James stopped short, but she kept walking.

'Hey. Whoa. Hold on,' he said, getting in front of her to get her to stop. 'Are you saying you had s.e.x with Briar?'

'If that's what you Humans call it...yes.'

'How could you be unfaithful to me?!'

'I told you you'd take it wrong.' She stepped around him and kept going. He grabbed for her wrist and she moved it just out of reach.

'Lilly, stop! Why did you do it?'

She kept walking. 'To fill the vacancies."

'So, why didn't the other Adremedians do it then?'

'Because it was Forbidden to the others.'

'If it's Forbidden, why did you do it?'

'Because we were the only Adremedians that weren't sick or refused the first contact!' Lilly's pace quickened and James tried to stop her, but she avoided his hands and ran.

'Lilly!' James chased after her, but soon lost her among the trees of the forest. 'Lilly!' He looked everywhere but she was nowhere to be found. Finally he sat by a tree muttering softly to himself.

'…What's… wrong James?'

James looked up and saw a young man about twelve. 'Sapientiis?'

'Yes.… Where's Rosae Lilly?'

'Your mother has run off somewhere.'

'Mother? No, I don't have parents. Only brothers and sisters and my leader Rosae Lilly.'

'Sapientiis, how old are you?'

'According to your time, t… wenty days.'

'Huh. What have I gotten myself into?'

'James?'

'It's nothing. I think I need a moment to myself.'

'All right.'

James watched until Sapientiis was out of sight. Then he sat and pondered on those things he had learned. He was surprised when Torta walked through the trees, but didn't hesitate to climb on and return to the castle. Torta stopped in the courtyard and James got off. He entered the study and found paper and ink. He wrote late into the night, recording everything he had learned that last month. At last he set the quill down and retired to his room.

James lay awake in bed for a long time trying to understand why Lilly didn't seem concerned about having s.e.x—and children—with another man while they were engaged. How she could brush off her connection to the twin as if they were not her own. Maybe he just needed to ask the right questions to get her to explain herself better. James blew out his breath then rolled over to try and sleep.

James woke the next morning to a knock on the door. He got up and pulled on some pants before opening the door.

"James, your...are you okay?" Carthago asked. "You don't look so well."

"I had a late night."

"With Lily? Is everything okay? She's not sick is she?"

"No." He sighed. "I don't know how to take her way of life."

"What do you mean?"

James leaned against the doorway and said softly. "She had s.e.x with an Adremedian before she married me."

"What?! She should be hanged for that."

"I love her too much to kill her."

"Then we'll cut her hands off, so she won't be able to touch another man. Bring her to the dungeon. We need to settle this now."

"I can't do that, Carthago."

"James, this can't go without punishment."

"Give me some time to talk to her. Then I'll decide."

"Very well."

James closed the door and rested his head against it.

He turned to finish dressing when he heard the door open. Turning back, he watched Lilly step into the room. The door closed quietly behind her as knelt on the floor before him.

'Forgive my intrusion, Prince. I...'

She stopped when he pulled her from the floor to her feet and embraced her. At first it surprised her, but then she relaxed in his arms. Slowly he kissed her neck then moved to her lips. He felt a s.h.i.+ft in Lilly. A s.h.i.+ft that seemed to take over her movements. Their kissing became more pa.s.sionate, as James maneuvered her towards the bed. He removed her clothes and her hands did the same for him. Their bodies intertwined. Lilly's breath caught when James brought their lower bodies together. But she relaxed. Accepted his presence while surrounding him with hers. He felt a lot closer to her. A closeness that did not dissipate with their physical separation. James lay beside her once more. She snuggled up against his chest.

'I have no words to describe how amazing this feels, James,' Lilly whispered. 'I love you, so much.'

'I love you also, Lilly.'

He caressed her face, his feelings mixed as he observed the happiness and bliss on Lilly's face. Several voices whispered in his mind as he continued to observe the beautiful woman in his arms.

'Unfaithful,' they whispered.

'Is something wrong, James?' Lilly asked, when he stopped caressing her.

'Why did you have s.e.x with Briar?' he asked. 'We were engaged.'

Lilly feathered her fingers across the side of his neck and shoulder. 'For Adremedians there is no such thing as an engagement or a marriage. When one of our people needs to be replaced they find an Adremedian of the opposite s.e.x to create it. Then the one requesting the replacement takes him or her and teaches them. However, if the one needing the replacement is ill then two healthy Adremedians, who have not refused the first contact, create that replacement for them.'

'I understand all that, but why you? Why didn't Briar ask another female Adremedian?'

'He did, James. Briar asked everyone else, because he has been touched by the forbidden as I have. Because of that, neither of us should have been able to create anymore Adremedian replacements. However, since all of the others were sick or refused he came to me with the hope that, even though the ability to create replacements had been closed for both of us, we would still be able to aid the continuation of our people.'

'Would you do it again if you were asked to?'

'I would not be able to.'

James rolled away from her and got out of bed. 'I don't understand who you can set Adremedian intercourse aside so easily.'

'James, I....'

A strange sound reached his hears. He turned. Lily pressed her face into the mattress.

'Lilly? What's wrong?'

'What is this feeling?' she winced.

He moved back to her side. 'What are you feeling?'

'I… I can't feel my hands.' Then she buried her face into the blanket and he heard her whine. 'What are you planning?'

'I don't know yet. Carthago thinks we should cut your hands off.'

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Lilly forced her head into the bed a little more and her hands shook. 'Then take them.'

'Lilly, I…' He picked up one of her hands and it felt wet. Turning it over, he could see several cuts splitting the skin open. 'What is happening?'

'Take them,' she cried.

James left for Brandy and some bandages. Lilly seemed unaware of James as he bandaged her hands or the burning liquid he had her drink. Her eyelids fluttered for a moment before they closed in sleep. That was punishment enough. James set the Brandy on the table before going to the dungeon where Carthago waited.

"James," he said. "What have you decided?"

"No punishment is necessary."

"But you two were engaged. Did that hold no weight for her?"

"There is no such thing as an engagement or marriage in her culture."

"So that makes it okay to have s.e.x with one of her own before she marries you."

"I don't expect you to understand, Carthago. I can't do it."

"Then what is to prevent her from doing it again?"

James shook his head then left the dungeon. He walked slowly back to his room. Lilly was still asleep in their bed. He laid by her side and brushed the hair from her face. Memories of the summer house came to mind and he rested his forehead on her shoulder. Her arm came up and wrapped awkwardly around his head.

'Lilly?' he asked, looking up at her.

Her eyes were still closed. 'Why is everything slow to respond, James?'

'It's probably because of the Brandy I gave you for the pain.'

She rolled to her side and sat up.

'You probably shouldn't get up yet.'

'I feel sick.'

He got up for a bowl, but Lilly ran for the door. She staggered in her run and banged her right shoulder hard against the door frame as she slipped out. But she didn't stop. James followed after her, but lost sight of her once they were outside the castle. He kept looking and caught sight of her as she was leaving through the back gates of the city. Running, he caught up to her about half way up the first hill.