CAED
The second I looked at her, I knew she had moved beyond her previous depressive state and into complete, all encompassing rage. I watched as she sank back on her heels and took deep breaths to calm down and collect herself. Once she was able to stand, she left for the bath without looking at me or saying a word.
When she returned she went into the kitchen, made food, and ate, while she sat glaring at me. She finally took a deep breath and croaked out "why?"
I turned and met her eyes and had no choice but to spill it all. I began at the very beginning. I told her of how Yelarians used to live high in the mountains, far from human lands. "We started experiencing avalanches and were forced to move to lower altitudes, into human lands. Human men coveted the beauty and power of the Yelarian females and thought they could capture it for themselves by breeding with them. They kidnapped them, but did not know that the females had been unable to conceive since moving to lower altitudes. Once the men found the females 'useless,' they were discarded, some murdered, some abandoned in the wilderness to die."
I continued after searching her face and getting nothing from it. "We have always been a cruel, barbarous society. Nearly all our males, like Gabriel, are bloodthirsty mercenaries, who fight battles for others. They will kill for anyone who pays the highest price. Yelarians are not emotional, but they are fiercely territorial, possessive, and protective. The wrath of the Yelarians for the sins of the few humans was hard and swift. They killed indiscriminately with every intention of wiping out the human race."
Still no reaction behind her eyes. I became apologetic. This next part was going to be rough, as she would understand how and why she came to be here. "As is often the case in wars, and definitely in our society, human woman were captured and held hostage and raped. When it was revealed that human women could conceive with Yelarians and the babies had wings, a way was seen to replenish our numbers. Unfortunately, the human women could not give birth to the winged babes and they died, usually the babies dying with them. So the Yelarian priestesses went to work honing the magic so humans could give birth to Yelarian babies, without either of them dying. The babies had to be cut out, but both lives could be preserved."
She knew the importance of what I was saying. She knew this would be the revealing of her future. "After cleansing the world of so many humans, and after the humans went to the caves, it was difficult to capture enough women for all Yelarian males. That is when the Rite was established. It was decreed that all human breeding had to be sanctioned by the council and that the male members of a Yelarian family would be allowed one human per three males. Since Yelarians are so territorial and possessive, the council wanted to take all steps necessary to ensure the safety of any children born to the family. This meant there must be no way of telling exactly who was the father of the child. In other words, any time one male took the human female to bed, the others did as well." Her face finally started to show some emotion and, as the realization of her situation, our situation, began to set in, her lip began to quiver.
"The practice had basically died out over the last century because our numbers had increased sufficiently." Lyra's eyes were wide and she was barely breathing. She tried to form words and finally whispered "Why now? Why me?" I answered "A baby has not been born into my family since my birth, over 500 years ago."
I could see her awe as she learned my age. I continued. "That was fine for quite some time, but my family, the council, and Yelarian society in general, now say they 'require a new heir to the bloodline.'" There was nothing but confusion in her eyes. I thought maybe she had enough for one night, but she found her words and told me to keep going. I did not want to get into all the courtly and political drama just yet, so I got back on the course of explaining the Rite.
"Since the early days, between the magic and studying both Yelarian and human biology, the process was perfected and there is a very strict protocol involved in getting a female pregnant. It is called the Rite, and we are required to participate. I fucked up completely when I bedded you without dealing with Gabriel first. I am so sorry, Lyra. I was so thrown off guard when you told me you were 'ready,' and my total lack of self control was most likely due to the fact that you are my true mate. I could not help myself. You know how right it felt. That is probably the only reason one or both of us are not dead." I could tell she believed that. I could tell she believed all of it, but her mind was still working hard to absorb it. Then I had to say the hardest words of them all. I leveled my eyes at her and very quietly said "After what happened today, with Gabriel, you now know what the Rite requires us to do. If we do not, he will kill us both."
She surprised me by getting up and walking to the bedroom. She was trembling, but was working hard to keep her fear under control and maintain her anger. She let me undress her and I laid her gently on the bed. I attempted to make eye contact, but she had her head turned away from me. I wanted to spend all night making love to her but I knew she hated both of us at that moment and I did not want to do anything to continue her suffering. I propped myself up onto my elbows and lightly pushed her thighs open. She wasn't excited and eager as she has been every time before. This broke my heart. What if she no longer wanted me? What if our love making became only performative sex like it was in the majority of Yelarian households.
I entered her as gently as possible, as I knew she had to be sore from the earlier brutality. I barely moved inside her for the same reason, but as I moved into a light rhythm, I felt her raise her hips, ever so slightly, to grind up against me. I felt the rush of her wetness envelope me and I was undone. I held her tight as I came inside her and whispered "I love you" into her ear. With that, her body bucked against me as she moaned my name and gasped as she came with me.