Restoration
Ti'aasaan stared, lips slightly parted, eyes wide. On the other end of the comm link, Zha'haarak blushed fiercely and lowered his eyes. Zha'haabron smiled and wrapped his arms gently around his host-sib's shoulders from behind.
"Would this be disagreeable to you?"
"My Ssii'iin, how can you ask!?" Ti'aasaan's face lit up. "Ssii'iir Zha'haarak, here? It would make me very happy indeed."
Zha'haabron had anticipated the little zn'hre's reaction, but it pleased him nonetheless. And he already knew what his sibling thought of the idea...
Several days after Zh'leet had given them an idea of what was planned for Zha'haarak, the bondmates settled down in the small chamber and spent some hours talking over the proposition.
"You will find it uncomfortable to start with." Zha'haabron laid a hand on his sibling's forearm as the gentle zn'hre leaned back against the Saiyan's chest, his breathing shallow, Radittsu's tail trailing across his stomach and wrapped around the king's thigh. "The gravity is heavier, and the planet itself much cooler than R'ren'nkh'ia, even now, during the hot season. And much, much wetter. But for our purposes that is a good thing. Zh'leet says you will heal more quickly if you have access to a plentiful supply of water for bathing and exercising. Vejiitasei can give you that. It's also far away from R'ren'nkh'ia and all its associated unpleasant memories. We would send Zh'leet back with you: Gh'veen is already there, and you'd have Ti'aasaan for company - and, knowing Ti'aasaan, more loving care than you'd believe possible!" The king smiled. "I don't know whether Leteetza has a great deal of time to spend in the suite at the moment, but she's an accomplished herbalist, and would no doubt be able to devise a variety of healing salves to speed your recuperation. The only thing that concerns me is that the little princes are also there, and will disturb you."
Zha'haarak had listened raptly, eyes glowing. Now he smiled shyly.
"But that would not be a problem. To have zn'hre hostlings around me, playing freely together? The very notion is a marvel!"
"For quite a while after the surgery you'll be in a lot of pain, and unable to move freely. You might find them more of a trial than a pleasure."
"I am happy to risk it. And I'm used to pain - I have lived with it my entire life. But I will miss you. Both of you."
Radittsu planted a gentle kiss on the side of his neck.
"We'll miss you too. But we're only eight hours and a comm call away. And once things are a little more stable here " he glanced at Zha'haabron, who gazed at him with that expression that always made him melt: the big male sighed and smiled at his bondmate, "we'll be coming home for a break anyway. We've already been away too long. We miss the brats."
Radittsu couldn't see Zha'haarak's face, which was probably just as well. The thought of zn'hre living happily together, a close, supportive 'family' of R'ren'nkh'ia-jin and Saiya-jin, and most startling of all a big, beautiful primate who thought of a brood of saurian hostlings as 'his' children and whose love for them *glowed* in his mind... A lifetime of pain was somehow washed away in the awe of it as slow tears trickled down the gentle zn'hre's smiling face. Zha'haabron stroked his sibling's cheek, his own eyes suspiciously bright.
**It opens up a whole new future, doesn't it?**
**Oh, heart-brother... I had never even dared to dream of anything so marvellous!** He touched the faint scar on the king's neck, his fingertips gentle. **Are all warm-bloods like the Ssii'iir?**
**Not all. But many of those I have met are similar**
Zha'haarak shook his head. **It is a wonder to me**
**And to me**
Zha'haarak nestled back into Radittsu's arms with a contented sigh as Zha'haabron shifted to lie beside him, one arm wrapped over his bondmates, and for a while there was a tranquil silence. Then the king sighed and pulled himself from the bed.
"I have to leave you for a while."
Radittsu frowned. "Business?"
"I have a meeting scheduled with Gh'heegonan."
"You're going to discuss the possibility of him acting as regent?"
"Not yet. I wish to determine just where his loyalties lie, first. And whether he can be trusted."
"How're you going to do that?"
Zha'haabron smiled. It was a cold smile.
"It is amazing what our pharmacists can devise, given the right motivation."
Radittsu shook his head. "I don't think I want to know."
"No. You don't." He regarded his bondmate and sibling, his smile becoming warm and gentle.
"Rest for now. Tomorrow we start the next phase of the zn'hre socialisation programme. And tomorrow you" - he stroked Zha'haarak's face - "start preparing for the medical procedures Zh'leet has devised. She thinks you are - just - sufficiently recovered, and have gained enough weight, for them to be safe."
Zha'haarak paled slightly and swallowed, then nodded. "Good."
Radittsu kissed his shoulder. "We want you well as soon as possible. Even if it does mean we have to lose you for a little while. But you'll stay here until you're fit enough to travel, so we'll have plenty of time to be together before you leave for Vejiitasei."
Someone was shaking me. I tried to hit out, but didn't have the energy to raise a hand.
Go 'way...
"Leteetza? Please wake up. Please! Should I call someone?"
Ti'aasaan sounded panic-stricken. I forced one eye open.
"Wha...? Kid's hurt?"
He stared at me. "What? Um, no, the children are fine - it's you I'm worried about!" He pulled my limp body easily up into his arms, startling me yet again: I keep forgetting how strong zn'hre really are. Mind you, when they look as delicate as Ti'aasaan it's not that surprising...
I groaned and mentally shook myself. I felt bloody awful, and I didn't know why. I've never been ill in my life!
"Sorry, little 'un. Feel a bit rough."
He frowned. "Should I call a biotech?"
I shook my head. "It's just tiredness. Been working too hard."
He looked unconvinced, but didn't bother arguing.
"I think I should get you back to your own suite and let someone know you're unwell."
I shook my head again. Tried to, anyway. I could feel my eyes closing and tried to force them open. "'m fine. Just need to sleep."
And he glanced once at the infants, who were cuddled together either drowsing or playing in their own corner of the sleeping platform, then wrapped a sheet around me, gathered me into his arms, and took off, heading for the royal suite at a thoroughly startling speed.
And for once, Vejiita was there. He looked up as the little zn'hre arrived, his eyes widening slightly at the sight of me. Ti'aasaan laid me gently on the bed and regarded Vejiita sombrely.
"She is not well, Majesty."
"So I see. What happened?"
"I do not know. She has been exceptionally tired just recently. I believe the stress of caring for your consorts and their offspring has contributed to her state." He glanced slightly anxiously towards the door. "Majesty, will you excuse me? I had to leave the little princes unattended - I really need to return to them."
As my eyes closed I saw Vejiita nod, and Ti'aasaan bow briefly before heading back home - then I fell deeply, deeply asleep.
Ti'aasaan had been unable to sleep, fretting about the little Saiyan. After a fruitless half hour trying to wake her, Vejiita had finally carried Leteetza to Vejiitamachi's main medical facility, where the medics had speedily hooked her up to a variety of monitors. The king had paced worriedly outside the emergency room, growing more and more annoyed as a variety of medical professionals went in and out but refused to tell him what was happening. Finally he strode into the room, grabbed the most senior looking sentient there and demanded an explanation of what was wrong with the King's Companion.
Kkoglog - the Turvinian immunology consultant Vejiita was holding by the necks - spluttered a few times before the Saiyajin-no-Ou realised he might be choking to death the one being who could actually help Leteetza, and lowered it to the ground. Kkloglog straightened its medical smock and glared at the king - then quailed at the fury in the ebony eyes.
"What's wrong with her?"
"Well, Sire - at the moment, we don't know. I can tell you," it added hastily as Vejiita reached again for its throats, "that she is not in any immediate danger."
"Then why will she not waken?"
"That's what we're trying to find out. All her physiological systems are low - breathing slow and shallow, heart rate decreased, digestion sluggish - if Saiyans were susceptible to such things, I'd say her immune system is trying to fight a radically aggressive virus!"
"And all that means what?"
"It means she's stable and we need to run a whole lot more tests."
Vejiita frowned. "Very well. I want twice daily progress reports, and an immediate alert if anything changes. You will keep me appraised of the situation." He smiled coldly. "Be advised, also, that if she dies, you die." He glowered at the other medics quailing in the room. "All of you."
Zh'leet hadn't really wanted to start Zha'haarak's surgery while Zha'haabron was so preoccupied with both his official duties and the socialisation process - but both zn'hre had insisted, and Radittsu had backed them up. Zha'haarak had managed to keep the continual pain he suffered from his sibling, but the Saiyan was constantly *aware* of it: he often wondered how the gentle zn'hre kept going. At any rate, all of them wanted Zha'haarak healed, as soon as possible, and Zh'leet gave in. Though since she also wanted the same thing, it wasn't much of a struggle for her...
In the two days that Zha'haarak was unconscious as the biotechs laboured over him, Zha'haabron and Radittsu had held several meetings with progressively larger groups of zn'hre. And it had all gone exceptionally well. There had only been five incidents where several of the more belligerent had transformed, but the Saiyan guards had been prepared and were able to forestall the escalation of any real trouble. The zn'hre who had caused the problems were isolated for the moment, until the king could organise counselling sessions for them (and failing that, thought Radittsu to himself, I'll go and 'counsel' them in person...). The culmination came when Zha'haabron gathered the entire court and watched the expressions of the R'ren'nkh'ian-jin as they were hit in face with the spectacle of a hundred zn'hre, in the same place, at the same time. Calm, serene and beautiful. Self-possessed (even if for most of them that was only a thin façade) and composed, seated before the throne of their king. A zn'hre High King, the most powerful being on the planet. Possibly the most powerful being in the galaxy. As one, the court dropped to its knees and lowered its collective head.
And remembering the way the zn'hre had been treated in the past, the non-zn'hre at the court had nightmares for many nights afterwards.
*It was a beautiful sight.*
Zha'haabron sighed, body quivering from the force of his climax, and settled himself a little deeper in Radittsu's lap, pulling his bondmate closer as the big Saiyan thrust, drawing back and driving upwards as the king gasped and stiffened. One hand gripping silky emerald hair, the other's knowing fingers stroking and circling and flicking at a very aroused, firm mound, Radittsu nipped and sucked at the sensitised skin of the strong blue throat as Zha'haabron trembled against him.
*But not as beautiful as you.*
Zha'haabron writhed helplessly as the Saiyan rolled him onto his back and began to pound, his bondmate's nails gouging deep tracks in his shoulders as long strong legs wrapped around his waist. Wrapping his tail around the king's hips, Radittsu bit into the flesh of the blue neck as he moved his hands to grip Zha'haabron's shoulders as he rammed hard one last time and came, pulsing deeply within the cool body.
Zha'haabron moaned almost inaudibly as he withdrew. The Saiyan slid down the sleek powerful body and took the twitching erection into his mouth as his bondmate stifled a scream, hands buried in the heavy black mane as Radittsu licked and nibbled and sucked, driving the R'ren'nkh'ian senseless with pleasure. As the lean hips bucked upwards and froze, quivering, Radittsu swallowed, slowly, his tongue and throat muscles stroking the cold shaft erect again even as the sweetly-fragrant effervescence tingled coolly against his palate. Grinning wickedly he pulled himself back up his beloved's body and rammed into him again...
It was going to be a long night.
Zha'haarak dreamed...
Unable to move, aware that something was being done to his body but for once blissfully free of pain and content in the knowledge that these actions were designed to heal, not hurt, he dreamed, softly, sweetly, visions of a quiet green place filled with the sound of rippling water - and the happy laughter of children. Pure-bred zn'hre hostlings. His and Zha'haabron's...
"Zha'haarak? Ssii'irin? You can wake now. It's all over. Everything went well."
The gentle zn'hre moaned as the lingering effects of the powerful anaesthetics diminished and his eyelids fluttered open. He hurt. Almost as badly as when Dhr'ovaanon, in one of his insane rages, had taken out his fury on the zn'hre's defenceless, fettered form, smashing bones down the left side of the pale green body with one huge fist and then raping his whimpering, semi-conscious victim viciously for hours, pumping more pseudo-adrenaline into the shaking body any time Zha'haarak showed signs of passing out completely. But this pain was different. This pain felt - right, felt almost comforting as he realised that those discomforts he'd suffered for so long, of displaced bones and ripped tendons and sheared ligaments, were gone. This pain was a healing pain, of bone knitting straight again, the tightness of scarred tissue changed to the smooth easy flow of cleanly-healing muscle and tendon and nerve. He shifted his legs slightly, biting his lip to stifle a cry as pain exploded through his hip... His eyes widened hugely, and he forced himself to ignore the pain as he moved the leg again. At the hip that had been rigidly immobile for more than half his life...
"What... what did you do?"
Zh'leet smiled. "We couldn't repair the joint - so we made you a new one."
He closed his eyes and wept for joy as Radittsu cradled him close.
A scant hour later Zha'haabron joined them, looking tired but happy. He lifted his sibling very, very carefully into his arms, holding him closely, face buried in the silky hair.
"How do you feel?"
"Good. I feel good. I hurt, but it's a good pain."
Zha'haabron nodded and gently lowered him back to the bed, smiling at Radittsu.
**Thank you for being here with him**
*It was a pleasure. Later, I'll *share* his first few minutes of waking with you. It was very beautiful.*
Zh'leet, as ever, was hovering nearby. The king turned to her.
"Thank you for all you have done for us."
She waved a hand negligently. "It was my team - I just planned the procedures. We all have our pride as professionals, you know." But her smile was one of sheer delight. "You may have about half an hour, then I want the patient to try and feed a little, then get some sleep." She glowered at the bondmates. "And I want you two to get some sleep as well. You all look exhausted."
Zha'haabron lay on the bed at his sibling's side, stroking the fine hair. Zha'haarak turned his head to regard the king, biting his lip, expression indecisive - remembering his dreams, almost afraid to ask but needing to know the answer regardless.
**Heart-brother...**
The king smiled. **You do not need to hesitate. I know your mind. The answer is yes - but not until after you are completely healed and fit to host again. I will not have you hurt further**
Zha'haarak sighed almost silently, eyes closing, quiet joy lighting his face. Zha'haabron watched him for a moment, understanding the desire, then smiled wanly and glanced at his bondmate. It hurt, to realise that while he could sire as many offspring as he and his zn'hre partners wanted, he could not host Radittsu's children. And, although he'd tried - increasingly desperately - to ignore it, it was the one personal thing he wanted above all else. The sheer force of the craving left him stunned - and angry with himself for wanting the impossible. And for being so selfish.
He was loved - no, adored - with a passion he'd never imagined possible. He was well on the way to giving his people hope and life, a real life instead of the tortured existence they'd known up until now. He already had a beautiful brood with Ti'aasaan: he now had the expectation of others. He had a family, a close, loving family - something unheard of on R'ren'nkh'ia. Something unheard of on most worlds, as far as he was aware.
He had no right to ask anything more of life.
But, in his dreams...
© 2001 Sept 6th Joules Taylor
note: The wish to mate with the individual of their choice immediately after being released from captivity is a curious but understandable quirk of zn'hre nature. While it would seem more rational for them to never want to host or sire offspring again, after being used purely as breeding machines for most of their lives, the wish to have full control over their reproductive processes is quite natural. For most, it affirms their new freedom, "celebrating life" as Ti'aasaan put it. And since for most of them forced breeding is all they've ever known, the choice acts as a transition between the captive and free states, something old and familiar in completely new circumstances, thus making the shift easier to internalise.
