TWO HEADS TWO SPIKES (The Pearl of Wisdom Saga) (16 page)

The group sat in silence, not knowing exactly what to think.

Jon broke the silent panic, “The King may have realized that he needs Mattingly and needs to unite our families. It should only be for a few weeks at most. We will be back before you boys return.” Jon tried to add a glimmer of hope to this situation.

“When do we leave?” asked an excited and panicked Mariah.

“In about a week and a half, so you better start packing now if you want to be ready, the way you pack,” joked Jon.

“Very funny, father,” Mariah quickly returned.

“Alright kids, you may return to what you were doing,” Jon Colbert told the children.

Everyone left the room except Camelle who spoke softly, “Why, why is it always something?”

“Our daughter may have a chance to be Queen Mariah someday, you know,” Jon reassured Camelle who always feared the worst.

Jon understood she was always more emotional while pregnant too. Jon and Camelle had been through this four times before, so he knew what to expect.

“But to a family of foxes? No thank you. She yearns for love, I know this. But kings and princes do what they wish without caring for their wives. Many end up miserable like Queen Emilia is right now, if the stories are to be believed,” Camelle sadly added.

“How are YOU feeling, my dove?” Jon wanted to know.

“My biggest worry right now is this summons. Just yesterday, all these problems seemed to be so far away. Now they sit at our doorstep,” she said with a great sigh.

He knelt next to her chair and put his ear on his wife’s plump stomach. He used his right hand to start rubbing her belly.

“I can remember doing this when Krys was in here. Those were much simpler times, I know, my sweet dove, but our position now requires more responsibility and that might stretch to all of Donegal.”

“I don’t want you to be responsible for everyone in Donegal, just be responsible for our family.” Camelle sobbed, with tears welling up.

“Everything I do is for you and the family, for our children’s children. If we can build alliances that will insulate our family from attack, I have to do it.”

Jon rose and wiped the tears from his wife’s saddened face. Her eyes and nose were red and puffy but Jon still saw the beauty in Camelle Etburn Colbert.

He kissed her on the cheek as she said, “But what alliances are to be trusted?”

“My sweet dove, we cannot live our lives out in fear. Come here,” said Jon as he grabbed her hand and pulled her to the middle of the room.

“Do you remember when we danced to “Lover’s Island” on our wedding night?” Camelle whispered to her husband as they started dancing.

“A goodly length of years has now gone by and it remains the best day of my life. That set the tone for everything else. Without you, my dove, I am afraid I am nothing,” Jon whispered back.

As they slowly danced around the room, a smile finally appeared on Camelle’s face. They forgot their sudden problems and Jon remembered their questionable union nineteen years ago.

Duke Tyus Etburn had felt threatened from the King and thought a marriage alliance would ensure safety. Duke Etburn saw potential in Jon Colbert and Mattingly and wanted to depend on them to attack Fox Chapel from the south if he needed. Tyus Etburn was one of the most powerful men in Donegal at the time and the marriage had boosted Jon Colbert’s reputation in the realm. Duke Colbert then used the new found connections to build Mattingly into the power it was today.

They softly worked their way around the room, both with eyes closed, taking solace in each other’s togetherness. Jon kissed Camelle’s lips lightly and rubbed her cheek with his thumb. Jon saw the same sixteen-year-old girl he had married that special day in Riverfront. It had been the biggest wedding celebration in the history of Mattingly and the Etburns even paid for half of it. Jon remembered setting up business partners at the ceremony that had lasted until this day. He tightly held the most important partner he made that day as they moved as one.

“I am going to bid Ordrid to stay at the castle while I am gone,” Jon tried to assure his wife.

“So he may order everyone about? He had the council members ready to throw him into the dungeons last time. Grace has always escaped your dear brother. Pray tell, how is it possible that he can be the exact opposite of you?” she wondered.

“It was hard for him. He had to watch his brother be handed everything that he always wanted,” Jon tried to explain.

“He is the High Lord of Greeneville. It is the most profitable district in all of Donegal, but it is never enough with him.” She held Jon’s body tight and escaped the moment again.

“Whether they like him or not, the men will do as he bids. Look, we will return as soon as possible from the Capitol, but the trip must take place. Not to worry, I will be back in plenty of time for the birth.” Jon kissed her and rubbed her stomach, feeling two kicks from the unborn Colbert.

The Queen of Donegal sat in a steamy bath. Her handmaidens, Direll and Parata, scrubbed her with exotic soaps. Vanilla scents emanated from the foamy water and floated through the Queen’s room. Emilia liked both her simple pleasures and her royal perks. Although she still considered herself a reclusive farm girl, she had become quite accustomed to the luxurious castle life. The girls were getting Queen Emilia aroused as they massaged her breasts and thighs. Once she got started, the Queen would not stop until she was satisfied completely.

Emilia shied away from being an authority figure and took no interest in the ruling aspect of her queenly duties. She firmly believed that she was going to outlive the King, but she also had Ali-Ster to keep her in the castle and away from responsibility.

The candles flickered as the Queen stood up, causing waves in the tub. Direll and Parata helped her out with towels waiting to dry Emilia’s body. Direll wrapped the Queen in a red robe, and Parata handed her a black belt to secure it. She dismissed her handmaidens and ordered them to send Sir Anderley in.

The knight entered the queen’s room and said, “My Queen, you called for me?” As he gazed at Emilia, she suddenly dropped her robe.

“Let’s have a little fun. I am in a randy mood.”

“My Queen,” Anderley said aghast, “Not here. You know I cannot do that here.”

“What are you afraid of,
SIR
?” she sarcastically jabbed.

“It is not about being scared, my Queen, it is simply a matter of not being stupid,” he responded.

“Oh, so now I’m stupid, am I? I believe I know what I can and cannot do in my own castle, thank you.”

The Queen was really irritated now.

Fine, if he will not do it I know where to find men who are not craven.

After she revealed her desire to Anderley, he looked like he was going to cry. He agreed to her plan as always, but this time he put up more of a fight to try to talk the Queen out of it. Her handmaidens had the Queen nearly dressed while Anderley waited outside the room again. She wore a small black dress that didn’t cover very much of her short figure, along with a matching dark veil. She threw on a long black coat that touched the ground and totally hid her scanty clothing. She opened the door to see Anderley, still angry, but she didn’t care
.

I gave you the option and you forced my hand, so don’t pout about it.

It was almost a full moon and it seemed like half of Falconhurst had set out to enjoy the city night-life. After a fifteen-minute horseback ride, they arrived at a building on the outskirts of town. Neither had spoken a word to the other since the Queen had told Anderley about her plan. King Ali-Stanley had not satisfied the Queen in over ten years, ever since she gave birth to the castaway son.

Anderley and the Queen had sex quite a few times so she thought he was only jealous. They approached the building and entered to talk to the owner. The man sat behind a desk, counting gold. He shot a quick look at them as they came in.

After Anderley had briefed the owner about the Queen’s plan, he said, “I would like to help you but we do not use little girls here. So sorry, Sir.”

“This is no little girl. I can assure you of that. Do you recognize this?” Anderley pointed to his King’s Guard pin. As the two argued, the salacious Queen opened the coat to expose herself in the tiny dress. Despite her height, the owner recognized a womanly body and reluctantly agreed to the deal. The totally bald, obese man led the Queen and Anderley into a small room at the end of a narrow hallway.

When they walked in the room, the Queen started having second thoughts. There was a bed in the small room but that was it. Even with little light in the room, the Queen could tell the mattress hadn’t been cleaned in a long while. She rubbed her left nipple to get back into the mood. She started getting excited again. There was a door leading outside that Sir Anderley slipped out of without speaking a word to the Queen. She could hear him pacing outside the room as she nervously waited. After only moments, someone entered the room.

“Hello,” the man said in a gruff voice.

“Hello, there,” said the Queen in seductive tones.

The odorous man stripped his clothes off and moved toward the Queen. He tried to unmask her but she stopped him.

“Some things must remain a mystery,” she said.

As the large man mounted the Queen she could hear Anderley vomiting outside the brothel.

Edburgh

Ed finished packing the last of his items from the room at the inn. He still had one thing left to do before he left Falconhurst. The King had given Ed his answer yesterday, or was it the day before that? The days were beginning to blend together seamlessly for the sleepless Edburgh. He was still having nightmares about Caroline. He now tried to always stay awake, only to drift off and wake soon thereafter. He would rise, sweating and clutching his chest from the dreams.

Ed hoped that once the King approved the plan, he would finally be able to get some rest.

He could not.

He left the inn and took off on horseback in an attempt to solve his problem of insomnia.

Edburgh was not sure how long he would be on this trip, but he was under the King’s orders, so he should have felt safe.

He did not.

He seemed to be even more nervous after the King had accepted his offer. The plan was just an idea in his head but now reality crashed down on him. He had to execute the plan precisely or it would be his head and that began to scare him. The King gave Ed a crew of four men to carry out his end of the deal. He was to set out on the morrow.

Ed had already had enough of the Capitol. The retribution that had engulfed his mind just weeks ago drifted away like the sleep he was chasing. Ofttimes he was so delirious, he couldn’t even remember what he was doing in Falconhurst. Ed thought about going back home, but quickly dismissed that notion. He had put his neck on the line and knew that the King would have him killed if he tried to back out now.

He arrived at his destination, hopped off his horse, and tied the mare to a tree. The silver in his pocket clanked as he hit the ground. He glanced up at a full moon as he entered. A fat, bald man greeted Ed. He wore a mauve robe and had a red tie wrapped around his neck.

“I require the services of a woman, my good man,” Ed said.

“Well, what kind of girl are you looking for?” the owner said in an uncaring tone.

“A faceless whore really, nothing particular,” said Ed, looking at the ground.

He had never been in one of these establishments before.

“Well then, I think I have the perfect girl for you,” chuckled the owner.

Edburgh wasn’t sure if that laugh was a good thing or not.

The owner looked at the red-headed hostess, “Raguel, please take this gentleman to Room Twelve.”

“Of course, my Lord,” she responded immediately with a smile and led Ed down a grungy hallway
.

Is all of Donegal going downhill? Even the brothels are filthy. This woman better be worth it.

Raguel led him up to a door, “Here we are, enjoy yourself but don’t disrespect the lady.”

Still smiling, she gestured to Ed to enter the room.

“Thank you,” Ed said, as he entered the barely lit room.

Ed thought he heard a man crying in the next room. The whore was lying on the bed wearing nothing but a veil as far as he could see.

Perfect, no face to even look at.

Ed stripped off his clothes, suddenly questioning this move. Fully nude, he apprehensively approached the silent woman. The tiny woman welcomed him with open legs, still reddened from recent activity. He settled on top of her and rubbed himself on her warm vagina. She writhed under Ed for a moment or two; she seemed ready to go and Ed was too. He looked at the black veil and pictured Caroline’s face, hoping to make it disappear from his nightmares as he inserted.

After he had worked his manhood fully in, the whore moaned, “Ooh, you are a big boy.”

That voice rang like a bell in Ed’s brain. But where was it from? After a minute or so, his mind flashed back to the royal wedding.

There is no way it could be her.

Caroline’s face disappeared as he opened his eyes again and the face Edburgh Etburn saw belonged to the Queen of Donegal. As she writhed in the throes of passion, her veil slid off of her face and exposed her identity.

What in the Hells is the Queen doing? Is this treason? I had no idea before I started. This is mad
.

After Ed finished inside the Queen, he rose without a word and dressed himself while the Queen remained on the bed. He badly wanted to speak to her, but he wondered if the Queen even remembered him. The room was very dark and the Queen had appeared quite drunk when they met at the wedding. It didn’t seem likely after thinking about it because it was only a brief introduction from the King. He left the brothel expecting to sleep like a baby that night.

He did not.

Ed slept the same as he had for the last few weeks, terribly. He met his travel companions the next morning and took off on his journey.