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Chapter 11
Jorlen walked through the dim corridors, trying to remember the exact way to where Tyler was located. The other part of his brain was concentrating on a strategy to take toward Khivar. His earlier talk with Maxie had shed some light on his uncle and now he was trying to find the best way of attack. Jorlen heard voices ahead but he was barely listening.
He turned the corner and froze. His heart stopped beating for a moment. Before him was the most beautiful woman that he’d ever seen. She was standing by the stairs talking with a tall older man. She had a fascinating shade of red hair, worn long and held a slight curl. From his angle, Jorlen could see her luscious red lips move as she spoke. He could see her bright green eyes sparkle. Her lips curved into a smile, her laugh tinkled in the air. Jorlen’s heart began pounding in his chest. He thought that it was possible for these two people to hear it but neither turned his way.
He watched, mesmerized as she shook her head, her hair gliding over her shoulders. His eyes went lower and found that her shirt dipped low, showing an ample amount of cleavage. Jorlen’s mouth dried suddenly as his gaze slid a little lower until they rested upon her hardened nipples that pressed upon the fabric. Swallowing a groan, he tore his eyes from the hard peaks and found a slim waist and long legs covered with a pair of pants. This was a bit strange for Jorlen. In Pathia, women mostly wore dresses. Easy access they claimed for their activities. The guards were the only ones to wear pants but they were not designed such as this woman’s.
Jorlen’s mind was filled with sudden images of this woman doing erotic things. Never had he looked upon someone and felt as he did at that moment. Images flashed across his mind of this stranger touching him, kissing him. He closed his eyes and let the images fly by, reveling in the sensations that rocked his body.
Jorlen opened his eyes when the flashes stopped and found that he stood in the corridor alone. She was gone. He listened hard but heard no voices or footsteps. He hadn’t a clue which direction she left but he saw that he missed his chance. Jorlen sighed and looked around the area once more. Well, he thought, Maybe I will see her again. Then continued on his way to see Tyler.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Max and Liz walked hand in hand behind Jorlen as they entered a dining hall. Lucas, Alex, Isabel, and Tyler were already there. Shortly after that, Michael and Maria entered with Timberlyn trailing behind. She looked around but then her lips turned downward at the corners.
“Don’t worry Kiddo.” Lucas smiled at Timberlyn. “He’ll be here in a few.”
Timberlyn’s cheeks blushed and looked away while Lucas chuckled. He’d never seen Timberlyn take an interest in a boy before. He and Jorlen always chased them off in Pathia before she could become interested in them. He knew that this would be interesting.
Tyler’s wife, Serina entered the room then three others made an entrance that caught the attention of the three Pathians in the room. Timberlyn’s lips turned into a graceful smile as she watched Dravan walk in. He immediately saw her and his smile answered hers. Timberlyn did not notice the two women that surrounded Dravan but Lucas and Jorlen did.
Lucas’s eyes were immediately drawn to Maxie. Her presence in the room seemed to make the air feel heavy and his lungs had a hard time functioning as he tried to draw in a deep breath. Her beauty shocked him every time she entered a room. Her blue eyes met his brown and they both felt the shock of desire course through their bodies. Lucas stood straighter and his expression hardened. His mind suddenly reminded him of how she’d behaved earlier. He was not going to let his desire for this woman, this…princess, get to him. He was here to protect Jorlen and his family. No woman would deter him from his job.
Maxie saw the sudden change in Lucas from across the room. The kiss that they’d shared earlier was still fresh in her mind but at the change in his demeanor, she felt that it meant nothing to him. She responded the only way she knew, defensively. Her body stiffened and her own expression hardened as she adverted her eyes elsewhere besides the handsome features of the man who had struck a spark of desire and excitement for the first time in her life.
To Jorlen, the entire world ceased to exist. His red haired beauty had just walked into the room. He could not believe it. He had hoped to see her again or even question Jason about her but he had not expected to see her beautiful face again so soon. His eyes saw nothing but her as she walked, looking down and laughing. The smile her red lips formed was captivating. Suddenly he felt a hand clamp down on his shoulder and Jorlen was thrust back into reality. He tore his eyes from the goddess and found Michael standing behind him with a smirk.
“If you stare any harder Jorlen, she just might grow another head.” Michael chuckled into Jorlen’s ear.
Jorlen blushed but said nothing in response. What could he say? How could he deny it when he knew Michael would see right through it?
Jason walked in the dinning hall and greeted everyone. “Shall we sit?” He asked his guests indicating to the large table that was set up already.
Jason sat at one end of the table. To his left sat Tyler and his wife Serina. Maria and Michael came next followed by Timberlyn then Dravan, who kept giving wearied looks to Michael. To Jason’s right sat Quincy who had come in behind Jason, then Maxie. Astrid, the red haired woman came next followed by Isabel and Alex, then Lucas. Jorlen insisted on Max taking the other end of the table while he sat on Max’s right and Liz to Max’s left. Sixteen people in all sat at the table. All looking around hoping that they could trust the strangers that sat near them.
Several men and women brought in trays of food and everyone was served. The conversation was light and friendly. Timberlyn and Dravan talked throughout the meal to each other. Lucas and Maxie, due to their sitting arrangements could not see each other without being obvious so they kept their conversations to those near them and both feeling that it was for the best.
Jorlen was a different story. From where he sat, he had the perfect view of his goddess. Astrid. What a beautiful name and so fitting. The name meant Divine Strength and he could clearly see the strength that she held in her posture and grace that flowed through her body. Jorlen pushed the food around on his plate but his eyes kept going to Astrid.
Memories of the images he’d had earlier filled his mind. He could picture her lying upon his bed, looking up at him with the slightest of smirks. Her red hair cascading across the pillow. Her arms held out, waiting for him to fall into their embrace. Jorlen closed his eyes and concentrated on that vision. He could see himself now in her arms and their lips meeting, kissing. He could almost feel the warmth of her body pressed against his.
Suddenly the image changed and Jorlen’s stomach began to knot. Instead of Astrid lying upon the bed, he saw his sister Claudia. And it was not he in her arms, thank Goddess, but Wesley. Then he heard laughter in his mind while he held in a groan.
‘It serves you right.’ Claudia whispered to him.
‘What do you mean?’ Jorlen had to ask.
‘This is the third time you’ve done this to me today Jorlen. I couldn’t take it.’
‘Oh. I’m sorry Sis, I didn’t realize I was projecting it out to you.’
Claudia chuckled. ‘Tell that to the Elders I left in Court a little bit ago. I don’t think they were happy the way I stopped the proceeding and dragged Wesley out of there. I was just heading back when you did it again.’
Jorlen could feel his cheeks blushing. He knew the sexual appetite that his sister had and that being Queen, she could rightfully exercise the when and where of it. He was just glad that she took Wesley out of Court to take care of the problem.
Jorlen sighed. ‘Sorry. I will try to keep it under control.’
‘You better or else I’ll start sending you images and you know they won’t be fantasies.’
Jorlen grimaced. He’d seen Claudia naked throughout their lives. Nudity was not uncommon in Pathia but he did not want to know about her activities and such. That turned his stomach. It was bad enough that she was having sex at all. He’d always wanted to chase off any guy that had come calling, even Lucas, to protect her.
‘Want to talk about her?’ Claudia asked, sensing Jorlen’s feelings.
‘Not now…Later?’ He knew that he could always count on his sister for advice.
‘Alright…Just remember what I said.’ She threw him a quick image of Wesley slowly taking off his pants.
This time Jorlen groaned out loud. That was when he realized that the room was now silent. He slowly opened his eyes and found everyone at the table looking at him. His family figured what he had been doing after seeing him communicate with his sister many times. But the others were giving him strange looks.
Jorlen’s cheeks began to turn pink. “Oh, um….well…sorry.” He mumbled. He looked to his father for some help but Max just looked at him with a raised eyebrow.
“Are you alright?” Jason asked.
“Yes…sorry I was just…” He stopped mid-sentence wondering if he should continue. He looked down the table to Maxie who just smiled and gave a slight nod. He looked to his father again and he had the look of agreement.
“Tell them.” Liz encouraged softly.
“I was just speaking with my sister, Claudia?”
Jason, Tyler, Serena, and Astrid all looked at him, confusion written on their faces.
“My sister and I, we can communicate telepathically.” The room held silence, Jorlen held his breath.
“I’ve heard of twins being able to do that.” Serena said, breaking the thick silence. There was almost a silent sigh released in the air as her words were said. Jorlen relaxed a little until he heard the sweet voice talk directly to him.
“So, Jorlen. What is it you plan to do once you’ve gained control of Antar’s throne?” Her voice sounded bored except…when she had said his name, then it turned into a raspy whisper that she couldn’t seem to control.
Jorlen’s gaze went to where he had been avoiding since opening his eyes. He looked across the table not far from where Jason, her father sat, and looked directly into Astrid’s deep green eyes. Suddenly, for the first time since he’d laid eyes upon her, Jorlen realized that he could not feel her emotions. He looked hard at her and reached out to her but he hit a wall. A hard wall. She was blocking him. He was shocked. No one had ever been able to block him from sensing their emotions. He was too sensitive. But here she was, this beauty that had captivated him in every way. She could block him and he didn’t know if he liked that.
Bringing his thoughts to the presence, and realizing that everyone was waiting for him to answer, Jorlen took a deep breath and let it out before he spoke, calming his nerves. His eyes went to Maxie, his sister.
“I’m hoping to bring Antar back into the prosperous state that it once was during my Grandfather’s lifetime. But I won’t be doing it alone.”
“You mean you are taking a bride soon after taking the throne?” This question came from Jason.
“That would be nice if it could be arranged.” His eyes resisted going to Astrid. “But what I am saying is that Maxie will rule with me. We shall rule Antar as brother and sister. A shared power.”
“But Jorlen, she is a woman. Never has Antar had a woman to hold such power. Surely you can’t push that on the people and expect that they take hold to breaking centuries of tradition.”
Jorlen shook his head. “I know that it will not be an easy task and I will tread lightly when establishing the throne but it will happen. I feel that is why I’ve been called here to Antar. Maxie, in my eyes, is the true heir. She is the oldest and has the blood of my father and her mother, the current Queen Ava. That was who my Grandfather wanted to have the throne. I am but third in line in succession. However my sister, Claudia, is already occupied ruling our homeland, Pathia, leaving me.
“I believe that with Maxie’s help, we can change the rule of succession to the first heir born. Not the first male or as in Pathia, the first female. Maxie and I will rule as equals.”
Jason looked at the young man and wanted desperately to believe that this obviously talented, special man could do as he is saying but doubt ran in his mind. “Ok, when you get the throne,” There was no if…but a confident when. “And you are able to somehow persuade Antar’s people into allowing Maxie to take an active role in ruling, who will sire the true heir. Which child born of the two of you will have the right to the throne?”
Jorlen had thought about that long and hard earlier that day. If his plan did work, he knew that his child would be the obvious choice but he knew that it might not be the case. Jorlen sat just a little straighter and faced Jason, confidence filling his words.
“It will be whoever bears a child first. As I said, it will go to the first born.”
He looked to Maxie who smiled encouragingly at him. His eyes drifted slightly to her right and flashed upon Astrid. He felt a flare of feeling from her but it was so quick that he was unable to discern what it was. His eyes went back to Jason who sat nodding and a smile grew on his face.
“I have a feeling that you will be the only one who may be able to do what you are saying.” Jason raised a glass. “A toast.” He waited for all the others to do the same. “To new allies, friends, and King…” His eyes turned to Maxie, the daughter of his love. “And Queen.”
Everyone took a drink and the rest of the dinner went smoothly, their conversations going back to nonessential things as it dragging into the night. Outside the dining hall stood Khivar’s spy, listening to the laughter and voices. He stood waiting for his opportunity to come to put into effect Khivar’s plan, and he knew that it would. He just had to be patient and it would show itself to him.
TBC...
Thought I'd take a minute to respond to all you patient readers. Thanks for the support
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rigel: I liked the thought of Maxie giving Lucas a run for his money...I mean, he can be a little arrogant when it comes to females, knowing that he's so cute and all. Why not give him a hard time
![Laughing :lol:](./images/smilies/icon_lol.gif)
RSUMSW94- Who says that Liz won't feel insecure about Ava any longer. She is still Max's first wife and well, don't we all have insecurities at one time or another?
VeronicB- Don't you just love Make-up Sex? It really makes you want to get into an argument. Ha ha...
BehrObsession- Khivar is going to be Khivar and do what he can to make everyone good miserable
Kay_b- Come now dear. Would I honestly break up the Dreamers? Ok, I may add to them (
![Laughing :lol:](./images/smilies/icon_lol.gif)
Michelle17- I'm here, I'm here!
roswelian504- Glad to see you back
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Mar- What can I say...you know me, let's just put them all through some tough times
![Wink :wink:](./images/smilies/icon_wink.gif)
Cherie- Oh, dear...it's so nice to see you again. Glad you are catching up
I'll have another part out after Thanksgiving
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