During the next three years, Teeabu’s agility helped him with more difficult ranks of sparring. Yal was proud of his new prodigy but suspected Teeabu to be limited in his strength, being Shatarian. This didn’t thwart Teeabu’s try-and-try-again tenacity and inability to accept defeat. The young man was remarkable.

He should have tired of plummeting weights against his body, studying strategic offensive and defensive moves, and compiling these methods to spar against the great Ordis, which was inconceivable. Ordis, the great Araidian, was known for his ferociousness and skillful tactics to down the best of Araidian soldiers while sparring. For Araidians were five times more powerful than the Shatarian. What empowered the boy? Though Teeabu’s lungs were surgically expanded to receive more oxygen for increased strength, Yal still pondered what drove him?

When the councilman’s duties lightened, he would come to the training yard and observe the Shatarian’s progress. Today, Teeabu, the great Ordis, and five other students learned skills of hand-to-hand combat called the death dance. The young human, against all odds, was the best of the students. Recognizing this, Yal had contacted Betha-Busa and separated Teeabu’s possessions from the other students’ quarters. He had them moved to a closer chamber for his prodigy to become an apprentice trainer. Yal wanted to present the new living quarters to Teeabu and proceeded to tell him.

He found Teeabu standing beside Ordis who seemed restless. Flexing his muscles to make the sweat shimmer on his biceps, the great Araidian also caused his individual chest muscles to dance.

“I have new quarters for Teeabu’s stay here,” Yal informed. “Since he’s proven himself in his studies, I believe we should prepare him for apprentice trainer.”

Large Ordis flexed his muscles and pulled Yal aside. “Your Gracious, you know the others will be jealous if you promote him to become an apprentice trainer. He’s only a pup. A slave. The other students and trainers will detest your decision.”

“I take it you’re not one of them?” Yal said, smiling.

Ordis stopped his muscle dance and stared at Teeabu. “He is not Araidian, only a pup. What will you do? Allow an alien in our court? And what of his friend? Though that fuzzy thing serves us, shouldn’t it be working in the mines?”

Yal crossed his arms, “Are you jealous you’re alone?”

“No, Your Grace. I don’t look for comrades. I’m just relaying what the others…” Ordis’s voice trailed. Yal noticed he quickly looked past him. “You may have trouble coming.” He nodded slightly. Yal followed cue, turned around, and found Betha-busa making her entrance in the chamber.

“Well.” Betha glided toward the three, smiling as always. “I’ve been sent to commend you on your accomplishments and to train your new prodigy in other areas of art.” Her attendants stood at attention, not venturing too close to the three. With the attendants was a standard slave girl between them.

Yal dismissed Ordis and motioned Teeabu to stay. “So, Your Graciousness, you seemed to have impeccable timing.”

“I have my ways.” She cocked her head sideways, smiling.

“What is your position, Dignitary?” Yal wondered if she could help in Teeabu’s training in the thing of culture.

“You did notify me.” Betha walked past Yal, circled Teeabu, her head rocking slowly back and forth, making sucking mating noises, catching Teeabu’s attention. “He’s quite beautiful. I can see why you want him for your own.” Betha’s hand brushed Teeabu’s cheek. “Ahhh, worthy of promotion.” She turned abruptly to Yal, “But a filthy Shatarian? What has possessed you, Yal?”

“As you can see, he’s not filthy. He bathes twice a day, and he is part of the holy sect of the priesthood.”

Betha raised her eyebrows, “Ahh, I recognize the sasshh.”

She traced her fingers down the garish ribbon and grazed his skin. Yal saw the young man’s chest muscle flinch. He had no top on save the sash for the training. Nakedness was an aphrodisiac for Betha. Her voice lowered, sounding as if she were cooing at the young man. “I hear they never discard it. They always wear it. Amazingly the material never frays or even soils. It must mean much to you, does it not, slave?”

“You don’t have to answer, Teeabu.” Yal wanted to hang her. Trouble was brewing.

“Then,” Betha came closer to Teeabu only a nose away, “you shall remove it from your person and destroy it. You do not represent priesthood here since our councilman has promoted you to an apprentice.” She turned to Yal. “Also, I’ve noticed the fuzzy creature roaming around in this vicinity, inseparable from your prodigy. I believe it must go, too.” Betha’s gown cleaned the dust from the stone floor as she stepped nose-to-nose in front of Yal. He could smell her sweetly scented breath. “You will ensure they are both discarded, and I will ensure that your Teeabu becomes a mature male with usage of all his virile faculties. Is that understood?”

“You will not defile this young man with a slave woman.”

“Slave? Why that’s what he is. He isn’t free to go, is he not?” Yal said nothing. “You know the rules. I have provided a female to pursue his fleshly desires.” Her head did the cock dance, back and forth, side-to-side—irritating in Araidian women. Yal grimaced.

“You, Dignitary, will not defile this boy with a slave. You have no right in my jurisdiction or authority over my pupil. Is that clear to you?”

“If you feel he is defiled by another Shatarian of his race, then I will bring an Araidian of royal descent. One of my pupils. If you don’t accept this, you will be reprimanded, demoted, or even your demise will be plotted, depending on the mood of our illustrious leader. Do you know of any trainer, anyone that has been promoted and not engaged in the arts of love? Why do you hesitate, Your Grace?”

There was no winning this time with Betha. “I must first approve of the female. After, I will allow him to mate.”

Betha grinned. “Not mating. Love is an art and a skill.” She exited grandly as always, nearly floating through the door, her gown catching the dust of the floor, followed by her personal guards and slave girl.

Yal lowered his head. “My boy, you will learn this is a treacherous place. Even I’m not free.”

●

Dusk came and with it the dark. Yal had prepared Teeabu for the affair in question. Pertz was rattling away about how mating isn’t so intolerable and that the Araidians consummated with tedious religious rites and too many partners for one mate. But Pertz’s people had very short lives to enjoy and were life-long partners if they mated once. With the furred creature’s high squeaks and clicks, Yal and Teeabu’s nerves wore thin. They weren’t speaking, nervously anticipating the outcome of the affair.

Teeabu’s chamber was much like Ordis’s but smaller. When Teeabu and Yal had first entered the room, it appeared empty. But the concave walls held secrets of clothes hidden behind a charcoal marble exterior. All the accommodations he needed were revealed by a wave of the hand: computer, telemonitor, writing slab, holo recorders, compartment for hair rakers, undergarments, utensils, trianing gear, and such. Even extending beds, chairs, tables were available by a wave of a hand.

It was an hour past dark when they saw a small screen extend near the door with the image of Betha and a female. The Centrex’s female voice hailed for the occupants’ attention: “The Dignitary Betha-busa wishes entrance. Is she received?”

Yal stood and answered in front of the door. “Yes, she is received.”

Betha gestured the attendants to stand outside, and she ushered in the Araidian female. Yal was sad to see that the innocents were always deceived. He noticed the young child’s eyes widen as if she witnessed a treasure. No, poor child, there will be no joy this night. Yal did not understand why Pertz was running in circles on all fours with his tail wagging, click—clicking.

“I greet you, Councilman Ulandis-de-a-Yal.” Betha gestured to the young female, who stood so straight, appeared so delicate. “I present to you, her royal highness, Delah from the House of Molanar.” Pertz jumped into Delah’s arms and licked her happy face. “Please, calm the creature. This is not an animal keeping grounds. Yal, have Teeabu remove it, now!” They obliged her and placed Pertz behind the bed. “Good, child continue.” Betha quickly brushed off Pertz’s fur from her gown.

The little one from the House of Molanar curtsied. “I am to comply to the wishes of our Gracious, the Dignitary Betha-busa. and I am honored to meet you.” She curtsied again.

Betha fidgeted and wished the girl would finish with the introductions. “Please, step aside.” Betha moved Delah back and spoke with Yal, told him she would return in the morning and swept away, leaving the two males and female in the room.

Yal observed the three. They had all sprung into each others arms, including the furry friend. It had been a warm embrace. The tall prodigy had dwarfed the young female as he rocked her slowly. The creature had wiggled out of Delah’s arms from the pressure.

Finally, the councilman pulled them apart to the opposite corner of the room and turned them away from the monitor. “You know each other?” Teeabu and Delah nodded. He noticed they had tears in their eyes and sprang into each others arms again, as if for dear life.

“Yes, yes…that’s it!” Yal waved his hand, a large round bed with satin sheets projected from the wall. He waved again and a gauze curtain fell around them. “I don’t know much about the monitor, but it seems to be in shape.” Yal approached it and rubbed something on it. “However, it seems you two are getting along.” He didn’t need to gesture them to get closer, seeing they were embracing each other hungrily. He smiled and raised an eyebrow. There was no need for them to feign romance. They seemed to be quite involved for whoever viewed the monitor.

Yal waved at the wall across the room. A terminal extended. He pressed buttons, wiggled his fingers to activate other menus. And voilà! Yal faced them as they were still hugging. They appeared as a couple in artful lovemaking without the touching and lustful kissing—only embracing. Pertz gazing, sat near the bedside. The councilman finished loading information in the system. “We are clear to speak now. I have learned a few secrets of my own for privacy. You know each other?”

“She is my cousin,” Teeabu gushed. “I thought I’d never see her again after the capture!”

“And you, little one?”

“Eyetna and his men captured us,” Delah responded, still embracing Teeabu. “Stole us from Irema only hours away from here.”

“Ahh, we have work to do. What I did was to provide a hologram, programmed to project your images in a performance of ritual mating. It actually memorized your physique and added a little spice for our viewers. No one will trace the origin. Also, there is music now piping through the system, which is drowning out our conversation. First, we need to discard the sash.”

Teeabu tenderly touched the cloth. “I will take care of it. Is there a place to hide this?”

“Come with me.”

Yal walked toward the wall and knelt to find a section on the floor where a small grating was exposed, yanked it up, and continued speaking. “Long ago, I had a friend who knew of secret areas and yearned for privacy. His name was Ontomus.” He looked up at the young ones. “Since we are so automated with the waving of hands and monitored every second, this seemed the only logical choice. Don’t you think?” He touched a latch and a slab, much like a door, it opened. “Have you ever heard of secret tunnels?” They shook their heads. “Never mind. Both of you, go and don’t stray far away. You can hide it in the dirt. Just remember where you hid it. I’ll stay with Pertz. Hurry back!”

                                                                                                                                              To be continued...