by Morgan Henry
Aenid knocked on the door of the study and was bid to enter. Both men stood as she walked into the room.
“Good afternoon, Your Majesty.” Aenid greeted the king with a curtsey.
“Good afternoon, Lady Aenid,” greeted the king.
Merrin came over and greeted her with a light kiss on the cheek. She blushed.
“I have come to a decision, Your Majesty, regarding your offer of Dyfal.” Aenid sat at the king’s gesture.
“And?” the king queried.
“I wish to remain Baroness of Clawynd. I love my home and people too much to leave it. However, I do want to thank you for your offer and your confidence in my abilities. As you asked, I will certainly do all that I can to help the new Duke.” Now that she had said the words aloud, Aenid was even more certain she had made the right decision.
“No thanks needed, I was making an offer that would have benefited Dyfal and Kerban. You would have made an excellent Duchess. I do understand the ties to your home, however.”
“May I now ask who is to be the new Duke, Sire?” Aenid would admit to herself privately that she was burning of curiosity.
“It is Sir Robal,” Merrin said with a smile at the king’s nod of permission to tell. “Though we should call him Duke Robal now, I guess.”
“Ah, I can see why you are pleased. He is a good man and is capable of learning.” Aenid was genuinely happy for the young man that had suddenly come up in the world. “Does he know?”
There was a knock on the door before anyone could answer. When bidden, Robal entered and bowed to his king and companions.
“I have the information on the servants and running of the keep that you requested, Your Majesty,” he said formally. “Is this a bad time?”
“Not at all,” the king replied warmly. “It’s actually very well timed.”
Robal looked puzzled at their broad grins. “I’m glad to be of service, Sire.”
“Sir Robal,” the king said formally, “I must inform you that by your bloodline, you are the successor to Duke Bruson.”
Aenid and Merrin both had wide smiles on their faces at Robal’s stunned look.
“Congratulations, my friend.” Merrin stood and clapped Robal on the shoulder.
“Congratulations, Duke.” Aenid rose and curtsied.
“But, Your Majesty,” stammered Robal, his face flushed with embarrassment, “I know that Lady Aenid is a closer relation to Duke Bruson than I.”
“The baroness has declined Dyfal, preferring to stay at Clawynd,” King Graydon informed him.
Robal said nothing, obviously too surprised to organize his thoughts.
Graydon continued. “Lady Aenid has agreed to provide you with advice or assistance, if you wish it, as will the Earl of Neath. Both of their holdings prosper and I would strongly encourage you to take advantage of their wisdom. I wish for both you and Lady Aenid to come to Kerfaen and make your formal oaths in front of the court when we leave here in a few days. In the meantime, perhaps we can go over your plans for the keep and Dyfal?”
Chapter 25
The court was packed with nobility and gentry, all wearing their finest court attire. The hall was decorated for the Harvest Thanksgiving, but the trimmings were more extravagant than usual this year. There were banners in the gold of the harvest and the red of Kerban. Flower arrangements adorned most surfaces, festooned with ribbons and small bells. There were plenty of candles lighting up the hall and the fires were lit to take the chill out of the late autumn air.
Everyone would be celebrating through Kerban. The harvest celebration was one of the main holidays and all would give thanks to the goddess at some point this night. There would be plenty of food and drink, music, and dancing, and each home would have some sort of gold and red decorations.
There was quite a buzz in the court. It was not often an oath of fealty was sworn, and this year there would be two—Clawynd and Dyfal. They also had the victory over Torquin to celebrate. The cousin of the emperor was a “guest” in Kerban’s castle and there was the expectation that talks to ransom him and the rest of the captives back to Torquin would be successful. In the few days that Aenid and Merrin had been guests of King Graydon, it had become obvious they were lovers, and the court was talking of this as well. Some were congratulatory, some were jealous.
The king entered the hall accompanied by a swirl of music, dressed in black leather trousers and high polished boots. His tunic was the rich Kerban red, chased with gold wolves at the hem and cuffs. On his head was the Kerban crown, the single ruby jewel winking in the flickering candlelight and at his side, his ceremonial sword. Merrin flanked him in his formal attire as Champion, similar to the king, but Merrin was wearing his ceremonial chain of office and was the only other man in the hall with a sword at his belt. The king mounted the steps up the dais to his throne and stood in front of it. The assembled court bowed or curtsied to him and he bowed back.
“Thanks be to the goddess for another year of plenty. We are blessed with another fine harvest to see us through the winter. We are also blessed to be victorious over Torquin’s attempt to invade our land. I give my thanks to the god for this, and to those who fought to keep our home safe. We are saddened by the loss of life this entailed and have given our countrymen to the goddess.
“We are also honored this evening to hear oaths of fealty from two who have recently ascended to their titles. Lady Aenid te Mara, only daughter of Baron Jero de Barden, ascends to Baroness of Clawynd. Sir Robal de Dorman ascends to the title of Duke of Dyfal.
“Allow me to do Lady Aenid the courtesy of hearing her first.”
Aenid came forward. She was wearing Clawynd burgundy, the color becoming to her creamy skin and dark hair. He gown was simple. It had a square neckline, long loose sleeves, and hugged her curves gently before flaring to the ground. The neckline, cuffs, and hem were embroidered with dark green in a swirling pattern reminiscent of vines. She curtsied deeply in front of her King.
Aenid spoke in a clear and steady voice. “My King, I hereby give my oath to serve Your Majesty in whatever manner he may lawfully require. I swear to serve the good of the people of Kerban and uphold my responsibilities to the people of Clawynd. May the god and goddess witness my oath as well as my peers present here today.” She gathered her skirts and went down on one knee in front of her sovereign.
King Graydon walked down the stairs from the dais and stood in front of her. He drew his sword and lightly touched each shoulder. “I hear your oath, and do swear to protect and aid Clawynd should you require assistance. I swear to ensure you uphold your responsibilities to your people. I hereby confirm your elevation to the countess of Clawynd, in gratitude for your contributions in the recent conflict with Torquin.”
Aenid’s eyes widened and she gasped. This rise in rank was completely unexpected. “Thank you, Your Majesty,” she managed to get out, as she rose and stepped back to her place in the line of watching nobility.
She accepted the congratulations from those around her in a little bit of a fog. She truly had not expected this. Merrin smiled at her from the dais, giving her the slightest nod in congratulations.
She blushed, remembering his early celebration of her oath from the night before. He had made love to her, taking her from behind for the first time. She had been surprised at how different it felt. It seemed as if he was deeper inside her and with each thrust he rubbed a spot inside her that sent her to new heights of pleasure.
He had made no mention of her elevation to countess. She wondered if he knew about it ahead of time. She wondered if it made a difference to him.
She applauded with the others as Robal was sworn in as Duke of Dyfal and curtsied to him as he came to join her. He murmured to her to stop as he took her hands and squeezed them in affection. They both turned to face His Majesty.
“Thank you all for attending Harvest Thanksgiving and witnessing the oaths of our friends Countess Aenid and Duke Robal.” The king bowed, as did the rest of the Hall. “Let th
e celebration begin!”
The minstrels began to play and people started dancing. Platters of appetizers were placed on buffets around the room so the revelers could help themselves as they wished. There would be a late supper after the dancing had gone on for some time.
Now that Merrin was released from his duties as Champion, he came over to Aenid. He bowed to her. “May I ask the lovely countess to dance?”
“Did you know about this?” Aenid asked with a smile.
“No, I did not. I hope you liked the surprise, though.”
“I was surprised. And yes, it was a good surprise.”
“And will you dance with me?”
“Of course.”
Merrin led Aenid onto the dance floor. He caught her up in a slow, stately turnad, a traditional dance of couples in Kerban. She loved the way he held onto her firmly as he led her around the dance floor. He looked at her in way that made her believe there was no one else in the room.
It had been an interesting few days. Aenid had seen more than a couple of women flirt with Merrin, and several were bold enough to actually proposition him. He had turned them all away with polite but firm words, in a few cases very firm, indicating he was with Aenid exclusively. After a few days the flirting and propositions reduced dramatically.
Aenid danced for quite a while, mostly with Merrin, but occasionally with Robal or some of the other nobles that had been with them at Dyfal. King Graydon had honored her with two dances as well. Merrin was at her elbow to take her into dinner and enjoyed serving her.
“I delight in the fact that you will allow me to care for you,” he said quietly in her ear as he sat beside her.
After the supper, the revelers began dancing again, but instead of leading Aenid back to the dance floor, he pulled her into the corridor.
“Shouldn’t we be dancing with the rest?” she asked.
“Not just yet. Come with me, my sweet. Please?”
“How can I resist you?”
Merrin led her to a small walled garden. It was lit with a few lanterns and there was a table with a bowl of flowers on it, flanked by a couple of chairs. The flowers in the garden beds were past their prime, but it was still beautiful.
“What is this place?” Aenid asked in wonder.
“It is the queen’s private garden. Of course, there is no Queen to use it right now since His Majesty’s mother has passed and he is not wed. He gave me leave to use it tonight.”
Aenid opened her mouth to speak, but Merrin put his finger over her lips. She smiled at him and gave his finger a little kiss.
He led her over to the table and sat her in one of the chairs. He knelt in front of her and Aenid’s heart began to beat faster. She thought she knew what was coming. At least, she hoped she did.
“My dear lady, you know that I love and respect you. We have had our quarrels about your disregard for your safety, but we have still managed to keep speaking to each other. And we have kept our love for each other growing. Or, at least, my love for you keeps increasing. I hope that our love would continue to thrive, as we grow old together as man and wife. Would you consider marrying me, my beautiful Aenid?” Merrin looked at her with love and hope in his eyes.
“Oh Merrin.” Aenid’s voice was a little unsteady. “I do love you. Are you sure you can put up with me? I can’t imagine that we will never quarrel again.”
Merrin laughed a little at that. “No, I expect we will quarrel a little, but I hope and expect that my wife will have a mind of her own. And I don’t think you would be satisfied with a spineless layabout that did nothing but hunt and chase the servant girls while you worked yourself to death looking after Clawynd.” He turned serious again. “Be my wife, Aenid. I will love you and look after you, I swear.”
“Yes, Merrin, I will. Gladly, I will.” Aenid flung herself into his arms, a few tears of joy leaking from her eyes. Her heart overflowed with happiness, more than she would have imagined. She realized that Merrin had planned all this when he thought she would remain a Baroness. Her elevation to Countess didn’t change anything for him. All her doubts and worries fell away with the knowledge that they would both be united, whatever the future brought.
Chapter 26
Merrin swept Aenid up in his arms. He carried her over to the corner of the garden where he had prepared another surprise.
There was a bed laid out on the ground in a private corner, hidden by bushes and trees. There was fabric draped around it for additional privacy. Pillows were heaped upon it and soft blankets to keep the chill away were in rich colors of green and brown.
He set her on the bed and kissed her fervently. She tasted of the wine from dinner and her own sweetness. He enjoyed the fullness of her lips and the moist heat of her mouth. He enjoyed her response to his touch and kisses. She arched toward him and gave a tiny moan.
He reached behind her and began to undo the many buttons of her gown.
“Merrin!” she gasped. “We’re outside, not private…”
“We are private. I have the use of this garden tonight, the doors to it are locked and we are alone. I promise you.” Merrin punctuated his promises with kisses on her shoulders. As he felt her relax, he began on the buttons again.
Finally, they were open and he was easing the dress off her body. He made shorter work of her chemise and undergarments, finally laying her naked body down on the soft covers.
Aenid smiled up at him and he felt a surge of emotion—pride, love, lust and gratitude all intermingled in his heart. She was beautiful in the moonlight and aroused for him. Her nipples were hardened little nubs and she was breathing a little quicker. He could see moisture on her lower curls.
He quickly divested himself of his own court garb and lowered himself onto the bed. Merrin pulled Aenid against him, wanting to ensure she didn’t get too cold. He entwined his body with hers, luxuriating in her soft skin and the simple fact that she had agreed to be his.
His cock hardened, straining to be inside her warm, moist channel. It poked slightly between her thighs, gathering a bit of her moisture, but not entering her yet. He gave a little groan of pleasure at the sensation.
He stroked her sweet curves and she groaned as well. His hands roamed over her body, caressing her shoulders and arms. Then he wandered down over her breasts, lingering to pinch and roll her nipples between his fingers. He roved his hands over her belly and lush hips then down her soft thighs. He dragged his lips over her belly and then kissed the curls at the juncture of her thighs.
She moaned and obediently opened her legs as his gentle urging. He nuzzled her inner thigh and licked his way up to her dripping pussy. Merrin loved the way she was so easily aroused for him. He switched to the other leg and smiled at her whimper of disappointment that he hadn’t touched her core. When he finally licked his way back up he spread her lips with his thumbs and licked her from anus to clit.
Aenid let out a long cry of pleasure that made his heart leap again. He settled in for a lovely feast on her juices, his tongue alternately licking and stabbing into her. She writhed under him forcing him to move his hands and pin her down with one hand over her pelvis. He continued to attack her cunt and when he knew she was close, latched onto her clit and sucked hard.
She bucked hard under his hand as she came. There was a blush now over her chest and breasts and she was slightly damp with perspiration. She had the hazy look in her eyes of a woman well loved. And he had put it there.
* * * *
Aenid looked at Merrin as he loomed over her. She thought he looked triumphant and, while she thought that was a bit arrogant, she couldn’t fault him when he had brought her such pleasure.
“You are far too good to me sometimes,” she said, a hint of teasing in her voice.
He threw his head back and laughed. “No, my dear, it is you who is far too good for this travel-worn warrior.” He looked down on her with such obvious love and affection in his eyes that it took her breath away.
“Why would you say that? As King’s
Champion and the brother of the duke of Bridgend you, could have had any woman at court.” Aenid was surprised at his self-deprecation.
He snorted and settled by her side. “My dear, I have only a tiny estate in Bridgend and won’t be Champion forever. I have little to offer a wife. Don’t you realize that?”
“I don’t care about the size of your estate or whether you will be Champion forever. You are a good man. I think you will be a good father and a partner in looking after our baronie,--earldom, I guess, now.”
“I’m glad, my love. I truly am.” He kissed her lips gently and Aenid hummed in pleasure.
A mischievous glint appeared in Merrin’s eye. “So you think I will be a good father? Do you want to work on that?” He took her hand and toyed with her lero.
Aenid’s eyes went wide. Did she really want to start a family right away? It didn’t really matter that their union wasn’t blessed by the god yet, she had no doubt they would marry. She needed to have an heir at some point, so why wait?
“Yes, let’s work on having a child,” Aenid said and Merrin slipped the ring off her finger. She gave him a smile that hinted at wickedness. “We might have to try often, are you prepared for that?”
“Most definitely,” he replied with a large smile as Aenid slid his lero off his finger. She set them aside on her clothes.
Aenid kissed Merrin fervently as he pulled her on top of him. She realized that though she had climaxed, he had yet to be satisfied. She ran her hands over his large, muscular chest, enjoying the feel of his muscles under his skin and crisp chest hairs. His skin was soft, yet the muscles were like rocks and the contrast fascinated her.
She pushed herself up and slid down his body until her head was even with his penis. It was standing straight up and bobbing slightly with his heartbeat. The shaft was heavily veined and the head was a deep pink. There was a bead of liquid at the tip, which Aenid eagerly licked. The salty, musky flavor danced over her tastebuds and she closed her eyes and hummed in enjoyment.
