Masks
Radittsu looked thoroughly miserable.
"I don't think I can go through with this."
Zha'haabron looked up from where he knelt meekly at the Saiyan's feet. In the seven days that we'd been coaching he'd taken to wearing an elaborately braided, delicately jewelled metal collar he'd had made - a symbol, he said, of his status as lm'entr'e - and getting into his rôle as consort: the two combined required him to act with complete submission towards his bondmate. He insisted that the sooner Radittsu got used to it the better, and I agreed it was a good idea. In theory, anyway. In reality, it was making the big male very unhappy.
I could understand why. Their relationship had always been more or less equal. Yes, Zha'haabron was more powerful, both physically and in terms of ki, but his royal status had never been an issue between them - had simply been ignored. And they adored each other. Radittsu made no secret of his love (it had been clear from the beginning that he practically worshipped the prince), and while Zha'haabron wasn't as obvious, it didn't take a genius to see how he felt about his bondmate. It shone in his eyes every time he looked at the Saiyan...
So for Radittsu to have to learn to treat his love like some sort of slave came very hard. I sighed and ran my hand through my hair.
"I know. But you know how important it is."
He reached down and hauled Zha'haabron to his feet, hugging him tightly.
"Can't we try something else?"
The prince pulled back slightly and cupped Radittsu's face in his hands.
"This is by far the best scenario we can adopt. It guarantees both of us a measure of safety we would not otherwise have."
Radittsu's eyes closed as he lowered his head, his shoulders slumping. "I know, I know. I just don't think I can do it."
Zha'haabron's gaze swung to me, and he smiled gently. "Would you leave us for a couple of hours?"
I nodded, almost relieved. "In fact, let's call it a day. I have a few things I need to do. I'll see you both in the morning. Don't forget we're sparring early, Radittsu."
It hadn't taken Radittsu long to recover ki once he'd resumed training - one of the benefits of being naturally exceptionally strong, fit and healthy. By the third day he was able to beat his brother to a pulp: by the fifth we were sparring, and I was pretty sure that in another couple of days he'd be back up to his normal level. I was looking forward to it. I'd missed him as a training partner.
However, right now I had a few people to contact. Radittsu's 'outfits' should have been ready a day ago, and I was also expecting a progress report from the Feeodoreeans on the status of the earring communicator. I'd already given a bottle of the sunscreening lotion to Zha'haabron to try out on his bondmate (just to check that there was nothing in it that Radittsu was allergic to - not that there was much risk of that). The prince had tried a little and it seemed to work all right, although Radittsu apparently hadn't been too keen on the smell, which was similar to the warm, spicy-sweet perfume of the plant that twined around their balcony. I got the distinct impression that Zha'haabron did like it, however, so I guessed that Radittsu would learn to live with it... I had to report back to the lab and arrange to have a whole load more made up.
I settled myself at the monitor in my 'office' - I'd had one of the smaller rooms in our suite reorganised, with a link to the Thinkers' main computer so I didn't need to go to the library all the time - and placed a call to the leatherworkers...
Zha'haabron pulled Radittsu down on to the bed, frowning at the tension in his muscular body, then peeled the brief bodysuit from him and slid out of his own.
"Lie down."
Radittsu flashed him a quick glance, then stretched out on his back. The prince rolled him over onto his stomach with his arms above his head and gently pushed his hair over his shoulder to pool across the bed, then moved to straddle his waist. He reached for the bottle of sunscreening lotion, trickling a handful onto the powerful back, then slowly and firmly began to massage it into the Saiyan's skin. Radittsu moaned slightly and relaxed as strong cool fingers worked against tight muscle. Kneading the solid flesh over his bondmate's ribs, the prince inclined his head pensively.
**There might be a way I can make things easier for you**
Radittsu tensed again, and Zha'haabron sighed, still stroking and caressing the taut skin under his hands.
** Rhoi'i'dat'hzziu, please...You know we must do this**
The big male growled, but loosened fractionally.
*What is it you want to do?*
**I can - 'share' the mindset you're trying to attain. At least, I think I can**
There was a puzzled silence.
*What does that mean?*
**I know what it feels like to be the sort of character you're trying to impersonate. I can try to share that feeling with you. It might make it easier for you to act in the appropriate manner**
Radittsu glanced back over his shoulder.
"And how would you know what it feels like?"
"From my sire."
The Saiyan frowned.
"And how did that happen?"
Zha'haabron paused for a moment, wondering quite what to say. His sire had unconsciously passed it to him during mating - one of the side effects of the cocktail of drugs he'd been force-fed was to enhance telepathic sensitivity while at the same time stripping away practically all mental control. But Zha'haabron hadn't told his bondmate about his earlier life - he didn't dare: it was quite possible Radittsu would attack his sire on sight if he knew, and that would accomplish nothing but his death since Zha'geekaan was one of the major powers on R'ren'nkh'ia, more powerful than the Saiyan captain by several orders of magnitude. Finally he opted for the least specific truth.
"It is - a family matter."
Radittsu frowned, but didn't insist. Relieved, Zha'haabron leaned down and kissed his shoulder, making the big male shiver delightedly.
*Well, if it'll help... What do I do?*
**For now, nothing. Just relax**
Zha'haabron shifted to kneel between Radittsu's legs, pouring more of the lotion onto the small of his back and massaging in long, slow strokes, smoothing the creamy liquid into the firm buttocks and muscular thighs, working it between his legs and around the base of his heavy genitals as the Saiyan shuddered with pleasure. Then he paused and contemplated his bondmate's tail: he knew it was sensitive, and had been very wary of touching it up to now, but Leteetza had said all over... He took a deep breath and tentatively pushed his fingers into the rich, thick fur.
Radittsu gasped, clenching his fingers in the sleeping fur as his body went completely rigid. Zha'haabron hurriedly let go and sat back on his heels.
**I am sorry...**
*Don't you dare stop!*
The prince gazed at the tail, currently twisting and twining against itself like a stricken snake, and cautiously took it back into his grasp. Radittsu groaned and forced himself to relax.
*Ohhhhhhh... You have no idea how good that feels...*
Zha'haabron brought it to his face, stroking it between his cheek and one hand and blowing against the lie of the fur, while the other hand's fingers scratched lightly along its length...
In one fast, smooth movement Radittsu rolled onto his back, pulled Zha'haabron to him, and plunged into his beautiful body, burying his face in the silky green hair as he rolled again so that the startled prince was underneath him, fingers still buried in the fur of his tail. Then the Saiyan started thrusting...
Zha'haabron yelped and wrapped his legs around Radittsu's thighs, trying to hold him in place while he focussed on controlling his body before his bondmate tore himself to pieces on the barbs. Without realising it he tightened his grip on Radittsu's tail at the same time, and the big male froze with a gasp of pain.
*Ah, hell! All right - I'm not going to move. You can let go of the tail.*
**Are you sure?**
*Yes. I'm sorry. I should have warned you.*
Zha'haabron loosed the tail, relieved when the Saiyan remained motionless. **Tell me about it later. For now, I'm going to roll us so you're on your back. Just don't try to move**
Radittsu nodded, holding his breath, then releasing it with a sigh as the prince settled above him and slid down, tight against his groin.
**Are you all right?**
Radittsu nodded. *Your reactions are bloody fast! You stopped me causing too much damage.* He concentrated and twitched inside his bondmate, wincing slightly. *I'll be sore for a while, but there's no real harm done.*
Zha'haabron's head fell forward with relief, then he peered at the Saiyan through the veil of his hair, mouth twisted in a sardonic half smile. His mental voice was sarcastic.
**Any other little surprises or idiosyncrasies you'd like to tell me about?**
Radittsu gave him an embarrassed grin.
*Um, none that spring to mind right now...*
**Oh good... Well, since we're in this position, we may as well attempt the mind-share. If you feel capable?**
The Saiyan nodded, and Zha'haabron leaned down to lick at a nipple - this time nipping it lightly between his teeth. Radittsu flinched. They were exceptionally sharp teeth...
The prince lay down, stretching out along the Saiyan's body, resting his head in the crook of the strong neck, then took Radittsu's hands and pulled them to his own groin. The Saiyan instinctively wrapped one around his shaft, the other reaching behind and below it for that fascinating and sensitive little nub - then paused, frowning.
"You don't want to be in water?"
"Not for this." Zha'haabron's voice was a little unsteady. Radittsu nuzzled his hair.
"You all right?"
He felt the prince kiss his collarbone. "Yes. But this takes considerable concentration. Please bear with me."
Radittsu waited as Zha'haabron began breathing deeply. After a couple of minutes he raised himself slightly and placed his hands on either side of the Saiyan's head, gazing down into his face. Radittsu's eyes widened in alarm: the prince's looked - weird, the gold crazed through with a strange, livid green, the pupils elliptical and hazed with silvery blue. Oh gods, this wasn't some other kind of transformation, was it? But Zha'haabron made no move to hurt him, and moments later he felt that warm, strong, deliciously undulating pulse along his shaft and started moving his own hands in the same rhythm, smiling as his love's lips parted and his eyes half-closed in pleasure.
And then...
His mind filled with - images? sensations? something that was both and neither, a presence, arrogance personified, utterly merciless, callous, unrelenting - savagely, casually cruel. He gasped - then climaxed with a cry of pain as something agonising brushed lightly across his psyche.
Zha'haabron was trembling.
**I'm sorry... That last was not meant for you... Are you all right?**
Radittsu hugged him close, then moved his hands back to Zha'haabron's groin and began to caress him, gently, lovingly, until he too came, hissing, his head thrown back, then collapsed against the Saiyan's broad chest, still shaking. Radittsu stroked his back as he carefully withdrew, then pulled himself upright with the prince in his arms and hastened through to the bath.
Once in the water Zha'haabron nestled closer to his bondmate, fine tremors still snaking through him. Radittsu held him close, anxiety clear in his eyes.
*What's wrong?*
Zha'haabron hugged tighter, not answering.
*Please talk to me. Please.*
A mental sigh, deeply unhappy.
**I'm sorry. I did not mean to hurt you**
*You haven't. You're worrying me though.*
The prince gazed up at him, his eyes now back to their usual beautiful gold, but brimming with tears.
**I thought I could do that. I was wrong**
Radittsu cupped his chin and wiped at the tears with his thumb.
*No, it worked. I know what I have to do, now. But why has it upset you so much?* He frowned. *Will you tell me what happened?*
Zha'haabron sighed, then forced a shaky smile, grimly pushing the indistinct, nightmarish memories the attempt had evoked back into the depths of his mind.
"It took - rather more effort than I had expected. I am tired and overwrought - I have not been trained in such techniques. I did not mean to cause you alarm."
Radittsu eyed him suspiciously: the sudden change from mindspeak to voice could mean he was trying to hide something. Then again, it could just mean he was exhausted. He certainly looked and felt it... Radittsu hugged him close. Then the prince squirmed back slightly and stared up at him, eyes wide.
"You said it worked?"
The big male nodded. "I have a very clear understanding of the type of vicious, ruthless bastard I'm supposed to play while we're on your world. And if that's what your sire is like - thank all the gods I have you now." His arms tightened around the tired blue body. "We'll get this whole thing over with as quickly as we can. And when we get back, I'm going to take you away for a while. There's a special place up in the north, not far from where I was born. It's beautiful there. I want to share it with you."
Gazing up at the Saiyan's strong, wildly beautiful face, Zha'haabron felt tears rising again, and choked back a sob, silently blessing whatever fates had brought him to this time and place.
There was definitely something different about Radittsu when I arrived the next morning. His back was straighter, his head held higher, and there was a positively arrogant expression on his face. I glanced at Zha'haabron, my expression questioning, and the prince smiled.
"We - tried something, last night. It seems to have worked."
The big male smiled down at me. It was an unpleasant smile. And he was generating a dangerous aura, a little like Vejiita at his most unpredictable, but this was somehow - barbaric, as I'd never felt the King to be. I gazed up at him, alarmed.
"I hope you can switch that off!"
He regarded me for a moment, then his face softened and he grinned.
"Yes, I can."
I glanced up at the prince, who was smiling, gently proud. "One day you'll have to tell me how you did that..."
He inclined his head. "One day. Maybe."
I grinned and handed him a package. "Have a look while we're training. See what you think..."
Radittsu beat me. Easily. I was not happy when we returned to the suite. As I eased myself on to a seat, wincing, I glared at the prince.
"Whatever you did has made him positively evil in a fight. And increased his ki. Can you do the same for me?"
The prince opened his mouth to answer, but never got the chance. Radittsu smirked and leapt in.
"I don't think Vejiita would approve..."
I nodded my head, resigned. "Might have known." I smiled at Zha'haabron. "What did you think of the, uh, package?"
"Apt. And attractive." A pile of red-brown leather and shining metal sat on the table - he picked up the communicator and held it out to Radittsu, who took it, frowning. It was made of the same silvery metal as the prince's collar, and was a little on the heavy side, the main device housed in a solid oval cabochon, with a claw-shaped 'tail' that contained the transmitter. A substantial shank with a broad sturdy clip would hold it firmly in place once the earlobe was pierced.
"Fine. How does it work?"
"It runs on your own ki, and it's a sealed unit: completely dust-proof, sand-proof, water-proof - you name it, it's -proof it. It's only one way - we thought that would be safer for you than running the risk of others hearing us talking to you: we won't be able to contact you, but we'll be able to hear everything that goes on, so we can monitor your situation at all times. Then if you do need a rescue party - or anything else for that matter - you can call us. If you like, we can decide on a series of code words for different situations and actions you'd like us to take: all you'd need to do is speak them aloud. A fast ship could be with you in about eight hours. I'm sure we can always find some excuse for needing to visit..."
He nodded. "Good. Where's the 'off' switch."
"Uh, there isn't one..."
His head came up to glare at me. "What d'you mean, 'there isn't one'?"
"The engineers didn't include one. The aim is, after all, to be in contact at all times."
Radittsu frowned at me, then grinned at the prince.
"Just as well we can mindspeak then, isn't it?"
I chuckled. "And do you usually make a lot of noise?"
"Not usually. But I'm sure we can make an exception for you!"
I swatted him, and Zha'haabron smiled. "It will serve the purpose more than adequately." He turned to Radittsu, his eyes glittering. "Do you want me to pierce your earlobe?"
I fought back a giggle as the Saiyan raised an eyebrow. "What, now? We're not going for another fifteen days!"
"As you wish. I thought you might want to accustom yourself to it."
Radittsu gazed at the device, then at his bondmate, then at me. "Have you set up the receiver yet?"
I nodded. "We need to run some trials to check everything works properly before you leave. But I promise that other than that, I won't switch the thing on until you actually reach R'ren'nkh'ia. Then it'll be manned at all times - I'm assembling a team so we can work shifts."
Zha'haabron inclined his head. "Thank you."
Radittsu closed his hand around the communicator, head on one side, then tossed it in the air and caught it again.
"What the hell, why not? I may as well be comfortable with the thing before we go. But I'll do it myself, thanks."
The prince's eyes twinkled. "Don't you trust me?"
Radittsu grinned widely. "Of course I do. I'm just a masochist."
Zha'haabron lifted the pile from the table. "In that case, why don't you clean up, fit the communicator, and try these on?"
Radittsu kissed him and went through to the bathroom to comply.
While he was out of the room, Zha'haabron turned to me, his face serious.
"Has his ki risen substantially?"
I nodded. "Exactly what did you do?"
He paled and closed his eyes. "Let him *know* my sire's essence..."
I winced. "I don't care what you say, you are brave. It goes without saying I treat everything you tell me as strictly confidential."
He smiled. "I know."
I frowned. "Are you sure it was wise, though? Will there be any repercussions?"
He lowered his eyes. "I don't really know."
I glared at him. "Oh, Zha'haabron! What will we do if he's permanently stuck with your sire's character?"
"I don't think that will happen."
"But you can't be sure..."
He gazed at me impassively. "My thought was to make the forthcoming trial easier for him. And myself. And that I have accomplished. I have to trust that his... love for me is sufficiently deep to overcome any unwanted consequences."
I shook my head in resignation. It was done now. But I determined to do what I could to make sure nothing nasty came of it.
Radittsu pulled the knife from his wristguard, pulled his left earlobe taut, and pushed the knife-point through the flesh, wincing slightly as he twisted and then pulled the knife back - then slid the earring shank quickly through the hole before it had a chance to heal, closing the clip and settling the device in place. He frowned at his reflection in the mirrorwall, then shrugged. It felt odd and heavy, but he'd get used to it. At least it looked all right, chunky, solid, not too ornate...
A few minutes under the hot spray and he had pulled on the wristcuffs, armband and boots and was wriggling into the rest of the 'outfit' Leteetza had had made for him. Fastening the buckles of the brief top across his chest, he pulled his hair to the side to settle the rich, supple leather snugly against his skin, regarding himself appraisingly.
Well, there wasn't much to it. And it wasn't exactly the most comfortable thing he'd ever worn. But the leather was soft enough that it wouldn't rub - which was just as well given how closely it cupped his genitals and the base of his tail! He sighed, let his hair drop, stared at himself for a moment or two while he focussed on his new character, then returned to the main chamber.
Zha'haabron's eyes widened hugely. I'm pretty sure mine did too.
"Wow..." My voice was hushed.
Radittsu paused, pulled himself straight and raised his head, a supercilious smirk on his face. The prince glided to his side and dropped gracefully to kneel at his feet, and Radittsu's hand twined into his hair, possessively. They both looked at me, Radittsu arrogantly, Zha'haabron submissively. And for the first time I really felt they'd be able to make this work.
Sixteen days later....
I stood on the balcony, breathing deeply of the cool, fragrant air, gazing at the stars. The cold season was over, the world rapidly warming again, although the nights could still be chill. And Radittsu and Zha'haabron's ship was approaching R'ren'nkh'ia...
Vejiita's arms wrapped around me from behind and he nuzzled my hair. I sighed and leaned back against his chest.
"You have done all that you could to make it a success."
I turned my head to kiss his jaw. "I know. I just... There's so much we have no control over, so many things that could go wrong..."
"Try to remember it is not in Zha'geekaan's interests to have any harm come to them. Either of them."
Something about the way he said it made me suspicious. I frowned, and turned to face him.
"What did you do?"
He smirked. "I - implied to Zha'geekaan that Radittsu was of my own family. And that his consort was thus also considered family, by the traditions of the ruling house of Vejiitasei."
I gaped for a moment, then (embarrassed as I am to admit it) squealed and flung my arms around him in delight.
"You.... Ooooh, you can be so wonderful, you know that? My lord."
He chuckled and hugged me. "It may help a little. It will increase their status and give them an added degree of safety, since Zha'geekaan does not wish anything to jeopardise the alliance. I suggested that a small honour guard might be in order..."
I kissed him. "Enlightened self-interest, ne? You don't want anything to endanger the alliance either. But thank you. It will help, a lot."
"Zha'haabron will still have to comply with the wishes of the higher ranking chiefs," he cautioned me. "There is nothing I can do about that."
I nodded. "They're prepared for that. Neither of them are happy about it, but they can cope." I hope...
"I have also requested that Zha'geekaan send us a report every ten days, so that we can monitor the situation. He has agreed. Somewhat reluctantly, but he will do so."
I sighed, almost happily. "I feel better now, knowing all this."
He regarded me curiously. "You really care for them, don't you?"
"Of course!" I hugged him. "Not quite as much as I care for you, though."
He kissed my nose, then swept me up into his arms. "I am glad to hear it. Now, I would suggest we retire for the night. They make planetfall tomorrow and I've no doubt you will want to be awake and alert to take the first shift at the receiver."
"I wouldn't miss it! Just think, not only do I get to keep an eye - well, an ear, anyway! - on them, but I'll be recording priceless information about R'ren'nkh'ia-jin civilisation!"
He smiled, wryly. "Tell me something. Am I actually going to see anything of you until they return?"
I kissed him thoroughly as he carried me through to bed. I didn't think it was a good idea right then to tell him probably not...
© 2001 Joules Taylor
