Vikings' Brides Box Set

by Jessica Knight

  I could probably find a way to climb out like I usually do, but I’m afraid I’ll fall, and if I do that, I’ll hurt the baby. I’m not willing to risk it. I’d rather spend the rest of my days alone in the room to be able to hold my child and see a new future.

  I’m not sure what will happen here, but what I do know is that I can’t have my child be raised in my father’s presence. This place is evil. I refuse to have my child surrounded by horrible intentions and false promises. Life shouldn’t be like that. He or she deserves the best. He or she deserves both parents.

  I stare down at my belly and rub it, then look out toward the ocean again, wishing I could see a ship coming toward me. I think back to when Trident dripped the sea on me as I was in bed. He had come on a ship, the tiniest I might have ever seen, but when it passed by, I didn’t think of it twice. He had quietly entered my room and stood over me.

  And when I knew I had seen him before, the man from the boundary line, I was struck silent. How could life be so cruel? I was finally interested in a man, but he had to end up being my enemy.

  Falling in love with him was not a part of the plan, but now I’d give anything for him to climb back through my window and take me away from here.

  Bang. Bang. Bang.

  A knock at the door has me darting away from the window. I run to bed and cover myself with the fur, pretending to be asleep. The hinges unlock, and footsteps pound against the floor just as hard as the fist that knocked. With every step he takes, my heart races, and my stomach turns. I could throw up. I never know what my father has in store.

  “Your dinner, Sylvie,” he says, leaving the tray on the nightstand with a soft click.

  I don’t say anything. I continue to pretend I’m asleep.

  I do not ever wish to speak to my father again.

  Ever since I saw his men shoot an arrow into Trident’s back, and I had to quickly drag his heavy body onto Snow. Thank goddess that horse is more human, than animal because she grabbed his shirt by the neck and pulled him onto her back. I tied him to her with the extra rope he always carries in his saddle bags and told Snow to run as fast as she could home.

  She bolted.

  And my father dragged me back home by the hair. I’ve never hated him so much in my life. I still cry every day thinking that Trident may be dead. I’d feel it though. I’d know if something happened to him. Our connection is so strong, my heart would crack and splinter from the pain of losing him, so he has to be alive. He must be.

  “Sylvie, you have to talk to me at some point.”

  I stay silent, hoping he just leaves. He sighs and pets my head, bringing his lips down to my temple to give me a kiss. It takes all I have not to push him away, but that would ruin the entire plan of ignoring him. So I hold my breath and remain still.

  His boots cascade down the steps and the door shuts again and locks, leaving me trapped once again. I flop to my back and chant. “Do not cry, do not cry. Everything will be fine. Everything shall be fine.”

  I say that to myself a hundred times a day. The smell of meat and bread fills my nose. A part of me wonders if it is poisoned. I wouldn’t be surprised in the slightest if my father drugged me every day. I’ve lost all faith in that man.

  But I still need to eat. This isn’t just about me anymore.

  I grab the warm roll and take a small bite. It tastes like sand, but I eat it anyway. I sigh and toss it to the floor. Nothing tastes good anymore.

  A loud thud comes from the roof outside. I grab the silver candle holder and inch forward. I have nowhere to go. I have to protect myself. I take another step forward and reach for the window with a trembling hand and unlock the hatch.

  “Sylvie?” my name is whispered from the lips of the man I love.

  My chest stutters. I forget how to breathe. It can’t be.

  “Trident?” I peer out.

  There he is. My warrior. My Viking. Trident and Sir Wulf are standing on the rooftop, both of them tall and proud.

  “Sylvie,” he whispers as he jumps through the window and takes me in his arms.

  “It’s you.”

  My eyes tear up, and my hands roam his back. I inhale him. He smells of the sea. My favorite smell. His hair is wet, as are his clothes. “It’s really you.”

  He cups my face and slams his lips to mine. Our tongues twirl and our bodies align. Everything about this moment is perfect. I’ve missed him so much.

  I could cry, and I nearly do. Once again, he’s rescued me. He’s come on a ship to take me away.

  “I hate to break it up, but we should get going. You can do that later.”

  Trident breaks the kiss first and places one more on the tip of my nose. “He’s right. I’ve missed you so much. I just had to have a taste.”

  “I’ve missed you too.” I wipe my mouth of the spit and blush when I see the heat in his eyes. I know that all he can think of is getting me back to his bedroom to pick up where we left off.

  “We must go. I can’t believe I got into this tower again unseen. Your father is a stupid man.” Trident wraps his arms around my waist and pulls me to his hard, defined body. He goes to climb out the window again, and Wulf is already through, waiting for us.

  I tug against his hold, refusing to leave through the window.

  Trident turns his head around with one foot out the window.

  “Sylvie?” he asks, sadness dripping from his tone.

  I place my palms on his chest and look up at him to meet his eyes. “I want to come, but I can’t go out that way.”

  “What? Why? You came out this way before.”

  “I know, but things have changed,” I gulp. I’m afraid to tell him that I’m with child. What if he doesn’t want our baby? It makes me nervous.

  “What’s changed?”

  “I think I’m with child, and I’m too afraid to go out the window because I’m afraid I’ll fall and lose the baby,” I say quickly without taking a breath.

  His fingers brush over my heated cheeks, and his smile is as bright as the stars. “You’re carrying my child?”

  His hand flattens against my stomach. “You’re sure?”

  “I think so. I’ve missed my monthly.”

  “Congratulations, I’m sorry to rush you both, but we must go!” Wulf hisses urgently, ruining our moment.

  He lifts me up and spins me around, pressing his lips against mine. “Later we shall celebrate. I promise. I’m happy. I’m so happy.”

  But then he drops me with a heavy grunt, and his hand flies to his back. “Goddess.”

  “The arrow, are you hurt?”

  “No time to explain, Sylvie. I’m fine. It’s sore. We need to go.”

  “I can’t go out that window.”

  “I’d never let anything happen to you,” Trident says, tightening his arm around me. “Hold onto me and close your eyes. We will be on the ground in a blink of an eye.”

  “Trident, I—”

  “I got you. I got you, Sylvie.”

  I put all my faith into him and nod. The cold night air wraps around us, and a chill runs through me. Trident climbs down expertly, holding me to his body.

  I had nothing to fear. He has me. He will always have me.

  My feet land on the ground quickly, and he takes my hand, bringing it to his lips. “My heart, I’m so glad to have you again.”

  “I love you,” I say.

  “Stop right there.”

  “Damn,” Wulf holds his hands up. Trident and I follow suit, turning around to see two warriors aiming their swords at us.

  “We knew you’d try to come for her. It was only a matter of time. The Lord has requested if we see you to bring you to him.”

  “I’ll go, but don’t bother shackling us or we will kill you, and you know we can,” Trident snarls, dropping one of his arms around my waist. Automatically, the fear leaves me. I’m calmer than I was a moment ago. I’m safe. Trident is here. I’m not alone.

  “Walk ahead of us. And no sudden movements.”

&nb
sp; Sir Wulf and Trident do as the warriors say. “What are you doing?” I whisper low enough so the warriors can’t hear what I’m saying.

  “This is my chance to try and make things right with your father.”

  “It won’t work. He will lock us all up, and then the everything will be shot to hell,” I whisper.

  “I think she is right. I think we need to make a run for it. We can take these two idiots no problem.” Wulf’s hand goes to his blade, readying himself for battle.

  “Then we shall fight until we are free. It’s as simple as that.”

  “Aye, it’s as simple as that,” Sir Wulf mocks him, bringing a smile to my face. “That thought process won’t do us much good if we are outnumbered.”

  “We shouldn’t be so outnumbered. More than half his men are dead,” Trident reminds me of the day my father took me, using Aya against me. A horrible day I wish to forget.

  The draw bridge lowers, and soon we are inside the castle. The first thing that comes to view is my father at the table with my mother. A few guards are around, but nothing outrageous. Trident and Wulf can handle them.

  I need to ask how my friend is. I’m concerned for her well-being, but that has to wait. Right now, I’m wondering if father is about to sentence all of us to death. I think killing my father’s warriors would have been a better idea.

  “You’re a fool for coming here,” my father says, taking a sip of wine. Wine? How the hell did he get wine? That’s expensive.

  “I’d do anything for Lady Sylvie!” Trident shouts. I clutch his hand in mine and hold his arm with my other. I want to be as close to him as possible.

  “You are a Karsten. You have no honor in you. You are not a noble man. Unfit for my daughter.”

  Wulf steps forward with a threatening growl. Trident’s hand slaps him in the chest to hold him back. “Trident is the most noble man I know,” he spits.

  “So I’ve heard from your Lord.”

  “My Lord?” Trident repeats.

  And then Lord Grimkael walks out and sits next to Lord Aland.

  “Oh, shite.”

  “Beowulf,” Lord Grimkael gives Sir Wulf a challenging look, one that emanates disappointment.

  Wulf falls to one knee. “My Lord.”

  “Yes, yes, get up,” Lord Grimkael grumbles, beckoning him to get up. “I’ve explained to Lord Aland that I’d like a truce. An alliance if you will. I’ve offered a proposition. If you two get married, our kingdoms can unite. Your father has made a bad business move.”

  My father drops his eyes.

  “I want to kill him, to be honest.” Lord Grimkael takes the goblet from my father’s hand and chugs the wine dry. “I’ve explained that if he does anything like that again, I will kill him. He has stepped down as Lord and pledged his loyalty to me. The suffering people here will be moved to our village.”

  “Lord Grimkael. He is a traitor to his own people!” Trident bellows.

  “Are you questioning my decisions as your leader?”

  “No, of course not, my Lord,” Trident sighs.

  “Because it is your arse I just saved. The feud between the families is over. Your parents are serving a few months in the tunnels, along with your parents, Lady Sylvie.”

  That makes me happy, happier than it should.

  “Thank you, Lord Grimkael. I came here ready to do anything to take Sylvie’s hand.”

  “I know. It’s why I beat you here. Idiot. You came by boat. I was here much earlier than you, and quicker. I had a tour. This place is falling apart. You were a poor ruler to your people and your family, Aland.”

  “Aye, Lord Grimkael, I was. I promise not to make that mistake again.”

  “Good. Or I’ll have Lord Troy put your head on a spear.”

  “I do not know who this Lord Troy is.”

  “I have a feeling he will find out,” Wulf mutters.

  “We are leaving. I expect you at my village in seven days. You do not want to be late,” Lord Grimkael pushes from the table, and one of the wooden legs crack off the chair. His huge figure stops next to Trident.

  “I still expect twenty lashings. Twenty for you too, Wulf. You disobeyed me, and I’ve had to travel all this way because of your stupidity.”

  “Aye, Lord Grimkael,” the two warriors say in unison.

  I don’t say goodbye to my parents as we follow Lord Grimkael out of the castle. With every step I take, I put the past behind me and follow my future. Everything truly will be fine. Everything is finally changing for the better. I have Trident and our baby.

  And then I remember something about lashings. “Why are you getting lashed?”

  “I’m getting lashed for you,” Trident chuckles. “Which is nothing compared to what I’d do for you.”

  “I love you, you maddening Karsten man.”

  “And I love you, you frustrating, smart-mouthed Aland woman.”

  Looks like my daydream has come true, and I couldn’t be happier.

  Epilogue

  Trident

  Twenty-Five years later

  Brana must think I’m stupid if she doesn’t know that I don’t know she is sneaking out her bedroom window in the middle of the night. She leaves tracks in the snow under her window every time. Damn girl is just like her mother when it comes to windows. She’s going to be the death of me. My one and only daughter.

  We had five boys before the goddess finally gifted us with a beautiful girl. All in the span of seven years. I just couldn’t keep my hands off of her. Brana is the spitting image of her mother. Long red hair and green eyes.

  She’s now old enough to date, which I completely disagree with, but apparently, I can’t keep her locked up forever, according to her mother.

  “When are you going to tell her?” Sylvie asks as she sits next to me for her break. The women are taking turns cutting up the hogs in preparation for our yule celebration. It’s hot and gruelling work, but she still looks beautiful as always. The years have been kind to my bride. Aye, my bride. The moment we got back all those years ago, I had Lord Grimkael marry us and, then his wedding gift was Wulf lashing me.

  I was healing in the medical wing for two weeks before I could move, and I still have the scars to prove it. It was the last time I disobeyed Lord Grimkael. Even to this day, he is a force to be reckoned with.

  “When we get home tonight. I want to know who she is seeing.”

  “She isn’t going to tell you.”

  “The hell she isn’t,” I slam my fist on the table and scowl at the celebrations going on around us. “She’s the baby. She is the last one in our house. She has five brothers. I’m sure once I share this with them, they are going to be furious she is dating. It’ll ruin a perfectly good Yule.”

  “She wouldn’t rebel so much if you’d give her space. The tighter you pull that rope you have her on, the more she will choke herself with it.”

  “Don’t sound so smug about it,” I grumble.

  A loud horn blows, letting the men know it’s time to drag this year’s yule log to the middle of the village. “This isn’t over,” I mutter, pushing myself away from the table.

  “Oh, it is,” she says, slapping my arse when I walk by her.

  “You better watch it.” I pull her head back and give her a deep, romantic kiss. After giving her a slight taste of my tongue, I pull away. “I don’t want a hard-on in front of the whole village.”

  “Later?” she moans, breathless as I lick her neck.

  “Later,” I growl.

  “Come on, Trident!” Wulf yells.

  “For goddess sake, I’m coming!” I shout, readjusting myself in my pants. I storm away from the warmth of the fires the villagers have scattered about to roast enough hogs for everyone. As I catch up with the line of men heading for the treeline, I look over and see Wulf’s son Angelo trudging along beside me with a scowl on his face.

  “Angelo Denholm. It’s good to see you. What brings that scowl to your face?”

  “Brana,” he grumbles.


  “What has she done to upset you so much?”

  “I want to know why she is seeing that sorry excuse of a boy in the village? Halvar, or whatever his name is.”

  “Is that where she is running off to? That explains it,” I rub my mouth with my hand and then run my fingers through my beard. “Halvar, that’s the butcher’s boy, right?”

  “Aye. I must talk to her. Today.”

  His demand makes my brows raise, and I step forward, cutting him off from walking any further. “You remember your place when you speak to me, Angelo.”

  “I’m sorry, Sir.” He scrubs his face with his hands. “I love your daughter, and I want to be with her. Seeing her out with other men isn’t okay. She is mine.”

  “She’s what?” I’m afraid I don’t hear him right.

  “Mine. I love her.”

  “No,” I say. “No. You cannot see my daughter.”

  “Why not?” he shouts.

  “She is not yours!” I bellow to the boy.

  “She is. And you may not like it now, but she shall be, and she knows it. She loves me too. She just knows our parents will stop us from being together.”

  “Damn right, we will. Stay away from her!”

  I storm away from him, suddenly eager to sink my axe into a log and take out my anger on it. I catch up to Wulf and sigh. “I thought you said parenting got easier with time.”

  “What are we going to do?” he sighs as he grabs onto one of the ropes tied to the log and starts pulling. Obviously, he heard the conversation.

  I don’t know, but what I do know is that things are about to get rough in the Karsten and Denholm households. Our table at the annual Yule celebrations together is going to be a little more tense this year.

  When we make it back to the village, we drag the yule log to the middle of the clearing where the rest of the villagers are waiting with pine boughs, pinecones, and berries to decorate it with. Sylvie brings me over a torch, and as one, we light the fire in celebration of the sun returning and the days getting longer. Later tonight, everyone will take a handful of the ashes to sprinkle around their homes for protection.