My Kingdom Come book 1: The Saints We See

665 standard years after the signing of the Alliance

Mikhail woke up reluctantly, his arms wrapped around Dachvinder. Dachvinder was snuggled into him the little spoon to Mikhail’s big spoon as usual. Mikhail’s half aroused body became fully aroused, another less welcome morning habit. Mikhail remained relaxed. He opened his senses and imprinted as much of the moment as he could on his memory. This would probably be the last time he would wake up with Dachvinder in his arms.

The gentle vibration of the ship’s engines thrummed pleasantly through him. He always got his best sleep while traveling between worlds on-board ships. None of the engines had the exact pitch of his home, Galor’s ship, but it was close enough to put him at ease. Besides, whenever he was between worlds, there were no masters to please.

Mikhail took a deep breath. Time was passing and they had a schedule to keep. He gently kissed the top of Dachvinder’s tousled head and untangled himself from daer warm body. He slipped out from under the covers and knelt in the center of the room, facing the door, his hands held out to the gods. “Gods, I am grateful for your provision, your watchful eyes and your eternal love. Thank you for the rest you’ve granted me, thank you for waking me to a new day. I offer myself in service to life, to my brothers, sisters and siblings. Please grant me courage and wisdom to guide my actions. Please bless my master, grant him prosperity and give him favor in all his dealings. Thank you for the master you have prepared for my future. Please help me to be ready to serve them.

“Please watch over Dachvinder. Protect daem.” Mikhail’s chest squeezed tight. “Please give daem love that will treasure daem and support daem, love that will never fail daem. Please-” his voice faltered. Mikhail leaned down, rested his forehead on the floor, and held his hands out in supplication. Please help me to find satisfaction in my place. I’m afraid of the pain in my future. “Please help me to be a good support to Dachvinder as dae returns home.” He took a few shaky breaths and waited in silence. A gentle calmness touched his emotional center. Thank you.

Mikhail rose back up to his knees and took some calming breaths, then he began to get ready for the day. He took a quick shower and dressed in the outfit that Chentzo had bought for him to wear to the Hive. Next he stationed himself in front of the bathroom mirror and began doing his makeup as conservatively as he was allowed.

Dachvinder came into the bathroom, tousled and sleepy-eyed. “Good-morning. You look pretty.”

Mikhail paused and smiled over at them. “Thank you. Did you sleep well?”

“Uh-huh.” Dachvinder yawned and stripped out of daer clothes. Mikhail’s eyes lingered on daer unmarked back in the mirror. Dachvinder had given no indication that dae had noticed the scarring was gone. “I always sleep well when I’m with you.” Dae stepped into the shower and turned it on, letting out a little sigh of pleasure.

Mikhail went to back to putting his makeup on, pushing away the thought that Dachvinder wouldn’t need him again after today. He focused on Dachvinder’s nervous feelings, and the feeling of relaxed pleasure that spread through daer body from the hot water of the shower. Mikhail frowned a little. He was going to miss the constant stream of input that he received from Dachvinder when the connection they shared broke. He swallowed and smoothed the frown away. He wasn’t going to allow his sorrow to control him; he would focus on being happy for Dachvinder. Dachvinder reuniting with daer family was the only thing that mattered today.

Dachvinder finished daer shower and turned the water off. Mikhail grabbed a towel off the stack on the counter and brought it over to the shower. Dachvinder stepped out and Mikhail wrapped the towel around daer shoulders. Dachvinder smiled up at him and Mikhail’s heart fluttered in his chest. He unconsciously bent a little towards Dachvinder, then pulled away.

“I’m sorry.” Mikhail mumbled, turning back to the counter where he continued to put his makeup on.

Dachvinder touched Mikhail’s back lightly. “It’s okay.” Dae went out of the bathroom, a swirl of conflict complicating daer nervous emotions. Mikhail pressed his lips together and focused on the joy he anticipated Dachvinder would experience later in the day.

“Boy?” Dachvinder came back to the doorway.

Mikhail’s eyes found Dachvinder’s face in the mirror. “Yes?”

“Will Chentzo be offended if I don’t wear the outfit he bought for me?”

Mikhail turned around. “He wont ever know. Wear what you feel comfortable in.”

Dachvinder nodded and went back into the bedroom.

When Chentzo had sent Mikhail’s new outfit to his room there had been an outfit sent up to Dachvinder’s room too. It was an Hosaik outfit, a nice one, but much more revealing than anything Dachvinder usually wore.

Mikhail finished his makeup and went back into the bedroom. Dachvinder was standing in front of the vanity mirror combing daer hair. Dae was wearing a loose fitting, light pink, long sleeved shirt with puffs at the tops of the sleeves and a ruffle of loose fabric around the high collar that was tied into a large pink bow at the side of the neck. The pants were made of a thin, light grey material, snug at Dachvinder’s narrow waist, and then falling loose and flowy to daer ankles. Dae finished neatly combing daer dark hair and clipped a butterfly shaped hair decoration made of sliver and mother of pearl into it. Mikhail had given daem the decoration out of his gift collection. Dachvinder turned from the mirror and looked up anxiously at Mikhail, biting daer lower lip.

Mikhail smiled. “You look amazing.”

Dachvinder swallowed and smiled tremulously back. “Can you help me? I want to wear makeup today. I don’t want anything much, just this eyeliner and mascara.” Dae held the two tubes of makeup out to Mikhail.

“Of course.” Mikhail took the tubes and bent close to Dachvinder. He gently lined Dachvinder’s large blue eyes with the fuchsia colored eyeliner, it stood out beautifully against daer powder blue skin, then he brushed the black mascara onto daer long lashes. He checked his work then took a moment to appreciate the delicate beauty of Dachvinder’s face. You’re so beautiful he wanted to say, instead he stepped back and said, “what do you think?”

Dachvinder turned and looked at themself in the mirror. Dae smiled. “Thank you.”

Mikhail looked at their reflections side by side in the mirror. His outfit and makeup looked gaudy and brash next to Dachvinder’s elegant beauty.

Dachvinder turned abruptly towards Mikhail. “I’m scared,” dae whispered.

Mikhail took Dachvinder’s chin gently between his finger and thumb. “You have nothing to be afraid of. You’re going home. You’ll be loved and safe and-” his voice caught. He swallowed. “You’ll never be lonely again.”

Dachvinder searched Mikhail’s face anxiously.

Mikhail smiled. “I’ll be right by your side. You’ll be fine.”

“Okay.” Dachvinder drew in a deep breath and nodded.

The ship’s engines changed pitch, they had dropped into orbit. “We’d better finish getting ready.” Mikhail rubbed his thumb gently over Dachvinder’s chin and turned away.