Those glowing eyes watching me blinked in understanding.
I'd struck a chord they could all appreciate. Now to strum a significant tune. "Kings, queens, and councilors mean nothing when they can't help their people."
The warriors nodded.
"You speak wisely, Aisling," Mart said. "I like this idea of so many councilors working together to benefit the people."
But don't look at me to set up your political system. "Then think of a way you can make councilors work for the Luvks."
His blue gaze locked on mine as he nodded. "This is all you will offer us in example?"
"It's not my place to choose for the Luvks. But in the realm of my home world, there are many low-castes treated certain ways because of their hobbies, places of birth, and even skin color. I don't think a council can change this. It's obviously part of something bigger. Something universal among groups of sentient beings. Your people must change that themselves. If they can."
Borun squeezed my shoulder again. "Come, little one. You need to think of other things for a while. It is time for you to meet Princess Frenyl."
Lehd and Proy pulled on their masks and paced the walk behind us to the great hall. By the time I stepped beneath the artificial lighting with Borun at my side, I felt like pointing out Frenyl could have any of my Royal Guards she chose. The look of disgust on her exquisite face showed me she resented my taking the best of the guards off the market. Noting I had nothing to do with that wouldn't gain me any ground here, before the Queens.
"Welcome, Aisling and Borun," Ishan greeted. "My daughter has requested to meet with the Marshal."
Where the princess had been since my arrival, I could only guess. Pushing any issue would get me nowhere. So, I waited to be approached.
Frenyl's long black skirt swept the rock floor as she took her time walking toward me, her faintly striped white arms crossed over the gold studs adorning her black bustier. Her black stripes were so thin and so short on her arms that anyone looking could barely see them. She paced out a path around my guards and I, leaving nothing to the imagination at how much she disliked me. "She looks nothing like me."
The Queens shuffled where they sat and giggled.
Of course I don't look anything like Frenyl. I don't have stripes. But the resemblance was uncanny. We both had long wavy blonde hair with just enough curl to tempt a man to touch it. We both had pale blue eyes. Hers didn't glow under the light spheres. We stood the same height and were the exact same builds. No wonder the Royal Guards were in such a feverish frenzy to possess me. I shot Borun a stare where he stood, masked, with his arms snaked across his chest at my shoulder.
He faintly rolled his eyes.
"Don't be rude, Frenyl. If I hadn't seen you both until this moment, I'd swear you both burst forth hand-n-hand from the same womb," Ishan said.
Twins. I looked so much like the prized princess that Goro had to have chosen me with purpose. That's a topic we'd soon discuss. He could count on it.
Frenyl stuck her nose up in the air. "If she is so important, send her to marry the Slaken. Borun doesn't need her."
A low growl gurgled from my mate at his sister's childish statement.
Ishan rose, her leather skirts shuffling beneath the weight of all the yellow gemstones embedded upon the skirt's waistline beneath her more than ample bosom. "Walk with me. I wish to venture into the garden. A little fresh air always lightens the darkest days."
Gardens were good. Refreshing. A sign of patience. A symbol of humanoids struggling to wrestle nature into a controlled form. And nature seemed so wild on this planet. Yes, bring on the gardens. But why was today's sunny day dark to the Queen?
My mate and my guards followed me out the door behind the queen and her cookie-cutter progeny. They were the same height and shape. But the mother had more curves. Undoubtedly from carrying twenty-nine children. The thought boggled the mind. My female mind. The reality shows on television back home showed women having up to nineteen, and hoping for more. But twenty-nine?
"You will not publicly disgrace me again, Frenyl," Ishan growled once outside and in the sun.
"I don't want to live in another world," the daughter snarled.
"I've heard enough of your childish wants."
Great. Now there's going to be a cat fight. Literally with the tiger women. I slowed my step a bit to place some buffering inches between myself and those snapping skirts.
Borun took my hand and curled it around his warm iron arm.
Looking might have caught the Queen's attention. And she didn't appear to be in good humor today. I just took the lifeline and kept walking.
The Queen's Royal Guards stood at every turn along the intersecting covered walkways.
None of the warriors compared in any way to my shadows. My guards were taller and more muscled. Just more damned intimidating. And in those black leather pants, truly they were a sight to behold. Why had Borun chosen men who could rival his claim on me to serve as my guards? Not that I'm up for claim jumping. But the truth was surrounding me. Borun must be content with his cultural traditions, worried about Kruk and others like him, or this land of Luvk is just beyond dangerous. Dark and deadly. Either way, I seem to be in good hands. Was that Commander Goro's big plan?
Ishan led us into brutal sunlight with two of her Royal Guards setting out ahead of her.
Sunlight seared my shoulders.
I should have worn my long-sleeve shirt. But I had no idea what to expect of this place yet. It wasn't every day the lights turned on and a person found herself switching from growing up at sea level to strolling on a mountain top.
Ishan continued along a gravel path lined with low plants sporting red flowers.
The pathway forked left and right, curving off into shrubs. The Queen turned right and opened my view of the garden's center. A statue of some creature stood in the center of radiating pathways leading into the two-legged beast's stony form. The statuary rested like the unifying center of a wheel's spokes. But the figure was too far away to note details. I stood, squinting, trying to figure out just what the creature was.
"It's Treichon, our god of fertility," Borun said.
God of fertility? Most fertility gods on Earth were female. I shot him a speculative glance.
All three males stared at me. Their masks hid their faces. But something twinkled in their eyes.
"Just why are you all laughing at me?"
"Queens pay homage to Treichon, little one."
Garbage. "I was not if that's what you're thinking. I am not a queen. I just can't see what that statue's form is from here."
Borun nudged her arm to follow Ishan's shadow. "Then let's walk with my mother down to the statue."
Why would it be so shocking that this place seemed to revolve around reproduction when life did back on Earth? Male verses female. Gender roles. Courting and marriage taboos. Music. Humor. Even the purpose of clothing if you thought about it long enough. Everything was about sex! Just like on Earth.
We caught up with Ishan where she stood at the obviously male statue, Frenyl's scowl focused upon me at her side. The princess definitely didn't want to give me any slack. I hadn't created her predicament though. I merely came along at a time when she needed a scapegoat. I couldn't begrudge her anger when I had a harem of willing males forced upon me. At least my harem looked the opposite of the stout being carved into gray stone beside the Queen.
Ishan slid a palm lovingly across Treichon's ass.
From what I could see, he had a tail. Vestigial or not. It wasn't working for me in its hairless state of about four inches. But it worked for Ishan as she grasped it like a penis.
I shot a questioning glance over my shoulder at the trio of males hovering in my shadow. My attentive harem. What were they thinking? They were going to explain what unfolded when we returned to the privacy of my lodge. Especially since I seemed to be stuck witnessing some familial power struggle between females. I focused back on Ishan's undying attention to the tail.
Maybe she just saw it as phallic. One could never be certain unless clarifying the confusion without a question. And even then, every anthropologist knew people lied to get what they wanted. To avoid being punished, stigmatized, or excommunicated. Any loss was loss. Power was power.
"This is our god of fertility, Marshal," Ishan announced, shooting a look at her daughter. "He's graced me with one high-caste daughter to wed in a superior union for the greater benefit of Luvks."
Frenyl rolled her eyes.
Why was this Queen wasting my time? Besides, I owed the princess one given she said Borun should just sacrifice me to the greater good. "Do Slakens have tails? Or am I lost?"
Somebody cleared his throat over my shoulder.
Ishan turned an arched brow my direction. "No tails. Haven't you met one given you came through their portal?"
"No. My commander brought me here first. He intended on allowing Johnson and I to experience life here before we decided who would stay on Luvk. But I'm starting to think it was planned I stay all along. Especially seeing how similar I looked to Frenyl."
"Oh?" Ishan stopped fondling the rock and turned to face me.
Her actions only supported my growing suspicions that Goro had always intended I stay. "You don't really lose your daughter. She'll always be your daughter. And you gain a female who not only ties you to other clans through acquiring a Royal Guard, but your son becomes the Luvk Marshal. Excellent strategizing, Ishan."
Ishan chuckled a bit. "Thank you for your praise. I'm more thrilled to realize how much we think alike."
"Well, I'm not fondling the tail if that's what you're hoping for."
Borun cleared his throat again.
Ishan chuckled in a giddy fashion. "But it's for luck. You could use some with Kruk breathing down your back to ruck."
?
Chapter Thirteen
Aisling couldn't think of anything she liked or respected about Queen Ishan anymore as she faced her in the garden. But there was no way out of responding to the Queen, she thought. "I don't believe in luck. I believe in science. If something happens, there's a logical reason for it. Rubbing tails only works if some queen holds death over your head to get you to comply. I don't think Borun's going to allow you to do that today."
Ishan's wicked smile faded into a smack of lips. "Well then. This trip for a peaceful stroll in the garden has gone awry. Come, Frenyl, I hear Goro is going to escort you to the Slaken capitol in three days." Ishan turned away from me as if to inform me I wouldn't be privy to the details.
Frenyl groaned.
Well, no more of these petty power games. I turned and slammed into Borun's chest.
He stared at me.
"She's wasting our time." Did I even have to note that? Both the other warriors appeared to agree with him and their patient blinks. "Besides, someone has to stand up to her. I'm the Marshal. I should be the one. I'm not representing a particular clan. I'm just an outsider."
"We'll discuss this back in our lodge."
* * * *
Borun actually enjoyed listening to his mate tear into his mother. But the fact she was going to bluntly call Mother on everything was a bit too brazen. Mother required special handling. And Aisling was just a little too aggressive. But she'd managed to send Mother off to nag Frenyl. Alone. So, Aisling deserved respect for that feat given it took years to earn Mother's respect in debates. He led the group back to their lodge, left the guards at their doorway guarded by Mart, and proceeded to enter his shadowy abode.
But I've got to convince Aisling to take care in these discussions. "Although I don't care for my mother's manipulation, you will carry my youngling soon. We can't afford to infuriate the Queens. If I'm called away, we will need those alliances for her protection."
"I know. I know. Sometimes I'm just so shocked at what I'm witnessing that I can't believe it's anything other than a game and my mouth takes over." She scanned the room's shadows. "I'm hungry."
My flesh tingled.
I rubbed my arms. "Morna will bring food along in a while."
The tingling didn't go away. It crept down my limbs until I feared I was infected with something.
"What's wrong?" Aisling asked.
"I feel a strange sensation. An itch or something."
She sidled over two steps to touch a fingertip to my harness and traced out the straps on my halter.
My heart kicked into a gallop at the touch, sending all my blood racing to my groin.
"It's probably blood lust." She shot me a wink. "It's been some time since we made love."
Not that long. "Is this what the life of a Marshal is like?" Sex. Desire. Just like a Royal Guard's life.
"Yes." She grinned a wicked grin. "But I'm not feeling anything. Yet. We can take care of your itch if you like." She batted her eyes.
"Food and your commander are on their way. It can wait." For a short while. And then I'll have my way with her in the pool.
"I've seen where Marshals stand around sweating or shaking." She placed a palm on my arm and walked around me, sliding her touch along to my side. "When a little sex makes a world of difference."
Oh the madness of the touch. If she doesn't stop, I'll have to throw her on the sleeping skins. I lifted my arm.
She shot me a glance and dipped to step beneath it, out of my view, and slide her warm palm around my lower back. "Do you know how you look to me, Borun?"
Bless the stars she didn't whisper. I wouldn't have been able to stand here. What would she say? "No."
Her other palm landed on my back. Warm. Caressing.
My lurching manhood strained against my leathers.
She slid her palms around my sides to my waist, leaned into me with an embrace, and sighed. "Glorious."
My heart sank faster than a diving war beast.
It was torture peeling her hands off of me. But I held them, turning to her lovesick gaze peering up at me from my nipples.
She raised onto her tiptoes and trailed her tongue around one of those taut beads on my chest.
My knees almost buckled.
Now that was truly glorious.
She slid her palms up my back and latched onto the nub with her teeth and sucked.
Lightning shot from those teeth to my groin.
Pure ecstasy. I wanted to grab her, thrust into her, make the others hear how her yell my name. Over and over. But moving meant the stabbing molten ecstasy ended.
Her lips kissed across my chest, the leather and metal of my harness, toward my other nipple.
My heart thrashed for her to bite it. Yank it into oblivion, taking me along.
Her gaze rolled up to mine right before she reached it. "I don't want to dine with the others. All I need is you." Her hands tickled to my sides where they feathered against my ribs as she latched onto that sensitive nub again.
Stars' jest! What my mouth must do to her. I'd punish her for wanting to hide in our lodge, accordingly. I grabbed her tiny waist, lifted her sweet lips from my breast, and carried her to the sleeping skins.
"Oh, Borun." She pressed her soft hungry mouth to my ear. "See what you do to me."
I descended, lowering her to straddle my aching groin, and peeled her shirt off those sweet breasts. Her nipples were so tight I'd have to work them a while to breathe the breath my soul needed for sustenance.
She raised up onto her knees, grabbing my hands, pressing them to curl around her breasts' soft mounds.
I stared at the most prized wonders in the seven realms, a mate's breasts, wondering how much I tortured her in pausing as she waited for me to follow instructions.
Her lips parted. Her little tongue flicked out to lick her lower lip.
Like her tongue on my body. I'd make her scream my name so loud the entire village heard. I turned her tiny stone of a nipple to my mouth and nibbled her flesh.
She groaned, throwing her head back, sliding her palms up my arms to my hair where she grabbed a fistful and squirmed in my lap.
She had to be w
et. So accursed wet. The way all the Queen's sires sat together and gloated over sleeping skin tales when younglings snuck into visit and overhear their father's conversations. I could make her wetter though. I pulled and plucked at her nipple until it was so soft that I could indulge with teasing the other.
She clung to me with one arm wrapped around my shoulder.
Needing me. I'd make her always need me. Like I needed to feel her pulse in her neck. Her lifeline that kept her writhing in my arms. I quickly kissed a path across her soft curves to her arching neck, right to that blessed rapid beat and latched onto her soul.
She groaned and tried to snuggle her head against mine. "Oh, Borun, what you do to me." Her hands slid over my shoulders and massaged some kind of secret message into my back.
I wanted her pants off. I wanted her legs spread wide. I wanted her crying out my name. I slid my hands down to unbutton her pants. She wriggled out of them after I pulled off her boots.
Boots were definitely annoying. I slid my hands down her silken body, down to her ankles.
She sighed and leaned back, holding my shoulders.
Nothing looked like her. The beauty. The desire.
Her hungry gaze locked on mine as she came to my face like an attacking predator and captured my mouth with hers, sucking my tongue and breath so deeply inside her moist cavern.
I raised on my knees, leaning her backward with her groin against my belly, and gently laid that pleading body upon my sleeping skins.
"Borun," she whispered against my lips as I backed away to cast off my leathers. "Please hurry."
Tears choked me at her words. Nothing ever clenched my soul before. Nothing like Aisling. I somehow managed to undress and kneel before her. Was I deserving? Was I strong enough for her? Would the holiest stars show me they approved of our match by gifting me a youngling?
"Borun." She reached out to me.
Like an omen. I sank against her trembling body and gently thrust my aching manhood inside her hot flesh. She was as wet as the falls at the cliffs. So wet I just glided all the way to the stars.
She grabbed two fistfuls of the harness at my back and stared me in the eye. "Hard and fast, Borun." She squeezed that hot channel of hers tightly.
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