by T. J. Quinn
“Kid’s clothing. I’m sure it will fit you perfectly. I even added some boots. They are self-adjusting, you won’t have problems with that.”
“Oh, that sounds great,” she said, still a bit surprised.
“Get changed, I’ll wait for you.”
She considered protesting, but something told her it would be a waste of time, so, she walked to the bathroom and closed the door behind her.
In the bag, she found a suit, similar to the ones she had been using, but this one was made of fabric that seemed a lot warmer than the one she had on. It even included a sleeveless shirt, and some shorts she guessed were used as underwear and even some socks with the boots he had mentioned. She put it all on, and as he said, it fit her almost perfectly. She guessed Drogon kids didn’t have breasts as big and round as hers, so the suit was a bit tight in that area. But other than that, it was perfect, and now that she had it on, she could see it was similar to the one he was wearing. The people of Zuvrak could learn a thing or two about fashion from the earthlings.
Happy to leave the cape behind, she returned to the room.
His eyes acquired a unique shine when he saw her return. The suit he had brought her clung to her body like a second skin, especially around her amazing breasts, The sight of her left him breathless, and his whole body reacted immediately.
Perhaps, it hadn’t been a good idea to get her that suit. How the hell was he going to keep his hands off of her?
Taking a deep breath, he struggled to regain control over himself and smile. “You look great. Let’s go get some breakfast so that we can leave.”
“Yes, of course. Thank you for thinking of it.”
They joined the King, Erin, and Fritjof for breakfast. There was an atmosphere of excitement present in the room she hadn’t felt before.
“What’s up?” she asked Erin, as she took a seat at the table.
“Asgar is coming back, he’s expected tomorrow morning,” she explained. “He’s bringing five more women.”
“Oh, I see,” she nodded, looking at the king. “Do you think you’ll find the mates for them as well?”
“I’m sure of it,” he confirmed.
“And with luck, one will be for himself. We need a queen in this palace,” Haakon added, with a broad smile.
Brynjar just scowled and didn’t comment.
Right after the meal, Haakon took her to the park. Someone had packed them some light backpacks with some food and drinks, so they were ready for their picnic.
The park he took her to was a bit further away than the first one he had taken her to. It took them almost two hours to get to the place where he was going to park his vehicle, a secluded area, with no one else around, surrounded by the huge trees and a lot of bushes.
She took a deep breath, feeling invigorated by the pureness of the air.
He handed her a small backpack and grabbed the other one. “Ready? It’s a two-hour hike to the waterfall,” he explained.
“Alright, that sounds good,” she had hiked a lot with Johanna. They had always enjoyed walking through the woods.
“If you get too tired, I can carry you there,” he suggested.
“I’m sure that won’t happen.”
He chuckled and guided her to a narrow trail that led to the waterfall.
It still surprised her, the silence in the woods. With the absence of birds, the silence was almost absolute. You could only hear the cool breeze dancing through the leaves and their feet crushing the fallen leaves and sticks.
“I think I’ll miss the birds,” she said after a while.
He chuckled and turned to look at her. “Why do you say that?”
“I used to hike with my friend, a lot, and one of the things I most enjoyed was the chirping of the birds,” she explained. “Here, I feel I’m walking through a haunted forest,” she added, laughing.
“Yes, it’s very silent, I hadn’t noticed that before,” he smiled.
“Like you said, you can’t miss what you never had,” she shrugged. “Back on Earth we have singing birds, and their melodies are quite beautiful.”
“Perhaps, we should bring some birds from your planet,” he suggested, teasingly.
“You’re too smart to make that mistake. Putting new animals in an ecosystem can be as dangerous as setting a bomb. You never know how they’ll affect the area,” she pointed out.
“Yes, of course.”
They reach a clearing in the woods that opened up to a small cliff. The view of the imposing forest was breath-taking.
“You don’t use the wood from the trees?” she asked, curious, after a few moments.
“No, our forests are crucial for our atmosphere, and we have plenty other materials that replace wood perfectly,” he replied.
“Our planet should have done that, since the beginning. But it’s a lesson we’ve already learned,” she commented twirling around to look at everything.
“Do you want to rest a bit, or shall we go on?” he suggested smiling, clearly pleased with her reaction to the place.
“No, let’s go. I’m eager to see that waterfall you mentioned,” she replied, smiling back.
“Of course,” he bowed teasingly and guided her back to the trail.
This part of the trail was a bit harsher, mainly comprised of steeper ascensions, but she climbed along with him without protest. At some point, he made her stop, standing in front of her. She was able to hear the clamor of the waterfall, but it still wasn’t in sight.
“I want you to close your eyes and allow me to guide you the rest of the way. I want you to have a full image of the waterfall for the first time,” he explained, smiling.
“How much further is the waterfall?” she asked.
“About five minutes from here. I can also fly you there.”
“No, it’s alright, I’ll close my eyes, and you can guide me,” she quickly answered.
“Don’t you want to fly in my arms? Does it scare you?” he asked, sounding a bit hurt.
She let out a heavy sigh. “I’m not very comfortable with heights, that’s all,” she confessed, keeping her reaction to being in his arms to herself.
“Oh, I see. You must have been pretty scared the day I took you to the beach.”
“Just a bit, but I would do it again; the beach was worth the ride,” she assured him.
He chuckled and stretched his hand to take hers. She closed her eyes and put her hand in his, feeling him wrapping his long fingers around her hand.
Jolts of energy rushed through her body, and she sighed.
Slowly, he guided the rest of the way up, and soon he was making her stop.
He walked around her and stood behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist.
“Open your eyes,” he whispered in her ears.
She obeyed and gasped. The waterfall was huge, high and wide, to the point it reminded her of the Niagara Falls. But the surprising element was the color of the water. Instead of orange, as she was expecting, it was purple. The effect was simply amazing.
They were standing on a small cliff, about half way up to the top of the waterfall and they were able to admire it fully.
“How come it’s purple? I thought all water here was orange,” she asked, puzzled.
“It is, but the rocks on the top of this waterfall have other minerals that combined with the ones that turned the water orange, turn it purple,” he explained, chuckling.
“It’s awesome.” The water splashed at the bottom hard and projected clouds of drizzle that the wind carried their way.
“Come, we’ll get wet,” he made her take a few steps away from the edge.
“Is there a way to get to the top?” she asked, still enjoying the view.
“Yes, there is, but it’s complicated, and it would take us too long.”
“What about the bottom?”
“Same thing. I know you don’t like it much, but I could take you if you want,” he suggested, with an alluring tone.
“I would love to
see the bottom,” she murmured, doubting.
“Then let me take you. We could have our picnic there.”
She approached the edge once more and looked at the small lake, taking a step back, a bit dizzy. She wanted to look at it from up close.
“Very well. Take me,” she decided.
He took her hands and kissed the back of them. “You’re a brave woman, Rosalind.”
She chuckled and shook her head. “Not anymore…” she murmured, in a sad tone. “I lost all my drive when I lost Johanna.”
He pulled her closer to him. “All you need to do is find a new goal, something to put that drive back in your life,” he pointed out.
She shook her head. “It’s not that easy.”
“You’re afraid of being hurt again.” He wasn’t asking. “But pain is part of life. Hiding away from it is hiding away from life.”
“I know that,” she admitted, sighing. “Anyway, I thought you were taking me down.”
He nodded and dropped his backpack on the ground before he displayed his wings.
“I’ll never cease to be amazed by that. It’s almost like magic,” she said as she watched him.
He chuckled, taking her in his arms. “Yes, there is some magic in it,” he assured her as he flapped his wings, taking off.
It only took them a few seconds to get to the bottom of the waterfall. He dropped her gently on a sandy shore before he went back up to pick up his backpack.
When he came back, she had taken off her boots and had her feet submerged in the cold water.
“The water is cold. You could get ill,” he warned her, as he started to set the things for the picnic. He had even brought a fluffy blanket to put on the grass for them to sit on.
“Of course not, I love feeling it. The water here has magic too, you know. I always feel renewed after a simple shower,” she said as she paced the small shore that they were on.
“Yes, I know. Have you tried the bathtub? It’s even better,” he asked her.
“No, I haven’t. It looks too complicated, and since I still can’t read the instructions, I haven’t dared to try,” she explained.
“You could have asked for my help,” he scolded her, as he displayed the food.
She shrugged. “I didn’t want to bother you.”
“You could never bother me,” he assured her, getting up and closing the distance between them. He stretched his hand out to her. “Come, it’s time to eat.”
“We still have time. Why don’t you join me instead?” she asked with a naughty tone.
He smiled. “I’m not that fond of the cold water.”
“Yes… I was thinking about that. How come a race of fire like you guys, live on a cold planet such as this?” she asked him.
“We’re not from here, at least, not originally,” he confirmed her suspicions. “According to our historical records, our ancestors moved here when our home planet exploded. They had been looking for a habitable planet for quite some time when they came across with this one. It was colder than they wanted, but it had a compatible atmosphere, and we could drink its water.”
“So, you adjusted to it.”
“Yes, and we have been here for several thousand rotations now.”
“That’s amazing.”
“We’re an amazing race,” he agreed with a teasing smile.
He stretched out his hand once more, and this time she took it and came out of the water. Once more, he dried her feet with his warm breath, and she put on her shoes as they sat on the blanket to enjoy the delicious food he had brought.
They chatted a bit more about their history and about the planet, taking their time eating and enjoying the place.
By the time, they returned to the palace, the sun was starting to set in the sky, and Rosalind felt more relaxed than ever.
Like the day before, he walked her to her bedroom, but this time he opened up the door and entered.
“What are you doing?” she asked, following him inside.
“Showing you how to operate the bathtub,” he explained walking straight to the bathroom. “After all we walked today; you’ll enjoy a hot bath,” he added.
“Yes, but I could ask anyone else. You didn’t have to bother…”
“It’s no bother, I already told you,” he insisted.
Chapter Five
With a few brief explanations, he showed her how to fill the tub, start the engines, and empty it.
“It consumes a lot of water for just one person,” she commented, considering the size of the tub.
“Don’t worry about that. All of the water is recycled. Remember we waste very little of our resources,” he dismissed her protested, as he finished filling the tub. “Give me a call if you need help. Otherwise, enjoy your bath.”
He nodded and grazing his lips over hers, he left the room, closing the door behind him.
She shook her head, smiling, but decided not to waste the hot water; she got rid of her clothes quickly and entered the tub.
If the shower was good, the tub was paradise. She turned on the engines and stayed there as much as she could, just relaxing, before she washed herself up.
She returned to her bedroom wearing one of the tunics she always wore after a bath, considering if she was hungry enough as to go downstairs for dinner.
She hadn’t reached to a conclusion when she heard some knocking on her door. She pressed the button that opened the door; sure, it would be Erin.
But it wasn’t Erin. It was Haakon, carrying a huge tray.
“I thought you might feel too tired to go downstairs for dinner, so I took the liberty to bring dinner to you,” he explained as he rested the tray on a small table near the window. “I hope you don’t mind if I join you.”
“No, of course not,” she mumbled, mentally shrugging off her amazement and walking to the table.
He had brought up quite a feast. “You didn’t have to bother…”
“I just called the kitchen and asked them to bring the food. It’s hardly a bother,” he dismissed her words and invited her to eat.
She took a seat in front of him, and they started eating.
“You must miss your own house, after all this time here at the palace,” she said as she carved a piece of the meat she was enjoying.
“Yes, I really can’t wait to go back home. The city is definitely not my place,” he nodded, “But Brynjar insists I have to stay a bit longer.”
“He should understand your need to be home.”
“He does, but he is the king, and his priorities are a bit different,” he explained, “I would love to take you there and show you all around.”
She looked at him surprised. “I’m sure it would be fun,” she said, carefully, not sure what intention was behind his words.
“I think you would like it.”
Dinner lasted a bit more than expected when she encouraged him to talk about his place, and the cattle he raised. She could feel the passion in his tone when he talked about it, and she wished she could go there with him, despite what could mean being alone with him, up in his mountains.
The following morning, the palace exuded excitement. Asgar’s ship had arrived, and he had brought the new women to the palace.
Rosalind and Erin were the only ones having breakfast that morning. The other ones had eaten earlier, so they could welcome the new group.
“Do you think they will finally reveal the mates?” Erin asked, sounding a bit tense.
“I’m not sure. But I doubt it.”
“What if I have been fooling myself? I’m not sure I could take it,” she murmured, wriggling her hands over the table.
“I really don’t think so. The connection between you and Fritjof is almost palpable,” Rosalind assured her.
“I could say that of you and Haakon,” she replied.
“Oh, come on. He has never looked at me the way Fritjof looks at you,” Rosalind retorted, snorting. “Haakon is just bored, and he probably finds that taking me out sightseeing is better
than doing nothing.”
“If you say so…” she let out a sigh. “I think I’ll go to the lab. I need to keep busy while that meeting takes place,” she got up and left, leaving Rosalind alone.
Despite’s Haakon’s words, she knew there was the possibility he would find his soulmate amongst this new group of women, and the mere idea was enough to make her feel upset.
Unable to eat much more, she left the meals room and went back to her room. She wasn’t in the mood for anything else.
A few hours later Erin came looking for her.
“What’s going on?” she asked her friend.
“I just talked with Fritjof. Of the new group, only one of the women has been claimed,” she said as she barged in her room.
Rosalind’s heart missed a beat. “By whom?”
“He didn’t want to tell me, but I insisted so much he ended up telling me.”
“By whom, Erin?” she asked again, almost shouting.
The other woman chuckled. “I promised not to tell who it was… but I can tell you who it wasn’t,” she added giggling, noticing her anxiety. “It’s not Haakon.”
A wave of relief crashed over her.
She let herself fall over the bed, suddenly too weak to stand.
“I’m sure he’s your soulmate, Rosalind,” Erin said, taking a seat next to her.
“Of course not…” she grumbled rubbing her eyes.
“And yet, you have fallen for him.” She wasn’t asking.
Rosalind shook her head, refusing to believe it herself, but knowing deep down her friend was right. “It doesn’t matter. I’ll be alright.”
Haakon was in the garden, staring at his beloved mountains. He wanted to go home and take Rosalind with him. He was losing his patience and his self-control rather rapidly.
“Pack your things,” his brother’s voice startled him.
“What?” he slowly turned to look at Brynjar.
“I said, pack your things. You can go back to your mountains,” he repeated.
“I’m not leaving Rosalind here,” he grumbled, not in the mood for jokes.
“I know you won’t. But you’ll have to find a damn good excuse to convince her to accompany you.”
Waves of relief flooded through him. He was taking her home.
