Empress Hiding

by Y. M. Roger

Balstir held tight as he buried his face in her fur near her ear and said firmly.

  “Let Mysstree present – I need to talk to her, Miannmarr,” it was a gentle command, but Balstir’s hold tightened and gave her no other option.

  As Miannmarr finally began to relax, a pitiful cry escaped her small muzzle, and it almost sounded like the beautiful animal tried to speak.

  Balstir grinned into her fur as he raised his head in the slightest – the Professor, as Mysstree liked to refer to her altre, probably was trying to vocalize something. Balstir loosened one of his hands enough that he could gently stroke the frightened animal’s fur while his arm remained tightly around her.

  “We have you, hediya – you are safe,” Balstir let his hydenna hum to calm their sister further until, finally, a shivering Mysstree replaced Miannmarr in his arms.

  Balstir gently sat Mysstree down to get a better look at her injuries when her frightened face and tear-filled chartreuse eyes stabbed his heart.

  “What is it, hediya?”

  She shivered under his hands.

  “He came to kill us, kardesh,” Mysstree gulped as the tears began streaming from those over-sized yet haunting eyes, “He took another while we were right there to prove his rejection of us, and now he has come to …”

  Balstir stared in disbelief at his Mysstree as she spoke – his hydenna rising to stark aggressiveness inside of him.

  “Who hediya?” Balstir had to fight to keep the hydenna out of his voice – the beast was incensed by Mysstreee’s accusation – it wanted the blood of any being that would threaten their hediya, and Balstir’s stomach churned at the thought of whom she spoke, “Who has come?”

  Mysstree’s eyes became even wider if such were possible as she reached up and – her wildly searching hands frantically searching for and finally grabbing hold of Balstir’s hair – pulled his face next to hers as she whispered – her eyes darting about in all directions even though Balstir knew she could not actually see anything.

  “Your Captain Marid, kardesh,” her voice was desperate as she tried to pull under him or behind him or something as her entire body trembled, “His demercriere broke down our do—”

  An insistent growl cut off her words followed by Kilgar’s warning command.

  “Step away from my female, Teyman!”

  The nestlinger’s frightened cry from earlier poured from Mysstree’s mouth as it was joined by her own strangled cry – Mysstree’s small clawed hands quickly pulling her quaking body behind Balstir, his arm helping the motion as it pushed her such that he stood between his distraught sister and the nude Kilgar across a quiet opening in the forest.

  Balstir fought hard against his hydenna who wanted to present to protect their Mysstree.

  “Siktir git, Captain!” the hydenna was riding him hard and Balstir’s voice was more beast than cognate as he spat the only words he could muster at the moment, “You are a kahrolasi esholeshek!”

  The demercriere was clearly in Kilgar’s voice as they shouted back across the clearing that separated to the two warriors.

  “She is our mate, Balstir!” a growl rolled from Kilgar as he leaned forward just a bit to grasp his thighs – a sure sign that he was fighting to keep his presence once again, “You can not keep her from us!”

  Mysstree whimpered low and dejectedly behind him – her entire body shivering in fear, “They rejected us for that … that … orospu! They do not want us for a mate; they want us dead!”

  Once again, Balstir struggled to keep the hydenna absent – there had to be something he was missing here. Kilgar truly had been more like a big brother or even a father at times – he felt the same conflict run through his beast.

  “Why was it your beast and not you with me earlier? What in the realm of godsfall happened back at the palace, Kilgar?”

  Kilgar threw his head back, and a loud roar that was both man and beast sounded from him. The roar tore at both Balstir and his hydenna – they could hear the need and the pain engulfed therein.

  “Just let us hold her, Balstir! Tend her!” Kilgar took a wary step forward and then another – the desperation to close the distance clearly written on his face; however, it was also obvious he was trying to tamp down the aggressive beast inside of him – a beast his Mysstree swore wanted to kill them, “We know she is injured.”

  Mysstree squeaked and mewled behind him again and pulled herself impossibly closer as if she would fuse her body into his – her body still shuddering with her sobbing.

  “Please, no, kardesh!” Her quiet whimpers and cries were tearing him and his beast apart, “Please! We do not want to be torn apart like some animal prey,” A strangled sound almost like that of a drowning creature, “Please, no!”

  “Then answer. The kahrolasi. Questions, Kilgar!” Balstir truly did not want to do battle with Kilgar – both Guards knew that outcome no matter the emotions involved, but Balstir’s clipped yet exercised words said he was willing to do just that, if necessary, “Mysstree is kahrolasi scared to death of you – is that what you want from your supposed mate?!” Balstir felt as though both he and his hydenna would explode at any moment with the torn loves and loyalties that raged within them, “Now. Tell me. What. The godsfall. Is going. On?!”

  Chapter 37

  I hear her whimpers – her cries! We need to hold her, Kilgar!

  Kilgar paused for a moment to reflect as Balstir finished his clipped question, and, once again, ignored his beast’s urging and firmly held to his presence – the beast would not win this silent battle of wills and strength.

  “Scared of us?” The question, although voiced, was not shouted at Balstir as Kilgar ran his fingers nervously through his nappy hair, “Why would …?”

  Kilgar trailed off, but Balstir’s acute hearing heard his wonderings.

  “Oh, I do not know, esholeshek!” Balstir’s voice was anything but patient, “Maybe your choice to have kızışma while she was there might have something to do with –”

  His beast roared inside of him as Kilgar could actually feel a swipe at his insides for the second time in as many days.

  She was there?! You chose another kahrolasi orospu in front of our female?!

  Kilgar shouted at the beast to stop pushing him – he knew Balstir had to think he was losing his kahrolasi mind. Godsfall! He thought he was losing his mind!

  They could all go to the kahrolasi realm of godsfall – he needed his female.

  His Mysstree.

  His mate.

  Our mate – the beast roared out, still unable to push past Kilgar’s hold. It was evident that his cognate was fully recovered from his state this morning, however – that any forced effort to present again would be in vain now – so the demercriere settle for a warning, his mood beyond irritated.

  Do not siktir this up, esholeshek!

  Kilgar simply ignored him.

  Again.

  And took a few unbidden strides toward them.

  “Mysstree!” Kilgar heard a female yelp – not quite cognate, yet not all animal – Gods! She really was scared of him! Of them!

  “Far enough, Kilgar – do not force my beast’s presence,” Balstir’s warning was firm.

  Kilgar internally cursed his beast who, in turn, seemed to find a manner in which to again somehow – even though he knew it was undoubtedly a psychological manifestation – swipe at his insides.

  He shook his head to clear it completely and – taking a deep breath and flexing his fists to bleed some of the tension out of him – responded as his beast remained blissfully silent.

  “Mysstree?” Kilgar released a long, heavy breath, “Ashia, listen to me.”

  Silence seemed to still the entire forest, but he saw her chartreuse gaze peek from behind Balstir at his use of the term of endearment – she was round and beautiful and perfect even at this distance, even though he knew she was
probably a complete wreck from his mistakes and missteps.

  But knowing that she could see him and only him, Kilgar felt emboldened.

  “Those healing drops you put in our ears last night – they are the same ones that kept me out last time for over nineteen hurs and my beast for longer,” he paused waiting for a response from her, but none came. However, her round little face did not budge from its position, and it seemed her eyes squinted just in the slightest as a gentle breeze stirred her white hair and brought her spiced pepper scent to them, “I guess what I am trying to say that it is really strong and messes with our head.”

  Still no reply – from either of them.

  Kilgar ran his hands through his hair again as he faltered on the next part.

  Do not kahrolasi lie to her! Own it, esholeshek! The beast growled threateningly again. Own it and vow that it will never happen again. A lower rumble this time. Because it. Will. Not.

  His delay must have been too long for Balstir.

  “So, Captain,” Balstir’s tone turned sour and accusatory, “Any time you take strong medicine or have too much to drink, we can expect –”

  Kilgar interrupted him – his beast evident in his voice.

  “Siktir git, Balstir! Let me finish!” Kilgar’s disgust with himself became evident in every word that followed.

  “I know what I have been in the past, ashia” – yeah, time to own this – “Not my beast, ashia, just me” – Kilgar felt his demercriere’s shock as the over-sized animal sat back in calm observation – “And that is not who I am now” – Kilgar took a deep breath and held it momentarily as he watched her beautiful body slowly begin to appear from behind Balstir – “Who I am now honestly thought that female was you, ashia; even in my drugged state, my mind put you there” – Kilgar now saw her complete body stand beside Balstir and begin to take a step toward him – “Your scent was all I knew – your full memeles of which I have only dreamed – they are all I remem …” Kilgar trailed off as he watched Balstir’s arm extend outward to prevent his Mysstree from walking toward them.

  “What the godsfall are you doing, Balstir?” The superior officer in him flared along with his beast as Kilgar took a few more steps toward the two of them, “Let her kahrolasi go!”

  Kilgar let his demercriere’s growl sound forth as Balstir’s hydenna answered it with a warning growl of its own.

  “What? A few words and all is kahrolasi forgiven?” Balstir sounded almost incensed, but he kept the address between males not ranking officers, “For the gods’ sake, Kilgar, she is my sister!”

  Another threatening growl from the demercriere rolled up from Kilgar and across the small space that separated them.

  “Not by blood, Balstir,” Kilgar was completely back to himself now, “And my beast knows it!” Balstir’s hydenna growled menacingly – as if blood had anything to do with it! But the hydenna also realized the threatening and deadly drive inside the dangerous demercriere with them holding its perceived mate. Balstir glanced at the unsure look on Mysstree’s dirtied little face – those chartreuse eyes fixated on his Captain and friend. He slowly began to lower his arm, but she made no attempt to step forward – she simply stood, staring.

  Gods! This kahrolasi situation was maddening to both Balstir and his beast!

  Balstir reached out and smoothed Mysstree’s hair down the back of her neck – reaffirmation that if she wished to walk away, they were there to support her, “It is your choice, hediya,” his voice was soft and gentle – his eyes never leaving Kilgar’s as the demercriere again growled possessively at Balstir’s touching Mysstree.

  Balstir simply ignored Kilgar’s beast, “Neither my hydenna nor I sense any aggression from Captain Marid or his Eniyi,” he paused, waiting for her reaction one way or the other, as she nervously worried with her lower lip.

  Finally, she stopped the nibbling of the lip and asked, “Eniyi?”

  Mysstree’s delicate little hand reached up and touched Balstir’s forearm in reassurance – both for him and for her – although there was still a slight trembling in her palm.

  She heard the demercriere chuckle from its absence and it tickled both her and Miannmarr – Kilgar simply rolled his eyes. His kahrolasi beast had a name now. Great!

  “It is alright, kardesh,” her little face – though dirty as it was – angled upward to look at her Captain Marid, “I see him.”

  Kilgar took the two more steps to bridge the remaining space between them – his proximity and lack of aggressiveness finally allowing Balstir to relax enough to truly look at his Captain. But before any semblance of deep camaraderie could be felt between the two males, Kilgar’s state of arousal at the presence of his mate caught Balstir’s eye, and Balstir quickly stepped away from Kilgar and Mysstree – knowing he would be unable to unsee that image for a very long time.

  “Aw, godsfall, Kilgar!” Balstir exclaimed half-sarcastically, half-seriously as he began to walk away from them in the direction of the house. His sensitive hearing caught the noises of Kilgar taking Mysstree into his arms as both he and his hydenna would expect between newly-found mates, “Just have her home for mid-day meal, huh? We have to get back and get everything squared away with Yearlan – the Prince will not be back now for at least four more days so, get your ass back to the house soon!”

  Kilgar managed to acknowledge his Teyman before he was completely lost in his ashia’s curves.

  She jerked and let out a small yelp when his hands unknowingly found the injuries caused by the Tristana tree during their flight from her chamber.

  Kilgar pulled her head back from where it rested on his shoulder to look into her eyes – those unique and beautiful, almost glowing, chartreuse eyes – but she would not meet his gaze. Kilgar ducked his head and, in unison, his knees dipped somewhat with the action since he held her.

  “Where are you hurt?” Kilgar tried again to meet their gazes through movement of his own head, “Look at me, ashia.”

  She turned her head and face to him but her eyes were averted far to the side and down as she slowly shook her head from side to side.

  Kilgar’s beast growled at their mate’s obvious discomfort

  “It is only a few scratches, Captain Marid,” she swallowed hard, the action reverberating down her throat into her beautiful breasts as she motioned to her side and hip.

  Internally chiding his beast to stop the growling for whatever reason, Kilgar slightly shook his own head in disbelief as he set her down gently to stand on the naturally-padded forest floor. He immediately knelt to examine her wounds.

  “Ashia? My name is Kilgar, and that is how you will address me,” his words, although spoken in a near whisper, were not at all gentle and hissed through clenched teeth. In fact, it was pretty clear they were an order, and Mysstree cringed that she may have upset him until he continued – his gentle touches and licks only directed at treating her injuries, “These are my kahrolasi fault.”

  Mysstree smiled a sweet smile – sincerity obvious in every dimple.

  “Not really,” she huffed in self-deprecation, “They are actually because … uhmm, because …,” she pinched a significant amount of her ample abdomen at about Kilgar’s eye level, “Well, this is not exactly athletic prowess at its finest.”

  Mysstree tried with all she had in her to giggle at her own joke, but all she could see was that sleek female on top of Kilgar when she had left early this morning – the only thing that had appeared soft on that female had been her bouncing …

  No, Beauty, you have to let that go. Your Captain has explained what happened then.

  Mysstree snorted and let her forced smile fade as she watched Kilgar’s entire body tense – his actions frozen as all she could feel was his breath across the skin of her thigh – the sensations at his close proximity to the wounds making her own body tense just in the slightest. She watched as he began to raise his gorgeous face
toward them again, but lost her nerve at the last possible moment. Still unable to meet his gaze with no restraints holding him in place, Mysstree’s eyes fell away from Kilgar even with his position at a lower vantage point than her own.

  “Our apologies, Cap … Uhm, Kilgar,” she tried once again to smile, but her central focus still remained elsewhere, “We did not mean to accentuate the fact that your mate is not of your preference in females.”

  A threatening growl rolled up from the demercriere’s absence, and Kilgar’s eyes narrowed at her. Mysstree instinctively took a step back from him as her breath caught in her throat. Somehow she managed to plaster a smile on her face as she took one and then another step backward.

  “Uhmm … you know? uhmm … we had actually planned to, uhm, leave the, uhm, Southern Provinces anyway … uhmmm, so-o-o …,” Mysstree felt her entire body want to flee, but she knew that would incite his beast into another chase – walking away slowly was definitely the wiser choice here. As Kilgar raised himself to his full height, she took in the wonderful view of his gorgeous body again, and a very large part of her so much wanted to be in his arms again, but that look on the Captain’s face told her that was not happening.

  Beauty? What are you doing? I believe you have completely misread …

  Mysstree ignored her Professor – she could tell by all of the thoughts and feelings coursing through her mind and body that Miannmarr was once again totally intoxicated by the demercriere. None of that changed the fact that Mysstree knew how Kilgar was, what kind of females he preferred, how much he enjoyed his multiple liaisons – she had listened to all of the stories Balstir had told of the infamous Captain Marid.

  Mysstree unconsciously folded her arms across her chest to try to hide as much of her naked torso as possible as Kilgar’s face seemed to get angrier in his taking a determined step toward her. Mysstree tried to clear her throat and continue.

  “Uhmmm, yeah. We will just, uhm, get our bags,” she paused and swallowed again as she took another step or two back and went to turn away from Kilgar and towards their home, “And you will not ha—”