The room was nice and the view of Optorio's red ocean was stunning – but there was no mistake about it, I was still a prisoner.
I sat on the balcony that sat just off my bedchamber, admiring the ocean and the way the sunlight sparkled off of it dazzlingly. Unduth had some beautiful places – places I enjoyed visiting – but there was nothing like this. The way the sunlight sparkled off the red ocean made the water appear like it was on fire. It was gorgeous.
I sipped the glass of wine the staff had left for me as I pondered my current situation. Nothing had been said yet, about a meeting with the King. I was getting very little information about Byr, and I had no idea what was going to happen to me. Would he send us back to Unduth? Would he grant us asylum?
Worrying about it twisted my stomach into knots and was keeping me up at night. Though the bed was soft and luxurious, I felt wrung out. Like I hadn't slept in days – because I really hadn't.
The chime sounded on my door and I stood up, setting my wine glass down as a moment later, it slid open. The two guards posted outside my room stood aside and let the woman enter. A moment later, the door closed and with a soft chirp, the door locked.
I stared at the woman – she was unlike anybody I'd ever seen before. She was not Unduthian. She was not Optorion. With fair skin, eyes that were a dazzling shade of green, and hair that was a deep auburn color, she was beautiful in her own, unique way.
“You must be Queen Riley,” I said, dropping into a formal curtsey.
She favored me with a warm, genuine smile. “No need for that,” she said. “I'm not one who stands on ceremony. May I come in and speak with you?”
She seemed sweet and she seemed genuine. I smiled and motioned to the chair on the balcony beside the one I'd been sitting in. As she walked in, I poured a glass of wine for her and waited for her to sit. When she had, I retook my seat beside her. Riley sipped from her wine and looked out at the ocean.
“I was charmed by this world when I first came here,” she said. “Awed by it. It was so unlike anything I'd ever seen before. The beauty of Optorio is captivating.”
I nodded. “It is, Majesty,” I said.
She looked at me and arched an eyebrow – a very human gesture, if I had to guess. “Please,” she said. “Just call me Riley.”
I smiled at her and suddenly felt awkward. Self-conscious. “My name is Hatare,” I said.
She grinned at me. “Yes, I know who you are,” she said. “I've learned much about you, Hatare. And I must say, I'm quite – impressed with you.”
Impressed? Why would she be impressed with me? I was a nobody from another world. She looked at me as if she could read my thoughts and smiled.
“You are a very strong, young woman,” she said. “And I'm impressed that you were determined enough to take control of your own life and your own destiny that you risked everything the way you did. You could have been killed and yet, you persevered. You took a stand for what you believed was right – that you should have a say in your own life. You risked everything for your right to self-determination. That, is impressive. Admirable.”
I didn't know what to say, so I remained silent. I felt the heat flooding my face though and knew that my cheeks were flushed. It wasn't every day you were complimented by a Queen.
“What you did is truly courageous, Hatare.”
I shook my head. “No more courageous than what you did, Maj – Riley,” I said.
She shrugged. “That's open for debate,” she said. “Personally speaking – and this is just between you and me – I would love to see those terribly archaic customers on your home world abolished. I can't imagine what it must be like growing up knowing that you are only being groomed for a life you have no say in. I can't imagine growing up in a life you have no control over. That's no way to live.”
Tears welled in my eyes as I thought about it. “I hated it,” I said. “I dreaded my birth year celebration coming for a long, long time.”
“I would imagine you did,” she replied. “I know I would have.”
I gave her a small, grim smile. The longer we talked, the more I liked her. She was authentic and sincere and made me believe that I could trust her. And I believed we were alike in a lot of ways. Riley was a strong woman who refused to be bent to the will of others. It was a quality I admired in her. And one I thought she was giving me too much credit for having – because I didn't.
“I don't think I'm as courageous as you believe,” I said, “I almost killed myself that night. I had planned on it, actually. I thought it would be better to be dead than live that life. But my father's house maid – a friend of mine, actually – she talked me out of it. It was her suggestion that I run. So, I don't believe I deserve the credit you are giving me.”
“It was up to you to walk out the door, Hatare,” she said. “It took a tremendous amount of strength and courage for you to leave – rather than go through with the alternative. And I'm glad you didn't. But don't sell yourself short. You still had to make the decision to go. And you did. For that, you deserve all the credit in the world.”
I gave her a small smile, still feeling strange about having praise lavished on me. By a Queen no less.
“Thank you, Riley,” I said. “Your words mean a lot to me.”
She smiled at me in return. “Just know that I am in your corner, Hatare,” she said. “I know my husband is in a difficult situation, but believe me when I tell you that I will be doing everything I can to help you avoid returning to that life.”
She reached across and took my hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze.
“Thank you, Riley.”
Book 3 – The King’s Court
Chapter One
Hatare
I sat in a large, plush chair on the balcony just off my room, overlooking the red ocean of Optorio. The sun was sparkling off the sea, making it sparkle dazzlingly. It was absolutely gorgeous. And with a cool breeze blowing in off the water, I couldn't have asked for a more beautiful afternoon.
Of course, the one downside of it all was that I was a prisoner. Oh, I was being held in a very comfortable, very beautiful cell, but it was a cell nonetheless.
“I trust that you're comfortable?”
I turned around quickly to find Riley standing behind me. I'd apparently been so lost in thought, that I hadn't heard the door chime, or the whoosh of it opening. Riley smiled at me, and in a violet colored high-necked gown, and with her hair swept up into a stylish pile atop her head, she was radiant. For a human, she was a beautiful woman.
I nodded. “Comfortable enough, thank you,” I said. “But is there any chance I can get out of this room and walk around some? I'm going a little stir crazy in here.”
Riley stepped forward and dropped down in the chair next to me. She looked at me, giving me a sympathetic smile.
“I know this is hard,” she said. “I know it sucks to be locked up in here. I know I'd be going nuts in here.”
I gave her a small smile. “To say the least.”
“I'm sorry they feel it's necessary,” she said.
“They?”
She gave me a smile. “I don't believe that you're a threat,” she replied. “And I don't think you're here to do us harm or spy for your government or anything like that.”
I looked at her, feeling a slow, rolling anger building up within me. “Is that what they think? They think I'm here to – ”
Riley put her hand on my arm and gave it a gentle squeeze. “No, sweetie,” she said. “Not really. I know that Jendrish doesn't think so. And neither does Vink. But his advisors are urging caution with everything going on right now.”
I sighed and leaned back in my chair, staring out at the sea. I hated being locked up. Hated that I didn't have the freedom to move about. Explore this new world.
“It's only temporary, Hatare,” she said softly. “Believe me, I know this sucks. But it's only for now. Only for a little while longer.”
I ran a hand through my hair and continued staring o
ut at the ocean. I wasn't angry with Riley. It wasn't her fault. None of this was her fault. And on one hand, I could understand why Jendrish and Vink were being cautious. After all, armed soldiers had arrived to take Byr and me back to Unduth. I didn't know a lot about interplanetary politics, but I knew enough to know that putting troops on the soil of another planet was frowned upon. In a big way.
I was sure that there was plenty of talk going on between Jendrish and the Council of Unduth about it. And about us.
But I knew it wasn't Riley's doing in any way. I was just frustrated.
“How is Byr?” I asked.
Byr had been wounded during the fight with the rebels who wanted to turn us over to General Gravus and the Unduthian authorities. And hand me over to my father. I hadn't heard much about him since I was locked away – he'd been with the Optorion doctors. But I did hear that he had survived and was healing – which brought me no small amount of relief.
Byr was an interesting man. I'd never met somebody like him before – our class differences made that impossible. The Unduthian upper class was forbidden from mingling with the lower classes. The lower classes – the scraps – were thought to be unworthy of people of our station.
That was just one of the many things I hated about Unduthian society.
“Byr is recovering well, from what I've been told,” Riley said.
“Will I be able to see him soon?”
Riley's smile brightened. “Yes, I believe so. The doctors believe we'll be able to move him out of the care unit soon,” she said. “We'll have him moved here to share this room with you, if you like.”
Sharing a room with somebody else – a man, no less – seemed strange to me. I'd never shared a room with anybody. But I was desperate to see a friendly face, to have somebody to talk to. Staring at these four walls and hearing little more than my own voice day after day was driving me absolutely crazy.
I nodded. “Yeah, that would be great.”
“I'll see to the arrangements then,” Riley said.
She gave me a smile and stood up to leave. “Riley?”
She turned to me. “Yes?”
“I – I just wanted to say thank you,” I stammered. “For everything. You've been so kind to us and I truly appreciate it.”
“I admire you, Hatare,” she said. “You have nothing to thank me for. I consider it a privilege to have you here.”
I cocked my head and looked at her. “Admire – me?” I asked. “Why would you admire me? I'm a nobody. You're a Queen.”
She laughed. “Being a Queen does not make me better than you, dear,” she said. “I'm a regular person with a fancy sounding title. That's all.”
“I don't know about – ”
“I do know about that,” she said as she sat back down and turned to me, taking my hand in hers. I was compelled to look into her eyes. “And as for why I admire you, it's simple. You are a courageous young woman. You saw injustice and you did something about it. You refused to bow to a system of oppression and took control of your own life. To me, that is courageous. That is something to be admired. Not everybody would have that kind of courage or strength.”
I sighed. “Even with what I told you,” I said. “About taking my own life. Still think that's courageous?”
Riley nodded. “The fact of the matter is that you didn't take your own life,” she said. “You found it within you to carry on and head out on your own. That takes strength, Hatare. Courage.”
I sat back in my seat and looked back out at the ocean, not sure what to say. I wasn't used to compliments – compliments from a Queen, no less – and it sent my mind spinning.
“T – thank you,” I said, my voice barely more than a whisper.
Riley stood again and ran her hand through my hair. “You're a special girl, Hatare,” she said. “Don't ever forget that or let anybody make you think otherwise.”
I smiled at her and was overcome by a wave of emotion that I couldn't explain. My eyes stung as my tears welled up in them – and I didn't know why. I had no reason to be crying. And yet – I was. It was baffling to me – I wasn't ordinarily an emotional person. I tended to be more on the logical and rational side of things. Some people took me for being cold and aloof. And perhaps, I was.
But for some reason, ever since I'd left home, something within me was changing. I could feel it.
“I'll have some food and wine sent in,” Riley said. “And I'll see about having Byr moved to this chamber.”
“Thank you, Riley,” I said, genuine gratitude flooding my body. “Thank you so much.”
She gave me a warm smile. “You're welcome.”
I watched her turn and start to walk away. She had only gotten a few steps before she turned back around again.
“Oh, and I'll see what I can do about springing you out of here for a little while,” she said. “Maybe I can arrange to let you have a walk around the gardens – which I think you'll love. They're gorgeous.”
Tears raced down my cheeks and I smiled at her. She was so incredibly kind and it honestly made me feel a lot better about being locked up in this chamber.
“Thank you, Riley.”
She smiled once more before turning and leaving the room, leaving me alone to sort through all of my thoughts and my emotions.
Chapter Two
Byr
I'd lost track of how many days I'd been flat on my back in this bed. Machines surrounded the bed, issuing soft beeping and booping sounds. The pain in my stomach was finally becoming manageable – meaning, I didn't want to scream out and cry every time I moved.
Initially, I thought I was going to die. I'd never experienced pain of that magnitude before – and coupled with the amount of blood I was seeing pour out of me, I really thought I was on my way out. What struck me the most about it though, was that I was okay with it. As I lay there, staring up at the Optorion sky, I was at peace with dying.
I was at peace because I felt that I'd done something good. I'd helped Hatare escape from a life of oppression and what was essentially slavery. That, to me, gave my life some sense of meaning. As ridiculous as it might have sounded, I felt good about what I'd done. And if it was the last thing I did, then so be it.
“How are you feeling today, Byr?”
I turned to look and found Queen Riley standing in the doorway of my room. I sat up straight and tried to make myself look a little more presentable. She merely laughed and favored me with a smile. She was a beautiful woman – maybe one of the most beautiful women I'd ever seen. Though we were very similar, her human features gave her an exotic look that was unique. And incredibly attractive.
I cleared my throat. “I'm feeling better, Your Majesty,” I said. “Thank you for asking.”
She stepped into the room and waved me off. “Stop with the Majesty stuff,” she laughed. “I'm just Riley. Please.”
“I – I'm sorry,” I said. “I was raised to be respectful of my betters.”
She moved to the side of the bed and took my hand in hers. I felt the heat rushing into my face and knew my eye markings were glowing, making my embarrassment highly visible.
“Betters?” Riley asked. “Is that what you think? That I'm your better?”
I nodded. “You and King Jendrish, of course,” I replied. “You're royalty. I'm a scrap – and I'm okay with that. No shame in it.”
“Byr,” she said, her voice firm. “That is a way of thinking you must stop. Immediately.”
I cocked my head and looked at her, not sure what she meant.
“You're not a scrap,” she said. “Nobody is better than you simply because they've had some good fortune.”
I shrugged. “It's just the way things are, Maj – Riley,” I said. “There always have to be those on top and those on the bottom.”
“Perhaps on Unduthia,” she said. “But not here on Optorio. This is a meritocracy. Nobody is inherently better than anybody else. And I won't have you thinking otherwise.”
I wasn't sure how to reply to that.
All my life, I'd been raised to understand that there were those who had power and those who didn't. Those who had the wealth, and those who didn't. Those who were at the top of the food chain, and those who weren't.
And unfortunately for me, I came out on the short end of the stick in every way that mattered.
Life had been hard living on the fringes of Kinray. Working in the factories was brutal. Exhausting. Oftentimes, not having enough to eat – let alone feed my family – had been rough. But we'd managed. It wasn't even close to a luxurious existence, but I had my family and that counted for something.
If I were being honest, I might have said I preferred life out on the fringes where I was free and I was part of a close-knit community, over the rigid and oppressive life Hatare had been subjected to. We looked out for one another. Took care of each other.
Riley put her hand on my arm and squeezed it gently. “Assuming everything goes well and Jendrish grants your request for asylum, you have a chance to make a fresh start here, Byr,” she said, her voice soft, yet firm. “You have the chance to build a life for yourself – a better life. You have the chance to be who and whatever you want to be. Nobody is better than you here, Byr. You get what you earn – and I know you're not a man afraid of a little hard work. You have the chance to lift yourself up to heights that maybe you never even thought possible before.”
I listened to her words and felt something warming my insides, filling my heart – it was hope. Hope that what she was saying was real and true. The idea that I could build a life that wasn't a constant struggle, that wasn't a fight for survival – it was appealing. More than appealing, it was something I yearned for.
But I didn't want to let myself grow too hopeful. I wasn't sure whether or not we'd be allowed to remain on Optorio, given everything that had happened – and was still happening. From what I'd heard, there was tension between King Jendrish and the Unduthian government over everything that had happened. And knowing that, it made me wonder whether or not we would be granted asylum after all.
“D – do you think our petition for asylum will be granted?” I asked, my voice hesitant.
She gave me a small smile. “I am doing everything in my power to make sure it happens,” Riley said. “Ultimately, though, it's Jendrish's decision. But just know that I'm fighting for both you and Hatare. You're both remarkable people and deserve a chance to build the lives you want to live.”
Mated to a Bear (Legends of Black Salmon Falls Book 3) Page 64
