Knollig: A Terraneu Novel ( Book 2) (2 page)

That would lead to fact number two. She had never
experienced anything like that pulling, falling sensation. The sights she had
seen when she woke up on Antilles were something she would never forget. So she
could be somewhere that wasn’t Earth and if they called this planet Terraneu,
then she would take them at their word.

As to them being descended from Earth? She had heard
theories that Earth had gone through different great civilizations. That there
were things found like thousand year old batteries, and places on Earth that
were like radiated war zones. So could that part be true also? Yes. She supposed
it could be possible.

Amber could have activated a port pad outside her
grandfathers B&B and ended up on Antilles to be traded. So that left the
other two questions. Exactly what did the medical unit do to her, and why was
she
here?

Knollig’s heart was beating heavy in his chest. His
palms were wet and he was sweating like he just had a workout with Knaleg. His
mind flew to think about his brother. He needed to have a talk with him. Knaleg
was as worried as the rest of them about the females coming to Terraneu. He was
just putting too much of himself into exercise and security preparations. He
didn’t think Knaleg had done anything relaxing in six months.

Now, here he was with an Earth female named Mairi in the
medical unit. They weren’t alone, Amber and Kniam had arrived a few minutes
ago. They had been explaining to Mairi what was happening. His mind kept
wandering though, to when she had first regained consciousness.

He had worried that she hadn’t been fixed when she was
still talking about being dead, and thinking he was a “Guardian Angel?” As he
had leaned in to check her for signs of illness, she had suddenly kissed him.
He had heard about this subject from Kniam. Not the details of him and Amber
kissing, just the generalities. Sometimes females liked to have their mouths
touched by a males, and that if they were really attracted to you, tongues were
involved. He would just have to “learn the details from his own female,” his
brother had advised.

Knollig knew that kissing him hadn’t been an invitation
from Mairi to be in a relationship. She wasn’t quite herself when she had done
it. However, he felt a deep pull for the female and wanted to be the male she
chose as her mate. He was the one that had carried her to the port pad to Terraneu.
When he had seen her sick and helpless in Kniam’s arms something inside him had
flared to life. He saw beyond the sunken cheeks and pale skin. Her almost
lifeless eyes held only pain and hopelessness and fear. He vowed to himself to
fill them with happiness, hope, and love. The things he saw when his brother
Kniam and Amber looked at each other.

He had brought Mairi to the medical unit and stood over
her waiting these past days for all the damage to be fixed. She was so close to
death, he wasn’t sure that the medical unit could repair it all. She was now
awake, and when she had kissed him, even thinking of him as this “Guardian
Angel”, if they hadn’t been interrupted he didn’t know if he would have been
able to stop kissing her. He needed to tread very carefully with Mairi. He
would have to give her time to adjust to life on Terraneu. His honor dictated
that he give the other males a chance to prove their worthiness as mates. If
she had an attraction to any other males, he would not interfere with her choice.

Mairi’s voice broke into his thoughts, “Okay. I believe
what you have told me so far. So let’s get the “why” over with…” she looked at
Knollig since she couldn’t seem to keep her eyes off him. For some unknown
reason she was drawn to him.

Amber chirped out excitedly, “I know this part best, it
was mostly my idea.” She gave her mate a huge smile, and he wrapped his arms
around her and carried her to the other bed to sit. She snuggled into his lap,
“Thanks, I was getting a kink in my neck from sitting in that position.” She
gave him a light kiss on the mouth, his eyes flashed and the next moment they
were kissing passionately. Oblivious to the fact that Mairi and himself were
even there.

“Uhhh, should we leave them alone or something?” Mairi
asked him in a whisper.

Knollig rolled his eyes and shouted, “Amber please
continue with what you were saying!” His brother and his “little female” jerked
apart, surprised at the intrusion.

“What…oh!” she lightly punched her mate on the
arm…”Kniam! I am supposed to be explaining to Mairi why she is here! Behave
yourself…until later.” Knollig didn’t want to embarrass her with the knowledge
that she wasn’t as quiet as she thought when she whispered the “until later”
part. Everyone in the room knew what they were going to be doing. Although he
had to laugh, when
weren’t
they getting caught in each other’s arms? The
members of the Council had even joked about making the couple a portable sex
bubble, so they would stop interrupting meetings.

 
When he looked
back at Mairi she wasn’t staring at the couple, she was staring at him! That
must be a good sign. Her face burned red, and he almost laughed at catching her
looking at him. He pumped up his chest and twisted just a little to show her
that his body was fit.

Amber rushed into her explanation, “Where was I?” When
Kniam went to say something she just put her hand on his thigh, he drew in a
shaky breath and snapped his mouth shut.

“Oh yes. Long story short…I met your grandfather when I
was staying at the B&B, before I fell through the portal. He owns the land
that the port pad sits on, so when we came up with the plan to find females and
bring them here to Terraneu, we needed his help.”

Amber shifted on Kniam’s lap, and he groaned under his
breath, “
Amber
”. She ignored him and continued, “Kneus, Kniam and I went
through the portal a few days ago, since it only works every six months and
only then for ten hours. You haven’t met Kneus, he was left behind with your
grandfather to make plans for the other females we are hoping to bring here.”
Amber moved her hands on Kniam’s thigh absently, while he turned an interesting
shade of red.

It was nothing Knollig hadn’t seen before, the female
had no idea what she did to his brother sometimes. It was amusing to watch.

Amber continued, “Anyway, your grandfather agreed to let
us use his land as an ‘Earth to Terraneu Grand Station’ type arrangement and
help Kneus to fit in on Earth. In exchange, he will come to Terraneu in six
months and go through the medical treatment.” Amber’s hand traveled a little
further up Kniam’s thighs, and Knollig knew it was a matter of time before his
brother snapped.

He just kept waiting, his laughter barely contained.
“The only reason your grandfather helped us really is you, Mairi. He didn’t
agree to any of our terms until we added you to the offer. Bringing you here
first and getting you well…that was the only thing he really wanted.” Her hand
had reached very close to a personal part of Kniam’s anatomy, and Knollig
started counting down in his head.

(…
5
…) ”We got you out of the assisted living
center you were at…which believe me was a close one. We almost ran out of
time.” Amber kept talking, “When we got you to the B&B it was a quick run
to the port pad…”

(…
4
…) ”Once on Antilles I took your necklace to
send back, I hope you don’t mind.”

Mairi interrupted, “My thistle pendent? I vaguely
remember you taking that.”

“Was that what it was? Thistle? I thought it was a
Celtic trinity design. It was a very beautiful piece of jewelry. We used it as
the sign that all was well, so your grandfather wouldn’t worry for the next six
months.”

(…3…) “Then Knollig snatched you up and brought you here
for treatment.”

 
(…2…) Amber
continued on, oblivious to where her hand was massaging, “Knollig has been at
your side the entire time. It was touch and go for a couple of days, we weren’t
sure you were going to make it.” Amber’s eyes twinkled merrily at him, and he
just laughed because he had been watching his brother.

(…
1
…) Kniam couldn’t take it anymore!

With a growl he jerked to standing, threw Amber over his
shoulder. She shrieked at being suddenly upside down, her hair flowing down
Kniams back. “What in the…” They had made it to the door, and there were a lot
of whispered promises as he reached for the lock, and on a breathy sigh Amber
laughed, “Well really Kniam!” Then the two disappeared.

Mairi was listening to Amber describe what had taken
place to get her here. Her grandfather had bargained to save her life. He had
stayed behind to help this other brother Kneus on Earth. One minute Amber was
talking away, the next thing Mairi knew her mate had stood up, thrown Amber
over his shoulder and hurried out the door. It wasn’t hard to miss the bulge in
his pants, and their whispered words of affection at the door. Mairi had
averted her eyes from the lovers, because it was obvious to anyone with even
half a brain cell that those two were deeply in love…and couldn’t keep their
hands off each other!

She cleared her throat nervously, “Uh…okay then.”
She could feel her face burning, “So…my grandfather will be coming through the
portal when it opens in six months that is the deal he made? It doesn’t
surprise me that he would stay to help, he is such a bighearted person like
that.” Mairi tended to babble when she was nervous, and she was suddenly
nervous being alone with Knollig. She looked around and found him staring
intently at her.

“Yes. In exchange for bringing you to Terraneu, your
grandfather will help my brother Kneus. They are working on the plans to find
women to bring here as mates. You would consider a “mate” as a husband and
wife, or partners. A couple that is dedicated to staying together.” He looked
confused for a second, then said “May I ask you something of a personal
nature?”

Mairi wasn’t sure that was a good idea, but couldn’t
think of a reason to deny him so agreed. “Yes. You can ask me anything.”

He smiled and heat pooled in her belly, “I was
wondering why someone as beautiful and intelligent as you are did not have a
mate back on Earth?”

That question hit home, and some of her
lightheartedness drifted away. Her face must have shown her thoughts, because
he hurried to say, “I am sorry. I have said something wrong and I did not mean
to pry. Sometimes our words get mixed up and I say things that I don’t mean too.”
He gently put his fingers against her cheek. Mairi unconsciously leaned into
his fingertips.

“It’s not anything you said. It is just that you
think me beautiful now…but you should have seen me on Earth. There wasn’t a lot
of interest in me from the men there. That is why I put so much time into my
work. I had control over my professional life. In my personal life, I felt like
I didn’t have any say in how people saw me, or reacted to me.”
 

“I saw you when you came though the portal, I
thought you just as beautiful then. I will not lie and say that you were not
physically frail.” Knollig stated, “However, I find the strength you showed in
fighting your illness, and the love and loyalty you show for your grandfather
to be very appealing traits.”

Mairi’s eyes brimmed with tears at the compliment he
was giving her, if only she felt like it were true.

“I have said words that have hurt you again...We
have covered everything except what the medical unit has done.” Knollig
announced suddenly, obviously upset about the tears he was seeing in her eyes.

“Knollig…” she said his name softly, grabbing his
hand. “That was a wonderful compliment. I am just not used to men talking to me
like that.”

Now she had said something wrong, he got a shuttered
look on his face. “What is the matter, what did I say?” She tried to get him to
stay on the medical bed by grabbing his hand, but he stood up.

“You are right, there will be many men here telling
you nice things.” Knollig paced to a console on one wall and was pushing
buttons. “The men will tell you that your hair is the color of the Hu’lani
flower that Amber insists on planting, only you smell sweeter.” He stopped
pushing buttons, then walked over to the other bed and sat down. “They will say
that your eyes are a deeper green than the fen plant around the oasis in the
first morning light. Your skin is softer than kliss, begging to be touched.”

Mairi was stunned, she had only known Knollig for a
few hours and he had given her more compliments, and touched her more deeply
than anyone on Earth! They had told her that the men here on Terraneu were
without “mates”. Women were to be taken from Earth, she would have to hope
voluntarily…to try to find partners for them.
 

 
“I have to
tell you about the rest Mairi. I know we only just met, that you have been
through a terrible ordeal. There is so much that is going to change for you,
and has already changed.” He gestured at her body, “The medical unit has
repaired all the damage you endured on Earth. You are a very beautiful woman, a
very desirable mate for any male here. They will be vying for the chance to be
the one you choose.”
 

“I know I’ve been cured of the disease I had
Knollig. I remember what being healthy feels like!” She swung her legs over the
side of her bed. “I saw my hair when you put my head between my legs, ok it’s
long…and thick. That isn’t important to me.” She waved a hand, “Looks can go
away and all that is left is the kind of character you have.” Mairi bit her
lip, thinking about her grandfather staying on Earth and what a great person he
was. Her eyes filled with unshed tears at how she had failed him.

“What is the matter, you have moisture in your eyes
which means sadness?” Knollig paced back to her bed and patted her shoulder.

His sweetly awkward attempt to console her made her
laugh, “I was just thinking about how I have failed my grandfather so much, yet
he wanted this second chance for me.”

Knollig sat next to her on the bed, “Why would you
feel that you have failed your grandfather?”

Mairi looked under her lashes at Knollig, she didn’t
want him to think less of her…but she wanted to be truthful with him too. “I
went away to school when he wanted me to stay closer to home. Then instead of
returning when schooling was done, I stayed away for a really long time. By the
time I did move closer to him, I was diagnosed with cancer and just became
another burden to him.”

Knollig grabbed her hand, “On Earth is it a custom
to never leave the home of a grandparent?”

Mairi was enjoying the feel of holding his hand. It
was strong and comforting. “No.” she hurried to answer, before he wondered at
her silence. “Though some cultures on Earth it is customary to live together
with multiple members of your family. Where I am, or should I say ‘was’ from,
it isn’t a custom for families to stay together.”

“If it is not expected to stay in the same location,
why do you feel such pain at staying away?”

Mairi tried to put her feelings into words he would
understand, “I guess it hurts me so much now, because I realize that I was all
my grandfather had. I was young and living my life, but he had given everything
he had to raise me. I repaid his love and kindness by walking away.”

Knollig took a deep breath, “I don’t know your
grandfather, but I can tell he is a man of honor. I don’t think he feels any
anger at you for following your dream and living away from him. He must admire
the strength and courage it took to go out on your own.”

Mairi was trying to hold his gaze but couldn’t, “I’m
not so strong or courageous. I didn’t even fight my illness as hard as I could
have. I choose not to have more chemo and radiation because I knew it was
pointless.” She shrugged, “If I was stronger I would have fought harder.”

Knollig put his hand under her chin and lifted her
to face him, “Everything happens for a reason. If you had poisoned your body
too badly, the medical unit might not have worked on you. It can only fix so
much damage. Even we have our limitations.”

Knollig seemed to realize that they had gotten off
track, “There is more you have to be told Mairi. It isn’t just that the damage
to your body that was repaired. You have been changed.” He stood up, “You are
no longer the same on an atomic level.”

Mairi’s brow furrowed, “What do you mean atomic
level?”

Knollig paced in front of her bed, “When the original
fathers landed here, they made some hard decisions about our survival. With two
suns, Solarus Minor and Solarus Major, our best chance at unlimited energy was
going to be solar. They changed our cells at the atomic level to become solar
powered. We use the suns for energy, getting daily exposure is all we require.
We don’t consume food…although we do have need of water.” He paused to see how
Mairi was taking this news. She seemed to be shocked, so he paused to give her
time to work it all out in her head.

She surprised him with her easy acceptance, “I can
see how that would work! The advanced technology to do something like that
would be incredible! If you use the suns for energy, that means that your…I
guess I mean ‘our’ cells could regenerate at an increased rate.” Mairi paused
on a gasp…she had done the math in her head, and now questioned Knollig, “How
long does the rejuvenation last? When do the cells de-grade and become like a
battery…holding less and less power?”

“We are able to live for between eight hundred and a
thousand years.” Knollig informed her quietly.

Eight hundred to a thousand years, the number was
staggering! She had a lot of questions, and would love to get her hands on the
medical information in their database. They couldn’t have many kinks in their
cloning methods to be able to live that long!

“So I have eight hundred to a thousand years to live
here on Terraneu?” Mairi started laughing. She laughed so hard she thought her
sides were going to split. For the longest time she thought she had no time
left. She had come to accept that she had no more chances at doing the things
she had wanted. She had accepted that she wasn’t going to have a family of her
own, travel the world and see new sites, learn new languages, get a new job, meet
new people, and have a great hobby that she loved. Maybe even write an
award-winning novel…Ok maybe the last one was a stretch.

From what they had told her, she was on a planet
full of men that wanted a mate! Not just a hook-up or one night stand, these men
were clamoring for a “wife” or partner. Whatever they called it, the end game
was the same…marriage and commitment. She would have her pick of men and make
lots of babies if she wanted. She wasn’t just going to visit a new county, she
had traveled to a whole new planet! She could do any job, make as many friends
as she wanted, and she could write anything she wanted. Even maybe make up an
award to give to herself if she really wanted accolades!

Knollig was waiting patiently for her to compose
herself, with a gasp she said “I’m so sorry Knollig. I just find it incredibly
ironic that everything I thought I had lost due to my illness, I now have in
spades here on Terraneu.” She wiped her eyes.

“Mairi, if you are feeling well enough I can show
you to your housing unit. Then give you a small tour of Terraneu if you would
like.” Knollig was waiting at the doorway for her.

Mairi hesitated then moved toward Knollig, “May I
ask you something personal?”

He didn’t hesitate, “You may ask me anything.”

“Is there a woman you are mated to already? Did any
other females come through besides Amber?” She held her breath waiting for an
answer. She wanted Knollig, but wasn’t going to interfere with a budding
relationship.

“What? No. Amber is the only female we have found,
that is why we are so desperate to get more through the portal, so that the
other males can have mates.” He looked surprised that she had asked him.

Mairi moved to the doorway, “So you are free to
engage in a relationship if a female shows an interest or asks you?” Mairi
hinted.

When he just stood there, his mouth gaping, she
burst out laughing. When she composed herself she just said, “Sorry, women can
be blunt. I didn’t mean to embarrass you.” Before he could respond she added.
“I would love a tour of my new home.”

She knew that Knollig didn’t have a female he was
committed to so as far as she was concerned he was fair game! She had almost
died and wasn’t wasting any more time. She was attracted to him, and not just
physically. He had seen beyond the outside appearance, looked to her character
and found her attractive. She was going to get to know him better, and if her
first instincts were correct, then she would make Knollig hers…whatever it
took.

“Remember you are a valued member of the community
Mairi, whatever you wish we will try to make happen for you.”
 
Knollig gestured toward the open door, and
Mairi stepped out into a whole new world.