Sir Guy and His Lady

Hello all! This is my first ever submission so be kind to me!! I was inspired to write it after reading the legend of Sir Guy. It is supposedly about a young knight like the hero of my story, who takes shelter during a storm at Dumbarton Castle. But alas makes the wrong choice (you'll understand when you read the story!) and is forever doomed to haunt the ruins of the castle still searching for the lady he lost (you can find out more on the internet!). But hopefully my hero and heroine will have a much happier ending!

Hope you enjoy it, any comments/suggestions/votes would be very much appreciated. Thank you!!

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Blinded by the driving rain Sir Guy of Embleton led his weary and terrified horse to the crumbling ruin on the cliff side. To think only a few hours previously the weather had been warm and sunny, but being a native of Northumberland, Guy was used to the unpredictability of the weather particularly on this north east reach of England. He had only just returned from the wars to his own castle not too many miles away and had taken the opportunity to ride his favourite stallion across the stunning coast line.

Dunstanburgh Castle loomed ever closer. Nobody had resided there for over a hundred years, and it had already started to decay with age, but it would have to do until the storm calmed. He guided his horse across the rocky and dangerous path and took shelter underneath what used to be the gatehouse. A flash of lightening across the sky lit up the jagged stone work of the towering walls of this once great fortress. Guy was a fearless young man, but he shivered glancing all around him, half expecting for something hideous to reach out and grab him. What he saw next would stay with him for the rest of his days.

The sky had darkened and the air around him seemed to crackle with some unknown and unseen energy. Guy shrugged off his growing unease, telling himself he was a battle hardened warrior not a child still afraid of the dark! As he backed himself more against the wall holding up the once proud and ornate gatehouse out of nowhere appeared a glowing terrifying figure hovering several feet off the ground. The shade stood in the doorway directly next to where the portcullis would have been. Guy stopped breathing unable to comprehend what he was seeing. The figure cried out to him in a rasping ghastly voice that seemed to echo off the walls of the crumbling castle

"Sir Knight, Sir Knight,

If your heart be right

And if your nerves be firm and true,

Sir Knight, Sir Knight,

A beauty bright,

Endurance, waits for you."

The ghostly figure held out a bony hand and beckoned him to follow. Sir Guy's horse reared and fled from the ruin leaving Guy truly alone. As if pushed by some invisible force he found himself following the figure deep into the castle. In his mind a voice was screaming "What are you doing turn back and run! This could be a demon an evil spirit waiting to carry you away!", but Guy's legs moved of their own accord, as the figure glided down the trecherous staircases and fallen bits of masonry into the bowels of the castle.

Suddenly it stopped near a doorway where a faint glow emanated from the room within. As if in a trance Guy stepped into the room. In the room slept at least a hundred knights in full armour, some were lying on the floor, others were propped up against the walls of the large, damp room, but that was not what held Guy captivated. In the middle of the room, in a glass casket, lay the most beautiful woman he had ever laid eyes on. Whilst the sensible voice in his head was still screaming at him that this was all a mirage, the red blooded male in him knew on some deep instinct that this was no trick, this woman would be his if he had to fight single handedly against all the knights in the room to get her.

On top of the casket lay a sword and a horn. The figure turned to Guy and told him that he could only release the Lady from her endless sleep by making the right choice – the horn or the sword? Guy stealthily crept over the sleeping warriors to the beauty, his hand went to reach for the horn, but stopped. He had to make the right choice, the blade would surely frighten the maiden but it would make much less noise and he could use it to defend himself and his lady. He slowly picked up the sword, and lifted the lid off the casket. His breath caught in his throat, every muscle in his tall well built body held in tight ready to attack any who might try to stop him from taking her from this place. The water dripping from his dark hair fell onto the girls bodice. Guy took a moment to look upon her beauty more closely. She had chestnut brown hair that flowed down her back to her waist, breasts that heaved with every intake of breath and strained against the green and gold bodice, and full rose pink lips. He shook himself from his reverie to concentrate on the task in hand. Holding the blade towards the lady's throat he pressed the cold steel gently being careful not to break the pure white skin, he bent towards her ear and whispered softly "Awaken." With a great intake of breath she opened her lovely eyes and stared straight up at him almost into his very soul. She opened her mouth wide as if she made to scream, making Guy clamp his hand across her mouth. He quickly looked around the room making sure nobody was awake; he looked to the doorway and saw that the ghostly figure had gone. Guy turned to her,

"I swear on my knightly honour Iwon't hurt you, but I beg you don't speak don't move, don't even breathe too loudly until we are well away from here."

He warned when it seemed the maiden had recovered enough from the shock of having a sword to her throat. Quickly he scooped her up into his strong muscular arms, she was looking up at him, but he noticed her eyes held a dazed expression, as if she had been drugged. Stepping over the snoring knights he crept out of the room and up the spiraling staircases, still expecting the figure to reveal itself at any moment and for him to realise that he didn't hold this beautiful warm, very much alive girl in his arms and it was just sorcery.

Suddenly he saw the entrance leading out to the gatehouse. He raced out into the still pouring rain praying that he would find his horse waiting for him. Soaked to the skin his linen shirt and doublet clinging to his body he found his horse cowering away from the ruin. He hoisted himself and his lady up onto the saddle. She seemed to have fallen back into unconsciousness but a quick check told him that she was still breathing. He needed to get as far away as possible from the castle. He spurred his horse into a gallop and made for the nearest inn. It would be too dangerous to try and make it to his own keep tonight.

He came across the Craster Inn after a short ride. He strode into the small wooden building after sheltering his horse under one of the small shacks outside the inn and feeding him some oats from his saddlebag, the sleeping girl still huddled in the folds of his cloak.

"And what I can be doing for thee young sir. 'Tis a wild night to be out riding, especially with a lady!"

Said the knarled looking but friendly innkeeper as he spied the tall knight and the woman. The old man guessed this was a wealthy young lord. Though his clothes were soaked through they were still of a fine quality and his physique and the dangerous looking sword in the scabbard attached to his side, told him that this young man was not one to be cheated or trifled with.

"I require a room for the night. We were caught in the storm and it is too dangerous to return home tonight."

"Indeed sir, I shall have our best room set up for you. Your lucky we have been quiet of late, no one wishes to travel this far north at this time of the year. I shall have food, ale and hot water sent up for your lady wife my lord."

"Thank you innkeeper"

Guy did not think to correct him on his assumption that the girl was his wife. How could he explain the events of the last hour? He could hardly fathom how he had come to be in the situation himself!

The innkeeper and a maid led him to his room at the top of the building. After assuring that he would be well paid for his services, he laid the still sound asleep girl on the soft clean bed and sat down heavily in the chair next to it. He stared upon her but came to himself when he realised that she would catch a chill if she stayed in those wet clothes any longer. He opened the door and looked up and down the corridor, but the maid from earlier was nowhere to be seen, and he could not waste time, she had been out in the cold and rain for long enough. There was only one thing for it he would have to take them off himself!

Sir Guy was a knight who was well trained in how to treat a lady with respect, but his hand trembled at his side slightly at the thought of peeling the wet garments off her body. He took his small knife out of his belt and gingerly slid it under the tie that held her gown together, not bothering to fuss with the knot in case it woke her. It would be too mortifying if she woke up to find him doing this! His heart began to pound, he pulled at the laces one by one until he could part the bodice. He gently slipped it off her body but immediately felt the tightening in his groin as her voluptuous figure was revealed to him. She wore a thin but prettily embroidered shift underneath the ornate dress. The almost transparent material clung to every curve of her sweet body. From her shapely thighs to her rounded hips and full breasts. All of Guy's thoughts of being respectful fled as his eyes feasted upon her angelic form. His fingers longed to reach out and touch the rosy coloured nipples that had hardened through the cold and wet and were now pushing up against the material. Just as his hand moved, her eyes flung open. Guy was momentarily stunned by the force of her slap. For a girl who had been unconcious for quite a while, she was more than alert now! She scrambled off the bed and and threw herself against the wall furthest away from him.

"Who the hell are you? Where am I? And where the bloody hell is my gown!?"

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That's all for now, but if people like it I would love to continue Guy's story. Thanks for reading! Emily x

Copyright Amelius September 2008