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This artwork contains mature content: violence.
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Description
Green eyes set in a heart-shaped face looked at him. She was slim, wearing a smart green well cut jacket, tailored carefully to show her figure to advantage, with matching green trousers over polished riding boots. Red hair fell in shining waves to her shoulders. Behind her a well-groomed horse grazed quietly; a sword and scabbard hung from its saddle.
A lovely, wordless song danced and twirled in Donna’s thoughts, and she smiled at Zarak. “Hallo, Zarak,” she said, and her mouth curved in a half-smile.
“You have the advantage of me, Lady. Do I know you?”
“My name, Zarak, is Donna.”
“That tells me nothing, madam. I have never seen you before.”
“You killed my father and my brother, Zarak, and now I shall kill you.”
“I do not fight women, madam.”
“But you kill them, Zarak.”
“If I am paid to do so.”
“So I can buy your sword with money, Zarak. And if I have no money, what then?” she asked, looking at him through her long lashes, “what would you then demand of me as your price to destroy my enemies?”
“I do not fight,” answered Zarak stiffly, “for the common rewards of soft flesh and swift pleasures. That is for those who think it so manly to search out and leap from one conquest to another. I do not fight at the dictates of any part of my body, nor am I ruled by short-lived emotions.”
“I see. So you would not marry a princess for her body - but for her wealth, Zarak, for position, for power?”
He shook his head.
“I do not care to be wrapped in silks, lady, nor do I care to stay overlong under any one roof.”
“Don’t you like me, Zarak? What have you got against women?”
“Nothing, lady. But I do not let my desire for them and the pleasures they may give dominate my life as so many men do. Bedding females is only one way of being a man. And it is a pastime I have found to be much overrated.”
“Or one you have never been very good at, Zarak?”
Zarak shrugged. “That is a cheap gibe, madam.”
“Then you have never really loved anyone, Zarak?”
“That is of interest to me, and to no-one else. People die. It is expected. It is normal.”
“Cold, Zarak. Your words are cold.”
“I am what I am, madam. I do not change for each person I meet, and if you do not like what you see and hear, then do not look and do not listen. It is all one to me whether you like me or not. This is the life I have chosen; I kill for money; and I enjoy killing people.”
“I have spent the best part of a year looking for you so I may have revenge for the deaths of my father and brother.”
“You would have done better,” he sneered, “to have stayed in your mansion with your silks, your embroidery and soft linens.”
“I resent that, Zarak.”
“You are in a position to, madam. From the look of you I see that you have been educated, and that you are intelligent. There are not many women who have the advantages you have enjoyed. Do you claim to be as good as any man? so what? What do you want? Equality in death?”
“Are you afraid, Zarak?”
“Not at all. If you wish to throw away your life to satisfy your desire for revenge, so be it.
Well? All you have to do is draw that sword you have brought with you.”
Donna turned to her horse, unsheathed the sword and moved closer to Zarak.
He waited, his hand on the hilt of his sword, watching to see if she was going to make good her challenge. His silence unnerved her.
“No answer, Zarak?”
Zarak sighed and unsheathed his sword. The bright sharp blade flashed in the morning sunlight and he stood there, sword in hand, waiting for Donna to make her move.
She hesitated, and then lunged at him. She was totally unprepared for the fury of his attack. Her sword flew high into the air, and as she reached up for it Zarak’s sword, striking deep through her heart, pinned her to the tree like some poor insect.
He pulled his sword out, letting Donna’s body slump to the ground. For a moment he stood there, watching warm blood soaking into the dry earth.
But it had been by her own choice.
And now he had a horse.
Ali Hr 049
Ranger Suit from Xurge
Comments (10)
Tracesl
excellent
rhol_figament
Great story and image!
starship64
Fantastic story, and a great illustration to go with it.
MollyFootman
Yikes! That's a rough ending for the story. The image illustrates a dramatic moment before Donna meets a sad end. Thanks for sharing both the story and the image. Xurge's content looks particularly good in the image.
Molly
UteBigSmile
Fantastic Story! That's a very very nice composed image, I also looked at all your last ones that look great, but for reasons you know, unfortunately I can't comment on all of them. I wish you and yours a peaceful weekend!
rayag
Great as always !!!
Radar_rad-dude
Now that we have both been exposed to the ai virus, I have to ask, did ai have anything to contribute to this story or is it all from the purity of your own mind? It is a most entertaining script with high levels of intrigue mixed in! Very well accomplished my friend! A tip of my hat to your skills!
A_Sunbeam
Thanks for the comment! All my own work - words and image. Part of a larger story that is still to be finished; some of the text goes back to my student days; trying out bits of it here to see what people think.
moochagoo
Good fight !!!!
K_T_Ong
Boy, this Zarak seems one terrible villain! :( Even in the fight scene I could tell there seemed something wrong with the way poor Donna was wielding her blade. Clearly her desire for revenge had blinded her to all need for proper preparation...
Can only hope the villain will eventually be brought to justice and Donna's death avenged!
virginiese
Great render. I love the composition and the dynamism of the image ! Congrats !