Page 32 of The Warrior's Oath
“Good. Then it is settled. I will have Torpa escort you to the dining hall for a proper meal, after which you will be shown to your rooms. Torpa!”
“Yes, yes! This way, this way!” the little creature chirped. “Come, follow! Follow!”
The newcomers gave a parting bow then followed Torpa out of the room.
“So, I’m getting runes?” Nyota asked when they were clear of the magistrate’s chambers.
“You are. Visit my chambers after we dine, and we will begin the process.”
“I—uh…” Nyota found herself at a loss for words.
It seemed they had dodged a bullet, but in the process, she was going to get inked, like it or not.
CHAPTERTHIRTEEN
The meal had been hastily prepared for the magistrate’s guests, but even without much prep time a wonderful assortment of delicious foods was presented for them to indulge in.
Nyota was beside herself. Aboard the Raxxian ship she had been fed the same small assortment of boring food balls every damn day, and since they had arrived on this world, she’d been living off of what Korvin foraged and hunted. The fruits were delicious, no doubt, and the fish and meat had been glorious compared to the Raxxian fare, but they were still no match for actual properly cooked food.
And oh, how these delightful offerings were seasoned.
They were also utterly novel to the human. Amazing alien cuisine the likes of which she had never experienced—for good reason. She was the first human to ever partake of these delicacies, and she savored every bite.
By the time they had finished their meal, Nyota’s belly was warm and happy. She hadn’t eaten nearly as much as she thought she would, though, her stomach having grown smaller during her captivity. Raxxian food had nutrition to keep their livestock healthy and robust, but it came with a lack of anything extraneous. Very small amounts of densely nutritious food was what they had eaten, and their bellies had shrunk as a result.
The one benefit, however, was that despite a fantastic meal, she left the table feeling sated but not bloated.
“Bathe in your chambers,” Korvin said as they were led to their separate rooms. “Ensure you are clean and relaxed. It is vital your body is fully at ease when you receive your runes. Any tension will make the process more difficult.”
“A hot shower after all this time will do wonders,” she replied, stepping into the door Torpa had opened for her.
“Indeed, it will. I have been informed the Skrizzit will work on us both in my chambers. Come when you are ready.”
“Both of us at once?”
“Yes. My repairs are relatively minor, and they will be able to affect them during the pauses in the application of your pigments. But first we bathe.”
“With pleasure. I’ll see you soon.”
She shut the door and took in the suite provided her. It was spacious, and frankly amazing. She just hoped she could figure out how the hot water worked. Fortunately, that proved quite intuitive, the system activating when she stepped over the small water collection device embedded in the floor.
As she washed, an invisible forcefield of some sort kept the water in one place, keeping the room from flooding, and the water at her feet was immediately whisked away by a mechanism she wasn’t even going to try to understand. Probably a recycling device of some sort, but she was too busy enjoying the sensation of hot water on her skin to care.
She took her time, rinsing the dirt and grime from her hair and the sweat from her body until she felt like a new woman. Mostly, anyway. She was still a bit sore from all the trekking, and a small knot of worry gnawed at her belly. She was on an alien world, hunted by creatures that wanted to eat her, and about to be tattooed whether she wanted it or not.
It was a lot to process.
Nyota slid on the clean robe provided her and stepped out into the corridor. Korvin’s chambers were just next door, so the walk was a quick one. She waved her hand over the panel next to the door.
“I thought that was the doorbell,” she mused when no one answered, rapping her knuckles on the door instead.
“Yes, I hear you,” Korvin said, pulling the door open.
Nyota felt her breath catch in her throat.
He was stripped to the waist, his delicious body scrubbed clean, his hair still damp from bathing. She could see his runes more clearly now, as well as the scars from the Raxxian torture that had damaged some of them. He stepped aside, gesturing her in. The thin trousers he had been provided barely concealed the thick cock swinging loose between his legs as he moved. Nyota felt her mouth water at the sight.
“Please, come in. The Skrizzit is not here yet. Make yourself comfortable.”
