Yoke of Ignorance

"Because, you fool," Natasha said as she pulled the blindfold off of Magda.

Magda blinked several times, even though the bulb in the room was quite dim, a simple forty watt bulb. Finally she focused on Natasha's pale face.

"It was so that you would not see me crying every time I had to hit you," Natasha said and burst into tears. "It was so that you would not see my reddened eyes, or the tracks of my tears when you cried."

"Oh," Magda said slowly.

"Come, come, let me get you down; you need to shower and dress; everybody is waiting on us," Natasha mumbled as she unlocked the ankle cuffs first.

"Natasha," Magda cried out as the wrist cuffs were unlocked and she collapsed to the floor.

"Ah, your legs; they don't work now," Natasha gasped and helped Magda stand.

As both girls were the same height and weight, it was quite difficult, but Natasha helped her friend along the hallway, and finally brought her to her cabin.

"Shower; your clothes are on your bunk," she wheezed as she guided Magda to the small cubicle.

"Please, help me," Magda groaned; her legs ached and throbbed horribly.

"I will," Natasha promised and stripped out of her own clothing.

Magda screamed as the shower water struck her welts; the ship used sea water for all but cooking.

"I'm sorry," Natasha sobbed, realizing the salt water was aggravating her friend's marks.

"Don't be," Magda groaned and clung to her friend. "I earned each and every stripe you gave to me."

She put her lips to Natasha's and kissed her softly.

"I earned them all and you were right to give them to me," she admitted.

----

Both Natasha and Magda were disappointed when George did not ask either one of them to his bed that night.

"I made a promise to Suki," he calmly told them.

"But you will, you will keep us on, will you not?" Natasha asked worriedly.

"Absolutely," he smiled, then leaned close to Natasha.

"And if I understand the deal, when I do take you, then I must take Magda as well, true?" he whispered hotly into her ear, sending shivers up and down her spine.

"True," she giggled.

"But tonight, tonight, you two sleep together, my dear little kittens," he smiled and urged Suki toward the stateroom.

They entered Magda's cabin and Magda looked at her bunk, at the two pillows that rested on it.

"You have been sleeping in my bunk," she said.

It was not a question, but a declaration.

"Yes," Natasha whispered. "Your pillow, it has your scent on it. I slept more soundly, feeling that I was close to you."

"You are in love with me," Magda said and sat down on the bunk.

Natasha stood in front of her, blushing hotly.

"And I have been too ignorant to notice, too stupid to enjoy it," Magda went on.

"Don't say that," Natasha exclaimed.

"No, no, Natasha, it is true," Magda said and reached for Natasha's hands. "I have had a blindfold on for many years now! That someone as beautiful as you could love me and I not see it?"

"No one, no one is more beautiful than you when you smile," Natasha whispered.

"Then I shall smile for you," Magda smiled up at her friend.

Epilogue.

George Jacobs, despite his money and power and the many women he had and the many more that desired to be had by him, was an extremely unhappy man. One night, as the SS Lacey neared the coastline of Virginia, George realized that he was only two days from their destination, two days away from the endless monotonous board meetings, two days away from having to make decision after decision that affected thousands of lives and millions of dollars. He decided that he'd rather not go on like that.

He penned a quick note explaining all of this, then quietly lowered a lifeboat down. Someone said they saw him in Nova Scotia, another person said he'd been sighted in Puerto Rico. Others claim he is living in Greenland, living as a common fisherman.

Jacobs Industries honored the oral contracts that George had with each of the women on the SS Lacey, paying them in full. Magda asked that the money be sent to her mother; her mother would never have to worry for anything ever again. Natasha smiled at her friend and did likewise, sending the money to her parents.

"Where should we go?" Natasha asked Magda as they left JI headquarters.

"I do not know," Magda admitted. "But I will go anywhere you lead."

"I plan on pirating a certain luxury ship moored just east of here," Suki whispered, eyes alive with excitement. "And I'll need a crew; anyone interested?"