I walked into the room and sat down beside Elizabeth. With her head down, I couldn't tell if she was asleep as well. Though I couldn't imagine being asleep.

"I thought I heard voices," she whispered. "I thought maybe I was dreaming."

"I didn't know if you were awake."

"You think I could sleep like this?"

"You never know."

"You've obviously never been tied up like this before. You probably have no concept of how much it hurts after a while."

"I'm sorry. I didn't intend to leave you this long."

My fingers began to release the knots in the ropes holding her body so snugly. Having trouble with Jane's knots.

"I didn't think you were ever coming back. How long have I been in this thing?"

"I actually lost track of the time. Probably five or six hours."

"Oh G.o.d. No wonder I hurt. My ankles. And my wrists. My back. You have no idea."

"Relax. I'm letting you out."

"You know what I want even more than out?"

"What?"

"A drink of water and a hot bath. Just throw me in the way I am."

"The water I can get you. But I think I'll untie you for the bath."

"Oh G.o.d. Thank-you."

I left the woman bound and walked downstairs. The girls were in the kitchen sliding food into the refrigerator and cupboards.

"How's it going?" I asked them as I drew two gla.s.ses of water. Sheila was going to be thirsty as well.

"Almost done with the food," Jane replied from the refrigerator. "By the way, what do you want this slave to be doing after she finishes putting the food away? Help with dinner?"

"No. I want you to set up tonight's entertainment. Come upstairs and see me after you've finished." Jane looked faintly worried at the mention of entertainment, but continued whatever she was doing.

Christi spoke up from the other side of the room. "Anything in particular you want for dinner?"

"Surprise me."

"Alright. But I don't want to be punished if you don't like it."

I smiled at her. "You better guess well. You know d.a.m.n well you are getting punished if I don't like it."

"Should I make the same for all of us? Or are us slaves having Kraft dinner?"

I laughed. "Much as that sounds like a good idea, all of you girls have been pretty busy today. Long day. Make a good meal for all of us. Don't forget about Sheila."

Christi nodded, putting something away in a cupboard. Smiling that she was at least going to get some of whatever she cooked.

I walked towards the exit. I turned at the last second.

"Christi?"

"Yes sir?"

"I don't want you to stain those clothes. If you are cooking anything likely to spill, take them off first." She paled a bit. "Don't worry, you can put them back on again afterwards. I won't be bothering you but you really don't want to spill on them. Understand?" She nodded at the implied threat. There wasn't a child on the planet that would be more careful of spills. She might even strip to cook just to ensure that she didn't spill on herself. Skin washes a lot easier than denim.

I left the girls in peace, making my way back upstairs. I ducked into the bathroom and flipped on the bathtub, drawing a hot bath for Elizabeth. The poor girl had suffered more than I'd intended and she deserved some soothing for her muscles. Normally I wouldn't allow the girls to bathe this way, preferring them to shower together, but this was an exception. The tub looked big enough for two. Easily. I'd put Sheila in there as well. Even though she hadn't had the strict bondage to contend with, the hot water would probably soothe her bruises for which I wasn't responsible.

I returned to the room. Sheila was awake, her eyes following me from the bed.

"Oh G.o.d. I'm dry as a desert. That second one for me?" Sheila asked hopefully from the bed. Her eyes glued to the gla.s.ses of water in my hands.

"Elizabeth first, and then yes, you can have the second gla.s.s."

"Oh G.o.d. Elizabeth. You are going to let her go aren't you? She was in such pain. I couldn't. Actually I could. Imagine."

"Yup. Next thing on my agenda. Can only do one thing at once."

Sheila smiled. "I'm sorry, master. Just anxious for her. I. Just thought that you weren't aware of how long she's been tied like that, or how much it hurts. And she said that she wasn't being punished."

I sat down beside Elizabeth again. She turned her head, spotting the water.

"What does this slave have to do for her water?"

"Nothing, pet. All yours. No strings attached." I tilted the gla.s.s towards her mouth. Her position made it very difficult to drink and she managed to get more on the carpet than down her throat.

"Maybe you should wait until I free you?"

She was silent for a minute then she began to slowly lick at the carpet where the water had spilled. I couldn't imagine her getting much from that, but the sight made me rock hard. This bound nude woman using her tongue on a carpet for her water.

I began to loosen the knots around her elbows. She gasped as her arms began to fall out from the strict ropes. Her circulation returning to parts of her that she had forgotten even existed. I managed to get her wrists and ankles separated from each other. She almost screamed as she unfolded her bare body. Straightening her legs for the first time in hours. Tears welling up in her eyes. I moved down and unwrapped the rope from about her ankles. Separating her bare feet. She cried out again as she slowly spread her legs apart. The tops of her feet sc.r.a.ping across the carpet. I began to work on her wrists. Finally releasing them as well. She did scream as she moved her arms from behind her back. The ropes had held them in position so long they had cramped. She lay on her front, her legs slightly apart, her arms at her sides, slowly flexing her fingers for a few minutes. Weeping with the pain.

Keeping my eyes on her, I sat up on the bed beside Sheila. I tipped the gla.s.s to her lips and she greedily drank. Finishing the entire gla.s.s.

She whispered to me, "Can this slave beg to be untied. She's been here so long and she wasn't as uncomfortable as Slave Elizabeth, but ..."

I looked into her eyes for a moment. "I'll let you go in a minute. I want to talk to you."

She nodded. Not understanding why she had to be tied up for me to talk to her, but accepting it because she had no real choice in the matter.

Elizabeth screamed again as she gathered her strength and managed to get to her hands and knees.

"Oh G.o.d. It hurts."

"I know. I really hadn't intended it to. At least this much. Honestly."

I crouched down beside the crying woman.

"It'll work itself out. In a few minutes."

"G.o.d I hope so. It feels like my whole f.u.c.king body fell asleep. Please."

"I won't rush you. Let the circulation come back. I know it hurts, sweety. Take it easy. Take your time. Let the blood flow back."

"If. You ever really want to punish someone. Leave her like that for five or six hours. They'll do anything you want to get out. And no marks."

I looked at her elbows, her ankles and her wrists. There were pretty rope marks around each. Though I could already see them fading a bit, but she was going to be sporting them for a few hours at least. I was surprised that she wasn't bruised.

"Your wrists and ankles aren't even bruised," I pointed out to her.

"Yeah. You try moving in that thing. Christ. I could barely pull at the ropes enough to bruise myself. It hurt to even breathe after a while."

She managed to pull her abused body to its knees. She cried out again, closing her eyes. Pain evident on her face. Finally she opened her eyes again and looked at me. I tilted the remainder of her water up to her lips. She took a deep breath and drank the fluid. Her throat swallowing prettily. After she finished she licked her lips.

"Now what do I have to do for you?" she asked quietly.

"You feeling alright?"

"Sore as h.e.l.l, but I'll do whatever you want. If you promise never to put me in that again."

"How about take a bath for me?"

Her eyes registered complete confusion. The words not quite registering in her mind.

"A bath? For you?"

"Alright. How about taking a steaming hot bath for yourself?"

"For me? What?"

"That bondage fog your brain?"

"Probably."

"I drew you a bath. It looked like you really needed one. Go soak."

"Oh my G.o.d. You are kidding." The words finally registered into her tired and pain filled mind.

"If I hadn't forgotten about you so long, I wouldn't have let you have a bath. Shower, perhaps. But I suspect that this is the only way that you are going to be remotely coherent tonight. If I let you have a soothing bath. Now scat."

She smiled and leaned forward on her knees. Crying, but not in humiliation and pain anymore. She gave me a huge hug. Pressing her bare body against me and gasping with the pain her muscles caused as she did.

"A girl couldn't ask for a better master. I don't believe you drew me a bath." Her face full of wonder. Like a child. Getting a gift that she never expected but loved.

"Get outta here, or I'm going to go pull the drain plug."

She grinning and fought her way to her bare feet. Swaying and grimacing in pain. She limped to the door and turned one last time.

"I didn't think I'd ever be free of those ropes. Thank-you for not leaving me in them longer. And the bath."

"Git!"

She scrambled out into the hallway as fast as her sore legs could take her. I listened for a moment until I heard her splash into the water next door. Heard the water I'd left running turned off. I leaned back on my hands. Just sitting on the floor, thinking.

A soft voice brought me out of my reverie.

"M-master?"

I turned to look up at the bed. Sheila's wide eyes were looking down at me sitting on the floor.

"If you don't want to be disturbed, I'll be quiet."

I rose to my feet and dragged a chair over, sat down facing the bound bare girl.

"It's alright." I traced a finger down her left side, causing her to wince. The bruise didn't look any better than this morning.

"You wanted to talk to me before you released me? You are going to untie me, right?" Her face was hopeful.

"Yeah. How are you doing? Still tender over here."

"It still hurts. I'm not surprised. But I can take it. I can do whatever you want with me."

I smiled. "You are eager to please."

"You are going easy on me and I almost feel guilty."

"You have got to be joking."

"I feel like you are taking out whatever you were going to do with me on the other girls. It's not fair. I can do whatever you need from me. s.e.x even."

"Relax. I'm not taking out anything on the other girls. And I just want you to get better. Get rest, for now."

"Thank you. Is that all you wanted from me?"

"Someday I'm going to have to find out what really happened to you here. I'm interested."

"I'll be happy to tell you. I don't mind. Mayer made me tell him about it for thrills. Describe the last days tortures in minute detail for his amus.e.m.e.nt."

"I'm just curious. It's not really for t.i.tillation."

I began to loosen the knots around her ankles. Releasing her. She drew up her knees as I released her wrists from the rope holding her body to the bed. As her wrists came free she pulled them in and shook them out.