~A Highwayman Comes Riding~ (For Vivid Fizz)

[Vivid Fizz]

Tim smiled. Bess really was a bitch. For years she had ignored his advances and he could have pleased her quite well. As he listened that smile turned into a frown. The girl was being a dirty, nasty whore, eh? That did not surprise Tim either. Men had always spoke of wanting to give her a nice, good fuck and he doubted that such am outspoken and brazen girl would have declined. It did not occur to him that he had just insulted himself with his own logic.

Then he returned to smiling. A reward! He wondered what it could be. Perhaps some gold coins or maybe a prostitute from the brothel down the ways. It had been a few months since he had enough coin to visit those girls. "Of course, milord. Will you be staying near or will I have to send correspondence to you?"

It came to his mind to tell him of her bathing habits; of the springs a few acres behind the tavern that few knew about. It might have earned him extra points. "You could always check the lass yourself. To see if a hand has been laid on her. It is a lovely day and will likely be a lovely night... there is a warm spring here that she uses on evenings like this..." he trailed off, hoping to earn more from James from this revelation.

----

Thirty minutes. It had taken thirty minutes for the large pot of water to boil and it made the kitchen furiously hot. Cook complained that she was ruining the way some of the dishes were setting and that the girl was going to reek afterwards (a truly odd sentiment to be coming from a French man of all people) but she ignored him almost completely. Sweat had made a sheen on her pale skin and, when it was finished, the steam from the pot as she carried it caused her to almost drip.

Disgusting! She herself was going to have to take a bath after this! Each step was taken with a grunt. The pot was dreadfully heavy when filled with water and she always had to take careful steps so the water did not slop on to her. That would have hurt terribly and she would have needed to start over again. Finally she made it to the bathroom and tipped the pot into the shallow tub. She sat on the edge for a moment, wiping her brow and letting out an of exhaustion before taking the large pitcher of cold water beside it and dumping it in to temper the bath.

It was a small washroom. Towels hung from a brass rack in the corner and a corded rug was in the middle. A window let light into it and a bar of soap rested on the edge. Nothing too impressive but to any traveler it was likely a god send. A bath was a luxury that most inns in that area could not afford.

With a sigh she stood, happy to be free of the extra weight, and walked to his room. Her heart beat quickly again and she could feel the heat build right below her naval. Damn it. This was not how she should feel over a stranger. This meant danger and she would not have herself compromised. With an all to eager hand, she knocked on his door.

"Sir. The bath is ready. It is pretty hot right now so I would be careful getting in."

 

[Viking Raider]

His ear twitched at the information Tim had given, though instead of being pleased with his minion James glared daggers at the man. Grabbing the little toad by his collar he yanked him forward, chastising him through gritted teeth. "You've been spying on my bride naked flesh, you little worm?! I should have you beaten for that insult." He through the miserable man backwards to the dirt road, brushing his hand off. Even out of anger touching the man left a bad taste in his mouth.

Regaining his composure James looked down at Tim, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a gold piece. "Here," he said as he flicked it to the ground in front of him, "for your troubles. Just make sure you find something that I can use. When you do, tell the tailor in town you wish to speak with me. He we see I get the message." Turning his back to Tim James walked back to his carriage where his men stood at attention for him. So, the temptress liked to bath in the open air did she? As expected of her, willing to show off her assets to any bumbling fool while still denying the man she would marry even a slight peak.

He would return tonight and see for himself, just what kind of girl she was.

Meanwhile Johnathan finished his take on the room, his cloak and weapons neatly put away when the knock rapped on the door. He took only moment to reach the door, her sweet voice beckoning to him as he turned the knob. What a sight he had when he opened it, her face flush and her black eyes lit up in excitement.

"My dear," he exclaimed, "you've put yourself over a lot of work for someone as undeserving as me." He moved forward, closing the gap between them leaving only a few inches between their chests to take her chin in his hand. He examinned her sweaty face, feeling it over her skin. "I would hate to have saved you only to have to collapse from exhaustion. Here..." taking a handkerchief from his pocket he dabbed her brow, cleaning her.

"There we are," he said after a moment. "Though I must confess, even after laboring your beauty is still enchanting. Your fiancee is a lucky man." He let that sink in for a moment before continuing, his hand touching her arm. "If you don't mind me prying...that man below, he seemed...not good enough for you."

 

[Vivid Fizz]

Tim was not expecting for him to react like that! He thought the kind rich man would be pleased to know of the tramp's ways. It isn't that the stable hand watched her too often; only when he could not afford a woman of his own and only when she was being obvious about it. The girl was not very good at creeping down to it.

He dashed to get the golden coin that fell, gripping it greedily in his filthy fists. What a treasure! All the greedy innkeeper ever paid him in was silver. Silver did not equal as much as gold. Gold went further. He nodded his head and pulled himself from the ground, running happily into the stable. The next day he would ride into town and find things out.

Bess' eyes widened as he stepped forward, grabbing her chin and making her look at him. Deeply she breathed but found it hard to exhale again. It was her job to make sure that the guests were provided for. It was not the first time she ever had to lift and carry that pot up and down the stairs and it certainly would not be the last. He was being too gracious. There was part of her that knew he was trying to seduce her. He told her that she was putting too much work forth, that her fiancé was lucky and that she was too good for him.

"He is a cruel man," she whispered. Her eyes closed and her lips pouted ever so slightly. A single kiss would not lead anyplace. One kiss to see how another man's lips would be and she would be happy to marry James without a second thought. "Too cruel."

Then she snapped out of it with a sharp gasp. Quickly she pulled away and cleared her throat one too many times to be natural. Her face was bright red. "But you should go bathe before the water gets cold."