Page 4 of Dreaming of an Earth Christmas

Alexis stopped and turned all the way back to face him. Her mouth softened before a soft smile drew across her lips. From the shine of happiness in her eyes, he already knew what her answer would be. “Yes, very,” she said. “I wouldn’t trade our life here for anything, and I’ve never been dissatisfied, but it’s never really felt like Christmas when I’ve tried to do little things by myself. It’s not the same. Maybe the other women aren’t really family—besides Carlie, of course, she counts as a sister—but we’ve all been through so much that it feels like we are. I know it won’t be the same, but I just want that Christmas feeling. The details don’t matter.”

“If you say so, my k’lisseth,” he replied.

“I see the way you’re looking at me.”

“With adoration and love?” he asked as he rose from his desk.

Alexis raised an eyebrow. “Maybe. More like skepticism and doubt. You’ll try to enjoy yourself, won’t you? Just wait until you see how much fun Althiss has. Children on Earth love Christmas. When you experience it, you’ll understand—I promise.”

He walked to his lovely mate and took one of her hands in his. “I trust you, Alexis. I will try—believe me, I plan to try,” he added, the thought of his scheduled upcoming morning with Sseith of Ka’alaniss threatening to draw his face into a grimace. Of all the Xithilene Alexis’ best friend could’ve taken as a mate, it’d had to be the priest.

“I believe you—I do!” Alexis said, pulling her hand back and raising up both arms with her palms out. She laughed. “You don’t need to threaten me with your rattle.”

She was right. The vibrations from his throat were coming out in the high tone of aggression. It must’ve been the thought of Sseith. She leaned forward slightly and pressed her hands against his chest. He could feel the heat of her touch through his shirt and his rattle responded, shifting to its lower register, ensuring that his mate knew a threat was the last thing he currently had in mind.

“You could comm Lijeth. Whatever he needs can wait, can’t it?” he asked as he slid one hand over the small of her back.

Alexis stiffened against his palm, her face going taut. Her eyes focused on a spot behind K'thiss' shoulder. He turned his head back to look and stifled a groan. Althiss waited behind them—wings spread and ready for mischief.

“Are you ready to make your offering to the Lady, youngling?” he asked. Regrettably, Alexis dropped her hands and stepped back as their son hopped forward. He didn’t reply with words, but he flapped his small, colorful wings and scurried over to Alexis, wrapping his strong little arms around her thigh. “No, I’m afraid you’ll be staying with your sire this morning.” He watched as the boy’s pale green fingers tightened on his mate’s leg. A quick glance revealed her slight wince at the child’s grip. “Let go of your mother. She has work today, but you and I will have an adventure.”

K’thiss extended his wings back so they wouldn’t drag against the ground and crouched down, holding out his arms for the boy. It took Althiss a moment, but then he rushed into K’thiss’ embrace, and he felt that familiar, everyday joy in the contact. He was a blessed v’ith to already have a child and a true mate. A morning at the temple was a small price to pay to keep his lady satisfied.

“Mommy loves you both!” Alexis called as she hurried towards the door, quickly disappearing into the hall. They’d recently acquired a residence in the city, and he missed their old dwelling in the forest. Perhaps if they were to have another child she’d wish to return to the peace and solitude of Lisseethi and pause her work at the Calakmul learning center—the museum, as she often called it. A sharp swat against his leg as Althiss snapped open his wings had him reconsidering the thought. He would love more younglings, but not yet.

“Let’s go, young one. Do you want to see your Uncle Sseith?” He used the appellation that Alexis’ Carlie had insisted upon and watched his son’s face light up as his crown feathers fluttered and flared in excitement.

“Uncle Sseith! Uncle Sseith!” Naturally, those words the child spoke clearly enough. K’thiss forced a crooked smile. Was it wrong to be resentful of the man’s charming nature? Probably. Did that stop the irritation from prickling across his scales? Not at all.

“Come, Althiss,” he said, holding out his hand to the boy. Then he looked down. “No—wait. Shoes, Althiss,” he commanded.

His son trotted off to the mainspace and brought back two mismatched sandals, plopping them at K’thiss’ feet. He walked over to the lounger and swept his leg beneath it, kicking out the missing footwear. Althiss had followed, so K’thiss knelt down and helped him fasten his sandals, and then they were off. T’kalinth should be waiting for them at the hover-pod platform, so at least he wasn’t approaching Ka’alaniss on his own. Hopefully that would keep Sseith’s antics to a minimum.

Althiss pulled his arm, urging him towards a corridor that led to one of the restaurants where they frequently stopped for breakfast, but K’thiss tugged right back.

“No, not today, youngling. Captain T’kalinth waits for us,” he said. Although the mention of his friend’s name didn’t elicit the thrilled cries of delight the priest’s had, Althiss’ sharp featured little face turned upwards with distinct interest before he gave K’thiss a big, happy grin.

It was a short walk to the hover-pod platform. Their building was at the southern edge of the center city. As they approached the waiting area, K’thiss could already see the outline of the majestic, jade-sided temple pyramid at the base of valley below them. Althiss almost broke free of his hold, and K’thiss was dangerously close to a jog when he pulled himself and the child to a sudden stop before his old friend.

T’kalinth’s lips turned up at the side, and he could tell the other man was only barely holding back hisses of laughter. “You’re bringing the child with us to the temple?” he asked as he reached down to scratch Althiss’ crown feathers. “Hello, Althiss. Are you looking forward to visiting the temple and playing with Violet?”

“Uncle Sseith,” the traitorous child replied with a bright smile.

“Yes, and playing with Uncle Sseith, too, that’s right,” T’kalinth said with that infuriating little grin still playing at the corner of his mouth.

“Uncle Sseithwill be talking with us men, young one, so he won’t have time to play,” K’thiss added. He could see one of the shining hover-pods speeding in their direction. They wouldn’t have much longer to wait. “We’re working on a special surprise for your mother—and Aunt Alice and Aunt Carlie.” The women had insisted that they were close enough to family to take on these human titles that would’ve belonged to any sisters they might’ve had.

T’kalinth smiled. “Yes, a Christmas surprise. Alice is very excited about the gathering. I assume Alexis feels much the same?”

“Yes,” K’thiss replied as the hover-pod settled to a stop. They boarded the small transport craft along with several others who’d been waiting, and K’thiss scooped up Althiss and propped him up above his hip. The boy wrapped his small hands around K’thiss’ side as if he were hoping to meld his body to his father’s. “How is the baby?” he asked with a glance towards T’kalinth.

His friend’s smile now was soft and dreamy, and he suspected he’d worn one that was much the same when Althiss had been the same age. “Daniel is well,” he replied.

K’thiss inclined his head in acknowledgment. T’kalinth and Alice had chosen a human name for their son, one meant to honor Alice’s deceased father. Although it was a worthy choice, he was glad that Alexis had agreed to a name in the style of his people that reflected their union. He tightened his grip on Althiss, ensuring the boy wouldn’t slip as the pod began to race down the hill towards the temple district.

When they stepped out at the gates of the temple, K’thiss helped Althiss down, and then they began the long walk along the white way, the path that led to Verkissat’s most holy spaces.

Much had changed since he’d come here the first time as a youth from the forest, and even more since the days when he had been torn away from Alexis within the sprawling building ahead. He would never have believed then that he’d be entering those halls as a friend of the high priest. It’d taken time, but he no longer held his wings tightly to his back in the old way, and now, no one required it of him. He was welcome in the Lady’s temple, brightly feathered, winged, and dark scaled as he was.

---