Tithe Ch 01

"I am not so sure that this is a good idea Fex."

"What's not good about it? It's flawless. We shall bring our Prince back the perfect Tithe and once again we shall be in his good graces."

"I agree that we need to redeem ourselves, but I'm just not sure this is the way to go about it."

Fex of Rivenhell looked over at his companion Dax, a sneer crossing his milky features.

"What is your exact problem with my plan, Dax?"

Dax looked around the place called Oakridge Plaza Mall. There were people everywhere rushing this way and that, bumping into each other and barely acknowledging one another. It was all so different and strange from the world that he was used to.

"Well," Dax swallowed awkwardly. "These Earth women seem to be quite different from the women on our planet. I am not sure any of them would agree to be a Tithe."

Fex looked at Dax as if he had grown another head.

"Are you mad? That is heresy you speak. Any female would be honored to be named Tithe of the Crown Prince of Rea."

"I agree with you my friend, any female who actually

knew

of the Prince. But these females are not of our world. They are not even of our galaxy and the more I watch them and see how independent they seem..."

"A woman is a woman is a woman, you simpleton, and any woman who sets eyes on the Prince will be glad to be his Tithe."

"But—"

"No, I shan't listen to your foolishness anymore. If you do not like my plan you can go wait in the ship, but I will be the one to take all the credit when the Prince chooses our Tithe." With that statement ringing in the air Fex turned his back to his companion's muttering and complaints.

*****

Ilaria Hamilton sighed deeply as she left yet another store empty handed. Her search for an evening dress to wear to the Historical Honors Society Ball was not going very well at all. Her African-American heritage had made damn sure of that. At the age of twenty four Ilaria was almost 5 feet 7 inches tall with a body that "wouldn't quit". At least that what her girlfriends said. Ilaria, however, found her 34DD- 24- 40 frame to be nothing but a pain in the ass. Every dress she had tried on had either revealed too much on top, hugged too tightly on the bottom, or fit her like a circus tent. It was impossible to find a dress that would be a classy, yet sexy fit over her breasts and ass, while still fitting to her slim waistline.

She had found one dress that was obviously made for some trophy wife with implants, but when she had tried to fit the damn thing over the wide spread of her hips, she had run into disaster.

There's probably not a single garment in this whole goddamn mall that's built to accommodate a black girl's ass,

Ilaria thought angrily as she stormed out of Macy's. It was no use; she would just have to wear last year's dress, the black and white one that made her look like Shamu.

Rolling her eyes up to the sky as if to ask "Why me?" Ilaria made her way to the nearest exit.

*****

"That is the one." Fex whispered to Dax. The female had walked by not two feet away from him. She had an exquisite, elvan-like face, with lovely black hair that curled down to the small of her back, but it was not those features that called to him. Fex had grown up with his Prince, and he knew him well. The Prince liked luscious women, with full curves either on the top or bottom. This woman was blessed in both places.

"Who?" Dax asked, speaking through a Cinnabon.

"The female walking through the doors."

Dax narrowed his eyes and tilted his head.

"The one with the dark skin?"

"Yes,"

"Are you sure? I've never seen coloring like hers before. Should we bring him someone so different?"

"Yes. She is unique. He will want her."

"But all his other women—"

"We do not want to bring him a female just like all of the others. We want to catch his eye." Fex was already moving to follow the woman out of the doors.

"But how can you be sure that she's the one?"

"It's in her body, he will want to touch her curves," Fex grunted as his own fingers twitched.

"How can you even tell what is beneath all of her huge clothing?"

Fex didn't voice his answer that he could only truly see the female's shape when she moved, that the concealing clothes were almost more alluring than if she had been bared to his eyes. Almost. Picking up his pace, he moved to intercept her

*****

"Excuse me, woman."

Ilaria wrinkled her nose as she felt someone lay a hand on her shoulder.

Woman

?

"May I help you," she asked, one eyebrow raised, effortless attitude springing to her lips.

A tall pale man peered down at her with an imperial look on her face. Ilaria felt shivers run up and down her arms, as if she weren't safe. She stepped out of his reach.

"As a Knight of the Rean Royal Court, I claim you as Tithe for my liege, Prince Arenostos of Rea," he said, giving her a chilled smile.

"What the fuck are you talking about, weirdo," Ilaria used her authoritative voice as she took a step back towards her car. The pale man's eyes narrowed as he watched her.

"You are to be a Tithe for are Prince. It is a great honor, woman. I must ask you to cease your vulgar speech or I may have to rescind me offer. My associate and I will transport you on our Starship and—"

Ilaria laughed as relief flooded her body. She hadn't gotten her masters in World History and Archeology by hanging out with the "cool" crowd. She knew a geek when she saw one.

"Look buddy," she smiled gently, "I enjoy a good sci-fi book as much as the next nerd, but I'm not into those RPG games, ok? Find someone else to play."

She turned to walk away when she felt his hand on her shoulder again.

"Woman,"

"Who put you up to this?" she swung back around. "Was it Dennis? Tell him it's a good joke."

She looked up into the face of the pale man and then at the man behind him. The pale man's hand tightened on her shoulder until it nearly hurt.

Ilaria's eyes grew wide as she saw the second man walk forward until they were both crowding her against her car. She didn't need to think twice.

"Get away from me!" she screamed, using one hand to punch at the men and the other to stab at them with her keys. "Help me! Someone help!"

"Use the SRT, Dax" was the last thing she heard before her body shattered into billions of tiny pieces.