The Kingdom

I watched as the sun steadily made its way up into the morning sky. It was a beautiful sunrise, but not half as beautiful as her. My gaze left the window to gaze into the face of my sleeping lover.

She was much more than that. Much more. Having her along from now on would change a lot of things, but things had needed to change. I didn't regret last night or this day that was beginning, instead I was thanking El Elyon profusely for both.

El Elyon had brought me to this place and I had received far more than I could've ever expected. A treasure without equal.

Susori began to stir and with interest I watched as her eyes opened hesitantly for the first time and then as she came to an abrupt awareness. Her head lifted as she looked me in the face. I think we both smiled at each other at the same moment.

We barely knew each other's names and yet we were a pair. I couldn't refrain from anything when it came to her and seeing the same reflected in her eyes I kissed her with all the passion that I felt for her even as she likewise did to me. Beyond the touch of our lips there was a link already between us that no words could define. All my hesitations of the night before were gone, now replaced with a reality I scarcely believed was possible.

We drew back from the kiss, but our eyes remained locked with each other.

"What are you thinking master?" she asked, with a curious quirk to her one eyebrow.

"Benaiah," I said in return, by way of an answer.

Her eyes sparkled as she rephrased her question, "Benaiah, what are you thinking?"

"I'm thinking that I want to spend forever in this room with you."

Her smile grew richer and she said, "I agree, but now is all we have."

My finger caressed her cheek, "You're a philosopher."

She smiled and pressed her face against my hand, "You couldn't be more wrong."

Our lips had but joined passionately again when there was a knock at the door. Startled, I jumped upright and Susori slid off to the side with a sigh of regret. I swung my feet over the edge of the bed and just looked at her laying there, bare except for the encircling band of metal.

Modesty was not of the same importance in this culture for sure and yet she had not lied to me of her innocence. I took the cover of the bed and tossed it over her as the door opened.