Royal Reward by Maryse Dawson

Enora stood on the parapet and looked down at the knight below with contempt. He calmly stared back up at her. All she could see were his steely eyes beneath his helmet.

He called again, “Well? Are you going to open the gates, or do we have to break the door down?”

Enora balled her fists together angrily, “You are not welcome, Sir! Take your knights and leave us in peace! We have no need of you here!”

Richard looked up at the feisty young woman denying him entrance. King William had given him this castle as a reward for aiding him through two battles. He was not going to lose it by being denied entrance from this mere slip of a girl, nay, this vixen.

Enora’s guardsman looked at her. “It is no use, my lady… you will have to allow him entrance. We cannot fight him; he has too many men!” He hesitated a moment before continuing, “Also, it would be tantamount to treason… it is the King’s wishes, my lady!”

“Yes, I know, Guilbert! But they are not my wishes, are they?” Enora leaned over the top and glared down at the knight, who was still patiently waiting. “Will you promise to be lenient with my guards? I would have no bloodshed!”

“If you let us enter via the gates, then there will be no bloodshed. You have my word of honour!”

Richard ground his teeth together; forsooth, this was one aggressive wench. King William had given him leave to marry this ‘lady,’ but he was beginning to wonder if it was such a good idea. Although, if he wanted this holding and the land that came with it, then the lady was also included. At thirty-one years old, he now felt the need to settle down, and he was not going to lose this opportunity the King had bequeathed him.

Trying to get his temper under control, he answered, “As I said, you have my word of honour! Furthermore, lest you forget, this is by order of King William himself!”

She stared at him for a moment longer, and then he watched as she disappeared from the parapet. Finally, the wench had come to her senses! Richard turned to his companion, and confided, “I am beginning to doubt the sanity of this liaison, Guy!”

Guy smirked beneath his helmet, “Oh, I do not know, Richard… she is a feisty piece, I will admit. She would produce fine, healthy sons for you, and the taming would be fun! You know how you dislike the simpering ladies at court!”

Richard nodded. “I suppose you have a point. She looked quite fair, did she not? I shall soon tame that temper of hers. I would not have a shrew for a wife!”

If Enora could have overheard them, she would never have opened the gates. However, as it was, she really had no choice. The King himself had decreed it! So once she had sent Guilbert to order the opening of the main gates, she made herself scarce. As lady of the Castle, she should have been there to greet any new visitor, but in her eyes, this was an intruder, and as such did not warrant her respect. No, if he thought he could simply march in and take over, then he was very much mistaken!

The huge wooden gates slowly opened inwards; the portcullis was raised and the drawbridge lowered to allow Richard, Guy and their one hundred strong army to gain entrance into Beaumont Castle. Enora’s men at arms stood back, wary of this unwelcome intrusion into their fortress.

Richard, true to his word, made sure that no one was harmed as his men settled in the barracks, and the horses were stabled. Guilbert waited patiently to introduce himself to what would soon be his new master.

Taking off his gloves, Richard removed his helmet and ran his hand through his unruly mane of dark hair before looking around for Lady Enora. His eye caught that of Guilbert, and marching over, he demanded, “Where is the Lady Enora?”

Guilbert raced after him as he marched into the main hall. “Truly, my Lord, perhaps you should wait until morning. Today has been most distressing for Lady Enora!”

Richard stopped marching and turned to Guilbert, “If I want you to advise me, I will ask. Other than that, I require your immediate compliance!” He snapped his gloves between his hands, making Guilbert jump. “Now where is Lady Enora’s bedchamber?”

Guilbert decided he had tested this knight long enough. He had tried his best to persuade Lady Enora to greet her visitor, but being the stubborn girl she was, she had not heeded his advice. Now it seemed, she was going to have to greet him anyway. With a resigned sigh, Guilbert led Richard up the narrow staircase to one of the bedchambers above. Stopping at the furthest door, Richard signaled for Guilbert to leave him.

Guilbert hesitated, loathe to leave his lady in this knight’s hands, but at the same time, he was aware that this foreboding knight had been given the King’s permission to overtake their castle.

Richard was starting to get angry and ground his teeth, snapping, “I promise no harm will come to her, man, now leave!”

Guilbert quickly walked away, feeling inadequate, but knowing this knight had complete power within the castle.

As she heard Richard’s voice, Enora’s ears pricked up within the bedchamber. For the love of God, he was just outside her bedchamber! Quickly, she rushed over to the heavy, wooden door and turned the key in the lock, effectively shutting him out. How dare he think he could just walk in like that!

Richard heard the lock turn and smirked, “That paltry lock will not keep me out of your room, Lady. Now open this door, or I will knock it down!”

“I will count to three, and you had better unlock the door, or else! One… two… three!” Still the lock did not turn. “Do not say I did not warn you, Lady!”

Putting down his helmet and gloves, he charged at the door, and when his broad shoulder made contact, the lock splintered. The door, as he had predicted, crashed open.

Enora stood there, mouth agape, before coming to her senses and scrambling over to the other side of the room. “Get out! Y-you cannot just come in here like that! Be gone!”

Richard folded his arms and stared at her. She truly was quite a pretty little thing, and was even prettier when angry. Her chest was heaving and her colour high, as her temper rose.

“Oaf? I take umbrage at your words, Madam, and I am staring at the so-called lady of the Castle, whom was meant to greet me at the gates. It seems you lack manners and etiquette, my lady! Did your father not teach you any? And I am not an oaf!”

Enora’s temper flared even higher. “Don’t you dare talk about my father! You are not worthy!”

Her father had died six months ago, hence the reason for this entire situation. Alone, with no guardian, her holdings were vulnerable to invasion from several different enemies of the realm, any one of them a true threat to the crown. King William wanted her married to a knight of his choice, as soon as conceivably possible, thus ensuring the castle did not fall into enemy hands.

Richard’s patience was wearing very thin, and he scoffed, “I will talk about whom I like, Lady! It is not for you to give orders to me!”

“Well, that is what you say, not what is true… this is my home and you are nothing but an intruder!” Enora grabbed the nearest thing to her, which happened to be a candlestick, and threw it at him.

He ducked just in time, as the missile hit the wall behind him. “Do that again and you will regret it!”

At the age of twenty-two, Enora was not used to taking orders, especially after overseeing her castle all by herself for the last six months. Stamping her foot angrily, she picked up her slipper and threw it straight at his head. This time her missile hit the intended target… right on his temple, the heel making a solid thud against his skull.

“That is enough! You have overstepped yourself, Madam!” He rushed round to her side of the bed. Wondering what his intention was, Enora tried to scramble over the coverlet, but she was much too slow for a seasoned knight, and within an instant, she felt her ankle seized by one of his large hands. She kicked and struggled but to no avail, as he easily pulled her back towards him.

He sat down on the edge of the bed and pulled her straight over his knees. In moments, she found herself staring at the rushes on the floor in a grip that she could not get out of, no matter how much she struggled.

Then to her horror, she felt her dress being lifted and her undergarments pulled down.

“What do you think you are doing… get your hands off me! Help! Help! AAAOooowwww!”

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