Soul Searching (Chapter 18)

[Stelio Kontos]

Oh yeah!  Didn't you know?

I knew.
It was the United States government that brainwashed me when I made that post.

[Mandie]

WARNING:  PG 13 situations ahead.  

   The sun was shining brightly when she finally woke.  A heavy weight lay across her stomach, and it took a moment to remember where she was.  Her husband lay beside her, his arm holding her against his body.  A large lump nestled between her buttocks, and she was afraid to consider what it was.  Wanting desperately to escape, she started to lift his arm, only to have him groan and stir.  She froze, not wanting to wake him.  He let out a small snort, then started to nuzzle her neck.  Tingles ran down her spine, and the place between her legs began to get wet.  Leaping out of bed, she wrapped herself in the blanket and glared angrily at her sleepy husband.

   He had been having a marvelous dream.  In fact, his erection still lingered in his drawers as he stared in confusion at his wife.  She seemed angry for some reason, but before he could discuss it with her, someone rapped at the door.  A masculine voice floated through the heavy wood, “I hate to interrupt your morning, John, but we must leave for home soon.”  Sighing, John turned toward his seething bride.
   “I’m afraid my brother is right.  We must get going.”  Mary nodded regally, inwardly hating the idea of climbing back on a horse, especially after last night.  At least she had no packing to do.  All of her new clothes were already on their way to her new home, being sent out first thing this morning.  Picking up the new riding dress, the only thing that had been left behind, Mary slipped behind the screen to dress.
   When she finally emerged, she found herself alone in the room.  Glancing around, she realized that there was nothing left to do but leave.  Walking out of the room and down the stairs, Mary found her family saying goodbye to John’s family.  Silent tears trickled down her cheeks as she too said goodbye to her family.  As the group walked out of the house, John took her hand in his, trying to tell her that everything would be okay.  He lifted her onto her horse as Robert helped his mother.  Then the men mounted up, and the small caravan left the estate.  Mary looked back and lifted her hand as a farewell.

   John found himself riding next to his wife, trying to learn more about her.  She conducted herself in an intelligent and ladylike manner, and he was proud that she was his wife.  He could easily picture her as chatelaine of his home, and the thought made him grin.  He told her all about himself, his likes and dislikes, and even his hopes and dreams.  She reciprocated, and he was able to learn much about her.  The more he learned, the more pleased he grew.  He was almost able to forget that he had not wanted this marriage to happen.  As she spoke, almost shyly, John found himself feeling guilty about the way he’d taken her virginity.  He vowed that next time he made love to her, she would experience the pleasure as well.

   The leisurely ride next to her husband was priceless to Mary.  She loved hearing about his life, and the deep timber of his voice sent delightful shivers down her spine.  Sharing her own life with him was much easier than she thought it would be.  They had much in common, and Mary felt that she could easily fall in love with this man.  She was pleased with the idea of spending her life with him, except for that one thing.  Oh, if only mating wasn’t so painful!
   The party stopped briefly for lunch.  Both women were starting to get uncomfortable, and they took the time to walk a bit, talking with each other.  Mary was beginning to like all of her new family, and they liked her as well.  Everyone agreed that Mary and John were perfect for each other.  After they had eaten, the group got back on their horses, much to Mary’s consternation.  She was never going to heal from these last couple of days.  They rode through the afternoon, stopping only when necessary.  Finally, they entered the Blake’s estate.  John excitedly grabbed Mary’s hand as they entered the large gates that surrounded the village.  “We’re home, my love!”  Her eyes darted toward him, unable to believe her ears.  He smiled at her, knowing that he meant every word.

   The villagers lined the street, shouting and waving as the group passed by.  Mary was a little overwhelmed, as her father’s estate was much smaller.  Refusing to show her fears, she smiled and waved back to everyone.  It would certainly take a while to get used to this.  John watched his wife with pride, pleased at her composure.
   Finally, they reached the main house, a gargantuan stone building that housed the Baron, the Baroness, and their family.  For the next month, Mary would learn her duties from her new mother.  Once she was comfortable with her place as chatelaine, the title would be passed down and the elder Blakes would move into a much smaller house just off the main house.

   Young stableboys surrounded the party, leading the tired hoses into the stable as each person dismounted.  Then, Mary was led inside.  The large entryway was open and airy.  A massive formal stone staircase led upstairs to the bedrooms.  While most of the family had their quarters on the East Wing, John and Mary would have their privacy in the West Wing.  She wondered briefly if they would share a room like her parents did, or whether they would follow protocol and have adjoining rooms.
   As she was led up the staircase, and down the hall, Mary tried to memorize the paths that they took.  It would be a while before she remembered her way around these hallways.  John led her into a large room.  A massive bed took up almost half of the room.  On the other side sat a large wardrobe and a screen, presumably hiding a tub.  An older woman was bustling around the wardrobe, putting away the rest of Mary’s clothing.  Closing the doors, she curtseyed and left the newlyweds alone.
   As soon as they were alone, John took her into his arms, unable to keep his hands off his bride any longer.  Running his hands down her side, he reached her buttocks and gently squeezed the round mounds.  The same shivery feeling she had begun to experience the night before and this morning returned, but Mary was still frightened of the pain she knew was going to come.
   Angling his head, he lightly kissed her red pouty lips, reveling in her sweet taste.  Running his hand back up her side, he gently kneaded her breast.  She moaned, her senses whirling.  Backing her up until her knees hit the bed, John then lifted her into air and placed her on the soft mattress.  He climbed up next to her, and continued the gentle assault on her senses.  His kisses made her temperature rise, and she found herself panting as he touched her body.

   As his hand stroked her cheek, ran down her aching breast, and stopped on her heated feminine mound, heat furled in the bottom of her belly and her hips automatically arched.  He slowly released the buttons of her riding dress, kissing the skin he revealed.  Soon, she was left in only her undergarments but hotter than she had ever been before.  Her embarrassment was gone, and she reached for him, longing to touch him as well.  He stood, and shed his clothes.  Mary watched, her mouth watering as he revealed his golden body.  Crisp black hairs ran in a line pointing the way to his hardening shaft.  Blushing, Mary brought her eyes back to his face, only to find him grinning at her.  He got back on the bed, and quickly divested her of her remaining clothes.
   As he revealed her rose tipped breasts, he couldn’t stop himself from taking one of the stiff nipples in his mouth.  She bucked her hips and mewled, damp heat pooling in between her legs.  As he moved his body between her legs, he could smell her desire.  He longed to taste her sweet honey, but knew that she would not be ready for that yet.

   Taking her lips with his, he pushed a finger into her body, pleased with the vast amount of moisture he found.  Her eyes met his, and she bit her lip, preparing herself for the pain.  Removing his hand, he pushed his pulsating organ into her moist cavity.  To Mary’s surprise, there was no pain, just a feeling of being filled.  As he thrust his hips in and out, she actually began to feel pleasure.  This is why people did this!  Why hadn’t the nuns told them of this?  Then all thoughts fled as John reached between their bodies to touch her hard little nub.  She gasped as stars exploded behind her eyes and she was pushed over the peak.  The clenching of her inner muscles milked John’s member until he too climaxed, spurting his seed into her womb.  
   Little did they know, as they fell asleep in each other’s arms, that this night would change their lives.

[oddball011]

woah.
hmm change their lives eh? I BET SHE IS PREGNANT! maybe

[Mandie]

The next month was a busy time for the two of them.  Mary spent her days learning how to take care of the house and village, while John spent his with his father.  Their nights were spent together, pleasing each other in new ways and old.  Finally the day came when the title was passed down.  The entire village celebrated, and the party lasted for almost a week.  When the hype finally died down, the elder Blakes moved out of the main house.

   Mary fell into her place easily, and happily worked hard at being the new Baroness.  Two weeks later, Robert came home with a wife.  To everyone’s complete surprise, and consternation, he had married Sally, John’s former mistress.  The entire house was in an uproar, until Mary stepped in.  Robert had the right to get married, as he wasn’t promised to anyone else.  Why should everyone be so upset that he had found his true love?  John was astounded by Mary’s graciousness, especially considering who she was.  To everyone’s great surprise, the two women became fast friends, sharing in the household duties.

   About a month later, the two of them were doing their personal laundry.  Sally was washing her monthly cloths in the scrubbing pan.  Mary realized that she had not had her monthly since she had arrived.  Excitedly, she waited until John came home to tell him the good news.  They were going to be parents.  Happiness spread throughout the village as everyone found out the happy news.
   As her belly grew, so did her husband’s love for her.  He would happily rub her sore muscles, and would talk to his unborn child.  Mary laughed at his eagerness, but had to admit she was excited too.  Mary’s family came often, particularly her mother and sister, visiting for a few days each month.  Everything was going well.

   On All Hallow’s Eve, the men rode off in search of a wolf that had been terrorizing the village.  Sally and Mary had been told to stay inside, as the pagan celebration was not something ladies involved themselves in.  The two women sat at the heavy kitchen table, crushing herbs in order to make soap.  The house was quiet, the servants were all celebrating with their families, and John’s parents had left for the day visiting a very sick friend.
   “I...I think I may be pregnant.”  Sally’s announcement took Mary off guard.  She looked up to see the pure joy shining from her friend’s eyes.

   “Oh Sally!  How wonderful!”  Laying her hand over the other woman’s, she squeezed gently.  “Our children can grow up together!  Does Robert know?”
   “No, not yet.  I wanted to be sure before telling him, but I just had to tell someone.”  Sally smiled and lay her hand on her still flat tummy.
   “Well, I won’t say anything until you are ready.” Mary’s smile disappeared as a sharp pain rippled through the lower part of her back, rolling around to her front.  “No!”  Mary’s wail filled the empty kitchen as she realized what was happening.
   Sally looked up, startled and unsure of what was going on.  “Is everything all right, Mary?  What’s wrong?”
   One word.  One word changed the atmosphere from worry to dread.  One word that would change the family forever.  “Baby!”

   In a flurry of activity, Sally bustled Mary up to bed.  Racing back downstairs, she looked into the herbarium.  What could she use to stop the baby from coming?  Wringing her hands, she wished she had paid more attention to what herb did what.  In pure desperation, she mixed together Angelica leaves, which was supposed to cure all sorts of illnesses, Chamomile leaves, which helps settle the nerves, and Cloves, which are painkillers.
   By the time that Sally returned to the room, Mary was out of her mind with pain.  Beads of sweat dotted her forehead, and she screamed each time the pain gripped her.  Sally tried in vain to get her to drink some of the tea.  Tears running down her cheeks, she wished that someone would return home who knew more than she did.  Using cool compresses, she tried to make Mary as comfortable as she could.  She was becoming desperately afraid that if anyone did arrive, it would be too late.

[oddball011]

haha cant get nothin past me lol nice job!

[Mandie]

Earlier that same morning, much earlier, Rebecca sat up in bed.  Something was going to happen.  A feeling of dread filled the girl’s heart.  Sometimes she had these feelings, and usually they were right.  No one knew about them but the family, in fear that Rebecca would be labeled a witch.  She concentrated on her feeling for a moment, trying to feel where it was coming from.  Her eyes flew open, and she bolted out of bed, racing to her parent’s room.  “Mother!”  The harsh whisper floated over the sleeping couple, waking the older woman.  Blinking sleepily, she looked at her daughter.  “Mary needs us.  Please, Mama, we need to go to Mary.”

   Long ago, Sarah had learned to listen to Rebecca’s feelings.  Although it might not be proper to go out on All Hallow’s Eve, she had no doubt that her older daughter would need her this day.  Waking her husband, she requested a small contingency of soldiers be made ready.  The two women quickly dressed and packed a few items and left the house.  By the time that Sally was desperate for help, they were just outside the village gates.

   *          *          *
   Sally sat beside the bed, tears running down her cheeks as she watched her dear friend going through so much pain.  Downstairs, the front door opened, and the Marbourne women entered the house.  Mary’s scream echoed through the entryway, and the two of them dropped their things on the floor and raced up to Mary’s room.  Sarah’s eyes took in the situation in moments.
   “Aniseed oil might calm the cramps.”  Sally looked up in gratitude.  Running from the room, she found the vial of oil sitting on a shelf in the herbarium.  Grabbing it, she rushed back to the room to find the other women holding Mary down as yet another pain ripped through her.
   Sally massaged the oil into the hardened belly, hoping that she had done it in time.  Unfortunately, Mary was too far gone, and the next contraction broke her bag of waters.  “It is too late.”  Sarah’s voice was filled with sorrow.  “We must deliver the baby, and hope God sees fit to save them both.”
   Throughout the morning and into the afternoon, Mary’s labor continued.  Finally, with a groan, her small stillborn son was delivered into the world.  Sarah sadly handed the small body to Sally, who went to wash him off.  The elder Blakes returned home only to find sadness and devastation.  Charlotte took over the care of her grandson, while Baron John sent his men out to find his son.  The small body was dressed carefully in his father’s christening gown, and laid in a small box on the floor of the dining room.  A priest would be called to bless the body, and then he would be laid to rest in the family crypt.

   John was found fairly quickly, and he raced home, unaware of the death of his son.  His thoughts and prayers were with his wife.  “Oh God, not Mary!  Don’t take my Mary!”  The prayerful mantra ran through his head over and over until he was finally by her side.  He knelt next to the woman that he loved, tears in his eyes.  “Oh Mary!  I am so sorry I wasn’t here for you!”  Her took her pale limp hand in his and brought it to his trembling lips.
   A powerful fever came over Mary, weakening her body.  All she wanted to do was follow her son into eternal sleep.  The only thing that was holding her back was the need to talk with her husband.  Day turned into night, and Mary had still not regained consciousness.
   John was left alone with his wife, the others giving them their privacy.  He bent low over the bed, praying that she would waken, that everything would be all right.  A small groan got his attention, and he looked up to see Mary looking back at him.

   “Oh my Love!  I love you so.”  He had tears in his eyes as he gently caressed her lips with his.  “I’m glad you are awake.”
   “Not for long now.”  She whispered, realizing the truth of the matter.
   “Hush, now!”  Please don’t say that!”  He couldn’t picture his life without her.  Surely she wouldn’t leave him alone!
   Mary smiled wanly at her husband.  “We were meant to be together you know.”  Her voice was weak and scratchy.
   “Hush, Love.  Save your strength.”  A tear rolled from John’s eye.  He couldn’t stand the idea of losing her.  Only together could they overcome the death of their son.
   She shook her head.  “Not much time left, now.”  She took his chin and made him look at her.  “I will find you.  Sometime, in another life perhaps, I will find you.”  She sighed.  The weight on her chest seemed to grow ever heavier.  The pain was almost unbearable, and Mary wanted to embrace oblivion.  Darkness invaded her sight, and she knew that the end had come.  “I...will find . . . you . . . ”  The whisper was barely audible as the life left her body.
   John sobbed over his wife’s body.  “I’ll wait for you, my love.  No matter how long it takes.  I’ll wait.”  As Sarah tried to pry him away, he couldn’t seem to let go.  
   “Come now, John.  It’s over now.”  His mother-in-law had tears in her eyes as well.  She couldn’t believe her eldest daughter was gone.  She led him away, taking him to another bedroom.  She left him to his mourning, sobbing away on his pillow.  Rolling her sleeves up, she walked back into the sickroom, trying to prepare herself for the task ahead.  Rebecca was already in there, standing by her sister’s head.  “This is not the place for you, young lady.”
   “Now, Mama,”  The girl sighed, “No one else loved her the way that I did.  This is my way to say goodbye.  Please let me stay.”  As usual, her daughter made sense.  Sally quietly lay her hand on Sarah’s arm.  The three of them reverently prepared the body for burial, tears flowing freely down their faces.  

   The night was long, but morning finally arrived.  John stood in the cold air, watching as the coffins of his wife and son were laid to rest in the family crypt.  He felt as if his life had ended.  No happiness, no warmth.  Only darkness and cold.  His hands clenched into fists.  How could he have let this happen?  How could they be gone?  The son he would never know, and the wife he could never forget.
   Rebecca gently laid her hand on his arm.  “From now on, the eldest daughter in our family will be named Mary Elizabeth.  She will never be forgotten.”  He smiled down at her, touched by the effort on her part.  Mary would be remembered until the end of time.  
   When the crypt had been closed, John allowed himself to be led away.  His own family followed, trying to lend their strength, but he could not bring himself to care.  He closed himself in his study, and sat alone in the dark with only his thoughts as companions.
   As the day faded, Robert finally approached the study, unable to let John be alone any longer.  “I’m sorry I couldn’t do more for you, Brother.”  He sat in a chair in front of the desk.  He had never seen John like this.  He seemed like a shell of the vibrant man he knew.
   “I’m leaving tonight.”  John finally looked up.  Robert nodded, he had almost been expecting this.  “I go to help King Henry fight.  There is much unrest between him and his brother.  I don’t think I will return from this.”
   Robert swallowed, an odd ache in his throat at the thought of his brother dead somewhere.  “I will not let you be forgotten.  Every eldest son in our family will be named John William.  Your memory will live on.”
   John smiled sadly.  “Maybe my namesake and Mary’s will meet again one day.”  He stood and clasped arms with his brother.  Then he turned and walked out of the room.  After packing a saddlebag, he left the house.  It wasn’t his home, not anymore.  His home, his heart, lay in a darkened crypt.  Well, he would be joining her soon enough.

   February 1, 1101: King Henry’s brother, Robert, attacks, hoping to steal the crown.  After the ferocious battle, many lay dead on either side.  One of those bodies, lying on the battlefield, had an oddly peaceful expression on his face.  As if he had finally found his way home.

[oddball011]

omg. please update!!!

[dangermouse]

Oh no! You can't leave it like this

[Mandie]

Don't worry, this was only part one.  

[oddball011]

hmmm *thinks about what will happen next*
please update!

[Elven_Song]

Wow! Awesome story Mandie... I must read more! I recently studied the middle ages and so forth in school so I'm still quite fascinated with stories in this time period. Keep going! ^^

I love what she thinks during their second meeting in bed:

Why hadn’t the nuns told them of this?

xD

[Jagerjaques]

Aw, man, you made me tear up!  Awesome story!

[pinkpsyche]

It's so sad but happy at the same time... I love your story! I just found it two days ago and I love your story telling! Thank you so much.... :-)

[Mandie]

April 15, 2100: A soft green light filled the sleeping pod.  A gentle feminine voice filtered through the speakers, “Sleep time has ended.  Please exit the capsule now.”  With a click and a hiss, the pod opened, and Mael opened her eyes to face the new day.

   Yawning, she ambled across the buttery soft carpet to the sonic shower room.  Stretching, she stepped onto the soft pads and pushed a button.  The blue rays zipped and tingled across her skin, slowly waking her up.  Padding back across her bedroom, she slipped on her enviro-suit and mentally programmed a clinging halter top and a short skirt.  Opening her closet, she bit her finger while trying to decide what shoes to wear.  Finally she decided on a pair of six inch stilettos, and slipped them on her feet.  Smiling, she left the room, prepared for the new day.


   The long line of cubicles seemed to rattle with all the snoring coming from them.  A piercing alarm went off ion one of them, unheard by the other sleepers.  Jowil snorted as she rolled over, smashing his head against the wall as he searched for the button to turn off the noise drilling through his head.  Groaning, he wiggled out of his assigned cubicle, grousing about the size of his sleeping chamber.  A man of his size just doesn’t fit in those tiny boxes.

   Yawning widely, he ambled across the cold wooden floor and stumbled into the shower room.  The construction camp was woefully behind the times, and all the men still had to wash with water.  Jowil was the only one who really didn’t mind, though.  He enjoyed the sting of the hot water hitting his skin.  Finishing his shower, he dried off then pulled on his government-issued enviro-suit.  Definitely not top of the line, it only had a few items of clothing to choose from.  Ah, well, it covered the body.  Jowil didn’t care much about clothes anyway.  He mentally programed his typical shirt and jeans, then laced up his work boots.  Grabbing his head gear, he clomped out of the room, ready to begin his day.


   Mael stopped by the kitchen table, popping a grape into her mouth.  Smiling, she watched her mother bustling around the kitchen preparing breakfast.  “You are so old fashioned, Mom,” she chided lovingly, “Why won’t you use the replicator I had installed?”
   “Now Mael, you know I believe that meals prepared with love just taste better.”  The older woman shrugged.  “I’m just used to doing it this way.”
   Mael sighed.  She didn’t know why she still tried.  Her mother was stuck back in the twenty-first century.  Slipping onto a silver barstool, she watched her mother with a wry expression.

   “I’ve been thinking about Mary Elizabeth this morning.”  Mael had heard stories about her namesake since she was tiny.  Maybe it was because they shared a birthday as well as a name, but Mael had always felt a strange sort of kinship toward the medieval woman.  Somehow, she knew what she thought, how she had felt.  “You know how she and John were soul mates,” her mother continued, “And I’ve always felt her soul was out there looking for his.  That feeling lessened somewhat the day you were born, but has increased in the past week.  Maybe it’s just because it’s your birthday.  It’s as if some tremendous event is on the cusp of happening.”  Mael stayed silent.  She had been having the same feelings, and it was a little disturbing to hear someone else had been feeling it too.  Something big was definitely in the wind.

   Jowil glared at the replicator in the large cafeteria.  “Coffee,” he repeated slowly for the tenth time.  If the order didn’t go through this time, he would be held responsible for his actions.
   “Processing . . . processing . . . unable to process order, please repeat.”  Growling, Jowil kicked the infernal machine.  This new version of the replicator had been giving him problems ever since it had arrived.  Why couldn’t he go back in time to a place where people didn’t rely on machines?  That feminine voice drove him nuts every morning.  It was as if she enjoyed taunting him.  It was definitely a voice he couldn’t forget.

   “Coffee!”  He roared.  This time the order went through, and he gave it one last glare as he took his hot coffee to a table.  Plunking down into one of the chairs, he swallowed a mouthful of the hot black liquid.  Lately, he’d been feeling antsy, unable to concentrate on anything.  It was probably a good thing his job didn’t take many brain cells to do.  For some reason, John William was on his mind.  The man had always seemed more like a friend than a long dead namesake.  Every morning, as he argued with the replicator, a strange heavy feeling would enter his soul.  That feeling would end up sticking with him throughout the day.  What it was, he didn’t know, but he did know that something big was in the wind.

   Mael chewed on a pancake while her mother eyed her.  “Are you positive you don’t want butter or fresh syrup?”
   Swallowing, she nodded.  “I don’t keep this figure by eating butter and syrup, Mom.”  She was proud of her tiny waist, her high breasts, and her trim hips.  Flipping her long red silky hair over her shoulder, she hopped off the stool.  After smoothing her skirt over her thighs, she then turned and grabbed her purse from the shelf.  “If I don’t hurry, I’ll be late.  I’ve still got to pick Joe up.  I’ll see you tonight.”
   “You’re too thin anyway.”  Her mother was still muttering as she walked out the door.  "Men like a woman with meat on her bones!”
   Ugh!  Any man that preferred chunky women was definitely not for her.  As she opened the door to her private shuttle, she went over her list of requirements for a man.  He had to be rich.  Mael wasn’t a gold digger, far from it as she had accumulated quite a mini fortune for herself.  She just wanted to make sure that a guy would like her for her, and not her money.  She preferred tall thin men who took pride in how they looked.  Sighing, she pressed a few buttons on the auto pilot, and leaned back in her seat as the shuttle came to life and floated out of the bay.

[oddball011]

hmm interesting didnt expect that lol