"The Harvest Ritual is very important." The Mother Supreme stated. "Everything must be precise, or it will all be ruined."

"I understand." Adalind nodded. "I will not fail to do my part."

The supreme smiled. "I have full faith in you. The goddess deemed you should bare the honor and she is never wrong."

The harvest ritual was performed during the time of the bright full moon is the days of autumn. A worthy maiden who was a part of The Order of the Goddess was chosen to be in the ritual, where she would be placed in a special room, a cottage in the middle of the forest and wait there until The Hunter arrived, the man the goddess chose to mate with woman and create a child whose birth would bless the land in the spring. The fluids springing from the mother during the birth of the baby soaking the land and making it ready for the planting.

"It is important that you lay beneath him for your first time." The supreme advised. "After he has spilled his seed in you once, then you may do whatever you like in any position you wish."

Adalind blushed. "Yes, Mother Supreme."

The supreme laughed. "Oh to be so young and innocent again! I remember how nervous I was when I was chosen. I knew very little of what went on between men and women, and I feared my mate would be rough with me in my first time. But the goddess always chooses wisely and has never chosen a brute for any of her maidens. And in the twenty years since my husband first took me in the ceremonial cottage, I have learned a wealth of the pleasurable things two bodies can give to one another."

It was known that the maiden and the hunter in the ritual would have a spiritual connection and that the two would spend the rest of their days together as husband and wife, creating several more children during their lifetime, with their first child, born in the spring after their first union, being a symbol of their strengthening bond. The child growing big and strong as the couple grow ever closer.

"Make yourself ready. Bathe and then perform the spell that would create a connection between yourself and your destined mate. The sooner he finds you, the sooner you can begin the time of passion and the sooner the spring child can be born."

Adalind bathed in rose oil and lit candles. She focused on connecting to the man who was destined to be her mate. Beckoning for him to come to her and promising to love him forever.

"For three days and nights, the hunter joins with the vessel of the goddess. It is a great honor to be the father of the spring child. And only the man the goddess chooses is worthy of joining with her vessel. The goddess found me worthy twenty years ago, and I have been blessed. Not just with a beautiful and healthy daughter of whom no father could be prouder, but also with a wife of whom I have fallen deeper and deeper in love with every day and have the sacred honor of protecting."

The guardian protector and husband of the supreme gave the speech to the eligible men of the village.

While only one of the young men would be overtaken with the spirit of the hunter, it was customary for every eligible man to drink the sacred wine and run into the forest in search of the ceremonial cottage and it's hidden doorway.

Most of the men there had sweetheart and knew they were unlikely to be possessed by the hunter.

Most of them would have a little run in the forest, get tired and then walk back to the village and join into the celebratory feast, toasting the fruitful encounter between the hunter and the vessel of the goddess and their child that would be created during the next three nights.

Nick hoped that he would be chosen. He had no sweetheart of his own, but there had been a maiden he had seen that he knew served the Order of the goddess. He had felt drawn to her the moment he laid eyes on her and believed with all of his being that she was chosen to be the vessel.

For seven nights he had dreamed of her. In those dreams they had embraced as lovers. She had always called to him. Beckoned him to come to her. And when he awoke every morning, he always felt as if the most important part of him was missing.

Nick knew that those dreams had to be a sign from the goddess. That the woman he was meant to be with was waiting for him and it was his duty to pursue her and prove himself a worthy hunter for her.

He could overhear a man bragging how he was going to find the maiden and have all of his fun with her.

Considering the guy had gotten lost on his way to the mill last week, Nick wasn't worried about him being the father of the spring child.

Besides, all of the eligible men were supposed to drink the special spiced wine, putting them in a trance like state for the hunt.

However, Nick realized the young man was planning to cheat the ritual when he only pretended to drink the wine.

But the foolish man had made a terrible mistake, one that was going to cost him his life. For in the ritual, if any man tried to take what belonged to the hunter, the hunter had every right to take that man's life.

The young man had decided to follow the person who seemed to be focused on a specific destination.

But when the hunter saw a rival encroaching on his territory, he reacted on instinct and attacked the man.

The foolish youth was taken by surprise, not expecting the speed and strength the hunter possessed.

The sound of bones breaking and pitiful screams echoed through the forest.

There would be no punishment, only reward for the hunter. For all knew that if the laws of the ritual were not heeded, there would be severe consequences for the whole village.

The hunter made his way to his waiting prey. some unseen force guided him to the hidden entryway of the cottage. He stepped through and found the most beautiful woman he had ever seen nestled on the bed and covered only in flowers.

He stalked toward her, his eyes filled with blatant hunger as he gazed at her lovely form.

She smiled at him invitingly as he advanced closer.

When he reached the bed, he bent over her and inhaled her scent. Bracing himself with his hands on the bed, he brushed his nose and lips over her exposed skin.

She gasped when she heard and felt the rush of air as he inhaled deeply at the area where he would soon be entering.

He moved back up to her face, looked into her eyes as if he were reading her thoughts, then bent his head down and kissed her lips, tenderly at first and slowly deepening until they both felt the fire of their passion stir.

He pulled away from her and she tried to protest, following him to keep their lips connected, but she understood his intent when she saw him begin to unbutton his shirt.

She was helpless but to stare in awe as more and more of his flesh was revealed.

He was a beautiful man.

He had a firm body do to years of hard work. Strong arms she knew would feel wonderful around her as he held her tight and a broad chest she could grip as she moved with him during their rutting.

When he removed his trousers and revealed his manhood, she gasped at seeing it quite hard and fully erect, and worried for a moment if it would fit inside her, for it was really quite thick.

But she had been assured by the supreme that the hunter would never hurt the vessel and that she should trust that any unease would soon be removed by her lover.

Finally, he joined her on the bed and covered her body with his own, and she did forget about all of her worries when she felt his lips on hers and his hands caress her body.

He truly was gentle with her. He kissed her so tenderly, all the way down her body.

Petals drifted to the floor as they were brushed away and the hunter used his mouth on areas that triggers lightning bolts the that little bud between her legs.

He pushed her legs apart and fastened his lips around her pulsing bud. Her back completely arched off the bed and she cried out as an intense wave of pleasure washed over her. Her breathing became labored and her body moved on it's own accord.

She gripped his hair tightly, unsure if she wanted to push him away or press him closer to her.

Just when she was certain she could not take anymore of his sweet assault, he slid his head away from her center and made his way back to covering her body with his own, pressing his face on her flesh and licking on her sensitive spots again.

When he took her lips, she could taste hints of herself. But instead of it being repulsive, she found it to be exciting.

Then their eyes met and he slid himself slowly inside of her.

He had made her feel so good that there wasn't a single trace of discomfort, only a pleasant burn as his manhood stretched her walls.

The embraced each other tightly and their lips continuously brushed each others faces as they moved in a dance as old as time.

They found release and rested a while, then joined together once again.

The cottage was well stocked with food and drink. As well as pitchers of water for the to wash themselves.

Adalind's legs felt as though they were boneless and could barely move. But Nick attended to her, bringing her food and taking a damp cloth to her thighs, smiling broadly as he teased the sensitive skin with the tips of his fingers and caused her to giggle.

With the flames of the first nights passions lowered, the two were able to properly introduce themselves.

Nick confessed he had seen her before and had desired her from that very first moment.

Adalind was grateful the goddess had blessed her with Nick, already he was proving to be her perfect mate.