A Proper Scottish Wife Ch. 25

This tale is beginning to reach a culmination. As such, there's a little less sex and more action. It contains light amounts of oral sex and sexual intercourse between man and wife. As always, I appreciate comments about what you like and what you don't. Thanks.

*****

Ailene fenced with Frang, going back and forth on the training grounds. They had worked hard every day she was there, working with Isobel and the other students first thing, then with Frang, putting the finishing touches on her training with him. While working with him, she frequently gave up more ground than she gained, Frang still too good, but she was proud of the progress she'd made. This morning, Frang touched her six times, but she'd touched him four. The training of the others had finished a half hour ago and they were going about their own business, but others had stopped to watch. Her own students were particularly proud of her performance against Frang who none of them could touch. Their attitude towards her had completely changed from one of dismissal to one of eagerness to learn, just as it had with Isobel, who was nearly her equal.

One of the guards warned of riders approaching and instantly everyone was more alert until they could see it was Bjarkë and two other men from Lady Luck. However, Ailene grew even more tense. Bjarkë wasn't supposed to return until Stuart and Thorburn returned; perhaps it was bad news. She relaxed when Bjarkë smiled and greeted everyone, laughing and happy. If either of his nephews were injured he would not be this calm, this merry. She sighed with relief.

Bjarkë noticed Ailene and Frang looking at him and realized they were waiting for news. He excused himself from the crowd around him and rode up to them.

"The hunting went well, Laird, and all parties returned unharmed. We can discuss the details later." He glanced around at all the listening ears and they took notice of his look and asked no more at present.

"It's good you've returned, uncle. Lady Ailene has learned about all she can from me. All she can do is continue practicing, but she needs to start working against other weapons, starting with heavier swords and working up to axes."

"Why not put her against one of the less experienced claymore users?" Bjarkë asked.

"Ailene can't get better fighting against lesser opponents. She should also compete against someone with excellent control of their blade so she doesn't get hurt too badly if she slips up, particularly at first. Until she gets used to fighting against heavier blades, I'd expect her to get whacked a few times. Best if it's from someone with fine control of their weapon."

"Aye, I'll help the lass out."

"Why don't you partake of food and rest before you start," Frang said.

"Thank you, I will. I'm both hungry and thirsty," Bjarkë replied.

Bjarkë went inside and Ailene asked Frang, "Are you sure I'm ready for this, Frang?"

"You need to start working against heavier weapons sometime and there's no one better to work with other than Thorburn. You're already better with the rapier than most of the men in Scotland. You lack experience against other types of weapons which you can only gain by doing it. You're more than qualified to start. Before you begin, there's a couple things to think about. Bjarkë is much stronger than you are. One of the things he'll be trying to do is use his superior strength against you by beating your blade aside to open an attack. Yours is the far lighter, but swifter, blade. You're best defense against this is not to let his blade hit yours. Move it out of the way. Let him expend himself on his attacks with the heavy weapon. Retreat, drop or raise your blade as necessary to make him miss. His attack cannot succeed unless he hits your rapier. When you must deflect his blade as you will for any thrusts or overhead strikes, let his blade slide down yours and deflect his point where his strength is least effective, at the tip, with your hilt where your strength will be greatest, right at your wrist."

Ailene nodded in understanding.

"He'll be using a dulled blade," Frang said, "and attempting to strike with the flat of his blade, not an edge, but you'll want a leather helmet and leather girdle to protect your sides. You're going to end up with bruises. Bjarkë is too good to avoid any damage, but bruises now are better than slashes later. Don't lose focus if you're hit or the next bruise will be worse. You're almost as good as me and I was able to beat Thorburn, although I'm sure it would be more difficult now. He's probably been visualizing what he'd do differently because he's going to be up against more and more of this type of weapon as it gains popularity. He may take it up himself if he's convinced of the benefits of doing so. Heavy weapons were the way to go against armor plate and possibly even chain mail to an extent, although my point will go through the chain links if it's not too fine, at which point the throat becomes my target. But as heavy armor started to go, the rapier became the superior weapon. It's a totally different style of fighting, which Thorburn wasn't used to, but he's smart and so bloody strong. If he used the point of his claymore, he might have done some damage as he handles one like most people could a light sword such as yours.

"The axe is another weapon you should get used to fighting. It's still used by a lot of warriors. You have the reach advantage over short handled axes and a speed advantage over long handled ones. You can't let an axe hit you. If it does, you're dead. Like a sword, it's a swinging weapon, and heavy, and you have to avoid it until you see your opening. I'll show you how to fight one before you try it. But it's speed and length against a short axe and speed and recovery time against a long one. Avoid the swing, recover, get your blade in the meat before they can recover against the momentum of their own weapon. That's where the ability to retreat with balance becomes handy. You go back to avoid the blade and immediately forward before they can reverse the swing. Most axemen still carry a shield, so you've got to be quick. They'll use the shield to protect the torso, so you may want to bleed them a few times in the legs. Do you understand, lass?"

"Aye," Ailene replied.

"Now Bjarkë saw Thorburn get beat, so he'll be cautious. I expect he's also considered how to defeat your lighter weapon. He hasn't survived this long by being stupid. But he's not used to the speed of it. You can't be unless you practice against it and he hasn't yet, though he's watched a lot. I expect you'll have to do a lot of retreating to start so we'll give you lots of room. Let him tire himself out by swinging his heavy sword, but don't be fooled. He may play at being more tired than he is. He's savvy. Make some feints to see how tired he really is. Don't get suckered by a ruse."

"I understand."

"Take a moment for some water and to cool down, but don't let your muscles get stiff, keep moving around to keep loose. I'll find a small leather jerkin and helmet for you."

"Aye. Thank you, Frang."

Ailene had a small cup of water and started walking around the practice ground, trying to stay warmed up. Bjarkë returned before Frang found what he was looking for. Ailene kept moving, but began to study Bjarkë as she paced. Bjarkë was close to fifty, the younger brother of Thorburn's mother, but he was a seasoned warrior who'd fought in numerous battles. He wasn't as tall or strong as Thorburn, but she knew no men who were. She rolled her shoulders and stared intently, thinking of how he would fight and how she wanted to counter each move, visualizing his tactics as she'd observed them while watching him practice.

Bjarkë noticed her intent interest and smiled, nodding to her. He started twisting and stretching himself. When he'd moved around a bit, he started picking up the practice swords until finding one he liked the balance of; swinging it about. Ailene was a bonny lass and he knew Stuart had picked himself a winner. He'd watched how hard she worked with Frang and how good she'd become. She was definitely someone he could respect. To a certain extent, he was sorry he hadn't worked against Frang to see how he might fight against this new fangled weapon, but he was about to find out.

Frang returned with a leather vest and a small helmet which he fitted over Ailene's head. He helped her into the vest.

"Remember what I told you, lass. Go slow. Be wary." He patted her on the shoulder. He handed her a rapier with a flattened tip so she wouldn't accidentally stick Bjarkë with a sharpened point.

It seemed everyone had stopped what they were doing and started to gather round. As the primary weapon's Master, Bjarkë had worked to train most of the older men there and everyone had felt the side of his blade often, to their great misery. They looked at the tiny woman facing Bjarkë and could not imagine how she would fare well against the grizzled veteran. The younger men who'd been working with Frang and Ailene with the rapier gave her a slightly better chance because they knew how good she was, but looking at their comparative size, it seemed impossible she could win. Only the men who'd actually witnessed the fight between Frang and Thorburn thought she had any chance at all. After all, she was a woman.

Cyrus McTeague was one of those watching and he stood beside the largest of the men who regularly practiced with Bjarkë and felt his blade more than most because more was expected of him. He said, "The poor lassie doesn't stand a chance."

McTeague looked at him speculatively for a few moments and asked, "Are you willing to wager?"

"What kind of odds would you be wanting?"

"Even money," McTeague said, turning to watch again.

The big man said. "Five coppers."

"Done," McTeague said. "Bjarkë gets stuck more often than he hits Lady Cameron. Two more says he's blooded first."

"Easiest money I ever made," the man said, agreeing to the terms.

Frang made all the people back up until he had a good sized space giving Ailene an opportunity to move around. He looked at Bjarkë and said, "I don't want you to hold back, uncle. She can't get better unless she fights the best and knows she can take a blow and get back up."

"Is that okay with you, lassie?" Bjarkë asked Ailene.

"Aye. He's right. Give me your best."

They took up positions in the middle of the training ground and Ailene got in her stance, saying "En Garde."

Bjarkë decided to try a bull rush to start. He screamed loudly and began a rapid advance whirling his sword from side to side. He was pleased to see Ailene didn't turn to flee but retreated calmly, maintaining her balance at all times. She took note of the rhythm of his attack and after she'd gauged the movements, brought her rapier up deflecting a backward return stroke up and touching her point to his chest. Bjarkë smiled at her and rubbed his chest where she hit him.

"Good one, lassie. I'm glad to see you remained calm."

She nodded to him, smiling back, acknowledging his praise.

"Thank you, uncle."

"The next few won't be as easy, lass."

"I hope not. I'm expecting some competition," Ailene said.

Bjarkë laughed. "Stuart picked himself a good one. You remind me of Thorburn's mother."

"High praise, uncle. I understand your sister was a fine woman."

"The very best."

"I'm honored to be compared to the incomparable shield maiden, Brynhildr."

McTeague nudged the big man standing beside him in the ribs. "That's two you owe me. You want to give me the rest now?"

"I'm still planning on getting the other five from you. Let's wait until the fight's over." For the first time he started worrying about the contents of his purse. It might be a lot emptier than he ever imagined.

Bjarkë realized he wasn't going to surprise Ailene into making any sudden mistakes. He started to circle slowly, watching her foot work as he moved, noticing if she remained balanced. She did. She'd been well trained. He tried beating her blade aside as Thorburn had with Frang, but not following up, watching for her response. She moved her rapier slightly and his passed harmlessly by but she saw he was prepared for her riposte so she just waited on the balls of her feet. Alert, good for her. For twenty minutes they danced around, probing each other for weaknesses, Bjarkë making several attempts to get through her defenses. She repulsed every one. Their battle started to draw even more attention. Isobel came out and started cheering for Ailene. So were her students. She heard them screaming in the background, now realizing the skills they learned would allow them to compete against bigger and stronger opponents. They were proud she was their teacher.

As time went on, Ailene started feeling more confident in her skills. She was breathing easier and didn't feel tired. Bjarkë didn't look particularly winded either, but he hadn't made any aggressive moves for several minutes, trying to figure out to get around her guard. She started to go on the offensive. She initiated a series of attacks, two of which brought her touches on Bjarkë's torso. He attempted blocking both but her blade was faster than his and she got through each time. Bjarkë got sick of being on the defensive and went on the offensive again, which resulted in two more touches for Ailene. That's when she became over confident. His guard seemed to drop as if the sword was getting too heavy for him. She saw an opening and went for another lunge into his torso. At the last moment he interposed his free arm and took the point there, a wounding, but not killing touch and his sword snapped around and smacked against the side of her head and Ailene dropped as if she'd been poleaxed. She lay still on the ground, unmoving.

Bjarkë was immediately at her side, checking her breathing. Frang and Isobel were right behind, as were several others. Thank God, she still breathed. Bjarkë picked her up and carried her into the house, Isobel rushing ahead calling for smelling salts, water and fresh cloths. He practically leapt up the stars and laid her on her bed. He started to loosen her clothes, realized what he was doing and asked Isobel to continue loosening her clothing so she could breath easier.

When the leather jerkin was unfastened, Bjarkë said to Isobel, "Lay your ear on her breasts and listen for breathing and a heart beat."

Isobel laid her head on Ailene's chest and heard a steady heartbeat and shallow but unlabored breathing.

"She's been knocked unconscious, but she's alive and breathing well."

Bjarkë gave a huge sigh of relief. "I didn't mean to strike her so hard. It was so frustrating fighting this wee chit of a lass and not laying my sword on her. I saw my chance and moved quickly before she could defend and I hit her much harder than intended. I'm so glad I didn't kill her."

"She's not out of the woods yet, Bjarkë," Isobel responded. "She could still die if the blow was hard enough. She could have bleeding on the brain. Unfortunately, she's the best doctor we have but she's unconscious. She'd know what we need to do now. I don't. We need to get her awake."

The maid came in with the salts, water and cloths. Isobel waved the salts under Ailene's nose and they saw the flaring of her nostrils, but she remained still. Isobel dipped the first cloth in the water and began stroking Ailene's head and brow with the damp cloth. After doing her head, she dipped in the water again and began running it around her neck and upper chest.

"Frang, make yourself useful," Isobel ordered. "I want you to hold her hand and squeeze it while talking to her."

"What should I say?" Frang asked.

"Anything you want. I just want her to hear a voice speaking to her. We need to get through the fog clouding her mind right now and everything we can do to that aim is good."

Isobel continued to bathe Ailene's face, head, neck and upper chest with damp cloths. She sent the maid for more water. "As cold as you can find."

Frang started speaking to Ailene while rubbing her hand. "You did so grand out there, lassie. I was so proud of you. Five touches you got before he laid one on you. Tis the difference between practice and actually being in battle. Did you note what he did? He accepted you were going to wound him to get his blow in, but he interposed his arm and took the damage there so he could strike you with the other. Battles are bloody, messy affairs and when getting beaten by a superior opponent, you have to look for any advantage you have. Bjarkë decided to take a wound to the arm to get in a killing return blow. If you find yourself fighting a stronger, better swordsman, you may have to do the same. Take a non-lethal wound to get your own blow in. Bjarkë learned this from years on the battlefield. Fighting is not always pretty. You do what you must to win."

Bjarkë laid his arm on Frang's shoulder. "It's a hard lesson to learn. I'm surprised you've learned it. You've never been in a lot of battles."

"Aye, but I've been in a few duels and I wasn't always the better fencer, particularly when I first started. I was lucky a few times."

Isobel glanced at him, shaking her head. Her husband's past was somewhat unsavory though she was unaware of all the details. She tried the smelling salts again and Ailene groaned and opened her eyes.

Bjarkë said, "Lass, you scared me half to death. I don't know what I would tell Stuart if I killed you."

"What happened," Ailene murmured, still groggy.

"Bjarkë laid his blade against your head and knocked you unconscious," Isobel said. "You've been out for fifteen or twenty minutes. You're our doctor so I wasn't sure what to do other than smelling salts, bathing your head and holding your hand. Before you fall asleep again, what more should we be doing?"

"I can't go to sleep. You must keep me up. If I sleep, I might not wake up if there's internal bleeding. You wouldn't notice from my behavior."

"Not at all?" Isobel asked.

"Not tonight," Ailene answered. "If I make it through the night, you can let me sleep in the morning." She gingerly touched the left side of her head. "Was I hit here?"

"Aye, lass. I whacked you hard," Bjarkë said.

"There's not much of a lump here."

"The helmet protected you some, I think," Frang said.

"Thank you for making sure I wore one," Ailene said. "It's not the outside I'm worried about now, it's the inside. The brain can bounce around the inside of the head from a blow. My father said when they cut open corpses which had died from blows to the head, there was evidence the brains bled and bruised on both sides of the head. Once where hit, and on the opposite side of the blow where the brain bounced against the skull. It's a small chance, but if I can't stay awake or show any signs of bleeding from the ears or eyes. You may need to drill a hole in my skull to relieve the pressure."

"Drill a hole!" Isobel exclaimed. "We can't drill a hole in your head!"

"You may have to, or I'll die."

"How do we do it?" Frang asked, "if it should be necessary."

"Smallest, sharpest bit you have. Best to have a carpenter do it if no surgeon's about. You want to get it through just the skull itself, not into the tissue beneath it. You have to go slowly enough you can stop as soon as blood starts flowing out of the hole. The pressure will be built up behind it and it will come out fast. As soon as the bleeding slows, put a tight bandage around it. The bone will eventually grow back. You can practice on an old cow skull, before you start on me, but you should practice now, because you'll have to start immediately if I have problems."

"I'll have the carpenter start practicing now," Frang said, getting up and leaving.

"What should we be doing before it comes to drilling holes in your pretty little head?" Isobel asked.