by Celeste Raye
When she went to Alice's door, she discovered that the other woman, Anna, was there as well. They looked much healthier than Marie. They were sewing baby clothes and discussing names. Scyon soon claimed their undivided attention. His antics kept the mood light and happy. When he fell asleep, Destiney questioned the ladies about their pregnancies. Theirs' were more like Destiney's had been. They ate normally and had no bruises or pain. Maybe Marie was just not a healthy woman. Then, Destiney realized that couldn't be the case. Each woman had been put through rigorous testing before they were cleared as prospective wives for the Arkani. She wished there was an easy answer. She was now even more concerned for Alexis.
Destiney searched through the stacks of fabrics for the perfect one. She wanted Alexis's wedding dress to be extraordinary. The right color and texture would be in there somewhere. There were thousands of fabrics from all over the universe. Some almost seemed to be alive. The shimmer of blue caught her eye. The fabric matched Alexis's eyes and appeared to move like an ocean's waves. Destiney knew it was the right choice when upon touching it she felt only air. Its ethereal lightness would not harm Alexis's swollen baby bump. It would flow lightly over her body and enhance her beauty. Now she needed Alexis to choose a style for the dress. She wrapped the fabric to protect it from harm and headed for the lab.
The hallway was full of panicked people. They immediately calmed when Destiney stepped out of the storage room. A young Milisarian woman grabbed her by the arm saying, "Queen Destiney, we have been searching everywhere for you. The human, Marie, is in labor. We fear she is dying. The nurse and Alexis have done all they can, but she is not responding. Without the king, it is your place to bless her passage from this world. Will you come?"
Destiney quickly handed the young woman her package and Scyon. "Please take care of my son and this package. I will go to Marie now. Scyon needs to be fed. Can you do that?"
"It would be my honor to serve you. I will take him to the open area and feed him. You will find us there when all is done. Thank you for your trust." The woman bowed and hurried off.
Destiney reached Marie's quarters in record time. Many women were gathered outside her door. They parted to allow Destiney access to the room. The space reeked of blood, vomit, and impending death. Marie now lay still, barely breathing. Her mate stood at her side, holding tightly to her hand. Tears ran down his warrior's face. A tiny bundle was wrapped in sheets and laid upon the bed. Alexis motioned for Destiney to come closer. She whispered, "She will be gone soon. Do you know the words of blessing?"
Destiney nodded as she began to cry. She put a gentle hand on Marie's forehead and said, "May you leave this life and enter the next world where there is no pain or sadness. Take with you our love and our promise to care for the ones you leave behind. Go in peace." She sobbed as Marie sighed her last breath.
Alexis picked up the tiny bundle and handed it to Marie's mate. "You have a daughter. She needs you now. Many willing hands will help you raise her. We are so sorry. We did our best to save Marie."
The powerful warrior stared at his tiny daughter with the love of the ages in his eyes. He quietly replied, "She is exactly like her mother. I will treasure her as a gift from Marie and the gods. I will tell her each day of the mother who gave up her life to bring her into this world."
Destiney went in search of her son. She hugged him close to her heart and gave thanks for her life. She picked up the package with the lovely fabric inside and made her way to Nabvan's quarters. She found Alexis curled up on the bed crying.
Alexis sobbed, "I couldn't save her. I tried so hard. She came such a long way to start a new life and died instead. I don't want to die! What if it happens to me? I have to find something to stop this. It's as if our bodies aren't compatible with the fetus, yet you're fine, and so are Alice and Anna. There is one other, and she is getting sicker as each day passes."
Destiney reassured her, "You will find a way to fix this. You will live and raise this baby. I don't think you're as sick as Marie was. You still manage to eat and work. Let's focus on happy things today. Nabvan loves you, and you're getting married soon. Sit up, wipe your eyes, and look at what I have." She opened the package, and the shimmering waves brought a surprised gasp from Alexis.
"It's alive. I could sail a ship across it." Alexis let it run through her fingers and sighed. "It has no weight. I see it, but can feel nothing. Is this for my dress?"
Destiney handed her the sketches of several dresses. "Choose one, and we can measure you for it. You will take Nabvan's breath away."
Alexis chose the sketch of a dress with an empire waist that flowed loosely over the rest of her body and had a long train in the back. She exclaimed, "You have captured my style well, and it will hide the pregnancy. I couldn't do this without you, dear friend. Stay with me today, and we will only speak of our futures with positive words. No more being sad or anxious. No pity parties. It is time to celebrate all the good things in our lives."
The ladies tried to keep the positive attitudes, but each was holding in a sadness and fear. Destiney worried that Siefer was never returning and that she would lose Alexis. Alexis worried about the loneliness she saw on her friend's face and about her own chances of survival. They thought they were hiding their fears from each other; however, their friendship allowed them to see deep into each other's soul.
Chapter: 9
***Alexis***
Alexis tossed and turned all night. Luckily, Nabvan was on duty. She could not have kept him from waking as she constantly moved around. Her belly was starting to show the same bruises as Marie's. She felt achy all over and was eating less and less. She was taking the same potion that she gave to the other women, and it kept her from vomiting. She was at least receiving nourishment and remained strong. She felt the weight of responsibility for the other humans. She had chosen them for the voyage, and now their lives were in jeopardy. It was up to her, as the only one with scientific knowledge on Milisaria, to find a cure for this incompatibility. First, she had to discover why it only happened in some of the women and not others. Added to her worry for them was the one for Destiney. She was different now that Siefer was away. She seemed so lost. Alexis prayed for Siefer to return soon.
Alexis showered and dressed. She used some of the face enhancing products from Earth that she had found in a box in the lab. They helped hide the deep circles under her eyes and brighten her pale cheeks. She slowly walked to the lab. Her research was more important than ever. She feared there would come a time when she was unable to work. An answer needed to be found before that came about.
Excited murmurs ran through the city. They reached the lab as Alexis was about to leave. A large caravan was approaching. The king was returning. Alexis felt the relief down to her bones. Destiney would have her husband back, and Alexis could concentrate on a cure.
The caravan arrived and was soon inundated with Milisarians who wished to greet the warriors. Some of the guards had left families behind that were anxious to see them. Destiney shoved her way through the crowd in order to reach King Siefer's waiting arms. He hugged her close and reached to take Scyon from her. The baby cried out and clung to his mother. He did not remember his father. King Siefer was shocked by the baby's refusal and his hurt came out as anger, "What have you done to him? Have you not spoken to him of his father during all this time? Have you taught him fear rather than strength?"
Destiney backed away from his angry tirade and took the baby home. Alexis saw the confrontation and followed her. She comforted her friend with the words, "He is tired. His journey was long and hard. He didn't mean those angry words. He was just deeply saddened when he realized Scyon didn't remember him. I am sure he feels guilty for being away so long. Soon he will realize that the baby was too young when he left to remember him. Give him time to clean up and rest. He will become the kind and understanding man you knew."
King Siefer entered his chambers late that night. He was exhausted. The council members had questioned him for hours
about the villages. Nabvan had shown him the progress of the young men sent from the villages to train. The Milisarian people followed his every move, seeking answers and advice. He just wanted to be left alone. He knew in his heart that he had treated Destiney terribly. It had hurt his soul to realize Scyon had forgotten him and he had taken his pain out on her. Her sweet face had changed so quickly from happiness to despair. He owed her an apology but was unable to get away from his duties until now. He stood over his son's crib and marveled at the change in him. The tiny infant was gone. There was already a hint of the man he would become. His arms and legs were muscular, and his face held a fierce expression even in sleep. He turned to the bed and saw that Destiney was awake and watching him. He stripped off his clothes and climbed in beside her, pulling her against his chest. "I am sorry for hurting you today. I should not have turned my pain into anger at you. Scyon will get to know me again. I missed you dearly. Snuggle close and help me sleep. It has been a tiring journey." He fell asleep almost instantly.
Destiney was wakened by Scyon's cries of hunger. Her husband was gone. She dressed herself and the baby and angrily stomped her way to the lab. She knew that Alexis would be there and she needed someone to complain to.
Alexis felt she was making progress. She had a potion that seemed to allow human and Milisarian blood to mix without side effects. There was much more work to do before she could test it. She wasn't even sure that this was the real problem that needed to be solved. She heard the door open and thinking it to be one of her students, she said, "Bring me the test results from yesterday. We need to compare them with these." When no one answered, she looked up to see Destiney and Scyon. She could easily tell that things were not going well between King Siefer and Destiney. She could feel frustration and anger emanating from her friend. She set aside her work and asked, "What did he do now? Nabvan said he seemed fine last night. Didn't he come home?"
Destiney replied, "He came home, apologized, and promptly fell asleep. When I woke up, he was gone. I never even got to say welcome home. He hasn't shown any interest in what happened while he was away; at least not to me or Scyon. I'm sure he is listening intently to the Milisarians right now. I guess I know where we stand in order of importance."
Alexis sighed and said, "You know better than that. The two of you mean everything to him. I've seen the way he looks at you both. You were warned about how much time he would have to spend away from you as king. He almost didn't put his name on the ballot for that very reason. You made a promise to help him uphold his duties. Don't be jealous of the time he spends with his people. Be there to help him. Things will slow down once he has caught up with everything that occurred while he was away."
Destiney replied, "I hope you are right, but he acts differently than he used to. He has no patience and angers easily. That is not the man I married. He was kind and thoughtful. He never lost his temper. Now I feel the need to censor everything I say or do so that he doesn't get angry."
"He has so many new problems to deal with. He has only been king for a short time. We don't know what kind of horrors he saw in the villages. Time and love heal most things. Give him a chance." Alexis gasped and abruptly sat down. Pain sliced through her midsection and she bent forward in agony. The pain slowly subsided as Destiney rubbed her back.
"Let me get Nabvan for you. He can carry you home," Destiney declared. "You should be in bed."
Alexis protested, "No! Do not summon him. You must not tell him about this. He would stop me from coming to the lab. I need to be here and work on finding a way to stop this. Just help me get to our quarters, and I will be fine. I promise to rest."
After Destiney had taken Alexis home, she found that her husband had finally come back to their chambers. He acted a little calmer and less angry. He coaxed Scyon into his arms with a toy that squeaked. He finally listened to Destiney's recitation of the things that had happened while he was gone. When she finished with the list of Scyon's new accomplishments, she told him about losing Marie in childbirth. She explained that like her, two women were doing fine, but Alexis and another one had symptoms similar to Marie's. She realized that she had made a huge mistake in telling him about Alexis when he immediately began to rant about her continuing to work. "Alexis should know better. She needs to stay home in bed. If Nabvan will not stand his ground and make her listen, then I will." He stormed from the room and left Destiney open-mouthed with regret.
Alexis jumped out of bed in terror when she heard her door explode inward. She was shocked to see King Siefer standing in the pile of bent metal. Worried that something had happened to Nabvan, she begged, "Tell me quickly, is Nabvan hurt? Was there an accident?"
Instead of the comforting voice she expected, King Siefer shouted, "I am closing the lab. By my orders, it will be locked. You will stay away from it and remain here to rest until the child is born. I am the king, and I will be obeyed!"
As Alexis began to plead, Nabvan walked in. He had heard the yelling from far down the hallway. "What do you think you are doing? You have no right to shout at Alexis. She is not well, and you are making it worse. If you have a problem, you should have come to me, not torn down my door and frightened my betrothed."
"It is because of her sickness that I am here. It would seem you can not control her actions, so I must. She is banned from the lab, and it will remain locked until she has given birth. You may find it acceptable to risk her life and that of the child, but I do not."
Nabvan could not believe the change in his dearest friend. In the past, he would never have made such uncompromising commands. Nabvan argued, "She is trying to find a way to stop this illness from progressing. She is not the only one that is sick. She needs to finish her work."
King Siefer shouted back, "Her work is done! Science can not cure this. Her body needs rest. Destiney did not work and she did well. Alexis must obey. I am not asking her to stop. It is a command from the king. I demand obedience and respect." He turned and left without a backwards glance.
Nabvan rushed to hold Alexis. She admitted, "I thought Destiney was exaggerating. She said he had changed. I was so sure that she was wrong, but I don't know who that man was. He must have used up all of his kindness and patience dealing with the villagers."
Nabvan replied, "He has never been so arrogant and demanding in all the years I have known him. He is taking his power to the point of no return. The guards did not say anything about him acting this way while they were traveling. Perhaps, after some time, it will pass. If not, then I foresee trouble ahead. Destiney and he will fight and there will also be problems among the warriors. They do not respond well to angry demands. They would have died for the man Siefer used to be, but this King Siefer is another matter. If he grows to be like Shene, someone will kill him."
With pleading eyes, Alexis asked, "What do I do about my work? I need to be in the lab to finish it. I refuse to allow another woman to die. I brought them from Earth. They are my responsibility."
Nabvan gently kissed her lips and promised. "Give him a few days to see reason, and then I will plead your case once again. I hope to convince him to allow you to be in the lab for at least a few hours each day. He has listened to me before. Maybe, he will again. I am sure that Destiney will fight for your rights as well."
Chapter: 10
***Nabvan***
Nabvan picked up his sword to show the young trainees the best stance to defend themselves against a much shorter challenger. The warriors on some planets were small enough to get underneath a Milisarian Knight's arms and rip his stomach open. The Knight's had to learn to fight enemies of all shapes and sizes. On one of the conquered planets, the inhabitants had looked like gigantic slugs. The Knight's had laughed when confronted by them, however, the laughter had stopped when their swords melted upon coming in contact with the skin of the creature and many warriors died from burns in hand to hand combat.
King Siefer watched as the trainees took turns blocking Nabvan's sword. The trainees were only successful f
ifty percent of the time. Nabvan was an excellent swordsman. He would be quite difficult to beat, but the king felt that the trainees were not trying hard enough. He stopped the training and brought the trainees in for a talk. Instead of the encouragement they were usually given, King Siefer yelled, "I find that all of you are showing signs of laziness! None of you are working hard enough. A small child would do better at defending itself. You make me ashamed to call you warriors. I refuse to stand beside such inept men in battle. If you truly want to be named a Milisarian Knight, you must work three times harder. I order the trainees to practice from dawn to dusk rather than half the day. You will stay here until you drop."
Nabvan tried to reason with him. “These trainees are the youngest. They have only been in training for two months. Some of them are the ones from the villages. They had never touched a sword until they arrived in the city. Their progress is nothing short of amazing. They should not be punished for their lack of prowess. If we work them to death, they will be useless."
King Siefer turned his wrath on Nabvan. "You have become too soft! You treat our future warriors as if they are children in need of coddling. Mayhap you are afraid they will soon best you. Come! Let me remind you of how a real Milisarian Knight fights back." He pulled his sword and challenged Nabvan.
