by Leslie Chase
I let out a breath that I hadn't been aware I was holding and hugged her back. I wouldn't have, couldn't have, stood in the way of her leaving if that was what she wanted. And I hadn't dared hope that she would choose me over her home. It was the right choice for her, I knew that, but that didn't make it an easy one.
Immorata smiled, and I realized that she'd known what Hope would choose. But someone had to force us to talk about the issue, and she'd decided to take it out of our hands. I met her eyes and quietly nodded my thanks to her.
Her smile widened and, silently, she stood and made her way out of the room followed by her robot servants. Hope and I were alone again.
"Did you really think I'd leave?" Hope said quietly as soon as the door shut.
"I hoped that you wouldn't," I replied, honestly. "I know that we belong together, that you will be happier by my side than anywhere else. But I couldn't assume that you'd agree. The pain, if I'd been wrong, would have been too much."
She got out of her chair and climbed into my lap without letting go of me.
"That's ridiculous," she whispered, kissing my neck. "Of course I wouldn't leave you. How could I?"
The feel of her so close, the smell of her hair and the touch of her lips, all of it was overwhelming. Standing carefully, I lifted her in my arms and brought her lips to mine for a long, wonderful kiss.
When we parted, her eyes were bright and her smile happy, but I could see that there was still something bothering her. Something she wasn't talking about.
"What is it, my love?" I asked in a low whisper. I could feel a delightful shiver run through her at the vibration of my voice. It was very distracting, but I made myself focus on her reply. It was all too easy for us to get lost in each other, and I wanted to sort this out.
"It's nothing," she said. Then she bit her lip and shook her head, correcting herself. "Okay, no, that's not fair. It's difficult, that's not the same thing."
I waited as patiently as I could while she gathered herself and tried again. "I've got family at home, and I don't want them to wonder where I am. Can we send them a message? Something to let them know I'm safe?"
"Of course!" I said, breathing easier. "That should be easy to arrange. And if it's difficult to arrange, that won't stop me. Whatever you need to feel safe."
The smile that lit up her face was like the sun peeking through clouds, and it lit up my soul. "Thank goodness! I was afraid that wouldn't be allowed, that I couldn't have contact with them."
"We can't let them know too much about what's happening," I warned. "Nothing about where you are, but letting them know that you're safe? I wouldn't be so cruel as to keep your friends afraid for your safety."
She leaned in and kissed me on the cheek, her warm lips leaving me feeling dazed. I gently lowered her to the floor, but she wouldn't let me go. Good. I didn't want her to.
Her hand slipped into mine again, and she nestled in against my chest.
"I'm sorry I was frightened," she said quietly. "And I can't promise I won't be frightened again. But I can cope."
Chuckling fondly, I guided her back towards our rooms. "I know you can, my love. You're stronger than even you know, and together we can overcome anything. I can't wait for my parents to see what a wonderful mate I've brought home."
Hope stiffened in my arms again, and I almost laughed as she forced herself to relax.
"Damn it, I'd managed not to think about that," she said eventually. "Is it weird that I'm almost more afraid of them than I was of Rofain and his gang?"
"I know something that will take your mind off it," I said, sweeping her up. Her mock-protests lasted almost until we reached the bed chamber.
23
Hope
The shimmering shift from hyperspace to realspace had almost become routine. It was a strange feeling to think of space travel as normal, everyday, mundane — but that was where I had ended up.
This time I was on the bridge, not to see the transition but for the first sight of our destination. The Darkfang II steadied herself with a shudder and I looked down at the planet below, my heart hammering. This was going to be my home, and I wanted to see it.
My hand tightened on Xendar's shoulder as he angled us down, and I saw that he hadn't been joking. The huge mountains of Achera pierced the atmosphere, tips gleaming in the red light of the planet's huge sun. A wild and rough world waited for us below, and I asked myself again if I was making the right choice.
But I couldn't imagine making any other, not if that meant abandoning Xendar.
The clouds parted around the ship as he brought us in to land, the ship swiftly angling down into the atmosphere. I could hardly make out anything more of the planet as we zoomed past. A continent covered with forests, mountains stabbing the sky, a sea red as blood — all were there and then gone before I could focus. And then the ship dipped one last time, coming in to land with an easy grace.
"Let's go," Xendar said, almost vibrating with excitement that I wished I could share. He was glad to be home, but for me this was another step into the unknown. My mate saw my hesitation and took my hand, squeezing gently as he led me back through the ship to the airlock.
"You will be fine," he told me as the doors hissed open. I tried to believe him.
The baking heat of Achera greeted us as the ramp lowered and I looked out at my new home. In front of me, a great red stone fortress reached for the sky, the great palace of the Acheran royal family. It had a hard, unyielding beauty to it that reminded me of Xendar immediately.
Beside the fortress was a river, and the river was on fire. I began to see what Xendar meant by the 'fires of Achera' that he swore by. Hot air blasted me as I looked up at him, fear filling me again. But my mate's hand at the small of my back gave me strength and confidence, and I stepped out of the ship onto the planet that was his home.
Mine too, now. Unless I chickened out and ran.
That was more tempting than I was willing to admit.
Robot servants followed, gifts from Immorata carrying my luggage. More gifts from her, and I had the sneaking suspicion that the princess was offloading a lot of last year's fashions. That suited me fine, I'd never be able to tell the difference and it wasn't as though I had any clothes of my own to bring. And it was the least she could do to repay me for what I'd been through for her, I reasoned.
That didn't stop me feeling a little guilty for taking so much from her, even if it was wealth that she'd never miss. Stop it, Hope, I told myself as firmly as I could, turning my mind back to the present. We weren't alone on the landing field, after all. While the view grabbed my attention, I knew I couldn't afford to be rude to the party coming out to meet us.
I swallowed at the thought and tried to focus through the heat-haze. The group of Acherans approaching looked, frankly, terrifying. Meeting my boyfriend's parents used to be a scary thought when they were humans. Now I was meeting the king and queen of an alien race, and I suspected I was a little bit of a disappointment. What was I? A random human from some planet they'd never heard of, a nobody when they'd expected a princess.
And even the smallest of them looked like they could tear me into little pieces. I was fairly sure that they wouldn't. Almost certain. Xendar wouldn't let them, right?
If he hadn't been at my side, I'd have turned right around and run back into the ship. It wasn't too late to ask to go back to Earth. But that would mean leaving him behind and that wasn't happening. So I squared my shoulders and marched down the ramp onto the stone landing field.
The Acherans stopped, all except two of them who marched on. They looked older, though it was hard to say why I thought that. One was huge even compared to Xendar, fierce-faced, wearing a crown of black metal and an ornate and uncomfortable-looking robe decorated with flames that seemed to move as he walked.
The other was much slighter in build, though just as tall, and the curves under her robes let me guess that this was an Acheran female. She towered over me, looking me up and down appraisingly.
<
br /> "Mother," Xendar boomed happily, bounding over to give her a hug. Apparently Acheran royalty wasn't all that formal after all. "Father!"
His mother staggered under the impact, and then his father joined the hug. After a few seconds they broke apart, the king coughing meaningfully and shooting me a glance. I felt the blush creep across my face, though in this heat I had no idea if they could see any difference.
Xendar pulled himself up and coughed, regaining some of his dignity. "Um, yes. Mother, Father, allow me to present my mate and beloved, Hope Alexander of Earth. Hope, my father King Kaldor and my mother, Queen Elgara."
For a moment the weight of their stares made me feel like vanishing. Then Elgara smiled, a beautiful smile that would have been a little more reassuring if it hadn't shown off her sharp, pointed teeth. I tried not to flinch as she swept me into a hug. Nope, really not that formal.
"It is wonderful to meet you, Hope," she said as I returned the hug. It felt like I was being crushed by a very friendly python — she might be slighter than a male Acheran, but that didn't mean she was weak.
"I'm so happy to be here," I managed to choke out. "But I can't breathe."
Elgara laughed as though I'd made a funny joke, but she did let me go. I grinned up at her, grinning as I imagined Immorata receiving this greeting on her arrival. She wouldn't have liked that at all, I thought.
I, on the other hand, found a happiness welling in my heart at the acceptance in Elgara's eyes. The king was more reserved, but he still cracked a smile, gripping Xendar's hands in some complex grip.
"Welcome home, my son," he said. There was a painful edge to his voice, as though he was holding back more emotion than he showed. "When we heard of the Darkfang's destruction, I feared the worst."
"It was more of an adventure than I expected," Xendar admitted. "But I am glad of the result."
His arm went around my shoulders, pulling me to him, and the king smiled down at me. "I can see that it worked out for the best. Young lady, I look forward to getting to know you better. But this field cannot be comfortable for a human. Let us go inside, where you can savor some of the wonders of my palace. Like the magic of air conditioning."
I'm not ashamed to admit that my breath caught at the idea. Even a few minutes outside in the heat of Achera's sun was too much. I nodded quickly, and Xendar laughed.
"Come then, my mate. Let me show you your new home."
Before I could answer, he swept me off my feet and began to carry me to the great bronze gates of the palace. I struggled, but not so hard that I might accidentally escape his grasp.
"This isn't dignified," I complained, and this time the whole royal party laughed. My glare was half-hearted at best.
"I've tried to learn your customs," Xendar said, holding me easily. "And I will not miss the chance to carry you across the threshold the first time we enter your new home."
My heart thumped at that, and I stopped struggling even in mock-protest. I couldn't think of anything to say, so I slung my arms around my mate's neck and held him tight. This was real. This was my home.
Inside the air cooled noticeably, and I sighed with relief. It was good to know that the awful, baking heat outside wasn't entirely comfortable for the Acherans either, and that the palace was kept at a somewhat more reasonable temperature. Though it was still hot enough that I'd take a while to adjust, it was a lot better than outside.
Xendar didn't put me down or even slow as he walked through the glorious corridors of the palace. The walls and floor were made of something a lot like marble, and statues of Acherans lined the walls watching us. Unlike the Shadow of a Forgotten Love, these varied and even I could see that they didn't show the same person. Immediately I felt the weight of my new family, the centuries of history I'd be marrying into.
Beside me, Elgara laughed. It was a rich, warm sound, devoid of mockery or malice.
"I remember the first time I saw these," she said. "I thought they were judging me too. Don't worry — if Xendar is happy with you, his ancestors will be too. Or I'll fight them for you."
All three of the Acherans laughed, and I managed a small chuckle.
"She would, too," King Kaldor added. "And I'd stand with her. This will be a welcoming home for my son's mate, and if there is anything that you need to make it so, Hope, tell me and it will be done."
I tried to answer, but no words came. Having an alien king speak to me with such warmth and welcome me into his home, his family, like this... I didn't know what to say or how to say it. He smiled and stopped at a grand doorway.
"Now, here are the quarters we've prepared for you."
The king gestured and the doors opened. I looked through them and gasped with delight. What lay beyond wasn't so much a room as a large courtyard with a separate house in the middle. But what left me speechless was the way it had been decorated.
It was impossible. But it was there. A slice of Earth, a garden around a house all of which looked like it would fit in perfectly at home. Trees clustered behind the house, and overhead a forcefield shimmered, protecting the courtyard from the heat of Achera's sun. Xendar lowered me to my feet on the grass, and I spun around trying to see everything at once.
It was even cool like a summer evening on Earth. I rejoiced at the feel of a breeze on my arms and turned to the royal couple, a smile splitting my face.
"This is wonderful," I gushed, all doubts vanishing. "How did you...?"
"Achera may not be the empire," Elgara said with a grin, "but we are royal. And we were prepared for the arrival of Immorata — it didn't need much to change this. The challenge was to find out enough about your homeworld to guess what you would like. How did we do?"
"It's perfect!" I felt myself start to cry. "I can't believe it. I'd have been happy anywhere with Xendar, but this... this is more than I could ever have hoped."
"My love," Xendar said, holding me tight. "My darling Hope, this isn't just my home. It's yours too, and it must be perfect."
"We will see you later," Kaldor said with a smile and a wave. "You'll want to settle in, I imagine. The house will let you know when dinner is served, and you can join us. Unless you're otherwise engaged, of course."
Elgara elbowed him in the ribs hard enough to make him gasp and, laughing, the two of them withdrew. No, Acheran royalty really didn't stand on etiquette. It was a relief in more ways than one — I wouldn't need to constantly watch my mouth here. And I knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that I was welcome.
I was part of the family.
I was home.
Wiping my eyes, I turned to Xendar and held out my hand. He took it with a careful, tender strength, and I turned to the house.
"Let's go inside," I told him, and he nodded. Together, we stepped into the rest of our lives.
Epilogue
The sunsets on Achera never ceased to amaze me. The gigantic red orb of the sun vanishing below the sea's horizon was a sight that I could have watched every single evening. I did manage to catch most of them, though life was busy enough that I couldn't make them all.
Busy was good. I'd never had the intention of living the life of a decadent princess, even now that I was married to a prince.
A year after the celebrations and that thought still brought a smile to my face. It might have started as a lie forced on me by kidnappers, but it had come true and I couldn't be happier. That wasn't the best thing about my new life, though. Not by a long shot.
No, the best thing about my new life squirmed in my arms. Little Immara looked up at me, her eyes bright and tail squirming in the way that I'd learned meant that she was hungry. Which was practically all the time.
"Where do you put it, little princess?" I asked with a grin. Aside from the tail, she was surprisingly similar to a human baby — apparently an Acheran's armor plates didn't grow in until they were older. But I couldn't imagine a human baby needing this much to eat.
Maybe I was wrong, though. Back on Earth I'd never spent much time around them. Now I couldn't
wait to have more.
The palace door behind me slid open and I heard my mate's distinctive steps as he came up behind me.
"How's our little princess behaving?" he said, his arms sliding around me and holding me tight. I rested against him, the familiar sound of his twin heartbeats soothing.
"Starving all the time," I said, smiling happily. "I don't know how you Acherans do it."
"Fast metabolism," he said proudly. "She'll grow up to be a strong warrior. Just like her mother."
"Flatterer," I said, laughing. Immara cooed demandingly, tail thrashing, and I shook my head.
"I was thinking that she'll be lonely," I said as I let our hungry princess have what she wanted. "A warrior princess growing up alone isn't going to have much fun."
"There are other children nearby," Xendar said, hugging me tight. "Don't worry about her, we'll make sure she has plenty of playmates."
I sighed and turned to look up at him. My alien prince frowned.
"What have I missed?"
"I was trying to hint that she might like a little brother," I said, shaking my head. Xendar looked blank for a second and then his eyes widened. A smile split his face, his arms tightened around me, and I chuckled.
"That took a while to sink in," I told him, and he snorted.
"Is that a good idea?" he asked. "Humans are fragile, and—"
"We're not that fragile," I laughed. "Come on, let me put Immara down and I'll prove it to you."
He looked a little dubious. "The doctors say you should wait..."
"I'm being impatient, I know." I grinned up at him, raising my eyebrows. "But nothing says we can't practice first."
Xendar laughed and lifted me off the floor, Immara in my arms. Shaking his head, he carried us back towards the palace as the last light of the sun dropped below the horizon and the stars came out.
Perhaps life could get better than this. Maybe, somewhere out there in the vastness of space, someone was happier than I was in that moment.
