Pillaging Elinor's Castle [Elinor's Stronghold 1] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour)

Elinor's Stronghold 1

Pillaging Elinor’s Castle

Lady Elinor's father and two brothers are killed in battle, and Lord Rhys loses his demesne. To protect her people Elinor decides she will marry Lord Rhys, but only if he agrees the Captain of the Guard, Hammond, will share their bed and the decision making from now on. They agree and seal their contract in blood. Rhys and his people move into the stronghold.

After the wedding they begin to plan for how to survive the attack that will inevitably come. The stronghold is a wealthy one, and many will consider it an easy target with its lord and his sons dead. They also have to blend the two households together and prepare for the coming winter. At night Hammond and Rhys work hard in bed, learning to share Elinor, finding out what pleases her best, and arousing each other to new heights along the way.

Note: This book contains double vaginal penetration.

Genre:
Historical, Ménage a Trois/Quatre
Length:
20,359 words
 

Elinor’s Stronghold 1

Berengaria Brown

MENAGE AMOUR

Siren Publishing, Inc.

www.SirenPublishing.com

ABOUT THE E-BOOK YOU HAVE PURCHASED:
Your non-refundable purchase of this e-book allows you to only ONE LEGAL copy for your own personal reading on your own personal computer or device.
You do not have resell or distribution rights without the prior written permission of both the publisher and the copyright owner of this book.
This book cannot be copied in any format, sold, or otherwise transferred from your computer to another through upload to a file sharing peer to peer program, for free or for a fee, or as a prize in any contest. Such action is illegal and in violation of the U.S. Copyright Law. Distribution of this e-book, in whole or in part, online, offline, in print or in any way or any other method currently known or yet to be invented, is forbidden. If you do not want this book anymore, you must delete it from your computer.

WARNING: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000.

If you find a Siren-BookStrand e-book being sold or shared illegally, please let us know at

[email protected]

IMPRINT: Ménage Amour

PILLAGING ELINOR’S CASTLE

Copyright © 2012 by Berengaria Brown

E-book ISBN:
978-1-61926-638-4

First E-book Publication: June 2012

Cover design by Jinger Heaston

All cover art and logo copyright © 2012 by Siren Publishing, Inc.

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED:
This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission.

All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.

PUBLISHER

Siren Publishing, Inc.

www.SirenPublishing.com

Letter to Readers

Dear Readers,

If you have purchased this copy of
Pillaging Elinor’s Castle
by Berengaria Brown from BookStrand.com or its official distributors, thank you. Also, thank you for not sharing your copy of this book.

Regarding E-book Piracy

This book is copyrighted intellectual property. No other individual or group has resale rights, auction rights, membership rights, sharing rights, or any kind of rights to sell or to give away a copy of this book.

The author and the publisher work very hard to bring our paying readers high-quality reading entertainment.

This is Berengaria Brown’s livelihood. It’s fair and simple. Please respect Ms. Brown’s right to earn a living from her work.

Amanda Hilton, Publisher

www.SirenPublishing.com

www.BookStrand.com

For Mary Stewart whose Arthurian stories set the standard for all who followed her in medieval fantasies.

AUTHOR’S NOTE

Although this story is set in a medieval-type environment, it is not true historical fiction, and the land and time where the story takes place exists only in the pages of this series.

Elinor’s Stronghold 1

BERENGARIA BROWN

Copyright © 2012

Elinor paced slowly across the width of the great hall of her father’s castle. Well, her castle now, she supposed. At least until the first party of knights with a capable leader came along and took it from her.

Whatever had possessed her father and two brothers to go fight another man’s battle? And lose their lives?

Elinor had never held a very high opinion of her father’s ability to think clearly, but his right arm had been bolted on most excellently, and as a fighter, he was nigh invincible. Until now, it appeared.

God’s blood, what am I going to do?

Her father’s Captain of the Guard—her Captain of the Guard now—Hammond, remained standing before her, awaiting her response. She looked directly into his face. His eyes looked very tired, with black circles under them, and he was streaked with dirt and dried blood. She’d noticed that he was limping as he’d entered the great hall, so she knew he’d been hurt. It seemed the battle they’d lost had been hard fought indeed.

Critically, she assessed his body. He was a big man, tall, with broad shoulders and the heavy muscles of a man who served as a knight all the time, not just when required to by his liege lord. Except he hadn’t been knighted. He remained a Captain of the Guard only. Over the years, she’d considered his bed-worthiness, and her cunt had creamed for him, longing for that huge cock she saw clearly outlined through his tight woolen breeches, to be inside her. But as the only living daughter of Lord Huart, her duty was to marry, as a virgin, to ensure her father’s lands and wealth increased. So fucking a Captain of the Guard, no matter how handsome, was not possible until after she’d given her husband at least one son, preferably two.

But now matters had changed. In one lost battle, her father and two brothers were dead, and her castle poorly defended. Hammond had said three of the guards were also dead, and a fourth had lost a hand. Even if he lived, which was not very likely, he would never fight again. The remaining six guards were bringing all the bodies back to her now.

Elinor counted quickly. Six guards left, plus Hammond, plus the five who’d stayed behind to guard the castle, was a round dozen. Barely enough to protect the castle and all her people. Certainly not enough to fight off any knights errant or masterless men determined to take the castle. And they would come. Her father’s lands were well cared for, their crops plentiful, the people strong and healthy, and the river never ran dry in summer.

God, help me. What can I do?

Wait.

Her father and Lord Rhys had lost the battle. So Rhys was now landless, the victor taking control of his demesne. But still a knight. A man she could marry. In the past, her father had often considered marrying her to Lord Rhys, but he had no castle, and Lord Huart had determined to find her a wealthier, more powerful lord. Now the situation had suddenly changed, and perchance he still had some fighting men left…

“Hammond, Lord Rhys survived, did he not?”

“Yes, Lady Elinor. But he did not hide from the heat of the battle. He fought well and bravely from—”

“Yes, yes, I don’t doubt his courage. How many men has he remaining to him?”

Hammond’s mouth moved silently as he counted. “I think ten, lady, but two were sore wounded and may not survive.”

“Ah. Thank you. Go and have your wounds tended, then eat. Tell the maids I said you were to have whatever aid and service you request. When the bodies of my father, brothers, and the slain guards arrive, they will lie in state in this hall for a full day and night. Lord Rhys and all his men, and any of his people who so desire, and all the people from the valley, are to attend the funeral of Lord Huart and his two sons, Walter and Roderick,” Elinor announced in a loud voice that carried the length of the hall.

Her heart was breaking at the thought. Her father and both her brothers dead. Her entire family taken from her in one day. But she refused to cry. She would not give in. It was up to her to care for all her father’s people. She would cry later. When she was alone. Right now she had to be the Lady of the Stronghold.

She knew most of the servants would have their ears pressed to the walls to listen to what was happening. She needed Rhys and his remaining men to come and join her here. Only then would she have enough soldiers to protect her own people. Any of his servants and womenfolk were welcome, too, as the extra men would not be happy without their own families.

After my father and brothers are properly buried, the priest can marry me to Lord Rhys. But he must understand I’ll be fucking Hammond as well. I may have to sacrifice myself for the safety of my people, but I’ll be ensuring there’s pleasure in it for me as well.

“Byram?”

“Yes, Lady Elinor.”

The steward appeared silently beside her. As she’d guessed, he’d been within earshot the entire time, very likely surrounded by most of the other servants.

“Please send a messenger to Lord Rhys, saying he and his men, and any others of his people who so desire, are welcome to attend the funeral of Lord Huart. The messenger is also to say I wish to speak to Lord Rhys personally after the burials have concluded. Other messengers are to go to all the nobles in the valley telling them of my father’s death and funeral.”

“Yes, my lady.”

“Tell the cooks that the most expensive spices and most tender cuts of meat are to be used to prepare our dinner the day after tomorrow, and the best mead is to be ready when Lord Rhys arrives. Then send Father Augustus to me.”

Byram nodded, bowed, and left. Elinor went through the curtain at the end of the great hall, and up the private stone steps, built into the thick castle wall, to her solar. She needed to sort through her clothing for funeral garments and for a wedding dress. She also needed peace and silence to decide how she was going to tell both Rhys and Hammond of her plans. She was determined to have them both, but their agreement and cooperation was also essential. And she needed privacy to weep for her father and brothers, her family, lost to her forever now.

* * * *

In the end, Elinor decided to wear her Court Gown for both her father’s and brothers’ funeral, and for her wedding. It was the most expensive, luxurious gown she owned, heavily embroidered in gold thread, and the wool so beautifully woven it was completely smooth and soft. It was a fitting memorial to her family and would be a fitting link between her past and her future.

The great hall was crammed with people. The crowds were pressed so tightly together that Father Augustus had to stand on a bench to be visible to those toward the rear of the room.