The Space Merchants of Arachne

by Wendie Nordgren

  Nico gave me a shocked look. I was getting that look from most of the room. The bell rang and Yukihyo began to get serious. He delivered an audible kick to the soldier’s head. The soldier got angry and landed a few punches. Yukihyo took them and struck his opponent in the ribs with his knees. They broke apart. The soldier tried to land a kick. Yukihyo ducked and pummeled the soldier’s face. The soldier tried to knee Yukihyo in the ribs. Yukihyo lifted up on the man’s foot and swept his other leg out from under him. The man fell. Yukihyo kept his hands up and feet moving while he waited. Thunderdrop mimicked his actions on my stomach. It tickled, and I laughed.

  “Chirp chirp!”

  Nico looked at me in surprise and then at my spider. “Thunderdrop can fight just like daddy.” Yukihyo began delivering his real kicks and punches. Each one made an audible whack.

  “You seem confident he will win.”

  “He will do his very best, especially after what I told him I would do to him if he wins.” All of Yukihyo’s muscles were rippling, and his hair was dark with sweat. His eyes had turned feral and predatory.

  “He doesn’t frighten you?”

  “No, I am half of him, and he is half of me. Without him the person with whom you are speaking would no longer exist.”

  “That seems melodramatic.”

  “I know, but it’s the truth. Teagan Green is broken. Teagan Lee is whole. Now, I am an Alaric and a Montgomery, and an emperor’s daughter, but without Yukihyo only the broken version remains. You should understand that, Nico. I’m not strong enough to survive without him. At least not like this.” Yukihyo delivered a powerful kick, and his opponent went down. Someone checked him and took him from the ring. The referee held Yukihyo’s gloved hand up. I clapped. Yukihyo bowed to me and stepped from the ring. He walked to where Phillip waited near a door. The man returned and scanned my chip. “Did Hiroshi already fight?”

  “Yes, Princess,” Nico answered.

  “Did he win?”

  “Yes, but it was close.”

  “Do I have anyone else I love putting himself into meaningless danger? Papa had better not be doing this.”

  “No, Princess. You do not know any of the other combatants.”

  “Good. Kaoti, if you want to stay, I understand. I can get back on my own.”

  “I have no interest in the matches, Princess.” I stood, but felt dizzy. Nico caught me and sat me back down. I put my forehead against his arm. “Princess Teagan, remember to scoot to the edge and stand slowly.”

  “Okay.” Following Kaoti’s advice, I managed to stand. Nico gave me his arm and walked with me to the lift. Nico told Kaoti to take the next one. Once the door closed, he halted the lift.

  The blonde giant turned to me. “I am no threat to Yukihyo. Even if you do not agree to become my wife, I will protect those you care for. I swear to you on my honor that I only desire your happiness and will do nothing to cause you pain. More than I need your love, I need you to believe this.” Nico held my hands in his and stared into my eyes.

  “I believe you, Nico.”

  “If you accept me, I will make Yukihyo a brother in my heart, and I will never betray him. I will love his child as though she is my own. Do you believe me in this, too? I mean it to the depths of my being.” I nodded and a tear slipped from my eye. Thunderdrop climbed from my stomach to my back. “May I kiss you, Princess?” I blushed, but nodded. Nico bent and carefully pressed his lips to mine. He pulled away to look at my expression. Then, he kissed me again. He pulled my bottom lip between his and moved his tongue across my lip and to mine. His hand moved to the back of my hair. Nico’s kiss became hungry. I held onto his arm. I moaned into his mouth and was shocked at my behavior. Nico ended our kiss. I blushed furiously. Nico brushed my hair over my shoulder with the top of his hand. “Why do you seem as though you are embarrassed?”

  “Other than Yukihyo, no one has ever kissed me the way that you just did.”

  “I will treasure your kiss for a lifetime.” He went to his knees in front of me and looked into my eyes. “Might you one day find it in your heart to accept me as your husband, Princess Teagan?”

  I searched his dark eyes. “Yes,” I whispered.

  Nico’s face brightened with his pleasure at my response. He stood and kissed me again before re-enabling the lift.

  Once we were back in the Imperial quarters, the chef brought me a bowl of fruit and a cup of coffee. Kaoti followed and stood at attention. The chef brought small pieces of meat and placed them on a small table for Thunderdrop. “Chirp chirp!”

  “He says, thank you.”

  “You are welcome,” the chef said. I sipped my coffee and picked the pineapple and banana pieces out and ate them. The chef took the bowl of fruit away and replaced it with a steak and some sliced cucumbers. I grinned at him and ate all of it. He brought me fizzy water, too.

  Nico played cards with me at the table. After our second game, Yukihyo, Hiroshi, and Phillip returned. Hiroshi had a busted lip with a nanite patch near it. I stood and almost fell. I scowled as Kaoti carried me to the couch. My physical condition could be annoying at times. “Brother, you were supposed to duck, not hit your opponent’s fists with your face.”

  “It was his foot that I hit with my face, baby sister. You caused quite the stir. The soldiers mocked my brother when you approached the ring. They thought you would make him leave.”

  “They weren’t expecting you to slap him on the ass and win all of the credits they had bet against him.”

  “I can’t help it if they don’t know how to pick a winner. My husband just earned me ten-thousand credits.”

  “Feeling dizzy, Cupcake?”

  “This has been the second time the Princess has been faint since waking,” Kaoti reported. Phillip began to scan me.

  “Well, you’ll just have to be still and take it easy until Princess Neema decides to move. Does your back hurt right here?”

  “Yes.”

  Phillip lifted my legs and put a pillow under my knees. “Listen up, everyone. Teagan doesn’t stand without assistance until I say otherwise. Neema doesn’t want her mommy to fall.”

  I rolled my eyes. “Where is Papa?”

  Nico said, “Emperor Probus said he had several hours of work to complete.”

  “Very well. Yukihyo, please help me up so that I can admonish your reckless behavior in private.” He gave me a stalking smile and picked me up. In our room I began to tell him what had happened.

  “Teagan, it was inevitable. If he ever hurts or frightens you, you will tell me immediately.” Yukihyo placed his hand under my chin. “You told me once that I had confused my interpretations of your disgust with your desire. You made the distinction clear to me today.” Yukihyo took his shirt off, and the rest of his clothing followed. He stood before me with all of his muscles distinctly etched.

  “Come closer, please. I’m not allowed to stand.” Yukihyo grinned and moved closer. I hugged him to me, and ran my hands along the muscles in his back. I looked up to his eyes and then down to his chest and stomach. I traced my fingers over the hollows left in his flesh from the muscles there. I dipped my head and ran my tongue where my finger had drawn a path. His erection pulsed. I licked its tip. Yukihyo growled low in his throat. I licked him again. His hands clenched the blanket to either side of me. I put my mouth over him and felt him shudder. I sucked his tip and ran my tongue around him. He panted and gasped. I took him farther into my mouth and pulled at him. He was so hard, and I compressed my lips around him and sucked back toward his tip, so I could swallow. Yukihyo pulled himself from my mouth, pressed me back against the bed, removed my undies, and pushed himself inside of me. He pushed only twice and shuddered hard, shouting his release into a pillow. He jerked and shuddered again. Yukihyo panted against my ear. I could feel his heart hammering against my breast. He groaned. Never before had he gained his release so quickly.

  “Lady wife, that was the best experience I have ever had.”

  “Then, I should practice again
with you tonight.”

  “Really? That would be great.” I laughed at him, put my hair up, and showered with him. After a short nap, we returned to the sitting room. Hiroshi was asleep in his room.

  Nico said, “May I have the honor of taking the Princess on a brief tour of her cousin’s ship?”

  Yukihyo said, “I will have a late lunch while you go exploring, lady wife. Please be careful and hold onto Nico’s arm so you don’t fall.”

  “I will be very careful with her. I promise.”

  We made it to the observation deck. “Oh, how beautiful.” A large moon was in the distance surrounded by bright stars.

  “That is the moon we see from Apellan.”

  “You said something to me about it on the day we met.”

  “I find you more beautiful and compelling than I once found the moon. The more I am near you, the more mysterious you become. Let me feel your lips once more.” Nico placed one of his hands against my back and held my hand with the other. He teased my lips open with his tongue as he twined our fingers together. My knees began to feel numb, and I moaned. I thought I might faint. Nico took his lips from mine, picked me up, and sat with me in his lap in a large chair. He held me against his chest, and I could feel his hardness against my outer thigh. He breathed in my hair and combed through it with his fingers. I could see his jaw as it clenched. I touched it.

  “Have I made you angry?”

  He turned wide dark eyes to me. “No, the last thing I could ever be with you is angry.”

  “Uncle Kagan and I only clench our jaws when we are angry.”

  Nico smiled and said, “I’m not angry. I’m just trying to get myself under control. I want you. I want to take you into empty quarters and make love to you. Your Papa would not view such behavior with kindness, and we have not yet begun marriage negotiations. It would be foolish of me to squander my chance with you and then be required to wait another year.” I laughed. “You find my discomfort amusing?”

  “No, but once a year is.”

  Nico’s expression became more pained. “Will you negotiate for less frequency?”

  “No.”

  “I don’t understand.”

  “What frightens me most about our future together is not being able to go home to Arachne. If I were to give you a son, would you allow me to bring him home with me when I visit, or would you force me to choose between my home and my child? I know I would choose my child, but not going home again would break my heart.”

  “With proper security I would allow my child visits to Arachne. However, I would not want any child of mine on Malta or Earth. With an embassy on Arachne, I could go along to protect you and all of your children.”

  “If that were in our contract, I would be much happier. I need to spend time on Arachne.”

  “If a contract were created to your satisfaction, would you become my wife before you go home to deliver Princess Neema?”

  “If all of my advisors were to approve of it, yes.” I felt Nico grow hard again. He kissed me. When my lips were free, I said, “The family thinks I look like my Uncle Kagan. Maybe if you picture him in your lap, things will relax.” Nico’s face drained of color, and his lap became much more comfortable. “See, that’s better. Please, help me up.”

  Kane strode onto his observation deck. “Hello, Nico. I see you are familiarizing my tiny cousin with my ship.”

  “I am honored to have some time alone with the Princess.”

  “Chitter chitter chirp.”

  I lifted a warning brow at Nico.

  “My apologies, Thunderdrop. I have enjoyed your company, also.”

  “Chirp.”

  “While this is nice and all. I think my cousin would rather see my fighter ships.”

  “Oh, yes! I really, really, really would!”

  Kane allowed Nico to retain possession of my arm as he guided us to one of his fighter decks. Rows of fighter ships were aimed toward the docking bay doors. All of the soldiers who were present stood at attention. We and the ship made the only noises.

  “They look vicious. Take me out in one!”

  Kane curled up the side of his mouth at me. “No way. Your father would kill me, painfully.”

  “Well, can I sit in one?”

  “No, what if you slipped?”

  “Eric let me sit in one of his fighter ships. Eric even took Thunderdrop and me up in one of his. He is the best pilot in the Galaxic Militia.”

  Kane said, “You are trying to manipulatively goad me into doing what you want.” Kane came closer and loomed above me. I scowled up at him. He kneeled down in front of me and placed a hand to either side of my belly. “Princess Neema, kick your mother a few times to remind her why she is not getting her way right at this moment.” Kane kissed my stomach, and Neema kicked right where his lips were.

  I laughed and laughed at the timing and his surprised expression. “What is that Neema? She thinks you should at least release the door and allow me to look from here.”

  “That seems a fair enough request.” While Kane opened the door, I practiced pre-flight inspection and examined the fighter ship. When I had walked all around her and returned to Kane, he said, “What do you think?”

  “She’s perfect and very well-maintained. I can’t find the tiniest ripple in her skin. Someone either spends a lot of time and effort on her, or she’s never been flown.”

  Kane kissed my cheek. “I fly her often, and your sincere compliments have placed me fully under your control, pretty little cousin.”

  “You only think I’m pretty because we look alike.” Kane grinned at me. “So, can I fly one of your ships after Neema is born?” Kane and Nico exchanged worried glances.

  “It would be too dangerous for you. I will let you climb inside and have a good look around after Neema is born.”

  “It won’t be dangerous if you take the passenger seat and have full override capabilities.”

  “How do you know about that?” Nico asked.

  “I completed the Galaxic Militia Fighter Pilot Training Course, and all of my simulation hours. Give me a chance.”

  “Your father would never allow it. Anyway there must be differences in our technologies,” Kane said.

  “Okay, then load the Parvac training course onto my vid-screen. I’ll complete it and all of the simulation hours you want.”

  “Teagan, you should be shopping and doing womanly things, not troubling yourself with activities better suited to men,” Kane said.

  “The same blood runs through our veins cousin. Imagine how you would feel had you never been allowed to fly.”

  “I’ll think about it.”

  I looked between Kane and Nico. I lifted my arms to Nico. “Princess?”

  “Will you pick me up, so I can see inside?” Nico bent placing an arm behind my back and under my knees. I put my arms around his neck and looked inside. “Are the seats and flight suits magnetized?”

  “No, we use localized stasis fields.”

  “Wow, neat. I’ve never heard of that.” Kane snickered. “What?”

  “Nothing, tiny cousin.” Pink had begun to creep up Nico’s neck. I kissed his cheek and whispered, “I look like Kane, too. Thank you for letting me see. You can put me down and hold my arm so my dress is in front of you. Will that help?” Nico grinned at me.

  “I don’t care if they see my desire for you. They will probably envy how much larger my shaft is than theirs.” I felt my face turning red. “Forgive me, Princess.”

  Kane chuckled. “For a married pregnant woman, Teagan is still rather innocent. She even made us swim in clothing. Can you imagine?”

  Chapter Nineteen

  We docked on Apellan and were formally welcomed by a division of Nico’s army. Papa gave me his arm and helped me into an awaiting transport. We drove in a formal procession from the land port along sections of wide fields and thick forests. Thunderdrop blinked from his favorite new perch on top of my belly out of the windows. High up the sky retained its pink hue, but close
r to the planet’s surface it appeared more blue. The moon was large in the sky. The cities of Apellan were each located three hundred miles apart with businesses in the centers and housing around the perimeters. The cities were connected by both roads and subterranean shuttles.

  Neema began kicking me, and I placed Yukihyo’s hand over her. He was excited about the hunting trip. He hadn’t been since before we had met on Earth. The transport passed a large military base, over hills, and through forested areas. After climbing a particularly steep hill, the transport passed through a tall, wide, guarded portcullis. High stone walls stretched away from it as far as I could see. Tall thick trees were kept a hundred feet from the walls. The tree leaves were different from those most prevalent on Arachne. These were more needle like and similar to the old pine tree that had been near my housing unit. I thought that squirrel would have been happy here.

  The structure we drove toward looked like a castle from Earth’s history. It had a spire topped tower at each corner and Parvac soldiers stationed on their connecting parapets. While the main house was three stories, the towers were four. Diamond shaped windows sparkled in the light colored stone walls. After we had parked and gotten out of the transport, butlers who seemed more like retired soldiers opened the portcullis shaped front doors for us.

  I saw a large fireplace centered in the far back wall. The couches and chairs were all made of leather. A massive set of antlers were mounted above the fireplace. From the large main room, arched doorways led to a kitchen, office, meeting room, war room, and restroom. A few of the doorways had closed doors that required palm scans to open. Along the front of the room, hallways led to each of the towers which held stairs and lifts.