first and determine whether she is with child or not.”
“That’s a great idea,” Douglass said. “And if she is pregnant the DNA results will be able to confirm whether Marcus is the father or not.”
“What is DNA?”
Douglass looked at Marcus for a long moment. “You don’t have the technology to determine who the father of this child is?”
Marcus closed his eyes. “Obviously not.” He glanced at his Council. “As I said, let’s confirm the pregnancy first and take it from there.”
Douglass waited until all the men, including Sven filed out. She crossed the room to Marcus’ side.
“This woman, Lillian. Did you meet her before you met me?”
He wouldn’t look at her. “Aye. I was leaving her village when I saw your craft crash into the desert. She was given to me as tribute. As king I have the right to procreate with any willing woman on the planet.”
Douglass tried to smile even as pain stabbed behind her eyes. “How nice for you.”
“Believe it or not, it becomes tedious after a while. I didn’t want to touch Lillian. I wanted to send her away.”
“Because she didn’t please you?”
He groaned then, his head still in his hands. “Because I knew she didn’t want me. I knew she’d been forced to offer herself to me by her village. By Thor, I’m almost old enough to be her father. I could see it in her eyes. She truly believed I would kill her if she didn’t conceive.”
Douglass put her hand on Marcus’ knee. He gripped her fingers hard. “For the good of my planet, I have to believe that, however the child was conceived, the babe she carries is mine.”
She recognized the desolation in his tone. She was right. He would make an excellent father. It echoed the sadness ringing through hers. She gathered her courage. “Do you want me to leave? I can go and stay at the hotel by the spaceport until my ride comes.”
Marcus looked at her then, a faint smile on lips. “What ride would that be? So far we have received no response to our requests for help.”
Douglass got to her feet and began to pace. “Perhaps we need to boost your signal. If I could return to the crash site and find the black box, I might be able to fire off another distress call.”
She gasped as Marcus pulled her roughly into his arms.
“Nay, I don’t want you to leave me. I need you.”
She fought against the appeal of his hoarsely muttered words. He was a king. To admit his uncertainty and desire to her was a weakness. His mouth moved down her throat, kissing her with a savage intensity that made her knees give way.
“At least wait until my physician has confirmed the pregnancy. Then you can decide what you want to do next.”
Douglass sensed his attempt to gather himself as if to negate his impassioned plea. She turned her head and kissed his cheek.
“I will stay for a little while.” He drew back, his face composed once more. “Thank you.”
* * * * *
“I’m sorry, consort, but Mistress Freya has commandeered my services this morning.” To his credit, Harlan didn’t look thrilled at the prospect of leaving Douglass. “She wants me to assist Lady Lillian in her bath.”
Douglass scowled at him. “But she’s already borrowed Bron . Am I no longer allowed to see my own pleasure servants?”
Harlan bowed and headed for the door. Douglass got slowly off the bed and glanced at Sven who stood, arms folded, leaning against the wall. “Are you supposed to go and lick Lillian’s precious feet too?”
Sven shook his head. “Nay, the king has asked me to stay with you.”
Douglass waited until the door closed behind Harlan. “She is trying to undermine me, Sven.”
“Who, consort?”
“You know damn well who. In the last four weeks since Lillian’s pregnancy was confirmed, Mistress Freya has been determined to get rid of me.”
Douglass moved restlessly to the window. In the courtyard below she saw Lillian, Marcus at her side, promenading in the vine-covered walkways. A wave of
“That’s a great idea,” Douglass said. “And if she is pregnant the DNA results will be able to confirm whether Marcus is the father or not.”
“What is DNA?”
Douglass looked at Marcus for a long moment. “You don’t have the technology to determine who the father of this child is?”
Marcus closed his eyes. “Obviously not.” He glanced at his Council. “As I said, let’s confirm the pregnancy first and take it from there.”
Douglass waited until all the men, including Sven filed out. She crossed the room to Marcus’ side.
“This woman, Lillian. Did you meet her before you met me?”
He wouldn’t look at her. “Aye. I was leaving her village when I saw your craft crash into the desert. She was given to me as tribute. As king I have the right to procreate with any willing woman on the planet.”
Douglass tried to smile even as pain stabbed behind her eyes. “How nice for you.”
“Believe it or not, it becomes tedious after a while. I didn’t want to touch Lillian. I wanted to send her away.”
“Because she didn’t please you?”
He groaned then, his head still in his hands. “Because I knew she didn’t want me. I knew she’d been forced to offer herself to me by her village. By Thor, I’m almost old enough to be her father. I could see it in her eyes. She truly believed I would kill her if she didn’t conceive.”
Douglass put her hand on Marcus’ knee. He gripped her fingers hard. “For the good of my planet, I have to believe that, however the child was conceived, the babe she carries is mine.”
She recognized the desolation in his tone. She was right. He would make an excellent father. It echoed the sadness ringing through hers. She gathered her courage. “Do you want me to leave? I can go and stay at the hotel by the spaceport until my ride comes.”
Marcus looked at her then, a faint smile on lips. “What ride would that be? So far we have received no response to our requests for help.”
Douglass got to her feet and began to pace. “Perhaps we need to boost your signal. If I could return to the crash site and find the black box, I might be able to fire off another distress call.”
She gasped as Marcus pulled her roughly into his arms.
“Nay, I don’t want you to leave me. I need you.”
She fought against the appeal of his hoarsely muttered words. He was a king. To admit his uncertainty and desire to her was a weakness. His mouth moved down her throat, kissing her with a savage intensity that made her knees give way.
“At least wait until my physician has confirmed the pregnancy. Then you can decide what you want to do next.”
Douglass sensed his attempt to gather himself as if to negate his impassioned plea. She turned her head and kissed his cheek.
“I will stay for a little while.” He drew back, his face composed once more. “Thank you.”
* * * * *
“I’m sorry, consort, but Mistress Freya has commandeered my services this morning.” To his credit, Harlan didn’t look thrilled at the prospect of leaving Douglass. “She wants me to assist Lady Lillian in her bath.”
Douglass scowled at him. “But she’s already borrowed Bron . Am I no longer allowed to see my own pleasure servants?”
Harlan bowed and headed for the door. Douglass got slowly off the bed and glanced at Sven who stood, arms folded, leaning against the wall. “Are you supposed to go and lick Lillian’s precious feet too?”
Sven shook his head. “Nay, the king has asked me to stay with you.”
Douglass waited until the door closed behind Harlan. “She is trying to undermine me, Sven.”
“Who, consort?”
“You know damn well who. In the last four weeks since Lillian’s pregnancy was confirmed, Mistress Freya has been determined to get rid of me.”
Douglass moved restlessly to the window. In the courtyard below she saw Lillian, Marcus at her side, promenading in the vine-covered walkways. A wave of
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