Destiney fed Scyon and got him ready for bed. She went to the window to show him the four moons. He loved the nightly ritual. She spoke softly to him, "Scyon, you must never forget your father. He is out there past the moons, attempting to make a better future for you. He loves you. I can promise that to you. I am just not sure if he still loves mommy. You are the only one I can tell everything to because I know you will keep my secrets. Thank goodness, you are too young to talk. Oh, baby, mommy is lonely and confused. I kissed a man today. I should not have done it. Mommy has trouble being alone. He was kind to me and filled the loneliness. Yet, it was wrong to betray your father. What should I do? Daddy needs to come home."

Scyon slept peacefully. Destiney continued to stare at the moons as if they could give her an answer. Guilt ate at her. Kissing Rowl was wrong. She was married to the king. She owed him her fidelity. But, he had abandoned her. He had disappeared into space without so much as a hug. He had not been in contact for weeks. Their argument had shown her a different side of her husband. She did not like that part of him at all. Being king had changed him for the worse. Must she remain loyal to a husband that was no longer the same man she had married? Did she make a mistake by marrying too quickly? Should she have waited? Would he have eventually shown her his bad side, allowing her to choose someone else? No, the Milisarian Knights had not allowed the human women to choose their mates. The knights had chosen. Destiney suddenly wanted a choice.

Destiney made a plan. The next evening, she packed up some toys and clothes for Scyon and took him to Alexis and Nabvan. She pleaded, "Can you keep him tonight? I have to deal with some extra duties. I spent too much time moping and got behind. I don't want to leave it all for Siefer to deal with when he returns. It will be really late when I finish. Scyon will cry all night if I wake him. Please, can he stay?"

Nabvan asked, "Do you need some help? I do not mind working if you need it."

Destiney nervously replied, "No, it isn't something you can do. I will be fine. Take good care of Scyon. I will see you in the morning." Destiney hurried away. She was a bad liar and feared Nabvan would catch on.

Rowl was waiting for her. Destiney had sent a guard with a note asking Rowl to meet her outside. She carried a basket covered with a cloth. Rowl bowed in greeting. He said. "If you are here to admonish me for the kiss, there is no need. I have thoroughly chastised myself. I am sorry if I offended you."

Destiney replied, "You did not offend me. Stop chastising yourself. At first, I thought the kiss was a mistake. Then I realized it was exactly what I needed. It showed me that I wanted more from my husband than he was willing to give. You are willing, so come with me. I want to show you a place I ran across on one of my lonely walks."

Rowl followed her over a narrow strip of dry land between two marshes. She pushed aside a tangle of bushes to reveal the ruins of an old dwelling. It was made of mud bricks, and the thatched roof was missing. More bricks made platforms for eating and sleeping. Open to the sky, it was charming and intimate.

Destiney used the cloth that covered the basket as a tablecloth. She took food and spread it onto her makeshift dining table. "On Earth, we would call this a picnic and our time together would be referred to as a date. It means I like you and I enjoyed the kiss. I want to see you more often. Would you like that?"

Rowl nodded. He could not speak. If he opened his mouth, he would give away his gleeful triumph. She was his now, and that gave him access to her power and influence. He would use her to get everything he wanted, and then toss her back to his brother.

He reached for the plate of food that Destiney offered to him. He allowed his fingers to caress her hand and felt the tremors that his touch elicited. He ate slowly, gazing into her eyes the entire time. Destiney's blushes proved he was having an effect on her senses. He suggested, "Let us take the fruit and eat it as we watch the stars shift around the moon."

Rowl placed the tablecloth on the floor in front of a brick platform. He helped Destiney settle with her back against the sturdy brick. He sat close to her and asked, "What do you miss about Earth?"

Destiney liked the question. It meant he was interested in getting to know all about her. She answered, "I miss the bright sunshine, the tall mountains, and snow."

Rowl asked, "What is snow?"

Destiney laughed, "It is frozen water that falls from the sky. It is white, soft, and delicate. It makes no sound as it falls. It sparkles and is very beautiful, though cold."

Rowl replied, "It sounds strange. I missed the closeness of the four moons. I could see them from some of the planets; however, they were tiny in comparison to the way they appear on Milisaria."

He offered Destiney a bite of fruit. She used her mouth to take it from his fingers. Its juice ran down her chin. Rowl leaned in and licked off the juice. Destiney moaned and his mouth covered hers. The kiss was possessive and sent chills through her body. Her fingers delved into his long unruly hair. She parted her lips, and his tongue invaded her mouth. Destiney's tongue explored his and heat suffused their bodies. Her hands strayed to his neck, where she found a raised scar. He flinched and pulled back.

Concerned, she asked, "What is wrong? Did I hurt you? How did you get the scar?"

Rowl turned his back to her and answered, "You did not hurt me. The scar is very old. I got it fighting with my brother before I was shipped out to the colonies. It is a bad memory, and I would rather not speak of it."

Destiney rose to her knees, put her hands on his shoulders, and kissed the scar. She nuzzled his neck until he turned to face her. Rowl drew her closer and said, "Thank you for dropping the subject and caring about my feelings. It has been a long time since someone cared."

Destiney held him tight. She desired to make him feel loved. She kissed his eyelids, the tip of his nose, each cheek, and finally landed once again on his lips. This kiss was softer and sweeter than the previous ones. It brought out sighs of contentment from both of them.

Rowl's heart pounded as he dared touch her. His palms wandered over her skintight bodysuit, caressing each curve. She did not protest, and he grew braver. He cupped her full breast through the cloth and ran his thumb over the distended nipple. Her eyes closed and she arched forward, granting him better access. Rowl untied the strings that held the bodysuit closed and permitted it to fall free of her torso. He marveled at the plump round orbs that were revealed in the moonlight. Their rosy tips begged to be licked. His tongue darted out and flicked across each in turn.

Destiney gripped the neck of Rowl's shirt and ripped it open as he began to worship her breasts. She let her hands roam over his hairless, translucent chest. His muscles had enlarged since she had last seen his torso. Nabvan's rock duty was working. The thought of her husband's best friend caused Destiney's guilt to rise. She forcefully shoved it to the back of her mind.

Rowl's mouth tugged on her swollen breasts, and his hands worked the bodysuit past her hips. His fingers slid inside the stretched material and glided over her warm mound. She lifted her hips, and the suit fell to her knees. Rowl delved into the warm wetness he had uncovered.

Destiney groaned as his fingers probed her core. She had missed the touch of strong, rough hands on her flesh. She brought her hands lower and wrapped them around his hardness. He grew larger at her touch. The tip of his manhood revealed itself, peeking out the top of his pants. She rolled her thumb over its velvet roundness.

Desire and need shot through Rowl with her bold touch. He used his second set of arms to tug down his pants, letting his shaft free, as his first pair of hands continued to grope Destiney's wetness. She grasped the shaft in both hands and fondled it from base to tip repeatedly. Rowl feared he would soon lose control. He stopped her motions and rolled her over. Her back now rested on the tablecloth and he could let his eyes roam over her beautiful body. He delighted in the creamy opaqueness of her skin. Unlike his, her flesh hid the veins and organs from his sight. His hands and mouth followed his gaze. His tongue found her belly button, causing Destiney to wriggle.

Destiney was long past feeling guilty. Her need to be joined with Rowl had overcome all other feelings. She gently pulled his hair to get his attention. He lifted his head and stared into her lust filled gaze. She whispered, "Please, I have waited long enough. Fill my loneliness."

Rowl triumphantly slid his nakedness slowly up her trembling nude body. He took a moment to worship once more at her breasts. His mouth eventually claimed hers in a rapturous kiss. His hardness glided between her thighs adding to her longing. Their tongues greedily danced together. Rowl asked, "Are you sure you want to do this? There is still time to stop."

Destiney spread her legs and breathlessly replied, "If we stop, I shall die. I not only want this, but I also need it desperately."

Rowl hid his gloating grin in her soft neck. He reached between their bodies, grasped his member, and used it to tease her softness. At her urgent tug, he slipped the tip inside and paused. With each following plea, he inched a littler deeper. Tears of frustration and lust ran down Destiney's cheeks before Rowl gave in and impaled her completely. Her greedy body tightened around his shaft and refused to let him move.

Destiney shoved at Rowl's shoulders, silently asking him to flip them over. He obliged, and Destiney straddled his hips. Now in control, she relented and allowed his member to move. His hips rocked in rhythm to her rise and fall. Her wetness milked his shaft. The moons were the only witnesses to the screams of ecstasy at their final releases.

Destiney fell forward and laid her head on Rowl's chest. Her ear was planted against his heart, listening as its beat slowed. His arms wrapped her in their warmth, and he asked, "Do you have any regrets, my queen?"

Destiney searched her conscious and answered, "None at all. I deserve to be happy and tonight that means being with you. Do not refer to me as your queen. I may not be one for much longer. My marriage may end when King Siefer returns. Hold me tonight and let me have sweet dreams instead of the nightmares of loneliness."

Rowl listened to her breathing as it slowed. She slept peacefully while his mind whirled. He needed Destiney to remain a queen in order to use her power and influence. If she was going to relinquish it upon the king's return, Rowl had to shorten his timeline. He would have to bring things to a head with the king's arrival. He spent a sleepless night holding Destiney and revising his plan.