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By now, we are within hearing distance of Desimar, who rises to his feet as we approach.
“Sicortar,” he says, giving him a bow.
“You are relieved of your duties with regard to Melinda, who is shortly to become my mate. You may escort the other Humans instead. Melinda will be moving in to live in our new home and I will be responsible for her.”
“But sir—”
“I believe I have made myself perfectly clear.”
“Yes sir.”
Desimar turns to me hesitantly. “What about your visit to the school later this morning?”
To my annoyance, Kirimor answers for me. “I will escort her there. You may now leave.”
He bows again and takes his leave.
“Well really, Kirimor, did you have to be so high handed with him?”
“Melinda, I do not think you realize that once you plighted yourself to me—as witnessed by the leader of this sector—your status in Krovatia changed. You are mine now and a part of my family. No more can you be considered a foreign alien.”
“But I am a foreign alien. And what’s all this about my moving to a new home. Nothing of the sort has been decided. I hope you don’t think I’m moving into that great big house of yours with all your drashas.”
His mouth takes on a firm line. “They are no longer my drashas. I have already informed them of this. If you paid attention, my love, you would know that I talked about us moving to a new home, not my existing one.”
“What new home?” I ask in some confusion.
“My cabin in the mountains. We will live there as mates for now, until a more permanent solution can be found. I have plans to create a private space for us by building an additional floor to my house. I hope this is a suitable compromise, my lovely. We will have an entire floor to ourselves and you will not have to share your space with my former drashas, but my children will be able to come up to see us there whenever they want.”
I stare at him, remembering that enchanted evening I spent with him in that cabin. All at once, I know that more than anything, I want to start our mated life there in that special place. As for his other solution, it’s not ideal. I would still be living in the same house as these women who have such an intimate history with Kirimor, but it could possibly work. I do not want to cut him off from his children, ever. I have to make compromises too.
He sees me stare and his face creases into a worried frown. “You do not like my idea?”
I throw my arms around his neck. “I love you!”
His arms and tail tighten around me. “I love you too. So, I take it you approve of my idea?”
I smile up at him. “Yes.”
“That is good. I had hopes that we could move in there tonight. There is nothing further keeping us from being together, my lovely.”
I could baulk and put up obstacles, but frankly, I’m tired of fighting this. I’m all in now. “Yes, I would like that too.”
“Very well, then this is what I propose we do. First, you are coming with me to a body art shop I favor and the artist, who I trust implicitly, will paint your body. It is customary for mates to wear the same designs on their bodies. Your body art will match mine so it is clear to all that you belong to me.” He pulls gently at the sleeve of my dress. “This means, of course, that now you will dress the Krovatian way. No more wearing these to cover up your beauty. We will stop and purchase the finest loin cloths for you to wear, my lovely.”
“Kirimor, I’m not sure I’m ready to bare myself like you all do.”
“You are ready and you have already done so, at the water city. This will be no different. Let everyone see and admire that beautiful body of yours, my love. There is no shame in it. And let everyone also know that you are mine.”
I’m silent, taking stock of things. If I’m honest, this hasn’t come as a shock. I’ve been aware that living on this planet long term would entail me going native at some point. I just hadn’t thought it would happen so soon. But Kirimor is right. I have already taken the big step, at the water city.
“Ok, but I still reserve the right to put on a dress when I go about my official duties. When I’m in meetings as a representative of humans, I’ll dress as a human. Deal?”
He smiles. “That is entirely up to you, my lovely. Come, let us go.”
He guides me to his waiting drone, and we fly the short journey downtown to the shopping arcade where the body art shop is located. We walk through the arched doorway, and follow the winding internal streets. We stop first, as promised, to buy some loin cloths, which Kirimor carefully inspects to make sure they are to up to his standards. With that out of the way, we continue to the body art shop.
The owner looks up from reading his communicator and gives us a beaming smile as we enter. “Sicortar! Such a great pleasure to see you again. Is it already time to renew your art?”
