by C. R Corbin
The fact that he didn't only increased the amount of suspense and...attraction on my part. It showed me that he had some measure of self-control, that he was going to wait and make it all the more sweeter.
I wanted to chide myself for being so eager.
CHAPTER FIVE
Kreux
"I have never...wow this is really nice actually." she stated while she felt the cloth, it was made out of Tehrani webs back on our home planet, it was a substance that could be found in the stems of the various bushes that grow on the sides of our mountains and was reserved for luxurious occasions.
This dress was one of them.
"The best. Our tailors made it for you."
"So that's why they took my measurements when I came on."
"They what?!"
"A computer took my measurements...that's what I meant to say." She said with a flushed face as I thought of my assistants openly groping her while taking her size. I inwardly chided myself for having such childishly immature thoughts while she softly giggled at my display.
The shirt that I had bestowed upon her was a white blouse with a black cardigan over it along with some black dress pants and some white sandals. It was rather simplistic but I thought it looked rather nice and when I brought up the idea to have something made for her the ships tailoring system and workers immediately began to research human outfits.
She was more than glad to toss her old clothes in the bin as soon as she saw it.
She slipped the clothing on and was a bit hesitant to show it off. She had stayed in the bathroom and insisted that it was nice but I had to command that I see her in it. She walks out and I smiled while she blushed and tried to...keep her arms at her side for some strange reason. It was as if she wasn't comfortable in her own skin. I had to investigate further
"You look lovely." I stated while leaning against the wall. I keep my gaze on her and she blushes while he twirled around with her outfit on.
"Thank you." she whispered while filling the cloth with her hands.
Our arrival was met with a great deal of fanfare, something that I knew would have surprised her a great deal.
She was a little bit hesitant and cold towards me but that part of her facade was slowly breaking down. I remembered when we first landed and she stared out the window, each reaction was of awe. She had never thought a place could have looked this beautiful I would imagine.
"As lovely as you thought it was Rebecca?" I asked her. She only had one night in the ship but I presumed that she was scouring the web in an effort to identify images of Monowa as soon as she could.
"It's so...bright." she whispered.
I watched as we set down on the massive sandy landing zone with the islands in front of us. Monowa was a bit different from all the other planets, it featured warm beaches with plenty of vegetation that had been taken from other tropical planets that have been conquered. Much of the land here was desert, about 65% of it in fact. The rest, however, was tropical rainforest and islands, it was the perfect temperature year-round and she would come to understand that soon enough.
"I know that you're more used to forests and rivers but trust me when I say that this might be an enlightening experience." I said as I guided her down the ramp of the ship.
"The air is so...sweet."
"Well, that's because there's a lot less ash in it from battle probably."
"Oh you're probably right." she giggled.
She steps onto the sand in her new outfit and begins to walk amongst the shoreline that the ship was based on. Her sandals clash against the sands as she stares at the crowd that was gathered to welcome us. Apparently, it had become public news that I found a mate and I sighed in exasperation but continued on regardless. I grab her hand and pulled her in and she jolts from the sudden movement before I told her:
"It's for the crowd. Just put up with me for a while." i said with a grin while she leaned into my arm with a bit more enthusiasm than I thought she would have granted me.
I could feel my muscular arms pressing against her soft cheek and her curves at some points. Her breath scratched my shoulder and I glanced out amongst the blue waters of this world while the purple and orange sky glimmered above. She points upwards and gasped at the sky, I presumed that the blue waters were something that she has seen before but this sky...well the atmospheric composition and the magnetosphere her really did make the world seem different than your standard blue sky affair.
"Are all these people gathered there to see us? It's really that big of a deal?" she asked.
"They're the press I would presume. Not every day your ruler brings home a lovely woman from his exploits." I explained and she shyly nodded but didn't probe any further.
The press and the crowd cheered and asked for photos but we merely walked to the docks that were down the shoreline a bit and get on our cruiser which was a little speed boat that I rather adored. It didn't have many luxuries but it didn't need them, it was simply a craft to take us around the island hat we lived on which was a ways away.
The island that I lived on was a crescent of sorts with my home located in the center of the crescent. On each point of the crescent were the guard posts while the docks for our ships are in the center. The island was only a couple of deros away and in that time I took a moment to speak to her about her impression of the planet which seems to be rather positive.
"What do you think?" I asked.
"It's breathtakingly beautiful." she responded.
We say little else for the rest of the trip while we sat there in the boat with no company besides ourselves. The boat was self-driving so that meant quite a bit of privacy on our part. I took the liberty of explaining what the various locations around the island were, including the large metropolis that was next to my home, the towering city that I knew as Edoni, it was a collection of glass skyscrapers sitting over a large bay. Its main industry, surprisingly enough, was tourism. We could go there if she wished but that would be later on during her stay. For now, I had to show her the castle.
We arrive and I give her a tour of our estate which was a large city building built on the bay. There was a vast expanse of beach in front of it and the clay buildings took up a large amount of the island while the rest was filled with foliage and military installations. I guided her through all the various rooms and the beaches. Anything that she could ever want was here, a library, a kitchen, a VR system, anything at all.
"It's absolutely massive." She said while standing in the entrance hall and looking up towards the ceiling.
There was a dome roof above her that was constructed out of stained glass. It wasn't an image of anything, in particular, it was simply a spiral pattern that was stained with red, blue, and yellow. The floor was made out of smooth stone that was carved out of the mountains of Monowa and there were three hallways that led out of the hall including a single staircase that led up into the personal quarters.
For the rest of the tour, she was shocked, to say the least.
She had seen the vast majority of the manor, which had even more amenities than the ship, and we had decided to have lunch on the beach on one of my favorite spots. We were seated beside a waterfall that overlooked the entire bay. The servants had brought us some kind of human dish, a type of marine creature that was laid on a bed of starchy grains.
"Salmon and rice...nice." Rebecca had said upon seeing it.
I will admit that my understanding of human food had been elementary but in an effort to welcome her I indulged myself. I found that human cuisine was almost superior in every way to Morelen cuisine which wasn't a compliment that I threw around lightly. The "salmon" was that amazing, as was everything else that we were served
"Impressed I see." I said after the dinner was done and she sat beside the river. Her toes dipped into the cold waters as they washed over her heels. Her hands clenched the rocks beside her as she looked up at me with tears in her eyes that weren't there before.
"Thank you...thank you." she wept
Has she been holding this in all this time?
I had known that her cold nature was mostly a result of her living under that bastard for such a long while. Her life under him must have been harder than I could even imagine but to see her break down in front of me so quickly was quite the shock. Our meals had already been taken away and the sun was setting while we sat by the river stream. Her hands clenched my back and rubbed it while I stroked her sides in an attempt to calm her.
"It's been so long since...I've actually known what this feels like. A life without fear...thank you, thank you." she admitted.
"It's quite alright. It's fine. I'm just doing what any good mate would do." I said, it was a rare attempt at modesty on my part which seemingly shocked her.
She stayed like that for a while and shook as I held her in place. I presumed that he was simply letting all of the shock and stress of having lived under that man out and I was right. Soon enough she had returned to her normal self and was smiling a bit more than before. We didn't talk at length after that but I knew...I knew that she was much happier than she had been before and that was enough for me.
And that night in her room I heard her calling her sister.
"This might be one of the best nights of my life." she states on the communicator in our quarters...well her quarters for the time being.
"That quick huh? This guy sure had an effect on you sis." said the sister that I have come to understand was Emily.
"It's...wow all of my fears were completely unfounded. I got to see his estate and got to eat actual food...it's more than I ever thought that life under a prince could have been." She admitted. From my spot behind the wall, I could see that her eyes were glazed over with a sort of sickly sweet happiness that I was not entirely accustomed to.
I actually kind of liked seeing that look on her face, all things considered
I pause for a moment to wonder what her reasoning for actually giving into me so easily was. I realized during the last few days that the life that Scoran had been granting the people of Durol wasn't one that was entirely...palatable. I detested the idea of waiting any longer, he would have to pay, the bastard would not only for attacking me but also for harming my mate.
He was not making it out of this mess alive.
"Well, the soldiers here are helping us rebuild. Hell, they're even taking recruits that want to fight against Scoran. I'm not signing up so don't freak out on me but...some of the men are." Emily muttered while I heard some cloth shift against the microphone.
"Guess we lucked out with a good Morelen prince then. I thought that it was going to be just like Scoran all over again." stated Rebecca with bitterness in her voice.
"Yeah, you got that right...I guess it did turn out alright for now." her sister spoke with mirth in her voice when I listened in.
It would seem that I was starting off on the right foot.
I walked away from her quarters and down a set of clay steps to the beach where I sat. I waited for a while as the moon rose into the sky and the sunset below the horizon. My hands clenched up handfuls of sand before dropping them back down onto the ground. There wasn't anyone out this late apparently the world was quiet and I was left to my own devices.
I have been blessed with someone who agreed to seal the mating pact with me this early and that wasn't lost on me. She did seem a bit too enthusiastic about going after Scoran, however. I didn't know what to exactly tell her in regards to her quest for revenge. I would help her if she requested it but I wasn't entirely sure that I should. It was possible that she would lose herself in that darkness, I would not allow that possibility. My mate must live, she must live lest I lose my own sanity. She would not participate in battle, but the training that I was trying to give her would fulfill the purpose of being therapeutic for her.
"Prince?" she asked and I turned to see her standing in front of me.
Her long brown locks were tied back into a ponytail and she watched me with those sapphire eyes that made me quiver. Her white nightgown flowed over her body, it was crafted from the finest silks that we had, her pale skin was shining in the starlight and it seems that each and every one of her curves were emphasized under the light.
"Rebecca." I said respectfully, I didn't know if I should let enthusiasm or general affection seep in just yet. I had to maintain a distance from her to make her feel comfortable. "I thought you were talking to your sister."
"You heard? I was...She says things are going well at home thus far. You have my gratitude." she pauses for a bit and walks over to take a seat beside me under the stars. "Nice night."
"I keep my word. I would do anything to please you." I muttered and she blushed although there was still that guarded expression on her face. "This war has been going on for nearly an entire year in Morelen terms and will go on for at least the same amount of time. I realize that you want me to train you, to teach you to seek revenge but it is a dangerous path. It could take quite a while for your dream to be achieved, I hope you understand that." I gestured towards the stars as I spoke, somehow I think I was pointing out Dephai for her even though we both knew that finding it in this cluster of stars was impossible.
"That is not for you to decide."
"You're my mate, I will not put you in harm's way.
"This man killed my parents...I can't let something like this pass." she said with a pained expression in her eyes. "I can't. I don't know how you feel about your family, but I loved mine. He just took them from me, as well as the hopes and dreams of everyone that lived with me." she sighed while mindlessly running her fingers through the sand.
I glanced at her from the side, she was so beautiful, so wondrous. I could see her hands clenching up the golden grains and dropping them back down while the curled spindles of her hair brushed over her porcelain cheek. I almost wanted to reach out and touch her but held myself back, it was clear that she was still overwhelmed by everything that happened today.
Slowly enough, my thoughts became filled with lust.
I stared at the curve of her breasts that were just barely hidden under that nightgown. Her curves were so lovely, her face was as beautiful as the stars themselves, I would have given anything to have been able to claim her at the moment. I glanced at the spot in between her legs and breathlessly watched while her thighs slid together. I imagined that spot growing wetter and wetter while I massaged her curves, kissed her, groped her breasts, all before I spread her legs and finally made her my mate when I finally claimed her.
"You okay?' she asked while crossing her legs with a blush. I gnashed my teeth and she backed away with her eyes widened before I realized what I had been doing and backed away. It was a shameful display.
"Sorry...." I muttered.
I always lose my head when it comes to her.
She had mentioned her parents and it was an entirely alien concept to me. A family, that is. What was a family really? I was raised by caretakers and soldiers my entire life. The one time that I did meet my father was during my matches to become prince, when I slew my siblings without any concern and watched as they lifelessly dropped to his feet. He snorted and waved and I was whisked away. He was old and yet incredibly powerful. He seems to tower over me with his fists clenched and those golden chains wrapped around his neck. His red eyes were glued to me as I stood, his blackened charcoal skin shining as he looked won on me and snorted.
There was no sign of love there, no sign of any affection.
"What...What is it like to have a family?" I asked her. She flinched at the sudden sound of my voice but turned her head to me and shivered in response to my probing.
"I....You don't have a family? What happened?" she asked, for the first time since I have captured her it reall
y does seem that she could express curiosity in regards to me.
It was refreshing.
"I barely knew my father, I never met my mother. I was raised by servants and soldiers until I became a man and enlisted...So what was it like? Did you love them?" I asked her with anticipation practically dripping from my voice.
She was all too happy to answer.
She hesitated at first, apparently, her parents brought up some bad memories that she would rather not relive but from what she did tell me I could ascertain that they were close. Her mother was a fiery woman that had been killed by one of Scoran's men as a part of his censorship efforts. Her father was a part of the militia and was killed when the moon was overrun. It was quite a shock to hear it from her mouth. She had told me of these strangers and flushed out all their idiosyncrasies. I didn't understand much about humans but I did admire how...close they all were to one another. That intimacy was something that was rarely seen in our societies although it has been said by my other siblings that such a relationship would be attained between a parent and their child as a result of them becoming recent parents.
I wanted that feeling of warmth, of love.
"All I have left now is Emily. She's the only piece of them that I have left so that's why I was so dead set on making sure that she was alright."
"Understandable."
"So you grew up alone huh? It must be lonely."
"It's not lonely. It's the Morelen way. We don't need sentimentality or love."
"But you want it don't you?"
"....I never said that."
"You never denied it either. I can feel that you're a better man than Scoran at least but the two of you are just so...trapped by tradition. How can you live like that? I don't understand it. To live without understanding anyone else other than yourself."