masculinity
on view. While her female servants made a wide berth around them, Miki noticed
the lingering glances. Fine, firm male flesh on display, unlike the thin chest
of a Raasa male, was hard to ignore. The communal bathing rooms provided a
great chance to see males and females unclothed but this was better.
In her teen years,
Miki giggled with the other females her age when they witnessed a male’s body
for the first time. The dangly parts between their legs had drawn much
commentary. None of them understood how a man’s toqa would fit a woman’s toque.
Thankfully, her noan answered her questions patiently and Miki shared her
knowledge with her friends for their parents were not as open and concise.
Now those same
females held the experience and the advanced knowledge. Her two closest friends
Sera and Vesa took sexual partners whenever the mood struck them, believing it
would help them select the best mate to join. Miki reserved her innocence. She
wanted more, craved more and until she’d read Ashaya’s journal about fierce
proud warriors, Miki hadn’t known what that more was.
“While you spin
your thoughts, has anyone given them food?”
Miki gasped at
such a basic necessity. There were no dishes in the places on the end of the
table where the warriors gathered. Surely they were hungry and this was a
perfect chance to show the Overlord how amendable she could be. Miki signaled a
passing kitchen server.
Assa smiled and
walked over. “What would you like, Su-Su?”
“The Warlords,
have they eaten?”
Assa’s smile
dropped. “No.” She darted a look over her shoulder then jerked her head back as
if the men would sense her stare. “They are frightening.”
Miki agreed but
she must show her people by her actions that they couldn’t avoid the simple
courtesies for a guest because they were afraid. “Please bring out several
platters of everything. Mugs of cider, too.” Miki couldn’t imagine their
thirst, yet they’d asked for nothing in the hours since their awakening.
Assa turned to
head to the kitchen when a thought crossed Miki’s mind. “And meat.”
The servant’s
mouth made a moue. “Meat, Su-Su?” Raasa preferred vegetables and only
occasionally sampled food made of animals.
“Yes.” If trays of
vegetables only were given to the Warlords, Miki could imagine their disdain.
She’d inform the cook to prepare more meat with each meal going forward to
satisfy the Warlords.
Within moments,
four servers came out from the kitchen their trays piled high. Miki’s stomach
growled from the fragrant aromas but she stayed seated. Assa placed a stack of
dishware near the Overlord’s elbow with wooden utensils for their use and bowed
low. He never paused in his conversation but he lifted his gaze to Miki and
their eyes connected. Would he thank her? Acknowledge the kindness in her act?
The Overlord
lowered his head back to his map with no response. Her heart dived and the
place in her lower belly twinged. Why did she let herself hope for more? She
dreamed of life spent with a loving mate. Those dreams were ashes now.
Then Miki
stiffened her shoulders. It was too soon. Eran was right. She needed to try
harder to understand where they were coming from. The transition to find a
common ground between all of them would be difficult but it was doable. Miki
needed to lead by example.
Tesai entered the
main doors, his expression mirroring his dislike of the duty he’d been asked to
perform. Miki couldn’t help comparing him to the Kabanian warriors. As one of
her guards, Miki spent a lot of time in close contact with the Raasa male. They
got along well enough and he didn’t force her to limit her time outside her
home. If she wanted to go to a bazaar for goods, he’d accompany her, whereas
the other guards would insist on a servant performing the errand.
The females in her
home considered Tesai a good mate for a True Union. He lived within his means,
held a notable position as guardsmen and
on view. While her female servants made a wide berth around them, Miki noticed
the lingering glances. Fine, firm male flesh on display, unlike the thin chest
of a Raasa male, was hard to ignore. The communal bathing rooms provided a
great chance to see males and females unclothed but this was better.
In her teen years,
Miki giggled with the other females her age when they witnessed a male’s body
for the first time. The dangly parts between their legs had drawn much
commentary. None of them understood how a man’s toqa would fit a woman’s toque.
Thankfully, her noan answered her questions patiently and Miki shared her
knowledge with her friends for their parents were not as open and concise.
Now those same
females held the experience and the advanced knowledge. Her two closest friends
Sera and Vesa took sexual partners whenever the mood struck them, believing it
would help them select the best mate to join. Miki reserved her innocence. She
wanted more, craved more and until she’d read Ashaya’s journal about fierce
proud warriors, Miki hadn’t known what that more was.
“While you spin
your thoughts, has anyone given them food?”
Miki gasped at
such a basic necessity. There were no dishes in the places on the end of the
table where the warriors gathered. Surely they were hungry and this was a
perfect chance to show the Overlord how amendable she could be. Miki signaled a
passing kitchen server.
Assa smiled and
walked over. “What would you like, Su-Su?”
“The Warlords,
have they eaten?”
Assa’s smile
dropped. “No.” She darted a look over her shoulder then jerked her head back as
if the men would sense her stare. “They are frightening.”
Miki agreed but
she must show her people by her actions that they couldn’t avoid the simple
courtesies for a guest because they were afraid. “Please bring out several
platters of everything. Mugs of cider, too.” Miki couldn’t imagine their
thirst, yet they’d asked for nothing in the hours since their awakening.
Assa turned to
head to the kitchen when a thought crossed Miki’s mind. “And meat.”
The servant’s
mouth made a moue. “Meat, Su-Su?” Raasa preferred vegetables and only
occasionally sampled food made of animals.
“Yes.” If trays of
vegetables only were given to the Warlords, Miki could imagine their disdain.
She’d inform the cook to prepare more meat with each meal going forward to
satisfy the Warlords.
Within moments,
four servers came out from the kitchen their trays piled high. Miki’s stomach
growled from the fragrant aromas but she stayed seated. Assa placed a stack of
dishware near the Overlord’s elbow with wooden utensils for their use and bowed
low. He never paused in his conversation but he lifted his gaze to Miki and
their eyes connected. Would he thank her? Acknowledge the kindness in her act?
The Overlord
lowered his head back to his map with no response. Her heart dived and the
place in her lower belly twinged. Why did she let herself hope for more? She
dreamed of life spent with a loving mate. Those dreams were ashes now.
Then Miki
stiffened her shoulders. It was too soon. Eran was right. She needed to try
harder to understand where they were coming from. The transition to find a
common ground between all of them would be difficult but it was doable. Miki
needed to lead by example.
Tesai entered the
main doors, his expression mirroring his dislike of the duty he’d been asked to
perform. Miki couldn’t help comparing him to the Kabanian warriors. As one of
her guards, Miki spent a lot of time in close contact with the Raasa male. They
got along well enough and he didn’t force her to limit her time outside her
home. If she wanted to go to a bazaar for goods, he’d accompany her, whereas
the other guards would insist on a servant performing the errand.
The females in her
home considered Tesai a good mate for a True Union. He lived within his means,
held a notable position as guardsmen and
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