Thunderstorm and lightning (1)

It was a good thing I had gotten home before the storm had broken.

This morning had been all bright sunshine and blue skies without a cloud in sight. By midmorning, strong winds had begun to pick up, gushing across the city and making trees fall or big branches break and smash into houses or block roads. Traffic had almost been brought to a standstill by the unexpected strength of the winds.

Surging clouds had encroached the bare blue sky until the hot sunshine had been blocked by the mass of roiling dark clouds. The shadows had teemed with the sense of increased atmospheric pressure as if announcing the ominous arrival of an unworldly being. Thunder had rumbled in the distance as flashing clouds had drawn closer and closer.

Lightning had streaked through and from the sky in a display greater than any new year's fireworks, creating flashing pillars of heavenly fire. According to the news, buildings, trees and helpless people who had just happened to be carrying lightning attracting metals on them had been struck haphazardly. The tallest building in the city had already received over ten strikes of lightning bolts worth over forty thousand amps. It was a pity that the technology to harvest lightning had not yet been produced, but that hadn't stopped some scientist from trying, resulting in the batteries they had tried to store the energy in blowing them, their lab and entire research buildings up with them.

What people had thought might just be a flash storm was lasting far longer than even the meteorologists had predicted. Various streets in the city and various suburbs had turned into raging rivers that one crazy person had decided to kayak down as a stunt that had resulted in him being brought into the police station for the scolding of his life when the police had saved him from being dragged into a drain and drowned by the torrential water currents. People were being warned to stay out of the water, but not before another crazy stuntsman with a sense of youthful invincibility had gone for a swim in the main street of the city, been struck by hidden debris and subsequently drowned. They were still searching for his body.

Thunder rolled, rumbled and boomed almost consistently without reprieve. From the lack of gaps between the flashes of lightning overhead and the sound, it meant the dancing lightning I could see in the clouds above my house were indeed, directly overhead. Every now and then, the outside air would become charged such that I could feel all my hairs stand on end, the street would become bleached white with a tinge of blue and then deafening booms would resound, making my ears ring. These close lightning strikes made my doorbell ring with every new strike. The lightning had never rung my doorbell this many times during a storm before.

Feeling the danger of such close lightning strikes, despite being inside my dry, cosy house where I should be safe from the storm, I was very glad I wasn't outside on a night like this. I hoped nobody else was stuck outside on a night like this either. I felt sorry for any emergency workers who had to be out rescuing people or ensuring safety. I drew my curtains shut, but not before another flash of lightning outside caused the silhouette of a man wearing a wide brimmed hat to show up in front of me in stark relief.

My heart leapt and I fell backwards with a brief shriek at the unexpected sight. My mouth had gone dry and I could feel the blood racing through my blood vessels. After a moment, I sat back up, patting my chest to try and get myself to calm down. Steeling my courage, I peered out the window, cupping my hands to block out the indoor reflections.

'See,' I told myself. 'There's no one there. What crazy person would still be out on a night like this?'

Thinking it a trick of the eye, I quickly closed the curtain properly and took another few breaths to stabilise my shaken emotions. I could still feel myself trembling. Thunder boomed with an ear ringing, deafening sound. The whole house shook and trembled. I could feel the ground shaking.

The television shorted out. The house went dark as all the electricity in the house died. I sat on the floor again, rubbing my deafened ears and feeling off balance. The ground continued to shake and the air rumble, but I couldn't hear it. I could only feel it.

Fumbling for my phone, I began to check the news services to see if anyone knew how much longer this storm was going to last. However, a cold and wet gust of wind slammed my locked front doors open, making me jump with another shriek.

Had I not locked the doors properly? I was sure I had. The doors had never opened like this during a storm before. It was impossible for the storm to open doors like this. How strange. I didn't want to think of how else my front wooden and security doors might have opened on their own. How scary.

Shivering, I fought the wind and cold, driving torrential rain that was blowing into my house to close the doors. Thankfully, my hearing was returning while I struggled with the door. By the time I had closed and locked the security door again, I was already drenched. While fighting with the wooden door, I wished for someone to help me close the door. My meagre strength didn't seem quite sufficient.

"Let me help," said a soft male voice in my ear, adding a shoulder beside mine to shut the door and the battle of the elements outside.

"Thank you," I had replied automatically, concentrating on getting the door shut.

I shut and locked the door, taking a moment to breathe and enjoy the calm. I'd have to mop up all this rain water that had gotten in and clean myself up. I was dripping wet.

"I'm going to have a shower and dry myself up," said the man's voice, making me jump. "Where's the bathroom?"

Jumping back, I felt my heart thump painfully. I landed on the ground on my backside once more.

A man holding a dripping wide brimmed hat nodded and smiled at me as if it were natural for him to be here. In a shocked daze, I raised a trembling finger to point. The stranger flashed another smile.

"Thank you," he said and walked calmly toward my bathroom, dripping water as he went.

Fumbling with my phone, I immediately called the emergency services. There was a short delay before my call was answered.

"What's the nature of your emergency?" a calm male voice asked me.

Stammering, I related to how a stranger had somehow unlocked my front doors in the midst of the storm and entered my house. He was now having a shower in my bathroom.

The emergency worker's voice grew more serious and asked if I had anywhere safe to hide. Despite the storm, there was a police car in the area and they were on their way to me now.

"If it's safe outside, you should leave the house."

"I can't," I shouted into the phone over another boom of thunder. "The lightning is striking my lightning rod or something. It's dangerous out there."

"Is there anywhere you think would be safe to hide, where you'll be safe from the storm and the intruder?" the emergency worker asked. "Before the man comes out from the shower?"

"I don't know," I stuttered.

Since the police were on the way, I figured I could at least unlock the front doors for them. Maybe I could hide in the small reception area between my security door and the wooden front door. I told the emergency worker my plan and was almost flung to the ground by the strength of the billowing wind when I opened the wooden door. Scrambling to find my balance again, I hurried to unlock the security door. Then I attempted to close the wooden door when the stronger gusts of wind momentarily calmed down.

A strong hand caught me by the arm and yanked me inside, slamming the wooden door shut behind me. I fell on the ground in a tangle of my limbs and looked up at the stranger with horror. A flash of lightning outside allowed me to see for a split second.

He was naked save for my pink towel wrapped around his lower body.

"What are you doing?" he asked me with both anger and curiosity. "Are you crazy? There's a storm out there!" His eyes dropped to the phone clutched tightly in my hand and the lit up screen showing that I was on the line with somebody. "Why are you on the phone?" he asked me in a conversational tone, while I picked myself up and backed away from his slow approach. "Who are you talking with?"

My mouth and throat had gone completely dry, with horror hammering at my chest. I couldn't breathe.

"Who are you talking to?" he shouted and made me jump, kicking my brain a nd body back into gear.

Turning on the balls of my feet, I tried to run by felt a heavy blow strike me across the back of my head so that I cried out in pain. The phone was wrested from my grasp and hung up. It was also turned off and then tossed across the room, skittering and sliding to a stop beneath the couch.

The lights flickered back on at that moment, reminding me that there was such a thing as light, but it was too late. I couldn't see the features of my assailant. I was kicked back down when I tried to get up and knocked unconscious while the man gave me a faint apology.

The next thing I knew, a policeman was shaking me awake. Groggily, I allowed myself to be sat up and I rubbed the sore back of my head and neck. The policeman sighed with relief.

"Stay here," he cautioned. "We're going to call the man out and search the house."

The pair of policemen shouted into the house, ordering the stranger to make himself known and come out. When there was no reply, they ventured into the house, searching room by room. There was a scuffle, shouting and then silence.

I didn't dare to move or make a noise. What had happened? Had the police caught the man?

Lightning flashed outside and thunder boomed once more. Thankfully it sounded like the storm was finally moving on. The thunder was not has earth shaking or deafening as before. Even so, the lights flickered and went out once more, leaving me in dim darkness.

When there was still no sound for a long time, I crept over to the corridor to have a look. I blinked and felt my heart begin hammering at my ribcage again. Both policemen were lying unconscious on the ground.

Taking ten breaths to try and calm myself down, I peered into the open bedroom door of the guest room and not seeing anyone, I dragged the policemen back to the sitting room by the entranceway where I had been found earlier. I checked both policemen for signs of life and was relieved to find that they were still alive.

A familiar iron grip dragged me upright and I was carried struggling into my bedroom where I was dropped on the floor. The man was still wearing my bath towel.

"I need some dry clothes," the man informed me impatiently. "Do you have anything in my size?"

I stammered incoherently and was shoved into my walk-in wardrobe. His silhouette blocked the door. Rummaging through my clothes by feel, I found one of the oversized t-shirts I kept to wear when I just wanted to lounge about the house in comfort. I passed it to him with a trembling hand.

"Thank you," he said politely. "Any large size shorts or trousers?"

Shuffling to a different part of my wardrobe, I found the garbage bag where I kept all the clothes I didn't want anymore and was planning to gift to someone or give away for charity. There were some oversized clothes in there that an aunty had once bought me without knowing my size. There was a checkered pair of shorts in there. Hopefully they would do.

I found them by feel and the dim light afforded by the occasional flash of lightning outside my bedroom window. I hadn't closed the bedroom curtains earlier.

"I hope this fits," I said, passing the shorts to the man. The towel was tossed on my head, making me flinch and I heard the sound of him putting the shorts on.

"Mmm," the man grunted. "It's a bit tight but it'll do for now. You should change into dry clothes. You're all wet. Don't catch a cold. Where's the laundry? I want to use the washing machine."

"T-two doors down on the right," I said. "Next to the kitchen."

"Have a warm shower to warm yourself up. Your skin is so cold. After you've finished changing," the man said after grunting to acknowledge my instructions, "stay here. I don't want you wandering around and causing trouble. I'll go out and deal with those policemen you called over. Be good and you won't get hurt."

After his shadow had left, I didn't bother going to take a shower. I just changed into dry clothes and threw my wet clothes in a pile in the bathroom.

Then man returned and I felt his hand stroke my head and then cheeks.

"Have a hot shower," he commanded me, "unless you want me to shower you?"

I shook my head emphatically and shivered at the thought. He pushed me into the bathroom and took my wet clothes away.

The lights flickered back on and I stared at my dishevelled appearance in the mirror.

"If you don't start showering immediately," I heard a heavy hand knock on the bathroom door, making me jump, "I'm coming in there."

I held my chest and panted. All these scares and the stress were really getting too much for me to handle.

I turned on the shower so he would at least hear the sound of the shower before I got undressed. It was probably the fastest shower I had ever had in my life.

I rushed out only to realise I had no towel. He had taken my towel. I had no spare towels in my room either. What should I do?

The doorbell rang and there was a banging on the front door and window. Faintly, I heard the shouts above the sound of the storm.

"Police! Open up!"

I jammed my dry clothes onto my wet body and rushed out to open the door, only to bump into the stranger.

He caught me into his arms and looked down at me.

"What did I just tell you? Go back into your room and stay there. I'll handle this."

Obediently, I went back to my room and peered out of my bedroom door to see him pick up the policemen on the floor who had just begun to stir. He had one policeman in each hand, holding them by their collars. He opened the door and the storm rushed into the room. The security door was already open. The man thrust the two barely conscious policemen out the door onto the officers at the door and then pushed all the officers out beyond the security door. He fought to close and lock the security door.

The lights flickered back on and I saw one policeman looking at me and surreptitiously pointing, mouthing, "Back door."

Blinking a moment, I nodded and raced for the back door, only to be brought to my knees when something heavy struck the back of my knees. I heard the slam and lock of the front wooden door and scrambled back upright to get to the back door. My fingers fumbled with the locks.

The sharp pain of my hair being pulled when my head was yanked back made me cry out.

"What did I tell you?" the man growled in my ears. "Will you only listen after you've been punished?"

I was thrust down onto my dining table and held there, while the man grabbed something nearby and slammed it down onto my backside. I was spanked until I danced, screaming and begged for mercy. Then I was dragged back to my bedroom and thrown back inside.

"Stay there this time," the man growled at me. "I can't promise I won't hurt you if you make me lose my temper. Behave. I'll be gone once the storm is over."

I hadn't managed to even catch a glimpse of the man's face. It was as if he was purposely ensuring I wouldn't see it. Not that I wanted to. He was probably an ugly muscle man.

I stood gingerly in my room, unable to sit or lie down on my back due to the burning pain in my buttocks. My rear end would probably be bruised for the week.

There was a flash of torchlight from my window and I saw a policeman outside gesturing at me. As carefully and quietly as I could, I opened my bedroom window as wide as it could go, ignoring the wind and rain. While the policemen helped me remove the flyscreen, I began trying to climb out the window.

My bedroom door slammed open and the policemen hurried to help me out, but a hand caught my shirt, ripping it while being pulled back. Those strong hands fumbled and played a tug of war with the policemen on a ladder outside my window. I was tossed back inside the room while the man slammed my window shut and locked it. He drew the curtains and the lights chose that moment to flicker out again.

"I guess you weren't punished enough," he snarled at me, ripping my clothes off while I screamed and fought him with all I had. I didn't know what he used to hit me with, but it was relatively thin with a flat end and hard.

He carried me into the kitchen where he took his time binding my naked body to a kitchen chair with a roll of sticky tape. Then he looked me up and down with a glint in his eyes.

"You aren't half bad," he murmured into the relatively quiet moment left in between the rolls of thunder. His hands wandered my body, making me tremble and shiver beneath the calloused hands. His fingers lingered over sensitive places, pinching me lightly. I tried not to gasp, but he seemed to have heard it, making him give a soft laugh.

He left me there, shivering and exposed. Completely vulnerable.

In the meantime, he raided my fridge and pantry, cooking up a pot of pasta using the gas camping stove he must have found in the pantry. He ate with gusto and then emptied the rest of the pot into the plate he had just used. With the same spoon he had just eaten with, he scooped up a spoonful of pasta and blew on it, before bringing it to my mouth.

I turned my head aside.

"Eat," he commanded, chasing my mouth with the spoon and smearing pasta on my cheek. I turned my head the other way and knocked the spoon away, causing it to drop onto one thigh, making me hiss at the heat.

One hand caught me by the jaw and I felt unhappy eyes glaring at me in the dark. He force-fed me but not without a fight that resulted in me getting pasta all down my chest and lap.

I breathed a sigh of relief when the plate was empty and he took it to the sink to wash. I felt exhausted and closed my eyes to rest for a moment.

The feeling of something warm and wet licking me made me startle. I must have fallen asleep for a moment. Strong hands held me steady in my chair so that I wouldn't tilt over and fall together with the seat.

"I thought you perhaps dirtied yourself because you wanted this type of attention, hmm?" the man said from where he was crouching, licking the pasta up from where it had fallen on my skin.

All my goosebumps rose, following wherever his tongue had been. He went from my checks and lips to my chest, pausing to suckle at my nipples and laughing at my reaction. Then he went down my abdomen, up my thighs and between my legs.

He teased me with his tongue until I felt my toes all curling. I was determined not to let him make my body react in any way but rejection. I felt disgusted, being covered in his saliva.

"Ah," he sighed eventually, "you're such a good girl. After all my efforts, you're still so dry."

Patting me on the head, he dragged me to the shower where he washed me both carefully and thoroughly.

"You're really a hard girl to please, aren't you?" he shook his head at me in exasperation when I shut my eyes and refused to look at him or respond. "You're still a virgin, right? What a good girl."

He used moisturiser to lubricate his fingers and then carefully thrust one in to check, making me open my eyes and gape at him with a scream while I writhed.

"Good girl," he told me with a thoughtful sound, withdrawing his hand. "I'll tell you what. I've never kept a girl before. I always thought they were noisy and troublesome, but you are relatively quiet when you're not being disobedient. I think you'll be just right for me after I've trained you a bit more. I've taken a liking to you and your body. You taste lovely. You aren't like those women who throw themselves at me while caked in cosmetics and perfumes. So tell you what, I'll be back for you some other day and make you mine. I'm a very responsible man. I've already seen you and touched you, and I'll enjoy the challenge of winning your heart. Unlike the other women, you give me a peaceful, tranquil sort of feeling. I'll go back and prepare our love nest. Don't let any other man touch you until then, ok?"

He withdrew his fingers and washed them at the sink. Then he dragged me by the chair into my walk-in wardrobe and cut the sticky tape using a fruit knife from the kitchen.

"The storm is dying down out there. I have to get going. I'll have to borrow your clothes for the time being. The police are getting nervous out there. I'm going to go clean things up. Be good and stay here until the police come to take you out. Make sure to get dressed or they'll see you naked. In fact, you'd better get dressed while I'm still here."

I got dressed in the dark while he stood at the door. When he saw I was done, he closed the door with another reminder for me to stay there until the police arrived.

The storm was fading into the distance, leaving only the sound of drumming rain behind. There was the sound of a fight, the breaking of glass, the crashing of doors being slammed open and a lot of shouting.

The lights returned, although my walk-in wardrobe remained in shadow because I hadn't turned on the light. The door was opened by a pair of policewomen who found me curled up in a shivering ball.

****

I moved out of that house, moved to another suburb and threw the man's clothes out. Life had just started settling down again and I was beginning to be able to forget the man who had invaded my house that stormy night.

The news had forecast another evening thunderstorm, making me have the jitters. I triple checked all my locked doors and windows. It reminded me of the night the man had first arrived.

There was a heavy, ominous foreboding sitting in my chest and guts. The man was coming back for me. I was sure of it. As sure as the storm would bring rain. It had been more than a year since. Why now?

The police had seen his face last time. I hadn't. They had managed to collect a few partial fingerprints and some DNA samples from the bathroom, but had been unable to identify him or find him anywhere. The evidence hadn't been enough for identification.

Someone knocked on my door and rang my doorbell, but I didn't dare to answer it. It was him. I knew it was him. I could feel the pressure and heavy weight of his presence reaching in to find me. Even if I didn't open the door, I knew if I turned around, I'd find him there behind me.

He must have come in the back door. I could feel the breeze from the open door. A hand hugged me from behind and a kiss was dropped on the top of my head.

"Naughty girl. You didn't open the door for me again. Be good and stay here. I'll help you pack your bags. And then, I'll bring you home."

The hairs on the back of my neck were standing up and goosebumps prickled all over my skin. It felt like I could barely breathe. My heart was pumping so fast that I felt like I was going to faint. I couldn't move. I couldn't speak. I could only stand frozen there like a statue, trying to make myself move.

I had to run. I had to escape, but I was stuck, frozen by my own fear. I was such a failure.

Rolling thunder woke me from my reverie of panic and I forced my stiff body to move. By that time though, I was too late. I heard the wheels of my big travelling suitcase and an arm hold me tightly to a firm body.

"Good girl. I didn't make you wait too long, did I? I only packed what you will need. I've prepared everything else you might want back home. Come on. Good girl."

I was walked out the front door under the heavy, heavy weight of that possessive arm. He was dragging my suitcase behind us.

"Say 'goodbye' to everything here," the man told me, while I looked up at the rapidly arriving dark cumulonimbus clouds. "You won't be back."

Briefly, I thought of my parents and scattered siblings. Nobody was going to notice me missing for a while. The police had stopped keeping such a close eye on me a few months back. I wasn't sure if there was anyone still watching me at all. Probably not. I wasn't anyone important.

I heard a distant shout and running feet as a guy from a tradie van and his partner raced toward us.

There was a flash of lightning and the air around us became bleached white. The charged air made my hairs all begin to rise and I turned to hide my face from the lightning strike that I knew was about to arrive any moment to kill us now.

The man just gripped me tighter around the waist, allowing me to hide my face in his firm chest.

There was a disorienting wave and ripple of air that made my head spin and stop with a lurch. A strong arm propped me up, holding me gently to one side while I threw up.

Voices spoke in a muffled murmur. I was given a cup of water.

"Wash your mouth out. Spit into the basin," said a melodic female voice that sharpened into a reprimand even while a moist cloth mopped the sweat from my face and neck. "Master Storm, you small minded idiot, what do you, bringing savages back without warning? Do you not know you could have killed her?"

"That would have been a pity, after I finally found a girl who caught my interest. It's alright. I was protecting her," the man holding me up said in a mild voice.

"Where did you go this time?" the woman asked.

"Who are you to ask, Gatekeeper?" the man snorted. "Mind your own business."

"Just because you are of a higher rank than I does not mean the laws may be disregarded. Where did you go? From where did this little savage come?" the woman asked in such a fierce voice that I flinched. The woman gently wiped my mouth when I had finished rinsing my mouth out. "Relax, dear," the woman patted me and said in a gentle voice. "I am not angry with you. Only this impulsive, foolhardy idiot."

The man grunted and picked me up, sweeping me up off my feet. He carried me in one hand while I drooped against his shoulder feeling sick and tired.

"That little blue place called Earth," he said over his shoulder, pulling my luggage case behind him. "The one that is the only habitable planet in that desolate arm of the universe. In the spiral galaxy they call the Milky Way."

"Oh. That place. You seem to like that place," the woman said and I heard the scratching sound of something being written down. "Did you not go there last time?"

"Yes. That was when I found this interesting little female and decided she would be the one for me. She's a young adult and yet has kept her virginity. She doesn't paint her face with thick layers of smelly rendering, nor does she wear disgusting perfume like your fellow females with high libidos. In short, she's clean, interesting and perfect for me. All she'll need is a little training and I'm sure we'll get along like fish in water," the man said, still over his shoulder. "There. Will you open the door and let me out now so that I can stop walking in circles? I want to bring my little treasure home."

There was a click, a fresh gust of air and then I was being carried out into the sunshine. The air smelled foreign. The azure sky was paler with a slight greenish tinge compared to that of Earth's. None of the trees or plants or even brids were familiar. In fact, the trees and plants literally danced in the wind, making me feel motion sick again.

"Close your eyes and go to sleep if you're still feeling sick," the man said in a soft voice into my ear. "I'm sorry I didn't warn you. You'll probably feel sick for a while. I was sick for a month after my first time through the teleporter."

I did what I was told, trying to escape from the dreadful sick feeling that had sapped all my energy from me.

****

"There," said a baritone voice. "Her immunisations are all up to date. Her language centre has been updated and I believe her travel sickness is finally easing off. She should be waking up within the next few days, if not today. Be gentle with her. Her immune system will still be weak and her body itself is still trying to cope with the change in atmosphere and air composition. Don't let her go out and no overly vigorous exercise until she's completely adjusted. Otherwise you run the risk of her body shutting down in shock again."

"Thank you, Doctor," said the man who had been caring for me for the past ages ever since I'd been kidnapped from home. I'd barely been conscious since I had arrived, feeling extremely sick and vertiginous all the time. In fact, I could barely remember my home and what it had been like. My memories were filled with being sick and struggling to survive. I'd forgotten a lot of things.

"Remember to feed her the medicine on time. She'll have to continue taking the medicine for another few months at the least. Bring her back for her checkup next month. Don't even think of having sex with her yet."

"Aww, Doctor..."

"Don't whine at me, young man. You have been celibate for this many years. You can continue to control yourself until your chosen partner is healthy, ready and willing to accept you. And I'll know if you do otherwise. Mark my words. When she is healthy, I recommend you present her before your liege, request leave for your honeymoon and obtain his blessing for her citizenship and/or marriage. Otherwise the Border Guardians will be knocking on your door demanding an answer for an unregistered being living in your house. You know how long the paperwork takes."

"Oh. Thanks for reminding me," the man carrying me said. "See you next month."

I was carried out of what must have been an enclosed office into a breezy and busy corridor. From there, I was carried through a busy and stuffy waiting room, only pausing by the reception desk for the man to book next month's appointment.

The air outside what I presumed to be the medical clinic was warm with a fresh breeze. The smells were both familiar and unfamiliar. Trees and plants crawled all over the place, leaning or wading out of way for when the man strode through them with me in his arms. Seeing non-stationary plants still made me feel odd but I'd gotten more used to them. They tended to remain in a small territory close to where their main root had been planted - or so the man told me.

Master Storm, I remembered the Gatekeeper had called him. A fitting name for a man with a volatile temper. Other than when he was taking care of me or teasing me during my brief waking moments, he was a calm and seemingly placid person. But then, I barely knew him. I had barely spent any quality time with him. I had been very ill, after all.

The man kicked a board that looked like a snowboard out of a stand that reminded one of a large drying rack. He stepped onto the 'snowboard' with me still in his arms. He trod on a pedal looking button and rings of light rose about us. The board both lengthened and widened. The lights formed into seats and the man sat down with me still in his arms, kicking something. A big windshield of light rose and then the giant snowboard whizzed away, while the light continued to enclose around us, completing the enclosed vehicle.

"Awake?" a finger tapped my nose.

I nodded with a yawn.

"You should be able to stay awake more and more often from now on," the man smiled down at me, "and not feel so sick. Now that we know you have survived the acclimatisation to our world, it is indeed time I saw to getting your citizenship organised. Your temporary visitor's visa is about to expire. I'm glad the doctor reminded me."

I stared up at the man who glanced down at me every now and then in between driving the flying vehicle and ensuring we didn't crash into any unexpected things. It was perhaps the first time I had gotten a good look at him.

I had known he had dark hair, but now I saw that he had equally dark eyes within which hid a flash of lightning. His eyebrows were shapely and his face both stern with a hint of ruggedness and wild with a hint of boyishness. In short, he was a handsome looking man in his prime, with all the arrogance of knowing he was both strong and handsome. He had the arrogance of someone who had never lost a fight.

"Like what you see?" he asked, stroking my face and I turned away to look out the transparent side of the moving vehicle to the colourful tapestry of buildings and gardens below. "Still feeling shy around me? I'm sure we'll cure that one day when we can start becoming more intimate."

I covered my face with my hands, feeling how heavy my arms felt and how difficult it was to move them.

"Don't be shy," the man told me, pulling my hands away. "Unlike others, only you can look at me as much as you like."

I made a face and he laughed at me.

"We'll stop by the castle on our way home. If my liege is free, I'll introduce you while you're still awake. If not, I'll just get the citizenship procedures done and register an application for marriage. Once we have approval, I'll inform my parents and we can prepare for our wedding."

The vehicle dropped into a steep dive and I shut my eyes, clutching the man's shirt in dizzy desperation, feeling almost certain that I was going to fall and become a bloody splat on the ground.

"Storm, you brat," a voice boomed. I felt the man stumble a step from a heavy blow to the shoulder after he had dismissed the vehicle and kicked his board into the vehicle stand. "Where have you been shirking?"

"Chief," the man holding me coughed. "Watch it! I'm carrying my wife!"

"Oh? So this is your wife-to-be?"

A wide face covered in thick, bushy fascial hair with equally bushy eyebrows leaned over to peer at me.

"She looks sick," the bushy faced man said, touching my cold cheek.

"She is sick," the man carrying me scowled, smacking the bushy man's hand away. "No touching."

"Then why haven't you taken her to the doctor or brought her home?' the bushy man asked.

"We stopped by on the way home from the doctor's," the man carrying me said. "I need to get her citizenship organised and apply for marriage approval."

"Oh. Our liege is in today," bushy man said. "You're in luck. I'll send word ahead in case he wants to see you."

"Thanks, Chief," the man carrying me said, hoisting me into a more comfortable position and striding through the big gate down a long narrow corridor and then into a busy hall.

Many people called greetings as they hurried past and the man did the same. It seemed like this was his usual workplace. So many busy, rushing people made me stressed.

"Master Storm," called a cultured voice, waving us over to the foot of a staircase. "His Highness heard of your arrival and requests your presence and that of your wife-to-be."

"Coming, Steward," the man replied, making his way through the busy crowd and following a thin, uniformed man in black and gold livery.

We went up the staircase to a less busy floor than the reception lobby downstairs and were led through a maze of corridors. Both men seemed familiar with the route, walking fast enough that I only caught glimpses of the tapestries, flags and ornaments decorating the castle. Eventually, we arrived at a solemn and very solid looking door that was likely more than two metres high. The man in livery knocked.

The was a moment of silence and then, "Come in."

A male, tenor voice on the deep side.

The man strode into the room and stopped in front of a big desk, going down on one knee. He put me down on the ground beside me, forcing my body into a full bow with my hands and forehead on the floor while I kneeled with both knees on the ground.

"Stay there," he told me, "and don't lift your head until you are told otherwise."

I heard the sound of what sounded like the thumping of a chest while I examined the thick charcoal coloured carpet beneath me. It had silver threads here and there, making the scuffed sections look more silver than charcoal. It was also a tad dusty.

"My Liege," the man greeted. "May you be as stunning as the rising sun and as swift as the wind steeds of the Cloudy Vales. May your health be as strong and vigorous as the Cauldron Pool, and as tenacious as the Sacred Tree."

I sneezed.

There was a short silence while I felt sharp gazes all aimed at me. Then they relaxed.

"Storm. It's been a while. I hope you are well," said the tenor voice from behind the desk.

I felt another sneeze rising and did my best to suppress it.

"I have been well, my Liege, taking care of my little wife," the man said from beside me. "I took leave for her sake, in the hopes she would acclimatise well and survive to be wedded to me with your blessing."

"Acclimatise? Ah yes. I remember now. You kidnapped an Earthling savage back a while ago."

I couldn't help it. Something was tickling my nose and I could feel the pressure rising at the back of my nose. An explosive sneeze let loose and knocked me over. The man hurriedly pulled out a tissue to give to me and corrected my kneeling posture. My eyes and nose were streaming.

"You may both stand. I have a feeling your wife-to-be is allergic to my silver mountain bear rug," said the tenor voice in a mild tone.

I was helped up onto unsteady feet. I'd barely walked since my arrival and so had lost a lot of muscle. The stormy man beside me held me steady with an arm around my waist.

"Raise your head, girl, and look at me," the tenor voice commanded.

I did so and saw an icy blonde haired, blue eyed man looking at me with a hint of both disdain and compassion. It was a strange mix of emotions. The man exuded enough power and authority that told me if he so much as lifted his voice against me, I'd be dead with the next second. I lowered my head to try and avoid his sharp gaze, just wanting to find somewhere away from the dreadful bear fur beneath my feet that was giving me hayfever like symptoms.

I sneezed into my elbow and could barely see through my eyes that were rapidly swelling shut.

"Steward, send for the maids to rush her to the medical wing. Get her face washed and give her a shot before she swells up anymore and stops breathing. Quick. Storm, you stay here."

Twin presences wreathed in thick perfume rushed into the room, making me sneeze five times in a row. I felt my skin where they touched me swell up. My throat was swelling up and my eyes could no longer be opened. I wanted to sneeze again but couldn't find the breath for it.

There was the sound of annoyance from behind the desk.

"Storm, pick up your woman and rush her to the medical wing immediately. We can talk later."

I was swept off my feet and felt wind rushing past. My vision was starting to spot and go dark while I wheezed for breath. There was a sharp sting in my thigh and moist cloth washed my face and exposed skin where the maids had earlier touched.

Suddenly I could breathe again. I felt some of the swelling begin to subside. That was until somebody with strong perfume walked close to me again and I began to balloon once more.

There were sharp voices and another sting in my thigh. My heart thundered in both my chest and ears, making me feel extremely sick and uncomfortable. I felt a needle go into my arm and then sighed with relief when my throat stopped constricting. I coughed and sneezed and felt people help me wipe my face again.

A tissue was held to my nose.

"Blow," the man told me.

I blew a few times until there was no more mucous cloging up my nasal passages, allowing me to breathe easier. Even so, I was still wheezing.

A face mask was put over my face.

"Breathe deeply," said the voice who had scolded the heavily perfumed woman away earlier.

I took deep breaths, feeling the tightness in my chest loosening a bit more with each breath.

"Has this ever happened to her before?" the scolding voice asked in a sharp tone.

"No, Sir Waltlee," the man who had kidnapped me said in a polite voice. "I have only ever taken her between my house and the medical clinic and she has never reacted in this way to anything before. But then I have forbidden cosmetics and perfumes in my house and the medical clinic does not allow people to use them when they attend either."

"I see," said Sir Waltlee whom I assumed to be the castle doctor. "You will need to be careful and keep track of what things she is allergic to. From what I can tell, her health is already delicate following the acclimatisation process. Although she will live, it is to be seen how much health she will be able to recover. You will have to slowly continue to expose her to new things until you know what she is allergic to and what she is not. Ensure to keep an allergy pen injector with her at all times, just in case. It may be that over time, her immune system will settle down and stop overreacting to new stimuli as her body gets used to it. Don't rush. We'll keep her here today over night, but she should be fine by morning."

"My thanks, Sir Waltlee," the man - alright, I should start calling him by his name although I didn't want to - Storm said. My, but he was sounding formal.

"So you want citizenship and marriage approval for her?" said the authoritative tenor of Storm's liege lord.

"Yes, my Liege," Storm replied. "Her visa is about to expire and I would like to make her my wife."

"When you kidnapped her from her planet, please tell me you obtained her consent, her parent's consent or at least planetary consent. Consent of some sort," the tenor voice asked.

"Uhh..." Storm hesitated.

"So, no consent. A cross there. Have you ever asked her whether she is willing to marry you and become your wife?"

"Uhh..."

"Another cross there. If I approve your marriage, are you going to consummate your marriage immediately without her consent as well?"

"Uhh..."

"Storm, I can give her citizenship since we can't send her back, but I can't give you approval for marriage without any kind of consent. Since she's no longer on her own planet, you will have to work harder to obtain her approval and consent first before coming to me to request marriage."

"Uh, I'm her guardian while she's still new to our world. If I give consent as her guardian to get married to me, that should be enough, right?" Storm coughed.

There was a moment of silence.

"Steward, refresh my memory. Do we have any laws around that loophole and blatant abuse of power?"

"No, your Highness."

"In that case, I have to approve his marriage application despite him being an abusive, despicable impulsive fellow who might force himself on his woman while she's still sick?" the tenor voice asked tiredly.

"You could approve the marriage but postpone the date after which he can get married, your Highness," said the steward's polished tones.

"Let's do that then," the tenor voice sounded much more cheerful. "Steward, add the girl's name to our book of citizenship book."

"Might I ask what the young lady's name is?" the steward paused.

The swelling over my eyes had settled enough for me to peer out through narrow slits. The steward, doctor and golden haired lord looked at Storm who scratched his head while he stared at me.

"Uhh..."

"You don't know her name."

It was a statement, not a question.

"Uhh..."

The man , I mean, Storm nudged me to help him.

"Girl, what's your name?"

The mask was moved from off my face and I managed to wheeze out my answer.

"Rong Wumang."

"Wrong Woman? Your name is Wrong Woman?" asked the doctor in surprise.

"I can't call you Wrong Woman," frowned Storm, poking me a little harder. "Don't be so naughty."

"It's Rong Wumang," I tried to enunciate but they didn't hear it at all.

"Well, I have to say, the young lady has a good sense of humour even in the face of death. I've decided that I like her. Maybe I shouldn't approve the marriage after all. Or perhaps I'll call upon my right for jus primae noctis," said the lord of the castle with amusement. "We can't even give you a nickname from that. We can't call you 'Wrong', 'Womb', 'Woo' or 'Man' or even 'Mung'. Young lady, do you have any other names we might use?"

"My Liege!" Storm shouted in protest.

"Wait. Let us decide on a suitable name for the young lady that we can write down in our books first," said the lord with a grin, clearly enjoying stirring Storm up.

"My name means 'fog' or 'mist'," I wheezed, "My surname means 'glory'. People used to call me 'Meizi'."

"Foggy? Misty? Maisie?" the lord contemplated. "Gloria? Misty Glory. Mm. I like the sound of that. Maisie Glory and Foggy Glory just doesn't have the same ring to it. Steward, write the Wrong Woman's name down as Misty Glory. " The lord smirked and gave me a brilliant smile. "Miss Glory, would you like to be my glory?"

"My Liege!" Storm fell to his knees looking pale and aghast.

"My lord," I puffed and wheezed, reaching for the mask the doctor was holding and took a few deep breaths through it before I could speak clearly again. I adjusted my speech to sound more formal like theirs. "My lord, I'm hardly in a state to be able to consider my lifelong happiness right now. At present, I only wish to recover my health again."

"Fair enough," the lord of the castle nodded and gave me a smile. "How polite. Such an interesting and delicate woman. Storm, you'd better watch out. I'm going to give you a run for your money."

"My Liege," wailed Storm, "if you wish to take her, I have no chance at all."

"Only if you stop trying," the lord grinned with another smirk. "Feel free to come and challenge me. I believe you have an unbeaten winning streak in the duelling arena. Allow me to break that for you."

A fire was lit in Storm's eyes. He rummaged in his pocket but was slapped in the face with his lord's glove first.

"I, Prince Equable of House Gentian, Duke of Hoarfrost and Goldenseal, do challenge you, Storm Keeper of Umbellifer to a duel for the right to request the hand of Earthling, Misty Glory, in matrimony."

"My Liege!" Storm shouted in affront.

"Do you accept my challenge or not?" demanded the prince whose name and titles stated he had an even temper and hailed from houses and lands named after herbs and white frost.

"I accept!" Storm snarled. "Shall we go to the duelling grounds now?"

The prince turned to his steward.

"When is my next appointment?"

"In two hours, your Highness," replied the steward.

"Good. Just enough time to dress, break Storm's winning streak and give him his first defeat," Prince Equable said with a fierce grin, not looking equable at all. "Have people prepare the duelling arena and my armour. Let us go grind this brat's pride into the dust."

The prince and steward swept out of the room while Storm left at a run. I blinked at the doctor opening and closing my mouth but not knowing how to voice the questions I wanted to ask.

"His Highness is attempting to protect you in his own way," Sir Waltlee told me in a dry voice. "He is aware that the impulsive upstart is unlikely to ever seek your consent and so is attempting to rescue you before your kidnapper accidentally kills you without thinking through his selfish actions. Unfortunately, here in Apiary, kidnapping outworlders is not a crime as they are considered lesser beings or of lower caste until they manage to obtain citizenship. Even then, the outworlder stigmatism remains. It is best if you assimilate into our culture and way of life as quickly as possible. If his Highness wins the duel, you may accept or reject his Highness' proposal. I do not believe he would be offended by a rejection, but in doing so, you would then be vulnerable to Storm's intentions and other interested individuals. If you request it, you may beg for the lord's grace to remain in the castle and work off your debts."

"Debts?" I stammered.

"I see now why Storm and his Highness might be interested in you," Sir Waltlee turned to one side and coughed with a faint blush, adjusting his trousers.

I didn't get it. What? What had I done?

"Young lady, please do not make such open and sincere facial expressions," Sir Waltlee coughed again, not daring to look me in the face. "Emotions should not show on the face of a well bred lady. In addition, your facial expressions when confused are exceptionally..." he coughed again. "Anyway, the debts you are currently incurring include the occupation of one of the beds in the medical wing, the services of a senior doctor such as myself, and medications. If you are willing to accept the hand of one of the men vying for your hand, your medical fees will be paid for by your husband-to-be. If not, the fees may see you working in the castle for the next twenty years or so, given you do not incur any new debts. Oh, my Liege. You are too cute for words."

I stared open mouthed at the uncomfortable doctor who appeared to be in his middle age but was blushing while his pants were tenting. He closed my mouth and waddled out of the room.

What the... No way...

What on earth - no, what in this world were these high ranking men seeing in an ordinary girl with allergies like me with a swollen face who had barely been able to stay awake or survive the past few months while I was getting over my teleportation sickness and getting used to the new air pressure, gravity and air composition. I was certain that it wasn't me. There was nothing wrong with my head. There was, however, something wrong with the heads of all these men. I was in no way desirable. Oh no. I was just a very sick and homesick young lady who wanted to go home but would likely never be able to.

"Excuse me. I am going to join in the duel downstairs during my break. You stay here and rest until we return with the results," the doctor's voice floated back into the room and I took more deep breaths of the medicated gas I was breathing in, in order to try and get a grip on my emotions.

Half an hour later, my symptoms had almost completely subsided. I still had a bit of lingering swelling making my eyes feel heavy, but I could breathe and open my eyes properly again. I heard the shouts of an umpire outside, following which there were coloured lights flashing through the window. A thunderstorm rumbled overhead, overcasting the area with dark shadows and heavy rain.

Green, black, lightning yellow and golden yellow lights were the stronger flashes. Amidst the mix, there were also purples, reds and blues. The orange and pink lights only flashed once and disappeared. The various other colours faded and stopped, but the fight between the black, lightning yellow and golden yellow continued with greater and greater intensity while the storm picked up.

The was an explosive boom that made the bed tremble lightly and then there was silence.

The umpire's voice shouted shakily, but I couldn't make out what he was saying. Somebody had won or there had been a tie, but who was it? If they had won, would I have a choice? If I had a choice due to there being a draw and I had to choose, how was I meant to choose when I didn't know any of them well?

If it was just lust attracting them to me like the doctor and Storm, I wanted no part in them. What should I do? I had to postpone any decision making. The best solution was to go to sleep. Yes. That was the best idea yet.

But would I be able to fall asleep in time? This was the longest I'd been awake for quite some time. Surely I should be feeling sleepy by now after nearly dying of anaphylactic shock twice in a row. Right? Right?

But my anxiety was keeping me from falling asleep. What should I do?

It was an extremely long time before anyone showed back up in the room. I had just been drifting off but was startled back awake by the noise.

Sir Waltlee limped over to turn off the medicinal gas and examined me. He had a black eye and a swollen cheek. After making sure I was making good recovery progress, he sat heavily in a chair by my bed to treat himself.

He didn't talk to me beyond professional questions and from the look of his face, I was reluctant to ask who had won the duel. Before long, a beaming prince without any injuries and a glowering Storm entered my room. Storm was cradling a bandaged arm and I could smell burnt cloth and charred flesh. Behind them came another poker faced gentleman with very mature features. I'd have said he was in his late forties or early fifties. He was completely dressed in black edged with charcoals and greys.

"That was a surprising and yet exhilarating duel," the prince exclaimed. "We had so many participants seeking your hand that we ended up inviting everyone onto the stage to battle until the last man standing. I had so much fun. Didn't you gentlemen enjoy yourselves?"

"Exceedingly," said the doctor in a dry and slightly sarcastic tone. "Especially when you concentrated your attacks on my face, your Highness."

"It was a very effective attack despite the injuries to your face, was it not?" the prince gave the doctor an impish grin. "What about you, Storm? Do you concede your defeat?"

"I concede," Storm flowered with a mumble. "If there weren't so many people getting in the way, I would have beaten you."

"There's no such thing as a fair battle. Only wins and losses, isn't that right, your Grace?" the prince directed his remark at the black clothed man with a poker face. "As the winner, I officially declare the Earthling, Misty Glory, as yours by right of conquest. You may take her away as you see fit."

"Tomorrow morning," Sir Waltlee raised his head with a grunt, glancing at the men surrounding my bed. "She has to stay the night for observation."

"You may take her away in the morning when she has recovered," the prince corrected himself. "Your marriage has been approved and you may marry her only when she has received a clean bill of health from her regular family doctor and Sir Waltlee. I have to admit, your Grace, your participation was completely unexpected. You quite took me by surprise with your ambush. As the most eligible bachelor in the three neighbouring duchies, I would like to congratulate you in advance on the end of your bachelorhood."

The poker faced man only gave a slight incline of the head and then glanced at Storm.

"No need to pack her things. I will purchase completely new things for her. I don't want my woman tainted by things another man has touched," the poker faced man said in gelid tones. "Sir Waltlee, while she is still here, please run reproductive tests on her to ensure we are compatible, that she is clean and that she has not lain with another man before. If she is not compatible, I am willing to sell her to the highest bidder."

I flushed with anger at the implications that I might just be a tool for reproduction.

"I am not a baby making machine," I muttered.

"I am sorry," the poker faced man tilted his head at me. "Would you please repeat yourself?"

Taking a deep breath, I screwed up all my courage to shout.

"I'm not a baby making machine. I'm not a tool or a thing to be bought ot sold. I am a living, breathing human with emotions. Don't treat me or talk about me as if I am anything less."

All the men stared at me with varying degrees of surprise.

"We never said that you are anything less than what you are. You can rest assured," the poker faced man told me seriously, obviously not getting the point at all. "The point of any marriage is to have progeny. If the man and woman are not compatible, then there is no point in trying to push through a marriage. The benefit and agreement of all parties must be assured."

"Then what about my consent? Why has nobody asked whether I want to get married or be a slave? Who asked me whether I was willing to be brought here from my home? I've been kidnapped and forced into all this. Where's my compensation?" I demanded hotly.

For some reason, my outrage and attempt at assertiveness made all the men smile at me with condescension. I didn't get it. What was with these people? After that moment of silence, the men talked over my head as if I hadn't made a noise. The doctor patted my shoulder and shook his head.