The swords clanged together, metal ringing across the open courtyard of the castle. The noise echoed against the stone walls as the two combatants danced in battle. The smaller of the two warriors was more swift and able to dodge the most powerful of the larger opponent's blows. The little warrior was not just shorter, but had a thin frame that made an enemy underestimate the power the knight wielded in the sword. The diminutive warrior demonstrated superior skill with the blade despite the opponent's greater strength.
The battle raged across the square. The two warriors locked blades, the bigger combatant pressing the advantage. They both wore a purple smock with a golden crest emblazoned on the front. The smaller warrior suddenly tucked into a ball and rolled away from the swinging weapon, the movement of the trim body fluid. The competitor leapt into the air and pinned the larger solider against the wall.
The challengers broke apart and bowed to each other. They sheathed their weapons in silence, both panting from the exertion they had exhibited during the exercise. They walked to a bucket and took turns using the ladle to drink the cool water from the well. They leaned side-by-side on the low stone wall marking the well. "Sometimes you amaze me with the way you can make your body move," the larger warrior said as they recovered. He looked at his partner with a suggestive gleam in his eye. When he spoke, his voice was low. "It really makes me curious how your body would move if it were naked and in my bed."
The champion dipped the ladle into the bucket and slung water into the smiling face. Musical, feminine laughter floated across the courtyard. "Curiosity killed the cat, my dear Otto," she teased, a smile forming on her face. Her green eyes twinkled playfully. "Do you never tire of rejection, my lord?"
"Perhaps I would stop asking if I knew why you always refuse," he baited.
"That's one of the reasons I respect you. You are persistent. That quality will serve you well in life." She rose from the wall and stretched her body. She knew that Otto was admiring her frame, so she lingered in the pose, arching her back for his benefit. The chain mail beneath the tunic rattled as she moved. Her few curves were hidden by the armor. In a combat situation, her opponent would be oblivious to her gender.
She completed her stretch and Otto stood at her side, rising with a deep grunt. He started walking toward the main hall of the palace, but she hesitated for a moment, lifting her eyes to one of the balcony's facing the courtyard. A curtain moved as she turned and she smiled before taking a few quick steps to catch up with her friend. "The Father is back from Clermont," Otto said as they stepped inside. "He is coming to Breathwood for the evening meal. Cayden, as your friend and your lord, please dress as a lady in your position would. I don't think the Father would approve if the daughter of Travor de Witte appeared in the great hall wearing my page's trousers."
"Of course, Otto." She reached up and kissed his cheek before walking away from him. Baron Otto von Streit watched her as she sprinted up the stone steps. She slowed at the top and allowed her hips to sway from one side to the other just before she slipped around the corner and out of his line of vision.
Cayden de Witte walked down the long hall of the castle, enjoying the cool draft filtering through the tunic that dried the sweat on her skin. She paused outside one of the bedchambers and peeked around the doorframe into the room. Only two women were inside the chamber. One was a young, timid maid that ran whenever Cayden approached. The other was Otto's wife. Cayden watched for a moment as the maid helped Baroness Sophie von Streit into a dress and began tightening the laces in the back. Sophie braced her hands against the post of the bed frame and closed her eyes as Amalie knelt and fluffed the skirt.
Cayden quietly walked into the room. She crossed noiselessly, not even allowing the armor to rattle. The maid jumped slightly when Cayden touched her arm, but the warrior moved quickly to keep Amalie silent. Amalie dropped back a step and hurried out of the room, fleeing from Cayden's presence. Cayden stepped close to Sophie, her deft fingers freeing the knot that Amalie had just tightened.
"Amalie, why are you untying me?" Sophie demanded, turning her head toward the person behind her.
Cayden bent her head and dropped a kiss on Sophie's bare skin. She pushed the material of the dress off of the Baroness's shoulder to reveal more of the pale skin. Cayden's lips touched softly, her tongue tasting her best friend's wife's flesh. "I saw you watching me."
Sophie sighed and tilted her head, her eyes closing as Cayden's mouth moved over her skin. Goosebumps formed on her flesh as she whispered Cayden's name with a soft plea. Cayden took the sound as encouragement and used her mouth to push aside more of the dress. "Do you enjoy watching me best your husband, Milady?"
"Sometimes I wish you would slip and run him through," the Baroness responded as Cayden's lips met her upper arm. She slouched a little as the bodice of the gown slipped farther down her bosom.
Cayden chuckled softly. "Otto is my dearest friend, Milady," she whispered, her hand gliding over the woman's shoulder and arm, attempting to push the dress away from Sophie's breasts. "Besides, if I killed Otto by accident, you would be forced to marry Franz. I would be hung because I would kill him. I've seen the way he treats his whores and I would never allow him to treat you in that manner." She finally freed Sophie's globe. Her mouth returned to the woman's neck, nibbling softly as her hand curled around the exposed mound. "Otto is the better of the two brothers."
A moan escaped Sophie's throat as Cayden's fingers squeezed the extended nipple. Cayden rolled the bud between her fingers, watching Sophie's face respond to the stimulus. "You didn't answer my question, Milady. Do you enjoy watching me best your husband with the sword?" Cayden stretched forward and found Sophie's lips with hers. "And in your bed?"
Sophie's mouth followed Cayden as the warrior pulled away, hungering for a longer, deeper kiss. Her lips moved against Cayden's temple as the champion bowed her head to watch Sophie's nipple lengthen in response to the coaxing of talented fingers. "The Father is coming for dinner, my darling. I should be supervising the cooks."
"The cooks do not need your supervision," Cayden insisted, sliding her hand to Sophie's other shoulder. Easily, she pushed the bodice completely off of the Baroness's upper body. It bunched around her waist. Cayden's small hands covered the large globes, the nipples pressing against the center of her palm. She rotated her palms as she squeezed with her fingers, watching her digits bite into the pliable flesh.
"Amalie will want to know why she has to redress me."
"Tell her you changed your mind about what you wanted to wear." Cayden punctuated her command by pinching the swollen nipple between her forefinger and thumb. She tugged and delighted as Sophie arched her back, pressing into her lover.
Feeling the rough tunic and the chain mail against her back, Sophie turned in Cayden's arms. She glided her hands over the warrior's front, moving her fingers until they reached the tail of the tunic. She began raising the purple tunic and Cayden lifted her arms so Sophie could remove it. Cayden remained still as Sophie also took away the armor. Cayden lifted her hand to stroke Sophie's cheek as her partner removed the weight. Sophie pressed into Cayden's palm, feeling the tiny calluses the small woman had formed from learning to fight with a sword. The Baroness rubbed her cheek against her lover's fingertips, relishing the gentle touch.
The armor rattled as Sophie pulled it off of Cayden's body. The Baroness turned away for a moment to carefully lay the suit over her chair. When she turned back to Cayden, the diminutive warrior was completely naked. Sophie could not resist a soft moan of pleasure as her eyes swept over Cayden's lithe body. From years of working and training with the men who came to her father's door to learn to be soldiers, Cayden had developed a muscular frame. Her stomach was flat and her legs powerful. Sophie knew from experience that when Cayden clenched her thighs around an object, escape was impossible.
The breasts rising from Cayden's chest were small. They were firm and upswept but practically nonexistent compared to Sophie's ample bosom. Nonetheless, Sophie was fascinated by Cayden's nimble body. She reached forward and cupped her hand around the hard orbs, her thumb sweeping over the rigid brown nipples. Her pink tongue moistened her lips and she bent her head to lick each thick nub, but Cayden stepped out of reach as soon as Sophie made contact.
Sophie whimpered and leaned toward Cayden, attempting to recapture her lover. Cayden grinned. After four years, the warrior knew all the ways to make Sophie yearn. The advisor knew Sophie's wants and desires better than Otto. She knew how to manipulate Sophie's longing. Even though they had been lovers since Cayden had come to Breathwood to act as a consultant to Otto, Sophie still attempted to resist, but her body refused to deny the unconventional woman.
Cayden glided her fingers over Sophie's exposed flesh, barely touching the soft, supple skin. Sophie closed her eyes and arched forward, trying to force more contact with her lover's hand. Cayden anticipated the move and settled her hands on Sophie's wide hips. Sophie's large breasts were rising and falling as she struggled to catch her breath and gain control of her eager body. She knew that Cayden would play her, but it didn't release her burning desire for her husband's guide. She trembled as Cayden's fingers began moving again. They slipped against the folds at the waist of the dress, pushing it completely down the smooth legs. Cayden knelt as she pushed the material to a pile in the floor. Before rising, she slipped her tongue between Sophie's slick lips.
The Baroness gasped and thrust upward, her blond curls scratching against Cayden's face as the talented tongue found the swollen button buried inside. Cayden's tongue moved against the nub, rotating it with the tip of her tongue before withdrawing and rising. She licked over Sophie's round stomach and buried her face between the peaks of the full breasts. Sophie combed her fingers through the thick strands of Cayden's long hair as her lover's warm breath flooded her body.
