The Bandit, The Knight, and The Lady Ch. 01

"Lady Nessa, that would be highly inappropriate. I would certainly not impose on—"

Good grief, he was one of those knights. Can nothing ever be easy? This would take some work, but she would take it as a challenge. "Sir Heinrick," she interjected carefully, "you seem to have lost your squire, not to mention the rest of your companions. I know how armor like that works, and you are not going to be able to get out of it alone. Trust me, I have done this before. It is not an imposition in the slightest."

"Well..." Sir Heinrick was still hesitant.

"Sometimes the necessities of war take precedence over propriety."Nessa knew how these knights thought and was not reluctant to take advantage of it.

After much chiding, Nessa finally convinced the well-mannered knight to accept her assistance. Of course, she could have simply stripped him of his armor with her magic, but where is the fun in that? She flipped the clasps deftly and unhooked the buckles as if she were unwrapping a gift. The heavy pieces of plate would have been a challenge for any ordinary woman, but Nessa had her magical ways. As his knotted biceps and broad shoulders came into view, she was not in the least disappointed. She indulged herself by running her fingers over his skin under the pretext of finding more straps and buckles. Sir Heinrick for his part, stood still and tense, refusing to collude with her.

He tensed even further as she knelt before him and started working on the crotch guard. There were eight straps that secured it to the rest of his ensemble, requiring her to crawl between his legs to get to all of them. When she finally tugged it off, she could not help but blow her warm breath on him through the cloth of his pants. To her delight, she perceived a powerful twitch in response to her breath. Glancing up at Heinrick, she found him red-faced and staring straight ahead into empty space, the embodiment of intense concentration. Suppressing a giggle, she moved on to his leg plates, quickly removing them, not wishing to torment him further.

It wasn't long before she had him down to his shirt and breeches. As she stepped back, the embarrassed knight could once again exhale. "There, that's much better!" Nessa proclaimed nonchalantly, "Can I get you some food and ale? You look weary from the day's activities."

Finding his voice once more, Heinrick assented, "Ale would be very good. My thanks, Milady."

"Nessa," she corrected him as she exited the room, giving him a little time and space to cool down.

Entering her dining room, Nessa set up the table with a snap of her fingers. Some things are definitely easier with magic. Now, what would a large, muscular knight eat? She began conjuring dishes in quick succession—a rack of lamb, a side of ham, baked potatoes topped with cream, pumpkin soup, a platter of fruit...

In short order, the long wooden table was laden with a feast good enough for a king as well as an entire court of nobles. The potpourri of aromas drifted out to the hall and soon lured her rugged guest through the doorway. His eyes were wide with amazement. "Come! Do sit and eat!" Nessa laughed.

"Lady Nessa, you shouldn't have gone to such expense!" Heinrick exclaimed.

Nessa smiled welcomingly. "It was no trouble at all. Come sit and eat while I pour you some ale. And call me Nessa, just Nessa."

As Heinrick settled down at the head of the table, Nessa poured his ale and settled down beside him. She took care to be far enough so as not to upset his knightly sense of propriety, but close enough to be grabbed should he have the inclination. Seeing that the good food put him at ease, she ventured, "So Heinrick, tell me why you have come to seek me out."

"My home kingdom of Tintenagel came under siege by barbarians from the west. My liege sent me to enlist your services to stop the horde."

"Capture you mean," Nessa corrected, "you should know full well that I cannot leave the forests of my own will."

"Well...yes." Heinrick drowned his discomfort at the notion of enslaving her with a swig of ale. "I understand that there is a challenge?"

"Yes, there is. Pass the challenge and I am yours. I must warn you that it is not a trivial task. You will most likely lose your life in the attempt. Are you certain you are willing to take the risk?" Nessa really did not want to see another brave challenger die needlessly.

The young knight was determined. He rapped his chest, "I am a hero. That's what heroes do."

Nessa sighed, "Well, if that is your desire, you will have your challenge tomorrow. Tonight you should have a good rest."

"That, Milady, is a most welcome idea." He washed down the last of his roast with a swig of ale.