Ruth's Reclamation

It was a hot late summer's night, the air was still and warm. The moon was full and bright, casting long shadows on the narrow cobbled streets of Mainz. I stood by the door that led out to my balcony, holding my shawl lightly across my chest just in case someone should be passing who might recognise me.

A cool breeze drifted past me, through the open door and I shivered slightly as it touched my bare skin. I looked down at myself, the white silk of my nightdress fluttering gently against my legs and between my breasts. It was ridiculous really, for such a small amount of fabric not to be able to cover me but here I was, standing half naked in my room in broad daylight. Just then I heard the sound of footsteps approach from outside in the street below. Dropping my shawl quickly over me, I ducked behind the door and held my breath. There was a knock at the door and an audible gulp as whoever it was realised it had been left open, they walked into the room.

I peered around the edge of the door keeping my head down low beneath its frame. A man dressed in a black suit with a red cravat stood in front of me holding a bottle of wine in one hand and two glasses in the other. From this angle he couldn't see me but I could see him clearly enough. He had dishevelled black hair which fell over one side of his face like a curtain and eyes that sparkled both with mischief but also with intelligence and from what I could see he had a nice enough body too. He placed the glasses and wine down on a small table next to him as he looked around for somewhere to sit himself when he spied my dressing table stool sitting neatly beneath the window where I usually sat to braid or plait my hair when I was getting ready for bed or putting on make-up before going out. "Ahh" he said aloud "Perfect." He opened up his jacket slightly as he sat down so that he didn't crease it before leaning back against the dressing table bench and stretching his feet out comfortably in front of him as he studied me intently as if trying to work something out. "Hello." He said finally breaking the silence while looking directly at me "So you're Ruth are you?"

I jumped visibly at hearing him speak so brazenly after all this time only ever seeing him from afar when we were both visiting our respective friends in court at Mainz Castle before immediately dropping back down behind the door again trying desperately not to make any noise lest someone downstairs might hear us talking or worse yet hear what we were up to later that night should things proceed as we hoped they would or even darker still if they did not progress as either of us expected them to do tonight; which knowing how life can sometimes turn out is quite possible after all...

Still there were things to be done first before matters got heated up between us so I decided now was as good a time as any to reveal myself and get things moving along again after our initial encounter earlier today when we met by chance on one of the castle balconies overlooking one of the courtyards below where people were milling about getting their food ready for their morning meal whilst others were putting their horses away for the night after having ridden them hard through thick woods during morning exercise which included hunting deer amongst other things; an activity I happen to find extremely exciting particularly if it involves spending time with someone like this man who was now sitting patiently waiting for me to show myself so that we might continue where we left off yesterday afternoon when I encountered him riding his own horse through those same woods with some friends of his whom he showed no interest whatsoever in speaking with unless they spoke directly to him personally which happened often since most people around him tended to be very intimidated by his presence especially since rumours began circulating that he was going to be taking over his father's business now that he had returned home from studying at university  in Bologna after completing his studies; apparently no-one knows exactly what he studied there but whatever it was obviously served him well because apparently everyone speaks highly of him including those who were once close friends with his father who died suddenly last year leaving him everything including a large warehouse full of spices which apparently is worth more than most people's houses put together according [i]together.[/i]

"Go on." He said gesturing towards me whilst smiling mischievously "Let's take these things off shall we?"  he added taking hold of both ends of his cravat letting it drop onto himself before running both hands through his hair messing it up further making him look even more handsome than before if such a thing is possible whilst staring straight at me intently waiting patiently for me to reveal myself fully yet doing nothing more than sitting there looking at me expectantly waiting for me to make the next move once again saying nothing more than simply "Go on." As though ordering me into action rather than asking nicely which is what most men will do when they want something from you but this man seemed far too sure of himself already; why else would he have come here tonight presuming invitation would be granted?  That doesn't matter though because neither do I mind being treated like an object because frankly who wouldn't enjoy being wanted by someone like this? Who wouldn't want someone treating them like this? What's wrong with enjoying being wanted by someone who believes you're wonderful no matter what you're wearing whether that be nothing at all or whether you've just stepped out of your bath towel after having just washed yourself?  He clearly doesn't care about any rules or conventions society places upon us all regarding appropriate behaviour towards one another let alone rules regarding gender equality based upon social status; rules which dictate how men must never presume anything beyond friendship from women unless she grants permission first whereas women can do whatever they want without consequence so long as their husbands don't catch them and if they do then they'll just roll over and pretend not to notice after stuffing her head back into her pillow whilst pretending not to know anything about anything that went on whilst she wasn't there... No this man has clearly broken all those rules entirely because here he sits openly staring brazenly at me knowing full well that if anyone catches us together tonight there are going to be consequences which given our current positions means that whatever happens between us will happen without anyone's knowledge except mine; which honestly doesn't bother me much anyway since in order for something like this to go ahead that way then obviously neither person respects each other's opinion enough anyway so why bother wasting time pretending otherwise?  This man knows precisely why he is here right now waiting patiently watching every move I make while remaining perfectly still except for fiddling idly with strands of his dishevelled hair while lazily gazing steadily back at me with eyes that are full of promise despite what others might think when they find out: namely that this man expects something more intimate from me than just conversation because frankly even if there weren't strings attached then what woman can resist temptation especially when presented with such an irresistible offer?