“Is that why it is so important in your culture for a nestqueen to share her nestbed with all of her nestmates?”
“Yes. Just your presence brings comfort to us. We are capable of being away for short periods, but anything longer than a moon causes our bodies to shut down,” Z’fir explained.
“And you believe you may be separated from me for that amount of time?”
“You are a Seedbearer to an Aldawi prince. Even though you may not be on the greatest terms at the moment, it would be foolish to believe he won’t be taking you to your new home personally. It is his gift to you after all,” V’dim warned.
“We would need to help pilot the Destiny and prepare the crew when we arrive to settle. The more we organize before arriving, the better it would be for all involved. Prince Zirene has the highest tech in the CEG, and the Destiny is an ancient model from their original expansion period. It is much slower than what he has available currently, so we would most likely arrive days behind you. One moment.” Z’fir paused, and V’dim gently stroked my cheek as we waited. “Navigations calculate we should arrive about four days after the Aldawi.”
“I understand if you both want to wait until we are settled before we complete our bond,” I closed my eyes and sighed, leaning into V’dim’s chest. “I want to get away from all the politics around me. It’s tiring.”
“I hate to cut this short, but I am needed,” Z’fir apologized. “Selena, please allow V’dim to take care of you while Xylo and Odelm are resting. V’dim will keep me informed until I return.”
“See you tonight,” I replied before releasing his court bond thread.
“It looks like the prince collector has finally woken up from her slumber after being ravished,” Kaede chuckled.
I rolled my eyes and sat up, folding my arms as I looked at him in disgust.
Somehow Kaede’s cape ended up on the floor with the cubs sleeping soundlessly, curled up together on top of it.
“We both know Prince Zirene never informed me who or what he was, Agent Kaede,” I scoffed quietly. “Not that it is any of your business—”
“Everything you do is my business,” Kaede interjected as he walked over to where V’dim and I sat.
“Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know,” I mocked. “So, you know why, and I shouldn’t need to explain myself to you unless you are failing to do your job. Perhaps I should see if I can get you replaced with someone who wasn’t such a—”
“It’s not needed,” Kaede barked, his neon green eyes hardened.
“Then stop acting like an ishing frax and get over yourself.”
Dark blue tentacles wrapped around my torso and pulled me away until my back hit something hard.
“I may be a prince, but I am also a member of the Warrior Class and worked my way up the ranks to Commander and became one of the captains of my ship,” V’dim said, his voice sharp with anger. “Just because you are a walking supply of gadgets, doesn’t mean you can mock Selena. I can defend her if needed. If she wanted to mate with all of the Destiny’s available crew, she could. That is her right and doesn’t make her any less of a being, or anything like the Quaww with their flocks.”
Kaede hissed and flashed his fangs.
“She would never be a part of a flock. I would never allow it.”
“It isn’t your choice,” I stated.
“One moment, Selena.” V’dim wrapped an arm around me, tucking me into his side as his tentacles gave me a slight squeeze. “He has a point. It may be your choice, but you wouldn’t want to be a member of a Quaww flock. Not now, at least.”
“Why is that?”
“Because they share partners, as in one male gathers multiple females in his home and breeds them. The richer and more powerful they are, the more females they can attract and manage. To keep a powerful stronghold, they reward any males willing to join their flock the choice of females to breed with whenever they do a good deed. Males without a flock tend to do anything to join one and have such a right. They would kill to have a chance to be rewarded a night with a female,” V’dim explained.
“And the females have no say in this?”
“It’s cultural. Males have all the power. Females have no rights, but they are pampered and well taken care of. Keep them happy, and other females will more likely want to join that flock. It only takes one male to sire a new generation, so only the best get to breed with a female. For example, if a male is intelligent, their business may be highly profitable, so they would want to attract strong males to breed with their females to create an army in return to protect them. If they consider a female highly attractive, she would have more suitors than those less desired. Finding a male who is considered exotic and convincing him to join the flock would attract exotic females. Breed them, and you have the next generation of members who will keep the flock growing,” Kaede scoffed. “Their system creates extreme loyalists, wanting to please flockmasters and their four governing Windlords. They would do anything to belong, for being without a flock makes you vulnerable.”
“Then why was Qraniebi with you if they are so… bad?” I asked, confused.
“That male is trouble,” Kaede growled. “You are best to stay away from him and any other Quaww. They are bad news, and if you could take anything
