“Did you see that loop?” Peebles asked Ealhswith excitedly. “I wasn’t aware they could do that.”
The Queen nodded, also impressed, but less enthusiastic than the General. She’d learned long ago that all men were impressed by the ability to kill, whether the skill be in another man, an army, or a bird. She did not always understand the fascination, but she understood it was a thing common to men.
“I wish Major Thane was here to see that flying,” Rice added as the crowd buzzed with excitement. Peebles nodded and glanced about to see if his other two pilots were in the audience. He looked around for several minutes but did not spot either Gardner or Goode.
The morning continued on with many more impressive displays of falconry, then an extravagant picnic lunch served with several large casts of wine. A small group of musicians entertained the masses with bells and small round flute like instruments made from hardened clay. After eating, targets were set up on the far side of the field and an impromptu archery demonstration took place. The archers were good, very good, and it wasn’t long before Peebles, Lemay and Rice were coaxed out to show their skill at the sport.
Many of the locals were disappointed to find that of the Americans, only Lemay was serviceable. The Colonel was an avid bow hunter for most of his life, but even he was no match for the accuracy the Englishmen. But just so they didn’t get too uppity, Lemay asked for permission to show them his skill with a rifle. Peebles agreed and had other soldiers in the crowd set up a variety of targets, some over a hundred yards away. Lemay however, was an expert shot, and quickly peppered them all and the crowd quickly came back around. Next, they allowed Sir Oldalf and Sir Ceorl to try their hand with an M18. After carefully warning them of the dangers and supervising them very closely, the two men were allowed to take the weapon off safety and shoot at a pair of distant targets. Sir Ceorl turned out to be an excellent shot, but Sir Oldalf, who could not see the distant objects clearly, did not fare so well. Still both were impressed and exhilarated by the power of the weapon. Soon nearly every male nobleman including Sir Gospatrick, Sir Wulfhere and Ædwin crowded around the area. And again with close supervision, Peebles allowed them all a turn.
The ladies watched with some interest and a few even moved down closer to the action, but Ellyn found her attention waning. In her mind, computers were far more impressive than guns in any case. Plus she was missing Matt terribly so she decided to walk back up to the castle and call him on the radio. Surprisingly, she was growing very accustomed to speaking with him every day and no longer considered it such a wonder.After saying her goodbyes, she left her father to his fun and began walking the mile or so back to Maiden Castle. She followed the path she and her father had taken earlier that morning, topping the rise and then moving into the thin wooded area next to the brook which flowed to the west of Winchester. She moved alone, everyone else was enthralled by the Americans and their weapons. But it was a very lovely walk; even so her thoughts dwelled on Matt and their coming conversation and not on her surroundings.
“Hallo, M’lady,” a voice said from just off the path, startling her out of her daydreams. Sir Helmstan stepped from behind a large moss covered boulder which sat near the water. “Are ye leavin’ the games?”
“Yah…yah,” she stammered, surprised but not overly concerned. Helmstan looked behind her and then all around.
“Unescorted...a lovely young woman like ye?” He added and his eyes drifted to her breasts and then lower.
“Father is coming. He’s just a little behind me,” she replied, trying to sound convincing. Recognizing the lust in his eyes, she felt the first stirrings of fear, but surely this man would do nothing to her. He was a nobleman, a gentleman, one of the King’s highest advisors. No matter his reputation, he would treat her like a Lady of the Court.
“Ye make a poor liar,” Helmstan answered with a leer and then he slowly reached out and placed a hand on her arm, just above her elbow. “Come I’ll see ye safely back,” he added and began to lead her in the direction of Maiden.
Ellyn was frightened at first, but calmed a bit as they continued to walk, then without warning Helmstan shoved her through a narrow opening between two large oaks. She ran forward to keep her balance as he continued to push on her back until they came to a steep bank that led down to a large sandbar. The space below was open, though well hidden from the path to the castle. She expected him to stop now that they reached the bank, but he pushed all the harder and she lost her footing and tumbled down the steep incline, twisting her ankle and landing hard on the sand. Stunned, she did nothing for a moment as he followed her down more slowly, then she sat up gingerly and spit, trying to clear the sand from her mouth.
“I’ve been watching ye,” Helmstan said softly, not asking if she was all right. “Ye be a right comely lass.”
“I’ll scream,” she stammered, not knowing what else to say. Without a word he knelt before her and quickly reached out and grabbed the front of her dress. He jerked it hard and with surprising strength. The fabric tore away easily, revealing her small, white breasts to the afternoon sun. He stared at each one in turn and then drew a dagger from his belt.
“I think na,” he crooned, and despite her intentions she remained silent, and made no move to cover herself. “If ye scream, and they find us so, yor Da’ wold have na choice but to challenge me, and believe me M’lady, I will kill him.”
Ellyn sat confused, afraid to move, afraid to cry out, afraid to breath, as he lightly ran the point of the dagger around her chest, up to the front of her neck and then down to her left breast. He pressed it a bit harder, and made a small cut just above the nipple and she gasped, her breath coming fast and shallow. Then he moved on her, his hands in her hair pulling her head back painfully, and his lips searched roughly for hers. She turned her face, this way and that to avoid his kisses, but he was uncaring and moved his head down to her wounded teat. His mouth quickly found the nipple and he sucked hard, tasting both blood and breast. She did not move and hardly struggled so great was her shock and surprise.
‘This canna be happenin’, she thought, looking down at the side of his face and wincing as he bit down. Then suddenly, swiftly, he pushed forward and moved his weight over her, forcing her down on her back. His right hand was still in her hair and the other began to bunch her dress up and work its way between her legs. When he found her crotch, she suddenly came alive and began to struggle furiously, finally realizing that this was no dream. He meant to have her…here…now! She rose to her elbows and kicked at him, now enraged, but he just laughed and jerked her head back and attacked her exposed neck with his mouth and teeth. His weight lifted slightly as his fingers searched their way through her undergarments. She shifted and successfully rolled away from his hand for a moment but then he jerked back so hard on her lovely blonde hair that tears came to her eyes and she cried out, though not nearly loud enough for anyone to hear.
“Ye may fight, but na too hard,” he said with a smile, and quickly pulled her dress up, revealing her long, bare legs.
“Stop!” She begged but he did not and continued to yank the fabric up until her entire lower body was exposed in the open air and sunshine. She struggled to push her dress back down but he gripped her arms and yanked it up even farther until it was over her head and arms, effectively trapping her in her own clothes.
Ellyn wiggled and bucked but he dropped back down on her, pinning her to the sand. He pushed one knee between her legs trying to part them and then she screamed, not once but twice, just as loud as she could.
‘This canna be happenin’, she thought again as she desperately tried to keep her legs together. She succeeded for a time but he finally managed to fight his way between them and she knew she was lost. He would have her very soon and there was little she could do about it.
“Na!” She cried and suddenly his weight was magically lifted from her. She quickly yanked her dress down and instinctively rolled over and over to get away. But Helmstan did not drop back on h
er and when she reached the edge of the water she sat up and wildly looked around. Helmstan stood nearly ten feet away sword drawn, facing Sir Gospatrick, who was standing between them, his sword also unsheathed.
Helmstan, angry at first, now smiled. “So, Sir Gospatrick, mayhap ye wold like to join me,” he said and motioned toward the frightened girl. Sir Gospatrick glanced over once more at the now sitting Ellyn, her breasts still enticingly bare and white, though her nipples were very dark by contrast. His look lingered and Helmstan struck out quickly. Ellyn screamed again and Gospatrick barely deflected the blow meant for his throat. Seconds later the two men were dueling, moving quickly about the sandbar.
“Come let’s take her,” Helmstan encouraged with another confident smile. “Ye heard the stories of her wanton ways with the Ammericaan. Ye see her breasts, small but ripe,” he added and lunged again, talking and hoping to distract the Captain of the Queen’s guard and quickly finish him. At the moment his blood was up and he wanted the girl more than he wanted the fight, which was a rare thing for Helmstan.
Ellyn glanced down and was surprised to see that her breasts were exposed. She pulled up her dress but it was ripped and fell back down. She pulled it back up and held it in place as she climbed out of the shallow water. The two men were lunging and slashing at one another with a vengeance as she slowly circled around them, trying to get back to the bank leading to the path to the castle. Helmstan caught sight of her and grimaced, growing slightly frustrated that he’d not as yet finished this prancing fool who’d challenged him. He advanced quickly but Gospatrick prudently retreated before him, deflecting blow after blow. But as they fought on, it became apparent that Sir Gospatrick was no match for Helmstan. It was all he could do to hold off numerous killing blows, with no thought at all about attacking. Plus, he was beginning to seriously tire.
“Come, we can have her. Mayhap, I’ll even kill her Ammericaan lover for ye,” Helmstan said in a friendly way, but when Gospatrick lost his footing in the sand and went to one knee, Helmstan pounced. He lunged forward and Sir Gospatrick immediately realized he would not be able to block the blade coming for him. He swiveled his body instead and took the blade through the right biceps. Gospatrick cried out in pain and dropped his sword. His limb hung useless as Helmstan yanked his sword from the meat of his arm and suddenly blood was everywhere. Ellyn froze and absently let her dress fall once more. Helmstan leered at her but Gospatrick struggled to his feet and still swordless and blocked the man’s way. Helmstan shook his head as if very disappointed but then started forward for the kill.
“Hold!” Ædwin shouted from the top of the bank, and everyone stopped. Sir Gospatrick clutched his arm to his chest and sank once more to his knees.
“Oh, another knight to the rescue...ah but wait, ye be na yet knighted,” Helmstan said, planting a barb. Ædwin, a huscarl and professional soldier through his youth, had taught himself the sword, and become one of the best in the land, but he was not yet knighted and was not considered a nobleman even though his reputation was vast.
“The King will hear of this,” Ædwin replied and moved gracefully down the bank, outwardly unafraid. He moved close to his injured friend and Ellyn ran to him, clutching his left arm.
Helmstan laughed. “The King has ordered this...M’lady’s affections for one of the Ammericaans is well known,” he lied with a bow in her direction, and she shivered. “And it is assumed that he returns those affections. Tis the King’s way to call the Ammericaans out, and see how they truly fight...I’m to kill her foreign lover if I can and if I canna, the King will have his answer.”
“M’lady,” Helmstan added, bowing and sheathing his sword, “another day mayhap.” Then he strode up the bank and out of sight.
Ellyn began to cry, and knelt by Sir Gospatrick hugging him around the head with one arm and holding her dress partly up with the other. Even so a piece of fabric fell away and revealed her nicked left breast to her savior. Gospatrick looked away, tempted by her closeness. He struggled to his feet and tested his arm. He shrieked when he tried to move it. They remained where they were for several minutes while Ellyn cried, and the two men attempted to comfort her.
“Come now, gather ye self together,” Ædwin said gently to her, still holding her close. “We must go and see to Gos’ wounds.”
Ellyn looked up surprised. “Yah, yah,” she finally agreed and wiped her eyes. “We must take him to Docktor Rice,” she added and still holding her dress up began to move to the bank. Ædwin helped them both up and out to the path. Sir Gospatrick made it nearly a quarter of a mile back to Maiden before shock and lack of blood came over him and he sagged to his knees. Ædwin knelt and lifted the man up over one shoulder, his thin frame apparently much stronger than it looked. He staggered a bit under the weight but then carried his wounded friend the rest of the way. Once they were in their rooms, Ellyn immediately sent Trudy off to summon Docktor Rice.
Chapter Eighteen
There was little Rice could do for Sir Gospatrick except thoroughly clean and bandage the wound. The sword thrust pierced his right biceps, but the muscle did not look to be separated from the bone, and would heal well in time, though the wound would leave a deep, dimpled scar. Still Sir Gospatrick was lucky, if he had not turned the thrust would have been strong enough to pierce his breast, in which case he’d be dead now. After tending to Gospatrick, Rice moved into the next room and checked in on the Lady Ellyn, and after hearing her story, coaxed her into lowering her dress and letting him cleanse the wound at her breast. She did so reluctantly, but Trudy was present and gave her courage. The cut was small, but fairly deep. Rice cleaned it as quickly as he could, sympathetic to her modesty, and then covered it with an adhesive bandage, which both women found extremely interesting. Rice excused himself as the two women examined the bandage more closely and then Trudy helped her mistress change into a new dress. In the main room outside, Sir Oldalf waited red faced and angry.
“She’ll be fine, no real harm done, thanks to Sir Gospatrick and Ædwin,” Rice reported trying to calm the man, the distraught father. “I’m going to see General Peebles. Why don’t you come with me? She needs time to herself.”
“I’ll na leave her,” Oldalf replied, terrified now for her wellbeing, though rationally he knew he would not be able to be with her at all times.
“Come, the Lady Ealhswith has promised to post guards outside your rooms,” Rice added and as if on cue there was a knock on the door. Rice answered and outside stood two guards, both dressed in blue doublets with long yellow cloaks.
“Names Britwalder,” the shorter of the two guards said. “We’re here to see to the Lady Ellyn’s protection,” he explained. Both men carried a long pike that ended in an axe like head. Rice stared at the weapons for a moment as the guards took up their stations.
“Come,” Rice said turning to address Oldalf once more, but the man still seemed unconvinced. After all it was the King’s own advisor who attacked his daughter. The man even claimed he acted on the King’s orders. But after a bit more coaxing the large knight from Bridgwater finally submitted and followed Rice to the General’s quarters, two floors below. When they arrived they found General Peebles emerging from the radio room set up at the end of the hall.
“I’ve informed Major Thane of the girl’s…Ellyn’s attack,” Peebles said angrily. If there was one thing that would rile all the Americans, it was an attack on a woman. Sir Oldalf could see the emotion on the General’s face and appreciated these new friends all the more. Any attack on any woman would have been enough to set them off, but an attack on the Lady Ellyn, who they’d all come to know these past few weeks was particularly galling. “I’m truly sorry,” Peebles added, and it was all Sir Oldalf could do to thank him for his sympathy.
“How did Matt take it?”
“About as expected. He wanted to rush down here to be with her. It took a direct order to keep him in place, that and my personnel guarantee that we would always keep a guard near her. He agreed, though
reluctantly. He did tell me something interesting, though. The Lady Merwinna along with many other noblemen in Somerset, were commanded to appear before the King. They left this morning and are due to arrive in about three days.”
“I’m sure Æthelnoth will be very happy to see his wife,” Rice replied and Oldalf nodded.
“Matthew should be here to fight for her honor,” Sir Oldalf barked suddenly, moving back to the previous topic. “Tis the way of things.”
“His place is with the ship,” Peebles replied calmly, but placed a hand on the man’s shoulder in an attempt to ease his pain.
“I will fight then,” Oldalf said without hesitation.
“You’ll do nothing of the kind,” Rice said and was surprised when Oldalf threw off the General’s hand.
“Me dottir’s honor be at stake...I’ll fight!”
“Can you win?”
“With God’s help,” Oldalf said and sobered instantly. “In truth, I’d na stand much of a chance. Helmstan is a skilled man with the sword.”
“Promise me you’ll do nothing for now,” Peebles said and saw the hard line along the other man’s jaw. “Will Helmstan’s death restore her honor?” He asked quietly.
After a moment, Oldalf nodded; suddenly very glad these men were his friends and not his enemies.
“Consider him dead then,” the General added and led them to his rooms.
§
Ædwin Mucel left Sir Gospatrick in his room and was glad to see that his friend was much his old self, cocky and sure and no longer brooding after the Lady Ellyn. Sir Helmstan would have to be dealt with…and soon. Ædwin had been putting off the inevitable confrontation for a long time now, despite the other man’s constant baiting and great desire to see who was who. Ædwin had watched Helmstan spar and knew he could best him, though he did not delude himself that it would be easy. Helmstan had skill, but Ædwin was sure he was the better man. Of course if he succeeded then all of Sir Helmstan’s infamous reputation would be heaped upon his own. In the days to come Ædwin was sure to be challenged by many a short sighted young man who would have such a reputation for his own. It was not something Ædwin wanted, and he had worked very hard to avoid it…at least until now. As he moved through the halls of the castle he was still keyed up and anxious to feel the hilt of a sword in his hand. He needed some exercise badly, but perhaps the Americans could give him some, and though he was early he moved to the inner courtyard where it was said the Americans trained. As he walked, he found that he was very, very excited.
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