by Lily Harlem
“I… I have not bled for some time.” She stared into his eyes. “Nadir says that’s a good sign that I’m with child.”
He stilled. “It is?”
She nodded.
“That has made me very happy.” He kissed her, deep and passionate, his tongue stroking against hers.
She melted against him, her nub rubbing over his hard body as he thrust gently into her, tugging her onto him at the same time as he moved his hips. “Mmm… please, find your pleasure with me, here, in the lake.”
“No, for my seed is strong and will give our growing son strength.”
“It might be… a daughter.”
He smiled. “I would like many sons, Duna, but also I would like a daughter, to help you…” He paused. “I don’t mind, son or daughter, I will love either.”
“Me too.” She ran her hands into his hair. “Oh, Halvor, that feels so good, the way you’re pulling me on and off you.” She tipped her head back and allowed him to control her body.
He slipped his hands to her sore ass.
She cried out, and when he squeezed she cried out louder still. But the sensation toppled her into her release. She clenched around him, rode his cock, and allowed bliss to flood her body.
“Aye, good girl, like that.” He kept on going, working her; he was an expert at getting pleasure from her body. She’d never known she was capable of such powerful sensations.
When she calmed he walked to the shoreline. The water slipped down from her waist and her ass as he splashed out. His cock was still solid and buried deep.
“I want you there,” he said. “Leaning over the rock.”
“Yes, Master.” She wasn’t surprised; she knew full well he enjoyed her ass when it was red from his hand, his shoe, the board or whatever else he’d used to deliver her punishment. She’d wondered if all masters were that way, or if she was lucky and it was just hers.
When they reached the rock, he lifted her from his cock.
Her heart was still thudding from her release and her breaths coming quick. But she turned around, bent, locked her elbows, and widened her legs.
“Aye, you know what I need.” He was at her entrance. “Get ready for it.”
“I am.” She gritted her teeth as anticipation swarmed within her. She hoped he’d release his passion hard and fast, and surrender to the moment. She adored feeling him, hearing him, when he lost his usually tight grip of self-control even if just for a moment or two.
He grabbed her waist, his big hands almost spanning it, then pushed in hard and fast.
She cried out, but not with pain, with bliss.
“More,” he said, almost pulling out then shoving back in. “I want more.”
“Halvor,” she called.
“Tell me,” he said, ramming in deep, his body slapping her raw ass.
She yelped and arched her back.
“Tell me,” he repeated, his voice loud and deep. “That you won’t leave me.”
“No, no, never,” she yelled, for there was no one around to hear. “I will never do that.”
“And you will never stop sharing my bed.”
“No, no, I won’t… stop that.”
“My seed is coming,” he said. “You are mine, forever, woman.”
He roared out his pleasure, a primitive sound punctuated with the thrusting of his hips.
She held her breath and took him. If he hadn’t been holding her tight, her body would have been shunted forward, well past the rock, owing to the force of his pounding.
“Ah, ah,” he gasped, cupping her ass cheeks. “I will make you with child many times over. You will always be with me.”
“She will not!”
Duna started at the sudden roaring voice at her left.
Halvor withdrew. “What?”
She turned, blinked, and staggered backward.
Charging over the small cove, sword raised, was Esca.
Esca?
Was he a ghost?
He wore a leather tunic and breeches, black boots, and his arms were bare. He roared as he lunged at Halvor and it was clear he was very much alive.
Esca’s not dead.
Halvor, naked, stepped to the right to avoid him.
Esca stumbled slightly as the weight of his sword landed heavily onto the sand. “Do not fear, Duna, I have come to save you from this Nordic savage.”
“Esca!” she shouted. “No!”
He dropped his attention down her naked body, then lifted his sword and charged at Halvor again.
Halvor had his dagger in his hand.
“No,” she gasped, lunging for her dress. Quickly she tugged it on. “Halvor, please, don’t hurt him.”
Halvor threw her a scowl. “Stay back, stay back or you will be punished again for disobedience.”
“You brute,” Esca said, jabbing the sword at Halvor. “You beat her.”
Halvor quickly dodged it, circled behind Esca, and kicked him in the center of his back.
Esca catapulted forward. He released his sword, which flew to the left disturbing a puff of sand, then fell flat on his face. Quickly he turned onto his back.
Halvor was there with his dagger, and in an instant he had it angled at Esca’s throat.
Esca froze. His eyes widened.
“Halvor, no, that’s my friend Esca.” Duna rushed forward. “Don’t hurt him.”
“Don’t hurt him?” Halvor was breathing fast, the air snorting from his nose. “He just tried to kill us.”
“Not her,” Esca managed. “Only you, for stealing her away from me.”
Halvor snarled. “She’s mine now.”
“Not by choice. You can’t hold her prisoner.”
The dagger drew a drip of blood.
“Stop, please, I beg you.” Duna tugged on Halvor’s arm. “Do not hurt him, please. He’s my friend.”
Halvor seemed to finally hear her. He frowned and lifted the dagger, but kept it aimed at Esca. “Your friend?”
“Yes.” She gave him a shove, surprised when he moved a pace away, and dropped to her knees. “Esca, what are you doing here?”
“I came for you, to save you from a life as a slave.”
She took his hand. “Oh, Esca. You have traveled far.”
“Yes. I used all my coins to buy passage then have spent many months asking around, searching for you.” He sat and eyed Halvor who was pulling on his breeches. “And then I find you and he is raping you.”
“I was not.” Halvor set his hands on his hips.
“You cannot deny it.” Esca stood and glanced at his sword some ten paces away. “I heard Duna shouting no, crying out, screaming for you to stop. I have seen the savagery of your Norseman ways. There’s no defense.”
“I am not a rapist.” Halvor took a step toward Esca and pointed at him. “And you would do well not to accuse me of such.”
Duna quickly set herself between them. Esca didn’t stand a chance against her husband; he would squash the smaller man like a gnat. She set her hand on both of their chests.
“Please, stop,” she said. “Esca, you don’t understand.”
“I understand perfectly, and I know I am not a Viking warrior, but if this savage here would care to fight again, I will do my best for your honor.”
“Her honor?” Halvor said. “What is that to you?”
“She is my betrothed.”
“No, Esca, you don’t understand,” Duna said. “I never agreed to marry you and…”
“This man wanted to marry you?” Halvor said, his voice full of disbelief.
“And I still do.” Esca tipped his chin and scowled at Halvor.
Halvor tipped his head back and laughed, a big bellow of a sound, which filled the valley and rolled up the hills.
“What is funny?” Esca demanded.
“You, you are.” Halvor slipped his arm around Duna’s waist, tugged her to his side, then looked down at her. “Do you really think you could handle this woman?”
“I will provide well for her
.”
“She is wild, like a feral cat, disobedient too, not to mention far too clever for a wench. And her cooking, it could kill you.”
“Hey!” Duna said, enjoying the playful sparkle in her husband’s eyes. He was teasing her. “You make me sound like a terrible wife.”
“Wife!” Esca said, his mouth dropping open.
“Aye, we are married.” Halvor swept his lips over Duna’s.
“It can be annulled. You do not have to put up with these Viking savages, Duna. The Lord will understand that your hand was forced.”
“But it wasn’t.” Duna smiled at Esca. “I wanted to marry Halvor, indeed I suggested it.”
Esca blinked rapidly and shook his head. “You suggested it?”
“Aye,” Halvor said, “told you, stubborn woman wouldn’t let me take her to bed until I said the vows.”
Surprise washed over Esca’s face. “Is this true?”
“Yes, despite looking like an overbearing Nordic savage, this husband of mine is actually a soft soul. He cares for me, protects me, and has provided well for the winter ahead.”
Esca puffed up his cheeks and blew out a breath. “I am lost for words.” He paused. “What am I to tell your father, Duna?”
“How is he?”
Esca shrugged and looked away.
“Tell me, please.” Was he ill? Had something befallen him? Her heart lurched.
“He remarried.”
“He did what?” Duna had hardly been able to believe the words that had come from Esca’s mouth.
“Mary McDoone lost her man Donald in the raid.” Esca threw a glare at Halvor. “So your father asked for her hand. He lives at her croft now near Broch Bay.”
“She has a big croft, backing onto the Laird’s land.”
“Yes, your father was well when I saw him last, though he grieves for you.”
“I… I am happy for him, if he is happy. Though I’m sorry he grieves so. Perhaps you can let him know that I am quite well.”
“You should come with me now and tell him yourself.” Esca nodded at Halvor. “Let me take this Shet Isle woman back to her homeland. She has no place here. It’s not her world.”
“No.” Halvor tightened his grip on her. “That is not going to happen.”
“She has family there, a life.”
“She has family here, a life, and…” He slid his palm over her belly. “And soon we are to have a child.” He kissed her softly. “We do not mind,” Halvor went on against her lips, “if we have a girl with her mother’s black as night hair, or a warrior son, we will love that child, and then we will have more. We have a big longhouse to fill with our children.”
Duna’s heart was overflowing with love, but she tore her attention from her husband and looked at Esca, willing him to understand. “I can’t go back to Shet Isle with you, Esca. My life is here now, I am happy.”
“You can’t be… not with a man who stole you away in the middle of the night. A man who has held you captive for many months and—”
Halvor held up his hand. “You should stop talking of my wife leaving; if you can hold your tongue on that subject I might invite you to cross the threshold into my longhouse to take ale, food, and shelter after your journey.”
Esca ran his hand over his hair and looked between Halvor and Duna. “This is so much to take on, to understand.”
“But you must,” Duna said. “Please.”
Esca nodded. “I will try.” He paused. “And thank you. I would be glad of your hospitality.”
“It is simple to understand,” Halvor said, tugging Duna close. “This Celt woman was my captive, that is true. But as I said, Duna is not an easy wench to handle. She has many wily ways, and the truth is, my slave has in fact conquered me, and my heart. I cannot live without her.”
Chapter Twenty-One
Two years later
Duna added sage to the broth simmering in a pot over the fire. There was boar meat in it and she knew the flavors would please her husband—and pleasing Halvor was one of the main focuses of her life now, that and caring for their son, Toby.
She smiled as she hummed a gentle tune and set Toby’s small spoon and bowl to one side. He wouldn’t be joining them for dinner tonight because this eve was special.
It had been two full sets of seasons since their wedding day, and Toby had been invited to Nadir and Asmund’s croft for his first visit alone… overnight. Nadir adored Toby. She treated him as a grandson, and loved to make him clothes from the materials she sourced. Having him there for one night and two days, she’d said, would make it easier to measure him for his new outfits.
Duna could have made him clothes, and she did. But she got the feeling it was all a bit of an excuse for Nadir and Asmund to spend time with Toby. He was a delightful child, inquisitive and cheerful, and had his father’s Nordic looks, which would make life in this land easier for him growing up.
Misty scrabbled by the grain sacks in the corner and Duna turned. “Good boy, you get that mouse for me.” He was a hard-working cat, they had few problems with mice now; in fact she had to be sure to feed Misty regularly, otherwise he couldn’t sustain himself on the dwindling rodent population.
She glanced out of the window near the fire. It was a new one; she’d persuaded Halvor they needed two openings in the longhouse, the way she’d had in her cottage on Shet Isle. It allowed for a breeze in the summer, and made it easier for her to look out and keep an eye on Toby if she was busy cooking and he was toddling around outside.
There was no sign of Ivan and Halvor on the horizon, but she didn’t think they’d be long. It had been several hours since Halvor had set off with Toby sat before him, his tiny hands gripping the steed’s mane. And she knew Halvor would be keen to get back to her. Their coupling as man and wife was somewhat limited now that their son had a keen eye and slept so light a whisper of wind could wake him.
She remembered Halvor’s words the week before.
“I need to get my seed inside you more often, my beautiful Celt. I wish for us to have lots of children. More sons, a daughter too.”
So Nadir’s offer had come at the perfect time, and now Duna could hardly wait to get her hands on her husband’s naked body. She wanted to feel his touch, his kisses, and his cock. She wanted pleasure over and over. It had been too long since she’d heard his primitive roar of release.
Just thinking about what was to come had her cunny trembling, and anticipating an imminent release of pleasure moistened her undergarments.
“Hurry, my love,” she said, sipping from her cask of ale. “I need you.”
She stirred the broth and smoothed her hand over her ass cheeks. It had been a few months since she’d had a spanking, and that had been for dropping an entire basket of eggs. She’d been in too much of a hurry to put her boots on to go outside and stood on a sharp stone and stumbled. Halvor had been most unhappy, and while Toby had been playing with Misty on his bed, Duna had been taken to the barn and tipped over Halvor’s knee. She’d been punished with twenty sound slaps to each buttock, each one so hot and sharp, tears had poured down her cheeks.
Since then she’d had no need to be punished.
Glancing out of the window again, a thrill went through her. Ivan was galloping her way with Halvor atop him. They were only a speck on the horizon but would rapidly become bigger.
She pushed her freshly washed hair behind her ears and rushed to fill Halvor’s cask with ale. He’d be thirsty after his ride.
After adding two more logs to the fire, she adjusted the position of a cup of red roses on the table next to the butter bowl, then swept some crumbs from the floor.
Her entire body was tingling. She wondered about stripping off her clothes, so she would be ready for him. But as that thought came to her, the sound of Ivan’s hooves clattered around the yard.
He’s here.
She straightened, smoothed her dress, and licked her lips.
Halvor must have seen to Ivan in record time because he quick
ly appeared at the door.
Silhouetted by the bright sunlight outside, his shoulders nearly touched the frame and he had to stoop a little to get under it.
Duna couldn’t help a tremble of nerves. Her husband was a passionate man with many needs and strength that continued to amaze her. And right now, she knew all of his attention, all of that power and desire, was focused on her.
“On your knees, woman,” he commanded, stepping in and discarding a fur cape that had sat around his shoulders. It landed on the floor with a soft whump.
“Yes, Master.” She did as he’d instructed, her knees settling on a woven rug she kept before the hearth. He appeared even bigger from this angle.
He strode over to her, his long paces covering the space between them fast. As he walked he reached for the button on his breeches and released it. “I have thought of you the entire way back to our home.”
“And I you, while you’ve been gone.”
He shoved at his breeches and undergarments and released his cock. “We have a long night ahead of us.”
“Yes. That pleases me.” His erect cock was level with her face. She swallowed as saliva pooled on her tongue.
“And me… but first.” He cupped her chin. “Open your mouth, I intend to fuck it.”
She didn’t reply, instead she stretched her jaw wide.
“Good.” He fed his cock tip onto her tongue.
She stared up at his face as his flavor spread. He was looking down at her with an almost desperate expression.
Although she was on her knees, taking his cock as his submissive, a sense of power came over her. The knowledge that she could get her mighty warrior husband so impatient, frantic almost, with his need to claim her was as seductive as any aphrodisiac.
“Aye, that’s it, more.” He pushed in further, cupping the back of her head to keep her where he wanted her.
Duna hugged his shaft with her tongue, widening her jaw until it ached.
He gritted his teeth and hissed out a breath.
Reaching forward, she rested her hands on his wide thighs; his flesh was warm, beneath it his muscles tense.
