"In days of old, when knights were bold..." began a rather bawdy chant I learned as a child. But Knights were nothing to laugh or sneer at! They were a boyhood fantasy full of horses, battles, swords and courage. I suppose part of what I love about Marines is what I love about knights. I must admit that even as a lover of peace, I am strongly attracted to warriors.
This story is dedicated to the real Nicholas.
THE YOUNG KNIGHT by RimPig (c) 2003
Chapter V
When we awoke the sun had dropped and it was heading towards dusk. We heard knocking at the inner door to the sleep chamber. Nicholas grabbed one of the bed covers and wrapped it around his waist and opened the door and there stood Connor. He smiled at Nicholas and then, looking over Nicholas's shoulder he smiled at me.
"I figured you two would drop off to sleep. Traveling on the road is hard. I know, I've had to do a lot of it in my life on Gareth's behalf. That's why I haven't let anyone bother you. That, and I figured you might want some time alone together." He said grinning.
"Yes. That was very good of you, Connor." Nicholas said. "Robby and I discovered the miracle of the baths that Gareth invented."
Connor laughed.
"Very inviting aren't they! Actually, they are a design from old Rome which Gareth discovered. I spend as much time in them as I can. Anyway, I wanted to let you both know that dinner will be in the Duke's family quarters in two candlemarks. I will come and get you when it is time." Connor said.
"Thank you, Connor. I hope we have some time to spend with you. Both Robby and I have had no weapons training in a season because of my father's stupidity." Nicholas said.
"Well, then I will expect to see you soon on my weapons yard." Connor grinned. "You both can show me what your previous training has accomplished."
"We look forward to it!" I exclaimed, so happy that Nicholas and I could begin to train again.
I knew what the training meant to Nicholas, but it was very meaningful to me because without it, I would never be knighted. And I had to be a knight to serve my Duke! The Duke of my heart - Nicholas.
I also got out of bed but I didn't bother with the bedclothes. I was naked, but since Connor was a warrior, I knew he had seen his share of naked male flesh in his life. I stood next to Nicholas and put my arm around him.
"Thank you, Connor. You are a very considerate man. I'm sure that there is much that we both can learn from you." I said quietly.
Then Connor did something extraordinary, he bent over and gently kissed me on my cheek.
"You will make a great knight to serve your Duke, just as I have served mine all these years." Connor said.
I blushed at his words.
"Thank you. I always strive to." I said.
"And you always succeed." Nicholas said softly to me and, looping his arm around me, pulled me close and kissed me gently on the lips.
"I'll leave you two alone again, then!" Connor smiled. "Just remember - two candlemarks until dinner."
"We'll be ready." I said.
Connor withdrew and Nicholas closed the door but did not let go of me. He pulled me closer and slid his hands down me until he had grasped both cheeks of my buttocks.
"Your getting quite bold, my love, walking around naked in front of other knights. Are you attempting seduction of my Uncle's companion or merely attempting to make him jealous of what is mine?" Nicholas grinned as he kneaded my buttocks in his hands, allowing the bed covering to slip from his body and pressing his hard maleness against me.
"Neither! I just did not see a reason to be so modest with a man who knows our attachment to each other and who also has, no doubt, seen many males in such a state of undress." I said.
"I suppose you are right, however, did you happen to notice the condition that your appearance caused in him?" Nicholas asked, on eye-brow raised.
"No, my love, I did not." I said.
"I'm sure that my Uncle will bless you for making his companion so randy!" Nicholas laughed.
"You mean...?" I was flabbergasted!
"Yes, my little naked water-sprite, I do mean that his manhood certainly reacted at the sight of you!" Nicholas was grinning.
I flushed scarlet.
"Oh, Nicholas, I'm sorry! I did not mean to do that to him!" I said.
"I know you didn't, love. You are truly, in so many ways, still innocent. Especially of the reactions you cause in other males." Nicholas said softly as he nibbled at one of my ears and I was groaning at the touch.
"How about the reactions that one male causes in me!" I groaned as Nicholas continued to lick inside my ear while he slid his hand into the cleft of my buttocks and stroked my nether hole with his fingers.
"Well, my love, I suppose we could do something about those. I'm not exactly sure what we should do. Do you have any ideas?" Nicholas whispered in my ear.
"Yes! Breed me!" I all but shouted as the intensity of what I was feeling rose in my body.
I could feel my hard manhood trembling against Nicholas's stomach and leaking fluid all over both of us. I needed him so badly at that moment, the ferocity of the need fair took my breath away! Nicholas reached down and grabbed my legs and began lifting me up until my legs were wrapped around his waist with my arms wrapped around his neck. In this manner he carried me to the bed and lay me down on my back while he bent over me, my legs still wrapped around his haunches. He smiled down at me and then spat in his hand and spread the moisture at my nether hole. He spat again and this time moistened his hard manhood. He then put the head of his hard stalk at my hole and began to slowly press forward.
My body was used to Nicholas, having been bred so well and so often by him, that he slid inside of me almost effortlessly. I moaned at the feeling of being filled by his manhood and the intense experience of being one with him again. When he was fully seated inside me, Nicholas stopped and smiled down at me. I reached up and, running my fingers through his long, dark hair, I pulled him closer and raised up so that our lips could meet. Our mouths devoured one another as Nicholas began the rhythm, older than time, by which males bred their mates. Nicholas soon had me gasping for breath and on the edge of spending. He knew my body so well that he could do this without conscious effort or thought.
"Breed me, my love! Breed me harder, faster!" I begged and Nicholas, grinning down at me, complied.
He bred me hard and I soon knew that I was only moments from spending. I wanted him to spend with me but he seemed nowhere near to his time. I wanted to stop, to slow down, to wait for him but I could not! With a scream, my manhood spent my seed all over my body as Nicholas continued to ride me like a stallion rides a brood mare. I thought that once I spent, he would stop, or at least slow down, but he did not. He kept the pace, hard and fast, and, before long, my manhood had risen once again. Nicholas saw what was happening and grinned down at me, pride in his accomplishment showing.
Nicholas continued to breed me and before long, I again knew that I would spend. This time, however, I could feel that Nicholas would spend with me, if not before. His rhythm had increased and the power of his thrusts had as well. I knew that I was on the edge when suddenly, Nicholas reached down with one of his hands and grabbed hold of one of my teats and twisted it. The pain and pleasure that went through me was incredible! I screamed and began spending all over myself again. This sent Nicholas over the edge and I could feel his manhood swelling and trembling inside of me as he spent his seed in me.
Nicholas leaned over and began licking my body clean of all of my seed which I had spent across my belly and chest. His tongue felt somewhat rough against my skin and I suddenly had a vision of a mother cat cleaning her kittens. I giggled and Nicholas looked up, some of my white seed still hanging from his lips and chin. I smiled and he went back to what he was doing. Finally, Nicholas evidently judged me clean enough and rose above me and then lowered himself on top of me, taking possession of my mouth. As I had hoped, he had held some of my seed in his mouth and now shared it with me. I love the taste of my seed when it came from Nicholas's mouth, tasting of him as well.
He rolled off me and lay exhausted on his back. I moved over and put my head on his chest and his hand reached up and began playing in my hair.
"Will that assuage your hunger until, at least, after dinner?" Nicholas asked, a very satisfied smile on his face.
"Hmm. Yes, I think it will. Just until after dinner." I rose and grinned down at him.
"Oh...well then I'll guess I'll have to breed you on my uncle's dinner table. A bit awkward, what with his wife there and all, but there's no help for it." he sighed.
I poked him in the side with my finger and he jumped. This was the start to a mock battle on the bed as we each tried to wrestle the other to submission and more tickling. We were like two little boy, brothers, who refused to yield to one another until we were too exhausted to continue.
"Don't you think it's time we got dressed. I would imagine Connor will be here soon to fetch us." I said finally, having caught my breath.
"Yes, I suppose so. I'm so glad we aren't having a banquet! I would hate to have to face all of Gareth's knights in the weakened condition that you've left me!" he grinned.
I moved close to him and gently kissed his lips.
"I'm glad that I will be able to sit near you rather than halfway across the room. I'm too used to having you all to myself." I said softly.
"And I, you." he said as his hand slip up through the hair on the back of my head, pulling my face back to his and kissing me deeply.
We eventually got dressed and soon Connor arrived to take us to the Duke's apartments. The table was laid with fine linen and silver even though this was not a 'state' occasion. Gareth greeted both Nicholas and myself with an embrace and then presented us to his lady-wife. Evelyn was a dark-haired beauty who, even after twenty-eight summers and bearing four children for the Duke, was still youthful. She graciously greeted both of us and then introduced us to the Duke's four children.
The oldest was named Devon; a solemn, dark-haired lad of about eight summers gravely received both Nicholas and myself. It was obvious that he was being groomed to be the Duke's heir from the regal way in which he treated new visitors. The second son, just slightly younger than his older brother and named Brywn, had golden hair like his father's and a sunny disposition shown by a wide smile and the enthusiastic way he hugged both Nicholas and myself. The third son, no more than five summers old and named Brendan, was dark-haired like his mother and was shy and timid toward us until Nicholas picked him up in his arms and kissed his soft cheek. The boy broke out in giggles and hugged his arms around Nicholas's neck. With the child still in his arms, Nicholas introduced me. The child leaned over and kissed me on the cheek, never letting go of Nicholas. The youngest child was still a babe in the wet-nurses arms. This child was the only female, Veronica, a daughter who would one day break many male hearts if her endearing smile was any indication.
The wet nurse went to withdraw with the children so that we could have dinner but little Brendan, still in Nicholas's arms and his little arms still locked around Nicholas's neck, refused to be dislodged. The instant attraction to his knight-cousin astounded everyone.
"Let the boy stay if he wants, if you don't mind him, Nicholas?" Gareth said, looking at his son in Nicholas's arms.
"I don't mind in the least, uncle!" Nicholas said, kissing the boy on his cheek.
"I'm sure he'll be asleep in your arms before the soup is finished." Gareth laughed.
We all sat down at the table. Gareth at it's head and his wife to his right side and Connor to his left. I sat next to Connor and Nicholas; along with Brendan, who now sat happily on Nicholas's thigh, sat next to Evelyn. Gareth said 'grace' and then the servants began to bring in the food. Course after course arrived accompanied by some of the best wines I have ever had. I took only a small portion of each dish and still was so full I thought I would burst. Contrary to his father's prediction, Brendan stayed awake, seemingly entranced by Nicholas. The sight of them, both with dark hair and fine features was like father and son. It was an endearing sight as I watched Nicholas deal with the small boy in such a loving and patient way.
Brendan was full of questions about Nicholas and asked many questions about Nicholas's home. He was surprised to find that Nicholas's father was a Duke, just as his father was. This, somehow in the boy's mind, sealed the bond between them. For the rest of the time that we spent with Gareth, Brendan became our 'special companion' seeming to find Nicholas and I wherever we were for after that night, Brendan also seemingly became greatly attached to me as well. He seemed to delight in being in my arms almost as much as in Nicholas's. He especially seemed to love it when he could come to our rooms and lie on the bed between us. It seemed that Brendan wanted nothing more in the world than to be as close to Nicholas and I as he could possibly be.
I thought at first this arrangement might cause some consternation for his parents, especially Gareth, but seemingly it made the Duke inordinately pleased. I wondered at this until one day the four of us, Nicholas, Gareth, Connor and me, were in the Duke's study and the subject of Nicholas finding an heir came up again.
"That's not a problem, nephew! You already seem to have an heir." Gareth smiled.
Nicholas looked at him quizzically.
"What do you mean? What heir?" Nicholas asked.
"Why that little shadow that follows you and Robby everywhere, that would sleep in your bed if you'd allow it!" Gareth laughed.
"You mean Brendan? But Brendan is your son - not mine!" Nicholas exclaimed.
"That matters not at all! An heir does not have to be a child of your body only someone of blood tie. Brendan is your first cousin and therefore well suited to be your heir. Besides, there's nothing to inherit for him here. He is a third son. It is highly unlikely that he would ever become the Duke." Gareth said.
"Was this what you mean by having a plan of how to avoid having to marry, uncle?" Nicholas asked.
"Well, yes - in a way. I had originally thought of Brywn, since he is the second son and you know how second sons can be. Brywn, however, shows no interest whatever in becoming Duke. He'd much rather spend all his time with Connor and the guards training at becoming a knight. No, Brywn will make an excellent warrior for the Duchy. Brendan, on the other hand, has displayed such an affection toward you both, Nicholas! It is almost as if you were both his father. You both have, in fact, almost become his father except in name." Gareth smiled.
"It has never been our intention to steal your son from you!" I exclaimed, fear of Gareth's displeasure prompting me to speak.
"Calm yourself, Robby! I do not think that of either of you! Neither of you did anything to kindle they boy's love of you except to be yourselves. I am not jealous! I have enough children begging my attention. In fact, I can tell you that there will be yet another one. Evelyn told me this morning she is yet again with child!" Gareth smiled broadly.
"Congratulations, uncle!" Nicholas exclaimed.
"Yes, congratulations, my Lord!" I said.
"Thank you, Nicholas. And you, too, Robby. But it's Gareth, remember?" Gareth smiled at me.
"Yes, Gareth. I remember." I blushed.
"To tell you the truth, the relationship that you both have with Brendan has solved a much tougher problem for me than just his inheritance. I love him, don't get me wrong, but I have never been able to reach him - not like I can with his brothers. Somehow he has always held back from me - and from Connor. I believe he has much of his mother's sensitivity in him. Now, there's nothing wrong with that, but I didn't want him being a 'mother's boy', if you understand. He needs men in his life to help him become one. For better or worse, it seems that he had chosen the two of you to be the men who will instruct him in manhood." Gareth said.
"But I know nothing about raising a boy!" Nicholas insisted.
"Nor I!" I exclaimed.
"No man does until a boy comes along who needs raising. Despite that whoremonger you have as a father, Nicholas, you've turned out to be a very fine young man. Robby, I know your father to be a fine, honest and brave man. He was well-loved by my own father and is still well-loved by the High King. You have all the best qualities of him. I believe that between the two of you , you can help my son to be to be the kind of man that we all can be very proud of - not to mention a man worthy of inheriting your duchy, Nicholas. Quite a blessed outcome as far as I can see!" Gareth smiled.
Nicholas and I looked at each other, trying to figure out what the other was thinking.
"To tell the truth, Nicholas, I have to confess to infidelity to you." I said softly.
Nicholas stared at me and I could see anger rising in his face.
"I'm sorry, my love, it is true. I have desperately fallen in love with another man." I said, but how I kept a straight face though this, I had no idea.
"Who is this man!" Nicholas exclaimed, briefly away from complete anger.
"I have to confess, Nicholas, I have fallen in love with Brendan." I smiled.
It took a few moments for Nicholas to hear what I had said, but Connor and Gareth caught it immediately and began laughing uproariously. Nicholas finally realized what I had said and I fully expected him to hit me at the very least. Instead, he hung his head and blushed furiously at being caught out so easily.
"By God's beard, Robby! I would turn you over my knee and take the flat of my hand to your buttocks!" he grinned at me finally. "So what does this mean?"
"Nicholas, you love Brendan as much as I do! Tell me if we were able to have a son that you wouldn't be as happy as I would be for it to be Brendan? And it is clear that Brendan loves both of us. Methinks that your uncle has the right of it. Whether we sought this or not, clearly Brendan has chosen us. At first, I thought it was just because we were new to him, that his interest would diminish once the newness wore off us but that hasn't happened. The boy grows more attached to us each day. Gareth is right, if we allowed it he would move into our rooms with us and spend all of his time with the two of us." I said.
"Yes, this is true enough. I have grown to love him, too. But the idea that he would have us teach him how to be a man does frighten me somewhat." Nicholas said.
"So what frightens you, nephew?" Gareth asked.
"Well...one day he will learn about Robby and me. I don't know how to deal with it if he ended up hating us because of it." Nicholas said quietly.
There was profound silence in the room following Nicholas's statement. Connor, Gareth and I looked at each other. Finally Gareth broke the silence.
"I have the same concern, thrice over, Nicholas. I have three sons who may one day learn about Connor and me. I have thought a lot about this and I no longer fear this. Devon and Brywn both love Connor to distraction. They are both excited by his prowess with arms and it is he who trains them in swordsmanship. As they grow older, they will come to understand that Connor and I truly love each other. I am sure that Brendan will understand. In fact, of the three of them, I would say Brendan is the most likely to understand." Gareth said.
"What do you mean?" Nicholas asked. "Why is Brendan the most likely to understand."
Gareth and Connor looked at each other uncomfortably. Finally Connor faced Nicholas.
"We have some indication that Brendan may be like us." Connor said quietly.
"What indication?" I asked.
Gareth and Connor looked at each other again. The discomfort was palpable in the room.
"Please, tell us." Nicholas said quietly.
Gareth looked at Connor who nodded his head and then spoke to us.
"Last summer, I took the boys fishing one day in a nearby stream. The water was not deep and it was a very hot day. The place we were is sheltered and no one ever goes there. The boys started playing in the water and before I knew it, we had stopped fishing and were all splashing in the water. The boys decided to take off their clothes and play in the water naked. I saw no harm in it for surely we'd all done this as boys. The boys all begged me to join them so I disrobed as well. The two older ones took it in stride, having been in the barracks. The naked body of an adult man was of no curiosity to them. But for Brendan, this was a totally new experience. He seemingly could not take his eyes off my body. I thought it was best to let his curiosity run its course but later I noticed he continued to stare and his little prick was hard as he stared at mine. Later we were all sitting in the water and suddenly I felt his hand reach over and touch my manhood. I did not know what to say! I gently removed his hand and told him not to do that without his brothers hearing it. I suppose it was only curiosity, but his curiosity is far beyond what either of his brothers ever showed at his age. I cannot say for sure that he will eventually be attracted to other males, but I think there is a chance of it." Connor said.
"That is why his attachment to the two of you has made me so happy." Gareth said. "If he is to be like us, then growing up loving the two of you may help him to accept that part of himself more easily."
"I can understand." I said to Gareth. "It was very difficult for me to sort out my feelings but I had Nicholas's love and patience to help me."
I reached over and took Nicholas's hand in mine and, bringing it to my lips, I kissed it gently. Nicholas put his other arm around me and, pulling me to him, kissed me gently on the forehead.
"I only wish Brendan were here right now to see that." Gareth smiled at us. "I believe it is just your love for each other that will help him to be the man he is to be. Now, Nicholas, do you understand?"
"Yes, uncle. I understand. Truly I do love Brendan as if he were my son. I promise that Robby and I will do everything we can to bring him into manhood to be the best man that he can be. Yes, I would be pleased to make him my heir, uncle." Nicholas said. "That is, if I ever have a duchy to leave him."
"I think there is no fear of this. When you first came, I sent a message to the High King and my own king so that they will know that you are hear, visiting your mother's family. They are both intelligent enough to know that you are seeking sanctuary from you father here but it will not be spoken of. Instead, they will protect you from being stripped of your birthright." Gareth said.
"Are you sure? My father's anger can lead him to do all kinds of nasty things." Nicholas asked.
"Your father is, above all, a very greedy man. And like all greedy men, he doesn't like losing anything that belongs to him. Angering the High King by disinheriting you in favor of one of his bastards could well cause the High King to declare him outlaw and to take Baden from him. He would lose everything. I doubt he wants to risk that." Gareth said.
"What worries me is there has been no word from him, no orders to come home, nothing." Nicholas said.
"I'm sure by now that he knows where you are. He also knows that ordering you home would have no force within my duchy. Even appealing to my king would do him no good. I'm sure he's biding his time, trying to figure out what to do. Without you there, there is little chance of Essex allowing a betrothal to happen, no matter how desperate he is to marry off his daughter." Gareth said.
"There is also the truce to think of. Essex evidently broke off the invasion of Baden because of the impending betrothal. If I don't go back, then Essex will attack Baden and I could well lose the Duchy that way." Gareth said.
"No, I do not think that will happen. I have word that Essex has been informed by the High King that his duchy is quite large enough and should he attack Baden, he will in turn be attacked by the High King and several other duchies. His duchy will be split between them. Essex has completely backed off the idea of adding Baden to his holdings." Connor said.
"Couldn't that also be the reason that Nicholas's father won't dare to disinherit him? If the High King is prepared to protect Baden from Essex, then the Duke doesn't dare to anger the High King for fear that he would change his mind and help Essex instead?" I asked.
"Actually, there's no chance the High King would support Essex. This would cause too many problems with his other dukes and the lesser Kings. No, I think that the current situation will remain stable. You can remain here, your father can do nothing about it, he cannot disinherit you and he can't betroth you to Essex's daughter. Basically, Baden is protected but your father loses on every other front." Gareth said, grinning broadly.
"You really dislike the Duke, don't you?" I asked Gareth.
"You are being kind, Robby. I hate him with such hatred that, were he on fire, I would not release my body's water on him to put it out." Gareth said and I could hear the hatred in his quiet, deliberate statement.
I was somewhat stunned. I had never heard anyone express such hatred for anyone.
"Can I ask why?" I asked quietly.
Connor looked at Gareth and got the nod of Gareth's head to answer my question.
"As you know, Gareth's sister was Nicholas's mother. Prior to his mother's death, Nicholas's mother wrote a letter detailing the abuse that the Duke had heaped on her throughout their marriage. She smuggled the letter out of the castle and it arrived here. Then, within a few days, word came of her death. Gareth believes that the Duke is somehow responsible for her death. We cannot prove it or we would already have attacked Baden and killed him." Connor said, calmly but seriously.
I looked at Nicholas. He pulled me closer and kissed me gently on the cheek.
"Let if go, Robby. The pain of all this has done enough damage over the years. I don't know if my father did have anything to do with her death. I was too young to know anything. I don't want to think it of him but I have to admit that I do not believe it to be beyond the realm of possibility. Let's leave it though. It just causes to much pain to talk more on it." Nicholas said softly.
I nodded my ascent. I didn't want to cause anyone in that room pain. Nicholas was my love, and Connor and Gareth had become very dear to me.
"I'm sorry, Gareth. I did not mean to cause pain for you." I said quietly to Gareth.
Gareth gave me a small smile.
"You did not know, Robby. I do not hold it against you. Let's have some wine and talk of other things." Gareth said.
Connor went and got one of the servants who brought wine and the rest of the afternoon was spent in much calmer speech.
A few nights later, the discussion about Brendan had a rather unexpected consequence. Nicholas and I had gone to our room. I thought that we had bolted the inner door to our bedchamber but evidently we had not. As was common with us most night, we were making love to each other. I was on my stomach and Nicholas was breeding me. We were lost in the throws of sexual excitement when I suddenly noticed a small body standing next to the bed, staring at us with tremendous fear on his face. It was Brendan! I reached behind me and grabbed Nicholas's hips to stop his thrusting into me.
"Nicholas! We have company!" I moaned, looking at Brendan's face filled with fear.
Nicholas looked and saw Brendan standing there and groaned as he collapsed on my back.
"Brendan, what are you doing here?" Nicholas asked the boy.
His face crumbled and he began to cry. Nicholas's softening manhood slipped from my nether hole and I reached out for Brendan. I lifted him up on the bed with us and took him in my arms sitting him in my naked lap.
"Brendan, what's wrong, love?" I asked the sobbing boy, holding his head to my chest.
"Why...why...why was Nicholas hurting you?" he sobbed out.
I looked over at Nicholas who had moved until he was lying behind me, his body curled around mine as I held Brendan. We smiled at each other over poor little Brendan's idea of what he had seen and heard.
"Nicholas wasn't hurting me, Brendan. He was making me feel really good." I said gently.
Brendan looked at me suspiciously at first, trying to judge if my words were true after what he saw. Finally he calmed down enough to speak again.
"Truly? But it looked as if you were fighting!" he asked.
"Truly, Brendan. What Nicholas was doing he was doing because he cares about me." I said.
"Truly, Brendan! I would never do anything to hurt Robby! You know that!" Nicholas said, reaching over and stroking Brendan's hair.
He looked at both of us and saw us smiling at him and I imagine that was what convinced him that Nicholas and I were not fighting despite what it appeared to him. But he was not quite done with this issue.
"So what was Nicholas doing to you Robby?" he asked.
I looked at Nicholas in panic! How was I going to explain to little Brendan that Nicholas was breeding me! Nicholas came to my rescue.
"Brendan, when you are older, I will explain that to you. It is something that adults do, not little boys. Adults do it when they care very much about each other." Nicholas said.
"Do my father and Connor do it?" he asked. "I know my father loves Connor very much."
I heard Nicholas groan at this so I answered for him.
"They could, Brendan, I don't really know because this is something that you do in complete privacy. It is not for anyone else to know about. Do you understand?" I asked him.
"I'm not supposed to tell anybody about this?" he asked.
"That's exactly right. You must swear not to tell anybody about what you saw us doing." Nicholas said very seriously to Brendan.
"Oh, I swear! I won't tell anyone!" Brendan exclaimed.
"Not anyone. Not your brothers, your nurse, your mother, your father or Connor - no one. Do you swear?" Nicholas asked again.
"Oh, yes, Nicholas! I swear!" Brendan swore as seriously as a five-year-old could.
"What are you doing here, anyway?" I asked him. "Why aren't you in the nursery?"
"My brothers were making fun of me again. I can't do the things that they do so they say things that hurt me." Brendan said, his eyes welling up with tears.
"But why come here, Brendan? Why not your mother or your father?" Nicholas asked.
"Mom would just send me back to nurse who won't do anything to stop them. I don't go to father. I don't think he likes me very much." Brendan hung his head and said this last barely above a whisper.
"Brendan! That's not true!" I said. "Why just the other day Nicholas and I were having a talk with him and Connor and your father told us that he was afraid you didn't like him very much! Your father loves you, Brendan."
"But he always spends more time with Devon and Brywn! They are always doing things together!" he exclaimed.
"Those same things that you don't do very well?" Nicholas asked him gently.
"Yes, most of the time. I came because I knew you wouldn't laugh at me or make fun of me." he said, looking at both of us.
"Of course we won't! But you can't stay here. No one knows where you are and it would worry your parents and your nurse when they find you gone." I said.
"Please don't send me back. Let me sleep here with you! I don't take up much room!" he begged.
"Well..." I said, looking at Nicholas. "What do you say?"
"I say that one of us goes and gets one of the guards to go tell Gareth that Brendan is spending the night with us." Nicholas smiled at the small boy who beamed at him.
"Yes, and let me guess who that is going to be!" I said.
"Well, we can't both go. Someone has to stay here with Brendan." Nicholas said, trying to sound innocent.
"All right! I'll be right back." I slipped out of bed and Brendan giggled.
"What's the matter?" I asked, turning back to him.
"You are naked!" Brendan giggled.
"Yes and so is Nicholas. That is how we sleep." I said.
"Can I sleep naked, too? Please!" he begged Nicholas in who's arms he was now.
"If you want to, it's all right with us." Nicholas said, smiling at me.
I put on a long robe of Nicholas's and went out into the corridor. It took me no time to find one of the guards who, instead of taking the message to Gareth, took me to the Duke instead. He was sitting up in his bed, reading by candle and Connor was sitting at a desk writing when I was admitted to the Duke's bedchamber.
"Robby, what's wrong?" Gareth asked and Connor looked up, concern written all over his face.
"Nothing is wrong. It's just that Brendan has snuck into our room and wants to sleep with us and Nicholas and I decided to let you know before we let him." I said.
"What is he doing in your rooms?" Connor asked.
"His brothers were, according to Brendan, not being very nice to him so he came to find us." I said.
"Yes, I know. Sometimes Devon and Brywn can be real little devils. I've told them not to do this but it's hard to keep them from it. Well, I told you both that he thinks of you as his protectors. If he wants to sleep there, I have no objection." Gareth smiled.
"Well...there's a little more to this. You see...ahh...Brendan snuck into our room before we knew he was there and ...ahh...he saw us making love." I said.
"Oh, my heaven!" Gareth exclaimed and started laughing. Connor joined him.
"No! Please. It really upset him. He saw Nicholas breeding me and we had a devil of a time convincing him that Nicholas and I were not fighting and that Nicholas wasn't hurting me." I explained.
"So what did you tell him you were doing?" Connor asked, almost unable to contain his mirth.
"We told him it was something that adults who cared a lot about each other did." I told him.
"That's a very good explanation." Gareth said.
"He then asked if you and Connor did it." I said and watched the uncomfortable looks go between Gareth and Connor.
"What did you tell him?" Connor asked, no longer mirthful.
"I told him that we had no way to know since this was something that was done in complete privacy and was not be to viewed or known by anyone else. He seemed to accept that." I said.
I could hear both Gareth and Connor breath a sigh of relief. We all three looked at each other and suddenly we were all three laughing!
"I'll go back to bed now, with your leave." I said, bowing to Gareth and Connor.
"Yes, go on to bed. I will try to make sure that there are no more late night visits from the nursery." Gareth said.
"Oh, I wish you wouldn't do that. Nicholas and I love having him with us. We can find other times to make love. So, if you don't mind..." I said.
"I understand." Gareth said. "I will let the nurse know that he is permitted to spend the night in your rooms if he wishes."
Gareth grinned at me and I left. When I got back to the room, Brendan was naked and lying in Nicholas's arms who was waiting for me.
"What took so long?" Nicholas asked.
"The guard took me to Gareth. I told him what happened. Everything that happened. He feels we handled it very well and has granted his son permission to spend the night with us - and any other night that we allow, but he has to ask first, not just sneak in." This last I directed at Brendan.
"I won't! I'll ask from now on." Brendan said.
I undressed again and told Brendan to get in my arms. His little naked body spooned to the front of me as Nicholas's warm nakedness spooned to my back, his arm around both me and Brendan. Nicholas kissed the back of my shoulder and gently stroked Brendan's hair. He was already asleep!
"I guess we have a son." Nicholas whispered to me.
"Yes, it certainly looks that way. He is a dear little boy." I said.
"Yes, and I swear his life is going to be happier than mine was." Nicholas said.
"With both of us to love him, how could it not be." I said.
"I love you, Robby." he said, kissing my shoulder again.
"And I love you, Nicholas, so very much!"
And with this, Nicholas drew Brendan and me closer and we all went to sleep.
The End of Chapter V of THE YOUNG KNIGHT
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