As I followed that beast of a male I’d just married, I kept reminding myself that Temerns didn’t make mistakes with their matchmaking. I wasn’t a social butterfly, but I’d never felt this awkward around a stranger. He knew nothing of humans. Nothing! It struck me once more as pretty reckless on his part to have agreed to marrying a species he was this unfamiliar with. What else was he this frivolous about? On top of that, he didn’t seem particularly impressed with me or interested either. Frankly, I rather felt the same about him.
To be fair, I couldn’t complain about his appearance. Granted, he didn’t exactly fit in my default definition of beauty based on human aesthetic. However, as a lizardman, Olix’s features were harmonious. I’d always liked a tall man, and my husband towered over me by a good head and a half. Despite being extremely muscular, he wasn’t bulky with excessively bulging muscles as bodybuilders sometimes got. His mostly green scales were quite beautiful, some of them shimmering like emeralds under the sun, while the black scales shone like the finest obsidian. There was something elegant and lethal in the way he walked, silent and fluid like a predator.
During my flight here, I’d read everything I could about the Andturians. Their propensity to walk around naked bothered me to no end. At least, their tails hid their butt cracks and the males had retractable dicks. A good thing, too, considering the decorative loincloth Olix was wearing really didn’t hide much. Otherwise, the slightest gust of wind would have exposed the goods. An anatomy essay on the Andturians allowed me to see that the way the scales fell in front of their female’s vagina also hid the slit. It wasn’t out of modesty but a natural adaptation to prevent unwanted stuff from getting in.
In direct contrast, the farming colony on Meterion was quite prudish. Although it had lost its religious colony status over the centuries, some of the old ways of the Pilgrims had endured. We didn’t expose our naked bodies to others, and we didn’t sleep around. While purity was no longer a requirement, whether for a male or female, many of us—including yours truly—waited to be married to lie with someone. It was in large part due to the difficulty of accessing contraceptives and the importance of birthright when it came to land inheritance. Impregnating a first or second daughter was a good way for a man to elevate his status and living conditions.
And now, my first time getting laid was going to be with a male who didn’t even know what a kiss was. Fan-freaking-tastic…
I wasn’t totally clueless. I’d kissed a man or two, given a few hand jobs, although never any blowjobs. But what was my wedding night with Olix going to be like when, by all accounts, his species didn’t do foreplay? Their females self-lubricated on demand, and the males usually took their females from behind. They just got straight down to business: wham, bam, thank you Ma’am. I could only hope we’d have some time to discuss the how and why before doing the deed.
Will he even be able to get it up for me, considering how unimpressed he was by my looks?
Being a woman had its advantages. While I prayed he wouldn’t split me in half, as long as he was gentle, the burden rested on him. Worst case scenario, I’d just lie on my back, close my eyes, and think happy thoughts while he performed his duty.
However, all such wandering thoughts came to a screeching halt when, only a short walk from the spaceport’s main entrance, I spotted a massive beast, looking completely out of place amidst a series of personal shuttles. It looked like the offspring of a razorback mixed with a rhinoceros on steroids. It had the face of a rhino with the two central horns, but the snout of a boar with a pair of extra-long and thick tusks framing its maw. From a distance, its skin resembled the rough one of a rhino, but on closer inspection, it turned out to be thick scales in various shades of light grey to almost black.
The creature’s terrifying looks didn’t faze me, but the width of its back would have me almost doing the splits. And the pointy ridge of its spine, interspersed with bone spikes—rounded though their tips were—would wreck my hoo-hah and my butt just sitting on it while stationary. I didn’t even want to imagine what it would do to my nether region once it started galloping.
I had noticed Kayog’s distraught expression when Olix had mentioned we would be riding to his village on a mraka. I had imagined some crazy speeder flying so fast we’d crash into a tree or something. But this?
Olix’s proud smile as he came to a stop next to the creature faded the minute he looked at me. I didn’t need a mirror to know what horrified expression my face clearly displayed.
“Do not be frightened, Susan,” Olix said in a gentle voice laced with worry.
Under different circumstances, I’d be enjoying its deep, grumbling quality, with a slightly sibilant undertone. My husband had a rather sexy accent as he spoke Universal.
“Despite his appearance, Haju is a gentle creature with people,” Olix continued. “He is a well-trained mount and will take us home quickly and safely.”
“I… I’m not scared of his appearance,” I said carefully. “But I don’t see a saddle on his back.”
Olix recoiled and gave me an almost offended look. “Only younglings use saddles, and even then, rarely. Do you not trust my ability to remain steady on a mount?”
“Oh, I do not doubt your abilities at all,” I replied quickly. “But I will never be able to ride that creature as is. He’s much too wide for me, and his spine will wreck me down there,” I added, my face heating as I gestured in the general area of my nether region.
Olix’s lizard eyes widened as he stared at my crotch with dismay.
“Why would it wreck you?” he asked, confused. “Our females ride them all the time without any problem. I will hold you, too.”
“Like you, your females have scales down there to protect them from the hard edges and texture of that creature’s scales. I’m soft skinned like this everywhere,” I argued, pinching the skin of my forearm to show him. “When it starts galloping, it will be like hacking at the meat of prey with a rusty knife, except that meat will be my private parts. It will split me in half, and I will die in horrible pain.”
Bewildered, Olix stared in turn at me, my crotch, and the back of the mraka. Disbelief, disappointment, annoyance, and a hefty dose of discouragement fleeted over his reptilian features in quick succession. He emitted a sibilant sound the creeped me the fuck out. It reminded me of the hiss of a snake mixed with some sort of a rattling, grumbling sound.
“I’m sorry,” I said, feeling horrible as I watched him reflecting on a solution.
He didn’t respond, but the look he gave me hurt. And yet, I couldn’t blame him for it. I, too, was wondering what the fuck I was doing here. Clearly, I wasn’t adapted to this world. Maybe this was happening for a good reason, while we were still at the spaceport. This marriage could be annulled, and I could get my sorry butt back home. I still had a few months before my twenty-fifth birthday.
“Wait here,” Olix said in a grumbling tone. “I will find something to make the ride safe for you.”
He didn’t wait for my response. Turning around, he headed back towards the entrance of the spaceport at a brisk, but stiff pace. I blinked away the prickling in my eyes. I had never felt so useless and inadequate than in this instance. At the same time, I was angry at Olix for not having considered our genetic differences when planning on bringing me home. Granted, he hadn’t had much time to look into humans, considering how quickly all of this happened. However, he shouldn’t have just settled for whatever species would have accepted him. He should have looked into each compatible one and narrowed the choice down to one he was comfortable with and understood.
And you shouldn’t have just accepted him after Kayog had informed you of this.
A wave of distress and sorrow washed over me. I felt increasingly overwhelmed by this whole mess. I hadn’t expected a fairy tale, but I had hoped for a smoother start than this—an instant chemistry between us that would have validated the Temern’s empathically driven choice of matching us together. But there had been none of this. For him, I was just one big disappointment after another.
Olix never entered the spaceport. Just as he was reaching the doors, Kayog walked back out, carrying something big in his arms. The two males stopped and began to converse. Kayog extended the package to Olix, who took it hesitantly. The conversation between them appeared to intensify, drawing the attention of a few other patrons walking in and out of the spaceport. The Temern gestured with his head for my husband to follow him as they took a few steps to the side, away from prying ears.
My throat tightened. From this distance, I couldn’t hear anything they said, but I could see a somewhat concerned expression on the agent’s face. Judging by their body language, I suspected Olix was trying to dump me back on Kayog, who was doing his best to convince him to give it a fair try. I felt humiliated and embarrassed. Sure, I might be wrong. Maybe the Temern was only giving him some last-minute advice or insights about dealing with a human mate, but the pessimist side of me expected the worst.
Stupidly, the thought of him wanting to get rid of me suddenly made me want to stay and prove him wrong, prove to him that we could make it, and that I could be the best wife he could have ever hoped for. So much for my own thoughts that this was a mistake.
I wasn’t a quitter. His people were going hungry. I could change that. I could be valuable to all of them… if only given a chance.
After a couple more minutes, Olix gave Kayog a sharp nod, and the agent appeared to relax, giving my husband a pleased smile. Olix turned around and started heading back towards me, carrying the package Kayog had given him, while the latter waved goodbye at me. I waved back, tears of relief prickling my eyes.
As Olix closed the distance between us, I recognized the object in his hand as some sort of massive saddle. My heart warmed for the Temern. I cast a glance back at the entrance, but the agent had already left. Of course, he had known it would have been impossible for me to ride the creature and had immediately gone and fetched what I needed. He had made no mystery that he wanted this union to work. But this gesture went beyond the call of duty. I hoped we would make him proud in the end.
“Kayog Voln always thinks of everything,” Olix said in a grumbling tone, showing the saddle in his hands. “This should keep you safe and make the ride enjoyable for you.”
“Awesome, thank you!” I said as he began strapping it on the creature.
“Do not thank me, my mate,” Olix said, his scales darkening with embarrassment. “It appears that I just keep failing you. I know you are disappointed with how inadequate I am proving to be. But I promise to do better.”
My chest constricted hearing the depth of the shame in his voice. This whole time I spent thinking he was judging me and finding me lacking, he’d been beating himself up, thinking I was doing the same to him.
I instinctively placed my hand on his upper arm, giving it a soothing, gentle caress.
“You are not inadequate,” I said gently, but firmly. “And you haven’t failed me. We are two strangers united by fate, and who have committed to be each other’s support and most loyal partner, for better or for worse. You have much to learn about me and humans in general, just like I have much to learn about you and the Andturian people. We can do that together. As long as we communicate and keep an open mind, there’s nothing we can’t overcome.”
His expression softened, and he stared at me in silence, his golden eyes roaming over my face as if he was seeing me for the first time. After a beat, a gentle smile stretched his scaly lips.
“Thank you for your understanding, my mate,” Olix said with that adorable accent of his. “I will endeavor to make you proud.”
“As will I,” I replied with a smile of my own.
My husband made quick work of settling the saddle on the back of the creature. It was quite impressive, with a thick blanket falling to the sides to avoid the scales scraping my legs despite my pants, and an even thicker, cushiony bench that sat on top of the creature’s back. It allowed me to sit comfortably with my legs either folded back on each side of the cushion or dangling down. Once he had me settled, Olix hooked my bag to some sort of strap on the front side of the beast. He then hoisted himself behind me, directly onto the unsaddled part of the mraka, and wrapped his arm around my waist. He pulled me backward on the cushion until my back pressed against his muscular chest.
The hard heat of his body around me was surprisingly nice. For some reason, I’d expected his scales to chafe and scrape my skin, but they felt oddly supple against me. Despite the elevation provided by the saddle, Olix still sat almost a head higher than me. His pleasant earthy, woodsy scent titillated my nostrils. Cocooned and sheltered by his body, I relaxed against him.
“Is this comfortable for you?” he asked, his deep voice giving me goosebumps.
“Yes, this is perfect. Thank you,” I replied.
“Good. I will go slowly at first. If you start feeling pain or discomfort at any time, please let me know immediately,” he said.
“Okay,” I answered, feeling touched by his solicitude.
We began to ride mostly in silence, the mraka gradually picking up the pace. Within ten minutes, the beast was galloping at dizzying speed. At first, my stomach roiled a little, and my teeth chattered, but I eventually adapted to the motion, flowing with the creature’s movements, as well as Olix’s behind me. I would still be sore as all hell in the morning, but in time, I didn’t doubt for a minute that this method of transportation would grow on me.
Although Olix pointed out some landmarks along the way, he mostly remained quiet. I didn’t mind. Between enjoying the stunning view of the mostly untouched, savage land, I welcomed this opportunity to gather my thoughts and mentally prepare for meeting his people… my new people.
After an hour’s ride, I almost asked for a break as I was beginning to feel cramped, tired, and thirsty. However, as if he’d guessed my growing discomfort, Olix announced we were less than ten minutes away. I decided to keep quiet and suck it up.
To my delight, the silhouette of the village finally appeared on the horizon. I’m not sure what I had expected, but not the elegant structures of stone, wood and glass that greeted me. The dark browns and light beige gave it a warm and peaceful aura. The harmonious layout of the village spoke of well thought out urban planning and ingenious design that married the modern elements of the constructions to the natural environmental setting.
The one-story dwellings surrounded a large stone plaza at the end of which a massive building sat. It had to be their gathering hall or serve in some sort of official settings. While most of the village appeared to be covered in packed dirt, some cobblestone paths indicated the main ‘roads’ if that term applied. At a glance, I estimated the village contained a couple of hundred houses surrounded by vast plains on each side, a dense forest in the short distance, and a wide river at the back.
The absence of fortifications or defensive walls around the village spoke volumes about the peaceful nature of the inhabitants of both this area and of the planet as a whole. While the Andturians relied heavily on hunting and—to a lesser extent—fishing, no dangerous predators roamed nearby.
But as we closed the distance with my new home, my innards twisted in a knot at the sight of dozens—if not hundreds—of Andturians of all ages gathering on the plaza to witness our arrival.
“Calm, Susan,” Olix suddenly said next to my ear as he began slowing down the speed at which the mraka galloped. “These are your new people now. No one will harm you. You are among family and friends. They look forward to meeting you.”
I couldn’t tell what gave away my nervousness, or if he was just anticipating what emotions might course through me at this time, but his words helped alleviate part of my stress. I would likely remain a complete mess for the next few days, but every bit of support was welcomed.
“I hope they won’t be too disappointed,” I mumbled, immediately kicking myself for it.
But his answer took me aback.
“No, my Susan,” Olix replied in a strangely serious voice. “It is we who hope you will not be too disappointed with your new home and people.”
For the first time, I wondered how they might all be feeling at the thought that I would be judging them as they would be judging me. Did my opinion really matter to them?
Olix is their ruler… or rather Clan Leader.
Yes, I could see how they might want to meet the approval of their leader’s wife. But it also struck me that, as such, I would fall under even greater scrutiny. How humiliating it would be for him if his ‘subjects’ found his ‘queen’ pathetic? I didn’t want to embarrass him or cause his authority to be undermined.
That thought gave my already knotted stomach another nasty little twist.
But all meanderings fled my mind as our mount came to a stop under the cheers and the greetings of the clan. I didn’t know where to look with so many lizard faces surrounding me. To my shame, if not for the different colors and patterns on their scales, I would have been hard pressed differentiating them. They all looked the same to me, except for the noticeable size and shape differences that separated the two genders. Although my brain recognized variety in their features that made each face unique, it would take it a while to process this information overload.
Olix deftly jumped off the mraka then lifted me from the saddle as if I weighed nothing before setting me on my feet in front of him.
“Susan, this is the Monkoo village, your new home. And this is my clan, your new family,” he said, gesturing at the people and the village in general with a wave of his hand. “People of Monkoo, I present to you my human mate, Susan Jennings from the Southern Fields of Meterion.”
They all slapped their tails on the ground twice while pressing their right hand to their chests in a welcoming gesture. Feeling super awkward, I responded with a stiff smile and an even stiffer nod of the head. Although none of them displayed open hostility, by the way they subtly assessed me, none of them seemed particularly impressed. I had my work cut out for me to prove my worth.
Two females approached us, one clearly older, judging by the thickness of her scales, almost the same hue as Olix’s, the darker color of the strange strands that made me think of braids on their heads, and the number of beads and knots in the tribal jewelry she wore. The other female, visibly younger, but still of adult age, had stunning, blue scales that shimmered like gems under the sun.
“Susan, this is my mother Yamir and my younger sister Luped,” Olix said.
“Welcome, Daughter,” Yamir said in a surprisingly welcoming voice.
“Welcome, Sister,” Luped replied with excitement that made me instantly like her.
I mumbled back a greeting. I didn’t know how sincere their welcome was, or how they felt about me as a wife to Olix, but this initial greeting made me feel much better… less alone among strangers.
