Later that night...day... whatever it was now, Aly and Loh were finishing up their meal. Aly had been surprised but accepting of the fact that the Abdhi apparently abhorred the idea of eating meat. In fact when Aly had asked if they ate fish Loh had looked at her as if she'd asked for a tasty bit of her own arm. Ah well, she decided, she'd learn all this in time. And it wasn't like she was in danger of starving, kelp and other various plants had turned out to be quite tasty.
Along with food habits Loh had also been educating her on his people. Where they lived, social customs and the like. It was all pretty damn weird. But hell, Aly had always wanted to go to a foreign country and have new experiences, so she was getting her wish. Sort of.
Loh had informed her, amid playful kisses and touches, that it would still be 4 tides before they would reach his home. He had also assured her that she would be welcome there.
"Loh?" she asked finally, not wanting to put it off any longer "Is there anyone waiting for you at home, someone who would be expecting us to, well, not be having sex?"
"Don't worry Aly" he replied. "Although they Will be taken off guard, there are legends of people such as you coming to us, so the idea of you will not be without precedent. I would actually like to take you to the history cache, so you can learn these stories yourself."
She threw herself into his arms at that point, so happy that all she could do was squeeze him and make squeaking noises.
Smiling, he held her against him and ran his fingers through her long silky hair. She really was a wonder, and he was glad to have found her. He was just glad she hadn't pressed with the original question.
Loh swam up above the coral hollow they were in to make sure of the currents and their direction, so she swam up to the other edge to take in the view. So many colors! She hadn't thought she would've been able to see so well deep underwater, but for some reason she could. Clear waters full of bright fish and brilliant plants. She could spend hours just looking. And she lived here now! She would have done a happy dance, but, well, she didn't quite have the hang of fine motor coordination way under water yet.
Out of the blue waters there came a great big school of fish. Aly had no idea what they were, just that it was beautiful. A gigantic swath of gleaming silvers and blues sweeping so close by that she was pushed back in the water, she giggled and glanced up at Loh. He was looking down at her and grinning. Just as he started to motion with his hands the fish changed directions and were all around her! Not being used to avoiding fish, working with water currents, And swimming in a straight line, she was flung around a bit. She could hear Loh yell and hoped for his sake that he had grabbed for her, but it was too late. "Loh!" she yelled. The fish, somehow, shifted again and she was flung like a basketball down to the seabed.
Screaming, she hurtled the short distance to the jagged reef, unable to slow herself in her panic. And then she stopped. Loh had her, she grabbed onto him and buried her face in his neck. Thank god he'd caught her. At the same moment that she realized Loh had somehow grown breasts she heard him say her name softly... from behind her. She looked up, screeched like a murdered hen, and scrabbled back from the person who had been holding her. After a very undignified sprawl she got the few feet to Loh. He held her close to him and soothed her with his hands while murmuring comforts. "are you all right little one?" he asked. She nodded.
Aly took his comfort as she could let herself, straightened her shoulders, and turned back to the strange. "Thank you very much for saving me from what I'm sure would have been quite the bruising experience." She said, smiling. "You have wonderful timing, and I'm grateful."
The woman, truly stunning in her wild beauty, looked at her with fascination. "Do you really not know who I am?" she murmured. "Has this daft tuna told you nothing of me?"
Suddenly Aly found it prudent to back away from Loh. He tried to snag her arm but she, for once in this new environment, found some agility and avoided him. Trying not to show her new mistrust and pain she looked at Loh and said two words. "Tell Me."
He slowly explained that the beautiful Abdhi woman's name was Kle and that she was his life partner. He didn't try to stop Aly from edging away from him, though the pain in her eyes caused his heart to ache. He went on to say that the Abdhi mated for life, he and Kle had been such for 15 years at that point. But, he also said that the Abdhi life partners, while never leaving each other, did often bring in another party. And that's what he was hoping would happen with her. He had been planning to explain all this on the way to his home.
Aly was suddenly furious. "You son of a Bitch! You were going to tell me a pretty story, take me to your home, and throw me into another woman's bed. Without even asking her!" Aly tightened her fists at her sides, ready to beat the hell out of him if he tried anything. Loh seemed to have some sense however as he stayed well back from her.
As tears started to well up in her eyes Aly spoke. "I am going to go just around this bit of reef here, sit down, and cry for a while. I thought I knew you, and you probably are still the man I thought you were. But right now I need to go be sad for a bit, so if you'll excuse me." Then she turned to Kle and whispered "I am so sorry, if I've caused you any pain I apologize." It looked like Kle was going to say something, but Aly was already swimming off.
Aly was thankful that at least some of her former underwater grace had come back to her, as she didn't embarrass herself in her exit. Going around the reef she found a smooth dip in the beautiful coral and sank into it. And then she began to cry. Why did the only person she had have to do this to her! She curled up against the rough reef and sniffled for quite a bit. And then she made herself start thinking logically. He had said he intended to tell her everything. So it wasn't so much that he lied, as that he was discovered too early. He still should have told her, she stubbornly thought, but she understood. And it wasn't as if Aly actually objected to the idea of being intimate with Kle. She enjoyed women as much as she did men, and Kle was beautiful. With her incredibly long dark green hair and cinnamon skin she looked like the ocean at night. And those eyes! They were a sparkling sapphire blue. She had fine features, a strong jaw but still femme. No she wouldn't have minded enjoying Kle, but all that was probably ruined now. Why would Kle want to be with a creature that looked nothing like her and had slept with her life partner without her consent.. Agh this was so crazy. She burrowed deeper against the rough sea life and whimpered. What was she going to do!
From the side their came a soft "Aly?". "Go away Loh." She hiccupped "Now is not a good time."
"I know it's not, but I think we need to talk. And I'm not Loh." And then, there was Kle.
Kle laid a strong webbed hand on Aly's shoulder. "Don't you think we need to talk?" Kle said. Aly nodded. "Now", said the Abdhi "I think we need to straighten some things out. I do not object to you as a species, as Loh has told you we've has special ones come to us before in our history, and it has always turned out well." As she spoke Kle rubbed Aly's arm soothingly, relaxing her. She began again "In fact I think you are absolutely stunning, and would love to bring you into our home. You also appear to be intelligent and good, which makes the arrangement even more appealing. In fact if I'd seen you first I probably would have suggested it. It's simply the way things came about that made it... difficult. I have come to accept it, can you?" Still rubbing Aly. She lifted an inquiring brow.
"I would like to try." murmured Aly. "But if at any point you or Loh want me gone just let me know and I'll leave and I won't say anything and..." Her words were stopped by a pair of very soft lips on hers. They moved gently against hers, lighting a fire deep inside her belly. Aly moaned. Kle pulled away and smiled "what do you say we give Loh a bit more time to think while we get to know each other. When I came back here he was swimming worriedly in circles, he has probably caused a whirlpool by now." she laughed.
"That sounds like a plan" Aly agreed "but lets not leave him to long, I don't want him to Really worry..." But then her lips weren't hers alone anymore, again.