Page 5 of Taken By the Barbarian King

"I… uhm… I'm sure they're not."

I have no idea what she's saying. I don't understand a single word that comes out of her mouth, even though my neural translator seems to be in perfect working order. And she's talking so fast. Maybe that's why I can't make sense of any of it. Because the translator must not have time to process her confusing sentences.

But, then again, we've dealt with more primitive species before, and the translator has always worked perfectly. No, it must be her. Maybe she doesn't speak her own language well.

"Please slow down," I tell her.

"Me, slow down? You slow down! You took me. You abducted me. What are you going to do to me? What do you want from me?"

Did Hailar not explain the situation to her? I’m going to wring him out when I get out of here. I’ll just have to placate her myself.

"Princess Alexandra..." I take a step forward when something snaps at my ankle and makes a high-pitched rumbling sound.

I look down at this… thing. This tiny little four-legged creature has its teeth around half my foot and attached itself to me.

I shake my leg but it doesn't let go. The rumbling sound grows louder. Is that it’s form of a growl?

"Is… this thing yours?" I ask the human and shake my leg again.

"No… yes… it's not."

"Are you not sure? Did you hit your head on the way up? How many locks of hair am I holding?" I move three distinct locks in front of her.

She gasps. She lifts her hand and tries to touch my floating hair, equal parts of confusion and fascination written across her face. Has she never seen living hair before?

I arch my brow and it’s as if she remembers herself and snaps her gaze back to me.

"Hit my head? How dare you? You people just snatched me up like… like… like barbarians and you dare ask me if I hit my head?"

I shake my leg once more to no effect. The thing is latched on for dear life, determined to protect his human. I bend down and grab it by the neck. It immediately snaps its teeth around my fingers and I jump back to avoid it. My foot catches on the hem of my robe and before I can right myself, I land on my ass.

Great. Very good first impression.

"Get him… dog thingy," she shouts at the little creature who stands between her and me, all four feet planted firmly on the ground and barking his head off.

I grunt and pick it up. It’s about the size of Hailmak, though covered in strangely soft hair. I’m fully prepared for its teeth this time, but upon closer inspection, they’re harmless. Huh. What was I even afraid of? They aren't even sharp.

I let it nibble on my finger and approach the human. She backs up, but I continue my advance until she hits the wall behind her. We’re only a breath apart.

"Don't… get out of my face… what do you want from me?"

Despite her harsh words, her features are soft, delicate. I haven't seen a woman quite like her in all my life and I've been to so many planets across the galaxy.

Her mylk brown eyes glow in the dimly lit room as if they're a light source of their own and her lips, bright deathly pink as they may be, are so inviting. They look almost… delectable.

Maybe...

Maybe this won't be such torture after all.

Maybe she will be a great wife.

I'll have to deal with the language problem somehow. Maybe abduct a teacher from her planet to teach her to speak properly so my translator can understand what she's saying, but… yeah… this could work.

"I want to marry you, of course."

three

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