Surkah grinned. “Nero is outside; he escorted me. Mikoh has disembarked the Ebony to meet with his unit on the ground. He oversees making sure all females leave the craft safely.”

I hummed. “Kol is with him?”

“Of course,” Surkah replied. “His mission does not end until all the females are handed over to the Guard on the ground.”

I nodded in understanding then allowed my gaze to drop to Surkah’s body. She wasn’t wearing the med bay uniform I had been so used to seeing her in. Instead, she was wearing a sparkling golden wrap of some kind. I squinted my eyes, and the more I looked at it, the more I realised it wasn’t a wrap but two separate pieces of clothing.

The top of the outfit was a shell garment and was cut to fit the top half of Surkah’s body perfectly—the layered fabric hugged her breasts tightly. It had low-cut sleeves and a low V-neck. Surkah’s midriff was exposed, and a large thin white sparkling chain wrapped around it, resting above her belly button. It reminded me of necklaces I had seen wealthy women wear around their necks back on Earth, but this was designed as an accessory for the waist. The bottom half of Surkah’s outfit was a long skirt that almost touched the ground; it was pleated and had a slit on either side that exposed Surkah’s legs right up to her bare hips.

“Holy shit,” I exclaimed, gaping at her. “You look incredible.”

Surkah looked down at herself and flushed. The action brought my attention to her white hair. It hung loosely and fell in waves down to her waist. On top of her head were three braids in a row next to the other, keeping the hair from falling into her face while aiding in adding a touch of elegance to appearance. She had clips snagged between the braids that glistened like diamonds when they caught the light.

“Thank you,” she said, her eyes lifting to meet mine. “This is my typical day-to-day clothing. I wear much fancier ensembles when I have to attend Court.”

She looked pretty fancy to me.

“Court?” I questioned.

Surely, it wasn’t like the Court that used to exist on Earth.

“Court is a monthly event my mother holds in the palace ball room. It is a time for mothers to present their unmated sons to the unmated females of Royal City.”

Maji matchmakers?

I blinked. “That sounds… interesting.”

Surkah snorted. “It is boring for me because I can only sit and observe. I am not allowed to mingle. I am already promised to Mikoh, and being princess means no one can look at or speak to me.”

I frowned. “Well, you’ll have me to look at you and talk to you at the next Court thing… if I’m invited?”

Surkah clapped her hands together merrily. “I’m positive Kol will give you permission to attend. It is an event that females enjoy, so he will want you to fit in.”

I wasn’t going to lie. This Court thing sounded like it would have my anxiety levels rising, but logically, I knew I was in safe hands with the Maji, so I reminded myself of that and thought of something more miscellaneous… more female. I looked at Surkah’s stunning outfit and frowned down at my own.

I can’t wear this to Court.

“I’m grateful for these new clothes,” I said, hoping the sincerity I felt showed in my tone. “I promise I truly am. I don’t care that they’re all the same, but I will look silly next to you when you look like that.”

Surkah furrowed her brows. “What do you mean? You cannot wear Ebony attire on Ealra. I’m here to fit you for an ensemble of your own.”

I widened my eyes. “You are?”

Surkah nodded, closed her eyes for a few seconds, and then opened her eyes when the door to my quarters open. Nero walked in with a bundle of blue fabric and some black jewellery of some kind in his arms.

“Hi, Nero.” I awkwardly waved.

He winked at me. “I’ll be right outside. Just call me if either of you need my help… but please, don’t need my help.”

Surkah laughed when he fled the second she took the fabric from him.

“Males hate aiding females in a fitting.”

I chuckled. “Because it’s boring?”

Surkah grinned, a devilish glint in her eyes. “Because the female must be naked and the males can’t touch her even though they’re only a few steps away. It is torture for them, especially when a female is in heat.”

“Holy shit.” I choked. “Kol would kill him if he saw me naked, friend or not.”

One thing I knew about Kol was that he was extremely possessive of me. Extremely.

“Which is why he pleaded for us not to need his help.” She cackled.

I shook my head. “What’s the ‘in heat’ thing you mentioned?”

Surkah looked thoughtful a moment then, with a snap of her fingers, she said, “Ovulation. In heat means ovulation. I remember Sera told me that was the human term for it. It means when a female’s body is ready to become pregnant, a female in heat gives of a scent to males that is almost irresistible. Usually, unmated females are required to stay inside their homestead when they’re in heat because too many fights have started in our villages within the city between unmated males who wish to claim them. Some females enjoy the attention, though, and do it anyway.”

“What bitches,” I said.

Surkah laughed. “I do not know what that means, but it sounds funny.”

I smiled. “Do you think human women go into heat?”

My friend nodded. “They have to; they can’t get pregnant otherwise.”

I flushed. “Sorry, I should know this kind of stuff. I mean, it happens to my body.”

“Don’t be embarrassed,” Surkah said and patted my arm. “How could you know about this unless you were taught about it?”

I shrugged in response.

“Do you bleed every month?” I then asked.

“Not yet,” She said. “I will once my uva activates.”

The reminder that Surkah still hadn’t hit her version of puberty amazed me once more. She was close to forty years of age, but she looked like an eighteen-year-old girl. It amazed me how youthful the Maji remained throughout time.

“My father told me it was normal for girls to bleed when they reached puberty,” I said with a snort. “I remember the first time. I had just turned eleven when I got my period for the first time, and I thought I was dying. I cried for days… I still sometimes cry when the bleeding occurs. I don’t know why, though; the tears just start and are hard to stop. It’s a messy time. Literally.”

Surkah giggled. “That is adorable.”

“It is now because I expect it,” I mused. “At the time, it was terrifying and so embarrassing because I was the only girl in my family.”

“Even though my mother is present in my life, I am always surrounded by males, so I understand what you mean.”

I smiled. “That’s a huge factor on why we get along so well, you… you just get me.”

“We’re sisters-in-mate,” Surkah said with pride. “We get each other.”

I smiled.

“So,” I said with a gestured towards the fabric. “How are we going to do this?”

“You are going to remove your clothing, and I will show you how to correctly wrap your ensemble.”

I was hesitant.

“I’m a bit embarrassed,” I admitted.

“Why?” Surkah asked, her eyebrows raised.

Heat creeped up my neck.

“Your brother is the only other being who has seen me naked, and I’m still embarrassed about that.”

“I saw you naked when I bathed and changed your clothing when you arrived aboard the Ebony.”

I rolled my eyes. “I was unconscious then. That’s different.”

Surkah giggled. “You Earthers are funny. A few of your females that I have examined had the same fear of being seen without clothing.”

I glanced at her exposed skin. “I’m guessing Maji females don’t have a problem with nudity?”

“Not at all.” Surkah grinned.

I snorted. “I figured a

s much.”

“I can turn around if you wish?”

I sighed. “It’s okay. I have to start getting used to your customs sooner rather than later.”

Though much later would help my sudden anxiety.

“I’m proud of you for taking this step,” Surkah praised.

My lips twitched. “Thanks.”

With flushed cheeks, I stripped out of my clothes as fast as I could to get it over and done with.

“This is mortifying,” I said as I stood naked as the day I was born.

Surkah chuckled as she gathered my Ebony clothing and moved it aside.

“Your body is like mine, just smaller and not grey. You’re hairless like our females, too.”

I resisted the urge to cover myself. “My father won credits from gambling when I was sixteen, and he got me laser hair removal. At that point in time, we were sleeping outdoors, and couldn’t bathe very often. Not having to deal with excess body hair helped me.”

“The more you speak of your father, the more I adore him.”

I beamed. “He’d have loved you, and the rest of the Maji. He was such a space freak.”

Surkah giggled. “Are you ready to get started?”

I looked down at my naked body. “This is so embarrassing.”

“You’ll move past it in time. Trust me.”

“I believe you,” I said as I left my hands hanging awkwardly at my sides. “So… what now?”

“Now I dress you since I’m confident you would tie the fabric in knots.”

I snorted. “Go ahead.”

Tags: L.A. Casey Maji Science Fiction
Source: readsnovelonline.net