Bonded | Completed | Short Story

Bonded: Part 4

It was not the last time she saw him that day. She had sincerely hoped with the surrender, it would be last they would ever see of each other. But when messenger troop who delivered the terms of surrender came to their camp, she realized the Goddess had other plans.

Five Kel soldiers came to the camp at dusk, one captain and four guards for him. She had the misfortune of being on guard duty and stood at the camp entrance, spear in one hand and the other behind her back when they approached. They had been expected, but of course, she hadn't expected him.

The fourth guard, the one on the left corner. Before they even got within stone's throw she knew it was him. She watched as the man shifted and looked towards her, apparently feeling the same pull towards her. At the same moment, her commanding officer came up behind her. Vada stared straight ahead, the grip on her spear tightening until the skin on her knuckles went white.

"Jahnir! Vada!" Vada saluted. as the commander spoke.  "Collect their weapons and search them."

Her face burned and she bobbed her head in compliance. The other guard who stood watch with her took the men closest to her, the commander searched the Kel captain, and she was left with the other two. She moved to the first man, took his weapons and quickly ran her hands over his body to check for any hidden weapons. Then, keeping her head down, she moved to him.

She didn't know why but she felt her face flush with heat. She took his sword and then, he held out a dagger. Her dagger. She swallowed, glancing over her shoulder to the other two before she took it and quickly slid it in her own own sheath. 

Her hands ran over his ankles and up his legs. She felt him shift when she moved to his hips and she kept her eyes down, avoiding his gaze. At his waist she felt nothing other than hard muscle beneath his shirt. No. She pushed the thought from her mind, not allowing herself to become distracted. Finally, she patted down his arms and then, unable to resist any longer, met his eyes.

He wasn't looking at her. He was looking past her, pointedly past her, since she was standing right in front of her.

"They're good," she said to her commander, but stayed in front of him as the rest of the group began to move. He stepped forward and she stayed put. His eyes switched to her and the scar on his nose twitched slightly when he wrinkled his nose. Maybe in aggravation with her standing in his way. Even in the fading dusk she could clearly see the mossy green of his eyes. She knew her own face was still obscured behind her helmet and she wondered if he cared to know what she looked like. Did he even understand what a Bonded was or to what level he was ruining her life by being hers?

She turned sideways and he quickly pushed past her, barely giving her a second glance. No, she decided. She didn't think he did.

Her duty was over by the time they were leaving camp. By then she had a hastily scrawled note crumpled in her hand and she watched as the captain and the commander said curt goodbyes. The four Kel guards moved around their captain.

She moved towards the entrance of the camp, where the pile of their weapons still laid on the ground. The guard on duty didn't question it when she came forward and began to hand each of the soldier's back their equipment. More likely, they were happy they didn't have to interact with the enemy themselves.

His was the last one and again, he avoided looking at her as she handed him his sword, and with it, the paper. The parchment crinkled as it moved into his hand and his eyes flashed to hers. Her breath caught in her lungs the moment he did. 

What was she doing? If he showed it to anyone she would be questioned. He was going to hand it to his commander. She knew it. She would be suspected of being a traitor, trying to pass secret messages. Why had she ever thought it was a good idea? Why did she even want to do this?  She felt the blood slowly draining from her face as she waited for him to betray her and then - he nodded. Ever so slightly. His hand closed around the paper and his scabbard at the same time and turned away. Vada took a shaky breath and quickly retreated back into camp.