In the sunny Sand City, Sienna spent a whole day with Sarcos, lounging in her room on soft cushions, bathing in his cuddles and affection. He was deliberately spoiling her, and she fell so loved. Only sweet longing after her other mates and dark worries pinched her heart from time to time when she thought about how the body of her Scorpion King is occupied by most likely an evil entity...The Crystal pincer...the soul of the cruel Crystal Emperor, obsessed with another woman....
"We shall go to Crystal City when your days end," Sarcos noted, "I promised you to spend the time with all of us together." he cuddled her up closer. "But before we go, we have one more matter to settle."He looked at her gently.
"Yes? "Sienna looked at him curiously.
"King Ramse sent a message. He has what you asked of him and is waiting for your payment in return."Sarcos looked at her with a glimpse of jealousy in his eyes.
"What?"Sienna tried to remember what was going on.
"He found Odeia for you, well, for Magnus," Sarcos added.
"Ahh, yes. How much does he want?"Sienna bit her lips worriedly.
"One day with you", Sarcos looked at her curiously.
"Oh," Sienna looked at him sheepishly.
" I was thinking to use one day, till you still bleed."Sarcos shook his shoulder.
"Why?"Sienna looked curiously.
"So I can use all the days you are not bleeding more efficiently." He kissed her hand with a very seductive look on his face.
"Oh, "Sienna reddened," So clever. But that is not very fair, it is a payment day, so I should not be bound in bed all tired and running bathroom every few hours. I would feel uncomfortable like that." She looked into his eyes.
"He should be ok with that, if he loves you so much, no? He should see the trouble the females go through every month, too, hm? It is better to teach him now than later on..."Sarcos said, thinking.
"Why should I teach him that? "She asked, a bit confused, looking into Sarcos's face."You know I will not mate with him, yes?"
"Sure, I know...I'm just greedy for you."Sarcos bit his lips."But I was thinking it will help him to understand females more and be kinder...you know, so his men will not let women work on their days so hard..."Sarcos explained, "he will take it better from you than if I explain it to him," he noted. Sure, Sarcos could order it to Ramse just like that, but it wouldn't be a sincere change...
"Oh, this way you meant it!" Sienna bit her lips. She was worried that Sarcos was planning to mate her to Ramse or something..." Well, helping other women should be more important than my discomfort for a day," she bit her lips, thinking."I will show him how hard it is." She grimaced her face a little defiantly.
"So?" Sarcos asked her with a cheekily lifted eyebrow.
"Ok, let's do it then!"Sienna nodded."When is he coming?" she asked.
"They should arrive late at night. They travelled from far.... I will have to give them rooms to rest, and we can do the official transaction tomorrow. "Sarcos noted.
"Ok, I'd like to see Odeia tomorrow then!"Sienna said curiously.
"Sure, tomorrow."Sarcos nodded."Today is still my day..." he cuddled her on his chest tightly, and Sienna's heart melted.
The next morning, Sienna got ready excitedly, and she went to see Ramse with Sarcos.
The Ape delegation was standing in the Throne Room when Sienna with Sarcos entered.
Sienna looked at Ramse, who was standing tall and proud. He could not take his stare from her, breathing her presence like an obsessed man, staring for a glimmer of affection. Sienna felt her heart tighten a little nervously as she watched his burly figure, his new white armour decorated with gold, the trinkets still behind his waist. He did look handsome and cruel, but she knew he loved her with all his being; it felt dangerous and confusing. She felt like a plate of food served to a starving man. She felt he missed her very much." That is why he hurried up with my request to come as soon as possible." Sienna thought about her time in the Wetlands. "This is the man who protected me when Sarcos could not. He, not even that strong, would stay there to face a crazy sorcerer without any magic of his own. Just with his wit, risking his life for me every hour of the day, just to keep me breathing. I will never be able to repay him for that." She swallowed a little uncomfortably, feeling guilty somehow. "He is crazy and brave for sure. He and Xander."Sienna thought about the kind panther. She kind of missed him, too. She felt somehow sorry, they did not come together. "They did a good combination, almost like Sharchan and Tyrell."Sienna was deep in her thoughts when Sarcos touched her hand to help her sit down on his Scorpion Throne. The strong Scorpion King just stood next to her, letting his Queen take his place.
"I need to make one more throne for her like Tyrell," Sarcos was thinking to himself, a bit baffled, why he had not ordered it done already.
Sienna sat and smiled gently at him. She felt a little sad somehow. She noticed an older female standing there with the warriors."That is her..."Sienna thought, looking at Odeia's features. She imagined her more striking, but Odeia looked plain and docile to her."Maybe it is her age, maybe she had a hard life..."Sienna was thinking when Ramse's manly voice awoke her from her daze.
"My beloved Queen Sienna and my dear brother King Sarcos, I'm bringing you the female, my Dear Queen, you asked for in your letter," he pointed to Odeia, who stepped forward and bowed her head respectfully.
"I'm ready to serve the Queen," Odeia said seriously, still puzzled.
"Thank you, King Ramse, you are indeed capable. What is the price for this female?"Sienna asked with a knot in her stomach. She knew, but this was an official transaction; it had to be said clearly.
"I'd like to exchange her for one day spent with you."Ramse's eyes glittered. Sienna felt so close, he was imagining that day with her already so long, and he could not wait to savour it.
"Which day would you like?"Sienna asked him gently, looking into his eyes...They were full of longing, making her feel guilty and feverish.
"Tomorrow from dawn to dusk," Ramse said hungrily.
"Dawn is so early, I still feel tired," She puckered her lips innocently...he was always staring at them, and a little manipulation could save her from having to wake up too early. "Tomorrow, I have my limitations, would you please agree on two hours from dawn till two hours after dusk?" she asked innocently.
"Even better, my Queen, I'm inviting you for dinner under moonlight then, "he smiled, pleased.
"I will accept your program for tomorrow, you can decide, but do not strain me much, I'm on my days." Sienna smiled kindly.
She said it so straight that the warriors in the room blushed. Sure, they did not talk too much about women's matters, but Sienna decided that complete transparency might be the right cure for their ignorant demeanour.
"Sure, my Queen, your well-being is deeply rooted in my mind from the last time we had a chance to spend together." Ramse smiled so cheekily that Sienna was the one to blush suddenly!
"Yes, we got through so many things in Wetlands, and it was not easy at all. I can never thank you enough for your care."She said gratefully, trying to compose herself as a strong Queen.
"Protecting you is my pleasure."Ramse licked his lips. The stare started to be unnerving, and Sienna's stomach was in a huge knot."
"Thank you, my King. I trust in your judgement and I'm looking forward to spending the day with you."She smiled gently and turned to Sarcos.
"I think we settled this matter. "Sienna smiled at Sarcos. She was surprised he just watched, but she understood that this deal with Ramse was clearly her responsibility.
"Thank you, King Ramse, for fulfilling the wish of my Queen. Let's meet in my laboratory in one hour," Sarcos noted to Ramse and helped Sienna to stand up.
Sienna smiled gently at Odeia as she passed around her. "I will see you in one hour in my garden gazebo, I want to talk to you, "she noted and went with Sarcos.
When Sienna reached her room, she just rushed to the bathroom straight away...to refresh..." Indeed a nightmare..." she mumbled under her nose, and she could not understand how women in the past could do stuff and be bleeding at the same time...it was just too much!
Sarcos waited for Sienna till she was ready. "So, how do you feel?" he asked her.
"Good my love, thank you so much for your support, will you take me to the gardens, please? I like to meet Odeia."Sienna asked him.
"Sure, Sid will go with you," Sarcos noted.
"Thank you."Sienna kissed Sarcos and went with Sid to the gardens. Rem was there already, waiting with Odeia. She was sitting on the cushions and waited patiently.
"Hello Odeia, nice to meet you."Sienna studied the older female face. It felt a bit strange that she met the woman Magnus was in love with. Sienna did not like Magnus much at all, and Odeia was his last chance to live. Sienna felt that reuniting people was a good deed, and maybe it could fix the old tiger's heart.
"Your servant is ready to serve you, your highness."Odeia bowed her head respectfully.
"I do not need you to serve me, you might call me Sienna." Sienna smiled, but then she thought maybe she should be more serious with her.
"I would not dare, my Queen."Odeia bowed her head. She noticed Rem shook his head lightly and got the hint.
"Ok then," Sienna nodded," So tell me more about yourself. Are you Magnus's old love?" she asked.
Odeia nodded with her head down.
"No need to be afraid, have some refreshments with me and tell me everything that happened to you in the past."Sienna offered her the food on a silver platter, which was ready for her there, fruits, buns and soft dates."I like to know your story."She looked at her curiously.
"My story is not special, my Queen, there are hundreds the same."Odeia bit her lips.
"I did not hear it yet, so how could I judge that?"Sienna smiled a little."Or do you like to hide secrets from me?"She looked at her seriously.
"There are no secrets, I would not dare, I just do not want to bore you."Odeia bit her lips.
"Summarise it then," Sienna said, looking at her. She was still not sure if Odeia was pretending to be humble or was simply boring.
"As you wish, my Queen."Odeia nodded and told Sienna her story.
"I fell in love with Magnus in the library, we used to read books together," she smiled," but then I had to return with my father and was captured by the Crocodile tribe. They killed my father and all the males and took us, the females, to be sacrificed. I was thinking it would be the end, but the young mage let us live and sold us to Ape warriors instead. I was taken to an old Royal Family of Snow Leopards as a teacher for their little princess because I did not want to accept any mates. After the princess grew up, I needed a new purpose, so I opened a school and library for children. This was my life for many years. I found my purpose and peace. But now, "she looked at Sienna with a fear in her eyes, "the Ape warriors suddenly came and took me back...for you...I'm puzzled. Why would you bring me back with you? We never met."Odeia breathed out her worry.
"I just wanted to ask you if you still love Magnus?"Sienna looked at her curiously.
"Yes, he was the hope in my heart."Odeia nodded."I wished every day he would come and take me with him. Like a sweet dream."She bit her lips. The Queen was too personal, but she could not lie to her. Sienna looked way too clever, and the reputation of King Sarcos was just ruthless.
"I see, "Sienna nodded, feeling a bit sorry for Odeia." But would you still want him, if you knew he had become a traitor to his King?"She bit her lips.
"If he still lives, I would do everything to help him change," Odeia replied, feeling her heart tighten with a secret expectation of something she had dreamt of all these years.
"Ok, I will give you a chance then, "Sienna noted. "I like to see if he can be saved."She nodded her head, thinking.
Meanwhile, in the underground laboratory, Sarcos and Ramse had a meeting of their own;
"You hurried up..." Sarcos grinned at Ramse.
"Sure, I did."Ramse smiled victoriously, "I have to make sure our Sienna would not forget me..." he joked.
"How could she?"Sarcos chuckled a little satirically.
"So, I heard you helped the Dragon King..."Ramse said carefully.
"Kind of." Sarcos nodded.
"How could you? I was thinking you were stronger."Ramse bit his lips, upset.
"Sienna is fireproof now," Sarcos noted kind of coldly.
"Well done...Good choice."Ramse noted after a moment of blunt stare, the kitchen fire in front of his eyes." So, I can take her to make pancakes now?" he chuckled to himself, even this news was still stinging in his heart.
"Sure," Sarcos nodded.
"And can I teach her how to cook?"Ramse furrowed his brows, thinking.
"You can try, but be very careful," Sarcos noted seriously.
"Why? Didn't you just tell me that she is immune to fire?"Ramse asked.
"Yes, she is. But you are not!"Sarcos chuckled a little wickedly.
"Burn!"Ramse chuckled and shook his head, making a pitiful grimace.
"Come hunt with me, brother."Sarcos smiled. He always felt wild as a teenager next to the Ape King; he was fun!