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From: nostrumo@nienor.s.bawue.de (Nostrumo)
Subject: TG: "Milady's Wiles" by Brandy Dewinter (20/22)
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Hi.
This is the latest story of Brandy DeWinter. A story about war and
the casualties of war.
As always: I DIDN'T write this story and haven't any claim to it. If
you have some useful hints or some good comments, your mail is welcome.
Flames, you know, will be piped to /dev/null.
If you are an author and wish to remain anonymous or just try to
avoid the replies to your work. I offer you the chance of posting your
stories and collecting the response for you. This offer only stands
for story postings and for nothing else.
Enjoy the story.
Ciao
Nostrumo
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> cut here with a sharp knife <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Milady's Wiles
by Brandy Dewinter
Chapter 20 - Who's Whose?
Our expedition arrived back at the castle without further incident.
We had known from the Chamberlain's reports that the new irrigation pro-
ject was proceeding well, but it was appropriate to show those involved
that they had our interest as well as our funding. After a brief visit
with much head nodding and 'hmmming' we escaped back to our familiar
abode.
Lyonidas helped me from my horse and we were walking together toward
our wing of the castle when I realized I had forgotten a scarf in a bag
on my saddle. Elgion had made some excuse about looking after his own
tack and Julia had offered to make sure the stablemen took care of our
other belongings.
"I must go back," I said with a hardly ladylike grump.
The question in his eyes was both invitation and request to explain,
so I said briefly, "I left something with my horse. I'll see you in-
side."
"What is it? I'll go get it," he offered gallantly.
"No, that's all right. I left a scarf and I know where it is on my
saddle. Truly, it will take me less time to fetch it than to explain
where I put it."
He nodded acquiescence and gave me a quick kiss to send me on my
way, a kiss that threatened not to be quick just as soon as his lips
began to warm mine. Or perhaps, as soon as they began to caress mine,
for he found my own lips to be hot and eager for his touch. I was about
to remind him of our deeper intimacy from the night before when a servant
stumbled upon us. Her giggle as she backed around the corner she had
rounded to find us was sufficient distraction to bring Lyonidas, at
least, back into the mundane world. He lifted his head which put it out
of my reach. My whimper of need was not enough to recapture the mood,
and in another instant our embrace was ended as well.
"Are you sure you don't want me to accompany you?" he chuckled.
"Hmmm?" I responded dreamily, still not really back in the world of
servants and obligations.
Then I did rouse and shook myself to recover my senses. I smiled
to make sure he knew I was joking, and answered, "Milord Regent, you can
go anywhere you wish in Achaiea, but if you accompany me on this errand,
neither of us may make it to our balcony to see the sunset."
"Would that be so bad?" he grinned.
"Perhaps," I smiled back, enough heat in my gaze to bring a most
gratifying flush to his own neck, "but sometimes being bad can be very,
very good."
"Ah, hmm," now it was his turn to be incoherent. I used the excuse
of his discomfiture to cover my exit, only a light-hearted giggle lin-
gering behind as I moved back toward the stables.
I was almost whistling as I made my way back to my horse alone. My
saddle was already hung on its rack and I quickly retrieved the abandoned
scarf. I was about to turn back toward the main keep when I heard
Julia's silvery giggle carol forth from a nearby stall.
The partitions between the stalls were more-or-less solidly closed
but the wood had warped and shrunk enough that there were places to see
through while still providing the illusion of privacy. I put my eye to
one of the gaps to see Elgion leaning near, almost looming over Julia who
had her back to the far wall of the stall they were in. Elgion's back
was toward me but I could see from the expression on Julia's face that
she didn't feel threatened.
Quite the opposite.
"So, Milord Count, did you enjoy your filly today?"
He had propped himself with one hand in his lean against the parti-
tion, but he used the free one to lightly rub his cheek where Julia had
earlier slapped him.
"For the most part," he answered, and though I could not see his
face, the grin was apparent in his tone.
"She is rather slender, but shapely nonetheless," he continued.
"Do you prefer a larger filly?" asked Julia, crossing her arms under
her bosom in a way that drew attention to her feminine bounty.
"No, for a filly, the size is perfect," that damn grin was still in
his voice.
"What size do you think is right for a horse, then?"
"Milady Fair, my horse is of a size that would spread you quite wide
if you were to try and ride it."
I nearly fell where I stood at his crude comment, but Julia did not
even have the grace to blush! She laughed instead, with a sort of
throatiness to her giggle that made it clear she had picked up on the
crudity.
"Sir, I am a lady. I ride . . . sidesaddle."
"Lady, I am open minded. I am willing to . . . experiment."
This was just too much! Julia was to flirt with the man, not wallow
in filth like a rutting hog. I was just about to move around the edge of
the partition and confront them, when Julia danced lightly out from under
his arm and ran her own fingers through her hair, as though brushing non-
existent straw from the copper mass. It certainly called attention to
her fiery glory.
"Milord Count, I think you are too forward." Now she played the
coquette.
"Milady, I think you raise a fire in the blood to match your hair,"
he replied, moving once again to stand close to her.
He ran his hand through her hair and I saw as I had so often seen
from much closer range that it had the same effect on Julia that it had
on me; to draw her eyes closed as though there were some linkage hidden
behind the flowing tresses. In another heartbeat his lips were caressing
those soft full lips that I had once known so well myself. And in barely
another instant I could tell that they were sharing a more intimate
caress as well as their mouths opened to allow the dance of tongues.
God forgive me for my feelings. I had just moments before been
ready to enjoy the same intimacy with Lyonidas, yet when I saw Julia
share that closeness with Elgion I was insane with jealousy! And even
more damning, I was hot with arousal! If jealousy alone had motivated
me, I would have stormed in on them though it cost me my kingdom. But I
knew my excitement was more vulgar than even that deadly sin of jealousy
and I could not go forward when I was myself so improper in my emotions.
The raging conflicts within me took my breath away and I was panting
with a need for air that made my constricted waist once again more than a
mere nuisance. As I struggled to get myself under control, my darling
betrothed and the crude man that held her broke their kiss to try and
catch their own breath.
"Milady Julia, when will you allow me to claim you publicly? If
you can kiss me like that, I know that you find me not too objec-
tionable."
"Not too objectionable," she murmured, "but too new. I have barely
met you."
"You know that our custom of bestowing earrings is not the same as
your betrothal. Wear my earrings as a sign that you are willing to get
to know me better," he urged her.
"And what do the earrings signify about your willingness?" she
asked.
"Why, the same thing. They signify that I am willing to get to know
you better," claimed the intruder.
"I have heard they are not the same, that the earrings declare that
I will not consider others beside you while no such restriction applies
to you."
He had at least the refinement to admit this. "True, but I promise
not to bestow them on any other Achaiean maidens. Besides, Cherysse
wears the rings of Lyonidas."
"You are not Lyonidas," snorted Julia.
"And you are not Cherysse," Elgion replied just as dismissively.
This brought a fire to Julia's eyes where Elgion's crudity had
sparked only amusement.
"So I suppose you would prefer the princess to me?"
"Well," he mused, "she is the princess."
That earned him another slap, resounding in the echoing compartment.
He caught her hand on the rebound. Though his strength imprisoned her
as fully as manacles from the dungeon, his voice rang out with laughter.
"Oh, Milady Fire, do you think I would prefer that pale and bland
weakness to your lively strength? I would not have her even if my sword-
brother made no claim of his own."
This was worse than his crudity! I'd show him pale and weak. I
had assassinated Strane without hesitation. Well, without hesitation
at the critical moment. I could do the same to this arrogant interloper!
Then my anger turned to despair as he pulled Julia by her captured
wrists into yet another kiss, one impossibly more passionate than before.
By her response I could see that Julia had no anger of her own at his
slur toward me. Or, at least, if there were anger in there it was buried
so deeply that it had no meaning except as one more source of energy to
flow between them. He moved his hands around her waist, taking her cap-
tured hands with his own so that her arms were pulled back as though she
were bound in truth and not just in passion. He bent her back, pulling
her arms to force her soft curves to mold themselves to his hard body,
but she was far from protesting at this force. Her lips sought his as
eagerly as they had ever sought mine and I remembered that she had said
she enjoyed surrendering to a powerful man almost as much as she enjoyed
gentleness.
It was too much. It would have done me no good to spy on them
longer, for my eyes filled with tears. My heart pounded in my breast
with panic beyond words, beyond thought except to flee. I ran from the
stables, sobbing, saved only by the grace of God from making enough noise
to awaken an army, though even that might not have been enough to intrude
into their transported world.
It is said that God will not provide trials that are more than one
can bear and it must be so, for if I had been forced to explain my panic
I would have been unable. Instead, I reached my rooms without other
witness, taking refuge finally in the comfort of Wraith, who waited for
me with her usual patience. I swept her up into my arms, my small
strength only powerful to one so tiny and wept until her fur was soaked
with my tears.
That evening I was the one who missed the sunset observation, and
dinner as well. So it was not until the next morning when I reached the
bathing chamber that I learned the news that confirmed my fears.
"My dear Cherysse, you are going to have to learn to accept this,
at least for the time being," Mother said as she worked to release me
from my steel lover.
"Oh, it's not so bad any more, but I do enjoy being let free for at
least a little while," I answered.
Mother stopped her unlacing, "I was not speaking of the maiden's
lover. I was speaking of Julia."
"Julia?" I asked, but it was not Mother that answered.
"Yes, Cherysse?" Julia herself answered as she entered the chamber.
And with her entry I saw what others must have thought was the cause of
my dismay. Julia now wore earrings of her own, or of Elgion's.
I closed my eyes for a long moment, not so much in denial as in a
need to turn inward for strength in the face of this disaster. When I
opened them again, Julia's eyes showed pain that was almost more dis-
tressing to me than my own despair.
"I'm sorry, Julia," I whispered. "I don't want to stand between
you and your happiness. Please forgive me if I can't find the pleasure
in your gift that I owe you for the love that we had."
"Had?" she asked, now more pained than ever.
"You have accepted Elgion's rings," I stated the obvious, wondering
why she was surprised at my releasing her from any claims I might have
once imagined.
"And you wear those of Lyonidas. These mean no more to me than
yours mean to you," she claimed.
And what did my earrings from Lyonidas mean to me? Did they require
that I not love Julia, that I not dream of a day when the claim they
represented would be nullified by the overthrow of our invaders? And if
not for me then why should Julia be less focused on the goal than I was?
"What do they mean to you?" I asked, a tiny bit of hope growing
through a crack in the wall of my despair.
Julia must have seen the hope in my eyes for she laughed and wrapped
her arms around me. "Why, they are pretty baubles meant to adorn a
maiden like any other jewelry. I think we'll start a style with these."
Before I had a chance to reply, Mother interjected her own comment
and though there was a tone more ominous than frivolous in her voice, it
did not really dampen the mood.
"Yes, Julia, we may do just that. Those women of Achaiea who had a
part to play in freeing our land deserve some recognition. I think ear-
rings such as you wear will honor both of you for the part you played and
make a further statement that we are already claimed by our land; no
interlopers' baubles can take that away."
"Yes," Julia and I answered together, catching the fierceness in
Queen Selay's tone and making it our own.
I know that I should have tried to sustain that fierceness, that
sense of purpose in every waking moment, but Julia's bright energy and my
overwhelming relief turned my mind to joy often in the next few weeks.
She spent most of her time with Elgion, but we managed a few evenings
together when one or the other would ask for help in some dainty project
of no interest to the men. We didn't get much done on our projects those
evenings, but neither of us were worried about that.
What we were worried about, more so as the spring progressed, was
the coming visit from Kragdle. The critical passes were closer to High
Canyon than to Stalwart Guard so he would be on his way before we knew
it was possible. Yet, not too much sooner, for messengers made the trip
perhaps once a week.
We had some warning then, enough to be ready when Kragdle's entou-
rage reached our gates. He announced himself to our guards, as was their
custom, and was admitted immediately. However, it was late in the night
and only our Chamberlain represented us, along with Lyonidas and Elgion.
All other members of the Achaiean nobility made use of the excuse of
sleep though Mother and I actually watched from a darkened room as Krag-
dle accepted the greetings of his regent.
"Hello, Father. I am glad you were able to make it without another
night on the journey."
We had to strain our ears to hear the breathless voice of Kragdle,
but as before it carried strangely well.
"Indeed? Your clothes would seem to indicate you were surprised
by our arrival. Why are you not wearing proper attire?"
"Why Father, these clothes are quite practical and more comfortable
than those we wear in High Canyon. I think you will like them when you
try them. Perhaps more than Achaiean metal working, these will someday
benefit High Canyon."
"Someday," Kragdle sneered. "There has been precious little benefit
so far."
But he dismounted with his words and allowed himself to be led into
the keep. His last words were to the Chamberlain. "I intend to hold a
court in the morning. Inform the Achaiean nobility that all those who
reside in the castle are expected to attend."
I thought with those parting words that Mother would allow us to
get what sleep we could in the remainder of the night but she had me
follow her back to her rooms where Julia and Duchess Amity already
waited. No explanations were offered. Queen Selay just motioned me to
my accustomed stool and gathered Greyshadow in her arms to await whatever
was expected.
Our wait was not long. In moments there was a knock at our door and
Hugh ushered in Queen Giselle of High Canyon. My first impression was
that her clothes were a feminine version of the shapeless tan garb of
High Canyon men, though in a deep, rich brown almost in another spectrum
from the drab tan we had seen before. Then as she moved toward us I
realized I could tell that she was slender despite her attire, more robe
than dress, that seemed to be so concealing. This contradiction was due
to the wonderful softness of the knitted robe she wore, all flowing
fullness of sleeve and long skirt. Yet when she moved the wonderfully
soft fabric molded for an instant at a time to her still-shapely form,
promising more than revealing for a most interesting effect.
She was a tall woman, taller than Queen Selay. Yet one could see
the resemblance in their features, dominated by the clear blue eyes that
I knew were also part of me. Unlike Mother and I, Queen Giselle had
richly black hair, shining in the candlelight so brightly it looked
streaked with white inappropriate for her apparent age. That impression
of discordant color was false though, for the highlights danced with her
motion from place to place in her captive cape of midnight.
We all stood and were introduced. She merely nodded until she came
to me, "So you are the Princess Cherysse. From the dispatches written by
Lyonidas, I would have expected one who was surrounded by a chorus of
angels."
I blushed at her remark and bowed my head. She lifted it with a
gesture reminiscent of Lyonidas and smiled at me.
"Don't worry girl. I know your true nature and I approve of your
masquerade. I am not unaware of the sacrifice you have made to recover
your kingdom. The pain that Lyonidas will feel when your union is shown
to be impossible is merely his sacrifice to achieve a better goal than he
might otherwise recognize."
"Thank you, Majesty," I answered quietly. She nodded once again,
abruptly, then turned to Queen Selay.
"Cousin, has the time come, do you think, to reveal my own share of
our secret?"
Mother nodded, waving her arm in invitation to another seat provided
specifically for our visitor. Queen Giselle looked at Hugh, then back to
Mother with a question in her eyes, but nodded acceptance and sat down
when Mother made no motion to exclude him.
"I suppose you are wondering why I am willing to help you against
my husband. It is because he is my husband in name only. We are joined
as a symbol of the alliance with Vidalia, my homeland and that of your
own Queen. Kragdle has never shared my bed."
"Then who is Lyonidas' father?" I blurted, then dropped my head in
shame at my tactless outburst.
"That is a secret I will retain a while longer. It is enough that
Kragdle has acknowledged Lyonidas as his heir. Most people think that
Kragdle's emaciation is due to the privations of his youth. In fact, it
is the result of a disease that he contracted in some brothel or another.
The disease has left him unable to father a child. He knew this when we
were wed and a part of my duties was to provide him with an heir. In a
surprising bit of tact, or perhaps of willful blindness, Kragdle has
never required that I reveal the father. I expect it was self-serving as
are all of Kragdle's actions. If Lyonidas knew his true father, he might
be moved to ally with that man against Kragdle."
"Suffice it for now to say that I have been waiting since before you
were born for the day when Lyonidas, my true son, would be ready to rule.
On that day, I will support him over Kragdle without hesitation."
"I believe that day is nigh," she concluded.
Queen Selay asked, "What do you know of Kragdle's plans?"
"Not much," replied Giselle. "I do know that he intends some sort
of confrontation tomorrow at the gathering he has called."
"Confrontation with whom?"
"That I do not know. With you, certainly, since you are the symbol
of Achaiea, but it may be that he intends more. What do you think Lyoni-
das will do?"
Giselle had asked Mother, but Mother turned to me for the answer.
"I don't know," I admitted. "He has changed in many ways since he
came to Achaiea and I would like to think he has found something of value
here. But whether that value is enough for him to stand against Kragdle
depends on the focus of the confrontation."
"Indeed," Giselle nodded, accepting my judgment. "However, we must
do something soon, whether the result of Kragdle's plans or our own. He
will not allow me to continue to influence Lyonidas and if he finds too
much of your influence in him, my son will be recalled to High Canyon. I
cannot allow that, regardless of the cost."
"What will you do?" I asked quietly.
"Whatever is necessary to stop Kragdle," she vowed. "Even if it
means that I must kill him with my bare hands!"
Duchess Amity offered a caution from her own experience, "That would
not be easy. Even when we drugged Reynal I could not have overpowered
him alone, not enough to kill him. It was all I could do to hold him
until Amy arrived."
Giselle said nothing. Her determination was clear on her face, but
determination in the face of superior force might not be enough.
"Have you no weapons?" I asked.
She snorted, "Kragdle would never trust me with weapons. His guards
are under orders not to allow me access to any. They know where you keep
your own, or at least where your men keep theirs since women of Achaiea
do not usually arm themselves."
"Not usually," I mused. Then I remembered at least one weapon that
was no longer considered within the Achaiean inventory.
Julia must have thought of it at the same time for her head came up
and her eyes met mine. She stood and with a nod to Queen Selay went to
the array of memorials from royal funerals. There she found the dagger
she had once taken from Tamor's body to use in her thwarted attempt to
join him in death.
Julia walked back to Queen Giselle and handed her the dagger, "This
was once Tamor's. It is considered buried with him and no matter how
good Kragdle's spies are they will not know about this."
Giselle accepted the dagger, leaving the sheath with Julia. After a
moment to check the balance, showing that she knew enough about weapons
to make effective use of this one, she made it disappear somewhere inside
her billowing sleeves.
"If Kragdle survives this confrontation of his and remains in power,
I will use this on him tomorrow night," she promised.
"Is there anything more we can do to prepare?" asked Queen Selay,
bringing our late night conspiracy to a close.
No one had any further ideas so we dispersed to get what rest we
could in the small portion of night remaining. The next day would be as
important to the future of Achaiea as had been the day I became Cherysse,
and it was a measure of our success that we had been able to bring about
such significance within a year of the defeat of our army. Still, our
weapons were subtle while Kragdle owned those of brutality and force.
Would our guile and influence be enough to counter his arms?
--
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