Kiahn purposely clears his throat and crosses his arms, reminding the male that his prince is right here, and can hear everything he’s saying.

“I mean…” the guy pales, glancing at Kiahn as his hand, clutching one of his gifts hovers midway to Lois. “I-”

“As long as it is only trinkets and baubles you’re purchasing,” Kiahn says, giving the other Xaviann a pointed look. “Perhaps you might help me procure some other Earth items that will make my…” he hesitates, eyes burning into mine before inclining his head, “guests happy.”

“Of course, of course,” the male says, continuing to dole out gifts to us humans as he thrusts a potato masher into Lois’ hands. I’m very enthusiastically offered a chipped mug that has the words ‘live, laugh, lobotomy’ in swirling pink letters on it, and Jaya - Jays’s given something metal that looks like a-

I smack my hand over my mouth.

Lois giggles.

Jaya looks mortified.

It’s a butt plug.

“No one in the Northern Earthophile Society can figure out what that one is, but it’s one of my prized possessions-”

Jaya shakes her head and tries to offer her gift back. “Oh, I couldn’t take it if you-”

“Nonsense!” the male beams. “Please, just tell me what it is used for, I would rather it be returned to the people of its origin.” The male smiles at Jaya so sincerely and bows his head in such a respectful way, it’s like he’s returning culturally significant historical artifacts back to their rightful owners or something. Jaya opens her mouth but no words come out. She silently begs Lois and I for help.

“It’s… Uh…”

“It’s an ornament!” I interject. “We… uh… display them on special occasions and such…”

The male’s face lights up. “Oh! Delightful! I shall have to see if I can get more so you can each celebrate your special Earth events-”

“Uh, no, that’s fine,” I shake my head. “We’ll… we’ll just share Jaya’s. Thank you.”

Lois looks like she’s going to explode with laughter any moment now. “What else do you have from Earth?” she asks, clamping her mouth shut as soon as the words are out just in case a giggle escapes.

Just as a few other Xavianns step forward, all insisting at once that they possess the best collection of ‘Earthernalia’, Kiahn steps into my personal space. “Come,” he says, his head bent and his voice low, just for me. “I wish to show you something.”

Kiahn ushers me to what feels like the front of the spacecraft hanger, where there is a large balcony, open to the elements. It takes me a moment or two of blinking out the dazzling effect of seeing natural sunlight for the first time in months, but when my sight finally settles, I can’t help but gasp.

“Welcome to my home, Xaavia,” Kiahn says, but I barely hear him. I’m too busy staring, open-mouthed at the towers and spires that look like they’ve sprouted from the earth. The bridges reach across from building to building like arms trying to fold each other into an embrace. Everything is set against a lavender sky - a sky streaked with fluffy clouds and small flight-craft zooming about from tower to tower. The buildings themselves aren’t all straight lines and sharp edges like the skyscrapers back home. Their shape is much more organic-looking, like something Guadi would have designed in Barcelona.

Leaning over the balcony, I look down to see the base of the buildings. A lot of them start off wider, with smooth, rounded walls that twist together - kind of like the roots of a mangrove tree before it comes together to reach high into the sky. There’s a clearing just below us - a ‘town square’ sort of area, but much, much larger than any town square I’ve ever seen with a gorgeous fountain with bottle-green tiles in the middle. There are Xavianns down there, busying about, getting on with their days like I haven’t just landed on the first safe place that will hopefully become my home for the remainder of my life.

“The people gather here to welcome important visitors, to hear announcements from the palace, and for various celebrations,” Kiahn murmurs in my ear. It’s only now that I notice he’s stood behind me, both arms braced on the lip of the balcony on either side of me. “They make a particular fuss on my nameday.” He says the words like he’s grumbling about it, but it only sounds halfhearted.

I chuckle, but don’t say anything as I continue to look around, taking everything in, until I feel the heat of Kiahn lean into my back.

“You will be presented to them here, too,” he murmurs, his hot breath tickling the skin behind my ear.

“I will?”

“Mm-hm,” he affirms. “As my breeding bride. The people will want to see who finally got me to sign my first contract.”

I… the way he phrased that; ‘my first contract’, I don’t know why it causes my spine to lock up and a knot to form in my belly. I knew I’d only be the first - the first of many, probably.

I knew this.

“What is it?” Kiahn asks, leaning away from me a little since he’d obviously sensed my stupid reaction to his words.

I shake my head. “I…” My mind whirs for an excuse and of all the ones I could have chosen; being nervous about his people accepting me, getting used to a whole new planet, being strapped down and ‘bred’ by Kiahn for the first time, my head chooses to say, “you seemed very stressed to be landing back here.”

It was true. He had been pacing, and was quiet back there as we docked. But I didn’t want to seem like I was prying.

I hear Kiahn sigh above me. “I am worried you will not like it here. I am worried that I’m under-prepared for caring for you as my bride. I am worried someone will treat you differently because you are human and make you uncomfortable here.”

That’s a lot of worries.

I pat one of his big, gray hands as it grips the edge of the balcony. “We’ll figure it out.”

“I’m worried that I want to touch you again like I did back in my simulator.”

My breath hitches.

I can feel Kiahn shift closer at my back, his big arms bracketing me in as I face the open air in front of us.

“Why does that worry you?” I ask, my voice a little cracked as it gets carried away with the wind.

Kiahn leans down again, and murmurs, “because I want to do it now, Niska.” His thick thumb comes up to stroke the back of my hand, back and forth, back and forth. “Will you let me play with your pretty little cunt again?”

“Here?” My pulse kicks up a notch at the mere thought of Kiahn touching me out here.

“Yes,” he murmurs, his hand slipping down around my front to slowly gather the fabric of my dress. “Here.”

I work on trying to keep my breathing regular as I continue to stare out at the public square. All the while, I’m far too aware of how I can feel the slow drag of the hem of my skirt inching up my legs, until I feel the brush of Kiahn’s fingertips on my thigh.

“Is that alright?” he asks, his voice a warmth against the shell of my ear.

I don’t say anything, I just nod, because God, damn it, I don’t think anyone has ever wanted to touch me so badly like this. Like he can barely stand to wait. Like it doesn’t even matter that there are people going about their days down there, and they could look up and see how close we are, how his arm bands across my front and his hand disappears into the bunched up skirts of my dress.

Kiahn’s hand skims over the front of my silky Xaviann underwear-shorts, and then dips into the waistband. He gently cups my belly and growls softly into my hair before his touch travels lower - a move that makes me feel strange, but in a good way. I’ve never particularly liked my stomach being touched, but the gesture had felt like it was filled with affection and wanting. So much so, that I almost wanted him to do it again. A puff of breath escapes him when his warm fingers carefully trace my pussy, and I suddenly forget about any other kind of touch altogether.