Survive

by Vera Nazarian

“Chuvuat, Lord Argosaen,” I say, which means “thank you” in Atlanteo.

  “Not Bride, Tuta. She is now his Wife—Wife,” the woman next to him says in Atlanteo, with an amused and slightly exasperated tone, patting him on his arm. And then she looks up at me with a mischievous and charming crinkled smile. “My dear, you are lovely indeed, and I am so sorry I haven’t properly learned your English language yet, but I am working on it. Maybe you can help me with it. My Husband can speak a few words more than me, of which he is very proud. Right, Tuta?”

  “Eh?” Lord Argosaen says, leaning closer to his wife.

  “I said—” and Lady Argosaen repeats near his ear, then looks at me with a humorous and conspiratorial roll of her eyes. “My Husband needs to get his hearing fixed—such an easy procedure—but he refuses, for years.”

  “Oh,” I say, smiling and unsure of how to respond. “That’s okay.”

  Next to me, Aeson chuckles.

  “You go on now, enjoy your Wedding Day,” Lady Argosaen says waving at both of us with her wrist. “We’ll talk later. So much good talk to be had, im saai. . . . All in good time. Now is a different good time.”

  I can tell I’m going to love Aeson’s grandparents. . . .

  And then I happen to glance over Lord Argosaen and see his granddaughter Manala watching us wistfully from her spot, sandwiched between her mother and her grandfather.

  “Manala, why aren’t you dancing?” I ask the Princess who sits on the edge of her seat, looking eager but shy.

  “Oh, I will . . . maybe later,” she replies, with a nervous glance past her Mother and in her Imperial Father’s direction. It is definitely best not to press her.

  We continue to mingle, this time moving in the direction of my family and friends.

  “How are you feeling, Dad?” I ask my father, seeing him leaning forward against the table, observing the dancers with curiosity.

  “Doing great, don’t you worry about me,” Dad says comfortably, glancing at George and Gracie.

  “What about you, George?” I turn to my brother. “You know, they should be playing other kinds of music soon, Earth music too, so you might want to get up and dance.

  “Oh yeah?” George says, winking at me and nodding at Aeson. “Sounds good to me.”

  “You are a marvelous dancer, Aeson,” Dad says to my husband. “Watching you two out there is a pleasure.”

  “Thank you, Amre-ter Charles.” Aeson smiles. “Your daughter makes it easy.”

  Dad turns to me with a chuckle. “He’s a smooth talker, too.”

  “Oh, Daddy.” I giggle.

  Aeson shakes his head with amusement and heads over briefly to say hello to a few astra daimon down the table in the other direction.

  Right in that moment, the irephuru circle dance ends, and suddenly without a pause, come the smooth jazz notes of “Moondance” by Van Morrison.

  Gracie stares at me, her jaw dropping in happy surprise. “Are you serious?” she exclaims. “Did you choose this song yourself?”

  “Uh-huh.” I nod grinning. “What, d’you think it was the Atlanteans?”

  Gracie swats my arm with a chortle. And then she sees the sparkle of the deep blue stone on my Wedding ring and her jaw drops again. “Oh my . . . that! Let me see!” And Gracie grabs my hand to examine my ring closely.

  Meanwhile, “Oh, hell yeah,” George says, getting up. “This is my groove.”

  While Gracie oohs and aahs over my ring, George comes around the table and stops before my seated girlfriends. “Hello, ladies, who’s up for a little Moondance?”

  “Me, me!” Dawn and Laronda both say.

  “Ok, you said it first,” Laronda concedes with a pout.

  “I love this song!” Dawn says, getting up in a hurry, then she and George run to the dance floor which has thinned significantly, since the locals are not that familiar with Earth dancing. Fortunately, George and Dawn set a fine example, swinging and even doing dips, and in moments the Atlantean Courtiers join them, copying their jazzy movements.

  “All right, I want to see your big rock,” Laronda says, getting up anyway and coming near me and Gracie around the table.

  Chiyoko and Hasmik peer over from their seats, very intrigued, and get up also. “Oh, this is gorgeous! What kind of stone is it?”

  I tell them, and let them gush. I notice Laronda seems a little absentminded, and keeps looking around the room. She finally says, “Have you seen troll boy?”

  And so, I tell her where I last saw Anu. “You know, he was hiding out in my bedroom!” I say.

  “Idiot,” Gracie mumbles.

  Hasmik holds back a smile.

  “Yes, I can see the fool doing something like that.” Laronda rolls her eyes and pats down her dress. “No social skills.” And then she pauses. “You think he might be around there still?”

  I look Laronda in the eyes, holding back a smile also. “I think you should go look,” I say.

  Laronda raises one brow and looks me back in the eyes. “I think I might. Save my seat, girl. I’ll tell him you and the Boss are looking for him. Or is that too much?”

  I chortle. “Sure, whatever will make him come down here. Use any method at your disposal to bag the troll boy.”

  “Use a big Yellow Quadrant net,” Hasmik adds.

  “Drag him like a cavewoman,” Gracie concludes.

  Chiyoko widens her eyes and presses her lips tight.

  Nodding with determination, Laronda heads for the exit.

  Hasmik, Gracie, Chiyoko, and I exchange meaningful smiles.

  Chapter 64

  The next song that plays is an Atlantean popular dance tune, so George and Dawn return from the dance floor, while other people crowd it.

  Aeson returns also, with Xelio, Oalla, Ker and Manala. The latter immediately comes and sits down in an empty chair next to Dawn—who is still breathless from dancing—and Hasmik, and examines my ring with curiosity.

  “Congratulations, My Imperial Lord and Lady,” Ker says to me and Aeson with a comic flourish. “How many hours until Amrevet Night, Kass?”

  Aeson actually starts to glance at his wrist comm, and Xelio snorts. “Very eager, apparently. And who could blame you? With such a stunning Wife, every instant of delay is torment.”

  “Stop it, boys,” Oalla says, swatting Xel on the shoulder. She then adds to my Earth girlfriends, “And why aren’t more of you dancing?”

  “We were.” Picking up a glass, George speaks up from his seat, which he’s just reclaimed after dancing with Dawn. “And we will be again, um—Instructor Keigeri—”

  Oalla makes a funny sound. “This boy is still in Qualification mode? Call me Oalla.”

  “Of course. Apologies, wasn’t sure how to address anyone,” George retorts calmly. “Too much change, too quickly.”

  “Yes, it can be confusing, considering we have such different social strata,” Xelio says to George.

  The Atlantean song ends.

  And in its place, I hear a familiar soft beat from Earth that gets my pulse racing. “Stand by Me” by Ben E. King is playing, and this is my gentle cue.

  I glance at Aeson and then step over to where my father is sitting.

  “Dad,” I say. “May I have this dance?”

  My father, Charles Lark, pauses momentarily, looking up at me from his seat as though puzzled for one instant, and then a slow, joyful smile comes to warm his tired face.

  “Only if you’re up to it, Dad!” I hasten to add. “I chose a really slow song. . . .”

  “Of course, sweetheart,” my father says, standing up carefully. “I would be honored to dance with my wonderful daughter on her Wedding Day.”

  And I take his hand, in some ways helping him walk and simultaneously leading him, and Dad and I step onto the dance floor together.

  One thing is right, I did choose this song for two reasons—it’s slow and easy to move to, even for someone not in the best of health, and yes, I love it.

  I also recall that Mom loved it too. And
the two of them danced to it on more than one occasion.

  Dad holds my right hand with his left and places his right arm around my waist lovingly, and we shuffle together, mostly stepping in place.

  “Thank you, Daddy,” I whisper.

  “No, thank you, sweet girl,” my father says with a deep sigh, as we continue to move to the song, mostly oblivious to whoever is around us, and mostly on an empty dance floor, while others watch us respectfully from a distance. I rest my head against his chest and close my eyes.

  “You know, your Mom used to love this song.”

  “I know.”

  Dad sighs. “She is so proud of you—was. No, she is, still is. . . . Wherever she is now, she is watching with so much love, looking down at you—”

  “At both of us,” I amend gently, and then do it again. “Not just both—all of us.”

  “Indeed. . . . Always.”

  The dance ends, and in its place an up-tempo Atlantean popular song starts. Dad and I return to our seats, and Dad takes his chair gratefully. “Phew . . . I’m beat,” he says, shaking his head with self-amusement. “But it was more than worth it. Thank you, sweetheart, for the wonderful dance. Sorry we couldn’t do dips.” And he pats my hand.

  “Here, Daddy, have something to drink.” Gracie refills his glass. And then my sister looks further down the table where Blayne is sitting and waves at him next to Chiyoko. Blayne waves back.

  “Is that boy the same friend you were telling me about?” Dad asks gently.

  Gracie pauses with slight embarrassment and then nods. “Yes, that’s Blayne and he is awesome.”

  “Introduce him some time, would love to talk,” Dad says.

  I smile at the sight of Gracie nodding with enthusiasm to Dad, then search the room for Aeson.

  I find my husband—still can’t believe that’s what he is now, my husband—talking with Xelio and Quoni a few feet down the table.

  At once Aeson returns to me, and Xel and Quoni with him. Quoni immediately greets my Dad and George, and the three of them start talking.

  “Everything good here?” Aeson asks.

  “Everything perfect,” I say, looking into his eyes.

  Meanwhile, the next song starts playing, and this one’s another ancient Earth classic that makes my heart warm, “Make Someone Happy” by Jimmy Durante. Yes, I know, I may have gone overboard on picking sentimental classics for my Wedding music playlist, but that’s what happens when you end up on the opposite side of the Universe from your home planet. . . . Yeah, I’m not sorry at all.

  I see most of my female friends perk up, because they’ve all seen “Sleepless in Seattle,” so this is a really romantic song for the Earthies. Hasmik exchanges a wistful smile with Chiyoko then turns to Manala and explains to her the phenomenon of the old but never forgotten romantic film stars of yesteryear, Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks. Manala looks impressed and her eyes light up. Dawn laughs.

  In that moment, Xelio, who’s been listening in curiously, nears their group. His slightly mocking gaze takes in the seated females. “So. . . . Which one of you will dance with me?” he asks with a charming drawl, looking at the row of my friends, his insistent gaze sliding over them one at a time.

  Just for a moment, my girlfriends freeze a little, like deer caught in the sexiest pair of headlights, as they stare up at him from their seats—it’s the Xelio sensual effect, and it’s undeniable.

  Xelio continues to smile, and then lifts his finger to point from one to the next in a row. “You, or you, or you, or you. . . .” When his finger points at Manala, she pales then blushes furiously, and her deer-in-the-headlights expression intensifies.

  “Oh, come on, Xel,” Aeson says, stepping in to be even closer at my side. “Pick any one of these lovely ladies, and do it quickly before the song ends.”

  “Hm-m-m.” Xel pretends to consider. “Very well—you!” and he points his finger insolently at Hasmik.

  Hasmik’s mouth parts, and she allows an embarrassed smile, but shakes her head. “Oh no, no. . . .”

  “Come now, you will enjoy it,” Xel persists, turning up the volume of his magnetic smile.

  But Hasmik shakes her head. “No. But—oh,” she says suddenly, “Princess Manala wants to dance, you two should dance—”

  Manala’s expression is now terrified.

  Xel raises his brows and glances at Aeson. “I think Princess Manala’s Imperial Brother will not approve, and I fear his fiery wrath. So Princess Manala will have to pardon me.”

  “Oh . . . it’s okay,” Manala says suddenly.

  But Xel is no longer looking at her, and instead points at Hasmik again. But then his finger switches to Chiyoko—who also looks a bit more startled than usual, and smiles, and shakes her head negatively.

  “Im nefiri ladies, you destroy me and ruin my reputation,” Xel says, searing them with his gaze.

  “Oh, for heaven’s sake,” Dawn says smartly, getting up. “Let’s go!” And she calmly grabs Xelio’s hand and pulls him to the dance floor.

  My friends stare with amazement and some relief at no longer being put on the spot by such a hot male, while Aeson laughs, shaking his head at us, and I grin.

  Only Manala looks shaken, and I see her tense face appears to be holding back emotion.

  Suddenly Manala gets up with a tiny sob, and says, “Excuse me . . .” She then rushes off toward the exit.

  “Oh, dear . . .” I say with concern, while Aeson looks a little puzzled as he stares in his fleeing sister’s wake.

  My brother George looks away from his conversation with Quoni and asks, “What’s wrong? What just happened?”

  “My sister should be fine,” Aeson says after a tiny, thoughtful pause. “She does this sometimes.”

  “Does what?” George watches curiously.

  “Never mind, Gee One,” I say, quickly changing the subject. I’ll have to explain Manala’s quirks and acute sensibilities to my family—at some point.

  A few moments later the classic Earth song ends, and Xel returns with Dawn to the table, looking amused. “Not a bad dancer, this one,” Dawn remarks, patting Xel’s arm. “I told him all about ‘Sleepless in Seattle,’ so now he’s all clued in to our romantic oldies.”

  “Thank you for the cultural lesson and the dance,” Xelio replies with a slow, confident smile and a wink in the direction of the other females who rejected him minutes ago.

  And then Xel picks up a drink and strolls away, giving one amused glance to us and nodding at Aeson.

  My friends start to whisper in his wake, and Dawn says to everyone, “You all missed out! Too bad—seriously hot hunky dancing. All that male appeal so wasted on me. Chickens! Bawk, bawk!”

  I laugh at my girlfriends and take Aeson’s hand.

  Im amrevu looks down into my eyes dreamily. Just now he might be a little tipsy from shedehur, but no, I recall, he’s only had one glass, same as me. So, it must be love.

  Maybe an hour later we’ve done the obligatory rounds of most of the room, greeting our guests, VIPs and other Courtiers, and just people we invited personally. The traditional phrase “Infinite Blessings upon your Union!” has been said to us so many times that I’ve lost count—we might indeed be approaching that infinity.

  Somewhere in the middle, at one of the tables full of High Court nobility, we come upon Lord Fuorai and his wife, Lady Vahiz, and with them, Lady Tirinea Fuorai, looking nervous and very contrite the moment she sees Aeson and me approach—me in particular.

  Yes, after much thought, I decided not to be petty and to invite Lady Tiri to our Wedding—but on one condition. The Wedding invitation sent in my name, stated in no uncertain terms that I will permit Lady Tiri back into my presence and my Court only if she apologizes—and not just to me but to all the other people she offended that afternoon, starting with Erita Qwas, her own friends, my friends, and ending with the Venerable Therutat and the Imperatris herself in whose presence the offense was made. And this apology is to be done in public.

  See
ing me walking toward them, Lady Tiri glances at her parents with an unhappy and startled expression, but they nod at her sternly, signaling that she must proceed in order to clear herself—and them, by association.

  And so, Lady Tiri stands up, then does a very graceful, full curtsey before me. Speaking in a much softer and less confident voice than I’ve ever heard her use before, she says, “My Imperial Lady Gwen, thank you for permitting me the opportunity to return into your graces. I apologize with the entirety of my person and beg your pardon for my transgressions. Please forgive me.”

  And she curtseys deeply again, even as other guests nearby watch with curiosity. A few whispers move in waves down the table, at her display. Not everyone is aware of what took place at the Ladies of the Court Bridal event, but soon they will be. . . .

  Aeson raises one brow and looks from me to Tiri in bemusement. He has no idea what’s happening, and I’ll just have to explain it to him later.

  “Lady Tiri, I will accept you back into my Court and my good graces. But now you need to apologize to the others. Begin with Erita Qwas, the astra daimon whom you wronged most. She is over there. I’ll wait and watch as you do it. Then proceed to Lady Irana and Lady Zua, after which you may find my Earth friends. I will later ask everyone affected if they are satisfied with your apology.”

  “Yes, My Imperial Lady Gwen.” Lady Tiri nods and lowers her face with a terrified expression. She then hurries in the direction I pointed.

  I nod to the Lord and Lady Fuorai in businesslike fashion, then take Aeson’s arm possessively and pull him along with me, as we continue moving through the room. I have no intention of waiting around or wasting any more of my precious Wedding Day worrying about Lady Tiri, and expect that she knows it.

  Not sure how much time has gone by, but it’s well into the evening and our reception has become a relaxed and definitely festive chamber full of dancing and inebriated, happy people. Aeson and I keep checking the time, and at this point slow exhaustion is starting to set in after this amazing but endlessly long day. And yet, we know that the best part of the night still lies before us.