“Mommy! Mommy! Look what I can do!” Niklos called.
Picking up Peter, I followed the sound of his voice into the bathroom.
Niklos grinned at me from in front of the waste unit where most of his pee was making it inside. Nico stood a safe distance away and did his best to contain his laughter.
“Wow! Good boy!”
“I’m a big boy.”
“Yes, you are.”
Nico said, “Now, push the button. Good. Now, let’s wash our hands.”
Neema scowled. “Why can’t Neema do that?” She was angry.
I did not want to have that conversation. “Because, you’re a princess, just like me.”
Considering my words, she said, “Okay,” and ran to Yukihyo.
I sighed in relief and followed after her with Peter. Then, I stopped short when I saw Inquisitor Cormac Gordian, Inquisitor Rovek, Clark, Cedrenus, Binder, Ross, Levi, and Stayton standing at attention in my sitting room. “What are you all doing here? How did you get here?” We had only been docked for a few minutes. Peter grabbed a handful of my hair and tugged. Turning my head, I kissed his cheek. I noticed a communications officer filming us, a stack of gifts, all wrapped in white, and several bouquets of roses.
“Ensign Probus, please accept my sincere apology. I was rash in my decision to expel you from the Academy. You have since been reinstated.” Rovek bowed to me.
I curtsied in return to regain my composure. Papa had warned me, but I hadn’t been expecting it to happen so soon. I had assumed that we were days ahead of them. “Thank you, sir. I regret that I caused disorder at the Academy.”
Dario came to my side, put his arm around me, covered my stomach with his other hand, and glared at the Inquisitors. “The Princess has been distraught over these occurrences.”
Coldly, Fitz said, “Disqualifying her and negating all of her hard work for carrying our daughters isn’t something which I will forgive as readily as my sweet wife seems inclined to do.” Peter went to him.
“Understood, Lord Jiri,” Cormac said quietly.
The Inquisitors weren’t surprised that I carried twin daughters. They had been keeping themselves apprised of my situation. “Let’s put this unpleasantness behind us and remember why we are here,” I suggested.
“Ugh. Finally,” Neema said in exasperation.
Cormac gave a clipped nod to his communications officer. “We have brought your team and assigned group members so that you may resume your studies. I am truly sorry for the disappointment you must have suffered because of all of this.” He bowed low to me.
Into my thoughts, Zared said, “They do not know we are all working together on your mission. Perhaps, it might be more fun to keep it a secret.”
Delighted with the idea, I silently agreed. To Cormac and Rovek, I said, “It is kind of you to journey this great distance to ease my distress. However, in light of recent events, I begin to doubt my ability to complete my assignments. Perhaps, Inquisitor Rovek was correct to dismiss me.”
Rovek stepped forward. “Nonsense. If you require additional assistance, it is my duty to provide it.”
I nodded and looked at the carpet. A pair of boots came closer, and I looked up into Clark’s eyes. It was still there, the needy desire like a craving but for him. Sliding my arms around his chest, I breathed in his scent. “I’ve missed you. When you didn’t answer my calls, I feared you no longer cared for me.”
“Never fear such a thing.” He held me close for a moment until Neema’s frustrated groan made me chuckle and release him. I lifted my face so that our lips could briefly touch.
Dario said, “We will speak more on this later. Now, we have plans. Most of us are not in the habit of ruining the hopes of young ladies.”
Yukihyo asked, “Are you ready, Neema?”
“Yes, Daddy! Yes! Go!” Neema begged. Her little forehead had scrunched up while she pleaded. She clutched at his jacket and whined with such heartbroken eagerness that Poppy started to cry.
“Oh, no. What’s wrong?” Kaoti asked. Poppy pointed at Neema. “Yes, we go where they go. Always,” my bodyguard quietly stated. Poppy nodded her little head.
Violet sighed.
“What is it?” I asked.
“I doubt she will sell kitchenware as her mother once did. I have visions of her following in her father’s footsteps.”
Her words alarmed me. “Our little baby?”
“She’s serious like him. They have a stillness to them, a watchfulness.”
Phillip said, “I worry about the poor boys who try to court her one day.” He shook his head. “I’m sure glad your father likes me.” He kissed Terre on the cheek.
Kaoti said, “They will not need to fear me unless she gives me a name and reason for offense. I will be certain that the Lady Poppy Aegisthus knows every mode of self-defense and offense.” He smiled into his daughter’s face and was rewarded with baby kisses.
“Chitter chitter clack.” Thunderdrop showed me an image of Poppy hurling globs of clay at the faces of her enemies.
I shook my head at him, and out of the corner of my eye caught all seven ensigns staring at Izaac with considerable animosity.
Thunderdrop leapt to Izaac’s shoulder. “Chitter chitter clack chirp!” he said angrily.
Rolling my eyes, I followed after Yukihyo and Neema. Nico and Niklos passed me up, beating me into the lift. Then, they pushed the button as soon as Terre and Phillip had joined them.
“Hey!” I yelled as the doors closed. “Please, tell me they don’t sell bats on Chione.”
“They don’t,” Zared assured me. He had moved to stand beside Izaac and looked as though he dared the ensigns to act.
Other than Clark, they hadn’t moved. “Oh, stars. At ease already,” I complained.
Cedrenus said, “We tried to reach you physically and via our vid-screens, but our efforts were thwarted at every turn.” His eyes were full of sincerity. “I would never abandon you. It angered me more than being trapped in the warehouse, imagining what you must have thought. I would never turn my back on you.”
Looking down at my shoes, I wiped at my eyes before glancing back up at them. “Thinking none of you cared and that my friendship didn’t mean anything to you did hurt. I didn’t understand why you were ignoring my calls. I never imagined that you couldn’t answer.”
Quietly, Stayton said, “Well, now, should there ever be a recurrence, you will know.”
Izaac’s face had gone red. Telepathically, he said, “I never intended for you to be hurt.”
Out loud, I said, “I know you didn’t mean to hurt me.”
“I would never hurt you,” Clark said passionately as he stepped forward.
He and the others had misunderstood and correcting them would only serve to create more awkwardness.
Kaoti said, “You couldn’t free yourselves?”
“Captain Aegisthus, he chained us to the ceiling. Once we managed to get loose, we discovered that he had welded shut all possible exits and activated a stasis shield so that no one could hear us.”
Kaoti said, “It took you too long to free yourselves. Let’s see if we can’t work on your time.” The ensigns grew pale. Kaoti smiled at them. It was his sweet friendly smile, and it was terrifying.
Poppy laughed and hugged his neck. Violet grabbed a hold of his jacket and followed the two of them into the lift. “Daddy, Neema,” Poppy whined.
“Yes, we are going to find Neema,” he promised.
“Poppy is right. We need to catch up with them. This could be disastrous.” I took Peter back from Fitz.
However, yet again, the lift doors opened and closed without me. It was making me angry. They had planned to stall and keep me away from the possible pet adoption until it was too late. When the doors opened again, I made certain that Peter and I were inside. Zared, Clark, Dario, Fitz, and Izaac joined me.
“Please, don’t fall in love with something creepy,” I whispered while thinking of Neema.
Thunderdrop
blinked at me from Izaac’s shoulder. The tension in the lift between Clark and Izaac wasn’t helping. My worries were greatly relieved when the doors opened and I saw that they hadn’t left us. Everyone was waiting for us in the transport bay.
Nico asked, “Did you think we would go without you?”
“Yes,” I said without hesitation.
We joined the others in the large transport Dario had provided. Sparrow was smiling and happy. Gary, her hero, was sitting beside her. Her hands covered her stomach. Tension began to ease from me. Holding Peter, I inhaled his sweet baby scent, but I realized he was growing just as quickly as Neema and Niklos. I loved my children and being a mother so much that I wondered if I could be happy without a baby in my arms. Glancing around at my husbands, I was pretty certain I wouldn’t have to find out anytime soon. Thunderdrop climbed from Izaac’s shoulder and went to Violet’s lap. Curling his legs under him, he blinked and chirped softly to her belly.
Phillip asked, “Is everything alright, little buddy?” He whipped out his scanner and ran it over her.
Kaoti had a look on his face unlike any expression I had ever before seen on it, terror.
“Aw,” Phillip said as he smiled. “Would you look at that?” He showed them the scanner, and a relieved breath left Kaoti.
Violet started to cry.
Kaoti hugged and kissed her, and Phillip showed the rest of us the scanner. We made appreciative sounds at the adorableness displayed there.
Terre said, “Oh, my goodness. Look at you sucking your itty-bitty thumb.”
“He’s perfect,” Phillip assured the happy couple.
Snuggling Peter, I relaxed against my seat.
Neema yelled, “Rio, we there yet?”
We chuckled at her. It didn’t take long to drive through the tunnels. When Dario parked, Izaac, Kaoti, and Zared got out first and made sure our guards were in place before letting us out. Gary gave Sparrow his arm. Cormac and Rovek didn’t seemed concerned about the absences of Xavier, Drex, Eli, and Quaid, who had remained aboard the ship.
“Teagan, is it alright if we go ahead?” Yukihyo asked.
“Yes,” I said with worry in my voice. Neema could barely contain her excitement, and my ladies and I wouldn’t be walking quickly.
Yukihyo grinned at me. Then, he, Nico, and Kaoti took the kids and strode off into the land port market.
The air was cool but not uncomfortably so. Chione’s summer felt like Parvac’s fall. The men who worked loading and unloading merchandise and produce did so in short sleeves. Sweat dampened some of their brows and made their shirts cling to them.
Zared said, “They consider these temperatures to be sweltering and miss the cooler temperatures.”
My expression had him smiling. I thought back to hot days on Earth when I had walked the city streets filling my trash bags. Chione’s inhabitants wouldn’t easily survive Earth’s summers any more than I would easily survive their winters. When we entered the market, I saw Neema in Yukihyo’s arms. Her eyes were as large as saucers as she looked around at the unfamiliar market. The Sidero and Galatea Clans had gathered to welcome us.
Lady Sidero kissed my cheeks and cooed at Peter. She said, “It has been too long since the Ponidi Clan has returned home.” Her emotions touched mine as though she pushed them to me with all of her might. Gently grasping my hand, she sent me confused feelings, like distant watchers stalked us like prey, hunting us from the stars.
“Yes, that is why we have come,” I told her.
“Good. Now, I must go. I am old and need my rest, but this was too important to entrust with anyone else to share. You had to know. I can rest easier having passed my worry to you.” She leaned toward me, and I bent to touch our foreheads together. Her white eyes stared into mine for long moments before either of us straightened. Zared, Izaac, Walter, Rozz, and the others bowed low to her. “Perhaps, with all of these fine young hunters, you will help stock an old woman’s cold storage.” She raised an eyebrow at Yukihyo.
He said, “All will be as you wish, great clan mother.”
“Then, I could also use some new furs for winter. You take down the beasts, my clan can do the rest.” She smacked Zared on the butt and walked away.
Terre and I laughed long and hard at his expression. I started thinking of the fun I could have with my husbands in the bathing pool at our clan home. Zared winked at me, but Izaac turned red. I narrowed my eyes at him for spying on my private thoughts.
Zared said, “He can’t help it. The bonds to you have grown too strong for him to block.”
Izaac wouldn’t look me in the eyes.
“Mommy! Mommy!” Neema yelled in her cute little voice. This time there was something different in it, a hint of desperation.
“Oh, stars,” I mumbled. Following the sound of her excited chatter, I found her. She and Poppy sat mesmerized in front of a wire pen. Closing my eyes, I said, “Thank the stars.”
The girls were squealing with delight as little white puppies with big ears and long muzzles sniffed and licked their hands and wagged their tails. Yukihyo was grinning as he watched them. He and Kaoti squatted beside their daughters and spoke quietly to them about how to love and be gentle with a pet.
Watching the men with their daughters turned Fitz and Dario into mush. Fitz’s hand moved around to cover my belly. He gazed down into my eyes and touched his lips to mine.
Nico said, “It’s better than you can imagine, holding your own child in your arms.”
“I’ve felt it with this little one,” Fitz said as he took Peter from me.
I gave my tired arms a shake.
Fitz said, “However, to have my own tiny princess….”
“Not here, Jiri,” Dario said. “I’d rather not see a news report featuring Vice Admiral Galerius crying in front of a pen of puppies.”
I threw my arms around him and laughed.
Soon, Neema and Poppy each had their own puppies wriggling in their arms. Neema’s puppy had grey-tipped ears. Poppy’s was solid white. Their daddies worked everything out with the shopkeeper. Carts were loaded with puppy food and supplies. Then, Neema held the pink leash of her puppy, who she had named Flake, for snowflake. Poppy held a matching leash for her puppy who she had given the grandiose name, Milk.
It wasn’t long before we were in stealth and fighter ships and on our way to our clan home. Luckily, none of us became sick during the flight. Zared had taken a team and gone ahead of us to secure the area. I wondered how long it would be before Eli, Drex, Quaid, and Xavier took the Empress from the surface in search of the mysterious presence of which Lady Sidero had warned me.
Defensive shielding was set in place before my ladies, the children, and I were allowed to leave the safety of our stealth ships. Once it was deemed safe for us to exit, I observed that the perimeter of the shielding was so large that a few deer, rabbits, and other small animals remined inside of it in what I had decided to consider Yukihyo’s yard. Instead of the snow which had covered the ground before, long grasses full of flowers of every color imaginable spread out as far as I could see. Insects buzzed around in lazy swirls with iridescent wings. Wildflowers spread out like colorful blankets to the bases of the tall trees of the surrounding forests, but only a few managed to climb the mountains.
“Oh, Yukihyo. It’s beautiful.” I took a deep breath of the clean, floral-scented air.
“I’ve wanted you to see it in summer. Come, Lady Wife.”
Holding hands, Yukihyo and I walked up the steps of his fortress which had been carved out of the side of a mountain. Inside, everything was just as we had left it. In the entryway, pegs waited for snow gear. The next room was warm and welcoming. Even though it was summer at our clan home’s location, Yukihyo had known it would still be what most of us would consider to be somewhat cool, so he had asked the Sidero Clan to light the fires. The children and I sat on the chairs before one of the circular fireplaces and waited while Yukihyo welcomed everyone inside.
“I like it. It’s a f
ortress,” Sparrow said as she looked around.
I said, “Look inside of the rooms to the left and right. They are filled with weapons both new and ancient.”
Nico took Niklos and followed after her.
“Oh! What do I smell? Could it be?” Violet exclaimed.
Yukihyo opened the heavy wooden doors which led into the dining area. With a smile, he bowed and gestured for Violet to enter. Kaoti followed after her with Poppy. Standing with Peter on one hip and Neema on the other, I hurried after them. I wanted my share before Violet ate it all. The long, wooden tables gleamed in the light. Large spits of meat sizzled over the fires. A few males from the Sidero Clan remained and tended them. After exchanging pleasantries, Yukihyo, Nico, Dario, and Kaoti took the kids, and my ladies and I sat to feast upon ice bear, mashed ceshoosh, stuffed dolajees. We washed it all down with copious amounts of milk.
Thunderdrop was busy exploring, and after satisfying his curiosity about the dining room, kitchen, and restroom, he wandered off into the family room. Phillip went along with him to set up the projector screen he had brought along.
“Who is ready for a movie?” he asked.
“Me!” Neema yelled.
Poppy laughed and followed her, and the puppies, now free of their leashes, chased after the girls.
“They won’t try to chew Thunderdrop. Will they?”
Zared sat on the bench beside me and put his arm around me. “He would never allow himself to be chewed. Now, stop worrying. Snow foxes are excellent pets for children. They are very protective, loyal, and gentle.”
“Snow foxes? I thought they were regular puppies.”
Zared laughed. “For the Enyo, they are.”
“Lady Wife….” Yukihyo stood with his arms crossed over his chest.
“Okay. Okay. I know you would never allow anything dangerous near the children.”
He gave me a nod of his head. “Your nest of furs is prepared, and Phillip has a movie ready.” He held his hand out to me.
Taking it, I said, “That sounds perfect.”
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