[Chapter 10]  [Chapter 11]
[Chapter 12]  [Chapter 13]  [Chapter 14]
[Chapter 15]  [Chapter 16]

Chapter Nine.
 

Volka looked around the men gathered around.  "We have a problem that the Brothers Chapalet brought to my attention."

"The girl still wants to go farther?" Shaun asked dryly.

"She's more than worthy of it," Joseph assured him.  "She banished something at her sister's wedding with a pot of blessed wine.  Did it quieter than most of us would have too."

"The king's still threatening to have her married off to the highest bidder if her ways inspire others in the Court to be unwomanly sorts," Cofostat told them.  That got a few snickers.  "I did point out to the Queen she already had two of those.  This simply gave them the means to beg to be trained as was proper.  That way they could go to better husbands who would appreciate a woman who could defend herself.  Plus that fencing would help their balance and postures, it had hers according to her.  One's taken to it very well and moved up to a heavier sword and another style.  The other decided to keep it as a hobby.  It made her sweaty and her hair disgusting, her words."

Volka shook his head.  "That's not the problem, even though it is amusing to think the King would throw away a whole unit of his precious military to capture her and let the last man standing carry her off in irons and a gag to force her to marry someone."
Cofostat laughed, nodding.  "She's promised to go back to Greece if that happens and taint their women into being amazons."

"The villagers are convinced she's one," Chauvis assured them all.  "Even if her riding pants do almost look like a proper skirt when she's standing."

"Her mother had been known for taking a pot to a few of the younger knights who acted up in her house," Cofostat told him.  "She gets it honestly.  She had spanked the king when he was a young boy and making trouble.  Horrified his mother but he quit being a pain.  Imagine what a brother of hers would be like?"

"Here with us," Volka said simply.  "Trying to keep his stubborn sister out of here probably but here with us already."

Shaun smiled and nodded.  "How has her training been?"

"Good," Chauvis said.  "She's clearly getting into apprentice territory now.  Cofostat, your son?"

"Fussing over his wedding like a lass," he sighed.  "I can't get him to study since I agreed on his choice to bear my successor."  They all smiled at that.  The younger Cofostat was a good lad, most of the time.  As long as you agreed with what he wanted to do and what he thought.  The only ones he didn't get away with that attitude around were Severtina and Ancelin, both of whom would spank him no matter how old he was.  "What's this problem?"

Volka threw down a letter.  "From the Younger Brother Chapalet.  He heard him asking if she had been in Greece when they were there."  They all looked at the symbol of one of their enemies.

"Did he not kill her mother?" Shaun asked.

"He did," Joseph agreed.  "We know his weaknesses.  We should have went after him years past."

"He had royal protection then," Volka reminded him.  "That's how we got Cofostat, saving him from something he had summoned.  Then we learned how his wife had cursed him."  He looked at the others.  "If he's coming after her, we'll have to train her to defeat him.  He's sneaky enough to get around us to get to her.  She's good with a hairpin in the middle of the night.  She's sparred with me a few times and beaten me twice.  She's hunted beside me for the table here and asked to go again.  Killing another human is still bothering her however."  Chauvis nodded at that.  Joseph gave Chauvis an odd look.

"When we went to find a changeling we found a warband bothering a village.  We found a few bothering an herb witch in the mountains," he said quietly.  "She drew her bow before even I could.  Defended it by saying no woman deserved that fate.  Four of the six were killed."  That got a nod.  "At least two were hers."

"She has a point," Cofostat admitted.  "I've seen what an invasion force can do to an area's women.  I don't let mine but I have seen it happen.  She's probably read some accounts or heard rumors; with her fertile mind she knows exactly what happens to them."

"She does," Chauvis agreed.  "She had a few nightmares about it but won't talk to me."

"She'll talk to me," Joseph told him.

Chauvis smiled.  "Thank you.  Especially with this old threat coming back it might be important."  He looked at Volka.  "If not, and she doesn't want to move on after all, she's your helper.  You're the only other settled one and you have the library."

Volka gave him a look. "She's been a help here the whole time.  She avoided the diplomats by cleaning the caverns and the stables plus helping Cook.  A few nights she slept on the couch in my suite to avoid them and they still tried to break in."

"Her letter got back to the queen," Cofostat assured him. "She sent it to the wife one of the most senior knights.  One above even me.  She's old enough to have walked the King when he had colic and would not sleep.  She walked the letter to him and then told the queen personally what had went on.  I got there after that with mine so they were fully warned. She came to see me about having Ancelin settle down as well," he admitted.  "She thought she was going a bit too wild.  I pointed out studying with a priest wasn't that bad.  She knew what Chauvis did and reminded me that dark things are drawn to maidens and she was too proper to have that fixed.  So even a marriage in name only might save her."

Shaun looked at him. "She'd never go for it."

"I broached that subject through Charlotte," Chauvis admitted, shifting some.  "Had her point out how easy it would be for something like that to happen.  She said if it had to happen it would have to happen and it would have to be someone she trusted implicitly.  Which meant one of us or a few of the knights she had grown up around.  She would prefer not to set off the family curse however.  Can we break that?"

"Her grandmother put feeling behind that being a bad marriage," Volka sighed.  "I've went over the account of that.  She would let one of us rob her of that gift?"  He nodded.  "Would it affect her in other ways?"

"There's some things only an innocent girl can do," Chauvis said.  "Then there's some things only a true woman can.  Some of that is state of mind and in her mind she'll be a maiden until she's wed by her own hand.  She has vowed to kill whoever she was forcefully married off to.  That's why she started wearing the hairpins I think."  That got a few snickers from Joseph and Shaun.  "She's a strong girl."

"Then we'll keep that in mind," Volka agreed.  "What are we doing about him?  He'll come after her."

"The two things that draw him the most are powerful blood and pretty girls," Joseph said.  "She's got both.  He'll be called to her no matter what.  What I'm worried about is that her father asked.  That way the one who accused him is dead and he can try to get his honor and titles back."

"Never happen," Cofostat assured him.  "All the crown princes know of what happened.  All the princesses.  All the family knows, down to the youngest child newly born to the King's mistress. They all know he summons demons.  She proved to them that he had sullied his wife's honor as well."  Ancelin walked in and sat down in the empty seat beside him, giving him a hug.  "Your sister send bad news?"

"Some and we should talk."  She looked at him.  "Later."

"Why?"

"It's personal to you and your family, but not your son."

"They would know if I did," he assured her.  She handed him the letter, letting him read it.  He frowned as he read, then looked at her.  She handed over the miniature portrait.  "Where is she?" he asked, staring at it.

"She saw her on her honeymoon," she said quietly.  "The King sent her husband to spy in France for it so they both went on the guise of their honeymoon.  It was how they afforded such a lavish wedding.  He spotted her and had her chat with her.  She did let slip that she knew you, gushed about marrying into the Knighthood here, and how you were training her husband personally to someday take your spot with the king.  She went very pale and quiet according to the letter.  She had the portrait painted quickly and sent to her by someone there.  I'm sorry, Cofostat."

He handed back the letter, staring at the picture.  "It's best I know."  He looked at her.  "Thank you."

"I wish I didn't have to bring bad news."

"Who?" Shaun asked.  He slid down the picture.  "Your second wife lives?  I thought she died of a plague."

"While I was off at a battle she died of a fever," he said.  He looked at her.  "I'll want her town."

"On the back of the picture is her address.  Her letter said she has remarried.  I'm not sure what to tell you.  Chauvis?"

"If she went to that sort of ruse, the Church might uphold it since she abandoned him," he admitted.  "I'm sorry, Cofostat."

"She didn't want to be the wife of a knight who fought.  She wanted to be the wife of one who lived at the palace," he said.  "I'll have to tell the son."

"Severtina took the letter to read," she said quietly.   "I gasped and she snatched it before I could stop her."  She gave him a gentle hug.  "It'll be all right.  If we have to, we'll help you hunt her down so you can talk to her.  Or kill her for being unfaithful."

He patted her.  "Thank you, child."  He got a small smile.  "I'll think on that offer later."

"I'll gladly let Spots maul her," Vorchain offered.  "She could learn to pounce better.  Her last rabbit was still living while she carried it around."

"I saw it trying to get free," Joseph agreed.  "We'll go with you, Cofostat.  We are like family."

"Is Severtina still here?" he asked her.

"She was pacing in the kitchen last I knew," she admitted.

"She's probably gone to tell the son by now," he sighed.  "Severtina?"  No answer.  "She's gone."  He looked at Volka.  "She'll be kinder than I could."

"Perhaps she went to beat her for hurting you," Shaun said gently.

"That's also a possibility," he admitted dryly.  "Or to the Cardinal to get her announced as a reanimated corpse."  That got a few grins.  "Back to the business at hand.  I'll think on this problem later."  He patted her hand.  "I don't need cuddled like the cub does."

"She would.  I can in her place or I'll swat you like she gets from you."

He smiled at that.  "The king wants you married off before you cause more bad influences," Shaun teased.  "He is worthy of your rank."

"Then I'd get to swat his son, correct?"  They all laughed and nodded.  "What's the current problem and can I help?"

"It's actually about you," Volka admitted.  He pointed at the cloth on the table.  "He's looking for you."

"To kill me as he did my mother?"

"Possibly," he admitted.  "Possibly sent by your father.  Your blood contains power with what he could do.  He's drawn to powerful blood and pretty girls.  Which you do fit."

"If we have to trap him I'd rather not go out looking like a harlot."

Volka gave her an odd look.  "I don't think that'll be a problem."

"Take the lace off the first dress you nearly wore to the wedding," Cofostat told her, giving her a pat so she'd let his arm go.  She quit hugging him.

"I fixed that one already.  The seamstress in the village was more than happy to advise me on how to do so and not ruin it.  Fortunately bigger skirts are coming back into fashion so I could add a lace panel to the front and use the extra fabric to enclose the top a bit more.  But she did like the built-in coset features."

Volka shook his head.  "Why not wear one?"

"They're uncomfortable," she and Cofostat said in unison.  All the men stared at him.

"When my gut was lanced, the ladies kindly put me into a waist cincher to hold the bandages in place.  They're uncomfortable.  I would never make any woman wear one of those ever again for my pleasure."

"They do good things for the figure," Vorchain complained.

"We'll show you later, dear," Ancelin promised, making him blush and look away.

"That's one of the reasons the villagers are convinced she's actually an amazon," Chauvis told the others.  "She never wears a corset."  She smacked him on the arm, getting one back.  "You don't."

"Of course not!  I can't do anything in them but sit up straight and try to breathe.  Until my figure is gone from childbirth I don't need one."

"You should have seen her in that dress at the wedding," Joseph told Volka.  "She was very pretty."

"I nearly fell out of it," she complained.

"No nearly about it, you did while you slept on the couch," Chauvis told her.  "Charlotte fixed that for you."  She blushed and looked down.  "I know it wasn't your design, dear."  He patted her on the back.  "Thank you for fixing that."  She nodded.  "By the way, one of the local painters did capture your drawing from the wedding's feast.  He caught you after you had fallen asleep on Joseph's shoulder.  The painting is very pretty as well."  She blushed brighter red.

"The Queen brought it down to show your father so she could taunt him," Cofostat told her.  "It was a very pretty gown."

"Thank you," she squeaked.

"Boys," Joseph complained. "You're embarrassing her.  She had no intention of wearing a dress that she hung out of that way.  Though I would like to know how you hide a set of breasts like that so we don't all stare."

"Like my mother's people did long ago, I strap them down," she said bluntly.  "Couldn't in that dress.  Couldn't hide the bandage on my shoulder either.  I got asked a few times if it was a hunting accident.  I ended up saying yes often."  That got a smirk from Joseph.  "Who else has seen it?"  Chauvis raised his hand.  "Who told you?"

"The Cardinal.  He saw it shown in the palace."  She whimpered.  "The queen does adore it.  She's the one who bought it."  He stroked her back.  "It will be fine and you'll not wear something that showy again without a reason, Ancelin."

"If at all possible," she agreed.

Volka coughed.  "I would like to see that one."

"You saw the dress after I had it fixed," she assured him.

"The gray one?"  She nodded.  "You did look good in it."

"She looked fantastic at the wedding with her hair done up," Joseph told him.  "She looked cute when Chauvis carried her home in his lap on her horse because she was asleep."  She went bright red and whimpered a bit.

"Boys, you're upsetting her," Volka complained.

"We'd get to pick on Vorchain if we found him wearing such a pretty frock," Shaun protested.

"If you catch me wearing a frock, pretty, cute, or not, do put me out of my misery please," Vorchain said.  "Do not let others see me in it and do not bury me in it.  I'd hate to confuse the ferryman."

"He might put you in the women's section of heaven," Cofostat joked.

"Yes but I'd get kicked out for sullying the female angels," he shot back, smirking at him.

"That assumes there's sexual desire in heaven," Chauvis reminded him.

"If not it's hell," he said simply.  "I'll figure it's my punishment for wenching around and I should have fought more nasty things before I died to make up for it."

Ancelin gave him an odd look.  "I think perhaps you picked up one of those diseases wenches carry. They're said to rot the mind."

The others laughed at that.  "I hear those make you hurt when you piss," he said bluntly.  "I haven't had that problem since one demon got me in the kidneys."

"Really?  From what I understand it makes you fall off.  That way the others know what you had."

Chauvis coughed.  "Not really, Ancelin.  It's allegorical."  He patted her hand.  "It can make it so he can't function that way.  Brings fevers, those sort of things.  Though not all men do have symptoms," he assured his smug friend.  "I've seen men who have died of it who could still pee without pain.  Can we get back to the point?  Our enemy is coming for her and us through her."

"I would like to know where she heard that," Volka admitted.  She got up and came back with the book, handing it over.  He looked at it.  "It's by one of the priestesses of Venus."  He put it down carefully.  "Looking for instruction?"

"Trying to figure out why anyone would want to do that for more than procreation really.  She said it felt good.  I suppose she'd know."  She shrugged and sat down again.

Chauvis looked at her. "Some day you'll find out.  Until then obscene things like that do not get brought into my house."

"You had me bring it back to him."

Volka looked at the title again then nodded.  "You did, Chauvis."  He put it aside, then dusted off his fingers.  "Let's get back to the point at hand.  What are we doing about this threat and how can we best protect her?"

"I like her idea of baiting him," Joseph admitted.  "Someone would have to be watching over her. We couldn't do it here."

"We can't do it at my house either.  The village would kill him for touching her," Chauvis said.  "Cofostat?"

"It'd give her backup," he admitted.  "I'm grounded to the palace until one of the supposed doctors says I'm fit."  He looked at her.  "Severtina would love to have you visit and you could swat the son into not fussing."

"You hope," she added with a smirk.

"I think between us we could do that."

"You hope," she repeated.

"True.  If not, I'll let you dress him in one of your dresses and send him to a tavern for a few hours. That should stop that impulse."  She hit him on the arm again.  "Ow.  Wench."

"I'm against abusing any woman, Cofostat, even pretend ones.  That would be abuse.  Unless you know something about your son's tastes that I don't?"

"Not that I've been told," he admitted.   He shuddered when the thought tried to stick in his head.

"Then perhaps a semi-chaperoned weekend with his wife at the family estate?" Chauvis said.  "That's gotten more than one wedding hurried up."  He looked at his student.  "Was your sister pregnant?"

"No, her mother caught them kissing and said he was marrying her.  She got pregnant while they were on their honeymoon in France."

"That's the usual reason to have one," Cofostat agreed.  "You could shop."

"I could more likely get the dresses I have altered," she said patiently.  "A woman only needs so many clothes."

"Most women would disagree with you," Volka said dryly.  "That's why I haven't taken a wife yet.  Not enough closets in the house and I don't want to listen to a woman whine about restricting her wardrobe."

"I live out of a trunk, four traveling bags, and a small box of jewelry," she said dryly.  "You've only dated frivolous creatures who won't do more than sew you when you're wounded."

"No, she'll have to bear at least one male heir to the family line," he admitted dryly, giving her a look.  "Four traveling bags?  I saw how much you pulled out of the one you brought."

"Four."

"She came with six but two had books," Chauvis said with a smirk, tossing something down.  "She stole his grimoire.  Handed it to me that first day.  Along with his work journal and a few other books he had on summoning things."

Someone stomped in and slammed the door open.  "Good, we're mostly all here," the younger Brother Chapalet said, taking off his cloak.  "He's headed this way."

"Here?" Volka asked.

"After her.  He's in Greece, heading this way by carriage.  He'll cross the border in about three days."

"Then we're going to the city," Cofostat told her.  "We'll stop at the house, Chauvis."

"I've got plenty of things on me that I can have renovated," she assured him.  "Plus some of the money."  She stood up.  "We'll be teaching me how to deal with him beyond a dagger?"

"I will," he agreed.  "Joseph, stay with Volka in case he comes here."  That got a nod.  He looked at the young man.  "You too."

"Of course.  I have to research the demon we ran into anyway."  That got a nod and that pair walked out together.  "We're going to bait him?"

"She is," Joseph agreed.  "It's the best and easiest way."

"Agreed."  He looked at Chauvis.  "Do you know which book has the blue skinned snake looking demon God?"

"Um..."  He thought about it then nodded.  "I have it at my house."

"Of course you do," Volka agreed dryly.  "Vorchain, staying or going to guard the chick of the group?"

"I'll stay until he's passed.  I can travel faster than he can with his carriage."

"That'll work."  She walked in and gave him something then left.  "What's this?"  He looked at it and smiled.  "She found a wild berry patch, that's the map to it."  He tucked it into his shirt pocket.  "Let's settle in to wait on him while they head back."  They nodded, Chauvis getting ready to head out as well.  He really needed to keep an eye on his woods.
 

***
 

Cofostat the Younger looked up as Severtina stomped into the house.  "Are there problems?" he demanded, getting up immediately.  "Does Father need my help?"

"No."  She sat him back down, looking at him.  "This is going to hurt."

"Why?"

"Sir Phillip was sent to France for his honeymoon to spy on them."

He nodded slowly.  "That's a sound tactic and it wouldn't draw attention.  I heard her say the sea was lovely.  So?"

She took a deep breath.  "Philip was a squire when your mother died, Younger."  He winced.  "He saw her walking around and had his wife gather information for us.  She waited until she had it in her hand to send to him.  It was in the letter he carried to Ancelin at Volka's."

"She does get around," he said blandly, earning a swat, but he was thinking.  "You're sure?"

"I saw the miniature she had painted.  That's part of what took so long.  That way he could verify it."

He took a calming breath then stood up.  He wrote out a very fast note and handed it to her.  "Hand that to my bride.  I'll be back soon."  He stomped out, only stopping for his cloak, sword, and a few coins for traveling expenses.  He walked out to the stables they rented space in, grabbing his horse to saddle and bridle.  Then he climbed up and headed off at a fast canter, breaking into a gallop once he made it outside the city.

Severtina had the message sent, smiling when the girl came to see what had happened.  "Come sit, dear.  It's family news."

"Is his father injured again?  I know he said he was traveling for a meeting."

"No, this has to do with his mother."

"I heard she died of a fever.  I don't believe the rumors of the curse on the family."

"No, only one of his wives has died of fever," she admitted, staring at her.  "Someone saw his mother very much alive and remarried."  She gaped, letting the teacup slip from her hands.  "He headed off to face her down about doing that to the family," she said more quietly.  "It's not often you engage his temper but when you do, he burns very hot until it's solved.  It's never been at me.  It's only been directed at his father once, a childish thing.  This time, there may be a missing seaside town in France."  She whimpered.  "He'll come home safely or we'll have him taken out of jail.  No one can blame him if he does kill her.  I don't think he will.  He's not the sort.  He will go to the local priest there and have her branded an adulteress.  He'll have her stoned possibly for it.  He will be back within a fortnight."

She shivered.  "I always thought him the sweetest thing."

Severtina smiled.  "He is, until you do something that takes his family's honor or royally upsets his father. He's spread a few good rumors about some knights that had bothered his father unduly over the years."  She smiled and nodded.  "He's a sneaky one as well.  I will warn him if he ever gets into the desire to wench around on you.  As a matter of fact, we'll spank him for you should you find him doing that."

She blushed then shook her head.  "I don't think it'll be an issue."

"Good.  Speaking of issue...."  That got a more heated blush.  "We'll find some time for you two to be alone.  He's fussing too greatly over the wedding.  He'll hate it when he sees his skin is erupting again."  She giggled.  "Anyway, his father should be home in a few days.  If we have to, we'll mount a rescue mission and it shouldn't push the wedding back any.  Though I do have to tell someone at the palace.  I thought it fair to tell you first.  That's also why he wrote you the note.  It does prove he cares for you."

"Thank you, Severtina."  She kissed her on the cheek.  "I'll make sure my mother doesn't say a word."  She got up and headed home to tell her mother.  "Mother!" she yelled from the doorway.  Her mother came out of her sewing room.  "He really didn't run away.  He had to take care of a family matter that cannot get out."  Her mother pulled her in to talk to her.  "His mother didn't die," she hissed.  "He's just found out.  Severtina said he's going to face her down about that."

"As is proper for a son," she agreed.  "We'll hold off on the expensive plans until he's back."  She nodded, sitting down to weed those out.  The dress would be needed no matter what but booking the church could wait until they heard if he'd be back late or not.

Severtina ran up to the palace, looking at the guard, who growled at her.  She hit him on the side of the head.  "There's Cofostat family news the King needs to hear privately immediately."

"The old man die?"

"No.  It's about one of his former wives."  That got a snort.  "Now."  She hit him again.  "Or else I'll knock you out and go in anyway."

"Let me check," he offered, going inside to talk to someone.  He found the crown prince.  "Cofostat's Severtina is here.  She said it's urgent family news your father must hear, sire."

"Did he die?"

"She said it had to do with one of his former wives."

"So possibly a new heir.  It can't wait?  Severtina!"  She came in. "It can't wait until a decent hour?"  She whispered in his ear and his eyes went wide.  His feet actually came off the table and he dropped the apple he had been peeling.  "Father's in his study.  Come."  He walked her off, tapping on the proper door.  "Father, news you should hear."  He let her inside.  "I'll stay out here for the yelling.  I'll hear very well anyway."  He closed the door behind her.

She curtseyed, then came closer when he gave her a hesitant look.  "While on honeymoon Sir Philip found more than what he found for you, Sire.  He found the second wife of Cofostat."

"She died," he said slowly.

"Then apparently she's bourn four children for her new husband post death."

He groaned.  "He found out recently?"

"He had his wife gather the information.  She thought to get a miniature made to prove it to him, so he could verify it was her."

"Is he headed to France?"

"Worse.  Younger wrote his fiancee a note saying he'd be back in a fortnight and didn't even pack clothes."  He moaned.  "I've seen him this mad *once*.  When his father told him he could not have that particular horse.  That was as a child.  I'm sure you remember the remodeling we had to do then."

"I'll warn our diplomats.  Did he take money?"

"And his cloak.  His horse.  No weapon thankfully unless it was in his cloak already."

"Oh, no," he moaned.  "Thank you, Severtina.  Cofostat the Elder?"

"Coming back from Volka's most likely in a few days.  There's been a problem that had to be discussed."  She drew out a symbol on some blank paper.  He winced.  "He's back.  He's the one who killed Ancelin's mother.  Volka thought he'd be coming for her."

"So she's coming back as well?"  She nodded.  "How do you know?"

"That's what I'd do, what Joseph would do, and what Volka himself would do.  She's the one he wants, bait it."

"Very well.  I'll warn the gate guards to warn both of us if and when he does show up."  She nodded, stepping back.  He tossed that paper into the fire.  "Any other things that could make me lack sleep?"

"The diplomat who simpers worse than any new wife was the one who left the stable door open," she said grimly. "Her mare will heal.  She'll never be able to be ridden again.  His got a mere scratch.  Hers nearly got gutted and we helped her heal together.  She's still in the process of making a scar.  It's now about a finger deep in a few spots."  He shuddered.  "Her mother gave her that mare for her eighth birthday, Sire.   We may see her challenge the little fop and make him cry like the girl he is."

The king smirked at that.  "My wife might like that.  I'll have to see."

"Can you make him pay restitution?"

"I'll do what I can.  Send me word when they get back."

"Of course.  You should know when the Duchess comes back," she said dryly, bowing again.  Then she turned and walked out.  "Okay, I'm done with him."  She heard the swearing start behind her.  "It's going to be a bad week."  The crown prince whimpered.  "There may be a missing town in France soon."

"His son is a bit dangerous when he's mad."

"I explained it to his future wife," she said as the prince walked her out.  "By the way, Ancelin's probably coming back for a visit."

"I'll keep the sniveling little girl diplomats away from her.  Before she proves to them that they're not any better than inn wenches."

She smirked.  "One was the cause of her mare getting hurt by that wolf."

"Ah.  Well, Mother could use some excitement.  A good duel should do that."  He let her out.  "Have a better evening, Severtina."

"You as well, Sire."  She skipped back to her house, smiling at their personal guard.  "They'll be coming home sooner than expected."  He nodded at that, going to tell the stable keeper.  "Tell him Ancelin's coming in too!" she called after him.  "On her stallion."

"I can do that."  He walked into the stable keeper's office, smirking at him. "Cofostat and Duchess Ancelin are both coming back."

"I'll save her a space," he said, making a note of that.  "The younger?"

"Headed off in a royal snit," he admitted.  "He looked .... remember when they had to do the renovations?"  He groaned but nodded.  "Same look on his face and he broke into a gallop once he cleared the last gate."

"Someone's going to die."

Severtina leaned in.  "There's going to be a missing town in France if you know someone who wanted to move to the sea."  She smiled.  "It'll probably be sooner than expected as well.  There was a family issue.  That's why Younger left like that."

"I'll keep that in mind, Severtina.  Thank you.  Have a good night."

"You as well."  She went back to her house, closing herself in to worry in private.  Her baby was going to sack his first town, she should be worrying.
 

***
 

Ancelin dismounted her stallion, handing him over with a few silvers.  "It shouldn't be more than a few days.  I'm in for some shopping really."  That got a smile and a nod.  "You, behave," she told her horse.  "Let them spoil you a bit."  She steadied Cofostat when he dismounted. "Your ankle still hurts?"

"Today," he admitted.  "Racing with your beast was not good for it."

"Sorry."  He snorted.  "Younger?" she asked the stable hand taking his horse.

"Ran off three days before," he told her.  "Quite angry by his face."

"There'll be a problem with France then," Cofostat sighed, walking her up the street and to their house.  "I'm home!"

"Just you?" she called, bouncing out.  "As I thought."  She gave her friend a hug.  "How is my other patient?  Sit down, Cofostat.  You're still limping."

"She's doing well.  Volka said she could finish resting up there.   I'm thinking about letting the stallion breed her so she doesn't feel unworthy and unloved."

"They would be a strong cross," Cofostat admitted, sitting down with a sigh of relief for the pillows.  "You can help her get a few gowns renovated."

"Of course I can."  She smiled.  "By the way, I told the King."  He waved a hand.  "All of it.  Including what the problem was.  We'll be told when he crosses into the city."

He smirked.  "I knew you would.  Go, help her unpack."  She nodded, taking her up to the guest room to help her do that.  That way they could see what she had.  He put his feet up with a moan of relief.  Racing had not helped his foot any in the least.
 

***
 

Ancelin bowed before the king.  "Sire, you wished to see me?"

"I did.  I wanted to see how you were, Ancelin."

"I'm fine, Sire.  My studies suit me very well.  Father Chauvis is very wise and occasionally tries to make me quit telling the children stories from mythology."  She smiled at the queen, bowing when she came in.  "Highness.  I heard you got a painting of me from my sister's wedding?"

"I did."

"May I see it?  I still think that dress was a bit low for my tastes.  I'm hoping I didn't look too forward while asleep."

"We know that your modesty would have prevented you from ordering one that way," the king assured her.  "Any...prospects?"

"Sire!" she complained.  "I have no intention of starting off my grandmother's curse to my mother for marrying my father."

"I forgot about that," he admitted, wincing a bit.  "It was love or death?"

"Love or using him for his money and he'd die quickly."

"You do know that her diary is in the library?"

"I hadn't.  May I borrow it?"

"I have no idea why it was in there in the first place, child.  You can have that and your mother's other two."  She smiled, nodding, looking a bit sad.  "I'll have them pulled for you and something good for you to read since I know Cofostat doesn't have a library like Father Chauvis."

"Quite true," she admitted.  "Severtina makes up for lack of books.  It's not often I've had good friends."  The queen smiled.  "Now I have her and Charlotte."

"That's wonderful," the queen agreed.  "You do know two of my daughters wanted to follow in your footsteps?"

"Then it'll be them who protect the others should we be invaded," she said wisely.  "As I will if I'm here, Highness."  That got a smile and a nod.  "Is there other news?"

"Tell me what happened to your mare?"

She looked at the King.  "A proper woman doesn't let out such words as I call them in my head, Sire."

"Without swearing like a mercenary, dear," he ordered, smirking at her.

"They showed up about dusk.  I helped them put their horses up because Volka's stableboy wasn't there any longer.  I put down food and water for them all so I wouldn't have to make small talk.  I bolted the doors shut.  Volka had told me they were having a problem with a wolf.  He told them that at dinner.  We go out the next morning to find the wolf dead, Volka's horse's hoofs bloody, mine nearly gutted, open to the inner muscles that are so thin you can see her guts, and his horse had a three-finger-wide claw mark."

"Did she survive it?"

"I learned very well from Severtina, Sire," she said quietly, staring at him.  "She'll never be ridden again.  It's right where you'd put the girth.  I am thinking about letting her be bred.  She'll get depressed if she doesn't feel useful.  She and my stallion would make strong, wonderful colts.  Even though she's old she still has a few years left.  Why do you ask?"

"I heard your letter," he admitted.  "He claims his horse was maimed beyond repair."

"I bandaged his horse as well as mine.  His has a scar on her thigh.  Nothing that impedes movement."

"As I saw.  I had someone in the military unit take a sketch since he sold his old horse at an inn and traded for a new one."  She rolled her eyes.  "Exactly."

"Mine was a purebred mare from knightly stock," she told him.  "His was a hunter of some sort or another, Sire.  A breed I'm not familiar with."

He nodded.  "As I've heard.  His family is trying a few crossbreeds."  He looked at her.  "Did you hurt him?"

"I nearly stabbed one in the heart with a hairpin when he broke into the room I was using and tried to molest me.  Volka let me sleep on his suite's couch a few times when they wouldn't leave me alone.  They did the same to Severtina and she nearly gutted one of them."  He laughed at that.  "I was trying very hard not to cause an international incident as you ordered, Sire."

"I'm sure you were.  Otherwise they would have ridden in with broken bones."  She blushed but nodded.  He looked at her.  "Some day you will make a fantastic fussy mother.  Cofostat?"  He limped in.  "Do you concur with her story?"

"As I heard from Volka, and he did swear.  If her mare breeds true, I'd like a foal."

"Of course.  I'll even help raise it like I did my stallion so it'll allow you to touch it and not many others."

"He did claim your stallion bit him, Ancelin," the Queen said gently.

"No, her mare bit him," Cofostat told her.  "She remembered him."

"Your mare is a wonderful, gentle beast," the Queen said.  "I remember more than one of my children climbing all over her and letting her walk them around in circles while they pretended to ride."

"She bit him," Ancelin agreed.  "Probably because she knew who had let her be hurt.  We have no idea when he was out there either.  I was in Volka's suite that night with him and his cook to keep them from pestering me.  They kept trying to break into my room.  One nearly managed it.  One did manage it in his suite."

"It was proper?" the king asked his knight.

"I trust Volka even if she were my daughter, sire," he agreed patiently.  "He has no designs on her and the only designs she has on him is his library."  That got a laugh.

"Which they did say something about," she said grimly.  Cofostat looked at her.  "He explained some of the more esoteric choices were from Father Chauvis' collection but he didn't have the room at home."

"So they thought you a maiden witch and wanted you anyway?" the Queen asked.  She nodded.  She sighed and rolled her eyes.  "We'll have to make a complaint, husband."

"We will be," he assured her.  "I've already sent it off to his master."  He smiled at her.  "He will be compensating you for your loss, child."  She curtseyed.  He smiled.  "You did remember manners.  No matter how many times I hear you're actually an amazon...."  She went bright red down onto her chest.  "It's good you've found your heritage."

"I remember her mother being much the same sort of strong woman, Sire," Cofostat said dryly.  "I remember she spanked you once."

"Oh, I do remember.  That lecture made much sense to me."  He looked at Ancelin, who shrugged. "I'm sure you got a few."

"A few.  Who do you think taught me to read against Father's orders?" she said happily.  He laughed, waving her off.  "May I see the painting, My Queen?"

"Of course, Ancelin."  She came down and took her arm to walk her off.  "It was a very daring cut.  The corset was built in?"

"Including the wires to hold me upright.  They tied as well so they could be adjusted."

"I'll have to check into that.  Maybe the husband would like that better.  He hates taking them off me."

"I hate putting on one," she admitted, cracking the other lady up.  "Sorry but I don't need one for my figure.  Why should I suffer when I have no intention of marrying?"

"Yet?"

"Possibly.  If I find someone who intrigues me that way I would consider it."  That got a smile and a nod.  "I haven't yet.  In Cofostat I've found a worthy uncle and a few others are like nosy brothers now and then."

"Especially the cute father?"

"Especially the cute father," she agreed.

"Did he really spank you?"

"He found me teaching one of the farmer's daughters to fence."  The queen giggled.  "It does help with your balance and with the threat of invaders all girls should be able to defend themselves.  I've heard and read what happens when invaders get a young lady, no matter her station."

"We hope it won't get that far."

"Yes, but learning now can still save her if they come when she's an herb granny for the village," she said bluntly.  "Then she can teach the other girls to defend themselves.  Plus it keeps boys who want to touch when you don't want them to off you."

"It can," she agreed, smiling at her.  "Tell me about the albino?"

"Vorchain?  He's sweet, in his own way.  He tells fantastic stories."  That got a smile and a nod.  The guards opened a door for them.  "He's a nice man.  He treats me like a little sister.  I've played with his cub many times."

"I've met him in the past.  He helped when my carriage nearly got robbed.  Yelped a battle cry as he dove down onto one of the bandits, knocked them around happily, tied them up on the carriage's roof, and helped me get on my way again."

"That sounds like him.  He's a very caring young man, he simply has little focus in his life for that caring beyond the cub."

"What did he name it?"

"Her.  Spots."

"Spots?" she asked, smiling.

"She's a good cub.  She likes to pounce rabbits.  She did it at Volka's, carried it around to show off for nearly four hours before Joseph finished killing it on her and she settled down to eat it."  They walked into the royal library, where she accepted the journals.  "I thank you."

"It's your family, it should belong to you.  Plus give you something new to read so you don't have to shop all the time."  That got a smile.  "We're holding a party for the ambassadors in a few days.  Will you be attending?"

"If you wish."

"I do wish.  Wear something pretty and flattering.  Dress up and look stunning."

"I'll have to get something from the Father's house.  I only brought a few things with me to be renovated."

"Buy something new, Ancelin."  She walked her up to her personal suite, letting her see the picture. "He did capture you very well and the shoulder you were leaning on."

Ancelin smiled, running a finger over her face.  "He did very well.  My compliments to him, My Queen."  She smiled.  "Thank you."

"You're welcome.  Come, let's get you back before your adopted uncle fusses.  A number of the other senior knights have been wondering what you've been up to."

"Reading."  That got a laugh.  "There's not much to do when I don't feel like reading.  Exercise the horses.  Play with the village children. Fix a hem now and then."  She clutched the journals to her chest as they came out in the throne room.  "Thank you, Highness."  She bowed to the King again, getting a 'go away' wave. She walked out, finding one of her father's friends outside.  "Sir Gallen."  She gave him a careful hug since he was in armor.  "Are you well?"

"Very well, Ancelin.  Yourself?"

"I'm doing quite fine," she agreed, smiling at him.  "Studying suits me.  I get to tell the village's children all sorts of stories to teach them now and then.  They love ancient mythology."  He laughed, nodding.  "They found my mother's and one of my grandmother's journals in the royal library."

"Good.  They should be yours."

"Did he escape?" she asked, seeing him looking uncomfortable.

"I was out when he was accused.  Though I did hear."

"The mark was since removed, Sir Gallen.  Don't worry, nothing touches me. You know very well I've been training myself to defend my purity."  She poked him on the side.  "I'm staying with Cofostat for a few days but I was told about the ball.  Save me a dance if you're here?"

"Of course, Ancelin.  I remember you being very light on your feet.  Is that your half-sister who married Philip?"  She smiled and nodded.  "I'll give her your love since I'm serving with him right now."

"Thank you.  I got ordered to find something new and pretty so I'll let you get back to your duties."  She walked off, heading for the house.  "I'm back," she called.  She dropped her journals off, coming back down the stairs.  "I ran into Sir Gallen."

"He's back?" Cofostat asked.  She nodded.  "Good.  He's got news I should hear."

"There's a ball for the ambassadors.  The queen told me to find something new and pretty to wear."

"Severtina, she needs to shop."

"Good!"  She came out. "We'll both go to the ball.  Money?"  She jingled her pocket.  "That'll work."  They headed out to the new Court designer, finding him backed up, but one of the young ladies in there suggested something else.  They didn't like his shop's looks so they went to the original one for the wedding outfits.  "We're going to the ball."

He smiled.  "This time I'll add more fabric to the bosom."

"I've got some that need to be remade into a more fashionable style as well," she admitted.  "They're at home."

"I can do that after the ball, Duchess.  Now, let's see.  What color for you both?"  He looked at the fabrics available, then clapped his hands.  "Let's go shopping."  They walked out together, going to the fabric and lace section.  Severtina found herself something in a nice velvet.  Ancelin was a bit more picky but finally settled on something in a jade green.  It went well with her coloring and it was soft, but not silk.  She wasn't sure what it was but it felt comfortable.  They brought it back and got to work on the design using the same principles as the last dress.  Though this time he did measure her bosom to make sure she wouldn't need to find an emergency piece of lace.

Chapter Ten.
 

"Duchess Ancelin Constantsos," the herald announced.

She smiled and accepted his help down the stairs to bow at the royal couple. "Thank you for inviting me, Highness."

"Thank you for coming on such short notice," the Queen said happily.

"I'd never miss one of your balls, m'lady.  They're always quite lively and interesting."  She smiled as she straightened up.  "Somewhere behind me is Sir Cofostat."

"I do like that dress.  The same designer?"  Ancelin smiled and moved closer so she could check the fabric.  "Is that the new Egyptian cotton weave?"

"I'm not sure.  We found it in the marketplace.  It felt like it'd keep me from overheating the way silk can, it holds its shape beautifully, and it suited my coloring.  So even if I do look like a poor beggar woman, I'm comfortable."  She laughed and nodded.  "I'll let you greet the others."  She bowed again and walked off, going to mingle and watch the crowd.  They had word their enemy had snuck into the city the night before so she was on guard.

"Duchess," her sister teased, swatting her on the arm.  "I like that."  She felt the fabric.  "It's nice.  Expensive?"

"Modestly so," she admitted with a smile.  "I found it in the market with that one seller, the one two up from where we got the lace the last time."   Her sister smiled.  "Married life is definitely suiting you.  How are you feeling?"

"I'm wonderful.  Even if I can't stomach breakfast I feel wonderful."  She pulled her aside to talk to her.  "I heard they found a few of your mother's journals.  Anything good?"

"Quite a bit to me personally, no good gossip.  Mother wasn't usually like that unless she hated someone."  That got a titter from her sister.  "Though I did learn more about my grandmother."  She smiled and waved lightly at Chauvis.  "So, we're due when?  That way I can find an appropriate baby birthing gift for the two of you instead of making you live with something I tried to knit."

"The baby could use a story tapestry," she offered.

Ancelin smiled.  "If I can."

That got a beam and a nod, and her husband coughed politely from behind them.  "Philip, you remember Ancelin."

"I do.  Duchess."

"I'm your sister-in-law, Sir Philip.  I'll drop titles if you will."

He smiled.  "Very well then, sister-in-law."  He pulled his wife up.  "They've just put out some of that fruit you liked and your mother's here, dear."

"Tell her I said hello," Ancelin offered, getting a wave and a smile.  "I'll work on getting you one of those."  She smiled and walked off on her husband's arm while she went back to scanning the crowd.  Chauvis sat beside her, nearly flopping down.  "Long day?"

"He tried to burn the stable last night.  He didn't succeed but he did try, then he fled."

"Is everything all right?"

"We lost a bit of hay, nothing more than that.  My mare was spooked.  Yours is still with Volka."

"I remember."  She patted his hand.  "I'll help you restock it when I get back."

"Thank you."  He kissed the back of her hand.  "You should be mingling."

"I'm watching for the bastard," she said quietly.

"He'll show when he's ready and he's always in it for the show and the effect.  We'll know when he's here."  She nodded, getting up and hauling him up and over to the tables of treats, making him take a plate so she could fill it for him. Then she walked off nibbling on a berry, much to her sister's amusement.  Chauvis smiled but shrugged.  "She fusses horribly.  She nagged Cofostat into resting when he broke his ankle."  He walked off nibbling as well, running into his boss, the Cardinal.  "Sir."

"Chauvis."  He shook his hand.  "I see Lady Ancelin has been fussing?"

"Quite.  Having a good week?"

"I was until Cofostat the Younger showed up on my doorstep with a woman in irons.  I almost had a sense of deja vu."

He choked, then coughed.  "Excuse me?  He did what?"

"I believe you know why?"

"Yes, but we almost expected him to demand she be stoned."

"He may have brought her back for that.  Perhaps he's showing some compassion for her family."

"Perhaps he wants her natal family to know her sins," he offered.

"Also possible with that one.  Would you come see me tomorrow with your student? I could use a bit of wisdom I think."

"I can and will, Sir."

"Thank you, Chauvis.  Have a good dinner."  He walked off smiling, going to talk to the crown princess and her possible future husband. They were seeing if they could stand being in the same castle together.  If so, there'd be a royal wedding coming up.

Chauvis found Ancelin and walked over to her again.  "The Cardinal wishes to see us both tomorrow.  Younger's back."

"Already?  We expected him back in a few more days."

"The Cardinal said he had deja vu with how he drug a woman in wearing irons."

"Mine deserved it."

He gave her a look.  "I'll gather you early in the morning."

"I'll be up and waiting."  She smiled.  "There's Elder."

"I'll tell him if he doesn't already know."  He walked over there, letting her get back to her womanly chatting and sucking up to the crown princess for her muffin recipe.  "Cofostat," he said once he was finished greeting their hosts.

"Father Chauvis."  He shook his hand with a smirk.  "Severtina also came."

"I can see her delicate little self."  He bowed to her, getting a swat and her walking off.  "Your son is back?"

"He is?"

"The cardinal said he drug some woman in wearing irons."

"I'm wondering if he destroyed the town or not then."

"I'm not sure but he's asked for Ancelin and I to both be there in the morning."

"Interesting.  I'll be going with you if my superior would agree."  Chauvis pointed.  "Thank you."  Severtina walked over with a plate of food, pushing half of it onto Chauvis's plate, then walked off nibbling.   Cofostat groaned, shaking his head.

"Ancelin fixed me a plate and handed it over," he admitted. "Star fruit?"

Cofostat took a piece and walked off nibbling to find the head knight.  He coughed and his boss looked at him.  "My son's back."

"I heard why he left.  The outcome is?"

"He drug her in front of the Cardinal."

He walked him off.  "Your second wife does live?"  He nodded.  "At least his temper calmed some."

"Probably not.  He's keeping himself from committing matricide."

"You go before the Cardinal when?"

"Tomorrow morning with Father Chauvis and his student in attendance."

"I've noticed she's picked up Severtina's bad habits," he teased.

Cofostat looked at him.  "Quite but it's nice to be fussed over.  She's like a daughter to me, sir."

"I can understand how that happens.  I remember when she was a sweet, innocent little child."

"She's still a sweet, innocent young woman, she simply reads more now," he finished dryly.

"I heard what happened with the diplomats."

"We sent her to Volka to raid his library and to help him with them."

"That poor man."

"She went hunting with him often.  She even helped care for the idiot's horse, who was barely touched.  Her own mare is ruined and unrideable.  She's thinking about breeding her to her stallion."

"They would be fine foals.  Let me know how they turn out."

"She's promised me one."  That got a smug look.  "She's still like my daughter."

"She glows like a peacock among robins."

Cofostat looked then nodded.  "She does and her mother's jewelry does suit her as well."   He looked at his boss again.  "You're a widower and if you want to try for her hand, ask her, not me, sir."

His boss laughed, shaking his head.  "I have no desire to be fussed into the afterlife by a young wife, Cofostat.  Thank you anyway.  I still have not heard from our doctor."

"I've sent for him twice."

"I'll talk to him soon then."  He walked off, going to talk to someone else.

Cofostat went to find his adopted daughter.  "That new fabric makes you glow from across the room."

"So does the new oil I found," she admitted, smiling at him.  "The diplomats haven't arrived yet?"

"Of course not.  They're going to be fashionably late, as usual."  He looked where she was looking.  "Interesting. What is he doing here?"

"I do not know."  They shared a look then back at Vorchain, who was charming some of the ladies with some of his stories.

The diplomats chose to finally arrive in a show of pomp and circumstance, letting the ball truly start.  Now the dancing could start.  Vorchain strolled over, smiling at them.  "You should be resting that foot."

"I'll sit later.  What are you doing here?"

"Volka sent me with a message."  He looked at him, then around then back at him.  "We watched a good size military unit try to sneak over the border.  I did stop to tell that one unit that way.  I'm not sure which road they'll take."

"The diplomats weren't aware the two roads came together until we told them," she said quietly.  "Is Volka's house all right?"

"It's out of the way.  They wouldn't dare hurt it.  But I did bring the message earlier and the queen told me to clean up and appear."

"Interesting," Cofostat agreed.  "With the runners we have in that unit one of them should appear by tonight."

"About an hour ago," he admitted. The music started.  "Duchess, care to dance?"

"If you wish, Vorchain."  She walked out with him, starting off on the formal dance.  She didn't know this one but she could follow along.  At the end she smiled at him and bowed, then went to find one of the other knights.  She cleared her throat, getting a smile.  "A dance, or are we busy planning?"

"A dance," Gallen said, taking her out.  "Planning what?" he teased.

"I know what message Vorchain brought."

"Ah.  That's who that was.  I wondered why so many knights got the call to be here tonight."

"He was with Volka."

"Who sits nearby one of the passes into the country through the mountains," he said.  He looked down at her.  "Should I hear of this from my king?"

"Probably.  Simply wondering if you were planning already.  If you had been I wouldn't have bothered you."

"I'll ask the queen about it in a few minutes."  He kissed the back of her hand at the end of the dance, handing her off to her brother-in-law, who was very smooth but a bit stiff.  He went to find his employers.  "Sire."  The king looked at him.  "I had heard there was news from the border."

He smiled.  "I knew that one would talk.  It's not as bad as it sounds.  They sent a new emissary."  That got a smile.  "Their prince and his unit backing him up."

"His personal unit?"

"Indeed."

"Wonderful.  We can train our men with them to see their new training methods."  That got a smirk and a nod.  "I do hope he comes in peace."

"He said he did.  He'll be here in a few days.  We'll be announcing it tonight."  That got a nod and he went to tell the others.  He looked at the young lady who would end up in the middle of that too, smiling when she was found to be dancing with her teacher.  "They do make a good looking couple."

His wife looked then nodded.  "They do.  Too bad he's a priest.  He's very caring.  He puts up with her quirks."

"I heard she helped Volka hunt," he offered.

"He's got a long lineage but not royal."

He winked.  "I believe he knew of her family of old."  His queen looked interested.  "That's how I found the diaries.  I read her grandmother's."  He walked her out there to dance with her, smiling when Ancelin demurred the next dance with him but promised the one after that.  She went to dance with one of the other knights who had doted on her as a child, making him a happy man.  One of the guards came in to get Cofostat and Severtina stayed, watching him go.  He danced with her next.  "What do we think happened?"

"He said Younger found someone breaking into the house and stabbed him," she said quietly.  "Is France missing a seaside town?"

"He brought her back in irons from what I was told by the Cardinal."

"Interesting.  Huh."  She smiled as they finished the dance, bowing and handing him back to his wife.  "I give him back unstepped on for once."  That got a small laugh and a nod of thanks from the queen.  She went to find someone else and dance with them, finding Vorchain a good ease to her worries.

Ancelin found herself nearly pinned down by one of the diplomats.  "How is your horse?"

"Absolutely destroyed," he said grimly.  "I know you tried your best.  Yours?"

"Unrideable but living."  He looked stunned.  "I knew I could save her.  She'll have fun being bred and raising a foal soon."   He looked even more stunned.  "She's sunning herself there and waiting to end her recuperation so I can have her bred with my stallion."

"The other was a what?  I thought him gelded."

"No, he's very gentle with me.  I handraised him."  She smiled, sipping her punch.  "Princess."  She curtseyed.

"Duchess Ancelin."  She kissed her on the cheek.  "Come, let me introduce you to someone who is new at court.  If your present discussion partner doesn't mind?"

"No, go ahead," he agreed, waving a hand.  He went to tell the others.  "That girl managed to get her mare to live."

"She worked very hard to save her," Chauvis said from behind him.

"Father.  What brings you here tonight?"

"I was invited, the same as you were."

"Your student?"

"The Queen.  Personally."  That got an odd look.  "We're looking at a future royal wedding and I tend to do the bride's blessings."  That got a knowing look.  "Your horse?"

"Is ruined but some trader thought her suitable enough so I got a new nag until I can get home."

"Hmm.  I heard someone else from your home court was worried and headed this way.  Perhaps they bring you one."

"Perhaps.  Do you know who?"

"Not yet.  It was a rumor I heard among the guards on the way in."  He smiled as Ancelin came back.  "I see you met the new Ladywife to Knight Sorens."

"I did.  She seems very sweet but a bit like the dance instructor my father hired.  That same thread of 'putting you through your paces'.   I'm sure she keeps his house very well for him."

"He could use a bit of a firm hand at home.  His daughters tend to go a bit wild.  I've heard rumors of hunting trips that lasted for weeks."  He walked her off.  "Dance with me again?'

"Of course. You only have to ask."  She smiled.  "Welcome," she said softly.

"I was baiting them and it was tiring.  They're not smart enough to realize it."  He let her move him into position and they started off.  "The fencing did improve your footwork."  She giggled but nodded.  "We'll have to teach you other forms of fighting with one."

"Cofostat left because his son found an intruder."

"If it were him we'd have to make sure he didn't rise again," he agreed quietly.  "We'll worry about that later."  She yawned a bit.  "No afternoon nap?"

"No, I was rushing through a fitting.  I bought this dress and had one of the others fixed to be more fashionable.  One of my mother's."  He hummed. "When she was first married the fashion was for wide sleeves with puffed up parts."  He snickered but nodded. "You can't be old enough to remember that.  My mother was nearly thirty when she had me."

"Those sleeves come and go," he reminded her.  "Wear the new one for the next ball?"

"I had planned on it.  I also replaced the one I stained into rags back at the house.  The brown cotton one."

"That's fine.  I know you're not going to fill your room with clothes."

"Books maybe, but Volka wouldn't let me steal any."  The dance ended and she curtseyed to her partner then let him go, being spun around by Vorchain so he could have his turn.  "All right, I'll dance with you again.  Where's Spots?"

"Cofostat's house."  He smirked.  "You do look nice against me in that."

She swatted him.  "Vain little bluejay today, aren't we?" she teased.

"Of course.  I always have to be with how magnificent I am."  He twirled her out then back as the dance demanded, making her laugh.  At the end of the dance the king called for silence so he could speak about their guests.  That's when he announced who was coming.  That's also when the diplomats broke cover and came out with weapons.  No one else had been allowed to bring weapons into the hall and the guards were quickly backed against the king.  She started to move to protect a princess but one of them grabbed her by the hair.  She struggled and ended up on the ground with a sword at her throat so she pretended to be amenable for now.  Once they had her and a few others locked in a room she looked around.  "Someone grab one of my hair pins for me please?" she asked.

"Can't you undo the locks by magic or something?" the princess demanded.

"I'm no witch, Highness.  I can get the lock with my hairpin."  One of them shifted until she could grab her hairpin with her teeth, letting her have it.  "Thank you."  She closed her eyes while her fingers worked, finally getting it undone.  She stood up, undoing one of the others' shackles.  "Here, I know you know how to do this because your husband wears locking armor."  She walked over to the door, listening to it.  She heard someone coming and opened the door suddenly, pulling him inside, taking his sword and using it on him.  She sneered.  "I knew you weren't one of us.  You didn't know the dance steps to the country waltz."  She looked at the women.  "Stay.  He's only injured, he can't hurt you.  Get the others free."  She looked at her dress then grimaced.  "Oh, well.  No time to change."  She snuck up the hallway quietly, getting a look from one of the guards.  "Did they give up the king?" she asked quietly.

"I'm just now here, m'lady."

"Ancelin.  It's too long to shout otherwise."  He nodded, taking the lead.  He was a squire, it was his duty.  They made it into the ballroom via one of the hidden doors.  One of the diplomats was picking on Vorchain for his mask.  She growled, but he stopped her, shaking his head.  She handed over her bodice dagger, getting a smirk.  She only smiled. They snuck out and one of them saw her, coming rushing over.  She had a sword now and he was ....  Well, probably as good as she was but she was meaner.  She got him in the stomach, using her foot to brace against his body to withdraw it with the wet, sucking noise.  "Father," she said, finding him on the ground.

"I'll be fine.  It's barely a scratch.  You can fuss later.  Vorchain, get the others."  He took her sword, diving into the battle, letting her fuss over him.  "I'll be fine, Ancelin."  She smacked him on the head.  "I believe you've been learning more than herbs from Severtina," he said dryly.

"Don't make me do it to you again.  He'll need some bandages.  It's not very deep."  One of the servers went to get her some of the cloth napkins.  She held one over his wound.  "It'll heal with only a small scar."

"I'm sure it will."  She helped him up and into a chair, both of them looking when Vorchain growled.  "Oh, dear.  They caught me turning around.  He's going to kill them."

"Vorchain!" she snapped.  He looked at her.  "I want to witness their execution later, when we can throw eggs at them."  He nodded and got off that one, tossing down the sword.  "The other is injured where he put the ladies, Sire."

"Go," he ordered his squire.  He nodded, letting her lead him off to show him.  "She is very strong," he told Chauvis.

"Very.   We tested her against Cofostat's son.   She beat him.  She tied with Vorchain."

"Volka made me hold," he pouted.  "She deserved it for kicking my manly areas."  He came over to fuss over him.  "It'll be fine.  Spots will cuddle you because you're injured.  She does me."

"Your cub is very strange now and then," he told him, patting him on the cheek.  "I'll be retiring to Cofostat's house, sire."

"Go with my blessings, take her with you so she can fuss there."  He nodded, letting Vorchain help him out.  He sat down, looking over at where his wife had been put.  "Are you all right?"  She nodded, coming over for a hug.  "We'll be talking to this prince about that."

"Yes, we will."

"I'll make him leave his unit in plain sight outside the walls."

Cofostat limped in.  "I sent a rider to have him ride ahead, told him one of his people was ill.  The message said we'd prepare a barracks for his people."  He looked at the groaning bodies.  "I want them in irons.  They are not allowed to die until their people get here.  Am I clear!"  His squires jumped to it and led/drug them off to the prison.  "Sire?  Highness, are you hurt?" he asked more quietly.

"More shaken than anything," the queen admitted.  "Ancelin does show some training with that sword."

"I've had to hammer down a few rough spots working with my son and her to help your daughters," he assured her.  That got a nod.  "I'll continue letting my son work with your daughters."  She smiled and gave him another nod.  "Go to your rooms."  He looked around. "Where are the rest of the knights?"

"They were taken separately," he said.  "I'm sure they're being freed."  Ancelin came back with the princess, letting her run and hug her father.  "The knights?"

"A few need medical attention. A few fought back," she said quietly. "The rest appeared drugged.  Severtina was with me so I let her handle them."  That got a nod.  "Go be safe, Sires.  You'll handle this in the morning when your people need you instead of your family."  That got a smile and a nod from the queen, who walked her crying daughter off.  "Your youngest son was put in with us.  He's being manly but he's clinging to Lady Demeter at the moment."

"That's reasonable.  He does think she's very special."  The king came down to kiss her on the forehead. "Were you a boy, I'd knight you.  Should you find a worthy husband, I'll knight him."  He looked at the returning squire.  "We lost how many?"

"Three, sire, including the Head Knight.  The others the strange one is seeing to with another healer."

"Severtina is very well versed in herbs, she's the one who taught me them," Ancelin told him.  That got a nod and he went back to help.  She looked t the king.  Then at Cofostat.  "I'll walk myself back.  You be safe?"  He nodded.  "Let me know if I can help, Sire."  She bowed and walked off.

"She's a bit pushy," the squire said when she was gone.

"She's right.  Tonight his family needs to make sure he and his wife are fine.  Tomorrow the rest of the kingdom does," Cofostat told him.  "She's the daughter of a former knight."

"I've heard."

"Her father's actions do not affect her honor," the King assured him.  "She's the one who turned him in for trying to harm her and make her marry and be girlish."   He looked at Cofostat.  "I'll need you tomorrow when  you're done.  Even if you are in a temper."

"Agreed.  Let me help with the cleanup.  Walk the king to his suite," he ordered.  The squire nodded, taking him through the back passages.  Cofostat let out a swear and limped off to handle things.  Before they got worse.  He was still up when the prince rode up at a gallop close to dawn.  "You made good time," he greeted.

"I was halfway here.  One of your men leant me his horse."  He slid off, patting her gently.  "Please take good care of her," he told the squire rushing out.  "She's one of yours."

"Yes, sir."  He walked her off.

"What happened?  I don't hear music and I heard there was a party tonight."

"There was until your diplomats tried to kill everyone, including the king and queen," he said bluntly.

He nodded, sighing a bit.  "It was not upon our orders.  My mother would scream and kill them herself."

"They may yet die of their injuries."  He led him inside, taking him to the king's suite, knowing he wasn't asleep yet.  He opened the door personally.  "Sire, I told you to let the guards do it."

"I heard your limping and knew you'd never bring a threat in.  Prince Paul."  He shook his hand.  "Please, come in."  He nodded at Cofostat.  "Make sure she got home?"

"She did.  One of the guards tried to help her and she smacked him a few times then got ill.  He walked her home."  He looked at the guard, who left.  "I'll stay."

"Thank you, Cofostat."  He looked at him.  "I announced you were coming and they suddenly found swords.  From now on I'm going to let the guards carry ceremonial looking ones instead of being unarmed."

"My mother will be killing them if you don't," he said honestly. "By her own hand."  He sat down.  "It was not upon our orders."  He looked at Cofostat.  "My men?"

"Are going to be warehoused for you," he assured him.  "If it was not your doing we won't hold it against them."  That got a nod of understanding.  "Let me have someone check on their condition so you can ask them whose orders they acted on."

"I have no doubt whose orders they acted on.  It was my uncle's.  He was the one who sent the assassin the first time.  My mother had him locked away for starting a war.  He's too highborn to be put to death."  That got a nod.  "He's still bricked into his cell, which has all the amenities he could want except a way out and visitors."  He looked at the king.  "They should be put to death.  I'll help the executioner myself."

"They have been very bad since they got here."  He sat across from him.  "I know you've gotten our message."

"I have.  Mother went on a screaming and ranting fit that made people speculate she was with child again.  How injured was his horse?"

"Three finger-widths scratch on one thigh."

"Hers?"

"All but gutted," Cofostat admitted.  Someone tapped then leaned in to whisper in his ear, getting a nod.  "Someone called for last rites for one."

"Deny them," the prince said firmly.  "What they did was against our laws and God's."

He looked at the guard.  "You can tell him that."  He nodded, going off to talk to the Cardinal.  "I know you're an earned knight, like I am, Highness.  What do you support to stop this?"

He looked at him then at the king.  "We're being bothered by the British.  We came to offer the hand of friendship so we'd have other help."

"And now?"

"Now?  I'd still like that," he admitted.  "As would my mother.  As would all my family really."  He smiled. "Plus I have talked one of your daughters up to my youngest brother, who is now barely a man."  That got a nod from Cofostat.  "Your daughter Emily?"

"Is still unspoken for," he agreed.  "She's a bit wild."

"I've heard she can fence.  My brother's an avid fencer.  It would suit him that his wife could.  Even if she could beat him it would make him strive to be better."  That got a smirk from the king.  "That's what I was sent here to propose, plus to beat my ambassadors about the head and neck with a stiff pot as my mother commanded."

The king nodded.  "I'll see what my wife things on the morrow."  The prince smiled and nodded.  "They would have to meet."

"Of course.  He'll gush over her beauty.  Now and then he likes to try his hand at poetry."  That got a soft chuckle from Cofostat.  "He's not a knight by any means."

"My last son is like that," he agreed.  "He's soon to marry as well."

"My brother leaves in a week unless I tell him not to," he said honestly, looking at the king again.  "It would be a good way to mark the peace."

"It would be.  We'll see how they do together."  That got a nod and a handshake.  "You will publically disavow them?"

"In a loud, strong voice in front of your people."  That got a nod and a smile.  "Let me know when my people get here?" he asked the knight.

"Someone will.  I've got to see the cardinal."

"We were wondering why a son who looked much like you and went by your name was invading one of our towns.  Had kidnaped a wife."

"Who supposedly died of a fever when she was mine," he said quietly.

"Ah!"  He nodded.  "He was very polite to her family.  He told her new husband, who followed.  Her husband should be here sometime tomorrow.  He did not tell her children but he did tell the local priest he drug with him to accuse her of either being a witch and reanimated or of being an adulteress.  He agreed he could bring her back to this cardinal since he had married her the first time."

"We're surprised he left the town standing."

"As were we.  He has quite a temper.  He nearly destroyed the church before the priest went with him."

"Only when provoked in the extreme."  He smiled and bowed to the king.  "I'll set you a new guard?"

"Please, Cofostat."  He left them alone, earning a small sigh.  "He learned to fuss over me from his caretaker."  The prince laughed at that, shaking his head.
 

Chapter Eleven.
 
 
 

Ancelin walked into the Cardinal's office the next morning, bowing at him.  "I have no idea why you sent for me, Sire.  All I can do is support Cofostat and make sure the younger one has ample room to attack her."

"I think you'll find you can answer some questions even if you don't personally know what a marriage is like," he offered, looking amused.  Her simple cotton dress and head scarf earned a look of speculation.  "Cleaning?"

"Working out later and I feel not like this is an occasion for finery.  Perhaps funeral wear but not finery."

"True.  Most girls and ladies of your station dress up every day."

"Yes, and most of them knit.  Thankfully my sister's child won't make me try again."

He laughed.  "Good to know, Duchess."  The two Cofostats came in with Chauvis behind them.  "Father Chauvis, go ahead and help Ancelin stand between the two families.  You won't have to stop them but it might keep things more civil."

"Is she a reanimated witch?" Cofostat the Younger asked.

"No, son.  We had her tested already."  He looked at the woman.  "I wish your reasons for this deception and your adultery.  You have broken your vows to God and made him break his.  No one would hold him accountable since he believed you dead."

"I could not stand my marriage, sire.  I thought it better and kinder if he thought me dead than abandoned him.  Being the wife of a knight is a horrible thing."

"What was so horrible about it?" Cofostat demanded.  "I treated you like a queen, woman."

"You made me do things, made me sound like some tavern wench," she sneered.  "You were constantly gone."

"Yet those two are actually a cure for each other," Chauvis said.  She glared at him and he glared back.  "Ancelin?"

"Any wife who does not care for her husband's relations in their marriage bed is very simply solved if he's gone off fighting a war.  Then she has to entertain no one and has no one that she needs to please in said marriage bed.  If that were the truth she would have suggested he go out more often."

"She only did that after we had the son," Cofostat said quietly.

"Thankfully we had Severtina there to raise me," Cofostat the younger said, looking a bit grim.  "At least she loved me enough to take care of me all this time."

"I never had any say in that house, it was always her."

"She had been there since before you were.   The only thing she blocked you on was changing my room since I slept separately," Cofostat told her.  "Was your current toy there while we were married?"

"Her oldest was nearly my age," his son told him quietly.  "She's birthed three daughters and another son."

"Interesting."  He glared at her and she backed off.  "Ancelin?"

"Having a child does imply that she does at least have relations with her current... spouse for lack of a better phrase in this instance."  The cardinal nodded at her word choice.  "Whether or not she likes it would have to be asked of her husband since she'll lie."

"No man would admit his wife didn't like his touch," the cardinal said gently.  "Every man believes they are the best in the world at pleasing their wives."

"No I'm realistic," Cofostat the Younger said.  "I'll learn how to please her and she'll hopefully teach me."  He looked at Ancelin.  "I won't be asking you for advice."

"Ask Chauvis.  My sister did and got pregnant during her honeymoon," she offered with a smile.

"Was that the reason for the wedding?" the cardinal asked.

"No, sire.  She's only two months along.  Their wedding was four ago."

"Oh, good."  He smiled at Chauvis.  "Apparently you give good advice, even without having been in a marriage bond."

"I simply advised her to learn his body and let him learn hers, that they would discover it together since he was still chaste as well when he married."  He scratched the back of his neck.  "I did advise her to ask her mother about how to get pregnant if she wanted to quickly. There were ways to hold that off for a while if she didn't using her womanly cycle.  I advised her to not curse him if he did stupid things while pregnant since that's the major cause of changelings that I've seen over the years.  Usually due to wenching or the thought that he is.  I also advised her to trust him until he proved himself otherwise, because even knights have rumors spread about them and she was moving into a circle of acquaintances who are known to spread the most ridiculous things."

"That's not bad advise," Cofostat admitted. "My father hired me a tavern wench when I became a man and made her teach me."  His son gave him an odd look.  "I thought about it.  I figured you didn't need it with some of the trouble you got into.  I almost expected to see some daughter's father on our doorstep with a priest actually."  Ancelin coughed to hide her laughing.  "His mother was much the same way until she bore my son," he admitted. "Always very wanton and desiring of my company, Cardinal.  That's a flimsier reason than even wedding night underwear."

The Cardinal nodded at that.  "It sounded like it."  He looked at her.  "Why else did you abandon your vows and infant son?"

"I had no say in that household.  That unnatural thing he has as his caretaker had power over even me.  I thought she was using witchcraft."  Ancelin went after her with her nails, making Chauvis stop her.  "Who is this woman!"

"She's been adopted into the family like a daughter," Cofostat said.  "I know Severtina would never use any magic against anyone I care about," he said, making her look at him.  "It's another lie."

"I will not have that sweet, gentle, woman accused of such filth!"

"No, nor would I."  He smiled.  "Got up late?"

"This isn't an occasion for finery.  It's an occasion to wear funeral attire."  She glared at the woman.  Then at the younger son.  "Sword?"

"Taken from me at the door," he admitted grimly.  "My future wife?"

"Severtina told her, son."

"Good.  Thank you, Father."  He looked at Ancelin.  Then at his mother.  "Be thankful, many wanted me to marry that one.  She is a duchess and of knightly birth both."  Her mother shrank away from them.  "Now, why did you feel the need to abandon me and go have other children near my own age?"

"He did not love me.  He loved that ...thing who ran his house."  Ancelin managed to get her hair in her hands this time, making her scream and flail trying to get away.  Guards came in and helped the other three men remove her from the wife's body.  She sat down crying.  "She's evil!"

"No she's not," Chauvis said.  "I should know.  I'm this kingdom's fighter of evil."  He stared her down.  "Give us the truth and what happened might be solved.  Why did you leave your family and go to another?"

"It was not what I wanted.  He was never home.  I was simply a knight's wife, nothing feted and honored."

"Any knight's wife is honored by the royals here," Cofostat defended.  "They have their own group.  You were offered to join them."

"They even do non-frivolous sewing," Ancelin agreed.  "Stitching bandages and the like."  That got a nod from the Cardinal.  "I've helped a few times as the daughter of a knight.  They're usually very kind to each other and probably knew what she was up to.  I'm wondering how she bribed the others.  Was it her or her new...spouse?  Also, another question," she said grimly.  "If you remove her vows, does that leave Younger out of succession?"

"I don't see why it should," the cardinal said.  "At the very worst it'd be seen like he was from some wench Cofostat bedded."

"I think that fits," Younger told him, glaring at his mother.  "My stepmother taught me many things and took good care of me.  She was a better mother than many in this kingdom."

"She was," Cofostat agreed.  "I would not argue should she want an annulment, sire.  She abandoned me and that should be grounds enough.  It is when a wife is abandoned."

"She could have done that anyway and taken him as a discreet lover," Ancelin told him, patting him on the arm.  "Usually it's said that the missing spouse went to their family's with some emergency that would keep them for a while.  She could have been anywhere except in the city and taken her man quietly."

"I have seen that explanation," the cardinal admitted.  "It was usually in the case of an arranged marriage."  She nodded at that.  "Which this wasn't.  If I remember right, she came to me saying that she had fallen in love with someone above her station while I was a simple priest."

"She was a village's senior daughter," Cofostat admitted.  "The headman's first daughter.  Not far beneath a young knight."

"True."  The cardinal looked at them.  "I could grant a dissolution to the marriage.  Rome would agree under this circumstance with no onus for the husband."

"Then can we run her through?"  Younger asked.

"No, son, but your father can challenge the new one to a duel of honor, or you can."

"He knows not how to fight!" she said, standing up again.  "He's a gentle and good man."

"In that case they could let the duchess take it for them," the cardinal said.

"Her reputation has spread," she sneered.

"My father tried to sell me to an incubus, of course I turned him in and went to seek advice from a priest."

"They say you're unwomanly.  That you *read* and fight," she sneered.

Ancelin looked at her.  "Any daughter of any knight can and will defend herself.  None of us are helpless children to scream and faint at life's hardships.  As for reading, yes, I quite enjoy reading.  I find quite a lot of interesting stories with the Father."  She nodded at Chauvis.  "And in your own former library when I come to stay with your former family.  Thankfully Severtina was able to cast out most of your influence.  I'd hate to see how spoiled your son would be if she hadn't."

"Her son is six and tried to stop me," Younger said.

"Then his father's blood is strong," Ancelin told him.  "I wish her new family much future happiness, as I'm sure you do?"

"I'm not sure if I want to know them or not," he admitted quietly.

"Then talk to her new husband.  Perhaps an invitation to your wedding?  That way you can talk if you want but if it doesn't work out there's many others there they can talk to?" Chauvis suggested.  "You are the oldest and it would be a generous gesture."

"One worthy of the tittle," Cofostat agreed.  "That would let them agree as well."  He looked at his son, nodding.  "You can seat them by your cousins that you despise."

"While he was gone, his future wife, Severtina, her mother, and I finished the plans for him, Cofostat.  That way all he has to do is read and approve."  The younger smirked at her.  "You were a bit upset by them."

"Severtina has helped with my others," Cofostat admitted.

"Her mother married off her other daughter two years ago," Ancelin added.  "They're waiting on publishing or printing anything until you see her again."

"I'll go to my wife's house today," he agreed more calmly.  "Thank you for your help, Ancelin."

"Anything to keep someone from fluttering.  Severtina said she was worried about you."

"I nearly got crushed by her hug when I got home.  Speaking of, who was the intruder I stabbed last night, Father?"

"We'll go over that matter later," Chauvis told him, getting a nod.  "Was Spots there?"

"She was.  She slept on Severtina's head all night," he admitted.   He looked at the Cardinal.  "Can I stab her anyway?"

"You're very focused."

"Emotional pain stabs for far longer than any physical wound," Ancelin said gently.  Someone new was let in and she nodded at the man.  She turned back to the cardinal, letting him soothe his wife.  "I feel the same desire on his behalf, sire."

"I thought it better and kinder if they thought I had died," she defended.

"You still broke them and your vows before God," Chauvis told her.  "The real question was did the new husband know?"

"I was wondering if he was helping her plan her escape," Younger admitted. "If so, I'll only talk to my siblings."  His father nodded at that attitude.  "I could have used siblings when I was younger."

"You could use one now," the cardinal reminded him.

"My son will take his title," he told him.  "It's better since I'm not cut out to ride into battle.  Give advice but not ride into battle.  The Duchess is much more suited to that than I am."  She turned and went to get sick.  He gave the door a thoughtful look then at his father.  "What's happened now?"

"She had to help last night when the King was attacked," he said quietly.  "She took one out to get free and then got another one before taking care of Chauvis since he had been injured."

"Barely," Chauvis said.  "It let Vorchain take over for her since he was at sword point.  The squire?"

"Probably won't be for much longer," Cofostat the elder agreed.  "The one who helped them will probably be replaced by his younger brother.  He's from a long line of honorable knights.  I'm sure if he's still living his father is taking care of that with a horse whip by his reputation.  She came back.  "All right?"

"Better, thank you."  Chauvis gave her wrist a squeeze, getting a small smile in return.  "I'll be fine."

"You can talk to any of us, Ancelin.  Remember that."  She nodded.  He looked at the Cardinal.  "Can we close their marriage?"

"I can," he agreed. "I will put this under the same veil of quietness I would an annulment petition for anyone of noble birth, Sir Cofostat."  He nodded his thanks.  "I'll also backdate it to the date she died. That way you didn't break God's laws by accident."

"I thank you."

"You're welcome.  I wish you a happier marriage than she had, Younger."

"I can only hope so," he agreed, bowing to him.  "Can I stab her now?"  His father got him on the head, making him look at him.  "Will you do that to your grandchildren too?"

"Yes.  Your wife as well if she needs it."

"I'll be sure to warn her, Father.  That does leave that one question.  Did the new husband know?"  He nodded, looking away from him.

Ancelin put a hand on his arm when he growled and reached for the sword he wasn't wearing.  "Men in love do stupid things.  Bards and men have written about them for ages past," she said quietly.  "Whole religions dictate what a woman can wear because men are stupid when their minds are clouded by love or lust."  He nodded, relaxing.   "Be there for your brother and sisters so they're raised more as a Cofostat than like she did to your family."

"If we get on well enough I can  make sure they grow up with honor," he agreed.  "Perhaps even teach my brother how to be a knight."  He looked at his father, who nodded.  "Thank you."

"You're welcome," the cardinal said.  "I'll send the application with the message bag going today, Cofostat.  Are you thinking about taking another wife?"

Younger gave him a horrified look.  "Don't even suggest he marry Ancelin," he demanded.  "I won't stand for that and it'd come to blows between us!  I'd find some way to win against the amazon wench even if it did cost me my life and manhood."

The cardinal snickered, shaking his head.  "I wasn't going to; I thought a more womanly woman.  One who fusses over him already."

"Again, she's like my daughter, sire," he said blandly.  "Should she tie me down and make me I'd be more than happy to tell the others myself."

"Good.  That suits me."  He smiled at Ancelin.  "Any prospects?"

She growled.  "Leave my loins out of this!" she ordered.  "Just because I'm a woman doesn't mean I need the support of some man.  I do quite well in my studies and I'm not interested in changing anything about that."

"Fine," he agreed mildly.  "Simply asking.  I would do your bindings myself, dear.  It's due at your station."  She pointed at Chauvis, who nodded.  "If you wished since he is a friend.  If not, I believe one of the other members is also clergy."  Chauvis nodded.  "I would like to talk to him as well since he's not assigned anywhere and I don't know of one of us that he reports to."

"I can foresee that happening some time soon," Chauvis said.

"I didn't know you were a seer as well," Cofostat the Younger quipped.

"Not me.  Others have seen and told me."  He bowed  "With your leave I'll escort the Duchess and knight home?"

"Go ahead.  Take the son as well.  Before I have to witness the duel."

"Thank you, Cardinal," Cofostat the Elder said, walking his son out, the other two behind him.  "We have to formally present you as my heir now," he told his son.

"I'll change when we get home," he promised quietly, getting a nod.  They mounted up and headed for the house, finding they had a visitor in the person of Vorchain.  "It'll be a few moments.  Though I do want to know about the intruder."

"Do that first, that talk will last longer," Chauvis told him.  The boy and his father both went to change.  He looked at Ancelin.  "Thank you  for not doing more than scratching her."

"She's a mere woman, I wouldn't overpower her like some bullying squire."

"Good."  He stroked over her cheek.  "Go do something while we wait on them."  She nodded, going to do that.  He looked at Vorchain.  "Back again?"

"I am.  How is she?"

"Got sick earlier.  The same as last time."

"I did my first too.  Is she ready to talk?"

"Not yet," he admitted.  "I know she has talked to Joseph a few times."

"He is very good at counseling after those issues."  He punched him on the arm.  "Where is my Spots?"

Chauvis looked at him, shrugging a bit.  "SPOTS!"  She came loping out of the study.  "What were you eating?  Cofostat, did you have a hawk?" he called.

"I take it by your phrasing it died?" he called as he walked back down the stairs.  The cub got a long look, as well as the feathers around her mouth.  "She was old but she's getting good at hunting."

"Sorry," Vorchain said. He glared at her.  "Don't eat the friends' animals.  That's not nice."

"It's her nature," Ancelin said as she came out of the kitchen.  "She'd eat anything smaller than she was in the wild."  She looked at Cofostat and adjusted his collar, handing him something.  "From Severtina."  He looked at the cookie, smiling as he walked out nibbling.  She gave the younger the same look and handed him his cookie since his clothes were immaculate.  "From your mother."

"Thank you."  He walked out nibbling as well, smiling when he saw his father doing the same thing.  "She can go gushy and girlish over some things," he reminded him.

"Yes, I remember.  She fed you many cookies for doing what she told you to," his father agreed.  He saw his son take off to hug his future wife and nodded at her mother.  "I'm heading up to have him formally announced as my heir," he said quietly.  "She can have him later tonight."

"Thank you, Cofostat.  Severtina suggested a weekend picnic somewhere outside the city?"

"As long as they were handfasted I wouldn't care," he agreed.  She beamed.  "I'll talk to Chauvis tonight."

"That's fine.  We'll see you after dinner?"

"That would be acceptable."  He pulled his son off her.  "You'll see her after dinner and we're planning on letting you two have a weekend picnic."  His son blushed.  "We'll talk about that when we get home as well."  He nodded at his daughter-in-law before walking him off.  The guard saluted him and he waved a hand.  "I need to formally announce something."

"The king's not that busy.  Go wait in line."

He nodded, taking his son that way.  There was only one ahead of them.  When it was his turn he walked up and bowed, his son doing the same behind him.  "It has been stated unofficially for many years but now I have to state that my son is my official heir to all my titles and lands, until I get a suitable grandchild since my son does not wish to be a knight, Sire."

He looked at him.  "We knew that before but a formal announcement usually means there's another issue?"  He shook his head.  He stared at him and Cofostat whisper what had happened in his ear, getting a nod.  "In that case I agree.  Your son, Cofostat the Younger, is your official heir until a suitable grandchild is born.  He has never been knight material.  Much too thin.  However he can give good advice now and then so I may lean on him for that like I do you should you be gone."  He nodded.   "When is his wedding?"

"We're settling the date tonight, Sire," Younger said respectfully.  "My last trip might have us pushing it back by a few days."

"As it happens it does," he agreed.  "I wish you much happiness,  Younger."

He smiled.  "Thank you, Sire.  I hope my children live up to my father's legend."  That got a smile.  "With your leave, we've got guests in and I haven't seen my future wife in a week."

"Go, child."  He bowed again and left.  "Not so fast, Elder."  Cofostat stopped, looking at him.  "You do know our Senior Knight was killed last night?"

"I do."

"You are one of three eligible for the position."

"I know."

"Would you accept it if I chose you?"

"As my king wills," he told him, looking very serious.  "I'm pleased with my current one over training but if you wish to move me up that is at your discretion."

"Well said."  He smiled.  "Now you can go."

He bowed and left, heading back to the house.  Cofostat walked in.  "I got asked if I wanted the top spot."  His son smiled.  "It would make some things more difficult, like meetings at Volka's."

"True," he admitted.  "Now, who was he?"

"The man who killed Ancelin's mother," Vorchain said quietly.  Ancelin looked up from her reading.  "He's known to us as someone who was an enemy of the group."

"Should we hold a bonfire to make sure he's dead?" the younger asked.  "I stabbed him through the heart but with my normal sword."  She gave him a kiss on the cheek.  "What was that for, woman?" he demanded, wiping his cheek off.

"He was coming to kill me."

"Then you're welcome.  You make my father focus on something other than my training."  He ducked the swat his father aimed at his head.  "Joking, father."

"I can rescind the offer of a weekend picnic," he noted dryly.  "Are you sure he was dead?"

"He was when the guards got here."  He looked at him.  "I stabbed him through the chest, Father.  They said he was dead as well.  We can check in the unclaimed bodies room.  They'll be burned anyway."

"True."  He looked at Chauvis.  "Your opinion?"

"I'm not sure yet.  I'm with Vorchain, we should see his body burned instead of buried, just in case something comes to claim it.  If so then the threat may be over with."

"They're never fully over with," Vorchain said dryly.  Ancelin made a squeaky noise.  "Is that a bad girl book?" he teased.

"My grandmother's diary," she admitted.  She looked at him.  "She mentioned him too."  She got back to work.  "He's been making himself younger with powerful blood?"

"It's possible but not tasteful," Chauvis told her, taking the book.  She took it back, scowling at him.  "Family secrets?"

"Yes.  One I think Volka should hear."  She got up, going to grab her horse and head off.

"It's a bad thing when you get that look after reading something," Cofostat told Chauvis, who nodded and sighed. "What do you think it was?"

"Family history," he said, looking at him.   "Her grandmother was a witch."

"We don't hold that against Severtina," Cofostat the Younger pointed out.

"No, I think it was something else," Vorchain said, staring Chauvis down.  "Now I've had that same vision three times."

"Which?" Cofostat the Elder demanded.

"The one where the next Volka heir comes around the same time he's injured but not killed."  He gaped.  "If she's having problems with the fighting part, she'll fall back to being a helper.  Correct?"

"It is assumed so," Cofostat the Younger admitted. "The rest of you travel and she doesn't seem to mind that."

"She would," Vorchain told him.  "Never in the same place?  Having to live out of a single bag, the rest at Volka's?"  He stared him down.  "I've never met a woman who liked that lifestyle who wasn't born a gypsy."

"Which would mean she'd be Volka's helper, as we planned," Chauvis agreed.  "It also contained why I retired from being a priest and gave it to one of the others," he told Cofostat.   "It was a future path setting event.  He also hears one of the madmen brothers telling her 'I told you not to touch that well' a few times."

He groaned, shaking his head.  His son shrugged.  "As long as she doesn't become my stepmother I'll help throw her a lavish wedding so he can be knighted or whatever since she's a duchess and he's of noble but untitled stock as far as I know."

"I have no intention of marrying again, son," Elder said patiently.  "I have no desire for a wife."

"Hitting the tavern wenches?" Vorchain teased.

"No, I've outgrown that urge as well."

"You outgrow it?" Vorchain asked, looking horrified.  "You mean I won't want to wench some day?"

Chauvis patted him on the arm.  "We'll help you settle down with one when that happens."

"I'd rather a demon castrated me if that happened," he complained.  "Or my cat!"

"We can probably arrange that," the younger said, then fled before his father could hit him again.  He smiled when he ran over to his wife's house, tapping on the door.  She pulled him inside to kiss her, kicking the door shut.

"Can you handfast them?" Cofostat asked Chauvis, who nodded.  "That way they can get out of the city and I don't have to watch them coo like doves at each other.  As long as they're handfasted I wouldn't care if they're not chaperoned.  Nor would her mother."

"I can do that tonight," he promised with a smug look.  "Then nine months to the first grandchild."

"With his luck it'll be a girl just like Ancelin," Vorchain teased.  Cofostat swatted him instead, walking off shaking his head.  Severtina gave him a hug to make it all better.
 

Chapter Twelve.
 

Ancelin walked into Volka's study.  "We need to talk."

"About?"  He looked at her.  "You look rough.  Traveled straight here for a bad reason?"

She pulled the scarf off her hair.  "You knew my grandmother."

He stared at her, blinking.  "I knew of her."

"No, you knew her.  She was your father's helper."

"His helper died when I was about eight," he admitted.  "I don't remember much of those years."  She put down the diary, letting him see it.  He read it over then looked at her.  "Then I must have."  He smiled.  "It changes nothing, Ancelin."

"I realized when I read that why I came here, to you.  Mother told me should I run into a demon to come see Volka and he would solve it.  As her mother had told her."

He sighed.  "I don't believe in predestination, Ancelin.  It takes away the free will God gave to man."  He stared at her.  "It is often that lines such as ours intersect.  Those with power are drawn to others with power.  The same as Severtina was drawn to Cofostat because of his wife's curse you were drawn to us.  It probably helped you find us."

"Mother's rhyme," she told him.  "The only thing I couldn't figure out was where Wolf's Head was."

"Bottom of the mountain," he told her.

"I know that now."  He smiled.  "So you don't think it is somehow ordained?  All that mess with my father?  Set into motion by my grandmother's marital curse perhaps?"

"That I wouldn't doubt.  She was a sneaky one from what little I remember."  He gave her a look.  "Much like you are."  She shrugged at that.  "I remember her being a fierce woman as well.  She took a sword to a fox we had that got in once.  I remember clapping and her bursting out crying because she had to kill."

She swallowed.  "Please don't mention that?" she asked quietly.

He sighed, getting up to hug her.  "I know it's hard the first few times, Ancelin.  It was for all of us.  You must know that it will continue if you want to be one of us and not simply a helper like Charlotte and Severtina."  She looked at him.  "We have all killed.  Chauvis, Joseph, the madmen brothers, even me.  We've had to.  The other ladies have but not as often and only to protect themselves usually."  She nodded.  He pushed her head down onto his shoulder.   "Shh.  Let it out."  She ran to get sick.  "Joseph did that after his first few if I remember right," he admitted, going to get her some water and bring it to her.  He found her covering it with ash and handed her the water.  "Drink, it'll help."

"I haven't been able to eat for days.  Not since the ball was attacked and I had to stab two people."

He stroked her back.  "I understand.  Joseph and I both got sick after ours.  Chauvis turned to God and got his answers there.  You still have to deal with this thought.  It will happen again if you join the full group instead of being a helper."

"They were talking like I'd be yours."

"That way I wouldn't have to go hunting for my books," he teased.  She blushed at that.  "Not that I mind."  He continued to stroke her back while she drank the water.  "Feel a bit better?"  She shook her head.  "That means you have a good conscience and it shouldn't worry you that you're going to hell."

"Thank you."

"Any of us would tell you the same," he assured her.  She blushed but nodded.  "I know that you're hesitant to go to Chauvis with these matters because you do look up to him."

"I see you all like my brothers," she defended.  "Nothing improper."

"Shh."  She quieted down.  He smiled.  He looked at her, then stroked her cheek.  "There's a prophecy you should hear."

"Am I going to be sacrificed?"

"No.  Not all are like that, no matter what the Brothers Chapalet told you."  She nodded, looking down again.  He made her look at him.  "Let's go back to my study, it's more comfortable than this couch."  She nodded following him back inside.  "Some of your hair fell," he said, tucking it back behind her ear.

"It does that often," she admitted. "It's like father touched it first."  He laughed.  "It won't stay."

"It's stubborn, like its owner," he teased.  "Pull down your hair so you don't have to fuss with it."

"I put it up because I didn't stop to work out all the knots."

"Come here."  She came over, kneeling in front of him but facing away.  "That's an awkward angle for both of us.  Sit on my lap."  She blushed but sat on his lap, facing away from him.  He looked at the knot once he had her hair down.  "Slept with it down?"

"Rode with it down too," she admitted. "I tried to fix it on the way up the path but it wasn't being kind today."

"Maybe we should trim it out."

"I haven't cut my hair in nearly three years."

"Then it's probably time for a trim."  He got to work on the knot.  "You know Vorchain is a seer, correct?"  She nodded. He concentrated on the knot for a few seconds.  "Over the years he's had dangerous visions and ones that have been more personal."

"One about me?"

"Not just you.  Though he didn't see it was you until you joined us if that makes sense."  She nodded.  He kept working on the knot, wincing when she hissed.  "Sorry."

"It's all right.  I haven't had a lady's maid since I grew into a woman."

"I doubt I was ever a lady's maid," he teased.

"Maybe in a past life?"

"Perhaps."  He got more undone.  "The vision he had concerned Chauvis and myself."  She nodded at that.  "Do that again, some more loosened."  She tipped her head forward and he got more free.  "It had to do with when Chauvis got tired of fighting and retired from the priesthood and when I had to produce an heir."  She stiffened.  "Let me finish."  She nodded, letting him finish the knot as well.  "Chauvis has been fighting this menace since he was nearly a child.  A mere fifteen when he was first attacked," he said gently.   He finally got it all undone and found his comb in his desk, using it to smooth over her hair.  "He, like me, is closer to thirty and forty years than your delicate eighteen."  She nodded more slowly, hissing when he hit a smaller knot.  "I need a brush instead."

"They'll have to come out somehow," she admitted, reaching back but he swatted her hands.

"Let me.  It's been a while since anyone let me do anything for them.  It seems sometimes like I'm a princess locked in a tower up here."  He kept going.  "One day soon, Chauvis will tire of the battles and he'll fall back to help me with the research.  He'll give up his cottage and parish to Joseph."  She made an inquisitive noise.  "He's a priest, just not taken his final vows.  He got sucked into the battles before he could do more than take his novitiate vows.   Chauvis told him the urges he felt toward women were natural so he's fought that on and off for years.  So when Chauvis retires, he'll come here, Joseph would settle down with Charlotte."

"That could please her but she likes Shaun best in that way," she said quietly.

"Which would suit them both.  You know that some men do like other men?"  He could see the blush on the back of her neck, earning a soft, gentle smile.  "Shaun and Joseph have such desires for each other but it's not that strong."  He went back to combing her hair.  "They've consoled each other for years when necessary.  Charlotte wouldn't care about that.  She knows about it and would subtly support them when either one needed that."  She nodded again.  "Now, when Chauvis comes here the prophecy activates and I'll be injured.  Not as bad as your mare was but still injured.  At that time the vision said it's time to have an heir."

"None from your exploits?" she asked quietly.

He pinched her on the side.  "There's ways of preventing that, Ancelin."  She turned to look at him.  "Did no maid ever tell you that?"

"Just that men were bad and I should stay away from them because they all thought maidens were toys to be used and then tossed aside like tavern wenches," she said quietly.

"Not true.  Many people would desire you as more than a temporary bed partner.  Chauvis is one if I read him right, and I usually do."

She blushed deeper.  "Is that because you and he share the same thing that Joseph and Shaun do?"

"We have.  Part of the bonding we do as part of our rites is to keep us as strong as any family."  He stroked her cheek. "I would not have you dirtied that way and we would have to.  That's why most of us have been hoping that you would choose to be a helper instead."  She nodded, looking down.  "Not that we wouldn't have fun with you, because we would, but women can get things mixed up that men don't."

"Bonding is one thing, fun is another, and a marriage bed is completely different."

"True," he agreed, smiling at her. "Turn back around so I can finish your hair."  She looked hesitant.  "This is a fairly lewd position, Ancelin."

"For what reason?"

"Just because there's cloth between us doesn't mean that it's not indecent.  Were we naked I could take you in this position."  She blushed down onto her chest and turned back around.  "There are many ways of that."  He went back to combing her hair.  "Anyway, according to Vorchain, when he retires, Chauvis will also be seeking an heir."

"Only an heir?"

"Not with how he is.  He would be seeking a mate to bear an heir.  He has been intrigued by you.  As far as he knows, God crafted you to come to one of us.  You're intelligent, hot tempered, can stand up to us, and make us both frustrated yet happy in turn."  He finished the next section and moved over.  "Shift some."

"I'm heavy."

"Hush.  No woman is heavy.  Even the pregnant wenches."  He shifted her, making her squeak.  "I told you you weren't heavy."  He got back to work on her hair.  "At that time, we would both have to start trying for an heir.  A helper has always been a first choice because they already know what we do.  There wouldn't be a whining mother about us teaching them how to banish spirits or anything like that. My own has to be a Younger.  My name is passed down to the one who holds the tower safe."

"You have no siblings?"

"I have a sister.  She hates the tower.  Claims it somewhere God made and forgot about.  She married a fabric trader when she was of age."  That got a smile.  "She'll test any children she has to make sure any with the family gifts come to me.  So far she has no children and she's two years older than I am.  I can only suppose it's by her own hand."  She nodded at that.  He smiled at her side, going back to his combing.  "You should wear your hair down more often.  You're still a maiden."

"I'm too old to do that," she said quietly.  "Maidens are younger when they do that. Some of the women at court are starting to insinuate I'm too old to marry now."

"You're only eighteen," he complained.  "Some women marry at my age."  He pulled it all together to go through it a few more times.  "There, beautiful even in the peasant clothes."  He smiled at her, making her look at him.  "Severtina would gladly bear either of us an heir and Cofostat would baby her until she screamed at him.  With Chauvis that isn't an option."

"But being your helper would mean I'd end up helping you both."

"You would," he agreed, stroking over her cheek.  "We wouldn't mind the times you felt you had to dress up or those times you ran around in breeches.  My own cook is getting older.  Plus you could raise those future foals here," he teased.

"Cofostat said he wanted one if they turned out strong."

"I'm sure they will.  Just like their human caretaker is."  He stroked her cheek again.  "I will not lie.  I have a temper even as Chauvis does.  If I find you teaching girl children to fence I'll spank you as well."  She blushed at that.  "It's good you understand."  He tipped her face up, giving her a gentle smile.  "It would mean you would have the least chance of having to defend yourself and others but you would be responsible for starting the training of the future generations.  Cofostat the Younger can take care of his own children and probably will be, but the others will have children who will show up here eventually.  Vorchain only has daughters for some reason.  We know one will be a witch.  Joseph has a set of sons.  He was married before he went to God but she had it annulled when she found out he was being called to service.  When her husband ended up being barren she went back to him for a night.  After laying with him she came out pregnant with triplet sons."  She grinned at that.  "They're all quiet, sneaky, and forceful like their father too.  He talked to her new husband, he didn't mind.  He's one who caught a disease off a wench in a tavern, like you spoke of."  He stroked over her arm.  "Shaun had a wife and child who died long ago.  I think he has another child from his time of grief."

"Sinking into another's arms so he wouldn't be alone?"

"True."  He tweaked her arm.  "He would find his way here some year, or his children would.  Joseph's definitely will.  They're almost ten now and he said they're exactly like him."

"Do the brothers have any?"

"I think they're nearly as close as twins.  Any woman coming between them would be both of theirs."

"I still think of you both as brothers," she said quietly.

He kissed her gently.  "That would be up to you, Ancelin.  We would not demand it.  If you ended up his lawful wife, that would be his decision."

"But you two...."

He put a finger over her lips.  "What he and I do is bonding as brothers, making us stronger as a group.  That would not include you unless you came to fight with us."

She nodded.  "I understand."

"Good.  No jealousy?"

"No.  Not really."

He smiled.  "As long as I wasn't a wench?" he teased.

"Probably true," she admitted.  "What would be expected of me?"

"You'd help me research, find new books, upkeep the library and the caverns we use for our rites and anything we have to work on.  When Cook went you might find yourself cooking as well."  She nodded at that.  "Possibly a part-time stable hand," he teased.

"I find myself bored with reading now and then so I do that at Chauvis's house as well," she pointed out grimly.  He laughed, giving her a hug.  "If you want me and Chauvis thinks I'm ready I'd agree to that.  I'd have to think about the other."

"Vorchain did see you with one of us," he admitted.

"Chauvis would demand I be pure," she said with a blush.

"There are many ways around that, Ancelin."  He stroked her back, making her moan.  "Sore from the riding?"  She nodded.  "Your stallion?"

"I put him into the paddock.  We had to walk up the path so he's cooled down.  I took off his saddle and bridle, putting him out with my mare," she said quietly.  She looked at him.  "Is ...that part of the demands of the job?  I know Severtina goes to sleep at Cofostat's feet when he's having a bad night with memories that keep coming to haunt him."

"Charlotte does?"

"She comes up to stroke his hair but only sits next to him."

He smiled.  "That would be up to you, Ancelin.  As I said, there's ways around that.  Many women do them instead before they're married.  So do some of the wenches," he admitted at her look.  "You are very focused on that subject."

"Any wife would have to compete with their allure and their passions."  She looked at her hands.  "I asked one once why men went to her instead of their wives and we talked for hours about how sometimes wives wouldn't do things and many marriages weren't for love."  She looked at him.  "The family curse."

"It would be a love match, or at least very close to it.  It wouldn't set off the family curse," he promised.  "What else do you know about things between men and women?"

"What I've read and heard whispered."

He looked around his study.  Anything slightly smutty was kept in here so Cook wouldn't try to burn it on him.  "Have you read that blue book?" he asked, whispering it in her ear, making her shiver but nod.  "Yet you didn't know how that earlier position was for sex?"

"Father caught me no more than a chapter in and burnt it on me, told me it was improper for a young woman to know those things.  That her husband would teach her."

"That may be true," he admitted.  He stroked her back.  "We'll see what we can teach you, Ancelin."  She gave him a shocked look.  He got up, putting her onto the desk for a minute, grabbing that book to bring back.  Then he sat down and sat her in his lap again. "This one has pictures as well."

"Mine only had words."

"No wonder."  He smiled at her.  "The _1001 Arabian Nights_ has been a tutoring manual for young women for generations."  He let her read it from his lap, watching her blush at the pictures.  He turned to one.  "That is nearly how you were sitting earlier," he admitted.  Her blush went further down her chest, he could tell with the way she was sitting on him.

"In this position...."

"It could be the same or going up you the same way I would a man," he admitted in her ear.  She tensed up.  "That is one way that women keep themselves pure yet still service their men.  Some women even prefer it."  He gave her a squeeze.  "There's other ways too.  You're of an age to read that bit of dirtiness if you wanted to."  She looked back at him.  "It does give you an idea of what would happen on your wedding night as well as other times if your husband was kind and generous with his affections."

"Are you putting yourself forward as a suitor?"

"Letting you know what you would be getting into.  Vorchain is hardly ever wrong."  She nodded, biting her bottom lip.  "Quit that.  It's nothing you have to decide on today.  Were you to choose him I could even let you bear me an heir without doing more than touching you."  She gave him a curious look, shifting to sit sideways in his lap again.  "I can touch my seed and use my fingers to spread it within you.  Or he could do it for me."  She shivered at that.  "There have been many virgin births accounted to that."

"I doubt the Church likes that idea."

"No, not in the least," he admitted, smiling at her.  "It still has been known to happen and the girl could still be pure."  He gave her another squeeze.  "Relax, I have no designs on your purity at this moment.  Tell me what you wore to the ball this time?"

"Green cotton.  The queen thought it Egyptian cotton, a new weave.  It was fairly nice and a bit stiff but still soft.  It held up well until I got sick on it and blood on it."  She frowned.  "Then I let Severtina have it for dust rags."  He gave her another squeeze.  "Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why did the king give me the journals?"

"He found them in the royal library?"  She nodded.  "Hmm.  I don't know.  Maybe he thought it was kind of him."

"It is.  He had two of my mother's too.  I read hers first.  She barely remembered you.  She was mostly raised with her aunt at that age because Grandmother was up here paying a debt according to her."

"I believe we saved her and that's how my father came to have her as a helper."  He gave her another squeeze.  "You should unpack."

"I didn't bring anything with me," she admitted.  "I'll wash this and let it dry tonight while I sleep."

He smiled.  "If you wish. I think you left something here the last time you left.  I found a vest that clearly won't fit me.  Though you probably should wear a shirt under it if you don't bind yourself down."

"I have to even if I do bind myself down."  She blushed.  "Then I'd have to go back to wearing corsets."

"Many women regain their same shape after birth, Anceiln.  You're fairly active and burn off more than you eat."  He gave her another kiss.  "Go search your room to see if you left anything else here.  That way you can bathe and change."  She nodded, getting up, taking the book with her.  If he knew Chauvis he was on his way up here within the next few days.  He sent a message back to Joseph since he was closer at Chauvis' house.  She came down with wet, braided hair, that vest, and a pair of his breeches on.  "Those fit you better than me.  You made me gain weight," he teased.  She swatted him.  "Let's go see to your poor stallion."  They walked out, finding him asleep against her mare's side, head-to-tail as was proper for horses napping in the sun.  He looked him over.  "He didn't take any harm from the cross-country run."  The stallion looked at him.  "Checking you over."

She grabbed the curry comb and got to work on his sides.  "I should have done this back in the city instead of shopping."

"Sometimes shopping is worthwhile," he offered.  "What are you going to do this winter?"

"Mother's clothes had a lot of heavier ones.  That's what's in the trunk."

"I can have Joseph send it to you if you want."

"I should tell them that in person and pack.  Plus pick up the dresses the shopkeeper is rearranging for me.  I still owed him a few coins."

"Chauvis and Severtina can take care of that.  I'd be surprised if they already hadn't."  She nodded at that wisdom.  "Plus packing you up.  Chauvis reads people very well."

"He said he became a priest because girls confused him."

"They confuse me and I've known more than he has.  Vorchain only understands the ones who blatantly want him.  Otherwise he gets this confused look on his face and simply stares."

"Spots ate Cofostat's hawk."

"Well, she is a hunting cat," he agreed dryly.  She smiled and nodded, getting back to work.  He took care of her mare but she swatted him.  "Not like I had much else to do today.  Cook, leave her books alone please?" he called at the shocked noise.  She stormed out.  "She needed to know what to do with a future husband."  He stared her down.  "She'll be joining us here as my helper."

"Fine.  When will her cart of things get here?"

"I moved to Chauvis' house with my two horses," she told her.  "I don't have that many things."

Cook snorted.  "You're a young woman.  I'm sure you have more than a few bags."

"A few bags and a trunk," she agreed.  The cook walked off shaking her head.  "What?"

"She expects young ladies to be more frivolous."

"Most of the time I wear fairly simple clothes."

"I've noticed and I like that about you.  You never hesitate to get dirty," he teased.

"You can't hunt without it," she teased back.  She heard horses and sighed.  "More diplomats?"

"I hope not."  He went to check. "Yes?" he asked the man on the carriage.  "You needed rest for the night?"

"I was told Duchess Constantsos might be here, sir?" he said, looking very serious.

"She's around back taking care of her horses.  Why?"

"I have a message for her."  He climbed down once he had the brakes on the carriage, following him around the house.  "Duchess?"  She turned to look at him, frowning a bit.  "I have a message for you and some things?"

"From?"  It was too early for even Joseph to have guessed she was coming up here.

"Lady Emilie dePoston."  He handed over the letter.  "She wishes to apologize for her son's behavior, Duchess. She holds you no onus for having to kill him to defend yourself from him.  She said she raised him better but the Court got to him and changed him.  That's why she wanted you to have his inheritance when she died of shame."

"She ...died of shame?" Volka asked, looking confused.

She read the note.  "She died of her own hand because she couldn't live with the shame," she aid quietly, letting him read it.  "I really do not need that.  It should go to her other family."

"She has no other family.  She was disowned for her choice of husband.  All these are things her husband gave her."  She gave him an odd look.  "I have it in her carriage, Duchess."

"I have no need of a carriage at the moment," she admitted.

He stared at her until Volka coughed.  "We'll figure it out, Ancelin.  Let me help you carry the things inside so you can rest tonight, that way we can talk?"

"That would be agreeable," he admitted.  He saw the mare's stomach.  "It was her that her son caused to be hurt?"  She grimaced but nodded.  "She was indeed sorry about that.  She said it was fitting it was you who took his life when she found out that he had hurt you that way."  She ran to be sick again.

"She's not often been in combat," Volka said quietly.  He tucked the note into his pocket, going to help her.  She finally stopped and he sat her in the paddock with her horses, going to help the groom.  "How are you getting home?"

"I left my personal horse at the inn at the bottom of the mountain, sire."

"I'm no lord," he assured him.  "Simply her protector."  That got a nod and they carried in the four trunks and two wrapped packages.  "I know this bow.  You stopped in town?"

"First.  The Queen told me where to go.  I paid off her tailor's bill as well.  There was some money included."

"Let me pay you back," Ancelin said as she walked in.

"No need, it came out of what was yours, Duchess."  He bowed, then looked at Volka.  "The carriage and horses are hers as well, sire.  I'll leave you to talk about this in peace."

"You'll never get down the mountain on foot before dark," he offered.  "You could stay."

"Nay, I'll be fine.  I was raised in goat country in Austria.  Mountains are my old friends.  Even in the dark."  He nodded at her, shaking Volka's hand.  "Be at peace, Duchess.  You did what you had to.  As any soldier or any woman must at times."  He bowed then left, walking down the path.

Volka waited until he was out of sight to look at the carriage.  "They're fine looking  horses."

"I have no need of a carriage," she complained, making him laugh.  "Volka!"

"We'll send it for Chauvis.  Give it to your sister or Cofostat the Younger for a present."  She beamed at that, giving him a hug.  "I like having good ideas."  He went to find his cook.  "Want to take a trip?"

"Why?"

"The mother of the attacker she had to kill to save herself and the king left her things when she couldn't live with the shame of her son having been an assassin.  Including a very pretty carriage and pair of horses."

Ancelin bounced in.  "Philip has one if I remember right.  I know Cofostat and his young wife don't."

"Then that's a wedding present," he agreed.  "We should go back for the wedding. It's in a few days' time if I heard right."  She nodded.  "Go find something pretty."

"It's a dead woman's clothes," she complained.  "Wearing my mother's is one thing...."

"Many women wear hand-me-downs and buy used," Cook told her.  She walked her up there to look, gasping at the peacock bright colors in the first trunk.  "She must have blinded someone."  She found something more subtle that would look good on Ancelin.  "Try that on."  She went to do that in the bathing chamber, coming out.  "She was hefty."

"She was.  The packages are mine."  She took that one off, opening up one to smile at the blue dress.  "That one is nice.  I'll wear that."  She tried it on, coming out without it tied up to find Volka in there.  She squeaked and blushed.  "Volka!"

"Wondering."  He stared at her. "I like that on you once it's tied up.  Wear that."  He looked at the trunk then at her.  "Very, very bright," he told her.  She held up the dress Ancelin had taken off.  "That'll make two for her, or one maternity and scrap pieces."

"At least I can sew," Ancelin told him.  "I'll have to get a pattern book and some new shears."  She took off the dress in the bathing chamber, coming back out in the vest and pants.  She carefully folded that one and two others that had been in the same package, peeking in the other.  She added another pair of breaches as well.  "Okay.  I need a bag."  Volka went to get her a set of saddle bags, handing them over with a smirk.  "Who'll drive the carriage?"

"She can," he said with a nod at Cook.  "Any jewelry?"

"I'd like to ask an opinion before wearing it in public."

"That's reasonable.  Want to leave today?"

"If we're going to make it to the wedding.  What about the horses?"

"I've got a new stableboy coming tonight.  He goes home now when I don't expect anyone to show up."  He went to leave him a note on the stable doors and then went to pack his own bag.  He hardly ever got to leave the house so he adored these things.  It was family as well so he was doubly happy.

Chapter Thirteen.
 

Ancelin walked into the hearing chamber, whispering to the herald.  "Duchess, I heard you had rushed off," the King called.  "Family issues?"

"Something my grandmother's journal had told me, Sire, but I need to advice from your lady wife or eldest daughter if I could."

"Why?" he asked.  He motioned her closer and she came up to whisper in his ear, making him whimper.  "My wife is in the gardens, Ancelin.  Go find her, dear."  She nodded, rushing that way.  "Sorry, personal matter."

"Is she finally settling down?" one of the old knights asked.

"No, that wasn't the issue at this time."  He pointed at the next person asking to be heard.  "Go ahead when you're ready."

Ancelin found the queen and fell to her knees next to her.  "I need advice, My Queen."

"Ancelin."  She put aside her sewing, letting her wave at her sister.  "What's wrong?  A personal matter?  Have we found a good prospect?"

"That's a different personal matter I'm still working on in my mind.  I might have.  No, in this case, the diplomat I had to stab's mother left me her things when the shame got too deep for her," she hissed.  The queen moaned.  "Including her carriage and horses.  Marjorie?  Or Cofostat the Younger?"

"Marjorie, dear, do you have a carriage?"

"My mother gave me hers, My Queen.  Why?"

Ancelin looked at her.  "One of the people I had to defend against's mother left me things when she couldn't stand the shame anymore.  Including her carriage and horses."

"Give the carriage to Cofostat the Younger," the Queen ordered.  "They have horses in his wife's family.  Let your sister have the horses as a baby present."  She nodded at that.  "Anything else she left you?"

"Four trunks of peacock bright clothes and she was Lady Cathleen's size when she was having the twins, plus her jewelry.  She left me everything of hers.  She had apparently been disowned for marrying her husband.  She did send her apologies.  Claimed the Court there had warped him from the good boy she raised.  He showed up at Volka's a few days back with the carriage full of things."

She sighed.  "If they're that big, there's no onus on you for remaking them or having them remade.  I would think twice about wearing the jewels in public unless you had them remade or they're simple pieces that could have come from your own mother."  She nodded at that wisdom.  "I remember someone going to Cofostat while he was on duty looking for you.  I thought perhaps it was a suitor."

"No, m'lady."  She gave her arm a hug.  "Thank you.  Marjorie?"

"I'll get my husband if Cofostat won't mind."

"Go ahead, dear," the Queen said, smiling at her.  That got a nod and they left together.  The queen shook her head.  "Unusual girls always bring troubles," she told her daughters and the other knights' wives.  They nodded at that.

Ancelin found Philip and Cofostat out on the practice field, whistling.  "Cofostat, may I borrow you for a moment?"

"Stuck jar?" one of the squires joked.

She hit him on the head.  "Shut up."  He looked offended and she stared him down.  He backed down from her.  He came over smirking with Phillip.  "The mother of one of the people I had to take care of during the assault left me her things.  Including her carriage and horses."  Philip's eyes lit up.  "I went to the Queen and she suggested that I give you the horses, Philip.  That his son get the carriage?" she asked the senior knight.

"I think he would fuss a bit but be appreciative.  Much nicer than me buying the wedding candles," he admitted with a small smirk.

"It was left to me.  Along with a lot of clothes that need help."  He laughed at that, walking off.  "Where can I find him?"

"At her house.  Go with her, Philip.  Make sure they both get home safely."

Philip smiled and offered his wife his arm, walking off with her.  They found the carriage waiting at Cofostat's house.  "Did you run from the gate?' he teased.

"Basically."  She looked at him.  "Volka?  Is Younger at home?" she called.  He came out himself.  "I asked the queen."

"How did you get a carriage?"

Volka leaned out to whisper in his ear, smiling at Marjorie.  "Marriage suits you, Lady Marjorie.  What are we doing with them?"

"The queen suggested they get the horses since she already has a carriage and I give Younger the carriage as a wedding present."

"Which I suggested," Volka admitted.  "Or the other way around."  Cofostat the Younger sniffled and hugged Ancelin briefly before unhitching the horses.  "Take them now, people.  I've got to hire a small cart to take her things back with me anyway."  He closed the door.

"Let me help you push this up the street," Philip offered, getting a nod.  He undid the brake.  "It's a sturdy build," he admitted when it took all of them to get it moving.

"Nicely padded seats for napping on too," Ancelin offered.  She let Marjorie have the reins, getting a smile.  "Better than a story tapestry or do you still want one?" she teased.

She hugged her, crying on her.  "I'm so happy.  Thank you, sister."

"You're welcome.  Remember, it's the baby that makes you sob."  She laughed and nodded, wiping off her cheeks.  "I do have a bit of news.  I'm moving in with Volka to help him.  He has a huge tower on the border and even more books than Father Chauvis."  She got a laugh and a pinch for that.  "So I'll be up there."  She handed over the directions.  "That's where I'll be if you need to send me letters to announce if it's a niece or a nephew."

"Of course."  She hugged her husband when he came back. "Can I ride one?"

"I don't see why not," he admitted, helping her up to sit sideways on one's back.  "Hold on tightly to the harness.  I won't have you falling."  He kissed Ancelin on the cheek. "Thank you.  This is much better than a story tapestry any day."  He walked the pair out, letting her sister wave.

"I'll help you with the other stuff later, dear."

"It's all back there.  Don't worry about it, I'm in for the wedding."  That got a giggle and another wave.  Younger came back.  "You should see all the peacock colored clothes," she said quietly.  "Plus she was about one and a half of me."

He shook his head.  "Well, there's always maternity wear," he joked, earning a swat.  "I'll tell my wife in a bit.  Thank you."

"What do I need with a carriage?" she joked, earning a smirk back.  They walked inside and she was pounced by Spots.  "Oh, my, did you pounce me?"  She wrestled with the cub, earning a few pleased growls from Vorchain.  Finally the cub went to pounce Younger's platinum blond hair, earning a swat but she settled in to lick it for him.  "She must read dirty thoughts," she teased.  "She does that to Vorchain all the time."

Vorchain burst out cackling.  "She might.  She's a very smart cat."  He gave her a hug.  "How are you?"

"I'm fine.  I've decided to take on the job of helping Volka for now."

"Good.  Much better."  He kissed her on the forehead until Volka poked him on the back.  "I can hug her.  She needs cuddles.  She's still very tiny."

"Let her go anyway.  Chauvis is riding in today."  He looked at her.  "We'll pack your things on the way back.  Hire a cart perhaps."

"If you want."

"I wouldn't mind since we didn't bring our horses."  She blushed.  "I know, I didn't think of it either.  It's a long walk home.  I've had to do it from Chauvis' hut in the past when my last horse threw a shoe on the road."  She gave him a hug.  "Now, go play with the lady of the house."

"Severtina, I need a pattern book desperately," she called as she walked.

"Why now?"  She came out to look at her.  "That cut flatters your figure very well."

"One of the mothers left me her things when she died of shame."

"What mothers?" she asked, looking a bit confused.

"Of the assassins she had to take out," Vorchain told her.  "Four trunks of bright peacock clothes from what Volka said.  Plus she was bigger than her."

"Wow.   So we *really* need a pattern book."

"It'll give me something to do when I tire of reading," she admitted dryly, earning a laugh.  "I'm going to help Volka for now."

"Good!  That's a good position.  He could use someone to swat sense into him."  She led her into the kitchen to plan how they were going to find her a good set of patterns. "How out of fashion are they?"

"Dowager clothes.  If I was maternity minded I could easily change the bodice and sleeves.  Plus she was a bit taller."

"Ah."  She nodded.  "Define peacock bright?"

"Volka winced.  His cook winced."

"Ooooh," she said, wincing herself.  "Where is she?"

"She decided to stay home," Volka called as he walked in.  "So I drove us down.  Taught her how to drive a carriage.  She likes to go fast there too."

"They were minded to gallop."

"I felt that."  He patted her on the back.  "Truly, peacocks don't come in some of those colors and one gown was peacock patterned."  She whimpered.  "We might have to have a sewing circle or let her go to a seamstress for some of it.  The extra should make at least another ten gowns."  He stole a chunk of bread. "Thanks, I was hungry."  He grinned as he walked out.

"Men!" Severtina complained, stamping a foot.  "Let me finish dinner and we'll find your tailor to get his opinion or that pattern since it does flatter you."  She nodded, digging in to help.
 
 

***
 

Chauvis looked around Ancelin's room.  She had never really unpacked.  Beyond a few dresses that had been in the wash recently and her jewelry box, everything was still together.  He carefully packed those before sitting on her cot.  He would miss her.  He looked at the small pile of things then got up, heading out.  "Going to the city, Charlotte."  She made a protesting noise.  "Join us for the wedding."  He saddled his horse quickly then bridled her, swinging up into the saddle and riding off at a fast canter.  He made it to the Cardinal's just before dinner.  He was hunting at someone's residence for the week.  He nodded at the guard, getting entrance.  The look on his face must be a bad or grim one he decided, trying not to scowl.   He walked into where the Cardinal was eating.  "May I have some time for you to advise me?" he asked.

The Cardinal looked at him then put down his fork.  "Leave us," he ordered.  They left and he pushed out a chair next to him.  "Talk to me, Chauvis."

He came to sit next to him.  "Father, I must confess, I hold lust."

"I thought the pretty young duchess might find your man-loving heart," he said gently.  Chauvis looked at him.  "I do know and understand, my son.  Remember, I know of your group.  My brother was one.  You must ask yourself if this desire is stronger than the one for him and for God."

"I'll miss her when she leaves."

"As is normal."

"She's going to be a helper to Volka."

"Ah.  So it gets more twisted."  He nodded, hanging his head. He made the younger man look at him.  "We have known forever that it was only a matter of time, Chauvis.  Each battle brings you to my doorstep for confession and absolution.  This last one you nearly got sick, as she did.  What did you expect to happen?"

"I don't know," he admitted, looking out the window. He was made to face his higher again.  "I don't know what I want."

"Do you want to rob her of her purity?" he asked.  "Form another bond before God?"

"I'm not sure he hasn't asked her.  He is much more worldly than I am."

"He has his own reasons."

"You know of the prophecy?"

"I do.  You told me yourself when you were drunk a few battles back, Chauvis."  That got a grim look and a nod.  "Would this destroy the Sorthes?"

"No.  Volka and I are close.  I would even let her bear him an heir if they agreed to it.  I...  I'm not sure I love her."

"She cheers you up by waking up?  She frustrates you when she does stupid things?" He nodded, grimacing again.  "You finally looked at a woman with longing at the wedding?"

"I tried very hard not to look."

"Everyone tried very hard not to look.  I know she didn't intend to be that sort of attractive but I know she was.  Your house would go to Joseph once he took his final vows?"  He nodded.  "Where is he?"

"He's been there recently but he went to gather Shaun and DeLouvis for the wedding."  He stared at him.  "Is it wrong?"

"Do you love him enough to give her up?"  He whimpered.  "Or him for her?"  A deeper whimper.  "Then you have something to work out, son."

"I'll be with them, Sire.  I'd retire to his house so I could be where I was needed."

"Don't lie, you want his library," he taunted.

"And the Vatican one," he agreed dryly, smiling some.  "God would not approve."

"I think he overlooks such things in those who do his least favorite bidding, as you have done for years, my son." He patted him on the head.  "I will accept your resignation."

"What about her title?  If I leave the church for her, it'll get rumors started."

He coughed.  "We'll talk about that some other time."  He gave him a look. "For that, we would have to get the queen involved.  Not that she hasn't seen it.  She is very shrewd."  That got a nod and a smile.  "Now, if you're leaving, you should be packing books."

"I will," he promised.  "I'll write out my letter and hand it to you in a few days, after I've talked to her."

"I saw how she looked at you and how she fuses over all of you, Chauvis.  Cofostat is her family.  You are closer - even if she doesn't realize it."  HHe nodded, getting up.  "Now, go have fun.  The wedding is in two days and I heard a rumor that she got given things."

"She did," he sighed.  "The mother of one of the assassins died in shame and gave it to her for all the harm her son had caused in her life."  He got a groan and a head shake.  "Lady dePoston?"

"I've heard of her and seen her a few times in the court there," he admitted.  "She'll be doing some fixing of some of those dresses.  They're not the simple styles she prefers."  He sighed at that.  "She was very much a courtesan, my son.  She will have things to wear when she's pregnant however. I look forward to blessing your children."  He blushed but nodded, heading out again.  He watched the horse go in the direction of the city and sighed.  "I'll have to speak to some people when the wedding madness is done," he decided.

"Me, Sire?" Joseph asked from the hidden doorway, smiling when he jumped.  "I have to keep in practice to save Vorchain and Shaun somehow."  He laughed at that, waving him inside.  "We knew it was coming."

"Good.  You will take over his parish?"  He nodded once, smirking just a tiny bit.  "I'll have your ordination done within the week so all of your friends are around."  He made a shooing motion.  "It's nearly the wedding.  Help calm the Younger down."

"I know a good fifth of whiskey does that best," he said dryly.  "That's what I used upon mine."  He left, heading into town as well.  He made it to Cofostat's after dinner, walking in to find the younger one pacing and his father giving him fond looks.  "It's a time honored tradition to get him drunk tonight, Cofostat."

"I'll not go to my bride with a tongue that needs scraped by a road leveler," he complained.  "She would be most insulted."   Severtina handed him a glass.  "What's this?"

"Something to help you sleep."  She smiled.  "Drink it all, dear."  He gulped it, grimacing at the taste.  "Now, go upstairs.  It should hit you within an hour."  He nodded, going up there to collapse on his bed.  "Honey mead."  Joseph laughed.  She pinched him.  "You missed dinner."

"I ate Chauvis' dinner instead of him.  Is he here?"

"No.  Cofostat, have you seen Chauvis?"

"He's at the Iron Rose," he called back, going back to his reading.  Ancelin came down the stairs.  "Volka tucked in?"  She pinched him, earning a look over the book.  "She does that to me now and then."

"He's writing in his journal."  She smiled at Joseph.  "You made good time.  No Shaun and the others?"

"Probably at the Iron Rose.  It's where we stay when Cofostat's being grumpy."  She laughed at that.  "So, we should talk." She blushed.  "About that if you want."

"I think I'd almost rather ask another female," she said weakly.

"Then I'll bow out for nosy questions, dear."  He kissed her on the cheek.  "Severtina, I think she needs a female-given speech."  She looked confused but walked her off, squealing a few minutes later.  "Volka told her about the prophecy."  Vorchain looked at him.  "Which does she end up with?"  He shrugged.  "Anything more on the well?"

"Not yet."  He closed his eyes again and so did his cub, who was laying on his stomach.  "I know she asked a wench once why men went to visit them."

Cofostat groaned.  "That's so like the girl."

"Hopefully they gave her good advice," Joseph said, stretching out.  "Have room for me too, Elder?"

"Sleep with Vorchain if you want.  If not, there's a couch.  If he falls asleep there you can have his bed."  He looked at him.  "Peacock bright?"

"Lady dePoston."

Cofostat frowned. "I remember her."  He suddenly shuddered.  "She was a bit bigger than our own Ancelin."

"Plenty of room for maternity clothes," Joseph joked.  Volka came down the stairs.  "Tell us about this new wardrobe?"

"Not much in it will look good on her," he admitted. "I have a seamstress in mind to take her to.  With the patterns she has from her tailor here it should help her.  The former lady wore a lot of brighter colors.  A few patterned pieces as well."

"Then maybe she can trade them for something more her style," Cofostat said.  "There's got to be a call for silks even at this time of year."

"Perhaps.  If not she's promised to make sheets and curtains out of a few."

"Silk sheets are nice," Vorchain mumbled.  "Soft and cool to the touch."

Cofostat hit him with his book. "We don't want your bad thoughts, Vorchain.  Spots, lick his hair to clean off the dirty thoughts?"  She got up to clean his face.  "Good girl."   The others laughed.  "Chauvis is out drinking."

"Not the first time," Volka admitted, getting up again. "I'll go talk to him.  I'll be back in a while."  That got a nod so he left, heading out to the pub the group favored.  He found Chauvis in there with Shaun.  "No mad brothers yet?"

"They'll arrive after half-night," Shaun admitted.  "They're coming from Italy so they were at the last inn last night."  He shook his hand.  "How have you been, Volka?"

"Fair."  He sat down, nodding Shaun to go.  He smiled and walked off to find himself some entertainment.  "We should talk."

Chauvis looked at him.  "I don't know which bond is stronger," he slurred.

Volka smiled.  "You being drunk does get me the truth more often than not.  Let's get you to your room so we can talk in private."  He nodded, wobbling that way with his mug of wine.  The innkeeper looked at Volka.  "Putting him to bed."

"Thank ye, Volka," he said in a British accent.  That got a smile before he jogged up the stairs.  He looked at Shaun.  "You, no destroying the pub either," he ordered.

"I had no intention of it," he said with a sweet smile, making the woman he was talking to giggle and play with his shirt. He paid for her and walked her to his room to have some fun.

Volka got Chauvis into bed, sitting next to the wall to look at him.  "She's as confused as you are," he promised.   Chauvis moaned.  "She is talking to Severtina."

"She'll learn indecent things," he complained quietly.

"She'll learn the same things any wife would talking to their mother."  He smoothed down his hair.  "It changes nothing between us.  I told her and she was interested but promised what was between us was between us."  He smiled at that.  "We will work this out between the three of us."

"Had to tell the Cardinal."

"I know he knows how to keep secrets.  He hears the royal confessions."

"I'm coming home with you two."

"If you want," Volka said with a smile.  That got a nod.  "Then we'll pack up all the books too."  That got a nod.  "That means I get the rest of my library back," he teased.  Chauvis shook his head.  "No?"

"Joseph will need some of it."

"Okay, I'll get most of the library back."  That got a smile and a nod.  He kissed him gently.  "You should sleep off the wine.  What did the Cardinal say?"

"His brother had been one of us.  He knew of the bonding rituals."  That got a nod.  "He told me he'd have to talk to the Queen about her titles since you're noble but not titled and I'm a simple priest."

"Then we'll figure it out," he promised, stroking his hair until he fell asleep.   He gave him another gentle kiss, climbing out of the bed.  "I'll see you on the morrow, brother.  You sleep well."  He walked out, making sure his door was closed.  He walked down the stairs, smiling at the innkeeper.  "He's asleep."

"Less damage for the priest I call to undo," he said dryly.  That got a smile and a nod.  "Are the two insane ones coming?"

"Later tonight."

"I'll have a room saved for them then," he said, going to make that note.  He turned and Volka was gone. "Must be in for the wedding."  He went back to cleaning plates and mugs.
 

***
 

The queen looked at the people gathered to talk to her the next morning.  "Are we going to lose a child to a possession?"

"No, My Queen," Ancelin said.

The Cardinal coughed.  "There are those who have visions who have foreseen something happening shortly that you should be aware of so you can do some damage control for her."

"You're pregnant and not marrying?" she guessed.  She pointed at Volka and Chauvis.  "Oh."  She considered the two men then looked at the Cardinal.  "I suppose Chauvis is retiring?"

"Back to a scholarly one, not a formal priest any longer.  Still listed as one of the Vatican's top scholars in the things he has fought.  The vision said that she'd be bearing an heir for one of them and marrying the other sometime."

"When in truth they're together and they both love her and she probably loves them?" she asked Ancelin.

"I'm not sure," she said quietly.  "I think of them like nosy brothers for the most part I think."
 

"Do they frustrate you until you want to swat them?" the Queen asked.  She nodded, looking down.  "The feeling of contentment under the frustration is love, child."  She looked at her.  "Do you have a choice?"  She shook her head. "Are you moving  out with Volka?"

"We both are," Chauvis told her.  "As I'm retiring I'm naming another member of the group to my parish.  You've met Joseph.  He'll come when you call."

"Very well then."  She sighed. "If we are to save her reputation and yours, Father, we must tell a few lies.  Would it bother you if she was publically announced to be married to Volka while possibly being married to you at home?"

"I...."  He looked at Volka.

"As far as I'm concerned I'm possessive and they're both mine," Volka told the queen.  She giggled at that.  "It would be an acknowledgment of what we all already knew.  I'm known to be reclusive so he could easily escort her around for me.  A ring is a ring and no one would mind which one gave it to her or even if both of us gave it to her."  The queen gaped at that.  "The prophecy said that she would bear us both heirs," he said gently.

"Oooh.  All right."  She looked at the Cardinal.

"If it were any other group I would have suggested a duel or her thinking, Highness," he admitted.  "With these, I'm not surprised.  It's a very tight bond between the members and she is one.   We even look the other way at the Brothers Chapalet when the rumors start that they do things together that God has outlawed."  She nodded once at that.  "No confirmation of course or we'd have to stop them."

"Of course you would."  She sighed, looking at them. "Ancelin, with this new knowledge, do you have a choice?"

"No, m'lady.  I have no idea and I'm giving it time to seep into my brain before I try to make a decision."

"That's a good choice."  She sighed again.  "That would make her official husband a Duke, wouldn't it?"  The cardinal nodded.  "Well, in this matter I will let it lie until you show up either with child or wearing a ring, Ancelin.  At which point in time I'll let it be known that you married Volka.  No matter what it is at home."  She nodded, bowing at that decision.  "I do like that dress.  The usual tailor?"  She smiled and nodded.  "Inherited?"

"New, my queen."

"Good.  Now take off the cloak?"  She did that with a blush.  "That tailor does have a fine appreciation for your bustline, child."  Both men were staring now.  She smiled.  "I think you'll work it out wonderfully.  Perhaps some lace?"  She held it up, taking a few pins from the cardinal to fix it.  "Much better. They'll think it's some sort of amazon wedding and mating ritual if I know the court.  Go, children.  Have fun at the wedding."  She smiled as they walked her out.  She sighed, looking at the cardinal.  "If she had been a traditional woman..."

"You might well be dead," he pointed out gently.  She tipped her head at that.  "They do make a stunning couple, whichever way she goes.  That was my thought as to how to solve it socially.  Their tower is so out of the way only travelers visit it so they won't have a problem there."

"I do hope she fills the tower with children," the king said as he came in.  He kissed his wife.  "Good choice."

"Thank you.  Which way do you think she'll go?"

"I think Volka's still possessive and he'll have them both," he admitted.  "His ancestors would probably be pleased about having such strong heirs."  He smiled.  "Are we attending the wedding?"

"But not the festivities," she chided.  "I can't handle standing up that long at the moment."  He beamed.  "I will smite you with your own sword and make you eat your crown before you die if you get smug," she warned.

"Father Chauvis said that the leading cause of changelings was pregnant women in a rage, Sire.  We'd hate to make him change you back."  That got a laugh and he walked his wife off.  He followed, shaking his head.
 

***
 
 

Ancelin looked at the carriage of things going to Volka's tower, then at Chauvis.  "Are you sure?"

"I'm certain, quit asking before I spank you again."  She rolled her eyes, climbing on.  He turned to look at the village's headman.  "I'm leaving  you in good hands with Father Joseph.  He can do what I do.  If he needs me, he'll have me summoned."

That got a nod and a smile.  "Thank you, Chauvis.  I understand why you would retire."  That got a nod and a handshake.  "Be well."

"She'll fuss us both to death," Volka assured him.  "Her mare might be having foals soon too."  That got a smile.  "Come on, Chauvis.  Unless you want to stay at that one grungy inn on the way home?"

"No thank you."  He climbed onto the cart.  "Thank you."

"The cart was the least we could do," he said with a smile.  "With as many times as you've saved us?  Besides, you'd miss your shelves she had built for you."  He waved and they were off, the rest of the village coming out to see them off.  Joseph waved from the door of the church, shaking his head once they were gone.  "He's going to a better and more restful place."

"They'll both be watching her hunt soon," Joseph assured him.  "She and Volka hunt together often."  That got an interested look.  "We'll have to see how that works out," he admitted.  "Now, come tell me the usual schedule for services again."  He walked him into the church, letting Shaun fix them some tea.  "Thank you, Shaun."

"You're welcome.  Are they gone?  I was hiding from the book carrying."

"They have left," the headman assured him with a smile.  "Old friends?"

"Same group," he admitted.  "Along with the noisy and flashy one," he said when he saw Spots go running past the doorway.  "Spots!"  She came in carrying one of the children.  "They are not rabbits. Put her down!"  She dropped the child, licking her a few times before slinking off.

"We was playing tag, bully!" the child said, stomping off to play with her friend.

"She loved Ancelin's stories as well," he admitted dryly.  That got a dual set of smiles.
 

Chapter Fourteen.
 

Ancelin looked around her room.  She was finally finished arranging things.  She flopped down on her bed, one arm over her head.  "Now all I have to do is start remaking some of those dresses."

Cook leaned in.  "You all right?"

"Exhausted," she admitted.

"You could have let the men move the furniture around, girl."

"I'm perfectly able to," she defended.  "Besides, they're moving books."  She smiled.  "That means I don't have to shelve."  That got a laugh.  "Can you help me fix the dresses so they fit me?"

"I don't sew well.  Volka does better than I do.  I'd go over the border to the place he goes to get shirts."  She closed the door, going to check on the men.  She heard a whinny and looked outside, finding the stallion mounting Chauvis's horse.  She groaned.  He got done with her and bit her on the neck, making her pull away.  The stallion sniffed the poor one and mounted her too, making her scream.  "Be more gentle with her!" she yelled.  He finished up and got off her, nibbling on her neck as well.

"Do not let him do my mare too," Volka called.  "We'll need one that's not pregnant."

"I won't."  She watched them bond again, shaking her head.  Volka came in.  "She's done arranging her room."

"Arranging what?"

"She shifted the bed so the sun woke her and moved the dresser and wardrobe around."

"That's fine.  If it suits her it's fine with me.  My mother stuffed most of the rooms with furniture without caring."  He got another mug of cold wine, bringing it to Chauvis.  "Your horse is sweaty."

"Not the first time he's pounced her.  Last time it didn't take."  He sipped his wine.  "She could help."

"She was shifting her room around."  That got a smile.  "Put them anywhere for now.  It'll give you two something to do for weeks on end."  He went to check on her, finding her asleep on her bed, spread out on top of the covers.  Chauvis came up a few minutes later, looking over his arm.  "She looks so young," he said quietly.

"She is young compared to us."  He closed the door.  "You weren't kidding about bright dresses."  Volka snuck in there, coming out with one, holding it up.  "That wouldn't look good on her."

"I know a good seamstress just over the border.  It's an easy ride so we'll go there for her.  We could use a trip to the market anyway."  That got a nod.  "Think Younger's working on the grandchild yet?"

"I think I hand-fasted them a few weeks back and they were before the wedding."

"Think it took?"

"Probably. She did give the wedding cake a very long look before cutting it.  Her mother sniffled at the look."

"Hmm.  Good for her."  He smiled, then he put back the dress.  She moaned and shifted.  "Just checking on you."  He took the leather band and stick that was holding her hair up, letting it down.  "There, rest."  She nodded, turning onto her side so she could sleep.  He walked back out, closing the door.  "Let's get a nap of our own."

"Where am I staying?"

"Wherever you want," he quipped, smiling at him.  He headed for his suite.  "She fits on that one couch you keep falling asleep on.  When the stupid diplomats were here she slept on it a few nights as chastity protection."

"I heard.  Thank you."

"No one's touching her until she's ready," he promised, smiling at him. "Though I did give her a few instructional books."

"I noticed what was on her bedside table for reading."  He gave him a look.  "Vorchain said she asked a tavern whore too."

"She told me.   She likes to let me brush her hair too.  She came in and it was all knotted."

"I'll have to remember that."  He took a kiss.  "Nap?"

"Nap," he moaned, laying down, holding his old friend and lover gently while they drifted off.
 

***
 

Ancelin looked around before sneaking open her book later that night, looking at some of the pictures.  "How do humans get into that position?" she muttered to herself.  "Not even barn cats are that flexible."  Someone knocked so she hid it under her pillow.  "Enter, I'm clothed."

"As long as you're up here, I don't care," Volka said before opening the door.  "You missed dinner."

"I'm not really hungry today."

"Ah, that mood.  Get a snack if you need one.  Sometime next week we'll go to the seamstress I use for new clothes so you can talk to her about the bright things."  That got a smile and a nod.  "I would suggest you dress up for that.  She's suspicious and accused one girl of stealing her mother's clothes."

"I can get pretty for that."

"Good."  He smiled.  "No book?"  She blushed.  "You can read openly here, Ancelin.  Even the things that give you dirty thoughts.  I have.  Most everyone in the group has read that one book.  Mostly for the pictures," he admitted, making her blush but laugh.   "Go ahead and read.  Let me know if you have questions.  Chauvis might mumble but I don't."  He came in to kiss her on the head.  "You should leave your hair down more often."

"Then it knots."

"So we'll brush it."

"You have more important things to do than play with my hair."

"Most of my function is to defend the house and caverns or read the library, dear.  I have plenty of time to do your hair with you."  He took the band from the bottom, using his fingers to undo the quick braid.  "There."  He walked off, taking the band with him.

She shook her head.  "I don't know why he likes my hair.  It's a strange dark blonde that no one else seems to have.  More like sand at the beach really."  She pushed that one piece behind her ear.  She thought about getting up to get another band after she had to do it again but he had asked nicely. She pulled back out the book, going back to her reading.  The story itself was interesting and the pictures were giving her ideas she did not want.  Not at the moment.  Not with the female problems too.  She went to clean up in the bathing room.  Someone in times ancient had hooked up a larger bowl on a stand with a pipe that ran from the cistern on the roof.  One only had to open the valve and then use the pipe to rinse out the bowl after using it.  She didn't find blood so that was strange.  She fixed her clothes again and rinsed out the bowl, closing the valves.  Then she went back to bed.  Some of those were giving her mental images that wouldn't go away.  She got up and wrote to Severtina; she'd give her good advice.  She was like her big sister.  Their talk about men had not mentioned anything about this stuff.  Especially not about being able to get into positions only cats could hope for.
 

***
 

Chauvis looked at Ancelin as she came down dressed up.  "We're going to the dressmaker?"  She nodded, putting down two bags of clothes. "That's all we're bringing?"

"I've got money in one."

"Severtina suggested you could possibly trade some of the ones you weren't going to be able to wear for new things."  She considered it then went up to pack a bag of those and a few pieces of the plainer jewelry.  She came back down, smiling at Volka as he came down actually dressed in things that weren't patched.  "You look nice as well."

"If I walk in wearing patched things she wails and moans for over an hour.  That'll cut down the time Cook has in the marketplace.  Cook?"  She came out of the kitchen.  "Market?"

"You can saddle your own horse."

"Want me to pick up anything or are you coming with us?" Ancelin asked her.

"I'll ride down later on. Go, shoo.  It'll take you forever to go over those patterns."  She looked at the dress she was wearing.  "That's back in fashion again?"

"It's often cyclical," she said dryly, smiling.  "Why?  Do you think I should wear the red one?"

"Not there," Volka told her, shaking her head.  "They'll say things.  Go change into something that shows your shape?"  She sighed and went up to change, coming down in an older, fixed dress that had the stays in the bodice instead of having to wear a corset.  He blinked.  "Newly fixed?" he asked finally.  She nodded.  "Huh."  He reached over to shut Chauvis' mouth for him.  "Is this all we're taking?"

"The rest can be done by me or can wait for some other time," she said, picking up the bags.  She found the gold and jewelry, stuffing it inside her bodice.  Chauvis looked at her.  "That way I don't forget where it is."

"I doubt you could," Volka said, taking it from her.  "It can ride in my pocket.  They tie closed."  He did that for her, letting her hand over the few pieces of jewelry as well.  "Anything else in there we should know about?"  She held up the bodice dagger.  "No, I want you to carry that."  She put it back and turned to adjust herself so she looked more modest.  She came over to saddle her horse, mounting up sidesaddle.  The guys both smirked.  "Thank you for that."

"I can't sit crossways in this style of dress without exposing my legs up to my thighs.  That would be highly immodest.  I haven't worn a skirt above my ankles since I was old enough to braid my own hair."  She turned her stallion around, walking him out of the yard, letting him find his way down the path.  The other two followed her.  She checked the bags, then back in the courtyard.  "Gentlemen."

"We took them from him," Volka assured her.  "Men do things like that."  She gave him an odd look.  "We do."

"Why do you like playing with my hair and clothes more than I do?"

"Past life as a lady's maid as you thought."  Chauvis nearly fell off his horse laughing.  "She suggested it when I got the knots out of her hair.  Why is it up again?"

"So it doesn't get in the way.  It's hideous about that."  He caught up to her and took the pins, putting those into Chauvis' pocket for her.  She huffed but he only smiled and rode ahead, safely out of range of everything but a thrown shoe and that took too much energy to get off the horse to get it back then get back on the horse.  She shifted. "You all right?"

"I hate riding side saddle.  There's no point to it except modesty."

"Maybe that's why women wear corsets, so they have to sit up while they ride sidesaddle," Chauvis said.

"I can't believe you can find a use for the whalebone cage."

He grinned at her.  "Some men do like them as well."

"They're sadistic," she assured her.  "They hurt."

"Children," Volka called.  "Don't make me spank."

"Yes, mother," she called, earning a look back at her.  "You sounded like Severtina.  Is there a public post?"

He nodded.  "Which one are you writing to?"

"Her."  She nudged her horse, letting him pick up his speed.  They came to the switchbacks on the path and let Volka lead the way.  Chauvis was behind her.  Someone jumped out at them and she gave them an odd look.  "Who are you?"

"My stable boy's father," Volka admitted.  "This is Ancelin and Chauvis.  They stay at the tower with me.  Is there a problem with your son?"

"Money," he demanded, waving a sword.  Ancelin kicked him in the head, knocking him down.  "How dare you!" he shouted, hopping back up.  "You shouldn't have done that, Duchess."

She kicked him again, this time in the face.  He went down groaning.  "Really?  Why shouldn't I have?"

Chauvis laughed.  "No robber likes it when you hit them back," he said, nodding at her to go on.  "Volka, do you want him out here?"

"Not really."  Chauvis got down and put the man across the back of his saddle.  "Meet us in the market?"

"Of course."  He rode off with him, going to the small village at the foot of the mountain that was basically four houses and a shared field.

Volka led her down the path to the other side of the border, letting her ride beside him.  "It's a beautiful day to shop."

"Cook still didn't give me a list."

"We'll find plenty for her I'm sure."  The town was just over the next smaller pass and the road was smoother here.  "See, a real village."  She smiled at that.  "The tailor is the one with the sign out front. The market is under the cloth tents."  She nodded at that.  "I'll go with you.  That way no one tries that again."

"I'll be fine."

"Shut up," he ordered, smiling at her.  "It's not that big of a market place."  They kept going, riding into the town.  Quite a few people stared and he nodded at a few he knew.  They got off at the tailor's shop, letting their horses be tied up out front.  He looked at his saddle.  "Of course he has two more."

She looked then nodded.  "One's the one I wasn't going to use and the other one's the simpler stuff."

"Then we'll come back to this once he joins us.  Shouldn't be more than an hour."  The tailor came out.  "Her other two bags are on Chauvis' saddle."

"What did the lady need?"

They walked in with the two bags they had.  "I inherited some clothes that are much too big for me, and some in the wrong colors," she told her.

"Is that what they're wearing in the next country?"  Ancelin nodded, finding her pattern book, letting her have it.  "Hmm.  Your usual one is very good."

"Now and then he gives me a very immodest bodice but otherwise I did like him.  Since I'm staying with Volka for a bit to use his library he suggested I come to you since they were delivered there."

"I saw the carriage," she admitted.  She looked at her.  "You're who?"

"Duchess Ancelin Constantsos," Volka told her.  "And I'm down to rags again too."  She huffed, going to find him some of the things she kept on hand.  He winked at her, getting a smile back.  "She wasn't sure what you could do about the ones she didn't want.  They're in colors that would make her look bad.  Chauvis has another two bags of things that need fixed."

"That's a tall order."  Ancelin pulled out one of the 'to be fixed' dresses, holding them up.  She giggled.  "A bit big is right.  Even if you were carrying one of those Asian elephant things you couldn't fit that."  She took it to look over.  "It's fine silk."

"I was hoping you could trim it down to my size without ruining it," Ancelin told her.  "That's got a few different styles in there and I know yours are slightly different."

"Ours are more pointed at the waist and a bit less modest at the bust," she agreed, looking over her current outfit.  "You wear what under that?"

"Underthings," she said smugly.  "The corset's built in."  She let her examine it while he went to look at the shirts and pants she had.  "See, the bodice ties so I can adjust them up or down.  The structure is all there for the look mostly since I don't need the corset for the reshaping effects."

"Hmm."  She nodded.  "That's an interesting style."  She settled in to look at the dresses she couldn't use.  "Those are pretty."

"Not with her coloring," Volka said, looking back at her.  "Chauvis just rode into town.  The mayor's daughter went running to pounce him."

"She and her crush," the tailor sighed, measuring her.  "You do have a nice figure but a wife like you...."  Ancelin burst out laughing, shaking her head.  "Not a wife?"  She shook her head again.  "A maiden, at your age?"

"My father had been a knight," she shared.  "I studied under Father Chauvis for almost a year."

"Hmm.  Interesting. So still pure?"  She nodded, blushing. "Truly pure?" she pressed.

"So much she had to ask what a man looked ilke," Volka admitted. "You remember Severtina, she asked her."

"You poor thing.  That one always looks sick.  She's too pale."  She got to work on the current dress.  "Into the back so I can take the more personal measurements."  She nodded going back there with her to do that.  She came out.  "I can see why some were immodest."

"I try to keep them strapped down."

"Make sure some of those can't be," Volka ordered.  Chauvis walked in with the other two bags.  "Problems?"

"His wife was looking for him.  I left her screaming and yelling at his waking body, plus getting in a few good kicks."  He smiled at her.  Then he looked outside, pointing.  "That style, would it look good on her?"

She looked then nodded.  "The square or tapered neckline would both look good on her and she does have the natural form for that waistline as well."  She went to make some drawings for her, adding in the measurements.  That got a nod from Ancelin.  "Now, what were you hoping for with the bag you couldn't use?"

"Someone suggested you might know someone who could use them, or at least the fabric."

"I could use the fabric."  She looked at the count in that bag then at her.  "I'll give you ten gold for those.  That'll leave you owing me twelve more?"  Volka handed over the bag, letting her count it out.  "Thank you, Duchess."

"Ancelin, please.  I hate titles except for introductions."

"That's fine, Ancelin."  She smiled at her.  "Need aught else?"

"Breeches so I can clean and ride around.  I do hunt for the table as well.  Dresses get in the way."

She laughed. "I thought you a bit boyish by the way you stand."  She found her some that would fit her.  "Here, with a drawstring waist so they can borrow from you when he next comes in wearing patches."  She paid her another few silver, getting a nod.  Ancelin took back the bags, letting her do what she needed to do.  She waved, smiling at them.  "They are adorable.  Lord Volka has a crush," she tittered, taking the dresses back to make them something that would make him pounce his intended.

Ancelin walked along the market with them, smiling at a few of the things.   She stopped to look at the hairpins but Volka drug her on.  "I could use a new set."

"Why?  These are plenty sharp," Chauvis told her.

"They're only going to go with a few things."

"Wear your hair down, Ancelin," Volka ordered.  "You're still a maiden and we're not throwing events at the tower."  She nodded at that.  He led her to the jewelry stall but she balked.  "You can look."

"I don't need more jewelry.  I have my mother's things."  She looked at him.  "Until I get that one last piece of jewelry I need not anything else jewelry wise."  He smiled and nodded but she went into a money changer's stall, coming out to take her jewelry back then going back in there.  He handed over something she hadn't found, walking on to leave her to her business.  She was shrewd.  She got a bit loud so Chauvis went back to explain that she was an orphan, they were her guardians, and she wanted some money for pretty new things.  The money changer sighed but did it anyway.  At a steep discount until Volka came back.  Then he gave her fair value.  "Thank you," she said quietly.

"I've forgotten how strict they are around here about women not having a lot of money of their own."  He took her arm.  "Let's see what we can find for the tables."  They found a few things.  She found a few ribbons.  Cook came down with the cart a few hours later, loading up on supplies.  Ancelin added her bags to it, getting a nod from the older woman.  She also bought a new pig and went looking at cows.  "No," Volka ordered.  "No cows.  We have a goat somewhere."  She shrugged and nodded.  He sighed, shaking his head.  He looked at the pig then at her.  "That's a pig."

"It'll clean up the scraps," she told him.  "Plus it's nearly butchering time."

"It is," he agreed with a small sigh.  "Do you know how to smoke meat?"

"And how to butcher but I don't like it," she admitted.

"Fine.  Cook?"

"I agree with her.  We could use it.  We need a few chickens too."  He pointed at the stall so she took some money to pick some out.  Then she got the animal feed and headed back while they went to see what the tailor had come up with.  One of them was in pins, letting her try it on.  They nodded at the overall shape and she smiled.  They agreed on a few weeks to get them done and then they went home.  Ancelin did stop at one stall to buy some fruit, earning a smile from the men.  It had been a child selling it so that was fine.

"Your letter?" Chauvis asked.

"On the first round of the market," she said with a smile.  They came out of the small pass and found the cart there without Cook.  "Cook?" she called.  She came out of the bushes.  "It blew away?"

"Two did."  She got down to find the other one, handing it back over.  The pig's cage was put on top of it and the other non-breakable, light things.  Then she got back in and headed up again.  It was a good ride with the men talking about the trees that bore fruit around the house.  They could harvest all they wanted from that.   They got back and Ancelin changed, coming out to help put things up.  The kitchen was full, at least until Vorchain got there, but it was full for now.  They started a nice roast chicken for the night and it was good for them.

Ancelin heard her stallion going after one of the mares and looked out.  "Leave her be!" she called.

"When you're married you'll take those moods as well," she said dryly.  "I did."  She finished up in there, letting Ancelin take her bags up to her room.   "Why did the girl get more breeches?"

"She wanted them," Volka said as he walked in.  "Where is the goat?"

"I haven't seen her in months," she admitted. "Mayhap the wolf got her too."

"Mayhap," he agreed, smiling at her.  "Chicken?"

"You need strength to woo."

He smirked.  "I do.  Both of them."   He went out to feed the horses, making the stallion quit molesting the mares.  "Don't give your mistress ideas.  She'll think men do the same thing," he told the beast.  He cleaned his mare up, shaking his head.  "Figures you'd try her too.  Are you happy with your herd?"

"I'd hope so," Chauvis said when he came out.  He put up his and Ancelin came jogging out to put hers up and pamper her mare.  "Do you think it took?"

"We'll know in a few months."  She patted her gently on the neck.  "There you go, love."  They finished up the stable duties and closed them in, heading back inside to clean up the study and library for now.  Chauvis nearly fell from the ladder but she helped catch him, nearly falling down herself when he stumbled into her.  "Are you all right?"

"I should ask you that."  He helped her up, checking her over.  "Nothing bruised?"

"I've had bruises in the past and will again I'm sure," she reminded him.  "I'm also told that falling down has nothing on childbirth."

He shuddered.  "Don't remind me."  He kissed her on the tip of her nose.  "You shelve."  She blushed but got up there while he held her up by her waist.  Volka came in, staring at her backside.  Chauvis smiled.  "I nearly fell."

"Are you all right?"

"She caught me."

"Is she all right then?"

"I'm fine."  She looked at a book then down at him.  "Shouldn't this be in the study with the other dirty thought books?"  He looked at it then nodded, tossing it at Volka.

"I'll put that away."  He went to do that, coming back to lean against the doorframe and watch her move on the ladder.  Had she been a wench he would've been up her skirt in that position.  He looked his lover over, seeing the same signs he was showing.  He walked over to help hold her.  One hand on her buttocks and she squealed, nearly jumping away like he had burned her.  "It's the easiest way to hold you steady."

She gave him a look.  "If you say so."  She finished shelving things up there and started to come down but they helped her there too.  "Thank you, gentlemen."   She blushed and walked off, going to the kitchen to help in there.

"That blush is adorable on her," Chauvis told him.

Volka smirked and nodded.  "It is."  He pulled him closer to kiss him.  "If she had been in a skirt my head would've been up it."

He moaned.  "Mine too," he admitted.  He took another kiss, letting them touch each other for now.  She came in and backed out quickly, leaving them alone.  "We'll have to get her used to seeing us."

"She'll get used to it," he promised. He came with a groan and finished his lover off with his hand.  They calmed down together then went to clean up.  Women should not wear breeches like that when you could see everything they had.  It was almost obscene how they looked on her more slender figure.  Volka came down the stairs, seeing the rain starting.  "Is it a real storm or rain?"

"Looks like a real storm," Cook told him.  "I checked the barn already."

"I'll double check later.  Ancelin, do your horses have problems with loud storms?"

"Not that I've seen."

"Good.  I know Chauvis' doesn't."  He smiled at her.  "You should probably change out of my pants."

"Sorry.  I'll wash them and give them back."  She started to move but Chauvis trapped her, kissing her gently.  "What did I do to deserve that?" she asked, giving him a look.

"You look like you should have been touched in those," he said quietly.

"I...I, um, saw."

"That's fine.  You'll get used to it."  He kissed her again.  "Now, go change into something less tight?"  She blushed but went to do that.  "She doesn't do it on purpose."

"No it's her body calling out to ours," Volka agreed.  He sniffed the chicken.  "Nearly done?"

"Another hour.  Add more wood to the fire for me please."  He did that and left with some bread and cheese.  Chauvis did the same, going back to the study to read something from that collection.  Cook slipped up the back stairs to her room, looking at the poor girl.  "They are a bit strong."

"Just a bit," she admitted, looking at her.  "Is it bad that I drove them to kiss me?"

"No, child.  That's a normal man's reaction to a beautiful woman."  She smiled at her.  "They're all like that.  You're very pretty.  Volka's very possessive.  When his mind turns to bad thoughts, it's often a good, long time until it switches off again."  She saw the blush.  "You need to ask questions?"

"I asked Severtina."

"Bah!  That woman doesn't get what she needs or she wouldn't be so pale."  She shut the door so they could talk, coming over to sit across from her.  "What do you know of men?"

"That they're more experienced that I am.  That I shouldn't be afraid of them.  Even if they look as big as my stallion it's not really and it'll only hurt for a second."

"Only the first few times," she offered.  "Remember, it goes into the same opening babies come out of.  You stretch, they simply swell like they're injured."  That got a nod and a hotter blush.  "You watched your stallion?"  She whimpered but nodded.  "Men aren't always like that.  Some can pounce the same way but that screaming wasn't in pain; nor will yours be, Ancelin.   If you scream it will be in pleasure from either of them."  She patted her knee.  "Now, today, your backside is shown very well in those.  That's what drove them to rut that way."

"How do I stop that?  I don't want to cloud their minds."

"If it's a problem they can fix their own minds.  You do what you do naturally.  You being female calls out to them.  It's a mating scent you put out.  You do so naturally.  We all do.  A woman as old as I am puts it out as well.  Men can ignore mine because mine's not as strong.  Yours, being pure, beautiful, and young, is much stronger."

"What if we're attacked?"

"Child, no mortal woman is that strong.  Charlotte's sister perhaps but not you."   She relaxed and nodded, smiling a bit.  She found the book and turned to an illustration.  "That is a nude male."  She stared, blushing.  "Those are very delicate.  It's the same place you kicked Cofostat's brattling son.  Remember to watch your knees in bed.  My own spouse used to hold me down because I thrashed a bit when I was in the mood.  After the first time I kicked him by accident he got wise."  That got a smile and a nod.  "Now, if and when one of them wins they'll still not pounce.  Neither is that way with their ladies.  Shaun mayhap.  Joseph mayhap.  Vorchain definitely."  That got a girlish giggle.  "The best advice I can give you is not to force it.  Not to try to make it come out.  They'll know when it's there and will tell you if it bothers them.  Like those pants being a bit tight against your backside, Ancelin."  She nodded.  "Good.  Now, put on something simple and easy for the rest of the night.  Ignore the silly men.  They call us silly but that small organ leads their head sometimes.  It makes them do stupid things like duel."

"I'd hope not."

"Not those two," Cook assured her, giving her another pat.  "Put on the blue one?  Volka's partial to blue on you."  She nodded, getting up to put that on.  She looked.  "What happened to your side?"

"I bumped into a wall earlier when someone in the market tripped me running past."  She looked at it in the polished silver mirror.  "It's a bruise.  I've had others."

"You should salve that."

"It'll be gone with some rest."  She smiled, sliding into the simple blue dress.  "This is better?"

"Much."  She adjusted the back.  "It rides a bit high on your backside.  Now come help me with dinner."  She nodded, following her down.  Volka looked up when they walked past where he was sitting in the library, watching her walk.  "See?" she shared.  "It's leading his mind again.  Men are silly like that."  She gave her a pat.  "You could be in sackcloth and they would still do the same thing."  She blushed but nodded.  "Do the beets?"  She nodded, moving to peel them and put them on to boil.

Volka got up, getting another book from his study, going up to put it on her bed.  He saw the picture the book was open to, smiling at it.  "Not all men are built that excessively," he muttered, closing the book.  He left the other one on top.   It was a good story of a concubine's life in a harem.  It might help her more.   He came out, running into Chauvis.  "She was staring at the male figure drawing."

"They had a talk.  She suggested she put on the blue dress."

Volka moaned but nodded.  "She did."  He walked his lover back downstairs, finding a seat that could see into the kitchen.  Chauvis sat beside him, reading for now.  He looked at the book.  "Why are you reading that?"

"I feel like I've forgotten things about being with a woman," he said quietly.

"I'm sure it will come back to you."  Ancelin caught them watching and blushed, going back to her stirring.  "There's no way you could fully forget when you have that spread in front of you."

"We still have to talk," Chauvis said quietly.

Volka looked at him.  "What I told the queen stands.  You're both mine.  That's all the discussion I need."

"I...."  He sighed.  "Her....newness should be saved," he said quietly.

Volka considered it.  "There's ways around that," he pointed out.

"I know.  I'm making sure you agree."  He nodded. "Thank you."

"Welcome."  He smiled.  "Quit being so nervous.  You'd think she was Charlotte's sister."

"Then I'd know what to do with her," he complained, going back to the story.  Cook shoved Ancelin out of the kitchen and he waved her over.  "Come wait with us?"

"I...."

Volka pointed and she came over.  "We would not be mean enough to pressure you," he said gently.  "Though I did add a book to your education."  She went bright red, bordering on purple, at that.  "Here, sit before you faint."  He put her between them, not moving his arm from the back of the couch.  "Sometimes that picture scares young women," he shared.  "It's not always that excessive.  Most men aren't built like your stallion."  Thunder crashed outside and he heard one of the horses scream so he jumped up to check on them.  He came back for his sword, going out there.  The beast in there with them was thrown out into the rain once it was dead.  He soothed his mare, making her calm down.  "Good job alerting us," he soothed.  Ancelin ran over, coming in to check on hers.  "It was a wolf pup."

"I saw."  Her mare calmed down, letting herself be stroked and soothed. "There, love.  If I have to I'll sleep in here with you tonight.  The mean wolf won't get you again."  She looked at Volka.  "How did it get in?"

"I bolted the door."

"Are they possessed?"

"No," he said, shaking his head.  "The stable boy was here when we put them up.  He came over to comb my mare.  He probably left them open.  I'll ask him in the morning."  She nodded, coming over to pet his mare too, earning a nose down her shirt but his mare was affectionate with what he was affectionate with.  The stallion stomped his feet.  "Jealous of the attention of other girls?" he teased, petting his nose too.  He calmed down.  Lightening came down nearby and she flinched but the horses were fine.  "Come on, we'll shut them in for the night," he said, walking her out and making sure the doors were bolted before leading her back inside.  "We're going to have to hunt that wolf pack down.  They're a threat to us and the village."

"It seems bad to do so.  Can't we drive them off?" she asked.  "Make sure they don't want to come back?"

He shook his head.  "The wolves around here don't stop at horses and hunting hounds.  There've been a few who've taken children playing.  Even in the daylight.  We'll go hunting tomorrow."  She nodded.  Thunder went off and she jumped.  "You're storm shy instead of your horse?"

"Loud noise.  I've been away from court long enough to not be used to the loud banging going on anymore."  She walked off.  "Cook, yell when I can set the table?"

"I can do that."  She shooed him off.  "This is a good opportunity to show her you care for more than her backside."

He nodded, going out to get back into his seat, letting her curl against his side.  "Shh," he said when she tensed.  "Let us protect you from the storm."  He stroked over her far arm, pulling her a little bit closer.  She settled against his side, but winced at one point.  "Did the heavy man falling on you hurt you?"

"No, the running boys tripping me into a wall did," she admitted.

"Ah, that one."  He looked at her.  "Bruised?"

"A bit.  A little bit sore at the moment. It'll be fine by the morning."

"We have salve," Chauvis told her.

"It's only a bruise.  I'm sure you've had a few over your years."

"More than a few," he admitted.  "We should still look at it for you."

"I'm not disrobing for you."

"It's a pretty bruise but nothing looked damaged," Cook called.  "I caught her changing."   She came to the door.  "It'll be fine by the morning."  She nodded.  "She's had just as many scrapes as you probably."  Ancelin came to set the table for her even though it wasn't time.   She gently shooed her out when she started to slice the bread and cheese.  "That's enough."  She gave her a nudge.  Chauvis went back to reading with a smile.  "You need your brush."

"Ah, that's one thing I bought today," Volka said happily, getting up to get it.  He came out of his study with it.  "Come here.  Let me work on the knots since it's my fault."  She came over slowly, sitting sideways on the couch for him.  He pulled her into his lap again, earning another squeak and a blush.  "Easier for my arms."  It also got her used to his touch.  He carefully worked the brush through the light tangles, letting Chauvis watch her face while he saw it in the mirror across the room.  She did look very nice in his lap.  "I liked that you kept the peacock dress.  The colors look good on you," he said quietly.  She blushed harder.  "Calm down.  I mean to do no more than this until you ask me to."

"Promise?"

"Until you're ready."  He gave her a hug.  "I can even do this without getting into the bad thoughts."  She shifted some.  He had to keep himself from moaning as she wiggled on top of him. "Sit still so I can finish your hair."  He kept going, letting her relax again.  Just like petting a wary cat to his mind.  He finally finished, letting his fingers comb it for a minute. "There.  How do you keep it so soft?"

"An oil I use after I wash it," she admitted, looking down.

"I'll have to try that on mine.  Mine feels like hay again," Chauvis said from behind his book.  She smiled at that, not realizing she hadn't moved. Volka turned her slightly, getting a real hug for the service.  She gave him one too, earning a smile.  "Thank you.  Clean your hands for supper you two."  They got up, going to do that.  He shifted in his seat, trying hard not to break his mental vow to wait on her to come to them and pounce her.  Sometimes she was innocent as any child.  Sometimes she seemed a bit worldly.  Then again it could be her age.

Chapter Fifteen.
 

Chauvis looked up as the lightening seemed to strike outside the building, looking out toward the stables.  "Volka, it hit a tree in the field," he said.

"Will it go out or should we start pumping water?" he grunted, making himself sit up.

"I think we should go pump some water.  The ground was dry before the rain."  That got a nod and they both put on pants to go out but Ancelin was out there in her nightgown before them.  "Go change before you get sick," Chauvis ordered.

"We need the pump manned and I can do that.  I have on shoes."  She filled another bucket, handing it over.  "There.  Wet the barn down too just in case."  He groaned, going to do that.

Volka turned her around and spanked her.  "Go put on clothes then come back. There's two of us, woman."  He filled another bucket and took two with him, working on the area around the tree.  Chauvis was wetting down the barn.  It was close enough to fall on it and the barn was wood.  He finally got the ground soaked around it and went back to refill his buckets, finding Ancelin doing it for him.  "Thank you."  He would ignore the dressing gown not being clothes since she was being that stubborn.  They got the barn thoroughly wet down, watching as the tree started to chip up and fall.   "If we could get closer we could somehow make it fall in the other direction."

"Use a battering ram," Chauvis said.

"Could work.  Do we have one?"

"We have the extra beams for the ceiling in the barn," Ancelin said.  "You were going to replace a few of them.  Joseph trimmed them for you and made them straight."

"I do."  He smiled, giving Chauvis a nudge so he'd help him carry it.  They found a good, long one and brought it out, using it to ram the burning tree. It fell away from the barn and they went back to work wetting it down now that it was mostly out so it wouldn't spread.  By dawn they were all soaked through and tired but it had been managed and there wasn't a forest fire.  He turned to find Ancelin nearly passing out on her feet.  "Inside!" he snapped.

"I'm fine.  Let me start some tea to warm us up."

Chauvis picked her up and carried her inside, handing her to Cook.  "Let's start some warm bath water."

"I already have," she promised.  "It's in the library in front of the large fireplace.  Still warm.  The cauldron has some that's near boiling.  I've started tea too.  Go get dry clothes, Volka."  He nodded, going to do that while Chauvis got her naked and into the bathtub.  She brought warmed towels out and put them nearby, watching as the young woman bathed and Chauvis was a gentleman, his back turned to her.  She pulled over a screen, giving him a pat on the arm.  "If we had another tub I'd start one for you two."

"She's not getting it soapy," he said with a small smile.  "I shared as a child, I can share again."  She nodded.  Volka came down the stairs with clothes for all of them.  "She's getting warm."

"Good."  He tossed her shift over the screen.  "I forgot we had that thing.  My mother liked it for some reason.  When you're done, add more warm water."

"I will."  She got out a few minutes later, grabbing one of the towels.

Volka watched the screen.  She was highlighted very well through the paper.  He looked at Chauvis, who was staring as well.  She pulled her shift over and came out a minute later.  "Warmed water?"

"I did scoop some out for you and added some of the cold back to the cauldron.  It's still steaming.  Get in there before you catch your death.  You weren't wearing a shirt or shoes!"

"You were wearing a nightgown and a dressing robe, even with shoes that's not much better," Volka said, staring her down.

"We all did what we had to do.  At least I had shoes on.  You could have stepped in anything.  Now get in there before I come back with a hard horse brush to scrub you."

He rolled his eyes but did as ordered.  He was warmed fast enough and he poured in the hot water for Chauvis, letting him have it once he was back in pants and a light shirt.  He sat down next to her on the couch from earlier, letting her curl against his side.  "You should go back to bed."

"It's nearly light out.  I'll nap this afternoon if nothing's going on."

"I can order you to."

"I can spank you just as easily as you can me."

"I think I'm a better fighter than you, Ancelin."

She looked at him.  "Who said I'd need to fight you?  I can take Severtina's advice."  She shifted, making room for Chauvis, making him a cup of tea.  "I'll dump that in a minute since I'm the farthest out of it."  She finished her tea but the men kept her there.

"There's a drain like in the upstairs bathing chambers," Volka told her, getting up with a small moan to connect the pipe to the tub and let it drain.  "My ancestors were very wise."

"The Romans and Greeks were both known for it," Ancelin joked, smiling at him.

"None of them would have been out there in a nightgown and shoes."

"You weren't wearing a shirt."

"I'm a man, you are not," he said firmly.

"Which means you'll whine and grump around like Cofostat did when he was ill," she shot back.  "Women have more sense and try to rest when we're sick.  Men make others miserable with it."  He glared, hands on his hips, fingers tapping.  "Don't you?"

"I do have enough sense to go to bed when I have the sniffles."

Cook burst out laughing.  "No you don't!  She's right, men whine when they're ill.  They revert back to childhood and needing their mothers."  She swatted him.  "Tip it to make sure it all drains this time."  He did that and poured the cauldron's contents in there to rinse it out.  That got tipped out as well and then he closed the valve and disconnected it, letting her drag it off to the closet it stayed in.  "I'll be glad when someone figures out how to make it so you don't have to pull it wherever and lift multiple buckets," she complained.

"Easy, you use a tube like you do in the basins upstairs," Ancelin said without thinking.

"How would you heat it?" Chauvis asked.

"Temporary fire underneath like you would a pot or make the water come from a place where it was being heated.  I've seen some things about steam. Water should still flow when heated.  Use a metal cistern that you light a fire under, have pipes running from it.  Use valves so it's not constantly running like the other one."

"Okay, some Greeks are smart," Volka admitted.   She stuck her tongue out at him.  "Now who's turning back into a child?" he asked dryly.

"Are you warming your backside?" Chauvis asked.

"Actually I am, it's cold."  Cook swatted him, getting them a blanket.  "Grandmother's quilt?"

"I'd say this was a special occasion. Your first fight," Cook said patiently.   She made more tea and left it for them, going back to her room.  They wouldn't need breakfast.

"Did you know her grandmother used to be my father's helper?" Volka asked Chauvis.

"I hadn't.  It's funny how we're drawn together sometimes.  Is that why she ran up here?"  Volka nodded and Ancelin did more slowly.  He stroked over her hair.  "You should rest.  The storm kept you up.  I heard you pacing and moving around."

"M'fine," she mumbled.  Volka laughed so she poked him.  "I am."

"Rest, Ancelin.  We'll protect you while you rest."  She grunted, shaking her head.  "Do it or I won't brush your hair."

"Should braid it," she complained, nearly asleep.

"You can do that later, after I brush it for you," he promised.  She shook her head.  "No?"

"You asked me not to."

"I did."  He kissed her gently.  "Here, get between us.  That way both of us don't use you as a pillow."  She let them shift her, ending up against his chest with her feet in Chauvis' lap.  He smiled when she snored. "She even does that cutely."

"She kept Charlotte up a few nights at first but she got used to it," Chauvis said, yawning a bit.  "Was that how she found you?"

"Her grandmother told her mother a road map rhyme and my name.  She passed it onto her daughter."  He stroked over her hair.  "It's still soft."  He smiled at his lover.  "Remind me I'm honorable?"

"I'd run you through if you weren't," he assured him.  She shifted, rubbing one foot against his stomach and groin, making him hiss.  She quit rubbing him and he was disappointed but she flipped the other direction.  "She has pointy toenails."

"Women's shoes do that to their feet," he reminded him.  He gave her a lovetap on the butt when she started to suck on his chest and it made her stop.  "You might want to move her knee."  Chauvis shifted closer, getting away from her knees.  She moaned and shifted, curling up tighter so she could rest her feet in his lap again. "She's determined even in sleep."

Chauvis laughed.  "Of course she is."  He covered them with the quilt, which meant she was totally underneath it.  She sighed in pleasure as she stretched out again, ending up in Volka's lap.  "Comfortable?"

"Not yet."  He shifted, laying down, letting her lay on his chest.  "Now arrange yourself."

"Thank you quite a lot," he said dryly, but he found a comfortable spot on her lower back, taking up the rest of the couch.  He fell asleep that way, one arm around the joined waists underneath his head.
 

***
 

Volka woke up on top, frowning at that.  "I know I went to sleep under everyone," he muttered.  Then he realized what he was muttering into and glanced up at her.  She was still sleeping.  She hadn't realized he had been sleeping on her breasts.  They were very comfortable.  He looked around, finding Chauvis up already.  He gave him a look, getting a wave and a smile, plus a plate of food put down out of stepping range.  He put his head back down.  It was nice not having to fight the maiden's notions for a few minutes.  He yawned, then sniffed, inhaling her scent.

"You were snuffling her neck when I woke.  You looked like a hunting hound," Chauvis said quietly, smiling at him.

"Not even the hounds of hell would keep me from her if she needed us," he said softly, stroking a hand over her stomach.

"It would be wrong, Volka."

"I have no intention of molesting her.  Simply waking her gently.  If I was going to molest her, my hand wouldn't be on her stomach."

"Where would it be?" she asked sleepily.

"Touching a few other spots."  He looked at her.  "I was originally on the bottom. Sorry."

"It's probably as much my doing as yours."  She stretched and paused.  "We are all dressed, yes?"

"I am, you are," Volka agreed.  "Why?"  She shifted and he grinned.  "It's a natural morning reaction, Ancelin.  Men's bodies are funny that way."  She nodded at that.  "Not that you're not causing that.  I usually only wake up half that hard."  She blushed and he went back to stroking her stomach.  "Are you comfortable?"  She nodded quickly.  "Tell me when you're not."  He kissed the breast he was laying on, making her hiss in a breath.  "Just like a suckling babe would."  He kissed it again through the material.  While she was focused on that his hand moved lower.  She suddenly squeaked and he smiled.  "When they talk about a women's center in that book this is what they're talking about," he said quietly, stroking over her lower parts gently.  With a bit of work he found the spot he wanted, gently stroking across it a few times until she whimpered and arched up into his body.  "This is what a woman feels when a man is generous and interested in her body," he said gently.

"Volka," Chauvis chastised.

"Hush.  If she wants me to stop I will."  He kept stroking her gently.  She suddenly shifted. "Shh, that's a natural reaction.  It's not  your bladder or womanly problems coming back too soon.  It's natural, it eases the path."  He teased her entrance, letting his fingers spread the slickness around. He stroked a slick finger over her nub, making her arch up with a squeal.  He smiled.  "Liked that?"

"Will this..." she panted.

"The only thing that will rob you of being a maiden is someone planting themselves inside you, Ancelin.  I can do this all day and it would only make you appreciate what a man can do for you."  He kept going, making her wiggle and finally sob for him to make the torment end.  He did that and she came in his palm, letting him soothe her with gentle strokes down there. "That is what a woman feels when her body is pleased with what her lover has been doing.  Women can do that a number of times, men only once within a few hours time."

She looked down at him.  "I should...touch you," she offered, sounding very hesitant.

"If you wish.  If not I can do that for myself."  She looked confused.  He took her hand and showed her.  "I was touching you there.  You can do the same thing but having someone else do it is always different than when you do it yourself," he said gently.  She nodded at that.  He smiled.  "If you wanted to touch me I wouldn't be adverse."  He shifted, letting her hand stroke him through his pants, watching her face.  She gave it a squeeze, making him moan.

"Gently," Chauvis instructed from where he was watching them.  "Be very gentle, Ancelin."  She eased her grip and Volka shifted, letting her go down his pants instead.  She blushed at feeling his skin. "Isn't it soft?"

"Very soft.  Like baby skin," she said quietly, watching him while she stroked it gently.

"Wrap your hand around it," Volka instructed.  She did that, having to shift some to get a better angle so her wrist would quit hurting.  He finally came and she looked stunned.  "My seed."  He kissed her.  "Thank you."

"No, thank you."  She pulled her hand back, looking at it.  "The books say things about drinking this but it's solid."

"Lick it off your hand, get used to the taste," Chauvis ordered. She did that, looking confused.  "It's a bit salty.  It tastes like his musk smells.  We each taste and smell a bit differently."

She finished cleaning off her hand and licked his neck, making him laugh. "It does taste like his sweat a bit."

"That is one thing I like about him, his taste," Chauvis told her.  She gave him a long stare.  "I'm not jealous."

"Then you would be over here holding him with me."

"I don't want to crush you under both of us."

She smiled.  "I'm not that fragile as you very well know."  He came over to lay against Volka's back.  She looked at Volka who glanced at Chauvis, then stared at her.  "Would...would you like me to do the same for you, Chauvis?"  He moaned.

"That's a yes in shy male speak," Volka said in her ear.  He shifted some, letting her grope him now.  It was arousing to watch.  She was concentrating very hard on him until Chauvis kissed her.  Then the steady, even strokes broke, making him groan and arch into her hand.  She kissed him again, making him come in her hand.  She tasted him, earning a whimper from both of them.  Then she tasted his neck too.  Volka cuddled her between them.  "That was a very good first lesson, Ancelin."  She smiled and put her head on Chauvis' shoulder, wrapping her arms around him.   "Do you have any questions?"

"Are all men like that?"  He nodded.  "The same size?"

"No, there's a difference in size, even between us.  You didn't notice it by touch but you would seeing them."  She blushed at that.  "Seeing them will not do more than educate you further," he teased.

"Then you'd want to see me."

"We already do," Chauvis told her.  "Fortunately we're both honorable men or you'd have woken naked this morning."   She squeaked as his hand moved over her breast.  "I've seen these.  They were very beautiful.  The rest of you can only be the same."

She blushed, shrugging.  "A woman does not consider herself beautiful or she's vain."

"Only if she goes too far with it," Volka offered.  He stroked over her back.  "If you're tired you should go back to your rest."

"I feel sticky," she admitted in a near-whisper.

"That's evidence of your pleasure," Volka said, nuzzling her neck. "You can taste yourself as well if you want to compare."  She gave him a horrified look.  "I'll take great pleasure with the first time I get to taste you, Ancelin.  Probably every time I taste you from that day onward."  She went bright red down onto her chest.  "You have no need to fear that day."

"He'll be very gentle," Chauvis promised.  "I'm not used to it so I'm a bit more forceful."  He kissed her again, moving his hand further down.  "May I?"  She let out a high pitched squeak but nodded.  "Thank you, Ancelin."  He stroked his way down to her center, teasing it in a different manner.  He slid two fingers into her as deep as he dared with her barrier still intact, thrusting them gently while his palm rubbed against her nub.  She arched into his hand, biting her lip.  "That's some of what it will feel like when we finally take that barrier from you," he said gently.   She shook, letting Volka soothe her while he played and taught her.  "Until then, we'll not go there."  He moved his fingers and she whimpered, clamping her thighs together.  "Shh, I'm not abandoning you."  He slid his hand forward.  Then back to her other entrance.  "Until you're ready on our wedding night we'll stick to touching and this entrance."  She shivered, clamping down on it when a slick finger entered her.  "It will feel just as good," he promised, taking another kiss.  His hand moved back to her nub, using two crossed fingers to play with it.  She stiffened in his arms and then went limp, panting hard.  "Good?"  She nodded, hiding her face in his neck.  He pulled a finger up to lick.  "You do taste good, Ancelin."  She hid her face further.  He let Volka lick his fingers.  "She tastes good."

"She tastes very good.  Some day that will be my breakfast of choice," he teased.  She blinked at him.  "When we get there, not today, Ancelin."  He gave her a squeeze around the center.  "Relax, rest and think for now."

"Should I touch you again?"

"Later," he promised.  "Remember, men only get one to women's many."  She nodded, snuggling in between them again, making him smile.  "Good girl."  He stroked down her hair until she fell asleep.  He let out a moan.  "Thank you."

"It's not a problem," he said, sharing a kiss with him.
 

***
 

Ancelin came down for dinner in a dress she knew Volka liked on her, earning a smile.  "I thought I'd get pretty today."

"You're pretty all the time.  In that you match my eyes," he teased.  She smiled but blushed a bit. He gave her a kiss, making her moan.  "How was your rest?"

"I read the new book you left me," she admitted quietly, smiling shyly at Chauvis.  "Good evening."

"Good evening."  He cuddled her from behind, kissing the back of her neck through her hair.  "Remember, we're already pleased with you," he whispered in her ear.  "Don't try too hard."  She nodded at that, letting his hands wander over her waist.  "Is that one that's built in or a dratted corset?"

Volka peeked at her chest.  "Built in I'd say."  She nodded.  "It shows you higher than your corsets do."  She whimpered.  "I did notice."  He took another kiss.  "Now, we should eat.  Cook made a near feast for us tonight since Vorchain's due in tomorrow."  She gave him a look.  "He always comes here when his mare's in heat.  It's due now so he'll be here tomorrow.  Otherwise he'd have to settle down while his mare raised her foal."  He smiled and led her to the table, sitting her between them.  She smiled before digging in.  "Eat, you'll need it to play with Spots tomorrow," he reminded her.  "We can talk later."

"If I don't want to talk?"

"Then we won't talk," Chauvis said, giving her a look.  She kissed him and he moaned.  "Working up your usual courage?"

"It's my body; it should be my choice, right?"

"Very true," he agreed.  "What did your choice include?"

"More like earlier?" she offered.  "Maybe another taste?"

Volka kissed her neck.  "Your wish and all that, Ancelin."  She beamed and finished dinner, making them eat more.  He laughed.  "We'll need our strength?"

"For watching me play with Spots," she teased.

"I think I'll need more energy to play with you than the cub."

"I don't pounce and chew on you, or lick Chauvis' hair for him."

"You'll pounce soon enough," Volka assured her gently, taking her hand to hold. He finished his dinner, waiting on her to finish hers.  It didn't take her long, she ate like a newborn most of the time. He added more food to her plate.  "That way you're not hungry later."  She gave him a look.  "You will be if you don't eat."  She nibbled on the rest of her dinner, finishing up last.  "Now, would you like to not talk on the sofa again or upstairs?"

"Would you explain some of the book to me?  They're using words that have double meanings but I'm not sure what the second one is."

"If you want," Chauvis said, smiling at her.  "Down here or up there?"

"I might be tempted to go further up there."

Volka kissed her on the ear.  "We'll go however far you want," he promised.

"If you're right and I might pounce you soon, that wouldn't be fair if I couldn't finish it."

"There's many things we can do," Chauvis reminded her.  "I do want to wait on that one until your wedding night.  Make it much more special."  She gave him a shy smile.  "Good.  Then that's settled.  Couch or bed?"

"Couch?"

"Library or the study?" Volka asked. "There's a nice, soft one in there. Very sturdy.  It's held a couple more than once while they played."  She giggled but blushed.  "Come on.  I'll show you."  He led her in there, stopping to get the old quilt.  She'd be more ashamed of herself if they did these things in the open.  After all, girls like her were taught to only do it in the dark, under covers, and with all the windows closed.  He'd have to work up to having her while they hunted sometime.  He settled in on the couch while she got her book and brought it back down.  Chauvis sat on the other end. "You're sure?"

"I'll get my share of attention when you can't explain something," he said smugly.

"If you want."  He covered them up, letting her snuggle into his chest.  She was just like a cat sometimes with how she stretched out against his side.  "Now, which ones?"  She opened up the book and he smiled when she pointed to a section.  "That is where we touched you," he told her.  "The whole area as opposed to one part."  She looked at him.  "Here."  He slid her skirt up, getting a blush because she hadn't been wearing anything underneath it.  A very wanton move for her.  "Feel how you come together?"  She nodded quickly.  "There's two sets.  An outer set of them and an inner set."  He stroked those.  She blushed brighter. "That's what that was talking about."  She turned the page, getting a grin from Chauvis and he didn't do anything else.  He smiled.  "That's where your pleasure happened."

"The wetness?"

"No, where, not what."  He touched her. "Here.  The wetness comes later."

"Literally," Chauvis agreed.  She looked confused.  "That's one way of saying that you've obtained pleasure, Ancelin."

"Oh!"  She nodded, going on.  "Is that like the horses?"

He read then nodded.  "Same position for the same reason.  It's one of many you can get into."  She blushed so hard he felt it through his shirt.  "I know you were instructed that good girls laid on their backs."

"My maid told me good girls closed their eyes and let their husband do whatever to them but we must not like it because men didn't like that."

"No man I know doesn't like it when his woman feels pleasure.  Chauvis?"

"Me either."  He shifted up to kiss her.  "All men like it when their women feel pleasure.  It makes us feel like we've accomplished more than a bare, basic, natural act."  He got a smile for that.  "Now any other words?"

"Vorchain's here!" Cook called.

Volka sighed.  "Of course he is."  He looked at her.  "He'll tease you if he finds you on top of me."

"Why?  All I'm doing is getting a hug."

"Good girl."

"Or I'll swat him."

Chauvis laughed.  "As she has many times."   He turned his head and sneezed.  "Sorry."

"It's as good a reason as any," Volka assured him, checking his forehead but Ancelin kissed it and hummed, getting up to get him some tea.  "She'll be fussing over you worse than Charlotte did when you nearly had your chest caved in."

"Hopefully without the lecture," he said grimly.

"We were all dumb this morning," Volka reminded him.  She came back with tea and Vorchain.  "No cub?"

"She's getting chicken pieces from Cook," he said, pulling a chair closer.  "What happened? You all look fairly pale and tired."

"The storm set a tree on fire behind the barn last night," Ancelin told him, handing Chauvis his tea.  "Here, you drink all that.  It's got some willow potion for your fever as well."  He groaned but took it anyway.  She climbed back in, resting against Chauvis' side.  He put the mug down and snuggled back in, making Volka move and put him between them instead.  "That should make you feel better."

"In many ways," he agreed, getting a pinch from her.  He smiled.  "Come here."  She snuggled into his side, getting comfortable.  "We all took a good wetting this  morning.  She was outside in a nightgown, dressing robe and shoes."

"They only had on pants," she told Vorchain, who shook his head with a moan.  "So we're making sure none of us caught our death yet."

"Good.  They could use fussed over."  He put his feet up on the table, smiling when Spots walked in with a bone in her mouth.  "Feel better, greedy?"  She hopped into his  lap, noticing the others.  She sniffled, dropped the bone on her father while she walked down his legs, across the coffee table, and under the blankets with them, wiggling and tail swishing the whole way.

"Grandmother would be most amused by this bed," Volka said dryly.  The cat stretched out on his stomach, letting Ancelin pet her side, and his.  He giggled at one spot.  "Ticklish."

"I'll have to remember that," she teased.

"He has a few of those spots," Chauvis offered.  He sneezed and the cat made grumbling noises.  "Was that a feline version of a bless you?  It was much appreciated."

"Most likely it was a complaint that you're keeping her from napping," Volka joked, petting the cat as well.

"What are you going to do when she goes into heat?" Chauvis asked.

"Cry," Vorchain assured him.  "Probably come back here then too so she doesn't mate with a house cat."

"Is that even possible?" Ancelin asked.  "There's a huge size difference."

"Some of the places I've traveled have had other large cats," Vorchain said with a smile.  "Now...."  He looked at the moving hands.  "She's being spoiled.  If she ever does mate she'll want to go back to the wilds with her husband."

"You knew she couldn't go back when you took her in," Chauvis told him.  "No hand- raised cat, even one raised by someone as wild as you, would ever fit in."

"She does protect herself still," Vorchain said happily.  "Nearly gutted a knight who pulled his bow to kill her.  His armor now needs some rust stains removed.  The French King was not amused."

"He's in?" Ancelin asked.

He nodded.  "For his son's wedding."  He handed over something.  "Cofostat said to give you that from Severtina and to let you know to stay here for the wedding.  The Queen didn't want to have to answer any awkward questions.  She thinks you might make amazons out of some of the French daughters as well."

"I am not.  I don't go steal men for farming and breeding purposes."  The cat shifted so she looked down at her.  "Comfortable?"  She got a feline yawn so she smiled and went back to petting her side, letting her other hand subtly caress Volka and Chauvis' laps for now.  She felt quite naughty today.  The cat licked that hand, getting another look under the blanket.  "He's not tasty, you can't lick him."  Volka moaned at that.  "She thinks your shirt smells like dinner."

"I did drop some on it," he admitted, looking down at the cat.  "Comfortable?"  He moved her hand, putting it onto him with a shared smile under the blankets.  She gave him a gentle squeeze but the did the nice thing and stroked him.  He put the blankets back down, fluffing them a bit.  "There, now you can breathe."  He looked at Vorchain.  "Did your mare find any stallions she liked?"

"I nearly had to knock one out to keep him off her," he said, pouting now.

"You'd better not hit my stallion," Ancelin said.

"No, mine's in the paddock. Yours is still safely in the barn."

"My mare killed a wolf pup the other day," Volka warned him.

"You should rename her Wolf Killer with how well she does it," Ancelin said, giving him another squeeze.  He smiled at her, shifting his body some.  The cat moved, trapping her hand under her head.  Her actions petted her as well.

"You're spoiling my cub," Vorchain complained.  "Quit petting her."

"No.  She's soft.  It's been days since she's had female attention."

"She draws quite a lot of women in the inns who like to pet her," he said dryly.  "I get more wenches now than I did before I got her."

"How is that possible?" Chauvis asked.  He sneezed again and the cat grumbled but got up and went to the other end of the couch.  Ancelin's hand laid where it was so he couldn't tell what she had been doing.

"If I didn't know her better I'd say she was playing with you two," Vorchain teased.

"She's my helper now," Volka told him.  He gaped.  "She's my helper and his intended.  Neither of us mind her cuddling up like she is.  Especially if she gets sick too."

"When did this happen?" he pouted.

"After the wedding," Volka said gently.

"The thought of killing another man made me ill," she said quietly, resting on Chauvis' side.  "Added to the fact that it seems to be a family tradition to help the current Volka of the Tower."

He smirked back at her.  "You fuss even better than my own mother did."  Vorchain looked confused.  "She found out her grandmother had served my father as his helper when I was very young."

"Interesting.  That's why you left after the wedding," he said, realizing it.  She nodded.  "Trying to see if it was fated or happenstance?"

"Basically."

"Hmm.  If it works for you I won't say anything.  Though I'm sure you'll be a very pretty bride for Chauvis someday soon.  That way he's less frustrated all the time."

"I don't need her for the frustration relief.  She frustrates me quite well," Chauvis assured him, shifting and getting her hand to himself since you couldn't tell what she was doing with the way the quilt bunched over his groin.  Volka gave him a look so he smirked back.  "It's my turn. You got petted like the cub earlier."

"Hmm.  We'll see who gets to pet you later."

Vorchain looked at her.  "You don't mind their thing?"

"Volka explained how it was like bonding to them.  I can't be jealous of that.  Though some day I would see it after we're married?" she suggested.

"If you wish," Volka agreed, smiling at her.  Chauvis was now bright red with his blush.  "Not on your wedding night."  He stroked over Chauvis' arm.  "Here, cuddle in to stay warmer."  He did that, leaving a good gap for Ancelin's hand to tease him.  "What other news did you bring, Vorchain?"

"Severtina was nearly crying over her last letter.  Said she'd have to buy a new dress.  You told her first?"

"I hinted it may be so," she said.  Not quite the truth but she knew if she was asking about sexual matters there was a permanent man in her life.

"We'll have to call Joseph up for the next meeting," Volka told them.  That got a nod from Chauvis and a blush from Ancelin.  "That way he can do the handfasting and the ceremony."

"Handfasting as well?" Vorchain asked, looking at them.  "Am I missing something?"

"Thanks to him being a priest, if they're known to be married it'll ruin her reputation," Volka told him.  Not quite a lie, it would.  Which is why the Cardinal and the Queen had given them that piece of advice.  "So she'll be handfasted to me and married to him but in public she'll be married to me."

"Interesting.  Huh.  Do you get spouse's rights?"

"I'm very possessive," he said dryly.  Vorchain cackled at that, nodding.

"This way I can go out in public to things like weddings with her and say her husband asked me to escort her because he couldn't come."

"Or I can get out more often," Volka agreed.

"Then my vision will come true some day and there'll be little Volkas running around," Vorchain teased.  "Plus at least one baby Chauvis?"

"Possibly," Ancelin told him.  "I'm not looking forward to becoming a baby making creature.  Perhaps one of each."  The men all smiled at her.  "What?"

"We'll make sure you get suitable breaks and only get pregnant when you ask," Chauvis told her.

"I can almost see it now," Vorchain said dryly.  "Her meeting you when you come back from hunting together, sniffling that a demon nearly took the baby.  Volka getting mad, demanding to know a name, and her saying 'no, a *demon* nearly took the baby but I banished it'."

"We'll have Joseph rebless the tower when the first one is on its way," Chauvis told Volka, who nodded.

"I can appreciate that.  We'll help even."  Ancelin snickered.  "That way they can't get in here."

"Is that what happened to Cofostat's children?" she asked quietly. "I didn't want to ask him or Severtina, I don't want to make them hurt more."

"No, the first wife went insane and took his two daughters with her when she killed herself," Chauvis said, pulling her closer to hold her.  "He nearly had another son from his third wife but he died of a fever when he was under a year."

"One of the guards got him from the practice field," Volka told her.  "They had heard screams from his house and his wife ranting.  He rushed in, finding them already gone and her with a knife in her hand.  She cursed him to evermore see spirits of the dead then stabbed herself.  Severtina showed up a few days later wet, tired, and sore.  She knew what had happened.  Her mother had sent her to watch over him against the spirits.  He thought she was one with how pale she was. She rushed in, cleaned the house of the bad spirits, cleaned the house completely after that, and got him back to functioning."

"It was good of her," she agreed.  "Very good for him."

"It is," Chauvis agreed.  "I'm not sure why he hasn't married her."

"He's probably scared something will happen to her.  One goes mad, one supposedly dies, one does die of the same fever that took her son.  The other hears rumors of a curse and asks for an annulment four days after the wedding.  He must think it can only hurt her."

"Or they're satisfied with what they have," Ancelin pointed out.  "Some women only need to know that they're loved.  Their vows are private to them, in their hearts."

"Awww," Vorchain said.  Chauvis picked up a book and threw it at him.  "You must be sick, that was a weak throw."  He had to duck hers, making him walk off laughing.

The cub lifted her head from under the blanket to growl at them.  "You, go sleep upstairs to warm that bed up."  She huffed, going up to do that.  Volka smiled.  'She does take orders like a woman."

"For that I'm going to cuddle him instead," Ancelin teased, sticking her tongue out at him.

He captured her head and kissed her, using that tongue as well.  She moaned and shifted against him.  "He would enjoy that and so would I.  It's a weak threat."  He gave her a nudge.  "Kiss your intended, let him feel loved tonight."  She kissed Chauvis, making him clutch her tightly against his body.  Volka didn't mind being under them, his hands got to roam all they wanted.  Though she did have bony hipbones so he had to shift her some.  One of her legs went around Chauvis' hips.  "That's dangerous territory," Volka warned her.

"I can keep it at this level," Chauvis promised, reaching down to tease her.  She squealed but he covered her mouth with his again, letting him do whatever he wanted while she panted against his lips.  Volka tipped her head so it landed against his neck instead, letting her muffle it by kissing and playing with the skin there. She finally came with a whimper and he smiled, cleaning off his fingers.  "Better?"  She nodded, blinking sleepily at him.  "Someone's tired."

"I'm comfortable."

"I make a good pillow," Volka agreed. He stroked her back, letting her nap it off.  He took his own kiss, smirking at him.  "Need help?"

He unwound himself from her thighs and nodded. "I could use a hand or a mouth."

Vorchain leaned in.  "You two are teaching her what to do while she naps?"

"Go away," Chauvis told him. "She's safely asleep.  Anything she needs taught about taking care of a husband I can easily teach her."

"Fine.  Since she has my room I'll use yours."  He went up there. It was nearly on the other end of the hallway but that meant he couldn't be kept up by Volka and Chauvis playing with each other.  They did get loud now and then.

Chapter Sixteen.
 

Joseph came riding up a week after Vorchain left, dismounting in the yard.  "Volka!" he yelled.  "I've got news."

"Of course it's bad, because it always is," Volka said from the study.  "In here, Joseph."  He stomped in.  "What sort of bad news is it?"

"The kind where we need a virgin to fight it."

Volka looked at Ancelin.  "It's not been your wedding night yet, right?"  She shook her head, turning the page, hiding the blush behind the book.

Joseph relaxed.  "A full one, untouched?"

She looked at him.  "Why are the demonic so concerned with the amount of purity I have left?"

"Because it's easiest fought by someone who's never had a thought."

"Her future spouse has touched but not gotten farther than that yet," Volka admitted.

"Which of you?" he asked, staring him down.

"Both of us," he admitted.

"Why are the court of the demonic so concerned?" she asked again. "Pure is still pure."

"Children and those with no knowledge of it are purer.  Like some water is mostly pure if it's never had fish in it or slightly less pure if it does," Volka told her.  She nodded at that, putting her book down.  "Ah!"  She used a bookmark this time.  "I hate it when Chauvis does that as well."

"Yes, Volka."

"Thank you."

Joseph snickered.  "She'll get you back for that later.  I heard she spanks hard."

"Not nearly as hard as Chauvis does," she said grimly.  "What do you need me to help you fight?"

He looked at her then at Volka.  "Mayhap she could be a witch?"

"Her grandmother was," he admitted, leaning back.  "As it turns out her grandmother was helper to my father."

"Interesting how those things work," he said, considering it.  He put down the notice.  "It's looking for her then went quiet."

"Hmm."  He looked it over then nodded.  "Ancelin?"  She came over to look over his shoulder.  "Chauvis!"  He came in from the kitchen.  "There's another after her virginity."

"We're being married soon," he said grimly.

"The next meeting?  So everyone's here?" she suggested.  "Or now since he's here now?"

"No, we need you pure to fight this," Joseph told her.  "Yours leaving would mean we'd have to find another virgin.  Getting a nun to agree is often as frustrating as dealing with another priest who has not a clue what he's talking about is."

"With the way they hunt for them you'd think them rare," she said dryly.  Volka snickered.  "You would!"

"It's something precious that Satan's minions covet since they lost their own," Chauvis said, taking the note.  She took it back.  "Sorry, not finished?"

"No, reading that lady's handwriting has often been hard.  Do we travel back or have them sent here?"

"No battles here," Volka told her.  "Now, at the spring...."  Joseph smirked at that.  "You had that planned?"

"I did.  I told him in ten days hence. We had to get her there.  He agreed."

"Who does he have?" Ancelin asked.

"No one. He's smirking at all the impure daughters at court.  I've driven him from the city and he's slowly wenching his way this way."

"Did you describe him to the inns?" Chauvis asked.

Joseph nodded. "I have.  That way he cannot get respite and pleasure there.  They promised to spread it to the other road's inns as well."  He looked at her.  "You might want to were something less fetching."

"I asked her to be pretty today," Volka admitted.  "Go put on riding clothes, Ancelin.  It'll take us two days to get there.  We've already wasted three."

"Pack something pretty as well.  He'll underestimate you.  Even though many of the ladies have told him you could fight," Joseph told her.

"I don't have anything pretty that I can fight in."

"Wear the blue cotton dress," Volka offered. "It's not got the stays built in and you won't have to wear a corset."  She nodded, going to do that.  He looked at Joseph.  "That does bring up a point.  Someone will have to marry her and Chauvis soon, and then handfast us."

"Vorchain's prophecy came true?"

Chauvis nodded.  "It has.  Nearly.  We're still waiting on the wedding night."

"Impatient, aren't we?" Joseph teased.

"No, I have patience."  He watched her walk back past the door, tipping his head.  "Was she unfettered?"

"Very," Volka said, wiping off his mouth.  "Put on a jacket or a shirt over that, Ancelin!"  No answer so he took off his, checking it to make sure it was fine before going to make her put it on.  She stared at his chest, making him kiss her for the open appreciation.  "You may not ride through civilization in that vest without a shirt on," he noted.  "You nearly hang out of it, woman."  He put the shirt on her then went to pack his own bag.  "Your saddlebag?"

"I'll grab it in a moment.  I'll have room for books."

"No you won't.  Pack something pretty and we'll celebrate when it's gone."

"Yes, Volka."  She went to do that, coming back down to snatch some food from the kitchen, kissing Cook on the cheek.  "Are you feeling well?  You feel warm."

"I was stuffing the fires," she said, giving her a pat.  "I'm fine, Ancelin."  She nodded, going back out to her stallion.  She shook her head.  "I'll make sure the stable boy comes and stays tonight," she told Volka when he walked through with his saddle bags, Joseph and Chauvis behind him with their own.  "She stole food already," she said when Volka grabbed an apple.

"I'm hungry now," he complained, smiling at her.  "I'll see you in a few days.  We're going to the spring."  She nodded at that.  He tied his bags on behind his saddle, getting up into it.  Joseph remounted.  "Do you want to stay?"

"You'll need me," he pointed out, heading off at a trot down the pathway.

"He takes that much faster than I do," Volka complained.  "Come on, people."  They mounted up and Ancelin waved, visually checking her mare for the moment.  She was surely gravid this time.  They rode down the path of the mountain.  "Joseph, the spring is in the other direction!" he bellowed.  He nodded, taking the other switchback to go across the border.  He sighed.  "Must make them maps," he muttered. "My own children will likely get lost in the tower itself since I have such good sense of direction."  Ancelin rode up next to him, pulling his reins when he went the wrong way.  "She was doing the steering."

"Apparently she wanted to go play with Cofostat's horses."  She trotted after Joseph, letting her men appreciate the view.  She knew they were.

"When did she put her bow and sword on the saddle?" Volka asked Chauvis.

"While you were putting your shirt on her," he said dryly, smirking at him.  "If anyone asks, we're going hunting."

"We are.  Just the demonic instead of a deer."   He made his horse go faster.  It was a long trip to the holy spring.  Fortunately he had a good view of her posting with her horse's trot.  "Those breeches should be declared obscene," he told himself.  "I thought I got those back from her."

"She stole them back the last washing day," Chauvis said.

"You read minds now too?"

"Watching where you were looking.  Think she put on a breech cloth too since she wasn't wearing a shift?"

Volka whimpered.  "I'll find out tonight."

"We."

"We," he agreed.  He watched as she put up her hair again, this time hiding it under a cap she had also taken from his room.  "Hmm.  Not a very good disguise."

"She didn't bind it up, as you've asked repeatedly.  What is it with your like of her hair?"

"I know not," he sighed.  "I simply like seeing it down."

"Want me to grow mine?" Chauvis teased.

"No, you need a trim.  Maybe it's how I tell the difference between  you two by touch."  He  shrugged it off, making his mare go faster to catch up.  His view was getting too far ahead of them.
 

***
 

"There you are," a male voice said from the woods.

"I thought perhaps I'd have to start calling 'oh whoa is me, I'm a helpless damsel in distress' to get your attention," she said grimly, staring at him.  He was handsome.  Dark haired.  Green eyes.  A demeanor she had seen on many squires in her day; those were the ones she had liked to trip and make fun of best.  He was a few inches above her height.  Overall, not the sort of impressive look she thought a true demon would have.  "Are you enjoying your staring?" she asked bluntly when he didn't come any closer.

"I can feel the capturing circle around you, girl.  The same as I can scent where you're not fully pure anymore."

"I'm about to be married.  I can kiss my husband if I wish."

He laughed.  "I know what you've done."  He smirked.  "The same as I know that the instant I walk inside the circle you'll drop that stick to finish the figure off."

She looked at the stick in her hand, shaking her head at him.  "No.  Volka only let me have this as a weapon.  He wouldn't let me have my sword."

"A girl such as you?  Even with those rumors of you being a very manly woman...."  He sniffed again.  "I smell adultery?"

"No, you smell the one I'd be handfasted to as well.  Can we get on with this?  You're interrupting my beauty sleep and my intendeds would get upset at that.  They like to watch me sleep and get prettier every night."

"If you'd come out of the capturing circle."

"You speak nonsense.  Do you see a diagram in the lay of the stones, leaves, or sticks?"  She stepped closer.  "There, better?"  He lunged and she hit him with the stick, then pulled her bodice dagger and engaged him with a shriek.  "I will not have you touching another female.  We're too precious for the likes of you!"  She got him on the arm, making him back up into the real trap.  He hadn't felt it because of the holy ground.  She got him onto it and Volka snapped, taking over.  She panted, leaning against a tree.   "Get him in the man parts for me once please?" she called.  Volka shrugged and did that, making him squeal like their pig at feeding time.  "Thank you."  She handed the dagger to Chauvis and Joseph.  "His blood?"

"Thank you, m'lady," Joseph said with a smirk.  "You really do like doing that to men, don't you?"

"It serves them right for not treating women right.  That's one of the main ways we're hurt."  She added some of her blood when Chauvis handed her a clean dagger, letting him do what he had to do.  The banishing potion was finally done and she looked out there.  "Volka, now!"  He stabbed, driving the demon back into Chauvis, who hit him with the plate they had been mixing the potion on.  The demon screamed, swatting at him, eventually knocking him into a tree.  "How dare you!"  She grabbed Joseph's sword and headed out there to kill him herself.  "No one touches what's mine!" she shouted, taking on his abused, sore body until she got him in the heart.  She forced the sword back out, sneering at him.  "Let's see how your masters treat you in hell when you come back as a regular sort instead of a servant."   She handed Joseph his sword, going over to help Chauvis.  "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine," he panted.  "Only bruised."

She looked at him.  "If you lie to me I will tell Charlotte and Severtina."

"I'm not.  I wouldn't do it even without the threat.  You might make me sleep with the cub instead of you."  He let her check his arm and side, then his head.

"Is he all right, Ancelin?" Volka asked.

"Just bruised.  A bit of a bump on his head."  She kissed it, earning a smile.  "My mother always did it to me when I had bumps."

"That's the perfect cure for them," he agreed, giving her a hug.  Volka finally spit on the demon.  "He gone?"

"Dead.  The banishing potion wasn't quite strong enough."

"Is that my fault?" she asked.

"No, it's where we used dried herbs instead of fresh," Joseph assured her.  "Now, I believe we were talking about a wedding and a handfasting?"

"Would the others pout if they weren't there?" Volka asked Chauvis, who nodded.  "Ancelin?"

She shrugged.  "I leave it up to you.  It matters not to me whether we keep moving slowly or not."  She came over to check Volka over, getting under his shirt to check his chest.  He moaned and caught her hands, removing them.  "I wanted to make sure there weren't any bumps for me to kiss better."

He kissed her instead.  "No bumps or scratches.  Yours?"

"He didn't touch me."  She smiled.  "He tried once, got my sleeve."  He smiled, rolling it up to check her over.

Joseph turned away from the groping.  "We'll be at the well itself, join us, Volka."  He walked Chauvis off. "They're cute.  She might break his possessive streak."

"Mayhap," he agreed happily.  "I doubt it though.  He told the queen and cardinal that we were both his."  Joseph laughed at that.  "He did.  You're sure you can do this for us?"

"I have no problem with that," he promised, clapping him on the back, seeing the wince.  "I see your wedding night will be waiting a few days."

"Until we get home," Volka agreed.  He looked at him.  "Bruised?"

"I hit the tree," he admitted.

"I saw that.  She's very fierce in her protection of you."   She swatted him.  "Thank you for that new bruise."

"It'll give her something to kiss better," Joseph joked.  He turned in front of the well.  "Do not touch it, Ancelin.   Only men can touch the well while women can touch the spring that feeds it."  She nodded, standing between her men.  Joseph looked up then at them.  "Chauvis, do you take her as your God-given wife?  To honor, cherish, and try to make her obey?"

"I do, though it can be a hard job now and then."

Joseph smirked at her.  "Do you take Chauvis as your God-given husband?  To obey, honor, and love?"

"I can't promise to always obey but I do."

Volka laughed.  "You'll obey when it's important," he assured her.  She nodded at that.  "I'll vow to help them when their marriage hits difficulties."

"Good.  Rings?"  Volka winced at that. "That's fine.  For now we'll leave that part off until you get home.  I'll bless them there."  He laid a hand on both Ancelin's and Chauvis' heads, saying a prayer over them.  He stepped back.  "By the power vested in me by God in this holy spot, he has heard your vows and sealed the promises into your hearts.  Should you break them, his punishment will show no mercy."  They nodded.  "Then I pronounce you married."  They kissed, a mostly chaste kiss.  Joseph coughed to break them up.  "Ancelin, take Volka's hand."  She did that. "Do you swear to God that you have good intentions for her, to take care of her, to provide for her as is proper, and to nourish your future relationship as you will your future children?"

"I do so vow," he agreed.

"Ancelin, do you swear to God that you have good intentions toward him, you'll take care of him, provide for him as only a wife can, to nourish him, your relationship, and your future children?"

"I do so vow."

"Then I pronounce you handfasted, again in this sacred spot so breaking of the vows is going to bring swift, severe punishment.  You are his helper and near-wife.   He is your Lord and Master.  Chauvis is your husband, a different Lord and Master."  She tipped her head in acknowledgment.  "Good.  Now you can kiss that one."  She did that and he smiled.  "Good.  Let's go back to the inn."  They nodded, following him off.  She didn't even look at the well.  It spoke well of her maturity.  They went back to the inn, settling in for the night.  Joseph went to trade stories with the men by the fireplace, his collar giving him extra credence when he told some outrageous things Vorchain had done.  When the local priest came in he warned him they had taken a demon out there to banish him from life, getting a nod.  He also noted the marriage he had performed.  It got a smile.  Volka came down an hour later.  "Can't sleep?"

"She snores too loudly tonight.  Her cold is coming back.  Can I get a warmed rock?"  The innkeeper got him one, letting him put that in her bed to soothe her chills and snoring.

Joseph smiled.  "She's a fierce woman."

"She must be for someone like Volka to take her that way," the innkeeper said with a smug look.  "I saw Father Chauvis?"

"No longer a father.  He tired of the battles.  Now he's doing research in Volka's library."  That got a few laughs.  "I took over his spot.  I'm Joseph."

"Well met, Joseph.  When we have problems we'll send to the tower for Volka and if he needs you he'll summon you."

"As he often does," he agreed, earning a smile.  "I should retire for the night.  Have good sleeps."

"You as well, Father."  He watched him walk up there.  "I remember him when he was a lad," the innkeeper sighed.  "Always with the rescuing of Vorchain."

One of the men looked over.  "He really knows the albino?"

"Aye.  They've both bunked here a number of times.  Father Chauvis blessed the inn when I had to rebuild it after a storm.  It was Volka he married tonight at the spring."

That got some happier men who ordered another round to toast the sleeping groom.
 

***
 

Ancelin walked into the dress shop a few days later.  "Sorry I'm late to pick them up."

"I figured you had forgotten," she said dryly.  She looked her over.  All in black.  Hair bound up.  "Who died?"

"Cook.  It appears a fever took her while we were off with a problem."

That got a nod.  "That's a good reason to be late.  She's buried?"

"In her village," she agreed.  "We did that for her yesterday."  She took the four wrapped bundles.  "Do I owe you more?"

"No, Ancelin."  She looked at her hair.  "Is that a show of respect?"  Volka walked in.  "Out of shirts again?"

"No, finding my wife," he said dryly.  That got an awed look.  He shrugged.  "She can keep up with me and I can finish teaching her fencing."  He looked at her, then held up something.   "Think that would fit?"  She smiled at the simple band.  He slid it on, then nodded.  "That's the right size.  Meet me there in ten minutes?"

"Of course."  He smiled before walking out.  "He's spoiling me horribly."

"As a good husband will in that first year," she agreed.  "Go.  It looks like he's picking your ring.  Sudden marriage?  Need more dresses altered?"

She blushed but shook her head.  "No, not at this time.  I have some of the others still up there that'll do for that if and when I do.  At this time only our mares are pregnant by my horse."  That got a laugh.  "He decided that I was his after something threatened me."  That was the story they had decided on.

"Awww."  She smiled.  "Go, let him spoil you."

She nodded, going out to put the bundles in the cart they had pulled down to gather supplies in.  She walked over to where he was waiting, looking around.  "I had to put the clothes down."

"I know."  He pulled her inside the small tent, holding up something closer to her eyes.  "Not that one."  He held up another one just out of her sight.  Then a third.  That got a nod from him and he paid the stallkeeper, getting a smile when he picked up her hand and slid the ring on.  "There.  The final jewelry you spoke of."

She looked at it then at him, smiling.  "It's a bit big. You didn't have to be that extravagant."

"Hush, wife."  He kissed her, making her smile.  "Does it fit?"

"It's a bit loose but my hands will swell throughout the day anyway."

"Good."  He checked it.  "Will this do?" he asked the stallkeeper, who checked and shook his head, getting him the same ring in a smaller size.  That was too small so he fixed it up for him, waving them off.  Volka smiled, walking her out on his arm.  "There.  Now, we have to get food.  The others are coming at the end of the month and we'll need more horse food too."

"We did bring the cart."  She went to get it, her stallion not being pleased at pulling it in the least.  "If you hadn't dallied with the mares they could be but you did.  Now you have to pay the price."  She looked at the bundles then at a child nearby looking at her clothes.  She coughed and pointed.

Volka came back.  "I'm telling your mother."  The clothes were put back into the cart, thrown really.  A few more were gathered by someone and handed over as well.  "Thank you.  I'm sure she wanted to look at the pretty colors."

"Probably."  She looked at Ancelin, then at her hand, then at him.  "A wedding and a funeral?"

"Cook died.  We were married after I took out something threatening her.  We came home to find her succumbed."  That got a nod and a pat on the arm.  "Thank you."  Ancelin looked then nodded at one of the boys up the row of tents who was wearing her dress and prancing around.  "She does that so much better," he said, making the mother turn, then shriek and go beat her friend's child.  The rest of the clothes came back and the boy was drug off to the priest for correction.  "Maybe he'll be a bard," he called after her.

"Hold your tongue on those bad thoughts!" she yelled back.

He walked her and the cart off laughing, letting her get in there to fold things up again.  Six more chickens, another barrel of horse food to hold down the clothes, some vegetables, and a small package of honey treats because she was spoiling herself, and they were done.  He drove them out of the village but let her drive once they were clear of it.  "You're getting better."

"He hates pulling the cart so he's going slowly.  Little does he know it makes it a longer trip," she called.  "Longer before he gets fed too."  The horse kept plodding along, making her shake her head.  Volka kissed her, earning a smile.  "Thank you, kind husband," she teased.

"Welcome, my lady wife."  He kissed her again, making her blush.  "I know you're used to us doing that at home but now and then being outside can be fun."

"After you've given me my wedding night," she teased.

"Granted.  We're trying to avoid your fertile time so you don't get pregnant this month."

"Severtina got me herbs to help with that."

"Hmm. We'll make sure they work next month.  For now we'll work on getting you ready.  Take you the other way the first time so you get used to us," he said in her ear, making her go bright red but smile at him.  "Tonight?"

"Is it too soon?"

"She'd smack me if I let this interfere with my marriage bed for more than a few nights," he promised.  She nodded, smiling at him.  He looked at the load.  The chickens were fairly quiet.  "Plodding works for the meat beasts and your dresses."

"I can always wash and iron them if they need it.  I'm not helpless.  What do you want me to fix for dinner tonight?"

"Fix something to tempt Chauvis to quit pouting."  She nodded at that, giving him a look.  "That's my wife," he teased, running a hand up her back, making her swat at him. "You are mine to touch."

"I may be but not out here!" she said, sounding scandalized.  "We're on the road.  Anyone could pass."

"You're my wife.  They'd expect me to touch you, Ancelin."  He nibbled on her ear, making her swat him again.  "Fine, I'll wait until we're on the mountain pass."  She nodded, letting him see the carriage coming their way.  He nodded politely at the driver. "Here, let me speed the lazy one up."  He flicked the reins and the stallion stopped totally.  "That was not what I meant and you know it, horse."

"Move, now," Ancelin warned.  He neighed but went on.  "I swear I'm going to make you stay away from the mares at home for doing this."  She flicked the reins and that got him to speed up more.  "Thank you."  Volka laughed.  "He's being stubborn."

"Like mistress like horse," he teased.

She looked at him. "I'm told I reside with two who make me seem sweet and innocent when they have mischief in mind."

"Now and then," he admitted, trying to sound innocent.  Another carriage came their way.  "Looks like the diplomats are finally leaving."

"It's been almost three months since the princess' wedding.  They had to greet them on their way back from their honeymoon."  She nodded politely at the driver because she recognized him.  He stopped the carriage when the man inside yelled.  "Yes, Sir Gallen?"  She halted her horse, turning to look at him.  "Is there a problem?"

"Ancelin?"  She nodded.  "Who died?"

"Volka's cook," she said.  "Have you met Volka?  My husband?"

He blinked then stared at him.  "You've got a handful."

"I've taken advice from Cofostat," he joked, getting a laugh.  He shook his hand.  "I man the tower up there."

"I'll have to remember that.  Ancelin, are you coming in for the season?"

"Perhaps some of it but not all of it this year," she said.  "Before you ask, the Queen does know.  I told her I was considering him at Cofostat the Younger's wedding."

"Ah.  We wondered why she had summoned the cardinal and Father Chauvis."

"He's retired," Volka told him.  "He's studying in my library."

"So old friends."  That got a nod.  "Good.  What did she say about your titles?"

"Nothing yet.  I haven't asked her.  Technically I'd have to take him back to Greece to do that.  Perhaps we'll do that instead of coming for season."  That got a nod and he got back into his carriage.  "Have fun on the diplomatic trip?"

"You hush, woman.  I have more important things to do, but we'll be seeing you there if you go soon."

"Hmm.  I'll think on it," she promised.  That got a nod and they rode on.  She flicked the reins, letting him have them back when another carriage, this time a royal one, came barreling their way.  "Must be the second prince," she muttered.  He nodded and bowed when it got closer.  Fortunately they could get up the mountain pass fairly quickly.  "Did you want me to present you?  Since my cousins have no heirs the title and lands would stay mine."

"It's up to you, Ancelin.  You know it doesn't matter to me."

"Now and then it makes things easier," she pointed out.  "One of the others could easily say they're being sent with a message from me to someone higher born if they're stopped at a border and they shouldn't tell what their real mission was."

"That's one good point," he admitted.

"Another is that my cousins are both older and have been working the farm themselves.  I don't think anyone lives in the old house.  There's no telling what Grandmother put in there."

He smiled.  "We can go if you want."

"All of us?"

"All of us," he agreed, kissing her.  She smiled and cuddled under his arm.  They took another switchback up, hiding them from both sides.  He let the horse rest, kissing her deeply.  She moaned, clutching his shirt.  "Later tonight I'll be seeing you naked and you us.  Are you ready for that step?"  She let out a small squeak.  "We'll see."  She nodded.  "Let's go," he called. The stallion went on again.  He wanted his mares and his stable.  They made it up there still kissing, making Chauvis shake his head as he came out. "She's very tasty."

"She is," Chauvis agreed.  "Who were all the carriages?"

"A diplomatic mission," Ancelin told him.  "Would you like to go to Greece with us?"

"I had forgotten about your title."

"Plus Grandmother's library."

He smiled and nodded.  "I could like that."  He hefted the barrel of food.  "You two can help me."  She got down to move the chickens while Volka got the clothes that were spread around the bed.  "They spring open?"

"One of the children wanted to see.  One of the boys is apparently going to be a bard.  His mother's friend caught him wearing one."  Chauvis winced at that.  "She drug him to the priest in the village."  He took another armful inside and up to her room.  Then he came down to unload things for the kitchen.  He held up the honey treats.  "I did not see these being snuck in."  She jumped, trying to get it but he held it above her head.  "I don't know, Chauvis, should I let her have some since she had to introduce me to one of the knights?"

"She does like to kick," he said, leaning on the side of the cart.  The stallion grunted.  "If I undo you will you not bite this time?"  He undid the harness then the bridle, letting him go free.  The horse headed for his paddock and his mares, nuzzling them. He turned and found Ancelin still trying to jump for her treats.  "Volka, that's mean.  She'll poison us for dinner."

"I promised we could do more tonight."  He stared at her.  "I have a proposition for you."

"Which is?" she asked, finally getting her treats, sticking them in her pocket.

"There is an ancient site to my ancestors under Rome.  We'll visit it?"  She nodded, smiling at that.  "I'll get to introduce you to them," he teased.

"They'll give you nightmares for not marrying someone softer," she teased back.

"Not likely.  Not with my ancestors.  My mother was farm bred."  He kissed her.  "We could make the wedding night special?" he offered, kissing her again, holding her cheeks so he could keep her nearby.

"You only had to ask, not talk me into it."  He smiled and nodded, kissing her again.  She pulled back. "You take more than your fair share," she teased, turning to kiss Chauvis, making him moan and go limp against her chest.  "You should have your share."

"I do get my share," he said with a smile.  He heard horses.  "Who now?" he complained.  He kissed her again then let her go.  Cofostat the Younger rode up with his father behind him.  "Guarding the entourage to the border?"

"I'm supposed to get her to bring her with us," Cofostat admitted.

"We were planning on traveling that way anyway," Volka promised, smiling at him.  "How goes the new grandchild, Younger?"

"Fairly well," he said smugly.  "Even if Severtina thinks it a girl."

"I'll gladly help teach her," Ancelin offered.

"I think I can teach my own granddaughter how to defend herself," Cofostat said with a stare at her.  She shrugged.  He stared, noticing the new piece of jewelry.  "Interesting."

"It's a longish story," Chauvis said.  "Must we leave right now?"

"By the day after tomorrow."  He got down, letting his horse loose once he had him free of tack.  His son did the same, letting her walk them inside then go make tea.  "Cook?"

"Died by the time we had gotten back from banishing the demon who came for her at court," Volka said grimly.  "We buried her yesterday."

"I'm sorry to hear that."

The Younger looked at them both.  "Which one did she marry?"  Chauvis held up his hand.  "Yet she was staring at Volka?"

"We're handfasted," Volka admitted, sitting down with a groan.  "Her stallion does hate pulling the cart."

"I don't much blame him," he offered.  Chauvis sat down, stretching out.  "Long morning?"

"Picking fruit for her to can."

"I'm sure she can do that before we leave," Cofostat told him.  She came out with tea.  He stopped her.  "So what happened?"

"Vorchain's vision meant they didn't have to duel over their feelings," she said with an impish smile, making Chauvis pull her into his lap.  "Chauvis!"

"Behave," Volka ordered but he was giving her a tolerant smile.  He looked at Cofostat.  "By the court's knowledge she's married to me so her marriage to him won't ruin her reputation.  Vorchain's vision said that she'd also be bearing my heir for me."

"So, for all intents, she's got two husbands like some Middle Eastern kings?" Younger asked.  His father swatted him. "Sorry, Father."

"I understand.  It is much to take in."

"For her too," Younger joked and she pinched him, making him yelp.  "Wench!"

"You hush.  We've barely been married for four days."

"No wedding night yet?" he teased.

"No, we're waiting until the trip."  That got a smile from the Elder and Chauvis giving him a funny look.  "Not that we can't cuddle her until then," he amended.  "I've promised to sate her incredible curiosity about the male form tonight."

"I could like that."  He smiled at her.  "Are you sure?  It'll be a few days."

"We're nowhere near there yet," she assured him, giving him a kiss.  He smiled and nodded. "Even if most girls do get it snuck in on them."

"My wife nearly ripped my clothes off me," Younger admitted. "Well, at least she'll have some new gossip."

"You can't gossip about the group," Volka said firmly.

"No but I can tell the wife that you married the amazon wench there."  She twisted his ear, making him yelp in pain.  "Sorry!"  She let it go.

She smirked at him.  "I had a thought last night.  The next generation are Joseph's children, possibly one of Vorchain's children, and any others who they find.  That means we'll be elder statesmen of the group eventually."

Younger gave her an odd look then looked at Volka.  "I was instructed it was a husband's job to make sure his wife stayed sane and away from bad thoughts that would make others hurt."

"I'll spank her later," Chauvis said, patting her on the back.  "Truly a bad thought, Ancelin."  She smiled sweetly.

"I'll make sure Joseph's triplets are trained as well so she only has to do any she bears," Cofostat the elder assured Volka, who nodded at that.

"Who needed to see me in Greece?"

"The second son's marrying their daughter," Cofostat the Younger told her.

"We nearly got run over by his carriage on the way back from the market," she admitted.  "I talked to Sir Gallen and he didn't say anything."

"The Queen told me in person.  She was going to present what happened and make sure your cousins had no heirs.  Plus give you a chance to present your spouse.  You were asked to attend the wedding since it's your people."

"If they don't mind I don't."

"At least you have a lot of new, pretty dresses," Chauvis teased.  She poked him, giving him a look.  "What is the current fashion in Greece?"

"The Queen packed many things with tighter sleeves but looser clothing because it's warmer down there," Younger told him.

"I got some of our styles and some from the next kingdom when the dressmaker remade some of mine," Ancelin said.  "Anyone want me to wear something specific?"

"Other than black," Cofostat the Younger ordered.  "They're on the sea."  He followed her up there, looking at the new dresses  "That's what they wear across the border?"  She nodded.  "Well, you can change now if you wouldn't mind.  We've all seen a lot of black recently.  One of the king's young granddaughters fell during a riding lesson."  She nodded, going into the bathing chamber to change into a different dress.  She came out tying the strings on the bottom, making him gape.  "I thought the dress you wore to your sister's wedding was low cut."  He opened the door.  "Go show Volka."

"Check the two blue ones, the green one, and the cream one?"  He nodded, waving her off while he packed for her.  She came down the stairs, making Volka and Chauvis both stare with their mouths open.  "Too low cut?"

"It shows you well," Volka said, swallowing.

"She's married now, she's allowed to wear that in court."  He smiled.  "It does suit you color-wise."  His son came down with two bags.  "You done fussing over her clothes?"

"A cream, two blue, a green one, a lighter green one, and the one pink one."  She gave him an odd look so he held it up.  She rolled her eyes.  "It'll look darling on you.  Two nightgowns, a pair of breeches and shirt in case you need it.  A corset, a shift, and three of your simpler, good dresses.  Not the peasant ones."  He sat down again.  "If that's the fashion over there maybe I'll bring the wife once she's given birth.  She's complained that her tops are getting tight already."  His father smacked him again. "Ow!  Severtina said it's normal!"

"I didn't need to know that about your wife, son."  She came over, sitting between her men, her bare feet curled up against Chauvis' thigh.  "So, demon?"

"The one who came looking for her," Volka agreed.  "Joseph told him to meet us at the spring and he did.  The banishing potion was a bit weak because of the dried herbs but we managed to end him."  That got a nod of understanding.  Ancelin got up, heading into the kitchen.  "Fix whatever you want."

"I  planned on it," she called.  She heard the laughs but got to work on their dinner.  It was her duty now.  That and dusting the place. She came out.  "Who'll hold the tower secure while we're gone?"

Younger waved a hand.  "My wife's not due for six months.  I can do it and miss all the sickness parts."  That got a nod and she went back in there. "How has married life been going, Father?"

"I retired," he reminded him.

"I heard.  I also saw Joseph hunting for a birthing day present for Shaun."  That got a smirk back.  "He's about to head home for a few weeks.  His mother summoned him."  That got a nod.  "We think his mother is tired of waiting on grandchildren."

"He's got six brothers and four sisters," Volka told him.  "There's no shortage of grandchildren for her to dote on."

"My wife will never have that many children.  Eleven?"

"Joseph's mother had fifteen," Chauvis told him.  "Many women do.  Noble women keep it down to four or five."

"We're planning on two or maybe three sometime later in our lives."  That got a smirk from the older one.  "One heir for each of us."

"With your luck it'll be like Vorchain's children, all daughters," Younger said dryly.

"Don't wish that many children on me," she called.

"We won't," Cofostat the Elder agreed.  He looked at Chauvis.  "I do hope you have a normal son who won't mouth off to you."

"I'm sure his mother will cure that problem," he said smugly.

"No, then he'd be just like her," he reminded him.

"Or her horse," Volka offered.  Chauvis threw a pillow at him, getting a smile.  "They'll be headstrong because we all are."

"We'll make sure they know who they can speak back to and who they can't," he promised.  "We'll start them before they can talk."  She came out giving him an odd look.  "With your luck, the child will smart off to the king."

"I climbed him like a tree and pelted questions at him for over an hour before someone found me doing so," she told him.  "He only laughed and said that my mind should be encouraged open further."  She smiled at them.  "They'll be smart, stubborn, and beautiful, like Chauvis is."  She made it back into the kitchen before Volka could pounce her, but he went in there to pounce her anyway, making her squeal and laugh.

Cofostat the Elder looked at Chauvis.  "A word of advice.  Spanking your wife is different than spanking your son or student.  They'll pout but a wife will not only pout, she'll throw things around, lock you out of your own room, and make your life miserable," he said quietly.  "Sons and students can only pout."

Chauvis nodded.  "So I've been told."  She squealed again.  "Some of us are hungry for more than the wife," he called.

Volka came out looking smug.  "All the children will be as pretty as I am."

Chauvis pulled him down to spank him, making him laugh but finally try to get free.  "Quit, now.  They may be friends but really!"

Volka pouted at him.   "They're friends.  They know I'm playful."  He smirked at him.  "You do know this means a whole week without books while we travel?  Unless we're borrowing a carriage?"

"No, I left it with the wife," Younger told him.  "She's claiming to be too weak to walk at the moment.  Her mother wants me to buy new jewelry to commemorate our first child."

"You can have some of your mother's," his father told him.

"I don't want them to taint my wife with ideas."

"I had Chauvis bless all that so no spirits hovered around them."

"Then I'll give her some of it.  It should make her mother quit fussing for a while."

"Didn't she want you to buy her daughter that huge emerald?"

"Yes," he said grimly.  "I'm going to bar her mother from the house for a while."

"It'll cause more fights and then you'll be locked out of your room, have a pouty wife, and one who will not mind you or anyone else," his father advised.  "Talk with her mother, remind her you're the *son* of a knight, not one yourself."

"I have.  She changed it to the big ruby for the blood she had to shed on our first night together."

Elder shook his head.  "Her mother has designs and no brushes."

"Or fabric, or shears, or wood," his son agreed.  "I have talked to her husband.  He's going to rein her in while we're here."

"Interesting."  He looked over as Ancelin came out with plates.  "Making us eat like deer in the woods?"

"It's good for you and there's cold meat."  They came over to eat, none of them staring at her bustline.  Well, except Chauvis and now the dam had been broken on his desires he had to work them out somehow.