The Tithe That Binds

by Candace Smith

  Edna looked up at her in surprise. Other than pleading the girls never spoke, much less offered themselves to a bidder. She ran it through her mind. “You’re the Tilson girl? Ed Tilson’s granddaughter?”

  “Yes, ma’am. I even got grandpa down to the lake to fish a couple of times. We figured out how to strap the rod to his hands. He liked that,” Lonnie said nervously.

  Edna looked down at her husband. His mouth was distorted, but his eyes were very much alive. His hand made a jerky movement on the lap robe and he pointed at the girl. Edna knelt down. “What should I bid, Artie?”

  “Oooo… oooo,” he garbled.

  “Two? Two of the roans?” It broke her heart to sell off his speckled horses, but they both knew he would never be able to ride again. Edna stood proud. She knew they could get the girl for one, but Artie wanted his wife’s tithe to go for a respectable value. “Two of the roans, Caleb.” Edna twisted her hands, as if anyone really would bid more for the plain girl.

  Caleb looked over the crowd. Most of the wives were nodding their heads in agreement that Edna had made a wise selection. Gabrielle leaned forward and whispered to the woman, “Alice will be a great help to you, Edna. She has strong Tilson blood and their calm manner.”

  “Thank you, Gabrielle. It kills me to sell off the roans. I’m keeping Rusty, just so Artie can watch him from the window. He’s still good stud stock, but too old for much riding.” Edna looked towards the back of the crowd and smiled at Holden. “I’ve made an agreement with Holden that he can speak to the elders and Preacher about breeding his sons to her. We’re not telling Lucy, and even if she finds out she won’t be allowed near Alice.”

  “We have a bid of two roans to the elders.” No one said a word, and Caleb held his hand down to help Edna onto the stage.

  Edna’s hand was shaking, and the girl trembled and gave her a nervous smile. She hooked on the leash and led Lonnie off the stage. When they were back on the dirt, Lonnie looked down at the old man. He had been powerful once; it was still in his eyes. She sank to her knees between the couple, and placed a quivering hand over the gnarled fist resting on the blanket. Lonnie, who was now Alice, was relieved that her position was secure.

  Next came Suzy, quivering and sobbing. The jailer threaded his fingers through the back of her collar and he lifted the tiny girl to her toes. “Bids?” There were gossipy whispers from the onlookers. It was tough having first post, because they never knew if the end of summer offering was going to be better. “This is the Cauldron girl… good clan name,” he enticed.

  “A hog for display,” a man shouted out with uncertainty, while his wife tugged at his arm. “Are you sure? She’s awfully small,” Joseph said in confusion.

  “Look at how nicely she tears up, though,” his wife answered.

  “I have a hog for display. Does anyone want to place a bid before she is marked?” Caleb asked. With the little brunette’s welled-up eyes, he doubted anyone would interrupt a paid display even if they were going to bid on her.

  “One hog for display,” Caleb announced. He snapped his fingers, and Debra felt Paula pass behind her. Her own legs were frozen in place from fear, except when Sherry pulled her off balance with her jerking around.

  Paula grabbed the girl’s collar and pulled her back against the post. Suzy raised her bound wrists, twisting frantically to keep from having her collar secured. The girl was so small that Paula easily overpowered her, and the slave girl’s eyes got the crazy excitement Debra had noticed before.

  “Position, Master?” Paula asked.

  Caleb looked down the line. Sherry would be a mess for display and Gabrielle was not going to let him mark the blonde, so even though the bid was only a hog, he said, “Three point.” He noticed Paula’s smile and he scowled at her. The girl enjoyed this almost as much as he did.

  Paula grabbed a short rope with two loops and snagged one of the girl’s flailing legs. She threaded a foot through one of the loops and tightened it. She reached for her other ankle and secured them with the short rope between them and behind the post. The position forced the girl’s legs to bend slightly and spread. With her awkward stance being bowed slightly forward, Suzy shrieked in terror and embarrassment while she looked out onto the crowd for help. Paula grabbed her wrists and she pulled on a rope hanging from the top of the post, threading the hook between the cuffs. She yanked on the free end, raising the panicked girl’s wrists over her head and securing the rope to the peg on the back of the post.

  Paula stepped back and watched in fascination when Caleb picked up the thin crop. Oh… how it stings and burns. Paula had had many experiences with the reed and she could practically feel the girl’s pain.

  “No… no…” Suzy screamed. Fat tears spilled down her cheeks, greeted with affirmative whispers from the onlookers.

  “She’s a good size for you, Anna. She would be quite manageable, and she’s cute… in a tiny sort of way,” Samuel said. “She cried on the way up, but mostly behaved.”

  “The others would laugh at me, Samuel. Besides, I think Nancy wants her,” Anna whispered.

  “No one will laugh, honey, and Nancy only had Joseph bid so that she could see the tears. Listen, Anna, everyone is watching her… and nobody is laughing.”

  Anna chewed her lip. At only five six, she knew that she needed a smaller tithe to control, and there was no guarantee which tithes would be acquired during the end of summer acquisition.

  Samuel had been nudging her towards Suzy since he got home, pointing out that her hips were wide enough for breeding and that her parents were both tall. Her petite stature had to be a throwback from an earlier generation, perhaps even one shared by Anna.

  “Should I let him mark her?” Anna whispered.

  Samuel looked at the anticipation in the faces around him. “Definitely.” He squeezed her hand.

  The reed slashed down across the top of the two perfect little globes. They were in perfect confirmation of the rest of the girl’s small stature, and the girl silenced with the strike. Her big brown eyes widened, and then she let out a clear, clean shriek.

  “Aaah,” Suzy screamed. Her breasts were on fire. “No… oh god. Stop,” she wailed.

  The next strike came down across the tips of her nipples, and again she silenced in shock, gulped a deep breath, and screamed for all she was worth. Anna leaned over and looked at Minerva. Her eyes were narrowed and fixed on the stage in approval. She caught Gabrielle’s green gaze, and the tall woman smiled and nodded at her. With Gabrielle’s backing, no one would make fun of her. “All right, Samuel, but let Caleb finish the display before you bid.”

  “Please… please stop,” Suzy begged. The next strike came up between her split pussy lips, and her belly knotted. She tried to raise her knees to protect herself, and there was the predictable silence before she shrieked a clear tone that had half the men’s cocks straining in their breeches and half the women squeezing their thighs together.

  “Bids?” Caleb panted. He looked down at Joseph.

  “Sorry, Caleb. The hog was only for display. I’m afraid I’d crush the little thing,” he laughed.

  “A bay gelding and a dozen grade A pelts,” Samuel offered.

  Anna gasped. “That’s too much, Samuel.”

  “You want her, Anna? She’s going to be yours,” Samuel stated, hugging her with the arm draped over her shoulders.

  Like Gabrielle, this was Anna’s first tithe. She was shaking when she walked up the steps to claim her. Caleb helped her latch on the leash while Paula unsecured the wailing, dazed girl. Suzy dropped to her knees and cupped her hand over her swollen pussy. Anna looked at Samuel who smiled up at her, and her eyes met Gabrielle’s. Gabrielle made a tugging motion with her hand to encourage her, and Anna straightened.

  She pulled on the leash until the watery eyes stared up at her, and she continued to pull until the sobbing girl had to stand. “How dare you embarrass me,” Anna hissed loudly. She dragged the sobbing girl from the stage while Suzy continued to
cup her sore lips.

  Sherry was next, and Paul was already wincing at the thought of anyone wanting to put him through a display with her. The girl whined in a nasal, airy way that was irritating. Instead of delightful arousing tears, her face turned blotchy and her nose ran. Just before he queried for display, Edna interrupted him and climbed back onto the stage.

  “Excuse me, everyone.” Edna walked to the girl’s back and touched something on the girl’s shoulder blade. “I think we have a little problem of deception going on here.” She glared at the girl. “What is your name?”

  “Shshsherry McEnroe,” the girl stuttered.

  “No. It’s not.” Edna slapped her so loudly they heard the crack in the back row. “What is your name?”

  The girl’s eyes filled and her face mottled. “Bbbarbra. Barbra McEnroe.”

  There were gasps from the audience, and Edna said, “My tithe has informed me that we have been duped into taking the younger of the twins. I asked how she was certain. Apparently, this younger one has a heart defect. The family has kept the older one who has no health problems.”

  “Pppleease,” Barbra begged. “Sherry got a scholarship to state next year for track. I’ve missed so much school I wasn’t going to make it to college. Oh, god. Please, I’ll work hard.” As terrifying as it was to be auctioned in the mountain, her parents’ threat if she was sent back was even worse.

  Samuel and Joseph had worked their way over to Elijah. “What a fuck up,” Samuel muttered.

  Elijah called up, “Why weren’t we notified there were twins? All we were told was that the older daughter was eighteen.”

  “Who wrote up the acquisition report?” Edna queried, her steely eyes already scanning the crowd for the man she knew was at fault.

  Eyes slowly drifted to George McEnroe and his face paled. “Shit. We never had one amount to nothing, and with Sherry getting the scholarship I let Chris and Thelma convince me one was as good as the other. I swear, I didn’t know nuthin’ about her being sick. I’ll ride back down and collect the right one myself, if you want.”

  The audience continued to stare at him. George was more pissed off than nervous. “Look, I worked hard for my place with you… harder than most of you had to, because of my name. I know Vera isn’t up for post at least until next summer, but I’ll even make a decent bid on that sick one and we’ll take her ourselves… and the deal to get the right one is still on,” he added.

  “The elders are going to call the family in and take the farm,” Elijah predicted.

  George shrugged. After twenty years of busting his ass in the mountains, he could lose it all because of that worthless cousin on the flatlands. “They can do as they see fit, Elijah. You know I wouldn’t have done this if I didn’t think the girl was healthy.”

  Elijah turned to Gabrielle. “I’m going to have to ride down in the morning. If they catch wind that we know, they’ll try to hide her.”

  “I’ll go with you,” Samuel offered.

  “No, Anna’s going to need you. I’ll take George and the others. I imagine the elders will send the enforcers if they’re back with Tom. Abram’s going to be pissed off at having to make a double trip so fast, too.” Elijah looked over at Gabrielle. “Are you going to be okay alone with her? I can have Caleb keep her caged until I get back.”

  “We’ll be fine, Eli. It might be nice to have a few days to ourselves to get acquainted,” Gabrielle replied.

  Edna looked at the frightened tithe and then over to Vera. Why the hell did my daughter have to marry George McEnroe? Still, she hated to see Vera throw her post on the sickly girl. “Caleb, if George is willing to throw an adequate bid on this girl, I think it should be agreeable to place her in the kitchens and let Vera keep her post next summer. The girl is useless for breeding, and we could get something out of her over there. We’ll still be getting the right girl for auction and the parents for the work camps.”

  “What about Jenny?” Barbra cried. She was terrified about what her parents were going to do to her when they found out they had lost everything, and she worried about her little sister.

  “She’s the six year old,” George called up. He ran his hand through his hair in frustration. Dammit, Chris. “Shit, we’ll take her. She’s young enough to acclimate to the hills, and maybe we can salvage something out of her.”

  Vera bit her lip to keep from bitching about the loss of five B pelts and a cow. They were supposed to be part of her bid for post next summer. At least she was acquiring a new little girl out of the situation. Vera loved children.

  Barbra was still sobbing while she was being led off the stage to the kitchens, and for just one moment Debra was alone on the stage. She was no longer tethered to anyone, and Paula was over with the jailer straightening out the mess with Barbra.

  Gabrielle’s eyes narrowed and she watched the girl. Oh, you’re right. No one is watching you… except me. Gabrielle watched the girl move slightly back on the platform and towards the steps at the side of the stage. She began backing up through the audience while they continued to bitch about the mix up. Eli looked at his wife, and he followed her green gaze to the stage. “Want any help?” he whispered.

  “No way, Eli. She’s mine,” Gabrielle whispered back.

  Debra scrambled down the steps, but nobody else noticed until Gabrielle pulled her skirt up and bumped into Minerva while she made her way out of the crowd. “Oh goody,” Minerva laughed quietly.

  Debra was running with her hands bound in front of her and her naked bottom and breasts jiggling as she dashed towards the trees. Behind her, she heard the yelling of people who had realized what was happening. “My money’s on Gabrielle,” someone yelled out.

  “Hell, we’re getting a display for free,” a man bellowed.

  Debra dared a glance over her shoulder and saw the tall dark haired woman had her dress held up over her knees while she ran. Her green eyes had a frightening smile as she raced after her, and Debra realized the woman was gaining on her. Gabrielle loved to run barefoot through the foothills and her shoes were only a slight encumbrance. She had already noted that the girl was soft, probably from lazing around.

  Gabrielle cut across at an angle and grabbed the girl’s hair, jerking her head back and stopping her. She gripped the front of the girl’s collar, and Debra panted and tried to bat her hands away. “I’m glad you like to run, girl. You’re going to get a chance to do a lot of it.”

  Gabrielle pulled the reluctant girl back to the stage with firm fists wound around her collar and through her hair. “Please let me go,” Debra sobbed. The woman yanked her hair and she screamed. “Oow. I don’t belong here. I didn’t agree to come here,” Debra wailed.

  Gabrielle let go of her hair and gripped her chin. Her eyes held a mixture of angry pleasure. “Silence,” she hissed. “You are a tithe, girl. That is your only value and the reason that you were bred. You are payment so that the rest of your family and the clan can survive. You are exactly where you belong.” Gabrielle straightened, and said, “Eli, place my bid.” She had long, dark, stray hairs that had escaped her braid, and a light sheen of sweat and excitement on her face.

  “Two hogs for display,” Lucy called out. Holden’s mouth dropped open and he glared at his wife.

  “No display,” Gabrielle announced. “And Holden would have to bid anyway.” She had already heard that Lucy was going to try to have the girl marked, but she knew that Holden would not dare cross Eli.

  “Ten A pelts, five Bs, and the paint.” He smiled at Gabrielle. She would not be needing the cart pony any more, and no one could outbid him with it thrown in.

  Samuel chuckled and stroked his short beard. “Shit, Eli.”

  “I don’t need Gabrielle running after me if I lose her tithe,” Eli laughed back.

  Chapter III

  Lucy scowled when Gabrielle led Mara off the stage. Holden knew that Linda would be in for a rough time because he would not back his wife’s decision to bid for display. It was not the first time he fel
t like kicking himself for marrying a McEnroe.

  Debra could not fathom her current circumstances. Life working in the mall and a room at Audrey Wilson’s seemed more a fantasy than the surreal situation she found herself in. Dazed with shock, she followed behind the tall woman, occasionally yanked by the leash hooked onto her collar. She was a slave. It made no sense to her. If what this woman had told her was true, then her parents and grandparents had always known this would happen to her.

  The devil man was still speaking to other men from the crowd, but Debra thought his wife was just as frightening. She was led across the clearing to a cabin halfway down the street. The woman sat down on a chair on the porch and snapped her fingers. Debra continued to look around, silently crying and searching for nonexistent help. There was a sharp jerk on her collar causing her knees to practically buckle.

  “You will kneel when I stop,” the woman stated calmly.

  Debra stared uncomprehendingly at her. The woman reached for a crop beside her chair, and smashed it against Debra’s thighs. “Ow.” Frustration, fear and anger finally surfaced, and she kicked a long leg out. “You bitch,” she screamed.

  The curse was loud enough to reach the street, and the men’s discussion stopped abruptly when Eli’s black eyes narrowed and he slowly turned towards his house. “I’ll meet you at daybreak,” he said quietly, and strode towards the porch.

  “Damn,” Joseph smiled. He grabbed Nancy’s hand. “Come on. This oughta’ be good.” Samuel followed them, with several other couples sauntering in the direction of Elijah’s porch.

  Debra was still kicking out at Gabrielle and somewhat managing to avoid the crop while the woman swung at her legs, belly and bottom. “Fuck you,” she cried. “Let go of me.” She pulled back on the leash just when a voice spoke over her head.