Hiron watched Setia's new companion with a gloomy expression on his face. Setia knew that her old friend didn't like the fact that she had come here once again in strange company. They were sitting at the table and Jefre was walking next to the displayed weapons and looking at Hiron's works with interest. Every now and then he would pick up a sword, weigh it in his hand, smile and almost fondly stroke the blade. The dwarf had been watching her for a long time, she didn't have an eye patch, which was unlike her. Hiron nodded at Jefre and a silent question was written on his face. Setia shook her head slightly in response, she didn't want to and couldn't talk to him about her new guard, as she had called him in front of Hiron. This small gesture was enough for her to feel the gaze of bright eyes on her. She looked in his direction, he was watching her. "Hiron makes excellent weapons, doesn't he?" she asked, but mainly to cover her own discomfort.
"Yes - Jefre's face lit up with a smile - it's excellent, very well balanced. I also like the pommel, especially that hilt." - he said, pointing to the decorated sword "This sword is a nice decoration."
"Decoration?" Hiron was surprised.
"Yes, a true warrior must have a simple, durable sword made of Catamarian steel, like this one." Saying this, he picked up one from the table. "Ornaments only get in the way in combat."
"Do you distinguish types of steel by appearance?" Setia was surprised, she recognized Catamarian steel by the quality of the cut, or perhaps the lightness of the blade.
"Yes, madam." Jefre looked at the sword for a moment longer, then put it aside.
Hiron stood up and without a word served bread, cheese and some smoked meat on the table. He also put down goblets and dragged out a large jug of wine.
"You must be hungry." He stated the usual formula "It's on the house." "Thanks, Hiron." Setia reached for the goblet of wine and immediately took a solid sip. "You can join us, Jefre." She called her guard.
"Thank you, madam." Jefre walked over and sat down next to Hiron, so he could observe her better.
"Have a drink, - said Hiron - you've apparently had a hard journey today."
" I don't drink wine, it clouds the mind and slows down the reflexes - replied Jefre - only water. And the journey was indeed interesting."
Setia felt the wine she had drunk a minute ago begin to burn in her throat. She composed herself and looked directly into those cold, icy-clear eyes and said
"You see Hiron, I'm alive today thanks to Jefre." Saying this she raised the refilled cup. "And that is definitely something worth drinking for."
After dinner she asked for a bucket of water, she had to wash the wound on her head. As soon as Hiron brought her warm water, Jefre approached her.
" I'll help you, madam." Without waiting for her consent, he gently began to wash the bruised place, rinsing the already dried blood from her hair.
"It's a superficial wound, - he said after a moment - there won't be a scar."
"You should also do something about the wound on your side," said Setia, not without satisfaction.
Jefre nodded and slowly took off his caftan and shirt. He was constantly watching Setia's reaction, who, sipping another glass of wine, did not take her eyes off him. Hiron felt uncomfortable and, under the pretext of bringing some wood for the fire, left. Jefre was well-built, his chest, stomach and arms were one big tumbleweed of muscles. This man worked out every day. There was a not very deep cut on his left side. She stated with sadness that this was all she managed to achieve. Jefre washed the wound that didn't even require bandaging.
When Hiron returned, Jefre was sitting at the table in his clothes and playing with a bread knife.
"Time to rest, - said Setia - we'll sort everything out tomorrow."
"Your room is waiting for you - said Hiron - and you - having said that he looked at Jefre - you can sleep here, I'll prepare a place for you right away."
"No need. - replied Jefre getting up - I'll sleep by my lady's door."
Deepinside Setia did expect something like that, she couldn't count on a quiet night. She reached for another goblet of wine, which didn't escape Hiron's attention.
"Let's go." Setia got up and headed towards a small room carved into the rock. She deliberately didn't take a torch, but at the last moment Hiron handed Jefre an oil lamp and a straw mattress that Moros had previously used.
He walked slowly behind her, she could hear his measured steps.
"This is it. She pointed to a small room without doors.
Jefere looked around the room, then lifted the lamp up and looked down the corridor.
"What's there?"
"The treasure chest."
"Show me."
Without a word she went to the end of the corridor and Jefre, making sure that this was the only room, gestured for her to go back to their place. When they were already in the room, he put the lamp on the chair and the mattress next to her bed.
"Good night." Setia quickly sat down on the bed and without looking at her so called guard and lay down. She had drunk so much wine that she would probably fall asleep even with this lunatic in the room together. Jefre was silent, after a moment she felt that he too was sitting on the bed next to her and gently moving her, laying down next to her. He put his arm around her, hugged her tightly to her back and put his other arm under her head. She felt trapped.
"Good night. She heard him whisper.
She woke up with a feeling of a numb neck. No wonder one of Jefre's hands was still under her head and the other, apparently during the night, he had pushed under her blouse and placed it on her breast. She could hear him breathing evenly, still asleep. She had a kitchen knife from Hiron in her shoe, which she had taken while Jefre was distracted. All she had to do was pull it out and the freak's problem would be solved. She gently moved her leg and slid her fingers behind the boot.
"You don't have a knife there, I took it out at night." She heard Jefre's voice.
She hated him, he was always one step ahead of her. Furious, she decided to get out of his embrace. Jefre tightened his arms.
" Not so fast. - he mumbled, amused by her efforts - It's been a long time since I woke up next to a living woman. Take it easy." He slowly ran his hand over her breasts and then stretched. Freed, Setia stood up, rubbed her numb neck, and hoped that his entire arm ached.
"Where are you going?"
"To Hiron. I have something to take care of."
The whole morning Setia had felt Jefre's constant presence. She was doing everything under the watch of two icy pale eyes. She filled one of her bags with gold for current expenses, said goodbye to Hiron, and together with her bodyguard, quickly rode away. She wondered if the sight of the gold had made an impression on him, but no, he wasn't interested. Or he was pretending well. She spurred her horse and galloped along the White Canyon she knew so well. Despite that, Jefre stayed close. They quickly reached a fork in the road, and Setia had to stop. On the way, she thought about the whole situation over and over again. She was his victim because she behaved like that, and that gave him power. Her father had always told her that people have as much power over us as we allow them to. She had allowed him to do whatever he wanted. It was time to change roles. He stopped next to her and jumped off his horse. He waited in silence, tilting his head slightly. There were many things that irritated her about him, but perhaps most of all, it was the fact that he always seemed to know exactly what she was going to do. It wasn't magic, he was a great observer and judge of human character.
"Give me back my eyepatch." She began in an authoritative tone.
"Why? You have nothing to be ashamed of. Why cover up part of such a beautiful face?"
"Because it's my face and my decision." She said with a confident voice and reached out for her property.
Jefre looked at her and then pulled out the eyepatch and gave it to her. With a skillful movement, she put it on the scar. She felt her self-confidence returning.
"What do you want?" She decided to roll with the punches ."We'll be in Emfer in a moment. I have the advantage there. I'll have you killed."
"If that's so, - Jefre approached her - why are you telling me this?"
"I value good warriors and I don't know a better one than you. Well, maybe my father could beat you, but he's gone." After a moment of hesitation she added "Your death gains me nothing." She felt that this was the right way to talk to this freak.
"Compliments, - Jefre smiled - what is the purpose of this conversation?"
"I want to know what you want. – she repeated her first question – you didn't carry out Aktis's order."
"I am my own master. You know what I want. I'll tell you more, I saw how you looked at me when I was washing that scratch. I know more about you than you think."
Setia, led by a sudden impulse, went up to him, grabbed his neck with her hand and, standing on tiptoe, brought Jefre's face to hers. She felt his breath on her lips, after a moment she kissed him, long and passionately. Jefre lifted her up and she wrapped her legs around his waist. They didn't stop kissing. His strong arms supported her body. For a moment the world almost stood still. When she tore her lips away from his, all she saw were the dilated pupils of those bright eyes. He reluctantly put her back on the ground.
"As soon as I saw you for the first time, at your wedding in that red dress, I knew that in one way or another you would be mine."
There was no male pride in his voice, Jefre was stating a fact that was obvious to him. Setia tied her hair into a ponytail and put on her hood, she didn't want to think about what he meant by saying one way or another.
"There are two sides to everything Jefre, you belong to me too." She turned around and got on her horse. Jefre smiled. He felt pure adrenaline pulsating in his veins. He was starting another interesting game.