1011. Chapter 1011

After Much Ado About Murder

Episode 8.20

By

UCSBdad

Disclaimer: He who hath no stomach for this fanfic, let him depart, his passport shall be made, But no crowns for convoy will be put in his purse as I make no money from this. Rating: K. Time: See above. (and below).

"Let us at them with the flat of our swords, Sir Richard." Cried a man at arms. "If we knock a few heads together or break a few bones, they'll quiet down.

Castle hated the idea of making war on women and children, but he could see the flash of steel among the women who were screaming at his men. They were arming themselves with kitchen knives and farming tools.

Suddenly Alexis pushed her way through the troops and stood before the women and children. She was dressed in a bright red silk gown that was so translucent as to leave nothing to the imagination. Castle could clearly see her stiff nipples poking at the silk. A gust of wind showed that the skirt was slit up to the hip, and also proved that Alexis was a natural redhead.

Alexis began speaking to the women in rapid Italian which got a varied response. Some women jeered at her, some crossed themselves repeatedly, and some made signs with their hands that Castle was not familiar with, but was sure meant trouble.

Then Alexis pulled her handgonne from behind her and flourished it. Then she took a burning length of cord and placed it to the touchhole of the weapon. There was a loud blast, a flash of light, smoke and the smell of brimstone. The women screamed, grabbed their children and ran. In seconds the town was emptied of all of its inhabitants except for a little girl and a very old woman on crutches.

Alexis laughed.

"What did you do?" Castle demanded.

She laughed again. "I told them that you are a great wizard who has the power to call Satan and all of his minions from the very depths of Hell to do your bidding. I said that I was your familiar, that I was usually a large black beast." She leaned suggestively against Castle. "I also said I was your mistress."

"You could have killed someone with that….machine of yours." Castle yelled.

"Nonsense. I loaded the potion into the weapon to the very brim, but did not place the lead pellet in my handgonne. It made a lot of noise, light, smoke and a smell, but no one could have gotten hurt."

"How did you get here?"

Alexis batted her eyes at him and said breathily, "On a ship, of course. Some of your captains haven't even seen a woman in years. I took pity on some of them."

"You shouldn't…." Castle was interrupted by Alexis grasping his hand and holding it against her boobs.

"I did tell them I was your mistress. If they think I'm lying about that, they may think I'm lying about your control of Satan."

Castle opened his mouth to speak, but found Alexis' lips against his and her tongue in his mouth. She pulled away quickly. "Until later, my lover." She walked off, wiggling her ass most seductively.

Rick saw Kate staring at him. Then she began to laugh. That made him feel worse.

The other villages on the island were deserted by the time Castle's ships arrived. Much of the food and all of the valuables were gone.

However, there was one unexpected result in their little raid.

Word quickly spread along the coast that the army was led not by an English nobleman as they had been told, but by the Devil himself. At least a dozen pirates swore before God that they had seen that Castle had cloven hooves, horns and a pointed tail.

He also had several familiars accompanying him. One was a redheaded wench who no mortal man could resist, but who could drain the life of a man out of him with just a kiss. The wench could also appear as an old redheaded woman and as a massive black beast with huge fangs and razor sharp claws. Several pirates told tales of how they had fought this beast with a dozen well armed pirates, but each man claimed that he alone had escaped alive.

The other was a beautiful woman who appeared perfectly normal, but who could spout fire and brimstone that could destroy a whole village in seconds. Several pirates said they had seen her fly and at least one said the woman was Satan's wife and would soon give birth to an army of lesser devils.

Others said the army of Satan was already here. In a small wine shop in Spolato a pirate who had been on the island when it was raided told a fascinating story about his adventures.

The man, Rudolfo by name, crossed himself and took a deep draught of wine. "One of Satan's men attacked ten of us, or was if fifteen? He seemed like an ordinary archer, such as we have heard about. He had slung his bow and held a sword. He had a steel helmet on his head, but only a thick leather coat covering his body. My good friend, Pietro, attacked the man with his sword and took the archers head clean off. But the body stood upright and the head, laying on the ground just laughed at us. He reached down and picked up his head and set it back on his shoulders. Then he cut poor Pietro into four pieces. Or was it six? I was the only one to escape with my life."

A young lad who had been on several pirate raids gasped. "But tell us of the redheaded woman. Is she as beautiful as they say?"

"Far more beautiful than you can imagine." Rudolfo said. "But my throat grows dry from so much talking."

His wine cup was quickly refilled.

After the raid, the five ships returned to the mainland and the main army. Castle was told by the stratiotes that villagers were headed south in droves now that word was about that Castle's army was raiding.

Captain Paleologos briefed Castle and the rest of the captains. "It seems that the mainlanders know the pirates can't defeat us, so they've all headed for the city of Spolato. It's a walled city and we have no. siege machines, nor the engineers needed to build any. So, we can ravage the countryside all around Spolato when we arrive there."

"Will that cause Spolato to surrender?" Castle asked.

Paleologos shook his head. "They can bring in food and other supplies by sea. Our five small ships aren't enough to blockade the city. They can hold out for longer than we can stay here. We'll need to return to Duke Rodrigo's army soon."

"We'll just have to damage as much of the pirate lands as we can before then."

"I may have something that will help. Lady Alexis has been talking to the crews of our galleys. She's found…."

Castle broke in. "When did she become Lady Alexis and how much of the talking took place while she was on her back?"

Paleologos blushed. "The men have taken to calling her Lady Alexis after her trick with the handgonne, Sir Richard. And I know nothing about how she talked to the men."

Castle sighed and shook his head. "What did she find?"

"There are more than a dozen good sized shipyards along the coast and the islands. Not small ones suitable only for fishing boats, but ones that can build fighting galleys. If we destroy them, it'll keep the pirates busy rebuilding them for a good year."

Castle smiled. "Where's the closest one?"

He returned to the small tent he shared with Kate.

"We need to talk to Alexis."

Kate grinned. "You don't want to talk to Lady Alexis by yourself?"

"This is serious. She did a lot of work finding out where the local pirates' shipyards are. She's going to want something. I'd feel better negotiating with her if I had you with me."

"Are you afraid you won't be able to control yourself around her?" Kate teased.

"As always, I'm afraid I won't be able to control myself around you. It might embarrass the so called Lady Alexis."

"Don't worry, Richard. I'll protect you."

They found that Alexis had somehow gotten ahold of a large tent where she and Martha now lived. Presumably she had managed to find space on one of the baggage carts or a packhorse for it. They were met at the entrance to the tent by a girl of some ten years. Castle recognized her as the orphaned daughter of an archer.

"How are you, Meg?" He asked.

The girl curtseyed. "I am well, Sir Richard. Lady Alexis has been expecting you and Lady Katherine. There is some wine and some honeyed walnuts inside. Do you need anything else?"

"We're fine, Meg. Has Alexis been taking care of you?" Rick asked.

Meg smiled. "Lady Alexis has been very good to me. Please do go in."

Once inside they found Alexis standing in the center of the tent. She wore a white gown that, for once, covered her body rather than displaying it.

"Sir Richard. Lady Katherine. Welcome. Please sit." The redhead gestured to two stools. Between the stools was a beaker of wine and some nuts. When Rick and Kate sat, Alexis poured them cups of wine.

"You have done excellent work in locating the pirates' shipyards. That will be a big help to me and to Duke Rodrigo."

Alexis smiled. "It wasn't that difficult. The men had been to many ports along the coast frequented by pirates. They were never told where they were of course, although sometimes they overheard things from the pirates. It was simply a matter of putting all the clues together."

"I would assume that you want something in return for your hard work?"

"I wish to stay with you."

Castle was surprised by her request. "Of course. I would never abandon you in hostile territory. You can stay with the army as long as you wish."

Alexis shook her head. "That's not what I mean. Do you know how many men in your army that I have flirted with who didn't end up between my thighs?"

Castle looked embarrassed, so Kate replied. "We have no idea."

"The answer is two men. There's Father Ryan, although he did blush and run off when I flirted. And there's Sir Richard Castle."

"I don't understand." Both Rick and Kate said together.

"I admit that I am a saucy whore and that I do enjoy the carnal act. But I am more than that. I can read. Look, I have books here. Allow me to read to you. Just pick a book and I'll read it."

Castle shook his head. "That's not necessary. I know you to be an intelligent lass. And I recall you reading and writing back in Bordeaux. As I recall they were love poems you wrote for men to send to their wives or sweethearts. Men who lacked your way with words."

Alexis nodded. "I can be a help to you. To both of you. I have been helpful on this chevauchee, have I not? You would have let that first village go without punishment due to the honeyed words of the village elder. I showed you that they were pirates all. And the near fight on the island. I used my handgonne to frighten those women, not to kill them. I have…"

Castle held up his hands. "I agree. But why do you want to stay with Kate and me? You and your grandmother could return to Pola and live a comfortable life. Or you could go to Venice, or Florence, or Genoa or Rome, or…"

"Because of Lady Katherine." Alexis interrupted. "Look at her. How many men would bring a mere woman along as a trusted advisor? Lady Kate speaks in your councils and you listen to her. Your captains listen to her because they know she is intelligent and knowledgeable. That is how I wish to be treated and I doubt if there's another man in Italy, or in all of Christendom, that will treat me so."

Castle and Kate exchanged looks.