He touched her cup with his left hand, and she felt something run through him.He picked it up and held the cup to her lips.The tea was tepid, and it was just what she wanted.
He looked at her.“Good?”
“Good.Thank you.”
Riithan looked at his uncle, amazed.“Uncle, I never thought to see you so attentive to a partner.”
“She demands it, and I will give it.I know she will reciprocate when she is able.She is a very honourable woman.”He smiled.“Plus, this is fun.I get to hold her close, and it reminds me that she is fragile right now.I have seen her in action and know that if she wanted to get loose, she wouldn’t hesitate to escape me.Well, she would try.Now that I am more familiar with her, tracking her will not be an issue.”Riimal said, “I have her close, and he is calm.”
Riithan nodded.“That much I understand.”He leaned over and kissed Ylara.
The conversation went to polite topics.Local events, training for Riithan and Riimal.
Riithan grinned.“I can imagine the stir when calm you arrive at the field.”
Riimal nodded.“It will be interesting.You might be the only one brave enough to spar with me.”
Riithan paused.“I think Ylara needs me to change the baby.”
“For three hours?”The king grinned.
“It’s a complicated procedure.”Riithan smiled.“She wiggles.”
Ylara snorted.
They talked for another hour, and the snacks were gone.When Ival woke from her doze, she was in her childhood bedroom at her grandparents’ apartments in super-soft sheets, the windows caught the sunset, and her walls glowed red.
She slowly sat up and put on the fluffy slippers waiting for her.She was still in her court dress and walked slowly into the common areas.
Her grandfather saw her as she moved slowly, and he said, “Your friends in Aksalla sent this chair.”
She nodded, slowly made it to the seat, and settled into the encapsulated gel chair.It wasn’t as comfortable as Riimal.He adjusted to all her curves.
Her grandfather said, “I didn’t know you had scales.I can’t even see them.”
“You didn’t see me after activation.It happened in my late teens.The more follicles that exuded toxins, the smaller the scales got.It looked like skin if you weren’t scaled yourself.”
“So, that is what Riimal saw.”
“Correct.My blood tasted familiar.He knew what I was.”
“Do you like him?He’s terrifying, and I don’t know where we could go if you don’t.”He looked at her.“But we would.We would start over to keep you safe.”
She looked at his earnest features.“You don’t need to.I actually like him.Something in me settles when he’s near.I feel like my body can do it right this time.”
He smiled.“Good, because he is going to take you from us sooner rather than later.”
“I will be near.My friends will come to me because I ask it of them.I need to write, and I need to rest.”
He nodded.“You keep yourself together in the writing?”
“If I can make others laugh or sigh, to bring a bit of the joy I once had, it settles me.”
He smiled.“Your father was that way.He said he had love and safety when he went home, and he wanted to help others find it.He wanted to protect all the little children who reminded him of you.”
“He was totally a girl dad.”She smiled.
“Yes.He was.I am so sorry that we left you and your mother alone.”
