Chapter 1: MiLady

The Lower bailey was filled with activity. Men training, animals being tended, servants going about their chores. Two men stood looking up "I'll have her one of these days, she won't be so haughty and cold then." He rubbed his crotch, his cock all ready half erect at the thought. Kurlew, looked at his second in command and sneered obscenely. "We have our orders, The Count wants her bent to his will and broken, The bitch still refuses to marry that ape of a son he has. but I haven't even started my persuasion." His laugh was a vicious sound, heard even by the Lady in the Tower. She shuddered as she heard the sound, backing away from the window. For a moment her resolve wavered but with a deep breath she straightened her back and walked to the door. As she stepped out into the hallway, Mathew the guard stood up with a look of regret. The dice game would have to wait.

"She looks thinner and more worn everyday." he thought, such a shame for her to be treated thusly. Not daring to show any kindness, for others were watching. He glared at her, "and I suppose yea be's wanting to go wandering round the forest again, dragging me along to fall over every log there be's!" His fellow guard laughed and he turned and glared again. "You need not accompany me, Mathew. I only go for a short walk, the air is fresh from last nights storm and I only wish to check the flowers in the garden." He knew better but said nothing. "That be the rules, MiLady. Your not to go anywhere alone." Once again keeping a stern look on his face. He watched her go down the steep tower steps, grumbling, he followed her. As she passed thro the kitchen the maids and cooks smiled at her until they saw her ever present shadow, Mathew. They went back to their tasks not daring to speak to the Lady. Harriett the head cook motioned to one of the girls, with a wink. Mary stood and sauntered over to Mathew and with a provocative look and a flip of her hips she smiled. "Your looking very fine today, Mathew. Her hand slide down the front of his breeches, very fine indeed." Mathew blushed as he felt his cock hardening and shifted from foot to foot. "Mary, your a bold wench to be sure" stuttered Mathew. Mary ran her tongue over her lips "Indeed I am, Mathew would you be caring to sample my sweet lips and not the lips I speak with either." as her wandering fingers grasped his hard cock thro his breeches. Mathew looked around wildly at the females in the kitchen as if for someone to save him. When he realized they were enjoying his discomfort. He backed away from Mary "Now don't be given a poor fellow idea's there Mary girl, yea's surely will find yourself with your skirts tossed over yea's head and a babe in your belly if yea don't be good." Mary grinned and made a motion as if to touch Mathew again, he stumbled back trying to get out of her reach. While the others were busy watching Mary and Mathew, and laughing Harriett, slipped a small bundle to the Lady with a nod and a smile, not saying a word. MiLady smiled softly and the bundle disappeared into a pocket. Whispering her thanks MiLady walked out the kitchen door. She heard Mathew running to catch up, she looked over her shoulder and couldn't help chuckling as she saw the very flustered Mathew and heard the laughter coming from the kitchen.

She walked out through the back to the gardens, she tended to them faithfully, one of the few pleasures still left to her. For some reason she felt restless and wandered further and further towards the forest. Mathew called to her but she kept walking, finally she turned. "Please, just let me go for a short while. I promise not to run off." Mathew looked undecided for a moment, "If yea promise then I can't be denying yea, MiLady, but don't be gone long, yea's don't want to get killed now do's yea? She promised over and over again she wouldn't be long as she slipped through a break in the wall. She danced through the forest, feeling the cool breeze on her face and the moisture from the rain seeping through her slippers. Quickly she went to the small glen, only she knew existed. She bent down at the small brook and drank deeply, then sat down with a soft sigh, at last a moments freedom.

"Please help me, please will you help me Lady." She looked around not sure if she had actually heard anything, shaking her head "it must of been the wind." "Please help me, Lady" she heard again. She looked around, up at the tree's, down at the water, she saw nothing. A leaf rustled on the ground, partially covered by a small branch. She leaned down and moved the leaf then pulled her hand back with a startled cry, there laying under the branch was a fairy. She shook her head, No this can't be, fairy's are nothing but tales told to frighten children. With a single finger she gently touched the fairy on the arm. It gave a small cry of pain and she shook her head again, do fairies cry? I thought I saw a tear. "Lady, don't be frightened, please, the branch fell and hit me during the storm last night. Can you take it off my legs, please Lady." She carefully picked the branch off the fairy and tossed it aside. Gently she scooped the fairy up into her hand, brushing off the dirt she looked carefully at the little creature. It shivered, she could feel it through her fingers. MiLady dipped a fingertip into the brook and touched it to the fairies lips. Reaching into her pocket she pulled out the small bundle Harriett had given her, inside was a piece of cheese, some bread and a tart. She shook these out onto her skirt, wrapping the soft cloth around the fairy trying not to cause any more injury to the small thing, she felt tears in her eye's, to be so small and helpless seemed to echo her own life in her heart.

The fairy tried to get up but fell back with a moan of pain. Knowing she couldn't ask the lady to return her to her forest home, thereby giving away the secret to its location. Bitsy was in quite a quandary and a great deal of discomfort. Suddenly glancing up MiLady let out a cry. "I've got to be going if I'm late we all will be punished and severely", she looked down at the fairy and made her decision. Tossing the food out for the forest creatures, she stood up and carefully tucking the fairy into her pocket and headed back to the Keep. As she drew closer, she warned the fairy, Please be very quiet and still or it will be horrible. Bitsy responded to the sound of terror in the Ladies voice and made not a peep.

Mathew paced at the wall, hurry MiLady hurry, its getting late. He could already feel the lash biting into his back for this. He urged her to move faster. Racing up the stairs and into her room, she stopped and took several deep breaths, not even pausing, she threw off her cape and carefully drew the fairy from her pocket. She looked around wildly and spotted a large jewel casket, empty now. Opening it she unwrapped the fairy, finding a soft cashmere shawl, she put it in the casket and lay the fairy inside. As she rushed around getting ready for supper, MiLady explained to the fairy that she would be safe there. Picking up the casket and making sure the lid was not down tight or clasped, she took a small candlestick and placed it inside wedging the lid open. This should allow you plenty of air and some light, please don't try and get out while I'm gone, she warned. Placed the cask high on the large mantle over the fireplace, hoping it would help keep the small delicate creature warm.

Suddenly a loud knocking came at the door and it was thrust open. Standing at the door was Dame Agnes, looking every bit the dried up old crone she was, at her side stood one of the dogs from the bailey below. It snarled and snapped rushing into the room, with a start MiLady backed away from the animal. It seemed to sniff the air and growled menacingly, then suddenly lunged at the cloth from the kitchen she held in her hand. Ripping the cloth to shreds the animal shook its massive head and turned its eye's towards the fireplace. Speaking in voice filled with frosty elegance "Control your cur, Dame Agnes!" MiLady swept out the door. Dame Agnes looked about the room with a suspicious look and followed, dragging the hound behind her.

MiLady shuddered in disgust as she entered the dining hall. The beautiful tapestries on the walls were covered with soot from the filthy chimneys, the rushes on the floor were old and rotting, the stink almost unbearable from unwashed bodies, animals and food thrown on the floor. As always she straightened her back and walked in. Soldiers leered and called crude comments, a few reached out grabbing at her skirts, she slapped their hands away bring more laughter from the soldiers. MiLady stepped up onto the raised platform and took her place at the table. She sat between Captain Kurlew and his 2nd in command Bruce. Next came Dame Agnes, sitting down with a tittering comment "do you think she will forget her fine manners again and actually raise her voice?" With a sneer "I certainly hope so, I enjoy punishing the wench." Kurlew replied. Dame Agnes laughed her high pitched witches laugh and called for supper to be served. Not daring to raise their heads the serving girls brought out the food, if you could call it that. Tasteless, unseasoned, poorly cooked it looked as bad as it tasted. MiLady knew Harriett was an excellent cook but could only work with what little she was given.

As MiLady took a sip of her wine, a hand reached under the table grabbing her thigh, jerking away, her wine spilled. Dame Agnes reached out and pinched her hard on the arm "such a clumsy little thing aren't you." MiLady winced but said not a word. Kurlew picking up a napkin from the table leaned forward and started to wipe the wine from her bodice, his fingers brushing against her breasts, she tried to move back but was already pressed against the hard back of her chair. She pushed his hand away "keep your filthy hands to yourself, Kurlew!" She knew the instant the words left her mouth that she would pay and pay dearly for that comment. He slapped her across the mouth, snapping her head to the side. He grinned at her, knowing she was thinking of punishments to come. As the ale flowed more freely, the men became louder and fights broke out. A girls scream filled the hall as a soldier grabbed her and threw her to the floor, throwing up her skirts he pulled open his breeches and fell up her, shoving her legs apart he thrust into her, ripping her dress open he bite her breasts and laughed as she screamed with pain. She knew better then to fight and lay there waiting for the drunken sot to finish. As she tried to get away another soldier grabbed her, soon she was being passed from soldier to soldier. No one dared to interfere. MiLady kept her eye's lowered and tried not to hear the noises coming from the soldiers as they laughed and commented on the girls raping, She dared not try and stop it, she had done that once and her stomach clinched remembering the look of pleasure on Kurlew's face as he beat her. Dame Agnes sat and made obscene noises as she licked her dinner from her fingers, she watched avidly, enjoying the scene in front of her. Her small beady eye's gleamed with each grunt and scream of pain. MiLady thought to herself as she looked at Dame Agnes, "the old bitch has probably never had a man between her thighs and is more then likely imagining herself being used so cruelly."

Finally supper was over and she could escape to her tower. MiLady stood up and a large rough hand grabbed her arm and pulled her back down. "Did I give you permission to leave?" Kurlew snapped. She shook her head No. She looked at him and cringed, seeing the lust on his face. He leered at her and leaned closer, she tried to turn her face away, his breath stank as badly as his person. He grabbed her face and forced her to look at him. "Soon you will marry Lord Barnard and he will use you like the bitch you are." Bruce choked on his ale laughing, "Do you really thing that fop will know what hole to fuck?" He almost fell out of his chair laughing at his own warped sense of humor. She pulled her face away and spoke very slowly and calmly, even though her insides churned and knotted. "I will NOT marry, Barnard. Before my fathers death he promised I would have a choice in who became my husband. My Uncle can not force me to say wedding vows before the Priests." Kurlew grabbed her by her hair and leaned even closer "You think not, we shall see how long you hold to your convictions, once I am finished with you." She bite her lip trying not to cry out as he grabbed her hair. "You have tried starving me, beating me, locking me in the tower for months, what more do you think you can do? I will not consent to this marriage!" He let go of her hair and grinned an evil horrid smile "our nights entertainment brings a few things to mind". With that he reached out and shoved his hand down her bodice and grabbed one of her breasts, squeezing until tears came to her eye's and she cried out struggling to get away from him. Her hands slapped at him, trying to pull his hand away from her. "You foul beast, you don't dare rape me, My Uncle will kill you for such an insult, he insists on a virgin bride for his son!" He threw her from the chair, she picked herself up and stood proudly as everyone in the hall watched. "You naive little bitch, I will train you in tricks that will even make that fop Barnard's cock hard and eager to be fucked." He laughed as he saw her go pale and tremble. She ran from the hall, followed by his and the others sneering laughter.

She gained her room and rushed in, slamming the door shut, she leaned back against it and took several deep breaths. She looked around wildly, then ran to the large chest at the foot of the bed. She pushed and tugged and pushed and tugged. until it was lodged against the door. While MiLady was doing this, Bitsy the fairy was holding onto the candlestick and watching over the rim of the casket. Bitsy sensed the fear radiating from the Lady and being a curious little creature she wanted to understand more of what was happening. Looking around again MiLady ran to the desk that sat under the south window, she tried to move it, pulling and tugging, it only made a scraping noise and moved a few inches. She almost sobbed in frustration as she looked around again, the chairs, yes, the chairs she thought and ran to one, they were large and made of heave stout wood. She managed to drag one chair to the door and pushed it against the chest. She sat down in the chair and put her face in her hands. How long do you think this will actually keep him out? you little fool, why not just accept the inevitable marry Barnard and get it over with. She shuddered thinking of Barnard, the last time she had seen him, he minced about in his pretty clothes, making up his face and even wearing a beauty patch. But what disgusted her even more, she had chanced to turn a corner in her Uncle's castle and saw Barnard and his lover groping each other in the open for any servant to see. When she saw the face of his lover she turned and fled down the hall, getting outside just in time, she vomited in disgust. Bernard's lover was Father Dominion's alter boy, a young man in training for the Priesthood.