It was far, far too late.
She was a woman in love.
And that was that.
Outside
She was still dazed by her revelation as Isaac led her through the empty corridors of his palace. Empty corridors. Had he cleared them of his people yet again? It must be so for a palace this size would never be so preternaturally deserted otherwise. Isaac was keeping her for himself, for his eyes only. Was he taking her to the blue room again? Despite her respectable dress, she was unsure of his intentions, and was thrilled when the corridors led them to a part of the palace she had never seen before. She loved visiting the blue room but was hoping for a different kind of adventure. She peered through the open door of an enormous, empty kitchen, still warm from recent cooking. There were huge pots of peeled potatoes and loaves of freshly baked bread laid out on the table. Had Isaac ordered everyone to leave so she could walk by unseen? Why was it so imperative to keep her hidden from human eyes? She was confused again. The man she loved was an enigma.
Isaac squeezed her hand, and the firm pressure of his fingers melted all her cares away, leaving her feeling as light as air. She was walking hand in hand with Isaac, going somewhere other than the blue room. She was not just a sex slave, she was Talia.
Light shone through the stained-glass windows next to the ornate double doors at the end of the corridor. Her heart leapt as she dared to hope. Outside. These doors led to…
Paradise.
The view from the bedroom had not prepared her for the breathtaking beauty that met her eyes as Isaac led her outside. It was as if they were in the middle of the countryside. Isaac had left the palace gardens free to grow without restriction, the wonder of nature flourishing ungoverned by its king. Trees joyously embraced their liberty and each other, their branches intertwining in tender caresses. It was a glorious wilderness with no other human in sight. Isaac had cleared the grounds of prying eyes as well. It was as if they were the only two people alive, Adam and Eve in the garden, birds singing joyously all around them, celebrating life in this tranquil idyll. And to her right was the river…
The river. Her heart swelled against her chest and an enormous smile danced across her face. The river… so many beautiful birds lazed on its grassy banks… and a pair of graceful white swans glided regally across the sparkling water, their beauty so affecting because they mated for life. Faithful, loyal, bonded only to each other…
“Would you like to walk by the river, Talia?”
She nodded mutely, overcome with emotion. Two days locked away had felt like an eternity for she had been afraid this day would never come. But it had. Outside. She was outside, surrounded by birds, the sun caressing her face as if it had missed her as much as she had missed its warmth. Isaac had not let her down. He was fulfilling her needs as promised. She needed to be immersed in nature as surely as she needed air to breathe. It was the Lokian way. Without this connection, her spiritual gifts would wither, lacking the stimulation and nourishment necessary to thrive. Isaac had seen her pain, he knew what she needed. She was more than his sex slave. She was Talia, Lokian visionary.
“Please, Wanwisa, don’t, not again.”
They had stopped walking and Isaac’s fingers were stroking the skin under her eyes. Wet fingers. Isaac hated to see her tears, couldn’t bear to see her cry…
“Happy,” she whispered, “so happy, Isaac, thank you. I…” She gulped as she realised what she had said and what she had been about to say. So happy, Isaac, thank you. I love you. She bit her lip, unable to muster the sense to apologise for her impudence. She loved this man and it was overwhelming. She prayed he would be gentle at her time of need.
He stroked her cheek, over and over again, his touch hypnotising. Isaac had mystical powers of his own, he just didn’t know it yet. His eyes darkened, not with anger but with something magical…
“Tomorrow, Talia, you will be punished for your bold words. Not tonight.”
Desire. The darkening in his eyes was desire and it was intermingled with the spectacular something plus a magical ingredient she hadn’t seen before. She lost herself in the magic in his eyes, unafraid and revelling in its beauty, for it was the magic of Isaac’s true feelings for her.
“So brave,” he murmured. “Will you still be so brave in the morning, my little visionary?”
“I trust you, Your Majesty,” she whispered. “I feel no fear, only gratitude and respect. You treat me with tenderness and compassion, tolerate my many indiscretions. Your empathetic qualities are the mark of a great man and king.”
His eyes were glazed as if he were staring into a fathomless distance but he was staring at her. She was sure her eyes were as dazed as his, but she was a woman in love, overwhelmed by the intensity of her emotions.
Could Isaac be overwhelmed by his emotions too?
They were destined to be together, for good or for ill, but now she was considering the possibility of something even greater. A joining of spirits that would last not only the rest of their time on earth but beyond.
Was the spectacular something really as spectacular as that? Were they destined for a unique and powerful bond, harmony of mind, body and spirit? Could they transcend the imbalance of their roles, king and captive, master and slave, to achieve something all Lokians aspired to?
Could she dare to believe in the magic of Talia and Isaac?
“Beautiful words, Wanwisa, but still no apology for your impudence.”
His voice was playful but she could hear the authority underlying it. Her king was not ready to embrace the equality of Talia and Isaac. Yet. She fell to the ground in a low curtsey and pressed her head humbly against his knee.
“Please forgive me, Your Majesty, I never want to offend you. I hold you in higher regard than any other human in this world. I meant no disrespect. I was emotional and overcome with happiness and did not know what I was saying. I beg you to be kind and accept my sincerest apologies.”
Isaac’s breath caught as he stroked her hair, his touch tender and possessive. She leant into his caress, treasuring his forgiveness, until he reached for her hands and pulled her up against him, their bodies pressed together, his manhood stiff against her belly.
“Talia.”
He tipped her chin up with his fingertips and ran them over her mouth.
“I was right not to curtail your mouth’s freedom. Such beauty comes from it.”
“I wish only to honour Your Majesty with my mouth,” she whispered, well aware of the double meaning implicit in her words.
“Oh, you will, Talia, you will.”
His eyes twinkled salaciously, the subtle, teasing menace all part of his game.
Isaac’s game.
She blinked and wondered if she would ever be allowed to fully embrace the man behind the facade, not the alpha male, the all-powerful king, the terrifying sexual predator…
There was so much more to him than that.
Isaac, the man, had untapped magic in his soul – and she would find it.
But Isaac loved his game. He needed it – why, she did not know. If it meant that much to him, she would bide her time and continue to play. He would be furious if he knew she had discovered his secret for it meant she was in control.
Talia had power.
His fingertips traced over her eyelids, their touch feather-light. She moaned softly and leant into him, her heart bursting with love.
“There is so much going on behind these exquisite eyes. You are frighteningly intelligent, Talia. I want to own your intelligence, own you. I will give you greater freedom of expression so I can learn how you think and how you feel. You belong to me and I want to understand everything about you.”
I love you, Isaac, that is all you need to understand. You are everything to me. But she couldn’t say that. She had to play Isaac’s game and play it well, fight for what she wanted from within the parameters he had set. She had to be gentle – Isaac was afraid. She stared silently into his eyes until he shook his head.
“I will be patient but tomorrow cannot come fast enough. I have plans for you, Talia. I know how to discover everything I need to know. How your mind works, what fulfils you, what you need to be happy. I know how to uncover the depths of your soul.”
His smile was sensual, warm… and chilling. For she knew what he planned to do. He would discover more about her by using the only method he recognised as a valid manner of communication.
Fucking.
She was Isaac’s sex slave. She must not forget that for a moment, must not delude herself, lay herself open to pain.
But now he was leading her to the river and the spectacular something had consumed his eyes again. It was so easy to trust when he was like this, but it never lasted…
“So beautiful.”
She was distracted from her sudden melancholy by a perfect greylag goose resting on the riverbank nearby. The goose’s eyes were slowly rolling, open, shut, open, shut, as it kept a wary eye on her and Isaac. The goose was relaxed but cautious, anticipating danger ahead, just like her. Such tension combined with relaxation was odd, unsettling and extremely tiring. But it was exciting and she would not lose it for the world. Still, it was tiring. She yawned loudly.
“Keeping you awake, am I, Wanwisa? What a very rude visionary you are.”
There was no edge to Isaac’s voice – it was as amused as his beautiful eyes. Tomorrow, with its delicious threat of punishment, was forgotten until it dawned.
Delicious threat of punishment? She had been driven mad by love – and she didn’t care.
She relaxed as they reclined on the riverbank, and watched as the goose did too. It had clearly decided they posed no threat and fell back into slumber, its eyes closed and still in sleep. Its feathers shone in the late afternoon sun, and she watched the light play upon them as day slowly moved into twilight.
“Oh.”
The swans were joining them on the grass as if they were honorary members of their family. After a few cursory glances in their direction, the birds settled happily nearby. Talia knew they could feel her profound love for them vibrating through the universe.
“You adore them, don’t you, Talia?”
Isaac could feel it too. His voice was tender and approving, not mocking her softness of heart. She beamed and nodded. “Very much. Swans mate for life, pine for their beloved if they die. They are more devoted than many human couples. Thank you, Your Majesty, for bringing me here, it means so much to me to spend time with them and witness their loving bond.”
Without thinking, she rested her head on his shoulder. He sighed softly and moved his hand out of hers, wrapping his arm around her instead.
“They are beautiful and calming to watch.”
“They bring me closer to my angel hawk.”
“Talia?”
This was what Isaac wanted, to learn about her people and their ways – it was why she was here. It was easy to forget that as their bond developed, but now she was relaxed and unconcerned by the question in his voice. He was not probing or interrogating, she had instigated this conversation.
“You have heard, Your Majesty – about spirit animals?”
He nodded, his eyes gleaming with curiosity. For a moment her heart ached; she was his mission successfully accomplished, the Lokian visionary willingly telling the secrets of her mystical tribe. Yet what she had to say would not help him rule his kingdom, only leave him more in awe of her people’s powers.
Her powers…
“My spirit animal is the angel hawk,” she murmured, searching his eyes for his reaction. He bit his lip as he stared back at her.
“Angel hawks are rare, hunted for the beauty of their feathers.”
She closed her eyes as pain pierced her soul at the cruel truth of his casual words. “It is a great crime to kill an animal so carelessly. Angel hawks are blessed with great beauty that should not be coveted but admired. The desire to own and control all that is wild and beautiful is one of humankind’s greatest failings.”
To her surprise Isaac’s eyes shone passionately. “Absolutely, Talia, well said. We should take only what we need for food and warmth.”
Her eyes narrowed, and her mouth moved without thought or restraint. “And even then we should consider if our needs are so great, if our survival is reliant on killing another sentient creature. If we plunder nature we disturb the delicate balance of the earth. Every being has been created for a purpose and to live that purpose free from interference or fear. Humans are incredibly bad at living in harmony with each other and even worse with other beings.”
She snapped her mouth and eyes tightly shut and awaited her chastisement. It did not come. Slowly she reopened her eyes to meet concerned shadows in Isaac’s.
“This subject brings you pain, Talia.”
“The rape of the earth and the creatures upon it brings me pain, Your Majesty, yes. All Lokians feel this pain. Our path is a meditative one of self-discovery and spiritual growth – we have no interest in the power and control the majority of humankind are so obsessed with.”
He blew out a long breath and shook his head violently. She swallowed but still her chastisement did not come.
“No interest – in power or success?”
This was the crux of the matter, the reason she was here. She took a deep breath.
“We do not see success in the same things as other people. Our fulfilment is found in spiritual enlightenment, our triumphs are the discoveries we make that can help humankind. A Lokian’s journey is a spiritual one, Your Majesty, my people wish only to unite and harmonise, not divide and rule. No living creature need ever fear us.”
Isaac stared silently at her, his eyes unfathomable.
“So, your visits to the spirit realms bring you enlightenment but how does your mind travel there? How do you attain such a mystical state? How does it feel?”
Isaac’s questions were pouring out unchecked. He could not hide his awe and fascination – or his fear.
“It is hard to explain but easy to do once you stop trying.” He looked bewildered which was understandable; this was the first time she had ever had to explain the Lokian way to an outsider and she had no idea how to do it. “I clear my mind of all clutter as you might tidy a messy room, free it of the chatter of the world. I concentrate on relaxing and breathing and simply… being, and allow my mind to empty of all thoughts. Humans are always thinking and doing which agitates and muddies the mind. When the mind is freed of all earthly concerns it flies to freedom in the spirit realms and experiences a feeling of profound peace and euphoria, of unity and oneness with the universe. It is no longer trapped by societal dictates and is receptive to new and revolutionary ways of thinking.”
Isaac’s mouth had fallen open but she managed to remain calm and stare peaceably back at him. Any hint that she saw his awe and unease could have terrible repercussions for at this moment Isaac was more vulnerable than ever before…
“When you empty your mind, does it always journey to the spirit realms?”
She nodded. “Yes, a Lokian practises the technique from birth, our minds are trained to respond. It is a habit learnt like anything else. I always know when the spirit realms are beckoning because my angel hawk calls me to fly with him.”
She was giving Isaac everything he wanted without restraint, laying it all out before him. She loved him and had nothing to protect. Lokians would always happily discuss their spiritual journeys with anyone interested enough to ask, but most people were afraid of the unknown and never did. If Isaac had asked her these questions on her first night here, she would have been just as honest then. But he hadn’t asked. Isaac always had to complicate things…
“How does it feel?” Isaac repeated, his voice a reverent murmur. She considered her words carefully, determined to honour him with the truth.
“As if I am bodiless and exist purely in a spiritual sense. I have no awareness of who or where I am and no conscious thought, my mind is free and uncluttered, soaring with possibilities. It flie
s, Your Majesty. Ideas, visions, dreams – whatever you want to call them – all surge into my mind unbidden and bless me with spiritual truths. I can see past the illusions of our lives as the true nature of this mortal world is revealed to me. If I am in the spirit realms at the same time as another Lokian, I can connect with their spirit and sense their emotions. It’s unbelievably beautiful and gives me a profound sense of peace,” she finished quietly, wondering how she could ever do justice to the simple magic she had been blessed with since birth.
Isaac’s eyes were wide and disbelieving like a child seeing the wonder of the world for the first time. “Can you talk to other Lokians when you are in your trance?”
She smiled. “Not talk exactly but connect emotionally and spiritually especially at times of intense feeling. I sometimes see snippets of events, flashing images without seeing the entire picture.” She bit her lip. This conversation was not helping her in her mission. She was discussing the very thing she had been valiantly avoiding, and her people had sensed an opening in her mind. Their thoughts were loud and distracting, and she did not want anything to disturb her focus on Isaac. She concentrated all her powers on blocking their concerned voices as she drew the sky blue veils tightly around her mind, cocooning it from all communication. She could feel their frustration as she pulled the veils closed. Very few Lokians were capable of blocking all communication, it was the mark of a rare and advanced visionary. And she had been able to do it effortlessly since birth. As a tiny child, she had played with the minds of the elders and bemused and astounded them all. And now they were fearful for her wellbeing and she was rejecting their concern. She felt little guilt for she had convinced herself it was for their protection, but she was lying to herself…
This was all about Isaac – she was obsessed with him. He was the centre of her world. If she wasn’t careful, she would neglect her gifts and love would achieve what hate and control never could…
It would destroy her. Destroy Talia.
She shuddered.
“Talia? Talia, my sweet, come back to me, please.”
Talia and Isaac Page 19