by Celeste Raye
Destiney spoke softly so she wouldn't frighten the sleeping child. “My love, meet your son. He couldn't wait for you to come home. He insisted on entering the world early." She pulled back the swaddling to reveal the perfect baby beneath.
Siefer gazed at his new son with awe. The baby was a combination of Destiney and himself. His hair was the color of an Earth spice known as cinnamon, and his skin matched Destiney's exactly. However, he had four arms like his father. He was larger and more muscular than any human newborn. As Siefer watched, the little one opened sleepy eyes of amber and looked directly into his father's eyes. The intelligence behind those young eyes was plain to see. Siefer grinned at his son and was answered with a matching one.
Destiney held the baby aloft for Siefer to take. He cautiously received the bundle, balancing it carefully in his strong arms. He was terrified of his own strength for the first time in his life. He didn't want to crush his precious son. With the baby now cradled against his chest, Siefer turned to examine his wife. She appeared well, though slightly paler than normal. He asked, “Are you unharmed? Did the birth cause you injury? We were not sure how a human body would handle giving birth to a Milisarian child."
Destiney answered quite calmly, “I must admit, it was difficult and painful. He is much larger than a human baby would have been, and he had four arms to expel rather than two. There was some tearing inside and a lot of bleeding. The nurse took good care of me. She had medicine from one of the conquered colonies and managed to save me. I am weak, but I will heal. Others are not handling their pregnancies as well as I did."
"I am sorry that I was not at your side when my son came into this world. I regret that it caused you such pain. I would have been here if possible, but many things have kept me away from this world. Thank you for the wonderful gift of my son. May he bring my strength and your human intelligence to our people. The Milisarians will need their future leaders to be a race of intelligent men, able to create technology rather than steal it from conquered worlds." A command came through the speakers in the ceiling. Siefer handed the baby back to his wife and headed toward the door. “I have been commanded to speak to the council. I hope to return to your side soon. If not, then do not forget that I love you and our son. Raise him to be a great Milisarian warrior. One that will change this world for the better."
Destiney panicked at those words and screamed, "What do you mean? You must come back. We need you. Do not leave us!” No answer came as the door slid shut.
Siefer met Nabvan at the entry to the council chambers. They were greeted by the council guards who stiffened at their approach. The council summoned the pair to enter. Siefer met the council's stares with pride and dignity. He would not cower in fear. Nabvan also stood at attention, his gaze never wavering.
The council was made up of older warriors, with many years of experience. They had seen many worlds, and though Milisarians were not as intelligent as other races, these men knew more than most. They saw the determination and unflinching courage of the two warriors standing before them. They felt great pride in the younger men. The oldest man began the questioning. “The king, his future wife, the human females, and several guards left this planet. Only you and the king's woman returned. The ship's navigation system shows that the spaceship never went to Earth. Instead, it flew to Arkani. We need an explanation. Where is our king?"
Siefer answered, “Our king is dead."
The uproar was instantaneous. The council came to their feet in astonishment. The questions were fast and direct. “Did the Arkani murder our king? Have they overstepped their place? Do they wish to go to war?"
Nabvan put up a hand to stop the questions. He spoke loud and clear. “The Arkani had nothing to do with the death of King Shene. They did not attack us. They are a peaceful race. We redirected the ship to Arkani to deliver the human brides we stole from them. The king was already dead at that time."
The council settled down and looked to Nabvan for more answers. They said, "Perhaps you should explain from the beginning what transpired on the ship. We are not sure what to ask. If you were not attacked, then how did our king come to his end?"
Siefer motioned for Nabvan to stay silent. He declared, "The king has thrown Milisarian laws aside for a long time. He has made his own rules and defamed our world. He continued conquering other worlds and taking their technologies, food, and other assets. He never took care of their needs in return. Those with medical knowledge were left to starve, and the ones with plentiful food died of diseases. King Shene could have shared the plunders we brought to our planet, but he did not care about others. He stole the human women from the Arkani and expected them to bow to his commands. When they did not, he punished them severely. They were starved, locked away without access to showers, and beaten. King Shene's chosen one was beaten so badly she almost died. Nabvan saved her by going against the king's orders and calling in the nurse. He promised to give them more freedom if Alexis became his betrothed and allowed him to bed her. It did not happen."
The councilmen cut him off by stating, "We saw the women. They were clean and well dressed. None appeared harmed."
Siefer continued undaunted, “As you said, they appeared clean and well dressed, but that was for the sake of others. Behind closed doors, they were still starved and beaten for their refusal to submit to Milisarian men. To further insult the women, King Shene was returning them to Earth. They would be going back to the lives that they were running from. Some would be jailed, others left in poverty, and some to be treated as lesser beings. Aboard the ship, King Shene discovered the human, Alexis, with Nabvan. He had Nabvan tortured and was about to execute him. There was an uprising among us, and the king perished."
Nabvan took over the explanation. “The women wished to be taken to the Arkani. They stopped my death, because they knew of my love for Alexis and that I would honor their wishes. In a battle for my life, I killed King Shene. Alexis was mine, and I could not send her back to Earth."
The councilman raised his eyebrows and asked, “The woman belonged to the king, did she not? He was within his rights to execute you for defiling his intended queen. What gave you the right to murder him?"
Nabvan stood tall and proud as he answered, “Alexis was mated with me before she gave in to the king's demands. By Milisarian law, she was mine, not the king's. It was not murder. It was self-defense."
The council turned away and spoke among themselves. When they turned back, the elder one announced, “We find you not guilty in the king's demise. He has long been a trial to our people. He hid behind other warriors in battle, took from colonists, and never gave anything in return, and made a mockery of Milisarian monogamy. We will keep the details of his death within these council doors to ensure no one tries to avenge his death. However, we need a new king. An election will be held as soon as possible. I would like to recommend that one or both of you put yourself up for election. Leave us now."
Chapter: 2
***Destiney***
Destiney placed the baby in his bed. The Milisarian version of a crib was designed by technology taken from a conquered planet. It kept the child at the perfect body temperature for comfort and cocooned it in a way that imitated the mother's womb. A baby could stay happy there for hours, only crying out when hunger overcame them. The bed could be programmed to feed the baby as well, however, Destiney preferred the old-fashioned way of feeding her child. She still believed a mother's milk was best. Her son needed more than she could provide, so she was forced to supplement her milk with bottles of liquid nourishment provided by the Milisarian nurses.
Siefer had been gone for hours, and Destiney was in a panic. Why had he spoken as if she might need to raise the baby alone? Was he leaving for battle without saying goodbye? He had just returned. He hadn't even told her what had happened on the trip. Did Alexis come back? Was she to marry King Shene soon? Were the other women dumped unceremoniously back on Earth to fend for themselves? Destiney wanted answers. She rang for a guard and up
on his arrival bid him to search out either Siefer or Alexis. She was informed that Siefer was still in the council room. Alexis would be sent to her immediately.
Destiney paced the floor as she awaited Alexis. It had to be a good sign that Alexis was allowed to visit her without the king's permission. She must have more freedom now. Destiney felt disconnected from the world. She had been relegated to Siefer's quarters to recuperate from the baby's birth. She had received only a few visitors: the nurses and other pregnant human women. Destiney was the first human female to give birth and survive. Others had questions and fears only she could answer.
The door buzzed, and Destiney hurried to open it. Alexis stood there, dressed once again in a skin suit. This one was bright red. She looked happy and well cared for. There seemed to be a new confidence in the way she held herself. It was quite becoming and made Destiney wonder if she had finally come to terms with being the king's mate. She ushered Alexis into the room, closing the door in the guard's face.
Alexis took one look at Destiney and realized she was no longer pregnant. She exclaimed, "Is the baby here already? Are you okay? Tell me everything!"
Destiney took her friend by the hand, grinning from ear to ear, and led her to the crib. The baby was sucking his fist and cooing contentedly. Alexis squealed with delight and reached into the crib to stroke his beautiful face. The little one grabbed her finger in a chubby fist, causing her to cry out. She glanced at Destiney in astonishment. "That hurt. I thought for a second my finger would break."
Laughter rang out from Destiney. How wonderful it felt to share this little wonder with her best friend. She replied, “My son has the strength of his father already. He could have easily broken your finger, but he has learned to hold back when touching flesh. The nurse tells me that all Milisarians are born with the instincts that keep them from harming those they love with their extra strength. I think he's perfect."
"Indeed, he is. When was he born? Was it awful?" asked a worried Alexis.
"He came two weeks ago. I did not expect him to make such an early appearance. It turns out his early arrival was a good thing. He would have been too large for my body to expel had he waited any longer. As you can see, he is much larger than a human infant. The birth was difficult. I almost bled to death, but the nurse brought medicines that kept me alive. I am weak, but healing." Destiney ran her fingers over her son's soft hair and continued, “He’s worth every moment of pain. Would you like to hold him?"
Destiney placed the baby in Alexis's arms. A gasp was forced out of Alexis's mouth as a tiny fluttering swept through her womb. Her baby had reacted to the child she was holding. She hoped Destiney hadn't noticed just yet. There was a lot of catching up to do before she announced her pregnancy.
Alexis sat on the bed and bounced gently with the baby. She asked, "How are the other women? Are they being treated well?"
"I have only seen them a few times since you left and just once each after the baby came. They are alive and doing as well as can be expected. They have married their mates. All are pregnant. Some are due to deliver soon. Their mates are pampering them and seem to truly love them. Some are experiencing sickness that did not plague me. The nurse is worried that their bodies are not compatible with Milisarian DNA. I worry about them too. I had such a difficult time without having been ill. They are weakened due to this illness. I am not sure they will survive." The concern for her fellow humans showed in Destiney's pixie face. She proceeded to ask, “What happened to the others? Siefer did not have a chance to tell me. He was summoned to the council chambers. He left here acting as if he might never come back. What is happening? Can you please tell me something?"
Alexis took a deep breath before she replied, “There is much to tell. The king broke his promise to treat the women better. They were chained and mistreated. I spoke to them before leaving, and we made plans to overtake the ship and divert it to Arkani. No one wanted to go back to Earth. Nabvan agreed to help us. His love for me overcame his loyalty to the king. We were careless, and the king caught us in bed together. He was having Nabvan tortured, and he was to be executed. We had to stop it. The other women and I started a mutiny. Siefer fought with us. The guards were injured and locked away. Nabvan and King Shene fought to the death. Though gravely injured from the torture, Nabvan won. We took the women to Arkani. They were happily received, and the Arkani healed Nabvan. The council meeting is about the king's death. We don't know if all will be well or if Nabvan and Siefer will be executed. I assure you that Nabvan will take all the blame. Siefer was just protecting the women."
Destiney grabbed her son from Alexis's arms, startling a cry from him. She held him close and swore, “You will not be raised without your father. I will fight for his life with all that I have." She turned to Alexis and asked, “How can you sit there so calmly? We could lose everything at any moment, and yet you aren't yelling or pounding down doors. Are you so coldhearted? The king is gone. You will no longer have the protection of being the future queen. Are you not afraid?"
Alexis placed a calming hand on Destiney's arm. “I trust Nabvan and Siefer to make the council see reason. Right is on our side. Nabvan never intended to kill the king. It was self-defense. The king had no right to execute him for being with me. By law, I was Nabvan's mate long before the king touched me. He will make the council see the truth. I know it in my heart."
"Why did you come back? The Arkani would have given you both asylum and Siefer could have found a way back that didn't bring fear of execution down on him. You could have used your science knowledge among the Arkani. They would have welcomed it."
“I won't lie. I considered it when the Arkani asked me to stay, but I couldn't take Nabvan from his world into such a different life. He has much to do here for his fellow Milisarians, and I plan to bring my science to this planet. They need me more than the Arkani", replied Alexis.
The door slid open and Siefer appeared. Destiney's relief could not be contained. She ran to him, almost crushing the baby between their bodies. He carefully lifted the baby into one set of arms and wrapped Destiney in the other pair. He kissed the top of her head and assured her, "All is well. There will be no punishment. It was deemed self-defense. It seems the king had many misdeeds to account for." His gaze landed on Alexis as he said, "I assume you told her all that transpired. The council demands that we keep everything a secret among ourselves. They do not want others seeking revenge. Will you both agree?"
Both women nodded their heads in agreement. Alexis stood and added, “For both of our baby’s sakes, I will never breathe a word to anyone else."
Stunned, Destiney and Siefer turned to Alexis. Siefer was the first to speak, “You carry a child? Is it Nabvan's or the king's?"
Alexis quietly answered, “I pray that it is a true son or daughter of Nabvan. Either way, he claims it. No one will ever know if it is not. Where is he?"
Siefer opened the door, allowing Alexis to leave. “He has gone to his quarters in search of you. Tell him we send our heartfelt congratulations on the conception of his child."
He closed the door quickly, wishing to spend time with his wife and new son. He examined every inch of his son's body to be sure he was as perfect as he hoped. He found no flaws, and when the baby once again showed off his strength by squeezing a huge finger in his tiny hand, Siefer preened with pride. A new warrior would join the ranks, and this one would bring an intelligent mind to battle as well as superhuman power. He was destined for greatness.
Chapter: 3
***Alexis***
Alexis hurried down the hallway, passing the quarters of many warriors. She had never been to Nabvan's quarters before, but he had mentioned its location during some of their conversations when he served as her keeper. She found it without too much difficulty. She pressed the buzzer and prayed he was still there. Before the door had fully opened, an arm swooped her inside and into Nabvan's embrace. He kissed her lips with the hunger and desperation of a man who had been unsure of his future. She answ
ered his hunger with one of her own. The desperation slowly dissipated and the pair pulled apart.
Alexis examined her beloved. He was none the worse for wear. He had withstood the council's questions and his pride was intact. She ran her hands through his luxurious red hair and exclaimed, “I love the fact that your hair is so unique on this world. It sets you apart from all the others with their dark locks."
"It is considered an imperfection on this planet. I have always despised it."
Alexis kissed his powerful chest, right over the spot where she could see his heart beating through his translucent skin. “You are perfect in my eyes. You saved me from death after the king had me beaten, even though he had ordered you to let me be. You took me to your bed knowing that I would be forced to sleep with the king. You fought for me and the other women, against a king you had promised to serve. You are my fantasy of perfection that has come alive."
“If that is truly the case, I have a question for you." Nabvan slowly sank to one knee. "I believe this is the way it is done on your Earth. Will you marry me, Alexis? I want to declare you as mine before all of Milisaria."
Tears of happiness fell down Alexis's cheeks. She was deeply touched that her tough warrior would humble himself this way. Proposing as a human male could be seen as a weakness on this planet. She loved him more every minute. “I will gladly marry you, though I fear some will have an issue with the fact that the king displayed me as his on many occasions."
Nabvan stood and declared, "I care not what others say or think. You were mine: first, last and always. I will be proud to declare our love. Our child will be a true blessing of our combined love."