“What if he has already left me?”
“Who?”
“Yukihyo.”
“Lord Yukihyo would never leave you. We will call him. Lorca, where is her vid-screen?”
When I called Yukihyo, he didn’t answer. I powered it down and returned it to Lorca. Even Izaac, Zared, and Zeth were silent in my mind. Either too much distance separated us, which was unlikely, or they too were ignoring me. Ryan left the room. I wondered if he called the Palace and if he would discover my fears were truth. Lorca ran me a bath and coaxed me into it. Afterwards, I called Yukihyo again and got no answer. Never before had he ignored my calls. I had killed his love for me. I should have refused to go and fought.
I walked from my room and out to the porch without being stopped. Then, lost in my own thoughts, I continued on down a raised wooden path and down to the rocky shore. Leaving the path, I walked across rock scattered grass and up onto the larger rocks and boulders that took the place of a beach. With my bare feet, it was easier to climb. Soon, I stood on the largest rock closest to the rough waves. Surges of waves sprayed water up that I tried to touch, but I was too high up. I stared into the deep water wondering if it were cold. Sensing movement nearby, I quickly turned.
Licinius smiled. “Teagan, your son cries for you. Will you come with me and see to him?”
Frowning, I asked, “Niklos? Have I been gone long?”
“Long enough that he grows agitated. May I escort you back?” he asked as he held his hand out to me.
I turned away from him and back to the water. “Is it cold?”
“There is a better spot farther along the coastline where we can go after breakfast if you would like.” Still he held out his hand. His eyes in that moment reminded me of Kaoti’s, so I reached my hand out to him. Capturing my hand and wrist firmly, he picked me up. His feet found purchase on rocks with which he seemed familiar. He strode with me in his arms back to the room where I had spent the sleepless night. My feet left red smears where they touched the blankets.
Dr. Fotri said over me to Licinius, “She will only get worse. Did you believe the reports to be fabrications?”
“This is not the same woman who shot my men on the barge.”
“No, this is Teagan Probus, the captive of Nathan Green. Lord Yukihyo stabilizes her. She believes he will leave her because of you. With him goes her will. This Teagan Probus will never smile for you. He didn’t answer her calls. She fears he has gone taking Princess Neema with him.”
“Give me her vid-screen.” Licinius tapped away at the screen. “It is interference from the mountains and an approaching storm. I’ll reset the satellite’s signal.” He placed the call again. “Lord Yukihyo, will you speak to your wife?”
“If you have hurt her, I will choke your life from you with your own entrails,” Yukihyo grated out in a barely recognizable voice.
Licinius brought the vid-screen to me. Yukihyo’s face darkened with rage when he saw me which broke my heart even further. “Please, don’t leave me. I was wrong to leave. I knew it the moment I sat in the shuttle. I should have stayed and fought them at your side. Forgive me, Yukihyo.” He was too blurry to see as my eyes filled over and spilled again and again. I shook with my grief and hid my face in my hands.
“Lady wife, never will I leave you. I could leave you no more than I could tear my soul from my chest with my bare hands,” Yukihyo said soothingly.
“You aren’t taking Neema and Phillip and leaving me?”
“Never would I do such a thing.”
I pulled my knees up to my chest and hunched over the vid-screen. “But you were so angry.”
“Yes, I am angry, but not at you. Parvac soldiers surrounding my home and taking from me what I love most brought painful memories to the forefront of my mind. Had you not allowed me to keep Neema with me, my rage would have shattered the control left to Zared, Zeth, and Izaac. I made things difficult for them. Even now, they struggle for control. Mother does what she can for them.”
I curled up on my side with my back to Licinius and my vid-screen held close to my face. “You aren’t leaving me?”
“No, never,” Yukihyo said as he walked over to our daughter’s crib and showed me Neema, who slept with her bottom in the air and a pool of drool under her parted lips. Her dove-grey hair was a mess. Next, he showed me Thunderdrop as he stared intently at Sue, who huddled on the side of her tank where he could see her.
Fitz stood when Yukihyo approached him and handed to him his vid-screen. When he saw me, he became enraged. “Lady Jiri, has your host,” he spat the word, “mistreated you?”
“No, but I want to go home. This man doesn’t care about me at all. I’m just a prize to him, an accomplishment.”
Fitz said, “One night is over. If he were to bring you back today in your current state, everyone will treat you as they did after Aurilius.”
I gazed at him in confusion. “I’m not depressed.”
“Teagan, you are. You will allow your cousin to care for you. You will accept Inquisitor Licinius’ gifts, but most importantly, when you are in public you will adorn your beautiful face with a brilliant fake smile for the reporters. Otherwise, you will be treated like a sand drawing made too close to the water’s edge. Do you understand me?”
I nodded.
“I swear to you that Yukihyo, Neema, and Phillip will be here when you return from your…social obligation,” Fitz said with the warm sweet smile with which I was familiar.
“You promise he won’t leave me?” I whispered.
“I promise. That is the most ridiculous idea that you have ever had, Lady Jiri. In fact, I have already promised to devote my week in assisting Yukihyo and Phillip while they work to restock your warehouse.” Thunder rumbled through the skies frightening me. “When next you call, I expect to see you in better spirits. If indeed you are, you will have a special gift awaiting your return.” He returned the vid-screen to Yukihyo.
“My vid-screen will not leave my side,” Yukihyo promised.
Somewhat desperately, I said, “I love you, Yukihyo Lee.”
“I love you, Teagan Lee,” Yukihyo said as he closed his eyes and bowed his head to the screen.
With shaking hands, I ended the call.
After a shower, at least an hour’s worth of unwanted medical attention from Ryan, and a long nap, I had lunch in bed. Rain pelted the windows and roof turning the scenery into a dull dark-orange haze. When I called Yukihyo, he answered my call from within an unfamiliar market.
“Where are you?”
Yukihyo grinned. His eyes had lost their rage but were still riddled with color. “A spice market. Expensive, lucrative, and won’t take up much cargo space. This will be a fast way for Hiroshi to generate profit.” Yukihyo rummaged around in a cart. “Look at these,” he said as he held up a couple of decorative pans. “I thought you might reward my hard work with a cake upon your return. Tavere and I are having a section of the kitchens set aside for your personal use. I did argue with him against white bowls and pans.” Yukihyo smile proudly at me making me laugh.
“What did I just hear? Was that laughter?” Fitz asked as Yukihyo handed the vid-screen to him. In the background, I saw Phillip flirting with a woman. “Are you merely laughing in the hopes of an additional surprise, Lady Jiri?” Fitz asked. I shook my head. More quietly, Fitz said, “Phillip and I are keeping an eye on him for you as is his mother. Please, try not to worry.”
I nodded again and ended the call. I played with Niklos while the storm outside turned the sky to a soggy brownish color. Unfortunately, Inquisitor Licinius had gone to far too much trouble to allow me to hide in the bedroom.
“Princess Probus, the rain is dreary. Please, allow me to take you on a short adventure.”
Ryan gave me a nod indicating that I should go. I nuzzled Niklos’ little neck and frowned out at the rain.
“Princess, if you return to Prince Niklos in two hours for his feeding, he might do well to stay here,” Lorca suggested.
> I breathed in Niklos’ sweet scent and kissed his cheek and hands. Lorca took him and began rocking him in a thickly padded chair. I left the bed and entered the bathroom stalling for as long as I could before sliding my mended feet into a pair of flats. When I came out, the Inquisitor offered me his arm. My unwanted host led me through the house and to a garage where he helped me into a covered roller. Soon, he was driving through the rain and puddles toward the mountains. Through the pouring rain, I spotted a guard station and wondered how many of them I didn’t see.
“I thought you might enjoy viewing a few of the caves. As you can see, we are not far from the house and your son. There is no need to worry. This is merely a pleasant distraction. Water from the mountains is used to irrigate the rose farms in the vicinity. The Palace began ordering fresh roses in abundance again for the first time in twenty years after your rescue. Your discovery has reinitiated a love of Imperial pageantry into the hearts of our people. They grow weary of universal expansion and war and long for a more romantic period of promise and hope. Princess Teagan Probus has become synonymous with romance and peaceful prosperity.”
I did my best to ignore his asinine commentary and listened instead to the pitter of rain, but it ceased as he drove the roller inside of the mountain. We journeyed along a graveled path. Above, the cave roof had been structurally reinforced. However, the cave itself was a terrifying mouth full of sharp teeth that appeared eager to devour us. I wondered how voluntarily spending time in a creepy cave could be considered a pleasant distraction.
“What are those? I’ve forgotten.”
“The ones above are stalactites, and the ones below are stalagmites. What I want to show you isn’t much farther.” After a few turns, he powered down the roller and helped me from its relative safety and out into the cave. “May I have the honor of carrying you across this rocky gravel?”
Quietly, I said, “Alright.”
Licinius carried me under an arched entrance and into another smaller cavern where he placed me carefully on my feet atop a thick path of pink and orange rose petals. The fragrant path led away to the right of a waterfall fed pool of clear water where small white fish swam languidly.
“Princess?” he asked as he held his hand out for mine. He took my right hand in his and placed his left hand to the small of my back. Then, he led me over to a large, square, pale-green cushion that was at least the size of my bed on Tora. Four tall lamps provided the only light. After helping me to sit, he sat closely beside me. “I must beg your forgiveness for my self-congratulatory behavior of the day before. House Licinius has loyally served the Empire for centuries. However, we have no royal ties. Therefore, my only hope of seeing your beautiful face was in the news feeds. I began scouring our histories searching for a means by which I might be near you.”
“That’s when you rediscovered this barbaric tradition?”
“Until recently, it was socially acceptable to steal brides from other worlds. Emperor Probus saw to the culmination of the practice.”
“Because my mother was abducted and murdered.”
Licinius took my hand in his. “No Parvac male would ever harm a female.”
“Seriously? On Arachne, one tried to kill me. On Naxa, his angry former lover retaliated against me while I was pregnant.”
“No sane, rational Parvac male would ever harm a female,” Licinius amended. “For all of my days, I will live with regret for causing your tears. After having witnessed your fiery temper, I assumed you to be sullen and angry when we were in the shuttle. I did not suspect you were hurt. Allow me to calm your heart.” Licinius brought my hand up to his lips and kissed my fingers.
I imagined the little white swimming fish might be more passionate. He noticed that my attention had strayed from him to the pool.
“The pool is fairly warm.” Licinius released my fingers and removed his shirt.
From experience, I could tell he had been exercising minutes before our little adventure. He expected me to swoon at his manliness. I began searching for a section of cave wall where I could bang my head in exasperation. How many more days was I trapped with him? Licinius leaned so close to me that I could feel the heat coming off of his skin.
“However, if it is too cool for your tender, delicate skin, I will keep you warm. From the moment I saw you here in my home city with sad dejection marring the beauty of your eyes, I took it as a sign that I must do all in my power to please and protect you.”
Never before had I so regretted going on a shopping trip. I heard what sounded like two rocks being struck against one another and tried to find the source.
“Excellent work, Drex. You are boring her with your muddled attempts at seduction. It must be your special talent to cool the passions of new mothers. Had you put as much effort into winning Princess Probus’ heart as you did in her capture, I might have to feel guilty about stealing her out from under your fragrantly scented nose.” The officer had ceased his clapping and now stood upon bruised rose petals.
Licinius surged to his feet. “You aren’t taking her anywhere. She is mine for the week.”
The man’s hair was as black as his uniform. A crushed pink petal was stuck to the toe of his black boot. “You should have kept reading, Drex. When Princess Avand was taken by Silian, he could not protect his claim against the forces of Warlord Nemria, who came and took her for himself,” the man smugly stated.
“You are preposterous. That occurred thousands of years ago. I refuse to release her to you.”
The man grinned at Licinius. “I’m not asking you to. I’ve surrounded you with two thousand men. The Princess’ household is waiting comfortably for her to join them in a transport mere feet from the cave entrance. I apologize, Princess Probus. Obviously, Drex was careful to keep you dry, but I’m going to get you wet.”
Licinius lunged for him making the large pale-green cushion shift. Suddenly, soldiers armed with blasters shimmered into view around us making Licinius rethink his attack. “You will pay for this.”
“For you to retaliate would be against ancient Imperial decree. Would you bring dishonor to your house?” the officer asked. The man bowed low to me and held out his hand. “Princess, would you care to join me?”
I gave Licinius a fake sympathetic, “Oh, what could have been” look, took the officer’s hand, and clumsily got to my feet under the cushion’s squishy surface. The man swept me up into his arms, carried me from the romantic seclusion that Drex had attempted, and helped me into the roller.
He got in on the other side and grinned at me. “As long as I’m stealing the woman, I may as well steal the roller.”
His soldiers followed us at a synchronized run all of the way to the cave’s exit. Through the now pounding rain, I noticed drone cameras documenting the officer as he lifted me from the roller and carried me off into a large land transport. Inside, he sat me down on a plush contoured seat, covered me with a thick blanket, and fastened a safety harness across me.
“Take us out,” he ordered the driver.
Ryan, Lorca, and I exchanged looks. Niklos was sound asleep in his transport seat. I squinted out of the window at the sheets of rain. The streaks of vertical rain were sporadically interrupted by horizontal funnels of clear air. Puzzled by the anomaly, I stared through the window.
“What kind of strange storm is this?” I asked.
The man grinned and sat across from me. “It is called blaster fire in the rain.”
“They are shooting while my baby is in here?” I asked horrified.
“Nothing will so much as wake Prince Niklos Tavere Cassian from his innocent sleep. I made sure of it before coming to you. All you see is desperate denial. This is for you,” he said as he handed me my vid-screen.
“Gee, thanks.”
The officer flashed a smile and winked one of his gold-flecked brown eyes at me. I accepted an incoming message.
“Nico! You have no idea how much I miss you, and you will never believe what just happened,” I said in aggrava
tion.
“If I guess, may I have a kiss?” Nico asked.
“My blonde giant may have all of the kisses he wants.”
Nico grinned at me. “Let me see. It appears you are in a transport. Therefore, I must surmise that my friend, Commander Pax Cyprian, has rescued you from that ass, Inquisitor Drex Licinius, who upset you so terribly.”
“Nico, did you plan all of this?”
Smiling at me, he said, “There are always honorable ways to avoid unpleasant honor bound situations, woman. You will remain under heavy guard for the next few days until the week of requirement has been fulfilled. The Imperial family is not to interfere directly. Please, give the reporters stunning visuals with your heroic warlord rescuer, and don’t shoot him. I owe him a favor. Now then, will my sweet wife smile for me?”
I gave Nico a brilliant smile. “Thank you, Nico. I can’t wait to get my hands on you so I can thank you properly.”
“Woman, don’t make being apart from you even harder.”
The screen went blank. An hour later, the transport pulled to a stop inside of a walled covered parking garage. The rain had been unrelenting.
“Where are we?” I asked.
“We are on the opposite side of the city of Cephissus in the most concentrated area of population where we will stay in one of my not so private family homes. This place is most often used for fun weekends,” Pax said with a grin. “Don’t worry. My men are stationed in the homes to either side of us. What I did to Drex will not happen to me.”
The first floor of the home was open except for wooden support beams that rose up from smooth stone floors. Nearest the street were the kitchen and dining areas. I walked to the sitting room on the opposite side of the house. Through the rain and past the small yard, I could make out a narrow river. On the other side of the river, there was a manicured park full of tall trees encircled by flowerbeds. Farther distant was a low mountain ridge.
“Princess Probus, your surprise awaits you on the third floor,” Pax stated.
Lorca followed us into the lift with Niklos who was just beginning to wake. Doors to four rooms stood open, and a cool breeze blew the clean scent of rain from the front balcony out through the back.
Omnes Videntes (The Space Merchants Book 4) Page 17