"The capsur's not that hot." Sabin leaned around Kagan to tell her in a happy helpful voice.
Providence picked at the food on her plate although it was good she wasn't hungry. Her stomach was tied in knots. Giselle had been kind enough to assist her, but after tonight that wouldn't be the case. Would this Cadi protector be willing to teach her, or would he be too busy to bother with her? Providence felt lost. She wasn't in danger and yet she felt this strange fear welling up inside her.
Providence was glad Sabin twittered on, as children often do, capturing Giselle and Kagan's attention. She was in no mood to make conversation.
Occasionally Providence looked around the table wondering who among these hulking men Kagan would choose to become her so called protector. It almost made her laugh. She'd lived alone for years and done quite fine. Surely she could stay in the room next to Giselle without the whole of Cadi society collapsing.
Providence looked to see both Dagaa and Madhava watching her as she pushed the food around her plate.
When Kagan stood up and cleared his throat Providence nearly cringed.
"Recently the human female Providence arrived on Cadi. As it has been decided the human females are to be treated as we do any Cadi female. Since Providence has no family here on Cadi, a warrior and his Second must step forward." Kagan looked at Giselle who refused to look back at him since she was still mad. "This is not a decree that the warrior must mate Providence, just offer her protection." He amended.
Providence was relieved that she wouldn't be forced into some sort of arranged marriage. That hadn't been quite clear.
Her eyes widened in surprise when both Dagaa and Madhava stood up simultaneously. She hadn't known them long, so for them to do this was a shock. It sounded like a serious commitment from the way Giselle described it.
Kagan seemed stunned too.
"Dagaa as Second to my bonded, Giselle, do you understand what this promise means?"
Dagaa looked at Providence, his expression far more serious than it had been on the ship yesterday, as he nodded.
"So be it. Warriors of Cadi on your honor I charge you with the protection of a female we have accepted as one of our own. May you uphold that promise with your life."
Both men placed their right fist upon their chests, bowed to Kagan, and then to Providence. It felt strange being bowed to.
As frustrated and freaked out as Providence was with this situation, she found herself glad that Dagaa and Madhava had stepped forward. Besides Giselle, they were the only ones she knew. Providence exhaled a deep breath, she felt like she'd been holding it in since Giselle had told her about this weird turn of events.
Madhava
Madhava and Dagaa followed Providence to the room she'd stayed in to get her things. He couldn't believe both he and Dagaa stood up for her, but it made sense. On the Jurou Biljana ship they had both promised the fiery little female that no harm would come to her. He would have chosen Dagaa as his Second, and he felt Dagaa would do the same for him.
However it shocked Madhava that Dagaa would make this promise in the first place. It meant the male was now honor-bound to protect two females. Should a female come along Dagaa wished to mate it would be impossible, and Dagaa wasn't one to break his oath. Then again perhaps Dagaa had his eye on Providence.
Madhava wasn't quite sure how he felt about that. Dagaa liked females, lots of females.
Madhava shook off the notion. He was foolishly letting himself get carried away. As Kagan had stated Providence merely needed protection as was proper for any female.
Madhava paused.
"Which of us is her Prime and who is her Second?" Madhava whispered to Dagaa as they waited for Providence to gather her few things in the washroom.
"I don't know. Kagan never said." Dagaa shrugged. "I guess it's a good thing we share the house on the west lawn."
Madhava nodded. This would be strange. He'd never lived with a female that wasn't family. To his knowledge neither had Dagaa.
They took Providence's two bags and left the manor. She was quiet the entire time they walked across the estate. The female seemed just as nervous as he was about this arrangement.
Why had he promised to do this?
As Madhava looked at Providence with her wild red hair, pale skin and green eyes, he knew the answer to that question, though he was unwilling to admit it to himself. Providence didn't look at him with revulsion. In fact she seemed to find comfort when he promised no one would ever hurt her again. That was why, he foolishly hoped that just maybe...
No, he was reading more into this than what was there. And yet Madhava couldn't deny the attraction he felt for the tiny female. Madhava cast the occasional glance at Providence. She wore a skirt and small top that accentuated her supple body which had been hidden by the overly large cloak yesterday. Her full hips swayed seductively as she walked. Her breasts were large as seemed common among the human females. Her form reminded him of the way a female filled out when carrying young. Just looking at Providence, had him thinking of what it would be like to mount her.