Fic: French Defence (4/5)
Title: French Defence, Part 4
Rating: PG-13
Word count: 1958
Warnings: Violence (battle scenes)
Characters/Pairings: Little John/Queen Eleanor, Legrand
Disclaimer: Robin Hood is copyright to Tiger Aspect and the BBC. All Rights Reserved. No copyright infringement is intended, and no money is being made but lots and lots of fun is being had and that's the important thing.
Summary: Eleanor is hiding from the French mercenaries John and Legrand have just escaped from...
Previous moves:
White: Castle to Queens' Bishop
Black: Rook to Queen's Knight
White: Queen's Knight sacrifice
Black: Rook takes Queen's Knights
White: Queen to Queen's Castle
There was only one mercenary standing guard as John cautiously followed Legrand out from the stable. Legrand was in no mood to tarry and the guard was dead before he hit the ground. John picked up the man's sword.
They moved swiftly but silently though the small town, ducking into the shadows of a house near the church as a squad of La Corneille's men rode past them. John allowed himself a small chuckle - he'd thought his days of doing this kind of thing were far behind him.
The Queen's carriage still stood in front of the small church. Its horses had been led away and some of the less valuable contents of its seat boxes lay scattered across the ground. It was a mark of the townspeople's fear of La Corneille that none of them had left their homes and attempted to take any of the blankets or clothes.
"Should we try to take the carriage?" John whispered.
He waited as Legrand carefully considered their options. They would need to get horses and spend precious minutes hitching them to the carriage and it would be much slower than travelling on horseback. On the other hand, the carriage itself would provide better protection for the Queen than sitting openly on a horse.
"No. We need speed," Legrand decided. "Are you fit to ride?" he asked John.
John grimaced at the thought. Thirty miles in the saddle would make him sore everywhere he currently wasn't already and do his existing wounds no good at all. "You know I'm no great horseman at the best of times but yes, I can make it back to Poitiers."
"Then you get the Queen and I will get three horses."
John nodded then grabbed at Legrand's arm as he turned to leave. "Legrand..." he hissed.
"What?"
"Just... be careful - all right?"
Legrand grinned. "Why, John, I didn't know you cared."
"Yes, you do." John said seriously.
"Yes, I do," Legrand replied, smiling more softly. "Now, are you going to write me a ballad or are we going to rescue the Queen?"
John laughed and let go of Legrand's arm. "Cheeky bastard. I'll make you pay for that one later."
"Then I'll do my best to ensure later arrives for us all, mon ami." Legrand sneaked off back towards the stables.
John glanced up and down the street. It was still very early and the townspeople were all either asleep or cowering in their homes. He hastily ran over to the carriage and ducked inside. He checked the street once more then lifted the cushion and lid of the seat nearest the driver. The seat box contained a few blankets which he pushed aside before slowly tapping four times then two times then another four times on the bottom. For an agonisingly long moment nothing happened then the false bottom lifted to reveal Eleanor's worried face.
"John! Mon Dieu!" she gasped as she took in his bloodied head and the bruises to his face. "Are you all right? Have you seen Legrand?"
"We are both fine, Your Grace. Legrand is fetching horses." He helped her out from the cramped hiding place. "La Corneille is dead but his men still control the town. We have to leave quickly." He noted the stiffness of her movements. "How are you?"
"Just a little sore. It was quite cold last night. I missed your warmth."
"I don't think I would fit in there on my own, never mind beside you, Milady." He lifted her down from the carriage and they quickly slipped round into the shadows beside the church.
Eleanor looked at the gash across John's side as they waited for Legrand to reappear. "What happened, John?" she asked him.
John winced as her fingers gently prodded his bruises and she found a particularly tender spot. "La Corneille wanted us to tell him where you were hiding. We decided not to." John didn't elaborate and he was glad Eleanor chose not to press the issue.
"How did you escape?"
"He got careless. Shh." He put his arm across her and gently pressed her behind him and back against the wall as he heard someone approaching. They both held their breath but relaxed as Legrand appeared behind the church, leading two horses behind his own. John and Eleanor ran into the street and John lifted Eleanor up into the saddle of a powerful looking bay horse. He struggled to mount the other himself, quietly swearing under his breath at the pain in his side.
"Your Grace - I'm happier than I can tell you to see you safe." Legrand nodded his head to Eleanor in deference but kept turning his horse and scanning the town for trouble.
Eleanor looked with concern at Legrand's many cuts and bruises and the blood seeping through the top of his hose on one leg. "The feeling is mutual, Legrand, I assure you."
"John? Ready?" Legrand asked.
John nodded.
"Fine. You take the left and towards the back, I will ride slightly ahead to the right. Now quickly, before we are spotted..."
----------------------
The horses were well rested and they made good time back towards Poitiers with little incident. Just after mid-day they reached the small town of Mignaloux-Beauvoir, six miles outside of Poitiers. They were spotted by a patrol who quickly rode out to meet them. Legrand explained the situation and a fresh horse was immediately provided for the Queen.
Eleanor protested that she would rather finish the ride with John and Legrand but they both insisted she get home as quickly as possible. She reluctantly deferred and was whisked back to the safety of the castle with a small unit of guards accompanying her. Another larger squad of men started preparing to set off back towards Moulismes.
Legrand watched the Queen's party disappear from sight then trotted over to where John was still sitting on his horse, ashen-faced and clutching at the pommel of his saddle. "John? Do you wish to finish the ride to Poitiers now or dismount here and rest for a while first?"
John gave no sign of having heard the question and Legrand reached out to put his hand on his shoulder. "John?"
John slowly slid off the side of the horse and landed heavily in a heap on the ground.
"Au secours! Médecin! Médecin!" Legrand shouted. He threw himself from his own horse, giving an involuntary yelp as he put weight on his injured leg. "John! John, can you hear me?" He rolled John over onto his back. Legrand's hand came away sticky with blood and he realised the wound on John's side had reopened during the ride.
"" Legrand muttered as he grabbed bandages from a man who had come running over at his call.
"Needed to get... Eleanor safe," John gasped.
Legrand snorted. "Your French is improving."
"Your physician's skills aren't," John grunted as Legrand pressed the cloths to his side to stem the bleeding. His head rolled back and he passed out...
------------------
John slowly opened his eyes. He was in his own room in Poitiers and from the look of the sunlight it was already the next morning.
The court physician sat by his side; a good man who had enjoyed learning some of John's more traditional remedies and introduced him to the use of some herbs and roots native to Aquitaine in return.
"Ah, Sir John." The physician looked up from where he was inspecting John's side and beamed at him. "Welcome back. You have certainly been in the wars, my friend, but you will make a full recovery given a few days rest."
"Pierre, you and I both know that asking John to rest is like asking a cow to fly." Eleanor appeared at the other side of his bed, smiling.
The physician laughed and nodded. ""
""
"" He left the room and softly closed the door behind him.
John heard him speaking to somebody outside.
Eleanor was about to say something when there was a soft knock at the door. She turned towards it and said, with some exasperation, ""
The door opened again and Legrand limped in with the physician following behind him looking annoyed.
"Your Grace," Legrand bowed his head.
"Legrand, you can see for yourself that John is quite all right." Eleanor said firmly. "Now go lie down and have that leg looked at - that's an order."
"Yes, Your Grace." Legrand smiled sheepishly and winked at John as he closed the door again.
"He barely left your side all night. He must be exhausted," Eleanor said.
"A stronger man, I never knew. Nor braver."
"You are both strong and brave and... I - I don't know what I would have done..." Eleanor burst into tears as her regal demeanour suddenly crumbled and she collapsed onto the bed beside him. She covered his face with soft kisses. "Oh John, I thought they'd killed you! I would have given my whole kingdom to know you were safe at that moment. I've never spent a longer or lonelier night."
He put his arms around her, surprised by her sudden show of emotion. "You mustn't say that. I'm nowhere near that important."
"To me, you are. Both of you. I'm just so glad you're both safe and well."
"There now, it's all over. We'll both mend fast and be right as rain in a few days," John said as she lay alongside him and he held her close.
"La Corneille is lucky he is already dead," Eleanor said vehemently.
"That, I don't doubt for a second," John said, smiling at her protectiveness of him.
Eleanor lifted her head and looked into his eyes. "Is that cut in your side painful?"
"No. Pierre put some paste on it to dull it - I can hardly feel it to be honest."
"And your head?"
"Is as hard and empty as it ever was."
Eleanor laughed. "And you have nothing else that requires attention?" she said coyly.
John looked at the spark of mischief in her eyes and felt a slow lazy smile spread across his face. "Now you mention it..."
Black: Rook's Pawn to King
King Philip dismissed La Corneille's lieutenant with a wave of his hand. He got up and headed through to his private chambers.
The lieutenant gratefully fled back to what was now his company, vowing to stick to safer missions against barbarians and Saracens.
"Did you hear?" Philip asked his guest, who was pouring himself some more wine.
"No, I don't eavesdrop at keyholes - I have people to do that for me," the other man languidly replied.
"La Corneille failed to capture Eleanor. She evaded the initial ambush and successfully hid herself until her men were able to find her and return her safely to Poitiers. That woman never fails to surprise me."
"She never ceases to annoy me. Incompetent idiots. It's so hard to find anybody reliable these days. I hope you'll make him pay."
"I won't have to - La Corneille is dead. Apparently L'Ours Grand broke his neck with his bare hands." Philip's face remained carefully neutral but he enjoyed the look of mute fury that this news produced. He knew his guest's feelings on Eleanor's choice of companion. "La Corneille was far from incompetent. He was a valued soldier. In future if you wish your mother detained against her will I suggest you find somebody yourself. I won't risk any more of my men on such hare-brained schemes."
Prince John scowled. His mother and that filthy, peasant outlaw were going to pay when he was King. Richard couldn't live forever...
----------------------
A/N: This was going to be 4 parts but I find I may have a little epilogue for you... (It will involve nekkidity so feel free to skip if you prefer...)
Bonus final move: White: Queen to Queen's knight
Rating: PG-13
Word count: 1958
Warnings: Violence (battle scenes)
Characters/Pairings: Little John/Queen Eleanor, Legrand
Disclaimer: Robin Hood is copyright to Tiger Aspect and the BBC. All Rights Reserved. No copyright infringement is intended, and no money is being made but lots and lots of fun is being had and that's the important thing.
Summary: Eleanor is hiding from the French mercenaries John and Legrand have just escaped from...
Previous moves:
White: Castle to Queens' Bishop
Black: Rook to Queen's Knight
White: Queen's Knight sacrifice
Black: Rook takes Queen's Knights
White: Queen to Queen's Castle
There was only one mercenary standing guard as John cautiously followed Legrand out from the stable. Legrand was in no mood to tarry and the guard was dead before he hit the ground. John picked up the man's sword.
They moved swiftly but silently though the small town, ducking into the shadows of a house near the church as a squad of La Corneille's men rode past them. John allowed himself a small chuckle - he'd thought his days of doing this kind of thing were far behind him.
The Queen's carriage still stood in front of the small church. Its horses had been led away and some of the less valuable contents of its seat boxes lay scattered across the ground. It was a mark of the townspeople's fear of La Corneille that none of them had left their homes and attempted to take any of the blankets or clothes.
"Should we try to take the carriage?" John whispered.
He waited as Legrand carefully considered their options. They would need to get horses and spend precious minutes hitching them to the carriage and it would be much slower than travelling on horseback. On the other hand, the carriage itself would provide better protection for the Queen than sitting openly on a horse.
"No. We need speed," Legrand decided. "Are you fit to ride?" he asked John.
John grimaced at the thought. Thirty miles in the saddle would make him sore everywhere he currently wasn't already and do his existing wounds no good at all. "You know I'm no great horseman at the best of times but yes, I can make it back to Poitiers."
"Then you get the Queen and I will get three horses."
John nodded then grabbed at Legrand's arm as he turned to leave. "Legrand..." he hissed.
"What?"
"Just... be careful - all right?"
Legrand grinned. "Why, John, I didn't know you cared."
"Yes, you do." John said seriously.
"Yes, I do," Legrand replied, smiling more softly. "Now, are you going to write me a ballad or are we going to rescue the Queen?"
John laughed and let go of Legrand's arm. "Cheeky bastard. I'll make you pay for that one later."
"Then I'll do my best to ensure later arrives for us all, mon ami." Legrand sneaked off back towards the stables.
John glanced up and down the street. It was still very early and the townspeople were all either asleep or cowering in their homes. He hastily ran over to the carriage and ducked inside. He checked the street once more then lifted the cushion and lid of the seat nearest the driver. The seat box contained a few blankets which he pushed aside before slowly tapping four times then two times then another four times on the bottom. For an agonisingly long moment nothing happened then the false bottom lifted to reveal Eleanor's worried face.
"John! Mon Dieu!" she gasped as she took in his bloodied head and the bruises to his face. "Are you all right? Have you seen Legrand?"
"We are both fine, Your Grace. Legrand is fetching horses." He helped her out from the cramped hiding place. "La Corneille is dead but his men still control the town. We have to leave quickly." He noted the stiffness of her movements. "How are you?"
"Just a little sore. It was quite cold last night. I missed your warmth."
"I don't think I would fit in there on my own, never mind beside you, Milady." He lifted her down from the carriage and they quickly slipped round into the shadows beside the church.
Eleanor looked at the gash across John's side as they waited for Legrand to reappear. "What happened, John?" she asked him.
John winced as her fingers gently prodded his bruises and she found a particularly tender spot. "La Corneille wanted us to tell him where you were hiding. We decided not to." John didn't elaborate and he was glad Eleanor chose not to press the issue.
"How did you escape?"
"He got careless. Shh." He put his arm across her and gently pressed her behind him and back against the wall as he heard someone approaching. They both held their breath but relaxed as Legrand appeared behind the church, leading two horses behind his own. John and Eleanor ran into the street and John lifted Eleanor up into the saddle of a powerful looking bay horse. He struggled to mount the other himself, quietly swearing under his breath at the pain in his side.
"Your Grace - I'm happier than I can tell you to see you safe." Legrand nodded his head to Eleanor in deference but kept turning his horse and scanning the town for trouble.
Eleanor looked with concern at Legrand's many cuts and bruises and the blood seeping through the top of his hose on one leg. "The feeling is mutual, Legrand, I assure you."
"John? Ready?" Legrand asked.
John nodded.
"Fine. You take the left and towards the back, I will ride slightly ahead to the right. Now quickly, before we are spotted..."
----------------------
The horses were well rested and they made good time back towards Poitiers with little incident. Just after mid-day they reached the small town of Mignaloux-Beauvoir, six miles outside of Poitiers. They were spotted by a patrol who quickly rode out to meet them. Legrand explained the situation and a fresh horse was immediately provided for the Queen.
Eleanor protested that she would rather finish the ride with John and Legrand but they both insisted she get home as quickly as possible. She reluctantly deferred and was whisked back to the safety of the castle with a small unit of guards accompanying her. Another larger squad of men started preparing to set off back towards Moulismes.
Legrand watched the Queen's party disappear from sight then trotted over to where John was still sitting on his horse, ashen-faced and clutching at the pommel of his saddle. "John? Do you wish to finish the ride to Poitiers now or dismount here and rest for a while first?"
John gave no sign of having heard the question and Legrand reached out to put his hand on his shoulder. "John?"
John slowly slid off the side of the horse and landed heavily in a heap on the ground.
"Au secours! Médecin! Médecin!" Legrand shouted. He threw himself from his own horse, giving an involuntary yelp as he put weight on his injured leg. "John! John, can you hear me?" He rolled John over onto his back. Legrand's hand came away sticky with blood and he realised the wound on John's side had reopened during the ride.
"
"Needed to get... Eleanor safe," John gasped.
Legrand snorted. "Your French is improving."
"Your physician's skills aren't," John grunted as Legrand pressed the cloths to his side to stem the bleeding. His head rolled back and he passed out...
------------------
John slowly opened his eyes. He was in his own room in Poitiers and from the look of the sunlight it was already the next morning.
The court physician sat by his side; a good man who had enjoyed learning some of John's more traditional remedies and introduced him to the use of some herbs and roots native to Aquitaine in return.
"Ah, Sir John." The physician looked up from where he was inspecting John's side and beamed at him. "Welcome back. You have certainly been in the wars, my friend, but you will make a full recovery given a few days rest."
"Pierre, you and I both know that asking John to rest is like asking a cow to fly." Eleanor appeared at the other side of his bed, smiling.
The physician laughed and nodded. "
"
"
John heard him speaking to somebody outside.
Eleanor was about to say something when there was a soft knock at the door. She turned towards it and said, with some exasperation, ""
The door opened again and Legrand limped in with the physician following behind him looking annoyed.
"Your Grace," Legrand bowed his head.
"Legrand, you can see for yourself that John is quite all right." Eleanor said firmly. "Now go lie down and have that leg looked at - that's an order."
"Yes, Your Grace." Legrand smiled sheepishly and winked at John as he closed the door again.
"He barely left your side all night. He must be exhausted," Eleanor said.
"A stronger man, I never knew. Nor braver."
"You are both strong and brave and... I - I don't know what I would have done..." Eleanor burst into tears as her regal demeanour suddenly crumbled and she collapsed onto the bed beside him. She covered his face with soft kisses. "Oh John, I thought they'd killed you! I would have given my whole kingdom to know you were safe at that moment. I've never spent a longer or lonelier night."
He put his arms around her, surprised by her sudden show of emotion. "You mustn't say that. I'm nowhere near that important."
"To me, you are. Both of you. I'm just so glad you're both safe and well."
"There now, it's all over. We'll both mend fast and be right as rain in a few days," John said as she lay alongside him and he held her close.
"La Corneille is lucky he is already dead," Eleanor said vehemently.
"That, I don't doubt for a second," John said, smiling at her protectiveness of him.
Eleanor lifted her head and looked into his eyes. "Is that cut in your side painful?"
"No. Pierre put some paste on it to dull it - I can hardly feel it to be honest."
"And your head?"
"Is as hard and empty as it ever was."
Eleanor laughed. "And you have nothing else that requires attention?" she said coyly.
John looked at the spark of mischief in her eyes and felt a slow lazy smile spread across his face. "Now you mention it..."
Black: Rook's Pawn to King
King Philip dismissed La Corneille's lieutenant with a wave of his hand. He got up and headed through to his private chambers.
The lieutenant gratefully fled back to what was now his company, vowing to stick to safer missions against barbarians and Saracens.
"Did you hear?" Philip asked his guest, who was pouring himself some more wine.
"No, I don't eavesdrop at keyholes - I have people to do that for me," the other man languidly replied.
"La Corneille failed to capture Eleanor. She evaded the initial ambush and successfully hid herself until her men were able to find her and return her safely to Poitiers. That woman never fails to surprise me."
"She never ceases to annoy me. Incompetent idiots. It's so hard to find anybody reliable these days. I hope you'll make him pay."
"I won't have to - La Corneille is dead. Apparently L'Ours Grand broke his neck with his bare hands." Philip's face remained carefully neutral but he enjoyed the look of mute fury that this news produced. He knew his guest's feelings on Eleanor's choice of companion. "La Corneille was far from incompetent. He was a valued soldier. In future if you wish your mother detained against her will I suggest you find somebody yourself. I won't risk any more of my men on such hare-brained schemes."
Prince John scowled. His mother and that filthy, peasant outlaw were going to pay when he was King. Richard couldn't live forever...
----------------------
A/N: This was going to be 4 parts but I find I may have a little epilogue for you... (It will involve nekkidity so feel free to skip if you prefer...)
Bonus final move: White: Queen to Queen's knight