Having finished breakfast, with bread and fruit, he untied the horse from the tree to which he had tied him and resumed his journey, humming "As long as the horse goes, let him go

As long as the horse goes, don't row

As long as the horse goes, don't strike the reins

When love comes the bell will ring

When love comes the bell will ring..." etc., etc., etc.

"You sing well, has anyone ever told you that?" asked Natacia.

"What?! Since when have you been awake?"

"A while."

"I see. Anyway, no, never anyone."

"I do now." she smiled at him "But tell me something..." she blushed "To you, has the doorbell ever rung?"

"The doorbell?"

"Yes, the doorbell. When love comes the bell will ring." she hummed "Has it ever rung for you?"

"No, never."

Hearing this, her smile went away "Oh, I see..."

"But, who knows, maybe... It could ring at any moment. And has it ever rung to you?"

"No, me neither." she said, thinking then "But not for much longer, apparently to my heart."

"You'll see that one day it will ring for you too."

"Who knows." thinking instead "More than someday, any day now."

"Anyway, why don't you sing a song now? I've been singing so much my throat hurts."

"And my ass does."

"What did you say?"

"No, nothing! I mean, yes, indeed! I said OK, I'll sing a song." she then cleared her throat, after which, looking up at the sky, she began to sing "Who dreams of millions, who gambles

Who plays with strings, who's a headman

Who plays the farmer, who sweeps the yards

Who steals, who fights, who snitches

Na na na na na na na

But the sky is always bluer

The sky is always bluer..." etc., etc., etc. "Did you like it?"

"Yes, very much, I didn't know it."

"My grandmother used to sing it to me." she smiled, looking up at the sky and remembering the good old days "When she was still well."

"Your song speaks true." he also looked at the sky "The sky is always bluer."

"Your song also speaks the truth. All songs tell the truth, otherwise, who would ever listen to them and sing?"

"Not all songs tell the truth, believe me." having said that, he recalled the war song of the morbificus, which said they would win.

The journey continued smoothly until lunchtime, for which they stopped for lunch. The sun was high in the sky, so they and the horse stepped into the shade of a large tree. They were in the middle of a plain, with large solitary trees on either side.

"How hot..." said Natacia, all sweaty.

"Yeah, who are you telling."

"If you don't mind. I'd lift my skirt up to my knees."

"Go ahead."

And she did, she lifted her skirt up to her knees, but it was getting hotter and hotter and she was sweating more and more.

"Another glass of water, please."

"Here you go." handing it to her, he noticed she was even more sweaty than before "Are you OK, Natacia?"

"Not so much... It's too hot..."

"You don't have a fever, do you? Let me touch you." he touched her "Shit, Naticia, you're burning! You do have a fever!"

"I'm going to die..."

"No, you're not going to die." he went to the wagon, where from one of the sacks emerged a glass cruet filled to the brim with a green liquid "This is a healing potion, I bought it from the curator when I arrived in Fondorosso. Here, have a sip." he handed it to her "Just one, mind you, or-"

"Good, thank you very much, Stellarno." she had just drunk it all.

"Never mind."

Within a few minutes, the healing potion took effect "I feel much better already."

"Yes, it's a healing potion, that's what it's for."

"Come on, Stellarno, don't be like that. I already told you I'm sorry and that I didn't mean to drink it all."

"If only you had listened to me, it wouldn't have happened. Do you know how much a healing potion costs?"

She nodded.

"Nothing, never mind. Rather, how are you feeling?"

"Fine, I just told you."

"Yes, I got that, but how good?"

"Very well."

"Yes, but good in what way?"

"Excuse me, Stellarno, but I don't understand."

"Better that way, it means you're only well."

But after a few more minutes "It's warmer than before..."

"No, you're wrong, you're the one who feels warmer than before."

"Oh, yeah? And why, if I no longer have a fever?"

"I wonder why..."

"Enough, I can't take it anymore. Either I take off my skirt, or I die." she then took off her skirt, remaining in her underwear.

"Is that better?"

"Yes, definitely... Although..."

"Although... Keep going."

"Although...' she crawled up to him "It would be better..." finally, she handed him her ass "If you spanked me..."

He blushed, looking away "Spank yourself, I made a promise, and I'm not going to break it."

"What promise is that?"

"I promised I would never hurt you again."

"And to whom did you promise that?"

"To me."

"To you? And does it seem fair, making promises to you about me? What if I wanted you to hurt me? Your promise is no good to me, so..." she pulled his ass even closer "Break it by spanking me and hurting me."

"No, no way."

"Spank me, Stellarno, I'm asking you please... I need it, I can't resist."

"No."

"I said spank me! Spank me, Stellarno, hurt me!" she pressed her ass against his chest "Spank me, please... Or the heat won't go away."

"Alright, alright!" he got on his knees, as she was "I'll spank you, Naticia, but then don't complain that your ass hurts!"

Paf! Paf! Paf! "Harder, Stellarno, spank me harder!" Paf! Paf! Paf! "Harder, harder I said!" Paf!!! "Yeah, that's it, spank me hard, Stellarno, spank me as hard as you can!" Paf!!! She moaned. Paf!!! She moaned again and again, to the point of exhaustion.

"Satisfied, Naticia?"

"One last time..." Paf!!! "Yes, now yes... Now I am satisfied. Thank you very much, Stellarno." having said that, she closed her eyes, falling asleep within a short while.

"Fuck, going on like this, I'll end up getting used to it." he looked at her ass "Well, yes, all things considered, I could get used to it. Come to think of it, it wouldn't hurt to be able to spank her whenever she or I feel like it. An ass like hers looks like it was made for spanking."