Don't forget to check out Joules' companion FullMoon sequence!
Exile pt 5
Mahrayne started awake, scrabbling out of the formless nightmare, panting and disoriented. Pirum stirred and murmured in her sleep; Mahrayne rolled over and gently gathered the child to her, her sister's warmth comforting in her arms. It was then she realised they weren't alone in the alcove.
Tella stood immobile, her arms hanging by her sides, looking down at the pair; her eyes glittered in the darkness, a disturbing echo of Mahrayne's dream.
"Mother?" Mahrayne's enquiry was courteous, and soft so as not to wake Pirum.
"Don't talk!" Tella commanded in a low, strained voice. "Hearing you speak makes me feel sick." Tella's eyes bored into hers for an eternity, and she spasmodically clenched and unclenched her fingers. Mahrayne's scalp prickled with fear - something was very wrong.
"Why?!"
Pirum jerked awake at Tella's grated out exclamation. The young female peered up at her sister and blinked in confusion.
"'rayne?"
"Shh, precious," Mahrayne murmured soothingly, smiling down at her, "everything's all right."
"Go to your mother, Pirum." Tella snapped. Pirum looked anxiously at Mahrayne for guidance.
"Go to Olla," Mahrayne said quietly, "for now." Pirum nodded, still unsure, then climbed out of bed and sidled cautiously past Tella. Once Pirum was safely past the curtains Mahrayne sat up slowly, keeping a apprehensive eye on her mother.
"I should have let you die." Tella grated out.
Mahrayne's face tightened as her mother's words flayed her; she'd suspected Tella felt this way, but to hear her utter it…
"I should be having a perfect child, not you." Tella continued venomously, "You are an abomination, and so is that creature you're carrying."
Her mother's naked hatred made her feel like weeping, but Mahrayne gritted her teeth and refused to cry, refused to let her know how much her viciousness was hurting.
"It would have to have been one of those disgusting aliens that fucked you, none of our males would want you even if you were eligible."
Mahrayne said nothing, still fighting to remain impassive.
"Tella?"
Nonnia's voice was gentle, and there was a soft, loving smile on her face as she pushed past the curtains of Mahrayne's alcove. Tella spun to face her lover.
"It's not fair, Non! Why is she having a healthy child? She's not even supposed to be alive!" Tella was shaking with distress. Nonnia held her arms out as she stepped forward and wrapped Tella in a hug, rocking the silver-haired female comfortingly as she began to sob into her shoulder.
"Let's go back to bed, Tella," Nonnia said soothingly, "You're tired, you need to sleep." Tella nodded, still sobbing, and allowed Nonnia to guide her out of the alcove. As they left, Nonnia glanced worriedly over her shoulder at Mahrayne. Mahrayne nodded tiredly – she was fine - then lay back down as the older females made their way back to their alcove.
When she was alone again Mahrayne began to shake with reaction. What had just happened? She curled in on herself and tried to stop shivering. She was still shivering when Pirum crept back into the bed.
"'rayne? Are you all right?" Pirum whispered.
Mahrayne took a deep breath and forced herself to lie still.
"I'm fine, Pirum." She reached out and pulled her little sister next to her. Pirum was quiet for a moment or two.
"Why was Tella angry?"
Mahrayne sighed, a sound perilously close to a sob.
"She's not very well, Pirum, but Nonnia's looking after her. Please don't tell anybody else."
"Not even Olla?"
Olla, Pirum's mother, was Tella's younger half-sister.
"Not even her. It will only distress Tella more to have other people find out."
Pirum nodded unhappily, and was quiet again, but Mahrayne could sense the child's agitation.
"It's not true what Tella said." Pirum said decisively.
"What isn't, precious?"
"That only an alien would be interested in you, that - that you're supposed to be dead."
Mahrayne hugged her sister tightly.
"I know, I know. Hush now and go to sleep."
Pirum burrowed in close and sighed tremulously, speaking so quietly Mahrayne almost didn't hear her.
"I'm scared Tella wants to hurt you, or your baby."
"She won't." Mahrayne said firmly. "I won't let her."
Mahrayne kept out of her mother's way the next day, while Tella behaved as if her daughter didn't exist. Nonnia was as calm and cheerful as she always was, but Mahrayne could almost smell the older female's fear and she didn't let her lover out of her sight. Mahrayne contacted the administration zone and asked to see the Lead Speaker at his earliest convenience. Virga, one of Marldus's aides, contacted Mahrayne after a few hours to tell her the Lead Speaker could spare her a few minutes.
"I'm worried about Tella." Mahrayne said after greeting the older male.
"What's happened?"
Mahrayne told the Lead Speaker what had occurred in her alcove, along with Nonnia's earlier admission that Tella was ill. Marldus's concern could be easily seen in his eyes by the time Mahrayne'd finished relating events.
He sighed deeply.
"I confess I'm at a loss as to what to do." He looked at her consideringly. "It might be an idea for you to go somewhere else for a few days."
"Do you really think she'd try to hurt me?"
Marldus's face fell, and he looked genuinely old for the first time in Mahrayne's memory.
"I can't say, I only hope not." He frowned. "I'll speak to Pomum, discreetly, see if there's anything she can suggest."
Mahrayne shivered against the sudden chill tickling down her spine; Pomum was a healer who specialised in disorders of the mind.
"Pirum will want to come with me."
Marldus nodded. "That will be acceptable. Where will you go?"
Mahrayne considered. "To Furvus's household, probably, we'll stay with Peruro and Dignusia. Or we can go to the Korijin," she smiled wanly, "we'll be welcome there."
"Good. I'll contact you when things are clearer."
Mahrayne turned to leave, then stopped and looked back at the older male.
"Lead Speaker, when I return to Vejiitasei, I would like to take Pirum with me."
Marldus smiled sadly.
"Astolan will not agree to that, neither will Olla."
"Do you think it's a good idea?"
"Confidentially? Yes, I do. Pirum will be wasted here, as you were, but having her leave Hassina will present difficulties..."
"I've had interest from other females about going to Vejiitasei." Mahrayne said a little defiantly.
"I know," Marldus's mouth quirked up into an almost grin, "but they are ineligible females – Pirum isn't, she's required to breed." He looked at Mahrayne and sighed. "Leave it with me."
"Thank you." Mahrayne smiled. "Whatever happens, I would like to keep tutoring Pirum."
"An excellent suggestion. The discipline will help her and – she missed you, noisily, when you were away last."
Mahrayne smiled. "I heard." She lowered her head respectfully. "Thank you for your time, Lead Speaker."
Furvus was lower down on the social scale than Astolan, so consequently his household was smaller, and further away from the centre of the settlement. Peruro and Dignusia welcomed Mahrayne and her sister into their alcove, happy to host them for as long as they required.
Furvus's females were friendly, though they tended to keep a respectful distance from the two higher class females, and it was relaxing and cosy in Peruro and Dignusia's alcove. The two females were an affectionate and loving couple, which was charming to watch, but sometimes Mahrayne's heart ached to see them together, their happiness reminding her all too much of what she was missing. Peruro and Dignusia had made it clear to Mahrayne that she was welcome to join their love-play if she wished. Mahrayne was tempted – it had been a long time without sex for her - but she didn't want them, she wanted her Saiyans! So she smiled, and kept her distance from the females. She could wait, it wouldn't be long now before she was home with Kel and Zorun.
As it got closer to the time for Mahrayne to leave, she found herself becoming restless. She got distracted easily, and while she had no trouble getting to sleep, her dreams were intense and vividly arousing. More than once she'd woken up on the point of orgasm, if not actually coming. Often Mahrayne couldn't get back to sleep afterwards and when this happened, the restlessness she felt would take her wandering. Frequently, some half-acknowledged urge would carry her to the class room, and the video-link, but once there, Mahrayne would not know who to contact, or why, and she would sit indecisively in front of the blank screen until she felt tired enough to try sleeping again.
Ti'aasaan noticed her distraction - he spoke to her one morning after the lessons.
"Are you all right, 'rayne? You look exhausted."
Mahrayne smiled tiredly.
"I'm not getting enough sleep, I think, that's all."
"Your hostling – baby – isn't keeping you awake?"
"No," Mahrayne smiled; if anything she slept better when she felt the child moving – although he had recently started kicking and that wasn't the most comfortable of sensations.
Ti'aasaan smirked. "Well, things are very intense on Vejiitasei at the moment, maybe that's affecting you?"
Mahrayne smiled ruefully. "I don't think so. I'm not telepathic and I don't have any kind of link with Kel or Zorun," she sighed wistfully, adding, "much as I'd like to."
The little zn'hre smiled. "Don't worry, you'll be home soon. We've all missed you."
"I've missed you too." Mahrayne wiped her eyes, "I'm looking forward to coming home."
"I'm looking forward to that too," Ti'aasaan smirked suggestively and Mahrayne laughed, blushing a little.
"I'll take that thought to bed with me, maybe it will help me sleep."
It was Ti'aasaan's turn to laugh. "Couldn't hurt. I'll talk to you soon, Mahrayne."
Later on, after she'd been woken up again by a vague but almost violently erotic dream, it wasn't Ti'aasaan that Mahrayne thought about as she vainly tried to go back to sleep, but Kelapa and Zorun. When Leteetza had spoken to her, eons ago now, about being claimed, the little female had said something that set Mahrayne to thinking.
Zorun - Leteetza had said - would feel obligated to grant her requests, within reason. Would it be reasonable, Mahrayne wondered, to ask him to join Kel and herself in bed, just once? Or to ask Kel to join them? Neither of her lovers liked the other, but would they be willing to set aside that dislike for her?
Mahrayne pleasured herself as she thought about the delicious possibilities then finally dropped back into a dreamless sleep.
Marldus had been in contact, as had Nonnia. The healer, Pomum, was overseeing Tella's care, and while the female was... stable, it was agreed it was probably be for the best if Mahrayne didn't come back to Astolan's settlement. This didn't bother Mahrayne at all, although she missed seeing Nonnia – her tertera was reluctant to leave Tella alone.
Mahrayne sighed, less than twenty days and she'd be on her way home...
"There's a call for you, Mahrayne, from Vejiitasei."
Mahrayne looked up, startled. Who'd be calling her? FullMoon had only just finished there, she hoped it wasn't bad news...
Mahrayne flicked the switch that activated the small screen. Her eyes widened, tears threatening as she involuntarily put her hand up to the screen. It was Zorun.
"'rayne."
His voice was rough - and he looked worse; he was gaunt, dark circles of exhaustion ringed his eyes, and she could see the traces of bruising along his jaw.
"There's a transport leaving for Hassina in half an hour. I can be on it."
Mahrayne's breath hitched in her throat. He was asking her permission?
"Yes." she whispered, and a light kindled in his face. He smiled, the barest lifting of the corners of his mouth – and a smouldering promise that would have had her legs collapsing from under her if she hadn't been sitting down already.
"Three days." Zorun said.
Mahrayne nodded, dazedly, and they shared a long, longing look before Zorun broke the connection.
Faced with the blank screen, all of Mahrayne's half-buried insecurities crashed in on her. What if when he got here he found he didn't want her anymore? What if he insisted she have nothing to do with Kel? What if? What if?
Mahrayne stayed there, staring at the screen and chewing her fingernails for a long time.
Eventually, she went to see Tzegh.
"Zorun will be here in three days," Mahrayne's voice cracked, "and I don't know what to do."
"About what?" Tzegh queried in a deep rumbling voice; the chief female Korijin knew all about Mahrayne's mates.
"Where is he going to stay? He can't go into the males' quarters because I won't be able to see him – and he won't be able to see me in the females' quarters…"
"We have plenty of room for you both here." Tzegh said reasonably.
Mahrayne stared at the blue-furred alien, then burst into tears.
"Are you all right?" Tzegh was alarmed – she knew Mahrayne could be volatile, but still...
"I'm so scared."
"Of what?" Tzegh was baffled. "He's your mate, isn't he? He's not going to hurt you?"
"We didn't part on the best of terms."
The female made a noise of exasperation and rolled her dark orange eyes.
"I know these Saiyans," Tzegh lightly touched a claw tip to Mahrayne's neck, "and if he's claimed you he will move mountains for you. Everything will be better than fine, 'rayne. Don't worry."
Mahrayne nodded and wiped her eyes.
"I hate this bursting into tears at the slightest thing!" she grouched, "Zorun will think I'm pathetic."
Tzegh pulled her lips back in one of those frightening Korijin smiles.
"No he won't. And if he does, you tell him it's because of the cub and that makes it his fault!"
The three days had whizzed past, and before Mahrayne felt fully prepared for the meeting, she was standing outside the spaceport waiting for Zorun's shuttle to land. There were several Korijin and Hassinan there as well, ready to load up the transport's cargo of minerals. Mahrayne was given many circumspect and curious looks from the Hassinan, while the Korijin, most of whom she knew quite well, smiled warmly at her, or gave her knowing grins - they knew who she was waiting for.
Not that she noticed any of this. It was only with the greatest of effort she kept herself from fidgeting, only just managing to stand quietly with a semblance of calm patience. For the hundredth time she resisted the urge to fiddle with her hair. She'd spent a good part of the previous day trying to decide if she should leave it bound or not when Zorun arrived - he liked her hair loose, while she liked him unbinding it. Mahrayne snorted impatiently at herself; her lover, her mate, the male who had claimed her against her will and with whom she still had major issues, was moments away from her after being separated for almost two hundred days and all she was worried about was whether she should leave her hair in or not? It was good she had a sense of proportion about things, wasn't it?
Then she saw his familiar/loved/missed figure at the terminus door, and before she could draw a shaky breath she was engulfed in a Zorun shaped warmth.
Mahrayne was dimly aware of the gasps from the scandalised Hassinan as the male, her male, wrapped himself around her and buried his nose in her neck, hoarsely whispering her name over and over again. Mahrayne hugged him back, as hard as she could, but with nowhere near the rib-creaking strength with which he was hugging her.
"Gently, dherrum," Mahrayne murmured to him with a smile, "I'm not going anywhere."
Zorun loosened his grip infinitesimally while his tail wrapped itself more securely around her thickened waist. He pulled his head back, and cupped her face in his rough, broad hands before kissing her. Mahrayne melted in to that kiss with a moan, wanting him like she'd never wanted anyone before. Zorun pulled her tighter to him and she could feel the heat and hardness of his erection even through the layers of thick cloth separating them.
Well that answered the question of whether he still wanted her or not.
Zorun broke off his passionate kiss, leaving her panting, then, still holding her securely in his hands, he smothered her face with gentle kisses. The exclamations from the nearby Hassinan became even more scandalised; no doubt reports of her outrageous behaviour would find their way to her father's ears. Fuck him! - Mahrayne thought savagely - claiming Zorun's mouth with her own. The big male shivered, with cold not passion, and Mahrayne realised the baka wasn't wearing a cloak, or even his gloves. Time to get him somewhere warm. Fortunately there was a supitso waiting to take the Korijin and Hassinan back to their respective quarters. Mahrayne tugged Zorun towards the vehicle; the driver, a young male Hassinan, looked disconcerted, and she could hear murmurs of protest behind her.
"We will wait for another supitso, I think," a Korijin rumbled good-humoredly to the waiting Hassinan Effodios, before instructing the driver to take the reunited mates straight to the Korijin enclave. Mahrayne flashed the huge, greenish furred alien a blindingly sweet smile as she pulled Zorun into the vehicle.
Mahrayne pushed Zorun down onto the piles of furs and cushions in the middle of the vehicle's floor, not bothering with a bench. Zorun reached for her, pulling her down to him, his hands fumbling for her robes.
"Let me." Mahrayne said, straddling his thighs. Quickly she pulled the lower half of his uniform down, lifted her robes out of the way and positioned herself over his groin. She bit her lip, Zorun was bigger than she remembered, but with a determined wriggle she sank down onto his erection, groaning as his hard heat filled her. Gods, she'd missed this. Zorun growled and gripped her hips, holding her still as he thrust up into her. It didn't take long, certainly not long enough for her to climax. Mahrayne smiled tenderly at him as he lay quivering beneath her, his shaft pulsing inside her. She made to slide off him, but he was already hardening again.
Mahrayne had helped Zorun climax once more before they'd reached the Korijin enclave, again without getting the opportunity to come herself, and she was getting a little impatient for her own pleasure. She handed the supitso driver one of her bracelets, barely acknowledging his thanks before almost dragging her smirking mate inside the enclave and through to the room set aside for them. As they disappeared past the heavy curtain, one of the young females, Asond, called a greeting and said something about food, but Mahrayne wasn't really listening.
Mahrayne had spent some time making sure the room was going to be comfortable. It was wonderfully warm in there, and because the Korijin used some sort of efficient, powered heating device that worked without creating fumes like the combustible rocks did, the air seemed less thick than in the Hassinan households.
Zorun unclasped Mahrayne's cloak and let it fall to the ground.
"I've missed you," he whispered nuzzling her neck, his tail winding its way beneath her robes and his hands caressing slowly up and down her back.
"I missed you too," Mahrayne's tone wasn't quite as soft as she tugged at his armour, "get undressed." Zorun smirked at her impatience, but he managed to pull off his body armour before Mahrayne shoved him down onto the bed and attacked his boots. She kicked off her thick boots then clambered onto the bed to straddle him again, running her hands over his bodysuited torso, perversely prolonging the anticipation. Zorun smirked, his dark eyes gleaming as he easily caught both her wrists in one hand and used the other to unclip the metal bands holding her hair back. The thick white mass spilled down over her shoulders, Zorun reached up and grabbed a handful close to her scalp and pulled her down to him. Mahrayne felt she was going to burst with desire by the time he released her from his kiss.
"Get undressed." Zorun commanded roughly, urgently, and she obeyed, suddenly overwhelmingly shy as she lifted the heavy robe over her head - this wasn't the same body he'd seen that last night on Vejiitasei. Mahrayne swallowed nervously and dropped the robe beside her; she was close to half-way through her pregnancy, the gentle curve of her abdomen giving evidence to the growth of her child.
Zorun stared at her belly for a second, then grinned lop-sidedly, wrapping his tail around her waist and placing his hands gently on either side of her rounded stomach.
"Heh."
Mahrayne thought if his grin got any bigger his face would split in half.
Zorun rolled over, tumbling her – gently – onto the bed, and pulled himself up to kneel on all fours over her. Still dressed in his bodysuit, he started at her neck, her throat, kissing and nipping gently across her shoulders, over and between her breasts. Mahrayne breathed out unsteadily and pushed against his shoulders, not so subtly encouraging him down her body. Zorun chuckled and slowed his pace, the kusoyaro deliberately, maddeningly, taking his time until Mahrayne was writhing underneath him. Finally, finally, he reached her groin. Mahrayne spread her thighs wide and fisted her hands into his spiky mane, thinking if he didn't get on with it she was going to die - or she was going to kill him. Zorun's wicked chuckle sent more echoes of pleasure through her and she groaned with delight as his tongue found its way to her, by now, overly sensitive nub.
Then two things happened almost simultaneously.
Asond, bearing a large platter of food, came unannounced into the room - Mahrayne thought she heard Zorun snarl 'mine!', and he growled at the Korijin. Interestingly, his mouth was still pressed against her groin when he growled and Mahrayne yelped as the delicious vibrations surprised her into an orgasm.
"Are you all right?" the thoroughly startled Asond asked her in Korijin. Mahrayne, caught as she was in the throes of her climax, was unable to answer immediately, and Asond stood there, perplexed and concerned, unsure if she should be intervening or not. Zorun, his tail lashing, was still growling warningly at the intruder and it wasn't helping Mahrayne get control of herself.
"Yes… thank you…" she managed to gasp. The Korijin didn't look convinced, but she nodded and left.
Zorun stopped growling and raised himself up enough to lock eyes with his mate. He looked… savage, Mahrayne thought uneasily, but if she needed proof that he'd protect her...
"She's gone now," Mahrayne said softly, stroking a hand over his mane, "it's just us."
It was as if a veil lifted in Zorun's eyes, the wildness disappeared and he smiled at her. That savagery hadn't gone, Mahrayne realised, it had simply retreated back into a primal part of his psyche.
They spent hours loving each other, delighting in each other, unconsciously reaffirming and strengthening their bond; but Kel was never far from Mahrayne's thoughts.
This was the second time he'd fallen asleep while he was inside her; Zorun was exhausted - he knew it, so did Mahrayne. That he was falling asleep didn't bother her, she was ready to rest herself, but this compulsion of his to be in her was a worry. It had such a strong pull on him that more than once in the past few hours he'd roused from a deep sleep - a sleep his body was getting increasingly desperate for - and made love to her with a frightening intensity. Mahrayne hoped he'd stay asleep this time, she was sore and tired, and longing for a bath. These furs would need a thorough cleaning too, she thought inconsequentially as she drifted into sleep.
She woke blearily a couple of hours later, with just enough time, she realised, for a quick soak before she had to take a lesson. Mahrayne gently disentangled herself from Zorun and slid out of the bed. She didn't want to leave him here by himself… But he hadn't stirred when she gently brushed his mane back from his face; the chances were he'd stay asleep for a while. What would he do, though, if he woke up and she wasn't there? Mahrayne asked one of the Korijin to keep an eye on him, and to let him know where she was if he woke.
Mahrayne almost fell asleep in the bath and was therefore a little late for the lesson.
"You look exhausted!" Ti'aasaan exclaimed when he saw her.
"Zorun's here." Mahrayne smirked, then yawned, and the little zn'hre laughed.
She got through the lesson, then excused herself and hurried back to her mate.
Zorun hadn't woken, in fact, he hadn't moved and he felt cold to her touch despite the warmth of the room. Mahrayne, concerned now, tried to wake him but the most response she could get was a disoriented blink before he dropped back to sleep.
"He needs to get off-planet, quickly." The Feeodoreean researcher Mahrayne had called, informed her.
"May I use your comm-link?" Mahrayne asked Tzegh.
Ten minutes later, everything was organised; Mahrayne had contacted G'geckah and arranged rooms for the both of them, and she'd got in touch with Ti'aasaan and explained the situation. The little zn'hre had been concerned for Zorun - which, when Mahrayne thought about later, she found a little strange, Zorun wasn't the family's favourite Guard - and after *speaking* with Zha'haabron, suggested the lessons be suspended until they returned to Vejiitasei in thirteen days or so. Mahrayne agreed, the children could have a holiday during their remaining days on R'ren'nkh'ia, and take the time to finish up any of the projects that hadn't been completed.
Mahrayne had managed to get her nearly unconscious mate dressed, but there was no way she'd be able to get the heavy Saiyan to the shuttle by herself. Rhund volunteered. The pale blue male wouldn’t be able to go with them on the trip to G'geckah - the lighter gravity there caused serious problems for Korijin - but he could at least help get Zorun onto the interplanetary transport.
Mahrayne sat beside the bed in the medical centre, watching her mate sleep. The G'geckan medic had reassured her Zorun would recover quickly now he was away from Hassina's ki draining atmosphere.
"I feel like shit." was the first thing the Guard said when he groggily woke.
"You look it." Mahrayne said with a smile.
"What happened?"
Mahrayne sighed. "Hassina happened. The medic said you had a more severe reaction to the ki depletion because you were so fatigued."
"You're not entirely to blame," Zorun smirked, reading the guilt in her scent, "I was exhausted before I got there."
"You knew Hassina was dangerous for Saiyans, yes?" Zorun nodded. "And you were run down already, yes?" Another nod. "Why did you come here then?"
His fingers softly traced the beads on her cheek.
"I needed to see you. I wanted to see you. Now."
Mahrayne smiled, and kissed his palm. "Baka," she said, shaking her head. "Can you stand?"
"Yes!" Zorun grunted testily, sitting up and swinging his legs over the side of the bed. "Fuck, I'm as weak as a cub!"
"You need to eat, and sleep - " Mahrayne wrinkled her nose, " - and bathe." Zorun scented himself and pulled a face.
"Bathe first."
He insisted on walking to their room, which wasn't far, but the stubborn male was shaking with fatigue by the time they got there. Mahrayne 'tched' at him and got him undressed and into the shower, making him sit on the floor of the cubicle while she washed him. Zorun had energy enough to grumble about being treated like a newborn but he let Mahrayne dry him and get him into bed. He growlingly drew the line, though, when she tried to feed him. Mahrayne simply smiled and watched him put away a small mountain of almost raw meat in an astonishingly short time. With one appetite satisfied, Zorun pushed the tray away then pulled Mahrayne close. He smirked and caressed her breasts, teasing her nipples to hard peaks, and it appeared he was ready to satisfy another appetite. But, to Mahrayne's complete non-surprise - and her relief, she was very tired - Zorun fell asleep as he was kissing her throat. Mahrayne smiled affectionately and snuggled in to her male, quickly falling asleep herself.
They slept all through the G'geckan night and well into the next day. Mahrayne woke to the delightful sensation of Zorun's tongue tracing the new beads on her shoulder blades and his tail flicking over her breast beads.
"I like this," he said between long licks, "it's a sparkwing, isn't it?"
Mahrayne mumbled something in the affirmative, then shifted until she was in her favourite position - arse up, shoulders down, knees spread wide. She smirked at Zorun through a veil of sleep-tangled white hair.
"Well?" she said with a wicked grin.
Zorun wasn't stupid - but then, even the densest Saiyan couldn't misinterpret this invitation - he curled one hand around her hip, grabbed a fistful of snowy soft hair with the other, and slid into her with a contented growl.
"Feeling better?" Mahrayne asked with syrupy innocence some time later. Zorun grunted succinctly. Mahrayne smiled and nipped at his lips, then she started to laugh.
"I'm remembering the look on Asond's face when she came in and saw us," Mahrayne said in answer to Zorun's enquiring look.
"She shouldn't have come in." he growled.
"Probably didn't occur to her not to," Mahrayne snuggled closer, "Korijin live communally." She giggled again. "It's no wonder Asond looked surprised, though, Korijin don't use their mouths or fingers to pleasure each other."
"Why?"
"Have you seen their claws? They're more likely to eviscerate their partner than pleasure them!"
They lapsed into a comfortable, drowsy silence.
"Was it very bad for you?" Mahrayne asked softly, "Me not being there with you for FullMoon?"
Zorun heaved a sigh and pushed a hand through his mane.
"It - wasn't good. But Hijau helped."
"Hijau?" Mahrayne sat up and looked down at him. "How?"
"We partnered each other for the season."
Mahrayne frowned. "Partnered? As in fucked? But you don't like each other."
"You don't have to like the person you're fucking," Zorun shrugged, then sighed again. "It's - complicated. I'm not sure what was going on, but I don't know what I would have done without him."
Mahrayne suppressed the next dozen questions, guessing correctly that Zorun didn't want to talk about it any more - maybe she'd be able to get more information out of Leteetza?
Zorun reached up and touched the scar on her neck, the scar Mahrayne had almost forgotten about.
"I’m sorry I hurt you," Zorun said softly, "but I'm not sorry I claimed you."
The look in his eyes was part hopeful, part defiant - Mahrayne felt like bursting into tears again. She took a breath and got control of herself.
"I'd really like to know what you want with this. What do you expect of me?"
"What I want," Zorun said, "is for no one else to touch you, or you them."
Mahrayne's heart sank, it was as bad as she'd feared, but - but maybe if she did as he asked, she'd be able to negotiate for Kel?
Zorun was regarding her narrowly.
"You wouldn't, would you?" he said, disbelieving wonder tingeing his voice, "If I asked you not to fuck anybody else, you wouldn't." Mahrayne fought back tears of confusion - what did he want? Why couldn't he just tell her and get it over with so she could begin to deal with it? Zorun pulled her down to him, hugging her tightly.
"I won't ask that of you - it wouldn't make you happy." He kissed her forehead and whispered, "your happiness is important."
Mahrayne swallowed the lump in her throat. "Leteetza said there might be some people you wouldn't object to me having sex with?"
"Like who?" the growl in his voice was unmistakable, but at least he was talking.
"Kelapa?"
A pause. "That's acceptable."
"Leteetza?"
"She'd have time?" Zorun smirked, then nodded. "Acceptable."
"What about other Saiyan females, in general?"
He looked at her in consternation. "How many are there likely to be?"
Mahrayne made non-committal noises and Zorun rolled his eyes. "'In general' I can't really object - depends on the individual female."
Mahrayne nodded. "What about Saiyan males?"
Zorun went silent, and his tail, which had been gently stroking her belly, froze: an inexplicable image of her and Hijau fucking popped into Mahrayne's head - inexplicable because she just didn't think of the flame-haired guard that way.
"No." Zorun said through gritted teeth.
Mahrayne paused.
"What about non-Saiyans, like - like the zn'hre?" She dropped the name as casually as she could, but Zorun was scenting her.
"A lizard? Why would you want to fuck one of them?" His eyes widened. "Because you've already fucked one. Which one?" he demanded.
Mahrayne didn't think Zorun would try to hurt one of the High King's bondmates but you didn't knowingly use an unstable bridge to cross a chasm - she kept silent.
"The small one, Ti'aasaan, wasn’t it?" Zorun growled, "Couldn't have been Zha'haabron or Zha'haarak, they're… spoken for." He fell silent and stared into the distance.
"Zorun?" Mahrayne called him gently.
"Hn?" he shook his head. "Must still be tired."
Mahrayne screwed up her courage. "So what about non-Saiyans?" she reminded him.
He frowned. "I'll have to think about it."
So she had her answer: females - generally, yes; males - generally, no; and he'd think about the rest. At least she had some idea where she stood now.
They didn't leave the room, except to sit out on the balcony, for another day. Zorun rested and ate enough to keep a household fed for a day, and when they weren't eating or sleeping, they were making love. By the third day Zorun was almost back to full strength and itching to get outside.
He padded, naked, over to the large leather satchel Tzegh had handed to Mahrayne as they'd left the enclave. One of the Korijin had found the bag in Zorun's room on the transport, apparently, and brought it down to Hassina. Zorun had looked at it blankly when Mahrayne handed it to him, then said 'Kelapa packed it', and aggravatingly, didn't mention it again.
Mahrayne watched her mate move, drinking in the sight of his powerful body, appreciating the strength and suppleness of the muscles in his legs, and buttocks, back and shoulders. She wondered if she could teach him to dance. Some of the moves would need to be altered to show off his strength and grace to best advantage…
Zorun squatted down in front of the bag and smirked back at her over his shoulder, his ebony tail waving languidly behind him.
"I'm going flying. Want to come - flying?"
"Oh, yes please!" Mahrayne scrambled out of bed - the half-finished choreography she'd been designing for him pushed to the back of her mind - and got dressed.
Mahrayne hummed and keened with pleasure; she'd forgotten how wonderful flying could be. Zorun held her securely in his arms and they flew low over the jungle canopy, sometimes angling upwards and zooming towards the sky before diving back down again. G'geckah was beautiful, though a different sort of beauty to Vejiitasei, and the lighter gravity made her feel buoyant. Zorun was enjoying it too, she could tell; the intensity, the hardness in his face had softened and he looked much younger. It wasn't just his face that looked different, either. Instead of the dark-blue bodysuit she'd been expecting him to wear, he'd pulled out of the satchel a pair of supple, black leather trousers and a matching sleeveless top. There was a pair of short black boots as well, and Mahrayne wondered how Kelapa knew he had these things? Or did she get them from somewhere else? Mahrayne had gaped at him in the black outfit - he looked so - so - fuckable. Not that he wasn't usually but with the uniform came a seriousness and an ever present responsibility; without the uniform, Zorun looked freer, more playful, somehow.
They stopped every so often on one of the numerous stone piers that dotted the waterway, to eat something that Zorun had caught - usually some of the large, tasty fish things that lived in the canals. They saw lots of G'gecks, all of whom greeted them, but didn't intrude, leaving the couple their privacy.
Zorun was having fun.
There were some massive trees in the G'geckan jungle - huge, tall and broad things with thick branches and elongated, shiny, dark turquoise leaves. Mahrayne watched her mate have a wonderful time clambering all over one of these plants. Zorun was barefoot, and he used his strong arms and legs to pull himself up and around the branches, his prehensile tail giving him an extra anchor point. He paused occasionally to grin down at her before resuming his climb upwards. Mahrayne had had no idea he was so agile, strong certainly, but she'd never seen him use his body this way and it was fascinating. She wondered if he climbed trees on Vejiitasei. Some little time later he came back down the tree, moving just as smoothly backwards as forwards.
He stood easily on a branch several feet above her head. His arms were folded lightly across his chest, his tail was waving happily and he was grinning like a maniac. She wasn't sure how he did it, but suddenly he was hanging by his knees upside down on the branch, dangling just in front of her. Mahrayne laughed; he grabbed her and kissed her quickly, then still grinning, let her go, and swung himself back up onto the branch, landing in a knees-wide squat facing away from her. It was a couple of seconds before Mahrayne realised he'd spoken, she'd been completely distracted by the view of supple leather stretched tightly over his buttocks and thighs.
"I said," he smirked at her, "come climb with me."
"Climb?" Mahrayne frowned, "I don't think I can."
"Why not?"
"We don't have trees on Hassina," she pointed out patiently.
"Hn."
Zorun sprang off the branch, landing lightly behind her. He nuzzled her neck.
"I'll help."
Mahrayne looked up, following the line of the central trunk, and hesitated; it was a long way, and if she fell she couldn't fly…
Zorun's tail wound around her waist.
"I won't let you fall."
Mahrayne bit her lip, then nodded and heeled off her boots. Zorun grinned and proceeded to give Mahrayne her first climbing lesson.
It wasn't as hard as it looked, she found, though it might be easier next time if she wasn't wearing robes.
"Wait," Mahrayne stopped them half way up - she'd had an idea. With Zorun keeping a watchful eye on her, Mahrayne balanced carefully on a broad branch, then stripped naked and draped her robe over the branch.
"It'll be easier to climb like this," she smirked at the open-mouthed male.
Easier? In one sense, yes. Without her robes restricting her movements, Mahrayne did find it easier to move through the branches, but with Zorun's warm, strong body pressed close as he showed her where to put her hands and feet, and the feel of his leather clothing sliding smoothly against the skin and beads on her back, Mahrayne found she was wholly distracted. She wondered what it would be like to make love in a tree.
They'd almost reached the top. The uppermost branches weren't strong enough to support their weight so Zorun scooped her up in his arms and flew them the remaining distance. They carefully pushed through the canopy and Mahrayne's breath caught at the sight of the apparently endless vegetation tipped with gold from the late afternoon sun. They hung in the air for a while, enjoying the view, then sank back down into the dim, humid jungle. Mahrayne sighed happily, she liked flying with Zorun. Maybe she could ask him to take her flying over the forests and jungles on Vejiitasei?
They were resting on a wide branch part-way down the tree, having just devoured several small scaled somethings that Zorun had caught. Zorun's broad back was against the smooth central trunk of the tree, and Mahrayne - still naked - was nestled comfortably, contentedly, between his thighs. One of his arms was wrapped securely around her waist and he nuzzled her neck and purred, his tail and spare hand reaching around to stroke her abdomen.
"Have the medics been able to narrow down the birth date?" Zorun asked her.
Mahrayne sighed happily and nodded. "Sometime after mid-winter they think."
"Hn. After Leteetza's brats are born then."
………
"What?!"
Mahrayne's startled exclamation caused rustlings in the nearby vegetation. She twisted to look up at Zorun, who was wincing at the onslaught on his sensitive ears.
"What?!" she said again, a little quieter.
"Leteetza's pregnant."
"When did this happen?" A delighted grin replaced Mahrayne's open-mouthed stare.
"During FullMoon. Radittsu's very pleased."
"I'm not surprised!" Mahrayne laughed, absolutely thrilled for her friend.
"So's Vejiita."
"That's good! I'm glad he's not jealous."
Zorun looked puzzled. "Of what?"
"Of his Captain fathering a child on his Companion."
"No, Vejiita's happy because he's fathered a child."
Mahrayne shifted carefully until she was kneeling facing Zorun.
"So Vejiita's the father?"
"They both are." Zorun said, then winced again at his mate's frustrated shout.
"What are you talking about?!"
Zorun smirked infuriatingly.
"Leteetza's pregnant with twins - one is Radittsu's, the other is Vejiita's."
Mahrayne stared at him.
"That's incredible." she said finally, then squealed, "that's wonderful!" Mahrayne laughed delightedly and swooped in to kiss Zorun, pinning him back against the tree with the sudden need to celebrate life in the most primeval manner.
"Have you ever fucked in a tree before?" she asked huskily.
"Uh - "
Zorun couldn't answer - Mahrayne's mouth on his throat and her hands at the fastenings of his trousers saw to that.
In all, Zorun and Mahrayne had nine (Vejiitasei) blissful, invigorating days together on G'geckah. As well as teaching her to climb, Zorun taught Mahrayne to swim in one of the warm, clear lakes nearby. Mahrayne danced for him, and, as they lay together on the balcony at night she told him the stories she saw in the stars.
Mahrayne pinned down one of the G'geckan medics and asked about Leteetza's pregnancy. The alien had been fascinated - if the rhythmic rippling of his neck frill was any indication - and he'd confirmed that although unusual, it wasn't impossible for a female to simultaneously carry multiple children to multiple fathers, all that was required was for her system to have released more than one ovum at the time of copulation.
Mahrayne contacted Hassina briefly, mostly to reassure Tzegh, Pirum and Nonnia that all was well. She wasn't surprised to find that Pirum had been using the video-link to speak to Buahan, but she'd taken her shame-faced sister to task when she found out Pirum had lied to Ti'aasaan about Mahrayne's knowledge of it.
There had only been one incident to mar the pair's contentment - for some reason Mahrayne had told Zorun about her parents' reaction to her pregnancy. Her mate's response had terrified her.
Zorun'd raged around their room before taking off from the balcony and disappearing for an hour. Mahrayne had been frantic, not knowing where he was. She had a horrible suspicion he'd try to get to Hassina and she shuddered to think what he'd do if he succeeded. Mahrayne had almost wept with relief when he returned, calmer but still furious. Mahrayne's relief had turned to white-hot anger when he coldly interrogated her about how she'd handled the threat to their child. The force of her anger pushed him back a step or two as she raged at him about how little he must think of her if he believed for a second she'd let anyone hurt her cub.
They'd glared at each other with something very close to contempt, until Mahrayne felt her child move sharply, then she'd burst into tears and run out of their room, away from her mate. Zorun'd tracked her down quickly, not surprisingly, and ignoring the few G'geckans that were about he'd picked her up, and held her while she cried her anger and fear out over what could have happened. They spent a long time that night repairing the hurt they'd caused each other - not with words, because words could be misinterpreted, but with loving touches, and affection, and a deep, unspoken communication that Mahrayne could almost fool herself into believing was 'pathic.
Zorun's nose wrinkled as he and Mahrayne stepped out of the supitso: fuck, this place stank! He watched his mate give a piece of jewellery to the driver, then he smirked at the skinny male who was watching him uneasily.
"I'll probably only be an hour." Mahrayne was smiling up at him. "Will you be all right?" He stroked his fingers over her face beads and curled his tail around her waist.
"I'll find something to amuse myself with."
Mahrayne didn't look reassured, but she kissed him, steadfastly ignoring the Hassinan male's startled reaction, then turned and disappeared into an opening in the wall. Zorun watched her go, a half-smile on his face.
"You." The thin male jumped when the Guard spoke to him. "Take me to Astolan."
Zorun strode behind the nervous male as he scuttled along the curving corridors. The skinny idiot indicated a curtained doorway, jerkily inclining his head before bolting back the way they'd come. Zorun smirked after him, then pushed through the curtain, a hard, cruel look settling over his face.
The place had the feel of an administration area; there were dozens of females there who stopped and stared at him when he stepped into the room. Zorun's nostrils flared.
Not females - males.
The big Saiyan was disoriented for a moment. They all looked like females - they had long hair, and face beads and were wearing embroidered robes and jewellery, all the things he associated with Mahrayne and therefore female. Zorun snorted; it didn't matter, he had something to attend to and once that was done he could take his mate away from this shit-hole planet.
"Astolan." Zorun said with quiet menace.
An older male approached him officiously; Zorun's eyes glittered, he remembered this one from the Hassinan delegation.
"I am Astolan." He said with bare courtesy. "And you are…?"
Zorun picked the male up by his throat and slammed him into the nearest wall.
"That was my cub you tried to kill." he snarled into the terrified male's face. Zorun heard another one of the pathetic creatures approach.
"Leave my father alone you - " The irritant didn't get to finish his sentence before Zorun's tail lashed out and sent him flying. The Saiyan heard rather than saw the younger male's satisfyingly rough landing. No one else moved.
"If you ever - " Zorun smashed the male into the wall again, " - try to hurt my mate or my cub again - " the male gargled as his head impacted with the stone a third time and Zorun licked his lips at the smell of fresh blood, " - you will be a long time dying." The Guard pronounced that last word with an almost erotic relish and the Hassinan in his grip whimpered. Zorun smirked at him then casually tossed Mahrayne's father into the centre of the room. The Saiyan didn't deign to look back as he exited.
Zorun found his way back to where he'd left Mahrayne - more by good luck than anything else, everything looked the fucking same - and he waited impatiently for her to emerge, trying to ignore the headache the foul air was giving him. Zorun growled, he hated this planet with a passion.
He didn't wait alone for long though. A supitso pulled up, and a group of Korijin stepped out. A big blue female introduced herself as Tzegh, and asked if he'd recovered from the ki depletion. The aliens had given Mahrayne and himself somewhere to stay so Zorun felt obliged to answer as politely as he could. Which wasn't very polite at all given the headache and his distraction - where the fuck was Mahrayne? - but the Korijin didn't seem to mind.
A small group of Hassinan - (Zorun scented them suspiciously) males, arrived. There were three of them, Astolan - who looked a little wobbly and blanched when the Saiyan growled at him, the fear in his scent making Zorun's lip curl; another older, dignified male he recognised as the Lead Speaker, and a younger male who had something of Mahrayne about him. Her brother? The other one? She had two brothers didn't she?
The Lead Speaker approached him and smiled, the stately male murmuring just loud enough for Zorun to catch his words.
"I am very glad Mahrayne has a protector such as yourself."
Zorun glared balefully at Astolan.
"What's he doing here?" he demanded of the Lead Speaker. Marldus almost chuckled.
"It's traditional, when a female is being 'gifted', for her parents to be there."
Zorun got the impression he was missing a joke - he'd ask Mahrayne about it later, when his head stopped pounding.
"Look after her, warrior," Marldus said somberly, "she is more important than she realises." The Lead Speaker inclined his head politely and moved back to stand with the other males.
Zorun heard the females approach before he could scent them above the reek of the planet. Mahrayne beamed at him as she emerged from the females' quarters and his mood, and heart, lifted.
His mate was accompanied by two older females, four younger ones, and a child who was clinging to her and crying as if her heart was breaking.
"I don't want you to go!" the child wailed, to Zorun's surprise, in Saiya-go.
"I know, and I don't want to leave you, sinam," Mahrayne hugged her, "but the video-link equipment will be staying here so I can talk to you often, yes? I'll continue to tutor you," she glanced up at the younger females and smiled, "and others, regularly." The child sniffled and wiped her eyes then she caught sight of Zorun. She stared.
"Is that him?"
Mahrayne smiled at Zorun. "Yes."
The Saiyan felt absurdly happy at the love in his mate's voice; he almost smiled.
"He's big," the child said candidly, and Mahrayne laughed and ruffled her hair affectionately.
Zorun smirked at the females, he was well aware of the reaction he was causing, especially from two of the younger ones. One of them leant over to Mahrayne and whispered in Common:
"Are all Saiyan males like that?"
"No," Mahrayne whispered back, smirking obliquely at him, "some are even better!"
Zorun frowned, then realised she was teasing him. Hn.
"We'd better go." Mahrayne announced quietly.
She hugged and kissed all the females warmly, except one, and that one's skewed, jealous scent made him want to sneeze - who was she? Mahrayne pointedly ignored her father but smiled as she touched the shoulders of the Lead Speaker and the younger male. She said goodbye to the assembled Korijin in their native language - at least, Zorun thought it was 'goodbye', it seemed to go on for ages. Tzegh rumbled something and enveloped Mahrayne in a hug, stroking the Hassinan's mane as if she was a cub.
At last his mate moved gracefully towards him. Zorun wrapped her in his arms and tail and breathed in deeply; Mahrayne's sweet, musky scent instantly dispelled the headache this fuckawful planet was giving him. He kissed her softly, smirking at the mingled shocked/lustful scents drifting over from the watching Hassinan.
"Don't tease them." Mahrayne murmured huskily, the lust in her scent almost masked by something else, an awed happiness whose origin Zorun couldn't begin to guess at. Didn't matter though, it was time to leave.
"Let's go home." he said.
"Gods, yes." Mahrayne replied fervently, waving good bye to everyone as she walked with him to the waiting supitso.
© 2002 June 10th Amanda Mullane
