Besh easily disabled the first soldier, stealing his weapon as the next three gained the door. He had only seconds before one of these men would raise the alarm and Besh’s attempt at escape would be foiled. He blindsided the second, aiming his weapon at the last man in the pack, hoping to prevent any of them from escaping to warn the rest of the ship. He blasted twice, just as one of the warriors grabbed him by the hand and three bodies landed on top of each other in a heap, unmoving.
****
Kaya awoke to the sounds of busy activity in the outer rooms. She gathered herself, washed her face and hands quickly, and went to join the group. When she walked into the room, she saw warriors swarming, all dressed in the battle gear she had first seen in her café. She stifled a scream and started thinking of the best way to exit unnoticed, when she saw Eetu. He was standing in the middle of the group of soldiers smiling across the room at her.
“Princess, I believe your American Westerners would say the cavalry has come.” He beamed at Kaya, as she still stood stunned on the fringes of the room. “The Senate believed you! They are collecting the troops, and these men are here to protect you. We need to hurry to the palace. Come!”
Kaya stood still, unsure if she were still dreaming or if she had heard correctly. The cavalry most certainly was there, she thought to herself as she saw the dozen warriors around the room. Mente was also there, speaking to one of the soldiers with his helmet off. The man looked just like Mente, only younger, and actually a couple of inches taller, making him the giant of giants. When he turned to look in her direction, she knew this was definitely Aataar, as he had the same warm green eyes she had first seen on Mente.
She pushed away from the wall she had been holding on to for dear life and walked toward Eetu. Her friend grasped her hand and led her out the door with a full accompaniment of soldiers guarding her from every angle. She was whisked into one of the vehicles she had seen flying through the air at unnatural speeds. The vehicles were huge, able to fit herself, Eetu, Mente and all the armed guards attending her comfortably, with room for more. Soon they were on their way to the palace at breakneck speed.
They reached the palace gates in no time and were quickly ushered inside. The vehicle stopped in front of a large set of intricate doors, with fine details which reminded her of the lace skirt she wore for her Joining ceremony. Two soldiers opened the doors for her to walk through, and she entered the most luxurious place she had ever beheld. Sights she did not even know existed were held in just the entryway alone.
The cavernous foyer was made of a translucent glass-like material. Stairs floated out of nowhere, leading to higher floors, where she could only imagine what kind of wonders they held. The ceiling looked like the heavens she had barely caught in the corners of her eyes as she traveled the Brox Catha and was so realistic, she thought it really was the heavens above her. Stars shot here and there above her head as she watched. Servants were lined along one wall in beautiful uniforms, and all were beautiful in every shade of the rainbow and beyond.
The group was led to the back of the house and into a room with a large table and chairs surrounding it. And it brought to Kaya’s mind an executive boardroom on Earth, but different, something out of a science fiction movie. The table, made of the same translucent glass, levitated in the center of the room, as did the seats around it. The Speaker of the Senate as well as a few other faces she thought she remembered seeing there the day before and two warriors were already seated. The Speaker motioned for her and Eetu to be seated in the two empty seats in front of them. Eetu sat instantly, but Kaya stared at her seat for a moment, scared of possibly doing it wrong and landing on her butt in front of these men and women. Eetu, noticing her pause, grasped her hand and whispered for her to just sit down. She did and the meeting began.
“Princess D’Hanna, we owe you a debt of gratitude for what you have done thus far. We scanned the Inoc world and found several Bel Tak ships. We also located more Bel Tak scattered around the Empire, all in seats of power, readying for a surprise attack. We have sent our fleets to destroy them. We’ve got word that they have liberated the Emperor and Empress, as well as most of the ruling family.”
“Besh?”
“We have sent a ship to intercept the transport and free your husband, your majesty.”
“What about his charges?”
“Princess, we have not enforced that rule in eons,” the speaker said with a chuckle. “Couples through the galaxy break Si’ ni mon daily; I even did as a lad. It is an old law that should have been dissolved millennia ago, but we tend to hold our ruling class to a higher standard, so General Et Fatel was trying to do the right thing. As long as he only met with you, and you both never participated in intercourse before the Joining ceremony, then you have done nothing wrong. He will not stand trial, and he will be freed.”
Kaya bit her tongue, hoping they would not outright ask her if they had participated in pre-Joining coupling because she was a terrible liar. But again, it was a silly rule in her eyes as well. They were consenting adults, mates about to Join, what did it matter? She stayed blessedly silent and listened to the plans the men were covering with her for finalizing the battles, when a soldier entered the room and went down to the end of the table to confer with the speaker.
As Kaya watched the warrior converse with the speaker, she saw the frown deepen on his face. The Speaker met her eyes with a sense of dread that gave Kaya goose bumps all over her body. He then closed his eyes tightly and shook his head before placing it in both hands. After a pause, he looked up, right into Kaya’s horrified face. She sensed the news before she was told.
“A ship intercepted the transport your husband was on. It was destroyed. There is no one left alive.”
“Noooooo!” Her world spinning in front of her eyes was the last thing Kaya remembered seeing.
****
Kaya awoke in a soft bed in a beautiful room filled with mementos of a lifetime. She wasn’t sure where she was and still felt groggy. She sat up to survey the room she was more closely. Once she was seated, she saw a form across the room stand up and walk toward her. As it came closer, despite her blurred vision, she recognized it was the Empress. The woman sat down on the corner of the bed and gazed down lovingly at Kaya.
“I wondered when you would awaken. You have been asleep for two days, my dear. How do you feel?”
Kaya looked up at the Empress, confused. Two days, why have I been asleep for two days? Her mind reached out for the last thing she remembered before that moment. Suddenly, the truth hit her like a train, and she began sobbing uncontrollably. The Empress pulled her into her arms and rocked her like she was a child, rubbing her back and whispering words of love and sympathy.
They sat locked like that for nearly an hour, Kaya unable to move from the comfort of the woman’s arms, afraid of what would happen next and sure she could not handle any more to come.
Finally, once Kaya’s sobs had subsided, the Empress sat back and looked down into her face. Wet marks scarred her beautiful face, as she had wept along with Kaya. “My dear, I hurt as much as you. He was such a beautiful child who grew into a strong man, a man who deserved to finally have the love he had waited so long to have.
“You saved our Empire, and most of our lives, and for which we can never repay you. But know as Besh’s mate and the savior of our worlds, we will care for you for the rest of your life. You are welcome here or on any planet in the system, for as long as you want, and we will supply your every need and have guards protecting you. And from this point on, you are in every way my cherished daughter and will be treated as such.”
Kaya gazed up into the Queen’s warm face. “Thank you,” she whispered and hugged the Empress again, her sobs returning. After a few more moments, Kaya pulled away. “I’m sorry. I should let you go. I’m sure you have better things to do than to sit here playing nursemaid to me.”
“My dear, all of our hearts are breaking, but yours the most. I can’t think of a better way to spe
nd my day than to care for the broken heart of my son’s wife.” The Empress smiled down at her and caressed her cheek. “You cry now until your heart cannot cry anymore, and when you have tears tomorrow or the next day, you come and find me again, and I will be there to help you shed them.”
So she did. She cried until her body could not cry any longer. The Empress had lain down beside her in the large bed and had held her for hours, letting her get every tear out. Kaya sat up, needing to stand and walk, to stretch the muscles that were screaming from being so overwrought. The Empress continued to lounge on the bed, watching Kaya investigate the items that decorated the room.
“Whose room is this?”
“It is mine.”
“Oh, I’m sorry. I’ll stop peeking through your things.”
“You aren’t peeking. If there was something I did not want you to see, I would have told you so.”
Kaya smiled and continued to investigate the objects surely collected over a lifetime. She gazed at clear golden orbs suspended in midair, beautiful flowers sculpted out of some sort of clay, and lovely gems uncut in pure form. Then she found something that caught her eye—a box that had a screen of some sort.
“Family pictures … like your photographs, but all the images are stored inside.”
Kaya nearly dropped the box, knowing the face of her love was inside, not knowing if she could stand to see it just now. The Empress had come to move behind her and took it from her hands. “Maybe it would be good for you to know him more, to see how he grew.”
“So I can love him more and it can hurt more?”
“No, so you can mourn him for the man he was.”
The Empress pulled her back onto the bed, and they lay back against the pillows together, as the elder woman turned the machine on and holographic images started to appear above it, lit up and in full three dimensions so it almost looked like one could reach out and touch the person in front of them. She went through random images of people Kaya had never known and then finally one rested on a little boy with familiar eyes. The Empress had been right; he had been a beautiful child. Kaya got to see Besh grow up before her eyes, his firsts, his wins, all his special moments he had shared with his family.
Then she saw something that unnerved her. “Empress, who is the man with Besh in the last photo?”
“First of all, please call me Mata. Empress is too formal for my daughter, hmm?” She smiled down at Kaya. And then sighed when she turned back to the last image. “He is my eldest son, Taroth. He died several years ago on Earth.”
“On Earth?”
“When we sent the scouting party to Earth to investigate the experiment, and to see if it still continued, Taroth was a curious warrior, always at the ready to charge into the next battle, which his father hated, as Taroth was expected to be the heir to the throne. We constantly worried about his safety. But Fatel hoped the trip would appease him some. Little did we know he would never come back.”
Kaya knew the face looked familiar, but could not remember where she had seen it or if she really had. She could not voice her thoughts, as it would be unfair to bring up such pain when she was also struggling with a newfound heartbreak. This woman had suffered the death of two sons. Adding insult to injury was not Kaya’s style, especially since this woman had shown her nothing but kindness, so she dropped the subject.
They continued to look at image after image, Mata explaining this one and that, especially when there was no familiar face in a particular shot, effectively introducing her to many of the family members she had not been able to meet yet. She saw the look of love on Mata’s face as she reviewed the pictures of all her children, and it made her think of the children she would not have with Besh.
No, she could not keep dredging up what ifs or she would not survive. “Mata?”
“Yes?”
“I think I want to remain in the Empire. I have met the most wonderfully warm people on both planets I have traveled to, and I can’t imagine not staying here, close to Besh’s memory. But I would like some time on Earth soon. Collect my life and some of my prized possessions, spend a little time with my few friends, and tell them my goodbyes, so they won’t worry about me. Would that be possible?”
“I don’t see why not, but I am sure the Emperor would want you to wait until the Bel Tak have been rounded up and we have secured the Empire before you left. But I am sure you can go immediately once they are sure it is safe to.”
“Which reminds me. What happened to Dak and Dar Jin? Were they among the dead on board?”
“No one has told me either way. I’m sure when I find out, you will as well.” Mata looked troubled, as if she were hiding something. “You know, maybe I will accompany you to your Earth, so I can see the place you grew up in, get to know my daughter a little more? Of course, only if you would want the company. I would understand if you needed time alone, but then again, this may not be the best time for you to be alone too long.”
“I think it would be wonderful to have you come along and see my world. To be honest, maybe we can take the time to see places even I have not seen before!”
Mata smiled. “It’s—how do you say—a date!”
****
Mata left Kaya soon after the suns set, telling her she was exhausted from the grieving she had done. Mata had one of her lady’s maids sleep in the adjoining room, to listen in if Kaya needed anything through the night.
Kaya slept fitfully, tossing and turning all night, hearing Besh calling her name over and over. She awoke several times throughout the night, thinking she was hearing him there in her room. But whenever she opened her eyes, she saw nothing but herself sitting in the empty room.
She awoke the following morning, more exhausted than ever. Her stomach was tied into knots, and she felt nearly dizzy, even lying still in her bed. She jumped from the bed and ran to the dressing room where she retched the contents of her stomach, what little she had on her stomach. She was miserable, and she sank to the floor and wept, even though she had no more tears to shed.
****
Kaya spent the next few weeks waiting to hear if she was free to return to Earth. She was ready to see her home again, to ground her in reality again, because her life was starting to sound like a really bad romance novel. She wandered the palace and the parks outside, looking at the beautiful spaces, but not really registering anything. She continued to feel unwell, her grief taking a physical toll on her body. Besh’s voice still plagued her sleepless nights, making her weaker and weaker. Mata had voiced her concern for Kaya’s weight loss and pale appearance, urging her to eat at every turn.
Mata finally won out and had her checked by the palace wi’ mia. Wi’ mia Donnel came to her room the morning before she had planned her vacation to Earth. Mata had been worried the trip would be too much for Kaya’s weakened state. The news the wi’ mia gave her was welcome yet unwelcome at the same time.
She was carrying Besh’s child.
Chapter Twelve
Kaya smiled as Mata swirled around in her living room two weeks later, looking at all of Kaya’s various mementos. Her diploma from cooking school, her family photos, her trophies from her various cooking contests she loved to enter. Her home was filled with a life that seemed unreal to her now. It was almost as if she did not exist before she met Besh, and it scared her how stereotypical that sounded. A woman can stand on her own two feet, but the love of a good man, the right man, a man who would stand behind a strong woman, could make a woman feel ten feet tall and bulletproof.
“Kaya, what is this?” Mata was staring at the television remote, so Kaya walked over and used it to turn the television on. Mata squealed with delight as she pressed all the buttons to see what they would do, smiling brightly when she saw something that interested her on the screen. Kaya smiled, seeing the television through Mata’s eyes, and realizing it was pretty cool. Mata slid down to the sofa and got comfortable, not taking her eyes away from the screen. She hoped she would not make her mother-in-law into
a couch potato.
Kaya walked through her house like she was looking through the life of a stranger. She stopped here and there to collect a photo, a memento, anything that reminded her of her family or friends that she would like to keep with her. A photo of her own mother when Kaya had been a baby came into view, and Kaya snatched it. She wished her mother had been still alive so she could go into her arms and feel healed. Besh’s mother had been so kind and generous, but it wasn’t like her own mother’s love.
After an hour of sifting through her memorabilia, she gathered the items she decided she could not live without into two small boxes and stepped back into the living room.
There, Mata and the two guards who had accompanied them to her old house were sitting glued in front of the television. Kaya walked into her kitchen to say goodbye. She had handpicked her beautiful kitchen and loved the convenience of the equipment and storage. She walked through, gliding her hand over the hand-cut countertops, loving the feel of the cold marble under fingers. She had spent countless hours designing this kitchen, and it was her favorite room in the house.
She stopped at the end of the countertop where she saw a large stack of mail and her answering machine. Who has been bringing in all my mail? Her machine was full, so she pressed the button to listen in as she began opening the assorted letters, bills, and junk mail. The first three messages were telemarketers, and she quickly deleted them. One would think that once a planet was invaded the telemarketers would leave people alone, but instead they found new things to sell the masses.
She sifted through the correspondence, disposing of the junk mail first, and separating the rest into bills and personal. She heard four messages from her friend Katie, and three from her friend and head waitress, Heather, all worried about where she was. She had forgotten about her few employees in her small café, when she was abducted. She hoped they had fared alright. She would call them immediately after she went through the mail and messages.
Her Alien Abductor (Aegarian Saga) Page 15