11

The renovation project of the arena was nearly complete. The princess peaked through the curtains as the masons were laying stone on the last few steps. She did not know if it was a bane or a boon to have given Tarquin the idea of performing the age old Barbarian ritual of blood sports.

While her soldiers had not been given their death sentences that maybe prolonging their miserable lives would not make them grateful. But no matter, what was done was done.

Her head throbbed with an intensity she was sure would keep her at night but she had more pressing matters to think about. Her eavesdropping had led her to the incredible discovery that all was not what it seemed in Lord Tarquin's army. He did not have absolute control because he had killed his father. What kind of heartless soul was he who had no respect for family bonds. He could kill for his mother but could not give the same courtesy to his father. Was he so power hungry that he could not wait for the crown to come to him?

The moral dilemma of whether to reveal the conversation was weighing upon her. She wanted to ask him the impertinent questions swirling in her head but shed oubted he would take kindly of her questioning. He would once again threaten to slaughter her head and that would be the end of that.

Jza's headache grew exponentially as Lord Tarquin sauntered into their shared quarters playing with a red apple with his fingers. He was dressed in blackhead to toe but his face was bright like a furnace. It was so typical he was enjoying her pain.

Their eyes met and the crushing secret in her heart made her feel deathly afraid. The library situation was but a faded memory by now and only the new revelations swirled in her head.

"I heard a certain librarian was crushed beneath a pile of books. It would have been the most ironic death this palace has ever seen if those books had succeeded."

"Hardly," Jza shifted her stance, "Just a shelf that came down. Must have been damaged in the attack and gone unnoticed during the renovation."

"And you suffered any injuries?" Tarquin asked.

"Nothing of import. I am as bruised as I was before."

He sat on the bed and took a bite of the apple as he surveyed the damage. It was true, bruises upon bruises were difficult to decipher.

"Are you sure?" His voice was much quieter. His face lost the smarmy expressions. He handed her the apple and she absent-mindedly took a bite. It was turning into a habit to have him feed her his leftovers. The threat of poison was still constant and ever present. The Harem had not warmed up to her at all.

"I see the arena is being set up for the battles," the girl shied away from the conversation about her accident lest she blurted everything out. Also knowing him he would make fun of her weak reflexes for weeks ahead anyway.

"You should be happy you saved your soldiers. They were never meant to live longer than the day of the execution."

"They will be fighting in the true barbarian fashion, I suppose," The girl murmured wistfully.

"It will be an honour for them to indulge in such noble activity," Tarquin mentioned proudly.

If Jza hadn't figured out his heritage she would have been baffled by his insistence to glorify Barbarian traditions. The Somerluins were a proud race and they certainly would never have allowed another culture to prevail over them. The man dominating her thoughts flipped though her notes and materials that were lying allover the bed.

"Are you well versed with the subject of Barbarian Balls?" The man asked sharply.

"Yes, I am quite sure I have the length and breadth of this subject tightly by the neck, why?"

"Because I shall be holding one very very soon."

____

Jza could not fathom how her captor found time to run a war and then plan a ball on top of that. He apparently even took time to visit the kitchens regularly to dictate his food plans for them and she had seen him wandering through the gardens with the gardener observing the desolate situation. He would have been the perfect housewife if his gender had been altered since his ability to multitask knew no bounds. His future wife would have absolute luxury because he would leave no chores for her to do.

One day a week after her incident in the library he ordered that she accompany him instead of heading towards the library. She barely finished her ablutions and hurriedly followed him out their shared rooms knowing his temper would flare if she wasn't there at the right time. Her maid ran behind with her hair comb but there was no saving the mess on her head anyway. Her hair hung loose behind her.

"Who shall even be attending the ball?" Jza asked curiously as he finally slowed down and offered her his arm. She took it without protest. Her life was much easier if she chose her battles. She could bide her time until she got hold of the key, "Surely you won't be allowing your uncouth soldiers near your Harem."

"The Harem will not be allowed near this event. My people shall by populating the grand hallways soon. The wives and families of the army men will make up the female population of the ball. The Harem never mingles with the rest of the population. Their husbands will not allow their wives to be in such company."

"Interesting. Are they happy to bring their families to an active war zone though?"The Princess could not hide her surprise. Her father would never have allowed any women folk to traipse into a situation so dangerous.

"You may not wish to hear it but your army ceased to be a challenge a long time ago. My army is proud of its accomplishment and they wish to show their wives this fallen city. It is just a temporary outing but a well deserve done. These wives have been separated from their men for a long time"

They crossed the hall of the Royals on their way to the banquet hall Tarquin had deemed suitable for the ball. The Princess was surprised the artwork still remained intact. Not only were the portraits still hanging of their ancestors but also the current family.

Suddenly the hair at the back of her head stood up. Was it possible she had made it into the gallery? Could her father have commissioned a likeness of her without her knowledge? She had regularly refused his attempts at making her immortal in paint but who knew which artist had targeted her from a distance.

The duo passed by many cameos, paintings and etchings of the royal family. The twelve beauties featured prominently in them. The girls were eager to have their accomplishments displayed and remembered.

Jza kept an eye out for her likeness to be staring back at her but mercifully there was nothing that incriminated her. It was just an inundation of the girls either posing gracefully in a scene or being shown accomplishing various tasks.

"They are very common looking," Lord Tarquin wrinkled his nose like a spoilt brat.

"Pardon me, but did the war addle your brain? None in even your Harem could match their beauty," Jza was aghast at his declaration.

She half expected to be hit in the head by the man but he had stopped wishing her bodily harm ever since she started working in the library. Maybe the information she collected was worth far more to him than she had realised.

"Plain, plain,plain," The man ignored her protest and rebuking words.

"Oh, Lord, I imagine you whither at the sight of me. I was notoriously not in their league," The girl laughed self deprecatingly.

"You are correct in your assessment Milayamoya ," The Lord smiled at her indulgently. His eyes travelled over her face and Jza wondered whether she should take up the veil to conceal herself from his criticism. How horrendous he must think she looked like.

"What do you call me? Is it an insult?"She asked. The man did seem in a pleasant mood so he might just answer her.

"Whatever is it you want to believe," He answered instead, mysteriously.

Jza was relieved as they walked out of the hallway realising none of her likeness existed. There was an inkling in the back of her head that deemed it improbable but who was she to question her good luck.

They walked into an empty ballroom that was far smaller than the one she had been captured in. It too was marble clad from top to bottom but had a solitary chandelier hanging in the middle instead of multiples as there had been in the largest hall. While not the largest entertainment area it could easily see to a ball in here. As a matter of fact she had seen quite a few. Her sisters had held many parties here with a ridiculous amount of guests. The room was surprisingly in good shape with no signs of wear and tear. Either the war had left no scars or Tarquin's men had been hard at work far beyond the time frame she had been informed of the ball.

The hall sparkled in the chandelier light and Tarquin's amber eyes gleamed along with it. Today his eyes were speckled with more green than usual.

"Miss Ashbrooke, I am in need of your expertise. What do I need to do to make this ball a success."

Jza rambled in her usual way about the food, decorations, clothing while the man listened intently, "...you also must have the musicians out in the open. No hiding them behind curtains like we do. The Barbarians like to hand them money for any performance they adore. There is of course the matter of the dance. It is different then what we do at least."

Lord Tarquin beckoned her close, "Teach me."

Jza should have fainted at his words because she did not believe he was capable of asking for help but instead began to narrate what she knew.

"Your hands will be on the lady's waist and she will have her hands on your shoulders. Keep your hands fleeting. No one likes a man who uses a beautiful dance for his own pleasure."

"What if I do wish to be suggestive," All his perfect teeth glinted in the face.

"The Lady would have no qualms putting you in your place. Barbarian women were adept at combat. The Lady would already be carrying her own weapon to place at your throat."

"I remember you too had some ideas how to put me in my place," Tarquin smirked.

"Unfortunately hand to hand combat is not my forte. I am only useful with arrows," Jza said ignoring his expressions.

"I should teach you soon," He breathed in her direction. Was he flirting with her or did he seriously mean it? The man was a master of innuendo. He exhaled suggestive thoughts like cascading water out of a fountain. Sometimes it was hard to understand when he was being literal or not.

She placed her hands delicately on his broad shoulders without acknowledging how he was making her uncomfortable. Sometimes she wondered if all his posturing was a test to see how soon she would lose her temper. Did he laugh at her helplessness during his private moments.

"You would have a hard time then. I am not that easily teach able," Jza replied, primly.

Tarquin pulled her closer in response until all she could smell was his scent. Jza kept her eyes on his chest but Tarquin had the gall to pull her face upwards, hooking his finger under her chin. Jza tried to keep her eyes unmoved by his intense stare but she felt the urge to pull them down. Her sudden shyness at their closeness made her feel inadequate.

His fingers on her waist were not subtle at all and that broke the camel's back. They gently dug into her flesh making her squirm. She tried to get away from him but he held on firm. His hands tightened around her. Jza heard an ominous creak but ignored it to glare at the man.

"Ugh, must you be such a beast all the time. You have a harem to take your frustrations out on so stop harassing me. Talk to me like a human being and not some loose piece of muslin," The girl growled.

"Do not test me. I am being very patient. You do not know how many times I have come close to pushing you down the nearest staircase," Tarquin warned, looming all over her his mood incredibly severe. Jza pulled herself away from his grip.

"My patience is the one being tested. Who knows how many times I have thought to fling myself off the roof of this castle. Maybe I should go ahead with my plans."

There was another creak from above and the princess looked up to see the chandelier swaying.In that instant she realised what was about to happen. In a fit of insanity her body accelerated into action and ran towards Tarquin. With a grunt she shoved his firm chest and managed to push him aside using all of her bodily strength. Behind them the chandelier careened down and smashed into the floor in a glitter of glass and light.

Jza landed squarely ontop of Tarquin with her face buried in his chest.