Bonded

Chapter 28

"Get lost!" The boy screamed at them while his sister, identified by how similar they looked, blinked with unshed tears tangled in her long eyelashes. The older woman showed no sign of emotion beyond a bitter twist of her mouth. 

"You had better mind your manners, you brats. This is the royal princess," Dermot reprimanded the threesome. 

"And yet she consorts with Somerlians," The old woman sneered giving Tarquin a baleful look. 

"Greeting, Hyacinth, I would have vowed it we were never to meet again but I was wrong," The Princess spoke with pursed lips. She nodded stiffly as she watched Hyacinth's eyes fill with recognition. She was after all not the short, little girl anymore although her clothes were in as much disrepair as they used to be. 

"Where is uncle? Is he safe?" Jza asked taking advantage of the shocked silence.

"They escaped before the armies raided," The old woman replied after clearing her throat.

 

"I presume they got my letter in time then," The girl asked.

She placed a steady hand on Tarquin's shoulder and gestered for him to sit down. She had been mindful of his injuries the entire journey and it would not do now to tire him out even further. It would be such a waste if he got trapped by the fevers after all she had done to save his life. The man must have been tired to take seat without protest. 

"Yes, yes," Hyacinth paused thoughtfully before she replied, "He got your letter." 

"Why didn't he take you with him? An old women and children are not ones to leave in a war. Most of the cattle are gone as well," The girl asked as she took her seat beside Tarquin. Her back sorely needed the rest. 

"He wouldn't take Bertram's bastards with him. Told me I needed to choose so I stayed. I am old anyway. I couldn't do the distance in the mountains. I couldn't breath very well anyway," Hyacinth's face grew even more bitter as she spoke. 

"What filth. I'm glad you've had a change of heart about bastards," Jza replied, vainly trying to keep her anger in check. Bertram was her aunt's wayward brother whom she had never met and now she was glad of it. 

"I would've stayed if it was you," Hyacinth replied and watched Jza stand and walk towards them. There was a fear in her eyes as if she worried the former orphan girl was there to take her vengeance. Hyacinth had not been kind to her in the past. 

"No more surprises?" Jza bent down as she asked the children. Her knees cracked at the sudden movement. Both children had moon faces that were half covered with light brown hair. 

 

"None, my lady," The girl whispered shyly. She seemed to be in awe of meeting a princess. 

Jza turned to the five men who had volunteered most desperately to have the honour of protecting their saviour. Perhaps it was regret for not helping her sooner or the honour that would be bestowed on them later she did not know.

"You can go back to Goridian castle when you have rested and fed yourself. I have reached my destination and no longer require an armed guard," She held Tarquin's unwavering gaze as she spoke," and I do mean all of you."

They all protested and argued that an old woman and two children were not adequate company in such difficult times. They continued the discussion amongst themselves outside. Hyacinth led Philips, the cook, to the kitchen which she had kept running with the limited resources left behind during the evacuation before war started. The small patch of farmland and the small fruit orchard kept the small appetites of the young and the elderly at peace. 

Jza left the loud group behind as she toured the other empty barns for materials that maybe of use to her. It was futile trying to discuss her future plans with such a heated bunch. She knew Tarquin, her shadow, was not far behind.

 


"You need me," The Somerlian uttered as he followed her in and slammed the wooden door of the barn shut. The boarded up windows only let slivers of light inside that illuminated his amber eyes intensely. 

"For what. To talk to my father? He will trust my word more than he does yours," The Princess spoke resolutely after a pregnant pause, "If the tale must be told then it shall be my words."

"Would he not need be eased by my corroboration... Would he not celebrate your capture of me?" Tarquin implored. If she was not well aquainted with the man she would have thought he was begging but his shoulders were stiff and his posture arrogant. 

"Capture? I have hardly bound you at my feet. You are not defeated in the slightest. You came to me as independent as wily cat. My father is not a fool. He will sense you have ulterior motives. Have you not?" Jza asked taking a step towards him not realising how the man's eyes followed the beam of light tracking her face and neck. 

"I refuse to go anywhere," Tarquin ignored her question completely and crossed his arms defiantly. 

"You cannot be serious. Just because you're bored and irritated by your people thar does not mean you latch onto me," Jza took another step forward with clenched fists. 

"If you do not know why I stay then you are more oblivious than I ever thought possible."

"What is it I do not see?" It was now Jza's turn to beseechingly look into the man's eyes. 

"Everything," Tarquin took three steps forward and loomed all over. Jza suddenly remembered their first meeting where she had only seen the colours swirling in his eyes.

His hands as if controlled by an external force came up to her face. Before Jza could take a startled step back his fingers reached her and cradled her face delicately as if he were handling fine china. His sword calloused fingers skimmed over her jawline with a barely there touch that made her heartbeat faster.

Jza held her breath. She did not know what she waited for but she anticipated something. There was too much weight in the moment for it to be all for naught.

His amber eyes gazed at her if memorizing her features making her feel conscious of her looks. She was dirt smeared and dishevelled from their long ride and she wished she wasn't so. With just as much suddenness as before he unhanded her with a jolt and walked away without gazing back. The door opened and closed with a slam and she did not know why her heart felt like it would jump out of her chest.