by Lisa Lace
“How old is he?” The human woman inquired softly, wondering what she and Kael’s children would look like – if, indeed, she produced them as was expected of her. If they were half as adorable as Kaia’s children, she supposed there were worse things. She’d never envisioned a family for herself but that notion, obviously, had flown out the window.
“Two moons. He was born shortly after Kael left for your planet.” Christ. Now that she knew what a moon was, she realized that the prince had been away from his home world for two of them – four years.
She couldn’t imagine all that he had missed – just to reach their little corner of the universe. “You will soon have children of your own, Danielle.” Now Kaia was carefully removing the remainder of the combs from her hair, letting the rampant, glossy locks tumble down over her shoulders. Danielle couldn’t help but think she was an absolute vision –and how dowdy she must look in comparison. “You will, after all, be a queen. But you must also understand that, as queen, you will have a responsibility to the people of Garinia, and to your king. That responsibility will require knowledge…information that you must learn as quickly as you can. For this, you will be provided with a tutor who will teach you of our culture and customs – as well as our tongue. Do you understand?”
Understanding wasn’t the problem. With every duty that was heaped upon her, Danielle wondered more and more: why her? She was just some random pick of a pool of immune women from Earth, wasn’t she? “Princess…” She began, hesitantly. “I’m no one’s queen. I’m not nobility…and I’ve just come from a place where I’ve watched my people die ceaselessly. I’ve barely recovered from my own losses…how on earth am I supposed to be the Prince’s wife?”
“Not on Earth.” Kaia returned crisply. As she raised her arms, two servants hurried forward to help unlace the back of her ornate dress. Her eyes melted from violet, to gold, and then back again. “You are no longer on Earth, Danielle; so whatever rules that bound you there no longer apply. When you return, everything will be changed. Everyone you know will be gone and you will be heralded a hero for saving your species from extinction. Is that not a queenly accomplishment?”
The young woman’s cheeks flushed as the servants helped Kaia undress entirely. Of course, there wasn’t a single blemish on her pale, perfect form. Her breasts, Danielle noticed, had no nipples – it was a trait she had noticed in her brother as well; but aside from that, she looked no different than a long-limbed human. An exceptionally beautiful, statuesque, long-limbed human. People here, Danielle noted, seemed not to mind being naked in public.
She didn’t think she could ever get used to that; all she could do was try to emulate the Princess’ cool grace. “It is.” She finally managed, nodding once, “But I had nothing to do with it. Prince Kael…he chose me. Though I have no idea why.” She swallowed thick, remembering the touch of his fingers on her lips before she’d entered the cold sleep chamber. Of course, the man’s eyes constantly changed color, but that wasn’t enough to hide the heat she’d seen there when his eyes had perused her body.
He wanted her…and she wanted him too…even if he was, by far, the most intimidating man she’d ever met. “He scares me.” She added softly, ashamed to look at Kaia as she spoke ill of his brother.
The princess waved her attendants away before advancing on Danielle. Within moments, she had undone the laces on the human woman’s tunic to slide the garment from her shoulders before skimming her pants over her hips as well. The movement was methodical, without a hint of sexual interest – which was probably why Danielle wasn’t more alarmed. When she spoke, her tone was low and careful. “Kael is a…difficult man. He is not the first born, and yet he has taken on the immense weight that is ruling this empire. I cannot lie to you and tell you that he will be an attending husband, as there are many matters that he holds more important than the idea of wife and child…but he will protect you at all costs. No harm will ever come to you.” Kaia cupped her face warmly, turning it this way and that. “You are a pretty little thing. He finds you very attractive, you know. He will please you when the time comes to conceive.”
Danielle’s cheeks flamed. What was she supposed to say to that? When no words rose to her lips, she chose to remain silent. “We will groom you to be a queen even Kael can be proud of…but it will take time.” Twining her arm with the human woman’s, Kaia led her from the high ceilinged bed chamber into a bathroom that was at least twice the size of any apartment Danielle had ever been in.
Within was a heated pool that was obviously for bathing – and the heated water felt like heaven against her skin. The young woman had to remind herself that she hadn’t bathed in two years, and the idea set her to scrubbing with the fragrant soap provided, much to the princess’ amusement. “We will begin your tutelage tomorrow.” Kaia announced, relaxing across from her in the pool. “With any luck, you will be ready to wed Kael within seven days’ time.”
The words stopped Danielle mid-motion.
A week. She was supposed to be married in a week? But she didn’t know anything! She was still completely lost when it came to being what she was supposed to be. Did Kaia really think a week was long enough for her to learn enough to marry a prince? Somehow, Danielle doubted it…but as overwhelmed as she was, there was little more she could do besides trust the Princess. She was the kindest person she’d met since leaving Earth, and if Danielle had to choose between dancing on a knife’s edge with the Prince and being able to speak frankly with his sister, she’d choose Kaia every time.
But Danielle wasn’t marrying Kaia. She was marrying Kael – and eventually, she would have to deal with him.
Chapter Four: Isolation
Kael was very put out. He rarely ever left Garinia for the length of time that had been required for the trip to Earth, and since he’d returned, it had been quite the task for him to catch up on all he had missed. Thankfully, the empire still seemed to be at peace under Kaia’s watchful eye – unless, of course, you count the conflicts they were currently dealing with when it came to the Remans.
They had grown discontent with the pact that had ended the war between them – with terms that posted militia men at their doors for two moons – and so, they had begun to cause trouble. Trouble that Kael didn’t need.
However, he had to admit that dealing with the Remans was an almost welcome distraction from what he had to deal with at the palace.
Though he was in the middle of planning a raid on the Reman rebels with Yasin, he found his mind lingering on the quandary of a woman he’d brought into his household – Danielle Bowery. The little creature was amazingly impudent – and had been since the moment she’d left her cold sleep capsule five days prior. She certainly hadn’t made a good first impression with those present when she’d woken – making demands that were not hers to make. While he’d thought it might be best to remind her exactly to whom she now belonged, Kaia, of course, had stayed his hand.
She was always the voice of reason when his temper got the better of him; and so it had been her idea to leave the human woman to her own devices for a few days – just long enough for her to begin to adjust to everything around her. If Kael had had his way, she would have been in his bed on the very first night – and he would have impressed upon her that publically ridiculing one’s prince was not an offense he intended to allow twice.
Instead, he had exercised temperance – and instead of demanding that his wife grace her with his presence, instead, he watched her discreetly. The moment she’d arrived in the palace, Kaia had made it clear what was expected of her. She might be foreign, but as the future queen of Garinia, she’d be expected to act as one.
That meant long, grueling tutoring sessions from dawn until the three suns had nearly bled from the sky – and of course, the human woman struggled. Unbeknownst to her, Kael observed her from dark corners and hallways, checking on her progress. She stumbled haltingly over the Garinian tongue and wrote until her hands ached. Her tutor was long-winded and had littl
e patience, and upon more than one occasion, he suspected that she wanted to throw down her pen and storm out of a session.
But she never did.
The human woman gritted her teeth and persevered – something that he could admire, even if whenever Kaia asked if she would see him, Danielle refused, her eyes wide with trepidation. Her gall was incredible, and when he got her alone, he would see that she paid for it. But while she still believed she had the upper hand, he watched her every move.
As she was still only promised to him, and not yet his wife, she did not yet wear the royal colors. Instead, she tottered around the palace in flowing white garments. Kaia, the Prince knew, had chosen the garments on purpose. They clung to the human woman’s curves, accentuating her slender, lovely form and bringing out the gold sheen of her hair, which had grown during cold sleep.
Danielle wore a constant look of wonder as she explored her new surroundings. Everything was new to her -from the architecture to the paintings she passed in the palace’s endless hallways. She instantly took a liking to Hadric’s pet lysll, a feline roughly twice the size of the boy himself with the gentility bred from several moons of training, even as she worked to overcome her fear of the creature. She meandered her way through the endless palace corridors until she got lost, only to have the three guards who constantly accompanied her lead her back in the right direction – and to an expectant Kaia.
Though there was no reason why she couldn’t be briefed on the events of council meetings after they’d occurred, his sister was absent from a fair few of them attempting to groom his intended. There were lessons in etiquette, carriage and politics, and Kael had to admit that his elder sibling had far more patience than he would ever have been able to summon with the young woman. She was ungainly, asked an endless stream of questions, and lingered on Kaia’s heels as if her very world hinged on the princess.
So much so that a slight twinge of jealousy worked its way into his side. The human woman was supposed to be his intended – yet within the space of a single thirty six hour day she had cleaved herself to his sister, avoiding him like the plague. Kaia counseled patience. She insisted that Danielle needed time, but the fact of the matter was that they had precious little of it. With the influx of humans to Garinia, his people expected him to show his solidarity for the motion he’d implemented.
It was already common knowledge that he was to wed a human woman –yet no Garinian citizen had caught glimpse of her. It was also his hope that seeing Danielle wed would also ease some of the issues they were having with human acculturation. The men and women of Earth were uneasy with their surroundings – many of them weren’t eager to find husbands and wives and settle into their new lives.
They would have to be coaxed – and as future queen, Danielle would be in the best position to do such a thing. Every day that passed before they were wed was another in which his apprehension about the state of affairs grew more distracting. These concerns, along with watching his intended waltz through the hallways in semi-transparent garb, were enough to drive him positively mad.
As little as he understood about her and her kind, he wanted her all the more. It was, perhaps, because it had been many moons since he’d had a woman. He’d been so wrapped up in his duties – in the scant few moons that remained until he would take his crown – that he had buried any desire he might have felt in favor of what was best for his people.
His brothers, as well as Kaia, had counseled him on the foolishness of such neglect. Every living being had needs – and he had denied his own. Perhaps if he hadn’t, he wouldn’t have found himself at the door of Danielle’s temporary chambers long after the suns had set – seven full days after she had arrived on Garinia.
At the sight of him, the guards immediately stepped aside, bowing deeply. For a moment, Kael merely stared at the door before him. Kaia would be furious with him, he knew – but he had waited long enough. He pushed the door open, intending to make a very poignant entrance, and strode into the room.
However, his betrothed wasn’t in her bed. The immense sleeping pad was empty, its multitude of pillows and silken sheets in total disarray. Instantly, Kael’s heartrate increased tenfold as his well-trained eyes scanned the room for any sign of a struggle. Gods help him, if those standing guard outside had let something happen to her, he would have their heads.
Quickly, Kael made his way to the bathroom, only to stop in his tracks at the sight that met his eyes.
Danielle was perfectly fine – better than fine, in fact. Kael had caught his future queen basking in her own private heated pool, her eyes closed in relaxation, her golden locks clinging damply to her bare shoulders. As he had for the past seven days, he gazed over her with hungry eyes, taking in the way the water lapped at her breasts hungrily. For so long, he had told himself that women only provided a distraction. That to pay attention to them could only lead to commitments he wasn’t yet ready for.
And yet, this one had captured his attention the moment she’d spilled her blood for a creature she barely knew.
Though Kael knew their physicians had tended to her palm, there would still be a tiny, thin white line of scar tissue from the deep cut that had once occupied it. He had seen it on more than one occasion while watching her at her studies. Now, soundlessly, he made his way over to the bathing pool, to stand at its edge – just feet from his quarry.
Though she came from a race light years behind his own, this woman hosted some peculiar strength. It was an attribute that drew him to her as surely as mial mites to an open flame. Something behind her wide, unassuming gaze spoke of immeasurable suffering – suffering that she would have had to endure to be where she was now.
Kael waited, patiently, for her to discover his presence.
He thought she might have fallen asleep until her entrancing eyes slid open. When she caught sight of him, a sharp sound of surprise escaped her and she immediately turned her back to him, her face bright red. “What are you doing in here?”
Her demand might have irked him – had she not been completely at his mercy. “I have come to see my intended.” His answer was simple, his voice low, as his gaze swept down the fine line of her bare spine. He was assaulted by a fierce desire to touch her – and he would. Very soon.
“Kaia….Kaia told me that you wouldn’t come until I was ready!”
“My sister can underestimate me. I’m sure she’s told you of my nature.” While her back was turned to him, he undid the laces at the neck of the black tunic he wore, tossing it onto the tiled floor before his gloves followed suit. When he began to work at his belt, the metallic sound drew Danielle to glance over her shoulder at him in inquiry. “What are you doing!?” Her voice had taken on an almost shrill tone that led him to believe that she was truly completely unprepared for his visit.
“I am bathing.” He stepped from his boots, and then peeled his leggings from muscular legs to enter the bathing pool. “I wish to cleanse myself.”
“Do you have to do it here?” Danielle’s voice tremored slightly as he advanced towards her. Within moments, his fingers curled firmly into her shoulder to turn her to face him. Her wide eyes locked with his, and he didn’t miss the way heat flickered through them when she realized that he was completely naked as well.
“You are mine.” His tone booked no argument. “If I wish to sample what is mine, I will.” Reaching down, he took each of her wrists in a hand, removing them from her chest so that he was provided with an unobstructed view of her breasts once more. She was as comely a human as he could have wished for, her skin slick from the scented oils that adorned her bath, her lips lush and parted as she struggled to contain her growing arousal.
“What if I don’t want to be…sampled?” She managed, swallowing thickly as she stared up at him.
Kael smirked. His queen was an abominable liar. “Then I bid you, inform your liege and I will take my leave and allow you to bathe in peace.” The young woman’s mouth opened and closed several times as she attempted to fin
d the fortitude to refuse his advances. The prince chuckled in dark amusement. In a smooth movement, he took hold of her hips, lifting her from the pool to sit on its edge. The action nearly brought her mouth level to his - only a hairsbreadth distance separated them. “Yield to your king, Danielle. I will reward you, you have my word.”
A shudder passed through her as her eyes slid closed. “Kael….please…” Gods, when was the last time a woman had begged him? Though this one knew not what she wanted, the silken words from her lips were more than sufficient to set him upon her. Kael’s mouth lowered to hers to ravish it hungrily, indulging in the heated sweetness beyond.
The moment he touched her, she shuddered violently, her hands rising to his shoulders for purchase as her tongue darted out to duel with his own. If he thought she’d be timid, he was shocked by the ferocity with which her mouth undulated against his own. He lay her back against the cool tile of the bath chamber floor, taking hold of her hips to pull her flush against his straining form.
He groaned to find the cleft of her sex already slick with excitement for him, his mouth leaving hers to lower to her breasts, which he took in his hands to plump together before his gaze. Kaia had told him that human women suckled their babes with nutrients their bodies created, thus the dark peaks at the tips of their breasts. When he lowered his head to sample one, Danielle thrashed beneath him, her breath hitching as he caught it between his teeth.
Apparently, the minute nubs provided more than nourishment for infants, if Danielle’s reaction was any indication. Kael found himself fascinated with her mewls and gasps of pleasure as he plied her nipples with his teeth and tongue. The more attention he paid them, the harder they became, until they were like plump little beads between his lips. When he finally relinquished them, the human woman beneath him squirmed, arching her body against his in an ardent need.