A Hundred Kisses To My Enemy

The door to the garden slid open, and Vira walked through it with her veil covering her face down to her shoulders, as was the custom set to be observed by representatives from beyond the planet. She walked in small steps before standing face to face with the Yipor and bowed deeply. “You may rise,” said the Yipor with a smile. “Please have a seat.” Vira lifted her head a second later as the translation played in her ears. “I hope I did not keep you waiting for too long, Yipor,” she said as she sat down directly opposite him at the table. Rafel thought that the human was late even when she wasn’t. It was the second day after the arrival of Vira Robins and her crew in Avtos, and she had been invited to break her fast with Dedren of Rinya, leader of the Order of Xiona, Wielder of the Sacred Sword, and the second most powerful person on the planet after the monarch. It was expected of everyone to arrive early when meeting with the Yipor, as was the title given to him upon ascension. He could not be present for her arrival yesterday as he was not on duty, but he heard the tales nonetheless. She was the only thing anyone would speak of since the moment she stepped into the palace. A monarch must stay inexpressive in the presence of foreign dignitaries and members of the court. It was a rule set to restrain the ruler from favoring one person or people over others and help them consider the opinions of all their subjects. But the regent herself stepped away from her throne to exchange greetings with Vira Robins. And to say that it caused a stir was a grave understatement. Even the human ambassador, Jordan Parker, who had been staying in Avtos for the past six months, looked surprised, or so Rafel had heard. The court was not happy to host another human within six months of another in any circumstances; his master had said with a sigh that morning after Rafel assumed his position as his shield. Vira’s eyes wandered to Rafel as she assessed him for a second. He did the same through his helm. No outsider could see the face of an Ona, a protector, which is why they were given a helm to cover their face, but it did not hinder them in their duty, as they could see everything beyond it. “It is an honor to eat with you, Yipor. Thank you for inviting me,” Vira said. “It is my pleasure, Captain Robins," the Yipor said, as he silently ordered the breakfast to be served. “I heard you had dinner with Ambassador Parker last night, so I thought I must invite you this morning.” “That’s very kind of you,” she responded in an even tone. “And please call me Envoy Robins, as I am an envoy for the duration of my stay on Avtos.” Yipor nodded, his eyes not leaving her, and said, “Of course. I hope you find the food up to your standard.” They did not speak as the food was set onto the table, and they measured each other. Vira Robins had always been thrown in one war after another. But that also meant that she was an accomplished soldier. Yipor wanted to know if she deserved his respect as a soldier himself. However, that was not the case for Vira, as she thought of all the ways she would kill him if he turned out to be a threat to her mission. “I must apologize for the incident yesterday,” the Yipor said. “It was unfortunate," Vira said. “I hope you are not too gravely injured,” he said. “Perhaps I should have been more considerate. My people are investigating the case as we speak.” Vira chuckled. “The assailant was dead before he could even touch me. If there is a planner behind all this, you must tell them to try harder next time; maybe they’ll bruise me at least.” Rafel raised his eyebrow at the statement. Her implication didn’t go unnoticed, and if he noticed it, the Yipor definitely did. She had some nerve to accuse them of such dishonor. Killing of official visitors was strictly forbidden and subjected to severe punishment. Yipor smiled and said, "You are taking this better than most. Must be the soldier in you.” As the last plate of food was placed on the table, Vira waited for the Yipor to grant her permission to lose the veil. She hated that she had to wait for it, but if she wanted to complete her mission, she must be patient with these people. Like a predator watching her prey before her attack. “You may lift your veil,” the Yipor commanded. As she did, Rafel found his breath caught in his lungs. Her skin was golden brown, and he was not sure if he was seeing it right, but it glowed in the light of the sun. And her eyes were so dark, as if looking into a void that he wished would consume him. Her lips were painted in a simple faint pink that complimented her skin, and her nose was pierced on one side. There was a hint of her inked skin peaking from the fabric on her shoulder that he wished to look upon. My Star, what a spectacular creature, he thought before quickly retracting it from his mind as if he had caused a great offense. Yipor cleared his throat and said, “I must say, Envoy Robins, that I do not feel comfortable knowing that you are in danger on our planet within our palace, so I must take the necessary action. I will assign Ona Rafel here as your shield for the duration of your stay.”