Hepsie sat happily in the rays of sunlight. After her initial fright when they first arrived she had regained her courage and continued to explore every day when her chores were done. She had found lovely little nook in a corner of the forest were noone else ever came. It was a delightful place with flowers of many colours and it was quiet apart from the gentle chirping of the birds.

She sighed contendedly and streched herself out, watching the clouds between the cool green leaves above. She was glad she had managed to get away for some time on her own this afternoon. It was such a beautiful day, and it had rained for weeks since their arrival on Mhalwae. She lay in the soft grass daydreaming of the little house Steen was going to build for them when the nobles had finished with his services. It would be a fine house and she had many plans of how she would make it nice for them.

She was startled from her musings as a face came into view.

Alexis gazed down at the supple young figure of the peasant girl lying before him. What a wonderful surprise he had found here. His eyes were immediately drawn to her creamy soft bosom peeking enticingly from her bodice. He grinned widely.

The girl, startled, jumped to her feet. “I’m sorry sir, I din’t see you there. Did you need anything from me?”.

He smiled to himself, she was so innocently endearing with her wide eyes and soft brows. He did need something from her, but he was not so crass as to ask and he thought it better to be a bit subtle.

“Do you know who I am?”, Alexis asked her.

“Yes, of course, you are Lord Hwratar”, she answered with a slight curtsey.

“But I, unfortunately don’t know your name, my beauty.

“It’s Hepsie sir, Hepsie Cade”.

“Ah yes, Cade, I know the young man of that name, are you his sister?”.

“No sir, his wife”.

Alexis was slightly surprised, she seemed quite young to be married, but he did not see this as much of an obstacle. She would of course be in awe of his status and succumb willingly.

“His wife, aren’t you a little young to be married my dear?”.

“Yes”, she cried, “I mean no… I mean… uh… yes he is my husband and no I’m not too young, I’m sixteen, seventeen in just a few months”.

She giggled and blushed, oh she was simply delightful and Alexis could not wait to get his hands on her. But he wanted to take this slowly, he was having too much fun with her.

He laughed with her, “Well I guess you do seem quite fully grown”, he eyed her figure again.

“Let’s see how fully grown you really are”, he said moving towards her, his hands tickling her sides.

“No, no stop please”, she cried, her cheeks blushing brighter in embarrassment, her hands swatting at his to protect her body from his advances.

He moved forward wrapping his strong arms around her and pressing his mouth to hers. He felt her wriggling against him but that only made his desire stronger. He was sure any moment now he would feel her body become soft and willing against his. He was very sure of his attractiveness to womankind.

He was thus startled when she mustered all of her strength and pushed him away from her with a force he did not think she had in her.

He was even more surprised when he felt the sharp sting of her slap across his face.

“You stay away from me you”, she said angrily, “I don’t care if you’re a knight, that doesn’t impress me. So you just keep your awful pawing hands away from the likes of me, you hear”.

Alexis turned from her angrily, nursing his wounded pride and strode into the forest.

It was not until he reached the fields that he had cooled down enough to laugh heartily. He was not so arrogant that he could not laugh at himself. What a positively charming wench she was.

He actually quite admired her for standing up to him. Most wouldn’t, but she must truly love her husband and he did respect that. Unfortunately, his desire was not quenched, but then, his lovely Morven was probably still sitting in their cabin on the ship and reading and he was sure she would be willing to oblige him.

Cade, Hwratar