"I see," she whispered.
"But the main thing, in my opinion," I said, "is the psychological effect on thewoman, the bringing home to her, I in clear, forcible and undeniable terms, thereality of her situation, that she is helpless, that she is at his mercy, thatshe, regardless of her will, is now his to do with as he pleases, that she isowned, that she is his slave, and that he is her master."
"I would be terrified to be bound," she said.
I saw that she wished to be bound.
I continued to caress her.
"Master," she whispered.
"Yes," I said.
"Bind me," she whispered.
"Do you beg it?" I asked.
"Yes," she whispered. "I beg to be bound."
"Kneel," I told her, "quickly."
Swiftly then did she kneel, and looked at me, frightened.
"I have changed my mind," she said.
"Do not break position," I told her.
"Yes, Master," she said.
I went to my saddlebags, with the kaiila saddle, and withdrew two fairly shortlengths of soft, pliant, braided black leather, each about twenty-five inches inlength.
I pulled back her right wrist a bit and tied it to her right ankle. I left herabout six or seven inches of slack between wrist and ankle. "This is a commonopen-legged tie," I said. "It is not good for general security, but it is agood, and familiar, slave tie." I then fastened her left wrist to her leftankle, as I had done with her right wrist and-ankle. "When finished with you," Isaid', "I might simply bind your wrists behind you and tie your ankles together.
That is a familiar and effective security tie. If you had not been sufficientlypleasing I might pull up your bound ankles and tie them to your wrists. Yourneck, of course, might always be tied to a stake, or bound to a tree."
I then stood up and stepped back, to observe my handiwork. "An advantage of thistie," I said, "is that a girt may kneel in it comfortably for hours, perhapsbeside a master's chair, while he works, and is not yet ready for her."
She pulled a little, almost surreptitiously, at the leather on her wrists,leading back to her ankles.
"Is this all?" she asked, timidly.
"I see that there are potentialities of this tie which, as yet, you have notdiscerned," I said.
I then took her by the hair and threw her forward on the blankets, on her belly.
"Struggle," I told her.
She did so, helplessly. Then she ceased her struggles.
"An interesting perspective on a woman," I said. "Too, bound in this positionshe is seldom in doubt as to the fact that she is a slave. Too, in time, it canbe quite painful." She groaned, and I, mercifully, thrust her to her side. Shelooked up at me, frightened. "Whereas this tie," I said, "is not good forgeneral security, it is quite adequate for specific security, namely, securityin a specific situation, in this case, in the presence of the master or akeeper. For example, under observation, you cannot very well employ your righthand in the attempt to undo the knot on your left ankle. If the tie, of course,is accomplished with chains, then it is also adequate for a general security, anaesthetic and delicious general security, a chain neck leash being added,naturally, to restrict movement." I then put her on her back. Her knees weredrawn up and her hands held helplessly at her sides. "Now," I said, "I think youcan see one of the main virtues of this, tie. The woman is quite helpless,absolutely, and there is not the least impedance to the master's approach."
She seemed to shrink back in the bonds.
"Please, untie me," she said.
I thrust apart her knees.
"Oh!" she said.
I held her knees apart, not permitting her to close them.
"I do not want to be tied like this!" she cried. "I did not know it would belike this. I am too helpless! Please, untie me! Free me! Loosen my bonds! Do notkeep me tied like this! No! Please!"
I regarded her.
She looked at me in fear. She squirmed, helplessly.
"What do you know of me?" I asked her.
"Nothing," she said, "only that you are my master."
"What might I do to you?" I asked.
"Anything," she said.
I withdrew my hands, permitting her to close her knees, which she did,immediately, clenching them fearfully together.
"You have tied me like a pig," she said.
"The pig," I said, "is not a Gorean animal. To be sure, you are trussed ratherlike a she-tarsk."
"You have tied me, then," she said, "like a she-tarsk!"
"Do not flatter yourself," I said, "that you enjoy a status as high as eitherthat of the pig or she-tarsk. Your status is lower than that of either. It isthat of the female slave."
"You have bound me, then," she said, "as a slave!"
"Now you speak the truth," I informed her.
"What are you going to do with me?" she asked.
"Whatever I wish," I said.
She moaned. She pulled weakly at her wrist tethers, fastening her wrists to herankles.
"Do you begin to sense now," I asked, "what it might for a woman to be bound bya man?"
"Yes, Master," she whispered.
"Can you escape?" I asked.
"No, Master," she said.
"Are you powerless?" I asked.
"Yes, Master," she said. "I am powerless, totally."
"What will be done to you?" I asked.
"I do not know! ' she wept. "I am helpless. I am a slave. I am at your mercy. Itis you who will decide what is to be done with me."
"Perhaps I will whip you, lashing you with my belt," I said. "Perhaps I willkick you, again and again. convincing you of your worthlessness. Perhaps I shallkneel across your body, slapping you, methodically, again and again, until youbeg for mercy. Perhaps I shall merely, for my amusement, beat you senseless."
"Please, Master, no," she said.
"Perhaps it shall be the quirt," I said. "Perhaps I shall us the quirt on you,lengthily, as on a recalcitrant she-kaiila."
"No, Master," she said. "Please, no, Master! ' "Are you recalcitrant?" I asked.
"I am not recalcitrant," she said. "I am docile, and obedient. I am ready toplease you, and I desire to please you."
"Perhaps I will butcher you," I said. "Perhaps I will take you.
She looked at me, in horror.
"Would you prefer to be butchered or taken?" I asked.
"Taken, Master," she said. "I beg to be taken."
"The taking of a free woman," I asked, "in which, to some extent, her dignity,pride and status are respected, or the taking of a slave?"
"I am a slave, Master," she said. "I beg that of a slave."
I looked at her knees, clenched closely together. "Spread your knees apart,widely," I told her.
"Yes, Master," she said.
"Now beg," I told her.
"I beg," she said.
In moments it was necessary to thrust her hair, balled and wadded, into hermouth, and I put my hand, too, over her mouth. Her eyes were wild. She kickedwildly at the pliant, braided black leather, again and again. Then, mercifully,I unbound her limbs and I let her straighten her trembling in the blankets. Withone finger I pulled the wet hair from her mouth. She was gasping, andshuddering. I held her closely for a few minutes that she might, while thuswarmed and sheltered, make some adjustment to this new dimension, which she haddiscovered in her being.