Breakin' in the Boy Preview

[Darkniciad]

Here's a quick preview of the upcoming exclusive web short, "Breakin' in the Boy"

 

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Matthias brandished his sword, showing no sign of concern that he was down a point to his father in their sparring match. He had just scored a point with a lucky stab, and Christi knew that her son was in trouble.

 

He proved it a moment later when he said, "You look a bit winded, Father. We could always call this a draw, if you’d like."

 

Christi chuckled when she saw her husband’s lips curl into a smile. Yep, he’s in trouble.

 

"Ready, boy?" Mindblind asked, lifting his sword.

 

"Whenever you are."

 

Mindblind led with a vicious slash of the longsword he’d chosen at random from the armory, forcing Matthias back. Having begun his training as soon as he was old enough to hold a dagger, the younger man knew he couldn’t take the force of the blow, and deflected instead. He answered back with a quick slash, but Mindblind easily brought his weapon into position, batting away the sword well short of its mark.

 

As it had three times before, steel rang on steel in the sweet music of battle. Matthias was giving a good accounting of himself, but Christi knew her husband was holding back. She’d already seen three opportunities for him to end the fight, but he was waiting for something.

 

After a spinning disengagement that looked impressive – but left him vulnerable to an attack his father once again ignored – the over-confident young man said, "The offer of a draw still stands, Fa–"

 

Christi winced when Mindblind surged forward, batted Matthias’ sword to the side, and brought his knee up into the younger man’s stomach. Her son crumpled to the ground with the wind knocked out of him, sword falling from his nerveless fingers.

 

Mindblind tapped the flat of his sword on the top of his son’s head and said, "Point."

 

"That..." Matthias began, but then had to take several gasping breaths before he could continue. "Wasn’t fair."

 

"Nothing fair in a fight, boy," Mindblind declared as he held out a hand to help his son up.

 

Matthias turned toward his mother, his eyes full of indignation. Christi shook her head and rolled her eyes. "Your Dad’s right. He could have had you a half dozen times. Don’t look for any sympathy from me. If it had been me, I’d have put my knee right between your legs, and you’d still be cross-eyed."

 

Mindblind chuckled. "If this was real, you’d be dead now, instead of trying to get some air. Come on."

 

Reluctantly, the young man took his father’s hand and stood.

 

"Okay?" Mindblind asked.

 

Matthias nodded.

 

"A fight ain’t a show, and it damn sure ain’t anything with rules. It’s either you or the bastard trying to carve you up. Stop playing around and showing off. We’ve taught you better’n that, Matthias."

 

"That shit your friends are showing you isn’t good for anything but making stupid girls swoon," Christi added. "Start fiddling around and drawing pictures with your sword point like that in a real fight, and somebody’s going to have you stuck before you know it."

 

Finally, the anger in his features drained away, and Matthias nodded.

 

Mindblind gestured toward the armory. "Go put your sword away. Deal’s a deal, and you lost, so get to your chores."

 

"Yes, Father."

 

As the young man walked away, Mindblind leaned his sword against his shoulder and muttered, "Father," with obvious distaste.

 

Christi shrugged. "It’s not that bad, and I’m sure he’ll grow out of it. It’s just all the court manners and trying to pretend he’s grown up."

 

"Dad. Pa. Pops. Anything but Father."

 

"Feeling old?"

 

"Want to go a couple of rounds and find out?"

 

Christi shivered and twitched her eyebrows, eliciting a hungry smile from her husband. Their sparring sessions almost always ended with hot, sweaty sex. Unfortunately, there was no time. "You have to play dress-up in an hour."

 

Mindblind growled, but it was more show than actual irritation. After so long as Duke, he’d grown to at least tolerate the daily necessity of holding court.

 

The thought of sparring – and the aftermath – did remind her of something, though. As she grabbed his hand and led him back to the keep, she said, "Remember the other day when Danica was here?"

 

"Yeah."

 

"The boy was drooling all over her, and it’s becoming a daily thing."

 

"He’s that age."

 

"Yes, and it could turn into a problem."

 

Mindblind grunted. "Probably right. Not much we can do about it, though."

 

"I had an idea about that. I told Danica that we should probably take him into town and turn one of the working girls loose on him."

 

He nodded, understanding the logic. "Get it out of his system, huh?"

 

"And on our terms. Better than knocking up one of the girls from the kitchen," Christi said as she opened the heavy wooden door into the keep.

 

"Alice’s," he suggested. "The girls are clean, and they take potions to keep them from getting knocked up. She’s got this new girl, Jillian. Picky about who she’ll fuck, because she’s in it for the sex more than the coin. Turning into a contest in the barracks to see who she’ll take."

 

"Sounds good to me. When?"

 

"I’ll talk to her after court, and take him after dark. Ain’t talked to Alice since she dropped in before taking over from Samantha at the Nymph."

 

The memory of her husband introducing the busty blonde sent another chill racing up Christi’s spine. "Maybe we could have her come for a longer visit some time, too."

 

"Heh... That’s something I ain’t done with her in years."

 

Unable to resist, she pulled him down into a tongue-wrangling kiss. "I think this is going to work out just fine."