surprise and then in disgust >> He's at least four times your age! <<.
>> That didn't bother my father! <<
Horrified, he shook his beautiful head >> Then you can actually be glad that we stole you! <<.
>> It all depends on what you plan to do with me! Cheryl replied sharply and turned away from him.
The giant growled angrily and ordered his knights to bring Lady Cheryl to Lord Clydon ....

Lady Cheryl sat in the tub with hot water and had her maid carefully wash her back, which was still very painful. Cheryl hadn't wanted anyone else to run down because no one should see the old and new lash marks.
Her mind drifted to the giant who turned out to be the son of Lord Clydon.
He was the best looking man she had ever seen.
This giant with blond hair and bright blue eyes attracted her that she did not understand.She wanted to touch his muscular arms .... Startled at the thought, she shook her pretty head.
She didn't know this guy and he had brutally stolen her from a carriage.
Lord Clydon had told her that she had nothing to fear.
She would only be here because Lord Clydon was going to kill her father.
Either he should pay a large ransom or admit defeat, which was not to be expected.
As long as that wasn't settled, she had to stay here and wait.
In the meantime, she was allowed to do what she liked as long as she was under supervision ....

Cheryl was surprised to find that she was much better off here at Lord Henry Clydon's castle than with her father. She was allowed freedoms that she did not have with her father and slowly she got used to it. She had always been a withdrawn girl, but this was where she lived and you could often hear her laughing.
Only with the Lord and his son, Lord William Clydon, was she always cautious.She didn't know how the two of them would react, because her father would have picked up the baton a long time ago.
Cheryl's behavior had also caught the eye of Lord Henry Clydon's son.
He found the young lady strange. She enjoyed the most mundane things that came naturally to him. And there was always a look of fear in her eyes when she thought she had upset others.
He had never seen a woman behave like this before.
The women he knew were conceited played with their charms and did not behave as ladylike as they were expected to be.
Lady Cheryl was also quite short, but she had far more feminine curves than the other young ladies from the court. Most of the ladies at court hoped for his attention, but he was not interested in them.
But Cheryl didn't seem interested in him at all. Whenever she ran into him, she hurried to get far away or she was totally withdrawn.William decided to lure her more out of her reserve. He had started to be interested in her ....

On the third day of her life at the new castle, Cheryl had a surprise. She had asked a stable boy if he could show her the horses and he had willingly accepted it.
Henry Clydon's horse herd was much larger than her father's, and the horses were far better cared for.
When she stepped to the last horse box, she let out a small cheer in surprise.
The black horse in the box was her horse, Lunaire.
She was about to open the box when the stable boy preceded her >> You are not allowed to do that, lady! This horse belongs to William Clydon and no one is allowed to touch it, as it will not let anyone near! <<.
Cheryl frowned. So her horse belonged to that giant now.
She didn't like the thought at all and she shooed the stable boy aside and opened the box.The stable boy protested that the master would cut off his head if he let him, but she ignored him.
She spoke reassuringly to Lunaire and the horse pricked up its ears.
Cheryl slowly stepped closer to Lunaire and put her hand under her nose. The horse recognized their scent and neighed happily.
The stable boy had long since disappeared, probably to get his master, but Cheryl didn't care, she was so glad to see her beloved horse again.
She did not notice how the young gentleman came in slowly, she was completely occupied with her horse. >> You seem to be good with horses !? <<
Startled, she turned to him >> Excuse me, my lord, but this horse used to be mine until my father sold it! <<
She noticed how he looked her up and down and blushed when she noticed that the strap of her dress had slipped too far down and showed the beginning of her ivory colored chest.She hastily pulled him up so that he started to grin.
Oh how Cheryl hated this man.
"Now that you are the only one who can handle this horse," he continued to stare at her, "I will allow you to look after this horse, but it is still mine and you will ask my permission when you ride out." want! <<
He was totally amazed when a beaming smile appeared on her face and she thanked him warmly.
Overjoyed, she hugged her horse so that it snorted in a friendly manner and suddenly he had the urgent feeling of wanting to swap with the horse ....

It wouldn't be long before dinner, so Cheryl took another walk in the yard. She had just learned that her father had refused to pay such a large amount of ransom and that it would drag on.
Actually Cheryl didn't care, she liked it here and she enjoyed a lot more freedom than at home and she didn't have to marry this Walles, which gave her a special relief.The only thing she missed was her mother. Her mother could tell her if it was okay to be comfortable here.
Loud hoots and laughter caught her attention. Two young boys tossed a pig's bladder back and forth. She watched them happily until the ball got stuck high up on a branch. As the branches only began to grow a man height above the ground, the young tried unsuccessfully to reach the lowest branches.
Cheryl laughed at the sight, but then called the boys over and told them to open the horse gate because she wanted to show them a trick on how to get the ball down.
The boys obeyed and watched them intently. When the horse gate opened, Cheryl whistled a quick series of tones and her horse, Lunaire, galloped over to her.
She swung gracefully onto the horse with her dress and galloped toward the tree.
The bystanders watched the spectacle with curiosity.When Cheryl reached the tree, she grabbed a branch and swung herself up in one elegant movement. Enthusiastic clapping sounded below her and she had to smile.
As a child, Cheryl had done this almost every day until she slowly matured into a woman and her father gave her less freedom.
As nimble and skillful as a monkey, she climbed up to the branch where the ball had become tangled and threw it to the boy, who let out cheers.
The descent wasn't quite as easy as the climb because her dress kept getting tangled. Her hair had come loose and was flowing down her back.
Then it happened; Cheryl was tangled again and wanted to free herself with a jerk when the branch let go of her dress and she lost her grip.
She tried to hold on to something, because she was still quite high up, but the pointers slipped from her slender fingers. Horrified, she closed her eyes, but before the impact occurred, they had caught two strong arms and placed them safely on the floor.When Cheryl opened her eyes she was horrified to see that it was none other than William Clydon. Her father would have whipped her twice for it and so she didn't even notice how it had started to rain.
Cheryl tried to look calm as she looked up at him, but she couldn't help but shake slightly. She felt his strong arms, one on her back and the other around her slim waist. Her breath was quick as if she'd run a long distance.
His face was serious, but by no means angry. He looked more like someone had scared him. Cheryl was amazed, she never thought that such a giant was afraid of anything.
>> Don't do that again! << His voice was sharp, so that Cheryl winced. He noticed this and said more kindly, "If something happens to you, your father will never pay us the ransom!" <<
There was something about that sentence that Cheryl didn't like at all!He didn't care what happened to her, he was only interested in the ransom. Cheryl shouldn't care, but it hurt her and she pulled away from him with a jerk. >> If you don't mind I'll go in now! <<
>> Yes, you should do that, otherwise you will catch a cold! << He raised his hand and pulled a small branch from her hair. Again she backed away from him, but this time not frightened but angry. He gave up trying and let her go ....

The party was in full swing, and colorful couples could be seen dancing everywhere. William, who was sitting next to his father, was watching Cheryl on the dance floor. She was wearing a yellow dress, flushed cheeks and her tiara had slipped to one side.
William thought she was beautiful and the thought made him feel that Cheryl was all to himself.
>> I am amazed that Lord Richemont does not want to buy his daughter out! <<
William turned to his father >> He still hasn't paid?<<
>> But she's such a nice lady! I can't believe she's Richemont's daughter! << Henry Clydon thoughtfully put his fingers to his lips and watched his enemy's daughter >> She doesn't seem unhappy here, does she? << he asked his son.
>> What are you getting at? <<
Henry turned to his son and smiled >> She is far too young to marry this Lord Walles! << he paused a little >> Shouldn't she marry someone who has more than a few years to live? <<
>> Should I marry her? <<
>> Yes, I cannot imagine a better bride for you! <<
>> Lord Richemont and Lord Walles won't like that at all! << Now William smiled too and got up.
He walked slowly over to her on the dance floor. Her dance partner reluctantly gave William his seat, but he didn't want to get into trouble.
Cheryl hesitated too, but he didn't give her any time and pulled her right into the action.Cheryl felt as if she was flying and forgot the other dancing couples around her, all she saw was the blonde giant.
They danced in silence for a long time until he broke the