Castle on the Loch — Evie North

1266AD, Kintail, Scotland.

Something splashed in the loch. A fish, she supposed, but then she realised she could see a shadow making its way out of the water and onto the narrow stretch of beach. The night was closing in but there was still enough light to make out that it was a man.
Maire stared. She could see that he was tall and broad shouldered, much bigger than the men from her village. His wet hair was slicked to his head in a dark cap, and as he moved toward her she kept very still. With the Vikings about, it was dangerous for a woman alone, and she was not about to test this stranger's good nature. She was grateful that the soft colours of her arisaid made her almost invisible in the gloaming. And then her eyes widened, because she realised he was naked.

The Knights are legendary creatures, immortals, and are never seen in the light of day. Only a woman can ask them for a favour, and for that favour to be granted, she must be a virgin. So Maire has come to ask for such a favour, to save her people from the Viking raiders, and that is how she meets Murchadh.