Maat S'chn T'gai Vol 2

Chapter Eleven - The Time is Now

New Vulcan

March 2271

Motok

He found it very soothing to feel her there, lightly, in the back of his mind, no matter where he was or what he was doing. It was different than the bonding he had had before. That had been arranged when he was a child, and the girl had been a total stranger to him. They had interacted very little as they grew up, and she had been still much a stranger to him when she had perished. T'Dena, however, was no stranger to him, and was near him every day. They often ate mid-meal together, sometimes carrying their food back to either his office or hers, to sit quietly together as they ate. And on fifth-day, he would walk with her, back to her home, and help her to prepare end-meal, while Denar chattered at them about his day at school.

He was allowed to touch her now, and he found this pleasing as well. Her hands were soft and warm, and when he stroked her fingers he felt the sparks that flew between them. They hinted at more to come, but he did not press her. All would happen in the fullness of time.

Denar was fully accustomed to him now, and would sit in his lap while being read to. On occasion, he would tug at him, pulling him into the bedroom to show him something small thing of great importance. He also tugged him into the yard, to show him how agile he had become on the playground equipment. Motok always made comments, expressing his admiration of whatever it was that Denar wished to show him. And when he did, he felt T'Dena's pleasure, there in the back of his mind, that he would accept her son so easily. He did not find it difficult at all. Denar was a fine boy, very intelligent.

It was not long after the betrothal bond had been set between them that Denar came to him as he helped to wash the dishes after end-meal, and asked him a question that he was not entirely sure how to answer. "May I call you sa'mekh?"

He knelt down, so that his face was at the same level as the boy's, and looked into his eyes. "If this is your wish, it would please me greatly." And the link was full of such a great amount of emotion that he was almost overcome with it. When Denar nodded solemnly, and then grinned and ran outside when the other children waited in the soft evening dusk, he rose and turned to see T'Dena standing there, a single tear on her cheek. He went to her, and used one finger to wipe the tear from her face. And then he laid his fingers against her face for the first time, and she leaned into his hand, and they opened their minds fully to one another.

When he lifted his fingers from her skin, the link lessened, but it remained more than it had been, and there was the sense of joy lingering there, that did not go away. He found that he was quite content that it was there. And when he returned to his own quarters later, when the stars were shining in the sky, he lay upon his bed and remembered what it had felt like, for those few moments when her skin had been beneath his fingers, and their minds had been entwined. He would most definitely be receptive to more moments such as that.

It was two weeks later, on third-day afternoon, that he heard T'Dena speaking with someone in her office. When a man's voice answered her, he was, for some reason, irritated. Why was a man in her office? He rose from his chair and moved out into the hall, pacing the short distance to her office door. One of the other instructor's was there, asking T'Dena something about one of the labs. He stood and watched, wanting the man out of there. When it appeared that the conversation was going to continue, even thought T'Dena had answered the question, he made a small sound, not quite a growl, but most definitely not friendly. The man started, and looked over his shoulder. Seeing Motok there, he quickly made his excuses, and backed off, skirting about him to pass by. T'Dena looked at him oddly, but said nothing until the man was far down the hall.

"Motok? Is something bothering you?"

Bothering him? The man had bothered him. Why was that? He looked at her. "You are mine."

"Yes." She said nothing else, simply watching him. He was confused. Why had he acted that way? He shook his head, and looked back at her. She was still sitting there, waiting.

"I am not sure why I acted that way. I will return to my office." But he found himself unable to move away from her. When he simply stood there, not moving, she rose and came to face him.

"Motok, how do you feel?"

He looked down at her, not sure what she meant. And then she reached out, and took his hand in hers, and he realized that it was shaking. Her touch soothed him, and he sighed. And then she reached out and touched his cheek, and he made another sound, soft, and turned his face and drew her fingers into his mouth. She gasped and then stepped backwards, drawing her fingers out of his grasp. He leaned after her, wanting her back, and she placed one hand against his chest. "Motok, have you entered your time?"

His brows drew together. Why was she asking this? He started to deny it, and then he stopped, confused. She must have some reason for her statement. He leaned in her direction again, following her scent, and made that same sound that he had made before. Perhaps she would touch his cheek again. Instead, she moved back away from him, going behind her desk again to touch the comlink panel, calling Tarel, who came swiftly down the hall to stand beside him.

"Motok? May I assist you?"

He turned his head slowly to look upon his friend standing there. Tarel was already bonded, and had sons. Why was he here in T'Dena's office? "She is mine. You cannot have her."

Tarel spoke to him slowly and carefully. "I am aware that she is yours. Perhaps you will come with me now? I think perhaps today is the day of your bonding."

He thought about this, slowly and with some difficulty. He turned his head to look at T'Dena again. She was so beautiful, so very appealing. He growled softly at her and heard Tarel telling T'Dena that she was right, and should go immediately to inform the others, as soon as he got Motok away to his quarters. "Kal'i'farr."

She nodded at him. "Yes, Motok. Today."

Beside him Tarel was suggesting that they go and prepare. With great care he turned and followed Tarel, finding it difficult to concentrate on what he wished to do. He found it very difficult to leave her there behind him, but at some level, she was still there with him, her presence clear through the rising buzz of his nerves, the tingling that almost burned. His body was not responding to him the way he was used to, everything seemed distorted. Tarel was at the exit, waiting for him. He followed where he was led, and soon found himself in his quarters. Tarel went to the closet and asked him what he meant to wear. He went and stood, looking but not truly understanding what was being asked. But when Tarel pulled out the new robe and held it before him, he took it, and folded it over his arm. Tarel nodded, and then took his arm gently, urging him back out the door. They walked down the path to Healer House, and he went where he was led, not even noticing when Tarel left, to return to the clan house.

A healer came, and laid hands on him, and his mind cleared somewhat. He found himself in a small room, with someone there helping him change his clothes. And then he was being herded outside, and off towards the line of low hills, where the community's place of marriage was.

When the mallet was placed in his hands, he strode to the hanging gong and swung hard, making it ring loudly. The sound echoed all about and he heard little else, his blood pounding in his ears. The flames were licking at him now, making it difficult to focus on anything. But when she stepped through the opening on the far side of the circle, his eyes snapped to her and did not leave again. She crossed the sand, and stood before him, reaching down to clasp her hands over his on the handle of the mallet. Shocks sang through his body then, from where she touched him, straight to his lok, making it instantly enflamed. She tugged, and he lifted the mallet, and together they struck the gong again. When she removed her hands, he dropped the mallet in the sand, and reached for her, protesting. She took on of his hands, and tugged, and brought him across the sand to where T'Pau sat waiting.

He dropped to his knees, almost too fast, but when T'Pau laid her hand upon his face, the turmoil within cleared slightly, and he found that he could recite his vows, although it was becoming harder and harder to focus on anything except T'Dena. And then T'Pau took T'Dena's hand, and laid it on his face, and his hand upon her face, and laid her own hands over the both, and did something, and T'Dena was there, so bright and wonderful. He could have stayed there, like that, wondering, except for the fires burning at him. T'Dena soothed him, telling him that she would quench the fires. He could hear her, in the back of his mind, urging him up, and so he rose, staggering, and let her show him where to go.

He was no longer aware of anything but her, and her soft voice and warm hands. Until they were alone and she was bare before him. And then he was overcome with wanting her, and she did not deny him.

/

When they emerged from the cave, four days later, he was thirsty and tired, and his body hungered. But his mind and heart were full, and content. And they walked back across the dusty plain to the house in the clan compound, and entered it together, and began the next part of their lives. And when the time came, T'Dena let him tell Denar that he would have a new brother.

/

Kal'i'farr = marriage