by T. J. Quinn
“That’s not a problem for me,” he assured his brother.
“I want regular news of the advances you make with her. You know we’re running out of time,” Brynjar warned him.
“I’m well aware of that,” he remained in silence for a few moments. “So, none of the women are for you?” he dared to ask, a bit worried.
“No, not yet. Perhaps, I’ll be luckier next time.”
“Yes, you have to,” he did not intend to become the king. His brother needed to find his soulmate and have a bunch of kids to succeed him.
“I haven’t given up yet, so you’re off the hook for a while longer. Just take your mate up to your mountains and seduce her. We need to give our people hope for a brighter future.” The tone of his brother’s voice was stern, but it was understandable.
“I will, I assure you,” he hugged his brother and walked back to the palace. He was determined to get Rosalind and take her home with him, even if it meant throwing her over his shoulder and flying her there.
He found her in her room.
After Erin had gone back to the lab, Rosalind felt restless, unable to breathe normally as she paced her room obsessed.
When she heard the knock on her door, she tensed up. She wasn’t expecting anyone.
It was Haakon.
“Hi, what’s up?” she asked him with a faint smile.
“I’m going home,” he announced with a wide smile.
Her heart stopped for a second when she heard him. She wasn’t ready to say goodbye. Why was he going away? She needed more time with him.
“Oh… you must be happy,” she managed to mutter, looking away, not wanting him to notice how his news disturbed her.
“Yes, I am, because now, I’ll be able to show you my home and my mountains,” he replied.
She stared at him for a few seconds, not sure, she had heard him right. “What?”
“I’m taking you with me,” he confirmed it.
“But… I mean… the king…” Opposing feelings battled inside her: happiness he wasn’t leaving her behind and concern because she knew it would only deepen her feelings for him.
“He has agreed to it. He’s sure it will give you another perspective on our planet,” he explained.
She frowned. She didn’t want him to leave, but she wasn’t sure it was a good idea to go with him. “I don’t think that would be necessary…” she started to say.
“Oh, but I’m sure it’s vital,” he interrupted her. “So, we’re leaving as soon as you pack your things,” he added, in a demanding tone.
“What if I don’t want to?” she asked, in a cold tone.
“I’ll take you anyway,” the determination in his eyes, told her exactly that. He wanted to take her to his mountains.
She took a deep breath and nodded, still reluctant. How the hell was she going to resist him when they were all alone up on the mountains?
He handed her a small bag, and she quickly packed the few pieces of clothing she had.
“I would like to say goodbye to Erin.” She told him when she finished.
“Of course. Do you know where you can find her?”
“She told me she would be at the lab. But I have no idea where that is,” she replied, following him out of the room she had used for the past weeks.
I’ll ask Fritjof, he should know,” he took out of his pocket the device that was similar to a cell phone and soon they were heading to the lab where she was working.
Haakon waited outside while she entered.
“Hey, what’s up? Is something wrong?” Erin asked, startled when she walked in. Rosalind had never been there.
“No, not wrong. Haakon is taking me up to his mountains,” she informed her friend. “So, I’m here to say goodbye. I have no idea how long I’ll be away.”
Erin raised her eyebrow. “And you still insist he’s not your soulmate?” she asked, oozing disbelief.
“Right now, I’m not sure of anything,” she admitted.
“Then, enjoy it as much as you can. Even if he doesn’t turn out to be your soulmate, I’m sure you’ll have a great time,” Erin advised her.
She took a deep breath. “Yes, that’s what I’ll do.”
Erin hugged her tight and kissed her cheeks. “Have fun, and keep in touch. I’ll ask Fritjof for one of their cell phones so that we can talk,” she said with a broad smile.
“Thank you, I would love that. You’re my only friend in the whole world,” she replied chuckling.
She laughed. “Yes, I know the feeling. But I’m sure that will change and soon, for both of us.”
“Yes, I’m sure of that too. Take care.”
She left the lab feeling a bit better. Erin’s support meant a lot to her. She had become a close friend, and she was going to miss her eternal optimism.
“Ready?” Haakon asked, smiling.
“Yes, I’m ready.”
“Let’s go then,” he guided her to the palace’s main entrance where his vehicle waited for them.
He placed her bag in the back seat and took place behind the steering wheel. “There are two ways of traveling up to the mountains. We can drive or fly,” he informed her. “Flying is faster, but you won’t be able to see much.”
“Then, let’s drive, unless you’re in a hurry?” she replied, with a tremulous smile.
He put a finger under her chin and gently made her face him. “I’m not in a hurry; I just want you to have the best experience,” he assured her.
“Drive it is, then,” she repeated, smiling.
He leaned forward and brushed his lips against hers. “Perfect,” he murmured, moving away and starting the engine.
The trip was awesome. They traveled through huge woods and vast badlands with unique beauty. He stopped a few times to show her the most interesting places, but what marveled her the most was the fields covered in pristine white snow.
“It would be weird if the snow was orange,” she chuckled.
“Yes, I guess it would look strange. The first snows turn orange though. But the upper layers keep their white color,” he explained.
“I miss my cell phone. I would have filled my memory card with thousands of pictures,” she said, in one of their stops.
“Cell phone?” he asked, not sure, he understood the concept.
“Yes, something similar to the device you have to communicate. You could take pictures and make videos with it as well,” she explained.
He took his out of his pocket and handed it to her. “You can use mine if you want. It has those functions as well,” he offered.
She smiled, happy. “Show me how.”
He explained briefly and soon she was taking pictures of the whole area and pictures of him when he got distracted. It was a real pleasure photographing him. He was that kind of person that always looked good on a picture.
By the time they arrived at his place, the night had fallen already, and it was so dark, she barely was able to see anything.
He parked the car in front of the main door, and a man came out of it. He looked like an older version of the King.
Haakon hopped out of the vehicle with a slight frown. Rosalind followed him a bit slower. The wind blowing was freezing cold, and the thermic suit she was wearing wasn’t enough to protect her.
“Dad, I didn’t know you were here,” she heard Haakon saying as he greeted the older man with a tight hug.
“I arrived this morning,” he replied, but his eyes were fixed on her. “Is she one of the human females?” he asked, and Rosalind was able to denote some surprise and amazement in his tone.
“Yes, she is. Allow me to introduce you to Rosalind,” Haakon answered, introducing his father to her. “Rosalind, he is my father, Jerrik.”
“It’s a pleasure meeting you, sir,” she said, nodding.
“Please, call me Jerrik,” he still looked astounded.
“Thank you.”
Haakon returned to the car and grabbed her bag. “Why don’t we take this conversation inside? R
osalind isn’t used to these temperatures,” Haakon suggested, taking her by her arm.
His father nodded and followed them. “Of course.”
“Why are you here?” Haakon asked him, puzzled but happy to see him. His father had retired to one of the smaller cities on the planet, and they didn’t see each other as much as they used to.
“I wanted to check with my own eyes the novelties,” his father replied, barely coming out of his amazement. “I couldn’t believe the legends were right,” he added.
“Yes, I know what you mean.”
They entered the house and Haakon led them to a living room.
Once more, the decoration was minimalist, with nothing on the walls, nothing on the floors, and surely nothing on the puffs they used as chairs and couches.
“Welcome to my home,” he said to her.
She smiled. “Thank you. I’m sure you have a lot to talk with your father, so perhaps you could show me the room where I’ll be staying. I could use a hot bath,” she suggested, with a faint smile.
She could tell both men wanted to speak freely but were restraining themselves.
“Yes, of course. You must be tired,” Haakon said, nodding.
“Yes, a little bit,” she nodded and smiled at his father, excusing herself.
He excused himself from his father and guided her up the stairs to a huge suite similar to the one she had been using at the palace.
“Join us downstairs when you’re done for dinner. You must be hungry as well,” he said, depositing her bag in one of the puffs.
“Yes, of course, thank you.”
“I’ll see you then,” he leaned forward and kissed her forehead before he left the room.
She let out a sigh and walked to the huge window. Unlike her room at the palace, this one looked out directly to the mountains. The moonlight was bright enough to allow her to see the imposing mountains, with their enormous trees covered with a white mantle of snow. There wasn’t a light on sight.
Haakon had changed a bit since he had informed her they were coming here. It was as if he felt more at ease on his own turf. As if he had decided to unleash the passion that had been burning between them since the first time they met.
Perhaps they could be together even if they weren’t soulmates. According to what she had heard from them, the whole soulmate’s thing was a novelty for them, something they had considered to be a legend so far.
She rested her forehead on the cool material of the window and let out a deep sigh. She wanted him so much. To be with him, she would accept anything he chose to give her.
She knew she would probably end up hurt, but deep down she knew it would be worth it. What she felt for him was so different from everything she had ever experienced in her life that she was willing to take the chance.
Rosalind waited for a few moments before she turned around and went looking for the bathroom. She really needed a good bath and clear her mind.
Haakon returned to the room where his father was waiting. The older man was looking out the window, but he turned around as soon as he walked in. “Is she the one for you?” he asked.
“Yes, she is. I knew the minute I sensed her scent, and when I saw her, there was no doubt in my mind,” he explained to his father how he had met Rosalind for the first time and how Asgar had come across with the Slythonians and the human women.
“And you say the other one that came with her has been claimed by Fritjof?” his father asked, still puzzled, taking a seat in one of the puffs.
“Yes. Like me, he knew it as soon as he saw her. Asgar has arrived at the palace with five more women, but unfortunately, none was Brynjar’s soulmate,” Haakon took a seat in front of his father.
“But there is hope now.”
“Yes, there is hope. Asgar was quite amazed when he saw both women. He could sense the compatibility between the women and us,” he commented.
“Yes, I could feel it too, as soon as I saw Rosalind,” he let out a sigh, “Have you told her you’re her soulmate?”
“No, Brynjar decided it would be best if we didn’t, and I agreed, but it has been a pure hell to hold my instincts back,” he answered, oozing all of his frustration in every word.
“Yes, I understand. It might be easier for them this way,” his father nodded.
“Yes, I guess so, but I don’t know how much longer I’ll be able to hold it back,” Haakon warned.
“Will you try to convert her?” his father asked, mentioning another part of the legend related to the soulmates.
“No, at least, not now. If I remember well, it said it could be dangerous for the females. There’s no sense risking their lives,” he replied. He hadn’t given much thought to that, but he would keep Rosalind safe, no matter what.
“Yes, I guess you’re right.”
Haakon got up and stretched his powerful body. “I’ll go get a bath and change for dinner. I’ll see you in a while,” he informed his father.
“Of course, I’ll see you then.”
Rosalind returned to the living room an hour later, just to find it empty. She guessed the men had gone changing for dinner, so she walked out to the terrace outside the room. The night was very cold, but there was no wind blowing, so she was able to stay at the terrace for a few minutes enjoying the peaceful night.
She had sensed him before she heard him, so when he spoke, she already knew he was there.
“It’s too cold out here,” he scolded her, standing behind her and wrapping his arms around her waist.
She rested her head on his muscular chest, sighing. “I know, but it’s so peaceful out here I wasn’t able to resist,” she replied, loving to feel him so close to her, her heart drumming fast in her chest as desire rushed through her veins.
“Yes, I know what you mean,” he kissed the top of her head. “But you could get ill. You have to put on warmer clothes,” he advised her. “Now, let’s get inside. Dinner is ready,” he added, taking her hand in his.
She nodded, hating to leave the comfort of his embrace.
They returned inside to find Jerrik already waiting for them. The meal went by in a friendly atmosphere, as they chatted and informed Jerrik a bit more about the human race and planet Earth.
He was so interested he started to plan a visit to Brynjar and the capital.
“I’m sure Brynjar will love to see you there,” Haakon said, smiling.
“Yes, I know. But for now, I’ll stay here a few days. We haven’t spent much time together in the last couple of rotations,” Jerrik replied.
“You’re always welcome, father.”
“I know that. I guess I had been feeling too depressed with everything I got a bit lost.” The man admitted. “But, this news has brought new life into my old soul. This could be what we have been praying to the gods for.”
“Yes, I know. Brynjar is very excited as well. But this is just a first step.”
“I am aware of that. But after so long looking for an answer, this is fabulous.”
“Yes, it is,” Haakon smiled at his father. It was good seeing him so excited again.
When they finished eating, the old man said goodnight alleging he was tired from his trip and retreated to his room.
Haakon guided Rosalind back to the living room.
“Do you want to go to bed now? We could talk a bit more if you’re not too tired,” he suggested, inviting her to take a seat in a larger puff.
Chapter Six
“No, I’m not that sleepy. The water always has the power to restore my energies,” she replied, accepting his invitation.
He took a seat next to her. “Yes, I feel the same way,” he pulled her closer to him, grazing the edge of her face with the tip of his fingers. “So, do you like my mountains?”
She chuckled, trying to disguise the chills of thrill running down her spine. “I loved what I’ve seen so far, and I’m looking forward to seeing it all.”
“I’ll be more than happy to show it all.” He assured her. “It’s a pity we
’re in mid-winter, but even so, I’m sure I can show you most of the places I want you to know.”
“So, it’s not always this cold up here?” she asked, curious, trying to look as cool as he was, with his body so close to her.
“No, it’s never hot, but it can get nice on summer. Almost all of the snow disappears, and we’re able to have picnics on the woods around the ranch,” he explained.
“Oh, that sounds great,” she exclaimed excitedly. “How many days does a rotation last for you?”
“It takes 556 days. We are very far away from the sun, so it takes longer than most planets in this solar system.”
“Planet Earth takes 365 days, yours take almost twice the time.” This meant he was much older if you considered earthling years.
“Yes… What would you like to do tomorrow?” he asked, tucking a lock of golden hair behind her ear.
“I would love to see you in your daily activities,” she said, smiling.
“What makes you think I don’t lie around ordering others?” he teased her.
“I guess I know you better than that,” she replied, smiling.
He smiled, clearly pleased with her words. “Then it’s a deal. I’ll take you to see my work.”
“Thank you, I’m sure I’ll love seeing you do it.”
“We should go to bed, then. I usually start early in the morning,” he got up and stretched his hand out.
Slowly, she placed hers on his and allowed him to help her get up, feeling there was more than the eye could meet in that simple gesture.
He guided her to her room, opened the door, and entered with her, closing the door behind him. Her heart had missed a beat before it started to thunder inside her chest.
He closed the distance between them and cradled her face in both his hands, his thumbs caressing her cheeks gently, as he locked his eyes on hers for a few moments. Gently, he brushed his lips over hers, once, twice, three times, before he took out the tip of his tongue and teased her.
Her lips responded instinctively and parted slightly, just enough for him to slid his tongue inside. She tilted her head to a side to allow him full access to her mouth, as she wrapped her arms around his waist, feeling his powerful body so close to her.