Chapter 8, "You Call It Madness But I Call It Love"

Amanda

With Sarek's admission that he felt tenderness for me, I felt my body succumb to the moment's excitement. Holding my arm gently, he steadied me as we strolled back to T'Pau's house. We quietly conversed as goosebumps popped up on my arm, but I couldn't believe my luck that Sarek returned my feelings! This was a significant moment for us.

"Sarek, your father noted your absence. Please return at once," T'Pau sternly warned as she met us at the door's entry into the colossal house. We were intimately walking side by side until I anxiously envisioned the outline of my Vulcan aunt. I had intertwined my right arm with her nephew's and noticed that T'Pau observed our affectionate gesture. As soon as she saw it, I removed my arm. I felt like a student in school caught behaving poorly by their teacher.

As usual, T'Pau's face was blank. Therefore, it was impossible to scrutinize.

"Please excuse me, T'Pau and Amanda," Sarek requested, bowing his head and swiftly slipping past his ez-yet (aunt).

Self-conscious, I lowered my head downward and fidgeted.

"Please walk with me, ko-bath (niece), " the older Vulcan woman directed, taking a few steps and then halting to see if I was following her.

"Yes, ma'am," I responded, feeling a sense of doom lurking. Of course, I didn't have a choice other than to follow her. We moved along the manicured grounds until T'Pau gently probed,

"What occurred, Amanda?"

"Ez-yet, I succumbed to jealously when Skon introduced those three Vulcan women earlier. When Sarek found me, I revealed how I felt about him, " I disclosed, frightened to look at her face, and my pulse heightened as I spoke.

"I-I-don't want Sarek to date anyone... but me," I stammered and cried.

T'Pau ceased her movement, and the older woman grasped my arm for a second. Quietly, she revealed while peering into my eyes, "I didn't know that my brother had brought women to my house for Sarek to choose from tonight, Amanda."

Hesitantly, T'Pau put her arms loosely around me, and I knew that this was a source of discomfort for her. To her horror, I began weeping.

"Oh, Amanda, you are behaving irrationally. It is crystal clear that Sarek has genuine heart-felt feelings for you. Take a deep breath, sa-bath," T'Pau instructed, withdrawing her arms from me then pointing with her thin hand for us to persist in our journey

"Where are we going," I sniffled, feeling melancholy.

"Somewhere safe," T'Pau obscurely commented.

"I don't understand."

"Amanda, I cannot allow you to rejoin the gathering," she divulged, turning her head to meet my eyes.

Questioningly, I viewed my Vulcan ez-yet with confusion as she explained, "You look lovestruck, and even my own sa-bath appeared in awe of you earlier. I did not know that Sarek returned your feelings until tonight, Amanda."

"Simpering, I agreed as we walked through the night to an undisclosed location.

"All evening, I scrutinized the two of you most carefully… The others were too involved with the discussions to notice the mutual affection you two exhibit. However, right now is not the time to announce that to the family," T'Pau concluded.

"Is it that obvious," I questioned aloud while viewing her.

Halting her steps, T'Pau gave me a poignant stare indicating the answer to my question. Appalled, I blushed as I thought I had concealed it well.

"Without your presence, Sarek will be able to regain his composure," T'Pau surmised, and I nodded.

"There is no way Skon will let Sarek and I be together. He strongly dislikes people from Earth," I sadly realized a few minutes later, feeling downtrodden.

"Leave that to me, Amanda. Do you trust me?" T'Pau inquired.

"Implicitly, ez-yet."

"I will assist you and Sarek with revealing your courtship to both families after five months. Vulcans mate for life, Amanda. Are you aware of that?" The great woman inquired, raising an eyebrow.

After I indicated the affirmative, T'Pau continued her brown eyes solemn,

"Meanwhile, you will have to learn each other's cultural expectations of the opposite sex in courtship and marriage."

"You are most kind, T'Pau," I gratefully thanked her, "Why are you doing this for us?"

"It is evident that Sarek adores you, Amanda. Although you two are from diverse worlds, I would like to see you together. I think the two of you will be a good challenge for the other, just like my late husband was for me," she remarked, raising an eyebrow.

"Was Ara'Vik a challenge for you truly," I inquired. I gave her a grin, and we continued our stroll across her extensive property.

"Oh yes, sa-bath, but I will tell you one quick story as we stroll to our destination," T'Pau promised and she began it. At the end, I laughed as it did highlight the differences between my Aunt and her late husband although they were from the same species.

"Yes, it is humorous now. But I share this with you to show you the troubles one can have in a marriage. I deeply loved Ara'Vik, and he felt the same for me. We were both most fortunate to find each other," T'Pau concluded, with a rare half grin on her thin lips.

Her story was heartwarming, and it provided me hope as we arrived at a shuttlecraft pad, where one of her servants greeted us.

"Am I leaving?" I joked, arching my right eyebrow.

"Yes, you aren't feeling well. If anyone asks, I will explain that I ensured you return home safely," T'Pau reported, with a twinkle in her eyes.

Opening the door, I thanked her again and then entered the shuttlecraft.

"Be brave, Amanda. You will face some tenacious challenges in the future. Still, I believe it will only strengthen your love for each other," T'Pau sternly instructed and then gave me the Vulcan salute.

The Next Day

To say I was anxious would be an understatement. I excitedly attempted to calm my exhilaration during the shuttlecraft ride home. I felt general disbelief that Sarek returned my feelings, almost like I was dreaming.

T'Pau mentioned once or twice that Vulcans who bonded could communicate to each other through thoughts and feelings telepathically, and I wondered if that was becoming the case with Sarek and me. There were a few times I could feel his presence in my soul.

Sarek's admission that "I greatly desire to kiss you" rang in my head as I fidgeted in my seat while the driver took me home. The Ambassador's dark eyes intensely bore into my own with solemnity and a sprinkle of playfulness. My anticipation of kissing Sarek felt formidable, and I could only hope that tomorrow we would finally experience it.

Promptly, Sarek arrived at noon. Apprehensively, he entered my apartment with his hands behind his back, and I, too, felt slightly uncomfortable.

"Please, sit down, Sarek. May I offer you some refreshment?" I suggested as I guided him to my living room sofa.

"No, thank you, Amanda."

"You have been on my mind, my dear," I confessed, sitting next to him after a few minutes of silence. Sarek lifted his hand to touch my cheek lightly with a slight smile. His hand gradually traveled the length of my jawline until he reached my chin which he lifted. My eyes were fixed on Sarek's lips as I awaited his upcoming action.

"With great frequency, you have been on mine, Amanda," he murmured, leaning towards me. Shutting my eyes, I did not have to wait long for Sarek to kiss me as his lips finally caressed my own. Consequently, my heart skipped a beat.

Mercifully, he didn't hesitate to go for another kiss with more zeal. Then I found myself pleasantly lip-locked with the Ambassador. Our arms embraced each other as we slowly kissed, enjoying the moment immensely. When we came up for air, I felt dizzy and bewildered, and I hadn't experienced a kiss like that before.

"Was it because Sarek was an alien?" Of course, I am an alien to him," I contemplated.

"Oh, Sarek, that was exquisite," I huskily stated, and his lips upturned for a second.

"May I kiss you again, Miss Grayson?"

"Yes, please, Ambassador, any time you wish," I eagerly replied, and Sarek's eyes twinkled happily at my comment.

"Humans kiss differently than Vulcans," Sarek analyzed afterward with a raised eyebrow, "Quite impassioned. I could see why humans seem addicted to kissing."

At the time, I didn't want to hear his thoughts on the subject, so I rapidly kissed him again. I gradually let my hands roam over the toned muscles on Sarek's back and shoulders. Meanwhile, his own lightly fondled my back through my t-shirt as we canoodled and grasped each other close.

"Quite fervid," Sarek murmured, a little dazed. He removed his hands from my body temporarily.

"Maybe it is just how I kiss you. Unless you plan on kissing another human woman," I playfully teased.

"Just you, Amanda, you are the only one I desire," he admitted with an upturn of his lips. Sarek leaned over to kiss me and lightly pushed me down on my back as we did so. Making out with him was heavenly, and an undisclosed amount of time passed. We had short conversations between kisses that afternoon, and it was magical.

"You are so beautiful, Amanda," my Vulcan love admitted, touching my face with his right hand. Giggling, I didn't know what to say, then pulled him down for another kiss.

" I didn't think you returned my feelings," I confessed nervously, letting my fingers tousle his hair when we came back up for air. Sarek leaned over me on his side, viewing me.

"Vulcans have sincere feelings. Even though they are rarely seen in public," Sarek mentioned, his dark eyes meeting my own. Then he added, "Mine is genuine for you, Amanda, and more potent than I had ever felt."

"Once T'Pau knew of my feelings through a mind meld, she informed me we couldn't be together," I worriedly concluded, frowning at the memory.

"I will handle that, ashaya. It is illogical for you to worry," Sarek promised.

"What does ashaya mean," I wondered.

"Beloved," he answered with a slight smile, then bent down to kiss me.

"Oh, how I adore how he kisses me! With such zest," I blissfully thought.

" Did T'Pau tell you that five months is a standard time for Vulcan courtship," Sarek answered with a slight frown as I pulled him closer to me with my arms?

"Yes," I confirmed, breathing deeply. I loved the smell of his exotic scent but noticed he was a little uncomfortable with my nearness.

"Oh…Sarek, would you like me to move a little further away?"

"Amanda, I long for you to be close, but I have trained myself to be solitary again," he gently disclosed.

"Again?"

Sarek informed me that Skon had chosen a Vulcan princess, T'Rea, to mate with when he turned twenty-one. He allowed me to ask questions about the marriage and its downfall. I felt satisfied by Sarek's answers and felt his sense of failure from its ending. Kolinar was a Vulcan practice I knew vaguely about, and I thought it was T'Rea's stupidity for letting him go.

"Please do not be offended. Some physical intimacy will take some time, but I strongly desire to be close to you, my Amanda," my love urged, his brown eyes pleading with me.

"'No offense where none is taken.' I don't want to make you uncomfortable, my dear," I stated, affectionately touching his arm.

My favorite Vulcan shook his head, indicating that my reservations were unfounded, and we kissed.

"Ohhh, Amanda," he moaned, embracing me tightly as I kissed his neck and those unusually sexy pointy ears.

"Hmmm?" I stopped my actions momentarily.

"What does courtship mean for the people of Earth?" Sarek questioned, struggling to control his breathing.

"Spending time together, going on dates to social events such as classical music or other cultural events. Is that different from Vulcan courtship?" I wondered.

"No, it sounds like the point is to familiarize oneself with your mate to intensify the bond, emotionally and physically."

"Physically? Do you mean sex," I lewdly questioned with a provocative smirk on my face?

"Yes, it is appropriate for Vulcans to mate. However, there is information you may not know about Vulcan... male sexuality," Sarek hesitated, his brows furrowing.

Wide-eyed, I waited for him to continue.

"That is for another time, I believe, Amanda," he finally conceded. Nodding, I kissed him sweetly on the cheek, which turned a light shade of green.

"I am not familiar with physical intimacy's role in Earth relationships. I hope to fulfill any need you may have," Sarek shyly admitted.

"I don't think that will be a problem, but I have found that open communication is key in any relationship," I promised, raising an eyebrow.

Blushing for a moment, our mouths found each other as we kissed again.

"I dreamt all night about kissing you," I confessed afterward, touching his nose with my pointer finger.

"Quite illogical, Amanda, but I found myself dreaming the same thing," he teased in his Vulcan way.

"When do human couples mate generally?"

"Couples are usually intimate when they feel that they are ready. There is no set time when couples mate, but some choose to wait for the wedding night," I elucidated, to which Sarek raised an eyebrow. I elaborated slightly in between some more kisses and light groping, and I slowly lost control.

"Let's cease for right now," Sarek awkwardly suggested, his face turned green with the heat of our kisses as my own flushed red. As he pulled back from me, I noticed a massive swell in his pants. Daring me to comment on the size of his sex, Sarek cockily arched one of his eyebrows in response, and I did not.

"Do we have to?" I begged playfully.

"Please, ashaya, it is becoming... Uhm...uncomfortable," Sarek revealed, clearing his throat.

"As you wish, my dear," I flirted with him, fluttering my eyelashes at him. A bit of desire flashed in his dark eyes, and I felt a chill.

"My heart and body don't want to halt, Amanda. However, I want to stay in control of my actions...for now," my handsome Vulcan divulged with a devilish grin, generating tingles throughout my body.

Later

"You call it madness, but I call it love," I happily sang as we sat next to each other on my sofa.

"Your voice is extremely melodic, and I enjoy it immensely. What is the name of the tune," Sarek queried?

"'You call it madness, but I call it love' by Nat King Cole, a twentieth-century singer. Would you like me to sing it to you?"

"Affirmative, your singing is most pleasing," Sarek whispered, lying down on his back and putting his head in my lap.

Bemused, I watched him move, shocked at his action to move closer. I lovingly tousled his hair and began to sing. Sarek's eyes shone as I sang the song, and he appeared happy.

Afterward, he concluded, "I think Nat King Cole was right, Amanda."

What's next for the new couple? How are they going to break it to their families?