as they escort us back. I can’t really blame them for being curious. This is a strange state of affairs.
A Queen Of Worth
Borak
Watching Queen Molly moving around our quarters fills my heart with happiness. She unpacks a basket of food she prepared for me in the shuttle’s communal kitchens. Her delicate human hands are quick and precise. It is charming that she places the containers in a basket rather than a box to transport them to our quarters. I suppose this is part of the reason queens are so coveted. They bring an extra dimension of pleasure to a warrior’s rather sparse existence.
Queen Molly has insisted upon brightening our space with fluffy squares, sweet smelling incense and other Earth niceties. Though it means there is more to pack, coming home at the end of the day has been more of a pleasure. We always hoped our lives would be enhanced with the addition of a beautiful human queen, and so it has! I love it when a plan comes to fruition.
Eating the food my scion’s mate made for me is a genuine pleasure. Molly is a queen after my own heart. After sitting out my food, she touches my shoulder lightly and murmurs “Bon appétit.” She has said this before, so I know it means that I should begin eating now.
Shoving mouthfuls of her delicious food into my mouth, I watch her move around our temporary quarters, helping Eltran finish packing up our belongings. Fondness swells in my chest for this lovely demure queen who is who quickly becoming a productive member of our clade. Instead of sitting around waiting to be served, she always endeavors to make herself useful.
My scion follows her around, hefting items for her and doing her bidding.
“Eltran, your queen is an expert at preparing food, and it cheers my soul to see you chosen by such a lovely queen.” Instead of being pleased by my fine compliment, he frowns. I suspect he does not like me stealing her attention. Knowing this only makes me wish to do it more.
Queen Molly turns to me with a brilliant smile lighting up her face. “My grandmother had a saying. The way to a man’s heart is straight through his stomach.”
It takes me a moment to understand what she is insinuating, but when I do, laughter pours out of me. “So it is your cooking that drew my scion to your side.” Reaching out, I allow one claw to slip through her long flame-colored strands. “All this time, I thought it was your lovely fiery hairs.”
Eltran swats my hand away, but Queen Molly just laughs. “We call it hair, not hairs.” Before I can object, she continues. “I know there is more than one hair, so one might think it should be called hairs, but it’s just referred to as hair.”
Her lovely face is dappled with matching spots that do not wash off, and I can’t help but wonder if she will bear little queens with her lovely features. If so, my Eltran will refuse all duty except walking at her side. “I will remember your words, my little queen.”
She reaches out to squeeze my hand. “You’re so nice and easy to talk to.” Her smile lights up my day. “I used to think you were intimidating. You can’t imagine how terrified I was when El wanted me to meet you.”
Oh, but I can imagine. Before she continues, I interject affectionately, “I can well remember how you followed him into our quarters like a tiny Earth moush, clinging fearfully to his back.”
“It’s called a mouse.” Pulling away, she leans back into my scion’s arms, gazing at me with a warm smile. “You were so big and gruff. I never dreamed you were a big squishy marshmallow on the inside.”
I grin, displaying all my sharp teeth. “That is me. I am made of mallows.”
“One day I’m going to show you a marshmallow and you’re going to be pretty shocked.”
I know not what is this thing she speaks of, but I can guess. “It must be something huge, horrible and brutal if you compare it to me.”
She turns in Eltran’s arms and whispers something into his ear. I must be getting old, because I cannot hear. Sticking my finger into my ear, I swirl it around for something must be stuck there that shouldn’t be. My scion’s wings bounce out, and he tries to hide his laugh behind his oversized hand.
I know they share secrets, these two younglings. To my mind,