18

Benjamin seemed to be a kind of man who deserved happiness not only for this confession but also because he were a good man and he showed that in the way he spoke, looked and smiled at me and when he played with his high-esteem. His beauty was not only to be seen but also to be felt.

- Maybe I can find that soul on some day...

- Yes...

-  My turn! I'll ask five  questions about you and you'll have to answer each of them!

- Okay. What's the first one?

- What is your favorite dessert?

A plethora of flavors passed through my mind. Caramelized oranges, mousse of the most varied flavors... pies...

- Pudding.

- How surprising... unusual... why?

- It is the dish that according to legends was taught by the prityans.

- So you like the legends of the past era?

-  Not all... just this one... my mother told me so many details that it seemed not to be just a legend but a real story.

- In this world anything is possible...

- Yes... next question!

- Kep calm Miss... I need to think a little...

- You can think...

- I already thought!

- You think fast!

- I always think fast!  My question is... What legend is this?

- Do you really want to hear this story?

- Absolutely! Come on! Tell me.

- Okay... a few millenniums ago when our existence was nothing more than a blur staining the sun and the moon there was a superior race. Man-shaped gods who roamed the skies riding on starry horses that guided them from people to people to help and offer some of their goodness with his divine and miraculous abilities.

My mother told me that some of this gods could fly, others threw flames of fire through their fingers, some could build things never seen... iron machines that possessed their own life... some gods could move things with their mind and the most powerful of them had  beyond all these abilities together and the power to conjure weapons made of star dust, these weapons were called pryn weapons and only the most experienced could conjure this kind of skill.

When the first men appeared on this earth a very powerful prityan called Azriel Aragon helped them to build the first cities for the humans who in return promised to tell these stories about this mystical... stories about these magical people who live in cities beyond our comprehension, with flying carriages, living forests and all the gold and precious stones that we can  imagine decorating the streets and sidewalks of Tecnus, the home of the prityans.

- Wow...

- Yes! And that's not all! In Tecnus everything creates life! All machines, animals and plants breathe magic... those who are not born prityans can make use of the magic that flows through iron utensils, weapons and even the juice of plants that temporarily give special abilities!

- The super prityans? They are just generous gods who decided to help the first men build their first cities?

- No... they are more than that!  They are kings, inventors, pathfinders, soldiers and spies... my mother used to tell me a part of that legend that I had never heard anywhere but this part I don't remember well... it's about 

a tournament... I think...

- For everything you've told me so far I wouldn't mind hearing about this tournament...

- Are you sure? At this point people start  look at me as if I were crazy...

- I don't think that... I like to hear you talk about this legend. Continue it! It's only another two meters to get your room and I'm afraid of you won't have more time to tell me everything you about know prytians...

- Right! Every two thousand years the silence visit some women who are about to give birth, the child born from the womb of that mother blessed by silence  born with the strength and abilities of that race, the prytians. When these children came to adulthood they are placed in a tournament of life or death to reveal who will be the next king of Tecnus...

- Too wild for the land of technology and magic...

- I know... that's why I've always found this this part of the legend a little confused. How can such an advanced people solve things with such brutality?

- It is as my mother used to say... in a truth can hide three lies.

- I think you have one or two more questions to ask me...

- Yes but in other moment! We got to your room my dear and beloved Kristma of Douléia.

- How do you know that I came from Douléia? - I asked frightened by that information uttered by Benjamin- Some time ago I did some researches about a person...

I turned to ask one more question about that information but Benjamin was already far away. I still tried to say something but I give up to open my lips so then I opened the door in front of me.

I was back in my fancy and airy room but this time I was no longer excited, my head was submerged in questions about the Ben mysterious researches that suddenly a growing dread began to take hold of me the measure as I approached the bed.

The dread that took shape was fed by a navy blue dress left on my bed.

That was Arthur's doing, I was sure of it. It was him reminding me what we could do in the games room.

A note rested beside the dress. The writing on white and limpid paper was irregular and inclined to the left.

  "I want you to wait for me lying       down and no lingerie for our   evening  this dress will be all you wear"

It was Arthur...

I hang the dress at my fingertips and the first feeling that went through my head was surprised and then repulse.

The piece of clothing suggested to me was a simple, fluid, dark blue silk robe that opened in a long neckline that descended to the height of my hips revealing a large part of my breasts and abdomen.

That wasn't my style.

That dress didn't seem right for my body that according to the message I should use this robe naked.

I play that dress in one of my luxurious staterooms. No conditions! Arthur would never see me in that outfit.

I throw my body on the bed and fix my eyes on the ceiling.

Ideals... my mind was looking for ideas for survive inside that ship.

                              🌫🌕🌫

The hours passed faster than my mind could calculate.

It was time for dinner and I still hadn't found a way to escape that night with the captain.

I was desperate and in my desperation I did the best that I could to present myself as unattractive as possible. If I didn't catch the attention of the captain's eyes maybe he could change his mind.

I wore a long mermaid dress navy blue gown with thin straps and a straight neckline, which according to Cael's instruction was the color that should have been on my skin that night.

I don't know if it was on purpose but all  dresses tha was sent to that trip seemed to be made to attract male attention.

Soft knocks on the door echoed in my room. I left my bathroom and went to meet who was waiting for me.

- Yes?

- Hello my dear pallaki! - Ben's voice was unmistakable.

- Hello dear Iudex... come in!

Benjamin slowly opened the door and  entered in my temporary room.

When Benjamin's eyes found mine, the surprise on his face screamed that I had failed in my mission not to draw attention masculine for my body.

He looked stunning that night. His black suit  gave Benjamin an aura of superiority and refinement that I had never seen in any man until that moment.

His the back-combed hair, his slightly arched lips formed a simple smile on his face and the muscles that marked the sleeves of his garment were more prominent.

- You. Er... you're ready!

- Yes I am. - I repled almost breathless

- You look very elegant...

- And you look beautiful, my lady. Truly beautiful...

- Thank you very much.

- Come on? They're all waiting for you... you're a few minutes late.

- I'm sorry... I already am.

- I.

- I.

- Let's go?

Benjamin offered me his arm so then we could leave my accommodations.

I willingly accept it and then we quietly went for the dinner that awaited us.

We walk in silence next to each other and with a tension almost palpable around us.

It was strange, exciting and engaging at the same time. At every step and every heavy breath I felt that somehow we were watering the seeds of a forbidden and dangerous feeling.

After a few good, long minutes of uninterrupted silence, we finally went  in the captain's cabin.

We entered  in a relatively large dining room decorated in shades of blue and white.

The gilded solid wooden table rested in the center of the place with several men around feasting on the roasted meat served on the table.

- Finally my dear pallaki has come to us! You can now sit down Benjamin... you've had...

The arrogance and the forced refinement of Cael exhaled throughout the room.

I did my utmost with all my strength not to roll my eyes when I heard the words of Cael.

- Kristma! Sit here with us! Please... – Arthur begged.

I  hadn't much choice I obeyed him and sit next to him. While walking I could notice certain murmurs between Arthur and Cael who looked at me with visible signs of disapproval.

- Good that you finally arrived... - A man next to Arthur with white hair, oily face anda nose full of carnations welcomed me when I sat next to Cael.

- You will have your turn Ender... -  Cael pondered.

- I hope so... after Eleonor stopped being available for the games room I am a little more needy than usual.

- But she was always available all times I brought her ... - Cael replied- Did you know about that Arthur?