Read Online Dragonfly by Julia Golding - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Julia Golding
Tags: General, Juvenile Nonfiction, Action & Adventure, Juvenile Fiction, Fantasy & Magic, Social Issues, Royalty
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The big man leant forward and fingered a strand of Tashi's long blonde hair.
"Pretty color," he murmured.
"See if you can make her squeal," suggested Tighe, the dwarf.
Gordoc grinned and put his mouth to the Princess's ear. "Boo!" he whispered.
Tashi closed her eyes. These men were no more than flies buzzing in a room, beneath her regard. She had to complete the last prayer or her people would suffer.
Pashvin lifted the heavy hank of hair from her back and blew on her neck.
Getting no response, he let go and shrugged.
"She's no flesh and blood woman," he concluded.
Tashi came to the final blessing, giving the response that usually fell to her attendants. "As the Goddess wills."
It was at that moment that Gordoc decided to stroke
71
her hair. Tashi emerged from her prayer to feel a large hand on the back of her head. Without thinking, she swung round and slapped the big man hard on the side of his face, then jumped up and stalked away. Pashvin rolled around on the floor, howling with laughter.
"Maybe she's . . . half human," he said through gasps.
Gordoc set off in pursuit. "Aw, come back, my pretty one, I meant no harm."
The altercation caught the attention of Ramil, Orboyd, and the others by the fireside. Seeing Tashi pursued by the giant man, the Prince leapt up. Swiftly, Orboyd kicked Ramil's feet from under him and shifted the grip on his knife to prick him in the ribs.
"Settle down. He won't harm her. Let him have his fun," Orboyd ordered.
Ramil tried to get up a second time but the circus leader kicked him back again with an exasperated sigh.
"Anyway, why should you care? It was no secret that you didn't want her.
You've no liking for these Blue Crescent women any more than I have. I wager neither of us would say no to a handsome Eastern girl, but these fair-haired witches don't please a man."
Ramil rolled onto his knees.
"But I can't let you treat her like that. She's my guest. Any insult to her is an insult to the ac Burinholt royal family!"
"I'm sorry you feel like that, Prince, because it's no use getting all hot and bothered about her. She's no longer your problem. Lads, sit on our guest here."
72
The three acrobats moved so quickly that Ramil had no chance to escape.
He found himself pinned to the ground by their combined weight.
"I was going to have to tie you up anyway. We're expecting company and unfortunately we need to gag you." Orboyd produced a silk handkerchief and knotted it around Ramil's mouth. Next he roped his hands and feet. "Put him back in with Kosind and cover him up," he ordered the acrobats.
Carried like a rolled carpet, Ramil was put in the cage. His ropes were fixed tightly hand and foot to rings on the floor, and finally he was buried under a layer of straw. Uncomfortable though he was, he was tormented by fears for the Princess. If they treated him like this--a person they considered an equal--what would they do to someone they considered a witch?
Gordoc cornered Tashi by the magician's wagon. She knew it was no good screaming. Who would help her? Ramil was useless--she expected nothing from him. She gripped the sides of the wagon behind her and closed her eyes tight, wishing the man away. She felt a big hand touch the side of her face, just where she had struck him, then move to stroke her hair. She shuddered.
"See, I just wanted to touch your hair. Like gold, it is. Please don't run away.
You can trust me to protect you. Come back and eat your supper. I'll tell the others not to tease you." He took her hand and towed her after him. A few of the campers looked up in interest as they returned to the fire.
73
"Catch the witch, did you?" called out Orboyd.
Gordoc grunted. "You're not a witch, are you, Princess?"
Tashi shook her head.
"She's just scared of us."
Orboyd laughed. "Scared of you, more like."
Gordoc smiled proudly at his princess. "Oh no, I've given my word I'll not let you lot harm her. She knows she can trust me." The big man
The big man leant forward and fingered a strand of Tashi's long blonde hair.
"Pretty color," he murmured.
"See if you can make her squeal," suggested Tighe, the dwarf.
Gordoc grinned and put his mouth to the Princess's ear. "Boo!" he whispered.
Tashi closed her eyes. These men were no more than flies buzzing in a room, beneath her regard. She had to complete the last prayer or her people would suffer.
Pashvin lifted the heavy hank of hair from her back and blew on her neck.
Getting no response, he let go and shrugged.
"She's no flesh and blood woman," he concluded.
Tashi came to the final blessing, giving the response that usually fell to her attendants. "As the Goddess wills."
It was at that moment that Gordoc decided to stroke
71
her hair. Tashi emerged from her prayer to feel a large hand on the back of her head. Without thinking, she swung round and slapped the big man hard on the side of his face, then jumped up and stalked away. Pashvin rolled around on the floor, howling with laughter.
"Maybe she's . . . half human," he said through gasps.
Gordoc set off in pursuit. "Aw, come back, my pretty one, I meant no harm."
The altercation caught the attention of Ramil, Orboyd, and the others by the fireside. Seeing Tashi pursued by the giant man, the Prince leapt up. Swiftly, Orboyd kicked Ramil's feet from under him and shifted the grip on his knife to prick him in the ribs.
"Settle down. He won't harm her. Let him have his fun," Orboyd ordered.
Ramil tried to get up a second time but the circus leader kicked him back again with an exasperated sigh.
"Anyway, why should you care? It was no secret that you didn't want her.
You've no liking for these Blue Crescent women any more than I have. I wager neither of us would say no to a handsome Eastern girl, but these fair-haired witches don't please a man."
Ramil rolled onto his knees.
"But I can't let you treat her like that. She's my guest. Any insult to her is an insult to the ac Burinholt royal family!"
"I'm sorry you feel like that, Prince, because it's no use getting all hot and bothered about her. She's no longer your problem. Lads, sit on our guest here."
72
The three acrobats moved so quickly that Ramil had no chance to escape.
He found himself pinned to the ground by their combined weight.
"I was going to have to tie you up anyway. We're expecting company and unfortunately we need to gag you." Orboyd produced a silk handkerchief and knotted it around Ramil's mouth. Next he roped his hands and feet. "Put him back in with Kosind and cover him up," he ordered the acrobats.
Carried like a rolled carpet, Ramil was put in the cage. His ropes were fixed tightly hand and foot to rings on the floor, and finally he was buried under a layer of straw. Uncomfortable though he was, he was tormented by fears for the Princess. If they treated him like this--a person they considered an equal--what would they do to someone they considered a witch?
Gordoc cornered Tashi by the magician's wagon. She knew it was no good screaming. Who would help her? Ramil was useless--she expected nothing from him. She gripped the sides of the wagon behind her and closed her eyes tight, wishing the man away. She felt a big hand touch the side of her face, just where she had struck him, then move to stroke her hair. She shuddered.
"See, I just wanted to touch your hair. Like gold, it is. Please don't run away.
You can trust me to protect you. Come back and eat your supper. I'll tell the others not to tease you." He took her hand and towed her after him. A few of the campers looked up in interest as they returned to the fire.
73
"Catch the witch, did you?" called out Orboyd.
Gordoc grunted. "You're not a witch, are you, Princess?"
Tashi shook her head.
"She's just scared of us."
Orboyd laughed. "Scared of you, more like."
Gordoc smiled proudly at his princess. "Oh no, I've given my word I'll not let you lot harm her. She knows she can trust me." The big man
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