Page 29 of The Royal's Bumblebee
Izule widens his hood so the soft spikes point outward and he strikes his head towards Szelor. The sudden movement makes me flinch, but what really makes me shrink down in his coil, are the twomassivefangs that shink down from his upper jaw. I have never seen his fangs before. Szelor vanished the second they were lowered from their resting place in his skull.
“You don’tneedto see the appeal. Billie appeals tome, and everyone else can ‘get in shucking line’, so shuck off Szelor before I—”
“That is enough.” A deep voice booms and Izule retracts his fangs. He lowers over the top of his coil and I’m glad for it. He is closer to me like this and it’s darker when he blocks out the light. “Do not bare your fangs at your brother!”
“I warned him father. I will not allow him to upset Billie.”
“Then take him to the wrestling mat and put him in his place.”
“I would rather not.” Szelor hisses and sounds like he’s moved away.
“Then you’ll watch your tongue, if you aren’t prepared to have it ripped from you in a fight.” Izule snarled. I’ve never seen him like this. I know he’s big and strong. I know he’s a skilled hunter and a prizefighter. But seeing him be aggressive is so strange.
I don’t like it. I don’t like being the cause of it. I don’t want him to argue with his family because of me. I shuffle on all fours on the cushion and prepare to be braver than I’ve ever been.
“E-excuse me.” Izule lifts his torso up from the opening of his coil and I put my hands on his sandy scales to brace myself. Lift my head up first, from my nose and glasses upward, to take in the scene Izule described to me. “Hello.” I manage to get out before I start staring. Taking in how big and colourful they all are. Halas and Vrujac are golden compared to Izule, more so with how much gold they are wearing. Szelor’s dark brown and bone white colours are striking, as is his intense stare, and the banding pattern on the underbellies of Jajana, Halas and Vrujac make my eyes stick to them. I would have stared for a long time, but a massive Ucfeni slithered between the rest of the Royal family, and me and Izule. He reminds me of Izule, but he is bigger, has lots of silvery scars covering his sandy scales, and his mouth is pressed into an unimpressed line.
“Youare Billie Blac?”
“She is.” Izule’s arms brace on the top coil of his tail and at either side of me.
“…sheis a genius?”
“Yes, she is.” Izule has a defensive edge to his voice. Hannah used to sound just like that whenever anyone doubted my abilities. “She is highly intelligent, learns new information as easily as breathing, she’s honest, brave and—”
“She doesn’t appear very brave.” I had to agree with Izule’s father. I’m hiding in Izule’s coil. What’s brave about that?
“If you had any idea how difficult this was for her? And the fact she’s here anyway, you would realise she’s very brave.” I smile and turn to look over my shoulder at Izule. He catches my eye and smiles down at me. “She is impressive.” I feel braver than ever with his support and slowly sit up straight. I tentatively rest my forearms on his upper coil and look at Xulei’s throat. Not his hard mouth or his shiny golden collar on his pecks, but his creamy coloured neck scales. His hood is wide and my eyes want to move to the diamond markings there, but I manage not to.
“Hello.” I begin again. “I am Billie Blac. I oversee Communications for Allico Inc. You are King Xulei.”
“Yes, I am?” He sounded puzzled. Most people do when they talk to me. “Tell me, Billie of Allico Inc? My son appears to be impressed with you. What do you think of my son?”
“F-father?!” Izule flustered behind me and his hood flattened. For some reason his siblings started to giggle together at that question. I have no idea why. I think it’s a fair question. I’m going to answer it, but I have to correct him first.
“I am not called Billie of Allico Inc. I am called Billie Blac. Billie is my given name. My sister calls me Bumblebee. Izule can call me that if he wants. My eyes are like honey and I’m sweet. I know that’s not accurate. My eyes are hazel and I don’t taste like honey. My sister likes to call me Bumblebee. She’s my rock. But Izule is my Mountain. Big. Strong. He’s my shelter and my home.” Izule’s hood lifts and widens again. His coil tightens as if to hug me. “So he’s my Mountain. I’m his now, so I’m his bumblebee.”
“Yes she is.” Izule smirked.
“You have given yourself to my son?” Xulei folds his arms and inclines his head to one side curiously.
“Yes.” I speak with authority. We have romantic feelings for each other. “He is protective, skilled in his profession, our routines complement each other, and he is the kindest man I’ve ever met. He makes me feel like a normal woman. Oh, and I am sexually attracted him. He is very big and has a lot of muscles.” I push my glasses up my nose. Izule’s eyes are wide and he cups his face in his hands. Jajana, the noisy nosy one in blue feathers, coos and cups her hands to her chest. Szelor pretends to gag to one side, only for Uczaz to swat him over onto his side. Many of them are chuckling. What’s their problem? I’m only answering Xulei’s question. “I like his muscles. And cuddling. I’ve never liked that before, but I like cuddling with Izule.”
“Do you indeed?” The King snorted and Vrujac slithered over to join in the conversation.
“Billie that’s—” Izule whispered by my left ear, but he was cut off.
“Do you nest down and cuddle with my brother often?” The Crown prince asked.
“Yes, every night.” I nod and I’m getting used to these big Cobra like Ucfeni.
“Billie?” Izule tried again.
“Truly?” The King’s mouth tugs into a smile and draws my eye. “And you consent to this?”
“I do.” Izule carefully brought his left hand into my peripheral vision first, before placing it on my left shoulder. “I have never known such joy, since having Billie in my life and my nest.” I smile. I’m happy too.
“That’s enough questions.” Jajana slinks over to her father’s other side. “The poor dear has just come out of Izule’s coil and you’ve bombarded her with personal questions.”
