Author's Note: Thank you to those who enjoyed the tale of "A Bastard and His Bitch" and asked for another chapter in the romance. Hopefully, this continuation about Rena, the daughter of the two royal misfits, Duncan and Belinda, will intrigue you and bring a smile to your lips. As always, this story is the meat and potatoes with the sex being the zesty spicing. Enjoy.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Her name is Rena. In the language of the North Kingdom and that of her bastard father, Prince Duncan, her name meant "joyous peace" which as you will come to see, was more a fervent wish on her father's part than actual reality. In the language of her bitch mother, Princess Belinda, who shared a dual heritage of the South Kingdom and that of the mysterious Kingdom of the East, her name meant "little fox" which came to her mother in a vision just before the onset of birthing pains.
Even as a child, those around her knew that Princess Rena was special. Many expected her to be emotional since Belinda while carrying her had fiercely fought and repelled the massive ice men invasion, had been irritable, craved hot and spicy foods, and was sexually demanding of an exhausted and sleep-deprived Duncan. Yet, when born, Rena was unusually serene, seldom crying or fussy.
As she grew up, Rena was clearly pretty with the brown hair and complexion of her father, Duncan, and that of her paternal grandmother who hailed from the kingdom's northern frontier. Outwardly, Rena would come to further resemble her sire with a lean figure that spoke of underlying strength and agility, and with a demeanor that was seemingly calm, friendly, and approachable.
Yet, what set Rena apart from other children her age was what she inherited from her mother, Belinda. The most noticeable of all was her striking hazel eyes with flecks of gold and brown which seemed always observant. So arresting was her glance, the little princess could capture another's attention with a look, and to those close to her, silently convey what she was thinking or wanted done. Many swore that the princess' eyes conveyed her mood...sparkling when interested or happy...glowing when mischievous...darkening when troubled...and flaring when angry.
Unlike others her age who threw tantrums or sulked when upset, Rena's anger was frightening to behold. Her aura was like a dark thundercloud that flashed with lightning, and following her mother's example and teaching, some form of retribution towards those who offended the princess often followed. This was exacerbated after Rena learned (and mastered) how to handle a long knife with devious skill, shoot an arrow with deadly precision, and wield a saber with dreaded malice.
But above all, Rena was clever, almost to the point of being sly in keeping with her name's meaning in her grandmother's native tongue. Beginning with her father and slowly progressing to other members of the opposite sex, she honed her natural charm. Rena feinted vulnerability, sought cuddling, and used subtle cajoling to gain what she wanted, whether a gift, permission, agreement, or cooperation.
However, when denied, the crafty princess was not above persuasive argument or downright underhanded manipulation to achieve her goals. By the time she reached adolescence, most (mainly men) agreed that it was simpler to acquiesce to Rena's wishes instead of incurring her displeasure.
Belinda greatly influenced the shaping of her daughter. Remembering her strange upbringing, she was determined that her daughter would be a strong woman, respected as an equal by all, well-versed in the mysteries of the women warriors of her own mother's culture. Rena had to be worthy of being the granddaughter of the King of the South and the Empress of the East, as well as the blood bond between the Kingdoms of the North and South.
"Ah, my beloved," murmured Duncan as his lips and tongue regretfully slipped from his wife's welcoming mouth, "now that our precious little one is fast asleep, allow me to perform my husbandly duties by suckling at your still swollen breasts...so Belinda will not be grumpy and pouty. I am amazed that although our child is three...my, how time flies...you still nurse Rena whenever she desires. And that you can still make such sweet nectar...in copious amounts...from these perky breasts of yours...astounding... simply remarkable...and so delicious..."
"Well, dearest...ohhh, yes, suck my fat nipples and gently squeeze my still engorged tits...ah, as I was saying, for Rena, nursing is more a matter of comfort and bonding with me...especially when she is troubled or about to sleep. But for you, my thirsty big baby, suckling at my tit is your randy way of keeping my milk flowing...as well as the womanly juices between my legs. Thank the Goddess that you have official duties to attend to or else I would be kept constantly naked...not that I would mind...and subjected to your royal but degenerate sexual whims...not that I would mind.
"Come to think of it, maybe it is your bodily cream being continuously pumped into me that makes me have so much milk. Mother used to say that lust made breasts swell and nipples stiffen. Hmmm, is that why you have to 'milk' me, your sweet little milk cow, often before filling me with your horny stud bull discharge? Ooooh, Duncan, I need that thick piece of meat between your legs...crammed between my legs...oooh, like that... oooh more..."
Consumed with the flames of wanton and lascivious desire, the Lord and Lady of the Land quickly became a sweaty entanglement of body limbs. Their nightly cries of passion fell on the eager ears of their castle staff and soldiers, making lewd grins appear on the faces of those who were listening. Many wondered openly if another royal offspring might be in the making.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
For Duncan and Belinda, the sweaty exhaustion that followed their strenuous rutting were periods of sharing, planning, and dreaming. "So, my beloved, how goes the rearing of our beloved three-year-old daughter who grow more and more like her mother....simply beautiful. I see that when you have your women's meetings, you take her along..."
"Rena is inquisitive and observant...and chatters like a magpie The walk into the city strengthens her legs and builds stamina. It's good that she explores the world outside of the castle walls and meets her people as they meet her.
"The women like to see that Rena is unspoiled by me and does not rely on a gaggle of servants to do her bidding. What impresses many is that Rena always watches and listens...and asks insightful questions...especially when it comes to weapons and the Battle of the Pass, as it is now being called."
"And speaking of that battle, what say your women about their role in the Battle of the Pass against the ice men?"
"Duncan, there is a sense of pride and accomplishment. Many women tell me that their bow and quiver of arrows have a special place next to their man's sword and shield. Some, however, fear that they may be losing their archery skill...or only know how to shoot in mass at a target far away. Mary, the daughter of our castle's Master-at-Arms and who well-versed in the use of weapons, suggested a more organized training worked around a woman's busy workday and that brought about a lively discussion..."
"Well, your women archers were a decisive factor in defeating the ice men, cutting down their numbers before they even reached our shield wall...and their long spears thrusting over and around their men's shields further whittled down the ranks of our foes...making them wary, if not scared. Hmmm, our small principality cannot afford to have a large standing army...so it would not hurt to have a trained...militia... to call upon in time of need. But how?"
"Ah, Mary...you know that for a ten-year-old girl, she has a lot of interesting ideas... suggested that maybe a half day every fortnight might be set aside for training and weapons instruction. And to keep interest up, maybe my wise husband would be willing to part with one copper for every person who trains...and maybe to build pride and camaraderie, an archery contest could be held every once in a while with a silver as a prize. What say you, husband?"
"But, what of the men? I can already hear the men...especially the husbands... complaining that their wives and girlfriends are paid whereas they are not. That, however, will be after 'your' daughter tries to charm me...and then pester me...to give her a bow and quiver full of arrows!"
"Well, in terms of our little one, I have already told her that she cannot have an archery kit until she demonstrates her proficiency with a knife...yes, Duncan...a 'long' knife. That weapon is a woman's first line of self-defense if wielded effectively. Anyway, I am instructing 'our' daughter on the knife fighting of the East as taught to me by my mother.
"To further pique Rena's interest and competitiveness, I have engaged young Liam...you know, Sir Cedric's five-year-old son and Mary's younger brother...to be her sparring partner. Calm down, dear, they are only using wooden knives...at this point.
"Liam, besides being the only child in the castle around Rena's age, is a likable lad with a comfortable disposition...much like yours, my Lord...and he will need it to tolerate 'your' daughter's temper and conniving ways when she is bested. As it is, Rena insists on tagging along with him wherever he goes or whatever he does...and argues just for the sake of arguing.
"Like young boys his age, Liam of course has an innate disdain for annoying girls. However, to secure his goodwill and cooperation as a training partner...and a possible companion...I have offered to tutor him not only in the Eastern way of knife fighting but also in the use of a short bow and saber...on foot or horseback.
"Liam has been 'encouraged' by his father to safeguard that country's little princess, and was not so subtly threatened by his older sister, Mary, as to what she would do to him should harm befall our Rena when not with one of us."
"Sigh, poor Liam. He must have the patience of a saint and the thick skin of a badger. I might have to pay the lad a copper or two for what he is about to suffer at the hands of our precious but precocious daughter. And speaking of coppers, let us return to the husbands who will complain that their wives are being paid to train whereas they are not?
"Well...they might earn a copper too by learning a new military skill and tactic. Look, Duncan, we won the Battle of the Pass because we surprised the ice men with a new tactic...arrows...a ranged weapon. However, sooner or later, the barbarians will adjust and start carrying hide shields for protection.
"My mother shared that when the cavalry of the East encountered an enemy with shields to block their arrows, they switched tactics. Each rider carried several short slender javelins with soft-iron barbed heads to throw at the enemy when riding past. When piercing a shield, the heads would become stuck and bent which prevented the javelins from being thrown back while making the shield unwieldy to protect the carrier.
"Our men can earn their copper by adding a short to medium-range weapon to our military capabilities...the javelin."
