The Rapunzel Factor Read online

  Rapunzel looked at him, her eyes wide. “Niskala? No one ever mentioned her name before.”

  “Your father refused to have her name spoken at court. He missed her far too much to be reminded day after day.”

  She blinked. “It is still bizarre to think that I had a male parent who had a say in the dispensation of his offspring.”

  Arnolth moved closer and after a short hesitation, he placed his hand on her shoulder. “Human males have a lot of input in their offspring’s lives. Don’t you think you would want your children to know their father?”

  Her skin pebbled at the warmth of his hand. “I have never considered having children. The Xefar live their lives day by day. Our future is undetermined.”

  “Humans enjoy planning.” He stroked her skin lightly as if testing her.

  Her voice came out with a breathless sigh. “What are you planning now?”

  He didn’t tell her, he leaned toward her and pressed his lips to hers.

  Surprise warred with a surge of emotion that she couldn’t define. She turned fully toward him and reached for his shoulders. She pulled away for an instant. “You can plan for the future, I am going to live in the moment.”

  She returned to the kiss and threaded her fingers in his hair, holding him tightly to her. The intriguing bulge beneath his tunic jerked again as she rocked against him. Her thighs parted as she pressed him to the ground.

  He held her off. “A moment. I need to create even footing.”

  She sat back in a confusion of weltering hormones and emotions. She watched as his silhouette removed its cloak, spread it next to the fire and kicked his boots free. A moment later, his trousers hit the ground followed by his tunic.

  The jutting of his erection surprised her by the angle at which it protruded. She wasn’t sure what she had expected, but the hot throbbing girth wasn’t it.

  She was so caught up in her examination that when he turned her to her back and came down on top of her, she merely blinked at him in surprise. Her blood sang with anticipation, her mind spinning with eagerness as he fitted himself to her.

  The peculiar feeling of his blunt hardness wedging into her opening caught her attention. She bit her lip as he worked himself into her in tiny increments.

  The fixed expression on his features delayed her normal questioning. Rapunzel yelped in shock as he rocked his hips against her and a sharp pain ran along her nerves.

  Her skin immediately took on its glow of healing as it tried to repair her. “What the hell was that?”

  She was pushing against Arnolth’s shoulders with her hands and sweat was pooling on his brow and slicking his skin.

  “Take it easy, Princess. You were a virgin and now are not. Your body will adjust to me, I simply have to wait until your glow subsides.”

  Rapunzel took internal inventory. The hard length of his cock was still within her, throbbing restlessly. “How do you know you have to wait?”

  “The Xefar queen gave me instructions that didn’t make sense until now.” He pressed his forehead against hers and shifted his weight.

  The tingle of sensation went from an irritant to enthralling in a moment. She tilted her hips and soon was meeting his slow thrusts with timid forays of her own body.

  A twisting power wound through her, causing a frenzy that made her dig her fingers into Arnolth’s backside, pulling him into her with all of her strength. In one surge, her mind broke into bright sparks that sprinkled into the stars before coming back into one large and satisfied gathering.

  Arnolth grunted and gave a short flurry of thrusts that culminated in a long low shudder and his collapse on extended arms.

  She touched his cheek and smiled. “Softy mating has definite appeal. How many males do I have to take to my bed?”

  He gave her a grim look. “Pair bonding is the accepted norm. As a princess, you would not be expected to have more than one mate.”

  She could feel him inside her, softer but still there. Her body was still randomly clenching around him and she could tell by the tensing of his muscles that he could feel it, too.

  “Do you have a mate?”

  He rolled to one side and pulled her against him, his body keeping hers warm as the stars blinked above them.

  “No. I do not have a mate. I was asked to accompany you to the city with the hope that I would appeal to your instincts. Your mother’s letter was very specific.”

  Rapunzel leaned back and gave him a surprised look. “She orchestrated this?”

  “Only if you were receptive. If you had given any signs of distaste or disinterest I would have stopped immediately.”

  She stared at his features in the flickering firelight. She found the strong slope of his nose, the hard chin and full lips very pleasing. The column of his neck meeting the muscles leading to his thick shoulders made her heart flutter and the care with which he was holding her made something softer spring to life.

  “You have no regrets? I am not quite sure what we were doing.” She bit her lip again.

  He leaned forward and drew her lip between his. “No regrets. Are you sore?”

  “No. My energy has taken care of the small wound you inflicted. If that kind of pain is normal, I don’t know how humans have kept their population up.”

  He chuckled. “It is only the first time. After tonight, you will be able to engage in this kind of activity any time you wish without injury.”

  “Oh, excellent. This is the sort of thing that could be a lot of fun.” She sighed and snuggled against him.

  “And yet, you can have me for the event any time. I would recommend that you not try this with just any human male.”

  Laughter welled within her, but she held it back. “I will take that under advisement. I am rather tired now, can we sleep?”

  “Of course. We have quite a ride on our schedule tomorrow.” Arnolth pulled her tightly to him and flipped his cloak over her.

  Though he had woken with another erection, Arnolth had not tried to couple with her again. Rapunzel was a little confused, but she ate the food he provided and got back on the horse after it was saddled.

  He rode next to her and she found herself intensely curious about him. “Why are you not living in the capitol?”

  “I chose to live and manage my family’s concerns outside the city. Life there was too complicated for me and my father was pressuring me to marry.”

  “You don’t wish to mate?” She felt slightly unsure. Without her willing it, her mind had begun to spin a future with him at her side.

  “Mating for life has never been appealing.” His words came out before he realized what he said. His quick words showed his awareness of his lack of tact. “Until now. Now it is on my mind frequently.”

  His glance to his groin invited hers to follow. His erection was visible under his clothing.

  She blushed and grinned as memories of the previous night’s encounter filled her mind. “I see. I really do.”

  “What about you? Have you never thought of taking a mate and raising a family?”

  Rapunzel got a sinking feeling in her belly. “We don’t know if I can have a family. The energy may not be conducive to a human pregnancy.”

  “There are off world medical officers at the capitol. They can probably run scans so you would know whether it is possible or not.”

  “I suppose that they could. I would rather find a mate who was not fixated on my ability to breed.”

  He chuckled. “It isn’t the breeding, it’s the trying that has my attention.”

  She smiled and took some water from her bag. Attempting to have offspring was suddenly on her mind as well and it never had been more than a fleeting image in her thoughts before this day.

  Their conversation dwindled as both of them were lost in thought. A light snack in the saddle and they were soon approaching the growing capitol with the spaceport in the background.

  “I think I should get into my formal wear now.”

  “We will head into that copse of
trees. It should keep any casual travellers from seeing you before you are dressed.” He led her horse to the gathering of greenery.

  She had her clothing out of the pack before they had even drawn to a halt. The glowing red and gold gown was draped over the edge of the saddle as she slid to the ground.

  “Do you need help?”

  She laughed at the heated eagerness in his tone. “You can hold my hair out of the way while I put the gown on.”

  He was at her side in an instant, filling his hands with her gold locks and lifting the heavy braid away from her. His yelp of surprise when it curled around his wrists caused her to laugh out loud once again.

  “I am sorry, but it was too funny. The energy holds it together and allows me to manipulate it.” She snaked her braid down the front of his tunic and under the edge to the opening of his trousers.

  The golden braid wrapped and writhed against him, tugging his cock out and stroking rapidly against it until he was up on his toes.

  When he groaned and his hands clenched against her skull, she moved her hair faster and the arc of semen missed her by an inch.

  Gasping and shaking, he got himself under control. “You don’t really need help, do you?”

  “No, you can have a seat and watch.”

  He stumbled off to one side and she quickly removed her skirt and band, opening her gown and stepping into it. Her hair rolled up her head to form a heavy coronet with her long braid cascading down past her hip on the right side.

  “How do I look?”

  “Like a princess.”

  She was about to get on the horse when she realized something. “Whoops, shoes.”

  The jewelled sandals had been crafted by her drone, based on a pattern she had been given by one of the few traders to the colony. They laced into place with delicate ribbons and when she saw Arnolth putting on his own embroidered tunic and vest, she knew she had made the right choice.

  “A duke and a princess will enter that city. I hope that they are waiting for us.” Suddenly nervous, she took a hopping step and sat sideways on the horse. Her skirt would not allow anything else.

  “They will be. From dispatches that I have received, anyone with royal blood is going to be welcome beyond measure.” His words confused her, but before she could ask, he took her horse’s reins and tugged it to follow his.

  She took the hint and remained quiet while he took her down the road. They passed several farmers and wagons loaded with goods on the way, but aside from a few curious looks, no one spoke to her.

  The city gates were wide open, a peculiar decoration was everywhere. Black ribbons and swags of fabric covered windows and ran across doors. A sombre attitude was in the people that they saw in their differing conveyances. Here in the capitol it was practical to have the multiple tech levels racing around. Out in the wastelands and the farmlands, the vehicles were more specialized and suited to the environment.

  When her horse drew even with Arnolth’s, she noticed a tightness around his mouth. She kept her voice low, “What is it?”

  “There has been a death in the royal family. It is recent or I would have heard of it.”

  She nodded while she wondered if her father had been the one to pass on.

  When they entered the bailey of the palace, grooms came forward and took the reins. Rapunzel dismounted by sliding off the saddle.

  A man in an embroidered tunic bustled toward them. “Duke Carria, you have been eagerly awaited.”

  Arnolth nodded to the man while lifting Rapunzel’s hand. “Encar, may I present to you her royal highness, Princess Rapunzel of the Xefar.”

  The man froze in place, his expression going from excited to mournful in a second. “I am delighted to meet you, Princess. I am Encar, major domo to the house of Jarok, at your service.”

  “Pleased to meet you, Encar. I need to speak with the head of the house of Jarok, it is a matter of urgency.” She inclined her coronet and her hair glowed brightly in the afternoon sun.

  “Ah. Of course. Please come inside so I may explain the situation.” Encar bowed low and escorted them into the palace.

  Black covered every inch of the palace surfaces and they walked through endless hallways with quiet black-clad staff moving silently past them.

  Their destination was a huge council hall, the head table empty, but the rest of the benches filled to capacity.

  Encar took a deep breath. “Gentlemen, may I present our Queen, Rapunzel of the Xefar.”

  The men stood and applauded while Rapunzel looked frantically from face to face. “What?”

  “Take your seat and I will explain.” Encar’s voice was not unkind, but he was firm.

  Arnolth led her to an ornate chair and helped her to sit. He stood off to one side.

  “Duke Carria, please take your seat.”

  “I would prefer that he stay near me, this is a bit of a shock.”

  Encar’s eyes widened, but he nodded. “As some of you are aware, our treaty with the Xefar is all that allows us to remain on this planet. What most of you do not know, is that the Jarok family is the sole point of entitlement. If there is no member of that family on this world, all of the settlers must leave.”

  He dragged in a heavy breath. “To that end, the Corx government paid to have a virus created to wipe out the entire Jarok line. It was released on the east coast and killed the last member of the royal family two days ago.”

  Rapunzel blinked. “But I live to the east.”

  “We know. Either the energy in your system made you immune, or the Xefar queen kept you safe, either way, she sent you here to us after our frantic plea.”

  She sat back and drummed her fingers on the edge of the chair. “What about the breeding strands for the queen?”

  “They are on their way. We dispatched them the moment she sent the messenger to let us know you were coming.”

  Rapunzel sighed. It was like her mother to do something of this nature. “What if the virus kills me?”

  “It is inert already. The Coalition has charged the Corx with attempted genocide of a family line.”

  “So, what is there for me to do?”

  Encar and the others looked at her in shock. “You can lead us. Sign treaties, negotiate, meet with dignitaries. Standard duties of a ruling house.”

  Rapunzel thought of her desk in the colony. The hours she had spent pouring over treaties and histories. “I suppose that I can manage that.”

  “Now, there is one matter for your immediate consideration. As you are the last of your line, you will need an heir as soon as possible. Being a female, this requires that you choose a mate—”

  “Arnolth.”

  A murmur of unease ran through the crowds. Several men near her age looked offended.

  “Now, my queen, there is no need to choose immediately. Perhaps a moment of introduction or contemplation—”

  “Arnolth if he will agree.” Rapunzel looked to her travel companion and noted his surprised, pleased grin.

  “I will.”

  Encar shifted and pulled at his neckline. “Well, if you insist, Duke Carria has the requisite bloodlines. I will make formal arrangements immediately.”

  Rapunzel sat back and watched the men, nobles she guessed, argue and fight about her choice of mate. She beckoned to Arnolth and her hair reached out to gently wrap around his neck and pull him closer the moment he was within range.

  She kissed his smiling mouth and when she let him break apart, the room was silent. “I think that cooled their jets, to use a space traveler phrase.”

  “I believe that it did indeed work.”

  Rapunzel grinned and looked around her. She had ended up in Arnolth’s lap and the room was slowly emptying. Encar left them with a wink and a whisper that he would be on the other side of the door.

  “So, are you shocked by these events?” Arnolth was stroking her cheek, neck and breast in turn.

  “Less so than I should have been. Mother has always been a schemer. It will be good to commu
nicate with her electronically though.” She sighed and looped her arms around his neck, letting her hair resume its twisted coil on her head.

  “Do you think you can do this? As the sole heir to the Jarok fortunes, you can leave and boot all of the colonists back to the stars.”

  “I can do this. I want to stay near mother in her last years. When she gets her strands, she will create the next queen and as soon as it can breed, she will die. She has already lived beyond her time because of me. There is only one matter to consider…”

  “What is that, Rapunzel?”

  “In Xefar tradition, I believe that you should be neutered after I have the requisite number of children from you.” She kept her face straight.

  He looked nervous. “How many children?”

  “Well, mother had thousands, but I think I will be happy with ten or so.” She laughed at his relieved grin. “We will revisit neutering if you ever happen to try breeding with another woman.”

  He pressed his lips to hers. “As long as you don’t find another drone to emasculate before that moment.”

  “Deal.”

  Chuckling as she moved to straddle him, she tried to strip herself and him, fighting the discomfort of clothing, aching for skin on skin.

  Arnolth asked quickly. “What are we doing?”

  “If I am right…defiling a throne. If not we are furthering my education.”

  “Righto, excellent.”

  All other words were shoved aside as she mounted him and let him slide deep. Details were for another time. She was all for living in the moment.

  The moment was wonderful and filled with possibilities for the future.

  About the Author

  Viola Grace was born in Manitoba, Canada where she still resides today. She really likes it there. She has no pets and can barely keep sea monkeys alive for a reasonable amount of time. Her line of day job tends to be analytical which leaves her mind hopping to weave stories. No co-worker is safe from her character analysis. In keeping with busy hands are happy hands, her hobbies have included cross-stitch, needlepoint, quilting, costuming, cake decorating, baking, cooking, metal work, beading, sculpting, painting, doll making, henna tattoos, chain mail, and a few others that have been forgotten. It is quite often that these hobbies make their way into her tales.