Fostering Faust

by Randi Darren

  “Damn. I don’t have any other choice,” Alex said, then pulled his horse sharply to ride after Dan.

  And then stopped immediately as two couriers on horses came barreling his way.

  “Good,” Alex said, pointing at the first to arrive. “Get to Drew and tell him to dismount his cavalry and smash that nub of soldiers from the far angle.

  “Make sure he knows to pull back if the rest of their line moves to engage him. Got it?”

  The messenger nodded and then scrambled off, his horse having only stopped for a few seconds.

  Pulling his horse back the other way, Alex stood up in his stirrups, straining to see everything he could of the fight.

  Then he looked up to the wall and felt like his heart was about to leap out of his chest.

  The enemy had gained a foot hold in one section of the wall. They didn’t have many troops up there, but it was slowly increasing.

  “You, get me more couriers, then go tell Max to hit that point in the line with a surgical strike,” Alex said, pointing at the ladder that was working the soldiers upward.

  The man galloped off without a word, leaving Alex with nothing to do other than fume and fret.

  Then he saw it.

  Some of the enemy was turning on itself in an effort to push back deeper into the ranks. They were starting to break.

  It was by no means a victory, and this wasn’t going to end any time soon.

  But Alex immediately felt like the problem of the siege was slowly easing in his favor.

  If the enemy didn’t want to fight, then they wouldn’t.

  The question now was whether they could put enough hurt on them to quit before they took the wall.

  Max popped into view, leading a squad of what looked like heavy troopers. They were singular in their purpose and dove straight to the ladder where people were scrambling up to the top of the wall.

  Then Drew’s dismounted soldiers approached, using their lances like spears to prod at the enemy line.

  Everything was moving in the right direction. He was fairly confident he’d pull a victory out, but it wasn’t going to be a good victory.

  It’d be bloody. Bloody and short lived when his enemies found out about his losses.

  At least it’s a victory.

  The sound of horse hooves coming from the wrong direction made Alex’s blood suddenly run cold.

  He was filled with absolute, stark, mind-nullifying fear.

  Turning his head in the direction of the sound, he saw a small army of what looked like five hundred troops in colors he couldn’t recognize.

  They were racing for the point where Drew’s people had just engaged.

  As a unit, they were well armed, armored, and looked as if they were spoiling for a fight. Weapons were drawn, and they appeared fresh and clean.

  “Damn…” Alex muttered, watching them closing in. “I don’t even know how they slipped through our scouts and screens, but they did it.”

  He’d need to order the retreat immediately.

  If he could get his people out now, he might be able to regroup and manage something down the road.

  So long as he managed to preserve some of his troops, he could still act and try to make this work.

  Shifting his weight around, Alex set his horse back into the village.

  Only to be forced to a stop as a soldier in chain mail pulled up short in front of him. He was dressed in Alex’s colors and seemed to be in a hurry.

  They both also almost unhorsed themselves in the process.

  The rider clearly didn’t have much experience with a horse. He looked far too uncomfortable and seemed more likely to get pitched from the saddle than anything.

  Now that he looked the man over, he saw the armor didn’t fit quite right around the shoulders and middle. The helmet looked positively huge on small shoulders to boot.

  Tentatively letting go of the reins, the soldier reached up to start pushing at the helmet.

  “Husband!” shouted the soldier as it popped off, revealing Anna underneath. Her hair was plastered around her head, braided and messed up at the same time.

  “Hi dear!” she said enthusiastically. She tried to lean forward toward him and almost ended up taking a header into the grass when the horse moved against her wishes.

  “Oh, oh, oh, stop it, horsie. I just want to… stop,” Anna complained, grabbing at the reins as the horse began to walk in a slow circle. “This way, this way.”

  “Anna?” Alex asked, more than a little confused.

  “Hi dear, just… wait a second,” Anna said, pulling in the wrong direction on the reins.

  The horse apparently understood though, and ended up turning back to Alex.

  “Here, grab me or I’ll just keep spinning, I think,” Anna said, holding out her arms to him.

  Smiling, and being forced to her pace as he ever was, Alex reached over to pull her out of her saddle and sit her down in front of himself.

  There wasn’t quite enough room, so she mostly seemed to be sitting in his lap.

  Smiling up at him, she squirmed around, her hands resting on his shoulders.

  “Hi dear! That nice baroness you’re sleeping with sent me a letter about what was going on. Then she sent another when that nasty Ridge man showed up. She said she was going to take her house forces and march.

  “I told her no, that I’d get more troops and we could ride together.

  “I like her, by the way. She seems very nice. We’ve only had a chance or two to really talk. She was very direct.

  “I think we should consider making her a second wife to me,” Anna said, stroking his shoulders with her gloved fingers. “I did what I said I would for you. I decided to defend my husband and our lands. I bought a mercenary company with a part of my dowry and came straight here, only stopping to pick up the baroness.”

  Alex looked up to the battle. The unknown soldiers had crashed headlong into the enemy’s line. Right next to Drew’s people, providing them with much-needed support.

  Ridge’s men looked beyond hard-pressed now.

  Looking back to Anna, he found her watching him, a determined look on her face.

  “I know I’m not the smartest, but I’m not a trophy wife!” she declared fiercely. “I will defend my husband and our titles.

  “Now kiss me. I saved you. Reward me. Lavish me with attention. Lots.”

  “Oh, I’ll do that. And I’m going to also put your dowry back to the amount it should be. My silly savior,” Alex said, and then kissed her deeply.

  Chapter 36

  After getting Anna back on her own horse, Alex had watched the battle with much more calm than before.

  The simple fact that another force was there to add pressure had alleviated much of the burden on his existing troops.

  As if sensing the end of the fight, the enemy began throwing down their weapons and surrendering.

  First by ones, then tens, and then everyone who remained. They stood with their arms raised, hands empty of weapons.

  They were lucky the rear had surrendered as well, or Alex’s people would have chopped through them to get to the back.

  “Is that it?” Anna asked, clapping her hands together excitedly.

  “Yeah, I’d assume so. Now it’s a matter of them digging Ridge out of that mass of people, if he’s alive, and bringing him over,” Alex said. “We should retire to my command post, dress, and bring Ridge’s nephew.”

  “Oh. Alright. I’d like that. This armor squishes my boobs and it hurts. I think the padding underneath is rubbing my skin raw, too,” Anna said, patting at her chest.

  “I would imagine so, Mistress Anna,” Carla said. “Your size isn’t normal for a soldier.”

  “It hurts my nipples,” Anna said, pawing at her own chest. “Is that why you wear leather, Three?”

  “Ah… not quite, Mistress Anna,” Valeria said. She’d put herself behind and between Alex and Anna. “I think in your case, no matter what armor you wear, it won’t fit.”

/>   “Poo,” Anna said, pulling at the chain mail.

  “Uh… Mistress Anna,” Nannie said, easing closer to the smaller woman.

  “Yes?” she said brightly, looking up with a smile.

  Nannie whispered something into Anna’s ear, then pulled back.

  “Oh! That’s a great idea. I like it. I’m sure he will, too. When we get back home you can help me with it,” Anna said, reaching over and patting Nannie on the wrist gently.

  “Ahhh… Mistress Anna… I’m not exactly someone you should be in town with,” Nannie said uneasily.

  “Why? If it’s because Alex is sleeping with you, that’s fine,” Anna said, making a shooing motion.

  “Err, no. I’m a convicted murderer and I had a bounty on my head that Master paid off. It wouldn’t do for you to—”

  “Oh? That’s interesting. You’ll have to tell me about it when we’re in town. Did you kill anyone I might have heard of?

  “Maybe I can take you with me to the prison and we can find more women for Alex,” Anna said, clapping her hands together.

  “That is… Mist—”

  “We should probably get you on a healthy regimen of Mother’s Bane, too. Some new undergarments, as well. Alex always seems to fill me up to the point that it just drips constantly for days. I had to buy a number of extras.

  “Just ask Two; it’s frustrating,” Anna said. Then she turned to peer at Three.

  Before Anna could ask, Valeria gave Anna a small nod.

  “Hm. You too then, Three. You’ll need to come with us. Oh, what about One?” Anna asked.

  “Her, too,” Nannie murmured.

  Anna smiled brightly.

  “Good, good. That makes it much easier. We’ll all have a nice day out. We’ll have lunch together, shop a little, and buy some nice things. I do need a new brush or two as well,” Anna said, then pressed a finger to her chin. “But if I take both of you, hubby will need a new bodyguard. We’ll need to do that, too. A third bodyguard. Someone pretty, though. Good, good. I’m excited already.

  “I really do need to buy more furniture, as well. Silverware. Dining ware. You all will be eating dinner with us, so it only makes sense.”

  Alex smiled and left his Numbers to Anna, turning his horse toward his command pavilion.

  Once Anna got going about what she needed to buy, it rarely ended quickly.

  Getting a few feet away, he looked to the side to discover Valeria had somehow slipped away.

  “Goodness. Mistress Anna runs people over,” Valeria said, her eyes a bit wide.

  “Yes. Yes, she does. And I love her for it,” Alex said.

  “She’s a good mistress,” Valeria said with a smile.

  ***

  Alex sat quietly, waiting.

  Anna had joined him, sitting next to him. His Numbers were spread out behind them, protective and anxious.

  Several guards trooped in with three people held out in front of them.

  Recognizing all three, Alex smiled at them. He waited for the guards to leave before he continued.

  “Michael Ridge, Michael the Second, and Amy,” Alex said, addressing each one in turn. “So good to see you.”

  Carla came around Alex with her mace in hand. Walking behind the prisoners, she forced them to their knees, one by one.

  “Fuck yourself and die,” Michael Senior said.

  Anna turned to Alex and frowned. “I don’t like him.”

  “And this must be the simpering idiot you married. I must say she has impressive tits and a great face, but not much else,” Michael Senior said.

  Acting immediately and without orders, Carla brought her mace down on Michael Senior’s right forearm.

  With a gut-wrenching crack, his arm snapped in two and then flopped around.

  Michael started shrieking at the top of his lungs, his left hand trying to stabilize his right arm.

  Anna smiled at Carla.

  “Thank you, dear,” Anna said sincerely, undisturbed by Michael’s wails.

  “Of course, Mistress Anna,” Carla said, unable to keep herself from smiling back at her.

  Alex looked to the younger Michael.

  From what he’d heard, this was actually Michael’s son, but had been born on the wrong side of the sheets. He’d been forced on a younger sibling who’d died unexpectedly, and then raised by Michael.

  “While your uncle is recovering, I was wondering if you had anything to say for yourself?” Alex asked.

  Carla’s mace gently tapped the young man on the side of the head.

  “You’re a sick, evil man,” said the younger Michael. “You’ve ruined our lands.”

  “I suppose. Though I can’t exactly argue the point either. Is that all?”

  Nothing more was said, and Alex finally turned to Amy.

  “Are you willing to follow your terms of the bargain, or would you prefer to suffer with your family?” Alex asked her.

  Amy looked embarrassed and humiliated. Her eyes turned down and to the side as both her relatives’ heads whipped in her direction.

  “I’ll serve, exactly as I swore,” Amy said.

  “Wonderful. You may leave for now then. We’ll speak after this and establish your duties as the baroness of Northern Ridge,” Alex said, dismissing her.

  Amy got to her feet and looked to Alex.

  “Thank you, my liege,” Amy said, bowing low to him. Then she turned and passed by Carla, leaving.

  “She’s smart. But I don’t think I want her in the family,” Anna said after she left. “I deny her any right to your bed in advance.”

  “Noted,” Alex said, giving her a quick smile, and tried to keep everything on track.

  Anna would take over his attention if he wasn’t careful.

  “Now, the two of you. Should I assume you’ll be unwilling to work with me at all?”

  “Do you even need to ask, you bastard?” Michael Senior asked.

  Carla immediately slammed her mace into the upper part of his broken arm. The disgusting crunch of bones was audible again.

  “Learn your place,” Carla hissed. “Do not insult the master or mistress.”

  “You can’t do this! I’m a member of the peerage. I invoke my right to be tried by the king!” Michael Senior squealed.

  “As you like, that’s what we’ll do. I’ll honor that in deference to the king,” Alex said amiably. “Let’s have these two transferred to the prison we cleaned out.”

  Turning to Anna, he smiled at her and reached out to touch her hand.

  “Would you remain here, my love? I need to take care of this. I’ll leave Five with you and take Two and Three with me.”

  “Of course, husband,” Anna said, leaning over the side of her chair and kissing him soundly. “Hurry back though. I want to talk about my mercenary company. I thought of a great name for them.”

  Alex chuckled and nodded his head.

  It didn’t take too long for Carla, Valeria, and himself to make it to the dungeon.

  Escorting the two nobles into the furthest cell at the back of the prison, Alex stood next to the open gate.

  Looking around as if he were inspecting it for the first time, Alex stopped when his eyes fell on a water barrel nearby.

  A length of rope hung out from the side of it, more than enough to hang oneself with.

  He’d even gone to the trouble of making sure it’d been tied in a hangman’s noose.

  All for the sake of what he hoped would happen here.

  “Goodness, remind me to take this rope with us when we leave. It’d be rather unfortunate to leave it here,” Alex said, reaching out to touch the rope. “So careless of me to have put it here like that.”

  Looking to the two men, Alex decided to try one more time.

  “And you’re sure the two of you are unwilling to work with me? There’s no possibility of us coming to some sort of terms?” Alex asked.

  “Die,” Michael Senior said.

  Michael the younger nodded his head enthusiastically.


  Sighing, Alex turned around and faced Carla and Valeria.

  “Goodness, Two, you look rather stiff. How about you turn around and let me rub your back for a moment,” Alex said, pointing towards the far wall.

  Carla looked confused, her face screwed up in a frown.

  “Uhm… alright… Master, if that’s what you want,” she said uncertainly. She turned around, putting her back to him.

  “Indeed, it is what I want.”

  Laying his hands on her back, he started to rub at her neck and base of her skull.

  Carla tensed up, and then her shoulders sagged at his ministrations. Her head lolling forward.

  Looking to Valeria, he smiled at her.

  “Three. I’m going to give you a task now,” he said formally.

  Valeria straightened up, nodding her head.

  “I need you to set up a watch rotation for our guests. It’d be a real shame if we found them dead later on, having committed suicide rather than face up to their crimes,” Alex said, making enough eye contact with her that it was probably uncomfortable.

  Before she could respond, Alex continued.

  “I know you’re very busy though. So if you can’t manage to get a rotation in here for several hours, I’m sure it’d be alright for them to be unchecked for a bit. But not too long, mind you.

  “Before we go though, I’m going to look at Two’s back here and rub it for a little while. She deserves it.

  “I have no doubt she’ll enjoy it throughout.

  “Would you mind checking over our guests to make sure they’re alright before we close up the prison so they’re safe and secure?”

  Please be the smart woman I know you are and understand I want you to strangle them and make it look like they hanged themselves.

  Valeria looked from him to the nobles, then back to him.

  “Of course, Master. I’ll make sure it’s taken care of before we leave,” she said.

  “Thank you, Three. I’ll remember your efforts and reward you for them. Now, I’m going to rub Two’s neck. She looks so stiff, I’m sure she can’t look anywhere but straight ahead.”

  Looking at the back of Carla’s head, he held his hands against the sides of her neck and made sure she wouldn’t turn around.