For The Love of a Trojan Princess
How far will he go to win her love?
**This book will be released in March/2015.
Imagine yourself in the Bronze Age, 3,200 years ago, kidnapped from your father’s kingdom, thousands of miles from home across the Sea to a foreign country. Now imagine being torn between the love of your country and love of a man who is the son of a sworn enemy.
For the Love of a Trojan Princess
When the Trojan princess, Cassandra, is kidnapped by ruthless Achaean vassals from Pylos, the Trojan army gathers and sets course for Greece to confront King Nestor and bring the princess home. The army is opposed by a larger defense who deny Cassandra’s presence in Achaea. Cassandra swears she could never fall for the enemy, but is her will strong enough to deny the Achaean prince when he proves to be a strong yet tender soul? Cassandra battles her emotions to remain distant from this valiant warrior who is determined to win her love.
Prince Dorion detests war, but is torn between his father’s wishes and what is morally right when he is faced with the prospect of losing the one woman he has ever loved. Hidden away from her kinsmen, and fearless brother, Hektor, who leads the Trojan army,
Ancient home of King Nestor
Cassandra is desperate to maintain a semblance of peace between the two nations, but is her will enough to free them all? When she realizes her family is in mortal danger, will she find a way to escape her captors, or can Prince Dorion bend her resolve to his with love and valor?
Find out what life and love was like in the ‘age of heroes’, when Dorion and Cassandra each battle their own hearts and customs in this Bronze Age historical romance.
This unique new novel will be released March 5th/2015
Amarissa Amber Cale – Author:
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Excerpt below:
For The Love of a Trojan Princess
How far will he go to win her love?
© Prelude to the ‘Prince Hektôr, the Trojan Hero’ series
© Written and Published by Amarissa Amber Cale
© Copyright 2015 Amarissa Amber Cale
Chapter One – Stolen From My Home
1260 B.C.E.
“Get your filthy hands off me, you despicable animal,” I shouted at my captor.
“No one can hear your cries, you spoiled whore,” he growls, his face a mere breath from mine.
I refused to back down. These warriors, who had spent six days enjoying father’s hospitality, kidnapped me and were planning to steal me away from my family and homeland. They were supposed to be visiting on a mission of peace, but it turned into my family’s worst nightmare. I knew father’s men were searching for me, but we were too close to the marauder’s ships, and my time was running out.
“My father will have your heads on a spit before nightfall. I can assure your safety if you release me now. It’s not too late to change your fate,” I pleaded with the man who bound my arms behind my back.
He laughed and said gruffly, “Too late to alter our course now, princess. I have my orders and plan to fulfill them. My king expects your presence, and so he shall have it.”
The brute holding my ropes pushed me forward over the rugged terrain between my city and the Hellespont Harbor. I stumbled to my knees and he yanked me to my feet by my hair. The only time I have ever cursed having hair almost to my knees was the day I found myself captive to a host of vassals to a Greek king. Why King Nestor would want to bring me to Pylos was beyond my understanding. His men came to Troy to sign a treaty, not to steal one of father’s beloved daughters. At least that was what my father and the elders believed.
The council had gathered just the day before to sign the treaty as allies and pay homage to the gods for their union. But father had been fooled. The treaty was a contrived scheme to put my family and city at ease, and make them believe that there would be peace between Troy and Achaean Greece.
As the Achaean warship came into view, my heart beat rampant beneath my ribs. My eyes searched the plain toward Troy, but there was no sign of the Skaean guard. The army was searching for me I had no doubt. Father had to know by then I was missing. It had taken half of the day to walk this far, and when I did not come for morning prayers and repast, father would have sent my brothers in search of me. They simply must be searching for me by now, I thought.
“Diomedes, watch her while I see to the supplies for our voyage,” my captor said to one of the other drolls in his assembly.
“I will take good care of her Ajax,” Diomedes said to his friend, appraising me as if I was a prize goat at market.
Ajax, the larger by a head, grabbed the smaller man by his tunic and snarled, “If you touch her and spoil her for Prince Dorion, I will personally hand your head to King Nestor. Our orders were strict and clear. She is to be delivered to Pylos untouched.”
Diomedes yanked at the ropes binding my arms and sneered at me, low enough so only I would hear, “Lucky for you, I like the king, else I would have you right here.”
I yanked myself away from his grasp and spat back, “I would love to see you try. I would liberate you of that befouled thing between your legs if you did.”
“Careful, whore. We have a three week voyage, and I may yet have half a mind yet to assuage my needs on such a long journey,” he said, leering at the bosom of my imperial violet silk gown.
I averted my gaze. I didn’t want this monster to see the fear in my eyes, or the tears that began to well at the prospect of being swept from my home into enemy hands. The hulking black ships were less than a league from where I stood with the vassals surrounding me. I was desperate to keep my wits about me at the sight. Oh brother, where are you, I thought.
Ajax returned and pulled Diomedes aside. “The ship is ready and our winds are fair. We must hide her from the men, else they may try to take liberties. They know their king’s orders, but you know what they are like after a long voyage away from Achaea.”
“I will conceal her identity as we board,” he said, smiling wryly and removing his cloak. “We all know how the men reacted to her presence at meals in Priam’s dining Hall. Leave it to me and my men.”
Ajax turned toward me and said aloud, “Keeping her safe is as much your responsibility as my own. Girl, if you know what is good for you, you will obey my orders as well as his,” he said, as Diomedes wrapped his heavy cloak around my shoulders, and pulled the hood to conceal my kohl tresses.
Diomedes stood behind Ajax and glared at me with a look that caused me to shudder. Ajax reached beneath the cloak and cut my ropes. He shoved me forward. “Follow my friend here, and don’t say a word. Once you are safely out of sight, the ropes will be replaced until we are safely away from these cursed shores.”
His words stung my heart, and I searched once more for any sign of father’s men or my brother, Hektôr. Finding no sign, I held my chin high and followed the two men to the waiting ship. There was no point in trying to flee with so many Achaean warriors and vassals nearby. As we boarded the plank, I lowered my gaze to the ground to avoid eye contact. The men knew I was a woman, but did not know who I was, for which I was thankful.
Diomedes and Ajax led me below deck and closed the hatch above us. My surroundings were bleak and there was a small pallet with ratty furs covering it. Was I to endure three weeks in this dungeon, I wondered. I could smell the dank, salty sea air from one tiny window. The clouds had moved in over us during the trek to the ships, so there was little light until Diomedes lit a wall torch. Once I could see my temporary habitat clearly, I was mortified to find more filthy coverings on the floor, and rat droppings upon them.
The cloak was removed and bindings replaced on my wrists. Ajax shoved me toward the small pallet. “Sit and be quiet wench,” he said and turned to Diomedes, who had settled on a small chair near the makeshift bed. “Watch her.” With that, he climbed the ladder to the main deck.
I sat on the torn pelts on the pallet. Diomedes stared at me without saying a word. His expression held contempt and disdain. “Why am I here?” I questioned the stoic man.
“Because my king demanded it so. I can only tell you that his son will wed you within days of our arrival,” he laughed, then continued, “And you will become an Achaean Queen once my king renounces his throne to his son.”
I was taken aback by his words and stood before him. “That will never happen. My father will send his army to bring me home. I will not consent to wed some arrogant prince who cannot find a wife without stealing her. He must be a homely man if he has to kidnap an enemy princess to marry,” I snapped.
Diomedes stood, his face so close I could smell his foul breath on my forehead. “Prince Dorian is a very handsome man, and since he has found himself hating all women whom he’s ever known, his father has chosen you to wed his son. And you will marry him, regardless what you believe, or what happens on this voyage,” he said and pushed me back onto the dirty bed. He took my hair into his hand and raised it to his face to inhale its rich floral scent. “Anything can happen before we arrive in Pylos. Anything,” he said in the most menacing tone I had ever heard and flung my hair away.
“I will never wed the son of your king. I am already betrothed to an Egyptian prince, so cannot wed anyone else. My brother’s men will come for me and annihilate you and your kinsmen,” I retorted haughtily.
Diomedes threw his head back and laughed. “You do not think we have made every effort at caution? This moment, your dear father believes you have run away to escape your bonds to the Egyptian prince. Your handmaidens were easily bought.”
A frigid chill ran through my blood. How could this happen to my family and myself?……
More to come,March/2015!
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