Chapter 19
Atem
For the first time in a tenday, Atem looked like First Domini.
When he left on his diplomatic mission, it was meant only to be a short trip.
Less than a tenday. He hadn't even been meant to cross paths with the ratchi. He had been told that a group from the Coalition were having a trade dispute and needed him to join to act as both a neutral party and a silent threat to keep things civil – not at all an unusual task for him – but when he reached the place they had asked to meet, they hadn’t been there.
Instead, he found himself ambushed and captured.
He hadn’t worried about the many responsibilities he needed to oversee. His own Council would have seen to those. Getting kidnapped by those ratchi was more of an embarrassment than a hindrance.
But now he stood in front of a mirror, looking like First Domini again. And all he could think of was what Peony would think when she saw him like this.
When he had gone to meet the Coalition, he had chosen to wear military regalia – as his job was partially one of a show of force. Most of it had been ripped away when he had been thrown into his cage, down to and including his shoes. An attempt by his captors to humiliate and debilitate him.
It hadn't worked, of course. First Domini would never allow something as trivial as a lack of shoes weaken him. Still embarrassing though.
“Atem!” Temnavi rushed into his rooms with only a perfunctory knock.
Atem grinned at the youngling. He had never minded that behavior from his pup before, but he would have to put a stop to it now.
He wasn't sure how comfortable Peony would be with her nudity, but he knew that he wasn't a male comfortable allowing everyone to see his female, and he certainly didn't need his underage ward seeing them in a compromising situation.
And it was probably about time that Temnavi learned an adult's propriety.
“You're supposed to wait until I give you leave to enter,” he chided gently as the youngling came to a scrambled halt beside him in the mirror.
“Sorry,” he beamed, unrepentant. “I'll be more careful. I brought them the clothes and food, like you ordered. I left the food just now. They were all hiding in their rooms though.”
“Good work,” Atem grinned, pleased as he adjusted his decorative, leather bracers. “How do I look?”
Temnavi cocked his head. “Like First Domini, of course. Why?”
He chuckled, ruffling the youth's shaggy hair, earning a pitiful whine of discontent. “You'll understand when you come into your strength.”
Temnavi pouted as he tried to fix his wild hair, his camouflage completely ruined by the rough treatment, now flickering between gold, brown, and, strangely, fuchsia – of all the random colors.
“You always say that,” he grumbled. “What does that even mean?”
“You'll find out soon enough.” Atem turned from the mirror. “I've another job for you.”
Temnavi stopped fussing with his hair and stood straight. “What is it?”
“The proper response is: vas, vi Dominani.”
Temnavi snickered before saying, dramatically. “Vas, vi Dominani. How can I serve you?”
“A bit too much.” Atem chuckled, walking past him. “I'm going to eat with my new sisters-”
“Are they really vora vakara?” He interrupted excitedly. Atem gave him a look and he grimaced. “Er, sorry, vi Dominani.”
Atem grinned, silently accepting the apology. “To answer your question: yes, they are vora vakara. It is a title of high honor, and you must treat them with the respect that is owed. They are sisters to my heart for the deed they have done me, which makes them family. Do you understand?”
“Vas, vi Dominani,” he said, completely formally making Atem chuckle again. The youngling's eyes sparkled with excitement at being treated as an adult, expected to address his Dominani with the proper deference.
“Once I've made sure they're comfortable, we'll need to see about having a language upload done.
I also want all of them scanned and checked for possible diseases or injury.
So, you will need to send a message to First Healer Donivi.
Have him prepare a neural upload for everything they might need to integrate them into our society.
We'll have it done tomorrow. Also, contact Third Guardian Quvi. She is female and might know more about what they need than I do. Have her put in charge of providing them clothing and any other such necessities.”
“Vas, vi Dominani,” Temnavi agreed, a bit less stiffly this time as he accustomed himself to the formality of the words. “Anything else?”
“Yes, once that's done, send a message to the other Firsts. I need to discuss the ambush and where it might have come from. Tell them that I will be in to speak with them once I've finished making sure my sisters are all settled and comfortable. Did you get all that, Temnavi?”
“Vas, vi Dominani,” the youth pounded his chest. “I'll do it immediately.”
“Good. On your way then.”
Temnavi beamed and turned to run off. With a smirk, Atem called out-
“And I expect to see a report on all the study modules you've completed while I was gone in my datapad by tonight.”
The nervous, hesitant reply this time told Atem that the youth had not been completing the neural uploads on schedule and Atem chuckled as he imagined the boy trying to shove all the knowledge in his head before he went to sleep.
He would have a large headache tomorrow for forcing so much into his developing mind in such a short time, but that too would be a lesson.
It was good to be home.
His footsteps light, he left his room and traveled the short distance to where he had put Peony and the others.
Their rooms were intended for any young he might have one day – separate bedrooms but a common play space – but it hadn't been difficult to convert it for their use.
He had been sending instructions since he had broken through the atmosphere and was pleased with the quick results.
He chimed before entering. Mostly as a courtesy as he didn't imagine they would be indecent outside of their individual rooms. When he stepped inside, only Hattie was in the common area.
She had bathed and her skin and hair shined with health.
The green and black dress she had chosen was tight around her generous bodice but flared out around her hips, showing off most of her legs.
“Atem!” She greeted brightly, looking up from the trays of foods that had been provided. It looked like she had been poking at a bit of everything. “Peony! Atem-” she continued, speaking words that he didn't understand.
He couldn't wait to fix that tomorrow but seeing to their comfort was more important right now. All the doors but one had been closed – the only room not having been chosen was a middle one to the left decorated in reds and oranges.
He smiled at Hattie and complimented her beauty.
Though she couldn't understand, she smiled at him, recognizing his tone.
She gestured for him to sit, pleasing him.
Not because of the invitation, but just the fact that she was issuing it.
That meant she felt comfortable enough in this space to claim it for herself allowing her to give an invitation at all.
Despite calling out for her, Peony wasn't the first to emerge.
Instead, it was Holly who poked her head from her room.
She was sniffing at the air, no doubt smelling the food.
She had bathed as well and had draped a large, beautiful, red robe over her body that cinched at the waist. The long, billowing sleeves and longer skirt almost allowed her to hide in the fabric, which he imagined was a relief for the nervous female.
He offered her a compliment as well and she gave him a weak smile as she hastened to sit beside Hattie, not putting a great deal of distance between him and her this time.
She was becoming more comfortable already.
He was glad as she was clearly the most anxious of his new sisters, and if even she was relaxing, then he must be doing something right.
He listened patiently to Hattie and Holly chatting – about the food judging by the way Hattie kept pointing to different things and beaming as Holly tried them. He scanned them surreptitiously, making sure they were all right.
Scarlet came out next. She had chosen to put on a one-piece pant outfit.
The shimmering silver was loose around her body except where it cinched at her waist and looked beautiful on her tall frame.
She nodded once to Atem and said something that he imagined was gratitude before she stepped down into the reclining area and immediately grabbed something from the table.
Before Atem could compliment her as he had the others, the door at his back opened. He turned and was immediately rewarded with the sight of Peony stepping out.
His Seerin had chosen to appropriately don herself in green matching her beautiful eyes.
A dark green top wrapped around her breasts and a lighter green, long skirt rested low on her hips, giving him full view of her cute belly.
The detached sleeves matching the skirt reached halfway up her upper arms and all the way down the back of her hand, looping around her longest finger.
Her brown hair, washed with proper soap, now flounced with life. Her skin positively glowed. Her eyes sparkled when she smiled at him as her cheeks tinged pretty pink.
His beautiful Peony. She approached slowly, her hips rocking with each step with hypnotic, seemingly thoughtless, grace. When she stepped into the rest area, she sat next to him. He smirked, putting an arm around her waist and pulled her in close, resting her against his side.
Hattie was chuckling behind her hand. Holly looked consternated, but Scarlet didn't seem to care. Atem wasn't particularly concerned about their reactions. So long as Peony didn't mind – and judging by her smile, she didn't – he was happy.