Chapter 53: Mikeya’s Dilemma

“Michael, what was that all about?” Catherine asked once we were all inside the cabin. I had taken a seat at the small table, and was continuing to monitor the Princesses and the Ratu.

“In a moment,” I said as I resumed monitoring.

They stood there waiting for me to speak, until Grace decide to get everyone something to drink. She sat a cold bottle of Coca-Cola in front of me on the table, but said nothing to me. They all eventually found a place to sit down and continued to wait, saying nothing.

After a few minutes, I smiled. “Well, that was interesting,” I said to no one in particular.

“I’ll say!” Grace replied.

“Thank you for being patient with me ladies,” I said to everyone. Then turning to Kalani, I asked, “Kalani, will you tell me what is going on with your mom?”

“I really have no idea. She never said a word to me of any doubts she had about what we were telling her about you. She did ask lots of questions though,” Kalani replied. “And now that you mention it, she was strangely quiet this afternoon.”

“I’m having trouble with your native language. What I would like to do, is tie you in and scan your mother again. This time, having you interpret for me. I really want to understand what is going on with her. Would you do that?”

“I have sworn to serve you,” Kalani replied.

I just smiled. “Let me remind you that I have not yet accepted your oath of fealty.”

Kalani looked puzzled.

“I have not yet decided if that is the best thing for Tapato,” I explained.

“Yes, of course,” she replied with a glimmer of understanding. Obviously, Catherine and Grace did not get it. So I explained.

“As of this moment, Kalani is still the Queen. Nothing has actually changed. But the Ratu needed to be shaken up ... gently, but dramatically. Additionally, this situation gives Kalani the chance to see how Mikeya will do in a crisis that’s not really a crisis.”

“So you’re not angry with the Ratu?” Grace asked.

“Oh, a little miffed, maybe. I’m really more concerned about WHY she reacted the way she did.”

“Does this mean you’re not going to ... er ... take me?” Kalani asked.

I side-stepped the question, simply by not answering. Instead, I asked her, “What do you think they will do now?” referring to her daughters.

“I do not know. As you said, this is a test. Now that you have done it; I, too, am anxious to see. Mikeya has never been in a situation like this before.”

“What are they doing now, Michael?” asked Catherine.

Well, there’s quite a bit of discussion going on between Mikeya and her grandmother. Most of it I can’t understand because of the language barrier. However, Ileana is upset that the ceremonies may be called off tomorrow. I haven’t figured out if she is just horny, or she’s trying to escape the island for some reason.

“Escape? Why would she ... Oh! I hadn’t thought of that,” said Kalani.

“Gerald wants to leave and search for you. But because of his training, he’s obeying orders. I can tell he is more than a little put out by your mom’s actions tonight. After what I did to him, there is no doubt in his mind that I am Pele Solakanali,” I told them. “And Mikeya is upset with your mom for challenging me. But I haven’t picked up yet on why your mom did that. Mikeya is worried about what to do next. I get the impression that even your mom doesn’t know what to do.”

“There is no doubt in my mind, either,” Kalani thought. “But still, the test is necessary.”

“By-the-way, Jason is at the bonfire with Julie, and if I’m not mistaken, he may enter the ranks of manhood before the night is over. That is, if Julie has her way.” I told them.

“Oh, I should stop him?” Kalani asked, looking at Catherine.

“Why? Do you have a problem with him exploring his sexuality?” Catherine asked.

“Uh ... well, no, I guess I don’t. He’s only fifteen, though, and I don’t think he has much experience in matters like that. You don’t feel, uh, concerned?”

Catherine spent the next few minutes explaining our family’s views on sexuality.

“I must say, it sounds much more like a European, than an American point of view,” Kalani said.

“How about Tapato? What are the attitudes like there?” I asked.

“On Tapato, we are not nearly as puritanical as either the Americans or the Europeans. However, there are a complicated set of ... ah ... guidelines I guess is the best way to say it,” Kalani explained. “Because the women outnumber the men more than two to one, sex is generally controlled by the women.”

“It is here too! It’s just that most guys never figure that out!” I laughed.

“What I meant, is that who is with whom and when, is usually considered women’s work. Most men cannot begin to fathom the complex scenarios that frequently have to be considered for a woman to be with a man. Not that the men go without sex very often. To the men, it all seems kind of informal. The women, though, have to work hard to make it so.”

Catherine was nodding, but I was confused. “Really?” I asked, clearly wanting Kalani to elaborate.

“For instance ... if I were not royalty, and you wanted me, you would simply tell me. Then I would speak with Grace, and maybe Catherine, and with Mikeya and Ileana of course, and any others necessary. We would work out times and places, making sure there were no conflicts or hurt feelings. Then at the appointed hour, I would meet you. Usually, you would know nothing of the hours of planning and discussions that it sometimes takes, in order for us to have our time together,” Kalani explained.

I could see that it seemed to make sense to Grace and Catherine, but I was still lost.

“What if I want you and you are royalty?”

“Are you asking as the Pele Solakanali?”

“No. Just a hypersexual sixteen-year-old member of your tribe,” I replied.

“I’m sorry, but that would never happen. My people are not allowed to touch me in a sexual manner,” Kalani said with some sadness.

“Is that why Gerald is a eunuch?” I asked.

Kalani was surprised. “How did you ... I mean yes, Pele Solakanali, you are correct. Gerald ... and any others who serve the Queen, are ... uh ... that way.”

“Then, if you don’t mind me asking, what does royalty do when they feel the urge to fuck?”

Kalani just lowered her head and blushed. “Are you asking as the Pele Solakanali?”

“Kalani, I’m not going to pull rank here. I was just curious. Mikeya and Ileana are going to spend some time with me, and I already feel something for them. By the time they return home, I’m sure I’ll feel even more for them. So I ask out of concern, that’s all. If it embarrasses you, then you do not have to answer,” I said.

She was quiet as she thought it through. I followed her feelings and was saddened by what I learned. I was trying to decide if I should do something, when I suddenly sensed that Jenny was in trouble!

“I think I’ll take a little stroll down to the bonfire. I’ll be back in a few minutes,” I said jumping to my feet.

“Do you need me?” Grace asked.

“I don’t think so. I’m just going to make a quick appearance, to remind Sammy to respect the word ‘no’,” I replied, leaping off the small porch and jogging quickly towards the beach.

Sammy and Jenny were sitting on a towel, near the end of the beach, and as far from the bonfire as they could get and still be technically on the beach. She was sitting between his legs, with her back to his chest as he pawed her breasts, keeping her from getting up.

It seems that Sammy had become aroused and was doing his best to convince Jenny to do the same. But as with most adolescent males, he was going about it the wrong way. Jenny, who had been slightly interested at first, had become quickly turned off. She had spent the last five minutes fighting him off, and trying to leave. Sammy though, was becoming more and more physical in his instance that she stay.

I cut through the brush at the end of the beach, and plopped down on the sand next to them before they even realized I was close. Sammy jerked his hands off her breasts, blushing.

“Hi guys!” I said. “Listen, I hate to intrude, but Grandmother needs you, Jen.”

Jenny jumped up and looked at me.

“Why don’t you go ahead? I want to talk to Sammy here for a minute,” I said.

Sammy didn’t move or look at me. His eyes followed Jenny back towards the bonfire.

“Hi, Sammy. I’m Michael, Jenny’s cousin,” I said.

“Yeah,” was all he said, in a typically dumb male response.

“Sammy, you look like a smart guy. Are you?”

“What da ya mean?”

“Are you smart enough to leave Jenny, and the rest of my family, alone, with just a warning?”

“I wasn’t doin’ nuthin’!”

“Nobody said you were,” I said. “But a smart guy like yourself, has probably already figured out she just ain’t worth the hassle, right?”

I had been scanning him, and his greatest fear was that his mom would find out. His dad probably wouldn’t give a shit if he fucked Jenny (so he thought) but his mom would kill him. Unfortunately, most males learn their attitudes about women from their fathers. So I would need to give the other girls a heads up.

“Who asked you to butt in?” he said belligerently.

“I thought you were a smart guy. I guess I’ll have to have my grandmother talk to your mom, then. The only problem is that Grandmother is going to insist on the police getting involved too. And that can mess up your whole day. What with being arrested, and cuffed, and taken to town, and fingerprinted, and then having to go before a judge and posting bail. Your folks are going to be pretty busy. I hope you’re dad’s a lawyer. That may speed thing up so you only have to spend one night in jail instead of the usual two or three. Is your dad a good lawyer?”

I sensed the panic rising now.

“He’s a ... a lineman for the power company,” Sammy stuttered.

“Well ... Jenny’s dad is an attorney. Pretty big one, I understand. Lots of connections. So ... you tell me. What’s it gonna be? You gonna stay clear, or do I go talk to my grandmother, who’ll want to talk to your mom, so that she can start figuring out how to raise your bail?”

“Fuck you, asshole!” he said.

He jumped up and began running back towards the bonfire. I squeezed his cortex a little and he stumbled.

I followed him, walking slowly. As I approached, I released my hold on his cortex and helped him to his feet. “Come on, let’s go find your mom and get this over with. I had plans for tonight, but my cousins are much more important!”

“L-L-Look. I don’t want no trouble. I didn’t do nuthin’. I wouldn’t touch the skank with a ten-foot pole!”

“Samuel Roger Cowen! You know better than to say something like that!” Mrs. Cowen screeched as she approached us with Jenny and John. “You will apologize right this minute!” she said it so menacingly, it actually scared me.

Sammy mumbled something. Then had his arm almost snatched out of its socket, as Mrs. Cowen pulled him back towards the pavilion and the path to their cabin.

Jenny grabbed me, hugging me tight.

“Thanks for stepping in when you did. It could have been a bigger problem than it was,” John said.

“Yeah! Thanks! I don’t know what I’d do without you,” Jenny said.

“Forget it. I’ve got to get back right away. I’ll see you all for breakfast. Make sure the other girls all know what happened and don’t let anyone go anywhere alone from now on.”

“Okay, Michael,” she said as I turned and started to jog back towards the cabin.

I was jogging back towards the cabin at the end of the trail, when I felt Anna looking for me.

“Hey good looking!” I thought to her.

“Oh, if you only meant it!” she thought back with a laugh.

“Well, I’m kinda busy now. But if you want, I’ll stop by in a few hours and show you how much I mean it!” I teased her back.

“Promises, promises!” she laughed. “Listen, I’ve got two ladies here at the Pavilion who are looking for you.”

“Are they wearing crowns?”

“They’re called tiaras, smarty!”