Project: Dottie - Prologue
“Now, pull it back, gently, gently, and – release”
Dottie watched as the thin shaft of wood was propelled forward by the force of the animal gut she had stretched back, soaring through the air towards the large oak tree that stood some fifty yards away. As it slammed into the wood, the sharp metal point splitting into the outer bark, she was met with a round of rapturous applause from the men gathered behind her, none more so than the tall sandy haired man who stood by her side.
“I must say, Lady Dorothy that your skills are getting better with each passing day.”
“Why, thank you, my lord Richard,” she said with a deep bow, the edge of her leather tunic rising to show the way her leg coverings covered her petite derrière. She had spent the last two days in the woods outside Nottingham, with the man she loved more than any other in the world and the band of rogues, charmers and one well proportioned priest that he called his Band of Jolly Men.
If truth be told, much of that time had been spent with Richard, either practising skills or spending many long hours together in the evenings. The men knew well enough to leave them alone at times like that – the moans were indication enough they desired their privacy, and sometimes they had found lengths of thin leather or twine left on the forest floor when they had gone there the next morning.
“Now, again,” Richard said as he stood beside her and helped her to draw back the bow, a white tunic under her jerkin protecting her arms and a peaked cap on her head. “Gently draw back the bow, and hold it for a few moments...” As he reached round to hold her hand, Dottie could feel his body next to her, and knew from the touch that he was aroused by her presence – just as she had planned. Dottie smiled – she was with the man she loved, in a place she loved, and nothing could spoil this perfect moment.
Nothing, of course, except the fact that she had to return to the nearby village before dusk, in order to return to Grantham the next day. “Must you go,” Richard said as she stood by the horse, three of his men waiting to escort her.
“I am afraid so – if I am not at the manor to receive the Sheriff two days from now, then there will be questions asked – and you are in enough trouble as it is, sirrah.”
“Fair enough, my lady.” Richard took her hand and kissed it. “Until we meet again, fair maiden?”
“Until then, my lord,” Dottie said as she pressed her feet into the side of the horse, urging it on as her escort followed behind. Richard watched her riding off into the distance, a concerned look on his face.
“You need to make an honest woman of her one of these days, Richard,” Small James said as he came alongside, the six foot quarterstaff he used in his hand.
“I know, I know – but not so long as the Sheriff is in charge,” Richard said as he turned round. “Right, my men – let us find dinner for tonight.”
“I hope this is not too much trouble for you, Anna?”
“Not at all, my lady – we are honoured to have you stay with us this night.”
Dottie smiled at the young woman who had shown her to her room. She was about eighteen, with shoulder length brown hair, and dressed in a simple white dress with dark trim, the neckline cut in a round pattern and her waist gathered in with a leather belt. Dottie has changed from her “Adventure outfit” as she called it into one more in the keeping with a lady of the manor – a floor length green velvet gown, the short sleeves sitting on her shoulders, and a wide girdle around her waist. The neckline of her gown, unlike that of the young woman with her, was cut low to show her chest as much as the standards of the day would allow – and then possibly a little further than that. As she sat on the bed, Dottie looked at Anna standing with her hands in front of her.
“I understand you come with me to Grantham?”
“Yes, my lady...”
“Please, call me Dorothy.”
“Yes, my l... Dorothy. I am to be presented at court, and a carriage is to meet me at the manor house the day after tomorrow.”
“Does this idea trouble you?”
Anna looked up. “Of course not, Dorothy – but I have heard rumours of women disappearing in the area, and I do not want to feel we are at risk.”
Dottie had also heard the rumours, and had asked Richard about them, but they had found nothing. “Your father is providing an escort,” she said as she looked at the young woman, “and I am sure if anything did happen, they would protect us.”
The sound of a horse and carriage could be heard outside, and Dottie stood to look out of the window. “Our transport awaits,” she said as she stood up and lifted the heavy latch on the door, “Shall we?”
“Now watch the roads, and guard the lives of these ladies with your own,” Sir Desmond could be heard saying as the two women walked out. “You will not wear a travelling cloak, Lady Dorothy?”
“Not today, thank you – it is too warm a day. Your daughter will be safe with us, I am sure.”
“I know she will be,” he said as he kissed Anna on both cheeks. “Fair journey to you ladies.”
The carriage rattled off into the distance, the four armed escorts riding alongside, as Sir Desmond stood there watching. As he turned, a servant came running on.
“My lord – a raiding party has hit the nearby village, and they are asking for help.”
“And help we shall – saddle my horse and gather the men,” he said as he rushed into the house.
“I’ve never been to Grantham – is it an exciting town, Dorothy?”
Dottie turned and looked at her companion. “Truthfully, no – I wish something exciting would...”
Her speech was interrupted by shouting from outside, and then the sound of fighting. “Stay inside,” they heard the coachman shout to them, and both ladies dived to the floor as they listened to the sound of metal on metal and groans. It lasted maybe for ten minutes, before an eerie silence fell over the road.
“What happened,” Anna said with a shaky voice, but before Dottie could answer the carriage door was thrown open, and three men stood looking in. Their faces were covered in sloth, and their heads in some form of turban, matched by their flowing robes. In the hands of two of the men were large curved swords that gleamed in the sunlight.
“Bind them,” the man in front said, and to Dottie’s horror the other two climbed in and forced both her and Anna to lie face down on the seats. “Do not fight them, Anna,” Dottie called out as she felt her wrists been tied together behind her backs with strips of cloth, while Anna was rolled onto her back and her wrists tied together in front of her. As she looked over, she could see the young girl crying as her arms were lashed to her side with black cloth, while she was sat up and her own arms tied tightly together around her elbows.
What was more perplexing, more worrying, was the way the three men were leering at both women as they went about their dread business. As the man binding her lifted her up to a seated position, his hands grabbed her breasts and squeezed, sending a shock through her that made her gasp. She heard him laugh, deep and coarse, as he slipped his hand under the front of her dress and started massage her breasts – a fact that did not escape Anna’s notice, as she looked to the man with her with eyes wide with fright. For Dottie, however, she could not deny she was enjoying the attention, if the manner was a little rough – and her body knew she was enjoying it as well. “Leave her alone,” she called out as the other captor moved towards Anna, “She is...” A look from their leader silenced her as he drew his sword from the sash around his waist.
As their ankles were lashed together with more cloth, the man who seemed to be their leader climbed into the carriage and pulled back on Anna’s hair, which had been braided at the back. “How dare you,” Dottie shouted as Anna screamed, only for a rag of cloth to be pushed into her mouth and a wide strip of black cloth to be pulled over her lips and face. As the cloth was knotted, another intruder held a similar cloth in front of Dottie’s mouth. “You will all pay for thsggsdaddags” she called out as the cloth was shoved roughly behind her teeth, before a white cloth was tied over her mouth. As her arms were pinned against her back with strips of cloth around her waist and chest, she heard the leader say “Take them to the Sultan – they will make a fine addition to his collection.” He jumped out of the carriage, followed by one of the armed men while the other stayed with the two women.
She looked over at Anna, who was sat with her head back and her eyes closed, and wanted to comfort her, but there was no way she could move off the seat. Instead, she sat still, with their wimples lying beside them, and wondered how her lover would react when he found out what had happened. The man watched her, his dark eyes narrow and intense, before he grabbed another cloth and tied it over Anna’s eyes. Dottie watched as he came over to her, eyes widening as he started to move his hands over her chest, made more prominent by her binding, and caress her breasts in his rough hands.
Understanding now why he had blindfolded the younger woman, and also understanding his intentions, Dottie closed her eyes as she let out a low moan, wanting not to encourage him but to protect herself as he continued to grope at her. As he pulled down the front of her dress, and kneaded her breasts with his coarse hands, she let out a series of low moans as her body started to buck. She could feel her body shuddering, and yet she did not want him to stop, enjoying the feeling too much. To her relief, he went no further, contenting himself with the touch of her chest. This left one thought in Dottie’s mind – what was waiting for her at their destination?
“Hold, Sir Desmond!”
The older knight stopped in his tracks as he saw the band of men across his bath, and recognised the man who had spoken.
“Richard of Arnold – I had heard you were in these parts. I ride to aid the attack in the next village – will you join me?”
Richard stood, a puzzled expression on his face. “Attack? Sir Desmond, my men and I have just come from the next village. There is no attack in progress there, I can assure you of that. Who brought you such news?”
“My servant told me he had received word – but if there is no attack, why would anyone send me so far in this direction?”
“The ladies – they went on their way safely this morning?”
“Of course – I saw them leave before I... Oh dear lord, you do not suppose?”
Richard did not answer, but mounted the horse by his side. “You men head to Sir Desmond’s manor and find that servant. With your permission, sir, we will take the path the carriage should have followed. I have a bad feeling about this.”
“Bring her forth!”
Dottie started as a large gong went off in the next room, and the large wooden doors opened. She had already seen Anna taking into what seemed to be a grand hall, but she had not yet returned, and Dottie was unsure if she would come back.
They had arrived some hours ago, half the journey at the mercy of the man in with them, and had been marched into the castle and down to a large cellar. There, they had been forced to remove their own clothing and dress in outfits Dottie had never seen the like of before. In her case it was a bra and short pants made of gold, with chains that went around her legs and bodies. An ornate headpiece was perched on her hair, but around her wrists were heavy iron manacles that were chained together, one long chain in particular running down and between her legs where it was been held by someone. A thin train of muslin was down the back of her legs, but it offered little protection as the cold metal rubbed at her crotch as it was pulled.
If she was been honest with herself, however, Dottie was beginning to enjoy the sensation that was causing. As she walked, the metal links were rubbing against her crotch, and there was little if no protection as they moved against her skin. This was arousing her, and she wondered how she could possibly let those feelings go in a way that did not attract attention to herself. Anna and she were not the only women here – four others had been stripped, dressed, manacled and gone in earlier, leaving Dottie as the only one there.
As she was pushed forward, however, she forgot about that as she walked, hobbled, into this large room. She could say nothing anyway – a lump of leather had been secured into her mouth by a wide panel that covered her lower face.
The walls were covered with rich tapestries, all of which Dottie noticed were like those described by Richard from his time in the crusades. At regularly spaced intervals were large, strong men in white robes with those curved swords in their hands, while at the far end was seated a young bearded man on a set of cushions. He was surrounded by a bevy of young women, all dressed in flimsy clothing with veils over the faces.
There was also a group of men in the room, standing around and looking, and Dottie recognised one of them instantly. Tall, thin, short brown hair and a thin goatee. “What in the name of God is the Sheriff of Nottingham doing here,” she said to herself as she was pushed towards the end where the eastern man sat,
“So, this is the famous Lady Dorothy,” the man said as she came to a halt. “My apologies for the way you were brought here, but I am honoured to have you as my guest. I am Akbar, a prince of the region your crusaders so recently ransacked, and I am here to collect – some compensation, I believe you would say.”
Dottie saw the Sheriff laugh, as he said “I am pleased you like my gift, great Akbar. I give it as a sign of our trust and agreement.” She stared at him and at the stranger, who stood up and walked round her. “It is a most thoughtful gift, my lord Sheriff – I thank you for it,” he said as he slapped Dottie on the bottom, making her yelp through her gag.
“Whrss na” Dottie mumbled through her gag. “Remove the panel,” Akbar ordered, and Dottie coughed as the hard leather lump was removed from her mouth. “Where is the lady Anna?” she repeated as she stared at her captor.
“Your friend? She has graciously agreed to join my ladies, and even now is been prepared. The question is, my dear Dorothy – what can you do for me?” Dottie stared at the man as he leaned forward, an idea forming in her mind to play for time. “I could dance for your pleasure,” she eventually said, “but not in this clothing. I would need something more – sinuous for a performance for one as great as you.”
“Well said, Lady Dorothy,” Akbar cried out with a laugh. Clapping his hands, two of the veiled women came and took Dorothy by the arms. “Take her and dress her accordingly,” he said as he sat back down, “I will see you at dinner tonight, My Lady.”
“My god – this is a massacre.”
Sir Desmond descended from his horse as Richard looked over the bodies scattered on the ground, their faces showing both fear and agony from the moments of their deaths. As he looked round, Richard picked up a branch that had been left on the ground, hacked from a nearby tree.
“Have you ever seen anything like this,” he asked the younger man as he put the branch down.
“Sadly, yes – in the holy land. Whoever did this was from there – the way this branch was cut it could not have been felled by any blade we have here. Sir Desmond, ride to your manor, gather your men, and please allow my men to stay there for the interim.”
“Why, where are you going?”
“To speak with the only man in these parts who may know who is behind this – I will meet you at the manor in due course. Ride as fast as possible, Sir Desmond – every moment your Anna and my Dorothy are in grave danger.”
She twirled as the music played, the thin blue muslin veil covering her face while the pantaloons moved with her steps in the breeze. A matching top covered her breasts and offered some modesty, while thin elbow length gloves covered her arms.
Dorothy was lost in the motion, knowing she had to entertain him and also knowing the lives of Anna and any other women were at stake. As they had bathed her, the two attendants had told how they too had been taken from nearby villages and brought here. How long ago they could not say, but each had admitted to been unclean twice while they had been there.
“Bravo, my dear lady, bravo,” Akbar said as his musicians finished playing and Dottie sank to her knees. “You have indeed been most entertaining, most entertaining. Come, sit with me.”
“I thank you, my lord, for your gracious comments,” she said as she sat on a cushion near the man who had captured her. “How long have you been in this fair land?”
“Some months now. I came to discuss – well, that need not concern you, but I missed some of the comforts my homeland had to offer. So I asked my men to search for suitable replacements, and they have been most fastidious in meeting my requests. You, my dear Lady Dorothy, are an exceptionally fine catch.”
Dottie could see the way he was looking at her, as he licked his lips and rubbed his hands. The dance had left her exhausted and excited, in more ways than she could possibly have imagined, but this was not the time or the place to show that.
“I am pleased that you enjoyed my dancing, my lord,” she said as she bowed her head, “May I request a boon?”
“Of course you may, dear lady.”
“Would it be possible for me to speak with the lady Anna tomorrow – I wish to know she is happy and safe.”
“It will be allowed – go and rest, my lady. You will entertain us again tomorrow.”
“May I also crave a boon, my lord Akbar?”
“Of course, my dear Sheriff – what is your desire?”
“Please, allow me to escort the fair lady to her quarters. We are – old friends, and I would wish to parlay with her.”
Akbar smiled and waved his hand, as the Sheriff took Dottie by the arm. “This way, my lady,” he said as he dragged her out of the room and back to the chamber she had been staying in. “What do you think you are doing, my lord,” Dottie said as he closed the door behind them.
“I am seeking a farewell gift – you will leave when he goes, as will all the other gifts I have found for him.”
“All the other... The women who have disappeared – you took them?”
“Some – some his own men took, but you are the most precious of all. I shall miss you, of course, but...” The slap that Dottie gave the Sheriff made him stop and hold his cheek. “You will regret that,” he said as he pushed Dottie onto the bed and grabbed her wrists. Taking a length of leather, he bound them together before forcing her to lie on the bed and securing them to the post that ran across the head of the bed.
“What are you doing, Sheriff,” she screamed a she pulled her pantaloons off and threw them to one side, before using two more thongs to secure her ankles apart to the foot of the bed. She could see in his pants how he was feeling, and started to scream “no, NO!!!!”
“You will be quiet, wench, or you will feel my hand,” the Sheriff said as he straddled Dorothy and pulled the straps holding her top up down her shoulders and arms. As he stroked her white skin, he leaned over and kissed her lips with his, the roughness of his beard rubbing against her cheek making Dottie feel sick. As he exposed her breasts, however he moved down and kissed her nipples, sucking slightly as he felt them harden. Dottie let out a yelp of surprise at this – it was something that had never been done to her before, and while not unpleasant she wished it had been Richard doing it. As he continued to kiss her breasts, however, the yelp turned into a low moan, as she felt herself powerless to stop her body reacting to this touch.
“Hush, my maid Dorothy,” the Sheriff said as he rolled up a cloth napkin and stuffed it into Dottie’s mouth, “nobody will hear you. By all accounts, you are no longer a maid anyway, so I am only going to be the latest.” Dottie looked at him, saying “mmmmmm” as his finger stroked around her nipples while he moved further down her body, kissing her stomach and her legs before taking his hand and feeling between her legs. “omgdplsdntdt” she mumbled as he stroked gently, before moving his head down and gently kissing her crotch.
“Ngggm” she screamed out as she felt herself throbbing at this, and as his tongue moved between her legs she closed her eyes and turned her head. She felt him straighten up and cloth against her own legs, and opened her eyes to see him straddling her body, naked from teh waist down. “That Richard of Arnold will never satisfy you as I can,” he said as his hand felt between her legs, a moan escaping as he proceeded to have his way, Dottie’s moans increasing as he moved in her...
“Good morning, my lord Gisbourne.”
The tall man blinked as he opened his eyes to be met by a sword pointing directly at his throat, the grinning face of Richard of Arnold looking down from above as well.
“Arnold – what is the meaning of this intrusion!”
“I have a most serious matter to discuss, Guy – and it is better we talk discretely. The Lady Dorothy has been taken – by Saracens, by what I saw at the site. Now, I ask myself, what a band of Saracens would be doing in the woods around this city – unless you knew something about this.
“Well, sir – do you know anything about this?” As he spoke, Richard pressed the blade point against the Sheriff’s throat, a tiny trickle of blood seeping down.
“Dorothy? I swear I...”
“Start talking, Guy.”
“All right, all right – there has been some negotiations with a man called Akbar. He took a castle near Lincoln for his residence, and the Sheriff has been negotiating with him directly. I played no part in this – he called it diplomacy.”
“And?” Richard pressed the blade further forward. “I think the Sheriff has been – helping him to collect something to take home. I never asked what – some things are better not known. At any rate, they were local peasants, they would not be missed...”
“Save by their families – but what of Dorothy?”
“He is jealous – insanely jealous of you. I know the Saracen lord is leaving in a week – what do you think he would do?”
“My God.” Richard withdrew his blade and stood back. “Which castle – and pray she is unharmed, for I find she is I will return for Mohammadean justice. Be assured of that.”
“Anna – are you harmed?”
Dottie embraced the young girl as she was brought in, dressed in a pair of light green pants with a matching veil and a heavy metal bra on her chest.
“I am unharmed, physically, but I want away from this place. The man who leads this rabble – he looks at me as if...”
“Say nothing, child – I have seen that look as well. I am sure your father and – others – are looking for us even as we speak. For now, we must play for as much time as possible.” Anna looked in Dottie’s eyes, which were red and swollen. “Are you all right, Dorothy? They have not...”
“Do not worry about me, child – you must do all you can to protect yourself. I – I will do what I can with my dancing – you must do that by saying nothing, and doing what they tell you. If they harm you, it will be on their own heads – I promise you that.”
Anna nodded as she looked at the dark haired woman. She was dressed in clothes of red satin and gold thread, with her hair pulled up and held in a pigtail by a red cap. As she walked, the gold discs on her trousers jangled, and ornate bracelets encircled her arms.
“He will call for me soon,” Dorothy said as both women heard heavy footsteps in the hallway. “Do nothing unless I tell you.” The door opened and the two guards came in, taking both women by the arm as they were escorted out.
As they walked down the hallway, they passed a group of hooded men. Dottie glanced at them as they walked past, noting the slight nod from one of them, and smiled as they were escorted into the main hall.
“Ah, the Lady Dorothy,” Akbar called out as they were frog marched in, Anna taking her place behind the man as Dorothy stood in front of him. The six men slipped in and stood, quietly, at the back of the room. “Are you ready to entertain us?”
“I am, my lord,” she said as the music started, the eastern sounds and strains helping her to move as she began to sway from side to side, moving her hips in a circular motion that made her discs chime in beat with the music.
The sounds filled the hall, Dottie closing her eyes as she lightly stepped around the open area in the centre of the hall. She moved from corner to corner and around, bowing and raising her body as the movement made Akbar more and more alert, more and more aroused. She could feel herself becoming aroused as well, with each sinuous motion of her body causing her to relax and feel in one with the beat, with the timing, with the way she wanted her body to respond.
Without warning, Akbar stood up and clapped loudly. “Enough,” he cried out as he stood up, “I will have you now, Lady Dorothy. Strip her.”
Dottie stopped as she was grabbed from behind by a large Nubian, while her clothes were ripped off her by one of his attendants. As her arms were held behind her, she watched Akbar come forward, raising his hands and caressing her breasts. Dottie looked into his eyes as she felt his fingers encircling her nipples, teasing her as he looked down and place dhis lips against them. Once again Dottie felt the electric shock running through her as he placed his hands on her bum and pushed her into himself, his manhood easily felt as she was pulled forward.
“You are a fine woman,” he said out loud as he walked behind her and encircled her chest with his arms. “And the lord Sheriff tells me you were most – accommodating with him last night in the bedchamber,” he whispered in her ear as his hands reached down between her legs. He felt the moistness there, as Dottie let out a low moan, and the Sheriff’s cruel laugh came into her ears. As Akbar moved his hand, Dottie continued to moan, hoping against hope that someone would stop him, but he continued to arouse, stroking and probing as she grew warmer still, until she could stand it no longer. “Please,” she moaned, as a voice she knew and loved shouting “NOW!!”
“Who dares...?” Akbar shouted as he turned round to be met by Richard of Arnold, Sir Desmond and four of Richard’s band, standing there with swords drawn “We dare, cur,” Sir Desmond said as he stepped forward, “We dare to rescue our women and see you tried for your crimes.”
Dottie grabbed Anna and ran for the door as the battle raged around them. Before she had a chance to make good their escape, however, their way was blocked by the Sheriff, his sword in hand as he said “I will not allow you to escape from me, little wench.”
“Wench, is it,” Dottie said as she picked up a sword. The Sheriff was surprised, and even more so when she went for him, parrying and thrusting with as much skill as he had seen in any man. He countered as best he could, but decided ultimately that discretion was the better part of valour, before valiantly running through a side exit.
“It is over, my fair maiden,” Richard said as he took the sword form his love’s hand. Dottie watched as Anna was escorted away by her father. “We will return the maidens to their homes, and you will come with me to the woods for a stay. I trust you do not mind?”
“How could I refuse? I do, however, have a request.” Richard smiled as he said “Whatever you wish for is mine to give, my love.”
“Comfy?”
Dottie smiled as she turned to look at Richard. She was dressed in her travelling gown, but Richard had fastened her arms tightly to her side with heavy leather straps that were buckled in front of her.
“Very comfortable, thank you my lord,” she said as she smiled back at him. “Now that my lord has me so helpless, what are his intentions towards me?” She saw a gleam in his eye as he led her into an alcove, pulling the curtains closed behind them.
“I find you strangely irresistible in this pose, my lady,” he said as he pulled her towards him, his lisp encircling hers and his arms her chest. She returned the passion, as they held each other and their mouths made their love real and plain. “Kneel,” Richard said, and as Dottie knelt on the ground she watched him pull his leg coverings down. Her eyes widened at the sight before her as her love walked forward, saying “Take me “ as he came closer.
“My lord Richard, I am at your command. Tell me what you would have me do,” she said as she closed her eyes and licked the tip of his penis, slowly drawing it into her mouth as she started to suck. She could hear him moaning as he grew insdie her, the throbbing increasing in response to her touch while she felt herself growing warmer below as well.
“I think you know what I want you to do, my lady – one other thing.”
Dottie released him from her grip and looked up. “What is your will, Richard?”
“Dottie, you know to call me Rick.”
“I’m sorry?”
“Dottie,” the man said as he started shaking her by the shoulders....
Dottie woke up and saw Rick standing over her.
“I said you know you can call me Rick – and we’re on in a half hour. You must have dozed off again. From the sound of it, it was an intensive dream as well. You were moaning as if it was the two of us privately. Want to tell me about it?”
Dottie looked at the dress hanging on the door, and realised where she was. “Later, Rick. Right now,” she said as she jumped up, “Let’s do this – we are going to win tonight, I just know it.” She turned and looked down at the wet patch on her leggings, pulling them off before washing herself.
The fantasies were getting more real, and they were giving her inspiration to do even better at her work, her hobbies – especially with Rick by her side. She took his hand as they walked down the corridor to the floor...
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