5.6

"How many princesses are there in total?"

"Twenty, they live in the capital."

"What about the population?"

"Ten million half-breeds of different classes. Three thousand aristocrats, people the same as on Zaria."

Tumariz paused, looking at her depression, and added:

"I understand that you don't like all this, but there are no other options. You should have stayed on Zaria. Erin is a loyal Xanthari Power and would still force you to follow the Code. The Queen is a rebel, she doesn't want to live by the rules and she didn't raise you princesses. Don't blame us for being importunate, we strictly follow the regime."

"I want to be alone now..."

***

Farenia was glad that everyone left her alone: none of the officers and even Palien came to her for many days. Either they were afraid of the curse, or they deliberately stopped communicating with her so that she would howl with boredom and run off to find a meeting with them. It was clear that they were watching her and expecting something.

Sometimes she went for a walk along the endless corridors of the ship and drowned in her loneliness, none of the staff had the right to approach her and start a conversation.

She tried to drown out her longing for the beautiful Lantas and sat for hours, staring at one point, trying to figure out how to rescue him from his sleepy state. She couldn't even visit him and see that Lantas still existed. Is it possible to turn to the Source to help him?

Farenia immersed herself in meditation for a long time, asking for an answer. Days passed after days, but no solution came to mind.

The princess entertained herself with creation and gradually her powers of transformation increased. She made various beautiful trinkets from transparent multi-colored stones, laying them out in brilliant mosaics.

The baby didn't require much attention, and when he woke up, his crystal blue eyes studied her carefully. She hung shimmering rainbow crystals above him so that he would avert his gaze from her.

One day Tumariz came to her, cautiously closing the door behind him.

"How are you? I was walking by and decided to check on you. I'm looking after the ship..."

"When will Lantas wake up? So much time has already passed!" The princess perked up.

"I don't know. Palien says nothing," he answered and sat down at Farenia's feet. "He forbade everyone from coming to you, in case you got angry. But I missed you, beauty, I decided to take a risk, maybe you won't kick me out."

He carefully laid his head on her lap, her hand lowered itself and began to smooth his brown hair with a greenish tint. Tumariz closed his eyes and sighed deeply, whispering:

"I still dream about you, beautiful princess, I want to please you."

He began to kiss and hug her knees, and a shiver ran through her body and her heart began to beat wildly. She did not resist the caresses and did not drive him away. Sensual kisses and languid sighs of the green-eyed handsome man inflamed her, and she succumbed to excitement, plunging into the pleasure filling her. Her many-day loneliness took its toll on her: she was ready to accept any signs of attention, and Tumariz took advantage of this. He came almost every day and could not tear himself away from her, and she, without saying a word, reveled in his frantic love.

***

Farenia froze in amazement when her beloved Lantas, in full health, entered his penthouse, looking around in confusion.

"You are alive!" She screamed, and he rushed to hug her.

"Thank you for lifting the curse," he thanked her. "Even at this price! I'm sorry for not saving you from them. I relied on my magic of protection and paid with my life. Will you stay with me?"

Farenia nodded with tears.

"I love you, Lantas!"

He hugged her with ecstasy, carefully wrapping her in his wings.

From then on, no matter how hard he tried to protect his wife from the officers, they still hovered around her, casting dreamy glances at her, started conversations with her, tried with all their might to make friends without using charms.

Tumariz always found a moment when Farenia was alone, secretly coming to her with hugs and hot kisses, enthusiastically persuading her to leave her husband and go to him, citing the fact that he loved her madly and wanted to wait for the birth of the child with her. Sometimes she did not leave her husband's penthouse for a long time to avoid random encounters.

The princess gradually became accustomed to the clinging adoration of the womanizers, and they all hoped that in time she might again succumb to the onslaught of attention from one of them. Only Palien was indifferent to her and never exchanged a word with her, nodding when meeting if he noticed, and did not look into Lantas's penthouse at all. He was impressed by Goddess hex and, perhaps, he was ashamed in front of the princess.

Lantas almost did not communicate with his friends, observing with irritation with his "eye" how much they cared for his wife, and could not forgive them for their harassment, but was glad that Farenia remained faithful to him.

"No matter how many times I say, don't meddle with her," Lantas reprimanded the officers in the wardroom.

"The princess cannot be your permanent wife," they retorted. "The rulers will take her from you. They just adore beautiful alien girls."

Palien angrily watched the quarrels and refrained from commenting.

Lantas was annoyed when he discovered that the wings started growing on her back due to Tumariz's gift and now he would not be able to hide her on Xantari as a mortal concubine. The pain of the fact that they would certainly be separated over six years tormented him.