Sacrificial White Wives Club
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The Sacrificial Boy : Chapter 6 free porn video
Sliding into the barrel of water, Aislin closed her eyes, letting its
warmth soothe her tired muscles. Since Macha moved into the cottage, she
hadn't had a real soak, a habit picked up from her mother. Normally,
today wouldn't have been any different, but her grandmother and her
apprentice were busy in the village.
With Aislin exhausted from being up most of the night making medicines,
she had been ordered to stay at home. With the illness spreading
throughout the village, once Aislin returned from her lunch at the
castle, she would be needed in the evening but only if fully rested.
Since fretting about it served no purpose, Aislin sat back and enjoyed
the warmth of the water. More importantly, she hoped it would remove the
smell of the swamp. Unfortunately, the poor outer-dress worn yesterday,
now soaking in a tub next to her, probably wouldn't be so lucky. None of
those outfits had any business being near a swamp, and if she continued
to dress as a girl, she needed to take care of her clothes better.
"Continue to dress as a girl," Aislin mumbled.
Looking down at her body, what did others actually see? A girl, dressed
in boy's clothes or a boy dressed in girl's clothes. Admittedly, she
rather enjoyed the feeling of the silks and cottons on her skin. But it
was more than that; she didn't want to go back wearing her old clothes.
Was it wrong that she preferred her mother's clothes?
Although raised a boy, part of her looking like a boy, did that ever
really make her a boy? Could she go back to the way things were before,
and did she really want to?
Unfortunately, as a male, her prospects were slim. Sons traditionally
learned their father's trade. The miller's son became a miller. The
wheelwright's son became a wheelwright. Remaining sons would work for
the oldest brother or become apprentices themselves.
Fatherless, a master would have to be willing to take her into their
family. Plenty of second and third sons, boys her own age have been made
apprentices but no one seemed interested in her.
Did becoming one of the gentry change those prospects? Without
patronage, joining a noble household would be impossible. Other
positions such as Bailiff, Seneschal and Constable, always fell to the
oldest son. Joining the King's service as a Knight or officer, a popular
place for second and third sons of the gentry, with her body was out of
the question.
Slipping deeper into the water, Aislin concluded the dream of becoming a
member of her mother's relative's household seemed just as unlikely. The
Merchants she knew, all had a hard life, travelling over dangerous
roads, moving heavy and bulky goods.
"Continue to dress as a girl," she mumbled once again.
Would remaining a woman make her life easier? Funny thing, for one who
supposedly was raised as a boy, why did she have the skills needed to
make a proper household. She could cook, clean and mend clothes as well
as her grandmother. But whether a noblewoman or commoner, she could
never really be a proper wife.
Both Miles and Nevan and for that matter, any male, would desire
something that physically for her was impossible. No matter how much she
entertained feelings for both Knights, she couldn't give them what they
desired most, heirs.
Thinking about Macha, the young woman grabbed her chest, plunging her
head into the water. Wise Women didn't marry and if things were
different, she would have been happy to be Macha's companion for life.
However, the half person she was now, Aislin couldn't inflict that on
Macha. Was it fair to her grandmother's apprentice, that the person she
wanted most wasn't a real man? Aislin had no prospects, no hope of them
either. How would she provide for the two of them, could she even give
her a child. Knowing enough about her body, Aislin knew it would never
happen.
Would it have been too much to ask the gods to have made her a complete
person? All Aislin could see before her was unhappiness. Perhaps it
would be better for everyone, if she just disappeared in the swamp.
Shooting out of the barrel, gasping for air, the raven-haired woman
stared at her wrists. Fine scars could be seen, only visible now because
of the warm water. No, she refused to think such thoughts again, a
promise from two years ago, she made to herself.
When Rowena fled, after discovering that the boy she planned to run away
with had breasts, Aislin decided that life wasn't worth living. Later in
the day, while lying in a pool of her own blood, Aislin looked up to
discover her grandmother had returned from a healing earlier than
planned.
She could still remember the look of anguish in her grandmother's face,
making her realize what her death would have done to those that cared
for her. Unwilling to inflict such pain again, Aislin promised to accept
all the trials set out before her.
"Aislin," a male voice called out, making her squeak in fright.
Leaping half way out of the water, when the cold air brushed against her
nipples, Aislin squeaked again. Plunging back into the warm water, she
covered her breasts with her hands before calling out testily. "Nevan."
There he stood on the other side of the cottage, his mouth open wide in
shock. She had purposely set up the barrel of water in the back of
house, under the impression that with all that was going on she might
have some privacy. Obviously, she was wrong.
++++++++++
Sir Nevan spun around, his face flushed with embarrassment. However, the
view of the young woman as she came out of the water, made whatever
punishment he was going to receive worth it. It also settled some
confusing questions.
When Miles declared that he planned to bed the young man, Nevan knew it
would be best if he talked to Constable Sinclair first. The young
Knight, unaware of any laws or customs concerning Wise Women relatives
that might cause problems, thought it would be better to ask before
Miles made a fool of himself. What came as a surprise, the Constable
informed Sir Nevan of a standing from his father about Aislin.
When Nevan explained the situation, the old man thought at first that
Miles intended on taking Aislin as a squire. When informed otherwise,
Constable Sinclair became confused. The older man had expected the boy
to be a giant of a man taking after his father not small in stature like
his mother.
"Make sure Sir Miles doesn't harm the boy. You may punish Aislin if he
causes problems, doubtful though as he always sounded like a smart lad.
Either way I'll have to report this to your father."
After seeing Aislin in the Solar, garbed in all her finery, Sir Nevan
thought the Constable must be confused. The next morning, Sir Nevan met
with Constable Sinclair once more. This time, he insisted on meeting the
young lad who obviously was dressing as a woman.
Riding from the castle, as the pair came into view, the Constable
reigned in his mount. "While I be...Aislin's a spitting image of..."
Suddenly the old man started to laugh. "That old fox. Seems I owe you an
apology Sir Nevan. Her father has outsmarted us again, even from the
grave."
"I don't understand?"
"Doesn't matter, just confirms what I heard but didn't think was true;
should have known better." The older man watched as Sir Nevan looked at
Aislin fondly.
"You plan on courting her?"
"I believe so."
The Constable nodded. "Fine looking women, you father isn't going to be
pleased. Get your mother on your side first, but lad don't expect your
father to be happy."
"Is there something I should know about Aislin?"
"Not my place to tell you; talk to your father when he returns. Still,
you have good taste; by the gods of battle, what a fine looking woman."
Sir Nevan agreed.
++++++++++
"I'm sorry Aislin; I didn't know you were back there." The young man
tried to apologize but the wide grins, and soft laughter of his men-at-
arms didn't help. Nevan did note, those men were wise enough to hide
letting him take the full brunt of Milady's wrath.
"Obviously, I was under the impression that Miles wasn't going to send a
carriage until much later."
"We have a situation up at the castle," Sir Nevan said, starting to turn
around but stopped himself.
"The fever?" Aislin silently cursed. If it had already spread to the
castle, the chances of it being the common summer aliment seemed slim.
"Yes, although I have had it twice, along with the armsmen I brought
with me. So we should be safe enough."
"I'm not positive it's the same illness, Nevan." The raven-haired woman
leaned forward frowning. With Mistress Olina, the Court Healer
travelling with Sir Nevan's parents, someone needed to go to the Keep.
"Sir Miles is sick as well."
Aislin grumbled, of course he was. "Let me get dressed."
"I brought you a horse."
"Oh joy," she said. Her bottom hadn't recovered from yesterday's ride.
"Nevan."
"Yes Milady."
"I need to get dressed."
"Yes." The young Knight had not moved, not realizing what she was
saying.
She sighed. "That means I need my privacy, take yourself and your
snickering companions to the front room. I will be with you in a few
minutes."
More laughter burst from the other side of the cottage, as the young
Knight with a half-smile on his lips, ordered his men to make a hasty
retreat.
Entering the front room, in a time that surprised most of the men,
Aislin set her grandmother's bag across her shoulders. She had pondered
for a few minutes what to garb herself in. Obviously, with most of her
mother's clothes, she needed Macha's help to get dressed; however, one
outfit in particular caught her eye.
She discovered an all-white outer-dress, belted and pulled over a kirtle
but missing the usual tight lacing of a corset, which allowed it to be
slipped on easily. Made from the same luxurious fabrics as her other
clothes, the simple design allowed it to be worn comfortably on
campaign.
Thinking back, Aislin should have realized its significance in the
trunk. If you included the white tabard, with silver trim adorned with a
golden sunburst on the chest, a gold medallion and silver chain belt of
office then you would have the complete attire of a King's Healer. With
the tabard and chain missing, and her mother's medallion hidden, Aislin
hoped no one would recognize the dress.
After wrapping a heavy grey cloak around her body, with Nevan's
assistance, she mounted the horse. Hooking her right leg around the
pommel of the saddle, Aislin flattened out the skirt. "Before we go, I
need to speak to my grandmother."
A short distance later, she dismounted, meeting Ina at the front door of
the village headman's cottage.
"Aislin, do you think that outfit's wise?"
"No." She smiled and leaned forward. "The fever has reached the castle."
"So I gathered."
Ina noted, her grandchild had quite the escort. Sir Nevan's presence had
not gone unnoticed. Before Lord Kelvin's son made himself known to the
villagers at most once a year; now with interested in Aislin, his
appearance was becoming fairly common.
"You will be tired later, let Sir Nevan find you a place to sleep
tonight in the Keep."
"Why?"
"It will be safer." Ina sighed. Unfortunately, her granddaughter needed
protection from more than just the illness. Rowena's mother hadn't
stopped causing problems for her in the village, spiteful woman.
"Has...?" Aislin caught her breath. The Summer Fever rarely killed anyone,
only those already sick or the very old.
"No but it's only a matter of time. Everyone we thought we healed falls
ill again the next day."
Aislin looked at her grandmother for a second, and then reached up with
two hands cupping her face. "Let me look at your eyes."
Ina tried to turn away; she was thrilled and sad how perceptive the
child had become.
"You have it." Stunned, the young woman dropped her hands. A Wise Woman
getting ill was almost unheard of. Almost she thought to herself,
remembering her mother.
"Gran, you know this is not the Summer Fever."
"Yes, I know. At this point, all we can do child is make people
comfortable and let the malady run its course. However, with the way
things are now, the entire village will be sick in the next few days."
"How is Macha?" Aislin looked around, hoping to catch a view of her
grandmother's apprentice.
"She is busy working, like you should be." Ina knew if she told her
grandchild that Macha fell ill, she would insist on staying.
"Tell her..."
"I know child, now be off. They need you up at the castle."
Before Aislin left, she found the headman's wife standing at the front
door of the cottage. After viewing Sir Nevan and his man of arms, the
woman curtseyed. "Milady Aislin."
Feeling uncomfortable at the display, she asked. "How is Rowena?"
"I'm afraid she is not feeling well, Milady." Seara said, without
sounding too worried about the health of her daughter.
"If she is sick, let me..."
"Thank you Milady, I will pass a message on to her about your concern.
I'm sure you have much more pressing things to do today."
Aislin wanted to protest but also didn't want to cause any problems.
Hugging her grandmother, she walked back to her patiently waiting
escort. Mounting once more, she whispered. "May the gods protect you
all."
++++++++++
Aislin stood over the ill Knight, touching his face with her hands.
After entering the Keep, she had quickly taken control, much to Sir
Nevan's delight. The illness had started in the barracks the day before
but had already spread to the servant quarters by day's end. When the
sun came up this morning, half of the Keep had come down with the fever.
Withdrawing her hands from the Knight's face, Aislin frowned with
concern; no wonder her grandmother and apprentice had insisted that the
illness was the Summer Fever. Through her healing senses, she could feel
its familiarity but also its differences.
"Aislin, why are you here?"
The young woman smiled as Miles opened his eyes. "So, you don't get
sick?"
The Knight grumbled. "Not often...sorry."
"For what?"
"Getting sick."
Aislin smiled. "If you get better, I'll forgive you."
Mistress Gillian, ordered to help Aislin, had watched the gentlewoman
with interest. Twenty years ago, a wife of a soldier on campaign, she
had spent most of her time assisting the Kings Healers.
At first, she didn't understand why the young woman, who Sir Nevan had
been courting, had been summoned to heal the sick members of the Castle.
However, as Milady Aislin entering the Great Hall, dressed in white with
a healer's bag across her shoulder; the older women felt a sense of
relief.
Thinking the young woman too young to be a King's Healer, she watched
Milady Aislin as she worked. By the time she entered the sick Knight's
room, Gillian had no doubts about the woman's identity. What she didn't
understand, why didn't Sir Nevan inform the castle that Milady Aislin
was actually one of the King's Healers?
Not that she ever understood the motives of nobility; they were all a
little daft. If Milady Aislin didn't wish the honors, then it was not
the business of a servant to point it out. Mentioning it in passing to
one of the other women, Gillian realized the news quickly spread
throughout the castle. It seemed to have a positive effect. Milady
Aislin definitely had more people now willing to help than she knew what
to do with.
"Gillian, can you take me to Mistress Olina's workroom." Aislin was
surprised that a small army of woman followed her, all under the
supervision of the older servant. From her questions she knew why,
Mistress Gillian had some experience with the healing arts.
"Yes Milady, you wish to see what other herbs and medicines Mistress
Olina might be storing."
"Exactly, although by the symptoms, the illness appears to be the Summer
Fever but from what I see now, it's some malady we haven't encountered
before." Reaching for her healer's bag, Aislin realized another servant
picked it up to carry. After thanking the woman, she began to follow
Mistress Gillian into the hallway.
After walking up and down several flights of stairs already, she was all
too happy to discover the workshop close. Hopefully, Court Healer's
didn't take all of her supplies on her travels, she thought to herself
as they reached their destination. Opening the door, Aislin immediately
became envious of Mistress Olina.
Scattered around the room were books on medicinal plants, a small table
with rare herbs sitting in small pots and on the far wall a shelf
covered with all kinds of dried plants. As Aislin walked around the
room, she wondered if her grandmother had all of these plants and herbs
readily available when she was a Court Healer.
"Gillian, you seem to know a little about the healing arts."
"Yes Milady."
"Good, if we can get more help, I would like to start making poultices."
After giving instructions on the brewing of herbal tea for Sir Miles,
Aislin headed towards the wall to start inventorying the plants. Seeing
the number and variety, the young woman could tell that it was going to
be a long day.
++++++++++
Passing through another small village, the wagon had already traveled
two days from the Keep. At this pace, the five men who made up the
detachment noted by week's end, they should be able to deliver the black
stone to the Duke's men in Wrixton. The only issue that the drivers and
escorts noticed was that all of their animals appeared to be more
skittish than usual.
"Liam, you don't look well, are you sick?" One of the escorts eyed the
senior driver of the wagon.
"Don't know." Wiping off his face, he turned to the man next him. "Dust
thou mind if I lay down in the back for a while."
After the second driver made the switch, he called back to his friend.
"What's that noise?"
"You heard it too? Thought it was just me."
"It's a buzzing noise right, could it be something wrong with the cart?"
One of the mounted men-at-arms moved his horse closer with an actual
thought of joining the driver in the back of the wagon. Like Liam, he
hadn't felt quite right since the morning either.
"We should reach the town of Kilrush by this evening. We will have the
cart checked out before we leave on the morrow." Sergeant Aed, the
leader of the group and the last of three riders escorting the monolith
couldn't make out the noise but believed the men. Although the
detachment had made good time so far, it appeared that they were going
to be delayed especially if they had to find a healer.
++++++++++
Sir Nevan entered the Great Hall, not at all surprised to find Aislin
asleep at one of the tables, a half-eaten plate of food in front of her.
According to the Bailiff, she had visited every sick member of the Keep
today.
"Mistress Gillian, has a room been made ready for Milady Aislin?"
"Yes, your lordship," she whispered.
"I'm awake." Aislin looked up and smiled at the young Knight. Reaching
for a bit of bread, she stuffed it into her mouth. She wished she could
have done more for those she met today. Although now much more
comfortable, those struck with the strange malady were still very ill.
Everyone greeted her warmly but the Constable's reaction to her presence
had been rather odd. At first nervous, thinking he knew her true gender,
she found found the older man to be quite charming. Aislin could tell he
also wanted to speak to her at length without the other present but knew
it would have to wait until the illness abated.
"Enough for one day." Sir Nevan looked at her with concern. "From what I
have been told, you have instructed the servants to make enough medicine
for most of the Keep."
"It's not enough, the medicines only help with the symptoms. I need to
discover its true cause." Aislin knew her grandmother and Macha should
have been able to battle the illness, if the illness came just from the
body alone. Spending time with enough of those ill, the young healer had
a feeling that the malady affected more than just the body with a small
part of her even questioning if it was truly an illness.
Rubbing her eyes, she stood up. "Nevan, I've been sitting here,
thinking. I would like to try one more healing. Everyone else seems to
be feeling somewhat better, but Miles refuses to do so."
"He's a pretty stubborn man." Nevan grimaced following Aislin and a
number of servants into the other Knight's chamber.
The young man lying on the bed looked deathly ill. The young Knight had
been concerned about his cousin from the very beginning. The day before
Miles had been riding around with Aislin in the swamp, today he lay
dying.
Aislin moved by Sir Miles bedside, gently taking a hold of his hand. She
would need to do more than just strengthen his body. Something told her
if she failed, the illness would spread unchecked throughout the
Kingdom.
Hundreds of years ago, an illness named the Dearg Bas, the Pox had
spread across most of the known lands, killing noble and commoner alike.
Aislin decided her problems now seemed so small compared to Sir Miles,
who lay before her at death's door.
Praying to the gods to grant her strength, Aislin reached out not to
heal the body but the spirit.
++++++++++
Sergeant Aed left the healer's cottage, motioning his men to follow him.
Reluctantly he had left Liam in her care, as it appeared the driver had
come down with the Summer Fever.
"You don't seem all that well either, Sergeant," Drust commented as the
group made its way back towards the inn.
"What manner of dark sorcery have you placed inside my stable?" The
owner of the inn accosted them as soon as they came through the door.
"What nonsense is this?" Sergeant Aed looked to the others, who looked
just as confused.
When the innkeeper wouldn't back down, the Sergeant started marching
towards the stable. "Fine, then show me the problem."
Steeping out the backdoor, Drust recognized the unnatural sound coming
from the stable. "Strange...the carts not moving. Why the noise?"
"I agree; the buzzing sound is even louder than before."
"Before, so you knew about this?" Reaching for the stable door, the
innkeeper said, "I've half a mind to kick all of you out this night.
Whatever you have placed in there is disturbing my other guests as
well."
"Stop..." Sergeant Aed finally realized what had been making the noise but
it was too late as the stable door disintegrated in the innkeeper's
hands.
As a fierce wind consumed the stable, large fragments of wood scattered
in every direction sparing neither man nor beast. Growing stronger, the
cyclone continued to expand its destruction, finally encompassing the
entire town.
When the winds subsided, a creature of nightmares crawled out of the
gore-covered ruins. If anyone had lived through its birth, they would
have seen a shadowy creature, cat like in form with a long tail and bat
like wings on its back silently taking flight. As the creature climbed
higher in the night's sky, it circled the remains of the town of
Kilrush, before finally turning in the direction of Lord Kelvin's lands.
Mckenna
- 14.11.2022
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