A Knight's Quest

The second man was drawing back for a swing of his broadsword, but I moved in quick with my pick and stabbed him four firm jabs in the stomach.

I tumbled forward, again warned by the shadows. The bald man had an axe and he slammed it into the floor just behind me.

I tumbled back onto my feet, just as Gimpy and I practiced regularly, drawing my sword for the first time.

Baldy was trying to pull the axe out of the floor, but it was buried and would need another man to pry it up. My sword moved so fast that he looked surprised to see the spray of his life blood across the floor. I wondered if his last thoughts were about his stained floors.

The third man that sat furthest turned and ran for the door, and I couldn't know if he was part of the attack, or just a man that saw a fight, and stood to defend himself. I let him flee, but the oaf that I hammered with the table was just picking himself up, though he left his sword on the floor.

When he stood tall, but dazed, I passed a Knight's judgement on him, and sliced his abdomen open. His intestines added to the stains, then he dropped to the floor.

I couldn't stick around to see if the runner went for a bigger force, and our hotel was only a stone's throw away, so I quickly returned to the hotel.

Gimpy was standing in the front window, and jumped to the balcony to monitor my rapid return. I saw the glint of a knife, so I didn't have to look behind me. I was covered.

Everyone was there, safe in the stables.

Mrs McFarland was cooking up a feast, and I suggested that some like minded citizens would be welcome at my table. Her nephew took Gimpy and Pincher for a "safe" bladder of wine and beer if they could find it. My lips still felt numb from whatever poison was mixed in with the mead.

Of course Gimpy brought back twice what we could drink in 3 nights of good partying, but I didn't complain, it was only the King's money!

Of course, Gimpy, and I can drink a great amount and still be functional. Pitman still managed to shame us into holding it to 6 pints each.

The Nephew was Joseph and his wife was Penny. They were in their 40's, making Penny the youngest woman that I had seen for the last 4 days.

Then I remembered my Father's valet. She was at least 30, but her complexion made it hard to judge.

Joseph told me that they wed shortly after her New Woman Ceremony.

"We had to, you know," he winked, and I nodded in understanding. A few good farmers and shopkeepers have stood to marry the women that I have gladly introduced to their motherly duties. Harold keeps tabs on them for me, and the oldest is 10!

"They only had 4 more years of New Woman Ceremonies Sir. By then we had lost so many young women to the slavers, that families started moving out to the county, and even East to Catanaland to escape the sex slave wagon trains," Joseph moaned as if he was responsible.

"My wife has been accosted numerous times sir, so we would flee, except that my aunt's generosity is all that supports us." His tears were honest ones that made my eyes water a bit.

I felt like hustling their entire family into our wagon and escaping with them to Gaspe, but I had a bigger mission. Joseph had two daughters under 10, and I watched them play with Robin and Pinkee.

"We will not let your family be at risk when we leave sir, if you want to be safe you should leave with us in 2 or 3 days," I offered. "I can put you with friends of mine that struggle to keep the mugs full at their Inn in the Forest."

Penny was very enthusiastic about the move, but our planning was interrupted when there was a loud banging at the barred door to the Hotel.

"Open up old woman," could be heard coming from the road.

Joseph ran to the door with all of us trailing, blades drawn.

"We are closed, go away!" Joseph yelled, hoping it was a lost drunk.

"It is the Sheriff, you Oaf! Open up in the name of the Commander of Norfolk!" he demanded.

Five of us stood shoulder to shoulder in the entry room of the hotel, while Joseph pulled the crossbars from the door.

Some brigand pushed past him, then skidded to a halt on the wooden slats.

"Identify yourselves, Gentlemen," he demanded while moving back to the doorway where others might protect him.

"I am Coz, a free warrior looking for work sir," I responded and went to tip the hat that I was not wearing. My right hand rested on the top of my sword, tapping on it like it was a drum. "I command these four behind me," I explained, hoping one of them wasn't Pitman or the twins.

"I am told that you and your men killed four at the Whistle Stop," he accused me, backing up to make room for his troops.

"It was only three, unless one died of fright when he ran,...and it was only me," I conceded.

"You must surrender your arms sir, and your men too," the Sheriff called, now from the road, behind his squad.

I stepped outside, to the sounds of mumbled complaints from behind me.

"This lawless town of yours makes it impossible for me to give up my weapons sir," I responded, stepping to the street and forcing his men to back up, or kill me, but I hadn't drawn my sword yet, so they missed their only opportunity.

"I think that you and your men should drop your weapons, sir!" I loudly proclaimed, but still held my hand.

I could see that the Sheriff was working himself into a frenzy, he was so angry that he couldn't get his words together in the right order!

"When the Coward runs, I want you to knock him down, but don't kill him," I said loud enough for all to hear.

Gimpy "yipped" to tell me that he was on the balcony above the door.

"Kill them all, but I want the women!" the Sheriff screamed, froth coming from his angry maw.

Jon and Harold came out with their epees and knives drawn.

Six men came at me, but two were dropped by Gimpy before they could get to me.

"I only want the Sheriff, I said as I drew my sword and prepared myself for the four that remained.

They came to their deaths, but I had to admire their gumption.

Everything slowed down for me. I swung the sword, but dropped to my left knee to bring the sweep below his parry, and my head out of the path of the other man's sword.

I let the swing twirl me around, and I used my strong hips to speed up my advance as I ripped into the third man, trusting Jon to finish the second man, who was only worried about me.

Jon pierced his throat with the epee, and the gusher that emerged made him smile with the thrill of his deadly accuracy.

Harold rushed ahead on my right, but had to parry the heavy sword with both his knife and his epee.

My blow to his kidney was deadly, and his body knew it, well before his brain.

The Sheriff was astonished to find himself with no soldiers,... living. He turned, but didn't get far before a blade was sticking out of his left ankle.

That was probably enough, for a man that was not used to pain, but a second knife embedded in his right thigh muscle.

"Damn," I heard my Horseman swear.

I hustled up to the fallen Magistrate, and saw that the blade had not severed an artery, but the Sheriff was crying with the pain.

"Don't touch the blade sir, you might make it cut too deeply for you to live," I warned the sniveling coward.

"Please, don't kill me," he cried like a baby.

The hotel was in an uproar, as the McFarlands hurried to prepare a wagon with their few possessions. Their Aunt wanted to see her grand nieces grow up, so she was coming too, leaving their place for whomever could run it.

The neighbour from behind thrust his daughter into their wagon, and begged them to take her to a better life. The three girls clung to Penny, crying.

We did our best to be quiet as we raced North, with the intent of going East into Catanaland. The Sheriff was bandaged and unconscious in our wagon. Jon had tied him with enough rope to befuddle a healthy man.

Just outside of the city limits, Pitman reigned in her stallion and pulled close to me.

"Corzian, we have to get a message to the King," she insisted. "He needs to move on that Demon Keep before they are ready for him!"

"We are moving as fast as we can, woman! Who should race ahead?" I asked.

"Lady Syrma is at the Palace Coz! I can send her a message right now!" she insisted.

I realized how the message had to be sent.

"Gimpy!" I yelled.

The rest of the escape continued as planned, but Pitman needed me to send a message. Gimpy insisted that he must stay, and I could not order him away.

"I will only engage with you Sir Corzian, so your man had better not be looking for any fun from me!" Pitman demanded.

"He won't even watch," I claimed, knowing that it was not true.

We had to hurry for obvious reasons. We stripped ourselves, but my eyes were on the valet.

"We will not need your valet's help Coz. I know my way," she whispered when she came into my embrace.

I waved Featherby away, before he could put some cream on Pitman's sex. I could tell by the look on his face that he wanted to help, but Pitman was not a naive maiden, with a flower to pierce and womanly skills yet to learn.

She pushed me onto the ground and pulled her leg over me. She mounted me like I was her Stallion and I was going to give her the ride of her life. I had completely forgotten about our urgent message.

She sat upright with her knees along my flanks, looking sightlessly ahead, she spread her arms like wings.

Her breasts showed some age, but they were still spectacular mounds with small nipples and nibs engorged and pointing like beacons.

She lowered herself back onto my mighty cock, and her aim was perfect. I would have used my own Knightly hand if I had to, but her own juices were enough as she took me into her nest.

"Close your eyes Sir Corzian of DeVille, and welcome the Sisterhood of Labido!"

Suddenly I was filled with a feeling of love and joy and caring, but there was also sexuality and desire.

Pitman stayed still, while she communicated with Lady Syrma, but she only needed two minutes for that.

I was able to feel Pitman's grip on my cock, but it did not stroke me or squeeze, as well trained camp women can do. I had visions of other women kissing me and pushing their breasts into my mouth, but Pitman didn't move.

I felt hands on my chest and shoulders, then down on my ass, but they were loving hands, exploring hands, like the hands of a blind woman, they wanted to feel me. I was quite happy to lay there and be loved by these legions of women.

I could tell when the messaging was done. The valet brought her hands down to my shoulders and she slowly lifted up. I could hear the moans of so many women as they enjoyed my body.

I took five slow strokes before I started to erupt into her nest. I had not been this fast since my first time, over a dozen years ago.

"Go ahead my love," a hundred women whispered in my ears.

I started to pump my hips up into Pitman's sex as I burst into her womanhood. Ten, twenty strokes in rapid succession.

When my cock started to soften Pitman sat back on me and I came to a stop. I could feel my seed draining down onto my ball-sack and the crack of my ass.

"I wish we had time for more Coz, and so does my lusty Sisterhood, but you will only get this one time, for we all see that your body yearns for another, and we can not get between you and..." she stopped from telling me her name.

"Jenny, I whispered as I saw her beautiful face in my mind."

My horseman had taken care of the five horses that we had retained for our escape. We each had two, but Pitman insisted that her stead could outdo our two, and she proved it.

We rode into the night, with only stops to change horses.

"I didn't feel my mother, thank you for that Pitman," I finally said.

"Oh, she was there for the first stroke Coz!" the valet explained.

"The message took me only a few minutes to relay, and she raced to your Father while I gave it."

"It's a good thing that he wasn't already engaged with his Princess," I smiled and laughed nervously, thinking of what that would have entailed.

"No, he was with the King in his office," Pitman laughed as she told Gimpy and I of an encounter that involved making love in front of the King!

"Your mother had to explain to the King about the Order of Labido, but she was worried that he would see them simply as Witches! So she introduced him to Matilda!" Pitman laughed with us at the thought of chesty Matilda bouncing up and down on that mountain of Royalty.

"So how does he measure up?" Gimpy wanted to know.

"I couldn't tell you sir," Pitman replied, "...I was riding a Knight at the time, and I couldn't pry myself off of him!"

We laughed some more.

We caught up to our team with the morning light. They were slowly moving along, having hurried for most of the night.

"We need a stop," I suggested, seeing the weary on the animals and the riders.

Pincher insisted that he was still alert, and the twins had slept in their saddles while Jon and Harold had run at their sides to ensure their security.

They took the horses to the river and removed their side packs to lighten their burdens, stowing it all in the wagon.

The girls had slept too, so they helped where they could.

I was asleep very soon after Jon covered me with a blanket.

We only had a nap, but it was badly needed.

Gimpy woke me last, of course. The girls had placed flowers in my hair and stood around me giggling as I discovered them. Their sweet smiles made the mission so much easier, but I wondered how many other such gems were trapped in that unholy city! How many parents and lovers were mourning for the women that they had lost to this evil Commander.

Pitman had learned from mother that the King had marshaled hundreds of soldiers around Gaspe, by calling for a Royal Contest among Knights and Squires. He had offered a complete armory chest, with a silver studded lance and his own Royal Sword as the main prize.

The contest would be put on hold, while they marched on Norfolk.

"I think that we should turn south at the next fork," I explained at one of our brief stops.

"We need to bring the Sheriff to the King, and I believe that he will be with the force that attacks Norfolk," I reasoned. "We can send the McFarlands on to Catanaland then down to Gaspe with you and the twins, Pitman."

"No, I must connect with my Liege, and he will certainly ride with the King," Pitman responded.

Joseph would have joined us, and the twins put up a fuss, but I convinced them that the girls needed their protection, and my command was law.

We split up at the river, with their team crossing into Catanaland. We turned to follow the river south, but we immediately came across a camp of Catanaland Knights and Squires that were heading for Gaspe and the tournament that the King had announced. All of our allies had been invited, and Catana has been our friend for the longest.

I was not looking like a King's Man, with my weeks worth of stubble and road dust, but I proudly rode to the biggest tent in the field.

Herold heeled his mare ahead of me.

"Who here has fought with Sir Corzian of DeVille, the son of Prince Jerican, treasured nephew of King Corican!" Herold announced.

Two men that looked familiar stood from their seats.

"I fought near that beast! I would never want to fight against him!" one Squire announced. "He fights with such fury and joy that I could never match him!"

"Well here he is Gentlemen, though he be in disguise," Herold put his talents to bear, with the obvious flourish of a Herald.

I jumped from my horse, which stood taller than any other in the camp. Striding up to the man I saw his face break into a wide smile and he grabbed my arm for a brief clasp, then hugged me to him and kissed first one grubby cheek and then the other. I had to lean down for his display of familiarity, but the immediate acceptance by this large squad of fighting men prompted me to hug him back, even lifting him off the ground for a moment.

Herold hurried up to me and whispered in my ear the man's name.

"Who is in command?" I asked Master Saunders.

He turned as an older Knight came from the tent.

"Coz! How is your father," Sir Foster of Concord bellowed and hurried to me to repeat the greeting as Saunders had done.

"I'm sure the Prince is fine Sir, but right now he will be riding next to his King, against the Villain of Norfolk," I informed my old friend.

I realized that I was probably related to my friend, as he was the son of a royal concubine, just like me.

"Aha! It's about missing women isn't it!" he replied with his smile fading. "We were stationed near the closest city to your northern border, just because of missing women. We were considering a gate at the bridge," he finished.

"We just escaped Norfolk, with a family that knows of their atrocities first hand," I informed him. "The Sheriff tried to arrest me, so we arrested him instead. He will certainly confess to the King or his dungeon masters.

He deserved so much worse, but I was sure that he would choose confession over the rack or a spike up the arse, which usually gets quick answers that you can trust. I chuckled to myself thinking of that turd screaming while he is slowly lowered onto a sharpened spike.

Pitman walked up to us, still dressed as a maiden from the waist up, but she was wearing riding breeches and horseman's boots.

"This lass looks familiar Coz. Is she one of your father's?" Sir Foster wondered, but smiled as any man would when a pretty girl walks towards him.

"She is under my protection Frosty, but my Father does know her quite well," I returned.

My use of his nickname was not taken well, as I saw him tense up and look about to see who would laugh.

None laughed, but some could not hide their smiles, others turned away and found things to do.

Pitman finally spoke.

"I need to find out what the King is doing and I am forbidden to ride my previous stallion," Pitman mused. "Sir Foster, I am sure that you remember my sister Clara," she asked, but she continued toward Frosty, with her hips swaying in a way that forced a man to notice.

Sir Foster was confused for a moment, then Pitman leaned in and kissed him.

No man that calls himself a Knight would hesitate to accept this gift, and Frosty is every bit a Knight. They smooched and moaned with their eyes shut, while the rest of us just smiled and watched nervously, but also longingly.

Finally they broke off the kiss.

"Yes! Clara! Hmm I do remember her, but she couldn't be your sister, she is at least 50 by now and maybe more.

"I am terribly weary Sir Knight, could I have the use of your tent for a nap?" she asked, but didn't wait for an answer.

Pitman took Frosty by the hand and continued to Sir Foster's tent.

The elder Knight was not about to embarrass himself or the vixen by denying her a nap. He was easily pulled to his reunion with The Sisters of Labido!

Gimpy rode up to me finally and dismounted, giving his reins to Jon.

"We need to set a rear guard sir, but it would be best to put it at the bridge behind us, since they may continue after the wagon," he reported, bringing me back to the problems at hand.

"Master Saunders!" I shouted, then seeing him I continued, "Who is in charge when Sir Foster is occupied?"

"That would be me," a man about my age stepped forward and took my hand but did not hug me, since we had never been introduced.

"Sir Pendalton, son of Prince Philip," Herold whispered.

A Royal! He may be sixth or seventh in line, but he was still an important man.

"Sir Pendalton, we are certainly being chased by a force of maybe 50 by the dust they put up," I reported. "They might cross into Catanaland in pursuit of our friends and they are slavers of the foulest form!"

With his own lands at risk the Prince-Knight got the entire camp packing, so they could return to guard the bridge. He wisely sent a rider with two horses, to bring the rest of their men from their home base, who were not at liberty to travel to the King's contest in Gaspe.