Sharpe's Exploits

[Lady_Mornington]

Kate Savage

The battle was won, the couriers riding down the slope carrying intelligence to Brigade staff had told her as much. She had asked the lieutenant about Major Sharpe

"Major Sharpe is the hero of the day M'Lady, he gave the Crapauds a damn good hiding today." The officer had blushed realising he'd swore in front of a lady, although Kate did not care about that.

He was alive, the realisation made her smile, and hurry about to prepare for his return. With the help from one of the soldier's wives she had managed to get hold of some reasonably fresh-baked bread, a cheese and even som cured ham. To this she'd added a bottle of Savage's best red and some cognac.

Now she sat outside his tent, twiddling her hankerchief as she waited. It seemed to take forever but he was alive. That was what counted. Perhaps she oughtn't have waited, she was well aware that it should be Mrs. Sharpe who receiving him. But since Mrs Jane Sharpe was not here, she reasoned that Miss Kate Savage would have to do. Besides, hadn't Richard promised to entertain her this very evening. It would be bad manners to make a liar of a gentleman.

She smiled broadly, after all she was just doing her patriotic and civil duty.

 

[Britwitch]

Susannah

"Thank you, Miss, you've been a great help today..." The surgeon smiled, pausing to remove his small eye-glasses and wipe them upon his sleeve.
"I did what I could," Susannah replied meekly. The word had spread like wildfire through the camp already that the fight up the hill was all but over, and the battle was won. The surgeon's tent was under control, although it still looked like some sort of hell with blood stained victims filling the stretchers, filthy bandages and cloths littering the floor. The air filled with groans of discomfort but the cries of the dying were lessening more and more.

"Now, be off with you...a fine young lass like you in a place like this, you must have a man to be waiting for..." The surgeon teased, replacing his glasses.
"I...well...I..." Susannah stammered as he guided her towards the door.
Once outside Susannah stopped to glance down at herself. Her dress was beyond cleaning and would probably have to be disposed of, she could imagine what kind of a sight she must be. If, she quickly corrected herself, when she saw Mister Harper again, she couldn't look as she did.

She was certain he was alive and uninjured, her enquiries as to the health of Mister Sharpe had always been swiftly followed by similar questions about the broad irish man. She swiftly washed her hands and face in a nearby stream, removing the mud and blood as best she could, rinsing out her auburn hair too which was clinging to her face in damp curls. Scurrying towards Miss Savage's carriage, she retreived her own small bag and after climbing inside and shutting the door, she began to change.

 

[Longleg]

Patrick spalshed a small amount of cold water on his face, he was tired, the black stain of smoke and gunpowder seemed unwilling to remove itself without a large about of effort in the Irish man's part.

The battle had in many ways been easier then others due mostly to Mr Sharpe, he smiled it this most people who didn't know the man felt he was a hero always seeking the heat of battle for glory and advancement, and whilst the advancement was true Richard Sharpe fought where the fighting was hardest to save lives.

Patrick wondered if the man understood that much about himself. Looking up Patrick saw the true outcome of battle a redoubt won the French pushed back and so many lads dead or crippled, the romantic's never wrote about that in the books Harris read.

"You're getting old Pat you're getting very old " he said as Harris walked by his face blackened to match the big Irishman and in the Englishman's hand an open book.

Patrick laughed and his laughter spread amongst many other's ,he was alive he had met a beautiful woman and would see another sunset it was a good day.

 

[Steiner]

Staff officers had removed his trophies - although Sharpe had insisted on a reciept, which he would give to his clerks to file. A glorious moment in the history of the South Essex.

What was less glorious was the shrunken size of his command. Harper had brought him the butchers bill once they were at the foot of the hill, and it would mean losing another company to bring his remaining companies to full strength again. Not a problem, as they'd lost more than enough officers that nobody would be unemployed. In fact he needed to think about promotions within the unit, hoping that the Army acceded to his requests.

That didn't happen often, he knew. When a new draft of recruits arrived, no doubt there would be more officers amongst them. Probably including a Lieutenant-Colonel or Colonel to command.

Still - no matter what happened in a months time, there would still be a page in the Regimental History - why even in the Divisions History - that would record a Major Sharpe and his exploits today. That sense of permanence made him smile a bit wider as he handed the garish flag off to a suitably humble provost lieutenant.

Now that the adrenaline had subsided, he turned to his tent, dragging his aching and painful body back towards his camp and rest. Passing men stopped him to congratulate him and Sharpe smiled back gamely - knowing that this was important for the morale of the army, but also wishing they'd give him space until he'd rested. He knew he looked a horror - drenched in blood, jacket shredded, breeches holed and stained with blood and mud, boots caked in blood and mud. He had scratches on his face from stone fragments, his hair was matted and filthy and his face was black as a Chimney sweeps from powder smoke.

He would summon his orderly, wash himself and then eat a damn good meal before sleeping. He was just anticipating the salt pork and wine when he turned the corner and spied a somewhat forlorn figure waiting outside his tent. Kate! He'd forgotten she was waiting for him. Still carrying his sword in his left hand, unable yet to sheathe it due to the dented scabbard, he flung his other arm out as he approached her.

"Kate! God, I kept you waiting, I'm sorry!"

 

[Katamari Roller]

The French were adopting a charging formation. Alfonso chuckled. They were so eager to die!

"¡Líneas de a dos! ¡Detendremos su carga! ¡Tercera, listos para flanqueo!"

His men quickly prepared for the assault, impatient. They wanted to avenge their dead comrades as much, if not more, than Alfonso. They remained still where they stood, awaiting the French charge with their carbines raised and aiming at the blue chests that came to them. The third troop, twenty men strong, moved back a bit to remain protected and counter-charge, their carbines remained saddled while unsheathing their sabres.

"¡Quiero a esa mujer rubia viva!"

The men's eyes glanced the blonde woman leading the charge, and some carbines switched targets to hit the men beside her. Alfonso pulled his pistol out, and then his sabre, and awaited the charge sitting up-right and proud, as if ignoring completely the danger that a group of French dragoons charging meant. Not quite true, that was, but Alfonso knew he outnumbered and outgunned the French even if his men and horses were not quite in their best shape. Then again, fifty carbines should do the job plenty well, and his men were as eager to rest right now as he was. This was just another small effort to round up a very good day. The charge up the hill, the taking of the cannons and subsequent surrender of a French square, and now the capture of a high-ranking officer.

Raising his sabre, Alfonso waited until the French were twenty meters away... and then lowered it, giving the signal to fire.

 

[Lady_Mornington]

Justine de Villiers

The sound of the guns was deafening, the Spanish had chosen to hold until the very last minute and so had Justine's dragoons. She heard men and horses cry out as they were hit.

"Hold the line!" Riviers was alive and holding her left flank, or what was left of it. One two three seconds then the impact.

The force of the amassed dragoons not as powerful as it would but still enough to scatter the Spanish lines. She'd witnessed the effects when the Polish lancers under Prince Poniatowski had charged the Russian lines outside Vilna. She looked for de Avellanos y Marca, slashing at a hussar on her right.

There was no longer any science involved, no grand plans, only the killing of the enemy. Her face splattered with blood as she parried a thrust from an unhorsed hussar, leaning to her right and slashing down almost to to sever his arm.

"de Avellanos you pox-ridden son of a whore!"

Calling his name, willing him to challenge her. She'd kill him or die in the attempt. Pulling her carbine and shooting the horse of the hussar aiming to stab Riviers in the back. Eyes scanning the mayhem for him...

 

[Lady_Mornington]

Kate Savage

"Kate! God, I kept you waiting, I'm sorry!"

He looked terrible, his face stained with blood and powder, his jacket and overalls torn. Kate thought for a moment that he was hurt, but seeing the broad smile on his face she understood that he was everything but.

Standing up, not quite knowing what to say. He looked radiant as he put his big sword down and shrugged apologetical. Murmuring something about the duties of a battalion commander.

Kate silenced him with an embrace, leaning her head on his shoulder, the smell of powder and sweat invading her nostrils but not detering her.

"I'm just relieved you are unhurt Richard. There's some food in your tent."

She seemed wont to let go, and he tentatively put his hand on her back as she clung to him

"I was so worried that you were hurt Richard, or dead. I went to the Surgeon's tent thinking I could do something useful but, but I couldn't stand it Richard. It was horrible."

Fighting the urge to need to burst into tears as well as the even stronger impluse to kiss him. She found herself wondering how Mrs Sharpe handled this. Kate thought she'd go mad waiting for him to get back, hoping that he'd be unhurt. How could any woman live with such tension?

Disentangling herself and braving herself to smile. "Sorry I'm ranting Richard, I'll get you some hot water so you can have a wash." Turning away her hand lingering on his...

 

[Steiner]

Richard followed Kate into his tent, setting the huge, blood caked, sword down on the map table there. Whilst she prepared the hot water that he so badly needed, he stripped off the ruined jacket and unbuckled the overalls so that they fell down to his waist.

The sodden shirt was next to go, balled up and flung to the corner of the tent where it would be retrieved the next day for washing. Streaks of mud, blood and powder striped the skin of his torso and Sharpe poked at his shoulder experimentally, surprised to see that he'd been wounded by some of the twisted metal from the cannister rounds.

Softly he cursed, sitting on the campaign stool by the map table and exploring the wound - fortunately no metal pieces of any size remained in it, and he predicted that it would heal clean, once washed and bound.

 

[Lady_Mornington]

Kate Savage

The first thing she noticed was the scars on his back, it looked like he'd been savaged by a tiger, long criss-crossing cars that covered his back from the shoulders and down. "Dear God he'd must have been flogged." Wondering what he'd done to merit such treatment. Deciding not to ponder it, it was none of her business, and anyway he had Mrs Sharpe to worry about that didn't he?

He had sat down, gingerly cleaning the wound on his shoulder. Prompting her to interrupt seeing how awkward it looked.

"Here, let me do that."

Kate took the washcloth from his hand and bent down to examine the wound. It looked clean enough but she knew how easily such injuries got infected. Carefully dabbing at the edges of it and then remembering that her Father had sworn that a drop of brandy on a would would do just the trick.

"This might hurt just a little Richard" her voice soothing as she poured some of the alcohol on her hankerchief and rubbed it gently along his injury.
He grinned, the gesture very endearing and she couldn't help but smile as she bandaged his shoulder.

"There that wasn't that bad was it?" Still smiling and being rewarded by one from him, their faces so close she could feel his breath on her cheek. Once again feeling the blush rising and slowly turning her back to him as she poured a generous amount of the brandy and gave it to him. "One for the body and one for the soul, Richard." gasping quietly as his fingers brushed against her as he accepted the tin cup from her hands.

 

[Steiner]

It hurt more than just a little, but Sharpe was more interested in the nuance of Kate's presence than in a little stinging pain. She had gentle, soft, hands. She smelt of cleanliness, of a light perfume and of good health - and it cheered him just to sit there in her presence.

He winced again as the brandy seared him, but then a tin cup was being pressed into his hands, and he found himself thirsty as hell. Sipping the brandy cautiously he finally drained the cup feeling the heat of the liquor burning its way down his stomach and blinking back a few tears.

Looking at the way Kate's eyes were so dark and full in the tent's intimate lighting, at the way her eyes caressed his skin as she lingeringly watched him - he was filled with the desire to simply take her into his arms here and now. However, she was gently born and a sensitive soul. He would cleanse himself of the battle's stink and grime before he touched her. Despite her obvious need, one that matched his own, he wanted her to not be repulsed by him.

Grabbing a swatch of linen cloth that lay beside the bowl, Sharpe began the task of cleaning his torso, his limbs and his face. The water quickly coloured to a dun ochre, as Sharpe lightened to a healthy tanned pink.

 

[Lady_Mornington]

Kate Savage

She couldn't help but laugh as Richard tried to wash his back, his right arm lacking some of it's dexterity due to the wound.

"It seems you require a nurse Major, not to mention fresh water. You'll only get dirtier dipping into that."

Mrs Jones, who was married to one of the countless Welsh soldiers had supplied her with a bucket of reasonably clean water, and Kate applied her most stern glance to have Richard surrender the bowl. Taking it from his hands and pouring it well outside the tent.

Returning with the bowl filled anew. "Now sit down Major." Using her most stern tone although she could not surpress the giggle as he obeyed and sat down on the stool by the table. Taking a fresh cloth and dipping it into the water Kate began washing his back. She could feel the ridges of the scars as she ran the cloth the lenght of his back and his shoulders.

"It must have hurt?" Her voice hardly more than a whisper, she'd been whipped herself, and even though James had enjoyed making her scream and cry he'd been careful never to break the skin. She'd kept the shameful secret to herself but seeing Richard's scars she felt like she'd found someone who'd understand.

"James used to whip me you know." Her statement flat, hiding any sign of emotion as she ran the cloth down his spine again. "But I suppose this was worse..."
Her face close to his ear, her right hand placed on his shoulder, slender fingers squeezing it gently.

 

[Steiner]

Sharpe smiled "It burned like hell, and the blood loss made me weak for days. It was supposed to kill me, I think. I killed the man who did it to me." he looked over his shoulder at her.

"You never told me he struck you. That man who pretended to marry you. I wish you had, I'd have made him suffer for it."

Her hands were so gentle on his skin, her touch so soothing, that when she squeezed his shoulder, he turned his head to kiss her hand.

So close to her, he heard her indrawn gasp of breath, even though she was taking care to hide it, and he turned to face her more fully, sliding an arm around her waist and and drawing her where he could reach her. Stroking her cheek softly he leaned up and kissed her softly on the lips, brushing the tendrils of loose hair from her cheek so that he could see her clearly.

 

[Lady_Mornington]

Kate Savage

She gave a small moan as Richard kissed her, his arm around her waist and with surprising brusing away the unruly strands of her hair with surprising gentleness.

"You saved me Richard, that's what matters. Saved me from James, from Williams and from the life my parents intended me to lead. You showed me that there was more to it than I could possibly have imagined."

Kate returned his kisses now, her hands going to the straps of her dress, undoing them and sliding it down her shoulders, standing before him wearing only her stockings, pants and the tight-fitting bodice.

"I love you Richard, I know you belong to another woman, and I envy her."

Looking at him as she pulled the pins from her hair letting it fall down, contrasting her milky shoulders. Reaching for his hand, pulling him up as she began unlacing the bodice, her lips pressed firmly against his.

"But I can pretend that your mine for now..."

 

[Steiner]

The truth was that, with the best of intentions, Sharpe had never belonged to any woman. Every woman in his life performed the same act of pretense that Kate did now - in Richard's eyes, she was sweet, she was attractive and she was here. That made her Mrs. Sharpe as far as he was concerned.

He ran his fingers through her hair as she pulled him up, their lips still pressed together, the dark silk spilled out even more wildly across her shoulders and down her back, unruly without the pins to hold it back.

His kiss hardened, his tongue tracing her lush lower lip. Then he stepped back to aid her with the bodice. Her figure was perfect, why she felt the need to make herself even more wasp-waisted was beyond his comprehension. Still, he knew that Jane was the same - that most of the women from the higher reaches of society that he'd known had equally tortured themselves.

"For now, Kate, I am yours. Fortune favours the bold."

 

[Lady_Mornington]

Kate Savage

"I can be as bold as you like Richard."

Kate had discarded the bodice, revealing her small breasts to his view,, pulling him closer, feeling the warmth of him and the growing bulge as they embraced.

Kissing his lips and biting down lightly on his, teasing him as she tried to unbuckle his overalls, her breathing laboured and small beads of perspiration forming on her brow.

She felt his hands trailing down her back, cupping her buttocks as he kissed her again, hungrier less cautious about hiding his arousal, yet still attentive to her as well. Her hand sliding down beneath his overalls, caressing his manhood as she teased the back of his neck, her eyes never leaving his and a lustful smile on her lips.

"On the table or in the bed..?"

There were no room for pretences anylonger, love him she might yet the pure physical yearning she had felt for him took precedence. She had not been with a man since James Christopher, and the pent-up frustrations finally finding an outlet.

"Do with me as you like Richard, I will not complain," kissing him again and again as she stroked him, feeling her juices flowing freely now, staining her panties.

"Anything Richard..."

 

[Britwitch]

Susannah

Susannah stepped out of the carriage, smoothing her skirt as she glanced around. She'd left the majority of her auburn waves loose to hang down her back, pinning a little up around the sides of her face to keep it out of her eyes. With her dress practically ruined from her time in the surgeon's tent, she had only two other dresses to choose between, her other 'work' dress or her 'Sunday' dress. Cut as simply as her other dress, it was made of slightly better fabric and the pale green colour helped bring out the colour of her eyes. She chose her 'Sunday' dress, somehow slipping it on within the confines of the carriage.

Leaving the carriage, she headed through the camp, noticing with a grin as Miss Savage appeared from within and then re-entered swiftly the tent of Mister Sharpe. Her keen eyes searching for Sergeant-Major Harper, her teeth caught upon her bottom lip as she made her way between the tents and small huddled groups around campfires. She heard the occassional lascivious comment here and there along with the odd whistle but Susannah chose to believe they were aimed at someone else.

Then she saw him, sat a little way from the others, beside a tent and warming his hands over a small but merrily burning fire. She walked over and cleared her throat quietly as she came up behind him.
"I...I hope I'm not interrupting you, Sir, but my mistress is..." She hesitated, searching for a suitable word. "...is dining with Mister Sharpe and I wanted to, well, I wanted to make sure that you were alright...but I can leave you if you'd rather I go, though..." Susannah was aware she was rambling in front of him yet again and swiftly closed her mouth, lowering her eyes slightly, shyly, thinking how stupid she must sound.

 

[Steiner]

"On the table or in the bed..?"

Her question shocked him to the point where his attempt at a gallant answer came out as nothing more than a throaty growl. Bending, pushing her back a little, he grasped her by the back of the thighs and lifted her to sit on the edge of the map table.

Placing his hands on her hips, thumbs catching in the waistband of her panties, he leaned over her, her breasts pressed tightly to his chest, and kissed the skin of her throat fiercely. At her trembling beneath him, some modicum of control returned to him and he lifted his eyes to hers, dilated with need, his breathing rapid with the strength of his need for her.

With their faces lightly touching - nosetip to nosetip - he managed to seek her assent one last time. Knowing that her previous experiences had been cold and brutal, not wanting to frighten her.

"Kate... Are you sure?" his voice was thick with want, his hands still rested on her hips, stroking her skin unconsciously.

 

[Lady_Mornington]

Kate Savage

"Kate... Are you sure?"

Her lips slightly parted and her long slender legs wrapped around his waist. Running her fingers through his unruly black hair. His lips on her skin making her head spin, the desire she'd felt finally finding an outlet.

"Yes...if you be so kind to put the sword away." she smiled, eyes sparkling as he kissed him again. Sharpe had placed her on the maptable, dangerously close to his big cavalry sword.

He smiled. his lips once again pressed against hers as he lifted her up to place her on his camp bed.

Kate lay back, spreading her legs as he stood above her. Unconciously licking her lips in anticipation. Whispering encouragements as she lifted her bottom to slide the panties of, displaying her nakedness to him.

 

[Steiner]

Major Richard Sharpe

He paused, kneeling next to the low camp bed, running his hands down the length of her body, treasuring the feel of her nakedness against his palms.

Leaning down to kiss her again, he sucked her lower lip between his own lips and lightly bit it, before continuing down her jaw, her neck and her throat. His hands moved in a glide up her stomach, across her ribs, to her breasts, kneading them gently from below, while his mouth sank down to them.

His eyes flickered up to hers, holding her gaze as he slid his mouth across the upper surface of her breast, caressing the sensitive flesh with his lips, his teeth and his tongue. Finally, meeting her nipple, he trailed his tongue over her aerola, spiralling up the length of her nipple, before engulfing it anew in his mouth and drawing upon it more firmly.

 

[Lady_Mornington]

Kate Savage

The way his calloused hands touched her caused her to shiver in anticipation and when he kissed her sensitive nipples she gasped. Pulling his face to hers, kissing him again, their tongues battling as he lay down beside her.

Kate looked at him as he paused, a smile playing on his lips and for a moment softening his features.

"I want you Richard." Her hand trailing down his scarred torso to rest on his crotch, feeling the hardness through the fabric of his undergarments. Taking a tentative hold and stroking him, a surprised and equally pleased look on her face as she felt him grew harder. "Am I doing it right?" Suddenly aware of just how inexperienced she was in such matters. James had usually taken to whip her before mounting her, that was her sole experience as far as sexual practices were concerned.

"Tell me what to do Richard.." her voice lowered, cheeks flush with colour.

 

[Steiner]

Major Richard Sharpe

Richard raised an eyebrow at her tentative questioning. "Are you doing it right? Kate, can't you tell that you are?" as she asked him to instruct her, he shook his head softly.

"Oh no, no, no. Not this time, Katie. This time you do exactly what you feel moved to. We can worry about learning each other later. This time let's just experience it, shall we?"

He smiled down on her, kissing her tenderly. "If you want this as much as I do, then I'm sure we won't suffer any obstacles." As he spoke he slid his hips over hers, pressing in between her spread thighs to rock gently against her.

"Doesn't this feel right, Kate?" he kissed her again as he shifted his hips, feeling her sex part around the shaft of his manhood as ground down more firmly.

 

[Lady_Mornington]

Kate Savage

"It feels...wonderful"

And it did, so totally different from the way James had entered her, forcing himself onto her, not caring whether she'd take any pleasure from it, rather the opposite. James had thrived on her pain and discomfort whereas Richard paid equal attention to her needs as well as his own.

Kate moved her hips to meet his, the thickness of his manhood filling her. She'd feared it might hurt her but her own slickness as well as his caresses and kisses had brought her into a enthralled state that only elicited pleasure.
Kate pulled him tighter, wanting him to thrust further inside her, every thrust making her squirm and moan in pure unmitigated bliss.

"Oh God!" Blasphemy added to adultery as he spread her legs wider and lifted her bottom up, The friction of their bodies making her bite her lip as to not cry out loud. Her nails digging into the skin of his back as he increased the pace, She felt tears again, yet not tears of sadness of shame but ones that fell because of happiness. Never had she experienced such intense emotions and she wanted it to go on and on forever.

Her hands travelling down to his buttocks, urging him to push deeper, her lips finding his as a small climax made her bite down anew. Gasping for breath as he plunged inside her, whispering

"I want you to teach me what to do Richard, please tell me."

 

[Steiner]

Major Richard Sharpe

"What you must do, Kate, is relax and enjoy it. You must learn what you like and learn how to tell me. Most of all, you have to learn that whatever feels good is right, and whatever feels wrong is wrong. Now tell me, whether this is right or wrong..."

With that he slid his hands up her legs, wrapping them around his waist. With the extra leverage he slowed his thrusts down but lengthened them, wanting to prolong this for her. It sounded as if her prior experiences had been miserable and he wanted to show her how joyous it could be.

Slowly, deeply, he worked in and out of her, flexing his hips as he drove back in, trying to vary angle and friction for her.

"Is that better, or did you prefer it when I moved more quickly?" his hand stroked her cheek again, still holding her eyes with his, even as he thrust and drove inside her.

 

[Lady_Mornington]

Kate Savage

"I want you to kiss me Richard"

Her words interspersed by moans, her fingers clasped around his neck. "And yes it feels better when you go slower". Blushing as she had spoken the words. She was brought up to chastity and the way she was not breaking with every rule felt elating.

Leaning back she brought her legs up and wrapped them around his waist pushing him deeper inside her. His pelvis ground against her petal sending shivers down her spine and making her sport goosebumps.

The comibined feelings overwhelming her and she pulled his face closer to hers "Go faster Richard, please" her face a mask, she needed the release yet not quite knowing how to convey it to him.

 

[Steiner]

He dropped his head, trying to satisfy the tumble of requests falling from her. He realised that despite her previous experiences, this might actually be the first time she'd reached orgasm with a lover - he let his own experience take over, trusting that whilst each woman was individual, certain things were the same.

First he dropped his head, kissing her with a fierce intensity that he'd been holding back from showing before, for fear of startling her. As his tongue traced her teeth, seeking a way deeper, he began to really flex his stomach muscles and his pelvic muscles, forcing himself deeper still within her, slamming down to grind against her with each stroke.

The way she strained against him, obviously reaching for something, yearning for something, convinced him that he was on the right track. Close himself now, he picked up the pace, fairly rattling the campbed.