by Johnson, ID
Katey was petrified. She literally felt like she could not move. Here she was, sitting in the king’s bed, wearing only her ring, waiting for him to enter the room and do who-knows-what to her.
And she really wasn’t exactly sure what was about to happen. There had been instances over the years when she had been groped by older men, those who thought they could take advantage of her because of her inability to speak and the unlikely possibility that they would be caught. They usually fondled her breasts or her bottom. There were a few occasions when one member of her sister’s advisory council had forced her to touch his private area. It had been dark and she had not seen it but just the thought of what it had felt like left her skin crawling. Even though she had known for the last several years that she was to marry King Philip and that meant she would be asked to perform wifely duties, the fact that she was not yet his wife and she had grown to despise him over the last two weeks left her praying that the cannon fire she heard outside really was drawing closer to the castle and that Matthew’s brother would soon save her.
Just as she began her prayer, she heard a key in the door, a jingling of the knob, and in walked her betrothed. So much for prayers.
She could tell by his gait that he had been drinking, though he certainly was not drunk. He barred the door behind him and then began to kick off his boots. “Well,” he said, squinting into the darkness. “If it isn’t my little Katey-did. Just where I’ve been dreaming of seeing you for weeks.” He slid his tunic off over his head as he sauntered over to the bed. She did not move, her hands clasped tightly around the top of the blankets as they lay tucked under her chin. He stopped next to the side of the bed nearest the door, unbuckled his pants and let them slide to the floor. Still wearing his briefs, he climbed on top of the blankets and slid on top of her.
She still did not move. In fact, she may have grasped the blankets even tighter if that were possible. She could smell the wine on is breath as he slowly began to kiss her cheek. He nestled his nose against her ear, nipping at it gently with his teeth. “Don’t be frightened,” he whispered softly as he began to kiss her neck. “I promise not to hurt you,” more kisses, harder kisses, “the first time.”
With his left hand, he reached up, grabbing her hair gently and pulling her head towards him. She could feel the long, flat surface of his tongue against the skin on her neck. He began to kiss her shoulder, occasionally testing her flesh with his teeth. His hand worked its way down her head, to her neck, his thumb caressing her chin and then her bottom lip.
Katey was still practically immobilized with fear, but she began to feel another sensation. As much as she despised Philip, a feeling of longing arose within her. It was a dull-ache originating between her legs and spreading up to her chest. She had never felt anything like this before and as much as she wanted to push him off of her and run out of the room, she also wanted to pull him close and spread her legs for him.
Philip continued his slow exploration of Katey’s body. He could feel her start to loosen up beneath him. Though he knew she both feared and detested him, he also knew she longed for him, as all women did. Her grip on the blankets released and he slid his hand over her right breast, feeling her nipple respond from his graze. He continued to caress it as his mouth made it’s way down her neck to her left breast. Again, he could feel her becoming aroused and he gently kissed the area between her breasts, his left hand dragging down the side of her body, down her stomach, up her thigh, coming to rest on her hip.
She was no longer lying stiff as a board. In fact, she had her hand on the back of his head, pressing in to him as he gently pulled on her nipple with his teeth. Her right leg was bent and he could feel the pressure of her knee against his erection. Though she did not moan as he had hoped, her back arched in response to his touch and he knew she was nearly ready for him.
He liked his girls wet and he never had a problem getting them that way. He gently ran his hand around the curve of her thigh, stroking the inside of her leg teasingly. At first, he found her muscle flexed, as if she was forbidding him to enter, but as he continued to kiss her breasts and brush the inside of her thigh with the back of his hand, she began to relax. He slipped his index finger between her outer lips, causing her to gasp, confirming that she was indeed ready.
Though she had intended to fight him, Katey could no longer keep her body from responding to Philip’s expert touch. When she felt him slip his finger between her legs, she began to quiver, wanting to press that wayward finger inside of her.
He pulled the blankets off of her with his left hand, and then slid off of them himself so that he was now lying on top of her naked body, only his briefs between them. His pants were slightly damp with anticipation. He took a moment to admire her figure. Though it was often hard to tell through so many layers, there was no hiding that Katey was an exceptionally built woman. Even in the darkness of the room, he could see that she was no disappointment.
The weight of his gaze on her naked body brought a fresh sense of embarrassment. She started to curl up, to hide herself from him, but he pushed her arm away. “No need for that,” he said. “You have nothing to be ashamed of.”
Just as he was about to kiss her lips for the first time, there was a knock on the door. Philip sighed, hanging his head, hoping for a moment that it could simply be ignored. But the pounding repeated, louder the second time and he knew whomever it was they were not going to just go away.
Turning his head so that he would not be yelling in to her face, he called, “What is it?”
“Your Majesty,” Charles’s voice replied. “I must talk to you. Immediately.”
There were not many people in the castle who knew exactly what had the king occupied at the present time, but Charles was one of the few who did. “Can it wait ten bloody minutes?” he spat back.
“No, Sir.” Charles responded.
Philip glanced down at the frightened, embarrassed, and completely turned-off girl beneath him. He ran his hand quickly through his hair, pushing himself up off of the bed and bounding across the room. He heard Katey grasp the blankets and pull them back up, covering herself completely. He fumbled with the bar for a second, absently wondering why the cannon fire was so unbelievably loud, and finally pulled the door open just wide enough to stick his head out. “What in the world could possibly make you interrupt me right now?” he demanded.
“May I speak with you in the hall?” Charles asked, aware that the king was probably not dressed but not wanting Katey or anyone else to overhear what he was about to say.
Philip disappeared behind the door, leaving a trail of obscenities behind him. Charles could hear him hastily pulling on his clothes. He returned to the door momentarily, coming out into the hall and slamming it behind him. “What? What is it?”
Charles sighed, hating that he was the one to have to deliver this news. “The Arterians have broken through at Skull Creek. They are over the wall around the village outside of the castle. That cannon fire you hear is their shell, knocking our fortifications to pieces. They will be inside the wall, inside the castle, probably within the hour.”
Slumping against the wall, Philip felt his breath catch in his throat. When he regained his composure, he asked, “What? How did this happen? We did so well today?”
Charles was shaking his head. “I don’t know, Sir. We just got word from the town’s people a few minutes ago. No one from the army even sent notification that we were under attack. “
“Where’s Cuthbert?” Philip demanded, picturing all the different ways he would like to put that bastard out of his misery.
“No word,” Charles replied. “Sir, we need to get you and the . . . Queen out of here, as quickly as possible.”
Philip paused to consider the situation. “Where is the Gradenian cavalry?”
“We have not seen or heard from them, Sir. We can take you out the northern tunnel. The King’s Guard is equipped and should be able to provide you with safe passage to the Gradenian border. Hope
fully, by then, the cavalry will have advanced far enough to meet you.”
“I need to assess the situation for myself,” Philip concluded. He did not want to flee to Gradenia unless it was absolutely necessary.
Once again, Charles found himself pleading with Philip. “Sir, there isn’t enough time. Think of your mother, your wife.”
“I want to see it for myself!” Philip spat. “Have the guards begin escorting my mother to safety. Send another group to acquire Matthew and take him down as well. I will go up to the observation deck and survey the situation from there. If I determine we need to leave, I’ll collect Katherine and we’ll make our way out through the northern tunnel.”
Having known Philip as long as he had, Charles knew there was no sense in arguing with him. He felt fairly certain that this was a mistake, but he acquiesced. “Very well, Sir,” he said. Spotting some guards at the end of the hall, he ran off to relay the orders.
Philip stepped back inside of the room. Katey was still on the bed, the blankets pulled up to her chin. She had over-heard much of the conversation and she knew her moments in Clovington were numbered. It seemed she would be able to keep her virginity just a bit longer.
“I want you to stay right here,” Philip said, picking up his boots and crossing back to the bed. He sat down on the side nearest the door and began pulling them on. “I will be back in just a few minutes. There’s just . . . something I need to take care of. “ He walked around to her side of the bed, pulled open the top-drawer of the night stand, and produced a black velvet rope. He tied one end around her wrist, wove it through the top of the headboard, and tied the other end around her other wrist, securing her to the bed. Katey’s eyes grew wide with fear. Now, she had no chance of escape and every chance of being discovered in the king’s bedchamber—naked.
He tucked the sheets around her so she would feel a bit more comfortable. “Just to make sure you don’t go anywhere,” he said, quickly kissing her on the top off the head and crossing back to the door. As he left, she heard the turn of the key and, overwhelmed with anxiety, she began to sob.
Another barrage of cannon fire sent Philip and Charles sprinting down the hallway towards the observation tower. The halls were crowded with civilians seeking refuge, soldiers in the King’s Guard completing tasks, and members of the gentry seeking answers as to where they should go and how they would hide. Philip literally pushed them aside, feeling the urgency of his mission growing more dire with every second.
They approached the tower just in time to see a large number of Arterian soldiers pouring through a contravention in the wall outside the castle. “Holy Hell!” Philip muttered. The men just kept climbing through, Philip’s own men running in fear.
Charles pulled him by the shoulder. “Sir, we have to go.”
Nodding but still not moving, as if frozen by the sight before him, Philip tried to understand what was happening. He had only minutes to escape.
“Sir, we have to go now. Right now!”
He heeded Charles’s warning this time and took off back toward the stairs. If he was going to collect Katey and get to the northern tunnel before Caleb’s men came crashing in, he had no time to waste.
“Philip, wait,” Charles said, putting a hand out to stop him. “I think you should go the other way, down the back staircase. It’s closer.”
Pausing for a moment to consider this alternative, Philip asked, “What about Katey?”
“It’s too risky,” he replied. “Let me go back for her. You need to get out of here, right away.”
Philip knew what he said was true. It would take too much time. It was highly unlikely that Charles would reach Katey and be able to make it back. Though he loved Charles like a brother and wanted to hold on to one of the few assets he had in Princess Katherine, he was not willing to risk his own neck for it. And debating the topic would take too long as well. “Fine. Go get her, meet me in the tunnel. But I can’t wait long.”
Charles understood. The two clasped hands and went their separate ways.
Philip was able to use a secret tunnel to wind his way down to the dark layers below the castle. In this way, he was able to avoid the entire invading army. As he entered the underground labyrinth, he saw a group of guards huddled nearby. He knew there purpose was to ensure he was not followed, no matter the cost to themselves. When he arrived at the entrance to the tunnel, he saw a few members of the King’s Guard waiting for him, his horse saddled. There were two empty horses ready as well. He assumed one was for Queen Katherine, the other for Charles. He did not know the name of the guard who handed him the reigns to his horse. “Where is my mother?” he asked.
“She left already, Your Highness, about twenty minutes ago.
Philip nodded. If he had left when Charles made the suggestion that would have been about the same time. “And where is King Matthew?”
***
It was actually a lot easier than he had even imagined. They hadn’t even pushed the cabinet out from the wall. They checked under the bed, looked out the arrow slits, as if he might have squeezed himself through, and then ran out the door, yelling his name, as if he might answer. The lock did exactly what Angel had thought it would do. The masticha kept the locking mechanism from fully engaging. The door swung closed, the lock banging against the jam, and then flung back open. By this time, the two guards were halfway down the stairs. He could tell by the noise outside of the window that Caleb’s forces were very close. Taking a chance on being discovered by Philip’s guards dragging an advisor back up the stairs, he decided to forego Angel’s hiding spot, and sprinted down the stairwell. When he reached the bottom, he hesitated for a moment, afraid he may run into the guards coming back in. Holding his breath, he pushed against the door, and found himself peering into a hallway. Just as he was slipping out a couple rounded the corner. He could tell by their dress that they were dignitaries. He fled to the shadows, hoping they would take no notice of him. They were clearly panic-stricken and seemed not to even see him, though they passed right by. As soon they passed, he hurried on his way, following Angel’s directions precisely. He had run into several more people as he approached the flight of stairs that ascended below the castle but none of them recognized him and none of them seemed to be looking for an escaped prisoner.
When he reached the dank area below the castle, it became very difficult to see. He had no torch and wouldn’t dare light it if he had one. He heard voices off in the distance, down other dark corridors. He knew that the tunnel entrance he was looking for was on the other side of several other passages. Luckily, the darkness allowed him to hide with ease and any time he thought he heard someone approaching, he was able to cower down in the shadows and wait for them to pass.
Eventually, he reached the correct tunnel. He could tell by the way the grate was leaning that Angel had opened it recently. He stepped inside, bending down to keep from hitting his head on the low roof. A few feet inside, he found the treasures Angel had left him. He quickly changed into the clothing she had procured from him. Though he couldn’t see it, he could tell by the fine linen that it did indeed belong to Philip. He also pulled on the boots. They were a little big but would certainly work and he would rather have extra room than have to walk several miles with pinched toes. She had also left him a canteen and a small basket with food in it. She had thought of everything. As he began the long flight towards freedom, he reflected for just a moment, unable to believe he would soon be reunited with his brother. He had been in that prison for so long and had almost lost the will to live until Angel, his beautiful Angel, had come along. He said a quick prayer for her safety and then took off down the tunnel, hoping that, wherever it let out, Caleb’s men would be nearby.
***
Rose had been outside the castle when the breach had taken place. She knew that Arterian soldiers were not the pillaging, raping type. She calmly waited as the first round of soldiers raced by. These were the ones who would be fighting off whatever rabble was left behind by
the remnants of the King’s Guard. The next group, these were the ones she was after, the ones that would round up the citizens that were left behind, those that didn’t escape or weren’t accidentally killed. Those that appeared to be useful would be placed in the back of prison carts and hauled back to Arteria where they could either swear allegiance to King Caleb or find themselves as prisoners for the rest of their lives. She was more than ready to swear her allegiance to a new king and she was hopeful that, soon enough, if she played her cards right, he would be swearing allegiance to her as well.
***
By the time Charles reached the landing at the bottom of the stairs, he could see that he was going to be too late. The passage he needed to use in order to reach the king’s bedchamber was clogged with members of the Arterian Army, surrendered soldiers from the King’s Guard, and civilians attempting to flee peacefully. Still, he had sworn to Philip that he would do his best and he was not willing to abandon the princess just yet.
With his hand on the butt of his sword, he stepped out into the passage. He would need to fight his way through this hall, around the corner, and into the next hallway before rescuing the princess and making his escape. Taking a deep breath, he stepped out into the foray.
Just a few steps in, an Arterian soldier commanded him to halt. Instinctively, he drew his sword, engaging the other man in hand-to-hand combat. This immediately drew the attention of the other soldiers around him on both sides. Members of the King’s Guard who had not yet handed off their weaponry also drew their swords. Charles was a master swordsman and he was actually able to wound or kill several combatants before a tall, lanky looking officer stepped forward. Charles almost snickered; certain he had this one. But looks could be deceiving and this gentleman meant business. As they fought, the man began to attempt to reason with him. Why didn’t he just surrender? Didn’t he know there was no other way to make it out of the castle alive? But Charles was not one to back down. With one full swing of his sword, he was able to knock the other man’s weapon into the air, pushing him backwards into the wall. As he fell, Charles came down with his sword, intending to run him through. Just as he prepared to plunge his sword deep into his enemy’s chest cavity, he saw a small flicker of silver and fell back into the wall behind him. Struggling to breath, he looked down and saw the handle of a small knife jetting out of his neck. Blood began to fill his mouth. He reached down, pulling the blade from where it had struck him, dropping it to the ground and collapsing.