Chapter 8

The day had come to say goodbye. It had taken longer than Sara, the vagrant Princess, would have wished once she had resolved to send her friend, the once bewitched, but now restored, Countess Martha back home. They had worked hard in the fields for three weeks, the Princess still naked, of course, and Martha dressed in a rough peasant's smock and working boots, before sufficient gold pieces had been earned to buy Martha a fine horse and provisions for her homeward journey. Her friend had been given quarters in the farmhouse, but the Princess, denied shelter by the terms of her contract with the Good Fairy, had slept in the field next to where she had been working.

Once more the two embraced tenderly. Martha mounted her steed and rode off, not looking around until she knew herself to be out of sight. She could not bear to let her friend see her tears, and both girls knew that it would take very little to weaken their resolve to part. They also knew that only harm could come from Sara failing to observe faithfully the conditions of her sentence. The Fairy could still make trouble and continue to prejudice the Prince against the devoted girl who loved him so dearly.

The humbled Princess was aware that even the three weeks they had been at least partly together might have to be paid for in the form of extra pain and hardship, and she began to doubt her ability to come through whatever it might be. She felt more lonely than at any time since leaving the familiar comforts of the Royal Palace as she saw her beloved childhood confidante diminish into the distance. The Fairy must be hopping mad at the way her victim had been rescued. Yes! She would certainly pay for this - but how?

Turning away from the spot where they had parted, the naked wanderer continued to trudge wearily southwards - her weariness accentuated by her renewed loneliness. All the while, the sun was becoming stronger, beating down on her with an intensity unknown in the Northern land from which she had started her journey nearly two months ago.

After walking five miles she began to feel thirsty and, having no permission to carry water with her, started to look around for a well, spring or river at which she could refresh herself. There was a little cluster of hovels in the distance and she made towards it, the sun becoming hotter as it climbed higher. By the time she came to the hamlet she was close to collapse, her head spinning. To her relief, there was a well in the square next to the village green. A couple of young men were standing beside it as she approached.

With a pang of fear, she saw the lascivious way these two young bucks were looking at her. She knew how beautiful and desirable she still was, even in her present dishevelled and dusty state. With the strength draining out of her and no hope of fighting off an attack, she feared the worst as she tottered towards them, gasping out that she was thirsty and must drink soon or perish.

"Where did the clothes go, you little tart? Give us a taste of those ruby lips, a feel of those sweet firm titties and a slap on that tight little arse and you can drink your fill."

"If you insist" replied the Princess. "But I should warn you it will not be good for you in years to come. I am protected by a powerful Fairy who watches over me and will wreak a terrible revenge on he who dares lay rude hands upon my purity."

She knew this was nonsense! In all probability the Guardian Fairy in question had arranged this entire scene, intending that the virgin Sara be brutally ravaged and thus rendered impure and unfit for marriage to a great Prince.

One of the youths stepped back, apparently impressed both by the warning and the calm authority in the voice which uttered it. His companion was not deterred and clasped the almost fainting girl around her waist, kissing her on her mouth. He smelt strongly of beer and she felt sick. Horrified, she drew back, pushing him away from her. He saw her ring.

" It's not so much fun if the girl's not willing, although with a pretty doll like you I might still take you! Give me that ring, if you won't give me your nice little body. I'll have it any way."