by C.M. Owens
~Dogen
Kay’s mouth fell open at the deliciously sinful display of stunning male physiques, her eyes thoroughly examining each man in turn, admiring the thick, corded muscles of their arms; the finely chiseled lines of their jaws; the finger-twiningly-dense hair dancing in the autumn wind - red, blond, brunette, black, tawny gold. A sensual thrill coursed through her, flushing her with tingling warmth. She could choose any man in that group to be her husband and he would instantly, willingly, loyally come to her side. The awesome power intoxicated her to her very core.
She turned to Em, nudging her blonde sister with playful delight as they peered through the thick tapestry curtains of the coach window. “Are you sure I can only keep one of them?” Kay joked in a low voice. “It might be useful to have a spare husband around, in case of trouble.” Her eyes were drawn to the tawny mane of hair a second time, her gaze sliding down from his shoulders; her breath caught as she sized up the thickness of his biceps.
Her voice grew hoarse. “I am sure I could find all sorts of uses for a back-up knight with that kind of build.”
Em put a hand over her mouth to muffle the flurry of giggles that began to erupt. She adjusted her position slightly to account for her large, round abdomen, visible evidence of the child she had been carrying for the past six months. “It took our father long enough to convince you to use this process in the first place,” she chuckled in merriment. “If he realized you were now enjoying it, I am sure it would put his mind at ease.”
Kay shook her head. “I still do not agree with the principle of it,” she commented more quietly. Her eyes drew slowly along each man who stood on the keep steps, the group being presented with a final set of instructions by an elderly man with sparse grey hair, his elegant brown cloak concealing a frail frame. She knew her father, Lord Weston, was doing his best to present a strong front to his future sons-in-law.
Kay kept her eyes on his slowly moving figure. “I turned down the previous suitors because I found them sadly lacking. For father to force me to choose from one of these five men seems outrageous. What if none of them end up being what we need to defend Serenor Keep?”
Em’s mouth grew into a wide smile. “Surely, my dear sister, you have to believe one of those men would be suitable to stand by your side?”
Kay had to admit that the group had far exceeded her expectations. Her father had sent word the length and breadth of England in his search, bringing in five worthy, eligible bachelors who were interested in control of the seaside tower. All five men had agreed up front to put themselves in the hands of this selection process – to vie against each other for Kay’s hand in marriage. Now they were being told the particular rules of the game.
Suddenly all five men’s heads turned sharply to stare at the coach, and both women instantly pulled back into the dark interior, their hearts pounding, looking at each other before bursting into a fresh round of laughter. Kay had to take several deep breaths before she could bring herself to speak again.
“I think they have just been told they cannot see what I look like until I have made my final decision,” she chortled merrily. “By their reactions, they were none too pleased at that little tidbit!”
Em’s shoulders were shaking with mirth as she leant back against the embroidered seat. “Still, you have to admit Father hit on a stroke of genius there,” she countered. “By having me play at the shy target of their attentions, you can roam free as my maid servant, watching the men close up. You can observe how they talk about the keep and each other behind my back.”
Kay’s voice became more somber “Are you sure you are ready for this, to be sequestered in the top level of the keep for perhaps several weeks? If none of the men can see you, but they need to occasionally speak with you, it is the only way to maintain the charade.” She took her sister’s hand. “Surely you will get claustrophobic after a few days in that tiny apartment.”
Em shook her head. “I am looking forward to it,” she confided to her younger sister. “Between Eric’s whirlwind courtship, and our wedding, I have not had five minutes by myself. I am about to become a mother - a full time task if ever there was one.” She smiled and shrugged her shoulders. “This may be the only quiet time I get for decades; the only time to be by myself, to luxuriate in quiet, to sit, to read, to just think. I am going to enjoy every second of it.”
“Will you miss Eric?” asked Kay, pressing.
A wistful look came over Em’s face. She looked toward the thick, dark curtains which shaded the window, laying a hand against them for a moment. “Yes,” she admitted quietly. “He has been my rock, been by my side for so long now that it was extremely hard to part from him.” A faint smile lit her face. “Still, it is only for a few weeks, and as they say, absence makes the heart grow fonder. I will keep a journal for him, and he is doing the same for me. It will be interesting to share those once we are reunited.”
She drew her gaze tenderly to her sister. “Besides, this looks to be our final outing as siblings. I will have my home here, with Eric, and you will have yours out at Serenor. I am going to enjoy spending time with you for these next few weeks and will find it hard to be separated when the time comes.”
Kay gave her a nudge. “I am sure we can visit, once we are both old, married women, but I agree completely. This will be our chance to play at dice, to share confidences, and to have one last gasp of freedom before we are both chasing after children.”
Em offered a wink, then reached beneath her seat, drawing out a stoppered, blue glass bottle. “Then, I think it is time for us to celebrate,” she chuckled, pulling out the cork and handing it over to her sister. “A toast to our futures!”
Kay took a long pull, and suddenly the coach gave a gentle jerk as it moved into a quiet rhythm. The sound of numerous men on horseback swelled around them.
A tremor of nervousness shot through her. It was all in motion now. There was no turning back; no second thoughts. By nightfall they would be at the keep, and the games would begin. She would have to give herself over to one of these men.
She thought back to the line of strong shoulders she had examined. Perhaps things were not so bad. She took another swig and smiled. Not so bad at all.
