by J. S. Wilder
She led me down to the hall to the room where we’d been working. I stepped into the room and all the males rose. They looked spectacular in their all black clothes. Fire clothing fit tight, a tradition dating back millennia to when they were warriors and loose clothing simply got in the way. That time was past, but the tradition continued and damn did they look good.
I smiled. “Everyone ready?” The men nodded. “Remember what we’ve practiced and you’ll do fine. There are four of you for every Water woman. Most of you won’t be chosen tonight. Do not compete for the attentions of the woman. Let them choose you. If you try to win her, she will probably pull back. I know that seems completely wrong to you, but trust me. These are beautiful, sexy, graceful women, but they require delicate handling until they get to know you for the fine men you are. Those that are not chosen, that is no reflection on you, I assure you. If there were enough women, each of you would selected, and gladly so.” I smiled at them. “Any questions?” There were none. “Okay. Let me go prepare the Waters for your arrival. I wish each of you the best of luck.”
I looked them over as my heart swelled with pride. These males had worked so hard, and come so far. They were each perfect in their own way. On Earth, every man in the room would have women throwing themselves at their feet. Soon, the Waters would see these men for who they really were, men that could be gentle when they wanted to be, but fierce and protective when they had to be. I pursed my lips. I was so proud of them I could feel tears threatening. I turned to my escort.
“Let’s go.”
Tajoh opened the portal and we stepped through, my two escorts taking positions on opposite sides of the room. The Waters rose and gathered in close. There were no males present today, at least not yet.
“Everyone ready?” The murmur I received in response had an undercurrent of nervousness, which was understandable. “I just left the Fires. They all look stunning and are looking forward to meeting you. You are in charge this evening. So just relax and enjoy yourselves. There are approximately four males for every one of you. I have been working with these Fires, as I have been with you. They know what to expect, as do you. Despite that, they are going to seem ultra-aggressive to you. They are still Fires after all. What I expect from you is to remember what I taught you. You are in charge. There are more men than women, so if you don’t like the male that is talking to you, simply move on. I know I don’t have to tell you to be polite, but don’t, I repeat, do not feel you have to accept their advance.”
I smiled at them. As hard as it was to get the Fires to stop being so aggressive, it had been just as hard to teach the Waters that what they wanted mattered too, and that they didn’t have to accept the first male that expressed an interest in them.
“Nobody is expecting you to merge, or even mate tonight. Well, maybe the Fire males are—” I paused as a few of the women twittered out a laugh, “so there is no pressure. This is an introduction, okay? If you like none of the males, that’s okay too. Any questions?”
“Are you going to remain here?” Quillop asked.
“For a while, to help you and the Fires get started.” I gave her a wink. “Maybe I will take one of the leftover Fires for myself.”
A few of the women giggled. I said that as a joke, to loosen them up, but I had no such intention. I had a Fire male, I wanted no other, and I wouldn’t dishonor myself or Stevan.
“Anyone else?” I asked.
“What if they don’t approach us?” a voice called from the back.
I giggled. “Trust me. Each of you look ravishing, and these are Fires, not Waters. That won’t a problem. Your biggest problem is going to be selecting only one male. It’s going to be like choosing between a ruuge and a fivell,” I explained, naming off the Water version of cake and ice cream. “But unlike with ruuge and fivell, you can’t have both.” That caused another twitter of laughter to pass through the assembled woman. “Anyone else?”
There were no more questions so I turned to Sereni and Tajoh. “We’re ready.”
A moment later a portal opened and the men stepped through. The Fires preferred bold colors, brilliant reds, golds, oranges, yellows and blacks, where the Waters preferred muted earth tones of blues, browns, greens and blacks. I’d dressed both groups in black, since it was the only color they both seemed to agree on, and they all looked stunning. The men were tall and handsome and the women were lithe and graceful. If this worked, they would produce beautiful children, and proved once again you can’t go wrong with basic black, no matter what planet you were on.
-oOo-
I stood to the side and watched. My sole interaction with the Fires and Waters in past two hours was to smile and nod in encouragement when they looked at me in question. I wanted to cry. This was going to work. Three couples had paired off and were outside, away from the rest of the crowd so they could be alone, and the others were beginning to settle. I could tell by the look on the faces of the males that hadn’t been chosen, they knew they were missing out on something very special, and weren’t happy about it. The Fires were a tough, resilient people, and I knew they would find success the next time.
Quathaul approached me with Hulg on her arm. She smiled as she looked at Hulg with her beautiful eyes. “Hulg has asked me to show him Folu Rain.” She smiled at me, recognizing I had no idea what she was talking about. “It’s said to be the most beautiful place on Aquallia. We are going there now.” She paused and smiled at Hulg again. “I’ve always wanted to mate at Folu.”
He smiled back at her and touched her face gently, then turned to me and bowed his head low before looking up again. “You have done what I thought impossible. I’d volunteered simply to help my people, but… you’ve taught me so much.” He looked at Quathaul again and his face softened. “I’m looking forward to learning a great deal more.”
Quathaul looked at his face and smiled. “As am I.”
I smiled at them as a single tear crawled down my cheek. “Don’t rush into anything,” I cautioned. “Take your time and enjoy these moments for what they are.”
Quathaul smiled at me and pulled me close. “You have taught me so much,” she whispered into my ear. “I shall always be your friend.”
I whimpered as more tears flowed down my cheeks. “And I, yours.”
“Shall we go?” he asked.
I smiled again. It wasn’t an order, it was a request, and Quathaul smiled.
“Please.”
I watched as they moved to a corner of the room and opened a portal, stepped through, and were gone. “Good luck,” I whispered as I wiped my eyes.
Another hour on and the pairings were set. Each of the woman had chosen a male. I’d had to intervein once when two of the males became aggressive, each wanting to claim Quulu for his own. I’d ordered them down, but then Quulu had driven the point home herself when she’d then rejected both and chose another, one that had gracefully stepped aside earlier.
The two men had looked chagrined, and I knew there would be blood between them tonight, but I could tell they’d both learned their lesson as not one of the remaining Waters approached them the rest of the evening.
“We’re done here,” I said, as Quettor and Jukos slowly walked away after paying their respects to me. The only people left in the room were myself, my two escorts, and the males that hadn’t been chosen.
Sereni opened the portal. As the men prepared to file through I raised my voice. “Each of you did spectacularly this evening,” I said, ignoring the one confrontation. Everyone knew, and I didn’t see fit to embarrass them further. “In a few days, we will begin training again. Each of you will be assigned a group of males to pass your knowledge too.” I smiled. “Next, time, there will be a more equitable balance of men and women and you will find success.”
They all nodded, but they still didn’t look happy. I felt for them. As tough a people as they were, it still hurt to be rejected. I’d set them up to fail, and I knew it, but I had to teach the Waters how to make decisions for themselve
s, and I knew the Fires could handle the rejection far better than a Waters could.
The males went through first, then Sereni close the portal and opened another to my room. We stepped through into my room. I sighed and collapsed to my bed. I was emotionally exhausted. Tajoh took his station outside my room, but Sereni remained.
“Tonight was a huge success. Even I could see that. I’d never see Waters so… in charge.” She lowered her head slightly in acknowledgement of what I’d accomplished. “You have done the impossible. Will you want to your home now?”
I smiled as I stared at the ceiling. “I don’t know. Maybe. There is still much to do.”
Sereni smiled. “It’s good you wish to stay.”
There was something about her voice that caught my attention and I sat up. “Why do you say that?”
She shook her head, smiling at me. “Only that it will be much easier if you wish to stay.”
“Easier? How?”
She looked at me strangely, as if I were being dense. “Not wanting to leave makes for a much more pleasant stay than not being able to leave.”
“What do you mean? Our Lord said I could leave any time.”
She nodded. “Perhaps, but do you think he will let you leave? You are but one and he has billions, perhaps trillions of Peoples he must protect.”
“You’re saying I’m a prisoner?”
“Not at all. I’m saying that you wanting to stay is a good thing. We need you Catherina.” She smiled. “Stevan doesn’t have to make you his prisoner. You have no way to leave.”
“By the portal. The same way I got here.”
“Do you know how to open a portal?”
I felt a chill. She was right. Someone always opened the portals for me. As I always had at least two Fires in escort, it had never occurred to me that I couldn’t leave without someone helping me.
“Stevan would order it done,” I said with confidence.
Sereni had been in a strange mood all night, and she was simply taking it out on me.
“Perhaps. Good night, Catherina.”
She left me and I sat on the side of my bed and stared at the door. I shoved the worry aside. Of course Stevan would send me home if I wished. But the creeping doubt wouldn’t go away. I’d wanted to return twice before, and both times I’d stayed. Both times I thought it was my decision, but was it? Stevan was far from stupid. He was a great man and a great leader. He was probably expert in having people do what he wanted. Is that what he’d done to me? He always seemed to give me what I needed in order to want to stay.
I felt a cold lump form in my chest. Were the ‘lessons’ just another manipulation? I could ask him about sending me home. I could demand to go. If he didn’t allow it, I’d know, but if he did… I wouldn’t know, not for sure, until I stepped through that portal.
Portals could be adjusted to transmit energy, such as light or sound, or matter, or both, but they were a one way trip. What went through couldn’t use the same portal to return. Using them to communicate required a reverse portal so people could communicate. Once I was through, I would never be able to return, even if I changed my mind the instant I set foot on Earth. Did I really want to leave?
I undressed and crawled into bed. I craved Stevan’s touch, but one didn’t simply ring up the leader of the galaxy and tell him to come get you because you wanted him between your legs and you were feeling needy. The Fires respected strength, and having me come crawling to him, asking if he was telling the truth would not only weaken me in his eyes, but it would be a grievous insult as well.
Even though I was exhausted, sleep was a long time arriving as I alternated between trying to figure out if I were a prisoner or not, and rejecting any thought that Stevan wouldn’t honor his word as simply ludicrous.
Chapter Fourteen
Stevan
I touched my left ear, right ear, then my chin with my right forefinger in the traditional parting gesture of the Kullear. The Kullearian leader, Spath, lowered his head, giving his parting in our tradition.
“May your steps be swift and sure, your burden light,” I responded.
The Kullear were almost impossible to say goodbye to because they had so many steps in their farewell. On Firaspatciti you bowed your head in parting and left the room. Spath and I had been acknowledging my impending departure for fifteen minutes.
Spath smiled. “And to you, Stevan. You have indeed brought joyous news. I’m sure my people will want to take advantage of your generous offer.” He shook his head. “These Humans, they are strange people, are they not? Equating mating with a fruit native to Earth. Perhaps this fruit is why they breed like Gorts, eh?” He shook his head as he chuckled. “A dating agency? And you’re sure a date is the name of a fruit and mating?”
“She confirmed it.” My chuckle joined his. “They may be a strange people but this one, at least, also seemed to have an innate understanding of the Aquallia and the Firaspatciti. Perhaps that will extend to your people as well. We look forward to mingling with your people.”
He gripped me on the shoulder. He shouldn’t touch me unless I touch him first, but allowances have to be made for other cultures, and I gripped his shoulder in return. I found it so odd that I could easily adapt to another culture’s ways… except when it came to mating. But now, even that was changing. For the first time I’d noticed how lovely the Kullearian women were, with their skin as dark and beautiful as a Firaspatciti night.
“Perhaps the long darkness isn’t so near after all. We shall contact this Catherina Hume and ask for her assistance.”
I nodded and smiled as my escort opened a portal back to the palace receiving room on Firaspatciti, the only location in the palace a portal tunnel could be created from outside without causing an alarm. An advanced contingent went through to ensure the security of the location. I would follow in moments.
He released my shoulder. “Catherina is creating a plan to begin assisting any who ask for her help.” I chuckled again. “There is no official name yet, but she has begun calling it the ‘Dating Agency.’”
Spath chuckled again. “Perhaps we could solve our problems by simply consuming some of this fruit they seem so fond of. Then maybe we’d breed like Gorts too.”
I smiled. “Perhaps. If only their planet wasn’t forbidden.” I touched my ears and chin again, acknowledged his bow, then stepped through the portal.
“Welcome home, my Lord,” Kergah said. “How was your tour of the galaxy.”
I smiled as I took his shoulder. “Tiring. What’s the date and time?”
Kergah snickered. “Eighth-day, just before the evening meal.”
I nodded. “Good. I wanted to arrive before First-day.”
I was exhausted and my time sense was completely askew. A thousand planets in thirty day. I had been on a whirlwind tour of the Peoples, spreading the news of what Catherina had accomplished. Worlds were lining up to take advantage of what she could do. I was returning home for a few days rest and recovery, then I would leave again.
I’d just received word that one of the Aquallian women was already with child. I’d declared that First-day was a day of rest in celebration. Twelve of twenty women had rejected their initial selection after a few days. While many expressed shock and dismay, Catherina had expressed a calm confidence and simply allowed the women to choose again. Six of the twelve had chosen a third time, but all had been quiet the past ten days. In our nightly talks, she’d expressed confidence we would be hearing that another Water was with child soon.
I was anxious to see Catherina. I longed to return to her each night, but it would have been an insult to my hosts, implying that I didn’t wish to be there or was not satisfied with their hospitality. I’d asked her to accompany me on my travels, but she’d declined, stating this was a delicate time and she needed to remain on Firaspatciti in case of trouble. In hindsight, she was correct again. Thirty days was a long time to go without mating, but I hadn’t availed myself of any of my escorts as I normally would have
. I wouldn’t dishonor myself or Catherina in that way.
I would see her tonight. All through my meeting with Spath I’d had to force myself to concentrate, for if I didn’t, I found my mind wandering to Catherina and the time we’d be spending together.
“I will take my meal in my quarters. Please ask Catherina to join me.”
Kergah smiled. “It is already arranged. Your meal will be ready in an hour.”
“Kergah, tell me something. Is everything satisfactory with Catherina? She has seemed distant these days I’ve been gone.”
“I’ve noticed it too, but she says all is well. Perhaps she misses her favorite pupil?”
I chuckled. “Perhaps that’s all it is. I’ve certainly been missing my instruction. She is talking of returning home again. I’d asked her to wait until my return so that we could discuss it in person.”
Kergah smiled. “To have her leave now would be… disappointing.”
I smiled. Kergah could say so much with only his tone. “That much is certain, my friend.”
-oOo-
“Enter!” I called.
Catherina entered, resplendent in her gown. Every time I saw her, she was more lovely than the time before. The only tarnish on her beauty was the slightly sad look on her face. Humans wore their emotion where call could see.
I took her into my arms before she could kneel. I wanted to ravish her, as I would a Firaspatciti woman, but I remembered my lessons and caressed her face softly before kissing her gently on the lips. She smiled back up at me, but there was a sadness there.
“I’m so very glad to be able to hold you again,” I murmured as I took her lips again. Normally she responded to my kiss, but tonight she was withdrawn.
“My Lord,” she said softly, looking down, unable to meet my gaze.
I tipped her head up. “Catherina, what’s wrong? Have I displeased you in some way?”
“No, my Lord.”
“Then tell me what’s wrong. Why are you upset?”