YOURS•AND•ONLY

Chapter 3 - Bond

"Do you have a game here that we could play?" You've squirmed on a wooden chair several times in the last ten minutes. The wooden cottage you were both in was modest but cozy furnished. To your right was a small fireplace that kept the room warm. Next to it was stacked firewood in a neat pyramid. There was a shaggy rug on the floor, the walls were decorated with shelves full of books, and by the left wall was a bed that looked too much like a bird's nest. It was twice as big as yours with a mattress and a fluffy pillow. You didn't notice the blankets. At the last wall was a kitchen with a door that probably led to the bathroom.

Talbott gave you time to take a good look at his home, and when you looked at him again, he asked you to sit down at the table. As the right host he tried to be, he offered you something to drink, after which you asked for tea. Then you both remained silent except for a "thank you for the tea" and "you're welcome". You tried to figure out anything you could talk about, but nothing occurred to you - and so you got into a situation where you asked about the game.

"I have an old wizard chess set." Talbott rose from his seat across from you and walked over to one of the lockers from which he pulled the checkerboard. He was right, it was old - in several places the paint was peeling off the figures. Still, you enthusiastically reached for one pawn of each color and hid them in your palms. As you shuffled their position under the table several times, you pulled your hands over the table directly in front of Talbott.

"Choose one." You said excitedly.

"You wanna play?" He asked you doubtfully. He didn't remember the last time he played chess with anyone. Or any other game. He had lived in the woods alone for several years, not having any contact whatsoever expect for the animals. He liked animals since they couldn't speak and were loyal once you earned their trust. So the idea of playing a game with someone seemed to him weird but exciting.

"Duh. Unless you have a better idea how to kill time." You snorted at him watching as his hand reached towards yours, his fingers brushing against your palm like a shooting summer wind. Just like that you started playing. You definitely didn't consider yourself a master, but you knew the rules as well as a few clever moves. You used all the dirty tricks you knew and you won in the end. You watched with amusement how your knight blocked his king smashing it into pieces as his eyebrows cringed in obvious frustration.

"One more time." He said, and before you could answer, he reached for all his figures and began to deploy them to their rightful place. A faint laugh escaped your mouth, yet you imitated his movements: "Do you want to lose again?" You teased him. He glared at you, pursed his lips, and growled, "I plan to win."

You just shook your head in amusement and watched him move his g-pawn up two squares. You knew he certainly wouldn't know a Fool's Mate - the move your friend Murphy beat you in five seconds when he first taught you how to play chess. And when he moved his f-pawn up one square you had him. He had made the same mistake as you once did - by moving his f-pawn he made a clearing to his king and you moved your queen diagonally, attacking his king.

"Checkmate." You said sweetly and winked at him as he looked at you with a disbelieving look on his face.

"That's not fair!" He exclaimed in bewilderment. The shocked look made you laugh hysterically. "How could you do that to me! You must have cheated. I'm requesting another game."

"And why sould I do that? I won honesty." You knew how frustrated he felt, but you enjoyed teasing him. You couldn't help but stare at the way he pushed his lips out into a cute pout.

"Because..." You watched him try to come up with an acceptable reason for you to agree. The fact that seeing him enjoying himself was enough reason for you to continue, you didn't tell him. "Because... The loser will have to fulfill one wish of the winner." He said finally.