When he came back, he had two pairs of trousers—one made of brown leather and another pair made of soft, black suede.
“Will either of these suit?” he asked Roke.
“I don’t know. Do you have a fitting area where she can try them on?” the big warrior asked.
“But of course. Right this way,” the salesman said.
And that was how Elle found herself trying on trousers for the first time and thinking how extremely strange they felt. They came right up between her legs and the seams rubbed her secret spot in a way that made her wiggle her hips in embarrassment. She wondered how males stood wearing them all the time—especially if the seams rubbed against their shafts the same way. She wondered if Roke was bothered by the tightness of his own trousers—his shaft certainly looked big enough to—
Stop it, Elli! she scolded herself fiercely. Stop it right now—you can’t start thinking about him that way! You need to have only clean and pure thoughts in your head.
But until she was able to take a sip from the cup of Mortem Amore during her Shriving ceremony, it seemed the struggle to keep from thinking immoral thoughts was one she was unfortunately going to keep having.
“How do they feel?” Roke’s deep voice rumbled from the other side of the fitting room curtain.
“All right… I guess.” The salesman had given Elli a man’s shirt—sized small—to put on with the trousers. She tucked the hem of it in, as she’d seen other males wear their shirts. It was too tight across her generous breasts, but other than that it seemed to fit well enough. Taking a deep breath for courage, she came out so the big warrior could see her.
“Mmm…” he growled, nodding approvingly. “Yes. See, now these won’t get caught in a zorel’s foreclaws when you’re training them,” he remarked, nodding at the too-tight trousers. “Much safer than long skirts.”
“But not nearly as ladylike!” Elli protested.
“Too bad. We’ll take them,” he told the salesman. “And anymore you have like them in her size as well. Thank you.”
And that, it seemed, was that.
Fifteen
Elli’s stomach felt like it was full of flutterbyes as she and Roke made their way to the front gates of the Tenebrian palace that evening. She was wearing the gorgeous crimson gown and a pair of little satin slippers that matched it. Roke had insisted on buying her several pairs of shoes and boots to go with the dress and trousers and shirts he had purchased for her.
Roke himself was dressed in his usual black leather trousers and tall black boots, but he had purchased a Tenebrian style frock coat which fell to his mid thighs and cinched tight at the waist. The royal blue velvet seemed to bring out the blue in his eyes and emphasize the width of his broad shoulders. The elegant silver lace at his cuffs and collar made him look like a dashing figure out of a romance vid, Elli thought. She just hoped the two of them looked good enough to be presented at the Tenebrian Court.
The entrance to the palace was watched by two Tenebrian guards wearing elaborate uniforms with lots of gold braid, who were stationed on either side of the closed gate. Each one was standing at attention under a little roof of sorts, which stuck out from the side of the palace wall and sheltered them from the sun—or maybe the rain Elli thought, remembering what Tully had said about Tenebrians hating rainy weather.
“Halt foreigners—why are you here and what business do you have in the Tenebrian Court?” the first guard asked, frowning at them as they approached.
“Lady Ellilah and her Heart’s Companion, Roke, here at the bequest of the Duke of the Closewilde Lands,” Roke said sharply. “We are here to attend the Formal Introduction Ceremony. I suggest you let us in before His Grace becomes displeased.”
The first guard consulted a handwritten list on a scroll of parchment and nodded his head, his plumed helmet bobbing.
“Yes, your names are here. You may proceed.”
He made a motion to the other guard who pulled a lever set into the side of the high palace wall, which glittered in the light of the setting sun.
With a creaking groan, the metal portcullis which guarded the front archway began to rise, until at last the spikes were high enough that they wouldn’t even brush the top of Roke’s head as they passed beneath.
“Enter, at the bequest of the Duke of the Closewild Lands,” the first guard intoned, nodding at the raised portcullis. “But remember that you must obey all the rules and customs of the Tenebrian people whilst you visit with us. For here, within the palace walls, we are no longer on Pok, but on Mother Tenebria.”
“Yes, of course.” Roke nodded and extended an arm to Elli. “Shall we?”
“Oh…oh, yes, of course.” Feeling flustered, she took his arm and they walked under the archway and into the palace courtyard.
She had no idea of all the strange things that would happen to her before she left again.
Sixteen
The first thing Elli noticed was that there were covered walkways everywhere. Even the open courtyard had many little covered lanes winding through it, all branching off from the main path, which she and Roke were walking on.
“Why in the world do you think they need so many walkways?” she asked under her breath. “And why are they all covered?”
“The Tenebrians dislike rain,” he murmured back. “They don’t want to get wet, apparently.”
“Oh, yes.” Elli remembered again that Tully had told her something like that on their ride to Capital City. She’d seemed to think the Tenebrians were frightened of the rain—though why would any people be afraid of water?
Elli didn’t know, but she wondered if she would get a chance to find out.
They made their way through the open courtyard and down a short set of steps to a set of elaborately carved double doors which seemed to lead into the main part of the palace. There were two more guards here, but they didn’t ask Elli and Roke’s names. They simply opened the doors silently, allowing them to pass into the cool, dimly lighted hall within.
The hall was broad and long with a high, arched ceiling, hung with banners and garlands of alien flowers Elli had never seen before. The floor was a checkerboard pattern of creamy white and deep brown. Both kinds of stone were polished to a high gloss and had little golden flecks inlaid in them, which made the entire floor glimmer in the torchlight.
The torches themselves were placed at three-foot intervals along the walls, held in brackets that resembled pale blue Tenebrian hands. Their flames were golden-blue and entirely smokeless.
There was no one else in the long hallway and Elli couldn’t help thinking she was glad Roke was with her. If she had been all alone, the spooky blue hand torch holders and the perfectly empty hall would have been deeply unsettling.
“Looks like we’re the only ones here,” Roke murmured, his deep voice echoing in the empty hallway. “Guess we’d better go find out where the rest of the Tenebrian Court is.”
“I guess so,” Elli murmured, disliking the way the empty corridor echoed her words.
They proceeded down the long hallway, Roke’s boots tapping on the cream and brown stone floor and Elli’s slippers making a soft shush-shush sound while her skirts swished around her legs. The silence and solitude was just making Elli think of stories she’d read as a little girl about enchanted castles where monstrous beasts lived, when suddenly a door at the end of the hallway burst open and the Duke of the Closewild Lands came rushing out.
“Oh, there you are!” he exclaimed, seeing Elli and Roke. “May all the gods be praised! Hurry up or you’re going to be late to the Formal Introduction and Announcement!”
He hurried them down the hall and through another set of thick, double doors and finally Elli saw where the rest of the Court had gone—they were all gathered in what could only be the ThRoke Room, since there was an elaborately carved golden thRoke sitting at the far end of it.
The Court of Tenebrian nobles were standing on either side of the thRoke, all of them dressed in expensive styles and rich
fabrics and laces. Elli was extremely glad to be wearing the crimson gown Roke had bought her. Surrounded by such opulence, she would have felt like a peasant in her stained white Novice robes. As it was, her dress was a little plain compared to some of the more elaborate styles she saw around her, but not enough to be out of place.
In the center of the room was a carved wooden archway. It was decked with purple vines that sprouted richly colored flowers—crimson and ultramarine and vermillion blooms as big as a man’s head that looked like living jewels. The archway reminded Elli of the trellis in the Sacred Grove where the statue of the Goddess stood.
Elli wondered why she hadn’t been able to hear so many people when they were outside in the hallway—there must have been two or three hundred gathered in the vast thRoke room. But maybe it was because everyone was being quiet and focusing on what appeared to be a kind of ceremony taking place around the wooden arch.
There was a line of couples—about five of them—standing to one side of the arch. A Tenebrian in a black frock coat and an important looking silver hat with a single white plume sticking out from the middle, was bringing them through the arch and introducing them to the male sitting on the golden thRoke—the Crown Prince, no doubt—who was too far away for Elli to make out.
“We’ve only just made it in time,” the Duke breathed to them, keeping his voice low. “I shall stay with the two of you during your Announcement and speak for you to His Majesty during your formal Introduction. Simply do as all the others in line ahead of you are doing and keep your mouths shut and we shall all make out splendidly.”
“Of course,” Elli murmured and Roke nodded. As they spoke, the line moved forward and she realized that another couple had walked through the arch and were being introduced to the Crown Prince, who was sitting on the thRoke.
Now that they were a little closer, Elli was able to make out what was going on a bit better. As the man with the feathered hat brought each couple through the arch, they both bowed low before the thRoke and then the man dropped to his knees before the woman and did…something. It was hard to tell what, since the woman of the couple she was watching was standing with her back to them, hiding the man’s actions.
“What are they doing?” she whispered to the Duke, motioning to the couple on the other side of the arch. “After the man with the hat introduces them, I mean. Why is the man kneeling like that?”
“Oh, it’s simply part of the Formal Introduction,” the Duke murmured back. “After the Grand Vizier introduces a couple, the male must kiss his mate’s breasts, sex, and mouth to show that they are truly each other’s Heart’s Companion.”
“He what?” Elli gasped, apparently more loudly than she ought to, because eyebrows were raised in her direction and the Duke scowled at her.
“Have I said something that is unclear, Lady Ellilah?”
“No, but—” she began.
“But our people usually don’t do such things in public.” Roke took over smoothly. “We consider kissing—especially of the breasts and sex—to be a private activity.”
“That’s all well and good when you’re among your own people,” the Duke sniffed, frowning at them. “But here in the palace you are on Tenebrian soil. You must observe our customs if you wish to be welcomed into our Court.” He looked at Roke. “So you must kiss your mate’s breasts, sex, and lips when you are introduced to the Crown Prince. Do you understand?”
Roke didn’t answer but only shot a sidelong glance at Elli and she remembered that he had promised not to touch her again in any way unless she asked him to. But surely she couldn’t ask him to do this—could she?
“What if you don’t have a mate?” she asked the Duke. “What do single people do in this situation?”
“Single people?” The Duke’s frown deepened. “Why, no one is allowed to be without a Heart’s Companion in Tenebrian society, except the Crown Prince himself! There is my own dear mate as we speak, waving at me.”
He motioned to the right side of the ThRoke Room where a tall Tenebrian woman with milky white skin, wearing an elaborate pale blue dress which matched the Duke’s frock coat, was waving languidly with one slender hand.
“I see…” Elli murmured as the Duke waved back affectionately.
“No, I don’t think you do.” The Duke dragged his attention away from his wife and looked down at Elli. “Are you saying that this male—” He motioned to Roke. “Is not truly your Heart’s Companion? Because if he isn’t, then I’m afraid you shan’t be allowed through the Arch of Introduction to meet His Majesty, the Crown Prince.”
“Oh, uh, no! I mean yes—yes of course he is,” Elli said quickly. She looked up at Roke. “He’s my…my Heart’s Companion.”
“Of course I am!” Roke put an arm around her shoulders and drew her close to his side. “We’re just not used to such, ahem, public displays of affection. But we’ll manage, won’t we, sweetheart?” he asked, looking down at Elli searchingly.
As their eyes met, Elli knew what he was asking. Did she want to do this?
You shouldn’t—you know you shouldn’t! You’ll be breaking your vows all over again! whispered a guilty little voice in her head. But surely she was doing it for a worthy cause, Elli thought. Wasn’t saving the life of the sweet old Priestess Superior worth breaking some rules?
Yes, it is! she told herself. I’ve come this far and I’m not going to let anything stop me now. I’m going to do whatever I have to in order to get a piece of that Healing Lattice!
Lifting her chin, she nodded at Roke.
“Yes, darling,” she heard herself saying. “We…we’ll manage.”
“Good. I’m glad that’s all settled.” The Duke seemed to breathe a sigh of relief.
“Glad we could accommodate you,” Roke said dryly. “But if you don’t mind me asking, why doesn’t Tenebrian society allow anyone to be without a mate?”
“Well because one must have a Heart’s Companion! Otherwise one has no one to Mirror with around the Royals.” The Duke sounded exasperated. “My own mate and I have been together since the age of five cycles, when our parents betrothed us. Of course, we did not consummate our union until the age of approval,” he added.
“Of course,” Elli echoed faintly. She couldn’t imagine getting engaged to the man you would spend your life with at such an early age. Still, it was apparently the Tenebrian way and nobody here seemed to mind it.
“Your turn is next,” the Duke breathed as the couple in front of them stepped through the wooden archway and bowed low before the golden thRoke. “Remember, let me do the talking when you are presented to His Majesty.”
Roke and Elli nodded and then, before she knew it, the man in the feathered hat was speaking in low tones to the Duke.
“And who might these two foreigners be?” he demanded.
“These are Lady Ellilah and her Heart’s Companion, Roke,” the Duke told the Grand Vizier. “They are here because of a special accommodation I arranged with His Highness ahead of time.”
“Very well.” The Tenebrian Grand Vizier appeared to be very old to Elli. His pale blue face was wrinkled and his features sagged like dough. But his faded green eyes were sharp and watchful as he looked at her and Roke.
“Come with me through the arch,” he instructed them in a low voice. “Once I announce you to the Crown Prince, you must bow deeply and then you—” He pointed at Roke. “Must drop to your knees and kiss your lady’s breasts and sex before rising to kiss her lips.”
“Over my clothes, right?” Elli couldn’t help asking.
“I beg your pardon?” The Tenebrian Grand Vizier raised one snow-white eyebrow at her.
“I said, he has to kiss me over my clothes—correct?” she asked. “I mean, he’s not going to have to, er, open my dress and, uh—”
“Oh, of course not!” The Grand Vizier looked shocked. “This is the Formal Introduction, not Bathing Day, after all!”
“Um, of course.” Elli nodded. “Thank you for the clarification.”<
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The Grand Vizier simply shook his head and muttered something under his breath about, “foreigners.” But the next moment he was ushering them through the wooden archway.
They walked forward about fifty feet and then stopped where the Grand Vizier indicated to bow low before the thRoke. Elli performed a kind of curtsey, as she had seen some of the other women doing, as Roke bowed at the waist.
They rose from the bow and then the big warrior was sinking to his knees before her. He was so tall that this new position still put them almost eye to eye and Elli found that their gazes were locked as Roke bent his head to place a hot, gentle kiss on her right breast.
“So beautiful, my little priestess,” he murmured and she shivered as his warm breath penetrated the crimson fabric and made her right nipple tighten in response.
Roke repeated the kiss on her left breast—again somehow unerringly finding her nipple—and then ducked lower and pressed his face into her skirts.
Elli swallowed a gasp as she felt his hot breath right at the apex of her sex, bathing her secret spot in a way she knew was wrong, and yet somehow felt incredibly good and right.
It seemed to her that Roke spent more time there than he really ought to, but she couldn’t exactly ask him to stop. Besides, if she was honest with herself, she didn’t really want him to stop. His warm breath and the way the big warrior was nuzzling against her was giving her all kinds of forbidden shivers and tingles that ran all through her body.
But nothing lasts forever. At last Roke rose smoothly to tower over her again. Looking down, he took Elli in his arms and pulled her close.
“Sweetheart,” he murmured and slanted his mouth over hers, stealing Elli’s breath with a long, slow kiss.
She could still taste the sweet honey cakes on his tongue, which slipped between her lips before she could stop it. And then she found she didn’t want to stop it—she wanted to kiss him back, to taste him as thoroughly as the big warrior was tasting her. Eagerly, she met his tongue with her own, exploring him as he had explored her, learning his hot, spicy-sweet taste as intimately as he had learned hers.
The Priestess and the Thief: Kindred Tales 30 Page 8