Date: Mon, 2 Jan 2012 09:23:56 +0100
From: Amy Redek <adultreading@gmail.com>
Subject: Once a Knight. Part Five

  Part Five

     When we were four days out from the castle, Frank went on ahead to
herald our return, leaving Maurice and myself to plod along at the speed of
the horse pulling our now decrepit cart. We still had a day and a half's
journey to go when we entered the big forest to the south of the castle
when we were ambushed. At the time of Frank's departure, I took to wearing
my light armour and had my sword fixed to my waist and so was prepared when
we were attacked.

     There were seven of them and poor Maurice didn't stand a chance being
unarmed as three set upon him at once. I had four to contend with and laid
out two before the other three came at me too. With the cart at my back, I
managed to keep them at bay as they couldn't all get to me at once and I
felled another one leaving four to press themselves at me.

     Help came to my aid in the form of a woodsman who charged into the
clearing we were fighting in, wielding his axe and with just his screaming
helped to distract my attackers enough which enabled me to dispatch
another, bringing the odds down now to three to two. The woodsman caught
one with his flying attack and I got another one with the last of the
attackers seeing all was lost on his side, took to his heels, fleeing for
his life. His helmet had come off in the melee so I knew who to go looking
for in the near future.

     I leaned back against the cart, panting and fighting to draw in fresh
air to my lungs and looked across to see the body of Maurice. Poor
Maurice. No longer to chuckle at how much money we'd made. No longer to
feel his hips under my hands as I fucked him or have his hot mouth take in
my erection to suck and relieve me of the tension from fighting in the
lists these last couple of months.

     I watched my saviour, the woodsman, come over to the cart to lay his
back against the side next to me, wheezing and trying to stifle any
coughing he might make.

     `Bastards,' he finally managed to get out though just that one word
seemed to take all of his breath.

     `Thank you woodsman,' I panted out, `for your timely intervention,
though I'd rather you had been a few minutes earlier. Maybe we could have
saved that poor man of mine.' He saw that my gaze was fixed on Maurice and
he mumbled something which I didn't quite catch, only the one word,
"again".

     I surveyed the scene seeing six dead assassins and one faithful
servant and gave thanks that Frank wasn't there to be counted. I knew what
I had to do and it was with a heavy heart that I pushed myself up off the
cart and delved into the back to come up with what is known as a spade.
The woodsman helped me to dig the grave for Maurice who we duly interred
into the earth, leaving the others to rot or be eaten by the wild boars or
foxes.

     I accepted the woodsman's offer to spend the night in his rough
dwelling and so led the horse pulling the cart along a winding path that
was only just wide enough till we came to his home. It was a rough hewn
cabin that fitted in well with the surroundings and I think that anyone
passing by wouldn't really notice it the way it blended in with the
surrounding trees and greenery.

     We sat outside in the gloom of the approaching night as he cooked us a
meal over a wood fire and while it was stewing in the pot he related to me
a strange tale of how he came to be living out here in the forest.

     `It be over twenty years now I think that I used to work in the
castle. I was a young man then, learning the trade of wood working before I
was ordered out by Sir Fitzroy.'

     `Why were you ordered out?' I asked.

     `Don't interrupt and let me tell you,' he admonished me as he stirred
the stew. `I was up in one of the rooms fixing one of them beams that hold
up the top when I saw his Lordship come into the room with one of his
wife's serving maids. One of those that they call ladies-in-waiting, though
what they are waiting for I never did find out. Well, him and the wench get
together and I sees them making love. I kept quiet because they hadn't seen
me up there in the rafters. Well it appears that he and this woman had been
together several times and she went and got pregnant.

     The women of the castle loved to gossip and I found out that he then
made this young woman get married to Hector the stone man. But I made a
mistake of telling one of these women that I was there in the room when he
got the girl pregnant. Well he got to hear of it and so I was banished from
the castle to just cut wood for the castle's fires, and I've been here ever
since. But I'm glad that I'm not there now, what with all this intrigue
going on that I get to hear of now and again.'

     The stew was now ready and I was grateful for the food and his company
but my mind was in a turmoil at what I'd just heard, so to clear my mind, I
spoke out as we ate.

     `Oliver,' for that was the woodsman's name. `The woman who married
Hector had a son and his name was Martin. He became my squire, what, seven
years ago now I think. We buried him just a month ago after being killed by
some cronies of Sir Gregory.'

     `Oh my God!' Oliver exclaimed putting down his plate. `Then you must
be Sir William and here's me treating you as if you was the same as me. I
do beg your pardon sir,' he said, trying to rise up and bow at the same
time.

     `Sit down Oliver and finish this lovely stew,' being a little
embarrassed at his attempt to be servile in my presence. He gave me a
sheepish grin but sat down and began to eat again but soon stopped and
looked at me.

     `You do look like your father. I held no grudge against him for
sending me out of the castle. I rather like the peacefulness of the place
but didn't like the violence that came into it. I only saw your father one
more time and that was when he was killed. Here, in the forest. You don't
mind me telling you sir, do you, for I've been wanting to tell someone for
these many years since of the treachery that lives in the castle. I think
you are the only person I can tell this to for if I spoke of it to anyone
else, I'd probably be hunted down and killed.' This intrigued me enough to
urge him to carry on with his story.

     `The next time I saw Sir Fitzroy after my banishment was here in the
forest about fourteen, fifteen years ago and he was in the company of Sir
Gregory. Both were out riding through the forest not far from here. They
were without armour and Sir Fitzroy was just ahead of Sir Gregory who I saw
draw his sword and make a slash across Sir Fitzroy's back. It wasn't a
killing blow but one that severely injured him and he fell off his horse.

     But while Sir Gregory was dismounting, Sir Fitzroy staggered to his
feet and drew his own sword. He managed to give a good account for himself,
wounding Sir Gregory several times and receiving more himself. But it had
been that first blow to the back that had crippled him and so he soon lost
ground and considerably weakened. He was tired and I saw Sir Gregory give
the final fatal thrust that killed Sir Fitzroy.' I could see the tears in
Oliver's eyes as he'd been telling me the story and he took a big gulp of
his ale before continuing.

     `I watched Sir Gregory mount his horse and leave the forest and I went
over to find that Sir Fitzroy was certainly dead but didn't move him for I
knew that people would be coming soon to collect his body. I was right, for
in the afternoon, a body of men from the castle came and took him away. I
didn't have anyone who I could tell of this for they wouldn't believe my
words against that of a knight, so I kept my counsel. But I speak now for
I'm sure that those men lying out there now are those of Sir Gregory and I
think that you would like to avenge the death of your father.' A long
silence ensued as we both sat there with our own thoughts.

     `It's a pity we let that last one escape then,' I finally said,
breaking the silence. `We might have been able to get the truth out of
him.'

     `Aye,' Oliver replied. `But I think it would be wise to stay here for
a day or two and let me go to the castle and see what has happened since
you've been away.' To this I had to agree for it made sense. There was no
need to walk into the lion's den without being forewarned and so that was
what we decided.

     Oliver left the next morning and I spent the time resting in between
sharpening my sword and cleaning and burnishing my armour. He was away
three days before he returned, bearing more bad news. He didn't beat about
the bush with it either.

     `Frank, your herald is dead. His body is hanging just outside the
castle gate. They cut his tongue out first for telling lies and second for
attempting to steal from Sir Gregory's rooms, or so it had been
reported. So Sir Gregory does know you are close to the castle and that is
why you were set upon. To prevent you from getting to the castle.'

     This news of his hit me hard for I had taken a liking to Frank, almost
as much as I had Maurice. I can't say I was pleased at these two murders
but it did mean that now, nobody knew that William and myself had changed
places at that tournament where he had been killed. Therefore I could lay
claim to, knowing more now than ever, that the castle and the name of de
Fontaine was really mine and would take it, but as William and not Martin.

     But first, we had to make some plans as to how to get into the castle
and rally round the de Fontaine people and any supporters from among those
of de Marchand. Here he came up trumps by saying that there were many
people in the village outside of the walls that would rather have a
Fontaine as their lord than a Marchand.

     So a plan was made for Oliver to round up these loyal supporters and
get them to make their way into the castle, and in two days time at
daybreak, when the drawbridge would be lowered, these people would take out
all those wearing the black tunics for me to get inside un-molested. They
would then don the spare red tunics of which there were plenty and do the
same for the inner half of the castle. Then they could follow me into the
keep to protect my rear while I dealt with Sir Gregory.

     `There is one other thing I might add,' he said as he gave me a slow
smile. `It appears that there is a young lady within the walls and it is
said that she is there as a hostage. A hostage on behalf of Sir Gregory's
half brother who is trying to take over this young lady's possessions.'

     `Her name Oliver?' I asked, feeling that I was now becoming what being
a knight was all about, rescuing a damsel in distress as well as fighting
to get my heritage from a grasping uncle.

     `She's known as Lady Louise de Arras, and before you ask, about
eighteen years of age and the prettiest thing I've seen for many a year
gone past,' he chuckled.

     `So, get me these men into the castle and I will do what has to be
done as regards to Sir Gregory. Do this Oliver,' I said grasping his arm,
`and you will become the seneschal of Fontaine Castle.'

     `Thank you my lord. It's the least I can do for the son of Sir Fitzroy
whose father I saw being murdered,' he said tugging his forelock and kissed
my hand before going off again to make the preparations for my entrance.

     Instead of spending the whole of the next day fretting, I re-sharpened
my sword and polished my armour once again till it shone and had it ready
for the next day. I was up early while it was still dark and rode one horse
at an easy canter with the other tied behind to follow me with all my
accoutrements. When I was in sight of the castle I reined in and unloaded
the other horse and donned my armour and waited till dawn began to break at
the beginning of the day that would see to the changing fortune of the
castle. The sun wasn't even up and I was sweating freely but more with
anticipation and hope that Oliver had achieved what we had planned rather
than the fear that I was on the threshold of my own death.

     On time as the sun began to peek above the horizon, the drawbridge
started to be lowered and it was time for me to move. I kicked the flanks
of my horse and moved forward to my destiny. I often wondered what I looked
like from the battlements, this lone horseman riding towards the castle
with his armour now shining in the sunlight and the helmet showing the red
crest that I used to joke and say that it looked more like the cockscomb of
a rooster either before he crowed or was just about to jump on the back of
a hen to produce more cocks and hens.

     The word had already been spread and the people of the houses, loosely
termed as such, came out and were lining the road as I made my way up to
the drawbridge. I recollected that this was only the second time that I had
approached the castle along this road and that had been ten years ago and I
had been barefoot and walking with my mother. A few wild flowers were
thrown at me and some scraps of red cloth were waved and I vowed that if I
did get control, their lives and that of others on this land would fare a
darn sight better than they'd had of late.

     As I got closer I found that that the people were beginning to fall in
behind me and I was pleased to note that there was not one able bodied man
in sight amongst them and this gave me heart that they were maybe already
there inside the castle.

     My horse's hooves made a nice thumping sound as we crossed the wooden
bridge and the sound echoed up against the walls and then I went through
the arch and was within the outer courtyard. At first, the womenfolk were
silent and again I noticed the absence of men except for those manning the
walls as I got closer to the next archway, I saw then that these men on the
walls were stripping off their black tunics and putting on the red ones of
de Fontaine and my heart rose another notch as I went through this last
arch and approached the steps up to the keep.

     There, at the top of these steps, instead of the usual two man guard,
there were four and they didn't seem to heed me as I dismounted and found
many willing hands, especially among the many youngsters that were only too
willing to take hold of the reins of my mount. I would have loved to have
been out of myself to see just what kind of a picture I made as I mounted
those steps and entered the keep without the guards making any attempt at
trying to stop me. But I heard that they had turned and were now following
me as I went into that dark gloomy interior of the entranceway.

     I was glad that they had cut down the body of Frank from outside of
the walls for I would have gone into the keep in a different temper and I
knew that I must remain cool when I confronted Sir Gregory. I was wearing
leather boots that had studs at the rear of the heels to preserve them and
they made an echoing click at every step I took to cross the entrance hall
and into the main hall.

     There he was, sitting at the far end of this huge hall on the raised
dais, sitting in his chair and I could see the scowl on his face as I
slowly approached him. My visor was up and I could see the men in black
beginning to move round behind me and as I got closer to him, began to take
my armour off and let it drop to the floor to the loud clangs that it made
as it hit the cold flagstones.

     The only thing I retained now was my belt and sword and I had this
fixed round my waist over the red tunic of Fontaine. He rose up as I got
closer still and by not moving a hand towards my sword, he was unprepared
when I hit him with my closed fist. This knocked him back into his chair
which rocked but didn't fall over and he sat there stunned for a moment and
I heard the sounds of swords being drawn from their scabbards behind me. I
kept mine sheathed as Sir Gregory struggled to his feet and roared out.

     `Why you young whippersnapper. Don't you know who you've just
insulted?' It was then that I noticed the man standing behind his chair,
the one who had fled from the ambush in the forest.

     `Yes,' I said. `A man who sends other people out to do his dirty work
for him,' and I pointed my finger at the one behind him. `Like the cur who
is hiding behind your chair. Did he tell you that he ran from the forest
with his tail between his legs after being a number of seven men to take on
two? Probably not for he is as much a coward as you are!' I shouted at him.

     That was enough to get him going for he surged forward, drawing his
sword as he came down off the dais to face me. That was when the men that
Oliver had rounded up moved in behind the ring of men that were behind me
and quickly disarmed them so that I now had a mass of red tunics at my back
instead of black.

     `What's this then? A peasant's revolt?' he cried, lifting his sword.

     `No. They're here to see that I am given back my birthright that you
have several times over the last two years, tried to secure by having me
killed,' I shouted back at him, only now drawing my own sword to face him.

     `Then try and come and take it you little cocksucker,' he snarled at
me.

     `From a pederast?' I mocked. `A person who has to fuck little boys
because he can't sire one of his own to be his lapdog?'

     That was the red rag.

     He came at me with his sword flailing about that I was easily able to
counter. I know he was nearly twenty years older than me but he should have
had more experience than to come at me with temper. Youth was on my side as
well as having just come from field combat in the lists and I was able to
move just that bit quicker and made him waste his strength and energy in
futile attempts to hack me down.

     I'm ashamed to admit that I played and toyed with him, knowing that I
could have cut him down several times. But I made the fight last until I
began my attack and kept forcing him to give ground, staving off the slash
and cuts that I made and feinted at him.

     But then I brought up to mind the image of William being put into the
ground. Also of Maurice and could only imagine what Frank had gone through
before being hung. I then went in for the kill and it was sweet to be able
to force his sword to one side for me to plunge the point of my sword into
his black heart.

    I had seen the fear in his eyes but my heart was hard towards him and
so had no compunction about having him die for it was a matter of him or me
for he would most certainly have killed me if I'd given him the chance. He
gave out a gasp as my sword entered his body and his eyes rolled up into
his head as he staggered back and went crashing down onto the flagstones.

     His son Jules had risen up from his chair as his father fell at my
feet but he must have seen the murder in my eyes for he quickly sat back
down without saying a word. His wife, Annette, my aunt in reality, was wide
eyed and white faced but I don't think she was sorry to have seen him just
be killed. I hooked up a black tunic that had been discarded and wiped the
blade of my sword before sheathing it and looked round at those watching
me, not a word being spoken for they were now looking at the new lord of
the castle.

     `There'll be no grave for this creature,' I said as I stood over his
dead body to the silenced hall that was now crowded with people behind the
wall of red tunics. `Take it out beyond the walls to be devoured by dogs
and foxes and let them feed on this unworthy carcase.' I turned my back on
the late Sir Gregory and went and sat down in the chair he had a short time
earlier had vacated. I suddenly felt tired, very tired and I closed my eyes
and gave up a silent prayer to William to say that I would honour our
father even though he never knew me, but for both our sakes, I would make
the name of de Fontaine one to be loved as well as feared.

     I beckoned Oliver over to stand by my side after he had given
instructions to four men to drag, not carry the body of Sir Gregory de
Marchand out of the castle for all to see the end he came to for trying to
be a usurper as I was if they but knew it.

     They couldn't tell the difference now between the William that went
away with Martin and the man that returned. He had been my brother and so
that was a good enough reason for me to take his place to be the rightful
heir to Fontaine Castle. Now was the time to stamp my authority within the
castle.

     `Jules! Aunt Annette! Here before me!' I called out, not looking at
them but pointed to the floor in front of me. I saw my aunt rise up
straight away but Jules was tardy in moving. `Now Jules! Or you'll feel my
hand about your ears in a short space of time.'

     He sullenly got up and followed his mother and they both came and
stood before me.

     `You,' I pointed at Jules, `are hereby banished from this castle. You
have one hour to gather only what you can carry and will be escorted to the
boundary of this land, to leave and never return unless you wish to meet
the same fate of your father. You, aunt, have the choice of staying here or
leaving with your son. You can take as many of de Marchand's men that wish
to leave. Those who stay will give me a pledge of allegiance and change
their tunics. Go now for I have other things to attend to,' I said,
dismissing them with a wave of my hand. I saw the look of hate from Jules
but that was to be expected with what had happened over the past hour. They
left the great hall and some of those wearing black tunics followed them.

     I stood up and beckoned Oliver to stand by my side as I faced all the
people who now thronged the hall.

     `I want to thank you all that came to the rallying call made by
Oliver. He is now the seneschal of the castle and whenever he speaks, he
speaks for me. My first order to you Oliver is to see that oxen are
slaughtered and roasted out in the outer courtyard for all who are here
today and see that enough ale is supplied for all to feast and enjoy this
new era of Fontaine Castle.'

     There were cheers at this and people now began to leave the hall to
help in the preparation of this feast to come. I held Oliver back for
another word with him.

     `I'm going to rest for an hour or two Oliver. Select four men to guard
my chamber and then come and see me for we have much to discuss.'

     `That I will sire,' he said as he then moved off and I saw him speak
to several men wearing red tunics who came one by one to stand by my
side. With the four men picked by Oliver, I made my way up to one of the
bed chambers, not caring whose it had been, with them following and leaving
them on guard outside, went in and threw myself down on the bed and
promptly fell asleep. The fact I was still wearing my sword and belt didn't
stop me from dropping off into a deep slumber.

                                                           *