by A. C. Katt
Syn looked around the room and made a decision. “Naffie and I will find him another cookie and then I will begin to prepare for this evening.”
“Don’t tax yourself. If you need help, we are but a thought away.”
Syn left the coffee and tea and exited the room with Nafer. Duchess stayed behind to monitor the conversation.
* * * *
Since the chef was preparing the vegetables, Syn busied herself with the stuffing for the turkey and the sauce for the ham. The Sarran bread was whole grain, coarse with fiber and seeds. It would make excellent stuffing. She made herself another pot of coffee. “Would you gentlemen like to try some coffee?”
She poured coffee for Broc and Tack, the chefs, and sat down to make a list. She had linens but needed to measure the size of the table. She had a set of twelve antique linen napkins large enough to cover huge laps that she bought at a flea market years ago. At the same flea market she bought twelve sterling silver napkin rings. She had a silver service from her grandmother which Jonesy demanded she receive once they proved she wasn’t dead. She just hoped her guys had glasses for a large table. She was chewing on the tip of her pen when Zaron breezed in and surprised her with a kiss on top of her head.
“What is creating those lines on your brow, Pa Chette? Anything your bonded can do to erase them?”
“I was thinking of how to set the table, about flowers and linens…”
“Garlance and Stoker usually take care of that…”
“I wanted it to have the feel of an Earthen dinner party. I have the silver, tablecloths, napkins, and a silver table service for twelve, but I don’t have wine and water glasses or flowers— I forgot flowers!” Syn burst into tears. “I need a cigarette.”
“Pa Chette, Pa Chette.” Her Warrior called her name in a low comforting voice, lifting her up and taking her onto his lap on the chair she had occupied. Syn sobbed quietly.
“My beautiful Cynthia, you don’t have to worry your head about this. We have a staff to take care of such things. Call for Garlance and Stoker, they are at your service, as are the two chefs. All of them will understand you and help you to prepare.”
Bron ran into the kitchen out of breath. “Pa Syn, are you all right?”
“She is upset about the preparations.”
“I knew this was too much for her on her first day. With the fire at the field and the bomb in our bed, how could we possibly expect our poor bonded to serve eight tonight?”
Syn sniffled a bit, but was regaining her composure. “I’m so sorry. I wanted to prove to you both how I can help you in your work. But there are so many unfamiliar things that I panicked.”
“You have confronted much today with intelligence and grace. We expect nothing of you but to be yourself. You are perfect for us just as you are and we will keep telling you this until you believe it.” Zaron pulled her closer while Bron stroked her back.
“Garlance, Stoker. You are to stay with Her Highness for the remainder of the day and provide her with any assistance she requires,” Zaron said, lifting Syn from his arms and into Bron’s.
“Come Pa Chette. Walk the gardens with us for half a tine and pick the blooms you wish for the table.”
“You could also get a picture of what you would like and the fabricator would make an exact copy.”
“Thank you both; but fresh would be best.”
“Then fresh it shall be. Let me call for Naffie, he would adore a stroll with his new Mommie in the garden.”
* * * *
The found Duchess in the garden chasing what looked very much like Monarch butterflies.
“The beauty is a real predator. We won’t have to worry about banc anymore.” Bron took hold of her hand.
“What is a banc?” Syn grabbed Zaron’s hand on her right.
“A banc is what you would call a rodent. They are plentiful and are a pest. We do not exterminate pests here on Sarran, we try to release them back into the wild. They really need a natural predator.”
“I heard you say banc. Are there any here? They are disgusting,” Naffie said with a sigh.
At that very moment a voice popped into Syn’s head. ::Come around the path, I have a surprise for you.::
The four of them quickly walked down the path. There in front of them was a neat pile of dead banc. Duchess was sitting by their side looking very pleased with herself as she washed her paws. ::The flowers you want are further down the path. I know you love lilies, there are some that closely resemble the flowers from Earth.::
“Duchess, you are amazing,” cried Naffie, picking her up. “I hate banc.”
“Zaron, it looks like we found our natural predator and yet another item to use to trade with Earth—cats.”
Zaron replied succinctly, “Cats were at the top of the list.”
Syn lit up a cigarette from the pack in her pocket.
“What is that smoking stick,” Naffie asked, “I was scared when I saw it. Breathing smoke can’t be good.”
“It’s called a cigarette and it is not good for me but I use it to calm my nerves.”
Bron said, “Let me see?’’
Syn pulled out a new one from her pack. “Don’t get started, Bron. I have no idea what it would do to a Sarran.”
“No, Pa Syn. I just wanted to examine it to see if I could make it safer for you. It’s a habit you enjoy, yes?”
“Yes, it calms me. But they are smelly and dirty and bad for my health.”
“Let me see if I can fix it.”
“If anyone can fix it Zadda can,” Naffie said, running after the Duchess in the blue-green grass.”
“This smoking stick can take your life?”
“Yes, in some people.”
“I can help you with this, eliminate the craving and substitute something more healthy,” Zaron said coaxingly.
“You can?” Syn was incredulous.
“Yes I can. Do you like our Tierest juice?” Zaron smiled.
“The juice you gave me this morning?” Syn thought for a moment. “Is it fattening?”
“Fattening?” Zaron’s eyebrow went up.
“Yes, you know, does it make you gain weight?” Syn asked with a bit of skepticism.
“It provides you with all the nutrition you need, but did you notice any Sarrans with excess weight?” Bron smiled.
“Truthfully, I didn’t.”
“That is because they drink Tierest juice which helps to balance the amount of calories you take in with the amount of calories you need,” Zaron answered.
“Then yes, stop me from smoking. I loved that juice you gave me this morning. This means I can eat everything I like and not gain weight, seriously?” Syn looked both Zaron and Bron up and down. “You’re telling me the truth?”
“Ah Pa Chette, we would never lie to you. How could we when you are in our minds and hearts.”
Syn grabbed both of her would-be lovers into her arms. “This is wonderful. Be sure to pass this bit of information along to all of the Earthen fem. But the juice didn’t eliminate my cigarette craving,” Syn said, looking at Zaron expectantly.
“Either Bron or I could do that instantly if you give us permission to enter your mind.”
“Enter away…like I said, I hate the way they make me smell.” Syn straightened her back as if she were facing an ordeal.
“Are you ready?” Bron asked.
“Yes,” Syn answered. “Go for it…”
Zaron pressed his forehead to hers. She felt a slight push and then it was over.
“That’s it!” Her face screwed up in surprise.
“That’s it.” Zaron smiled. She looked at her watch.
“Oh shit, we stayed in the garden too long. I have to get back to the kitchen and now I’ll have no flowers.”
“Send me a picture of the blooms you’d like and I’ll pick them for you Mommie, as close to the picture ones as we have.”
“Leave the stems long so I can arrange them.”
Naffie took off to the other end of th
e garden. “Will he be able to do this?” Syn asked surreptitiously.
“Nafer is quite capable. You will have your flowers. Now let’s work on these glasses you need…” Zaron and Bron walked her back to the kitchen door.
* * * *
Chapter 5
“I was hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and you took me in.”
—Matthew 25:35
At five tines the chefs removed the turkey, stuffing, and ham from the ovens. The turkey was roasted to a turn, ready to carve, and the oven had a setting that cooked the ham to perfection, leaving it juicy.
By five and a half tines the table was set for eight. Bron produced the most remarkable glasses she had ever seen.
He’d accessed a huge storage unit as big as the great room in a large house. She rightly assumed it functioned as a butler’s pantry. “Look at these, Pa Syn. Are they acceptable?”
“The glasses are gorgeous.” She picked up what looked like a water glass, then glasses for both red wine and white plus cordial glasses and brandy snifters. They were pale lavender trimmed in silver and etched with the likeness of a Tierest tree with the cloud stylized over the pattern of the tree.
She looked around the room, her grandmother’s linens in her arms. She worried that they might not be long enough to fit the table in the informal dining area.
“Here are the linens for the downstairs floors.” Syn, shocked that was able to read the labels said, “I think we’ll use your linens tonight. They match the plates and the glasses.”
“The ones in your arms are lovely. They have a fine weave and a unique pattern.”
Bron’s remark made Syn feel a lot better about her offerings. “Oh, you put grandma’s silver in here.”
“Yes, Garlance took care of that this morning. I saw it and thought it would be perfect for this evening.”
“Oh, all of my things are in here!” Syn walked through the shelves. She spotted her grandmother’s Revere bowl and the candelabras she thought were left behind in her storage unit.
She began to sob. Zaron came barreling into the room. “What’s wrong?”
“I’m so happy to see my things here. They are the only things left from my grandmother. I thought I’d lost them forever. She was the one who didn’t turn against me after the incident as my mother referred to my abuse by my father and his cronies.” Her face was grim.
Bron pulled her into a hug.
“Of course you have your things. We and Tonas and Jonal make absolutely sure that all of the fem had the things they cherished.”
“Do you think we can use grandma’s silver and her bowl?”
“Of course, we want you to begin to believe this is your home and whatever you chose is fine with us.”
* * * *
All three of her men dogged her steps in the kitchen once the odors of the roast permeated the house. “Stop that,” she playfully smacked Zaron’s fingers as he tried to surreptitiously sneak a small piece of turkey from under the roast.
She turned to see Bron about to attack the ham. “You too, both of you—out of my kitchen until dinner.” She wondered how she was going to protect her food from these two escapees from Wrestle Mania.
“Can I stay Mommie,” a small voice from under the table asked with his mouth full of chocolate chip cookie.”
“No sweetie, out you go; wash up and get ready for company.”
Naffie gave Bron a look. “Zadda and Poppie already told me I should eat my meal in the kitchen with the chefs. They said they had important things to talk about that little ears shouldn’t hear.”
She began to clean the kitchen and the chef said, “Highness, you have done more than enough, leave us to do the cleaning. We watched you carefully today and should be able to produce this turkey and ham again.”
“I made three desserts. That one is apple pie; the other is a pear tart. The strudel is a combination of raspberries and Tierest fruit.”
Syn pulled out the ice cream and some hard sauce and instructed the chefs how to use the ice cream scoop to present the dishes. Now if she could just keep her men and their sprout from sniggling.
When her Warrior turned around she played with them, attempting to throw her body over the food.
They laughed. Finally, Zaron and Bron said, ::Syn we have come to get you ready for this evening.::
Syn was puzzled. “I don’t need help getting ready.”
::We are your Warriors, it is our duty. Come upstairs and we will explain.::
* * * *
::It is our duty to prepare our fem for the evening. Back in the days before the Clan Wars there were fems who took care of the bonded of princes and Elders. After the Clan War, the Goddess Ulna declared that all Warriors must serve their fem in every way.::
“You don’t have to do that for me.” Syn said, her voice small.
“Yes, Pa Chette, we do.”
“This is the main suite of the house. We were not going to move here until after the bonding, but circumstances…” Bron shrugged.
“After Nara passed, we couldn’t bear to be here. Now we can start fresh and make new memories. All the bedding, hangings, pictures and mirrors have been replaced. Everything is new for you, our Syn.”
Zaron began to rifle through the clothing the armoire. She knew she had no clothing this morning. At least nothing that fine. She heard water running; since Bron disappeared she assumed he was running the bath.
“Where did all this clothing come from?” She joined Zaron and peeked in at the rows and rows of gowns in fabulous fabrics in all colors.
“Is it customary for Warriors to pick out clothing for their fem?” Syn picked through the gowns.
“In the sense that we love to dress you in the finest material we can afford. The styles are all Sarran. We had the tailor make some up using your clothing as a guide to size. We would like you to have some Earthen gowns as well, but we are not aware of the styles and therefore must find the styles with which you are comfortable although we had some made up from a catalog.”
::And they’ll fit Mommie, I promise,:: Nafer added.
“Naffie, this is a ritual that we do for Mommie. It is not your place to be here. You should be with Garlance getting ready.” Zaron tuned, giving him a stern look for which he earned a pout.
“She’s my Mommie too!” Naffie stormed.
Syn knelt down in front of him. “Zadda and Poppie want to teach me Sarran customs. This is the first time and I think they want to be alone with me for the ritual dressing.” She cocked an eye at Zaron.
“This is true, offspring.”
Naffie looked even sadder.
“However,” Syn said, “I have some jewelry from my grandmother and maybe Zadda and Poppie might let you help with that.” Little eyes brightened.
“May I?” he asked, eyes begging to be included.
::Yes, you may,:: both of his sires answered.
“You are very good with him, Pa Syn,” Bron said with sincerity in his golden eyes.
“He is an intelligent, exuberant boy who needs a female…uhm, fem to soften him and make him more responsive to requests.”
::We all do, Pa Chette, we all need your gentle touch. Allow us to pamper you. To us you are a gift from the Goddess, one we needed but never expected to receive. To have you with us gives us, including Naffie, great joy.:: Zaron stepped out of the bathing chamber.
“May we undress you?” Each Warrior put a hand on a shoulder. Bron kissed her in the hollow below her chin, while Zaron caressed the back of her neck. Syn shivered. She never felt such love and care.
“Yes,” she murmured as her whole body became sensitive to their touch.
Zaron lifted her T-shirt over her head. Bron knelt and unfastened the button of her jean shorts and struggled with the zipper.
“What is this contraption? Is it designed to inhibit lovemaking?” Bron asked, exasperation clearly apparent in his voice?”
Syn kissed his head. “No, it is a f
amiliar Earthen device to keep pants closed.” She showed him how to pull down the zipper.
As he pulled down her jeans, he noticed a scar just at her hip. “How did this come about?”
Syn smiled sadly, “My father, you would call him my sire, did this to me when he threw me out of the house.”
“Does he still live?” Zaron’s voice adopted a menacing tone.
“Yes, I think so, but he is of no concern. He hasn’t been in my life for the last twelve of Earth’s years.”
“The man needs branding as a torturer of fem,” Zaron growled. “A Warrior who harms a fem commits the worse crime on Sarran, followed only by abuse of an offspring and murder.”
“…and treason,” Bron added.
Syn sighed, “That is not the way of Earth.”
Bron kissed the scar. “We shall have the healer fix it, if that is what you wish. You should have no reminder of such horror.”
A tear slid down Syn’s cheek. “I swear I have cried more tears of happiness on Sarran with you in six hours than ever before in my life.”
“That is how it should be.” Bron took off her sandals and she lifted one small foot at a time to allow him to remove her jeans. Zaron unfastened her bra and took the straps off her shoulders. “What are these marks?”
“Uh, I am overly endowed and the bra straps cut into my shoulders.”
“You are perfect.” Bron reached up to palm her breasts, kissing each tip. He rolled down her panties and took them from beneath her feet. He stood, and asked Zaron, “May I have this privilege.” Bron looked at his bonded.
“Yes my Dearest. The rest we do together.”
Bron carried her to the bathing chamber. Syn was astounded by the lavish room; the designer imbued sensuality in every detail. Anya described the bathing chamber the admirals had on Brightstar, but her description couldn’t compare to the reality of what stood before her. Earlier this morning she hadn’t noticed the bath in the other suite other than to wash up and do her business, she didn’t even turn on a light; because she didn’t know how. Now the full impact of a Sarran bathing chamber hit her. Bron set her down.
The shower could hold six people, giving each a foot of space around them. There was a vanity and shelves with ornate glass bottles containing what she imagined to be perfumes, oils, and bath salts. A second armoire was open and filled with dressing gowns and peignoirs. The fabrics were sheer and opaque. To her bonded’s amusement she touched each one, enjoying the feel of the satin and silk like fabrics on her skin. Their taste was impeccable. Every one complimented her fair skin and platinum hair. She refused to cry again.