Red86 wrote: ↑2 years ago
Silly Stella, could have avoided the trouble by sticking with the plan and going the next evening. And I suspect her troubles are not over just yet.
"If we didn't have darkness, how could we appreciate the light?" I agree with that statement.
I have never understood why hubris is not listed among the great sins. It has certainly led to a lot of great downfalls. Stella had a touch of it. Thanks for commenting, [mention]Red86[/mention].
banshee wrote: ↑2 years ago
As much as I like the consensual bondage between Stella and Carlos I must admit that Its good to see a return to the story's origins, with Stella being very much non-consensually captured and tied up. I'm sure that she'll get rescued or that she'll manage to escape, she's no helpless damsel in distress after all, according to what we know she's a fully fledged bandit, but on the meantime, badass or not, she'll have to endure.
Glad to have you back, [mention]banshee[/mention]. Both as a reader and commentator on this story and as the author of "Treasure Hunter". I'm glad you like the origins of the story.
Stella will have to endure. You will get the next installment within 48 hours. Your comments are appreciated.
You have kindly posted comments on my story. That is appreciated very much. If you would like your tag removed from this list, please send me a PM to that effect.
Dear Readers, this post is the longest that I have been between posts. At the same time, this post is the longest I have yet posted. That is said as preamble to telling you that my personal schedule over the next three weeks may cause some delays in coming chapters. Please be assured that the story has not run out of steam. The allies have much activity ahead.
A special thanks once more to those who have taken the time and effort to share your thoughts on this story with all of us.
Happy reading!
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Chapter 17 (M+/F) – Up the Ridge
Medico Frank Stevens told Carlos to stay in the bed of the arroyo while he took a zigzag path while studying the ground for signs of human passage. The ridge to their left had a cliff from the bottom of the arroyo to near its top. As they moved up the arroyo, he saw the cliff had collapsed at one place. Stella had described that to him. Continuing, just after they were abreast of the collapse, he saw signs of human passage. The Medico was vastly relieved. He had projected confidence to Carlos, but it would have had disastrous implications for Stella if his judgment were not correct. He waved to Carlos to signal Carlos to move to him.
Frank said in a low voice, "Four people just passed this way. Two were carrying something heavy. That something is likely Stella. These signs do not tell me how long ago they passed. We can increase our pace now that we have a trail to follow. We must be completely stealthy. I know that you are prepared to fight when we catch them."
-----
Gus Sloan was correct in his guesses about the Comanche. He saw Stella hanging with her hands pulled high behind her back. Gus had a strong urge to go to her and add to her misery but knew he had to become a friend of the Comanche first. Slowly and quietly, he continued searching for them, knowing they must be near.
When he found them, he called out in a calm voice, “Hello, friends.”
The four Comanche jumped to their feet, drawing their weapons. Gus walked toward them with his hands in front, palm out. He said, "I have been tracking this woman, Stella Brooks. You must be trying to find the things she stole from Rider Ranch. Those things have no value to me. But I would like to keep them away from Ralph Rider. I would like to help you."
The Comanche Leader said, “How can you help us. We have captured the girl. I don’t think we need you.”
Gus replied, "My name is Gus Sloan. I am very good at torture. Let me have a go at the girl. If I am not successful, I will leave. She knows me, and I expect my involvement will help her decide to talk."
The Leader’s eyes squinted at Gus as he said, “We have just finished our meal and are ready to question Stella. I am willing to see what you can do.”
“May I bring my horse to your camp? It will only take a few minutes. I have a nice whip in my saddlebags.”
“Go and bring your horse to where we have Stella hanging.”
The Comanche started toward Stella as Gus went for his horse. When Gus was out of hearing, the Leader said, "I would like to see what he can do. But we must watch him closely. If he does anything that might kill Stella before she talks, we kill him. If he is not successful in getting her to talk, we kill him. Agreed?"
Stella was on the edge of being unconscious and did not hear them approach. Her ankles had given out of strength, and she could not stay on her tiptoes. Her hands and shoulders supported most of her weight now. The pain in her shoulders had overcome the pain from the Comanche's beating. Her head was hanging down, but she raised it when she felt someone fiddling with her gag.
When the gag was out of her mouth, she was given a sip of water, not out of kindness, but so that she could talk. The Leader said, “Stella, you are in a lot of pain. It will only get worse if you don’t talk. Where are the things you took from the Ranch?”
Stella was still flexing her jaw from the large gag. The water had helped, and she answered, "I will not tell you. You might as well go ahead and kill me now."
“No, Stella. You will welcome death when it comes for you. For now, we have found a friend of yours that wants to help us. Here he comes now."
Gus rode up on his horse and dismounted and stood before Stella. “I think that I mentioned to you before that I wanted to play with you without your clothes in the way.”
Seeing it was her earlier tormentor, Stella shuddered as a new frisson of fear clutched her heart. A new resolve also arose. She had had enemies before, but she had never hated them. Sloan inspired revulsion in her, and her hatred of him gave her new resolve not to talk.
Gus said to the Comanche, "Let's get her down. Alternating pain and no pain is very effective. She will fear the return of the pain, and that will work on her mind. The Comanche nodded their heads, and one of them freed the rope holding her hands up. Stella collapsed to the ground groaning with the agony in her shoulders caused by the movement of her arms.
Gus conferred with the Comanche about what he wanted to do next. "I see that you have two pulleys on the limb above us. That is excellent. I suggest we tie one arm to each pulley and pull her off of the ground. Before we begin, let's put two stakes in the ground on either side of her so we can spread her legs. This will put her into an X shape with every part of her body exposed. Then we will alternate between me using my whip and sexually stimulating her."
The Leader said, "I see that you know what you are doing." He signaled two of his team, who got two stakes, and drove them into the ground. Then they tied a rope to each of Stella's ankles. The next step was to untie her elbows and hands and to tie a rope to each wrist. Stella could not offer any resistance to this. She had resolve but had lost her strength.
Gus said, "She has had enough rest for now. It is time for us to start again." With two of them pulling on each rope, it was easy to lift Stella off the ground. The ropes were anchored to nearby trees. Her ankle ropes were then pulled to the stakes, spreading her legs to a painful degree.
“I have never been certain if it is better to let my victim know a lash is coming or not. So I will do both. Standing behind her, she can't see what is coming. I will start there."
He went to his horse and retrieved his whip from the saddlebag. He uncoiled the whip behind him and let it fly to strike Stella across her shoulders. She could not stop the scream from leaving her lips. A red stripe appeared on her back. He followed with four more, holding about a minute between blows. The bloody marks marched down her back to her butt.
Gus walked around to Stella's front. He hung the whip around his neck and started twisting her nipples hard. Stella looked at him with hate in her eyes. "Stella, where did you hide Rider's things?" When she remained silent, not taking her eyes off of his, his anger rose, and he punched her in her solar plexus. Stella wanted to double over but could not, tied tightly and suspended in a spread eagle. The pain caused a stream of projectile vomit to spew out of her mouth, hitting Gus in the face. Enraged, Gus put his hands around her throat and squeezed. He intended to choke her to death, and the Comanche Leader sensed that. He stepped behind Gus and cut his throat. Just as vomit spewed from Stella's mouth, blood spurted from Gus' throat. A lot of it went on Stella.
Gus’s eyes bulged in disbelief that this could be happening. He fell to his knees and then over on the ground. He twitched a few times and became still forever. Stella said to the Leader, “You are not much better than him.”
Before he could reply, a second big surprise happened. Two men walked out of the dark. It was Carlos McTavrish and Frank Stevens. The Comanche drew their weapons, but the men continue coming to the Comanche as if they didn't care. They didn't. When they reached the Comanche, Frank made the first move with blinding speed. He delivered a roundhouse kick to the head of the Comanche Leader. The Comanche flew away from the kick and crumpled to the ground, dead. Carlos did not hesitate either. He used muni tsuki to deliver a strike to the next nearest Comanche's celiac plexus, forcing the Comanche to double over. Carlos struck an overhand blow to the back of the Comanche's neck with his tegatana. The Comanche was dead when he hit the ground. With no pause, Frank and Carlos turned to the remaining two Comanche. Frank used koshinage to rotate his Comanche over his hips and waist, throwing him to the ground head first. From the way the Comanche lay on the ground, it was clear that something was broken. Frank delivered the coup de grace with a blow to the temple. While Frank was finishing off his second Comanche, Carlos closed in with his second opponent and ended the engagement with a straight punch to the face. A tight fist caused the force of the blow to concentrate at the two big knuckles. These knuckles struck the Comanche just under his nose, breaking his maxilla and driving the sheared bone into his brain. The engagement was over in a fraction of a minute. Four Comanche lay dead on the ground and one dead Ranch Hand.
Frank went to the stakes to release Stella's legs, and Carlos unhitched the ropes from the trees and lowered Stella to the ground. She sank to her knees but did not fall over. Stella could not process what had happened. She could not believe that Carlos and the Medico were here and had saved her. Frank said, "Carlos, get the ropes off of her. I will bring our horses and the blanket from my saddle roll.
They had found water to clean Stella off and helped her dress in her pants and halter. Stella was severely hurt, and it was difficult for her to talk. She wanted to touch Carlos. The Medico had examined Stella and pronounced that while she would have a lot of pain for the next week or two, she should recover fully with rest for at least a week and therapy starting in one to two weeks. Now she needed liquid and food, which they could provide. The Medico found a kettle of soup warming near the campfire and was able to spoon a small bowl of it into Stella's mouth.
Her face was black and blue. Sloan’s whip had cut into her back, hips, and buttocks. The blows to her stomach were turning it a deep purple. Her side with the cracked rib was also profoundly bruised. The Medico had verified she did have a cracked rib. Stella's halter displayed a generous part of her breasts, and Carlos almost cried to see the bruising.
Carlos gently braided her hair and fixed it in a coil on her head. From the alert look in her eyes, he knew she was with them mentally. But he was wishing she was not because her alertness meant she was feeling everything.
-----
The sun was past the zenith when they hear riders in the arroyo. Carlos and the Medico both yelled and were able to attract the riders' attention. The riders were part of the Mounted Troops. Carlos arranged for a rider to message Boss Ralph to inform him that they had Stella, but she was seriously injured. They needed a complete wartime medical kit from one of the wagons returned as fast as possible by horseback and a wagon that could transport Stella to come as far up the arroyo as possible. They needed a stretcher and men to carry Stella on it by brought to them as fast as possible.
The Mounted Troops were most of the 1st Platoon under the command of Lt. Ed House. He understood the situation and sent two reliable troops took off immediately at a gallop. At the entrance to the arroyo, one would go left, and one would go right to ensure they didn't miss Boss Ralph and the wagons.
Lt. House had his men fashion a makeshift picket line for the horses. Then he had the men gather at ease far enough from Stella that she would not be disturbed but within easy call distance. He reported to Carlos that he and his men were available if needed and withdrew toward his men.
Carlos explained to Stella their plan. She struggled to sit up and asked Carlos and the Medico to sit beside her. After having a lot of water and the soup, Stella could talk but didn't want to speak loud yet. She said quietly, “I am not going back without the Katana Documents. That would mean that I have suffered this for nothing. Please help me up the next ridge to the cave so I can get the papers. I must put them in Frank Rider’s hands.”
Carlos and Frank understood why she was saying this. It was part of what made Stella who she was. Carlos said, “Let’s see if we can find a way to do this. Frank, would you stay here and watch Stella. I’m going to talk to the Lieutenant.”
He walked over to the Lieutenant and explained the extent of Stella’s injuries and her determination to retrieve the Katana Documents. He said it was the Medico’s opinion that even if she could walk, the movements of her shoulders and ribs could result in lasting damage to her body. The Lieutenant had practiced with Stella in the Medico's class and was sympathetic. He called his Platoon Sergeant over. "Boss Carlos, this is Sgt. Lee. If anybody can contrive something to help, he can."
Lt. House explained the problem to Sgt. Lee, ending with, "So we need to devise a lightweight, portable chair that can hold Stella and two men can carry. It has to protect her shoulders and ribs going up and down one of these ridges. Do you have any ideas?"
“That is a tough problem, Lt. House. But there are all kinds of plants growing around here. That is what makes the going so hard in the badlands. Keeping the lady immobile will be the tricky part. She won’t be able to help by maintaining her balance. Frankly, a stretcher would be best with her strapped to it with lots of padding. That wouldn’t be dignified or practical going up and down a hill, would it? Maybe I have an idea that will work. I'll get right on it, sir."
Sgt. Lee went back to the troops. He told them what was needed, and they were all eager to help. In the three-day trip back from the mountains, she had earned their respect. The martial arts classes played a role in that. That she had withstood torture without giving up the Katana Documents cemented their opinion of her. Under the Sergeant's directions, they set about gathering material and making a chair for Stella.
-----
Ralph Rider and others around him listened to the report from Lt. House's courier. Before the trooper finished his report, the Ranch Corpsman had climbed into a supply wagon and pulled out a medical kit and a stretcher. Two Hands grabbed the stretcher and the medical supplies and took off at a gallop with the courier going back to Arroyo #3. The Corpsman was tossing some things out of the wagon to make room for a padded bed.
Hands were riding up to the wagon to give the Corpsman their bedrolls until he yelled, “That’s enough. I’ve made as comfortable a nest for her as possible. Somebody will need to ride back here with her”
The Cook yelled out, "I'll make something easy to digest for her. And everyone else there will be hungry too. I need about ten men with me because we will have to pack the food supplies in on foot for the last few clicks."
Boss Ralph was pleased that the Hand’s were organizing themselves without him giving orders. He could see that they were ready to move. He started them to Arroyo #3.
_____
Earlier that morning, back at the Ranch compound, the Comanche woke. They had not had a whole night's sleep, but they had enough. As soon as one of them opened the door to the barracks, Carmen rushed in and told her father what had happened while they were sleeping. She said, "I have assumed that you will want to follow Boss Ralph. I have some food ready for you in the Mess and your horses waiting for you in the stables. I will come with you."
They wolfed down some food and went to the stables. Carmen had saddled and bridled the horses. They checked the cinches, mounted, and headed to the badlands. Carmen rode next to her father. During the ride, she told him about her experiences since they left the Big Meadow. Well, some of her experiences anyway. She said that she had fallen in love with Ralph Rider and thought that he was in love with her. When she said she had pledged not to escape and was going to do everything that she could to help Ralph Rider, her father said,
“Daughter, I think that you have done the right thing. That would be the right thing even if you were not in love with Boss Ralph. I expect that he will have rounded up the four Comanches before we catch up with him. All that I will have accomplished by coming here was an early warning of the problem. I hope that Boss Ralph will see that as the Comanche keeping faith with our agreements.”
“Dad. I am sure that he will.”
-----
The Hands with the stretcher and the medical kit wasted no time getting to the camp in Arroyo #3. The Medico took the medical kit and looked through it as he rushed to Stella's side. He explained what he was going to do to Stella and Carlos.
“There are some meds here that are derived from the opium plant. I am going to fix you a drink that will help with your pain, Stella. It won't go away, but it will be better than it is now. I could give you more, but you would go to sleep and not be able to go after the documents. After you drink the potion, we will wait half an hour for it to take effect. Then I am going to do three things for you. First, I am going to spread some salve on your skin where the whip drew blood. Be prepared because the cream will hurt at first, even with the opium. Next, I will bandage your wounds, and that will include a tight wrap around your ribs. That will help keep your ribs from further damage while we are moving. Then, I am going to wrap your breasts to prevent them from bouncing while we are moving.
“Stella, medically, I am against you searching for the documents right now. I understand the urgency of getting them back to Boss Ralph. Most of all, I know you from years of training you and know that your honor makes you do this. Everybody here will help all that they can.”
He prepared his potion, and Stella drank it all without protest. While waiting for the medicine to take effect, he said, "We have a stretch that we will use to move you to the place you crossed the arroyo last time. There, we will put you in a special chair that Sgt. Lee of the Mounted Troops constructed for you. You must let us do all of the liftings as we move you. You must avoid moving your shoulders. Your body is going to try to heal. Your job is to let it by avoiding any further damage. Do you understand me?"
“Yes, Medico. For helping me retrieve the documents, I will do everything that you and Carlos say. Your help, everybodies help, means so much to me.”
Frank could see the opium kicking in by looking at her eyes. When he thought it was time, he checked that Carlos was ready and said, "Stella, we must remove your halter and lower your pants for this." The Medico and Carlos then did what they could for her.
When they had her bandaged and dressed again, they called on the two Mounted Troops that would be the stretcher-bearers. The troops brought the stretcher with two additional troops that would assist. They placed the stretcher on the ground beside Stella.
While ministering to Stella, Carlos and the Medico had arranged a blanket under her. Under the direction of the Medico, the four troops used the blanket to lift Stella from her position on the ground and placed her on the stretcher. The Mounted Troops had provided some bedrolls. Carlos and the Medico laid these on the stretcher beside her shoulders and hips. Carlos used straps to hold the bedrolls and Stella in position.
The stretcher-bearers picked up the stretcher, and they headed to the arroyo bed and then down to the place Stella crossed initially. Two troops walked close by the sides of the stretcher in case she needed additional support. Another group of Troops on foot followed behind the stretcher, and the rest of the Troops followed on horseback, leading the horses of the walking troops. The Troops walking behind the stretcher were prepared to swap out with a stretcher bearer as might be needed. Sgt. Lee was with the rest of his Mounted Troops. He was carrying the chair they had contrived for Stella.
On their arrival at the crossing point, Sgt. Lee took the chair to the stretcher. At least it was like a chair in that Stella would sit up in it. Her legs, however, would extend straight out in front of her. She would be enclosed on three sides from her hips to her shoulders. Bedrolls padded the seat and the sides of the chair. The chair had a pole on each side at elbow height. They planned for four people to carry it although two people could where needed.
Four troopers lifted Stella by the blanket, and Carlos and the Medico helped her sit up as they moved her into the chair. She was padded as much as possible. Straps were carefully applied around her hips and her torso and upper arms above her breasts. The Medico said,
“Remember, Stella, do not use your shoulders. You may think that others are doing all of the work, but you will still tire. Tell us. We can stop for a break whenever needed. There will be troops to either side to help keep the chair steady. I think you will be fine going uphill. I am more worried about coming down. Then you will be leaning against the straps. If you feel there is a problem, tell us. We can adjust things by changing the tension in the straps or add additional ones. Do you have any questions?"
“No, Medico.” she answered. To all the Troops around her, she said, “But I want to thank all of you with all of my heart. When I took the Katana Documents, we were enemies, and I was doing the right thing. Now we are allies, and you are helping me do the right thing by returning the documents to Boss Ralph. I think that we are more than allies. I think that you are all my friends. From here, we do not go straight up the ridge. That would be northeast. We head due north.”
They left with a party of 20 men. It would be hard work carrying the chair, and they would have to rotate bearers frequently. There were places where they could only proceed with a man front and back between the chair poles. But for much of the trip, they could use two men in front, two in back, and two on each side. The men on the side could also grab the pole and help carry the chair.
The men remaining at the crossing point gave a cheer as the document hunters disappeared up the ridge.
> Stella shuddered as a new frisson of fear clutched her heart. A new resolve also arose.
Stella is a very strong woman. Having been beaten as she was in this story and still trying to get to the documents, is not for the faint hearted. It was good that Frank and Carlos found here when they did, I am not sure how much more Stella would have been able to handle.
The story also shows that fathers should listen to their daughters
Great update, [mention]GreyLord[/mention].
Thanks for reading. Feel free to comment.
Slackywacky, also @DeviantArt
Taking into account the obvious mental and physical pain Stella had to endure, her capture ended in about the best way possible. I hope she will recover soon and the mission will succeed. It almost seems like the end of an arch now the documents might be recovered soon, so I suspect this story will take a new turn soon. I can only wonder what it will be. Good stuff!
Stella is an incredible strong woman, physically and mentally - and Sloan was on the Verge of killing her. The rescue came right in time - not a minute too late. When I read your very detailed description of Stella´s Injuries it made me shuddder, that was brillantly done, like the whole chapter. Strong stuff! Keep it going, I follow you ever you will take this story [mention]GreyLord[/mention] !
slackywacky wrote: ↑2 years ago
> Stella shuddered as a new frisson of fear clutched her heart. A new resolve also arose.
Stella is a very strong woman. Having been beaten as she was in this story and still trying to get to the documents, is not for the faint hearted. It was good that Frank and Carlos found here when they did, I am not sure how much more Stella would have been able to handle.
The story also shows that fathers should listen to their daughters
Great update, @GreyLord.
I appreciate your comments, [mention]slackywacky[/mention]. Somewhere, later in the story, Stella will comment on how she was handling the torture. That she went on to recover the Documents is suppose to reinforce just how much honor she has.
And, indeed, we should listen to our daughters, both mothers and fathers should listen to their children.
Beaumains wrote: ↑2 years ago
Taking into account the obvious mental and physical pain Stella had to endure, her capture ended in about the best way possible. I hope she will recover soon and the mission will succeed. It almost seems like the end of an arch now the documents might be recovered soon, so I suspect this story will take a new turn soon. I can only wonder what it will be. Good stuff!
Thank you for your thoughts, [mention]Beaumains[/mention]. Yes, I would say that a mini-arch is coming to an end. But the main tasks are ahead. I liked the way the capture ended as well. The only question is why someone hadn't killed Gus Sloan a long time ago.
Caesar73 wrote: ↑2 years ago
Stella is an incredible strong woman, physically and mentally - and Sloan was on the Verge of killing her. The rescue came right in time - not a minute too late. When I read your very detailed description of Stella´s Injuries it made me shuddder, that was brillantly done, like the whole chapter. Strong stuff! Keep it going, I follow you ever you will take this story @GreyLord !
Thank you, [mention]Caesar73[/mention], I am happy to get your comments. Yes, Stella has a lot of strength. It is going to take a while for her to recover it. You may find she gets some help in an unexpected manner. Writing about her injuries made me shudder too.
NotSeen wrote: ↑2 years ago
This story just keeps chugging along at a consistently high level. Well done, well done indeed.
Thank you [mention]NotSeen[/mention]. I am afraid that such praise will give me a swelled head and I will have to buy a new hat. Joking, of course. I appreciate your comments a great deal.
Nainur wrote: ↑2 years ago
whoa! That was tough! But in an exciting, good sense! Enjoyed it
[mention]Nainur[/mention], I am very pleased to see that you and others are getting past the tough part of the story. It was tough but the flow of the story called for it. As always, thank you for your comments.
You have kindly posted comments on my story. That is appreciated very much. If you would like your tag removed from this list, please send me a PM to that effect.
With this chapter, I have depleted my stock of written-ahead chapters. I continue to toil in the vineyards but must advise that you should expect my posts to be further apart until I rebuild a backlog. The story, so far, has been a distraction from the main arc which was to relearn how to build a superior weapon, the katana. Something big came of the distraction, the new alliance. We do not yet know the reaction of the other ranches, the plantations, the mines, and the towns to all of this. Could they possibly have an objection?
-----
Chapter 18 (MF/F) – Carmen’s Turn
Ralph Rider rode to the crossing point in Arroyo #3, where he saw part of the First Platoon relaxing on the ground. He didn't see Lt. Ed House but spotted Sgt. Lee and rode up to the Sergeant and dismounted.
“Sgt. Lee, update me on what is happening. Are Carlos, Stella, the Medico, and Lt. House still up at the Comanche camp?”
“Sir, everybody moved down to here. The Comanche hurt Stella bad, but she has insisted she must retrieve the Katana Documents now. We fashioned a chair to transport her up the ridge, and 20 of the Platoon went with the Lieutenant, Boss Carlos, and the Medico. You did not miss them by much. They left about half an hour ago."
“Can you tell me more about Stella’s condition?” Ralph asked.
“Boss, she should be in an infirmary. But both Boss Carlos and the Medico said they understood her need to retrieve the Katana Documents. We all pitched in to help. To answer your question, they beat about the face, chest, and stomach. The Medico says she has a cracked rib. They whipped her with a bullwhip that broke her skin. They tied her with her hands pulled high behind her back. It sounds like they left her extended that way for a long time. They tied her spread eagle off of the ground with her arms supporting all of her weight. All of this damaged has damaged her shoulders.
“The Medico says that she will recover, but she must not use her shoulders for a week or two, at least. Maybe longer. Then she will need therapy. That is everything I know."
Ralph fumed, “Damn woman, she should have waited. She could have described where she hid the documents, and we would have sent trackers to find them. But I understand her too! She is one brave lady.
“Sgt. Lee, take your men down the arroyo to where we left the wagons. Tell the men there we will set up camp here. I want my tent, one for Carlos and Stella, and one for the Medico erected. Then help transport food from the Chuck Wagon and any supplies that Sam Briggs says we need. We will plan on returning to the Ranch tomorrow, if Stella’s condition permits.
-----
Stella could not remember ever being more tired when they crested the ridge. By sheer determination of will, she told Carlos.
“Move to the right along the ridgeline. We are looking for a big flat rock sitting between two maple trees. The maple trees should be easy to spot. They are not common in the badlands. Within minutes, a trooper scouting ahead called back, “They are here.”
Stella said, "Carlos, I want you to do this. Stand on the rock between the trees. Get your compass and find the direction for 20 degrees. Go in that direction 60 meters. That will have you heading down a steep incline with a lot of rock facings. At 60 meters, there is an opening in the rock facing that is big enough for you. When you get inside, there is enough room for you to stand but it is a small cave. On one side, the rock makes a shelf that recesses into the rock wall. There you will find the documents wrapped in cloth."
“I'm off. You rest for the return down the ridge." Carlos followed her instructions, and everything worked exactly as she had described. The entrance to the cave was a tight squeeze for him but not a show stopper. He soon had his hands on the bundle and made his way back to Stella.
Her eyes brightened at the sight of the package which Carlos put in her lap. Her fingers could feel the two documents through the cloth. “Thank you, everyone. We are successful. When you are ready, we can go back down."
Carlos said, "We can avoid the problem descending that the Medico anticipated. Stella doesn't need to see where we are going. If we turn the chair around, she backs down the ridge, and the back of the chair supports her."
It was getting late in the afternoon. They started down without further delay. Stella slept most of the way down.
-----
Chief Gomez, Carmen, and the Comanche rode into Arroyo #3 in the late afternoon. They passed the wagon and soon were at the crossing point. Ralph came out of his tent when he heard the horses approach and raised a hand in greeting when he saw it was Garcia Gomez. He was also pleased to see Carmen was with him.
Ralph invited the Chief and Carmen to his tent. Some chairs were set up in front of the tent. The Chief and Carmen were given mugs of coffee and asked to sit. Ralph started by updating the Chief on the situation.
The Chief said, "I am profoundly sorry that Stella was injured. We know the Medico by reputation. If anyone can return her to health, he can. On our ride over here, Carmen told me that she had developed serious feelings for you. I will bluntly ask, how do you stand in this?"
“Chief, I do not have secrets that I keep from Carmen, but this is the time for men to talk. Carmen, would you excuse us for a while? You might check to see if the Comanche have everything that they need."
After her departure, Ralph turned to the Chief. "It does not seem possible that I have developed such deep feelings in such a short time. I want Carmen to be my mate, and she agrees. I planned to talk to Medico Stevens about your customs but have not had the chance to get beyond the fact that your traditions are different from the Bucks' Final Courtship which we just witnessed with Carlos McTavrish and Stella Brooks.
“Will you tell me what I need to do to receive your blessing for our mating and what traditions I need to follow to do this correctly?”
“Boss Ralph, I thank you for seeking my blessings and for being willing to follow our customs. Taking the last part first, you will find that the Comanche are much more straightforward than the Bucks. I think the Bucks' Final Courtship is a tedious, drawn-out affair. Our objective is the same. We want to be sure that the male is worthy and capable of taking care of the female and that the female is submissive to the male. Does that present any problems to you?"
“No, I believe that Carmen and I are compatible in every way.”
“Do you think that you could tie Carmen up and keep her constrained for an entire night? She will cooperate with the initial binding, but then all cooperation ends, and she becomes your adversary until dawn. Guardians will observe, and if they think Carmen is not doing her best to escape, the Courtship ends. If she escapes, the Courtship ends. The Courtship tests your skills in controlling Stella. It tests your character as well.”
“Chief, I understand it tests my bondage skills. But how does this test my character?”
“A full night of tight bondage can be painful. You are permitted to help her endure the night by massage and by sexual play. But you cannot have sex with her. If there is any penetration by your cock, the Courtship ends. It is not easy for a man to constrain himself in this situation.”
“How do you pick the Guardians? I assume they will be women."
“You will have to come to my base camp where I can appoint two to four women as Guardians.”
“Chief, could you pick bandit women that are not Comanche?”
“I have never heard of anything like that. At the same time, I have never heard of a rule against it. What are you thinking?”
“Chief Brooks sent a detail of Bucks as security for Stella. There are four women there. They have spent four days being Guardians for Carlos and Stella. They were mated at sunrise yesterday, although it seems like a lot longer ago.”
“It speaks well of you that you try to find a way to complete the Courtship sooner. I will speak to the Bucks’ Guardians. If I believe that they will follow our traditions, we can proceed.”
“Thank you, Chief. Did Carmen tell you that she became a Guardian for the last two days of Stella’s Final Courtship? That is what gave me the idea that the Guardians might not be required to be Comanche.”
“She did tell me. Her report to me was complete. Ralph, it is time for you to call me Garcis."
Carmen returned and asked, “Have I given you enough time for your talk?”
Her father answered, “Yes, I think you have.”
Ralph said, “I have another mission for you, however. The Bucks are here somewhere. Would you go and bring the women Guardians to us? Before you go to find them, confirm to your father that you want for us to be mates."
“Father, I do want to be mated to Ralph Rider. He has moved me like no one else ever has. My heart tells me I must follow him. I love him, and he loves me. He accepted my pledge not to escape and since then has placed great trust in me. Are we going to have our Courtship? I haven't told Ralph about that yet."
“We will see after I talk to the Bucks' women." With that, Carmen left and went to Sam Briggs, who told her where the Bucks had set up camp. There, she saw Jane and told her that her father wanted to see the women Guardians.
Jane called to the other three Bucks women, and they all headed back to Ralph's tent. When they arrived, the Chief asked Ralph and Carmen to let him speak to the Guardians alone.
-----
Twilight was falling when Stella's party emerged from the trees and brush at the bottom of the ridge. Stella's bearers turned her chair around so that she could see where they were. Shouts went up from the waiting Hands and Troops that had been waiting for her. The Guardians ran across the bed of the arroyo. Jane said, "Stella, we failed to protect you. We know what they did to you. You are the bravest person I have ever known. How can we make this up to you?"
“Jane, even if you had known what I was planning, I am not sure that you could have protected me. The four Comanche that captured me were very skilled. It is over. I will heal. We have the Katana Documents."
At that point, Ralph Rider arrived. "Stella, how are you? You could have waited, and we could have sent others to retrieve the documents."
“Boss Ralph, by my honor, I had to retrieve these papers for you. They are the key to the future success of the Alliance. I would stand and formally present them to you, but Medico James has my promise to be still and not use my shoulders. Would you reach in this chair and take this package from my hands?"
Ralph did as she asked. He was so choked up with emotion that he couldn’t speak for a moment. Then he said, “Whatever the Ranch can provide for your recovery, you will have. Carlos, your tent is waiting for you. Take Stella there and make her as comfortable as possible.”
Ralph continued, “Frank, I am going into Comanche Courtship with Carmen tonight and won’t have time to look at these documents. I think that you can make better use of them.” He handed the Katana Documents to the Medico.
The Medico said to Stella, “I have another potion ready for you. It will ease your pain which I am sure has returned. It is stronger and will help you sleep tonight.”
Then Carmen arrived on the run. “Stella, I’m going to take care of you now. Guys,” she said to the bearers, “follow me to Carlos’s tent. Medico, do you need to check Stella for anything tonight. If not, give me her potion that I heard you mention as I came up. I will see that she gets every bit of it.”
Carlos, Carmen, and the chair bearers took Stella inside Carlos's tent, setting the chair down beside the bunk. Carlos removed the straps holding Stella in the chair, and the bearers used the blanket to lift Stella out of the chair and onto the bed."
The bearers said, “Call us if you need us for anything. We have been honored to help.”
Carlos said, "First, the potent, then we give it a little time to start working. Many bandages were applied to help her going up and down the ridge. We will remove them. We will undress her to remove the bandages."
In half an hour, Stella's eyes were starting to droop. They had left Stella sitting up, but Carlos sat on the bunk behind her so she could lean against him. He untied her halter and removed it. Then he began unwinding the bandages supporting her breasts. Carmen gasped as she saw Stella's breasts with their deep bruises.
“Oh, Stella. How could anyone do this to you?”
Stella was more asleep than awake and didn't answer. Carmen helped with the rib bandages. Carlos gave Carmen the salve the Medico had given him for where the whip had broken her skin. He slid back from Stella while supporting her with his arms. Carmen applied the salve very gently, again tearing up at what had been done to her friend. Then they let her lay down on her right side.
“This is going to be hard. We need to remove Stella's pants. Some of that salve is needed for her butt too. I will lift her hips while you work her pants down." When they had finished with their medications, they made her as comfortable a possible with pillows and covers. The potion was doing its job. Stella was fast asleep.
Carmen said, “Carlos, you need some sleep too. I will stay awake to watch Stella.”
“No, there is no need to watch her. The potion will keep her asleep. If she moves or says anything, I will hear it and wake up. You go back to Ralph. Aren’t you in a ritual with him tonight? In the morning, could you help again?”
Carmen leaned down and kissed Stella on the forehead. Then she kissed Carlos on the cheek, and he hugged her. She had not mentioned that there were big plans involving her that night. But everybody seemed to know. She had planned to postpone her Courtship to help Stella. Maybe she wouldn’t have to delay.
-----
Chief Gomez, Ralph, and the Guardians were waiting at Ralph's tent. The male Bucks and the Comanche formed a loose perimeter around the tent to ensure privacy. The Chief said, "Carmen will take care of Stella as long as she is needed. If she is not here by midnight, we will do this at the Ranch."
It was well before midnight when Carmen arrived. She went to the Chief and said, “Father, I am ready to begin my Courtship with Ralph Rider.”
He answered. “These Bucks will be your Guardians. They understand their role in the Courtship. Ralph, Carmen, do you have any last questions?”
They did not. Ralph, followed by Carmen and the Guardians, went into the tent. The Chief left to have a lonely night.
In the tent, Jane told Carmen to undress. Carmen did and turned to face Ralph. He told her to come and stand by the bunk facing it. "You know that I must tie you up very securely. I know that once you are tied, you will do everything that you can to escape. The Guardians will end the Courtship if you do not do your best to escape. You cramp and ache from the tight, overnight bondage. I can help you as long as I have no penetration with my cock. Is this what you understand?"
“Yes, Ralph. I have tried to make it clear to you during our nights together that I am not delicate. I will struggle. You must do your best job on me."
“Put your hands behind your back with your palms together." Ralph started looping a rope around her elbows and cinching it. Then he looped another rope around her wrists and cinched it also. Next, on his knees, Ralph tied her legs above the knees and then below her knees. Following this, he tied her ankles.
He stood back up and took a long rope, putting a bight in the center. He used this to make a noose around her chest and arms. He positioned it just below her breasts and levered it tight. Then he looped the rope around her twice more. Carmen now had six strands of rope on her ribs below her breasts. Carmen did not complain. She smiled at him when she thought he would see.
The next loop, followed by two more, went around her above her breasts. Now there were six strands of rope above her breasts to match the six below. He wound the remaining part of the rope around all of the loops of rope between her arms, cinching it securely.
The next step in Carmen’s bondage was to lay the middle of a rope between her arms just below the lowest rope of her elbow tie. The rope, on each side, was wrapped around her arms, coming out immediately below her elbow bands. Continuing on each side, the rope wrapped around all of the elbow bands and was led under her armpits and around her torso to her chest above her breasts. From there, Ralph placed the rope over her clavicle and crossing behind her neck. The rope then was placed around her sides downward and pulled between her arms below the elbow bands. The rope then wrapped around and around the elbow bands, cinching them into one thick strand attaching her arms just above her elbows. This rope was tied somewhat loosely. But if the ropes behind her neck were pulled, it tightened and kept the elbow ropes from slipping below her elbows.
He stood back and gazed at Carmen to appraise his work so far. He did not think she could free herself without help. But she was far too mobile. She commented, “Good, Boss Ralph. Are you ready for me to escape?”
“No, Carmen. You can move around much too easily. And you can talk much too easily also, can’t you?”
“Yes, Boss, but I expect that you are going to fix those problems.”
"It occurred to me that a sponge could be helpful as a part of a gag. While you were helping with Stella, I soaked some in water so they won't be completely stiff. Open up. These two go between your teeth and your cheeks.
"This next one is larger and stiffer. Open as wide as you can and help me get it past your teeth. Next, I will stuff as many of these little sponges between your back teeth as I can to keep your mouth wide open. To keep everything in place, I will use this long strip of cloth."
He pushed the cloth between her teeth against the sponges and wrapped it again and again around her head, pressing between her teeth each time. When Ralph had used most of the cloth, he tied it off between her lips.
"Jane, Carmen was very impressed with the hogtie you put on Stella. Would you help me put a good one on her?"
"Of course, we will help. Could I make a suggestion first?"
Jane took a piece of cord and doubled it. She ran the cord between Carmen's tits under the chest harness above and below her breasts. She made a lark's head and cinched the harness together. The cinch put pressure on her tits from the top and the bottom, making them even more prominent.
Jane put her hand on one of Carmen's tits and squeezed. "Try this. You will see how firm that makes her."
Carmen said, "Mmmph, mmph."
Ralph did and smiled. "Thank you, Jane. That is a good thing to know. Don’t you agree, Carmen?"
Again Carmen said, "Mmmph, mmph."
Jane said, "What I just did is just a decoration, and that is okay. But you must do the hogtie as you did the rest of the tying. We will help by lifting and positioning Carmen." Jane and the Guardians then lifted Carmen to the bunk and placed her face down on it.
With a Guardian at each shoulder and knee, Ralph used a rope to pull Carmen’s ankles toward the ropes looped behind her neck. The Guardians lifted her knees and shoulders, arching her back. Ralph lashed the hogtie rope down, fixing Carmen into the back-arch position. Her feet were pulled past her hands and over her forearms. Ralph tied her hands to her shins lifting her hands and arms off of her butt.
Ralph said, “I think that will hold her. What do you think Carmen?” Carmen answered, “Mmmph.”
Jane pointed out, “You are not finished quite yet.” Jane gather Carmen’s luxurious blond hair in a pony tail and pulled it between her forelegs. With Carmen’s feet pulled so far beyond her butt, someone with much shorter hair could have done that as well. Jane wrapped Carmen’s hair around her forelegs and forearms several times and used another cord to tie her hair in place. “There, you see. That is another decoration.”
“Carmen, you are free to struggle now. I will guard you carefully to make sure you do not get loose before dawn. Are you alright?”
Carmen said, “Mmmph,” as she gave a very small yes nod with her head. She didn’t have much freedom of movement in any direction. She began testing her bonds methodically, starting with her wrists. They were firmly cinched together and she had no movement at all trying to move them apart. Her elbow ties prevented her from sliding one wrist in one direction the other wrist in another. No, her arms and hands were tied until someone set her free. She stretched her fingers in all directions trying to find a knot to work on. Nothing was found for her to untie. All she could feel with her hands was her calves and her hair.
She thought, “This really isn’t fair. I just want to lay here and maybe go to sleep. At dawn, they would untie me and I would be Ralph’s mate. But no, I have to keep struggling or the Courtship will end and I will not be his mate. Not fair!” Carmen would not miss his chance to be Ralph’s mate and so she continued to struggle. Tied up so completely that she could not move made time creep rather than fly.
If she could just relax into her bondage, it would not be so bad. She had endured all night bondage before and she could do it again. The requirement to struggle added much grief to the situation. Her ordeal had just begun. Already, her muscles ached. She couldn’t let Ralph see her pain. Then, like a miracle, Ralph started massaging her shoulders and neck. It didn’t take the pain away but it reduced it. His touch took her mind from her protesting muscles to the joy of his touch.
The massage had not been sexual. It had been therapeutic. At the end, Ralph turned her to her side, a position that eased the strain on her neck. Carmen did not know it at the time, but the Guardians had suggested that Ralph rotate her every hour. She was wondering why the Guardians had turned against her. Then she remember that they had tied Stella just as strictly and that she, Carmen, had helped.
“Okay,” she thought, “this is fun but not fun. It is just something I must endure to complete the Courtship. I will not complain, even to myself.”
Ralph touched her again. This time it was not therapeutic. It was sexual. He started playing with her tits. At first, he was very self conscious about fondling her in front of the Guardians. But two things put his mind at ease. First, he saw their nods of approval. He knew they wanted Carmen to be successful and pass the Courtship. Their approval meant they believed that his fondling would help her. Second, as soon as he noticed their approval, they stopped watching so closely. Carmen could stop struggling, at least for the moment. “Until I tell you to continue struggling, relax. Can you enjoy my touch?”
“Mmmph”, sighed Carmen softly. Ralph continued fondling her, switching from her tits to her vulva. Her breathing soon signaled an approaching orgasm. As it passed, Ralph suckled on her tits until he noticed the attention of the Guardians had returned. “Carmen, start your struggles again.” He returned her to the stomach down position.
In this way, the night passed and the first light of the sun presented itself. The Guardians surrounded the bunk. An exhausted Carmen was still stretched tight in her rocking horse hogtie. She was still making attempts to struggle to free herself. She had failed, as Ralph had planned. Ralph was clearly tired also. He had done his part during the night to make it as easy as possible on Carmen, within the rules of the Comanche ritual of Courtship.
Jane said, “It is done, Boss Ralph, Carmen. We will have Carmen free soon. Chief Gomez will meet us outside the tent at sunrise. Boss Ralph, go get breakfast for you and Carmen. We will take care of her now.” Ralph left the tent and the Guardians began removing the hair tie and the ropes so tightly binding Carmen. She groaned when the hogtie rope came off and she could straighten her legs. She said, “Hrmpph,” reminding the Guardians she was still gagged. They fixed that and she said, “Thank you, Guardians. You did as good a job for me as you did for Stella.” When she was free of her ropes, she sat up and smiled at the Guardians and reached out to hug them. The Guardians hugged her back and helped her to her feet.
Jane said, “Just stretch out for a few minutes. You will be sore for a few days. It is a good thing that you will want to ride in the wagon with Stella. That will be good for you too. Now we will sponge you clean.”
Carmen said, “Thank you for your help. I admit that earlier I had some bad thoughts. But I realized that you were on my side and were trying to help me. We love our men but they don’t always know what to do. Thank you for guiding Ralph for me tonight.”
The Guardian all assured Carmen that they loved her. They wanted Carmen to be successful in her Courtship. They told her that being Guardians for Stella and her had been an exciting assignment.
Clothing options were limited in the arroyo but after sponging her off they did have a clean halter and shorts from her saddlebags. Jane slipped out to report to the Chief. Ralph returned with coffee and a sausage biscuit as a tide-me-over. Carmen ate while she dressed. Ralph mentioned that a large crowd had gathered outside.
Ralph, Carmen, and the Guardians left the tent. Chief Gomez with his Comanche, Carlos, the Medico with the remaining Bucks, and most of the Hands and Troops waiting for them. The Chief said, “Boss Ralph Rider and Carmen Gomez, stand before me.”
As they took their positions, he continued, “The Courtship was completed successfully. Boss Ralph Rider, do you wish to have Carmen Gomez as your mate?”
Ralph said, “I do so wish.”
“Carmen Gomez, do you wish to have Ralph Rider as your mate?”
Carmen answered, “Yes, Chief. That is my desire.”
The Chief pronounced, “As the Chief of the Comanche, I proclaim that Ralph Rider and Carmen Gomez are mates.”
The crowd broke into cheers and clapping. All were happy for Ralph and Carmen. Stella, confined to her bunk by her injuries, was also happy for her two friends.
Ralph announced, “I thank everyone who helped us complete our Courtship. Now let’s have breakfast. Then we will get about the business of getting Stella back to the Ranch.
Interesting rituals you came up with and you describe them very well and with great details that makes it very easy to imagine what is going on.
Great chapter.
Thanks for reading. Feel free to comment.
Slackywacky, also @DeviantArt
You are spinning a fantastic yarn here, [mention]GreyLord[/mention] One signiture of your style which I regard very highly is your love to detail, it is astonishing and makes the story so lively. Congratualtions on that! It was good to read how Stellas Friends took care of her and cared for her. The courtship ceremony was exquisite.
Caesar73 wrote: ↑2 years ago
You are spinning a fantastic yarn here, @GreyLord One signiture of your style which I regard very highly is your love to detail, it is astonishing and makes the story so lively. Congratualtions on that! It was good to read how Stellas Friends took care of her and cared for her. The courtship ceremony was exquisite.
I second that. You really have brought this tale to life. As I am reading I can almost feel the dust in the air. This is so atmospheric and on top of that the wonderful character driven story is great.
Yes, very interesting and unique mating rituals you have come up with here!
The documents have been successfully retrieved. Now what lies ahead for our new alliances? Since you've mentioned there's more to this story, I can only guess where this will go next. I'm suspecting atleast one group will not like this new alliance and cause more trouble. Looking forward to finding out!!
wolfman wrote: ↑2 years ago
I second that. You really have brought this tale to life. As I am reading I can almost feel the dust in the air. This is so atmospheric and on top of that the wonderful character driven story is great.
Once The Expanse is done on Amazon, they can show this epic tale next...
Thanks for reading. Feel free to comment.
Slackywacky, also @DeviantArt
wolfman wrote: ↑2 years ago
I second that. You really have brought this tale to life. As I am reading I can almost feel the dust in the air. This is so atmospheric and on top of that the wonderful character driven story is great.
Once The Expanse is done on Amazon, they can show this epic tale next...
Another long read with plenty of details. Those mating rituals are very creative and a great way to incorporate bondage into the story. This one is quite rough on Carmen, but I can imagine the symbolism behind it. It's a shame Stella has so much pain, but ultimately, the mission succeeded, and her wounds will heal eventually. I think the mention of therapy was quite interesting as putting much emphasis on these processes is a quite modern approach for such an old-fashioned world.
There are more comments this time than are usual. I thank all of you for your time and energy in reading and remarking on this story.
Nainur wrote: ↑2 years ago
A very fine mixture with the saga going on and a goodly portion of bondoge mixed in between...
[mention]Nainur[/mention], I don't understand why main stream media of all types hold tugs to be anathema. Thank you for your remark.
slackywacky wrote: ↑2 years ago
Interesting rituals you came up with and you describe them very well and with great details that makes it very easy to imagine what is going on.
Great chapter.
When I started this, I wanted my readers to be able to picture Newhome and events on it as I do in my mind. You give me hope that I am finding some success with this.
Caesar73 wrote: ↑2 years ago
You are spinning a fantastic yarn here, @GreyLord One signiture of your style which I regard very highly is your love to detail, it is astonishing and makes the story so lively. Congratualtions on that! It was good to read how Stellas Friends took care of her and cared for her. The courtship ceremony was exquisite.
Thank you so much, [mention]Caesar73[/mention]. The story has much more to tell. I will do my best to please you and my other readers. You all mean a lot to me.
Caesar73 wrote: ↑2 years ago
You are spinning a fantastic yarn here, @GreyLord One signiture of your style which I regard very highly is your love to detail, it is astonishing and makes the story so lively. Congratualtions on that! It was good to read how Stellas Friends took care of her and cared for her. The courtship ceremony was exquisite.
I second that. You really have brought this tale to life. As I am reading I can almost feel the dust in the air. This is so atmospheric and on top of that the wonderful character driven story is great.
[mention]wolfman[/mention], reading this from a Master such as yourself, is joyful. I had actually been wondering if I used too much detail and was becoming boring (a very bad sin).
Red86 wrote: ↑2 years ago
Yes, very interesting and unique mating rituals you have come up with here!
The documents have been successfully retrieved. Now what lies ahead for our new alliances? Since you've mentioned there's more to this story, I can only guess where this will go next. I'm suspecting atleast one group will not like this new alliance and cause more trouble. Looking forward to finding out!!
Thank you for your comments, [mention]Red86[/mention]. You have good insight. Most people do not like change. And if they have to change, the NIH syndrome takes effect too often. NIH is Not Invented Here.
wolfman wrote: ↑2 years ago
I second that. You really have brought this tale to life. As I am reading I can almost feel the dust in the air. This is so atmospheric and on top of that the wonderful character driven story is great.
Once The Expanse is done on Amazon, they can show this epic tale next...
Wow, [mention]slackywacky[/mention]. That you and other are reading my musings is heady stuff indeed.
wolfman wrote: ↑2 years ago
I second that. You really have brought this tale to life. As I am reading I can almost feel the dust in the air. This is so atmospheric and on top of that the wonderful character driven story is great.
Once The Expanse is done on Amazon, they can show this epic tale next...
I second that! Way to go!
Wow again, [mention]Nainur[/mention]. High praise and I thank you for it. The problem, of course, is that Hollywood, Amazon, Netflix, and other main stream movie makers seem to suffer a congenital defect that prevents them from portraying tugs in any meaningful way.
Beaumains wrote: ↑2 years ago
Another long read with plenty of details. Those mating rituals are very creative and a great way to incorporate bondage into the story. This one is quite rough on Carmen, but I can imagine the symbolism behind it. It's a shame Stella has so much pain, but ultimately, the mission succeeded, and her wounds will heal eventually. I think the mention of therapy was quite interesting as putting much emphasis on these processes is a quite modern approach for such an old-fashioned world.
I appreciate your insights, [mention]Beaumains[/mention]. It was rough on Carmen but not harmful.
Your comment on therapy call for some additional explanation. Newhome was an Earth colony. Their computers held the contents of all of the great libraries. But after contact with Earth was lost, they did not have the industrial infrastructure to maintain technology. Unihold was originally a university. Its leadership had to decide what to preserve. There just wasn't enough paper and ink to print everything! Their objective was to build Newhome into a new space-faring civilization, a task of many centuries.
But theoretical knowledge of all of the sciences and engineering was available. That was preserved. Medical knowledge was available but the practice of medicine requires a high technology infrastructure that Newhome no longer had. But a good portion of therapy is essentially low tech. The Medico was taught to learn what he could about a patient by observation and probing with his hands and fingers.
Thank you for picking up on this seeming dichotomy.
banshee wrote: ↑2 years ago
Good to see Carmen engage in the ritual too, I really like her character so for me this chapter was great
Thank you so much, [mention]banshee[/mention]. You can look forward to reading more about Carmen as the story progresses.
You have kindly posted comments on my story. That is appreciated very much. If you would like your tag removed from this list, please send me a PM to that effect.
The last chapter generated more comments than usual. That you very much.
-----
Chapter 19 (M/F) – The Medico Delivers
As the dawn brought the light of day to the camp, Stella woke but didn't want to move. She was not in any pain but knew that, if she moved, she would be. Carlos had been awake and had remained still so Stella would sleep as long as possible. When he saw that she was awake, he said, "You get breakfast in bed this morning." He arose, dressed, and went out to the mess tent.
The cook saw him and said, "Don't give Stella a regular breakfast. I'll fix a plate for her." Shortly he handed Carlos two plates, one for him and one for Stella. Stella's dish had all soft food: grits, scrambled eggs, and a pancake with butter and syrup.
Medico Frank Stevens spent much of the night studying the Katana Documents. He now knew why Ralph had not produced a true blade. It was past sunrise, and it was time to go and visit Carlos and Stella. He needed to check on her and give her a potion for the trip back to the Ranch. Then he could see Ralph.
By the flap to Carlos' tent, Frank called out, and Carlos told him to enter. Carlos had Stella propped up in the bunk as he fed her. "Good," he said. "Until I give permission, Stella should not use her arms and shoulders even to feed herself.”
He stood by the bunk and probed her shoulders with his fingers. I don’t detect any further damage. Thanks to Sgt. Lee and the Mounted Toops, you got away with your expedition yesterday. Here are two potions for the trip home. Take one now and one after midmorning.
“Stella, you should know this. I spent the night studying the Katana Documents. I know why Ralph has failed to make a true blade. We can fix the problem. Without the documents, I might not have discovered the problem, or it could have taken years."
The Medico and Carlos used a blanket to lift Stella to the latrine and returned her to the bunk. “Troops will bring a stretcher to move you down to the wagons. A comfortable pallet has been made in a wagon to carry you back to the Ranch. I know that you want to try to help. Don’t. Call me if you need me.”
Frank left, and minutes later, Ralph and Carmen came in. Ralph said, "I'm sure that you heard the news. Meet my new mate."
Carmen moved close to Stella and looked her in the eye. "I am going to be with you while we travel back to the Ranch. Stella, it makes this so much worse that it was my people who did this to you. I hope you won’t hate all Comanche.”
Ralph added, “Troopers will be here any moment to carry to you a wagon on a stretcher. I hope you will ask for anything that you need. I also hope that you have the fastest possible recovery.”
Stella told them, "No, Carmen, I won't hate all Comanche. The four Comanche who did this to me and Gus Sloan have paid the price. I'm glad you will be with me for the trip to the Ranch. Ralph, I don't know if I can explain why I had to go for the documents ahead of your plan. I had to do it.”
Ralph said, “You don’t need to explain, I know. Most on Newhome have honor. It just doesn’t always take the same form. Your honor made you leave the first moment you could. Chief Gomez wants to speak to you. Can he come in?”
“Of course, I will be happy to see him.”
As Ralph left, Chief Gomez entered the tent and got down on one knee beside the bunk. "Stella, you have been a friend to Carmen and me. I am very sorry that this has happened to you. Medico Stevens tells me that you will recover if you follow his instructions. I am glad that you have him as your Medico. Is there anything that I can do for you?"
“Chief, Carmen means a lot to me. I am glad she is with me today. What has happened to the bodies of the four Comanche?”
“Stella, we plan to go and cremate them. I hope you do not object.”
“No, Chief. To them, I was an enemy. Now the Bucks and the Comanche are allies. I think my father would want you to cremate them with honor."
The Chief said, “As I understand, non-Bandits do not think of cremation as an honor. We will throw Sloan’s body to the flames without ceremony.”
“Thank you, Chief. Although the news will reach him first by Boss Ralph’s dispatches, I look forward to telling my father how much help you have been to the alliance. And how much of a personal comfort you have been to me.”
As the Chief left, four Troopers entered Stella's tent with the stretcher. As was done the day before, Stella was lifted with a blanket and placed on the stretcher. They put bedrolls on either side of her hips and shoulders and used straps to secure the bedrolls and Stella. With a Trooper at the head and foot of the stretcher bearing the load and a Trooper on either side to ensure there was nothing amiss, they headed down the arroyo with Carlos and Carmen.
The wagon with Stella's bedding was waiting for them. The four Troopers lifted Stella with the blanket and placed her gently on the bedding in the wagon. Carmen climbed in beside her. "Okay, Stella, let me know if I can do anything to make this trip easier for you. There are other bedrolls ready if you need more padding. I think we are leaving now."
The pace of the wagon was slow to make it as easy on Stella as possible. The Mounted Troops rode escort, and Stella noticed. "Carmen, why are the Troops riding escort formation? Am I a prisoner? "
“No, silly. You really don't understand how much the Troops respect you, do you? First, you were a major factor in forming the alliance. Second, enough of them got to practice martial arts with you that your capability became known to the rest. Third, you would wait for nothing to get the Katana Documents back to Ralph. Fourth, you were captured and tortured but refused to give up the Documents. And fifth, although too injured to walk, you refused to leave without the Documents. You got them into Ralph’s hands. Stella, you are their hero. No, you are not a prisoner. They are your honor guard.”
Stella was quiet for a long time thinking about that. “I don’t deserve it. Of course, it pleases me that they think well of me. Enough, tell me about your Courtship.”
“It was similar but different from your Final Courtship. It was only one night. Ralph had to keep me tied up until dawn. I had to do everything that I could to escape. The Guardians were there to ensure that I continued to struggle the entire night. I will tell you that wore me out fast. We had the same Guardians, by-the-way. I wish you could have been one of them! Ralph did everything that he could to relieve my muscle cramps and divert my mind from my discomfort. Many orgasms! But poor Ralph wasn’t allowed to penetrate me with his cock. I owe him so many orgasms now that I will never catch up. Jane was great. She kept suggesting things for Ralph to do to me. Without her guiding Ralph, I might not be his mate today.”
The wagon driver told Carmen when they were about halfway. She gave Stella the second dose of the potion. It was more potent than the first, and soon Stella was asleep and remained so until they pulled up to the big house.
Later, Stella learned that there had been intense gambling among the Mounted Troops over who would man the stretcher to carry her to her bedroom.
-----
Frank worked his way until he rode next to Frank Rider on the ride back to the Ranch. "You are going to have a lot to put in your report to Chief Dan. It will be hard telling him that his daughter was captured and tortured. At least you can assure him that justice was served on the perpetrators and that Chief Gomez helped serve it."
Ralph replied, “It is good that I can also report that the Medico predicts a full recovery.”
“You know, Boss, that I studied the Katana Documents last night, most of the night?”
“I am not surprised, Medico. These Documents have put a lot of things in motion. I am glad to have them back. Now I can proceed with the next logical step in trying to achieve a true blade.”
“Boss, I hate to tell you this. You were never going to get a true blade the way you were going. In the document that you copied from Unihold, a step was missing. I studied that document at Unihold but from another copy of it. I recall the details of the step you are missing and will write it down for you at the Ranch.”
“I know you are right," Ralph answered. "I had suspected that something was missing but discounted it because I was sure that I copied the document accurately. This is a perfect example of hubris. If I hadn't been so sure of myself, I could have even made a trip to Kennedy to visit Unihold. The Masters would have given me access to the library.”
“Ralph, we have seen a lot of hubris, haven’t we? Stella’s confidence in her abilities led her to make an unwise choice. But consider, it was Stella’s taking of the Document initially that put everything in motion. Without that, we wouldn’t be allies now and wouldn’t have found the missing step.”
“Frank, don’t keep me waiting. What is the missing step?”
“It is called a rapid heating quenching. Your last step is to fold a low carbon sheet over a high carbon sheet and beat it flat. Then you heat it for the last time and quench it. That is when the blade curves. But it is still easy to break. To get the characteristics you want, you must add something to your last step.
“Before the last heating of the blade, clay and other materials are placed on the blade. You should spread the clay on thicker on the backside of the blade and thinner on the cutting edge. When the blade is put in the forge for heating, the clay protects the low carbon steel. The temperature of the forge and the time the blade is in it are critical. The blade is removed from the forge and immediately quenched in water. The clay controls the heat the forge passes to the different steels in the blade. The differential tempering gives the katana its ability to have incredible sharpness on the cutting edge and to be still able to take tough blows without breaking."
Ralph said, "I am thankful that Chief Brooks sent Walter Holt with us. He will have to feed me blades at a rapid rate so that I can experiment to find the right clay thicknesses, the right temperature, and the right time in the forge. I have a lot of planning to do on the rest of the ride home. Carlos will want to know about this. Could you let Stella's wagon catch up with you and pass this on to him?"
“I need to remind Carmen to give Stella her second potion of the poppy medicine. I will bring Carlos up to date.”
-----
After the badlands incident, Frank continued to hold a martial arts class each day. Because of the work schedule, he held it after the evening meal. The focus of the class had changed. Now, kendo, the way of the sword, was all important. It was just a matter of time until Ralph would be able to make true blades. If all of his weapons bearing personnel were armed with a katana, they would have to know how to use one. Kendo was the key to them learning to use the katana.
To make the best use of the katana, it should be used as a slicing weapon. It could also be used as a sticking weapon. But it should never be used as a chopping weapon. To practice, Frank had a lot of practice weapons made, bokken and shinai. The bokken is a wooden sword of the approximate size, shape, and weight of a katana. The shinai is made with split bamboo and is used in live practice. Toward the end of his life, the legendary Japanese swordsman, Miyamoto Mushashi, only carried the bokken into battle.
Frank knew that he was going to have to have more instructional help if he had any hope of all Ranch armed personnel knowing even the basics of swordsmanship. At the first opportunity, he would talk to Ralph and Carlos. Of course, Stella would teach as well as soon as she was recovered.
It was a week after the return from the badlands. Ralph and Carlos stopped by the dojo before the beginning of class. Frank told them his concerns about the training of Hands, Troops, and Bandits in swordsmanship.
Ralph said, “Soon, I hope that we will have more Comanche. I have sent a messenger to Chief Gomez saying that I would like to hire a lot of Comanche to learn smithing and katana making. We should be able to pick up some people from Round Rock too. By this time next week, Walter Holt will be able to deliver two to four blades to me each day that have completed the folding process. Then I will be able to experiment to find the best way to perform your rapid heating and quenching process. Within a month, I expect to have a true katana.”
Carlos added, “Yeah, then the real work begins. No more of these pussy 14 hour days. We can give a full 16 to 18 hour day. You know, this could break up a mating.”
Ralph injected, “I know this is hard on everyone involved. Even Carmen is working her butt off coordinating Ranch activities. We still have to produce beef you know. As soon as we have a true katana, everyone who is now smithing will become teachers of smithing for the new hires. I have to keep the Hands and the Troops as intact as possible because their tasks haven’t changed.”
Frank dropped his bomb. “It won’t do any good to have katana without the training in using them. That is why my classes focus on kendo now. But I cannot do at all. To train everyone, I need for the two of you to teach at least one martial arts class a day.”
“We will do what we have to do,” said Ralph. “But Carlos and I are cutting out on you tonight.”
“That is probably best,” Frank said. “Carlos, Stella is showing signs of depression. That is almost expected after going through an ordeal like she did. Some tender love and care from you is what the Medico orders. Frank, Carmen is under a lot of stress too. She has no background in running a ranch. Of course, having you to call the shots and having Sam Briggs to implement things makes it a lot easier for her. Still, I am sure she is feeling the pressure.”
-----
As Carlos moved about the room, getting his things ready for work the next morning, he noticed that Stella’s eyes tracked him constantly. She would do that before the badlands incident but she would radiate joy. Her eyes would have a sparkle. Now, she had a haunted look.
He told her, “The Medico says that you can start feeding yourself now. We owe Carmen a lot for taking care of you at the noon and evening meals.”
“She has been sweet to help me so much,” Stella said. “Carmen also visits whenever she can. Still, this is no way to live. I felt like I had more freedom when I was tied up in your Wagon Train.”
“Stella, I am really hoping that you will be happier when you start therapy. After living your entire life at a high level of activity, it has to be depressing for you to have to just lay here. Frank says that he will check your shoulders in a couple of days to see if you can start exercising.”
“Carlos, I know that everyone is doing everything they can for me. Don’t you see, that’s part of my problem. I am used to taking care of myself. Not using my arms at all is like being tied up in imaginary rope.”
“I know that darling. For your future health, keep putting up with what the Medico says.”
“I promised that I would. So far, I have and will continue to do so. I just didn’t think that my shoulders would still ache after a week.”
“You didn’t tell me you were aching, Stella! Roll over and I will massage you.”
“Thank you. Just for a few minutes. You are worn out too. Help me take this nightgown off.” Stella sat up and let Carlos pull the gown over her head. Then she turned over with a sigh, look forward to having her shoulders rubbed.
The red whip marks on her back were starting a fade. They would always be noticeable. Carlos though she was beautiful even with the marks. Carmen had brushed her hair every day and it gleamed. “Stella, we can have sex if you are up to it. You wouldn’t have to do anything. I would do all of the work.”
“You might have to use your tongue to get me moist, Carlos. Yes, I would love that.”
Carlos made gentle love to Stella. He found that light caresses of her breasts did not cause her any discomfort. It was not long before they were both fast asleep, side by side holding hands.
-----
Carmen’s face brightened with a smile when Ralph entered their rooms. He had left that morning before dawn. Now, it was well after dark. Carmen had arranged with the house staff for them to keep water hot that they could bring on notice for a bath. She also had a plate of cold cuts and fruit for him.
She welcomed him with a hug and a kiss and rang the bell for the hot water. He said, “How did I go all of those years without having you waiting for me?”
“ Well, that is the past. Now, we just have to get you on a decent schedule. Your bath water is on the way and I have a plate beside the tub waiting for you.”
“Bless you. I need a hot soak. While the water is coming, give me a rundown on the Ranch today.”
She gave him a concise report of today’s Ranch activities. It only took a few minutes but before she finished, house staff arrived and filled the tub. Extra buckets of hot water were placed beside the tub. The staff left and Carmen pulled Ralph to the tub while pulling off his clothing.
Ralph climbed into the tub watching Carmen remove her shorts and halter. “You are coming in with me? That’s wonderful.”
“No, I am going to scrub you down,” she said, picking up a large sponge and a bar of soap. She soaped him and scrubbed with vigor. To get between his legs, she had to lean over the tub making her tits an irresistible target for his hands. Ralph stroked her tits in time with her stroking his cock.
When he did not produce the expected reaction, she said, “You are exhausted, aren’t you? You can play with me as much as you wish but nothing is expected of you. Let me dry one hand so you can much on these cold cuts and fruits. Then I will finish scrubbing you while you eat.”
Later, in their massive bed, Ralph said, “I’m sorry that I disappointed you physically tonight. Being tired is part of my problem. It’s made worse by that fact that I am a complete failure. So many years working on a process that could not be successful.”
Carmen shook her head making her hair fly. “Ralph, don’t you talk like that! Aren’t the processes that you developed sill part of the katana making process?”
“Well, yes.”
“Weren’t you part of creating the alliance?”
“Yes.”
“Weren’t you part of rescuing Stella after the badlands incident?”
“Yes.”
“Aren’t you working day and night to perfect the last step, the rapid firing and quenching?”
“I am.”
“Okay, a time will come when you will not be exhausted all the time. We can play to our hearts contents then. Right now, you grab a rope and tie my hands behind my back. Then lay beside me and cuddle. Play with my tits until you fall asleep.”
“But then you will have to sleep tied up all night. When I go to sleep, I don’t think I am likely to wake up to untie you.”
“That’s not a problem, Ralph. One thing that I learned from Stella’s ordeal, is that I need to practice escaping. This is a good time for me to start.”
“Okay, if that is what you want. But I don’t think my rope techniques are so bad that you are likely to escape.”
Ralph took a rope from the bedside table and Carmen sat on the edge of the bed with her wrists crossed behind her back. Ralph made careful vertical and horizontal loops around her wrists and cinched the loops removing any slack. Then he wrapped two loops of her hair around his hand and pulled her down to the bed and helped her get into a comfortable position on her side so he could spoon against her.
His upper arm draped over her and he fondled her tits until he fell asleep. Carmen struggled but could not find a knot within reach of her fingers. The rope was not too tight on her wrists but she was not going to be able to slide a hand out of the loops. She was careful not to disturb Ralph as she got on her knees and leaned over with her head on the mattress. Her arms were long and she was able to slide her wrists over her butt. Then she extracted one leg at a time and her hands were now in front of her.
It was awkward, but she was able to get her teeth on the knot and work it loose. Smiling, she settled back down next to Ralph for the rest of the night.
So many have mentioned te careful attention of detail, dialogues which are both formal and vivid, too. It is more that just a peep into a foreign world. Great work! Thanks once again!
Great part! It will be interesting to see to what this new katana will lead. The former enemies all have crucial pieces of information on how to forge it, but what will the next step be if the most powerful weapon on Newhome is brought to life? I cannot recall anyone discussing what they want to do with it. It's a weapon made for war, and it would not surprise me if there will be fought who may wield it. Maybe I am overestimating its potential, but it is almost like a nuclear weapon. Such steel is unbeatable in a battle, and like nuclear weapons, it may make Newhome a safer place, but many enemies of this alliance will try to duplicate it for themselves.
On another note, I liked the interactions between Ralph and Carmen. The mating rituals suggested that in these societies had an uneven relationship between men and women, but Carmen fights back against her mate as an equal. The last few paragraphs also gave a cute interaction between them. Well done!
Lots of info in this one, and some good results might come from it.
It will be good to see Stella healed, as bondage in her current state would not be advised.
And Carmen is another great woman in this story.
Well worth the read this story!
Thanks for reading. Feel free to comment.
Slackywacky, also @DeviantArt
This Chapter is more on the calm side - I find it difficult to pick any sequence out of Context. We learn a lot about the Fabrication of a Katana which I found highly instructive to read, and those descriptions are never boring. Then there is Stella: Thank God she is on the mend, and it was really heartwarming how her friends cared for her, or her struggle with the inactivity, not able to eat herself. For a strong and independent character like her this must be difficult to endure. So I find her depressed State of mind very convincing - and as [mention]slackywacky[/mention] wrote already: Carmen is also a fantastic character. I am repeating myself her, but you tell a wonderful story and the reminiscences of the old West? I can never get enough of them
Nainur wrote: ↑2 years ago
So many have mentioned te careful attention of detail, dialogues which are both formal and vivid, too. It is more that just a peep into a foreign world. Great work! Thanks once again!
It is a pleasure to read your comments, [mention]Nainur[/mention]. Thank you very much.
Beaumains wrote: ↑2 years ago
Great part! It will be interesting to see to what this new katana will lead. The former enemies all have crucial pieces of information on how to forge it, but what will the next step be if the most powerful weapon on Newhome is brought to life? I cannot recall anyone discussing what they want to do with it. It's a weapon made for war, and it would not surprise me if there will be fought who may wield it. Maybe I am overestimating its potential, but it is almost like a nuclear weapon. Such steel is unbeatable in a battle, and like nuclear weapons, it may make Newhome a safer place, but many enemies of this alliance will try to duplicate it for themselves.
On another note, I liked the interactions between Ralph and Carmen. The mating rituals suggested that in these societies had an uneven relationship between men and women, but Carmen fights back against her mate as an equal. The last few paragraphs also gave a cute interaction between them. Well done!
Lots of red meat in your comments, [mention]Beaumains[/mention]. Thank you for your thought and time in presenting this to us.
The benefits of the alliance may keep the former enemies from exploiting what knowledge they may have of the katana forging process. But, you are right. Our history shows that not secret is kept for long. Also, the katana is not unbeatable. But if it is skillfully deployed, it is certainly difficult to beat. In Japan, the katana allowed the Shoguns to enforce a couple of hundred years of peace. Then the gun trumped the katana.
It could be that Stella will want more equality once she heals as well.
slackywacky wrote: ↑2 years ago
Lots of info in this one, and some good results might come from it.
It will be good to see Stella healed, as bondage in her current state would not be advised.
And Carmen is another great woman in this story.
Well worth the read this story!
Thank you, [mention]slackywacky[/mention]. No Stella is not fit to be tied as yet. As to the amount of info, I will pass on a nugget that was once given to me. Writers should always keep in mind the wheat to chaff ratio. I writing has too much wheat, it is indigestible. If it has too much chaff, then it has no value. I am trying to balance the background story, which gives the tale its character, with fun and tugs, which gives the tale its joy.
Caesar73 wrote: ↑2 years ago
This Chapter is more on the calm side - I find it difficult to pick any sequence out of Context. We learn a lot about the Fabrication of a Katana which I found highly instructive to read, and those descriptions are never boring. Then there is Stella: Thank God she is on the mend, and it was really heartwarming how her friends cared for her, or her struggle with the inactivity, not able to eat herself. For a strong and independent character like her this must be difficult to endure. So I find her depressed State of mind very convincing - and as @slackywacky wrote already: Carmen is also a fantastic character. I am repeating myself her, but you tell a wonderful story and the reminiscences of the old West? I can never get enough of them
You are very kind and encouraging with your comments, [mention]Caesar73[/mention]. Thank you so much. The next chapter, which I hope to post by noon Friday, EDT, may have Stella and Carmen surprising you.
