Kidnapping Keela (8 page)

He led her along the corridor and down the staircase to the ground floor. From there they entered a wing of the palace that had been created to receive guests and to impress them. The ceiling was high because the rooms in this wing went higher than two stories. The corridors were four times wider than in the private parts of the palace where she had already been. Keela was amazed by the splendour that she saw and her heart sank. She had expected to meet the royal couple in a somewhat more private environment. She did not feel comfortable with all this splendour and she felt small, even tiny, in this high, wide hall with its enormous statues and tapestries that were several meters high. Her knees weak, she let herself be led by Marruk until they reached a high double door. Two guards nodded to one another and opened the doors to allow them inside.

She did not know what she had expected but definitely not this. They entered a hall that was as big as a football field and it was teaming with guests. Some guests from other alien races were even present, and there were many different uniforms. Everyone looked very important and formal. This reception was anything but a little meeting with the royal family. This was more like a state event. The fact that no one had noticed her yet did not even help. As it was she was already feeling extremely uncomfortable.

“Why are there so many people here?” asked Keela in a whisper.

“Because your visit is of great significance for my planet,” replied Marruk, just as quietly.

“But why?”

“Because, as you’ve probably noticed, the number of women amongst my people is much lower than the numer of men. But there are not many planets where there are humanoid women. The few planets whose people are humanoid almost all have the same problem. For some it’s even worse than here. On Karrx7 there’s one woman to forty men. Some planets have a ratio of one to a thousand. There are various factors that partly explain this. For some reason less girls are born and some women suffer from inexplicable infertility. The United Galactic Federation even has special scientists dealing with this to try to find a solution.”

Keela stood still as if rooted to the spot and stared at Marruk in dismay.

“Are you saying that Amber and I are to be paired off with one of your men just because you don’t have enough women?” she asked cuttingly.

“You say that as if it would be an awful punishment. So do you have no longing for a man? For a mate and a family?” asked Marruk.

Yes, for you!
thought Keela miserably.
Only you are already taken. Damn it!

“Not at the moment,
no
! And if I did want to at some point then I would
damn well
want to decide myself when and with whom!”

“Then you need to take care that no male claims you,” replied Marruk sullenly.

“
What
is that supposed to mean? Claim?”

“On Karrx7 a man knows, when he sets eyes on his mate, that she’s the right one. If that happens then he claims her for himself in a ceremony.”

“And what if the woman does not want that?” asked Keela, a little too loudly, but she was too angry to notice that she had attracted the attention of those around her.

Marruk glared at her out of what were now almost purple eyes. She had already noticed that his eye colour changed according to his mood and this purple colour indicated that he was very angry. She only wondered why. She was the one who should be angry here.
 

“It’s the male who makes this decision,” he declared between clenched teeth. “But I can assure you that I have never come across a case in which the woman was not happy with the decision. There are very few unions that are not happy on my planet. Our women are treated very well.”

“Oh, right, I’m reassured now then,” she snapped back sarcastically. “I don’t think I feel like this party. I’m going!”

Keela was angry. Her blood was boiling and she really felt like hitting someone in the face, preferably an arrogant, chauvinistic and damned sexy looking alien with the body of an ancient Greek demigod. Consumed with rage she pulled herself away from Marruk and rushed away. The fact that hundreds of pairs of curious eyes were watching her did not bother her.

***

Marruk stared after her, clenching his fists and grittin his teeth. This woman was really driving him mad. He was not sure whether he wanted to put her over his knee or shag her senseless. When he thought about it carefully, both alternatives had their advantages. A grin lit up his face until he realised that he was on the point of losing his heart to this woman. That could not happen. He must keep his hands off her. He had managed for such a long time without a mate until this blond temptation had burst in upon his well-ordered life. She was making him wish for things that he had long sworn not to do. Damn it!

“Are you not going to go after her, brother?” asked Berka who had come up to him.

Marruk shook his head. He really was not in the mood right now to discuss his love life, or lack of one, with his brother.

“I’ll tell you something. If you don’t hurry up, another male will come and claim her. Then she’s lost to you, you know that.”

“She is not mine to claim. She’s
not
my mate!”

“I’m sorry, brother. I see things differently. I have eyes in my head. You look at the little one as if you want to swallow her alive. But fine, if you don’t want her perhaps I should go after her and claim her. Yes, that might be a good ...”

Berka took the punch with a grin. He knew that his brother would get jealous at just the slightest provocation. Although he may be denying it right now, Marruk had found his mate, and Berka had, too. He just had to convince this stubborn woman that she was his. And until then he had to take care of his own manhood if he did not want to lose Amber. This little witch was dangerous. It seemed that the women on planet earth were more fiery than the women in his world. That made the whole thing more exciting. Smiling, he watched his brother storm out of the hall like a mad man.

“What’s going on here then?” asked the queen, suddenly appearing next to him.

Berka turned and smiled at his mother.

“Oh, Marruk has just found a new mate at last.”

“Has he?”

“Yes. Only he doesn’t seem to quite get it yet.”

“And what’s going on with the two new women? I can’t see either of them.”

“Well, yes, Amber is not ready to come. We had a – misunderstanding.”

The queen raised an eyebrow and looked closely at her son.

“
Misunderstanding
?”
 

Berka nodded.

“And the other girl?”

“She charged out of the hall in anger when Marruk explained to her about the situation with the claiming.”

The queen sighed.

“You men always have to charge in like a bull. I think I’m going to have to take this in hand.”

With these words the queen walked away from her son and left the hall.

***

Keela was walking angrily up and down her room. What had she done to deserve all this? She had been rescued from a slave trader just to be put into slavery again. Her situation here could not be described in any other way, if any passing alien could simply come and claim her for himself. Whether he was going to pay money for her or, in caveman style, just swing a club and say “ugah-agah, now you’re mine”. What was the difference? If she really was going to enter a relationship with one of the Carthians, then it would only be because she wanted to and not because someone came along and beat on his chest. These Carthian men really did all seem to be alpha-men. Emancipation here was a totally foreign word. She really was amazed that such a Stone-Age culture was technologically so highly developed. One would think that a race so highly developed technologically would have also developed to a high level culturally. Damn muscle men! Primitive beasts! She would show them that she was not going to be treated in such a way. Perhaps the women here were used to being treated like decorative ornaments without a brain or any sense, but she had learnt to use her head. She was not a naïve, silly little thing and she would definitely not fall for such a sex beast - at least as long as he did not have turquoise-coloured eyes and a damn firm …

Damn it! I really do need to watch where my thoughts are wandering.

There was a knock at the door and Keela froze. Her heart was beating wildly. Had Marruk followed her? She hoped he had not. She really did not feel like speaking with him right now. - or speaking with anyone at all. She began to panic.

There was another knock.

“May I come in?” asked a woman’s voice.

Keela sighed with relief. It was not Marruk. Perhaps it was a maid. She would ask for something to drink - something alcoholic - the stronger, the better!

“Yes!” she called finally and the door opened.

The middle-aged woman who entered was clearly not a maid. Her priceless dress and the gem-embossed tiara on her brown hair were hardly going to belong to a simple maid. She closed the door behind her and gave Keela a friendly smile.
 

“There you are, my child. I was so looking forward to meeting you and I was disappointed when I heard that you had already left the reception.”

Keela grew pale, then red. The queen. This must be the queen. She had disappointed the most important woman amongst these people. Hopefully this woman did not bear grudges. Without a doubt she could order someone to cut off Keela’s head, or worse - marry her to the oldest, ugliest man. But what should she say now? What should she do? Curtsey? Or bow? Kiss her hand?

Heavens! How have I got myself into this situation?

The queen seemed to realise her concern and went up to her, took her by the hand and led her to the couch where they sat down.

“What drove you from the reception, my dear?” she asked in a friendly way, without letting go of Keela’s hand.

“I … I …” stammered Keela, unsure as to how she should tell the queen that she did not want to be sold off to just any man.

“Did Marruk say or do anything that angered you?”

“He said that it was intended that I be paired off with one of the men here. I won’t be forced to belong to some man here that I don’t want,” she finally burst out, expecting to have incurred the anger of the queen.

But the queen simply smiled and folded her hands in her lap. It took a while for the queen to speak.

“What’s your name, child?”

“Keela.”

“My name is Moreena,” said the queen, looking directly at Keela. “I’d like to speak to you woman to woman. Is that OK?”

“Of course,” said Keela, shrugging her shoulders. “But it won’t change my mind about not wanting to be sold.”

“Don’t worry, Keela. Just let me explain something to you. It’s true that it’s the male here who takes the initiative and that he claims the woman that is his mate. He does that in order to make it clear to everyone that the woman now belongs to him and is no longer available. That …”

“But …,” interrupted Keela, but she fell silent as the queen put a hand on her cheek.

“Let me explain first, please.”

Keela nodded.

“The idea of a man claiming a woman who does not want him is unthinkable. It does happen that some women are hesitant at first and not sure of themselves. In these matters men are usually – not always of course – but almost always accurate.” The queen smiled. “There are actually no unhappy unions in our society. Our men sometimes drive us crazy, but they are faithful and considerate mates and …” The queen winked. “… very good lovers.”

Keela blushed. It was only too stupid that the only man whose lover qualities would interest her was no longer available. All other men could stay away from her. She would not stay on this planet longer than necessary anyway.

“I’m putting you under Marruk’s protection. Solima dotes on you and enjoys your company. You’ll stay in Marruk’s house until you’ve found a mate. Marruk will ensure that no male comes near you that you don’t want. I promise you that.”

“What … what will his wife say about him taking me into his house? In my world such a situation would be uncomfortable.”

“Wife? Marruk has no mate if that’s what you mean. Solima’s mother died when the girl was very small.”

Keela’s heart pounded. Marruk was still free? He has no wife? And she was to live with him in his house?

“Is everything OK?” asked Moreena, concerned.

“Yes, everything’s OK.”

“Would you give me the pleasure of accompanying me back to the reception? I don’t wish to force you of course, but I hope that you’ll consider it. No one will hassle you, I assure you.”

Keela nodded.

“Wonderful. Shall we both go to your friend first and convince her to come, too?”

“Yes. Did she run off, too?”

Moreena laughed.

“She didn’t come in the first place. It seems that Berka angered her in some way. As I said, our men sometimes drive us crazy. But you’ll learn to deal with them. They’re actually easy to manipulate. You just need to know how.”

Moreena winked and Keela had to laugh.

“That’s better. You’re beautiful when you laugh.”

***

Marruk stormed out of the palace and went straight to the stable. The cocktail of emotions that were fighting for supremacy inside him was making his blood boil. It had been a mistake to bring this woman here. He should have left her on the damn ship. The last thing he needed was a new mate. He had already had to live with losing one woman who meant something to him and he would not survive it a second time. Only Solima had given him a reason to live after Morika had died. Up to now he had been able to keep his emotions under control. On the few occasions since Morika’s death that he had spent in the arms of a woman he had never felt more than basic passion. Never had any deeper feelings been involved and he had definitely never felt this irritating feeling of raging jealousy as he just had when his brother reminded him of the fact that sooner or later a male would come and claim Keela. He had not for a second considered that this male might be Berka. He knew that his brother just wanted to provoke him. But the warning behind this provocation was clear:
Claim her or another will come.