Ben got up and headed quickly inside. I helped the women up and helped them below, wondering what was out there waiting for us.
Ben, dripping wet, was seated at the navigation console smiling. He turned to watch us come in. "It's okay, its just the island finally on radar."
Well I felt better, and I could see the women looked relieved too. I guess we were all still a little jumpy because of their kidnapping.
I could see that they were shivering and dripping water all over the deck as well, so I went and got some towels.
By the time I got back Ben had released them all of their bondage, including the nose chain and the four of us quickly began drying ourselves off.
"Thank you." Laura said with a smile when I gave her hers.
"Have I told you lately how beautiful you are?" I said to her.
She stuck out her tongue at me but still she smiled.
Despite our getting dry though it was still cold, and the boat was rocking even more in the heavy sea.
"Ladies!" Ben said in his command voice. "Go forward and climb under the covers of our bed, I want you to stay warm. But no playing. Wait for me, I'll be along in a minute."
"Yes, Sir." both our loved ones answered, and they scampered off to the forward cabin.
"Don," said Ben, "You go get dressed as well. I'm going to put the girls away for a while and then we can see about finding some shelter from the weather."
"Sure, Ben." I answered. "Do you think it's going to get serious?"
Ben glared at me. "Any bad weather at sea is serious, Don. But I'm not expecting anything big, just being careful."
I nodded and headed back to my cabin.
I found some jeans and a long sleeved shirt, more clothes than I have worn for a while, and put them on as protection against the chill. I figured a front must be passing over us, that would account for the sudden temperature change.
Ben took several minutes longer than I did but eventually he came out of his cabin dressed much as I was.
He sat again at the console and used the radar image and what little we could see out the windows to guide us around the island.
Suddenly the rain began to lessen although it never stopped entirely and I could finally see the island clearly.
It was oddly shaped, something like a door wedge. One end was the high point of the island, cliffs dropping straight down to the water, while a gentle slope ran all the way to the other end of the island where it became a small cove with a beach, the only beach on the island Ben told me.
The entire island was covered in thick growth of trees, but here and there bare rock was visible, especially near the summit.
Using the joystick Ben carefully steered us into the cove.
He looked at me over his shoulder. "Someone has to set the anchors." he said with a grin.
I shook my head and laughed. "You win, Captain!"
I didn't want my dry clothes ruined so I stripped naked once more and went back out in the rain. It wasn't so bad really, the soft rain was warmer than the hard rain of earlier and the air seemed to be warming up also.
I got the anchors laid and went back inside.
"I'm out of towels." I said as I came back in.
"Look in my private head, but don't release the women yet." Ben answered, shutting down the engine.
I went forward and passed into the forward cabin. On the big bed I could see two huddled forms under the blankets, all that was visible of them were their heads, and even then all I could see was the back of them.
I grabbed a towel and as I dried off I took a closer look.
Amy was the closest, so I careful pulled the covers off her. Ben had hogtied her with rope, it was very well done with none of the knots within reach. He had also gagged and blindfolded her, a bright red ball gag forcing her jaws wide open.
Chuckling I put the covers back and went around to my wife. She was trussed up in exactly the same way and I smiled and left them as I found them. They definitely wouldn't be doing any playing in that condition.
I dressed once more and joined Ben in the galley as he brewed some coffee. He looked a little preoccupied.
"You still thinking about that offer Townsend's friend gave you?" I asked.
"No, actually. I was thinking about the island outside. I've had enough of thinking about Booth and his offer."
"You never did tell me what you decided, if you HAVE decided anything!"
Ben looked at me for a moment. "No, I didn't. Look, Don, let's just put that subject away for a while huh? There's only a few days left before you and Laura have to head back home. Let's just enjoy them."
I stared at Ben. A part of me wanted to pressure him into answering, but I to was fed up with Townsend and the whole Kiri business. "Sure." I told him.
Ben smiled and nodded, and looked slightly relieved.
"So!" I said. "We're going ashore soon?"
Ben looked away, pouring himself a cup of coffee. "Actually, I wanted to talk to you about that. That's why I put the women away."
"You have a plan huh?" I said with a smile. Some planned fun and games would be good right now.
"Yeah, I have a plan, but it doesn't involve you."
I was put back a little by that. "What?"
"Sit down, Don."
I sat.
"Don, coming here to this island is something Amy and I always do when we make this trip, and this time I wasn't planning on changing that tradition. There is a special...well, "game" isn't the right word, but it's better than nothing, there's a game we like to play here that we cant play elsewhere."
"Oh, so you and Amy want some play time to yourselves." I said, thinking I understood. "That's fine. Laura and I can lounge about on the beach for a while."
"Er...no, that's not quite it." Ben said. "It's something that takes more than a few hours, usually a couple of days, almost definitely two nights."
"Oh. Well I'm sure we'll survive."
"There is another thing. Now that we've taken that step...you know...us, and how we are now trading our women. Well, I was thinking of this time...taking Laura instead of Amy."
I took a breath, and let it out slowly. "You want to take Laura with you to this island, for a couple of nights of private play?"
Ben nodded. He didn't look very nervous, despite the hesitant way he had asked.
Me, I was nervous.
"Ben, can I ask what this game which isn't really a game is all about?"
Ben sighed. "I guess it's only fair you should know, but Laura can't know anything in advance, okay?"
"You got it!" I said to him, eager to hear his plans and wondering how my wife would be a part of them. When he told me, my eyes opened wide!
The rain was still coming down but it was more of mist now. It added to the general humidity giving the air weight where it shouldn't have had any. Also the temperature had come back up and I had switched back to wearing just a pair of swim trunks.
All four of us were on deck, the women having been released not long before, their arms and legs testifying to this via red lines that wound around them. Amy, upon seeing the island took on an attitude of excitement, mixed in with a little breathless fear. I would imagine a first time sky diver would look much the same as he contemplated the two mile fall below him.
Amy looked over at Ben, who was pulling some rope out of one of the deck lockers.
"I didn't think we'd be coming here this trip!" she said to him with a smile.
Ben looked up and shook his head. "You're not." he replied.
Amy frowned and I watched as logic dawned. She looked over at Laura who was watching the shoreline, oblivious as to what was going on behind her.
Amy inclined her head toward Laura, and Ben nodded. She looked at me as if to see if I knew what was going on, so I smiled and nodded too.
She padded over to Ben and began whispering in his ear, but I was still close enough to hear them.
"Sir, you cant take her up there!" she whispered.
"Why not, I've taken you many times." Ben answered quietly.
"But Sir, Laura wont know what's going on. You'll have to tell her everything."
Ben stayed silent.
"Sir, you ARE going to tell her aren't you?" Amy looked horrified.
Ben leaned closer to his intended bride. "Only as much as I told you the first time, and you aren't allowed to expand on that. One word out of you to her and your ass is hamburger."
Amy shuddered and glanced at me again. I was looking the other way at the time, watching them out of the corner of my eye, so I doubt she thought I was evesdropping.
"Sir. Does...he know everything?"
Ben chuckled, and moved away from her, carrying the rope with him below.
Amy stood in thought for a moment then approached me. "Sir, What has Ben told you about this place?"
For some reason Ben wanted Amy kept ignorant about things, and had asked me to play along. "He didn't need to tell me much, I trust him." I said to her.
"But Sir..." Amy whispered, glancing at Laura who stood proudly at the bow. "Sir, I..."
"What?" I asked. Amy seemed to be on the verge of tears and I was wondering if she was jealous of Laura or if there was more to what Ben planned than what he had told me.
"Sir, Laura might not be up to...Couldn't you tell Ben that you want Laura to stay and for him to take me instead?"
"Why, don't you want to stay here with me?" I asked her calmly.
"No...Yes...I mean...It's just that...!" Amy ground to a stop, unable to decide what was the right thing to say.
I leaned forward as Ben had done. "Someone in your position, shouldn't question the orders of their Master."
Pale, Amy nodded.
"Amy, I am going to ask you one thing, and you had better tell me the truth."
"Yes, Sir."
"Is there any REAL reason why Laura and Ben shouldn't be alone over there?"
Amy swallowed, and then looked once more at Laura. Deep in thought she touched her bare nipples with one hand and then absentmindedly brushed her groin before looking back at me.
In her eyes now was something new, a glint of something much like determination, but a little more evil.
"No Sir, there is no reason she can't go ashore with Ben. I was just...overreacting I guess. I wanted to go with him but I'm just as happy to stay here with you!"
I didn't believe her, and I made sure my expression said that clearly. But I didn't verbally call her on it.
Amy looked like she had read my expression accurately though, and lowered her eyes.
"Go help Ben." I told her, and the naked subbie padded quickly away.
As I joined my wife at the bow I thought about why Laura going ashore with Ben would be considered revenge by Amy.
Laura looked at the scraps of leather with an amused smile.
Ben had handed her a couple of wide strips of fur that looked like it had been skinned off something with spots.
"Put those on." he ordered and Laura took a moment to figure out what to do with them before obeying the order.
One strip she wrapped about her hips, tying it on one side. It gave her a little modest protection, if she didn't move much.
The other strip she used to cover her breasts with, tying it on the same side as her bottoms.
I have to say she looked very sexy, and I realized then how used to her being nude I had gotten. It reminded me that women could look just as alluring IN clothes as out of them, and even as in Laura's case right now, more naked than naked! Her skins only emphasized her nudity underneath them, if that makes sense to you.
"Very nice!" I said to her.
She smiled and did a twirl so we could see all of it, her striped buttocks showing easily as the cloth moved about.
She looked like a barbarian princess with her silver collar shining brightly around her neck.
Now it was my turn.
"Laura?" I said, catching her attention. I pointed at the deck by my feet and she smoothly came to a kneeling position beside me.
"Yes, Master?" she said, a twinkle in her eye. She glanced quickly at Amy who knelt by Ben, and I wondered if she was puzzled why Amy didn't look at her.
"Laura, it's time for another game." I said. "This one you'll be playing just with Ben."
"Yes, Sir!" she said eagerly, casting a warm smile at Ben.
"Here's what's going to happen. In a few minutes I'm going to row you ashore and you are to head into the jungle and hide. In about an hour I'll do the same for Ben and his job is to find you."
"Sure, hide and seek, it could be fun!" Laura said giggling.
Amy sighed.
"Not quite." I answered. "For a start, you're to do your best to make sure that Ben doesn't find you, and you aren't allowed back here either for if Amy or I see you then you lose. You also have to evade him for quite some time, until dark tomorrow in fact."
Laura's smile faded. "You mean I have to stay out there alone all night?"
"Yes, you do."
"No! I don't want to do it. I cant stay out all night by myself!"
"Laura, you'll be fine. You can do it."
"No!"
Amy spoke up. "Laura, you'll be okay, there's nothing on the island that can hurt you!"
"What do you mean? What if I get bitten by something?"
"There's nothing there that's poisonous and it's only birds and insects anyway, no animals."
"Have YOU done this?" Laura asked her fellow sub.
"Yes, you'll be fine."
Laura didn't look convinced.
"Laura," Ben said, breaking his silence. "You WILL go!"
Laura opened her mouth as if to protest again, then closed it before looking at me. From her kneeling position she bent low, kissed my feet and then looked up at me. "Master, this lowly slave does not wish to spend the night alone on the island."
"But...?" I said, using my own command voice.
There was a moment of silence.
"She will go." Laura eventually said.
"Good. If you make it until tomorrow evening without any of us seeing you or Ben catching you, then your reward is the repeal of the rest of your caning sentence. You wont be caned again by Ben."
Laura almost smiled, and I knew then I had picked a proper reward. Ben and I had discussed what she should win if, and it was a big if, she won. It had to be something real and something that would motivate her to not give up just to see what Ben would do if he caught her.
Her expression turned serious and I could almost see those mental cogwheels going. Now that she had resigned herself to going she was going to make damn sure that she would benefit from it.
"What if I lose, Sir?"
I spoke slowly and calmly, making sure that Laura saw the seriousness of what I was saying. "If you lose, then you belong to Ben for as long as he plans on staying here, and he has already told me it could be a couple of days at least. You wont see me or Amy during that time, and there will be no restrictions on what he can do with you. If he wants to cane you now instead of later in the week then he is free to do so, and he will still be able to cane you later. You wont have any options with him here, no safe words, no limits. Your life will be in his hands and I get what's left of you when you return."
The look of fear was still on her face, but it wasn't a crippling fear.
"Sir, one more question."
"Very well."
"Sir, will you and Amy be doing this as well, after Ben brings me back...IF he catches me?"
I shook my head. "No, this is strictly for the two of you."
Laura looked down, sitting back she assumed her Total Slave position. "Yes, Sir." she said. She was breathing deeply and I could see that I had succeeded in convincing her of the seriousness of this...yes Ben was right, "game" was a bad word.
The row boat had already been put in the water and I ordered my slave/wife into it. I rowed her to the beach about a hundred yards away and she stepped out onto the sand.
She was no longer the barbarian princess, rather she looked like a golden haired native girl, her hair fighting a losing battle against the light rain, her skin slick and shiny, her breasts pushing against the spotted fur halter she had tied about them.
She looked miserable, yet determined. Scared, but capable.
She looked beautiful.
"One hour." I told her, and began the long row back to the boat.
She stood on the beach and watched me for a moment, before disappearing bare foot into the trees.
I hoped she would be okay.
An hour later Ben came up from below. He was dressed in the same kind of leathers as Laura was, a large loin cloth and a pair of fur clad boots.
With his build he looked very much the wild man.
With out looking at either Amy or myself, he dropped a bag he had been carrying into the row boat with the cooler of food and water he had already loaded.
When he DID look at us, his expression was very serious, not that of someone about to embark on a game.
He stared at Amy for a moment, then turned that gaze on me.
I saw then what Amy, and maybe even Laura saw when he was in full dominant mode. A man of power, a serious man who wasn't in control just because you let him, but because control was where he was SUPPOSED to be.
You obeyed such a man simply because to do anything else made no sense.
I wondered if I would ever get that look, and a part of me felt a little jealous that Ben already did.
"You watch her, " he said to me, "you look after her. You can use the beach but don't go into the jungle. If things work out I may invite you up in a couple of days. But unless I do, STAY AWAY!"
"Yes, Sir." I said to him, taking that look and that voice seriously.
"Now, row me over."
I did as he asked, and helped him unload the rowboat before heading back alone to the 'Kajira'.
Aboard the yacht once more, I stood with Amy as we watched Ben haul his stuff one item at a time into the jungle.
Then, he appeared no more and we were alone.
"Tell me Amy, what was the longest time you were able to evade capture?" I asked.
"Only one time did I make it until dark, only once." she replied softly.
I nodded and we stood and watched the jungle for a while longer.
End of Part 26.