Part I: A Devious Friendship

“In three days the King’s ward shall be visiting Nottingham.”

“What the people don’t know is that our clever Prince John is secretly sending 5000 pieces of gold with Lady Marion to the Sheriff.  The purpose of that gold is to crush our little rebellion,” added Robin.  Little John looked at his friend in amazement as Robin Hood continued.  “It is my plan to use that gold to release King Richard from his Austrian prison and return him to England.  In addition, we shall abduct Maid Marion and her traveling companion Lady Anne for a tidy ransom.”

Robin grinned broadly, “My spy tells me that Maid Marion is known in a very select circle as the Bondage Maiden.  It seems the Lady Marion enjoys being thoroughly trussed and silenced.  When we abduct her, we shall certainly accommodate her passion.”

Looking out toward the green meadow, Maid Marion felt the cool wind touch her creamy face and toss her thick raven black hair.  She turned and walked over to her head coachman and asked, “Tom, how much longer will it be before we come to that quaint inn you have been promising us?”

Soon after, Lady Anne laced her fingers with Marion’s and whispered in her ear.  “I have a surprise for you.  Come with me.”

Marion, seeing this, asked (fearing she knew the answer already), “Anne, what are you up to, and what is this mystery all about?”

“But, you haven’t seen my surprise for you yet,” Lady Anne purred as she picked up a white scarf from the box.  “Now, open!” she commanded.

With a little tremor of excitement, Marion complied with Lady Anne’s wishes.  She soon felt the cord encircling her wrists.  She felt the familiar bite as the cords dug into her flesh when Lady Anne cinched them tightly between Marion’s wrists.  Lady Anne likewise bound her elbows in the same manner, leaving Marion’s arms helplessly pinned behind her back.

Marion didn’t have to wait long, for Lady Anne had already prepared a long strip of white silk that had been folded and knotted in the middle.  Lady Anne wedged the knot between Marion’s ruby lips while quickly securing the ends firmly against the nape of her neck.  Once more the ends were brought around Marion’s mouth.  The remaining ends of the gag were again knotted at Marion’s neck, leaving her a muted victim of Lady Anne’s desires.

Satisfied with her work, Lady Anne looked at her friend with amused contentment and said, “Now for my surprise.”

Lady Anne gently kissed Marion’s forehead to sooth her fears while pushing her back against the bench seat.  Without notice the steel blade slashed the back of the seat on Marion’s right, then on her left.

But Lady Anne wasn’t through.  Once more she placed her hand in the forbidding black box to pick out two or more cords.  She bent down to the carriage flor and looped them in opposite directions around the binding materials that held Marion’s ankles together.  Two steel rings were imbedded into the coach; one at the base of the seat, the other in the carriage floor.  Lady Anne reached for the first rope and hitched it to the steel oval bolted to the seat base, which pulled Marion’s ankles up toward the seat.  The second rope was drawn to the floor ring and was swiftly tethered there, leaving no slack in the rope.  Marion’s feet were totally immobilized, as was the rest of her body.

Without a further word, Lady Anne dashed out the carriage door.  Marion was left behind, the perfect damsel in distress.

The two men seized Lady Anne and held her arms behind her back.  She cried out, “What’s the meaning of this?”

Tom approached Lady Anne with a crumpled black silk cloth in his hand.  The counter plot became clear to Lady Anne as she allowed the cloth to be forced into her mouth.  Tom was not satisfied that one piece of silk was enough to fill Lady Anne’s mouth, so he removed another black scarf from his coat pocket and began to crush it into a ball.  Lady Anne didn’t like the thought of more silk being wedged past her lips, but it was useless fighting the iron grip of the two men behind her.  Tom packed the silk into the empty spaces until every portion was filled from the top of her pallet to the floor of her mouth.  From behind, a folded black silk scarf was brought over Lady Anne’s head and soon it too passed between her open lips.  The scarf was knotted tightly against the back of her neck, pushing the wads inside against her tongue.  The ends of the gag ran all the way down to her buttocks.

Lady Anne submitted to Tom’s request and watched as the rope circled her wrists three times.  He pulled it tight and placed a square knot where she couldn’t reach it.  He then ran the loose ends between her wrists, looping them around several times before tying them off again.

Before putting Lady Anne in the carriage, Tom took the two ends of the black scarf that gagged her and pulled them down to the rope around her waist.  He knotted the long scarf several times about the rope until he was satisfied that it couldn’t slip.  The scarf tied at her back made Lady Anne look skyward, with her hands tied in front of her it appeared that Lady Anne was praying to her favorite saint for deliverance, which in fact she may have been doing!.

“Yes, I have begun to enjoy switching from the submissive role to the one in control.  Tell me the truth, Anne, don’t you find it pleasurable to be totally under my power?” responded Marion.

“I have known you since childhood, dear Anne.  Your trickery is quite easy for me to detect.  I thought it would be fun to see you taken by surprise.  I might add, it was most delightful,” answered Maid Marion.  “Now enough of this talk.  Let us take advantage of this splendid inn.”

The Widow Smyth greeted the weary travelers.  “Welcome to the Longbow Inn.  Do you care for refreshments and lodging for the evening?”

“Excellent.  We have a rack of lamb and hearty chicken dipped in special glaze, new peas, carrots, and plum tarts for dessert,” boasted the Widow Smyth.  “Not to mention fresh-baked bread and newly churned butter.”

The Widow Smyth blushed.  “Hard work, Tom Canty.”  The Widow Smyth was indeed a lovely woman, she was in her mid-forties, yet she looked no more than thirty.  Her smooth face gave not a clue of it.  Most women her age had turned to fat, but she stayed slim and trim, still able to get into her wedding dress twenty-five years later.

“By the way, where are your other two daughters, Jessie?” asked Tom.

The truth was the missing daughters were in the pantry, each attached to a separate wooden post.  The girls were identically bound by hemp rope at the ankles, knees, thighs, waist, and chest.  The ropes firmly knotted at the back of the wooden pillars.  Their hands had ben pulled behind the beams and had been lashed together at the wrists and elbows.  Gags made of woolen fiber kept the girls in silence.  Two hooded men in green sitting behind them discouraged them from testing the efficiency of the gags.

“That was a delicious dinner,” praised Marion.

Lady Anne suppressed a yawn.  “Bed for me.  It’s been a long day, and I think I’ll retire early.”

Lady Anne went up the stairs, turned left at the rail, and went into her room.  Marion was left with Tom and Melanie.  Willy and George had retired to the stable outside where servants stayed, and the Widow Smyth had gone down into the pantry.

Melanie cleared away the dishes as Marion sipped her wine.  She soon became drowsy as she watched the fire blaze.  Finally, Marion put her glass down, and made her way to the stairs.

Marion could see two men out of the corner of her eye.  both were hooded.  One was lean and well-muscled, the other was a broad giant.  The voice continued, “I am going to remove my hand for a moment… do NOT scream.”

After binding her hands, the giant left Marion and returned to Lady Anne.  He quickly blindfolded her and then took a burlap sack and brought it over her head.  He proceeded to pull it past the rest of her body.  He gathered the opening of the sack together and tied a rope around it to hold it in place around her ankles.

Binding Marion at the wrists and elbows would have been enough to hold most women, including her, but the man had other ideas as he laced another rope about her upper arms.  Marion felt her shoulders being pulled behind her, her arms coming closer together.

The shapeless sack that held Lady Anne was deposited on the floor with only a faint sound of protest, then Marion took Anne’s place on the bed.  She looked up at the lean man only to see a blur of cloth covering her eyes.  She couldn’t fight the blindfolding as she felt the scratchy fabric being drawn tight over her eyes.  Marion knew what would happen next as a hand touched her feet.  She could feel a rope being slipped around her bound ankles.  Soon the fibered cord pulled her feet into the air until they nearly touched her hands.  The cord was knotted effectively between her wrists, leaving her little hope of escape.   Just as Marion had watched Lady Anne being enclosed in burlap, Marion was now being similarly encased.

Robin hoisted the sacked Maid Marion to his shoulder and said, “I suggest we ready our lovely prisoners for their journey.”

She pleaded with Alan-a-Dale, “Please, Alan, the ropes are very tight.  Couldn’t you loosen them just a little.?”

“That’s hardly a fair comparison.  They are gagged,” responded Melanie.

Melanie, realizing what she had said, begged, “Alan!  Darling!  Forget about the ropes but have mercy!  I don’t wish to be gagged!”

“No, of course not.  I suppose I’m being foolish.”

One of the men handed Alan a folded pad of wool.  Alan pushed the wad into Melanie’s open mouth.  Next the drew a piece of wool between her teeth to hold the wadded material in place.  Alan asked Melanie to bend her head forward so he was better able to knot the gag.  As the others had been gagged, Anne, Marion, and the rest, so was Melanie also silenced with a second wool band.

Melanie nodded her head yes in agreement, her eyes misty with submissive desire.  The man she loved wanted to possess her as a helpless captive.  She, too, wanted to be possessed, to be held, to be loved.  It was his soothing touch, his affectionate, warm smile as he touched her gag-covered cheek, she had at first hated the suffocating gag and the taut bonds, but now she was beginning to find something terribly wonderful about her helpless state.  She could never admit it to Alan, but she felt a growing fondness for this state of thralldom, and she found herself being aroused by her helplessness at his hands, by his tender touch, which seemed magnified by her immobility.  She trembled and nearly swooned as he kissed her gagged lips.

The Widow Smyth murmured past her gag in agreement.  Alan-a-Dale kissed her on the forehead and departed.

Maid Marion and Lady Anne were dumped onto a cart that held potato sacks.  More sacks were piled on top of the well-trussed ladies until there was no distinguishing between the sacks holding potatoes or captive women.  A man stepped up to the driver’s seat and spurred the oxen on their way toward Sherwood.

Part III: Captives of Sherwood

Maid Marion spent a restless night lying on her back in Sherwood Forest.  Both she and Lady Anne were stretched out on cots with their hands pulled over their heads and tethered to a crossbar.  Their feet were likewise bound to the ends of their respective beds.  The ladies remained blindfolded and gagged, thus left unable to communicate with each other except with grunts and groans.

Lady Anne wished for the ordeal to be over.  She never had enjoyed long periods of bondage the way Marion did.  It had been twelve hours since she had been thrown onto the cart with all those potatoes heaped on top of her.  She had felt every rut and bump in the road with no way to cushion herself against the constant jarring.  By the time they had arrived in the forest, Anne’s arms were completely numb due to the taut ropes.  She and Marion had been carried into a shelter of some kind, taken out of their sacks, and re-tied sitting on individual cots.  It had been quite a relief when her bonds were cut away.  Her arms had felt like dead weight, and she had been powerless to resist when her hands were lashed in front of her.  She had allowed the men to lay her back and bind her to the cot and was grateful that the ropes weren’t cutting off her circulation.  Then she heard a man’s voice whisper in her ear.

The man’s hands had then began to caress Lady Anne’s breasts.  Anne had jerked against her bonds, only to find they were contracting around her wrists with each tug, but that hadn’t stopped her from fighting.  How dare he touch her, a lady of royalty!  Had she not been gagged, she would have screamed the hut down.  The final humiliation was that the gag had so cunningly been tied that it allowed only the most pitifully feeble of sounds to be produced.  Satisfied, the man had left her to ponder her helplessness.

Of all the women Lady Anne had bound in her time, she felt that Maid Marion was the most perfect subject.  Her innocence was so enticing!  She loved Marion most with expensive silk scarves muting her every complaint and silken cords that compelled her to obey Lady Anne’s every wish.  Marion would always put up resistance, which only heightened Anne’s desire, especially since she knew it was an act; the Bondage Maiden hopelessly adored being bound and helpless.

From behind her back an iron ring with a manacle rigidly attached to each side was snapped on Lady Anne’s left arm just above her elbow.  The right arm had to be pulled back toward the left before it, too, was imprisoned in the steel.  The manacles pulled Anne’s shoulders back, bringing her to attention and causing the chiffon to stretch tight across her breasts.  Lady Anne knew that even if the ropes were removed, she could never escape from the iron bracket without a key.  Soon, not only was she fettered, but her feet were shackled with an eighteen-inch steel chain.  She was then led out of the hut.

The common folk who had gathered around watched the noble-born captive hobble along because of the hampering shackles.  Some of them felt pity for her, others held contempt in their hearts, and enjoyed the sight of a high-born lady suffering.

Lady Anne smiled broadly.  “You poor dear.  You look so confused.  You're probably asking yourself why I’m not trussed up like you.  Well, I was a few minutes ago.  The simple truth is this, I have agreed to become Robin Hood’s agent.  Spy, if you will.”

Lady Anne explained.  “Robin is raising the ransom money for your guardian, King Richard.  Prince John would rather let him rot in Austria.”

“If you can’t take my word for it, then maybe you'll believe a man who has been like a father to you.”

“Lord Walter Sims.”

Marion rushed into Lord Walter’s arms and began to cry.  Lord Walter stroked her hair as a father might, consoling her.  He spoke gently.  “I’m afraid what Lady Anne has said is all true.  Prince John has played you for a dupe.  But by his doing so, you shall become King Richard’s greatest ally.”

“By spying on his activities in Nottingham Castle.  This was why you and Lady Anne were kidnapped, so it would appear that all Robin Hood wanted was the gold in the coach, and the ransom for you.  In order to maintain the appearance of being loyal, Prince John will have to pay the ransom and reclaim you.  He won’t like it, but he can’t afford an uprising right now.  If we can play this gambit through, he’ll never suspect that all the gold will be used to set King Richard free, he’d never pay it if he knew.  And,” Lord Walter squeezed her hands affectionately, “We’ll then have you and Lady Anne there in Nottingham to keep an eye on him.  A lot will depend on you.  Can you do it?”

“I knew I could,” said Lord Walter, and hugged her again.  “And now, I must be going.  I can’t afford to be seen here or all is lost.  Be of stout heart and know that I love you.”

“You realize that for the sake of the villagers, and any spies or lose tongues that may be among them, you shall have to maintain the appearance of being captives?” Robin apologized.

Lady Anne’s reaction was less calm than that of her friend, but she accepted the necessity of it, her look of shocked outrage changed to one of resignation.

Robin Hood said to Marion, “We shall endeavor to make this as comfortable for both of you as possible.  Would you like to gag your friend?”

Lady Anne pouted prettily as her friend proceeded.  From the black box Marion removed three purple scarves and one black one.  She took one of the purple scarves and, wading it into a ball, stuffed it into Anne’s reluctant mouth.  A second one followed the first, filling Lady Anne’s mouth completely.  Taking the black scarf, she tied a large knot in its center.  This she wedged between Anne’s teeth, wrapped the rest of it around the back of her head, brought the ends back around and knotted them, on top of the other knot, as tightly as she could.  She tucked the ends inside.  A purple scarf covered everything with a band of silk and was knotted snug in the back.  Marion could see that the last purple scarf nearly covered most of Anne’s lower jaw.  Pleased with herself, she commented, “You know, Anne, that purple is the color of royalty.  And I must say, it becomes you.”

“There, now,” cooed Will Scarlet as he produced a black satin hood from his bag.  We can’t have you overtly annoyed.”

Then Will led her off into the woods.  Lady Anne could only follow, taking short, hobbled steps.

Once finished tightening the various straps, Robin commented, “Now Marion, see if you can escape.”

“No, Lady Marion.  I may have lost my lands and titles, but I still believe in some chivalry.”

Robin Hood touched Marion’s cheek.  “Don’t be mistaken in thinking that I don’t want to, but this is not the right time or place.

Robin drew Marion to him.  It was a lovely moment sending shivers down Marion breathed heavily.  “Please, kiss me again!”

“As you will, my Lord,” agreed Marion glumly.

“Yes, my Lord,” replied the obedient Marion, her eyes dancing.

Robin checked the scarf for slackness and found thee was none.  He produced the last scarf and tucked it into a three-inch strip.  This scarf was double thick, which would silence Marion all the more.  The middle of the scarf was placed over Marion’s lips, and slowly tightened until it was completely smooth across Marion’s face.  When satisfied, he knotted it.  Robin passed the scarf twice more over Marion’s lower jaw from opposite directions.  He took his time stretching the material out before placing the final knot just below Marion’s left ear.

Robin approached her almost timidly as he said, “I must hood you and leave you with some of the women.  Understand they will probably taunt you but try to be as gracious as you can be with them, for they really mean no harm.”

Over the next few days, both Marion and Lady Anne remained bound, hooded, and gagged except when they were fed by Robin and Will Scarlet.

Marion only wished Robin Hood would take her.  He would always bind her arms first; sometimes with the harness, sometimes behind her back, or sometimes in front.  He would then kiss her.  During their time together each kiss became longer, each one being far more passionate than the one before.  Marion would always ask for another, but it would be rewarded with the subduing effect of silk.  For the first time in her life, Marion hated the touch of silk against her face as it stifled her words of love.  She only hoped that she conveyed her feelings well enough wither eyes to Robin.  When he kissed her, the ropes always restrained her from embracing him, and she hated that as well.

Marion was truly a siren, using her eyes to weave her spell upon Robin.  He was nearly transfixed sometimes but could still be strong enough to drop the satin hood over her head.  Then she could not see his sigh of relief as the enchantment was broken for the moment.  But was it really?  Robin could still view the ropes that encompassed Maid Marion’s sweet body.  It was nearly too much for him, and he wanted to lead her in another direction, but always steered Marion toward the camp.  It would be the village women for her, and not the grassy forest floor.  Robin was thinking of a time in the future when he would no longer be an outlaw and could court Maid Marion as a nobleman and a suitor and could make her his wife with all honor intact.  But she made it so hard.

Guy of Gisbourne had led a small party of soldiers into Sherwood.  Not more than twenty feet before him, two women were hooded and bound, each sitting side saddle upon a horse.  One woman was dressed in white satin, the other in black.  Both women were secured with red silken cords at the wrists, elbows, ankles, and about their torsos.  To make certain that the ladies might not slip off their horses, their waists were lashed to the saddle.  Also, their feet were tethered to the left stirrup for the lady in white and the right stirrup for the lady in black.

Before Guy of Gisbourne could reach the women, an arrow thudded into the ground, halting Gisbourne’s progress.  Robin Hood’s voice boomed from the trees.  “Not a step further until we see the color of the gold you're bearing!”

“I believe the price was 10,000 pieces of gold.  I rather hope for the ladies’ sake that you have the ransom,” demanded Robin Hood.

“I gather you do not trust us,” chuckled Robin.

“Yes,” said Robin, “I am sure you are.  By all means, inspect them!”

In a low, strong voice, Gisbourne conferred with Marion.  “We must leave this place in all haste, My Lady.  Any delay might be fatal, so please forgive me for not releasing you or Lady Anne.  There will be time for that once we’re away from this evil forest.”

Gisbourne went to Lady Anne and plucked her headpiece off.  He didn’t really care if it was truly Lady Anne under the satin cowl or not, for it was Marion who was the King’s ward and the person of value.  Gisbourne did observe that Lady Anne looked equally stunning wrapped in scarlet silk and cord.  He considered the Islam Devil’s philosophy regarding making their women their slaves.  After seeing Marion and Anne, he decided it certainly had its merits.  Gisbourne tucked the hoods inside his tunic in an absent-minded gesture and rode to the head of the column.

Robin marched up to Gisbourne after verifying the value of the gold.  “I have had my men put the good ladies’ trunks on the cart.  They will need them during their stay at Nottingham.”

Robin walked back to Lady Anne and Marion.  “I do hope your stay here hasn’t been too excruciating upon you.  If you can see it in your hearts to forgive us for keeping you bound and gagged it would be a nice gesture.  Although it should be expected for anyone who’s an ally of Prince John.”

“Well then, I suggest you be off!” snarled Robin.

Soon, they were out of the forest.  Before them stood the coach that would bear Maid Marion and Lady Anne to the Longbow Inn, where this adventure had begun so long ago.

It would be a long, weary time at Nottingham.  She vowed that, when King Richard was free and she was reunited with Robin Hood, she would give him cause to wrap her in rope often.

The End

We hope you have enjoyed this issue’s fiction selection.  For those not familiar with the legend, Robin and Marion have several more exciting adventures, and in the end, do indeed “tie the knot”.