The Journey's End (10 page)

 Nori walked up the steel steps and into the boxy silver shuttle
to find Dunstan right inside the door.  He reached toward her arm and she
twirled using her shoulder to push his arm around her and then was pressed up
against his body with her bound hands clutching something soft and squishy in
his pants.  He froze, with Nori right up against him and within kissing
distance.  All color left his face as she squeezed.

“Touch me, or my mate again and I take it with me when I
leave.”  She bared her teeth as the others stepped into the shuttle behind
her.  “And you won’t have anything left to play your silly games with.”

Lord Dunstan opened his mouth to speak, but the only thing
that emerged was a long squeak.

“Is there a problem here.”  Tolan Lark sighed as he came in
behind Menelaus.

“Not from me,” Nori said, finally releasing the quivering
Lord and stepping back.  Immediately Dunstan collapsed forward clutching his
crotch.  “I was just getting on the shuttle like you asked.”

Tolan Lark sighed long and loud.  “Lord Dunstan, please find
your seat.  If you make a mess of this, I will evict you bodily from the
shuttle without waiting for it to land first.”

Menelaus stepped on board preceding the mercenary and his
eyes immediately zoomed in on Nori.  He quickened his step until he was pressed
right against her, as close as possible with her bound hands between them.  His
own hands anchored behind his back, his head tipped down while he closed his
eyes and shuddered, taking in her scent.  “Are you all right?”

It took her a moment to respond, because after the time
apart, touching him again was like having a jagged hole suddenly filled.  She
looked up and had to crane her neck to see his eyes, he was pressed so close. 

“Yes.  You?”  Her voice was barely more than a breathless
whisper.

His was barely any louder when he responded, his eyes taking
in the exotic curves of her face.  “Believe it or not, being captured with my
wife is a good ending to a black period of unending days.”  He leaned his head
down and pressed his lips softly to hers, talking against them.  “Don’t go away
again.”

“Menelaus…”

“Is this what you try so hard to conceal?  This amazing
creature?  Foolish.  You are beautiful in all your forms.”

She opened her mouth to speak, but was interrupted before
she could make her comment.

“You bitch.”  They both turned just their heads to look at
the screeching Lord Dunstan.  In fact, she had forgotten about him until he
decided to bellow from his bent over position, his hands still cupped
protectively around his dick.  “You will pay for that.  I was going to enjoy
you before, but after this I will rend…” 

Nori blinked, watching Dunstan just pass out and hit the
ground like a boulder mid rant.  She looked beyond where he had been standing
to Tolan Lark, who shrugged mildly, twirling his stun stick dexterously before putting
it back in its hidden compartment.  “He was getting on my nerves.”  He held up
his pistol and motioned them to seats across the way from him.  “Time to fly. 
Please buckle it up so we can get off this rock.”

She turned her head back to Menelaus, and he took a second
to press his lips to hers again before nudging her towards the seats.  They
both sat, thighs brushing.  She had to click his belt because his hands were
still behind him, then awkwardly her own from within her shackles.

Menelaus was turned at an angle so that her shoulder and
back pressed against his chest.  He was as close as he could be from a
different seat, and Nori was incapable of putting distance between them, not
when it felt so much like coming home. 
Damn it. 

 She turned her head to look up at Menelaus, to say
something, anything to put some distance between them, at least verbally, but
he was looking at Tolan Lark.  “Am I wrong in thinking you are also Shakien?”

“Shh.”  The mercenary placed a finger before his lips in a
be quiet gesture, still smiling and showing a lot of aggressive teeth.  “Don’t
tell anybody.”  He shrugged his massive shoulders again.  “Makes them nervous.”

“I bet that’s not the only thing about you that does.”

“What about you?”

“What about me?”

“She doesn’t make you nervous in this form?”

Menelaus raised a brow and looked down at Nori’s upturned
face, his eyes softened even as she watched, the steel grey going velvet.  It
felt like a caress, then they turned cold as he looked back to the other man. 
“Should she?”  He shrugged his own massive shoulders.  “My wife,” he stressed
the word wife, “does not scare me.”

“Then you have never seen her in a Shakien rage.”  He
buckled himself in and pushed some buttons on his console.  “When you do see
her that way, and if you survive, then you can tell me you aren’t worried.”

The shuttle lifted and they all watched Lord Dunstan’s inert
body roll from his crumpled spot to slam against the bulk head.

“I suppose I should have secured him,”  Tolan Lark said, but
he didn’t look like he regretted the oversight, and nobody agreed with him,
especially when the shuttle veered and Dunstan rolled to the other side and
jack-knifed around a control column.

For her part, Nori was just enjoying the free entertainment,
and the feel of her mate pressed against her once again.  Despite herself, she
was having a hard time getting upset about her aborted escape.  She would worry
about it when they were both safe again.  If Lord Dunstan survived the trip,
she would worry about him too.  He was an arrogant prick with entitlement
issues and some powerful backing, and he wanted her mate dead.  If she got the
slightest chance, she would end him.  She watched him roll in the other
direction and bounce off the corner of a console before smashing into the wall
again.  Of course, it might not be an issue by the time they landed.

***

The Wosite sent their automated drones to collect them from
the shuttle.  Tolan Lark blew her a kiss as they were marched off. 
Supercilious
prick.

Lord Dunstan was hauled away, bleeding between two bots.

Watching him be dragged before them, Nori looked over to the
expressionless visage Menelaus had donned.  “Do you suppose the tech have any
idea what they want to put in charge of people’s lives with that man as king?”

“If they cared, they would never have started a war between
us.  I think they know exactly what they are doing and we as a people don’t
factor in as anything but perishable goods to be bartered.”

Unfortunately, Nori was sure he was right, and if all they
cared about was profit and they were seen as an enemy of profit, this could get
very ugly.

They entered the lift surrounded by faceless automatons. 
“Do me a favor Menelaus.”

“What’s that?”

“Have a little blind faith.”

He was quiet until they nearly hit the top floor.  “I don’t
know what that means.”

“I know.”  Nori let the change take her until she was
standing between the automatons naked and pink skinned.  Her only covering was
her thigh length sable hair that shifted with each movement.  It went against
every instinct she had to be thus without armor in the face of her enemies.  She
heard Menelaus growl just as the doors swooshed open and they were pushed and
pulled forward.  Lord Dunstan dropped at the feet of the brightly colored
Wosite and his entourage.  Not peons this time but, if she was not mistaken,
the man in charge.  He really didn’t look happy to see Lord Dunstan in a bloody
heap on the floor, if his sneer of distaste was anything to go by.

The Great Nemset of the Wosite was his official title.  Nori
had heard him referred to as ‘the great one.’  Without the noticeable mocking
she naturally added in her head when she heard the title, it was just weird in
her opinion, but everyone was respectful when they used the ridiculous title. 

Tall and rail thin, his bone structure was perfectly angular;
everything in all the right places for him to be considered an older but
handsome man.  Bald as most of the Wosite tended to be, his blue eyes were
attractive, but cold.  His robes a blend of crimson and purple, as befits his
station.  He leaked an abundance of arrogance.

Here’s hoping he has the same preconceived notions as the
rest of the Wosite.

Nori raised her hands and covered her face, screaming
hysterically.  “Thank goodness, I never thought I’d get out of that hell
hole.”  She dropped her hands that were still encased in carbon steel and
grabbed at the Wosite before her.  “How did you know to get me out when you
did?  He almost had me again.  Has my father, high ambassador Tryne of the
Heti, come for me?  What of my sister, the most esteemed Lady Lara, is she
still here?  Is she safe?”

The shock on the face of the Wosite was priceless, but
almost immediately, you could see the wheels turning behind his beady eyes. 
“You there, get the lady some clothes.  Quickly!”  He fidgeted with his own
robes,  trying to focus on anything but the nakedness she was displaying.  “We
had no idea you and your sister were related to the high ambassador.  Or that
you were in such dire straits among the barbarians.”  He turned to Menelaus,
his head tilted at a proud angle.  “If you were not already facing a sentence
to death for your other crimes, you would be punished for such treatment of
guests.”

The aid came back with a robe, just as she was about to
question the crimes.  “Thank you so much,” she said.  Her head dropped so that
her flashing eyes were showing through curtains of silky straight black hair. 
“I am so embarrassed to be seen in such a way.”

“Nonsense, clearly you are the victim here,”  the great one
stated, then took her hand, “But I am curious.  I had heard that you were
married to this man.”

“That’s ridiculous,”  she said, her hand going to cover her
mouth in apparent shock.  “How could I be married when no bans have been read
or my father consulted?”

“In the Kenoshan marriage, it only follows that the man
introduces the woman as his wife, though there is the ceremonial fights that
must be won first, at least for the nobility.”

“I was attacked on the road looking for my cousin, but I
don’t call that a ceremony.  More an aggravation.”

“Yes well, we were informed that the king wed you to procure
a way to deal with outlanders and illegally obtain weapons for an uprising.”

Nori blinked, and then looked at Menelaus.  “Really?  Who
was he uprising against?  I thought he was in charge.”

“The Wosite of course.”

“I was under the impression that they ruled themselves and
you were a separate Provence.  Are you saying they are your subjects?”

“They are allowed to rule themselves under the agreement
they would not attempt to deal with outlanders without us as intermediary.”

“The only agreement we have with the Wosite is a business
one,”  Menelaus spoke with heavy finality.  “We have not been under your rule
for thousands of years, nor will we accept it now, especially as you clearly
have no understanding of us as a people.”

“We know you are attempting to form your own trade with the
outside and that you are trying to use this poor girl to do it.”

“Whatever Lord Dunstan has told you is a lie. But even were that
the case, you have no say in what we do beyond your borders.  Taking me hostage
is an act of war.  Working with another noble to overthrow our government is
another act of war on your part and treason on his,”  Menelaus went on, his
voice a cutting edge.  “We may choose to isolate ourselves, but you were not
the only one who met with delegates from the League of Planets when this planet
was invited to join.  My grandfather may have decided on isolationism, that
doesn’t mean we didn’t get a copy of the charter.  You are in violation of your
oath by these actions, and will be facing eviction from the League and trade
embargoes if you proceed with this.”

“You are our people.  We face nothing.”  The great one was
getting red in the face with rage.  “We rule this planet and have the right to
police our own borders.”

Watching the faces of the Wosites around them, Nori came to
the conclusion that they knew it was a lie, and still they were going to get
rid of Menelaus while they had the chance. 
What the hell had he done to get
on their bad side like this?
          “You should have left the gates alone,” the great one continued. 
“You are forever causing trade delays and loss of income, but closing the gates
and disallowing any crossing was beyond your scope.  It proved Lord Dunstan was
correct in his assumptions.  It is you who want war on the Wosite.”

“You mean you liked his excuse to kill me because I was
costing you money?”

“Remove this person to the cell.  He will have his trial and
then be executed tomorrow.”

Great.  Tomorrow. 
Looking at the furious face of the
Wosite leader, Nori knew there would be no talking their way out of this one. 
He was irrational with arrogant rage.

“My father will wish to attend and witness the execution,”
she said quickly, watching them drag Menelaus out, then followed with Lord
Dunstan.  “How soon do I need to get him here?”

“He won’t make it in time.”  There was satisfaction in that
answer and cunning in his cold eyes.  “Menelaus faces trial at dawn and then
immediate execution.”

Well, so much for a fair trial when they were already
warming up the executioner. This is going to be tricky.

“May I see my sister?”

The great one paused noticeably before he responded,
studying her for a reaction as he spoke.  “Your sister was escorted from our
planet just recently.  With the uprising in question, we closed our borders to
all visitors.”

Nori did her best not to show the reaction that statement deserved. 
Her voice was mild when she went on, but it was difficult.  “Where exactly was
she escorted to?”