Bonded

Chapter 23

Jza fingers were stiff as she slid another stitch into soft flesh and pulled it out carefully. She tried to keep her actions tiny and precise hoping the pain was as minimal as possible but she could not assume anything. Tarquin had his eyes closed and she could almost pretend he was sleeping but his hand would clench and unclench occasionally leaving her sick to her core. It was one thing to nearly beat an aggressor to death in a fit of passion but another to painstakingly inflict such torment on another.



The Princess was on her knees now, looming over her patient. She had hung the lantern on the torch holder helpfully built into the wall. The shoulder wound was the last of injuries she needed to contain but it was higher up then the others. She was glad she left it last because her hands were less clumsy now. 


There was a sudden grumbling sound from deep within the castle which shook the tunnel walls. Jza took a deep breath to keep her hand steady.



"It's the harem isn't it," Jza broke the silence, "They're certainly busy. They seem to have survived. I hope."



"You're concerned for them?" Tarquin spat out the leather band, voice hoarse from disuse. How many hours had it been since they had conversed. Jza's back twinged from stiffness every time she moved indicating the passage of time.



"Of course I am. It is a dangerous task they have undertaken. I doubt I could ever perform with such ferocity. I commend them for taking the initiative to fight for what they believe is right," Jza said truthfully. They may may not be on the same side but she would give credit where credit was due.


"Why? You survived on your own under enemy lines. How different is it from what you've done?" Tarquin asked curiously. His eyes wandered over her handiwork before resting on her wane face. He briefly tensed up with another needle stroke.



"I had no choice while they chose their path to glory. I was just mistakenly left behind. There will be no valor awards for me for sharing your bed," The Princess' lips were a grim line as she spoke almost to herself. Her hair now truly hung loose and she never did realise how they gently caressed Tarquin's face every now and then.


"I'm certain Vladimir has something to say for your valour," The injured man chuckled making Jza glare at him for moving her hand with his careless movement.



"They go for the attack without any hesitation. I am surprised, for they seemed like women of leisure," Jza ignored his comment about her time in his captivity. She did not feel proud to have been so compliant and harmless.



"They were bored and had the free time to learn something new. I gave them a few lessons but they eventually rid of me to pursue their specialities. My harem was never as active as it was in Ivan's time. They had to submit to no one but me and that too at their own leisure unlike earlier times."


Jza suddenly felt embarrassed by the frankness of his words. Their transactions were not something she wished to hear about but she was still curious about his allusion to the past.



"Back then anyone could just walk in and..." Jza made a pained face. She did not have the stomach to complete her sentence.


"Choose a harem member for their pleasure? Yes. Anyone important at least. If a bargain was worthy Ivan would offer the harem to them like cattle. Nobody was safe from his eyes," The man spoke with bitterness tinging his speech. There was a certain rigidness in his shoulders that appeared that even a needle could not provoke and Jza was now even more horrified by her next line of thought.



"You were in the harem too. Surely he would have kept his son as an exception..."



"There were unpleasant incidents throughout my life but they only forced me to show a prowess for warfare earlier than most. Ivan began to encourage his political rivals' attentions to my strange and exotic face just to see them be disembowled. I killed my first man when I was ten," Tarquin's voice was stony as he touched upon his childhood.



His life history explained many things about his blood thirsty personality. She had also wondered why he had never touched her beyond his manner of teasing. He had no reason to show restraint. She had seen the parallels with his mother's story but it seemed his own experiences sealed the deal to how he treated her. In his own brusque way he had protected her not just from his army but from himself.


Her eyes drifted to the chain dangling on his bandaged chest momentarily. His gaze was steadfast when she met his. There was no doubt in her mind they both knew what her chain was. It was odd she clould read him so well with one shared look.