Bite Size Stories

Crossover II: The Second Part

*** Weekend Write-In for May 29 2020 *** (written June 20)

"bet": In 500 plus words, tell what happens when there is a bet

A KNIGHT TO BEHOLD

The Holy Land, 1191

Several months before, the Crusader armies of King Richard the Lionhearted ... oh and a few other insignificant non English types ... had taken the City of Acre, causing Saladin no end of embarassment. Stubbornly refusing to accept defeat, the Saracen leader had turned right round and beseiged the city again - this time noble English (and other European) knights were on the inside ...

... or wishing they were.

Among the stalwarts that assembled behind the banner of the Lionheart, was Sir Richard, Earl of Warwick, known as The Golden Knight. And also, having met the golden one for the first time earlier that day (and wishing they hadn't), Count Peregrine of Hampton (rich noble currently without access to his funds) and his best friend, the lowborn knight known as Sir Campion Longshield (in reality only a knight due to being knighted by his old master, a drunken impoverished aging aristo and conman who probably would have demoted his squire again in the morning if he hadn't have gone ahead and died first!).

After a drunken night at a low dive tavern, Count Peregrine had made the acquaintance of a teenage knight by the name of Sir William of Ruhr-Saxeburg and an offer of general help and assistance had gotten the pair recruited to a do or die mission into enemy territory to liberate Willy's elder brother, Sir Freidrich on the orders of King Richard. The aforementioned Sir Freidrich or Freddie if you prefer, held secrets vital to the ongoing success of the Crusades.

Campion and Peregrine hadn't been interested in that. They had only one thought - "How in the name of Jesus' robemaker do we get ourselves out of this suicide mission?"

On realizing they couldn't slip away into the city, the boon companions thoughts turned in another direction. "How can we run away and be safely back inside the walls before we even see a single Saracen and before the blonde god in the armour that's too damn bright for a stealth mission, even though the sun is setting, realizes?"

Sadly this proved tricky too, leading to their current thought. 'How do we survive this?'

Fortunately Sir Campion and Count Peregrine were not actual full blown cowards. They were both capable and skilled warriors who could fight ... they just didn't want to!

***

'Remember our wager!' shouted Peri above the clang and the din of sword upon shield (how he wished everyone would stop clanging and dinning. Having snuck into the enemy's midst, cut a few sentries throats and cut a hole in some tent fabric to extricate Freddie, and then a successful retreat to the camp's outer edges, being discovered by guards was a bit of a disappointment. The subsequent fight against this small group of sentries and the clanging and dinning that resulted, would surely draw more of the buggers!).

'RALLY AROUND ME! IN CHRIST'S NAME DO WE STRIKE.'

'I wish he'd bloody shut up!' Peri hissed, glaring daggers at the Golden Knight. 'His yelling is attracting more Saracens!'

'What was that about a wager?' called out Campion, as he slammed his axe downwards through the helm of an attacker.

'Yes! The wager. I bet a gold coin that we'll escape with our lives.'

Campion swung around and disemboweled a second sentry. 'Hold on a minute. If we lose, you don't have to pay!'

'Quite correct, but you'll never miss the money, so it all works out.'

Sir Campion's brow creased as he thought about ... 'Saracen!'

Peregrine spun gracefully and stabbed the man in the throat. A hand grasped his shoulder and he pivoted, knife at the ready.

'Herr Count, it is I, Wilhel ... William. We must retreat. Zer brilliant strategic moves of zer Golden Knight, zey have created an opening.'

Sure enough, Sir Richard and seven or eight others had overwhelmed the main attack and now the way was clear.

'Strategy Five,' Peregrine called out and grabbed the German youth by the shoulders.

Campion bulled past one last Saracen and grabbed Freddie, spun around and loudly shouted 'Defending the Germans with our lives, you can rely on us good Sirs!'

The Golden Knight paused for breath and wiped the blood from his sword. He could see two of his knights bundle the youths towards the tied up horses - now they were riding hell for leather towards the safety of Acre.

He nodded approvingly. Good men. Saracens were a few hundred yards away - time to withdraw before this new force arrived. The mission was accomplished.

'Fall back, men!'

***

Several hours later, Count Peregrine glanced nervously at the door. He poured himself another flagon of wine and renewed the perfumes he had sprayed around his person.

There was a knock at the door.

Peregrine got up, wine in hand and adjusted his codpiece. He was wearing Burgundian velvet and a green set of pantaloons, with the extra curly leather boots from Verona.

'Enter.'

The boy came in, looking nervous.

'Will you have wine, my dear?'

Willy nodded. 'Ja ... I mean yes. Um ... you vill forgive me, Herr Count.'

'Anything. Speak your mind.'

'Zen I vill be bold. I em to see ze vay you look at me und ... and I sink you guess my secret.'

'As you do mine,' returned Peregrine and kissed Willy.

Willy sighed and embraced Peregrine deeply.

Wine was consumed, necks were licked, and then the candles were blown out and Peri reached between his lover's legs ....

***

Campion could still hear the shrieks and screams, even now the morning after. He had heard the entire story for the seventh time and was nodding sympathetically as Peri rinsed his mouth out with wine and spat it out, before, trembling hand, reaching for another.

'It was disgusting, Campers. I felt violated, deceived, betrayed! I fear I will never forget the shame and the horror when I reached beneath his legs ... Willy ... oh god. I still feel sick! I actually touched it! Touched it!!'

Sir Campion refilled his flagon. 'Well how do you think Wilhelmina felt when you started screaming. Nice girl actually, chatted to her this morning. She was mortified - said she'd even spoken to you about you guessing her secret, and that when you didn't deny and then kissed her ... Ah well, look on the bright side.'

'What bright side?'

Campion reached for his full purse. 'Freddie gave us a reward. Here. Ten gold coins for you and an extra one for winning the bet!'

Fin.