Chapter 5

The following character appears in the next two chapters of the story:

Patrick

Gabriell’s youngest son, Count of Buckland, 5’-9” tall, 150 pounds, 18 years old#, brown hair, gray eyes.

Captain Robert came in shortly after Gabe and Celia had finished their meal. Celia was cuddled up to Gabe with her head on his shoulder. She was very close to sleeping again with a full stomach.

“My Lord, I need to speak with you,” the Dragoon Captain said.

“Go ahead, Robert. Anything you need to say can be heard by my daughter,” Gabe told him.

“It’s about the slave girls, my Lord,” Robert began. This got Celia’s immediate attention.

“What about them?”

“I should give you the whole story, my Lord,” the Captain said.

“Go ahead, Robert.”

“The advance party found the slave girls in the barn when they took the prisoners there at your orders, my Lord. There were eighteen of them plus some children of theirs. They were very happy to see the Dragoons. Apparently no one from the manor had bothered to check on them during the storm other than to take two of the younger ones back to the manor. Both of them had also been beaten, my Lord. They are in one of the other bedrooms. The doctor has seen them already, and is taking care of them.”

“The others were in fairly good condition. The chicken coop is right next to the barn, and they had gathered eggs during the storm and ate them. There was corn for the chickens and wheat for the horses and cows in the barn. Also plenty of hay for the horses and cows. They used part of the corn and wheat to make a kind of bread. They also had some other ingredients with them in their quarters above the main level of the barn. They milked the cows and drank the milk. They also made butter from the cream. So they were in pretty good shape when the men found them.”

“They were, however, just about out of firewood. They had used one of the stalls for a latrine and covered it up with hay and ashes from the stove which had kept the barn fairly warm. They are down in the kitchen now, my Lord, and have done all the cooking. They were delighted with the meat we gave them.”

“That all sounds fine, Robert. What is the problem?” Gabe asked.

“The problem, my Lord, is that they all want sex. Even the young ones. Each one has chosen a man or men, and they all want to take them to bed, as soon as possible, even the thirteen and fourteen year olds. I can’t keep them away from the men, sir. I have had to threaten all kinds of dire consequences, but the girls pay no attention.” Robert was obviously very frustrated.

“Robert,” Gabe interrupted, “it’s all right. These girls have been badly treated by the people in charge here, and only wish to show their thanks. Obviously you won’t have any trouble picking the men to garrison here when we leave. Now, Celia and I will go to see the injured girls first. Then we will go downstairs, and I will speak to the men, and Celia will speak to the slave girls. We will straighten things out.”

They both got up. Celia straightened her robe. It really was too large for her, but she dealt with it. Claude held up a robe for Gabe and helped him into it. They both put on house shoes. Then they were off to see the two injured girls. They passed several bedrooms that had already been cleaned up and went into one in the back of the house. There was a fire in the fireplace and Walter was there tending to the girls.

Celia went, and talked quietly to each girl. They were amazed to see her still alive. She reassured them that they would be well cared for by her new Master. She kissed each on the cheek before leaving them. Gabe, in the meantime, was being briefed on their conditions by Walter. He called Claude over, and had him bring brandy for each girl. Since they had already been fed, it didn’t affect them as much as it had Celia.

They then went downstairs. Gabe held Celia, as she was still a little woozy from the brandy. First they went to the kitchen, and Celia spoke to the girls. They too were amazed that she was still alive. When she told them about her new Master, and who he was, and then pointed to him standing right there, the girls all fell to the floor, and whimpered in fear. Gabe assured them that all was well, and that he wasn’t upset with them. Then he spoke about their relationship with the Dragoons.

“I know that you are happy to be free from your old Master and his depraved ways. Now you must decide what you want, to stay with one man or more than one man. Those who have found a man that you like move over to the right side of the room. Those who would still like to choose a man move to the left side of the room. If any do not want a man, just stay in the middle. All the women and girls moved to either the right or left. None stayed in the middle. Gabe told them to wait while he spoke to the men.

The Captain had assembled the off duty men in the main entry hall for Duke Gabriell to address them. Those on duty would be brought in later for the speech. The Duke stood several steps up the stairs so that all could see him. First he thanked them all for their efforts to get here. Then he got to the present issue.

“As you know, there are a number of slave girls here. Most of them have been mistreated. They have all been lonesome lately. Some have already picked out a man that they think they will like. They will come out shortly, and pick that man out. They are not to be bothered. If they find out that they are not compatible, then they will have to decide whether to choose another or not.”

“Some of the girls have made no decision yet. They will come out last to move among you, and talk with some of you. If they make a decision, fine. They may choose to talk to several of you before reaching a decision. None of them will be forced to accept a man that they don’t want. Is that clear to all of you?” the Duke demanded.

The girls came out to pick their chosen man. One young girl in particular was greatly upset at not finding the man she had seen earlier. Celia pulled her aside, and assured her that he would be found. The other women came out then and looked over the assembled men. Several chose a man or several men. Two wanted to wait to see the rest of the men.

The Troop Sergeant got a replacement detail together from those not chosen, and they went off to relieve those on duty to come to the manor. When the new men came in, the young girl squealed, rushed up to one of the younger Dragoons, and attached herself to him immediately.

The young man blushed big time in embarrassment. Gabe assured him that it was all right. The two remaining women also picked a man from those brought back. The girls were all happy. Some of the men who hadn’t been chosen weren’t. Gabe reminded them all that there were two slave girls upstairs that were still too injured to make a selection. He was sure they would when they were better. He also reminded them that some of the girls could change their minds.

The single troops returned to the third floor, where the old servants quarters were. The girls and their men moved to the empty second floor bedrooms. They didn’t seem averse to sharing a room. There was much giggling on the way. Some of the girls started straightening up the bed rooms while the troops retrieved their gear from the third floor. Some of the girls returned to the kitchen to finish things there. When they were done, they brought up snacks for all of their men. The troop cook was left in charge of the kitchen in their absence.

Gabe and Celia returned to the mistress suite, as they were both tired again. It was sometime later after Gabe had dozed for a while that he felt Celia move against his leg. She had started to cry again and whimpered piteously. Obviously, she was awake.

“Are you in pain, Little One?” Gabe inquired.

“No, my Master. I need you so, but I am too sore to even move.” Here she burst out in tears again, and pleaded, “Please help me.”

Gabe reached down to find his leg was already quite damp from her juices. He moved her legs back a little from his so he had better access to her and began to stroke her slit with a finger. Celia started to moan. Soon he had two fingers in her, and his thumb was massaging her clit. Shortly Celia locked her thighs on his hand, as she went rigid for at least a half minute. Then her body sagged, and her thighs released his hand. Her breathing was very ragged for many minutes. Finally she was able to speak again.

“Thank you, my Master. You are so kind to a poor girl,” she whispered. She took Gabe’s hand, and licked it clean of her juices before she placed her head back on his shoulder, her leg over his, and his hand on her breast. They drifted off to sleep again.

The pair awoke to a bright, sunny if cold day. The fire had been restarted, and the room was cozy again. Claude brought breakfast. It was followed by Captain Robert with news.

“My Lord, a rider arrived late last night,” he informed them. “Your oldest son has sent a supply train. It started near the end of the storm and should be here in four days or so. Your youngest son, Patrick, is with the train.”

“Thank you, Robert. That’s very good news. I was worried about there being enough food here for all the people that are here now,” Gabe said. Then he continued, “The prisoners should be put to work as soon as possible. I’m sure the chicken coop and barn need cleaning after the storm, and there is never too much firewood, also anything else you can think of to keep them busy. I want all of the guards to view the backs of the two slave girls down the hall. It will be a reminder of just what kind of animals they are dealing with. I don’t want them to go easy on them, no pity for that bunch.”

“Even the young Count, my Lord?” Robert asked.

“Oh yes, Robert. Especially the young Count,” Gabe assured him. The prisoners were put to work that morning. The Duke needn’t have worried. Many of the Dragoons had already seen the girls backs and heard from Mac about Celia’s injuries. None of the prisoners were given any slack. Walter had seen to it that the old Count was taken care of (fed at least).

Gabe was up and around the second day. He checked on everything, and was happy with most of what he saw. Celia was up on the third day, and took charge of the slave girls They had learned that she was to be the Duke’s daughter, and were frightened of her now. She soon convinced them that she was still Celia, and that all was well.

The two injured slave girls were up on the fourth day. The older, a sixteen year old, chose Claude as her lover saying that he was the most kind man she had met other than the Duke, but he was already taken. Claude was a little flustered, but the girl was young, good looking, and eager for him. Gabe assured him that it was fine with him. Claude and the girl were soon off together to get better acquainted.

Patrick, and the supply train arrived late in the afternoon of the fourth day. Gabe was glad to see his youngest son. He had a mission for him, one that he hoped would secure his son’s future. Patrick, on the other hand, was seriously shocked to learn that his father was adopting one of the slave girls as a daughter. When he had met Celia, and had a chance to talk to her for a while, he thought he understood his father’s reasoning. He too fell under her spell. She was such a sweet girl.