"Beauty in the Grove"

[tonyroleplays]

"Beauty in the Grove"​

The day began as it typically did for Sir William of Veers. He had no reason to think it would be different from any of the other 14 days since he'd arrived in the County of Veers, to which he now had hereditary rights to land and title.

He was up well before dawn, finding his house servant, Flora, already setting out a hearty, hot breakfast of venison, duck eggs, and oat gruel. The still-vital fifty-something woman had practically raised William, and when the Crusades drew him to Eastern Europe, she and four other servants followed close behind him, keeping him and his troop fed and bandaged and clothed against both Mother Nature and the Godless Muslim heathens, as she'd called them.

William found it ironic that not once in his six years of conflict did he actually meet let alone fight a Godless Muslim heathen. In the end, he, his troop of young nobles and peasant warriors, and the rest of their young Prince's army would end up fighting other Christian forces for control over vital roads, key passes, and historic cities.

In the end, their crusade ended up being less about returning Christianity to the Holy Land and more about taking control of valuable land and resources. In the end, their war turned out to be about claiming the wealth of others, as so many wars had been and would be in the future.

William found Trent ready for battle in his usual Field Dress: the same worn-and-torn uniform he'd worn in the Balkans Battles; his aging chain mail with a few loose links; his broad sword, his short sword, and his paired daggers unnecessarily weighing him down at the waist; and finally his cross bow hanging at his side in a hand that was missing one and a half finger.

The 29 year old William had saved the life of the excellent swordsman -- who was eight years his senior -- not once, not twice, but three times during what would one day come to be called the Last Crusade. And Trent had vowed to never let anything happen to his Noble man for the rest of his breathing days.

William laughed at Trent's enthusiasm, slapped him on the shoulder, and told him, "We're no longer fighting the massive Turkish army, my friend. The short sword and your cross bow will be more than enough against our current foes."

As he watched his loyal body guard trudge off to store away his excess weapons, William considered his current conflict. He'd returned to the County of Veers thinking that his days of fighting were over, only to find his new lands plagued with highwaymen robbing traveling merchants, peasant farmers and ranchers feuding with sometimes fatal results, and false-Nobles taxing already poor peasants into total poverty, despite having no authority to do so other than the sharp swords of the former soldiers now working for them.

William ate Flora's meal, listened to her moan and groan about the shortages she was still facing in running the Keep, promised her he would do his best to fulfill her needs, then returned to his quarters to prepare for his day.

Peter was there to help his Noble Man into his own Field Dress uniform. Other than Flora and Trent, the Squire was the only member of William's troop to have survived the battles in the East. He had had no home to which to return and, like Trent, had pledged his loyalty to Sir William. The moment his Nobleman was fully dressed, he was racing down to the keep's lower level to prepare the horses, which were being housed inside the small castle until a proper, secure stables could be built.

Twenty minutes later, with William armed and Trent less armed, the pair of men headed up the north road toward where the latest incidents of violence had been reported by some of the peasants who now called William their Master.



The pair of men spent the day stopping at each hut along their zig zagging route, greeting William's serfs, asking about their needs and their assets -- which reflected their ability to pay taxes -- and then moving on, always looking for evidence of danger or crime. Preventing the latter, of course, was what justified William taxing those living within his county: there were many a noble who simply took, took, and took, providing little protection to their peasants; but William, who had been raised with a proper understanding of what Noble means, promised each of his serfs that their taxes would be used to protect them, not simply fill his own treasury.

Near the North Crossroads, the two left the dirt road to rest and eat in the shade of a large grove of elms, maples, and thick undergrowth. They would have to take the road that went east, then circle back to the Keep if they wanted to complete the large, clockwise route that would send them through two more small villages within William's sphere of influence before sunset.

William stood to stretch, then spotted what appeared to be a fruit tree just inside the woods. "I'll be back. Rest my friend. We have a long ride back."

William directed Trent to help him out of his leather over-vest and chain mail, then breathed a sigh of relief at the shedding of the weight. He set his sword up against a downed tree near Trent's side, stretched big, then looked down to his Captain of the Guard, finding him already asleep and about to snore. William just shook his head, wanting so badly to holler, The Turks are coming!

He headed off into the grove, looking from shrub to tree to vine: some of the plant life he recognized as either edible, poisonous, or simply there; and some of it he'd never seen before and knew he would need a Local to identify for him if he was to exploit it for what it was worth. Mother Nature would provide, he'd always been told, so long as you knew what she was offering you.

William was amazed at the beauty of the lush, green grove. For so many years, he'd traveled through lands that were dry and barren, and those that did have the water and fertility to provide the green and other colors that brought the landscape to life were so horribly exploited by those fighting over it that there was little left to appreciate.

He flinched suddenly, half crouching as he heard a crunching sound before him that sounded too loud to be caused by an animal's hoof or paw settling upon a dry leaf or thin branch. He reached his right hand across him to his left side, only to remember that he'd left his sword behind. He instead pulled the dagger from his right side, then crept slowly forward in search of what he assumed would be a peasant poaching his deer or a highwayman camped out, waiting to rob one of his traveling merchants.

His heart nearly jumped out of his chest, though, when he stepped up into a thick section of undergrowth and peered through. A young woman -- teens, early 20s he couldn't yet tell -- was creeping slowly along the forest floor, seemingly searching for something, whether plant or animal or otherwise William didn't know. A mass of long, brown curls fell down upon her shoulders, hiding her face; and a long, semi-sheer, white gown draped over her, through which William could easily see the womanly shape of her petite, thin otherwise naked body.

For a moment, she froze, seeming to find what she was after. She leaned forward a bit, and her mane of brown draped before her face. She pulled it back revealing a beautiful, flawless face. A second movement caused the gown -- loosely tied across her chest -- to open up, revealing the true Beauty of the Grove. Firm, modestly sized breasts pressed out from above the loosening tie, and a dark patch of brown was revealed at the meeting of her thighs as she stepped forward, returning to her undefined search.

The Nobleman realized that his cock was quickly coming to life, growing rapidly between his own patch of brown and the cloth of his trousers. William knew he had to have this girl. As Lord of the Land, he could, too: any unattached woman in his realm was essentially his servant, and if she wasn't simply willing to come to his bed at his asking, there were ways to put pressure on her parents.

William only had to make a choice: take her now -- with or without her willingness -- and let the truth of his Noble rights come out later; or go later to her father -- or mother, should her paternal parent be deceased -- and make an offer that would be financially satisfying to the family and sexually satisfying to William himself.

Yearning made him choose the prior. William didn't want to wait. The lust running rampant through his body was already out of control, and while he'd never forced himself upon a woman in all of his years, he was already telling himself that there was a first time for everything and his title would allow him this right anyway, so why not?

He sheathed his dagger and stepped out of the underbrush, the noise of the branches slipping across him drawing her attention. He was going to make this simple: introduction of himself as her Lord, an attempt to make her understand his carnal intentions, then -- with or without her permission -- the fulfillment of those intentions her on the soft, mossy floor of the grove.

It wasn't until he stepped out into her view that he realized there was nothing about his appearance -- what with his armor and vest on the ground back by Trent -- that would lead this Beauty to believe that William was anything more than a simple rapist, wanting to have his way with a beauty woman.

He was suddenly at a loss for what to do and only stared at her waiting for the words to come to him.

 

[Angeleyz]

Eleanor made her way quietly through the grove, carefully picking her steps as she sought the signs that surely were here if she only looked closely enough. She was so mad she could scream, but given her current state of attire that seemed unwise. It wasn't like she wanted to be traipsing through the woods in nothing more than her chemise, but since the theft of the rest of her garments while she bathed in the hot springs, she had been forced to do just that.

Spotting what she thought might be a footprint, Eleanor leaned forward, the tangled mess that was her hair falling in disarray around her shoulders. Another crime against her, and one that would be avenged. They knew how hard it was to keep the long, brown curls tamed. If she hadn't been creeping through the woods, getting her chemise and hair caught on everything, she would have been able to subdue it once she got out of the water.

'I am going to kill them... I shall borrow Devin's short sword and kill them... No, worse... I shall make them march through these woods in nothing more than their chemise,' she thought darkly, picturing her two friends, Alys and Ysmay having to do just that. She wasn't sure what they were thinking when they had taken her clothing, but she would get them back, which was probably the reason she was creeping through the woods almost naked now. Devin, her twin brother, had been telling her for the last couple of months that she needed to stop playing such childish games before something happened, but it had always been in good fun....

Spotting another indention, Eleanor leaned forward once more, sighing heavily when her hair got in her way. She pulled it back with her right hand, only to have her chemise shift and her breasts exposed to the air. 'Merciful, Lord,' Eleanor thought, 'I'll stop my childish games if you let me find my clothes before anyone sees me.' Devin would be beside himself if he found her like this.

A sudden noise to her right nearly caused her to scream. Looking up, she was shocked to see a large, dark stranger staring back at her. Her green eyes widened when she took in the funny look on his face and remembered what state of dress she was in. Unblinking, Eleanor considered her options. She hadn't heard of any strangers in the area, no talk of highwaymen; but the dagger at his side and the way he stared at her filled her with a fear she had never felt before.

Putting her hands up as if to ward off a blow, Eleanor took a small step backwards and then another, before whirling around and tearing off towards the hot springs, thinking she'd be able to hide in the various rock formations. Branches slapped her face and whipped her arms and legs. Her hair, streaming behind her, caught on various brambles. Her heart pounding in her ears, she ran as swiftly as she could, afraid of what might befall her if he should catch her.

 

[tonyroleplays]

"Wait," William called out as the girl turned and ran. "Wait!"

He wasn't sure why he did it, but he took off in chase after the Woman in White. He wanted to explain to her that he wasn't a threat, but pursuing her through the woods, occasionally calling out Wait wasn't helping.

If he'd taken the time to think about it, he would have realized that he was a threat to the near naked woman. He wanted to lay with her, fuck her, and he'd already decided that he would whether she was willing or not.

It wasn't the right thing for a man to do to a woman he didn't know, and by the definition of the word noble, it certainly wasn't that either. By, as a Noble, it was his right if he chose to take it.

Of course, none of this meant anything if he couldn't catch her!

William realized that simply following behind her wasn't going to work: despite being barefoot and nearly naked, she was staying ahead of him because, obviously, she knew the grove far better than he.

William stopped dead in his tracks and both listened to her as she pushed through the undergrowth and studied the terrain. The canopy opened just enough that he could see where the land rose and fell for the next hundred yards or so. Rather than follow in her footsteps, he turned left and circled around what appeared to be a small knoll. It and it's sister bluff created a rise that the girl was running over and through. With any luck...



Several minutes later, William jumped out of the undergrowth onto the trail the woman had been following. She practically slammed into him, and as he grasped her struggling form, they fell into the tall grass. William rolled her to her back and laid upon her, one leg between her thighs, pressing at her groin to pin her lower body to the ground; while each of his hands pinned a wrist to the soft grass.

"Stop!" he commanded. "Stop fighting me!"

As she continued to struggle, he realized that he was pressing firmly against her near naked form in a way that typically only happened with he was bedding an Inn whore or an ambitious Courtesan. He should have at least pulled himself from between her thighs ... but he sort of liked it here.

 

[Angeleyz]

Eleanor ran for all she was worth, darting between trees. She couldn't tell how close her pursuer was anymore - as if she'd stop merely because he bid her to wait. Her lungs were burning, and she had developed a most horrible pain on her right side, but she kept running.

Just when she thought she might have safely eluded him, she slammed into a hard, muscular form and went to tumbling to the ground. 'No, no, no,' she thought as the man rolled on top of her, a hard thigh nestled between her legs, and held her wrists high over her head.

"Stop... Stop fighting me..." she heard from a distance.​

Bucking her hips wildly, trying to escape, Eleanor screamed, hoping her friends were still in the area, "Alys..... Ysmay.... Heeeeeeellllllllllllpppppppp!". Her eyes wild, she kept moving, trying to rock from side to side, the tie across her chest slowly coming undone from the struggle.

 

[tonyroleplays]

William was stuck between a rock and a hard place: releasing his hold on the Woman In White and simply letting her go would leave her thinking that he had had ill intent toward her, which, of course he had without her knowing it; but continuing to restrain her -- while she yelled for people who apparently were in the area -- wasn't much better!

He slapped a hand over her mouth, failing the first couple of tries but finally silencing her yells; and he pressed his body harder against her to hold her more firmly to the ground. William had strength and weight in his favor, and yet he was still barely able to hold her down.

"Please! Stop yelling!" he pleaded, shushing her as well. "I'm not going to hurt you! I promise! I'm not going to hurt you. I just--"

Just what...? he thought. He'd wanted to part her thighs and feel the pleasure of her in a way she certainly wouldn't have allowed a strange man to do. So, what was it that he was to say to her now, to reassure her that she was safe from this man currently pressing one thigh hard into her naked groin?

"I just need you to listen to me, please!" he said for lack of anything else to say. She continued to struggle but the fight in her was waning. William didn't know -- couldn't know -- whether she was simply tiring from the tussling or beginning to believe that he meant her no harm. He sort of doubted it was the latter: a naked woman in the woods set upon by a strange man was as good as raped in any other situation.

"I'm going to let you up," he told her, shifting his body so that he was in less of a familiar proximity to her womanhood. "I'm going to let you up, and I'm going to take my hand from your mouth. But if you scream for help again--"

He reached to his hip with practice speed and precision, ripping the ten inch dagger out of its scabbard and holding it above her in a threatening position.

"Don't ... scream," he said softly, trying to lessen her fear. Yeah, a big knife pointed at your heart shouldn't scare you, he thought. "Don't scream. I ... I just need to talk to you."

Suddenly, William realized that he wasn't sure the woman understood his language. Was she speaking Common when she called for her friends? he wondered. He couldn't honestly remember: he'd been too concerned with simply containing the struggling woman.

"I'm going to let you up, now," he repeated, adding, "Nod if you understand me."

>>>>>

(OOC: PM coming your way. Read before you post.)

 

[Angeleyz]

Terror lent Eleanor strength that she never knew she had. She screamed and yelled for help, bucked and twisted. She knew the stranger was having a hard time keeping her pinned, but she also recognized it was getting harder and harder to fight on. When he covered her mouth with a large hand, she tried to bite him, but somehow he kept his hand just out of teeth range.

I just need you to listen to me, please...​

'I just need you to let me go,' she thought, 'or have Alys or Ysmay find me... No... better yet, Devin... Good lord, I hope he's come looking for us...'

I'm going to let you up.​

She looked at him suspiciously when he shifted such that he wasn't pressed so... closely... to her. She squirmed a little, trying to get her leg positioned such that she could strike him in the... manhood... should an opportunity arise. Devin had always told her that she should only use that as a last resort because it made most men very irritable, but she couldn't think of a more dire situation... Pinned to the ground, practically naked... by a stranger who had chased her down.

She jumped when he moved so fast that she didn't see him pull the large dagger from his side until it was pointed at her chest.

Don't scream. I... I just need to talk to you.​

Eyes wide, Eleanor too small, shallow breaths afraid that too large of a breath would cause the dagger to pierce her skin.

I'm going to let you up now. Nod if you understand me.​

Eleanor considered his words for a long moment, wondering if it would be better if she pretended not to understand him. However, she really wanted to get away from the dagge... And out from under him, so she nodded slowly.

 

[tonyroleplays]

"Don't scream," he repeated, beginning to lessen the grip one hand had upon her mouth and jaw, and beginning to sit up and remove his weight from her, he also repeated, "and don't run away."

William kept the dagger directly above her -- before her eyes and aimed at her sternum -- as he slowly pulled his hand from her mouth and rose to stand over her on his knees.

"Don't scream," he said softly. "I ... I need to talk to you. I need to explain. Please."

When she didn't immediately make a move to do either of the things he warned her against, he lowered his haunches back upon his ankles and pulled the dagger back to his side. William didn't realize how vulnerable he was at that moment: all she had to do was bend one knee back and strike forward, and the sole of her feet would catch him squarely in the crotch.

But he was feeling confident -- too much so maybe -- that she'd calmed enough for him to explain that he was her Lord and Master, not just some Commoner. He didn't really know why that should make a difference to her here and now, as her thin, lacy garment lay open, revealing one young, firm breast and the patch of curly brown hair at the meeting of her thighs.

He let his eyes fall to her body for a moment and -- to his Noble embarrassment -- considered simply taking her right now and getting it over with. Why was he toying with her, waiting to introduce himself before he put it to her that he would have her, if not now, one day soon?

 

[Angeleyz]

Eleanor eyed the stranger with an odd combination of wariness and pride as he slowly released her and pulled away. She was careful to hold herself still until he lowered the dagger, but once she was out of immediate danger, she twisted slightly in an attempt to shield her womanhood with a slender thigh. There was little she could do about her breast unless she were to fold her arms over her chest, and she wanted to make sure her hands were free in case he made a move towards her again.

"Don't scream. I...I need to talk to you. I need to explain. Please."​

​

An arched brow lifting, she waited for this so-called explanation, but tensed at the look in his eyes while he silently stared at her. Sweet lord, it was as if he thought he owned her... She immediately wanted to strike him and inform him that no man owned her, but knew she needed to keep her mouth closed.

They stood staring at each other for what seemed to be an eternity before a deep male voice could be heard from a fair bit away "... Nor.... Alys..... Ysmay..... Where are youuuuu? Her head snapping up in recognition, Eleanor kicked without thinking, connecting with his crotch as solidly as a barefoot can. Gasping both in reaction to her unthinking motion and his crash to the ground, she said apologetically, "S-s-sorry..." before tearing off in the direction of her brother's voice, leaving him immobilized on the ground.

Eleanor was sneaking in between two boulders near the outskirts of the hot springs when someone grabbed her from behind. Shrieking loudly before a hand covered her mouth, she struggled until she heard the low whisper, "At ease, little one" and relaxed, knowing it was Devin.

"Alys and Ysmay said they heard screaming and an unfamiliar male voice... Are you unharmed?" he continued to whisper.

As she nodded, he threw a blanket around her now shaking form, and said, "Come... My horse is around the corner... Step quietly as we don't know where this stranger is..."

Eleanor knew she should tell Devin where she had left the stranger, but all she wanted to do was get home... be as far away from the grove as possible and forget that she had ever seen the stranger... Forget the fact that he had seen what only her future husband should see...

Meekly letting her brother guide her to his horse, Eleanor kept her eyes downcast, hoping to postpone the lecture that was bound to happen. She knew she was fortunate to be escaping this with her virtue intact and only some scratches on her arms and legs. She really didn't need to hear him go on and on. Giving one last fleeting thought to the stranger - she hoped he wasn't terribly hurt, maybe just a little hurt for scaring her so badly - she slumped against Devin and kept her eyes closed the entire way home.

 

[tonyroleplays]

"Nor ... Alys," a male voice called out.

William's heart, already pounding from the chase, the fight, and the naked condition of the beauty, leaped in his chest. He glanced toward the direction of the voice.

"... Ysmay ... Where are you...?"

He never saw the foot coming at his groin. The pain was instant and overwhelming, and with a great groan and a long emptying of his lungs, William simply tilted over and fell to the ground.

He had a vague recollection of the Woman in White running off into the woods later, when he was able to think, stand, and head back toward where Trent would be waiting. William emerged from the woods, still walking funny, which elicited a smirk from his Captain.

"What happened to you, m'lord?"

William considered telling him the truth, but decided upon a lie to both cover the fact that he'd been bested by a woman, and that he'd very nearly raped that same woman simply because she was there and so exposed.

"I saw someone," he began, carefully sitting upon a stump. "A woman. And, I wasn't paying attention to where I was walking, and I fell. Caught a log up between my thighs ... ouch."

"Ouch indeed, sire. Are you well...?"

"I will be, as soon as you stop calling me sire and m'lord," William told his friend. He struggled back to his feet and began to mount his horse, when he decided instead to walk off the injury the Woman in White had inflicted. After a few dozen yards, he stopped and asked, "You know most of the young ladies in the County, yes...? I need you to find one in particular for me."



It took Trent four days to find the Woman in White. He'd had to be stealthy in his inquiries, of course: one mention of the Lord's interest in a beautiful young woman tended to get said woman hid away in the woods by her virtue-protecting parents. Trent's skill in interrogation -- without seeming to be interrogating -- was one of the things that had kept William's troop alive during the wars, though, so the Nobleman had had little doubt that eventually the beauty from the grove would be found.

William, Trent, and two others -- farmers now, but once upon a time Crusaders -- rode into the small village with the County of Veers colors flying above them. William spotted the Woman in White before she spotted him, and even when she turned her eyes to the most elegantly of the four men -- the obvious Noble -- he maneuvered his horse to stay hidden behind Trent and, when he couldn't, turned or tilted his head to hide his face.

"You are the Patriarch of this family, yes?" Trent called out to the older man who stepped out before his family members protectively.

"I am, m'lord," the man responded, his tone somewhere between confidence and concern. "This is my family. I farm these lands."

"You have a daughter named Eleanor, yes?"

The man's face tightened with certain concern now. Four men -- a Noble and his swordsmen -- inquiring about your virtuous daughter is never a good thing.

"Yes, m'lord," the man said tentatively, turning to reluctantly wave Eleanor forward. He said almost in a whisper, "Come, my daughter. There is nothing to fear. It is our Lord Master." Then, spoken a bit louder and with hope, he added, "No harm will befall our family by our Count's hand--" And looking directly toward Trent, he asked, "Is that not true, m'lord?"

"I am not your Noble Lord, my man," Trent said, lifting the reins and causing his mount to begin backing as it had so well been trained to do. "This is your Noble Lord."

William looked up, revealing his face finally, just as Eleanor stepped up to have her father grasp her wrist and squeeze it knowingly. He smiled to the Woman in White -- Eleanor, now hidden below the clothes of a field hand -- and urged his own horse forward, halving the distance between him and the pair of peasants.

"May I humbly ask what your business with my daughter is, m'lord?" Eleanor's father asked, his voice on the edge of cracking from the emotion and anxiety surging through him. He must have sensed William's interest in his daughter -- or noticed where the Nobleman's eyes fell for a moment -- as he asked with all due humility, "Please, m'lord ... she is but a girl--"

William cut him off, "Your girl assaulted your Noble Lord, my good man."

The man was dumbfounded: apparently Eleanor had kept her little adventure from her father. "Please, m'lord. If we have offended you in any way--"

"The punishment for assaulting a Noble is--" William hesitated, having no idea what the punishment would be. He'd never been assaulted by one of his own, so he really had no idea of how to finish that sentence. He called over his shoulder, "Trent...?"

"Lashing," Trent said quickly. As he snapped his fingers toward one of the men who was leading a riderless horse behind them, he said "Ten to be exact ... bare skinned."

The man approached with the horse and waited for further instructions. William, in the mean time, hadn't taken his eyes off the beautiful temptress.

"Please, m'lord," the father was now begging, stepping forward with his hands clenched together in a praying gesture. "She is a good girl and wouldn't hurt a mouse. I'm sure that what ever harm you feel you have--"

"Silence!" Trent called from a few feet behind his leader.

William was still studying Eleanor. Somehow, fully dressed, he found her even more remarkable. Perhaps it was because he knew what beautiful features she was hiding below those simple clothes.

"There is another option, my good man," William said, finally shifting his eyes to the man with whom he was about to negotiate. "Rather than whip your daughter for her crime and scar that young, beautiful body ... I will sentence your ... Eleanor, yes...? ... to three moons of service within my Keep. House keeping, cooking, laundry, and the like."

William could see in the man's expression that he knew that the like would include keeping William's bed warm at night. He could also see in the man's eyes the knowledge that he had little choice but to take the offer and protect his daughters flesh -- that part that would be seen by the men he might still be able to marry his violated daughter off to in the future.

Do you accept my terms?" William asked, looking to the father, then the daughter, then back for their responses.

(OOC: PM coming your way.)

 

[Angeleyz]

Eleanor silently pushed away from the table, unaware of the four pairs of eyes watching her retreating back with concern. The four men had already remarked earlier that something seemed to be bothering her. It wasn't like her to be so quiet - normally she chattered away much like a morning dove, but the last four days, she kept mostly to herself, speaking only when spoken to and even then with nothing of the... fire... they were used to seeing in the youngest member of their family.

"Devin, you are sure your sister has said nothing to you?" Josef, his father asked.

"No, sir," the young man replied, keeping an eye out for his twin's return, "Mayhap she is still upset with Alys and Ysmay... They pulled a... prank.... on her the other day. She could just be bothered because they bested her."

Josef looked at his other sons, Rolf and Asher, who just shook their heads silently. Closing his eyes, Josef wondered what his dear wife, Ryia, would have said. It was times such as this that he missed his deceased wife the most. He had no idea what to do with his daughter, what to say, what not to say... When Ryia had died just shortly before the twins' 7th season, he had simply done what was easiest... treated Eleanor like her brothers. No special allowances were made simply because she was a girl. She dressed like the boys, had the same duties as the boys... acted like the boys. It wasn't until Frederick, the blacksmith, started making noises about taking Eleanor as his wife two years ago that he had even noticed that she had grown into a beautiful young lass.

Rolf, the oldest and least vocal of his children said simply, "Face it, Father... Eleanor is a woman now... Who knows what's going on in her mind anymore."

Josef would have answered, but Asher signaled a warning, moments before Eleanor returned. "We should get back to work, yes?" she asked quietly, trying not to favor her right foot which had apparently been hurt sometime during her mad dash the other day.

Eleanor followed the men out of their cottage, just wanting the day to be over with. While most of the bruises had finally started to fade, her back, legs and arms still ached - a testament to the ferocity with which she had fought the other day. She hated the way she had felt ever since then... scared at the slightest sound, wary to be around even her brothers. She had always been confident in her abilities to protect herself, something that Rolf had been drilling in her since she could remember, and in mere moments... that confidence had been shattered.

Eleanor was only vaguely aware of the four men riding up, noting a Noble man was with them. Assuming they'd have some sort of business with her father, she tuned out the conversation, paying more attention to the fine mounts before her. Two of the horses had the most beautiful lines that she had ever seen, and she wished she could go inspect them closer. Just barely catching her name, she moved to her father when he beckoned, wondering why these men would know her name.

Come, my daughter. There is nothing to fear. It is our Lord Master. No harm will befall our family by our Count's hand-- Is that not true, m'lord?​

​

Eleanor began to grow anxious upon hearing his words and looked towards the man who had been speaking.

I am not your Noble Lord, my man. This is your Noble Lord.​

​

When the man identified as their noble lord looked up. Eleanor was barely able to contain her gasp. If her father hadn't been holding her wrist, she probably would have started running away. It couldn't be... My God, it was the stranger from the grove, but how... who... Oh, merciful heavens, what did he want?! She watched in horror as he moved closer to them.

Eleanor could feel the tension in her father and hear it in his voice, and it seemed the more anxious he got, the colder she felt. Something very bad was happening here, but she didn't understand what could be wrong. Her mouth dropped open when she heard the accusation that she had assaulted the man. She had assaulted him?!?!? Who had chased whom? Who had pinned whom to the ground? Held a dagger to the other's chest?!

Gritting her teeth in an attempt to stay quiet, Eleanor wished she had told her family about what had happened in the grove, but it had seemed smarter to keep quiet so they wouldn't worry. She wanted to shush her father, to keep him from fawning all over this... man... when she heard about the punishment. Lashing? Bare skilled? God help her.... She heard, but didn't see one of her brothers having to restrain Devin, who was muttering in the background.

Eleanor listened dumbfounded as he father begged the...the... Beast for forgiveness. Her green eyes sparkled in indignation as she watched him look at her... Something in his eyes made her feel like she was back in nothing more than her chemise, and she crossed her arms over her chest defensively.

When the Beast offered to have her serve at the keep for three moons, Eleanor thought perhaps she was hearing things. Three moons? With him nearby? Perhaps he had knocked his head on the ground when she had accidentally kicked him... She looked at her father, expecting him to protest and was taken aback at the look in his eyes.

Do you accept my terms?​

​

Holding her hand out to her father in entreaty, Eleanor whispered to him, "Father, he scared me in the grove. I did nothing but defend myself." In a voice loud enough to be heard, she continued, "I did not know who he was... He did not say... How can I be guilty of assaulting a noble when I was not told... I did nothing wrong..."

 

[tonyroleplays]

Josef shushed his daughter softly -- lovingly -- and patted the back of her hand as it clutched at his clothes. He whispered, "I know, my daughter. I know."

He leaned closer to her, kissed her forehead, then said, "Be still."

He pulled her hand from him, gestured her to remain as she was, then -- ensuring his moves were slow and without appearance of threat -- moved forward until he was standing close enough to William's mount that he could have reached out and patted it's powerful leg.

"Please m'lord..." He talked almost in a whisper, not wanting his daughter to hear the concern he was expressing to William. He couldn't know that she could hear him clearly, though. "If my Eleanor leaves to serve your Lordship, I fear that she will return..."

He choked on the words, not simply because he couldn't bear the thought of his angelic daughter losing her virtue to a Nobleman who would toss her away when he tired of her; but because he also knew he was, essentially, accusing William of taking Eleanor away to be his sexual servant, and that wasn't something you just accused a Nobleman of doing, even if you -- and every other peasant father -- knew that was what happened to your female child the moment she was out of your sight. Josef, cleared his throat, half glanced back to ensure that his daughter had remained where she was, then looked back up to William with glazing eyes.

"She is but a girl, m'lord, and my only daughter. Away from my home, she is ... unprotected."

He left his accusation there, leaving it up to his Lordship to make the next move: confirm the peasant's suspicion or deny it, which both men would know was a lie.

William looked to Eleanor again for a long moment, his gaze moving up and down her full length. He looked back to Josef, then leaned down toward the man -- so far that anymore and he would have fallen out of his saddle -- and said in a soft but meaningful tone, "I assure you, sir ... any loss your family suffers while your daughter serves me ... will be adequately compensated."

Josef met William's eyes for a long moment, then -- unable to hold the stare -- dropped his gaze to the dirt between the powerful horse's long legs. He knew what the Nobleman meant, of course: your daughter will lose her virtue and, thus, much of her value as a wife to a man of means, but compensation will be imminent.

He dreaded this, but Josef also knew he had no choice. Whether Eleanor had actually assaulted the Nobleman or not was irrelevant. The Count of Veers had the Noble right -- or at least, with the three men behind him, the power -- to take Eleanor and, if he wished, never return her to her family at all!

Josef had no choice about losing his daughter -- or her virtue -- to this man. He drew and exhaled a deep breath, trying to steady the trembling that at some point had begun to tremor through him. He remembered his Lordship's comment about compensation and decided that if he was going to have to give his daughter up, it was better to compensated sooner than later.

"My daughter's labor on the farm will be sorely missed, m'Lord. I ... I'm not sure that we will be able to get the rest of the planting completed without--"

"What do you need?" William cut in. He'd been expecting negotiation from the man and was surprised not in that Josef pursued it but that he waited so long to begin. So many peasant father's viewed their daughters as nothing more than trading stock, and William had suspected that Josef would be the same. He was wrong, of course: Josef loved and honored his daughter every bit as much as he did his sons, but William couldn't know that anymore than he could know when the next bird song might begin in a nearby tree. "What would replace your daughter's benefit your family's prosperity?"

"Our mule died last fall," Josef lied. They'd never been able to afford caring for a mule, let alone purchasing one. His son's had pulled the single blade plow as Eleanor or he himself steered it through the furrows. "Without Eleanor, m'lord..."

William studied the man for a long moment, then looked to Eleanor. The corners of his mouth lifted at her reaction to hearing her father trade her for a beast of burden. "Done."

"And our seed stock..." Josef continued quickly, anxious to see just how much he could get up front in exchange for his daughter's virtue. "The rodents have--"

"Two sacks," William cut in, adding, "name the crop, and the seed will be waiting for you at the Keep tomorrow ... when you deliver Eleanor to me."

Josef looked up quickly, shocked. "You are not taking her now, m'lord?"

William looked between the two, responding, "No. She may stay the night with her family. But I will expect her at the gate to the Keep at High Sun tomorrow ... or her punishment will fall upon the family ... upon each member of the family."

When William looked back to Josef, he dropped his eyes to the ground again, saying, "Yes, m'lord. I understand, m'lord."

Suddenly, without another word, William whirled his horse around, and in a flash the four men were trotting back the way they came.

 

[Angeleyz]

Eleanor seethed in silence as her father bade her to remain where she was and walked slowly towards the Beast. Her hands fisted at her sides, she wanted to turn around and ask her brothers to explain what was going on, but she didn't want to show her unease in front of the strangers.

Gritting her teeth at her father's choked words, Eleanor struggled to keep her composure. She couldn't bear to hear the concern... the unspoken fear in his voice. What had she done?! Should she have not fought to get away? Could she have managed to elude the Beast if only she were faster? Her breath caught at the look in her father's eyes when he glanced back at her - it seemed like her was aging right before her.

She is but a girl, m'lord, and my only daughter. Away from my home, she is ... unprotected.​

Her fingernails bit into the palms of her hands as Eleanor attempted to keep her face expressionless as the Beast looked her up and down, reminding her of how she likely looked as she had examined the horses what felt like hours ago. It was all she could do to keep from turning and hiding behind her brothers. She was used to admiring looks from Frederick, but this man... This man looked at her as if he owned her.

...will be adequately compensated​

Stiffening, Eleanor's mouth dropped open in horror as she heard her father basically trade her to that.... that..... beast for a mule. A mule? Surely she was having a nightmare and this wasn't really happening. A mule?! Her mouth clamped shut as she caught sight of the small smirk on his face as he agreed to the trade. Eleanor groaned inaudibly as she heard her father's next demand for seed. Oh sweet Lord, a mule and two bags of seed?

Her cheeks beet red in shame, Eleanor wanted to drop to her knees and beg her father not to do this, but she had already brought such trouble to her family that she dared not. Looking down at the ground, she tried to figure something... anything... that she could say to stop this madness. Her head came up sharply when she heard him say that she could stay the night with her family. Just as she was getting ready to speak, he surprised her by turning around and riding off, the other three close behind.

Eleanor closed in on her father seconds before her brothers rushed over, their loud questions drowning out anything she might have said. The siblings immediately ceased talking the moment their father raised his hand, although Eleanor noted with concern that his eyes were closed.

"Father, please..." she began, her voice trembling.

"Eleanor... Not... now... I must think."

Eleanor couldn't remember the last time she had heard such defeat in her father's voice. Not when her mother had died... Not when the fields flooded and they lost most of their crops... Never. To hear it was so painful that she spun away and ran. Away from Rolf's stony face... Away from Asher's concerned stare... Away from Devin's angry eyes. She wasn't sure where she was going. All she knew is that she had to get away.

**********
Devin started to run after his twin when his father said, "Nay, let the lass go. We need to discuss what has happened." Josef preceded to fill them in on the Count's demands. They hadn't been able to hear everything that was being said from where they had stood, but weren't overly shocked as they had seen the looks the Count had given their sister.

"We have no choice, boys," Josef said, his voice cracking with emotion, "One way or another the Count will have our Eleanor. This... This way, she can come home to us. If not... I... I... fear we will never see her again."

Each of the brothers stood, hands clenched into fists, knowing what their father said was true, but hating it nonetheless.

"Why should we not take the punishment in her place, Father?" Devin finally asked, desperately wanting to save his sister.

"Yes, Father, why not?" Asher added quickly, while Rolf nodded in agreement.

Josef looked up, his overall countenance quickly brightening at the thought, but just as quickly dimming, "Nay, lads... The Count said every member of our family... Eleanor would still be whipped. This way... this way, she won't be scarred and perhaps Frederick will still want her as a wife... after..."

The men looked at each other unhappily until finally Josef said, "Come on... There's work to do. If Eleanor's not back by evening, we'll go find her. You will have to help me explain that this is best for her in the long run."

****
Everyone but Devin was surprised when evening came and Eleanor had not returned. She was not normally one to run from her troubles nor to shirk her responsibilities. They had not seen her after the episode in the grove, however, and only Devin was aware how much whatever happened there had affected her. They went off in different directions, looking for several hours, to no avail.

Meeting back at the cottage, they were just beginning to wonder if perhaps the Count's men had found Eleanor and had taken her to the keep already when Rolf spotted the small figure limping towards them. Running over, he scooped Eleanor up and carried her inside, much like he had done when she was younger. Her face was pale, and her hair in wild disarray around her shoulders, but other than that... she looked okay. Sitting down in front of the fireplace, he pulled her onto his lap, while gesturing to Asher to stoke the fire.

"Ellie, sweetling, it's going to be okay..." he murmured in her ear as he rocked her back and forth.

"I'm sorry," she whispered over and over,"I just wasn't fast enough. Why couldn't I be faster?"

He continued to whisper soothingly in her ear until she finally slumped, surrendering to sleep rather than stew over the events of the day. Rolf continued to hold her until Josef came over and indicated that he should take her to her bed. Tucking her in, he kissed her cheek and then joined the rest for a silent meal, each man caught up in his own thoughts and every one of them dreading the coming day.