16

Jza stared at Anna's fetching face unable to form any words out of her mouth. The Harem member was pulled away by her companion presumably to bear witness to Sofiya's altercation with Tarquin. Jza stood numbly in her spot barely registering the words echoing in cavernous banquet hall. Harsh words were being exchanged but it was mere noise to her.

As the daughters of exceedingly wealthy Noble women the Princesses were of selfish stock. They lacked for nothing and yet never seemed happy with what they had. They wanted more clothes, more jewels, more pets and baubles. They always wanted more. Jza had never thought their greed would have led them to this path. Jza wondered what could have been said and what had been revealed. Were her sisters even aware of their surroundings to know any state secrets? There was a chance it was all lie Anna concocted but why would she?

There was no male heir and succession was tricky. Jza was not privy to how it would be done once her father passed. She was sure the council and her deceased grandmother had thought of some way to ease succession without leaving a power vacuum on the throne. For a nation that had male preferred primogeniture it was ironic her grandmother had been the true power behind her father's reign. It was only after her death had he been able to come into his own and found out about the existence of another daughter living at her uncle's farm.

"I am disappointed, so very disappointed that this young Shlyukha is the cause of our dispute. Think with the head on your shoulders not..." Sofiya trailed off with innuendo.

Any other time her words would have struck profusely but the Princess was too numb to register them. Jza watched Tarquin's amber eyes narrow with stone like hatred and for a moment it seemed he would strike Sofiya. His hands shook but he composed himself in a blink of an eye and gave all the girls a very pointed look.

"Leave, now," Tarquin's voice was so soft it seemed almost jovial, "I will not responsible for the consequences if you do not obey me immediately..."

Sofiya huffed but conceded. She backed away with a false sense of importance and walked out in the swirl of her emerald green gown. The rest of her girls followed behind looking far less composed. The varying looks of anger and torment were all focused on the captive as they stamped their feet in defiance.

"You may go back to your rooms if you please," Tarquins's words were still low and pleasant sounding. His back was towards her leaving her with a view of his pale brown hair.

"N-no, I can continue. The ball is in a week. The kitchen has already begun the preparations. We cannot pause for even a moment."

Jza babbled further informing the back of Tarquin's head of the ongoings of the preparation she was incharge of. In her thoughts she wondered if that was why he searched for the Princesses when his army had stormed the city. Had he vowed to make one of them the queen or was their fate to be like Raymond's. She suddenly cruelly wished they had been caught so they could have been meted out the punished they deserved. How could they be so selfish to destroy their own country? She vowed she would expose her traitor sister.

Jza's legs buckled beneath her as she completely lost feeling in her limbs. Her knees hit the marble floor barely giving her a chance to brace herself. Her amber eyed captor was by her side in a heartbeat. She looked at him through the wisps of the hair coming undone around her face.

"I - I do not understand," She stammered bowing her head in disbelief. Her thin hands splayed on the white marble trembled as she tried to move.

"You are still unwell," The man uttered kneeling next to her.

"I am not- not at all," She whispered and closed her eyes. She felt hands around her waist trying to help her which she struggled against.

"Leave me. I can - can do this," She felt oddly out of breath. He ignored her protestations. He pulled her up along with him. It was an ode to his strength he did not look the least bit strained. She was smoothly propped up again him.

"Leave me, you beast," She hissed,once realizing he had her in his embrace. His breath mingled with hers as he peered into her face with a slight slant of his mouth. He was enjoying her anger.

"Krasavitsa," He murmured with a small smile.

"This had better not mean what I think it does," She growled trying to make her limbs cooperate. Her feet had no strength even now.

"What do you think it means," He asked curiously.

"I am not your.. plaything or whatever they call me, you know, your Harem. I believe I've had quite a few slurs thrown at my face in your language. I do not need you to add to it."

"Believe me I know. I know how I spend my nights."

His expression was an incentive to push him away roughly and she fell to the ground in a heap with a staid grown looking even more crumpled.The pain of the fall was worth it. Tarquin gave her his hand which she looked away from. She did not need his help is he was only going to manhandle her.

"Now, now, no need to be fussy. I will only touch you if you deign me worthy of the honour." Her captor continued sarcastically. He watched her look away from his still outreaching hand.

"I cannot feel my legs," She finally uttered, explaining her predicament, "Have they poisoned me once again?"

Lord Taqruin frowned at the mention of her Harem. He hunched down next to her and examined her feet. Jza tried to scoot away but honestly she had no strength.

"Can you feel my hands?" He delicately pulled one foot out of the slippers and prodded it carefully.

"I can feel a pressure but- OW did you just pinch me, you pisspot!!" Jza's voice echoed in the hall. The man did not look even remotely remorseful.

"You will recover soon," He nodded and unceremoniously picked her up, "It shall be for the best if you rest for now."

Slowly and steadily she was starting to feel the warms of his limbs around her.

"I have a duty to perform. I cannot rest when there's work to be done. I have written everything down in a journal. You should find it in my- our room if I do not regain the strength in my limbs on time."

"You should have said so. You are unwell. You can barely stand.. Maybe it's' time to let go of your duties. There will be no shame in giving up. I will continue without your physical presence though it will make the job far more charmless."

Jza shut her mouth in vexation as he carried her across the threshold into the hallway.

"What do we have here? The false king with his whore."

Jza felt Tarquin's muscles tense as he laid eyes on a man standing against the stone wall further down the hallway. His face was hidden in shadows but he soon leaned forward and his pale face flickered with torchlight.

"Anatoly," The Lord murmured while his captive strained her neck to see who had dared to talk to her captor in such a manner.

"I have much to say to you, Tarquin."

Lord Tarquin replied in his own language but as usual his subjects were keen to exhibit his foibles to her and the fair haired man replied in their common language.

"Busy then, busy now. I will not be silenced. I will not let you usurp the throne with your polluted blood."

The blond man aggressively marched forward with absolute fury raging in his eyes. Jza instinctively hid her face in Tarquin's shoulder but before she could scream Tarquin had pulled out a dagger from his sleeve and punctured the attacker in his heart. Anatoly swayed in shock and pain. The Lord kicked the injured man and his prone body slammed against the ground while his blood spilled at his murderers feet.