Bonded

Chapter 31

That night Jza fought her dreams intensely. She woke thrice in her uncle's abandoned bed and found herself surprised to be all alone each time. She refused to entertain the throught that she knew who she was missing. 

"I do not know when I drowned in your brown eyes."

Jza closed her eyes to dispell his voice from her head which was a mistake because now snippets of her dreams tormented her instead. Some started with her father overseeing her execution, some with Tarquin dragging her on the floor with chains binding her hands together, some where she being stoned to death by her own people. Her mind was filled to the brim with death and destruction as if peace had not been achieved.

The Princess was relieved to have been woken at dawn to see her father's departure. She dressed herself in a rush and ran out with her brown hair flowing behind her. Her old governess would have been appalled by her recklessness but those days of brutal criticism were over. The underused herald announced her presence but she was in her father's arms before he could complete her designation. 

"I shall miss you," Jza said, containing her emotions. There was much left unsaid.

"As will I," King Samuel replied before climbing atop his heavily decked horse. While it seemed imprudent to show off the King, making him an easy target, the man had elected to use the procession as a means of raising the morale of his people. The word had been spread the war was over but to see him with ones eyes would get people out of hiding faster. 

The King had many pending errands to run and could not give the farm more time even if he wished most dearly to stay. While his daughter needed him his country could not survive without his presence. Jza's calm gaze as she had bade farewell gave him a sense of peace he had lost before the war had even begun. His daughter had proven she could take care of herself and she would continue to do so. He had nothing to worry about. 

For Jza the sight of her father's horsemen exiting the farm's dirt road was agonising but the absence of the gold chain around her neck made her feel like she was floating above air. Her sisters were now her father's responsibility and he could do whatever he wished with them. She was rid of them and their wretchedness with a profound sense of gratitude. 

Instead of taking advantage of her elevated position among the new farm hands left behind by her father the Princess chose to forgoe sleep. She knew she could not escape her nightmares even with the sun rising steadily behind the copse of the orchard. She instead chose to inspect how the work continued which had begun even before dawn had broken through the horizon.

As she exited the barn that needed the most repairs she found herself confronted with the vision of Lord Tarquin sat in the middle of the courtyard next to the well. She watched as he brought a red apple, fresh from their orchard, upto his mouth and took a solid bite.

He was accompanied by Bertram's son who was gesturing wildly as he spoke. It never failed to surprise Jza to see the Lord wearing ordinary garb just like all the other workers. His borrowed clothes fit him remarkably well but they were a far cry from the clothing he used to wear in the castle. Over the months it had become obvious he was particularly fond of bold colour and nothing at the farm could provide the richness of the fabrics that he adorned himself with when he was in power. 

"You need to take the string firmly else it falls too fast," The twin informed his captive audience as Jza took a detour to the pair. She never even realised her feet had changed paths until she abruptly paused at her destination.

"I haven't a clue how it should stay up in the first place," Tarquin replied, looking engrossed in the conversation. 

"They say it's all the wind but I say it's the twist of the hand. You need to keep tugging because if it falls, it goes to the enemy," James, explained while his twin watched from the kitchen door where Hyacinth was making bread. The young girl had not adapted as well to the new comers as her brother but Jza could see how much the little girl wanted to join them.