by Alma Nilsson
“No,” she said in disbelief. If John was eating, there was still time. “What are you talking about? The food will still be there, right?”
“No, the midday meals ends in just a few minutes. Mux would have taken it away by the time we return. We must wait until evening now.”
“You’ve got to be kidding.”
“Kara, next time you want to talk about something wait until after we have eaten.”
“So, we have missed the meal, what about Siu did he also miss the meal?”
“Yes. If I come in there, Siu has to attend to me whether it’s mealtime or not.”
“Why didn’t you say something? I’d have much rather eaten lunch than question you about women from your past.”
“Good. You’ll remember this then. I thought I made it clear yesterday, but maybe I shouldn’t have allowed you to eat when it was not a time for eating sanctioned by the gods.”
When they entered his quarters, she went immediately to check the dining room, and sure enough, there was not a bit of food to be found there. She did pour herself a cup of wine, “I’m so hungry. How long until the next meal?”
“Six hours.”
She took her cup into the sitting room, and he gave her a disapproving look, “What now?”
“No food or drink outside the dining room,” he said and thought, Gods, humans are primitive.
“But yesterday?”
“We had wine outside the sitting room. It’s true. I do break the rules sometimes, but you need to be trained up first, and then you can break the rules. Stay in the dining room.”
Kara went back into the dining room, sat down with her cup, and looked at him angrily through the doorway.
Tir sat on the sofa and began reading something on his communicator as if everything was fine.
Kara could not help but wonder how often he had missed a meal, and that is why he was so fit. No doubt there would be countless times that he was busy with work and would miss the meal. Suddenly she felt sorry for him then and all these Alliance men, they must be so hungry all the time.
Kara drank her wine and then poured herself another cup and wondered again how difficult it would be to escape, how she would even begin to plan such a thing. His guards were always outside, and even if she could get past them and get to a transport, she couldn’t get far. His ships were too powerful. She resigned herself then that she would have to learn the language and gain his trust unless another opportunity wildly presented itself out of the blue, but she doubted that happening. Kara finished her second cup of wine and reckoned it would probably take her having a baby for him to trust her. And if that was what she was going to have to do, that is exactly what she would do. She had to get home and back to Earth. She would not allow her emotions to get in the way.
But she looked at him and questioned herself, Are you strong enough to have a baby and leave it with him? What kind of man is he? Would he kill it? Could I escape with a baby too? She thought about all this while she watched him quietly reading something on the sofa.
After she finished her third cup of wine, she joined him in the sitting room.
Tir looked up at her as she sat down, “Better now?”
“I’m not a child,” she said, a little drunk from the wine.
“Don’t act like one then,” he admonished her.
“Humans eat whenever we want,” Kara said, and he gave her a disapproving look. “Don’t look at me like I am a wild animal. We’ve mealtimes, of course, but they are more just guidelines.”
Tir looked seriously into her brown eyes, “And now you are an Alliance citizen, and you’ll act in a civilized manner and obey Alliance meal times sanctioned by the gods themselves.”
Kara held his gaze for a long time. She could not believe he had again suggested humans were uncivilized. She thought to herself, You carry a sword, practice marriage rituals, and still believe in religion and you are calling me uncivilized? But she said nothing to him while she calmed herself, then she asked, “On the path to civilizing me, could you please teach me some Alliance written words so that I can at least make out the symbols in the bathroom and the internal communications?” he frowned so she added sweetly, “Or you could reconsider and just give me a proper translator? I’m your wife, after all.”
“You’re my wife, but you are also my prisoner. I’ll introduce you to the program we give to children who are learning to read.” Tir opened a virtual program on the small table between them. He flipped through the menu.
Kara could not help but smile when she noticed that the last thing, he had used this table for looked like a strategy game.
“Do you like games?” she asked.
“Yes, do you know how to play Uki?” It was an Alliance strategy game; many people in the galaxy knew how to play it. He had no illusions that he would be able to win against her once she learned to play.
“No, I’ve only heard about it, but I’d like to learn.”
“I’ll teach you, but now it’s better if you learn to read a little first. I’ve no intention of giving you an Alliance translator soon, especially after you failed to mention the birth control.”
“We’ve been married for one day, Tir.”
“And how many times did I make it clear, we need to have a child? I know you are far from being a fool, so do not take me for one either.”
“Show me how to work the children’s reading program,” she said politely, wanting to change the subject.
The learning program began and spoke to her as if she was a very young child, but it was perfect in explaining their written language. It was unfortunate that Alliance was not entirely phonetical, but she was not completely put off by that. Many of Earth’s ancient cultures had not used phonetical writing systems either, and humans still managed to use it. Once she listened to the explanation in English, and it went through all the hieroglyphics in the first chapter, she mentally turned off her embedded translator and listened to it all again in Alliance. When she heard Alliance spoken, she was disheartened, it was tonal, and there were so many tones, at least more than five. It was then that she realized that learning Alliance was not going to be as easy as she thought. But she thought she might as well learn it as just as every civilization in the galaxy. There were locks on high-security weapons and information that were only accessible to native speakers, even humans had them, even though no one had ever tried to take anything except some art from humans.
Tir said something to her then, but she didn’t understand him because her translator was off. “Sorry, what did you say? I was concentrating.” She mentally turned her translator back on.
“It shouldn’t take you long to learn the core hieroglyphics and our complimentary phonetics, and Alliance children learn to read at a basic level in 30 weeks.”
“And your great civilization never thought about a completely phonetical alphabet? Our children learn to read in days.”
He shrugged, “What is 30 weeks of study in a child’s schooling? And just because human children can pronounce all the words after a few days does not mean they know them. It is just a different way.” Tir had never had to defend his written language to an alien before and felt defensive.
“True,” she smiled at him, “Now let me get back to the first hieroglyphs.”
Tir didn’t reply or smile back but thought, Gods, let me not be so taken in with how adorable my wife is every second of the day even when she is so uncivilized or questioning of Alliance culture. He decided then that after she had finished chapter two, he was going to take her in the bedroom and then in the shower. Then they would have the evening meal, and he would have a slave artist visit them afterward.
Kara finished the second chapter and was about ready to begin the third when Tir interrupted her by showing her a hieroglyphic on his communicator.
She didn’t recognize it, “Should I’ve learned that one?”
“No, they definitely do not teach it to young children.”
“Sex?”
&
nbsp; “Close. Try again.”
“Orgy.”
“No.”
“Anal sex.”
“No, and we can’t do that until…”
She interrupted him, “I don’t want your ridges going in there, ever.”
“Some women enjoy…”
“Not me. A finger occasionally maybe but that is all. No ridges ever do you hear me?”
He smiled at her, “I understand, it’s not something I prefer. But maybe in the future, you might want it. Have you figured out the word on my communicator yet?”
“Just tell me what that word is, you are getting me out of the mood talking about anal sex.”
“Masturbation.”
She laughed a little, “Why are you showing me that?”
“I want to watch you masturbate.”
She began to get excited by the idea, “While I was trying to learn how to read Alliance, that is what you were thinking about?”
Tir nodded. He did not understand why she thought this was an odd request. She was his wife, and he wanted to know her inside and out. If he could not bring her to climax, as fast as he could himself after a year, he would feel that he was failing her as a lover and a husband. Part of his understanding would come from him watching her pleasure herself.
Kara got up and went into the bedroom. She looked at him, waiting for him to follow her, “Do you want me to wear my uniform as you had that fantasy earlier?”
“No, just naked. I ‘ll turn up the heat to 19C in the bedroom.” Tir was so pleased she would do this. Most Alliance women would have made him wait a year if not more as they would feel they were giving their secrets away that men should have to work for.
Kara took off her uniform, and immediately the cold air grabbed onto every nerve in her skin and gave her goosebumps. She got on the bed and lay back on the smart blankets that were thankfully already heating up to make her back feel warmer. When she knew he was watching, she closed her eyes and began touching herself lightly with a finger.
Not more than a couple minutes passed before he said, gently and softly, “No Kara, touch yourself like I’m not here. I want to know you, not what you think I would like to see. You know that already.”
Kara opened her eyes and looked at him, green eyes met brown, “All right, but then I want to flip onto my stomach.”
Tir smiled and thought to himself. Yes, I thought so. Then he got up and lay down next to her. Although it was difficult to see her hands, he could still sense the movements.
Tir was far enough away that she could not kiss him, but if she reached her hand out, she could easily touch him. She lay flat on her stomach and began touching her clitoris with her right hand, gently, then as the minutes went by, she increased the speed and pressure. By the time about 15 minutes had passed, she was quickly caressing her clitoris with big, strong circles while her breasts were pressed against the warm bed.
Tir turned her a bit to the side then as he knew that she would only welcome his mouth on her breasts then and she came within minutes.
“Happy?” she asked while he was still casually sucking on her left nipple.
“Yes,” he touched her cheek, “You’re face gets so pink after you come. It’s the most beautiful expression.”
Kara moved her naked body closer to his clothed body, and he wrapped his arms around her. She lay her head against his shoulder. He caressed her soft, brown hair as he liked to do, and they said nothing for a while. Then Tir began caressing other areas of her body, and she wanted him again. She looked up, and they kissed. He used his teeth to grab gently at her bottom lip, and she began quickly undressing him but could not manage to get his jewelry off, but she did not care, she needed him now, again. Her lust for him was insatiable.
Tir hovered over her, his ranking necklaces falling down against her breasts and torso. He spread her bent legs wide as he slowly entered her vagina. She tried to grab him to make him change positions so that he would enter her with more force, but he shook his head.
“Touch yourself now. I want to watch you again.”
“I can’t,” she said, thinking there was no way she could orgasm again.
“It doesn’t matter if you don’t come again, it makes me so aroused to watch you,” he said and began to enter her faster.
Kara began touching herself and closed her eyes.
“No look at me, Kara,” he commanded. “Look at your alien husband.” Tir wanted to see her beautiful brown eyes filled with desire as he orgasmed inside of her.
Kara felt as if the galaxy were standing still again. Tir was making-love to her, and she could clearly see him, but she also felt like she was watching him on a video com link that had some issues and that he would change. He was still him, and she was still her, but they were different. The longer she looked at him, the more the other Tir was in focus. “Do you see that,” she murmured confusedly. He was him, but a different him and she wanted to call him by a different name. It was on the tip of her tongue. This was all déjà vu again.
“I only feel you in the whole galaxy right now. This is the perfect thing,” he barely could focus. Tir flipped her over like he knew she wanted and began thrusting hard into her.
Kara lost all thoughts about an alternative timeline at that point as he was going to make her orgasm again. Those ridges and this position, it was ecstasy. She could not care anymore what kind of Alliance magic was at play. She just wanted him like this more than anything she had ever wanted — more than a primal desire, a spiritual one as well. But Kara would never have acknowledged that as she closed herself off from ever believing in gods or religion.
Tir was also in ecstasy, but primally and spiritually. He knew already that this was the will of the gods. And when he felt the déjà vu again, he was reassured that in another timeline they were already together.
When they both had found their release again, they lay on the bed together for just a short time before Tir picked Kara up and carried her to the shower.
“Absolutely not. No Tir, I am not taking an ice-cold shower with you again.” She tried to squirm out of his arms, but he just tightened his grip on her.
“You need to take a shower, and I want to shower with you.”
“How about we turn the water temperature all the way up for me, and you can watch, and then you can have your shower?”
“How about I override the system, so you can turn the water up to 40C or whatever it is you want by tomorrow but that right now you have one last cold shower with me?” Tir knew that an engineer would have to come and override the safety settings in the bathroom to allow the water to become so warm for her.
Kara nodded because she didn’t want to be covered with his semen for another day, and they went into the shower together. She screamed again when the freezing water hit her.
“I love it when you do that. That surprised sound. It’s adorable.”
Kara ignored him because it was so cold. Soon he was washing her body and everywhere because she could not move. Thankfully they were out of the shower soon and dry. She raced out of the bathroom then to his wardrobe to grab herself the last dress hanging there. Her hands were shaking as she put on the red dress and then looked for the stockings. “I’ve no idea where the stockings are. Can you help me? And do these clasps.”
Tir came up behind her and showed her where the everyday stockings were and handed her a pair, “You look good in red, Captain.”
“Honestly, are you trying to make me angry?”
“It’s just a little joke.”
“It’s not a joke to me. You took away everything,” she said accusatorily.
“And I’m giving you an opportunity at something that is so much grander than you obviously cannot even comprehend at the moment and I'm beginning to suspect that's the problem.”
Kara pulled on the stockings and stood still as he helped her close the dress, “Is it time to eat dinner yet?”
“Soon. We can have some wine beforehand if you want?”
“I’m never going to start a conversation before mealtime ever again.”
“Good, you’ll be civilized in no time.”
After a couple of cups of wine, he wanted to tell her about the slave artist coming after dinner. “I’ve organized a surprise.”
“What kind of a surprise?”
“A slave artist. I want you to understand this part of Alliance culture now that you are an Alliance citizen.”
“Was this supposed to be a good surprise or a bad surprise?” Kara asked thinking this was a pretty bad surprise then reminding herself that he thought she looked good in this ugly, dress with no form whatsoever so obviously a lot of Alliance culture was contrary to her.
“A good surprise. She can recite a myth or an exciting segment from Alliance history.”
Kara could tell that Tir was excited by this. She remembered that the Alliance had very little in the form of entertainment and culture, so she looked at him and half-smiled, “I’m sure it’s going to be entertaining.” She poured herself another cup of wine. “And just so we are clear, I’m not having a threesome with this slave artist.”
“We’ll see, they can be very convincing, and I know the slave artists are desperate to have sex with a human, we may even be able to get a discount. You know humans are rumored to be the most beautiful species in the known galaxy.”
“Even if it was free, I’m not having a threesome.”
He looked at her in disbelief, “Kara, if it’s free, I would offer you a ship right now to have a threesome.”
Kara couldn’t help but smile, “Well then, maybe I will try to turn on my human charm. She stood up and turned around, “What do you think? Are the rumors true about humans being the most good looking species?”
Tir took in Kara’s lovely form, brown hair, golden skin, and pink lips. “I’ve never seen anyone more beautiful than you. Especially in that Alliance dress, you’re just missing the necklace I gave you.”
Kara frowned and sat down, hoping to avoid having to wear the ornate necklace he gave her to signify their marriage.
“Kara, go and get it. People will think you are ungrateful or uncivilized.”
“Or merely human,” she supplied.