Chapter 7: Chapter 7

Jza opened her eyes with a bleary moan but squeezed them shut again as a shaft of light pierced through her vision, hurting her eyes. She blinked a few times before adjusting herself to the cheery sunshine.

The weather had taken such a glum turn during the siege that it had felt like the sun hadn't risen in so many months. Dark storm clouds had taken over the horizon like a bleak blanket pouring down upon the battered soldiers mercilessly making their lives a hundred times miserable. How ironic it was that on the day fighting had officially ceased the sun had decided to make its appearance as if waiting for it to be safe to come out. Coward, Jza thought meanly before turning around to look at her unfamiliar surroundings.

The room was sparse and not one she had ever been into so her confusion was justified. Her head buzzed faintly; unpleasantly and the world lurched precariously and it took a few moments for the it to steady itself. And then it hit her; she had been poisoned last night.

Jza was hyperventilating over her brush with death when an elderly man entered the room with a scowl. He did not address her in any fashion and rudely jostled up her, prodded her as checked her temperature.

"Where?" and she stopped realizing the question was stuck in her swollen throat.

"Zis is ze Infirmary," The older man crocked with disdain, his accent making a mash of her language.

"This is not the infirmary. I have been there before."

"Da," The man raised his nose higher with a twitch of the beard, "Goridians have no concept of natural harmony. Zeir previous infirmary possessed such chaotic energy zat itz a wonder anyone got out of zere alive."

"I see," Jza answered skeptically. She knew of her enemy's traditions were seeped in superstition but this was ridiculous. Jza patted her parched throat idly when she noticed the absence of a very precious belonging.

"Where is my locket?" She asked the old man with narrowed eyes.

"I know not what iz it you speak of."

"Where is my locket?" She growled quietly. The slow deliberation of her tone was enough to catch the man's attention. He looked up but before he could even twitch she caught him by his collar and pulled him towards her.

"Do not make me repeat my question," Jza threatened feeling her heart pounding a million times a second. The old man spluttered, horrified to be in his position. He had imagined her to be a meek, ill girl but his current state refuted all his assumptions.

"Tsk, tsk, threatening a defenseless old healer, Miss Ashbrook," Jza looked at the door and Lord Tarquin stood there with an easy grin adorning his face.

"I want my locket back," She urged feeling a tremor run down her body. Half of her wanted to be vicious and violent while the other half wanted to break down and cry. It was not easy maintaining a calm face when all she wanted to do was fall apart. Without the locket everything was lost.

"Don't worry, it's safe. Here," Lord Tarquin patted his front pocket.

"Give it to me!" Jza urged wondering what he was waiting for.

"Why?" The curves of his lips twitched in blatant amusement as he pulled the chain out and tangled the locket around a finger as if studying it.

"Because I will choke this man if you do not do so," Jza threatened not realizing how close she was to tears. Her eyes were filled to the brim and her vision blurred violently.

"Do it. Pavel is getting far too old for active duty anyway," Tarquin shrugged uncaringly, ignoring Pavel's groan of dismay. Jza released the healer roughly now that she knew her threats were futile. She knew the Lord well enough to know he would soon be giving her pointers on how to strangle someone more effectively than actually save a life. A tear slid down her face in despair. It was over.

"I would have given this back to you if you hadn't created such a fuss," Lord Tarquin played with the chain absentmindedly while his eyes were fixed on her face. Her despair was vastly disproportional to what the worldly worth of the locket seemed to be, "I know, it is very pretty, and girls love pretty things, or do you not?"

"It is my father's," Jza explained hoping to reduce his curiosity and explain her reaction as a case of female sentimentalism.

"If it's that meaningful then I shall keep it with me. Your precious object is far safer with me than in your delicate hands," Tarquin smiled cattily.

"You don't understand," She gritted her teeth furiously trying to keep the anger from boiling over.

"Shut up, you're getting on my nerves," Tarquin dismissed her and turned to the healer, "I gather she is well enough to get back on her feet."

Pavel nodded frantically hoping to excuse himself from the room as soon as possible.

"Good, I need her to be ready in the next hour."

"Where am I to be taken?" Jza interrupted.

"You shall find out on your own good time."

"Then at least tell me why," Jza paused to clear her throat and spoke again, "Why was I poisoned?" Her hand inattentively clasped the empty place on her neck.

"Because you were seen as a threat to my little Harem. It was a warning for me to stay in line and not touch girls not part of that revered group," Tarquin rolled his eyes.

"You follow their rules?" Jza asked with surprise.

"The womenfolk have always ruled behind doors. It is no secret," Tarquin smirked, "They know I do not mind their games."

Jza felt her anger rise at the thought that being poisoned was a game to all of them. This just proved that the whole race was irrefutably insane. Before she could speak he interrupted her.

"There is an execution today," Tarquin's face had a barely concealed smile.

_________________

Jza sat in the podium with an extremely vacant expression. She was wearing a simple pale blue gown and had light, satin ribbons in her hair. It had taken her an hour to loosen the tangles in her hair which had been a mindless task that kept her busy from going into hysterics.

"Thirty brave men from my country are to be executed tonight and I am dressed up as if I'm going to have lunch with one of my sisters," She thought tensely. She had bruises scattered down her arms in a purple array of colours and her face was no vision of beauty. She had never matched her sisters in perfection but in her current state it looked like a war had not been fought in the land of the kingdom but on her face.

Tarquin was conversing easily in his own language with three burly men who were listening to their leader intently though from time to time Jza could feel their gaze upon her. She wondered what they thought of her and imagined all sorts of filthy names attributed to her right now. Tarquin had placed a hand on her knee as soon as his commanders had stepped into the podium. After this day the rumours would not be considered unfounded. This non-verbal mark of territory had obviously not gone unnoticed though thankfully no leers or innuendos had been sent her way.

The three commanders had only vacated their places after the Harem had made their appearance dressed in flowing, gaudy jewel toned robes. The colours floating around her made Jza see red. How could these people treat an execution with such callous disregard?

Tarquin laughed while making small talk with Sofiya who had come bearing servants holding trays full of treats. The younger Harem girls had instantly reached for the sweet treats.

"Will you not partake in the kind offer made by my friends?" Tarquin placed an arm around a stunning brunette looking at ease in the surroundings.

"Would you blame me if I said no? My last experience did lead me to the infirmary."

"You mustn't hold it against us. If we wanted you dead you would have already been cold and grey," Anna giggled as if relayed a funny joke.

"Is that supposed to allay my fears?" Jza snorted in cynical amusement.

The Lord rolled his eyed and picked up a miniature fresh fruit tart. He took a medium sized bite and then offered the piece of food to Jza.

"Here, if you are too craven then we must share food. We are already sharing a bed," His hand hovered near her mouth and before she could protest the sweet fruit was touching her lips. Jza pursed in lips in disapproval. She wanted to rant and release her anger but his hand was steady impediment. She took a minuscule bite and felt her ears going red while the Harem girls tittered around her.

"We are not sharing-" Jza growled but he snapped his fingers at her.

"Silence, they are bringing your disgraced soldiers out. Do you not want to see their faces before they are executed," The man grinned and pushed the girls draping all over him, "Better yet let us go greet them into the arena."

"I doubt I can change your mind," His captive murmured. Jza felt herself shrink under his touch as he pulled her arm around his in a parody of social norms. In her vision she could imagine the fate of her father and the royal courtiers all standing in line waiting to be guillotined.

"You can try," He whispered in her ear too low even for his precious Harem who looked as if they would like to be trailing behind the pair. Tarquin smirked enigmatically and led her down the dark stone stairs into the dirt covered arena.

The soldiers of the beaten army were being dragged in chains wearing their torn and bloodied uniforms. Jza could smell their filth from the distance she was standing but she could not recoil from them; not for the men who had fought in her father's name and led to the slaughter by their own commander.

The small group of men was forced onto their knees by their handlers.

"Ah, the right place for you filthy animals," A very short, bald man walked out from behind them looking as if he owned the world. He had a whip in his hand and he would slash it in the air whenever he sensed weakness.

"Yes, in front of their rightful Lord," One of the other commanders from before grinned nastily.

The young men kneeling in front of them looked defiant, angry and scared in equal parts. Jza worried for anyone of them who dared who stand up against this boastful statement. They did not have the advantage of her gender or a ransom.

The men also stared at her and she wondered if they even knew who she was. Her face was half swollen; distorted beyond recognition. At least they could not have thought of her as the woman of the enemy.

"I have no last words for the scum of Samuel," Lord Tarquin eyed the dusty, bloodied men with disinterest.

"They are the sons of Samuel," Jza spoke softly before Tarquin could lead her away. In the silence her words sounded as if they had been yelled. None of the defeated men spoke for they were too stunned to speak. She had probably looked too conquered, too overpowered to have word of defiance left in her. The shorter man looked as if he wanted to whip her into silence but Tarquin waved him away.

"Let it not be said Samuel bore no sons for he had so many. All his children fought for him. They lived for him and they died for him. Brave soldier remember our motto, the brave never die."

Her words were punctuated with solitary claps from the only person who was insane enough to let this farce continue.

"Beautiful words. Very touching. I was almost moved," Tarquin smirked and held his hand out to her but before he could reach her a soldier broke the line and fell on her feet. His hand met his and she felt something small being placed into her palm.

"Please, please, I beg you, give this to my mother, please," The fair haired man sobbed incoherently as he was led away. The whip hit his back slicing skin with a gruesome slash.

"Beg, I am sure you're itching to plead oh so beautifully for these men. You want to. I can felt it," Tarquin led Jza away to the inner exit. Jza was momentarily relieved she was not being made to witness the execution itself.

"I shan't. They deserve better," Jza spat out.

"What did he give you?" The Lord's hand dug into her arm another set of bruises. It was not even surprising to see his mood shift so decisively. He pushed her against the inner rooms of the arena. There was only a small slit of light coming though the gap between the roof and the walls.

"Because he wanted to give me this," Jza hissed as she held up what turned out to be the broach, "I am supposed to pass this onto his mother. I don't know if she is dead or alive but that poor boy had faith that I was would be able to pass it onto her."

"Boring, I was hoping for something more-"

"How would you feel if your mother was waiting for you to return and you had lost," Jza hissed.

"I don't lose hence I shan't ever be in the position. My mother would be nothing but proud," Tarquin pushed her into the wall aggressively.

"Oh, I bet she's proud, having such cruel beast for a son."

"Stop talking about my mother!" Tarquin roared, amber eyes flashing.

"It hurts doesn't it?" Jza smiled meanly and he let her slide down the wall. His fingers wavered and he released her from his grip.

"You say one word..." Tarquin's face scrunched in anger and Jza felt triumphant watching the finger he pointed at her shake. She had finally found his weak spot.

"You will do what?"

"Oh, I don't know," Tarquin seemed to have regained his calmness and looked at her dispassionately, "Maybe teach you the ways of the world my Harem knows so well."

Before Jza had a chance to react he pulled her close and let his body push her against the rough wall. His hand scrunched the sheer blue material of her left sleeve and yanked out the slight material.

Jza's round eyes watched him decimate the sleeve in shock, "What.."

"Miss Ashbrooke, you see, there is one of you and one of me, in this room, all alone. You can fight me for as long as you want but I shall be the one victorious when it comes to the matter of strength," Tarquin crooned lowly before bowing his head close enough to give her bare neck a soft kiss.

"Stop," Jza struggled to get her hands out from between them but Tarquin was in no mood to comply. He sighed almost contentedly as if he was with a lover on a mutually amorous excursion rather then forcing himself on a lady, "Please stop."

He raised his face sharply and Jza gauged from his flinty eyes that it was all a game to him. He was enjoying tormenting her more then the proximity to her which almost relieved her rather than offend.

"So, we have an agreement. You say nothing about my mother and I don't make use of you on whim, deal," Tarquin cocked his head lazily daring her to disagree.

"Deal."

As soon as the words were out of her mouth he pushed himself off her and wiped his hand on his trousers as if he had touched something particularly grotesque. Jza wondered if he would go gargle afterwards so he could rid himself the taste of her skin.

"A shame I had to rip such a pretty dress."

Jza did not reply when the man pulled off his jacket and placed it onto her shoulders.

"I am rather surprised you have not asked the history of this place. We are hardly a race who has need for blood sports. It was a practice of the Barbarians where slaves were used as participants of these particular sports," Jza spoke suddenly.

"I see. And you think maybe its time to revive this practice," Tarquin's face was half hidden in the shadows. Jza said nothing. Maybe she could prevent the execution after all if the Lord was enticed by the idea of bringing back blood sports. He was certainly blood thirsty enough to enjoy them rather than a boring execution.

"I think it would be best if we went back to our quarters," He spoke after a pregnant pause.

"And I think it would be best if you return my locket?" Jza asked curtly.

"I mean to keep it safe on my person in my pocket because I wonder whether prying hands can keep themselves off it." He trailed off, "It's not safe after all."