“I’m glad you like it. I hope she sails well for you. The only thing that I ask is that you let someone know when you take her out, okay? I just want to make sure you’re safe and, since you don’t know these waters well yet, I just want to know when you’re out on them. Is that all right to ask?”
Do I tell her about Gorgin and the danger she might be in from roving pirates? I asked myself. No, not yet… I don’t want her to worry about things like that. Maybe later. Not just now.
Her hand made a fist at her side a moment, but then she nodded. "Of course. That's reasonable." Then she smiled at me, and it was the first genuine smile I had seen from her since that first day. "Thank you, Commander… It is truly a precious gift."
“You are welcome, Princess.”
I was beaming inside. Win for me! How far could I push this goodwill…? “Do you think you could take me out on it sometime?”
“Oh, you mean you won’t just swim after me if I sail away?”
"I would prefer you to invite me on board. I very much like it when we are doing things together." I smiled at her, taunting her with my eyes, as I ran my hand along the lifeline where her hands were so that our hands joined together as our eyes met. She blushed furiously again and pulled back.
“While that was delightful, I’m not sure you’ve earned your way back into my boat just yet.”
“Ahh, I see,” I said with mock seriousness. “Are there tasks I must complete to earn my position on your boat? Are there seas I must sail? Sands I must trek? Mountains I must climb?” I moved in closer to her as a I spoke, running my hand up her arm, her shoulder, brushing back her hair as I spoke each pretend obstacle. “Will it be a dangerous journey?” I bent down to whisper in her ear.
The smile I had seen for those brief moments of delightful kissing on her boat on Serpul was in her eyes as she moved her lips up close to my cheek and whispered. “The most dangerous you’ve ever endured… But the risk is well worth the reward, Commander… If you can stomach the swells and test yourself throughout the tempest…”
My heart was thumping. I pulled her hat off and hung it off her back. Her hair smelled delicious as it brushed against my face. Her small hand was on my neck, and she stood on tiptoes to reach me. "When do these tasks begin, Princess? I'm ready…" I moved my hand to the small of her back and pulled her in close, so her full, luscious body was pressing against mine. She breathed into my neck and gripped at my ribcage, pulling me in even tighter. She pulled back just a little bit, so she could see my eyes as she spoke.
“The tasks are already well underway, Commander… Do you think you have the speed, the stamina, the integrity, the grit, the spirit, to keep up with me?
”
I was breathless, lost in her blue eyes. She tilted her chin up to look at me fully, and I bent down, kissing her full on the lips. She moved her body into mine as we embraced, wiggling a little, finding just the perfect placement of her breasts against my chest, her legs in between mine, and her mouth trading pressure.
Then she pushed away and licked her lips.
“Don’t get too excited, Commander. Your limits have hardly been tested.”
Then she spun and walked back toward the ship we would be taking out to the firefin grounds, pulling her hat back on that flaming red hair.
I took a step backwards and released a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding. I shook my head. The electricity. She had to feel it! She had to! It was as if the kiss was something more than physical, it was a mental connection, too, it was beyond touch, it was emotion.
I’m in trouble… I told myself, then followed her back to the boat. Cartari nodded at me, and I nodded back. “Present worked great. I’m back in the running for winning her affection."“That’s great, Axis! Glad to hear it. You deserve to be happy.”
“Ready to sail, Commander,” the sailor at the helm said.
“Great. Let’s head out. Firefin Scarlet nesting grounds.”
“Are these firefins more scarlet in color?” Ceritha asked, her gorgeous face a mask, while I still felt a little out of breath. “Is that unusual?”
“There are a few firefin pods that are scarlet. The others are the kind you are used to on Serpul. We are going to one of the bigger nesting grounds.” How could she stand there so coolly at the side of the ship, as if nothing had just happened?
“I spoke with one of these firefins. Last night.”
“You did?” I looked from her to Cartari, startled. “Where?”
"I was out watching the sunset at the gazebo at the end of the dock behind the castle, and he came up to me." Her eyes watched the horizon as the ship set sail, the sunlight dancing in her baby blues like the mysteries I wanted to unravel.
"That's so strange." It was uncommon, that one of these firefins, in particular would be drawn to her. "What did he think when you spoke to him?"
“He was alarmed at first, understandably, having never spoken to a Curan before. I asked him to alert the other firefins to my presence, that I was here to help them.”
“That’s amazing, Princess. I really hope it helps.” I turned to Cartari. “The first step will be to build trust back with these animals. As you can imagine, they’ve not been happy about how
