Invader

Rolf’s POV:

“How are you doing?”

The question hangs before me.

“Better.” I suddenly remember my wife’s growing belly. My wife. Our kingdom. This land. I was back in the North and embraced warmly despite the infamous cold.

“Good. That is good, Rolf.”

Loki appears relieved at my response, and I felt happy to give it. My mind is a lot more clearer now than six moons ago. The rage is thawing. Perhaps my son is doing that. Or the obvious tension between surrounding kingdoms.

“We are at war, Loki.”

He almost jumps to his feet.

“Not anymore I had thought.”

“We are gonna have to pick a side. Against her father.” I couldn’t deny my secret glee at this. That man was on his way to an afterlife I’d admit even I was afraid of.

He understood who I meant.

“Does the queen know that?” He spoke, in his thick accent. For one of my advisors who travelled well, Loki refused to lose any part of our accent. He was proud, very. It worked wonders by my side every time we stood against our enemies.

“I think she does.” I shake my head, bitter that the whispers always reach her ears. I was failing to protect her, is that not my duty as a husband?

“She’s knowledgable, our queen of the north. Strong too.” Loki slaps a hand on my back. He is suggesting I give her more credit. Finishing off the last of his ale, he stands. Just then my wife joins us. The belly enters the room before her and it is only now that I understand the importance of time.

“I was just thinking how long it had been since I last saw you.” I am tired and sigh into her body as she cradles me.

“It was only the afternoon we saw each other last.” She laughs acknowledging Loki. I hear him clear his throat and he meets my eyes before leaving us alone. I turn all my attention to her, moving her long, dark hair away from the side of her neck. She moans as I kiss and suck to my delight, making me throb against her.

“The women tell me peculiar things I’m to expect on the journey to motherhood. I am beginning to understand them now.” Her voice is husky and erotic to my ears. Eyes glowing with carnal delight. She truly glows, and I have never seen a person do that before her.

“Before I get carried away.” I hesitantly put some distance between us and hold her by the arms and stand as tall as I can. But she speaks before I could start.

“I know what you want to say.” She admits unwillingly, staring at the floor. Her hand rests on her belly and she seems suddenly glum.

“I am told repeatedly to leave the side of my father.”

I suppress any agenda against Micah and seek to comfort her.

“By whom? Who is telling you to do this?” I say a little too harsh. She looks up and tenderly strokes my face.

“It doesn’t matter. The message is clear.” She shrugs. I do not enjoy the defeat in my wife’s eyes.

“I understand what they are saying Rolf.” She seems to realise what my own mind is saying to me.

“My father must pay for his sins. I do worry for mother however. She is left by his side and I don’t want her to be there if she doesn’t wish to.”

I don’t see the innocence as easily as she does. Her mother shares the burden with Micah in some way. I know it.

“Don’t overthink this. Things will play out as they must.”

She isn’t reassured by this but that wasn’t my intention. Instead she heeds my warning and kisses a soft kiss to my cheek and leaves.

FLASHBACK

The Queen of Covas' POV:

“That doesn’t suit you.” I tell him plainly. Instead of feeling insulted, he chuckles, inching a little closer to me. He’d relieved himself of his fancy top, and dug harder than before into the ground as if to impress me with his body in action.

I’d admit only to myself that I was impressed. Who wouldn’t be. It was a thing of beauty.

“What? Working?” He continues laughing, the shovel in his hands looking a lot smaller than it is. He’d taken it off of me when he caught me breaking a sweat.

“Yes. I’m surprised your kind is down here with the rest of us. Your slaves.” I remind him, and my words do damage. I see the second of regret change the shape of his brows. However it disappeared just as quick and he returned to his bravado of a character and stood before me. Handing me the shovel as some sort of truce?

“You’re right. I’m not. So get back to it.” He winks, waiting for me to smile back and tell him it’s okay. I should. I get special treatment, I can’t deny it. Anyone around us keeps their eyes down, but their ears I’m sure stay alert. They don’t trust me, I can tell.

He rolls his neck, stretching the length of his body as the sun beats down on us. His strides towards me are slow, calculated and I throw the shovel from my hands and cross my arms in whatever defiance I can muster before… before this.

“Poseidon’s Drop.” He whispers, just like before and leaves. Everybody stares at me now, waiting. Still, I act oblivious and continue my work before sweat breaks. Then I join him.

PRESENT

Daisy’s POV:

“Come back here.” Oko whispers.

The music is pounding and makes my body move in explicit ways. I evade him for now but he’ll try again.

“Persistence will only take you so far.” I tilt my head and tut as he frowns in disapproval of my distance from him.

“Persistence is key.” Is his reply.

My hips move of their own accord, jerky but in delicious beat to the drums and I approach the prince. He is amused, raising his eyebrow at Oko forcing him to recollect himself. He perches me on his lap, it still felt uncomfortable but it was safe enough. He whispers those words of Arabic I’ll never understand, but I’d guess as the promise to finally have me. My body involuntarily shudders but he doesn’t notice luckily and I look to the other dancers. I know whose eyes to avoid as they glare at the two of us. The prince refuses to take notice of Oko. He’s becoming more and more uncontrollable with his obsession of me. At least I could hide mine.

I was going to excuse myself for a drink before a group of masked strangers invaded the tent. They were dressed in black and spoke fast, aiming their swords at the prince. The guards out here weren’t enough and so we were outnumbered. All of us stood, the prince still and patient for his imminent doom. The only one extraordinarily calm under such circumstances, was Oko.

Once he stood, the strange men unveiled themselves and once Oko stood in front of them, I realised they were in fact his men.

“Come on.” Is all he said. We all knew who he was talking to. I couldn’t persuade anyone it was the swords that compelled my legs towards him. I wouldn’t believe it myself. Once the prince was on his knees behind me, bound and silenced, I looked back. He seemed sad, and Oko made him so by taking his shiny toy. The invaders pillaged but Oko looked at me like he desired nothing else.

“You will not be my slave.” He held out his hand.

“I know.”

I took it and we left this sandy place.