A Royal Sacrifice Ch. 14

Anne's auburn hair formed a halo around her face as she gasped and whimpered, still trembling from the strength of her climax. Beads of sweat adorned every inch of her flushed, nude body, glittering in the faint candlelight of the room.

Guy smiled, stroking her smooth thighs as he held his manhood buried in her depths. Her writhing and the tight clench of her walls at the peak of her pleasure had threatened to overwhelm his control, but he had succeeded in holding his seed.

As she recovered her breath, Guy pulled from her slowly and pushed back into her hot depths at the same pace. The brief respite as he awaited the cooling of her climax would not long delay his own eruption into ecstasy, but he intended to enjoy every moment of it.

"Oh," Anne moaned, the sound long and low as his member pushed into her wet heat once more. "My love, I find heaven each time," she languidly said as the tip of his manhood once more settled into her depths.

"As do I, dear Anne," Guy responded, as he remained enveloped in her velvety embrace before withdrawing again, feeling the hot pressure of his impending release building once more. Knowing that the inevitable was upon him, his next thrust inside her was quick, and filled with the power of his passion.

A sharp gasp burst from Anne's lips as he stabbed inside her. She longed to feel his seed filling her, but knew it was impossible as she'd been unable to coax life from her husband's manhood to provide an explanation if her lover's seed found root in her womb. A slight shiver of unwelcome anticipation rocked her as his cock vanished inside her at an ever quicker pace. The tingling itch building rapidly inside her distracted her from what was to come as she drew near to a second climax.

Guy barely heard the squeal passing Anne's lips as she once more reached her peak, every ounce of his concentration turned toward his own pleasure. When he reached the point of no return, he jerked free of her with a growl and clenched his teeth, bending all his will to keeping his seed contained for the precious few seconds necessary.

Still gasping for breath and twitching from the waves of ecstasy flooding her body, Anne levered her upper body from the bed on trembling arms. Somehow, she managed to pull herself upright and lean forward to take him in her mouth.

As always, her stomach threatened to rebel as she tasted her bitter juices on the thick shaft stretching her lips and the scent of her musk filled her lungs. Knowing the pleasure this gave the man she adored beyond life itself, she bobbed her head in short strokes over his cock, feeling it swell in her mouth. She choked when he released a gasping groan and filled her mouth with his thick cream, but maintained control over her roiling stomach to swallow.

Guy let out several gasping grunts as he spurted his seed against the entrance of her throat. The sight of her lying below him -- submissive to his whims in every way -- added strength to his climax. A dribble of his semen ran from the corner of her mouth when she coughed around him, but her lips closed around his glans immediately thereafter. She suckled him until he had nothing left to offer and pushed her away with a gasp.

Falling to the mattress as Anne swallowed and took shallow breaths, Guy said, "There are no sweeter lips than yours, dear Anne."

The satisfaction and adoration in his voice erased all thoughts of her churning stomach, filling Anne with warmth. Rolling over onto her back, she leaned her cheek against his leg and sighed. "Your pleasure is my life, my love."

"And yours, mine," Guy lied. "You must go, dear Anne, before your husband awakens to find you absent from your bed -- though it rends mine heart to see you go."

"I long for the day when we may share the night through," Anne lamented as she sat up in preparation to leave.

"As do I. Go, dear Anne, before your husband awakens to dash our hopes against the rocks and rend them asunder."

Anne nodded and rose from the bed on unsteady legs to dress once more. She paused at the door, turning to Guy and saying, "Rest well, my love."

"Rest well, dear Anne," Guy responded, offering her a smile.

As soon as the door closed, Guy's forced smile vanished from his face. He'd hoped to find a few more minutes of diversion in Anne's embrace, but his mind had returned to the orders of Bagdemagus almost before the last drop of his seed dribbled into her mouth.

At first, his forced servitude to the wizard had proved a great boon, allowing him to further his own plans with the two wealthy families he played against each other through his connections in the castle. Living amongst the nobility had likewise proved an enjoyable experience -- until the wizard returned.

Guy violently shook his head as he remembered that encounter and how it had shaken his confidence. Pushing the thoughts aside, he turned his mind to the task placed upon his shoulders by Bagdemagus. Having defied the wizard somewhat in coming here, he felt the sharp edge of his wits returning after the unmanning encounter in the castle.

Naturally, the woman must die in a way that would not implicate him in her demise. He had no intention of giving up the advantageous position he now found himself in, if at all possible. He assumed that it would be wise to limit any connection to Bagdemagus as well, even though any foul deed that happened would be somehow connected to the wizard whether the man was involved or not.

Taking her by the blade, no matter how stealthy the attack, offered too many possibilities for detection. Poison was the logical solution, allowing him to kill the woman from afar.

Would that I might somehow turn this task to my advantage as well. I walk a fine line. How much better to kill the wench and gain the confidence of those who mistrust me...

Now fully engaged in finding his own benefit, Guy's mind snapped into focus, exploring and discarding possibilities. As the beginnings of a plan formed in his mind, his smile returned.

****

Lurking in the shadows, Bagdemagus paused just before revealing himself to his pawn to punish him. In Guy's face, he could see the cunning contemplation that had initially prompted him to ensnare the rogue.

Though still angered by Guy coming here to indulge his desires, Bagdemagus stayed his wrath. His pawn had spent far too much time basking in the opulence of the nobility upon gaining entrance of the castle -- the true source of the wizard's irritation. Seeing the calculating expression on the rogue's face now, he sensed that his message had taken root in Guy at last.

Unseen and unheard, the Spectre That Walks left the room. If Guy did not return to the castle tomorrow and show signs that he worked toward removing the threat of Rebecca, he would deliver his chastisement -- his final chastisement -- then.

Such was the price of utilizing others to fulfill his needs. Rebecca had proven inadequate, her wits stifled by his charm. Guy's mind was intact, but unpredictable. If he proved incapable of executing the task given to him through his skill and wit, he would provide fodder for a cruder method of ending Rebecca's life -- and his own.

For now, there were others that required observation, and tasks that the wizard would trust to none other.

****

John watched Guy stride confidently from the stables toward the castle, every move the man made speaking of arrogance. Though now considered a noble, John had not yet held that position for so long as to overcome his natural aversion to such pomposity. "I do not trust that man."

Turning away from the sight of an especially attractive woman's backside, Eric followed his friend's gaze to Guy. Hazy images of memory formed in his mind from long ago -- the life he'd abandoned when he could no longer abide the restrictions. He dimly remembered another who had done much the same, a man who shared a resemblance with the one now entering the castle. Shrugging his shoulders, he said, "He is likely as trustworthy as any man." With that, he turned back to the woman walking down the path from the castle, disappointed to discover that she was far enough away now that his imagination would serve him as well as reality.

"Do you know him?"

Turning back to John, Eric adopted a dismissive and somewhat confused expression. "Why do you ask that?"

"Something in your expression every time you see him. I see recognition -- and not welcome recognition."

Again shrugging his shoulders, Eric said, "Perhaps, but what does it matter?"

"If you know anything about the man, it could be important. He could be a spy for some Lord, a murderer in our midst, or even belong to him. Have you heard anything about this Guy from any of the women you've bedded? Rumor in the castle already builds regarding his effect upon the servants."

"I'm not worried about what they're talking about," Eric said with a lecherous grin. "Besides, the business of spies and murders belongs to you. I'm just a stablehand."

"You will tell me if you remember anything or hear anything?"

"Yes." The sound of a musical laugh caused Eric to turn and break into a wide smile. "I believe I hear something interesting right now."

Shaking his head, John said, "I sometimes believe your every thought dwells in your trousers."

Before starting off toward the now blushing woman, likely some important merchant's daughter or wife by his best guess, Eric said, "Then I hope to discard my thoughts to the floor beneath her bed soon."

His thoughts consumed by his duties, John could not find the mirth he might once have in his friend's predictable nature. As Eric moved toward his next conquest, John sought out Cedric.

****

Guy's face hardened for a moment as he entered the castle. Though Eric only vaguely remembered him -- and didn't truly pay much mind to the memory -- Guy certainly recalled the massive man. As one of those charged with reining in the adventurous young Guy because of his strict adherence to the discipline of the church -- despite his young age -- Eric had been a source of constant irritation.

On the one hand, Guy wondered if Eric might be a useful tool. The man had obviously abandoned the church as he had, and from all appearances now rebelled against everything he'd once stood for. On the other, Guy couldn't help but wonder if it was some ploy of the church to track him down. It was the sort of thing he might have done himself, and he knew the dark underbelly of God's chosen well enough to believe it possible.

Shrugging off the thoughts, Guy returned to his mission this day. He needed to be in place at the right time to take advantage of events set in motion just prior to his final ride to the castle, and that would require moving within the tight inner circle surrounding the young Queen. In the larger scheme of things, Eric was a far less important piece in the game than the two peasant knights the man kept company with.

Within the room provided for him in the castle once more, Guy took up his pen to write a request for audience with Chancellor Benedict. He knew the written request alone would intrigue the shrewd man, as few had the time to learn the skill save the nobility -- and men of the cloth. While he despised the church in principle, he couldn't deny the usefulness of the skills he'd learned under their tutelage.

He formed the words of his request in perfect, flowing script, eagerly anticipating the battle of wits with the opponent he considered his greatest challenge.

****

Though sufficiently convinced that Guy worked toward his assigned task with determined purpose, Bagdemagus could not allow his pawn's dalliance to go unpunished.

The busty chambermaid let out a sigh and shuddered in apparent ecstasy as the wizard's charm touched the sensitive flesh of the chamber maid's thigh, just beyond the dark pelt of curls hiding her sex. The woman's back arched and the musky scent of her arousal reached Bagdemagus as he pulled back his hand to reveal the mark on her fair skin.

Having already attended to those within the Lempe estate and the woman's husband -- only the honey-blonde Rachel remained. With a sweeping gesture of his hand, Bagdemagus ordered Isabelle to rise from the bed where she lay. As the raven-haired woman vacated the bed, Rachel lay down to part her legs wide.

Stepping forward, the wizard stroked his fingers over the woman's abdomen, drawing a shudder and a gasp from her. "My pawn finds this convenient, does he not?" Harsh, whispered words followed the question, culminating in a crackling spark of light from the wizard's finger that caused the woman on the bed to lurch.

Though a minor magic capable of little more than a fascinating display of electricity in most cases, careful direction of the power served Bagdemagus well. Within Rachel's womb, one spark extinguished another -- the spark of life within her unborn child.

Once again, the wizard's charm touched soft female flesh, leaving a permanent mark that her husband would ignore. Should Guy find the opportunity to see any of the three women with their legs parted again, he surely would notice.

Some time would likely pass before such an opportunity would arise, however. The potions given to the heads of the two households would dull the infirmities of age and the maladies affecting both men. For the immediate future, both men would feel twenty years younger and in perfect health. The potions only masked the truth, and the men would burn out as a candle lit from both ends, far before their time.

In the meantime, Guy would find little sexual distraction within the two households. Even once the men wasted away, the marks would provide a constant reminder to Guy of where his priorities should lie -- should he live that long.

As the women dressed, the wizard swept out of the room, and then out the front door. None would remember his presence, or what had transpired during his visit. Every servant and master in the two households was so beholden to greed and lust that it required little power to play with their minds.

Though overcast, the day was especially warm, heralding the approach of Midsummer's Day. Bagdemagus smiled in anticipation, knowing that the fruit of all his labors was so gloriously close to ripening.

****

"Did you learn anything?" John asked.

Shaking his head in irritation, Cedric replied, "Rumors. Legend. If I were to believe all that even the oldest and wisest claim, then we face Satan himself."

Cedric's words trailed off as his eyes focused on the castle above. Following his fellow knight's gaze, John saw the Queen and Rebecca standing on a balcony. After two days of riding from village to village in search of information, it was not difficult to determine that the sight of Rebecca was what stilled Cedric's tongue and stole his breath.

His brow furrowing, John stared at Evelyn, seeing the Queen staring out over the countryside, lost in thought. "I wonder if this is all too much for her?"

Partially snapping out of his trance, Cedric absently responded, "Evie has the strength -- I know it."

Seeing the obvious desire in Cedric's face, John said, "Go to her. Now that you've seen her, you'll be able to think of nothing else until you do."

With a nod, Cedric acknowledged John's words and started toward the castle. John winced, only then realizing he'd failed to mention his suspicion of Guy. Later. I'll watch this Lord Guy until then.

John then followed his fellow knight toward the castle gate.

****

Guy nodded and informed the page, "Please convey my gratitude to His Royal Excellency for granting me audience and ensure him I will arrive promptly at the designated time."

The page nodded and moved briskly away from Guy's door, which the rogue shut with a smile. Benedict had responded quickly, confirming Guy's estimation that the Chancellor would find his request for a meeting most intriguing.

Seeing the peasant-knight John lurking nearby was likewise unsurprising.

With what he would need already awaiting him in a well-protected spot, Guy straightened his clothing and adjusted his sword belt before turning to the door once more. Though the knight looked away upon his emergence, Guy already knew that John watched him in distrust. Suppressing the urge to chuckle, he strode confidently toward the knight. "Sir Knight, if I may have but a moment of your time?"

"What is it?" John asked, a little surprised by Guy's action.

"I have spent time amongst the farms and villages, seeking the means to find the foul wizard that has cast a pall over this land, and I leave even now to continue that quest. Though I must return to seek counsel with His Royal Excellency the Chancellor on the morrow, I feel uneasy remaining idle. Should fortune smile upon me, to whom should I convey any information that I may discover in my journey? As you and your brother knight are charged with this daunting task, I would assume that such word should be brought to you, but I am unfamiliar with the customs of your land."

"If you discover anything, you may bring word to us," John responded dubiously. "Why do you take this task upon yourself?"

"There are treaties and agreements binding our two lands, Sir Knight. The foul deeds befalling Vix will have consequences beyond your borders. I serve Ural in this as much as Vix, and in doing so I serve a noble purpose as well."

Still disbelieving the man's words, John nevertheless answered, "Very well."

"You do not trust me, do you, Sir Knight?"

"I don't know."

"Then perchance I may find opportunity to earn that trust as well. Good day, Sir Knight."

"Good day," John responded as the rogue nodded his head and proceeded toward the castle gate.

The encounter accomplished exactly what Guy had set out to do, putting the knight just far enough off-balance that there was little chance he would follow closely enough to prove troublesome. As he rode away from the castle, Guy's sharp eyes caught sight of the knight watching him, but showing no signs of pursuit.

With much to do, and doubtlessly little time to do so -- considering the limited patience of Bagdemagus -- Guy quickly rode away from the castle.

****

Clad in rags and artfully encrusted in filth, Guy little resembled the same man that had ridden forth from the castle some time earlier. After only a few minutes in the village, the fruit of his carefully sown whisperings was apparent. A poison now coursed through the village, spread from a heart of the superstitious.

Though most ignored the whispers of witch and whore of Lucifer, the clucking tongues aroused just enough suspicion and righteous indignation to serve Guy's purpose. From the roots here, the murmurs would soon enough spread to similarly gullible people in other villages and farms.

Leaving the village center, Guy waited for the right opportunity to approach the outskirts of the village -- and the ramshackle abode of one who dwelt there. The subject of many whispers himself; the man lived a reclusive life, and was deemed mad by most -- with good reason.

Carefully creeping up to the house, Guy recognized the voices of two men within. One belonged to the zealot who lived in the shack, while the other man's tongue wagged to the tune of Guy's coin.

Folding his hands and intently listening from his place of concealment, Guy determined that the rumors concerning the zealot's adulterous wife and her lover were most likely true. Guy could almost see the froth of madness on the man's lips in his words as the discussion continued.

Convinced that the faintest spark could now ignite a bonfire, Guy returned to the village, as unseen in his stealth as the wizard who commanded him. Once more returning to the village center, he observed the local priest attempting to calm his flock. For now, this served Guy's purposes. Should the paranoia spread too quickly and too far, the castle would become a prison, forcing him to take matters into his own hands -- the last course of action he wished to undertake.