Earth has overtaken thirteen planets in the last one hundred years. In the last ten years, The Euthenia Nebula opened its doors for Earth to send some of its residents to populate the desolate areas of their planet. They call themselves settlers.
Earthlings are well respected as people who will go through many hardships to make a place inhabitable. Many other planets invited us in, and we tend to creep in and overtake the entire planet before they realize we’ve done it.
Euthenia wants us to stop moving into their cities. They don’t mind us doing a little prospecting and trying to make something from nothing, which we are excellent at. They do however expect us to respect their borders, a thing we aren’t known for doing.
In my opinion, it’s the Euthenian’s own fault for inviting us in. But they don’t see it that way and have been threatening us with annihilation here of late. Thus the offering of a bride to the next in line in the hierarchy. A bride who has been touted as perfection.
Well, like any human, I am far from perfect. I’m sure the pedestal my leaders have put me on my soon to be husband will see is a farce, and I am but a mortal woman with faults and blemishes.
I am sure to displease him with my lack of physical, sexual knowledge. That will knock me down a notch in his eyes I have no doubt. My mind is sharp and so is my tongue. A thing he will see as unattractive, I am sure.
Since it’s impossible for me to live up to what has been said about me, my marriage is sure to be one of disappointment and not like the love stories I’ve read so many of.
Why does this have to be my fate?
The Euthenia Nebula is not quite like Earth. There are two suns. One larger than the other. Three moons in various lunar stages are always visible in the vast sky.
The planet is small, though. Only a third of the size of Earth. But the people who inhabit the planet have adapted to their area and only have two children per each couple. The pregnancies there take a whole year before the child is born. Through no birth control either; it’s just how their bodies have adjusted to the planet.
It’s quite amazing and apparently the way we humans can reproduce so quickly is a real problem for that planet. They’re accusing us of populating like rabbits; taking up too much of the space afforded us already.
It makes me wonder how they will take my impact on the royal family. I will be the first Earthling to have intercourse with a Euthenian. Another thing my planet is calling wonderful and I see in another opposite way.
With no idea of how many children I will have or if I will have any is a mystery. A complete mystery and I am about logic and science and so hate mystery.
There may be something wrong in the royal genes as my prince’s brother died shortly after birth, leaving him an only child. A rare thing on that planet
A science project until my end, I suppose is my fate. My only saving grace is that I may find my husband easy on the eyes, as the few pictures I’ve seen of the men from that planet have shown me they all are terribly handsome.
Could be a gorgeous man might help me to accept the fate which is mine. It certainly couldn’t hurt.
CHAPTER 2
Kerr
The Royal Euthenian Armada, my family and guards, travel to Earth in is vast. Out the window of the courtroom, a line of black, shiny crafts flies alongside the main one. The one I and my father ride in.
Thirteen ships fly on each side of us, bringing the entire royal family, all the way to the last duke and lord and the majority of our guards to witness this historic wedding. The capital was nearly emptied with our departure.
A handful of guards were left behind to watch over the capital city and the palace. It seems everyone wants to be on Earth to see what is supposed to be a spectacular event.
All the entertainment and what I’m sure will be over the top displays of all Earth has to offer will most likely be lost on me once I have my hands on my beautiful new bride. She is all my eyes will most likely see once she’s mine.
My father, the king, sits on an overstuffed seat, covered in the leather the Earthling’s we allow to live in the desolate areas of our planet, The Euthenia Nebula, make out of the creatures’ hides they call bovines they brought with them. The meat is quite horrid, though, and it’s hard to know how they can ingest such a thing.
A platter of crunchy, boiled red beetles, served in a mineral glaze made of the best soil our planet has to offer is on the table as the first course of our third meal of each twenty-eight-hour day. I pop one into my mouth and delight in the crunchy outside and oozing center.
“Father, are you hungry?” I ask.
His light blue eyes gaze out the window as the blue planet of Earth hangs in the bottom of the thick glass pane. He sighs. “To eat as we are only hours from our destination after hours upon hours of travel is not a thing which interests me, son.” His gaze turns to me. “Tell me how it is. Tell me how you’re not doubling over with spasms of nerves in your stomach. You are to marry an Earthling. One of the most despised creatures in existence.”
“It is for our planet, Father. I will be king once you pass from this realm to the next. It’s a task I hold with the highest regards. I intend to unite our planet with Earth and any other planets which seek the peace and unequivocal balance which will come from galaxies who partner for the better of all.” My eyes move to look at the planet which is home to my awarded female.
The hope in me wells up as I think about how smart she is and how she will help me to understand the minds of the people who seem to be insane at times.
Who comes to someone’s planet and takes over? Who does that sort of thing?
Our planet differs greatly from the one my bride has grown up on. Our oceans reflect yellow because of the two suns our planet orbits. From space, it appears more yellow than any other color. But in the desolate regions, the ones we’ve allowed the Earthlings to settle on, there are vast fields of purple grass.
Those fields are visible as well, lending some streaks of purple to contrast the yellow oceans. A bit of red can be seen from the ancient red forests we have there. All in all, we have a lovely planet. Even though it’s smaller than Earth, we have utilized the resources of the planet to make use of the things it provides to the utmost efficiency.
Everything runs on solar energy which costs no one a thing. Our buildings are made from a naturally occurring metal which replenishes itself with each rainy season.
The whole planet gets incredibly saturated, and the assorted material which combines to make the metal is pooled together beneath the surface, forming new metal for us to build and repair with.
Our homes are made from thin but sturdy wood we call Bracha wood, it’s quite similar to what the Earth calls Bamboo. And whatever gets cut is immediately replanted to make sure we don’t deplete our source to build and repair our homes.
The palace is the one exception as it’s made of the pearl-like stone which occurs naturally at the bottom of our largest ocean, the Stalwart Ocean which connects with the other three through a series of seas and wetlands.
The palace shines all through the sunny days and moonlit nights. It’s like a beacon, and its beauty is unsurpassed. Only in the capital are the streets paved with silver dust. The whole city sparkles; I hope my new bride finds it an amazing place to live. I do so want her to love it there.
The people from Earth I’ve met have been decent and seem to want peace and happiness just as much as we do. I even met with a man when he first arrived. His military record was one of concern.
The man from Earth had been in the military since he was ten years old. Growing up in an academy and becoming one of their top leaders had him a real threat. To add to that, he was an assassin. Not the kind of man we want as a settler due to the fact he had such vast knowledge of war and how to win it. So my father and I had him brought straight away to our palace upon his arrival.
All Earthlings come through the capital to be documented and then taken on a flying craft, much like a barge, to the settlem
ent area we gave them. This particular man was a person of great interest and in danger of being sent back to Earth on the first Vestal back there.
Caleb Booth proved to be a very docile man, tired of war. He was seeking only peace and happiness. He wanted to start a family and live a quiet existence for the remainder of his life. So we allowed him to stay.
He’s one of the reasons I decided to take the award the Earthlings gave to me. If a man of war could be so kind and genuine then there is true hope, we can all get along and not have to obliterate the Earthlings currently on our planet. Which, if they don’t stop coming into the cities and procreating like flies, is a thing my father plans on doing.
My father gets up and comes to the table, picking up a fat beetle. He looks it over then places it on his tongue. After he swallows, he smiles. “Your mother loved these things. I miss her more than you can imagine.”
I clasp my father’s shoulder. “I pray my wife, and I find the love you two shared. For it was one for the record books, Father. Her passing was devastation for our planet, but for you, I fear a death sentence.”
The edges of his eyes droop with sorrow. “It has been a year since she passed and still I manage to live. I do not know how. My heart pines for her. To be with her is all I want. All I dream of. All there is for me.”
My heart aches for him. To know a love so encompassing you yearn for death to find you so you may be together again being a thing I have no knowledge of.
My father was once a tall, strong man who looks not one thing like me. I take after my mother where looks are concerned. His hair was once dark black but now is white as snow. His brown eyes are now so light they almost appear to be a shade of blue. His once tanned skin is pale and wrinkled.
My mother’s passing seems to have nearly destroyed him as he stands as tall as he can while seeming to hunch a little. Not much, but enough I notice a difference, and I’m sure others do as well. Though no one would utter a word of it.
A picture of my awarded I pull from a pocket inside my golden cloak, a thing my father and I always wear when appearing in public.
I gaze at the picture. My betrothed appears to be tall in stature. Her long, black hair hangs to the top of her rounded bottom in cascading waves. Her skin is creamy white and looks to be as smooth as silk. Sapphire eyes stare out at me from the photograph. It’s those eyes which stir something in my soul for her.
Kataline is the daughter of a Senator on Earth. Although his DNA is part of her, she has been genetically altered using DNA from other, special Earthlings.
The way her eyes sparkle has me thinking she must be one of the sweetest creatures. Kind, nurturing, and most likely one of the easiest females to get along with is what I think she must be like.
My father, like many others, has an aversion to people from Earth. It’s true they can live like animals quite easily. The can turn practically anything into something they can use.
Most see them as a lower brained creature. One who can’t find the easy way of living life. They tend to make their lives intentionally difficult.
Their worst trait is over-populating every surface they live on. Like rodents, some people compare them to. I am not some people, though. I respect their attitude for exploration.
They were the first people to get on a rickety rocket ship some hundred years ago and seek out a new place for them to settle and make homes on. Unfortunately for thirteen of those planets, they took them over from the people who inhabited them since time began.
I want to be the leader who learns how to handle the Earthlings in a way which will teach them to coexist, rather than take over. It’s my goal to find a way to get through to the tenacious species of humankind.
Marrying one and finding out how to do that with her is the first step in what will most likely be a long process. One that may even fall upon our children to take on.
Our children, their adorable little faces flitter through my head. What will they really look like?
With her great beauty, they’re bound to be the most precious, little things. The future is filled with mysteries. How many children will we have? How many males and how many females?
The people of our planet can only have two children. It’s the way our bodies are made. My older brother died when he was a baby, so I’m an only child. But I am looking forward to seeing how my wife and I will have children.
It’s been written in the contract she and I will sign that we will have all the children we are meant to. No contraception will be used. Our planet never had a need to develop it, and I refuse to allow her to bring any with her.
We do allow the Earthling settlers to use birth control methods, though. I do wish they’d use it more often as their numbers are growing too rapidly.
The subject of children has me thinking of the wedding night which is less than twenty-four hours away. I wonder if she’s nervous. I wonder if she’s been schooled in the physical ways of coupling. Or maybe she’s innocent, and they expect her to be taught.
Some females have been made as gifts to other planets. Most assume it’s a ploy to overtake even more planets. I’m not positive on that yet.
I can see the leaders of Earth wanting to leave the women uneducated about the physical aspects of coupling. Each planet’s beings do things a little differently. If they were to train the women the way Earthlings couple or as they call it, having sexual intercourse, then most would have to retrain them anyway.
It matters not to me, either way. She and I will find our way through that, I have no doubts. Her body and physical appearance already stir my groin, and that’s really all anyone needs to couple.
The planet grows larger in the window and the time is nearing. The nerves are beginning, but not in the way my father thinks. No, it’s excitement which has my stomach fluttering.
The future is about to begin, and I cannot wait!
CHAPTER 3
Kataline
Jasmine fills the surrounding air. It’s an aroma which brings me peace, and I’ve instructed it to be piped into the large auditorium I’m being married in.
It seems people have come from around the globe to witness the first ever marriage between an Earthling and a Euthenian. Not only that, but I’m also the first genetically modified female to be married off. The first to be awarded.
The other females will be in attendance. Other than my sister, I’ve never seen another one like us. It will be interesting to see how each of them reacts as they take a look at their futures and fates which will be similar to mine.
Our leaders have had designers make my wedding dress. They came up with in my opinion a design which lacks much thought. Left on my own I do believe I could’ve designed something more unique.
Alas, it was not up to me. Every noteworthy designer, decorator, culinary artist and entertainer has been utilized to show the Euthenian visitors how refined, cultured, talented, and clever we all are.
Seeing as their civilization is eons older than ours, it will most likely be a thing they find low-brained and dim-witted. And here I am at the Apex of all that, wearing a flowing white dress which makes me look like an ancient Greek Goddess.
By Earth standards, I look magnificent, but by the Euthenian standards, I highly doubt. My black hair has been elaborately braided, studded with real sapphires and tiny white flowers.
My makeup has been done by yet another respected professional make-up artist. When I look at my reflection, I’m reminded of some of the pictures I’ve seen in the history books of the Egyptian queen, Cleopatra.
Deep black lines my eyes, making the blue in them pop. Red stains my rosebud lips and light pink, my cheeks. The door to my dressing room opens and in flounces my older sister, wearing a dress similar to mine, only in light blue instead of white.
“Kataline, you look gorgeous!” Mataline coos at me as she air-kisses near my cheek.
I reciprocate the intent of affection and smile. “You also look gorgeous, sister.”
Her long, blonde lo
cks are piled high upon her head, small tendrils trickle from the mass and curl around her tanned face. Her skin is dark compared to mine. She is in all ways quite the opposite of me. This was what was intended.
Mataline was made to marry the common man she gave her virginity to. “Dane is so pissed he’s been given the task of a common usher. Father and his cronies never cease to point out his humble beginnings,” she whines.
“I’m sorry about that. He is my brother-in-law and the father of my precious nieces and should be more than that in this giant wedding. Tell me, do the little darlings look completely adorable as my dainty flower girls?”
“Rowe and Cindy look amazing. They’ll be floating down the aisle tossing white, magnolia petals along the trail you’ll be walking down.” She clasps her hands and smiles. “Are you ready for this?”
Alien Romance Box Set: Romantic Suspense: Alien Destiny: Scifi Alien Romance Adventure Romantic Suspence Trilogy (Complete Series Box Set Books 1-3) Page 104
