Author's Note: An Elder Scrolls: Skyrim fan fiction. This story is an adaptation of "The Bound Queen' quest in the Deviously Cursed Loot as well as featuring aspects of the Captured Dreams Workshop mods for Skyrim, both found at loverslab.com (Really great). I have modified the content normally found in the quest for the sake of telling the story I wanted to tell as well as correcting a few lore errors in the quest. Yes, I am THAT kind of nerd - don't hate. If this is well received, I will write more tales of Tamriel. There are plenty of stories to tell.

This story takes place in the Provence of Skyrim. The year is 4E 197, three years before the return of Alduin, the World-Eater and the emergence of the Dragonborn. It follows the story of a young member of the floundering thieves guild. Keep in mind that this is before Mercer Frey is brought to justice and is still in possession of the stolen Skeleton Key, severing the guild from the wellspring of luck granted by the Daedric Lord, Nocturnal.


Ygritte finally relaxed and returned the bow to her back as the rotting bones of the final draugr collapsed to the ground, riddled with arrows. After battling for what felt like hours she had finally reached the end of the tomb. There was this interesting looking large stone carving of a dragon perched atop a short wall. Engraved upon it's curved face was writing she could best describe as claw marks.

"Something for the academics to squabble over-" She muttered, dismissing the relic of an age long passed.

"-But this little baby is what I'm all about." Ygritte said aloud to herself with satisfaction as she tapped at the ornate gilded chest with her toe.

After a few masterful flicks of the wrist with her lock picks, she easily defeated the ancient mechanism. She opened the lid with enthusiasm, but was immediately disappointed.

"A book? That's it?" She exclaimed with dissatisfaction as she picked up the aged book, bound in blue leather. A majority of the pages had succumbed to time, but the few that were intact spoke of a queen of the first era, Sarah. A name that sounded vaguely familiar. She was about to toss the dusty book into the shallow pool next to her, but at the last second changed her mind. She knew from personal experience that anything regarding the first era was practically a guaranteed payday.

Ygritte retrieved a piece of cloth from her satchel and carefully wrapped up the book before depositing it into the canvas bag. She took one final glance inside the chest, then with a huff turned on her heels before stepping over the slain draugr on her way out of the catacombs.

A few days later, Ygritte had finally returned to Ragged Flagon in the sewers beneath Riften. She sat down on a heavy stool in front of the bar. She gave a nod to Vekel who with a bass grunt filled a surprisingly clean mug full of ale. He set it on the bar top but maintained a firm grip. Ygritte rolled her eyes before flipping a gold coin in his direction. Vekel then released his grip on the ale while snatching the coin from midair.

She took a large gulp of the mediocre brew then turned to the man to her left. "I found something in a crypt. What do you think I can get for it?"

The bald man looked over as Ygritte unwrapped the blue book. "Whatch'ya got there?" he said with an incredibly thick Breton accent.

Delvin Mallory was not exactly the 'warm and fuzzy' type, but when it came to estimating the value for a score, there were none better. If he didn't know personally, he certainly knew someone who would.

"A first era book. Hopefully it's worth something, otherwise that dungeon dive was a complete bust." Ygritte replied bitterly before downing another gulp as Delvin delicately thumbed through the few intact pages. His eyes flicked across quickly, skimming the degraded ink.

"Well, it refers to a 'Queen Sarah'. Hmm, if my memory serves there's a guy up in Solitude who will pay a pretty penny for anything that mentions her. Odd little fella, name's Julius Talus. I've done a few jobs for him myself." He muttered as he continued to flip through the pages. Then he abruptly closed the book. "He'd probably be your best bet. A little squirrelly that one is, generally distrustful of visitors. I'll send a letter his way, let him know you're coming." He offered as he held the book out for Ygritte to retrieve while holding his empty hand out expectantly. Ygritte smirked and deposited in his outstretched hand a gemstone that she had looted. She quickly repacked the book in cloth as Delvin held up the sapphire to the torchlight on his left.

"Pleasure doing business with you." He muttered with satisfaction as he tucked the gem into a pouch on his vest before returning to his mead.

Ygritte slid the stool back, drained the last of her ale then silently walked out with a hand raised up in farewell.

During the long journey to the Northern capital of the province Ygritte kept wondering what could be valuable in this dusty old book. She had been surprised in the past with other pieces of literature. Granted they were all in vastly superior condition. However with the pathetic state that the guild was currently in, any payday was a good payday. "Who knows, maybe this is the job where all that bad luck turns around." She muttered to herself as she continued down the stone path. As she passed an outcropping of boulders, Solitude came into view. Even though she had seen it many times in her life, it still caused her to stare in awe like a child. To this very day, she would daydream about a sticky-fingered vacation through the Blue Palace. But such thoughts were simply fantasy. Ygritte took a deep breath and continued the final leg of the journey to the front gates.

As she passed through the massive doorway, she saw The Winking Skeever on her left. A memory of a numbers job and altering its books flashed across her mind. She remembered getting walked in on by one of the patrons. He was a particularly handsome man, so she offered some 'intimate company' in exchange for keeping his discovery to herself. In the end the job was one of her better payouts and the sex was surprisingly good. A smile flicked across her lips as the memory played through. As a career thief, Ygritte was not above using every tool in her arsenal. Which included her very attractive appearance. She was very proud of her head of thick, long copper red hair. The young woman had a very slender build and stopped growing when she hit 5'-3" yet, that did not stop her bust line. Her stature had come in handy many times. To quote Delvin, "small and can fit into tight spaces... good for thievin'..."

As she continued her way through the heart of the capital, Ygritte would eye up potential marks all the while casually avoiding close proximity to guards. Finally she came to a large home with a marquee out front the read 'Proudspire Manor - Julius Talus'. Ygritte bounced as her lithe frame ascended the half dozen steps to the front entrance. She pounded her fist on the heavy wooden door and waited. After a minute she pounded once more, louder and more urgently. Just as she was about the give up for the moment, the bolt slid free and the door opened to reveal an aged man.

"Julius Talus?" Ygritte asked as she shifted impatiently.

"Yes? Who are you and what brings you to my door?" He asked curtly.

"Delvin Mallory said that you might be interested this book I found. It mentions a Queen Sarah of the first era." Ygritte answered.

Immediately, Julius' face brightened. "Well why didn't you say so earlier. Delvin's letter came this morning. Come in my dear, come in." He then opened the door up wide and welcomed her into his home. Ygritte entered and could not believe her eyes. Every wall was plastered in artifacts from all of Tamriel throughout history. Her eyes were drawn to a suit of gilded armor on a mannequin tucked tastefully into a corner. As Julius rejoined her he noticed the object of her attention.

"Ah, one of my favorite pieces. It's a set of Imperial Dragon Armor. It was reserved exclusively for the Emperor, however this set is special." He explained with satisfaction. Ygritte eyebrow raised, her curiosity piqued. "This very armor was gifted to The Hero of Kvatch. The very same individual whom was primarily responsible for ending the oblivion crisis at the end of the third era, some two-hundred years ago."

"How did you manage to get your hands on it?" She asked, dumbfounded.

"Ah. Well as a collector of antiquities, I have my ways. Some of them include large quantities of coins where as others involve individuals such as yourself and our mutual friend Mr. Mallory." He answered. "Now, lets see this book I've been hearing about!"

Ygritte snapped back and was again all business. She retrieved the cloth wrapped tome in her satchel and handed it to the anxiously waiting hands of Julius. As soon as he had the book he quickly made for a large table in the next room. Ygritte followed at a slow pace, marveling at the incalculable value gathered in this one structure. 'This puts the blue palace to shame...' Ygritte thought as she caught up with Julius whom was already reading the ancient book, grinning and nodding as he silently mouthed the words as he poured over the words. Ygritte's eyes once more began to drift but her attention was quickly recaptured by a loud exclamation from her host.

"YES! This is it! This is the missing piece of the puzzle!" He excitedly shouted. Julius noticed the confused look on the young thief's face. "Excuse me, I simply could not contain myself. My dear, you have done me a great service this day. If I interpret this text correctly, then this describes the lost location of her belt." Ygritte's nose scrunched up at that statement.

"Her belt? Wouldn't her possessions be in the royal tomb under the blue palace? " She asked, genuinely curious.

"Actually, Sarah reigned during a period when Windhelm was still the capital of Skyrim. And lost is not accurate, more like 'forgotten'. You see her time on the throne was not a pleasant one. Sarah is also known as 'The Bound Queen'. This is due to the set of chastity devices she bore; crafted by the command of King Harald Finehair, her Father."

Ygritte could not believe it. How barbaric and cruel. She could hardly imagine it, a lifetime denied of sex. As a woman of a particularly vast appetite for pleasure herself, it would be a fate worse than death. "That poor woman."

"Hmm, indeed. However it was not out of cruelty, more of a harsh lesson gone awry. King Harald dearly loved his daughter, you see. My research shows that Sarah was a rather rebellious young woman whom quite enjoyed the company of men, and even women if the mood was right. Harald felt that this behavior was unbecoming of the King's daughter. He wanted to teach her a hard lesson and curb her desires." Julius expertly explained. "The King contacted a reclusive master craftsman named Andratos, whom was rumored to possess extensive knowledge of Dwemer metallurgy."

Julius motioned for her to follow as he started to exit the room. He led her down a hallways then a wide staircase leading down to a large cellar. Ygritte could not get over the sheer volume of items on display. They ended in front of another heavy looking banded wooden door. Beside the door was another mannequin. This one however featured a feminine set of curves. But what stole the view was what adorned the figure.

Contrasting against the dark fabric of the mannequin were nine bands of hammered gold. The most striking was the one across the chest, covering where the breasts were hidden behind two large cups. There was a pair at each wrist, bicep and thigh. The ones at the ankles featured a very odd looking "shoe" attached to it that forced the wearer up on her toes by way of a nearly six inch spike under the heel and a pad nearly an inch thick at the toes. She reached out and touched the black leather on the sole and was surprised at how soft and spongy it felt. Stepping back, she noticed that a very delicate looking gold chain connected all the bands on the legs, roughly sixteen inches long at the ankles but only three inches at the thighs. The thigh bands had a pair of longer chains at the outside that dangled freely. Ygritte deduced that they must have connected to the belt that Julius mentioned. Since they had nothing to keep them up, Ygritte could see a few thin pins stuck into the mannequin's leg to support the bands. Julius stood off to the side and watched as the beautiful young woman with long, thick orange hair was mesmerized by the vision before her.

"Let me give you a closer look." He said quietly as he reached up and effortlessly removed the chest band and handed it to Ygritte. She tenaciously took it in her hands but started to roll it around looking at every inch of the masterfully crafted device. The metal itself felt as light as the thinnest sheer cloth yet strong as the thickest plate armor. Unlike most metalwork she encountered which was rough-forged iron the texture was probably the smoothest thing she had ever run her fingers across. Up close she could see that the gold was not uniform. Rather it looked as though hair-thin flakes of gold were pressed upon each other. Turning it over, she inspected the interior. The pitch-black leather lining looked like it was just tanned this morning and felt as supple as goose down. She attributed this to the powerful enchantments on the device.

"This looks amazing." She said impressed as she handed the chastity device back to Julius. As he returned it to the mannequin, Ygritte looked at the items in the case to the right of the figure. It was an expertly crafted wooden display case with a red velvet backer and glass doors. Inside hung several pieces of jewelry. At the top were two pegs that held a pair of golden conical discs roughly and inch and a half in diameter adorned with thin slivers of purple gemstones. In the center of the disc was an open hole about a half-inch wide and a delicate gold bar spanning across the center.

In the center of the case was a small teardrop shard of the same purple gemstone suspended by an open gold ring. Ygritte's eye then moved to the two oddities displayed at the bottom of the case. They shared the same purple gemstone at the other pieces, however much larger.

One looked like a short, fat carrot made of purple glass. Unlike the gems on the three above items, the one on this piece was not faceted. Instead it was perfectly smooth as it tapered down to a blunted point. At the base was the same gold metal. There was a small detent below the gem and then it flared out dramatically to a wide thin base. It made Ygritte think of a fancy wine goblet.

The other item next to it shared the same base design. However the gem on this one was not smooth, rather it looked rather sharp and jagged as though it had been crafted straight from cloven stone. The gem was safely inside a gold cage and about an inch and a half in diameter and roughly seven inches long. The cage itself looked as smooth as the tapered gemstone. The two layers of metal that formed it looked seamless and smooth. The top formed in a gentle dome. Ygritte leaned in closer and could see that set at each junction of the cage were tiny round whitish-blue gemstones. Whatever these things were in this case, they looked exceedingly valuable.

Ygritte took a step back. "That is quite impressive. I have no idea what most of it is or does, but impressive still." She complimented.

"Yes thank you. After much effort only two items remain. One is currently out of my reach but because of you, the other has been found." He paused, quickly eying Ygritte up and down. "You know, if you are willing to get your hands a little dirty - I will pay you to retrieve the belt for me. Name your fee."

Ygritte's eyebrow rose sharply at this new turn of events. She was about to ask for three hundred coins, which would make one of the largest payouts for a single job she had ever earned. But at the last second she had the idea to ask for a ridiculous amount and haggle her way down.

"Twelve hundred-"

"-Done." Julius quickly agreed to.

Ygritte's eyes flew open. She was stunned for words. "Twel - twelve hundred?!" She screamed in her head, hardly able to believe it. She had not anticipated this, not at all. Suddenly that dusty old book was turning out to be the best score she's ever made. Then Julius continued to sweeten the deal.

"If you get it back to me by one week today, I will pay you an additional three hundred. Also, I'm only interested in the belt. Please feel welcome to keep whatever else you may find." He said nonchalantly as though his pockets were bottomless. Ygritte took the piece of paper where he had sketched out the location of the belt. She shook his outstretched hand in quiet shock. Julius bid her farewell and safe travels and requested that she find her own way out. She nodded, thanked him profusely then started to turn back the way they came when he called her attention back once more.

"Oh, I almost forgot. Give this to the man at the stables." Julius added as he handed the stunned woman a small slip of parchment. "He will furnish you with a horse to use until you return."

At this point Ygritte could only nod as she made her way back to the front door. Just as she was about to turn the corner she looked back at her generous client and saw that he was just staring at the items on the mannequin. Yes, it was weird but for one thousand-five hundred gold coins and whatever loot she could scrounge up she was more than willing to forgive it.

Ygritte slowly lowered her bow and pushed a few errant strands of copper hair behind her right ear. She watched as the armored draugr collapsed to the ground motionless, having died its final death. She cautiously fought her way through the crypt, the entire place crawling with the cursed undead guardians. She continued until she reached her goal - the chastity belt of The Bound Queen.

Satisfied that she was the only moving thing left, she rose up and moved over to the pedestal in the center of the chamber to collect her prize. She could immediately tell that this was part of the set. It was displayed the same delicate gold pattern in the metal and the black leather lining the belt looked flawless and soft. The waistband hinged in the back, each half connecting to the crotch band. The band that would deny it's victim any intimate caress curved gracefully back up to meet at the front edge of the belt. Just like the other gold bands she saw, there was no keyhole of any discernable form. Rather the three open ends met together with precision tolerances to from what looked like a nearly seamless golden circle. Ygritte gently placed it in her satchel. While she was told that it was nigh indestructible - she was not willing to take ANY chances with a payday that would set her up for life.

She started to exit the innermost chamber when she heard something. It sounded almost like wind. "This far underground?" Ygritte thought suspiciously as she readied her bow. Then she heard it again, clearer this time.

"Please... if you... don't abandon... this errand... you will find... only sorrow..." A barely audible young woman's whisper rang through the chamber. Ygritte whipped around. While she was fine facing off against draugr, this whisper from out of thin air made her shorthairs stand on end. For the first time since entering Proudspire Manor the money was the last thing on her mind. Right now, the only through running through her mind was 'Leave! Leave now!' Ygritte obeyed her baser instinct choosing flight over fight. As she fled the cave she heard the whisper again, fainter still. "Please...don't...my...fate..." The tone of this whisper sounded different, sounding much more forlorn. Ygritte decided that she would make sense of it later, right now she only wanted to get out as fast as she could. She navigated her way back through he winding passageways but never again heard the whisper. She emerged back into the sunlight. Never had she been so grateful to feel it's warming glow on her pale skin. She took a deep breath and then walked over to the tree where her horse was still tied. She released the reigns from the branch and climbed on. She gave it a gentle tap with her heels and signaled her equine companion to begin the two-day journey back to Solitude.

"Splendid. My dear, simply splendid." Julius gushed as he turned the belt around in his hands inspecting every square inch. After minutes of handling he walked over to the mannequin and positioned the belt across its hips and between its legs. Ygritte had to admit. There was a certain allure to seeing the full set contrasting against the dark fabric. However nothing would ever beat the weight of the bag filled with fifteen small gold bars that Julius handed her the moment he saw the belt. He assured her that the bars equaled the agreed upon sum. Hell, even if he was short it was by far and large the most money she had ever held in her entire life.

"I can't imagine the feeling of accomplishment that you must be feeling right now by having the whole set." Ygritte said. She half hoped that she could play to his emotions and get another few coins out of gratitude.

"Not yet. There is still once piece left." He said quietly and intensely. "However, this one is already in someone else's collection and they refuse to sell - for any price." Again he glanced to the beautiful young thief. "However, your skills may be able to remedy this unfortunate situation. Three thousand for the final piece - the collar of The Bound Queen."

Ygritte's knees damn near gave out beneath her.

"But, I should warn you. I am offering you so much because of the dangers associated with the task." Julius said in a serious tone. Ygritte calmed herself down and locked eyes with her client once more.

"It is held by probably the wealthiest, most dangerous private individual in all of Skyrim. Her name is Navarra, and she is the owner of a small villa that is unofficially known as the Captured Dreams Workshop located a small distance north of Falkreath. Essentially she is a slave trader whom is allowed to operate by paying off the Jarl." He reached out and firmly gripped both of Ygritte's shoulders for emphasis. "If you are caught stealing from her. It will be over for you, and there will be no escape. If you don't want to take this job, I would certainly understand. The risk is high and the consequences dire. Now you can see why I am offering to pay so much."

Ygritte gulped. She though about the job for a moment. The consequences were indeed dire, but ultimately her greed won out. "I'll do it. So, a collar?"

"Yes, a collar. It will be hard to miss as it matches the rest of the set. Knowing Navarra, it will be on display somewhere in either her main showroom or private quarters. Bring it straight to me." He requested. Ygritte nodded and turned to return to the stables for her loaned horse.

"Ygritte. Be careful. I can't emphasis enough the cruelty of whom you're about to steal from." He said gravely. The gravity of the situation sank in with Ygritte. For a split second she thought about saying screw it, taking her fortune and abandoning the collar quest. But once more, her greed won out over her better instincts.

After a three-day's ride, Ygritte arrived at Half Moon Hill just north of Falkreath. "Ok so... according to this mark Julius made on my map. It should be just past that next ridge north." She muttered to herself as she studied her map. She looked up and could see a couple gentle columns of smoke rising through the tree not far north. "That must be it."

Ygritte decided that it would be wise to leave her horse back here and go in stealth. She led the animal to a tree off the main road a ways before tying the reigns to a sturdy low branch. She gave the gentle horse a few pats on the head before heading towards the sprawling compound.

"This will be easy. Just slip in and out. Basic smash and grab." Ygritte said to herself, trying to forget the danger as she crouched in the bushes. From her meager vantage point she already counted five buildings. "This place is basically it's own town."

She saw a building with a sign out front that read 'Showroom'. Behind it was the rear of what looked like stables. She couldn't see it, but she could hear the loud rhythmic ring of a blacksmith's hammer. Then she saw at the far end of the compound a large, elaborate estate house. Ygritte immediately decided that would be the best place to start looking. As she circled around beyond the trees, Ygritte watched all the activity. She was correct in her assumption that the building next to the smithy was indeed a stable. What was rather perplexing was the sound emanating from it. It did not sound like horses, rather high pitch grunts and moans. The young thief continued towards the stables to get a better look. She discovered a knothole at the rear of the building. As she peered through it, she saw a sight that made her guts fall out. Inside the stables were four women and three men.

The first one that caught her eye was the exquisitely dressed Altmer standing authoritatively in the center of the stables. Her maleficent gaze fixed upon the young woman struggling in the grasp of the three men. Ygritte's eyes darted to the other two women. They were each in a private stall; each door had a large lock adorning it. The two inside both had devices strapped in their mouths that looked strikingly similar to a horses bridle. She noticed that they didn't struggle much, rather stared at the one being wrestled with a blank look that could best be described as utter defeat.

"Strip her and let me get a good look. I want to know if my gold was wasted on her." The elf spat out. The moment the order reached the men's ears they immediately began to not undress her, but rather savagely rip her simple dress off one shred at a time, hooping and hollering with every pull. The blonde girl just sobbed around the piece of cloth tied between her lips. Once the gag was the only stitch of cloth remaining upon her body the men forcefully spun her around, being ever careful to transfer her wrists from hand to hand. Ygritte gasped involuntarily when she saw the girls face.

"It's the girl from the road!" She exclaimed in her head. Earlier today, shortly after she passed through Rorikstead, she came along a wagon filled with baskets of fruit. The golden haired girl looked to be in her early twenties, and had a kind way about her. The man driving the carriage was far less pleasant in both looks and demeanor. He was rude and Ygritte was not fond of the way he kept staring at her ass.

Ignoring his boorish behavior, Ygritte chatted with the girl as she rode along them for a short while. She learned that the girls name was Sigrid and the man was Ole, her uncle. After a minute of small talk with Sigrid, Ole cut in. "Are you going to buy some fruit just going to keep irritating me with that mouth of yours?"

Ygritte stared daggers at him. Her eyes went back to Sigrid who silently mouthed "Sorry" as she rolled her eyes. Ygritte rolled her eyes and started to pass a pair of coins to the girl but Ole roughly snatched them from her hand and deposited them into a pouch with a huff. Ygritte lagged back a few paces and reached over and plucked three ripe apples from the top basket. She gave her farewells then instructed the horse to double it's pace for a short while and pulled ahead of the wagon.

"As I thought. That fruit vendor was lying when promised a flawless specimen. That scar rules her out as a pony." The elf said with disgust, pulling Ygritte's mind back to the present. "Collar her and then take her to the house. See that she is secured for the night. Fit her into a dwarven suit in the morning, I'm putting this one in the mines." The elf said carelessly as she walked back to the house.

"Right away Navarra." The men responded unison. Ygritte had just indirectly met Navarra and felt confident that Julius was not exaggerating about her.

Ygritte watched as the leader of the three men produced a gleaming silver collar. Sigrid was struggling so hard the one man had to bear-hug her while the other dropped to a knee to hold her legs steady. The man with the collar brushed her long dirty blonde hair aside and wrapped the two halves of the metal band around her throat. With a snap, the two halves became one and Sigrid was marked as property of Navarra. He then quickly wrapped a rough looking thin rope around the girl's wrists, knotted it off then instructed the other two men to drag her up to the house. The two 'ponies' as they were called just watched as the entourage left with blank emotionless stares.

Ygritte collapsed back on her heels and stifled a sob. She felt horrible. "He sold her..." Ygritte angrily said to herself in disbelief. While slavery in Skyrim was not illegal, the practice was taboo and looked upon with distain from most Nords. Ygritte vowed that she would steal the collar if for nothing else, to strike a petty blow at the horrid woman. She also promised herself that she would do everything in her power to covertly free Sigrid. The sweet girl did not deserve the fate that would soon befall her. Ygritte steeled herself and quickly crept towards the rear of the estate, moving from shadow to shadow.

Ygritte opened the door as quietly as she was able and deftly snuck through before silently closing it behind her. She waited outside for almost two hours. She figured by then the activity in the house would be at a minimum. Her instincts proved correct. All but two lanterns in the hallways further down had been extinguished. The very air felt still and quiet. Ygritte quickly began to mentally map the ground floor as she peered from darkened room to darkened room. If the collar was as treasured as it appeared. It would not be something hidden away, rather proudly displayed. As she rounded a corner she found a staircase leading up into the opulent home. With the grace of a housecat, Ygritte tested each tread as she crept up. Experience had taught her many times that if you were to be discovered by squeaky floorboards, nine times out of ten it was on stairs. Keeping to the outer edge she successfully reached to the top.

She looked down the darkened landing and saw a large set of double doors. One half was cracked open and Ygritte could see the faint dancing of firelight being projected through it. She crept towards it and peered in and saw what looked like a study. She saw a fire in the hearth; it was on the verge of burning out to embers. She panned her eye and saw along the far wall, her prize. The golden collar was perched upon a pillow of black velvet, the gold gleaming in the faint firelight. Ygritte started to push the door wider but stopped when she heard a loud, gasping snore come from out of sight on the left. Ygritte cautiously pushed on the door until she could see the source. It was Navarra herself, asleep in an elegantly upholstered wingback chair beside the hearth. A wine glass and half empty bottle occupied the table beside her and a book was splayed across her lap.

"What a horrid bitch." Ygritte thought as she watched the slaver sleep. She debated delivering justice right there by plunging her dagger through the elf's heart. But decided that it wasn't worth getting on the bad side of the Dark Brotherhood. Murder was their business, and they do not tolerate freelancers. Instead Ygritte would strike a blow the to the best of her ability - rob her blind. First on the list was the score of the century. Ygritte approached the pedestal and briefly admired the collar.

Like the rest of the Queen Sarah's restraints the craftsmanship was flawless. The collar itself looked like it would fit snug on a slender neck. It was only an inch and a half tall, not hindering the wearer's ability to turn her head. The seam at the back was like the rest of the equipment - unfastened without so much as a keyhole. As she gently wrapped it in a piece of cloth and deposited it into her satchel. A glint caught the corner of her eye. She looked back at the cushion and saw a gold amulet. "It must have been in the center of the cushion." She silently surmised. Ygritte must have initially missed it due to her being crouched down.

It was simple in its design. It was a circular gold amulet. In the center was a single white gemstone. Surrounding it in a five-pointed star were four snowy-white gems and one empty setting. This amulet had pieces missing. Ordinarily, something like this would be melted down for scrap as it was worth more as bullion and loose stones than the sum of its parts. But seeing as how it matched the theme of the rest of the chastity devices. Ygritte decided that it was worth taking. She looked back over at Navarra and saw that the elf was still soundly asleep. Ygritte decided it was time to stop playing with fire and exit quickly and quietly.

After doing a quick sweep of the upstairs and pocketing a few more gems, trinkets and important papers - Ygritte was finally back on the ground floor and making her was to the exit she left unlocked. As she rounded the last corner she saw a door that she missed on the way in. It was a heavy wooden door set in a stone frame. She could see light coming from between the gap at the floor. As she neared it, Ygritte could hear a noise. Muffled sobbing. "Sigrid!" She quietly exclaimed. Ygritte felt horrible all over again. She had nearly forgotten about the poor girl as she was still coasting on adrenalin high.

She turned the latch but it was stuck fast. She produced her picks and started to go to work on it. The latch was simple enough; she didn't even break a single pick. As the heavy door creaked open, the thief winced. Hoping that Navarra was a heavy sleeper. With the door halfway open She snuck her way down the stairs into the cold, dark cellar.

Ygritte's mouth gaped open at the sight before her. She had found Sigrid. The poor girl was standing bolt upright due to the wooden post she was deftly lashed to. Ygritte estimated that there had to have been at least three hundred feet of rope wrapped around the shivering girl. The bands wrapped her ankles, a few at her knees and thighs. One cut deeply into her already slender waist crushing it down even further. Another rope sprouted from the waistband cutting sharply between her legs, tormenting her womanhood. The poor girls arms were pulled so sharply behind her that she could not even see them from a front view. The same piece of cloth cleaved her lips, but now closer Ygritte could see yet another piece of fabric stuffed cruelly into Sigrid's mouth. A final piece of cloth was blindfolding her.

Ygritte looked around one last time, mostly out of habit, to verify that the room was otherwise vacant. She stood up and quickly approached Sigrid. The young woman heard the footsteps and ramped up her muffled cries. Begging to her captors to please let her go.

"Shhh. It's me. Ygritte. From the road outside of Rorikstead." Ygritte whispered in the blinded girl's ear as she unsheathed her dagger. Sigrid stopped mewling in confusion for a few moments before she remembered the name. She perked up and cried out Ygritte's name, although all that came out was muffled gibberish.

The first thing that was removed was the blindfold. The girl's crystal blue eyes blinked a few times before focusing on her rescuer's face. She tried to talk again but Ygritte gently put her hand to Sigrid's gagged mouth while holding her other finger to her lips. Sigrid understood the message and became still.

"I'm going to leave the gag in until last, it is going to hurt a lot as I cut these ropes off. Those assholes tied them so tight. Do the best you can to be quiet." Ygritte whispered again to a nodding Sigrid.

"Ready?" Ygritte asked as she positioned her dagger to cut the ropes fastening the girl's chest to the post. With a nod and a deep labored breath from Sigrid, the dagger sliced effortlessly though the sisal rope. As the compression on her chest lifted, Sigrid was able to take her first deep breath in hours. Then all of a sudden it felt as though her arms had been plunged into a hot coal bed as Ygritte released her elbows and wrists. They fell limply to her sides as she utilized all of her willpower to stifle a scream of agony. Ygritte paused for a moment and let the girl recompose herself. When she saw Sigrid begin to flex her fingers she resumed cutting through the rough ropes, leaving a single band around her waist secured until the very end.

After over a minute of continuous cutting, all but the last of the ropes fell from Sigrid's bound legs leaving deep red welts and a few bruises, marking where they had once been. Ygritte took the girls left arm and threw it over her shoulder. As she cut the final band of ropes around the girl's waist, Ygritte supported the majority of Sigrid's weight while the feeling returned to her legs. After a few moments Sigrid was able to stand under her own power.

Sigrid reached up and fumbled at the knot of her tight gag. Ygritte sheathed her blade then reached over with her free hand and released the knot and let the fabric fall to the floor. Sigrid retched as she pulled the large sodden ball of cloth that had been trapped deep within her mouth since the afternoon. She looked to Ygritte with tears in her eyes and embraced her with a massive hug, quietly sobbing whispering her thanks as the whirlwind of emotions swirled through her mind.

"Come with me, I have some spare clothes with my horse just outside the compound to the south." Ygritte whispered as she tugged on Sigrid's hand, leading her up the stairs. Upon reaching the top they heard a noise that made them stop cold. The creek of a footstep - Navarra was awake. "We have to go. Now!" Ygritte hissed as she led them out the rear door, not bothering to close it behind them. They snuck out to the tree line, but progress was slow due to Sigrid's bare feet. However, when the yelling from the estate and the bells started to ring, they abandoned their slow pace in favor of haste. Bare feet be damned. They drew ragged breaths as they heard the commotion behind them. Then Ygritte saw her horse, Never had she been so grateful to see the beast. She climbed up in a single sweeping motion as Sigrid untied the reins from the branch. She took the extended hand and Ygritte hauled her up into the saddle in front of her. She winced as she adjusted her naked delicates to the rough leather of the saddle when the horse was signaled to gallop away. Ygritte rode north on the main road, yes it was going to take them dangerously close to the place they just narrowly escaped, but it was the fastest way North. She was confident that she could lose any pursuers in the Reach.

After an hour of hard riding, Ygritte eased back on the reigns and led the exhausted horse to a nearby stream. She hopped off first before helping Sigrid down from the saddle. As the horse drank greedily from the flowing water, Ygritte dug through the saddlebag and produced a threadbare skirt; a worn tunic and a pair of old hide boots and offered them to Sigrid, whom was most grateful to finally be clothed again. She walked over to the stream and drew a few handfuls of the crisp, cold mountain water. She savored every drop. She looked up and saw Ygritte motioning her over and twirling her finger, requesting that she turn around.

"We got a good head start but we shouldn't push our luck. We should keep moving." Ygritte said as she used her smallest lockpick on the secured hasp of the silver collar. After a few snapped picks and some choice words to various Daedra, the lock sprang open and finally released its hold on Sigrid's slender neck. She looked at it for a moment before winding up and throwing it as hard as she could manage into the water. After a moment of silence, the two women remounted and continued through the mountain road north.

As they rode, they talked about themselves. Ygritte discovered that she had more in common with this girl then she thought. They both had been abandoned for one reason or another by their parents to an abusive, drunken uncle. "Yea, but I ran away from mine before he could sell me." Ygritte thought mirthfully. They were practically the same age, and both from small homesteads in the hold of Whiterun. When telling Sigrid her story, Ygritte told that the burnt ruins of her uncle Sneed's home could be found just a few leagues northwest of Whiterun's northern watchtower. She vividly remembers burning it down the night she left, with the horrid, abusive man still inside. For a while, she lived in the city as a beggar. Then learned to steal in order to survive. After a while she got very good at it, and heard of a company of thieves that operated out of the sewers of Riften so she went East and found her new family.

"So, I figured the next best thing I could do would be to rob her blind." Ygritte said as she finished her story of what brought her to Navarra's private town, omitting a few details about the precise nature of the object she was contracted to steal. "You know, you're welcome to stick with me. Who knows maybe I'll show you the ropes?" There was silence then both of them broke out laughing over the poor choice of words given recent events.

"Well, I suppose I could. Uncle Ole was all I had before..." Sigrid said quietly as she pondered her next steps. She liked Ygritte, she trusted her. She did not have to rescue her like that. She owed her freedom to her new friend.

After another day of riding the women finally reached Solitude. Sigrid was gawking like a tourist. It was her first time in the capital city. It was unlike anything she had ever seen before. Ygritte lead the way to Proudspire Manor and banged loudly on the door. After a minute of waiting she finally heard Julius approaching the door before it opened.

"Ah Ygritte my dear. -" He said cheerfully before he noticed the blonde woman standing directly behind her. His eyes panned nervously over to her then back to his hired burglar. "-And friend?"

"Her name is Sigrid. It's a long story. May we come in?" Ygritte asked quickly, anxious to be once more out of public view. Julius apologized and stood aside, granting them entrance. Once inside he brewed a pot of tea and the two women explained the last few days. From Ygritte and Sigrid first meeting to outside Rorikstead up to when they reunited in a sense in Navarra's stables. Sigrid filled in the heart wrenching details about how her uncle sold her to Navarra for twenty gold coins and a barrel of mead. As well as the bondage she endured while in her custody. Ygritte cut back in about how she got the collar and then proceeded to vindictively rob the elf bitch blind. Then together finishing the tale with their pulse-pounding escape.

"What a horrid experience you've suffered my dear Sigrid. You look positively dreadful in those rags." He said in a soothing tone. "That certainly won't do for a lovely young lady such as yourself. Why don't you go down to the Radiant Raiment and get some proper clothing. Buy whatever you fancy, tell Taarie to put it on my account."

Sigrid was speechless. She looked over to Ygritte who was smiling and nodding at her, suggesting that she would be a fool to decline. "Thank you so much!" She exclaimed as she surprised the aged man by a quick hug before she bounced out the door. Julius waited until he heard the front door close before he got down to business.

"Let's see it." He asked anxiously as Ygritte produced the wrapped collar from her pouch and handed it to her employer. "At long last. The final piece." He whispered.

"Actually, THIS is the final piece." Ygritte added earning a sharp quizzical look from Julius as she produced the golden amulet. "It was displayed with the collar. It looks like it matches everything else. Figured you would be interested."

Julius set down the collar as though it was a worthless hunk of iron and started to pour over the amulet. He kept muttering and theorizing what it could be. Ygritte picked up the collar and decided she would take it upon herself to place it on the mannequin. "I'm going to put this with the rest." She announced, but Julius was so absorbed into studying the amulet he didn't really hear her.

As she rounded the last corner and saw the mannequin adorned in gold she started to feel odd. It felt vaguely like she had too much to drink. Like warm water filled her veins. A dull hum filled her ears. Rather, a dull hum in the center of her head. It grew louder and louder until it washed out every other thought. Slowly, she raised the golden collar to her slender throat. With steady gentle movements she pulled her long copper hair out of the way and closed the hasp. However, this time the latch held firm. The powerful enchantments had just made a seal stronger than any might of magic, mer or man.

She then began to strip her clothes. Once she was as naked as the day she was born she reached out for another piece. Her hands were led first to the glass case on the right. She grabbed the two matching discs, rolling them around in her hands. Then her hand reached towards her right breast, tweaking and pulling at her nipple until it became engorged. She positioned the hole in the center over her nipple. Once the base was pressed as far as it could go, her thumb quickly pressed the bar at the center, causing it to pierce her nipple affixing the device firmly to her large breast. She repeated the process on her left nipple.

The next item she reached for was the single pendant. As soon as her fingers touched it, the ring at the top opened invitingly. Under the power of the enchantment, she positioned the open ring to the top of her labia. The instant the jewelry detected where it was, it sprang shut.

Ygritte picked up the conical plug first, and then began to thrust it into her mouth. She slobbered on it for a few seconds before it retreated from her mouth and approached her virgin rectum. She pressed the rounded tip and began to slowly but steadily press it in. Between her saliva and the enchantment on the device, it slid in rather easily considering this was the first time anything had ever entered her there. Once the base was seated against her rear, Ygritte reached out and repeated the process on the vaginal plug.

With the case now empty, her blank stare moved to the mannequin. The first item that she removed was the belt. Gently, she positioned it with great care. First she closed the two halves of the waistband. The two ends connecting much like the collar, creating a seamless and unbreakable union. She spread her legs enough to pull the crotch band through. Before she connected the end with the other two, she ensured that the piercing had been pulled through its slot and that the plugs were aligned just right, for there would be no second chances. Satisfied, she pushed the end shut. Familiar magic held the ends firm. The seamless belt which would relentlessly hold the punishing plugs within her.

Her hands were then drawn to the chest cups, pulling it effortlessly from the mannequin. This one went on much quicker and the belt. She simply positioned the oversized cups over her breasts and then pulled the band around. When the band snapped shut behind her back, she felt the cup shrink until they pressed evenly upon her freshly imprisoned breasts.

She quickly snapped the four shackles at each bicep and wrist. Finally, her hands reached for the leg bands. She first took a hand and wiped off the bottom of her right foot before she slid it into the gold and leather shoe attached to the ankle bands. Once she was standing in them, her delicate fingers closed the unyielding gold shackle. She placed the final set across her mid-thigh, snapping the bands shut without pause. The final step was to attach the delicate gold chains to their awaiting receptacles on the belt at each hip.

Only once all of the gold items adorned her body, with their locks firmly shut did the magic recede from her mind. As the fog cleared, Ygritte became fully aware of everything she had just done while under the enchantment's influence. She started to pull at various pieces in horror. She cried out in frustration as she attempted to get even a fingernail between the bands and her flesh but it was as though the two were fused together.

"Julius! JULIUS!!!" She cried out in panic. Maybe he knew a way to release them. He was the expert on them after all. She continued to cry out his name as she sank to the ground, shaking from anxiety.

"Yes, yes. What is all the racket about..." Julius trailed off as he noticed that the mannequin was stripped bare. His first instinct was that the thief he hired had been true to her nature. But that assertion was quickly cast aside when he heard crying around the corner. As he approached to investigate Julius deduced what had happened, but prayed to The Nine it was not true. Alas, his prayers went unanswered as he rounded the corner to a breathtaking sight.

Ygritte sat on the floor cradling her knees as tears streamed freely down her cheeks. "They won't come off." She managed to say between gulping sobs. Julius quietly looked her up and down and had to admit, her natural beauty was certainly amplified ten-fold by the golden restraints. Her pale skin and long, bright orange hair accented the black and gold collar around her pretty throat. The cups of her bra hugged her chest in a most alluring fashion and the belt sat high above her hips. He moved his gaze over to the display stand. Aside from the obvious items missing from the mannequin, Julius noticed that the case beside it had been opened and was empty.

"The plugs. Did you...?" He asked incredulously while pointing a shaky finger to the display. Without words, Ygritte stifled another loud sob as she nodded with more tear streaming down her face.

"I couldn't stop it. I knew what I was doing, but I just couldn't stop. It was like I wasn't in control of my body." She managed to say. She tugged at the edge of the bra before looking up at Julius with pitiful eyes. "How do you take them off?"

"My dear... Queen Sarah lived the remainder of her life within them, as they could not be removed. By anyone."

"You mean...I...These..."

"I'm afraid so." Julius said solemnly as Ygritte let out a gasp of shock as reality began to settle. "However-"

Ygritte's head snapped up and she latched onto the glimmer of hope that was being presented before her.

"-That was before you brought me this." Julius held out the amulet for her to see. "It's a rough theory, but I think this may be the key she sought so long for."

"Well, what are you waiting for? Get them off!" She said excitedly, pulling absentmindedly at the belt's waistband.

"Regrettably, that is quite impossible. This keystone is incomplete, fragmented centuries ago. See the missing stones?" He said softly as he presented the amulet to a devastated Ygritte. She could clearly see two empty gem settings. "It appears it was broken apart. Until we reincorporate the two missing stones, this is how you will remain.

Julius could see the crushing weight of this news bearing down on the young woman and he felt responsible. "Give me some time to go over the documents that you stole from Navarra, see if there are any leads. In the meantime head upstairs. Take a hot bath and rest. There is nothing more you can do now."

Ygritte silently nodded and pulled herself up. She took a few unsteady steps and immediately determined that she would need to concentrate on each step lest she lose her balance and topple over. She also noted that stealth was no longer a tool in her kit. Between the jingling of the chains and the sharp clicks with each step, a geriatric bandit with one ear could hear her from a hundred paces. As she reached the steps she felt an odd sensation. She white-knuckle gripped the railing as she froze.

"What is it?" Julius asked.

"I don't know. I..." Ygritte started to say before the building sensation exploded within her as the plugs sprung to life. She began to moan as the plugs began to vibrate in such frequency and harmony as to produce the most intense physical pleasure she has ever experienced in her entire life. She collapsed to the ground, her fingers and eyelids fluttering. Julius kept his distance, but watched in amazement as this beautiful woman writhed in ecstasy on his floor. As the devices pushed her closer and closer to the finish line, Ygritte felt like she was floating. She felt the pleasure building and building. Then the devices just... stopped. Not only stopped, but all of the momentum they had built up had ceased with them. Her chest still heaving below the golden cups she composed herself enough for a single question.

"What in the name of Oblivion was THAT?!"

"You just experienced Sarah's torment. Her devices were specifically crafted to sexually torment her, as a cruel means of curbing her appetites. Repeatedly brought to the brink but never allowed release."

Ygritte just stared at him, jaw slack. She couldn't believe this was happening to her.

"Please go rest. I'll send up your new friend when she returns from the markets. Meanwhile, I'm going to see what I can discover about this amulet." Julius urged.

Ygritte squirmed and heaved in the bed as another wave of pleasure radiated frustratingly just beyond the interior of the inaccessible panel covering her crotch. However, that did not stop her from trying. Turning and twisting Ygritte pulled, pressed and shook the belt but in the end, the outcome was the same as all the times before. As suddenly as it came, the vibrations left leaving her frustrated, horny and angry. She attempted to gyrate her hips in an attempt to manually move the plugs within to complete the job, but it was hopeless.

She let her arms fall limply to her sides in exhaustion. She closed her eyes and tried again to push the thought out of her head. That day she found the book, wishing that she had just thrown it in that damn pool. Ygritte felt she had finally beaten the curse of unluckiness that had been plaguing the Thieves Guild for the last ten years. Her thoughts were cut short by the familiar vibration once again.

"Not again..." She moaned tearfully as the relentless waves of intense pleasure once again washed over her.

Ygritte's eyes fluttered open as she rejoined the waking world. Groggy, she noticed that the light streaming though the windows has the qualities of early morning. She looked to her right and saw Sigrid lying next to her in bed. As Ygritte disturbed the bed sitting up, Sigrid stirred. She stretched and sleepily looked over and saw her friend staring over at her.

"Ygritte... I... I'm so sorry. Julius told me what happened. I didn't believe it until I saw it for myself." She said tearfully as she embraced a shaken Ygritte.

Sigrid got up and retrieved a stack of folded clothes from the nearby dresser and handed them to her friend. "Here are some clothes that should fit over all of that stuff."

Ygritte gave a nearly silent "thanks" before pulling the oversized shirt over he head. While she was preparing to step into the large flowing skirt she noticed something odd - a new sensation. She reached up and scratched the massive itch that was forming between her shoulder blades, just above the locked band of the chastity bra. As soon as she treated the afflicted area, the sensation seemed to move to the right by an inch. Her fingers chased it, but this time when she began to scratch the new area the itching sensation split into two new spots. Then four, then eight, then sixteen, and before she knew it felt like there were hundreds of painfully itchy welts across her back and arms. Ygritte began to vocalize her distress and she moved her hands as fast as she could across her upper body, which caught Sigrid's attention.

"What's wrong!?" She cried out as she ran over to a very confused and distressed Ygritte.

Still unable to form actually words Ygritte shrieked as she kept trying to madly chase the phantom itch. Sigrid then without hesitation reached her fingers under the lower hem of the shirt and pulled it forcefully up and over the young thief's head and threw it violently onto the ground, half expecting to see a horde of insects scurry out.

The itching sensation immediately ceased as both women looked at each other bewildered, then down at the shirt. After a shared moment, Sigrid reached down and gingerly picked up the shirt. She looked at the inside, searching for a visible irritant. Ygritte reached out and took the clothing and snaked an arm through one of the sleeves and then waited. Sure enough a few moments later the horrid sensation returned and she ripped it off. Now curious, Sigrid pushed her arm through the same sleeved and waited. Seconds passed, then minutes and she felt nothing. A horrified look of realization crept over Ygritte's face.

"No. It can't be..." She said incredulously as she pushed her arm once again through the sleeve only for the itch to once more return. "I CAN'T WEAR CLOTHES?!" She exclaimed as she threw the shirt onto the bed and kicked the skirt piled up on the floor. She balled up her fists, shaking intensely before letting out a quick, ear-piercing scream of pure frustration. As she continued to pace about the room a pair of footfalls could be heard rapidly approaching. Then the door to the door flung open and a wheezing Julius presented himself.

"What - What's... wrong?" The elderly man asked between wheezing gasps.

"Did you know?!" Ygritte yelled as she approached the door. "Did you know that I couldn't wear clothes while all this shit is locked on me?

Julius looked at her sheepishly before replying. "No, but I had my suspicions. I felt last night was not the appropriate time to openly speculate as to the specific nature of your conundrum."

"Huh?" Ygritte angrily grunted, clearly not following his academic vernacular.

"I didn't want to guess. However, last night while you were sleeping I may have made some progress on where one of the stones might be. Why don't you come on down and have some breakfast while I go over it with you two?"

"I'm not really that hungry, I just wan..." Ygritte's words slurred as she trailed off mid syllable as the intruders attached to her belt once more made their presence overtly known. Both Sigrid and Julius watched helplessly as she rolled and thrashed around on the floor. Screaming out as she fruitlessly pressed on the crotch plate in a vain attempt to assist the thrusting sensation of the plugs. After a few moments, it became immediately obvious to her concerned observers that the cycle had abruptly ceased leaving Ygritte in tears of sexual frustration. She turned her to Julius, bleary-eyed and grabbed the hem of his robe. "Please. Please get these things off me." She sobbed. Sigrid bent down and helped her weeping friend up off the floor and the three slowly exited the bedroom.

As the two girls quietly chewed their eggs and toast they listened as Julius went over his progress since the night prior.

"I can't say how fortunate you are to have had the foresight to take Navarra's research notes when you did. Without them, I doubt I could have found a solution to your problem." He praised as he continued on with his presentation. Ygritte shuddered at the scenario of not stealing those documents. But she did and she pushed the thoughts from her mind and focused once more on Julius. "Now, keep in mind this is very rough research. I can't make any promises that you will find this missing gem."

"Only one way to find out." Ygritte was confident. She had to be; otherwise the outlook for her quality of life was rather grim. She looked over to new loyal companion and they shared a determined nod.

"Then let's get right to it. It was documented that Queen Sarah was not a pleasant monarch. Near the end of her reign, she was particularly cruel and would demand countless expeditions to locate the hiding place of her father's key, only to reward failure with harsh, unjust consequences such as..."

Ygritte's mind wandered again in the soul-crushing scenario that she would live her live in these things just like Sarah. She snapped out of it and focused on Julius' findings.

"... Which leads us to Hrongr."

"Who's he?" Sigrid struggled to ask with a mouthful of breakfast.

"He was the castle steward. He served both King Harald as well as his daughter, Sarah. From what I can gather, he had knowledge of, if not a part of, the coup attempt when Sarah began rewarding failed key-finding expeditions with imprisonment.

"They overthrew her? How come I've never heard of any of this before?" Ygritte asked incredulously. While her knowledge of history was limited, she was certain that something about an ornery queen locked in golden chastity throwing people in jail would have come up.

"No, Sarah caught onto their plot before it could be put into motion. As for why this is not common knowledge is because she was so terrible, that after her passing most records of her rule were destroyed. Keep in mind; it has taken me decades to piece this together. All from scraps I might add!" Julius defended passionately to a stunned Ygritte and Sigrid.

"In any case, it appears that after the failed coup, Hrongr resigned his post." He paused and looked up from the books. "That is where my research ended. That is, until I started to leaf through the documents you stole from Navarra. It looks like Hrongr took something with him that 'the Queen would dearly seek'.

"The key!" The two women exclaimed in unison.

"Precisely, or rather a piece of the key. Lucky for you, it appears that they don't know the location, but I believe I do. Give me your map and I will mark down where I believe his cabin might have stood." Julius asked as he reached out and took the map from Ygritte's eagerly outstretched arms. As he marked an X of the location, his eyes were drawn up to the sight and sound of the thief succumbing to another round of sexual torment. This one appeared to be shorter than previous ones. He had a silent mental note to document all of the "effects" and add it to his research.

Before they left, Ygritte insisted on a few experiments with covering up. As she painfully learned before, traditional clothing was not an option. However she recalled that she was able to sleep under a sheet without an issue. She asked Julius for a few blankets and she discovered that she was able to wrap herself in a blanket without issue. It seems that the magic was able to determine if she was wearing clothing or not. The level of skill to have achieved this certainly commanded a modicum of respect.

The girls picked up the last of their supplies and started the short walk to the Solitude stables. Along the way, Ygritte got the occasional odd look here, curious glance there. She also noticed that they guards would watch her walk by. Their featureless, fully obscuring helmets slowly swiveling to keep her in the center of their field of view. This unnerved her to no end. As a career thief, there is one fundamental tenet that stands far and above the rest: Don't call attention to yourself. However, that is easier said than done when the only stitch of clothing you are able to wear is a bright blue and green blanket and you are walking like a drunkard with loud metal clicks and a quick flash of gold on every step. Despite the handicaps, she pretended that she was invisible and walked as straight as she could to the city gates.

Ygritte lucked out; as soon as the gate closed behind them a vibration episode ran its course. Sigrid offered a slender hand to help her friend up.

"I wonder if I'll ever get used to them." Ygritte muttered grimly, eyes staring at the cobblestones as she navigated down the incline.

"You won't have to. Where going to repair that keystone and these will be but a memory."

Ygritte sighed and nodded in agreement at her companion's optimism, grateful for her company. She took a deep breath with her determination refreshed.

It was a day and a half's ride to the southeastern border of The Pale near a dilapidated old fort, Felglow Keep. As they ascended the mountains and the cold air thinned, Ygritte was grateful that she was able to snuggle up in a thick blanket. With the chains linking her ankles together, straddling a horse was not a possibility. Sidesaddle was also ruled out as whenever a vibration episode erupts and Ygritte uncontrollable writhes and thrashes around. Sigrid made the suggestion that they only take one horse that she would ride and have a small cart hitched to carry Ygritte and their supplies.

After the nearly two-day journey, the women arrived at their destination, a rather ordinary stretch of mountain land. Sigrid craned her neck around looking for anything out of the ordinary.

"Are you sure this is the right place? I don't see any cottage or the like." She asked as she panned her head towards the sun, using a hand as a shade.

"We are right under the X that he drew. I'm going to get out and look." Ygritte responded anxiously. She was sick of the cart and wanted an opportunity to stretch her legs, as best as she could given her circumstances. She started to walk through the tall grasses, carefully placing each step lest she fall over again on the unstable, painful footwear anchored immovably to her feet. After an hour of aimless searching she was about to quit and return to the cart when something caught her eye; an arrangement of stones set in a large rectangle. Then it hit her, 'this must have been his home'. Immediately she felt foolish. Of course there would be no house, not anymore. The first era was over a thousand years ago. Any wooden structure would have long since rotted away. She excitedly called Sigrid over and the two began to comb through the site.

After a short investigation, they found nothing on the surface. "Sig, would you mind grabbing the tools from the cart? We may have to dig." Ygritte asked as she kept her eyes glued to the ground. Her friend gave a quick affirmation before heading back across the mountainside.

Not long after her friend had left, Ygritte felt a familiar explosion between her legs. She dropped to the ground, gasping for air, as this was the most powerful event she had yet to endure. She writhed around on the ground, begging that the plugs mercifully finish what they had started as she pressed on the crotch plate in a vain attempt to aid the devices. It seemed to last forever, but after a few seconds of starting, it had ended. Ygritte lay there on the ground, her long copper hair draped across her face as she stared up at the sky. She took a long, ragged breath and rolled onto her right side. It was then that she noticed something, a corner sticking up through the dirt and grass.

She rolled over and up onto her knees as she picked at it with her fingers, ripping away the plants and gently removing dirt she uncovered what looked like a small hinged box. However the puzzling thing about it was that it shouldn't be here. At least not in it's condition. It looked pristine, like the day it was made. This gave Ygritte great hope. If the magic that was used on her devices was anything to tell, the creator certainly had the skill to craft items immune to the ravages of time. Ygritte greedily snatched up the box and flung the lid open, expecting to find the missing gemstone. However the contents of the box were far from what she was expecting.

Nestled inside the velour-lined box was a small paper note and a strange looking contraption. Ygritte began to feel a hauntingly familiar sensation. The feeling of her head being filled with warm water, a steady hum in her ears that grew and grew until there was no room left for her thoughts. Again, enthralled by the magic she retrieved the item from the box and turned it over in her hands a few times, orientating it properly before carrying out her grim task.

The device beneath the note in the box matched the style of the rest of her devices. Silky black leather straps, still as soft as the day it was tanned, arrayed in an intricate web. Gold rings connected the various intersections of straps and golden buckles and eyelets along the loose ends. At the center of it, was a shiny black ball. It was roughly two inches across and the web of straps passed through the center of it. Compelled, Ygritte brought the thing up to her face and obediently opened her mouth as wide as she could. She pushed the ball between her lips and began to carefully move her hair aside as she wove the cage of straps around her head. The buckles were as unique as the rest of her appliances. Rather than a traditional tongue, these featured a short post inside of a covered, hinged hasp. She would pull the straps as tight as she could, forcing the ball slightly deeper between her lips as she pressed the golden eyelets set in the center of the straps over the post. Once the connection was made, her slender fingers closed the tiny cover over the buckle. It's magic holding stronger than any other force on Nirn locking the ball between her teeth. As before, once the final connection beneath her chin was secured, the magic receded from her mind.

She began to scream as best as she could around the awkward ball and she desperately tried to rip it from her mouth. Immediately, she was shocked by three revelations. The ball was terrifyingly effective at muffling her speech. Second she was drooling profusely and finally each time she made a sound, the ball would expand ever so slightly; Maybe not enough to see, but certainly enough to feel. She reached down the retrieved the preserved note and read it. Immediately, her eyes welled up she sank down into the dirt, utterly defeated. She felt the ball expanding with each loud, muffled sob but she was too distraught to care at that moment.

"Ygritte, I'm back. Where are you?" Sigrid called out as she returned to the site gently leading the horse's reigns. As she neared the ancient foundation she tied the reign to a nearby tree and continued alone. As she got nearer she heard Ygritte in the throws of a vibration episode. However, she sounded different. Usually she would scream out in ecstasy, but this sounded like muffled grunting. She approached her friend's back as devices finished their torment.

"What the hell is that thing?" Sigrid screamed out in shock when she circled around the front of her friend. Ygritte made some incoherent grumbles as a fountain of saliva erupted between the black ball and her lower lip, oozing unceremoniously down her chin and dribbling onto the dirt. Aside from that though, she didn't make any effort to sit up or move. Sigrid noticed a crumpled up note in her friend's right hand. She gently reached down and pulled it from Ygritte's hand. Her heart sunk as she read the ancient letter.



Sarah,

I knew that eventually even you would discover the trail of clues I had left, leading you here. A day I had long hoped would come. At long last, retribution. Ever since you sentenced my brother Tormund to the headsman's block for your delusion that he was sabotaging the search for your damned key. For years I carefully planned out how to best remove you from the throne and make you suffer. Then, you stumble upon the plot and destroy my carefully laid plans.

I had dreamed of personally telling you that I found the creator of your devices. Yet rather than ask for your release, I requested further torment. This gag not only silences your wretched voice, but will forever be a humiliating symbol of your shattered mantle. Your days of giving orders are through, I have been assured that any attempt at speech will be rendered utterly incomprehensible. That ball will stay between your teeth forever, replacing your need to consume food or water to live. The magic within will grant you all the sustenance you require to continue on with your miserable life.

At my insistence, Andratos added the feature where you will endlessly drool, further adding to your humiliating downfall. My only regret is that I have not lived to see it and the other pieces he created to be added to you.

You should know that four days after you unjustly relieved my brother of his head, I found a parchment with your father's seal, unbroken. Within was the location of the key that you so desperately sought. I burned it to ash. I will die in peace knowing that I take that knowledge with me to Sovngarde.

- Hrongr



Sigrid lowered the note and saw the Ygritte was sitting upright, tears still fresh on her cheeks as another long string of drool fell away from the ball. She curled her lips up as best as she could exposing her teeth as she tried for the hundredth time to bite the ball in half. But the strange material was incredibly firm yet springy. It was also very, very smooth. She attempted to say something, but the noises that came out didn't even sound like garbled words. It was more akin to random syllables being uttered while you had a mouthful of food. Without words, Sigrid held back tears as she extended her arms to embrace her traumatized friend. After a long hug, they began the first steps in their defeated return to Solitude.

"Remarkable..." Julius whispered as he closely inspected the ball locked between Ygritte's teeth. He was rewarded with an irritated glare and an angry noise that produced a large frothy glob of bubbly saliva that dripped down to the floor.

"And your saying that it grows as well whenever you speak?" He asked, receiving a nod from his unofficial research subject. It had been no easy task between Sigrid's frantic explanations and the nearly incomprehensible charades from Ygritte. Even after reading the note retrieved from the box, it wasn't until Ygritte snatched up a quill and scrap of parchment was she able to explain all that she was experiencing - including the ball's subtle expansion each time she attempted to speak. Intrigued, he convinced Ygritte to cooperate with a simple test.

"I want you to say "Solitude" as clearly as you can. Try to enunciate each syllable."

Ygritte nodded weakly and took a deep breath through her nose. She did the best she could but the three syllables she emitted sounded nothing like the baseline.

"Again please. Do precisely what you just did again." Julius asked as he struggled to not stare at the long river of drool rolling down the poor girl's chin. Again, Ygritte took a deep breath then attempted to say 'Solitude'. However this time, an entirely different set of syllables came out, that also sounded nothing like what she was asked to repeat. She started to say it a third time, but was abruptly stopped by an immediate wave of pleasure being generated by the violators locked behind her belt. Her eye's rolled into the back of her head as she bucked and ground her crotch into the seat of her bench.

"It's as I feared." He said solemnly as addressed Sigrid whom was sitting next to her friend, completely ignoring the gorgeous fire-haired beauty being dragged dangerously close to climax. "It appears as though this gag was designed make any form of verbal communication impossible."

"You mean that..." Sigrid started to ask, as she struggled to balance her focus between Julius and Ygritte who was now writhing on the floor.

"... That if she wants to communicate, it will have to be with writing or hand signals.

Sigrid sat back, horrified at this new turn of events for her friend. After a moment she started to slowly shake her head. By now, Ygritte's teasing had finished its most recent cycle and she was peeling herself off the floor. She stood up, grunted angrily behind the large black ball, turned and grabbed her blanket and headed for the front door.

"Ygritte, where are you going? Hold on, I'm coming wi..." Sigrid started to say as she spun to exit the bench she was on but a loud frustrated series of unintelligible grunts combined with angry slashes from her friend's hands conveyed a clear message - she wanted to be alone for a while. Sheepishly, the blonde sank back into her bench and winced as the loud slamming of the heavy oak door echoed throughout the cavernous halls. Julius politely excused himself to his study to continue his various research leads and left a pensive Sigrid to her thoughts. One thing that persisted was the ominous final words in the letter 'the other pieces'. The lead on the missing stone had been an obvious trap, laid thousands of years ago for a woman whom wasn't the one currently suffering the devices cruel embrace. A sobering thought ran through her head 'what else is out there waiting?'

Ygritte slammed the door behind her as she threw the blanket around her shoulders. As she stomped down the steps, each loud clack of the metal spike protruding from the bottom of her heels telegraphed her mood - anger. She was so lost in the haze that she momentarily miscalculated the length of chain connecting her ankles together. It pulled taught inches before her foot made contact with the bottom step and it immediately threw her off balance. Normally, she would gracefully land from a blunder like this but she was far from normal now. Between the chains linking her legs awkwardly close together and her arms wrapped up in the blanket covering her embarrassing adornments she unceremoniously tumbled down and landed in the pool of water collecting on the cobble walkway from the morning rain. Then as though her luck could not get worse, it was right then as she was sprawled out on the ground the merciless plugs began their wretched torment once again.

She got up as quickly as she could and let out a loud angry scream at her situation; before she noticed that several locals were staring at her, obviously seeing the entire event. As Ygritte turned to the direction of the market square in utter embarrassment, she failed to see two red and bronze Haafingar guards approach from behind. She made it a few houses down before they struck, each of them firmly taking hold of each of her biceps.

"Halt! You have committed crimes against Skyrim and her people." The first guard menacingly growled behind his helmet. Ygritte turned her head as best as she could and gave a confused look. The second guard responded with "...lewdness."

Ygritte vainly attempted to reason with the guards, tell them it wasn't her fault. Regrettably all that escaped her gag was an explosion of drool and unintelligible sounds. She felt them forced her hands behind her back and with some unseen technique they connected the two bands on her wrists to each other. Still holding onto her biceps, they marched her down the street causing every pair of eyes in the city to watch the obscene display.

She mournfully looked to her left at the looming stone of Castle Dour, the Imperial center of the city and the location of the dungeons. A crushing realization swept over her that with the gag in her mouth, and her hands now bound behind her that she had zero means of communication and could not explain that her perpetual state of undress was outside of her control. She began to squirm until one of the guards reached over and violently gripped a large handful of her hair near the back of her skull before menacingly ordering her to "Shut up." With her options severely limited she tearfully complied. She closed her eyes, relying on the men to guide her to her fate.

After a few more minutes of walking however, she opened her eyes again, confused that they hadn't walked up the long ramp to the castle. She realized that they had long passed the entrance to Castle Dour but rather were parading her down the market. Every so often a curious resident would approach for a better look but the guards always kept them at a comfortable distance.

"Nothing to worry about citizens. Just removing this whore from our city." They would explain which typically got the same reaction of disgust from the onlookers. Ygritte wasn't going to be jailed, she was being banished! This held it own unique complication. If she weren't going to be allowed back in, how would she tell anyone where she is? Again, she began to struggle against the guards, but between her restraints and the painfully firm grip on her hair she had no means to resist. Then, as if fate decided to add further insult to her pride, the intense vibrations began. Her hips twisted and gyrated as she struggled to walk with the plugs doing their duty. She struggled to walk as they led her through the numerous gates leading down and away from the city until they stopped at a waiting wagon. She noticed that a cage was fashioned in the rear of the wagon.

The hand holding her hair was released in order for him to get a better grip on her waist to help her up the step and into the waiting cage. Intensely concerned but still helpless to resist she allowed herself to be stuffed into the small cage. Once the door was locked shut she looked to her left and saw two bodies hastily dragged off the road and under a large shrub. Stricken with fear over this new development she looked again to the rear of the cart and saw that the two guards were now sitting on the bench next to the cage. One of them leaned in close to the cage and whispered menacingly "Navarra's been looking forward to meeting you..."

Ygritte's eyes flew open with fear and she screamed loud and long into her gag and an eruption of saliva shot down her chin. Her head spinning at this new turn of fate as wagon lurched to a start, with the three men around her laughing.

"Julius, aren't you concerned? It's been almost two hours and she still hasn't come back." Sigrid asked, concerned about her friend storming out earlier.

Julius was about to respond when a knock at the door broke the tension in the room. Sigrid sprang up and ran to the door as the elderly man shuffled his way there as a much more reserved pace. She flew the door open expecting to see her friend but was instead met with the face of a rather mousey looking fellow.

"I got a letter for you..." the courier said as he rummaged through his tunic before producing an envelope. "That looks like it. Got to go." He quickly said before scurrying off to his next delivery. Sigrid closed the door and handed the letter to Julius.

He tore the top open and squinted as he read the note. After reading it, his hand weakly dropped and he gazed off into a distant corner.

"What? What is it?" Sigrid asked. Deeply concerned by the reaction that the letter elicited from him. He offered the letter to her and then retreated back to his study, dazed. Sigrid watched him for a moment before reading the hastily scrawled note.

We have the thief you hired to steal from Navarra. We know you also have the amulet and notes. All our employer wants is her collar back, however as it is locked around this girls neck we are left with only two options. Either have the other girl deliver the amulet and notes to us, or our employer will have to react with more... visceral means to recover her property.

If you decide to promptly return what was stolen, perhaps forgiveness can be a consideration.

A wagon will be waiting on the mountain road just past the stables. You have until sundown.

Sigrid's heart fell to the floor. She looked to her left and could see the long shadows being cast through the window. Time was short. She ran into the library and confronted Julius.

"Where is it?" She asked frantically as the man tried to reason with her.

"If you bring it to her, then I will have nothing left to bargain with. Navarra will have the entire set... everything. My life's work will ruined. It took decades of dedicated research to find those pieces, let alone the mountains of gold spent to retrieve them before that Altmer bitch could beat me to it and gloat!"

Sigrid was stunned by his answer. "Is THAT all you care about?!" She screamed at him. "Some ridiculous pissing contest? You did this to her. She wouldn't be stuck in any of that shit if it wasn't for YOU!"

Julius relented. She was right. If he had been more focused, he could have warned Ygritte to not be holding the collar as it was reunited with the rest of the set in his display. Her fate was his doing. He collapsed down in his chair before motioning to a furious Sigrid to take the ransom. She collected the demanded items and headed for the door.

"You know what they will do to you if you go? Don't you?" Julius called weakly as she opened the door. He was met with a short pause before Sigrid answered.

"I know what they will do to her if I don't." She said shakily as the memory of her night stringently bound to the post in Navarra's cellar flashed through her mind. She shook it off and courageously accepted the potential consequences of her actions as she passed through and pulled the heavy door closed behind her.

The elderly man sat there for minutes with wave upon wave of crushing guilt washing over him: Sigrid's admonishment still ringing in his ears, the memories of Ygritte bringing him the book and him seeing her trapped in the chastity devices. Then came the knowledge of exactly what degree of sadist Navarra was. He felt stuck; there was nothing he could. Then a thought crept into his head, 'Nothing I can do...' The thought erupted and he immediately knew what to do. He scrambled to find a clear sheet of parchment and wrote a hurried note before running out the door to locate a courier.

Nervous, Sigrid reached the crossroad that lead down to the harbor and Katla's farm. She took another look in all directions around her and continued down the road as the shadows from the setting sun lengthened. Then she saw a carriage with a large object in the back, draped in a large canvas sheet. She saw two guardsmen sitting in the back. She paused, her mind paralyzed with indecision. Thoughts raced through her head ranging from asking herself if it would be possible free her friend. Then her mind drifted once again to the evening she spent painfully bound in Navarra's cellar. She played countless scenarios in her head as she wrestled between her allegiance to her friend and her own selfish sense of self-preservation. She snapped out when she heard the men in the wagon give the order to the driver to go. She watched the wagon start to pull away before she made her decision.

"WAIT!" She called out. She saw the men's heads pop up as one instructed the carriage to stop. Sigrid jogged down the road towards them still calling out for them to wait even after they had. The two men hopped down out of the carriage to intercept her.

"Do you have them?" The taller of the two asked impatiently. Silently Sigrid offered the bag to the man. He took it and looked inside. Satisfied, he tossed it behind him onto the floor of the carriage sparking a very familiar sound coming from the other side of the sheet. "You're coming with us." The shorter man said as he reached out and grabbed a recoiling Sigrid.

Immediately she began to fight back but the two men hopelessly overpowered the slender five-foot-six girl. They violently spun her around before retrieving some very menacingly looking restraints.

"Navarra said these might come in handy. I'll be damned if that elven bitch wasn't right". The short man chuckled as he produced a pair of shiny steel cuffs and snapped them on each of her wrists. They were connected by a very short chain to a leather belt that was fastened tightly around her waist, severely limiting her ability to struggle out of them. Once her arms had been restrained the same man produced a short fat wooden rod with two halves of a strap coming from each end. Before she could protest, he was already forcing the gag between her teeth. She tried to resist but the man holding her grabbed her lower jaw and pulled down creating an opportunity for his cohort to inset the speech inhibitor.

Sigrid growled as she chewed on the wooden bit strapped between her teeth as they in unison picked her up and sat her down on the edge of the wagon. They quickly produced two small coils of rope and tied her legs together. One man secured a tight band above her knees while the other bound her ankles.

"Alright, let get her loaded up." The tall leader commanded as he climbed up onto the wagon.

"Hang on, I got one thing left to add. I think you're gonna like 'em." The short man said menacingly, reaching into his pouch and taking a step closer to the bound girl. With nowhere to go, she leaned back as far as she could as a futile effort to get away from the man. She saw him produce two small, purple gem shards dangling from open delicate golden rings. Sigrid's eyes flew open once she recognized them. They looked like the purple gem that was hanging free from the front of Ygritte's chastity belt.

With maniacal laughter, the man pulled down the top of her loose dress and applied them to each of her defenseless nipples. One by one he would tweak one of the pink buds a few times, eliciting a pained squeak from their owner before pressing the open ring onto it. As soon as the jewelry detected that it was in position, the ring snapped shut. While it didn't pierce her flesh, it clamped down firmly enough that without the removal tool, they were not separating from her body. She screamed out into her gag in pain, which elicited a laugh from the leader of the group behind her. The process was repeated on the other nipple. She nearly passed out from the second sharp pain but managed to stay conscious.

"Those little beauties should keep you entertained. I'm told they will tickle, tease and zap randomly." He explained as he and the other man lifted her up from her seated position. They lead her to the cage and pulled back the sheet and Sigrid was finally able to see her friend.

Ygritte was a mess. Her hair looked like she had just woken up. Her eyes were red and puffy from tears and the gag forced her to be perpetually drenched in her own drool. She was on the floor of the cage, leaning in a corner. Her arms secured by unseen means behind her back and her legs pulled in with her ankle chain tied off to her wrists - forcing her to stay in a less than comfortable position. Sigrid could see that her friend was further secured into the corner by a thick band of ropes across her waist and chest, lashing her to the bars. She whimpered incoherently behind the enchanted ball as her friend was stuffed into the cage. Sigrid felt the goons wrap more rope around her: across her waist and chest just like her companion sitting across from her. Before long, she was secured in the opposite corner and then the men retreated. The door was slammed shut causing both women to wince at the sound of finality it signaled. They knew that unless miraculous events occurred, their fates were sealed. Their eyes connected, the only form of mutual support they had left before the sheet was pulled back down, completely obscuring their view of the outside world. The two girls softly cried, helpless to change their situation as the wagon lurched forward once more.

The two women endured the journey in a defeated silence with the occasional tortured moan coming from Ygritte as her plugs came in and out of dormancy or a squeal of surprise from Sigrid as her nipple jewelry made their presence known. Occasionally they would stop so the men could relieve themselves along the roadside. Sigrid managed to get their attention and convince them to let her out to relieve herself as well. Ygritte would watch with envy as her friend was allowed a brief respire from bound in the cage. Instead, she was forced to endure the unrelenting sensation of a full bladder, a perpetual sensation of needing to evacuate her bowels and a fullness in her womanhood that was beyond description. Watching, as her friend would chew the few scraps the men would feed her through the bars. With the powerful enchantment on the gag magically sustaining her without food or drink, she no longer experienced hunger, only a worsening thirst as she endlessly drooled down her chest.

Almost two days later, the wagon with an exhausted cargo pulled into the Captured Dreams compound. They listened as the men disembarked the wagon and walked outside, complaining about the uncomfortable journey sitting on the wooden benches. The women glared at them unseen from inside their covered cage at their petty complaints. For the umpteenth time Sigrid pulled at the finely crafted silver manacles on her wrists to no avail. She leaned her head back and rested against the iron bars until she heard the footsteps return. Without a word spoken, the women felt the wagon rock as someone climbed up. Moments later the sheet was quickly ripped down from the cage causing the girls to squint in the now unobstructed sunlight. As their vision adjusted they saw the administrator of their fate, Navarra.

"...You." She growled as her eyes settled on quivering Sigrid. The blonde gulped behind her gag involuntarily as Navarra seethed with anger. "What a fortuitous coincidence, that the thief's companion would happen to be my runaway."

Navarra turned quickly to one of the men behind her and snapped her fingers and issued a single command, "mule." He gave a quick nod of the head before quickly walking towards a building on the far end of the compound.

"I can assure you, it will not happen a second time." Navarra growled with intensity as her focus returned to the terrified girl.

Sigrid was paralyzed with fear. She remembered vividly the anguish this elf had inflicted upon her when it was just indifference. Her brain refused to even imagine what would befall her now that she had drawn her ire. Regrettably the sound of an approaching cart signaled that she was very likely soon to discover precisely how much. Sigrid turned her eyes back to her friend in a vain, desperate plea for help. Ygritte's eyes slowly rose up from the floor to meet her friends. It was a look of defeat. She was in no position to save either of them. Sigrid watched as her friend's eye quickly darted to movement outside the cage. She turned back towards Navarra to see the man had returned with a small wooden wheelbarrow laden with a mass of black and white leather in various shapes and sizes.

"Get her down." Navarra spat as the men reacted instantly to her command.

Two of the three men climbed up the cart and opened the cage. Immediately, Sigrid began to fight them as they wrestled her out of the cage and down onto the ground. She attempted to stand up, but the men forced her to remain in the dirt with their boot heels. There was a tense moment of silence as she could feel the Elf's seething hatred as she approached. Sigrid briefly looked up to see Navarra approaching. She caught a glimpse of a metal object before one of the men gave her a curt reminder with his foot that she should keep her head down. She could tell by the elf's boots that she was standing right in front of her. Then Navarra returned to her original position.

"Collar, gag and strip. Then dress her." Navarra forcefully instructed.

The men hauled Sigrid back onto her feet. Before she could react, her hair had been painfully gripped and held up out of the way while a smooth black-finished steel collar was fastened around her neck. She immediately determined that this one was much more restrictive than the first one she had endured. While the one that adorned her neck during her stay in the cellar was relatively light and thin, this current collar was much thicker and heavier but mercifully still allowed a degree of head movement. With her hair still gathered up, she felt the strap for the bit gag being released. Despite the food breaks during the journey from Solitude, her jaw ached as the wooden rod was pulled away. She worked her mouth in an effort to generate relief. Her respite was short-lived as she spied one of the goons holding a matte black ball centered inside a web of white leather straps.

"Open wide princess." The mocking words hung in space as Sigrid watched wide-eyed as the ball was advanced towards her face. After an extended moment she regained her resistance and started to thrash her head and shoulders around, tugging in a futile struggle at the steel holding her wrists behind her back. She clenched her teeth together when she felt the odd material of the ball touch her lips. However, the man standing behind her had expected this and jammed his thumb hard into her ribs. Sigrid instinctively yelped in pain. Her mouth was only open for a moment, but that moment was all the time needed to force the ball brutally into her mouth. Her thrashing intensified but it was useless. The goon whom inserted the ball was now holding her face firmly in his two hands while the man behind quickly fastened and locked all the straps.

As soon as the ballgag was secure, Navarra's goons once again ripped her clothing to shreds around her.

"Alright, glove next." The leader of the goons ordered the other two as he stood behind her, holding her steady by grasping the ring now anchored to her throat. Sigrid vainly pulled at the silver manacles holding her wrists behind her back. She saw the men approaching with a large white leather pouch covered in straps and buckles and a long slit up the rear that was edged with what looked like tiny metal teeth unlike anything she had ever seen before. She immediately concluded that this was the 'glove' that was mentioned and she would not let that thing get put on her without a fight. Sigrid turned and with all the might she could muster; brought her knee up to contact the goon-squad leader's groin.

Fortunately for him, he was still wearing his stolen Haafingar armor, which sported a studded leather cingulum. As Sigrid's knee contacted his groin, the strips of hardened leather dampened the force of impact. While it was still intensely unpleasant, he was more stunned than anything else. After stumbling and briefly dropping halfway down to one knee he recovered, flushed with anger.

"Damned bitch. Tie her legs!" He shouted to his company. The third man currently unencumbered scrambled to fetch a length of rope. For the next few minutes, two of the three men and Sigrid scrambled about. Eventually they tackled her down to the dirt and succeeded in tying her ankles together. Before the freedom of her legs was taken away she managed to get one last kick that again contacted the leader. This time she clipped his nose with her bare heel.

Leaving her on the ground, they rolled Sigrid over and while the leader and the one man unchained her wrists, the third goon quickly approached and began to slide the armbinder over her slender wrists. They transferred the grip from her wrists to her forearms, elbows and finally her biceps until her fingers were trapped in the sealed pouch at the bottom as the glove was quickly zipped up. Sigrid grunted, screamed and cried as she felt the unyielding leather prison get tighter and tighter. Upon reaching it's apex, the pull-tab snapped into place with a click as it locked. Then she felt a tug originating at the top of her armbinder followed by another at the rear of her collar. By the time she deduced what was happening it was already over. They had locked leather device to the back of her collar. She attempted to struggle out but quickly learned that all she would accomplish was to pull uncomfortably on the collar, but her wrists and elbows remained fused together. Without both the key and assistance, her arms would remain trapped.

As they stood her back up, Sigrid looked back at the cage hoping to get a much-needed look of approval from Ygritte over her act of defiance. Her spirit was crushed when she was met by an expression of utter defeat. Ygritte's shoulders were slumped, her head hung weakly in the air and her eye's said what her mouth could not - "This is all my fault, I'm so sorry."

The morale boost that she had so desperately sought was not in the favor of whom she had hoped. Rather than a renewed struggle, Sigrid relaxed and finally surrendered. The three goons immediately recognized her resignation and doubled their efforts to finish applying her restraints lest she find her courage once more.

They untied her ankles and slipped her feet into a bizarre pair of matching white leather boots. These would force Sigrid up onto her toes, and sported a large build-up underneath her arched sole. At the bottom of this build-up was a heavily knurled steel horseshoe. The goons pulled up another zipper until it snapped into place at its apex on each boot. The finishing touch was a matching steel hobble chain locked around her ankles. The dark steel cuff sitting so tightly on the narrowest part of her ankle that it looked like it was part of the boot. Sigrid weakly tried to separate her ankles, but the motion was arrested after sixteen inches.

For the first time since she was pulled from the cage, all three men momentarily retreated. Sigrid looked up just in time to see Navarra pass a pair of object to the goon leader. "Use these in her belt."

Sigrid winced as the next item was pulled from the cart. A crude, dark steel version of the same chastity belt that was locked around Ygritte's hips. She watched with horror as the objects that the elf passed were snapped into sockets on the inside of the crotch band. She struggled to stand up and run as the man with the belt and a second approached her. Unfortunately, due to the chain and the awkward nature of her arms pulled sharply behind her back, she could not find the proper leverage to get onto her feet. In a few strides, the two men were upon her. The pulled her up to her knees and spread them as wide as they were able. The one man held her down firmly by her shoulders while the second inserted the two plugs into her. She screamed out into her gag at the violation and redoubled her struggles, but she remained easily overpowered. Once the invaders were seated properly, she felt the waistband pull snug and with a click; the hands retreated while the pressure around and inside her waist remained.

"Those will ensure your obedience." Navarra coldly said. "I trust you are familiar with their nature secondhand. While they are not as powerful as your thief friend's, I am confident you will find them more than adequate at breaking your will."

As Sigrid panted while remaining on her knees, absorbing the preceding minutes, she didn't notice Navarra approaching until she had crouched down to be slightly higher than eye level. The tone she spoke was eerily relaxed. "As I said last time, you were not fit to be a pony. You still are not. However, with your display of strength and will, I believe that you shall become a fine mule for my mine."

Sigrid slowly looked up at the smirking elf with fear. She attempted to beg for mercy and a different fate, but was furthermore ignored. As Navarra retreated back to her original position, she whispered something to the lead goon and he quickly nodded and ran off to the main house. The remaining men pulled Sigrid sharply to her feet. She stumbled awkwardly as he led her to an open stall. They shoved her inside and slammed the door shut. She returned to the door, now locked. She looked down and could see the latch was rather crude and simple, but with her fingers sealed away as they were, it was futile. All she could do was watch as they circled the wagon and began to pull her friend from the cage.

"As for you my little thief, you have something that belongs to me." Navarra stated as she stared coldly at Ygritte. Then to both Sigrid and Ygritte's surprise, Navarra pulled back the veil and began to give insight on her history with Queen Sarah's collar.

"When I first acquired that collar, after learning of its history I initially desired to unravel the secrets behind its power and apply it to devices of my own creation. I would lay awake at night fantasizing about the control I alone could wield. After many fruitless years of research it became apparent that it was destined to be unique upon on our world. For nearly a decade it was the centerpiece my collection. This tormented your employer Julius Talus to no end. The morning I awoke to find my prize missing, I knew that old fool had arranged this. For years, Talus had attempted to hire thieves to steal this very collar from me, but none were foolish enough to dare cross me. Until you, that is."

Ygritte was speechless, even if that horrid gag was not sealed between her lips, she would have been silent still. No wonder Julius was willing to pay such an absurd amount for this job. She felt like such a chump. Worse still - she distinctly remembered after his warning, she weighed the risk and against the reward and chose the latter. Greed had been her undoing.

"The moment I learned that you had been foolish enough to be ensnared by the curse of Queen Sarah I knew that through you I could have it all: The ruin and humiliation of my rival, the punishment of the one whom had stolen from me, the entire collection in my possession and a prize fit to be the crown jewel of my trophy hall. You even discovered an additional piece for me that I was previously unaware of, for that you have my gratitude."

"It's only fair. While I never learned of the gag, I doubt that Talus ever learned of this." Navarra stepped back and motioned to the lead goon whom had now returned with an item in hand. As he stepped out of the shadows Ygritte was able to see what it was that he had been sent to retrieve. It was another armbinder, however far more ornate. Immediately, it became horrifyingly obvious that this was yet another piece of Queen Sarah's adornments. It had the same shiny leather as the gag and the device was accented with glistening gold. The rear was constructed identical to the one that Sigrid was now wearing. A tight sealed pouch to entrap the hands and a long slit lined on either side with tiny golden teeth. Above the slit extended a single black strap with a golden buckle.

There was only one major addition in its construction when compared to the one that Sigrid was enduring. At the wrists and elbows, threaded through a series of loops, were one-inch wide golden bands identical in design to the ones on Ygritte's wrists and elbows.

"This is the final piece of Queen Sarah's curse. Like the gag you so diligently found for me, this was not created during the initial commissioning by her father, King Harald. Rather years later by her aggrieved steward, Hrongr. You will find it as inescapable as the rest." With that, Navarra snapped her fingers and the men immediately went to work releasing all bonds that they were able to remove and pulled her down from the cage.

Now on the ground, Ygritte was determined to fight tooth and nail but as the man approached with the device, she felt the all too familiar sensation of warm water filling her mind. However, this time it was different. Rather than trying to take the item and don it herself, she dutifully turned around, pressed her wrists tightly together and as far away from her back as her joints allowed. The lead goon was momentarily taken aback by this presentation. Ygritte, trapped within her own mind screamed in vain to her body to resist but her pleas went ignored. The magic was, as before, vastly too powerful. She inwardly sobbed as she felt the cool slippery material consume her arms.

The man pulled up on the tab, and met no resistance as the magic aided the joining of the incredibly tight material. With the level of severity that this armbinder was pulling her forearms together, she doubted even water could pass between her ensnared elbows. Once the zipper reached the top, it silently fused with its anchor. Then he closed the rigid golden band at her wrists and elbows. With her arms secured, he attached the top half of the buckle to the rear of her collar. The magic accepted it and seamlessly joined with it. He then mated the two halves together and sealed away the buckle underneath its cover.

Ygritte, still trapped within her own mind, watched as the lead goon stepped aside. She was very confused. She was still under the effects of the magical stupor, but the device had been applied, hadn't it? Her answer came as Navarra stepped forward and rested her left hand on the front of Ygritte's bra and the right on the rear of her elbow cuff. With gentle pressure, the elf brought the two together and with a soft click, the elbow cuff joined with the rear of the bra by an unseen mechanism. Ygritte screamed out in her mind, helpless to stop it as the process was repeated for her wrists. Only once her wrists were anchored immovably to the rear of the chastity belt did the magic finally recede from her mind. She immediately tried with all of her might to pull loose but was crushed to discover that she could not independently move anything above her waist save her neck, but even that was to a limited degree. With her arms pulled together and locked to her spinal column, her final avenue of resistance was removed. Then, as if on cue, the plugs once more made themselves present. Suddenly weak at the knees, she collapsed to the ground with tears welling up in her eyes as she twisted her hips.

Navarra looked down at the distressed girl with a smug satisfaction. She stayed and watched until the vibrations ended before she turned and walked back to her lavish estate. As she exited the barn she called back to her goons "Bring my prize to the study and put the other one to work."

As Ygritte was pulled to her feet she turned to share what could possibly be her final moment with Sigrid. The two mournfully locked eyes, silently apologizing to each other as they were dragged to their respective fates.

Sigrid screamed into the ball and resisted the pull of the leash clipped to her neck, but with her arms disabled and the hooves on her feet she was at a severe disadvantage. Her eyes frantically darting around as she was led to her fate. She looked to left and saw the blue waters of Lake Ilinalta. She tried to focus on the serenity of the water but a pair of sharp tugs at her neck made that impossible.

"Oh, am I moving too slow for you asshole? Maybe you should try walked in these ridiculous things." Sigrid grumbled incoherently behind her gag. She turned back forward and saw that she was being led into a mine. She once more resisted, but it was all for naught. While she refused to surrender to these people, Sigrid decided that it would be best for her to save her energy, play along and wait for the most opportune moment to attempt an escape. With a deep, ragged sigh she temporarily resigned to her fate.

She reached her destination a few yards inside the cave entrance. A pair of steel gates, creating a passage-lock for whatever was behind it. Standing guard in front was a rather menacing looking Orsimer woman and a Dunmer man both wearing matching black leather uniforms with a crimson red embroidery of a lithe woman in strappado centered on the chest - the logo of the Captured Dreams Workshop.

"So... Fresh meat eh? What the story with this one?" The Orc callously asked the smirking goon instantly causing Sigrid's stomach to flip in knots.

"A new mule, formerly a runaway."

"You don't say? Well, we will make good use of this one." The Orc stared hungrily at Sigrid, her eyes revealing a sadistic malevolence.

"Oh Buruth. This one kneed Fenrald in the balls. Please give her the captain's regards." The goon called back as he crossed the threshold back into daylight then he was gone. Sigrid turn back forward and now locked eyes with the menacing pair.

"Hmm, a fighter then? Let me make one thing crystal clear with you pink-skin. If you so much as hesitate with any instructions given, you will BEG to put back to work before I'm done with you. Understood?" The Orc growled. Sigrid's eyes were wide in fear. She had no idea what kind of work it was she would be doing, but she was certain that this Orc was not one to be crossed. She meekly nodded her hear in affirmation.

"Smart human. I'm Buruth Ragszog, overseer of this mine. Down here, I am God and my word is law, you would be well to never forget that. Now, let's get you to work - Borri, the gate." Buruth barked over her shoulder as the Dunmer silently nodded and pulled a lever. The outer gate loudly rose up into the rock and a sobbing Sigrid was drug through. She immediately noticed the wooden planked floor as it made walking radically easier than the loose dirt. Once through, the gates were cycled again and now Buruth led her into the mine.

Sigrid looked around and saw a massive cavern, littered with scaffolding and bracing. A noise to her left drew her attention. A massive contraption set into the wall immediately adjacent to the security door. It looked like a massive chain of buckets that endlessly looped, carrying it's contents to the outside world. Standing at the base of it was a pair rather haggard, muscled nord men. They were dressed with only a tattered pair of sackcloth pants and a slave collar. She also noticed that they were both chained to the wall by the ankle. Sigrid surmised this was to prevent them from riding the buckets to freedom. She shared a glance with one of the men, but his stare was empty, hollow. Sigrid shuddered and continued to follow Buruth.

As they walked down a long winding incline she heard the sound of numerous hammers and picks striking rock as well as grunting. As they rounded a corner at the bottom of the ramp, she saw nearly a dozen males of various races all dressed identically to the man at the top digging for ore under the watchful gaze of two more guards. Then Sigrid spotted something familiar. In the center of the cavern, on a platform connected to the boardwalk was a single cart that the miners dumped armloads of rock into. Attached to the front of this cart was another young woman, attired identically to herself. Then the realization his her like an avalanche; She was going to quite literally be used as a mule - just like that Redguard woman.

"Cassius. Go fetch a tandem yoke for our new mule here." Buruth called out to the guard patrolling around the catatonic miners. He glanced over his shoulders and took a short moment to look at Sigrid before the corner of his mouth twitched up. He looked back to his boss and gave her a short grunt before jogging off down a tunnel. "While he's getting that, let me explain your role here. It's simple. You and Belanna here will haul this cart up to the slaves by the gate at the top of them ramp. There, your full cart will be exchanged for an empty one. You bring that empty cart back here and wait for it to be filled."

A series of footfalls announced the return of the guard. In his hands was a replacement yoke for the cart that would allow it to have both Sigrid and Belanna linked to the cart side-by-side. Sigrid looked at the Redguard girl's eyes. She looked relieved. 'How long has she been hauling this cart by herself?" Sigrid wondered with dread. The implications of this question made her weak at the knees. Before long she was ushered over and linked into place next to her new teammate. She shared a short, exasperated look.

Ygritte watched in helpless horror as her friend was drug away. For the twentieth time in the past two minutes, she attempted to pull her wrists free from the glove but it was futile. She felt absolutely zero give in her restraints. If anything, it felt momentarily and almost imperceptibly tighter each time she pulled against it. These magical devices were truly as inescapable as her captor lauded them to be. This was beyond bad. In her lifetime as an unlucky thief, she's found herself in many tight spots. A couple times in a hold's prison, but they were ludicrously easy to escape. She got caught and tied up once before by couple mercenaries guarding her target, but in the end she was able to sweet-talk her way past those idiots. Besides, the multitudes of restraints that were magically bonded to her now were a far cry from the two lengths of rope crudely tied around her wrists and shoulders back then. But this was the first time that she felt like she had no way out.

Ygritte noticed Navarra staring at her with a look of satisfaction.

"At last, a collection truly worthy of display. I must admit. It looks far better on a living mannequin." Navarra calmly stated as he admired her prize. Ygritte snorted in disgust, her act of defiance rewarded by a large stream of drool to ooze out the right side of her lips. She felt a pair of hands roughly shove her in the direction of the large estate house at the far end of the compound. She glanced back to see the head goon immediately behind her. He gestured with his head in the direction of the house and gave her another small shove. But Ygritte was fed up. She planted her feet and glared angrily at him, letting her eyes speak for her then from out of nowhere, a new horrid sensation.

It felt like lightning washing over every inch of her skin. Her knees buckled and she went down the ground in agony. Then, as quickly as it hit, it passed. Ygritte raggedly gasped for air around the massive ball permanently occupying her mouth. She shook her head and looked at the man. He had a massive shit-eating grin on his face and he looked to Navarra. Ygritte reluctantly turned to see the Altmer standing there with the pendant in her hand, her slender finger hovering over the central gemstone.

"Oh, is that what that does?" Navarra asked, feigning ignorance. "Let's make sure." Ygritte watched wide-eyed as the elf's finger moved the fraction of an inch and then her body erupted again with electricity. It was similar to the pain of when she tried to wear cloths at Julius' only significantly worse. Ygritte convulsed on the ground for the duration. Then it was over again.

"Imagine how much Sarah would have suffered had Hrongr succeeded?" Navarra quietly mused as she looked at the amulet in her hand. Ygritte stared on in silent horror. "Accept my sincerest apologies, but I lied. I have one final surprise waiting for you at the estate." She said sweetly, which terrified Ygritte even further. She felt the lead goon grab her around the waist and haul her back up to her unsteady feet. These shoes were hell, but she was starting to get the hang of them. Out of options, Ygritte followed Navarra to the house.

Along the way she thought of Sigrid and what exactly 'mule' meant. Although, she was confident that it was nothing pleasant. Her thoughts drifted various places as she was marched through the opulently decorated house. They stopped in what looked to be a trophy room. Displayed around were various trinkets and items all neatly placed on pedestals with red velvet pillows. Identical to the one upstairs where she had stolen this damned collar. In the center of the room was a thin pillar that looked to be of Dwemer construction. However, instead of the typical solid bronze, it was carved of black onyx with delicate bronze and blue crystal inlay in traditional Dwemer design. Ygritte was immediately certain that this was the 'final surprise' promised to her. She watched as Navarra walked over to it and tapped the amulet to the blue gem at the apex. It momentarily pulsed with light. Ygritte shook uncontrollably with anxiety as Navarra slowly strolled back, amulet held out menacingly. Ygritte attempted to step back, but the pair of goons behind her prevented such an action. She watched helplessly as Navarra tapped the amulet to the matching blue gem at the front center of her collar then a most peculiar thing happened. The instant the two crystals touched, all of the blue-white crystal inlay lit up and an ethereal blue chain appeared and connected the pillar to Ygritte's collar. Then a moment later the chain vanished, yet the crystals on the sides of the pillar remained illuminated. Ygritte looked to Navarra in confusion.

"Insurance that my property remains my property. This pillar is now linked to your collar. Through means unknown to myself, it is said to be able to determine the perimeter of whatever structure it is housed in and will prevent any linked devices from leaving. Also, from what I understand, so long as the link remains, it can not be moved." Navarra explained casually as she looked around the room, appearing bored. "In short, you are here to stay. Make yourself at home." She laughed wickedly as she departed and the two goons took custody of her once more. Ygritte's knees buckled as a single though rang in her head.

"No. Now, I'm fucked."

Sigrid gasped for air as she and Belanna struggled to reach the top of the ramp. Sweat poured off the two of them as they pulled the heavy cart into place by the conveyor. As before they were disconnected from the cart. However, this time instead of being ushered back down the ramp, the Dunmer guard Borri grunted at them and grabbed both of their harnesses and redirected them through the now open security gate. Sigrid was initially confused but followed along when she saw the relief wash across her partner's face. Once inside the gate came down. Sigrid anxiously stared out past the iron bars to the waning daylight at the mouth of the cave. She was ready to get some fresh air again but the sound of a gate opening to her right caught her by surprise. She didn't even see it. She was in such a stupor when brought through the first time that she didn't even notice it.

Past the now open portal was a short hallway lined with iron bars and two open doors at the end. Borri lead the women to the doors then shoved the Belanna through one open door and escorted Sigrid through the other. Once inside, she was directed to sit down on the edge of a crude bed. Then much to her relief, Borri produced a small ring of keys and began to unlock and remove several pieces of her gear starting with the boots. As the leather was unzipped and pulled from her leg, Sigrid felt also delirious with relief as blood rushed back into her toes and she was able to flex her ankles once more.

Then he unlocked and stripped away the armbinder. Just as with the boots, Sigrid felt a rush of pleasurable relief and circulation returned to her arms and fingers. Finally, he rudely manhandled her head as he unlocked and released each buckle on her harness gag then wrenched the massive ball from between her teeth. Sigrid gasped for air as she started to move her aching jaw. She looked up just as Borri passed through the door to her cell and the portcullis quickly fell to the ground, no doubt remotely activated from the booth at the center of the passage lock. She watched as the process was repeated to Belanna.

As Borri exited the cell and the second gate came crashing to the ground, Sigrid called out, "What about this?" She pointed to the chastity belt that was still locked around her hips. Borri didn't even so much as break stride let alone look in her direction as he gruffly responded, "Those stay."

"But -" Sigrid started to say, but she stopped mid-thought by seeing both Belanna violently shaking her head 'no' and Borri grinding to a halt. He turned to her and approached the bars. He held up one of the harness gags and loudly asked, "Do I need to put this back on?!" His eyes were like burning daggers.

"...No." Sigrid meekly responded. Borri, without saying another word exited the hallway and the last portcullis sealed them inside. Sigrid lay down on her bed and sobbed. Memories and thoughts poured through her head. She thought of how different her life would have been had she not been sent to live with her uncle. Besides missing years of torment and abuse from him, she certainly would not have ended up here. She lay there on her bed, her mind racing until a small voice broke the silence.

"What's your name?" It called out.

Sigrid opened her eyes and saw the Belanna standing right up at her row of bar. She finally was able to get a good look at her partner and saw that she had strikingly beautiful amber eyes that complimented her dark skin. "Sigrid." She responded. "How long have you been here?"

"... I don't know." She said weakly.

"How did you get here?" Sigrid asked, but this time Belanna turned away and fell silent. It was obvious that she did not want to discuss this topic further. Sigrid understood, given how she initially ended up under Navarra's control. She surmised it was not much different for this Redguard girl. After a minute of silence, her voice once more broke it.

"After the war, my husband and I decided to leave Hammerfell as it was no longer the same home now that it was under the control of the Aldmeri Dominion. We traveled for a while before settling in Whiterun as traders. It was a good life for the time that it was. I thought our business was doing well enough. We made enough money to buy a home in the prestigious Cloud District. But, it was all a lie. My husband Nazeem, hid our failing business from me and covered it by taking on a substantial debt from Navarra. When it came time for him to pay, the weasel traded me to Navarra in exchange." Belanna quietly recalled, her now clenched fist shaking in anger. "I thought he loved me, but I was no more than a coin in his eyes. I still remember our last night together. He poured me a glass of wine. As I drank he finally spoke the truth to me. About the forged numbers, the failing business, the loan from Navarra, his means to settle said debt and the final truth he told me..." She was now shaking with anger, then she turned and was facing the bars once again as the anger turned to sadness and Sigrid was able to see the tears streaming down her face. Her voice broke as she whispered the end to her story "... was the drugged wine he had just fed me." Belanna wiped away the tears and she looked Sigrid in the eyes. "I fell asleep in our home and when I awoke, I was here. Behind these bars."

Sigrid's heart actually ached for Belanna. She wanted so badly to comfort the poor woman, but the cold iron bars made that impossible. After a few minutes of silence, Sigrid bit her lip in contemplation then told her story to Belanna. She began with being sent to live with her uncle Ole after her parents died from sickness. The abuse she suffered at his hands. Then her meeting Ygritte on the road from Rorikstead to Falkreath and sold to Navarra by her abusive uncle for twenty septims. Then she spoke at length about how Ygritte saved her and freed her from the cellar. Their thrilling escape, which Sigrid noticed a small twinkle form in the corner of Belanna's eye at the though of escape before reality crushed it. Then, Ygritte's unfortunate imprisonment in the chastity devices designed for the former Queen Sarah and their eventual recapture by Navarra. When she finished, Sigrid could not help by break down into sobbing at the thought that this is how it ends. She was supposed to join her new friend and explore Tamriel.

This time, it was Belanna who wished she could reach though the metal barriers and comfort Sigrid. But alas, all either of them had to comfort each other was their words, which felt so wholly inadequate. After giving Sigrid a moment to recover, Belanna mirthfully said, "When your friend saves you again, can I come with?" Causing both of them to share a much-needed laugh.

'Sigrid, you're going to have to be the one who saves me this time.' Ygritte thought and she lay in her bed, tears streaming down her face. It was hopeless. It had been little more than a week since the two of them were returned to the compound. She now, just as before, had absolutely zero means of gaining any resemblance of freedom. The layers upon layers of redundant restraints surpassed absurd. After her outfit had been 'completed' and was linked to that Dwemer pillar, the two goons dragged her down a flight of stairs to the very same cellar she had initially rescued Sigrid from. She didn't even notice that first time that there was a door in that cellar that led down a long corridor to another large room. As they entered this new room, she saw in the center was a large wooden desk with an attendant seated behind it and several jail cells set into the walls. Inside each was a young woman. Ygritte was lead to an open cell, lay down on an extremely narrow bunk and strapped to it rather tightly, finally the door was loudly closed and locked.

'Where the fuck do they think I'm going to go?' She thought thoroughly frustrated as her mind returned to the present. She squeezed her eyes shut and screamed into her gag as she gave one final pull at her hands. The outcome was not unexpected. She collapsed into uncomfortable bedding, finally surrendering. She was beyond exhausted. Since the devices locked onto her removed her needs to eat and expel waste, she was a very low maintenance captive. This in turn meant she was mostly ignored for the last week. With the exception of her daily sponge bathing she had no other human contact.

The intruders locked inside her holes once more sprang to life. Ygritte twitched and writhed on the cot, but there was nothing she could do but endure it. It was maddening. No matter how many times the plugs would torment her, it felt just as pleasurable and frustrating as the first time. She wondered if it would ever be possible to get used to them. Just as she started to come to the realization that this might be how she will live out the remainder of her life, the sound of a heavy lock turning over pulled her attention. Groggy, Ygritte turned her head and saw the attendant entering her cell. Without thinking, she tried to ask the man to release her from the bed. Her foolishness was rewarded with a rudely expanding ball and an explosion of saliva.

"Hush. It is time to get you prepared." He said curtly as he released the buckles on the heavy straps. Ygritte looked at him quizzically, a look he seemed to recognize and begrudgingly respond to. "The Master is holding a celebration tonight for the return of her prized collection. I'm told you will be the centerpiece of the festivities. Now, stand up."

The attendant pulled her up and onto her feet then pushed Ygritte towards a young woman wearing a frilly black and white house servant uniform and a dark metal collar with the all-too-familiar crimson logo. "See that she is prepared to the Master's standards." He ordered as he walked out of the cell and down the hallway. The servant curtsied, bowed her head and responded, "Yes sir." The girl looked over to Ygritte and smiled sweetly. "Come. Let me help you get cleaned up.

A few hours later, Ygritte was standing in the center of the trophy room again. Navarra arrived and used the amulet on the pillar once more then left without saying a word. Alone again, Ygritte grew curious of what she had done. She attempted to wander out of the room but as she reached the doorway, it felt as though a rope had been pulled taught at her throat. "So that's what she did..." Ygritte thought grimly. Her laughably slim window of escape just grew even slimmer.

Confined to this room filled with exotic treasures and nothing to do, Ygritte's mind began to wander. She began to muse over the fact that now she truly looked the part of a 'collection center piece'. She thought about how that sweet servant Celia, had sponge bathed her and washed her hair. After drying her off, Celia massaged a wonderfully smelling perfume into her hair and styled it. Consequentially Ygritte's hair fell in decadent ringlets and smelled of lavender and snowberries. She then took a fine brush and painted her lips and eyelids with vivid pigments. Once finished, she held up a small mirror to show Ygritte her refection. She was stunned. Her hair looked like something that belonged in High King Torygg's court at the Blue Palace. The expertly applied dark pigments that had been painted and blended above and below her eyes amplified her already stunning eyes. Her piercing green iris contrasted perfectly with the dark silvery grey makeup. Her dewy pink lips glistening around the shiny black ball made for quite the sight. Were it under different circumstances, Ygritte might have enjoyed how she looked. Instead, she was just an unwilling prize for a wealthy sadist.

Sigrid and Belanna collapsed onto their respective beds thoroughly exhausted. As she laid there, she tried to account for how long she had been down here pulling those damned carts but it was hard to keep track without seeing the cycles of day and night.

Each night, after their torturous shift of pulling the carts, they would lie on their beds and talk with each other. Sigrid learned much about Belanna and this 'organization' they were working for. She learned that her predecessor was in fact voluntary, in regards that she had agreed to work for Navarra for a set period of time as her means to clear a debt. And surprisingly, the bargain was honored. This gave Belanna the spark of hope she needed to keep going. That someday she might be released once Nazeem's debt had been repaid. However, Sigrid could read between the lines. While her previous partner was indeed released, she had a contracted period. Belanna had no such contract. She even said it herself; her husband Nazeem traded her to clear his debt, not for her to repay it. The difference was subtle but clear. Navarra had no intention of ever releasing Belanna. Sigrid even thought that deep down, Belanna knew as much but she needed to not believe it.

Then both women were pulled from their stupors by the sound of multiple portcullises being activated then a sight that took their breath away.

For an hour, Ygritte watched as various servants set up a long table along a wall and then populated it with various bottles, glasses and trays of food. The intoxicating aroma of hors d'oeuvres made Ygritte long for being able to taste food again. She then watched as various guests filtered into the large room, with the argonian behind the table passing out plates and glasses. A few of the guests even had young women in tow bound in devices similar of construction to the ones that Ygritte was locked into. Several of the guests would approach her and discuss the adornments as though Ygritte was not even there. One even reached out and condescendingly tapped her on the nose. Ygritte instinctively went to slap the smug man, but as all the times before the restraints disallowed such behavior. As she pulled on her wrists, the material of the armbinder constricted. She then attempted to tell the man to 'go to Oblivion' but all that came out was garbled nonsense and a stream of fresh slobber much to the mans amusement. Then to her horror, her plugs introduced themselves to the room. Ygritte felt a new level of shame and embarrassment as her legs quivered and she was forced to drop to her knees as her eyes rolled back and she thrashed left and right, vainly trying to press just right to bring herself to the ever elusive orgasm.

Then, as every time before, the tormenting pleasure ended leaving her gasping for air and covered in sweat. She looked up and saw the smug man staring down at her, as though he was pitying the futile efforts of an adorable animal trying to escape it's cage. Ygritte just felt defeated. There was no act of defiance she could make that would offset her current shame. She dropped her head down and watched the man's boots turn and walk away. Before another could come over and poke at her, Navarra and her entourage arrived eliciting applause from the guests. The elf was wearing an elegant gown adorned with expensive jewelry and her followers were all likewise similarly attired in wealthy clothing and accessories.

Movement in front of her caught her eye and she looked up to see a sympathetic face. It was one of the girls in attendance of one of the male guests. She wore a short, frilly dress that did nothing to provide her modesty. Her arms were pulled back into a black armbinder that had displayed the captured dreams branding. Ygritte looked down and saw that the girl's feet were locked atop steel boots connected by a short chain and a ring under each heel that forced her foot into an arch much like her own. Her mouth obscured behind a heavy assembly of leather that by her own mumblings trapped a large object inside her mouth.

The two shared a moment before the girl melted back into the crowd. Ygritte's focus again waned until she heard a voice that pulled her immediate attention. She turned herself around and saw the origin. A man and the woman clutching his arm were in the middle of a relaxed conversation with Navarra. He and the woman were both wearing fine clothing, but there was no mistaking it - it was Delvin Mallory. She strained to eavesdrop on them.

"How do you maintain control of her?" He asked. The lips of the blonde woman holding onto his arm curled up into a devilish smirk. A few other guests turned and eagerly awaited her answer.

"With this amulet, I can control all aspects of her restraints. I can also use it to apply punishment. See here." Navarra then held the amulet aloft and before she could brace for it, pain washed across Ygritte's skin. Her legs went limp and her knees buckled and she tumbled over onto her right hip and rolled to the ground. A short applause followed.

"Simply marvelous. So this is in essence the key? I mean to say, with this, you could release her?" The woman asked.

"If I so desired, yes." Navarra responded apathetically. "But why would I do such a foolish thing? She looks so much lovelier this way, don't you agree?"

"Oh but of course." The woman responded and the entire group shared a laugh over their perception of the absurdity of releasing a slave. Ygritte saw that the girl whom she had previously shared the moment with was staring blankly at the ground while the man she was standing besides enjoyed the humor with the other guests. "But only I can initiate such release. According to my research, the moment I linked her to that pillar, I likewise linked the amulet to myself. It will only respond my control." Navarra gloated. She then excused herself from the group and made her way to the center of the room next to Ygritte. She then saw that both Delvin and his guest made brief but definite eye contact with her. Ygritte welled up with hope. 'I might yet get out of it.'

Navarra took up position just behind Ygritte. "Esteemed associates, honored guests and cherished friends: I thank you for accepting the invitation to my estate. Last week, the Eight Divines smiled and granted unto me the good fortunes of Aetherius. I recovered not only what was stolen from me, but managed to rediscover, in it's entirety, a chapter of our history that was thought forever lost. I present to you all, in their entirety - The Adornments of Queen Sarah!" The room erupted into cheering and applause as everyone looked directly at her, making Ygritte feel exceedingly uncomfortable. "Here they shall remain, a testament to my decades of feverish study and research. Now, please enjoy your evening." Another short round of applause and then the attentions of the various guests dispersed. Ygritte stood there, even more defeated than before. She was no longer a person, but now an object. A prize.

"Such an event calls for a toast!" Delvin called out, giving Navarra pause. "I have brought with me as a gift to our generous host, a sample of my special reserve. Let us, with our host's blessing, celebrate such an accomplishment in her honor!" Navarra now blushing, motioned to her staff to distribute the wine. Moments later, wine glasses were distributed to every guest. Then with a loud call "TO NAVARRA!" Each guests upended their glasses.

Ygritte and the other captives watched the ensuing events with wide eyes. One by one, each guest whom had participated in the toast crumpled to the floor. Navarra herself being one of the last to fall, looked to her glass then to Delvin and his companion with unfettered rage. With slurred words, she screamed to her guards to apprehend the two, but none of them moved. Navarra, confused finally succumbed to the wine and joined the rest of the guests on the floor.

Navarra slowly awoke, her head swimming and her limbs feeling heavy, and though she was trying to walk through a deep marsh. Her mind quickly tried account for what had happened. As the memories came flooding back, so did her rage. She whipped her head around and saw the woman from earlier looking back, but this time it brought fear to Navarra.

Standing in front of her was the man whom had proposed the toast, now dressed in the armor of the Thieves Guild. She looked around to the edges of the room and saw four men whom had previously been wearing the armor of her guards, now displaying armor also of the Thieves Guild. She watched as they corralled the number of chained girls and were working diligently on their locks. She then saw the argonian whom was previously serving guests, now standing in the far corner, dressed in black. A polite cough pulled a furious Navarra's focus and she meet the gaze of the woman whom had accompanied this saboteur. She was likewise no longer dressed in her fancy clothing, but rather than the dark brown of thieves, a blood red and black leather tunic with a large black handprint in the center. It was a uniform that Navarra immediately recognized and feared.

"My name is Astrid, and I take it from your terrified expression, you know what this means." She said slowly, savoring each word as she gestured to the ominous symbol emblazoned across her chest.

Navarra silently nodded, her eyes wide. "You... your from the Dark Brotherhood."

"Very good. Now that we have your attention, I will let my... associate give his demands." Astrid stood up from her kneeling position and stood next to a bewildered Ygritte.

"You may not know this, but your new prize is in fact a very dear friend of mine." Delvin said matter-of-factly as Ygritte struggled to smile around the oversized ball. "The fellas and I, would appreciate it if you would release her. Now."

Navarra blinked repeatedly. She had never once in her life of wealth, privilege and authority been in such a position and her response telegraphed it. "You think I will give up my prize?"

"Oh... I know you will." Astrid said in a quiet, silky tone that exuded confidence and anticipation as she unsheathed a dagger. "I'm curious. Just how much agony can you endure?"

Navarra's eyes flew wide as the assassin brandished her gleaming dagger. Delvin to a step closed and issued Navarra with an ultimatum. "Either you left my friend go, or else my associate will gleefully send you to Sithis, one piece at a time." Navarra's eyes went back to Astrid, whom was now sitting on the table, legs crossed and absently twirling the blade. With a gulp, the elf relented. "Fine. You can have the bitch, but the devices stay with me. I worked too hard to lose them now." Delvin leaned forward and growled, "agreed."

Navarra, now humiliated stood herself up. With what dignity she had left, she walked over to Ygritte and glared momentarily at her. She then produced the amulet and stared at it, clutching it with white knuckles. Her hesitation however, did not go unnoticed as Astrid issued one final promise as she pointed the dagger towards the elf. "Either young Ygritte here walks away with us unencumbered, or you will spend an eternity with my master."

Navarra's shoulders relaxed as she let out an explosive sigh. She looked to Ygritte one final time before touching the amulet to the rear buckle of Ygritte's gag. Then immediately following that action, the ball shrank in size and fell from her mouth, landing on the floor with an audible 'plop'.

"Delvin!" She croaked out, using her voice for the first time in almost two weeks. "Please, help Sigrid. She in the mines!" She started to say more but a sharp and venomous "Hold still girl," from Navarra held her fast.

"Vipir, would you?" Delvin asked as one of the men nodded and started to leave the room. Astrid called out to the argonian in the corner. "Veezara, would you go with to provide the necessary... persuasion?" The argonian's lips curled up to show his rows of razor-sharp teeth and he left the room to join Vipir the Fleet.

Navarra continued about her task, the next item to be removed being the last one applied. As her former captor touched the amulet to the central buckle of the armbinder at the front of her chest, Ygritte felt the metal bands spring open the zipper fall and the horrid device slid down her arms and land in a pile on the floor.

This process continued on for several minutes as each piece of Sarah's Curse fell to the floor. Finally, all that remained was the collar. Ygritte tugged at the edge of the band in anticipation. Navarra looked her in the eye, this time however Ygritte returned the favor with her own glare. With a twitch of her lip, she set about completing the task. She walked over to the pillar and held the amulet aloft over one of the top facets. The glowing gem at the peak grew brighter as the elf rotated her wrist counter-clockwise and simultaneously pulled up and away. As she did this, the blue ethereal chain reappeared then shattered as the crystals on the sides of the black pillar went dark and the collar split open and fell from Ygritte's neck.

She was finally free.

She rushed forward to Delvin and gave him a hug. "Thank you. Thank you." She sobbed as she held onto him. One of the thieves approached with a set of armor, which Ygritte graciously accepted and changed into. While she was getting dressed, Delvin walked forward. "The amulet if you please."

Navarra looked at him in disbelief. "You agreed that I could keep the devices!"

Delvin, took a half step back. "Astrid."

The assassin gracefully uncrossed her legs and hopped down to the floor, the dagger flashing as its perfectly honed edge caught the firelight. "This won't take long." She said sweetly as she approached the cornered elf. Navarra once more fearful, submitted.

"Fine!" She exclaimed as she tossed the amulet to Delvin. She looked over and saw the while Astrid had paused her approach, she was not retreating either. Delvin then crouched down and picked up the collar on the ground, causing Ygritte to flinch. As he stood back up, all of the now freed slave girls gathered around Ygritte. Navarra's eyes bounced between all of them.

"As agreed." Delvin spat as he threw the collar towards the haughty elf. Ygritte and the other girls watched as Navarra's eyes went wide as she reflexively held her hands out to catch the golden collar. She knew precisely how the magic in the collar worked, but by the time her senses returned her hands had already touched the collar and it was too late. Immediately upon touching her flesh, the magic took hold. Ygritte watched with glee as the horrible woman was compelled to strip naked and don each and every piece of the tortuous devices she had just until moments ago been wearing. Ygritte savored the look of fear and defeat in her eyes as Navarra locked the collar around her slender throat, the anger and resentment as she inserted the plugs and locked the belt, the shock as the nipple disks pinched uncomfortably before being sealed away behind the golden cup. Ygritte especially enjoyed watching as Navarra picked up the massive black ball and forced it into her own mouth.

Then finally, the former slaver reached down and presented the armbinder to Ygritte. At first, she was apprehensive to touch the thing again, but at a nudge from Delvin, accepted the device. Upon taking it from her hands, Navarra spun around and pressed her wrists and elbows as tightly together as she could while holding them as far away from her body as she could manage. With an evil smirk, Ygritte 'helped' her into the glove. Just as the monster had done to her a week ago, she returned the favor in kind. Snapping the golden band shut around her wrists and elbows and finally pressed them into the back of the belt and bra with an audible click. Only then did the magic recede and Navarra regain what control of her body was left. She angrily took a step towards Ygritte, but tumbled to the ground, as she was not expecting the difficulty of balancing upon the thin point of the spike beneath her heel.

"Don't worry. You'll get used to them." Ygritte commented with a sneer as she looked down at the now humbled elf as she tucked the amulet into her breast pocket.

"Gents. Grab the pillar. We got a delivery to make." Delvin casually ordered as he walked with Ygritte, Astrid and the freed women. Navarra struggled to pull her hands free but was horrified to discover that it was indeed inescapable. She sat there on the ground, completely stupefied. She looked around the room to see all the unconscious guests and was still in disbelief that all this had happened. Her stupor was interrupted by a horrid sensation. The plugs began their rhythmic dance. Navarra's eyes were wide as she screamed with frustration behind the gag. Ygritte watched with grim satisfaction as the elven bitch finally received justice.

Sigrid's eyes went wide; she couldn't believe what she was seeing. An argonian clad in red and black walked down the hallway, his glowing yellow eyes sizing up the two humans before he silently gestured back towards the way he came and both gates for their cells rose up. "Come with me." He hissed as he walked back out. Sigrid and Belanna shared and incredulous stare before they both scrambled up and off their bunks and out the door to freedom. As they exited the cave, laying on the ground in a pool of blood was Borri, with Buruth huddled into the corner, clasping a bloody gash on her arm as a man dressed in brown held her at point of sword. Then at the opening of the cave was the sight she had been waiting for. Ygritte.

"I thought I'd never see you again!" Sigrid cried as Ygritte comforted her. After they finished sharing their moment, Sigrid introduced Belanna.

The three women embraced while Delvin passed the two naked girls a change of clothes.

"Come with me, I have a surprise for you." Ygritte said playfully as she led the two naked women back towards the manor. There was the same wagon they were brought here in, and standing at the back, was none other than Navarra herself. Sigrid and Belanna's jaws hit the ground at the sight of her bound and humbled so thoroughly. Ygritte pulled out the amulet and showed it to Sigrid.

"Hey, press this crystal in the center." Ygritte said as Navarra shook he head 'no' and pleaded incoherently behind her magically expanding gag. Sigrid touched the center gem and watched at Navarra shook and collapsed to the ground in agony. "Oh, so that's what it does." Ygritte said mockingly.

"Alright ladies, shall we get this show on the road already?" Delvin asked impatiently. "I'd like to get out of here before her enforcers wake up."

"If they wake up..." Astrid cooed.

Delvin shot her a glance before shaking his head and motioning the other thieves to get everything loaded up. He looked to Astrid and they shared a parting farewell.

"Well, it was fun and all, but I think it's time we got going. Place to go, people to kill." Astrid said seductively before both she and Veezara took several steps back, melted into the shadows, then her disembodied voice called out "I'll be in touch about repaying this favor." Following that, the assassins were gone. Delvin shook his head in appreciation, and then looked over to Ygritte. "You know, you're gonna have to help me out with that favor."

"Deal." Ygritte immediately responded. She would never admit it, but being free from those devices was worth a hundred favors.

"C'mon. You better get going. This one's not going to get to Solitude herself, Julius is expecting all of you." Delvin said as Ygritte turned to him sharply. Before she could say anything, Delvin spoke. "How else do you think we knew where you were? Besides, he's paying the guild a pretty penny to get his prize." He said, nodding towards the back to the wagon at Navarra, whom was currently violently thrashing and screaming around her ever-enlarging gag as the stimulators ran their torturous cycle. He and the other thieves then turned around and started to walk away. "When you're done, come see me at the Flagon. You owe me a drink."

Two days later Ygritte, Sigrid and Belanna arrived at the gates of Solitude. Initially the guards were getting nosy about what they were bringing in until Ygritte told them it was a delivery for Julius Talus. The guards immediately opened the doors and waved them through, no doubt due to a well-placed bribe. After a few minutes of riding through town, they arrived at Julius' estate. Ygritte got out and knocked on the heavy door. After a minute, the large door swing open revealing the elderly face of her employer.

"Ygritte. I-" Julius started to say before a sharp slap from Ygritte stopped him cold. As he reached up to touch his stinging cheek, the woman reached forward embracing him in a tight hug and giving a quick kiss on the cheek. "Thank you." She whispered into his ear.

She stepped aside and Sigrid was next to greet their elderly benefactor. She locked eyes and stared at him for several seconds. Then, like Ygritte, she lunged forward and gave the man a big hug. After a moment's embrace, she retreated back but held his right hand in both of hers. "Thank you for not forgetting what was most important."

He returned a stoic nod. "I could never rest with the shame of not acting. Not in this life, nor the next. There are things more important than mountains of gold."

"This is the rare occasion where you can have both." A new voice added in. Julius looked up and saw that it was the lovely Redguard woman. "My name is Belanna, and I think you already know the fourth member of our party." She said with a devilish grin as she pulled aside the sheet at the rear of the wagon to reveal Navarra. She was just as hopelessly bound as she was when they left her compound and she would stay that way.

Julius was flabbergasted. A hundred thoughts ran through his mind simultaneously. Each one colliding and jamming up on the previous causing him to stand there like a vacant old fool. After a long moment of staring at his rival of the past two decades now in such a vulnerable state he looked to his left and saw that all three of her captors were sharing the same devilish smirk. He looked back to the rear of the caged cart just in time to see Navarra's sharp emerald eyes, like burning daggers, suddenly change to ones of shame and desperation. He watched as her defiant demeanor melted away as her hips gyrated in rhythmic circles to the plugs locked within her. It was then that the backlog of thoughts came loose. The dam had just broken free and there was only one reaction he had to this moment.

From out of nowhere Julius started to giggle. Then it quickly grew to a loud chuckle. Before long, it was a full-fledged belly laugh. Every ounce of frustration that he had ever suffered at her hands had just flowed out of him. All that remained was the satisfaction of victory. "Bring her around back. We can unload the cargo there." He instructed. Belanna and Sigrid gave a respectful nod, replaced the sheet over the cage and lead the horse down the side alley to the service entrance of Proudspire Manor.

"While they do that. Let me tell you about this amulet and the pillar." Ygritte said as followed Julius through the front door.

"Pillar you say? Fascinating. Please, do tell me more..." He said with excitement as he pushed the heave door shut.


Two years later.

Julius shuffles to the door as the loud series of bang resumed. He pulled the door open and his face lit up. "Oh excellent. You are all here. Please, please come in and dry off."

The three figures, hooded and cloaked wordlessly entered. As they entered the foyer, the three figures reached up and quickly pulled back their hoods revealing the familiar faces of Ygritte, Sigrid and Belanna. Not long after the incident at the Captured Dreams Workshop, the three formed a partnership. Operating in the boundaries between and Thieves Guild and the Dark Brotherhood with the blessings of both Delvin and Astrid. In the two years since, they had become of the most efficient forces of illicit contract work North of the Imperial City.

"So... what do you need us to do this time?" Ygritte asked with a sultry tone while her two companions fixed eager eyes on Julius.

"Yes of course. It's just... oh now where did I leave that parchment? Oh right." He mumbled in his usual absent-minded way before calling out loudly into the house. "Nar, would you bring me that parchment I left with you?" Immediately following, a series of sharp clicks rang out two rooms away. The three women turned and watched with glee as Nar, formerly Navarra, rounded the corner. Still as tightly bound as she was the day Ygritte transferred the 'Curse of Queen Sarah' along to her former captor. Since the last time they had seen her Julius had made an addition to his unwilling assistant's outfit. A golden tray strapped with her waist with two thin, delicate chains reaching up and connecting to the ring at the front of her collar.

"Is that another piece you discovered?" Sigrid asked incredulously.

"Hmm?" Julius sounded as he looked up to the blonde woman, initially confused before her words fully processed in his head and he turned to look at Nar. "Oh certainly not! I made that one myself. Something to make her slightly more useful you see." He responded as he plucked a roll of parchment paper off the gilded tray. "You may go."

Nar gave a polite nod and turned to return to the study. As she hobbled away, Ygritte and the others noticed that she gave a small squeak and her hips started to slightly shake. It never ceased to give the three of them endless satisfaction to see the former master, now the servant.

"Now, about this item I want you to... acquire."