The King's Gamma (#Wattys2024)

Ninety Three

"Fleet Admiral Deimios!" the men around  us immediately stood up straighter. 

However we were looking at each other and the man was a giant. I smile up at him, the feeling overwhelming me. I could smell him, I could feel his very being. He was mine. 

Three golden hoops hung from his left ear, and he was tall and slim. He tilted his head slightly, as if he was asking why I was not responding. His skin was tanned, and his eyes seemed almost silver in the sunlight.

"I am Hal, yes." I smiled brightly, holding a hand out to him.

His silver blue eyes looked down at my hand for a moment before looking back up at my face. I could see it in his face. He was shocked at the sight of my smile. I knew well enough why. I had always been told I was too handsome for a woman and too pretty for a man. And this was proof. Not only he, but the many men around us seemed to have similar reactions.

He slowly took my hand and gave it a firm shake, and eyed me continuously.

I could feel it. The touch had affected him. It was the best way to establish a bond with your partner. Through touch. The more you touched, the more they would feel attracted to you. 

"I am Fleet Admiral Deimios Zafeiriou. You said you are from a berserker bloodline?"

"On my mother's side." I nodded. 

"You're staying in Nautica while searching for your partner?"

"Yes, Fleet Admiral."

"Where will you be staying? What will you do for an income?"

"Master Jen has arranged a temporary place for me to stay. I don't have work yet."

He looked at Vice Admiral Ronin behind me. "You said you needed a new page boy until Barius returns. Take this child."

"Fleet Admiral?" He seemed surprised at the suggestion.

I felt a large hand land on my head. He rubbed my head briefly before removing his hand. "You need someone who can handle heavy lifting and rigorous work and be trusted. You have tested him yourself, he is trustworthy and strong. And above all, he requires housing and food while he is here. As Navy officers, we have a sworn duty to help our nation and those who visit. A young man in search of his partner will need stability wherever he goes."

Vice Admiral Ronin looked towards me before he looked back at the Admiral and shook his head slightly. "Come. Let's get you settled and uniformed."

I followed the Vice Admiral onto the ship to a small, closed-off space close to a larger room. 

"This will be your room. You will be staying here. My room and office is right next door. Before we do anything else, it is standard for us to test your health and abilities. So let's go see the doctor."

"Yes, Vice Admiral." I smiled excitedly as I continued to follow him. 

We reached the deck again soon after and got off the ship. Master Jen was gone, and the Admiral, as well as a few other men, were waiting in a huge warehouse not far away. The equipment inside was new for me, I had never seen equipment like this before and deduced that it was developed in Nautica specifically.

"We have a new kid joining us, Doc." Vice Admiral Ronin said as he brought me before a slender man that I guessed to be around the same age as my father and vassals. 

The man gave a gentle smile, belying his well-trained and toned body and sharp eyes. "It's nice to meet you, young man. The Fleet Admiral and other Admiral and officers are joining us as we have not seen a test for a berserker bloodline in years."