An Unexpected Return
Page 6
“What?”
Aris’s question echoed hers. “What’s going on here?”
“Thornton,” his father bellowed.
A stout Terran man scurried into the room, huffing to catch his breath. “Yes, Your Majesty?”
Terran? I thought Otarians and Terrans didn’t get along? What is this man doing with the royal family?
“My son has returned,” the king announced.
“I see, and I am most thankful.” The man nodded, wringing his hands together.
“Yes, yes.” The king waved his hand as if he was insignificant. “But look who he’s brought with him.”
Xia went immobile under everyone’s inspection. Who did they think she was? Did they somehow know her real parents? Would she be forced to face them? Her heart hammered in her chest, and she licked her dry lips.
“Impossible.” Thornton circled her and Aris. “I thought you were dead. If I would have known….”
She couldn’t take the mystery any longer. “I’m not who you think I am. My name is Xia and I was abandoned by my parents here on Elatia when I was a baby.”
Thornton winced. “No, your parents love you very much, Belle. My sister and her husband, your parents, were visiting Otaria, forging an alliance between the two planets. You were kidnapped from the government building on my watch.” He took her free hand. “Please forgive me. I only went to the washroom. When I returned, you were gone.”
Taking a step back, he stared at the floor. “We looked everywhere for you. We thought they killed you. Oh, gods, why did I stop looking?”
No, this couldn’t be. If she were someone else, then everything she’d believed her entire life was a lie. She wasn’t abandoned, but stolen away from her parents? And she’d hated her parents her entire life.
She swallowed the lump in her throat. “I….”
Aris wrapped his arms around her. “If she is someone I should know, how is it I’ve never heard you mention her name until now?”
While resting her head against his chest, she listened for their explanation. But she jerked her head when she heard the queen sobbing as she scurried away.
“Belle? Xia?” the king said. “Will you look at me, please?”
Rotating in Aris’s arms, she remained pressed against him, waiting to hear what the king had to say.
“It was always too painful to talk about them before, but your parents were our closest friends back on Otaria. When they lost you, everyone’s lives turned upside-down. Sure, Thornton stepped away from you for a moment, but it was one of my people who took you. I shouldered the blame and fled, unable to face your parents or the rest of Otaria.” The king wiped a tear away. “Some came with me, such as your uncle, but life was never the same. If only we’d known where you were.”
He paced in front of them. “We searched every nearby planet, halted all traffic in and out of the Petrogeous galaxy. No one had seen you.” Coming to an abrupt halt, he spun on his heels and stared at her. “I’m so glad Aristides found you. I only wish it had been sooner.”
“I have something I want you to see.” With a huge grin, the queen stood in the doorway, gripping an object in her hands. “Belle, it’s a picture of your parents.”
Although she never felt her feet touch the floor, she met the queen halfway.
“I’ve kept this picture with me for years.” She held out a color imagescreen.
Xia stared at the three people in the picture: a man, woman, and a baby. Blinking, she took in the woman again, as if staring at her reflection. “That’s my…mom, my dad?”
Hands rubbed her back, not Aris’s, but the queen’s. “Yes, they are wonderful people who love you with all of their hearts.”
Gazing up at the woman, she took a deep breath. “Will you…tell me about her, about them?”
“I will. And we’ll even contact them for you. It’s about time we put our differences to rest.” She squeezed her arm. “But later. We have a double betrothal ceremony to attend back on Tyto, followed by the biggest celebration ever. For Belle, our future queen, is not dead, but very much alive.”
Tears streamed down her face, even as she smiled. Aris pulled her into his arms and snuggled his face into her neck. “I don’t care if you’re Xia, or Belle,” he whispered. “I love you, and I’m going to marry you as soon as possible.”
Grasping his shoulders, she jumped and wrapped her legs around his waist. An unbelievable joy radiated from deep inside. For the first time in her life, she knew who her parents were, and had a man who would do anything for her. And no one could take that away.
***
As the freighter launched out the other side of the fold, towing his PSTV behind, Aris held his sleeping wife-to-be in his arms. She’d visited Kalara and Jacobus before leaving, to tell them what she’d learned about her beginnings, and to ensure they’d travel to Tyto to attend the wedding. Leaving Elatia, she’d wept as he held her, until exhaustion took over. And now they were almost home, with a life together to look forward to.
He held her closer, but flashing red lights throughout the cabin interrupted his contentment. What’s going on?
A crackle echoed through the communications system.
“We know you’ve found her!” The booming voice filled every corner of the room. “I’m coming on board to get my daughter.”
Xia stirred against Aris, then sat up. “Daddy?”
~ABOUT THE AUTHOR~
Jessica Subject started writing to encourage her daughter to read. Now she writes to keep herself grounded. Although she reads many genres, she enjoys writing Science Fiction Romance the most and believes everyone in the universe deserves a happily ever after. She lives Southwestern Ontario, Canada with her husband and two kids and loves to hear from anyone who has enjoyed her stories.
You can visit Jessica at:
http://markofthestars.com
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Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven