Wishful Thinking

" You are to provide entertainment by dancing for tonight's guests only, you are not to speak to or otherwise engage them in any other way ." The velvet edged voice rang out over those assembled beneath a tree whose branches were studded with leafs and vibrant peach colored flowers . " Do I make myself clear ? "

Knowing their fate if they were to talk back or disobey her words those who had been chosen to entertain tonight lowered their gazes to the grass beneath their feet.

She'd kept track of how long they'd been here on Malkah and she knew that back home there would probably be snow on the ground because it would be mid-December .

They certainly wouldn't be dancing barefoot in a garden setting in Pennsylvania right now.

Yet here the dusk night was warm enough to cause a sheen of sweat to coat the skin that her costume didn't cover,which was a LOT of skin .

While on top her breasts were threatening to come tumbling out of the tiniest , tightest vest she'd ever had the misfortune to have to wear at least her goods weren't on display like her bottom half , where she had on a low slung almost sheer skirt with a flowing layered tattered hankie hemline and people could see the thong panties she wore beneath it.

By the time the dance mistress had escorted them to the raised platform stage where they would be performing to the throbbing beat of the music being played by native beings the guests had begun to arrive and once again she noticed that not one of the people born on this world were even average looking .

Beautifully dressed and elaborately coiffed the guests mingled under a lilac and pink streaked dove grey sky and her gaze swept their faces, looking for one in particular.

Finally she was rewarded when she caught sight of his broad shouldered frame weaving among the crowd and her lips curved into a smile meant for him alone as she began swaying, bending and gyrating to the music along with the eight other troupe members.

Then, through a break in their numbers, she noticed that he wasn't alone..a lanky golden haired beauty seemed to be velcroed to his bent arm, the golden hoops that ran up the outer edge of her elfin ears swinging when she tilted her head to laugh at something he'd said, her slightly feline looking teeth gleaming in what was left of the days light.

Jaenese stumbled but she refused to fall..she'd not give him that kind of power, to see her reduced to looking a fool in front of all of these people..it was bad enough that most saw the slaves as less than people as it was.

Instead she pulled her shoulders back, pasted a fake smile on her mouth and kept dancing..which was what she knew she had to do to show him that she didn't care how many native females he paraded in front of her...it wasn't like he could ever bring her to one of these fancy schmancy affairs..his mother would have a heart attack.

That also didn't mean she wasn't plenty pissed when she heard the door to her quarters squeak a bit when it opened long after the party ended.

" So who was she Dralus ? " She demanded, knowing who her late night visitor was. " Or should I call you Prince Dralus?"

Although the moonlight coming in through the open window revealed his bulk she couldn't really see his face but she knew that sassafras and vanilla smell that always seemed to cling to his warm skin...a scent that made her whimper softly beneath her breath as a rush of liquid heat centered between her firmly closed thighs.

" Come now pet, she's of no import to you. " His voice, a raspy rough whisper of breath stole across her cheek when he knelt on the edge of her bed,bending low to nip her on the side of the neck. " Teach me more about this custom of your people to touch mouths, what do you call it again..a kiss? I like doing that."

Jaenese found herself arching up into his seeking touch until she remembered that she was mad at this man and instead of running her fingers through his mass of loose thinly dreaded up mink brown hair like she wanted to she slapped his handsome face.

Instantly Dralus' lean muscled body jerked and his hand circled her delicate wrist easily,keeping her from running when in reality that's what she wanted to do when reason kicked in and she recalled that he was a member of the royal family and she could be punished for that slap to his royal pain in the ass's face.

" I will give you that one, pet, as Cherah informs me that your human hormones are at war with your body in your condition."He stated calmly, his free hand moving to caress her flat abdomen.

" She tells us that you carry my offspring. "

" No..no-no-no..." She began denying what she'd already guessed at.

" I informed my sire and dam that you will be taken from the troupe and placed in a cottage on the castle grounds..my young will be the first to be born on Malkah in well over twenty three season cycles..his birth will herald the return of our bloodlines . " Dralus went on to inform her as he slid under the thin fur blanket beside her. " I remember what you told me of your ancestors celebrating the birth of this Saint Nick person by giving gifts..what is it you wish as a present, pet? "

How could she tell him that he'd given her the best present ever?

For nine long years she and her ex had tried to get pregnant but nothing worked..she'd merely wanted the type of family that her great grandmother spoke of..ones who got together for a celebration or wedding..even a funeral became a party of sorts with the wake in the Pre-Covid era.

Maybe here they could restart those traditions.

Looking in to Dralus' murky grey green eyes as she covered his hand with one of hers where it rested splayed out on her belly.

" If I'm really knocked up you gave me the best thing you could ." She murmured, relaxing against his warmth ." I won't be a slave anymore..I'll be mother of the next generation of royals...."

She felt him jerk again but this time he wisely kept quiet and let her have her dreams.