Page 25 of The Royal's Bumblebee
“That is impressive.” Jajana helped me gather up the roll of soft Pezaxon silk.
“Yes. Sheisimpressive.” I lifted up on my tail to examine a shelf of adornments. My left arm hugged the roll of fabric to my chest and shoulder, and my right hand felt around the various items. Periodically I picked one up, thought about if it was too heavy, too shiny, or too distracting, or just too ugly, and put it down. “She’s putting me through my paces. If Szelor wasn’t such a shucker, the two of them would get along well, considering her love of learning. I’ve read more books this last month and a half, than the last year and a half.”
“Come now, that’s not a boast.” Halas lifted up to my right and was looking at me with mischief. “Normally you can’t be dragged out of the forest long enough to evenlookat a book, never mind read one. Or, you know, have any interest in thefairer sex.”
“Whereas you havetoo muchinterest in the fairer sex.” I palmed at his face and sent the smaller Royal off balance so he landed on his back with a winded laugh.
“Joking aside, it sounds like your Billie is an ally worth keeping.” Vrujac seemed to emphasise the keeping bit more than I would have liked. “You have no expectations to mate for offspring brother. You should mate this human and keep her close. As these humans become more established on Thelia, having their genius mated to one of the Royal family, can only put Orna’s alliance with them in good standing.”
“I am not mating her because it would be a political advantage to Orna.” I hiss down at him, glaring as he finished fastening an ornate golden wrap-around skirt around his waist.
“Why not? You’re a Royal. Our duty is to the throne and to our people. The union would ensure the humans stay on good terms with us, since theirgeniusis living in the royal palace. On that note, you two should move into the safety of the main walls.”
“I amnotmating Billie because you, or anyone else, says so.” I snarl and seriously think about showing Vrujac my fangs too. “We are staying in my nest, and we are perfectly safe there. She prefers it. It’s quiet. She can work and no one can turn up unannounced.” He was rolling armlets and bangles up his arms and giving me a look like I was being an unreasonable brat.
“For once, just once, could you think about more than just yourself? See, this is why father only brings you out for grunt work like wrestling and putting on a novelty show for the masses. You have way more potential than this Izule, and yet you want to waste your days away hunting.”
I turn my back to him and chew my lips together. That was rich coming from him. He didn’t want me to live up to my potential, because that would put his future reign in threat. No, he wants me to be obedient and be a useful pawn in his power play. “Fine, you don’t want to mate the human. It’s still a good plan. Halas, you enjoy mating with humans. You should probably settle down soon anyway. Izule, make sure to introduce the two of them tonight.”
I raised my head and my hood shot wide open.
“Oh, shuck me, I want nothing to do with any of this.” Halas raised his hands, his hood flattened and he skulked back from us. I turned to look down at my eldest brother with more venom than my glands could ever produce. He even seemed startled by my expression, and more so when I started to ululate in a deadly warning.
“Billie isn’t being mated off to anyone else. Got it?” Vrujac hissed defensively and made himself as tall and wide as he could. Not tall and wide enough, golden boy. I was just about to drop my cargo and launch at him, when Jajana squealed at my left.
“So youdowant to mate her!” My sister single-handedly killed the aggression in the room.
“Seriously?!” Vrujac snarled with frustration. “Then what the shuck is your problem?!”
“His problem, dear brother, is that Izulelooooooovesher, and doesn’t want his precious mate to be anyone’s pawn.” Jajana cooed and patted my back. Stars, I wanted a pit to curl up in right now.
“Hey, brother? I have someamazingtips to share if you want to make those human toes of hers curl.” Halas wriggled up to rest his chin on the shelf by my right. “It’s all in the trifecta. Tongue, dick, and tailtip.”
“…Halas?”
“Yes?” He wagged the end of his tail and I looked down at him with my left eye twitching. “…shut up?” I nod at him. “Shutting up.” He chuckled nervously and slinked away.
“Seriously though?” Vrujac lifted up on his tail to fill the space Halas once occupied, but rested his elbows on the shelf. I did my best to ignore both my older siblings and find adornments that Billie might like. I hesitated, realising that they were both caging me in and leaning on the shelf as they watched me intently. I would have happily ignored them and gone about my business, but my siblings had other ideas. “Personally I think this is a win-win. You want to become a mated pair with your human. I’ll support you when you want to tell Father.”
“Because it serves your agenda, not because it’s what I want.” I looked him right in the eye and he shrugged.
“What part of win-win, don’t you get?” I pursed my scaly lips together. Ancestor’s bones, I want to hit him. Right between the eyes. “Use your head here Izule. Father isn’t going to approve of a Royal becoming mated to a human you can’t breed with, but you’re the 37th hatched Royal, so there isn’t a burden on you to continue the line. Still, you…arethe biggest and strongest of us.” My lips parted and I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. Did my brother justadmitI’m bigger and stronger than him? To my face? “You are a prize to be matched off. He’s a King. He has to think of our people, and you’re not female.”
“That’s right. You don’t get to arrange your own mating.” Jajana sighed and picked up a headdress from the shelf. It caught my eye, but my mind was elsewhere at the moment. “You’re a son. Father will start sending you off to present before other Royals in other cities with the hope of you becoming King there one day.” I had to admit, I had feared that future in the back of my mind for a while now. If I wasn’t the youngest, I think that fate would have already befallen me.
“But a significant asset like your Billie? A super genius responsible for the humans’ technology and the significant advancements we’ve gained as a result? Shewouldbe something he would agree to. Especially if you letmedo the talking for you.” Vrujac moved to slap my back, but with one look from medaringhim to try, he retracted his hand. “You don’t have to like my motives, if you get the outcome you want. And youwantBillie, right?” I swallowed thickly and coiled the end of my tail into a spiral bashfully. Honestly, there aren’t words for how much I want Billie. Not just to share a frenzied tangle each night, but for waking up in my nest with her every morning after as well. For every questioning game and every precious smile she gives me. “Brother your throat is so dark right now. It’s priceless.” Vrujac teased me, so I bumped my right shoulder into his left and knocked him over. “Hey! That’s no way to treat your future King, and your personal matchmaker!”
“Well, that’s Vrujac’s contribution. Now for mine. This one.” Jajana handed me the green headdress, scooped up a few other items, and then coaxed me with a gentle bump to my left shoulder to lower back to the ground comfortably. “Come on then. Take me to your genius.”
“Oh, no.” I try to head Jajana off, leaving Vrujac to go looking for father and thewonderfulnews of my upcoming bonding, I’m sure. Knowing Vrujac, he’ll make it all seem like it was his idea and claim credit somehow. He is…right about one thing though. I don’t care about how I get Billie to become my mate…as long as she chooses me, she can have me. “You’ll spook her.” I fuss, trying to deal with my current pain in my scales. I beg her to stop. I am ignored.
“She needs a woman to dress her.”
“She needs warning before any stranger comes into our nest.” We are about to reach the bridge and my arms are full of fabric and adornments. My crafty sister did that to me on purpose so I couldn’t grapple her to the floor. Damn it. “Please, sister, you’ll scare her!”
“Then I will wait here.” She giggled and circled on the spot outside the door to my nest to make a tight coil to rest on. “Go inside, explain that your sister would like to meet her and help her dress for the festival. Ihopeshe allows me to come inside.”
“…” I look from my sister, larger than me and covered in vibrant blue, twinkly silver chains, bangles that chime, and feathers on her head, and know that Billie wouldnotlike to be suddenly thrust before her. “…ifshe says you can come inside, and I meanif…then no touching her.” Jajana beamed and nodded eagerly. “No sudden movements. No loud noises. Speak softly and be patient.”
