Bonded

Chapter 4

"Milk the cows, you miserable cretin," Hyacinth shook Jza viciously, "It's already sun up and you're lazing about like prissy little princess."

"But I am a princess, how can I milk cows?" Jza protested, feeling disoriented.

"You are no princess. You are only the bastard child of the master's sister. You should be lucky he keeps you fed and gives you shelter."

"But father swore he married my mother," Jza sobbed miserably.

"You don't even know who your father is," The elderly  farm worker sneered, "Now, get up."

Jza woke up with a start. She took in great gasps of breath heavily for a few moments before realizing she hadn't ended up back at the farm. The memories of living as a lowly milkmaid before her father discovered her existence still tormented her. They would flit about her subconscious and when she would wake up she would always say a prayer for her father for taking her away from the wretched existence.

Jza felt an ache rise in her body and cringed as the pain brutality hit her. It felt like she had fought of a whole squadron of men all by herself. Her head throbbed while her arms and legs felt like they pinned down by a heavy weight. 

The princess lifted her sore head and noticed she wasn't in a bed but on the floor, curled up against a mirror. Jza blinked to get a better bearing of where she was at.

"I thought you would never wake up," A male voice startled her. She turned her head to her right to find a man standing at the window staring out from it. The morning light made the figure's silhouette hazy and ethereal.  

Jza tried to remember who he was but he turned around before she could fully recognize him.

"You," She hissed instantly alert when he revealed his face.

Lord Tarquin raised his eyebrows unimpressed by her level of deduction.

"Who did you expect, your great King Galios?"

Jza did not reply to his mocking words but continued to glare at him from the floor.

"This castle is now mine and you should get used to my authority and presence," He sneered.

"Never! This is King Samuel's domain and I shall not allow a foreign nobody to claim his throne."

"A nobody," Tarquin laughed bitterly, "Then tell your historians that it was a foreign nobody who defeated your illustrious King, the grandson of King Galios."

Jza looked away sullenly, having no answer for the Lord's proclamation. It was true their armies had fallen too easily to the enemy although the defeat could also be attributed to the betrayal of a key member of the army. Richmond was heading most of the war efforts and if he had turned traitor then he was the one who led his men to their deaths deliberately.

The man walked towards the bathing tub and gently led his hand through the now visibly tepid water.

"What a waste of splendid hot water," He commented causally.

Jza watched him carefully as he picked up a gold gilded pail and smoothly swooped some water in it. Without any notice he threw it all over her. The girl cried out in horror as she was soaked to the bone. Her tangled hair flailed across her face sloppily. 

"I gave you the opportunity to use the facilities in this room but you chose not to. I cannot stand the sight of you so I decided to take matters into my own hands," Tarquin explained blandly unfazed by Jza's spluttering.