Choosing Hearts - The Fighter's Passion (Gritty, Explicit Romance Novel) (A Lusty Stand Alone Story) (14 page)

He knew he was
back home. The air he breathed, the scent of the surroundings that filled his
nostrils, reminded him of everything he had held dear. But when he looked all
around him, this was not the Kirk Falls he knew and loved. He had woken up a
few hours ago to find himself in the ruins of what looked like a tavern. There
wasn’t a soul about in any direction he looked as he had stepped out of the
wreckage. All around him, the farmlands, the houses and storage barns lay in
ruin. Nothing moved, no birds, no furry rodents, no lizards or roaches, and no
humans.

“What has happened
here?” He whispered. Anger and sadness filled his heart. “This is not the home
I wished to return to.”

Far away he could
hear the plaintive hoot of a night owl. He was familiar with the sound; it came
from the edge of the forests near Drakeberg.  Relief, albeit brief, at the
sound of something living calmed his nerves and gave him a better sense of his
bearings.

“I am at the
eastern border of Kirk Falls.” He deduced. “My home is twenty miles due west…
but before I get there, I must know what has happened here while I was away.”

He looked down at
the pendant, but it wasn’t glowing anymore. He feared for Alicia, hoping that
the pendant was just spent of its power and not anything else.

“Alicia… I am
home.” He called out in every direction, running about like a lost child. “I
will be by your side in a few more days.”

“Ho, fellow… keep
your voice down.” A low grumble startled him. “Some of us are trying to sleep.”

From under the
wreckage of a carriage a short man in a dirtied shirt and leggings crept out,
dusting his clothes as he rose to his feet. A second hooded head peered out,
glaring at the huge warrior.

“Who are you?”
Rogan asked, leaning close to the first man, “and what has happened to fair
Kirk Falls.”

“Well, first of
all… this is not Kirk Falls - not anymore.” The man replied with a smirk. “Not
since the wizard of the south took the land from the Duke.”

“How fares the
Duke?” The tall warrior looked intensely at the strange man.

“To know that one
must visit the netherworld.” The second man crawling out from under the upturned
cart remarked.

“The Duke is
dead?” Rogan whispered, staggering back. “When did that…?”

“Soon after the
army was destroyed and the land over run by the wizard’s dark forces.” The
first man said sadly. “Every day the wizard bleeds the land; he’s taken
everything. People have fled. Many have died… disease and desolation plagues
this place.”

“Is there no one
to fight this evil?” Rogan demanded, clenching his teeth.

“Not anymore.” The
second man stood up and walked up from the wrecked cart. “Yet there once was a
man who led the Duke’s army and protected the land.”

“What became of
him?” Rogan couldn’t help asking the hooded man.

“He was slain,
along with the rest of the defenders of Kirk Falls.”

“So what is left
now?” Rogan asked, fearing he already knew the answer.

“All that you can
see, wayfarer.” The first man replied, eyeing him with interest. “I am Norris
and this is my brother Goren. Who are you?”

“I am Rogan and I
am back to reclaim Kirk Falls from Nostrazcus.” The tall warrior stood up straight.
“Who will ride with me?”

“There’s nothing
to reclaim, Rogan, and no one left to ride.” Goren laughed sardonically. “Can
you not see? This is but a wasteland.”

“Aye,” his brother
added. “Where once stood the fertile farmlands of Vineberg, Gaspar, Ebensburg,
Mulvane and Orenden, now lie only gutted remains.”

“I need a horse… I
must ride for my home by the meadow due west.” Rogan peered in the direction of
his intended journey.

“The only horses
you will find now are those used by the wizard’s accursed patrols… at dawn and
dusk.” Norris said with a grimace.

“Then I will get
one from them.” Rogan said grimly. “Dawn is not too far away. Tell me the route
of these patrols.”

“You’re standing
on one right now.” Goren waved at the battered roadway. “This road leads to
Drakeberg.”

“Then, I will wait
here for them,” Rogan said resolutely, “and take a horse from them.”

“You are a brave
man, Rogan, but what you attempt is foolish.” Norris shook his head. “No one
crosses the wizard’s men… and lives.”

“I thank you for
all your help, friends Norris and Goren.” Rogan bowed at the two little men. “I
will do this on my own. You have no need to risk your lives.”

“We don’t intend
to.”Goren smiled and waved as they swiftly walked away. “Fare well, large one. May
you find what you seek.”

~ ~ ~

CHAPTER EIGHT

The chilly wind
cut across his face, blowing his long golden hair behind him as the horse Rogan
rode kept up at full gallop. It was three days now, since he had returned to
his own time. Three days he had been riding hard all night and all day,
alternating between the three horses he had taken from the patrol on the first
night. The final crest of the hill was in sight; behind the rise was his
beloved meadow, and Alicia. He released the spare horses and kicked the one he
has on into a faster gallop.

Cresting the rise,
he reined in his mount, his heart soaring at the sight of his meadow and the
little house he had built there with his own hands. He let the horse rest for a
moment, dismounting and dropping to the ground. Unsure of what he would find,
he decided to go the rest of the distance, keeping low to the ground. The sun
had just dropped below the western horizon and the pale glow of twilight washed
over the meadow.

Everything looked
the same here, just the way he had left it when he rode out to lead the Duke’s
army against the invasion, nearly two months ago. It felt like years had passed
as memories of his life in the future flooded his mind. He closed his eyes and
the sweet face of Julia floated before his mind’s eye, making his heart feel
heavy. He would never forget her selflessness and encouragement. She had loved
him with all her heart, of that he was certain and she proved it by helping him
find his way back home. He would never forget Julia, but his life was here,
with his one and true love Alicia. He offered a silent prayer for the well
being of Julia Kincaid, wishing her a safe and fulfilled life and opened his
eyes to gaze once again at the house he had built with his own hands in the
meadow he called home.

 A dim light
flickered inside the house. It had to be Alicia lighting a candle, he thought,
but was wary of possibility of another of the wizard’s tricks. Though it
appeared the wizard had no interest in little hovels, focusing instead on the
prosperous farmlands and the town.

He crept up to the
window and peered inside. His heart leapt for joy at the sight of his beloved
Alicia sitting by the lit candle with a look of sadness on her lovely face.
Unable to contain himself any longer, Rogan rose up and called out to her,
tears freely flowing down his rugged face.

“Rogan?” Alicia
looked up, dumbstruck and nearly falling off her chair.

“Yes, Alicia, it
is I.” He wept, climbing in through the window. “I have returned, my love.”

“Oh, Rogan.” Alicia
stood up, her hands trembling as she covered her mouth.

“Alicia, it is
me.” He stood before her, fighting the urge to hold her in his arms as she
looked at him in disbelief.

“Rogan.” She said
for the third time, her voice a hoarse, painful whisper. “They said you… you
were slain in battle… but I never did believe them.”

“Oh, Alicia… I
missed you every day since…” He reached out for her.

“Oh, Rogan…” She
stumbled backward, feeling faint.

The warrior knight
leapt forward, cradling her in his arms as she swooned and fainted. He held her
limp form closely and gently kissed her face. This was no dream, he told
himself as he laid her down on the bed he had built with his own hands and
caressed her lovely face.

Alicia stirred and
looked around frantically, her eyes wide and watering. She reached up and
grasped at his face, drawing him closer to kiss his lips. He relished the sweet
flavor of her lips, the moist softness of her tongue. His heart was close to
bursting as he held her tight, determined never to lose her again.

“Rogan, my love.”
She whispered. “You are here with me again.”

“Yes, my love.” He
smiled, gently twirling a silky lock of her hair in his finger. “I am here
forever more.”

“Where have you
been?” She asked him. “I had all these dreams, these nightmares of you being
lost in some demon haunted hell.”

“I was, Alicia.”
He nodded glumly. “The wizard cast a spell that banished me from here to a land
of demons and decadence… and I thought I would never see you again. But there
were angels there as well… angels who helped me return here… and be with you
again.”

“We will never
again be apart, I cannot live another moment alone.” Alicia hugged him. “I only
lived so long because I believed in my heart that you will come back to me and
sustained myself from the fruit we grow in our little garden here.”

“We will make the
meadow our home, Alicia.” Rogan said with hope. “Everyday I will strive to get
Kirk Falls back to as we knew it.”

“No Rogan, you
cannot… all is lost…” Alicia looked into his eyes with despair. “Kirk Falls is
dead; I know nothing of my father or our farmlands… I feared everyday the same
fate to come upon our meadow.”

“The wizard must
pay for this.” Rogan gritted his teeth. “I must find men loyal to Kirk Fa…”

 “There is nothing
you can do, Rogan.” Alicia said pleadingly. “Kirk Falls is a waste land; I
cannot have you risk your life over nothing.”

“It pains me
greatly, Alicia.” Rogan said, his voice trembling with rage. “That the one
place that I could call home after years of being a wandering nomad and a
scavenging sellsword. The one place that I could finally have a home and a wife
to raise a family is taken away from me.”

 “You are not
alone, Rogan, many of our people have suffered the same fate.” The dark haired
beauty grasped his hand. “Many have be rendered homeless, many widowed,
orphaned and left childless.”

“Then all the more
reason, my love.” The huge warrior clenched his fists. “All the more reason for
me to bring that accursed wizard down.”

“You cannot do
that alone, he is too powerful… all who dared to oppose him are no more.”

“My
brothers-in-arms, have I lost them all?” Rogan held his head in his hands.
“Faithful Gregory, bold Danuth, the Herndon boys… all gone.”

“Yes, dear heart,
everyone who fought the forces that besiege this land.” Alicia sighed deeply.
“The bravest died; most fled… we have only one choice left, my love.”

“One choice, to
flee like a coward.” Rogan laughed scornfully. “I who have already lost so
much, now stand to lose even more.”

“No, Rogan, you’re
not a coward… and you don’t stand to lose anything if you have nothing to
gain.”

“Dear Alicia, as
always, you are the light of reason and you give me strength and hope.” He
sighed sadly “There is no hope for Kirk Falls.. It was not the intent of the
wizard to claim the land, but to destroy it.”

“More the reason
you cannot fight him anymore, Rogan.” Alicia caressed his face. “The invaders
have nothing to lose for they seek no gain. Let us be away, my love. We cannot
live here, this meadow cannot be hidden forever… but where can we go?”

“All the farmlands
lie in ruin, including your father’s.” He looked at her with sadness. “We must
leave this land forever.”

“Can we go north…
to your homeland?” She held his hand in hers.

“Vindarland is a
harsh place, my love… it will take a heavy toll on us to make a life there.”

“I am prepared to
live anywhere with you, Rogan.”

“But I am not.” He
said firmly. “I will not have you suffer again, for me.”

“Then where shall
we go, to the south lies the enemy and the east beyond Drakeberg lies the dense
dark forests.” She searched his face. “And the endless sea to the west.”

“We must go west,
to the sea… and find passage on a ship.” He looked at with a glimmer of hope in
his eyes. “I have heard from sea faring men of a new world that lies over the
horizon to the west, we must go there.”

~ ~ ~

The briny air
filling his lungs was invigorating as Rogan took a deep breath and looked
across the deck at the setting sun. Eleven days had passed since they had last
been on land and he had grown accustomed now to the swaying movement of the
ship.  Alicia stood close to him, her arm around his waist. The only piece of
gold she had paid for their passage, along with Rogan’s offer to serve as a
fighter onboard, in the advent of a pirate attack. Three times the ship had
been assailed by buccaneers and each time the captain praised the heavens for
having Rogan on board. He even returned the gold piece back to Alicia.

“The sun sets yet
again, my love.” Alicia whispered. “I have grown accustomed to this journey and
do not miss my life in Kirk Falls.”

“In another two
weeks, as the captain says, we will be in the new land.” Rogan smiled at her.
“Our ship will bring us to a land called New Haven that has been secured for
people like us.”

“I look forward to
that day.” She squeezed his arm. “It is getting dark, Rogan… we should go
inside.”

“Yes, we must.” He
nodded and led her to their newly acquired little cabin below decks.

When they had
first stepped onto the ship, several of the sailors had eyed Alicia with
interest, but soon discovered the error in that after one night of brawling
with her lover. And then when Rogan almost single-handedly thwarted three
pirate raids, everyone on the ship gave them a wide berth. That suited Alicia
just fine, being the only woman in a confined space filled with lonely men.

The captain of the
ship was the only other man that Alicia felt she could trust. He had not cast a
lustful eye on her as the rest of his men did, and was also an educated man
with refined manners. They had to give their names to be registered as migrants
for the new land across the sea, and unlike her warrior husband, Alicia had
spent much time with monks and scribes learning the alphabet. She put down
their names as Alicia and Rogan O’Falkirk, wishing to keep all traces of their
past in the past and begin life anew across the great continental divide.

“Tell me again,
Rogan.” She eyed him seductively as she made herself comfortable on the little
wooden bed. “How shall we set up our lives in this new land?”

“Once we
disembark, I must find work.” He sat down beside her and placed his arm around
her shoulders. “I hear parcels of land are offered as gifts to those wishing to
till the land and farm produce.”

“So you will
become the farmer you always wanted to.” She looked into his eyes and caressed
his hand.

“Aye, I will live
a life of peace and love from here on.” He smiled broadly, kissing her on the
cheek, “…with you to give me strength.”

“How many children
would you like to sire.” Alicia kissed his hand.

“As many as you
would bear me.” He laughed softly.

“I pray four sons
and two daughters would make us a fine family.” She said huskily, rubbing her
body against his.

“Yes, four strong
boys and two lovely girls.” Rogan whispered into her ear and caressed her belly
and hips, lifting her up onto his lap.

“The firstborn
shall be a boy.” She moaned as his hands slid up to cup her full breasts over
the blouse she wore.

“I would like
that, but a girl is also acceptable.” He kissed her smooth slender neck,
leaving a trail of saliva along her velvet skin.

“Let us endeavor
to that now.” She grasped at his crotch. “Come, my love… the moment is right.”

Rogan nodded
eagerly and let her remove his trousers, even as he pulled away her blouse and
skirt. Her pale naked body gleamed in the dim light of the moon coming though
the cracks between the planks of the cabin. Rogan admired her sensuality like
he had always done before, thrusting out his erection at her as a testament of
his love for her.

“Oh, Rogan…your
beautiful weapon of war… it brings out the brazen slut in me.” She purred
sexily and swayed her hips.

“Have at me, my
love.” He leaned back against the wall, letting his foot long pole stand up to
full attention, throbbing for her tender touch.

Alicia’s blue eyes
lit up with lust as her slender hands ran over his rigid flesh. She caressed
his hard cock, stroking it lovingly and pulling back the foreskin to expose the
gleaming head. The rich scent of his arousal filled her nostrils and she licked
her lips. This was the first time in two weeks they had some privacy after
Rogan was promoted to Second Mate and gifted a cabin for all his troubles, and
they intended to make the most of it.

Her moist lips
descended on the sensitive head, making him groan as her slippery tongue
swirled over it. He grasped her head and ran his fingers through her silky
black hair as she went down on him. Days of stress and tension alleviated as
pleasurable sensations cascaded all over his weary body.

“Oh, Alicia…” He
moaned. “Oh, I love you so…”

She smiled with
her mouthful of his hardness, taking more of him in hungrily. Giving up on the
ghosts of her past life, Alicia embraced the choice they had made to start a
new life in a new land. The thought filled her with hope and the enthusiasm to
live life to the full once more. She channeled that positive energy into her
ministrations on her lover’s receptive organ.

Rogan grunted and
grabbed at her breasts and shoulders, pulling her over him twisting her around
until her hips were over his head. She straddled his face as she kept sucking
on his thick cock, letting her moist pussy drip over his hungry mouth. Rogan
grabbed her soft buttocks and pulled her wet arousal over his face, his tongue
lashing out and making her squeal into his rigid organ.

Their moans and
whimpers mingled with the sound of the waves lapping against the ship, the
movement assisting them in their passionate play. Alicia wanted him more than
she had ever done in her life, relinquishing his rigid organ from her mouth and
spreading herself out for him to enter her whole. Rogan obeyed her without
question, his own need to conjugate taking him to heights of passion he seldom
had. He closed his eyes as her warm tightness swallowed him, squeezing and
sucking on his blood gorged arousal. A brief image of another lovely smiling
face flashed before his mind’s eye, but he pushed it away. This night he was
with his love, his life, his rightful wife and the mother of his future
children. Nothing else he would allow to impede this union.

The ship lurched
and rocked, adding volume to their rhythm as the lovers became one. Alicia
kissed his face with frenzied passion, hungry and possessive, resolving never
to lose him again. She arched her back and called out his name, feeling every
receptive nerve in her come alive. Her body shuddered as she gave in to
release, showering his weapon of love with her nascent flow.

“Oh Alicia…” Rogan
groaned as his cock swelled even further before he ejaculated in successive
bursts deep inside her tender tightness. “Oh, my love… my life.”

She held on to him
tightly, siphoning his life giving seed out of him. Her body shook with
tingling sensations ripping through her from head to toe. He completely filled
her world, there was nothing she ever wanted other than him and there was
nothing she could think of other than him. He was the sun in her universe, the
source of her strength and the indomitable will that drove her on. Alicia knew
that Rogan felt the same of her and their union was meant to be, no matter
where or even when.

As they lay in
each other’s arms, warm and content, Alicia remembered the words of Mad Mymisa
that fateful day near the sacred well. Words of doom and sorrow that old crone
had uttered, but Alicia also recollected her tell of finding glory far from
home and down through the ages. She smiled contentedly, setting her mind to
ease with the fact that Rogan and her lineage would go on for many centuries
far, far into the future.

~ ~ ~