The Alliance - 19. Troubled Relations

Itumak stared down at Astara. This wasn’t the last time he’d see it. It couldn’t be. He would return someday.

A hand touched the neko’s shoulder gently, Lian holding out a warm mug of juice. Itumak raised an eyebrow at the Daknar.

“I thought you liked this drink,” Lian said quietly, lowering his head.

“Thank you Lian,” Itumak replied, taking the mug gently.

As bad as he felt, he knew it couldn’t compare to Aaron. But the neko had done his duty, as Arisa told him to. If that meant he was to be exiled, he’d accept his punishment gladly, knowing he had saved Astara from genocide. Maybe Aaron would forgive him one day. Maybe not.

The orb of his home world grew smaller, gradually diminishing into empty space. Mateio walked out of the cockpit, ears down and tail low. He carried the canister in his hands, the burden almost too much for the fox.

Itumak took it gently from him.

“Don’t worry, he’ll come around,” the neko smiled slightly, still feeling the sting of his friend’s dismissal.

To have your mate reject you… It may have been selfish, but Itumak was glad he wasn’t Mateio in this moment.

He set the canister on the floor in front of the ship’s exit.

“Reinard, close the airlock and open the door,” the Faro said.

A glass door sealed itself between them and the canister, the ship’s door opening a moment later to suck the disease out into space. It would never harm anyone again.

Aaron stood in the cemetery, staring at the twin stones. So this was the elf his daughter had fallen in love with, to her ultimate doom. They wouldn’t be buried together. As much as he had loved his daughter, she had been a traitor. Her body would find no rest, her ashes scattered to the wind.

“They go so fast,” a voice said.

Turning, Aaron found a dark skinned elf being wheeled toward him in a chair, a calico neko pushing him.

“That is the elf’s curse, to watch those he loves die.”

He was a werewolf. It made sense, they were in the North Astara Pack Cemetery.

“She never had many friends. But the ones she did have would have died for her.”

“You knew her?” Aaron asked.

The werewolf chuckled.

“Oh yes. We had many adventures, Arisa and I. Not that we were close. But I thought someone should show up to her funeral. And sadly, her mates couldn’t make it.”

The dark elf smiled at Aaron.

“You’re mated too. One of the aliens?”

“How…?”

“Word travels fast, King Aaron. I’d bow, but unfortunately my legs aren’t what they used to be. I am surprised your mate isn’t here with you.”

Aaron frowned, closing his eyes. He had felt the loss of Mateio like another brick crushing his heart. The Faro was gone, and he’d probably never see him again.

“A lover’s quarrel perhaps? My mates and I, we’d argue occasionally. Especially Jordan. But we always made up in the end, and that is what is important. Remembering that you love each other. Sometimes that means loving enough to know when the other needs their space.”

The elf smiled warmly.

“Just a word of wisdom, young wolf.”

Wheeling past Aaron, the elf set a yellow rose on the two graves to the other side of Arisa’s.

“Rest easy my loves,” he said. “Come on Dylan, I want to make sure the grandkids haven’t completely ruined the bakery.”

“Your Majesty,” the neko said with a small bow, before wheeling the elf away and leaving Aaron lost in thought.

“Reinard, describe Eyrel.”

Itumak lay back on his bed, staring up at the ceiling. He was on his way to a new planet, a new life.

“A world with three continents, Eyrel is the home of the Xanar, one of the three founding races of the Alliance of Free Systems. Eyrel is famous for its pink oceans, caused by an overabundance of certain elements such as potassium and potassium based algae.”

Well, at least his destination would be interesting.

Already they were past Asla, Mateio stopping briefly to speak with the scientist who had been working on the werewolves. Itumak didn’t know exactly what had come of that, and he found at this moment, he didn’t really care. That wasn’t his world any more.

They were nearly a week from Oyhaf, their next stop, and he had nothing to do other than listening to the ship’s AI. Lian was silent as he always was, though he watched Itumak constantly, seeing to the neko’s needs often before Itumak even realized them.

He wanted it to stop. No, he needed it to stop. Lian was driving him insane with his constant hovering. It was all Itumak could do to not snap at the Daknar.

But when he was alone, all he did was torture himself playing out the memory of his gun firing. There had to have been a better way. He could have shot her hand, or… or…

It didn’t matter. He had killed Adara. Killed his best friend’s daughter. And though he had saved Astara by doing it, the action still tore him apart.

He needed to get up, do something. Maybe walking around the ship would help. Maybe not. But he didn’t want to lie in this bed, pondering his life.

The neko stood, Lian rising to follow him.

“No! Just stop damn it!” Itumak snapped, glaring at the Daknar. “You don’t need to follow me every second of the day!”

Lian recoiled at his words, curling back up on the ground. Itumak turned quickly, storming out of the room.

He found Mateio in the vehicle bay, the Faro’s legs sticking out from under the car.

“Do you need help?” Itumak asked.

Mateio scooted out, looking up at the neko’s stressed face.

“Uh, yeah, sure,” he said, standing up. “I could use some help replacing the engine.”

Itumak let out a quiet sigh. It was work, and that’s what he needed.

Itumak yelled at him. He had made the two soul angry. Tears ran over Lian’s eyes as he sat in his corner. He messed up, but how? He had done everything he could to keep Itumak happy. But it seemed it wasn’t enough.

The door opened, his master walking back into the room. He was dirty, oil streaking across his face.

Lian rose onto his knees, head bowed.

“I’m sorry for yelling at you,” Itumak sighed.

What? But he had been wrong. Itumak deserved to yell at him.

“I failed you…” Lian whispered. “I made you angry.”

“Everything is making me angry. I’m… I’m just having a hard time right now. And I’m sorry I took it out on you.”

Lian shook his head slightly.

“No… you should take it out on me. I displeased you,” he said. “Punish me, Master.”

Itumak frowned. He didn’t want to hurt the Daknar; he had just spoken brashly. But Lian asked for something.

“You… you want me to punish you?”

“It will make you feel better,” Lian nodded.

Itumak pulled Lian to his feet, pressing him against the wall firmly.

“Do you know how to stop me if you want me to stop? Say melur. I will stop.”

Lian nodded, breathing quickly. Itumak pushed the Daknar toward the bed, yanking his loincloth off. Lian fell, hanging off the bed. He needed this, needed to be put in his place. The Daknar had been given too much freedom for too long.

A hand came down on his ass, hard and stinging. Biting his lip, Lian held back a cry. He would not disturb Itumak with his yelps.

Itumak slapped him again and Lian’s control slipped. He was used to electricity running through his neck. This was a different pain, one that was making him rock hard.

Lian yelped.

A hand stroked his ass gently, a finger running over his tail.

“Do you want me to stop?” Itumak asked.

Lian shook his head, his eyes closed. Itumak’s hand fell down his leg, finger pressing into the back of Lian’s knee. The Daknar hissed in pain, but remained where he was.

Itumak spread Lian’s wings out, the two soul pausing in his punishment.

“Get on the bed,” he commanded.

The Daknar crawled onto the bed, his legs, arms, and wings splayed out.

“You are sure you don’t want me to stop.”

Lian nodded. He needed more.

“No, we’re stopping,” Itumak said. “I need to stop.”

Lian’s loincloth fell across his butt as the door opened.

“Is everything okay in here? I heard a yelp.”

Lian turned his head, finding Mateio staring at him.

“Yeah, we’re fine. Lian wanted to try something,” Itumak replied.

“Oh. Oh! Uh, I’ll leave you to it then.”

The Faro ducked out of the room, the door closing behind him.

“You did not enjoy this.”

It seemed obvious now he could see Itumak. His master’s eyes were troubled, his arms shaking slightly.

“I’m okay. I’m just going to take a shower,” Itumak said.

The door opened and closed, and Lian was alone.