The Kingdom Pt. 01

Lisbeth tended my wounds as they came, oozing with more sympathy than seemed necessary. She grew more friendly while playing nurse, almost treating me as an equal. There were times when she behaved like a Duchess, but other times she spoke to me as though we've been friends for years. Perhaps she's been lonely in her position, not really having any more opportunity to enjoy herself than her sister.

Then yesterday happened. While bandaging my latest cut, she placed her hand on my arm as she spoke, looking at me in a way no woman has before. At first, I thought she was simply acting like an older sister to a younger brother. She is, after all, almost a year older, but when she realized her hand and her gaze were lingering, she blushed fiercely and excused herself.

Later that night, last night, after giving it some thought, I went to speak with her about it. She often frequents the dark, empty common rooms on slow nights when the innkeepers close early, sitting in the dark, by the hearth, simply gazing into the flames.

"May I join you?"

She looks up, shadows dancing across her face. She nods.

I sit down and remain quiet for a few minutes, then say quietly, "I just want you to know that I like you. I don't want you to feel awkward around me in case you like me too. I know you're older than me, and maybe see me as just a servant, but I'm guessing you probably get lonely sometimes. I know I do. So if you ever want to just hold hands or something, maybe we could do that sometimes. It doesn't need to be anything more. Just two people enjoying each other's company. A way to feel connected to another person in a way that's more than it is with other people. I'd like that if you would."

Realizing I'm nervously rambling, I stop talking and just stare at the fire, hoping she won't have the Duchess flog me, or worse.

A few minutes goes by. She hasn't left yet or called the guard on duty, so I quietly add, "It's okay if you don't want to, but you know where I am if you do."

"I think I'd like that," she suddenly whispers, sliding her hand in mine. I don't even look at her, afraid to break the spell. Afraid if I do, she'll disappear or be frightened away. After a few minutes, she whispers something I was not expecting at all.

"Quill. Will you kiss me?"

I turn to look at her face, now barely illuminated by the dying fire. She's looking at me, sad but hopeful, as far as I can tell anyway.

"I think I'd like that," I whisper. A small smile forms on her face. I slowly lean in, closing the distance. She meets me half way, both of us stopping just before our lips meet. It seems to take an eternity to bridge that final gap, as though it were a thousand leagues. But when our lips finally connect, the kiss seems to last an eternity.

It begins as a sweet kiss. Then her lips part slightly, her tongue gently pushes past my lips, seeking a kindred soul. I follow her lead until our tongues dance together, gently, but insistently. Then the kiss is over.

Expecting her to lean back and continue to sit by the fire, she rises and, still holding my hand, says, "Come with me."

I rise and allow her to lead me, not upstairs to say goodnight, but through the long-deserted kitchen and out the back door to the stables. Quietly opening the door, the smell of horses greets us. No one is here at this time of night in such a small town as this, so no one is disturbed by our arrival. There is also no one to question the two of us as she grabs a blanket from a pile near the door and leads me to and up the ladder for the loft.

Once there, she spreads out the blanket on the thick straw, sits down and beckons me to join her. Unsure of myself, I hesitate, feeling somewhat foolish.

"Don't worry Quill," she whispers. "I promise not to bite you. Will you lay down with me?"

I decide that's probably okay, so I do. She snuggles against me, placing her head on my shoulder and her arm across my waist, hugging me. I pull her close and rest my hand on her shoulder, the other on her arm.

We lay that way for a few minutes before I notice her entire body is shaking.

"Are you cold?"

"No," she whispers, sniffling.

"You're crying. Did I make you sad?" I try to move away but she holds me tight.

"No. Please stay Quill. You didn't make me sad. I feel happy. I'm not used to that, and I just got a little overwhelmed. You're doing everything right."

Not sure how to respond to that, I just hold her and do more of the nothing I was already doing. After a while, she seems to relax.

"Quill. Will you please kiss me again?"

"Of course," I say.

She turns her face to mine and we kiss, much like before, but longer this time and more intensely. Her hand moves to my cheek as she kisses me, then down to rub my chest. She feels amazing in my arms, and I quickly become aroused.

She senses my tension and asks quietly, "Are you okay? We can stop if you want."

I'm not sure how to respond to that because I certainly don't feel like stopping, but I don't want to take advantage of her either.

My silence causes her to ask, "Do you want to stop?"

"No."

"I don't either, but I will if you tell me to."

She kisses me again, essentially preventing me from telling her I want to stop, which is okay, because I don't.

My silence encourages her to continue. Her hand slides down, discovering my arousal. then gently rubs my erection through my trousers. Undoing the laces, she reaches in and grasps it.

"My goodness. You're hung like a horse," she says excitedly, stroking me.

My breathing increases, and I feel ready to explode.

"Shhhhh," she whispers, removing her hand. "Easy Quill. Take a deep breath and calm yourself or this will all be over before it begins." She kisses me gently on the lips.

She seems to have some experience, so I do as she suggests. After a minute, I've managed to calm down enough to continue.

"Better?" she whispers.

"Yes, I think so," I reply nervously.

"Okay." Her hand grabs my erection again, squeezing and stroking it slowly. Pausing, she sits up and pulls her dress over her head, setting it aside. She then pulls my trousers down to my knees. Straddling my waist, she reaches down to guide my erection inside her, then lowers herself onto it.

"Oooooh..." she whimpers, my erection stretching her as it fills her up, causing me a little pain as well. Grabbing my hands, she places them on her breasts, then slowly slides up and down my cock.

"How does that feel Quill?" she pants.

"Better than anything I've ever felt before," I answer breathlessly, gently massaging her breasts.

"I agree. Mmmmmmm. You can squeeze them a little harder if you want," she whispers, laughing. "They won't break."

So I do. The nipples grow harder beneath my palms. I rub them with my thumbs, causing her to moan louder.

"You're doing wonderful Quill," she whispers breathlessly. "Mmmmmm. But I think we should speed things up a little before someone decides to come look for us. I'm sorry."

She increases her pace, bouncing up and down. Her panting increases. My panting increases. Her moans become louder as her pussy milks my cock.

When she reaches orgasm a minute later, she stops bouncing and begins grinding, forward and backward, calling out, "Mmmmmmmmmm... Mmmmmmmmmm... Mmmmmmmmmm..."

She collapses into my arms, but I'm so close to that exploding feeling again that I don't want to stop, so I keep trying to thrust upwards.

"Hold on," she says, panting. "Let me get on my back." She climbs off and lays down on the blanket as I position myself above her. She guides me inside as I awkwardly hold myself up.

"It's okay if you lay on me a little. I'm not made of glass," she encourages me, so I allow some of my weight to rest on her. She wraps her legs around my waist, pulling me in with her heels. My cock slides in all the way. Her breasts press against my chest.

She whimpers breathlessly, "Oooooh! It's just so big." She laughs again, but I start pumping, turning her laugh to a gasp, then to moaning.

I feel a strong desire to kiss her, so I do, somehow without interrupting my motions. It's almost like my mouth and my cock are both in control of themselves, independent of one another. She kisses me back hungrily until she needs to breathe again.

"Fuck me Quill," she gasps. "Fuck me. Fuck me. Mmmmm."

My breathing, along with something within her, tells her I'm about to explode, so she pushes me backwards, saying, "Not inside me."

I lean back on my knees. She grabs my cock and strokes it hard with both hands, almost pulling me towards her.

"Ahhhh!" I cry out as streams of jizz spurt all over her stomach and breasts. She continues milking me until I'm spent, then guides me down next to her as I collapse from exhaustion. She uses the side of the blanket to clean herself off, then snuggles close against me.

We lay there in the euphoria of intimacy for maybe five minutes before she stands up and pulls her dress back over her head. I pull up my trousers, tie them, then follow her back down the ladder, out of the stables and through the kitchen.

Pausing on the stairs before we reach the top, she turns and kisses me, then whispers, "Thank you Quill for a truly enjoyable evening."

She turns around, climbs the last few steps and walks to the door of the suite she shares with the Duchess. The guard allows her to pass, saying nothing. I enter my own room quietly so as not to wake Norgin, then find my bed in the dark and lay down. Within minutes I'm asleep.

§ 5 ~ Revelation

The city of Carnelia, albeit larger than the city of Jasper, was very similar. It had similar shops and inns, similar sounds and smells, and similar looking people. It almost felt like home.

The carriage rolled through the crowded streets, occasionally stopping while the guards clear a path. The carriage driver, who simply goes by the name of Whisker, took over the reins just before entering the city gates. He expertly steered his way all the way to the castle, around every obstacle imaginable. I was glad it wasn't me, this time at least, but I paid careful attention, learning his techniques.

It's much the same drill upon arriving at the castle as it was at the various inns along the way. Courtiers come out to carry in the baggage. Then handlers come to lead the horses and carriages to the stables. But this time is quite different in a few ways.

I don't need to follow the baggage in. I'm expected to attend the Duchess and be invisible, especially when the Duke and Duchess of Carnelia come out to greet Teritha. Lisbeth, Micaelah and I hover in the background, our faces demurely watching the paving stones, while the nobility address one another and exchange pleasantries.

Captain Kendric and his guardsman seem to melt away as if by magic at just the right time. I don't even realize they've vanished until it's all over. Perhaps it's merely the excitement of the moment in this new place.

"And I'd like you to meet our daughter, Jolie," the Duchess of Carnelia says. I carefully glance up through my eyelashes, trying to maintain my invisible posture. A very pretty young woman around my age, about five feet two inches tall, with blonde hair and green eyes, steps between her parents to present herself to Teritha. She drops a perfect curtsy, but her face implies she'd rather be anywhere else right now.

Duchess Teritha looks Jolie up and down and comments "You're a very lovely young woman Jolie. If you can spare some time, I would be honored if you'd show me around, and perhaps chat with me some evening."

Jolie looks at Teritha, her curiosity peaked. "I would be happy to," she replies convincingly.

"Wonderful," Teritha says warmly. "I look forward to it.

The Duke and Duchess lead everyone inside, then bid farewell until dinner. A chamberlain leads everyone to their rooms where the baggage is already waiting. I am pleasantly surprised to find that I have my own room. While it's a modest one and not very large, it's mine until this visit is over in a few days.

I quickly unpack my things and change out of my travel clothes. After cleaning up at the small wash basin filled with steaming hot water, I don my court attire. There is a door in the wall adjacent to Teritha's quarters, so I open it to find a sitting room, as expected. Micaelah busies herself with putting things in order. She glances up at me and smiles. I smile back and wait for the Duchess, as usual, in case she needs me. I assume Lisbeth must be in the bedchamber helping Teritha get ready.

Micaelah finally has everything in order, so she exits through a door on the opposite side of the room from mine, closing it behind her. A short time later, Teritha emerges, looking regal and beautiful.

"Quillion. I assume your quarters are satisfactory?"

"Uh, yes m'lady. They are more than adequate. Thank you."

"Well, if you need anything, be sure to let Norgin know and he will make sure it gets delivered. As for this room, it is much too chilly in here. Please start a fire."

"At once, m'lady," I answer, going to the hearth where the firewood has already been arranged, prepared to be lit. Taking a candle from the mantle, I light it from one of the wall sconces, then stoop to light the tinder at the bottom of the wood pile. A few minutes later, a pleasant fire is warming the room.

"Very good Quillion," Teritha says from behind me.

"Thank you m'lady," I reply turning around to look at her. She smiles and steps past me, holding her hands out towards the fire. Turning to face me, she quickly scans the room, then whispers, "And thank you for last night's adventure. It meant a lot to me."

My brain freezes, trying to process her words. Seeing the mix of confusion and panic on my face, she gives me a look of surprise in return.

"You didn't know it was me?" she asks, surprised and slightly amused.

I try to speak but nothing comes out.

"You thought it was Lisbeth," she whispers, looking around to make sure the two of us are still alone. "Well, isn't this a pickle. I'm not sure if I should apologize or be offended."

"M'lady," I say pathetically.

"I suppose it's my fault. I was dressed as my sister would have been. So... I will apologize."

"Oh no," I counter. "Please don't apologize. I enjoyed your company immensely! And... I do like you. I just... thought..."

"That it was Lisbeth."

I nod.

"Well, perhaps next time it will be her. I will certainly put in a good word on your behalf if you'd like me to."

I look at her, mortified.

She laughs quietly. "I'm joking... mostly. Although, I think she would enjoy your company at least as much as I did."

Further discussion on the topic is prevented as Lisbeth enters the room.

"In fact," Teritha says out loud, looking at me. "I will have a discussion with Captain Kendric in the morning about your training. I think it's time for you to be outfitted appropriately."

Following her lead, I say, "Thank you m'lady."

"Very well then, please carry this message to Lady Jolie," she instructs me, producing a rolled up letter she's extracted from somewhere in her clothing. "Deliver this to her personally. Do not give it to anyone else or leave it anywhere. If she is unavailable to take it from you, keep it until you are able to see her."

"I will follow your instructions to the letter, m'lady."

"Very good, Quillion. You may go."

I take the letter from her and head for the door.

"Lisbeth, I'd like a word with you in my private chamber," I hear Teritha say as I enter the hallway outside. Closing the door, I take a deep breath.

I had sex with the Duchess! What if her husband finds out! Will I be thrown in a dungeon and forgotten about? Will I be hanged? More importantly, what's she going to say to Lisbeth?

"Can I help you?" a guard walking by asks me.

Snapping out of my panic-stricken thoughts, I realize I've stopped in the middle of the intersection of two corridors. "Uhm... Do you know where I can find Lady Jolie?"

§ 6 ~ Education

In the morning, after breakfast and our daily combat training, Captain Kendric explains that after getting cleaned up and eating lunch, the two of us will be visiting shops in the city. The official story is that I'm going along to carry items purchased for Duchess Teritha, but unofficially I will be outfitted for my new role as Teritha's personal bodyguard.

First, we visit a handful of armories, finally finding one with exactly what the Captain is searching for.

"This is a hauberk," he explains. "A shirt made of connected steel rings. Leather armor is good, but this is better."

"It looks heavy," I say skeptically.

"It is, which is why we're going to have one modified. You need to be able to move quickly and freely." He turns to the armorer's apprentice hovering nearby. "I want one of these, custom made to fit this young man, but without the sleeves."

"We can do that, m'lord. I'll take his measurements now and we should have that ready in a fortnight."

"I need it no later than three days from now." The apprentice looks as though he's about to protest when Captain Kendric adds, "I'll be paying with gold, half now, half later."

"You'll have your hauberk three days from now," a booming voice says. A man with arms the size of my legs stands across the room. "Measure the young man, Jorem."

"I thank you for your expediency, Master Armorer. The quality of your work is the best I've seen in a long time, and I'm glad I won't need to settle for less."

"Your words are appreciated, Captain Kendric."

"You know me?"

"Not personally, but I know that crest on your sleeve, and your reputation precedes you." He turns to me. "Boy, my name is Grom Malor, and I'll craft you the best hauberk you'll ever wear, but I wouldn't count on it to protect you if you ever cross swords with this man." He gestures at Captain Kendric. "It probably won't do you any good. No such armor exists."

Captain Kendric chuckles. "Your words are too kind Master Grom, and greatly exaggerated."

"Maybe," he chuckles. "Maybe. But not much. Come back in three days. I'll start on that hauberk right away."

"Thank you," Captain Kendric tells him again. He hands the apprentice a few gold coins, then turns to leave.

"Yes, thank you sir," I say, holding out my hand.

Grom looks at it in surprise. His eyes search mine briefly before he grasps my hand to shake it. "You're welcome lad." I smile at him, then follow Captain Kendric outside.

"Let's get to work boy!" I hear Grom bellow behind me.

I follow the Captain through the winding streets for the better part of an hour. Thinking we must certainly be on the other side of the city by now, he finally stops in front of a small shop with a worn sign above the door. It looks like an anvil, but the word scribbled below it is just as faded so I can't be certain. There is nothing displayed in the grimy windows and no other sign out front letting passersby know what lies within, but there's no mistaking this for anything but a weapon smith. The sound of a heavy hammer hitting steel sends a clearer message than any sign.

"Couldn't we have ridden a couple horses out here?" I ask Captain Kendric. "That was a long walk, and you seem to know exactly where you were going."

"We could have," he admits. "But horses draw a lot of attention. Soldiers are common. Most people don't recognize family crests, or even know the names of the nobility in other dutchies. We don't want to be remembered. it's called hiding in plain sight."

My thoughts go back to the common room at the inn where no one recognized the Duchess posing as her servant, and Teritha's words.

"Besides," Captain Kendric continues. "Horses are more difficult to navigate through these narrower streets and we can't just leave them out here when we go inside. Someone may steal them."

Looking around, I see the wisdom of his reasoning. "Why did you choose this weapon smith? He doesn't seem to do much business. I'm guessing he might do better though if he had his sign repainted."