"Aye, it's all the village folk can talk about these days," agreed Little John.
"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 travelling companion Lady Anne for a tidy ransom."
A little smile touched Robin's lips and a twinkle came into his eyes. Little John, observing this, asked, "Why do you smile so?"
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."
A day and a half later a royal carriage was stopped by the side of the road to rest the horses. 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?"
"It will be about four hours, Milady. We should be there just before dusk," the coachman said.
Soon after, Lady Anne laced her fingers with Marion's and whispered in her ear, "I have a surprise for you. Come with me." Lady Anne led Marion to the coach, gently pulling her inside. Soon she was rummaging about below the bench seat, from whence she pulled out a large black wooden box. Marion, seeing this, asked (fearing she knew the answer already), "Anne, what are you up to, and what is this mystery all about?!" Lady Anne smiled sweetly at Marion and opened the hinged box. There inside were various lengths of ropes and colored silk scarves.
Marion's fears were confirmed. She told her friend, "Anne, this is not the proper time or place for subjection!"
"But you haven't seen my surprise for you yet," Lady Anne purred as she picked up a white scarf out of the box. "Now open!" she commanded. Marion did so obediently as Lady Anne wadded the scarf and pushed it deeply into her mouth. "Do not consider pushing that out with your tongue. If you do you'll certainly regret it! Now turn your back to me and place your hands behind, palm to palm." 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. How desperately Marion wanted to spit out the silk wad in her mouth! Yet she longed for the next piece of silk to be stretched over her face; to feel the soft coolness of the material against her skin as she fought the silence it created.
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. Lady Anne took another silken strand of rope and bent down, looping it around Marion's ankles several times, tying the loose ends stringently between her ankles.
Satisfied with her work, Lady Anne looked at her friend with amused contentment and said, "Now for my surprise." Her hand reached for the black box once again. This time she pulled out an ivory handled dagger. Seeing this, Marion shook her head in protest, finding at the same time that the gag kept her perfectly speechless. 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. After removing a little stuffing, Lady Anne found what she was looking for: three sets of straps that were bolted to the frame of the carriage. With both hands, Lady Anne took one set of straps, brought them underneath each of Marion's armpits, and belted them tightly against Marion's chest until the leather burrowed into her pale green chiffon dress. The next set of straps were again brought between her arms and torso, and were banded together just below her bosom. The combination of the two straps caused Marion's well rounded breasts to burst out between them. The final strap was cinched around Marion's narrow waist, thus making her imprisonment complete.
But Lady Anne wasn't through. Once more she placed her hand in the forbidding black box to pick out two more cords. She bent down to the carriage floor 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.
Lady Anne touched Marion's captive breasts, causing a low moan from Marion's hampered lips. "Now, my sweet, I must tell the coachman that you're not feeling well, and wish not to be disturbed," said Lady Anne as she kissed Marion's silk-covered lips. Without a further word, Lady Anne dashed out the carriage door. Marion was left behind, the perfect damsel in distress. Lady Anne quickly found Tom, the head coachman, and explained about Maid Marion's changed condition.
What Lady Anne didn't notice was the other two coachmen coming behind her with black ropes in their hands. The two men seized Lady Anne and held her arms behind her back. She cried out, "What's the meaning of this?!" Tom chuckled as he answered her question.
"Our Mistress felt you might try to tie her up, maybe even gag her! She said you might make some excuse why she shouldn't be bothered. Now you shall in turn be bound and gagged! First the gagging."
Tom approached Lady Anne with a crumpled black silk cloth in his hand. The counterplot 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 the 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. One of the men handed Tom a black silken cord.
As if he was trying to calm the nerves of a frightened filly, Tom gently spoke to Lady Anne. "Now George and Willy are going to let go of your arms. I want you to bring your hands forward and clasp them together like you were praying." 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. While Tom was binding Lady Anne's wrists, the man called George was likewise lashing her ankles together. Soon thereafter, Willy placed a lasso around her waist, leaving the ends hanging down her front. Tom grabbed another cord and tied it between her wrists. He brought the cord down and quickly fastened it between her ankles. This put Lady Anne in a rather stooped-over posture. Tom then reached for the lasso's end and wrapped it around her elbows, pulling them in close to her waist.
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!). Poor Lady Anne was finally carried to the coach and sat down opposite Maid Marion. Tom entered the coach and spoke to his helpless Mistress.
"Does Milady wish to continue with our plan as we discussed it?" Marion nodded her head in response, her dark eyes sparkling. Tom addressed his next statement to Lady Anne. "There was a reason for binding your hands in front of you. You have roughly four hours to release my Mistress before our arrival at the inn. If you do not, then you shall be bound and gagged for the remainder of the trip. If you can loosen your own bonds, Maid Marion will remain in bondage." Tom paused for a moment, then continued, "If there is nothing else required of me, I shall take my leave."
Marion shook her head violently, moaning through her silken gag. Tom, always courteous to his beloved Mistress, said, "Yes Milady, what troubles you?" Marion's eyes turned to the black box, still open. Lady Anne knew what she was trying to tell Tom. She hoped he wouldn't find it. Tom looked into the box, but saw only scarves and ropes and wondered what his Mistress wanted him to find. Then his eyes lit up as he picked up a purple scarf. "Do you wish me to blindfold her?" He asked with a grin. Marion again shook her head no. Her eyes returned to the box. Tom was about to lay down the scarf when he saw what his Mistress wanted: an ivory handle which turned out to be a dagger. Tom slipped it into his belt and with that he bid the captive ladies adieu.
Soon the coach was rolling on its way to the inn. Marion was enjoying herself now, seeing her friend in such a predicament. Marion thought to herself that Lady Anne was truly a beauty; she had such lovely, delicate features. Her long, corn silk hair, so smooth and fine, was the envy of the court, as were her sky blue eyes. Yet, Marion felt she was most beautiful when in bondage. How pretty the way the black scarf parted her lips, and how it made her golden hair even more lovely to gaze upon! The black cords that neatly embroidered Lady Anne's body were a delight to Marion's eyes. Black was definitely Lady Anne's color, not the light blue gown she wore.
Lady Anne struggled against her bonds for a half hour before giving up. Even if she could dislodge the gag that forced her gaze upward, she probably couldn't reach any of the ropes with her teeth. Tom and his companions had done too fine a job! How smugly content Marion looked to Lady Anne! Marion had successfully turned the tables on her. Now she was the one who had to dance to Maid Marion's tune! But Lady Anne was going to have some fun first ...
Lady Anne struggled to her feet and toppled toward her bound friend. She twisted her body and fell sideways across Marion's lap. She reached for the top strap across Marion's chest, but then her bound hands slid down to Marion's cleavage and she began stroking Marion's breasts. Marion's nipples soon turned hard under Lady Anne's deft hands. Low animal moans of pleasure began to filter out through the silk gag. Lady Anne's sharp fingernails began to press deeper into Marion's skin as she too became aroused. Pain mingled with pleasure, causing Marion to fight back. She tried to squirm back and forth to get away from Anne's touch, but the straps held her firmly. Marion was at Lady Anne's mercy as the arousal increased in both women...
How often in the past they had played this game! One woman was placed in the role of the helpless damsel, while the other played the handsome prince. In the fantasy, the prince would find his lady fair helplessly bound and gagged. Before releasing her, he would tease her by fondling her private parts, increasing her desire to be taken by him. The prince would then remove the damsel's gag and gently kiss her lips. The damsel would return his kiss with fiery passion and beg that he would take her. After loosing all of her bonds, the two became one in love...
So went their fantasy. Now it fired Marion's blood as Anne mauled her body, almost driving her beyond the brink. Marion opened her eyes and moaned in frustration as she felt the straps being released. Lady Anne had tormented Marion as long as she dared. Time was running out for her! She had to unfasten Marion's bonds. Lady Anne had no real difficulty unbelting the three straps, but she knew the ropes would be another matter. She finished removing the last strap from around Marion's waist five minutes later. She then hopped off Marion's lap and sat down on the seat beside her. Marion turned to her side so Lady Anne could engage the ropes that bound her arms. It was slow work for Anne, who had intended to cut the ropes with the dagger. Now she had to dig her fingernails into the knots and try to undo them. This was more difficult because she couldn't look directly at the bonds with her head tilted upward.
Twenty-five minutes later, Lady Anne was ready to give up and accept her bondage sentence when she felt the knot slip. Soon it had unraveled and Marion's hands were free, although her arms were still pinned by the rope around her elbows. Lady Anne didn't have nearly the difficulty with that rope, and within ten more minutes Marion had freedom of her arms. Lady Anne had hoped that Marion would untie her legs after she rubbed the circulation back into her arms, but those hopes were soon dashed as Marion pointed to her bound ankles. Lady Anne tried to plead with her eyes, but to no avail as she was pushed to the carriage floor. In a kneeling position, Lady Anne bent forward as well as she could and began to kiss Marion's feet and ankles.
The gagged woman continued this act of submission, gently pressing her bound lips to Marion's feet and stroking her covered cheeks against her ankles the way a cat might. A fire began to build in Marion's most inward parts, and compassion filled her being when Lady Anne looked up at her in the manner a slave would to her Master, but she did not relent. She shook her head no. Lady Anne nodded her head in resignation and began to pursue the knots at hand. Anne had managed to remove the cords that led to the two steel rings without too much trouble, but was having the devil's own time loosing the knot that secured Marion's ankles. While Lady Anne worked on the stubborn knot, Marion fingered the outline of the white silk scarf that gagged her. She sometimes wondered why such a soft, smooth, even gentle material could arouse her so when pressed against her lips. When she looked down at her friend and saw how lovely the black gag made her appear, it was only natural to assume that her own silk bandage that hid her features also enhanced her beauty. Yes, probably so, she thought. What a wonder a simple gag could be!
Without realizing it, Marion found that her feet were free. She looked down at the helpless form of Lady Anne, and helped her up to the cushioned seat. Once she had her properly seated, Marion laid her head in Lady Anne's lap to better enable Anne to remove her gag. Before long the muzzling material was off and Marion was able to speak for the first time in two hours.
"You realize, Anne, that you must be punished for your wicked ways?" asked Marion. Lady Anne nodded her head in acknowledgement. "Good," continued Marion. "You shall not be tormented as I have been, but a proper punishment that shall cleanse your very soul! You shall be thrashed on your most tender spot. Fifteen whacks should do it." Two pairs of eyes met for a long silent moment; then Lady Anne's dropped submissively to the floor. This, too, was a game they had played before. With a triumphant, wicked gleam in her eye, Maid Marion drew Lady Anne down across her lap. The skirts and petticoats were gathered about her waist, and her white bottom bared for chastisement. Marion's right hand rose above her head and came slicing through the air with the suddenness of lightning. When the blow landed on Lady Anne's soft buttocks, she reared up, mewing in protest. She kicked and struggled frantically in Marion's lap as the chastisement continued. By the seventh blow tears welled up in her eyes. By the twelfth, her body shook with sobbing. Finally, the fifteenth blow was struck. In less than a minute, Lady Anne's disciplinary action was completed. Marion moved Lady Anne to a sitting position, even though it was most difficult to sit on her reddened bottom.
Lady Anne sank into Marion's arms and Marion cuddled her like she was her own child, gently stroking her hair. Marion kissed the tears away from Anne's cheeks, tasting the salt on her lips. She touched Lady Anne's cheek with a loving hand. Lady Anne responded by kissing the small delicate fingers. Anne's moist blue eyes looked up at Marion and she rose a bit to kiss Marion on her cheek, then her very lips. Their lips met the way lovers might; the kiss was long and satisfactory to both women. Marion felt the cool silk against her lips, wishing that this moment wouldn't end, but finally she forced herself to part from Anne.
"Dear Annie. This shall be a moment in time I shall cherish for all of my life. I love you, Anne. The secret between us literally binds us together, and I can think of no other whom I would prefer being trussed up by." Once more Marion tenderly kissed the lips of Lady Anne. "Now I must place you in that leather harness, but your time there will not be long. We soon shall be at the inn."
Part II: The Inn of the Road
The royal carriage arrived at the Longbow Inn as promised; just before dusk. Inside, Maid Marion was removing the last of the bonds that held Lady Anne prisoner. With her gag undone, Lady Anne commented, "You know, Marion, I think you are becoming rather domineering."
"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.
In a little girl's voice, Lady Anne said, "Yes." Anne again questioned Marion. "How did you know I was going to bind and gag you in the coach?"
"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 two ladies left the carriage and gazed upon the old fashioned country inn with its gables and thatched roof. A single door led to the spacious den that was dominated by a huge stone fireplace that filled one wall. Before the fireplace were three stout wooden tables. The tables were made of hard walnut that cast its dark sheen across the smooth top. The tables had a simple elegance that came from care, as did the straight-backed wooden chairs. Along the wall opposite the fireplace was an L-shaped bar. Behind the bar was a door that led to the pantry. Before Lady Anne and Marion was a flight of stairs that led to three guest rooms. Just to the left of the base of the stairs was the kitchen and the innkeeper's quarters. The Widow Smyth greeted the weary travellers.
"Welcome to the Longbow Inn! Do you care for refreshments and lodging for the evening?"
Maid Marion's warm smile filled the room as she answered. "We are famished and we do have need of rest."
"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." Tom came through the door with his ladies' luggage and spied the Widow Smyth.
He cried out, "Jessie! You are as lovely as I remember you! How do you manage to stay so beautiful?"
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. The redness went out of her face as she summoned her daughter.
"Melanie, I am sure our honored guests are most tired. Show them their rooms so they may refresh themselves."
"By the way, where are your other two daughters, Jessie?" asked Tom.
"Stephanie and Heather are attending to a sick friend down the road. They won't be back till tomorrow morning," was the good widow's reply. 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 been pulled behind the beams, and had been lashed together at the wrists and elbows. Gags made of woollen fibre kept the girls in silence... two hooded men in green sitting behind them discouraged them from testing the efficiency of the gags.
After resting in their rooms for half an hour, Lady Anne and Maid Marion came down for dinner. The Widow Smyth offered French wine for the ladies and ale for the men. The meal would have been fit for any member of royalty, and it was quite a treat for the coachmen.
"That was a delicious dinner," praised Marion.
"Thank you, Milady," beamed the Widow Smyth.
Lady Anne suppressed a yawn. "Bed for me! It's been a long day, and I think I'll retire early."
"I'll soon join you, but for now I desire to enjoy the fire for a little while. Before I go to my room I'll check in on you, and say goodnight," said Marion.
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. Tom moved toward the door.
"After driving all day Milady, and the combination
of food and spirits, my eyes are a might weary as well. Poor Willy and
George are outside... I think I'll join them." 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. She came to Lady Anne's room and knocked on the door; there was no answer. She opened the door and there, across the room, was Lady Anne on her bed. She had a gag over her mouth and was lying on her stomach with her hands and feet bound together. Lady Anne stirred, moaning past her gag, and tried to warn Marion, but it was too late!
A hand clasped over Marion's mouth. A quiet voice, full of command, said, "Not a whisper out of you!" Marion could see two men out of the corners of her eyes. 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!" Marion felt her hands being swiftly lashed behind her back by the giant. The other man inserted a piece of cotton into her mouth, then took a strip of thick woollen material and yanked it between her sweet red lips. The gag was fastened tight against the nape of her neck, and another bit of wool that was folded in a three inch band was placed over Marion's mouth. The lean man swiftly tied the gag, pulling it tight, causing it to grip the curves of her face as if it were a second skin.
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. Meanwhile the lean man had looped a rope around Marion's left elbow and pulled it toward the right one. Marion bit into the wadding and whimpered as he cinched her elbows inward until they nearly touched. He circled the elbows twice more with the rope before securing the end.
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 pressure of the cords pulling her arms back caused Marion's firm breasts to jut out against the cloth of her chiffon gown. The man bent down to Marion's feet and encircled her ankles three times before cinching and knotting the cord between her feet.
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. Even with the fear that held Marion, she brimmed with excitement at being placed in bondage. She always found it intoxicating to be made so very helpless...
The lean man looked down at the two squirming bags and removed his mask, as did the giant. The lean man smiled, "Well, John, that was quite easy!" Robin heisted the sacked Maid Marion to his shoulder and said, "I suggest we ready our lovely prisoners for their journey."
While Little John and Robin were carting the ladies off, Alan-a-Dale was escorting Melanie to the pantry. The Widow Smyth had already joined her daughters in bondage. Alan-a-Dale led Melanie to the post opposite her mother and pulled her arms behind the beam, quickly fastening them at the wrists.
Another cord suddenly encompassed her elbows, tugging them together. The two men who had guarded Heather and Stephanie began to help Alan. One of the men strapped Melanie's ankles together, then passed a cord between her bound ankles and tethered the other end to the wooden post, causing Melanie's heels to touch the rough wood. Another rope was passed several times around Melanie's dress just below her knees. The rope was drawn tight, causing her simple dress to bunch up. The remaining ends of the rope were fixed to the wooden beam. Two more ropes were applied at the waist and thighs; each was a single loop cinched by a slip-knot, and tied to the stout pole.
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