Son of the Shadows by Sam & Holly (best inspirational books TXT) 📕

Corbin was trained by his father, he was raised by his mother. she was barren after him. as a child she had called him the son of the shadows. and now. his father has died and left him the whole camp as his. hes only 23 , and is feverishly in love with baldrics youngest daughter. but ..she is getting married to another man, who she is terrified of.

Alysandra, affectionately known as Aly by her friends and family, was not ready for this wedding. She was scared of the man she was marrying and could not fathom why her father chose him.

Corbin watched from the shadows of his tent flaps as she wandered the camp center.

Aly carried the clean and dried laundry of her family.

Corbin smiled, she was so lovely. "Aly..."

She stopped to say hello to her father and then proceeded on toward her home.

Corbin frowned as he watched her go.

She was cut off my her soon-to-be husband and handed another bag of laundry to do. She let out a visible sigh and put their things away before going to his.

Corbin pulled his lip back and grew angry. he stormed out and across the camp to her side.

Aly dipped her head in greeting to him.
"Something I can do for you, sir?"

Corbin nodded. "hand that load of laundry back to this ..." he glared over at her husband to be . "man...until he has married you..He can do His own laundry!"

Aly was shocked.
"Is there a problem, Corbin?" Baldric asked him.

Corbin nodded. "this man is ordering a woman who is Not his wife, to do his dirty clothes!"

"She will be my wife soon enough." Tate said.

Corbin stormed forward, almost nose to nose with him. "I have final say in this camp. Not YOU...and if you cant treat her right..you will Not marry her!"

Tate glared back and ripped the bag from her arms, the force bringing her to the ground. Baldric stood shocked for a moment and Aly looked like she was about to cry.

Corbin bent and helped her up.

Aly jerked her hand from him as soon as she was on her feet. She headed for her tent, her father watching worriedly after her.
"Be careful Corbin... I'm afraid Tate has done more than just court my daughter.. I'm afraid he's hurt her, threatened her." Baldric said, "And I know he's threatened me."

Corbin felt his heart clench. "your safe in my camp baldric...and your daughter will come to no harm..i can assure you..meet me tonight in my tent with your daughter"

Baldric nodded.
"I'm simply wanted a good man for her and instead... I practically handed her over to a monster."

Corbin touched his father's friends; shoulders. "baldric..that is why i want you to bring her to my tent tonight with you.."

Baldric looked at him a little confusedly, wondering what he could possibly have in mind. That night, after dinner, he and Aly showed up outside Corbin's tent.


Corbin had them sit . "now... Aly..we've known each other a long time...i can see you don't want to marry this man.."

Aly looked down at the floor, embarrassed.
"I will marry him because my father already betrothed us. I would not dishonor my family by going against his wishes."

Corbin smiled. "you aren't going to marry him...in fact..you will be honoring you're family...by marrying someone better"

She looked up.
"Someone better?"

Corbin nodded. "of course.."

"Father?" she looked at Baldric.
"If Corbin can find you someone better, I would choose him over Tate any day. You would be honoring my by not marrying him." her father said, "I'm sorry, I should never have accepted his offer to marry you in the first place."

Corbin nodded. "now that you have said this...would...you like to know who it is?"

Aly nodded.

Corbin cleared his throat and looked her in the eyes. "me.."

Aly sat in shocked silence for a moment.
"I would be honored to have you for a son." Baldric said and Aly nodded her agreement, still shocked.

Corbin smiled. "r-really?"

Baldric nodded.
"Really. Aly, what do you say?"
"I... I'm honored as well... I would never have thought I would become the wife to our leader." she blushed, there was more to it, Corbin could tell, but she wasn't going to say so in front of her father.

Corbin smiled. "yes..but i am sorry to say..that for the safety of you both...your father as my witness..i will marry you tonight...do you have any protest?"

Aly didn't know what to say so she just nodded.
"Fine with us." her father interpreted.

Corbin nodded, and held his hand out to Aly.

Aly was still for a few moments and then she lay her hand in his.

Corbin pulled her gently to his side. "Aly...i promise to cherish you, protect you, and father your children...til death do we part"

Aly repeated the same phrase, substituting her name for his.

Corbin smiled, and kissed her cheek.

Aly smiled back, but he could see that she was still shocked over everything that had happened.

Corbin squeezed her hand gently. "i will let you both, go to bed now...tomorrow i will help you move you things into my tent Aly"

Aly nodded and left with her father.

Corbin stared at his shaking hands. he had wanted to kiss her on her lips, plump soft lips... he shook his head. she was innocent, she didn't need him lusting after her like a rusty seventeen year old.

Aly walked behind her father, shocked at what had just played out.

The next day, Tate appeared while neither her father or Corbin were around.
"I heard you.. You married him last night. You filthy piece of scum, you're worth nothing. If you're not already barren, I will make you so." and he attacked her. He beat her hard, leaving her bruised, bleeding on the inside and broken.

Corbin found her, and cradled her close to him as he ordered men to find, capture , and kill Tate. he picked her up and carried his new bride to his tent.

Aly whimpered.

Corbin set her on his big bed, and fixed her up in wrapping, trying not to get distracted by her body as he bandaged her.

Baldric ran in."Oh gosh... How is she?" he demanded.

Corbin sighed, "her wounds,,,have possibly made her barren"

"Corbin... I'm so sorry...." Baldric sighed, "This is all my fault."

Corbin shook his head. "don;t blame yourself... Tate was found...and put to death...she doesn't know..i have her drugged, so she can sleep it off"

Baldric nodded."Thank you.. Corbin, thank you for everything."

Corbin nodded, as he turned to look at her as she slept.

Aly sighed peacefully in her sleep.

Corbin walked over and held her hand.

Aly didn't budge.

Corbin sighed. "don't leave me alone Aly, I just got started loving you..."

Aly slept it off, waking the next afternoon, just after lunch.

Corbin was asleep beside her on the huge bed.

Aly freaked for a moment before she realized it was him.
"Corbin..." She sighed in relief.

Corbin sat up and stared around, before looking at her and untensing. he smiled. "you had us all worried Aly.."

"I'm sorry." Aly replied, "I didn't mean too... I don't even remember hardly what happened."

Corbin shivered, his voice hardened. "He..hurt you.." he touched her cheek gently.

Aly flinched, for the first time, noticing the pain she felt throughout her body.

Corbin pulled back. "sorry, you must be hurting..."

"A little." she admitted, "I didn't notice it until you made me think about it though." She smiled innocently at him.

Corbin faintly smiled. "hungry lov- Aly?"

Aly nodded."If you have water I would love that first...." she blushed.

Corbin rolled away and got her a cup of water.

Aly accepted it graciously.
"Thank you, Corbin."

Corbin smiled, before he stood, and took his tunic off, and replaced it with a new, cleaner one, before sinking onto the bed beside her.

Aly smiled up at him."Is this the inside of your tent?"

Corbin smiled. "it is indeed.."

"It's very lovely and you have a nice bed... Bigger than mine and more comfy." She smiled, trying to make small talk with the man that was now her husband.

Corbin chuckled. "i cleaned it while you slept here the first night..and i recently got the bed too" he turned and looked at her.

"How long have I been asleep?" she asked.

Corbin shrugged. "in and out for three days...you missed Tate's funeral..."

"Oh..." she murmured.

Corbin's expression turned dark, as he had mentioned him, and he remained quiet now.

"Corbin... Am.. Am I still sick?" she murmured, "I can only assume that I was, otherwise, I don't think I would have slept so long."

Corbin sighed, and tensed. "we think...he...made you..barren..." he said hoarsely.

Aly sat in silence for a few moments."I don't care, Corbin... I don't." she murmured, "Do you?"

Corbin shrugged. "just that he hurt you that bad...that..i wasn't there..." he frowned.

Aly lay her hand on his knee."Don't. I don't care, you're here now."

Corbin jumped, and shivered, at her touch. Corbin smiled wistfully. "true.."

"Please don't think this is your fault... I blame no one." she enunciated every word of the last sentence.

Corbin smiled over at her. "be careful of what you are doing Aly..i am a man,.and Very alive..."

Aly jerked her hand back, embarrassed."Sorry."

Corbin relaxed. "don't be...it..just...oh...i don't know..."

Aly chuckled slightly.

Corbin smiled, "want some flat bread?"

Aly nodded."I am hungry."

Corbin turned and grabbed some from the table and broke some off and held it up to her lips.

Aly took it in her hand and nibbled at it slowly so she didn't make herself sick by trying to eat too much too quickly.

Corbin smiled, "eat only what you think you can..okay"

She nodded.

Corbin watched her eat.

"Please don't make me feel bad for eating when you're not." she blushed.