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Chapter Thirteen - Ravished
Last Updated:
2022-07-27 15:59:25
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The Conqueror's Royal Slave Chapter Fourteen - Dancing
She woke to the clatter of maids and heard her mother’s strident voice raised in complaint. That was one sound she hadn’t missed. Someone squealed and she guessed Edgar had goosed one of the women. In her opinion the girl had gotten off lightly. Xander was not in the room. In some ways that was a relief, in others not. Eithne felt vulnerable, unprotected. Throwing back the coverlet she rose and went into the bathchamber. Everything was still and silent, except for the nearby chatter and the sound of weapons clashing in the training area. Had he gone to oversee that, perhaps to participate? She told herself she didn’t care. Using some more of the water he’d inexplicably fetched for her, she washed as thoroughly as it was possible to do without immersion. A knock at the door sent her into a panic, but she knew it couldn’t be him and an intruder wouldn’t have taken the trouble. Not wanting to use her voice in case it fetched her mother, she went cautiously to the door, clutching the r
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Flavius did not linger anywhere until they had left the palace entirely. As they crossed the courtyard, he squeezed her hand.“There’s no need to fear me, little one,” he said.“I – I wish I could believe that, messire.”“Oh, I’m not worthy of that title. And the names we used in the place of shame are taken from tombstones, as like as not.”He was right, she reflected. Place of shame about summed up the whole palace at the moment. Or was he just referring to the one room?“What do they call you?” she asked.“Bastard, mostly.” He smiled without humour. “Iain. No surname. As I said, I’m as illegitimate as the next.”She sighed. “I wish this horrible nightmare were over. Since the conqueror arrived things have gone from bad to worse.”“Do you mean Xander?” Iain snorted. “He’s just a jumped up mercenary.”“I thought so.”What was that lump in her throat?“But the way he looks at you, Princess. I’ve never seen him like that.”“The hate, you mean. The … ” She couldn’t bring herself to say
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Xander had already primed his band of mercenaries what to expect. He had not missed the tremor which shot through the Princess at his words. Leaving her to suspect the worst wasn’t his intention but it couldn’t be helped.Neither he nor Flavius could have predicted what was about to happen after the morning meal yet it had worked out fine and at least Eithne had some respite from the relentless cruelty he had played his part in inflicting. The problem was, she was just too lovely a creature for him not to take advantage of her ripening beauty.Quite why he had told the Princess she was a disappointment after deflowering her was something he was loath to examine. It had been a despicable thing to do and not his finest hour. He refused to put it down to guilt, yet what else could it be?Had he shouted it out solely to impress Clara? If so, he really needed his head examining.This further ‘training’ session was designed to keep her from being exploited by Clara. In reality, though she w
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Eithne didn’t know what to think any more. Xander was confusing. The hate she had felt was buried in a dark chamber of her heart while she assessed the few positives she knew about. The mercy killing had been a necessary evil and he didn’t have to honour them with his cloak in lieu of a shroud. He’d defended her to Clara and even permitted her to spend the night alone in her chamber when she knew his preference would have been to use her as his plaything.This latest charade of training under the guise of keeping her safe from whatever else her mother might have planned was close to unbelievable. And yet, she could just about find it credible. He’d even hired a lady of the night, presumably to throw Clara off the scent. Fortunately, she hadn’t had to witness her pleasuring the men or hear her wanton cries.None of this mattered now when their very lives hung in the balance.“If we get separated in the confusion, find Flavius. He’ll protect you. If all else fails, go to Jocasta. She wi
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Though it was a wrench to leave the area, Eithne knew it was for the best. Seated on the donkey, it was easy to pretend she had been born to poverty. Flavius had taken his leave of them some leagues back and the two women made their way to a distant village largely in quiet companionship.Jocasta often whispered to her own beast of burden but she had no inclination to do the same.“I hate him,” she said, on one occasion as they stopped to top up their water flasks.“Who? Your brother?”“Xander,” she replied, not meeting the older woman’s eyes.“Did he beat you, pass you to other men? Was he a vicious and brutal lover?”“I – ” She could not frame the words now, knowing she had probably gotten off lightly, though not by the standards of royalty.King Stephen had talked often of a code which meant that invaders with breeding would afford their peers respect. As a princess she had not expected to be treated like a common slave. Well, now she knew how the other half lived. Maybe she could
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Over a hearty meal of vegetable soup and some of Jocasta’s fresh bread, the girl eventually opened up about her older sister.“Don’t think you’ve been abandoned, Princess,” she said, placing her elbows on the table. “Someone will come for you when the time is right. I do what I can nowadays to make up for not being able to do anything to help my kin.”She had to ask. “How old are you?”“Seventeen. Got a birthday coming up in a few weeks.”“You look so young,” she said, taking in the round face and rosy lips, the fair hair and occasional glimpse of dimples.Becca snorted. “Have you looked in a mirror lately, my lady?”“Call me Eithne,” she said. “I insist.”After several attempts, the girl mastered the pronunciation. She poured them both some hot cider before starting to put flesh on the bones of her tale.“In Arcadia, the gambling city, they say it is possible to overcome poverty in many ways, not all of them legal. You just need something to sell. Women with no protector are fair gam
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The village wasn’t all that stable. Becca had told her that much as they went for what was probably an ill-advised walk along the cliff top a few days later. Eithne just had to get out in the fresh air for a while. She knew she was probably tempting Fate and possibly endangering her companion, but she hadn’t obliged her to come along. Unless … had Jocasta charged her with keeping her safe? When she asked what had changed, the girl volunteered there were more cutpurses about and, she had heard, slavers. Eithne’s heart began to beat faster. “We should go back,” she said, pulling the borrowed shawl more tightly around her shoulders. The gannets were especially noisy now, though she didn’t mind that. Plucking wildflowers, once a no-no, was a delight since she knew they wouldn’t wilt on the way back. So often as a child her daisy chain had withered, her miserable face leading Clara to impose a ban. Whether that had ever been for her own good she couldn’t be sure. Maybe she was jinxed,
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The first person she saw was Marcus, the one who had bound Xander to a chair. Wanting to turn and run, she forced herself to look at their faces in turn. The guard beside her cracked a joke, though some of them were slow to smile. No Flavius, which was worrying. “Do you know why I am here?” she asked, vexed because her voice sounded so small. One of her hands was trembling and she grasped it with the other one before clasping them in front of her to disguise the fact. “Yes, Princess,” one of them said. He looked older than the others, and at least he had afforded her some respect. “My name is Eithne,” she told them. “It would please me if – if … ” There was no easy way of completing that sentence without implying shame. “You are still the daughter of a Queen, my lady. No matter what.” It was the same man who spoke up, coming to her rescue as easily as if it were second nature. Had he had his own family in another life? “What’s your name, gladiator?” she asked. “Carl,” he said
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The Conqueror's Royal Slave Chapter Eighty-Five - Peekaboo
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
The Conqueror's Royal Slave Chapter Eighty-Four - A Royal Wedding
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
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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
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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 Conqueror's Royal Slave Chapter Eighty-One - Beeveland
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 Conqueror's Royal Slave Chapter Eighty - Repercussions
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
The Conqueror's Royal Slave Chapter Seventy-Nine - Divided Loyalties
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
The Conqueror's Royal Slave Chapter Seventy-Eight - Commitment
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
The Conqueror's Royal Slave Chapter Seventy-Seven - Duped
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
