Travis disappeared back to where the men were still struggling to sort themselves out and continue this march from hell. Harold slowly stepped forward and stopped at the entrance to the cave. He peered into the darkness, he could see nothing, and the light of the cloudy day did not penetrate the inky darkness. The dark was like it was alive and would consume the light if it dared to enter the cursed cave. At that moment he didn't want to enter the cave, he was more scared than at any time he could remember in his life. But the voice beckoned him again.
"Please come inside Sir Knight. It is much warmer in here and I have need of your aide." She crooned, the voice like honey, silky smooth and sexy. Harold could feel his body responding to the voice, he fought the feeling down and took a step into the cave. The temperature seemed to rise as he moved inside, he could feel a warm breeze on his face. He looked down and saw that he was standing there in his day uniform, his armour was gone.
"Fear not, Sir Knight, you will have no need of your armour in here." The voice crooned.
"I don't see you, where are you, I cannot see in this darkness?" Harold asked.
"Just ahead of you, please come closer, are you here to help me, Sir Knight?"
"I will help if I can My Lady. Please show yourself to me." He almost begged. His mind was torn by the voice that crooned and caressed him.
"Just a little further, Sir Knight and I will reward you for your assistance." She whispered.
"I have no need of reward, Good Lady. I am a King and I have all that I could want." Harold preened.
"I think you are seeking more though, are you not, King?" The voice was deep and so much harder than it had been. "If you help me, Good King, I will help you, is that not how it is done?"
"What is it you require, My Lady, speak it and I will give it if I can."
"Are you sure that you want to commit to this bargain, Good King? You may not like what you must do." A small spark seemed to flicker about ten metres in front of Harold. He stepped closer and peered as hard as he could to try and make out the shape that stood there.
"I think I see you, Good Lady."
"Oh I think not, but you will," the voice hissed. "Keep coming and your prize awaits."
A flash of light exploded around the figure that stood there, Harold had to shield his eyes from the brightness. He grunted as spears of pain struck his head, the light was so bright there was no shadows anywhere in the cave. He slowly moved his hands and looked upon the Witch of Listemious. She stood on a rock pedestal, completely naked and seemed to be writhing to some unheard music. Her breasts were pert and large, her stomach flat and firm, her bottom was perfect and shaped like a heart. She had removed all the hair from her body so her vagina was there for him to gaze upon. His cock was immediately hard and he desired this creature with a power that was almost impossible to resist. But his mind turned back to the quest he needed to complete.
You are indeed very beautiful, My Lady. It does cause me wonder as to why Satanicus would imprison you here?" He asked.
The Witches body froze and she stared down at the British King with a venom that would chill any man to the bone. Harold held her gaze and refused to submit to her wiles, he was committed to the prize at the end of the journey. The Sword of Power.
"You dare to speak that Demons name to me, who do you think you are Little King?" She spat at him. The ground around him seemed to vibrate and the dirt moved with it.
"I am King Harold the First of Britain. I have come to deal with you, Witch. I need information to achieve my goals as King of the British Empire."
"You come here and disturb me just for information, do you not have eyes, do you not have ears?" She asked distractedly. "Surely a man such as you can hear what your people say and see what they do."
"I have need of your divination to find my nephew so that I may save him from a fate worse than death." Harold lied.
"Do you think me stupid little King? I see your heart, you wish the boy dead, but he has something you desire above all else, doesn't he?"
"My intentions are no concern of yours Witch, what is your price?" Harold demanded.
"Ah the price, now we come to the meat of the issue. What have you to give me, Little King?" She asked him, her eyes watching him with a burning intensity.
"I can give you anything you desire, I am the King of all these lands, what is it you desire?" He asked.
"I desire to be free of my prison, but you do not have the power to grant that, so the price will be your first born daughter." She cackled as he took a step back in shock. "If you desire the information enough, you will pay the price." She flicked her hand at Harold and he felt the heat of her power wash over him.
"I have no wife and no children, so that price is unpayable." Harold argued.
"Do you need a wife to spawn a child, fool? Find some whore and fill her with your seed, you will have a daughter, I have seen it." The Witch chided him. "You will bring the child to me on her sixteenth birthday, and then I shall give you the answers you seek. You have your price, now leave before I decide to use you for my pleasure." Again her hand flicked out at Harold, he was back in his armour standing at the opening to the cave. "Linger not Little King, I grow lonely."
Harold ran back to the camp around the bend in the trail, his heart beating as though it would burst. The men were sitting around campfires and talking in low voices as Harold came in to view. Colonel Travis leaped up and rushed to his Kings side.
"My Liege, where have you been, it has been three days since I left you at the cave entrance?" He asked.
"Three days, are you mad, it has been less than an hour." Harold answered in shock.
"No Sire, it has been three days. We tried to send men into the cave, but they disappeared in the dark and have not been heard of again." Travis explained.
It matters not, I have found what I need, I will rest and then we shall return to the palace. I have business to attend to."
"As you command, my Liege. Do you require food and drink?"
"No I do not, now go and make the preparations." He yelled.
Harold retired to the tent that was erected for him and lay on the cot, his mind a flame with anger at the way the Witch had treated him. He should have told her no and made her name a more reasonable price that would lead to his goal sooner than sixteen years. But he was a man, not a Mage or Wizard, he held no magical ability, he needed the Witch, it was his last chance to possess the Sword. He would pay the price and he would do all he could to get the location of that cursed boy. He was the King and nothing would stop him from possessing the Sword. He leapt out of the cot, his anger fueling his body, he swept the flap aside and strode out into the middle of the encampment.
"I wish to leave, how long before your troops are ready to leave, Travis?" He demanded.
"Only your tent is to be packed, Sire." Travis replied.
"Then get on with it, I have to be back in the capitol as soon as possible." Harold snapped at the harried Officer. He walked to the edge of the area and looked out over the mountainous region. It was covered in snow and dangerous all year round. A feral place he hated the thought of having to return to, no matter the gap between visits.
The trip back was a lot faster, mainly due to the desire to leave the place behind and the need to be warm and safe. Eight days later, Harold was back in his luxurious trailer headed back to London. He never felt so glad to see a fireplace and a plate of hot food in his life. His attendants were ready for him when he arrived and he was in a warm bath minutes after he arrived at the area his convoy waited. Now he was sitting down to a hot meal of roast beef and potatoes, his favourite meal, he was glad to be out of that thrice damned armour. Now he would make his plans to pay the price demanded by the Witch. Sadly, his attendants were all men and his usual maids were back in the Palace in London. Harold had a penchant for young women, the younger the better, and the thought of laying with a woman old enough to bare him a child was distasteful. But if he wanted to get the boy, he would do what he had to.
*****