I stared at Szaro in utter and complete shock. On the other side of the room, they had a similar setup with another dozen holes in a small ditch along the elevated area we were standing on. This felt like the Ordosian version of ancient Rome’s public latrines. The only two differences were that the locals were standing instead of sitting, and that they had a fancy bidet instead of the sponge sticks the Romans washed their asses with.
“Okay… So… even with privacy walls, this is NOT going to work,” I said, still reeling from the fact that, for a moment, I thought my brand-new husband was going to take a shit right in front of me. Of all the things not to do on a first date, that most definitely qualified as it. Thankfully, he had not. “Humans require a seat with a hole in the middle for that. We don’t crouch over holes like that, unless we’re in the middle of the jungle and have to make do. I mean, man can urinate standing up, but for solid waste, they need to sit as well. Women need to sit for both.”
Szaro recoiled, looking somewhat confused. “Why do you use different positions? Don’t you have a cloaca that handles both? And why isn’t it the same for males and females?”
“No,” I said, before giving him a quick lesson in human anatomy. “So, crouching over a hole while hanging on to a bar doesn’t feature very high on my to do list.”
Szaro scratched the inside of his hood while staring at my crotch as if he could see it through my clothes.
“I see,” he said in a voice that rather expressed the opposite. “How urgently do you need to relieve yourself right now?”
“It’s not yet urgent, but definitely getting there,” I said.
“Come, I will take you to Irco. We will quickly devise a solution for you. You will have the waste seat you require,” Szaro said in a solemn voice that made me want to chuckle, but also worried me slightly.
He was taking his husband’s role very seriously. That was a great thing for me, but it concerned me that, the day I left, he would be hurt. Szaro genuinely seemed like a nice guy. Had he been human, I would have liked to date him. I loved the efforts he was making to ensure my comfort. If my stay here had been short, I would have sucked it up and found a discreet spot in the woods to do my business. But six months was far too long to tough it out needlessly.
That said, I would need to rein him in. From the way he spoke, Szaro truly intended to go all out turning his house into my dream home. The selfish part of me wanted to take advantage and see what wonders could be achieved with his cave. The potential certainly was there. And that terrace…! But it would be unfair to him and his true future wife.
As he led me back towards the village square, I finally took a minute to really take in my surroundings. Krada was a sprawling village enclosed by the mountain. In addition to the many dwellings carved directly into the mountain, many other one-story houses framed the square. Built with pale stone, they had a tropical feel to them, the modern and high-tech elements blending in seamlessly. Despite the great deal of vegetation all around, including flowers, trees, and bushes, the Ordosians had not tried to blend the man-made constructions into the environment. They had paved every walkway with stones, bricks, or some sort of pavement.
While they built all the residences in the center around the square, they’d placed the community buildings like their school, library, and entertainment facilities to the left, near the hygiene area. At the other end, on the right side, they’d grouped the commercial buildings. They didn’t have a state-of-the-art feel to them. They merely looked like bigger versions of the stone dwellings, except for one massive greenhouse. As we came closer, I realized it was more like an interior garden or atrium as I could see small creatures flying inside. My curiosity was cut short by Irco emerging from a building and coming to meet us halfway.
After quick introductions, Szaro explained some of the things I needed, while I stood there, feeling a little mortified and wondering if the Ordosian builder would think me a diva. To my pleasant surprise, Irco perked up.
“Interesting needs,” the builder said with a wide grin. “Let me get a tablet to sketch, and we can go back to the cleansing area to see how we can accommodate you.”
“Thank you,” I said, relief washing over me.
“We will have everything you need set up in no time,” Szaro proudly said as we watched Irco slither back into the building to fetch his tablet. “Irco is very creative and very skilled. Give him a good challenge.”
“Oh, I don’t want to burden—”
“It is not a burden, my mate,” Szaro said firmly, interrupting me. “Beyond the fact that I want the best for you, Irco will be happy for it. He loves projects that force him to push himself. He is a little bored with the everyday routine. Give him something to have fun with.”
“Well, if you put it like that, I just might,” I said.
Szaro beamed at me. It really softened his alien features, although it didn’t diminish the intensity of his stare. He had a way of looking at me as if he could see all the way into the depths of my soul.
“Szaro!”
Our heads jerked to the side to see Mandha approaching quickly.
“Brother?” Szaro asked when his sibling closed the distance with us.
“We must head out to the Chiswa Valley,” Mandha said with a sliver of anger in his voice. “There is a pack of Flayers on a rampage there. We believe the Zamorian was luring beasts from this main pack which has ended up wandering further north”
Szaro emitted a low-pitched hiss filled with a slightly rattling sound. It was scary as fuck and yet there was something inherently sexy about it.
“Head out with the others,” Szaro said. “I’ll join you shortly.”
Mandha nodded before turning around and moving at dizzying speed. Once again, it struck me how silent their movements were. For some reason, I’d always assumed their underside scales would make a grinding sound on the stone-paved ground.
“I don’t want to hold you back,” I said.
“You’re not,” Szaro replied in a gentle tone. “But the Chiswa Valley—named after the main species inhabiting it—is still in a fragile state. They are small, vulnerable creatures that are just now bouncing back from a bad infection that decimated their population. They cannot handle another blow so soon after their recovery.”
“I can imagine,” I said with a concerned frown.
“Once all of this is over, I will take you there,” Szaro promised while looking over my shoulder.
I turned around to see Irco returning with an enthusiastic expression.
“I must leave my mate in your care,” Szaro said as soon as the builder reached us. “She has many requirements for the dwelling as well. Give her whatever she desires. When you are done, inform Salha. She will see to Serena’s other needs.”
“Understood,” Irco said with a deference that took me aback.
Szaro wasn’t his tribe’s leader but appeared to be their top hunter. Did that confer him some kind of status or upper hierarchy ranking? He certainly acted with a level of authority that the others followed.
“Thank you,” Szaro responded before turning to me. “I will return in time for our bonding. It is a beautiful ritual. I hope you will enjoy it.”
“See you later,” I said with a smile, feeling awkward about the situation. I was no blushing bride buzzing with excitement at the thought of my impending nuptial. “Be careful out there.”
“Of course, my mate,” he replied with a smile.
I watched him hasten away, feeling oddly bereft. As intimidating as he was, my ‘husband’ exuded a soothing aura of strength and confidence. After he faded from view, I turned back to Irco and recoiled when I found him staring intently at me.
“Szaro has waited a long time to find the one he would call his mate,” Irco said in a strange tone. “He has fought many battles and won many challenges to earn one of the most sought-after dwellings in Krada where he could build the most perfect nest for his Ashina … his goddess. He has high expectations, and I’ve been counting the days until the moment came when I would work on that masterpiece. Nothing is too much. If you can imagine it, I will find a way to build it. Challenge me, mate of the Great Hunter.”
My stomach knotted upon hearing those words. If this were a marriage of love, I would be over the moon knowing my husband was giving me carte blanche to build my fairy tale home. Once more, guilt washed over me. It felt so unfair that I should stand in the way of his life-long dream and make a farce of it all. He deserved so much better.
I didn’t want to make any major structural changes that might turn off the female he would hopefully mate after my departure. And yet, as per Kayog’s instructions, I needed to play the game enough to convince the tribe that he and I were making a real go at this relationship.
“Well, that is a tall order,” I said with a nervous laugh. “Before we discuss turning his dwelling into a castle, let’s start with the basic necessities. We can look at sprucing up the rest of the house over the upcoming days and weeks.
“Of course, Serena,” Irco said with a big grin. “Such endeavors take time and finesse. I look forward to our collaboration. Let’s go see that cleansing room.”
He led the way to their communal hygiene room, and we spent the next half hour discussing options, location, and sketching variations. Irco was a freaking genius. Each new sketch surpassed the previous one. He had a keen mind, an incredible imagination, and to top it all, he carefully listened to understand what I wanted instead of trying to sell me his preferences. No sooner had we agreed upon the design than he had four people going to work, first on the toilet—to my bladder’s everlasting gratitude. I was particularly looking forward to the shower stall. Per the design, it would look out onto the hidden valley and possess a towel rack made out of a heating stone and a changing nook with a bench for me to put my clothes on so they wouldn’t get soaked.
We then moved back to the house where we spent the next couple of hours discussing the basic essentials: a bed, some kind of kitchen, a living room, and above all, comfy seating for the terrace. I intended to enjoy the heck out of that place. To my delight, connectivity wasn’t an issue here. I had not been certain, considering the Ordosians made no clear display of what technology they possessed. To my shock, Irco had already downloaded a vast library of human furniture that we spent a bit of time browsing through to identify the pieces I wanted made.
By the time we finished this first round, the workers had already built a functional enough toilet that I was at long last able to relieve my bladder before Irco handed me over to Salha. The female was beautiful, with shimmering green and blue scales that reminded me of a peacock’s tail.
Unlike the males, who were all on the broader side and towered over me, Salha almost perfectly matched me in height and size. A more delicate version of the Ordosians’ fins graced the outer side of her arms, and her hood, folded on the sides—like with most females—almost gave the illusion that she had straight blue hair framing her delicate face. Two large bejeweled golden bracelets adorned her wrist, and a large necklace hung around her neck.
“Hello, mating-sister,” Salha said in her slightly sibilant, yet oddly agreeable voice. “I hope everything went well with Irco?”
“Wonderfully! He’s amazing. He’s so patient and creative. I’m excited to see the finished product,” I said in all sincerity.
“Good!” Salha said with a satisfied grin. “It is as it should be. Szaro will want the best for his mate.”
“That’s what he said,” I replied, the sense of unease creeping back in.
Salha tilted her head to the side, giving me a strange look. “That doesn’t seem to please you,” she said.
My face heated, and I silently thanked God for my darker skin that hid my embarrassment. My sister-in-law was far too perceptive.
“It does please me that I should marry a male so generous,” I said, carefully choosing my words. “I just feel guilty that he has spent so many years preparing all of this for his perfect mate but is instead stuck with me.”
“He is not stuck with you,” Salha said with conviction and a firmness that took me aback. “The Great Goddess Isshaya has sent you to us for a reason. Today, my son and I live because you came to us. And tonight, the Great Hunter of Krada will finally take a bonded mate. Do you have any idea how many of our females wanted that honor?”
“But he didn’t choose me!” I exclaimed, guilt coming back at me with a vengeance. “He sacrificed himself out of duty because he feels indebted to me for saving you and your son.”
Salha gave me an enigmatic smile as she shook her head. “No, sister of mine. Szaro never does anything he deems wrong out of obligation. If he didn’t want you as a mate, he would have left the tribe and taken you to safety before he allowed any harm to come to you. He would have dealt with the diplomatic fallout afterwards.”
My jaw dropped upon hearing those words. She smiled before giving the main room an assessing look. Salha slowly circled around the table, her slender fingers caressing the smooth, polished top.
“The first time Szaro saw this dwelling, he knew it would be his and that it would become the perfect nest for his Ashina ,” she said wistfully. “My mate’s brother has a sense about things. Once he has decided he wants something, he will not stray from the path, no matter the cost or hardships to achieve his goal. The first time he saw you, his heart claimed you, even though his mind may not have known it.”
I snorted in disbelief. “I highly doubt that. The first time we met, he looked at me like I was some sort of fascinating little insect.”
“You are right about the fascination part,” Salha said. “I saw his stance while he defended you before the Elders yesterday. After he left you in the detention room, he came to our dwelling, and I heard his words about you. The Temern didn’t convince him to bond with you. Szaro had already decided to claim you as his mate last night. In his mind, he did so to save you, but I know my mating-brother. It is his heart that spoke. There’s a reason none of our females found grace in his eyes.”
“And what is that?” I asked, reeling.
“You are a Hunter, like him,” Salha said matter-of-factly. “Ordosian females do not hunt or fight.”
“Why? You’re not allowed?” I asked, frowning.
Salha laughed. “Everyone is allowed to do what they want, as long as it doesn’t threaten the safety of the tribe or of the world in our care,” she said with an indulgent smile. “It is simply not in our nature. We are born nurturers and thinkers. We raise the young, head all scientific and medical efforts, and lead our tribes. Our males hunt, build, and protect both our tribes and the wilderness in our care.”
“Right,” I said. “I’m not much of a scientific head and have no desire to lead. But I do love to hunt and always pictured myself becoming a ranger in some national park.”
“And now, you get to be a ranger alongside your mate, for an entire planet, with the most exotic creatures of our galaxy,” Salha said smugly.
Put that way, it had a very sexy ring to it.
“I know you see it as punishment to have been forced to take this course of action for showing mercy to my son and me,” Salha said in a gentle voice. “But this is fate. I’ve seen the way you look at Szaro. Ordosians may be strange to you in appearance, but you’re still drawn to our Great Hunter. Do not overthink your situation, Serena. Let nature take its course. You are exactly where you are meant to be.”
I shifted on my feet, feeling more troubled than I’d ever admit. I couldn’t deny feeling a certain attraction towards Szaro. We were technically married now, and nobody was waiting for me back home. I could explore the possibilities of a relationship with him if I wanted to. But I couldn’t think in those terms right now. All of this was still too fresh and too overwhelming.
“Let’s see how things evolve,” I said noncommittally.
“Let’s,” Salha replied. “Now, I will show you where to get food whenever you are hungry. I understand that besides meat, you also require fruits and vegetables?”
“Yes, that’s correct,” I said, following her out of the house. “Irco is going to build me a hot plate and an oven so that I can cook my meals, especially the meat.”
“You cook everything?” Salha asked with a strange expression.
“Meat, yes,” I said with a nod. “It is difficult for humans to digest raw meat. Not only is it harder for us to chew and digest, but we also get less nutrients from it and could get food poisoning from the bacteria some meat can contain.”
“Hmmm, that would not be good,” Salha said.
“Definitely not good,” I replied with a chuckle.
“So how do you cook your meat?” she asked.
I explain to her the different methods of meat preparation, from braised, grilled, and roasted, to the spices and marinades, and side dishes. She stared at me in shock as I talked about the various courses of a meal, from appetizers to desserts, wine pairing, etc. The fact that we had different types of meals for specific times of the day also appeared to blow her mind.
“If you have to eat three times a day, just how much of your day do you devote to these meal preparations? The cooking process sounds complicated,” Salha asked, flabbergasted, as we entered the building that I had mistaken for a greenhouse.
“It depends. Some meals can be prepared very quickly, while others take a lot of time,” I said. “Breakfast can be done in a matter of minutes, unless you start going for the much fancier stuff. The same can be true of any other meal as long as you have everything handy in your fridge, and you’re not making complicated recipes. But yes, preparing and eating food takes a notable part of the day. However, it is also an important bonding and social ritual for us.”
“How so?” she asked, luring me to the back of this magnificent atrium where a number of small creatures were scurrying about while even stranger ones flew between the tall trees and thick foliage.
“We will often organize large dinners with family or friends. There’s a lot of food involved that usually takes a few hours to prepare, and the meal itself can last a couple of hours or more while we talk and reminisce about things or tease each other.”
Salha frowned, a troubled expression crossing her features. “How distraught would you be if you could no longer have those large family dinners?”
“I’m a bit of a loner. So, I wouldn’t be distraught per se, but I can’t deny that I would miss the occasional sitting down together to have a bite or a drink,” I replied with a shrug. “I’m guessing from that question that Ordosians do not congregate to share meals?”
She shook her head. “Eating is a chore that we like to expedite. But it’s also a time of vulnerability for us,” she said, scrunching her face.
She stopped to point at the fruit trees in the atrium.
“You can take any of the fruits directly from the trees and bushes here, but you can also come here at the back where we have gathered many of them in these containers and cooling units. Through the back door, you will find both our gardens and pens,” Salha said before picking up an empty basket on the table then opening the door. “Harvest what you want and pick whatever creature you will want for your meat. We only ask that you do not pick anything bigger than you can consume.”
I nodded looking at the crazy variety of vegetables, neatly labelled in the large garden.
“Why did you say that food is a chore and makes you vulnerable?” I asked.
“We swallow our food whole, usually still alive,” Salha said casually. “It can take some time for it to go down, time during which we’re pretty much useless, if not semi-lethargic. And then, depending on what we ate, especially in the case of a furry creature or one with scales, we will regurgitate those non-edible parts. It’s not painful, but it’s not exactly fun either. Like I said, just a chore. Which is why it’s so great that we only have to deal with it once or twice a month as adults.”
It took every ounce of my willpower to keep a neutral expression plastered on my face. I did not want to visualize them with their mouths widening to impossible sizes as they swallowed a rabbit whole, or their necks stretching beyond normal, or them puking out bones and scales like a cat threw out fur balls. None of this evoked a sexy image.
“I see,” I said in a small voice, which only appeared to amuse Salha, not fooled in the least.
The pens contained an impressive number of small creatures, some no bigger than a large mouse, and others closer to a little goat.
While Salha continued talking, I gathered a few vegetables and selected a kweelzy, a small creature that vaguely resembled a piglet. To my delight, one of the Ordosians who served as caretaker for some of the carnivore creatures in the atrium, butchered the creature for me. Although I could have done it myself, with my current limited equipment, I appreciated being spared the chore.
When I returned home, a cooling unit in my soon-to-be kitchen received my freshly acquired food, and Salha provided me with some basic comforts like cushions, glasses, and utensils. By the time she left me to go care for her young and prepare for my Ordosian wedding, my house was starting to take shape.
