The Space Merchants of Arachne

by Wendie Nordgren

  Nico squeezed me tight. “Don’t be afraid. It’s not a dream. You’re safe. You have your wing of the Palace, your home on Apellan, and I will build you a home on every planet in our system if it will make you happy.”

  “That isn’t necessary. I think maybe the people I care about are really what home means. Yukihyo and I have lived happily together in a tent. That was before we met you and Neema. Now, we need a bigger tent.” I laughed.

  “Do you have a big family, Quaid?” Nico asked.

  “My father has provided me with two mothers, two brothers, and four sisters. My elder brother has provided us with his three wives and their children, four girls and a boy.”

  “Your dining room table must be huge,” I said in surprise. Quaid smiled at me. The barge captain had begun heading back to the pier. The boys put their fishing poles away and sat with us.

  With a big grin on his face, Eric said, “This sure is a relaxing way to spend the day.”

  “Quaid, Papa tells me your father, Consul Bosh, wishes to form an alliance with the Parvac Empire through marriage. You have four sisters? I have two handsome unmarried cousins who I would be willing to marry off.” I smiled at Eric.

  He smirked back at me. “Quaid’s sisters are too young to marry.” I frowned at him.

  Once the barge was secured, Yukihyo carried Neema inside to her swan crib. Nico offered his arm to me. Papa had had an elaborate dinner prepared and had extended an invitation to Stine. Stine gave me wary looks. I behaved for Papa. Thunderdrop decided to sit on top of my head throughout dinner.

  We paid the Valens a visit the next morning. Eric got kisses all over his adorable face from his Aunt Ettie. Thunderdrop went outside to play in the fort. Grandmother found Quaid fascinating. I shared a look with Kane and rolled my eyes. Uncle Kagan amused himself with singing to Neema and making her laugh. I sat with Yukihyo to one side and Phillip to the other.

  “Lady wife, I plan to take Nico and Phillip with me to visit mother tomorrow. Will you and our daughter be okay with Eric and Quaid?” Yukihyo and Nico both gone? Kaoti was off with Violet and his family.

  “I’ll have Papa with me, and Otto and Rolf. I guess we’ll be okay.”

  They left before breakfast the next morning. Neema and I went out to the patio where Eric and Quaid waited. Otto served coffee and juice. Eric looked at me in shock when I had fruit, cheese, and toast for breakfast. He said, “I expected an Imperial stack of pancakes.”

  Surprised he didn’t know, I said, “Yes, my unfortunate hormonal fluctuations that so ingratiated me with Commander Bosh have resulted in another pregnancy. We are hoping to keep it quiet for now.”

  “Why? That’s great news! Congratulations!” Eric said. His face took on understanding. “Is it a boy or a girl?”

  “We don’t know yet. Ethan pointed out the importance to me of staying in the Empire for now. However, Papa knows getting to see you keeps my spirits up. So, thank you for visiting me here.”

  Eric’s jaw worked, and his eyes turned frigid. “Will they allow you to leave?”

  “Yes, Eric. Duty and fear are keeping me here. I won’t do anything that could result in turmoil. Will you walk with me to put Neema down for a nap?”

  Our footsteps echoed as we walked on the white stone floor to my room. Eric ran his hand along the curved neck of one of the swans. I smoothed Neema’s soft dove grey hair with my hand. “Her bed resembles birds about to take flight, and mine resembles a golden bird cage.”

  “Lady Alaric, you have nothing to fear from my father. I know his mind.”

  Thunderdrop chirped and went up to his web. Rolf stood at my door at attention. “Let’s go call Sydney and Gram, so they know you’re okay.” Eric gave me his arm. “Thank you, Rolf.” He bowed as I passed.

  Sydney and Gram were happy to see us. He assured them of my safety. “How’s Hiroshi?” I asked.

  Gram chuckled. “That young man has it bad. Hiroshi moved his things to the Chan Estate. Instead of that serious look, he has a besotted lovesick one. Much like that young man there,” she said pointing to Quaid. “We are turning Hiroshi’s former room into a nursery.”

  “What color are you decorating it?” I asked.

  “Blue!” Sydney said excitedly.

  “Alright! A new Lord Alaric is just what the family needs,” Eric said.

  Yukihyo, Nico, and Phillip arrived at an expansive estate located within a few miles of the one belonging to the Valens. “Are you sure you wish to attempt this? If she is successful, it will be unbreakable.” Nico and Phillip nodded.

  “If she can help bond us as brothers, I want to do it. You and Hiroshi have been and always will be my true brothers, but I know you need this.”

  “I am willing to do anything to create a stable emotional environment for our wife and children. I have seen the true fragility of her nature. Though rarely, I have also seen her strength and determination. I wonder who she would have been had she not grown under the control of a sadistic torturer of women.”

  “As do I,” Yukihyo said.

  They walked to the door and were greeted by Yukihyo’s mother. Her eyes were like the moons of Parvac’s night sky. “My son, it pleases me to welcome you to my home.” She placed gentle kisses on his eyelids and pressed her forehead to his. “Come in.” She led them into a quiet sun filled room and closed the draperies. “My son tells me the three of you wish to form the bonds of brotherhood.” Phillip and Nico nodded. She pressed her forehead to Nico’s for several minutes. Then, she did the same with Phillip. “Ruyo, for many years you and Phillip have shared trust and a deep abiding friendship. Your loyalty to each other may make the first joining easier. Shall we begin?”

  “Yes, mother.”

  “Touch your palms together and then your foreheads. Now, clear your minds and relax. Think only of your friendship and trust.”

  Phillip felt Yukihyo’s mother as she calmed him and focused his thoughts toward Yukihyo. He remembered pulling Yukihyo’s bloody body full of blaster holes out from under dead Parvac soldiers. He remembered the hours he had stayed awake concentrating on keeping him breathing. He remembered Yukihyo’s grief. He thought of the years of learning to function with his soul ripped from him, and how he had wished he could help his friend heal. He saw the change that had occurred when he had met Teagan. How the mountain of grief had shifted off of his friend’s soul allowing him to joke and laugh for the first time since he had known him. Phillip felt a pull under his ribs. He felt Yukihyo’s love and gratitude.

  “It is done. Welcome, Phillip Ponidi. I welcome you as a son of my heart and as brother to my son.” Phillip felt tears on his face and hurriedly wiped them away. “You are bonded emotionally, but a mental bond should form naturally and in its own time.”

  She turned to Nico. “The love of a woman binds you together as does the love of a child. You have chosen the same life mate and choose to bond to become a cohesive clan. Think of your family and of your love.”

  Yukihyo and Nico pressed their palms and foreheads together. Nico felt his mind calm as it did when he concentrated on defeating an opponent in battle. He thought of the man who had put the deep haunting pain, fear, and doubt into his wife’s eyes. He wanted to rip the dead man apart. He wanted to destroy anyone who threatened her happiness. He thought of how her green eyes sparkled when she laughed, of the tenderness in her face when she gazed down at Neema, of the ultimate love and trust she had when she looked at Yukihyo, and of the deep need she had for her father’s approval. That need was the reason she had accepted him as her husband. He hoped one day to feel her love. He thought of Yukihyo and their desperate need to love and protect her and their growing family. Something gave way inside of him. He felt something tentative and reaching. He concentrated on it, and slowly he felt his emotions almost mirrored back to him from Yukihyo. Nico felt Yukihyo’s need to give Teagan everything and sacrifice anything for her well-being, even sharing her, who had been his alone.

  “It is done. Welcome, Nico Ponidi. I
welcome you as a son of my heart and as brother to my son.” Yukihyo and Nico stared into each other’s eyes as a new understanding formed between them.

  “My heart breaks for the years you have suffered alone, Ruyo. Now, you have a new clan of your own.”

  “Thank you mother. Without you, this would not have been possible. Teagan has been the only person with whom I have been able to form a natural bond on my own.”

  “That is the way of our people. These bonds you have formed today may take some getting accustomed to. Teagan needs the symbiotic relationship of our people to function. These men are strong and do not. Try not to struggle against each other. Allow Teagan and Neema to sooth each of you. I will be here if you need me.” Their clan mother hugged each of them. “Promise to see me when you return to Parvac.”

  “I promise,” Yukihyo said.

  “The bonds are weak, but as strong as can be expected with males who lack Laconian blood.”

  “After surviving without any bonds for so many years, these tenuous bonds feel luxurious.” She brushed his hair from his forehead and shared all of her deep feelings of love with him. The feelings were those only a mother feels for her son. It made him weep, and he did not weep alone.

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  As soon as Eric excused himself to use the facilities, Quaid pounced. One moment I was sitting on a couch thinking about Auria and Eliot holding a cute little baby boy, and the next Quaid was beside me. “I haven’t stopped thinking about you. Not a moment passes in which I don’t hunger for you. I have traveled through Parvac space to be near you. I have gone through the proper channels for the chance to court you. Please, Lady Alaric. Please, allow me to but kiss the hand that holds my heart.”

  I stared at Bosh and let out a deep breath. “You are being ridiculous. I don’t believe a word you’re saying. Didn’t Eric take you to the brothel?”

  Quaid moved closer until his thigh almost touched my own. “You think my protestations are foundationless. I have admired your courage and kind heart since the first time we met. You have had my adoration from the moment you sat in Eric’s chair. My heart has belonged to you since you sat that stuffed ice bear in the chair and refused to box him away. You have had my respect since you completed the pilot’s course. Your courage has amazed me on Arachne, Malta, Amphictyon, and Naxa. I never considered sharing my feelings with you. However, when I felt your passion, I knew I had to attempt making you a permanent part of my life or regret it for the remainder of my days. Might I place a simple kiss upon your hand?”

  Thunderdrop crawled from the wall onto my shoulder. I frowned and extended my hand. Bosh placed his fingers under my wrist and slid his fingers down to my palm. Shocked, I met his fully black eyes with mine. Pleasure shivered through me at his touch. When his lips touched my hand, I shattered. Boneless, I began to fall back. He caught me and placed another kiss against my neck, shattering me again.

  “Quaid, hands off my cousin. She hasn’t agreed to marry you. Take a walk.” Quaid released me. His black eyes had lightened around the edges. He smiled seductively as he stood, walked from my sitting room, out to the patio, and down to the lake. “Are you alright?”

  Breathlessly, I asked, “Didn’t you take him to Malta?”

  “He only wants you.”

  “He just touched my hand….”

  “And flooded your body with endorphins. Different species of Laconians have developed their empathic abilities in interesting ways. I checked on Neema before I returned. She’s asleep with her thumb in her mouth. I had to take a picture. Look.” Eric showed me an adorable close up of Neema.

  “What has your attention, lady wife?” I turned my head and watched as Yukihyo, Nico, and Phillip entered my wing.

  “See for yourself.”

  Eric showed Yukihyo who smiled proudly. Nico and Phillip sat to either side of me. “You are aroused,” Nico whispered to me.

  “She’s angry and confused,” Phillip said.

  “Now, she is puzzled,” Nico said.

  “How do either of you know that? No, never mind. Just go throw Bosh in the lake.”

  Yukihyo said, “Our clan mother bound us together as brothers. They can feel your feelings and those of each other through me.”

  “Um, how did she do that?”

  “She just did. She is empathically strong. But I can explain it to you no more than I can explain to you how we know to blink or to eat when we are hungry.”

  “Phillip, are you bonded to Yukihyo as I am?”

  “Yes, but I don’t think as strongly as you are. I can feel some of Yukihyo’s emotions, and yours seem to filter through.”

  “Let’s see if it works. I want to try something.” I thought of the time he had given me my identity chip tracking device bracelet that I had never taken off and how much it still meant to me that he cared. I thought of how proud I was of him for saving lives on Malta. I remembered all of the times he had cared for, healed, and protected me. I thought of how much it had meant to me that he had believed in me enough to teach me to drive. I stopped thinking when I looked up at tears streaming down his face. “That’s not even half of it, but I know you don’t like mushy crap. You’re one of the most important people in my life. I figured you knew. Before Hiroshi made me one of Tora’s crew, Mary was my friend, but I never had anyone to love.” I shrugged.

  “You were alone. You didn’t have a mother, father, or brothers,” Nico said.

  “I had a father. I don’t want to talk about it, okay?”

  “Chirp chirp chirp.” Thunderdrop showed me a picture of his spider food, and I laughed.

  “Okay, baby.” Bosh stood just inside of the patio watching. I opened a side cabinet and filled Thunderdrop’s food dish. I heard Neema cry and walked down the long hall to her. I heard Rolf saying sweet words to her. I changed her and took her to my bed to feed.

  The next morning, we boarded Kane’s ship. “You’re relieved that Quaid is on the Hadrian. You don’t know what to do about him,” Phillip said. I sat on the floor in the Imperial suite and rolled the ball back to Thunderdrop.

  “Do you know what I should do about him?”

  “Sure, Cupcake. Have your way with him and send him home.”

  “I’m married.”

  “You don’t like the attention. Talking about this embarrasses you.”

  “That’s old news, Phillip. You know I don’t like talking about super private stuff anymore than you like talking about your feelings.”

  A night and day later, the Hadrian docked near Kane’s ship on Thalassa. I felt certain that Eric’s crew would enjoy their shore leave here. Nico drove us in one of Kane’s transports while Eric followed us with Quaid in his. Neema seemed to know where we were and gurgled and cooed happily at us. “Neema, is mommy’s baby happy?” She smiled at me. “Thunderdrop, are you happy?”

  “Chirp!”

  When we parked, Kane opened my door, and Yukihyo took Neema from her seat. The sound of surf hitting the beach soothed my ears. I breathed in the clean salty air. We waited for Eric and Quaid. The scenic drive had slowed Eric’s driving considerably. Within minutes after parking, he, Phillip, and Kane had removed most of their clothing and were jogging down to a public stretch of beach. Neema kicked her feet and showed her daddy the image of water. Yukihyo beamed. “Good girl! Daddy will put his princess in her swim suit and hat and take her to splash. Mommy, will you come with us?”

  “I have no power to resist the two of you.”

  “Quaid, I’ll show you to your room,” Nico offered.

  I found the most modest swim suit I could find and waited with Neema and Yukihyo for them to join us. Of course, Quaid had well defined muscles, and I noted, a hairy chest. Unfortunately, I had learned that I found hairy men very attractive. I got angry with Quaid for being attractive. Yukihyo chuckled at me. Neema gave an impatient screech, so we went to the water. With widening eyes, Nico guffawed. “Phillip is looking at naked women who are playing catch in the water?” I cringed when a f
ish touched my foot. Nico picked me up. “I will protect you from the fish, wife.”

  I wrapped my arms around his neck, kissed his cheek, and said, “My hero. Hey, don’t even think about tossing me. Think about my delicate condition.”

  “I won’t. I’ll just walk out to where you can’t reach, so you have to cling to me.” I thought about when Yukihyo had done that very thing at the Lake of Mist and of flowers floating on the water. Yukihyo gave me a wicked grin, and I blushed when I thought of what else we had done. Neema hit her hands against the water, screamed, and laughed. Eric, Phillip, and Kane swam back to us.

  “I saw a few of our crew members. They are enjoying both the beach and the citizens,” Eric said.

  “Some of their enjoyment was clearly evident,” Kane snickered.

  “Let me guess. Gary?” Quaid asked.

  “You got it,” Phillip said with a laugh.

  Neema screeched and hit the water with her fist splashing her daddy.

  Eric’s dimples showed when he said to Neema, “Well, you love the water like your mommy loves the stars. She makes those same sounds in a fighter ship. How loud does she get flying herself around?”

  I sighed and said, “They won’t let me.”

  “Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to bring up a sore subject.”

  Nico held me out in front of him under my arms as though I were a puppy. “You feel anger and resentment over it. Also, you seem insulted, but resigned.”

  “Whatever. Now, you know what Yukihyo and Eric already knew. Congratulations. I also feel annoyed at how you are holding me.”

  “Lady Alaric worked hard to earn her pilot’s permit. It was one of the few times she has felt proud of herself,” Quaid said.

  “Shut up, Bosh. Put me down, Nico.” I went back to the pavilion. I wrapped myself in a towel and walked down the beach to see if I could find Gary. Everyone understanding my feelings better than I did was making me angry. Nico caught up to me, but he didn’t speak. He offered his hand to me, so I took it.