Asgoleth the Warrior - By Bill Kirkwood Page 0,9
to my bedchamber. After that, all was a horror filled nightmare until I awoke to find you looking down upon me.’
Asgoleth grunted,
‘You were drugged then, to make the job of your kidnappers the easier. Do you know who they were?’
She shook her head, then her face paled as she realised what might have happened to her.
‘If you had not stopped them those horrible men would have succeeded in their plans. I owe you much Asgoleth.’
He grinned down at her and said,
‘You owe me naught, Princess.’
She gasped and stepped back and he smiled grimly in the darkness.
‘You know who I am?’ She demanded.
‘Aye, that I do girl. I saw you once at your father’s side when he came to inspect his border garrisons. I am not one to forget beauty such as yours; nor would any man with red blood in his veins.’
She blushed under his bold gaze and once again felt a tingle of disquiet as she realised her helplessness. All her life she had been accustomed to warriors bowing before her but this man did not look as if he had ever bowed to anyone. Even though he knew of her exalted status, there was nothing of awe in his demeanour. It was yet another new and disturbing experience for her and there was a slight tremor in her voice as she said,
‘Well Asgoleth of Calthia, what do you intend to do with me?’
Asgoleth grinned and his strong teeth flashed in the moonlight.
‘By the beard of Ragnar girl, there are many things a man could do with a wench as fair as you and I am sorely tempted; but I think I should get you back to the palace before your father tears the city apart looking for you.’
Mingled expressions of relief and disappointment flashed across Amira’s pretty face. Relief that she had been rescued and disappointment at failing to discover what a man like this would do with her were she an ordinary girl and not a high born lady. His hard, strong, lines appealed to her, as did his easy confident manner and she felt some deep and primitive part of herself responding to him, for though she was of royal blood, she was still a woman.
She found herself feeling envious of those common girls who were free to dally with the men of their choice. Such simple pleasures were forever denied to one of her station. As well as being the Princess, she was the high priestess of mighty Solus. When her term of temple duty was over, she would marry a man chosen for her by her father and she would bear him strong sons to carry on her line. She would live out a life of duty and obligation to the people of Torr as a high born woman of the house of King Aractus should.
For a moment she felt a fierce stirring of rebellion in her heart and wished that he would change his mind and carry her off with him to share his life of wild adventure. But the moment passed and she sighed, she knew that she could never share his kind of life no matter how much she wanted to. She was a royal princess and must live as such; there was no other path for her. She looked up into his eyes and said,
‘You are right, of course, I must return. Come, let us go now. This evil place makes me shiver.’
She cried out in surprise as he suddenly gave a sulphurous curse and swept her off her feet, drawing his huge sword as he did so.
‘What are you doing? Put me down at once!’
‘We must go quickly girl, there are many armed men coming towards us. Now be silent and hang on to me, I can move faster if I carry you.’
Such was the tone of command in his voice that she unthinkingly obeyed. He carried her easily in his strong arms and moved as silently as a stalking tiger through the menacing gloom. Behind her now her city bred ears finally picked up the sounds of pursuit that he had heard so long before and she stared into the darkness behind them with frightened eyes.
He slipped into the concealing gloom of a side alley and placed her on her feet.
‘Be silent,’ he whispered and together they stood and listened to the sounds of approaching men. Dark, furtive shapes slid past their hiding place and she felt sure they must hear the rapid beating of her heart. In