Swords with Souls: Madame Swan B11

Madame Swan

(Swords with Souls)

Cover by Darren Joy

Dark Fantasy Fiction

(Adult content)

For how many years had she been doing this? She believes she is in her late forties. Perhaps ten years younger than the old king whose calendar years she based her own age on. Royal birthdays are the only ones that are publicly observed. People often gloat that their birthday is the same day as a particular nobles’, or that they were born so many days before or after.  

She knows from the familiar stares of the patrons that she’s still attractive. Her voice is a little deeper, and her face, with only a few wrinkles around the eyes and mouth, can still enchant. Not bad considering her lifetime of experiences so far. Her bosom, always looking as if it’s about to fall out of her dress, either draws jealousy or lust. The jewellery she wears around her neck is strategically placed to draw the eyes to the mysterious of what her dress does cover. The slit up the right side of the dresses she often wears isn’t just for easier movement. And the scented oils she buys from Celima, the Perfumery, are just the right strength to draw people closer. She loves wearing earrings that highlight her sparkling sky-blue eyes. Someday, she might have to just manage, but not while she can get aroused and use decades of years of experience to arouse. Though she has to admit to herself, nowadays it’s less about personal satisfaction, and more about teasing out another’s pleasure.

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Swords with Souls: Madame Swan B10

Madame Swan

(Swords with Souls)

Cover by Darren Joy

Dark Fantasy Fiction

(Adult content)

Madame Swan is sitting in the backroom of her brothel, Savory Moments, counting coins when Delphia bursts into the room. Madame Swan looks up and asks, “What’s wrong?”

“Everyone is talking about it!” Delphia blurts out. “Sir Ganbold cut off Prince James’ hand. He also killed Baron Rupert!”

Madame Swan brushes past Delphia and pulls back the blinds from the main hall window. She peers out and sees a crowd gathering in the street. For a moment she sees Sir Oisin on his horse in the midst of the crowd before he forces his way through. King Leopold will be in a rage but nothing compared to the Queen. She tries to picture Sir Ganbold’s face. He has never entered her brothel. She remembers his hair was black and so were his eyes, as if all he had was one large pupil and no iris. His skin was tanned and creased with weather wrinkles. A northeasterner from across the sea. She turns to Delphia, “Tell Erdenechimeg to go to the farm, now!”

She tries to think if there any other of the girls who might look like a female version of Sir Ganbold. There isn’t much time. Patrons would start arriving during the twilight. Always hooded, with their horses stabled somewhere else. Some would be soldiers or officers of the court.

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Swords with Souls: The Infiltrator B9

The Infiltrator

(Swords with Souls)

Cover by Darren Joy

Dark Fantasy Fiction

(Adult content)

They expect him to be as fertile as Baron Rupert. But they would be disappointed. As an exceptionally rare half breed it was unlikely he would ever plant a life inside them. His story about being abducted and tortured as a child was a lie. The desiccation of the top of his ears was a choice.

He splashes water infused with lavender from a wash bucket over his naked body to clean off the scent of sweat and sex. As he wipes himself off with what he hopes is a clean towel, he glances out the second storey window of the tavern. There’s great deal of chatter going on. He dresses and kisses the girls once more before hurrying down the stairs. Other women are on the main floor touching his arm to get his attention. He grins and apologizes that he must go but assures them he will be back. There will be other men willing to resolve their obsessive need to have babies. Sadly, the pox had stolen many of the men’s ability to have children.

His intention was to leave this very day. His ten years of observation were finally over.

As he enters the stable to collect his only real friend, Ronnin, an unusually large hackney horse, he hears talk of the prince spitting on Sir Ganbold’s face and losing his sword hand for it. He learns that the queen has demanded Sir Ganbold be brought in alive so he can have his hands severed while he watches the beheading of his wife and children. Then locked in a cell with the heads of his family on stakes just out of reach. His wife’s dead face staring at him while his children’s are turned away to show disgust at their heathen father. He also learns the king has proclaimed Sir Ganbold the murder of the king’s cousin, Baron Rupert.

What a mess he thinks as leaps onto Ronnin’s back. As he rides up to the castle’s gates, he forms a plan.

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Swords with Souls: The Infiltrator B8

The Infiltrator

(Swords with Souls)

Cover by Darren Joy

Dark Fantasy Fiction

(Adult content)

Sir Oisin pushes himself up until his bare back is against the bed’s headboard. The women on either side of him cuddle closer to him both reaching up to lay a hand on his chest. He strokes the soft hair of the auburn-haired girl to his right and simultaneously the blonde hair of the girl to his left. Neither are married. Married women have offered themselves to him but with much praising of their beauty and desirability he honorably refuses to lay with them. The angry scowl on their faces suggests there might be repercussions for his denial but better that than the wraith of their possessive husbands. He strokes the pox scarred face of the girl with auburn hair. He leans over and kisses her mouth before giving her a dazzling smile. Then he turns and does the same to the blonde-haired girl. He knows the real reason so many women want to share his bed. The former king’s wars against other nations have made the ratio of women to men ten to three.

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 [DW1]

Swords with Souls: The Sword Master B7

The Sword Master

(Swords with Souls)

Cover by Darren Joy

Dark Fantasy Fiction

(Adult content)

“The prince has baptized you, Sir Ganbold,” the king says with a nervous laugh.

He is confused by what happens next. Blood splatters his face and others. He has a vague awareness of Sir Ganbold rapidly marching out of the hall.

There is absolute silence in the hall until the prince screams out, “My sword hand!”

He instinctively draws out his sword as he wipes the blood from his face. Sir Olaf draws his sword and steps before the king. Sir Afamefuna rushes to the prince. In one sweeping movement he cuts off a section of his tunic, places his sword on the floor, and wraps the prince’s stump.

From the middle of the room, he hears the queen wailing, and to sum everything up, the king, looking pale and shocked says, “What just happened?”

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Swords with Souls: The Sword Master B6

The Sword Master

(Swords with Souls)

Cover by Darren Joy

Dark Fantasy Fiction

(Adult content)

The king stands and bows to his lady, “My Lady,” he replies before sitting again. “Show me James,” the king says to his son with outreaching hands.

The prince steps forward onto the open floor between his mother and his father. He draws his short sword and brandishes in the air. Next, he makes a flourish of attack movements as if foes are coming at him from every direction. After a few moments he stops, re-sheathes his sword and bows to his father. “I am ready to lead our forces against the dwarves and giants to the north should they disobey your commands, or to cross the sea to destroy the heathens.”

He’s impressed with the boy’s sword fighting display. There were a lot of bold and useless movements but that could just be age. That he would mention the dwarves and the giants was interesting. The king’s great great grandfather was said to be a near giant himself. King David created the heights of banishment. It’s rumored that the woman he fell in love with liked someone even taller than himself.  When she refused to marry King David, he had her measured and decreed that she was a deviant. Any woman or man her height, or shorter, would be banished. He had himself measured as well. Anyone his exact height or taller was also to be banished to the mountainous areas in the far north. That the Rule of Banishment should continue to this day made little sense to him but such were the forever rules of kings.

“I can defeat anyone now, father!” the prince proclaims.

He smiles and sees the rest of the room doing the same. What a sweet child. The only one who does not smile is Sir Ganbold.

“You doubt me, Sir Ganbold?” the prince demands to know.

“You are young, My Prince, and untried in battle,” Sir Ganbold replies in his soft and deadly voice.

“Draw your sword and test me, son of infidels,” the prince challenges to the shock of everyone in the room.

Sir Ganbold stares straight ahead as he replies, “I must draw blood if I draw my sword, Prince.”

“James,” the king says in a stern voice.

The prince ignores his father and spits into Sir Ganbold’s face. “Coward!”

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Swords with Souls: The Sword Master B5

The Sword Master

(Swords with Souls)

Cover by Darren Joy

Dark Fantasy Fiction

(Adult content)

The king is waving him aside when a soldier enters. The soldier’s scarlet cape billows as he hurries up to kneel and place a thick mauve pillow before the throne.

He sees the thick eyebrows of the king raise in concern. “Raise and speak,” the king commands the soldier.

“Your Highness,” the soldier says with a stern yet nervous voice. “Baron Luis was murdered last night. It’s unclear when it happened. He was found in his bed with his throat slit and….” Sir Oliver can see the concern in the soldier’s face.  “A message was left on this pillow.”

“Let’s see,” the king commands. As the king speaks Sir Olaf draws what would be a two-handed sword to anyone else half way out of its sheath.

A confused expression crosses the king’s face as the soldier holds out the pillow for him to read what’s written on it. “I know that hand writing!”

After ten years he has learned to understand the king’s moods and his sly personality. He waits to see how this plays out.

“The baron’s wife is very upset, Your Highness,” the soldier says with a solemn voice.

“I will discuss this with the Treasurer later,” the king tells the soldier dismissively. 

“Yes, Your Highness,” the soldier replies, exhaling as he marches from the hall.

Next Queen Jadwiga enters with her entourage of waiting women and female guards.  Her purple dress flows back with determination. He believes the queen would be quite attractive but for the constant thin-lipped scowl on her face. Her brunette hair is tied up in a beehive. Beside her is the prince. Twelve years old already.  He is wearing a dark brown tunic with a purple cape. His footwear is dark and appropriate for battle training. His left-hand rests on the raven shaped pommel of his short sword. The raven is missing a wing, reflecting the crest of the king’s family.

“My Lord,” the queen shouts out, “Our prince has something to show you.”

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Sword with Souls: The Sword Master B4

The Sword Master

(Swords with Souls)

Cover by Darren Joy

Dark Fantasy Fiction

(Adult content)

Sir Oliver marches past all the other royal guards with his spangenhelm cradled in his left arm. At the back of the hall is the king seated on his throne. To the king’s right is Sir Afamefuna. He was the captain during the King’s father’s time and swore to protect the old king’s son. On the king’s left side is the near giant, Sir Olaf. The latest captain of the royal guard and the most dangerous man he has ever met. Beside Sir Olaf is Sir Ganbold.  The best archer on foot and horse. Missing, and meant to stand beside Sir Afamefuna, is Sir Oisin. The most handsome of them all and best singer by far. Likely busy with one of the many lasses awaiting his attention.

He had started learning how to read not ten years before and enjoys it very much. But he is not a poet nor a scholar and has no desire to write. But he looks forward to reading what others will write of the three other knights of King Leopold Khalifa.

“Your Majesty,” he says with his chin high and staring straight ahead. “The area for your new palace has been cordoned off.”

“And the deer and other hunting game kept in?” the king asks him in a deep, condescending voice that reminds him more of drinking curled milk than any particular sound.

“Yes, my king,” he replies.

“And all the faie and other loiters removed?”

“As you commanded, my king.” He holds back a nervous gulp.  The faie now hide on his own fiefdom and the nearby Black Forest, a mere thirty leagues away from where the king’s new palace will be built. It was as far away as the faie could safely move from their original homes.

As the fourth son of a local farmer, he had little hope of achieving wealth. His father suggested he try out for the King’s Guard. Others bullied him initially, until he became the humble expert in every weapon. As a farmer’s son, he is accustomed to keeping his mouth shut around nobles. He knows to let their insults and gests slide right by. Eventually, he made a name for himself as trustworthy. In his first year as a guard, his captain told him where a barrel of whiskey was hidden.  That captain had him give an oath not to reveal it to a company officer who wanted it. Later that day the company officer told him, he saw him talking to the captain, and wanted to know about what. He refused to say. The company officer along with some other junior officers attacked him and stripped him. They forced him into one of the wooden cages used for captured criminals. Throughout the day he was jabbed with sharpened sticks and ridiculed. The next day he was released and told he had passed a very important test.

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