The Pirate Princess

Evernight Publishing www.evernightpublishing.com

Copyright© 2012 Laurie Sorensen

ISBN: 978-1-77130-009-4

Cover Artist: Sour Cherry Designs Editor: Marie Medina

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

WARNING: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. No part of this book may be used or reproduced electronically or in print without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in reviews. This is a work of fiction. All names, characters, and places are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

DEDICATION I would like to dedicate this book IN Loving Memory to Oneida Toppins, one of my very best friends. She sings with the angels now, and there isn't a day that passes that I don't think of her and miss her like crazy. She understood me, knew me and still remained a lifelong friend. I love and miss you girl.

THE PIRATE PRINCESS Laurie Sorensen Copyright © 2012

Prologue Long, long ago, back in the 14th century, in a faraway Nordic country called Gotaland, there lived a beautiful princess named Alvilda. Rather than marry (and stay at home weaving and cooking, as every other woman of her time did, be she princess or peasant) Alvilda decided to run away from her castle and become a Pirate. Very little is actually known for certain of the Pirate Princess, or of Prince Alf, the man who conquered her icy heart. The story is so steeped in myth and legend it is almost impossible to untangle fact from fiction. But recently, by the purest of magical chances, there came into my hands a manuscript well over six hundred years old. There, inside the ancient manuscript, I found the oldest written account known to exist of Alvilda, the Pirate Princess. I will tell you her tale, my fellow warrior women, so that you may wonder and learn from her great bravery. I’ll put my chapter numbers in Old Norse to help you remember just how long ago the brave Alvilda roamed the oceans wild.

Chapter Ein Gotaland, 1373 “Poisonous snakes and lizards? You can’t be serious!” Queen Freydis raised one eyebrow at her husband. “Surely you don’t believe these mere creatures will keep your daughter secure in the safety of our castle?” King Synardus of Gotaland was on the hunt for a suitable mate for his only daughter, the beautiful Princess Alvilda. Since no ordinary man would do for his one and only daughter he locked her within her tower bedroom, and placed a loyal and ferocious guard at her door. To be extra sure she could not escape he placed a great number of poisonous snakes and even more poisonous lizards in the antechamber of the tower. “This will guarantee only the bravest lad in all of Norse land will make it through to her chamber and capture her heart.” “You can’t keep her to yourself forever, Synardus, my sweet. She must marry. What makes you think that whichever young man happens to fight through all your nasty snakes and lizards will be the one who captures our daughter’s heart?” “She won’t have a choice. It will be as I say it will be. Alvilda is only a foolish girl child anyway.” King Synardus shrugged and turned from his lovely wife. As far as he was concerned the matter was solved. Queen Freydis touched his shoulder. She didn’t agree at all that the matter was solved. “Girl or not, she is no longer a child. She has seen eighteen summers and, in case you haven’t noticed, my dear husband, she has developed a will to rival your own. She isn’t likely to wed simply because you say it is to be so.” “Damn it! She is my daughter. I am her father. And I am the king. She will do as she is told or she will remain locked in that tower until she complies with my commands.” King Synardus stomped roaring from the room. He liked things kept simple and whenever life threatened to grow complicated he became very upset. The queen lowered her head and sighed, and her sighs joined the echo of the king’s growls as they reverberated throughout the room. She chanced a glance toward his retreating figure, only to see

he was already gone from sight. “Oh Alvilda, I pray you will not spurn the suitor he finds for you.” **** Up in her tower the Princess Alvilda paced back and forth. She was furious. “So I am to be locked away like some prize piece of meat for the first sturdy soul who answers my father’s summons! Nothing more than a pawn for men’s pleasure and money. I will not be subjected to this game called marriage.” She came to an abrupt stop in front of her companion. “But how shall I get out of this tower without my father knowing?” “Well, milady, I think I can help you with part of your problem. I could distract the guards. But there isn’t anything I will be able to do about those vile animals your father has set to guard your room.” Alvilda’s handmaid Helga motioned toward the door. “Animal’s? What sort of animals?” The Princess Alvilda strode to the door only to find it locked. “Open this door, right now. I’m the Princess and you will open my door now.” “Milady, they have orders not to open the door for anyone save your father. They let me in this morning while you still slept. Your morning meal is on the table in your sitting area and the door will be opened to admit your midday meal. Until that time your only company will be me. Shall I brush your hair and plait it for you?” “Helga, how can you so calmly talk about plaiting my hair when we are held prisoner here in my room?” Alvilda’s shoulders slumped and she sank into the nearest chair, valiantly striving to hold back the tears stinging her eyes. “My father must be truly insane to think keeping me locked here will make me fall in love with whoever he brings to take my hand. I’ll not wed anyone.” “Princess, you are but a young girl. It’s what young girls do. They wed and produce children for their husband.” “Well, this girl,” Alvilda pointed to herself, “will not wed. I swear it on the sacred Aesir, Odin. There must be something different for women to do in this world. Taking care of little wiggling, crying, whining babies is not something I long for. What I long for is freedom!” “Freedom, Princess? What on earth do you mean?” Helga looked interested but slightly confused.

“Freedom from whatever is expected of me. And I will have it!” As a matter of fact, Princess Alvilda really wasn’t quite certain what she meant either, but she wasn’t a girl to be bothered by details. **** At noon, sure enough, the door swung open to admit the midday meal carried by a kitchen maid. She set the tray on the table in the sitting area of the tower bedroom. Alvilda couldn’t help noticing that the guard who stood outside the door blocked the entrance and refused to budge. “Take this message to my father.” The Princess placed a small parchment in the kitchen maid’s hand. “Inform him that his daughter requests his presence in the tower since he has made it impossible for me to come to him.” “Yes, Princess, as you wish.” The kitchen maid curtseyed and slipped past the guard who shut the door immediately following her departure. “He can’t hold me here like this. I’m no criminal. I am a Princess, his daughter.” Alvilda turned to the tray and picked at the cheese and bread upon the trencher. What have I done to anger him so? Helga flitted about the chamber while Alvilda poked at her food and pouted, waiting for the king to answer her summons. **** “How dare she make demands upon my person? I am the king and I do not answer summons from anyone. She may come to me if she wishes to speak with me.” The king smiled happily at his brilliant logic. “Darling, you must stop bellowing around all over the castle. I heard you through the closed doors and down the hall. You sound very much like a lion with a stomachache. Be reasonable, Synardus, our daughter can’t come to you. Have you forgotten the guards open the door only on your orders and only to bring food to her?” Queen Freydis spoke softly, hoping to sweeten her husband’s temper. He ignored her calming voice and turned a blind eye to the soft looks his wife was giving him. “All the same, she can’t make demands of me like this.” “Darling, I don’t see it as a demand so much as a pleading wish to seek out your everlasting wisdom in this situation. Go to see her, talk to her, and by talk I mean talk, no yelling. If you would like

her to see things your way, it would be best not to anger her.” Queen Freydis smiled and left the room with her fingers crossed. King Synardus paced the great room with his hands clasped behind him and a thoughtful look on his face. “Best not to anger her,” she said. What about me? Wouldn’t it be best not to anger me instead? “There is no help for it. I must make her understand. Prince Alf of Denmark will be here within the week. She must be made to realize she will marry him if he does what I think he will do and gets past my snakes and lizards.” King Synardus left the great room, taking the stairs leading to his daughter’s bedchamber.

Chapter Tveir Princess Alvilda stood by the narrow slit in the wall, which served as her only window, watching the ocean below and pouting. She heard the door open behind her, but she refused to turn in response, merely saying, “You took long enough.” “I am the king, Alvilda. I do as I please. I came to see you because your mother advised me it was in my best interest to do so. What is it I can do for you, my sweet daughter?” Alvilda spun on her heel. “What can you do for me? You can’t be serious. You hold me prisoner in this tower. I see the sun through a hole too small for a mouse to climb through. I eat whatever is brought to me. I can’t train with my sword, I can’t shoot my arrows, and you want to know what you can do for me?” Alvilda had a strangle hold on her emotions but she was very much afraid she’d begin to cry any moment now. “I seek freedom, father. Can you give me that? And by the way, what animals do you have guarding my door? Dogs? Tigers? What are they?” “Snakes and Lizards.” “What? You think so little of me that you put puny little snakes and lizards to guard me?” “They are far from puny, my girl, and they are deadly. Poisonous, in fact. I treasure you with my soul. How can you think I don’t?” The king adopted his most wounded expression, hoping it would soften her heart. “Nay father, you treasure the wealth I can bring you with this marriage you desire so much. You say the snakes are poisonous? Surely someone, anyone, can get past snakes if they have a good sword arm. I want out of this room, father. You can’t keep me locked up in here.” “Alvilda, wealth is not important to me. Your wellbeing is top most in my thoughts. I keep you in the tower because the snakes and lizards will secure a mate for you who is worthy and strong. A mate who deserves you. You will remain here until he wins the right to your hand in marriage.” The king left the room and ordered the door locked behind him. **** Queen Freydis stood silently behind the doorway to the antechamber and watched her husband leave the tower where her

daughter was being held before she made her own way to the room. The guard standing outside Alvilda’s door moved into a defensive stance when she approached. “Open the door. I wish to converse with my daughter. By the way, why do these snakes not bite me?” “They are trained, my queen, to attack men only. They don’t attack me because I have been trained with them.” “And why don’t they attack the king?” The guard opened his eyes wide in surprise. “Why, because he is the king of course.” The queen opened her mouth as if to say something but decided against it. After a moment the guard bowed politely and opened the door, allowing her admittance to the Princess’s room, and shutting the door behind her. The queen glanced over her shoulder before walking quickly to her daughter’s side. “Alvilda, I have it on good authority that one Prince Alf of Denmark is on his way here to win your hand in marriage.” “Prince Alf? I doubt seriously he would make such an extended journey to win a prize that will not be here to win.” Alvilda waited for her mother to contradict her. Queen Freydis smiled. “Alf will be set to killing the snakes and lizards outside your door. Once the deed is done, he will enter your chamber. You are right when you say you will not be here.” Alvilda blinked as the queen smiled. “I’m not positive I understand your meaning, mother.” “I have this very minute discovered the means by which you may leave this tower. That guard your father has placed outside your door may be very brave, but he is as dumb as the dead ox we ate in a stew for last night’s dinner. He just told me something very interesting. Those snakes and lizards guarding your door won’t bite you or any other woman!” Glancing from the door to her chamber and back to her mother, Alvilda opened her mouth as if to say something but nothing came out. “Now we have the means to your escape. I will leave the key to your room with you, and tell the guard that I am keeping it for myself. He will have to find another one. Helga and I will make a plan to distract the guard long enough for you to make good your escape. You must do so at night, when the watch is at a minimum. Leave by the postern gate with as little noise as you can manage.

Travel light and take this money with you.” Queen Freydis handed her daughter a leather pouch of silver and gold coin, and laid the key on the table. “Alvilda, I love you more than you will ever know. I don’t want you to be shackled to a man who is not of your choosing. Go safely, my daughter, and remember me.” Queen Freydis was a brave woman and so, though her heart was breaking at the thought of never seeing her daughter again, she turned and left the room without a backward glance. Alvilda turned to her maid. “Helga, what was that all about?” “If I don’t miss my guess, milady, it sounds as if your mother is telling you how to escape your father’s plan.” “It certainly does seem like it, doesn’t it? Did she mean tonight?” Alvilda moved to the bed and knelt on the floor, pulling a small leather bag from beneath it. She eyed the contents of her chamber before beginning to pack. She chose with care for the weight of the object as well as the size and its usefulness. She took the breaches she had filched from her father’s room a few short months ago, and the few shirts she had made to wear with them. All these items she shoved haphazardly into the leather bag. “Helga, come with me. We can both escape the hand we have been dealt.” “Yes, Princess, it sounds exciting. I know other women who would like to come too. Some who are getting ready to marry. They don’t want to but what other future lies open to us? I’ll talk to them when I leave your chamber, milady. By night fall, we shall have a right band of savvy females to explore the world as we wish.” “Yes we shall. The world will be ours, and the sea too. How do you feel about ships?” “Ships milady? What about them? They float upon the water is all I know about ships.” Helga gave Alvilda a shy glance. “Will we go to sea and hide?” “No, we won’t hide. We will terrorize! Make a name for ourselves, show my father that a girl is worth more than a few coins in the coffers.” Alvilda gazed into the full-length looking glass and smiled. “Helga, could you please brush out my hair and plait it? We will need to hide it somehow, at least for a while, and plaits would help me do that.” “Certainly, milady. The guard will open the door for me soon, and I will make sure the other girls will be ready to leave tonight.”

Helga slid the brush through Alvilda’s long blonde hair, bringing it to a shimmer that rivaled the sun’s brilliance. Then she carefully plaited the long strands into tight braids and placed each one in twirls upon Alvilda’s head. “There you go, milady, it’s done. I’ll leave you to contemplate the future and I will return later this evening. Alvilda watched Helga leave the room and no sooner did the door shut behind her than she began to pack more items into the bag she would take with her. She smiled as she worked, already imagining her success as the captain of a dangerous band of pirates.

Chapter Prir Night finally arrived. Alvilda paced the floor waiting for the moment when the guard would be distracted. Helga and the queen had spent the afternoon coming up with a good plan. The maid would flirt with the guard and ply him with as much drink as he could consume. Eventually he would have to run for the jakes. Impatience boiled in Alvilda’s stomach, making it ache. Her mind filled with second thoughts. As soon as she defeated one, another would jump out to worry her. Do I really want to involve Helga? It would be foolish, and dangerous, to escape alone. She glanced at the table still holding the bread and cheese from her midday meal. Will there be enough to eat? I'll take this bread and cheese and steal more from the kitchen as we leave. She stamped her foot, impatient with herself. I can’t stay here! There are no second thoughts. I have to make good my escape. She went to the bed and reached beneath it again to bring out a second small leather bag to fill with food. As she stood, her bedroom door swung open long enough to reveal Helga silently motioning to her. One last look around and Alvilda left the room, locking the door behind her. “Prince Alf has arrived. He wanted to slay the snakes and lizards immediately, but your father persuaded him the hour was too late. He agreed to stay the night and make his attempt at the prize in the morning.” Helga whispered this information as the two of them slipped down the circular stairs and into the corridor leading to the kitchen. “I want to see him! I want to see if he is the way I remember him from childhood. He was so handsome then, I think I fell in love with him at first sight. His parents brought him for a visit. I believed we were to be betrothed, but father would hear nothing of the sort.” “You risk too much if you attempt to see him, Princess. What if we are caught?” Helga spoke in hushed tones. “The others are waiting down by the postern gate. Milady, we must leave immediately.” Alvilda ignored Helga and walked quickly toward the great hall. She simply had to see the Prince. “Just one glimpse, Helga, and I can go.”

Silently she moved down the hall, the shadows obscuring her presence to all save Helga. Standing on tip-toe she peeked through the narrow window and sighed at the sight of Prince Alf. His magnificent body stood outlined by the flickering glow of the fireplace. He had his back to her and she was able to admire the muscles outlined by his tight fitting britches. His hair fell from his shoulders in a brilliant blonde wavy sheen. Her heart pounded when he swung his head to gaze in her direction. Had he seen her? She held her breath, half-fearing discovery and half-excited by the prospect, until he shrugged and went back to staring at the fire. “Milady, that was too close! He felt you watching him. Please, we need to make haste! The more time we have before the king discovers your escape, the better our chances to be away and not get caught. Do you want to be dragged back here to marry the prince?” Alvilda’s eyes narrowed and her brow wrinkled. “You know I don’t want to marry anyone. I only wanted to see him. He’s beautiful, isn’t he?” She didn’t wait for Helga’s answer already moving swiftly down the corridor to the kitchen. She paused long enough to fill her leather bag with apples, bread, cheese and a full wine skin. Making her way down the moonlit path to the postern gate, Alvilda chanced a glance up to the castle towering behind her in the night gloom. She spied her mother watching from her lighted bedroom window. She couldn’t see her mother’s tears so much as feel them deep in the core of her being. The princess touched her heart with her right hand and made to grasp it and throw it to her mother, a sign that her heart would always be with her. Her mother did the same. Turning back toward the gate, Alvilda faced over a dozen women with their eyes on her, silently waiting for orders. “Quickly now, no time to dawdle. Our new life begins very soon. I’m taking one of father’s ships, and the faster we move the sooner we can be at sea. If time is on my side, it will be late tomorrow morning before he discovers me gone.” The women made their way down the cliff side path to the cove holding her father’s two ships. They boarded the smaller of the two because it was closest to the open sea. Besides, with a crew of inexperienced women as sailors, the smaller ship was the wiser

choice. When all the women were aboard, Alvilda manned the rudder while the others, including Helga, took up the oars and headed out to sea. The princess glanced over her shoulder again and imagined her mother still watching from her window. Once more she touched her heart, grasped it and threw it in the direction of the castle. She’d made good her escape. She would be her own woman. She would answer to no one, but she would certainly miss her mother. Will Alf be angry when he finds me gone? No matter, I’m sure he will quickly get over the loss of me. “We are well on our way, so keep watch and wake me only if there is no other choice.” Alvilda slipped below decks and found her father’s cabin. Shutting the door, she collapsed on the berth. Before long the heat of the enclosed space had her taking everything she wore off. Confident they would not be followed for some time, Alvilda smiled as she lay on the bed and stretched her naked body over the roughhewn wool cover upon the bed. He certainly was a handsome man, far more handsome than I remember. “Just stop it, he isn’t meant for you, no one is,” she said as she turned over onto her stomach and fell asleep. His hands caressed her skin, lightly skimming over her back and across her buttocks then down the backs of her legs. Alvilda arched her back; when she did her legs slightly spread open, giving him easier access to the treasure covered in golden curls. One hand slid between her legs and delved into the curls finding her most private parts, the hard little nub hidden from the world. Stroking that tiny button elicited a small moan in the back of her throat. Encouraged, he rubbed harder and Alvilda drew her legs up, bringing herself onto her knees. Alf bent over her back, pressing his cock against her as he grazed his fingers over both nipples before gently squeezing them between both thumbs and forefingers. She groaned, coming up on her knees and leaning back into his chest, then reaching behind her head to bring him closer. Alf nuzzled into her neck, kissing the pulse he found there, wrapping his arms around her body, his cock jumping with the desire to plunge deep within her. One hand dipped down and found she was wet and ready; rubbing the hard nub, Alf gently pushed her down, giving him ample access to drive into her without effort. He grasped her hips, his cock throbbing and so hard no guidance was

needed, and slowly he entered her, reveling in the tightness surrounding him. Gyrating against her buttocks, slipping in and out of her wet heat drove him to plunge faster and deeper with each stroke. Alvilda screamed out his name. “Alf!” She woke on her knees with her hand between her legs, a fine sheen of sweat marking her entire body. Weak and shaking, she collapsed upon the bed, gasping for air and looking about the room. A knock sounded at the door. “Princess, is everything alright?” Helga sounded behind the locked door. Quickly glancing around the room once more to be certain Alf was not in the room, Alvilda replied, “Nothing’s wrong Helga, I was dreaming.” I think. I feel like my entire body is singing. Alvilda heard Helga’s retreating footsteps and got off the bed, only to discover that she seemed to be dripping some kind of liquid down her legs. She grasped a linen cloth to wipe herself off, and as she did so, discovered she was sensitive in her private area and slightly sore. Confused about her present state, Alvilda went back to the berth and lay down to sleep once more. **** Prince Alf left the great hall to wander the grounds. He found his way to the ramparts that faced the sea, lifted his right foot up onto the rim, and leaned on his knee to watch the ocean. Noticing a ship far out on the bay, he wondered at its purpose before dismissing it as a fishing boat out late. “Tomorrow should prove easy. Some kind of little test to prove my bravery and then the Princess Alvilda will be mine.” Alf spoke out loud. The sound of his own voice made him feel more courageous. “I wonder, is she still as lovely as she was when I last saw here a little over a year ago? Such a beautiful face she has. Truly she has become a stunning beauty. And she will be all mine. No one else will have her.” King Synardus cleared his throat. Prince Alf spun on his heel and faced the king who had a glowering look upon his brow. “Sire, I didn’t mean to offend you.” “I wasn’t offended, I was merely listening. You think my daughter beautiful, yet you haven’t seen her for a while. How do you know she isn’t plain or even, may the gods forbid, ugly?” The king

smiled, clasping his hands behind his back as was his wont, and walked toward the young prince. “Forgive my impertinence, sire, but I don’t think you would set dangerous creatures of unknown origin to protect someone who was not beautiful. Somehow I think it would be unnecessary.” Prince Alf grinned, supposing his answer to be very clever. “You’ll have me think you are vain, and that the appearance of my daughter is all you would care about.” “No, of course not, sire, she is fair of face most definitely, but I recall a sense of humor and a courage you don’t see in many women.” Alf paced with the king. “I have been told by your Queen Freydis that she is strong willed, much like you sire. I admire that trait, and I am happy that Alvilda has it.” “What you call courage I call obstinacy. She doesn’t know her place and she would rather defy me than to do as she is told.” King Synardus stopped pacing and faced the young prince. “If you make it beyond my creatures, I will call off the guard. He will not attack. I set the animals at her door to assure myself that only the bravest Viking lad in all of Norse land would dare to ask for her hand. Be it known though, should she not find you to her liking, I will not force her to wed you.” “King Synardus, I will not accept failure. She will be mine. I’ll woo her heart if I must but somehow I doubt it will be necessary. I think I’ll retire since I have to test my strength tomorrow against those snakes and lizards. Goodnight, sire.” **** “He certainly has the spirit I am looking for, but does he have the cunning it will require to convince my stubborn, wrong-headed daughter to wed? We shall see in the morn.” King Synardus left the great hall for his own bedchamber. When he arrived he glanced toward the bed to find it empty. “Freydis, are you in here?” “Of course, my love. I’m watching the sea. All quiet in the castle?” Freydis moved to the bed, slipping off her wrapper and sliding into the covers for warmth. “Stoke the fire before you get into bed please.” “Of course, my dear. It is a little cold in our chambers tonight. I wonder why that is? It wasn’t particularly cold today.” King Synardus strode to the massive fireplace and added large chunks of

wood before jabbing the embers to spark a flame. “Why was the fire not stoked for you earlier?” “I was unwell and sent away my maid. I didn’t wish to be disturbed.” Freydis watched him from beneath her long lashes. “Besides, when the maid was here the fire was strong.” Once the fire blazed, King Synardus began to pace again. It seemed to him that these days he was always pacing. A daughter like his would make any man pace a hole through the strongest floor. “Prince Alf arrived safely today and tomorrow he will face the trial of snakes and lizards for the right to Alvilda’s hand. I pray she will accept him, for I believe he will conquer the creatures with little effort.” “And should the gods not answer our prayer that she take him?” “He seems very determined. We will see if what he believes will come to be.” The king removed his clothing and climbed into the bed. Groaning, he laid back and gathered Freydis into his arms. It was at this point he realized she was crying. “These tears, what are they for?” “Alvilda. I want only the best for her.” “Prince Alf is the best, and I’m certain he will prove it on the morrow, my dear. Get some sleep. Alvilda’s future is all but decided.” Ignoring his own advice King Synardus lay awake, contemplating his daughter’s future for some time, unable to sleep. For the life of him he couldn’t understand how a simple man like him could have such a complicated, willful daughter. **** Bright and early the next morning the castle was alive with activity in anticipation of a betrothal. Prince Alf marched into the great hall, sword at the ready. “Let’s get on with this ridiculous test of my ability.” “Why are you so impatient? Should we not enjoy breakfast first? Fighting creatures on a full stomach would be so much better don’t you think?” King Synardus smiled. “Sire, I wish to get this test over and done with. It would be best to do that now, so Alvilda can join me to break our fast.” “As you wish, Prince Alf. You will find her in the uppermost chamber of the North tower. As I said last night, the guard has been

instructed to step aside if you get past the animals guarding her door. We shall await the results here.” “Bring out your sweetest mead in celebration of the betrothal. I will return shortly.” Prince Alf strode from the room with great purpose and took the stairs to the tower two at a time. Upon reaching the antechamber leading to Alvilda’s tower door he found himself faced with a large serpent, coiled and hissing, baring fangs at least six inches long. The head of the creature was as wide as Alf was broad and when Alf moved, it moved in the opposite direction, never blinking. Coiled as it was, he couldn’t tell how big the animal was. He moved closer, forcing the snake to uncoil itself in order to keep its eye on him. Come on, you vile creature, stretch out, so I can cut you to bits and claim my prize. As if he had heard Alf’s thoughts the animal stretched, striking out and almost landing a blow to the prince who leaned back and to the right to get away from the head. At the same time he brought his sword up and managed to stab the disgusting underbelly of the creature. It hissed loudly and reared back, preparing to strike again. Prince Alf didn’t give it time to consider its next move. Thrusting upward through the snake’s bottom jaw he buried his sword deep in its head. The giant thing writhed for a moment or two before collapsing in upon its own coil. The moment the foul creature breathed its last, three tremendously large lizards came rushing out from behind the guard who stood posted at Alvilda’s door. These lizards had large fins running down their backs and a fan-like membrane surrounding the neck. Forked tongues flipped in and out of their mouths. Prince Alf lunged toward the sword still buried in the snake’s bottom jaw but he didn’t reach it in time. One of the three lizards jumped over the serpent, placing himself between Alf and the sword. The prince moved swiftly in the other direction, trying to grasp the weapon, and was foiled yet again by another of the three vile creatures. “Damn. Cunning things aren’t they?” Prince Alf mumbled aloud. “Are you talking to me, sire?” the guard asked tentatively. “No, damn you, I was not speaking to you, I was thinking aloud. Unless of course, you have a useful suggestion as to how I might get past these things.” Prince Alf spoke sarcastically and tossed an annoyed look toward the guard.

“No, I can’t give you any help, sire.” “Well then, stop distracting me. I wish to claim my prize.” Prince Alf jumped straight at a lizard, hoping to shock it into submission long enough for him to grasp the sword. The move worked, allowing Alf to grasp the weapon, heave it out of the giant snake’s jaw, and slice through two of the lizards in quick succession. The third lizard, much larger than the first two, crept toward him slowly and deliberately, its forked tongue flicking wickedly back and forth. “You’ve really made her angry now. You killed her babies,” the guard warned. “Don’t you think I should have been told that ahead of time?” “I’m sorry, sire. It isn’t up to me who tells who what. I just guard the door.” Prince Alf rolled his eyes and groaned as he contemplated the rather large monster. Where on earth did Synardus get these animals? The creature stalked toward him and he readied his sword. As she reared to attack he slashed upwards, cutting through the underbelly of the lizard, and thrusting the sharp blade up into the chest of the animal and slicing through to its heart.

Chapter Fjórir The quiet of the lovely sunlit morning was torn asunder by an agonized, guttural scream coming from the tower. The king and queen and several servants ran to the tower bedroom of Princess Alvilda. King Synardus immediately noticed the dead creatures littering the antechamber outside the room, the guard standing outside the door with his mouth slack with amazement, and the door behind him standing wide open. Glancing toward the guard the king asked the one question on everyone’s mind. “Is the prince dead? Who gave us this fright?” “I have been played false. Alvilda is not here.” Prince Alf burst through the chamber door to glare at the king. “What do you mean she isn’t here? I locked her in myself.” King Synardus pushed Alf and the guard out of his way and strode into his daughter’s bedroom. He searched the chamber, looked under the bed and into the wardrobe and finally returned to the corridor. “I swear on my honor, she was here.” He turned to the man whose task it had been to guard her door. “Who came into this room last night?” The guard shook in his leather armor. “Sire, no one came to the room save Helga, your daughter’s maid. I let her in so she could retire for the night on her pallet. I swear on my life no one else entered and no one left while I stood here.” “While you stood here! Was there any time when you were not at your post?” When the quivering guard didn’t answer immediately the king went on. “Come, tell me, did you abandon your post for any reason?” “Sire, I left the door unguarded long enough to visit the jakes. The creatures were still here, no one should have been able to enter or leave.” The guard hung his head, terrified of his fate. “The snakes and lizards would never have hurt a woman. Someone had to help her escape the room.” King Synardus looked about the chamber, noticing for the first time that his queen was nowhere in sight. Ignoring the indignant Prince Alf, who was breathing heavily and looking angrier with each passing moment, the king strode from the corridor down the stairs and straight into the great hall.

“Freydis!” the king shouted. “Where are you?” “Stop yelling, my love, I’m over here.” “Come out from behind that curtain. I will see your face when you answer my questions.” Queen Freydis glared at him, raised her chin and squared her shoulders. “What is it you wish to know?” “How did our daughter come to be out of her locked bedchamber?” King Synardus looked down his long thin nose at his wife of more years than he wished to count. “I’ll know if you lie.” “Why would I lie to you? I am willing to take whatever punishment you wish to deliver for protecting my child from an unwanted marriage.” “Was my protection not enough? The snake and lizards, you thought it not enough to protect her? Now she is out there somewhere hiding from Prince Alf. She has proven me a fool and I won’t stand for it. She will be found, and a punishment meted out.” The king strode from the room. “Gather the men, and meet in the courtyard, immediately!” The great hall echoed with his angry voice and Queen Freydis stood there alone, one tear falling down her cheek. “Alvilda, I pray you find happiness and safety.” **** When the sun rose Princess Alvilda breathed a sigh of relief and glanced behind her as she worked the rudder of the ship. No one is following us. I’ve done it. I’ve secured my own future. Helga appeared at her elbow. “Princess, there is a ship ahead, and they don’t seem to be moving.” “Pull up alongside her. We will see if we can offer any assistance.” “As you wish, princess.” “What I wish is that you and the rest of this crew stop calling me princess. I am no longer a princess, I am captain of this vessel, and should hold that title instead. I also wish for everyone on the entire boat to change their clothing into the leather breeches each one of them should have brought. We need to hide our hair, too. At least from a distance we must not appear to be female.” “Yes princ…I mean Captain, at once,” Helga sashayed down the deck to find her own small leather bag.

“That’s what I mean,” Alvilda pointed to Helga. “The way you’re walking, it is entirely too female. We must stop walking like women. Others have to see us as men. Eventually they will fear us.” “Why shall they fear us, milady?” another crewmember asked curiously. “Because we must become that which is feared above all else– pirates. As of this moment we are pirates. As pirates we can attack ships on the sea and take the gold we need to outfit our ship and our crew. Our sex will not matter once the word of our deeds spreads far and wide.” “Aren’t pirates scary and don’t they carry knives and other sharp things?” Helga asked. “Of course pirates are scary. Didn’t I just say we will be feared above all else? And yes, as a matter of fact, they do carry swords and other nasty things, all of which can be found in the cargo hold. My father believes in being prepared for everything.” Alvilda smiled slyly. “I wonder how he’ll be prepared for not finding me nestled all safe and warm in my bedroom?” “Milady, do you think he will come after us?” “Call me Captain, not milady, and most definitely not princess. No, I don’t think he will, at least not right away. He will commence a search on foot and horseback, thinking I would flee the castle by land. It won’t even occur to him otherwise until he discovers this ship missing.” By this time they were very close to the other ship, which still didn’t seem to move except to roll lazily up and down with the waves. Alvilda glanced at it. The ship seemed to be in distress of some kind. “Release the anchor and lower the small boat. I’ll take a few of us over and see what we can salvage from the ship.” Everyone on Alvilda’s ship had changed into breeches, and several of the women had shorn their hair to shoulder length or shorter. Alvilda’s earlier search turned up a variety of armor in her father’s cargo and she passed all of it out to her fellow pirate maidens. She tucked her plaits into her newly found iron helm that boasted a thin mask-like shield to cover half her face. She climbed into the small boat, followed closely by five of her crew. Together they rowed over to the unknown ship. Someone above threw down a rope ladder, and several men gathered to watch Alvilda and the others climb up to their deck.

“I would like to speak to your captain.” Alvilda tried out her best male voice. “He’s dead, miss,” one of the men told her. “How did you know I was a woman?” Alvilda was incredulous. She’d thought her best male voice quite good. “You there, how did your captain die?” She pointed at a man in the back of the group. “He choked on a chicken bone. We’ve just buried him at sea, and we are left without a captain.” Another man spoke up. “It’s easy to tell you’re a female. Your voice is high, you have no whiskers on your chin. And quite frankly, it would be difficult to hide your bosoms. Where do you come from?” Alvilda was annoyed. She hadn’t taken her bosoms into account. “I’m here now. It doesn’t matter from where I came. I’m captain of the pirate ship Tyto. Would you like to combine our crews? I think your captain would have liked that. Be aware that my crew is entirely made up of women, and they are to be left untouched. Tell me, shall we join together to conquer the seas?” The men looked from one to the other and then back to Alvilda. “Will you be our captain then?” “Yes, of course. Since I’m already captain of the Tyto, why not become captain of this ship?” Alvilda looked appraisingly around the ship. “She is a beautiful ship, larger than mine. By the way, what is her name?” “Her name is Cryatus, and yes, she is a great ship. You as our captain? That is something we should talk about. Can we let you know later?” “Send word to the Tyto when you finish speaking of it. But don’t take too long. I’m an impatient woman.” With that, Alvilda and her crew left the Cryatus and returned to their own ship to await the answer from the pirate crew. Back aboard the Tyto, Alvilda gathered the women together and spoke to them. “I’ve offered to take over the pirate ship Cryatus, becoming the captain and adding their crew to ours. I have told them we are a group of women, but I have also told them none of you are to be touched.” “Captain, how can you be certain they will keep a promise to leave us alone?” Helga’s eyes were wide and questioning.

“If we are to mix crews, I will be their captain. If they don’t obey me they will be charged with mutiny and forced to walk the plank. Listen, I don’t know much about ships, and joining with this pirate band might prove advantageous for us all. If any of you have a problem, bring it to me, it will be taken care of. As your captain I’ll not allow anything to ever happen to you. We did not leave our homes only to fall prey to men on the sea. You will be safe.”

Chapter Fimm The pirate ship sent a small boat over to the Tyto to formally invite Alvilda to become captain of the Cryatus. “I’ll be more than happy to take over your ship as captain, thank you. We shall move all necessary items to the Cryatus and continue our journey to prosperity. Return to your ship and bring back more men to help us change ships.” A mere hour later the Tyto lay abandoned, afloat on the sea waiting for the next band of sailors or pirates to come along and lay claim to her. Alvilda stood on the deck of the Cryatus watching the jewel of her escape growing smaller and smaller on the distance horizon. I wonder if father and Prince Alf will be the men to find her empty. Alf. Was I right to run from him? He was so handsome, and brave too. Now, Alvilda, you need to stop this kind of thinking. You made your choice, you made good your escape, and there is no going back. **** That same evening as the night grew black and a sliver of moon climbed its lonely way up into the night sky King Synardus, exhausted and furious, rode back into the courtyard and dismounted. “Nowhere! She is nowhere to be found, damn it. I’ve been gone this long day and it has been fruitless work. “Freydis! In which direction has she gone? By what way did she leave the castle?” He stopped in the center of the great hall and glared at his wife. “You will tell me and you will do it now or I will have you thrashed in the courtyard with all our people looking on.” “Goodness, I’m frightened!” Baiting him, her eyes never leaving his, she stalked up to him, speaking to him silently with every slow and deliberately measured step. “If you believe a public thrashing will induce me to tell you where and how she went from our home, you are mistaken. Thrash me if you wish. Flay the skin off my back. I won’t tell you what I know. Prince Alf is an arrogant ass. He doesn’t deserve my daughter.” She stomped her foot hard, halting short of his chest. Her head angled back to maintain fierce eye contact. “Freydis, my love, my sweet, I have no wish to hurt you in any way, but your disobedience is making things difficult for me."

The king didn’t feel very much at all like being reasonable but to tell the truth he was a little afraid of his wife. She could be as headstrong as his stubborn daughter. “It’s true Prince Alf is arrogant, but all strong young men are. He is also brave and willing to take our daughter to wife. Not every man would, you know. She is willful and stubborn. The young prince will help her realize what she was born for.” His shoulders slumped and he sank down onto the nearest bench. “Therein lies the problem, my love. What is it about Alvilda that tells you she was born to be a wife?” Freydis wrapped her arms around him. “You never asked her what it is she wanted.” The queen really did feel quite sorry for Synardus, baffled as he was by his strange daughter. The king stood, pushing his wife to the side. “She is a girl child, she can’t change that fact. Women are born to marry and produce children. I shouldn’t have to ask her what she wants. It is how it is. It’s simple. I don’t make the rules Freydis. I merely follow them. Where did she go?” Queen Freydis hung her head and moved to the door. “She took a ship. When you came into the bedchamber last night she had just sailed from my sight. By now, she is far from here, and unreachable. The man I married so many years ago would never force his child into something she can’t fathom. I don’t know you anymore.” Before King Synardus could reply, she was gone. It occurred to him that perhaps he should have told his dear wife that he would not have actually forced Alvilda marry Prince Alf if she really didn’t want to. Ah well…it is too late now. Leaving the castle, the king’s voice boomed out. “Bring as many men as you can to the ships. We sail within the quarter hour. Alvilda is at sea, and we must bring her home.”

Chapter Sex Several months later, aboard the king’s vessel “Sire, we haven’t found her. Her ship lay empty where we found it. The princess is gone. These waters are rife with pirates, and we must accept she is dead.” King Synardus turned so quickly that the man who had spoken almost fell backwards into the sea. “Never! I will never accept that she is dead. Never mention it again. We will go home only because our supplies are running low. We will replenish them and return to the sea. I refuse to stop searching.” The captain of the king’s sailors turned and addressed the group, who all appeared to be rather tired of searching for the princess. “You heard your king. Home we go, but then right back out again to search for our princess until she is found.” **** King Idmond of Denmark sat upon his throne and glared at his son. “Alf, it’s been many months since you visited Gotaland to win the hand of the young maiden Alvilda. Yet you remain here, pacing the throne room, day after day without a bride. Why is that?” Alf stopped pacing and turned to his father. “It is simple, father, I have told you many times. She disappeared mysteriously, leaving the castle through a locked door, before I had even defeated those unattractive creatures King Synardus used to protect her. “What do you want of me, father? She is the only princess anywhere near my own age. All the others are too young for marriage or too old and ugly to be considered.” “Age and appearance mean nothing in the world of marriage, Alf. You need a princess, and you need one now.” “Why is it so important for me to marry?” “I’m not a young man any longer, so you need to ensure that our bloodline will continue. Besides, quite frankly, I want grandchildren before I get too old to enjoy them.” King Idmond heaved a long sigh. “Unfortunately, your marital status will have to wait. We have an even bigger problem. There is a band of pirates terrorizing our beautiful Danish sea. They are taking my profits, killing my crews and sinking my ships. Find

them and eradicate them. Take no prisoners and bring me my cargo, or at least what might be left of it.” “When do I leave, father?” “The ship is loaded, the men are ready, and they await your arrival onboard. You can leave any time you are ready. Remember to kiss your mother goodbye.” “I’ll depart within the hour and I won’t return until the pirate band is gone. Do we have any information I should know before I leave?” “We have found one survivor. He pretended to be dead and they overlooked him. It took days for him to find his way home and when he got here the only word he spoke for three days was ‘Cryatus.’” Alf cocked his head to one side and looked at his father, “Cryatus? Is that the pirate captain’s name then?” “I believe it might be the name of the ship on which the pirate band sails.” King Idmond shrugged. “Rolf is still recovering and hasn’t spoken more than that one word since he arrived.” “I won’t disappoint you again, father, I swear it.” Prince Alf strode from the room with great determination. **** “Captain Alvilda, why is it we stay in Danish waters? Are there no more profits elsewhere?” Hagar, the first mate of the late captain, asked the question many of his fellow pirates wished they were brave enough to ask. “I imagine there is, but I get a great deal of satisfaction plundering ships in this particular sea. I think I anticipate seeing my prince once more, if only to destroy his ship.” Or is it something else? Again, for what seemed like the hundredth time, her mind’s eye summoned Alf’s handsome face and Alvilda wondered if her whole adventure was a mistake, a mistake that couldn’t be rectified. Perhaps she had reacted too hastily to her father’s orders. “Ship ahead, Captain, shall we take her?” “Of course. Our profits mount higher, but not high enough. Prepare to board her and take no prisoners. They join us, or they die.” The captain pushed all second thoughts out of her mind and concentrated on feeling bloodthirsty and greedy.

The pirates from Cryatus boarded the ship, found the captain and offered asylum to him and any of the crew who would join the pirates. “I will never join you. Nor will I allow my men to do so. You will not take this vessel. I will kill you myself before I let you have her.” Alvilda smiled, her dirty face amused. “Captain, I have no wish to kill you, but I don’t leave men alive to tell tales. So I’ll ask again, will you join us?” “The fires of Hell take you! No. We will not join you.” “You will be the first to die then. Maybe once we kill you and throw you overboard some of your crew will change their minds.” Alvilda nodded to Hagar, who turned and immediately lopped the captain’s head off. The body slumped to the deck while the head bounced into the water off the side of the ship. “Does anyone else wish to die this way, or do you wish to become pirates?” Alvilda raised her eyebrow. “Step forward if you will join us.” Three of the crew stepped forward while the others refused to do so. “Good, gather your belongings, and step aboard the Cryatus. The rest of these men will be dispatched soon enough, and we will be on our way.” She tossed her head at two of her own crew. “Follow them. Make sure they do as they are told.” A quarter hour later the seized ship was on fire, the men on board were dead, and its cargo lay safely stowed in the hold of the Cryatus. Alvilda stood on her deck and watched the Danish ship burn. Strangely enough she felt sad and that irritated her. “Set the new men to row and get us out of here. The smoke might draw attention.” **** Days after leaving his father’s castle, Prince Alf came upon the burned out shell of one of his father’s ships. “I believe we are on the right path. Do you care to make a guess on what heading to take?” Alf turned toward Grim, his navigator. “Considering the ships and wreckage we have run into in the last several days, the pattern seems to go in a circular motion, staying in Danish waters as your father indicated. What would be the reason to stay in our waters?” Grim scratched his nose while he pondered his own question.

“I don’t know what holds these pirates to our sea, but when we find them, I shall ask. I think if we cut across this way.” Prince Alf bent over the maps, pointing. “Then we might be able to trim some time from the journey and catch up to them sooner. As it is right now, we find something a mere few days after the pirates have left. We need to turn the tables and bring an end to the terror they have wrought.” “I would suggest the same thing, sire. We might be able to save another ship, or perhaps we will fall prey to the pirates ourselves.” Prince Alf narrowed his eyes and looked grimly at Grim. “Don’t be foolish. We won’t fall to the pirates—they will fall to us. This is something I can promise. No one is as skilled with a blade as I, most assuredly, not pirates.” “Make haste. We have pirates to kill,” Grim shouted to the waiting sailors.

Chapter Sjau “Captain, a ship approaches.” Hagar shouted from his perch in the rigging. “She appears to be heading straight for us, almost as if they do it on purpose.” Alvilda’s head snapped around in the direction Hagar pointed. “Come about, we shall greet our visitors, and make them pay for hunting us down.” “Captain, they fly the royal banner of Denmark. The king himself might be aboard. I won’t be a party to killing a king. That would mean certain death for all of us.” The look in Hagar’s eyes spoke volumes to Alvilda. “The good King Idmond would never come after me himself, he would send his soldiers, or even…yes…even his son Prince Alf.” Alvilda turned from the men and women in her crew and walked away. Only Helga followed her to the back corner of the ship. “Milady, he has come in search of you. How grand that must make you feel.” Helga’s voice held laughter, yet she spoke softly for only Alvilda’s ears. “The prince is coming for pirates who have terrorized his ships. He does not seek out Princess Alvilda, who died months ago. He will not find her among this crew, I promise you that.” The Cryatus pirates and their captain stood on deck ready to meet the enemy. Only time would tell if Prince Alf was among its men. With every roll of her ship Alvilda felt a pull on her heart she couldn’t explain, and an ache in her chest from a sadness she didn’t understand. Her gaze never left the Danish ship as it came ever closer. All too soon the ship drew alongside the Cryatus and both crews stood on their decks simply watching the other, neither moving so much as a toe. Alvilda stood, her hair hidden safely under her helm, her shoulders thrust back, her hands on her hips, and her mouth turned up in a challenging smile. The sleeves of her white shirt billowed in the breeze. She glared at the crew of the king’s ship. The captain of the king’s vessel walked out from behind the single mast, his blond hair whipping around his face as he stared down the captain of the Cryatus, his stance mirroring Alvilda’s.

She lost all her breath at once. It was indeed Prince Alf on the king’s ship. In her heartiest voice she shouted across the sea between them. “What say you, Denmark? What business have you with the Cryatus?” Her eyes never left Prince Alf’s face and at the mention of her ship’s name she saw a movement deep in his eyes that she didn’t understand. It was all too important to hide her identity from him if he was the one to board the ship. And it became clear quite quickly that he intended to do exactly that. She caught a movement out of the corner of her eye and apparently so did every man on board the Danish ship. While Alvilda was still staring at them they suddenly swung their gazes to her right and like clockwork every man’s mouth dropped wide open. Alvilda chanced a glance to her right only to see that one of her female pirates had popped up on deck from below, completely oblivious to the fact that another ship had come alongside them. Lissa’s well-endowed bosoms were inarguably female, as was the sway of her hips as she walked toward her fellow pirates. Alvilda shook with fury and she turned on her heel to glare at the Danish ship. Prince Alf chose that moment to give his orders. “Board her and take no prisoners!” She watched with fury as the king’s men boarded her ship and her own loyal crew charged to meet them. In seconds the clash and clang of broadswords, the grunts and thunks of body blows, and the shrieks of the wounded and dying made the air hideous. Alvilda unsheathed her sword and began to fight her way toward Prince Alf, along a deck slippery with the blood of Danes and Gotas alike. Man after man fell to the prince’s sword. A scream ripped through the breeze and she knew one of her women had met a fate she would never have wished for her. A man from the king’s ship jumped in front of her and she lunged forward, sticking his side with the tip of her rapier. The man grasped his side and fell face down. Shifting her eyes back and forth, she saw one more of her women fall prey to the king’s men. Alvilda screamed in blind fury. A man backed into her, knocking her helm off and releasing her gloriously unplaited hair. A gasp of shock rippled through the fray and when she looked up Alvilda found herself staring directly into Alf’s eyes. Now it was Alf

who slashed his way through the battle toward her while she stood frozen. “I knew it had to be you, the one with ice in her heart. When I saw that woman here on your ship, I knew I had finally found you. I have succeeded where your father failed. End this slaughter of your crew now. You are the only one who can. Marry me.” Alvilda gazed into his eyes. She couldn’t think. She couldn’t even breathe, and he clearly expected an immediate answer. Ice? He thinks I have ice in my heart? She tried to stall for time. “I can’t stop your men, only you can do that.” Prince Alf brought his face close to hers and stared challengingly into her eyes. She could feel the warmth of his mouth, barely an inch from her own. “One word from you, my icy-hearted Pirate Princess, and I will stay my crew.” She glanced around the ship. Already the dead from both sides littered the deck. So many dead and all because I do not know how to submit. “I challenge you to a sword fight. Just you and I, Alf. Stop this killing, we can decide this with only one more death—yours or mine.” Prince Alf shouted above the fray. “Hold your swords! Fall back. Our mission is accomplished.” “Sire?” Grim was astonished. “Were we not to eradicate the pirates of the Cryatus? Is this not that ship?” “Of a certainty, yes, it is the Cryatus. I have found my princess, and she has challenged me to some swordplay. For now, I ask that you step back, and watch her crew. No one is to interfere. If she wins, which of course she won’t, you are to leave this ship with no further retribution.” Both crews stood gazing from one to the other and then around the ship, scratching their heads in surprise and wonder. “Stand back and give us space.” Alvilda swung her sword in a sweeping arc and pirates and sailors alike fell over each other in their haste to escape her blade. She and Alf, their gazes locked, began to circle each other warily.

“So you have come to claim my icy heart, Prince Alf? She bared her teeth in a distinctly unfriendly grin. “Why is that, prince? Can you not find a warmer princess for your bed?” Alf glowered at her and distracted by her taunts lowered his sword. Alvilda took advantage of this show of weakness to advance, slashing through the air, trying to throw him off balance. But Alf countered that lunge, and the next and the next, holding his ground, not giving an inch. Back and forth they met each other, move for move, lunge for lunge. Neither gained nor lost. Out of breath, Alvilda darted in close, tangling their swords in a desperate attempt to make him drop his weapon, only to find her own arm in his steely grip. “Give in. Marry me and this can stop.” Alvilda cast her eyes downward and her shoulders slumped. “Why are you so insistent on this marriage?” “I’ve loved you for many summers, and through many winters. I knew that one day I would marry you. You played me false when you were not at home to welcome me into your arms once I proved my bravery.” “I have never played you or anyone else false. I was unaware that you were there until I had escaped my room. I saw you for a brief few moments while you were in the great hall. I never wanted marriage. I can be so much more than just a wife.” “Marry me, and you will be more than simply a wife.” She looked deep into his eyes and somehow believed him. “I will marry you. Please spare my crew.” Prince Alf turned to his men. “The Princess Alvilda has consented to marry me. She of the icy heart will be mine. But I will melt that cold heart of hers, of that you can be sure. I want men left on this boat to keep an eye on the crew as we row home. The princess will join me on mine, as we have much to discuss.” **** Later that night Alvilda sat in the small space where Prince Alf slept, away from the rest of the crew. The prince leaned against the wall and watched her. “Will you do nothing but stare? You’re making me terribly uncomfortable.” Alvilda lowered her eyes, glancing at him through her long thick lashes.

“Uncomfortable? Do you not deserve it?” Prince Alf glared at her. “How can I expect you to understand? You were unknown to me, frightening. What should I have done?” “You should have been where you were supposed to be. Your father was worried senseless, as was your mother. I fought vile creatures for you. You were to be mine, no one else’s. As a matter of fact, you will be mine. We will be wed upon arrival at my father’s castle.” Alf took a step toward her. Alvilda fair to jumped out of her skin and tried to scoot the chair backward. “We aren’t married yet. You can’t touch me, I’ll not let you.” Prince Alf’s shoulders slumped and he left the room, leaving Alvilda to think on her fate as his wife. **** King Idmond welcomed his son home only to find he’d brought the Cryatus with him, as well as a stunningly beautiful, though rather fierce-looking, young woman. “Alf, my son, who have you brought me?” “Father, may I present to you the Princess Alvilda of Gotaland, also the captain of the vanquished pirate ship Cryatus.” The words had the effect Prince Alf anticipated. His father sunk into the nearest chair with his mouth wide open, working as if to say something though nothing came out. This made Alf smile widely. “I know, father, I was rather shocked too.” “It really is not that big of an event, sire. I knew I would be found eventually.” Alvilda turned from the men and walked to the door leading to the garden in the courtyard. She remained in the doorway. “Though I had hoped it wouldn’t be until your son had found another princess to wed.” King Idmond moved toward her and put his hand on her shoulder. “Alvilda, such a lovely name. Will it be so bad being married to him?” “It isn’t Alf. I didn’t want to marry anyone.” She looked over her shoulder, past the king and to Alf standing across the room. “But if I am to be honest, he sends me into confusion. My heart speeds up and my breathing tries to stop when he is near. His eyes betray him. I think there will be no princess for him unless it is me.”

King Idmond followed her gaze and smiled. “I think you must be right. He has spoken of none other than you, my dear. Perhaps you’ll consider him as a husband.” With a nod to them both he walked from the room. “Prince…” “Call me Alf. It is my given name, and since we are to wed, there is no reason for you not to use it.” “Alf it is then.” Still, Alvilda couldn’t bring herself to look him in the eye. “May I be so bold as to ask why you must marry me, and no one else?” “Do you recall a visit my father made to your father all those years ago? You had only thirteen summers, but I knew then you would be a stunning beauty and that I would have you when you came of the age to marry. Each summer, I journeyed to see you, though I never announced my presence. And each year I grew more enamored of you. So imagine my dismay when I slew the snake and lizards, though they were paltry creatures at best, only to open your door and find you gone from my reach.” “I recall an arrogant young man, older than me by far. I must admit I thought you beautiful but I was a mere child.” “You had to have known deep down, as I did, that you and I would marry one day. As for being older than you by far, I have seven more summers than you, not so many as all that. I am older and wiser, it would seem, because I knew you were the princess for me the moment I laid eyes on you. You were not so smart.” Prince Alf turned Alvilda around to face him. “Milady, you are mine and always will be.” He lowered his head and kissed her gently upon the mouth. It was a rather chaste kiss, but it was enough to spark the fires burning within his body. He deepened the kiss, running the tip of his tongue over her bottom lip. She quivered as her lips parted, and he took complete possession of her mouth. Her body melted into his. Clearly they fit together perfectly. Prince Alf wrapped his arms around her waist, picked her up, and as he broke the kiss, he spun her around. “I’ll be able to melt that ice yet. A message has been sent to your mother and father. We will wed in a simple ceremony in a few days.” Alf put her back on her feet and left the great hall.

Chapter Àtta Alvilda woke to a room full of giggling females. Queen Amora, Prince Alf’s mother, was gazing down at her and smiling. “My dear, I will stand in for your mother in the preparation of your body for the wedding.” “Thank you, your majesty.” Alvilda climbed out of bed only to be surrounded by women. She instinctively reached for the gilt circlet that should be on her upper arm. “My kransen? Where is it?” “It has been removed and wrapped carefully. You shall have it in your belongings, to give to your first girl child. You must know it is a sign of your childhood innocence, which may never be worn by you from this day forward. Later today you shall be a married woman and will wear symbols that indicate your status.” What I'd really like to wear is my sword and my helm. Helga entered the chamber and announced, “Milady, the bathhouse is ready.” “Come, Alvilda, the preparations continue.” Queen Amora walked from the room, leaving no possibility for further discussion. “Wasn’t this bathing ritual supposed to be done yesterday?” Alvilda asked a little sharply. All these wedding preparations were making her a bit queasy. “Time is of the essence, and certain things can be forgone because of it.” Helga pushed Alvilda out the door. Resigned, Alvilda, surrounded by women, made her way to the bathhouse. I’m not sure this ritual cleaning of my body will at all prepare me for what comes this night. She entered a room filled to the brim with wooden tubs, linen towels, soap and water. Alvilda was stripped of her old clothing, which was sent away, and she entered the tub closest to her and warm water permeated every pore, seeping into her soul, allowing her to relax. Her attendants began scrubbing her body and washing her hair. For the moment Alvilda let herself revel in the luxurious feel of being pampered, something she had given up when she became a pirate. After several long and lazy minutes the queen spoke again. “Alvilda, please stand and enter the steaming room. Here your body

will be truly cleansed. You may have one attendant with you. Whom will you choose?” “I’ll take Helga, thank you.” Alvilda stood naked, awaiting permission to enter the steam room. What does she mean by “truly cleansed”? How dirty does she think I am? Helga undressed, and leaving her garments draped over a chair, escorted Princess Alvilda into the steam room and closed the door behind them. Once inside, Helga indicated that Alvilda should sit on one of the benches provided then scooped some water from the bucket and drizzled it on top of the hot rocks in the center of the room. Steam filled the area, surrounding Alvilda and Helga. “Princess, are you happy today?” Alvilda couldn’t see Helga through all the steam but she heard her clearly. “I don’t know, Helga. I never thought this day would come yet here it is. Do you not miss the rolling seas, the blowing winds, and the life of a pirate?” “To tell the truth Princess, not really. It turned out to be much harder work than being your handmaiden. Besides, I was getting a little tired of all that murder and mayhem.” Silence fell for a few minutes. If she were honest with herself Alvilda had been getting tired of all the murder and mayhem, too. It was one thing to hunt wild boar and wolves in the forests of her father and quite another thing to go around cutting peoples’ heads off. “Princess?” “Now what, Helga?” “Are you not in love with the handsome and dashing Prince Alf?” “Maybe. A little bit. But that doesn’t mean I want him poking and snuffling around my body every night.” Alvilda heard Helga giggle but luckily she didn’t ask any more tricky questions. Thirty minutes later, Alvilda emerged from the steam a refreshed woman. The queen led her to a small pool of cool water, waving her hand over it, beckoning. “Yet again? I have to get into more water?” The queen sighed. “My dear, this final step will close your pores and scent your body for the ceremony, which I remind you, will happen at dusk. Please stop being so foolish, wade into the pool,

completely submerge yourself, and then we can then go back to your chamber to dress.” Alvilda stepped into the pool, slowly sinking down into the water. She recognized the scent of lavender and something earthy she couldn’t define. Slipping beneath the surface, she rolled over and opened her eyes, staring up through the clear cool water into the blue sky far above her. Perhaps I will be happy after all. She stood up and let the water cascade from her hair. Then she stepped out of the pool. Her attendants hurried to dry her off with linen towels and held up a wrapper for her to slip into. Meekly, she let them lead her back to her chamber and dress her for the ceremony. **** Meanwhile, Prince Alf, surrounded by his father and many male servants, was standing in the graveyard, breaking open the burial mound of a long dead male member of his family. “Really, father, is this necessary? Not only is it rather disgusting, it seems a waste of time. I have a perfectly good sword in my chamber.” “Alf, I know how the young generation has no liking for the traditions of our people, but you will follow them as I see fit. The ceremony requires it, and so it will be.” King Idmond was almost shouting at him. “You were the one that insisted upon this marriage, so you will follow the dictates of our traditions to seal the pact.” “Father, if I remember correctly, it was you who insisted I marry someone, anyone, even a fat, ugly, old lady, as long as I married. ‘Age and appearance mean nothing in the world of marriage, Alf. You need a princess, and you need one now.’ Those were your words, not mine, dear father. Also, there was a little something about you wanting grandchildren.” His father ignored him. Alf knew he was being difficult. Certainly he had wanted quite desperately to find Alvilda and marry her, but all this digging around in the graveyard made him nervous. “What does this ridiculous notion prove anyway?” He stopped digging and looked up at his father. “It represents the death of your single status and your rebirth as a groom, entering into your married life.” His father raised an eyebrow and glared at him. “Have you retrieved the sword, Alf?”

“Here it is, father. I have it. What do you expect of me now? Do I eat the bones of this man?” The king turned his back on his son and started back to the castle. “Don’t be obtuse, Alf. Now you must bathe, cleanse your body, and might I suggest, cleanse your mind as well. In all seriousness, Alf, Alvilda will make you a good wife. You’ve made a good choice, and I pray she doesn’t regret saying yes.”

Chapter Níu Alvilda stood very still while four young maids slipped the wedding dress over her head. It was a simple gown made of pure white wool and accented with royal blue braiding that wound under Alvilda’s breasts and came to a close in the back, cascading down to the floor. Upon her head she wore the traditional bridal-crown made of silver, adorned with rock crystal and red and green ribbons. The crown had been passed down among the females in her family from generation to generation. It feels so odd, as if it doesn’t belong to me. “You look lovely, my dear. Your mother would be proud of you. She had your bride-crown sent months ago. We kept it in hopes that Alf would find you, and of course he did. You see, your union is meant to be.” Queen Amora touched Alvilda’s cheek with great tenderness. “My queen, how could you have possibly known your son would find me?" “I am a mother, and I knew my son would find what his heart desired most.” Queen Amora smiled as she left the chamber. “What his heart desired most?” Alvilda whispered. Could he truly love me? Is that what I feel when I look at him? **** Prince Alf stood in the courtyard, waiting for his princess to come out of hiding. He paced, stopping every so often to glance toward the castle. Time dragged for him at a pace a snail would envy. He was a little afraid that any moment now someone would run out to announce that the princess had snuck out the back of the castle and stolen one of his father's ships. At long last the door to the castle opened. He turned at the sound and his mouth dropped open. Alvilda stood in the doorway looking around. And she was dressed as a bride, not as a pirate. A slight breeze blew through the courtyard and picked up several strands of her hair, wrapping them around her face as their eyes met. His breath caught in his throat and his heart jumped in his chest. “She’s stunning,” he whispered to himself. I’ll make her love me. She has to love me. Alvilda made her way to the edge of the courtyard and into the garden, passing Prince Alf. Shyly casting her eyes downward, she

stopped, waiting. Prince Alf walked past her and continued into the gardens where the ceremony would begin in moments. He took his place standing with the goði, the priest, who would perform the ceremony. A young goat stood by for the living gift to Thórr. After the ceremony the goat would continue in life as a sacred animal until its natural end, cared for as a member of the family. A high-ranking officer in King Idmond’s army escorted the princess in her father’s absence. Walking in front of them was a young man carrying a sword. According to tradition, he should be a young kinsman of hers; however, since that could not be, a boy belonging to her escort was asked to perform the duty. As both stood before the goði, Prince Alf gave her the sword he had obtained from the burial mound. Alvilda accepted the sword, a symbol of the continuity of their bloodlines. Then Princess Alvilda handed Alf a new sword that had preceded her to the ceremonial location. This sword symbolized the transfer of power from the bride’s father to her groom, who with this wedding became her principal protector. When their hands met over the second sword Alvilda looked at Alf from under her lashes and made a little pouty mouth, as if to protest her need of a protector, but Alf was growing smarter by the minute and he simply smiled and gave her a big wink. The rings, a symbol of a continuous unbroken circle, were exchanged using the hilt of Alf’s new sword, to signify the sacred ties that bound the bride and groom as one. Finally, Alf and Alvilda joined hands while holding the hilt of Alf’s sword and repeated the simple vows, promising to be faithful and caring toward each other. With the vows said, the rings exchanged and all traditions upheld, they were declared husband and wife. A good thing too, all these swords and rings are making me dizzy, thought Alvilda. It's about time, thought Alf. At this rate we'll never get to the really good part of the day. The wedding feast began, with the newly married couple sitting together, sharing a trencher of food and a goblet of mead. “Well, you have well and truly caught me now. Do you regret it?” Alvilda cast a glance at her prince through her lashes. She was rather shocked to find him staring at her rather than eating. “No, no regrets. I’ve loved you for many a year, and I know, given time, you will grow to love me as well. I’ll melt your heart of ice. I pray you will but allow me to love you.”

“I don’t have ice in my heart. I just have ideas about what a women should or shouldn’t do.” Alvilda frowned. “You’ll want me to have babies and sew and do nothing interesting whatsoever.” “How can you say that, Alvilda? You don’t know enough about me to say such things.” “It’s the way of the world. Oh how I wish I were born a boy!” “If you were a boy, we wouldn’t be having this conversation.” Alf got up to refill the trencher they shared. **** Much later in the evening, with the sounds of the celebration still loud in her ears, Alvilda was led to the bridal bedchamber by several of her attendants. They brushed her hair, removed her wedding gown, and dressed her in a night rail decorated with embroidered pictures. Alvilda admired the pictures and opened her mouth to ask about them when the queen entered the chamber. “The pictures are goldgubber and are usually done in gold instead of golden thread. They show the god Freyr and the giantess Gerd, embracing in their union. We sew the pictures into the fabric as a symbol of fertility. After all, bloodlines must continue.” Queen Amora shooed everyone from the room. “My dear, I know you’ve never known a man, and your mother isn’t here to help you, so do you have any questions about what is expected for tonight?” She spoke with great tenderness as she placed the bridal-crown once more on her new daughter–in-law’s head. Alvilda blinked, her mouth opened as if to say something but then closed. She looked away from the queen and walked to the window. “I’ve no questions, my queen. I’ve seen horses mate, and I’m sure it must be something like that.” “My dear, it would only be like that if the man were a clod. I can’t be absolutely certain, but I have doubts my son is a clod. I should tell you though, it will hurt the first time, nothing so terrible it can’t be borne, but there will be blood and a pinch of pain.” “I had assumed there would be pain, though I will admit, I expected it to be great. I believe it was one of the reasons I ran from marriage.” “The pain is minute, nothing to fear, and a silly reason to avoid marriage. It is a woman’s duty to marry. I hear them coming, you should be abed.” Queen Amora pushed her toward the soft feather mattress adorning a huge wooden bed.

Alvilda’s eyes widened in fear. “Them? What do you mean? I only married one man. And just why is it a woman’s duty? Is there nothing else for a woman to do?” “Prince Alf is required to bring with him six witnesses. They will not stay, but they have to see that it is indeed you in the bed, and that it is Alf who climbs into the bed with you. This is required in case anyone brings cause against the marriage. There will be witnesses as to its validity. And to answer your second question— what else should a woman do but make a home for the man she loves?” “I see.” Alvilda didn’t see at all but she pressed her lips together as Prince Alf burst through the door with his six witnesses. “Mother, you may leave now.” Alf bowed to her. Alvilda watched as his mother stopped in front of him and, looking up, she spoke. “Be gentle with her, my son, she is a jewel worth protecting.” With that word of advice she left the room to the witnesses. **** Prince Alf was stripped of his clothing, his back to his bride who was abed watching every move that was made. He turned to her and smiled tenderly when he saw the fear in her eyes. “Witnesses, see this plainly—it is the Princess Alvilda in my bed and I am climbing into the bed, by your torchlight make witness of who you see.” Prince Alf drew the coverlet down so they could see clearly who was in the bed with him. He removed the bridal-crown and spoke to his witnesses. “Now you may leave, and don’t come back until the morning.” All six of the men who had come into the chamber with Prince Alf left without another word. **** As soon as the six men left Prince Alf jumped up from the bed and strode naked to the fireplace to stoke the flame within. Turning back to her, he saw Alvilda had the coverlet pulled clear up to her chin, and her eyes were wider than he had ever seen before. “Does my body not please you?” “I don’t know if it does or doesn’t. Yours is the first one I have ever seen in this fashion.” Alvilda’s voice was muffled since she spoke from beneath the blanket.

Laughing, Alf walked back to the bed and removed the coverings, exposing Alvilda in her lovely nightgown. “Come here, please.” Instinctively answering his summons, Alvilda swung her legs over the side of the bed and slipped into his waiting arms.

Chapter Tíu Alf wrapped his arms around Alvilda, his head dipping to kiss her. Her body fit perfectly against him and he shivered with pleasure. Deepening the kiss his hands deftly unfastened the ties at her long elegant neck. He unlaced the ribbons holding the front of the gown closed before breaking the kiss and taking a long breath. The gown fell from her shoulders and gathered at her feet. Instinctively she brought her arms up to cover her nakedness, though they were a paltry covering, as they didn’t cover nearly enough. Alf brought his hand up and stroked a nipple with his fingertip, and smiled at the quiver it provoked in his blushing bride. Her mouth fell open and he heard her quick intake of breath. He claimed her mouth again, and this time her arms curved around his neck, pressing her naked breasts into his chest. Soft moans fluttered from her throat as he moved her ever so slowly to the bed. Picking her up in his arms without breaking the contact of their lips, he bent to lay her gently down. He felt his way down her belly with his hands, finding the juncture of her womanly essence, he slid a finger into the moist warmth there, thrilling at the knowledge that she was more than ready for his entrance. Opening his eyes, he broke the kiss and looked into her eyes as he slipped the finger further between the folds hiding her treasure. Bending his head to a nipple, he smiled as she arched into him. Alf stroked the hard little nub between her thighs and suckled her nipple, bringing her closer to the pinnacle her body craved. “What is this…this thing you are doing to me? It’s wondrous.” Alvilda was breathless with pleasure. “What you are feeling now is small, compared to the world I will give you, my love.” Alf watched a myriad of emotions wash over her face. “Feel what you have done to me.” Alf took her hand and placed it upon his cock, now hard and throbbing. “Oh my goodness, so soft and so hard at the same time! And you say I did this to you?” Alvilda rubbed her hand up and down that male part of him. “You are so large, my prince, how can this be? When I saw you but moments ago, it didn’t look this large.” Alf laughed. “My sweet, you did this to me, with your lovely little moans and your happy reactions to my attentions. Your body is ready for me to make you my wife. This first time it might not be so

wonderful for you, but I promise you here and now that forever after I will ensure your pleasure before I take mine.” He leaned down, taking full possession of her mouth as he knelt between her legs. Lowering his body to hers he put his cock in the right position, and to make it as quick as possible, he rammed his cock into her to the hilt, swallowing her scream in his kiss. The prince opened his eyes and saw the tears falling from Alvilda’s eyes as he broke the kiss once more. “Don’t move, my love, the pain will subside, it had to be done to conquer your maidenhead. You will be sore, but it will heal and there will never be pain again.” He couldn’t hold back any longer, as the pressure of her tight virginal shaft combined with her contracting muscles proved his undoing. He had to move again, one thrust, two thrusts and one more brought his seed forth to spill within her body. Alf rolled to the side, taking her with him, cuddling her to his chest, wiping away her tears. “Hush now, it’s over, you’re my wife. The morrow begins anew, a life that will be ours to share.” Alvilda moved slightly on his chest, her hair tickling his arm as she settled in. “The discomfort has left. It truly wasn’t as terrible as I had expected it to be,” she whispered. Stroking her back lightly he grinned, and with his other hand he lifted her chin to look into her eyes. Alf leaned down to possess her mouth. Without prompting from him she opened her mouth to his tongue. Groaning, he deepened the kiss, finding her mouth inviting and warm. He broke the kiss, leaving her breathless and panting. Watching her face, he allowed his hand to trace a trail down her naked body, bringing small sighs from her with every inch. Her eyes fluttered open and she met his gaze. Eyes locked he bent forward and slipped a nipple into his mouth. He was rewarded with the arching of her back and the low moan escaping her mouth. Alvilda wriggled on the bed, and Alf slid a hand between her legs to stroke her until she yelled out his name and clutched at his shoulders. Alf swallowed his name from her lips as he took possession of her mouth one last time. He broke the kiss and breathlessly said, “I never believed for one minute you had ice in your heart, and now you’re mine.” “How is it that you can make me feel so light?” Alvilda offered him a small smile as her hand grazed his jawline. “I didn’t

want this, I didn’t want you, but when I left that night, I saw you, and somewhere in the back of my mind, I wanted you.” Alf went up on one elbow, raised an eyebrow and stared at her. “You saw me the night you left? How?” She rolled to her side, facing him, oblivious of her nakedness. “Helga and I stole away in the night, but before I could go, I wanted one last look at you.” He collapsed on the bed, and with his mouth hanging open he raised his arm over his forehead. “Yet you still led me on the chase.” “I didn’t know what I really wanted. Now I think I do.” “And what would that be?” Alvilda smiled and moved in to lightly kiss his lips. “We shall see.” **** Alvilda stretched in the morning light and opened her eyes to the new day. The memory of what they had done in the bed last night dawned on her and she realized she was well and truly his wife. “No escaping now is there?” “And why would you wish to escape, my sweet pirate?” Prince Alf asked from the chair to her right. Turning her head toward his voice, she blushed. “I didn’t know you were still in here. Why do you sit there and watch me sleep?” “You’re beautiful first thing in the morning. Shall we go and break our fast?” Prince Alf stood and walked to the bed, and leaning down he kissed her until her breath was gone. “Some of that ice melted last night, and I look forward to seeing what your heart looks like without it.” “We have a long life ahead of us. Don’t you think that talking of this wrongfully perceived icy heart could be put to rest? It was never ice, it was fear.” Alvilda left the comfort of the bed to dress. “I thought pirates held no fear.” Alf smiled at her. “You thought wrong. There is fear for many in the world, even pirates.” Alf watched her dress. “Here, let me help you.” She watched him in the full-length looking glass in their bed chamber while Alf finished the fastenings and glanced into the mirror, catching her watching him. “Do you like what you see?” “I don’t dislike it. In time I may come to like it.”

“You may come to love me.” “Let’s not cross the lines of time yet. It’s too soon. You ask too much of me.” Alvilda’s eyes filled with tears. “I don’t wish to see you cry. Please dry your eyes, and we shall go take nourishment. Tomorrow is another day for me to earn your love.”

Chapter Ellifu The day progressed oddly, with Alf presenting Alvilda with feminine accoutrements that she rebuffed. Flowers, pure wool, jewels, all wonderful things, but she turned away from them all. “I will win your love, of this you can be sure,” Alf stated as he threw down the wild flowers he had picked. “There has to be something that I can give you, something that you desire.” Alvilda cocked her head to one side and glanced at him. “There is much I desire, but none of it from you. I was forced to marry you in order to save my crew, my women. This has nothing to do with love.” “Why do you persist in wearing these clothes you came here with? I’ve given you beautiful wool and linen, yet you still wear your fur and leather.” Alf pointed at her pirate garb. It started to dawn on him that he had a way to find her love, and turning without a backward glance, he left the chamber, leaving her to gaze after him. **** Some time later, Alf entered the castle in search of his bride, trailed by several others, each carrying a different sort of item. “Alvilda! Where are you?” “No need to yell the rafter down, I’m here.” She stepped out of an alcove to the side of the large great hall. “You desire my presence?” “I desire you, yes, but that will come later. For now, I make a gift to you, and I think it might be one you will like.” Alf stood to one side and allowed the men that followed him to come forward to present their items to Princess Alvilda. “Is this your way to win my love, buying me?” Alvilda glared at him. “This won’t work anymore than flower wil…” She stopped speaking as the first man presented her with swords, many different swords. “My princess, I have brought my finest work for you to chose from. If you don’t like these, I will endeavor to craft you the best sword in the land.” The craftsman bowed, holding out an armload of fine swords.

Alvilda slowly walked toward the bowing man. “Rise, show me your very best.” The man shifted the weight of his load to show her a sword with a golden hilt, encrusted with gems of all colors. “This one is the best one, my princess, a sword worthy of a princess. A gift from your husband.” She turned toward Alf, slightly tilting her head and offering him a rare smile. “Begging your pardon, princess, there is more. I’m a smithy, and I’m to make you a new helm and perhaps a shield.” The man bowed low. Before she could comment, another man stepped forward. “I will need your measurements, my princess, for I am to make your new clothes: furs, sturdy wool, the finest linen and leather. You’re to have shirts and breeches, boots fit for a princess, and no gowns have been ordered, unless you see fit to ask for one.” Alvilda glanced from the men before her to her husband. “What happened to drowning me in fragrant flowers?” “They weren’t working, milady. I then thought that you are no ordinary princess, and I needed to find something that was a little less than ordinary. Does it all meet with your approval?” Alf grinned as he walked toward her. She shot a look at him. “Thank you, my husband.” He took her hand. “Let’s see how much you can thank me.” **** Shut away in their chamber, Alf scooped her up into his arms and carried her to the bed. As he laid her on the bed, his hands deftly untied her garments and easily slipped them down her body, leaving her naked and exposed to his gaze. He quickly shed his own clothing and stretched out over her on the bed. Sealing her mouth with his, he sucked on her tongue as he traced his fingers around a nipple. Alf groaned when he felt her hands wrap around his back, her fingernails dragging down his skin bringing a pleasurable pain that caused him to lightly nip her lower lip. Breathless, Alvilda gasped, “You bit me.” “Yes, I did, but then, you scratched me. There’s nothing wrong with a little bit of love play now is there?” Alf bent to flick a tender nipple with his tongue before moving lower still, spreading her legs and dipping his head, gently licking the rosy bud hidden there.

“No, Alf, what are you doing?” Alvilda tried to sit up, but his hand on her chest belayed the effort. “Lay down, I want to love you in a way that won’t hurt your tender parts.” Gently rubbing the hard nub with his lips and tongue, Alf lapped up the shivers that quaked her body. Slowly he slipped two fingers into her and found that she was more than ready for him. Alvilda arched her back and thrust her hips forward, wanting the penetration to ease the tension building within her body. “Please, give me more.” “My greedy pirate wench, you shall have it.” Still he didn’t enter her, but drove his tongue into the quivering channel as his finger made small circles around the button that held the key to her pleasure. Alf felt her body begin to tremble and slowed his tongue until Alvilda’s limbs stopped shaking. He smiled as he came to rest beside her on the bed, a thin sheet of sweat beading her forehead. “Yes, I believe the ice is completely gone now. You will love me, maybe not today, maybe not even tomorrow, but you will love me.” She turned toward him, touched his cheek and smiled.

Epilogue Denmark, 1376 “My love, your child grows within me, and you still long to see me thusly?” Alvilda ran her fingers over her naked protruding belly. “Every inch of you is beautiful to me Alvilda, and always will be. That you carry our child makes me love you more. There is something about you that shines through even on the dreariest of days.” “Two years of marriage have passed without so much as a blink of an eye, and now I am on the verge of giving birth to your child.” “Our child. She will be a lovely blonde daughter whom we will marry off to some rich king somewhere.” Prince Alf grinned like a fool, baiting his lovely wife. “She’ll wed whoever strikes her fancy. We’ll not sell her into bondage as I was.” Alvilda admonished sternly, slapping his arm. “As you wish it, my dear.” “I’m ever so serious, my dear husband. I will not let you wed her to some person simply because it might be advantageous to the castle. I’ll not hear more on this, not ever.” “Don’t worry, my sweet, I’ll not mention it again.” Alvilda and Alf stood to dress when the pains hit Alvilda with a force that doubled her over. “Our baby has decided to make an appearance. I’ll not be eating this fine day. Your child will be here before night fall I’ll wager.” The castle healer was sent for, preparations were ordered and the waiting begun. **** More than twenty hours later a very tired Princess Alvilda gave birth to a girl child. Mother and daughter were presented to Prince Alf, who couldn’t have been happier “She’s truly beautiful, my love, almost as lovely as her mother.” Alf smiled down at his daughter, nestled in a cradle at the end of the bed. He walked to the head of the bed, sat and leaned in

for a kiss. Alvilda accommodated him with a return kiss before fitfully dozing off with a big smile on her face. The End

Author’s Note Thanks to the ancient manuscript that fell into my hands, Alvilda and Alf’s love story has finally seen the light of day. And what a love story it turned out to be. The Prince stayed true to his word and Princess Alvilda never took up cooking or weaving but instead helped her handsome husband rule Denmark for many happy years. The royal couple had but one child, a girl they named Gurid, and when her parents at last passed away she ruled the Danes for several years before she married her own prince. But that is another story.

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