Hakon's face was grim as he quickly wiped the bloodied blade of his sword on the ragged shirt of Svein's beheaded corpse, then slipped it into his scabbard. He ran to his mighty black stallion and hoisted himself up into the saddle. Pulling tightly on the reins, he wheeled the horse about and dug his booted heels into its glistening flanks. The stallion neighed loudly, tossing its proud head, then set off across the bank at a gallop.
Gwendolyn heard the pounding of hooves hitting the earth behind her, but she did not slow her pace. She raced on desperately, her heart beating fiercely against her chest. Suddenly Hakon reined in his stallion in front of her, startling her. She turned and ran back the other way. He caught up with her again, this time throwing his leg over the saddle and sliding to the ground. She turned abruptly, but not quickly enough. As she tried to run in the opposite direction, he took a flying leap and caught her about the waist
"Nay, leave me be!" Gwendolyn screamed, pommeling him with her clenched fists as she tried to break free of his hold. But it was too late. They tumbled on the ground together in a wild frenzy of flailing arms and legs, rolling over and over down a steep incline to the very edge of the grassy bank. Hakon caught her just before she went over the side into the icy waters of the fjord and pinned her arms above her head with one strong hand. She struggled mightily against him, kicking her slender legs and tossing her head from side to side. But he caught her chin with his other hand so that she faced him, then brought his lips down upon hers with crushing fury.
Gwendolyn gasped in breathless surprise. She ceased her struggles and suddenly lay still in his arms, overwhelmed by the fiery passion of his kiss. All thought of resisting him fled from her mind, and she met him measure for measure with bittersweet abandon. It seemed as if there was nothing else in the world but Hakon, herself, and the raging kiss they shared.
Hakon tore his mouth away and looked down at her, his blue eyes searching her face as if he were seeing her for the first time. "Gwendolyn," he murmured huskily, savoring the sound of her name upon his tongue. "Gwendolyn." He traced a finger gently down her cheek and across the soft curve of her lips. "You seem determined to try me, little one. I had gone to the hall to tell you all was in readiness for the voyage, and I learned from your sister that you had not yet returned from your walk. When I found that you had eluded your guards, and had gone out alone. . ." He shuddered, a tortured sigh escaping his throat. "To think I might have been too late!"
He bent his head and kissed her, tenderly at first, but then growing more possessive. "Nay, I cannot let you go," he whispered vehemently. "I love you, Gwendolyn . . . love you . . ." Gently he kissed away the tears that streaked her face, then released her arms and crushed her to him in an impassioned embrace.
Stunned, Gwendolyn exulted in her heart at his fervent words of love. Yet she could not help wondering why he had so cruelly denied her own admission those two weeks past. She sighed, wrapping her arms tightly about him. Whatever the reason, at least there was no longer any deception or pretense between them. All thoughts were soon chased from her mind, replaced by delicious sensation as Hakon's mouth blazed a trail of molten kisses down her creamy throat. His strong hands pulled aside the torn edges of her tunic, baring her perfectly rounded breasts to his scorching touch.
"It has been so long," he murmured thickly, breathing in the heavenly fragrance of her silver-blond hair, savoring the silky feel of her skin. "Too long . . ." His fingers found a nipple, taut and hardened by the cool breeze. He plied the pink-crested nub with deft, featherlight strokes, while his teeth nibbled at a delicate earlobe.
Gwendolyn moaned softly, writhing under his touch. It seemed her breasts were so much more sensitive now than before. She gasped in surprise as his hot mouth replaced his fingers, his tongue flicking a moist circle of flame around her raised nipple. "M-my lord!" she exclaimed softly, pulling away. "Surely someone will see us here! We are so close to the settlement!"
Hakon lifted his head, a smile fighting his handsome features, a wicked gleam in his eyes. He chuckled lustily. "So what if they do? No one will question the Jarl of Sogn!" At the shocked expression on her beautiful face, he laughed and rose to his feet, holding out his hands to her. "Come with me, Gwendolyn. I will find us a soft, secluded bed for our pleasure."
Her emerald eyes locked with his as she took his outstretched hands, a curved smile upon her lips. He lifted her gently to her feet, then easily swung her up in his strong arms and hugged her to his broad chest. A bright blush fired her cheeks as her tunic fell away, revealing once again her swollen breasts to his heated gaze. She saw his eyes cloud for a moment, and realized he was looking at the scar just below her left shoulder. She gasped in embarrassment and tried to cover it with the torn edge of her tunic.
"Nay, my love, 'tis a badge of honor," Hakon said, his deep voice catching from emotion. "Through it, you gave me life." His eyes burned into hers with unequaled intensity. "We are bound together for eternity, our lives entwined forever, as ordained by the gods."
Gwendolyn breathed a silent prayer to her own God, willing it to be so. She wrapped her slim arms about his neck as he walked up the steep slope toward a copse of trees not far from the glistening fjord. The low branches made a shaded shelter, while underneath the thick green grass looked soft and inviting.
"Our bed, my lady," Hakon murmured, kneeling down. He reached behind him with one hand and tore his scarlet cloak from his shoulders, then quickly spread it out upon the grass. He held her close within his arms and kissed her for a long, breathless moment, then laid her gently upon the silken cloak. Rising to his feet, he loosened his belt and dropped it to the ground. Then he pulled his dark blue tunic over his head, baring the great, muscled expanse of his bronzed chest to her admiring gaze. It took him but a few more seconds to kick off his leather boots and strip off his tight-fitting trousers.
"I take it my body pleases you," Hakon stated, a rakish smile of pleasure on his face.
"Aye, my lord, it pleases me very much," Gwendolyn admitted. Truly, Hakon was such a beautiful man! She longed to run her fingers through the thick mat of golden curls on his chest, and follow the golden line of hair down his taut, sculpted belly to his . . . God's blood! She could not believe how bold she had become!
Hakon threw back his head and laughed delightedly at her wanton perusal, seeming to read her mind. Before she knew it, he was lying beside her once again, drawing her slender body against his well-muscled length. "You are a temptress," he whispered huskily, his breath warm upon the skin of her throat as he traced a tender line of kisses upon her scar.
Gwendolyn trembled in his arms, overwhelmed with love for this man. She put her hands alongside his face and gently lifted his head from her shoulder. "I love you, Hakon. You are my life," she said softly. She touched his lips with her own in a sweet kiss.
Hakon could hold back the torrent of his raging desire no longer. Her kiss had unleashed in him the driving need to possess her completely, to find the aching release that only her soft, yielding body could afford him. His strong hands began to caress her silky skin, but he stopped when they came up against the linen material of her trousers.
"These must go." He grinned wickedly. His warm mouth moved lingeringly from the rapidly beating pulse point at her neck to between her breasts, then down the center of her ribs to her navel. He tickled the small hollow with his tongue, then grabbed the leather drawstring with his teeth and slowly pulled it loose. He easily slid the trousers from her slender hips and cast them aside.
Hakon groaned at the sight of her beautiful body, now fully bared to his gaze. She seemed slightly more rounded, more curved than he remembered. No matter, it only made her all the more lovely in his eyes. He covered her with his massive body, taking care not to crush her with his weight. His lips captured hers as his fingers found her most sensitive point, and he was not surprised to find she was ready for him.
Gwendolyn arched her back at the tempestuous waves of liquid passion coursing through her. She moved
instinctively against his hand, moaning, pleading for him to take her, but he stifled her cries with the fierceness of his kiss. Suddenly he rolled over onto his back and pulled her along with him. She gasped in surprise to find herself astride him.
Hakon gently caressed her breasts, teasing first one, then the other with his tongue. "I want to watch you, Gwendolyn," he said hoarsely, his eyes burning with hungry desire. His hands encircled the narrow span of her waist and lifted her up, then eased her down on the pulsating shaft of his erect manhood.
Gwendolyn cried out as he entered her and began to move within her, slowly at first, but then with greater urgency. She stretched her arms above her head with unbridled ecstasy, closing her eyes, then leaned far back, her hands grabbing the sinewy sides of his legs as he held her hips. Matching his sensuous movements with her own, she cried out when his expert fingers found the swelling bud of her womanhood. She trembled uncontrollably, her body racked by such incredibly delightful sensations that she did not think she could take much more.
"Come with me . . . now, Gwendolyn, now," Hakon murmured thickly, pulling her to him, seizing her mouth with his own. His tongue thrust into her mouth, delving, searching, even as his throbbing manhood surged powerfully within her. She arched against him, driving him deeper and deeper within her. She felt as if she were spinning toward an unbelievable height of piercing, exploding sensation, until at last she shuddered against him, wave after molten wave of blinding ecstasy washing over her.
"Hakon!" she cried out, collapsing upon his chest in utter exhaustion, her head on his broad shoulder. He wrapped his arms about her and held her tenderly, stroking her silken, tousled curls as their breathing slowly returned to normal.
They lay there together for a long time, joined as one. Gwendolyn sighed contentedly. How she wished she could stay like that forever. It was so peaceful under the leafy shade of the rustling trees. The spring breezes wafted over her, cooling her skin. She stretched luxuriously, smiling, and looked at Hakon. But her smile quickly faded, a puzzled frown creasing her forehead. His head was turned to the side and he was staring far off into the distance, his expression grim.
"What is the matter, Hakon?" she asked softly, alarmed.
He seemed not to hear her. "I shall defy him," he whispered fiercely under his breath.
"Defy who?" Gwendolyn queried, but still he did not answer her. Why did she have this strange, unsettled feeling? She reached up and gently turned his head so he was facing her. He started at her touch, his blue eyes meeting hers. "Defy who, Hakon? Who are you speaking of?"
"Haarek Jarl," he replied, his voice low, determined. He suddenly lifted her from him and rolled over onto his side, holding her close within his arms. He then raised himself on one elbow and looked down at her, his eyes reflecting his serious intent. Though he had tried during the past two weeks to convince himself otherwise, Hakon knew now he could not live without her. But before he acted on his plan, he had to know for sure that it was her desire to stay with him.
"But why must you defy him?" Gwendolyn whispered.
Hakon lay a finger across her lips. "First answer me this, Gwendolyn," he murmured. "Is it your wish to forsake your homeland, and remain with me . . . as my wife?"
Gwendolyn gasped, but her emerald gaze was unflinching. "Aye," she said simply.
Hakon let out his breath, unaware that he had been holding it. A flood of joyful relief surged through him. "Now I shall answer your question. I must defy Haarek Jarl, for 'tis the only way that you and I may remain together." He drew her closer, his strong arm encircling her possessively. "I have sworn to him that I will return both you and Anora to England. But I must have given him reason to doubt me while I was in Trondheim, for he has sent two warships to accompany us on this journey to see that I do not disobey his orders. Even now they await us at the mouth of the Sogn."
He paused, a flash of defiance in his eyes. "But I do not intend to carry out those orders," he said vehemently. "We shall sail on the morrow as planned, and give Haarek's men the impression that all is as it should be. But only Anora will disembark from my ship when we reach your homeland. You will stay on board with me. Perhaps once Wulfgar Ragnarson sees that she is safe, it will dissuade him from any thoughts of war." His brows knitted with concern. "Do you think your sister would be willing to explain to Wulfgar and your father that you have decided to stay with me . . . that it is by your own free choice?"
Gwendolyn nodded, a smile curving her lips. "Aye, she would. She knows already of my love for you. I cannot wait to tell her of my happiness!"
Hakon stared in awe at her radiant beauty. Thor, to think that she was to be his, at last! "Perhaps one day we will be able to return to England, and make amends to your family for our hasty departure," he said softly. Then his expression darkened. "If we can outsail the two warships Haarek Jarl has sent to accompany us on this journey, we will head for Dublin, or perhaps Normandy."
Gwendolyn's smile faded, her eyes clouding with confusion. "We would not sail for Norge? But you are the Jarl of Sogn, Hakon!"
"Nay," Hakon replied grimly. "If I break my vow to Haarek, I shall be Jarl of Sogn no longer. I shall never be able to return to my homeland again. To do so would be the cruelest folly. I would bring his vengeful wrath upon not only myself, but also upon my clan. I cannot risk their lives for the sake of my own happiness. If I do not return, they will be safe." He bent his head and brushed his lips against hers. "Yet I would not mind my exile so much knowing you were by my side."
So, that was why Hakon had denied her love, Gwendolyn thought. Suddenly it was all becoming very clear to her, horribly clear. Berta had once told her that a Viking's vow to his liege lord could not be broken without facing the fiercest consequences. Now Hakon was willing to do just that . . . and all because he loved her!
An awful thought struck Gwendolyn. "But what will happen if we cannot outsail the warships?"
"That is unlikely, for my longship is far more seaworthy than those larger vessels," Hakon tried to reassure her. Indeed, it was unlikely, he thought, but there was a chance that it could happen. He had hoped she would not ask him this, but he decided it was best she knew the truth. "If we were caught and we could not fight off Haarek's warriors, we would be taken prisoner. You, of course, would be returned to your family in England."
"And you, my lord?" Gwendolyn whispered fearfully, though she could already sense his answer. "What would happen to you?"
"I would be taken back to Norge, and tried at Haarek Jarl's court as a traitor to my people. There is only one sentence for that crime: death."
Gwendolyn shuddered in his arms. The thought that there was the slightest chance that he might die was more than she could bear. "Nay, Hakon, surely there must be another way!" she cried out, her mind racing.
But Hakon shook his head. "I can think of no other, little one," he said softly. He traced a finger tenderly down the side of her face, entwining it in a silken curl. "I have almost lost you too many times already. Do not try to spare me from what may happen by insisting I return you to your homeland. I will not do it. I cannot live without you, Gwendolyn, nor can I believe the gods have brought us through so much only to tear us apart again. If I must face the possibility of death, then so be it." He sealed his words with a searing kiss that took Gwendolyn's breath away
Hakon lifted his head, a rakish grin on his handsome face. All seriousness was forgotten, at least for a while. "I would that we remain in this shady bower, my love. If I had known there were such beautiful forest nymphs running about half clothed, I would have made this my bed every night! But we must make our way back to the settlement. If we linger any longer, no doubt they will sound an alarm and come looking for us." He laughed as he thought of the look on Olav's face if his helmsman found them beneath this tree! He rose to his feet and held out his hand to her.
Gwendolyn could not help but smile at his teasing, yet her heart ached at the thought of what was to come. "Aye, my lord," she replied, as lightly as she
could. She took his hand and he pulled her gently to her feet, then drew her into his arms. She rubbed her cheek against the soft golden hairs on his chest, breathing in the warm, male scent of him. They stood together for a long moment, looking out across the mirrored surface of the fjord, each lost in thought.
Hakon at last broke the silence between them. "We must go," he murmured, brushing a light kiss against her fair forehead. They drew on their clothes, and he wrapped his scarlet cloak about her delicate shoulders. He then strode over to his stallion, which was munching contentedly on some wild grasses not far away, and led it to where Gwendolyn was waiting.
Lifting her easily onto the saddle, Hakon put his foot in the stirrup and hoisted himself up behind her. Holding one arm protectively about her, he took the reins in his hands. He made a clicking noise to his stallion and they were off, galloping like the wind across the grassy bank of the fjord toward the settlement.
Chapter 42
Gwendolyn stared out across the sparkling waters of the fjord, watching as the settlement receded farther into the distance with every stroke of the oars. Most of the Viking warriors who had gathered near the docks to see them off had already gone back to their longhouses, but she could still see Berta's stout figure standing alone on the shore. "I will truly miss her," she said softly to Anora, who stood beside her on the rear deck of the longship.
"Aye." Anora nodded, wiping away the tears that dimmed her eyes. "She was good to us."
Gwendolyn gently squeezed her sister's arm as both of them fell silent once again. She found it hard to believe this would be the last time she would ever see the settlement. It had become a part of her life, women into the very fabric of her relationship with Hakon. She had experienced not only the greatest sorrow and heartache there, but also the greatest joy she had ever known.
Twin Passions Page 33
