In five minutes she overtook the struggling and footsore young man. It was her firm intention to pass by as quickly as possible and not engage in converation with him.  She might be protected from the grosser forms of male attentions by her  magic ring, but the incident by the well had never left her thoughts for long.  The sickened loathing she had felt as that creature pressed his blubbery lips against hers and she had felt that ghastly, nauseating,  beery, slimy, gluey wetness made her very determined indeed not to repeat the experience in a hurry!

As she made to overtake him, she glanced sideways  and her heart  softened as she saw the extremity of physical and mental distress that were written so clearly on his drawn and pale face.  She slowed down in order to keep pace with him.

"Are you all right, traveller? Oh my  Gosh!  What a very silly question!  You so clearly are nothing of the kind!  How do you come to be in this state?  How may I help you, if I can?"

The young man explained that he had been abducted, stripped and robbed by the four angry brothers of the girl he was due to marry next day.  These worthies had felt the young fellow to be beneath the lady in question.  They were prosperous farmers and he a mere labourer.  Princess Sara sympathised with their desire not to let their sister do anything so foolish as marry beneath her, but deplored their treatment of the poor boy - for he was scarcely out of his teens.

She looked down at his feet and saw the same terrible lacerations that had marred hers before now.  He could scarcely stagger another yard, such was the extremity of his exhaustion.  He had clearly been beaten terribly  very recently and looked much more than half dead.

"Tell me where you live, my friend, and I will make sure you get back home.  First I will cleanse and dress your wounds and then you may mount this fine white steed."

As soon as this had been done, she helped the naked boy up onto the previously empty saddle.  She admired him briefly and appreciatively, for he was a strong youth and generously supplied with the appurtenances of manhood.  At least the brothers had not deprived him of that!  Then  the three proceeded along the track.

"How old is the girl you were due to marry?" she asked and smiled as he replied that she was seventeen, one year younger than he.

"And how do you propose to support her, with no income and no prospects?  You are a foolish, starry eyed and romantic youth and she sounds no better!  Her brothers treated you roughly and unjustly but they have a point!  Romance is for the rich and high-born, not for people who must work in order to live!  However, if you both promise to wait until this time a year from now and still feel the same about each other at that time, then I will provide her with an ample dowry and you with  a prosperous farm of your own.   I am a great lady in my native land and can and will do as I promise.  Never fear, I shall know your situation - the birds of the air will bring me news of you and the arm of the rich is both powerful and long."

"Why does a great lady roam the land naked and so far from your own home?" asked the young man.

"I seek to be judged worthy of the love of a fine and wonderful man.  I must undergo a year of untold miseries, wandering,  exposed all day and all night to the elements,  homeless and friendless,  save for this horse and other beasts and birds.  Only then will I be allowed to share my bed with him.

"Surely you can do as I ask of you and wait, when you see how much I am willing to endure for the sake of my happiness?  Have courage - the courage to wait and trust that your girl's love will stay the course!  How will a love that cannot last for just one short year endure for a whole lifetime?"

He did not reply, but seemed impressed by the words which had just issued forth from the pure and  ruby lips of this peerlessly beautiful virgin.

Night fell and the young man was still a small way off from his home.  They decided to make camp.  Sara was about to touch her ring and summon the dogs -or maybe leopards - when she paused.  She looked at the youth.  "Why ever not?" she thought!

"Come and lie close to me, my dear boy.  We will shield each other from the cold this night.  I must,  and will,  remain a virgin, so  please get no ideas!  And you must remember your future bride and be true to her.  Sleep soundly, young man!"

The boy slipped into a deep and enchanted sleep and the Princess lay on top of him, feeling his youthful but manly warmth beneath her and the cold caress of the wind above.  She slept but little that night.   Physical human contact was only a distant memory after all these weeks on the road  since dear Martha had left her, and she determined to experience this communion to the full.

Morning came and both were refreshed in their different ways.  He by a night's sleep and she by contact after so long, with a friendly human.

Soon the young man had been delivered to his worried mother, a careworn widow who looked to her only son for support.  How foolish of him, she thought, to take on the responsibily of marriage when he could scarcely support himself and his mother!  She repeated her promise, made to the young man the previous day and left after the grateful lady had replenished the Princess's dwindling supply of food and water.

As she left the young man's village behind her, she wondered what was to follow in the days ahead.  She knew many unpleasant surprises were bound to be ahead.  it was just as well that she did not know what the next day had waiting for her!