Progression pt 1

Progression pt1

"You've overdone it again," Kelapa scowled, taking in the deep flush spread over her lover's cheeks, her accelerated respiration. "Ayva won't be pleased." Mahrayne detected the undertone of worry in the warrior's gruffness and a loving warmth joined the blush of exertion.
       "I'm fine, tahnan, really," Mahrayne brushed a kiss over the Saiayan's lips before easing herself down at the table in the Academy's eatery. "I'll be sitting for the rest of the day."
       Kel humphed as she took her place beside her mate in their favourite spot, a large window that overlooked one of the pretty gardens that surrounded the Academy.
       "Promise?"
       "I promise," Mahrayne smiled warmly, "I'm taking one of the story-telling classes and then a language class later in the afternoon."
      "Hn."
       Mahrayne's hand slipped surreptitiously round to gently ruffle the fur at the base of Kel's tail, fingertips trailing lightly over the skinbeads she could feel through the warrior's bodysuit; the Saiyan's pupils flared wide and dark.
       "I'll be well rested by this evening."
       "And the brat will be with his sire..."
       Mahrayne nodded slowly, her gaze never leaving her lover's face, making no attempt to hide her hunger for the warrior. Kel scowled at her, then shook her head and smirked lop-sidedly.
       "See that you do rest," she growled, "or I'll take you to the med centre and have Ayva keep you in for a few days!"
       Mahrayne smiled, and lowered her head in acquiescence.

Mahrayne had been thrilled, overjoyed, overcome, when Bri'seiyis invited her to join the Academy's teaching staff. The songwright had explicitly said she wouldn't be expected to attend until after her child was born but within a few days of the Academy's official opening, Mahrayne had started giving classes. After all, Ayva had estimated it could be two hundred and fifty days or more before her daughter was due and Mahrayne honestly couldn't wait that long.
       'tiisaan had been delighted, Ayva less so, the medic frowning and ready to resist until Mahrayne promised to pace herself, and agreed to more frequent monitoring.
       After consultation with Zh'nast, Mahrayne dropped her translation work down to every second morning instead of most afternoons, leaving every other morning – when her energy was at its peak – to take the Hassinan dance classes. Her afternoons were spent between language classes (both for Academy students and her regular 'family' students), the continuing private dance lessons with Zha'haarak, and classes and discussion groups on the topic of story-telling. Mahrayne also made a point of sitting in on other dance classes when she could, even if she couldn't participate, and when she had a spare moment she was in the library continuing the work organising the Saiya-jin birth records, (Mahrayne didn't need to spend that much time there now, she had an assistant, a young male Thinker, Budo, whose ability to accurately recall everything he'd ever read was a useful gift when it came to untangling some of the genealogies). And of course, Mahrayne co-ordinated her down-time with Kel's so they could be together.
       Mahrayne was very busy. She liked being busy, it didn't give her time to think about, and eventually wallow in, the guilt and regret she felt over how she'd treated Zorun… or just how lonely she was sometimes without the bustle of the family around her.

Kuri was quickly growing into a strong, sturdy, likeable child. His rapid development was comparable to one of the rare Hassinan plants, Mahrayne mused to his mother, the ones that flourished vigorously during the short warm season. You could look away from one of these plants for a moment, then look back to find they'd grown noticeably. Mahrayne had taken to affectionately calling Kel's cub leidan, after one of the more attractive of these fast growers.
      Kelapa had down-time while she was nursing her son. It was necessary, the cub wanted to feed every hour or less for the first ten days and the warrior wouldn't have been able to work anyway. Kelapa was thoroughly unimpressed, vowing quietly that she was never going to fucking do this again. But even so, Mahrayne was relieved to see her lover couldn't suppress her growing affection for her son, and as for Kuri, he loved his mother unreservedly. He loved Mahrayne as well, much to the Hassinan's joy, easily accepting her as a substitute when Kelapa wasn't around, even to the point of nursing from her a few times.
      Kuri was five days old and Kelapa was climbing the walls; she had to get away for a while. When the warrior returned, she found her son happily suckling from Mahrayne.
      The Hassinan had bitten her lip at the look on Kel's face.
       "He was fretting, Kel," Mahrayne regarded her warily, "I thought I could at least try this to settle him..."
       "Thank you," Kelapa said stiffly, squashing the urge to snatch her child back. "Thank you," she said in a softer tone, plopping down beside Mahrayne and kissing her cheek. "Well, now we know you can feed him as well I won't worry about him fucking starving if I have to go away."
       Mahrayne smiled her relief at her lover's acceptance - she honestly hadn't been sure how Kelapa would react - then Kuri realised his mother was there and squealed happily, wriggling and squirming until Mahrayne handed him over. The look of suffused delight and pride on the warrior's face as she settled her child to her breast to finish feeding him brought happy tears to Mahrayne's eyes. Despite the Saiyan's reservations, she was turning out to be an excellent mother.

Kelapa was ambivalent about returning to duty. On the one hand she'd had more than enough of being at home with her son, but on the other she wasn't looking forward to facing the hostility of the Guard again. Mahrayne suggested she introduce her son to Kyuri before starting back at work.
       "It might help relax things with her a little, yes?"
       "I don't know." Kel was reluctant, "Kyuri ... doesn't want anything to do with me."
       "Maybe, but she's not going to take it out on your son." Mahrayne countered gently. And it was true, the Saiya-jin were as flawed as any other race but they didn't carry their grudges through to the next generation. Generally - Mahrayne wasn't naive enough to think there weren't going to be exceptions.
       But anyway, three days before Kel was due to return to duty she took Kuri for a visit with her one-time friend. The warrior returned an hour later and, much to Mahrayne's thwarted curiosity, only smirked a little but didn't enlighten her as to what had happened. The Hassinan swallowed her inquisitiveness, having to content herself that her lover's slightly more relaxed state meant things hadn't gone badly.

Mahrayne was still in correspondence with Pinattsu and Lord Kurumi. The friendly, confiding tone of Pinattsu's long letters hadn't changed but the replies Mahrayne now got from Kel's father were short, formal and distant, nothing more than brief notes thanking her for news of his daughter and her child. Mahrayne was torn: should she stop writing? If she did, it was unlikely that Kel would write in her stead and it would be sad if Kurumi had no news of his grandchild.
Kelapa was succinct in her opinion.
"Fuck him." she growled when Mahrayne broached the subject. "If he's not fucking happy to hear from you don't do it anymore. His loss." Mahrayne could see the sense in that, but still – she was uncomfortable with the idea of breaking off all contact with the noble. In the end she compromised with herself, not writing as often or as extensively, but enough that Lord Kurumi would still have an idea of how his kin were faring.

Zha'haarak still regularly came to Mahrayne for private dance lessons. The Hassinan was gratified, she liked the Prince but she'd half expected him to discontinue his association with her - she was sure it had at least been tactfully suggested to him - as now there was no shortage of dance tutors. Mahrayne liked to think Zha'haarak still came to her because he liked her, but she guessed a large part of it was the zn'hre needing to stay on good terms with the mother of his hostling's bondmate, particularly as Kinu and 'jau sometimes slept over with them now.
      It was Zha'haarak who raised the issue of Kuri's care when his mother was back on duty. Much as Mahrayne would've liked to, she couldn't look after the cub during the day, she was too busy herself, and Kelapa had talked about placing her son in the military crèche.
      "Would Kelapa-san object if Kuri stayed with me during the day, until he's old enough to start lessons...?" The gentle zn'hre had enquired. Mahrayne thought this was a much better idea than the crèche.
      "Thank you for offering, Ssii'irin Zha'haarak," she beamed at the prince, "I'll ask her."
      Kelapa, predictably, had been undecided. She liked and trusted Zha'haarak, knew he would take good care of her child, but she was unsure about the rest of the family. Mahrayne pointed out that Zha'haarak's calm presence would counteract any negativity, something that wouldn't happen in the crèche. Kel couldn't fault the logic of this and so she, with Mahrayne accompanying her, took Kuri up to the family's suite early on her first morning back on duty. Zha'haarak came out to meet them, the gentle zn'hre smiling warmly as he accepted the curious, and completely unconcerned, cub from his mother.
      "Be good for Ssii'irin Zha'haarak, brat." Kel smirked lop-sidedly at her son, ruffling his black, wildly spiked mane, the only sign of affection she was willing to give in front of the impassive Elite and R'ren'nkh'ian Guards stationed outside the suite. "I'll pick him up at the end of my shift." Kel confirmed with the prince. Zha'haarak nodded, cuddling Kuri against his chest. The cub reached up to grab at the hank of shining emerald that hung tantalisingly within reach and Zha'haarak chuckled softly as Kuri tugged experimentally on his fistful of hair.
      "We'll see you then, Kelapa-san."
      "Thank you." Kel inclined her head politely to the zn'hre, grinned at her cub then almost defiantly, it appeared to Mahrayne, coiled her tail around the Hassinan's expanded waist.
      "I'll drop you off at the library now, takibi." The warrior smirked down at her lover, "And I'll meet you for the midday meal."

Since then, Kuri usually stayed with Zha'haarak during the day when both Mahrayne and Kel were busy, and sometimes over night when his father was also in the suite. The cub got on well with the other children, especially his half-brother and 'jau, and – according to Kinu, Mahrayne's source of family news – Kiraz and 'raadiin. The older brats liked Kuri as well, and didn't mind the little high-elite cub tagging along after them whenever he could – most of the time. Kinu had laughed out loud when he'd described to his mother the scowling, stubborn look on Kuri's face when 'raadiin growled at him not to follow 'fallon and himself into 'their' room. Apparently it had taken a great deal of tickling from Kiraz to wipe the pout off of Kuri's face that time!

The days rolled on, the hot season came and went with Mahrayne faring better than last year. She was adapting to Vejiitasei's climate it seemed, though she still had problems with her light-sensitive eyes. The Hassinan breathed a sigh of relief when the wet season began.
Mahrayne felt she'd settled into the Academy well. She was enjoying teaching - and learning - there and had made lots of friends amongst the staff and students. Being amongst people that shared her love of dancing, and the arts in general, was simultaneously soothing and uplifting, and Mahrayne was happy and relaxed. It showed in her returning confidence, her almost trouble-free pregnancy, and her soul-satisfying, deepening relationship with Kelapa...

Late afternoon, and Mahrayne was waiting at the spaceport for the transport from Hassina to arrive. There was an odd, anticipatory sort of excitement trilling up and down her spine: soon she'd be welcoming some of her people to Vejiitasei.
       Shortly after Mahrayne joined the Academy, Bri'seiyis had approached her with the idea of having some Hassinan musicians, singers and dancers visit Vejiitasei. Mahrayne had agreed enthusiastically, for several reasons, some of which she wasn't consciously aware of.
       "Shall I speak to the Lead Speaker about it?" the songwright had offered.
       "No, thank you, Bri-sama," Mahrayne gave him a small smile. "I'd like to do that, if you don't mind?" Bri'seiyis had nodded, smiling and left it in her hands.
       Mahrayne didn't doubt that Marldus would've been flattered to have the distinguished zn'hre contact him personally, and that could only have worked in her favour, but the Hassinan knew precisely which arguments to use to sway the Lead Speaker.
       Mahrayne spoke to Marldus via a video-link to Hassina.
      "It's vital, Lead Speaker, that our culture, or at least some of it, is seen by other peoples." The elder male said nothing for several seconds, but Mahrayne could tell by the sudden tightness of his face, and the dawning comprehension in his eyes that he understood what she was saying. He was realising, for the first time, exactly what was at stake with Hassina's destruction - not just his people's physical survival, but their cultural heritage. If the Hassinan perished with their planet, a thousands upon thousand years old civilisation would vanish without trace – unless an effort was made to preserve it. Which meant coaxing an essentially insular people to share their knowledge and skills.
      Mahrayne sadly watched these thoughts unfold on the Lead Speaker's face; she was passing on her nightmare.
      *It has to be done, heart's-light.* Alida cuddled her twin from behind.
      *I know,* Mahrayne sighed inwardly, *But I would've wished Marldus peace in his old age.*
      *This will hasten his death.* Alida said with quiet certainty.
      Mahrayne sighed again.
      *I know.*
      The Lead Speaker lifted his chin and squared his shoulders decisively.
      "The idea has merit, daughter, I'll raise it at the next Council meeting."
      Mahrayne took a deep breath.
      "It's important that the visit is agreed to, Lead Speaker, it might be... beneficial to have the idea circulated within the Households before the meeting – to give people a chance to get used to the notion."
      Marldus frowned.
      "I will not go behind the backs of the other Heads of Household."
      "Leave that to me," Mahrayne's half-smile was wry; if she did it right, there would be a minor avalanche of support for the visit by the time the Council next met, all she needed to do was nudge a couple of open-minded and adventurous pebbles...
      The Lead Speaker's frown deepened as he regarded her, then his brow cleared as he accepted the inevitable.
      "Very well, Mahrayne. No doubt we'll be speaking again soon." Marldus inclined his head politely to her - more politely than was warranted for an unimportant, non-breeding female - and closed the connection.

The outcome of Mahrayne's quiet manoeuvring within the Households was that a group of thirty-two non-breeding females - musicians, singers and dancers - had been given leave to visit Vejiitasei before the turning of the year. None of the relatively few male artists had taken up the offer, which was a shame because Mahrayne would've liked the opportunity to see if and how the males' music and dance differed from the females...

Mahrayne smiled as she waited for the transport, mentally perusing the list of females who would be arriving soon. She knew a good number of them personally, very personally in a few cases, and the rest through reputation.
      *There's a good chance some of them will stay behind.* Mahrayne spoke hopefully to Alida. *Not many, perhaps, but it's a start.*
      Kelapa was silent but watchful beside Mahrayne, her tail looped loosely around her lover's bulging abdomen. She could scent Mahrayne's nervousness: so could Kinu. The little hybrid floated up to wind his arms around his mother's neck.
       "Don't be nervous, maazi," Kinu grinned, planting a warm kiss on her cheek. Mahrayne snugged an arm around her son's waist, pulling him into a tight hug.
       "Thank you, sinam."
      She nuzzled his thick, silver mane: Kinu kissed her again then drifted down to stand solidly at her side. Mahrayne smiled at her son as he twined his small fingers with hers and his tail edged out from beneath his Hassinan style robe to coil around her ankle. She'd been pleased when Kinu asked if he could be there to meet the visitors as well, even if it meant his omnipresent guards were added to her own, and delighted when he elected to wear a robe rather than his preferred bodysuit. Of course, the cub always wore jewellery of some description but seeing him dressed as a Hassinan, right down to having his mane caught back in bright metal clips, kindled a powerful pride in Mahrayne. He was her son, and as much Hassinan as Saiya-jin.
      *They're here!* Alida's *voice* echoed her twin's excitement and a split second later Bri'seiyis – standing quietly to Kinu's other side – stirred and smiled as the transport slide smoothly into its dock on the other side of the building.
      "Finally," Kel grumbled, smirking lop-sidedly at Mahrayne.

Something tight in Mahrayne's heart eased as the group of brightly robed and bejewelled females poured through the gateway and she heard their low and throaty murmurs. These were her people, familiar and welcome, not aliens with who she felt constrained to watch what she did and said for fear of causing offence. She was so glad to see them...
      "Mahrayne!"
      One of the females had spotted her and broke away from the group. Mahrayne stepped forward to be swept up in an enthusiastic hug.
      "Merces! It's so good to see you!"
      Merces, like Mahrayne, came from Marldus's Household, though from different families within it; they'd known each other for a long time.
      "And you!" she stepped back to better view the younger female, grinning broadly at her advanced pregnancy. "Not long now by the look of it?" Merces stroked her palm familiarly over Mahrayne's prominent bump, her long fingers almost incidentally brushing the underside of her breasts sparking a surge of arousal.
      "This is Kelapa," Mahrayne switched to Common as the Saiyan stepped close and wrapped her tail possessively around the Hassinan. "Kelapa – Merces." The singer inclined her head to the warrior in polite deference but her dark gold eyes twinkled.
      "The Saiyan? Chumie mentioned her," Merces murmured. "Are you exclusive?"
      Mahrayne smiled softly over her shoulder at Kel before turning back to her old friend and occasional lover.
      "Oh, yes."
      "Pity." Merces grinned, then she caught sight of Kinu standing patiently beside Bri'seiyis.
      "That's not your son, is it?" Merces gaped. "How did he get so big so quickly?"
      Mahrayne laughed and beckoned Kinu forward, introducing him to Merces and the rest of the females that now clustered around. Kinu smiled at their exclamations and endured with good humour the pats and strokes of his mane.
      "And now if I may introduce myself...?"
      Mahrayne blushed in chagrin as the zn'hre songwright stepped forwards.
      "Forgive me, Bri'seiyis-sama," Mahrayne apologised swiftly.
      "Of course, Mahrayne," the striking zn'hre smiled at her before turning to face the assembled females.
      "I am Bri'seiyis," he spoke in clear, beautifully modulated Common, "and I welcome you to Vejiitasei."

The clashing colours the females wore hurt Kelapa's eyes, and they still carried the reek of their fucking planet about them, but Mahrayne was obviously pleased to see them. The Hassinan's scent changed subtly, became… easier, as if she'd stopped doing something strenuous. Troubled in an indefinable way by her lover's reaction, Kel couldn't keep her distance when the older Hassinan female pawed at Mahrayne and she responded. For a sickening moment Kelapa feared she'd have to go through the same thing Zorun had, but then 'rayne glanced back at her with such a sweetly loving look it had made the warrior's heart swell with happiness. No, Mahrayne loved her in a completely different way to how she'd loved the King's Guard – there would be no problems.

The Hassinan artists had settled in quickly, taking only a couple of hours rest in the large, interconnecting rooms provided for them at the Academy before being introduced to the staff and students during the last meal of the day. All of the Hassinan spoke Common to some degree, Mahrayne had made sure of that, and it was a very friendly, enjoyable evening as the visitors mingled with the aliens and the exchange of ideas began.
      Kel sat beside Mahrayne, watching as her lover relaxed and... lightened, somehow, amongst the company of her people. The Saiyan swallowed.
      "Do you want to stay with them while they're here?"
      Mahrayne blinked in surprise then grinned.
      "Not tonight," she cuddled in to Kel's side, "but maybe a couple of nights later? If you will be there as well?"
      Kelapa smirked, relieved and not sure why.
      "Yeah, I guess that'd be all right," she drawled with a smirk, "just so long as they fucking keep their hands to themselves."
      "Oh, I think they know," Mahrayne smiled at the Saiyan, golden eyes shining, "Have you noticed none of them have stayed within touching distance?"

The communal dance had been going for hours already and didn't look like winding down for hours yet. Mahrayne had organised the event knowing it was the best way to demonstrate the Hassinan style of music. The visiting females had leapt into it with more enthusiasm than Mahrayne had dared to hope for, very quickly overcoming any reservations they had about mingling with not only alien species, but males as well. And now musicians, singers and dancers from all over the Empire playfully worked and experimented together, moulding and amalgamating the differing styles and techniques in a glorious freeform performance.
      Mahrayne was resting on a pile of large, soft cushions, her head pillowed in Kelapa's lap. She sighed happily, Kel stroked her hair while the tip of her tail delicately traced the patterns of skinbeads through Mahrayne's silken robe. The Hassinan had danced, and eaten, and drunk several glasses of an eye-stingingly strong liqueur Merces had brought, she was very... comfortable.
       "Happy?" Kel smirked down at her.
       "Uhuh," Mahrayne twisted to smile lovingly up at the warrior. "Very."

It was late and Mahrayne was sleepy, the dance was still going though it had evolved to a more subdued, thoughtful affair as people began winding down. Kel had fallen asleep behind her, cuddled in tightly to her back, arm and tail wound possessively around her Hassinan. In front of her, Alida lay on her side facing her twin and smiling; as usual her ghostly presence made no impression on the physical world. To one side, Pirum, Kuri, Kinu and 'jau were tangled together, sound asleep beside Peruro who was chatting animatedly with the two females from her Household. Dignusia was still dancing sedately for Zyelenyi, who was watching her from his spot on the floor.
Distantly, Mahrayne could hear 'viirel's sweet, clear voice rising to match one of the Hassinan singers in a wordless, beautiful cadence of pure, delicate sound.... She slid easily from a half-doze into a half-trance, a small smile tipping up the corners of her mouth as she languidly tracked the glowing, golden lines of kinship binding the Hassinan together. There were other bright threads as well, connecting some of her people with others. Some of the lines were solid and strong, like the link between Kel or 'tiisaan and herself, some were mere wisps, obviously newly-formed but with so much potential. Mahrayne sighed, satisfied and content, and fell asleep watching the intriguing little gold and silver spheres eddy and swirl in intricate patterns over and around herself and her twin.