Serenity Valley (12 page)

“Oh, my lady,” I rushed to say, “I beg
forgiveness for my insensitivity. The reason I did not comment is
that this is quite overwhelming. Truly the only thing more
beautiful in this house is yourself, my lady!”

Lady Bella smiled. “I’m glad you like
it. It is the last of it. It was left over from the great hall
floor. Follow me.”

The lady took us back into the great
room. We exited through a door in the rear wall. This door opened
into a large covered area with two side walls. The rear had what
looked like two offset overlapping walls. The two rear bedroom
windows could be seen on the bedroom wings. A large hitching post
was present, and a large walk-in cabinet was built into the side
wall next to the hitching post. The lady opened the cabinet to
reveal a very complete collection of tack. Ropes, saddles, halters,
and bits were stocked along with a mucking cart and various ground
implements. I realized for a covered area such as this one, it was
extremely bright. I spied a very unusual roof, seeming to have a
large box cut in it.

“Lady Bella, what is this box in the
roof? How does it make so much light?” I asked. “It is what I call
a light box. It is a roof above a roof, with openings to allow
light in. A series of carefully placed bright tiles reflect the
light through the tunnel and into the covered area. It is a very
common design in my mother country.”

“It is most effective, my lady. You
are a very wise woman, indeed!”

“Thank you, Gamel, now come.” We
walked through the maze walls to get to the outside turnout. “As
you can see, there is ample turnout for a number of horses.
Everything has been done to avoid cutting trees, and the rear of
the turnout fence can be seen from the kitchen if you know what to
look for.”

Fulk was finally beginning to recover
from his daze, and he spoke up. “My lady, this is all too grand!
What could we have ever done to deserve living in such a grand
place?”

“Consider it reward for devotion to
the Sirates line and for your design.”

“Design, my lady?”

“Yes, this has all been built to your
specifications, has it not?” We all just looked at each other with
confusion. “Did you three not plan and draw this
facility?”

Then it hit us. The Lady had gotten
ahold of the plans we drew up during lunch that one day. “Oh, my
lady,” I said, “we never dreamed it would ever be built. It was
only that, just dreaming.”

“Well, it is my pleasure to inform you
that once I showed the plans to Sayer, he fell in love at once. He
has the task of increasing the outposts for the new pastures and
also housing for mounted men-at-arms at various locations
throughout the valley. At this moment, timbers and materials are
being prepared to reproduce this facility in no less than 10
locations. You see, you have provided a great service to the hold
in producing the template. Now come, only one more thing to show
you.” We entered the great room, and Basilea couldn’t help but
brush her hand over the beautiful clay oven as she passed. We came
to the front door once more, and the lady stopped. “Look above the
door,” she said.

Above the door was a
painted sign in fancy lettering that read:
Sirates House
.
We all just stood there staring, with our mouths open, until
Bella said, “You three get acquainted with the new home. Gamel,
there is no training this afternoon. I will be by after dark to
work on your language study.”

We all just looked at each other, then
we realized the lady had vanished. It seemed as if it was all just
an illusion, except we were still standing in the middle of our
dream. We smiled at each other, and then trotted off in three
different directions. Fulk headed for his quarters and Basilea to
her beloved kitchen. I dashed out the rear door to the
turnout.

Upon entering the covered
turnout, I encountered Demon, who was making a thorough
investigation of everything. He trotted from here to there,
sniffing and snorting in excitement. “Well, young man, how do you
like your new home?” Demon trotted over to me and roughly
head-butted me in the stomach, knocking the wind from me. “Okay,
okay, don’t kill me. I know you’re excited. Let’s check out the
turnout, shall we?” With a high-pitched squeal, Demon turned and
trotted out through the maze walls. I followed right on his hocks;
I was just as excited as he was. I exited the maze walls to find
the rear turnout included the woods, as well as grasslands. No
trees had been cut in the process of construction. Providing for
the trees caused many jogs in the fence line, but it was well worth
it. The large pines would provide good shade during the warm summer
months and act as a shelter from the wind during the winter storms.
Farther from the rear of the house, the trees' density thinned,
giving way to great expanses of grass. This is where I found
Mildred grazing. I said, “Well, Mildred, what do you think, big
girl?” Mildred picked up her head and gave a high-pitched, excited
whinny. “I agree, my lady; it is a paradise.” I continued my
investigation, walking deeper into the turnout. After a moment, I
said, “Now where did Demon get to?” Still in the thinning tree
line, I panned to the left and to the right. Just off to my right,
perhaps one hundred feet, I could detect movement. “Ah, so you want
to play find me if you can?” I carefully walked from tree to tree
towards the right, keeping the movement in my peripheral vision.
When I was within fifty feet from the place I had seen the
movement, I could make out a one-foot diameter tree with a
good-sized horse behind it, the tree only big enough to hide his
head. Demon was hiding his head against the trunk. Occasionally, he
would peek around the tree then pull back and hide again. I almost
laughed, but contained myself and looked away. He actually thought
that if he didn’t see me, I couldn’t see him. It was a hysterical
sight.
Well, who am I to ruin his
fun?
Happy to play along, I said, “I sure
wish I could find Demon. I wonder where he is?” I continued walking
out of the trees, ignoring where Demon was hiding. When I got into
the clear grass area, I detected Demon had left his hiding spot and
was moving to intercept me. I said, “My goodness, I sure wish I
could find Demon. Wherever could he be?” With that, Demon nudged me
in the back and let out a loud bellow. I grabbed my heart. “Oh, for
heaven's sake, you scared me to death!” Demon whinnied loudly, rose
on his hind legs, and began pawing with his forelegs. Obviously, he
had learned much too much by watching Lady Bella’s antics. He sure
was enjoying himself. I couldn’t help but laugh. “Good job, Demon;
you are a very sneaky horse!” Demon shook his head up and down in
agreement.

Out in the clear sun, I could tell
Demon was starting to shed his baby feathers. His legs were turning
deep black, as if he had stepped in ink, and it was being slowly
wicked up his legs. Another month and he would be the inky
blue-black colt I had predicted. “Let’s go find out where the rear
gate is and pay the kitchen a visit, shall we?” Demon nodded his
head and trotted off in the direction of the kitchen. I gave a
whistle for Mildred and soon heard what sounded like a stampede
coming through the trees. Mildred was very bright and quick to
learn new things. She was learning a lot by just observing the
interaction between Demon and me. With her by my side, I said,
“Let’s go see if we can beg a snack at the kitchen, shall we,
Mildred?” She whinnied. One of her favorite human words is snack.
With Mildred by my side, we made our way to the rear fencing
directly across from the kitchen. Demon was already there trying to
figure out how to drop the poles to open the gate. “Well, at least
they put the gate in the right place, didn’t they?” I said to them.
Demon snorted; frustrated with his failure to push the pine poles
back far enough to drop them. I moved the poles out of the way so
one end fell. Demon didn’t wait for us. He just bounded through and
headed for a thick patch of wildflowers. Mildred took off to catch
up with him. I noticed she was allowing him greater separation
these days as he gained independence.

When Demon and Mildred had secured a
good bunch of flowers, they trotted off for the kitchen window. By
the time I arrived, the flowers had been traded for the fresh baked
pies of the day. Both horses were busy devouring their prize when I
reached the kitchen.

“Oye there, Rogue Boy, what say you of
the new house?” a voice asked. It was Fina, the kitchen manager,
stepping out of one of the side doors. The entire staff appeared to
be following her. They soon surrounded us.

“My Lady Fina, it is a waking dream,
not fit for mere mortal habitation!”

“Well, Rogue Lad, is we invited to see
this spectacular house of the heavens?”

“Oh, yes, my lady, and all beautiful
maidens of fine food fare are welcome, anytime, day or
night.”

Fina said, “Good then, young rogue, we
wish to see it now.”

“Oh, of course, my lady. All are
welcome to come.”

So off our group went toward the rear
turnout gate, with Demon and Mildred leading the way. Demon was
doing his noble personage impression, head and tail tall and proud,
with a gracefully arched neck as he led our band of twenty to
Sirates House.

“Dear Lady Fina, how long have you
known of the construction?” I asked.

“Oh, boy, not to bother, we all have
known since the day it began. Nothing goes on here we don’t soon
know abouts. The way ta information is through a man’s
stomach.”

As our troop of kitchen ladies entered
the turnout gate, I pointed out the fence lines. When we reached
the maze walls, Demon led the way, more than happy to guide our
visitors through. Once in the covered area, I explained how the
light box worked to light the considerable area. I also showed off
the walk-in storage room and all the training gear. The ladies were
quite impressed with the amenities. I opened the rear door to the
great room, and the curious filed in. Once inside, the ladies
started cackling like hens, going here and there and asking Basilea
questions about the kitchen. Fulk and I took smaller groups into
the bedrooms to show off our quarters. We both elaborated on the
efficiency of the small round clay heating stove and told of its
origins in Lady Bella’s country. About half of the group stayed
inside for a bit to chat with Basilea and get a list of what goods
or equipment was lacking in the kitchen. Fulk and I showed the
group that went outside the porch, the outbuilding, and our newly
stoned well. The ladies were much impressed with the layout of the
structure and were giving much praise.

“Thank you, kind ladies,” I said.
“Lady Bella informed us that the design is to be used as a template
for new outposts throughout the valley. Come, ladies, I want to
show you my favorite spot in the valley!” With enthusiasm, the
ladies filed in behind Fulk and me. We went deep into the forest to
the big stone steps that led down to the brook.

There were various comments from the
group. “I say, these steps are fine indeed.” “Oye; they sure be
nice indeed. Like castle steps, they is.”

When we came to the small clearing in
front of the brook, I said, “Well, ladies, what do you think? How
do you like my favorite spot?”

The ladies were in awe. “Oh, lad, this
is wonderful.” “Indeed, boy, you picked this spot right you did!”
“This place would be good for a naked swim on a hot day, it
would!”

“Yea, and today is a hot day; I’s
going in, I am!” With that comment, Lady Trina, the soup cook,
kicked her shoes off, stripped naked, and ran into the brook,
diving underwater and surfacing some ten feet farther out. She
called out,” ‘is a fine day for swimming, it ’tis!” With that
comment, all the ladies began stripping, and before long, some ten
naked women were sloshing in the water. “Well, rogue boys, are you
just going ta stand there with your mouths open; are ya too good ta
come in?” Trina called.

Fulk and I looked at each other for a
moment, smiled, then stripped naked and jumped in the
brook.

Everyone was having a good time
splashing, swimming, and floating in the water when the second
group of ladies arrived. Lady Fina looked out at the sight with
glaring eyes. Everyone stopped what they were doing and stared like
children caught in mischief. Fina barked, “Well, now, this is a
fine sight, now isn’t it? Half the kitchen staff taking a naked
swim in the middle of the day, don’t those just be like it now.
Well, only one thing to do, then.”

Lady Fina started to strip with the
other women in her party, and within seconds, ten more naked women
joined the frolicking in the water. Although always interested and
curious about women, I found that it was not a sexual experience
when everyone was naked and no one cared to bother about it. I
noticed Basilea had joined our naked group and was shocked to see
the changes in her body since the last time I had seen it. We were
eight when I nursed her from the pox; all mysteries of her body
were answered then. During that time, though, my only thought had
been for her to survive, to live; I just wanted her body to
recover.

After a few minutes in the water, the
ladies began to surround me. Lady Fina pressed up against me, and
Lady Trina stepped behind me so I couldn’t escape. The other ladies
started to titter and moved in as well. Fina said, “So, young
Master Rogue, we were wondering which you prefer?” She picked up
her enormous breasts in her hands and began rubbing them in my
face. “Do you like big ones?” She turned me to face Trina, who
picked up her petite breasts in her hands and rubbed them in my
face. “Or do you prefer small ones?” All the ladies began to laugh
hysterically. Looking around, I found Basilea and Fulk also unable
to restrain themselves.