"Daria, the Warrior Queen" (closed to current writers)

[SandS13]

The healer set to work on Daria's wounds. "If she wants to be in a different place, grant her that. The next few hours are going to be very hard on her. Is there a noble close by who will grant her a large, soft bed and will let me work freely?"

Meara looked calmer than she had been before. "I do not want to have the baby here. I want to be in a soft bed and in a room with windows. Please. Is that possible?" She blinked at Daria, her eyes wide. "If not, here is fine but surely, even my mother would give up a bed for me to birth this baby?"

The healer worked on Daria's wounds and left them clean and bandaged. "You should wash up and get out of your armour my queen."

 

[PennySaver]

The Healer asked, "Is there a noble close by who will grant her a large, soft bed and will let me work freely?"

"Lord Roynan's estate," Berral said from the door, where she had entered without anyone's notice. She was trying to make up for her lack of motherliness the day before and this morning as well by making an appearance here now. "It is only two miles away ... on the Highway … so it will be a more gentle ride."

In less than ten minutes, the carriage with the advanced springs was out front and loaded with Meara, Daria, the Healer, and Finna. Gwent and nearly the entire Bodyguard were mounted and riding for and aft of the coach. Hamma, who had been learning to ride from the Stable Master she'd been fucking, took a chance by mounting Midnight, who had followed behind the carriage to Greendale for three days, untethered. Daria had calmed the horse before and after the servant got into the saddle, and the horse seemed to understand that this was allowed.

In just over 30 minutes of gentle ride, they were at Roynan's Keep. Four Bodyguard carefully carried Meara into a Guest's room on their linked arms, and ten minutes later she was in a simple sleeping gown as the others surrounded her, their faces filled with concern.

 

[SandS13]

Meara looked up at them all from the comfort of the bed. Pillows were packed behind her to support her. She had been having contractions for the last hour at about ten minutes apart by Finna's count.

Meara looked at everyone. Her mother, Gwent, Daria, the healer, Finna, Hamma, guards at the door, Lord Roynan and a few of his staff. She shook her head. "No, I won't have you all here staring down at me. I am having a baby, not dying." She tried to fight the tears that threatened. She cried out, body contorting as a contraction moved through her body.

It left her panting, a light sweat on her forehead. She put her head back. "I want everyone out. Daria and Gwent are allowed to stay. Finna, you too. Healer you can come and check on me but I do not want you standing over me. Everyone else out...out!"

Meara closed her eyes. She was tired already. "Daria..." She reached a hand out for her. "Make them all leave, please."

The labour was long. It was hours before the contractions became coming more steadily. Meara was exhausted. The healer had Daria on one side and Gwent on the other. "You need to push now."

Meara shook her head. Her curls were sticking to her face from the sweat. "No...No I can't..."

"Lift her legs." The healer told Gwent and Daria. "Hold her steady."

Meara moaned. It was not like the moans that both Gwent and Daria had made her exclaim. This spoke of deep pain.

"Push now. Pull her legs back! Push!" Meara pushed, screaming out as it felt like fire ripped through her body. "That's it...once more. Push!"

There was another cry from Meara before she collapsed back into the pillows. The healer's attention was on the bed.

Meara looked at Daria. "I cannot do anymore...I just cannot..."

The healer looked up at Daria. He was holding a tiny bundle that he was rubbing furiously. He turned and gestured to Finna. "Get towels. There is a great deal of bleeding. The afterbirth will come soon. Massage her abdomen to promote its release."

He walked away to an adjoining room.

"Daria, what's happening?"

A small, weak cry came from the other room.

 

[PennySaver]

"Daria..."" Meara pleaded as she clutched her lover's hand. "Make them all leave, please."

"I will, honey," Daria promised, kissing her on the forehead before nodding to the others to take a walk. One by one the others left, with the reluctant Healer being the last to depart. "It's just us now, my love ... just us."

When it was time for the Healer to come back in, he had Gwent and Daria each holding one of Meara's legs in position. Upon one of Meara's blood curdling screams of pain, Daria caught Gwent's eye and growled at him, "You did this."

He donned a shocked expression and was about to defend himself when he realized that Daria was desperately attempting to hide a threatening smile. He murmured, "I'll keep that in mind while we are consummating out marriage vows next month..."

Gwent looked to Daria quickly, realizing how his response could have been taken as disrespectful to the Queen. He quickly nodded his head to her, adding, "...Mistress."

There was another cry from Meara, followed by her pleading, "I cannot do anymore...I just cannot..."

And suddenly … there was a baby in the Healer's hands!

Daria just stared in amazement. She was 26 years old, nearly 27, and she'd never before witnessed the birth of a child. It was … well, messy! Blood and goo all over the little thing … and then there was the baby! Daria looked to Meara again and found her laid back into the pillows, seemingly about to pass out from the exertion and pain.

But she remained conscious, and after the Healer had moved to the other room with the silent child, Meara asked weakly, "Daria, what's happening?"

Honestly, Daria wasn't sure. She hadn't know anything about birthing a child except that at some point after being popped out it was supposed to begin wailing … likely wanting back inside where it had been safe and warm, she thought now.

But Meara's child hadn't made a peep. The Healer had been doing what a Healer does, and yet not a sound came from the little thing's mouth. Daria told Gwent in whisper, "Stay here."

As she hurried away to the other room, Daria could hear the father of Meara's child talking sweetly to its mother. When she caught up with the Healer, he turned to her with a desperate expression on his face.

"What's wrong?" she asked, moving closer but not too close; Daria was feeling fear and dread, and -- like with fire and fever -- it was better to keep your distance. She demanded, "What's wrong?"

"The baby..." the Healer began before going quiet. When Daria again demanded an answer, he explained reluctantly, "He is too early."

"What does that mean?" she snapped. "I know what you're saying … she's a month, maybe more early. But … what does it mean?"

The Healer began listing a great many things with which a premature child might have to deal, finishing, "Mistress, if this was any other child … but this is … he is to be your heir, yes?"

"Yes!" Daria said moving closer to get a better look. He seemed so small, smaller than she would have imagined. But again, she'd never seen a newborn. "What are you saying?"

"The Realm needs a strong heir," the Healer responded. "Might it be better to..."

Daria finally realized what the man was saying. She was still wearing her dagger, and she ripped it out of her belt loop and pressed its tip to the Healer's throat. She growled, "If this baby dies … you die."

The healer had one hand that he could get free without losing hold of the baby and raised it in a surrender gesture. Daria pulled the blade back and watched as the man began rubbing and sometimes lightly tapping his hand upon the still-bloodied baby's chest. Daria only just now realized that the little thing wasn't breathing, and she began to be filled with panic once again.

Then, suddenly … the child twitched … then again more dramatically … and suddenly it's little face crunched up like an oversized raisin … and it let out a cry.

Daria gasped in relief, looked to her dagger, tossed it aside, and asked, "Will he live?"

The Healer nodded, then turned to a basin of room temperature water and cleaned the baby. Finna arrived and helped wrap the child, then turned to hand Meara's boy to Daria … who backed up a quick step with wide eyes.

"Mistress … he's beautiful," the servant said, ignoring the child's obviously meager size. She added, "And he is yours."

She walked slowly up to her Queen, told Daria how to hold her arms, then laid the lad in them. When Daria asked about his size, Finna was honest. "He's small … from Miss Meara's sickness … but he is healthy."

Daria stared at the little thing as it continued to cry. Finna reassured her Queen that she wasn't doing anything wrong, that that was what baby's did. The servant suggested with a smile, "Might Miss Meara want to see her baby, Mistress?"

"Oh!" Daria said, beginning to hand the baby back to the servant. "Of course!"

But Finna refused to take the child, telling the Queen she should take him in to see his mother. Daria hesitated, then turned and made her way slowly to the next room, as gently as was the ride in her new springs-loaded coach. She found Gwent sitting in a chair next to now sitting up Meara. Daria sat on the edge of the bed, set the baby in Meara's arms upon her torso, and smiled.

"You have a son," she said, looking to Meara, then to Gwent. She repeated to ensure that he understood she meant him, too, "You have a son."

Then, looking to her soul mate's face and seeing the love for this child already exploding within her, Daria said, "The Realm has an heir."

 

[SandS13]

Finna did as the healer asked and massaged Meara's abdomen. The woman on the bed moaned softly and reached out to grab onto Gwent's arm. She squeezed and he bit back a noise of discomfort.

When the afterbirth came Finna took it and went to find the healer. He would need to inspect it to ensure it was intact. If any was missed Meara would bleed to death. She found the healer and Daria.

She took the child and gave the basin with the afterbirth to the healer. She took the boy to Daria. He was so small having come early and after Meara had been so ill. He weighed almost nothing in her hands.

Finna followed Daria out into the bedroom.

Meara was in tears from exhaustion and hormones. Gwent was in a chair now looking very serious and worried.

The tears fell harder. "He is so tiny." She held him carefully. Her breasts were starting to fill, she could feel the pressure, the slow build up. She moved her nightgown away from her right breast, not caring about prying eyes and held the tiny boy to her breast. Even if he did not take it right away it felt nicer to have him against her skin.

Meara looked between Daria and Gwent. She smiled before looking down to stroke his cheek. He began to squawk and cry, a feeble sound from his little body. Meara adjusted her breast so her nipple lined up with his mouth. She had no idea what she was doing in the practical sense, only what she had observed. His tiny head moved, nuzzling and seeking it. Meara moved him just a little and his mouth took her in.

"Your son needs a name." Meara looked up at Daria and then to Gwent. She felt surrounded by love and caring.

 

[PennySaver]

Daria had already picked out names for the child, paying homage to her ancestors: if the child had been a girl, she would have been named for her mother, Zhanna, who had died during child birth when Daria was but a girl; if it had been a boy, it would have been named for the first King of the World Known, Baeran, who was of course the namesake for Daria's House.

But now she found herself at odds with herself. Having an heir who bore the name Baeran would have made up for the fact that this child was not directly a descendant of Baeran the Bold. When he came of age and rode atop a powerful horse with a sword in one hand and an ax in the other, he would finish reclaiming the World Known under the banner of the House of Baeran, should Daria have failed to do it by then.

But this child...?

Daria looked down at the tiny little thing as it began suckling weakly at Meara's teat and wondered whether, once grown, he would even be able to lift a sword, let alone slay a continent with it. Would she be wasting the name of Baeran to place it upon this child, a baby that might not survive infancy?

"We will not name our child yet," Daria said with a soft tone, caressing Meara's face. She moved away from contemporary conventions and reached to the old ways of the Northland Tribes, telling the mother, "We must wait until our child is old enough to be taken to the Temple of the Three Spires, in the North, where he will be blessed by the Gods of the Sky, Land, and Sea. Only then can he be named."

Gwent casually looked to Daria, catching her eye and a knowing look. He understood her reason as much as she did; the odds were stacked against this little one, and the father was figuring there was less than a 50% chance his first born would see his first birthday.

"She is right, Meara," he agreed, leaning to kiss Meara on the forehead. "If this child is to be heir to the Realm, he must be blessed by the Tribal Land Priests."

He didn't know whether Meara would buy their explanation anymore than Daria did, but they both put on a good show and treated Meara with compassion. They were petting both of them and speaking of how beautiful the tiny thing was when a Bodyguard hesitantly stepped up into Daria's peripheral. He handed her a note, which she read after standing and turning away.

"Lord Gwent," she said softly as she walked away from the bed. When he joined her, Daria told him quietly, "I must leave."

She looked to Meara and knew by the girl's expression that she'd overheard. A bit louder for both to hear, Daria explained, "A force has invaded the Realm from the west … 5,000 strong the Scouts report. They have already overrun the County of Yorn and much of the Earldom of Weststranda."

They spoke for a moment about the invading forces, the banners they were flying, and the strength of the Black Army in that region. Gwent said that he should go in Daria's stead, but she reminded him that he was the Captain of the Castle Guard and, as such, was responsible for the noble residents of the Castle.

"That means you are responsible for Miss Meara and her child," Daria stressed, correcting as she reached a hand out to press upon Gwent's chest to remind him of having helped make this baby, "Our child."

Daria returned to Meara's side, caressed the child, then kissed Meara softly but lovingly on the mouth. She licked her lips and kissed once again, a bit more passionately; Meara looked about ten seconds from passing out from exhaustion.

"I must go, my love, but Gwent will remain with you," Daria explained. "When you and the baby are ready, you will travel to Castlemont..."

Daria looked to her left at Berral who had made no effort thus far to even admire her grandson, let alone hold him. Daria stressed, "...to your home."

They spoke softly for a moment, Daria kissed Meara again, then she headed for the door, gesturing a Bodyguard to her Battle Dress, saying, "I'm going to need that. Gwent."

Outside, Daria called for Midnight, and informed the Captain of the Bodyguard detachment that they were leaving in five minutes. She returned to the Temple's interior and began stripping off her clothes. Gwent diverted his eyes ... for the most part.

"I am leaving half the Bodyguard here," she told Gwent. "I will send a messenger ahead to Castlemont to have a Platoon of Castle Guard sent to relieve them. The Healer will stay, of course--"

Daria shed her undergarments and was suddenly standing there before Gwent naked except for the bandages. He found himself unable not to take a gander at her incredible curves, and when she caught him ogling her, he laughed and reminded her, "We're getting married in a few days … assuming you end this incursion quick enough."

She laughed as Hamma rushed up, aghast that her Queen was now naked and shedding even her bandages. Gwent said, "Your wounds, Mistress, they have not yet been--"

"The Healer will stay here!" she demanded. "You will keep Meara safe and alive … you will keep that child safe and alive … and when both are ready to travel, you will get her inside the Castle where I know she will be safe."

Daria couldn't know, of course, that the greatest danger to Meara and the unnamed child was already inside the castle, once again working in the kitchen without anyone being aware of who she was to the Queen and the Queen's soul mate.

Hamma was quickly rebandaging Daria's wounds, then helping her into her lower layer of Battle Dress. When Hamma attempted to put the outer layer of the garb on, Daria stopped her, saying it would be too hot for the hard ride ahead and told her to give it to the Bodyguard to carry in one of the wagons that would follow.

"I will crush this invasion," Daria said with venom in her voice. "No one has ever invaded the Homelands. I'll kill every last one of them … and then I'll come home to be with my son."

They talked specifics about safety and security, and when Gwent was about to depart and return to Meara, Daria caught him by the arm. She held onto him a moment, even after he'd turned back to face her. She contemplated what she wanted to say, then told him, "If this baby dies … the Priest … my uncle..."

She released her hold on Gwent, considered what she was about to propose a moment longer, then told him, "It may become necessary to postpone our marriage … to … to a day when the consummation of our union may … may produce a child."

She left it at that, turning to hurry out of the building, to join the Bodyguard, and to ride to the battlefield toward which her armies in the North had already been dispatched.

 

[SandS13]

Meara was so very tired but she watched Daria and Gwent as they moved away. They whispered and conspired together. Her eyes dropped to the tiny baby in her arms. He had stopped nursing and now slept. He was almost impossibly small.

The bed under her was wet and uncomfortable but she said nothing, not a peep. Finna came to take the baby but Meara would not let him go, not yet. Her heart raced. She feared that if she let him go he would stop living. He was so tiny, so fragile.

I must leave.

Meara's head snapped up, eyes on Daria. Invasion. Now. She fought back tears. She nodded to Daria. What was she to say? No, don't go be the queen and warrior that you are, that your kingdom needs?

The kisses Daria gave her pulled at her very heart. She wanted to beg her not to leave but she said nothing at all.

Meara nodded. She understood. Everything else came first. It was Daria's duty.

And then she was gone. Meara was left with her mother, the healer and the servants. Only now did Meara let Finna take the baby. Meara was taken from the bed to the bath. An hour later she was asleep in a clean bed and Finna held the baby as he slept.

It took three days before the healer decided they could travel. Gwent barely left Meara's side in those days, even helping her to eat so she could nurse the baby at the same time. One night she woke sobbing and he laid down in the bed behind her and held her.

Daria was gone, in a fight that always brought risks. Their son was so small and no one wanted to say out loud that they feared he would not survive the first week of life.

On the morning of the fourth day they were all bundled up in the carriage for the ride home. The journey was long but comfortable. Meara slept a great deal, the baby curled against her body. She had hoped if he was close to her it would help him grow stronger, urge him to live.

There was a flurry of activity when they arrived at the castle. Word had been sent ahead and not Meara's rooms boast a large cradle and a small second bed for when Lord Gwent stayed with her over night.

The baby did well. His nursing grew stronger but he did not take enough to empty her breasts. They were swollen and full. The healer had taught Finna how to expel some of the milk to ease Meara's discomfort.

On the night that Daria was expected home Meara was asleep, the baby in the bed with her. The room was dark except for a dim lantern in the farthest corner. Gwent was in a far room with some lords discussing a few things about upcoming taxes. He had planned that night to sleep in his own quarters. Finna had been sent off for the night. In the morning she was off to order some new, smaller baby gowns for the boy to wear. He was too small yet for the ones that had been gifted or made already.

The mother and son slept peacefully. No one in the castle was aware of the figure that was slipping quietly into Meara's rooms. This figure had been waiting, biding her time. When they had been gone she had taken the opportunity to get to know how the guards behaved, when they switched, etc. She had slipped a sleeping drought into each of the guards drinks. Now they laid, slumped over outside of Meara's room.

Palla had been angry when she heard Meara had seen their mother, given birth and that both had survived. She no longer had the patience for poison. Her hand held a dagger. This dagger had been coated with care in a strong poison. She would end her sister and the baby's life this night. She had vowed it to herself. Meara and the baby would die and Daria would take her as a lover once more.

Tonight, she would fix everything.

 

[PennySaver]

Daria sat atop Midnight on a hill overlooking the soon-to-be-bloodied pastureland just 18 miles west of Castlemont. She was fuming, boiling hot with anger; the army on the opposite side of the shallow, wide valley hadn't only invaded her Realm, it had engaged in Scorched Earth, burning every building in its path, killing every man, raping and then killing every woman, and enslaving every child.

Messages from her scouts and from the few survivors who escaped the rampage put casualties at nearly 3,000 and the captured at nearly as much. Daria would have understood such carnage had the intruders been from some distant land not a part of her realm. But these warriors were the standing army and conscripted peasants of the Nobles who had sworn their fealty to Daria.

They had seized on the issue regarding the bastard child to rally thousands of men to overthrow the unworthy Queen of the Northlands, the Conquered Territories, and the World Known.

The army had begun with a strength of 4,000 foot soldiers, 500 mounted cavalry, and 300 archers. Despite taking casualties over the past week, their numbers had remained fairly consistent as other Nobles and Lesser Lords -- seeing victory ahead and yearning for a taste of the spoils -- sent their own men into the fray.

No army had ever invaded the lands of which Daria had taken firm control, let alone invaded the Homelands themselves. And this force -- under the direction of Earl Planca, Daria's second cousin and the closest thing to a legitimate heir on the continent -- was feeling very confident of being able to reach Castlemont. While they hadn't caused a great deal of casualties, they had won every engagement with the Black Army thus far.

Lauren was at the front, of course, and she was gathering information no one else had, of course. She'd learned that Planca had gained the commitments of 6 Nobles within the Realm and 12 without; if he could reach the city and lay siege to it, they would sent their troops immediately to take the city, the castle, and the Queen.

So, here they were now, with Daria on the ridge to the east of the valley and Planca on the ridge to west. She sent a messenger out; Planca did the same. Each of the riders signaled back, and Daria -- with a sufficient protection detail accompanying her -- rode across the field of battle-to-be until she was within shouting distance of the other force's front lines.

"I make an offer! she called out loudly, knowing that the majority of the Officers out front and hundreds of men could hear her; those who couldn't hear her would get an abbreviated version of what she had to say passed back to them in the minutes to come. Looking to her cousin, Daria said, "I challenge Lord Planca to hand to hand combat … right here … right now. If I win … this army turns around and returns to its homes. If I lose..."

She looked directly at her cousin and said, "I step down … and I give the crown to Lord Planca."

Most of the men in the army she was facing had heard how good Daria was with the sword, but their leader was no wimp: Planca was nearly twice Daria's weight and built of solid muscle; he was nearly a foot taller than the Queen; and he had likely killed as many men with his own sword over the years, sometimes in support of his Queen, sometimes in support of his own aims and desires, which was why his was the largest, wealthiest, and most powerful Earldom in the Realm.

And yet Planca denied Daria her challenge. Also yelling loud enough for his men to hear, he made claims that she couldn't be trusted, that if she lost the fight her Black Army would charge or if she won the fight they could charge as well. He finished by telling her she had a count of 40 before his archers would begin dropping a hail of arrows down upon her.

Daria gave the man one last chance to take her up on her offer, and when she didn't she called out loudly again, "Remember this! Your Noble lord has chosen to put your lives at risk for his gain."

"One … two … three..." Planca began.

"I promise you this!" Daria called out as her cousin continued counting, "Any man who puts down his weapon now will be spared and even rewarded..."

"Eleven … twelve … archers, prepare!"

"But any man who takes a step toward Castlemont," Daria continued, along with the count, "will not only be killed … but will have his head cut off and mounted on a pike in the town from which he came."

"I'm tired of this, cousin!" Planca said. He looked left and right to the archers, then began counting again only in the opposite direction. "Archers...! Ten … nine … eight...!"

Daria glared at her cousin for a moment, but knowing that he was a coward and that he would ignore the white flag of truce under which she'd arrived, she and her Detail spun their horses and rode away. She lost the count with the pounding of the hooves beneath and around her, but she caught the sound of 300 or so bows suddenly snapping forward and loosing their missiles.

"Cover!" she hollered at the men surrounding her and riding fast for their own lines. In an instant, all six men closed on Midnight and raised their shields over their heads … protecting their Queen. Wanting them all to be safe, she ordered, "Close!"

The seven horses -- which had been trained for this maneuver -- were pressed in close to one another; Midnight galloped almost in perfect step with the two horses in front, to the side, and behind him. A moment later, dozens of arrows slammed into the metal and wooden shields, into the necks and flanks of two horses, and into the bodies of three of the Queen's Bodyguards.

One horse in front stumbled and -- knocked off balance by the horse behind him and Midnight, too -- fell to the ground, taking its rider with it. Miraculously, the horses following it remained afoot, even though one of the Bodyguard -- his back and then his heart pierced -- fell off to the ground. Another horse wheeled out at the sharp pain, but Daria was able to grab hold of the rider upon it -- also with an arrow in him -- and pull him onto Midnight, over the front of her saddle.

Together, the injured herd of horses and humans rushed for the ridge before them. Daria once again heard the sound of hundreds of bows releasing their missiles … but this time the sound was coming from in front. She looked out past the shield over the top of her horse's head and saw the sky fill with arrows flying toward the distant enemy lines.

As they reached their own force, the Bodyguard detail opened to allow Daria to wheel her horse around while they themselves took their injured man from their Queen and dealt with him and the other injured. Daria looked across the narrow valley to find Planca's cavalry already crossing the open field with his foot soldiers running at full sprint behind them.

Another volley of arrows filled the air, leading Daria to call for shields again. The soldiers behind her, dropped close together and raised a turtle shell; four Bodyguards held up special shields designed to protect Daria while she was still mounted. All along the line, the sound of hundreds of missiles striking wood, metal, dirt, and flesh could be heard.

Daria found Planca sitting on his horse right were he'd been when she spoke to him earlier. She knew he would remain there until he was assured of victory, not wanting to endanger himself. He'd always been that way; pussy, she thought, using a female descriptor which was a bit ironic, seeing how she had a pussy and was twice the battlefield hero he was.

Daria looked to her left and found Lauren. She nodded to the Collector, who shifted in her saddle to rise and stand tall in it, the well trained horse remaining stable and sure footed. She held her hands outward for a long moment as Planca's force continued forward, most of the men screaming to add a sound of fury to the pounding of the feet of the heavy horse upon the ground.

Suddenly, what looked like mud began splashing up all about the feet of the charging steeds. Lauren slashed her hands downward, and the Archer Commanders signaled a portion of their men, who let loose with fiery missiles. The arrows sailed through the sky for where the cavalry had been, and when they struck the ground, the oil spread there during the night erupted in a wall of flame that expanded quickly and would ultimately reach a length of almost three quarters of a mile, from one end of the battle field to the other.

Some of the mounted riders realized the trap into which they'd ridden and slowed to contemplate their options, while the rest -- aware or not -- continued forward. With another wave of her arms, Lauren signaled the second loosing of arrows, this barrage much larger and aimed directly at the charging horses. All up and down the line, horses and riders alike tumbled or reared or slowed in panic. The mounted riders who were still coming were then met by long spears that had been laying hidden beneath grass cut elsewhere and brought her during the night, to allude the detection of Planca's night scouts.

The end result was that the attacking cavalry found itself annihilated as it met the Black Army's front line. In less than a minute, 300 or more mounted riders were either killed or dismounted … and killed. The survivors would be chased down or shot dead by the archers over the minutes to come.

Behind them, Planca's foot soldiers had just been arriving at the oil field when it began raging. Hundreds were caught in the flames, dying a horrific, agonizing death; the rest found barrage after barrage of missile fire coming over the flames to pierce their bodies, necks, skulls.

These were the only surprises Daria had for Planca's force, though. The Brigade of 2,000 men began cheering and dancing up and down … but … the movement of the men would have appeared odd to Planca if he'd been able to see it through the smoke of the continuing fire. The reason for that was that only one out of five of the men present were actually men! The rest were scarecrows, simple "T" posts decorated with heads, clothes, and real or fake shields that the real men had carried to the front with them this morning and then beat into the ground on their sharpened points.

While Planca's foot soldiers were being slowly picked at from the front by archers, Daria's Black Army Cavalry rode up from behind the rebel's flanks, striking the Noble's reserve forces as they, too, were being struck down by archers who had just stepped out of the woods to the north and south.

Daria watched her cousin as he wheeled his horse this way and that, then this way again, looking for an escape. He wasn't going to find it, though; aside from the balance of the 2,000 men who weren't here with her, Daria had called in another 8,000 -- as well as 500 horse and 400 bow -- from across the adjacent lands, and they were now riding down upon and charging Planca and his men.

"Are you ready, boy?" Daria asked Midnight, who was stomping his feet anxiously beneath his Mistress. She looked to Lord Kriggen, told him to kill every man carrying a weapon while sparing those who disarmed, then looked to her Bodyguard Captain and pointed to a less scary space in the flames and said, "Here we go."

She called Midnight forward, and -- ignoring the flames -- the mighty horse galloped at speed for the gap. Daria burst through, slashing her sword at men whose faces were filled with shock at the Warrior Queen surging through the flames like a demon. She slowed just enough to allow the Bodyguard to surround her, then rode directly for her cousin, swinging her sword and throwing daggers from a dispenser on her saddle all along the way.

In the fury of the battle taking place around him, Planca only saw Daria coming when she was less than 50 yards away. He spun his horse, spurred it on, and charged directly at her. The rebel Lord attempted to set a path that would put the Queen on his right side, exposed to his larger-and-longer-than-her sword. But Daria was more skilled at mounted combat that was her cousin; she steered Midnight to cut off his path, which was continuing to curve slightly to the left.

Planca was concentrating on Daria and not on where he was going; his horse, however, was paying attention, and it realized it was about to slam into a small group of men engaged in close and violently serious hand to hand combat. The horse -- which was a replacement mount for the one Lauren had killed when she snuck into Planca's camp the night before -- wasn't as well trained as his normal ride; it slowed and altered it direction at the same time.

The Lord suddenly found himself flying off to crash upon the ground. Planca rolled two or three times, spent a moment recovering, found his sword nearby, and after snatching it rose to his feet … just in time to have his head very neatly cleaved off by Daria's slashing sword.

###################​

Daria had gone directly to her own quarters upon returning to the castle; she'd been told Meara and the baby were doing better and that they were both sleeping the last time the night time Chamber Maid had checked on them, so she thought she might clean herself up before presenting the good news to her soul mate.

The fight that would come to be called the Fire Valley Battle -- after the continued burning scorched more than 300 acres of pasture, as well as thousands of mostly enemy bodies -- had seen the rebellion against the Realm and against Daria in particular quashed.

The men who had dropped their weapons had rounded up, given a brand on their wrist, and told that if ever they disobeyed Daria or any of her subordinates, the brand would serve as their final warning and they would be executed.

The surviving Nobles had been banished from the Realm, some with their entire families; other family members were taken as hostage and would be forced into Indentured Servitude. Their lands would be redistributed, of course, but Daria had decided to leave that action to Meara, seeing how she'd so enjoyed holding court for the Lesser Nobles and Peasantry.

Once she was bathed and dressed, Daria made her way for Meara's quarters. It was late, and the passageway was lowly illuminated and devoid of others until Daria reached the door … and found the guard there asleep. Fury rose within her, and pulling her dagger, she slashed the guards across the cheek for dereliction of duty … only … he didn't react.

Daria's eyes and mouth fell open as she realized that the men were either dead or unconscious. She burst through the door, pulling her sword as she searched the near darkness. She found two bodies: the first was the second guard, who had regained consciousness and come into the room but was now laying on the ground; the second was … "Palla…?"

Even in the near darkness -- and even fully clothed -- Daria knew the figure of Meara's older sister. There was a shaft of light from the lamp on a nearby wall, and in the light, Daria could see a knife in Palla's hands … and in that little bit of brightness, she could see blood on the knife's blade. But … was it the guard's blood because Palla had stuck him upon finding her in here in this manner? Or was it … Meara or the baby's?

Daria didn't hesitate! She leaped forward and brought the hilt of her sword forward, striking the banished girl in the skull. Palla dropped like a bag of turnips tossed to the floor of a root cellar.

"Meara!" Daria cried out, rushing to the canopy bed and pulling back the drapes.

 

[SandS13]

Meara had heard commotion. She was about to call out that they needed to be quiet, the baby was sleeping when Daria's voice hit her ears.

"Daria?" She sat up in the bed slowly. She smiled but it fell away. "What is wrong?"

In the bed the baby stirred. Meara scooped him up and held him against her. Her nightgown, open and loose at the top to allow her easier movement for nursing, slid down to reveal a swollen breast. Her chest had grown ample with milk.

Meara shifted to her knees, the baby clutched to her. "What's wrong? There is danger!" Her eyes fell on the sword that the queen brandished and the look on Daria's face.

"Speak my love!" She raised her voice and the baby began to cry. Meara moved awkwardly towards Daria. Her eyes fell on the body on the floor.

"Palla?"

The baby Cried harder and Meara adjusted him to place him at her breast. "What-"

She looked at Daria. "Why is she here?" Her eyes fell back on the form of her sister. She was breathing but there was blood from a cut on her head.

 

[PennySaver]

"Daria?" Meara asked with a tone that told the Queen she was unaware danger had been so near. "What is wrong?"

"Nothing, my love," Daria lied, looking between the mother and son for signs of injury. The baby cried softly for attention, causing Daria to draw a sudden, sharp breath of relief.

"What's wrong?" Meara continued. "There is danger!"

Daria looked over her shoulder to ensure that the intruder was indeed no longer a threat. Palla's body lay awkwardly on the floor, still and silent; Daria wondered if she'd killed her, as opposed to simply rendering her harmless.

"Speak my love!" Meara continued, finally seeing the body in the light of the softly glowing lantern. "Palla? ... What- Why is she here?"

"I don't know, my love," Daria said, moving to hold both Meara and their baby in an effort to comfort them both. She kissed her soul mate's forehead, then cheek, then lips -- which was anything but passionate with Meara's confusion -- then told the girl, "But I'm going to find out. Get back into bed … under the covers … stay behind the drape, while I find out what's going on here."

Daria doubted that Meara would obey her -- the situation was simply incredible -- but she urged her to sit back anyway, before standing again and pulling the canopy bed's drapes closed again. Moving to Palla, she grasped the girl around one wrist and dragged her across the carpet, then the hardwood floor out of the room and into the passageway; as she passed the Castle Guard laying on the floor, Daria finally caught sight of the bleeding wound in the middle of his chest where Palla had stabbed the drugged, teetering, barely aware man in the heart, killing him almost immediately.

Pulling the door behind her shut, Daria hollered, "Guards! Guards!"

Within seconds, the sounds of fast moving boots from Castle Guards of this level and the levels above and below could be heard. As the first arrived, Daria ordered, "This girl it to be taken to the Pit, stripped bare, and shackled to the wall."

As that pair grasped the still unconscious Palla and began dragging her away, Daria looked to the next Guard to arrive and -- with an obvious growl of anger -- demanded, "Get the Lord Consort out of his fucking bed and to me … right now … and if he's in bed with some castle slut, rather than paying attention to the protection of Miss Meara, kill the slut, cut off Lord Gwent's cock, then bring him to me!"

The Guard's looked confused and hesitant, as if they weren't sure whether Daria was serious or simply furious. She realized this and spat out, "Just fucking bring him here … now!"

As the men rushed off, Daria turned to return to Meara.

 

[SandS13]

Meara closed her eyes as Daria kissed her. She pressed against the queen, welcoming her presence next to her. She did not like being put back to bed like a child so as Daria dragged Palla's body out of the room Meara finished nursing the baby. The room was quiet once more and as he dozed off at her breast, Meara slid out of bed.

She laid him in the cradle and went around the bed. There was a guard, dead on the floor. Meara wondered how her sister had managed such an act. He was not a small man and he was well trained. She stood and found the dagger on the floor where Palla had dropped it. She lifted it carefully by the hilt, between two fingers and placed it on a table.

She moved to the bathroom to wash her hands and face. Feeling more composed she went to the door and opened it. Her eyes fell on the two other guards who were asleep, Daria and the sight of more guards dragging her sister away far down the hall.

The guard found Gwent still arguing and debating over taxes with some of the lords. "What?" He snapped as the guard entered.

"The queen has ordered you to Miss Meara's room."

Gwent shoved past everyone and was running. The lords and guard followed.

"What has happened? Is it the baby? I-" He almost slid to a stop at the sight of the guards on the floor, Daria and Meara, in her nightgown.

 

[PennySaver]

As he came to a stop near the others, Gwent asked with panic, "What has happened? Is it the baby? I-"

"How did Palla get not only into the castle...!" Daria said as she swiftly pulled her dagger and pressed its tip to Gwent throat. She waited for his reaction to the threat; he only held his hands out wide as his eyes and mouth widened ever farther. Daria finished, "…but into Meara's room … where she killed one of your men … and was going to do Gods know what?"

Gwent hadn't been Lord Commander of the Castle Guard for all that long, and most of the Guards had been trained and assigned before he ever became involved with the organization. Yet, Daria still held him responsible for this egregious lapse in security.

 

[SandS13]

Gwent put his hands up. "I left her well guarded. I have spent every night in the room with her but business ran very late tonight. I was still awake, still with the nobles."

Behind him they were nodding.

"I ensured she was guarded and I have no idea how she slipped past the men to get in." He lowered himself to his knee, the dagger and Daria's arm coming with him. "I swear on my life I had no idea and I did I could to ensure Meara and our son's safety."

Meara stepped forward. She put a hand on Daria's arm. Her body was pressed to Daria's back. "He speaks true. Tonight is the first night he was not in the room and there are nobles to back him up. I do not know how she got in but it is not Gwent's fault."

 

[PennySaver]

Daria had always been able to read the honesty and dishonesty in people well, which was probably the reason she had so easily detected and prevented treachery during her span as Queen; these two were telling the truth.

That did bring up an interesting question, though: had Daria misread Palla's so horribly, or was there something different or new at play here that she couldn't have anticipated?

She pulled the dagger back from Gwent's throat, and in a fit of anger whipped it through the air to thunk firmly into the solid wood of a nearby door. To Gwent she demanded, "I want two men on Palla's cell … I want four on and with Meara at all time … two inside the room, two out until further notice. You will conduct a thorough investigation into how the fuck this happened and whether or not Palla had accomplices … and anyone found lacking, derelict, or complicit will be executed … by my hand! Is that clear?"

Gwent acknowledged without rising from his knees, while Daria turned, took Meara by the arm, and led her not back into her own room but down the passageway to her own as she called back to the slowly rising Gwent, "Get the baby and bring him to my chambers."

Daria didn't show any tenderness in the passageway, but once they were inside the anteroom of her chambers, she pulled Meara tight to her body, almost squishing her with a might hug. Then … she began sobbing in terror at the thought that she may have nearly lost both of them.

 

[SandS13]

Meara jumped at the sound of the dagger hitting the wood. Her stomach hurt at the thought of her sister in a cell but she also didn't recognize the woman she had become. The jealousy and to take it to this point. She wondered if there were others that Palla was working with or was it merely her own workings that brought this about. She dreaded writing the letter to her mother.

Daria was leading her away, the hand on her arm hard but not painful. Meara looked back towards her room but relaxed when Daria told Gwent to bring the baby to them.

They were in Daria's room the door closing and then Meara was being almost crushed by the force of the hug.

"Oh, oh my dear..." She had seen Daria upset, seen her cry but not like this. Meara could barely breathe but she didn't care. Her arms went about Daria's neck, her hands in the blonde hair as she pulled her face against her.

"It is alright. The baby is alright. I am alright." Meara placed soft kisses on Daria's cheeks as she lifted her head to look at her. "We are together again."

Her lips found Daria's in a soft, gentle and loving kiss.

A few moments later there was a knock at the door. Gwent stood, the baby looking even smaller in his arms. Behind him a guard carried the cradle. Meara did not pull away from Daria but continued to hold her where they stood as the cradle was brought in and Gwent placed the baby in it.

He was cautious but he moved closer to the women. Meara's eyes met his and she offered a nod of thanks.

 

[PennySaver]

Daria released her hold on Meara but gripped one of her lover's hands as she told Gwent with a sincere tone, "I am sorry I was so ... brutish in the hall, Lord Gwent. I was ... I was fearful of a conspiracy within the castle walls..."

She looked to Meara, then to the baby, and added, "And fearful for my love and our baby."

Gwent gave a slight bowing nod, saying, "No need to apologize, Mistress. My men failed you. They will not do so again."

"I need some time with Meara," Daria told him. "Please find the Commander of my Bodyguard and -- no offense to you and your Castle Guard, Gwent -- have him assign two men to the hall and four more to the floor?"

Gwent bowed even deeper this time, responding, "Of course, Mistress."

He looked to Meara and vowed, "No harm will ever come to you, Meara ... not while I am close. I promise."

No sooner was Gwent gone from the room than Daria pulled Meara to her, holding her tightly, and whispering, "I need you. I need to be with you ... now."

 

[SandS13]

"Of course." Meara placed a hand on Daria's cheek. "He is fed and will sleep for a couple of hours now."

She took Daria's hand and led her to the bed. Meara slowly began undressing Daria. She kissed every inch of skin she exposed. Daria had bathed, Meara could smell the oils and lotions on her skin. She sighed softly as her lips moved over the soft skin that held hard, strong muscles underneath. She marvelled at how beautiful she was as if she was seeing her for the first time again.

Meara knew that Daria's need was strong but she wanted her to relax, just a little, to enjoy Meara's touch and the reassurance that she was here, in the flesh and whole.

 

[PennySaver]

Feeling her soul mate's lips and fingers upon her was such a relief and a release; the past weeks -- months, even -- had been some of the most stressful times of her life, and her life had been spent conquering and administering an ever growing Realm.

Daria began writhing beneath Meara, moaning softly as she entwined her fingers in the girl's long hair. She wanted to push the slave-turned-noblewoman's face into her crotch, desperate for what of which she knew Meara was so capable. But instead, Daria let the girl kiss and lick and touch her way all about her body as one piece of clothing after another revealed more of it.

"I love you," she whispered for no reason other than the fact that it was true and so important. "And I've missed you so."

 

[SandS13]

The tension in Daria's body so intense that it radiated off of her. Meara could feel the way she was restraining herself. She knew she was eager, needing more but Meara wanted to ease it all away, not just quickly sooth the feeling.

Her mouth moved over Daria's skin. Her fingers lightly dug in, massaging the muscles she found there.

Kissing down Daria's body she exposed her to air. Her nipples had hardened and Meara's tongue bathed them, her lips covered them to warm them up. She sucked gently as her hands moved lower down her lover's exposed body. Tight stomach yielded to her fingertips until the touch hovered at the apex of Daria's sex.

Her mouth moved to Daria's other breast and as her lips pursed around the bud, her finger slid between Daria's slick folds. She lightly, teasingly brushed her clit, that hard nub of nerves slightly engorged and seeking contact.

She released her nipple and almost lazily kissed her way down Daria's stomach. Her fingers continued their exploration of her lover's labia, the place were thigh and pelvis connected.

It wasn't until Meara's lips pressed over Daria's clit that her fingers gently found their way into the warmth of her sex. The first taste of Daria on Meara's tongue made her moan and she lost herself between Daria's legs. She began to lick and suck, her fingers moving in and out, crooking up a little to press and rub.