CHAPTER 35
Spirits were high around the village all week.
The weather during the previous season had been exceptional - a perfect balance of rain and sunshine, and the result was a bumper crop of grains and fruits.
Everyone was busy, and I was no exception.
I had my own garden to tend, but in the afternoon, everyone in the village pitched in to glean the day’s bounty.
It was hard work, but I loved working side by side with the Ptexari as they chatted, laughed, and sorted produce for sale, immediate consumption, storage, or animal feed.
We ended the day early so everyone could get ready for the festival.
I showered and did my hair, and slipped on the deep red dress with a plunging neckline that Robnar had custom-made for me.
He had originally designed a halterneck dress that left my entire back bare.
I loved the dress, but I wasn’t comfortable baring my back in public because of the mating mark that was still visible.
I could usually ignore the faint white lines, because I couldn’t see them unless I sought them out using two mirrors.
The halterneck dress framed the claw marks as if deliberately calling attention to them.
While Dakleth and I had reached a tentative truce, wearing that dress seemed like I was publicly declaring myself his mate, and I didn’t want that.
The dress I chose to wear was still beautiful.
It swept the floor, and Robnar was a genius who added pockets, which he knew I loved.
The neckline was off the shoulder, and the tight corseting kept my breasts in place even though the vee between them went almost to my navel. It was a stunner, to be sure.
I had splurged on my own small vehicle to get around town and to and from the city.
I still loved to walk to the Palace during the week, but if I was busy or, like today, didn’t want to get my clothes dirty, I drove myself.
M’Pak had decided not to go to the festival this evening.
There would be too many people, and he didn’t like to feel confined.
If I were walking to the Palace, he probably would have accompanied me as my self-appointed protector.
Since I was driving, he didn’t worry that I would be accosted along the way, and he trusted the Palace guards to look after me while I was there.
There had been more than a few incidents in the early days with males trying to hit on me, and some were a little too aggressive, so Andokar always assigned one of his mated guards to stay near me during Palace events.
M’Pak was spending more of his time in the wilds beyond the village these days, although he returned every evening to eat and sleep in our backyard shed.
I missed his constant presence in my mind, but he was a wild animal.
I knew he might leave for good one day, and I had accepted that. It hurt to think about, though.
As the sun began to set, I set out for the Palace, careful not to wrinkle my dress as I climbed in the vehicle. It was a short drive, and I was fortunate to have a designated parking spot in the royal garage. Another courtesy from the King, who really did treat me as well as family.
I entered the ballroom and spotted Andokar. I always checked in with him first so he could assign my shadow to me. He gave me a short bow. “Prince Dakleth will be your guard this evening,” he informed me.
“I’m sure the Prince has other duties. I would be happy to be assigned another guard. Amit, perhaps,” I said, spotting the guard across the halls.
“Sorry, Lumanela, I take the Prince’s orders, and he made it known that he would be your guard tonight.”
Ugh. I was trying to be nice about all this, but Dakleth wasn’t making it easy. I was planning on avoiding him most of the night, to be honest. I didn’t know how long I would last at this party if I was forced to make small talk with him. Speak of the devil, I watched him approach.
“Andie, you are devastatingly beautiful tonight,” he said.
“Thanks. You clean up well, too.” I said.
He was one of the tallest beings in the room, and a few weeks of rest and recuperation had done him good.
His wings and torso looked freshly oiled, and highlighted his muscle definition.
The deep red and gold of his skirt looked suspiciously similar to the fabric of my gown, and I wondered if Robnar had something to do with this.
We looked like a couple who dressed to match. I rolled my eyes.
“What is this eye gesture?” Dakleth asked.
“If I recall, you said we would proceed at the pace at which I am comfortable. Being glued to my side all night is not going to make me comfortable. Not to mention we look like we matched clothing on purpose,” I said, gesturing to his skirt.
“It is a coincidence, I assure you,” he said. Liar. “And we need to be seen together. Father has explained this, that people need to see that the fabled Lumanela has aligned with our house and bears us no ill will. You promised, I believe, to not ‘bite my head off.’”
“I said I’d try,” I smirked.
“Then let us try,” he said. “Come, there are noble families for us to meet.” He gestured with his arm, and I sighed. “Very well,” I said.
I maintained a respectable distance as he led me to the other side of the room.
“Lord Valenz was a rival of my father’s for my mother’s hand,” he said to me in a low voice.
“He never really forgave her for choosing my father, so there are some bad feelings there. He would use your injury to try to undermine our family. He is not particularly religious, but he has been aligning with some of the more religious factions. We need to sell to him that we are on friendly terms.”
“Got it,” I said. “I’m actually a decent actress. I can play the part.”
His crest raised in curiosity, but I didn’t say anything further.
How do you explain musical theater to the Ptexari?
I hadn’t seen anything like it during my time here.
I missed it, I thought, sadly, then admonished myself.
Now was not the time. I had to get into character, and that character was “happy human who loved the Ptexari royal family.” Break a leg, I thought to myself.
We crossed the room to Lord Valenz, who was standing with two male and one female Ptexari. “Greetings, honored guests,” Dakleth began. “We are so pleased you could join our family at the Palace for this celebration.”
All four lifted three fingers in a casual salute. “The honor is ours,” said the female. “Blessings upon your house.” She seemed sincere. So not one of Valenz’ supporters, perhaps.
Lord Valenz’ eyes immediately turned to mine. “So this is the famed Lumanela,” he said. “The true honor is meeting such a lovely creature.”
I smiled wide, and saw him and the other males visibly soften. “The honor is mine,” I said. “My name is Andie. I don’t know anything about the Lumanela - just the stories. I’m a human from Earth. It’s nice to meet you all.”
“Yet your voice dances across my skin as the Lumanela of old,” he said.
“Tell me true, are you in danger here? It was our understanding that the Prince, no disrespect intended, Your Highness, mated you without consent and was sent to the prison mines. Yet, he is here at your side. If you need assistance, dearest, we are here to help.” He glared at Prince Dakleth openly. The Prince returned it in spades.
“I’m sure you’ve also heard that I inadvertently initiated the mating ritual with Dakleth.
He believed he had my consent, in what is surely the galaxy’s greatest cultural misunderstanding.
He didn’t deserve to be punished any further, so I pleaded with the King to release him.
The King was kind enough to grant my request,” I said, proud of myself for keeping my voice even.
“I’m sure no male, even the King, could deny you anything,” one of the other males stammered.
The Prince hissed at the male, and I elbowed him to get him to shut it. I let my smile fall. I didn’t want these males to think I was flirting with them. “I don’t think your monarch is so easily swayed, but I suspect he was glad to commute the Prince’s sentence,” I replied.
“Indeed,” Lord Valenz said, “You have given us much to think about. Still, my offer stands. Do not hesitate to reach out to me if I can ever be of any assistance.”
“She will not need assistance. I will provide for her.” Dakleth declared, glaring at Valenz. Ugh. We were doing so well, and I needed him to not ruin it.
“The Prince and his family have been very kind to me,” I said, squeezing the life out of his arm to try to get him to back down.
“But I appreciate your offer and will bear it in mind. You are too kind. Now, please do excuse us, I haven’t paid my respects to Kashtinela yet, and I promised to meet her as soon as I arrived.
” We all nodded as I physically pulled Dakleth away.
“What is your problem?” I said to the Prince as soon as we were out of earshot. “We’re supposed to win them over, and you’re glaring and hissing at everyone like a cat pissed in your Corn Flakes.”
“I do not know what a cat or Corn Flakes is. Your human expressions are very odd.”
“You know what I mean. You need to rein in whatever that was.”
“I did not like the way those males looked at you.”
“Well, get used to it. Pretty much all Ptexari males look at me like that, which is why M’Pak or a guard shadows me everywhere. That doesn’t change the fact that you can’t get all territorial and start fights with them. We need them on our side.”
“This happens to you often?” he asked, crest rising.
I laughed. “That was nothing. No one stuck their nose in my hair, thank goodness, or tried to get me to go to their house or room somewhere. If I was scared off by every male who made googly eyes at me, I’d never leave the house.”
“That must be annoying. You will need me at your side from now on,” he declared.