damn fair that he was so attractive. That word did not do him justice. He was much more than attractive. He was stunning, mouth-watering, overpoweringly sexy.
“What sort of vegetable is this?” she asked, to hide her nervousness.
“Tika. It’s one of the most popular vegetables in my kingdom. Try it. It goes really well with bagol.”
She cut a tika in half and tasted it. The taste was not at all like beans, but rather a combination of mild chilli and carrots.
“Good,” she declared, putting the other half into her mouth.
Merlon cut a thick slice of the crispy bread and spread it with the seasoned butter before passing it to her.
For a while they ate in silence and drank their wine. Cherry relaxed and enjoyed the meal. It was the best food that she had had for a long time and, without envy, she had to admit that Merlon’s culinary skills were better than her own and she considered herself to be a good cook.
***
Merlon surreptitiously watched Cherry during the meal. He was pleased that she was obviously enjoying the meal and to his relief she seemed to relax a little. Perhaps it was down to the wine, but for whatever reason she was now much more chilled. He intended to give her time to get used to her situation. To let her go was out of the question anyway. Even if she were to request this. He could not do it. Even if that was quite selfish of him, he could not help himself.
In the silence he wondered how long it would take before she was ready to become his queen. He could not stay away from the court for a long time. He had to at least show up there now and then and that meant that he had to then leave Cherry here alone. He did not like the thought of that. He did not want to lock her in, but he could also not risk her running away from him. Moreover, no one was to find out that she was here. Not until she stayed with him of her own free will.
Chapter 10
C herry was woken up by the feeling of a wet tongue moving over her face. She jumped and opened her eyes tentatively. All she could see was hair. And a lot of it. She sat up jerkily and screamed. She heard chuckling. That sounded like Merlon. No! The sound was not coming from this hairy monster that looked like a cross between a dog and a bear and was about the size of an Alsatian.
“Quax! Come here! The lady’s frightened of you,” she heard Merlon’s laughing voice say.
The monster jumped off the bed and ran to its master who was leaning against the door frame, grinning from ear to ear.
“Good morning. Did you sleep well?” he asked, clearly in a very good mood.
Cherry could only stare at him. Why did he have to be so unashamedly attractive? She should be angry with him for abducting her but she could not be. She even regretted sleeping alone in that huge bed that night. Merlon had clearly decided to give her time. He had spent the night on the couch and he looked fresher than she did although she had slept in a comfortable bed.
“I … yes, thank you,” she said sleepily. “What’s that?” She was pointing at the supersized furry ball at his feet. The animal’s fur was so thick that its eyes were barely visible. It had a short, round snout and ears like a bear. Even the shape of its body was like a bear, only this animal had a long tail that was wagging like a dog’s.
“That’s Quax. He’s a lofot. You must excuse his somewhat clumsy behaviour. He’s still a baby.”
“A baby?” she asked in dismay. Going by his size she had presumed that this was a fully-grown animal. “How … how big will he be then, when he’s fully grown?”
“His mother’s shoulder-height is about here,” he said, indicating the height of his nose. “His father is a bit bigger. These aren’t pets.
Quax often comes to visit me but he would never be comfortable in a house. He’s a wild animal, even if he is a lovely chap.”
“And his parents? Do they also come by …?”
“No. Not right up here. They sometimes wander around this area, but
“What sort of vegetable is this?” she asked, to hide her nervousness.
“Tika. It’s one of the most popular vegetables in my kingdom. Try it. It goes really well with bagol.”
She cut a tika in half and tasted it. The taste was not at all like beans, but rather a combination of mild chilli and carrots.
“Good,” she declared, putting the other half into her mouth.
Merlon cut a thick slice of the crispy bread and spread it with the seasoned butter before passing it to her.
For a while they ate in silence and drank their wine. Cherry relaxed and enjoyed the meal. It was the best food that she had had for a long time and, without envy, she had to admit that Merlon’s culinary skills were better than her own and she considered herself to be a good cook.
***
Merlon surreptitiously watched Cherry during the meal. He was pleased that she was obviously enjoying the meal and to his relief she seemed to relax a little. Perhaps it was down to the wine, but for whatever reason she was now much more chilled. He intended to give her time to get used to her situation. To let her go was out of the question anyway. Even if she were to request this. He could not do it. Even if that was quite selfish of him, he could not help himself.
In the silence he wondered how long it would take before she was ready to become his queen. He could not stay away from the court for a long time. He had to at least show up there now and then and that meant that he had to then leave Cherry here alone. He did not like the thought of that. He did not want to lock her in, but he could also not risk her running away from him. Moreover, no one was to find out that she was here. Not until she stayed with him of her own free will.
Chapter 10
C herry was woken up by the feeling of a wet tongue moving over her face. She jumped and opened her eyes tentatively. All she could see was hair. And a lot of it. She sat up jerkily and screamed. She heard chuckling. That sounded like Merlon. No! The sound was not coming from this hairy monster that looked like a cross between a dog and a bear and was about the size of an Alsatian.
“Quax! Come here! The lady’s frightened of you,” she heard Merlon’s laughing voice say.
The monster jumped off the bed and ran to its master who was leaning against the door frame, grinning from ear to ear.
“Good morning. Did you sleep well?” he asked, clearly in a very good mood.
Cherry could only stare at him. Why did he have to be so unashamedly attractive? She should be angry with him for abducting her but she could not be. She even regretted sleeping alone in that huge bed that night. Merlon had clearly decided to give her time. He had spent the night on the couch and he looked fresher than she did although she had slept in a comfortable bed.
“I … yes, thank you,” she said sleepily. “What’s that?” She was pointing at the supersized furry ball at his feet. The animal’s fur was so thick that its eyes were barely visible. It had a short, round snout and ears like a bear. Even the shape of its body was like a bear, only this animal had a long tail that was wagging like a dog’s.
“That’s Quax. He’s a lofot. You must excuse his somewhat clumsy behaviour. He’s still a baby.”
“A baby?” she asked in dismay. Going by his size she had presumed that this was a fully-grown animal. “How … how big will he be then, when he’s fully grown?”
“His mother’s shoulder-height is about here,” he said, indicating the height of his nose. “His father is a bit bigger. These aren’t pets.
Quax often comes to visit me but he would never be comfortable in a house. He’s a wild animal, even if he is a lovely chap.”
“And his parents? Do they also come by …?”
“No. Not right up here. They sometimes wander around this area, but
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