Down on the Mat

Location: Ramez, Duchy of Atansha, Kingdom of Tildor

Date: Feb 2048

Founded in the early summer of 2046, Ramez was a growing town on the eastern shores of the continent of Anzac. With just over a thousand people, Ramez was small, rough, and even a tad provincial. They called the main valley and surrounding lands Atansha, or Pleasant Home. Atansha was part of Tildor, a kingdom that took its name from the great plains of grass that separated the far-flung cities on its edges. Tildor literally meant 'grass.' The duchy lay on the northeastern-most part of the great plains the comprised the kingdom, situated at the easternmost foothills of the continent-spanning Skyreach Mountains.

Royce Moramorian was Duke of Atansha. With him were his two wives, Susan and Charlotte Ann, the eldest two children of Dobson and Gale Starshine of Starshine. All three of them were namesakes, that is, they were named after existing adults. Royce's first name was Caernach – which was Irish for soldier – and Royce was named after his father, Prince Caernach. However, no one ever called him by his first name, not even his parents. Susan was named after her aunt. Charlotte Ann was named after Princess Charlotte, Royce's birth mother.

Royce and the two sisters had been lovers only a few months before their marriage. However, they had known each other since infancy and had attended elementary and secondary school together. While neither he nor the sisters were passionately in love with the other, they did have friendship, family, a long history, and a good idea of each other's character and temperament – all factors to making a good match. When he had proposed, Royce explained he admired them, and that with time, they could even grow to fall in love with each other.

After several days of discussion, Susan and Charlotte Ann agreed. Even though she was eldest, Charlotte Ann insisted that Susan be First Wife, as the dark-haired warrior was decidedly not interested in "kitchens or laundry." With a great deal of fanfare, the marriages were held in Tildor's capital city of Sharaton-Charlottesville.

At one hundred and eighty centimeters, Royce was nearly as tall as his father, Prince Caernach Moramorian. Both men had dark brown hair and dark brown eyes, strong chins and handsome faces. Prince Caernach sported a handle-bar mustache, while Royce was almost always clean-shaven, though sometimes he wore a short beard. Like his father, Royce was trained both as a holy knight of the church and as a wilderness ranger.

Susan had the height of her father, General Dobson Starshine of Sharshine, being just eight centimeters shorter than Royce. Her skin was light, lighter than either of her parents, with intelligent, hazel eyes, and her hair was pale blonde, straight -- and even braided, it hung to her bottom. A high priestess of the Lawgiver, Susan was strong and fit. Her breasts were full enough to fill a hand, she was narrow of waist, and had wide hips.

Charlotte Ann had her mother's frame, and though taller her mother, at one hundred sixty eight centimeters, was shorter than Susan. Charlotte Ann's hair was dark brown, and her eyes were a dark, smokey blue. Like Susan, her breasts were full without being large. However, her frame was narrower and leaner, and well-suited to her vocation as a warrior. Like Royce, she was trained as a wilderness ranger and had completed several courses at the military college in the capital. Even after her marriage into house Moramorian, Charlotte Ann wore a string of lapis lazuli and gold beads in the clan pattern of Starshine of Starshine in her hair. Charlotte Ann was extremely proud of her father and her family. Though it was within his rights, Royce took no issue with the bead pattern, especially since she wore his House arms on her clothing.

All three had had a strong liberal arts education overseen by the demanding Dr. Shalia Elvaraë, one of the most famous sages on the continent of Anzac. Each of them spoke at least three languages fluently, were trained in hand-to-hand combat -- Royce and Charlotte Ann taking it to expert and beyond -- and after graduating, each had completed the year-long Nobles College in the capital.

During their journey to Atansha, Charlotte Ann proved an able lieutenant to Royce and a canny military commander. After two months of travel they arrived in mid-June, scouted out the land, and began building.

Ramez, the main city of Atansha, was some fifteen kilometers inland from the eastern seashore. Royce and his wives had seriously considered a nearby sheltered harbor for their city, but the discovery of both gold and iron in substantial quantities, as well as the adjacent large and fertile valley motivated them to build inland, closer to the mines and croplands. A seaport could come later. Farms and orchards were planted, herds of horses and cattle set to graze, and with the mines, a smelter and foundry were built. Magical filters were designed to combat the harsh smoke of the factories, and druids were employed to keep the forests replenished, as the smelter, foundry, and growing town all demanded fuel in great quantities.

In the two years since arriving and establishing themselves, Ramez had suffered dozens of attacks, seven of them being significant. Two were raids by Melcotian pirates, coming down from the north. The first pirate sortie had been a single ship with almost a hundred armed men. The second attack, less than a year later, had involved three ships carrying over five hundred buccaneers. Fortunately, Charlotte Ann's active patrols gave them advanced warning, and the enemy was dealt with both times with minimal losses to the duchy.

In between the two sea-borne raid were assaults by hostile humanoids, determined to destroy their city. Two were by the Cloven Skull orc tribe, and the last was launched by the Razorbacks, a tribe of hobgoblins. Very quickly, a vigorous watch system was maintained along the northern, northwestern, and western approaches to Ramez.

To their surprise, they discovered they had neighbors several days ride to their northwest. Little Pine Hill was a small enclave of celtic and nordic humans and storm giants. Royce took an immediate liking to John Stark, their leader, and in a short while, trade and defense treaties were signed.

In between pirates and humanoids came a large raiding party from Sslandah, a city of ophidians, a race of xenophobic reptilian humanoids living some distance north of Ramez. Their poisonous bite had proved a nasty surprise. The healing powers of Susan and several of her subordinate priests were immensely helpful. In the end, the ophidians, too, were defeated.

The last and most recent attack was the sudden arrival of three forest dragons. Drawn by word of gold, they accounted for their worst casualties thus far, both in people and in livestock. Royce killed one dragon single-handedly, and had delivered the killing blow to another. The third had only been taken by a combined assault by two companies of determined pikemen and a third of archers, many of whom perished in the fight. In all, they had lost nearly a thousand people in two years, and two-thirds of those by the dragons. It was a devastating loss of life to their struggling city.

Yet in spite of the attacks, the harsh winters, and trying to build while keeping everyone safe and whole, the city of Ramez was slowly growing. There was money to be made, especially in the mines, and that brought immigrants from other cities in Tildor, and even from other lands.

As First Wife, Susan kept very busy with the duties of running their household, and as a high priestess and most senior member of the church for over a thousand kilometers, she was busy running the temple as well. Trained in administration and canon law, Royce quickly came to depend on her advice on civic matters. For her part, Susan made sure she did her wifely duty four or five times during the week, even if most of them were quickies. If she were really pressed for time, she would arrive, give Royce a few kisses, suck on him until he exploded in her mouth, and after licking him clean, dash off. Royce, knowing she had obligations just as he did, let it go. The simple fact that she cared enough and tried to keep him satisfied meant a lot to him. Most nights found her stumbling to bed, or Royce retrieving her from some chair where she'd fallen asleep at her work.

It was during their first winter that Royce informed Susan of a change in their routines. Once a week they would have a day off, a day for them to spend together. "We have to take time for ourselves," Royce insisted, "taking time to be together." On those days, Royce almost always started the morning with his face between Susan's legs, with her coming until she could barely stand it, then he'd ride her until he came at least twice. Afterward, they could work on whatever projects took their fancy, though it was mostly to allow Susan to recuperate. However, the rule was they had to be together. And during the day, they would make love several more times. The night in bed involved a lot of holding and talking together, and not always ending in sex. Susan quickly came to enjoy their time together a great deal.

As much as the schedule changes chaffed during these so-called days off, Susan appreciated that he, too, was trying to strengthen their relationship, that in the building of their home they didn't neglect each other. Too, she found that she truly enjoyed sex with him, even the quick encounters, as much for the pleasure she gave him as for the intimate contact. Royce had a strong sex drive, and his inherited ability to regenerate meant that he could have sex for hours, ejaculate several times during that time, and not lose his erection. Even though sometimes it was hard to put her legs together without healing magic after their "day off," Susan found she didn't mind. His desire for her was real, and she came to value that as the compliment that it was. Of course, some days, she was just as horny as Royce.

Royce saw Charlotte Ann much less often. As a skilled warrior and tactician, she spent many days at a time patroling their lands and protecting their people. After their first major battle, Royce appointed her officially as his second in command and as Lord Marshal. The soldiers liked and respected her. Whenever she returned from patrol, Royce debriefed her with his advisors, then in private, helped her clean off the sweat and grime from her travels in the bath. Most of the time she didn't make it out of the water before he was inside her. Usually by dawn the next morning, Charlotte Ann was out with the next patrol, and she would be gone for the next week or ten days.

By the second year out in the wilderness, they finished the second level of the manor, and began work on the third story.

About that time, Royce informed Charlotte Ann he needed her to help oversee more of the training, especially for their scouts. Royce hoped that it would also help give him more time with his second wife. She accepted the task without comment, but by her manner, he knew she wasn't happy with the change. Shortly after, Charlotte Ann added her own change to their relationship.

Next to the master bedroom on the second floor was a large indoor bathroom with both hot and cold running water, indoor toilets, a large open shower area and a huge hot tub with adjustable water jets. The cost had been enormous. Royce paid forty thousand gold royals for the enchantments on the pipes alone, and as much on the filters to purify the water coming in and going out. No longer did baths require a dozen people bringing hot water from the first floor. Though a rare event, the three of them could easily fit into the large tub with room to spare. Susan loved their completed bathroom, and made use of it every morning, and after a long day, in the evening as well. Royce considered the way it made them all feel and judged the expense worthwhile.

On the other side of the bathroom was a second doorway to their indoor gym. It was equipped with mats, practice weapons, and weights. Soon after the gym was finished, Charlotte Ann began using it whenever she was home. After a few weeks, she began asking Royce to spar with her. She was tired of fighting practice dummies, she'd explained. Knowing his own hand-to-hand skills were getting rusty, he'd agreed. Both also agreed there would be no face shots, and they would not use full strength blows. Without comment, Charlotte Ann let Royce know that while they weren't full force, her attacks weren't love taps either. Be on guard or get bruised. Royce responded in kind.

After seeing their first match, Susan refused to watch any more, saying she couldn't stand watching two people she loved hurt each other.

It hadn't taken long before torn clothing was a regular part of their matches. Charlotte Ann simply shrugged it off, insisting they continue. To simplify things, they began practicing in shorts, tops bare. They knew each other's moves, so it was a constant effort for both to find some new ploy or pattern to use. Royce admired her form as she admired his, battle scars and all.

Afterwards, when in the tub, she would fondle him until he was hard, then climb into his lap and ride him until she came. If her tight pussy milking his cock didn't trigger his own orgasm, he would put her legs over his arms, stand up in the tub with her hanging on, and holding her by her butt, piston his cock into her wet center until he exploded inside her. Charlotte Ann enjoyed that as well.

Royce soon realized that the sweatier they got during their sparring, the hotter Charlotte Ann was in the tub.

Two weeks earlier, he had hit her rather hard during a bout, and it had obviously pained her, so without any word, he laid his hands on her and by his divine gift as a holy warrior, he invoked the prayer to heal her injuries.

She had reacted with a great deal of anger, shoving him away. "What am I? Some fragile wall flower? I am a warrior, damn it! I can handle a few knocks, thank you very much."

Royce tried to talk to her, to ask her why she was so angry, but she'd held up her hand, palm outward, and looked away -- her sign that she was furious and any further talking would be pointless. A quick rinse in the shower, then she had stormed off to bed, making sure Susan lay between them. She left early the next morning, departing with a long range patrol. And somehow, Royce found time to review the training of the new recruits.

After she returned, Royce tried again to broach the matter, but she refused to discuss it. She came home, cleaned up, spent a few days reviewing schedules and then took off again, pointedly avoiding him. At night when she crawled into bed, Susan was between them. Worse, sometimes she just used her cot in her office in the tower across the bailey. Royce didn't press the matter directly. Rather, he considered talking to Susan for her insight. Since his marriage to the sisters, he was getting an education on what they were really like. Because Susan was around more, Royce considered that he knew her better. Susan and Charlotte Ann were close. At times, it seemed the bond between them was deeper than even their marriage vows to him. They would dress and bathe together, might even watch the other make love with him. But the one time before their marriage when he'd suggested a three-way had been met with horror from them both. Indeed, a fight with one ran the risk of having both of them angry at him.

It occurred to Royce that sparring with Charlotte Ann wasn't just practice anymore. Physical exertion had become a means of foreplay while also asserting her independence. Just recently, while out with some of the clan leaders, reviewing the herds, they discussed horses and breeding. He was reminded that most mares didn't submit to stallions without a long run first, a reminder to the stallion that the mare let the stallion catch her. Which in turn reminded him that among big cats, the female would initiate mating by giving the male a swat across the face to gain his attention. The idea troubled him, as Charlotte Ann was a woman, and he knew her to be very intelligent. Further, he believed he'd always treated both of his wives with respect and love. Yet he also knew that in matters of sex or of the heart, people didn't always act with their brains first.

It was a cold February evening, and long past dinner. The day had been windy and cold, and more snow dusted the ground. The evening was colder still as the sky cleared and the temperature dropped.

Royce's own office was still very much under construction. Along the south wall, tools and wood were stacked. At the moment, bookshelves were a simple brick and lumber plank affair. Chairs were basic wooden furniture with no padding, and there was no desk, just a pair of tables with piles of papers, drawings, and writing tools on them.

After dinner, Susan informed Royce she would spend a few hours in the chapel, and then retire. Royce gave Susan several minutes of holding and kissing before she left. Then he went to his office, to work out the budgeting costs and targeted goods for the latest trade mission to the capital being put together.

It was now nearly three weeks since the evening when Charlotte Ann had lost her temper. Royce felt he'd been more than fair, giving her time to sort things out. He was going to have his say and like it or not, she was going to listen and explain herself. Once she returned anyway. She'd been gone four days now, and Royce was perterbed with his second wife.

It was half-past nine bells when Charlotte Ann dropped by his office. Still in her travel gear, her boots and leggings were soaked through and covered in mud, her cloak opened and hood tossed back. She leaned in the doorframe and observed him as he wrote at a table, waiting for him to notice her. She didn't wait long.

Royce looked up and grinned at her, relieved to see her safe and sound. "Hello, Pretty Lady! As usual, you look stunning." He put down the quill, walking over to greet her. "Did you get anything to eat yet?"

She shook her head. "I will after a bit. No trouble on the patrol. I'm going to get cleaned up, but first I thought I'd work out a bit in the gym. Interested in joining me?"

Royce smiled, slipping his arms around her and pulling her close. Time enough to discuss things later, he thought. One hand moved up behind her head, brushing over the pair of small throwing knives sheathed behind her neck. He cupped the back of her head, pushing his fingers into her hair. Charlotte Ann lifted her chin to meet his kiss. It was long and pleasant. She smelled of forest, horses, sweat, and a bit of lavender. Lavender grew in abundance in the hills, and some enterprising locals had begun making perfume from it. The scent had quickly become a favorite of Charlotte Ann's.

"I'd be delighted to," he said at last. He leaned down for another kiss, but after the merest brush of her lips to his, she withdrew from his embrace.

"You smell good," she said, glancing into the room. Light globes lit the work space, and two large candles burned on table where he'd sat. "I like that new pine soap you got. You must have bathed earlier. Are you ready now?"

"Let me put out the candles and I'll go with you." He tried to catch her gaze, but she avoided his eyes.

"Won't we need a candle to light the way?"

He headed back to his work table. "No. The staff put in more light fixtures in the residential section earlier today. There's plenty of light now."

Royce blew out both candles. As soon as he reached her, though, Charlotte Ann spun and began walking briskly down the hall. Bemused, watching the sway and billow of her cloak, Royce's longer stride easily kept pace right behind her.

He'd half expected she would stop by their bedroom, to change into her shorts or at least drop off her cloak and long sword, but she strode right on by. She opened the door to the gym, waved her hand over the light globe on the wall and darkness vanished. At one corner of the mats, she whipped off her cloak and tossed it to the ground. Scabbarded sword, belt, gloves were next. Outer jacket, wallet. Unlacing her leggings, then her calf-high leather boots. Her fingers moved quickly and surely.