Knightly Devotion

Princess Jenevieve's heart was pounded loud in her ears as she made her way along the darkening path. The autumn trees surrounding her seemed to glitter in the last rays of the swiftly setting sun. But soon the woods parted and she found herself in the open expanse of the tournament field. The arena that had so recently been teeming with spectators, minstrels and jesters was now fortunately deserted. Still Jenevieve took care to keep to the shadows.

Skirts in hand, she crept along the stands, dodging refuse the rabble had left behind after the day's entertainments. She glanced over at the nearby list where only a few hours ago armored knights had shown off their own particular brand of civilized bloodlust- charging their opponents head on, hooves pounding, lances raised, to the roar of cheering crowds. All was quiet now apart from the crisp rustling of banners billowing in the breeze.

The sun had just slipped below the horizon as Jenevieve's ultimate destination came into view, illuminated by the light of a single lantern. She quickened her pace. The smell of hay, leather and other less savory accoutrement of horses hit her nose long before she ever reached the entrance to the stables. It may not have been the loveliest of odors but she liked it because it reminded her of him. The reason she had risked all to venture out into the perilous night.

Peering into the dark interior she scanned the shadows, seeing only the skittering silhouette of horses. A full moon hung low in the sky and splinters of its silvery beams streamed through the rafters. She had just taken a few steps into the structure when two strong arms seized her from behind.

Jenevieve thrashed about instinctively. The cry of sheer panic that erupted from her chest was muffled by the large hand suddenly clamped over her mouth. She had been discovered! Her mind tried to formulate a plausible excuse for a princess to be at the stables at such an hour, but fear fogged her brain.

Then as abruptly as she had been apprehended her captor released her. She spun on shaky legs to see who had caught her. The large figure was mostly hidden by darkness but she could make out the glint of a metal chest plate. A knight. She craned her neck further, past the armor. The face was shadowed but for the eyes. The irises were a bright green that glowed from within like sunlight through stain glass. She knew those eyes anywhere.

"Eldrick!" She exclaimed.

He stepped out of the shadow. Although with his tall stature, chiseled good looks and noble baring, he might as well have stepped out of the pages of a story book. A closely-cropped beard accentuating the masculine angles of his face. His head was crowned with an unruly mass of nearly-black hair that made a woman ache to sink her fingers through it. His eyes were two verdant pools of desire in which an unsuspecting lady might easily drown.

Sir Eldrick was handsome, gallant, brave, and just a bit cocksure. Qualities to endanger any woman's heart and Jenevieve's was no exception.

For though she be a princess she was still a woman.

Without further ado, she rushed into his arms. In a scene as old as creation, the lovers shared a passionate embrace under the moonlight. Then she abruptly slapped him in the face- a scene nearly as old.

"You practically scared me to death." She seethed.

Eldrick's lips turned up in an easy smile that revealed a flash of dazzling, white teeth. "You needn't worry about Death with me around. If he came near you I'd cut him down with my sword."

"Are you ever serious?"

"I'm quite serious about getting out of this heavy armor."

"I see you let your squire go early." As Jenevieve spoke she set to work on the bindings of his chest plate, taking the opportunity to admire the finely decorated surface. In the center of the shining metal was a rearing white steed on a field of red. Eldrick's coat of arms and the reason for his nickname of the Rampant Stallion. (At least one of the reasons.)

"Sam is a good lad but he cannot compete with your undressing skills."

"Well, they say practice makes perfect." She winked.

Finally, the last binding gave way. The heavy clatter of armor hitting the ground was followed by a low sigh of relief.

Next, she raised on her tiptoes to slip the shimmering chainmail over Eldrick's lofty head. Thus divested, the lantern light revealed a well-proportioned torso barely concealed by a thin tunic. The evidence of a deep bruise peeked out of the neckline. She traced the mark on his shoulder with her finger, concern creasing her brow.

He merely shrugged, "tis but a scratch."

It didn't look like a scratch, but the wound did nothing to diminish his masculine allure. His powerful presence seemed to fill the entire space and steal the breath from her lungs. Seeing him standing there, the warm light playing off the contours of his thickly muscled bronze flesh, she knew she never had a chance against all that raw male beauty.

It had started out harmless enough when he first came to court the previous winter. Just a few furtive glances and a little innocent flirtation. But Eldrick was relentless in his campaign of love and soon his sweet words and tempting smile wore down her defenses. The warmth between them had grown gradually until there was no stopping the inferno that followed.

"I thought you might want this back." Eldrick's words jarred her out of her memories. As he spoke he reached beneath his tunic and handed her the ornately embroidered cloth. "It served me well today."

"Champion again." She tucked the kerchief carefully into her flared sleeve.

"Thanks to you."

"Still, you shouldn't have requested my favor at the tournament today."

"You are my princess." He answered in a husky baritone.

"But we must be careful not to attract undue attention in front of all those prying eyes. Choose another. After seeing you perched atop your pure white steed there is hardly a lady at court who would not happily fall at your feet to give you her favor."

"Fall at my feet, you say." He ran a hand across his beard in contemplation. "Whose favor should I take then? Perhaps Lady Seraphina, she is rather angelic."

"And dull as a mud puddle." Jenevieve replied, trying and failing to conceal the jealousy in her voice.

"What of Lady Arabella. I've heard many a man admire her beauty." He teased.

"Though none have ever admired her wit." She countered quickly.

"But she makes up for her lack of wit with other fine qualities. Abundance of cleavage, for instance." He parried, eyes alight with mischief.

"Swine!" She growled, lashing out with fists raised.

In one smooth move Eldrick blocked the hit and pinned her arms behind her back. He looked down on her, emerald eyes twinkling with triumph, while she tried to free herself from his grip.

"You are the most beautiful woman in the kingdom and you well know it. You have blinded me to the charms of other women. For why would anyone bother to gaze at the stars with the glorious sun before them to dazzle their eyes?"

Jenevieve stilled in his hold, her anger dissolving. 'Twas difficult to stay mad at him while he poured sweet words into her ear. To say nothing of his fine eyes and seductive smile. How very disagreeable of him to be so agreeable to the senses.

She no longer resisted when he pulled her against his chest in a forceful embrace. He was warm and she could feel that warmth seeping into her. 'Twas pure alchemy when they touched, their two baser forms combining to create something infinitely more precious.

With a sweep of his hand, he pulled the conical hat from her head so that the silky strands of golden curls cascaded down her back. Then he leaned closer, his lips nearly touching hers. She could practically feel the heat of victory still pumping through his veins. "You know I win for you."

"Poppycock." She steeled her resolve and pulled herself from his arms. This time her let her. "You win for yourself. I would prefer if you lost more yet risked less. My heart leaps in fear every time I see you charging down that list."

"Not to worry. No knight I've er' met can unhorse me. Yet not all wounds are so tangible. My heart suffers as well." He seized her hand to press it to the hard plain of his chest so she could make out the steady heartbeat thumping beneath her palm. "It feels as if it has been pierced by a leaded spear every time I see you with the prince."

"Please, let's not talk of my husband."

"His Highness is no more insufferable than the average royal accustomed to always getting his way. If only he spent as much time ruling as he did draining goblets and chasing skirts he would make for a decent prince."

"He has given me everything." She offered, feeling the strange need to defend her derelict husband. Reginald may not be the best of husbands but if it hadn't been for him she would still be a lowly serf, serving ale in some dingy tavern.

"Everything except for what you truly need. Love." Eldrick insisted, his voice a low rumble that tingled her palm. She reluctantly pulled it away and took a step back. "Are you worried that we'll be discovered?"

"He is not likely to notice." She shrugged. Swaddled in ermine and arrogance, Prince Reginald was too busy feasting and philandering to notice much. "I am nothing but another symbol of status for him. No different than his fancy jewels or his royal hounds. He pays me no mind as long as I sit by his side, smiling sweetly and waving to the crowd."

"Then he is a bigger fool than I thought." Eldrick said. "For you are far more precious than any crown jewel. I can scarcely keep my eyes off you. Your skin is like rose petals. Your eyes are blue and fathomless like the deepest river."

She raised one golden eyebrow. "Which am I, a rose or a river?"

"You, my love, are a dragon. Full of fire and fearsome beauty to tempt knights to their doom." He pronounced, his face a mixture of lust and amusement.

"A dragon, am I? What a silver tongue you have." She chuckled.

"Was it not my tongue that won me fair lady." He clasped her to him and ran that silvery appendage down the column of her neck, sending a fierce shudder down her spine.

"So to speak," she whispered. "And would you go to your doom for your dragon lady?"

"Most happily." He growled before closing the gap between them and forcefully claiming her mouth.

He kissed her with such passion and urgency, as if he never wanted their lips to be parted again. It was a kiss of conquest but with an edge of sweetness. When she felt his tongue attempting entrance she parted her lips to allow him to explore her willing mouth.

As he plundered her deeply, she felt her whole body grew hot and tingly. The intensity of his kiss made her head spin as though she had drunk too much wine. The power of the man intoxicated her. It overpowered her reason so that she was willing to hazard everything to feel his lips upon hers once more.

She may be naught but a weak sinner but falling for Eldrick didn't feel weak. It didn't feel like sin or betrayal. It felt like paradise.

He pressed her closer with an arm around her waist and her body melted into his like snow before a naked flame. Dizzy with longing, she clung to him to steady herself. Feeling the hard muscles of his biceps tense and roll beneath her fingers, she trembled at the thought of the strength that lie just beneath the skin.

Relentlessly, his lips moved down her body, pressing them over whatever flesh he could find. His whisker-rough chin rasped along the soft flesh of her throat to her collarbone and beyond, leaving a tingling trail of fire in its wake. A firm tug released her left breast from the low-cut neckline of her tight bodice. With one hand still holding hers back, he dipped his head to worship the lush swell with his keen tongue, teasing the rosy tip until it raised to a hard peak.

'Twasn't long before his free hand joined in a two-pronged assault on her senses. Eldrick roved over her velvet encased curves, handling her with the unerring instincts of a seasoned warrior. Knowing just where to nibble and caress so that she was soon mewling and writhing under his sure touch.

He sucked her nipple into his mouth, forcing a sharp inhale from her lips. Arching forward, she offered it up to him while riding the wide expanse of his thigh that she found pressed between her legs. A sharp throb of desire went through her as she rubbed up on the hard bulge of his cock, barely contained by the thin fabric of his hose.

"This is madness." She uttered as she continued to rock against him. "Reginald would have our heads if he knew."

"Completely mad," he agreed between feathery kisses along her delicate jawline.

"It's reckless and foolish." She interjected, once she managed a full breath.

"Utterly foolish." Eldrick answered as his lips continued their journey down her neck.

"Don't stop though."

"Never."

He claimed her mouth again. The kiss was slower this time, more lingering. In the past they rarely had time for lengthy preliminaries, instead having to take their forbidden pleasures in brief stolen moments. Not that Jenevieve really minded. She found the haste only amplified their violent desire, further stoking the white-hot flames of their passion.

Yet on this night, with the wagging tongues of the court occupied with feasting and drinking, Eldrick seemed determined to take his time. To allow a slow burn to envelop them both. And Jenevieve was certainly feeling the heat. When their lips finally parted, she was reduced to nothing but a smoldering puddle of liquid desire.

Lost in blind lust, she clutched at the rough fabric of Eldrick's tunic to support her unsteady legs while he slowly untied the fur-lined cape from around her neck. Once the tie had given way he pulled it from her slender shoulders. Cape in one hand and lantern in the other, he disappeared into the nearest empty stall.

"What are you about?" She called after him, already missing his presence.

"Making a bed fit for a princess." He answered while fluttering the garment down over a pile of fresh hay.

Bold green eyes, glinting with purpose and power, met hers. The look sucked the air from her lungs. Before she could recover her breath, he was upon her. A second later she felt herself being flung over his broad shoulder. After a few long strides he plopped her down on the makeshift mattress, giving rise to a peel of feminine laughter. The laughter turned to a breathy moan as his calloused hand worked its way up her leg.

Teasingly slowly he pushed up her gown, the rich purple velvet sliding over her slim white thighs, past the fullness of her hips, to finally gather around her narrow waist. Nestled between her legs, he looked up at her with a sly smirk before latching his eyes on the exposed thatch of curls that lightly veiled her sex.

Using gentle fingers, he spread the petals of her feminine flower, baring the slick seam to his hungry gaze. Ever so lightly, his finger brushed her mound, yet it sent a thunderbolt of electric pleasure through her whole being.

His intent was clear. Though the extent of his arousal was extremely evident through his fitted hose, he seemed determined to put his own needs aside to attend to hers. And they say chivalry is dead she thought as he lowered his face towards the place between her legs. Then the thought was driven from her head as the wet heat of his mouth made contact with her cunny. As his tongue rasped across her seam she let out a sweet sigh of surrender and her limbs went limp with pleasure.

He was gentle at first. Almost torturously so, touching her tenderly, reverently, as if she were a holy relic. His mouth paid careful devotion to every fold gradually until she was unconsciously arching to meet his caress in a silent plea for more. The plea did not go unanswered. By and by his ministrations intensified, his tongue a living flame that would consume her. Lips feasted, fingers probed. Jenevieve's hips gyrated in time with his searching tongue and pumping digits. She tossed her head from side to side, defenseless against the onslaught of pleasure.

Craving more still, she wound her fingers into his dark hair to press him closer. Taking the hint, Eldrick's lips latched onto her clit. He lapped at the aching bud repeatedly until she was moaning and panting with rising tension. He held her teetering on the brink for some time. Then suddenly the tension broke and she was screaming out his name as she tumbled over the precipice of pleasure.

The release was violent in its intensity and boundless in its scope. Shudders of ecstasy wracked her whole body and shattered her world. Still Eldrick did not cease his gentle lapping until the last quake of pleasure had passed and she slumped, gasping and boneless, onto the hay.

"Mmm, 'tis warm as honey and twice as sweet." He hummed as he licked her juices from his lips.

"Now I would taste you." Jenevieve muttered once she had finally regained the power of speech. Swiftly she dropped to her knees before him and made quick work of the laces of his hose. His cock sprang up between them, hard, long and straight. A weapon well suited to the formidable knight who wielded it, and it was pointed straight at her. Yet she did not shrink from it as a lesser adversary surely would. She took it on without hesitation.

She wrapped her fingers around the girthy base, her thumb barely meeting with her middle finger. It seemed to swell further as she glided her slick palm up his length and down again. A creamy drop of arousal gathered at the rounded tip. She licked it up and the salty tang that exploded on her tongue only made her mouth water further.

As Jenevieve drew his cock into her mouth he threw his head back and muttered something halfway between a prayer and a curse. Emboldened by his response, she took him further into her eager mouth, clutching his muscular thighs as she strove to fit in as much of the sizable organ as she could. Her pains were rewarded by a low moan wrested from her opponent's lips.

Desire, though so recently satisfied, was already beginning to reassert itself through an insistent throbbing between her legs. She felt the wet evidence of that desire overflowing her cunny and trickling down her thigh. It was always thus with her knight of hearts. He alone triggered an unslakable thirst inside her that only seemed to grow the deeper she drank.

Eldrick's thirst seemed to be equally unquenchable. His muscles bunched and strained the limits of knightly endurance in an effort to hold back his pleasure. His jaw was clenched tightly, his brow furrowed. Soft pants turned to loud groans as Jenevieve's tongue slipped slowly over his salty length to circle the smooth head.

"Enough!" He finally roared and pulled himself from her mouth.

The next thing she knew, Jenevieve was being hauled up onto her feet and forced face first against the wall of the stable. She barely had time to catch her breath when she felt a rush of cool air on her thighs as Eldrick jerked up her gown. His booted foot nudged her legs wider, a firm hand on her spine tilting her forward so that her backside was hitched upward. Seconds later she was crying out as he plunged his powerful male organ into her to the hilt.

There was no escape for her there. Pinned between the rough wooden wall and his unyielding body, she was completely at his mercy. Which was exactly where she wanted to be.

Her fierce knight went at full-tilt and she welcomed the ferocity. Their combined need was too great for restraint or finesse. Setting a punishing rhythm, he surged into her with all his might. The slap of flesh against flesh echoed off the rafters, mixing with the neighing and whinnying of horses.

"I've been dreaming of this all day." Eldrick hissed between gritted teeth. "Tell me that you think of this as much as I do."