by Shae Mills
“But I’m still sorry, my Lady.”
Chelan squared her shoulders. “Well, I’m not. I enjoy it here, and I love the castle and your company. I’m sure there’s plenty for me to explore. Besides, Korba knows the moment I step back onto the ship, I’ll be badgering him about RIBUS 7 again.”
Terig chuckled. “I suppose that is so. And you flatter me, my Lady. I’m afraid that I must confess that I’m not too upset at the extension of your stay. I adore your company.”
“Then we are in agreement that this situation is hardly a disaster.”
Terig nodded to her graciously. “Well, on that note, I suggest that you once again retire. True dawn is many hours off, and even though we’re protected, we need to take cover. It can get extremely loud out here, and I won’t chance having you exposed in case the shielding goes down.”
Chelan took another look about and stifled a yawn. “You’re right. Despite the excitement, I’m weary. And I can probably sleep now that I know that I am not being assaulted.”
Terig laughed. “Then I shall escort you inside and bid you a good night once again. I too should try to rest.”
ONCE IN HER ROOM, CHELAN shed her uniform and dived back into the inviting arms of the massive bed. Though she was tired, sleep eluded her as thoughts of her children played through her mind. They were expecting her back, and though she knew they were well cared for and probably too busy to notice her delay, it still upset her. She hated telling them something only to be unable to follow through. But then her thoughts calmed a bit. She knew Korba would take care of things personally, and hopefully the storm would not last too long.
Finally, she dozed, and when she awoke again, it was darker still. Earlier, the room had been illuminated by the soft embers of the fire, but that light was now snuffed.
She reached for a bedside lamp and then sat up to dress, but suddenly she scowled. She ran her hand over her right breast and winced. “Ah hell,” she mumbled as she swung her legs off the edge of the bed. Both breasts ached, and she cursed once again. She was engorged with breastmilk.
She slipped from her perch and placed another log on the fire. Then she sat on the edge of the bed and sighed. She would have to express the milk, but that was a process she knew was going to be easier said than done. She went to stand but cringed as a flash of blinding light pieced the room. It was followed immediately by a resounding crash of thunder that shook the castle walls. Chelan plunged under the blankets, an unbidden shriek leaving her lips.
Almost immediately there was a forceful knock on the door. “My Lady, are you all right?”
Chelan sat up and tried to calm her thudding heart. She clutched a sheet to herself. “I’m okay... I think. Please, come in.”
Terig opened the door and stepped into the room, closing it gently. Her wide eyes told him everything he needed to know. “I’m afraid I must apologize once again.”
Chelan took a deep breath. “Let me guess: the storms are capable of unleashing a lot of electrical power.”
“Aye.”
“Are we safe?”
“Within the keep we are. I wouldn’t dare to wander outside now that the lightning is upon us. In the past, although infrequently, it has pierced the dome.”
“Lovely,” she mumbled. But then she nearly jumped off the bed as the next bolt hit simultaneously with the deafening thunder. “Jesus!” she shouted. “That was right on top of us.”
Terig moved over to a chair by the fire and sat on the edge. “The electrical component usually moves off quickly, although it can return in a heartbeat.”
Then both were rendered mute as the strikes came in quick succession, the thunder thwarting any further attempt at conversation. Finally, with time, the strikes became less frequent and farther away.
Chelan finally glanced at Terig. “It looks like we live for another day.”
Terig smiled and then rose. “I’ll let you finish your rest.”
Chelan hugged the sheet. “What, no more surprises?”
Terig chuckled. “I hope not.” But then he sobered. “Are you okay?”
“I think so. Why?”
Terig nodded toward her and she looked down at the damp sheet. “Oh...,” she moaned. “I... You see... It’s been a while...” She looked up in him in exasperation. “I need to nurse. I thought I could make it to morning and back to the ship, but I miscalculated.”
Terig sat back down. “How old is the babe?”
“Shanna is nearly a year... an Earth year. Marri and I both nurse her, and she is eating. That’s why I thought I could make it away from her for a full day. But obviously, with her Iceanean metabolism, she’s still taking quite a lot from me.”
Terig sank back into his chair. “I can’t get your child for you, my Lady. Nor can I get you to her. What will you do?”
Chelan squirmed. “I have to express it. But all my past attempts have been less than satisfactory.”
“What will happen if you leave it?”
Chelan rolled her eyes. “I don’t even want to think about it. The breast can become plugged or infected, and that’s not a pleasant illness. Been there, had that.”
Terig sat forward. “Can I get you anything?”
“It’s okay. I need a cloth and some hot water, but I can get that from the washroom.”
“Nonsense. Let me fetch what you need.”
Terig was immediately on his feet and out the door. Chelan took advantage of his departure to dress, but the pressure of her uniform on her hard breasts was excruciating. Finally, she was forced to shed the garment as she retreated to the comfort of the bed.
Terig was not long. He set the steaming water on a nightstand beside the bed and handed her the cloth. “Anything else, my Lady?”
“Ahh, would it be too much to ask if I could borrow one of your shirts? I no longer fit in my uniform top, nor will I for the duration of my stay, I’d venture.”
“Certainly.” And he was off again.
Chelan dipped the soft cloth into the hot water and wrung it out gingerly. Then she placed it over her right breast and moaned with relief. With the sheet drawn over her, she lay back against the headboard and let the heat do its magic.
Terig returned to the room and approached slowly. He laid the shirt over the chair back, trying not to stare at the beauty outlined by the sheet.
“Thank you,” she whispered.
Terig smiled at her, but at the same time his heart twisted over her dilemma. He felt so helpless. Finally, he found his voice. “I’ll give you some privacy, my Lady. I’ll return later to check on you.”
Chelan nodded. “Thank you for everything.”
Terig backed out of the room, shutting the door silently. Then he leaned against the cold stone wall and closed his eyes. When Korba had approached him about distracting her in any manner he could, he never anticipated the distraction she would be to him. “Curses,” he mumbled.
Chelan sat up again and refreshed the compress. Then she reached for a water glass and slid to the side of the bed. She kneaded her breast, wincing with pain as she forcefully massaged the knotted area. “Motherhood,” she muttered. Then she smiled. “Where are you, Shanna, when I need you?”
When she could stand the pain no more, she began the tedious task of trying to express her milk. Once the letdown reflex kicked in, her milk flowed into the glass, but not for nearly long enough to empty all her ducts. Though the intense pressure was relieved, she could still feel the engorgement deep within her breast. Chelan shook her head and then began on the other breast. “Just what I need. Here I am on an alien planet, engaged in the adventure of a lifetime, and now this...”
After what seemed to be an eternity, she set the glass down, its contents not even close to the volume she knew it should be. She sighed, realizing that things were not going well. But as long as the storm raged, she was not going to have the help she required. She switched back to the inflamed side and continued to work at the painful lump until a faint knock came at the door.
As he reached the chair, he sat down stiffly. Then he glanced at the glass. He looked back at her. “Problem solved?”
Chelan sat on the edge of the bed. “Not entirely. I’m afraid I’ve never been too good at the process. Only nursing Shanna completely empties me.”
“You mentioned this has happened before.”
“Yes, unfortunately.”
Terig stared at her. “And?”
Chelan pinked. “Korba helped,” she uttered somewhat shyly.
Terig felt his heart stop, his mind pinwheeling. He quickly managed to corral his thoughts, and then he looked at her apologetically. “Korba will lynch me if you fall ill under my watch, my Lady. Maybe you had better try the compresses again, or I can draw you a hot bath?”
Chelan stared at him for a bit. “What’s the progression of the storm?”
Terig sagged into the chair and wiped his brow in frustration. “I checked the satellite images in the computer room this morning. It’s a massive one, and the spots are still forming on Sipris.”
Chelan looked down, her options pretty much leaving her. “This could actually get complicated.”
“I’m truly sorry, my Lady.”
Chelan gave him a lopsided smile. “I’ll manage, but if all else fails, do you have access to any antibiotics?”
“I do, one formulated by the Cleosans for me one long ago for an infected battle wound. And I know they have a large production capacity designed for the Iceaneans, and themselves, of course. But for this particular application, well, if you become infected, it would be best to be attended by a Cleosan doctor.”
“And I have that option while the storm rages?”
“Yes. There’s an underground escape route beneath us, originally installed by me for military reasons, but it’s also suitable for this situation.”
“Where does it lead?”
“To several different areas, actually. But the main corridor leads to a small Cleosan city only about twenty kilometers from here, and I know of a doctor there. From that location, well, all the underground cities and facilities are connected, no different than they would be aboveground. There’s no air transport, of course, a high-speed rail-like system connects most of the planet. There are a few small outposts with ground access only, but not many.”
“So, in theory, Korba or anyone could get to me here by entering a subterranean Cleosan city out of the storm’s wake?”
“Yes, but it would be a rather convoluted process. As you know, during a storm, even communications can be somewhat impeded. However, once word were out that you, or we, required help from RIBUS 1, or if we need the services of your doctor, then a contingent of men could make it here via the underground. This storm is massive, though. But I could look at the images for the nearest entry point and start the process, if you wish. It actually may be wise, as it would take men some time to reach here.”
Chelan sat and pondered everything. “I don’t think I need to bother anyone as of yet, but it is comforting to know we’re not completely cut off for the duration, whatever that may be.”
She stared at the man before her. “So, changing the topic, I haven’t taken the time as of yet to ask Korba about the true nature of your relationship to him. I’ve noticed a comfort and an ease about him in your presence that he rarely displays. In fact, other than a few of his right-hand men that he considered his close friends...” Her voice faded.
Terig looked down at his hands folded in his lap before glancing at her from under his brows. “I know your mind casts back to Commander Dar. His loss was unfathomable; the ramifications thereof are still felt by all within the Empire.”
Chelan could only stare at the floor. “He touched the galaxy.”
Terig nodded. “He and so many others.”
Chelan needed to divert the conversation once again. “So, back to my original point, Korba’s ease with you?”
Terig settled further into the chair. “Well, our history was pretty superficial until the fall of the Empire at Talon’s hands. After that catastrophe, I got to know your mate on a whole other level.”
“How so?”
“While he was in exile, he spent most of his years here on Cleos, in training.” Terig saw the surprise on her face. “He wished to hone himself and his men under the equatorial heat, pushing themselves to the limit of the extremes so that only the strongest would survive. During that time, he trained most often with me.”
Chelan moved to the chair closest to Terig and the fire, and sat down again. “Continue.”
“He also trained here because his entire primary fleet could avoid detection if need be, underground. Though his fighters couldn’t fly, they could be safely sequestered here. Talon had frequented the area obtaining what he needed for his fleet previously, but when the battle was about to commence, his battleships scattered through the cosmos. In the ensuing chaos, and after the defeat, Korba came here because he knew it would be the last place Talon would think to scour for any remnants of the old Empire.” Terig hesitated before continuing. “And during his Lordship’s quiet times here, he would sit within the walls of the keep and confide in me. Those confidences bound us for an eternity.”
Chelan’s eyes grew wide and she leaned forward in anticipation.
Terig continued. “He told me of your pledge to Dar and of the child you carried, and I saw his heart bleed openly in the beginning. But then he expressed his awe for his dear friend and the lengths to which the man had gone to to obtain you, and a guarded peace surrounded him. When he spoke of your capture by Talon, I saw a fierceness in him that showed me just why he decided to chance all to reclaim the Empire. No man in the history of this galaxy has ever displayed such love and protectiveness for his mate. But then, when the news of your marriage to Talon was revealed, I saw the great Warlord falter. I knew he had ordered Lethiason to facilitate the union, both to protect you and, strategically, for the military overthrow that was to come, but I also witnessed the devastation that overtook him as he gave you away. He came so near to giving up, he scared the hell out of all of us. Then, once recovered, he vowed to restore the Empire with you by his side, or to die trying. He told me on the eve of his departure that from this point on, once the Empire was settled, you would be his once again.”
Chelan looked down at her clenched hands. “So, over the years that Talon reigned, you were with Korba the whole time?”
“Yes, my Lady—day and night, actually. It was through me and other Cleosan emissaries that we kept in touch with the progress of the new Empire while Korba trained and commanded. It was indeed a complicated logistical dance to pull everything together for the one and only galaxy-wide assault. He had only one chance, and if it failed on any level, the entire mission would fail, and that he simply could not contemplate.”
Chelan’s thoughts were all over the place. “But most of the RIBUSes were destroyed, our military forces eradicated on all fronts. Where did all the warriors and resources come from? And the communications required... I am... I have no idea how any of this was possible! Talon was everywhere; his forces were all-pervasive. How did Korba do it?”
“Sheer determination, my Lady. That and we all know Korba is a military genius like no other.”
“And your role with him?”
“My part was twofold. I worked with the Cleosans and the Telesians as we searched the galaxy for goods and resources to put as many battleships back in service as we could. Alongside that endeavor, sectors still aligned with us and of no concern to Talon were put into full use constructing new ships and weaponry. Planets that had resources originally considered to be too small were tapped, and trade routes were redirected away from the new Empire’s paths so that supplies and people c
ould be ferried where needed. As far as warriors are concerned, the Iceaneans have always had secret breeding colonies at the ready if needed. Those were exploited to the max over Korba’s years in exile.”
“And the other task you mentioned?”
Terig hesitated. “Your mate is a warrior born, and though he coordinated and commanded all, he also wanted to personally oversee the induction of the largest contingent of Iceanean warriors ever amassed—all high-ranking officers, coming together right here on this planet. After the first few months of training, the best were sent out to numerous inhospitable worlds to train the other fighters. Because I knew Cleos and the planet’s people the best, I helped him train, staying by his side every step of the way while assisting in the procurement of goods and services.”
“And that’s how you became so close?”
Terig’s eyes sparkled. “That was the reason we were never out of one another’s company, but our true bond was forged, I believe, by my heritage.”
Chelan breathing hitched. “What do you mean?”
“The most powerful man the galaxy has ever seen mated a beautiful woman of Earth, a woman of Scottish ancestry, and I honestly believe he was further drawn to me because he felt closer to you through me. When what little precious time was allotted to us for personal banter, he questioned me endlessly about Earth and its peoples. I think it was his way of being with you when he could not be.”
Chelan’s voice was but a whisper. “He shared all?”
Terig felt his heart go out to her. “He did, my Lady, in ways I am sure he has never shared anything with anyone else save you. I even witnessed his tears on a few occasions. I knew that at times they came simply because he was so exhausted, but most of the time they came as he tallied his losses, and the most grievous loss of all, you...”