The Courtesan Ch. 02

West of France, 13th century...

The Queen awakened to something soft on her face. The candles had burnt out and it was still dark in the room so she could not think for the moment what it was. Only a faint red glow in the huge stone fireplace indicated the vague shapes in the room high up in the castle of Chinon. Before her eyes could adjust to the dark, the presence of Martine's warm body lying beside her brought back the pleasant memories from the night before. She touched the curls on her cheek and felt the lovely pool of hair spilling across the pillow. She smiled and drifted between sleeping and waking. The ornately carved coffered ceiling, the outlines of heavy oak furniture and the shape of her giant four-poster bed slowly became visible.

Stretching her nude body and careful not to disturb her bedmate, Simone, Countess of Anjou and Queen of France, glanced over her shoulder at dawn's glow coming through the green and gold stained glass in the window. Simone was comfortable and content as the heat of the young woman's body warmed them both as they lay under the thick duvet, but soon she would have to get up. She fondly remembered that just a few hours before she had shown Martine the beautiful pleasures that could occur between two women, such a wonderful time. She returned her keen mind to the present; it was time to awake.

"Martine, my bud, we must wake now," said Simone softly into Martine's pretty little ear.

Martine lifted her head up and smiled in the half-light, "I am sorry my lady, please forgive me for falling asleep in your bed. What you did for me last night was beautiful." She hesitated briefly, then lowered her eyes and said huskily, "Now I want to do the same for you."

Simone looked down at Martine lovingly. The dawn's light slanting in from the window fell on her face highlighting the baby blue tint of her eyes and her long dark blond lashes. Her eyes sparkled in the light and then she smiled with a perfect row of even white teeth. Such a perfect creature Simone thought. She parted her lips and Martine rose up to receive the kiss. As Simone held the embrace she pressed her tongue slightly against Martine's lips and then she felt the young woman's tongue entwining in hers. The heat began rising in her body and the passion building. They kissed long and hard eagerly drinking in the emotion and the growing tender feelings between the two.

Simone slowly pulled the cover away from Martine's body eager yet again to see it. She was amazed at the completely feminine, but athletic shape to the young woman. She was tall for her age, about five feet four inches and proportioned well with a long neck, well shaped rounded breasts with pink nipples, a small waist, pear shaped buttocks, and long legs. She had gentlewoman's hands, delicate and soft and was blessed with small feet.

Simone had made love to women before, but most women of her era were not fond of exercise and tended to be flabby and soft to the touch, the way men liked their women at the time. Weaklings of the female variety disgusted Simone and she deemed them fit only for the likes of timid churchmen and lily-livered lords that hung around her domain like drone bees around a hive. She much preferred healthy women that could ride and hunt the same as she, not wilting when the sun became too hot or the wind too cold. One extra benefit of a fit young woman was the stamina Simone demanded when she took them to bed. Such a woman was Martine. Simone was sorely torn with herself; though lust for Martine held her mind, it was a fact she had important things to do today and could not tarry in bed. She rolled onto her back and smelled again the fragrances of the many scents coming from Martine's lush body, her perfume, her lilac watered hair, and the lusty smell of a young woman who had spent the night before making passionate love. She groaned knowing she could not let herself succumb to passion, sat up, and called for her ladies in waiting.

"Lady Giselle, Lady Eva, Adele," shouted the Queen, "get my cloak, linen dress and riding boots, I have work today!"

The women came into the chamber from where they had been busy in the foyer preparing the Queen for her day even before the first light. Lady Giselle, who was a little smarter than the others, had even brought the correct clothing. Martine was forgotten for the moment, the highborn ladies just giving her keen glances as they bustled about the room. Martine pulled the sheet about her and slipped into her private chamber next to the Queen's room.

Simone called out to Martine before she closed the door, "Busy yourself this day darling, I will see you this evening in the Chapel just before Compline."

The Queen was finally prepared for the day having breakfasted on barley porridge and figs. She walked at a brisk pace followed by Lady Giselle and Lady Eva across the great hall and out into the great staircase descending to the inner bailey.

Simone turned, "Lady Eva, speak to the cook and see that she has started preparing dinner tomorrow to my instructions. As you know, my cousins from England are riding in from Tours and I want to make sure some of that disgusting food they like will be on the table." Lady Eva nodded, too shy to giggle at the Queens annoyance at her husband's family.

Simone had to arrange things carefully including the seating. The Norman French side of her husband's family and her Spanish side would be at table tomorrow and tempers and old rivalries were likely to flare plus she also had the Bishop and his staff causing more problems. Seeing the Bailiff she made sure he had the stables swept of vermin and barracks floor packed with cedar shavings. She would have almost a dozen lords and a hundred men-at-arms and their horses inside the walls plus their camp followers, their whores, and their entertainers. The Norman royalty, or English as they liked to be called now were not much better than their men, for more than a hundred years of fighting the Welch and Saxons in England had done nothing to hone their courtly graces, or their personal habits. Some of them were even speaking that guttural English tongue. The Spanish and their overwhelming pride were another problem. They were almost too fastidious, prancing about her court in their foppish attire and begging for an insult. Preening peacocks Antoinette called them.

"What a day!" she moaned to herself. She headed for the stable in the outer bailey.

Simone mounted her roan stallion Caesar and cambered out the main gate. She rode astraddle like a man covering her legs with her long cloak. Sir Gilbert and Sir Rainald followed at a discreet distance for they knew she hated to be crowded. It was necessary to ride escorted even in this part of France because there were brigands about who were eager to take the purse of anyone, even a gentlewoman. Simone could probably ride down anyone attempting to stop her, but the two young noblemen insisted on keeping up with her. She rode fast and recklessly along the main road to the Abbey at Fontevrault. Dismounting, she entered the Chapel and prayed at the tombs of her Angevin relatives before going out the door of the west transcript. Her men rested their horses and waited for her outside. The man she sought was dressed in a black cloak and stood beside his horse at the enclosure gate.

He heard her boots and then watched her approach and said as she neared, "Your Grace?"

"Good day to you, Sir Thomas, how was your ride?"

Thomas, the Count of Foix, replied, "Uneventful, Madame."

"What have you found out about the plot the Bishop is hatching?"

So there it was, the reason he needed to follow those men and perform a little thievery. Since summer's end he had been following two unknown men in the service of the Bishop of Arles. He traced them all this way until he had a chance to procure evidence and talk to the Queen.

"I have a document meant for the Archbishop of Rouen. The men will deliver it to him at your castle tomorrow," he said, handing the rolled parchment to Simone. "I didn't open it."

"Do they know this is missing?" she said.

"No, but if they look closely at the fake one in their pouch they will know."

"Can you restore these seals?" she said fingering the heavy red wax imprinted with the Bishop's signet ring.

"I can, your Grace, as soon as I return to Poitiers and visit a man I know."

"Very well," said Simone as she proceeded to break the seals, unroll the paper, and read. It worse than she thought! The two Bishops were planning to assassinate her, ally themselves with the Spanish, and start a rebellion to bring down her husbands rule. And her reign too of course. It was all to happen starting with the feast tomorrow night!

She composed her face and as she handed it back, saying "Thank you Sir Thomas, please come to Chinon as quickly as possible when you're finished. Also, what do these men look like?"

Sir Thomas described them and rode off. Simone was pensive as she rode back to the castle, her men unknowing of the plots against their Queen. She needed to keep this quiet until she could foil their plans and set a trap of her own. Who else may be involved?

The sun was setting as Simone returned to the castle. She left Caesar to be fed and groomed and returned to her quarters. She sent for bread, cheese and wine. She ate in silence and then called for her bath. After hours of riding in the dusty countryside she was filthy and reading that document had done little to improve her mood. The warm water soothed her a little.

Now dressed in a gown, Simone collected Martine and they went down for evening Chapel. They said their prayers and returned in silence to the Queen's chamber. Martine wondered what was bothering Simone.

"Come here my pet," said Simone to her devoted lover, the beautiful Martine. She hugged her. Yet even in her embrace Simone's mind returned to the evils surrounding her. Shaking off the bad thoughts, Simone put her mind back in the purpose of at hand and kissed Martine on the cheek and hugged her again around the shoulders. Her arms curled around Martine's chest and she nuzzled her nose into her hair and pressed her hands under her top and onto the fully rounded globes of the young woman's breasts.

Marine sighed and murmured, "I love you." then she looked into Simone's dark blue eyes.

"I love you too darling," said Simone, but in truth Martine was only a plaything to Simone at the moment; something to indulge and pet. She had little inkling how much this would change in the next few days.

Suddenly the tension of the day gave way to lust and passion; Simone bent over and unlaced Martine's dress, exposing her chest and suckled a breast. She took the nipple in her teeth and carefully bit down. Martine arched her back and moaned. Simone's hands passionately caressed the white mounds and roamed all over her chest and neck as she spread her kisses to Martine's neck and shoulders. Her own center was growing warm and she could feel herself getting wet as she released her passions onto this desirable creature. Marine was sighing and moaning herself and her eyes were fluttering.

Suddenly Martine stiffened and broke free; looked up saying with a sober face "My Lady, I want to pleasure you, please let me! I want to make love to you my way."

Simone, so used to taking charge realized she had to give way to others too.

"I am sorry Martine, I was taken over by your beauty. I promise to behave myself and let you have your way." Simone smiled at the earnest look on Martine's face, but she straightened her face quickly, not wanting to laugh at the seriousness Martine made of the statement. Obediently she lay back on the white linen of the bed and released herself to her new young consort. This would be a new experience for her, being made love to without directing her lover's movements. She heard Martine shaking out of her dress, but she didn't look.

Martine, not totally sure were to begin, just let her passions take over and she began by undressing the older woman, kissing her on her taunt belly. As Martine placed small kisses on her abdomen, Simone's muscles quivered in ticklish anticipation. Simone was not a young woman any longer, but she rode and hunted making her body, while not voluptuous by any means, a thing to be admired for its subtleness, strength, and proportion. Her shoulders were wide, her waist tight, her hips slim but womanly, and her legs long and muscled. She was not attractive, generally speaking, to men of her day because her face was too long, her height too tall, and her manner too direct. Also her slightly olive skin told of her Latin heritage, which was accented by her dark hair. Only her eyes, of deep blue, told of her Mother's influence on her looks.

Martine loved the look of her Queen. She had never seen a woman like her before; even back in her village surrounded by strong farm girls there was no comparison. She admired Simone for her strength and for her ability to rule. She loved Simone for her kindness, her strong, but gentle nature, and lastly for her lean body. She wanted so much to please her Simone, her Queen.

Martine's small fingers ranged over the torso and hips of her older lover and Simone kept her promise and did not take her into her arms as she longed to do. Simone longed for Martine to kiss her on the lips, but Martine did not do so and kept her attentions on her hips and belly. Soon Simone began to writhe and squirm and Martine's kisses and caresses neared her center, but did not touch it. The brief caresses and kisses moved down onto her thighs and all the way to her knees. Her calves tingled and jumped as she felt kisses on her shins and ankles! Without willing it she moved her legs apart hoping the tender touches would proceed up her leg and into her womanhood, but instead she felt kisses on her toes and then a tongue between her toes!

"God, ohhhhh!" Simone let out between clenched teeth. This exquisite treatment was lighting a fire in her groin and torturing her at the same time!

"Martine - Please, Please!" Simone cried as the kisses turned into nibbling of her toes and licks on the bottom of her feet! She began to kick as the sensations overpowered her will to stay still.

Martine smiled and avoided Simone's shaking foot. Her training had mentioned the feet, but not much about what it would do to a woman. She was happy it worked!

Martine put her hands on Simone's ankles and calmed her thrashing. Simone became still again, but a muscle quivered in her thigh revealing the truth, that not all was calm; a passion was suppressed for the moment, but eager to well out!

Martine began licking the sides of Simone's legs. Almost instantly Simone's breathing rate increased and she threw out her arms. Her hands clasped the sheets and she jerked her legs wider almost hitting Martine as she spread herself open. Martine was inexperienced, but she knew signs of need in her lover. Her tongue traced a long trail up the hard muscle along the top of Simone's left thigh. The tip of her tongue came slowly across her lower belly and just stopped at the edge of her pubis.

Simone's chest was heaving and her eyes remained closed, her expression as if in pain. Her dark pink nipples were hard as pebbles and stood out half an inch from her smallish breasts. Her abdomen rose and fell as she breathed, but her hips were also obviously undulating in anticipation of what Martine would hopefully do. Martine noticed Simone was quivering all over now; she needed release badly.

With her tongue Martine traced the outline of Simone's mons, itself completely covered in a thick dark nest of curls. She smelled musky, but pleasant. The aroma somehow made Martine's own cravings start again with warm yearnings deep within her center. She leaned close and put her nose in the center of the nest and found the protruding outer lips of her lover's sweet chatte hidden with. She nuzzled the lips open and felt an instant wetness as the moisture inside covered the end of her nose. She changed the tilt of her head to probe with her tongue until she found those lips again and then she tasted the female nectar of Simone's womanhood! She had never experienced this before and the taste was totally different than she experienced when she touched herself and tasted it. It was more salty and slightly metallic than her own juices, but very erotic and sensual and much to her liking. As she licked more the taste changed to a different hue in her mind and she licked harder. She began a slow up and down stroke over the entire opening. Simone must have liked it because she was moaning again and putting her hands on Martine's head pushing her deeper inside.

Martine remembered the pictures she saw in the books and searched with her tongue for the little bulb at the top of Simone's wide-open minou. There it was! It was bigger than she expected and it had its own little shaft that went back inside Simone's body! She flicked and teased the bulb with her tongue and then remembered she had fingers too. She pulled back her face and used one hand to spread Simone' chatte while she used two fingers on each side of the bulb's shaft to rub in tiny circles. Everything was wet now, her fingers, Simone's thatch of curls, and even the sheets below. She circled with her fingers harder and harder, and finally she bent down and put her tongue right into her hot pink opening as far as it would go!

Simone jerked as if she had been poked with a needle!

"Ummmmmmmm!" she moaned so loudly that Martine thought she was in pain. Martine pressed her tongue in further like she'd seen in those pictures on ancient Greek urns in the books. Simone was bucking her hips now and moaning even more loudly. They heard a knock at the door!

"Are you all right my Lady?" a concerned voice said from outside the doors.

"Go away!" Simone shouted loudly and the voice was not heard again

Martine kept up her actions and let her hand go from its position on Simone's center to roam across her chest to find a waiting nipple on one of her firm small breasts. Martine squeezed the nip and twisted it in her fingers. She could feel the slippery sweat on Simone's chest and belly.

Simone suddenly stiffened and screamed in a low guttural way!

Martine knew the climax was upon her, crashing through her, rippling the muscles in her belly and making her back arch in pain and pleasure! It was hard, but Martine stayed with her, trying to keep her tongue inserted in her opening and her fingers on her clit. Finally Simone reached down and pushed Martine's face and hand away from her center. It was too much to take any more.

Simone lay there, breathing hard, gradually slowing down, and finally her arm flopped to her side and she let the sweat dry on her skin.

"My God Martine, where did you learn to do that?" said Simone after several minutes.

"I have to tell the truth my Queen, it was not all from those books. I watched my brother in a hayloft dallying with a girl in the village."

"He knew how to do that?'" Simone sounded unbelieving.

Giggling, Martine said, "No, my Lady, the girl told him what to do."

"Well, you're a fast learner. I'm not sure I could have done better myself."

"I hope to get better my Queen with your teaching of me."

"I have no doubt my darling," said Simone laughing, "but now I need to sleep for the big day tomorrow and you must go or I will never slumber."

(To be continued)