"The League of Creatures" (closed)

[The_Weeping_Angel]

Marcus:
Slipping the unfamiliar robe on Marcus followed Brittany across the hall and into the guards room. Once there he dropped the robe, and started peeling Brittany’s clothing off. Piece by piece.

Once naked he pulled her into the bed and just started kissing her everywhere. Slowly moving from her face to her knees, fingers and lips touching her skin. Lightly stroking her as he explored.

Finding the valley between her thighs he licked her, slow languishing stroked of his tongue as his fingers slid along her folds. Taking his time he felt and teased, stimulated and aroused her. If he was inclined that way, he could have easily found a position in house on the Silk path. But he didn’t fancy himself as a man whore.

Instead, he was called to a different path, but he’d learned a few skills rolling in barns and fields with the young ladies of Little Gull Rock, skills that called them back to his body when he wanted them.

 

[Alice2015]

Brittany was beside herself when Marcus dropped his robe and began undressing her. She needed him inside her so badly; they'd dabbled in other forms of pleasure during her blooming, but what she so desperately wanted was to feel his cock ramming in and out of her over and over with great speed and power.

As Marcus's lips, tongue, and fingers worked over her flesh, Brittany writhed about on the bed that had once belonged to a Viscount guardsman who was now surely covered by a couple of feet of muddy soil. She'd had men before, men who at the time had seemed to really understand what a woman needed to be satisfied. But really, all they'd wanted was to please her just enough to convince her to let them fuck her and fill her with their seed. None of them had ever done to Brittany what Marcus could do to her and was once again doing to her now.

It wasn't long before Brittany arched her back, drew in a deep breath, grasped handfuls of her lover's hair, and -- as the euphoria exploded through her -- let out a loud cry that didn't have to be suppressed, as they had been aboard the Destiny while they'd been surrounded by sailors, soldiers, and pirates. Her entire body trembled to the core, her mind swimming in the ecstasy.

When she finally began coming down from her climax, she grasped her hands around Marcus's head and tried to pull him up her body, begging, "I need you in me. I need you in me, right now!"

Brittany knew that she was still a day or two within her blooming, and despite desperately not wanting to be pregnant, she was more desperate to feel her lover's cock inside her, thrusting and eventually jerking as it emptied its contents inside her.

 

[The_Weeping_Angel]

Marcus:
Only after she’d nearly ripped his hair out, and made her demands of penetration, did he slide up her body and ease his swollen cock inside if her. At first it was just the head, the swollen head slipping along her folds before he started moving into her. Bit by bit he slid into her, his hips rocking back and forth as she rose and fell. Once he was fully impaled only then did he start to truly drive into her.

And he took his time, building his pleasure, driving her closer faster. Men that sought their own gratification became lonely. He’d learned that lesson fast, she’d take nearly a year to give him another chance. And he’d learned a lot in that year.

Time passed, the sun lowering in the sky, Brittany trembled a lot, raking her nails across his back enough to make it look like he was a Dragon fighter. Or at least a Bear fighter. Finally, he buried his shaft hard and deep inside her, his mouth on her neck.

 

[Alice2015]

Brittany with Marcus:

She was torn by what she wanted from her lover, unsure of how to proceed. She wanted Marcus to come inside her right now, wanting him to enjoy the same satisfaction he'd already shown her. But on the other hand, the pleasure he was causing her was incredible, and she knew that the longer he held back his own orgasm, the longer he had to drive her crazy.

Brittany came a second time, sinking her nails into Marcus's back as she erupted in ecstasy. Then, the waves of euphoria rolled through her a third time, causing her to cry out loudly and praise the Gods for him. Finally, though, she felt, heard, and saw the change she'd come to know during their fuck-fests together and knew that his own orgasm was imminent.

"Fuck me! Fuck me, Marcus!" she demanded, her meaning that she wanted him to cum in her. "Fuck me hard, my love!"

He exploded, and she clasped her arms and legs both tightly around his torso and buttocks, wanting their bodies to merge together as one as he emptied his balls into her. Only when she knew that every last drop of him had been expelled did Brittany relax her hold, grasp another handful of hair, and lift his face from the crook of her neck to smile at him.

"I love the way you fuck me," she whispered, kissing him and -- without drawing blood or causing too much pain -- biting Marcus's lower lip. "I want you to fuck me forever, M'Lord."

She engaged Marcus in passionate kisses, to his mouth, his cheeks, his neck. Looking to the stained-glass window, she could see through the colorless bits that the sun was, unfortunately, still high in the sky; it was, to the best of her timekeeping ability, only late in the afternoon by now. She asked with great hope in her voice, "Do you have to leave...? Can you stay with me ... sleep with me ... hold me?"

Brittany shifted her hips and ass to cause Marcus's cock to pull out, push in, repeat; maybe he wasn't done yet? She begged, "Please?"

She knew there was a possibility that he'd continue to fuck her, but at the same time she knew he had work to be done, in the Keep and in the village both. If he wanted to continue, she was more than happy to do so; if he needed to leave, she'd lay back in the relatively comfortable bed and wait for his return ... to continue this then.

 

[The_Weeping_Angel]

Marcus:
He wanted to to fuck her again, but he was running on two and half hours of sleep in the last two days. He hadn’t had anything to eat in the same time either except the biscuit and tea. Hell Fang had eaten more than Marcus had.

“Let me rest or a minute,” he said, sliding to the side, his cock slipping out with his motion. If he fell asleep on top, she’d never get out of the bed. Pulling her close he drifted off to sleep.

 

[Alice2015]

Brittany with Marcus:

She was simultaneously disappointed and tickled pink: Brittany would have loved to fuck again, but simply cuddling up next to her lover was a wondrous alternative.

He slipped into unconsciousness in no time at all, and -- despite actually having had a relatively descent sleep, lying next to her other lover -- Brittany didn't take much longer to join him.

An hour later, a Guardsman sent to retrieve the Sergeant returned to Lady Heather to inform her of his unavailability. The Guardsman was attempting to be discrete, but the mere mentioning of Lady Brittany caused Heather to smile, chuckle to herself, and order that the hallway outside his newly claimed bed chamber be put off limits to travel, "To ensure that the Sergeant gets a good night's rest."

That taken care of, Heather had Sir Herbert dispatch several Guardsmen under the supervision of a Little Gull Rock Sergeant to visit every hut and home in Hillview. They passed the word that a Herald was to begin making announcements immediately just outside the bailey stockade and that it would be worth the time to listen.

The first proclamation was that there would be a feast in the bailey that night beginning at sundown. Several of the Viscount's stock animals had been slaughtered and were already over fire pits, and the former Noble's pantries had been raided. All that was needed was a handful of villagers to help with the cooking and serving. To Heather's delight, more than 20 volunteers would arrive within minutes.

Another was that at sunrise, there would be a community breakfast as well, but that this meal would also include a Census of the village's population. Heather wanted and Sir Herbert needed to know Hillview's true population, its gender and age make up, and its occupational capabilities; he needed to know what skills and capabilities the people had to offer their community.

And lastly, Heather was going to hold court at Mid-afternoon, officially what the military and most governments referred to as 3 o'clock. Sir Herbert had suggested that time to give the peasants time to complete their morning activities, then clean up to meet their new ruler.

Once word had been sufficiently spread to the population, Heather called it a night. She watched the dinner and listened to the happy music from the balcony of her predecessor's bed chamber before heading inside to sleep.

Surprisingly, Brittany showed up to help her Lady prepare for bed, explaining that she left Marcus still happily dead to the world. The Handmaid said, "He deserves to sleep, M'Lady."

Heather quickly added, "And he deserves you, too."

Brittany smiled, delighted with the compliment. "I love him, M'Lady."

"I know you do," Heather said, taking her best friend in her arms for a loving hug. She warned, though, "He is a warrior. He will face dangers a'plenty in the days to come, Brittany."

Nothing more needed to be said about that and silence reigned for a long moment. The Handmaid helped her Lady prepare for bed but was then ordered by Heather to return to her lover's bed.

Brittany didn't know whether Marcus would be still there or be up and out, working. If the former was the case, she would again strip and join her lover in bed; if the latter, she would return to Heather's bed chamber and do the same.

 

[The_Weeping_Angel]

Marcus:

When he did wake up, he was still a little tired, but once he started moving things go better. Grabbing his leathers he got dressed and walked into the hall. Fang jumped up from the floor and started following as Marcus made his way downstairs.

By the stars and sunlight, it was false dawn. Before even the chickens started crowing. Walking the town, he checked the status of the guards. He’ find Sir Herbert and apologize for not taking a post, and he’d be more lenient if he found someone tired.

Moving towards the smell of cooking he found where everyone was going to be. Grabbing a few pieces of meat he tossed them to Fang. Nice thing was Fang didn’t care if it was cooked or not. He’d get with Rachel about hunting some smaller game for the wolf, no need to feed him from the main town food. And he’d eat squirrel, possum, wolverine, whatever he was given. Or he could just go hunting with him and let him eat whatever he caught.

Standing off to the side he waited, everyone was apparently coming here soon enough. And from what he’d heard so far, he’d missed dinner the night before, so he wasn’t missing breakfast.

 

[Alice2015]

Court:

Heather approached but did not pass through a door that accessed the Keep's Main Hall. From the shadows, she watched as more than a dozen men and women from the village -- supervised by Brittany -- cleaned the Hall, lit chandeliers that were then hoisted high over the room, and polished the wood of the former Viscount's throne in preparations for the ceremony ahead.

As Marcus appeared in the passageway and approached her, Heather smiled to him and reached out a hand to Fangs; the latter sniffed at the offered digits, licking them lightly to show his approval of her. She chuckled softly. To Marcus, she said, "It's good to see you fresh and alive, Sergeant."

She could have spoken about what had given him this boost, knowing that it hadn't been just a good night's sleep but stayed quiet about that and concentrate on the upcoming session of Court. As those cleaning departed the Main Hall, the Guardsmen on duty begin showing in the villagers wishing to speak with their new Noble. Three dozen men and women -- some with children in tow -- entered and were herded toward the walls on left to right.

Heather recognized some of the faces, of course. In contrast to the previous evening's dinner which she'd skipped, Heather had attended that morning's breakfast. She'd milled about, chatting with the villagers and learning some of their names. Heather had always had a head for names and sometimes for even more.

Not all of the residents she'd met has shown delight for Heather's assumption of control over Hillview. Some, she knew, feared that Heather wouldn't be any different than the Viscount she'd replaced.

When the Guardsmen at the Main Hall's doors closed them, indicating the end of the parade of villagers seeking an audience, Heather smiled to Marcus and said with a confident tone in her voice, "We should get started."

Sir Herbert -- who'd been watching her expectantly -- signaled a Guardsman, who lifted a heavy staff a foot or so from the floor and brought it down with a crisp, solid thunk that echoed off the walls. The Personal Bodyguard announced with a powerful voice, "All kneel for her Ladyship, Heather of Sipriot."

Heather couldn't help but smirk a bit at the title Sir Herbert used. The City of Sipriot was located in the far north of the Continent between Frost Bay and Cloudy Sound. It was a League of Barons member, but for years -- dating almost back to the assassination of Emperor Askari -- it had suffered from serious violence and never-ending anarchy. Because of this, gaining any reliable intelligence from the city had always been difficult.

Sir Herbert had chosen Sipriot as Lady Heather's family home when they'd created the new identify for Princess Allison. He knew that it would be next to impossible for anyone to prove that his Lady hadn't actually come from there.

(OOC: I'm not done, but I have class in 30 minutes, and I have to go.)

 

[The_Weeping_Angel]

Hobbling forwards was an old man, and that description was lacking. The man was bent, broken of body. And missing half a leg. He looked like the stories of the old man of the mountain. The man that was older than the grandfathers stories. The grandfathers called him old when they were young. That’s how old this man looked. The years had not been kind to him, nor had the Viscount.

When he stopped hobbling he just looked at Lady Heather with sad eyes. “My fields are mud, my sons are dead, the daughter of my youngest son was taken by The Master of the Castle. Where is she? Will she come home?”

"Will you tax me as well? I have no money. No income. the Old Master took it all."

 

[Alice2015]

As Heather had entered the Main Hall, the villagers had dropped to one or even both knees, all except for one man. He'd seen better days, and Heather honestly had concerns as to whether he might even see the end of this one; he was a walking ghost, as she'd heard Sir Herbert say in the past.

Heather looked about for a chair for the man but found nothing but her throne. She was tempted to have the man carried up to it but was concerned with how that might be perceived. Would it be seen as sympathetic? Or would it become a persistent joke that might undermine her control here?

She waved a pair of Guardsmen her direction as -- without respectfully being directed to do so -- the man immediately began airing his concerns. "My fields are mud, my sons are dead, the daughter of my youngest son was taken by The Master of the Castle. Where is she? Will she come home?”

The Guardsmen, to whom Heather had whispered her orders, looked at her with questioning eyes. She growled quietly, "Do it."

The old man was continuing as the Guardsmen moved to him, "Will you tax me as well? I have no money. No income. the Old Master took it all."

The soldiers dropped to one knee each flanking the old man, took hold of him, and urged him down onto their bent knees, providing him a seat. The crowd had initially shown some concern at the movement of the Guardsmen; they likely thought the old man was going to be hauled away from denying their new Lady her show of respect and protocol. Now, though, there were smiles on some of the faces and murmured words of surprise between villagers standing together.

Heather stepped forward, descending the dais which -- of course -- had like all other daises before it been constructed such that the Noble Lord or even Royal leader was high above the rabble he or she ruled. The old man, despite his decrepit state, was still relatively tall sitting on the provided knees, putting Heather's face just a single head higher than his own as she spoke to him.

"First, let me formally introduce myself," she said directly to him while speaking with a volume high enough for the others to hear. "I am, as my boisterous friend on my left said, Lady Heather of Sipriot--"

She was, of course, speaking of Sir Herbert. She continued, "I wish to be Lady Heather of the town of Hillview, too ... the Lady of your town. I was not bequeathed this second title as I was my first."

In truth, the first title was entirely fictional. When she, Brittany, and Sir Herbert had landed in Little Gull Rock with a small fortune in coin and jewels and bought her home of the sea cliffs -- then abandoned -- no one had questioned the story they'd made up about Heather, her origins, or the story that had brought her there. Her obvious worth and what she could do for the locals had been all they needed to see and know.

She continued, now looking about the faces of those nearest her, "And I will not claim this one ... ruler of your town ... unless you allow it ... unless you accept me as such."

Looking back into the old man's face, Heather smiled. "With regard to your lands ... I can do nothing about the rains that turn them to mud. I like to think I am all powerful, but even I cannot prevent the rains from coming at the times when we do not need them or force them to come at the times we do."

Some in the crowd who could hear Heather found her words humorous and lightly laughed or simply nodded their agreement. She continued, "However ... I can put men to work building drainage ... rain catches ... to direct the rains with which the Gods bless us even when we would prefer that they not..."

Again, there was a bit of laughter, more this time but still relatively muted; most of the villagers still didn't know who their new ruler was and how they should react to her humor. Heather continued yet again, "I will have someone from your village ... not a stranger from my own entourage but someone who knows your town and its lands and its people ... and this person will direct these efforts to improve your lands with new crops that won't just feed you and your children but will change the land itself ... making it more fertile in the years to come and easier to work ... less susceptible to the fun that the Gods sometimes like to have with it."

She had again been looking about the faces of the crowd, but now she looked back to the old man and lowered her volume; others could still here Heather, but she wanted him to know that this was just for him. "With regards to your granddaughter ... I will task men to do their best to locate her ... to bring her back safely to you. And ... if they are unable to do so ... but are able to learn of what has happened to her..."

Heather stepped closer to the man and reached out a hand, palm up, to touch his weathered, bearded chin with her long fingertips. Sincerely, she told him, "I promise you ... anyone found responsible for what has happened to her will be punished ... as you personally ask me to punish them."

By now, a third Guardsman -- acting on his own initiative -- had located a chair in an adjacent room and brought it into Heather's view. She gestured to where she wanted it, but -- like the first two Guardsmen -- he hesitated, unsure of whether or not he'd understood the command. Heather went to him, took the chair, carried it up onto the three-tiered dais, and set it on the second level, just a bit lower than her own throne but still a position of respect and power.

Looking down to the two Guardsmen on whose knees he was still sitting, Heather gestured for the old man to be helped up to the chair as she said loudly to the crowd, "Each day of Court ... I will select one individual from your town to sit with me ... and advise me on matters important to the town. This could be any one of you. I do this because each of you has the potential to make your community better with what you have to offer.

"I will be honest: sometimes I will not agree with what you have to offer, and many times I may act in opposition to what you would like to see. But I will hear you and I will show you the respect I hope you will show me."

With the old man seated, Heather addressed the third issue he'd raised. "There will no longer be a general tax on the population of Hillview. I come to you with a bit of wealth available to me, and I will use some of that to address the immediate needs of your people and your town. The Viscount's holdings ... his peat harvesting operation, for example ... they are valuable and produce a healthy income that previously went almost entirely into his coffers while he continued to tax you on what you grew on lands that he provided you ... taxed yet again.

"From this point forward," she continued, seeing what she hoped was excitement already building in some of the faces before her, "the profits of that harvesting operation will be used almost entirely to benefit your town. Food, infrastructure, defense. We will rebuild the wall that protects you ... rearm and train the Guard to keep out bandits..."

Heather wanted to say to keep out the League of Barons' forces but didn't. She still didn't know where the town set with regard to the worldwide organization which she wished to ultimately destroy and replace with her own Empire.

"You will see peace and prosperity," she said with a meaningful tone, adding, "I promise you this."

 

[The_Weeping_Angel]

Marcus:
Pointing at his.. squire.. Marcus directed him over. “I’m assuming you had good breakfast, and that’s why I’m not wearing armour?” he asked, his right hand brushing the top of Fang’s head. He was going through another growth spurt, already he couldn’t walk between Marcus’ legs. Hopefully he stopped growing before he could be ridden.

“There are rules to being a squire. One of them is being there to help me put on and take off my armour. You’ll be close enough to hand me shield if needed, and to watch my back. No you don’t fight, not yet, but you will call out if anybody tries to attack me from behind.”

“You’ll make sure I get messages, and you’ll take messages for me to whomever I tell you. You’ll sleep on the floor in the hall, or in a bed in my rooms. You’ll treat everyone with respect, especially women.”

“You’ll learn what I teach you. And you’ll speak no falsehood. Now, do you agree to the terms I’ve set before you? If you do, respond with I so Swear. Or leave.”

 

[Alice2015]

Pria had remained in one of the Keep's guest quarters down the hall from Heather's room until nearly the start of Court. She had never felt comfortable or welcomed in Hillview, obviously; to begin with, she was an Elf, and after that she'd been intended to be the Viscount's plaything in his bed chamber.

Luckily for Pria, the Viscount had never gotten to raping her. She'd been in his custody for almost a full moon, yet each night that he had her removed from her own room -- essentially little more than a cell with a straw mattress -- to be brought to his bed, he'd either been too drunk to perform or some incident beyond his home had pulled him away, resulting her once again being locked up.

She'd been known to the populace, though. Viscount Ruhn had shown her off to the village on several occasions, leading her behind him on a leash, usually while he himself rode upon one of his magnificent mounts. Pria had kept her eyes down generally, not wanting to look into the eyes of the People to whom Ruhn was implying that Pria was less than they were, a dirty, nasty, primitive creature.

But she had noticed that not all of the People of Hillview looked at her that way. In some of their eyes -- men, women, and children alike -- she thought she'd seen sympathy, empathy even because many of them had for years been treated as poorly by the Viscount as he was now treating her.

It was for this reason that she opened the door to her quarters and asked the Guardsman protecting her, "May I speak to Lady Heather?"

He told her he would do what he could, and a few minutes later, Brittany arrived. "Lady Heather is busy, Pria. I'm sorry. Is there something I can do for you?"

"May I attend Court?" she asked.

Brittany couldn't contain her surprise, asking, "Really? Why?"

Pria didn't answer the question, instead only asking again, "May I attend?"

Brittany asked her to give her a few minutes, and when she returned, she said, "I spoke to Sir Herbert. He says you may attend."

The two women, with a two-man Guardsman escort, descended to the Keep's main floor, stopping off to the side in the shadows in the same place Heather had stood while she watched the villagers filing inside. They watched and listened to the Lady tend to the old man.

After that, Heather spoke to the entire group about taxes, retribution (against the Viscount's men, living and dead), land and food distribution, and more. Heather said, "I want anyone who has something with which they need to speak to me to know that I am here to hear them. However, you can see by the number of your friends, family, and neighbors that I cannot speak with all of you today. If you have something other than that about which I have already spoken, please step forward and be heard."

The crowd milled a bit, and it appeared as if one or more people might have been about to speak up or step to the front of the crowd. But before any of them could, Pria called from the shadows, "I would beg to be heard ... M'Lady."

All eyes, including Heather's, turned to look toward the shadows as Pria slowly stepped out into view. She continued forward, around the corner of the dais, always keeping lower than Heather. When she was standing where the old man had previously been, Pria dropped to both knees and bowed her head until her eyes were on the floor directly before her.

"Rise, Pria," Heather said, indicating to the others that she knew very well who this Elf was. When the Creature had returned to her feet and looked up, Heather said, "I am listening."

"You saved me from a life of misery, abuse, and likely death, M'Lady," Pria began. "I am an Elf. A lowly Elf, most would call me. An animal." She hesitated a moment as a soft murmur rolled through the crowd of People. "You have done for me what no other People in this World would..."

Pria again dropped to her knees and lowered her head, clasping her fingers together before her in a way that very much an Elvish gesture. She proclaimed, "I am forever in your debt ... and I pledge my life to you, Lady Heather."

The Lady on the dais suppressed a smile at the Elf's used of her Noble title and assumed name. Pria knew, of course, that Lady Heather was none other than Princess Allison, heir to the Frenkish Empire, and yet she kept it to herself.

Heather stood from the throne and descended slowly until she was standing on the main floor directly before Pria. She said with a formal voice, "Rise, Honored Elf."

When Pria hesitated, then peeked up, Heather gestured her to her feet with curling fingers. She told the Elf, "I accept your pledge, and I promise you my protection and respect during your time of service to me."

Pria smiled, delighted, and bowed her head, saying, "Thank you, M'Lady."

Heather looked to Brittany, standing off to the side, and gestured her to collect Pria. The pair of women stepped away, and as they did, Heather looked out to the crowd to survey their reactions to what had just happened between her and the Elf. She wasn't entirely sure whether or not it was a good time to do it -- she still didn't know these people, and they certainly didn't know her -- but she decided to speak about the Creature issue.

"Your former Nobleman ... who was not noble at all," she said, "wanted you to believe that this elf ... that all Elves ... that all Creatures are somehow less than People. They aren't less than People. They are simply different than people. The victory over the Viscount and his brutal forces was successful in part to the Giant who gained my Guardsmen and some of your very own fighters access to the Keep. Without the Giant, Viscount Ruhn would still be in control of Hillview ... in control of you."

Heather could see in their faces that many of the villagers agreed with her regarding the Giant and the victory. Did they agree with her about Creatures as a whole, though? Only time would tell.

She turned and returned to her throne, asking before sitting down, "Does anyone else wish to be heard?"

A young boy, perhaps 8 or 9 years old, jumped out from within the crowd, calling out, "Me next ... M'lady!"

Heather couldn't help but chuckle at the lad's enthusiasm, even as Sir Herbert was stepping closer to him and quietly growling, "Settle ... and show respect."

The boy's joy tempered, and he lowered his head as he asked, "May I speak next, M'Lady?"

"You may," Heather told him. "Rise ... please. And tell me what you want me to hear."

"The Viscount took my piglet, M'Lady," he said without hesitation. "I worked hard for Piggy, and he was mine. My papa said when Piggy was big, he could make lots of little piglets ... and we would get one piglet from every litter and we would never be hungry again ... and I would have coin and could get new shoes ... leather shoes, with laces."

Again, Heather chuckled, delighted with the boy's enthusiasm. She rose from her seat as was common in Court when the petitioner was about to benefit from presenting his case. She asked, "What's your name, boy?"

He told her, and Heather asked, "Where is your father, Lucas?"

A man stepped out from the crowd, indicating himself as Lucas's father. Heather asked, "Is your son speaking true to his case, sir?"

"Yes, M'Lady," he confirmed. "Losing my son's piglet has..."

His voice cracked, and Heather could see the emotion in the man's face. She raised a hand to politely indicate that there was no need to continue. Looking to Lucas, Heather asked, "Do you have a secure place to keep a pig if you receive another one, young man?"

"Piggy lived inside with us," Lucas's father informed her. It wasn't uncommon for families with one or two pigs to keep them inside, particularly in regions that suffered severe winter cold.

"Can you build a secure pen for a pair of pigs?" Heather asked, clarifying as she looked back to Lucas, "A boy pig and girl pig both?"

Luca's face widened with a smile of surprise. "Really ... M'Lady?"

"Really, Lucas," Heather reassured him, returning the smile. Returning to her formal Court tone, she said, "Lucas ... you will be given a breeding pair of hogs ... after you have constructed an outside pen in which they can be securely contained. You will breed them and raise them ... and when the hogs are ready for slaughter, you will present one of them to this household to feed it ... and you will present a second one to the Town of Hillview's Children's Home to feed children who have lost their parents."

Almost before she finished speaking, Lucas's father pointed out, "M'Lady, Hillview doesn't have a Children's Home."

She smiled, saying, "It will shortly."

 

[The_Weeping_Angel]

Marcus:

He listened to Eric’s response as he scanned the crowd. This was a perfect time to attack Lady Heather, any attack would cause chaos and make it easier to block Marcus and any guards from protecting her.

Shifting closer he kept watching the crowd, making sure Eric stayed with and behind him. Once everyone was done and dispersing he finally started to relax.

It’s like she had a death wish or a Martyr complex. Either way she was going to lead him to early gray hair and a grave.

 

[Alice2015]

Ellie at Court, accompanying Marcus:

Ellie -- or Eric, as Marcus knew her -- had initially remained back away from all of the action of Court; her sister, Caroline, had told her that she needed to keep her head down at all times while also ensuring that she was available for Marcus whenever he needed his Squire-in-training.

But as Court continued, she almost unconsciously inched forward toward the dais and, in turn, toward Lady Heather. She was fascinated by what was happening here; Viscount Ruhn had never held Court for the benefit of the villagers but had only done so when he wanted to publicly punish someone, either a resident or an outsider who'd trespassed or raided Hillview carts on the roads outside of town.

When Ellie realized just how close she'd moved toward the corner of the dais -- and to the town's new Noble leader -- looked around nervously, fearing being chastised or even punished by one of the nearby Guardsmen. What she found when she looked directly behind was Marcus, wearing a hard stare. She lowered her eyes, turned away from Heather and the dais, and scurried back to stand behind her Master, whispering with her faux-deep voice, "Sorry, M'Lord."

Heather:

After hearing from another half dozen of the villagers about their specific cases, Heather stood before her throne again and announced, "I am sorry to bring this to an end before I've heard from everyone, but doing so ... well, I think we might be here until the winter snows arrived."

There was yet another round of soft laughs, as well as a smattering of disappointed expressions from those who'd badly wanted to speak this day. Heather continued, "Do not despair if you haven't been heard." She gestured toward her Handmaid, then continued, "Lady Brittany will see those who have cases to present each morning for the next ten days, right here at High Sun."

Brittany's face filled with surprise, as Heather hadn't told her that this was going to happen. Still, she gave her lady and lover a polite curtsey, then looked to the crowd and confirmed, "High Sun, right here. I will do my best to speak for M'Lady--"

"Lady Brittany speaks for me," Heather said firmly. She gestured to the Guardsmen with the staff, who again signaled with a thump to the stone floor. The remaining Guardsmen began politely herding the villagers back the way they'd come. The old one-legged man was told he'd be escorted home; Heather told one of the Guardsmen to go to the Keep's kitchen and gather several days food and wine to be taken to the man's hut as well. Before he was taken away, she said, "My men will come get you each day for the next 10 days just before High Sun. You are my Advisor now. You will aid Lady Brittany."

The man looked as though he was going to cry with joy. He was carried away and -- outside of the Keep -- was loaded onto a small mule cart and taken home.

Heather had indicated to Marcus that she needed his to remain, and after she'd left the dais and entered the back hall, she told him as she walked, "I want you to find the Old Man's granddaughter. Meet with him and learn what he knows ... and use whatever resources and whatever men you need to find this girl. We need a victory to win over the residents of Hillview, a victory above and beyond simply killing their previous Noble and taking control of his lands."

She stopped short, turning to face him. "Can you do this for me, Sergeant Stormbow?"

 

[The_Weeping_Angel]

Marcus:
“Of course, My Lady,” Marcus replied. Moments later he was striding down a hall like a man with a mission. “Eric, find maps of the surrounding area, maps with towns rivers, everything. If that means you bring a person that knows the land then so be it. Find me at the old man’s house. Go!” He commanded and turned down another hall and was out of the keep a few moments later.

Through out the rest of the after noon he was talking with the old man and the two of them went over the maps. He didn’t know the name of the person that had taken his granddaughter but he knew the flag that had flown from his carriage. A Black wolf bound by silver chains on a field of red the shade of blood.

By nightfall he had a dozen men ready to go, plus archers. He take a barrel of roofing pitch as well, just in case they needed to burn something. Several of the more healthy farmers showed up as well, and their pitchforks would be nice in a fight, but hopefully they didn’t need to fight.

The plan was to go in quiet, get the girl – and any other slaves – and get out without a fight. Send his squire Eric with the message of intent to lady heather, he gave the boy orders to stay with Lady Brittany until he returned. He’d just gotten a squire; he didn’t want the boy emptying his stomach on a battlefield on the first night. He’d do that when he slaughtered his first animal.

 

[Alice2015]

Heather and Marcus:

“Of course, My Lady,” Marcus replied when Heather asked him if he could locate the missing granddaughter of her honorary, one-legged advisor. He strode away with his Squire in tow.

Heather watched him in silence until he was out of sight, then looked to her Handmaid. "You have found a good man there, Brittany."

"You found him, M'Lady," Heather's best friend and sometimes lover said. "I just keep him happy."

The two giggled together like girls as they headed away down the passage arm in arm, with Heather asking for details of the keeping him happy while Brittany more than happily told her ... all while Sir Herbert was following behind, trying not to listen but failing.

Ellie/Eric and Marcus:

As they strode away, Marcus ordered Ellie to find maps of the region or individuals who could instead provide them, ending with a stern, "Go!”

"Yes, M'Lord," she responded immediately, stopping in place. Stopping had nothing to do with whether Ellie was in the right place already or needed to head a different direction. It was all about the panic she was suddenly feeling over having no idea as to how to fulfill her Master's order. She turned back, paused, turned around again, paused, finally decided on a plan, and rushed for the Keep's foyer and exit, hollering at individuals she nearly collided with, "Sorry, M'Lord! Sorry, M'Lady! Sorry, coming through!"

(OOC: Remember when you see Ellie's image that she is pretending to be "Eric", with her hair cut almost to the scalp, her breasts bound, and her clothing masculine.)

Five minutes later, Ellie burst into the hut she shared with her sister. Caroline was standing naked in a tub of warm water, washing herself with a soft, soapy sponge and nearly screamed at her younger sister's suddenly arrival. Ellie asked in panic, "What are you doing?"

"What do you think I'm doing?" Caroline snapped. "Getting ready for work."

Caroline had a meeting with one of Hillview's more affluent businessmen, and unlike most of her customers who didn't care about her hygiene, this one required her to be washed, scented, and dressed pretty. Ellie countered with, "No! You can't! I need you!"

"What the hell are you going on about?" the older sister asked, returning to cleaning her wondrously curvy body.

Ellie explained the task put to her by Marcus, adding what her older sister already knew: "I don't know what to do!"

"Calm down, Ellie ... Eric, I mean," Caroline said. She gestured for a towel, which the panicked Squire retrieved and handed over. She asked, "Why not go to Lady Heather?"

"I can't!" Ellie's panic continued. "I can't let her know that I don't know what I'm doing ... that I'm not a true Squire ... or even a boy!"

Caroline laughed, dabbing at her curves, then stepping out. "Stop your worrying. I know who to talk to."

The younger sis helped the older one dress and out the door they went, heading for one of Hillview's two pubs. This one was the sleazier of the two drinking establishments, which was ironic as it attracted the more well-to-do of the village's clientele. Men with money tended to come here because women with skills -- like Caroline -- worked here.

Inside the door but still unseen by most of the occupants, Caroline gestured Ellie to a little table in a dark corner, saying, "Stay there, keep your mouth shut, don't attract attention ... Eric."

As Ellie sat and made herself look small, Caroline did just the opposite; she sashayed her way from the door to the bar, gesturing the barmaid over and ordering a flagon of the better ale and three metal mugs. She took them to a table at the wall where two men were finishing off a light snack of quail and potatoes.

"Gentlemen," she began, setting the glasses down and pouring them full. "It's a beautiful afternoon. Why would two fine men such as yourself be inside on such a beautiful day?"

As she sat such that one man was to each side of her, Caroline chatted with them about the recent events surrounding the dispatch of their former Lord and the arrival of their new Lady. She flirted heavily with them, leaning such that they got plentiful glances down her deep cleavage while her long, soft fingers occasionally made contact with their arms or faces.

"I need a favor," she told them eventually, ready to get down to business. To one of the men, she said, "M'Lord, you recently partook of the digging of new storm drains in the City of Twineward, yes?"

"Yes, of course," the man answered. With a touch of pride, he boasted, "My men cut more than four miles of new ditches and installed a mile of underground drains."

By my men, he meant, of course, the two or three dozen or so men from multiple villages in the area who were little more than slave labor; many had outstanding debts they couldn't pay or had been found guilty of petty crimes -- some without evidence or even a fair trial -- and had been sentenced to hard labor.

"Then ... you have maps of the city," Caroline continued her inquiry; her fingers were now playing about under the table on the man's thigh. "And perhaps of the road to Twineward."

The man's expression and tone showed his growing suspicion of the whore's questioning. Still, he answered, "Yes ... yes I do have such maps."

To the other man -- again, as her fingers toyed with his leg under the table -- Caroline said, "And you, M'Lord ... you have the exclusive contract for making Bondage Chokers for Twineward ... yes?"

The neckwear about which Caroline was speaking was a contradiction in wardrobe accessories. They were a very beautiful neck choker, made of leather, silver, and sometimes sparkly gemstones. But they indicated that the person around whose neck they were worn was a slave, more often than not a sex slave.

"The finest Bondage Chokers to be found," the man responded, bragging much as his drinking partner had. Again, he showed suspicion in his face and tone, asking, "Why is this of interest to you ... whore?"

Caroline feigned offense, pulling her hands back and lifting the front of her dress to better conceal her gifts. She pouted, saying, "I'm sorry, M'Lords. I ... I guess I came to the wrong, respectable gentlemen to ask my favors."

Each of them had partaken of Caroline's gifts in the past, and -- not wanting her to depart -- each of them apologized to the minimal degree that a well-to-do man would to a lowly whore. When she knew that she still had her fish on the hooks, Caroline continued.

"I have friends who would like to do some business with some of Twineward's better-off citizens," she told them as her fingers went back to work on their thighs, moving ever closer to there crotches. "The type of citizens who might just have a servant or two who would likely wear one of your fine chokers, M'Lord?"

"And my maps?" the other man asked.

"To better find the homes of his clients," Caroline said, indicating the second man to the first. "I wouldn't want my friends to get lost on their way."

Both men knew that Caroline was feeding them a line. However, both men wanted to put their cocks in one or more of her warm, wet holes, too. The man with the maps told her that he could get her what she needed the next afternoon, to which the man who fashioned slave wear said he could do the same by early morning.

"Oh, I'm sorry, M'Lords," Caroline said, once again pulling back and pouting a bit. "I must have forgotten the part where I need these things tonight. I was thinking that perhaps I could rent a room from the Innkeeper and be waiting there for you ... naked, of course ... when you returned with that for which I asked."

The two men couldn't have gotten out of their chairs fast enough. Two hours later, Caroline returned from the Inn's second floor to hand Ellie the maps and client lists, telling her little sister, "This should be what your Master needs."

As Caroline turned to return to the stairs heading up to the room, Ellie asked, "Where are you going...? We have what we need."

Caroline told Ellie, "We have what we need this time. Next time, if I haven't come through with my end of the arrangement this time, we may get nothing at all."

Ellie's expression spoke of her dismay at her older sister having to do what she was about to do for something Ellie herself had needed. Caroline smiled to her sister, saying, "We all have our parts to play ... Eric. This is my part. You go do your part ... and make me proud."

The younger sister watched the elder one ascend the stairs again, carrying with her another flagon of ale -- the purpose of it being to push the two men more quickly toward an end of the evening. Then, looking at her treasure, she rushed to find Marcus once again.

After helping Marcus prepare for the trek to Twineward, Ellie was told flatly that she wasn't going. She wanted to argue the order, believing that she should be with he Master. But at the same time, she was still under another set of orders, these given by her older sister: remain inconspicuous.

Instead of riding off with Marcus, Ellie found herself heading for the Keep's Stables to perform whatever duties she could find related to Marcus's tack and other gear. She found one of his daggers -- it was practically a short sword -- and held it out before herself, pretending to actually know how to use it as a force of enemies attacked. She put it away, though, after she very nearly cut off one of her other hand's fingers.

She would have loved to learn how to use this weapon and others. But again, that would be outside her sister's orders.

 

[The_Weeping_Angel]

Marcus:
Pointing out locations on the map Marcus directed their pattern of attack. They’d go in the northwest sewer gate. The map marked it as Northern Mud gate. The Town was on a slight hill so all the sewage flowed downhill and away from the town.

It was going to be a disgusting mission, but it would free slaves. A lot of them. It was faster than the Southern Mud Gate, but it was riskier, because they had a chance of being spotted. Nice thing was the city only had three main gates and only those gates had towers, so as long as they stayed west of the town as they approached, they’d be safe.

From the Northern Mud gate, they head south through the sewers. The ‘Livestock Exchange’ was where slaves and other livestock were sold. West of that was the Baron’s Manor. Most of the higher quality, and younger, slaves were there. However, the Wayfarer Inn was where most of the Slave Whores were. Just inside the south gate it would be insight of the towers and guards.

Plus, they had to avoid all the guards that patrolled the town. Or take them out. Everybody was given their orders; Farmers would stay in the sewers and guide the slaves to the southern mud gate.

Once out the mud gate they’d head west and then south and back to Hillview. At least that was the plan of action. Once they left Hillview, the situation would change. It always did.

****

The trip here was easy enough, the moon was mostly eclipsed, so it was dark enough to run across the open space and get into the sewers. It had been barred, but they were eroding away and with some work the group ripped them from their moorings.

Once inside they split up, the most going with Marcus while the townies made sure the southern mud gate bars were out of the way when the time came. Marcus and his group took the ‘Livestock Exchange’, coming up through the sewer they took down the inside guards without issue. Taking them down into the sewers they’d be taken back to Hillview, as prisoners.

Moving as silently as the Grim Reaper they used keys from the guards to open doors and move through the cells. There were a few horses for sale that they’d come back for on legitimate business.

It took time, more than he wanted to clear the Exchange. And there were more slaves for sale than he wanted, but less than he’d expected. Apparently, a major sale had taken place a few days earlier and most of the slaves had left the city already to parts unknown. But the girl in question was still in town, but no one was sure who had purchased her.

Well hopefully one of the two big buyers had her, otherwise this was going to be along night. As bizarre as it was, he actually hoped the Baron of this town had her. She might have been raped here, but the other location meant she’d been raped a lot.

Staying above ground they moved through the shadows of the alleys, before they darted across the road. They took the Guards around the Manor to make sure there wouldn’t be an alarm, or backup. Sending Rachael and her group to the rooftops he had them watch for any stray guards.

Once all the outside guards were dispatched and sent to the sewers, Marcus lead the away inside through a first-floor window. Scouring the ground floor, and then the basement they found most of the staff and to many slaves.

None of the staff wanted to stay and face the wrath of the Baron or the Reeve of the Shire. They gave him directions to where the upstairs slaves were kept. The Baron had a guard in the hallway outside his door. And the slaves were at the other end of the hall. There was no way to get to the guard without being seen.

Unless…

 

[The_Weeping_Angel]

Marcus:
Moving into one of the upper room he opened the window and looked across the way. Unfortunately the nights were cold and the window was closed. And it was to far to jump.

Kneeling at the door he made a prayer to the gods, specifically Donblas - the Justice Maker. The Master of the Order of the Shining Path. Most Knights and Judges with Honor followed his tenets and gave Prayers to him.

Pulling short blades from his boots he gave a nod to the guard at the door and stepped into the hall, moving to the appropriate hall he lay ont eh floor and peeked around the corner. The guard was standing and watching the hall, but he was leaning against the door and his eyes were dropping. He was tired and falling asleep standing up. Neat trick.

Standing up Marcus stepped into the hall and walked forwards, slow and quietly. And then the guard jerked, waking himself up. Unfortunately he was only awake for second before a blade sank into his neck.

Running the last of the distance Marcus grabbed the guard and lowered him to the floor. The soldiers with him started opening doors and directing the slaves downwards. None of them matched the target description, but they had one more room to check.

The Baron’s bedroom.

Grabbing the handle he slowly pushed. Fuck. The door ss barred from the inside. This Baron was paranoid. Stepping back he moved to his men and gave orders. They’d go to the whore house through the sewers, avoiding moving patrols.

They were competent, and he trusted them to do what was needed, while he dealt with the door and the Baron, and rescued any slaves he found inside. But it wasn’t looking good for the granddaughter. If she wasn’t inside this room, she was a slave in a whore house. And none of the house staff recognized her description. Moving into the next room he opened the window and crawled out onto the ledge. Sliding along the ledge he worked his way to a window of the Baron’s Bedroom. He slipped twice on frost build up on the ledge. The second time smacking his knee on stone.

Peeking through the window, the greyish glass he saw several forms in the bed, one of them large and fat. Shoving a blade under the lower edge he wedged it upwards, slowly lifting it until he could slip inside.

Moving through the room he found a girl laying on another bed. But she wasn’t the one he was looking for. Moving across the rug strewn floor he eased the blankets back to reveal a very large male.

And the granddaughter was with him. Putting a hand over her mouth he kept her from screaming as he woke her up. Sliding her from the bed, he got both slaves from the room an out of the building. He’d been tempted to cut the Baron’s throat, but vows and honor prevented it.

Taking both girls to the exchange he got them down to the sewers. Both girls were scared shitless, and he was certain they were rape victims. Merging with the group from the Wayfarer’s Inn he got a situation report. Two enemy guards dead, three captured, and one of his men had gotten stabbed in the stomach. He’d need a Chirurgeon, and soon.

The sewer trip wasn’t going to be good for him, but it was their way out. Signaling to Rachael he waited for her people to join the group before the slipped from the City southern mud gate, northwestward along the wall and the westward out of sight.

They got back to Hillview as the sun was rising. Turning the rescued slaves over to townsfolk, the Barons staff over to Rachael, and the Captured guards over to Sir Herbert.

And then Marcus woke up Eric and had him start fetching hot water. Two trips through a sewer was disgusting, and he stank.

 

[Alice2015]

Paula of Hillview:

She'd been enjoying her coming-of-age party with family, friends, and many of her Hillview neighbors when she'd been taken. Viscount Ruhn had claimed that her grandfather owed him a debt of more than 100 silver coins, money the cripple had supposedly borrowed to feed his family and buy stock animals to once again become a prosperous farmer/rancher.

Paula had known this claim to be absolutely false. Her grandfather had never shown any sign of having such a large sum of money: he hadn't purchased new animals, hadn't upgraded their hut or small piece of assigned farmland, and hadn't drunk or eaten the coins away.

She'd first been locked away in the dungeon of the Keep, then in a barred cart for transport. The Slaver took her on a slow, three-day long ride that wound about from Hillview to several other villages and towns to collect more slaves-to-be. Once in Twineward, Paula found herself locked away in the most horrific of conditions. She'd spent 8 days in the basement slave pens; they were cold, damp, and polluted by bodily waste that weren't even once washed away, despite there being drains in the floor for just such hygienic action.

They were fed molding bread, spoiling fruits and vegetables, and filthy water. The food was what the Guards had refused to eat themselves; the water was literally scooped up out of puddles of rainwater from the dungeon's lower level.

Paula would discover that she had something the others didn't have: youth and beauty. A man from the Livestock Exchange -- the slave market -- made a walk-through of the slave pens, took one look at her, turned to the nearest Guard, and sank a blade into his throat. As the man fell back, gagging and quickly dying, the man asked the nearby shocked Guards, "Why wasn't this girl immediately brought to me?"

She didn't understand the man's fury or what made her special, until she'd been taken away to a small but nicely appointed room, bathed, prissied up, and finally stood before a group of men who began bidding on her. As the bidding slowed sooner than he wanted it too, the Auctioneer moved to Paula and forcefully ripped her clothes from her body until all of her young, firm, womanly features were on display. Bidding resumed aggressively; the price paid for Paula was the highest of the nine slaves sold thus far.

From then on, she was treated fairly well: she was fed good food, offered the cleanest water and finest wine, and given a clean bed in which to sleep. After being stripped on the slave block, Paula had assumed she was being sold into sexual slavery. And yet a fortnight had passed without her even seeing a man other than the Guards who watched her room.

Then, finally, she was dressed and prissied up again and escorted directly from her cell to the bed chamber of Baron Yule of Twineward. It was instantly obvious that she was there to be his plaything, to be violated. She resisted, of course, but after one hard slap to the face, Paula's will had been broken. The Baron had ripped her clothes off her body just enough to access her womanhood, forced her to the bed and then to her hands and knees, then forced himself brutally into her virgin pussy.

She cried loudly through the entire affair, her body wracked by the pain of his intrusion. It could have been worse, though: the Baron's cock was relatively small, and his endurance minimal; he finished after less than a dozen thrusts, rolled to his side, and slipped away into unconsciousness.

Paula laid there sobbing for what felt like an eternity before she finally couldn't lie next to the pig any longer. But when she started slipping out of the bed, another young woman Paula hadn't even noticed was in the room whispered from the shadows, "No, Miss. Stay in bed, or you will be beat."

The girl -- her name was Rosa, Paula would learn -- pulled blankets over her master and the master's new plaything, then returned to small corner bed. After that, Paula -- exhausted and spent -- somehow slipped into unconsciousness.

The next thing she knew, a man was holding one hand over her mouth as the index finger of his other hand pressed to his lips, urging her to be silent. Slipping the Baron's robe around her naked body, Paula and Rosa were escorted out of the bed chamber, the Keep, and the City. They were loaded up in a cart -- this time open and without bars -- and rushed down the road. Paula didn't recognize the route; it wasn't the same one she'd traveled to get her so long ago.

It wasn't until they came over a rise at dawn and Hillview came into view that Paula understood she was being rescued and not simply stolen for another Lord's sexual pleasure. She immediately burst out into tears and sobs, something she had to explain to Rosa who hadn't originated in Hillview.

As they neared town and one of the workers in the fields recognized his own missing daughter in the wagon, calls passed in the direction of the village alerted Hillview's populace to what was coming their way. It wasn't generally known that a rescue attempt had been underway due to the threat of spies living amongst the residents.

Even so, by the time the cart reached and stopped for unloading at the wall separating the Keep's Inner and Outer Baileys, most of the town's people were already there or moving quickly that direction. The joy at seeing the kidnapped villagers -- mostly female but also male, mostly young but also not -- was incredible, even more so than when the Quest Force took control of Hillview a few days earlier.

 

[Alice2015]

Ellie, with Marcus:

Ellie got up at sunrise to work in the Keep's stables, just as she had before becoming Marcus's Squire. She heard the excitement beyond the stone walls and hurried out to find Marcus, his men, and dozens of others; she knew some of them as neighbors who'd either been sold into slavery or who'd unexplainably disappeared, while even more of them were people she'd never seen before. Of the latter group, some of them -- all men, mostly in uniform -- were bound individually or sometimes together. It didn't take a genius to know that they'd been captured during Marcus's raid on the city of Twineward.

She hurried to Marcus's side and was about to report her readiness to aid him as he needed when she reeled back and held a hand over her nose. Without thinking, she exclaimed, "You stink, Master."

After he was finishing with his work here, Ellie hurried off to prepare a bath for him. Marcus had his own quarters in the Keep, of course. Ellie hurried there and -- recruiting a House Servant along the way -- went to work preparing a hot bath for him. By the time he arrived, the tub was steaming with hot water and two small barrels -- one of cold water, one of more hot -- were ready for use as needed.

Ellie sent the House Servant away, asking Marcus, "Is there anything more I can do for you, Master? Food, water, wine?"

She was asking him this not because she really wanted to make a trip all the way down to the kitchen; Ellie was asking because she was trying to avoid Marcus asking Eric to help him out of his clothes for the bath.

 

[Alice2015]

Rachel, earlier in the dark of early morning:

Rachel had been put in charge of a half dozen other archers. They were all hunters; half of them had experience as Guardsmen; but only one of them had ever put an arrow into the body of another People. Before they entered the sewers, she gathered them all together and expanded on the orders that Marcus had given them.

"Keep your eyes open for threats. These include enemy Guardsmen, but also include citizens who might raise the alarm if they come across us." Stressing, Rachel said, "We want to limit killings. Understand? Limit! Unless you are certain that the person you are pointing your arrow at is going to cost us victory ... do not loose your missile!"

In the end, Rachel would be the only one of the archers to kill a Twineward soldier; no civilians would be killed by her squad. She'd resisted firing until the last moment, hoping that the Guardsman approaching Marcus's squad from the other side of a stone wall wouldn't hear or see them.

But then, when less than ten feet separated the two sides of the fight to come, she'd pulled her bowstring back fully, aimed, and loosed. Initially, she feared that she'd missed. But the arrow had passed right through the man without hitting any bones or armor, ripping through his heart and killing him before he hit the ground.

After that, the night was quiet for the archers. It seemed forever before Marcus gestured clear to Rachel. Once he did, the huntress from Little Gull Rock pulled her people back to the ground, to the sewers, and out to the fields beyond the outer walls. Rachel was fortunate enough to be provided one of the few horses, so she performed scouting duty during the trek back.

Once they reached Hillview again, she put her horse away in the stables, went straight to her little room in the Keep, and flopped down on her bed. Her day was over, and she was ready for a half a day's sleep.

 

[The_Weeping_Angel]

Marcus:

“All of the above, and raw meat for Fang, After you inform Lady’s Heather and Brittany I’ve returned. And that is after you help me out of these foul clothes. When you take them to the Laundress give her a silver for the extra work she’ll be doing.” He told his squire as he started untying leather strips.

Pieces came off, and he’d have preferred Brittany’s help but this was rather foul for her to help with. He had a feeling the laundress was going to despise Marcus by morning, especially with all the leather armour she’d be cleaning. He’d have Eris take a second silver when he collected the armour, hopefully it would sooth her soul.

He had to sit to get the pants off, the sewage had made them rather sticky. But as they came off he felt air around his male parts. Standing up his parts flopped around a bit, and even soft even was bigger than most men.

“Go fetch the food and deliver the messages, and grab a pitcher to rinse my hair with… and clean water.” Marcus said as he lowered himself under the water to clean his hair and face first. Gods did the smell get worse when he got in the water?

 

[Alice2015]

Ellie with Marcus:

Her Master gave Ellie her orders and, as she'd feared, she was going to have to help him strip out of his armor and clothing. It wasn't a great hardship initially, as she'd had to strip the Stablemaster each night when he came to bed during her time as his involuntary plaything. He'd come to bed so drunk each night that Ellie had had to do most of the work. Fortunately, that had meant that he'd either been unable to get it up or had simply passed out before anything amorous could even be initiated.

"You couldn't have found a less foul way into the city, Master?" Ellie asked as her hands and her clothes became polluted with mud and human waste.

Layer after layer was shed, and soon the only thing Marcus still wore was his undershirt. It hid his groin until he stood up. When he did, Ellie was standing directly before him and got an eyeful of his manhood as it flopped out between his thighs. Her eyes grew huge, and her mouth fell open.

Ellie quickly diverted her eyes, trying to be inconspicuous about her shyness. Even so, as he made his way into the tub, she couldn't help but peek toward his crotch. He was very impressive, particularly compared to the Stablemaster. She'd spied on boys bathing in the creek on a couple of occasions, so she wasn't entirely unfamiliar with cocks and balls. But none of them had been as well hung as her Master.

She poured warm water over Marcus's head, running her fingers through his hair to get out chunks of debris -- and maybe human feces -- out of his curls. In no time at all, the water in the tub was filthy. Ellie pulled out the three cork plugs at the outside bottom of the tub. The dirty water flowed into a shallow gutter that would drain the water out a hole in the wall that would then dump it to a building pile at the bottom of the Keep's outer wall.

"I'll be back," Ellie told Marcus as the level slowly fell. She returned a moment later with the House Servant. The two of them added water to the tub, flushing it clean -- or at least cleaner. Replacing the corks, the two of them again filled the tub so that he could finish cleaning up. "I will fetch your food now, Master."

Ellie hurried out with Marcus's filthy clothes, happy to be gone when Marcus eventually rose naked from the tub to dry, something of which she really wanted to avoid being part.

 

[Alice2015]

Heather, Brittany, and Sir Herbert:

A Guardsman knocked excitedly on the open door of the anteroom of Heather's quarters, saying before she could respond to the raps, "They're back, M'Lady. And ... you're gonna want to see this!"

Heather and Brittany had only been up, dressed, and presentable for a few minutes, and now they looked to each other with surprise. Neither one of them had expected Marcus's crew to be back so earlier; injuries and losses to the Sergeant's force, as well as freed slaves who might not travel well, had been expected by Heather to push the completion of the mission to later in the day at least, possibly even tomorrow or the next day.

Brittany headed for the anteroom door, but Heather headed the opposite direction for the doors that accessed the room's balcony. She threw open the door, hoping for an unobstructed view of what the Guardsman had told her she wanted to see.

The view had changed a bit in the last 24 hours. One of Heather's first orders with regard to the Keep had been that the wooden stockade separating it from the village be removed. It had only been constructed by Viscount Ruhn to limit access by the villagers to his home. Heather hoped that by removing the fence, the residents would feel that their new Noble didn't fear an uprising by them.

Sir Herbert had organized more than two dozen men to get the job done. They deploy their saws and axes, and by sunset last night, the last upright poles had been cut down and removed. They would be split and used in construction that benefited the village as a whole: a new school, an Apothecary for Della the Healer, and other buildings the village badly needed.

As she looked out past where the wooden wall had existed to the town laid out before her, Heather caught sight of the train of men, women, and even children who were mounted, riding in various carts, or -- if more physically capable -- walking. Her eyes widened as she murmured, "My Gods ... how...?"

Brittany had backtracked to follow Heather to the balcony, and seeing the dozens of People, said with pride, "That's my man ... M'Lady."

The two of them smiled to one another, embraced, and turned to go greet the heroes. When they reached the Inner Wall and approached Marcus and the others leading the train on horseback, the wind was coming from behind them and wafted the horrific scent of the Twineward sewers over them. Both women grimaced, with Brittany exclaiming, "What the Hell...?"

They greeted Marcus, acknowledging his victory, yet still maintained their distance. Heather tried to be diplomatic about it all, saying, "Please, Sergeant ... take your time to tend to those you've rescued and then rest and refresh yourself ... then come see me in my quarters, please."

What she was saying, of course, was Don't you dare get near me smelling like that while I'm in one of the only dresses I still have to my name.

Brittany wasn't quite as diplomatic about it, though, telling her lover, "You aren't getting near me smelling like that, Marcus. But ... once you no longer smell like a necessarium ... I'm going to congratulate you in the way you know I can."

Thankfully, Marcus's Squire arrived and was tasked with tending to Marcus's hygiene needs, as well as with his horse. Heather and Brittany milled about for a bit longer, giving thanks and appreciation to the Guardsmen, Archers, and other Villagers who'd partaken in the rescue. But as all of them smelled like a war camp shit hole, the two women kept their distance and eventually slipped away to return to Heather's quarters.

Back down at the outer side of the Inner Wall, the villagers were already planning a grand event to celebrate the return of so many of their missing residents. Heather had put Sir Herbert in charge of tending to the returned residents, captured Twineward Guardsmen, and others. In the end, the group returning from the City to the northeast included:

• 14 Guards from the Livestock Exchange, Manor, and City streets.
• 16 slaves from the Livestock Exchange.
• 8 free staff from the Manor who hadn't wanted to continue their service to the Baron; there would have been more during a daytime raid, but most of those who worked in and around the Manor were not live-in staff.
• 6 enslaved males who'd been found locked inside a bedroom cell that had dirty straw on the floors for sleeping and was barely long and wide enough for all of them to lay down without being atop one another.
• 2 female sex slaves who serviced guests of the Baron from a bed chamber that -- while much better than that of the enslaved male servants -- wasn't much better than a sleazy, low-end brothel.
• 2 male slaves who performed the same sexual service to male guests whose form of pleasure leaned that direction.
• And finally, 2 female sex slaves who'd been found in the Baron's own bed chamber, one of whom Heather was delighted to have learned was Paula, the granddaughter of her new Advisor and the young female for whom they'd initiated the rescue attempt.

50 people who hadn't departed Hillview earlier that day had been in the group returning to it, all but 14 of them freed servants or slaves. Sir Herbert found himself simply in awe of what his new Sergeant. After the Baron's Guards had been secured, Sir Herbert made his way to his Lady's quarters. He gave her the numbers, spoke of the one man they'd lost -- he'd bled out on the trip home -- and said, "I believe Sergeant Stormbow showed be knighted, M'Lady."

Heather smiled at the thought; Brittany absolutely glowed, asking, "A Knight?"

Sir Herbert acknowledged his suggestion, adding, "I think it should be done tomorrow during a special session of Court. This is just my opinion, M'Lady. I would understand if--"

"No, Sir Herbert," Heather interrupted. "You are absolutely correct. It will be done." She thought for a moment, then ordered, "Let the Herald's pass the word that today's mission will be the centerpiece of a special session of Court tomorrow at Mid-Afternoon. Let those hostages freed know to be here earlier, so that I can speak to them and their families beforehand. I hear there were free man and women who...?"

She stopped when she saw Sir Herbert nodding his head. "Eight men and women who have petitioned for your protection and for permission to seek living and working opportunities in Hillview."

"Make it so, Sir Herbert," Heather said. With that, the conversation ended. After her Bodyguard's departure, Heather asked her Handmaid, "Don't you have someplace to be?"

"Not yet," Brittany said, smiling sheepishly. "Not until he doesn't smell like a pigsty. I have a House Servant keeping an eye on the situation. She's to inform me when its safe to go see Marcus."

The two of them laughed together, then moved out to the balcony again to look down on the goings-on.

 

[The_Weeping_Angel]

Marcus:
The send set of tub water was grey and left a film on the surface when Marcus emptied it. But at least it didn’t smell as bad. Drying off, and running a brush through his hair he got out the tangles before putting on the under padding of his armour before Eric returned with food.

“Help me with my Armour, Eric.” He said as he pointed at the pieces he needed. And for the next hour he explained the various pieces and the order he needed them in. How to tie them and how pieces overlapped.

When Eeric asked about the red cross he explained, “It’s a mark of the Tenets of the Faith of the Order of the Shining Path. Truth, Honor, Justice, Loyalty, and the center is Faith. It’s red for the Blood that we spill to uphold those principles, and to remind us that everyone bleeds, even ourselves.”

When the boy asked about the leather and lace bracelet he wore on his left wrist he replied. “It’s a token of affection from a Lady, I wear it to honor her as she has honored me. I believe it protects my heart and soul so that I may protect those under my care.”

Grabbing his shield he handed it to Eric. Affixed his sword to his waist and grabbed his pouch of coins. Lastly he slipped his helm over his face. Granted during the armoring process he’d also attached enough blades about his person to make all but the village idiot question the logic of attacking him.

Walking from his chambers he headed outside to walk the town. It was Sir Herbert’s town, but a second eye never hurt. Progress was coming along rather nicely, the shit-slime called mud was gone from the streets. And prisoners were doing the work. They had shovels, pitchforks, axes, and saws – weapons – but they were also shackled at the feet and couldn’t move faster than a hobble.

Checking with the soldiers stationed to watch them he learned they were being fed better as prisoners than they had been as Guards. Granted they couldn’t be paid bullies, thieves, and rapists. But once The Pirate Green was ready he’d have enough prisoners to sell, and then he could afford a descent crew.

After making arrangements to speak with the prisoners later he went the armorer and arranged for two more sets of armour for his squire. Another like he had, and a set of studded leather, a buckler, and spiked boots.

They had enough swords, long and short as well as daggers taken from ex-guards that they didn’t need weapons. Not yet anyways.

Paying the man he added two more silver. “As quickly as you can, please.” he told the man, “And if you need an apprentice, Just let us know and we’ll send candidate to you. After all even a prisoner can pump a bellows.”

Returning to the Keep he went to the Main hall, Lady Heather would have had enough time to eat before he made his report. Stopping at the bottom of the steps he knelt.

“Lady Heather. Lady Brittany. The mission was successful.”