Page 57 of Promises to Keep

She rolled, attempting tae plump the straw and feather sack upon our bed’s planks. “I don’t blame him, but I find him very irritating. I hate to take Lady Mairead’s side, but he’s an arse. Especially if he took our fluffy mattress.”

“Aye, me as well, but we will hae tae make do. One of us will be the mattress, the other will be the action for our activities, which role dost ye want?”

Kaitlyn said, “Oh I will be the action, you get on down here, Master Magnus.”

I stripped off my clothes, it was verra chilly in the room. “Dost ye want me tae build a fire?”

She wriggled from her skirts, “There is not enough time, Master Magnus, at all.”

I climbed ontae the bed and she climbed ontae me. We kissed as I pulled her laces loose and she drew the bodice off over her head, drawing up the blankets and wrapping them around her shoulders as she kissed me. “Brrr, cold.”

“Aye, tis verra cold.” I felt between her legs, explorin’, and fondled her breasts, her skin bumpy with the chill of the air, her shiverin’ tae my fingers’ touch. My fingers explored her, while she breathed deep beside my ear, a warmth tae my skin, a bit of dew upon her cheek from the effort and exertion, though twas cold, she was warmin’ up.

I couldna see her, twas too dark, and we hadna turned on any of our lights or lanterns or even a candle, the glow from the embers barely enough. The scent of ash and smoke, her skin, the fragrance of her shampoo lingerin’ in her hair.

The mustiness of the old blankets surroundin’ us, a scent that might bother me, but also set the place, the mood — twas an auld, familiar room in m’castle with my wife in my bed. I said, “Och, yer castle gates are welcomin’ me.”

“Oh yes, they really are, you ready, Master Magnus?”

“Aye, verra ready,” and she sat down, takin’ me in. An exhale. Then a pull and a glide as she moved her hips up and down under the covers, her whispers in m’ear, speakin’ tae me and God and the heavens in our efforts.

She rode on, drivin’ us tae a climax, my grip on her buttocks, directin’ her, as she rode, her body archin’ and then roundin’ upon me, and then after reachin’ our climax with breathless moans and trembling limbs, she collapsed on me, her hair mussed, her cheek warm, her lips wet. She went from light and energy, tae languid and heavy. We kissed deeply, then she rolled over and off me, draggin the covers with her.

She laughed and teased, “Ya cold?”

“Aye, but ye hae overplayed, ye forgot about the mattress. Now ye hae rolled off, ontae the hard bed, and though ye hae all the covers and I am cold, all I hae tae do is...” I grabbed the edge and yanked, pulling the covers over ontae myself.

She shivered. “You aren’t going to share?”

I laughed. “Just one minute ago ye had all the covers and I think ye laughed on it!”

“I regret it so much.” She teased, “Didn’t I just fuck you very well, Master Magnus — don’t I deserve the blanket?”

“Och aye, twas a tremendous fuck.” I drew the blankets over her, then patted m’chest for her tae lay her head.

She nestled in and then quickly pretended tae snore. “I wore myself out with all that exertion.”

“Aye. Ye were verra exertin’, twas verra fine.”

She chuckled, then grew quiet, drawing near sleep.

But twas difficult for me tae sleep — after years of the timeline bein’ stable, then years of the timeline bein’ unstable, there had almost always been one constant: Lady Mairead. Her activities had been orderly. Her motives had been tae further m’power, but now....?

Now she was behavin’ erratically. I couldna tell which age she was, when I was dealin’ with her — twas troubling.

I considered it all while Kaitlyn fell asleep and then I slid from under her, tucked the blanket around her, dressed, and left the room.

I headed tae the walls, for guard duty; the night air would help me think.

The next morning I was dressing, when Kaitlyn said, “Ow, my head hurts,whydid I drink so much?”

I chuckled. “Ye were verra fun.”

“Good, that was sloppy drunk — I think I wanted to numb myself to the fact that your mother is such a bitch.” She moaned and rubbed her temples.

“Aye, she is a terrific inconvenience, but ye are verra generous with her, she is more a witch than a bitch, though I am a modern man and I daena believe in them.”

“Good answer.”

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