In the Sand City Castle Library, Sienna was listening to Ramse. She asked him about Sarcos's reputation, and the Ape King did not hold back. It was almost nice to have an honest moment with him, where she could pry all the answers without her mates knowing.
"Well, as you know, Sarcos became the King from his seventh year of age; most Kings thought that he was weak and attacked him recklessly. Sarcos was just learning his self-control back then; he was a kid after all, and was easy to anger. After defending Sand City, he went with his army and destroyed their cities to teach them a lesson. He took over their lands like a deadly tornado."Ramse chuckled."He was so strong that he decided to split his army, half to fight and half to watch. This way, he always had fresh men to fight, and he could progress faster than anyone expected. He gave his enemies a choice to send only half of the men...so someone would be able to take care of the injured and females. Most Kings found it funny and sent all able men, Sarcos beat them severely, even with a half army and killed the Kings who did not yield to him. He also took half of their treasures... That is why most Kings are young, he killed the old ones..."Ramse noted. "As time passed, the rumours spread and the Kings became wary of him. They tried to send him Princesses to marry, to get him under their influence, when he became a teenager, but he just gave them to his generals and soldiers. The Kings complained, but he told them that he wanted to be free of invisible reins and if he accepted any Princess for himself, he would kill her entire clan. He was fed up with them...so the Kings rather stopped. In this case, is lucky you do not have a tribe." Ramse nodded.
"After that, Sarcos just concentrated on his business and army...taking over the world."Ramse continued, "I was so surprised he fell for you so fast, but not shocked. You are so beautiful..." he sighed...and touched Sienna's hair.
"I still think if I were gentler that first day, maybe you would go with me," he bit his lips...
"Maybe not!"Sienna shook her head."Your ape really scared me..."
"Scardy cat you are!" he shook his head, resentful.
"And you are White King Kong...not for me." She looked at him, still digesting the loads of information she got from him.
"What is that...?"Ramse asked curiously.
"A story from my world...."Sienna smiled.
"I want to know it!"Ramse sat next ot her curiously.
"Ok, then."Sienna sighted and summarised the movie about a huge ape to which the Skull Island tribe sacrifices people to eat, and how he made a friend with the captured blond woman who was offered to him as a sacrifice. The story ended as he died trying to save her in the modern world, which was too small-scale for him to fit into, and he kept destroying it...
Ramse listened with interest, and when she finished, he looked at her. "Is it this why you do not want me?" he asked curiously."I do not eat people, and my ape is not so big," he noted.
"Not entirely," Sienna bit her lips.
"So what else?" He looked at her,
"I do not like monkeys; they can hurt people. They are sneaky and dangerous."She said.
"So are tigers, snakes and scorpions, and you are ok with them," he retorted immediately."What else!"He looked at her almost wildly. Ramse could feel that he could reveal her secret, which was ruining his life.
"Because in Ancient Rome, they punished women to have them fucked by a baboon. It is disgusting and wrong."Sienna finally said it.
"Baboons? Yakk," Ramse shook his head."But still, they are not apes. We are different."He noted.
"Yes, but you are still scary and violent," she noted seriously.
"Everybody here has to be scary, all your mates are scary and violent," Ramse noted.
"Monkeys beat their females."Sienna bit her lips. She felt as if she was losing her argument because he was kind of right.
"I know, and I stopped it in all the tribes under me."Ramse said, "This is no more. So what else?" he rasped.
"I'm still scared of your Ape."Sienna looked at him, furrowing her brows.
"Did he ever hurt you?"Ramse asked.
"No, he helped me, but I'm scared."Sienna nodded.
"Are you more scared of spiders or apes?"Ramse asked, thinking.
"Spiders," Sienna said straight away.
"So, if I teach you to stop being scared of spiders, will you be willing to stop being scared of my White Ape?"He asked.
"I,... I prefer to learn to stop being scared of the apes first," Sienna said, not wanting to get close to the spiders.
"Good. I will keep this for next time, then."Ramse nodded, satisfied.
"There will be no next time!"Sienna thought, shaking within her mind, deciding to avoid him forever.
"Do you want to finish reading it?"Ramse looked at Sienna's book about animals, which she was holding.
"Just quickly."She nodded and checked the eagles, tigers and scorpions as well. She read, and her face was going paler and paler...
"If you have me for your mate, I will not force you to mate my Ape," Ramse said gently, touching her hand.
"They do not force me, I signed the contract with Sarcos to save a girl," Sienna sighed.
"If you do not want to do it, it is forcing you, no?"Ramse grinned, trying to get some good points against her mates.
"Yes, it is..it sucks."She said, upset.
"Well, you can try to prevent it, if you wish to get pregnant in your human form first," he suggested."Or I can take you with me instead, if you want. It will take them time to track you down, and I'll let you go back on your days," he chuckled.
"How kind of you, but I do not want to trouble you that much."Sienna smiled sheepishly."Sarcos promised to wait till I'm ready. I hope he will keep his word," she sighed.
"You do not trust him?"Ramse asked.
"I do not trust Crystal Pincer."She noted.
"Why would he like to make you pregnant if he likes another?"Ramse asked.
"No idea, I need to research it."She bit her lips, a little disturbed."It makes no sense. He should urge Sarcos to look for his Queen instead, no?"Sienna asked, thinking.
"You should ask Marath about this."Ramse looked at her seriously.
"He will be spending winter in the Snake Castle."Sienna nodded."But Sharchan is hibernating for another few weeks, so I do not have a valid reason to go there."She bit her lips.
"Maybe visit Thyasse?"Ramse joked."Or your mother-in-law?" he asked cheekily.
"That might work."Sienna nodded."Thank you for the suggestion. You are right! I need to consult with Marath. He said that I need to learn to read what is not written," she noted.
"Hm, what is not written can be drawn or said or shown."Ramse started to think. "It is so many things you can read without actually reading the written letters. I will make you a list, and we can try all those," he nodded.
"So, you are helping me full on?"Sienna asked, a bit surprised.
"Sure, you paid me up front," he chuckled.
"Ok, thank you."Sienna smiled. It kind of felt good to share her worries with the clever Ape King.
Sienna closed the book about animals and stood up to put it back. But instead of moving, she stood frozen, thinking. Then she bit her lips and turned to Ramse with a worried expression on her face.
"Again, my love?" he asked her carefully.
Sienna nodded.
Ramse took the book from her hand and put it back where it belonged. Then he just lifted her carefully into his embrace and took her back to her room. He dropped her off in her bathroom and went to find her new clothes automatically.
Sienna just saw that the new clothes were pushed through the door and smiled. "I trained him quite well!" she thought.