END of LINE: Humanities Last Stand - part 3 (20 page)

Satrina walked past the guards with her brother in tow and as she approached the house the security system recognized her and automatically clicked the
door open. Once she and Zeprik were inside, the system slammed the door in the faces of the guards who attempted to follow. Speaking loudly she called for
Jon. “Where are you my giant?”

“I'm here in the kitchen.” he replied, stepping into view only to find Rina already running to throw herself into his arms. He easily caught her and pulled
her close to his chest. “Rina, I missed you.” he told her then he bent to kiss her deeply.

“I missed you too my beautiful giant.” she told him when the kiss broke. “Put me down and let me introduce you to my brother.” she told Jon who released
her to slide down his body to stand on the floor.

“Jon Connell, this male standing in our living space with his jaw on the floor is my brother, Crown Prince Zeprik. Brother, this beautiful giant is my
mate, Jon Connell. I was going to be more gentle about telling you brother, but after what Talga just did outside I didn't see any reason. No one will ever
believe that I can tame wild beasts with a hug. Talga is that beautiful black tiger you saw me embrace. He is Jon's pet and my protector when I visit the
house. You must be careful around him brother until he knows you. Then he'll be as playful as a palace kitten.”

“That monster outside is no kitten!” Zeprik exclaimed.

“I think I'll go downstairs and bring up some of your favorite wine my tiny tigress.” Jon smiled at Rina giving her a quick kiss. “I can see you two need
to talk.” Jon hurriedly made his way past his mate and her brother on his way to the lower level and the wine storage.

“How long has this been between you and Butcher?” Zeprik asked.

“I knew the first time I saw him that day at the re-unification ceremony. Then I took time here after I left Sanctuary and we met almost by accident. He
nearly crashed into my hover craft while going into town.” Rina waited to gauge her brother's reaction to her words. “I claimed him then, and he accepted
my claim. We are mates. He has given me his house colors, and his house to use as I please, even if he is not on Haven.”

“So you have already united? Without father's blessing?” Zeprik asked, the astonishment in his voice clearly showing.

“No brother.” Jon answered for her as he returned to the room. “We will not insult your father that way, nor will I use your sister only to die in battle
and leave her with nothing but this house and part ownership in a small cargo company. She needs her family too much. I will not be the cause of her
suffering such a loss.” Jon placed Rina's favorite wine in the cooler before turning back to the brother and sister standing together now in his kitchen.
“Rina, your wine will be chilled to your liking in just a little bit. Meanwhile, I think your brother needs his now.” he said as he opened a bottle and
poured the wine into a glass which he placed in front of the Prince. “I'm not going to say I'm sorry Zeprik. Satrina is the light that has been missing in
my life and I will not apologize for loving her. I had no idea she was your sister though or that you were the Crown Prince. At training you were just LT.
Zeprik, Rik on the radio and Prik to your men.” Jon told him. He and Zeprik had become good friends during their training together. Each one learning to
depend on the other to fulfill the mission profile successfully and come home safely. Their few rest periods had become something of a game with each one
playing tricks on the other until now. This was the best trick of them all!

“Well Butcher, I'm going to tell you a secret.” Zeprik told him with a smile just as Rina came up to stand beside Jon with a glass of wine in one hand and
a beer for him in the other. “I was going to bring Satrina with me today to introduce the two of you in the hopes that she might find you to be a suitable
mate. I remembered how impressed she was with how you handled that King boy at the ceremony.” Looking at his sister he continued, “Yes baby sister, I
remember how you whispered to your servant asking her to find out everything she could about our friend Jon here.” Looking back to Jon he went on, “She
will soon be at the age of consent where she must either find her own mate or one will be appointed by the King.”

Rina looked up at Jon and asked, “May I change into our house colors husband?”

“You know where they are my love. They belong to you. Wear them anytime you want.” Jon lovingly assured her and she ran up the stairs to find the outfit
she wanted to wear to show her brother how beautiful the Connell House colors were. The closet where her garments were kept was magic! It had replaced
every item that she had taken on the ship with her with new ones! She quickly selected the most beautiful of all the gowns so as to properly impress her
brother. This one would be the gown she'd wear to any Royal functions they attended as husband and wife! In her heart she knew no other Lexonian Royal had
a gown as glorious as this one. As quickly as she could she removed her royal scarlet garments and donned the multicolored gown.

“I'm not an expert on Lexonian mating customs Rik.” Jon admitted, “What do we do now? I'm serious about not taking her to bed while I'm under contract and
liable to get killed. I won't spoil her that way.”

“Jon, did you accept her claim?” Zeprik asked.

“Yes he did.” Satrina answered, “And claimed me as well.”

“Did you accept his claim? Did he gift you with a special name that only he uses?”

“I did accept his claim and he gave me my special name.”

“Under Lexonian law, Jon, it is your right to unite with her. No Lexonian would think of her as used if something happened after a claim and counter claim
has been accepted by both parties. Yours is the longest period of celibacy I've ever heard of!” Zeprik explained. “Where did you get that gown Satrina?
I've never seen any houses' colors look so brilliant.” Satrina walked up to her brother as the two males spoke.

“These are the colors of House Connell. They are also my house colors now believe it or not brother, the house picked the right one for me. Once father
knows I shall proudly wear them at court.” she proclaimed.

“You shall be the envy of every female on ten planets!” Zeprik complimented her. “They all try to make themselves as beautiful as you now. Dear sister,
they will be screaming at their tailors for weeks when you appear in that gown.”

“Thank you for understanding brother.” Satrina whispered as she hugged her big brother before moving to be near to Jon.

“What about your father?” Jon asked. “Won't he be angry with her over this if we don't tell him first?”

“He'll be upset at first, but he'll get over it.” Zeprik told them both. “He still misses his own sister.” Looking at Satrina, “You never heard about our
aunt. Their father once got so angry at his daughter that he put her out of the Royal House and forbade anyone from even mentioning her name. Father told
me once that he could never get that angry with a child of his. So, I imagine that he will be angry, but even before you open your womb to bear him grand-
children, all will be forgiven. For your mating to be recorded in the Palace records, you'll still need to repeat the claiming ceremony in front of
witnesses, but that won't be a problem once father sees how in love you are.” Zeprik took a long drink from his wine before saying, “Jon Connell, if you
are half the male that I hope you to be, you will take my sister upstairs and unite with her before the sun raises tomorrow. Give her good reason to be
seen wearing your colors. That is our way. Now, before I go, show me this crystal lake I've grown up hearing about.

The remainder of the day was a joyful time for all of them. John led them down to the lake and took them out in the boat he and his uncle had built
together. He then gathered together his antique violin and bow to play the magical notes to make the rainbow bridge appear and took them across to see the Umin
caverns. This time a small flock of the tiny flying dragons known to exist only on Haven had taken roost in the caves and they squawked at them endlessly
until they left. Rina got one to land on her hand and she found its colors to be a match for her own. “Look Jon, this one has our house colors!” she showed
the animal that rested in her hand delightedly to Jon and Zeprik.

Jon brought the picnic supplies out of the cooler and added to them. Amazingly the meats and cheeses were still good from the first time Jon and Rina had
tried to use them and they all went out to the sandy beach at the lake. They set up there and spent the remainder of the afternoon playing at the water's
edge after Jon repeated the ritual of making sure Talga would recognize Zeprik as a friend. For his own part in the ritual, the Prince found it almost
impossible to believe just how gentle the huge cat was once it had been properly introduced. “You were right Satri, he really is just a playful kitten at
heart.” he admitted to his sister. Finally, as the sun began to go down, Zeprik said his good-bye.

“You two take care of what the other needs most. I'll have the Royal hovercraft come to pick you up by week's end Satrina. By the time you are back on
Lexon II, I will have told our father and he will have had time to adjust to how things are now.”

“Rik,” Jon began. “If there is any chance of there being a problem for Rina, I can wait. Her needs are more important than mine.”

“Our father needs to know that his daughter has chosen her mate. You need to give her your seed to blend both of your essences together so everyone knows
that she is taken. Father will just have to accept who she choose.” Zeprik told him. “Suppose I am chosen by one of those furry little females like the one
you have running your ship in orbit? The one that was on the nightly news when she refused to allow the vidnews cameras onboard your ship back at Lexon II
Station. They were still playing that piece when Satrina and I left to come here.”

“You mean Phillie!” Satrina asked and broke into laughter.

“What is so funny? I'm a fine Lexonian male. The perfect specimen for any female.” Zeprik said indignantly.

Now Jon had to laugh, “Not for Phillie my friend.” Jon told him. “She would run both of us ragged. That female does not know the meaning of the word stop.
Her day isn't complete until she had redesigned a slipdrive engine or developed some new way to control a battle cruiser to be flown by long range remote.”

“Well perhaps not her, but you understand my meaning.” Zeprik suggested as he picked up his tunic and slid into it. “Butcher, I will meet up with you at
Lexon Station when its time to head to our assignments. Much happiness to you both.”

“Well, what should we do next?” Jon innocently asked Rina as her brother walked toward the house. She pushed him down on the blanket they had spread over
the sand of the beach and climbed on top of him to plant a huge wet kiss on his mouth.

“I'm not sure. What would you suggest my beautiful giant?” Rina asked with a sly smile on her lips and a twinkle in her eyes.

Looking up at her he told her softly, “Rina, I really don't know. I know its possible for two people as different as we are. I just don't want to hurt
you.” Jon was ashamed that as a healthy male he didn't know more about making love to a female, but he wanted this to be special for her too.

“Jon, we have time to find our way. No one says we have to rush ourselves.” Satrina reveled in how much she loved her mate. “Come. Let's begin in the
shower.” Standing she took his hand and led him up to the bathing chamber where a night of gentle lovemaking began with them each washing and exploring the
others body.

The night passed with neither of them doing much sleeping. It was passed in hours of talking, laughing and of pleasure with very little pain except at the
beginning as Jon broke into her for the first time. Then little by little as her body adapted to his, she felt a small amount of discomfort but never
enough to make him stop. By the first light of morning the only screams to be heard were screams of intense pleasure coming from Rina as her body was
racked over and over again and she rode orgasm after orgasm totally losing all control. Jon also learned that if he concentrated, he could stave off his
own pleasure while driving Satrina over the edge several times first. Then his own release would cause him to roar out his pleasure as his seed flooded
against the entry to her womb. If done properly, both of them would orgasm together, which just added to their bliss. Finally exhausted, Jon lay over on
his back, pulled Rina into him where she rested her head on his chest and they fell asleep like that together. Her leg draped over his abdomen and her head
on his chest while one outstretched arm held him tightly, Rina finally knew she belonged to her mate and he to her. This was how the Goddess intended it
should be between husbands and wives. His love warming her as her own love warmed him. At last, they belonged to each other fully.

Later that next day when they awoke, Jon asked if she was hungry and she told him, “I feel as if I haven't eaten in a day or more, but I do not know how to
cook. It was never taught to me as the Princess. I promise that I will learn. I will be a good wife to you my husband.”

“That's fine my tiny Tigress. I actually enjoy cooking first meal. I'll make enough for us both. It will be good to cook for someone again in this house.”
Then he climbed out of their bed, went into the cleansing chamber for a shower where he was joined by Satrina who wasn't yet finished using his body. When
her sexual hunger was sated and they had both showered and dressed, Jon took her to the kitchen where he prepared his favorite meal for them. Scrambled
eggs, local bacon, fried potatoes, toast and the juice of a citrus tree that was sweet and tart at the same time. Jon told her ”They used to have a fruit
on old Earth that was called an orange. It is said that this juice, while green in color, tastes very much like the oranges of Earth and was also high in
the same nutrients.” Satrina insisted that he show her each step in preparing the meal and swore to him that one day she would surprise him with it when
she mastered cooking it herself.