Maxwell
I rub my eyes in exhaustion from a long day of riding, my whole body aches with the weight of my armour and the men are all fatigued.
We reach the walls of London as the sun is setting and I dismiss them for the night to attend to my business with the King.
I dismount and run my fingers down Tybalt's soft nose, pressing my forehead to his. This beautiful horse has been by my side since the very beginning, I still remember the day that father presented him to me as a gift for my birthday.
I was becoming a man he said...and a man always has a horse worthy of his station.
I smile at the memory and feel a momentary stab of grief at my father's passing.
"Do you remember that day Boy?" I say patting his neck affectionately. "We were younger then, and I daresay more handsome."
Tybalt huffs and shakes his mane spiritedly.
"Alright, alright" I say laughing. "Mayhap I should speak for myself hmm?"
I see movement from the corner of my eye and my sword is drawn in a flash as I whirl around in preparation to fight.
My whole body is primed and ready for battle, but in front of me is a small boy looking thoroughly shocked at my reaction to him.
I smirk and sheath my sword handing him Tybalt's reins.
"Ensure my horse is fed and watered boy" and he shuffles forward taking them from me tentatively.
I get a good look at the boy and see that he is severely under nourished. I reach into my pockets and hand him a few coins "And then take this and get yourself a hot meal."
He stares at me dumbstruck and breaks into a wide grin. "Yes sir!" he says and marches off at double speed leaving me chuckling.
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"Bring us two jugs of Mead! I intend to celebrate the arrival of my guest"
"Yes, your Majesty" bows the servant and he retreats to fetch the drinks.
"So Maxwell, Tell me, how is Arundel these days?"
"Good, thank you your majesty. Although I daresay not as stimulating as London"
"Hahaha, Yes surely."
We sit at the head table in the grand Palace surrounded by opulence the likes of which most have never seen or will ever see.
I rub my sore knee and take a swig of the newly delivered Mead quenching my thirst.
"And what of Lady Alice?" and with that one question I know the reason for my impromptu summons; the mere mention of her makes me feel sick to the stomach but I don't let it show.
"She is well your Majesty. She is currently residing within my home as my guest."
"Of course, of course" he smirks and pats me on the back as he rises to pace in front of the fire. "Although, I'm afraid I must make use of her all too soon."
I turn to look at him puzzled wandering what he means.
"As you know the Welsh are creating a lot of problems for me, and I require more men and funds to be guaranteed to me, to safeguard the realm in the event of a war with our neighbours."
I nod trying to comprehend his intentions.
"What would you have me do your Majesty?"
"Oh I don't need your services for now Maxwell. But I do require the Lady Alice to return to her home country for the time being to ensure her father remembers to keep his word. And the implications if he were to forget our arrangement"
"Of course, your Majesty. I will see to it that she is on the first ship home when I return."
He doesn't know how pleased I am to see the back of that bloody woman.
It's him after all that's been trying to match make us for months to unite England with Spain.
He's tactfully forced her presence upon me under the guise of diplomacy and the only reason I've allowed it to continue is because he is king.
He truly thinks I'm falling love with the woman, when in reality she repulses me. She may be beautiful on the outside but on the inside she is rotten to the core.
"Good good" he clasps his fingers together and proceeds to stalk around me, clearly trying to appear nonchalant. It's an act that I can see straight through.
He may be the king but he is not so adept at the intricacies of politics and I see clearly through his ruse. He may have the best of intentions and I can tell that he honestly thinks that Alice is a catch but he doesn't know her like I do.
"So, am I to assume that wedding bells are on the horizon when she returns?" he asks and I have to concentrate on keeping a neutral face.
"Well I don't know about that yet your majesty. We have only known each other for a short time and I wouldn't want to distract her from her diplomatic mission for you."
"Nonsense Maxwell! There is nothing that I would like more, than for one of my most loyal subjects to be happy and settled...and if it just happens to cement my alliance with Spain...well then it will be an added benefit" he smiles and sits again.
My disgust at the thought of marrying Alice nearly spills onto my face and I reach for some food to disguise it.
"Come...Let us toast to our success in this, and all future ventures Max." he gestures and holds his glass up.
I reach for mine and raise it into air attempting a smile before taking a larger than necessary swig.
"So now that we have taken care of business, tell me, how was your journey?"
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Several hours and several large jugs of mead later, I am stumbling back to the Inn that I usually use when visiting London.
The king has often invited me to use one of his many spare rooms but I prefer to be near the men, keeping them out of trouble.
It's raining lightly and my Armour and Chainmail are starting to weigh me down as I try to remember the way in my drunken stupor.
I manage to recognise a monument and topple through the doorway of the Inn landing at the feet of Alexander.
"Woah there...Looks like someone's had a fortuitous evening with the King?" he sniggers as he pulls me up from the floor and deposits me onto the nearest bench.
"You could say that..." I grumble, as I run my hands down my face trying to will away the weariness. "Where are the men?"
"Don't worry, no fights as of yet. However, the night is still young...is it not?" he smiles teasingly.
Alexander is my oldest and most loyal friend; we grew up together and have fought in many battles, side by side.
There is no other person alive that I trust more than him, he is like a brother to me.
His look is full of mischief and I can't help but smile back, despite how exhausted I am, as he sits down next to me.
His gaze pans around the room discreetly and he lowers his voice so that only I can hear him, suddenly all business.
"So... are we to go to war?"
"No... At least not for the present" I sigh and he looks as me gesturing for me to continue. "The King wishes Lady Alice to return home to guarantee her father provides more funds and men, if war should break out."
He looks at me puzzled, "And you're troubled by this why?"
Only he would know from looking at me how troubled I truly am.
I pause with the weight of my thoughts playing on my mind.
"The King expects me to marry her when she returns." I say sternly, trying to hide my anxiety at the thought.
I've never out right told him my opinion of Alice out of respect for her position, but he knows me well enough to perceive my thoughts.
He's also been present when she's demonstrated her true character and I know he feels the same about her as I do.
He doesn't say anything at my remark; He just stares at me in disbelief for some time, before coming to his senses.
"What will you do?"
"Marry her, I suppose"
"Max, you can't marry someone like her. She's poison."
"Don't you think I know that!" I shout and a few of the men at the bar raise their heads in our direction hoping to see a fight.
Alex stands and pulls my arm roughly, gesturing for me to stand and follow him.
We move over to a small nook away from the fire and he whispers harshly to me.
"He can't make you do this Max."
"Actually he can. He's the King. He can strip me of my title, home, lands and anything else he so desires"
"Then run!"
"And leave my people to ruin? No. I won't do that. They are my responsibility and I owe it to my father to live up to his expectations."
His expression morphs from anger to one of reluctant respect in an instant, and I know that he understands.
I promised my father that I would uphold the values he'd taught me, and look after the lands and the people, no matter what the cost.
I will not put myself before them. I will not.
We're standing silently in the dark, neither of us knowing what to say to each other for once, when a barely dressed woman comes sauntering over to us and puts her arm around my waist.
I think about throwing her off but decide that she provides the perfect escape from my current predicament and tell her to follow me up the stairs.
Alex stares at me as we ascend the stairs and mouths "Tomorrow..." and I nod.
Yes, tomorrow. I will worry about all of this tomorrow.
Right now I just want to lose myself inside this whore.
I wrap my arm around her waist to a chorus of jeers and shouts from my men, I turn and smile at them as though I have no worries in the world.
They don't need to see my weakness.
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Several minutes later the woman has managed to help me out of my chainmail and I'm sat on the bed in just my undershirt.
She straddles me and lifts my shirt over my head, pushing me down onto the bed as she goes. I lie back as she trails kisses down my body and try to lose myself, but it's just not happening.
All I keep picturing is the same woman I've been thinking about for days; Cassie.
When I saw her in the great hall for the first time I'd lost the breath in my chest.
She was a vision. The most beautiful sight I had ever beheld.
I wish it was her mouth on me, pleasuring me and giving me my release.
I close my eyes and let my mind drift to thoughts of her face, her smile and the way she seems so unsure of herself.
It's endearing and I find myself smiling, but not through any pleasure this wench is bringing me.
I'd sat and watched her the entire evening, not wanting to move from my chair in case I lost sight of her.
She had danced and sang with most of the servants that night and I recall feeling the pull to join her, but knowing that my position and Lady Alice stood in the way of that desire.
If Alice had known how I felt she would have gone out of her way to humiliate the girl and I couldn't allow that.
My mind flies back to when I'd seen her out in the fields for the crop gathering, her dress sopping wet from sweat and her beautiful golden hair clinging to her forehead.
I wanted so desperately to talk to her but didn't know how to after the way I'd behaved when I first met her.
I'd been so rude, but in my defense it was for a very good reason; Alice.
So I'd taken the cowards way out and ignored her some more. God she must think me a fool.
I'd watched her most of the morning as she worked and then spotted her going to fetch water from the stream with the young boy.
It was the ideal opportunity to get her alone and apologise for my behaviour without raising any suspicions so I'd raced after her and followed her into the brush.
I was a good couple of minutes behind them but I knew exactly where they were going. The young boy passed me on my way into the trees, making his way back to the fields, and I smiled at the thought of having her truly alone as I stalked towards her.
This was too good to be true.
I emerged onto the riverbank and struggled to spot her, worrying that something might have happened to her, but my heart had stuttered in my chest at the sight before me.
Her dress was left in a pile on the riverbank and she was lying back in the water in just her undergarments.
My cock twitched at the sight of her and my breaths turned short and shallow as I imagined what I would do to her if I could.
Her full breasts bobbed lazily just above the waterline and I swallowed a moan, struggling to keep quiet.
But my haze of desire was soon completely blanketed by my anger at her being exposed.
She was almost as naked as the day she was born and I saw red.
No other man would look upon what I saw as mine in that moment.
I'd stormed into the water and hauled her out before anyone else could get an eyeful, but what I hadn't counted on was getting a closer eyeful myself.
My cock had instantly hardened at the sight of her undergarments slicked against her full breasts and round hips.
Her hair was several shades darker and dripping with water as it trickled down onto her chest, she had never looked so beautiful.
The shock on her face registered with me and that's when I'd made the rash decision to take her back to the castle and make sure she was decent.
The fact that I had taken her to my own chamber had not escaped the attention of everyone within the castle and I could tell it was the gossip of the maids long before dinner that night, as none of them could look me in the eye.
I had kissed her.
I just couldn't control myself. There was something about her that just drew me in and I felt like I would die if I didn't touch her.
I still recall the softness of her full lips, the wet heat of her mouth and the feel of her heavy breasts squashed against my chest as I'd held her pinned against the wall.
The kiss had possessed and shocked me, in a good way, and I had pulled back to assess if she had felt the same, but we were interrupted by Florence and the moment had passed.
I was so angry with myself for the way I'd acted and how I had presumed to treat her, I had acted terribly and couldn't face her again after that.
I think back to how she'd burst into my chamber the very same night as I was preparing for bed, her anger towards me only made her all the more attractive and compelling.
Her eyes came alive and her face flushed a bright crimson as she fought to contain her emotions.
I wanted them to spill over her carefully placed walls, it made me feel alive.
I'd foolishly indulged myself yet again and talked with her; confessing my feelings had been a stupid and reckless mistake.
Alice now knew that there was something between us and she would stop at nothing to stake her sick claim on me.
I'd been selfish in my pursuit of time alone with Cassie and now because of me she was in Alice's firing line.
My gut clenches painfully at the thought of any harm coming to her and tenses even more so when I realise it could be the result of my actions.
But hearing her admit that she felt the same way about me as I did for her had made my heart soar; I'd wanted to kiss her again in that very moment, but she had to be the one to make the first move.
After my ridiculous ungentlemanly behavior I wanted to make sure that the next time we kissed, she wanted it as much as I did.
Why did she have to ask about Alice? Why did that woman have to intrude on every aspect of my life?
As soon as I was reminded of her the moment had gone and I had remembered my position. I couldn't be with this incredible woman, not with Alice in the picture and the king's obvious expectations for us.
I can remember clearly the look of absolute shock on Cassie's face as I hauled Alice into my room that night.
God she must have thought the worst no doubt, had probably thought I'd lied to her and exaggerated my feelings when in reality I was desperate to protect her from Alice's wrath.
Alice had been positively boastful, stalking around my room, seeing as she had never been invited inside it before, but I made sure to warn her to stay away from Cassie and I agreed that I would do the same.
It was a reluctant but necessary agreement that I'd had to come to with her, there was no other way to ensure Cassie's safety, and that was paramount to me.
I'm bought back to the present by the woman grasping my cock and taking me into her mouth.
I moan with the sensation and try to lose myself in the moment.
If I can't have Cassie, my imagination will have to be enough.
I imagine it's her gliding her tongue up and down me and taking all of me into her mouth until I hit the back of her throat.
With that image burned into my mind my hips thrust forward automatically, up into her mouth and she sucks harder whilst releasing a little moan of her own.
She cups and massages my sack and my eyes roll around in the back of my head with the image of Cassie doing all of this to me.
I reach down without looking and take a firm hold of the her head, pushing her further down onto me and pulling her off gently, fucking her mouth softly.
I let out another moan as she complies and seems to enjoy it. The sensations are heavenly and I lift my head and open my eyes to take a look at Cassie working my cock, but stop short when I don't see the headful of blond flowing hair that I'm expecting to see.
Instead a mass of dark red curly hair is trailed across my stomach, hiding the whores face as her head bobs up and down.
It shocks me and I immediately lose my desire.
All sensation now makes me feel sick. I sit up abruptly, shocking the woman. She sits back on her haunches and looks as me expectantly, but I can't do this.
"I'm sorry. You need to leave" I say fumbling around my clothes trying to find my money bag.
"But you haven't finished yet...I need the money."
"Don't worry about that. Here," I say as I hand her payment. "Tell no one what has happened here and leave now."
She pulls her shawl back over the shoulders and leaves the room silently. I listen to her footsteps retreat down the hall as I move to sit on the end of the bed, staring solemnly into the fire.
What just happened? I've rarely used whores but when I have I've never had any trouble finishing.
The image of Cassie working my shaft floats through my mind again and my cock twitches in anticipation, desperate for her touch, and her touch only. I rub my palms against my eyes roughly, trying to erase the image from my mind, its pure torture knowing that it can never be.
I endeavour not to think about her as I watch the flames, hypnotised and warmed by their heat; but my thoughts drift back to the Jousting Tournament.
I'd been in my tent preparing for the day when I'd overheard someone threatening a woman; I'd stormed outside flanked by my men only to find that it was in fact Cassie being manhandled by that pitiful excuse for a man. It was all I could do not to rip his throat out with my bare hands.
At the time I thought I'd made the right decision in giving her the opportunity of deciding his fate but now I realise that I should have done it.
I should have killed him on the spot for daring to touch her.
She shouldn't have had the responsibility that was mine thrust upon her.
Shame swamps me as I recall walking away from her afterwards.
I'd been a coward and was still attempting to avoid her after our earlier kiss and subsequent interruption; so I'd made sure she was safe and moved away. It killed me to leave her like that but I had no choice.
I instructed the men to ensure someone was watching over her at all times for her protection whilst she was in the castle grounds, but Alice had been lingering nearby unseen and overheard my orders to the men.
She'd made Cassie's attendance to the Royal Box utterly unpleasant. I still hadn't forgiven Alex for subjecting her to that experience.
I had had to sit and listen to her try to stand up for herself against Alice, which is no easy task. The woman is a fire breathing dragon with a fowl temper and a lack of morals to shame a criminal.
It had killed me to keep silent and bite my tongue that day at the joust. Alice knew that I couldn't say anything in honour of our bargain and the bitch had thoroughly enjoyed herself, insulting Cassie and making my blood boil.
I can still feel her grip on my hand and my stomach heaves, I'm disgusted with myself for agreeing to Alice's terms but what option did I have.
Cassie had put up an admirable fight for the most part which had only added to my ever growing admiration and affection for her but I couldn't allow it to continue when Alice has questioned her integrity – I ushered the foul mouthed bitch out of the box and away from Cassie as soon as I could.
I've made so many mistakes this week; and now she's missing. I've got no one to blame but myself.
If my father were still alive he would be ashamed of my conduct...I need to fix this.
When I'd sent for her this morning, to punish the miscreant from the joust, my servant had returned from her chambers to inform me that she'd left her room at some point during the night and nobody had been able to find her.
But I'd had no time to even think about it as the king's summons had arrived promptly at dawn, forcing me to leave in haste with no time to investigate. I'd purposely left behind some of my best guards to ensure that she was found and kept safe but even that didn't feel right.
I'd wanted to stay myself and search for her but that simply wasn't an option. My services were required in London and my oath to King and Country had compelled me to go.
Anger ripples through me at the thought of everything that's so out of my control.
I stand up and pace the room, trying to ease my feelings of guilt and apprehension. My shaky hands run through my hair automatically, a nervous habit that I seem to have adopted.
God, has she been found? Is she at this very moment safe and wrapped up in her blankets in bed? My cock twitches again at the thought of her, naked in bed.
Fuck! How can I even be thinking this way when she could be in danger? My anger rises at my helplessness and I reach for my nearby glass throwing it against the wall in a fit of temper, it smashes into pieces with a satisfying hiss as the fire burns away the alcohol.
I crumple down into a nearby chair in defeat. The strength of my emotions hits me like a broadsword in battle. No woman has ever had this effect on me and it's unsettling.
My blood pumps through my veins racing to get back to my heart, where she is held and protected, just to be nearer to her. My breath comes in heavy drags and my fists clench in tension as I picture her beautiful face.
My stomach fills with the familiar rush I've come to know from battle and it's in that moment that I realise with sudden clarity that I'm in love with her.
It appears my body knew it belonged to her long before my mind had accepted it.