by Roxie Ray
The main observation deck was a spectacular thing to behold. It stretched from floor to ceiling, taking on the exact borders of the Destroyer and highlighting its true size. The glass window was clear and unobstructed, and it made you feel like you could walk right into space with no barrier to stop you.
I heard Rosa’s sharp intake of breath as she froze in place. “Wow,” she said. “This is amazing.”
There were ragged, crag-like boulders that littered part of the sky and I saw Rosa’s eyes widen with interest.
“Are those planets?” she asked.
“No,” I replied. “Some of them are debris from fallen stars, others are simply remnants of long-dead planets.”
“They’re so large,” Rosa breathed.
“Oh they’re much larger,” I told her. “We’re a minor jump away from that grey clump of stone to the right.”
“What is the difference between a minor jump and a major one?” Rosa asked.
“A minor jump involves a travel time of five to ten years at light speed,” I explained. “A major jump involves a travel time of eighty to a hundred and ten years at light speed.”
“Whoa,” Rosa said, as her eyes went wide at the mammoth scale of space. “So that boulder over there is really… five to ten light years away from us?”
I nodded. “Yes.”
“That is unreal.”
“It must be daunting for you,” I said, trying to put myself in her position.
“It is,” Rosa nodded. “But it’s exciting as well.”
I longed to reach out and stroke her cheek, but I contented myself with admiring the graceful lines of her profile.
Just then I felt a purr underneath my feet, and I knew we had started the descent. The vibration was too subtle for Rosa to be able to pick up, so she just stared admiringly at the obsidian expanse before us. After a few more moments, she turned to me with a frown.
“I’m starting to see light,” she said.
I nodded. “We’re entering Xehrul’s atmosphere,” I told her. “Soon you will be able to see their moons.”
“Moons?” Rosa asked. “As in plural?”
“They have two,” I explained. “And the planet orbits a red sun, which is why the whole planet is bathed in sunlight that ranges from rust to crimson depending on the time of day. We’ll be landing in the city of Anleon; the castle sits on the border.”
“What does that mean?” Rosa asked.
“Half the town lives in warmth, and the other half lives in cold.”
Rosa looked mesmerized. “Amazing… if the castle sits on the border, that means…”
“Yes,” I nodded. “You’re either warm or cold, depending on which side of the castle you’re in.”
Rosa shook her head and looked back out into the lightening contours of space. “I had no idea… there’s a whole galaxy out there filled with amazing new discoveries and races and planets, and eighty percent of Earth’s population doesn’t even believe in intelligent life beyond themselves.”
“Hubris is often a form of self-preservation,” I said.
She raised her eyebrows and regarded me with a cool gaze. “Are you suggesting that we’re a weak race?”
I wanted to be honest, but honesty in this case might offend her. My silence spoke volumes, however, but just when I thought she was going to let me have it, she gave a defeated sigh and smiled.
“I suppose you’re right. No human would be a match for you in a fight. What are the Xehrulian people like?”
“They are very similar to us in appearance and build,” I told her. “And they, too, have psychic abilities.”
“Excuse me, what?” Rosa asked.
“They have a range of psychic abilities,” I said uncertainly.
“Meaning they can… read minds, move objects with their minds… things of that nature?”
“Yes.”
“Like the X-Men,” Rosa said, almost to herself.
“Who?” I asked, in confusion.
“Uh, the X-Men,” Rosa said distractedly. “They have those kinds of abilities.”
“I wasn’t aware that humans had special powers.”
Rosa froze and then she smiled in embarrassment. “They don’t,” she said self-consciously. “The X-Men aren’t real, they’re just characters in a comic series.”
None of the words she was saying were making much sense to me and she knew it. “It’s nothing,” she said quickly. “It’s silly. Does that mean you have psychic abilities?”
I nodded. “I can read minds.”
Rosa looked shaken by that information. “Uh, you’ve been reading my mind this whole time?” she asked, and there was an accusing note in her tone.
“Unfortunately not,” I said. “It’s strange, but you are the only human whose mind I cannot access.”
She narrowed her eyes at me. “That’s seems convenient.”
“I am not lying,” I assured her. “The silence coming from your mind is what first caught my attention.”
Rosa still looked like she wasn’t sure whether to believe me or not. “What am I thinking of right now?” she asked.
“How handsome I am,” I answered, without missing a beat.
An involuntary smile erupted across her face and a little burst of laughter escaped from her lips.
“Am I right?” I asked.
She tried to rein in her smile. “No, I guess you really can’t read my mind.”
“I didn’t know human females were so cruel,” I said teasingly.
“We can be sometimes,” Rosa said. Her tone was light and her eyes were warm.
A smile spread across my face as she teased me, and I moved a little closer to her. Just then, light slashed across the deck and into our faces. Rosa gasped, shielding her face from the blinding light. We had been so engrossed in our conversation that we’d completely missed the descent into Xehrul’s atmosphere.
My eyes needed only a moment to adjust to the light, but Rosa’s took longer. When she could finally look out from the observation deck, child-like wonder was etched across her face.
Xehrul was a significantly larger planet than Svante, so it had a lot of barren land that was painted in browns, reds, and the odd gold here and there. It was only on entry to the main cities where greenery took the forefront.
“Is that a waterfall?” Rosa asked.
“Brigar Falls.” I nodded, noticing the mist being kicked up by the surge of the falls.
It was a picturesque scene that we were flying over, and Brigar Falls was indeed a pretty sight with its jagged cliffs, the V-shape of its rocky edges, and the pink tint of its waters, but it was nothing compared with the waterfalls we had on Svante.
“You should see Skorasis Falls on Svante,” I told Rosa. “It’s twice as beautiful as that one.”
“You might be a little biased,” Rosa pointed out.
I smiled. “I’ll let you be the judge,” I conceded.
The tall towers of Anleon castle cut an impressive silhouette against the light scarlet sky. The sigils of the Xehrulian warriors were emblazoned upon crimson flags that flew from the highest peaks of the castle’s broad, square towers.
“Are your castles like that, too?” Rosa asked.
“Similar,” I replied. “Our races share much in common, which is why inter-marriage between our people has become more common in the past decade.”
Rosa frowned. “That seems a neater solution compared with human brides.”
“Not necessarily,” I said, trying to explain. “Many Xehrulian females like their independence too much. They prefer being battle to domesticity and many voluntarily choose not to marry or bear children.”
“I see,” Rosa said thoughtfully. “Does your castle have a name?”
“Elisior castle,” I replied. “And Vandor lays at its feet.”
“Vandor?” she repeated.
“Our capital city,” I told her. “Also known as the royal city.”
The cityscape of Anleon stretched out before us, a
nd the landing pad had been prepared for us. It was a huge patch of gravel and delicate sand that was free of any flowering shrubbery. The area was cordoned off by huge masts from which flew more Xehrulian flags.
“They received our message,” I said under my breath.
We landed smoothly and moments later, Terrox, Comadin, Brailin, and the other protectors congregated near the exit doors of the observation deck. A small group of warriors were standing at attention just outside the Destroyer’s doors. Quarm stood a few feet in front of the group, ready to welcome us onto Xehrulian soil.
Rosa’s eyes were trained on him, and I wasn’t sure if she was impressed or intimidated by his appearance.
I tried to observe Quarm through Rosa’s eyes. At first glance he looked Svantian, but there were certain characteristics that gave him away, like his thin, pointed ears, for one, and his long, flowing hair that reached down to his middle back. I could make out the distinctive pearl grey markings that covered Quarm’s body but I was sure that Rosa would not be able to see them at all.
“Their hair is so long,” Rosa observed. “Is that typical of all Xehrulians?”
“It is,” I nodded. “Their hair is extremely important in their culture — it is never cut.”
“Ever?” Rosa asked.
“Ever,” I confirmed.
She turned back to them in fascination just as I gave the order for the exit runway to be deployed. It took a few microns, but finally we were ready to disembark. I headed the party down onto the red-brown Xehrulian soil where Quarm was waiting for us.
“King Quatix,” Quarm said, holding his hand over his chest in a mark of respect.
As a proud race with a king of their own, the Xehrulians did not bow to me, nor did my people bow to their king. But we considered ourselves brother races, and therefore respect had always been a part of our dealings, ever since the first trade agreement had been signed between our people.
“Quarm!” I said, coming forward and embracing him. “It is good to see you again, my friend.”
“It has been too long,” Quarm responded. “Our king sends his apologies. He regrets that he cannot be here in person to greet you, but he is on business spaceward.”
“I understand completely,” I said.
Quarm’s eyes flitted over my line of Protectors and his gaze fell on someone behind me. I didn’t even have to glance behind to know at whom he was staring.
“Allow me to introduce Rosa of Earth,” I said, gesturing for Rosa to come forward.
She looked small next to all the towering Svantians and Xehrulians, but she held her head high and made eye contact when she greeted Quarm.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” she said. “Thank you for allowing us to take refuge on your beautiful planet.”
I couldn’t help but beam with pride. Rosa may have had her reservations about being Queen, but she was a natural at it. Quarm inclined his head, though the smile was slow to his face.
“Welcome to our humble planet, my lady,” Quarm said.
“Your Majesty is the accurate title to use when referring to Rosa, my friend,” I corrected instantly. “She is to be my queen.”
Quarm’s eyes went wide with interest. “Indeed,” he nodded. “I am happy for you. Soon your children will run wild through the halls of your castle.”
I noticed the blush creep onto Rosa’s cheeks despite the fact that she was trying desperately to subdue it. She wasn’t used to discussing this kind of arrangement so openly, and I wanted to be sensitive to that.
“Let us hope.” I nodded, before deftly changing the subject. “Did you receive our intel report?”
“We did,” Quarm nodded. “It is unusual for a Sives ship to attack so openly… especially on a greater imperial species.”
“We do not know their motive for sure,” I admitted. “But rest assured we will find out what they wanted.”
“I have no doubt of that,” Quarm said. “If you need some assistance on that front, you can always count on us as your allies to fight against the Sives and the underbelly of criminals they work with.”
“I appreciate that greatly, Quarm,” I said. “Thank you.”
“Come,” Quarm said. “I will take you through to Anleon castle and show you to your quarters.”
I gave an internal sigh of relief as we started the walk to Castle Anleon. Rosa walked by my side; her eyes darted around the scenery with rapt attention. She looked like a scientist collecting data. My hand twitched towards her but I suppressed the urge to take her hand.
Was it wrong to wish for another attack simply so that I could hold her in my arms? I shook my head, trying to dislodge the thought from my mind. What had this woman done to me?
7
Rosa
The walk to Anleon Castle was longer than I was prepared for. By the end of it, my legs were cramping and my back was sore from the number of steps we needed to climb to get to the base of the castle.
I noticed Quatix glance at me every few seconds, but I refused his offer to carry me to the castle.
“No one will think less of you for it,” Quatix told me gently. “You are not built like us.”
“No need to remind me,” I said, trying to curb the sudden and unexpected surge of jealousy that engulfed me. “But I can manage on my own, all the same.”
I was being stubborn, but I simply did not want to suffer the indignity of being carried up to the castle like a child. I appreciated that Quatix accepted my refusal easily, however. A part of me suspected he respected me for traversing the path to the castle on my own.
As we made the ascent up to the castle, I couldn’t help but shoot glances at Quarm, the Xehrulian who had greeted us by the Destroyer. Quatix was right: There were similarities between the Svantians and the Xehrulians, but there were also glaring differences.
Quarm’s eyes were cat-like with vertical pupils, and his ears stuck out prominently. I noticed the series of little grooves that covered both his ears, and I made a mental note to ask Quatix about it later.
Quarm’s body was just as large, imposing, and powerfully muscled as any Svantian I had seen, but instead of patchy scales, Quarm and his men had a series of light markings that covered their entire bodies. I hadn’t noticed them at first, but if we were close enough to one another, I could make out the pattern on his skin.
His hair fascinated me the most. It looked like a silken, ash-blonde waterfall, and I could tell from the way the Xehrulians walked that it was a characteristic that was significantly meaningful to them.
I wanted to aim some of my questions at Quarm, but for the moment, I just wasn’t brave enough.
When we finally did get to Anleon Castle, I was out of breath and just breaking a sweat. The weather was mild and slightly warm, just as Quatix had promised. It was a welcome change after the biting cold of Earth, but I couldn’t enjoy it too much because of how tired I was.
Anleon Castle was both majestic and simple. Its lines were straight and sharp; its façade was almost Spartan in appearance. It looked to be made from massive pieces of stone in a range of earthy colors. The entrance to the castle stood at least fifty feet tall and just as wide. As if by magic, the doors slowly inched open as we approached.
It was only after we had entered the castle that I realized there was no one on the other side pulling open the doors. Was this one of the special abilities that the Xehrulians possessed? I was more than a little intrigued as we walked through the limestone corridors with vaulted ceilings and circular solars with strange states that were made from a type of marble I had never seen before.
Quarm instructed one of his warriors to show Quatix’s protectors to their own chambers while he continued to lead us through Anleon’s halls. When we finally reached the chamber, Quarm pushed the massive iron door open for us with flair.
“You will find everything you need in there,” Quarm informed us.
As Quatix continued to talk to Quarm, I turned my attention to the guest chambers we had been given. I
t was about the same size as the quarters Quatix had on the Destroyer, but it was significantly more opulent. There was a lot of furniture, all of which looked like it was two sizes too big for me.
The room was devoid of a fireplace, but I realized there was no need for one. We were obviously in the warm section of the castle, because I was comfortable and not the slightest bit cold. The walls of the chamber were embossed with gold leaf that looked more like a mural than wallpaper. It was so finely done, so magnificently detailed, that I couldn’t help but take a better look at it.
The bed was a massive four-poster with thick, spiral columns and a tester that held in place the crimson curtain that travelled all around the bed. I pulled off the overcoat I was wearing and sat down on the edge of the bed, while Quatix finished his conversation with Quarm and shut the door.
Quatix turned to me with sudden uncertainty, and I realized how endearing his nervousness was. It made me feel slightly better about my own nerves. He came towards the bed, but he didn’t sit down next to me. Instead, he chose to sit down opposite me on a large black chair with a concave back.
“So what’s Quarm’s deal?” I started.
Quatix frowned. “His deal?” he repeated.
I suppressed a smile. “What I mean is… is he a part of the Royal family of Xehrul?”
“Ah,” Quatix said, understand my question. “No, but he is an important member of the King’s council. He is the chief communications and technical specialist for Xehrul.”
“Sounds important.”
“It is.” Quatix nodded. “Most information coming in and out of Xehrul goes through him. The position is highly demanding.”
“I can imagine,” I nodded. “So… do you have a council of your own?”
“In a manner of speaking,” Quatix nodded. “The Protectors are the chosen few who assume the mantle of royal responsibilities. But my inner circle comprises of only a few Protectors who give me counsel when needed.”
He leaned back against the chair, his muscles flexing with every movement. I imagined he was formidable in battle; those arms looked like they could bend steel into quarters.