Wilhelm

When he unbarred the doors, the villagers burst through, stumbling and shoving each other. They held rakes, shovels, pitchforks, a sword here and there. Wilhelm snarled and lowered his head. He rushed forward, stabbing four feet of gleaming steel into the stomach of a man, ripping the blade to the side in a rush of gore and intestines. Wilhelm spun the weapon into a cut and smiled as the tip took a huge chunk of flesh from the neck of another peasant. A black-haired man stepped up, thrusting a pitchfork at his side, and Wilhelm laughed as the tool bounced off of his armor. He grabbed the man with his left hand, his fingers digging into the screaming face. His sword was sweeping around and Wilhelm cut heavily through his captive's thigh, the limb severing cleanly to flop onto the carpet. As the remaining townsfolk turned to run, he lunged again, blade skewering one through the middle of the spine. The man fell to the steps of the church, bouncing a bit until he settled halfway down the stone stairs. Wilhelm roared then, the sound huge and booming, shattering the noises of the morning and replacing it with tense silence when his voice fell away.

He looked down at his sword, yanking it from the back of the peasant before sheathing it at his hip, not bothering to wipe the blood from the weapon. His horse sidled up, calm and clean, bridle in place. Wilhelm mounted and turned north, kicking the horse into a canter. As green hills and mountains replaced the village buildings, he relaxed, thinking about home. The villagers he had killed did not exist to him, he was unable to really even consider them when he tried to focus. The church and Father Aldo, whom he wasn't even sure had survived the fall down the steps, were a dim memory. Wilhelm sighed in relief as his horse trod over the hard-packed dirt road, chewing up the distance that he had left to be back home, to be with his Elise.

§

As he approached Ballenstedt, he saw his keep rising in the distance. Seeing the strong walls and heavy stone lent him strength and he kicked the horse into a gallop, rushing from the dirt and onto smooth cobbles. He swept into the city, hammering up the main street. He didn't spare a glance for anything or anyone, his horse streaming past houses and shops, minstrels and workers. It was just twilight, and there were less people in the street than during the day. Wilhelm looked up at the heavy clouds, watching as a long line of blue lightning snaked across the bottom of a huge thunderhead. His horse carried him through well-manicured trees, up the curving road that led to his keep. The white walls loomed suddenly, filling him with hope and warmth. The roof was formed of bright red tiles and sloped back from the third story windows. He saw lights and activity, the king's soldiers milling around his stables and yard.

Dropping off of his mount, Wilhelm dropped the reins as a harried stableboy ran up. He strode past men as they nodded and bowed, greeting a Knight Lord of Anhalt as he returned home. Wilhelm shoved his way past a chamberlain who rushed to push the main doors open before him. The man followed after him, tittering in Wilhelm's ear.

"Begone," Wilhelm snapped, turning slightly and raising his hand.

"Yes, my lord."

Wilhelm's boots thumped on marble tile as he came to the main stairs. He took them two at a time, his hand propelling his upper body along the bannister. Once he gained the third floor, he was relieved at the sight of immaculate wooden floorboards, dark pillars holding up little arches of white stone and a perfect, white stained ceiling. He rushed along, barely acknowledging his house guards and servants. When he reached the tower suite, he paused, suddenly unsure. Something heavy was weighing on his soul, something he could sense but not identify. Wilhelm leaned against a pillar, the painted wood smooth against his hair. He was still in his armor, stained with the blood of the villagers he had slain. His helmet was forgotten somewhere, but his sword was still scabbarded at his waist. He took a deep breath, then another, then slapped his bare hands on his face. He had lost his gloves somewhere between the forest and the village and when he looked down, he saw the dull stains, spilled blood and grime. He could not greet Elise looking like this.

He turned left instead of entering his suites. The king would be asleep somewhere, or eating, his servants and men-at-arms were underfoot all over this area of the keep. Wilhelm burst into a small privy that was primarily used by the staff and shooed out a couple of men who were gossiping about a kitchen girl. The water in their washbasin was a bit murky already but Wilhelm splashed it against his face, scrubbing his fingers through his trim beard and trying to clean some of the road from himself. His hands were stained thoroughly though, and even after scrubbing them with a thick-bristled brush, he was only able to remove the surface dirt. Wilhelm knew he'd need a long soak later in hot water with some proper soaps to get the evidence of his recent deeds scoured away.

He pushed into the hall again, heading for his chambers. As he passed into the tower section, Wilhelm felt an unease and tried to push it aside. He began yanking at his straps, dropping his pauldrons and breastplate to the floor as soon as he entered his antechamber. He stripped the rest of his armor and his malodorous undergarments away, happy that his wife was not reading in their quarters. There was a proper washbasin with soaps and a softer brush for scrubbing. Wilhelm took his time, cleaning away the bulk of the sweat and filth, feeling like a reborn man. When he finally toweled off, he reveled in his clean, naked state. He gently eased the door to the bedchamber open, peeking in so he would not disturb Elise if she had taken to bed early. She was not in the room, but a low lamp burning on the dresser showed him their bed, perfectly turned out, the heavy wood and canopy like a welcome embrace. The feelings that it evoked, just seeing that piece of furniture where he had spent so much time with her, loving, sleeping, burrowed in their heavy blankets on dark winter nights; he was truly home.

Wilhelm ran his hand over the blankets as he made his way to his wardrobe and removed a comfortable doublet and pair of breeches. He dressed unhurriedly, slipping into soft house boots that climbed halfway up his calves and covered the bottoms of his breeches. Excited now, feeling more normal and sane than he had since entering that corrupt forest, Wilhelm hustled back through his antechambers, only stopping long enough to strap his sword belt back on. He asked a servant where he would find his wife, and the boy said that he thought she was visiting with the king. Wilhelm thanked him heartily, clapping his shoulder before rushing up to the highest point in the keep. The tower room was reserved for honored guests, directly above his own suites, and Wilhelm thought it was a nice touch. It always seemed to make visiting dukes or bishops a little more pliant when it came time to discuss some business arrangement or another.

As he gained the landing, Wilhelm paused, his mouth dropping open in horror. Bernhardt stood at attention to the right of the guest apartments, another of his men-at-arms who had entered the forest with him was on the left. Wilhelm fell to one knee, crossing himself and staring at the confused expressions on his men's faces. Hans stepped forward, holding out his hand. Wilhelm scrambled back, the last time he had seen the man, he had been missing half of his face.

"Bernhardt, Hans..."

"Lord Kraus! What ails you?" Hans said, concern thick in his voice.

"You are dead! You are both dead!"

Bernhardt laughed and patted his stomach and chest, "I feel very much alive, my lord, is this some new jest?"

"No man! When I saw you last, a wolf was tearing the flesh from your face," Wilhelm croaked. The two soldiers looked at each other and Wilhelm saw them frown, the confusion being replaced by a bit of fear. They had never seen Lord Kraus in such a state. "Bernhardt, how is this possible? How did you come to be here?"

"My lord, we were separated in the forest. Hans and I made our way back to the keep last evening. The captain just told us to resume our duties... So, here we are."

"I... Yes, my apologies, men. A nightmare then, that is what it was," Wilhelm finished hastily, not wanting to scare them any further. Maybe it was even the truth, although he doubted that.

"My lord," Bernhardt said, bowing slightly as Hans helped Wilhelm stand.

Wilhelm brushed his knee off self-consciously, not ready to meet either man's gaze. He indicated the guest quarters without looking up.

"Elise, my wife, is she in with his Highness?"

"Yes, Lord."

"Thank you, Bernhardt," Wilhelm said.

Wilhelm entered the antechamber and took in the scene, his wife sitting gracefully in an armchair across from Geoff von Albrecht. There was a large fire warding off the chill and he saw Elise notice him and wink. Von Albrecht had his back to Wilhelm and only the back of his head was visible. His wife had a mischievous look about her, so Wilhelm decided to stay quiet and not approach yet. The deep carpet had kept his entry silent so far, the door had apparently not been heard.

"How long will you be staying this year?" Elise asked.

"Oh, probably less than a month. I need to be seen on the border, especially when we've had so many incursions of late."

"Mmm, yes, that is true. Wilhelm will be able to deal with that soon, I'm sure. With the addition of the levies you brought, Anhalt should be secure in no time."

"It is always so nice to visit with you, Elise. You know I enjoy your company," the king said, his voice growing steadily more husky.

"I enjoy yours, too! You really should visit more, and there are some eligible ladies in Ballenstedt... You'll need to marry soon, King Geoff."

"Yes, yes," the king said, exasperated, "That's what everyone is so fond of telling me. I've got plenty of brothers though, no reason for me to breed right away. It is a pity that you married Wilhelm though, Elise. I always thought we had a special bond, maybe it could be something more."

"Could have been?" Elise asked quietly.

"Could be, still."

Wilhelm frowned, meeting Elise's triumphant gaze. She liked to tease him that she could have been a queen, but he usually didn't hear von Albrecht so blatantly state his desires. He was secure in her faithfulness though, Elise had never wanted anything more than him and he knew that she was satisfied, physically and otherwise. The worst complaint she could issue would be that he had to occasionally take to the field for weeks at a time. She didn't complain though, Elise was the best woman he had ever met. Plenty of men had things to worry about, infidelities, gossip, excessive emotions. Wilhelm was glad that he had stolen her away from the capital. It had been one of his finest decisions.

"I didn't mean to make things awkward, Elise," Geoff said after a long silence. "It's just, well, you know how I feel."

"I do, your highness," Elise responded graciously. "I am flattered, but I'm also very happy with Wilhelm. Our son is celebrating his thirteenth year this autumn, did you know?"

"No, that's wonderful, truly."

"Do you expect us to go to war?" Elise asked, in apparent earnestness.

"What?" Geoff's distracted response seemed like he had not been paying attention. Probably due to Elise's gentle refusal to speak of the topic on his mind.

"I asked if you expect that we will go to war."

"Oh, quite certainly. I have been assured that we are fully prepared to handle Braunschweig. The men-at-arms I have provided your lord husband will be sufficient to push back the tide."

"Do you think they would resume aggressions with us if they didn't have firmer backing than their own army?" Elise asked innocently.

Geoff did not respond immediately and Wilhelm knew that he was unsure of the political situation. The von Albrecht lineage had been much better served under his father, and his father's father before him. Wilhelm was severely disappointed with the king's involvement in local politics, foreign policy and the management of Anhalt's armies. Luckily, the other Knight Lords and himself were able to directly handle the ineptitudes of the crown, but Anhalt lacked a visibly competent head of state. Braunschweig's leader was a powerful man who was constantly involved in the doings of his nation. King Harold was what Wilhelm would have wanted for his own country, in personality at least, if not in policy.

Deciding to make his presence known, Wilhelm stepped back into the doorway and knocked loudly while pretending to just be stepping in. The king stood and turned his way, Elise's beautiful, smiling face peeking out behind von Albrecht's in Wilhelm's line of sight. Geoff von Albrecht had inherited the attractiveness of his family line, if not their competence. He was on the thin side when compared to a fighter like Wilhelm, but his face was well-proportioned and he had a straight nose. His eyes were bright and green, hair a long, flowing blonde. His tunic was of the highest quality, red and embroidered with Anhalt's crest of golden laurels surrounding an up thrust sword.

"Your highness," Wilhelm said, inclining his head a bit.

"Wilhelm Kraus! So good to see you, and early, if I'm not mistaken."

"We ran into a little trouble on the road. Nothing that couldn't be handled, but it caused an early return." He noticed Elise's sharp look and tried to keep his face impassive. He would explain as best he could later but he didn't want to give any details to the king. "Braunschweig is quiet for the time being. We'll get more information when the other scouting parties arrive."

"Good to hear! I'll let you and your wife retire for the night," von Albrecht said with a wink. "I'm going to raid the kitchens for a late dinner."

"Your highness," Wilhelm and Elise said in unison.

He took Elise's hand and dragged her out of the tower room. She walked easily with him, clearly wanting to get to a private place as much as he did. They pushed past Bernhardt and Hans who did not speak, just watched them with knowing looks. As soon as they reached the relative solitude of the stairwell, Wilhelm spun her in front of him and crushed her mouth with his. Elise kissed him eagerly, tongue fighting his while her free hand grabbed his ass and pulled his pelvis against her. He was glad to feel her comforting touch after recent events and her urgent desire was stoking his own.

"Touch me," Elise said as she pulled her dress up.

Wilhelm let his hand slide up her thigh. He hadn't even noticed what she was wearing, only her face. Now he saw that it was a long and chaste black dress that revealed nothing except some of her curves. He knew what was under those layers though and the dress was now just a barrier to his desire. Wilhelm released her hand that he had dragged her by and used it to entangle her hair. He pulled her head back roughly and his tongue ran the length of her neck to her ear. Her earlobe went into his mouth as his other hand found her wet folds. She had no smallclothes on, something he appreciated in moments like this. His thick middle finger made circles on her clit and pushed into her a bit as he gathered slippery moisture onto the digit. When his mouth found hers again and he felt her moan, he thrust the finger into her, feeling the resistance when it reached the second knuckle.

Elise shook and pushed against him, trying to get his finger deeper. Wilhelm slid it in and out slowly until he could fully insert it. When he did, his other hand moved to her ass and pulled her left leg up. He worked her slit with his finger, feeling the rough stone wall against the back of his hand. Her mouth was panting against his, the kiss faltering as her focus shifted lower. Elise grabbed his bulging pants with a hand and circled the other arm around his shoulders. She rubbed him through the restrictive cloth roughly and he felt her passage opening even more for his finger.

"Come, my love," Wilhelm growled into her lips. "Let's get to our chambers."

She responded by falling to her knees, his finger sliding from under her dress. Elise placed her lips directly against the straining cloth of his breeches and kissed loudly. Then she stood and grinned at him before turning and moving down the stairs. Wilhelm smiled and followed, impatient to get her dress off. The stairs were more difficult to navigate than normal through the lust haze that had settled over him, and the awkward bulge in his pants. His wife was through the lower door before him and Wilhelm took a moment to try to relax before entering the hallway. It was a short walk to the door to their chambers but he didn't want the servants or his soldiers to see his erection and flushed face. It was his own house and shouldn't matter, but for some reason he couldn't ever let himself be unprofessional in that way. Most of his staff were devout Christians as well, so the breach in decorum might be gossiped about and cause ill will.

Wilhelm followed when he was ready, finally able to control his breathing and response to Elise's sensual touch. Ironically, there was no one to be seen in the hall. The guards that were posted around his quarters patrolled regularly to keep awake through the night. They must have been off somewhere else, along with the servants. Wilhelm dismissed his staff and shoved the door to the antechamber open, closing it firmly behind him and bolting it. There was a low fire but not much other light in this room. He could see flames dancing in the open doorway to the bedroom though and knew that Elise had a few candles lit in there. Wilhelm crossed the dim room, careful not to trip on the carpets or bump the furniture.

Entering the bedchamber, he paused to take in the image of Elise. She was on her knees, hips thrust wantonly forward. Her dress was in a pile to her right and she was kneeling on a pillow. Her long hair spilled around her shoulders, a dark contrast to her firm, pale skin. He could see that she was wet, her folds spread with desire. She had trimmed her lower hair recently and she was nearly bare around it, affording him a fabulous view. He could see the muscles in her thighs corded as she pressed her hands into her ass, thrusting her pelvis even more. As he approached, she ran her hands all over her stomach, breasts and face. His doublet hit the floor before he was halfway to her and Wilhelm felt a welcome chill on his bare skin. The hair on his chest and stomach seemed more sensitive than normal and his eyes didn't leave his wife's.

Wilhelm stopped in front of her, watching as she yanked on the laces of his pants enough to get them down to his knees. In the process, she leaned in and his straining rod struck her cheek as soon as she freed it. He felt her mouth suck at the base, her tongue licking along the shaft. She stopped occasionally on her way to the head to suck at the side of him, making him unconsciously thrust forward. When she reached the tip, he felt both of her hands enclose his balls and watched her mouth slowly engulf his manhood. She took him all and Wilhelm groaned as he filled her mouth. Her tongue worked the bottom of his cock as her mouth moved back and forth. She never let the head exit, plunging back down on him whenever she got close. His balls felt heavy in her hands and Wilhelm smiled, glad to be back at home, with his wife.

He looked down and his eyes widened in slow recognition. His mouth twisted in shock and he felt his nostrils flare. Looking up at him, with his cock buried in her mouth, was the dark-haired leader of the hags. Her eyes were glowing with laughter and he growled. His hands snapped from his waist to encircle her throat and Wilhelm pulled her off his hardness. He dragged her slowly to her feet, his fingers beginning to grip her neck.