by K. L. Wallen
“Seated on the table in front of you. They are quite enchanted by you,” I admitted. I couldn’t help but crack a little smile when he blushed. I desperately wished my mom would stop ogling and my grandmother would stop with the puppy dog eyes. When the two of them started fanning their faces, Dakota scooted back and bit her lip in an attempt to hold in her giggles. I never thought I’d see the day where my daughter was acting more mature than my mother and grandmother. Lord help me.
“All right then. As I was saying,” Attilius stared straight ahead to where Christine had indicated her deceased mother and grandmother were seated. His voice lowered and he menacingly announced, “if anyone threatens Christine or Dakota, I will personally decimate the individuals without mercy. Your successors will always be safe in my care.”
I had no doubt he meant it. The way my mom and grandmother started patting their hearts and swooning, they obviously thought so too.
He then turned to my daughter and asked, “Now, if I pet Kinoa, will he feel it?” Attilius began making a scratching motion with his hand as he sat there. It would have been hilarious if I weren’t able to see the ghost dog sitting on his lap, closing his eyes and leaning towards Attilius’ chest in contentment. Part of me was jealous!
I scooted to the edge of the chair. “I can’t say I’ve ever had anyone make such a declaration before.”
“We will be life-mated when we reach my planet. Of course I would protect you both. Dakota will now be my daughter,” Attilius stated matter of factly.
“Kinoa, would you mind getting down?” He scooted to the edge of the sectional.
“Christine, I spoke too soon. Ellie said I should ask you.”
“Ellie?” That’s a human name. Just who is this woman that is giving him advice? I wondered.
Attilius removed a small disc from an inner vest pocket. “Let me put this in the console. It’s a message to you from the other humans we have living on our planet. I’ll explain to you and Dakota who each of them are as it plays.”
*.*
Dakota
My dad doesn’t waste any time. The day after we got to our new home, he married my mom! He also changed my last name to his! Dakota Rimi Thalmar. I like it.
My new house is bigger than the White House. I’d say it’s even bigger than the palace where the queen lives. I could get lost in here if it weren’t for Serena and Maude. They always tell mom where I am. Kinoa rats me out too. Mom asks him and he leads her right to me.
Tomorrow, I’m going to go stay at the compound with Slotan and Laurel for a few days while my mom and my new dad go on their honeymoon. When they come back, my dad says he’s going to take us to the lake. He wants to take me fishing. I’ve never been before. No doubt Great-Grandma Maude and Kinoa will come along. They never let me out of their sight. Augh! Nah, actually that’s okay. I just sometimes get a little bit, well maybe a lot, but mostly a little bit frustrated.
I’m going to be a teenager soon and I’m going into high school. But do they call it high school here? I don’t think so. I think it’s all just called academy. How boring. Ah gawd, I’ll be at the same school technically as six year olds! They’ve got to have some separation. Right? Pleasepleaseplease. Crappers.
For reals though, I think my mom wants me out of the way for a little while, so she can figure out who is haunting the palace. Well, one room in the palace anyhow. It’s a room my dad locked up years ago. I don’t know why but he did tell my mom. There are actually a lot of ghosts here but the one in that room is super angry. My dad says he never heard anything coming out of there before we arrived.
My mom figures that the ghost is unhappy because we’re here. Serena and Maude are staying away from the ghost until mom can figure out what to do. She may need them to help her get rid of it, and doesn’t want them showing themselves to the pissed off ghost yet.
*.*
I got to meet all of the people my dad showed me in the video today, after mom and dad dropped me off at Laurel and Slotan’s mansion. Well, all except for Bryony and Aaliyah. They’re going to try to make it over tonight after work or tomorrow for the football game. I was told that the twins, Breneem and Bolano, are instructors for warrior pairs and that they are teaching the warriors to play football because they need to learn to focus and work as a team.
So tomorrow, all of the Scorpak brothers and some of their guards will take on the trainees. Olivia and Laurel made me a cheerleading outfit that matched theirs. It consisted of pom-poms, a low-cut mini-skirt and a pushup top that ends just under my boobs. When I tried it on, my first thought was that I look like I’m old enough to be graduating high school, not starting it! My second thought was that my parents won’t need to see any pictures that might be snapped.
In this getup, I’ll definitely help them and the other girls distract the trainees! Should be tons of fun.
Laurel is really nice and is teaching me how to turn my cartwheels and handstands into flips. She says I’ll need to know for when Olivia, LC, and Kodiak, when he gets back from Earth, begin my martial arts training. This will be part of my academic training.
My mom, dad, and I had a long talk before they left about my schooling. I told them that I want to be a meteorologist when I grow up. Dad was excited and invited my instructors to come to the palace to meet me as soon as we come back from our fishing trip. At the academy, I’ll be taking history, political science, military drills, math, and general sciences. I’ll alternate days on these classes, and will only go in the morning. I don’t need to take remedial reading and writing in Pzianian because mom allowed them to use the electrodes to catch me up on where the students my age are.
After my academy classes, I’ll go to the compound every day for P.E. I’ll be taking swimming, diving, track and field, yoga, gymnastics, and martial arts. Martial arts will be one to two hours daily, and then one of the other activities. It will just depend on who’s available. Laurel and Olivia are teaching me gymnastics; although, Olivia is pregnant right now so she won’t be doing much until the baby is born.
Moira is teaching me diving and helping me strengthen my swimming skills. Her twin girls are soooooo cute! They seem to have their own language. It’s really interesting to see how they interact with each other. Kailani and Cordelia are identical in looks, mannerisms, and personality. I don’t know how Moira and the twins tell them apart. The girls look like their mother with the red hair and green eyes, but have their dads skin tone. Dads plural. They’re gonna be knockouts when they’re older. Moira says Kailani and Cordelia can come into the pool with us sometimes. She’s already teaching them how to float. I hope they don’t poop in there.
Samantha, she has ghosts hanging around her too but doesn’t seem to know it, is working with LC to set up track and field for me. I wonder if I should tell her about the ghosts. None of them seem hostile, more curious. Her and Bryony will be running with me on the track and field. Bryony and LC will also teach me mountain climbing in a year or so.
Aaliyah will be my yoga instructor as soon as she delivers her baby. Until then, Ellie and Jenna will teach me basic yoga positions, and teach me how to handle a gyocco. My dad and new brother, Pravel, say they want to teach me to ride one first. I like having a brother even if he is a lot older. He’s nice to me.
Once I finish with P.E., I eat lunch at home or at the compound, then my guards will take me to the sciences department where I’ll spend three hours a day being mentored by Warrior Lynx on meteorology. I’m really excited. I’ll get to meet Warrior Lynx soon. I don’t know if this is a man or woman yet. I just hope this warrior is patient and doesn’t mind me tagging along for the next eight years or so. That’s how long my dad says it will take for me to be on my own. I did ask if that were normal and he said yes. I’m glad for that. I was worried he thought me stupid when he first told me how long it would take.
I found out that there will be another human kid, a boy called Justin, about 15 years old, that will be joining me at the academy and with P.E. classes i
n another couple of months. We can’t do P.E. with the other students at the academy because they are stronger and really fast. Dad demonstrated just how fast they are. He’s right. I’ll be better off doing P.E. with my own race. Anyhow, it will be nice to have company. I’m definitely shaving! I hope Justin’s cute. Who knows, maybe I’ll find a cute warrior my age at the academy. Wink, wink. Maybe sooner.
Mom and Dad are going to have some of the guards kids come to the palace in a week or so for a party. We had to explain to Dad what a party for teenagers is and how it is to be set up. I’m kind of worried. What if it’s a flop? How will I ever live it down? New kid on the planet and a big fat floppy party to start with.
I’m going to ask Laurel to help me. She’s not as old as my parents. She should remember what it’s like to be my age. I hope.
For now, Slotan is barbecuing and then I’m going to the compound’s swim center. Afterwards, we’re going to practice our cheers!
*.*
LC was a riot as a referee! Most of the time he had that same look on his face as my mom does when she tries to keep up with me. The warriors are really fast and LC gave up blowing his whistle. He pretty much just let them all go at each other. I’m not sure if what they did followed the same football rules as what we have on Earth. Probably not if the look on LC’s face was anything to go by. His reactions really were funny.
He kicked butt on a couple of the trainees who got distracted by us cheerleaders. You should have seen him kick ass when one of the warriors approached me. The guy thought I was older! Today, I do look older. I sorta felt sorry for the guy once he found out. He really looked horrified when he found out how young I am. I found out later that him and his twin just turned eighteen and are still attending the academy. They go to Breneem and Bolano’s warrior-pair training in the afternoons. Actually, come to think of it, it was pretty insulting the way he reacted once he was told my age. You’d think I had cooties. Give me an L. Give me a C. Goooo LC! Yeah!
Every time one of the Scorpak brothers scored a touchdown, they scooped up their wife and gave her a kiss. Moira got picked up a lot! Two husbands! Wow. I don’t think my mom would ever let me have two husbands. Huh.
Phataz scooped up Bryony, even though they’re not married, and tried to kiss her. She didn’t yell at him or anything but she turned her head. I don’t think anyone else saw her reject him. It happened pretty fast and I was right next to them.
I suppose that’s why when that cootie afraid of me warrior scored a touchdown, he tried to scoop me up. He must have known I’m not with anyone on the Scorpak team. He certainly didn’t know I’m Pravel’s sister. At least not until Pravel, after LC finished, started beating on him. Once all of the we are so not going to win today or any other day team put two and two together and realized who my dad is, well, they all acted as if I were like that giant iceberg the Titanic should have avoided. If I were to drown, would one of them rescue me? Probably, if for no other reason than to score points with my dad. Bozos.
Still, I’m not going to tell my dad. Pravel was so mad he knocked the wanna be stud out with one punch. He’s my new hero! I have a big brother and I’m gonna show him off! Pravel can really kick ass! The only reason Pravel didn’t get to him first was because he was distracted and missed what the idiot what’s his name warrior tried to do. I don’t think that warrior’s going to be training for a while.
Zepar took on the warrior’s brother who tried to sneak up on my brother. Zepar laid that one out cold. That one won’t be training with Breneem and Bolano either for a while. I really hope these aren’t Pzians finest that Breneem and Bolano are working with. If so, maybe they’ll get better.
Crappers. I’ll be going to the same academy as them. I bet they warn everyone to stay away from me. Could this day get any worse?
I also noticed my brother seemed interested in Bryony. He was playing on the same team as the Scorpak brothers. I’m not sure if he saw what didn’t happen between Phataz and Bryony. Thinking about it, I’m pretty sure Pravel likes Bryony. He kept looking at her. I wonder if she would have let my brother kiss her. They’d make a cute couple. Maybe I should play cupid.
All of the Scorpak guys are big like my dad and Pravel. I haven’t seen any other warriors, not even the guards, as big in the arms, chest or legs as they are. They’re even bigger than Commander Gharm and he’s pretty big. These guys definitely ate their spinach growing up.
Nana was cheerleading right along with us! She was hilarious. She was even funnier when she kicked the young warrior that tried to hit on me in the balls and then slugged him in the face. Too bad he didn’t feel it. I don’t think I’ve ever seen her turn those shades of red before. Maude tried to cover my eyes when Nana did that but it didn’t work.
Kinoa wore himself out chasing everyone on the field, that is after he went around and sniffed all of their yahoos. For a ghost dog, he’s a real trooper.
Maude was hilarious! I’ve got a wicked great-grandma. I don’t think she wanted Nana to show her up, so she jumped on Gorgo’s back and hung on as he ran in a touchdown! Maude did let go when he picked up Jenna. I cheered for Gorgo and Maude. Nobody said anything about it though. Maybe they didn’t notice.
I’d love to tell mom all about the game, but she’ll probably tell dad. That wouldn’t be good. He might kill the now that I know how old you are you ain’t no good shit for brains warrior. He really pissed me off the way he acted. He was like, ‘Oh, I want you,’ then ‘Oh, how fast can I get away from you little kid?’ I have to, as mom puts it, selectively edit. Hah! And you know what? Here’s what. When I do turn eighteen in five years, I’m going to ignore Mr. Cootie Face and his brother. He can just sit and spin on that where the sun don’t shine.
The three days went by too fast. I’m just glad that I don’t have to wait until my classes at the academy start before I can come back here. Laurel told me I can come anytime I want and she’s going to help with my party! Her, Aaliyah, and Olivia said they would supply the music and sing! They promised to make it good.
Laurel’s really nice. She has a café down by the warrior training center that serves hot and cold coffees. Laurel plans on adding in snacks. Maybe she’ll let me work there when I’m on break from school. Academy. Need to remember that. Just like the warriors are called males and females, not men and women. Check, check and check.
I was happy to see mom and dad. He flew the shuttle home, with two shuttles in front, two shuttles on each side, and two behind us, full of his guards. I couldn’t help but do an eye roll when I knew they weren’t looking.
“Dad?” I waited for him to acknowledge me. “I promised I would tell you and forgot. Sorry. There’s a Warrior Cade, a ghost warrior, who works in your gardens. He’s upset because the windows in the renovated greenhouse have been repositioned. He says too much light from both suns will now negatively affect the plants in there. Can you please ask the warriors to move the windows back to their original position? That’s it. So, when can I go back to the compound? How old do I have to be to get a license to fly one of these things?”
*.*
Christine
The honeymoon was wonderful. Still, I’m glad to be back with Dakota. We picked her up on the way back to the palace. I must say that she had a great time at the compound. Not that I was worried or anything.
Attilius took me to his hunting cabin—that’s as large as Bill Gates house! He sent most of his staff home so we could have privacy. It was all very romantic. I never would have dreamed that they have so many customs similar to ours. If I didn’t know better, I’d swear he was either coached or read a romance story or two. Somehow I can’t imagine the great and powerful Leader Thalmar resorting to such tactics. He was the perfect gentleman and incredible lover, during our entire trip. I can’t imagine that will change.
Although, I know his position will take up a considerable amount of time. Attilius has promised that he would always make time for me and Dakota. I have faith that he will.
One
of the places on his property reminded me of Cummins Falls in Cookeville, TN. We picnicked at the falls, and, well I felt like I was twenty years old again. I’d say he felt the same. He was quite randy! We had so much fun. I’ll be thinking of our time together there forever. Very, very memorable.
Back to reality. I have a ghost that’s really pissed me off. She tripped Dakota on her way up the stairs. Not acceptable. Warrior Dojea has left her self-exiled room and has to go. Attilius explained that she is the reason he keeps that one downstairs room locked. He doesn’t want a reminder that the female warrior killed herself in there when he rejected her offer to breed. I can’t say that I blame him. Now that I know what happened in that room, I’m fine with keeping it locked for eternity.
That was probably the reason why he didn’t have more kids. Maybe one day he’ll tell me. He did tell me that he would like to have a youngling, their phrase for baby, with me. At my age, seeing the horizon of middle-age not far off, I’m not so sure I want to start all over again. I still have time. Maybe in a year, or less, I’ll decide I want to have his child.
First, I need to make sure the child I do have, is safe. “Mom, grandma,” I whispered. “I need to talk to you outside.” It was time to plan. So far, Warrior Dojea was unaware of them. Kinoa she knows about. Kinoa was the one who alerted me to her presence just as she tripped Dakota. Dojea did dissipate when Kinoa attacked her. Good dog. That will buy me a little time.
*.*
Attilius followed me out. “I only have one sage smudge upstairs and will need,” I looked at Attilius. “How many rooms are in the palace?”
“Not including the outer buildings, there are 214 rooms in our home,” he replied. “I’ll have Pravel take Dakota back to the compound until the threat to her life is over. I won’t leave you to deal with this alone. I will do everything I can to protect you.”
