by E. A. James
"I should go after Mother," Huen said. He crossed his arms over his chest. “She cannot be that rude to you in the future, I won’t allow it.” He leaned down and kissed Aine’s cheek before darting off after Deratha and Atrian.
Aine stood there for a moment, feeling lost. Without Huen by her side, she felt more out of place than ever before. She sighed, then walked out of the castle, over the drawbridge, and towards her parents’ home.
The night sky above Aine was dark and filled with stars as she crossed pastures and fields. The cool air felt good on her skin, and she took care not to damage Angelica’s beautiful silk dress. Once she was back in familiar territory, Aine felt a pang of regret. Would she regret walking away from the castle forever? The temptation to stay with Huen forever was stronger than Aine had ever felt it, but she knew there was no place for a girl like her in Huen’s world. Huen needed someone who was on his level – someone his parents would approve of. Someone his best friend, Aerdan, wouldn’t sneer at.
The small hut was dark when Aine let herself inside.
“Daughter.”
Aine jumped in surprise as Mie lit a candle. Mie was sitting at the table, looking cross.
“Yes,” Aine said. She swallowed nervously. “I am home.”
“I can see that,” Mie said. She frowned as she stood up and walked over to Aine, holding the candle close to Aine’s borrowed silk dress. “And in another fancy gown, I see. What did you do this time?”
“I did not do anything,” Aine said. She bit her tongue.
“Liar,” Mie said. “Did you earn this on your back?”
Aine resisted the urge to slap her mother. “No, mother, it was lent to me for a banquet.”
Mie burst out laughing. “A banquet? Child, you are delusional,” she said. “There is absolutely no reason for you to be at the castle. Your place is here, with your family, do you not know that?”
Aine narrowed her eyes. “Mother, you don’t even seem to care for me very much!” She hissed loudly. “You are always calling me stupid, or foolish, or inept.”
Mie glared at her. “If I say those things, it is because they are true,” she said, sneering at Aine. “And you are stupid and foolish! You’ve gone and fallen in love with a lifestyle that doesn’t suit you, and now you are going to be heartbroken when that man marries a noblewoman!”
Aine’s heart sank. She knew her mother was right. “I do not wish to be a part of this family anymore,” she said slowly. “I think it would be for the best if I leave.”
“Don’t you dare!” Mie shouted. She threw the lit candle at Aine. Aine ducked and the candle smashed into the hearth, plunging the room into darkness. “You cannot abandon me!”
“You don’t even like me, Mother,” Aine said. Tears of anger pricked her eyes and she crossed her arms over her chest. “Why do you even care if I stay or not?”
Mie’s nostrils flared with anger. “Because you will care for your father and I in our old age! Just as we have cared for you!”
Aine burst into bitter laughter. “Mother, and you call me delusional?” She bit her lip and shook her head in disbelief. “You have never given me an ounce of love or affection, what in this world makes you think I will care for you?”
“Because that is what single women do for their parents!” Mie roared. “And no one will ever marry you.”
Aine shook her head. “I do not care,” she said hotly. “I am not staying here. Find some other servant to order – I know that’s what you have always wanted from me, anyway.”
Mie was silent as Aine gathered her things. She didn’t have much – all of her possessions fit into a small bag, which she slung over her shoulder. As Aine strode out of the home in which she’d grown up, she suddenly felt twenty pounds lighter. She wasn’t sure what she would do – she obviously couldn’t accept the Queen’s generous offer of a home near the castle, but perhaps she could go into business. There wasn’t a huge market for sewing, but Aine was confident in her skills. I can make this work, she thought as she began climbing the hill.
The sky was beginning to lighten and Aine slowed, gazing up at the heavens as pink and orange streaked across the sky. She felt almost guilty that she didn’t feel worse – she’d just walked out on her adoptive mother, and she knew she could never return. But I don’t want to, she realized. Mother and Father never cared for me. They treated me like a servant!
Aine sighed and began trekking towards the castle. She decided that she could find a small apartment, and perhaps work as a seamstress while studying more about the people of Glasule. Maybe they would be more accepting, she thought. Maybe class isn’t such a problem in my native land.
As she walked, Aine let her mind wander. As hard as she tried, she couldn’t get Huen’s handsome face from her mind. That’s the one thing I’m going to miss, she thought. I wonder if he’ll miss me, too.
As she rounded the corner and began walking up the hill that led to the castle, she saw a figure on horseback racing towards her. When Aine realized that it was Huen, she froze in her tracks and gasped.
Vlad skidded to a stop just in front of Aine, sending clouds of dirt through the air. Aine coughed and choked, covering her mouth and nose as tears welled up in her eyes. Huen jumped down from Vlad and reached for Aine’s hand.
“Where are you going?” Huen asked. “Your new home?”
Aine shook her head. “You know as well as I that I can’t accept that from the Queen,” she said quietly. “It was a very kind gesture, but she only did it to settle a debt, you know that.”
Huen grabbed Aine by the shoulders and pulled her close. “Aine, what is the matter? Why are you sad?” He gave her a pleading look.
Aine bit her lip. “Because I cannot be with you.”
“What?” Huen squinted and laughed nervously. “Aine, what makes you say that?”
“For one, your parents. They would never approve of me,” Aine said softly. She was horrified and embarrassed to feel tears welling up in her eyes.
“Forget them,” Huen said boldly. “I’m a grown man – I am almost thirty-one years of age. It’s time for me to move on from what they think.”
Aine stared at him. “You really do not understand, do you,” she said quietly as a hot tear rolled down her cheek. “Things are different for you! You’re a wealthy man, you can do whatever you want.”
“I want you,” Huen said. “I want you to marry me, to be my wife, to live as equals.”
Aine’s jaw dropped. “You cannot be serious,” she said softly. “Even the Commander, Aerdan, hates me! He does not think we are suited for each other.”
“If Aerdan cannot accept the woman I love, then we are no longer friends, but I assure you – it will not come to that,” Huen said, his velvet brown eyes blazing with fire. “I am sure Aerdan will come around and accept you.”
Aine bit her lip. “And what of everyone who sneers at you for marrying a peasant?”
“What of everyone who sneered at me for not wanting to become a warrior?” Huen asked, leaning down to kiss Aine.
Aine closed her eyes and pressed her lips to his. “Huen, I love you,” she said softly. “But I worry – you do not know what you’re doing. We barely know each other.”
“That is not true, and you know it,” Huen said. “I know that you’re a kind, intelligent, beautiful woman. You’re brave and strong – not many would have been willing to save Queen Zornaya at the risk of failure. And you speak your mind.”
Aine flushed. “Thank you,” she said softly.
“It is all true, and I would not say it if that were not the case,” Huen thundered. “I love you, by the gods! Marry me, Aine.”
When Aine looked into Huen’s velvety brown eyes, nothing mattered. The world around her disappeared, and her heart began to beat faster and faster.
“I love you,” Aine said.
“Then marry me,” Huen said.
Aine flushed scarlet red. “Yes,” she whispered, throwing her arms around Huen’s neck and pressi
ng her body to his. Huen wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close.
“You promise?” Huen whispered in Aine’s ear.
Aine pulled back just enough to smile at her betrothed. “Yes,” she said. “Forever.”
As Aine and Huen kissed, Aine knew that the future was uncertain. She had no idea of what lay ahead for her. But she knew that as long as she and Huen were together, she would be happy for the rest of her life.
ALSO BY E.A. JAMES
Far Hope Series Book One - THOR
Far Hope Series Book Two - REDEMPTION
Star Fall Series Book One - TANAK
Zhekan Mates Series Book One - AERDAN
THOR - FAR HOPE SERIES - BOOK #1
CHAPTER ONE
“Captain, I’m not sure the ship can take it,” Kira’s co-pilot said from his seat to her right.
Kira didn’t take her eye off the monitor in front of her. She could see the Rengar ship coming straight towards them, but her hands didn’t flinch on the controls.
“That’s your problem, Johan,” she said calmly. “You don’t trust the ship.”
“I wouldn’t call it as much a trust issue as a practical one. The rat’s vessel is much bigger than ours.”
Referring to their targets as “rats” was not meant as a slight, rather a relatively accurate description of their appearance. Still, the description did capture the essence of the intelligent rodent race accurately. They truly were the rats of the galaxy—scheming and clever, dealing primarily with the black market, selling stolen goods and offering nefarious services in the Galactic Bazaar.
That’s what brought Kira to this moment. A group of Rengar pirates had stolen goods from a leading political officer of the Terran Alliance, and being one of the Alliance’s leading combat pilots, she was called in to track down the ship, and lead a mission to retrieve the cargo.
“That’s something we will use to our advantage,” Kira replied confidently. Reaching for the intercom, she dialed in the code linked to the bridge. “Rix,” she said, speaking directly to the ship’s engineer, “make sure the shields are up. We’re expecting contact in ten, nine…” as she counted down, she watched the image on the screen grow larger and larger.
Johan nervously clutched the throttle in his hands so tightly that his knuckles were beginning to turn white. Kira continued to count, waiting until she reached “two” before thrusting the vessel forward and sending the ship into a high-speed plummet.
The Rengar ship just nicked their right wing, but with the shields up, the pirates’ Junker did little damage to the top-of-the-line Terran Alliance fighter she was piloting. Johan held his breath as she turned the ship hard right and once again began to climb, heading directly towards the belly of the enemy ship.
Rix’s voice came over the intercom. “They’re lowering their guns, Captain,” he informed her.
“Good,” she replied, watching for the cannons to drop out below the pirate ship. “Ready the missiles,” she ordered Johan.
His hands shook slightly as he typed a command code into the console in front of him. The ship shuddered as the missiles moved to the ready position.
As they continued to get closer and closer to the pirate vessel, the air in the cockpit became electric with tension. Kira loved these moments. The adrenaline that pumped through her veins, the feeling of control that overwhelmed her, waiting for the perfect moment to give the order.
“We’re getting too close,” Johan warned, ready to reach for the controls in front of him and pull the ship back.
“Don’t even think about it,” Kira said firmly. “We’re almost there.”
"They're targeting us," Rix's voice came over the intercom again.
“They won’t have time,” Kira said, moving her hand towards the missile launch switch. “Switching to weapons only control, Johan, you have the controls – try not to panic.”
Training the cross-hairs that appeared on her screen to the slits from which the guns were lowering on the underbelly of the enemy ship, she inhaled sharply. Just as the large, cannon-sized barrels swiveled in their direction she hit the launch.
Simultaneously, she shouted to Johan to dive. “Take us down, now!” she ordered, keeping her eyes glued to the screen.
There was a blast; large enough to disrupt their flight pattern slightly, but not so large that it destroyed the Rengar ship.
“Perfect,” she said analyzing the data on her console, shooting a cocky smile to Johan. “You can radio the others and let them know the ship has been disabled. Have reinforcements sent in, and the clean-up crew sent out to retrieve what the rat’s stole this time.”
Johan made the call while she relaxed back in her seat. Radioing down to the bridge, she confirmed that the remaining members of her small crew were safe. Rix, although slightly shaken, confirmed that they were.
“No matter how many flights I take with you, Captain, I will never cease to be amazed by your tactics,” Johan said once he had finished the call.
“I think by tactics you must mean recklessness”, Kira wryly replied. “Have I ever not gotten you home safely Johan?”
She had worked with Johan on a number of occasions, although they were far from close. He was a stocky man, with the same tanned skin and dark brown eyes that were typical of almost all the Terran race. Although he was a year older than her, making him 34-years old, she was his superior, something she sensed he resented.
“Not yet,” he said with a slight scoff. “But I tell my wife that if I ever don’t make it home for dinner, it’s probably because I’ve been out with you.”
“God,” Kira replied, wrinkling her nose in disgust, “that could send the wrong message.”
“Hey! You’d be lucky to get a guy like me; you know that?”
“You may be right,” she said, raising an eyebrow, “at least I know you can follow orders. Men usually aren’t very good at that.”
Kira had been in a handful of relationship throughout her adult life. But, none of them stuck. Her success often seemed to intimidate. It wasn’t just her professional identity that left them feeling inferior, but her overall demeanor. She didn’t ever back down from a fight, and she rarely admitted she was wrong—because she usually wasn’t.
On the surface, she didn’t seem to be the rough-and-tumble person that she was. With a petite frame and small figure, she was often underestimated. In addition, she found that she attracted a lot of attention, more attention than she would have liked, simply because of her physical appearance. While she did share the basic qualities as the other Terran's from her home planet Earth—dark hair and tanned skin—she had blue eyes. It was a recessive trait that had almost completely disappeared from the planet generations earlier. Today, individuals with light eyes or hair were looked at as a commodity throughout the empire.
Thankfully, a strong relationship with the Telani, a race native to the planet Maelor, had somewhat quelled the fascination with the fairer Terran's. Telani were known for their bright, blue eyes and platinum blond hair. Most Terran men would jump at the chance to be with a Telani woman.
Johan’s wife was Telani, a fact he constantly bragged about. That was one of the reasons why Kira never felt the need to take it easy on her co-pilot. It was good for him to have a lesson in humility from time to time.
“Set the coordinates for the T.S.F Victory,” she ordered Johan, not giving him time to respond to her previous comment, but relishing in the satisfaction that her command simply served to prove her point.
He let out a disgruntled huff as he did as she said. Just as they pulled away from the scene of the encounter, five larger Terran Alliance ships swarmed in to complete the task they had started.
Smiling to herself, Kira settled back into her chair. Flipping the auto-pilot switch, she let the ship do the rest of the work for her, taking them back to the Terran forces’ flagship, where they would dock and debrief—the official end of their mission.
Johan still seemed tense. Perhaps he was simpl
y upset with her earlier comment. "Relax," she said to him, kicking her feet up and closing her eyes. "In no time at all, we'll be home, and getting ready to start our three-week leave. Hopefully, that's enough time for your hands to stop shaking.”
CHAPTER TWO
“What the hell were you thinking, Kira?” her commanding officer asked her, his face slightly red.
They were seated in a debriefing room aboard the T.F.S Victory. It was a small room, with no windows. Kira always felt like she was being interrogated rather than debriefed, but then again, the military protocol did save lives. Still, she wished these conversations would normally start without the attack on her judgment.