Pillaging Elinor's Castle [Elinor's Stronghold 1] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) by Berengaria Brown

the boys, “Can any of you swim. Truly swim?”
    The smallest one stood straight and proud before her. “I can. My father taught me.”
    “Can you show me please?”
    He splashed into the water and made his way across the river. It wasn’t really so very wide, she supposed. She doubted if a man could throw his weapon from one side to the other, but a bowman would easily shoot that far and much, much farther.
    So if her people were chased by archers, they’d be better off to hide. But if pursued only by soldiers, especially ones in armor, swimming was a solution.
    She thanked the children and turned to walk back to the castle.
    “Whatever are you thinking, Lady Elinor?”
    “Lord Jeffrey is likely to attack my stronghold. He lost some of his supplies in the fire he set burning on Rhys’s manor, and my castle is well supplied. But if he attacks the peasants in their hamlets, unless they can escape to the castle, they’ll be in great danger.”
    “But how can you help them? There isn’t enough time to build a palisade around every tiny hamlet,” asked Rhyannon.
    “And Lord Jeffrey had no trouble climbing the large palisade around Rhys’s demesne anyway. I think the river may offer some protection for the people.”
    “But if you build bridges, the soldiers will cross, too. How will the people know when to destroy the bridges?”
    “They shall learn to swim. We’ll all learn to swim. Just enough to cross the river. No soldier in armor will follow the people into the river.”
    “Swim? Like the children?”
    “Exactly. If children can learn, how hard can it be?” Elinor laughed.
    Hammond and Rhys proved harder to convince, but surprisingly, Albin and Wade jumped on the idea.
    “Many of our boys learn to swim, at least to some extent. But once they grow up, they put aside such childish pastimes. Enough of the men will be able to teach their wives and children,” said Wade.
    “But if everyone can swim, doesn’t that mean as a defense it’s useless?” asked Alistair.
    “Can you swim, lord?” asked Wade.
    Alistair shook his head.
    “That is your answer. It is distinct to this valley here. Lady Elinor’s river never runs dry, even in midsummer. Many rivers don’t flow in the hottest weather, and it’s during the hot weather when boys decide to swim. Lord Jeffrey’s men are not from around here, and when they attack, they’ll be wearing armor anyway.”
    “They must all learn to swim wearing their clothes,” said Elinor suddenly.
    “Modesty, at a time like this?” asked Rhys with a grin.
    “No, practicality. If they’re fleeing, they won’t have time to get undressed,” she replied.
    “Of course.” He nodded.
     
    * * * *
     
    Elinor’s days had always been busy, but now they were busier than ever before. Gathered wood was piled high against the walls of the barns, nuts, berries, and edible grasses and fungi were collected and stored in her cellar, and the earliest fruits had been picked and carefully arranged so they didn’t touch each other in long rows on her cellar shelves.
    Most nights both Hammond and Rhys came to her bed. Sometimes Hammond had guard duties that couldn’t be avoided, or Rhys and Hammond needed to stay in the great hall talking with visitors, but usually they all lay in bed together.
    Elinor greatly enjoyed the pleasures of the bed. Whether they were plowing her mouth, her ass, or her cunt, lying down, sitting, or standing up, they always gave her pleasure. Over the past months, both Hammond and Rhys had learned which places she liked having touched, and what aroused her fastest, and they were dedicated to using their knowledge to give her pleasure far greater than she’d known before her marriage.
    But she needed to become pregnant, needed a child, an heir. A son by Rhys would be the best possible outcome, but any child, girl or boy, fathered by Rhys or Hammond, would be an heir to the stronghold and would give them more security. Many children died, but once she’d