"2567-20" - читать интересную книгу автора (Jerome Bigge - Warlady 5 - The Warlady Of Dularn)"THE WARLADY OF DULARN" 2567 A.D.! By Jerome Bigge Chapter Twenty "Someone's taken `command'," Lars breathed, crouching by my side, his lovely wife Sandi just behind, an arrow nocked on her bowstring. Her silver neck chain covered by a dark strip of cloth. She didn't have Carol's abilities, but most of our "work" was at a close enough range that it hardly mattered now. The Im- perials were now once again an effective disciplined force, not just a "rabble" as they first had been when we had attacked. There had been some "swordplay", but most of it had been archery. The Imperials being handicapped by their "lack" of such weapons. The airplane and the Tarl had both been "hidden", leaving no doubts that someone had "thought" of what we might "do". I have no doubt that it was Sharon, who is much like Lorraine that way! The forces around the manor house and outbuildings had been too strong for us, now that someone competent was finally in command. "Lady Tirana," I guessed, recalling what I knew of Darlanis. Darlanis herself was "returning fire", her big seventy five pound draw compound having a range that equaled that of our own cross- bows! She and Carol were making a "personal duel" out of it at about a hundred and thirty yards, although the range was too far for my wife's "lighter" sixty pound draw bow to be much effective even with my wife's awesome skills at archery. Carol's forces under her command then launching a barrage of arrows and crossbow bolts at Darlanis which didn't seem to "bother" the Empress in the least! Darlanis being of the sort who takes little consider- ation for her own personal safety. I believe that she thinks she is "unkillable". It may be true, as she does seem to be "lucky" in a way that you wouldn't believe. In her book of course she claims that her "daughter" (Domino Tremaine) wrote in the 21st Century that she "recalled" her mother as a young girl. I might mention here that Carol and I once "met" Domino Tremaine, or at least a woman of the same name there in Spain when we spent an "exotic" three weeks with the Countess. I realize that this has no "bearing" on this story as such, but it does indicate that Darlanis' own book may be more "accurate" than some people have thought. Just "how" she did it is another question of course... "`Competent bitch'," Sandi muttered from behind me, taking a shot at a running Imperial oarsman, missing. Their "losses" had been far greater than ours had been, although not all the deaths had been on one side, of course. I saw a man run across in front of me, took aim, saw him drop, roll, twist and kick, much like a deer does when you shoot it. Moved back behind a tree to recock. A crossbow, unlike a bow, requiring that you stand to recock one. The "draw" of the weapon I was using went 220 pounds, and I used a belt hook to draw it, with my right foot in a stirrup. It is not really "difficult" once you get the "hang" of doing it. On the other hand it is not something that women as a rule can "do". There are of course "exceptions". Carol can manage to "do" it.* * There is one excellent book on crossbows. "THE CROSSBOW" by Sir Ralph Payne-Gallwey. It is now out of print, but may yet be available in a large public library. We could build the Dularni- an crossbows today of course. They would doubtless make an ex- cellent weapon for deer hunting and such, although there is con- siderable "prejudice" against the crossbow for some reason. (JB) "Find Carol," I told Sandi and Lars. "Tell her to pull back." Lady Tirana was now getting Darlanis' people "organized". I "respected" the old Warlady. She was using fire arrows now to help "light things up" a bit. The North Star had ceased firing several minutes ago. I supposed that Maris had given the order. She seemed "competent", a capable commander. More so than Darla- nis, I now mused to myself. Darlanis was brave, but incompetent. She had a lot of "balls", but she wasn't a good military leader. "The Queen?" Sandi asked, her eyes glistening in the light from the numerous small fires. She looked a lot "different" with her face blackened. So had Carol's, I recalled, remembering. I nodded, made a "dash" for it, heard something go "zip" past me. Thought of my basic training so long ago now, it seems. Realized that I could get "killed" just as easy by an arrow or crossbow bolt as with a bullet. Ducked behind some brush, found that it was already "occupied", the surprised woman going for her dagger! I hit her in the face, hard, my right fist slamming into her jaw! "You wouldn't look bad in a slave's collar," I said to her, holding her own dagger to her throat as she regained her "wits". I could see the terror in Keri's eyes as she looked up into mine. She had worn only a brief robe, nothing else, and that had come "undone" during our struggle. She was "slave naked" as they say! "As long as its yours," she spoke, looking up into my eyes. There was no mistaking the "implication" behind that she'd said! I suspected that she was becoming sexually aroused despite all! A common female sexual fantasy of this era is to be so "captured" by some handsome barbarian warrior who will keep you as a slave. "I doubt if my wife would allow me to keep you," I smiled. "Your wife `of the Warrioresses'?" she asked me in reply. "I think you could say so," I answered, thinking of Carol. "Too damn many Warrioresses, not enough `men'," she smiled. "We had the same problem during the Twentieth Century", I said, Keri gasping softly as she realized just "who" I was now! I reached between her thighs as she struggled with embarrassment, "touched" her, and sniffed of my fingers. There were no doubts! "Yes, I was the `free woman' you `pleasured'," Keri spoke as I rolled her over, tying her hands behind her. She had a nice body, although considerably "slimmer" than that of my own wife's. I left Keri bound there in the brush. She had offered me no resistance, and I doubted if anyone else would find her. I had also then very briefly tasted of her lips before leaving her. A strong master would have much enjoyed her. She was "ready" too! I worked my way towards the manor house, going from tree to tree. Watching for any of the "enemy", the only ones I saw being a couple burly "oarsmen" types on "guard" there by the door. Then as I dashed up to the side of the house, I heard the sound of swordplay inside, that "clash of steel" beloved by novelists! The sound now coming from an open window there just to my left! I spun about at the "sound" of racing footsteps, put a bolt through the chest of the man dashing towards me with a spear. I saw him drop, kick and thrash a bit much like the other I'd shot! Took a look through the open window, saw Maris and Sharon at it! Sharon is Lorraine's step daughter, the adopted daughter of Darlanis. She is in her thinking a lot like Lorraine. She does not however share the fighting skills of that famous "Warlady". I could tell from the way that Maris fought that she had no de- sire to harm her. Sharon, however, had "other opinions" about the matter and was doing her "best" to kill the Queen of Dularn! "Sharon!" I cried, the lovely blonde Princess turning, Maris reaching out, grabbing her wrist, disarming her, Sharon driving her knee up into Maris' crotch, while going for Maris' face with her nails. I reached through the window, grabbed Sharon, Maris stepping back, her face bleeding, and then giving Sharon a punch in the jaw that old Mike Tyson himself would have been proud of! "Vicious bitch!" I heard Queen Maris snap, then suddenly I heard footsteps there behind me! I wheeled, going for my sword, knowing as I did that it was too late! The oarsman swinging his club down at me as I tried to duck down under it, Maris screaming "something" I couldn't make out then. Then there came a terrific blow to my head and the utter "nothingness" of unconsciousness!!! "Pull back!" Carol screamed, nocking, drawing, firing, a constant stream of deadly arrows that disheartened the Imperials despite their own Empress' orders to attack! Darlanis springing to the saddle of a unicorn to charge them, the animal dropping beneath her as a lovely brownette's deadly skill shot the beast from beneath her! "Back to the ship!" Carol ordered, a half doz- en picked archers with her keeping up a constant rate of fire against the Imperials facing them. My wife ignoring the arrows and crossbow bolts that zipped by, fighting down the terror in her own heart as she now saw no sign of me or Queen Maris either! One of her arrows much to her satisfaction causing that damm big blonde she so hated to "fall", the Empress clutching at her leg! "Your husband went for the Queen!" Lars cried, seeing the "madness" in those hazel eyes as Carol's blackened face turned to look into his. Carol nodding, screaming orders, withdrawing the force back to the ship. The ship once again now firing, a series of flaming bursts of fire falling between them and the Imperials! A man, splashed by the flaming liquid, running about, screaming! A "pattern" of darts, eighty in the packet, now falling, hitting! Lady Tirana ordering her forces back, while keeping up a steady stream of fire with the few crossbows that she had available now! The archers under her command firing high into the sky to drop their arrows among the fleeing Dularnians two hundred yards off! "Back to the boats," my wife cried, grabbing men, women, her eyes wild, her bow now useless there in her hand for lack of ar- rows to shoot, her full two dozen having been fired. Carol draw- ing upon resources she never knew she possessed to bring order out of chaos. A crossbow bolt, better aimed than the rest, slapped the side of her head, stinging like a bee in its passing! She reached up, felt of the wetness, and shuddered to herself!!! "Get to the boats!" Carol cried, grabbing men, women, push- ing them on past her. More arrows falling, a few crossbow bolts. A man falling, clutching at his back, then collapsing, dying! The North Star firing another broadside, forcing the Imperials back. Carol saw two men hit, one behind the other, the second, pinned like a fly on the ballistae bolt. Such missiles, two feet long, several pounds in weight, capable of killing several men! The North Star's crew switching to darts, the missiles just pass- ing over her head as she dashed for the boats waiting there now in the water, the oars out, ready to be put to use. She now splashed through water to her waist, strong hands seizing her, dragging her up over the side, like men dragging in a big fish! The oars digging deep into the water as the boats headed out to- wards the anchored North Star, arrows falling all around them!!! "Bob! Where are you?" she cried, her eyes in her blackened face wild as she hear no reply but the curses of the Imperials there on shore as they dodged the arrows and crossbow bolts now directed at them from the boats and from the ship anchored off shore, its batteries once again firing, the entire shore erupting in flame, forcing the Imperials back. A tall golden Empress, now clutching her leg, her teeth gritted with pain, adding her own hot curses to those launched towards the North Star's people!!! "THE WARLADY OF DULARN" 2567 A.D.! By Jerome Bigge Chapter Twenty "Someone's taken `command'," Lars breathed, crouching by my side, his lovely wife Sandi just behind, an arrow nocked on her bowstring. Her silver neck chain covered by a dark strip of cloth. She didn't have Carol's abilities, but most of our "work" was at a close enough range that it hardly mattered now. The Im- perials were now once again an effective disciplined force, not just a "rabble" as they first had been when we had attacked. There had been some "swordplay", but most of it had been archery. The Imperials being handicapped by their "lack" of such weapons. The airplane and the Tarl had both been "hidden", leaving no doubts that someone had "thought" of what we might "do". I have no doubt that it was Sharon, who is much like Lorraine that way! The forces around the manor house and outbuildings had been too strong for us, now that someone competent was finally in command. "Lady Tirana," I guessed, recalling what I knew of Darlanis. Darlanis herself was "returning fire", her big seventy five pound draw compound having a range that equaled that of our own cross- bows! She and Carol were making a "personal duel" out of it at about a hundred and thirty yards, although the range was too far for my wife's "lighter" sixty pound draw bow to be much effective even with my wife's awesome skills at archery. Carol's forces under her command then launching a barrage of arrows and crossbow bolts at Darlanis which didn't seem to "bother" the Empress in the least! Darlanis being of the sort who takes little consider- ation for her own personal safety. I believe that she thinks she is "unkillable". It may be true, as she does seem to be "lucky" in a way that you wouldn't believe. In her book of course she claims that her "daughter" (Domino Tremaine) wrote in the 21st Century that she "recalled" her mother as a young girl. I might mention here that Carol and I once "met" Domino Tremaine, or at least a woman of the same name there in Spain when we spent an "exotic" three weeks with the Countess. I realize that this has no "bearing" on this story as such, but it does indicate that Darlanis' own book may be more "accurate" than some people have thought. Just "how" she did it is another question of course... "`Competent bitch'," Sandi muttered from behind me, taking a shot at a running Imperial oarsman, missing. Their "losses" had been far greater than ours had been, although not all the deaths had been on one side, of course. I saw a man run across in front of me, took aim, saw him drop, roll, twist and kick, much like a deer does when you shoot it. Moved back behind a tree to recock. A crossbow, unlike a bow, requiring that you stand to recock one. The "draw" of the weapon I was using went 220 pounds, and I used a belt hook to draw it, with my right foot in a stirrup. It is not really "difficult" once you get the "hang" of doing it. On the other hand it is not something that women as a rule can "do". There are of course "exceptions". Carol can manage to "do" it.* * There is one excellent book on crossbows. "THE CROSSBOW" by Sir Ralph Payne-Gallwey. It is now out of print, but may yet be available in a large public library. We could build the Dularni- an crossbows today of course. They would doubtless make an ex- cellent weapon for deer hunting and such, although there is con- siderable "prejudice" against the crossbow for some reason. (JB) "Find Carol," I told Sandi and Lars. "Tell her to pull back." Lady Tirana was now getting Darlanis' people "organized". I "respected" the old Warlady. She was using fire arrows now to help "light things up" a bit. The North Star had ceased firing several minutes ago. I supposed that Maris had given the order. She seemed "competent", a capable commander. More so than Darla- nis, I now mused to myself. Darlanis was brave, but incompetent. She had a lot of "balls", but she wasn't a good military leader. "The Queen?" Sandi asked, her eyes glistening in the light from the numerous small fires. She looked a lot "different" with her face blackened. So had Carol's, I recalled, remembering. I nodded, made a "dash" for it, heard something go "zip" past me. Thought of my basic training so long ago now, it seems. Realized that I could get "killed" just as easy by an arrow or crossbow bolt as with a bullet. Ducked behind some brush, found that it was already "occupied", the surprised woman going for her dagger! I hit her in the face, hard, my right fist slamming into her jaw! "You wouldn't look bad in a slave's collar," I said to her, holding her own dagger to her throat as she regained her "wits". I could see the terror in Keri's eyes as she looked up into mine. She had worn only a brief robe, nothing else, and that had come "undone" during our struggle. She was "slave naked" as they say! "As long as its yours," she spoke, looking up into my eyes. There was no mistaking the "implication" behind that she'd said! I suspected that she was becoming sexually aroused despite all! A common female sexual fantasy of this era is to be so "captured" by some handsome barbarian warrior who will keep you as a slave. "I doubt if my wife would allow me to keep you," I smiled. "Your wife `of the Warrioresses'?" she asked me in reply. "I think you could say so," I answered, thinking of Carol. "Too damn many Warrioresses, not enough `men'," she smiled. "We had the same problem during the Twentieth Century", I said, Keri gasping softly as she realized just "who" I was now! I reached between her thighs as she struggled with embarrassment, "touched" her, and sniffed of my fingers. There were no doubts! "Yes, I was the `free woman' you `pleasured'," Keri spoke as I rolled her over, tying her hands behind her. She had a nice body, although considerably "slimmer" than that of my own wife's. I left Keri bound there in the brush. She had offered me no resistance, and I doubted if anyone else would find her. I had also then very briefly tasted of her lips before leaving her. A strong master would have much enjoyed her. She was "ready" too! I worked my way towards the manor house, going from tree to tree. Watching for any of the "enemy", the only ones I saw being a couple burly "oarsmen" types on "guard" there by the door. Then as I dashed up to the side of the house, I heard the sound of swordplay inside, that "clash of steel" beloved by novelists! The sound now coming from an open window there just to my left! I spun about at the "sound" of racing footsteps, put a bolt through the chest of the man dashing towards me with a spear. I saw him drop, kick and thrash a bit much like the other I'd shot! Took a look through the open window, saw Maris and Sharon at it! Sharon is Lorraine's step daughter, the adopted daughter of Darlanis. She is in her thinking a lot like Lorraine. She does not however share the fighting skills of that famous "Warlady". I could tell from the way that Maris fought that she had no de- sire to harm her. Sharon, however, had "other opinions" about the matter and was doing her "best" to kill the Queen of Dularn! "Sharon!" I cried, the lovely blonde Princess turning, Maris reaching out, grabbing her wrist, disarming her, Sharon driving her knee up into Maris' crotch, while going for Maris' face with her nails. I reached through the window, grabbed Sharon, Maris stepping back, her face bleeding, and then giving Sharon a punch in the jaw that old Mike Tyson himself would have been proud of! "Vicious bitch!" I heard Queen Maris snap, then suddenly I heard footsteps there behind me! I wheeled, going for my sword, knowing as I did that it was too late! The oarsman swinging his club down at me as I tried to duck down under it, Maris screaming "something" I couldn't make out then. Then there came a terrific blow to my head and the utter "nothingness" of unconsciousness!!! "Pull back!" Carol screamed, nocking, drawing, firing, a constant stream of deadly arrows that disheartened the Imperials despite their own Empress' orders to attack! Darlanis springing to the saddle of a unicorn to charge them, the animal dropping beneath her as a lovely brownette's deadly skill shot the beast from beneath her! "Back to the ship!" Carol ordered, a half doz- en picked archers with her keeping up a constant rate of fire against the Imperials facing them. My wife ignoring the arrows and crossbow bolts that zipped by, fighting down the terror in her own heart as she now saw no sign of me or Queen Maris either! One of her arrows much to her satisfaction causing that damm big blonde she so hated to "fall", the Empress clutching at her leg! "Your husband went for the Queen!" Lars cried, seeing the "madness" in those hazel eyes as Carol's blackened face turned to look into his. Carol nodding, screaming orders, withdrawing the force back to the ship. The ship once again now firing, a series of flaming bursts of fire falling between them and the Imperials! A man, splashed by the flaming liquid, running about, screaming! A "pattern" of darts, eighty in the packet, now falling, hitting! Lady Tirana ordering her forces back, while keeping up a steady stream of fire with the few crossbows that she had available now! The archers under her command firing high into the sky to drop their arrows among the fleeing Dularnians two hundred yards off! "Back to the boats," my wife cried, grabbing men, women, her eyes wild, her bow now useless there in her hand for lack of ar- rows to shoot, her full two dozen having been fired. Carol draw- ing upon resources she never knew she possessed to bring order out of chaos. A crossbow bolt, better aimed than the rest, slapped the side of her head, stinging like a bee in its passing! She reached up, felt of the wetness, and shuddered to herself!!! "Get to the boats!" Carol cried, grabbing men, women, push- ing them on past her. More arrows falling, a few crossbow bolts. A man falling, clutching at his back, then collapsing, dying! The North Star firing another broadside, forcing the Imperials back. Carol saw two men hit, one behind the other, the second, pinned like a fly on the ballistae bolt. Such missiles, two feet long, several pounds in weight, capable of killing several men! The North Star's crew switching to darts, the missiles just pass- ing over her head as she dashed for the boats waiting there now in the water, the oars out, ready to be put to use. She now splashed through water to her waist, strong hands seizing her, dragging her up over the side, like men dragging in a big fish! The oars digging deep into the water as the boats headed out to- wards the anchored North Star, arrows falling all around them!!! "Bob! Where are you?" she cried, her eyes in her blackened face wild as she hear no reply but the curses of the Imperials there on shore as they dodged the arrows and crossbow bolts now directed at them from the boats and from the ship anchored off shore, its batteries once again firing, the entire shore erupting in flame, forcing the Imperials back. A tall golden Empress, now clutching her leg, her teeth gritted with pain, adding her own hot curses to those launched towards the North Star's people!!! |
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