Make sure you read Amanda's companion sequence, Exile, in conjuction with this sequence.
Advances
The quickest way to get to the sound room, 'haabron decided, was to fly.
Accordingly, ignoring the hissed complaints of his shr'en'an guards, he raced to the nearest window and soared out into the desert, banking sharply upwards.
The royal suite was five levels above the desert: the sound room was another seven levels above that temporary home. 'haabron covered the distance in a few seconds and paused, hovering at the windowspace.
Kobis must have flown too: he was already in the room, sitting on a cushion, curled into a ball, his forehead resting on his knees and his arms and tail wrapped tightly around his legs. He was trembling.
'haabron glanced back angrily as his guard finally caught up with him, and hissed them to silence.
"Wait in the ante-chamber."
"But Ssii'irin…"
"Please, skria'shiin?"
He pouted, eyes wide, copying 'tiisaan - and to his surprise it worked. The two guards exchanged a glance and sighed.
"You will alert us at the least sign of danger."
He nodded earnestly.
"I promise…"
The guards moved back down, entering through a lower embrasure, and 'haabron swept silently into the room.
Kobis scented him, of course, and pulled his arms and tail more tightly around his legs. 'haabron knelt beside him but not touching, his hands in his lap, his eyes on his friend's shining black mane.
Slow minutes passed. Kobis stirred minutely.
"I'm sorry."
It was the faintest whisper. 'haabron risked a gentle touch to his friend's shoulder, pulling back as Kobis flinched.
"What for?"
"I… because I…" Kobis shrugged his shoulders, but still didn’t lift his head. 'haabron shifted to sit beside him, stretching out his legs.
"I'm not."
"Not what?"
"Sorry."
Kobis froze, then twisted to glance sideways at the zn'hre.
"You're not?"
'haabron glanced sideways, flashing the Saiyan a quick grin.
"No. Was nice."
Kobis' head came up as he gaped at his friend.
"You… you liked it?"
"Uhuh."
The Saiyan turned to the prince, frowning almost disbelievingly.
"Really?"
"Really."
"Oh."
There was another silence, less tense this time. Then Kobis very tentatively wrapped his tail around 'haabron's waist. The zn'hre sighed and moved closer, nestling against the Saiyan's side, and laid an arm across the warm back under the heavy mane. Kobis shivered at the touch, then relaxed.
"I liked it too. Can I… can I do it again?"
'haabron turned his head and gently pressed his lips to the Saiyan's. Kobis moaned slightly, his tail tightening as he caught the zn'hre's hand, linking their fingers and squeezing lightly. When, a moment later, 'haabron pulled back, Kobis wrapped his arms around his friend's shoulders, sighing happily, and they sat in silence for a few minutes, 'haabron's head resting against Kobis' neck. Then the zn'hre stirred.
"We should go and join the others. They'll be wondering where we are."
"I suppose so…"
Neither moved. A few minutes later 'haabron nuzzled his friend's ear.
"We really should go, you know. Before 'teetza sends someone to get us."
Kobis sighed and reluctantly unwound his arms and tail from the cool body beside him.
"Oh, all right then."
'haabron pulled him to his feet, then hugged him.
"We have lots of time. We'll always be together."
Kobis inclined his head.
"Promise?"
'haabron nodded.
"I promise."
Hand in hand they flew to join their siblings in the air at the north side of the enclave - belatedly followed by grumbling guards...
Even with Jeice, Ti'aasaan and Zha'haarak to help, keeping all seventeen brats under control wasn't easy. With Radittsu and the Ssii'iin still in council (and the guard unwilling to interfere in what they considered royal family business) Leteetza had her hands full, and hadn't noticed Jeice's faltering flight - until he suddenly dropped from the air. Ti'aasaan had cried out and pointed: Jeice had been behind the Saiyan and slightly below her, so she was closest to him. Diving down as the small body plummeted sandwards, she caught him some distance above the ground and landed lightly, almost immediately being surrounded by anxious children and zn'hre. She knelt, cradling him gently.
"Jeice?"
The little subo was very cool, much paler than normal, and half-fainting. He tried to smile.
"S… sorry…"
The Saiyan glanced at Ti'aasaan.
"Think you could take over?"
He nodded.
"But, what about Jeice…"
"I'll get him to the infirmary." At the hostling's hissed offers to accompany them she shook her head. "I don't think he needs to be crowded right now… And you make sure you behave for Ti'aasaan or you'll have papa as well as me to answer to!"
With a final glare at the brats, Leteetza lifted the subo and took off, heading for the enclave entrance.
Vinas frowned.
"I can't find anything physically wrong. Except for his decrease in temperature, that is."
Leteetza regarded the little alien anxiously. Despite the heat of the planet and being huddled into two heavy thermo-blankets - of the sort the R'ren'nkh'ian warriors used when on desert night duty - he was shivering violently. She sat behind him and pulled him against her.
"Do you know what's wrong, Jeice?"
He nodded, but his teeth were chattering too hard for him to speak coherently.
"Rad…. Rad…"
"Radittsu?"
He managed another nod, and Vinas glanced at the Saiyan.
"He's in council. Could you call him, please?"
Minutes later the big male arrived. His eyes narrowed at the sight of Jeice shuddering in Leteetza's arms.
"What happened?"
Leteetza shook her head.
"I don't know. He seemed all right when we left, then he just - collapsed."
Frowning, Radittsu cupped a hand under the subo's chin and lifted his head. Then his eyes widened.
"His ki's dropped to almost nothing!"
Leteetza stared, then focussed on the little alien.
"I can't feel anything."
"It's on a different wavelength to ours. Feel downwards."
Moments later she looked up, startled.
"Shit. What can we do?"
Radittsu crouched down, hands on Jeice's shoulders.
"How did this happen? Your ki wasn't that far off mine, before."
"P… plants…"
The captain blinked.
"Plants?"
"Need… plants…"
"What sort of plants?"
"A… any…"
Leteetza stared at Radittsu helplessly.
"We're in the middle of a desert. Where the fuck are we going to find plants?"
He bit his lip, then his expression brightened and he pulled Jeice into his arms, glancing at Leteetza over his shoulder.
"Come with me…"
It was a garden! A tiny space in a hollow of the sloping top of the outcrop that housed the enclave, partially covered by silicate, the soil richer than the desert below. Strange, toughskinned, prickly plants twisted up out of the soil, and much of the ground was covered by low-growing, brownish-green vegetation, something like moss, but with small clusters of incredibly sweet-smelling tawny-yellow flowers speckled through it. There was even a tiny pool in the centre, though it was lidded at the moment.
Leteetza stared.
"What… Who made this?"
"Ti'zheenan. Suguri told me about it." The big male knelt in the centre of the little garden, holding Jeice carefully. Both Saiyans watched in silence, keeping a wary *eye* on his ki.
After twenty minutes he'd stopped shivering: Radittsu eased off the blankets as the subo's temperature returned to normal. His ki was slowly but steadily rising. Ten minutes later he sighed and stretched, pulling himself from Radittsu's arms to sit cross-legged on the ground. And five minutes later again he reached a hand to the nearest blooms, brushing his fingertips across them with something approaching reverence. Leteetza touched his shoulder.
"Are you all right now?" She was doubtful - his ki really hadn't risen all that much: it was still less than even one of the hostlings.
But he nodded.
"I can manage, now. Though I won't be able to fly until I can draw from bigger plants."
The Saiyans frowned at each other, then by unspoken agreement sat down in front of the subo.
"Would you like to tell us just what happened there?"
Jeice gazed at them, wondering where to start…
His world had had no name, had never had a name - the inhabitants simply called it 'Home'.
They drew their life, their energy from the forces that forged their world, the rain, the wind, the elements - and the green and growing things that covered the planet's face. They danced in tune with the greater dance of the world, attuned to its slower and faster currents, the movements of the planet's core and the harsher shifts that fractured the land and brought molten rock tumbling down from the mountains…
…. he'd danced one such eruption, he'd remembered, smiling. His talent was for fire…
*Not him.* Radittsu frowned at Leteetza. *Couldn't have been him. He was born on Omani, remember?*
*I remember. Thing is, what exactly is it he's remembering…?*
Others of his race shaped water, or the lightning that split the sky, or the deep ocean currents, the rocks, even some of the more obliging trees. Most trees, he'd said, smiling, thought sharing their energies with the hash'shavven who moved and danced around them was gift enough, for all that his people gave back at least as much as they took…
They ran with the fleet-footed forest creatures, and flew with the great soaring birds, and roamed the seas with the fast sleek beasts that dwelt below the water. They gloried in the Greater Dance, the dance that kept their world whole…
Union with the entire planet, with every living thing upon and within it. The power it gave them...!
"But they took us from Home. And our world is ill, now." There were tears in his eyes as he gazed at the wide-eyed, breathless, wholly enraptured Saiyans. "The Omanir don't understand."
Leteetza shook herself slightly, frowning, trying hard to understand, herself.
"But you're alive. You can live apart from your world?"
The white head nodded.
"Yes. But not well, not fully. We can only live completely on our own world, as it cannot live fully without us."
Leteetza flashed a quick glance to the captain.
*I'll check the stats on Ghrakigh once we're back inside.*
Radittsu nodded absently, his eyes still fixed on the subo. He frowned.
"You say your talent is fire? Can you show us?"
"Without tiring yourself…" Leteetza added hastily, glaring at Radittsu. Jeice nodded - and held out his hand. As they watched, a bright golden flame flared up from his palm, so hot they could feel it even over the R'ren'nkh'ian sun. And as they watched, it danced on the alien's hand…
Leteetza's voice was subdued.
"Can you… can you control all fire?"
Jeice grinned.
"I can direct most, if not wholly control. Not the sun. And not the fire at the heart of worlds - that's forbidden. But most others, yes."
"And others of your race can control other elements?" Radittsu looked dazed. Jeice nodded brightly.
"Yes."
"Make storms? Floods? Earthquakes?"
"Those, yes. And other such things. It's all part of the dance."
"And the Omanir don't know?!"
Jeice shrugged.
"We have no love for the Omanir. They forced us from Home, sundered us one from another, made us slaves, use us for their own pleasure. Why would we let them know what we can do?"
Radittsu stared at Leteetza.
*Oh. Fucking. Hell…*
She grinned.
*I think Vejiita's going to be very interested in hearing this…*
Vejiita had indeed been interested. If FullMoon hadn't been so close he'd probably have ordered a full scale takeover of Ghrakigh and the restoration of the subos - under Saiya-jin protection, of course - immediately. As it was, he was forced to wait. But he'd need to take action very soon - Jeice's homeworld was suffering. The Omanir really didn't care how they treated planets: their homeworld, though never particularly lush, had been largely pleasantly wooded, once: now it was a bleak, barren place. One reason why the subos had never been able to fight back, Leteetza assumed…
On the screen Vejiita was frowning.
"Why have we only just found this out?"
"His ki is very different to ours. He draws it from growing things, and I'm guessing it takes a while for him to fully - 'recharge' if you like. He'd come straight to Vejiitasei from Omani, so he'd have been at a very low ebb when he arrived." Leteetza inclined her head. "Of course, Vejiitasei is rich in growing things."
The Saiya-jin-no-Ou nodded pensively. Leteetza sighed.
"And you can hardly blame him for not telling us right away. Poor little kusoyaro didn't have a clue what was happening to him! Had no idea if we were really going to look after him or just have him for dinner."
Vejiita frowned.
"Try to find out as much as you can. I'd like a full report before FullMoon, if at all possible."
"I'll see what I can do, sire." She hesitated for a moment. "Are you all right?"
He leered at her.
"Coping. Kayusu looks forward to your return…"
I'll bet she does! thought the King's Companion to herself. She smiled.
"I'm looking forward to that myself, sire…"
Zha'haabron had been absolutely fascinated by the revelation, talking late into the night with the little subo, trying to establish the limits of his abilities under various conditions, gauging how best to care for his needs while he was onworld. Jeice had reassured him that Ti'zheenan's garden would suffice (though he would have to forego flying) until they returned to Vejiitasei. 'leesaan and 'haabron - who should really have been asleep but who were both far too interested to let a silly thing like that stop them listening in - asked if what he did hurt the plants.
For a second Jeice had looked horrified, then smiled, obviously realising it was a fair - and innocent - question.
"No. It is…" he floundered for a moment, unable to think of the word "… we help each other. We take the energy we need and give them a different sort they need."
Zha'haabron smiled.
"Symbiosis."
Jeice grinned.
"Thank you, your Majesty! It is a kind of symbiosis. Both we and the plants benefit."
'haabron glanced at his sire.
"It sounds wonderful, papa."
The king gently stroked the hostling's hair, smiling.
"It does, doesn't it?"
"… 'haabron…?" came a drowsy voice from the sleeping pit. The little zn'hre sighed, then grinned.
"I haven't told you about today yet, papa."
Zha'haabron pulled his sireling into his lap - as best he could, anyway, given his swollen belly.
"You can tell me tomorrow. For now, I think we should all get some sleep. Kobis is missing you."
"And I'm missing you!" quietly rumbled Radittsu's deep voice from where he lay sprawled between Zha'haarak and Ti'aasaan. Zha'haabron chuckled.
**Very well, beloved…**
Ushering Jeice and the two hostlings to the pit, the king slid into his bondmates' embrace.
The following morning, before classes, Leteetza took the little subo to one side.
"Why didn't you tell us you were suffering?"
He blinked, flinching, and she sighed and stroked his hair.
"I'm not angry, just worried. If you'd mentioned it we could have made arrangements for you to visit the garden much earlier - and not expected you to fly so much."
He lowered his head, biting his lip.
"I'm sorry. It… it just didn't occur to me to say anything. Hagarchs do not speak out of turn. If they do, they're punished…"
"But you're not a hagarch!"
He sighed.
"I know that with my head. But I was born a hagarch - it's not easy to forget."
She nodded.
"I understand, but you must try…" She frowned as a sudden thought hit her. "How old are you, anyway?"
He grinned at her.
"In which timescale?"
"Can you do Vejiitasei years?"
He frowned pensively, thinking hard.
"Eleven, I believe. Your years are almost three times as long as Omani years: in their timescale I am thirty."
"What about Home years?"
He inclined his head.
"I would be coming up to my fourth year, and only just becoming adult."
Leteetza stared at him, lips parted, then blinked rapidly, shaking her head.
"Do you know how long your species lives?"
"I think it's about three hundred of our own years. But that's on our own world. Elsewhere - who can tell?"
A life span of over eight hundred years! Leteetza took a deep breath and turned her mind back to more prosaic matters.
"With luck, as long. Now, you aren't going to be able to help with the outdoor exercise any more…" his face fell as that realisation struck him "… and I need to know if you're strong enough to help Zha'haarak. If not we'll have to find another option for him."
He shook his head firmly.
"Our activities do not drain my ki - rather the opposite. I will continue to serve him as long as he needs me."
"Well that's a relief… right - you must get to the garden regularly, preferably before you collapse!" Jeice blushed and gazed up at the Saiyan from under long white lashes: she smirked and tapped his nose gently. "I suggest that in the mornings you join the lessons as usual then in the afternoons stay with Zha'haarak when he needs you. Other times… " she shrugged "… go to Bri'seiyis' with 'tiisaan and 'viirel? Or is there something else you'd rather do?"
He shook his head, smiling.
"This sounds wonderful."
"Good. But if you ever want to do anything else, you let us know, all right? You're not our servant - you're part of the family. Please let us treat you accordingly!"
"I will. You have my word."
"I'll hold you to that! C'mon, we'd better round up the brats…"
That afternoon 'haabron sought out his sire and asked to talk. Already pretty sure he knew the topic of conversation, the king had taken his sireling up to what had quickly become known as 'lover's rock' - his and Radittsu's favourite high outcrop a short distance from the enclave. Once there he hugged the prince lightly: 'haabron kissed his cheek.
"Papa - it's me and Kobis."
Zha'haabron nodded, waiting for the hostling to speak, but 'haabron was suddenly diffident, a little shy and uncertain how to continue. The king smiled.
"You are very close. You like each other very much, don't you?"
'haabron nodded.
"He's my friend. And he kissed me."
"You didn't like it?"
'haabron's eyes lit up.
"Oh no papa! I liked it very much! I kissed him back, later. But…" the child inclined his head, frowning slightly. "Is it all right? For us to do that, I mean."
"Why should it not be?"
"I don't know…"
Zha'haabron pulled him into a hug: the hostling clung to his sire's neck, loving the contact.
"It's all very new to all of us, precious. We are learning all the time. But I think, as long as neither of you try to do something the other doesn't want, there's no harm in your - friendship. Although you must remember how sharp our teeth are. Don't even pretend to bite him, and when you kiss, keep your teeth covered with your lips."
"Do you think his papa will be angry?"
Zha'haabron gazed into the beautiful little face, his expression shrewd.
"I don't think so. But you are not to concern yourself with that - leave it to me."
They sat in silence for a moment or two, Zha'haabron gently rocking the hostling, then 'haabron looked up again.
"Papa - do you think… I mean, when…" the prince hissed at himself, unable to find the right way to ask the question. Zha'haabron stroked his hair.
"Just say it, little one."
"Sex, papa."
The king chuckled.
"I think you're a little too young for that just yet. You'll both know when you're ready, I promise you."
"But, sometimes, when he hugs me…"
"It feels good, doesn't it." 'haabron nodded. "It'll feel better too, the older you grow, and you'll want to try touching each other in different ways. As long as you don't hurt each other, that's perfectly all right. But your bodies aren't ready yet, precious, for the sort of things the Ssii'iir and I do. They won't be for a while. And even when they are, it's not something you should hurry. It's a very special thing, and you should take your time. Especially the first time."
He ruthlessly forced down the hateful memory of his own first time and smiled at 'haabron, who was regarding him enquiringly. He kissed the hostling's forehead.
"Your memory of the first ever time should be precious, should be something neither of you will ever forget. When the time comes, don't hurry. Prepare a little. Find a place that's special for you both, take food you both like, and something to drink, and most importantly take your time… Do you understand?"
'haabron nodded happily.
"Yes, papa. I understand." He hugged his sire tightly, bubbling with happiness. "Thank you…"
The days flowed onwards. Jeice spent an hour or so every couple of days in the garden, often accompanied by Ti'zheenan's delightful hostlings. The children grew taller and stronger, and their lessons continued smoothly, and Mahrayne was sometimes joined by a sharp-faced Hassinan child she introduced as Pirum: to everyone's surprise Buahan seemed to take a liking to the youngster, spending time talking to her after lessons. Zha'haarak *spoke* with Hijau every day, later weeping in Jeice's arms, finding some consolation in the little alien's embrace, his lovemaking skills, as his bondmate on Vejiitasei did with Zorun…
Zha'haabron grew larger, the unborn hostlings more boisterous: the king began to look thin and was permanently tired and Radittsu started to worry. But Vinas still seemed satisfied. Radittsu had gone to see him - alone - one morning while Zha'haabron was in council, in order to voice his concerns.
"It's only to be expected."
The Saiyan growled, and the biotech sighed.
"Look, you remember Ti'aasaan and Zha'haarak lost weight when they were hosting?"
Radittsu did - not that that was any consolation.
"Zha'haabron's lost more."
"He would - he's hosting hybrids. Do you remember how much Leteetza ate while she was carrying Ti'ani and Le'leen?"
The Saiyan grinned briefly. The little warrior had seemed permanently hungry, and managed to tuck away more than himself on occasion.
"In a Saiyan pregnancy the brats draw food directly from their mother's body, from the food she digests. A R'ren'nkh'ian hosting is a completely different matter."
Radittsu scowled impatiently.
"I know all that - you told us at enough length the first time round. All I know is he doesn't want to eat, and his ki has dropped."
Vinas looked alarmed.
"By much?"
"No, not much. But enough to be noticeable - and it's continuing."
"I see. You're still having sex?"
The Saiyan nodded.
"Every day. Zha'haarak and Ti'aasaan are helping too."
Vinas chuckled.
"Well, that partly explains why they're growing so well! They must be the best nourished hostlings in zn'hre history! Very well. Have Zh'leet visit me: tell her to bring the recipe for the nutritive drink and we'll see what we can do to increase its nourishment value. That won't help him put weight back on, you understand - he really needs to be eating solid food for that - but it'll help."
The Saiyan nodded.
"Thank you." He hesitated for a moment, then frowned.
"You know I have to be back on Vejiitasei when the brats are due?"
Vnas nodded.
"You'll make sure you monitor him very very carefully, won't you? I get the impression he wants to give birth naturally and may not tell anyone if he goes into labour."
Vnas eyes widened.
"Oh, he can't do that! He'll endanger both himself and the hostlings!"
Radittsu blinked.
"Why?"
"His pelvic girdle's far too narrow, and these babies are going to be big. Even if they could be born naturally - which I doubt - they'd be damaged. Brain-damaged, most likely. And he's likely to rupture some of the more important of his internal organs…"
The Saiyan had blanched and gripped the Feeodoreean's wrists fiercely.
"Will you explain that to him? Make it sound absolutely as bad as you can? It's the only thing I can think of that'll make him be sensible without me being here."
Vinas had smiled and nodded, wincing slightly as feeling returned to his wrists as Radittsu let go.
"I most certainly will, captain. We've not come this far for me to let his own obstinacy cause any problems!"
Satisfied, Radittsu returned to the suite. There were only nineteen days to go before their excursion to Ish'nadris and the southern mountains, and there were a lot of things he had to organise. The family's security for one…
© 2002 May 22nd Joules Taylor
lit. 'life dancers'. Jeice's people.
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