New Stories: A Royal Reunion (Happend)

Mature Content.

Late September 769

Lawrence's head shot up from the campfire as he heard a slowly growing chorus of cheers and shouts coming from the west. Though lack of any sleep the night before had fuddled his brain, it came clear and sharp again and he stood and started to stride briskly in the direction of the sound. The men who saw him pass smiled and nodded and called to him, "She is come at last!" He met each one with a broad toothy smile.

The night had been as dark as he could have hoped. No moon, but also no stars provided light as clouds had seemed to come specially to shade any sign of the Queen's passage from her wooded, mountain hiding place back to her husband's long empty arms. The King had not been able to sleep, but had held as still as he could the better to hear any sign of the rescue party's coming. The old woman, Ethelberga, had stayed awake too, making the one small separate chamber of the cottage she lent to the King as tidy and comfortable as a billet in an army camp can be.

As the King strode through the camp to its western edge, the red haired Irish minstrel joined him, skipping to keep up. Shannon's promise to be with the rescue party that brought Josephine here had been foiled by the fact that he could not and would not ride. The small force, led by Earl Botopher, had needed speed so had left him behind. Nevertheless he was congratulating himself for the smile on Lawrence's face for which he felt at least in part responsible.

It was the cheering that had told the King and Shannon that Josephine's rescue had been successful. The men of his army saw their mission in Affynshire at the very least to effect her return and then to retrieve the sovereignty of her childhood home. They would fight alongside their warrior king, but it was in the name of the Queen they fought.

At the edge of the camp Lawrence, with his captains close beside and Shannon a few paces further, stopped as the lead horsemen came into the circle of tents. He walked around to the third horse which carried his young, golden-haired wife. She reined in her mount and beamed at him. As he approached her he laughed at her garb: a woodsman's garb, not a Queen's.

"Shannon was right. You are a vision in trouse," Lawrence said as Josephine leaned far out of her saddle to put her arms around his neck. He spoke no more as her lips touched his. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her the rest of the way down to the ground without breaking the embrace.

He felt her soft warm lips on his and breathed in the longed for and beloved scent of her.

She reveled in the feel of his strong arms around her, not squeezing but tight and secure and comforting.

The moment of quiet when the two first locked eyes broke in a wild torrent of cheering.

On the castle parapets Malcolm peered down at the Crísliclandian camp. "What is it?" he demanded of his aide.

The younger man whose eyes were sharper said quietly "I believe the Queen has been restored to her husband, my lord."

Malcolm glowered. "God damn Elerde.. and O'Donnell! How could they let her slip through their hands. And damn this siege, or my spies could tell me." He glared through the morning light as he saw the gathering of men start to move towards the little cluster of cottages and ruins of cottages conducting the King and his lady into the heart of the camp. "Well, I am not finished yet. I have one more chance to capture her."

Back in the camp Lawrence walked with his arm around Josephine's shoulders, as she leaned her body and head against him. Each wore a smile identical to the other. Their glances into each other's eyes, hers with her chin tilted up and his with his chin almost on his breast, revealed no awareness of others around them. "God, Jo, I missed you."

The Queen just smiled and leaned against him again, tightening her own arm around his waist.

Shannon came skipping up and Josephine dropped her arm to lean to embrace him. This made Lawrence look up, and he realized for the first time that his wife's cousin Ioruert strode behind them. He clasped the fighting man's arm in a hearty greeting. "Well met, cousin. Where are Cingen ad Ruallauh?" The King looked over his head to see if the others were coming along.

In a voice pitched so as not to disturb the Queen's affectionate greeting with Shannon Ioruert replied, "Cingen stayed behind. Ruallauh has been taken by Elerde to Horsfort."

The name "Elerde" caused a darkness to cross the King's face.

Josephine turned then hearing enough of what her cousin said,. "And my lord, the most extraordinary thing happened when Ruallauh was taken. They had me as well, but the Irish commander made an exchange.. me for Rory!"

Lawrence, whose eyes had shot back to her at the sound of her voice now shook his head. "Took Rory? I do not understand." Then realizing Josephine had been in the enemy's hands, he paled. He reached for her and pulled her to him. He saw Shannon's face, a mix of puzzlement and thoughtfulness evident there. "Shannon, what is it?"

"My liege, I dinnae know. I shall have to consider," the musician replied, but his voice carried a note of fear. He quickly bowed and murmured something about taking his leave for the nonce and melted away into the press of soldiers around the royal pair leaving them to look after him mystified.

Lawrence shook his head again. He looked down at the Queen. "That is the most extraordinary thing. I hope Shannon can enlighten us later. Come, let me show you to your bower, my lady."

"Aye, my love, please. I need a wash and a rest."

Ethelberga met them at the door of the cottage. She was smiling affectionately and had her hands clasped before her over her surcoat. She bowed to the Queen, and Josephine saw the hint of tears in the old woman's eyes.

Lawrence said, "My lady, this is our host, Ethelberga, who has been kind enough to let me use her cottage as a headquarters. And I sleep here too."

Josephine leaned to draw Ethelberga up from her respectful position and pulled the old woman to her in an embrace. "Have you been taking care of my husband, Ethelberga?"

Ethelberga laughed. "As well as he will allow me, my lady," she answered.

"Then we have that challenge in common. May I get some hot water to wash?" Josephine sighed. "I feel like I have not bathed in months.

Ethelberga winked at the King who had asked for just such a luxury the night before, to be fit to receive his Queen. "I shall fetch hot water for you straight away, dear lady."

Josephine went through the low door into the main room of the cottage, followed by the King. She let her eyes adjust to the dim light, feeling Lawrence's arms come around her from behind. She leaned back. "Can you wait, my darling?" she yawned.

Lawrence kissed the top of her head and said softly, "I can wait."

They stayed standing like this until Ethelberga came in with two men who were carrying a large pot full of hot water. The King kissed his wife and then said, "I will come back while you are resting."

It was a struggle for Lawrence not to go back to the cottage to look in and make sure Josephine really was there. He held off as long as he could force himself to and then made excuses to men bearing knowing smiles and headed for the door. Ethelberga was outside sitting on a bench and spinning wool. "She is fast asleep, my lord. But I know she would want you to go in."

Lawrence pushed through the door and shut it behind him. Ethelberga quietly shifted her bench so it blocked the door to any who might disturb the couple.

The King stood inside the door listening to what tiny sounds he could hear. As he approached the screen that divided out the sleeping area, he heard a soft voice. "My lord?"

He came around the screen to see Josephine lying on her side on the straw bed. She had one arm up under her head. The covering was up to her underarms. "Sweetheart," Lawrence breathed.

She smiled and reached for him, letting the cover fall away to show her bare breasts under it. Lawrence loosed his sword belt and dropped it on the hard clay floor. He kneeled by the bed and leaned over to wrap her in his arms and kiss her tenderly.

"I will need someone to get my one gown from the saddle bag. It was all I had with me when we had to flee."

Lawrence had sat to pull off his boots. He looked around at her. "You look perfect to me now."

Josephine smiled and stretched, making the King shove his boots off faster. He stretched out alongside her on the straw bed. "Dearest, this is hardly a bed fit for a Queen," he said as he started in hungrily to nuzzle her neck.

She replied by asking, "Is the King in this bed? Then it is fit for the Queen." She wrapped her arms around his neck. They made love like starving people offered their first food in many days. Many words of longing and love and relief were uttered. After they lay in each other's arms and stroked each other's backs.

"My dearest, I will want to get back to the children."

Lawrence laid silent for a moment, sad to have the idyll swept away by her words. "Aye, you must. Only stay until I can put together a guard for you."

Josephine kissed his now bare chest. "Mmmm, and how long will that take?" There was a note of amusement in her voice.

"As long as I can possibly make it last," he said, and they laughed.


Late September 769

Lawrence's head shot up from the campfire as he heard a slowly growing chorus of cheers and shouts coming from the west. Though lack of any sleep the night before had fuddled his brain, it came clear and sharp again and he stood and started to stride briskly in the direction of the sound. The men who saw him pass smiled and nodded and called to him, "She is come at last!" He met each one with a broad toothy smile.

The night had been as dark as he could have hoped. No moon, but also no stars provided light as clouds had seemed to come specially to shade any sign of the Queen's passage from her wooded, mountain hiding place back to her husband's long empty arms. The King had not been able to sleep, but had held as still as he could the better to hear any sign of the rescue party's coming. The old woman, Ethelberga, had stayed awake too, making the one small separate chamber of the cottage she lent to the King as tidy and comfortable as a billet in an army camp can be.

As the King strode through the camp to its western edge, the red haired Irish minstrel joined him, skipping to keep up. Shannon's promise to be with the rescue party that brought Josephine here had been foiled by the fact that he could not and would not ride. The small force, led by Earl Botopher, had needed speed so had left him behind. Nevertheless he was congratulating himself for the smile on Lawrence's face for which he felt at least in part responsible.

It was the cheering that had told the King and Shannon that Josephine's rescue had been successful. The men of his army saw their mission in Affynshire at the very least to effect her return and then to retrieve the sovereignty of her childhood home. They would fight alongside their warrior king, but it was in the name of the Queen they fought.

At the edge of the camp Lawrence, with his captains close beside and Shannon a few paces further, stopped as the lead horsemen came into the circle of tents. He walked around to the third horse which carried his young, golden-haired wife. She reined in her mount and beamed at him. As he approached her he laughed at her garb: a woodsman's garb, not a Queen's.

"Shannon was right. You are a vision in trouse," Lawrence said as Josephine leaned far out of her saddle to put her arms around his neck. He spoke no more as her lips touched his. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her the rest of the way down to the ground without breaking the embrace.

He felt her soft warm lips on his and breathed in the longed for and beloved scent of her.

She reveled in the feel of his strong arms around her, not squeezing but tight and secure and comforting.

The moment of quiet when the two first locked eyes broke in a wild torrent of cheering.

On the castle parapets Malcolm peered down at the Crísliclandian camp. "What is it?" he demanded of his aide.

The younger man whose eyes were sharper said quietly "I believe the Queen has been restored to her husband, my lord."

Malcolm glowered. "God damn Elerde.. and O'Donnell! How could they let her slip through their hands. And damn this siege, or my spies could tell me." He glared through the morning light as he saw the gathering of men start to move towards the little cluster of cottages and ruins of cottages conducting the King and his lady into the heart of the camp. "Well, I am not finished yet. I have one more chance to capture her."

Back in the camp Lawrence walked with his arm around Josephine's shoulders, as she leaned her body and head against him. Each wore a smile identical to the other. Their glances into each other's eyes, hers with her chin tilted up and his with his chin almost on his breast, revealed no awareness of others around them. "God, Jo, I missed you."

The Queen just smiled and leaned against him again, tightening her own arm around his waist.

Shannon came skipping up and Josephine dropped her arm to lean to embrace him. This made Lawrence look up, and he realized for the first time that his wife's cousin Ioruert strode behind them. He clasped the fighting man's arm in a hearty greeting. "Well met, cousin. Where are Cingen ad Ruallauh?" The King looked over his head to see if the others were coming along.

In a voice pitched so as not to disturb the Queen's affectionate greeting with Shannon Ioruert replied, "Cingen stayed behind. Ruallauh has been taken by Elerde to Horsfort."

The name "Elerde" caused a darkness to cross the King's face.

Josephine turned then hearing enough of what her cousin said,. "And my lord, the most extraordinary thing happened when Ruallauh was taken. They had me as well, but the Irish commander made an exchange.. me for Rory!"

Lawrence, whose eyes had shot back to her at the sound of her voice now shook his head. "Took Rory? I do not understand." Then realizing Josephine had been in the enemy's hands, he paled. He reached for her and pulled her to him. He saw Shannon's face, a mix of puzzlement and thoughtfulness evident there. "Shannon, what is it?"

"My liege, I dinnae know. I shall have to consider," the musician replied, but his voice carried a note of fear. He quickly bowed and murmured something about taking his leave for the nonce and melted away into the press of soldiers around the royal pair leaving them to look after him mystified.

Lawrence shook his head again. He looked down at the Queen. "That is the most extraordinary thing. I hope Shannon can enlighten us later. Come, let me show you to your bower, my lady."

"Aye, my love, please. I need a wash and a rest."

Ethelberga met them at the door of the cottage. She was smiling affectionately and had her hands clasped before her over her surcoat. She bowed to the Queen, and Josephine saw the hint of tears in the old woman's eyes.

Lawrence said, "My lady, this is our host, Ethelberga, who has been kind enough to let me use her cottage as a headquarters. And I sleep here too."

Josephine leaned to draw Ethelberga up from her respectful position and pulled the old woman to her in an embrace. "Have you been taking care of my husband, Ethelberga?"

Ethelberga laughed. "As well as he will allow me, my lady," she answered.

"Then we have that challenge in common. May I get some hot water to wash?" Josephine sighed. "I feel like I have not bathed in months.

Ethelberga winked at the King who had asked for just such a luxury the night before, to be fit to receive his Queen. "I shall fetch hot water for you straight away, dear lady."

Josephine went through the low door into the main room of the cottage, followed by the King. She let her eyes adjust to the dim light, feeling Lawrence's arms come around her from behind. She leaned back. "Can you wait, my darling?" she yawned.

Lawrence kissed the top of her head and said softly, "I can wait."

They stayed standing like this until Ethelberga came in with two men who were carrying a large pot full of hot water. The King kissed his wife and then said, "I will come back while you are resting."

It was a struggle for Lawrence not to go back to the cottage to look in and make sure Josephine really was there. He held off as long as he could force himself to and then made excuses to men bearing knowing smiles and headed for the door. Ethelberga was outside sitting on a bench and spinning wool. "She is fast asleep, my lord. But I know she would want you to go in."

Lawrence pushed through the door and shut it behind him. Ethelberga quietly shifted her bench so it blocked the door to any who might disturb the couple.

The King stood inside the door listening to what tiny sounds he could hear. As he approached the screen that divided out the sleeping area, he heard a soft voice. "My lord?"

He came around the screen to see Josephine lying on her side on the straw bed. She had one arm up under her head. The covering was up to her underarms. "Sweetheart," Lawrence breathed.

She smiled and reached for him, letting the cover fall away to show her bare breasts under it. Lawrence loosed his sword belt and dropped it on the hard clay floor. He kneeled by the bed and leaned over to wrap her in his arms and kiss her tenderly.

"I will need someone to get my one gown from the saddle bag. It was all I had with me when we had to flee."

Lawrence had sat to pull off his boots. He looked around at her. "You look perfect to me now."

Josephine smiled and stretched, making the King shove his boots off faster. He stretched out alongside her on the straw bed. "Dearest, this is hardly a bed fit for a Queen," he said as he started in hungrily to nuzzle her neck.

She replied by asking, "Is the King in this bed? Then it is fit for the Queen." She wrapped her arms around his neck. They made love like starving people offered their first food in many days. Many words of longing and love and relief were uttered. After they lay in each other's arms and stroked each other's backs.

"My dearest, I will want to get back to the children."

Lawrence laid silent for a moment, sad to have the idyll swept away by her words. "Aye, you must. Only stay until I can put together a guard for you."

Josephine kissed his now bare chest. "Mmmm, and how long will that take?" There was a note of amusement in her voice.

"As long as I can possibly make it last," he said, and they laughed.

Next: Time Together