Page 41 of Ahelno
“What do you mean?” I asked.
You know how I told you about Kina?” he asked.
“Yes…”
“Andie, I was really messed up afterwards. I thought we were in a consensual relationship, you know? And then I found out that she didn’t know how to consent. She just let me have sex with her because I asked, and she couldn’t say no. There’s a part of me that thinks of myself as a rapist. It was a really hard thing for me to work through. I still have a hard time with it. I obviously stopped everything with Kina once I found out, and I haven’t slept with any of the otherwomen. Thank God I’m bi, so I don’t mind being with men. My partners are great, but they don’t understand why I still get upset with them when they take a female partner. I can’t imagine how awful that assault was for you. I’m just sick that it happened. But I can’t help but sympathize with Prince Dakleth, because I do understand how it feels from his side. It sounds like he feels pretty bad about what he did.”
“He does. I know he does. He’s begged for my forgiveness and all that. I’m still working on it, honestly. It’s one thing to know intellectually that he never would have done what he did if he knew I didn’t consent. But when I’m in his physical presence, my body still sometimes locks up.”
“Yeah, that makes sense. Telling his father that you were ok with him getting out of prison is a pretty big deal. And I saw you stand your ground with him this morning. I’m sure seeing him at the family events isn’t easy. You’re a badass,huera.”
“Yes, I am,” I giggled. “Don’t you forget it!”
“Never!” he chuckled and pulled me in for another hug.
“And forgive yourself for what happened with Kina. You never would have slept with her if you didn’t think she was good with it. You stopped once you knew the real deal. You’re a good person, Leo.”
“Thanks, Andie,” he said quietly. “I needed to hear that. And when you’re ready, I think your Prince Dakleth does, too.”
Dakleth
My mate returned late in the evening to the Palace, blasted human male still in tow. I found them in the newly refurbished concert room, sitting side by side on the piano bench as they played together. Their sides were pressed against oneanother, and I suppressed a growl as I approached.
“Greetings, Dakleth,” Andie said, not looking up from the keys as she played. “Blessings upon your house and all who dwell within.”
“Thank you, mate. That blessing should include you.” After all, my mate should dwell in my house, I thought.
Andie stopped playing and looked up, tilting her head at me, but she did not respond. “I think it’s time for me to head on up to bed,” the male at her side said.
“Good night, brighteyes.”
“Night, Leo,” she turned and smiled at him before turning solemnly back to me. We were quiet for a minute, both at a loss for words, and how to navigate our time together.
“Would you like to learn to play something with me?” she finally asked. I nodded, and she indicated for me to sit on her left side. “Touch this key with your left hand, this finger,” she held up her pointer finger and touched a key. I pressed on it it made a sound.
“Now you’re going to play a chord - that’s three notes at once - with your right hand.” She leaned over and played three notes. I got it wrong, and she touched my hand and placed my fingers on the right keys. It was the first time she had touched me of her own volition, and I stayed perfectly still, trying not to scare her. Meanwhile, my hearts were pounding wildly at her proximity, and my nostrils were flooded with her sweet scent. I felt a stirring down below and prayed that my cock would not respond and would stay in its pocket. I imagined Kashtinela swiftly kicking me in the balls. There, crisis averted.
“Play that note with your left hand twice, then the chord with your right hand twice,” she said.
I did that, and she smiled. “Very good! Keep doing that in this rhythm.” She did the same on some higher notes, and I matched her while playing. “Now you’re going to do the same thing, but on some different notes.” She demonstrated on a few notes lower, and I awkwardly did the same. “Good, let’s practice that,” she said. After a few times when I stopped flubbing the chord, she said, “Now we put it together.”
Two notes, left hand. Chord on right, twice. Left hand lower note twice. Right lower chord twice. “Excellent!” Her praise made my skin shiver. “Now a higher chord,” she said. Then one final lower note and chord. Left finger, right chord, left finger, right chord, left finger, right chord. We practiced a number of times. I was finding it boring, but would never tell her so.
She smiled and said, “You keep playing that, and I’m going to play the melody line.” I had no idea what she talked about, but I played the sequence, somewhat stiltedly, yet again. She started playing a melody with her right hand on higher notes. I stopped, confused.
“I know, it’s hard not to get distracted,” she said. “You have to concentrate on your part without getting lost in mine. Let’s try again.”
I restarted, and she jumped in with her melody line. This time we played through the whole thing. I did get lost once and had to restart, but she was able to adjust. At the end, she smiled.
“You did great! Excellent for your first time playing,” she said. “That song is called Heart and Soul. It’s a very popular piano duet.”
“You play so smoothly,” I told her.
“Years of practice,” she said.
“Thank you for teaching me,” I said.
“You’re welcome! You’re a good student.”
