by Zara Zenia
Larzukan opened the door at the end of the hallway, extending his hand to allow Felicity in first. With all the talk of passing into the next life, Felicity had anticipated an old woman on death’s doorstep. She was not prepared for the beautiful woman in front of her.
Larzukan introduced them and Felicity curtsied. The queen bowed her head ever so slightly in acknowledgement. They took their seats at the large table and dinner was served. The portions were small, but the flavors were so good they were almost intoxicating.
The conversation during dinner was polite but subdued, following along the lines of the beautiful weather and small talk. After the servants cleared the table and poured the wine, the mood changed slightly. Felicity suddenly realized that the focus was now entirely upon her.
“Felicity, come and sit closer so we can talk without screaming at one another. You too, Larzukan.”
The two moved closer, and Felicity smiled as she sat. “I must admit, my Queen, that you are much younger than I anticipated.”
The queen smiled broadly. “You are quite forward. I almost did not believe my Larzukan here when he told me. Women amongst our people are not so direct.”
Felicity bowed her head slightly. "I am sorry if I offended you, my Queen."
The queen laughed. "You have given no offense. I find your directness quite refreshing. I may look young to you, but I have lived a very long time. We have control over our own images, as I am sure my Larzukan has explained. This is how I still see myself, and so this is how I look to others.
“Now I would like to hear about how you did during training today. Blancon has reported, of course, but I prefer to hear your perspective. Please. We will drink wine and you will tell me all about it.”
Felicity drank wine and told the queen and Larzukan all that had happened during her training. Occasionally, the queen would ask a question for clarification, but for the most part, she simply listened. When Felicity finished, she sat back feeling exhausted.
"Very intriguing indeed. My Larzukan chooses well, I think. Many have come to me with concerns that you will not be good for our people. I believe that you may surprise them all. My Larzukan has the adoration of his people, and you must as well, but he needs a strong and good wife by his side. I believe that you could be these things to him.
“I will instruct Blancon to further your training. Tomorrow, I will hold a ball, and we will introduce you as the king’s choice for the tournament."
Felicity bowed her head. "Thank you, my Queen. I hope to be a good wife to Larzukan. He is a good and honorable man.”
The queen's eyes penetrated Felicity as if looking directly into her thoughts. Felicity assumed that she was. In the end, she smiled.
"Yes, you will do just fine. I will give you two things to be cautious of, Felicity. Do not take what I say lightly. First, and the easiest, you must see if you and my Larzukan are physically compatible. Though our species are similar, we cannot be sure. Our people will need to make sure that you can bear his children. I will expect you to work that out among yourselves soon."
Felicity could feel the heat rising in her cheeks at the cavalier way in which the queen spoke of sex. “The second and more serious matter is yourself. There are many women who have trained for most of their lives for the chance to be named bride and queen. You have now disrupted this. Many will not take kindly to you and would rather see you eliminated than to risk your completing the tournament. Keep that in mind, my dear."
Felicity saw the seriousness in the queen's eyes and nodded solemnly.
"My Queen, I grew up with the wealthy and the powerful. On my planet, you learn very early how to watch your back. I thank you for the warning and will keep myself diligent. I will train harder and harder as well. I want to see the best for Larzukan and for the Tharagan people."
The queen stood, indicating the evening was at an end. "It was a pleasure to meet you. I will not see you again until the day of the Choosing. Good luck, Felicity."
"Thank you, my Queen."
Larzukan had spoken little during the evening with his mother, and Felicity could see the pain reflected in his eyes. "Your mother seems like a good queen," Felicity said.
Larzukan led her out to the balcony of her room. "Yes, she is a good queen. There are times I wish she would be less of a queen and more of a mother, but that is not for me to decide. She liked you very much. I have not seen her smile in that way often. You are good for her. You are good for me too, Felicity."
Felicity took in the night sky. “This is my favorite time of the night. No people, no sounds, just the moon and the stars and the world below. I loved my balcony back home on Earth. I always felt like I was standing between two worlds and breathing them both in.”
Felicity laughed. “I guess I was right in more ways than one.”
Larzukan leaned down. “This, too, is my favorite time. I am grateful to be sharing it with someone so special.”
Felicity felt her heart flutter as Larzukan bent and touched his lips with hers. The feeling was unlike anything she had ever known. Felicity found herself going weak at the knees and wanting nothing more than to sink herself further into his kiss.
"What your mother said about our being compatible—”
Larzukan put his finger against her lips. “Do not worry about that. We can wait until you are ready, my Felicity.”
“I just want you to know that I have never been with a man before. I’m not sure if I will be any good, and I am a little scared that you might be too big for me,” Felicity said shyly.
Larzukan held her close to him. "I am not worried that you will be good. I have fallen very much in love with you, my Felicity. I promise when you are ready, I will do all I can to make it pleasant and as comfortable for you as possible. Tonight, I will leave you to your bed. You have had a long day, and tomorrow will be longer. I will have the staff see to your attire for the ball. Goodnight, my Felicity."
"Goodnight, Larzukan.” Felicity fell asleep dreaming of what her first night with Larzukan would be like.
Chapter 6
Felicity
Once again, Felicity was awoken to breakfast and then bathed by the staff. This time, she felt a little less awkward about it and started opening up while the staff worked. She learned several of their names and actually managed to make one young woman smile. Felicity took that as a success.
Blancon entered with his usual stern look, and they walked once again into the training room. “The queen has instructed me to give you some assistance. In that regard, I have brought a vial of Jurnope. The liquid will help your mind to expand. Humans do not use their minds like we do. The juice will help. You may feel a little strange at first, but you will adjust. Do not fear. I will not harm you.”
Felicity looked at the vial of red liquid somewhat hesitantly and then drank it down, opening herself to whatever was in store. Within mere seconds, Felicity could feel her senses intensifying. Every sound, every smell, every sight had a clarity unlike anything in her wildest dreams. Her mind was opening in ways she couldn’t even describe.
She anticipated an obstacle course like the day before and readied herself for the test. The room shifted, and before her sat a small table with a square box sitting on top. Felicity looked at Blancon skeptically.
“As I said yesterday, the tournament adapts and you must learn to adapt as well. Your mind has just been opened further than ever before in your life. The training knows this as well and is seeking to use that as an advantage. Each time you enter, the training can be something new, and I have no control over what the training will do. I can only control minor safety parameters during your training. The day of the real tournament, there will be no safety parameters. Now, if you wish to be queen, I suggest you get started.”
Felicity walked steadily to the table and picked up the box. At first glance, it appeared almost like a Rubik's cube. Felicity immediately set to work trying to solve the puzzle. She was satisfied when she had the box solved in only a few moments.
Like the day before, however, the box suddenly became something else entirely. The small box opened into a large wall before her, shifting into a more complex puzzle.
Felicity quickly set to work, confident in her abilities, but like the maze the day before, each time she felt as though she were close to completion, the puzzle would shift with even more complexities. She could feel herself losing the battle, for a battle it was. Even more than the terror of the maze and the beast, this was a battle of the mind, a battle against herself. Even though Felicity felt herself losing ground and falling further and further behind, she refused to give up.
She closed her eyes and began reaching out with only her mind. Slowly but steadily, she felt herself gaining ground again. Finally, exhausted beyond all measure, she felt the final piece click into place. Felicity opened her eyes and saw the tiny square on the table. She felt as though she had run a marathon.
She turned to see Blancon looking at her curiously. “How long have I been in here?” Felicity asked, breathing hard.
Blancon walked to her, looking like he was ready to catch her should she fall. “Most of the day. We must get you back so you can be refreshed for the ball tonight.” Felicity nodded her head slowly, unable to do much more. She walked slowly down the hall with Blancon leading the way.
When he got to her doorway, he stopped and turned to her. “When Larzukan becomes king, I will become his advisor. We went through the academy together and I care for him a great deal. I feared greatly in his decision to bring you here. I feared he was choosing wrong for himself. I can see now why Larzukan was chosen for king and I for his advisor.”
Felicity smiled and laid her hand affectionately on Blancon’s shoulder. “I can see that you are a good friend, Blancon. I can see his trust and love for you. I hope in time, you will see that I, too, care for him and wish to see the best for him. Thank you for training me hard. It tells me that you care more about his happiness than about your own desires.”
Blancon’s lips moved upward in a half smile. “The women will be along shortly to prepare you for the ball. The queen has ordered that you not be left alone at any time. We will do our best not to intrude upon your privacy, but there will be someone posted outside your room should you need help at any time. You are full of surprises, Felicity.”
Felicity closed the door and lay down on the bed. She was so tired she fell asleep in seconds. The nap was not nearly long enough, but she felt somewhat revived when the women came to prepare her. Once again, she was able to get them talking a little, and several times, she even saw a few smiles. Felicity was nervous to meet so many people at once, but she was coming to love Larzukan very deeply and wanted very much to make him proud.
Felicity was escorted into a large banquet room and introduced to a room of at least two hundred Tharagan people. She was walked to the front table where Larzukan sat, and he rose to greet her. Larzukan kissed her hand respectfully, and then together, they sat for the dinner. Felicity had the advantage of growing up in high society so she understood how balls like this operated. She took her cues from Larzukan and quickly picked up on the nuances of the people.
As the dinner ended, the servants were quick and efficient in removing the food. Lovely soft music began to play in the background, and Felicity understood that this was the period of the evening for congregation. Larzukan stood and held her hand as they walked together through the people. Larzukan couldn’t help but be impressed with the ease with which Felicity worked the crowd. If she was nervous, she didn’t show it.
She had a way of making people smile and warm almost immediately to her. Larzukan had feared the people's resistance to her, but seeing her tonight, his fears were almost laid to rest. Some of the women in attendance were quite obviously studying her, but Felicity seemed to read and understand even that quite easily. By the end of the evening, it was obvious to Larzukan that his people were in love with Felicity just as much as he was.
He led her back to her room and without thought leaned in to kiss her. Always before, his actions had been reserved, but this was an impulse. She seemed at first surprised but leaned in, returning the kiss. Before he knew it, they were inside her room and he had closed the door behind him. He pulled away from her reluctantly and breathlessly.
“Felicity, I could not help myself. Each minute I fall deeper in love with you. My desire for you overtook me. I hope I have not given offense.” Felicity wasted no time in showing him how little he had offended her. She rose up on her tiptoes and placed her hand on the back of his head, pulling him closer for another kiss.
“Larzukan, I’m in love with you too, and I am in love with your people, and I want so badly for us to be together tonight. Please stay and make love to me.”
Larzukan placed his hands upon her back. “Are you sure, my Felicity? I want you very badly as well, but I do not want to pressure you.”
Felicity felt her body quivering. “Larzukan, I’m nervous and I’m scared, but I have never been surer of anything in my life. I want you. I need you.”
Larzukan’s lips found hers again as he slid his tongue tenderly into her mouth, tasting the sweetness of her. His hands quickly moved across her dress, slipping it off to fall at her feet. Felicity sucked his bottom lip into her mouth as she began to remove his clothes as well. In a moment of passion, she pressed her nakedness against him and felt his massiveness.
She drew back with a sharp intake of breath. "Oh, my, Larzukan, you’re so big. You’ll rip me open.”
Larzukan looked her up and down and then looked down at his huge blue erect member. “If you want to stop, just say so. I will understand.”
Felicity looked down at him again and then moved slowly against his chest. “No, Larzukan, I don’t want to stop. I am afraid, but I still want you. Besides, if we are to be together, we must do this sooner or later. I want to feel you inside me.”
Larzukan led Felicity to her large canopied bed, picking her up and laying her down with her legs dangling off the edge. With gentle caresses, he ran his long, slender fingers over her naked body, relishing in the feel of her skin. His lips trailed wet kisses across her pale skin to her breasts, her stomach, her thighs, and her womanhood.
Felicity moaned with desire and pleasure as Larzukan’s lips sucked on her clitoris. Felicity was a virgin in every sense of the word, and her mind was exploding with the never before felt pleasures.
She cried out in ecstasy as his fingers slid into her, touching her G-spot. Felicity came almost immediately. She was completely intoxicated by him. Felicity grabbed hold of the post on the bed as she bit her lip to keep from screaming.
“I want you inside me, Larzukan. Please take me.”
Larzukan leaned against her, trying to slow his breathing. He, too, was afraid of hurting her with his massiveness. The tip of his penis slid into her wetness, and Larzukan moaned loudly. Felicity sucked in a breath at the mass inside her. Just the tip of his huge cock felt painful inside her tightness.
Larzukan knew in his mind that he needed to go slowly, that he had to be gentle, but his desire was taking over his senses.
"Felicity, I don't think I can wait. I've never felt anything this good. I'm throbbing." Felicity held tightly to the post and did her best to wrap her legs around him. With explosive force, the massive length and thickness drove into her, pulling the breath from her lungs. The pain was so intense that Felicity would have screamed if she’d had the breath to do so.
She could feel the tears stinging her eyes as he thrust again. Without understanding why, Felicity felt herself pushing willingly against his huge cock. The pain subsided as quickly as it had come, and the pleasure that replaced it was better than she could have ever imagined.
With each thrust of his thick cock, Felicity groaned louder. Her teeth clamped around his shoulder as he pushed into her. "Please, Larzukan, harder. I want more of you." With grunts of alien pleasure, his cock filled her as their bodies moved rhythmically together.
Felicity lost track of time as
her body convulsed in orgasm after orgasm around his manhood. Each time she came, she could feel Larzukan getting harder and pushing deeper. Finally, she felt him explode inside her as his semen spewed into her throbbing pussy. After several moments, they fell against one another in sticky, wet, pleasured bliss.
Chapter 7
Felicity
Larzukan held Felicity in his arms, watching her sleep, and he knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that he would sacrifice anything to be with her forever. As the early morning light began to stream into the window, he felt her begin to stir and laid a gentle kiss upon her lips. Even before she opened her eyes, she returned his kiss.
“Felicity, I am in love with you. I am so in love with you that I feel as though my soul would die if you did not return that love.”
Felicity opened her eyes and ran her fingers down Larzukan’s blue chest. “Have no fear, my King. I am in love with you too, and I will fight to the death to become your bride at the Choosing. No matter the cost. Before you came into my life, I was to be wed to a man who would do horrible things to me for no more reason than because he could. My father was going to sell me to this man, knowing what he was, for money.
“When I placed that resume and ad to be a mail-order bride, I was only looking for an escape. Never could I have imagined that Celestial Mates would bring me here to this beautiful planet, with your beautiful people. But even more than that, I had given up on love. I thought that love was to be for other people and that the best I could hope for was someone who wouldn't mistreat me. Now I have a man with whom I am so happy that I never want to be anywhere else other than right here in your arms.”
Larzukan sighed contentedly. “I wish, my love, that I could lie here with you all day, but I do have duties to the kingdom that I must see to. I would very much like to see you later this evening, though, when your training is complete.”