Warning: Something more and more love affair, I get ... Stop, if it's too dreary ...

***
At night, lying next to Radovan, feeling the power and heat emanating from his body, Alessia could not fall asleep. Each time, plunging into a nap, she abruptly shuddered, waking up, not believing that all that happened was in reality. She is a simple girl from a small inconspicuous village, uneducated and ill-bred, attracted the attention of Tigran the Great himself, a warrior, a conqueror who conquered numerous nations, building her empire. It didn’t fit in her head that the man whom she had dreamed of over the past three days, who was kind and patient with her, could have been the cruel tyrant about whom terrible tales had been written, scaring the children.

When behind the canopy of the tent there was a familiar plaintive neighing, she quietly raised herself, slipping out of his arms. Reluctantly, he let her go in half asleep, rolling to the other side. Beyond the threshold was a dull night, the camp was asleep. The girl caressed the foal who clung to her and hesitantly began to look around - and where are the goats, where are the things for the foal, how to feed him? What should she do now? Wake up and ask Radovan? She was scared. While she didn’t know who he was, maybe she would have done it, but now it seemed impossible to her.

- Lady, can I help you with something? She suddenly heard a muffled voice.

Alessia looked around in dismay. A low gray figure stood in the shadow of the tent and looked at it expectantly. Separated from the wall, the man, gliding like a shadow, came closer, allowing the faint light of the moon to illuminate himself. It was a lad, at first glance, about fifteen years old, but his face was wrinkled, and his eyes hid the wisdom of the experience, which had a hard price. He was dressed in a greenish cloak with a hood, and not in the standard red-brown colors of the Iberian soldiers.

“I was looking for goats to feed the foal,” Alessia said finally, finding a voice.

“Of course, madam, let's follow me,” he answered, too, quietly.

Alessia doubted who he was, could she trust him, maybe she should scream and call one of the soldiers?

As if having read her thoughts, the man slightly bowed his head in a slight bow and introduced himself:

“I, Vernon, madam, Lord Radovan, ordered me to watch over you,” he said with calm dignity, “if you let me bring you milk for the foal myself,” he added, and without waiting for her answer, he instantly disappeared from sight, leaving Alessia wonders if he was just here in fact.

The foal was already impatiently dancing, chewing on her fingers with his hard teeth - he had everything in order with appetite. Fortunately, it did not take long to wait, as imperceptibly as he disappeared, Vernon appeared from nowhere, carrying a heavy bag. Thanking him, Alessia found everything she needed there - the jug with milk was still warm, apparently someone had milked the goats recently. After feeding Spikelet and arranging it on the litter, she turned around, looking for Vernon’s eyes.

“Something else, madam?” - he disappeared into the dark again, and only his eyes glittered, betraying his presence.

“No, thanks,” the girl said hesitantly, “don't call me mistress, please,” she asked.

The man sustained a short pause:

“I'll be here if you need anything, let me know ... Lady,” he answered quietly and closed his eyes, leaning against the wall of the tent, making it clear that the conversation was over.

Returning inside, Alessia carefully climbed over Radovan’s body and huddled in the corner of the bed, with her back to it. He, sensing her presence, turned over and grabbed her in an armful. "What a cold you are, mahaz," he grumbled sleepily, pressing himself closer to her with all his long body, warming him, driving away nightly fears.The girl was too exhausted and warmed by his warmth, relaxed, falling into a deep dreamless sleep.

The next time she woke up from a ray of sun gliding over her face. With difficulty losing her eyelids, she couldn’t understand where she was from a dream. The feeling of a warm stove pressed against her back did not disappear. Turning her head, she saw Radovan's black, shining eyes watching her.

“My lord, you have woken up,” she startled, frightened, not really understanding what exactly was in her duties, but sure that the servants should wake up before their masters.

“Do not twitch, everything is fine,” he smiled, misinterpreting her fear, “Sepp fed your pet a long time ago, you slept too well, and I didn’t want to wake you up.”

“That you are my lord,” Alessia complained, “can that be so?” I'm a servant girl to you, not some high-born lady, I’m supposed to work and not lie in bed.

“You are supposed to do what I say,” while still in a good mood, Radovan gently stopped her, “now I need to get busy with my affairs, and I want you to sleep.” Maybe then the shadows under the eyes turn pale? In the afternoon, when I am free, we will try to take your Spikelet to the mare. Do not worry about the foal, Sepp will not look away from him if he wants to keep his head, - Radovan said the last words with a smile, as if a joke, but Alessia was from something not in itself.

“I myself can take care of him,” she asked quietly, “can I?”

The man nodded, too caught up in gazing at her tender face to pay attention to the expressions one after another take on him - fear, surprise, misunderstanding. He saw her for the first time in the light of the day so close - not hidden from him behind a layer of dirt or an old hood, but clean, warm, supple: with skin the color of thick cream, gilded with tan, hair spreading out like a raincoat on a bedspread, eyes shining with greenery after sleep . But most of all he was attracted to her lips - ajar, trembling.

Alessia's skin felt a change in him. She knew this look and shrank beneath him, instinctively preparing to defend herself. But Radovan suddenly shook himself, and lightly, in a fatherly way, he kissed her on the forehead, got out of bed. A servant ran to his call, carrying buckets of water and a pile of linen. A man whistling began to wear off his clothes, in which he fell asleep yesterday. He stood with his back, did not turn around, but he knew that she was looking. Alessia wanted to cover herself in bedspreads again, go to sleep as he ordered, but she was unable to look away. She first saw a man naked, with the exception of younger brothers. Neither Askolt nor Garth worked hard to undress, lying down with her, just let down their pants. Askolt loved to flaunt his manhood, enjoying her shame, but she didn’t know how he was without clothes, and she didn’t even think about it.

Now, looking at undressing Radovan, she wanted to know, to see him all. She was fascinated by his flexible movements, rolling muscles on his back, broad shoulders. He did not hesitate, pulled off his pants, revealing narrow strong buttocks, strong legs, covered with thin black hairs. He bathed, dipping his head in a bucket with water, shook himself like a dog, watered himself, shrieking from the cold. When the servant handed him a wide linen sheet to dry off, he wrapped himself in it and turned to her, winked conspiratorially. His chest, too, was covered with dark, curly hairs, going down a narrow path down and hiding under a sheet. Alessia, blushing like a crayfish, burrowed into bed, caught in her gazing.

“It's all right, baby, I saw you,” he patted her cheek. Alessia just closed her eyes tightly, pretending to be asleep. Radovan did not insist on an answer, quickly got dressed and left.

For Alessia, who remained alone in his rich bed, began a day that she had never expected. She had already thrown out of her mind a night conversation with Vernon and his “mistress”, but then a middle-aged woman, tall and beautiful, with a dark red turban on her head entered the room.Seeing that the girl was not sleeping, she silently bowed, smiled and left, soon returning with buckets of water, from which steam was rising. Showing gestures, she offered her a wash ....