Martha

I realized by the shape of the body that it was Martha coming towards me. Her dark hair, pale skin, and dark brown eyes accentuated her beautiful face. She was short and thick in the breasts and hips, a woman built to handle hard fucking. She walked with her head down and she did not expect to find me by the fire. I startled her when I spoke, "So you could not sleep either?"

"Oh, My Lord, I apologize for disturbing you. I was seeking a place to be alone for a few moments."

I could see that she had something she was holding behind her back, and I said to her, "Come and join me by the fire. I would like to ask you a few questions."

I could tell that she did not want to, but I was her Lord and the invited guest of her master and she could not refuse. "Umm, I don't wish to disturb you my Lord. I can go back to my room."

"Nonsense, join me here," I said pointing to the chair across from mine. "I would like me to tell me of your mistress."

She sat down still keeping something behind her back and said, "My mistress? What could I tell you about my Lady?"

"How did her husband die?"

She answered me warming to my gossiping question like all women do, "It goes far deeper than that. Her father was the commander of the city guard. Her husband and two brothers were also under his command. Her father, brothers, and husband were all killed by barbarian treachery when they were trying to negotiate a peaceful end to the fighting. That was over a year ago, and she swore that no man would ever touch her unless they first avenged the deaths of her loved ones. So far no man has been able to kill the barbarian. He is a giant you know, a big as a mountain. They say that he has killed more men then there are days in a year."

I stopped her at this point and asked, "This barbarian giant was not among the ones we killed earlier today?"

"No my Lord, my mistress is always the first to greet the troops when they return from battle to see if they have the news she waits for, but alas she has always been disappointed."

I continued my questioning, "Tell me about her husband. What kind of man was he?"

"My Lord Terillius was tall, handsome, and very attentive to my mistress. He was from a wealthy family of landholders on the outskirts of the city, and had always been the fastest and strongest. He was brave and fearless in battle yet kind and gentle with those beneath him. She has missed him greatly, and with the deaths of her brothers and father at the same time she has become a different person, focused only on the revenge for her family."

I continued to question her for the next 30 minutes or so getting all the information she knew about Olivia, her family background, how she was raised, what she liked and disliked. I learned all the things that only a long time servant learns, the type of things you do not even know you are revealing because you have become so used to the servants that you give them no more thought then you do a chair, or a table. Yet the servants see and remember everything, and sometime tell everything.

She finally wound down and said, "I think I am tired Lord. May I retire now?"

I looked at her and said, "I have only one more question, what is that you have behind your back?"