Guarding Forever (4 page)

Niric drove him back toward the observatory and the house that had been constructed on the bright side of the mountain.

When they arrived, Forin nodded to his driver and headed inside. He had research to do. Ohra didn’t seem the type to come running just because he crooked his finger. He needed to learn what he could about her life.

Two hours later, he rubbed his face and forehead. It was amazing that Ohra had made it to adulthood with her mind intact.

Born and abandoned, she had been raised in a series of public homes, which had noted her health and very little else. She had gone through so many hands as a child; it was no wonder that she had no interest in affection. She didn’t know what it was.

Her studies were indeed progressing rapidly. She had qualified and done a twenty-eight day practicum as a medic in a hospital. Now, she was specialising in the skills required to work on the awakening project. She had even filed a treatment design that included a rotation of monitors to keep them from experiencing physical breakdown.

Apparently, there were those amongst the monitor trainees who could be used for short terms, but they could go on frequent rotation with almost no time in between.

Forin scowled. How was he to make an excuse to see her when there was no logical reason to?

This was going to require strategy.

* * * *

Ohra walked back to her apartment with her weekly shopping. She had a full night of studies ahead of her, and she needed the supplies.

A long black vehicle was parked at the curb near her apartment. General Thanloss emerged and inclined his head. “May I help you with those parcels?”

Seeing the sense of it, she extended her load to him. “Thank you. Are you sure you are up for this?”

Thanloss nodded. “I am. My last year has been spent regaining full use of my body.”

She led the way up the stairs, trying not to think about making full use of his body. The memory of him pressed against her while they danced had made itself known at inopportune moments for the last ten days.

Ohra trotted up the stairs, and when she arrived on her floor, a little winded, she had to admit that he was in good shape. He was right behind her with her forty pounds of food and beverages.

She walked down the hall and opened her small apartment. Blushing with embarrassment, she flattened herself against the wall so he could get past her.

Her rooms were tidy, and she didn’t have to worry about any dishes left out. Her home was just far smaller than she had wished. He seemed to take up all the available air in the room.

He set her groceries on the counter and began to unbag them.

“What are you doing, General?”

“I have unpacked food before, Ms. Ianic.”

“Call me Ohra.”

“Then you must call me Forin.”

Her heart thudded in her chest at the mention of his name. “Forin?”

“That is my name.”

“I had a dream about a man named Forin.”

He pulled out a pack of apples and set them aside. “Was it a good dream?”

She scowled at the memory. “I was playing chess and getting my butt kicked.”

Forin laughed. “I recall you putting up quite a fight in my dream.”

She blinked. “You had the same dream?”

“There is one way to find out. Let’s play chess.” His expression was a cheerful grin of challenge.

She bit her lip. “I don’t have one. A chessboard, I mean.”

“I do. Would you accompany me to my home?”

She swallowed, “Like a date?”

“Precisely like a date. We can put your food away and be on our way in moments.”

She looked to her desk. “I have to study.”

“You are ahead of your class and you can bring your study gear with you. My home is in the mountains and our chess game could run long, so you should pack an overnight bag.”

“For a first date?”

“It is rather unorthodox, I know, but I would really like you to see my home.”

Ohra put the perishables in the cooler and the boxes in the cupboard. She eyed the prefab snacks with a hungry eye and put them away.

“Fine; five minutes and we can go.”

She went to her room and packed a small bag with overnight necessities. In the living room, she packed up her tablets and her study hologram unit.

“Ready to go.”

He took her bag from her and bent to give her a quick kiss. “Good.”

She was staring after him, her lips tingling, when she realised he was leaving without her. “Hey!”

His laughter floated up from the hall, and she scurried after him.

The house in the mountains was big, and she couldn’t believe that it had been built in under a year.

“How did they manage all this?”

“One of your presidents had it made centuries ago. I commandeered it and had it refurbished.”

If a president had made it, it had been centuries.

The driver stopped in front of a huge door. It was a really impressive door. Ohra focused on it as she left the car and walked toward it with a sense of familiarity.

It was impossible to say why she thought she knew the place, but as Forin escorted her inside, the familiarity became more and more certain.

He carried her bag and led her to a guestroom on the second floor. He set her bag down on the chest at the foot of the bed and offered her his arm.

“I thought we might have a meal before we begin the chess match.”

“That would be nice.” After a full day of school and then running errands, she was exhausted and ready for some food.

The staircase led them back down to the main floor, and the scent of food wafted throughout the house.

A woman in a starched gown was bustling about with platters of food. “I am putting them in the study as you ordered, General.”

“Thank you, Jinloa.”

“Is this your young miss?”

Forin paused for the introductions. “Ohra Ianic, this is Jinloa Hekuar. Jinloa is my housekeeper, and she wrangles the cleaning bots.”

“Pleased to meet you, Jinloa.”

“And you as well, Miss Ianic.”

“Call me Ohra.”

With the sweetest smile and a wink, Jinloa said, “No.”

Forin laughed.

Ohra looked at him with consternation.

“Don’t worry, Ohra. She won’t call me by name either.”

They entered the drawing room and a wide table was set with a variety of dishes. Jinloa set the last platter in place. The foods on the table were dazzling in their scope, and she felt something familiar inside her.

When she looked around and saw the wooden panels on the walls, she took a seat at the dining table with a thud. She closed her eyes and images began to flash in her thoughts. Days with Forin across six months of time.

When she got to the kissing that had taken so much of their time, her cheeks caught fire.

She heard his wry voice, “And there it is.”

He knelt beside her. “I was hoping that this would remind you. I had them construct the interior to match my memory. Jinloa offered to make everything in my memory from my favourite restaurant.”

She laughed, “It was the pasta dish that started the memory, the chessboard kept it flowing and the wood panels finished me off.”

Ohra put her hands on either side of his face, and she kissed him with a well-practiced mind and inexperienced lips.

He smiled against her mouth and wrapped his arms around her. When she broke the kiss, he pressed his forehead to her chest and sighed happily.

“To think that I had to cross centuries frozen and deadly in order to find the woman for me.”

She kissed the top of his head. “Who died twice in the process.”

He laughed and lifted his head to kiss her again. “And who came back for me.”

“I did. But, this food is driving me mad. Can we eat before we pledge eternal love?”

He laughed again and kissed her quickly before he stood up. “I can’t pass up a chance at that pledge with you fainting before it happens.”

Forin sat next to her and explained what many of the dishes were. Some were familiar, some were not and all were very tasty.

They made a dent in most of the food, and Ohra could not remember her belly being so full.

When they were done, Forin suggested a walk outside. It took a little bit of leverage to get out of the chair, but she managed to stand beside him without looking like she was out of breath.

The rest of his home was just as lovely as the study, and under the arching double staircase were two large doors.

He opened the doors with a flourish. “You are going to enjoy this. The weather is perfect.”

A wide stone patio stretched into the distance, marked at the far edge by a low balcony rail. Above them, the stars gleamed and twinkled.

“Come this way.” He tugged her along and to the railing.

She stood and was amazed at the vista stretching beneath her. The river was clouding over with fog and it was coiling toward them.

“It is just like in your mind.” She smiled, and he came up behind her, wrapping his arms tight around her.

“It is, though we are both wearing quite a bit more clothing.” He whispered it into her ear.

“Not really. This body suit comes off pretty easily.” She watched the stars and felt the cool caress of the fog as it roiled up and coated the balcony.

“Is that an invitation, my dearest heart? Love of my mind, partner to my soul.” He rocked her slightly as they watched the moonrise and cast its light over them.

“Flatterer.”

“Nothing but truth. I can sense it in others as much as I did in my mind. That is the reason that the Edinar are being put into your government’s service. We can see what your people cannot.”

She turned in his arms. “What do you see when you look at me, Forin?”

He looked down at her, and there was wonder in his face. “I see forever, Ohra. Everything and forever.”

She slid her hands up his chest and wrapped her arms around his neck, “Good enough for me.”

* * * *

Across the valley, two other monitors were dealing with meeting the men they had linked with in a months-long procedure…but those are other stories.

The next two stories will be told in
Huntsman
and
Virtual Snow.
Wherein our intrepid monitors venture into the minds of more wild and wicked Edinar.

Hope to see you there.

Thanks for reading,

Viola Grace

[email protected]

http://www.violagrace.com

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.

Viola’s fetishes include boots and corsetry, and her greatest weakness is her uncontrollable blush. Her writing actively pursues the Happily Ever After that so rarely occurs in nature. It is an admirable thing and something that we should all strive for. To find one that we truly like, as well as love.