Chapter Four: Desert Fairytale
Calypsa sat in the sand on top of one of the dunes and watched as Jaref unloaded their foodstuffs. She dug her toes into the sand and closed her eyes as a warm breeze hit her. Jaref told her that it was actually rather cold here compared to other places; it felt just right to her. He was such a gentleman and he didn't make her talk when she didn't feel like it. She could definitely get used to this. Her comm buzzed gently and she flipped it open to see a message from Gwen. She looked up from her comm thinking it may have been a joke, but it explained why Jaref had been so closed off about why she was here. If she was his wife no matter what, then why this pretense of courting her? If she was supposed to be bearing him children why hadn't he made a move on her yet? She was confused by his behavior; maybe he was placating her. She was pleased that she wouldn't have to go back to earth though; she just hoped that she would still get peaceful picnics when he grew tired of her. Jaref reached her; half crawling to the top of the mound to her side. "Why wouldn't you let me help?"
"I am used to scaling dunes and the climate here is much harsher than in your Chicago. I don't want you to get damaged." Jaref pulled off the long sleeve shirt he had dawned when they reached the cooler area; he was quite warm from hauling up their meal. He wasn't sure why she had chosen such a precarious place to eat but, today was about pleasing her so he didn't question her choice.
She smiled at him and began setting up the picnic, amused that he had brought dishes and utensils into the desert. She poured herself tea but was surprised when he stopped her from pouring him any. He took the pitcher and poured his own; she felt slightly offended.
"It is inappropriate for a woman to serve food to one who is not her husband, I mean no disrespect." Jaref was starting to see that she still had much to learn.
Calypsa nodded as she started to eat, watching the mirages that were played out upon the vast expanse of massive dunes. She almost asked him about what Gwen had said but remembered that they were supposed to eat in silence. She wanted to stay on his good side; what if the Vulcan women became fertile again? She didn't want to be sent away if that happened. She ate in silence; smiling at how mad her pimp must be; she was his best girl. She finished eating and tried to help Jaref put things away but he wouldn't let her; she felt slightly exasperated as she watched him return the picnic things to the transport along with his unneeded sweater. She had spent her life serving men and it felt wrong to watch him serve her.
Jaref returned to find Calypsa lying on her back with her eyes closed, her shapely hands folded over her bronzed stomach. He could not tell if she was asleep so he put himself in the lotus position and closed his eyes as well. This was an ideal spot for meditation. He imagined the wind swirling the sand into small cyclones that circled him; closing him off from all things but logic.
Calypsa opened her eyes and sat up to observe Jaref sitting like a Buddhist monk, as unmoving as the massive rocks that were scattered around the landscape; some resembling pillars that might have belonged to a civilization long gone. "I don't want to interrupt you but I have a question…"
The wall of swirling sand in his mind vanished and his head was filled with the melodious tone of Calypsa's voice. He opened his eyes and looked at her. "Ask whatever you wish."
"Is it true what I have heard, that I am to be your bond mate? Don't worry, it's fine I just, wondered why you didn't tell me, but it doesn't really matter."
Jaref examined her calmly. The news should have distressed her more; instead she seemed worried that she would distress him. "It is true. I did not tell you because I did not want you to feel ill at ease with me; I will not force you to bond with me. Do humans not woo each other as a means of procuring a mate?"
"They do. You don't have to do all this wooing stuff for me though, I want to stay here with you." She just wanted him to let her stay; she didn't want to be the person she was on earth anymore.
"You do not enjoy human traditions like 'picnics' and 'kissing'?"
"I do, I just don't want you going out of your way for me. I will bond with you if you want me to." I will do whatever you want if you let me stay.
Jaref had not expected such a reaction although she was submissive and calm. "My hope was that you would grow to find my company pleasant and therefore wish to bond with me of your own free will. I believe this is how it is done in your culture. I am not going out of my way, I simply accept cultural differences."
"I already want to bond with you therefore; you have succeeded in wooing me already. Your company is quite pleasant." She began to feel almost anxious. She had to stay here, she just had to.
"You…are sure? I do not want you to feel that I am pressuring you. I could probably cultivate other options if you wish to return to earth." He was not sure that he believed her.
"I want to stay on Vulcan with you and go to the university, and get married and have children, and play three-dimensional chess. Please, do not send me away." She grabbed his hands and stared into his sapphire eyes with her best baby deer expression.
Jaref was taken aback at her sudden grip on his hands and the desperate look in her eyes. Why would he send her away if she wished to stay? That would be completely illogical, no matter what his mother said. Her eyes beseeched him and he wondered what was on earth that she feared so much. "I will not send you away if you wish to stay here. You are free to stay as my guest without feeling any obligation to marry me if you wish. I would prefer that we became bond mates but if it is not what you want; I will cease wooing of any kind. You need not think that your staying here depends upon your marrying me."
Calypsa didn't know what to say. He was giving her a choice and it felt strange; she didn't know how to react. He had seen right through her act. She looked down to see that she had not released his hands and he was absentmindedly stroking the backs of her hands with his thumbs. Wasn't that what she had wanted, to be free from obligations to men? She had grown to despise men but she did not despise Jaref. His touch was not repulsive and he gave her choices. Datie was a good judge of character. She remembered that when she was little she had dreamed of meeting someone like Jaref, someone with money, looks and manners who treated her like she was made of porcelain. She did not want to decide right now; she just wanted sit here like this; holding his long fingers in her own. "To be honest I do not know if I want to bond with you or not but, I would like to spend more time with you; like this, just the two of us."
"I may continue to court you?" He had trouble putting thoughts together while her straight platinum hair was glistening in the sun…how odd.
"Yes, I would like that." She felt a few stray tears run down her cheeks.
"You are crying." Jaref found the behavior fascinating, he had never cried himself that he could remember although; his father told him he did as a baby. He did not know what it felt like. He removed a hand from her grasp and gently wiped away the tears from her cheeks; it probably felt unpleasant to have liquid trailing down your face he figured.
"I'm sorry, I usually don't cry very often. I just feel…pleased." She tried using a word he might understand better. "Have you ever cried?" She was curious; she had heard once that Vulcans were not capable of crying.
"When I was an infant; so I have been told." He saw her lips curve in that telling way that showed him that she was amused. "I do not remember doing so; I have since gained considerable control over my emotions."
"Oh, I see." There must have been logic she did not understand that prompted him to stroke her hands and wipe away her tears.
He removed his hand from her face and was pleased when she caught it with her own. "What activity would you like to engage in now?"
"I don't care. What would you like to do?"
Jaref had been reading about what the humans referred to as 'making out', and wished to experiment with the concept. "Could I show you?"
"Sure…" She wondered what he was up to but, his intentions were soon revealed as he changed his position so that he was on his knees. He positioned himself so that his knees were on either side of her thighs digging into the sand. She felt his hand reach around to support her head as he eased her onto her back.
Jaref saw that she looked amused once again as she lay in the sand looking up at him. "Is something funny?"
"No, nothing." She tried to wipe the smirk off her face.
"Do you wish for me to cease this behavior?" He felt like maybe he had behaved inappropriately.
"No, I trust you." She was confident that if she told him to stop he would.
Jaref nodded as he started to kiss her; grateful for his sleeveless shirt as he felt her stroke his arms. He would have liked to know what she was thinking but he respected her privacy. He caressed her smooth stomach as he kissed her.
Calypsa had never felt so content with a man; she didn't feel smothered or used; she just felt happy to be with him. She couldn't remember the last time she was aroused by any type of foreplay; but even though he touched her only chastely, never pressing his advantage, she felt the tell-tale wetness between her legs soak her panties. She felt embarrassed; she was responding to him like the whore she really was. She didn't want to be a whore and she stopped kissing him even as her hips inadvertently rose to meet his groin. "I would like to stop now." She blushed, feeling ashamed.
Jaref noted her dilated pupils and the automatic reflex of her hips and ascertained that she had become sexually aroused. She obviously was responding to him the way she was supposed to, why did she wish to stop? "You are sexually aroused; you do not wish to be sated?" He did not wish to penetrate her vaginal opening with his penis, as he wanted to keep control over his own urges, but if she wished to experience an orgasm, he had read about ways he could bring her satisfaction orally or with his hands.
"No thank you, I think I want to go for a walk now." She sat up, wishing her heart would stop racing.
Jaref stood up, holding out a hand to help her up. She took it and he pulled her to her feet. He observed her shaking the sand out of her hair. He should have brought a blanket. "Did I upset you? If so I apologize, I do not fully understand these earth customs and my sources might not be reliable."
Calypsa laughed bitterly. "You have done nothing to upset me the entire time I have been here, I just, do not feel comfortable doing that right now."
"I understand; are you what the humans call a 'virgin'?" He had read that virgins tended to like to 'take things slow'.
Calypsa looked at him in disbelief; she thought it was pretty obvious that she hadn't been virtuous in quite some time. "No, I just need more time." She patted his shoulder. "Come on, I want to go see that canyon over there."
Jaref insisted upon walking ahead of her, it would be better for him to break her fall than the reverse. When they reached the bottom of the dune she reached for his hand; he held it as they walked. His mother just didn't understand; Calypsa needed to be here, with him.