Chapter 21
Ul had Dawson write another letter to his people on the oil platform, in response to the one thanking them for the food and saying that they were happy to send work parties.
Most of the letter was arranging the work parties. They would start with two, which would be supervised by the guards who had followed Katrina and Dawson around as they now spoke English and could translate the farmers’ needs for the workers.
Ul also invited three leaders to the palace for Samhain. He explained that it was the New Year and a very important feast day.
Dawson read the letter back to him, then Ifer sealed it and departed to give it to a runner who would leave at first light, given that it was already dark and they were working by candlelight.
Ul sat back in his chair. “I hear the librarian attempted to educate you.”
Dawson’s cheeks turned pinker than his own markings. “He was successful, though I would like to be able to read what was written, not just look at the pictures.”
“It is much harder to learn the writing than the words.”
“For me, it is hard to learn both.”
He wasn’t sure why Dawson was struggling when the humans who lived on Felloi had managed to learn English as quickly as he had. But Dawson was slowly getting there. “And did you like what you learned?”
Dawson was silent for several heartbeats.
“I like these times with you, when we are alone.” He glanced over his shoulder, but the guard was a new one, as the old one was preparing to take over the work party supervision, and didn’t speak English.
“Almost alone. But we have not been down to the beach or to the rock pool, and while there is a lot to think about, I would like to think about it with you.”
Ul drew in a breath. “There is already gossip about the time I spend with you.”
“There is already gossip about the way your freckles turn pink.”
He’d wondered how long it would take for that to spread. If it had traveled around the palace, how long until it reached his cousin?
“Then you understand that if we spend time together, it will fuel the rumors.”
“But they aren’t rumors, unless my purpose has been served and you want me to return to the platform.” Dawson frowned as if that was the last thing he wanted.
It was certainly the last thing he wanted. He’d spent far too much time thinking about what his kingdom needed and what he wanted and wondering if they were the same thing or if he was just fooling himself.
He’d visited the temple and left an offering, hoping for answers, but there was scant magic for anything, and no god had answered any prayers since the tidal wave that had swept them into another world.
What Dawson called the collapse had damaged magic, or perhaps because they were in the other world, there was no magic to be had.
Dawson had explained how it was affecting the entire world, and that what the humans called mythological beings were now trying to find a way to live in what had been the human world, a place which had always had less magic if books on the subject were to be believed.
He had collected the books from the library about the human world to learn more about it.
Even if they were old, there would be some knowledge to be gleaned from the writings.
“Your people keep talking of a boat that will be sent to fetch them.” Dawson had not said whether he wanted to be on that boat or not.
It made sense that he would want to leave; this was not his home.
Ul wanted Dawson to call the palace home…
yet at the same time, Ul was cautious about making that offer too soon.
They did not know each other that well, and he wanted more than a relationship out of duty, though that had not even served its purpose.
“That is true, but no one knows when that will happen. Or if it will happen.” He pressed his lips together. “It could be months.”
Months gave him time to decide if he wanted to invite Dawson to stay or if this affair had a natural time limit.
Not all relationships were meant to be forever.
“You are welcome to stay here as the official liaison to your people. A most necessary role, as I cannot write in your language.” Ul smiled.
“Is that the only reason you want me here? Which is fine, but I need to know where I stand and what’s…
” He waved his hands in front of him. “Are we sneaking around, or are you hoping to lay eggs?” Dawson closed his eyes and shook his head.
“That was not a sentence I ever thought I’d say.
” He opened his eyes, his gaze steady. “If that is all you want from me, then just tell me. Because for me this is…you’re a king, and I’m a platform painter.
I’m not what anyone would call a strategic match, and I know your previous husband was from a prominent family with an important trading partner. ”
Ul sucked in a breath even though it felt as if all the air in the room had suddenly vanished.
It appeared palace gossip travelled in multiple directions.
“That is true. And it is also true that he made my markings, freckles, turn pink.” He liked Dawson’s word for his markings.
He liked that Dawson also had a few freckles on his nose and cheeks and dusting his shoulders, and the way his skin sometimes turned pink.
But that was all simply lust, and lust didn’t care about a person’s status or compatibility.
Once again, he had two out of three. “On paper, we were a good match. In reality, it was a sometimes-difficult relationship made worse by the weight of duty and the lack of results.”
There was no way to dance around the obvious issue, and he was sure that if Dawson asked the right people the right questions, he would uncover more.
“I feel as though this would’ve been easier if your freckles didn’t turn pink.”
For a human who was twenty years younger than him, Dawson was sometimes surprisingly wise. “I cannot deny that accusation. I also do not know if I am ready to deal with the prospect of more failure.”
“Then we ignore that part. I am stuck here for the foreseeable future, so I am making myself available. And…I also can’t believe I’m going to say this…if you want to sneak around and keep it on the down low, then I guess that’s the way it has to be.”
Ul stared at him for several heartbeats. He had kind of understood most of that sentence, but sometimes Dawson used language that didn’t seem to make sense. “Down low? As in the rock pools?”
Dawson laughed. “No, it means that you don’t want people finding out. It’s often used by guys who have a girlfriend and don’t want to admit they like hooking up with men because they are gay or bisexual.”
That explanation did not help much. Ul leaned forward and rested his chin on his hand. “What is gay?”
“You know, men who like to sleep with men. Or is that not allowed on this island? And you’re not technically a man either…which also gave me pause because I’ve identified as gay for the last ten years and now, I’m obviously not, which is fine, I’ve sorted myself out.”
“Is that important to you? To the people of your world?”
“Oh yeah, it’s very important to a lot of people, and in some places, it is not allowed.”
This was the first time Ul had heard of such a thing. Even amongst the humans on Felloi, there was no such prohibition. “Your world prevents people from falling in love?”
“Well, they can’t exactly stop it. However, they make it very difficult because they believe it’s a sin. That is not the case here, I am guessing.”
“No. We have the term ‘non-breeding pair’, which is used when there are no offspring produced. Shifters cannot have young with a different kind. My kind can only produce young with a human, so this would not be a non-breeding pair. But we do not make laws around it, or shame people for it. Everyone deserves to fall in love.” Even him, though he had written off that possibility many years ago.
Perhaps that’s why he was hesitating. What if he fell in love and then Dawson got on the boat to rejoin the people of his world, leaving him shipwrecked and alone?
And if he never took a chance, he would never find out, and living with regret and what ifs would be far worse, as they were a kind of self-inflicted wound that never healed.
Which meant his mind was made up in the short term. “I’m glad you want to stay here for the moment, and I want to explore this; however, I am also wary of feeding gossip, so I would like us to use discretion.”
“Okay…what does that mean exactly?”
“It means we take advantage of times when we are alone, because I cannot invite you to my bed chamber, nor should I take you to the rock pool.”
“We are alone now.”
Ul’s eyes widened. He had not expected Dawson to be so forward. But he was right, this was a chance they should seize. Ul pushed back his chair, intending to get up, but Dawson was already on his feet and walking around the desk.
He placed his hand on Ul’s cheek. “Is this okay?”
“Yes.” How could it not be?
Dawson kissed him as if they had been separated for far too long when really it had been only days without feeling his touch. The back of one of his tentacles brushed up against Dawson’s leg, and beneath his tunic.
Ul pulled him closer until Dawson was kneeling over him, still kissing him.
While he had four tentacles to touch him and hold him with, he wanted two hands.
He ran his branches through Dawson’s dark hair and cupped his head, enjoying the feel of his beard on his hand, deepening the kiss and demanding more.
His tentacles wrapped around Dawson’s thighs and tugged him closer.
Already his cock was pushing out and seeking his lover’s touch.
The tip of his tentacle slid higher, expecting to find their skin, and instead found cloth.
He flicked the edge of the garment. “What are you wearing?”
“Underwear. I can’t walk around with everything bouncing around, or worse, pointing towards you.”