Strange Bedfellows Ch. 01

"A good move." He nodded, then placed another stone to make four in a row. "Tessera. This is not the first time that an army from one of our countries has set foot on the other's land. I believe our positions were much reversed a few decades ago."

"A war waged in self-defense is hardly the same." Katia countered as she frowned at the board.

"You can't win." He pointed out. And while he meant the game, it applied to the war too.

"I know." She nodded, then placed one of her pieces to capture two of his, breaking his tessera.

"Tessera." He said, replacing one of the captured pieces on his next move. "Our countries have been trying to conquer each other for centuries. They seem to agree that it's the thing to do."

"That doesn't make it right." She pointed out, then placed another piece to capture two more of his pieces, one of which broke his tessera again."

"Tessera." He said, replacing a piece for the second time. "The ethical question of war; if two countries agree to go to war with one another, is it wrong?"

She frowned, then made her last move, blocking one end of his tessera even though she wouldn't be able to block teh other end. "But my country didn't agree."

"Pente." He said, placing his last piece and winning the game. "Your country implicitly agreed not long ago when they invaded my country in an attempt to conquer."

She frowned as they pulled all their pieces off the board to reset it, then she placed the first piece since the loser always goes first in Pente. "I would rather our countries stopped trying to conquer each other."

He looked up at her and smiled. "As would I. I would prefer that my training blade got more use and my sword was only drawn to oil it. Alas, these are not the times we live in. Your move."

Katia frowned slightly, considered for a moment, and then placed her piece. "A man who desires peace leading an army in war; isn't that contradiction?"

"Yes, but consider that Illuminar commands that we uphold our vows in the Book of Light." He played one of his pieces in response to her move. "I made a vow as a young soldier to serve to the best of my ability; can I do less without standing condemned before the Great God Illuminar?"

She nodded her head in concession, then placed her piece. "Tria."

"I would rather live out my days as a farmer or tradesman, alas the only trade I know well is war." He considered her move for a moment before deciding to counterstrike in his block. "Tria. Perhaps I could teach the sword when the war is finished. How about you? What would you like to do?"

"Beat you at this game." With a smile, she placed her piece between a pair of her pieces and one standing alone. "Tessera."

He looked at the board for a moment; there were no captures available and her tessera wasn't blocked on either end; he couldn't block it. "I concede."

She grinned as they reset the board. "I suppose I wish to be married someday, raise children, and have time to travel and read."

"Oh, what do you like to read?" He asked as he placed his first piece.

"Almost anything except fiction." She replied. "The world is too exciting to waste on reading fantasy stories."

"On the other hand, some like to escape the drudgery of real life with a good story occasionally." He pointed out, then placed a piece. "There is value in a good moral tale, especially for children so they have heroes to aspire to and to emulate. The same is not less true once they are grown."

"I can understand that." She nodded as she took her turn, then made a thoughtful frown. "I never really thought of it like that before." She pursed her lips for several seconds before she spoke again. "Perhaps I shall try fiction again."

He nodded approvingly, glad that she could change her mind about things.

In fact, he found himself tempted to smile or laugh rather a lot, though he restrained that impulse out of habit with his men. He and Katia talked as they played for the better part of an hour and he found her to be an engaging and bright young woman. They covered many a topic and she was knowledgeable about many of them. Even when she didn't know much about a particular topic, she picked things up quickly and was generally clever about her observations. He found himself enjoying her company a lot, and the games with her almost as much.

While he won the majority of the games, he could appreciate her tenacity. She never stopped trying to win, even when there was no hope of doing so. She fought to the very end of every match and never conceded, fighting on even when there was no hope of winning. Further, she was a good sport while playing, regardless of if she won or lost.

She was easily one of the most delightful women he'd ever had the pleasure of speaking with.

* * *

Shara rather enjoyed the games and conversation both, finding him to be unlike the simpering courtiers in her father's court. Kalus was confident but not arrogant and he never tried to impress her. He was blunt and honest without being harsh, and persuasive while remaining open-minded. He was easily one of the most delightful men that she'd ever had the pleasure of speaking with.

He rose after finishing a final game and looked at her. "It would be prudent for you to sleep in my bed tonight."

She opened her mouth to protest, but he raised his hand palm out to stop her. For some reason, she fell silent. He wasn't commanding or overbearing, but suddenly there was something about him that brooked no argument.

"I say this for two reasons." He said. "First, if someone enters the tent to rouse me and finds you sleeping elsewhere, what we've done might be called under suspicion. Second, you would likely catch a cold with the temperature."

She nodded, seeing his point and noticing that it had gotten colder as the sun had gone down.

"Come." He pulled off his boots and then slipped under the blankets fully clothed, making room for her.

She slipped under the covers beside him, and thankfully the bed was wide enough that she didn't need to press up against him. It was wide enough that they could lay side-by-side, but not much wider than that.

"I wish you a pleasant night's sleep." He said, and less than a minute later his breathing changed.

He was asleep.

Shara lay there considering her situation. She was a princess in the bed of a common soldier, though he was uncommonly good. Her virtue was intact, but her honor never would be again. Because of the deception -- which she was grateful for -- no one would ever believe she was a virgin again. Her handmaidens might, but no one else and certainly no man. She supposed she could have another woman examine her to prove it, but she wasn't sure she would be able to live down the shame. She might need to though, because no man would ever marry her otherwise.

Well, no good man.

Nobles were insistent that their wives be virgins, and a woman lying about her virginity was grounds for immediate divorce which would lead to public shame when the reason for the divorce was discovered. But regardless, if word of this night ever reached the ears of her father's court, her honor would be sullied beyond repair.

She rolled onto her side facing away from Commander Kalus.

He had been kind and she had greatly enjoyed his company, but ultimately her situation was bleak no matter what he had done to improve it. She desperately wanted everything to be okay again. She missed her home and family. She wanted to be safe in her own room in her own bed with her own handmaidens nearby. At least they were safe.

She sighed.

She did feel quite warm and realized it was because of the man she shared the bed with. Oddly, there was something comforting about having him there. He was strong, muscular, and clearly a powerful warrior. He seemed to care about her and seemed to be a good man, so perhaps he could keep her safe from the rest of Tyso's army.

At least, that's what she hoped.

* * *

Kalus woke early in the morning while it was still dark. As he did so, he felt something he'd never experienced before; the warm, comforting feeling of a woman snuggled up against him.

He had bedded women before of course, but they were all in his younger days before he'd sworn allegiance to Illuminar. They had all been quick dalliances, many of which required him to sneak away to avoid a sure-to-be irate father. He'd never had the chance to spend the night with a woman in his bed.

It felt good.

Katia was still asleep and seemed to have snuggled up against him while they slept. She was currently using his chest as a pillow and had her arms tucked up against her chest as she nestled against him.

More surprising was his position. He had apparently put his arm around her during the night. His left arm was draped over her back and shoulder protectively, and his left leg was resting over both of hers in an almost possessive way.

Hmm.

He could barely see, but he could just make out her silky amber hair spread out across his chest and over his arm. She was pressed against him like he imagined a loving wife would be pressed against her husband. She was positioned like a woman in love with her man.

It felt good.

She was warm, soft, and leaned on him completely. Her breathing was in tandem with his, her chest rising and falling to the same rhythm. There was something about it that was relaxing; soothing.

Despite that, he had work to do. He always rose early before the men. He believed in leading by example and so he was always the first to start working and the last to stop. He rose before the men and went to bed after them. It was his duty as their commander.

But still...

He looked down at the girl pressed against his side. She was sleeping so peacefully and he hated to disturb her.

A few more minutes.

He could spare a few more minutes to let the girl sleep while he planned his day and said his morning prayers. That would be acceptable. He laid his head back down and closed his eyes. He started whispering his morning prayers but didn't make it halfway through them before the comforting presence in his bed lulled him back to sleep.

* * *

Shara -- Katia -- woke to a new sensation: she was snuggled against a man in bed. She liked the sensation, it felt comforting as she snuggled against the soldier who... who...

What was she doing?

Was she really sleeping with the enemy?

Shame flooded her mind as she considered what her father would think of her. She was literally sleeping with an enemy commander. Her father was a great patriot who loved his country, and here she was -- his only child -- sleeping with the enemy. What would her father think of her sleeping with the man who had sacked her city? Kalus was attacking her father's kingdom and worked for the cruel tyrant who was destroying her entire family's life with an army that went around raping and pillaging at will.

Had she really forgotten that?

The previous night -- which had indeed been wonderful -- had she truly been so relieved to not have her virtue stolen from her that she'd forgotten who he was? He might be a good man, but he was a leader in the army that was conquering her country.

She recoiled.

She struggled to get out from under his arm and extract her legs from under his. The moment she started moving, Kalus was awake in a flash. She barely had time to react before he was on top of her with a knife at her throat.

She froze.

Kalus blinked and shook his head, apparently trying to clear the sleep from his brain. Then an expression of realization crossed his face and he removed the knife.

"My apologies." Kalus said with clear remorse as he nearly leapt off of her. He looked at the knife and tossed it aside, then raise his hands palms extended as if to show that he was now unarmed. He grimaced slightly as he spoke, looking truly appalled at his actions. "A soldier's reflex, as in war you must always be careful for surprise attacks. I am truly sorry."

It took a moment for the terror in Shara's soul to relent enough for her to react. Her heart was racing and she could feel her hands trembling. She felt like her entire body had frozen solid; she couldn't move. She'd just come closer to death than ever before, and at the hand of someone she had hoped would be her protector.

He looked at her with concern. "Say something, Katia."

Katia?

Who was-- Oh, right; that was her name now. She needed to hide her real name because King Tyso -- Kalus's king -- was destroying her country at that very moment. More specifically, she needed to hide her name because he sacked her city and was making war against her father.

"Go away." She said with disgust, then rolled so she wasn't facing him and pulled the covers over her face. She was determined never to speak to him again unless she absolutely had to. Suddenly, all of the blankets were jerked off of her. She yelped as she made to cover herself before remembering that she was still dressed.

"Stand up." Kalus commanded. His entire demeanor had changed almost the instant she had defied him. Instead of being kind and gentle, he was now imposing and authoritative. His tone wasn't caring, it was ordering. He didn't look mad, but he was imposing.

She didn't move.

She wasn't planning on cooperating with him -- the enemy -- ever again. Kalus shrugged, then reached down with one hand, grabbed her upper arm, and pulled her to her feet. His fingers had dug into a pressure point on her arm, and it hurt so much to resist that she stayed standing because trying to move away increased the pressure and it hurt more. It didn't hurt if she didn't fight, but it hurt a lot if she did.

"Let me make this clear." His eyes were serious and his demeanor brooked no argument, yet he didn't look mad; merely serious. His finger was still poised over the pressure point. It didn't hurt now, but it would definitely hurt if she moved much.

She whimpered.

"You will not treat me disrespectfully." He said it as if it was a fact that she must accept. "I won't tolerate it from my men, and I certainly won't tolerate it from you. Feel free to speak your mind. You can tell me that I'm the scum of the earth and that you wish to see me dead; but you will do it respectfully. Do I make myself clear?"

She nodded.

His eyes narrowed and he leaned in slightly. "Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes." She said quietly.

His expression instantly softened and released her arm. "I'm truly sorry about the knife." He said, and he looked like eh was. "I did not mean to scare you nor to hurt you. Will you please forgive me?"

She stared at him in disbelief.

He had just scolded her like a parent does to a child and now he was asking her forgiveness? She supposed she could forgive him for the knife, but not for invading her father's land. Not for slaughtering her father's people; her people. She couldn't forgive him for that and never would.

She shook her head slightly, hoping it didn't trigger another outburst.

It didn't.

"That is your right." He acknowledged though he looked disappointed.

She stared daggers at him, feeling nothing but shame and embarrassment for how she'd behaved the previous night. She had talked with him like he wasn't an enemy and slept next to him like he wasn't a foe. Worse, she had snuggled up to him like he was a lover or friend, not a man helping to destroy her father's kingdom.

"Speak your mind." He said, though it wasn't a command.

She shook her head and shrank back slightly, afraid of another outburst.

He nodded. "I will not force you to speak, but know that you can. As I said, you can tell me that I'm the scum of the earth and that you wish to see me dead. But if you do it respectfully, I swear there will be no reprisal."

He seemed sincere.

She wasn't sure, it sounded too strange. She'd never heard anyone talk like that. She never heard anyone be that confident. He seemed genuine, but that was a strange thing to say.

"Please, speak your mind." He asked again.

She hesitated, then decided to try. If he did get angry she would have another reason not to like him. She took a deep breath.

"Well sir," she said as respectfully as she could manage. "I think you are scum and I wish you were dead."

He blinked.

He looked surprised, then he looked slightly hurt. She waited for the outburst and half expected him to slap her across the face.

He didn't.

He looked at her for several long seconds, then nodded. "You are entitled to your opinion, though I wish you held a different one." He then put on his boots, called for his squire to bring breakfast, sat down in his chair, and began to recite his morning prayers.

For the next hour, he didn't look at her or speak to her other than tell her she should feel free to eat breakfast or to make sure she was warm and comfortable. He said the minimum to ensure her health and comfort, but nothing more. Otherwise, he left her alone. She didn't get the impression he was ignoring her either. On the contrary, she got the impression he was letting her have space because of what she'd said.

Shara ate her breakfast in silence and then simply sat on the bed. There just wasn't anything else to do. The bruise on her cheek from the night before ached slightly as she chewed, but not too badly. She knew it would be a real shiner and visible to anyone who looked at her.

She thought about her situation, about the man in the tent who she would likely never see again, and she was grateful for that. Somehow, his kindness and the fact that he was respecting her wishes by leaving her alone made her want to dislike him more... but she couldn't. It would be so easy to hate him if he was an unfeeling and uncaring brute.

But he wasn't.

"Come, the king wishes to see us." He said to her, shaking her out of her reverie. She hadn't noticed the herald enter and assumed he'd been carrying orders of some kind.

Commander Kalus exited the tent. She peeked around the flap before following him and saw all the men around him give him a nod of respect, which he returned. She sighed, then walked out of the tent behind him.

Her appearance was instantly greeted with cheers, appreciative comments, and a few wolf whistles. She suddenly felt extremely embarrassed about the noises that had come from the tent last night, and even more so the bruise on her cheek. For some reason, she felt like it marked her as his and she hated that. It felt like the bruise was announcing to the world that he had conquered and made her submit. And here she was, walking meekly behind him like he actually had.

She hated that.

Commander Kalus held up his hand and the noise died down. However, the men were still looking on as if admiring a trophy won by Kalus. They weren't leering though, and she had certainly been gazed upon as a wall ornament before. Thankfully, Kalus's men lacked the creepiness that she often associated with men who looked at her like that.

She followed Kalus through the camp and it was the same everywhere. It was abundantly clear to Shara that he has never paraded a woman through the camp like this before. He may not have been seen in the company of a woman before the way the men were staring.

The entire time, she was acutely aware of her bruised cheek. It seemed to taunt her, to mock her. Regardless of the truth about how she'd gotten it, she knew how it looked; how it was intended to look. Kalus wanted everyone to think she hadn't gotten away with her insubordination. For some reason -- and despite the deception -- Shara didn't feel like she had.

As they reached the ornate flap of the king's tent, Kalus stopped, then turned and looked at her for a long moment.

"I suggest you hold your tongue if you value it; the king isn't known for tolerating the talk of prisoners well."

It didn't seem to be a threat; merely advice. Given Tyso's reputation, it was probably good advice.