When the kingdom of Ormond is invaded, eighteen year old Princess Eithne is enslaved by the cynical conqueror, Xander of Frankia. Her innocent eyes are opened to a world of untold cruelty and depravity at the heart of which is her estranged mother, Clara Sylvain Lovell. Mourning the death of her beloved father, King Stephen, Eithne is worried about her older brother, Ephron, who has not been heard from for a while. Xander claims acquaintance with the disgraced royal heir and says he is currently in jail overseas. He swears he will try and secure his release in return for her favours. But is he to be trusted? Eithne sees another side of her sometimes brutal master when they learn that young girls are going missing all over the realm. Does this resonate with him on a far more personal level than he is letting on? And is Xander really the blackguard he seems, or will love tame the tamer?
View MoreEithne could no longer stand by and watch the children starve when there was plenty of stew in the pot. It was tempting to pick up the ladle and serve them herself but she wasn’t that stupid. Instead she made her way across to the helmeted guard and knelt at his feet.
“Yes?” he rasped. “Out with it and make it quick.”
“Surely my brother doesn’t want this?”
She gestured behind her at the two seven year old twins, Morgan and Maisie. The latter was pale and fading fast while the boy’s eyes were dull and lacking in hope.
“Your point, my lady?”
The new deference surprised her and perhaps explained her unbound hands and feet.
Then she became aware that someone was standing behind her and it wasn’t Ephron.
Glancing over her shoulder, she saw a tall, cloaked figure and smelled blood. It was in the newcomer’s hair and beard and still dripping from his sword.
“Clean it.” Eithne remained on her knees, unaware the command was directed at her. “Are you deaf, woman?”
She eyed the pail in the corner. But what to do for a cloth?
Removing her headdress she rose once more and turned to face the intruder. His gaze seemed to scorch her soul.
“If I do this, my lord, will you at least permit the children to share a bowl of food?”
He rested his booted foot on a low bench.
“If you do this? Know your place, girl.”
Though it went against all her instincts, Eithne raised her chin. She regarded him solemnly with the eyes her father had likened to violets.
“This is my land, messire,” she said, “and you are trespassing.”
The laughter was unexpected, long and humiliating.
“What have we here?” he mused. “A Queen? Where’s your crown, little one? Are you having it polished?”
“You mock me without knowing who I am.”
“Enlighten me.”
The stranger advanced towards her and she took a step back. Though she knew the truth would not save her, King Stephen hadn’t raised his daughter to lie.
“Princess Eithne of Ormond.”
She gave a little curtsey, all too aware that her gown was an old one and stained near the hem.
“Nice try, blondie, but I happen to know she’s a dumpling.” He looked her up and down. “From where I’m standing there’s no way you fit that description.”
Hot colour stained her cheeks.
“You know Prince Ephron? How is he? Is he well?”
“I’ll do the asking, girl.” He held out his sword, the hilt of which was decorated with jewels, and it was all she could do not to throw up at the stench. “Pinch your nose,” he advised. “My last slave did.”
“What happened to him?” she asked, perhaps unwisely.
“Her,” he corrected, taking a seat on the bench and arranging his purple cloak around him as if it were his most prized possession. “I tired of the woman. Always demanding my cock.”
Eithne stood her ground, attempting to ignore his deliberate crudeness, and pointed to the stewpot. “Yes, or no?”
“Afterwards,” he said, adding, “if you consent to sit on my lap.”
“Am I permitted to know your name, my lord?”
“Forgive me,” he said, springing up and performing a courtly bow. “Xander of the Franks, deposed King of Beeveland, warrior of some repute and now, your master, my sweet.” She wished she’d curbed her tongue. “Do we have a bargain, girl?”
She nodded. “Aye, my lord. Seeing as I have no choice in the matter.”
Xander tutted. “That’s not quite true. You could let these poor wretches starve.”
“I could not in all conscience do that,” Eithne told him, bending to her task. The loss of the linen shawl vexed her but it was now stained beyond belief and tainted by association.
Her tormentor sniffed the air.
“Very appetising,” he said. “When you’re done with my sword, serve me first, wench.”
Eithne stiffened on hearing the word which, to her, was an insult not to be borne.
“Can your henchman not make himself useful?”
“Alain isn’t a servant.”
“Neither am I,” she flared, the sudden temper her undoing.
Because then he spelled it out to her, what her immediate future held in just one telling sentence: “No,” he agreed, “you’re my slave until I decide otherwise.”
“I’m not even restrained,” she scoffed, unwisely.
“You will be,” Xander vowed. “Are you done yet? My belly’s growling.”
“Not quite, my lord. I can’t rid the metal of the smell.”
“Oh, don’t worry about that,” he said. “You get used to it.”
Finishing the first task quickly, mindful of the twins, she went to restore the weapon to its owner and tripped over a raised nail in the wooden floor. Eithne went flying, but only as far as Xander’s knees, the hilt of his sword still clutched in her fingers.
His green eyes flashed fire, until he realised she hadn’t attempted to attack him. Making a show of inspecting his blade, he gestured to her to stand only when he had satisfied himself it was without dent or scratch.
“I forgot it was there,” she said, “even though I’ve been stepping around it this past hour.”
“Don’t you live here?”
He was back to taunting her again and she didn’t care for it.
“Hardly,” she said. “Their mother succumbed to the fever a sennight ago and I came to see what I could do.”
“Very noble of you,” he sneered. “I take it you made the stew?”
“Yes, my lord. I only wish I had known sooner how ill-nourished they were.”
“And you expect me to believe that? Ephron said his sister was selfish and greedy.”
“Ephron says and you believe. More fool you. My father could tell you a thing or two about him.”
“Mebbe so, if he still had his head.”
Eithne’s stunned gasp had no noticeable effect on him, though the way she almost collapsed and had to hold onto the wooden table for support elicited a different response.
“Please tell me that’s not true,” she begged, as he came up behind her and guided her to a chair.
“If it’s any consolation, Princess, I didn’t kill him.”
“And Ephron. Does he still live?”
Xander shrugged. “As far as I know.”
“What does that mean?”
“Your brother fell foul of an ancient law in the kingdom of Eponia. He’s still sleeping it off in their cells.”
“Typical,” she said. “So, who led the invaders to Ormond?”
“You’re looking at him,” he told her.
“Am I your captive?”
“Yes, but there will be no ransom,” Xander said. “I’ve always wanted to take a high born slave. Isn’t it about time you sat on my lap?”
One Year LaterHe had been looking forward to this moment for a while, this private time alone with his new family. Drago had sent word via various couriers who had since gone on to do other, possibly more worthy, things.If he had a sense of shame it was in having left them, after all, to pursue his long held dreams. Had it been worth the possible cost? Did she have another in her bed?The evidence was there in front of his eyes. He could scarcely take it in.This lad was very young and without beard. That would come in time.He watched, fascinated, as they rolled together and she tickled his sides making him laugh. It was an infectious sound, soon echoed by the other person present: a girl.Xander knew the imposter had once stood here watching him and Eithne. This act was far different but maybe no less unworthy. He should have announced his presence straight away.Having heard she was back in her old bedchamber he had been curious as to the reason why. Well, now he knew.She was we
On the day itself, Eithne was sick several times. If only she could hide behind a veil. But there was nothing else for it, however pasty she looked, this was the happiest day in her young life.She hadn’t anticipated she would be staying in Ormond when she wed and, mere months ago, it had seemed as if this day would never come. Slavery had taught her that some people had cruel natures and some did not. Eithne was only grateful it had been Xander who turned up that day, otherwise Clara might well have made the rest of her short life a living hell.Lysette had been found eventually by a dogged Hengest and was now detained at King Ephron’s pleasure. His sister sighed. She hoped he would become immune to her obvious charms and not be tempted to release her from the dungeon anytime soon.He kept saying no harm had been done, but it might well have been.There had been no compromise and she was suffering the kind of endless ceremony she had dreaded. Illness was one way of gaining respite, a
Eithne could hide nothing from Xander, nor did she want to, and especially not when it came to her condition. He was delighted and swept her off her feet, though with caution, adding after several kisses that they really ought to conclude their arrangement.Procrastination shouldn’t become a habit.She puzzled for a time until she translated that to mean wed sooner rather than later. Illegitimacy remained unspoken between them. While he had so often flaunted his, she knew it rankled more than he let on.They were still arguing about what form it should take and where. Ephron had disclosed that Genevieve was seeking an alliance for purposes of trade and defence. It seemed she had approached Louis, but he wasn’t interested in Beeveland, just its Queen. And marriage was definitely off the table as far as she was concerned.Eithne knew that didn’t mean there was hope for her brother. Or any man, including Halfdan who was probably unaware how she felt.But Xander’s sister was due for a st
Xander said nothing to anyone, though he was beginning to feel he couldn’t hold a candle to the two remaining women in his life. Genevieve had taken over the reins from Henri with aplomb and was ruling magnificently, while Eithne had been through so much and was still prepared to sacrifice herself for him of all people when he knew how much she loved the realm of Ormond.Still, perhaps the castle wasn’t the best place for her to reside any more. If need be, he would tear it down and rebuild it with his own hands just to prove how much he cared about her. But he wasn’t the ruler, not even the self-styled conqueror these days, just a man with wanderlust in his head and a selfless princess in his heart.There was something he could do for her, at least until King Ephron was settled with a worthy consort, and that was to postpone his plans to leave. It didn’t mean never and, with time, his priorities might change. Children did not need an absent father, at any age.That night, in her bedc
The pastures were endless here and probably more fertile. Eithne bit her lip. She hoped she was with child, though it was too soon to tell.Each province had its own dialect so that her correct Frankish wasn’t always enough for her to make herself understood. But she seemed to charm all she met. Was that because Princess Genevieve was by her side, waving to the people from the litter? It was quite obvious Xander wasn’t so popular.He probably didn’t care, but she did. If they were going to rule here, they had to command respect from their subjects.“What happened?” she asked him that night as they lay beside each other in bed.She was still his betrothed as the priest had been stricken with something and it had seemed churlish to postpone their trip.“You mean, how did they get rid of me before? I walked,” he said.Her forehead puckered.“I don’t understand.”“The people kept on and on asking me about Genevieve until I couldn’t take it any more.”“So you deposed yourself? If such a th
The lightning strike had done all the damage, and now Prince Connor Mac Neill lay dying in tremendous pain, one of his legs crushed beneath a fall of rocks. Despite what he had done, turning on them like that, Eithne saw to his comfort, staying with him until the end.Finn was devastated and Ava was nestled in his arms, sobbing openly. That was what death did, it made you remember the good times. In most cases.Though she tried her best, she could not find it in her to mourn her mother, the despised lover and the fake brother.It was an act of God. She would see to it they had a decent burial and that was all.King Ephron seemed to be recovering, as if disaster was making a man of him whereas the ability to do as he pleased had not. Genevieve may have had something to do with that. If he was enamoured that was his affair. Eithne knew Xander’s sister would never consent to be his.They were for Beeveland soon and she was looking forward to seeing the country of his birth. The conqueror
There was a new hazard to be overcome once they were close to the fresh air. Xander pulled Eithne back just as she was on the point of exposing herself to the men surrounding the small boat.That gave him an idea. He knew she wouldn’t like it.“I’m afraid I’m going to have to ask you how much you love the realm,” he said, in a low voice which sounded mock serious even to his own ears.“I don’t understand.”“Trust me, you will. Well?”“It is my solemn duty to do anything to help the kingdom of Ormond.”“Thank the good Lord, I was hoping you would say that. You didn’t swear?”“Unlike the royal heir, it was enough that I made a promise to my father, the late King.”“I see. Now, I want you to do exactly as I say. Strip!”Her eyes widened.“Here? Now? But I thought – ”“As I suspected. A most disloyal subject,” he said. “Must I do everything myself, including undressing you?”“You failed before,” she pointed out, her violet eyes stormy.“This is a needs must situation,” he said, spinning h
It wasn’t the most romantic of proposals yet it set her heart aflutter. Eithne gulped.“I will need to change my gown,” she said.“Princess, I didn’t mean now.”“Oh. Forget it then,” she snapped, and had to ask herself why.“I have no intention of doing so. In fact, letting you out of my sight is not an option either.” Xander took her hand. “Come with me to Beeveland,” he coaxed.“Now? Why?”“Not now. Once the affairs of Ormond are sorted.”“I fear that will never happen. Still, it would be good to get away and probably best for Genevieve if we do.”“What do you mean?”“Nothing,” she said, hastily.That crush on one of the Danes, blurted out impulsively after an excess of good local mead, needed nipping in the bud in her opinion. Halfdan was leaving anyway. She hadn’t meant to let the cat out of the bag, but Xander was nothing if not persistent in his questioning.“Genevieve has no sense of propriety,” he fumed.That was rich coming from him, a self-styled conqueror and enslaver. Eith
Xander hadn’t sued for peace so much as cheated in its name. He would do the same again, twice over, if it meant avoiding war. His betrothed had been taken aback by his tactics but he couldn’t afford to let her in on it; her surprise would go a long way to convincing this new enemy whose ego was legendary.Maybe some flowers would mollify her. He had treated her like a pawn and she was still sulking.Encountering his sister in the corridor he enlisted her help.Genevieve’s eyes danced with amusement.“Just be yourself. Spend some time with her. It’s all a girl ever wants. Gifts only make us think you want to atone.”But I do, he thought. For the way it all began.The Danes were preparing to depart, while Finn was now in charge of his brother’s forces.“Stay awhile,” he’d encouraged both the group of Norsemen and those loyal to a different Mac Neill.“Tell him,” Ava urged, nudging Connor’s brother.She was seldom far from his side these days.“We’d like to settle here permanently,” he
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