Find out what this “service” is that she wants

“Before I can agree to anything, I need to know what this ‘service’ is that you want from me,” said Duncan.

Madam Banntrach nods and smiles grimly. “Of course you do. I see you are wise, despite your tender years.” Turning to the others, she says, “Perhaps you would be good enough to give His Highness and me some privacy for a few moments?”

Cassandra and exchange a knowing look as they get up and make themselves busy cleaning one of the bedrooms. Carl remains seated, apparently with no plans to move, until Gladys calls to him to join them. Carl gives his wife a look of annoyance before braving himself out of his chair, muttering, “Wouldn’t you know it? The first interesting thing to happen around here in over 60 years, and I have to help change the sheets!”

Madam Banntrach regards the old man as he shuffles off to the bedroom. Once he is out of earshot, she lowers her voice and speaks to the prince. “I am a widow, as you may have heard, but I am still a young woman. My last husband died much too young.” She reaches into her cloak and withdrew a cloth handkerchief and dabbed her eyes.

“Last husband?” thought Duncan. “I wonder how many husbands she has had.” She did indeed look far too young to be a widow, but Duncan was beginning to learn that he couldn’t take things at face value in this part of the world.

“And my poor Robert died before he was able to make me a mother,” she continued. “I have always wanted children, and I find my biological clock is ticking and urging me to fulfill that emptiness in my life.” She gazed at Duncan, looking to see if he understood.

“Wait a minute!” said the prince, as realization dawned on him. “You said if I agreed to perform a service for you that you would tell me what I want to know. You didn’t say anything about marriage!”

Madam Banntrach jumped with a startle and then laughed. “Marriage? Oh my! You are a romantic after all! I must tell you that is very sweet that you thought of that! But no... What I am asking of you is not exactly a long-term commitment. I don’t want you to be a husband, but I do want you to be a father.”

Duncan’s thoughts began to swirl in his head, and he wondered if he was misunderstanding her intentions.

Seeing his confusion, Madam Banntrach said, “Forgive me if this sounds a bit vulgar, compared to your refined royal sensibilities, but I want you to get me pregnant, Your Highness.”

Duncan slipped his hand beside his thigh and gave himself a painful pinch. Feeling the pain, he thought, “OK, so it’s not a dream.... I must still be feeling the effects of Cassandra’s sorcery.” As a prince, he had opportunities for sexual experiences that were unavailable to most others, but even so, nothing prepared him for a near-stranger to proposition him for impregnation. “There must be a catch,” he thought. “He looked at Banntrach again. Her bulky cloak had yet to reveal her body, but if it was anything like her face, he imagined it to be in reasonably good shape. Her face suggested experience, rather than age, and it didn’t take much for his imagination to begin to run various scenarios about what sex would be like with this mysterious MILF.

“I don’t get it,” said Duncan. “Why me? Surely there are plenty of men around here who would not only gladly volunteer to be the father, but would willingly stick around to care for and help you with the parenting.” A thought strikes him. “Look, you might think I’m rich or something, but my father controls all the money in the family; he’s made it pretty clear to my brother and me that he’s not emptying the Royal Treasury to support illegitimate children.” Actually, the king’s exact words to him and Stewart were, “There’s not enough gold in the kingdom to be paying for bastard offspring of every barmaid you knock up, so for crying out loud, use a fucking condom!”

“I’m not interested in your gold, Your Highness — just the temporary use of your family jewels,” she said with a wry smile. “As for the men in these parts, it is as you say, but I am interested in introducing fresh blood into my gene pool; you are young, healthy, and virile. Suchlike may not come our way again until I am too old, and I do not wish to die childless.”

Duncan glanced in the direction of the others, who were still working in the next room. Certainly if he stayed here, his prospects were far worse than if he went with Madam Banntrach. Going with her might get him answers, and it carried the promise of sex. Even if the sex proved to be less than mind-blowing, he would still get his answers, and if she was planning treachery, he was pretty such he was more than equal to overpowering a widow — horny or not.