Bonded

Chapter 3

Lord Tarquin smiled widely.

"Did he?" The man sauntered into the room unconcerned about the girl wielding a sword in front of him.

Jza was straining under the weight of the sword. She tried to look unconcerned by the excessive force on her arms but it was getting harder to keep the effort from her face. A lone bead of sweat darted down her forehead.

"Yes, do not underestimate me." Jza threatened as she subtly brought her other hand up to help her keep the sword up. The muscles in her right arm were already burning from the endeavour of keeping it up with one arm.

Her foe ignored her for his twitching commander.

"My Lord," Vladimir slurred as his King examined him from above.

"You will live, Vladimir, but I wonder if you shall live down the fact that a mere girl defeated you. And I thought you were really my best," The Lord shook his head though his disappointment seemed superficial as amusement flooded back in his eyes.

Jza squeezed her eyes shut and turned her face away as Vladimir tried to speak but gurgled blood instead. Blood was still sprouting forth from the man's wound which still had the fruit knife sticking out from it. The cobbled floor was beginning to grow dark from the congealing liquid.

Jza still had her eyes closed when she felt a presence approach her. She lifted her sword back at the Lord who still looked unconcerned.

"A-another step and I'll-," Jza cursed herself when she took a step back instinctively as the man  moved towards her.

"Go ahead, I am unarmed. You can do whatever you like with me," Lord Tarquin lowered his face so he could look her in the eyes. He took another deliberate step forward.

Jza blinked trying to understand the man. Most men she knew, including her father, were easily readable. They raged and ranted when things didn't go their way; their egos easily playable but this man was unpredictable to the nth order. It seemed like he just wasn't perturbed by anything she did.

Jza took another step back, her sword still facing her adversary, though it was shaking along with her hands.

"What are you waiting for?" The Lord goaded with another step, the sound of his foot step echoed in the empty dungeon.

Jza flinched when her back collided against the cold dungeon wall. The chill of the stone walls easily seeped through her satin dress. Even though the dungeon was supposed to be quiet Jza's senses were enveloped in the sounds of her heartbeat drumming in her ears.

"You can't do this, can you? Just a foolish little girl accidentally left behind in this draughty castle," The man cornered her with this taunt.

Jza closed her eyes trying to summon the courage to use the sword in her hands. Her previous use of her knife on Vladimir was an action she performed in the heat of the moment. His presence threatened her on an instinctive level and she lashed out without even thinking. Right now even though the situation wasn't any less dangerous the quietness of moment took away a lot of her instinctive courage.

"Your stance is all wrong; your grip is too weak; you put weight on your heels leaving you with little grip for with the rest of your foot. You are more liable to do yourself more harm than good so I would suggest you give me the sword immediately," The man spoke critically as he held out his hand.

"No!" Jza shook her head vehemently, not ready to give up.

"Give it to me," The man spoke quietly though his voice contained more force than Jza's shout. The distance between them closed and his actions gave Jza the motivation she needed. She crudely swung the sword at the man. Even with little strength behind the movement it still managed to slash through Lord Tarquin's shirt. A dark red line emerged from the thin streak Jza had carved in the man's fawn shirt. He looked down and for the briefest of moments surprise flooded his eyes.