Liberty twisted helplessly, trying to break free from the guards' grasp.
"Should we untie her before we kill her?" the younger of the two asked his comrade.
The man studied the girl before shaking his head. "No, she needs to remain bound. Especially her mouth. If we took the gag off, she would put a spell on us for certain."
The younger guard looked into her terrified eyes. "Do you really believe she's a witch?"
The older guard frowned at his partner. "I can't take that chance."
Liberty slumped helplessly to the ground when the pushed her to the ground, near the edge of the cliff. Her wrist cracked loudly. The guards jumped, startled by the sound.
"What was that?" The younger guard looked at Liberty who tried to look innocent.
She carefully slipped her dislocated wrist out of her bonds, hissing painfully into the gag. They moved toward her, the elder guard brandishing a large knife.
"We will try to make your passing as painless as possible, Lady," the younger guard said sadly, grabbing her by the hair and exposing her throat.
Liberty quickly stepped behind him, wrapping her bad arm around his neck and grabbing his sword with her good hand. Both guards were too stunned to move. She kicked the legs out from under her captive and pushed him away from her with her foot.
"How did you...?" the older guard started. Liberty just shook her head at him and ran away, unable to unbind her mouth and hold the sword at the same time.
After a few hundred feet, Liberty looked back to make sure they weren't chasing her. She then collided with something and fell to the ground, yelping in pain as her dislocated wrist made contact with the hard earth. The sword dropped from her hand and skittered across the packed dirt.
"Liberty!"
She looked up into the startled eyes of Hector.
He knelt down and untied the gag that bound her mouth. "Hector! What are you doing out here?" Her eyes began to well up with unshed tears.
"I... I came to save you," he said with a chuckle. "But I see you've managed all by yourself, as usual."
She nodded. "Yeah... I was going to go find my truck and wait for Apollo to show up." She pulled the ropes off her arm and rubbed her wrist. "I think I dislocated it."
Hector lifted her arm gently and looked at her wrist. "It would seem so." His eyes moved to her face. "Why would you leave?"
Liberty sighed. "I seem to only be causing you guys trouble." Her heart dropped. "Oh God, the Horse!" She looked toward the city, panicked. "What happened? Did you burn it?"
Hector scooped her into her arms, ignoring her protests. "I told Paris to burn it if so much as a sliver of wood twitched. Come with me, Desert Rose, I will have your wounds tended to." He headed back toward the city at a quick pace. "And so you know, Liberty, you saved my life. I would never want you to leave. Never. I..." He paused.
Liberty furrowed her eyebrows at him. "You...?"
He looked into her eyes, his own clouded with emotion. "I love you. I want you to stay with me forever. I want you to marry me and be by my side for eternity."
Liberty gulped down the breath that caught in her throat. "But... Andromache."
Hector scoffed. "She is not my wife. In fact, I ordered her banished from the city, if Paris doesn't kill her first. She will never be near my family, and my son, ever again."
"And your father? He was the one that ordered them to kill me. He hates me." Liberty choked back a sob.
"Now even he cannot deny that you have saved Troy," Hector said seriously. "And you have saved me... and probably Paris too."
He opened a secret side door through the wall and into the city. Everything reeked of smoke and people rushed back and forth, some looking excited and some terrified.
"You there!" Hector called.
A peasant stopped dead in his tracks. "Yes, sire?" He turned to the prince and bowed.
"What is happening?" Hector asked, looking around.
"The army is forcing the Greeks off of Troy and Paris saved the city by burning that horse," the peasant explained, confused. "Apparently there were Greek soldiers hidden inside the horse and they were to let the full army inside the city while we slept. Paris killed them all with his bow as they escaped the burning figure." He beamed. "Now, the young prince is leading the charge against the army outside the walls. He's driving them to their ships and out to sea."
Hector's jaw dropped. Liberty grinned smugly.
"My brother Paris is leading the army?"
The peasant nodded and continued toward his destination.
The Crown Prince laughed, setting Liberty on her feet and taking her undamaged hand. "You see what you have turned my brother into? He is a warrior now. You cannot say that you want to leave any longer. Not since you have made all of us so much better for knowing you." He walked around the ashen ruins of the Trojan Horse.
"Such an amazing deception," he mused, kicking at some smoldering cinders. "And they may have gotten away with it if you hadn't warned us." He moved over to the blood-filled fountain, staring at the familiar figure inside.
"Prince Hector!" Charis appeared from behind a column and launched herself into the prince's arms. "You're back! You've brought Liberty! Thank the gods!"
She followed Hector's gaze to the fountain. "I am so sorry, Prince. Please forgive me. She... she came at me with a torch and I pushed her in self- defense. I did not intend-"
He cut her off. "What's done is done. No use apologizing." His jaw tightened. "She stopped being my wife the day she betrayed me." He turned and rubbed his hands along Liberty's upper arms.
"Is Paris returned?" Liberty asked, looking worried.
Charis smiled. "The Greeks have been defeated. Paris and the army are returning to the city now."
Hector's body visibly relaxed. "Thank the Gods. Tell Paris and Father that I am tending to Liberty's wounds. No one is to disturb us." He looked stern.
Charis nodded as the couple walked away, and then smiled widely.
"Hector, I am sorry for what trouble I may have cau-OH!-sed." Liberty gasped as Hector slid her dislocated joint painfully back into place.
"You've caused no trouble," he said softly, looking at her. "Stop apologizing." He led her over to his large bed. It was covered in lush fabrics of all sorts. "Does anything else hurt?" Concern burned in his dark eyes.
She sat down obediently. "No, not really."
"They didn't... hurt you?" Hector lifted her arms and checked her for further wounds.
Liberty giggled as his rough hands tickled her flesh. "I'm fine. A little bumped and bruised, but fine nonetheless." She caressed his face with her good hand. "To think you seem like such a hardened warrior in public view, but get you alone and you're a big pussycat." She tapped his nose lightly and they both laughed.
"So," he started, his cheeks turning slightly red beneath the deep tan. "Did you think any more about what I proposed?"
Liberty decided to bait him, looking unaware. "What, exactly did you propose, dear Prince?"
He moved in front of her and dropped to one knee, running his thumbs gently over the sensitive skin on the back of her hand. "I am asking you to stay here in Troy, with me. A-and perhaps, maybe in the future, um, become my wife?" He rubbed the back of his head nervously.
Liberty's face lit up. "I would love nothing more than to stay here in Troy with you, and perhaps, maybe in the future, um, become your wife," she teased.
Hector laughed, pushing her knees aside and kneeling in front of where she sat on the bed, bringing her face down for a passionate kiss. "I love you, Liberty."
Liberty slid off the bed in front of him, wrapping her arms around his neck. "I love you too, now and in the future."
Hector brushed Liberty's blonde hair off her shoulder and placed gentle kisses along her jaw line, moving down to her neck. Her breath came in short gasps as he pushed the thin white fabric of her dress off one of her shoulders. His touch felt like liquid fire, flooding her body.
"Hector," she breathed, reaching up with her free hand and entangling her fingers in his dark mane. A bolt of electricity shot down his spine at her touch and he moaned softly into her skin, allowing her reaction to encourage his actions.
"I'll be gentle, I promise," he whispered, nipping lightly at her earlobe.
Liberty whimpered in response. "I trust you." Her fingers left Hector's hair and reached the shiny golden brooch at his shoulder. She quickly undid the clasp and his cloak slid to the floor. Her hands slid over his powerful arms, barely making contact.
His blood boiled at the sensation and he was afraid his need would consume him. He quickly captured her lips in a searing kiss, using his legs as leverage to push them both up onto the bed. Liberty fell back into the soft covers, whimpering at the sudden loss of contact.
Hector's eyes burned into hers as he quickly shed the armor that had covered his torso. She sat up and traced the scars across his chest with her fingers. His head fell back involuntarily as her lips found his hot skin. Her lips and tongue traced a path up his throat and she kissed his chin quickly before finding his mouth. She attacked it, savoring every taste as their tongues battled.
Hector slid his arm up behind her and pushed her back into the plush mattress, straddling her. He intertwined her fingers with his and moved her arms above her head, careful not to hurt her damaged wrist. He captured both her small hands in one of his, and unclasped the pins holding her dress together with the other, savoring the touch of her sensitive skin.
He looked into her azure eyes, waiting for permission to go further. She smiled, her lips reddened and slightly swollen from the intensity of their kisses.
Slowly, Hector uncovered the beauty before him, his eyes memorizing every curve as it was revealed. He threw the dress to the ground. The rest of his clothing followed shortly after. They were both now completely naked, save the prince's gauntlets.
Liberty suddenly rolled them both over so she was now sitting astride him. His eyes widened at the action, but his body welcomed whatever she would do. Her body glistened with sweat and he was mesmerized. She looked like a goddess to him, with her flawless beauty and fierce nature. Surely he was blessed.
He slid his worn hands up her tanned thighs and gripped her hips. "Are you sure you want to do this?" he asked softly.
Liberty nodded, pinched her eyes shut, and pushed herself down on top of him until he was filling her completely. She bit her lip, muffling the cries of slight pain as her innocence was broken. Color exploded behind her eyelids and she whimpered. Hector's fingers on her chin, and his soft words of comfort relaxed her. She opened her eyes and smiled down at him.
"Are you all right?" His eyes were glazed with worry.
Liberty's smile grew bigger and she leaned down and kissed him lightly on the lips, rocking her hips over his pelvis, causing him to moan with pleasure. His arms snaked out to the sides and he gripped the bed, his hips meeting hers with every thrust.
A low sound emanated from Liberty's throat and Hector could almost swear she was purring. She grabbed his left gauntlet and pulled him up into a sitting position, snaking her arms around behind him as they made love.
Hector panted as he reached his peak and could decipher from her labored breathing that his love was also near climax. He pressed her closer to him, reveling in the sensation of her bare skin against his. She gasped for air and her body shuddered with her orgasm and he followed suit, burying his face in her breasts and growling out her name as he filled her with his essence.
Liberty panted heavily and brushed his hair out of his face, smiling at him as they both came down. "I love you, Hector."
"Should we untie her before we kill her?" the younger of the two asked his comrade.
The man studied the girl before shaking his head. "No, she needs to remain bound. Especially her mouth. If we took the gag off, she would put a spell on us for certain."
The younger guard looked into her terrified eyes. "Do you really believe she's a witch?"
The older guard frowned at his partner. "I can't take that chance."
Liberty slumped helplessly to the ground when the pushed her to the ground, near the edge of the cliff. Her wrist cracked loudly. The guards jumped, startled by the sound.
"What was that?" The younger guard looked at Liberty who tried to look innocent.
She carefully slipped her dislocated wrist out of her bonds, hissing painfully into the gag. They moved toward her, the elder guard brandishing a large knife.
"We will try to make your passing as painless as possible, Lady," the younger guard said sadly, grabbing her by the hair and exposing her throat.
Liberty quickly stepped behind him, wrapping her bad arm around his neck and grabbing his sword with her good hand. Both guards were too stunned to move. She kicked the legs out from under her captive and pushed him away from her with her foot.
"How did you...?" the older guard started. Liberty just shook her head at him and ran away, unable to unbind her mouth and hold the sword at the same time.
After a few hundred feet, Liberty looked back to make sure they weren't chasing her. She then collided with something and fell to the ground, yelping in pain as her dislocated wrist made contact with the hard earth. The sword dropped from her hand and skittered across the packed dirt.
"Liberty!"
She looked up into the startled eyes of Hector.
He knelt down and untied the gag that bound her mouth. "Hector! What are you doing out here?" Her eyes began to well up with unshed tears.
"I... I came to save you," he said with a chuckle. "But I see you've managed all by yourself, as usual."
She nodded. "Yeah... I was going to go find my truck and wait for Apollo to show up." She pulled the ropes off her arm and rubbed her wrist. "I think I dislocated it."
Hector lifted her arm gently and looked at her wrist. "It would seem so." His eyes moved to her face. "Why would you leave?"
Liberty sighed. "I seem to only be causing you guys trouble." Her heart dropped. "Oh God, the Horse!" She looked toward the city, panicked. "What happened? Did you burn it?"
Hector scooped her into her arms, ignoring her protests. "I told Paris to burn it if so much as a sliver of wood twitched. Come with me, Desert Rose, I will have your wounds tended to." He headed back toward the city at a quick pace. "And so you know, Liberty, you saved my life. I would never want you to leave. Never. I..." He paused.
Liberty furrowed her eyebrows at him. "You...?"
He looked into her eyes, his own clouded with emotion. "I love you. I want you to stay with me forever. I want you to marry me and be by my side for eternity."
Liberty gulped down the breath that caught in her throat. "But... Andromache."
Hector scoffed. "She is not my wife. In fact, I ordered her banished from the city, if Paris doesn't kill her first. She will never be near my family, and my son, ever again."
"And your father? He was the one that ordered them to kill me. He hates me." Liberty choked back a sob.
"Now even he cannot deny that you have saved Troy," Hector said seriously. "And you have saved me... and probably Paris too."
He opened a secret side door through the wall and into the city. Everything reeked of smoke and people rushed back and forth, some looking excited and some terrified.
"You there!" Hector called.
A peasant stopped dead in his tracks. "Yes, sire?" He turned to the prince and bowed.
"What is happening?" Hector asked, looking around.
"The army is forcing the Greeks off of Troy and Paris saved the city by burning that horse," the peasant explained, confused. "Apparently there were Greek soldiers hidden inside the horse and they were to let the full army inside the city while we slept. Paris killed them all with his bow as they escaped the burning figure." He beamed. "Now, the young prince is leading the charge against the army outside the walls. He's driving them to their ships and out to sea."
Hector's jaw dropped. Liberty grinned smugly.
"My brother Paris is leading the army?"
The peasant nodded and continued toward his destination.
The Crown Prince laughed, setting Liberty on her feet and taking her undamaged hand. "You see what you have turned my brother into? He is a warrior now. You cannot say that you want to leave any longer. Not since you have made all of us so much better for knowing you." He walked around the ashen ruins of the Trojan Horse.
"Such an amazing deception," he mused, kicking at some smoldering cinders. "And they may have gotten away with it if you hadn't warned us." He moved over to the blood-filled fountain, staring at the familiar figure inside.
"Prince Hector!" Charis appeared from behind a column and launched herself into the prince's arms. "You're back! You've brought Liberty! Thank the gods!"
She followed Hector's gaze to the fountain. "I am so sorry, Prince. Please forgive me. She... she came at me with a torch and I pushed her in self- defense. I did not intend-"
He cut her off. "What's done is done. No use apologizing." His jaw tightened. "She stopped being my wife the day she betrayed me." He turned and rubbed his hands along Liberty's upper arms.
"Is Paris returned?" Liberty asked, looking worried.
Charis smiled. "The Greeks have been defeated. Paris and the army are returning to the city now."
Hector's body visibly relaxed. "Thank the Gods. Tell Paris and Father that I am tending to Liberty's wounds. No one is to disturb us." He looked stern.
Charis nodded as the couple walked away, and then smiled widely.
"Hector, I am sorry for what trouble I may have cau-OH!-sed." Liberty gasped as Hector slid her dislocated joint painfully back into place.
"You've caused no trouble," he said softly, looking at her. "Stop apologizing." He led her over to his large bed. It was covered in lush fabrics of all sorts. "Does anything else hurt?" Concern burned in his dark eyes.
She sat down obediently. "No, not really."
"They didn't... hurt you?" Hector lifted her arms and checked her for further wounds.
Liberty giggled as his rough hands tickled her flesh. "I'm fine. A little bumped and bruised, but fine nonetheless." She caressed his face with her good hand. "To think you seem like such a hardened warrior in public view, but get you alone and you're a big pussycat." She tapped his nose lightly and they both laughed.
"So," he started, his cheeks turning slightly red beneath the deep tan. "Did you think any more about what I proposed?"
Liberty decided to bait him, looking unaware. "What, exactly did you propose, dear Prince?"
He moved in front of her and dropped to one knee, running his thumbs gently over the sensitive skin on the back of her hand. "I am asking you to stay here in Troy, with me. A-and perhaps, maybe in the future, um, become my wife?" He rubbed the back of his head nervously.
Liberty's face lit up. "I would love nothing more than to stay here in Troy with you, and perhaps, maybe in the future, um, become your wife," she teased.
Hector laughed, pushing her knees aside and kneeling in front of where she sat on the bed, bringing her face down for a passionate kiss. "I love you, Liberty."
Liberty slid off the bed in front of him, wrapping her arms around his neck. "I love you too, now and in the future."
Hector brushed Liberty's blonde hair off her shoulder and placed gentle kisses along her jaw line, moving down to her neck. Her breath came in short gasps as he pushed the thin white fabric of her dress off one of her shoulders. His touch felt like liquid fire, flooding her body.
"Hector," she breathed, reaching up with her free hand and entangling her fingers in his dark mane. A bolt of electricity shot down his spine at her touch and he moaned softly into her skin, allowing her reaction to encourage his actions.
"I'll be gentle, I promise," he whispered, nipping lightly at her earlobe.
Liberty whimpered in response. "I trust you." Her fingers left Hector's hair and reached the shiny golden brooch at his shoulder. She quickly undid the clasp and his cloak slid to the floor. Her hands slid over his powerful arms, barely making contact.
His blood boiled at the sensation and he was afraid his need would consume him. He quickly captured her lips in a searing kiss, using his legs as leverage to push them both up onto the bed. Liberty fell back into the soft covers, whimpering at the sudden loss of contact.
Hector's eyes burned into hers as he quickly shed the armor that had covered his torso. She sat up and traced the scars across his chest with her fingers. His head fell back involuntarily as her lips found his hot skin. Her lips and tongue traced a path up his throat and she kissed his chin quickly before finding his mouth. She attacked it, savoring every taste as their tongues battled.
Hector slid his arm up behind her and pushed her back into the plush mattress, straddling her. He intertwined her fingers with his and moved her arms above her head, careful not to hurt her damaged wrist. He captured both her small hands in one of his, and unclasped the pins holding her dress together with the other, savoring the touch of her sensitive skin.
He looked into her azure eyes, waiting for permission to go further. She smiled, her lips reddened and slightly swollen from the intensity of their kisses.
Slowly, Hector uncovered the beauty before him, his eyes memorizing every curve as it was revealed. He threw the dress to the ground. The rest of his clothing followed shortly after. They were both now completely naked, save the prince's gauntlets.
Liberty suddenly rolled them both over so she was now sitting astride him. His eyes widened at the action, but his body welcomed whatever she would do. Her body glistened with sweat and he was mesmerized. She looked like a goddess to him, with her flawless beauty and fierce nature. Surely he was blessed.
He slid his worn hands up her tanned thighs and gripped her hips. "Are you sure you want to do this?" he asked softly.
Liberty nodded, pinched her eyes shut, and pushed herself down on top of him until he was filling her completely. She bit her lip, muffling the cries of slight pain as her innocence was broken. Color exploded behind her eyelids and she whimpered. Hector's fingers on her chin, and his soft words of comfort relaxed her. She opened her eyes and smiled down at him.
"Are you all right?" His eyes were glazed with worry.
Liberty's smile grew bigger and she leaned down and kissed him lightly on the lips, rocking her hips over his pelvis, causing him to moan with pleasure. His arms snaked out to the sides and he gripped the bed, his hips meeting hers with every thrust.
A low sound emanated from Liberty's throat and Hector could almost swear she was purring. She grabbed his left gauntlet and pulled him up into a sitting position, snaking her arms around behind him as they made love.
Hector panted as he reached his peak and could decipher from her labored breathing that his love was also near climax. He pressed her closer to him, reveling in the sensation of her bare skin against his. She gasped for air and her body shuddered with her orgasm and he followed suit, burying his face in her breasts and growling out her name as he filled her with his essence.
Liberty panted heavily and brushed his hair out of his face, smiling at him as they both came down. "I love you, Hector."