A Knight's Quest

"One day soon they will want to taste you too Corzian, and I hope that your Father is in my arms when they do, so that I won't have to feel your tongue or your cock in me," she explained awkwardly.

Gimpy returned with a large platter of eggs and ham just at the perfect moment.

"Excuse me, my Lady, should I give you privacy? Can I offer you some breakfast?" he asked.

Then he saw the feather, and his mouth could not find words. He blinked in wonder, then his smile grew to lighten his unusually clean face.

"That was no dream, was it M'Lady," he finally said.

"No Gimballed Simons, the Horseman, it was not a dream," Mother informed her son's friend by his full name as she placed her hand lovingly on his cheek.

"You joined with over a hundred Sisters last night, including me," she added as she brushed her thumb across his lips while moistening her own.

His eyes just stared back, while the mouth kept smiling.

Finally I had to clear my throat, and bring their fond remembering to an end.

"Okay, Mother, I'm glad that you are happy with my choice of confidants. Now, can we get past it, or perhaps the Sisterhood wants to fuck Gimpy using my mother's body? Should I give you the room?" I was not enjoying my fresh insights into my mother's sexuality!

"No, no," Mother rushed to change the mood, and the topic.

"You should know, Gimballed Simons... (I chuckled a little) ...that the Sisterhood has foreseen that one of us will die to defend the other! What do you say to that," I asked my Horseman.

"We have both known that for all of our lives Sire!" he proudly and defiantly responded.

We would not be separated until death, so Mother's prediction was meaningless to us.

"Sometimes, even the Sisterhood of Labido needs a reminder that men can love men," she mused. "It does not occur as often as it should, Gimpy," so I bow to the strength of your character," she concluded, with the required nod, of a curtsy, then she moved in for a kiss, in spite of me.

Mother insisted that we eat while she talked. She needed me back in the Capital, to the safety of her Lord's house. She had personal letters, for the eyes of Father alone. Her seal was on the envelopes.

"Make sure that you don't miss the chance to plant your seed among the New Women this year son," Mother boldly proposed. "You will find your soulmate among them, Coz, and that is a critical part of your future," she insisted.

Another of my mother's prophecies. Did I have to join with every New Woman in the Realm before I could find that mythical maiden?

"Will she be a Witch too Mother? Will she share me with your fucking Order?" I crudely asked.

I did not have much faith in this insight, though Gimpy thought it was a marvelous use of our time.

"You can mock me, Corzian... but you will probably not feel the connection unless you are looking for it," she sighed, realizing that she was wasting her good council.

"There is a second important matter that concerns the both of you, now that the Order is familiar with Featherby," she explained with a tense look on her face.

"Someone is killing my Sisters, and we need you to stop them," Mother pleaded.

Mother had to explain to Gimpy exactly how the Sisterhood enjoyed him as one, with Matilda. The only ones exempt would have been the Sisters that were enjoying their own private intimacies.

One advantage of their great gift was that any woman could alert the group if they needed help. This meant that few Ladies of Labido could be enslaved without help eventually getting to them.

Sexual slavery was not the norm in North Cumberland, but there were still lands near the Northern border and to the far West, where wagons of women accompanied every squadron of warriors. They were used by dozens of men, while chains kept them from escaping. Lumber camps, shipyards, mining companies all used these enslaved women to keep their hard working men happy.

They tried to find one Sister for 6 months, then they felt her leave the world. Now there were two more sisters missing, and there was no feel for where they were.

"I believe that some of the New Women are being sold into slavery, and these two missing Sisters might have gotten caught up in just such a raid in a hamlet to the West of Gaspe," Mother explained.

"We need you to visit as many New Women Ceremonies as you can in that area, and look for some answers."

Our four steeds waited for us in a light snow. Gimpy helped me into the saddle with an audible groan that reminded me to hold back on my food consumption. Warriors can't be heavy in the saddle, or slow on foot.

Gimpy had re-shod the two mares so that they could travel in snow and mud better than they had on the outbound trip.

"We're keeping these two, I'm guessing," I asked my stalwart Horseman.

"Yes, M'Lord," Gimpy responded. "I think that it's time for you to have more than a War Horse, Sir Corzian, and I need one to keep up with you, so that we are always ready to travel fast," my Horseman concluded.

He is the expert, and he knows his duty is to anticipate my needs. I gave him a nod of respect.

The snow was not deep so we made it to the Forest Inn as the sun set.

Since I hadn't ordered haste, Gimpy thought that a pint and a poke was in order.

"We must keep our drinking to four tankards at the most, my man," I cautioned Gimpy.

"How many maidens can we bed?" he returned.

"I won't put a limit on the ladies Featherby, if the ladies want cock I will not deny them," I answered, but I don't think he accepted it as the joke I intended.

The Inn had changed ownership since our last time through. A woman older than my mother ran the establishment. She knew when money walked through the doors, and she pushed her staff to give us everything that we wanted.

I gave her a gold coin. Not a big one, but it was worth two good horses, so I expected to be served well.

First they killed a lamb and three rabbits, leaving the lamb to drain while the rabbits were skinned and put on a single large spit, to get us some meat fast. Hutch raised rabbits have more fat than wild ones, so they are much more succulent.

We drank our first mugs with a bowl of dried and spiced pig rinds.

"Will you be wanting some warmth in your bed tonight young Sir," the Innkeeper asked casually. "I'm sure that I could find a few lasses that would enjoy a tumble, sir," she suggested.

I saw her lick her lips, no doubt remembering a time when she would have offered her own charms.

"We could use 3 or 4 if you can find them Madam, but I will share them with my Footman, since he has been especially hard working of late," I suggested.

"5 or 6 would be even better Miss," Gimpy impudently corrected me.

"I will see what I can do my Lord," she responded and headed for the kitchen.

"Five or Six," I mimicked my horny friend. "You do know that you can fuck the same one more than once, don't you Featherby?" I scorned him, but not with any conviction, since he had fucked over a hundred just last night, and my mother was one.

The Innkeeper burst from the backroom with two women carrying steaming plates of fresh rabbit fricassee with roasted garlic and butter yams. The women were thin, but they had rubbed some red into their cheeks, and they looked spirited enough, though they kept their eyes down.

"We won't be taking anyone a-force," I explained to them both, but they smiled and got themselves drinks, so that they could catch up with their new friends.

There was no one to make music for us, but Gimpy is always good for a song if he gets three or four drinks in him.

He started with my favorite.

"We drink to our wives, and we drink to our maids."

"But please God, don't let them meet."

"For the mothers of our babes, should never be shamed,"

"By the barmaids that offer us their treats."

"Meat for my belly and mead for my mouth"

"Then watch for my wondering eyes"

"Hide your wives and your sisters, but never be in doubt"

"They will soon find a prize twixt their thighs"

"Lest we party too long, and our fire goes out,"

"Then the demon himself fills our belly,"

"But after looking about, he says "fuck this I'm out!"

"And your spine goes from steel to jelly!"

Everyone loves a song about love making. Especially before sex. Or during...

Two more ladies joined us as we sang and they danced in the firelight. I saw the look on the owner's face, from across the hall. She had no other patrons, so I motioned for her to come over.

"Yes my Lord, do you need more food? I thought that you were full so I gave you my kitchen staff... Is there anything that I could get you?" She seemed desperate to please us.

"Are you a free-woman?" I asked, and studied her face for the truth.

"My husband died, sir, and left me with his business... as it is," she explained. "I am too old to bed another, kind sir."

I put my hand on her lower leg and she did not flinch.

"Older women can be beautiful too, fair maiden. If you want to join us, and your heart is free, then please put that rag away and draw a glass for yourself," I insisted.

I felt a tremor in her body, so I continued.

"I would gladly bed you, and show you with my body, just how beautiful you still are." I whispered for her only.

Her face was aglow with desire. The sweat on her brow was not just from working. She threw the towel towards the bar and grabbed her gown so that she could straddle me in the stool. She plopped down on my lap, with her knees on either side of me and brought her cleavage to my face.

"Now the party can start!" Gimpy shouted and the girls all joined in the revelry.

Gimpy had the horses ready before the light forced me awake. I couldn't understand how that man could get a rooster to crow in his dreams, so he never slept past his duty.

Helen, the Inn's owner had slipped away hours ago too, so I threw my dirty clothes back on and headed for the kitchens.

"Chrystal, Chrystal girl! Go stay the horses while our feathered friend gets some hot breakfast," Helen hollered as I pushed in through the doorway.

"Ah, there's my Wench!" I declared, and gave her butt a tender touch.

"Thank you my Lord, you bring us more than we deserve," Helen humbly responded and turned a deeper red in the cheek as I squeezed the other cheek. "You have paid enough to buy a partnership, if you want a simple Inn, my Liege," she insisted.

"No, no, ...no dear," your roof and your table are enough, and I hope your charms were freely given, and we gave you joy? Did we not?" I asked, but I knew the answer, so I went on.

"I will not bind you to me, M'Lady. It will be enough for me to know that there is a place here, when my journey and my duty bring me near. You are still young at heart, and I pray you find warmth for your bed, whether it be permanent or just fun.

The rest of our trip to Gaspe was uneventful. We crossed the bridge at the border and the same Gatekeeper was standing duty. He tipped his hat and smiled.

The missing tooth told me that he kept the coin. I cast a wary eye for his Captain, but it was late enough that he would be into the wine or the women by now.

"To the barracks M'Lord, or the estate? Gimpy asked before we got to the Eastern Gate.

"I'm too cold for the barracks, old friend. Let's go to the Prince' estate tonight. If my father is in his apartment in the Palace, I can see him there tomorrow," I reasoned, partly for the consideration of my only councilor.

I knew that he had a woman or two among Father's maids, so he would favor that direction.

"If it's my advice you're after Coz, I'd go to the estate for the food alone! That old matron of yours was a good cock sucker, but she can't cook worth a damn!" He advised me with the straight face of a Priest.

"... then, when we are sated," he continued, "I do know a free woman, that could fit three in her bed if we're nimble..."

I could always trust my best friend to consider the necessities in life.

"My father's cooks have a weekly budget that is more than the Forest Inn can spend in a season," I tempered my hungry friend. He did have a point about the quality of the food though. The Prince had a taste for foreign women and foreign food.

We learned at the stable that Prince Jerican was in his bed, but his valet was awakened to receive me.

Pitman was such an intimidating presence that I scrubbed my face in the horse trough and used my fingers to comb back my disgraceful hair.

I could smell him before he entered the room.

"You need a barber too," Pitman growled from behind me.

The spices from his homeland filled his spores with a cinnamon scent.

"My breath is foul too, my friend, so you might want to stand away," I cautioned my father's closest friend and confidant.

"Come, talk with me. You know it will take at least two skilled women to fix your face and hair to your Royal Sires liking, but your ugly visage is of no concern to me," he degraded himself while delivering no compliment to me either.

I dried my face and chest while Pitman admired me.

"No new scars, M'Lord?" he pondered.

"So far my Horseman has cleared my path on this mission," I replied. "Father will not be happy that Gilbert is dead, but his wife and children were found safe in the woods. Gimpy took out four with his blades at close quarters," I finished my report and handed Pitman the sealed letters.

"Did anyone check the bodies to see if we could find the source of the attack?" the valet wisely asked.

"They were gone when people were sent in the morning," I added. "The farm woman had returned and buried her husband, so there was nothing to see."

"Nothing for a simple peasant, I'm sure!" Pitman spurred me with his disrespect.

"Nothing that Lady Syrma and Gimpy and I could see, you son of a whore," I replied calmly.

I watched Pitman blink slowly 7 times, then he shrugged, just like my Mother!

"Yes, of course, my apologies Sir Corzian. Have you heard the horrible news from the Palace? Oh, what am I thinking, we just heard it this morning," Pitman explained. "The baby was still born, which would be bad enough, but it was actually a boy, so the city is in an uproar, as you can well imagine!"

I could imagine it easily, since Lady Syrma had the news three days ago!

"It seems that there is nothing critical enough to waken your Sire, so I will put these love letters in his desk, and inform him that you are in the house, when he rises," Pitman informed me, and he took his leave as silently as he arrived.

Gimpy came stomping in a few seconds later.

"Was that Pitiless I saw skulking about?" he asked, using his pet name for my father's valet. "I don't trust that stinking Footman!" he cursed using the local term for a fighting man's valet.

"Now listen Gimpy! If you were against me, I'd be doomed. Isn't that right?" I asked my Horseman.

"Without a doubt Sir! But you know that will not happen while I draw breath!" Gimpy pledged.

"Well, I have to believe that is true for my father too, Gimballed," I reasoned with my untrusting confidant. "If Pitman is against us, we are doomed," I explained, but he knew it already.

They were birds of a feather, but neither liked the plumage of the other.

Two new women in the kitchen were showing their wares to Gimpy when I entered the estate's vast kitchen. They were not "new" women, just new to the estate.

"I told you there was something for us in your father's pantry," Gimpy teased me by indicating the milk jugs on one of the Lasses and shamelessly making sucking faces which the ladies could easily see.

The chesty one pulled them out from her low cut blouse.

"If you want a suck on these, you will have to wash better! You two stink!" she pinched her nose and pointed to the big sinks.

Gimpy had his clothes off before he had traveled the four steps to the washing trough. The cooks used hot water from their own stoves to make the water warm, and I took the privilege of squatting first, while the younger of the two washed me. She knew how to clean thoroughly, as she used a brush behind my ears.

When I was clean enough, and my penis was ready for more than soap, they drained the water and refilled it with fresh, for the Horseman. I thought it was a waste of water, but I wasn't going to complain since they did all of the work.

"You can now have a snack Master, while I prepare a bed," she instructed me.

Both maidens had to have the bread ready in the morning, so they did not stay the night. I slept back to back with my horseman, but he always sleeps lightly.

Gimpy nudged me awake, then nudged me more awake when I didn't respond. When I pried my eyes open, there was Pitman sitting on the floor studying my face.

"I do not think that you bugger each other, but your sleeping arrangements are certainly more economical than my Master employs," he impudently announced as a greeting.

"I did not think that you wanted me to kill him for entering unannounced Sir, "Gimpy growled, "But I will now, if you ask." I could hear the echo of his words, or he was whispering "please ask, please, please" but I could not be sure which.

"Nonsense! You scoundrel, I am the Prince's Council, and you are... less." The last word was a stab into Gimpy's position in life, but it was true.

"Settle down both of you. I don't think that our Prince would like his Valet's throat cut, and I don't want my Horseman to have his balls cut off and fed to him as his last meal!"

I demanded peace between these warring adjutants, and I would have it or their ears would be boxed by me!

"Prince Jerican expects you to join him for breakfast, buttercup," Pitman relayed to me. "He might be finished by the time you get there," he concluded.

I hurried to dress and my horseman - valet helped.

My hair was under control finally, but I missed the first order of breakfast, having to make due without the eggs, but the ham, sweet rolls, lamb chops, fried apples, cornbread and warm oats with cream and berries would have to do.

"I heard that the children have been fighting again," Prince Jerican initiated the conversation.

"Yes Sire, my Horseman believes that he has no equal among those men in his station, as does your Pitman," I responded, thinking that I was wise.

Father's head jerked to me in surprise, and a hint of anger. Then he resumed his reading of letters while absently chewing on exotic nuts and dried fruit. Prince Jerican would never be known as 'the Fat', no matter what rank he achieved.

"Gimpy is exactly what you need son, and Pitman is exactly what I need, but I am certain that Pitman has earned the right to be the extension of both me and your mother, so you had better remember that, when your dog growls.

There was something strange about the way that my father said that, but I couldn't wrap my brain around it.

"You must get out on the trail for the New Women Ceremonies son!" Father declared to change the subject to more polite topics, just as my Step Mother arrived at the table.

We both rose. Me, out of royal necessity and Father out of gentlemanly respect. In that regard he was far superior to me as a knight.

"Ah, the Noble Ravishing of the Kingdom's Virgins", Princess Gowen declared haughtily. "They should end that beastly practice," she continued.

Father kissed her offered hand and waited for her to sit, as did I.

"Princess, you look beautiful today," I welcomed my Step mother with a deep bow.

"Please sit, you two," she responded and motioned us to our cushions.

"Son, you may take your leave," Father stated flatly.

"Yes sir. Thank you for breakfast," I directed to both of them, and I quickly left the dining room.

I had many opportunities to talk further about Mother's secret ancestry, but Father would silence me with every effort to discuss that concept, instead directing me to the High Dukes and the future of the Kingdom.