To Save A Celtic Princess

Nia kissed Sterling good bye and she got dressed to go back into battle. The beautiful blonde Celtic Princess hated to leave her lover but as long as Rome was in control, the Celtics had to stand their ground. The Celtics had to defeat Rome. Someday, when they were free of Rome, she would marry Sterling. That was her promise to him and her. Nia had come home long enough to see Sterling and they made love in their favorite spot by the woods. Sterling didn't fight battles. He lived with his family and his father like Nia's father were entrusted to the King. Their families enjoyed special privileges but they were still poor families. Sterling and Nia didn't care about that. They were happy just being with each other. Sterling and his brothers were faithful to their father and never joined the war. Nia's father Levy wished Nai would marry Sterling and stay at home and forget the war. Nia's sister Willow wore black all the time and she had a lover rumored to be a gypsy but he was killed by a Roman soldier. People thought Willow was a witch because she had strange powers for healing. She had long black hair and a black cat named Midnight. Willow hung out with the gypsies and came to Willow for healing. Other people in the village feared her. Willow had never harmed anyone. She missed her dead gypsy lover. Sterling and Nia's families had been friends for years. Sterling and Nia's mothers had died years ago. Their fathers remained friends.

Nia told Sterling that she loved him and would be back.

"Don't go. I have a bad feeling about this."

"Darling, you sound like Willow. I am not afraid. We will defeat the Romans. We have to. I will be back. Pray. Have faith."

"I do, my love. The Romans are evil."

"I know. That is why me and my men are fighting them."

MY MEN. Sterling felt like a coward. She was out fighting. He was home with his family. NO WONDER SHE HADN'T MARRIED HIM, YET. WHO WANTED TO BE MARRIED TO A COWARD?

Nia kissed Sterling one last time and mounted on her big white horse with the green eyes. Firefreeze scared Sterling. The horse was ruthless but Nia said he was the best horse to have in battle. Sterling thought the horse thought he was a coward,too.

Sterling watched Nia gallop away on her horse with a tear in his eye. It was time to go home. He rode home on his brown horse. A gentle horse who was meant for transportation. He was not a horse for battle.

Sterling's father Nathaniel liked Nia but he didn't understand why she was a Celtic Warrior but she was a beautiful maiden. He hoped she and Sterling would marry soon.

Two nights later, Sterling was reading in his room when he heard a noise that shook the whole house. Only Firefreeze's hooves thundered like that. His heart skipped a beat. Nia! He ran downstairs as his brothers Marcellan and Victor yelled: "What in bloody blazes is going on?"

Sterling ran outside and saw Firefreeze but no Nia.

""Where is Nia, big boy?"

Firefreeze snorted and shook his head and his green eyes lit up the night.

"Nia's in trouble and she needs me. You have come for me. Alright, Firefreeze, take me to her!"

Victor, Marcellan, Shamus and Branden, Sterling's brothers were all outside then. They said they were going with him. They told Branden that he had to stay home with Father because he was the youngest. Branden was fourteen.

"I never have any fun. I want to fight in a battle! I can whip a Roman's ass! Watch me!" Branden whined.

Victor was the oldest. "You are staying with Father. You are too young. We will be home as soon as we can. We have no idea how much trouble Nia is in! Go to Father and tell him that we are going with Sterling to rescue Nia."

Branden went in the house to tell his father where his brothers were going.

As the men were getting ready to leave, Willow showed up on her black horse.

"Williow, what are doing here?" asked Sterling.

"I had a vibe that my sister is in trouble and I knew that Firefreeze was headed here. I am going with you. I love my sister Nia in spite of our different beliefs"

Marcellan couldn't keep his eyes off Willow. She was beautiful and he hadn't seen her in four years. She had been away for a few years. Her beauty had blossomed. Willow looked at Marcellan and saw something she hadn't seen in a man in a long time. He was handsome with brown hair and a beard where Sterling had dark hair and was handsome, too. Victor and Shamus weren't as handsome as the other two but they were rugged looking and had gentle spirits. So did Sterling.

Sterling nodded. "Alright, Firefreeze is a fast horse. Try to keep up."

Sterling took off on Firefreeze and the other horses struggled to keep up. Willow threw magic dust in the air and the horses were going as fast as Firefreeze.

They rode for a hour and finally they saw lights of fires and there were Roman soldiers as well as Celtics. Sterling got off Firefreeze and started waving his sword at a Roman soldier. Marcellan, Willow, Victor and Shamus were battling Roman soldiers and swords were clanking and the battle looked brutal. There was no sign of Nia. A Roman soldier sliced Marcellan's arm and Willow ran him through. The smell of blood is never pleasant but this was war. Willow finally threw more dust in the air and there were snakes everywhere and they bit the Roman soldiers. The Roman soldiers left and Willow lit a candle and the snakes disappeared.

Marcellan was impressed. "How did you do that?"

Willow smiled. "I learned from the gypsies. We need to fix your wound on your arm."

Willow wiped the blood off Marcellan's arm and she poured some red liquid on the wound. She then bandaged it. Marcellan watched her and smiled. His fingers touched Willow's arm. She smiled. Afterwards, they shared a kiss. Willow was on cloud nine but she remembered Nia. WHERE WAS SHE?

Sterling found Nia. She had fallen down a hill and her leg was all bloody and she had a nasty cut on her face. Sterling kissed Nai and held her. She had a nasty fever, too.

"Sterling, Darling, you found me. I lost this battle. Most of my men are dead. Oh, Sterling, stay with me. I am dying. Be with me."

"You aren't dying. I bought my brothers and Willow is here, too. We are going to make you better. I promise. Since when do you give into a battle and death?"

Nia smiled. She lost consciousness.

Willow came down the hill just then.

Sterling was crying. He whispered: "Willow, can you save her?'

Willow patted Sterling's hand. She used the same potion on Nia's face and leg that she used on Marcellan's arm. She sprinkled dried red roses all over Nia's face. Willow hoped Nia would live.

Sterling carried Nia's body up the hill and his brothers helped him. Sterling stayed by Nia's side all night.

Marcellan and Willow talked all night.

"Thank you for helping me. You are a healer." Marcellan smiled.

"I just hoped I saved Nia. I haven't told her that I love her. I haven't been that good of a sister. I never believed in her fight against the Romans. I am a coward."

"No way, beautiful lady. You hang out with gypsies. I could never be that brave. Those magic spells? You make snakes appear and our horses ran faster then lightning. You have spirit."

"I just want my sister to live. I don't pray but can you pray for her?"

"Take my hand. We will pray together." Willow held hands with Marcellan and he prayed and she secretly prayed, too. If Nia lived, she would be devoted to her forever.

Willow and Marcellan slept a few hours. Sterling prayed but didn't sleep at all. He couldn't live without Nia. She was his everything. Firefreeze layed down beside them and Sterling patted the big horse's nose. "She has to live boy. You didn't come and get me for nothing." Firefreeze understood.

Sterling fell asleep for a half hour and he was awakened by a soft voice. "Sterling, Darling, I think I will be alright."

Sterling felt Nia's head. Her fever had broken! He kissed Nia. "I love you. I can't live without you. Oh, Baby, give up this war! Marry me! Please!"

"I will. I am done fighting. I have done all I can do. You came here to rescue me. Your family and Willow. I want to go home!" Sterling and Nia kissed.

Willow was awake and Nia and Sterling had stopped kissing. Nia smiled. She held our her arms to Willow. They hugged. Willow shed tears.

"Willow, you are crying. You saved me. I love you. You know that"

"I love you, too, baby sister. Of course I saved you. I need you. I met Marcellan. He is as great as your Sterling. We are blessed. I believe in God again." Willow and Nia just smiled at each other.

Sterling, Nia, Willow and Sterling's brothers went home. Sterling and Nia were married. Willow and Marcellan were married as well. Life was good for these Celtic families. The Celtic and Roman empires fell but our main characters had children and life and the world went on and flourished as well as had its share of problems.


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