Captive Bride; Warrior of Her Heart

by Andromeda

  Everyone is frozen in shock, their jaws to the ground as they try to comprehend what just happened. Alexander, however, turns to his guards in fury.

  "I want her brought back here now!" he snarls at them. "I want her back here before sundown or else I'll have your heads!"

  "Yes, my king," the commander says and they all hurry off to do as ordered.

  Titus and Anthea look to Alexander, both of them still feeling the after-glow of Zenobia’s amazing exit.

  "Was it me..." Titus says slowly. "Or did that girl just...fly? Was that a goddess?"

  "No, you dumb ass," Anthea says, rolling her eyes. "That girl is from the Far Lands. They have things called jungles over there. You know those long-tailed creatures that Alexander was gifted with a while ago? I'm guessing she was raised like them."

  "So she's an animal?" Titus asks in a confused tone.

  Anthea slaps him upside the head and leaves with him, leaving Alexander alone.

  "My king," a seductive voice says at his side. He turns and sees Iraia, her eyes brimming with desire. She wraps her arm around his waist, pressing herself against him. "Now that this is over...shall we return to our fun?"

  *************

  Zenobia slips through the shadows, trying her hardest to blend in. But how can she blend in with people who have skin the color of the clouds in the sky? People look at her dark skin and back away, calling her a demon in Greek. She just ignores them. However, as she’s unfamiliar with the structure of this city; it’s not hard for her to get lost. Add that to the crowds of people pushing and shoving around.

  Zenobia grunts as she’s rudely shoved from behind into an armed guard. She jumps back, hoping that he didn’t see her, but she doesn’t move fast enough. The guard sees her and his eyes widen.

  "Stop!" he yells when he sees her. “Stop!”

  Yeah, as if, Zenobia thinks to herself as she turns around to run.

  More guards appear and soon she’s surrounded. Instead of swords, they are armed with whips and nets. One of the men snaps a whip in her direction; it wraps around her arm and she yanks him to her. He squeals like a little child as she grips the front of his uniform and throws him into a milk cart.

  "Bring her down!" their commander barks at them. "The king wants her alive!"

  They slowly move in, some hold their nets ready, while the others snap their whips, holding her attention. One of them hits her thigh and she sees red. Lunging for him; it's that flash of rage that gives them an advantage. Nets are thrown over her and she’s brought down like a wild giraffe.

  She’s dragged kicking, screaming and cursing back into that palace and placed in a large room. For a second, she is transfixed; she’s never seen a place like this before. They have fabrics in colors that she’s never seen before. Gold and multi-colored jewels decorate everything. A large bed covered in furs and rich sheets sits in the corner. A table full of food sits in the middle of the room and her stomach clenches at the sight.

  For months, she’s had nothing more than dried meat and water. The mouthwatering aroma caresses her nostrils and she’s tempted to pounce on it. But it's the sound of the doors being opened that stops her.

  A tall man walks in, and that's saying something because Zenobia herself is very tall; her people are known for it. The man is a head taller than she, his skin is the color of tanned hide, his eyes the color of the river and brown hair.

  Alexander circles her, eyeing her up and down, biting his lower lip in a suggestive manner. Zenobia recognizes him now that he's close up. He is the man she was 'gifted' to; the king of this place.

  Maybe he'll listen to me once he finds out that I was stolen from my homeland, she thinks to herself so she turns to him and clears her throat. "You can stop assaulting me with your eyes,” she says aloud.

  Alexander’s blue eyes snap to her grey ones, for a moment, widened in shock. "How do you speak my language?" he asks. "You are from the Far Lands, correct?"

  "I was held by people of your kind for over a year,” Zenobia says. “I am a quick learner."

  "How did you do the things you did in my Throne room?" he asks. "No slave should be able to bring down my guards so easily. And from what I've heard, your recapture was a hard one."

  "I'm not a slave," she growls quickly. "I'm a princess."

  He continues to circle her. "I don't believe you..."

  Alexander’s hand trails her arm and she grabs it. Before he can react, she has him pinned to the table, his arm twisted around his back.

  "Could a slave bring a king down?" she whispers in his ear. "My name is Zenobia, Crown Princess of Ethiopia. I was stolen from my homeland and I'd really love to return."

  Alexander goes limp, and for a moment, Zenobia thinks he's listening and her hold loosens a bit. He takes this as his opening and grabs her. Twisting around, slamming her on her back on the table, him between her legs, and one hand holding her hands over her head.

  Slowly, his hand trails down her bare torso, his eyes brimming with lust. She can feel his manhood pressing, hardening between her legs behind his tunic. For a moment, they are frozen in this position, his eyes boring into hers as his hand rests on the top of the band of her skirt. Their breathing is labored and then slowly, he pulls away. He circles her, his hands trailing over her bare shoulders.

  "I don't care who you were before," he purrs. "But the second you walked through those gates, you became a slave. And you were gifted to me, so that makes you my property."

  "I'll escape again," she growls, watching him closely.

  "No you won't," he purrs.

  "How are you going to stop me?" she asks.

  Alexander smirks. "I'll chain you to the bed every night so you can't escape."

  "Bastard!" Zenobia spit at him. "I am a princess!"

  "You are a trophy of war,” Alexander counters. “And were delivered to me as tribute…”

  "A real king would send me back to my people! To help them!" Zenobia snarls.

  "As if I care what your people need," Alexander sneers. "From now on, you'll be my bed slave. To lay on your back and open your legs to me."

  "I refuse!"

  "Oh, you'll do it, and I have a way to make sure you do."

  "And how do you do that?"

  Alexander smirks. "In a year and a half, traders from the Far Lands will be traveling through my land. One of them will be an Ambassador from a Kingdom I know is close to your own. You do what I say, when I say it, however I say it, and I'll let you meet with them and you might speak with them. Disobey me and I'll keep you locked into my chambers until they are gone."

  Zenobia bites her lip. She’s trapped. My people need me, I need my people. But...are they worth selling my body to this cocky bastard who thinks with his manhood rather than his brain? She needs to put their needs before her own, so she takes a deep breath and looks him in the eye. "What do you need from me...Master?"

  Smirking with triumph, Alexander cups her chin in his hands, holding Zenobia in her place. "If I could...I would have you now. But we have a religious holiday that forbids me from doing so for a week. However, be prepared my Princess that when it's over, you will open your thighs to me."

  Dropping his hand, he strides out, closing the door behind him. Instantly, Zenobia drops to her knees, unsummoned tears slipping down her cheeks. She’s never truly cried before, but these are tears of frustration and anger, not tears of sadness.

  He owns me for a year and half, she thinks to herself. More than enough time for him to have his way with me. Maybe...he'll tire of me after a while and leave me alone. Yes, that has to be it. He's a spoiled king after all; he'll leave me after he gets bored and I'll be free until the Travels come!

  Taking a deep breath for courage, she walks to the bed and lays down, the softness making her feel as if she’s floating on clouds. For my people, I have to do this, for my people, I must be strong.

  *************

  Chapter Four

  Zenobia lay on the bed in her chambers, looking at
the food that's been delivered to her. I feel like a piece of meat on the platter before me. But then again, isn't that what I've become? A piece of meat served to this king for his pleasure?

  She’s been living in this palace for three days already and it's getting to her. The day after Alexander told her that she was to be 'his', he assigned her three maids to look after her, as well as giving her a luxurious set of chambers. Not the kind of slave treatment she’d thought that she’d get. But then again, she’s to be a sex slave, what else is she to do besides lie on her back and open her legs? She refuses to go down easy, though. That night, he better expect a fight; he won't leave that bed without some flesh missing.

  Alexander has been creeping closer and closer. One day it's a hand on her hip. Another day it's her sitting in his lap when he's in the Council Meetings. Another day he's stroking her arm slowly. His touch makes her skin crawl, a shudder shooting up my spine. But...there is something about his eyes...

  Zenobia shakes her head to clear her thoughts. No, I will not look into that bastard's eyes. If he was really an honorable man, he'd send me back to my people. But no, all he does is think with his manhood. Well, I'm going to fix that. I refuse to have his child. I refuse to have a child with a man who I'm literally selling my body to.

  It's not hard to prevent it. After searching the gardens here, she found what she was looking for: Stoneseed Root. A type of flower. All she needs is one bud, boil it, let the water cool and then drink it. While she still will bleed like normal, his seed will not plant for a whole month. She just has to remember to take it the week before her bleeding.

  I refuse to let this man break me, she thinks to herself as she begins to eat. He has another thing coming if he thinks that I'll be his willing bed slave.

  A couple of hours later, a servant comes to her, telling her something that Alexander wants of her, something that doesn’t take her long to get furious about.

  "HE WANTS ME TO DO WHAT?!" she screams at a servant who cowers before her.

  "P... Please don't be mad at me, My Lady," he whimpers. "I... I'm just telling you what the king says."

  "Tell him I said no!" she snaps.

  "H... He said that if you go willingly, then he'd have the guards bring you to him," the servant whimpers.

  Zenobia paces her chambers, deep in thought. Of all the sick...twisted...things this bastard could do... He wants me to take a bath with him. I refuse to be naked near him!

  She shoots the servant a withering look and he scurries off. Sinking on the couch, her shoulders droop. She has no choice...she has to do it. But...maybe she doesn’t have to be naked near him.

  Looking around the room, she finds a band of cloth that the women here sometimes use called a breast-band: a narrow band of cloth, it covers the breasts, but keeps the midriff bare. Pair that with a double loin-cloth and she should be fine. She smirks to herself as she puts on the articles of clothing, before covering them with her other clothes.

  Walking to the door, she nods to the guards and they let her go. Under strict orders of Alexander, she’s only allowed to leave her rooms freely if he summons her. Other than that, she’s forced to stay there, this is until he 'trusts her more'.

  Yeah right, she thinks as she walks. The moment I have an opening, I'm seizing it with open hands and never letting it go.

  When she gets to the doors of his chambers, she takes a deep breath, then pushes them open. They are smaller than she thought, as she thought that the King of Sparta would have a much bigger room than anyone else; she was wrong. They are richer of course than hers, even richer than her rooms back in Ethiopia.

  A splash behind some wispy drapes catches her attention and she approached them. Slowly, she pulls them apart and there sits Alexander in the bathing pool. Bare from the chest down, she can only guess that he's naked. Her eyes roam over his body, the rippling muscles and tanned skin.

  With her people, muscle in both sexes is highly prized: a muscled man shows that he's a strong warrior, while a muscled woman shows that she's strong and will carry strong children.

  Alexander notices her looking at him and smirks. "Like what you see?" he asks.

  Instantly, she bristles and then smirks back. "I've seen better."

  He glares, but then calms. "I invited you here to bathe with me."

  "More like commanded," she points out.

  "Same difference," he says with a shrug. "Now, get in."

  "And if I don't want to?" she asks, crossing her arms.

  He raises an eyebrow. "Do you not remember our agreement?"

  Damn him, she thinks. Though begrudgingly, she begins to undress until only the breast-band and loincloth are left.

  Alexander’s eyes darken as he sees more of her exposed flesh, watching as she slowly climbs into the pool and sits opposite of him. "Come over here and wash my back," he commands.

  Zenobia grits her teeth but has to obey. Taking a bar of soap, she slowly moves over to get behind him, rubbing it on his skin.

  Alexander shudders at her touch. A soft sigh escaping his lips as he tilts his head back. "Now wash my chest," he commands.

  Gritting her teeth, she moves in front of him, trying to avoid eye contact as she does as commanded. Suddenly, his hands grasp her own, and with surprising tenderness, turns her around so that she’s in his lap, his chest to her back. She can feel his breath on the base of her neck, hear the beating of his heart that she’s sure is hammering as loud as her own.

  "I want to take you right now," he whispers huskily.

  "B... But the holiday," she whispers. It's been her only defense to spurn his advances.

  "It ends in less than forty-eight hours," he says. "The night of the Festival...be ready to be summoned to my chambers."

  Zenobia bites her lip, but there is something fluttering in the base of her stomach. His arm wraps around her waist, pressing her closer as he gently kisses the back of her neck. She tries her hardest to suppress a sigh, as she can feel something hard pressing against her lower back and it takes all her strength to not pull away.

  "See what you do to me?" Alexander whispers.

  One of his hands slide down her waist to her hips, before settling on her inner thigh. The other slides up and cups one of her breasts. "Like ripe melons," he whispers.

  Slowly, he begins to knead it through the breast-band, as if he was kneading dough to be baked into bread. Zenobia bites her lip hard, trying her hardest to keep from moaning at the forbidden pleasure.

  Alexander’s hand slides further up her thigh, moving toward her core, but she clamps her legs shut. "Open them," he growls, his breath hot on her neck. "I command you as your master."

  "Yes...Master Alexander," Zenobia whispers, her voice thick as she slowly opens her thighs.

  Slowly, his fingers caress her inner thigh, pushing the loin-cloth aside and then he reaches her lower lips. Gently stroking them, he parts them and slides a finger inside. Zenobia inhales, gripping his arm and he smirks.

  "Never had this done to you before?" he whispers. Slowly, she shakes her head, his finger sliding in further, a soft groan rumbling in his throat. "You're so tight...definitely definitely a virgin."

  Zenobia bites her lip as he slowly begins to pump his finger in and out. Her body feels as if it's on fire, as sparks shoot throughout it with every stroke of his finger. She can't hold it anymore and releases a soft moan. Alexander chuckles softly and increases his strokes, kneading her breasts in the rhythm. Zenobia never felt something like this and she can't help but moan with abandon.

  "You act tough," he whispers between his kisses, strokes and kneads. "But you're still a woman...and no woman can resist my touch."

  "Y... You are an ass!" she groans, trying to control her moans.

  "Maybe," he chuckles. "But in less than forty-eight hours...there isn't a force on earth that will keep me from between your thighs. However, the choice is up to you...will you be willing or will you make me force you?"

  Alexander increases to a furious pace, Z
enobia’s legs feel as if they are jelly, something coiling in her gut. Throwing her head back, she unleashes a scream of release as she feels herself clamp around his finger, pulling him in deep.

  Panting, the young woman slowly comes down from her high and he smirks, withdrawing his fingers. Turning her around, he looks deeply into her eyes before letting her go. Zenobia quickly dresses, trying to stop her legs from wobbling as she hurries to her chambers. Ancestors, help me.

  *************

  Chapter Five

  "I'm so glad this stupid holiday is over," Titus says leaning in Alexander’s door way.

  "So am I," Alexanders agrees, holding his arms up for his body servant to slip his tunic over his head.

  "I highly doubt you've obeyed the rules," Titus says with a raised eyebrow.

  "Actually, I have," Alexander says truthfully.

  He isn’t lying. Ever since Zenobia came into the palace, he hasn’t slept with another woman. And even though it's been a week, she's been driving him crazy. He sees her in his dreams: her hair spread over his pillows like ink, her thick thighs spread. He wakes up from his dreams hard and sexually frustrated.

  There was one time that he tried to use Iraia to get Zenobia from his mind, but he couldn't do it. It felt wrong and... Iraia wasn't her. Well, enough is enough; tonight is the night that Alexander will finally have her in his bed and he plans to get what he wants. He already has guards ready to drag her kicking and screaming to his bed if she doesn't come willingly.

  Alexander doesn’t know what it is about this woman, but she makes him feel...different. Their time in the bathing pool showed him how innocent she is when it comes to sex. Tonight, he doesn’t want to hurt her, but he will get what he wants one way or another. The body servant clasps his belt around his waist and pulls his hair back with a thin gold band.

  "Looking good, Alex," Titus says in approval.