The Exchange Ch. 14

When the night finally came, when the guests started looking for their cabins, Nitishila slid his fingers between Inka's and whispered a question to her. "Won't you give me the pleasure of resting beside you tonight?"

Inka leaned against him, her free palm slipping under a festoon of jewelry and against his chest. Her heavy breasts squeezed against him, and her flowery perfume tantalized him. "Niti," she murmured so sweetly, "you're welcome to come, but I'm afraid we won't have much time."

Understandably confused, Nitishila tried to ask Inka what she meant, but Inka tugged him off to her cabin without giving an answer. They were alone inside very quickly. Inka was the one to light the hanging lamps. Nitishila sat on the bed and asked her what she was planning, but Inka put her index finger to her lips and made a shushing noise. Then she sat down right beside him and put her hands on her lap.

"Husband, if you'll be patient, then you won't be in a delicate position when the terrible thing happens."

She didn't even look at him when she said that.

Nitishila's brow furrowed so harshly that it gave him a short headache. "What terrible thing?"

She fell backwards, bouncing on the mattress, even making him jolt. "Haaaaaah ... I'm afraid to say, but may I have your promise that you'll say here with me?"

"I ... yes. I have no reason to leave you." Nitishila reached over to grip a thumb of hers and caress it with his own thumb. "Has something frightened you?"

Slowly blinking, Inka told him, "That might be true. Now, while we wait, let's discuss trivial topics."

That's how they occupied themselves for the next hour or so, chatting about things that honestly didn't matter. The sight of a meadow in spring, the sound of a well played harp, dreams both good and bad. Those sorts of things. Finally, someone banged on the door. Inka sat up and held out her hand to keep Nitishila from speaking.

"Who is it?" she asked.

"Your Majesty!" A man was behind the door. "You must flee! There's danger!"

Before Nitishila could even rise, Inka clamped her hand on his thigh. "What danger?" she said with a firm tone.

"Pirate ships have attacked! It's only a matter of time before they break through the guard ships! You must flee to an escape boat!"

"I'll stay here with my husband," Inka said, "and don't pirate crews normally stay in one ship at a time? Yet you claim there are several? I won't deny that there could be an attack, but for now it's safer for me to stay here."

Deciding to ignore Inka's previous gesture, Nitishila straightened his shoulders and gave an order. "Leave immediately!!"

"I ... yes, Your Majesty," the man behind the door said. His footsteps sounded, then faded away.

There was no window in this cabin, so Nitisila couldn't peer out to see anything, but he did ask Inka, "Do you believe there's no attack?"

She shook her head, her hair swinging back and forth. "There's an attack, but the extra security you've provided is likely handling it very well." Just then, Nitishila thought he heard some far off cannon. He saw Inka's face turn towards the sound. "I don't believe the enemy ships are full of pirates, or at least, I don't believe they've been pirates for long."

"Is this why you personally asked me about the security? You knew this would happen all along?"

One of Inka's slipper covered feet slid in close to its brother, which was supported by its toes, and then the first foot rested on its brother's heel.

Whenever there was activity in her feet but little else, that meant there was something interesting hiding behind her mask. Nitishila had figured that out all on his own.

"I believe the so-called pirates will be dealt with easily," she said, "but after that, this trip needs to be cancelled. We should begin the journey home at least first thing in the morning."

There were a few more cannon shots out there, somewhere.

Nitishila nodded. He was disappointed, but he didn't think disagreeing would be a wise thing. Inka sensed true danger, not just whatever was happening outside. She knew there was something sinister out there, something that would freeze one's bones. Nitishila hated the tense, sticky feeling that was boiling in his gut and throat. He hated being afraid. There was nothing to do for it, however, except to wait and see if this problem would disappear soon. He genuinely hoped it did.

He held one of Inka's hands and told her, "This won't be the same as the last incident. I trust you, and I won't let any harm come to you."

Inka actually crossed her legs instead of her ankles, and she did so with a certain flair Nitishila had difficult describing it in his head. Then she said, "For your own sake, you must keep your promise of not letting any harm come to me."

"You're feeling confident about something, aren't you?"

She cupped her hand near his ear, and she whispered something to him.

***