One Night in Camelot

[Guest]

Johan would believe she found him attractive. If she spoke in superlative terms about how he was the dashing man every girl dreamed of then he might be suspicious. There was conventional attractiveness and in that she outstripped him. And his affliction was a further impediment.

 

But he already believed he stoked her carnal fires. And that she was not only satisfied but delighted with him. There had been a time, when he was younger, he didn’t believe he could be that for any woman. That had fallen away as he spent time in the world. And he really had never felt as loved as he did when Eleanora looked into his eyes, pressed herself against him.

 

And as Eleanora pressed herself to him again, this time in fear, any pretense of coldness fell away. He was really very bad at pretending he didn’t love her. He took her into his arms instantly and held her tightly. He could not help but comfort her. “Shh, it’s alright…” He stroked her head gently.

 

As to land routes, “It w-w-would twice as… long. And we would be… easier to p-p-pursue.” Johan said. It was possible however. Maybe that was worth it… But no. They needed to get to his castle as quickly as possible. Not just for their pleasure but for their safety.

 

Then she asked if he could take away her fear. Johan hesitated. A look of distress crossed his face and he held her more tightly. The answer was yes. He could enthrall her. Then he could reshape her mind and her body as it pleased him. But that was exactly what had been done to him by the woman who’d kidnapped him. Just as the fae had made him love her, he could make Eleanora not fear water. And he’d never done it to anyone else because of that.

 

He looked down at her, eyes full of love and uncertainty met hers. There was a wound there, quite aside from moral questions. He wanted to help her but the very thought made his stomach turn.

 

He took her by her arms and looked her in the eyes resolutely, “I… w-w-will not let you drown.” He said. He knew her fears would not be so easily overcome, but he hoped that it did at least help. Then he held her tightly. He would never let anyone hurt her again. And he would do whatever he could to heal even the emotional bruises left by her wicked guardian.

 

But perhaps there was another way. “If you c-c-can board the buh-boat I can put you… to sleep.” Johan said. It would be a magically induced sleep, a curse. She would not be able to awaken until he lifted the curse or she was kissed by her true love. A part of him was curious whether just his kiss would be sufficient. If not, he could lift it more conventionally.

 

“You w-w-would board and lie down, and then I would p-p-prick your finger. And your eyes w-w-would close and then it w-w-would be tomorrow in my b-b-bed.” To her it would seem almost instantaneous. A dreamless, timeless sleep.

[Sophia de la Cerda]

As Eleanora launched herself into his arms, she felt that strange fuzzy feeling that usually indicated that her magic was about to manifest itself. Yet as soon as she was wrapped in his embrace, the strange feeling receded. All they needed was for her to cast an unintentional spell when they were trying to escape. His soft stroking of her hair consoled her, as did the steady beat of his heart beneath her ear as her head rested against his chest. She was safe with him. She would always be safe with him.

 

Traveling by land didn't seem to be an option if they wanted to escape undetected. The longer the journey, the more likely they would be found. As soon as her grandfather discovered that she was missing, he would pursue her with the help of his knights and whomever else he could get to join the search. If they had fast horses, they might be able to catch up with them.

 

Although Johan's eyes were full of love when he looked down at her, she could see anxiety in them too. And he held her more tightly now. Either he wasn't able to take away her fear or the spell was a dangerous one. She reached up to softly stroke his cheek, attempting to comfort him. Eleanora did not want to distress him, but she was afraid that if she tried to face her terror, her magic would run wild.

 

He held her at arm's length for a moment, promising that he would not let her drown. She knew that he would protect her, but that didn't stop fear from coursing through her veins. “I know,” she replied softly as he pulled her back into his arms. Eleanora clung to him, hoping that his promise would be enough.

 

Then he offered her another alternative. He could enchant her to sleep and she would wake up safely in his castle. It was appealing, but it was a bit frightening as well. What if something went wrong? What if her grandfather found them and they were separated while she was still under the spell? She would never wake up, although she supposed it was better than the alternative … being executed for magic, not her own but Johan's. Her grandfather would believe that he had enthralled her and that she could never be trusted again.

 

Her teeth worried her lower lip as she once again looked up at him. “I don't even know if I can board the boat without fainting. Maybe if you hold me tight, I will not be so afraid, but if I inadvertently cast a spell, then put me to sleep. My magic is mainly triggered by anxiety. Does the boat belong to you or those who are loyal to you? If my magic is discovered by people who fear it, both of us are dead.”

[Guest]

John smiled as she ran her hand along his face. She comforted him too. He leaned down for a brief kiss. It was better, he thought, that they try and overcome her fear naturally. And he would enjoy helping her. He got great joy out of taking care of those he cared about. Eleanora would learn that in the days ahead. While he didn’t instinctively shower her with jewels and furs she would occupy his thoughts. Little ways to please her, small teases, romantic interludes…

 

But there was a more immediate problem. In truth there were several ways he could incapacitate her, but the basic problem remained with all of them.

 

“It w-w-will be damaging if those on the buh-boat discover it,” Johan admitted, “But they will not attack us unless… the spuh-spell harms them.” If she set his sword flying around cleaving through people it would be taken as an attack, but if she just caused a chalice to float around… She’d be marked as a witch, but that would cause more fear and mistrust than righteous calls for her death. Besides, Johan would protect her. Even if that meant damaging his own position in the process.

 

“If you c-c-can… board alone, and go to my cabin, I c-c-can hold you the entire voyage.” Johan said. “And if you t-t-tell me when it… happens I c-c-can suppress your magic a bit.” He could comfort her too, of course, but it was possible to stop spells. While it was difficult, he thought he could help with Eleanora’s unintentional and somewhat amateur manifestations.

 

“Or I c-c-could put you to sleep. And you could… slip into your dreams knowing that I would be there beside you all nuh-night.” He was less worried about her grandfather finding them once they were at sea. Firstly, catching a ship was difficult. Secondly, awake or asleep she would still be Emma, and her grandfather presumably had no interest in John’s love life or a Saxon woman’s ambitions. If her grandfather’s knights burst into her cabin to find a half naked Saxon beauty asleep, they might not even report it.

 

Johan ran his hand along her face, bringing her eyes to look at his, “I’m sorry. B-b-but I need you to… f-f-face this. I will be there to fuh-face it with you, I will ease it as best I can, but it has t-t-to happen.” He looked a bit downcast. He regretted he so quickly had to put her in a position of stress. Yet he had come by boat, and it would be suspicious not to leave by it.

 

“I’m sorry.” Johan repeated. He wanted to take her into a world of support, of warmth, of light. He deeply regretted that her first step would be painful.

[Sophia de la Cerda]

Eleanora was actually a low-maintenance princess. She didn't need jewels and fine clothes to be happy. She craved affection most of all, for that was the one thing she had been denied. Johan gave her his love, which she could see in his eyes and feel in the way he held her and kissed her. He need give her no more than that, and she would be happy.

 

She was aware now that she was the one that would need looking after until they reached his lands. He seemed as eager to take care of her as she was of him and it made her feel less of a burden with her unreasonable fear of water and her uncontrollable magic. “I never know what is going to happen with my magic,” she confessed. “Most of the spells have been harmless, but I can predict what I'm going to do. However, I can tell when it is about to manifest itself, so I can warn you. Then perhaps, you can suppress it.”

 

Eleanora clung to hm more tightly. “My magic scares me more than my fear of water.” She trusted that he would be able to stop her casting an unintentional spell just as she trusted him in everything. “If you hold my hand, I may be able to board the ship without fainting or throwing up.” Her voice was a bit uncertain, as if she wasn't convinced of her own words. His presence would comfort her just as he was doing now, but she didn't know if it would be enough.

 

“I would rather you hold me.” She was so afraid she had nearly forgotten about the illusion he had cast upon her. It had not yet occurred to her that her grandfather wouldn't recognize her even if he did find her. Her body still tingled, but she had become accustomed to the pleasant sensation now. “I don't like the idea of being unconscious when so many things can go wrong.”

 

She felt his fingers gently caress her face and tilt it upwards until she was gazing into his eyes. He looked a bit distressed and she felt guilty that she had caused his discomfort. “Don't apologize,” she said, once more tracing the line of his lips. “It is not your fault. We will face this together, you and I. I know there is no other choice.”

 

With a wan little smile, Eleanora pulled away from him and took his hand, pulling him toward the door. “Let's get this over with, my love. The sooner we leave, the sooner we can be back in each other's arms again.”

[Guest]

Johan really would enjoy looking after Eleanora. The idea she was burdening him never crossed his mind. He enjoyed helping. He loved to take care of her, and he was glad to return even a little of the joy she gave him.

 

He nodded as she explained how the magic welled up inside her. He looked at her solemnly as she explained her fears and held her as tightly as she clung. “W-w-water is a beautiful thing once you… know how t-t-to swim.” Johan said. And the same was true of magic. Of course, ideally you didn’t throw an inexperienced swimmer into a strong current, but circumstances were what they were.

 

Johan thought for a moment when she asked to hold his hand. It would cause unwanted attention, but if she needed it he would give it to her. He took one of her hands in his shaking hand and, with a bit of difficulty, interlaced their fingers. He nodded solemnly, and kissed her hand. She would be strong. No doubt she’d already faced a great fear in risking her grandfather’s violent displeasure for him.

 

“Yes, alright.” Johan said, “There’s a small b-b-bed in the cabin. It will be t-t-tight but you c-c-can lie in my arms the entire way. And we m-m-might talk, or sport, or whatever will make you feel better.” If she was scared he would hold her, if she was sick he would tend to her, and if she threw up he would hold her hair and bring a cloth. She would never have to face anything, or suffer anything, alone again.

 

Johan smiled slightly as she said they’d face this together, kissing at her fingertips. “I f-f-feel like I should be able to shield you from everything bad in life.” Johan admitted, “B-b-but rather I know I should t-t-trust… you to be strong enough to stuh-stand with me against it.” And he did trust her. But he still hated to see her in pain or fear or struggle.

 

Johan let himself be pulled but stopped just before the door. He pulled her into one more kiss, “I love you.” He said. Then he let her go entirely.

 

And he opened the door.

 

He led them back towards the hall. “I m-m-must get permission to luh-leave early.” He wasn’t sure how his request would be taken. On the one hand, Saxons were not trusted, and leaving early was always noteworthy. On the other hand, Johan’s personal reputation was fairly positive. No doubt he’d cast that away in taking her. But no one knew about their transgression yet.

 

“If we are f-f-fortunate, they won’t have noticed you’re missing. If they have, we m-m-might have to wait a while." Asking to leave early after a princess had gone missing was too suspicious to be risked.

 

Johan walked into the hall without comment. Before they had needed to hide their movements. Now that she wasn’t a princess or a foreigner it was less of an issue. There was a small stir among the group they’d departed from, welcoming Johan back. He looked at Eleanora briefly with a small smile and gestured subtly they ought to go near where they'd been before.

[Sophia de la Cerda]

Eleanora shuddered in his arms when he said that water could be beautiful. To her it was evil personified. It had taken her mother from her and it wouldn't have mattered if she had known how to swim. Her head had been pushed into a barrel of water and held beneath the surface. The young princess remembered how her limbs had flailed about wildly before finally becoming limp. She had been pulled from the barrel by her long blonde hair and Eleanora would never forget her wide bulging eyes or the expression of horror frozen forever upon her face.

 

Eleanora wasn't only afraid of lakes and rivers. She wouldn't even let anyone else in the room while she was taking a bath, not even her most trusted handmaidens. It was the only way she could assure that the same thing didn't happen to her.

 

Maybe she would allow Johan into the room when she bathed, especially if the tub was big enough that he could join her in it. She knew that he would never drown her. Eleanora trusted him more than she trusted the people she had known all her life. “If you can help me overcome my fear of water, maybe I can learn to swim.” Johan's very presence gave her hope that all things were possible as long as he remained by her side.

 

She had asked for him to hold her hand when she was boarding the ship, but he took it now and kissed it after intertwining their fingers together. Eleanora felt better already, but she knew she would have to let it go once they entered the hall. She was supposed to be trying to seduce him, so he had to appear as if he cared little for her.

 

There was a bed in the boat? “I think lying in bed with you will make me feel better.” She smiled shyly. “And if you kiss me and caress me, I may forget about the water altogether.” Assuming she didn't throw up all over him. If she passed out, she knew he would hold her and she would wake up safe in his arms.

 

Despite what she was about to go through, a thrill of pleasure shimmered down her spine when he kissed her fingertips. “You have already done so much for me. I am stronger than I look.” Eleanora lifted her chin resolutely. “Remember what I said earlier? Together we can do anything.”

 

He stopped before they reached the door and pulled her into his arms, kissing her for the last time before they made their escape. She responded passionately, and she wished that she never had to let him go. Maybe when they reached his castle, she wouldn't have to.

 

Again, she felt empty when he pulled away from her, and she followed him through the corridors. They passed a few people along the way, but no one gave them more than a curious glance. His illusion was working admirably. No one was suspicious of two Saxons heading toward the hall. She tried to walk less confidentially, slumping her shoulders slightly, attempting to imitate the way she had seen servants act. Peasant girls did not walk with their head held high.

 

She sighed when he told her that he would have to ask for permission to leave. “I hope my grandfather has not noticed my absence. If he's as drunk as he was when we left, I doubt he will.”

 

As they entered the hall, she forced herself not to look toward table where the foreign kings sat. Eleanora didn't want to accidentally meet his eyes or he might see her fear. Instead, she hung back a bit while the Saxons greeted Johan, pretending to be shy. He smiled over at her and she gave him what she hoped was a saucy smirk, the kind a woman would give a man who was succumbing to her charms. She looked toward the area he indicated, ready to follow wherever he led.

[Guest]

Johan had been using a metaphor, but his shudder warned him that there was something deep and visceral even in the idea of water. He would try and heal her wound, if she let him. Not with magic but with his care. He didn’t know what had happened in specifics, but he was sure she would share it all with him when she was comfortable.

 

Johan smiled eagerly as she shyly suggested he provide a more pleasing sort of comfort. He would wait to see how she was on the boat. If she were sick or indisposed it would be best he only held her. But if she were well enough to do it, even better if it helped distract her from her fear, he would be as eager for it as her. Whether she needed tender caresses or tender nursing though, he would be glad to provide it.

 

And he gave a curt nod when she said they could do everything together. He believed Eleanora to be strong. His desire to protect her didn’t come from believing her fragile or incapable of dealing with difficulty. And he did believe she would be a great aid to him, not just in making him a wealthy king but personally as his wife.

 

But then one last passionate kiss and the door.

 

They were apart now, and Johan felt like the room was a bit colder than it’d been. Still, he did a reasonable imitation of good cheer. She might notice he was keeping her at least in the corner of his eye. Johan was surprised for a moment at her saucy little smile. But that surprise melted into a pleased little smile of his own. It was amateur but not at all unconvincing.

 

Then Eleanora subtly replied she’d follow. Having gotten the signal he walked over, into a small group that greeted him with a bit more enthusiasm. These were the people who’d come with him

 

Unlike her Johan had no reason to avoid looking over at the Kings. Her grandfather was indeed well into his cups. There were sober men about him, though, and they might be more trouble. At least from Johan’s brief glance nothing seemed amiss yet. So he walked over where he’d indicated and briefly talked to someone who went off to request to leave.

 

Johan sat, as naturally as he could, in a spot with an open chair next to him but still near the rest. He gave Eleanora a longing look then briefly darted his eyes, trying to get her to come over and flirt a bit. Then he went back to talking with the others, though again keeping her in the corner of his eye. He hoped he wasn't being too obvious.

 

They might start to build the story of just who this Emma was. If they were quick it might even look natural for her to leave with him. And flirting with Eleanora was its own reward.

[Sophia de la Cerda]

As soon as they reached the group of Saxons, Eleanora realized just how far out of her league she was. She had no idea what to do and she was afraid to speak, fearing that her accent would give her away. While Johan greeted his friends … if friends they were ... she hung back, watching the way the women behaved. They didn't act much differently than the men, and were certainly not quiet and demure. Would she be able to pass as one of them? She was supposed to be a peasant girl from the country so hopefully a few small breaches of Saxon etiquette would be forgiven.

 

Although she tried to resist, her eyes strayed over to her grandfather's table. He was still there, and drunker than he had been when they left the hall. It was highly unlikely he would notice her absence unless one of the other Kings mentioned that his son was in need of a wife. And even then, he would probably arrange a meeting on the morrow, when he had sobered up and could make adventageous arrangements.

 

By then, she and Johan would be long gone. Now she wondered if she should have left a note in her room claiming that she had run away in the opposite direction. He might have been thrown off her trail for a few more days, allowing them to reach Johan's lands and prepare for the inevitable confrontation. And he and his knights would be weary when they finally caught up with them and easier to defeat. Eleanora knew that some of Johan's men would probably die defending their lord, and she didn't want to be responsible for their deaths.

 

She cared nothing for her grandfather's knights. Most of them leered at her whenever she was allowed into the gardens, and one of them had once tried to force himself on her. Threatening to tell her grandfather had immediately cooled his ardor. The King was known to be cruel and exacted punishment in the most monstrous ways, usually after torturing the men who had wronged him until they begged to be killed.

 

Johan kept looking at her out of the corner of his eye, as if expecting her to join him. Eleanora wanted to, but wasn't certain how. There was an empty chair beside him. Should she slide into it or should she be bold and plop down upon his lap? What would a shy peasant girl looking for a rich husband do to catch his attention?

 

She had no clue until she saw a mug full of beer sitting on an abandoned serving tray on a nearby table. A serving girl had most likely abandoned her duties to dally with some lord for extra coin. Eleanora picked up the mug and sauntered over to Johan's table, swinging her hips seductively. Leaning over him so that her cleavage was fully displayed, she took a swig and then set it in front of him. With her lips close to his ear, she whispered: “Am I doing this right?” Hopefully, he would pretend that she had whispered something bawdy to him instead.

[Guest]

Johan still hoped that her grandfather could be killed in an honorable and single way. War was messy. Despite being from a race of conquerors it frankly didn’t match Johan’s disposition. But he was also reconciled to the possibility of it. Still, he hoped for a time her grandfather and his men would run around the countryside looking for her while he and Eleanora, hiding as his consort Emma, readied their strike.

 

But they would see what happened. For the moment, they had a more immediate problem of escaping before them.

 

Eleanora began to approach and Johan stared at her, awestruck. Her movements had always been graceful, and her body always pleasing, but now she moved it to tempt him. In truth, once he had began to fall for her even her shy and normal movements had tempted him. But her saucy saunter and her lusty look commanded his attention so fully he stopped mid-sentence, his attention consumed by her.

 

Eleanora had been throwing loaded dice from the start. But she’d nevertheless rolled well.

 

She bent forward, displaying her generous bosom, and then leaned over him so it filled his entire vision. It jiggled slightly as she drank and then she whispered in his ear. He was barely thinking. She could have started listing the contents of her larder and Johan would have found it unbearably erotic. “You are t-t-temptation itself.” Johan said, breathlessly, in reply.

 

He put a hand on her side and held her for a moment. He needed to recover from how completely she’d succeeded and then laughed loudly and for the benefit of the performance. “Is there anything else I’d luh-like?” He invented something sufficiently saucy for her to have whispered. “Muh-maybe, maybe.” Despite not pushing forward himself he didn’t let her go. There was the smallest, almost imperceptible, pressure towards him from his hand. He hoped she would take the hint to become physically close and more flirtatious still.

 

But regardless, her bold move had worked. Unlike before, quiet talking turning into a bit of kissing and then sneaking off, this had the full view of those around them. Several people obviously took notice. Some to gossip, or out of jealousy. Most simply because it was the latest entertainment in an entertaining night.

 

But between them, for they were close again, Johan flashed a small smile. He wanted her to do this, but he also wanted her to enjoy it. And to know that he loved her however much he had to pretend at the moment. After the flash, it melted into one of more pure lust, which was not entirely a pose.

 

If this continued they might have to make a few bumps of their own on the carriage ride back.

[Sophia de la Cerda]

Eleanora's heart pounded in her chest as she approached Johan's table, but the amorous way he stared at her dispelled a bit of her nervousness. Her heart beat a little faster, not from fear but from love. Was he pretending to be fascinated with her as part of their ruse, or had she really captivated him with her boldness?

 

He certainly seemed entranced by her, so much so that he stopped speaking in the middle of a sentence. Another ripple of pleasure shimmered down her spine, but the saucy smile remained on her face, revealing nothing of her true feelings for him. She was Emma of Bremer now, not Eleanora. She no longer noticed the tingling of his spell, but she could see a golden curl fall over one shoulder when she leaned over him. Her altered hair color was enough to remind her of her new identity.

 

When he gazed longingly at her jiggling bosom, more tantalizing sensations spread through her body, reawakening her desire for him. She no longer had to hide it, since she was supposed to be seducing him in order to get him to marry her. His whispered words told her that she had made a good choice in bringing him the mug, and that he wanted her as much as she wanted him. Playacting was quite enticing and she thought she was getting the hang of it.

 

He pulled her to him momentarily, pretending that she had asked if there was anything else he would like. Eleanora should have thought of that herself, but she was new to this game of flirtations. She felt him push her toward him and she took that to mean he wanted her to sit down. Slipping onto the chair next to him, she glanced at the other Saxons. Some of them were watching with amusement, but there was no suspicion in their eyes.

 

Feeling a bit bolder, she picked up the mug again, took another sip, and then held it up to his lips. To do this, she had to move closer to him and now their thighs were pressed together. “Is this what you want?” she asked in a sultry tone, keeping her voice low. She was not yet comfortable speaking amongst the Saxons and she was supposed to be shy. “Or do you desire something else from me?”

[Guest]

Johan’s eyes were fixed on her, and his grin had returned. It was more flirtatious and amused than it had been before, when it had been almost a bit predatory. Now that they were close they could play at whispering and pretend rather than actually flirting if they wanted to. But Johan had every desire to flirt and tease with Eleanora genuinely.

 

Especially after such a promising start.

 

As she sat next to him and pressed her hip to his, he shifted to face her. She drank a bit of beer and then pressed it to his lips, leaning over him again to do so. He was admiring her quite openly. Her ample bosom still drawing much of his attention, but he also would lock onto her eyes, deep and blue and beautiful.

 

It was while he was staring deep into those eyes she asked if he desired anything else. His desires manifested themselves immediately in the image of her splayed open beneath him moaning as deliciously as she had before. But he had to be more restrained than that, at least for the moment. He forced the feelings down into a pit in his stomach.

 

Rather than saying anything, Johan, gently took her wrist. He tipped the cup up and drank down what was left of the beer. Then he plucked the cup out of her hand and tossed it over his shoulder, still holding her hand. It landed with a clatter on some distant floor. And he smiled like a cat that’d gotten its cream.

 

The fingers of his other hand, shaking though they were, danced lightly on the inside of her thigh, closer to her knee but still there. “You’re out of b-b-beer.” He said quite normally, but then he leaned in just a little too close to her face. His tone dropped deep and lusty, “Have anything else to pruh-press to my lips?”

[Sophia de la Cerda]

Although she only sipped the beer before holding the mug up to his lips, the first swig she had taken had been a large gulp, and she was beginning to feel its effects. Eleanora was a bit dizzy but she also felt more confident and less reserved than usual. Which she supposed was a good thing, considering the role she needed to play.

 

A delectable heat suffused her young body as Johan once again stared lustily at the ample cleavage peeking enticingly above the bodice of the gown he had crafted out of the blanket. It was cut more daringly than the gowns she usually wore, and she wondered idly if he had created it that way on purpose, so that more of her charms would be revealed. If not for the beer, she might have felt a bit self-conscious, but the unfamiliar beverage was slowly lowering her inhibitions.

 

Her ardor intensified when his eyes locked on hers. Eleanora became lost in his gaze, completely enthralled, and she wished that they were alone in room again so she could show him how much she wanted him. When he captured her wrist in his hand, she gasped involuntarily and a couple of Saxons sitting nearby laughed. Were they laughing at her or a joke of their own? She didn't know whether she liked the notion of providing them with entertainment. Eleanora felt as if more than her bosom was on display.

 

Raising the mug, Johan tossed back the contents of the mug and then threw it over his shoulder and she jumped slightly as it clattered to the floor. It seemed like a very Saxony thing to do. He did not release her hand, keeping her beside him. The satisfied smile he bestowed upon her sent her senses reeling with delight, as did his hand shakily caressing her thigh. If he moved it a bit higher, she doubted she would be able to suppress a pleasurable moan.

 

Remembering the part she was playing, she smiled triumphantly when he brought his face close to hers and asked if she had anything else to press against his lips. “I might,” she replied coquettishly, “if you can give me a bit of incentive.”

[Guest]

Concern flashed through Johan’s eyes as she lulled just a moment. He knew the signs of intoxication. But then she seemed to catch on his eyes again and, looking at him with love and wonder, he was reassured. Hopefully they would be in the privacy of a carriage soon and he could nurse her if she had a spinning head.

 

There was a bit of laughter and Eleanora seemed to lose focus. He gently squeezed her thigh and looked at her with an encouraging smile. ‘Focus on me’, he mouthed. It was important she focus on him or others might think to steal her away. And selfishly he didn’t want her attention on anyone, or anything, else. At least not just now.

 

Eleanora played a bit more mercenary than he’d have guessed. Yet perhaps that added to the realism. Mistresses were to be had even more quickly.

 

“Oh, I’ve…” Johan paused, stopping entirely for a moment as the words became stuck from his impediment. His hand danced up her thigh to distract her as his focus turned to forming words for a moment. There was just a brief moment where he was putting forth genuine effort.

 

His face melted back to more flirtatious comfort though. When it returned, rather than resuming speaking he placed her hand, the one he was holding, on his shoulder. His newly free hand came around her waist, “Satisfy m-m-me, and you won’t be unsatisfied, I p-p-promise you.” There was a hint of double entendre in that.

 

“But can you do that?” He challenged, he looked down at her body, his hand moving up her thigh only to stop and pull away with a teasing grin, “Suh-satisfy me?”

[Sophia de la Cerda]

Eleanora was tempted to glance at the chortling Saxons in order to see if they were indeed laughing at her, but Johan squeezed her thigh and she looked up at him instead. Understanding his mouthed words, she nodded slightly and didn't move her eyes away from his. She was not aware that other men might try to steal her away from him and take her for themselves. If she had even suspected that such a thing might happen, she would never have acted so boldly, even though she knew that he would never allow anyone to harm her. They didn't need any added scrutiny since they planned to escape and laying his claim to her would have attracted attention. They weren't supposed to know each other well at this point.

 

She was supposed to be seducing him, but he was doing a rather spectacular job of seducing her as well. His hand on her thigh was distracting and tantalizing. Before tonight, she would never have allowed a man to touch her so intimately, especially in public. Among her own people, such blatant displays would be considered scandalous and her reputation would be ruined. No man would dare marry her, believing she was loose with her favors.

 

Among the Saxons, though, it seemed quite normal, and she did like the way it felt when his hand crept a bit further up her thigh. However, Eleanora was so in tune with him that she did notice that he seemed to be at a sudden loss for words. Did he not know how to respond to her challenge or was it his impediment holding him back? Although she kept a playful smile in place, he might see the concern in her ice-blue eyes.

 

Yet he recovered quickly and when he lifted the hand he was holding and placed it on his shoulder, she began to gently caress his neck. He wrapped his free hand around her waist, and she winked at him when he promised that he would satisfy her if she could satisfy him.

 

He issued a flirtatious challenge of his own, looking her up and down, and she felt as if she were encircled in a warm golden glow. “Of course I can,” she replied, pouting prettily when he pulled his hand away from her thigh. To prove her point, Eleanora leaned forward and pressed his lips to his, kissing him lightly and then pulling away. “That is just a small taste of what I can do for you. And what, might I ask, can you do for me in return?”

[Guest]

Johan’s fears had been of a less forceful sort of stealing. Once Emma was his, other men, at least if they had any respect for or fear of Johan, would not try anything. As it was now, she was just a flirtatious woman he’d decided to indulge. At the moment, trying to draw off her attention with their own flirting would be at best a mild rudeness.

 

As Johan recovered he saw, underneath her playful mask, a concern and a question in her eyes. He briefly touched her cheek with shaking hand. His face barely shifted but his eyes seemed to indicate he was alright, a moment of silent communication.

 

Johan smiled and leaned in to her caresses. His smile turned amused as a light kiss and a pouty insistence she could were her reply. She was innocent in some ways still. But he couldn’t deny that it made him want to press his lips to hers in a deeper, more intimate way.

 

She again asked what he would do for her. Normally this would be off-putting, but he decided the repetition wasn’t part of her act but a signal that she needed a different reply from him. His hand slid down from her cheek, fully opening as if he was about to cup her breast before sliding back to take her side. His hand around her waist slid up her spine to rest at the back of her neck, where it danced idly underneath her hair, shaking as always.

 

He pulled her so she was just inches away from him. Low and breathy, “What d-d-do you want?” They were close enough they could speak in plain at a whisper, but for the moment he was still loud enough he was playacting.

[Guest]

Johan’s fears had been of a less forceful sort of stealing. Once Emma was his, other men, at least if they had any respect for or fear of Johan, would not try anything. As it was now, she was just a flirtatious woman he’d decided to indulge. At the moment, trying to draw off her attention with their own flirting would be at best a mild rudeness.

 

As Johan recovered he saw, underneath her playful mask, a concern and a question in her eyes. He briefly touched her cheek with shaking hand. His face barely shifted but his eyes seemed to indicate he was alright, a moment of silent communication.

 

Johan smiled and leaned in to her caresses. His smile turned amused as a light kiss and a pouty insistence she could were her reply. She was innocent in some ways still. But he couldn’t deny that it made him want to press his lips to hers in a deeper, more intimate way.

 

She again asked what he would do for her. Normally this would be off-putting, but he decided the repetition wasn’t part of her act but a signal that she needed a different reply from him. His hand slid down from her cheek, fully opening as if he was about to cup her breast before sliding back to take her side. His hand around her waist slid up her spine to rest at the back of her neck, where it danced idly underneath her hair, shaking as always.

 

He pulled her so she was just inches away from him. Low and breathy, “What d-d-do you want?” They were close enough they could speak in plain at a whisper, but for the moment he was still loud enough he was playacting.

[Sophia de la Cerda]

She understood the message in his eyes as clearly as if he had spoken to her aloud. He was all right. Relief flooded through her, lessening her anxiety slightly. Eleanora still felt as if she were on display and she was terrified that she would make a mistake that would alert Johan's friends that she was not who she appeared to be. When he touched her cheek, she closed her eyes and drew comfort from his touch. He had not indicated that she was doing anything wrong, and she believed that if she did, he would silently let her know.

 

Eleanora had hoped that he would kiss her back, but he didn't. Unsure what to say next, she reworded the question she had asked before. She winced inwardly. The Saxons would probably think she was stupid, repeating herself over and over. She had thought that flirting with the man she loved would be easy, but she had never flirted before and no witty words formed on her lips. The young girl was in foreign territory in more ways than one.

 

And she was afraid to speak too much. Her altered voice was low and unfamiliar to her, and probably sounded like a Saxon, but she didn't know their ways, and wasn't certain how to act. With any luck, Johan would recognize her unimaginative reply as a cry for help.

 

His hand moved toward her bosom, and she arched her back slightly as if she wanted him to touch her there. Yet, he grasped her waist instead and again, she pouted, favoring him with a saucy wink. His fingers on her neck made her tremble with pleasure. Could he feel how profoundly he was affecting her?

 

She wrapped her arm around his shoulder as he pulled her closer, her other hand coming to rest just above his knee. Eleanora wanted to slide into his lap, but wasn't sure that she should. Now it was possible for her to whisper into his ear, asking how she should answer his question. Once again, she was at a loss for words. Yet before she could make her inquiry, an idea came to her and she blew playfully into his ear. “Take a guess,” she purred.

[Guest]

Eleanora’s flirtation had pleased Johan greatly. There was nothing negative in his mind and the fires she’d stoked within him still burned hot. He did notice she seemed just a bit lost, that her wit was not razor sharp. But he never for a moment thought ill of her, that she was stupid or lacking. From their first kiss every moment with her had been a joy.

 

Having a spare moment as they shifted closer, ‘I love you’, he mouthed. She was not alone in this. He would help her. He would always help her.

 

As she seemed to perch, as if debating whether to slide onto his lap, Johan tugged her just slightly. But then she leaned over and whispered, hot breath prickling along his ear. Johan breathed sharply and his libido stirred. He tugged her onto his lap immediately, shivering from the force of it.

 

There was a moment, a pause. His hand traced along her cheek and smoothly drew her into a deep kiss, leaning into her, chest pressing to the ample swell of her breasts. His arms wrapped around her, holding her tightly, and all the passion and abandon of the bedchamber returned.

 

There was an interruption. A man called for Johan. Johan ignored him at first, but slowly broke the kiss. His arms still wrapped around her he turned and brief words were exchanged. “The King says we can go, but to go straight home.” Johan nodded to the man and the people who would be going back on the same ship began to shuffle.

 

“I wuh-would take care of you.” Johan skipped to the end of the little dance. One hand held the back of her neck, the other bunched slightly at her skirt, raising it just slightly. They had to rush, but hopefully they’d done enough. “C-c-come with me and I will be… good to you.” This drew a few curious looks. Not so much of suspicion but to see what this new blonde beauty would say in reply.

[Sophia de la Cerda]

His silent declaration of love eased some of the turmoil roiling inside her and let her know that he was not disappointed in her lack of wit. And he was there for her. Certainly, he must sense her confusion and Eleanora knew instinctively that he would guide her through this first terrifying encounter with his people. She wasn't afraid of the Saxons anymore. Johan had done much to change her impression of them and she knew now that they, like her, had hopes and dreams and fears and strife. And desire. Lots of delicious and enticing desire.

 

But she was new to their world and didn't want to cause suspicions among them. Johan didn't seem perturbed at her pitiful attempts at flirtation. Perhaps she was acting like a shy girl would when trying to seduce a wealthy man into marriage. She was still innocent in many ways and perhaps her naivete was working in her favor.

 

He certainly seemed to enjoy her blowing into his ear. She squealed as he pulled her into his lap, pleasantly surprised by his amorous forcefulness. Her body hummed in pleasure and she wriggled around to find the most comfortable position, fully aware of what she was doing to him. Eleanora's eyes met his as his fingers traced the line of her cheek, and when his lips met hers, she surrendered completely to his kiss, forgetting everything around her but the way her breasts were pressed against his chest and the warmth of his arms around her. This was paradise. This was perfection. He was everything she could ever want, everything she would ever need.

 

Eleanora was so mesmerized by him that she didn't realize that another man had joined them until Johan pulled away from her, still holding her firmly on his lap. They now had permission to leave and several people began to move, obviously planning to go with them. How was Johan going to convince them to take her along? What if they insisted on leaving her behind? Even as Emma, she wasn't one of them.

 

Nobody protested when he asked her to come with him, promising to take care of her, although a few of the Saxons regarded them curiously. Remembering her role, she coyly smoothed down her skirt when he lifted it slightly, and now it was her turn to look like the cat who had gotten the cream. “Considering that you won't let go of me, do I really have a choice?” Perhaps it wasn't much of an answer, but the passionate kiss she bestowed upon him made her intentions clear.

[Guest]

Johan had known she was innocent and virginal. He was undisturbed by it. He loved her and so long as she made him feel loved everything else could be taught or learned. And she seemed as eager to take his lessons as he was to give them.

 

Eleanora’s wriggling produced a delicious friction and she might recognize the stirrings of a familiar bit of wood. As she smoothed down her skirt a small sound of displeasure and a single finger on her chin guiding her to look into his eyes before he kissed her again. Then she made a victorious remark, Johan smiled widely and took hold of her. “None,” and he pressed a small kiss to her lips. There was a bit of laughter at the exchange.

 

They had moved a bit fast, but the important point was that she wasn’t appearing from nowhere. That would invite speculation on where she’d come from and investigations into her past.

 

Johan took both her hands in his and then gently slid her off his lap. He kissed the knot formed by their hands and let go of one. Leading her by the hand he still held, they walked out in the general shuffle. Outside there was a small yard inside the castle walls. The night was cold and various men were mounting horses or loading into wagons.

 

One of the wagons had a standard stitched into its cover and Johan led her towards that one. The inside, while not luxurious, had seats and trunks and was obviously made for passengers. Johan seemed relieved at it. It was safety and privacy again, to be alone with Eleanora.

 

But before they could climb in there was an uproar. Johan turned A great deal of men spilled out of the hall and the doors, left wide open, showed the commotion extended to the inside as well. A Saxon ran up to Johan, “A princess is missing. They’re demanding we let them search us.” There was a mixture of King Arthur’s knights and her grandfather’s, along with several notables who were coming and going.

 

Johan gritted his teeth. This felt like an insult, “We’ve nothing to hide.” The Saxon ran back to confer with the men. Johan looked at Eleanora with a small smile. His shaking hand took hers and squeezed it, “You are Emma. Everything… w-w-will be alright. I p-p-promise.”

[Sophia de la Cerda]

Eleanora could feel his hardness pressing against her bum. Perhaps she wasn't yet adept at verbal flirtation, but she knew how to physically arouse him, which to her was more important. Words could only go so far. And perhaps she would be wittier if she was alone with him. It was difficult to be clever when you were disguised by magic and in the midst of a group of strangers.

 

She laughed when he said she had no choice as to whether or not to go with him. “Then I guess there is no sense in protesting.” By the satisfaction in her voice, the others around her would know that she was pleased and that resistance was far from her mind. He was irresistible anyway, and she sighed in pleasure when he kissed her yet again. Eleanora didn't think she would ever get enough of his kisses. Each one was different and positively divine.

 

Taking both of her hands, he pushed her off his lap and her skirt slid up a bit, showing a brief flash of ankle and a glimpse of a shapely calf which disappeared when she stood and the fabric fell back in place. Eleanora was glad that he didn't let her go as they began to weave their way to the exit. She kept her eyes straight ahead although the impulse to glance back at her grandfather was strong. Occasionally, she looked up at Johan, and forced a small smile upon her lips. She was shaking as much as he was now, afraid that at any moment, their luck would run out.

 

The night air was cold and she moved closer to him as they walked toward the group of wagons. More men were going with them than she had thought, but at least it looked as if they would have a wagon to themselves. The one he led her to seemed a bit finer than the rest of them, and she noted the standard on its covering. Eleanora could hardly wait to be alone with him again. They could speak freely to each other without fear of being overheard and she could sit on his lap and shower him with kisses.

 

Her pleasant thoughts were interrupted when the doors of the Hall flew open and she turned along with Johan just in time to see a multitude of knights rush out, heading in different directions. Some of them ran toward them, and her face paled when one of the Saxons explained that a princess was missing and that they were about to be searched.

 

Her grasp on Johan's hand tightened and she found it difficult to breathe. At first she hoped that some other errant princess had run off, but she recognized the colors of her grandfather's house and knew that she was the princess they were searching for. Even in his inebriated state, her grandfather had noticed her absence. At least he was not among the group descending upon them.

 

Eleanora could feel Johan tense, but he agreed to the search. His reassuring smile and the squeeze of his hand comforted her only slightly. She knew that he wasn't going to let her go even if her true identity was discovered, and she feared that he would be killed trying to protect her. There were more knights than there were Saxons and many more could be called upon if needed.

 

“I hope you're right,” she whispered. “If they ask about my background or where I came from, I am afraid I might give myself away. I wish you could make me temporarily disappear."

 

If they did find out who she was, she decided that she would surrender herself to her grandfather's men and face his wrath, which would probably lead to her demise. Eleanora would rather die than live without Johan. His life was more important to her than her own.

[Guest]

Johan smiled at her laughter, a beautiful thing, “None. Your luh-life is my arms now.” He pulled her into a tight embrace, “I suggest you g-g-get comfortable there.” The words were teasing rather than anything sinister or threatening. They both knew she already was comfortable there. That it was what they both wanted.

 

John did take a peek at her ankles. He’d seen much more but there was something erotic in just the peek. She really did have him completely enamored. And aroused, his cock rubbing in his breeches until the ardor cooled slightly. But once in private they had a sweeter sort of relief than waiting, and he would get his sweet revenge for her teases.

 

Johan looked back at Eleanora occasionally, his smile always seeming more assured than hers. He realized as they walked that she had probably never dealt with something this severe before. Johan was nervous too, of course, but he had faced death before. That bred a certain contempt for it. Eleanora had staked everything on him and she’d done it after a lifetime where meekly submitting to an evil man had been her existence.

 

When they stopped in front of the cart there was a deep look of love in Johan’s eyes. He would not let her down. He couldn’t bear to be apart. And he would never be happy knowing that she’d been killed because of him.

 

She seemed afraid she’d be caught in her lie, “B-b-bremer isn’t a real place.” Johan said quickly and quietly, “M-m-make up what you will.” There was Bremerhaven. Bremen. Bremerton. But nowhere was just Bremer. Nobody, and Johan was sure of this, knew every little town and estate in Germany. A fictional one meant there weren’t any inconvenient facts for them to stumble over.

 

As they were approached, Johan squeezed her hand and let go. His hand snaked around her waist and pulled her against his side, and he moved one hand to wrap around him. He hoped clinging to him would make her more comfortable. He hoped it would discourage them from trying to take her away.

 

As they got closer Johan noticed she was still shaking. He pressed a kiss to her lips, pulling her into him, and said, “It’ll be f-f-fine, I promise.” The approaching men seemed to catch that but didn’t seem to make much of it.

 

Two men approached, one a knight of Arthur and one of her grandfather, with a few British footmen behind them. Eleanora would recognize her grandfather’s knight. Sir Wolfhelm. A man for whom both sexual restraint and consent were foreign concepts. The one who had held her down and tried to take his desire until Eleanora had whispered promises of her grandfather’s vengeance.

 

He leered at her openly, especially directly into the valley of her ample breasts.

 

King Arthur’s knight was a more dandyish sort, his hair done up and his clothes very fine. She’d drawn his attention too and he’d glanced at her curves briefly. He seemed to appreciate them but that was a brief and subtle moment before he returned to vigilance.

 

King Arthur’s knight bowed to Johan, “My apologies for the inconvenience, my lord. I am Sir Tregwain of Sarum. And this is Sir Wolfhelm of Holtz. We’re looking for Princess Eleanora, have you seen her?”

 

“Nuh-nuh-no.” Sir Wolfhelm laughed at Johan’s stutter, though his eyes never wandered from Eleanora herself.

 

“Yes, well.” Sir Tregwain gestured and some men began to examine the cart. No one trusted Saxons.

 

“Who are you?” Sir Wolfhelm said to Eleanora. His tone all but stated his intent. His eyes came to her face filled with desire and not even a glimmer of care for the woman whose body he craved.

 

Johan pulled Eleanora more tightly against his side and just slightly behind him.

[Sophia de la Cerda]

“That shouldn't be too difficult,” she purred when he said she should become comfortable in his arms. They both knew there was no place she would rather be and Eleanora hoped they would soon be safely on their way to his castle where they could spend every day wrapped in each other's embrace.

 

Johan didn't appear nervous at all as they made their escape, and his confidence didn't waver even when he was told that her absence had been discovered and they were going to be searched. The petite blonde drew strength from him, for she was absolutely terrified that the knights would think something was amiss and they would be parted from each other forever.

 

He seemed certain that nothing would go wrong, and she was glad that Bremer was only a figment of his imagination and not a real place. If she was asked about it, she would speak in general terms about her 'home,' describing nothing in detail. Assuming she was able to speak at all. Perhaps being tongue-tied would be a good thing in this situation.

 

Releasing her hand, he placed an arm around her waist and took one of hers and wrapped it around his. Eleanora was so frightened she could hardly move and she was thankful for his help. And his kiss relieved a bit of her anxiety for the few moments his lips were pressed against his. If Johan insisted everything would be fine, then it would be. She had to believe that in order to survive the upcoming ordeal.

 

She suppressed a gasp when she recognized Sir Wolfhelm among the two men who approached them. No doubt he had volunteered to look for her, intending to take her virtue when he found her and then claim that she had been raped by her kidnappers. Johan would certainly be executed if his story was believed, assuming he wasn't killed trying to protect her before they restrained him. And she would be forced to watch him die just as she had been forced to watch as her mother had been drowned for possessing magic.

 

Eleanora shuddered when his gaze slid lustily over her breasts and her arm tightened around Johan's waist. Maybe she should have suggested that he make her ugly. Yet that would have made their ruse impossible, as a man as important as Johan would never fall for the charms of a homely woman.

 

King Arthur's knight was more polite, although his eyes raked over her too. She didn't feel as if he posed any danger to her. King Arthur's knights were known for their chivalry, unlike her grandfather's men, who were little more than mercenaries. If he was in charge, perhaps he could keep the odious Sir Wolfhelm in line. Not even her grandfather would dare to anger King Arthur.

 

Eleanora felt like slapping him when he laughed at Johan's stutter. No true knight would ever insult a lord in that manner, even if the lord in question was a Saxon. He did not deserve the distinction and she hoped the honor would be taken from him. Maybe his actions this evening would ensure it.

 

Her heart pounded frantically in her chest as he asked who she was. Eleanora could tell by the way he leered at her that he wanted to take her from Johan. Her first instinct was to say that her identity was none of his business, but she remembered how his desire for her had seemed to increase when she struggled against him. He liked defiance and women who needed taming. If she appeared meek, perhaps he would leave her alone and look for entertainment elsewhere. Maybe it was fortunate that he had laughed at Johan's stutter. It gave her an idea as to how to answer so that he would find her repulsive.

 

Johan pulled her closer so that she stood slightly behind him and she squeezed his waist gently. Steeling herself, she raised her eyes to Sir Wolfhelm, staring at him stupidly. After a few seconds had passed, she said slowly: “I...I am Em...em ...emma.”

[Guest]

Johan gave her a small squeeze when she shuddered. He was drawing comfort from her as well. Something about her clinging made it feel like they couldn’t be torn apart. And when she took comfort from holding him he felt like he was the man she saw him as.

 

But then she spoke as if she was simple or very shy. Johan showed surprise for a moment as she spoke. But he caught on quickly, “V-v-very good!” He said. If she were to play the stuttering simpleton, he would play the proud guardian.

 

Eleanora’s act did seem to dampen Wolfhelm’s enthusiasm. He looked at Johan with disgust, “Oh. That’s how you found a woman.” She’d probably just weep quietly without putting up a fight. And that was no fun at all.

 

Sir Tregwain smiled a courtly smile and bowed, “Lady Emma.” One of the footmen searching the cart signaled him and he went over.

 

Left alone, Sir Wolfhelm’s eyes wandered back to Emma, this time further south to between her legs. Lustful thoughts swirled in his head. Meek or no she still was a ravishing beauty. I’ll just use her once. He can have her back if he still wants her afterward. This was generosity in Wolfhelm’s mind.

 

Johan looked a bit disturbed at Wolfhelm’s stares. He looked down at Eleanora instead, hoping she would look back. They might draw strength from each other and ignore the vile man. Hopefully this would be over soon. He managed a small smile as her bright blue eyes reminded him of the connection they had.

 

But then Wolfhelm reached out to grab Eleanora. On instinct Johan immediately shifted, pulling Eleanora against his chest and putting his back to Wolfhelm.

 

“Why you…” Wolfhelm said. He delivered a mighty kick to Johan’s bad leg and Johan crumpled to the ground in front of Eleanora with a shocked cry of pain.

 

“Weakling.” Wolfhelm spat. He kicked John again. He seemed to have forgotten all about Eleanora. Johan’s hand had crept to his sword but drawing a sword in Camelot was forbidden. In fact, fighting in Camelot was strictly forbidden.

 

The footmen were unsure what to do. On the one hand, Wolfhelm was clearly in the wrong. On the other, they were supposed to be supporting him and none of them liked Saxons. They all looked uncomfortable and none of them moved to help her grandfather’s knight.

 

Sir Tregwain was looking in the back of their cart and hadn’t noticed.

[Sophia de la Cerda]

Eleanora noted Johan's surprise when she stuttered out her words, and for a moment she thought that he might believe she was making fun of his speech impediment by imitating him. Would he be angry at her now? Yet then he smiled, and it was as if the sun had broken through the clouds. She grinned a bit too brightly when he praised her, looking up at him as if for approval.

 

And it appeared that her ruse had the desired affect on Sir Wolfhelm, although she felt like slapping him again when he insulted her beloved Johan. If only he would just go away! How long was this search going to take? Sir Tregwain acknowledged her with a bow and she smiled dumbly and dropped a clumsy curtsy. Before she could say anything, one of the men searching the cart called him over and he left them alone with her grandfather's lecherous knight.

 

And he was leering at her again, this time staring at the apex of her thighs. She could feel Johan tense and she sought his gaze, taking comfort in his smile. Eleanora squeezed his waist again and smiled a bit shakily. They would be all right as long as they were together. Soon they would be on their way to safety, leaving her grandfather and his men far behind. She didn't think she would fear the journey by sea as much as she feared this unexpected encounter.

 

Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw Sir Wolfhelm lunge for her. Johan pulled her close and put himself between them, as always protecting her from harm. As he had turned his back, he did not see the vulgar knight draw his leg back, but Eleanora did. She tried to push him out of harm's way, but Sir Wolfham's foot connected with Johan's leg and he fell to the ground, crying out in pain.

 

Eleanora dropped to her knees beside Johan, and when he was kicked again, she reached out for Sir Wolfham's foot, intending to pull it with all her strength so that he would crash to the ground as well. Unfortunately, she missed but she still had one weapon in her arsenal. Taking a deep breath, she let out a blood-curdling scream and placed herself in front of Johan, shielding his body with her own. “Stop it!” she shouted, forgetting that she was supposed to be playing a simpleton. “He has done nothing to you! You have no right to treat a lord this way!”

 

Sir Tregwain must have heard her scream. The people still in the Hall probably heard her. She hoped that King Arthur's knight would quickly restore order and that her grandfather's man would be punished harshly for stepping out of line.

[Guest]

Eleanora’s scream pierced so deeply that the night afterward actually seemed quieter. All eyes turned to them, brought by the petite woman’s impressive lungs. And in the quiet they heard her shouting her objections

 

Even Sir Wolfhelm seemed taken aback for a moment. But her resistance stirred his ardor again. His shock turned into a greedy grin as he looked down at her. I’ll kill him. He thought, Then she’ll kick and scream. Sir Wolfhelm cared little for his reputation. He was kept around because he was a great warrior, one of the best. Eleanora’s grandfather would let him get away with murder and rape so long as he continued to slay his enemies and it wasn’t anyone he cared about.

 

Perhaps in a more lucid state Johan would have pushed Eleanora away again. The safest thing for her was to run. At the moment, though, he was in pain and fear. She was kneeling next to him and his arms weakly came around her. He clung to her with the weakness of pain and the strength of desperation.

 

A few people filtered out from the hall. All eyes were still on the drama. The crippled weak looking lord. His defiant lover. And the large, muscle bound knight who’d put them there.

 

Sir Tregwain’s eyes too. He looked out from the cart. His courtly facade broke. He had gone over to check the contents of a trunk and then chaos.

 

He began to run over. “Swords!” He yelled, “Swords!” There was a note of panic. He was ordering people to not draw, and cautiously both the Saxons and the footmen obeyed.

 

But just as the situation seemed to calm down, Sir Wolfhelm drew his, a defiant smile on his face. He rose it up in the gleam of the moon, holding it for a dramatic strike.

 

With a force born of panic Johan immediately grabbed Eleanora and drew her beneath him. He held her tightly to shield her again. Johan pressed her face into his chest so she couldn’t see what might come and tensed for the blow.

[Sophia de la Cerda]

At first Eleanora thought some other woman had spoken in the silence that followed her scream. The voice was unfamiliar to her but echoed her exact thoughts. Her eyes widened when she realized that she was the one who had shouted at Sir Wolfham … the meek little princess who had never spoke out against anything in her life. But he had hurt Johan and the kitten's claws came out, ready to defend him to her dying breath.

 

She stared up at the loathsome knight defiantly and she watched as his expression changed from a look of disgust into a predatory leer. Her identity might still be concealed but he would no now that she was not the stupid girl she had made herself out to be. She had seen that look before, on the night he tried to force himself on her. Eleanora knew what it meant, and there was nothing now to deter him from having his way with her. Johan was in no condition to defend her and she couldn't threaten him with her grandfather's ire.

 

Thanks to that scream, there would be no chance to escape quietly. People were emerging from the Hall to gawk at them, as if the drama playing out in front of them was just another of the night's amusements. This incident wouldn't be forgotten soon and she was afraid that they would never get away at all. Why didn't the other men stop Sir Wolfhelm from bullying Johan? Was it because he was a Saxon? Or were they frightened of her grandfather's huge knight?

 

It seemed like forever before Sir Tregwain left the cart and ran over to them. Johan wrapped his arms around her and Eleanora clung to him, unwilling to ever let him go. “We'll get through this,” she whispered to him. “Soon we'll be on our way and I will tend to your wounds.”

 

Eleanora didn't know why everyone lowered their swords when King Arthur's knight yelled the word. She would have thought they would have raised them instead. A moment of quiet passed over the crowd and Eleanora sighed in relief. “It's over. They will let us go now.”

 

But Sir Wolfhelm did not heed the order and she watched in horror as he drew his sword, ready to strike. No! she thought, her heart pounding with fear as Johan thrust her beneath him. No! Angrier and more frightened than she had ever been in her life, she envisioned ripping the sword from his grasp. And suddenly, that odd fuzzy feeling filled her mind again. “Johan, my ...”

 

She lifted her head from his chest just in time to see Sir Wolfhelm's sword fly from his hand and embed itself in the side of one of the wagons. The mouths of footmen and Saxons alike fell open in shock. The fuzziness lingered and for once she welcomed it. Her magic had just saved the man she loved, and it had not been accidental this time. In her panicked state, she had been able to control it.

 

Eleanora felt both elated and terrified. With any luck, the onlookers would believe Sir Wolfhelm had swung his weapon too wildly and wouldn't suspect that magic had been used to stop hm.

[Guest]

Johan nodded weakly to her assurances. And he squeezed her when she said it was over. But it wasn’t. However out of sorts he was he would try and protect her. Johan was never much in the condition for a fight but that didn’t make him a coward, especially when it came to protecting those he loved.

 

Johan felt the magic and feared Eleanora was about to release something uncontrollable. He tensed. But the spell was completely contained, almost as good as a trained casting. He eased. Sir Wolfhelm was as shocked as anyone else and stared at his hand in near disbelief. Johan took the opportunity to shift farther away from the villain.

 

But the moment had passed. Eleanora had saved Johan from a blow, possibly a fatal one.

 

Then King Arthur arrived. His very presence changed the atmosphere completely. The Saxons scattered to their horses and carts. The footmen and knights all arranged themselves in parade. Her grandfather’s men sunk back to skulk. Any chance of fighting vanished.

 

Sir Tregwain became very nervous and pulled Johan to his feet. He did it so quickly that Johan actually stumbled on his bad leg but managed to recover. Johan held out his hands to Eleanora and pulled her into his arms with a kiss. He squeezed her tightly, as if he could hold her so tightly he could banish what just happened.

 

The King glanced around briefly then walked straight for them. Sir Tregwain visibly winced and Sir Wolfhelm looked confused. The King spoke to Johan first, “You are the man who asked to leave?” King Arthur barely paid attention the pair. The King’s eyes were focused on her grandfather and his knight.

 

“Yes, your m-m-majesty.” Johan replied.

 

“Then leave.” He waved his hand.

 

“Yes, your m-m-majesty.” Johan said. Sir Tregwain quickly took Eleanora by the hand. He somehow managed to all but shove her into the cart while making it look like he was just helping her in like a gentleman. Johan was soon in there with her too and the driver was signaled to go.

 

As they started to pull away, “And you!” King Arthur’s tone burned with rage as he turned to Sir Wolfhelm. But soon they were too far away to make out the specifics. Drawing a sword in court and assaulting the guests was easily a capital offense but her grandfather might be able to save his knight.

 

As they pulled away Johan half stumbled and half eased himself onto a seat. He smiled at Eleanora. It was a bit weak and pained but completely sincere. He gestured for her to come over.

[Sophia de la Cerda]

King Arthur's arrival was serendipitous, in Eleanora's opinion. If he had not arrived when he did, there might have been questions about how Lord Wolfhelm had lost control of his sword. And he might have accused Johan of magic. She was sure that he had felt the weapon wrenched from his hand.

 

Now, however, there were more important things to worry about than a sword that had found its way into the side of a cart. She watched as the Saxons scattered and the knights lined up. Her grandfather's men were silent, as if they did not want to draw attention to themselves. And no wonder, considering what one of their number had just done.

 

How much had King Arthur seen? Had he felt the magic in the air? Had anybody? Sir Tregwain pulled Johan to his feet rather roughly and Eleanora winced when he stumbled, afraid that he would fall in front of the King. Yet he kept his balance and held out his hands to her. With a look of love in her eyes, she placed her small hands in his and rose to her feet, smiling as he drew her into his embrace and kissed her. He held her tightly and she wrapped her arms around his waist and buried her face against his chest. She had come so close to losing him, and she never wanted to let him go again.

 

The fuzzy feeling remained in her mind, but it was slowly fading. The King headed straight toward them and spoke to Johan. Shifting her position, she looked up at him, but even though he addressed Johan, his attention was on Sir Wolfhelm and her grandfather's men. A smug little smirk touched her lips. He knew they were at fault and they would be punished. Maybe her grandfather would be called to task for his knight's insubordination. He would have more important things to worry about than her whereabouts and maybe he would forget about her for a time.

 

Johan answered with deference and the King all but ordered them to leave. Sir Tregwain grabbed Eleanora's hand and pulled her toward the cart, nearly pushing her inside in his eagerness to be rid of them. Johan joined her and almost immediately, the wagon lurched into motion. Hearing King Arthur's angry words, she looked out the window and smirked again when she noticed that his ire was directed at Sir Wolfhelm.

 

Her attention returned to the cart when Johan settled into a seat, and she practically flew beside him when he beckoned her over. Eleanora didn't throw her arms around him, though, afraid she might cause him more pain. “Are you all right, my love?” She reached up and gently caressed his cheek. “And did you see what I did?” A note of pride crept into her voice. “I controlled my magic! I don't know if I can do it again, but it worked when it was needed the most. He was going to kill you and I couldn't let that happen.”

[Guest]

The King’s arrival owed more to Eleanora’s lungs than the couple’s luck. But as they pulled away more than a few eyes were upon them. Whether any of them held suspicions was as much a mystery to Johan as it was to Eleanora.

 

Johan was not as shy and took Eleanora into his arms immediately. There was no apparent harm, aside from dirt, but in truth he had the beginnings of deep bruises on his leg and torso. He nuzzled into her hand, “Only b-b-bruised.” He replied. “Are you…?” He asked, deep concern in his eyes. He squeezed her again, wincing slightly as he pulled her into a sore spot.

 

He put her at a safer distance then, though his arms were still around her. He smiled when she spoke with pride. His eyes held not only the love that so often filled them when he looked at her but his own pride. Taking her gently by the chin he planted a long kiss. “You’re a v-v-very special woman… Eleanora.” His hand gently danced along her face, “I’m luh-lucky to have you.” He planted another, small kiss.

 

And that was true, but thoughts of a different nature swirled in his head. Magic, to Johan, was a particular thing. Eleanora’s was beginning to break what he thought of as rules. There was something fearful in that. Yet, somehow, he felt as if Eleanora’s magic would never harm him. While his magic was a complex and thorny gift that had a nature that made him uncomfortable Eleanora’s seemed to manifest from deep inside her essence.

 

And Johan knew there was every part of Eleanora loved him.

 

Johan took her hands in his, clasping his over hers. “You know, I knew you wuh-were… brave to come with me. And that you’d suffered. But…” Johan wasn’t quite sure what to say. He… comprehended it now. He knew it in a visceral way he hadn’t before. Not that he had never known suffering but he had just experienced the world he was taking Eleanora from.

 

He had told her before he wished to keep her safe from everything in the world. To give her an idyllic life, even knowing he couldn’t. Something about this had grounded that desire. Now, “Your luh-life will be better from now on.” Johan said, “And it will be with me. However that is, whatever we m-m-manage, I p-p-promise that much.” She would stand beside him. And he beside her. And they would treat each other liked loved ones, and heal from their abusers.

 

That was not so much to say, but it choked Johan, who blinked a small mist and smiled happily.