Bringing Claire Home [Elinor's Stronghold 4] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour)

by Berengaria Brown

  “Your lost love? What happened to her?” asked a man.

  The visitor’s face creased in pain, and his voice was filled with anguish. “I wish I knew what had happened to her and where she is. Her brother brought her here to the north to protect her from Lord Jeffrey’s attacks. But they never arrived at her family home, and Lord Ceadda hasn’t heard any news of her. Unless she’s in one of these hamlets, I’m terrified she’s been hurt or lost forever,” he said.

  “No people have come to live around here. People have left, either killed, or run away, or moved to Lord Ceadda’s stronghold, but no one has arrived here,” said the same man who’d spoken first.

  “That’s what everyone is telling me. I’m so afraid she’s come to harm. I love her with all my heart. I can’t bear it if I don’t find her.”

  People questioned the big, young man for a while longer, but Ivan could tell they were just trying to be kind. No one knew anything about Claire. But he did. Unfortunately, if he said anything now, it would reveal where he’d been hiding, and he needed to talk to Paul first. He couldn’t just blurt out his secret to the village.

  But could he trust this man, this Mitchell, if he took him to their campsite? The man’s concern for Claire was obvious and true. But what if Paul still didn’t want to go home? With the danger from Lord Jeffrey ended, surely he’d want to return? And the appearance of Mitchell meant the end of his own hopes of marrying Claire.

  God’s blood, what was a man to do?

  * * * *

  Mitchell’s heart was breaking. He couldn’t sleep. He rolled from side to side then laid still on his back staring up at the wooden roof struts. But he didn’t see them. All he saw was Claire’s beautiful, oval face surrounded by a cloud of white-blond hair. Her eyes were gray now and sad, as if she was bidding him farewell. No, no she couldn’t be dead. She simply couldn’t be. Surely he would have felt the pain as she’d been killed? Felt her spirit leave him? He was so attuned to her, loved her so deeply, she had to be alive somewhere. It was just that he hadn’t located her yet.

  Well where is she then? There’s nowhere left for her to be. No one has seen any strangers, far less a woman.

  Tomorrow I’ll talk to the other traveler, Ivan. He’s come from the north. Maybe he can tell about some strongholds outside the valley where she and Paul may be.

  Mitchell sharpened the picture of her in his mind, remembering two years ago when they’d all been learning to swim. She’d splashed and played in the water as happy as a fish, soon learning to stay upright by using her legs and feet. She didn’t move forward very fast, but she kept her head out of the water just fine and could float with the river’s tide, gradually making her way from one side to the other.

  He tried to get her to lie flat in the water and use her arms as well as her legs to actually swim, but she’d been content with her own method, and he’d pulled her into his arms and kissed her. Her nipples were pointed from the cold water and dug into his chest as he’d kissed her ever more deeply then slid his leg between hers. Under cover of the water, he’d run his hand up her bare leg, under her dress, and slid his finger into her channel. She was so hot there and ready for him. He’d finger-fucked her frantically, loving how her face flushed pink and she pressed down onto his hand, pushing his finger deeper inside her. Then her cunt had gripped his finger and she’d reached her peak, her hot cream wetting his hand, her body shivering in his arms. Again and again he’d kissed her, showing how much he loved her, and she’d kissed him back just as passionately.

  She’s not dead. She’s not. She’s not. I will find her.

  * * * *

  Early the next morning, Ivan and Mitchell began walking companionably south, Mitchell leading his horse and both of them nibbling on the bread they’d been given to break their fast. It seemed to Mitchell almost as if Ivan had something he was going to say to him, but their conversation remained inconsequential, about the weather and the people in the hamlet.

  Finally Mitchell took a deep breath and said, “As you know I’m looking for Claire and her brother, Paul. You’ve come from the north. Is there a stronghold just outside the valley where they may have taken shelter? I can’t believe she’s dead, and I didn’t feel her pain. She must be still alive!”

  Ivan seemed torn and opened and closed his mouth several times. Finally he said, “I may know something, but it’s not my story to tell. If you can trust me, truly trust me, I will take you to someone who may be able to answer your questions. But you cannot know where you’re going. You’ll have to let me blindfold you and lead you on your horse.”

  “The horse is my lord’s, not mine. But my life is worth nothing without Claire, so I must trust you, I suppose.”

  They walked for another mile, and then Ivan said. “It’s time for me to blindfold you now. Climb on your horse.”

  Mitchell did as he was asked, knowing that once he was blindfolded the man could do anything to him. But then, if there were masterless men around, they could kill him and steal the horse anyway.

  They turned off the road and walked among the trees, but that was all Mitchell could tell. He had no way of knowing in which direction they traveled, and it seemed to him as if they went around and around a lot, but that may have been to avoid land unsuitable for the horse to walk over or fallen trees. Inside he was a mass of tension and worry, but underlying it, he hoped the person he was being taken to—likely some robber or masterless man—would tell him where Claire was.

  They walked for a very long time, until it was well past time to eat, and his belly was aching with hunger. He was also very thirsty, yet had smelled no water, so perhaps they’d not passed near any streams. Many, many times he wanted to ask where they were, and how much longer their journey would take, but he refrained. Ivan was in control, and Ivan would be just as hungry and thirsty as he was. More so probably, as he was walking while Mitchell rode.

  Finally they stopped, and this time it wasn’t simply to change direction. Ivan made no attempt to start them moving again. There was a mumbling growl, and then a beloved voice said, “Mitchell? Mitchell? Oh, Mitchell,” and a soft body launched itself at him hugging his legs and his hips.

  He let the reins fall, and his hands landed on a head of soft hair. He reached lower and pulled her up so he could kiss her. “Claire? It’s really you?”

  He let her down and ripped the blindfold off his head, dropping it to the ground and blinking hard as the light hurt his eyes after such a long time in darkness. He jumped off the horse and pulled her into his arms, kissing her properly this time, sliding his tongue deep into her mouth, wanting to touch and taste every inch of her. “You’re alive after all,” he gasped when they broke apart to haul air into his lungs.

  “I’ve missed you so much.”

  “Have you decided to join us here in the forest?” Paul’s tone was harsh and accusatory.

  “Are you living here? Have you been here all this time? In the forest?” Mitchell shrugged. “I care not what you decide to do. I’m taking Claire home with me. As soon as we reach the stronghold, Father Augustus will marry us. I have missed her more than an arm or a leg. Never shall we be parted again.”

  Paul looked as if he was about to attack Mitchell, and Mitchell pushed Claire behind him, but Ivan laid a hand on Paul’s shoulder.

  “Paul, we need to tell you all that has been happening this past year. For a start, Lord Jeffrey is dead, and Lord Rhys has reclaimed the demesne.”

  “Really?”

  Claire hurried over to the fire and brought Mitchell a piece of meat on a wooden stick and a cup of water, and then she did the same for Ivan. “Sit down, and tell us everything you’ve learned,” she said gently.

  It was a long time later when Paul and Claire stopped asking Ivan and Mitchell questions. Claire was cuddled into Mitchell’s side, his arm around her waist and her hand on his knee.

  Paul stared at her. “You know I planned to give you to Ivan. He loves you, girl.”

  Ivan nodded. Mitchel
l felt pain lance through his body at the thought of losing her even now. He tightened his arm around her.

  Claire pulled herself a little loose from him, but kept her hand on his knee. “Ivan, I know you saved our lives, and I am truly grateful for that. I know I owe you a huge debt, and I like you very much. If I’d never met Mitchell, I would have been happy to marry you, as my brother wishes. But it’s Mitchell I love. I’ve loved him forever, and not being with him was the hardest thing I’ve ever faced. I must marry him.”

  Mitchell was conflicted. Ivan had saved her life? That changed things. When a man saved a person’s life, that person owed it to him for the rest of their days. He could ask anything of them, and they had to give it. Yet the thought of giving Claire up, when he’d only just found her, was a pain so deep it almost crippled him.

  There had to be a solution. What a shame she wasn’t twins like Lady Elinor’s sons, so they could share her. Share. Oh, share. Lady Elinor was married to Lord Rhys, but everyone knew Hammond, the Captain of the Guard, shared their bed and in the decision-making of the stronghold. And it was freely talked about that Byram and Carlysle shared Garnet, over at the demesne.

  He would marry Claire. There was no changing him on that. But was he willing to share her with Ivan, the man who’d saved her life, and who clearly loved her, too. Could he do that? Paul’s land was quite a long way from the stronghold. That was why he’d been so worried about Lord Jeffrey’s attacks. Paul knew it would be impossible to run to safety in time. But there was no reason they couldn’t build an extra shelter out there, so he and Ivan could have a room of their own in which to bed with Claire.

  “It is not unknown for two men to share a woman,” he began cautiously, glancing from Claire, to Ivan, to Paul. Ivan began to look hopeful. Paul was still obstinate.

  “Lady Elinor herself has led the way in this, and Father Augustus has married several people under these conditions. I will marry Claire. That is non-negotiable. But, Paul, your land is distant from the stronghold. We could build a small, one-roomed hut there for Claire, Ivan, and me to share. There we could bed together away from the eyes of the curious. My grandmother is old, and in my house we would need to be circumspect, but out on Paul’s farm we could relax.”

  “I…I don’t know,” said Paul.

  “I will agree to your conditions. I’ve always known Claire loves another man. I love her dearly, too much to allow her to be hurt. I’m prepared to share her with you. It’s much better than giving her up. I will help both you and Paul on your farms. With three of us, we can easily grow enough food to feed us all, including your grandmother,” said Ivan.

  Claire jumped up and ran to Ivan. “Oh, Ivan, that’s so noble of you. I do care for you, truly. But I love Mitchell. Having you both would be a wonderful solution to our problems.”

  They talked until it was full dark, and they’d discussed all the issues they could think of. Then Mitchell stood up and held out a hand to Claire and one to Ivan. “I think we should seal our pact tonight. We need to bed our bride.”

  Chapter Four

  Claire looked at Paul, and for a heartbeat, she thought he would object, but he just nodded and said, “You three use the shelter, I’ll stay out here with the horse. It’s best someone watches it in case any wild animals come by.”

  She allowed herself to be tugged inside the shelter, forgetting to warn Mitchell about the steps down inside. In the dark, no one could see them, and he almost lost his balance, causing them all to stumble.

  “It must have taken a long time to dig the shelter so deep, but it’s much safer from animals like this,” said Mitchell approvingly.

  “It’s a lot warmer in winter, too. The soil holds the heat of the fire, and we put snow and ice over the roof which helped keep us warm, too,” added Ivan.

  “You stayed here in the forest right through winter?” Mitchell asked.

  “We had nowhere else to go,” Claire replied. She’d hated that. Hated knowing her family was gone, likely killed but possibly just run away, and that she couldn’t return to the stronghold because of the soldiers fighting. If they’d simply fled to the stronghold in the first place, they’d have been safe, although Paul may have lost his land. He risked losing it by being absent for so long anyway.

  Now it had turned out they could have returned home last spring and planted crops to see them through this winter. Winter would be hard with no grain. She was sure the men would catch enough meat, and she would gather nuts and other edibles from the woods, but it wasn’t the same as having bags of grain stored to make bread with, and vegetables and fruits harvested.

  Her thoughts came to a rapid halt as Mitchell pulled her into his arms. “Do you understand, my love? I’m going to fuck you now to claim you as my bride, and then Ivan will fuck you, too, because you will belong to him as well. If you don’t agree, you must say so right now or it’ll be too late.”

  “We could fuck her together. You in her cunt and me in her ass, or the other way around. That would be us both truly claiming her,” suggested Ivan.

  Claire’s breath hitched. She’d never seriously considered two men, although the women had sometimes whispered about it, wondering what it would feel like to have two cocks inside them. And now it was about to happen to her. But it was the ideal answer. Both men loved her. She had tender feelings for both of them. Choosing between them would be cruel. This solution was much better.

  “Ah, that’s a better plan. I’ll take her cunt. Are you happy with her ass?”

  “Yes, indeed.”

  “This first time may hurt a little, Claire, although I’ve fingered your cunt and your ass, so it shouldn’t be too bad. But for a woman, the first time always hurts. I hope we’ll give you much joy to take away the pain though,” said Mitchell.

  Claire nodded. She knew the first time hurt. She also knew her maidenhood had been stretched by the games they’d played with each other. It was just as well she didn’t have to hang blood-covered bed sheets out her window, as she thought there may not be much blood. She was a virgin still, but only just.

  Silently they removed their clothes then piled them on top of the three cloaks on the bed of leaves for extra softness and padding. The men whispered together for a few moments, planning what would come next, Claire guessed, and then Mitchell lay down on his back and told her to climb over his hips.

  Confidently she settled across his hips, his cock bobbing near her cunt but not inside her yet.

  “Suck me to make me nice and wet,” he said.

  Claire had to shift back a little to get her head over his cock, but then she sucked him deep into her mouth, loving the remembered taste and feel of him, pulling hard on his cock, feeling it swell in her mouth, and flicking her tongue over his head.

  “Enough. I don’t want to burst so soon,” Mitchell gasped.

  Claire let him slide out of her mouth and wiggled as he lined his cock up at her entry. Then he grabbed her hips and slammed her down over him. There was pressure, a slight jab of pain, and then he was deep inside her, filling and stretching her channel. It felt strange, but good. Not pain, just a little tenderness inside her.

  “Lie flat on me so Ivan can work your ass. Kiss me,” ordered Mitchell.

  Claire loved to kiss him, he always tasted so good, and he was a wonderful kisser, arousing her to great heights with his licks and nibbles and sucks. Happily she joined her lips to his, loving the way he thrust his tongue into her mouth and tasted her everywhere. She responded by sliding her own tongue along the insides of his cheeks, and over the roof of his mouth, before tangling her tongue with his.

  As she kissed, she became aware of Ivan preparing her ass. Mitchell had fingered her ass. He liked to slide a finger deep inside her ass and her cunt simultaneously, almost as if he’d been preparing her for just this situation. But Ivan had two fingers in her now, widening the opening. A cock was a lot bigger than a finger, although she expected the channel would widen to accept it just as her cunt had.

  When
Mitchell stopped kissing her, Ivan leaned his cock up close to her mouth. “Suck me now, make me wet so I slide into you easily,” he said. His wide brown eyes were full of love, and suddenly she understood the two men had to cooperate to share her, but she was the one receiving the biggest benefit. She had both of them. Right then and there, she determined to do her best to love them both thoroughly and completely always.

  Gently she took his cock in her hand and sucked it into her mouth. She licked up and down the shaft, playing with the long vein and pressing her tongue against it, enjoying the powerful throbbing she felt. She sucked the head deep inside her mouth then dipped her tongue into the little slit to taste his essence. He was very different from Mitchell, quite salty, like preserved meat in winter, but not at all unpleasant, so she sucked him again.

  Finally he groaned and pulled his cock away from her. “It’s time for me to enter you. Push out as I push in. It sounds a little strange, but I assure you it works best.”

  Claire nodded and lay flat on Mitchell again, loving how he wiggled his cock inside her, pushing it deep until his balls were hard against her skin. Ivan held her ass cheeks wide apart and pressed his cock at her entry. As he broached the tight ring of muscles, she remembered to push out. There was a deep burning sensation as Ivan’s cock entered her, and then he was through and slid inside. Her skin stretched around him, as she’d known it would, but it all felt very full, very tight. Both men fidgeted and wiggled, getting into position, and once again her tissues stretched and accommodated them. She became used to the full feeling and realized she rather like it. She felt possessed, owned by these men, and it was reassuring.

  Mitchell pulled out then pushed into her cunt again. Ivan joined in, thrusting in as Mitchell withdrew, so there was always one man filling her. Claire gripped Mitchell’s shoulders as her body was dragged back and forth between the men. There was a slight feeling of discomfort, but no genuine pain. More an overly stretched feeling, but also a sensation of excitement and possession. The men had promised her pleasure, and strangely, it was good. The more they pumped into her, the more she liked it, her body rising into their strokes and moving back and forth in time with them now.