Part 22 (2/2)
Minutes seemed like hours, but in fact in as really a very short time, she came
”My lady, you see, I've neverI mean ”
She smiled and said cal to worry about”
”But what should I do? Ime Just put your arms around methat's better relax! Soften your lips, like this That's better, et all this armor off you”
She onderful, as beautiful in mind as she was in body Slowly, careful of ht of ht Her skin was so incredibly sth about her that seemed equal to my own
She was at onceslave
I shall be forever grateful to that lady, yet after she kissed ray dawn and had left, I realized that I had cos to her I had never asked her na gotten little sleep the night before Yet there were oaths to be taken, Baron Conrad's to Count Laht to Baron Conrad Then we had to return to Baron Conrad's lands, for ht have three days leave, on account ofat hts
”Go to her, boy!”
At Three Walls, I spoke first to Yawalda at the stables, explaining to her reed to take care of Krystyana's three children while I went to Krystyana!
Learning that she was in her room, I simply walked inside, delivered her children to Yawalda's waiting arms and barred the door behind us Krystyana was so shocked by my behavior that it was a mo here? Get out of my room!” ht to be in your rooht, made so by Count Lambert himself only yesterday You are an unht to take any such unmarried woman who attracts me You attract me, you alill and you always have
Therefore, you now have the obligation to do as I please”
”Piotr! I aet out of here or I will scream!”
”Scream away, my love It happens that just now I aht at Three Walls There is no one here that would stopmy duty” I strode forward and put my arms around her
”Duty! dao of me!”
”Never my love”
Krystyana let out a scream that could have curled the toenails on a war-horse Yawalda athered a crowd outside the door, because as soon as Krystyana ran out of breath we heard a round of applause from the hallway
”daainst me?”
”No, my love Everyone is for you Every one of your friends want only what is best for you and so do 1
And the thing that is best for you is me”
”God in heaven will damn you to hell forever!”
”God will do what he thinks best, and so will 1, et this apron off you”
And so it went for hours My courtesy, entle firmness and my love for her fell, it seeht else I could do I told her of the events of the past year, and she sneered at ht with Baron Stefan and ht, and she calledwith Count La with a croas still a pig
And every tiot louder Indeed, I found out later that there were more than three dozen ishers out there, and that they had sent to the kitchens for beer and popcorn to ease them while they waited us out Even Father Thoth and dexterity I had gained in et her undressed and abed This brought on further complaints
”Your armor is cold and scratchy, you oaf!”
”True, my love, but the fault is at least partly your own, for since my arrival here you have kept my hands so busy that I have not had the chance to doff it”
”You could always leave”
”Never, my love But could I trust you to stay quiet while I reht”
”Then I shall do so”
She was still while I took off sword and dagger, gauntlets and greaves, elbow cops and tasses It was only as I was doffing my helm that she broke for the door Of course, I was ready for that, caught her below the breasts with one arain on the bed
”Be nice,” I said
”You bastard! Sir Conrad would never force a woman!”
”True, my love But then he wouldn't marry one, either Further, it's Baron Conrad now and if I'm truly a bastard, ive htful consideration?”
She was still struggling, and I found it best to si and small clothes She screamed some more and the crowd cheered some more Eventually, she desisted I threeapons to the far comer of the room, for my love was in a truly fiesty mood and I feared she would be te, add towound had opened a bit in the struggle, but what's a little blood on the sheets on your first night with a wo person's blood, but one can't have everything
It was a long night, and the second in a roithout sleep Nor was it nearly as pleasant as the one before, forat my pleasure as I was at hers Yet in the end I was successful, for in the early dawn, I looked at my love and she looked back And smiled
And that day ent to the priest and posted our banns of ot some sleep
Chapter Twenty-two
FROM THE DIARY OF CONRAD SCHWARTZ
The big day had arrived The first class of the Warrior's school was about to graduate The three-dozen e the ar
Eleven o, there had been twelve dozen of theraine Noo dozen of that original nuround and on the obstacle course Others were crippled for life and at least six men had been driven insane But the core of the arnitaries to observe the last day of training and the graduation ceree, Duke Henryk the Bearded, could not make it, but he had sent his son, Prince Henryk the Pious, to observe for hinacy of the Franciscan monastery in Cracow had co Friar Roman Sir Miesko and Lady Richeza were of course in attendance, as were a few dozen of Count Laressive faction
There were a thousand others besides, because for this day only, the school was thrown open to the public
Many were there fro for h the school, and they wanted to see as in store for them