Romance: Yes, Stepbrother!

by Annie Valentine

  “Wait…” He reached out to her, his long slender fingers paused in midair. “Don't go.” He said. Jaska eyed him. She wanted to believe that he wanted her to stay for her company rather than her protection, but even she was not that naïve.

  “Why?” She said suspiciously.

  “I want to ask you something”, he said. Intrigued, Jaska slid back on to her barstool.

  “Well?” She asked, her gills opening and closing spontaneously.

  “I need someone to return with me to Golar.” He spat the words out as though they were burning his mouth. Jaska just stared at him blankly.

  “Someone?” She asked. Telmet nodded.

  “A woman.” He added, hoping that she would get the hint.

  “A woman? As in any woman?” She asked incredulously. All of a sudden Telmet became aware a dark blue flush creeping in to Jaska’s cheeks. He cursed his lack of knowledge of the Opan race. Was a blue flush a good or a bad sign? He didn't have to wait long for his answer. “You came to Opan in search of any woman that you could take back with you? And for what purpose?” She was raising her voice now and it was to the point that much of the Cantina’s patrons were staring at them. Telmet panicked.

  “No…I…I am searching for a woman. Someone to be my wife.” He knew how strongly other races clung to the idea of marriage and he hoped that the Opans were one of them. Jaska blinked rapidly as she tried to understand what he was saying.

  “And what is wrong with your own planet’s women?” She asked, lowering her voice.

  “Golar has very few women by virtue of our position within the galaxy.” Telmet said. “With so few females of the species, it is next to impossible to find a compatible partner.” He chose his words carefully

  “And why the need for a partner?” Jaska asked. Telmet formulated more lies to satisfy her questions.

  “Why does anyone need a partner?” He asked. Jaska shrugged.

  “I've never understood the need for anything. But love? I can understand marrying for love.” She said dreamily. Telmet nodded.

  “On my planet things are different.” He said, unsure just how much Jaska knew of Golar’s mating practices.

  “Hmm…it seems that you have quite an impossible undertaking. To find a partner in one afternoon who will return to Golar with you and leave her own planet behind.” Telmet nodded slowly. He had hoped that she would simply agree to accompany him, but when she didn't he knew that he was going to have to try something else instead.

  Chapter 4

  The sun was beginning to set and the parade officials were starting to close in from the far end of the street. The pod door hung open and Telmet walked purposefully up it. Jaska’s head lolled over his arm and her legs swinging over the other. As quickly as he could, he slid her in to the co-pilot seat and buckled her in tightly. It had taken much longer than he had imagined it would for her to drink down five mugs of Lar, and now there was a danger of being spotted by the parade officials. Heading back in to the back of the pod, he pulled the door closed and secured it for flight. Jaska remained undisturbed.

  Jaska was still undisturbed when Telmet set the pod down on his private track and taxied in to the bay attached to his quarters. She was so intoxicated that Telmet was forced once again to carry her deadweight. He took her directly to his bedroom and lay her on the silken bedclothes.

  “Sir?” Belzar appeared in the doorway. “I take it that your mission was…” He glanced at Jaska laid out on the bed, “successful?” He asked.

  “Belzar, fetch me some water.” He commanded. Dutifully, Belzar slipped from the doorway and returned moments later with a tray holding a pitcher full of water and two glasses. He set the tray on the nightstand beside the king sized bed and before backing away, he glanced at Jaska.

  “An Opan, sir?” He asked, glancing at Telmet.

  “That will be all, thank you, Belzar.” Telmet snapped.

  “Yes, sir. I…perhaps it is not my place, sir, but I feel that I should remind you of the few Opan who are…” Telmet cut him off.

  “I said that will be all, Belzar, thank you.” Belzar nodded silently and quickly took his leave. Telmet shook his head angrily, who was Belzar to tell him anything? He was the prince of Golar, to assume he knew anything less than everything was an affront to his position.

  Since Jaska’s fourth mug of Lar, Telmet had found himself getting more and more uptight. Now he was to the point of being just plain belligerent and feared that things would only get worse when she awoke. Telmet had never been the kind of Golarian to care what others thought of him – it wasn't in his DNA. Rarely was it in the DNA of any of the royals - that's what made them such good rulers. But since Telmet had knowingly intoxicated Jaska and abducted her from her home planet, the feelings of guilt and anger at himself had taken root. How could he do such a thing to someone who had quite possibly saved his life? How could he do it knowing that she believed in love, in the institution of marriage and the desire of one being for another? He looked over at her as she slept. She looked so peaceful, such stark contrast between the fire that was consuming him from within. But he had no choice…at least that was what he was going to continue to tell himself.

  “Mmm…” Jaska moaned as she began to stir. Telmet rushed to the bedside. He watched her, mesmerized by the gasping of her gills. “Mmm…” She reached up and rubbed her hand over her face before opening her eyes in to a squint.

  “Hello.” Was all Telmet could manage. He was sure that much more would have to follow though.

  “Hmm?” Her forehead wrinkled as she tried to come through her hangover haze. Telmet poured a glass of the once iced water and offered it to her. Slowly she pushed herself up on the bed and took the glass. As she drained it quickly, she kept her squinting eyes locked in Telmet. When she held the empty glass out, Telmet refilled it and watched her drain it once more. They repeated this process four times before Jaska set the glass on the nightstand. Her eyes now fully opened, she looked around the room.

  “I'm sorry.” Telmet said, pre-emptively. Jaska didn't say a word, she just took in the whole picture. “I had no choice…” He said almost desperately. Finally, Jaska’s eyes settled on him.

  “You always have a choice.” She said. And then her face brightened. “And you chose me!” She smiled broadly. “It's not exactly the way that I imagined finding a husband…or him finding me…but it's sort of romantic, don't you think? Being whisked away to a foreign place by someone who just can't be without you? Someone who says that they need you?” She grabbed one of the pillows and hugged it to her chest. Telmet stared in disbelief. This was going to be a difficult one to get out of.

  “I…umm…” He found himself stuttering again, falling all over himself in her mere presence.

  “We will have to marry soon though! I'm sure that my brothers will come searching for me and that bartender certainly doesn't own you any favors. The only way they will agree to let me stay is if we are married.” Jaska swung her legs over the side of the bed and paused to get her bearings.

  “There is one thing…” Telmet said, trying to concoct another lie so that he wouldn't have to explain to her the absence of the institution of marriage on Golar.

  “One thing, what?” She asked, her long legs swinging over the side of the bed while her thing tail swished behind her.

  “Before we get married…there is one thing we must do…” Telmet prayed that his idea would work for his own sake. “We must mate.” Jaska looked shocked, she began shaking her head quickly.

  “I can't do that.” She said. “It is forbidden on Opan to mate before marriage. If I lose my virginity I can never be married.”

  “Even if the one you lose it to is the one you want to marry?” Telmet asked. Jaska paused.

  “Must we?” She asked. “Couldn't we rush a ceremony to ensure…?”Telmet shook his head.

  “By Golarian law a man cannot marry without first mating with his bride to be.” The words came easily, but inside, Telmet felt the devastatio
n of lying to someone who had only ever tried to help him. He had to save himself though, he had no choice in the matter. Without an heir he would be cast in to Golarian society like a lamb thrown to the slaughter. He would never survive the onslaught brought on by his family’s supporters.

  “Then it must be.” Jaska said nodding her head.

  Chapter 5

  The suns had been set for some hours when Jaska slipped from the side of the bed and padded to the bathroom in her bare feet. The nature of her being here meant that she had with her no clothing or accessories, so she would have to make do with what she did have. Her first experience with her husband to be must be special.

  Standing in front of the wall length mirror, Jaska waved her hand ever so slightly. Within seconds, her makeup was perfectly done and not a hair on her head was out of place. She smiled at herself and as she began to work her magic on her clothing, she started to hum to herself happily. No, it wasn't how she had imagined it – any of it, but he was a prince and he loved her enough to want to make her his wife.

  Another wave of her hand and Jaska was standing before the mirror in sheer black lingerie. Her deep blue skin shone through the skimpy material. Jaska rubbed her lips together to ensure her lipstick was evenly covered. Then blowing herself a kiss, she began to turn away.

  “Jaska…” The voice was unfamiliar. Jaska turned back to the mirror. “Jaska…” It came again.

  “Hello?” She called in the empty room.

  “Jaska, it is I, Queen Jaska, your namesake.” Slowly the image of a beautiful woman with identical blue tinted skin appeared in the mirror beside Jaska.

  “Queen…” Jaska bowed her head in reverence.

  “Jaska, look at me and pay attention, this is very important.” Jaska looked at the queen directly and nodded her head slowly. “Telmet is a Golarian, he does not want you’re your hand in marriage, only an heir to prove his worthiness of the throne.” Jaska frowned at the queen and began to shake her head.

  “No, he said he needed me…” Queen Jaska nodded.

  “He does need you. He needs you to provide him with an heir so that he may inherit the throne upon his father’s death. Should he fail to give you child, he will be seen as infertile and the throne will be passed to another.” The queen spoke very matter-of-factly, despite knowing how hard this was for Jaska to hear. “There is a way for you to get what you want. However, if you desire to stay in his company, to serve as his queen as I did for my king, you must use your sorcery. Ensure always that the child you provide for him is a daughter. Until your very last chance, you must give him daughters and only the last shall be a son.” Jaska shook her head.

  “But why?”

  “The Golarian King will only maintain his queen until she has birthed him a son. Give him a son and he will return you to Opan and you will never hear of him again. Nor will you see your child.” Jaska looked suddenly horrified.

  “Telmet would never do such a thing!” She paused, obviously entertaining the notion of what she was just learning and realizing how ridiculous it was to think that she could know of him in such a short time.

  “He may be a good man, Jaska, but he is a Golarian man of royal blood. He must do what he can to survive. But you…you and I are of Opan blood and our special gift allows us to play a hand our own fate.” Queen Jaska waved her fingers and a web of magenta thread began to orbit them.

  “If he is who you say he is, why can I not simply return home?” Jaska asked the queen, but within a blink of an eye she was gone. Jaska stood alone in front of the bathroom mirror.

  “Jaska?” A knock came on the bathroom door.

  “I'll be right there.” She said, knowing that it was Telmet growing anxious for her return. Looking back to the mirror Jaska tried to imagine how the queen would have answered her question. If there was such urgency in Telmet’s need to marry, then the chances were that he would never allow her to escape. Her choices were few. With a confident nod to herself in the mirror, Jaska knew what she must do in order to preserve her life and her innocence. With a wave of her hand, she transformed her slinky lingerie back in to her Opan street clothes and prepared herself for what was to come.

  Chapter 6

  The heat from the suns still radiated through the atmosphere and Jaska could feel herself sweating. Stepping in to the doorway of the bedroom she locked her eyes on Telmet.

  “We need to talk.” She said, forcing her voice not to waver. He turned quickly at the unfamiliar tone in her voice.

  “About what?” Telmet asked, his face the picture of innocence. Jaska shook her head.

  “You know about what.” She said flatly. “About your need for an heir. About the real reason that you brought me here.” Telmet felt a rush of panic. He should have known that his plan wouldn't have lasted. Not with someone like Jaska, someone he actually found appealing.

  “I…” He started, but even he didn't know what to say next.

  “You what?” She snapped. Bringing her hand in front of her, she opened up her fingers and revealed a floating magenta thread. It slunk around her fingers as if carried by its own orbit.

  “I…” He stuttered.

  “I'm waiting…” Jaska said impatiently. The thin magenta thread rose up to her fingertips. Finally, Telmet hung his head.

  “It is what my people have done for thousands of years.” He finally managed. Then lifting his eyes to lock on hers he shrugged. “It’s the Golarian way.” He said.

  “Well it is not the Opan way! And it is not the sorceress way!” Her fingertips sparked as she raised her voice, fueled by her anger.

  “I had no choice!” Telmet said quickly.

  “You always have a choice!” Jaska said.

  “Then what would you have me do?” Telmet asked. “In two days my father will die. In two days I am expected to succeed to the throne by the millions who support my family’s reign. Without proof that I can provide my own heir, another successor will be chosen and I shall be thrown to the masses.” Telmet could hear the desperation in his own voice.

  “You say you will be ‘thrown to the masses’ as if you expect them to feast upon your bones…” Jaska said, disgusted by his innate disdain for a life as anything less than royalty.

  “They may not feast on my bones, but they will most certainly tear me limb from limb. To fail as a monarch, to push the planet in to a new era of rulers…there are few sins worse on Golar…at least of those who want no end to my family’s rule.” Telmet said.

  “And what is so great about your family that no other could replicate your reign?” Jaska asked, more out of curiosity than anything else.

  “My family is the first to provide the people of Golar the opportunity to live freely. To come and go as they please without their exploitation for slave labor. My family is the first to enact laws forbidding the monarchy from claiming as its own anything belonging to the common Golarian. My family is the first to ensure that all of Golar are content and not just those of royal blood.” The more Telmet spoke, the clearer things were becoming to Jaska. Perhaps Telmet had been right when he said that he had no choice.

  “So tell me. If your family is so intent of providing freedom and happiness to your people, why then, is the freedom and happiness of your queen so unimportant?” Jaska asked.

  “Because the survival of our reign is dependent upon the king producing an heir. That heir must be produced under any circumstance.” Telmet said. Jaska nodded.

  “But what of after a son is born? Why then must the queen be dispatched? Why not allow her to remain? Why not encourage the institution of marriage to foster stronger family bonds?” Jaska asked. Telmet frowned.

  “I don't know.” He said. “Honestly, I don't know. The relationship between the king and his queen has always been this way, even before my family’s reign. It is an arrangement that has functioned well for those kings seeking Golarian queens.” He shrugged. “I suppose that for Golarian women the institution of marriage is unimportant. The freedom to live from
under the king’s watchful eye was likely much more appealing.”

  “But what of a king who treats his queen as more than a producer of heirs? What of a king who honors his queen for her various other qualities as well?” Jaska asked, closing her fingers in to her palm and causing the magenta thread to vanish in to thin air. “Not everything in life is about succession to the throne.” Jaska said, walking closer to Telmet.

  “But it is the way that it has always been…” Telmet said hopelessly.

  “Then change it.” Jaska said, placing her hands on his chest and looking up in to his violet eyes.

  “I can't change anything, even if I wanted to. As the prince, I have no choice.” Telmet said, his eyes searching hers for an answer.

  “You always have a choice.” Jaska said.

  Chapter 7

  The sun was rising over the horizon when the pod touched down on Opan. Telmet glanced nervously over at Jaska who gave him a reassuring nod. He unbuckled his seatbelt and walked to the back of the pod to unlatch the door. Jaska followed him.

  Things were eerily quiet as the two walked through the streets that were still littered with garbage from the parade. Jaska led the way. Telmet worried his bottom lip between his teeth as he followed her through the empty street towards a large red brick building. When Jaska got to the steps she paused for Telmet to catch up and when he did she offered him her hand. Telmet slipped his fingers around hers and they both walked up the front steps to the towering courthouse.

  Fifteen drusecs after walking in through the large wooden doors of the courthouse, Telmet walked out with Jaska. They held hands as they had done before entering, but this time there was one noticeable difference – on each of their right hands was a small golden band. Jaska looked over at Telmet with a smile and hand in hand they walked back toward the pod.