The Hard Road by D.A.Sanford - HTML preview

The Hard Road

By D.A.Sanford

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

Readers be advised

Warning: Contains adult content due to graphic descriptions of any or all of the following:

Battles, Language, Sexual

Both the cover and images in this book are not photographs or hand drawn art. They were created using AI text to graphics programs by the author.

The Hard Road © 2025 D. A. Sanford

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without permission from the author or publisher, except as permitted by U.S. copyright law.

for permission from the author contact danielsanford@sbcglobal.net Character Sheet

Tartan Grez Raymond Conger Ziva Conger

King Erik Charles

The Hard Road

I am sitting here on the throne that my father sat on wondering how things got this far askew. The priest is standing in front of me reciting the oath questions that all the kings in the past have sworn to.

I wake screaming at the sight!

This is all because of my pissant spoiled youngest brother Erik. Family dynamics are the reason I went out on a hunt and never came back. I hated the royal life, my best friend had it almost the same. Tartan Grez is also the son of a ruler. His parents are the goblin sanctuary’s chief. They have not let him get into that scene. Now there is Ziva, his older sister. Ever since I first laid eyes on her, I have been blinded with love. She is only one year older than me but that didn’t matter. She was the most beautiful woman

After I ran away, the rumor mill was that my “family” started passing in their sleep. Then my father died. A great man, He deposed the corrupt king and the people overwhelmingly endorsed him as king.

He was well loved but the dynamics of his harem and his children were such that they wore him down, That happy man was a victim of the people. He fought everyday against those who wanted to control him.

Many a time, he would talk to me about how tired he was of this. He was the one that told me to run. That it was too late for him. I do think that is the reason he added his last woman to his harem.

She was in her late thirties. One of his favorite concubines. He had a son with her. He told me that she sweet talked her way into the harem and into being one of the queens. He said that she was willing to be subservient to the others but she wanted Eric to at least have a title. He was putty in a woman’s hands so they were officially married. That was the day that my father told me to disappear.

“Find somewhere then find someone. Settle into the background.” He said, “I did not live in the background. I wanted the fame. Now I am stuck. I expect to suddenly pass in my sleep. Please do not return. Son, you need to do what I did not do, fade into the background. The rest of your brothers and sisters are caught up in succession dreams.” He put a bag in front of me. It had one hundred gold. He told me to take this, go to that girl I loved and just fade away. I picked up the bag. We shook hands and I realized that I would never see him again. I said to him,

“We will meet up in the forever life.”

Wearing commoner clothes and with my gear, I slipped out of the castle that night and ran for what I now knew was my very life. The underlying meaning that my father imparted was that, being the first born, I was heir to the throne and an impediment to my siblings.

I went to the goblin sanctuary to relate my father’s warning to them. That was many days travel to their sanctuary. I first wanted to talk with my friend Tartan about my feelings for Ziva.

“Tartan, I have left my family at my father’s warnings about staying in the palace. I want to talk with you first about something important.”

“Ray, I will let you talk but I will tell you that if this is to ask me how I feel about you asking my sister to be your mate, I will say to you that she is a pain in my side. She is always right. Stubborn but caring. I would object to anyone other than you if they were chosen to be her mate. I am relieved to hear that you are out of that crazy situation you called your family. Now let’s go before our parents. You need to relate your concerns, your family situation and then I will ask them if you may ask them an important question.”

I am stunned. I thought I had hidden it well.

He stands up, yells for Ziva to follow us. We then go to their family home. Now with Ziva behind us, Tartan formally announces at the open door of their home. “Parents, Raymond Charles, ex son of the king Arron Charles has arrived to inform our sanctuary of new developments in the royal court and royal family. May we have permission to enter?”

This is what I have seen in the past when something formal has to be discussed with the tribe’s rulers.

We are given permission and are escorted to the formal room. We are told to wait. “The Ruler has stepped out to gather the elders. They will be here shortly.”

As per custom, we stand until the Ruler and elders tell us to sit. They come in and the ruler tells us to sit. Tartan now stands.

“Raymond Charles, friend of the goblins, ex son of the king has some dire news that he wishes to relate to us as a warning. May he rise and speak.” I am given permission and Tartan sits down.

“I thank you for hearing me at such short notice, You may or may not know that my father is getting older. The drums of discontent are sounding amongst my family. Wives arguing. Brothers jockeying to be heir. I am first born and the true heir. A few days ago, my father told me to leave and, for my own safety, never to return. He already knows that the night deaths will start. I feel that the youngest brother will be the one to poison. His mother is the most sly one.

Most of my family believes that the humanoids and other sentient races are just animals. Once the throne has been settled, I know that they will come after you and all the races to make you slaves. I love your people. You have been so kind to me over the years that I want to stay with you and defend you at your side” The ruler now speaks. “We thank you for your warning but we have had a treaty with this country for untold years. We are a sovereign state. We have paid our taxes. Why would they come after us?”

I thought about how to answer just that question on the way here. “You need to prepare for the worst. When you hunt an animal, whether it be for food or it is a danger, you do not ask it or honor what it feels is its territory. You go in and kill. That is what they feel you are. No treaty will be honored. There is money in slaves. Slaves are examples to the rest of the population of what will happen if you step out of line.” That hit home.

“We will discuss this but know this, we value your concern and if we fight, we would be honored to have you with us.”

Tartan now stands. This time he addresses the ruler differently. “Father, Raymond Charles would like to ask you a question that only you can answer. May he have permission?’

I am granted that permission. His mate has now joined us.

“Ruler Grez, for a very long time, as long as I have been friend to your son, I have been attracted to your daughter Ziva. That has turned to deep love over the years. Now that I am no longer the heir to the throne, I change my name to Raymond Conger. I am no longer royalty so I come to you as a commoner, may I please be given your permission to ask Ziva an important question?”

“Ziva Grez, step forward. Raymond Conger has a question for you.”

She stands before me.

“Ziva, before this group and before your parents, I ask you if you would honor me and be my mate?”

She tells me “I also have been in love with you for a long time.” She turns to her parents. “May I have your permission to tell him that I want to be his mate?”

It is her mother that speaks first. “We have known just that fact for an extremely long time. Raymond Conger, it took you long enough. I say yes. What do you say as her father?”

“As her father I also say yes but to my mate, men need to think on major things longer. Why are you staring at me like that?”

Ziva looks at me and tells me that she has always known that she would be my mate. She says yes.

Mother now takes her away saying that the preparations need to be made. I am told that it would be in two days. “A delegation of women will be sitting down with you to explain what is going to happen.”