-6-
The Main Attraction

The cobblestone square was filled with life. Dozens of colorful kiosks dotted the cobblestone square. These tiny little booths sold a diverse selection of goods. One of the booths was selling what appeared to be plush dolls, the dolls had been sewn together using locally produced wool. The eyes of the dolls were buttons and the hair was yarn. A hand-painted sign read “Handmade, High Quality Dolls! Only five silver Marks per doll!”

Beside the booth selling the dolls was another one. This one seemed to be selling different types of bread. Flaky, butter croissants, glazed honey buns, loafs of bread fresh from the oven and topped with toasted poppy seed and crushed garlic. And much to my amazement donuts! A sign in front of the stall read. “Fresh baked bread! Fairly priced!”

And finally beside that was another one. This one seemed to be selling printed transcripts of popular plays that had been printed on yellow sheets of parchment paper and had been bound with a leather cover. The sign beside this booth read. “Newly printed books, on a wide variety of subjects. Including the common law, thesis by local scholars, popular plays, and collections of ghost stories and fairy tales. We also have the newest edition of Poor Herman's Almanac!”

Of course there were other forms of entertainment being offered. Troubadours, bards, minstrels, gleeman, and foreign dancers were all there. And the square was packed thicker than kippers in a barrel. I was quite lost as I moved through the noise, and the confusion. It was sheer bedlam. And finally toward the far side of the square I saw it. A large tub that was filled with water. Across the board a plank of wood had been placed. And beside the plank of wood, a wooden target had been painted. A fisherman net had been hung around the tank and in the middle of the tub one would see a clear viewing glass.

As I neared the booth. I felt my cheeks burn with embarrassment. “Soak the Maiden! This year's volunteer: Jeanette Katherine Hood” I shifted my weight from one foot to the other. I was reminded that I'd been in this world almost a year and I'd still not found a boy to take to my bed. I was also reminded that I'd made a vow to myself when I'd discovered I'd been, for a lack of better words. Reincarnated in this world as a woman. I'd made a promise to save myself for my future husband. Speaking of which, I really wanted to get married, have a baby and start a family.

“Oh there you are!” A voice from the gathered crowd. “I was just about to send the sheriff out to fetch you. I thought you've gotten cold feet or something.” The voice belonged to Wyatt. Or Master Wyatt. The Mayor of the Village and the one who had talked me into volunteering for this little stunt.

“Hey I promised you.” I said, folding my arms under my breast. “And I always keep my promises.” I said as I peered toward him. Wyatt seemed on edge. It was then I noticed a very eager crowd was forming around the booth. It seemed all the village lads were gathering around the booth.

“Of course.” Wyatt said, taking a deep breath. “Of course, I was never in doubt. It's just sometimes our volunteers get cold feet. The dunking booth is the main attraction of the harvest fair after all. And the main money maker.” Wyatt said as he looked around.

I nodded my head.

“And forgive me, but you're not wearing the suit I sent you” He said, a ghost of a blush forming on my cheeks. “Not that you don't look lovely in that frock, its just that the village lads always want a bit of skin in the booth. A fair maiden always brings in the lads.” He added.

Once more I felt my cheeks flush with color. The outfit I'd decided to wear to the fair that morning was a homespun short sleeve dress with a square neck and a lace up bodice and a brown belt in the middle. And like most of the village women I wore brown slippers on my feet.

“I'm wearing that bathing suit under my dress.” I muttered as I peered toward Wyatt. I had half the mind to reach up and slap him across the cheeks and tell him to go to hell for what he just did. But I drew in a deep breath and started counting backwards from ten. And once I reached zero I was pretty calm.

“Oh wonderful! Wonderful indeed!” Wyatt said with a small smile. “You see, even though the dunking booth is the main money maker. You are the main attraction. The village lads are going to line up for miles to see you get dunked and we've wasted enough time! Too much time!” He said as he started to play with his hands.

“I need you to get undressed, well down to your bathing suit that is and climb up there and get seated. Because we are about to open the dunking booth. And please hurry, if we don't open up soon. I'm afraid we are going to lose the attention of the crowd.” Wyatt seemed to be almost trembling as he spoke.

I shrugged my shoulders and held my hands up.

“There is a tent behind the booth for you to use. There is also a small ladder you can use to climb up onto the platform with. Once there you must seat yourself in the middle. The water is the deepest and coldest toward the middle. Another ladder is toward the side. Make a show about swimming toward the ladder. The lad's love a show. And taunt them. Flirt with them. Make fun of them, tease them. Remember the more people who put down their coins to dunk you. The more money you will raise for charity.”

My eyebrow shot up in the air and I took a deep breath.

“I'll see what I can do.” I said as I brushed off the mayor and went into the tent. I closed the flaps of the tent behind me and secured them with a leather strap. A few moments later I found myself stripping down to the bathing suit. Again a sudden flush colored my cheeks and my whole body seemed to glow. I was a bit body shy and wearing something as revealing as this 'Dungeon and Dragon inspired bikini' was really stepping me out of my comfort zone. But then again it was all for a good cause.

Then on a whim I decided to tie my hair up in two pigtails. And because I was in something of a festive mood. I added two cords of red ribbon. Once my hair was done. I smiled and untied the flaps of the tent and stepped out into the bright sunshine.

I was greeted with a chorus of wolf whistles, cat calls, applause and cheers from the gather crowd of lads. I rolled my eyes at their display, but it felt good. And going on a spur of the moment I even wiggled my hips at some of them. I then tossed my head over my shoulder and smiled as I climbed up the wooden ladder and inched my bottom toward the center of the board. Once I was on the center, I smiled and folded my hands in my lap and gave the gathered crowd a broad grin.

“Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls. Fair ladies and visiting lords.” Called Wyatt as he watched me inch my bottom into place. His voice boomed and echoed across the square.
“It's with great pleasure to present to you. Lady Jeanette Katherine Hood of Sea Breeze.” He called out as he pointed toward me with his hand. “Lady Jeanette Katherine Hood has volunteered to staff our dunking booth this year. This might be your only chance to dunk a heron in ice cold water and its all for charity.” He called out in a voice that reminded me of a showman.

In fact he looked like a showman, in the time it had taken me to change into the bikini. Wyatt Lightfellow too had changed. His plain, brown woolen coat had been replaced with a bright red one and resting upon his head was a straw hat. A wooden walking cane. He tapped the bottom of the cane upon the brown cobblestones. A way to call attention to himself I guess.

“Now! The cost will be one silver mark for three tosses. If you hit the target.” He said in his loud, booming showmanship tone of voice. “The pretty little maiden will find herself taking a ice cold bath! If you want though, you can pay another mark and walk up and push the target in yourself!” He called out.

Because I thought it was right I smiled and winked toward the crowd. And it started, my time in the dunking booth.

-7-
Dunk the Maiden (Part 1)

The morning sunshine bathed the cobblestone paved plaza and the sound of splashing water filled the air. The crowd had thinned a little. Many had taken to visiting with friends and kin, wooden mugs filled with brown ale and glass bottles filled with wine made from locally grown and pressed grapes passed from one hand to the other. The boy's scampered around the village square, armed with wooden swords and wooden shields, I'm sure they were playing pretend. Some high spirited girls also joined in the fun. The young girls of the village seemed content to play with the dolls I'd seen on display when I first entered the fair.

The teenagers though seemed more concerned with flirting. And I, I just sat there watching with baited breath as one boy after another placed a silver mark down upon the counter and was given three leather balls in return. Three heavy leather balls that were then tossed toward the target.

I felt my heart jump into my throat with each pitch that was aimed toward the wooden target. A moment later I heard the smashing of leather into wood as the target was pushed in and the board I was sitting under gave way. A few seconds later I was splashing down into the tank of ice cold water. At first I thought my top would come untied as I dropped into the ice cold water.

“That's blooming freezing”I yelled as I broke the surface of the water. I then caught sight of the boy who first managed to strike the target in the center. It was a boy around my age. He blushed a little and tossed his remaining ball in the air before he snatched it out of the air.

“I still have one more shot!”

I pouted toward the lad who appeared to no more than twelve. He shrugged his shoulders and in a balking tone of voice shouted out to me.

“Come on lady! Get a move on! I spent a whole mark on these three balls and I want to use them all.” He shouted as he held up his remaining ball.
Still pouting I pushed the seat back into place, I soon heard a metal click, I figured the clicking sound was the spring getting back into position. I'd not been informed on how the machine worked. But the drop seemed stable enough. Once the seat was back in position, I climbed out of the tank using a ladder and climbed back onto the seat.

A moment later, I felt myself once more dropping like a stone as the little brat had hit the target dead center. Sending me once more into the freezing cold water below. As I broke the surface of the water a second time. I looked up and noticed quite a line was starting to form. A huge crowd was forming around the little table and Wyatt seemed to be struggling to control them. As I climbed out of the tank and climbed back onto the drop seat. I noticed a huge mountain of silver coins had formed upon the wooden surface of the table. The polished silver caught the light of the mid morning sun and seemed to almost glisten and glitter with light.

“Well at least its for a worthy cause.” I said to myself as I settled back down upon the board. To await another patron to take a chance and try to dunk me.