isn’t even here! He’s at Kharabad! The place where I am supposed to go once I have taken care his daughter is all right!«

He scoffed at the ambiguity of these words, but Nesrin now wanted to know what Kharabad was, and he told her it was a Princely State.

»What’s that?«

Now, Blacksmith seemed really surprised about her lack of knowledge, but he quickly explained to her that in the times of the East India Company, the British rule had been more or less indirect in most parts of the subcontinent, with the British officials making deals with local rulers. Now, the British Government tried to establish a more direct rule, but still, there were hundreds of states, ruled by Maharajas or Nawabs, that still were more or less independent, as long as they paid taxes and were loyal towards the British Crown.

»Kharabad’s not far from here, just one day’s travel by horse. It’s a small Principality, just the capital and a few villages. The Nawab’s quite old, but he has always been loyal, even during the mutiny. The Colonel’s mission is a diplomatic one, not a military campaign!«

Blacksmith had to admit that the Colonel had not given him any details yet, but he had taken just an escort of 50 men with him. Nesrin pondered:

»The women who attacked us were Indian! So, maybe, it has got something to do with the Colonel’s mission! Perhaps, they want to blackmail the Colonel in killing the Nawab, or something like that! And Marguerite and Lilly just were at the wrong place at the wrong time!«

»The Colonel would never act against his orders – not even to save his daughter!«, Blacksmith insisted. He reached for the gin but stopped in the motion and rose.

»Nesrin – what else can you tell me about these women! Was there anything remarkable about them, something that allows us to find them in a city of more than a million inhabitants?«

However, the only thing Nesrin could tell was that the smaller one had spoken very good English. Then, however, she stated another detail that just came up within her:

»I don’t think they are in Bombay!«

Sayana frowned, but Blacksmith soon could follow her thoughts: not only the British authorities considered the abduction of a British subject a severe crime, but also the local criminals, for the commotion it caused would draw too much attention to their business. Harry’s reaction had proved that, and right now, his men were trying to find out who was behind the abduction.

»And whoever did it, he knew that it would cause such a reaction!«

Despite her worries about her friends, Nesrin smiled:

»So, what would be a better hideout than a place not far from here, but not under British jurisdiction? A place where also the father of the abducted girl can be found?«

»Kharabad!«

Blacksmith sighed. He had to get to Kharabad anyway – but before, he had to report the abduction to his superiors. Nesrin didn’t like the idea.

»They warned us to do so! However, we shouldn’t sit around on our butts, but do something! So, I suggest that we are going to Kharabad!«

»We?«, Blacksmith frowned. Nesrin nodded.

»Of course, we! Once we are there, you have to inform the Colonel, and then, you’ll have to follow his orders! However, we could still have an eye on anything suspicious! And one of us is a real witch!«

»What does that mean? Will you fly to Kharabad on your broom, finding the criminals from above and then turning them into frogs?«

Sayana laughed, a bit puzzled by his remarks, since she wasn’t familiar with the European lore concerning witches. Then, she turned serious again:

»If we get close enough, I think I could sense their – their-«

She said a word in her native tongue, and Nesrin guessed that she meant »aura«. Blacksmith looked at the girls and after a few seconds, he asked:

»Can you ride?«

»No!«, both had to admit. The Lieutenant now took another sip of the gin before he made a decision, looking at the two girls:

»This will end my career, but as long as Miss Lavinia isn’t found, my life isn’t worth much anyway! So, we will go to Kharabad! But in a way that won’t raise suspicion before we have even reached the city’s gate! Oh, and it might be dangerous!«

»I have to find Marguerite – and the others, of course!«

Nesrin was sure that telling Blacksmith about her feelings for the blonde would be a little too much information right now. Sayana shrugged.

»I won’t leave you alone so soon, since you are my last living relative!«

***

Trapped in complete darkness, Daisy had balled her fists and panted, trying to fight down her panic. She knew that thrashing in her chains and screaming into the plug in her mouth would get her nowhere and only make things worse. Finally, she had been able to relax enough to realize that something was poking into her thigh.

It was the wire, and Daisy forced herself to breathe more calmly. She then rose, and after some feeling, she had found the lock of the door. Now, it would be even more difficult to open it, but at least, it would distract her from days on end in a dark, silent prison.

Twice, she dropped the wire, and on both occasions, she had cried from sheer exhaustion and frustration before she had managed to find it on the floor. Then, she finally heard a click, and when she tried, the door moved.

Daisy let out a fluttering breath and staggered as she sank against the bars. She knew that this was only one more step of God knew how many: she was still cuffed hand and foot, she still was gagged, and there could be a bunch of criminals behind the curtain. However, even the worst punishment would be an improvement against this hellhole.

She stepped forward, trying to reduce the clinking of her chains to a minimum, and after a few steps, she had reached the curtain. Now, she felt that it wasn’t made of burlap, but heavy velvet. Listening for any noise, she slipped through it.

Behind it, there was the same darkness, and when she stumbled forward, Daisy could feel another velvet curtain after some yard. When a third one followed, she was sure she had either died and landed in hell, or that she was having a terrible nightmare.

She passed the third curtain, and now, she was sure she had noticed something. Daisy held her breath and concentrated. It was a sound! Just a faint screech of an animal, but it was a sound that wasn’t an echo of her own breaths and moans!

She passed a fourth curtain, and now, she sank to her knees, sobbing with relief. The fifth curtain had a small hole in it, and through it, she could see that the other side was lit. She squirmed forward, pushing her head under the velvet, and then, she let out a deep long groan of relief: in front of her was a cave, dark and lonely, but without any guards, and there was a source of light on the other side.

With renewed strength, Daisy staggered forward, and after a few yards, she saw the exit, hidden behind a bush. She forced herself to listen again, but then, she stepped out of the cave, enjoying the sunlight and the occasional sounds of animals like someone who had gotten lost in the desert and finally found an oasis.

With her handcuffs tied to her cuffed feet, progress was slow as she staggered down a steep hill, and she finally slipped and rolled down to the foot. Daisy looked up to the bush that now did not look as if something was hidden behind it. What a terrible prison! The curtains had ensured that no sound emerged from inside, and she was sure that only her kidnapper knew about the hideout.

She worked herself to her feet and tried to find out where she was. Then, she gasped: there, only some 20 yards away, was a coach!

»If it’s the kidnappers, I will be doomed!«

However, going back wasn’t an option, and so, Daisy slowly approached the coach. It looked plain, just like a box on wheels, and then, she noticed something else: there was no one, neither men nor horses. Frowning, the girl stepped closer. She feared that there had been an assault and that she would soon find some dead bodies, but there were no sings of a fight, just an empty coach.

She encircled it, and on the other side, she saw that the door was open. In front of it, she saw a small pile of what turned out to be shoes. Daisy looked around, but there was no explanation for the three pairs of bootees, all looking as if they were made for women, and all six lacking their laces.

»What the-«

Daisy could not imagine what had happened here. If the coach had been assaulted, where were the bodies, or at least other signs of a fight? And why on Earth were there shoes lying around? She once again listened and looked if there was anyone around, but except for a few lizards, she seemed to be alone.

There was an uneven path leading away from the sandy place, and Daisy followed it until she could see where she was. However, there was nothing but other hills, and only on the far horizon, she could see a blue shadow, indicating the ocean. Daisy guessed that it was at least ten miles away.

»Okay, maybe, the first outposts of civilisation are much closer! However, in these chains, I can hardly walk faster than a mile per hour!«

She knew that this was an optimistic guess, for she was not only forced to do small paces, but she also had the alternatives of either walk over the rocky ground with her bare feet, or to stagger around in a pair of ill-fitting laceless bootees. In addition, she more and more felt the strain of her escape and the hours of captivity before. The sun was burning down on her, and she looked up to the bush marking the entrance of the cave. It would be quite an effort to climb up there, and she would also have to get back into the dark and silent cell to fetch the remaining canteens. Daisy shuddered from the mere thought of entering her prison again, and she decided to wait for the dark.

Inside the coach, she would find some protection from the sun, and also, she could lie down on the seats and rest for a while. If someone approached, she still could hide behind a rock.

At least, that was Daisy’s initial plan, but some minute after she had sunk onto the upholstered bench, she fell asleep from sheer exhaustion.

***

After only a few minutes, Lilly had come to the conclusion that the wicker box she, Marguerite and Lavinia were locked in had to be the smallest, but most efficient torture chamber in the world. Just being bound and gagged, scantily clad, forced to wear a tight corset, and not knowing where they were going, or what this was all about would have been scary enough even if they had been lying on a bed in a well climatized room, but the box turned it into a living hell.

The three girls had to constantly rub against each other, and lying still wasn’t an option. The way the box was fixed to the horses meant it was slightly askew, forcing Lilly and Marguerite to repeatedly squirm towards the head end, or the nooses around their necks would become too tight. In addition, only one of them could lie on her back at the same time, forcing them to shift positions whenever the arm of the one lying on her side grew numb. At least, the fact that they were sweating profusely made their bodies more slippery, so this became a little easier.

All this would have been inconvenient, but tolerable, but there also was Lavinia. Lying on top of them, she added to both the heat and discomfort, and Lavinia was even more unruly than them. She constantly shifted and squirmed, and Lilly guessed that she was paying the price for not having relieved herself when she had had the opportunity. Lavinia also seemed to be ticklish, which was a severe problem, too: her feet were close to Lilly’s and Marguerite’s heads, and whenever one of their noses, or a strand of hair brushed over her soles, she twitched and bucked, rubbing her feet over her co-captives’ faces. Groaning through her gag with frustration, Lilly only had one wish:

»Dear God, please, let her faint! Or, at least, let me faint, so when I wake up, this horror trip will be over!«

***

»Halt!«

The guard at one of Bombay’s city gates stopped the guy in his shabby clothes that approached him, leading a horse by its reins. The animal was packed with some sacks, and the man was accompanied by two guys that looked even more shabby than him. All in all, they looked like some peasants, with one exception: the guard, who was fond of horses, had noticed that this one was in remarkable good shape, and when he had looked closer, he had recognized the branding of the British Indian Army. So, he suspected horse theft.

»Nice horse you’ve got there!«, he started in broken Hindi, at the same time placing his right on his revolver. The man, remarkably tall for an Indian, stepped closer, and when he spoke, it was the English of the upper classes:

»All Officers of Her Majesty are required to keep their horses in good shape! So, is there more chitchatting you want to do, or may I go my way?«

The guard looked as if the man had turned into a naked whore. His jaw dropped, and he was about to stammer something when the man in the shabby clothes continued, lowering his voice:

»Me and my two servants are on a secret mission! So, Corporal, may I beg you to step aside, so I can do what Queen and Country require me to do?«

Blacksmith had spoken with the feigned friendliness he sometimes used towards his men before scolding them for mistakes, and the guard reflexively stood straight and let him pass. He looked as if he was about to salute, and Blacksmith accelerated his pace, for he didn’t want to raise any attention from the man’s comrades.

An hour earlier, he had been at the garrison where he had asked for Caleb’s well-being, gotten himself a horse, and told his other batman that he had orders from the Colonel to follow him to Kharabad on his own.

»Something very clandestine, Rogers! I am sure it’s the Old Man’s love for making this mission look more than the Sunday walk it really is!«

Unlike Caleb, Rogers didn’t mind being left behind, for his duties at the garrison left him enough time for drinking and gambling with his comrades. Nobody had been suspicious when Blacksmith had left on his own, and when they had left the Colonel’s house little later, nobody would have suspected that the man in the shabby Indian clothing was in fact a British Officer.

Whilst he had been at the garrison, Sayana and Nesrin had bought some equipment for a trip of two or three days, including a small tent, provision and some men’s clothes for themselves. Now, both girls wore baggy pants, wide jackets and turbans hiding their hair. Both kept their heads low and walked slightly bent forward so the jackets concealed their boobs.

»We can reach Kharabad from the hills, too! The route is a bit longer than the main road, but with a little bit of luck, we can get there unseen! We will have to sleep in the wilderness for one night, but it won’t be really hard!«

Once they were outside of Bombay, Nesrin and Sayana walked close to Blacksmith, so they could talk in French, their lingua franca, without other travellers getting suspicious. Once they had reached a side road, there were less and less other people, until by around noon, they were alone.

»Phew! Have you planned any rests, Lieutenant, for my feet are beginning to hurt!«

»In about six hours, we will have a five minutes’ brake!«

Nesrin gasped, and Blacksmith chuckled.

»Just kidding! See the bushes over there, we will rest there!«

Being an Officer, he was also not used to long walks, and he was secretly glad that the girl had asked for a pause. Blacksmith guessed that some 20 miles more lay ahead of them, so, there was no need to hurry.

»Seems we’ll have company!«

Sayana pointed at something beside the bushes. As they approached, it turned out to be a coach, though none of them could see any horses or men. Blacksmith frowned and drew his revolver. Then, he handed the two rifles to the girls.

»If you notice me getting attacked, just fire into the air! We have had enough losses by friendly fire already!«

Carefully, he approached the coach, looking for potential hideouts from which someone could attack him. When he was some three yards away from the coach, he could hear a small noise that at first made him think he was hallucinating: it sounded like a faint snore.

»Well, whoever you are, your Siesta has to end now!«

He approached the coach and opened the door, pointing his revolver at the figure inside. When he saw who it was, his jaw dropped.

»By Jove!«, he croaked.

***