“My that’s a long sword that you carry, Guillaume,” a beautiful young woman with dark hair remarked. As Rollo had mentioned, the women of Longpré were indeed willing to spread their legs for Guillaume.

“Which sword are you referring to,” Guillaume laughed in return. He had just bedded the granddaughter of the inn’s owner.

“Does it matter,” laughed Acelynn. “Both are ridiculously long. I shall call you Guillaume de Longue-Épée, Long Sword.”

For the next few days, Guillaume spent his nights with Acelynn and his days with his father. On the third day, his father took him to meet with a different group of Ambiani. It was a strange journey which had taken them away from the river into the oak forests.

* * *

Rollo and Guillaume completed the tour of the Somme River and hurried back to their estates in Rouen. Another battle was brewing. It would be another thirteen years before Guillaume would find himself once again back in the village of Longpré.

With their departure from the village, a different story was unfolding.

“Are you sure he impregnated you?” demanded Lana, Acelynn’s grandmother. “It is critical. That man’s seed will ensure that our family, the Ambiani will survive.”

“Yes Seammhair, yes Grandmother,” Acelynn laughed. “He spurted his seed into me several times. And, he had a lot of seed, believe me.”

Lana gave her head a shake. “You didn’t have to enjoy it so much. What would your mother think? Well, if you are right, we’ll have to find you a husband, and soon, so the baby won’t be called a bastard.”

“What makes you think I enjoyed it, Grandmother. As for finding a husband, I’d rather not. I’ve been thinking about that. Since the idea is to eventually have Guillaume acknowledge this son-to-be as his own son, another man in the picture will work against that purpose. However, if I am a single mother, then it would be much easier to accomplish. Besides, as you well know, I don’t like men as bed partners. I don’t want to have more babies. Give me the uncomplicated love of a woman any day, discretely of course.”

~

In the early winter of 926, a baby was born to Acelynn. And as predicted, the baby was a boy. She named him after his father, Guillaume de Longue-Épée.

~

As planned, Guillaume succeeded his father as ruler of Normandy. That succession didn’t come without others trying to wrest land and control away from Guillaume. Francia was a kingdom in almost constant turmoil. Guillaume took a Breton captive named Sprota, as his concubine. Because of the constant warfare, he sent her to a safe location. In 928, she gave birth to a boy, they named Richard, a boy who would one day become the third Count of Normandy.

There was a brief window of opportunity for Guillaume to revisit the Somme River valley in the spring of 938. It was the first time back in the valley since he had become the Count of Normandy. He found himself again in the village of Longpré. Acelynn was now the owner of the inn in which he had stayed in the past. She was still as he remembered her. However, she had a son. When Guillaume laid eyes on the boy, he was shocked. The youth looked like him. Already at the age of twelve the boy was showing signs that he would be a tall and strong man like his father.

Looking at the boy with surprise, he turned to Acelynn with a question in his eyes, a question he didn’t want to voice. She nodded in affirmation. This was his son. Guillaume knew that his life as ruler of Normandy wouldn’t allow him to claim the boy and raise him as his son and become the next ruler of Normandy. He had a son called Richard that was his heir. Yet, he couldn’t just dismiss the boy. His son deserved better.

“Acelynn, what did you name him?”

“Why Guillaume of course, after his father. You were my first and only love, Guillaume. I have not taken another man into my bed, nor married. Thanks to my grandmother, I have this inn with which to make our living.”

“You know I can’t claim him as my son, Acelynn. If I do, he’d likely be assassinated. I don’t know what I can do for him.”

“I have an idea,” Acelynn began. “You can use your influence and power behind the scenes to have him become a knight. As such, he can support you and your future heir. With time, he could even become a Lord, perhaps the first Lord of Longpré. Our two separate families would thrive, and no one would ever be the wiser. It’s all about blood supporting blood.”

Guillaume acknowledged that she was right. His son deserved to be a knight, a noble in his own right. With a promise to make it all happen, he once again took Acelynn to bed wondering if he would father another child with her.