Disclaimers ~ These characters belong to me. If they have a passing resemblance to you or share your name, it's purely coincidental.
Violence/ bad language ~ Spousal abuse, and some fighting scenes. Some bad language.
Love/sex ~ Romance between consenting women. Relations between a man & woman. If this offends you, you won't like this story. Well...maybe you will, but you'll just be tutting a lot at what my imagination conjured up. Am I ashamed? Nah, not really.
Author's note ~ Questions, comments & thoughts all welcome. Loves_to_write_fic@yahoo.co.uk
Copyright © December 2008
Chapter Nine
"He has gone soft!" Lord Green growled. "With no control over his son in the first place! Ripley defied him by refusing to marry Princess Luella, the alliance with Spain would have been a great thing for us, but he let the boy get out of the marriage! Before that, he refused my daughter! As well as the Princess of France!" The small stocky Lord spun around. "And then," he yelled, eyes tracking over the men in front of him. "Then Edward lets the boy marry a common girl! What sort of King would agree with that? And to come out and speak publicly in support for them!"
Wanting to be sure the annoying little Lord was on their side, Brandon Ortceard, Marquess of Dublin stepped forward. "What are you saying, Lord Green?"
"I am saying 'tis time to get rid of the King and his soft son and replace them with someone who knows how to rule these lands. Someone who knows what is best for the people, who can think for the people, who can get us alliances with important people!"
"Exactly," Berwyn said, coming out of the shadows, watching the group of men turn in his direction. "I completely agree, Lord Green. You are in fine company."
"You have told the King of the unrest?" Montgomery, Duke of Cornwall, asked.
Berwyn smiled. "I didn't need to, 'tis public knowledge that there are some unhappy nobles in the kingdom. Though, something interesting did come up." The sandy-haired blonde took a seat on one of the pews and looked around. The meeting was taking place in an old abandoned church, the roof above nearly non-existent, many of the pews rotten, and the floor strewn with leaves and rubbish.
"What came up?" Winston Pond, Earl of East Anglia, asked. "Does the King suspect us?"
"No," Berwyn shook his head. "Nothing like that."
"Well, what, boy? Do not keep us in suspense," Goodwyn, Earl of Wessex, demanded.
"The King is worried that his son isn't up to scratch," Berwyn said smugly. "He fears Ripley doesn't have the fire in his belly that it takes to rule. The King told me that if the...problem keeps troubling him he may...come up with a plan."
"You see!" Lord Green exclaimed, looking at the men. "Even the King himself has doubts over his boy!"
"Tis interesting," Goodwyn said, rubbing his goatee in thought. "Perhaps...we should solve the problem for the King."
Montgomery looked at the Earl in interest. "What are you thinking?"
"I'm thinking that our good friend the Marquess of Dublin should make a move on His Grace, the Duke of Lancashire," Goodwyn said, turning to look at Brandon. "We all know the Duke is a good friend of the King's. If he is attacked or threatened, he will call for the King's help."
Brandon frowned. "And?"
"The King will send his troops, including his son, who leads the men. Who's to say something tragic won't happen?" Goodwyn concluded.
Berwyn smiled, getting the idea. "Kill Ripley in battle and no one can be blamed."
Goodwyn nodded. "A tragedy, he fell in battle while fighting fiercely."
Winston smiled and nodded. "The King will be distraught over losing his only heir and will be easy enough to take out. I like it, I like it a lot."
"I'll get to work as soon as I get home," Brandon said. "I'll have to draw up plans, then instruct my generals. We should be able to move in two weeks, maybe three, depending on how quickly we can get supplies together."
"No," Berwyn interrupted. "We don't want to move any time soon."
"What are you talking about, boy?" Montgomery growled. "This is the perfect plan."
"Start a rumour," Berwyn said. "Get people whispering, but don't move. The King said to me the other day he may have a job for me to deal with soon, I...want to know what it is before we go into this. And anyway, when the King hears news of a possible attack, he will send his precious son out to check on his scattered soldiers around the land, who's to say an accident won't befall him then?"
"So we wait?" Lord Green asked, looking back and forth between the group of men.
The Duke of Cornwall sighed heavily, unhappy. "We wait. For now. But I won't hold off forever, Berwyn, remember that."
* * * * *
"You need heirs, boy!" King Edward growled in frustration. "There must be heirs to continue our line!"
"I cannot get my wife with child!" Ripley growled back, blue eyes flashing in anger.
Chesney Beauclerc stood leaning against a wall in the King's office watching the pair arguing, he knew the King wouldn't be swayed and knew that Ripley wouldn't allow Kelsey to take a lover. "They could adopt," he suggested, interrupting the two stubborn Royals, trying to prevent a full-blown row breaking out. "It has been done before when an heir hasn't been possible."
"No!" Edward shook his blonde head. "That was when the King's wife was barren. That isn't the case here. It is possible the girl could fall pregnant."
"Not with me she can't," Ripley muttered, hating herself again, for what she had forced Kelsey into. "You forced me into marriage, father," she said, speaking up. "I will not allow my wife to take a lover!"
"I insist that the heir must come from the future Queen," Edward said stubbornly. He turned his attention to his pacing daughter. "Find a solution, Ripley. Perhaps try to convince her to take a lover, someone who is similar in looks to yourself."
Ripley spun around to face the King, eyes blazing with anger. "Are you deaf, father? I will do no such thing!" she snapped.
"You. Must. Have. Heirs!"
"You pushed me into this marriage, father. I will not do anything else to hurt Kelsey!" Ripley stormed out of the King's office, before another word could be said.
Edward sat back in his chair and sighed heavily. She is not as under my thumb as I thought! he mused. I thought once she was married, she would see that there needed to be an heir. The castle staff are already wondering why the girl hasn't fallen pregnant, they will soon start to wonder if one of them is unable! Ripley cannot be seen as weak in any way! "I am going to have to take matters into my own hands," he mumbled.
Chesney left his place by the stone wall and sat down opposite the King, a frown marring his brow. "Forgive me, Your Highness, but why the sudden need for Ripley to have an heir? Surely if we let things run their natural course, the young woman will grow desperate and perhaps take it upon herself to find a lover?"
"There is unrest up North," Edward informed his steward. "His Grace the Duke of Lancashire sent word that he believes an attack is imminent. If that is the case, then Ripley will ride off to war along with her men. You know as well as I do, that anything can happen during battle. If anything should..." he trailed off, not even wanting to think such a thing could happen. "Young Kelsey must be with child before Ripley leaves, 'tis as simple as that!"
"That is why you are sending Ripley to check on our scattered armies," Chesney said more to himself than Edward. "You want to be sure they are prepared and ready."
Edward nodded. "Whoever it is who attacks they won't be acting alone, I need my men ready for a full out war against any number of enemies. Now, to come up with a suitable plan to get Kelsey in the family way before Ripley leaves."
* * * * *
Ripley made her way through one end of the castle to the other, trying to walk out her anger and frustration. How dare he! How dare he suggest I let my wife take a lover!
"My Lord," Kelsey called out upon seeing her husband, an affectionate smile stretching her lips. She hurried towards the blonde-haired prince, eager to be in his company. Her smile slipped as she sensed something was amiss. "Husband? What is it? What's wrong?"
"Nothing, my wife. All is well."
"Ladies, leave us," Kelsey said to her ladies-in-waiting. Turning her attention back to her husband, she reached out and laid a small hand on Ripley's arm, gently stroking. "As you yourself have noted, husband, I am quite intelligent and, might I add, very observant," she said softly.
Ripley smiled and stepped forward to kiss the strawberry-blonde's head. "'Tis silly, really. 'Tis my father. He said something that upset me and since leaving his office, I have been charging around like an angry bull!"
Kelsey looked up at her husband's face in concern. "Is it anything I can help with?"
Ripley shook her head. "Alas, no, my wife. 'Tis Royal business I cannot share this day. Perhaps one day though. Perhaps one day I will share everything with you. You will be not only my wife and a Princess, but my confidante as well."
"I am pleased you see things that way, My Lord. I look forward to the day." Kelsey smiled and looped her arm through her husband's. "Do you have any pressing duties, husband?"
"No, milady. Is there something I can do for you?"
"Would you care to share some wine in my chambers?"
Ripley smiled and nodded her agreement. "A wonderful idea, milady. It would please me greatly to join you." With Kelsey's arm tucked beneath her own, Ripley led them onward towards Kelsey's chambers.
"I am glad to have bumped into you, husband," Kelsey said in a low tone. "I wanted to apologise for getting my courses last week."
Ripley glanced at her wife in surprise. "Nonsense, Kelsey! Don't ever apologise for that."
"But 'tis my duty to provide you with an heir, Ripley. I have failed you so far."
Ripley stopped and turned Kelsey around to face her. "Dearest Kelsey, 'tis more my fault than yours," she said quietly. "I am not Ackerley; I put no blame on you, like he does your sister. These...things take time." Smiling as she saw relief in the blue eyes opposite, Ripley kissed Kelsey's cheek and started them walking again, feeling guiltier than ever.
"Thank you," Kelsey murmured. "You...you are the kindest man I know of, husband! So...sweet natured, I am truly grateful to the good Lord for bringing you to me. Or me to you, rather," she laughed lightly. Her thoughts turned to the talk of war she had heard and her good mood faltered. "Is it true you shall be leaving soon, My Lord?" she asked in a soft voice, wondering if she was being too bold in asking.
"Oh. Uhm...yes, milady. There is growing unrest up in the north of the land and my father wishes for me to check in with our forces to make sure they are ready in the event of an attack."
"Do you...think there will be an attack?" Kelsey asked as she opened the door to her receiving room.
Ripley followed her wife into the room and waited until the door was closed before answering. "My father isn't the most popular of Kings at this moment. There are many people out there who I am sure would love to see him ousted. This attack on a good friend of his..." she sighed. "...could be the first of many."
They took seats in front of the burning fire. A ruby-decorated jug on a handcrafted table held the wine they would be sharing. Silver goblets and a silver tray were also occupying the small space.
"You will be all right, won't you, husband?" Kelsey asked quietly, fear filling her heart.
Ripley smiled. "Yes, milady. I am merely going to check on the troops."
"Will you be gone long?" the strawberry-blonde asked as she poured them each some wine.
"Do you have plans for me, milady?" Ripley teased, grinning as her wife blushed. "Two, maybe three months."
Kelsey felt a pang of despair. "That is quite a while, husband. I...I shall miss you dearly."
"And I you, Kelsey." Ripley reached out and took a small hand, soft compared to her own, callused one. "Might I make a request?"
Kelsey swallowed nervously, but nodded her acceptance.
"Perhaps now that we know each other fairly well, we could use our first names when talking? Frankly, dear Kelsey, I hate being deemed your Lord, for I see us as equals."
Kelsey blinked in shocked surprise. Surely I have fallen into some sort of dream! No man sees his wife as his equal! "I..." she searched his face for any signs of this being a cruel joke, but found only sincerity, "I would like that very much...Ripley," she said, a little hesitantly.
Ripley smiled, pleased at Kelsey's acceptance of her suggestion. Slowly over the past weeks, unsure of how or why exactly, Ripley had found herself caring deeply for the young woman she called her wife. "I shall miss our horse riding in the afternoons," she said wistfully.
Kelsey smiled in delight. "I shall miss our talks over a delicious picnic."
"Perhaps the coming weeks will be a good time to visit your sister? I am sure you can be excused from your duties."
Kelsey quickly shook her head. "I...wouldn't like to without you, husband. I...I fear Ackerley, in all honesty."
"Even with Hudson there?"
"Yes. I wouldn't want to get Hudson fired from his position, that would leave my sister all alone again. She likes having him there, she wrote me and said they were getting along marvellously."
Oh, Hudson, I hope you're not doing anything stupid. Like falling for a married woman! "I hate that his presence puts you off going to see your sister, but, I suppose until Ackerley can be dealt with, it will have to remain a problem. Though, you could always invite her here, sweetheart. Knowing what a pompous ass Ackerley is, he'll not likely refuse a stay at the castle." The prince stood as Kelsey giggled. "Come, I have something I wish to show you that I think you will love."
Kelsey smiled, feeling all warm inside, the endearment 'sweetheart' repeating over and over in her head. She took Ripley's offered hand and got to her feet. "Then lead on, kind sir."
The couple left Kelsey's chambers and slowly made their way hand in hand to Ripley's chambers, where a fire was burning brightly, the room as warm as Kelsey's had been. The scent of herbs lingered in the air, giving the room a pleasant aroma.
While Ripley stoked the fire and poured them each a mug of wine from her own jug, Kelsey took the time to look around her husband's receiving room. The chambers were set out much like her own. The receiving room where they were had a large stone fireplace, faced with mahogany wood with a carved design of a dragon. Two chaise longues sat in front of the fireplace, facing it. A beautiful silk woven rug lay on the floor beneath the chairs. Fine tapestries hung from the walls, colourful and making the room seem lighter, along with a few highly polished swords.
"They're beautiful," Kelsey commented on the swords. "Have they ever been used or are they just for decoration?"
Ripley stepped up behind her wife. "Each and every one has been used by me. When the blacksmith fashions me a new one, I get him to mount my old one so it can go on the wall." She felt Kelsey lean back into her body and instantly wrapped her arms around the smaller woman.
"There aren't many," Kelsey commented. "Do you not get a new sword often?"
"No. I tend to stick with what I know." She placed a soft kiss on Kelsey's head. "I remember you told me once you love to read."
Kelsey turned in the prince's arms, lips curled into a smile. "I do, yes."
"What I am about to show you, no one knows about it, no one has ever seen it."
"You can trust me to keep a secret, husband. I am your faithful wife, 'til death do us part."
Ripley swallowed hard, biting down on her tongue to stop herself from blurting out something rash. Nodding instead of speaking, Ripley took Kelsey's hand and led her into the bedchambers.
The castle had been built with many secret passages, some enabling the inhabitants to escape from siege, others led down to an underground water source, which provided those inside the castle access to drinking water during a prolonged siege, if ever there was one. The secret passage in Ripley's chambers was camouflaged behind a section of wall hidden behind a long tapestry. It eventually led downstairs, enabling the prince to leave if needs must, but along the passage was another room, and that was where she wanted to take Kelsey.
Moving aside a long tapestry, Ripley pushed in a section of the wall and heard the click of a hidden door opening. Letting go of Kelsey's hand, Ripley moved to stand in front of the dark opening. "Give me but a moment, milady. I must light some candles so that we may see." Picking up a wooden torch, Ripley walked over to her fireplace and lit it before walking back to the passage.
Kelsey watched her husband disappear into the darkened passage and fade from sight. She licked her lips nervously and strained her ears as she listened to his footsteps echo off the stone walls. It wasn't too long before Ripley stepped out of the passage and smiled at her.
Stepping around Kelsey, Ripley stood behind her and placed a gentle hand on her back. "Go ahead, milady."
Nervous and more than a little afraid, Kelsey stepped forward into the darkened passage, not sure what she was heading into. She gasped in surprise as Ripley suddenly put a hand on her shoulder to stop her forward progression, and turned her to the right. Kelsey heard a door opening and gasped in surprise at what was suddenly displayed to her. As her eyes adjusted to the flickering candle light, Kelsey looked around the moderately sized room in amazement. Lit up by numerous glass-covered candles, all four walls had dark wooden shelves which held books of all sizes and topics.
Ripley smiled from the doorway as she watched Kelsey walk around, fingertips light as they trailed along the spines of the books she passed, blue eyes darting this way and that as she read the titles.
"Oh...Ripley! You have such a collection!" Kelsey exclaimed as she turned to face her husband.
"And they are yours to read, if you so wish," Ripley replied. "While I am away, if you grow bored, or wish to disappear for a while, you are more than welcome to lose yourself in here. I shall show you how to open and close the doors."
"Husband...some of these books...they are..."
"Forbidden by my father," Ripley finished. "Yes, I know. Sadly, that is why I am forced to keep them hidden. But I would rather do that than see them destroyed."
Kelsey smiled and, unable to contain her joy at being let in on this secret, threw herself at her husband and hugged him tightly. "Oh, thank you, Ripley! Thank you."
"You are very welcome, Kelsey," the prince murmured, losing herself in loving blue eyes. Drawn forward, she found herself closing the gap between them and pressed her lips to soft pink ones.
Kelsey felt her body instantly responding to the kiss, as she often did these days. After getting over her initial awkwardness, she found that she looked forward to Ripley kissing her. And when they partook of the act, she felt herself respond and more often than not, craving more.
With her tongue teasing Kelsey's bottom lip, Ripley wrapped her arms around her wife and lifted her easily, wanting nothing more than to lie with her. Walking quickly back to her actual bedchamber, Ripley stopped at the foot of her four-poster bed and deposited Kelsey on the end. Using a thigh to part Kelsey's legs, Ripley moved forward to stand between them and smiled as she noticed the pink glow to her wife's cheeks. She bent to kiss Kelsey heartily, wanting to portray just how much she cared in that one kiss. "Do you trust me, Kelsey?" she asked softly, callused hands slowly pushing the strawberry-blonde's skirts up.
Body aflame, her breathing slightly erratic, Kelsey desperately wanted her husband. "Yes, husband, I do," she told him, her voice husky.
Ripley fell to her knees and pushed Kelsey's skirts up higher, out of her way. "If I do anything you don't like, do not be afraid to tell me, Kelsey." She looked to her wife's face, into her half-lidded blue eyes, seeing Kelsey nodding whilst biting on her bottom lip. With a small smile, Ripley lowered her head, Kelsey's desire assaulting her senses. She saw the waiting, glistening lips and quickly closed the gap between her and her goal, her hot tongue slowly lapping up and giving her a first taste of Kelsey.
Kelsey couldn't bite back her gasp as her hips flew up off of the bed, her body suffused with a burning heat. "Oh, husband! What a thing to do!" she groaned. She couldn't help but whimper and moan aloud as Ripley's tongue danced slowly up and down her twitching sex. What he was doing was surely forbidden, but...felt so very good. She cried out as her body trembled in a familiar way, a way it always did when she joined with her husband. As Ripley suckled on her sex, Kelsey felt like she had been torn apart into a million different pieces, only for those pieces to all come back together.
Slowly opening her eyes, Kelsey found herself lying flat on her back on her husband's bed, her body still trembling.
Sensing Kelsey had returned to awareness, Ripley looked up from where her head was resting on a smooth pale thigh. "Are you well, my wife?" she asked shyly, unsure how her ministrations would be taken.
"I...I am, husband. That was....I have never..." Kelsey gave up trying to form her thoughts into words.
They lay quietly, content in each other's company, soothed by the hissing and popping of the burning wood in the fireplace. Kelsey felt as though her skin was still aflame, the gentle caress of Ripley's roughened fingers slowly driving her stir crazy, but in a good way. She wondered how it possible for her to want him again so soon after what pleasures he had already brought to her. Feeling bold, she reached down and brushed her hand through his hair, amazed at how silky his blonde locks felt.
Wearing a soft, loving smile, Ripley rolled over from lying on her side to her stomach. She trailed tiny, brief kisses up Kelsey's smooth thigh, assaulted again by her wife's aroma. By-passing the strawberry-blonde's vivid red sex, glistening with her spilt desire, Ripley kissed the unexplored skin of Kelsey's hips and abdomen. "My wife, you are so...breathtaking!" she whispered against hot skin as Kelsey whimpered and writhed. Having to see to her own throbbing need, Ripley moved up Kelsey's body and claimed soft lips in a heated kiss. Holding herself up on one arm, Ripley reached down to undo her trousers with her free hand, hurrying to release the phallus from its confines.
Kelsey eagerly parted her legs as Ripley moved to lie upon her, and bent her knees as she had the last time they had joined, remembering it allowed her husband deeper penetration. Something they had both enjoyed immensely. She moaned aloud as Ripley eased into her, her overworked sex tightening around him.
Ripley thrust desperately, burying herself deep inside the quivering Kelsey, feeling her wife strain up against her body, seeking an even deeper joining. "Touch me, Kelsey," Ripley panted, close to a pink tinged ear.
Desperately wanting to, Kelsey was still hesitant. Her mother had informed her of what the do's and don'ts were, and touching was a don't. But then again, moaning had also been a don't and she had done plenty of that this afternoon.
"Put your arms around me," Ripley pleaded huskily, before placing a soft kiss on a sensitive spot beneath her wife's ear.
Kelsey gave in. They both wanted it. It couldn't be wrong then, surely? She wrapped her arms around her husband's broad shoulders, feeling the muscles rippling beneath his shirt with each of his thrusts. Kelsey felt waves of warmth roll through her and tightened her hold on Ripley as her body started moving to his rhythm, her face pressed against his neck as she gasped for breath.
Panting for breath, her body sweat-covered, Ripley moved frantically, poised at the top of the highest peak, until her back arched and she groaned as if in pain, climaxing hard. Kelsey crying out beneath her.
* * * * *
Kelsey felt guilty as she lay recovering from her joining with her husband. They had broken many rules, of that she was sure; their passionate kissing, the touching, Ripley's tongue on her sex, her moans aloud like a common whore. Their joining had been in search of pleasure, and that wasn't allowed, was it? Being so young and formerly innocent, Kelsey wasn't sure. Her mother and the church had taught her that intercourse was forbidden unless you were trying for a child. But there was to be no fondling, no lewd kisses, no oral sex, no strange positions, and to only be done the once. They were not to enjoy it. Kelsey knew for sure she had enjoyed it and had responded to each kiss and caress and had hungered for more.
She rolled on to her left side, watching her husband in slumber. Blue eyes trailed slowly over Ripley's face, wondering at the smoothness of his cheeks, at his gentle ways, his kindness. Ripley was unlike any man she had known or heard of. She wondered why he had never married anyone of nobility. Why had he settled for her?
Ripley stirred; sleepy, sky-blue eyes opening and turning Kelsey's way. "Kelsey," she sighed happily, a contented smile playing across her lips. The blonde rolled on to her right side, the couple now facing each other. "Tell me, Kelsey," Ripley said softly. "Are you happy here at the castle?"
Kelsey looked at her handsome husband closely, wondering if his question was some sort of trick. Why do I always doubt him? Ripley has been nothing but genuine with me. "I am happy, husband. I assure you." She sat up and moved to the edge of the bed. "The day is fast slipping away, my love. I should get back to my duties, if I wish to attend the evening service at church."
"Very well, milady. Perhaps I shall see you later?"
Kelsey smiled shyly. "Perhaps." She batted her eyelashes playfully. "At dinner."
Ripley laughed aloud at the teasing side of her wife and rolled quickly over to tickle Kelsey's sides. "That is what I meant, my wife!" she chuckled over Kelsey's squealing for mercy. "Though, I have to admit I do wish to see you tonight, tomorrow night, the night after..."
Kelsey giggled and lightly slapped Ripley's arms away.
Smiling, Ripley got up and offered her hand to the still seated Kelsey. "If it is all right with you, milady, I shall walk you to wherever you have to be. I enjoy being in your company and wish to prolong our time together."
Pleased at Ripley's words and the fact he enjoyed her company, Kelsey smiled up at her husband, love shining in her eyes. He looked adorable. His shirt was dishevelled, his hair this way and that. "I would like that very much, kind sir," she replied, taking the offered hand and getting up. She reached up and tried to smooth his ruffled locks, then kissed his chin in amusement as they pinged back out to all angles. "If I may be so bold and enquire, husband, when are you leaving to check on the men? And how long will you be gone?"
"I shan't be leaving for at least another week," Ripley replied. "As to how long I'll be gone, perhaps a month, maybe two." She led Kelsey from her chambers, trying to discreetly ease her wife's worries about her upcoming trip away.