The Knight's Love Ch. 01

This is a story that I am working on in bits and pieces, so please understand that it's not all coming at once. If you get frustrated with this type of writing style as I do, please email me and I'll tell you when the whole story is submitted. Also constructive criticism would be much appreciated.

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Beth gazed down at her darkened, muddy toes. Standing in front of so many men in her with her shift about her hips made her want to run and hide. Instead she hung her head and cried, letting her tears fall and land on the heavy iron shackles that anchored her to the platform. The auctioneer's loud rant rang heavy in her ears. For many of the mountain girls his droning sounded like a death call. They needed fresh air and crisp weather to keep them in good health, with out it they would pine away until they wasted into nothing. Thankfully Beth didn't come from any of these territories. No she came from a much farther land, one of regal castles and fair maidens and courtly knights. As a Lady of the court she had lived her life in comfort and happiness, never lifting a finger unless she wanted to. She let another tear fall as she reminisced about her past life, thoughts of her deceased father causeing a sob to build in her throat.

"Sold!" The fat auctioneers greasy hand landed on her backside causing her to jump and forget her daydreaming. The time had come. She now belonged to somebody, and if her past experiences were anything to go by, he wouldn't act the gentleman, and she'd once again have to perform a wife's marital duties. Not that he'd bother with a ring. After the helping boy unlocked her shackles, she glided to the end of the platform and waited for a robe to cover herself. To her surprise she found herself looking into the most beautiful honey hued eyes she'd ever seen. She fumbled with the garment the man handed her and a quickly gained her senses. She realized that her proprietor had ridden his coal black gelding up to the display circle and expected her to slip on behind him. She leaned forward and gripped his hand, her heart pounding in her chest. She swung herself onto the black beast, wrapped her arms around the armored figure, and noted the softness of the horses coat. If the master took this care with his horse maybe he would refrain from beating her. Her mind whirled, but as they rode away the Auctioneer grunted his approval at the twenty gold pieces the knight had given him.

They rode for hours, the country side growing more and more beautiful. The gelding's loose gait left her feeling relaxed and calm, and her mind, left of its greater worries, wandered. She looked out at the view, wondering if her home land still held it's peaceful atmosphere. A tear lined her lashes, but she kept it a bay. She still had to prepare for night fall. She didn't know if he would ask "it" of her, but she wanted to get ready in case.

Time seemed to hold no meaning to the world around her and as twilight approached she sighed with pleasure. She leaned her head against the heavy metal armor of her companions suit. She felt no warmth but she knew that underneath the heavy plates, and thick padding a man sat, warm and strong. Against her better judgment she allowed her mind to wander about the man in front of her. She gave him a face of her own, because his helmet had not allowed her to see more than his incredible eyes. However, the man she built around those deep brown depths loved her and had swept her away to take her into the sunset where they would live happily ever after.

" To bad happy endings never come." She thought, keeping her feelings in check. She wanted to fall in love, but she didn't want him to think her weak, and she wouldn't fall for a complete stranger. She hated the thought of becoming a subordinate. She had heard of girls that called their owners master and did all sorts of ridicules things to make the fat pigs happy. She had never thought it wise to give a man so much control, and thus she spent more and more time on the auction block. Her pride always got the better of her and she'd either scratch his face into pulp, or worse kick him in his balls. More than once she'd sat in a tin fire box, her skin burned into white blisters, for it.

She once again lifted her head to shake away the memories, and realized that the knight had stopped next to a little hut. It looked out of place in the midst of so much wild open territory, but she didn't mind. The geldings sweaty fur had begun to chaff her tender thighs, and she felt sleepy after the nearly five hour ride.

The knight dismounted first then offered her his hand. She gratefully took it and slipped to the ground. She gasped when she landed in a patch of Devil's grass. Tears sprung into in her eyes, and she lifted her right foot to ease the pain, causing her to cry out in agony as the inch long spines pierced deeper into her left. She bit back a sob as the pain seared trough her calves and into her thighs. The knight oblivious to her pain continued in through the huts makeshift door, his thick armor dulling her whimpering to nothing.

Beth held her tongue and tried to walk, but after several tries, she realized that in order to get to the door she'd have to cross nearly two feet of the angry looking spines. So she stood, her legs barely holding her up, while she clung to the gelding for dear life. If she lowered her self even an inch she would send the needles through her foot and she would pass out from the pain. The thought of landing on that ground had her clutching the geldings mane so tight she could feel her nails piercing her palms.

"Knight sir, please I beg you help!"

Slowly the few minutes past but they felt like hours, before she heard the tell tale sound of heavy foot steps. She saw the thick leather boots come up beside her before she passed out from the agony in her feet.

Deriel chided himself for letting the poor girl hang out there for so long. The poison spines had already given her a high dose of sleeping poison and he knew it would take days for it to wear off. He had nestled her into his bed and he sat next to her so she wouldn't wake up and feel alone. He let his eyes fall to her face, so still he might have thought her dead. Now that he had time to look at her, really look at her, he took notice that despite he small frame, her body held no imperfections. Her legs, though not as long as some of the women he had taken to bed, still held a shapely appearance, and her breast though they sagged slightly, still would fill his hands and overflow them. He soon realized how lucky he had gotten. Until this moment he hadn't paid attention to her body. He had seen her crying and her tears had touched his very soul. He didn't even know her name. Until the poison wore off he'd know nothing of her except that she had the body of an angel, and the pain tolerance of a sow. He lifted himself from the wooden chair and went to untangle himself from his armor, thrilled that in no time he would have a real beauty to help him with unbolting the smelly metal coat.

After stripping off the heavy plates, and scorching pads, he felt better and decided to build a fire. She'd need heat in the nights cold, and if he wanted her to get better. He wanted her to wake up so he could learn more of who she was, and how she'd come to this life. With her body and beauty he thought possibly royalty, perhaps a princess even. "

Well I'll take you and become you faithful knight fair lady." he whispered, giving the sleeping figure a mock bow.

Lydia woke with a start, and a pounding pain in her head. She couldn't remember where she was, or what man slept behind her, his arm laying across her hip in such a possessive manor.

Sitting she turn to see a sleep man, and her memory awoke as she had, with a start and a whir. The knight. She shifted further to lean over the muscular figure, and slowly pulled the covers away from her body so she could stand and reach the candle to better see his face. Curiosity filled her as she reached around in the firelight trying to find the wax stump, and a stick to light it with. Finally she had it lit and brought it the bed, and held it close to her captors face. She nearly gasped in appreciation. His face shone smooth and his lips full and soft. His nose long and straight neither bulged nor looked crooked. She giggled at the boyish grin he sported in hi sleep and gently pulled the quilted blanket away from his chest to see the thick pads of muscle underneath the tanned skin. She wanted to see further, but propriety forbid it, and she quickly lay down in her original position. She blew out the candle and set it on the floor, and quietly drifted off to sleep, dreaming of her new knight taking her underneath the stars.

The next morning Deriel woke, please to see the girl still lying next to him, her rounded buttocks pressed firmly into his stomach. He'd felt her in the night, but unwilling to disturb her refused to open his eyes, however he hadn't had the control to suppress a grin when she brought the candle. Such gall for a woman in a bed with a strange man. He gently shook her, his heart racing as she slowly opened her eyes, and looked at him, sleep still holding her consciousness. He pulled back and swore at her beauty as she gazed up at him, her arms pulled up in a partial stretch. Her eyes were the kind that threatened to steal a mans soul and never give it back.

"Good morning." He managed to whisper when she finally blinked. Despite the intimacy of them lying together like well known lovers, he felt as if he were sitting having tea with a friend. He knew the connection he held with her came immediately and he didn't even know her name yet.

"Who are you?"