by Lake, Edward
Part Three—The Search
Chapter 13: Emily
I woke up on my massive, plush bed and found Claudia setting my breakfast down on the table at the center of the room. I yawned and patted my lips as I rolled over onto my stomach. On the floor, I saw Mr. Buttons running around, chasing something. I figured it was a bug. He liked to eat bugs, and it told me he might be hungry.
“Claudia, make sure you feed Mr. Buttons, too.”
She promptly nodded as she carried on.
Finally, after a good stretch, I jumped out of bed and went into the bathroom. I took a long, hot shower, and after drying, I put on one of my silk robes and headed to the table. I took a seat and checked the food. Claudia had made me a big bowl of gwaop. It was a combination of boiled meat, steamed vegetables and broth—basically a stew. Very healthy, very tasty.
To go with it, she had made me a blended drink of fruits and vegetables, mixed with a Mamluk liquid called noz. The liquid was pale and thick, derived from the trees in the forest and loaded with alien protein. Essentially, it was milk on steroids.
Claudia left the room, but returned shortly after with some leaves for Mr. Buttons and a bowl of water. She set them down by the table and stood by for further instructions. I ignored her for a second and playfully called to Mr. B. “Where’s Mr. Buttons, where’s Mr. Buttons?”
Like a dog, he came stumbling over to me on his four chubby legs. He snatched the leaves off the floor with his tiny, five-fingered hands and nibbled them like a rabbit. I smiled as I watched him. Then I gradually looked at Claudia and went over her daily tasks. “Make sure my clothes are washed, dried and folded before sunset. And when you clean the floors, make sure you get all the water up. Last night, I saw a few wet spots throughout the corridor.”
She nodded.
“Now get to work.”
Claudia turned around and headed out. After finishing my food, I got up and put on a running outfit and some running boots. I jogged downstairs and gathered a few soldiers. As always, they watched over me during my early morning run.
In the sky, I had a group of ships following me, too. I ran out into the forest with the soldiers close behind.
“Did you have a nice breakfast, My Ruler?” a soldier said to me from behind.
“Certainly, Soldier.” I ran for miles and miles, jumping over logs as I went, dashing through small creeks. At last, I reached a mountain and hiked to the top. The soldiers weren’t far behind.
When they reached the top, I looked them over with loads of sweat dripping down my face. “All right, let’s head back.”
All at once, they gave me a nod.
I was feeling good on this day. Actually, I was feeling better than I ever had, so I decided to make things interesting and challenge the soldiers. “OK, so here’s the deal. We’re going to race back, and if one of you can beat me—you get the rest of the day off.”
Together, they cheered with ecstatic, eager smiles.
I smiled and got in position. The soldiers quickly followed. “Ready, set...go!” I took off down the rocky mountain, jumping from stone to stone. I made it to the bottom before any of the soldiers and zoomed away.
Moments later, one of them caught up to me. I stayed neck and neck with her for a long while. She finally got ahead of me, but I maintained my speed, and soon after, when the miles began to pile up, she slowed down a bit. I dashed past her and made it back to my building with time to spare.
With the others, she came jogging out of the forest and came up to me. First, she kneeled and bowed. “You’re the greatest, My Ruler,” she said with an exhausted yet lively smile. The rest of the group dropped down and bowed.
I put my hands on my hips and scanned the soldiers with perky cheeks. “Rise, Soldiers.” They stood up and looked on. “That was a nice effort. Still, you failed, so return to your posts.”
Without hesitation, they kneeled and bowed again. “Right away, My Ruler.”
As they left, I turned around and headed inside. I went upstairs and showered again. After drying, I put on something more comfortable and went to the security room. Once there, I saw London standing over the control board with a cup in his hand. I walked in and stood beside him.
“Good morning, Your Greatness.”
“Good morning, Dear. Have you found them?”
He turned to the screen and pointed. “I found this.”
I bent down and placed my hands on the control board. There was a blinking dot on the holographic screen. “Is that a planet?”
“Yes, My Ruler. I’ve doubled checked all the readings. It is habitable for our kind.”
I felt a fiery sensation engross my body. “Excellent work, London.”
He put his drink down and stepped closer. “Thank you, My Ruler. However, I’m still not sure this is the right planet. Perhaps I should continue the search and find a few more.”
I shook my head. “No. This is the one. It has to be.”
He nodded with a bold stare. “I trust your judgment, Great Emily.” London’s utter loyalty was a tremendous sight to behold. He was truly a great soldier. “Shall I prepare the space pods for takeoff?”
“Not yet. We still have some business to attend to here on Earth.” I glanced at him with a smile. “Besides, the rebels aren’t going anywhere.” I kindly touched his side. “I want the Interim Champion to be named before we leave, so get ready for the fight.”
London kneeled and bowed. “Right away, My Ruler.”
I left the room and went upstairs to my ship. It was time to visit my old mentor.
A short while later I arrived at Dalia’s building and landed by the main entrance. There were two ships parked alongside her sizeable home, which made me wonder if Ignas was there, too. Sure enough, when I left my ship and walked through the entryway, I found them swaggering down the hallway, headed toward the rear entry.
Dalia was wearing a purple silk robe, and Ignas was wearing only a black pair of pants. They were leaning into each other, still madly in love. I immediately thought of Adomas and became incredibly saddened. My eyes watered a bit as I moved ahead. I miss you.
Finally, they heard me coming and turned around. They smiled as one and walked toward me. We shared a warm embrace at the center of the hallway before going to the backyard.
Being nosy, I studied them carefully. Ignas had marks all over his back and Dalia’s hair was a mess. Clearly, they had been getting it on before I arrived. Inside, I was giggling a bit. Old people sex. But it was cute, too.
We sat together on a lavish settee, and Dalia ordered her servant to bring us some drinks. The woman left and came back in a hurry with a tray of chilled beverages. She set it down on the table by the settee and went on her way.
As we drank, I couldn’t help but look at them with envy. “I’m so jealous of you two. I wish me and Adomas could have been like this when I retired.”
Dalia smiled and leaned into Ignas. Her breasts were peeking out of her robe, but they were still as firm as ever, and her skin had few wrinkles. In fact, the only stark difference I saw in her was a few more gray hairs. “Worry not, My Ruler. You will find another.”
It was still a little weird to hear her call me Ruler. She was like a mother to me, and I would always hold her in high regard. “You think so?”
Ignas flashed a smile. “Of course you will, Great Emily. There are plenty of lone males in our society.”
I shrugged. “I don’t know. How could anyone replace Adomas? We shared so much together.”
Dalia looked away for a moment. In her eyes, I saw a calm anger. It made me feel horrible. I felt like I had let her down. Adomas was her son, and he had died trying to protect me.
Feeling upset with myself, I changed the subject. “London has found a habitable planet in a neighboring star system. I think the rebels are there.”
Ignas nodded. “As do I. They escaped rather quickly. A lucky escape of course. However the swiftness of their escape would suggest a planet in a neighboring star syst
em.”
“How will you proceed?” Dalia asked.
“Well, there are two things I must do first.” I exhaled. “I will conduct the interim title fight before we leave.” I looked at Ignas. “And I have to complete my training.”
He gave me a bow. “Absolutely, My Ruler.”
“We will be traveling into the unknown. I need to be prepared for anything.” I folded my hands in my lap and leaned back. “And I have a feeling this is going to come down to me and Juozas.”
Ignas nodded. “It most likely will.”
Dalia reached out to me and gently touched my side. “Go out tonight, My Ruler. Enjoy yourself for a while and find a mate.”
I graciously smiled and touched her hand. Thanks, Mom. “OK, I will.”
Chapter 14: Emily
At night, in our society, there was always a large party going on somewhere. At a lounge, a beach, or even someone’s building, it didn’t matter. We Mamluks liked to party.
I got dressed in a sexy outfit and headed to my ship. The soldiers escorted me there and we all got on board. I flew to the beach and landed by a never-ending row of parked ships. There were bonfires all over the place, drummers spread out from end to end, servants running around with drinks, and lots of half-naked Mamluks.
I left my ship and swayed into the madness. I could feel the ground vibrate as I walked. Before long, everyone began to realize I had arrived.
“Our Ruler has come to the gathering!”
The dancing crowds spread out and locked their eyes onto me. I became a little shy as I moved ahead, but luckily it wore off fast. The drummers sped the beat up as I came forward. A soldier danced away from the crowd and came up to me. He had dark skin, sharp hazel eyes, and a smile that made me blush.
The soldier danced around me, daring me to respond. I kicked off my shoes and began to sway with him. In the background, I could hear the crowd chanting.
“She can rule and she can dance, she can rule and she can dance!”
The soldier stomped his feet in the sand and rocked his shoulders to the beat. I threw my hands in the air and swung my hips from side to side. The crowd hollered and cheered as we went on. He fell to the ground and did a wild dance in the sand, leaping up and down to the tempo, kind of like a break dancer.
I leaned my head back and howled at the moon. The soldier jumped up and lifted me high in the air. He spun me around to the other side and carefully set me down. He opened his legs and hopped in place with his shoulders bouncing to the beat.
I smiled ecstatically and danced with him for a second, then I surprised him and slid through his legs. I rose in a flash and did a cartwheel, and that move made the crowd roar, then they started a new chant.
“Now she flips, the best flip, now she flips, the best flip! Flip, flip, flip, flip!”
Out of nowhere, someone ran into the circle and did a back flip. The soldier dancing with me backed away and did a series of cartwheels before coming back to me. With style, I did the splits in the sand, popped up and did a back flip. The soldier playfully grabbed his chest like he was hurt and purposely fell over.
I threw my hands up and cheered loudly, and the crowd busted into a dancing frenzy, howling as they did.
Afterward, I found a seat on a large stone that had been placed in the sand. A group of citizens and soldiers surrounded me. They were delighted to see me at the beach, staring at me with big smiles.
“You were fantastic, My Ruler,” a citizen said.
“Why thank you.”
The soldier I had danced with came over with two drinks. “Yes, you were magnificent, Great Emily.” He handed me a drink and flashed that charming smile of his.
I stared at him with a naughty grin and swirled the cup around. “What is your name, Soldier?”
“Nojus.” He got close to me and took a sip.
I drank a big gulp and set my cup down on the stone. “You weren’t bad yourself.”
He gave me an affectionate stare. “Perhaps, but it was nothing like you.”
My heart fluttered as I looked into his daring eyes. I heard the others chitchatting and waved a beckoning finger at him. He bent down and listened. “I want you to come home with me, Nojus.”
“I would be honored, My Ruler.”
A short while later, I led Nojus to my room and took a seat on the sofa by the window. In the dim candle light, he looked like a majestic brute. I was pleased, and eager to see his body. “Undress, and present yourself to me.”
First, he kicked off his boots. Then he removed his sija and set it down on the floor. Finally, he pulled his pants down and stepped out of them. I scanned him from head to toe with a smile. “Very impressive.”
I stood up and carefully undressed. Nojus had his eyes fixed on me, like he wanted to eat me alive. I walked to the bed and crawled onto the plush mattress. He followed me and let out a deep moan. I got on my back and watched him climb on top. When he came all the way down, I forcefully wrapped my hands around his neck. “Be rough.”
He bent down and bit my arm. I leaned my head back and groaned deeply. I screeched as Nojus went inside. I closed my eyes and dug my nails into his arm with my mouth hung open. Nojus went hard and fast, just as I had told him to. Within seconds we were sweating like crazy.
“Roll over,” I groaned passionately. He got on his back and I climbed on top.
Nojus grabbed my waist and lifted me up and down. My hair bounced all around, and I moaned louder and louder. To finish, I had him stand me up on the bed and hump me against the wall. We climaxed as one, and I heard Nojus roar with pleasure.
I took a deep breath as we lowered ourselves to the bed. I lay on top of him and he wrapped his massive arms around me. He rubbed me with his giant, smooth hands, and the comforting feeling put me right to sleep.
Chapter 15: Emily
That morning, I woke up and found Nojus getting dressed. “Good morning, Your Greatness.” Once finished, he came over to me and sat on the bed. “May I stay and have breakfast with you?”
I sat up and kindly touched his hulking chest. “No. I think you should go.”
Nojus seemed displeased. Still, he obeyed. “I understand, My Ruler.” He bent down and gave me the softest kiss. I touched his face and felt a tingling sensation in my belly.
Nojus pulled his lips away and stared into my eyes, showing me his charismatic smile. “Please don’t forget about me, Great Emily.”
I returned a smile to him. “I won’t.”
He rose and headed out. After showering, I got dressed and ate the food Claudia had set out for me. I left shortly after and went to the roof. My guards were standing by as usual, ready to board my ship. We went inside and I flew to the Soldiers Academy. I parked by the main entrance and marched into the building.
I found Ignas in the training center, working with a few students. When he saw me, he quickly ended the class.
“My students, our great Ruler has arrived. That is all for today.”
The group of young trainees jogged over to me, kneeled and bowed their heads. I looked them over with a smile. Then they got up and dashed out of the room.
“Good morning, Ignas.”
“Welcome, Great Emily.” He took a moment to study me. “You seem...refreshed.”
I grinned. “Very much so.”
“Very well then.” Ignas turned his back on me. “Attack.”
Gradually, I got in a fighting stance and took a huge breath. I focused my eyes and counted to three in my head. After three, I ran at Ignas and tried to kick his leg. He easily side-stepped me. I tried again, and this time he tripped me and I stumbled into the wall.
I shook off the embarrassment and went back at him. Ignas got low and swept his leg at me. I jumped over it and ran at him. I leaped through the air and punched his stomach. The maneuver surprised Ignas and he smiled.
“Very good, My Ruler.”
I waved him on. “Come on, Ignas, fight me.”
He sped up and came at me with a combination. I
slid through his legs and did an upward kick to his knee. Ignas spun around and tried to crush me with a hammer fist. I rolled away just in time. He stayed on me and delivered a swift kick to my side.
The strike hurt badly, and it sent me crumbling to the floor. I grabbed my side and clenched my teeth.
“You’re stronger than that, get up.”
I tried to get up but couldn’t.
“Get up, My Ruler!”
I tried to again but still struggled.
“Get up and fight!”
Finally, I let out a wild roar and wobbled to my feet. I got back in my fighting stance and waved Ignas on. He ran at me and pushed me into the stone wall.
I fell down again and curled up, protecting myself. “Stop, just stop.”
As I looked down, I heard Ignas release a frustrated breath. “Why are you not using your speed, Great Emily?”
I hid my face in shame. “Because I don’t know how.”
Ignas walked over, bent down and pulled my hands away from my face. He saw the tears in my eyes and wiped them away. “I’ve seen you run through the forest. I know how fast you are.” He smiled. “Remember, you must use your advantages.”
I gave him a quick nod.
“Now, get up, My Ruler, and show me that speed.”
I rose with a vengeance and flexed my shoulders. I stepped away from Ignas and got in my fighting stance. I focused, staring at him with burning eyes. He lowered and got in his fighting stance. We shared a brief, intense stare down.
I ran at him and began my attack. I slid through his legs and jumped up in a flash. Before Ignas could turn around, I sent a vicious kick to his leg. I slid through his legs again and did an upward kick to his shin when I rose.
Still facing the opposite direction, Ignas blindly swung his arm, trying to hit me. I ducked down with blazing speed and rolled away. He leaped off the ground and spun around, and just as he landed, I ran up to him, jumped high in the air and elbowed his stomach.
The strike made him grunt a little. I did a back flip before he could grab me. Ignas copied the move and got close. He tried to punch me, but I ducked again and dropkicked his left ankle. He wobbled a bit, so I rolled through his legs and did it again from the other side.
