Nimue's hand felt alive when Sir Maric entwined fingers with her. She stood next to him, aware of the warmth from his body as they watched the two animals, nose to nose as the sun sank in the distance. A hush had fallen over the land as it often does at twilight. She said quietly,<br/><br/>"You cannot stay with us. I do not need a reflecting pool to know that the Lady would not allow it. You did  not sound happy with the attitudes the monks displayed, so perhaps you wouldn't wish to stay with them."<br/><br/>She was silent as they both stood in thought. Nimue leaned into Maric's side, feeling his heart beating under her thin shoulder. A sense of sadness almost swept over her but suddenly she remembered something.<br/><br/>"There is an abandoned crofter's hut at the base of the Tor, just on the other side of the lake, over in the greenwood. I could come clean it and prepare it for your use." she volunteered, restraining herself from jumping up and down. The shyness did overtake her.<br/><br/>"I could come to spend time with you and to," she stopped and grinned impishly, "serve under you." she coughed and winked. Then with a mock seriousness, she continued, " You could teach me how to be a knight. We have pigeons who could carry messages for you or even higher a local lad to run the message.  Everything could be so lovely."<br/><br/>They walked along, enjoying each other's company. Nimue was deep in thought herself, but it was not the serious type of thought of the knight,. She was thinking of the night,, with the knight, or how to teach the knight how to enjoy the night. A smile lit up her eyes but she watched her velvet clad feet walking along the pathway and hoped her hair hid the lusty images of her mind.