Colonel Seeders' Mail Order Bride, Hank

15 Michelle

That kiss. It held so much meaning. If only she could figure out what that meaning was. Desperation, hunger, lust? Her old self would have said lust, but Hawk said he liked her right before her brain became a conduit for... a druid? Heather, the girl that brought all the days tasks to her desk had been a druid. She'd taken Michelle for coffee and spoke about her abilities, but she needed something to link to, a drop of blood, a trinket the person held dear, something they held close to their hearts. Her hand had clutched the locket as it did that second.

"Hank," She spoke softly so not to distract him from flying. "How did she manage to link with me if she didn't have anything personal of mine? And no one knows where I am. A druid I worked with said she needed something of mine and she needed to be close by to link with someone."

Hank tapped his fingers against the lever in his hand. She understood that to be the steering... Wheel? Lever? Stick? Anyway, the craft moved when Hank moved the lever. He turned to look at her for a few seconds, eyes scanning every part of her.

"Did you get cut or spit blood? You only had bruises when you got to the house," he said.

"Actually, it was a lot worse. Sebastian has a bed like the one in my room. He said I had a hole in my head. And broken bones. I didn't realise it until he told me about it."

She still had trouble believing that. If Robert broke her arm, how did she manage to stab him? If she had a gaping wound in her head, how did she stay on her feet for so long?

"I will need to speak to Sebastian." He almost growled the words. "Who did that to you?"

Michelle turned away and stared out of the eye of the eagle. If he found out what she did, her time on Trachtaria would end. She wanted to stay to see Hawk grow up and use his hands.

"It doesn't matter. It's in the past. I got away and he won't be coming after me," she said.

"Don't you think I-"

"Dad! Drop it. She's not ready to talk about it!" Hawk, her little saviour said.

As soon as that man, man of God, but still a man, reached for her, Hawk cut him off and protected her. Sebastian's rambling while they flew to Trachtaria came back to her. No one should know she was there and she should avoid touching any of them. Why... She had no idea why. He only said it would be in her best interest not to touch anyone other than Hank and Hawk. So she clung to them. Used them as shields against the dragons that wanted to hug her.

But that kiss. Her first kiss. It felt good, right, passionate. It begged her for something... more. Was Hawk right? Should she prove that she would never leave? But he would surely send her away as soon as he found out she was a murderer. He would never allow her to stay near his son if he knew.

"Should we go to Vaskacia or Doug's place?" Hank asked suddenly.

"Vaskacia. I want to try their grilled Nulks. It's a small bird from Perdatia. It's almost like the chickens from Earth," Hawk explained.

"What do you feel like?" Hank asked and turned to her.

"I'm not too sure. The steak you made was really nice. Do they have fish that taste like fish?" she asked.

"No. Trust me, you do not want to try the fish. They will probably encourage you to have it, but it is vile. Rather have the grilled bird or steak," Hank said with a half smile that made him look like a naughty boy.

"If it's not as big as that steak you gave me, I'll try the bird," she said.

"Nulks," Hawk said when she looked over at him.

She tested the word a few times before pronouncing it the right way. Trachtarians used deep grunts and twists of their lips that her own lips had never attempted.