Darling & Commander

The General: 7

Brock Cortes POV:

Two days have passed, and Galla's poison ivy welts have ceased to show any signs of lightening up.

I bestir my tent, cold and mosquito bitten. I suspect they know warm blood.

Scratching my arm, I rise from my sleeping bag, absent mindedly opening the tent zipper and slipping my sandals on as I pace out of the tent.

The morning dew grass tickles my ankles, and I pull my elbow behind my head in a stretch. A faint gasp sounds from behind me, and I turn around drowsily.

Galla sits in a chair, on the little wrap around porch of her cabin, gaping at me with a tinctured pink face.

Only now do I call to mind how I sleep wearing boxers.

"Oh- good morning." I hold back my smirk at her indiscreet ogling. 

"Good lor- morning." She switches her gaze up to my face in an instant, already blushing and flustered for the day.

"So I was thinking," I forge up the porch steps.

"Would you think a little farther away?" She squeaks when I approach the wooden lawn chair across from her. 

I let out a husky laugh, running my hand through my hair.

"I can't be that distracting." I shake my head.

"Yes, you really can..." Galla covers her face with the book she's been reading.

I laugh harder, entertained at this side of her.

"Can I explain my thought process?"

"Yes, go on." She nods, averting her eyes but taking a peek back at my torso every few seconds.

"So, your welts aren't getting much better, so I figure we ought to take you in to my kingdom to get your hands assessed, just in case somethings wrong." I tell her.

"Oh." She says breathily, sweeping her hair over her frail shoulders. "The kingdom? Are you sure?"

"Quite. I just want to make sure they're on way to a good recovery." I nod. "And the king has told me I must attend his royal ball the day after. Care to join me as my plus one?"

"A- a royal ball!?" Galla drops her book, wincing when it splinters the porch. "I- I couldn't. You should go with another human."

"Why? Do you not want to?" I tilt my head.

"Of course I do, it's just-"

"Perfect, I will contact the king as soon as we dock." I let myself indulge efforts in a smile today, and watch in amusement as Galla just about faints.

I enjoy having that effect on her.

⚔️⚔️⚔️

"This- this is the kingdom?" 

The harbor I docked us on is bustling with activity, and I take her hand to keep her from becoming swallowed by the sea of humans.

"The one and only. Not much compared to your little sector of the woods, but people are weirdly positive about the situation." I feel my shoulders stiffen as they bump into Galla, and decide it won't do against her frail frame.

"Brock what are you- Brock!" She exclaims when I pick her up, her legs straddling my waist as I support her bottom. "Put me down! You're making me look like a child!"

"Not until we're out of this crowd." I growl, moreover to the people than to Galla.

The feeling of her thin legs wrapped around me and her chest pressed to mine is something I could find myself accustomed to. My body heats as I struggle not to feel her wispy breath on my neck.

I finally find a cobblestone pathway not even close to as busy as the harbor, and I set Galla down gently.

"Why don't we stop by the chemist's shop to get your hands checked out, and then we can get a nice dinner before we get you gussied up for the ball, hmm?" I nod.

"O-okay." Galla agrees, clutching my arm as commoners walk past, glaring at her. "Why do they hate me?"

"What are you talking about?" I ask, glancing around. "No one hates you."

"Yes, they do." She nods. "I can sense these things. They're all giving me dirty looks."

"Oh- the citizens hope that the princess will end up being appointed to marry me." I shrug. "I guess it's something about having an intimidating king in charge."

"And will you?" Galla's voice goes quiet.

"No." I say, leading her down the pathway. "The princess is smitten with another."

"Does that upset you?" She presses on.

"Not in the least." I murmur. "The reason she came with me the other morning was because she was seeing a lady friend, if you understand."

"Oh- oh!" Her eyes balloon, and something of reassurance fills her eyes to the brim.

A little bounce enters her step, and her mouth seems to gradually lift into a fixated smile.

"Jealousy isn't a good look on you, darling." I tease, and she scoffs.

"Not jealous."

"Whatever you say." I give her a cheeky grin before opening the door to the chemist's shop we approach.

We enter, and my good friend Vector Dorson blinks up at me from a chemistry project with his goggle rimmed eyes. His shop is crowded with customers, and I feel Galla tense at the people glaring at her on my arm. She tries to let go of it, but I keep her hand there. One of these days people have to get over the foolish thought of a general and a princess. It won't happen.

I finger the hem of her dress strap to keep her close.

"Well, if it isn't my friend Cortes. Good to see you around again, buddy, I got your memo. I have a room in the back ready for you." Vector finger guns me.

"Thanks, Dorson." I give him a nod of appreciation, leading an overwrought Galla to the back room.

I let her sit on the tall stool, standing beside her with my finger still caressing the strap on my shoulder, and her her skin is so close I could kiss her freckles...

"You have friends?" Galla blurts out.

I burst into a deep laughter, howling at her astonishment. Vector comes into the room just as I calm down, and I wipe the tears from my eyes.

"You got him to laugh!?" Vector looks at Galla as if she's inhuman.

Probably because she is.

"I- maybe?" She shrugs, blushing a little at my wheezing.

"I've been trying to do that for years..." Vector mutters. "Anyhow, I got your call and all the treatments are ready."

"Thanks, Dorson. That means a lot." I rasp out, my voice still breathy from laughter.

"What?" Galla gives me a befuddled expression.

"I ensured we had seclusion when he fixed your hands. Crowds alarm you, I'm assuming." I shrug, and she looks ready to melt in appreciation.

"Blast, Cortes! Extra measures." He pulls out a vial. "Okay, I'm just going to put some of this serum on your palms, okay?"

"Alright..." She nods as he does it.

The blisters evaporate instantly, and she gapes at the phantom of the welts. Her palms go back to being perfectly porcelain plush.

"That'll be 80 Genites, up front or payed through new equipment." Vector winks at me, arising a low grumble.

"80 Genites..."