TICEES (22 page)

Fremma stood cautiously and cleared his throat, hoping to diffuse any situation before it arose. “My Lady,” he began, as he stepped up to Lena’s side. “This is my friend Lena.” Fremma hesitated, watching both women carefully. “And this, Lena, is our Commander’s Lady, the Lady Chelan. I don’t believe that you attended the Koll, so you would not have been introduced to her.”

Chelan took in a deep breath and stilled herself. She reviewed all the lessons that she had learned over the months, and she concentrated most of all on Fremma’s word of love. But all her senses were assaulted at once by the woman before her, and she could not tamp down her feelings of possessiveness. “Ah, yes,” she began as she stared at Lena. “I seem to recognize the face, dear Fremma, not to mention the body,” she added acidly.

Lena flinched and then looked at Fremma, her eyes ablaze. “Your pet project, I believe,” she said with disdain. “And the unfortunate reason for your unnecessary withdrawal from me, I assume?”

But Fremma ignored Lena, his eyes still fixed on Chelan. He was shocked by Chelan’s unexpected challenge to a woman who could take her easily, and who by Iceanean law had more than ample reason to do so. Fremma finally focused on the tangible menace beside him. He grabbed Lena’s arm forcefully. “Don’t press your luck, Lena,” he warned.

But Lena disregarded him. She had come to be with the man who was her friend and who had unconditionally shared his life and body with her for years. Upon her arrival today, he had informed her that he was choosing to abstain from her indefinitely, with no reason forthcoming.

But now Lena felt she had found the source of Fremma’s abnegation, and she was not going to submit to an alien who had placed illogical restrictions on one of her men. Least of all, an alien who was a Warlord’s mate. There wasn’t a woman in the Empire who wouldn’t do practically anything to procure the favors of Korba. Therefore, since Chelan had obtained the unattainable, that was where she should stay, by Korba’s side. She should not interfere with Fremma.

Lena took a step toward Chelan. “So, you are Korba’s Letted woman,” she began tonelessly. “And obviously a lot more, as you seem to have done well at distracting Fremma also. I guess it is not enough that you possess exclusively the most important man in the galaxy. You also feel the need to drag down all his important officers with you, contaminating them with your alien ways.”

Chelan immediately bristled to the woman challenging her as Marri had done. “It is obvious that I have succeeded rather well, for I see that you have been relegated to his chair rather than his bed.”

Lena’s breathing caught as her rage consumed her. “Fremma, I will not stand here and be slandered by an—”

“No, you certainly won’t stand here any longer!” Chelan shouted. “May I suggest that you make a prudent choice and vacate these premises immediately, as long as Fremma does not object.”

Fremma’s eyes widened, and he smiled inwardly.

But Lena refused to budge. Before Fremma could move to smooth things over, Chelan took a step back, the main doors opening. “Lazen!” she called firmly.

Immediately the guard was by her side, his lazgun drawn. “My Lady,” he acknowledged.

“I believe that this woman has overstayed her visit, not to mention her welcome. I would appreciate her removal, if Fremma permits.”

Yanis saw the trouble from the corridor, and he stepped back to hit an emergency button.

Lena looked up at Fremma, seeking his defense, but Fremma was rendered speechless by Chelan’s uncharacteristic assertiveness, not to mention the ease with which she used the resources available to her. It was almost as if she had been born to her position.

Lazen responded to Chelan’s order by moving just in front of her. He stood braced for trouble, awaiting Fremma’s confirmation.

In a flurry of ebony, Korba rounded the door, his eyes scanning the stage and its players, his icy stare settling on Lena.

“My Lord!” she gasped, dropping to one knee and bowing her head momentarily before looking back at him and standing.

Korba glanced at Lazen’s defensive stance. Then he walked up to Chelan’s side. He touched her shoulder, but she remained immovable, her eyes firmly set on Lena. “What’s the trouble, my Lady?” he asked quietly, as he studied Lena carefully.

Chelan spoke calmly and firmly. “I had asked the woman to leave, but she seems to have a degree of difficulty with the Iceanean language, so I’ve asked Lazen to spell out my request more directly.”

Lena began to lose her composure under her Lord’s unfriendly scrutiny. She had always respected and revered the massive man, but the loss of Fremma and the shock of meeting the beautiful woman abruptly in Fremma’s quarters had fogged her senses. She remained very still.

Korba smiled to himself over Chelan’s choice of words but he kept his jaw set. “Did the Lady Chelan request your departure?” he asked.

“Yes, my Lord,” Lena answered obediently. “She stipulated that I leave as long as Fremma—”

“Her request requires no confirmations!” he shouted. “From Fremma or anyone else!”

Chelan gasped at the harshness of her mate’s booming voice, and she flinched under his undeniable authority.

“Yes, my Lord,” Lena replied immediately.

“Don’t ‘Yes, my Lord,’ when it should be ‘Yes, my Lady’!” Korba continued, his voice betraying his anger at her insubordination.

Lena swallowed, trying to remain in control. She returned to her knee and looked at Chelan. “I apologize to you, my Lady, and I will now abide by your request, if you permit?”

Chelan began to feel sorry for the woman, and she started to reply, but Korba was not going to let the situation slide. Originally he had been amused by the whole scene, but now he was genuinely aggravated by Lena’s disobedience and her lack of respect for his mate. He lowered his voice and stepped in front of Lazen and Chelan. He walked toward the warrior and glowered down at her. “It is obvious,” he seethed, “that some members of my crew, whether they attended the Koll or not, seem to be unclear about the status of my chosen mate.”

Lena dared not look away, and she remained motionless.

“So let me make this very clear to you, and when you leave here, I trust you will pass the word along … or someone is going to get killed!” he thundered.

Chelan jumped at his scathing remark, wishing she had never come here this morning.

“No one on this ship, absolutely no one, challenges or questions her. You bow in her presence, and you abide by her wishes”—he lowered his voice to a threatening rumble—“or your outlook is indeed bleak.

“Now,” he hissed as he stepped closer, “pertaining to your own situation. I assume that Fremma has made it obvious that you will no longer be in his intimate company. Whether or not he has made his reasons clear is of no consequence. Your visits here now are benign, unless he dictates otherwise. And in the future, by my order, your presence here terminates immediately upon the Lady Chelan’s entrance, and there will be no exceptions to that. Failure to leave promptly will result in your untimely demise by my hand. Is that understood?”

Lena was an emotional wreck. “Yes, Sire,” she whispered.

“You may now abide by my Lady’s wishes,” he added sternly.

Lena nodded to Korba and hustled toward Chelan but was brought up short by Lazen’s gun. Lena bowed from a distance. “I apologize, my Lady. May I now be excused?”

Chelan simply nodded, too stunned by the whole confrontation to speak.

Lena immediately took her leave, and Lazen followed her out. Chelan and Fremma remained very still, both afraid to speak to the enraged Warlord. They watched as Korba hung his head, his hands on his hips while he collected his thoughts. Suddenly, he began to laugh, and Chelan and Fremma looked at one another in baffled silence.

“Chelan,” Korba called. “Your intent is well-taken, and your conduct was admirable, but please do not challenge every woman you see. They are not all a direct threat to you.”

Chelan stiffened, unable to control the pain that instantly surfaced in response to Korba’s inaccurate assessment of Lena. “Lena was not just a perceived threat!” she shouted angrily. “She was the bitch I walked in on months ago when—”

Chelan stopped, her hands flying to her lips. Then she remembered that Korba knew nothing of the incident. His downplay of the whole affair was innocent.

Chelan immediately looked away. Visions of Fremma with Lena flashed through her mind, and she closed her eyes against the misery. She suddenly felt unwell, the intensity of the whole affray began taking its ultimate toll.

Fremma was the first to recognize Chelan’s dire state of mind, and he looked to Korba. “It was my fault, my Lord,” he began. “A while back, Dar was unexpectedly called from the Command Center, and Chelan came here to be with me.” Fremma looked anxiously at Chelan. He lowered his voice as if still apologizing to her. “But I was with Lena, and Chelan saw us.” Fremma looked back at Korba. “I don’t think I have to elaborate on the calamity it created.”

Korba instantly realized why Fremma’s decision to remain abstinent was so important to him. The warrior had felt the sting of her rejection personally and had never fully recovered. But Korba was struck by yet another disturbing revelation. He stepped up to Chelan. Slowly turning her face to him, his fingers slipped to her neck and he traced the red scar that marred her pretty skin.

“You said that you had requested of Dar permission to stay in the private blue room, yet you told me you had moved in with Fremma on the day of my departure. Was it this incident that forced you to leave his quarters?”

Chelan simply nodded.

Korba removed his fingers from her. “I’m sorry I laughed,” he offered lamely. “I had no idea what had occurred here before.”

Chelan looked up at him. “It’s okay,” she whispered. “I thought I had healed, but when I saw her, the old wounds opened … and I overreacted.”

Korba watched her closely. “My Lady,” he whispered. “When we hurt you with our ways, you must talk to us. Please do not run from us.” Korba traced her scar again. “You spurned Fremma and sought seclusion for an act he would have never have committed deliberately to hurt you. And by seeking seclusion you took yourself out of his direct protection.” Korba felt his heart stumble as his eyes looked at the wound inflicted by Solis, and he blocked the images of her near death from entering his mind. “Always talk to us, Chelan. Please.”

Chelan finally looked up at him sheepishly. He smiled down at her. “Are you okay?” he asked quietly.

Chelan nodded contritely. “Yes, I think so. I just seem to be learning a lot of lessons rather rudely.”

Korba smiled and drew her to him. “I’m sorry that our world is so harsh, my Lady. I wish I could spare you from it all.” Korba hugged her and then looked up at Fremma. “Did you explain your decision to Lena regarding Chelan?”

“No, my Lord. I simply told her that I would no longer be intimate with her or anyone else, and that my reasons were personal and not to be discussed. I did not wish to intrude upon Chelan’s wish of confidentiality. My Lady’s private dealings are important to her and are not open to public knowledge such as ours. However, after all of this, Lena knows the reason behind my decision, though it is obvious that she does not understand it, nor does she accept it.”

Korba smirked. “
Obviously
is an understatement. But she has just
accepted
it via my decree, whether she likes it or not.” He looked down at Chelan, taking her face in her hands, and kissed her lovingly.

Chelan returned his affection. “You had better get back to your workout or your command will not be forthcoming on this day.”

Korba kissed her lips once more. “And so you are right, my pretty woman. But I will take my leave only on one condition.” He smiled. “That you stay out of trouble!”

Chelan nodded obediently, and then Korba looked at Fremma. “Take good care of her, my friend, and just to be on the safe side, make sure she does not have access to any knives, or I just might happen to find half of my female crew dispatched by nightfall.”

Fremma chuckled. “Don’t worry, my Lord. I won’t let her out of my sight, and I will allow her no access to any of our women.”

Chelan flushed with embarrassment. She watched as Korba left the room, and then she glanced at Fremma quickly. “I’m sorry, Fremma,” she blurted.

“No, don’t be sorry, my Lady. Your response was understandable. But you do not have to worry about my fidelity, and I trust that you now know that.”

“I do,” she whispered, and she hugged him. He held her tightly, and she smiled. “I have some good news for you,” she began.

Fremma took a deep breath, his heart already knowing that Korba had released her to him. His entire being overflowed with love for Chelan, and with love for his fair and unfailing Commander.

Chelan spent a couple of hours with Fremma, both of them talking and laughing their way through the morning. But soon, Chelan realized it was time to return to the Command Center. She felt excited and apprehensive at the same time, but Fremma bolstered her confidence, kissed her gently, and sent her on her way.