The Warrior

By H. D. Hughes

This book is a compilation of fantasy mixed with moments of truth. The dates maybe I tried to keep with the story line written from a depressed vet who desperately searched for love and family.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Aug 16, 2023
• ISBN: 9798369404843

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Copyright © 2023 by H. D. Hughes.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Rev. date: 08/03/2023

Xlibris

844-714-8691

www.Xlibris.com

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CONTENTS

Highland Tower

Dream Walk

The Ride

The End?

Dream Warrior

The Gift

Heathered Morn

Dancers

Bittersweet

He Lives

Cora

Last Dance

Where?

In Dreams

Shadow Dancers

The Star

Princess

The Song

His Gift

Strathy Point Walk

The Abyss

Bonar Bridge

Of Your Blood

Of Her Treasures

In Awe

The Warrior’s Heart

Of Her

Through Conner’s Eyes

Lessons Learned

The Sword

The Children

Battle Dreams

Heartaches

I Spoke to God

Seventeen Oh Eight

The Pleasures of You

The Twins

The Isle of Skye

The Family

The Eulogy

The New Beginning

The Change

Dead of Night

Two Pines

The Quickening

Understanding

Payback

Lessons Shared

Melissa the Mystic

The Aftermath

The Highest Peak

A Voice from Ago

Inside the Heart

Gluttony

The Storm

For the Love of the Rose

He Screamed

Beelzebub

First Flight

The Faire

Humility

Survival

Stately Gates

Revelations

Before the Vow

When Will I Cry No More?

Reprieve

Reflecting Pool

Portals

The Path Not Right

Kaleidoscopes

The End of Days

A Soldier’s Story

Silent Shrouded Whispers

The Jester

Awake

Sally of the Bay

She Said Her Name Was Nancy

The Then

The Now

The When

Confusion

The Night—The Sight

Distant Cries

Greenies

All Will Be All Right

R&R

Touching Hearts,

Touching Hands

Of One Heart

And He Said . . .

As One

Until

The Falls

The Cleansing

The Letter

His Tears

The Dream of the Seer

You Hear It

Then the Pain

Still Cries

Postdream

Visions

With an E

The Sergeant Said . . .

Premonition

Becky

The Flight

I’ve Felt

From His Dreams

He Speaks

HIGHLAND TOWER

High above their world below,

The stairway they ascend.

The dancers take a silent walk,

Some quiet time to spend.

The stairs that lead to tower’s peak,

Built strong of flattened stone.

Wind to the top, along the walls,

This giant spiral cone.

His hand in hers, a gentle squeeze,

A smile as they walk.

They exit at the very top,

There’s been no need to talk.

Across the tower’s broad expanse,

The flags that blow, unfurled.

They look across the countryside,

Observe their heathered world.

She stands near edge in flowered dress,

His kilted form behind.

He slides his arms around her waist,

Her softness does he find.

Warm breezes gently touch their skin,

This silent, summer night.

The scene is lit a soft, pale blue,

The moon provides the light.

He holds her close in muscled arms,

Still standing to the rear.

He lifts her hair, his fingertips,

A kiss so near her ear.

She turns without a single word,

Back to his arms she slips.

Pulls her head back just a bit,

And offers him her lips.

A deep, slow kiss so tenderly,

Shared dancers in the night.

Dance quietly atop their world,

So wonderful this night.

Small circles on a floor of stone,

The music from the trees.

The rustle and the branches move,

All powered by the breeze.

Slowly turning, sharing love,

A passionate embrace.

Our dancers kissing endlessly,

Our lovers’ hearts that race.

They finish dancing slowly now,

He whispers when they’re through,

"I love you for a thousand things,

A million things you do.

"The smile that lights my every day,

Each morning you are there.

To hold me in the softest arms,

And show me that you care.

"I love you for the memories,

The scent upon your skin.

That brings me thoughts when far away,

Of you and I within.

"I love you ’cause you make this home,

My island made of stone.

The place where I can share your love,

And never be alone.

I love you.

H

DREAM WALK

Our dancers take a silent stroll,

Their castle far behind.

A path meanders through the woods,

And meadows does it wind.

Hand in hand they walk along,

Two lovers in the pine.

A heady dizziness abounds,

Like found with too much wine.

Together in this quiet world,

Small creatures that they share.

The sights that God has given them,

Have not a single care.

A clearing just ahead that waits,

To fill our dancers’ view.

A gladness in his heart that’s found,

While sharing time, these two.

A rolling hill, small waterfall,

A pond so full of life.

A vine that hangs so recklessly,

He cuts it with his knife.

The flat clear surface of the pond,

Reflecting beams of light.

That make her hair turn into fire,

She’s such a lovely sight.

The eagle flying overhead,

So silent on the wing.

Enjoys the view, our magic place,

He rules the sky, the king.

Together dancers’ soft embrace,

Lips touching, very brief.

Elation of two hearts in love,

A love beyond belief.

He holds her in the firmest arms,

To feel the warmth, her skin.

He cradles heart, so delicate,

To break would be a sin.

The softest kiss upon the cheek,

To simply show they care.

Their hips move side to side as though,

Music was playing there.

The song exists in countless dreams,

Through many nights and days.

They’ve shared their love so many times,

In oh so many ways.

He stands behind her on the grass,

His hands upon her hips.

That sway to music yet unheard,

He searches for her lips.

The dancers slip to water’s edge,

Their clothing on the shore.

The water washing heated skin,

That wants for so much more.

Two lovers in a pool of glass,

Delight in what they find.

Sharing bodies once again,

Their arms and legs entwined.

Our lovers take a silent stroll,

Their castle in the glen.

Two dancers in the pond of life,

That dare to wonder, When?

H

THE RIDE

The battle fierce, the cost was high,

A bloody cut above his eye,

Hair matted, sweat upon his brow,

Not time to take his final bow.

His spotted steed between his flanks,

He proudly moves amongst the ranks,

Praising men who gave their life,

Thoughts keep drifting to his wife.

His mighty stallion, nostrils flared,

His every wish, he is prepared,

He follows, rein pulled to the right,

Gallops off into the night.

They ride like fire was at their heels,

No need for rest, no need for meals,

Forever north to valley glen,

To stand beside his love again.

The stinging brush against his knees,

The danger from the hanging trees,

Still on he drives, his faithful mount,

His loyalty he’ll always count.

Towards the castle, how they ride,

Just thanking God that they’re alive,

His once proud kilt, a bloody stain,

The battle passing through his brain.

A distant light from castle wall,

She faintly listens for his call,

She hears him coming in the night,

And dreams of love when they unite.

The stairs so quickly must descend,

Vast halls that seem to never end,

The massive door swung open wide,

To greet her man, his lonely ride.

The castle door though heavy flung

Her dress that flows behind, she runs

Across the drawbridge rapidly,

To center court, it’s her he sees.

Her soft blue eyes and fiery hair,

Her arms extended, standing there,

Drops from his mount to courtyard floor,

His tired frame will ride no more.

He falls to knees, emits a tear,

He has been gone it seems a year,

Pulls her body to his face,

In unison, their heartbeats race.

He promises to God above,

He’ll not again abandon love,

And from this night forevermore,

He’ll fight no longer, man or war.

Remain forever in her arms,

Protecting her from all that harms,

Each day will shine as though anew,

And every word be I love you.

H

THE END?

Awake our warrior from his sleep,

Life’s not as it may seem,

For things as perfect as these are,

Exist but in a dream.

His sword beside him, bloody red,

From battles they’ve endured,

For men they’ve fought till war is done,

And lands they’ve kept secured.

The scars, his face, a tattered map,

The lines of jagged skin,

He fought each battle valiantly,

His strategy to win.

The broken hut he tries to rest,

Blood pools upon the floor,

The promise that he made to God,

That he would fight no more.

He thought of her, the flowered dress,

The colors green and blue,

Her soft cool skin against his own,

Their love had been so true.

The castle just a memory,

That fills his heart with joy,

She’d made him feel so young inside,

Much like a little boy.

Just lying there alone he cried,

His wound was deep this night,

He smiled, as he thought of her,

And walked towards the light.

H

DREAM WARRIOR

The light so warm and loving,

Inviting him inside,

He’s slowly floating upwards,

From cloud to cloud he’d glide.

Through half-closed eyes a vision,

An angel to his right,

Just hanging there among the stars,

A most alluring sight.

He reaches out to touch her,

He feels but the air,

There is no angel in his sky,

No angel anywhere.

The sky becomes a battlefield,

With bodies all around,

He screams with hands above his head,

But cannot hear the sound.

The light so bright a tick ago,

Now flickers in his view,

The candle left to light the room,

Now lights an image, you.

This vision is his loving lass,

A nightmare he has been,

His wet cold body reaching out,

To hold her once again.

The light was a reminder,

The promise he had made,

To God, he would not fight again,

Or prices would be paid.

He holds his love in tightest grip,

And whispers in her ear,

He’d love her for a thousand days,

And for a thousand years.

She smiles as she kisses him,

So deep and from the heart,

She’ll always be beside him,

Till death do they depart.

As they lie in loving arms,

And think of life’s grand theme,

Find things, as perfect as these are,

Exist in all our dreams.

H

THE GIFT

With ice floes forming, North Sea shore,