Chapter 2

A young serving girl woke us in time for breakfast. She pointedly waited in our room to make sure she got a good look at my “lance,” all while she pretended that she was tidying up our room.

Since today was (mostly) a rest day, the women were drafted to make another silk dress for the Duchess and her daughter. I started to give them money to buy the silk but they reminded me that they still had all of the money they had earned so far since I hadn’t yet collected it from them.

“Buy anything you need or want in town. Just remember that we have limited space. We’re probably going to need another wagon to carry the pavilions when we take them down,” I commented. I was glad Ymma had been learning how to drive the wagon, and told Hilda she should probably show Draca how since he was old enough. I gave Hilda enough to get another travel carriage, too, if they found one available.

I headed for the tournament field. There would be contests of skill today in both archery and the staff.

Nobody survives the Melee a Cheval completely unscathed. The force of an opponent’s lance striking, hopefully against your shield, bruises you. Even your own lance striking an opponent bruises you. Then the fighting on foot is always good for bruises and maybe even a minor sprain when you step or trip on something or someone on the ground. Those Knights with only minor injuries are lucky. I considered myself extremely lucky this morning. Half an hour of stretching managed to work out the stiffness enough that I would be able to ignore it.

I hung one of my distinctive tri-color banners on a branch of the tree near the butts where the archery contest would be held. Another was tied to the tree where the staff challenges would be held. One of the farm boy squires waited anxiously at each field, ready to find me when the contests started.

The archery began mid-morning. Only ten Knights participated, eight of them Saxons. The French Knights wagered heavily on me, having previously seen my prowess with a longbow. Considering that everyone else here was using a standard bow, what I consider a short bow, I already had a distinct advantage.

Tohrwulf, the Saxon captain, and I fended off all challengers. Finally, it was just the two of us. At two hundred yards, he was just as good with his short bow as I was with the longbow. Beyond that, though, he couldn’t maintain the accuracy and I beat him at two hundred thirty yards. He was gracious, teasing me over lunch and ale by asking if I wasn’t Saxon myself.

The afternoon found Tohrwulf and me again facing each other after the other challengers had been sent packing. He was definitely good with the staff. My six-inch height and reach advantage finally wore him down enough that I managed to topple him. Still, it took nearly half an hour and we had drawn a huge crowd. I noticed Matilda watching and cheering amidst her retinue of the Duke’s soldiers. I also noticed that the friend with her was the same serving girl who had awakened us this morning.

Tohrwulf and I sat together at the dinner feast that night. He was the Captain of the Earl’s soldiers in Soest and invited us to visit there. I promised that we would. My three girls were serving tables again tonight. I noticed Matilda looking at me constantly through the night. I pointedly did NOT look at the Duchess, not even once.

With the final event of the tourney tomorrow, the amount of ale consumed around the boisterous tables decreased dramatically. The Duke asked me how I ended up being so good at everything, so I told the tale of my childhood.

My father is an Earl and an adamant supporter of the King. I have a brother two years older than I am who will succeed him. From an early age, my brother and I competed against each other in everything. As dearly as I love my brother, he and I fought constantly growing up. The fighting wasn’t due to a dislike of each other; rather, it was due to our competitive natures. Before we were old enough for weapons training, we wrestled each other.

My father stands 6’ 2”, two inches shorter than my brother, and four inches shorter than me. He is a large, well-muscled man but my brother is bigger and stronger. I am even bigger and stronger than my brother is. At age eight, I picked up a longsword and took it everywhere with me until I could properly carry it. At age nine, I could swing the sword, much to the amazement of my father’s arms master. By age ten, I could wield the longsword, having begun arms training at age nine using wooden practice swords. Daily, the arms master would pit my brother and me against each other with wooden practice swords and we would beat on each other until one of us collapsed. By the time I was eleven, it was usually my brother who collapsed first. By age twelve, I was taller and heavier than most of my father’s soldiers and was formally introduced to the broadsword.

When I was fourteen, the King called for troops to fight the Scots. I was adamant that I be allowed to go. The arms master agreed that I was more than ready; my mother was adamantly opposed. My father, brother, and I set out towards Scotland with two hundred of Father’s men.

There had been two battles before we arrived, neither decisive. The day of the decisive battle, twenty thousand men faced off against each other across the battlefield. I remember the horn that signaled for our troops to charge. Everything after that was a blur until sometime after the battle was over.

I’ve been told that Father’s men had no choice but to follow me, as I was the first one to contact the Scottish line. My brother teases that the entire Scottish line shuddered when I hit it. My broadsword tore an opening in their line and our troops followed me through, wreaking havoc on the Scottish infantry. My brother stayed on my left shoulder for the entire battle. About two hours after the battle began, I noticed that the King was in danger and turned in his direction, hacking and hewing my way closer.

When we were close, I had evidently noticed a new band of twenty Scottish troops approaching the King. Yelling loud enough that I was heard across much of the battlefield, I ran at the new group. I had also been aware that I only had a few men with me, yet ran straight at the advancing Scots. Right before we reached them, I threw myself sideways at the center of their advancing troops, surprising them and knocking down several men. Before they recovered from the unusual tactic, I had killed six of them while my comrades dealt with the remainder. When they had been dealt with, we helped the King’s troops finish clearing away the remaining Scottish troops around the King.

After the rout was complete, the King sought me out, knighting me that same evening on the battlefield, even after learning my age. My brother was also knighted for his bravery by my side. Even though all three of us were wounded, none of the wounds was serious and my mother was relieved when we returned home safely. The amount of loot we returned home with was astounding.

I spent the time until I was sixteen learning everything I could about being a soldier. On my sixteenth birthday, I left home. I harbored no ill will towards my brother but knew we would always fight--it was just the way we were. Once my brother became Earl, fighting with him would undermine his position, something I had no intention of doing.

I wandered for a year, finally entering the service of the Earl of Norfolk. Within a year of entering his service, I was a trusted confidant and bodyguard, something I’ve done for six years now.

I didn’t go into the events of the last couple of weeks.

The Duke was fascinated with my tale. When I finished, I noticed that most of those around us were quiet, also rapt by my history. The Duchess hung on the Duke’s left arm, Matilda on his right.

Shortly after the Duchess left my chambers that night, filled with two more doses of my seed, the door squeaked open again. Thinking that the Duchess had forgotten something, I rose to meet her. “How dare you?” Matilda hissed in an angry whisper. “And with my mother!” she added, the hurt and betrayal she felt evident in her voice.

“Would her Ladyship allow me to explain?” I asked a lot more calmly than I felt.

“Fine!” she hissed, her hands planted angrily on her hips.

“You must promise that you will talk to nobody about this except your mother, and then your father if you are still not convinced and it must be done in absolute privacy,” I warned. She agreed.

“Have any of the other Knights been offered rooms in the castle?” I asked.

“No,” she answered, her voice conveying that she wondered what that had to do with anything.

“Are there other rooms your father could have let me use that don’t have the secret passage?” I asked.

“Yes,” she replied, this time a hint of uncertainty creeping into her voice.

“I want to repeat that this must never be spoken of. To do so could undermine your father’s position. Not even your best friend or closest confidant can ever be told,” I warned. She nodded her understanding.

“Are you aware that your father was deathly ill right before you were born?” I asked.

“Yes, I’ve heard people say it was almost miraculous when he recovered,” she answered.

“Are you aware of your father’s concubines?” I queried. Even in the faint light of a single candle, I could see her blush.

“Yes, he has several,” she whispered the scandalous information.

“Between your mother and the concubines, how many children have been conceived since he recovered from the illness?” I asked.

“None,” she whispered as the realization hit her.

“And what would happen if he died with no male heir?”

“I would be married to the minor son of a noble and he would become the Duke,” she answered. “My father knows about this?” she gasped quietly, stunned.

“It was his idea; otherwise I would never lie with a married woman. As beautiful as the Duchess is, no woman is worth being executed for,” I explained.

“I’m sorry for doubting you,” she apologized.

“You couldn’t have known,” I answered, drawing her into a hug only to be quickly reminded that I was stark naked.

Still, she clung to me, and then looked up at me, smirking. “I’m not married,” she offered in a sultry voice.

“True, but if we did anything, it would destroy your chances of a marriage to another noble,” I warned.

“But I can tell you’re interested,” she husked as her trembling fingers tentatively touched my throbbing erection.

“My interest isn’t the issue. The fact that you would someday regret it if I quenched my interest, and you would probably come to despise me for doing so is more important to me,” I explained.

“All day I have felt my desires grow to where I feel I will burst if they aren’t satisfied,” she answered, her fingers becoming more aggressive in their possession of my cock.

“I can satisfy your desires without ruining you, but you need to trust me and do exactly what I tell you to,” I promised.

“Really?” she asked hopefully.

“I will make the desire grow until you feel that you will explode. When it explodes inside of you, then you will understand the feeling more clearly and I can show you how to satisfy the desire in the future,” I promised.

Her whole body was quivering in anticipation as I removed her robe, much as I had her mother’s earlier in the evening. She looked like a younger version of her mother. Her hips were slenderer, her breasts were decidedly smaller, yet stood as proudly as her mother’s did. The one difference I noticed was that her sparse covering of pubic hair was blonde like Hilda. Her mother’s was slightly darker.

Matilda gasped when I took her in my arms and carried her to my bed. Her lips eagerly met mine when I kissed her. It took several seconds for her to explore my tongue when I pressed it between her lips, and it only served to further heighten her eagerness.

She whimpered when I broke the kiss. “I need my lips for other things now,” I whispered as my fingertips traced circles around the soft, sensitive skin of her breast. She gasped again. “I am worried that you may cry out and someone may recognize your voice so I will have Inga help me keep you from crying out,” I explained as I motioned Inga over. Matilda took her friend’s hand and smiled nervously at her. “I need you to continue kissing her like I was to muffle any cries of pleasure,” I explained to Inga. I could see Matilda’s surprise. Inga had been surprised the first time I had Hilda kiss her. Now, she eagerly initiated kisses with both Hilda and her mother.

I saw Matilda’s hesitant response when Inga kissed her, and saw the reluctance quickly disappear. With that, I returned my attention to her exquisite breasts. After paying due homage to them I took a nipple in my mouth and gently nipped it with my teeth causing Matilda to shudder her first orgasm.

Moving south, I dragged my tongue through her sparse thatch causing another moan. The moan became a muffled squeal when my tongue circled her clit, causing her entire body to go rigid as she came again. After making sure I had thoroughly tasted her piquant feminine oils, I stuck my tongue inside of her as deep as I could, tongue fucking her as my fingers continued lightly circling her clit. When her body went rigid this time, it quickly dropped, motionless, to the bed. I stopped what I was doing and moved up to cuddle her until she woke up. Smiling knowingly, Inga took her other side.

“What?” Matilda mumbled several minutes later, still not completely coherent.

“That, Milady was the explosion I told you about,” I explained. I went on to explain how she could bring the release herself by toying with the areas I teased that caused her the most pleasure. I also suggested that she talk to her mother about it.

“But she’ll know I was in here,” she gasped worriedly.

“She’ll know just by seeing the blissful look on your face and how you will blush each time you look at me. You should speak to her before breakfast if possible so she will know that you are okay,” I advised.

With a final kiss and a last wistful look, the redressed young woman hurried back to her room. My women took care of the raging erection she left me with.

The Duke took me aside before breakfast. “I understand I am even more indebted to you now,” he whispered. Seeing my confused look, he quietly explained that his wife heard Matilda in the passageway and stayed to hear what was said. She also heard me tell Matilda to talk to her mother. She caught Matilda when she left my room and hugged her to let her know everything was okay, and then spent nearly an hour talking with her. “Is there any chance you would consent to a marriage with Matilda?” he asked.

“Your Grace, I am afraid that it is too soon after the recent death of my wife and newborn son for me to consider marriage. In addition, other events in my life right now preclude me from making such a commitment. When I am able to consider such a commitment, I will let you know, although I fear she will already be married to someone else by then,” I answered. The Duke nodded knowingly as we headed for breakfast. Sure enough, Matilda blushed all through breakfast, quickly averting her eyes each time she looked at me. Even the Duchess pointedly looked everyplace else.

Today was the final event of the Tourney, the Melee a Pied, a Melee much like the earlier one except this one was entirely on foot. We heard that the Saxon Team had twenty-five new warriors among the forty on their team so they would be fresher and not dealing with injuries. Nine of our Knights were still injured enough they felt they would be a liability. The eight who hadn’t been able to compete earlier eagerly took their place, leaving us one short.

I rode over and spoke with Tohrwulf. As I expected, young Alfwold had withdrawn. His reason hadn’t been stated, but I was sure it was his inability to pay the ransom if necessary. With Tohrwulf’s blessing, I found Alfwold and offered him a position on our team, agreeing to pay his ransom if necessary. Seeing a chance at redemption, knowing he would come out of it no worse off than he already was, he agreed.

Next, we discussed tactics. With so many fresh warriors, the Saxon team would be difficult to defeat, even with the day of rest we had yesterday. I proposed using a tactic similar to the one I used to save the King. We divided into five teams, each team with an agile, experienced Knight leading it. When we attacked, we would form into five wedges instead of one. The lead Knight would throw himself at the warriors in front of him, hopefully leading to confusion among the Saxon Knights. I explained how the men behind me during that battle took advantage of the momentary surprise and quickly overwhelmed the superior force.

With an even number of Knights on each team, we wouldn’t be facing superior numbers like I had against the group of Scots closing in on the King. If the lead Knight took out three Saxons, it would leave the seven men following him versus five standing Saxons to deal with.

With our strategy in place, we arrived for the customary review. Again, Tohrwulf led the Saxon team first, followed by me leading the opposing team. This time, since I already knew the Duke, I rode over and bowed from my saddle as I requested the honor of being the Champion for his daughter. Even before he finished giving his permission Matilda was removing the new hair ribbon Inga made for her yesterday.

The stands erupted in cheering when I caught the ribbon and tied it to my arm. An hour later, we stood on the somewhat smaller field, separated from the Saxon line by twenty feet. Behind us was a veritable army of squires ready to assist injured Knights or to guide defeated opponents back to our pavilions.

Tohrwulf and I saluted each other and the horn sounded signaling the start of the Melee. Afterwards, I was surprised at just how well our strategy worked. Only six of our Knights had been defeated. Alfwold, who had been at my left shoulder, had defeated two to go with my eight. Poor Tohrwulf had been knocked unconscious when he fell back, but was up, boisterous, and drinking the ale being poured by my “lovely trio of wenches” as he described them.

When I offered to let Alfwold buy back his horse, he declined. He wanted me to keep the horse.

Being the end of the Tourney, the feast that night was even more boisterous than usual. Even Tohrwulf stood and sang my praises. Being more boisterous meant that the Knights were drunk sooner. When I was sure they were out of it, I let myself appear drunk and was helped to my room.

I was surprised when the Duchess arrived with Matilda. She proceeded to give Matilda her first lesson in giving blowjobs, but made her stop before I came. “I need his seed to make your brother,” she explained. Matilda watched, rapt, as I entered her mother and we fucked. After licking me clean, she had Matilda practice again until I was ready for a second round. She even had Matilda guide my cock into her sex sheath. After sending the second course of my seed in search of an egg to fertilize, I rolled off the Duchess while we caught our breath.

I was surprised when Matilda’s lips descended around my cock and she licked and sucked me clean. She explained later that it sent a surge of excitement through her when she saw her mother do it. This time, once I was hard, I had Matilda sit astride me. With her mother watching carefully, I had had her slide her slick furrow back and forth along my cock, making sure to rub her clit with each stroke. Inga was ready and quickly covered Matilda’s mouth when she came, muffling her cry of passion.

The Duchess returned to her room while I began licking my way down her daughter’s body, giving her one final orgasm for the night.

In the morning, I resumed my so-far unsuccessful search for a second travel carriage, finally settling for a sturdy farm wagon. I bought some canvas that had been soaked in linseed oil and had a cover constructed for the wagon in case of rain. I was stunned when I saw everything the women managed to buy. They now had six crossbows, and Hilda managed to find a pair of short, curved swords she liked. They weren’t Saracen steel swords, but they had elaborately curved ‘claws’ at the end of the quillion designed to help capture an enemy sword. The three women and Draca had practiced with the crossbows, and Ymma, Inga, and Draca each carried a long knife in a sheath.

I was stunned at how much money they had made. They sewed ten silk dresses from the first bolt, earning £177, a veritable fortune, and they were giddy about it. Adding in what Inga made from the ribbons, what they made working for the Duke, and what Draca earned cutting, gathering, and selling firewood, they were quite rich. Even with that much money, Ymma wanted to remain with me, knowing that the money would eventually be gone and she would still have no job prospects.

Alfwold moved his camp next to ours since he would be travelling with us to Dortmund. Tohrwulf was over telling us farewell when Hilda’s face paled. “It’s him,” she hissed nervously.

“Baron Otto?” Tohrwulf asked once he saw who she was looking at.

“He’s the stepson of my former Master, Baroness Reinmellt. She was killed by an assassin’s arrow and he just happened to arrive in town the next day. Before she died, she asked me to make sure her infant son was safe, and I did so. He caught me when I returned. He intended to torture me and force me to tell him where her son was, but the Earl of Soest was there and forced him to stop. Rather than let me stay around and tell people what I suspected, he sold me to a slave merchant with instructions to take me out of the area immediately,” she explained.

“I never did trust him,” Tohrwulf commented thoughtfully. He spoke to one of his squires who ran off as quickly as his feet would carry him. “Do you feel up to another challenge?” Tohrwulf asked me. When I agreed, he strode over to the Baron and greeted him. I heard Tohrwulf invite the Baron over to meet the Knight who singlehandedly set the Saxon team on their ear.