Strange Bedfellows Ch. 02

"Nah, I have too many wives to keep up with anyway." Tyso said. "You want her Kalus? It seems a shame to leave such a nubile beauty un-bedded."

Kalus took a deep, calming breath before replying. "She is beautiful my king, but I already have a wife. Like you, I can barely keep up with who I have." He had briefly considered agreeing that he wanted her just so Tyso would drop the matter. However, lying to the king was a bad idea. He might be wicked, but he was also perceptive.

"Yes, but you only have one wife." Tyso pointed out, his wicked grin boding ill for the whole situation. "I hear your bitch isn't even a good wife and I feel partly to blame." His look of remorse fooled no one. "Perhaps I can do better a second time. A different flavor of wife perhaps? I swear, blondes are better in the sack anyway."

It took a moment for Kalus to realize what was going on.

When he did, he had to resist the urge to go for his sword.

While he had never credited his king with an abundance of morals, he was sharp. Kalus had certainly fallen for his young wife and apparently the king had figured that out somehow. He probably shouldn't have been surprised because Tyso was very good at finding someone's weak points, but Kalus was surprised at the king's reaction. Apparently, the king had decided to squeeze that pressure point. Most high-born women weren't too keen on the idea of sharing a husband and he guessed Katia would be no different.

The king was trying to drive them further apart.

He must be.

He probably hoped that Kalus marrying a second wife would forever drive a wedge between Katia and himself; a wedge that was as permanent as a marriage. It was a cruel, devious, and wicked plan... but he couldn't deny it was brilliant. Malicious, spiteful, and vindictive yes, but also brilliant. Tyso had a gift for finding someone's weak spot, jamming a knife into it, and twisting hard.

Again, he resisted the urge to go for his sword.

"Yes, I think she'd do just fine." Tyso said, then turned to Julian. "What say you horse master? What would a fair bride price be for your daughter there?"

"The world, for she is my world and all I have left of her mother; may Illuminar -- blessed be He -- rest her soul."

"I'm sorry for your loss." The king said without even an effort to make the lie convincing. "How better to soothe a grieving heart than a wedding celebration?"

"I apologize if I wasn't clear, and I must humbly beg your indulgence." Julian said with a graceful bow. "But there is no law in your land or mine, nor even Illuminar's Book of Light, that would allow my daughter to be forced into marriage against her father's will. I cannot grant her hand to either you or the good commander here." He nodded his head in respect to Kalus, who returned the nod.

"And are you familiar with the rules for marrying a captive in times of war?" The king replied without missing a beat.

Kalus was glad his sword was at his hip, for he would die before letting the King murder the man just to gain his daughter as a captive of war. That wasn't war; that was murder.

Julian didn't even blink. "If my life must be forfeit O king, so be it; I shall not give her hand."

"Pa'pa." Lyra said quietly, almost pleadingly.

King Tyso gave Kalus a pointed look, then almost casually moved his hand to rest on the pommel of his sword.

"Sir Julian, a word if I may?" Kalus said.

"I'll not change my mind." The horse master replied.

"Then you need not fear my words." The commander countered.

Julian nodded.

* * *

Shara got the impression that Lyra was a fearless girl; that she would face down a tornado or stampeding herd of horses with calm and resolve without losing her head. But right now, the girl looked anxious. She kept looking from her father to Kalus, to King Tyso, and then at Shara herself.

"I can't lose Pa'pa." Lyra whispered.

"Kalus will think of something." Shara replied without thinking, and she was surprised at her own words. Did she really trust him that much?"

"Will he?" Lyra asked quietly.

"I think so."

The girl seemed to take comfort in that. "Is... is he a good man?"

"He is." Shara replied, her mouth again running ahead of her brain.

She really couldn't deny that it was true; not in any objective way. He was sterner than she would've liked, but there was no doubt that he was a good man who devotedly followed Illuminar and treated both his men and his wife well. Sternly, but well despite that.

* * *

Kalus knew exactly what he was going to say, but Julian turned with a stern look before he opened his mouth.

"I'll not be letting that abominable 'king' take my daughter by force to marry anyone. Ever." The horse master said firmly. "I've heard the stories and know what kind of king he is."

"He's worse." Kalus said.

"What?" Apparently the horse master was caught off guard by the admission

"I have been on campaign with him for a long time now and can testify that the stories fall short of his appetites. That is why I must ask a favor of you that I have no right to ask."

"You damn straight you have no right."

Kalus took a deep breath. "Take my wife with you."

Julian stared at him for a moment. "What?"

"I cannot stand idly by while the king openly flouts Illuminar's decrees in the Book of Light. He cannot overrule a father regarding his daughter's hand, and I cannot allow him to murder you either. I have my sword and it will delay them long enough for you to mount a horse and escape with your daughter."

Julian stared at him.

"I must ask something in return though; something I have no right to ask. Please take my wife with you, for the king will do horrible things to her in retribution if you do not. I ask not for my sake, for I will be dead before the hour is out, but I ask for hers. She is innocent in all of this and deserves better than the circumstances that life has dealt her."

Julian continued to stare at him, this time his eyes narrowed as he seemed to be deciding something.

"You're serious." He finally said after several moments.

"I am." Kalus sighed. "War is one thing, but murder and kidnapping are quite another. Illuminar would not stand for them so neither can I."

"How long will you be on the campaign trail?" Julian asked after another long pause.

"The last castle is but a few days' march away. Our scouts report that King Bracken won't leave because King Tyso has left him nowhere to go."

"You would give your life to protect a stranger and his daughter?"

Kalus nodded. "Illuminar -- blessed be He -- demands no less."

Julian scrutinized him for several seconds before taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly. "Then I will give you my daughter's hand, but know this: I will pursue you to the very gates of Saidow's lair if any harm befalls her. You would not believe how much damage a well-trained herd of horses can do to a man without killing him."

"I would expect nothing less from a loving father." Kalus nodded.

* * *

Shara waited to see how her husband's conversation would play out. He was a clever man and she dearly hoped he would think of something. Lyra was a wonderful girl and she would hate to see anything bad happen to her.

The two men talked for some minutes and then returned.

"Lyra." The horse master said to his daughter with a heavy sigh, then extended his hand toward Kalus. "Meet your future husband."

The girl looked surprised but recovered quickly and turned to Kalus. "I hope I will be a good wife to you sir."

"I believe you will be." He replied, gave her a kind smile, then turned to Shara. "I would speak with you."

She nodded and -- feeling no inclination to dismount from Misty's comforting presence -- turned the horse and walked far enough away that they would be out of earshot.

"I did not wish for a second wife." He said once they were far enough away.

She didn't reply.

"Speak your mind." He instructed, though it fell short of a command.

"I would rather not." She replied evenly.

He regarded her for several seconds. "If you would be willing to reconsider, I would very much like to know how you feel about this."

Thinking about him spanking her several days ago, she shook her head slightly and replied in an even tone. "I would prefer not to say."

"That is your right." He nodded.

The truth was that she didn't know how to feel. Noble women, and especially princesses, didn't often find themselves in the position of having to share a husband so she had never really thought about it before. She might've even been upset if she liked her husband, but she definitely didn't. Not at all. No, she certainly didn't like him and the fact that she snuggled up to him every night was mere coincidence. It didn't mean anything, despite how good it felt.

Nothing at all...

She found herself thinking that perhaps this could be a good thing that he had another wife because he might leave her alone now. He would have another beautiful woman to bed, so perhaps he would only take her every other night. She was happy about that, but her nether regions definitely protested.

"Kalus my boy." The king called. "Stop talking with the old wife and come make plans for the new!"

Her husband closed his eyes and took a deep breath before replying. "Coming sire." He looked at her. "If you ever wish to speak your mind, I would be glad to hear it."

She nodded, then he turned and left.

Shara was silently fuming at both herself and him. Why did he have to be so damn nice! Why couldn't he just be a horrible husband so she could hate him without guilt? He was always so nice to her, even while he had spanked her.

It was infuriating.

"Katia?" A pleasant feminine voice said tentatively.

She looked up to see that Lyra had ridden out on her horse. She was a respectful distance away, but they were far enough out that they wouldn't be overheard.

"Yes?"

"Um, I'm not sure how to say this, but I'm sorry." The ash blonde said sincerely. "You said he was a good man and because of me you'll have less time with him. I promise I'll try not to come between you two."

Shara looked at the girl, marveling at what she was hearing. Lyra had just met her and yet was promising... Wow. She must truly be a wonderful girl to be so giving to a stranger.

"Actually Lyra, I wish you would." She finally said.

"What?" The horsewoman blinked.

"Please, feel free to come between us as much as you like, as often as you like."

"But..." Lyra's mouth hung open for a moment, then she cocked her head to one side. "You don't like your husband."

"No." Shara shook her head.

"But, you said he was a good man."

"He is, though I wish you wouldn't tell him that I said that."

"Why?" The girl looked confused and guided her horse closer so they could talk a bit more privately. "Why wouldn't you want your husband to know that you think he's a good man?"

"He's..." Shara hesitated, not sure how much to say. "I was forced to marry him, much as you are being forced. And since then..." She frowned. "Well let's just say I haven't exactly fallen in love, though even I can't deny he's a good man."

The horsewoman nodded. "Okay, so then..." She ran her hands through her ash-blonde hair and bit her lip. "Then you won't mind if I... I mean, if I spend more time with him... um, in..." She looked slightly nervous. "In the bedroom?"

"Please do." Shara said with more vehemence than she actually felt. "As much as you want, as often as you want; the more the better."

"Oh thank Illuminar." Lyra breathed a sigh of relief. "I don't know why, but I've always... I mean, ever since my bleeding started years ago, I've always found it hard not to... You know." She blushed.

Shara felt confused and it must've shown on her face.

"Um, 'use my fingers'." The girl explained. "I swear I try to keep it to once or twice a day, but sometimes..."

"What do you mean by 'use your fingers'." Shara asked.

Lyra blinked.

She cocked her head to one side.

She opened her mouth and then closed it. "You're serious?"

Shara nodded.

Lyra got a devilishly amused look on her face. "Well, the next time you're alone, take a finger or two and gently rub the little nub right near the top of your slit. You won't be disappointed; trust me."

The princess stared.

Lyra leaned forward and whispered again. "Trust me." She had the air and mischievous smile of someone who was sharing a deliciously juicy secret.

"Okay, but you might have to show me; over the clothes of course."

"I might." The girl bit her lip. She had an innocent smile on her face that contrasted magnificently with the blush rising in her cheeks. "So, I hear it hurts the first time. Is that true?"

"It's more like a sharp pinch." Shara replied. "I wouldn't call it pleasant, but the sting goes away fairly quickly."

"Ah, and I hear it's amazing afterward, is it?"

Shara didn't know how to respond. If she was being perfectly honest with herself, the sensationswere amazing. If the man giving them to her wasn't also the man chiefly responsible for conquering her father's country and her people, she would've given an unqualified yes. Yet she also didn't want to discourage the girl who clearly had zero hang-ups regarding marital relations.

In the end, she decided to take a middle road. "You'll see."

"I knew it!" Lyra whispered excitedly. "I can't wait."

"You don't even know him."

"True, but I've heard the stories about him; that's why I asked if he was a good man. I wanted to know from his wife if the rumors were true."

"Stories?" Shara asked.

"You haven't heard of your husband's reputation?"

Shara shook her head. "I met him less than a week ago, and heard little before that except perhaps the name."

"Oh." The girl raised her eyebrows, then shrugged. "He's becoming something of a legend here in Timarou. He takes cities with a minimum of bloodshed and installs good, honest men to rule. He also eliminates most of the crown's regulations, so trade and commerce flourish in those areas. Frankly, I've heard some of the cities he's taken are almost glad they were conquered."

"Really?"

She nodded. "And one time, one of his soldiers raped a woman so he had the soldier publicly executed and hung the body out where his camp could see it all day. Honestly, Pa'pa says that some of the men in the pubs have wished that Kalus was conquering us instead of Tyso because other than a small amount of tribute -- which is less than the current king's taxes -- the men he appoints don't allow corruption and mostly leave the citizens alone."

Huh.

Shara hadn't heard that.

"Anyway, I figure a man like that must be considerate in bed, right?" Lyra finished.

Again, the princess didn't know what to say. She had always asked Kalus to get things over with as quickly as possible so she didn't know. She imagined that he might be a considerate lover if were she inclined to find out.

She wasn't.

Although...

Hmm.

* * *

Kalus waited patiently at the head of the barn. Tyso had sent for a Luminar while Lyra had gone back into the house to change into something more appropriate for a wedding. Oddly, Katia had accompanied her. That was a good sign, as he'd heard that having two wives who didn't like each other was a special kind of torment, worthy of the deepest levels of Saidow's lair. That's probably what the king had in mind.

"Oh and Kalus, make sure you force them to pleasure each other." Tyso said, his tone making it clear that it wasn't a request. "That's a special kind of heaven worthy of Illuminar's court itself."

"As you say my liege." He nodded respectfully while wishing he had a good excuse to practice his considerable swordsmanship skills on the fat slob. Okay, he wasn'tthat fat, but he was overweight and his physical appetites were mirrored in his other appetites as well.

Not long after, the Luminar arrived so the king -- completely ignoring the man whose daughter he had just forced into marriage -- called for the bride. At least Tyso had been generous with the bride price, but he knew it would be cold comfort for the horse master. His daughter came out in a white dress that was simple but elegant.

She was so young.

Just two weeks past the eligible age to be married, so she was younger even than Katia. Still, she was very pretty now that he was looking at her properly. Her face was round and incredibly cute, and her smile could light up the deepest darkness. She had adorable dimples on her face and possibly the cutest nose he'd ever seen. Her hair was a warm-tinted ash blonde color -- he'd once heard it called "champagne blonde" -- and it fell in silky waves past her collarbones. It was down and loose, and it looked like the wind had had its way with it; yet somehow that only made her more attractive.

She was a bit wild, he could tell that much. Yet that wildness didn't seem to translate to rebellion, only a very free spirit. His current wife standing beside her made an interesting contrast. While Lyra was all carefree free-spirit, Katia was more proper and refined; more controlled and reserved. He hoped they rubbed off on each other because he could definitely see them being good for each other.

Lyra moved up to stand next to him and gave him a coy smile.

Hmm, perhaps not quite 'coy'.

She looked happy and there was definitely a hint of sensuality behind her smile, plus a twinkle in her eyes. If he didn't know better, he would've said she was a little turned on. The contrast with his first wedding couldn't be more pronounced.

The luminar cleared his throat and began. "Do you Commander Kalus, with full knowledge and consent;take this woman--" As before, the luminar paused to give Kalus and the king a creepy smile, leaving them in no doubt what he meant by 'take' before continuing. "--to be your wife in the covenant of marriage? Do you swear to keep and provide for her all of your days, committing to treat her with honor, love, and respect in all circumstances to the best of your ability, and allow only death to separate you?"

"I do." Kalus replied.

The luminar turned to Lyra. "Do you, with full knowledge and consent, give yourself to this man to be his wife in the covenant of marriage? Do you swear to follow and obey him ineverything--" He winked at Kalus, leaving no one in any no doubt about what he meant by 'everything'. "--and keep yourself only for him for all of your days, committing to treat him with honor, love, and respect in all circumstances to the best of your ability, and allow only death to separate you?"

"Oh, I absolutely do." Lyra replied, then bit her lip and gave Kalus another coy smile.

If he didn't know better, he would've thought that she'd caught the Luminar's innuendo and was flagrantly announcing to everyone that she had no problem being 'taken' by him.

"Then by the power vested in me by Illuminar, I now pronounce you husband and wife. Kalus, you may kiss your bride."

Lyra turned towards him, that coy smile still playing around her lips.

* * *

Shara watched the two of them turn to face each other feeling incredibly conflicted. True she still didn't like her husband that much, but she was still feeling slightly indignant at him preparing to kiss another woman. Yet she realized that she had no real reason to be upset if truly didn't like him. Illuminar was clear in the Book of Light that men could have multiple wives, and she didn't want to be married to Kalus anyway.

And yet...

She frowned.

At least no one was paying attention to her. Her mind drifted back to what Lyra had said about touching the little nub at the top of her slit. She wasn't alone, but she was curious and no one was paying attention to her. She was already holding her hands in front of her at the right level.

Hmm.

She dutifully kept watching as Kalus leaned in to kiss Lyra.