bargain

A shouting commotion before I have the opportunity to examine her gear. I stride into the tent where she is guarded, supposedly, by grinning filth. I will not trust her with most Men, or them with her. Let her try to weave her glamour on her own bastard kin. I am unable to contain my mirth. Oh what I see is pitiable enough, but it does have a picquant amusement. My own second, she has him by the throat with her slim white hand. She is even more delightful than I thought. Such strength in her willow slender arms, I have never thought a throttling was beautiful before. She takes a crude, lumpen act and makes a death worthy of a show. The filth surround her, stupified, blades drawn, unable to decide what to do. One can see their small minds trying to work behind their blood-maddened eyes. They know my anger if they try to kill a man of mine, and if they strike her, it is clear what she will do to him. I dismiss them with a wave of my hand. I do not want her damaged if one of them suddenly decides to act. She is far too precious. And he knows that. She is far too precious for me to trade his life for her freedom. How far she thinks she would get before my hounds have her, take her, rend her, she has not thought. A desperate action on her part, then. She is a fool to think I would bargain. Even for him, a man who has served me so faithfully, so long. Trained by me, nurtured by me as diligent as a gardener, into the exquisite Man he is. I step forward; her head goes up in fear as I pull out my slim sharp knife. Not so, little bird... with all the tenderness of a father I slip the blade into him. If there is a bargain to be set, I am the one who sets it.