Once again, thanks for all of the comments and ratings. I start back at work on the 3rd, so my postings may take a little longer. I am aiming at every weekend, but will see how things go work load wise. Thanks for your continued support, Alice.
"Here, Alana. Take over," Kalen said as his hands gripped the sides of his chair. Wind buffeted the shuttle, and snow had reduced them to zero visibility. Every now and then another shuttle would zoom out of the thick grey clouds that hung all around them.
"Are you kidding?" Alana asked in disbelief. Apparently he wasn't. Kalen gestured towards the panel in front of them. Something was blinking angrily up at Alana.
"You can do it," Kalen encouraged, "it's exactly like the simulators." Taking a deep breath, Alana started to tap the controls. After the first few presses she had relaxed and knew that Kalen was right. Adrenaline and excitement raced through her as she started to guide the shuttle through the storm and in the direction of Kalen's home. He had given her the co-ordinates, and she was finding it surprisingly easy to navigate towards them.
The shuttle started to shake violently, almost throwing Alana from her feet; although Kalen could pilot from his chair, Alana was too short. As the shuttle settled again they flew out of the cloud, and for the first time Alana was able to see the planet she would be landing on.
The sky was a light grey colour lined with dark, heavy clouds. The ground seemed rocky, though the majority of it was covered by snow. The small settlements of buildings were all the same grey stone that Alana saw beneath her. Above her, the sun was the same dusky pink that she had seen at the ice rink on board the ship.
"You see why no one is confined to grey on this planet." Alana nodded in agreement with Kalen's statement. She certainly did see why. Anyone who disappeared into the landscape wearing grey could disappear far too easily.
As the shuttle neared its destination the weather once again turned poor. Kalen took over the controls and gave Alana a chance to dress appropriately. Alana had discovered that there were a range of suitable clothes in the storage compartment beneath her bunk. She chose a full length blue dress to wear. It was made of a material similar to wool and was lined with fur. Along with that she pulled on some thick leggings, fur boots, and a stunning, fur lined purple cloak. After pinning her hair up, Alana felt as well presented as she could be. She was back in time to take over the controls so that Kalen could change, also.
When Kalen returned, Alana was suitably impressed. He looked like a barbarian warlord. His clothes had noticeably less fur than hers, though the entirety of his cloak seemed to be made of it. His dreadlocks were loose, and had been decorated with items that looked like teeth. When he grabbed Alana, pulling her close, she couldn't help but kiss him.
As Alana landed the shuttle, reality started to set in. She didn't really know what to expect in way of a greeting, and she wondered if they would have to fight. Kalen had attached his curved sword to his belt, surely a bad sign. The last thing that Alana had expected was no one to be present upon their arrival.
Stepping out into the snow, Alana's breath was stolen by the cold. She didn't think she had ever felt temperatures like it in her life. Where she had licked her lips, they stuck together. Snow and an icy wind whipped her exposed face, and it was all she could do to lift her legs in the thigh deep snow. Kalen quickly grabbed her, wrapping her in his arms. Alana pressed her face to his chest to shield it, but by the time she was inside his home, her whole body was shivering violently, her exposed skin a purpley blue.
From above, Kalen's home had looked like a castle with a few smaller buildings around in. Alana hadn't been able to see the place from outside, but inside Kalen's home looked positively medieval. Kalen stood Alana down on the stone floor, her boots protecting her from the cold. He wrapped an arm around her, but before they could take another step, a booming voice rang out.
"Husband? It has been ten years already?" The voice sounded annoyed, and not the least feminine. When Alana turned to see who had spoken, she was confronted by the most masculine looking woman she had ever seen. Almost as tall as Kalen, her thick black hair was braided down her back. Her shoulders were broad and her arms clearly muscled. Alana could see her beauty, but it was the fierce beauty of an Amazon.
"It has been fifteen," Kalen replied. He gently took Alana's hand in his. She was thankful. She was still shaking with the cold and now she was afraid of the huge woman's reaction.
"I see you brought a slave back with you. Tell me, woman, does he bed you?" Her voice was level, and didn't seem unhappy about Alana's presence at all. Alana blushed, and wasn't sure wether to answer or not.
"He does," she stammered when Kalen poked her in the back.
"You have my pity, woman. He is a pathetic excuse for a man of this world, and a pitiful lover. You will find my ear sympathetic if you choose to seek me out. I am Olivine." Her voice boomed around the hall. At the insult, Alana had heard Kalen sigh.
"I'm Alana," she smiled.
"Wife, you have not changed. For this I am thankful." Alana was momentarily confused by Kalen's comment, but Olivine soon brought clarity to it.
"You have nothing to fear for your little morsel, unless of course I decide to taste her for myself," Olivine laughed, although Alana wasn't sure she was entirely teasing. "However, husband, you seem to have changed a great deal. Still, I must take my leave. One of us has to be warrior enough to hunt."
With that, Olivine went outside to tackle the snow. As Alana followed Kalen through the cold castle, the medieval theme continued. Weapons were mounted on walls, huge fire places decorated every room, warn benches and faded cushions were placed to optimise the heat the fires would give out once lit. In Kalen's room was a huge, carved wooden bed made of a solid, dark wood. There were furs on the bed, the floor, and the walls to offer insulation. The whole castle was dark; the windows were narrow to better retain the heat. They clearly hadn't heard of double glazing. Still shivering, Alana climbed straight into bed.
"Kalen, it's so cold here." Alana said through chattering teeth. He climbed into bed next to her and pulled her close. Quickly, he pulled his clothes off, throwing them out of the bed as he cuddled Alana against his naked warmth. Under the piles of fur Alana started to warm up to. One by one she removed her own clothes. Soon the two were intertwined, Alana trying to stay warm, and Kalen just enjoying having a soft, feminine body willingly in a bed that had only held misery previously.
"Olivine seems nice," Alana said. Kalen snorted in response, but said nothing on the matter. Alana continued, "Does she like women?"
"Yes," Kalen replied. "It is an accepted practice here, though the women usually still marry men." Kalen paused for a moment before he continued. "Alana, I want you to be careful with Olivine."
"Why?" She asked curiously snuggling into Kalen's chest.
"Remember the first night I bedded you? It was a disaster." Alana nodded. She hadn't forgotten the brutal rape. It had been explained that on this planet, the women always fought the men as foreplay. "She would expect you to fight." Alana nodded her understanding. She could be raped by Olivine without her realising what she was doing.
"I'll be careful, I promise." Alana meant every word of it.
"Come. Now you have warmed up some, we should prepare to meet the rest of family. This is still my mother's house, and she will never forgive me if we don't have things prepared for when they return," Kalen said as he climbed out of bed. He didn't seem excited to be seeing his family after such a long separation.
"Kalen, why did you stay longer than you had to?" Alana was genuinely curious. Had he committed a crime that had lengthened his sentence?
He smiled back at her, humour in his voice as he spoke, "I'm surprised you have to ask. Which climate would you prefer?" He didn't wait for Alana's answer. Instead, he vanished naked into the hall way beyond. By the time he came back, Alana was shivering again. She was still piled under the furs, but without Kalen's body heat the cold was just too much. An unmistakeable look of concern passed of his face, but was quickly replaced by a smile.
"Once you are dressed again, we will light a few of the fires. You can take a fur down with you, and sit in front of one. You'll get used to the temperature soon enough." He sounded like he was trying to convince himself. He quickly pulled on a tunic and trousers, then a robe over the top. The clothes didn't look as if they had much warmth to them. Alana pulled on everything she had worn previously, and then wrapped on of the huge furs around herself. It trailed on the floor as she walked, but Kalen didn't seem to mind.
Soon, Alana was seated upon a huge cushioned bench. Kalen had tugged it as close to the fire as he could without it being a danger. He had lit the fire in seconds, obviously well practiced, and now the wood was crackling cheerfully before her. It was hard to be miserable in such circumstances, and once Kalen snuggled up next to her, she completely forgot about the cold.
The room also had a dining table in it, which Kalen had laid with thick wooden plates, and goblets made out of a strange, pinkish metal. Again, it seemed huge to Alana. If she sat at one of the chairs she knew her legs wouldn't reach the floor. A huge bang startled Alana out of her thoughts. She turned to Kalen who just smiled. Alana listened as carefully as she could, trying to work out what was happening. It wasn't long before she heard voices.
"You're dripping blood all over the floor! You could have at least brought it in the back way!" The voice was shrill, chastising, and harassed. "You think I don't have enough to do already? Fucking inconsiderate, that's what you are." Alana was desperately curious as the voices came closer.
"Tell me, please, how long you wish to keep your tongue," came a reply. It was a deep, tired sounding voice, but wasn't without mirth. Alana felt nerves rising in her belly. This must be Kalen's family.
"It's always the same with you. You just have no imagination. It's the same fucking idle threats every time. At least Olivine has the decency to put some thought into it. You make me feel so unappreciated."
The door to the dining room slammed open, finally allowing Alana to see the pair who were bickering. She couldn't have been more surprised. The man with the high pitched voice looked a little like a weasel. His skin was a mottled yellow colour which, quite frankly, made him look like a corpse. He was taller than Alana, and had shinning black eyes. When he spoke she could see that his teeth were pointy, like Kalen's. The woman that he was chastising was carrying the carcass of a dead animal that was dripping blood onto the stone floor. She was a pace ahead of the old man, and looked like she wanted to hit him. Her jaw was clenched, her face set into a deep frown. That could have been because she had spotted Kalen, though.
"As well as your moaning, Harold, I have this ungreatful get to feed," she boomed. Alana couldn't help but giggle at the name Harold. He looked like a Harold. Alana wondered if he had a connection to Earth, or if it was a coincidence. Then, she realised all eyes were on her.
