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Jack looked at the young couple, so much in love, and sighed. “This is a special toast. To a loving couple who has rediscovered the truth about how strong they can only truly be when they are united by their love. To the Queen and King!” Jack said sincerely and raised his glass.
They followed suit and the three threw back the undefinable elixir.
Jack found himself lying back against the cushions in the pit. He felt like he was floating in the clouds without a care in the world. Once more his emotions swelled to bursting and he gasped at the potent mix of bliss and despair that flashed by.
He heard a giggle to his left so he rolled his head slowly in that direction, careful not to hit the giggler with his horns. Pale grey eyes twinkled happily as the Queen rested on her stomach and elbows watching him. Tyg was on her other side smiling at Jack as well.
“See! He was only out for seconds! I told you he was made of tough stuff like a Ridger!” the King said with a grin.
The Queen happily rolled her eyes as Jack looked at Tyg. “What’s a Ridger?”
“I’m a Ridger! I grew up in a back country village on the continental ridge, the foothills before the main mountain range. Life can be tough out there but the tough survive.” Tyg explained proudly. The Queen rubbed her face against his and he smiled.
“I believe the Ambassador-”
“Jack, please!” he begged.
She smiled at him sweetly. “Then you must call me Lyn. In private only, of course.” Jack nodded solemnly. She continued. “As I was saying,” she gently tugged the open neck of Jack’s sweater down to expose the deep V of the slave band on his neck. “Jack knows how to be tough and how to survive.”
Tyg sighed in admiration when he saw the wide silver links of the necklace. That admiration turned to dismay when he saw the links were embedded in Jacks skin. “Char! How-”
Jack looked away, tears welling up in his eyes as his emotions once more threatened to overwhelm him.
“I’m sorry if I’ve hurt you Jack!” Lyn gasped.
“I don’t understand. How did you get this device connected to you?” Tyg blurted.
The Queen turned to her husband. “You remember Jack was kidnapped by the Allsa Komanae?” He nodded. “They took him to their home planet and put a slave color on him. He’s been through horrific torture.” She looked at Jack. “I’m so sorry for reminding you.”
“It’s ok. The collar… it doesn’t… speak to me of surviving. It reminds me of the victims who were killed by those bastards,” he gasped. He bit down on his tongue to contain the truth.
“Every one of those deaths has been avenged Jack! You know this! It was at your hand!” she insisted.
“That’s right! I remember now! You killed them!” Tyg said with a grin then flashed a worried look at his wife as Jack’s grief over took him and he burst into tears.
Jack was having trouble breathing as his tears wouldn’t stop. The mountain of grief and fear he’d been forcing deep into the recesses of his mind ever since he was rescued would no longer be denied. The Lussht disabled the locks on all of his mind’s fortifications and the prisoners were all rushing out. He felt all the terror he’d experienced each time the Allsa Komanae lit up his nervous system with their slave collar and shock sticks. He experienced all of the dread of the damage they might be doing and the despair when the Chuuruthians informed him the collar couldn’t be removed without permanent loss of sensation in unknown places. It all came crashing over him and he sobbed, muscles shaking.
When he eventually came back to himself he discovered he was clinging to the Queen and she was clinging equally tight to him, her forehead pressed against his. Tyg had his arms wrapped protectively around both of them.
“Are you ok, Jack?” Lyn asked gently.
“I- ” he cleared his throat. He realized he had to get it out now or he might never say it. “I’m terrified of the collar. No… I’m terrified of how it took away my control. My illusion of control. It tore me wide open every time they punished me with it. It exposed me,” he forced out of his tight throat.
“It can’t do that anymore though, can it,” her soft voice said gently.
Jack struggled to get his breathing back to normal. “No… it can’t. The receiver… it’s burnt out. The ones who knew how to interface with it are all gone.”
“So, you can let go of that fear?”
“Yes… yes I can.” He took some deep breaths then began to feel embarrassed for dragging these young people into his drama. “I’m sorry-”
“No! Don’t deny the significance of letting go of this pain. I think you have been containing it all this time, yes?” Lyn said sternly.
“Yes…” he said with a faint voice.
“Now that you’ve set it loose how do you feel?” she asked.
He thought about that. He looked inside and discovered he felt… better. Lighter. More relaxed. And exceptionally clear minded. The fog of the drink was completely gone!
“Good.”
“Good,” she repeated with a smile.
“You are a smart Queen!” Jack said sincerely.All rights © NôvelDrama.Org.
“She’s the best!” Tyg said from her shoulder.
They gently eased their grip on each other and they sat up to smile at each other bashfully.
“Thank you so much for that. I… don’t know why my emotions became so intense and overwhelming!” Jack exclaimed.
“Really? Huh. Lussht typically has a calming effect on Shreen though each batch is hand brewed and can have slight variations in its side effects,” Tyg explained.
“Lussht? Now I know,” Jack sighed.
“Jack?” Lyn said just a little nervously.
“Hmmm?”
“This may be totally rude and inappropriate but considering how intimate the night has been…” her voice tapered off as she ran out of nerve. She glanced at her husband.
“May we touch your horns?” Tyg finished for her and she gasped in relief as she looked hopefully at Jack.
He burst into a smile. “Of course you can. They used to feel dry and a little rough but since I got that tree sap on them and accidentally bonded the stuff to them the feel is much different. He leaned forward a little and each lifted a hand to touch his horns ever so gently.
“They’re really strong so don’t be shy about it. The caps are still on aren’t they?” he asked.
“Yes, they are lovely. Why do you wear them?” Lyn asked.
“The tips need to be covered because they are exceptionally sh- sh- sharp.” The room went into soft focus for Jack again. He smiled as a blissful calm settled over him.
“What’s happening?” Jack asked Tyg.
“Are you feeling good again?” the King asked.
“Mmm hmmm!” Jack nodded with a grin.
“The waves have begun. Lussht stays with your system for a while. The waves of euphoria should diminish in intensity, eventually. Well, they do with Shreen.”
Jack thought that was pretty funny because only seconds ago he felt clearer than he had in years. His chuckles turned into a laugh as Tyg and Lyn were drawn into his good spirits.
“What- hoo! What happens if I have more Lush?” Jack asked as he got control of this laughter.
“Not Lush! Lussht! Drinking more just extends how long you get the waves- oh! Here come minnneeee…” Tyg giggled quietly to himself as he slumped back to the cushions.
The Queen poured herself another glass and tossed it back. While she was gasping Jack grabbed the bottle and poured a little more for himself. Tyg shook his head at the offer.
The Queen got up and spoke into a little speaker on the wall. Gentle music began to play and she gracefully swayed around the foyer.
Grinning madly Jack clambered to his feet and made his way up to the foyer. He danced up to the Queen as she danced around him. Jack closed his eyes and swayed to the music. It was kind of folksy and orchestral at the same time and Jack heard hints of classical in there as well. At least it had a beat he could move to. He was no dance expert but his current buzz removed all of his inhibitions. He was also still giddy from the sudden release of years of tension and anxiety. He saw the Queen watching him dance and he held out his hand to her. She glanced at it in surprise and looked over at Tyg who was watching them with a huge grin on his face. He nodded to her and gestured for her to take the hand. The moment Jack felt her soft hand in his he gripped it and pulled her in close to dance and walked her through a few steps. He spun her around the gleaming floors of the foyer and her eyes were sparkling with excitement. He knew his moves were sloppy but he had passion and she seemed to be enjoying herself. The music slowed down a little with a dramatic beat so he tried to do a tango but the complexity of the steps eluded him.
Lyn was making quiet trilling noises almost non-stop and dragged Jack back to the cushions of the living room next to Tyg who watched them with interest. She stretched out her body over her husband’s and rubbed her face on his. She whispered something to him and his eyes widened. He looked over at Jack who blinked back at him curiously. Tyg nuzzled his wife and she trilled at him as well. She turned to Jack.
“You will join us in lovemaking?”
Jack’s buzz was happily humming through his nerves at the time so he didn’t quite grasp what she’d asked. He smiled at her. “Hmmm?”
She was suddenly reclining on his chest, her face very, very close to his. She felt very good against his body. “You will join us in lovemaking?” she asked again, more insistently this time.
That got through but his ability to be shocked, embarrassed, shy, or intimidated were washed away with his inhibitions. He smiled up at her. “But- but I don’t know how Shreen make love!”
“There is only one way to make love, Jack!” she laughed.
He smiled in return as he looked between the two. “No, no my young friends! There are many, many ways to make love!”
The Queen trilled excitedly and rubbed herself against him. She reached out a hand to Tyg and he took the hand in his. Both closed their eyes in happiness.