Passion and Sand 3: Empire of Desires

by Andromeda -

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  The morning of her trials, Alina reached a hand out to the side of her bed, as if to feel Eryx, but she knew, of course, he would not be there. He would have snuck out early in the morning to avoid the servants who would come to attend to her. With a sigh, she sat up, rubbing her eyes as she remembered last night. How she wished to enter into a lover’s embrace with him…but she was afraid of what her mother would say. Yet, now was not the time. She had to focus.

  Getting up from the bed, she walked to the large tub of water that the servants had already filled for her. The moment she took off her clothes and stepped inside to bathe herself, servants appeared to make up her bed and bring her the morning meal.

  She wasn’t going to eat with her family, as it wasn’t the custom, but then again, she figured it would be better. She needed to focus.

  After she had both bathed and eaten, a white gown was laid out on her bed, which she pulled over her head, and though she hated it, her hair was braided into an elaborate style. She would go barefoot and was only allowed to bring one weapon with her. For a moment, she thought about what to bring and then settled on a small dagger. It was not her best weapon; though she was competent with it.

  Then, she was led out of her chambers, out of the palace to the front of the stairs where a large white horse was waiting for her. Her father held the reins and he offered her a comforting smile before he helped her up on it, then began to lead her out of the city.

  People lined the streets, yet they all were silent, watching this girl who wished to be claimed as a warrior, not a prissy little girl. It made them respect her even more. The children of former slaves, gladiators, and members of Germanic tribes seeking asylum from Rome, who had stolen their lands. Within themselves, they had created a culture all their own, a culture that respected strength and strong wills. They had to be strong, as it was the only way they could resist Rome.

  When Alina and her father left the city, the people followed them and the congregation did not stop walking until they were deep in the woods. Kaiser helped her down and then looked to the priest, who was going to perform the trials. He held a drinking horn in his hand made of gold and engraved with sacred runes. Inside was a thick tea that she would drink.

  Made from fermented apples, special herbs and a sacred type of mushroom, it would send her into a trance-like sleep, in which she entered the spirit world. She would see visions, she would be tempted to stay, but she had to find her way out before time was up. If she stayed too long, then she would never see the light of the real world ever again.

  The priest’s face was painted white, and he stepped forward with the horn. “Princess Alina,” he said in a loud, booming voice. “You stand before the gods and are about to enter into their kingdom. Are you ready?”

  “I am,” Alina said, her head held high.

  He held out the horn to her, which she took with a firm grasp, opened her mouth and began to drink from it. She had to swallow it all, though she tried to not gag at the lumps she felt going down her throat. When it was gone, however, it acted instantly, and she fainted in her father’s arms.

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  Alina’s eyes flew open as she looked around, her heart thudding in her chest. She was lying in a field of soft grass, yet no one was around. Not only that, but it was dusk, a significant difference from when she started, which was in the early morning light.

  She slowly stood up, though almost the moment she did, a great wind blasted from the skies, splitting the clouds as rain began to pour from the heavens. A great roar filled the air. A roar so mighty that it seemed to shake the earth.

  Fear danced up her spine. Her hand went to her side as she realized she still had her dagger. Not one to run away from a challenge, she held her head high as she walked towards the roaring.

  A great beast stood in the center of a strange circle of stones, and every time it roared, lightning flashed and thunder rumbled from above. She frowned, though from what she considered the beast could not hear her from this distance and how loud he was being. So, she snuck up behind it, as best as she could, raised the dagger and plunged it into its side.

  The beast roared in pain.

  Quickly, she jumped back, her fists raised as she was prepared to fight for her life if need be. But the beast turned and looked at her before it erupted into a blast of smoke. The rain stopped, but the wind continued. She frowned, yet as she looked around, she saw that sacred runes were carved into the stones that circled her. Yet, as she reached out to touch one, she sensed someone behind her.

  Quickly, Alina turned around and found herself face to face with a middle-aged woman. She had long blond hair and was dressed in a gown of white and gold. On her shoulder was a small cat, and at her side was a quite bigger one. It took Alina only a couple of moments to realize she was face to face with a goddess.

  “Lady Freya,” Alina said to the goddess.

  The woman’s lips curved into a wry smile. “So, you heard of me, good. Not all of my children know when I am near.”

  “My father taught me of his ways,” Alina answered. “My mother of hers.”

  “And I sense you identify more with your father,” the goddess said. “Interesting.”

  “Might I ask why you are here?” Alina asked.

  The cat that stood by the goddess’s side began to circle her as if she was a small bird ready to be pounced upon.

  “I have an interest in you,” the goddess answered. “I have watched you almost from the moment you were within your mother’s womb and have known you would be special.”

  “What do you mean?” Alina asked.

  “You, my child, will bring down Rome,” the goddess answered.

  Alina’s eyes widened. “Me?”

  “Indeed. In fact, it shall be your arrow that signals your armies of its sacking,” the goddess said.

  “A-Armies?” she stammered.

  Freya waved her hand and the ground moved under them until they were in a forest. Alina looked around as people dressed in white and blue war paint emerged from the shadows and circled them.

  “You will go to the East,” the goddess said. “Go to the west and form your armies. You will bring Rome’s greatest enemies together to form a great hand that will smite all of Rome.”

  Freya waved her hand again, and suddenly, they were within a burning city. Women were screaming, men were yelling, children were wailing. Buildings were being toppled, foreign soldiers ran about with their stolen treasures and in the middle of this, in the middle of the city stood a woman. Her long light-brown hair was loose about her shoulders and fell down her back. She was dressed in light armor, the armor of Germania and held a golden bow in her hands. She was shouting orders to the soldiers around them, and when she turned around, Alina’s eyes widened.

  It was herself.

  She was older, but she knew who the woman was almost instantly.

  “This is one spoke on your wheel of fortune,” Freya said to the younger version of Alina.

  “One spoke?” Alina asked. “I have another version?”

  Freya nodded and waved her hand. The scene before them changed to a small couple sitting in a field of grass on a bright and sunny day. The woman was on top of the man, and the deep moans and soft breathing told her all she needed to know of what they were doing. Yet, when the woman tilted her head back in ecstasy, Alina saw that it was herself, and the man… She had to get a second look; it was Eryx.

  Eryx rolled the vision of her over so that she was on her back and lifted her leg, wrapping it around his waist as he moved within his lover, his lips pressing upon her own.

  This is all she ever wanted: to be in his arms, to know for them to be together. Yet, in the back of her mind, she sensed that all would not be as she saw.

  “What does this mean?” she asked, tearing herself away from her dream.

  “This is another spoke on her wheel,” Freya answered. “You will marry your lover and you will grow old togeth
er.”

  “I sense there is a downside to this,” Alina said.

  “You will be childless,” Freya said. “You will let your lover between your thighs night after night, but his seed will never plant in your womb.”

  Tears pricked her eyes. Children were one thing Eryx always wanted. He spoke of it often and told her that he wanted her to be the one who carried them. This revelation hurt her, yet she sensed this was not all.

  “What of Rome?” she asked. “What of my parents’ kingdom?”

  “Freiundedel will be free. The gods have blessed it to be so,” Freya answered. “Yet, it would be forced to watch as its allies and the people around it, would fall under the heel of Rome.”

  “No,” Alina said quickly. “I cannot let that be.”

  “Then you wish for the future of blood and fire?” Freya answers. “Do you know what that entails?”

  “Tell me! Please!” Alina begged.

  “You must give up your love,” Freya answered. “You must give yourself to another. You will have his children, so many of his children, and through you, a new line shall be founded. With him, you will bring Rome to its knees.”

  “But…I must give up the love of my life,” Alina said, her voice low.

  She looked back to the young couple, watching as they made love to each other. What she was, was all she ever wanted: to be in the arms of Eryx without fear. Yet, in her mind, she knew that she must do what was right for her people. As a princess, she could not be selfish. She had to put her people first.

  Freya waved her hand and two paths appeared, one of fire and one of passion. She looked back to the couple and heard future her give a cry of release before she looked back to the paths. With a deep breath, she stepped forward.

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  Alina’s eyes flew open as she inhaled deeply, swallowing the sweet air of the real world. At first, everything was blurry, but then, after several moments, it became clear and she was able to see. All around her she saw her people and her father smiling down at her and it was then she knew that she had come back.

  Carefully, they helped her up, though she locked her legs to not fall over as she knew that would disgrace her. Holding her head, she cleared her throat and looked at the people around her.

  “I have seen the goddess, Freya,” she said in a loud, clear voice. “And she has shown me a great vision for our city!”

  They cheered, and her father smiled at her as he wrapped his arms around her in a firm and warm fatherly hug. Ayanna hugged her daughter tightly, so happy to have her in the land of the living, but when she looked into her eyes, she saw that something seemed to be wrong.

  Chapter Three

  Eryx walked briskly down the hallways of the palace as he headed to Alina’s chambers. His face was twisted into a deep frown, as he walked towards his goal.

  It had been almost a month since Alina’s trials, and though he had been happy she had passed them, he was also angry that she had been avoiding him. She had been mainly with her father, in meetings, though every time he tried to talk to her, she brushed him off.

  Well, it was late that night, and he knew she would be in her chambers alone. Perfect time for a little talk.

  The guards posted at her door knew who he was and stepped aside for him to enter when they saw him. Alina sat up instantly when the door was opened, and her eyes looked at him. He stood there a moment, looking at her small body in the large bed, and then crossed the room in three strides.

  His lips pressed to hers, and he sighed when he felt her fingers reach up and tangle in his long, black hair. She pulled him on top of her and molded her body against his own as they kissed hungrily. Yet, when he tried to put his hand between her legs, she pulled away.

  “Eryx, wait,” she whispered softly. “Eryx, listen to me…”

  He frowned. His blood was humming at the scent of her perfume, and he wanted to feel her warm wetness again, yet he respected her wishes and pulled himself away.

  “Why have you been ignoring me?” he demanded. “Tell me.”

  She sighed and ran her fingers through her hair. “Look, I’m sorry about that. I…I didn’t mean to, it’s just…”

  “You haven’t been the same since you came back from your trials,” he said, crossing his arms. “Tell me, what happened?”

  She swallowed. Alina knew the news would hurt him, but she could not lie to him. So, she told him everything.

  For a moment, all was silent, and then he stood and walked to her window to look at the moon. It was a clear sky tonight. The moon was shining down and the stars twinkled in the far distance.

  “So,” he said after several minutes of quiet, “to help your people…to stop Rome, you must give me up.”

  “That is what the goddess said,” she said sadly from the bed. “I must marry another.”

  “I say do it,” Eryx said quickly.

  Alina looked up. This was not the answer she expected. She thought he would rant and rave, be furious and deny leaving her side. “W-what? Why?” she asked.

  “Because you are a princess,” he answered simply, looking at the moon. “Your duty is to your people, your heart next.”

  He heard her get up and felt her arms around his waist moments later. His body relaxed at her touch, though he stood almost a foot taller than she was.

  “You are my heart,” she whispered to him. “And I do not ever wish to give that up…”

  He felt her hands move, traveling down further, and a warm palm wrapped around his length. Instantly, he began to harden, his breath hissing out at her touch as her hand began to move in a massaging way.

  “I will do what I need for my people,” she said, her hand not stopping. “But I will never, ever give you up.”

  “Your husband…your husband might not like that,” he whispered, his voice thick as he got lost in the feel of her hand.

  “Then I will make it clear to my husband who is in charge,” she responded.

  He turned around quickly and looked down at her, seeing those blue eyes darken with desire. “You are making it really…really hard for me from taking your virginity…”

  “There are plenty of other things we can do,” she said, a smirk on her lips. “And right now, all I want to feel, to taste and hear, is you.”

  Grinning, he reached down and picked her up. Instantly, her legs wrapped around his waist as she pressed her lips to his. Groaning softly into the kiss, he carried her to the bed, all other thoughts forgotten.

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  “Alina?” Kaiser said as his daughter entered the library. “Can you come here, please?”

  Alina looked up and saw her father at his usual spot in the library: a desk by the window where he could both see his kingdom and what lay beyond it. Every time she looked at him, she saw a male version of herself. She was more like him than she was her mother, and kind of liked it that way.

  Kaiser spoiled his daughter, giving her virtually anything that she wanted and would do anything for her. He knew that Eryx came to her chambers, yet did not have sex. He did not see anything wrong with it. After all, it was Artemus’ son, his best friend, and he knew that the young man would treat her right. When Ayanna found out about this at first, she was furious, but after Kaiser had spent all night between her thighs, she seemed to be all right with it. For now.

  “Yes, Papa?” she said as she walked over and kissed his temple. “Can I help you with something?”

  “Yes, you can,” Kaiser said with a smile. “I have been meaning to travel to meet with our neighbors, the Vandals, for some time now. They have asked me to come for a meeting with their king for some time, but I have constantly put it off. I believe we should go soon. Would you be interested in coming with me?”

  Alina nodded with a smile, excitement shining in her eyes. Though Bo was the heir, even though she was oldest by a couple minutes, she loved it when her parents treated her like his equal. Most parents would highly favor the son, but not with her. Instead, they
raised her the exact same as they did Bo. She never understood why some people did that. After all, women could do virtually the exact same thing as men could, if not more.

  “I would love to,” she said with a grin. “When do we leave?”

  “I plan to leave maybe later this day,” Kaiser said. “We can stay the night and return in the morning. Does that sound all right with you?”

  Alina nodded. “Yes, Papa, it does! I shall go pack now!”

  He chuckled as he watched her run off, smiling at how much like him she was. He secretly hoped, however, that she did not have the same fortune as he did. Kaiser always wanted his children to be greater than what he was, so that was why Bo becoming the king of their kingdom was a big deal. Yet, he knew that he could not avoid the importance of Alina as well.

  There was another reason he wished for her to come with him to the Vandals, and that was marriage.

  Chapter Four

  The sun streamed down from the window of the Imperial Palace. In the great bed and behind the silken curtains lay the Emperor of Rome, and on his chest, pretending to be asleep, was Aurelia.

  The blond-haired woman was pretending to be asleep, as she always did in the morning. She knew the emperor liked to be the first one awake, so every morning, though she was the first one up, she would spend hours pretending to be asleep to wait for him to awake. It was amusing the first couple of mornings she did it; afterward, it just became annoying and boring.

  Yet, she knew that she had triumphed.

  She slept in the bed of the Emperor of Rome.

  She had done, what, in her mind, she was born to do.

  Though she would admit the sex was lacking. The emperor was not a great virile man. She figured that because he had only two children. But she did not need him for the sex. What she needed was for him to spend a couple nights between her thighs a month, then she would have the slaves take their turns.

  What she needed was their seed, and she was picky on who she chose. Only those who looked like the emperor would spend a night in her bed in the hopes of getting her with child.