Viking's Desire: Sexy-Romance Novel: A Viking Love Story (10 page)

Chapter 23

Lillian forced herself to change into the nightclothes provided by the lord, even though putting them on made her shiver.  She simply had to rid herself of the clothes she had had on for so many endless weeks, washing only parts of them in streams they found along the way.  She wouldn’t admit even to herself how wonderful the silk felt against her skin.  If only it had been from someone, anyone else.  She wouldn’t think of it anymore.  At least she was warm and dry and had clean clothes.  She spied the brush and was in heaven again as she got to brush the awful tangles out of her hair and lie down on a soft bed.  If only the lock on the door was locked from her side.  The weeks on the trail and now lying on the comfortable bed in the silken nightgown must have been the impetus to cause her to be slumbering peacefully in no time, no nightmares marring her sleep this night and no lord making an appearance.

She awoke the next morning refreshed and ready to meet the day.  She had decided just before drifting off that Lord Montfort didn’t know it yet, but he had met his match.  She was not willing to go to his marriage bed without a fight.  She would be no lamb to the slaughter.  She still had her father and if history was any lesson, he could be persuaded.  Her mother was gone now and while she tried to be saddened by th
at fact, respect that she was her mother was all she could summon.  However with her mother’s greed for political gain gone now, perhaps she could sway her father.  A little common sense should prevail.  Frederick was always a very practical man.  Her mind made up, she would be the genteel lady she was brought up to be and look forward to seeing her father.  These social weddings usually took months to plan so perhaps she had the time she needed.  She picked out a particularly fetching frock and readied herself for when she would be allowed outside the bedroom door.  This was another conversation they would need to have soon.  The future Lady Montfort should not be locked up like a common prisoner.  Where would she go after all?  The only place would be her father’s home and that was entirely too far to go without an escort, which was exactly what she intended to request soon.  Until then she would play her role to the best of her ability.  The disgusting Lord Montfort didn’t know who he was up against.

Speaking of the lock, she heard the bolt tumble and the door opened abruptly as the lord regally entered the room with nothing on but a well adorned wrapper. ”I’ve been thinking, dear, there is no need for me to wait for the marriage bed, you have, after all, been quite the trollop.  You are already soiled, my dove, you are certainly no virgin.  I’ve been assured of this by my men on good authority.  They
listened to the talk of the townspeople and the whispers of the servants of the pagan Jarl to know exactly how you felt and what you were doing with  the heathen devil.”  He walked toward her and opened the wrapper as if he were unwrapping a special Christmas package.  He stood there before her naked, with his bones showing through his white, pasty skin and his sex member flopping unresponsive between his legs.  His lank stringy hair hung lifeless on his scrawny neck.  Looking at this poor excuse of a man brought to memory Eriik’s beautiful golden hair falling gloriously about his strong, thick neckline, where his pulse beat fiercely and the saber of his maleness hard and thick, reaching for his belly.  She blushed thinking of such things and smiled in spite of herself.  She could almost see his strong, muscular frame standing tall and formidable in front of her.  Looking now at Montfort was a disgusting sight to behold and chills went up Lillian’s spine, but she made certain to conceal it.  She had seen two men in her entire lifetime naked and the comparison was woeful.  She was standing there with her mouth hanging open and decided a saucy reply was in order.  “You’re men don’t think I’m a blushing bride do they now?  Well let me tell you something, lord,” she spat the word out like venom. 

“It’s one thing to be raped by rampaging Vikings who laid siege to my home and took me hostage, and entirely another matter to be raped by the great Lord Montfort, held in such high regard by the lords and ladies of the land.  What do you think will happen to your precious reputation when they find out, and they will find out, unless, of course, you plan to murder me.  Is that your plan, my lord?

Montfort seemed to turn an even whiter shade of pale and sputtered, “Of course not, we will be wed.  You will be Lady Montfort!”

“I see.  Then there will be no sexual folly outside of wedlock, and that’s the last I will hear of it, or see of it.”

Lillian didn’t think she would ever be able to get that vision of him naked out of her head.  She couldn’t even contemplate the vision becoming a nightly routine. 

She whirled around as to signal the end of that particular conversation and silently asked Eriik’s forgiveness for even mentioning the word rape when speaking of him.  He never once treated her with anything but kindness, even when tethering her to hi
m.  Everything she remembered now, even that, was remembered with fondness.

Lord Montfort sped out of the room
.  He was enraged, and on his way to his own chamber he grabbed a chamber maid, dragging her with him by her hair.  The maid, Theona, knew better than to scream.  He slammed the door and threw her down to the floor.  He sat in his favorite chair and crooked his finger to have her crawl to him as if she were a dog.  He opened his wrapper and it was very clear what he expected her to do.  It wasn’t the first time.  He pushed her head into his crotch until she thought she might suffocate.  His sorry excuse of a cock was so limp and soft, Theona had a difficult time getting it into her mouth and as she was trying, he brought her head up, “Having a
hard
time dearie?”  He slapped her so hard it actually hurt his hand.  That made him feel a little better, especially picturing Lillian in her place.  He tore the bodice of her dress and looked at her naked from the waist up.  It did nothing to arouse him.  He slapped her again and he felt some movement between his legs.  Pushing her face down again between his legs, he grabbed his ridding crop and flogged her again and again until he could see red welts standing out on her bare back.  He took his fingernails and pricked the welts until they bled, leaving fine trails of blood streaking down her fair skin and that’s when he really started to feel stimulated.  Her face was starting to turn black and blue and her back was streaked with blood and that’s when he was finally firm enough for her to be able to put her mouth around him, saying not a word, crying not a tear.  It took forever, but she continued until it was finished.  Montfort called for his man servant to take Theona to a room to be tended to until she was fit to work again.  “See now my dear, you’ll be able to lie around in bed, avoiding work for a few days.  Aren’t you the lucky wench.”

Chapter 24

The next morning, a
s Lillian heard the bolt slip off the door once again, she regally strutted through it as any Lady of the Realm might do.  She looked as if any dissent would not be tolerated.  She gingerly touched each stair as if she were floating on air, and it seemed the entire castle came to a stop to see the vision descend the great staircase.  Even Lord Montfort came to a halt and stared.

She waited to be seated by the lord at the head of the table to be served as the lady she was, and all kinds of activity flared as well.  The lady is ready to break her fast and the staff buzzed.  Lillian wanted Lord Montfort to think that he wasn’t going to have as much trouble with her as he had once feared.  She was sure he had a plan if things went awry, so she needed to convince him that perhaps she had been mistreated in the Norse land and was ready for English genteel living
again, reserved only for the upper crust.  She needed him to believe it absolutely, at least for the time being.  Maybe he would think she had been taught a lesson by the horrible Norsemen.  She needed the time.

“My dear lord, when may I see my father?  It’s been much too long since I laid eyes on his dear face and since my poor mother’s passing, well…”  She dabbed a tear from her eye with her handkerchief and made it seem as if she were quite distraught. 

Montfort thought for a moment, “I was thinking we would have an engagement party as soon as the invitations can be sent out by courier and your father, my dear friend, could visit us for awhile, and you and he can grieve together, then hopefully be able to put it behind you to plan the happy occasion of our wedding.  Why, it will be the social gathering of the season.”

“Oh I have no doubt of that my lord.”

Lord Montfort smiled a self-satisfied smile and Lillian could tell that she had, at least for the most part, put his mind somewhat at ease.  The troll actually thought she was looking forward to marrying him.  If she could just keep from retching at the mere idea, it would probably help immensely.  There was a plan forming and she had some thinking and scheming to do.  In the meantime she couldn’t slip from the snobbish, spoiled, English aristocratic lady she needed to be, the kind she could never abide.  She would play it like a game.  So, let the games begin.

She had to hope that her father would agree to save her from this god forsaken fate when she got the chance to talk to him in private.  Until that time, she would play Lady Montfort in waiting with flare.  This would be the only way to hold the snake at bay until she could secure a way out of the viper’s nest.

Chapter 25

The hours became days and the days melted into weeks.  Eriik felt empty, trying to fill them fighting too hard and drinking too much.  Many of the comely girls in the village tried to assuage his grief, especially Helgi, Lady Asgaut, a very beautiful girl who was quite smitten with him.  She was determined to make him forget the Saxon whore, as she called her.  Helgi started showing up on Eriik’s arm more often than not.  Eriik knew she wanted some sort of commitment and would be sorely disappointed when it didn’t come forth.  He knew she felt they were having quite the romance and the only bastion she hadn't conquered yet was his bed, not that she hadn’t tried.  Eriik was furious with Lillian for ruining that part of his life.  He used to be ready for any comely maid just by thinking of taking her to bed.  But now, when he thought of loving, all he could think of was beautiful dark hair and smoldering, and apparently lying eyes.  He would get over this in time, by the gods he would, however he would never give his heart to a woman again.  They would be able to gain access to only one part of his body and it would sure as hell not be his heart. 

One night after dinner
Helgi seemed especially determined to get into Eriik’s robes, as she started a slow, sensual dance for him, leisurely, erotically, caressing her body, and swaying her hips, inviting him none too subtly.  It was meant to inflame, and it succeeded.  She licked her full, sensuous lips, gliding to Eriik as if on air.  She ran her fingers through his long, thick hair and kissed him, trying to run her tongue across his lips.  It should have excited him but for some reason, he backed up just the slightest bit.  This did nothing to discourage Helgi.  She sidled up to him again and took his hand to lead him upstairs.  As she started for his bed chamber, he led her away to another room.  It was nicely appointed but nothing like his private chamber.  Helgi had found out from the maids early in their relationship which room was his and could barely hide her disappointment when he turned to another.  She closed the door and piece by piece began to disrobe.  When she was standing there before Eriik in nothing but a very revealing chemise, she reached for his hand, but he held back.  He couldn’t understand what he was waiting for and neither could she.  She was picturesque, standing there almost naked with her long blonde hair spilling about her shoulders, but all he could see was dark hair cascading down a slender back with emerald eyes looking at him with…longing?  He thought at the time that it may have even been love. 

She slowly removed her chemise
from one shoulder, then the other, at the same time opening his shirt.  She chafed his chest with her full breasts and her nipples hardened as Eriik watched.  She started untying his breeches, but he stopped her.  As she continued her sexual assault on him and he did nothing but stop her at every turn, she became frustrated, but still unwavering.  She backed up and lay on the bed, rolling the hard pink buds of her nipples in between her fingertips.  She slowly opened her thighs and tantalizingly stroked herself until it was evident she was wet and ready for his advance.  Eriik was hard, so hard and heavy, swollen with lust, but still seemingly trapped in one place, staring at this lovely woman but thinking only of Lillian.  He realized that even though his body could deliver whatever he asked of it, his mind was not ready.  He walked over to Helgi and gently pulled the robes on the bed over her shoulders, shielding her breasts from his view. 

“Helgi, you are a beautiful sight and any man would be lucky to have you but I’m afraid I’m not that man
right now, as my heart is broken and it would not do you justice to take you when I’m thinking of no one but the lass who did the breaking.”

“Your heart
is broken,” she said sarcastically.  If you would just give me the chance you would forget the Saxon harlot as you should not have given her your heart in the first place.”

“Perhaps, but I do
not want to be with any other woman than Lillian right now and I’m not going to force myself to bed a woman just to prove I can.  I know I can physically but I want more, so much more.  I don’t understand it but the gods work in their own way and I know enough to listen.  I will not be doing anything to you tonight that I will be regretting later.  Helgi, I’m sorry.  Please get dressed and leave.  As I’ve tried to explain, it’s not you, sweetheart, it’s me.”

“Eriik Thorennson, you are being an ass and you will regret this one day.” She was yelling at him as h
e turned and quickly left the room with Helgi alone, gasping for breath, embarrassed, and angry.

He saddled Kriger and galloped out to the crossroads where he found Molly that night Lillian went missing.  The night he first realized just how much she meant to him.  Tears streamed down his face.  The first time in his entire life he had allowed himself to cry.  Not for his father, not for friends
when they entered Valhalla on the battlefield…never.  But this woman brought him to tears.  He walked, stared at the stars, prayed to the gods and thought hard about his and Lillian’s time together.  Since she had been gone, he had been in a rage, telling himself that she was simply lying the whole time she had supposedly come to him willingly, seemingly caring, even with love in her eyes.  That had been his hope at least.  Something in the back of his mind kept bothering him, kept pestering him.  He simply couldn’t keep convincing himself that it was all a lie.  After what seemed like hours, he returned and drank a few pints in the great room.  He decided to do something he hadn’t had enough courage to do since Lillian left.  He retrieved the note and started to read it.  He read it over and over and couldn’t stop the ringing in his ears that something was definitely not right.  He bellowed throughout the household, “Oliver!”

After several bellows, Oliver appeared rather disheveled and tousled but
heeded Eriik’s call willingly.

“Oliver, take a look at this letter and tell me what you think.”

He looked at the letter, “Oh Lord Thorennson, I would hate to impose on something so personal.”

“Nonsense, I
feel something is not right and I want you to read it carefully.”

Oliver took the letter and read it word for word under the
candlelight.  He read it meticulously.  His expression went from dejected and saddened for his lord to anger in a matter of moments.

“What is it
?” Eriik demanded.

“You are right my lord, something is truly wrong about this letter.  In fact, many things.  Firstly,
Lady Lillian misspelled her own name.  Most importantly though, this letter is written in a scrawl whereas Lady Lillian wrote in a neat and precise manner.”

Eriik was looking on pensively
.

Oliver continued,
“She speaks of Lord Montfort in a loving way as if he was a good man when she thought he was vile and evil.  She spoke of him so many times as such.  And her mother, as loving, when Lady Lillian felt she was greedy and indifferent.  Forgive me my lord.”

“Nonsense, I want your honesty. 
What do you make of it?”

“I think she wrote this under duress
, not of her own volition at all.  I swear my lord, with everything that is holy to me, I am sure of it.”

“Oh by the gods! 
Eriik struck the table with such force that the goblet crashed to the floor, spilling the contents.  She was taken right from under my nose and I did nothing to stop it?  And to make matters worse, I’ve let weeks go by without raising a hand to get her back!  What kind of man am I?”

“Lord, you did not know.  The pain and heartbreak was too much to bear.”

“No, I condemned her without a word or a chance for her to tell me herself.  I never even gave a thought to the possibility that she might have been taken against her will even though we saw sure signs of a struggle in the tunnel when we followed her.  I will never forgive myself for this, especially if anything, I mean anything has happened to her.  If one hair on her head has been damaged, I will slay myself willingly.”

“Never say that my lord.”

“Oliver, wake up the household.”  As he looked around, he noticed almost everyone was already up. “Well anyone who isn’t up already,” he said sheepishly.  “Take as many as needed to notify my men.  We must start to prepare for a sea voyage to England.  We are going a raiding, but not for gold this time!”

****

Eriik thought he would go out of his mind by the time it took the men to get ready to sail.  Bjorn was his steady right hand, as usual, but everything was moving at a snail’s pace.

“Eriik, we can’t go up against
the gods unprepared.  It would be a fool’s errand.  Loki can be a trickster and he would doom us from the start if we don’t prepare ourselves well.”

“I know.  I just can’t believe I let hoodlums take Lillian right
out of my own house.  I’m supposed to be a great warrior and I can’t keep one little girl safe.”

“Admonish yourself all you like but it was not your fault.”

“Then whose fault was it, yours?”

“Talking to you is impossible.  We will be ready soon and
out on the sea.  You’ll feel better there.  One thing I don’t understand though is how you know she’s in England.  She could be anywhere.”

“Those priests, well not priests
obviously, but whoever they really were, were indeed English and I can swear on my mother’s soul they didn’t just decide on a whim to take Lillian.  I know who’s behind this.”

“You know them?”

“I know who sent them.  Montfort! And I hope his god is looking the other way when I find him.”

“
And we’ll be right behind you.”

“Aye.”

All was finally prepared and the longships glided out, coupling with the sea as long lost lovers coming together.  Eriik took his turn at the rowing station.  He had to expend some of his energy or he would tear someone to pieces and that someone was a long distance away.  It felt good to have the oars pull against his muscles until they hurt and the cold salt water splash against his face.  He could let go and for the first time in weeks, he felt like himself again.  But this time he was angry and more than ready to feel bones crushing beneath his bare hands.  It couldn’t be soon enough for Eriik.  He had always been the peaceful one, but that Eriik had disappeared for this voyage and a very different, vengeful Eriik had come along.  He longed to have Lillian cradled in his arms and feel her lips on his.  To feel her again, he would have crushed entire armies without a second thought.  What if she
had
gone willingly and this was a fool’s errand?  He banished that thought from his mind.  He would rather think of Montfort’s body breaking in between his hands and that smirk being wiped off his ugly face for eternity.  Yes, these thoughts made Eriik smile for the first time in weeks.  He knew the gods were with them as the sun came out each and every day as well as a prevailing wind.  The god Loki, the sky traveller, was not being the trickster, he must be blessing this journey after all.  He could almost see Thor, hammer held high, smiling down upon them. 

“Good tide my brothers.”

“Good tide, Eriik.”