"Come on! Can't you get dressed faster? We need to leave the ship before it lands," Dey urges me impatiently, tapping his foot on the floor. He is already fully prepared to go and incredibly handsome in his thick, wolf fur coat, with shiny, raven hair, spread over his shoulders and a wide, happy smile on his bright face. I am doing my best, but he still scrunches his nose, "Why are you so slow?"
"It's not easy when the whole ship is tilted to the side and we're flying headlong downwards," I grumble, struggling to stand steady on my feet and tie my shirt's laces at the same time. "What about the official welcoming ceremony? Wouldn't it be awful if the diver arrives and we are nowhere to be seen? King Dorth will breathe fire when he finds out. It's also not very good for the High Protectors' reputation not to appear at their own celebration."
"Aww, you're always so straightforward," Dey chuckles, wrapping an arm around my waist to keep me from falling flat on my face. He kisses affectionately my forehead and runs his fingers though my loose, tousled hair, mumbling, "You're allowed to do what you want instead of what's expected every now and then. You also look exactly like someone who was just fucked into oblivion. Your cheeks are flaming. We need to cool you down a bit before people of Eleysan meet The Chosen in person for the first time. We won't be late. I promise. I actually plan quite a memorable appearance."
"Do you think your people will accept me?" I finally give voice to the concerns that have been bothering me throughout the entire journey to my fiancé's home kingdom. I've been thinking a lot about it lately. This is rival territory, even though the war is over, and I am still the enemy. I doubt the families, who lost their fathers and sons in the desert, would perceive me as a friend. Even less they would want me to be their ruler. The people of God's Garden are not like us. They are tougher, wary, guarded and do not forgive easily. I am gazing into Dey's eyes, searching for a sign of what he really expects to come out of this all. He smiles softly, but I need an answer. "Tell me, Dey. Will they acknowledge me as your husband and their future king? What if everyone despises me? What if they treat me as a foreigner and an intruder who's here only to steal their land? I know your father believes this is some wicked scheme to conquer his kingdom."
"He's the only one deluded enough to consider such a crazy conspiracy theory possible. No one in their right mind would support such a claim, except his faithful friend Lord Bardal," Dey shrugs. His expression becomes serious and he cups my cheeks in his palms. "You are my love, Moon Ray. You risked your life to stop the war and find me. Everyone knows it. You have God's power in you. My... our people will worship you. There's nothing to worry about. You will be cherished and admired."
"I don't want to be worshiped," I mutter. "I am an ordinary person. I just want to be loved."
"Well, that's exactly what I'm here for," Dey laughs and kisses my lips. "Don't try to deny who you are. You will never be ordinary. Fear nothing. Embrace your power and be proud of it. We are the only hope each and every human has. You will be worshiped and you will accept it because this is how it should be."
"Thank you!" I nod in agreement, grateful for the encouragement. How does he always know what to say? I would be lost without my strong, kind prince.
"Now, let's go!" Dey makes sure that my coat is buttoned properly and grabs my hand, pulling me out of the cabin, directly on the open deck.
"Where are we going?" I squeak when the cold wind hits my face. "We shouldn't be here. Do you want me to use my power and fly like we did when we were in the desert?"
"Nope," Dey grins. "The way you showed me your kingdom was magical and unforgettable, but I'll show you mine in my own way. "
"What do you mean?" I shout since the creaking of the descending ship and the flapping of the sails muffle our words. The deck is too slant. We can barely balance on our feet. I am puzzled and still unable to figure out what my spouse's intentions are. "Dey, you better do something or we're going to fall overboard."
"Patience, Moon Ray," he shouts back and whistles sharply. Harda immediately approaches, scratching the wooden beams on the floor with his long claws in an attempt to hold on to the rocking surface. Dey grips him by the ears, full of enthusiasm. "This is worth the slight inconvenience, I assure you. I haven't done it since I was a child, but still remember thinking it was one of the greatest things in the world. What better way to see the God's Garden than from a monster's back?"
I step closer, squinting at the animal in fear. Dey says Harda loves me, but I am still a bit uneasy around the formidable beast.
Dey waves his hand curtly towards the bat and prompts me, "After you, Your Highness."
"You want me to sit on his back?" I hesitate. "What if he doesn't like it? Didn't you mention something about his saliva becoming poisonous when he's angry?"
"Harda won't mind," Dey smirks.
"What about you?" I take a step back. "You're joining too, right? Wouldn't the two of us be too heavy for him?"
"Are you afraid?" he winks at me teasingly.
I purse my lips in frustration. Who is afraid? It's just a huge, pitch-black, intimidating monster with sharp teeth, dripping purple drool everywhere. What's the big deal? I take a deep breath and bravely climb on Harda's broad, beefy back, immediately grasping a handful of coarse bristle. Dey snorts through laughter and settles behind me, caging me between his arms.
He starts explaining in my ear. "See the first pair of wings? It will be a bumpy ride. Hold on to them tightly. Harda doesn't move them too much, only when making a turn. If you want him to go left, pull slightly at the base of the left wing. Same goes for the right. Don't pull them at the same time unless you want him to go up or do a somersault. Death bats are extreme and reckless flyers. If he was alone, he would shoot forward among the trees and squeeze through the narrow crevices between the rocks or fly higher than a sky diver. I'll hold his ears. It reminds him we're here and makes him more careful. All clear?"
I grunt a confirmation, reassuring myself that I can always catch Day and spread my fiery wings if something goes wrong and we fall. My prince whistles again and the ship is far behind us in only few seconds. We are gliding under the clouds, spiraling down at an incredible speed. Harda is a powerful beast. One flap of his huge wings is enough for us to float freely in the air currents. Our presence is not slowing him down in the least. He doesn't notice our weight at all. The first few minutes are shocking, but soon my smile grows bigger than ever. The feeling of freedom and exhilaration is indescribable.
We break through the thin curtain of the lowest clouds, and I gasp in amazement. I have never seen anything like that. An endless plain spreads bellow us, stretching all the way to a thin yellow line on the horizon. It looks like a beautiful patchwork quilt, made of rectangular pieces of green fabric. I didn't even know there were so many shades of green, emerald next to shamrock, olive next to lime, fern next to basil, and so many more. My eyes are straining to take in all this beauty before us. How can such a vast area of open land exist, all consisting of fertile fields, planted with all kinds of crops? We circle above them and I can't get enough of the view. The God's Garden. Now I know where the name comes from. These people are blessed to live here.
Dey presses his lips to my cheek to capture my attention and points to the horizon. I stare at the thin, yellow line as we are moving closer and closer, until it turns into glistening sand on a golden beach, lying right where the land and the azure ocean kiss, caressed by the gentle rays of the morning sun.
_______________________________
Photo 2476014 by Tom Fisk | pexels.com
A/N
Hello at the end of chapter 58!
Thank you for reading and supporting and your patience during the short break in updates! ❤❤❤
Did you like flying on Harda's back?
Next we're landing in King Dorth's capital for a welcoming party.
Is there a place in Eleysan you would like to know more about and eventually visit?
Share your thoughts, ask questions and criticize, if you think it's necessary.
And don't forget to vote, if you liked the story.
Love: Anny
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Forbidden (mxm)
FantasyHis red lips are glistening, the bottom one bitten between his pearly white teeth. His silky hair is hiding his delicate chest, but leaves the enticing smoothness of his back uncovered. His elegant, gentle hands are slightly shaking, squeezing the h...
