by TJ Muir
Diya and Marrick were already on the ground. Marrick looked immensely relieved, his charge safely landed.
Jay took a deep breath, rolled his shoulders. He looked up at the sky, empty now.
He ran up and hugged Diya, earning a sideways look from Marrick and Digger.
“Thank you. Thank you thank you soo much,” he said, hugging her a second and third time. He wanted to make sure she knew how grateful he was.
Finally she slapped his arm, looking toward Marrick. “If you keep on, I will never invite you again,” she said, pouting.
But both of them knew it was said in jest. This had also been her first time to actually fly.
She turned toward the two pilots. She walked up and hugged Marrick, and Jay watched as she batted her eyes at him. She had somehow managed to put Marrick in the role of a doting uncle indulging a child.
“Marrick. We are both very grateful for your generosity. We ask that this could be a secret between ourselves?” Jay looked at Marrick, who looked both worried and relieved. They all knew she was asking, “don’t tell Papa on me.”
Marrick puffed out his cheeks, weighing his options. He looked down at her, and lost again. He smiled crookedly and nodded. “Between us,” he said.
Jay had the sense that her parents generally indulged her in whatever she wanted, giving only a passing consideration to being parents. But right now, most of the families were a little extra-parental, and cautious regarding random accidents and tragedies.
Jay could tell that Diya’s experience in the sky had been similar to his own.
“I never thought the world was so big,” she had said, even as she had been climbing out of the harness.
Marrick overheard her and laughed. “What you saw today? All that was only a tiny fraction of the world.”
That thought had stunned both of them. Jay felt as though he was seeing to the edges of the entire world. Now he wanted to know more.
“When we were up there, how far could we see?”
The pilot paused, thinking. “Probably as far as a day's ride.” He laughed, looking at their faces, and the incomprehension.
“Not even as far as Treyu?” That was the next large city to the west, a name Jay recognized from his maps.
“Not even that far. Less than half that distance,” he said.
“So Treyu is three of four days distant?” he asked, as his brain began to build a scale of names and distances.
“About that, I suppose. I usually fly, which is a lot quicker.” With that, the man turned to break down and store his flyer.
Diya turned to Jay as they walked off. “Trey,” she said.
“Trey what?” He asked.
“Trey needs to come flying.”
Jay felt a moment of resentment. This was his moment, and he didn’t want to share it with his friend. And then he felt horrible at his own pettiness.
Diya continued talking, oblivious to Jay’s moment.
“I know he has obligations to his family. But I can't help but think about poor Trey, trapped in his home now and into being responsible.”
Jay nodded. He had a hard time imagining happy laughing Trey making arrangements and giving orders to anyone- much less an entire Household and staff. “I think he would love that!” Jay said, smiling. Trey had been good to him, offering his friendship without a second thought. Jay felt an obligation now to try to be better.
“Which, the kidnapping, or the flying?” Diya asked.
“Probably both. Equally!”
Having determined their mission, the two of them laid back, watching the clouds, replaying the experience in their minds, and sharing different moments and recollections from their flights.
As they talked, Diya’s head close to Jay’s shoulder. He realized he had been absently playing with her fingers, curling and uncurling them. He continued to listen to her as she talked, about wanting to learn how to fly by herself, and other dreams and goals. But his attention and focus were more on her hand, the warmth of her fingers, and the delightful deep blue coloring she carried, silver streaks like rivers of starlight.
Eventually, Diya’s chatter trailed off, and she lay still, both of them watching the sky. But Jay thought she seemed extra quiet, extra-still, as though her attention was focused on Jay’s hand.
Jay sensed that subtle shift, even without noticing the colors around her. He continued to explore her hand, and naturally and spontaneously- as he had learned from his experiences with Cham. His exploration expanded. He sat up, facing her, and drew her up to sit close to him. The look in her eyes, looking deeply into his, poised, waiting, expectant.
He started exploring every inch of her body. Peeling back her clothes, to reveal the soft supple skin beneath. He rubbed the back of her neck and shoulders, rubbing, caressing, sensing her beneath his fingers, the way a blind person discovers the world, through touch.
He laid her down and massaged her back, neck and shoulders, slow, gentle exploration, as he drank in her essence, watching her colors respond to his touch. The contact seemed to heighten his sensitivity to his perception of the swirling colors. Tasting, nuzzling- but unrushed, as he savored every moment and response.
Her body completely relaxed beneath his fingers, but he could also sense a deeper taut awareness, even through her slow even breathing. He could tell that she was paying attention to him, his hands, but not with any worry or fear. He turned her over, exploring the front of her body with equal curiosity and intensity. He found that she was extremely ticklish on her sides, as she wiggled and writhed, almost jumping when he brushed his fingers along her ribs. Her feet were even more sensitive, as she burst into laughter, and squirmed.
And then, he invited her to the exchange- just as he had learned from Cham. At first, he had thought of this as its own experience, which it was.
He found Diya’s exploration of him very different, less sure, less deliberate than he had experienced with Cham. But he found himself intrigued by the mystery- each touch, caress, came as a bit of an unanticipated surprise to him. She explored, and learned his body, watching and feeling with her hands, for sensations and reactions. He learned that the back of his neck was sensitive and quite ticklish, as his shoulders scrunched reflexively.
Finally, he rolled up onto one arm, and reached out to her, kissed her. A very different kiss than their playful flirtations. At first, it was tentative. But then it became deeper, stronger, as he explored and tasted her lips, in much the same way as he had with his fingers. And in that, he felt the merging of his senses with hers, subtle at first, then growing- the familiar explosion inside of him, as his senses as a giver, merged completely, superimposed with Diya’s.
That sense became the driving factor, as he caressed, and nuzzled her neck, finding the sensitive points, where her pulse pounded. And he kissed her there, hard, feeling her own excited reaction, mingled with surprise. And then he traced his way, down along her throat, down between her breasts, while one hand caressed the curve of her hip. He explored her breasts, found them much more sensitive and responsive than Cham’s had been. Reveled in this for a while- as Diya squealed beneath him, breath ragged now.
When they finally did come together, Jay’s senses were so merged with Diya’s that he couldn’t tell where one of them began and the other ended- literally. He was completely driven by the sensory input- feeling the exquisite pleasure that Diya experienced. What began as slow and exploratory, deepened in intensity, as his own senses competed with hers, in his mind and brain. Until he gripped her fiercely, noting the intensity of the grip through Diya’s senses, but also how she matched that, reveled in it, pushed it deeper, ever to the edge of the abyss. Jay found himself crying out, and crying, as he gripped her deeply, as they both found that release simultaneously, and rode those waves, into a tangled calm.
Chapter Twelve
Jay had forgotten how big Trey’s house was. And Trey was no longer in his old rooms, which made finding his friend harder than he had expected. Jay’s head poked t
hrough the curtain. It was barely light out, and he had guessed, having come up empty twice. His first guess had been the father’s creepily empty suite. The second guess he found a woman snoring like a bear.
He tried glancing around the room for any sign that would tell him whose it was. The room was enormous and filled with every manner of statue, painting, and tapestry. There was a main area with the usual couches, chairs, and tables. For a moment he thought he was wrong again. But then, he looked over to the side area to his left. There was an area separate from the main suite, a very large alcove that lacked a door. He saw lace curtains billowing in the dim light, and beyond that was a bed, with blankets forming a large lump over a sleeping body. Even through the covers- the colors that swirled were clear and identifiable.
Jay sighed, relieved. He really didn’t want to go sneaking all over, like a thief in the night. He hoisted himself over the lip and into the room, landing lightly on his feet. He padded over to the bed.
Then with an impish grin, he grabbed the blankets and ripped them from the bed. “Wake up!” he shouted, in a whisper, and shoved his hand over Trey’s mouth. Trey’s eyes went wide, momentarily terrified before he recognized Jay. Then his expression shifted from fear to relief.
“By the nine hells! What are you doing?!” he exclaimed. But he looked pleased.
“We’ve come to kidnap you,” Jay explained, grabbing Trey by the arm, dragging him from the bed.
“Who is ‘we’? and what crazy scheme have you come up with?”
“My turn to show you a good time,” Jay said, while he looked around for Trey's clothes. A few moments later a shirt hit Trey square in the face.
“Hey,” Trey whisper-shouted back, then raised his voice. “You did that on purpose.”
A pair of pants flung themselves off of the love seat, thumping against his chest. “Good thing they lay your things out for you, Da'har.”
“To the Red god,” Trey cursed at Jay, but with no malice despite his raised voice.
“Sssshhhhh,” Jay said.
Trey did lower his voice slightly, as he pulled the shirt over his head, and buttoned the neck buttons, as he said. “Look around, no one is in hearing range. Not at this hour. And who is 'we,' anyway?”
“'We' is Diya and I. And we are stealing you away for the day. Or at least the morning. As your official long-standing friends with no slimy political ambition, we have taken it upon ourselves to assure that you have a day of fun. Those were her words, just to be clear.”
Trey walked over to a smaller side room. Jay heard water running. “But I have obligations to attend. The House steward will be furious! And there are relatives who will be here later, for, well, House-related things. And there is a pile of correspondences I was told to attend to promptly. That was three days ago.”
“Do you even hear yourself?” Jay countered. “Besides, you are the Da’Har. Aren't you supposed to be the one making the rules and decisions? Do as you please. It will do them all good to learn who is making the decisions around here now.”
Trey walked back into the room, looking wet but awake as he frowned slightly, considering.
“Besides, you have no choice. You either come along quietly, or I will tell everyone about…hmmm, which embarrassing secret would you least like revealed?”
“Okay. I get it. Considered me blackmailed, bribed and kidnapped,” he laughed, as the old Trey stirred to life. It hadn't been long, four week-spans. But Jay was dismayed at the changes he saw in his friend. Seeing Trey now, he wished he had come sooner.
“At least let me leave a note where Horva will find it. The man has become my personal servant. A little too personal for my taste,” Trey said, grimacing. “I’ll leave it where the spying little creep will find it without any effort. No need to worry the household needlessly.”
Jay fidgeted, wanting to be out and away. Finally, the two of them slipped out through the window and down the trellis.
Trey landed with a soft thump on the ground. The two of them heard a soft hiss and froze momentarily.
“It’s just me. Over here,” Diya whispered from the shadows.
“This house is entirely too easy to sneak into,” Trey noted, looking back up the way they had come.
“You have no idea,” Jay said.
And off the trio traipsed, across private lawns and gardens- making their way to the launch pad, where Diya’s pilot fliers would be waiting. Diya had wanted to bring her family's private carriage, for a quicker trip. But Jay convinced her they would have more fun tramping through the woods on foot.
“Where are we going, anyway? You clearly have something in mind. A plan.”
“It’s a surprise, idiot. Be grateful you aren't being dressed by strangers and hand fed figs for breakfast while they clothe you,” Diya said. “And know that we are not going to tell you, no matter what you threaten or promise.”
The taunting and suspense were something that brought out the best in him- having been on the other end of pranks and larks, too many times in his young life. Jay knew he had spent the last week-spans fending off the entire city. He didn't need to go over to Trey's House, to know that every So'har and Da'har, as well as every wealthy merchant, would make condolences calls. That is what they would call it, at least. But he knew they would be feeling out the new Da'har. Was he compliant, agreeable? Who would he favor? Would previous agreements be kept? Trey began to describe the insanity he had been living through in outrageous terms that had them all laughing. Jay could tell that Diya understood from personal life experience.
Listening to the two of them, even Jay felt claustrophobic. He wanted to get back up into the air himself, to feel the wind blow away all of the chatter. He was glad that Trey could experience the world from a distance and get a bit of inner solitude- even if it was flying double with the pilot.
They watched as the pilot walked Trey through the same pre-flight tutorial they both had gone through, where to hold on, what not to do, how to lean, and how to get the pilot’s attention. The pilot's final advice, “And if you're going to be sick, make sure to turn your head away from the wind.”
Trey looked a little worried at that, but only for a moment. His usual joyous ferocity kicked in, and he shouted his battle cry, “The Red God and all the city be damned!” as the flier hurled itself off the launching ramp.
Jay and Diya stayed on the ground, passing the time talking, with a bit of snuggling. They hadn’t been together since that night. Neither of them really knew what it meant. Their sex had been powerful and deeply bonding- but it seemed like neither of them knew what it might mean to the other person, and they didn’t know how it all might fit in within the bigger picture, of families and expectations. Well, Jay guessed that was what Diya was processing. He had no such family or expectation to fret over. His only concern was that Hak’kar remain satisfied with the flow of useful information. And that was something he was not of a mind to share with Diya.
Over an hour later, Trey landed refreshed and clear-headed. He took off his jacket, rubbing his arms and shoulders. “By the nine, it's cold up there!” But he was Trey again. The pilot pulled out a flask and handed it to Trey, who took a swig.
Jay and Diya smiled at each other, nodding: mission accomplished. Trey might have to return and get dragged through the nine hells- whatever exactly those were- but at least for now, they had given their friend a moment of peace.
Trey was thrilled by his experience in the air. “That was the singularly most fantastic thing I have ever done. Much better than boats,” he exclaimed, continuing on the same breath, “I must have one and learn how to fly. I can do that now, can’t I? There is no one in the Household to say yay or nay, is there? For the first time, at least for one tiny moment, I might enjoy being the Da’Har, after all.” They all knew, in reality, that Trey would find very few trade-offs, against the demands and obligations that he would be saddled with.
Trey's exuberance dimmed slightly, as reality returned, now that both feet were back on s
olid ground. Jay wondered if Trey the daredevil would get lost, or if Zo'Trey would find some way to be both people.
“You two are spectacular friends. I miss you. Both of you, every day. You know that, right? And Findal, too, even if Jomar... well, him too. I never appreciated friends until now. My true friends. And I want you by my side. In fact, I insist upon it. If I must be Zo'Trey to the world, I want someone with me so that I can just be me, Trey,” he said. But Jay could hear a change in Trey's voice, as his friend was beginning to become Da'har. Da'har Zo'Trey. Jay read the struggle, as Trey asserted something of himself into this role that too many others, were trying to craft around him—for their own purposes. The people around Trey wanted the young ruler to become their tool, their puppet. Jay hoped that didn’t happen and that Trey would find his footing and without losing those best parts of himself.
Chapter Thirteen
Back at the cottage, life was feeling ordinary and a little boring. A week had gone by since the kidnapping, and Kirrin was pestering him about his lessons. Jay just wanted to have a quiet breakfast, even if he knew Kirrin was right.
To stress his point, Kirrin had left a logic puzzle on the table. Two glasses overturned, a coin underneath one of them, with a sick balanced between them.
“You have barely set foot in the classroom for this entire span,” Kirrin said, refusing to be brushed off. Jay wondered if this was what having a mother felt like. “See if you can get the coin out without letting the stick fall.”
“I will. I promise.” Jay said as he poured himself another cup of tea. “I was thinking about going over to the archives,” he said.
Kirrin cocked his head and raised his eyebrow. “Really?”
Jay frowned, grumbling to himself. Kirrin wasn’t going to let him slip out that easily. There was so much going on lately, he didn’t look forward to the struggle to improve his reading. The novelty of getting an education had worn off.