The Maiden and the Quest

The six of them hurried through the forest, knowing they needed to be on their way before Burchard was found. They passed by the tavern, hoping their horses and packs were still there. They found them all, thankful that there were at least a few honest and friendly people in the village. They rearranged the packs so the prince could ride the fifth horse, though he'd be riding bareback. All agreed that they'd switch with him at each stopping point, and he somewhat reluctantly agreed.

They rode and shared their tale with the prince, each contributing, but when they finally came to the part where Regina had left the tavern with Burchard, the knights left the telling to her. She decided immediately that she would not lie nor even omit any parts so that Prince Hadley would know in full how he was rescued. That she did, sparing no words nor actions, her cheeks pinking as she did.

There was a brief silence when she'd finished, and Regina feared she'd said too much.

A look of disbelief filled the prince's face. He thought he'd known this lass he'd soon marry very well, even if in secret. But this tale told of a part of her he hadn't met until today.

"Those words you spoke. Could you have..." The prince paused, waiting for an answer.

"My task was to make Burchard more afraid of me than of Crispin. Had I thought harm would come to my prince, I would have done whatever."

"What a Queen thou wilt be," he said aloud, knowing this tale could not be shared in total with the good folk of Leytonstoke as it would disgrace the knights.

"Your Highness, I feel we have failed both thee and our king and queen." Randolf addressed the prince with bowed head. "Sir knight, you have not. Your task, I'm sure, was to rescue me and to use whatever was available to do it. That thou did exactly as charged by my father. Little could thee know the strength, cleverness, and determination of one thee thought to be a helpless maiden." He turned to Regina. "My mother, the queen, chose well when she picked thee for her lady-in-waiting. I must thank her when we've returned home."

Despite her obvious, strength, and bravery, Regina tended to blush when complimented in any way. Prince Hedley enjoyed seeing it as it made her even more adorable.

"Still, Your Highness," Randolf continued.

"We'll hear no more of it, Sir Randolf, nor from the others." He mounted his horse. "Now we must hurray for that foul creature, Crispin, may give chase."

They rode on more quickly now, stopping occasionally to listen for sounds of pursuit. There was relief at each stop when nothing was heard. They passed by the second village with stopping, want to get as close to home as possible yet this day.

Dusk was approaching when they arrived at the village where they had stopped on their first day. They were relieved not to have been followed but were still wary. All were hungry and tired, which made the tavern even more inviting.

As they passed through the door, they heard the loud voice of the proprietor.

"The lassie has returned. Good Richard, announce to the village that the bonnie lass has returned and space at her table remains. A tankard of ale be hers," he added.

Prince Hedley watched wide-eyed as the men gathered around Regina. Relieved, he saw that she was laughing.

Orvyn moved beside Prince Hedley. "Your Highness, when last we passed through this village, Regina was offered a free tankard just to sit at table."

"She seems quite popular," Hedley answered with a smile. "Will there be room at the table for her prince?"

They noticed a man seemingly staring at Prince Hedley. He stepped closer.

"I be a traveler today; home is Leytonstoke." He bowed his head. "I bow to my prince."

"A prince? Where and who?" someone called, looking about.

Hedley stepped to the center of the room.

"I am Prince Hedley of Leytonstoke. These four are Sirs Randolf, Orvyn, Ricard, and Kenric, brave knights of our realm. And the bonnie lass is Regina, my betrothed."

Almost instantly, the men stepped away from a wide-eyed Regina. It was her first hearing of that word, and never had she felt so warm and content. She knew his saying it amounted to his promise.

"Is the name Crispin known to this village?"

A chorus of groans sounded.

"These five have rescued me from his clutches, and we fear he may pursue us here."

"For sure, Crispin is wise enough to know better than that," one of the men said. "He came here once, and the entire village rose up against him. He will not come here again."

Another spoke. "Should His Majesty choose to raise a force to drive Crispin far away, this village will provide many warriors."

"Here, here," the others shouted.

Right now, the proprietor was interested in something other than war.

"Sit thee to the tables and eat. After that, the ale is freshly brewed. As full as we are tonight, the bonnie lass shall have all she desires and with no fee, as the hall is tightly full of patrons. And, Your Majesty, the rooms are freshly cleaned and ready. How many shall I set aside?"

Prince Hedley looked around, then to Randolf.

"When last here, we had but a single room."

"Two rooms for us tonight," he called, "and I shall share mine with Regina."

"Arrgh," several of the men shouted. "Our noble prince shares his room with his lady."

Regina knew that all eyes were on her, and already nearly finishing her first tankard of ale, she spoke loudly. "Drink up, lads; our prince has been rescued."

"Blimey, she be a Merrie lass as well," someone else shouted.

"Dustin, mind thy tongue. She also be the Prince's betrothed."

Things settled a bit after that caution as none wanted to incur the prince's disfavor.

The prince, Regina, and the four knights filled a table, and others gathered around to watch and listen, each lifting a tankard from time to time, which, of course, had the proprietor smiling broadly. No more was said of Regina sharing the room with the prince, but Hedley's brain continually pictured a tall, long-haired, and beautiful maiden lifting a chemise off over her head, her naked body seeming to glisten in the flickering sunlight of the forest. He'd tried more than once to spy upon his sister's nakedness, a one-second glimpse being the only reward for his efforts. This had been very different, though. This was Regina, who, through their clandestine meetings in and out of the castle, he had grown to love.

Regina was certainly well-watched as the people of the village were not used to females as tall and beautiful as the prince's betrothed. And she was very happy and perhaps a bit silly as she was not used to free tankards of ale, and an excellent ale, at that.

The meal had been plentiful, if not delicious. But it filled the six who, not long before, had not been sure of ever eating another meal.

Finally, though, eyes were drooping, and it was time to enjoy a well-deserved rest. The four retired to their room and the other two to theirs. Regina was able to navigate the stairs without help, her mind a little fuzzy but not too fuzzy to realize that she'd be spending her night with her prince. They had only one blanket, but Hedley wasn't disappointed.

"My sweet prince, I am yours tonight," she murmured as she struggled to free herself from her dress.

Hedley waited in anticipation, remembering the first time he'd seen her in the chemise. The second time was brief as the chemise was quickly off, and she was moving toward him. Her skin was like velvet as her face cuddled against his neck. He squeezed one breast, firm yet soft. The second matched the first, the dark and hard nub on the tip fascinating. He felt her hand take hold of him and wondered at his lack of breath.

His hand moved down her body, amazed that anything could be so smooth and soft. Her belly was flat, and he could feel the muscles beneath her skin. He touched the curly hair between her legs and was amazed at the wetness there.

"Regina, thou art more beautiful than anything in our realm."

He waited, but there was no reply.

She was asleep.

A gentle kiss to the warm and soft lips left the prince anticipating when those lips would return his kiss.

~~~

All six were up early, the prince struggling to contain his ardor with the still-naked Regina. They both knew that what didn't happen last night couldn't happen this morning, so both dressed and went downstairs to knowing smiles from the others.

Breakfast was simply some bread, fairly fresh, and some watered-down wine. They ate, settled with the tavern keeper, and mounted the horses, anxious to return to the castle after completing their quest. They had only assumed that Crispin had been the culprit, but it had been confirmed by Burchard and his encounter with Regina. She was feeling warm and excited since the queen's confidence in her, despite what others thought and what was tradition, had proven well-founded.

The ride home was vastly different from the ride out, as there was much laughter and playful banter. Stops were still made, so all had a chance to ride bareback, the prince insisting on taking his turn as well. All teased that they were anxious to watch Regina, in her dress, ride bareback. She was released from her obligation by unanimous agreement of the men, although she was willing to try it.

As they approached the village, they were spotted, and the castle was alerted. The king and queen were waiting and were overjoyed to see the prince walking toward them. Hedley embraced his mother and faced his father.

"My mother and father, just yesterday, I feared I might never see thee again." He turned to look at Regina and extended his arm until she was beside him. His smile seemed endless. "But that was not to be my fate."

Randolf spoke up. "Your grace, we four," he gestured to the other three, "are knights, but your lady-in-waiting proved to us she could be a knight as well."

Now, both Mirabel and Gregory were excited to hear the entire story of the prince's rescue. And they were anxious to share their news as well. They were looking from one to the other, waiting for someone to begin.

Hedley looked to Regina, waiting for her to share, then realized she wasn't eager to paint herself as the heroine despite her being exactly that. So, he began, watching the queen's eyes widen when he told of her going off with Burchard ... by herself. When he told of Regina volunteering to remove her dress, the queen's mouth dropped open. Her hand went to her mouth when he told of Burchard chasing her through the woods clad in only the flimsy chemise. When he detailed her smacking him with the branch and then tying him up, the queen's joy was unmistakable. He omitted the part about her lifting the chamise for him ... twice but couldn't keep the picture from filling his mind.

"Regina, I need to say something to thee. I think thou might have more cause for rescuing Hedley than simply serving the realm." The queen was smiling, and it was time for Regina's eyes to be wide.

Prince Hedley moved quickly to rescue his betrothed. He took hold of her hand.

"One day soon, we shall be wed, and I now ask my mother and father for their blessing for that union.

Regina was suddenly terrified. She was a commoner, and wedding another royal would strengthen the kingdom. She was hopelessly in love with Hedley, and despite what she'd done, she was about to be denied her hopeless dream. She saw the stern look on Gregory's face, and her heart dropped. The smile had left Mirabel as well.

"Prince Hedley?"

"Yes, your grace ... and my mother."

"What say thee?"

"I love her and desire none other to be our queen one day. And if I am to be king, it is only through what she has unselfishly done to save me."

It was now the King's turn. "I choose to pause here and tell thee of our time after thou wast carried away and we worked to find thee." He continued without pause, not allowing anyone to interrupt. "We were graced with a visitor, a most ugly brute with brazen requests. Yes, it was Crispin demanding the hand of Princess Annora in return for Hedley's life."

"Your king had Crispin put into the dungeon, trusting his knights to rescue the prince, not realizing it would be my lady-in-waiting and the maiden he would marry--"

"--shall marry," interrupted the king.

Thus, it was decided, and a grand meal was set for all the knights.

Regina's sigh was heard by all, and she received good words from the four knights.

Later that night, when all were asleep, or nearly so, the ledge that had allowed the prince and the lady-in-waiting to learn more about each other after many brief meetings while she was serving the queen was used once more. She'd wanted to come to his room, as she'd done twice before to surprise him, but he would have none of that this night. Hedley flattened himself against the rough stones of the castle and moved slowly in the darkness with only the moon and stars to guide him. He slipped quietly through her window.

"Your Highness, tis so good to see thee this night."

Hedley chuckled. "No need for such formality when I come to see you like this. And soon, the people will be addressing thee asPrincess Regina and calling thee Your Majesty."

"Oh, Hedley, can that be so? Your Majesty? This commoner?"

"Regina, thou art many things, but common is not one of them. Randolf has said thou were indeed a knight in courage and in deed. And I thank thee greatly for that."

"Thou art my prince and soon my lover," she said with a tiny giggle. "Thou hast braved the ledge once more, and this night, more than talk awaits thee."

Hedley could feel himself breathing harder. "Regina, thy words have passed through my mind and gone straightway to my heart. I have pondered what love might be, but thou hast revealed it to me, and soon we shall be wed."

There was a single torch still lit in Regina's chamber, and when she stood wearing the thinnest of nightwear, her body beneath the flimsy material was silhouetted for Hedley. He drew in his breath.

"Regina, thou art the most beautiful commoner in all of England, and soon thou wilt be the most beautiful princess, and hence, the most beautiful queen. My queen."

Still standing before the torch, Regina lifted off the thin night dress and tossed it to Hedley. He pressed it against his face.

"The aroma of my lovely overwhelms me," he said, clutching it tightly against his face.

Before he knew it, she was there, pushing him backward until he fell onto her bed. It was not the bed of the princess she would soon be, but yet a soft place fit for what was about to take place.

"Thou art fully clothed, my prince. Tis very proper for that to be, but not this night and in this place."

He needed no more urging and stood, struggling mightily to free himself of the clothing that greatly restrained him. When he was naked, she came to him again.

"Before I came to the castle, our cottage was small, and when my parents thought me asleep, I was sometimes able to watch what they did. That special part of thou, so small when a child, has grown fittingly larger and, as I take hold of it, quite heated as well."

Hedley stood rigidly still as Regina grasped his erection. He needed to do something that he had done only once.

"At the tavern, when thee and I were in our room, and the ale was having its way with thee, thou didst fall asleep."

"And tonight, I pray thy forgiveness for that."

"Tis not needed, for I kissed the softest lips while thou didst sleep."

"The lips are here to be kissed once more,"

"Just once?" he teased.

"Yes, but once. But thou must make it last the entire time you are here."

With Regina's grasp not loosening and the movement as they talked, Hedley feared his blood might be boiling. Once more, he touched her pale, velvety smooth skin, pulling her against him. When he heard her deep breathing, his own deepened as well.

"Regina, so thee watched thy parents in the bed?"

"I shouldn't have, yet I did," she answered, unsure of why he'd asked.

"Then show me how to love thee."

Even in the dim light from the torch, he could see the puzzled look on her face and then the smile.

"I shall show, but I shall also tell. And thou shalldo as Itell.

She lay down on the bed and beckoned. Hedley was quickly there, above her and gazing down at her. Her eyes looked downward, and he understood, filling each hand with a full and firm breast he'd known briefly the night before.

"I shan't fall asleep tonight, my prince," she groaned as he gently squeezed the firm, dark tip that totally enthralled him. Even without her telling him, he lowered his head, kissing one and then the other, that special nub finding its way to his lips, then to his gently nibbling teeth. Regina moaned in glee.

More kissing and fondling followed. When watching her parents and hearing their sounds, she had never imagined what the feelings that created those sounds were like. Now, she was making those same sounds she had heard, and she wanted more, more of what she had seen in the darkness of the cottage.

"Hedley, let me guide thee," she said, once more grasping that part of him that had grown so large.

"Please, my love. Please do."

He felt it touch the soft and curly hair between her legs and then touch her wetness. As she guided, he pressed forward and quickly was sliding into a warm and snug place he'd longed to be without knowing it. He kept moving until he was solid against her. But his body wouldn't allow him to stay that way, and he began to move. The feelings racing through and filling his body were sheer ecstasy.

Hedley was amazed that he seemed to have no control over his body, and it was moving faster and faster with each deep penetration and withdrawal. Regina's body was moving along with his, her hips rising to meet him each time he thrust forward. In just moments, it was beginning, his muscles tensing and, as in a fairy tale, their orgasms came together, she feeling him pulse over and over within her, and him feeling her squeezing him with each squealing spasm.

"My prince, can this be really happening?" she asked breathlessly when their bodies had stopped moving.

"My dearest Regina, yes, it is happening. And I pray it may happen again ... and soon."

She cuddled against him, warm and satisfied. She remembered how overjoyed she'd been when she had been picked to be the queen's lady-in-waiting. And how happy her parents had been when that happened. She wondered how they'd be when she told them she was to be a princess and one day queen. She was sure they wouldn't be able to believe it as she was having trouble believing it herself.

Regina was nearly asleep when she heard his voice whispering in her ear.

"Regina, my betrothed, I must return to my own chamber, for someone may choose to check on me."

She shivered in delight at his words.

"Till morning, then," she replied, giving him a warm and tender kiss. "Use care on the ledge."

In his bed at last, Prince Hedley could not sleep as he remembered and relived what had happened this night. He vowed to insist to the king and queen that the wedding be no longer than a week from now despite his knowing that couldn't happen. Still, he could insist, but royal preparations would need to be made and invitations sent to distant places. Perhaps three weeks?

Regina lay alone in her bed, still warm from the prince's being there. Her body tingled when she recalled his taking her and taking her virginity, too. She'd need to have many talks with Annora to learn to be a princess. And, after being close friends for this short time, they would be like sisters. That was her hope, and she saw no reason it wouldn't happen.

She would share the story of the quest and the adventure and of rescuing the prince with their children, but only if he'd permit it. Children.

Regina fell asleep and dreamed of having little princes and princesses of her own, and when she awakened, she knew it would be true.