Chapter 8

Ava blushed at the way he praised her beauty. All her life, she had had more than plenty compliments to indulge her vanity, but never she felt like this before. Just a little words could make her warm as if she had caught a fever.

Struggling to keep her mind clear, she thought about what he just told her. He said he had been living here all his life. So he was a country man like she guessed.

"Where do you live, sir?" She would find out more. She braced herself to see him.

"Magnus" he gave her the winsome smile again. "Just call me Magnus."

His name was unique. "Magnus" she repeated, loving the sound of his name in her voice.

"Where do you live, miss?"

"Berry Lane near the hill." She completely forgot that he didn't answer her previous question.

"You live with your parents?"

"No, I've been living with my relatives. The only one I have." She made a little lie to avoid question about family.

"What do you do? I mean ... for a living?"

"We're selling bread and eggs. And what do you do?" He popped the question about her job first, a good thing, neither way she wouldn't dare to ask his.

It took him longer than before to answer.

"I'm a ... farmer, yes. A farmer."

A farmer, she had also guessed it before. She glanced over him quickly yet thoroughly when he looked away. He was a large, robust hunk with muscles all over, strong hands and light bronze-colored skin like he had been working in the sun everyday in his life. He looked like a farmer, except for his face. He was way too handsome to be a farmer. He should be a Greek god, it suited him perfectly.

Suddenly a thought occurred to her. He was such a good looking man with a charming personality. Certainly she wasn't the only woman who was enthralled with him. There was a chance that he had already been taken. Maybe he was married already. Her heart sank at the thought.

"Do you live with your family?" She kept her voice relaxed.

"Yeah" he smiled slightly, staring at a distance. "A small family of mine."

"Really? Do you have any child?" She caught her breath, fearing what she might heard.

"What? No!" He nearly laughed, sounded greatly amused.

"Someday, I would love to. If I ever found a maiden desperate enough to stick with me."

She breathed in great relief.

The first sight of her little cottage appeared in the distance. The road to home had always been long and tiring for her since the first day, and it was the same road, yet today the road felt regrettably short. Far too short. They reached the fence of the cottage.

"I wish to see you again, miss."

"Ava." She corrected. "Just call me Ava."

The sound of door swayed open broke their locked gazes.

"Ava! Where have you been? I started to think you had ..."

Polly stopped talking instantly when she noticed the handsome stranger.

"Polly, this is Mister ... Magnus. I've just met him. And... Magnus, this is Miss Polly Banks, my distant cousin."

"Nice to see you, miss." He greeted Polly politely.

He asked for leave and they exchanged farewell. Ava and Polly watched his back as Magnus walked down the road.

"Look at that ass... and that smile. Damn, he's a hell of a man." Polly whistled in excitement.

"Ssshhh" Ava hushed her. "He's not too far, he can hear you!"

Polly glanced at her with mischievous eyes. "What a great catch. Tell me, how on earth did you stumble upon him?"

***

It was the same morning like the ones before, but today the sun just shone a little brighter, the birds sang a little sweeter, and she felt her feet swayed a little lighter. She was going to the market as usual, then she had to go to the captain's house. She promised to bring him some food as long as he couldn't move his leg. But it was not the reason why she felt like swinging and humming along the way. He might be there. Magnus. He didn't say a word yesterday but she knew he would be there.

The captain's cottage came in sight, her heartbeat began to race wildly. Suddenly she feared he wasn't there, that there was no chance to meet him again. She sighed in relief when a naked bronze back caught her eye. He was instantly aware of her presence and turned back at her.

She sucked in a breath as his naked torso was exposed completely to her eyes. She had never seen a half naked man before. Or maybe she had but it was definitely nothing close to this. He was a living sculpture, a Greek god embodied in flesh. His chiseled chest was coated with a thin layer of sweat, gleaming under the sun. His golden locks was tied behind his neck. He held a saw, looked like he was working with some timber. A glittering spark flashing in his eyes when he saw her.

"Good morning." Ava greeted him awkwardly, her mouth went dry.

"Nice to see you coming." He showed her his brilliant smile.

"What are you doing here?"

"I promised the old man I would replace his precious planks, so here I am"

"What are they for?"

"Looks like he wanted to make a more sufficient stable for that little fellow." He motioned his head to the donkey rested idly by the fence.

Ava watched him as he continued sawing the timber into rough planks, savoring the mouthwatering sight. His muscles was flowing with every move beneath the glowing suntanned skin, so tempting to touch. He noticed her thorough observation and halted, meeting her gaze. A mischievous grin played in his lips when he said,

"There must be something really interesting around here that has caught your eye."

"What?" She blinked in confusion.

He shrugged nonchalantly. "Seemed like you're going to stand there all day watching. You know, I think the captain is getting hungry now."

"Oh..." she blushed "I'll see him now."

She hurried to the house, hearing his quiet laugh behind her. When she stole a glance at him in the doorway, he already turned around to gather some planks. Giving one last look to his pert buttocks, she stepped into the house.

He walked her home again that day, and the next day, again and again. Days turned to week and not a day passed without them seeing each other. She was glad the captain's solitariness had been a good reason to keep coming.

He was everything she had ever wanted in a man. He was clever, he was funny, he was the most sincere man she had ever known. And he was handsome like the devil. His mischievous eyes and his rakish smile were impossible to resist. Most of all, despite his humble background, he was truly a gentleman. Nobleman at heart. He was a man who paid special attention and respect to women. He was chivalrous.

However, Ava found that she was not the only one who was being secretive about her background. Regardless of their closeness, Magnus never spoke about his family, his work, where he lived. She had tried to find out more but seemed like nothing she could get.

One day, he brought his sword and showed it to the captain. After almost two weeks of recovery, the old man had returned to his normal state. He studied the weapon intently.

"Impressive. Who's your mentor, young man?"

"My father."

So, you're coming from a military roots, I suppose?"

He smiled, said nothing in answer. Suddenly he looked mysterious in her eyes. Seemed like the captain didn't care as much as she was, the old man didn't push him further about that. The captain promised to show him some moves the next day.

Ava was just coming when the sound of metal clanged and clashed in the peaceful morning. A breathtaking sight caught her eye in an instant.

Magnus looked exceedingly gallant with his sword, reminding her of some knight she heard as a child once upon a bedtime story. The fine weapon was gleaming under the sun. His unbuttoned white shirt was all damp with sweat, clung tight to his body. He was standing face to face with the captain.

Ava watched him in awe as he swung the sword with an amazing ease as if the sword was a natural extension of his hand. He was a magnificent swordsman. A brave man like every woman's dream. She needed a man like him to protect her from Roger, who had been proven to be cruel and brutal at times.

"Good Lord, old man! I thought you just bluffed, but you're really good!"

"I haven't showed you half of my move yet." The old man replied nonchalantly.

"Goddamn!"

The practising continued day after day. Ava didn't know precisely when they had officially become mentor and apprentice, but looked like they had been doing it forever. The intensity of the training increased every single day. Ava would never understand something like friendship between men. They didn't have to share every little secret like women did, but somehow the trust grew just as strong. The captain barely knew him, and so did he, yet he gave him everything he had. The swordplay had become a shared passion between them.

"I have a nemesis." He said one day when he was standing toe-to-toe with the captain, their eyes locked, swords pointed at each other.

"A long standing rival, a considerable opponent. I've never been able to defeat him no matter how hard I try."