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I spend this final night alone with the ladies -- no wild party, no drug-induced haze -- a quiet night of cuddling and massaging and loving. The ladies offer me their wrists, and I bind them with loose bonds, but lots of rope -- they will be comfortable for a long time, but quite as helpless as when they are tightly bound. I cover them with kisses and fragrant oils. They fill my ears with sighs of delight, and my skin with the delicate caress of their lips and fingers. We are in no hurry, but, somehow, we fall asleep early.
We have bonded tightly, indeed.
The next day is a day of ritual. I bring out the dresses that Paltrice and Anna wore at their first sacrifice; I bring out a fine dress for Chasta to replace the common dress she was wearing.
"I will wear my old dress." she says when she sees the new one -- her warrior spirit stirs.
"It would please me greatly if you would accept this in it's place." I say.
"I... will take it, gladly." she smiles. I am most pleased. A warrior spirit tempered with love and social graces makes for an extraordinarily powerful woman.
Once again I tie my ladies hand and foot; once again they ride in the back of a wagon to meet their destiny. But how different their hearts are this time! I sincerely hope that difference in thinking is well founded.
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