It came like rain through a mountain gorge, a flash flood wiping away the remains of yesterday, making us stagger under the weight of new promises and adventures to come. The dolgons and firefins echoed our thanks with thanks of their own and a wary promise of trust and friendship, their goodwill resounding in our heads like a sweet chorus of memories we had long treasured but not thought of in a long time.
Then, with quick flips in the air, sparkle droplets in the Eastern sun, and happy chitters, the ocean animals set forth away from the harbor, back to their homes, imploring us to come help with the blue flu, disappearing into the ocean.
The soldiers around us marveled at the connection, the heady weight of having an animal’s impression of the world in their heads, the dizzying connection, and the grace and trust of such a connection.
They all wanted more of it.
It was going to be the start of something beautiful. I knew it.
As Cartari began to give orders for cleaning up the battle and final words for handling the POWs, Axis grabbed my hands and led me into a corner of the gazebo. He looked at me curiously, cautiously, hesitated a moment, then took a deep breath.
“Did you tell the firefin to shoot Gorgin with his tail?”
I bit my lip.
“Yes. Yes, I did.”
“What about the dolgon to take him and drown him? Potentially, for all we know, to eat him?”
“Well, that I am less clear about. Rensi just told me the idea that they had of how to end the war so that the Prince, lover of Ceritha, would be protected. Rensi wanted to protect you, so you can protect them. They are trusting you.” I smiled at him and put my hand to his cheek. “This is a really good thing, Axis.”
“Yes, that is true, but… You just used one of your ocean animals as an instrument for war. You just did what you have fought so hard to never let happen.”
I pursed my lips and paused. “Well, maybe in the right hands, these animals can have many skills and abilities. Nobilities, even. They are smart, you know. Highly sentient. We treat them as tribes with rights and skills on Serpul. Serpul is not a warrior planet. Farian is. Maybe that means your ocean animals are warriors, too.”
Axis smiled at me and kissed me on the forehead.
“I’m glad you have a warrior’s heart, my Princess.”
I smiled up at him and then tapped him lightly on the shoulder as Cowrie appeared behind him with my medicine kit. “I have a firefin’s dorsal fin to heal. He will be waiting for me and needing to join his tribe.”
“Okay.” He let go of my hands with a squeeze and left to go do Princely duties. Cowrie and I went to the edge where, sure enough, Rensi and three other firefins were waiting with the injured one. We applied the salve quickly and efficiently. I used a certain tool to make it harden, which would allow the salve to remain set for about a week. The wound would heal in that time.
“Thank you, Rensi.” The firefins looked at me with little grateful rolls and purrs and then started to trek away.
“Thank you, Ceritha.”
“We will be working on the blue flu cure and see you soon.”
“I will see you sooner.” Then he flipped backwards and they were rippling away into the ocean waters.
I yawned and stretched up into the sun. I realized I hadn’t slept all night. I wouldn’t mind stretching out in a nice comfy bed. I looked over to Axis where he was speaking to some of the soldiers and pointing to a tablet, likely giving commands about clean up for the city’s destroyed quarters, or perhaps about the aircraft that had been grounded, or maybe for POW transport, or maybe how to get rid of the smoldering ships blocking the harbor. No matter, I wanted him to go to bed with me. And I wasn’t really wanting to catch up on sleep.
As if he could read my mind, and we were pretty close to being able to read each other’s minds, even when we weren’t thinking of each other telepathically, he turned to me. He smiled and motioned me closer.
“I was just wondering if you were tired, Princess Ceritha. You have been through a lot in the last twelve hours. Would you like to go take a nap and I will send someone to wake you in a few hours when we have reports in again about Murex? I have sent the search party out looking for him.”
“Yes, that would be nice. I can find my way to my quarters.”
“I am headed to the command room. I will escort you.”
“Thank you, Commander.”
His eyes were taunting me in that way that I loved. I knew he wasn't headed to the command room. Everyone knew he wasn't headed there. He was headed to my room. And we couldn't get there soon enough. If it weren't dangerous to teleport such short distances, we would have.
While we were quiet, in our own thoughts and not touching the whole way to the room, we practically sprinted the last hall. As soon as the door to my room was closed, Axis picked me up. I wrapped my legs around his waist and he carried me, his head buried in my chest. I kissed his face, his forehead, his cheeks, my hands tangled in his hair, pulling at it, raking his shoulders, demanding, commanding. He carried me swiftly to my lush bed and stood in front of it. He looked at and then tossed me on to it. I felt so light, so free, flying. As soon as I landed, I sat up and was stripping off my dress, my bra, my panties.
By the time I had my clothes off, I looked at Axis and laughed, for he was naked, too.
He laughed and then pounced onto
