CHAPTER 46
Andie
Over the next week, I settled into a comfortable routine, dividing my time between the village and the Palace.
Camavel still came over in the early mornings for Oonag and a bit of gossip after I’d fed the animals.
She had been delighted with the skeins of yarn I had gotten her at the market and was talking about weaving a baby blanket soon for Miravel and Canticor.
“Are they expecting?” I asked.
“Yes, she laid an egg a few days ago,” Camavel happily chirped.
I did my best to contain my surprise. I had seen Ptexari children in the village, of course.
They were everywhere, and they loved petting M’Pak.
We were quite popular with them. I didn’t recall ever seeing a pregnant woman, but I hadn’t really been paying attention.
“So, Ptexari females lay eggs?” I asked.
“Of course. Do you not?” Camavel asked.
“No, we get pregnant and give birth about nine months later,” I said. “How long for the eggs to, uh, hatch?”
“About 200 days,” Camavel said. “So humans are live-bearers?” she asked.
“Yep!” I awkwardly stirred my Oonag.
“Have you ever given birth?” she asked.
“Oh no! I’ve never been pregnant. It looks pretty uncomfortable,” I said.
“I have no doubt. Laying eggs is better.”
“That may be,” I murmured. Desperate to get off the topic, I told Camavel I was expected at the Palace.
It was partially true. I had been going to the Palace every day to practice the piano and spend time with Leo.
Sometimes, Dakleth, Kashtinela, or King Akapa would drop in to hear me play, but they were often busy with their own affairs.
Leo and I usually had the music room to ourselves.
Leo was beside himself that his partners were coming to visit. He had been on Ptekennan for about two weeks, and although I knew he was enjoying spending time with his new favorite human (me), he missed them terribly. He told me about them after I finished practicing.
“Aldrin and Gafand were already a couple when I met them. They own a small Gonchou farm - that’s an animal that grows a lot of hair, which is sold to make fabric - sort of like wool.
They had called the local veterinarian, Winhook, to help one of the injured lambs, but he was on call at another farm, so he sent me.
Winhook is the one I trained with. They were pretty skeptical of me at first, but I was able to set the lamb’s leg and optimize healing.
Anyway, it was late, so they invited me to stay in their farmhouse for the night.
We got to know each other, and we hit it off.
One thing led to another, and well, I didn’t expect to be invited to join in as a permanent part of a throuple, but here we are. ”
“That’s great. I’m glad you’ve found love, given everything you went through.”
“Thank you, I do adore them both, and it’s been good for me.
Even working as a vet…after Kina I was afraid to approach anyone, and I was still feeling a bit lost. Aldrin and Gafand make me feel like I belong on Coromonn.
Like I belong with them. They’re everything to me,” he sighed and looked wistful.
“I can’t wait to meet them!” I said.
“Yeah, about that,” he said. “I don’t know how they’re going to react to you, Andie.”
“What do you mean? You think they won’t like me? Or that I’m trying to steal you away?”
“No, no, nothing like that. I told you how women are treated there. Their women have no education and very little to say. They’re not exactly scintillating conversationalists. They’re treated like objects, and they sort of behave like objects because they’ve never been taught anything different.”
“Oh, right,” I remembered.
“I just don’t even know if they’ve ever had a real conversation with a woman, like ever.
They’re not going to know what to think of you or Kashtinela.
I’ve tried to explain to them that human and Ptexari females are as intelligent as their males, and they can’t seem to wrap their heads around it.
” He took a deep breath. “What I’m trying to say is…
there’s a good chance they’re going to be rude or condescending to you.
Please try not to take it personally. They genuinely don’t know any better. ”
“I’ll try, but no promises,” I said. “It was hard enough putting up with chauvinist bullshit on Earth. The Ptexari have a more equal society, so I might have a hard time holding my tongue.”
“Yeah, I get it. It’s just a totally different culture.”
“I know. Ugh. I hate that for their women.”
“Me, too,” he said. The delegation was scheduled to arrive in two days. Leo wanted to go to a spa for full treatment. We weren’t sure what services they might have for humans, but we decided to go see. As we headed out the Palace gates, Andokar stopped us.
“You should have a guard if you are going to wander through the city, Lumanelas,” he said.
I wanted to disagree, but he was right. M’Pak was a good deterrent, but he’d stayed home, and there was a good chance we would get harassed while we were out.
The Ptexari were generally courteous, but very curious, and they made no secret when they found someone attractive.
I wasn’t sure how they would react to Leo, but Ptexari males thought nothing of propositioning me on the street. It could get a bit uncomfortable.
“Alright,” I said. “We’ll wait.”
I was surprised to see Prince Dakleth stride down the hall. “Come,” he said. “I will guard you in the city.”
“Why are you on escort duty?” I asked. “Don’t you have other things to do?”
He eyed Leo suspiciously and then turned to me. “You are my mate. Guarding you is my duty.”
“We’ve been over this,” I said. “I’m not your mate, not really. Feel free to go on about your day, and we’ll let one of the regular guards take us.”
“No,” he said flatly. No other argument. Just “no.”
I sighed. “Sorry, Leo,” I said. Leo smiled.
“No problem!” he said. “I can’t wait to see how this one acts when you get accosted on the street. Should be entertaining!” He bounded down the Palace steps.
“Ok, fine, let’s go,” I said.
“Are you wearing your sunscreen?” Dakleth asked.
“Thank you, but I don’t need it. It’s a short trip. We’re just walking to the spa and then coming back straight after. I’ll be in the sun for less than 20 minutes.”
Dakleth seemed perturbed. As he was opening his mouth, I interrupted, “But I have been using it when I work all day in the garden. It has been very helpful, thank you.”
“Good,” he replied, and followed me down the steps. We caught up to Leo, who was waiting at the gates.
“Now, which spa would be the best for humans?” Leo asked.
“Come, the one on the east side of town is closest to the spaceport and is most used to offworlder clientele.”
“Excellent!” Leo said. “Let’s go!”
It was a short walk to the spa. At first, I was walking on the outer edge of the sidewalk, but Dakleth and Leo quickly flanked me and tucked me between them as a Ptexari male approached.
Dakleth’s crest rose, and he rattled his wings as he hissed at the newcomer, who slunk back to the other side of the road.
“Impressive,” Leo said.
“Yes,” Dakleth replied smugly.
I rolled my eyes.
In short order, we made it to the spa. “Your Highness!” the shop owner greeted us with delight. “And the famous Lumanelas! Greetings and blessings upon your houses. You honor me with your presence,” she exclaimed.
Leo grinned broadly at the proprietress. “We were wondering what types of services you offered,” he inquired.
“Of course!” she said. “You can scan your wrist here for a full menu of options. The bathing pool and massage rooms are our most popular options. And we have experienced hair cutters as well!”
That was a surprise. The Ptexari didn’t have hair, of course, so I didn’t expect to find anyone who could cut hair here.
I trimmed my ends on occasion, but I did a pretty crappy job.
It would be nice to have a real haircut.
I saw that they even had hair removal services available.
Hell, yes! I was starting to look like a yeti in certain places.
We each booked our services, and an attendant took us back to our respective service rooms. I wanted the hair removal first. I went into the room, and a Ptexari woman greeted me and instructed me to remove my clothes and lie down on the table.
“Which hair do you wish to remove?” she asked.
I pointed out my underarms, leg hair, and bikini area. She got to work with a handheld machine. I asked how it worked, and then felt a jolt as she zapped my underarm. This was not the waxing I expected. “What was that?” I asked.
“It is the laser. It permanently removes the hair, but it can be a bit jarring. Lie still, please,” she said matter-of-factly as she did another section.
Permanent removal? This was golden. In about half an hour, she had completed the areas I asked, and even removed a few nipple hairs and hair under my navel. Worth. Every. Penny.
She invited me to rinse off and enjoy the baths before my massage and haircut. I asked for my clothes back, and she blinked. “Clients generally enter the baths nude,” she said.
“Is it females only?” I asked.
“No, but this is commonplace here,” she replied. Hell no, I was not getting into a pool naked with a bunch of men. I had enough trouble keeping them from harassing me on the street when I was fully clothed. “I think I’ll skip the pool,” I said.
“Your companions are the only other clients here at this time, if you would like to change your mind,” she said.
“Thank you, but human females do not bathe nude with males,” I said.
She looked at my body. “You are a very attractive female, and your body is very different. Ptexari males and females look the same except for the genitalia, which are generally kept sheathed, so mixed bathing is not an issue for us. We could probably manufacture a garment for you from the replicator if you wait a few moments.”
“That would be lovely, thank you.”