The night was rich, full of scents and stars. The canals shone strangely under a pale moon. He waited for her as every night, hidden in the shadows. He knew she would come into his arms, eager for his touch. He felt himself harden at the thought of her, all rosy and soft under her clothes. They had been meeting in secrecy for some time, defying the surveillance of her Father and the guards patrolling the palazzo. She was, after all, the daughter of the Dux and he was just a traveller who had happened to see her at a banquet and had fallen for her.

He had courted her for some time whenever possible until her governess, Signora Angela, let him know he had to make a move, a decisive move, there was not much time, as she had been promised in marriage to some prominent foreign prince. She, for some small amount of money, would help them to meet somewhere safe. He gave her more than a small amount and Signora Angela had been their go-between, their confidant and also their advisor.

He heard the whisper to his right, "Signore, follow me." It was Angela, he followed her to a dark street and then into a house. And there she was, waiting for him, smiling lovingly. Her arms embraced him and they fell onto a canopied bed, while Signora Angela rested in the room next door. They touched each other with the frenzy of forbidden love and he pleasured her ardently for a blissful hour, his manhood sprouting eagerly to meet her feminity. They might not meet again and yet they would always belong to each other in some way or other.

A tap at the door told them their time was over, they let go of each other unwillingly. Another tap made them hurry. They dressed each other as best they could and looked at each other. No words were needed between them.

"We must hurry, signore. The guards are changing and we have to enter the palazzo."

"Will you both be well, Signora Angela?"

"Yes, signore. The captain of the guards is my friend, he will let us go through the gates."

He looked at Angela and smiled. Surely the captain of the guards was more than a mere friend. The woman was in her prime and certainly would not lack suitors. He would have had a go at her if only he had not fallen for this rosy and sweet girl who had smiled at him in a banquet long ago, in what seemed another life. Everything, before meeting and loving her, was part of his old life.

"Take care, my love. Do not let my Father catch you. I wish I could run away with you."

"Go, my beloved, we still might meet again."

And thus they parted that night under the sad glance of Signora Angela. He was to hide for a while in the house while they scurried through the dark streets of Venice to the palazzo of the Dux. The night of Venice was kind to them, he was not seen when leaving the house and the women were not seen when entering the palazzo.

The Dux announced his daughter´s wedding in the days to follow and Venice welcomed lots of foreign visitors, eager to see the soon to be bride. The Dux had made it clear his daughter would be married in Venice and the Prince had accepted. He was only too happy to marry this beautiful virginal creature he had heard much about.

And so, they married with great pomp and apparent happiness. It seems the Prince drank a bit too much that night, in any case, he noticed nothing unusual in his bride, nor did he find her expertise in amatory arts odd in a virgin. After a while, they left for his lands, among the good wishes of the ones who loved her dearly. They were to visit often, as the Dux was very close to his only daughter and hated parting with her for too long a time.

Their marriage was soon blessed with a child who looked just like his beautiful mother. She had other children in the years that followed but for some reason, that child was loved by her like no other.