The Ilia's Lovers - Chapter Sixteen

They were going to court her. Like an old-fashioned movie from centuries ago, Dahnus and Hadith were going to court Elaine.

For an hour they talked about how Amaran’s conducted relationships. How they dealt with consent and sex and on top of that, how they would deal with a potential relationship in the light of Elaine’s trauma. The three of them would take it slowly, talking to Harumi as needed.

Now, the following day, Elaine stood in front of the mirror putting the final touches to her look for her first date with the Ilan and his lover.

Her stomach was twisted into knots, but Elaine was determined to go and enjoy herself.

Sooner than expected, sooner than she was ready, there was a knock on the door of her suite. Her hand was shaking when she reached out to open the door, but she took in a deep breath and opened the door as she let it out.

Hadith smiled as soon as he saw her, his beautiful aqua rimmed mauve-blue eyes lighting up.

‘You look spectacular,’ Hadith said, his eyes trailing over the mauve-blue dress she found when she got back to her suite from a walk earlier. It was trimmed with gold which matched the gold and turquoise jewellery delivered in a second box not long after. Looking down, she realised Hadith was wearing black loose pants with an Amaran V-neck top, open in their tradition which was a beautiful swirling pattern of light turquoise and sapphire blue. The turquoises matched and, she realised, they matched the colour of Dahnus’s eyes, just as the mauve-blue she was wearing matched the colour of Hadith’s eyes.

‘The sapphire is my eyes,’ she said.

Hadith’s smile widened.

‘This is how we tell our world we are together, that we support one another, that we stand together.’

Elaine looked down at her dress, his words repeating in her mind. She smoothed her hand down the silky fabric, then stopped, suddenly aware of how intimate this all was.

‘You’re the one who’s been sending me clothes.’

Hadith nodded, though it wasn’t a question.

‘I wanted you to have beautiful things, to remember how beautiful the world can be.’

‘You did,’ she nodded, her voice a little thicker than she’d like. She really would have to get over this new emotional vulnerability. It seemed like every kindness brought her to the verge of tears. But Elaine loved beautiful things. Castus made her world ugly and brutal, but Hadith and Dahnus reminded her of all the wonders there was to see and experience.

‘Shall we go?’ she asked.

Hadith nodded, and held out an arm, leading the way.

‘Dahnus will meet us at the landing pad. He always goes there early to oversee a full security check. He doesn’t take our safety lightly.’

‘I get the sense that he’s like that in all things?’

Hadith nodded.

‘Indeed. Dahnus was born into incredible privilege. I saw many born into half as much who abused it terribly, and anyone they believed they could abuse and get away with it. Dahnus, he uses the privilege he has and the sense of responsibility imbued upon him by his parents to reshape as much of our world as he believes needs reshaping. Dahnus has grand plans I understand very little of them, but I know the male that he is, he will stop at nothing to ensure the security of his people, every last one of us.’

‘You love him a great deal?’

‘I am in love with him. He is…’ Hadith looked behind him, at the security details, both his and Elaine’s following them. ‘He is the very best of males.’

They spoke little as Hadith led her through the halls of the palace, back the way she entered when she first came here with Danari so many months before.

Thanks to an update to the Quartex the Amarans had pushed through, Elaine knew it was mid-August on Earth in 2376, two years and four months since Endurance was launched and was attacked. She had missed two birthdays since they were taken, one of them here when she was still too depressed to even bathe. She was 24 years old now, no longer the baby of the crew, along with Pyri. She had lived lifetimes of experience in the two years since she last celebrated a birthday. Now, here she was with rising anxiety because she was realising, as the pad came into view, that this was the first time she had left the palace since she arrived. Her footsteps faltered.

‘Elaine.’

‘I’m scared,’ she admitted.

Then Elaine looked into Hadith’s eyes. His beautiful eyes with such saturated colours. They looked at her with a conflux of emotions, attraction obviously, but there was something she hadn’t expected to see. Admiration.

It seemed to settle over her like a mantle. Elaine felt her body react, straightening, strengthening, standing taller. Elaine smiled at him, and reaching up on her toes, she laid a kiss on his cheek.

‘What was that for?’ Hadith looked confused but pleased.

‘For being you,’ she said, taking his hand and leading him out onto the pad.

*****

Elaine was the most remarkable female Hadith had ever met.

When she hesitated at the doorstep to the landing pad Hadith was sure she had lost her courage. When she told him she was afraid, he admired her honesty. Then something happened, he wasn’t sure what, but before his eyes she transformed. Something lit her eyes and her body, her stance altered, and she became… changed into a woman of such grace and strength. Now, as she led him out to where Dahnus stood taking a security report from the head of the Palace Guard, Elithan, she had the bearing of an Ilia.

Hadith felt hope spring to life inside him and quickly squashed it down.

He wanted it to be her. He wanted Elaine to be their Ilia, wanted to see her shielding their child within her body. He craved it more with each moment he spent with her and deep inside a voice yelled it had to be destiny. That this need, this craving couldn’t be anything other than the fates conspiring.

Dahnus turned to greet them as they reached him, Elithan moving off.

‘Elaine, you take my breath away,’ he said, bending to give her a chaste kiss on the cheek. He turned to Hadith and froze. It was the barest moment, but Hadith knew Dahnus could see the growing tension inside him.

‘We are ready to go,’ he said, holding out an arm to Elaine. She took it and found Hadith moving to her other side, and slipping her free arm in his, they led her over to a group of corsams that would take them and their security teams to Liber, their favourite traditional Amaran restaurant.

‘Are these flying cars?’ Elaine asked.

‘We call them corsams. You say that as though it’s a novelty?’ Dahnus said, opening the door.

‘Our population is so high, the vast majority of human’s aren’t allowed flying vehicles. Our skies would be too crowded. Most people use public transportation, some use road-based vehicles.’

‘It would be interesting to find out more about the population issues,’ Dahnus said. ‘Just give us a moment. I have to have a private word with Hadith. Hemian, would you show Elaine how to use the restraints?’

Hemian went into the corsam while Dahnus took Hadith by the elbow and led him from the car.

‘Did I not sufficiently take care of your needs, Hadith?’

Dahnus had spent two hours taking care of Hadith during the afternoon. Hadith smiled.

‘You were very thorough. It’s not… sexual…. It’s.’ Hadith shook his head. He was frustrated at the constant wariness under which they lived. The spies, the devices, never being able to clearly say the things he wanted to shout out loud.

‘Every instinct…’ he stopped speaking, his voice raw.

‘I know, my heart. Me too. We will know soon. When we have the confirmation, we will act.’

Hadith nodded, noting the word ‘when’, not ‘if’.

They went to the corsam and got inside. Elaine was alone now, moving back and forth and side to side.

‘These seat belts are amazing.’

There was a look of wonder on Elaine’s face that made Hadith smile with joy. He was so used to the restraints; he never considered they might be something of note to a person not of this world. He took the restraint core device from the door and placed it on his chest. Four beams of energy shot out from the seat, one at each shoulder, one from the seat either side of his hips, all four connecting to the core and holding him in place. Hadith had full freedom of movement. He and Dahnus had made love in this corsam many times in the past, both fully restrained as they did. If the corsam was ever in an accident while they were in each other’s arms, the binds would simply hold them in place where they were, rather than trying to snap them back to their seats.

‘Where are we going?’ Elaine asked, finally sitting back in her seat.

Her startling blue eyes were wide open with excitement. Dahnus and Hadith had taken their usual seats across from her and now he took delight in just watching her as Dahnus took the lead and did the talking.

‘Liber is a traditional Dareen restaurant serving traditional Dareenan food and playing traditional music. It has been in business for four centuries. My family are regular patrons. I was brought up eating there, enjoying their food. My adanni, my adalan parent, he wanted me to be connected to our original Dareen culture.’

‘And you’re Dareen as well?’ Elaine asked, pointing to Hadith.

Hadith nodded. ‘Though I was brought up in a cult, so my culture was a little different.’

‘Oh, we have them on Earth too. I’m sorry to hear you had a rough start.’

Elaine looked out of the window and seemed to start. She turned to look over Dahnus and Hadith’s shoulders.

‘We left the mountains?’

‘Yes. Liber is on the coast.’

Hadith watched while Dahnus pointed told Elaine about the restaurant, the layout and its history. From there they started talking about the landmarks and points of interest. Elaine stared out of the window absorbing everything and asking questions.

They’d be going to the royal balcony, a place set aside for the royal family and their guests only. No one else was allowed to use it and no one was allowed to go near it unless the family was there.

Hadith remembered the first time he went there with Dahnus and his family. How welcoming they were, kind. They never met Hadith without exhibiting the utmost grace. Hadith was constantly waiting for the moment they let slip they were disappointed he was their son’s dyshcalti, but it never came. Instead, they helped Hadith grow accustomed to this life and Dahnus to prepare for the day he could claim Hadith.

A few months before the accident that killed them, Dahnus’s Adalan parent pulled Hadith aside for a conversation. He warned him that while under Amaran law he, his Ilan and Ilia were equal leaders, he as the Adalan was not treated the way his Danicalti and Dyshcalti were. He wasn’t given the same respect, was often infantilised, or ignored by council members. He warned Hadith the position of Ilidan would be difficult. He told Hadith to be patient for Dahnus to claim him.

For a long time, Hadith felt disappointed and angry that Dahnus waited to claim him, now, he was grateful for Dahnus’s patience.

‘We’re here,’ Dahnus said, pointing out the window.

‘Oh my god. The whole thing is cliffside balconies?’

Hadith grinned and the wonder in Elaine’s voice. He looked out of the window to see what she was seeing.

Liber was named for the cliffs on which it sat. They soared several hundred feet overlooking the Inolian ocean. It was warm, the capital of Amara was close to the equator and Liber was closer still.

The restaurant itself was stepped balconies that ran two hundred feet down the cliffs. From each landing was a balcony in which patrons sat and ate. The kitchen was further out, exposed to the cliffs and the patrons so that they could see them working, even if it was from a distance. On the cliff top stood the farm where most of the food served was grown and the seafood served was fished from the water around them.

Their driver circled the area for a minute, no doubt waiting to get the all-clear from security before he finally headed into the landing pad beneath the royal terrace. Like the royal terrace, it was private and had several spots for flyers, most of which were already taken by the guards who had cleared the terrace for use.

They parked up, and Dahnus led the way out of the flyer. He waited and held out both arms. When Elaine took one, Hadith walked to her other side and held out an arm for her. Dahnus realised what he was doing and grinned, dropping his arm he’d held out for Hadith. Elaine took his arm and Hadith felt it whisper into his like silk, so soft.

They walked over to the stone carved steps with an ornate carved balustrade and rose to the balcony above.

Elaine gasped and broke away from them, walking over to the balcony and looking out over the ocean.

“This was exactly the right choice,” Hadith said, linking his arm with Dahnus as they walked over to the balcony to join her.

“I remember bringing you here the first time. You tried to act like you came here all the time, but your eyes kept dancing to the balcony. In the end, my parents went to talk to the chef so I could bring you to the balcony, so you weren’t embarrassed.” Dahnus laughed as he finished the story.

“They knew?” Hadith asked, squeezing his eyes shut as though he could block out the delayed embarrassment.

Dahnus chuckled and pulled Hadith closer, kissing his temple. “They adored you.”

They split again as they approached Elaine and took position either side of her.

“This is so beautiful,” Elaine whispered.

Dahnus turned to Elaine and took one hand, tracing her blue veins in her wrist with his fingers.

“Not nearly as beautiful as you are,” he said, looking her in the eyes.

From his angle, Hadith could see her cheeks redden. He wondered if it was the embarrassment of Dahnus’s words, or perhaps Elaine was experiencing sweeter feelings from Dahnus’s touch. Hadith knew how consuming Dahnus’s touch could be. Dahnus was a singularly sensual man. He enjoyed the arousal of his bed partners; it was what fed his own. He enjoyed all senses being stolen by that arousal until only that final climax could restore his senses and he had fed that enjoyment from and too Hadith for the entire time they were together.

The promise of that touch, Dahnus large hands, large fingers, grazing over the creamy gold skin of Elaine’s wrist, sparked images that Hadith couldn’t wait to pull from his mind and writ them large over their shared bed chamber.

Hadith traced a finger over Elaine’s bared shoulder and felt her shivering under their combined touches, her eyes drifting shut. Hadith’s eyes met Dahnus’s who grinned at him. It would be such a joy to make love to Elaine with Dahnus.

Soon.

Hadith trailed his finger all the way down to Elaine’s elbow, and cupped it lightly, drawing her attention to him.

“Would you like to sit down?”

“Can we stand here for a few moments? This view is amazing.”

“Of course,’ Dahnus replied.

Hadith looked around at the balcony. Plants surrounded the balustrade with small gaps allowing for the view. It added an extra layer of privacy for the royal terrace and created a more intimate environment. In the centre of the terrace was a table set for three with the finest settings. There was music being pumped through the whole restaurant which was designed to work with the sound of the waves so that one didn’t drown out the other. Kherum  squawked as they flew overhead, one of them had a fish from the shallows of the ocean at the foot of the cliffs in its claws.

Hadith turned to watch his companions as Dahnus murmured to Elaine who was rapt in her attention to him.

This was such a perfect place for their beginning.