The First Stone (The First Collection)

by Teshelle Combs

“And if I had grown cold? You would laugh at my corpse and run off with this…this Merdi?” “No. If you had grown cold, I would have been laid out right next to you, for I would have succumbed to death by sheer embarrassment. That this is the woman chosen for me to marry. One who does not even have the sense to get to her feet when a fight is over. One who does not even have the courage to dance with her husband. ”

I stepped toward him, trying with every part of me not to limp or flinch, lest he bear witness to my discomfort. “Perhaps you had not considered that I might rather grow cold beneath the heel of your former lover than join you in your insignificant bed. Or that I might prefer the sting of failure over enduring the torment of your body close to mine, or the incessant noise of the thing you call music, or the vile taste of your precious, revolting Hemwe, piss of the Talus captured in a cup. But no. Perhaps you hadn’t thought of that. You were too busy thinking about your own Talus-forsaken self .” I pushed past him and opened the door to my chambers. “And when I see you next, oh mighty High Prince Taeyo, you had better be wearing a shirt !”

“Sanaa, there is as much power in submission as there is in dominance. Submission requires restraint, precision, and an ability to detect the desires of another as well as the skill and talent to act on those needs while still having yours met. The submissive are not powerless. They are remarkable.”

“Come near me this turn, no matter your political reasonings for doing so, and I will scream so loudly that the nobles will be sure to think you are the attacker I should fear.” He exhaled—quite literally—smoke from his nostrils in one blast. “Wyla!” he shouted. “Come and collect your charge. Apparently, she is finished with me.”

“Why do you do that? Bite your lips so?” “Stop noticing my lips.” “Stop biting them.”

I sucked in air and titled my chin and tried to look like I meant what I was about to say. “My mind is made up. I descend on my own. Challenge me, and I will push you off this cliff, Taeyo. I promise you I will.” But this High Prince, this Taeyo, switched places with me, moving me in one fluid motion toward the center of the cliff while his back was to the edge. The Future King leaned into me, both his hands gripping my waist so he could pull my hips against his. And then he whispered, his lips grazing my temple. “Say my name like that again and you may do anything to me you like.” And then he took a step backwards, his eyes on mine, and walked right off the edge.

He shrugged. “Good dancers make good lovers.” I swallowed. Is that what we would be? “How…do you know I am not already good at…that?” A full smile this time. With enough charm to hurt my eyes if I stared too long. “I’m sure you are, Future Queen.”

“No. You have largely been awful to me. That is true.” He grinned. “You do not have to be so honest, woman.” “I heard you like a sharp tongue.” His eyes flashed at this. “Who told you that?” I shrugged. “People talk.” He smiled at me. “Do you know what you are, Sanaa?” “I suppose you are going to tell me.” “A tease .” “I do not know what you mean by that and also, no I am not.”

“I am hungry, Princess. If we don’t get back soon, you will have to be my dinner.”

“You are the first.” “Oh.” “Does that please you? To know you are the first?” I thanked Talus he could not see me blush. “I am indifferent.” “Liar.” I tugged at his hair. “Behave.” “Yes, Princess.” “Do not do that.” “Do what?” “That.” “No promises.”

“Save that for the Dining Hall,” he explained. “The seeds numb the tongue. It will make it easier for you to handle the spice. Perhaps you will have a full belly tonight at last.” I studied the center of the fruit. Small black seeds that glistened like obsidian gleamed back at me. “Is it a trick? Are they spicier than anything else I have tried? Will I find myself screaming? Will I beg for mercy?”

“When that happens, it will not be because of seeds, Princess.”

“What do you mean by that? It is not actually a threat…is it?”

“More of a promise.”

“Walk away then, Princess. Or, if you are in the mood for resigning, as you so love to do, you could just… lie down and take it.” And when I felt like I would explode, like I could strike a hole through to the center of the world , I grabbed him with my only properly functioning hand and pushed my mouth against his.

“Do not,” I said, taking another step back. “ Taeyo .” “You want me.”

“You are ridiculous.” I meant to push past him, but he grabbed my arm and turned me around.

“I’m ridiculous, and you want me. You just admitted it.” “I did no such thing.” “You kissed me.” “I….” “You want to know a secret?” “I do not. ” But I did. Really, I did. And I wanted to be the only one who knew. I could not say this out loud, though, for the High Prince was a menace and would use it against me...

“You think you are a stone wall, Sanaa, but you look at me like you want to tear me apart. And then you expect me to ignore it. To be pleasant and pretend we feel nothing. I am not going to lie to myself for you. And I’m not going to act like I do not want anything more.” “I did not mean to”— Can you not even say the word, Sanaa? “Kiss me? Put your mouth on mine? Part your lips, just a little?” “Yes. That. Those. I did not mean it, and it meant nothing.” “You are lying to yourself now. You meant it and you still mean it.” “No.” I shook my head. “Prove it then, Princess.” He shrugged those strong shoulders. “Kiss me again.

And if it means nothing, truly, then I will be pleasant just like you wish and bring you Hemwe seeds at break-fast and wish you good turn every even-ing.” “I—” “And if I am right, and it means something and you want me as I know you do, then I get to choose what we do next.” “Or, we do none of those things because I am not a child who can be manipulated into proving anything to you.” “It is not manipulation. It’s temptation. There’s a difference.”

elbowed him. “Alright. Don’t you have some chewing to do with that mouth?” “If that is all my mouth is permitted to do, then yes.” I glared at him. “ Taeyo —” “ Sanaa. ”

“I want to enjoy you, Sanaa.”

“You’ll dance for me?” For him and not with him? “…Yes?” “Naked.”

gasped. “In front of everyone?” “No, Sanaa, you fool! Just for me.” “You want that?” “Of course I want that. But you enjoy torturing me with your teasing, so I have not asked before now.”

“They have already ensured their own destruction, Sanaa. They will grow cold this turn. Taeyo will be victorious. So if the role of destroyer is already taken by another, if displaying Power is Taeyo’s fate, what can you do?” I exhaled, letting the sun’s gleam off the water comfort me. “I can hold.”

“My Queen…she could have led ten realms if she did not have me to bother with. Empires of empires could have been hers.” A tear slipped down his cheek. “But I did not let her. I was afraid.”