by T. J. Quinn
They enjoyed a pleasant meal, and when they were done, Haakon invited her to go with him to the stables where they had the livestock that they grew.
He took her there in a different kind of vehicle. This one was narrow, more similar to a motorcycle than to a car, but it was completely covered, and it also hovered. She took a seat behind him and soon they were on their way.
The stables were a few minutes away from the house, and she had never seen a stable this size. The place looked like more like a football stadium than a stable, and for what she could see there were several constructions like the one they were on spread all over the place.
“How many animals do you have here?” she asked, astounded.
“Around two million in different stages of growth,” he explained as he guided her inside one of the stables.
Unlike what she had been expecting, the place was a huge fenced area, with green pastures where the animals paced peacefully. There were stalls, surrounding the fenced area and she guessed the animals were guided there for the night. Intriguingly, the air inside the stable was colder than the one outside.
Rosalind had seen a picture of the animal, on the king’s presentation of the planet, but nothing prepared her for the size of the beasts. She was sure it was bigger than an elephant, and the horn on its forehead was simply huge.
“They are amazing,” she exclaimed.
“Yes, they are. We use one hundred percent of them, from their fur to their horn. Nothing is wasted, and we only kill them when they reach the end of their lives. It’s when their meat reaches the perfect point, in terms of flavor and protein content.”
“That’s great. How many years do they live?” she asked curious, looking at the massive beasts pacing the pasture.
“Around twenty rotations. These are the oldest we have. After they turn ten rotations old, we keep them separated from the youngest. It’s safer for them since they don’t see much.”
“Why do you keep them up here in the mountains?” she asked, curious.
“They need the cold temperatures. When they are wild, they follow the winter around the planet. The only reason we don’t keep them out in the open during colder months is that the snow ruins their wool,” he explained, solving the mystery of the cold temperature inside the stable.
“Can we see where you keep the babies?” she asked, smiling.
“Yes, of course.”
They used the vehicle once more, and after a few minutes, he was guiding her inside another stable. This one was even bigger than the first one they had been on.
The babies had no horns, and they were the cutest creatures she had seen so far on the planet.
“Do you use artificial fertilization?” she asked, remembering a field trip she had gone on when she was in high school.
“No, of course not. Why would we? The natural way works perfectly,” he replied, with a slight frown.
His apparent disapproval of the idea didn’t surprise her. Erin had already mentioned that to her. “I know, but sometimes we need to give nature a small help.”
“Yes, I guess you have a point there,” he sighed, “Things have changed a lot in the past one hundred rotations.”
“I know what you mean. My own people changed a lot in the past century.”
Chapter Seven
He gave her the grand tour through the premises, introducing her to his men. He had a large group of men working for him, and none of them had a wife or even a girlfriend. Like the rest of the people on the planet, they were thrilled to know they had found a possible solution to their problem.
At first, she had felt a bit worried as Haakon introduced her to his men. She couldn’t help fearing one of them would claim her as his soulmate. She couldn’t even bear the thought of having to leave Haakon. Fortunately, that didn’t happen, but still, she sighed with relief when they returned to the house. It was lunch time.
Under the sunlight, the house was a smaller version of the palace, a two stories high construction; of the same metallic material, they used everywhere.
“Do you like it?” he asked her, as he helped her hop out of the vehicle.
“Yes, I do, especially the huge windows that open up to such a splendid view,” she assured him, smiling.
“I’m glad to hear that.”
Rosalind excused herself to go to her room to freshen up. Despite the cold temperatures, she felt she needed to wash away the stink of the stables.
Haakon went to meet his father in his study.
“I was about to call you,” the old man said, “I just received news from Fritjof. It seems Asgar claimed one of the women he brought on this second trip.”
“That is all great news,” Haakon celebrated.
“Yes, I know. He has told me as well Asgar brought a sixth human female he didn’t introduce on the councils’ room.”
“That’s strange. Why would he do that? Is she the woman he claimed?” Haakon asked, surprised. It wasn’t like Asgar to hide information from Brynjar.
“Apparently, the woman can’t walk, and Asgar thought she wouldn’t be welcomed by our people,” his father explained, “So far, Brynjar has taken the woman under his protection.”
“With our healing qualities, I can understand Asgar’s worries.”
“Yes, of course, though I like to think our people are a bit more tolerant than that.”
“I know, but I guess it was a valid concern.”
“I guess so too. But, I doubt she will find a soulmate amongst our people. Our instinct always seeks for the stronger possible mate.”
“Yes, I guess you’re right.”
A soft gong noise alerted them the food was served, and they headed to the meals’ room.
Rosalind was already there waiting for them, as she looked at the magnificent view of the valley from the window.
During the meal, the old King asked her about her first impressions of the place, seeming to feel pleased with her delight and enthusiasm.
“Do you think you could live in a place like this one?” the man asked her at some point of the conversation.
“Yes, of course, as long as I was able to find something productive to do. I’m not used to be out of a job,” she replied, with no doubts in her tone.
The mountains were fantastic as all of the planet she had seen so far. But she knew she needed to find something to do or she would die of boredom.
“Any idea what that could be?” Jerrik asked, genuinely interested.
“No, I’m afraid not. You don’t seem to need people with my skills here, so I guess I would have to look for something new,” she explained.
“Why don’t you telling a bit more of what you did back on Earth?” he asked her.
She spent the rest of the meal explaining what she did and how she did it, and the man seemed impressed.
“I guess we have grown used to things and we haven’t changed much in the past centuries,” he told her, in a thoughtful tone. “Our fashion, as you call it, hasn’t changed in centuries, as well as the way we eat and live.”
“We lived in constant change. There was always something new to promote, a new idea we needed to sell to the potential customers,” she explained a little further.
“Perhaps, we’ll soon need your services, my dear. I guess it’s time we start changing a few things around here, and you might be the right person to show us how to do it,” Jerrik said with a pleased smile.
“I would love to help in any way possible,” she assured him.
“But for now, I want you to take your time to know my mountains and the way we live here. I’m sure you’ll be more than busy with that,” Haakon interfered as if he feared she would be taken away from him.
The following days went by in a blur of pleasure and bliss. Haakon would take her with him every day, allowing her to learn about the daily workings on a ranch that size. Although he seemed to be always working, he would make sure he took the time to explain things to her and to take her for small walks through the nearby
woods.
He had given her one of their communication devices, she had been in constant contact with Erin, and her friend had kept her informed on the things happening there.
She also used the device to take a million pictures of everything and everyone, but especially of Haakon. The camera loved him, and she surely loved looking at his pictures.
Despite all her activities, she made sure she had at least an hour every day to study the Zuvrakian’s language.
The old king had been helping her with that, correcting her pronunciation and her grammar. The man was very patient, and after a while, she started to feel he was like the father hers had never been for her.
She really enjoyed those moments she spent with him, listening to all the anecdotes he had of his planet and of his children.
The nights were special too. She spent them in his arms, and they filled them with passion and desire. Though sometimes, she could feel the coarseness of his scales, especially down the back of his neck, he hadn’t bitten her again, at least, not like that time in the tub.
He loved to nibble her whole body and sometimes even bite her a little harder, but he hadn’t sunk his fangs into her again. It was as if he deliberately restrained himself, not to let that happen.
She wasn’t sure she felt relieved or disappointed over that. Knowing he had lost control over himself to that point had done amazing things to her smoldered self-esteem.
They had fallen into a comfortable routine, she was enjoying very much. The feeling of being home had grown in her heart so much, she didn’t miss Earth.
She would always miss Johana, and she kept her in her heart, but she had come to terms with what had happened, and she had moved on.
They had been in the mountains for a couple of weeks when Haakon received a message from his brother, the king.
The woman he had been protecting had been abducted from the palace, and he needed help finding her.
“We need to go back to the capital,” he informed her.
“Yes, of course,” she agreed, immediately, worried. That abduction could mean trouble for all of the human women on the planet, especially when they hadn’t received any visits from other planets.
“I’ll go with you. I think it’s time I pay Brynjar a visit,” Jerrik announced, apparently worried with the events.
“I’m sure he’ll appreciate that very much, father,” Haakon nodded.
“Are you sure it’s a good idea to take Rosalind with us?” the old man asked.
“I’d rather have her near me and not miles away, where I can’t protect her properly,” he explained, “Besides, Brynjar has summoned all of the women back to the palace. He’s afraid whoever did this might go after the other women, as well.”
“I guess it makes sense,” his father agreed.
So they packed their things and flew back to the capital. On this trip, there was no time for sightseeing.
They had arrived at the palace before noon and Rosalind went looking for Erin while Haakon and Jerrik met with Brynjar.
She found her at the lab, looking at three screens at the same time. “You’ll end up blind,” Rosalind scolded her in a kind tone.
Erin let out a small cry and jumped out of her chair to meet Rosalind at the door. Both women hugged, tightly.
“Girl, I’ve missed you,” she said, kissing Rosalind’s cheeks.
“I’ve missed you too,” she assured her friend.
“How have you been, up there in the mountains?” Erin asked, guiding her to her desk.
“I love it there. I’ve always lived in the major cities, but I really love being up there,” she recognized.
“I guess it only verifies the saying ‘home is where your heart is’, don’t you think?” she said with a naughty smile.
“Perhaps. Tell me the news, what happened?” she asked, still not admitting the truth. She simply couldn’t.
“Well, someone kidnapped Eleanor from the palace. The king is very upset about it, and they are looking for her all over the planet,” she explained.
“Do they have any suspicions about who might be guilty?”
“No, so far they have no idea. Whoever it was is an expert avoiding the cameras and going unnoticed,” Erin replied, “The king has forbidden us to leave the palace alone. He is afraid this was an act against the human females, and he doesn’t want to take any risks.”
“Yes, it’s understandable,” she let out a sigh. “How are things between you and Fritjof?”
“Better than ever. He has admitted he is my soulmate. I threatened him with escaping if he didn’t tell me the truth and he couldn’t resist,” she told her with a naughty grin on her face. “Perhaps you should try that.”
Rosalind chuckled. “He would probably lock me up in my room before he admitted anything he didn’t want to.”
“Yes, I guess you’re right. My Fritjof would never do such a thing to me,” she giggled, clearly happy.
“Yes, I can’t imagine him threatening you,” Rosalind replied, remembering the solemn man that had mated her cheerful friend.
“What about the new women? Have they been mated?” Rosalind asked, curious.
“Apparently, yes, all of them, except for Eleanor,” she informed. “Though, we have no idea with whom. They all have been assigned a tutor who is supposed to help them adjust to their new lives and to find a place in their society. But no official announcement has been made regarding the soulmates.”
“She’s the one missing, right?” she asked, intrigued. “How come she’s not mated by now?”
“Because she can’t walk. Her abduction was collateral damage, and she wasn’t supposed to have been sold to the Zuvrakians, but her friend Sasha managed to alert Asgar of her presence on the ship, and he bought her as well, though Eskol was furious.”
“And why does it matter she can’t walk?”
“The Drogons don’t have crippled people amongst them. They are self-healing creatures, and they can even grow the parts severed from their bodies,” Erin explained, “Eleanor’s condition is new for them, and the king is not sure how his people would react to it.”
“That doesn’t say much of the Drogons,” she replied, frowning.
“Yes, I know what you mean, but I guess it’s basically because it’s something new.”
“This whole situation is new for them. According to their own words, they thought the whole soulmates thing was nothing but a legend,” she insisted, pacing the room.
It sounded so much like intolerance that it distressed her.
“I know, and they have been investigating the whole subject as thoroughly as possible, but you know how it is.”
“Yes, people always have trouble accepting changes and new things,” she nodded.
Haakon looked at his brother as they walked to the meals’ room, a bit concerned. Turned out the woman missing was his brother’s soulmate, a fact he had kept a secret so far, due to the woman’s condition, but that had now become unimportant. If they weren’t able to find her, his brother would never mate another female. He would be condemned to be alone, and that only meant Haakon would have to take his place as king, something he had no desire at all, to do. He wasn’t cut out to be a king.
They met the women in the room, and Brynjar introduced him and his father to the new group. He had to admit he had been surprised with the human’s race variety. All of the women were completely different.
Still worried, he took a seat next to Rosalind, taking her hand under the table and squeezing it slightly. She tilted her head to look at him, smiling. But her smile faded into a frown when she took a good look at him. Haakon was troubled. Something was worrying him.
“Did you have time to chat with Erin?” he asked her, with a faint smile.
“Yes, I have to admit I missed her cheerful presence,” she said with a scowl, trying not to ask him what was wrong.
The rest of the women expressed their concern for Eleanor’s disappearance, and they even suggested a few possibilities Bry
njar and Asgar decided to check immediately.
When they finished eating, Haakon took Rosalind back to the room she had used when she had arrived at the palace, closing the door behind them.
“Do you think they will be able to find her in time?” she asked him, worried.
She didn’t know the woman, but she seemed to be a good person, and she hoped they were able to rescue her.
“They have to.”
There was so much fervor in his tone; Rosalind looked at him intrigued.
“Let’s hope so.”
“Will you be alright here, by yourself? I would like to join my brother and Asgar on the searches,” he asked her.
“Yes, of course,” she nodded, and a nasty doubt filled her mind.
Haakon had shown worry when he heard the news of the kidnap, but ever since he had talked to his brother, before lunch, he looked distraught, as if he had learned something that had changed things for him.
“Perfect. Please, remain inside the palace. I really don’t want you outside alone. And that’s an order,” he said, and she frowned, annoyed.
Chapter Eight
“You didn’t have to say that. There was no need for you to activate the damn collar,” she grumbled, walking away from him.
“I’m sorry, but I can’t stay with you all the time, and I have to be sure you will be safe,” he apologized but didn’t change the order.
His words only increased her doubts. “Did you meet this Eleanor before we left to the mountains?” she asked, hating the slight tremble in her voice.
“No, I didn’t. I didn’t meet any of the new women,” he replied, sighing.
“I see.”
He walked up to where she was standing and cradled her face. “Please, don’t take unnecessary risks. I won’t be long,” he asked again, brushing her lips with his.
She nodded and watched him leave.
Could it be possible he had learned the missing woman was his soulmate? Could that be the reason he was so worried?
Her heart skipped a beat at the mere thought of that possibility. She had no idea how the mating happened, they hadn’t given the women many details on that, so they were in the dark.
