The latest installment, finally posted in the Tavern (no e) for everyone.
"Teach me how to fight." Norah said as she lay in Porthos arms, lightly tracing one of her fingers over his scars and through his chest hair.
He froze a little, his own hands stroking Norah's hips and back.
"So I can defend myself better when you aren't here."
He sighed a little and his hands absently started to move again.
"I'm not sure I'm the best person to do that. I can teach you how to shoot and punch and stuff, but you don't have my strength."
"Hmm. Yes." She manoeuvred herself up so she was leaning over him and tried not to focus too much on his mouth. she traced his lips with her thumb, "I can't just hope I get lucky and have some one to help me out."
Unable to stop herself she lowered her mouth and played with his with her tongue and teeth, lightly kissing the corner of his mouth. He breathed in deeply and his hand grew more insistent. He smiled as he tucked a curl behind her ear.
"Maybe I could come to the musketeer garrison? Learn to handle weapons?" She persisted.
He was watching her mouth now, she could see he was imagining it on his body. His eyes looked slightly out of focus.
"Would you like me to speak to Treville?"
"No. I'll do it. But thank you." Nope, she couldn't resist any more. She would have to kiss him properly now.
Shifting a little more so she was lying next to him she turned him to face her and brought his face to hers and kissed him slowly but intensely. He pressed her closer to him, his hand on her thighs seemed unable to resist roaming over her body as they kissed, edging one of his thighs between hers.
Later on, between fittings, Norah decided to visit Treville. She hope he would be able to see her, she knew he was a busy man.
The yard was empty when she got there, which she was glad for and she climbed the wooden stairs to Treville's office. Taking a deep breath she knocked firmly on the door.
"Enter!" Came Treville's gruff reply. "oh! Er....?"
"Norah." She helped him. And she strode towards him hand out to shake his. He looked a little surprised but took it.
"Sit down, please. Would you like any wine?"
"Yes, that would be great, thank you. I have come to ask for your help."
He filled the cup and handed it to Norah and sat opposite her at his desk.
"Yes, I thought you might. Especially after what happened. Athos has been quite irritating with his demands that I let you train here. He thinks you need to learn how to properly defend yourself, to fight!" He laughed." Obviously I can't let a woman train here. She'd put all the men off."
Norah flushed, mouth slightly open.
"Then how do you propose I learn to defend myself? You do know of the threats Rocheforte is making?
"Yes of course, but that is all drunken bragging...and bedsides, you're hardly impor.." He stopped, ashamed.
"No!" Norah interrupted, angry. "He is looking for me, to pay me back for ruining his sword hand. I've met him twice now and been lucky! Thank god he didn't bother washing that filth of my face otherwise I'd be dead now. But that won't stop him forever you know."
Disappointed and angry she got up not even bothering with the wine which she tossed into the fire. It hissed angrily reflecting how she felt.
"Thank you for your time." She said stiffly before leaving his office.
"Norah.. Please. I..." But she'd heard enough. Too angry to notice who was now in the yard practicing she made to leave.
"Norah! Stop, wait!" She heard Aramis call her. She turned and waited impatiently for him to run to her. "Is everything all right?" He looked at her carefully, worried and wondering why she was there.
"Yes of course." She snapped, then blushed at being rude. "Ah shit, sorry. Yes, I'm well, just disappointed. You?"
He rubbed the back of his head and looked at her. "Yes. Thank you. Is there anything I can help you with?"
Norah looked past him to where D'Artagnan was helping a new recruit, barely out of boyhood learn to hold a sword.
"Can you teach me to fight? To defend myself?"
"Ah. Right." He looked uncomfortable. Norah frowned and smiled bitterly.
"I see. Well then in that case no, you can't help me." She saw Treville standing at the top of the stairs and raised her voice "But don't you worry. I'm sure Rochefort will kill me. eventually." She knew he had a reputation for torturing his victims and he had promised to do that to her. Treville paled, he knew it too.
Norah tuned, head high and left. But as soon as she was out if sight of the garrison she leant weakly against a wall feeling sick with disappointment. Now what? He could be watching her now, ready to pounce and the best she could hope for was that he'd make a mistake or kill her quickly. Neither of which was likely.
A bell rung out that it was midday, reminding Norah that she had to go to see Comtesse. Hood up, she surveyed the people around her and slipped away.
Later on, after helping Comtesse dress for the ball at the palace, Norah sat and thought. She was to remain here at Comtesse's house to help her back out of the dress although she knew Comtesse really wanted her to be here where she was safer.
She'd brought some embroidery, and sat by the window in one of Comtesse's living rooms and tried to get it finished. Her mind kept wandering though and she felt anger again. frustrated she eventually gave up and shoved it to one side, looking out of the window.
"Norah?" Athos' voice came quietly from the door.
She turned, frowning a little.
"Is everything alight? Is Comtesse...?"
"She is safe and enjoying the ball no doubt." He smiled a little, entering the room and standing next to Norah, admiring the gardens.
"I know you went to Treville. I can help you, if you'd like?" He looked at her with those careful eyes.
"Really? How? Err. I mean thank you." She stammered. She had thought she barely registered with him.
He inclined his head slightly.
"It would be of benefit to me as well. That way I know Comtesse will be safe."
Aaah. That made sense.
"And you too of course" he added hastily. He smiled then, embarrassed.
"Of course." She smiled back. "When shall we start?"
"Now?"
"Yes. Now would be a good idea."
He took off his jacket and sat down, puzzled, Norah sat opposite him.
He seemed pleased.
"You have patience, that is good." He poured them some wine and began to talk, explaining what he would teach her and why.
It had been a few weeks since Athos had begun training her and she would practise whenever she could. Both Porthos and Aramis came to help out when they could but this always ended up with Porthos and Norah disappearing off back to Norah's early.
She was waiting at Comtesse's house again. Suddenly she sensed someone behind her and whipped round, her hand on the small dagger she kept concealed.
"Good." Athos smiled. "Today I have something new for you. Here." He tossed her some breeches, a shirt and jacket. "Figure out how to strap those" he pointed at her breasts "down and do something with your hair. Cut it off."
Norah gasped and instinctively out her hand up to her hair. Athos rolled his eyes a little. "Or at least keep it covered somehow."
"If I cut it off people will stare. I'd be more noticeable."
He nodded to concede the point.
"Be at the garrison tomorrow at ten."
"Yes. Thank you."
"Hmmm. We'll see." With a small bow he left.
Over the last few weeks he had been a strict but kind teacher. He had taught her how to escape a mans arms if she found herself trapped by one. The day she had managed to trip him and throw him to the ground had been a good one.
He was teaching her to escape should someone grab her from behind. Over and over he had put his arms around her, holding her tightly against his body to stop her struggles. It had been hard work but she had finally managed to get free and hurt him enough so he couldn't chase after her.
He had lain on the floor, clutching his chest after she had knocked the wind from him, nose bleeding. She had gone to kick him hard to finish the job, but had stopped.
Comtesse's laugh reached her.
"How about we try that in my room later?" She purred suggestively at Athos, helping him up. He shook his head and laughed. "Obviously I won't hurt you"
Norah laughed too, asking if he was alright.
"I'm fine. You're ready I think. You need someone different to practise against. But you shouldn't have stopped"
She nodded. "I know. But I didn't want to upset Comtesse!" She grinned.
Today was the day she got to see if she could hold her own against differnt men. She put on the special corset designed to give her a more boyish figure without restricting her breathing or movement. Feeling uncomfortably squashed she dressed in the shirt and breeches, doing up her belts as Aramis had shown her. Then she slicked down her hair and pinned it flat against her head. She put the wig Comtesse had found for her on and fixed it.
Jacket on, boots on and hat on the wig she left for the garrison.
"You still look like you." Athos muttered as he walked I with her. You need some mud on your face. Here." He smeared a little over her and sniggered a little. Norah gave him a look and rubbed it off a little.
"Just makes it look better" Athos smirked. Norah sighed and left it.
"Over there. Start with the new recruits. We'll see how far you get today." He didn't say it, but she sensed he wanted her to do well.
Norah approached the boys as they were lining up to take turns with the musket. If they hit the red bulleye three times they moved on. Aramis was teaching them, making sure they were aiming away from the other people. Norah thought they were pretty big targets. Much bigger than the ones she'd been practising with with Athos.
Her turn came up, she took the musket, checked it over, then loaded it.
Aiming she fired, easily hitting the target.
Twice she did the same thing, more smoothly and quicker than the others. Aramis looked at her carefully but said nothing. She was moved on to the sword fighting.
D'Artagnan was leading the next group. Asking if anyone had any skills with the sword he was surprised when he saw Norah step forward. Frowning a little, he glanced at Athos but Athos merely raised an eyebrow and carried on supervising the whole yard stepping over yet another body that had been thrown to the ground.
Shrugging, he raised his sword and they circled each other. Although she was able to defend herself for a while, she was quickly brought down. But she and Athos had expected that and had trained on other ways. It would be unlikely she'd need to use a sword after all.
D'Artagnan pulled her up smiling.
Athos took her to where the men were wrestling and fighting without weapons. They were taking turns to attack each other. It wasn't pretty but it was how the majority of fights happened.
The men all laughed as Athos pushed the boy towards them.
"Porthos! A word!" Athos steered Porthos away.
"What, now?" He looked at the boy and frowned. A single look at Aramis told him what he needed to know.
"I hope you know what you're doing" he hissed. Athos raised a hand to calm him.
"Watch. You taught her well. I helped refine her skills". They leant against a pillar in the yard to watch.
They came at Norah, one by one., starting with the smallest. She easily beat them, twisting and manoeuvring herself out if the way, tripping them over, winding them or breaking a nose. This time she always finished the job with the rounded wooden dagger they practised with.
Then came the bigger more experienced men, these were the ones Norah were counting on to help her improve. Two of them, signalled by Athos circled her, poised ready.
"What are you doing?" Growled Porthos angry now.
"Please. Trust me" Athos looked his friend.
"If she gets hurt..." Porthos glowered.
"Watch."
Later, she and Porthos walked home together. She was sore from her day, but triumphant. Her ribs hurt again and she had a bruise coming on her cheek but other than that she was in high spirits.
Having bathed and changed before a small celebratory dinner with Comtesse and the musketeers she was back in her dress.
"Remember here?" Porthos laughed, pulling her into the trees. She laughed too as they backed into an big oak tree. He swung her round and pressed her against the trunk with his body.
Eyes looking straight into hers he smiled at her before lowering his head to kiss her. But Norah slipped out from his embrace and pressed him back to the tree. slowly kissing him she undid his breeches, releasing his already hardening cock and began stroking it.
He whimpered a bit, his knees trembling as she kissed him, teasing him all around his stomach and thighs but never quite finding his cock. Then she'd find his mouth again and take his breath away.
She pushed him down onto the soft leafy ground and sat over him, kissing him, holding his hands down into the dirt so he couldn't touch her. Then she undid his jacket and pushed his shirt up so she could trail a tongue across his chest and down his stomach until finally she reached his cock again. He gasped loudly as she sucked and licked him, reaching down to her and holding her head with his hands as he did.
He came in her mouth and she decided to swallow. It wasn't as bad as she had imagined it to be. Wiping her mouth on the back of her hand she smiled wickedly at him. Laughed out loud he placed a hand on either side of her face,sat up and kissed her.
Realising he had got mud in her she shoved him with indignation. Rubbing at it as she laughed she told him how much she wanted him. What she wanted him to do to her and she to him. Struggling to get his breeches up, his laughter died down and he looked more serious, filled with desire.
"But not here." She teased as she got up. She waited outside the trees rubbing her face clean whilst he did himself back up.
Rochefort stopped suddenly. The woman by the trees looked familiar. He edged closer, he was sure it was her now. Anger filled him as he remembered how she had outwitted him, damaged him.
It was the dirty face that had allowed the pieces of the puzzle fall into place.
Shaking with rage he tried to get closer, but a large group of people walked between them, slowly and taking great pains to see all the wondrous flowers that had been recently planted.
By the time he got past them, she was gone.