by Terri Lane
The arrow shot up high and then came down, its head spinning as it wove through the frozen crowd of soldiers. Their faces were tight with anticipation.
“Focus your energy, Princess,” Herroz instructed. “Keep it tight. That’s it. Find your target.”
Melody squinted against the light, her face stiff with concentration. The arrow spun around and stopped right in front of Prince Tezod’s face. He stared at it fearlessly. Melody gasped and dropped her bow, the arrow dropped as soon as her concentration was broken.
“I’m so sorry!” she cried while sprinting towards him.
“No apologies necessary, my dear,” the prince said coolly. “It’s all part of your training. You’ll be a warrior in no time.”
Blushing, Melody looked down at the ground where the arrow had fallen. She bent to lift it, her white blouse billowing in the breeze. She looked lovely. It was difficult not to sweep her up into his arms and kiss her, regardless of the people that watched. Their previous passionate night was still fresh in his mind, the feeling of her legs wrapped around his waist enough to cause him to become aroused again. He cleared his throat.
“May I?” he asked while taking her hand.
Smiling, she nodded.
Prince Tezod walked her over to the shooting area and positioned her legs in the appropriate place, standing behind her while gently guiding her arms. He helped her pull back the arrow, planting a gentle kiss on her ear.
“Take a deep breath and let your spirit guide it,” he whispered.
Melody inhaled deep, holding it for a moment before releasing the arrow as she exhaled. It flew out into the air, zipping through the crowd of soldiers before planting itself firmly in the target set up high against the castle.
“Yes!” cried the prince.
In an instant, he lifted his princess off the ground and twirled her around, causing a chorus of giggles to fill the air. The soldiers cheered behind them. As he set her down, the instructor approached.
“That’s very well done, Princess. We have much more to learn. Come with me,” he said.
“Herroz, she has been training all morning,” the prince said.
“She has, but the battle is coming up rather quickly, my Lord. I’m afraid she’ll need to utilize as much sunlight as possible,” Herroz replied.
“I couldn’t agree more with you, Herroz,” the prince said. “I shall return for my princess later when she has had her full training.”
Herroz bowed his head respectfully and guided the confident Melody over to the open grounds. The prince watched after her. She looked back with a small grin and he winked, causing her to erupt with giggles again. As Herroz lifted a sword, Prince Tezod frowned suddenly. It was going to be difficult seeing her fight. Perhaps it was too harsh for her after such a trying first day, the pressure of becoming the warrior princess potentially causing her to become too nervous.
If he could, he would change the stars. The thought of bringing her back to a peaceful planet was glamorous, but it wasn’t realistic. It was an unfortunate truth he had to face. Their world wasn’t right at the moment, but perhaps she could make it right.
Smiling a little, the prince turned about and walked inside the castle. He reached into his pocket and fingered the space ruby he kept there. It wasn’t the right time to hand it to her, but he desperately wanted to see it around her neck. The prophets rumored that the ruby would glow as soon as it touched her skin. It was said the ruby knew the wearer, that it would shine as soon as the princess was found.
Part of him doubted their discovery. Since the ruby wasn’t glowing with warmth, it made him feel some hesitation about it. Still, he had faith. He believed in her. She was already shining during her training and it wouldn’t be long until her powers came to her.
“Sire, there was a collection of troops spotted on the eastern front,” said a voice from below.
The prince looked down to find Fenneck, his bulbous eye rolling up and around. It blinked twice.
“Sire?” he asked.
“Fenneck, my dear friend. I am afraid my head has been stuck elsewhere,” the prince replied. “Shall we go to the office?”
“Yes, Sire,” Fenneck replied.
The prince followed Fenneck to the office, dragging a bit as he took a shaky breath. It wasn’t like him to feel nervous about battle, but now his lover’s life was on the line.
“We have reports of troops moving quickly across the farmlands. They have been trying to destroy towns,” Fenneck explained.
He opened the display and pulled up the digital charts, pointing at the red darts moving slowly across the map.
“Here and here are where they were spotted. If we send a company down the middle, we might be able to halt them before they reach the castle,” Fenneck explained.
“Have you spotted any ships? We might be able to prevent them from leaving if we could sabotage their transportation,” the prince said.
“There was one ship spotted, Sire, but it seems to have vanished,” Fenneck replied.
The prince sighed.
“Impressive, but disturbing,” he whispered.
“Should I send the orders, Sire?” Fenneck asked.
The prince looked down at the necklace in his hands, rolling the ruby between his blue fingers. He sighed. There wasn’t any more time. The longer they waited, the more of his people fell against the grubby hands of the Gluons. He needed to think fast, act fast, and get a plan into motion before it became another genocide.
“We should send her,” the prince finally said.
“Sire?” Fenneck asked.
“The princess. We need to send her to the front to fight,” the prince repeated.
“That sounds rather rash, Sire. It might be too soon. She has only been training one day,” Fenneck said.
The prince fingered the necklace in his hands and then raised it up, the ruby circling about on the gold chain.
“She’s our only hope now.”
****
“I don’t think I can do it,” Melody whispered, wrapping her arms around her prince.
“It’s no small task, I’ll admit that, but it’s something that must be done,” Prince Tezod said.
He traced the soft skin along her cheek and placed a kiss where his hand had been, pulling her in close with his free arm.
“I’m frightened,” she whispered.
“As am I,” the prince admitted. “But it will be done soon. We’ll have our victory day.”
Melody pressed her face into his bare chest, breathing deep the scent of cologne. It smelled like sandalwood and pine, filling her nostrils with memories of her youth. She was overwhelmed with both the joy of being in his presence and the horrible anxiety of facing a battle. It was nearly maddening. She gave a shaky sigh and Prince Tezod pulled her in closer.
“Can you promise me one thing?” she asked.
“What’s that?” the prince asked.
“We’ll be in this together,” she replied.
The prince smiled.
“Of course, darling. You will not be alone. I will be right at your side,” he assured her. “Here—I have something for you.”
As Melody relaxed into the pillows, Prince Tezod reached over to grab something from the pocket of his pants. He procured a magnificent ruby necklace that shimmered in the light of dusk, the chain braided with gold and silver. She smiled.
“Is that for me?” she asked.
“It’s been waiting for you for nearly a century since it surfaced,” he replied. “I found it while rummaging in the fields and it spoke of your name.”
“Sounds like a fantasy story,” she said.
“May I?” he asked.
She nodded and sat up, turning so that he could fasten it around her neck. She marveled at the shining space ruby, tracing it with a red nail. It was perfect. For a moment, it seemed to glimmer, white sparkles filling her eyes. She watched as it heated up between her fingers and gasped when it glowed even brighter.
“What is this
?” she asked while turning.
The prince smiled and wrapped his arms around her shoulders, rubbing his cheek against hers.
“It means it’s true,” he replied. “You are the lost princess.”
“I don’t understand,” she whispered.
“I’ve been waiting to hand it to you. It was rumored to glow when it was given to the true princess and this proves it to be correct,” he explained.
“This is such a dream,” she commented.
“I assure you it is not,” he said.
“I would be so disappointed if it was,” she said.
“Why is that, my darling?” he asked.
“Because it would mean losing you,” she replied.
Lips instantly pressed to hers, the overwhelming passion filling him to the brim. She moaned as an eager hand cupped her breast, massaging the delicate skin in circles while stimulating the nipple. The ruby continued to glow between them, nearly illuminating the room with its red hue. It lit up as their bodies pressed together and hummed when he kissed her neck.
The prince pulled her on top of his lap, pulling down her night dress to taste her supple skin. She traced the back of his neck with her nails and nibbled on his neck, causing him to moan. Lips met again and he pulled up her gown to press his growing erection against her wet vulva. Her soaked crevice took to him immediately and she threw her head back to gasp. Blue hands held her up as she began to bounce, rolling her hips forward while cradling his head in her bosom.
Elated, the prince licked her erect nipple and pulled it into his mouth, sucking gently on it until she pulled his hair. She giggled and pressed her lips to his. Their tongues dueled while her thighs bucked against him, her hips excitedly rolling over and over. He hooked his hands under her arms and grabbed her shoulders to hold her in place as he took over.
Every thrust upward made her squeak, pushing against the soft spot within that brought her pleasure. He was beside himself with joy at the sight of her satisfied grin and continued to pump harder as her breasts bounced. The heat between them grew, the ruby glowing even brighter. She buried her face into her neck and groaned as he pushed deeper and deeper. He wanted to be completely intertwined with his princess, her skin glimmering with desire that he covered with kisses.
His hands moved to the small of her back and propped her up as he leaned into his thrusts. Eager for more, he licked her breasts and then nibbled at the skin just above her nipple, causing her to moan even louder. She bounced hard against him. He smiled as she wrapped her arms around his neck for better leverage, using his shoulders to guide herself up and down.
The brutal strength of his passion burned away any barrier of resistance. He was buried deep in her sweet heat, watching breathlessly as her face contorted into one of pleasure. He grinned. His hands trailed around to her hips to pump harder, coaxing her abandon with each thrust. As her eyes rolled back, she buried her face into his neck, groaning long and loud.
Her cry of release signaled a deep, primitive tug to continue pounding, their bodies bouncing on the bed as she convulsed against him. It blew apart every sense of control he held and he gripped her hips hard to contain his explosion. Fevered skin twitched and shuddered, his cock throbbing as it released his come deep into her womb. He cried out and bucked until he had nothing left, still leaking even after everything had left his still erect cock.
Spent from such a passionate encounter, the two collapsed back upon the bed and chuckled between gasps for air. It pleased him to see her so satisfied. Looking down, he found their bodies tangled together. Her fingers found his and she lifted herself up to kiss his cheek, appearing to be high.
“You are such a generous lover,” she said.
“I aim to please,” he said with a grin.
Smiling, she kissed his lips and then snuggled into the crook of his arm where she traced circles around his chest.
“This has been the best day of my life,” she said. “I don’t ever want this to end, Tezod. It would be the end of me if it did.”
****
Taking a shaky breath, Prince Tezod stepped forward in front of his soldiers. He raised his arms in the air to silence them, eyeing Melody who seemed to be shaking in her mechanical armor. It was time to face the heat.
“My comrades, today is a day of reckoning. We will face these horrid Gluons for one final time with our beautiful leader and princess who has acquired her power,” he announced. “It is my honor to fight alongside you. I have been hiding in my castle for far too long, leaving the real battle for my people who have done no wrong to those wretched fools.”
The crowd cheered. The prince raised his arms higher.
“Today, we fight for our planet and our species. It is ours and we shall protect what is ours! On my mark, comrades, we shall step upon the platform that will transport us to the battlefield,” he continued. “And we will show them that the Eflorians will not go down without a fight!”
As the crowd roared with excitement, Prince Tezod took his place next to Melody and took her hand in his.
“This is it,” she whispered.
“It won’t be the end. I promise you that,” he said proudly.
“I believe you, darling,” she said. “I really do.”
She squeezed his hand and averted her eyes forward. Prince Tezod could see them watering. He was confident her speedy training would be enough. They were able to download an entire year’s worth of it into her brain which surprisingly was receptive to the false memories. It was enough to get her through the battle. Her power would carry her the rest of the way.
As the prince stepped forward with his princess, the soldiers followed suit and stepped up on the metal platform. Their instructor, Herroz, was standing on the other end, waiting patiently for the signal to press the button. The prince took a deep breath and then nodded.
A collection of electrical lines zipped through the air and around the soldiers, causing some of them to gasp in awe. The transport was remarkably painless, but the prince still found himself gripping his lover’s hand. She had her eyes squeezed shut. It wasn’t long until they were standing out in the middle of a large field.
Before them stood a long line of gargantuan Gluons. Their gnarled faces caused Melody to gasp. Pictures couldn’t capture the true nightmare that it was to look at a Gluon. They were made up partially of alien skin and mechanical scraps that they patched on during battles to retain their threatening appearance.
Each one of them wore a different set of armor, scraps of metal poking from their necks and chests. Chains were wrapped around some of them while others sported chest plates that had been drilled into their shoulders. It was a frightening sight. They gurgled and growled at the Eflorians who stood tall and proud.
Prince Tezod admired the strength of his men. Even Melody seemed to be glowing with courage, her demeanor glowing under the golden suns. She smiled at the prince who couldn’t help but return the gesture.
“Are you ready, darling?” he asked.
She nodded timidly, her eyes switching between him and the Gluons who were already beating at the ground with their hooves. The sound roared above them and came barreling down like a heavy rain, imitating the thunderous roar of the heavens during a storm. It was intimidating.
“Soldiers!” cried the prince. “Prepare your lasers!”
Behind them, a chorus of whirls filled the air as each soldier turned on their laser weapons. Melody fixed her quiver of arrows over her shoulder, pulling three of them to place between her fingers. She raised her bow, fixed it up towards the sky, and then waited for further instruction.
“Steady!” called the prince. “Western wall, front!”
Melody pulled back the arrows, putting stress on the string. She gave the prince a glance and he nodded.
“Attack!”
A roar came from behind the prince as he sprinted forward with his electric sword, wielding it against the first Gluon who jumped at him. The sword easily sliced the alien in half, the two pieces o
f Gluon falling to the ground with a loud thump. The prince pressed on and assaulted the next alien, his sword flying left and right as he cried out in his native language.
He turned to find his princess releasing her arrows and commanding them with ease, diving between large bodies of Gluons who attempted to grab her nimble body. She twisted and turned, jumped into the air, and bounced off a bulbous head that exploded when an arrow flew threw it. She was a vision.
Up in the air she flew, flipping a few times before landing humbly on her feet. She raised her arms above her head to catch the two arrows speeding past her and then started sprinting towards a collection of Gluons. They roared. She didn’t flinch. Not even a bit. It made him happy to see her in action, her true power coming to fruition just in time for those horrible aliens to be defeated.
Something sharp poked him in the shoulder and broke him away from admiring his lover. The prince turned to find a particularly wide Gluon standing in front of him with a razor-sharp spear. It was glued together poorly, the end of it stained with varying colors and smelled rank. The Gluon pointed it at his face.
“You are the dreaded prince we have come for,” it announced.
“You dare threaten me in my own home?” the prince asked with a grin. “Then maybe you will dare to fight!”
The two quickly jumped into heated battle, the Gluon raising his makeshift spear and bringing it down over the prince’s head. He quickly avoided the blow and stuck out his sword that missed the Gluon completely. It gave a gurgled giggle that struck a nerve with the prince. His nostrils flared as he wielded his sword again, aiming towards the belly of the beast.
The sword barely brushed the surface of the Gluon’s skin, causing it to split open. Green oozed from the small wound and the Gluon laughed, its belly jigging with every giggle.
“Such a fool,” it bellowed.
“The only fool here is you, beast,” the prince retorted. “For thinking my people are so vulnerable that you could swoop in and take them.”
As the spear was raised again, the prince ducked down low and sliced at the alien’s legs. The sword sliced through the knees with ease and melted the metal that was guarding them. It fell with a great cry, raising its deformed fist up at the prince who beamed with victory.