Carmine wiped the sweat off her brow with the dirty towel she was using to clean the table. Although it was nearly dark, the heat of the day still had its grip on the land. It was even worse in the dark, windowless inn where she worked. Grunting with the effort, she hoisted the pail of water and sent another splurge of water coursing down the long wooden table, sending several chickens flying out from under the table cackling and complaining loudly that she had ruined their meal of table scraps. But, within moments they were back under the table, scratching and clucking as they busily searched for more scraps. Such a life Carmine thought as she wiped the water from the table. At least the hens might hook up with a rooster somewhere tonight, but all she had to look forward to was her empty bed.

Another lonely, sleepless night. There had been more of those nights than she wanted to think about since her swine of a husband had left with his young trollop.

She should have known something was going on the way he was hanging around the young harlot. She should have known that he would leave with her. She had been like a bitch dog in heat, and her husband and all of the other men in the village had found her irresistible. Her husband had found the temptation too great to resist, though.

Oh, well, maybe someday, I'll find someone...

Just then the door opened. Standing in the doorway was a young knight. A very handsome young knight. Dressed in white and gold.

She watched him bend down to duck under the door frame as he stepped into the room. Then he smiled and started toward her. She could hear the soft jingling of his coat of mail as he walked toward her.

"Evening, Milady," he said in a deep baritone voice.

"Evening, Sir," she responded with a barely noticeable curtsy.

"Might I be able to get some food?"

"Well, sir, we just be closing, but I might find ye something," she smiled at him.

"Oh, I would be greatly pleased if ye could," he smiled back at her reaching into the leather pouch dangling from his belt.

"Enough for two, if ye may, and a skin of yer best wine," he winked at her, handing her a gold coin.

"Oh, Yes, Milord," she bubbled, staring down at the gold coin he had handed her as she headed for the kitchen.

"And ye keep whatever is left over for yer trouble."

Oh, My Dear God, she thought as she looked at the coin. After she bought his supper and the wine, there would be six month's wages left over. She was so excited, she tripped and nearly fell as she hurried to the kitchen.

Handing the innkeeper the coin, she told him to take out for two plates of their best meat and a skin of wine. She watched his eyes grow as big as saucers when he saw the denomination of the coin. Laughing happily, she tore off two hunks of bread and pulled down one of the several skins of wine hanging along the wall.

"And I wouldn't cheat the young lad out of anything," she laughed, watching the innkeeper make change. "He seems very smart."

With the wine skin thrown over her shoulder, she took the coins from the innkeeper and dropped them into the pocket in her apron.

"Thank ye," she smiled happily, scooping up the two plates and hurrying back out to where the young knight sat waiting.

"Here ye be," she smiled her best smile, setting the plates down in front of him.

"Ya must have a terrible hunger," she laughed, getting a mug from the bar.

"I was hoping ye might eat with me," he smiled up at her as he watched her pour the wine into the mug.

"Oh, ye did," she grinned, tossing her head. If only she had washed her hair last evening, she thought as it just hung down, matted and dirty.

"Aye, that I did," he said, slowly pushing one plate across the table toward her.

"Well, that be nice o ye."

"And a flagon of wine for ye too, unless ye are opposed to such a thing."

"Nay, I'm not opposed to a little wine now and again," she laughed, grabbing another mug from the bar.

As she started to eat, she realized that she hadn't eaten all day. She was famished. Glancing over her shoulder to see if the innkeeper was watching, she sat down and hurriedly wolfed her food down. They only exchanged smiles and looks as they devoured the food.

"Good food," the young man finally grinned, running the last piece of the crusty bread around his plate soaking up the red juice of the meat.

Then with a flourish, he threw his head back and dropped the dripping chunk of bread into his mouth.

"I'm glad ye enjoyed it," she mumbled, still chewing her last mouthful of food.

"And, do ye have plans for the evening?" he asked looking into her eyes as he refilled their mugs with wine.

"What, ye, uh, what," she muttered foolishly, nearly choking on the food she was chewing.

"I was just hoping ye might like to come with me to my cottage for the evening," he grinned, his big blue eyes melting her with their warmth.

"Uh, I, ye, uh, Milord," she stammered, still not believing that he could want her.

"Surely, surely Milord could find a lady of his own age," she blushed, turning her head shyly.

What was she thinking about? A very handsome young knight was asking her to his bed and she was trying to tell him to find someone his own age? Was she going daft?

"Well, Milady, I don't see any, and besides, I find ye very pleasing to the eye," he said, taking another sip of his wine.

"But, Milord, I," she paused, not knowing what else to say or do.

"Ye arn't already taken are ye? Ye aren't the Innkeeper's woman are ye?"

"No, no, not that."

"What then? Do ye find me unbecoming?"

"Oh, NO, No, Milord. Ye just surprised me."

"Then ye'll come," he grinned enthusiastically.

"Uh, I, uh, let me ask the innkeeper if he needs me any more."

"Good, I'll be waiting out front," he smiled, reaching over and gently caressing her face. "It will be a magical night."

Carmine nearly swooned as she stumbled back to the kitchen where the innkeeper was banking down the fire and closing the kitchen.

She stopped in the door and stood staring at him foolishly.

"What?"

"Uh, uh, do ye need me anymore tonight?"

"Why?"

"Uh, the young knight has asked me to stay the night with him."

"OH," the innkeeper leered at her lecherously.

"Here," she laughed merrily tossing him one of the coins he had given her earlier. "This ought to make up for ye having to close down by yeself."

"Sure, sure," he said greedily, biting the coin to check its authenticity, "Begone with ye and ye knight."

She felt like a young maiden about to give up her virginity to the young knight. Maybe she had found her knight in shining armor. Well, he was wearing a coat of mail. That was close enough for her.

Throwing open the door, she stepped out into the last glow of dusk. There sat her knight atop a great white Charger that was nervously pawing the ground.

"Come," he told her, extending his arm down to her as he slipped his boot out of the stirrup. "Let us begone."

Taking hold of his arm, she slipped her foot into the stirrup and felt herself being lifted up onto the massive courser. Throwing her leg across the horse's mammoth haunch, she slid down onto him.

"Hold on to me," the knight commanded her as he gently dug a blunted spur into the flank of the charger.

She had no other choice as the huge horse lurched into a trot. It was hold on or be thrown off. She quickly wrapped her arms around him as his great steed began cantering down the road. Within a few lengths, the majestic white steed was galloping down the road, his enormous hooves clopping loudly in the stillness of the growing darkness. Carmine could feel his hot, hard muscles rubbing against her womanhood as he ran. A maelstrom was whirling inside her head as she hung on for dear life. Why had she let herself be abducted by this young knight? It was all happening too fast. She could feel coolness of his coat of mail through the thin material of her dress while the heat and rubbing between her widespread legs was exciting her.

Like being caught between ice and fire. The wind whipped by, cooling her feverish brow as they bounded down the road atop the magnificent steed.

Where was her young knight carrying her?

Strange that he had chosen her, she thought. Why, she must be at least twice his age. She was old enough to be his mother. Why ask why, she laughed to herself. Don't look a gift horse in the mouth, or a white knight in the, uh, what, she laughed to herself. The cod piece? Just enjoy it.

Like he had said, it was going to be a magic night.

The hot, rhythmic motion of the horse rubbing against her woman's place was slowly exciting her. She could feel her juices start to flow. Holding the knight even tighter, she closed her eyes and tried to imagine what he would look like naked.

Just then, just as she was about to strip his tight, clinging britches off in her mind, the horse came to a jolting stop.

"Here ye are," he laughed happily, "ye can quit squeezing the breath out o me now."

"Oh, Sory, Milord," she blushed, releasing her death hold on him. "Was just feared of falling off."

She could hear his melodic laugh as he threw his leg over the pommel of the saddle and jumped to the ground.

She saw that they had stopped at the hut of the Simmons Klan. But no one lived there now. They had moved away some time ago.

"Ye can go inside," he told her reaching up and taking hold of her waist, "and make yeself at home while I bed down Reverend."

Apparently the knight now had the right of ownership.

"Reverend," she snickered as he set her on the ground, "That be a funny name fer a horse."

"Can't stand religion," he said with a smile on his lips, "and he's saved my soul on many occasion. So his is me Reverend."

"Oh, me see," she said, "I think."

She tripped over to the door of the small cottage as he led his horse into an even smaller shed across the yard.

Slowly, she opened the door and peered inside. Somehow, it was just as she had expected. Not neat and tidy, like a woman's hut, but not a pig sty either. It was rather stark and bare, as if he had just moved there and hadn't had time to fill it with his own things. As she waited for him, she saw that there were a few embers in the fireplace so she put some more wood into the fireplace.

A few quick puffs, and the tinder caught on fire. The fire slowly began to grow as she looked around the room.

There were only a few rudimentary dishes on the table. One thing that was striking was the well against the wall by the fireplace. What a fine place for the well. One wouldn't have to go outside in the cold of winter to bring in water. Why weren't all cottages built with the well inside? On the other side of the fireplace, there was half of a huge wine cask that had been cut in two and lay on its side. She had never seen a wine cask so large. Why it was big enough for two people to sit inside of it.

Then there was a small pantry and his bed. That was all there was in the tiny little cottage. She felt herself blushing foolishly as she walked over to the bed. It was still unmade from the last time he had slept in it.

Then suddenly she became aware of the smell of the cabin. There was a sweet, fragrance lingering in the air. Like that of honeysuckle or some other fragrant flower.

Walking over to the wine cask, she saw that it was half full of water.

Leaning down, she dipped a finger into the water. Sniffing it, she found that the fragrance was coming from the water. Dipping her finger into the water again, she lifted it and inhaled the lovely fragrance.

Just then the young knight came striding through the door.

"Ye like me tub?"

"Huh," she muttered, "Tub?"

"Tub," he repeated, "ye bathe in it."

"Bathe inside?"

"Yes, in warm water," he laughed, hauling up a bucked of water from the well. "Learned about it in me travels."

"Ye mean ye bathe inside?"

"Aye," he grinned, "and so shall ye."

"Huh," she grunted again.

"Uh, if ye want," he corrected himself.

Pouring the bucket of water into a kettle hanging above the fire, he quickly filled it to the top with more water from the well.

"Ye'll like it," he told her as he set the bucket down, "jest ye wait and see."

"Maybe," she grinned with a childlike innocence.

"It makes a new person out of ye," he went on.

Then he turned away from her and faced the fire. Waiting for him to make the next move, she slowly sank down onto the disheveled bed. She watched him as he went about unfastening the coat of mail. She let her eyes travel down to his proud, muscular butt. His britches were so thin and tight, the muscles and curves of his legs and buttock were plainly visible under the material. The soft, blue material clung to him like a second skin.

Suddenly the room grew warmer. Or was she was feeling a flush of excitement. At last, he lifted the heavy jacket of silver links up off his shoulders and hung it on a peg by the fire.

Then he turned and faced her. With a boyish grin, he slowly unbuttoned his blouse and peeled it back over his strong, muscular shoulders.

She felt her pulse quicken as she admired his powerful, almost hairless chest.

Wadding his shirt into a ball, he wiped his chest and arms with it before tossing it onto a pile of other clothes by the door.

Then, slowly, deliberately, he reached down to his breeches.

She couldn't stop herself from following his hands downward. Her eyes swept over the impressive bulge sticking out in the front of his britches. She felt herself redden as she saw him grin proudly.

Then he casually untied the cord that held his pants up.

Waiting, she found herself having to consciously breathe.

Hooking his thumbs under the waistband of his britches, he deliberately pushed them down his strong, muscular thighs. Suddenly, all at once, his manhood flopped out into the open.

Her mouth dropped open as she openly admired his cock.

She had never seen a cock such as his. The head of his cockpiece wasn't hidden by skin. She had heard of such cocks, but she had never seen one, before.

"Ye, ye are, uh, yer manthing is cut," she finally choked out.

"Aye," he grinned, stepping out of his pants and tossing them aside.

"Easier to keep clean. o ye like it?"

"Uh, aye, it is a pretty one."

Standing before her naked, he grinned and turned around away from her.

Bending over checked the water.

She watched as he jerked his finger out of the steaming water.