Chapter 12
Tsok
“You truly are a wonderful mate, honored char,” Davard praised as Tsok looked over the media article written about himself and his delightful female.
It was Misty’s first outing. She’d been caught on camera, and she somehow looked even better through the view of a lens. She practically sparkled in the light. Of course, pictures couldn’t capture the way she moved and walked with such pride and confidence and grace, but the likeness was close enough and certainly favored her wonderfully.
The article agreed with Davard. It highlighted Tsok’s remarkable self control with such a lovely mate and emphasized his media talking points about refusing to mate her without her express permission. It even went so far as to mention that he had given her complete control over Fellbud Manor and his determination to not step foot there until and unless she summoned him.
They were calling him conscientious, restrained, and mindful. They were saying he was the absolute ideal of what a male courting a female who had been identified as his mate should be.
It was a blow against Boktare’s arguments. He stated that females must be protected from males, because even the slightest sniff could set them off. Which, admittedly, was true. If he smelled Misty, he would become a mindless rutting idiot, completely focused only on mounting and breeding her. And he wouldn’t revert back until he had succeeded.
But he had proven that males, with proper caution and determination, could in fact be near their mates without reverting to that kind of primitive beast. It was proof of his argument that mating could be done safely, and so it should be encouraged.
The current system did it’s best to avoid mating and romantic relationships at all. Once a person was established and had proven themselves a productive member of society, they were allowed to donate their gametes for reproduction. A male would deposit his sperm, and females would be artificially inseminated to carry the kit. Once the kit was born, it was raised in a kit center, supported by both parents, until adulthood when they would go out on their own. Some parents chose to never know their kits, only giving the required support to the centers. Others would visit their offspring occasionally, if the desire to know them was there. Those who mated naturally, for whatever reason, could send their kits to the centers permanently, or they could do it as a daily thing for education and training. But they were the only ones who raised kits in the home any longer.
Tsok’s way would return them, at least partially, to that old system. It would save a great deal in government funds for having to operate, evaluate, and repair the kit centers. It would promote family bonding, something his species was once quite adept at. They were fiercely loyal and protective species, and he was sure that could be resumed for the greater good.
If only mating could be done safely.
If only there was a guarantee that a male wouldn’t scent his mate and become rabid while being suddenly much stronger thanks to the sudden rush of hormones that immediately began changing the body. The old system was one that resulted in females being ravished in public, sometimes against their will, sometimes before they were even adults.
It was antiquated because it was uncontrolled. But he was trying to bring that system back. It was no wonder there was such resistance.
But he knew he was right. He knew True Match was the answer to a problem his ancestors couldn’t solve because they didn't yet have the technology. His people could enjoy mating again. They could enjoy families and kits and being connected in that fundamental, intimate way. If only they could overcome their fear of what could be if it wasn’t controlled.
And that was why Tsok was being so highly praised. He was proving that it was possible, and his strength of will was on full display. No one could deny that his female was stunning. Even for a human, she was absolutely beautiful. Everyone was talking about her lovely piercings and the tattoos etched into her skin reminiscent of the 3D designs shaved into the fur that were so popular now. It was like she was a perfect, if alien, representation of the standard of kreecharma female beauty. She was very different from Jeanie, the only other human mated to a kreecharma. Though it was distasteful, the comparison was inevitable, and his female was easily superior.
Of course, he might be slightly biased, but he didn't think he was wrong.
He continued reading up about what people were saying about them. Mostly interested in how they were talking about his female. And aside from the constant praise of her beauty, and especially her piercings, there was talk of her salon. Of the excellent work she was doing, and the style changes she was bringing to Kree.
That was the first time Tsok actually saw what she was doing at her salon. He thought she was just grooming people. A respectable profession, to be sure. Not one really expected of a female as highly ranked as she now was, but that was clearly her dream and her goal, so who was he to interfere? He would argue that whatever she did was suitable for the charina, because she was the charina.
However, he had never actually taken the time to look at what she could do. He was looking now. There were galleries online showing people who were praising her skill and thanking her for doing such a good job on them.
Braids. She was braiding people’s fur. In such a unique way as well. She was laying the braids against the skin instead of drawing them down like he had seen from species with long fur or hair. Her braids were tight and swirled around the skin, creating designs. And they were stunning.
There were people with simple wrist cuff braids. There were those with braid designs all the way up the arm, across their backs, over their shoulders, on their chests, their bellies, their heads. Some of them had been accented with fur dyes, cuffs, beads, or sparkling threads. Others had designs that worked alongside shaved designs creating a two layered effect.
It was incredible. It was artwork!
This was what she had been doing?!
Tsok didn’t doubt that she was skilled, but he hadn’t imagined she’d brought a whole new style to claim as her own. They were so beautiful and could be as simple as a single braid around the bicep to a beautiful, floral lace style piece covering the entire back. How long had that taken? How long did it last?
“Char Tsok?”
He blinked, focusing back on Davard. Had he been talking to him? Tsok had been so focused on the beautiful braid designs, he hadn’t even noticed.
“What did you say?” He asked apologetically.
Davard, confused, repeated himself, “I asked if you wanted to pick a gift for Senior Boktare yourself, or if you wanted me to do it?”
“No. I trust you to handle it,” Tsok said, quickly closing out all the media articles. He couldn’t allow himself to be distracted like that. Not with how much work he had to do.
Part of him had hoped that he’d get a message from Misty this morning. Perhaps, she would have questions. Or maybe she would like to speak to him more. She hadn’t given him more than a simple ‘goodnight’ before leaving his side when they returned. Perhaps she had just been tired. So, he thought, she might send him a message when she woke up.
But no. Nothing.
He was starting to become concerned. Humans were supposed to long to spend time with their mates. Maybe his did not?
Her distance certainly made his mission easier, but it was strange how much he longed to be near her . It was getting to the point that he was about to go over there himself.
But no. He was a good mate.
He would keep his distance as long as she desired it.
Until she welcomed him closer, he’d maintain this space.
Because he was proving it was possible.
It was possible.