by Zara Zenia
He resisted the urge to punch the beautiful statues on the way down the hallway. There was a statue of his father that was half finished on the right side of the hallway, and he paused as he walked by.
“What would you have me do, Father?” he asked to the half-carved stone. “What would you do if you were here? Not this, I bet.”
Chapter 3
Margot
Margot couldn't believe that this was really happening. She couldn't believe that she was really boarding the ship to Tamarax, about to get married.
It had been three months since she had contacted Tariana Drax. She had sent many emails back and forth, discussing her preferences, her hopes, and her dreams. Tariana had such good ratings, and yet Margot was nervous about whom she would eventually be matched with. She knew there was a whole universe out there and a whole variety of personalities. She knew she was technically increasing her chances of finding a soulmate by searching the whole universe. Still, when the match finally came through, she lost sleep over trying to imagine who this person was.
All she really knew about him was that his name was Draklan. From what her research told her, he was likely named after the youngest son of the royal family. It seemed like a popular name on Tamarax, and all her research couldn't help her narrow down who the person was. Tariana ran a blind dating service, which meant the couples wouldn't meet until they were together for the wedding or just before. There was no courtship period, and she had paid a lot of money in order to secure this match. However, she couldn't find a single negative review about the service, so she told herself all was well. Today, she was boarding the jump ship and leaving her old life behind.
She didn't mind leaving her colleagues. She had never been that close to them. She didn't mind leaving her career because she could paint anywhere, and David had ruined the community for her. And she certainly didn't mind knowing that she was going to be half a galaxy away from David.
In addition, she was excited about the beautiful sites that Tamarax had to offer. She knew that the landscapes were better and it had quite an artistic community. There were a few Earth painters who seemed to have made it big over there, simply because they were from another planet, and she hoped she'd have a fresh start.
“Miss Carter, your seat is over here,” said the flight attendant when she boarded. It wasn't like a traditional commercial ship, with seats packed into every corner. It was more spacious and luxurious, and every seat was actually a mini-cabin. Margot felt like she was in First Class.
“Thank you,” she said. “Do I just leave all of my luggage here?”
“Yes,” she said. “And when we take off, we recommend that you lie down, as many first-time flyers find that it's easier to fall asleep during the jump. It can be quite uncomfortable for a first-timer.”
“Uncomfortable?” Margot asked, biting her lip.
“Have you ever traveled at two thousand miles an hour?” the flight attendant asked.
“Uh, no,” Margot replied. “I'll take your advice then.”
“You'll probably fall asleep, and we'll be there before you know it,” the flight attendant said. “Are you headed for work?”
“Oh, uh . . .” Margot wasn't sure what to say. “To meet someone.”
The flight attendant looked concerned.
“Do you have the proper visa to enter Tamarax?” she asked.
“Yes,” Margot said. “It's in my passport. Should I show you?”
“No,” she said. “I trust you. Just make sure you have it when you land.”
“Thank you, I appreciate it,” Margot said. The flight attendant left her alone, and Margot sat on the bed. She couldn't believe that she was actually there.
Her window shade was open for the time being, as was the cabin door, and she heard a familiar voice below her. She groaned, standing up and looking out the window. Sure enough, David stood on the landing deck.
“I don't want to go to Tamarax,” David argued with a security guard. “I swear. But the woman I love is onboard, and I want to show her that she's making a mistake and should stay here. I love her more than anything. Please let me see her. Have you ever been in love?”
“Uh, no,” the security officer said.
“Then let me tell you how excruciating it is to be away from your soulmate,” David said. “This woman, she's an angel sent from Heaven just to love me. I have to have her stay with me. I have to at least try.”
Margot held her breath. She knew how persuasive David could be. After all, she lived with him for years. She knew that there was a chance David could be let onboard, and she didn't know what she would do if that was the case.
“Not if you don't have a ticket,” the officer said. “Besides, buddy, take my advice. If she's on that ship, it's because she wants to be.”
“You don't know that!” David cried. “She may be forced against her will, for all you know.”
“Is she a government worker?” the officer asked.
“No,” David replied.
“Then the only other way onto Tamarax is with a marriage visa,” the officer said. “Which she would have had to apply for herself. I think you're out of luck. Now, we're taking off soon, so could you step back?”
David sputtered, at a loss for words.
Margot breathed a sigh of relief as David eventually stepped back. They closed the plank and her cabin door, and she knew that they would take off soon. As far as she was concerned, she was safe.
“Attention, this is your captain speaking,” said an announcement over the loudspeaker. “I'd like to welcome you aboard this journey to Tamarax. Our flight path has changed, and we will be cruising at 30,000 feet until we leave the Continental United States, and then we will be going much higher at a much faster speed. So, if you are a first-timer, you are free to move about the ship until then. We will let you know when we will ascend into the Earth's atmosphere. Until then, enjoy the ride. We are much more stable than a commercial ship, so feel free to move about unless I tell you otherwise.”
Margot was surprised by this announcement. She realized that she had no idea how space travel worked or how far advanced it was from commercial travel. She remained sitting on the bed until she felt the ship level off a bit, and then she got up, exploring the rest of her little cabin.
It was actually quite comfortable, with a private TV, a shower, bathroom, and an armchair. She felt like a princess in her cabin.
She wondered if she'd be able to watch any of the TV shows on Tamarax that she watched on Earth. It didn't matter. She wasn't attached to any of them in particular, but it might be nice to have something familiar.
Realizing that there was Wi-Fi on the flight, she pulled out the tablet that she had brought and connected to the internet. She started up the search engine that she had found for Tamarax and once again looked up the details that she knew about the Draklan she was marrying.
He liked to stay fit, and he liked to explore nature. He was a few years older than she was, and he had blue eyes with flecks of green. She didn't have a picture of him, but Tariana assured her that he was handsome.
She was more worried about what he would think about her. Margot didn't have particularly high self-esteem when it came to her looks, and she often put more work into her paintings than her own appearance. She knew that she wasn't the most beautiful woman Earth had ever produced. She also knew that she may not be his type. Perhaps he liked tall and voluptuous, rather than short and compact. Perhaps he preferred girls with dark hair or bigger eyes.
She had no idea, but she figured anything was better than the situation she was in on Earth.
Margot hadn't brought many painting supplies or much of anything with her. She had decided that she would only bring things she couldn't live without for the first few days and sell the rest. She told herself that it would help her feel truly free from Earth, but it was also to help pay the matchmaker's bill. She had spent most of her savings as well, and she had left very little in her bank account. There certainly
wasn't enough left to buy a ticket back if it didn't work out.
She wasn't even sure how coming back after securing a marriage visa would work. As far as she knew, this had to happen if she didn't want to be left alone on Tamarax with nothing.
She knew that probably wasn't going to happen, and Margot was ready to take the risk to get away from David and all the bad memories he had created for her.
Eventually, the pilot let them know that it was time for the first-timers to lie down. Margot could feel the atmosphere change, and she started to feel dizzy.
She stumbled toward the bed, reaching the pillow just in time. She closed her eyes and fell into a deep sleep.
She wasn't sure how long she slept, but soon, there was another announcement that shook her awake.
“Ladies and gentlemen, we are starting our descent into Tamarax now. If you are feeling all right, you can stand up, stretch, and go to the window. You'll be able to see the beautiful Tamarax landscape, and in about five minutes, you'll be able to see the top of the royal palace and the grounds. It's not far from the main airport.”
Margot stretched carefully and then sat up. She felt much better than when she lay down, but landing so soon meant that she had little time to fix herself up. She wanted to look presentable for whoever her new husband was going to be.
She got up carefully and then opened her suitcase, pulling out the green dress she had chosen. She ran a brush through her hair and reached for some makeup, trying to do a quick but presentable job. Luckily, her career as an artist helped her apply makeup while still half asleep.
Her eyes flickered to the window as they descended. She gasped as the cloud cover disappeared, nearly dropping her mascara.
Tamarax was even more beautiful than the pictures. Her hands twitched, wanting to capture it on canvas. This was the most stunning planet in the whole galaxy.
The royal palace was easy to identity as they flew lower. She could see a very large building with stunning rooftops and beautiful gilded towers. It seemed to go on for miles, and the gardens surrounding it looked even more beautiful.
If nothing else, she thought she could spend the rest of her life just standing outside the palace, painting it.
The landing was soft, and Margot barely noticed when the wheels hit the ground. Before she knew it, they had come to a stop.
“Ladies and gentlemen,” the pilot came over the loudspeaker again. “Welcome to Tamarax. As you know, this planet has a rather strict visa requirement, so instead of heading into the airport, the customs officers will come to you in your cabins. Shouldn't be long now. They will be boarding from the back and working from back to front.”
Margot knew she was at the front of the ship, and she was grateful for a few extra moments to be able to fix her hair and change her shoes. She wished she had gotten a chance to use the shower as well, but whoever he was, he would have to take her as she was.
She felt like she waited forever for the customs officers. She was starting to worry that something was wrong when there was finally a knock on her door.
“Miss Margot Carter?” she heard a voice say, accented with a beautiful lilt. She knew that Tamarax spoke limited English and their native tongue. “Passport?”
“Yes, right here.” She stood up, handing it over. She had made sure that it was open to the right page, with the stamp in the center of it. “This should be everything that you need.”
“Yes, everything is in order,” said the customs officer. “Come with us.”
“Oh,” Margot said. “I thought everything was in order?”
“It is.” The customs officer looked at her strangely. “Your party is waiting for you outside.”
“Oh, my,” Margot responded, suddenly extremely nervous. “I, uh . . .”
She didn't know what she expected when she got off the ship, but she hadn't expected an airport greeting. She gathered her things as quickly as possible and followed them out the door.
On the other side of the door stood several armed guards.
Margot's heart leapt into her chest. She looked between the customs officer and the armed guards.
“Have I done something wrong?” she asked again. She thought she heard right, that everything was in order, but she hadn’t heard of a place where this was standard security.
“Please come with us through the airport,” one of the guards said. “Spaceport is the proper term, but I believe you call it an airport?”
“Yes . . .” Margot said. “Please tell me if I'm in trouble?”
“You're not in trouble,” said the guard. “Please come with us.”
Margot struggled with her bags, but they didn't offer to take them for her. They weren't that heavy, but it felt like the longest walk she had ever gone on as she got off the ship and was led through winding halls. The spaceport was crowded, and she noticed everyone was looking at her. She quickly concluded that it wasn't normal to be escorted by guards.
“Miss Carter, before you enter Tamarax soil, there are some questions we have to ask you,” one of the guards said when they eventually stopped. They were outside a series of rooms, and it was clear that she was supposed to head into them.
“All right,” she said and stepped inside. It looked like an interrogation room, and she sat down in a chair nervously. “What can I do for you?”
“Your marriage visa expires in two weeks,” the guard said, sitting down. “So if you breach its conditions, you will immediately be punished and returned to Earth.”
“Uh . . . punished?” Margot asked. “Like . . . legally?”
“Legally could be one way of looking at,” the guard said. “Would you like for us to get you an outline of those consequences?”
“Uh . . .” she said. “Sure, maybe that's a good idea. But I mean, I won't . . . I mean . . .”
Suddenly, she felt incredibly nervous at the way they were looking at her with suspicion.
“I intend to marry Draklan.”
“And how much do you know about Draklan?” the guard asked.
“Uh . . . just that he likes to keep fit and that he has silver-white hair and green eyes and that he has blue skin. The matchmaker we both went through is supposedly the best,” Margot said. “Do you need to know how I will support myself or something?”
The guard laughed at that, shaking his head.
“You are here on a marriage visa,” he said. “That is the only reason you'd be allowed to stay in Tamarax.”
“Um . . . all right,” she said. “I know that. I understand. Please, is everything all right? Has Draklan backed out? Do you know him?”
“Yes, Miss Carter, we all know him,” the guard said. “We just wanted you to understand exactly what was happening.”
“Of course,” Margot said. “Can I . . . meet him now?”
“He is delayed,” the guard said. “You'll wait here until you are retrieved.”
“Uh . . . sure,” Margot said. “No problem. Do you know how delayed?”
“Several hours,” the guard said. “And you can't enter Tamarax without your fiancé.”
“Right,” Margot said. “Would you mind if I get something to eat?”
“We can bring you something to eat,” the guard said. “Is there anything else you need?”
“Is there a window I can sit by?” she asked. “Maybe in another room?”
“A window?” the guard asked, surprised. “If you wish.”
She was shocked that he was so compliant to her wishes, but she was taught to never look a gift horse in the mouth. They moved her to a room across the hall and brought her a sandwich. The view was of the airstrip, but she didn't mind. She pulled out a small sketch pad, leaning against the chair, and tried to calm her mind.
What if this Draklan didn't show up? She had been toying with that possibility since they said he was delayed. They surely couldn't hold it against her if he didn't show up. For the first time, Margot wondered if she knew what she was getting into.
But then, she thought ab
out David and the night he’d ruined her art show. Anything that she walked into in Tamarax was better than what she left behind. She didn't know how long she sat in that room, but she went through a few pages on the sketchpad. Eventually, the same guard knocked on the door.
“Miss Carter?” he said. “Your party will arrive within ten minutes.”
“Oh, my. Thank you!” Margot said, dropping her sketchpad and standing up. Suddenly, everything was real.
She gathered up her things and ran a hand through her hair.
“You will be escorted to the door,” the guard said. “And they will meet you there.”
“Who is ‘they’?” Margot asked. “Is he bringing his family?”
“They will meet you there,” he repeated with a stoic expression. “Follow me.”
The guards had made it clear that there was no backing out, even if Margot wanted to. Her palms were sweating and her hands were shaking as she followed the guard. She didn't know what she was expecting. She didn't have a particular preference for looks because she fell in love with a person's mind rather than their looks.
The party of people she was escorted to, however, didn’t fit her image of what her future fiancé would look like. There were two old men and one young woman standing there. The guards left her standing in front of them with a simple nod.
“Uh . . . hello,” she said, looking confused. “I'm Margot Carter. Is . . . one of you Draklan?”
“Draklan is at his residence,” said the old man. “We work for him, and we are here to pick you up.”
“Oh.” Margot found herself incredibly disappointed that he hadn't come to meet her. “I see.”
“He is planning your wedding,” the old man said. “And there were many details to work on.”
“Our wedding?” Margot answered. “I, uh . . . right, of course, our wedding. Well, lead the way, I guess. Is it far?”
“No, it's not far,” the old man said. “We can fly there in ten minutes.”
“Fly?” Margot said.
“Yes, we use air transport here,” the old man said. “Weren't you aware of that?”