by Julia Sexton
CHAPTER ONE
"Quarte! Presque parfait, Mary!"
The instructor gave her a salute, placed his sabre under his arm, and reached out his hand for a handshake.
Mary Smith loved how he said her name. It sounded so exotic with his French accent, Ma-rie. She returned his salute as the end of her lesson.
"Remember, relax your hand. Let the fingers do the work."
"Thanks, Alexandre." Mary took off her mask and flashed a smile of perfect teeth as her red hair tumbled about her shoulders. Her white fencing suit outlined the perfect curves of her body. "I'm so glad I found you here. It was the one thing I thought I'd miss when I left the big city. And here you are in Cherryvale."
Alexandre chuckled. "Yes, and you are my only sabre student."
"Tomorrow, then," Mary said, waving a goodbye.
She went to the locker room to take off her jacket, knickers, and the form-fitting plastic chest guard. After a quick shower, she dressed in jeans and a light blue sweater, ready to meet the day. Early fencing sessions were such a great way to start the day. Now off for some coffee, and breakfast.
Cherryvale. She'd been here a week. Just long enough to know it was three blocks long and two blocks wide: a general store, two coffee shops, a used paperback bookstore, a small regular bookstore, a pharmacy, and a host of new antique shops and co-ops to entice tourists from the city.
She'd gone to the first coffee place on her first day. Cherryvale Café and Patisserie: espresso bar, baked goods, ferns. It was meant to attract the city tourists but was not doing well. All the locals went to the Hi-Lo, which had been there for 50 years.
The farmers were in before the crack of dawn ready with crop gossip, later on the locals went in to eat eggs and biscuits and talk about who was sleeping around or getting a divorce and the prices at the general store compared to the new supermarket on the edge of town. She knew they talked about her; the new girl from the city. She was a nurse or something. And, Mary's official story that she was on sabbatical.
She chuckled to herself how rumors distorted things as they passed along, especially in a small town. Somehow microbiologist had morphed into nurse.
She walked from the gym down Main Street past a couple of antique coops that weren’t open yet. She stopped to look at an adorable old kitchen set, pine painted red and cream. She could use something in her new apartment.
Standing in front of the next antique place was the best-looking man she had ever seen. He was tall and bronze. That was the word that came to mind. His skin was like creamed coffee. It didn't look like a farmer tan, there was a golden hue. His thick, dark hair had a tousled look, like he'd just come out of the wind, or just woke up.
There was something about him. Did she know him? A vague click in her brain but she didn't have a clue. Just the click. He was dressed in stylish new jeans, a navy sweater under a lightweight hunting jacket, and brown engineer boots. She spent a few seconds imagining him in bed, then walked down to the Hi-Lo.
The old bell on a spring rang as she entered the door. Alice gave her a welcome wave from behind the counter. "Hey, Mary, there's a seat over here on the counter." She pointed to the far end of the counter.
Mary made her way past the filled booths getting some glances here and there at her lithe, curvy body topped by a full head of bouncy loose red curls.
She plopped down on the old counter stool covered in cracked red Naugahyde.
Alice came over with her little book, "Two eggs scrambled light, sourdough toast, honey not jelly, keep the coffee coming?"
Mary laughed. "Been here a week and now I'm a regular. That's it, Alice. You got it right." She pulled out her mobile phone to check the news from the outside world.
"Bit chilly out there this morning," a voice intruded from next to her.
Mary looked up. Nice looking guy, blond, neat Tattersall sport shirt, no tie, casual slacks. He looked like an insurance agent or maybe real estate. She gave him a smile.
"Yep, looks like it's going to get warmer later thought." She held up her phone with the day's weather forecast.
"I'm Jim. We don't go in for formality here. I noticed you the other day." Then, stating the obvious, "New in town?"
Jim you'll have to notch it up or I'll be back to my phone. "Yep, one week today. I like it here, reminds me of my grandmother's town. I spent a lot of time there when I was a kid..."
Mary heard a pleasing voice behind her. "Excuse me..."
A bronze hand reaching out from the cuff navy sweater reached between them to grab a menu sticking up behind the sugar on the counter. The long, strong fingers pulled the menu out of the holder. As the menu went across the counter, it hit Jim's coffee mug. Hot coffee spilled and then rolled off the counter into Jim's lap.
"Oh, sorry, bud," said the pleasing voice. "Can I pay for your cleaning? Really didn't mean to do that."
Jim leaped up, grabbing his crotch. Alice came running with a towel. She started dabbing and wiping as Jim rushed to the men's room. Mary looked around for the man, but all she saw was the menu on the counter. She heard the bell ring over the door as it closed. She glimpsed the hunting jacket and jeans crossing the street.
When Alice arrived a few minutes later with her breakfast, Mary asked. "Who was that man? What a jerk! He didn't even stay around to make sure Jim was OK."
"What man?" Alice shrugged. "Didn't see him. Jim's kind of a klutz, it's happened before. Hey, listen it's Friday. Want to come over to my house tonight? I'm having a get together. You can hang out, meet some people."
Mary was pleased. Alice was popular in town. With her cute, pert face with arched eyebrows and her friendly nature, she had a lot of admirers. Mary couldn't be the lone stranger forever. "Alice, that sounds great. Thanks. Does that mean I'm part of Cherryvale now?"
Alice grinned. "If you're my friend, you're definitely a regular citizen. I'm over in the apartment complex by the feed store, The Gardens. It's number 11 up on the second floor. Come on over."
"Thanks, Alice. I'll be there for sure."
After breakfast, Mary went to her new little house. She'd stayed in a hotel the first two nights and then found the old saltbox house for rent and fell in love. It was just the right size, two bedrooms, a kitchen, a living room, a bathroom.
Nothing fancy but she could make it a home. She decided that between the feed store and the general store she could get just about everything to set up house, at least for the moment.
She hoped she could everything in the back of her Subaru Outback. She grabbed the list she'd made last night from the kitchen counter and set off for the general store.
At the general store, she found just what she needed to set up her kitchen.
"Towels check. Coffee mugs, check. Dishes check. Saucepan check. Frying pan, check," she mumbled to herself as she looked at her list. "Oh, I almost forgot, a big steamer pot for pasta."
"Hi, I couldn't help listening," a voice interrupted. "I'm Brad. You're Mary, right? Can I help?"
Yep, word got around in a small town. Brad was a hunk. No two ways about it: tall, soft blond waves trimmed short, big farm shoulders, trim waist. She was sure there was a six-pack under the plaid shirt. She wondered if he would be at tonight's party.
"Hi, Brad. Thanks. I'm looking for a big stockpot with a removable strainer. I make a lot of pasta."
"Mmmm. I love pasta. My Mom makes great ravioli from scratch. Pete keeps those big pots up on hooks behind the counter." He pointed to the ceiling, and sure enough, there was a big stainless steel stockpot.
"Thanks, Brad."
"No problem. Pete's over there helping Mrs. Overton. I'll grab it for you." He went behind the counter.
Over in the corner was a long pole with a hook on the end. Brad walked back toward the middle looking up at the ceiling. Just as he reached the door discreetly marked "Restroom," it opened out and hit Brad square in the chest.
The pole clattered out of his hand, knocking down cans and boxes from the shelves. Mary rushed behind
the counter to help Brad. As she reached down to help Brad out of the pile of boxes and cans, she saw a hunter jacket and jeans head the other way and out the side door.
What's with him? Mary wondered. What a rude, self-important jerk! I thought I left them behind in the city. People are generally so much more relaxed in small towns.
Brad helped her carry her purchases out and load them in the back of the Outback.
"See you around," Brad said as he left.
Mary stopped off at the feed store to get cleaning supplies, a bucket, a broom. Once home, she unloaded her purchases and brought them into the kitchen. She ran the dishes and tableware through the small dishwasher. One by one, she unwrapped packages and put things away. She ran the dishes and tableware through the small dishwasher.
By late afternoon, she felt like the little house was livable. She would replace the few pieces of old furniture that came with the house one by one. She had a bed, a sofa, and an armchair.
By 8:15 she had found Alice's apartment. She heard music and laughter. She knocked.
"Hey, open," a voice cried out. Not Alice. A male voice.
She opened the door to a living room full of people all about her age, somewhere between 20 and mid-twenties.
"Alice is in the kitchen," someone directed her.
In the kitchen, Alice was pulling little cheese balls out of the oven. She was talking to ...Brad!
"Hi, you two," Mary said.
"Hey, Mary. I was just telling Alice about the pile of goods at the general store."
"Hi, kid. Oh, wine. Thanks so much. Most people here are beer drinkers. I'll be selfish and keep it for myself. Thank you. You know Brad. Come on, I'll introduce you to the others. Brad, let those cool and bring them out."
"Brad's your boyfriend?" Mary asked trying not to sound too interested.
"Brad! No! We're cousins by some long-ago divorced marriage. We've known each other since...forever." Alice leaned in close and whispered. "Amazingly enough, that hunk is unattached. Go for it."
Mary met the group; there were 10 in all. The evening passed with conversation, music, some dancing, beer, and snacks. Mary drank too much beer. All of a sudden she knew she was drunk. It was time to go home, but drunk driving was not part of her makeup. She found Alice.
"Um, Alice," she said woozily. "I think I drank too much."
"Hah! Not the first time I'll bet. It happens to all of us." She turned and called out. "Brad, your turn! Mary's been initiated into the Cherryvale hall of shame. Can you take her home?"
"Mary," Brad said sympathetically. "Come on I'll take you home. Tomorrow I'll come get you...later in the day." He winked. Somehow it was charming in this country guy. "Give you some time to...adjust."
Brad found her jacket in the pile in the bedroom and gently ushered her out to his pickup. He opened the passenger door. "Here you go."
Mary moaned. She felt super woozy as she stepped up onto the seat with Brad's help.
"What a first impression. I'm sorry. Thanks," was all she could get out. Her stomach felt very close to her mouth.
They drove to her place in silence. Brad walked her to her door.
"Sleep in tomorrow. Drink some tomato juice. Eat some protein. I'll check in later."
"Thanks, Brad. You are really a gentleman." Mary gave him a peck on the cheek and went inside. She crashed on the bed fully clothed.
CHAPTER TWO
Oh. My. God. Her head hurt. Cheese balls and beer. Not a good mix. If she opened her eyes she knew the room would swirl. OK. Just lie here. No. Get some aspirin. The room was swirling even with her eyes shut.
This was a morning after to remember and she wasn't even up yet. This old bed, it was too soft. New bed, on the next-to-buy list. Aspirin. Getting up and rummaging in the bathroom was going to be hard. OK. Ready?
Wait! Where were her clothes? She didn't remember taking them off but she could feel she didn't have anything on. She opened her eyes. The room didn't swirl. But it was the wrong room. Was she in a hospital? Everything looked so sterile.
"My queen awakes," said a voice next to her. A male voice.
Mary sat up. She was in a strange, sterile room. And there was a man standing next to her. A man in some kind of see-through suit, like a bubble.
It wasn't just any man, it was that rude dude from the Hi-Lo and the general store. Queen? What was he saying? She was dreaming. She'd fallen back to sleep and was dreaming. Open your eyes, Mary. She tried, but her eyes were open.
"But it's too soon. You are not finished with the scrubbing, my beautiful one," he continued.
"Where am I? Who are you? What am I doing here?" Mary was too confused. Ow, her head hurt. She put her hand on her forehead.
"My queen, it was time. I had to take you."
"Take me? What are you talking about?"
"Do you remember? We met once in the hall. I knew then you were the one I would take home. You were the only one. Your hair. Your curves. So right."
"You are not making sense. Tell me your name."
"Ac'von, my queen. And now that you are here, you are Ac'ver, wife of Ac'von. I can call you Mary in private, but to the world you are Ac'ver."
"Hold on, buddy. I had a bad night. I have a headache. My stomach feels queasy. I'm not awake." She gave her cheeks a couple of slaps. Maybe that would make this all disappear.
"Whatever you think is going on, I'm going home." She started to get up and realized she didn't have any clothes.
"Now that you are chosen, that is impossible. Do not worry, anything you want is yours. You are the queen. I have claimed you. No one can oppose our mating, not even you."
"Mating! Mating? I don't even know you."
He reached out his arm covered in the flexible see-through fabric.
"Yes, mating. But it is too soon. You woke up too soon. As soon as you are scrubbed we will mate. That is the tradition."
"Scrubbed. Tradition. I really don't understand." Mary clutched her head willing the headache to go away so she could think clearly. She moaned.
"I will remedy this early waking." He walked over to a panel, pushed a switch and Mary fell back on a pillow...out cold.
When she woke up again she was in a different room. Luxurious in gold and silver. There was a window covered with gold drapes. At the end of the bed she found a robe woven of fine golden cloth. Mary put it on grateful for the covering and went to the drapes. As she approached the drapes pulled back.
On the other side of the window was an unimaginable city, something from the mind of Moholy-Nagy, light playing on different colored buildings of planes and angles. It was beautiful in a way.
"You are awake, Ac'ver," a female voice called from the door. "Tu'ver, mother of Ac'von. I'll help you get dressed for your public appearance."
Mary turned to a lovely woman in her 50s, blonde hair, blue eyes, svelte and curvaceous body, and a golden skin that seemed to glow. She wore a black gown that flowed as she moved.
"My name is Mary. Mary Smith. There must be a mistake. I am very confused. I met Ac'von earlier. He said something about a queen. None of this is making any sense."
"Oh, yes, he told me your adjustment might be difficult. I persuaded him to let me help you. My mother was a stolen queen as well. She was quite resistant in the beginning."
"Beginning of what?"
"Her royal reign, of course. The king, just like Ac'von, found her and knew she was the one for him. That was at the beginning of our research. She was from Earth, just like you. I'll show you." Tu'ver reached in a pocket hidden inside her gown.
She brought out a small tablet, something like a mobile phone. "She's here...yes...family...mother's side," she said as she searched.
"Here, my mother." She held out the tablet so Mary could see the image.
"Oh, she was lovely," Mary said as she looked at the face of a woman with the same bronze skin, dark eyes, and a wavy mane of dark brown hair.
Tu'ver pocketed the device. "Now it is time to get ready. I have two garment
s for you to choose." She walked to the wall and two doors slid back to reveal an immense closet.
Everything in the closet was black. Tu'ver walked in selected two garments and held them up one at a time against under Mary's face. "This one," she proclaimed.
Mary had an awkward moment standing in the robe as Tu'ver waited impatiently. Oh, well. It might as well be the locker room at the fencing academy. No one gave it a second thought there.
Mary shed the robe and Tu'ver slipped the black gown over her head. Without resistance it clung to every curve of Mary's body. At the same time, it was supple and non-restrictive.
"For The Combat you need these." Tu'ver walked into the closet again and came out with boots that came just above the ankle. Like the dress, they were form fitting and supple. There felt like going barefoot but protected all at the same time. In a way, they were like her fencing shoes.
"Now, as the future queen you need one last detail. The crown." Tu'ver opened an ebony colored box. Inside was a golden crown studded with black cut stones. It sparkled like obsidian. "Our precious Stone of Ac. We've found it nowhere else in the universe."
"What is The Combat?" Mary was confused and stunned. Tu'ver was assuming it was somehow normal to be abducted to another planet with strange names, strange clothing, and events with startling names.
The door opened with a crash. Ac'von strode in. He, too, was dressed all in black. His form-fitting suit covered his body like a second skin. His magnificent shoulders swung as he entered. The leggings showed off the strength and musculature of his thighs and calves.
"Ah, Ac'ver, my queen. You are ready. Let us go," he commanded holding out his arm for Mary. "Mother." He nodded to Tu'ver as they passed.
No hello. No thank you. Just orders and the briefest of acknowledgements. What a...a...barbarian! Mary was intimidated by his size. He was huge. He must be at least 6' 4" and all of it is muscle. And he wanted her to be his bride! This would not happen.
Mary walked alongside Ac'von down a wide hall. At the end of the hall two large translucent doors opened onto a garden. It's almost Earth like, Mary thought. There was a large rectangle of lawn surrounded by trimmed trees and porticos on three sides. They walked to the end of a portico. The entire city spread out before them in colored planes and angles. They were very high up. The end of the garden had a glass (was it glass?) wall. They stood by the wall.
