by C. Baely
Sara walked into the spacious room, which was filled with the usual wall paintings depicting wildlife and landscapes in rich colors. There was a long, black stone table with matching chairs set almost in the middle of the room. A generous selection of different fruits and meats were laid out on the table on large plates, and there were jars filled with alador liquid. Everything was in small portions, though, as if they had only served enough food for three people. Large balcony doors at the far end of the room allowed ample morning light to enter.
She moved toward the side nearest the balcony doors and sat on one of the chairs near the end of the table. There was an empty plate and a glass in front of her. She chose not to eat anything yet, instead picking one of the jars up and filling her glass with the purple liquid.
Glancing through the glass balcony doors, Sara could see the square area they had passed through the previous night. Pradorians were going about their jobs and mulling about a place that looked like a market. Both females and males seemed to be browsing goods. “So, you are my brother’s surprising mate.”
Sara turned abruptly to see who was speaking, almost spilling her drink in the process. “I’m sorry?” Sara’s eyes met those of the Pradorian woman who now stood at the opposite side of the table.
“Oh, how rude of me.” The young female took a seat. She looked at Sara, smiling broadly, and introduced herself. “I am Irina, Archail’s sister.”
Sara’s mouth opened in surprise before stopping mid-motion as she tried to comprehend what this young-looking Pradorian had just said. All she could think to say was a simple, “Hi.”
“I like the color of your hair.” Irina regarded Sara curiously.
“Thank you.” Sara smiled back at the Pradorian. The female was impressive, even with her relatively small stature. She was lean and very richly curved. She had Archail’s yellow-gold eyes, and her long hair was nearly the same color, matching her eyes nicely. She wore a dress similar to the one Toria had on, and Sara decided it looked even more impressive on Irina when contrasted with her natural colors.
“When I heard the female earthlings had arrived, I had to come meet you.” Irina’s eyes seemed to love looking over the newcomer as they probed Sara up and down.
“I see,” replied Sara.
“I wanted to be one of the first to welcome you to Prador. Oh!” she exclaimed, as if just remembering something, “What’s your name?”
“Sara.”
“Well, Sara, I hope we can become good friends for as long as you choose to be with us,” Irina said cheerfully again.
Sara wondered how much this Pradorian female knew, because she was talking to her as if she actually had a choice in something. She almost asked about it, but on remembering she was talking to Archail’s sister, she chose not to. “Thank you. That would be very nice.”
Irina took a bite from an obicon fruit and swallowed. “You must have so many questions to ask. I would be more than happy to answer them.”
Sara looked at the woman with disbelief at first, but when she saw the sincerity in her eyes, she decided to take a risk. “Were there other women like me here…before?”
“Oh yes, of course, the poor souls.” A soft cloud of sadness passed through her bright eyes as she spoke.
“Do you know what happened to them?” Sara pressed, hoping to get some answers before they were interrupted.
“They all died.” Irina sounded as if she was talking about the most natural thing in the world.
“Yes, I know,” Sara said flatly, trying not to arouse suspicion. “I was just wondering how they died.”
Irina looked a little surprised. “Oh! Certainly, of course. They all died because we had not been informed of the limited time the de-aging process lasted. Archail tried to save them by ordering they be given the immortality injection, but their fragile bodies were too weak to handle it. We were, unfortunately, unable to prevent them from dying.” She sounded sad as she spoke, but her voice became more cheerful as she continued. “But now we can correct this, and everything will be better for all of you.” She then leaned forward, as if sharing an important secret. “Archail ensured there would be no mistakes this time.”
“Did he?” Sara sounded cautious even to her own ears. She wasn’t sure what to believe, but one thing was certain, if what Irina had just told her was true, she had wrongly accused Archail. The realization came with a sense of regret, but there was also an element of relief that he wasn’t the murderer she had feared him to be.
She then recalled the ultimatum he had given her in the cave just three days ago. He had told her that if she chose death, the others would also die. A cold hand gripped her heart as she realized that he had lied to her.
“Yes, of course.” Irina looked Sara in the eyes. “Everything will work out, you’ll see.” She reached across the table and patted Sara’s hand supportively.
Sara smiled halfheartedly for a moment, realizing this young female was giving her more information than she had expected. “Do you bring Earth women here often?”
Irina looked at her seriously before smiling softly. “Of course not. This is only the second time we’ve brought people from Earth.”
Her softened voice made Sara relax a little as another realization hit her. Archail had said she wasn’t the first, nor would she be the last. Had he lied again? She wondered if any truth had come from this male’s mouth. Was he a pathological liar? What reason did he have to lie to her? “Why do you need us to carry your children?”
Irina suddenly looked sad and thoughtful. “Well, we—” Her answer was cut short as the door opened, and Archail walked in.
Archail paused for a moment, seemingly surprised by what he saw. “Irina, what are you doing here?” He smiled as he moved toward her with his big arms opened.
His sister jumped out of her chair and ran to meet his open arms, hugging Archail as he chuckled and teased her gently.
Sara observed the changes in his features as he embraced his sister. She almost envied the young woman for invoking such a change in the big Pradorian that Sara thought of as a captor.
“I came to see you, of course,” Irina said playfully.
“Well, well, this is a pleasant surprise.” He ran his hands through her hair.
“I thought you would see it that way.”
“I see you have already met Sara.” Archail’s voice deepened subtly as he referred to his mate.
“Yes. I told her how I hope we will become good friends.” Irina’s cheerful disposition once again pointed itself at Sara.
“I am happy to hear that,” Archail said, although his vanishing smile said otherwise.
Sara suddenly felt uncomfortable under Archail’s intense gaze. His renewed presence had unsettled her, as had the newfound truths his sister had unwittingly revealed. She decided it would be better to leave the room. “Will you excuse me?” She rose from her chair, readying to leave.
“Oh Sara, do you have to go?” Irina sounded sincere in her disappointment.
“Yes, I’m sorry but I feel a little unwell.” Sara almost whispered as she forced a smile for the young female, drawing her eyes quickly away from Archail’s searching stare.
“Then I will see you again another day.”
“Yes, I would like that.” Sara’s smile was more genuine as she moved away.
* * *
Archail’s darkened eyes remained fixed on Sara’s back until she was out of the room. His strong need for the woman soon disappeared as he turned back to Irina. “Well now, tell me your news.”
Irina stopped smiling and looked at her brother more seriously. “I think we made a breakthrough. We may have actually found the solution with this new plant.”
Archail stared at her carefully. “How sure are you about this?”
“Not absolutely certain yet, but very soon we will have definitive results. My team is working diligently on them. The serum is ready, at least. All we need to do now is test it.”
“Then we will continue a
s planned,” he said decisively.
Irina gazed at him searchingly. “Don’t you think you are taking things too far? The girl seems scared of you, and you weren’t supposed to get this involved.”
“Irina, you do your job, and let me do what I have to,” he said abruptly, making it understood that he wasn’t open to any discussion about Sara.
She shook her head at her brother’s stubborn expression. She placed a hand gently on his. “At least show her who you are. It might make things easier, for both of you.”
“This discussion is over.”
Irina changed the subject. “When will the ceremony take place?”
“In four risings of the moons.” Archail sounded calmer now.
“Well, it’s a pity I will miss it, because I have to leave in two days. I need to rejoin the research team.”
“I hope to see you again soon. You are always away these last few years.” Archail patted her cheek gently.
“Oh, don’t worry. You will see me again within a month, if not much sooner.”
“Would you stay for lunch?” Archail asked, when he saw her readying to leave.
“I cannot.” She smiled back at him. “I have things I need to arrange.”
“Yes, I understand. Work must come first for us.” He couldn’t keep the bitterness from his tone.
She laid a kiss on his cheek. “Not everything is about work. There is also love.” Irina impressed the last word upon him before she left.
Archail turned and watched his sister depart. He was troubled by her last statement. “What on Prador did she mean by that?” He questioned himself aloud before shaking his head to dismiss the thought from his mind.
Chapter 11
When Sara left the dining hall, she felt weak and unsure of where to go, but as she walked down the corridor, she noticed a large door on her right. She impulsively opened it and entered the large hall she had passed through when she arrived. She now walked ahead more decisively, and on seeing bright light shining in from outside, she decided to take a walk around the gardens. She thought it would at least help her feel better than closing herself in a room all day. Maybe it would also give her time to consider the new information she had just learned.
She left through the main entrance and walked down the stairs leading to the garden. The light outside was bright and warm, and the soft air on her skin made her feel free, giving her a renewed determination to stay outdoors.
Sara started to follow a path to the left that seemed to lead around the house toward the back. She could breathe more easily now as she passed a colorful array of flowers that lined the path on both sides. Her pace slowed a little when she approached what seemed like a dead end. Tall, thick bushes blocked the way, but she could hear water running close by somewhere. She wanted to find out where the sound was coming from, so she looked around for some way through the thick bushes. To her satisfaction, she spied a gap just a few feet to her left. Curious as to what lay beyond the bushes, she moved toward the gap.
As Sara passed through the opening, she saw a naturally-shaped pool made of white stone filled with water from a small running stream that flowed over the rocks to make the most charming little waterfall. Sara felt like she had discovered a small, private paradise. She crossed the short-cut grass to reach the pool’s edge, where she sat down and dangled her legs into the cool, tickling water as she tried to clear her head.
Archail’s face came to her mind. He was relaxed and happy, just as he had been when he had held his sister in his arms. She remembered the envy she felt at that moment and tried to understand why. He was strong and powerful, and he had a wild sort of beauty that could not be compared with any man she had met in her entire lifetime. She had only been with one man, and he had never been thoughtful in bed with her. Whenever he came to take her, she would always try to wait patiently for him to finish. When he left her afterwards, she would feel empty and dirty inside.
With Archail though, the circumstances in which she had come to know him were different, and she couldn’t make up her mind about how to feel or what to think. Were his intentions good or bad? Why had he lied to her? She didn’t know, and to her amazement, she wasn’t sure if she wanted to know, because she was becoming attracted to him. At least she now knew he wasn’t responsible for the other women’s deaths, but why had he let her believe he was? Why had he lied and forced her to choose life on this world rather than death? Why was her decision so important to him?
His actions showed kindness, but his lies were the work of a stubborn male who had to get his own way. Was there more to him than she’d seen so far? She recalled the day in the cave when they were talking about the fruit. He had said to her, “Not everything is as you hope.” Was he talking about her or referring to himself?
Maybe she hadn’t given him the benefit of the doubt. Having come to know him a little better, Sara could tell he was a very proud man. To her disappointment, Archail hardly ever spoke with her, but he often made advances to claim her, and she had come to expect it from him.
As much as it bothered her, she couldn’t deny that she wanted to let him make love to her. How it was possible she didn’t know, but her body responded to him every time he touched her. She couldn’t keep denying him much longer. It was pride that kept her trying, though. He only wanted her because he needed her body to carry his child. She reminded herself if it wasn’t for that, he wouldn’t care for her, and the bitterness returned.
* * *
Archail left the dining room burdened with troubled thoughts. He didn’t like the way Sara had looked when she left the dining room, and he realized he was responsible for her being so pale and distant. He remembered what he had tried to do the night before, and he felt uncomfortable with himself for pushing her so fast to accept him. His feelings and need for her were becoming more powerful with every passing day. He wondered if he had gone insane, or maybe it was her scent that drove him so relentlessly to try and claim her. He recalled what Irina had told him. “The girl seems scared of you.” He couldn’t escape the feeling of guilt for creating such a situation.
He headed toward the bedroom, expecting to find her there. He thought if he could try to talk to her, it might ease her fears and help her to understand that he wouldn’t hurt her in any way. When he reached the room, however, he found it empty. Sara was nowhere to be seen. Anger blinded him once more, pushing all his other thoughts aside. Where in all of Pradoria has she gone this time? He tried to calm himself and understand why she would run away from him yet again.
Not much time had passed since she had left the dining room, so she couldn’t have gone far. With that in mind, he searched the palladium, expecting to find her in one of the other rooms, but his search yielded no trace of her. He quickly reevaluated and decided to follow her scent instead. Once he tracked her down, he would grab her by the hair and drag her to his bedroom, where he would lock her up so she would never leave him like this again.
It wasn’t hard for him to track her down. His nostrils flared at the distinct scent of wild flowers, but he immediately recognized Sara’s earthy aroma. He followed her trail from the dining room to the main entrance of the palladium. It then led him outside, toward the back of the house, and through the gap in the bushes.
There she was, sitting with her back to him and leaning over the edge of the pool. She was making small circles on the surface of the water with her hand. Her long auburn hair fell free from where it had been clinging to her back and came forward to shield her face. Seeing her so lost in her play made her appear young and fragile.
His anger was immediately replaced with a sense of relief at finding her safe and well. “Do you like the garden?” He spoke calmly and softly, trying not to scare her.
Sara’s head rose abruptly, and she looked startled when she turned to him. She hadn’t heard his approach at all. Pulling her hand from the water, she gazed at his searching eyes. She wasn’t able to keep her stare steady as the blood rose to color her face. Sara turne
d away from him again. Her voice trembled. “Yes, it’s beautiful.”
“Indeed it is.” Archail looked more to her than the garden. He kept his tone low, as he approached and sat beside her at a polite distance. “I like to come here. It has a soothing peacefulness about it. Don’t you agree?” He hoped he could keep her involved in a conversation with him.
Archail felt warm as she smiled so beautifully and trustingly at him. He fought hard to drown the feelings within him, not wanting to cause her any further discomfort. He didn’t like feeling weak with need for a woman, and he certainly wasn’t used to it. Her voice then drew his focus. “Yes.” She sounded breathless as he moved closer to her, as if she found it difficult to speak to him.
* * *
He hadn’t been this softly spoken before, and she wondered why he was making the effort now, not that she didn’t like it. He seemed different when he spoke gently like this, almost human even.
“It is nature’s own miracle.” He turned to look at her, smiling gently.
Sara smiled back in response, unable to resist this side of him. It wasn’t long before she felt herself slowly relax again.
“This is how we found it when we returned to Prador four hundred years ago.” He seemed to be lost in thought as he looked toward the small area teaming with life. “Where did you come from?” Sara asked, her curiosity rising now as she wanted to learn more about him.
“You would not believe me if I told you.” He sounded enigmatic and mysterious again.
“Why don’t you tell me?” she asked, “I might surprise you.”
“Maybe one day soon we will talk about it.” He withdrew again. “For now, it is best if we talk about you.”
Sara couldn’t hide her surprise as her eyes widened in reaction to his statement, not knowing what to make of his sudden interest in her. “There isn’t really much to talk about. Why would you be interested in hearing my story now? You’ve never asked me before.”
“I just thought you might like to talk about it.” His tone sounded sincere.
