There are empty racks and coffers across the hangar turned smithy, the equipment was likely taken out this past week as the Rykz started evacuating. Cetyz shifts on her root-like toes and taps my shoulder with a tendril to call my attention.
“You trick me, when escape.” Cetyz says oddly cheerfully. “Tell me get Celyz respect deal but not tell me it mean end war and no revenge, was smart.”
“You're not ma... angry about that?” I ask.
“It wise, not tell me.” She insists, waving her tendrils in excitement as she thinks back. “And you accomplish two goals, save me and your second Hive, you crafty.”
“You're so cute.” I can't help but say. “Fenyz is lucky.”
“Rhy.” Cetyz exhales from her twelve breathing openings around her head in embarrassment. “Fenyz not happy me for say what I say in meeting, about hurt with stamen.”
“Did you apologize?” I ask.
“I say not mean words how she take words.” Cetyz tells me, her head turning to the side.
“The fact you're not even willing to look at me means you know you should have.” I comment.
“Know! But Fenyz attack you, Little Princess, now can't say sorry before she do because did worse!” Cetyz protests.
“I thank you for defending me but I don't want Fenyz' apology, Cetyz.” I gently tell her. “My and your sister are still figuring things out, I haven't acted entirely honorably towards her so I would rather you two not get involved.”
“Hy.” Cetyz exhales.
Qanyz starts shaping a construct over the liangi so I turn my attention to her. I detect the thick liquid she's been laying over the weapon start thinning as it is absorbed inside the metal.
“You're reinforcing it?” I ask.
“Yes, to prevent rust and tighten the bonds between the two metals.” Qanyz replies, picking the weapon up to lower it down to the level of my eyes.
The liangi has a Vuskyt staff but Lassus steel blades on either end, the two metals merge together so seamlessly that I cannot find a point where I could say they were joined.
It's easy to recognize Lassus steel because of its dark gray color and the thin white, or light gray, layers running across it like ripples in a pond. The Vuskyt is pitch black in color and, unlike most weapons made of it, it does not look dull in the slightest.
“Why did you combine both metals?” I ask.
“The core part of the weapon does not need to bend so Vuskyt is most suited to it while the blades require flexibility so as to lower the chance that they will become stuck in bones or armor when you cut.” Qanyz explains.
“Why does Lassus steel look like that?” I question.
“It has this appearance because I have hammered stripes of metal together and then folded them over and over.” Qanyz responds. “I have my personal method to create Lassus steel even if I use the Lisileses' construct. The primary material was made by melting old tempered quality steel swords to which I then added glass, charcoal, and some trace metal extracts from a batch of Vuskyt. I dare say that this is some of my best work, it would stand up to, if not beat, the best of Lassus' blacksmiths. The Vuskyt itself is of the highest purity which we reserve for Princesses.”
“Thanks a lot.” I murmur, fascinated by the dark glistening weapon that looks sharp enough to cut through armor without the need to use a construct. “Can I hold it?”
“Of course.” Qanyz nods. “The liangi becomes gradually less flexible as you approach the middle, making the center of gravity the most likely point of failure. If you run your tendrils over it, you will feel that I've made that portion thicker.”
I carefully take hold of the liangi and run my hands across its entire length, finding that indeed the one third portion at the middle of the weapon becomes gradually wider until it reaches the center of gravity at which point it narrows.
It's barely perceptible to the touch and almost invisible to the eye but, considering how tough Vuskyt is, the slight increase in width is definitely enough to reinforce the 'weak point'.
I find that the blades are as sharp if not sharper than they look when I run my symbiont's thumb over the side of one and it still cuts slightly into my sleeve glove's leather.
“Celyz has said you would prefer to inscribe the runes yourself, I offer you my aid in the matter as well as expertise to scramble the runes and lock the construct to yourself.” Qanyz tells me.
“Would it ensure secrecy?” I ask.
“Almost certainly.” She nods. “Adding a few decoy runes and lines within working ones will make it extremely difficult to decipher while locking it to yourself ensures that testing becomes impossible.”
“Could you be able to figure out the runic constructs if you inspect my runes?” I question, having a secure messaging construct anchored in my torso with all I need.
“In no way.” Qanyz shakes her head. “You will create the decoy runes and superfluous lines in the runes yourself so I would have no way to determine which are required. I would perhaps be able to if you activated it while giving me direct access to the runic construct's functions and time to study.”
“Okay, let me take a few swings first.” I murmur.
I take a few steps back from the Princesses and run my fingers over the weapon's surface, sighing in admiration. I shift my hands to grip the one-third and two-third marks.
I pull my left foot back and set my right in front before shifting the weapon diagonally in a high right and down left defensive stance. I can lower the weapon to slash or bring it up to stab because the blades face opposite directions.
If either is dodged, I can rotate the weapon to rinse and repeat by making it rotate behind my back or inside my hands depending on how hard I want to hit. Yet, I try none of it.
“What wrong?” Cetyz asks.
“I'm not sure.” I reply.
I actually feel queasy, when did I become so meek? The Little one is in a sort of slumber, not really awake nor sleeping. I've often found it in this state lately which I take as Celyz having done what she could to preserve my body until she removes it.
I don't awaken my symbiont, realizing that much of my aggressiveness comes from it but unwilling to blame it as I'm certain that I've worked myself up plenty enough on my own even if it is hard to disassociate us.
“Is there an issue?” Qanyz questions.
“No, it's perfect.” I speak up. “But I would much rather work on inscribing the rune if you don't mind?”
“Of course.” Qanyz nods.
She grabs a long rectangular box along with a half-dozen engraving tools, small hammers, chisels, and files. She heading to a low-table to set the items down and hand me a piece of chalk.
Cetyz goes around to watch us work from a small distance. I start setting down the first runes of the defensive construct adapted for Vuskyt with Qanyz telling me which segments need to be scrambled.
She can only help so much as she doesn't know my personal runes and is keeping her distance as she teaches me to lock the runic construct for myself and the Little one, using the same method that the Templars use for their beacon constructs.
The fact that she can't precisely detect the chalk on the weapon means that her advice sometimes comes too late but it isn't an issue as I can simply erase the runes to correct them.
“Is it finished?” Qanyz asks after an hour.
“Mostly.” I reply, adding one more false rune.
“Do you wish to inscribe the essential portions of the construct inside the weapon rather than on the surface? It will protect them but is more difficult to do and harder to modify.” Qanyz explains.
“I've created this defensive construct with Celyz, I doubt I'll be able to improve it anytime soon.” I tell her. “I think I'll inscribe the whole thing on the surface and add redundancy runes beneath.”
“Very well.” Qanyz nods. “If you need flow, you may ask us.”
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“Do I use a scanning construct to guide my shaping construct?” I question.
“Yes, and your sense. You should be able to detect the high levels of energy if you set the Little one's palm on the weapon.” Qanyz tells me. “It would be optimal if you only made thin scratches inside as no more is required.”
“Alright.” I nod. “Would you be willing to double-check the logical segments as I engrave them? I've set to transfer flow from one construct to the other when either activates, Celyz and I spent most of our time on it but a failure there would ruin the whole runic construct.”
“Of course.” Qanyz nods.
Cetyz grows bored and restless by the first fifteen minutes observing me, deciding to leave rather than bother me while Qanyz remained patient even after she had no more advice, remaining solely to supply me with flow.
I spend the rest of the afternoon working on inscribing the whole runic construct which is a composite of three constructs, the defensive one, the armor-piercing one, and the lightning construct one.
The construct isn't as streamlined as it could be as we didn't have time to create a real lightning-armor-piercing construct but I prefer it this way because it allows me to activate each separately.
The work I did on using logical segments to make this weapon was useful to learn them as well as deepen my understanding of them towards finalizing the double-headed plow I aim to build.
I decide to take a break because my back hurts, because I'm hungry, and because I'm worried even though Celyz should be returning soon. I caress the weapon, admiring the craft despite my reluctance to use it now that I've decided to set down my weapons. Two Rykz workers arrive with a meal so I find a crate to sit down on.
“What's that box for?” I ask the Princess, pointing at the long rectangular wooden case. “You haven't used it.”
“It is to store your weapon.” Qanyz replies, flipping two steel clips to open it.
There are two red cloth pillows with a silver tree embroidered on them lining the box's top and bottom, useful in ensuring the weapon won't slip or be damaged. I'd think I have a crest myself if I didn't know better seeing this silver tree on bright red cloth that resembles blood.
“It looks really good.” I tell her, gulping down a spoonful of mushroom marinated in grub 'milk'.
Celyz returns as I finish my meal. She isn't carrying a runic sword or any weapon contrary to what they told me. The abrupt movements of her swashing tail and tendrils tell me that she's tired, perhaps even angry.
“Would you mind giving us the room?” Celyz asks Qanyz.
“Of course, my work is done.” Qanyz nods and departs.
“You need a whole hangar?” I ask teasingly, hoping to make her relax.
“I have encountered and spoken to Leomi Lance in Port-Odo.” She replies softly, making me freeze on the spot.
“What, did you talk about?” I ask, stuttering.
“Her overreaching claim over your body, and other things.” Celyz tells me in a serious resounding voice.
I blush furiously at the though of my two loves discussing their claims over me. In spite of my fears about what may have transpired, I can't help but get excited thinking of them reaching an agreement to have their way with me together no matter how impossible that is considering her attitude.
“Sorry.” I mutter as I feel myself growing moist.
“You are not entirely at fault, I find the subject arousing as well.” Celyz admits, several of her tendrils twirling. “It is more intense because you forbid me the touch of you, yet it infuriates me that you do so on her behalf.”
“Sorry.” I repeat myself, biting my lower lip and reaffirming my resolve to pamper her as a human.
“My gentle Jessica.” Celyz whispers softly. “The rest will not be pleasant to hear.”
“Alright.” I mutter.
“That woman reiterated her refusal to make a choice, in fact she exploded at me for even questioning your relationship.” Celyz says. “I fear I have made matters worse in my misguided impulse to claim you from her as she made a despicable and vulgar statement about owning your sex which debases your dignity.”
The Little one awakens abruptly, bristling at something that it described to me as a foul odor. It doesn't take me long to realize that my symbiont is telling me she reeks of dishonesty.
“Celyz.” I utter in anger.
“She can control you down to forbidding what you do with yourself but I cannot even characterize her words in the way I hear them?!” Celyz exclaims in outrage.
“Not if you're relating her words by saying something you yourself know she didn't express!” I shout back. “But you know what I'm really angry about?” I ask but continue without giving her a chance to respond. “You're letting Elizabeth's screwed up relationship with her seep into ours!”
“But it is hurting us.” Celyz protests.
“I spent a wonderful week with you Celyz, don't let her taint the next few we have.” I plead. “Whatever her directives, they end when I meet her again as Jessica.”
“I will be too late by then.” Celyz utters in a fragile voice.
“We will forever be much, much more than friends, Celyz.” I reaffirm in spite of the pain it causes me. “I love you but we are not lovers.”
“I... I am sorry, it was never my intention to...” Celyz stutters, staggering back. “I, I apologize, I took our, our bodies' passion for the other on instinct and was driven to fulfill it when our link is one that is neither Rykz nor human.”
“It's fine.” I whisper with a tight throat, holding my right hand out for her.
She wraps one of her tendrils around it, grasping at my wrist with the curve. I slowly pull her closer and deposit a small kiss in the small of her belly, her musky smell infiltrates my nostrils, causing both me and the Little one to shiver in desire.
“I, in Rykz society.” Celyz starts, her tendrils making chaotic waves without coordination. “It would be unnatural for us not to be together, many with weaker mutual chemistry have entwined.”
“Perhaps someday, my oak.” I murmur.
I pull away from her, feeling like I'm ripping my heart out doing so while she is in such disarray. Celyz takes deep rumbling breaths to calm down. I give her all the time she needs to settle down from the unfair line I've redrawn between us.
“I acted in desperation.” Celyz finally says.
Her words convince me that my resolve to give her what we both want as a full human is not worth biding my time at her expense as Leomi did to me. I take a deep breath and reach up to lay my right hand on the side of her neck.
“If you wish me to, I'll lay you down right now.” I tell her.
“Jessica!” Celyz exclaims, interrupting me.
She takes a huge step back away from me, even breaking her hold on my wrist. Her breath grows short from surprise, her tail's swings narrow from timidity, her tendrils wrap around her trunk in a defensive gesture.
“I hadn't finished...” I say, hurt and puzzled by what seems to be a rejection. “But I don't understand why you're so against it when you offered me yourself whenever I want.”
“It, it is not that.” Celyz utters, trembling. “You, you said you would lay me down.”
“Right, you don't lie down to sleep.” I note. “Why are you, um, reacting like that?” I carefully ask, repressing my instinct to tease as I feel she is to distressed to lightly treat this.
“B, because...” Celyz takes two short inhalations, apparently gathering her courage. “It is a gesture that goes beyond trust to uproot oneself and lie down on our backs as we are entirely unable to run away in such a state with our tails all but useless.”
“Oh.” I mutter. “Oh...” I add, my desire to lay her down rising by several orders of magnitude.
“But, I, I can do so again. You, you have put your life in my tendrils.” Celyz hurriedly adds.
“No, you won't.” I instantly refuse. “Not for that reason at least.”
“I thank you.” Celyz exhales loudly in relief. “It was an intense experience to do so after we first held, and I'm sure I will lie near you again, but I do not want to do so lightly.”
“Celyz.” I say in a serious tone. “If you're really desperate, don't hesitate to ask. The two of us function differently. The reason I haven't taken your offer is that I have a surprise for you, not because I don't want or intend to.”
“A surprise.” Celyz whispers in a voice that rumbles inside her ovaloid head.
“Yes.” I nod.
“I won't ask then, I will look forward to it.” Celyz shyly tells me.
Her tendrils just slightly unwind from around her torso which leaves the curves to rest on her trunk, her tail's narrow swing accelerate, her reversed knees bend so that she stands only a single head taller.
I find her demeanor and appearance to be so sexy that I have to close my eyes to resist her attraction. I shudder, causing my hard nipple brush against my shirt.
I almost curse at Leomi for forbidding me to masturbate, which would be the worst thing to say to Celyz. I hate myself just a little more for thinking of my Lady in this moment, but I can no more help the hold she has on me than the burning love I feel for her.
“You're so sexy, Celyz.” I murmur instead, choosing the truth I want her to hear.
“...” Celyz doesn't immediately respond, apparently stunned. “You can't say this now, after promising me a surprise!” She suddenly calls me out in outrage but with a light and bright tone of voice, one full of hope and void of the desperation she claimed to suffer.
“Can you, um.” I pause, uncertain about how to formulate my request. “Can you straighten up? I really want to work with you on the liangi, but I'm not going to be able to if you stay like this.”
“Of course, my apologies.” Celyz agrees with a small chuckle.
She pulls her tendrils back into place instead of leaving them hanging to tempt me, and allow her to reach for me in moments. Her tail's movements become slower and wider, more controlled but still eminently attractive from how lithe it is.
I drag my crate next to the table to keep working on my liangi while sitting down, to preserve my back. I feel a bit like an old woman sometimes, even though I often went to sleep with just as much pain in my back when I took care of our fields.
Celyz approaches and sits on her ankles next to me, so close in fact that my right arm sometimes brushes against the tendrils wrapped around her torso. Our proximity rises my mood as we aren't keeping as much distance between us as we have during the week.
“My oak.” I tenderly call her.
“Yes, my love?” Celyz replies in an almost purring voice. My heart painfully soars in delight
“How would you go about engraving a silver tree in a patch of red earth on the liangi without disturbing the runes?” I ask. “I think I'm going to take to that symbol to represent my human blood and how I grew among the Rykz.”