6. Ashale

The observation deck was a place few ventured to, a quiet refuge in the midst of Ikmal's bustling prison complex.

I had discovered it in my earlier days here, and it had since become a haven of contemplation for me.

I wanted to share this sanctuary with Nova.

The doors whispered open, revealing the panoramic beauty of the desert landscape.

Sands that stretched as far as the eyes could see, their dunes shimmering under the light of a setting sun, casting elongated shadows that seemed to dance with the whispering winds.

Above, a canopy of stars twinkled, so numerous and bright that they seemed almost within arm's reach.

I stole a glance at Nova, catching the awe in her eyes.

Her gaze was fixated on the vast expanse of sand and the glimmering constellations.

There was a gentle hue of pink on her cheeks, courtesy of the setting sun, and her lips were slightly parted as she took in the view.

I could hear her soft intake of breath, harmonizing with the distant humming of the facility's generators.

Drawing closer to the observation window, I instinctively slipped my hand into hers.

Her touch sent a thrill up my arm.

Her fingers intertwined with mine, the grip gentle but firm.

It was as if our souls, in that one touch, were having a conversation of their own.

We stood side by side, the reflective glass capturing our combined silhouette.

I savored Nova's sweet essence, creating a calming ambiance.

It was a delicate blend of fresh florals and something uniquely her.

Closing my eyes for a moment, I savored it, letting it wash over me.

"What is that?" Nova asked, pointing towards a distant shimmering structure on the horizon.

"The Mirage Tower," I answered. "It's a holographic edifice. During the day, it stands as a beacon, and at night, it becomes a lighthouse for the lost ships."

She leaned closer, the silky strands of her hair brushing against my cheek.

It felt like the softest touch, and I had to restrain myself from turning and capturing her lips with mine. "It's beautiful," she whispered, her voice holding a hint of wonder.

"There are more beautiful things," I replied with a teasing lilt.

She chuckled, a sound so melodic that it made the corners of my eyes crinkle in delight. "Flattery will get you everywhere," she quipped.

I frowned at this as I was not sure how flattery could power a shuttle.

I filed it away for later.

Our playful banter continued, making the moments stretch into an eternity of joy.

This felt right, almost… normal.

As if we were a couple on a date, exploring the world together, far removed from the harsh realities of Ikmal prison.

From the corner of my eye, I noticed a few male prisoners entering the deck.

My protective instincts kicked in.

While many were just here for the view, Sneik's cronies could be anywhere, and I couldn't let my guard down.

Dotted amongst the crowd were my students, young warriors I'd trained.

They recognized me, nodding subtly in acknowledgment.

A silent pact was formed.

They'd watch my back, and I'd watch theirs.

Nova seemed oblivious to the potential threat, lost in the beauty of the landscape and the serenity of the night.

And that's how I wanted it to stay.

Tonight was about us, about the budding emotions between us, about the promise of a future we were yet to explore.

Drawing her closer, I whispered in her ear. "I've always believed that the stars above mirror the possibilities below. Each one a different path, a different choice."

She tilted her head, meeting my gaze. "Which star is ours?" she asked, her voice filled with curiosity.

I pointed towards a bright, twinkling star, set slightly apart from the others yet shining with an intensity that made it stand out. "That one. Alone in its brilliance but surrounded by a galaxy of possibilities."

Nova smiled, squeezing my hand. "Then let's make sure our star shines the brightest."

And as the night deepened amidst the vast desert and the infinite stars, two souls found solace in each other's company, dreaming of a destiny written in the sands and stars.

* * *

We continuedto stand on the observation deck, staring at the vastness of the universe before us.

The shimmering stars seemed to hold secrets, tales of ancient civilizations and far-off galaxies.

After a while, Nova's gaze shifted from the stars to my arm, where intricate inked patterns wrapped around my skin. "Your tattoos," she started, her fingers lightly tracing the lines, sending shivers up my spine, "they're more than just decoration, aren't they?"

I smiled, taking a moment to gather my thoughts. "Yes, they're a lot more."

Taking a deep breath, I began my story.

"On my planet, these tattoos are our destinies. We are born with them. They signify that somewhere out there, among the stars, among different species and races, there's someone with a matching pattern. A fated mate. A soul meant to intertwine with ours."

Her eyes widened with interest, her pupils dilating in the dim light.

I could almost taste the saltiness in the air from the anticipation that hung between us.

"Some of us are lucky," I continued. "When a child is born on my planet, our leaders scan them. If they find another with a matching mark, they are paired. But often, our mates aren't from our species. That means an endless search, traversing galaxies and dimensions to find that one person who completes us.

"Many settle. The search is long and often fruitless. I've always hoped but never truly believed until…"

My voice trailed off, looking deep into her eyes, leaving the rest unsaid.

Nova took a moment, seemingly lost in thought, then started speaking of her own tattoos. "I come from a line of Native Americans. Most descendants forget their history, their heritage. But not my family. When we reach adulthood, we begin to have vivid dreams. Dreams that are believed to be messages from our ancestors. In those dreams, we see animals and spirits that guide us, protect us. Once we have these visions, we get them etched onto our skin. It's as if the animal becomes a part of our very being."

I looked at her tattoos with newfound respect, tracing the lines of the animals, feeling their essence come alive under my fingertips.

The coolness of the ink at odds with the warmth of her skin.

I could hear the faint rhythmic beating of her heart syncing with mine.

"They're beautiful," I murmured, "just like you."

She smiled, her cheeks turning a shade of pink, the color reminiscent of the first rays of dawn on my home planet.

We stood there for what felt like hours, lost in each other's stories, the world around us fading away.

It was Nova who broke the silence. "That's enough talking," she whispered, her voice husky.

I raised an eyebrow, a playful smirk on my lips. "About our cultures?"

"About anything," she replied with a mischievous glint in her eyes.

Before I could respond, she took my hand, her grip firm and leading.

We left the observation deck, the soft thuds of our footsteps echoing in the corridor.

As we headed back towards the prison cells, I realized that sometimes, amidst the chaos of the universe, you find someone whose story resonates with yours, someone who feels like home.

And you held onto them, cherished them, for as long as you were able.

* * *

This time,Nova took the lead.

As the trainer of countless fighting pit Champions, I was used to being in control, of deciding when, where and how my students would attack, of becoming a master at pushing them up to and then beyond their limits.

It had been many, many years since I had needed to take a backseat and let someone else take command.

Nova shut my cell door behind herself, leaning on it with her back, her eyes fixed on me the entire time.

I felt nervous.

Beneath her sultry eyes, the way they bore into me, pinning me in place… she could level me with just a look.

She crossed to me, her hips sashaying hypnotically.

And she was mine.

All mine.

She went up on tiptoes, wrapped her arms around my head and pressed her lips to mine.

Her kiss was deep and passionate, threatening to consume me completely.

With me as the willing victim.

My tongue lashed hers, dueling, but there would be no loss for either of us, not so long as we were together.

I placed my hands on her curved hips and reached down and felt her firm ass.

I couldn't wait to see what she had in store for me.

I didn't have to wait long.

She reached down and felt my cock through my pants.

She grinned and dropped to her knees, taking great pleasure in licking me from top to balls.

She was noisy, and I placed my hands on her head, thrusting my cock into the back of her throat once, twice, three times.

Then I released her and let her do what she wanted with me.

She slurped on my juices, filling her mouth with them.

Then she used it to rub at herself, natural lubrication.

She wrapped her hand firmly around my cock and led me to the bed.

Placing me on the side so I was sitting on the edge.

Then she climbed on top of me, her ass resting on my thighs, her breasts in my face, and her eyes once again firmly fixed on mine.

Then she reached down and slid me inside her.

Her eyes fluttered into the back of her head.

And she began to bounce.

I had never seen such an incredible sight as Nova bouncing on me, taking me to the hilt — she evidently wasn't one to back down from a challenge — and even reached down to feel my balls as they bounced against her ass.

She was gasping for oxygen within five minutes, she was working me so hard.

Then she pulled me out of her and crawled across the bed on her hands and knees until she reached the headboard.

She held onto it with both hands and waved her ass in my direction.

No words necessary.

I got up and moved in behind her, entering her from behind.

She moaned again and stifled it with her mouth to her forearm.

She bounced on me again, using the headboard as leverage to thrust harder onto me.

I gripped her shoulders and together, we rode long and hard.

I felt her pussy tighten twice around me, and the third time was fast approaching when unable to bear it any longer, I exploded inside her with strong and powerful thrusts that I thought would never end.

Lovemaking was said to never be better than with a fated mate.

I didn't doubt that.

* * *

The minutes,it seemed, had a way of betraying the heart.

As the chime of Ikmal prison's morning clock resonated throughout the compound, a palpable sense of longing enveloped the surroundings.

I looked down at Nova, her beautiful face masked with a somber expression.

The desert winds from outside whistled softly, carrying grains of sand with them, each particle feeling like a distant memory.

I inhaled deeply, savoring the earthy aroma mixed with Nova's aroma.

"It's time," she whispered, her voice shaky, trying to sound brave.

I nodded, not trusting myself to speak.

Gently taking her face in my hands, I leaned down, brushing my lips against her forehead.

We lingered in that embrace, our heartbeats echoing in tandem.

Pulling her into a hug, I shut my eyes tight, willing time to stop, even if just for a few moments.

We had made love all night, over and over again, each of us ready and open to the other's advances.

With every second that passed, I felt like I was pouring all my love into her, trying to fill her with memories of our time together, hoping that she'd remember the feeling even when galaxies apart.

Simultaneously, I felt her own love enveloping me, a powerful energy, intoxicating and comforting, seeping through every pore, reaching the deepest corners of my soul.

The world around blurred, the sounds faded, all that mattered was the present.

I still hadn't felt that spiritual magic between us, that bond I thought would form.

But maybe it didn't matter.

I knew how I felt about her and that was all that really mattered.

But then something shifted.

Something unexpected.

As I held her close, a sudden jolt of energy made us pull apart.

The source?

Our tattoos.

The little bird tattoos on our shoulders, positioned so that they touched, suddenly emanated a soft glow.

But it wasn't the precursor to something fiery.

Instead, the atmosphere was suffused with a blinding flash of white, so intense that for a moment, it felt like standing in a supernova.

And then, they appeared.

Two small, ethereal birds, perfect replicas of our tattoos, fluttered into existence.

Their delicate wings shimmered with an otherworldly glow, leaving behind a trail of stardust.

They soared around us, their movements graceful, their chirps sounding like a melodious song from a distant dream.

Captivated, we watched as they danced in the air, circling each other in an intricate ballet, their motions perfectly synchronized.

It was evident, even to an outsider's eye; these birds, just like us, were deeply in love.

Nova gasped, her wide eyes reflecting the awe she felt.

And then, breaking the stunned silence, she laughed.

It wasn't a mere giggle but a hearty, joyous laugh, the kind that comes from deep within the belly, untouched by the world's sorrows.

It was a sound so pure, so full of life, that I felt it echoing in every chamber of my heart.

Holding out her hand, Nova beckoned the birds.

Responding to her call, they fluttered down, settling on her slender fingers, looking at her with eyes that sparkled with mischief and love.

I looked at the scene before me, struck with amazement.

Though I'd always known that Nova was special, that our bond transcended the ordinary, this… this was magic in its purest form.

The magic I had been waiting for.

"I… I knew something special would happen," I whispered, my voice heavy with emotion. "I just didn't expect it to be this… magical."

Nova looked at me, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "Neither did I," she replied, her voice soft.

The little birds took flight once again, swirling around us, their jubilant chirps creating a beautiful symphony, as if celebrating our union, celebrating love in its truest form.