How The Warrior Fell (Falling Warriors series Book 1)

by Nicole René

“Do not question me again, brother,” Xavier warned, his eyes telling of the promised danger if Tristan were to do so.

  Turning his back on Tristan, Xavier marched up the hill to go get his wife.

  “You’re making a mistake, Xavier!” Tristan yelled at Xavier’s back angrily.

  Xavier’s steps paused, his fist clenching.

  “She’s going to be your downfall.”

  Xavier cocked his head and met Tristan’s eyes. Tense moments passed before Xavier turned back around and continued walking away.

  IT TOOK THREE days of hard riding to reach their destination. The only moments of respite Leawyn was granted was when they stopped for their horses so they may drink water and eat. Leawyn and her horse, Deydrey, were unused to this type of traveling, and Leawyn was worried the ride would be too much for her beloved mare. But Deydrey seemed to enjoy the run, which eased Leawyn’s worry.

  The only blessing of this whole adventure was the fact Leawyn did not have to be around her husband. In fact, she hardly saw him. Their company was about fifty men, and Leawyn was instructed to ride in the middle so that she was surrounded on all sides. Protected. Since the speed they were traveling hardly left room for conversation, Leawyn kept to herself. Even though Leawyn was happy to be away from her husband, she was sick of riding. Which was why when Xavier finally did call a stop, Leawyn sighed in relief.

  With sore thighs and a numb bottom, Leawyn held back her groan as her feet touched solid ground. After taking a few minutes to stretch and try to bring feeling back into her limbs, she turned her attention to her horse and began the process of unsaddling her. She was in the middle of trying to lift the saddle with shaky arms when it was suddenly plucked out of her hands and set down on the ground.

  Surprised, Leawyn whirled around, only to stare into the intricate design of a breastplate armor. Tilting her head back, Leawyn stared into the dark eyes of her husband.

  She glanced away from his stare and down to her saddle. Quickly coming out of her shock, Leawyn gave Xavier a timid grateful smile.

  “Thank you,” Leawyn said, brushing a strand of her blond hair behind her ear in a nervous gesture.

  “You’re welcome,” Xavier said gruffly.

  He placed his hands on her slim hips, resting them there. Leawyn tensed, glancing over his shoulder to see his men were further up, busy setting up the camp. Meaning that Leawyn and Xavier were alone.

  Xavier tightened his grip on her waist, his thumb brushing against her hip bone before he gently nudged her aside and stepped forward to finish what was left in order to unsaddle her horse.

  She released the breath she didn’t know she was holding and stared at Xavier’s back for a moment in perplexity.

  “I can do it,” Leawyn protested, not wanting him to think her helpless. “You don’t need to—”

  “I want too,” he interrupted her, staring into her eyes. Taking in her startled expression, he turned away from her and looked down at her horse’s coat instead.

  “I had a tent set up for you—us,” he amended. “I know you must be tired. Go in and rest for a while.” He glanced over his shoulder at her once more, meeting her blue eyes with his brown as she regarded him.

  “Go.” He turned his back on her again, his attention back to his task. “I’ll finish here.”

  Leawyn hesitated, watching him groom her mare. Not knowing what else to say, and not wanting to offend him because of his rare act of kindness, she turned on her heel in a daze and slowly made her way to the camp, all the while thinking, what just happened?

  Once Leawyn made it to the encampment, she came to stop, realizing she had no idea where she was supposed to go. She was in such a confused daze, she didn’t think to ask Xavier which tent she was supposed to rest in. Since there was no way she was going to go back to her husband and ask, she was left standing where she was, looking like an idiot. Her shoulders slumped as she released a tired sigh.

  “You look lost.”

  Leawyn whipped her head up and stared at Tristan as he made his way towards her, his lips tilted up in an amused smirk. She smiled, embarrassed. “Was I that obvious?”

  “I’m afraid so.” Tristan chuckled and Leawyn grimaced. “Then again, ‘tis not often we see a woman in our camp,” he added.

  “I believe it.” She sighed as she looked around at her surroundings. She watched Xavier’s men as they built small fires, unloaded their horses, and settled in to relax after their long ride. She shook her head, turning her attention back to Tristan.

  “What am I doing here, Tristan?” she asked him quietly, searching his eyes. “Why did he bring me here?”

  “Come,” he said instead of answering, grabbing her small arm and leading her away. “I’ll show you your tent.”

  Knowing he was not going to answer her, Leawyn sighed dejectedly and let Tristan lead her away.

  He stopped just outside a rather large green tent, pulled aside the front flap, and gestured for her to go in. Taking a step forward, Leawyn ducked her head down and looked around in wonder at the lavish tent.

  In the middle was a large table littered with maps and knickknacks, no doubt marking out the land around them. Leawyn could see a small basin of water, the steam rising from it indicated it was still warm. There was a bed pallet in the far corner covered in thick animal skins with pillows littered all around it. Thick rugs covered the floor, and torch stands were spaced sporadically around the tent, creating a soft glow. It was a tent meant for the leader, and all in all looked fairly comfortable.

  It made Leawyn feel a bit guilty to know she was able to sleep comfortably while the other men were left to sleep outside on the ground and in the cold.

  She turned to thank Tristan, only to find he wasn’t there.

  She frowned. She was a bit put out he stuck around long enough to show her the way but didn’t bother to tell her goodbye.

  She didn’t have long to think of that fact. Xavier stepped through the tent opening. He let the fabric used as the entrance of their tent slowly slide from his fingers as he slowly straightened.

  Leawyn felt a sudden sense of déjà vu when he took a step toward her, staring at her intently. She unconsciously took a step back and instantly regretted it when his eyes flashed angrily. She braced herself when he marched towards her, knowing he was going to punish her for retreating from him.

  But instead of grabbing her and forcing himself on her as she expected him to, he simply walked past her to the wash bin. She stared at him as he calmly grabbed the rag and started to run it over his face and down his arms.

  “I’m going away for a few days,” Xavier told her. “You are to stay here.”

  “Why did you bring me here, only for you to leave me? Why couldn’t I stay behind in the village?”

  His expression darkened. “So that you could find comfort in another man’s arms?”

  Leawyn recoiled, insulted. “I wouldn’t—”

  “I don’t trust you,” Xavier said bluntly, cutting her off. “And the only man I trust to ensure that doesn’t happen is here. Tristan will be your keeper while I’m gone.”

  Leawyn bristled at the term “keeper.” It was as if she were an insolent child. She wisely kept her mouth shut, knowing any remark she made would only rouse his anger.

  “How long will you be away?” she tentatively asked instead. “We only just got here.”

  Xavier threw the rag back into the water with a small splash. He crossed his arms as he turned to face her.

  “I am to scout ahead,” he told her tensely. He eyed her, watching her expression closely. “I don’t know how long I’ll be gone. It might be a few days to a week.”

  Leawyn tried not to show the small spark of hope that ignited inside her, even knowing he was gauging her reaction. If he were to leave for a few days, it would be the perfect time to try and escape.

  She could finally be free of him and this trapped life.

  “That is unfortunate,” Leawyn murmured.

  Xavier only smirked.
“My dear, sweet wife,” Xavier said in a silky voice that instantly put Leawyn on alert. “Do you think me stupid?”

  Xavier raised his hand to cup her cheek. He stared into her blue eyes, feeling her tense when he moved his hand to grip the nape of her neck.

  “I know exactly what this opportunity presents,” Xavier said, his other hand snaking up her throat.

  His eyes turned icy, his grip on her neck tightened as he used his thumb to push down on her throat, forcibly titling her head back. “Know that if you tried to escape, not only will you not get very far . . .”

  Leawyn whimpered when his grip became unbearably painful. He slowly cut off her air supply when he applied more pressure with his thumb. She closed her eyes at the feel of his beard scraping across her cheek, feeling his lips touch her ear.

  “But you also won’t like the consequences if I find out you tried to escape me,” he whispered severely.

  He pulled away from her, and before Leawyn could comprehend what was happening, he lifted her so she was flush against him. She let out a pained groan when her back met the large wooden beam holding up their tent.

  “You’re mine,” Xavier growled. The sound of his belt unbuckling made Leawyn tense, and she felt the slick head of his length brush her thigh as he yanked her skirts up. A moment later, he pushed himself inside her with a hard thrust. His grip bruised her thighs as he held them around his waist and thrust himself in and out of her in fast, jerky movements.

  “You belong to me.”

  Leawyn cried out as her back and head painfully hit the beam behind her with each thrust of his hips.

  “You’ll never escape me, never!” he snarled manically. He pounded into her at a furious pace, punishing her with his body for a long while until, finally, he stiffened. He buried his face into her neck until Leawyn felt his seed spill into her. His thrusts slowed, and then stopped.

  Xavier stepped back, and just as quickly he released his tight grip on her thighs so that she fell to the floor. He stared down at her seemingly without feeling as she crumbled around herself, her hair creating a barrier and hiding her tears as her shoulders shook.

  Xavier kneeled so his face was level with her head. She flinched when he calmly brushed her hair away from her cheek, turning her face toward him.

  “You’ll never escape me, Leawyn. Wherever you are, I’ll find you,” he promised, brushing a tear away. “You’re mine. I’ll kill anyone who tries to take you away from me,” he said softly, his voice laced with steel and possessiveness.

  With those parting words, he quickly rose to a standing position and left the tent, leaving Leawyn on the ground, shaking.

  In that moment, any doubts of Xavier not being heartless were wiped away.

  He was a monster, and he always would be.

  She was going to escape him.

  Even if it killed her.

  “Asten!” a twelve-year old Leawyn shouted after the sixteen-year-old boy. He simply laughed at her and spurred his horse faster, holding the book he had taken away from her in the air teasingly.

  Leawyn growled under her breath in annoyance.

  “Deydrey, faster!” Leawyn urged her young mare, using her thighs to kick her into action. Deydrey snorted and pounded her hooves on the sand quicker, catching up to the quarter horse in front of her.

  “Give it back!” Leawyn shouted at Asten when she and Deydrey pulled up beside his stallion.

  Asten simply smirked at her, his hazel eyes sparkling in mischief and humor.

  “You want this, do you?” he shouted back. His smirk grew at Leawyn’s angry “yes!”

  “Go get it then!” he said before he chucked it forward toward the crashing waves.

  Leawyn gasped in horror, watching the book sail high into the air. Asten’s laughter sounded behind her when she and Deydrey flew ahead of him.

  Without thinking, Leawyn stood up and threw herself off Deydrey’s back and into the air, catching the book before she crashed into the ocean.

  Deydrey instantly stopped when the mare felt her owner’s weight leave her, sliding in the sand with her haste.

  “Leawyn!” Asten yelled, pulling his horse to a hard stop and jumping off him. He rushed to the bank, ignoring the white of the water as it soaked his boots and pants. Leawyn gasped, her blonde hair sticking to her face as she spluttered.

  Asten stared at her drowned form before he burst out into heavy laughter. Leawyn scowled as she waddled to shore. “Oh yes, it’s very funny!” she snapped, swatting at him as she passed.

  Asten laughed harder, holding his sides as he bent forward. “You should have seen your face!” he managed to gasp out before his laughter continued.

  Leawyn rolled her blue eyes heavenward.

  “It’s not funny, stop laughing!” she yelled at him, muttering curses under her breath when Asten fell on the beach in laughter, not caring it got him wet.

  She angrily wrung out her shoulder-length hair and her skirts, watching as the ocean water made a small puddle in the sand.

  Straightening, her lips curled in distaste as she plucked a string of seaweed off her shoulder blade.

  “Gross,” Leawyn muttered. She looked down at the book she held in her hands and knew that despite her efforts to save it, the drawings were now swirling together and wouldn’t be readable.

  Leawyn bit her lip hard to keep from crying in her anger, and instead she marched to her waiting horse so she could leave. She was just about to mount when a hand latched onto her wrist and spun her around.

  “Hey!” Asten laughed. “Where are you going?”

  Leawyn’s eyes narrowed as she yanked herself out of his grip.

  “I’m going away from you!” she yelled and shoved her finger into his chest. “You—you—” Leawyn struggled for an adequate word to call him. “Oaf!”

  Asten’s eyebrows shot up into his hairline. “Oaf?”

  “You ruined my book!” She poked him again. “You ruined it, and now I’ll never be able to finish!” she ranted, poking his chest with each word.

  Asten grinned, gently grabbing the offending finger and holding it in his hands.

  “Come now, Lea, it’s not the end of the world. I’ll just buy you a new one!”

  “Don’t ‘Lea’ me, Asten!” she huffed, yanking her hand back from him. “That’s not the point!”

  “What is the point then, Lea?” Asten asked innocently, purposely using the nickname he knew she hated.

  Leawyn’s mouth dropped open. “What’s the—? You—My—”

  Asten raised a brow in amusement as she struggled for words. It only infuriated her more.

  “UGH!” Leawyn threw her hands up in the air and turned her back on him to mount Deydrey again. When strong arms wrapped around her waist and lifted her up and away from Deydrey, she started to kick her feet.

  “Put me down!” she yelled angrily, struggling even more when Asten continued to just carry her. “Asten!” Leawyn said sharply in warning, trying to push away from him.

  “Leawyn!” Asten mocked smugly.

  “I hate you,” Leawyn pouted, folding her arms across her chest, giving up.

  Asten just chuckled. “I know.”

  XAVIER HELD IN his sigh when he stepped out of the tent. He knew he was again too harsh with her, but he couldn’t seem to rein in his anger at the thought of her trying to escape him. Not only did it cause a weird clenching sensation in his gut, but it was also extremely dangerous.

  Stupid girl. Didn’t she know they were far away from the tribes and unfamiliar men were roaming our lands?

  Xavier growled to himself in annoyance as he stalked to where he knew he would find his brother. His question was unnecessary since he knew the answer.

  Of course she didn’t. How could she?

  War was no place for a woman. Xavier knew that all too well. But he couldn’t stand the thought of being away from her and, if anything, she would have a better chance at escaping him back in his village than she did here.

  He couldn�
�t allow her to escape him. She was his.

  Whether she liked it or not, she was going to be with him forever.

  “You’re going to scout?” Tristan asked incredulously.

  Xavier paused a moment, his saddle in his hands, to give his brother an annoyed glare.

  “Yes. Why is that such a hard thing to grasp?”

  “Because you never scout, cousin.” Tristan and Xavier turned their heads as the tall, heavily muscled blonde male made his way towards them.

  “Tyronian!” Tristan exclaimed in surprise, a grin taking over his face. “When did you get back? And how did you find us? The Siraces get sick of you already?”

  “Just now, I have my ways, and no one will ever get sick of me—I’m too handsome for that,” Tyronian replied as he came to stand next to Tristan. He turned to Xavier. “Usually ‘tis Tristan’s expertise to scout while yours is the maiming and stabbing.” Tyronian grinned, showing his surprisingly white teeth around his blond beard.

  Tristan smirked in humor while Xavier scowled at his cousin, who continued to grin.

  “As much as we all enjoy your humor and input, Tyronian,” Xavier said dryly, “I’m afraid that it is unwanted.”

  “Nonsense,” Tyronian dismissed, waving his hand in front of his face as if he were swatting a fly. “My input is always wanted.”

  Tristan snorted.

  Xavier tried to hold in his growl of annoyance at his cousin’s teasing. Tyronian never was one to take things seriously, being the most laid-back among the three.

  Besides Tristan, Tyronian was one of the few who did not cower from his glare or his moments of rage. Though part of him was thankful his cousin still treated him like kin instead of his commander, it was times like these Xavier wished he had an effect over Tyronian.

  “You’re in charge of Leawyn,” Xavier told Tristan, turning to face him now that Killix was ready. “Do not let her out of your sight. She is not to go anywhere without you by her side, understood?” Xavier commanded, giving Tristan a hard stare.

  “Ah, yes! Your little wife.” Tyronian clapped his hands together loudly, rubbing them together. “When do I get to meet my new cousin?” Tyronian asked excitedly, looking between Xavier and Tristan.