Date: Sat, 7 Jan 2012 09:13:29 +0100 From: Amy Redek Subject: Once a Knight. Part Ten Part Ten The next few days were hectic within the castle. Many maids scurrying about with bolts of cloth and materials to where it was being cut and sewn together to make the wedding dress for Louise. Also new dresses were made for Lady Annette and my two cousins. A man had been dispatched with the news of the forth coming wedding that it would be held at the castle of Arras which was to be cleaned and made ready for all and sundry that would be attending the nuptials. I summoned my captain Michael and he came and stood before me with Oliver by his side. `Captain. When we leave to go to Arras Castle, I want ten men to be left at Marchand Castle to protect the place and make sure that they are all single men. They will no doubt find some women there to pass their off duty hours with. Nominate one of the men to be the captain. Page!' I called out, and one came running to me. `Go and find the man called Mungo.' He scurried off and the captain cleared his throat. `Begging your pardon sire,' and I turned to him. `I'm now forty years of age and I was greatly honoured that you picked me to be captain of the guard, but I feel that a younger man should now take my place here. Would it be too remiss for me to suggest that I be one of the ten to stay at the Marchand castle?' I gave this some thought as Mungo came hurrying up to bow and then stand and wait next to the captain. It was a good idea for what else I had in mind. `Do you have a replacement in mind Michael?' `I have two in mind Sire.' `Okay. I agree. Give the names to Oliver and I'll look the men over.' `Thank you sire,' he said, giving me a bow and started to move off. `Wait Michael. Stay a moment to hear the rest of this. Mungo?' `Yes sire.' `I must say for the first time on a horse you did well carrying my banner,' his face lit up in a smile. `Now I have another job for you. I want you to go with the captain and be my man and the titular head of the inside of Marchand Castle, but, you will obey any orders given you by the captain. Is that understood?' `Yes sire,' he stammered, his face going quite red at this sudden promotion from being a mere servant. `Take one of the pages, not Cedric, to be your lackey and don't stand any nonsense from the staff that are there. I will speak to them first but you will be the one to keep them under control. Make a note Oliver that we take a good supply of my tunics for those that will swear allegiance to me. Okay Mungo. You have two days in which to say goodbye to your mother.' He went down onto one knee and took hold of my hand and I had the wry amusement of wondering what he would have thought that when he was but a small child that he had once slept in the same bed as the person whose hand he now kissed. I think mother would be pleased in the honour and responsibility that I was giving to my half brother and to show her that I was still thinking of them and would look after the rest of my siblings. The captain saluted me and Mungo bowed before they left and I told Oliver to see that we had enough provisions packed on the carts for we would stay overnight at the other castle before going on to Arras. I called for Breech and took him up to my bed chamber for I didn't want to take the risk of being caught coming out of Louise's chamber whilst her father was staying with us. We kissed as soon as we were inside and he stroked the front of my tunic and felt that I was half way to a full erection. He quickly pulled off his tunic and got mine off by which time I was fully erect as he was. Naked, we got onto the bed and kissed again, our cocks rubbing together before we broke apart and he went up onto his knees. As much as I liked fucking Louise, I still liked the tight fit of Breech's backside as I slowly pushed my throbbing prick up into him to his groan of pleasure which I echoed before really getting down to the job of fucking him. The joy of holding his firm hips and stroking his back as I moved in and out of him would be severely restricted once I was married, but I would still have him now and again for I still liked to have what he had between his legs inside me too. It was the one pleasure that Louise would not be able to give me though she would give me children whereas Breech couldn't. I soon came and after washing myself, had the pleasure of feeling his prick move into me and thrill me as much as when I fucked him as he now did to me. We made the most of those two remaining days. * The carts left the day before we did, fully laden with provisions and all the finery that had been made by the women for they would be slow moving. We left the castle early the next morning to the cheers of the people living in and around the castle and were soon out and crossing the countryside. We must have made a good sight. Sir Edmund and I riding side by side with our two banner men just behind us, mine being a new man for the job. Following us were the ladies with some men riding on the outside as their escort, and behind them came the balance of my men and Sir Edmunds followed by the rest of the mounted soldiers. I think we totalled at just over three hundred and fifty persons travelling towards my wedding. Michael had gone on ahead with the carts and had selected the site for our overnight camp, the tents and paraphernalia being carried in four carts that had stopped with some men so the camp was up and ready for our arrival just before dusk. Food was already cooking and we were soon eating and retired early for we started again just after dawn and reached Marchand Castle during the late afternoon. The carts arriving just before us having taken three days to our two. We planned to stay for the whole of the next day though the carts and men driving them didn't. Meals and rooms were ready for us, Oliver having sent people ahead to see to all this. I had the fun and pleasure of having Breech laying down opposite to me on our bed whilst he sucked and chewed on my cock while I did the same to him. Having a man come in your mouth is less messy than trying to catch what a woman expels during her orgasm and it was lovely to have his come in my mouth and have the fun of not swallowing it all but trying to pass some back afterwards as we kissed, losing at lot of it as we laughed during the process. In the morning, it didn't take long to find the strong room and break down the door to reveal quite a substantial amount of gold and silver as well as many valuable artefacts which I had removed, just leaving enough to run the place for a few months. This would now be Mungo's responsibility to see that he used it well in whatever he bought for the running of the place. My next task was to see all those that had lived in and around the castle, to have them come and swear allegiance to me and change from the black to red tunics and for them to understand that they were now under my protection. Mungo and Michael had been by my side the whole time so that the people knew who would be in charge when I left. It was at dinner that I broached an idea I had to Sir Edmund of making a new standard, the design of which would be incorporated on my shield and all those that were in my castle. He agreed and so I had a sample fashioned up to be painted and sewn after my wedding. It would be tierced, that is in three parts. The upper half would be red while the lower half, the base, would be split. The sinister base, that is the lower right hand side as you look from the front would be most apt for it would be black, the colours of de Marchand whom I had defeated. The dexter base, the left hand side would hold the colours of that of the de Arras family, that being a purple background with a white bend, which is really a diagonal stripe running through from top right to bottom left. Sir Edmund was pleased with the design and so was I and this was then going to be my standard and escutcheon, shield that is. We left the following morning leaving behind Mungo and his page, Michael and his nine men to act as guards and policemen to the castle. There was another overnight stop before we reached Arras Castle the following afternoon, again just behind the preceding carts. It was a tumultuous welcome from the castle's occupant's at the safe arrival of Lady Louise and that of Sir Edmund. There was also the air of gaiety about the place because of the forth coming wedding which was to take place the following morning. To me, the haste seemed almost indecent but I think that Sir Edmund wanted this in case I got cold feet and wanted to back out or that his daughter might indeed be pregnant by me and therefore it was better sooner than later. We were in bed, Breech and I after a very satisfying sex session that left us both sated and content on that side but he was still full of anxieties. `William,' he said as he stroked my chest and rubbed my nipples. `What's going to happen to me? Will I be banished from your bed forever?' I could sense the tears in his voice and with the arm I had beneath his neck, squeezed him to me. `No, you will not be banished. I won't be in it so often but you will still attend to me when I need you, in all senses of the word,' I said as I kissed his forehead for his head had slipped down onto the top of my chest and I could now feel the tears which felt as though they were scalding my skin. He was still crying in the morning when I woke up with him attached to my morning erection, silently sobbing as he tried to suck on my cock at the same time. `For Christ's sake Breech,' I said a little bit exasperated. `Stop snivelling and do the job properly or not at all.' He gave a sniff and then used his hand and soon had me erupting into his mouth. He stayed down, wiping his eyes as well as licking me clean before he came up the bed and cuddled me. There was no need for words as I held and kissed him both on the eyelids and mouth. It wasn't long before he got up and dressed and opened the door to see to getting hot water for my bath but found that Sir Edmund's seneschal had anticipated him for a tub stood outside the door with buckets of hot water and more arriving as he pulled the tub into the room. I soon had the tub filled and I slipped out of the warm bed and into the hot water. No sooner was I in when a knock at the chamber door heralded some breakfast sent up so I ate in my bath while Breech washed me. Up, dressed and in a clean tunic, having had my hair washed, combed and even trimmed, he fitted my sword belt to my waist and we left to go down to the great hall of Arras Castle which was almost like a mirrored image of that of Fontaine. Sir Edmund was already there in his fine tunic of purple and white and he was already drinking some ale which I gratefully accepted the tankard that was offered me. The floor of the hall looked like a rose garden for the whole area was covered in the red and white petals and I joked that it was a pity that nobody had grown roses with a purple petal. He thought it quite funny and slapped me on the back. `How do you feel?' he asked. `More nervous than my first joust in the lists,' I replied which set him off laughing again and I wondered at how long had he been down in the hall and how many tankards he'd drunk. The hall was filling up with people and the more that came in the more nervous I became and then she was there. She had stopped on the stairs coming down into the hall and it was the gasps of the people assembled there that made me turn to see her. She looked absolutely stunning in the clever dress that she'd had made for this day. It was a reverse of the Arras colours. The dress being of a brilliant white and it had a purple slash going from her left shoulder down to the floor on her right. Her hair was up in some kind of bouffant with a curled tendril coming down either side of her lovely face. The whole hall then lit up when she smiled and from that point on I cannot for the life of me remember what happened afterwards. I went into a trance and only snapped out of it when I was told that I could kiss the bride. I was holding her hand as she turned towards me and those lovely lips parted as I let go of her hand and held her tight to me and kissed her. There was much clapping and cheering that echoed and echoed round the hall as we broke off, faces flushed as we looked into each other's eyes, me seeing the love in hers and only hope that mine looked the same. It was her that led me to the table for I was in too much of a daze and I sat in the place of honour with her next to me. The amount of food was vast as venison, partridge, beef, capons, quails, lamb and others unidentifiable were brought to the table for us to pick at. Ale and wine flowed freely not only to us but to all and there was an incredible noise as everybody talked as they ate, minstrels adding to the din with their music. What I ate of the delicacies I don't know but I was soon full, nor do I know how much I drank. Sir Edmund had stood up during the meal but I didn't hear a word he said for I was looking at the young woman I had married and all of a sudden had this massive hard on as I now really saw the swelling tops of her breasts and had reacted the same as of the first time I saw them. I leaned in towards her, my mouth dry as if I hadn't had a drink for days. `I've had enough of this. Let's go to bed, I need you badly,' I whispered into her ear. She turned, her eyes smiling and she kissed me. `I need you too,' she said into my mouth as hers met mine. We both rose together and there came a sudden silence as we moved out from our chairs, the silence more deafening than the noise before it. `Thank you all for making this the most wonderful day of my life,' she said, and then taking my hand we left the table and started up the stairs to a sudden outburst of cheering and ribald remarks being thrown at us. We went into her chamber and with the door shut, went into each other's arms and kissed and she certainly knew that I wanted her as she did me for she pressed herself even tighter to me, making me groan at the exquisite pain she caused by this action. My sword belt and tunic were soon off to be thrown aside as was her wedding dress and I had a brief glimpse of her naked body and those beautiful breasts before we crushed each other in a tight embrace and kissed. We finally broke apart, breathing heavily as we both looked over each other's body, her eyes really sparkling. `Now we are married and you are my knight of the shining armour and my liege lord,' she said as she went down onto her knees in front of me, `and these are your orbs of power,' as she put her hand up under my balls, `and this is your sceptre,' as she put her hand round the base of my cock, `which I love and pay homage to,' and she took the head of my cock into her mouth and I watched those lovely lips close round on it for me to feel the heat that then closed over me. I gave out a sigh and watched her head move and see her take in half the length of my prick before she drew back for me to see the glistening skin of my shaft from her saliva. Then to see the head of my cock bulge out one cheek as she tongued the other side of it. She even compressed her lips tighter and actually rolled my foreskin right back and then let the whole head out of her mouth for me to see the blood engorged head, all purple in colour and she held it now just below and squeezed it to make the eye open and blew into it, the effect nearly blew my balls off and I shuddered at this and the cold air that swirled round it. With the tip of her pink tongue, she ran it over the top now to make me tremble again before she took me back into that warmth. I gave out a cry as I felt it touch the back of her throat and I couldn't take any more without coming and so I moved back, making it slip out of her mouth. I held her shoulders and made her stand up for me to kiss those sweet lips and she gave out a squeal as I then put my hands round her waist and lifted her up so that I could kiss her stomach. She weighed nothing to me at that moment for I felt as strong as an ox and I slowly lowered her down, rubbing my chest against what I had just kissed and she felt the head of my erection which was now up rigid against my stomach, press against her thighs and he legs opened automatically. She didn't need to use her hand for juices had already started to seep down her inner thigh and that is what my cock adhered to and used as a homing beacon as I slowly lowered her till she gave a shudder as she felt me begin to enter her and she cried and tossed her head as I let her down till I couldn't get any more of it inside her. Her legs came up to wrap themselves round my waist as I stood there in the middle of her chamber with her impaled on my prick as she held me tight with her arms and I could feel her vaginal muscles flexing all the time round the whole circumference of my cock which seemed to throb in time with her muscle movement. `I've not married a man,' she cried. `I've married a God!' and she gave out an enormous shudder and held me even tighter as she had an orgasm, some of which I began to feel slowly making its way down the inside of my thigh. `Then you're my Goddess. Of the sun, the moon and all that makes life worth living,' I said as I gave her a bounce and immediately came inside her having the pleasure of coming inside my lovely wife but also suffering the sudden weakening of my legs as the strength of my whole being was moving out of me into her. This trembling in my legs and thighs made me move forward towards the bed, carrying her thus impaled and felt with relief, the bed at my knees and slowly fell forward and landed on top of her but still enjoined. My falling on top of her caused her locked ankles to come apart and she lay spread-eagled beneath me and I eased myself up onto my elbows to allow her to take in some air to her lungs. `That was the best yet,' she panted as she stroked my sweat covered face. `If that doesn't produce a son and heir, I don't know what will.' `You're not going to douche yourself?' I asked. `No more. We're married now and I want children. Not one. Not two, but lots of them and I want them all to be like you, big and strong so that I can be as proud of them as I am of you,' she finished and pulled my head down to kiss me. `And that all the girls have your beauty,' I said through the kissing. I don't know how many times we made love that night but I was a wreck by the time dawn came. I was groggy when a knocking at the door woke us up. I called out to come in and saw Breech in the doorway. `When would m'lord like his bath?' he asked. `No bath today for I'm not getting out of bed. Just bring some food up and a couple of jugs of ale,' I said. `Yes sire, ` he said, his face crestfallen as he withdrew. `You've got to get rid of him,' Louise said, coming up from under the covers and so, scarcely married, we had our first argument and I got very angry. `Get rid of him? No way! He's my man servant. He serves me in many ways,' I said, not quite shouting at her outrageous demand. `I can serve you just as well as he does. I can bathe and see to your needs in a way he can't.' `Is that so,' I almost sneered. `You have a hole and he has a hole, but you do have the advantage over him there by having two. But you are lacking the one thing he has.' `And what is that?' she sat up, her breasts quivering. `A cock nearly as big as mine,' I said. `Oh,' she said in a small voice now as she sank back onto the bed as the full truth slowly dawned on her. `You mean that...that you...and he...do it to each other?' `Yes,' I said, knowing that my face was red at this telling of the truth. `Men, and I mean all men, need love now and again and when you're out in the world and women aren't available, they turn to each other. I can't say that this is right or wrong but when you are in combat, you feel for those of your friends. You come to love them and you become dependent on each other and eventually each becomes a woman to the other to get the solace and release that every man needs. I love you Louise enough to want to spend the rest of my life with you, but I also love Breech in a different way and he loves me. He would lay down his life for me and I would protect him as best I could if he was in danger. Love your fellow man we've been preached, though some men have taken that literally, but there's nothing wrong with that when there is love. Of course I will have less of him now that I have you but I'm not just going to cast him out like a worn shoe, no. And that's final!' `I...I'm sorry. I didn't know men could bond like that,' she said in a small voice again. A knock came at the door which stopped her from saying more. I shouted to enter and Breech came in with a loaded tray which he put down on a table. `Breech,' Louise called out, sitting up in bed but holding the sheet up to her chin. `Yes m'lady?' he replied. `Do you love your master?' `Yes m'lady.' `Would you die for him?' `If the need arose, yes m'lady,' he answered, looking quite perplexed at the question. `Thank you Breech, that's all,' she said, sinking back onto the bed. He left the chamber closing the door behind him. `Well?' I asked. She opened her arms to me pushing the sheet down as she did so and revealed her luscious breasts. `Show me again how much you love me,' she said with tears in her eyes. I smiled and bent my head and kissed her before moving over on top of her and sticking myself up inside her again and showing her just how much I did love her. I went so far as to go down and kiss and lick her later as well as putting my tongue up into her vagina until she begged for me to use my cock again. As I had said to Breech, we didn't leave the chamber that day. It wasn't until the following evening that we emerged in time for supper in the hall. There was much sniggering and ribald comments called out which we took with good heart and waved as we took out places at the head table. `We all wondered when you two would surface,' Sir Edmund chuckled as we sat down. `I'm afraid we haven't got horse for dinner for you sure look as though you could eat one,' he said to me. `An ox would do,' I laughed, `and maybe a chicken or two for dessert.' `Plucked?' he asked. `Of course, for there's nothing like a plucked chicken,' and we both roared out at the innuendoes. `Let's...let's... hope,' he couldn't get it out for laughing, `that...that...the plucked chicken...doesn't...lay..an egg.' Off we went again and I could see that Louise wasn't amused at our coarse humour. `My..my...wife after...our wedding night...was so,' Sir Edmund carried, `was so bedraggled...that...that her father...said she resembled...a right p..p...p proper fucked duck!' This almost brought the roof of the hall down with the howls of laughter from all those within earshot. `I'm neither a chicken or a duck if you please,' Louise said quite haughtily when the laughing eased. `Were...were...you,' Sir Edmund began again, already laughing before he'd given us his punch line, `you the stallion or...or...bull covering a cow.' Off he went again with a howl and others were laughing so much that Louise slammed her knife down on the table and stormed out of the hall. `Now you've done it,' I said when the laughter subsided. `I might have done it, but it was to her mother,' and off he went again and it took a few minutes for him to come down from the ceiling, `and...and now she's your problem. It's up to you to make the peace. Talking of a piece, what was she like?' and off he went again and almost had an apoplectic fit he went so red in the face. In fact, it was a fit such as this that killed him four years later, but that we had no thoughts of such a thing at this time. It took awhile for him to calm down and we then began to have serious talks. He rambled on a bit about the land he owned and how much revenue it accrued through selling the surplus wheat, grain and ancillaries before he got to the point. 'I have no son, except you now that you've married Louise, so when I've gone, all this land, plus that of the late and unlamented de Marchand family, along with your own, will make you a very powerful man. Be careful as to how you use this power. You're a young man still while I am approaching my dotage but heed what I say, for it takes time to achieve wisdom and even longer to know how to use it. Beware those that come to you, telling you how you can achieve even more, for they will be false. Trying to use you for their own ends. Listen but heed my words, listen but do not, ever commit yourself until you have verified all that has been said. I have seen Henry on the throne and then Stephen and now another Henry. We have peace and stability in the land, but it will not last forever. There will be troubled times ahead and I know I will not live to see them, but you may, so be warned of strangers bringing gifts and promises.' he turned away and shouted out loudly. `Shitbrain!' and turned to me with a smile. `My seneschal. He hates me calling him that which makes me do it more often.' `Yes sire?' an elderly man asked who came forward. `Go and find where that worthless daughter of mine is hiding and bring her down here. Drag her if necessary, but tell her that while she is still under my roof she will obey her father!' `Yes sire,' the man said and backed away before going off on a task that I didn't relish. Well whatever he said, she came down eventually and sat down between me and her father without saying a word. A plate of food was placed in front of her which she began to toy with, using her knife. `I hope that the stable talk has ceased now,' she said in a high and mighty voice. I saw Sir Edmund start to bristle and jumped in before he could start her off again for it was time for me to assert my authority. `My dear Louise, I will not say anything while I am a guest in this castle about your behaviour, but you will not, I repeat not, ever leave the table again when we are in our own castle as you did earlier. You will ask for permission first and abide by what I say.' `But Wil...' I cut her off. `You are now my wife and you will do as you vowed earlier, to obey. I can see that you have been given too much leeway here, but at Fontaine Castle you will do as you are told. I will listen to genuine grievances but I will not tolerate childlike, insolent behaviour and peevish, immature, intolerant...' `Okay, okay, I've got the message,' she said with a sulky voice. `Neither will I endure that kind of voice. In future you will talk like a lady, behave like a lady and more importantly, will act like a lady!' With the last part I had raised my voice and slammed my knife down on the table as emphasis. `Do you understand?' I roared. `Yes dear,' she said meekly and I could see her father suppressing his laughter and he didn't catch the sly look I got from her as she poked the tip of her tongue out at me. I had great difficulty myself from laughing at this defiant display but I think she had gotten the message for we had no more displays whilst there in her father's castle. Well there was one more display of her fiery temperament and I told her that if she did it again I would yank her upstairs and smack her backside. Promises, promises, I heard her mutter under her breath and when she went and did it again, well. The other women were aghast when I roared up and forcibly pulled her out of their midst with her squealing at the grip I had on her arm. I pulled her up the staircase and along the corridor, her stumbling to try and keep her footing, and into the chamber where we slept. `I've had enough already,' I shouted at her and literally tore the gown off her shoulders, it tearing in many places and dragged her across the room, her tripping up on the gown that was falling down and hindering her. She was down on the floor as I still pulled her, now naked until I reached a stool and lifted her up and threw her across my lap. Boy, did my hand sting as I began to really slap her backside, bringing up red weals as she cried out at every loud, sharp slap. The only trouble with this was I found I was getting an erection at seeing that lovely backside slowly turning red with my slaps and what was worse, she too felt that I had been aroused. After six of these slaps, I pushed her off onto the floor and yet, in spite of her sobbing at this treatment, she was quickly onto her knees and under my tunic to take me into her mouth and slobber over it. `You beast,' she mumbled around a mouthful of prick. `You tyrant,' she choked as she took too much of me in. `You should be gelded,' as she used her teeth on me. `Ow!' I yelped, rearing up, knocking her onto the floor, her arms going wide and her legs akimbo. I could do no more but pull my tunic up over my head and then fall on top of her, ramming myself up inside her and had a glorious fuck as we moved across the rough wooden boards of the floor as we fucked. A maid spent an hour getting small splinters of wood out from her rear end after I had left and I never had any more problems with her manners towards me from that day forth. I think it was the splinters of wood in the cheeks of her bum and not the slapping of her backside that helped calm her nature down. * We left her home the following day amidst many words of farewell and somehow I think that Sir Edmund was glad to get rid of her and her explosive behaviour. We stopped off at Marchand Castle, a name that I decided would be changed but as yet, hadn't thought of an appropriate name to call it. My new banner had been seen as we approached and we were warmly welcomed by Mungo and Michael. Everything seemed to have settled down and the place was running smoothly. We only stayed for dinner, bed and breakfast before we were off for the last leg home. Here also, we were greeted with warmth and it gladdened my heart that those there had really taken to me as their lord and master. Louise and I soon settled into a routine that I instigated where I would sleep in her bed six nights of the week and one night with Breech. I changed the old feudal system of strip farming and revolutionised our farming policy. I was thankful that the land was at peace and I was able to make these changes which took time but proved successful in the long run. Louise had become pregnant and when the child was born, we were able to trace the time back to our wedding night, But that was still a few months ahead for I still had my time with Breech and as Louise got closer to her time, I would spend more time in his bed than hers. I was in her bed when she was near to her time and we had found that the only way of having sex, apart from it being by way of the mouth, was for her to lay on her side and me enter her from the rear and be very gentle in my fucking of her. I would come but she didn't and when I pressed her later for more,' she smiled and pushed me back. `I love you darling but for now, once a night is enough.' * * * AFTERWORD The child born to Martin, a.k.a., (also known as) William, and Louise was a boy and christened Martin. He wasn't the first for their next child was a girl that was named after Louise's mother and called Celine. The next child was a boy and called Edmund, which pleased his grandfather but never did get to see his namesake for he died of a fit at the dining table whilst playing a practical joke on his seneschal. Two more boys and another girl were born to William and Louise and they all lived happily for the land was at peace. William lived to the ripe old age of sixty two, which was old for those days and was survived by Louise by only two years. Martin had already sired eight bastards before he reached the age of eighteen, two of them coming from the same woman, and at him inheriting the title, finally married and produced another eight children. Six by his first wife and two by the second. He lost three sons by following King Richard on his crusades and vowed that he would never send any more out to fight in the King's name. The family managed to keep out of politics throughout the Tudor reigns except for one who begged and got letters of marque from Elizabeth the first and swell the family coffers with the booty he brought back from his piratical days out on the high seas. The next test for the family was with the approach and happening of the civil war that ravaged England. Here the family split, but only to give an outward appearance for those in Fontaine Castle supported Cromwell and those residing in Arras Castle supported Charles, which ensured that at least, some of them would survive. Marchand Castle, which never did get renamed, finished being occupied by both sides at one time or another and was attacked and ruined in one of the battles. Today, nothing is left of that castle for all the stones and masonry were taken over onto Fontaine land and then a mansion was built, about half a mile from the castle for the castle itself was now so outdated that it was almost impossible to live in, so Fontaine Hall was built. Arras Castle is now a ruin, there only being the base of the keep still stands whereas Fontaine Castle is now in the hands of the National Trust and gets many visitors. The Fontaine family, somewhere along the line dropped the French de that preceded their name, in English the word is of. The Hall is now considered as being a stately home, but is not yet open to the public. * * * All comments, good or bad are welcome and all will be answered. Send them to >adultreading@gmail.com< or my website >adultreading.es<. I can also supply where my other books are listed with nifty.org who would also like contributions to keep them supplying books like mine.