A Wider Sky Ch. 12

A Wider Sky: Beyond Eclipse Series

by Talyis Bagley Ellison

Copyright first edition 2013, 2015

Chapter 12

"I am glad we can still be friends," Gaelen said as soon as we reached the sunny quad. "And I still want to see if there is something more than friends too." I blushed hard which was too enticing for him, he leaned in and kissed my forehead. "But we will take it slow, Kiowa. I am serious. If your soul doesn't write me on itself, I want you to tell me right away."

It dawned on me. He was afraid that my soul was going to reject him. Oh my beautiful, cocky angel, if only he knew my soul could chose anyone it wanted. I knew at that moment, I hadn't learned my lesson not to cast the meat of my heart as bait. I had all but given up on finding love. Maybe I had already and that's why I was so ready to jump to into an ocean of sharks - a Y'vori king shark.

"Okay," I took a cleanse breath of air to settle my nerves that were tightly strung.

He grabbed my arm twirling my body to his in a tight squeeze. "I still want you to accompany me to the Festivities."

Oh yeah, about that... I can't go because I am human.

"I'll think about it. I was thinking of taking advantage of the time off and going to..."

I shut my mouth. What if it's sacrilege to say you were doing something else during the festivities. Like working on Christmas or Sunday or not saluting a solider during Veteran's Day.

"I usually spend it with my parents. We have a tradition and," I clenched my teeth in a nervous apologetic smile, "To be honest, I am a little homesick and miss my mom."

It was the truth. I did miss my mom. I was hoping that I could visit my colony after I spent some time with Maddie and Ben.

Gaelen's bushy browns arched, calling my bullshit. "Why would you pass on the chance to spend it with people your own age? Good little mouse. I don't think you know what it is like to spend the festivities away from your parents and the old traditions. It will be fun Kiowa."

"I'll think about it, Gaelen."

Before I could make up another excuse, Gaelen embraced me causing me to squeak like a mouse. We both started to laugh so hard.

"My little mouse is always thinking away in her little secret hole," his voice dripped with sensuality. I blushed watching the students walk past us and gave knowing looks. "I'll make it worth your while this weekend. I promise."

I started to reconsider. Why did Ben and Maddie insist on me coming to their home this weekend? I was a grown woman capable of making my own decisions. I could stay here if I wanted to. By now I was more than clever at adverting danger in The Realm. As long as I was with Gaelen and I didn't break any rules what is the worst that could happen. I could lip synch to any strange old anthems. Over the semester, I learnt most of the patriotic songs, even the one I first heard at Sebol's party - which was terrifying in translation. We had learned the main anthem to Eclipse in grade school. All I wanted was to stay with Gaelen at that moment - and every minute next.

Gaelen and I decided to cuddle in his room while watching a film on his tablet. It was nice being in his room for a change. He had to have one of the largest rooms on campus. His room was filled with cozy furniture and didn't seem as sterile as mine. He also didn't have the standard twin size bed that only allowed us to lay on our sides. His room was the perfect college bachelor pad. With a flash of heat, I flushed thinking of all the women he most likely brought to his dorm room to share his cozy bed.

Those women were now ghosts, he ignored, his mind was set on me. He pulled me down to him with a bit of tug of war. But once I gave in, we laid down on the soft down comforter of his queen size bed. I envied him. It was like laying on a cloud. He shushed me - "Stop thinking you'll scurry away from me again." I didn't say anything.

But my heart was pounding like a tribal drums. Just being so close, it was so intimate just being in his room with no distractions. This was new territory for me. In the colony, Matthais snuck me into a broom-closet at the school to implore that we play show in tell. He initiated and asked me to show him my breast. Which I did and then he asked me if I wanted to see him, which I did. But out first experimentation was so rushed and immature compared to this.

This was nice. I finally realized the complete satisfaction snuggling into Gaelen neck was. Just feeling the warmth of his naked chest against my skin. My fingers absently traced his tattoo which he quickly removed my hand from touching.

You could tell when most of the students finished their day classes because of the immediate energy shift on campus. But today, students were not studying or procrastinating in the same old fashion. There were more people milling about passing around candy, drinks and always moving. The holiday and class break nearing the end of the week had people already beginning their celebrations. The banging of drums started outside Gaelen's dorm room; but inside, we were on another isolated planet.

Gaelen smiled at me with the same calm satisfaction that made me feel safe. I loved how his strong arms squeezed me now and then as he ignored the commotion outside. I jumped out of my skin as his is dorm room burst open. A group of college students wearing strange colorful red and gold outfits with thousands of sequences piled into the room and started to dance around pounding on little drums, chanting.

"Go away humans. Go away." A tall lanky guy started to open Gaelen's cupboards shifting things around. The jarring group bounced up in down in a stand-still march while chanting as and the leader pounded a tiny little drum.

When the cacophony of noise finally ended to a dead silence. Gaelen tipped he head with a flourishing wave of his hand. They waited for his response which He replied, Thank you Brothers of the Eclipse. Oh my, he really was a king. He was regal even though he never moved from laying in bed, holding me close.

The drumming began again as everyone cheered. "No humans around here." Gaelen chuckled and then turned to me and smirked, "Just a bunch of old horny lovers."

"No problem," the lanky kid wagged his eyebrow in approval at Gaelen taking the clue.

"Thank you." Gaelen said as the group filed out of the room.

I could hear the drum began banging again as the troop when to the next dorm room. Again,we were alone.

"When I was a kid, I was so afraid of humans. I worried the Parade of Mummers was too far away to reach Siberia," Gaelen teased. "Don't tease me. My big brothers told me horror stories about humans wanting to kill little princes like me. But I think they were more afraid of my defect being found out and that was a true horror story." he sighed heavily like he was used to the feeling of being trapped growing up as much as I had.

I scrunched my eyebrows together. I couldn't grasp the whole story behind his heavy demeanor. I heard the group cheer louder through the wall followed by the same shooting and chanting for humans to go away. Then I realized that they were warding off humans as if we were spirits to haunt the aliens. I started to worry. If this one incidence of the festivities that I would see? Or, was this just the tip of the ice burg of the Y'vori's traditions in celebration for the strange festivities. I started to second guess my plan to stay.

"Me too," I started to spin a web. "My mom always told me that we were safe. We were far away from the colonies, so the Mummers only swooped by for custom sake," I half lied.

In fact it was the opposite. My mom assured me The Realm was full of aliens that destroyed everything and they were too far away from the colonies. I was terrified of Aliens and now I lay in bed, making out with one. I kissed their king while the campus became a large party of aliens. I trapped in seduction with their king while the festivities revels rang loud, celebrating the anniversary of Eclipse, the day when my human world was torn apart.

"Oh come on. Are you going to tell me you didn't believe in Santa Clause too?" Gaelen tapped my nose playfully.

"No, I didn't believe in Santa. My mother told me the truth. There were no Santa Clauses. I didn't have to worry about humans coming to get me because they lived far away in colonies. She said humans didn't even know anything about The Realm," more truth than fiction.

His puffed is lips with a slanted smirk, "So humans do not know anything about The Realm? You believe they are not set on waging a war to get the Earth back?"

"You know, I believe most of them don't even know what is really going on in the world right now? Most human's cannot fathom the world we live in. It is probably starkly different from what we have here."

And that was the truth. We had no clue how life could be much better, our lives were a stark contrast to the lives of the aliens. Running hot water, choices, food, freedom of expression and a way to carve out your path in love, career and life.

"Sometimes, I think you are so adorable when you are being so smart." He kissed the tip of my nose and I settled deeper into the blankets with him as we continued to watch the film.

"You know Kiowa. You should try to be friends with Sebol and Haazic."

I choked on the air around me. I couldn't believe he was suggesting I be friends with them. I avoided popular girls in the colonies. I purposefully avoided them in The Realm because mean girls could mean death.

"Why?"

"Sebol is not that bad. And if you are going to be with me. You might as well be a little nicer to my friends."

"Taxa and Bane?"

"Exactly." Gaelen long midnight black lashes fanned his eyes like angel wings. How could I refuse him.

"I'll think about it." I tried to imagine myself sitting in the same auditorium row as Taxa, Bane, Haazic and Sebol. I realize that Gaelen had sat away from his friends to sit with me and Lance.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"Tell me, Mouse?"

"You should be friends with Lance."

Gaelen snorted, "Kiowa be serious."

"Lance is nice. At least he doesn't scowl all the time like Taxa or have a chip on his shoulder like Bane."

"I'm not going to discuss Lance."

"Why he is my friend? He at least doesn't gossip like Sebol."

"Sebol just wants to sleep with me."

"Gaelen, why would I want to be friends with her?"

"Exactly, Lance just wants to sleep with you. Why would I want to be friends with him." I rolled my eyes and settled in closer to him. "Kiowa, you should have more friends. It's a bit odd that you only hang out with me and Lance."

"I hang out with Dylan."

"You're few and far between study breaks to watch a tv show in the lounge with Dylan does not count. You should have more friends. Give the girls a chance will you, please?"

He was right. If it was odd for Y'vori to not be social then I had to be more sociable. I didn't want to draw more attention to myself by being the agoraphobe on campus. But being friends with the popular girls always meant the spotlight would be very hot and I wasn't ready to be burned.

"Ok, since you said please."

"You are still adorable. Especially when you admit I'm right." He kissed my nose.

***

I gasp, bolting upright. Gaelen lazily draped his arm over my chest and murmured in his sleep. I looked around his room for a clock, but it was dark except for the moon's glow from outside. I couldn't believe I'd fallen asleep while watching movies. I looked around the room trying to make a decision, should I stay or should I go?

"Gaelen," I whispered trying to wake him up. "Gaelen?"

"What?" I murmured into his pillow.

"I should go,"

"No, stay. It's too late as it is."

"I've never-"

Gaelen sat up and pulled his body possessively over mine. His strong chest flexed and his tattoo stars winked at me, twinkling in the moonlight. He delicately placed his hand behind my neck, guiding me to the pillow as if forcing me to stay with his sweet manipulation. I saw my nervous reflection in his green shimmering eyes. He kissed my lips first with sweet pleading before urgent possession. I pushed my hands against his chest urging him back to his side of the bed. Ceding without a huff, he laid on his side propping his head on his elbow.

"I...I-" I dare not say it aloud what I was being plagued with it. If we were to go close, or as close as I wanted him to be I had to open up to him somehow, or else why would he embrace me as a human. "I had a nightmare. I think I am falling for you too."

He snorted, "That's a nightmare? Thanks."

"No, I had a dream-" My skin felt like an ice cube had glided a crossed it. "I am afraid that one day I will not be chosen."

"Kiowa, I choose you now. I do it with my whole heart. If my soul or your soul reveals someone else, we have to remember that this is a love that we chose."

"You love me?"

He gulped. I assumed the ice cube was now trailing across his skin. "I do." He said and my eyes became big a saucers.

"But what if I am truly horrible? Truly not what you want. What if..." I had to know, I hesitated only because I was afraid of his answer. "What if I were as bad as being a human?"

He snorted with a incredulous dimpled grin and pulled me into his arms in attempts to silence such a thought.

"Kiowa, I care about you because you're smart, you're strong, you challenge me. You even change all of our ideas which fucking spectacular. It's easy to be content with just being. You are beautiful and sexy. If you were as horrible as a human or fuck, even a human, I would still want you."

He nuzzled his face into my neck and kissed me. I wanted him so much right then and there. I loved this man. He could change his ideals and his hatred of humans - I knew this at that moment and I loved him more.

I was so ecstatic he wants me, even if I were...I am human.

I squeezed him hard and he squeaked. We laughed so hard, my belly hurt. Until the heat we were feeling for each other quickly cut through our playfulness.

We couldn't stop searching for each others souls, our mouth molding against each other. Our eyes searched for deeper meaning. I trailed my fingers along his back feeling each sinewy well-defined muscle. He tilted my chin to him for one last kiss.

"I choose you Kiowa. I choose you. Don't forget it. You are my little mouse."

***

Making out with Gaelen was the best thing in the world. I was so unlike the awkward, insecure Kiowa that made out with Matthias. That Kiowa was desperate to be loved. This Kiowa was afraid of not being loved. But at least this time, if Gaelen did indeed turn away from me because at least there was a logical reason.

Still aglow from our morning make-out session, we walked across the quad towards the Harvard building yard. The entire field was blanketed with a sea of red and yellow flowers. Not a speck of the green grass could be found on the massive rolling hills of the quad in front of the Eclipse Fountain Statue. It too was decked with colorful water spraying The Realms national colors of Red, Yellow and Green.

Lance ran up to us, excited as he held is satchel bag close to his side. Gaelen wasn't in the mood for Lance today, I could tell because he held my waist tighter and picked up speed to get across the quad. But Lance was my friend, my first real kiss and I didn't want to be rude to him. I awkwardly ignored the prince-dominator at my side and linked free arm with Lance. Gaelen could have blown steam like a dragon for all I knew, by the expression on his face. Lance slowed our arm-linked chain down as we trek to class as a trio.

"It's beautiful isn't it. I love the Festivities," Lance said to me but he was trying to evaluate if Gaelen was going to admonish him.

Maybe Gaelen was going to be friends like I asked. That meant I had to be friendly with Sebol and her friends.

"It is." I said hoping my voice reflected the imperative and not a question.

"Poppies you know it's quite interesting why its the festivities official flower."

"Why don't you enlighten us Lance," Gaelen barked with a near growl. I was glad Gaelen spoke so I wouldn't have to ask. I was also very curious.

"Well, you know from our human anthropology and history class. The poppy was used pre-Eclipse by humans to commemorate their veterans, war heroes and those lost in war. Yet we use it to commemorate the victory of the earth having a better suitor. So we walked on top of the poppies for this reason."

I pressed my eyes together and blinked rapidly at the disrespect it really meant to humans. The poppy was for the loss and they felt that our loss was for the greater good.

Lance continued his academic dissertation about the significant meanings behind the Eclipse festivities. My mind was still trying to comprehend everything. From the mummers last night and now the campus becoming a huge festival ground for celebration. I felt bad for all the poppy flowers that crumpled under my feet. The grassy lawn was symbolically filled with blood. The blood of innocent people; lives like my father, grandmother, aunts, uncles, mother's friends, and people who couldn't wait for my arrival at her baby shower. All were dead, gone and now mocked for just being human.

A large transport vehicle hovered outside of the Harvard building. Most of Windsor's classes were standing outside chatting. Some still wore their mummer costumes. From the telltale dark circles around their eyes, a lot of my classmates spent the entire night drinking and partying. Yet, they were still excited to Windsor's class trip, who would of thunk it.

It was obvious, Gaelen didn't want to listen to any more of Lance's brainy analysis and was itching to get away. He kissed me pecked on the cheek and then escaped to his group of guy friends huddled together.

He ran back to us to whisper in my ear. "Talk to your friend. I've got my eye on you. I'll be back in a second." He kissed my forehead and then returned to his friends not without giving a stern glare at Lance.

He ran back to us, not without giving a stern stare at Lance. My hallmate, Dylan, told me that Gaelen and Lance had a huge, public fight on the quad after I blasted Gaelen against the tree. Apparently, Gaelen was serious about me then when he told Lance to stay away from me because he wanted to pursue me. Poor Lance being no more than Gaelen's subject, had to heed the Prince's threat because it was more than just words.

I felt bad for Lance. I liked him and he didn't deserve to receive antagonism from Gaelen, especially when I was mad at him and not speaking to him anyway.

But now I was in love with him. I wanted to pull him to me so close he would never leave my side.

Suddenly not having Gaelen at my side felt so odd. Maybe it was because I slept with him the night before. I was feeling more connected to than before. Maybe I was afraid that he would chose someone else.

Lance was still chatting about human anthropology, but all I was thinking about was what I didn't want to happen. If Gaelen's soul revealed he was to love someone else - what was I thinking? Of course, I was going to lose him. No matter how he tried to make it seem like the now was most important, the future was what I wanted. I wanted him.

Gaelen was standing part of a trio of guys. They passed around a small white packet. Each dipped their fingers into it and pressed the powdery substance to their lips. My macheivous boy and his friends were looking over their shoulders spying for teachers.

"What are they doing?" I asked Lance.

"Ahh, You've never tried it? It's sugar." Lance smirked. I paused hoping he would expound and he did. "Humans were addicted to sugar. It caused so much destruction to the Earth: deforestation, disease. Fucking-A humans were a mess!"