The Land behind the Forest 7

»So, you have no idea who it could have been?«

Marvin shook his head. Immediately after his failed attempt to get the backpack from the man he had met at Lioba’s room, he had gone to Ligeia’s room, reporting what had happened.

»Maybe, just a harmless thief – or a panty sniffer! It seemed that he has collected the discarded underwear!«

Ligeia nodded.

»Maybe! Or maybe, someone who collected her belongings for her! Anyway, we should have an eye at Weißendorf ourselves! Lioba doesn’t know us, and we should also meet with the girls!«

Marvin was sure that Ligeia also wanted to have a look at Salome, but since the trip meant he could meet with Sabrina, he didn’t mind.

»What about the ski box, Ma’am?«

»Leave it on the car, Marvin«, Ligeia replied with a smile, »if we won’t need it, I think I can afford the extra fuel, and if we need it – well, I don’t think I will have to explain that to you!«

***

Sabrina had parked at a place from which she had a good view on the road leading to Hermannstadt. She had no idea what car Lioba would use, but if it was a rented car, it wouldn’t be too shabby, and it would also not be a truck or a van, narrowing it down. In addition, there was hardly any traffic on the road, and so, she used her binoculars to also have a look at the building that housed the »Transylvanian Spirit« factory.

Suddenly, she saw a figure storm towards the door, and she focussed the binoculars. Still, she couldn’t see details, but the running woman was blonde and tall, and she seemed quite upset. So, Eileen had realized that Salome had not just another cigarette break or had sprained her ankle.

»I think we should move Salome once I am back! If there’s a search party, they might otherwise get too close!«

Her phone signalled a message, and she read that Ligeia was on the way, too. So, she decided to wait until she would see the SUV o the road. If Ligeia wanted to see Salome, or take her with her, it would no longer be her and Milena’s problem.

***

Eileen was overwhelmed by the scent of malt when she entered the main hall. Aurica had told them her factory had been a brewery before, and that she was using the old copper kettles for her product, too. She looked around, not sure whether there was an office, and she ran into a man who seemed a bit startled, but not angry because of her appearance. He grinned and let his eyes wander over her buxom forms under the skimpy clothes.

»Where is Aurica! Salome, my friend, has disappeared!«

Obviously, the man spoke little to no German, but he understood Aurica’s name. He replied something that contained her name, and Eileen nodded, trying to express that she wasn’t mad or hysteric, but had a severe problem.

The man grinned and offered her a hand. Eileen took it, and he led her towards the other end of the hall. After a few yards, Aurica appeared, a clipboard in her hand. Before Eileen could say something, she noticed the angry sparkle in the Romanian’s eyes. Then, she saw that she was staring at her hand in that of the man, and she made herself loose.

Aurica hissed something to the man, and he mockingly bowed and withdrew. Then, she turned towards Eileen, asking with ice in her voice:

»So, you already have met Ion?«

»Ion?«, Eileen repeated, perplexed at the unfriendly welcome. Then, she remembered why she had come:

»Salome! She hasn’t come home, and she also didn’t get hurt on the way!«

She quickly reported what she had seen – or rather not seen –, and after a few sentences, she noticed that Aurica wasn’t really listening. Instead, she was looking over her shoulder, and Eileen turned her head. Ion was standing there, and it was clear that he was just pretending to inspect the piece of pipe in the table in front of him.

Aurica put her hands in her hips and scolded the man who withdrew with a lewd grin, and a blink towards Eileen. The girl noticed that Aurica was looking after the man, and she shouted:

»Salome has disappeared! Maybe, she got kidnapped!«

Only now, Aurica seemed to listen, and Eileen could see she at least had the courtesy of showing concern. After a while, she gathered her employees, and Eileen felt watched by more men. One of them, a young man with a dark complexion, reminded her of someone, but she couldn’t put her finger on it.

Most of the men had seen Salome the day before, and a black girl in a small Romanian village had of course risen attention. However, no one had seen her on that very morning, and also, no one had seen a stranger, or heard anyone making remarks about what he would do to the girl if he ever met her alone. One of the men made a remark, and the dark-skinned guy glanced at him, whilst the man beside him held him back. Aurica explained:

»Radu suggested she was stolen by the Gypsies, and Dorinel – well, you can see!«

Eileen couldn’t believe it. It wasn’t the latent racism of Radu, but the fact he was making jokes when her friend was missing. She shouted at the man, and though he didn’t understand, he stared at her heaving chest. Aurica stepped in between.

»Stop it! This is not a joke!«

Whatever she then said to Radu, it washed the grin from his face, and her lowered his head. Then, she turned towards Ion, and her tone became more conciliant. Eileen then saw how the men dispersed, and Aurica turned towards her.

»They will search for her in the woods! I told them that I will pay for the day, plus a bonus if they find her!«

Perhaps, she expected gratitude, but Eileen just wanted to help. However, Aurica held her back.

»If there are really some criminals, the men can deal with them better!«

As on keyword, three of the men passed them on their way to the main gate. Two of them held iron bars, whilst the third had shouldered a shotgun. Eileen gulped.

»Sh-shouldn’t we c-call the Police?«

Aurica shook her head.

»For some of my men, the memory of Ceausescu’s still too fresh to think positive of the Police! However, if they haven’t found her until«, she looked at her wristwatch, »4 pm, I will call the Department in Hermannstadt! Now, all we can do is wait!«

***

Outside the city, Lioba had made Vlad stop at a small petrol station where she wanted to buy cigarettes. She had decided that being involved in a crime was a bad time to quit, and so, she bought a pack of a local brand that was the cheapest. When she left the shop, she could see that Vlad was no longer sitting on the driver’s seat. Guessing he had taken the opportunity to relieve himself, she entered the car – and gasped when she saw he was still there, but had slid from his seat, hiding in the footwell.

»What are you doing?«, she breathed, reflexively lowering her voice. Vlad pointed at the petrol station where an SUV with a coloured ski box on top was parked. She could see a tall man fill the tank, and someone else was sitting in the backseat.

»Last time I saw this man, he was trying to steal your unspeakables and hit me when I didn’t let him do so!«

Also hiding, Lioba watched the man finish fuelling the car. Now, she could read the license plate, and she tried to memorize it. The car was from Germany, and she had to think of her attackers. None of them had been a tall man, but they had also spoken German, and she was not willing to believe that this was a coincidence.

When the car had left, Lioba looked at Vlad who was pulling himself back onto the seat.

»What do you say, how big is the chance that if we continue our trip to Weißendorf, this car will already be there?«

Instead of an answer, Vlad left the car, walked around and opened the passenger door, reaching his hand towards Lioba. He made her get out, and she looked at him questioningly.

»Have a cigarette – and give me one, too!«

She obeyed, and once she had inhaled, he added:

»Once you have finished it, you will drive! And shortly before we reach the village, you will drop me! With a little bit of luck, they will think that you are alone, and as long as you are among other people, they can’t do much! I will stay close, as your backup, but perhaps, they shall not know yet that I am with you!«

It sounded like a plan, though Lioba doubted that Vlad could do too much if she got into trouble. She didn’t doubt his courage, but he had no weapon, and unlike Mike, he also wasn’t a skilled Martial Arts fighter.

However, he was right that they wouldn’t try anything if they were surrounded by witnesses. So, she decided that as long as there were at least five more people around, she would be safe.

***

Salome felt exhausted, both physically and emotionally. She could try a hundred times to tell herself she hadn’t done anything wrong – she still felt as if she had embarrassed herself by reacting to the plug in her rear.

For some terrible and at the same time blissful moments, when she had been in the throes of passion, she had thought that she could hear some spherical music, and a steady drum rhythm. Then, as she had sank down, too exhausted to even rear up when the plug thrust again deep inside her, she had heard what it really was: a scornful clapping.

Salome had felt as if an ice bucket had been poured over her head. She had panted and shaken her head.

»What have I done? Oh my God?«

Her captor hadn’t said a word, but she had playfully pinched her nipples, and a finger had raked over her still hot and moist pubic mound. Saloma, though cringing with shame, had felt a fingernail, telling her it was a woman.

She had left her alone for a while, and though Salome had thought that she had heard soft steps little later, she had definitely returned after some minutes. To her surprise, she had freed Salome’s legs and then assisted the groggy girl to get off the plug. With a wet cloth, she had washed over her rear, and she had also put some cream into her cleft before she had allowed Salome to sit on the other side of the post, with her legs still free. Then, she had left her alone again.

For some time, Salome had silently sobbed, trying to cope with her humiliation and the slightly sore feeling in her rear, reminding her of her ordeal – and of the pleasures that had come with it. After what seemed an eternity, Salome had felt another urge, and she had tried if her legs would carry her if she brought herself into a standing position. It had taken a few attempts, but finally, she could raise, at least until the nails that had stopped her from getting up touched her arms.

Leaning against the post, she had staggered as far to the left as the bondage and the nails allowed. Then, with a sigh of relief, and fearing that every second, there would again be the woman mockingly applaud her, she peed before getting to the other side, so she could sit on dry ground. Even that little effort had been strenuous, and Salome again panted. Then, she once again felt the touch of one of the nails.

»Mhhmm?«

Salome tried to visualize her bondage: her arms tied behind the post, with both tape and zip ties, and her elbows forced as close as the post allowed. In front of her inner eye, she could also imagine the protruding nails, and an idea began to form inside her head.

»I have to give it a try! What can they do if I fail? Make me suffer?«

She ignored the fact that there could be done more to her, and she squirmed and twisted her arms, until the elbow tie was hooked to one of the nails.

»Okay, now, close your eyes and think of freedom!«

Salome bit down on her gag. Then, she did a little jump. She groaned when a sharp pain shot through her elbows as the nail ripped on the bonds. Then, however, she felt that she could move her arms a bit. The zip tie was torn, and the tape was also partially shredded.

With frantic moves, she ripped the remnants of the tape on the nail. Now, with more movement, Salome could get herself into a standing position. She knew that there was just one more »Ouch!« between her and freeing her hands.

She took a few deep breaths, listening closely if she still was alone. She feared that some female voice would say »Nice try! Now, we will restrain you a little harder – after we have punished you!«

She moved her bound wrists over the nail, ripping the tape, until only the zip tie was restraining her. Again, she pressed her wrists against the nail and then put all her weight on them by jumping.

»Oouuhmmph!«

It hurt, but at the same time, she felt the relief of herself rolling over the ground – because she was no longer tied to the post!

With numb fingers, she picked on the cloth tied over her head. When it fell, she looked around, noticing she was in some dusty old barn – alone. Salome crawled towards the ajar door on all fours, looking outside before she started picking on the tape sealing her mouth.

She was beside a small house, similar to Aurica’s, but located in the forest and looking as if it hadn’t been inhabited for years. Staring at the house, she ripped the tape from her lips and removed the cleave gag, allowing her to get her sodden socks and panties from her mouth. She coughed and wheezed, still on all fours, when she heard the sound of an engine and spotted an approaching car between the trees.

In the few seconds the car needed to pass the other side of the house, Salome managed to stagger out of the barn and hide behind the same barrel that had given Andrina shelter some time before. She silently prayed that her kidnappers would get inside before deciding to look after her, giving her a bit of a head start.

The car, an old Lada Niva, stopped, and when the driver exited, Salome had almost screamed: the petite woman was no one other than one of those who had kidnapped her, Eileen and five other girls ten months ago! It was the black-haired one, the one who had been even meaner than her blonde companion. She trembled from the mere memory of how they had forced Tamiko to shave Salome’s pubic hair whilst being blindfolded.

As on keyword, the blonde stepped out of the house, and with a laugh, she pointed at the barn.

»Seems you missed the show! Anyway, I gave her a little break – but maybe, we can persuade her to perform another time!«

They approached the barn, and Salome ran. She didn’t look for anything, barely heard the curse of her captors when they noticed her escape. The naked girl staggered through the bushes, ignoring when twigs hit her bare legs. Suddenly, she slipped when something hit her ankle. Salome landed in the leaves, feeling that she wasn’t hurt, and she wanted to raise when something landed on her back, and a hand was pressed over her mouth.

***

»Welcome to Liobaland!«

In his package, Vlad had a copy of a map showing Weißendorf, with some of the properties marked on it, showing which of them belonged to Lioba’s heritage. Lioba felt a bit like the orphan kid, when, at the beginning of the story, it was told it was the Chosen One.

Since she had left Romania being three years old, her memories were few and vague, though she had been born in Hermannstadt and spent her early years in a village just 30 kilometres away. However, she considered the hills and forests as beautiful, and to know that some of it belonged to her made her feel – special.

»Aww, look! There’s even a castle!«

She knew that she had sounded quite girlish, and Vlad smiled as he slowed down the car. The »castle« was an old watchtower with a small side building, but it was indeed possible that it had been built in the times of the man he was named after.

»According to the map, it is yours, too!«

He left the road and maneuvered the Dacia over the uneven path leading towards the tower. Now, they could see that it was indeed just a tower and a stone hut, all covered with ivy, but it looked enchanted, and they had passed a few dozen yards before Lioba realized she had taken Vlad’s hand. She withdrew and cleared her throat.

»Perhaps, I should behave less enthusiastic when it comes to negotiations!«

»Let’s say you are just precautious, for your shoes are not apt for this underground«, Vlad replied and took her hand, aiding her in staggering through some scrubs, until they stood in front of the tower’s entrance.

»Maybe, you allow me to come here with Anna before you sell it! She’s still on her Princess trip!«

Standing there, holding hands with a man who was talking about his daughter, made Lioba feel a little awkward. Again, she withdrew her hand and went to the remnants of the wall. From here, she had a good view on the valley and apart of Weißendorf. It looked as if she was watching a scene from the Middle Ages – if one didn’t count a big rectangular concrete building. She pointed at it and asked Vlad if he knew what it was.

»Oh, that’s maybe the most profitable part of your realm! It’s the only industry of the whole village – a former brewery, but now they are producing energy drinks. ›Transylvanian Spirit‹!«

»I – I own a factory?«

»You own the land it is built upon – and I am afraid the lease hasn’t been raised since the early 90ies. Not quite enough to retire and to live as Lady Lioba I.!«

For a few moments, Lioba enjoyed the feeling of being a veritable Lady, looking over her realm. Then, she said:

»Something around here must be more valuable than it seems. And this factory is more likely to be such a thing than some random house!«

She turned around and added:

»I tell you what – since I had to drop you somewhere anyway, I will just leave you here, so you can explore the castle! Since you have done so much for me, I am considering giving it to you anyway! Meanwhile, I will spend a visit to the factory and enjoy some ›Transylvanian Spirit‹!«

Vlad wanted to stop her, but he thought twice: at the factory, there would be some ten persons, so, Lioba would be quite safe. In addition, he wanted to explore the tower. Lioba’s idea of giving it to him definitely delighted him; not because it was so valuable, but it would allow him to tell his daughter that now, she was not only a Princess by name.

»Promise me to be careful!«

He wanted to brush over her nose, and Lioba playfully bit his finger. They exchanged a hug, and then, he looked after her as she searched her way back to the car. More than once, she had to lift her tight skirt to step over some bush, and Vlad watched until he heard the sound of the car. Then, he began to explore Anna’s future realm.

***

The steps rustling through the leave-covered ground grew faint: obviously, the two women were looking for her somewhere else. Salome allowed herself to let out a fluttering breath of relief, but nevertheless, she waited a few more minutes until she dared to raise from the ground.

The girl that had prevented her from screaming had pulled her under a bush and covered them both with leaves, hissing one word: »Quiet!«. Little later, there had been steps, and though Sabrina and Milena had not been shouting, she had felt their presence. Each moment, she had expected a firm hand to grab her ankle, or to feel a barrel at her temple. At one point, some beetle or ant had crawled over her sole, and the girl had to grit her teeth and ball her fists to oppress the urge to twitch and giggle.

Now, they seemed to have gone, and Salome rose, as careful as a WWI soldier in his trench. Beside her, she heard her saviour, and she could see a black  haired girl brush some leaves from her hair and clothes. She recognized her as the girl Aurica had called »crazy Andrina«.

Salome wanted to say something, but Andrina shook her head and put her finger to her lips. Then, she took Salome’s hand and made the naked girl follow her. Salome wasn’t so much concerned about someone seeing her bareness, but that her kidnappers would recognize them, but the girl seemed to know a way between the trees that after some half a mile ended at some rocks.

»Can you climb?«, the girl asked in broken German, and Salome nodded. Andrina climbed up the rock, and she followed her, uncertain where this was going. However, it couldn’t be worse than still being in Sabrina’s and Milena’s clutches.

Though the rock wasn’t big, it was steep, and she had to rely on Andrina’s help to reach its peak. Salome looked around; there was no sign of her kidnappers, but she was sure that she was quite lost and would never find her way back without Andrina’s help.

The girl guided her down the rock on the other side, leading her into a gap built over the millennia by the brook they had now reached. Here, it was a little wider, forming some kind of pond, and Andrina pointed at a small natural cave. It was so small that Salome could see the end of it, and Andrina pointed at a folded blanket.

»If you are cold – but before, please wash!«

Salome’s first rection was to protest, but when she looked down on her nude body, she had to admit that she had indeed seen better times. She was covered with sweat and dirt, leaves were glued to her skin, and in addition, she still felt dirty from her forced climax. So, when Andrina handed her a small soap bar, she stepped into the brook. The water was cold, but it was refreshing, and Salome drank greedily before she washed the dirt and sweat of her body. Andrina sat in the cover of the cave and watched her, with a curiosity that made her feel a little awkward, but that wasn’t creepy or threatening. Then, however, she noticed that Andrina was looking at her middle.

»Do all Blacks have – no hair down there?«

Salome felt her cheeks tingle, and without her dark skin, Andrina would have seen her blush. She shook her head and just replied:

»It’s shaved off!«

»Really? Why?«

Again, it was just naïve curiosity, not an attempt to embarrass her.

»Because the last time I was kidnapped by some perverts, they tied me up and had a friend of mine shave it off – blindfolded!«, she was tempted to answer, but instead, she just covered her middle with one hand and stepped out of the water.

»Do you have a towel?«

Andrina handed her a threadbare towel, and she dried herself before wrapping herself in the blanket. Then, she said:

»Thank you – Andrina! I am Salome!«

She reached her hand to the girl who hook it without hesitation. Salome held her tight and added:

»Andrina, you must warn my friend, Eileen! You know, the tall Blonde! These women – I know them, and they are after her, too!«

The girl freed her hand and shied away a bit. She looked at Salome, the fear and concern in her eyes. »Wait and watch!«, the cards had told her, but there had also been a Black Queen, and there was little doubt who this could be. Also, she had already interfered with other people’s business.

»You stay here! There’s food in corner!«

Salome would have wanted to follow her, but she was still naked except for the blanket, and unlike Andrina, she would draw attention immediately. So, she just begged the girl to get some clothes for her and looked for the promised food once the girl had climbed up the rocks again.

***

Lioba reached the factory after some 15 minutes, for the road followed some curves. She decided that she needed another cigarette, and whilst the smoked, she thought about Vlad. Now, he had not only been kind to her, he had also gotten beaten by the mysterious man. And yet, he was still on her side, seemingly not appalled by her.

»Definitely no coward! And it also seems that he likes what he sees!«

Of course, there were a few arguments against Vlad: he had a daughter, and he lived in Hermannstadt whilst she would soon return to Marseille. And yet – perhaps, there would be some time for a romantic dinner between her finishing the paperwork of her heritage and her flight home. And if Vlad would see the signals she would send-

She finished her cigarette and looked at the factory. It had definitely been built in the Communist era, being functional, but ugly. Through the partially broken windows, she could see parts of a giant copper kettle, and an amateurishly designed billboard promised that »Transylvanian Spirit« would get the customer »the extra bite of energy«.

She smiled. Lioba considered all energy drinks to taste like a carbonized mixture of sugar and rat piss. However, she became serious when she thought of the people working there. Now, her heritage wasn’t just some properties or houses; her decisions would have consequences for the people of Weißendorf, too.

She looked around if there was a sign of the German SUV, but all she could see on the parking lot were two old Ladas and three motorcycles. At least, the workers were there, so, even if the mysterious man and the woman would show up, there would be too many witnesses for them to try anything.

She entered, surprised to find herself in the main production hall, without any lobby. There was no one around, and Lioba could also only hear some distant sounds from the engines.

»Hello? Is anyone here?«, she asked, repeating her question in Romanian. A few moments later, she heard a sound, and from a room with glass walls, obviously an office, came two women. One of them, a blonde in about Lioba’s age, sported a beige business jacket and a matching skirt whilst her taller companion wore a mini skirt and a sleeveless top. Both looked quite frightened and upset, and the small one asked:

»Who are you? What do you want?«

Lioba introduced herself in Romanian, but then, she asked whether the other also spoke German, for Lioba’s Romanian was just enough for some small talk. The woman nodded, and Lioba asked whether she was the head of the factory, for by heritage, she was her new landlady.

The tall blonde continued to be unruly and again checked her phone, though she had done so just moments ago. The one in the business jacket said:

»I am Aurica Popescu, CEO of ›Transylvanian Spirit‹. Miss Karnstein, I am pleased to meet you, but it’s quite inconvenient right now! We have some – personal problems to deal with!«

»Have you seen a black girl, tall and wearing sport’s clothes?«, the tall one blurted, and Lioba frowned. What was going on here?

»I am sure Miss Karnstein can’t help us!«, Aurica hissed, and to Lioba, she added:

»Perhaps, I can phone you on a later occasion? I will give you my card and-«

»I came all the way here – from Marseille!«, Lioba insisted. There was something going on, and she wanted to know what. These two blondes seemed strange, but not threatening, and perhaps, she would get at least a few answers.

Aurica seemed uncertain what to say, and the tall girl was once again occupied with her phone. Before anyone could say something, however, Lioba could hear the sound of steps approaching from behind: it was the characteristic »Clack! Clack!« of high heels.

***

Vlad though that the tower was indeed an ideal playground for Anna and her friends – after he had done some cleanup. In the stone hut, there had obviously been occasional parties, as the floor was covered with shards and cigarette butts. The tower, however, looked definitely more promising. In its floor was a real trapdoor, and when he had opened it, he had seen a dark creepy room craved into the rock. Vlad doubted it was anything more than an old storage room, but in Anna’s phantasy, it would be a dungeon or a treasure chamber.

Carefully, he now tested the stairs leading upstairs. Most likely, he would have to hire a carpenter to build new stairs, so his daughter would be able to reach the top without risking to break through a rotten step.

The stairs were still, surprisingly stable, but the ladder that had once led to the platform on top was broken. Vlad, suddenly determined to get there, finally managed to climb up, though he now looked as if he had rolled himself in the dirt. However, he now could see that both the floor of the platform and the pinnacles were still intact. He could already imagine a flagpole, on it an enlarged version of a coat of arms designed by Anna herself.

»The palace of Her Royal Majesty, Princess Anna of Weißendorf!«

He smiled, and his eyes wandered to another female that had stepped into his life. Much older than his daughter, and fascinating in quite another way than her.

»Lady Lioba of France!«

He stepped to the pinnacles and looked towards the factory. He now had a much better view, and perhaps, he could see her Dacia on the parking lot. If he could see her return to the car, it would be the sign for him to climb down and meet with her at the road.

»Fuck!«

Vlad looked at the parking lot, and there, he could see a few cars and bikes. Lioba’s car stood beside them, but that wasn’t what concerned him; beside the Dacia stood a large SUV, with a big coloured ski box fixed to its roof.

***