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Rakkur
The dinner that evening was very pleasant, and I enjoyed the mixture of Lorian and Tygerian food the servants brought out to us. The wine was Lorian, a red wine and quite good. Kalen chattered away about our shopping trip, and Mikol asked a lot of questions about our purchases and discussed some of the shops we’d been to. Tariq was quiet, but I felt his eyes on me often.
Dessert was some kind of cake with a sticky, sweet sauce. It was delicious, but messy. The Lorians ate their food with unfamiliar utensils, or unfamiliar to me anyway, so I’m afraid I spilled a lot. I’d had enough wine that it was all funny, and I licked my fingers clean and again caught Tariq watching me hungrily. Naturally, I did it even more after that.
After the servants cleared the table, we sat for a while, talking.
“King Edam will be here tomorrow,” Kalen said. “If you two form any attachment, he might want you to visit his planet.”
Both Mikol and Tariq said, “No,” and “Out of the question,” at close to the same time.
“Why not?” I said, glancing back and forth between them. “I probably need to see this planet I might be living on, don’t you think?”
I got a furious look from Tariq, but Mikol spoke up first. “That’s not how these matters are done, Rakkur. If your meeting goes well, and you’d like to pursue King Edam’s acquaintance, then you might visit with our parents and an entourage that would include a full guard. Myr is not one of our allies, or at least not yet.”
“I’m sure Edam means me no harm.”
“Oh well then, if you’re sure, then that settles everything,” Tariq said, surprising all of us, I think. “Why do you think you were assigned a bodyguard, and this meeting was arranged here at Loros so Prince Mikol could oversee things? It’s done with your safety in mind, which you seem to have little regard for.”
A silence settled over the table, and I could feel my face burning. I had an almost overpowering urge to jump to my feet and dash the contents of my glass in his face. Except I didn’t dare. Mikol must have seen the recklessness I was feeling on my face though, because he broke in.
“Colonel Tariq isn’t wrong, Rakkur. You have to be careful not to make any promises to Edam that you can’t keep.”
“It’s not up to Tariq.”
“That’s where you’re wrong,” Tariq said softly. “I take my orders from your fathers, and not from you.”
I did get to my feet then and even grabbed my full glass of wine, ready to hurl it at him. He gave me a warning look that made me lose my nerve. I drank it all down instead and carelessly threw the glass back carelessly on the table. The only thing I could think of to do then was to turn and storm out of the room. I had taken about three steps when Tariq was suddenly beside me, grabbing my arm and pulling me close to him to whisper in my ear.
“You’re acting like a child. Take one more step and I’ll put you across my knee and spank you. Don’t think I won’t do it, Rakkur.”
“How dare you?” I hissed at him, outraged at his words and humiliated that he said it in front of Mikol and Kalen. Not that they could have heard him, but in my mind they might have. My face burned with embarrassment.
He pulled me even closer. “Don’t test me. I’ve had new orders. They’re from your father and he told me to feel free to control you by any means I deem necessary. He’s on his way and gave me complete discretion. He even made that particular suggestion.”
“I don’t believe it. The king would never say such a thing.”
“The orders weren’t from the king. They were from the Royal Consort.”
I gasped in disbelief, but he tightened his hand on my arm. “Mikol has seen them. Ask him if you don’t believe me.”
I felt betrayed and at a loss and simply shook my head, staring at him.
“Now please sit down and behave yourself. You’ve had too much to drink.”
I was furious, yet at the same time the idea of Tariq putting me across his lap had me feeling hot and cold all over. I was suddenly feeling flushed and bothered and restless, and I wasn’t sure I could even move, let alone sit calmly back down at the table. I bit back the groan that tried to escape and looked up wildly into his eyes. They were vivid green.
“Sit down, Rakkur. Please.”
Maybe it was the “please” that convinced me. I wasn’t sure, but he released my arm, and I was able to walk back to the table to sit down. I couldn’t look up or face anyone, and I was still in shock over the idea that my omak’s gave him orders about me. Could it be true? I could think of nothing to say. Luckily, Kalen smoothed things over by quickly changing the subject and asking Mikol a question about something or other and conversation finally began to flow again. It was stilted and uncomfortable, but at least they weren’t all focused on my personal drama. I didn’t say a word though, and after about ten minutes, I looked pointedly over at Tariq.
“I’m tired. May I be excused?”
His lips tightened at my tone, which was, admittedly, more than a little sarcastic, but he nodded. “Certainly. I’ll take you to your room.” He stood up then and said something to Mikol. I was too angry and upset to really listen or pay attention. But I managed to say goodnight to Mikol and Kalen, and when I walked out of the room, he kept pace a step behind me.
Neither of us spoke on the long way back to our section of the palace, and when we arrived at my room, I surprised even myself by turning and gripping the door frame as I stared into Tariq’s face. He looked wary and on guard.
