“Wha...” Trent's words caught in his throat as he pulled away.
“Come...you too!” Sasha grabbed his hand and started pulling him away from the building, helping Tiana to her feet in the process.
“Trent! What's going on!” the woman named Samantha appeared from thin air before them.
“Samantha...why?” he stepped back, “why...why are you here?” Trent asked, his voice low, confused.
This was wrong, Sasha knew, he should never have seen her again.
“You ran off before I could explain. That message was for my sister. Her MCD broke so...so I've been passing messages between the two,” Samantha explained as she approached, staring suspiciously at Sasha and her ladies. “Who are they?” she asked accusingly. Trent looked at Sasha, eyes showing deep thought before going blank.
“I don't know,” he responded, Sasha's hand slipping through his as he grabbed Samantha's.
“Let's grab some dinner, I know how much you like Villia Bestia...it will be on me,” the world contorted, shimmering before all light vanished. When it returned, they were back in the restaurant.
“What happened?” Yukie asked.
“We failed,” Sasha said with no emotion.
“This is a powerful memory,” Regalia noted. Sasha to sigh, knowing Regalia's insight was correct.
She turned to Tiana. “Tiana...I am so sorry...” Sasha hugged her close, placing all her emotions on her chest.
“Me too! But......but...I don't know...it's strange...” Tiana sobbed.
“You love him, but you hate him? Hate him because he took Sasha away and love him because of what he is?” Vickie joined in, placing a gentle hand on Tiana's shoulder. Tiana eyelids fluttered as she nodded, unable to turn back to Sasha. So instead, Sasha moved, grabbing Tiana's puffy cheeks and turning her to face her.
“Tiana, I'll say this again and again. I love you, you are dear to me and...and knowing you hate Trent because I love him as well rips at my soul. But I understand jealousy...better than most...” an unhappy smile passed her lips as she looked down upon Samantha, who had just called for the check after turning down Trent's proposal for them to live together. “So I know how hard it is to fight that feeling. But please, Tiana, try not to hate him,” Tiana's eyes bubbled with tears.
“It's not just that...” Tiana squeaked. Sasha cocked her head, wondering what she missed.
Tiana closed her eyes tight. “I'm jealous of you too!” the words hit Sasha like a slap and her mind had trouble registering exactly what they meant, but when it did, she couldn't help but smile.
“Oh, Tiana...my poor, Tiana...” she embraced the teenage girl, knowing that her love for Trent, at least in her own mind, had surpassed that of a friend.
“You know, Tiana...you should really look into being a mazart,” Sasha flashed an angry glare at Vickie, who grinned and hopped out of reach.
“Tiana will not be bound! She will meet the man of her dreams, marry, and become a marquise or countess,” Sasha explained, rather loudly.
Vickie's smile faded, her expression turning serious. “Is that what she wants or what you want, Your Grace?” the change in Vickie's demeanor caught Sasha off guard. Of course it was what Tiana wanted, wasn't it?
“Tiana...that is what you want, correct?” Tiana looked up in her eyes.
“I don't know, Sasha, I guess...when I was younger, yes. Now...now I just don't know...” Sasha felt the urge to scream at the girl, tell her she knew what was best. But then she remembered her own feelings about having a path chosen for her and felt her stubborn anger begin to drain.
“You are right, Vickie. I am sorry, Tiana. I will support any choice you decide upon.” Tiana burrowed her head deep into Sasha's bosom, nodding, while continuing to cry out long repressed tears.
“He's leaving,” Yukie said, her words tense.
The scene shifted and they were back on the street, Trent leaning against the same brick wall as before, looking in wonder at the device called an MCD.
“It's repeating,” Vickie whispered.
“Good, I don't like to make the same mistake twice...” Sasha said with renewed resolve, releasing Tiana's puffy cheeks, kissing her lightly on the forehead, then turning back to Trent.
“Follow my lead.”
*********
He fell to his knees, burying his face in his hands to try to block the tears. But it was too late. He was betrayed, yet again. The words repeated through his mind. She has a fiancé that she sees every weekend. That is why she would never allow him to see her. Why she hid her family and friends from him. She was cheating, using him.
“Trent! What's wrong?” Samantha's concerned words filled his shaken mind. Instead of answering, he held up her MCD, feeling her cold touch remove it from his trembling hand. A gasp was all the verification he required and he began to run.
It didn't matter anymore, he thought as he pushed through the crowd, ignoring the angry shouts from those he stumbled into. His life was over, it no longer had meaning and he didn't know where to go.
“Just keep running,” the voice in his mind explained. That's right, if he keeps running he can escape anything, any problems, any difficulties, running was always the best solution. But his body began to fight him, complaining that it was impossible to keep running forever, trying to ignore his crest fallen mind.
He stumbled to a stop, grasping his knees and breathing heavy, tears still streaming down his burning cheeks. Why had this happened to him? What had he done to deserve this? He had kept out of trouble and the eyes of his peers, had made no enemies, but also no friends, he'd lived a lonely, isolated life. Until he met her, the woman who claimed to love him, but was obviously using him. Why him, why not someone else?
“Because you don't exist,” his mind explained. It made sense, he realized. To keep from getting caught cheating, she went after someone who didn't exist, would not appear on most people's radar. The idea made him sad and as he stood, he saw his salvation.
“Please...Trent...” a woman’s voice carried on the wind, but no one stood at his side. He spun around, unable to find anyone but the naked woman shaped bar sign. Am I going crazy? Shaking off the thought, he started towards the door.
“Trent,” arms wrapped around him from behind. He spun and found a gorgeous woman, face framed with silky black hair, eyes of emerald stars, standing mere millimeters from his own.
“Who are you?” his voice cracked as his sorrow seeped into his words.
“Someone who loves you,” the honesty of the declaration struck him, but he couldn't believe it. How could this woman love me? Nobody loves me.
“Trent! Get away from her!” Samantha shouted from behind. He tried to turn, but the mysterious woman tightened her grip.
“Trent...she lied to you and will continue to lie to you,” her words struck his heart and more tears erupted from his eyes.
“I know but I-,” she cut him off with a kiss, a passionate kiss full of love and longing, one that he'd never experienced before in the lonely years of his life.
“How dare you do that to my Trent!” Samantha screeched as the black haired woman released her embrace, but not his hand.
“He is my Trent! You are a whore who bewitched his kind heart!” the fervor of her words made his heart race. But Samantha wouldn't be held back, she was the queen of conflict.
“Whore? Coming from a slut like you who kisses random men on the street? Trent, move away from her and come here now before you catch some disease,” Samantha slowly approached, her voice commanding.
“Go to her,” the voice in his head cried.
“No,” but he fought back, “you...you lied to me!” he shouted, gathering his courage.
“Trent...I wouldn't lie to you, it was all a misunderst-.” two women coalesced at Samantha's sides, striking her in the midsection so hard she collapsed to the ground.
“She's lying, Trent,” the brown haired beauty said with a wink.
“Yes...she doesn't love you,” the short
girl with curly blond hair that looked like an angel, followed.
“But we love you, Trent!” another girl appeared before him, this one with exotic gold and silver hair, her face so perfectly sculpted he wanted to touch it to see if it was real.
“Trent...do not make Sasha sad!” another blond haired girl, this one much younger, looking like a doll, stood next the first, bulging her lower lip as she crossed her arms.
“Trent! Don't listen to them! They're liars and whores!” Samantha screeched from all around him. His mind spun, the sorrow overlapped by confusion as Samantha appeared from the darkness on all sides, approaching slowly.
“He is mine! Forever! I shall own his mind and you shall never release me!” the words struck him like daggers.
He collapsed to his knees. “Forgive me,” he cried, knowing she was right. He was hers and always would be hers.
“Trent, my Trent, she is already gone from your heart. It is time to release her from your mind,” the black haired beauty said as she embraced him again, kissing his tear strewn cheeks.
“Yes, Trent, you now have Sasha and me.,” the seductively mature, brown haired woman approached, Samanthas vanishing in puffs of smoke as they touched her body that appeared to be made of flame, before she joined in the embrace.
“Don't forget about me!” the gold and silver haired girl said, full of exuberance, wiggling her body in close.
“Trent...” the younger blond hair girl seemed to be at the edge of tears, unable to say more before embracing him as well, burying her head in his side. A strange glow grew around them and any of the Samanthas that approached from the darkness would vanish when they touched its radiance. But they kept appearing, more and more, until a sea of Samanthas surrounded them, threatening to wash them away at any moment.
“Trent...please...I don't want to suffer anymore...” the last woman, with curly blond hair, stood trembling at their side. She appeared to want him to say something, but he knew not what. His mind was still so confused he couldn't understand what was happening around him; this being a dream or reality.
“Listen to your heart,” the voice of the one called Sasha whispered in his ear and he obeyed.
“I will do everything in my ability to eliminate your suffering...as I eliminate my own,” the words came from someplace he did not know.
“Oh, Trent!” the woman cried as she completed the embrace,
Trent felt a love that he never knew could exist, the pure love of a lover, of her friends, and of a child.
He was home.
*********
They sat in silence, picking at a late breakfast in their private dining hall, allowing the tension of Vickie's explanation to die down. His mind was still a mess from the invasion of Sasha and her ladies, so this new bit of information was facing some difficulty sinking in.
“So...you are now like...married to me and Sasha?” he asked, finally thinking of a way to describe, more for himself then others, exactly what a mazart could be considered. Sasha chocked at his side in surprise. He rubbed her back, ignoring the playful laughter that exploded forth from Vickie.
“In a sense...yes. But it's more of a lady-in-waiting permanently attached to an elevated noble couple. I've freely given my heart and mind to you both, since I love you and want to spend the rest of my life with you,” she became serious. Trent felt a hint of love touch his bond with Sasha. The surprise that must have shown on his face made Vickie giggle in delight, the love shifting to a burning lust.
“Vickie! Stop that...” Sasha scolded, turning to Trent and grabbing his hand.
“Another side effect of the bond. It seems Vickie and Tiana...probably Regalia and Yukie as well...now have a weak bond to our bond.” Trent looked at her in confusion.
“Something to do with the Emperor's Jewelry?” he asked, shaking his head, his life constantly changing.
“So what do you say, my love? We can still force her to marry and run a mark or an earldom,” Sasha hid her playfulness enough that Vickie's expression turned dubious. But Trent knew she'd already decided.
“We are of one mind, my love...your choice is my choice.”
“But Trent if you do that I will-,”
“Vickie,” Sasha cut her off, “as is my right as Grand Duchess Sasha Alutia, I hereby recognize you as Mazart Vickie Alutia, lifelong companion to Grand Duchess Sasha Alutia and Grand Duke Trent Alutia.” Vickie's expression turned to relief, then mischief.
“Does that mean I can move into your bedchamber?” she purred, her predatory gaze no longer just falling on him, but Sasha as well, causing her to blush.
“Now you know how I feel,” he whispered, causing an elbow to strike his ribs.
“You shall remain in the ladies quarters for the foreseeable future,” Sasha said, a little too strictly.
Vickie sighed, appearing not to be surprised. “What about that other matter? Have you given it any thought?” Vickie grinned and Trent knew he was missing something, Sasha blushed a crimson almost as deep as her dress.
“Yes...and that will not be for another twenty years at least! So we will not discuss the matter until then!” Vickie seemed to sense a hidden meaning.
“Very well...but until then...unless you want me to continue...” her voice trailed off, Trent did not like not knowing what was going on.
“Certain technological components have been confiscated from Don'Alutia and I have requested one be installed in your quarters here and on Alutia'Earth. But if you tell anyone, besides Til'Ma, I will banish you! Do you understand?” Sasha stood, her cheeks burning from embarrassment.
“Yes, of course,” Vickie stared at Til'Ma in amazement.
“What is going on?” Trent couldn't take it anymore.
“Nothing for you to worry about, my duke,” she leaned over and kissed him.
“Sasha. You know we share everything,” he explained, trying not to talk down to her, but failing miserably.
“Trent...I know,” she looked torn.
“Trent, do you want me to continue my nightly...escapades?” Vickie asked.
Trent froze. “If that is what you enjoy and you're careful I don't...” the looks he received were not what he expected.
“How about, Sasha?”
“Of course not!” he shouted and realized his mistake, realizing he’d hurt Vickie with his inconsideration.
“I'm sorry, Vickie. I didn't think. Of course it pains me to see you with other men, but what right do I have to stop you?” he explained.
She smiled as if all the hurt from a moment before had been forced. “I know. But we were discussing a method for me to continue my routine without offending my new station.” Vickie looked to Sasha who nodded.
“And their just happened to be a certain technology available for us to confiscate from Don'Alutia...” Sasha trailed off as she noticed he understood.
“I see...that would make me feel much better,” he said honestly.
Vickie smiled. “Good! And I want to hear I love you from both of you at least once a day!” the honest admission from a blushing Vickie took them both by surprise.
“I love you,” Trent said, voice full of honesty.
“Trent!” Sasha gasped, looking hurt.
“I love you,” he kissed her deeply, pushing his love across, letting Vickie feel the edge through the bond.
“I love you too, my duke,” she said back as they kissed again. “And you, Vickie...I do love you.” Vickie smiled and ran to their side, kissing them both in a fashion that made him almost forget where he was.
“Vickie!” Sasha screamed as she pulled her lips away from Trent's, then buried a similarly deep kiss on her. Sasha looked dazed for a moment after Vickie pulled away, but quickly climbed on Trent's lap, kissing him over and over again, laying her claim.
“This will be fun,” Vickie laughed as she skipped away, grabbing Til'Ma's hand.
“I shall return...and I love you...both of you.” She left before either he or Sasha could see her face.
&nbs
p; “She is a sly one,” Trent muttered.
“Too sly,” Sasha said in-between her assault of kisses.
“I received a message from the emperor. It appears that the ASU invasion has been stopped, but there are still many of those asteroid starships floating around,” Trent mentioned, knowing it was about time they went over the most pressing business.
“I'm sure Knight Admiral Bhool will have a plan when she returns,” Sasha sighed as she lowered her head to his shoulder, kissing his neck.
“We will need to do more than that...the starships were attacking colonies with a new HDP based weapon and outbreaks have already been reported on thousands of planets,”
Sasha stiffened in his arms. “Mother said the same thing. She mentioned that the delay for landing on Alutia'Earth is over two days since everyone needs to be bioscanned and customs is running thin,” Trent shivered at the thought.
“Did you have her-,”
“Yes, she temporarily shifted construction priority on all fleet construction and retrofit stations. So we have hundreds of new ABF patrol and custom ships coming online daily. This should increase since we already have ten fully operational stations in the Alutia'Earth system alone,” he relaxed.
“Did you-,”
“Of course, I told Sir Illion and informed Sir Oadi to forward a message to Sir Hec'Ure,” Trent squeezed Sasha tightly, causing a squeak to escape from their catillian's which were sleeping in Sasha's now compressed bosom.
“What do you need me for?” he asked, feigning hurt.
“To keep me warm at night, of course,” she teased.
He couldn't help but laugh. “You're a bad liar,” he began to tickle her.
“Stop...please...I yield, my duke...I need you more then you could possibly ever imagine!” she shouted the truth, so he stopped his assault.
“I know, the same with me. The emperor wanted to thank us for looking after Yukie and mentioned that the problems within the Emperor's Fleets are so deep that he fears there may be an open rebellion,” Sasha's eyes went wide.
The Noble Petty, Complete Edition (Alutia Rising Series, Book 2) Page 77
