ARGEL - Book One - Planet of Refuge

by B.B. Humphrey

That evening, Kyla joined David and Troy at the head of the curving stairs. All three were dressed like royalty, ready for a celebration. From the royal’s behavior, it promised to be an extraordinary and important event. They expected the king would inform everyone of his decision concerning dropping the planet’s shield.

  Kyla’s jaw dropped and she stared. “Oh my goodness, you two are dream princes.” She circled around them smiling. “My, my, what a ruckus this would make on ship. What are the swords for?”

  David strutted around in a circle and then posed, one knee cocked and his hand on the hilt of the sword. “Aren’t I magnificent? Aren’t I wonderful?” He laughed at Kyla’s sour expression. “You look as if you just sucked a lemon.”

  “I’ve seen you full of yourself many times, but I believe this tops anything I could ever imagine.” She turned to Troy. “You’re absolutely grand. I wish Meadowlark could see you now. I never would’ve thought purple satin would give you such a glow.” Troy ducked his head, hiding the corners of his mouth that trembled upwards.

  When they came downstairs, Cymry waited for them at the doors to the dining hall. He smiled his approval and adjusted Troy’s sword. Turning to Kyla, he took her hands and his eyes swept over her with such hunger, she felt heat rising to her face. Her chest suddenly constricted and she found it hard to breath. His tongue slid over his bottom lip as he tucked her hand within his elbow and escorted her into the hall. She glanced at Troy and David who grinned at the sexual by-play. Jerks.

  To Kyla’s amazement, everyone stood along the banquet tables, and as they entered, the room boomed with the sound of stomping feet. She felt it thrumming through her feet. It continued until Cymry seated them at the head table with his father. Rustling sounds like dry leaves blown by the wind filled the room as voluminous gowns of the women folded into sitting positions.

  A silence fell as King Craddoc stood, a huge, ornate sword in his hand, and motioned to David. “Stand and approach.”

  Her throat constricted in sympathy when Kyla saw David’s face blanch and his hands tremble as he wiped them down his legs. He walked to the monarch and stood at attention, face rigid. The king turned to his people and placed his hands on David’s shoulders.

  “This young man from the stars fought seven days in the fires. Although, he never fought forest fires before, he inspired the fire fighters to try new methods. He advised riders to fan a path with the frydraco’s wings while dropping water on him and Prince Eiddyl. In this manner, they saved the lives of three men, one of whom was my son, Prince Cymry. Because of this, we will never forget him.” He turned to David. “Kneel, son.”

  Kyla almost laughed at the relief showing on David’s face. He knelt. The king put his left hand on his right shoulder, touched the sword to the left one. His voice reverberated around the room, “Let it be known from this day forward, wherever he might travel, David will now be known as Arglwydd Dafydd of the Elfin Domain.” Kyla’s heart stood still as the king swung the sword around and presented it, hilt up, to David with a flourish. David took the sword and returned to his chair, his cheeks blazing.

  After handed another sword, the king turned to Troy and motioned for him to rise. Again, he turned to his subjects. “This young man, also from the stars, had never seen a forest—never knew of his miraculous ability to speak with the great trees. In spite of all that, for seven days and nights he drained himself of all his energies in mind-merge with the great ones. His efforts saved lives and thousands of acres of our forest. Losing Troy will sadden everyone.

  He repeated the gesture with the sword, and named him Arglwydd Tallwych. The king gave him the jewled sword and clasped Troy’s hand with both of his. “The Elfin, Taryn, and Lako implore you to remain as an honored member of my family.”

  Troy staggered to his seat and Kyla knew he struggled not to make a fool of himself with tears. She understood, of all the king said, the one thing that most touched Troy was the invitation to become part of a family. Troy had never known family, nor belonged to any group that he considered family. She knew he could only remember what Oth had shown him of his parents.

  Once seated, he leaned over to David and Kyla heard him whisper, “Arglwydd means Lord.”

  “Royalty?”

  Troy nodded.

  As everyone ate, the king quietly advised that early the next day, in the meadow by the river, they could contact their ship. As long as no other chariot approached, the protective field would stay down until they received an answer or the ship evacuated them. “In our gratitude and the love my children have for you, we would be pleased if you decide to come back to us.”

  Several people in the crowd stood and stared in the direction of a disturbance near the kitchen doorway. Kyla turned to see what was happening and slapped her hands across her mouth to stifle her laughter. Twitter was scrambling under the tables, around the ladies’ skirts, a young Taryn woman in pursuit.

  The king stood, staring at the sight. The woman stopped dead in her tracks before the king, wide-eyed, and began backing away, her hands clutching at her chest. She let out a weak twitter, turned and ran from the room, her skirts billowing behind her. Craddoc began chuckling, the air of outrage at the tables subsided, and the people started smiling.

  Kyla didn’t know whose expression was the funniest when the king turned and stared at David, who held Twitter against his chest. David’s face blazed—King Craddoc’s eyes flared and his jaw dropped. Kyla could no longer contain her laughter and Awel joined in. Craddoc’s laughter boomed through the room.

  As laughter swelled around him, Twitter looked around, grinned, and pointed at the king while musically twittering. Everyone quieted and stared at the child.

  Kyla began twittering and the little Taryn nodded in agreement. Twitter’s face blazed red and he hid his face under David’s tunic.

  “Alpha and Omega! What is this?” The king’s eyes darted from Twitter to Kyla.

  She glanced around at the royal family and saw they were enjoying the spectacle. “Sire, this is Twitter. David saved him from the fire and now the child won’t leave his side.”

  “What about the bird sounds you made?”

  “Popet,” Awel said, “Kyla can talk with the Taryn.”

  “Hrrump, I doubt that. All right, Kyla, what did you two say?”

  “He wanted to know who the big man with the loud voice is, and I told him that you are his king.” She took a deep breath. “He’s very embarrassed.”

  “Loud voice? Wife, tell me that’s not true.”

  Betrys gave his arm a pat, looked up at him, and said, “Sometimes, very, very loud.” He looked at her, a deep crease between his eyes. “Come, my darling husband, let us hear the story of how David became an adoptive father.”

  Kyla could hear Troy, under his breath, saying, “Mother.”

  Cymry said, “If it weren’t for Troy, David and the Taryn mother and child would have burned beyond saving.”

  Craddoc glanced around at the young people, his brows raised. “That sounds like another legend in the making.”

  “Yes.” Everyone turned to Eiddyl. “Troy received a message from the tree about where his friend was trapped in the fire. The message was relayed to the men struggling against the fire near our position.” He looked around, saw he held everyone’s attention, and went on. “I called the dragons to drop water so Dark Eagle and a few of his men could get in to bring David, with the child hanging to his neck, and the woman to safety.”

  “Praises to Alpha and Omega!” Betrys’ eyes closed, and her hands clasped to her breast.

  The talk went on, but Kyla stopped listening. She pushed her goblet of wine away. She felt tipsy, but didn’t worry because it was apparent everyone felt the results of the spirits. Even the king and queen.

  In preparation for an exciting morning, they all retired early. Awel could hear Kyla tossing and turning. After an hour of listening to her torment,
Awel put on a robe, crossed the adjoining sitting room, and went to Kyla. She sat on the edge of the bed and took Kyla’s hand. “What is troubling you, sister?”

  Kyla sat up and punched pillows behind her while Awel lit a candle. “Awel, do you regret making love with David?”

  Awel’s face was solemn, but there was no hesitation in answering. “No. Blending with David in body and mind was a blessing I’ll never forget. If I have sorrow, it’s for him because I’ll be left with a joy he’ll never know.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “We are mind-merged and I have his baby lying within me.”

  “Oh, Creation! Aren’t you upset? Does David know?”

  Awel clapped her hands and laughed. “Of course. I told him earlier, but he doesn’t believe I could possibly know. But, he’ll know in time. The merging will take care of that—I will always be a spirit inside his head wherever he goes. And, I’ll have his child.”

  Kyla searched Awel’s face and found only honesty. “What would happen if I went to Cymry now? I’m not a woman like you—have never felt like this before, and don’t understand what I’m feeling. I have an overpowering urge to go to him, but if I do, what will happen?”

  “Oh, you foolish girl. Get up and put on your slippers. I’ll take you to him right now before the two of you waste any more time.” She pulled a robe from the armoire and handed to Kyla. “Eiddyl shares the apartment with him, but their sleeping chambers are set up like mine, providing all the privacy you need. When I get you inside, all you have to do is go to the room on the right.” She chuckled, and said, “It would cause quite a furor if you make the mistake of going left. Eiddyl would faint.”

  At the door of the princes’ suite, Kyla stopped and stared at the door, her heart in turmoil. Awel gave her a push forward. “Go on, I have a date to sleep with Twitter tonight, unless David arranged a baby sitter.”

  Kyla silently made her way through the moonlight to Cymry’s room. She stood inside the bedchamber, her heart pounding, watching his chest rise and fall in the moonlight. Suddenly, her courage left her, and she turned to slip out.

  “Wait.”

  She froze.

  “I was waiting for you. What took you so long?”

  Instantaneous anger flooded her body and she turned toward him. “Well, aren’t you the arrogant one? What made you so sure I would come to you?”

  “Because, just as we willed your air chariot down, I willed you to come—and because my sister knows of my feelings for you, I knew she would show you the way.”

  She crept to his bed and perched on its edge. He reached for her hand and brought it to his lips. “Was I wrong to spell you? I thought I felt your longing as we traveled together. Am I mistaken? If so, please accept my pardon.”

  “It isn’t that.” Kyla bit down on her words. “You could have saved me from embarrassing myself.”

  Cymry trailed his fingers down her cheek and wound gentle hands around her neck. “How so?”

  She pulled away from his touch. “You might’ve come to me. Wouldn’t that be more proper than for me to skulk through the palace to find you? I feel like a fool.”

  “Ah, I think I understand. In your world, it is the man’s responsibility to pursue. That surprises me. You seem so ffraid.”

  “What does that word mean?”

  “It means strong, courageous. Our warrior women, the Owena, are ffraid. I felt it proper to respect that in you. I noticed Troy and David treat you as an equal.”

  “I am equal.” She turned and stared into his eyes, glistening in the pale light.

  “Then why does coming to me embarrass you?” He lightly trailed his fingers down her arm. “I would think a woman feeling equal to men would not hesitate to ask for love.”

  Kyla shivered under his touch. “That’s not what I’m afraid of, and I’m not sure why I came.”

  “Is it fear that held you back, Kyla? What made you change your mind?”

  “I suppose the situation between David and Awel is a strong influence. She told me she would always hold a part of him. In that, she can find happiness for herself.”

  “Oh, he’ll be back. She knows and isn’t that worried.”

  “How can she be so sure? Even we aren’t sure of the possibility of returning.”

  Cymry pulled her over on top of him and chuckled as he tightened his arms around her. “Do you realize they melded together at the fire camp?”

  “What does that mean?” She slapped her hands to her head. “Oh, my God, there’s so much I don’t know about you people.”

  He pulled her head to his and ran soft lips along the ridge of her jaw and down her neck. Lifting her head, he gazed into her eyes, Cymry said, “In mind-melding, two people become one until death, gaining full knowledge and understanding of one another. If you stay, I would like to mind-meld with you.” His lips trailed over her cheek to her eyes and tenderly kissed one, then the other.

  “Even if I stayed, that wouldn’t be possible.” She shuddered from his caresses. “I understand you’re to marry Lord’s Ercwlff’s daughter.”

  Cymry ran his hands down her back. “Wouldn’t you be willing to share my affections?”

  “Absolutely not.”

  Laughing, he rolled them over until he looked down into her face. “Kyla, touch your forehead to mine, shut your eyes, and relax. I want you to know what you’d be denying if you leave.”

  Gentle fingers held her wrists on either side of her face and he brought his face down to place his forehead against hers.

  “What?” She twisted, trying to free herself.

  “Relax, love. We are going to do together what the priestess did while monitoring you. Did you not become completely aware of the very essence of your being then? We can join our minds and you’ll experience exactly what I feel for you, and then you’ll completely know me.”

  Kyla felt herself drifting in deepest contentment. Suddenly, Cymry’s sexual need flared bringing a flame inside of her—an emotion never before felt. She wanted to fight to hold him when she felt him pulling back, but he retreated only to fill her with his complete acceptance and an abiding love so intense it almost shattered her heart. She gasped, “Oh, my!”

  Without her knowledge, tears streamed down her face. Without understanding, she tried to get closer to Cymry, and thought, everything—I would give everything to have such a love.

  As his mouth moved across hers, he murmured, “You see. It’s not only the physical I want to share, it’s all that I am.”

  As Cymry caressed her, in spite of the stabbing pains in her abdomen, Kyla was lost in passion she never dreamed possible. When she caught her breath, she asked, “Was that mind-melding?”

  “No, Love. That was an intense merge—mind-melding is so much more.”

  Exhausted, intertwined with Cymry, she became aware of his difficulty getting to sleep and wondered why. While wishing for the experience to know how to comfort him, she fell into a sensation-drugged sleep.

  In the morning, when sunlight beamed across the bed, Kyla drifted toward consciousness and memory. Sitting up, she looked to the pillow beside hers and experienced an incredible sense of loss, knowing he left her. She dropped back down, pulled the comforter up to her chin, and began wiggling her toes. Continuing to move the different parts of her body to find everything in place, she drew in a deep sigh of relief. She had expected parts of her body to be burned away.

  Eiddyl stuck his head in the door, grinning ear-to-ear, and wiggled his fingers at Kyla. “You gave me very satisfying dreams last night, little sister.”

  Kyla blurted, “We didn’t do anything.” Then she immediately felt foolish. He laughed as he walked away, leaving her deeply embarrassed.

  In the adjoining room, Cymry said, “You’re asking for a knot on your head, Brother.”

  Eiddyl laughed. “Put a knot on everyone’s head that missed a restful sleep last night and
knotted heads will become the norm.”

  When Cymry entered the sleeping chamber and looked at Kyla, she sat rigidly upright, feeling her face freeze into a mask of horror. “Oh, my God, was Eiddyl joking? Surely, everyone wasn’t aware of us last night, were they?”

  He sat on the edge of the bed and handed her a cup of hot tea. Leaning over, he brushed her cheek with his lips. “Kyla, as telepaths, we learn to shield our thoughts and emotions from others. You didn’t know how, so you blasted the palace with your feelings.”

  “Why didn’t you tell me? How am I ever going to leave this room and face everyone? ”

  “I’m afraid I was well beyond being discrete and was not about to interfere with your feelings by addressing that problem. Don’t let it concern you. You must realize, we all inadvertently trespass on others’ privacy.”

  “Oh, my God! I can only imagine what Troy and David will say. I’m so humiliated.”

  Cymry pulled her into his lap and cradled her head against his chest. “At the fire camp, were you aware of the activities going on in the different sleeping pallets? Even though my sister and David became one, I’m sure you were not aware. Last night, neither did Troy and David. Believe me, they know nothing.”

  “Thank goodness for that. At least when I leave, I won’t have to look in every face and wonder if they know I lost my senses.”

  “Lost your senses? For the sake of Alpha and Omega, you finally gained your senses.”

  He stood her on her feet. “You better get up and prepare yourself. The shield will drop in an hour and you have to face what your future will be. We’ll find no further privacy, so I want to plead with you to come back to me.”

  “To be what?” Kyla asked, narrowing her eyes.

  Cymry smiled and then softly whispered, “Only everything.”

  “You know everything about me, now, don’t you—how damaged I am?”

  “Damaged, or not, we belong to one another—we’re almost one now.”

  Later, when they walked into the meadow, the large crowd gathered surprised Kyla. The king stood, his arms around his wife’s waist, and nuzzled her ear. Betrys looked at Cymry and Kyla as they approached. “Look what you’ve done to him. His head is full of romance.”

  Betrys, seeing Kyla’s distressed expression, touched her hand. “I’m so sorry, child. I didn’t know my foolish remark would affect you like this. How could you possibly be ashamed of something so wonderful?”

  “Momete, she’s embarrassed only because others were aware of what she experienced, not that she experienced it.” Cymry glared at his mother and hugged Kyla to his side.

  “Oh, dear. I totally forgot these sky people are head-blind.”

  “Not as much as you might think, Momete.”

  King Craddoc shot a daggered look at his son. “Cymry you haven’t forgotten your obligations have you?”

  Fortunately, activity around Troy and David put an end to what might have become an uncomfortable conversation. David had retrieved the com unit from the rover and spoke into it. Several men standing near David jumped back, wide-eyed, when suddenly the palm-sized screen in David’s hand displayed a man’s face. King Craddoc looked at Kyla with a worried expression. “What manner of magic is this?”

  “It’s not magic, sire. It’s our captain speaking on the communication link.”

  “Very strange talking machine. He seems very angry.”

  “Yes, sire. We left the ship without his permission, wrecked a rover, and have been out of touch for two weeks. He has every right to be angry with us.”

  No one understood the words, but everyone nearby knew the red-faced captain spoke with anger.

  David shook his head and tried to break into the diatribe. “But, sir . . .” only to be interrupted with words, more heated. David turned to Kyla. “Come on, Kyla, Troy, time to go.”

  The king stepped forward, a determined expression on his face. “Let me talk with this man. I need to thank him for your help.”

  However, the screen darkened and David said, “Sorry, sire; this is not a good time. Perhaps later.”

  Awel stood with Twitter in her arms. Both were sobbing.

  Kyla walked toward David and looked over her shoulder to Cymry with tears in her eyes. David stepped over to Eiddyl and whispered in his ear. Eiddyl nodded as Kyla and Troy joined David, who punched the com. “Ready for deportation.” There was a flash of light—then, for a second, a space of nothingness appeared.

  END BOOK ONE

  Keep reading for excerpts from Book Two, THE SSH'FAH WAR

  The War

  When Troy ran back to the edge of the desert, the rhosynhorns were becoming more violent. The large wooden balls, usually covering the points of their curving horns, were missing. Men jerked the unruly tails of the animals, fueling their outrage.

  The pounding of camel hooves almost drowned out the bellows of the rhosynhorns. Troy became numb with fear and wondered what everyone waited for. He could almost make out the features of the screaming Ssh’fa, streaking toward them, whirling their evil curved swords above their heads, determined to ride the Elfin troops down. He ran back to his tree, and began climbing.

  The staccato of nearby drums, echoed east to west, and the soldiers stepped away from the rhosynhorns. The animals surged forward sounding their deafening war cry, a growling bellow, escalating into an ear-splitting screech. The Elfin soldiers moved back toward camp, not staying to watch. The trees rang with Taryn trills and warbling.

  Troy could hear the thunderous clash of rhosynhorns with camels and the blood-curdling screams of Ssh’fa shattering the desert air. He strained to see the action through the thick cloud of sand. Meadowlark gripped his hand.