Duncan and Avarice

Avarice hangs in rope, body pulled tight, her black hair falling loose. Duncan knots every strand hard against her skin. She opens her mouth wide and he forces the ball gag past her teeth, then tightens the strap at the back of her head until she can only breathe through her nose. Her wrists are pulled above, ankles tied wide. Every knot bites. Every pull stretches her further. Duncan circles her, checking tension, testing how far he can bend her. Sweat gathers at her lower back. The ball gag glistens with spit when she tries to speak and fails. Duncan watches her eyes, waits until she stops fighting the rope, then leans in close and gives the knots one last, brutal tug.