The new arrangements, though quite startling at first, were beginning to be quite pleasant. Granted he found it to be slightly barbaric, but that was the point. He had returned to the small flat, bringing the new clothing and food for their guest as promised and found that his companion had made some….improvements.
She was no longer locked in the back room, instead curled on the floor near the small stove. He was impressed with his comrades' new tactics of binding her hands and was grateful for the gag in her mouth. He was always nervous she would start screaming again.
Still afraid to speak, knowing it would disclose his identity to her immediately if he did, he motioned for the other man to come close.
"She will hear us," he whispered.
Calmly his companion in his even voice replied, "Not anymore".
"Did you…"
"Don't be ridiculous. I used an old technique. Her ears are stopped and her hands are bound as such that she cannot remove them."
"Brilliant."
His worry evaporated and for a moment he felt like he didn't have to hide.
"Everything is still arranged?"
"Yes, she will be on the ship, provided the coming storm doesn't delay its departure."
He glanced out the small window to see the clouds growing increasingly dark.
"Pray it doesn't, I want this to be over as quickly as possible. Every day we wait is a day we could get caught."
"Relax my friend, all is going according to plan."
"I am not your friend, nor do I care for you. This is business, nothing more."
"Right. Go on then, I'll be here for the night."
With a last look at their captive, the other man silently left, sinking into the growing dusk.
"What to do now…" he smiled.
In a perverse way, he enjoyed her total silence. She had no way of knowing what was happening around her and relied completely on him. He pulled a chair near the stove all the while watching her. He was sure she felt his steps come close, but she still lay quiet, curled on her side. None too gently, he grabbed her bound hands and pulled her so that she knelt in front of him. Settling into the chair, he watched for a response from her. She did nothing, simply sitting in front of him.
He studied her face, noting the raw flesh around her mouth from the gag. Her already pale skin now lacked any color, instead had a sickly pallor to it. Curious to the double blindfold, he examined it more closely. While the primary one was sufficient, the second layer covered her ears as well as her upper face. Reaching to touch her, she flinched as soon as contact was made.
"Afraid of me are you? I just want to see what your other host has come up with."
He spoke quietly, partially to himself but also to test these so-called ear stops. Holding her head with one hand he pulled the second blindfold up with the other. Her ear was completely full of what looked like candle wax and pieces of cotton. Mixed together it held fast and completely sealed her ear off.
"Never would of thought of that," he muttered.
Pulling the cloth back over her ears he reached around for the gag. He loosened it and her hands immediately went to her mouth in a futile attempt to soothe the raw skin there. With her hands bound into silk-covered fists she could only rub her stump of a hand across it. He brought a small cup filled with water and held it in front of her as a final test of her hearing.
"Are you thirsty?"
Nothing. No response.
Smiling, knowing that she had no clue, he brought the cup to her lips. Again she flinched so he grabbed a fist full of hair to hold her still. Slowly he allowed the water to pour into her mouth allowing her to drain the cup. Again he filled it and watched her take her fill.
