Previously: "We could have been unstoppable together," Zarek whispered when the dance brought them closer together. Laura decided there was something wholly repellent about being this close to the man even if the prescribed dance steps brought it about. A complicated series of flourishes and partner transitions finished out the dance. Laura endured the whirl of color, hearing a commotion as she turned back around and found herself in Bill's arms.
"Sorry," he offered to Zarek who was now partnered with a different pretty lady. "I'm not so used to court dances still. I thought we kept these partners."
"No. We change one more time," Zarek said but accepted the new lady he was partnered with instead of causing more of a mishap on the dance floor. Laura gave a relieved smile at Bill who led her through the remaining dance, noting how unperturbed he seemed at causing a kerfuffle on the dance floor.
…
Leaving the feasting hall, Lord and Lady Adama swept through Carillon Castle, retreating from the reveling court. Bill mocked their pettiness and internally fumed at how they'd been blindsided by King Zarek's arrival at court. Adar played a ridiculous game by allowing the Sagittaron monarch to cross the borders of Caprica.
As if we don't have enough to worry about with the Cylon Empire, Bill thought. He glanced at his wife who kept stride with him, walking with an air of remarkable confidence. Turning a corner together, the silk of Laura's skirts flowed through the air, rippling like a purple river, reminding him of her poise and grace on the dance floor. She'd worn a smile while dancing with Caprica's smarmy guest, but Bill now knew Laura well enough to see through it. She'd wanted to be away from Zarek, so he'd helped.
Too bad it was with the grace of a Tauron bull, Bill reflected, knowing he'd caused a wave of judgmental whispers. He shrugged them off, not caring about the opinion of sycophants. With an uncomfortable twisting in his stomach, Bill grudgingly admitted that he cared about her opinion now.
The rustling of fine fabric and their footfalls were the only sounds in the dark halls; everyone was either at the feast or in the kitchens working. In the absence of conversation, Bill imagined the fuss his first wife would have made over his 'clumsiness' despite its effective use in a well-intentioned maneuver. Carolanne had obsessed over appearances and status, never having enough of either for her liking. She'd blamed him for that, something Bill remained acutely aware of as he walked beside an even prouder woman.
Swallowing back the bitterness that thoughts of his first wife provoked, Bill kept his stride although his heart pounded harder with every step they took. He wanted to know what Laura was thinking.
Her hardened expression betrayed her frustration, but Bill couldn't tell if it was directed at him or Zarek. His heart clenched as his secret fear taunted him; that Laura would come to hate him as Carolanne once had. He did note that her small hand stayed nestled in his as they made their retreat, a reassuring presence that felt right. Even so, his skin also burned from Laura's intense gaze as it assessed, or possibly judged, her spouse.
"Are you alright, my lady?" he asked, breaking the silence.
"Of course, my lord," Laura said demurely; the default and polite response of a lady. A clear lie, Bill realized with a stab of irritation, being a man who preferred straight talk.
"Even though King Zarek was upsetting you?" He glanced over, ready to remind her of his well-honed observation skills, but found himself looking into her eyes. She has stunning eyes, that unbidden observation slipped into his mind with an unexpected jolt that he felt all the way to his toes.
"I was fine," Laura said.
"Really?"
"It was just a dance."
He'd seen less calculated positioning and interacting from some of Caprica's army captains. Just a dance? She'd faced the man rumored to have been planning to kidnap her; King Adar clearly enjoyed toying with her.
"I thought we were trying to be honest with each other," he groused.
"I am," she replied, an annoyed cadence creeping into her tone.
In the hallway Bill stopped, causing their still entwined hands to swing Laura around in a swirl of purple silk and tendrils of red hair. She ended up facing him, studying him with her bewitching and wary green eyes. She's still so guarded, Bill realized.
"I was concerned."
"Something I think everyone noticed," she said. Bill forced his voice to remain calm, stoicism his armor.
"I don't care what they noticed," he said in a low voice. "Or what they think."
"Of course not," Laura retorted. She saw hurt and confusion shining in his eyes before he closed that window into his soul. Laura cringed, having not meant for their exchange to become hurtful or heated. She rested a comforting hand on his chest, right above his heart.
"Laura-"
"What I mean," Laura clarified, softening her tone, "is that I've seen how whenever you have even a scrap of affection for someone, you'll go above and beyond to take care of them, protect them. It wouldn't matter what anyone thought, or whatever got in your way."
"It's who I am."
"Yes," she said. They both felt the almost-fight brewing between them dissipating like mist in the wind.
"Does that bother you?" Bill asked, looking at her intently.
Laura's hand gripped the velvet fabric of his doublet, her heart clenching at this make-or break moment she sensed between them.
She shook her head. "It doesn't. You're a good man Bill. One of the best I've known."
His stomach flipped at her words. What a balm to his bruised heart it was to hear that. He touched her almost reverently, his fingers running along her cheek. She was right; he took care of those he cared about, and he cared quite a bit about her.
He closed the distance between them, touching his lips to hers in a physical sign of the affection he felt rising up in him, shoving all other thoughts to the side. He pulled her closer, deepening the kiss, his mouth moving over her soft lips, caressing and teasing. A relieved thrill raced through him at the little hum he felt more than heard as Laura responded to him. Desire stirred in them, its heat warming their bodies. Before they got swept away while still in the public hallway, they pulled apart.
"I do care for you, Laura," he said in a desire roughened voice, but still stating this as if it were an immutable fact.
She tilted her head to study him, inadvertently pressing her head into his hand.
"I want you to know that I didn't deceive you when I said I was fine," Laura said, breathless from their kiss. Still, it felt important that she clarify this point. "This is court life and... I've dealt with worse than Zarek."
"I need to remember that," Bill admitted, allowing the concession so he could also make his point. "I want a meaningful marriage with you, but without some things that becomes almost impossible. Things like trust and honesty. I know you still keep things from me. I want to believe that one day soon, you'll be open with me and trust me."
"Is that all you want?" she asked, already struggling with the enormity of what he asked.
"I want you."
"Oh?" she said, sounding startled. Most men would assume they already had her with her conjugal duties bringing her to his bed. But Bill wasn't like most men. No, he asked for far more, and Laura felt terrified and thrilled. She really hadn't counted on the effect he would have on her; every fiber of her being lighting up in desire when he touched her, burning irritation when they argued, and deep contentment when they were together.
She wanted him too. But could she open herself to another person, be that vulnerable?
"C'mon," Bill said, when the tittering of gossip bounced off nearby walls. Touching the small of her back, he guided them onwards. Much better to be in the private refuge of their rooms for the rest of this conversation. They fell into silence again, leaving Laura's mind swirling with thoughts.
...Years Ago…
Milling crowds filled the outer courtyard and the great hall of Carillon Castle. Like a spider in the middle of a web, King Adar could be found in the state apartments at the center of the impressive complex. The guards posted at every set of doors kept all but the most important away from these inner rooms and the king. The monarch would rather not interact with the riff-raff.
Being richly dressed in the finest fabrics with the most fashionable cut helped earn a lady entry, and who wouldn't want access to this sumptuous separate world? Along with her enviable gowns, Laura's iconic red hair always allowed her admittance without a second of hesitation from the guards.
Courtiers always gossiped behind the Lady Laura Roslin wherever she went. After all, she would always be the woman who could have been queen. Laura, head held high, ignored it. She slipped through the court with natural grace, stopping to converse here and there. Those around her delighted in her light flirting and friendly remarks while she subtly advocated for her causes. She focused especially on finding more benefactors for the universities she patronized, many of them welcoming children of any rank.
Charm and wit were her weapons. She had both in abundance, and it earned her a constant crowd.
"His majesty the king," a herald announced.
Everyone dropped into bows and curtseys, offering courtly deference to their monarch. The people kept their eyes on the floor, although some of them flicked a quick gaze at the king. They saw anger tugging at his features, forcing his face into a scowl.
Murmurs filled the room like a brewing storm cloud. Laura's ears prickled, always listening for useful information.
"...because the queen is still not with child," a gentleman nearby whispered to his friend who nodded his agreement over that being the cause of their ruler's mood.
The king stopped in front of Laura and hummed thoughtfully. She could feel his eyes on her, burning holes into her dress. He'd once laughingly said that he preferred her wearing no clothes at all. She glanced up and watched Richard's scowl transform into a charming smile just for her.
"Rise my lady."
"Your majesty," Laura greeted, rising on unsteady legs and noticing the undisguised want in her lover's eyes. She smiled softly. Meanwhile, the whole court watched, enrapt with their exchange. Of course they noted the long kiss the enamored ruler pressed to his almost rival's cheek. He let it be known she was his favorite at court.
"You look ravishing," Adar rasped in her ear. Laura shuddered. It brought back memories of their hours of love-making when he groaned similar sweet nothings as he took her.
"Your majesty is too kind," Laura said.
"Not kind enough for you, sweetheart. You know that I am your most loyal servant."
Laura laughed and rolled her eyes at his honeyed words. For her, he was always charming and sweet, loving words and kind gestures. It worked for her; after all, the previous king had imprisoned her.
"Are you well?" he asked.
"I am, thank you."
Something shifted in his eyes, and he took a step closer. Laura raised an eyebrow at the strange, calculating look he was giving her.
"So, no sign you are with child?"
Laura's face fell. Unable to speak, she shook her head as her cheeks blushed red.
"Come to my bed tonight," Adar ordered, and Laura felt herself bristle at the command. Since when did he impose his will on her rather than seduce her? Without waiting for a response, being the king and all, Adar stepped back. Giving her a curt nod, he strode away. Laura was left standing among the gossiping courtiers who stared at her.
Laura pushed against the little voice in her head telling her she'd failed. She looked after the man whom she'd thought she might be coming to love. Frowning, she felt...hurt. She might have been born a woman, but she did not like being seen as a delicate creature most fit for warming a bed and bearing a child. She might enjoy being a lover and want to be a mother, but that wasn't everything she wanted.
She had more power than that in this world.
…
Entering their chambers, none of the servants were there to disturb the Adamas. All of them had gone to their own supper because their master and mistress weren't expected back until much later.
Having been long aware of the odds against him in the battle for Laura's trust and affection, Bill remained patient but hoped they'd made progress that night. Maybe the day would come when they'd fully share their lives with its sorrows and joys. But when she looked at him, still wary with equal parts confusion and astonishment, he pulled his beloved spouse into his arms and trusted his instinct to reassure her.
"I meant it, Laura. I only want you," he murmured into her hair before kissing her forehead.
"Are you sure?" Laura asked, unable to forget her own deep-running fear of being hurt again.
"Yes," he said, even as she tested his patience. Stubborn woman. He tipped her head up so that his mouth captured hers once again in a kiss of pure tenderness. He showed her that he was sure.
Overwhelmed, Laura stepped away and turned.
"Can you help me with my dress?"
"Sure," Bill said in a low rumble. Laura felt his fingers run over the silken fabric of her dress, traveling from her waist to grasp her shoulders. She'd miscalculated in thinking she could safely ponder the night's events from behind the familiar role of lover, but never had her body responded to someone's touch like she did Bill's. He so easily kindled the ache between her legs.
She stilled, holding her breath when the feathery drift of his hands trailed over her shoulders and met the bare skin of her neck. Gasping when he placed a soft kiss against the nape of her neck, she felt him carefully loosening the laces.
She'd miscalculated everything. Bill already had the power to break her heart. She was falling for him despite all her defenses, and she found herself desperately hoping that Bill really wanted just her.
Her head tilted back to kiss him, yearning for that connection. He met her happily, groaning in pleasure when she tangled a hand in his soft, cropped hair.
Laura's mind still couldn't resist whispering worst case scenarios to her, despite the increasing tension in their bedchamber. It was an inevitable side effect of her life. Although her wealth and titles seemed no great idol to him, a dark part of her asked if he just wanted her body or another heir. The image of the prophetic fertile Empress card she'd drawn during her fortune reading stayed in her mind, taunting her by reminding her of what she wasn't.
Her dress fell, pooling around her feet. Bill kept up his gentle kisses while moving on to the next layer. She sighed when the boning of the corset released her next. A guttural sound came from his throat as his fingers brushed against the thin cotton fabric that was now the only thing covering her.
"I can't have children," she blurted out her great lie of omission. If he wanted openness and honesty, this was it.
He tensed, muscles tightening in response to her words. Slowly, he turned her in his arms, forcing her to face him again. Her expression challenged the truth of his words. Do you really want just me?
"Oh, Laura. What am I going to do with you?" he sighed. She was so dual natured; fierce and challenging, and soft and vulnerable. Like him.
"Whatever you want. You're my husband and lord," she said bitterly, mistaking his reaction for displeasure. His hands fell away from her and pinched the bridge of his nose.
"I wish you'd stop trying to push me away."
"You wanted honesty."
"And trust."
"'A meaningful marriage,'" Laura repeated. What a dream.
He summoned all his patience and understanding. "There's something you need to understand, Laura. I don't bullshit. I have no use for lies. I mean what I say. I said I wanted you."
"Why me?" she asked, needing to push him.
It took Bill a minute to answer, putting emotion into words was a clunky, inelegant thing for him. But he spoke sincerely.
"You came into my life and filled it. It's been good. It's felt right." Because I love you. Those three words remained unsaid.
A sense of peace settled over her, the warmth coming from an admission she knew wasn't easy for him but soothed her scarred soul.
"This isn't easy for me," she admitted. "Everyone I've ever cared for is either gone or has hurt me."
"Not this time," he pronounced and then swept her off her feet, carrying her the short distance to their bed. She didn't have time to react before Bill was there, braced on his elbows over her. His expression turned thoughtful.
"You know I've already got a son. Estranged but alive. I won't lie and say I wouldn't like to also have a child with you, for your happiness even more than for mine. That isn't why I want to be with you though," he said. "You're an incredible woman, Laura."
Although tempted to conceal the tears that blurred her vision, she let them spill down her cheeks unhindered. She reached for him, tracing along the contours of his face, over the deep scars and soft skin, marveling at the powerful and strong yet kind and sweet man. He did really want just her. He'd accepted her greatest weakness and stepped out of his own comfort zone to offer her loving words.
"I'm yours," Laura said softly.
"Say it again."
So, it seemed she wasn't the only one who harbored secret doubts about the other's feelings. Giggling from how light she suddenly felt, she obliged.
"I'm yours," she said. She grinned and her hands tugged at his doublet. "And you're overdressed, darling."
Bill gave her a roguish grin. "Not for what I have in mind."
"Bill?"
"Trust me."
"I do."
Triumph surged through him followed by a wave of infinite tenderness for the beautiful woman lying under him. He'd earned something precious tonight. Now he'd seal his victory by bringing her such pleasure that she'd scream his name as he showed her that their union was as much about her as it was about him. His words for the night were spent after the effort it took to tell someone how he felt. Showing was easier. He'd make her feel safe and loved.
He shifted to move down the bed. Hands, warm and roughened with callouses from bowstring and sword, traced over her curves with great care. As if entranced, Laura stared at her husband with undisguised curiosity. She shivered when he reached her legs, feeling the softness of his hair against her as he started kissing down one leg and up the other. He moved in no hurry, and Laura suspected that he was allowing her time to feel comfortable.
A heated blush rose in her cheeks, as he lifted the shift she still wore. She didn't stop him as he eased it off her, baring her whole body to his sight. It felt strange and erotic to be naked in front of her fully clothed husband. She laid in their bed with all her softness and vulnerability exposed along with her nakedness. She'd laid her defenses down and now had to trust that Bill wouldn't destroy her.
Something lovely and reverent filled his gaze as he took in the sight of her. Laura bit her lip to keep quiet and let him gently spread her legs farther apart. Draping one leg over his shoulder, Bill dipped his head down to her center. She cried out startled when he parted her folds and blew on her core.
"Bill?"
"Shhh, Laura. I want this to be about just you."
There was that idea again, but any further thoughts Laura might have had were shattered when his mouth touched her. He started with light, teasing licks that had Laura clutching the sheets in her fists. Pleasure coiled in her, growing more intense with each firmer stroke. When her hips pushed against his face, he gave a satisfied chuckle. Laura's baffled mind couldn't believe that he was enjoying this, but when she buried her hands in his hair he moaned and rewarded her with a languid swirling of his tongue around her nub. Her heart raced, her ears buzzed, and she couldn't seem to catch her breath.
Bill enjoyed her responsiveness, systematically logging what made her react before pushing her up higher. He was a master strategist and tactician. He teased her with a finger, sliding into her effortlessly from how wet she'd become.
"Bill!"
"Yea?" He chuckled at the sounds that came from her mouth. He whole body trembled, her hips working against his mouth and fingers. He liked her like this, uninhibited and free while enjoying their togetherness. "Gonna have to do it more often. If you're willing."
"Oh gods," she managed, as he pleasured her. And pure pleasure this was, being most certainly not for procreation or even his own release.
He added a second finger, and Laura thought she might fly apart. Her impending release felt like it was coming from every part of her body, welling up inside her like a great wave. Bill plunged a third finger inside her, and Laura's ecstatic cry were all the encouragement he needed to keep pumping in and out of her willing body while sucking at her nub. His other hand now held her down as she writhed, the intensity of the sensations almost too much for her.
An overwhelming flood of pure bliss slammed through her, forcing a keening cry from her throat. Bill drew out the feeling before slowly brings her down from her high. It took her awhile to come back to her quivering, overloaded body. Boneless, she laid back surprised yet languid and happy. She looked down to find Bill's head resting on her belly, stroking the clenched fingers of the hand still in his hair.
"Oh," Laura said, letting go. She noticed how smug he looked, and she let out an almost giddy laugh. A unique diamond he was, but he still had that male pride.
"What?" Bill asked, drawing back to look at her, bemused.
"Nothing, I'm just —" happy? her brain supplied. Relieved? In love? Having fun again? "Happy," she allowed.
"Good," he grinned.
"Are you?"
He looked momentarily disconcerted. He hadn't expected the question.
"I am."
Secretly, she wondered at how this night turned from them almost fighting, to how comfortable they seemed now together. She felt the stirring of an ache deep within her.
He stood up, stretching his limbs.
"You're standing up to take your clothes off, right?" she asked.
"We don't need to-"
"-Bill, I'd really like to make love to you now."
His responding groan was enough to make her hot all over again. Without sparing another moment's thought, he shucked his clothes. Her heart skipped at how happy he looked when she opened up her arms to him, inviting him to return. He climbed into the bed and into her arms. Laura pressed herself against him, delighting at how good it felt to have all his skin touching hers. When he settled himself above her, she couldn't resist running her hands up his arm and humming in approval at the tight bulk of muscle under her palms. She slid her arms over his shoulders, one pressing to the smooth skin of his back and the other threading through his hair once more.
"You ready?" he asked, his voice dropping to its roughest. The blunt head of his cock nudged at her entrance, but he waited for her assurance.
"Yes." She grinned and gripped him with her knees as he pushed in slowly, and oh it felt wonderful. The stretch and pressure were welcome as he filled her. Bill felt huge inside her and her body still thrummed with her previous release, so it was almost too much. Laura didn't want it to stop.
Their eyes remained fixed on each other, watching the other's reaction as his body pushed in deeper until they were fully connected.
"That's good," he murmured hoarsely.
"Mmm, it is good," she said, giving him a cheeky grin and bucking against him. He chuckled in response, thoroughly pleased with them both. He found a good pace, feeling a rush up his spine when she rolled her hips against him in a return thrust.
He groaned and dropped his head into her neck. The muscles of his back tensed under her hands as he moved faster and harder. He slipped a hand between them to rub at her clit, determined to bring her to climax with him. His firm, tight circled caused her to moan and clutch at him, and her second orgasm quickly followed. In response, he stiffened and let out a long, drawn out moan. His hips stuttered a few times as he came deep inside his wife.
It took time for them to recover. They may as well have been struck by lightning. With a grunt, Bill gently rolled them over and wrapped an arm around her spent form as she cuddled against him.
"Is this really it, Bill?" Laura asked as she caught her breath and thought back on the whole night. "Is this how we're gonna spend all the rest of our days?"
"Hmmm," he said, looking at the positively glowing redhead now resting on his shoulder. His mind still felt fuzzy from their lovemaking.
"Maybe we should just enjoy this."
"I am," he said, watching her hand make lazy patterns against his bare chest.
"No, I mean…maybe we got a break. We should embrace it and live the life we've got while we've got it. The life we want. See what it brings us." Bill watched her talk, letting her have her moment of revelation. He toyed with the strands of red hair now falling out of its updo. He tried to remember that he was a tired man with issues. Instead, he nuzzled his face into her sweet-smelling hair and felt content in a way he hadn't in ages.
"Yes. Together," he agreed.
...
Jail sucked. Saul Tigh had seen the inside of enough buildings designed for imprisonment to feel absolute confidence in knowing their unpleasantness was universal. This particular institution of incarceration located in Caprica City would have been alright all things considered, if not for the occupant in the cell next to him.
As a further insult, she wouldn't stop laughing.
Kara Thrace, knight of Galactica and chief hell-raiser in all of Caprica, had charmed a guard and her cell mates with irritating ease. She'd then produced a deck of cards from somewhere on her person and had them playing triad. Jail didn't bother Kara; she could have her fun wherever she found herself. The damn kid turned finding herself on the wrong side of the law into an art. It grated on Saul Tigh's nerves who thought the hot-headed knight needed several lessons in humility and deference. One of these days, Kara wouldn't be able to charm or fight her way out of the mess in which she found herself.
Also, Saul was usually the one throwing Kara behind iron bars.
Ignoring the spectacle that was Kara Thrace, Saul Tigh looked through the open doorway and waited for his best friend to come. With no high-risk prisoners to worry about, the door that separated the cells from the entryway remained open. A small building beside Carillon Castle, this jail usually only held jailbirds associated with the nobility. It saw no worse than silly lordlings who drank too much and then groped too much. Or idiot knights fighting in public.
This time, he and Kara were the idiot knights who'd made a scene. Luckily, his best friend's infamous leap in status, and the displayed Adama coat of arms he and Kara wore as members of his house, ensured that they were treated well until their leader came to the rescue. It was certainly the nicest incarceration Saul or Kara had endured after being arrested for drunk, stupid, and disorderly behavior.
He still didn't like Bill's new wife. He still hated jail.
Saul groaned and paced. The splitting headache he nursed was definitely souring his already iffy mood. Saul heaved a sigh of relief when he caught sight of Bill entering the building. If he were held in this jail much longer, the charges would increase to homicide of a one Kara Thrace. Would that be so bad? Saul frowned; he'd end up going to the not nice jail with far less accommodating guards. Might be worth it, Saul considered when a boisterous yelp let him know that Kara had won another round of triad.
The Commander exchanged quick words with the jailer, who stood straight with shoulders back. He seemed eager to assist, probably hoping that one day a lord or merchant might hire an eager to please man like him. Saul scoffed. Sure Bill had a soft spot for the young and eager to prove, Saul admitted, shooting a look over at Kara, but Bill spared little thought for ass-kissing over talent.
"These yours, m'lord?" The jailmaster asked, having led Bill back to the cells. The guard gestured to him and Kara. The young knight jumped to her feet and leaned casually against the bars.
"Yeah. They're mine." Bill's eyes flicked between the two of them, narrowing in disapproval. Fair, Saul admitted. Ultimately, their behavior reflected on him. Saul's stomach twisted, hating such moments when he let down his best friend. It happened too often, but Bill stuck by him and kept his sorry rear afloat.
"Hey boss!" Kara said with unashamed cheek.
Saul gave him a curt nod.
"They were involved in a fight, m'lord," the guard explained.
"Anyone hurt?"
"Just some bruises."
Bill nodded, probably thanking the gods despite not believing in them. "Can you release them to me?"
"Well...There was also some property damage."
So a few tables got flipped, Saul vaguely recalled as he folded his arms. He also distinctly remembered that it was Kara who'd done it. Right? Saul tried to remember, thinking there might have also been a broken window at some point. Either way, Bill gave them both the Adama glare, and fished out some coins from the bag tied at his belt. New wife has some perks, Saul grudgingly acknowledged. Money would never be an issue for Bill (or him) again.
He still didn't like the new wife.
Bill handed the coins to the guard.
"I need them out today. We're set to leave with the rest of court."
Shit, Saul cringed as he remembered what they were supposed to be doing this morning. The King was going on progress and leaving the Capitol but had decided to take his favorite plaything and members of her household along too.
"Riots getting' bad in the capitol. Isn't safe here," the guard said, pocketing the coins. The man opened the cell and allowed Saul and Kara to leave. Clanging the door closed, the guard continued talking, eager for gossip. "Heard the king was leavin', but it's good to know that you and the Lady Adama will be safe as well."
"Right," Bill said, offering no additional conversation. Instead, the Commander gestured for Saul and Kara to get moving. Both were smart enough to quickly obey, opting to not test anymore of Bill's patience.
"Troubling times these are," the guard said, as they left. "But you tell your wife that Caprica city gives you and her our best."
…
Bill, Saul, and Kara stepped into the courtyard of Carillon Castle where the whole court was preparing to depart. Lords and ladies mounted on their horses oversaw the last bit of preparation. Pages carried great traveling chests to their carts. Jewel boxes were held by the most trusted among them to be carried by hand. It was a mass of organized chaos. Saul, Bill, and Kara push through, and Saul felt a stab of guilt for making his best friend have to bust him out of jail at such a time. His pretty little wife couldn't have been happy at Bill needing to step away that morning.
The purpose of this trip was for the King and Queen to be away from Caprica City due to word of plague. The claimed to want to see the good people of Delphi and told everyone that it was a fine idea to show the visiting King Zarek such a splendid city.
That was all a lie.
Bill had seen how the guards around the castle had been doubled. There were even tasters for the food that the royals ate. Adar no longer trusted the people of Caprica City on whom he'd raised taxes while neglecting their safety. It all irked Bill more than a little; a thought shared by Saul who shook his head in disapproval. Of course the King was running away.
"You're lucky I need my best knights with me," Bill said as servants rushed past. Kara and Saul had the decency to look ashamed.
Bill finally strode over to where Laura waited on her grey horse, garbed in a fine green travelling cloak that was trimmed with silver fur. Her hair was styled under a jeweled cap with a feathered plume, which made her easy to spot. Too important to be given a task, she surveyed the great entourage forming in Carillon's courtyards.
Beside her waited Bill's mighty warhorse Viper, who could strike a man with his hind legs as fast as the snake for which he was named.
"Getting' along, sir?" Kara asked as she eyed the lady.
"That's none of your business," Bill said.
"Apparently so," Saul muttered, noticing the resplendent smile Laura gave Bill when she noticed him walking toward her through the crowds. She nodded at his two companions as Bill hoisted himself into Viper's saddle with ease.
A royal procession was designed to be a grandiose affair, reminding the people of the power a king held. There were hundreds of soldiers, most in either armor or livery. Grooms of the household rode with the loaded wagons, each one bearing the seal of its corresponding household. From the courtyards of Carillon Castle, through the streets of Caprica City, and into the surrounding countryside, the beating of drums let the entire area around them know the sovereign passed through.
Ahead of their main group marched an armed guard, a vanguard under the command of Commander Nagala. Next comes the Praetorian Guard lead by Commander Cain all of them sworn to defend the King at any cost. After this personal guard, the king and members of his household followed in safety and security.
Laura's smaller entourage came next. Bill rode by her side, teasing her about the surprising horsewoman she turned out to be. Her mare matched the spirited nature of her mistress, who wanted to dash ahead and gallop through the grass. As the journey continued the Adamas ended up arguing on whether or not private armies should be allowed. Directly behind them, rolling their eyes, rode Kara and Saul and then Dee and Elosha. The trusted ones were kept closest.
When guards started riding up along the column, speaking rapidly with the various men-at-arms, Bill's conversation ended. His keen eyes observed the increasing commotion. Robbers and highwaymen had become far too common on Caprica's roads now, but the king's progress had strength in numbers.
"My Lord," A younger soldier said, approaching Bill. He passed a note to the older man who quickly broke the king's seal and read the scrawled words.
"Word of a possible ambush," he muttered. "The king won't turn back."
"Bill?" Laura asked, watching him with wide eyes. He met her gaze for a moment seeing the concern in them. He silently communicated the urgency of the message he'd received, unhappy to be the one causing the flicker of fear in her eyes.
"Kara," Bill said, looking back at his best knight. He nodded toward his wife. Protect her. Kara saluted and touched her sword. His best fighter would do her duty.
He turned to Laura.
"As commander of the army, I'm taking command of the soldiers here. King's wishes. I have the most experience. Kara will stay with you."
"Oh my gods," Laura breathed and tried not to linger on the fact that he was unarmored. He carried his trusted sword at least.
"I have to go," he said. He pulled Viper closer to her mare, until he was able to reach over and kiss her passionately. Laura felt his reluctance to leave and knew he hated being ordered from her side.
"Stay safe," she pleaded when they broke apart. He nodded.
Urging his warhorse to break out of formation, Bill galloped to the front of the column where the bulk of the soldiers marched. Saul followed in his wake, their horses kicking up a cloud of dust.
It didn't take long for their fears to be confirmed when cries of ambush rose along the column. Soldiers broke off from the road and engaged in the enemy melting through the trunks of the surrounding trees.
"Ride, my lady," Kara yelled as she took place on Laura's right. "Ride forward and don't look back until we get to Delphi."
"Bill…"
"Can do his job because he knows I'll keep you safe, now GO!" Kara yelled and the woman urged their horses into a full gallop, following the other members of court fleeing onward.
…
Author's note: I stepped away from fanfic for a bit, needed a break, but we return with another chapter of the strange medieval fic! I hope that was as sappy, campy, tropey, and silly as I meant it to be.
Drop me a comment and let me know what you thought!