Chapter 89

Suddenly, she released and Frang felt her spasms clenching his cock in a liquid embrace, exquisite in her softness. He thought to warn her of his own impending release, realized she could not become more pregnant than she was and laughing, felt his cock throb within her as his orgasm struck and his milky cream shot into her beautiful body. Her clenching muscles sought to draw all of his essence deep inside her core.

"Are you laughing at me, Frang? Do you find our coupling funny, Lord Cameron?"

Even through her indignation, her sheath clasped at his cock, draining him.

"Nay, love. I'm not laughing at you," Frang said.

"Why do you laugh then?"

"I thought to warn you of my imminent climax so you could remove yourself from my cock in order to avoid pregnancy, my love, then realized that cow has already left the barn." Frang laughed again, hearty, happy peals of laughter.

Isobel realized what he was saying and started to laugh with him, her laughter causing further convulsions on his cock; such a pleasing squeeze on his shaft he wanted to make her laugh again.

He waited until his prick was shrinking and it began to leave her body before asking if she could release his arms and legs.

"While I've enjoyed the novelty of coupling this way, my arms and legs become tired of remaining so long in the same position. However, should you need the comfort provided by my bonds to ease your fear again tomorrow morning, leave them attached to the bedposts so you can secure me again. I will happily submit to you as long as you need it to overcome your dread of me."

"We'll see," Isobel said, starting to untie her knots. "Since I was able to enjoy my husband without pain or discomfort, perhaps I won't need to tie you down next time."

"As long as you need, Isobel. Our agreement holds. It doesn't change because you found a way through your fear this time. I am your servant, at your beck and call. I shall not push for more than you can give."

Isobel finished releasing him and he turned to face her. He kissed her forehead, her eyebrows, her eyelids, her nose, and finally her lips. Even in that, he demanded nothing. He did not force her lips apart so he could invade her mouth with his tongue, merely soft gentle kisses telling her without words of his love. Feeling for the first time in years the comfort and love of a good man, she snuggled into his arms and fell into a dreamless sleep without any of her normal tension. Frang gathered her in his arms felt her relax into sleep, her breathing soft on his chest. He kissed her on the top of her head and joined her in sleep.

There was a knock on Stuart's and Ailene's door around 10 PM. Stuart got up to answer while Ailene pulled the covers over herself. Stuart wrapped a cloth around his waist, knotting it before answering the door.

"Why are you bothering us so late?"

"Lord Cameron, the perimeter guards found someone coming to the Keep; a woman. I believe you and Lady Cameron should come. She's gravely injured."

"Who is it?"

"We believe it's the maid, Màiri, who's been missing."

"Màiri!" Said Ailene from the bed.

"You believe it is, why don't you know?" Stuart asked.

"She's been horribly disfigured, my Lord and she's unconscious and cannot speak. To tell the truth Lord, tis hard to be sure it's even a woman. Both of her breasts have been removed."

Ailene's hand went over her mouth. "Oh, no," she whispered. "Pray it's not so."

"Has Lord Thorburn been notified?"

"Aye, Lord. He's dressing now."

"We'll be down shortly, as soon as we're dressed."

"The Lady may want to bring what medicines she can. I've never seen anything so bad. Most of the men saw her, lost their suppers. Please hurry." He rushed off.

Stuart closed the door. Ailene was out of the bed in an instant, throwing on a thick night dress and a robe. She grabbed some bandages she'd been rolling earlier, her most common salves and creams which she kept handy for cuts and burns. She told Stuart to wake the cook and have water heated and to have the woman brought into the kitchen with as many candles and lamps as could be found. Stuart nodded and left as soon as he had some clothes on, breeches and shirt, going barefoot to do her bidding. Ailene grabbed what she could and ran down the stairs, seeking the kitchen to see if hot water might be available and expecting her patient to be brought there shortly.

There was a pot of water near the fire, but it sounded like she might need more. The cook arrived first and put more water on the fire. Not long afterwards, Stuart and a bevy of servants started bringing in lamps and candles. Ailene directed them to be lit and placed around a large table which she was clearing. She sent one of the maids to grab bed linens, as many as possible, to place on the table to make the hard surface more comfortable.

Thorburn came walking into the kitchen with a limp scrap of a girl cradled in his arms. There were tears in his eyes. Ailene had never seen him cry before. She had Thorburn hold her until the bedding was placed on the table, then he set her on the table, as gentle as a feather. Ailene looked at her face and gasped. Never had she seen such a conglomeration of cuts and burns on a face before. She was wrapped in a guard's cloak. Ailene pulled the cloak carefully back and immediately upon seeing the poor girl's body, bent over beside the table and heaved up her last meal. As soon as she had no more to come up, she wiped her lips off and turned back to the poor unfortunate soul lying on the table.

"Clear the room except for those holding lights and the cook, Thorburn. No one else should have to see this."

Thorburn gave the order and even he looked green and he'd been on multiple battlefields. Most of those holding the lights were turned away and she heard a few more vomiting.

Ailene took stock of the damage. The person was missing several fingers and toes, which looked to have been cauterized after with open flames. The skin looked black and crusted around the places missing digits. Her other fingers were malformed and misshapen, having been broken and never set. The guard had been right. The breasts had been removed and flesh seared with red hot metal to stem the bleeding. There were burn marks all over her body. One eye was missing, gouged or burned out from appearances. A knee and a shoulder looked dislocated, most of the other joints appeared swollen. Some of the teeth had been roughly pulled out, the tip of her nose was missing. Whip marks crisscrossed the body where she wasn't burned, some of which had horribly torn the skin. It looked as though she'd been raped with a rough object, as she couldn't imagine a body part to have left this kind of damage behind. Her palms and knees were abraded and bleeding as if she'd crawled across rocks. Never had Ailene seen a human body subjected to such abuse. Pigs and cows in the slaughtering pens looked better. Who could possibly have treated another human in such a way?

She took the water from the fire and slowly started washing away the dirt and blood.

"Who found her?" Thorburn asked.

"I did, Lord Thorburn, about a mile from the Keep," a guard without a cloak said. "I saw something white in the shadows and looked to see what it was and I found her like this, naked and bleeding. I brought her back immediately."

"Has anyone else been sent out to replace you?" Thorburn said, concerned it might be a distraction preparatory to an attack.

"Yes, Lord. The Captain of the Guard immediately sent out five more replacements and he put more people on the wall as well."

Satisfied they wouldn't be surprised, Thorburn asked, "Did she speak at all?"

"She was asleep or unconscious when I found her. I shook her shoulder to waken her and she immediately started hitting and kicking at me, saying not a word. I told her she needn't fear, she was on Cameron land and would be protected. She quit fighting and croaked, 'Take me to the Keep,' then passed out again. She hasn't spoken another word."

"Can you help her, Ailene?" Stuart inquired.

"It's a wonder she's not dead," Ailene said. "I've never seen worse injuries before. Every inch of her has been harmed or damaged in some way. Whether I can do anything is unknown. Only God may be able to help her now. I'll do the best I can."

"Is it Màiri?" Stuart asked.

"I'm not sure. She's the right height and apparent hair color; but even her hair is dirty and bloody. She's so horribly disfigured, I cannot say."