Heart's Conquest; A Viking Romance

by Andromeda -

  The moment the blood washed upon her, the torches exploded and columns of fire shot into the skies before being swallowed by the clouds. Everyone looked at her in amazement, and when the time came for the twelve men to be sacrificed, Rashida knew that she had to do it herself.

  With a deep breath to claim her nervous, she took the knife and walked to each of the men. She looked into their eyes and asked them the same thing. “Do you give your life for Lady Freyja?” she asked.

  “We do,” the men said.

  They closed their eyes as she raised the knife, and clearly sliced their throats. The blood bubbled, but they held firm as the priests took their bodies to be dealt with.

  Rashida took one of the smaller bowls of animal blood and one by one, the king, Henrik and all their families stepped forward to be marked by blood. The king looked in Rashida’s eyes, and once again, she saw that he was going to betray them. She just hoped that he wasn’t dumb enough to do it on this night.

  As she handed the bowl back to the priest, they lined up behind her as she took a special bundle of herbs and lit it aflame. Together they walked as one to the twelve trees where the animals and men were hung. Together, as she waved the bundle in the air, the priests sang songs to the goddess, asking for her blessings and favor.

  This was Rashida’s night. The night that she shined and showed all what she was really made of. This was the night that she officially took her place as the Seiðr.

  ✯✯✯✯✯✯✯

  After the sacrifices, everyone changed before they headed to the royal Great Hall to feast. Rashida was dressed in Astrid’s green and gold gown, which made her green eyes shine bright and accented her flaming red hair, which she wore loose tonight. Bastet was always at her side, her only sense of comfort as she had left her brother and sister back in Safirinnsjø for their safety. She wouldn’t forgive herself if anything happened to them.

  She knew that tonight was going to be the night that decided the future of the kingdom. Tonight was the night that some would die and some would live. Tonight was the night that she was going to finally make up her mind about Alrik.

  Leading the ceremony had brought her to a conclusion: she was a strong woman in her own right. She should not be afraid of forming an intimate relationship with Alrik based on what she had seen with Henrik and Gala. They were one couple, and from what she had seen when Henrik was with Ingrid, Ingrid was the one who was really in charge.

  As she walked through the crowds, a golden goblet of honeyed wine in her hands, she wasn’t at all surprised when she sensed someone behind her. A warm hand reached up and moved her hair to one side, as lips gently pressed to the back of her neck. Lips she knew all too well.

  “You don’t know how badly I wish to tear that dress off you,” Alrik said huskily.

  Rashida couldn’t help but softly smile and turn around to look into his blue eyes. “And how badly might that be?”

  Alrik’s eyebrows shot up, surprised. “What do you mean?”

  “I mean,” Rashida said as she took a bold step forward. “How badly do you wish to see me without my dress?”

  In answer, Alrik reached out and grabbed her bottom, giving it a firm squeeze as he pulled her against him. “So badly that I just might do it now, not caring who sees.”

  “I have given what you have said some thought,” she said, unable to look away from him.

  “And?” he asked.

  “I have decided that I will accept,” she said. “However, I will come to you when I am ready.”

  Alrik tilted his head at this. “Does now count?”

  “No, it does not,” she said with a shake of her head. “But know this: should I give you my body, my virginity, I will no longer be a girl of air and water. But instead, a woman of fire and earth. Also know that I will not belong to you. As a Seiðr, I belong to no one, save the goddess. Accept these conditions, and I will come to your bed. Refuse, and you lose me forever.”

  Alrik didn’t have to think at all. He reached down and grasped her hands in his. He raised them to his lips and kissed her knuckles. “All I wish is to worship you like the goddess you are. Will you allow me?”

  A great weight was removed from her chest, and Rashida breathed a deep sigh of relief. “Yes, I will.”

  Alrik grinned and moved his hand up, cupping the back of her head as he pressed his lips to hers. This time, she didn’t pull away. This time, Rashida arched her back to push her lips up to meet his own. She responded to his kisses, even though both hands were on his chest in case he got too passionate. But oh, how wonderful it felt to not fight against his kisses this time. How wonderful it felt to give into her emotions.

  “When will you come to my bed?” he asked gruffly, as he tried to keep his kisses slow and tender. “When?”

  “When I am ready,” she chuckled softly, pulling her lips away. “But know that I will.”

  He moved back in to kiss her, but the sound of Bastet snarling made Rashida pull away and look to her cat. The young mountain lion had a servant boy cornered in a dark area, her claws extended as she snarled at the frightened boy.

  “Bastet, down,” Rashida said as she walked over.

  The cat ignored her. Instead, she continued to growl at the servant boy and snapped at him. The boy yelped and jumped. As he did so, a small bottle dropped from his pocket. Rashida bent down and picked it up. The cork had become undone, and a single sniff told her all she needed to know. It was poison.

  “What are you doing with this?” Rashida demanded from the boy.

  The boy swallowed nervously. “I…”

  “Speak, boy,” Alrik, who had followed her, barked at him. “Or else I will have your tongue.”

  “My lord told me to put it in the wine!” the boy blurted out. “He said that if I did it, then I’d receive my freedom.”

  “Your lord?” Alrik asked in slight confusion.

  “He means the king,” Rashida said angrily.

  She felt fury, a fury that she hadn’t ever felt before. How dare this man, who claimed to be the King of Demark, use poison in order to kill off his rivals. It was a coward’s move. A move that she, as Freyja’s host, would not allow the king to play in this game.

  Turning on her heel, she stormed back into the Great Hall with Alrik behind her. When she saw Henrik getting ready to lift a horn of wine to his lips, she made a fist. The horn was yanked from Henrik’s hand and flew into her own. Henrik jumped in surprise and turned to Rashida, who had the horn in her hands.

  “I highly doubt you’d like this, my lord,” she said.

  “What is the meaning of this?” the king demanded as he stood. “You have no right!”

  Rashida turned her sharp eyes to the king. “I have all the right, my lord, and I have come to make a declaration. You are unfit to be king.”

  The Great Hall grew silent. No one moved, no one breathed; all eyes were on Rashida.

  The king’s face grew as red as a tomato as he glared at her. “You will hold your tongue, you wench! Or else I’ll…”

  The words on his tongue stopped, as all the torches in the Great Hall blew out. Suddenly, they were aflame again, only this time, the flames were bright green, instead of their normal orange. A flickering aura encased Rashida, and when she opened her eyes, they were burning vivid green.

  “You dare speak to my vessel in that manner?” she asked, her voice echoing.

  Everyone dropped to their knees. They knew who was possessing the young Seiðr’s body.

  “M…My lady…” the king stammered.

  “Be silent!” Rashida barked. “You have displeased me greatly! You could have lived a long life. Your decedents could have ruled for hundreds of years after you. But because you have decided to be a coward—you tried to poison a man that I had found high favor in—then you are going to lose everything.”

  Her eyes flashed, and instantly, the king grabbed his throat. Blood began to slowly pour from his ears, nose, eyes and mouth as he coughed, crimson droplets spraying bef
ore him. He wasn’t the only one. His wife, his sons, and their wives all began to cough and choke, bloody foam bubbling in their mouths. It didn’t take long for the coughing to grow silent, and then Rashida looked to Henrik.

  “Henrik, son of Harald, you have been chosen by the gods to become king, do not ruin this opportunity,” she said.

  Henrik bowed his head. “I shall try my best, my lady.”

  Rashida exhaled and the torches changed back to their normal coloring and the glow around her body dimmed away. She swayed, but Alrik caught her. His strong arms held her securely against his chest, never going to let her go.

  Chapter Sixteen: Seizing Fates

  Rashida frowned deeply as she bent down to look at her crops. Most of the crops that were going to be harvested were ready, except for her rice paddies. She had brought rice to the village after some tough negotiations with traders who traveled through Egypt. What annoyed her was that the land was disturbed, hoof prints were everywhere, and the tender young rice was bitten off.

  She had only recently returned to Safirinnsjø, the new capital of the Kingdom of Denmark. Henrik was now king, the undisputed King of Denmark, and everyone knew it. At first, no one knew what to do, but the gods had spoken. They had chosen Henrik, so none shall dispute it.

  Not long after they had returned, Alrik and Ingrid had to leave for the spring season as Ingrid had to look over her own village. But before he had left, Alrik gripped her tight and looked into her eyes. He promised her that he would return in the fall and would spend the fall season with her, and when he returned, he would have her in his bed.

  Rashida sighed softly as she bent down to once again heal her crops. She needed them to be strong, she needed them to yield a good harvest in the fall, but she also had to figure out what animals were eating them. It was a hooved animal she knew, but every time she tried to see what it was, it would disappear. She wasn’t going to stop until she figured out what was doing this.

  As the days turned into weeks and weeks into months, the harvest came with full abundance. The goddess Freyja had accepted their sacrifices, and as fall came, the excitement within Rashida grew. Alrik would be coming soon. She could sense it on the winds. She knew that he would keep his word. She knew that not a force in this world would stop him in claiming her as his own.

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  Alrik spurred his horse harder as they galloped over the fields, his mind locked onto one person and one person only: Rashida. He was going to claim her tonight. Tonight was the Harvest Festival, and while he knew that she would be in the center of attention, at the end of it all, she was going to be in his bed and he couldn’t wait. Finally, they would join as one.

  Ingrid had decided to stay in Nytt Hjem, to watch over their new village while he made this journey on his own. He knew that the road was dangerous, but he also knew that nothing was going to stop him from reaching his beloved.

  As he reached Safirinnsjø, he saw that the Harvest Festival was just beginning. He put his horse into his father’s stables before he quickly changed into some fresh clothes, and then went to locate Rashida.

  The sound of music stopped him, as they played a beat he had never heard before. There also was a strange airy noise. A stringed instrument played and there was a strange clattering of something.

  Alrik followed the noise and found a large bonfire that the village was circled around. They all seemed to be focused on something, and as he pushed himself forward, he saw what they saw and his jaw dropped to the ground.

  It was Rashida. She was dressed in a very loose, very revealing green dress that had gold embroidery, a belt that had gold tassels on it and golden anklets with tiny bells. Her midriff was bare, the top of her plump bosom in the gaze of all. The fire reflected off her outfit, and every time she moved, the bells on her ankles made beautiful music.

  As it began to play, her hips moved in an almost liquid rhythm. Her arms flapping in the graceful movements that mimicked that of a snake slithering on the ground. All eyes were on her as she didn’t miss a beat. Her eyes were closed as if she could almost see the music.

  Alrik watched with rapt attention as she unwrapped her belt to reveal a glittering cloth that she danced with. Her eyes searched the men, and when they fell onto his, she smirked softly. Slowly, she danced toward him, and someone pushed Alrik forward when it was clear she was moving for him.

  She circled him and then threw the scarf around his neck. As she pulled him close, she looked deep into his eyes and whispered in his ear, “Tonight.”

  He knew what that meant, and as she left the scarf around his neck to finish her dance, he felt a thrill of excitement. Carefully, he snuck away from the dance to make sure his home, the home that he normally shared with Ingrid, was clean. Everything looked fine, but he still felt nervous.

  To calm his nerves, he went to the kitchens of his father to get a small meal of bread, cheese and wine. The food he ate, but the wine he brought back to his home to share with Rashida. He didn’t know why his heart thudded in his chest, but as the night drew on, he knew she would be coming any moment. He decided to stop worrying. He needed to just let his body take control.

  When he heard that knock on the door, he stood from his seat and rushed forward, opening it quickly. Rashida stood there in a heavy cloak, a light blush on her cheeks. Gently, he reached out and cupped her cheek. The moment their lips touched, all sense of control left them as they surrendered their souls to their passion.

  ✯✯✯✯✯✯✯

  He pulled her into his arms as her fingers tangled in his hair. As their tongues danced their sacred dance, Rashida allowed Alrik’s to win and assert his dominance, just this once. With a soft grunt, he kicked the door closed as he pulled her into his home. Then he practically dragged her into his bedroom.

  His hands pulled at the strings of her gown and when he couldn’t get them loose fast enough, he tore her outfit in half with a grunt. The fabric fell at her feet, which left her naked before him. Rashida slid his shirt off, her hands roaming over his tattoos before he began to undo his belt and pants in a rush. Alrik pushed them down until he too stood before her in all his naked glory.

  Wordlessly, he lifted her in his arms and carried her to the bed, laying her among the sheets before he climbed in after her. His large hands slid up, cupping her breasts, before he began to massage them in his palms. He peppered kisses down her neck, before latching onto a dark-brown tipped nub. His mouth suckled and his tongue twirled around it as his other hand massaged the other breast vigorously.

  All Rashida could do was moan as Alrik slid his tongue down her flat stomach and spread her thighs before diving right in. Her back arched off the bed as she gasped loudly, her nails clawing at sheets as his tongue caressed her hot folds.

  "You taste so good…" he murmured between feasting one her nether lips.

  His tongue moved faster and then he added a finger, and then another. His tongue sucked gently on her sacred pearl as he moved his fingers faster and faster. She couldn’t hold back as she threw her head back and cried out as her body shook in a shattering release. As he licked her clean, he couldn’t wait anymore. He wanted to be inside her and he wanted to do it now.

  Kissing back up her stomach, he pulled her to him and spread her thighs just right. Rashida saw him reach down, and she finally could look at his manhood. He wasn’t huge, but he wasn’t small either and her eyes flickered with fear because he looked at her and stopped.

  “I'm not going to hurt you,” he swore. “I promise you. I have learnt to make you feel nothing but pleasure.”

  His lips pressed to hers and he massaged her breasts; anything to make her mind wander. Her body responded instantly and moved on its own accord, sliding under him and spreading its thighs.

  With a soft grip on her hips, he grasped his shaft and slowly began to slide inside. Instantly, she pulled her lips away as she tilted her head back, inhaling deeply. Her nails gripped his arms tightly as she bit down on her lip, softly whim
pering in pain. Alrik looked at her face and kissed away the tears that were forming at the edges of her eyes and sighed softly.

  "It's going to be alright," he whispered.

  At first, he was still, so that she could get used to his size, then slowly, he pulled out and then pushed back in. Rashida gasped, her back arched, but he held her tightly yet gently against him. He repeated the process, slowly pulling out and pushing back in.

  A soft moan rolled off her tongue and her grip gradually loosened. The soft whimper went away and she smiled softly at him. He smiled back and then winked devilishly before he rolled them over so that she was on her side. Gently, he gripped one of her thighs, putting it on his hip and then pushed back inside.

  This time, he didn’t go as slowly as he did before. Instead, he thrust with a fury. This caught her by surprise and she groaned, panting softly, gripping him as he hammered into her. His lips latched onto her neck as he gently licked and sucked, listening to her moans melt into soft cries of pleasure. But even this wasn’t enough for him.

  He rolled them again, her on her back once more, and threw her legs over his shoulders. He hammered into her at a furious pace. Both knew what this was: he was on a mission to claim her.

  His fingers dug into her hips as he pulled her down onto him as he stroked deep within her, his tip seeming to kiss her cervix. Sweat dripped down from his brow as he pushed deeper and deeper. He wanted her to know that her body, the treasure that laid between her legs, was meant for only him. Her toes began to curl as she felt her release nearing, and Alrik reached down to rub her sacred pearl at a furious pace.

  One last deep thrust and the dam broke for them both. Rashida’s inner walls clamped tightly around him, pulling him deep within her folds as she cried out. Alrik roared as he filled her with his seed. With a soft groan, he withdrew then fell at her side. They both panted heavily to catch their breaths.

  Alrik smiled softly and kissed her lips, and that single kiss lit the fire once again. He lunged for her as she shrieked with laughter but didn’t move to stop him. She didn’t want to stop him. They were finally able to surrender to their passions. It was early sunrise when they did stop, and when the sun found them, they were both fast asleep in each other's arms.