by Vi Voxley
22
Harbor
Three weeks later…
The day of the festivities arrived quicker than he realized.
Time simply flew by after Riley had confirmed Harbor’s biggest dream – that she was there for good, that she was his.
Well, his and Cole's, but her admission and promise made even the other commander's presence tolerable. In fact, Harbor had found himself less irritated by Cole as the days went by. He even began to see the point of some of Cole's more... subtle opinions.
And as for the other warlord himself, Cole had stopped purposefully riling Harbor up so that had to count for something.
The truth was, with Riley between them, they were slowly becoming friends or at least as close to that as they ever could get.
As an example right now, the four of them were sitting in a hovership, on their way to Taria's center to welcome the Terrans and take part in the day's events. The celebrations lasted a few days but Riley had carefully not promised Mya anything they couldn't hold true to. She was still very small and none of them wanted to tire her.
Life had been pure pleasure for the last few weeks. Riley was calm and happy and she had come to share a bed with the warlords each night. Her bond was tightening with Mya and Harbor’s heart soared, seeing both of his beloveds blossom.
It was Riley who had insisted they enroll in the tournament. She said she'd never actually seen them fight. If that wasn't a challenge, Harbor didn't know what was. Cole had reacted much the same way, telling her she wouldn't be sorry – or perhaps only once he made quick work of Harbor himself.
That remained to be seen. Harbor had to suppress a grin when he thought of having his fated finally witness the men she was bonded to. It was a foolish and reckless desire to hope for a war or the escalation of their conflict with the Eridons. In the absence of war, Harbor was glad to have such an opportunity to show Riley his skill.
"It's a pity," Cole was saying, a daring grin on his lips, "that Harbor was too afraid to set up for a duel with me."
In past times, Harbor would have drawn the long sword from his belt and taught Cole the price of such words. Now, he found it was much more amusing to not react that way and watch the other commander grow increasingly furious.
The fierce desire to prove himself was the defining quality of Cole's whole existence and Harbor had learned to provoke him without doing much.
"We can duel right here if you wish," he answered, shrugging. "I see no need to embarrass you in front of the Gargon public. They look up to us, you see. And it would be hard for Riley to watch."
"Riley is right here," Cole replied, the strain in his smile telling Harbor he'd succeeded in baiting him already. "She can see with her own eyes what's left of you when I take a duel seriously."
Sitting opposite of them with Mya strapped in beside her, Riley rolled her eyes and grinned as well.
"I am here, yes," she said. "Stop bickering, would you? You're giving Mya the wrong impression. I already had to explain to her that the way you keep fighting is a sign that you're really best friends and that men are weird like that. The harder you punch, the more you care deep down."
Harbor stared. Cole stared.
"My heart," Cole replied with wide eyes. "You are mistaken."
"Keep thinking that," Riley laughed.
She had clearly learned not to take them seriously when they promised to hack each other to pieces. Much as Harbor would have liked to see Cole taken down a notch, he did reluctantly commend the man's talent, both in single combat and as the leader of his armies.
And, most importantly, he was Riley's fated as much as Harbor was. He would never have robbed her and Mya of him and the girls knew that.
Riley was playing with her new necklace absently, twirling the jewel-studded chain between her fingers. The craftsmen had finally finished it a few days ago and they had presented it to her. Riley's mouth had dropped deliciously open and the awe in her eyes had definitely been worth the tremendous cost of the jewel.
Being that she was their life, neither Harbor nor Cole regretted it.
On the surface, Riley's necklace reminded her of the one Mya wore. Only where their daughter's was meant to make the eyes of a child glitter with glee when she saw all the different colors, Riley's was special.
Every single green and silver stone in there had been carved out of the infinitely precious mines of Roapur that only ever produced a few items every year due to the terrible danger of getting them.
It was said the wearer was protected from all harm, which that was largely due to the healing qualities of the minerals it was made of. The stones were said to be especially beneficial to females who were expecting a child.
It just so happened that the green and silver stones were some of the rarest. Since they wanted to make their gift in their own colors, Harbor and Cole had been firm on the color scheme.
Riley blushed a little when she realized she'd been caught admiring the necklace again.
"Okay," she said, playfully exasperated. "I admit it. I love this, I absolutely adore every inch of it. I lied before, alright? Girls do like their diamonds. They are not the most important thing, not by a long shot but gods this is pretty. Thank you again."
"We would give you a thousand more if you just said the word," Cole answered.
He could always be trusted to make a hyperbole out of everything. Harbor bit back a comment at that, keeping in mind what Riley had said about their daughter. He didn't want to give Mya the impression that her fathers hated each other, as much as it was true at times.
Riley had a horrified expression on her face.
"No!" she exclaimed at once. "Gods, no. I love this, I don't need any more."
"We do hope you like it," Harbor said, giving Cole a harsh look. "As a token of our love for you. Something real and physical for you to hold on to, reminding you that we are yours and you are ours, until the end of time."
Something about what he'd said had made Riley's big gray eyes go wide. It took Harbor a second to realize what he'd said.
"Love?" Riley asked.
Her beautiful voice carried so many feelings and emotions in it that it was hard to comprehend them all. Happiness, hope, a hint of fear and much more. Yet there was only one answer to them all.
"Yes," Harbor said, thankful that for once, Cole knew not to interrupt. "I love you. I loved you the day we met because you were my fated. I loved you for the three years when you were gone as a dream, a hope I had and because Mya reminded me of you so much. And now I can love you for you."
Riley was staring now, her lips parted as though she wanted to reply but couldn't find the words.
"I'm a bit embarrassed," Cole said before she could answer. "It's not usually Harbor that's good with words but for once, I completely agree with him. Everything he said, everything he felt, I do too.
“I love you, Riley. I always hoped for a bond but I never imagined it would bring me someone like you."
Silence set in the hovership as it kept speeding over the long express lines, flying between the other Gargon ships heading for the capital and the festivities.
Riley was speechless and Harbor, he simply waited. With something that important, he didn't want to pressure Riley to say the words if she didn't feel them. It was much too sacred for him and all Gargons to wrench it out of her.
Then she looked up and the emotion was true and right in her eyes.
"I love you too," she said quietly.
They still heard her over the mechanical song of the hovership's engine. Harbor thought they would have heard her over the world ending and the galaxy dying in a fiery storm.
For a long, blessed moment, the intimacy between them was the most loving it had ever been. They weren't even touching each other, but Harbor felt like they had come a step towards each other in a way that couldn't be compared to anything else. He wanted to jump from his seat and bring Riley into his arms, to kiss her senseless.
He stayed where he was. Th
e calm serenity of that single moment in time was too beautiful to ruin.
Riley opened her mouth again.
"I think I need to tell you guys something," she said hesitantly, "something you don't know about me–"
She was cut off by the hovership landing with a violent jerk, making Mya lurch forward in her seat and begin to cry. At once, Riley's attention snapped back to her daughter and she calmed her down with a soothing voice, helping her out of the straps.
Cole rose from his own seat like a vengeful god, marching off to – undoubtedly – make sure their pilot wasn't having a great day.
Harbor stayed. It was in his nature to get to the bottom of things and Riley had been about to say something.
The outer door of the hovership fell away, revealing the grand noise and cheer of the festivities. Mya brightened up at once, tugging at Riley's hand to get going already.
Then their pilot walked over to from the front end of the ship, saluting Harbor.
"Forgive me, sir," the warrior said, his face ashen. "Commander Cole sent me to apologize. The landing was botched, I accept full responsibility. I was cut off suddenly by a ship that told me about the approaching Eridon raid party. No doubt he wanted to get out of Taria before they arrived.
"It is as you expected, sir. Magorra is back."
And with that, the festivities were ruined before they could even truly begin.
23
Riley
Magorra.
The word cut through the joy of the day like a sharp knife. It cut through promises of love, the gorgeous jewel around her neck and even the light of the world around her. Simply hearing that name made Riley feel like clouds appeared from out of nowhere and covered the two brightly shining suns. From her at least.
She was frozen in place. The pilot saluted again and left, clearly not wanting to stay around for another warlord yelling at him. In his stead, Cole came back, the fury on his face washing away as he looked at the tense scene with surprise.
Harbor hadn't moved an inch, the harsh lines of his face accentuated.
"What's going on?" Cole asked.
Harbor didn't reply. Riley peeked out of the open port door and looked around. They had landed on some sort of a dais, only there was a tiny park next to them instead of some cloth and stone.
There were a few children running around cheerfully, possibly waiting for their parents to finish up securing the ships.
Mya's eyes were glued to them.
"Do you want to go and play?" Riley asked Mya, receiving a quick nod. "Okay, but don't go far, alright? Stay close enough to see me. Call me if there is something wrong."
She helped lift Mya off the hovership and watched for a few moments to make sure her daughter was going in the right direction. Seeing there were a few warriors and women standing near the children, Riley figured it was safe enough to turn her back for a few moments and trust that grown-ups would notice if something was wrong.
Then she climbed back into the hovership. Harbor seemed to have turned to stone. His stance was perfectly maintained. If Riley hadn't been so mad, she would have been impressed.
"Magorra," she repeated the pilot's last words. "Raiding party so close to Octava some ships are fleeing the capital. Is there something you want to tell me?"
Realization dawned on Cole's face. Riley heard her curse in his own language, one he rarely used nowadays when everyone in the Alliance spoke the common tongue.
"I'm going to kill that pilot," Cole muttered.
Riley didn't pay that any attention. Her glare was fixed on Harbor who finally turned, slowly, with cold defiance in his eyes. She didn't know why but somehow the big warlord seemed to grow right before her eyes.
That's the bond for you, she thought bitterly. You learn to see those men as yours and forget they're world-conquering warriors. That's damn careless of me to forget.
"You didn't need to know," Harbor stated simply.
That was nowhere near the excuse or apology or explanation that Riley wanted to hear. She could feel her fingers clenching into fists as she stared down the seven-foot-tall warlord who for once didn't smile to soothe her rising temper.
"I didn't ask what I needed to know," Riley shot back. "I get that you don't discuss your tactics and battle plans with me. That's fine. I love learning new things but I wouldn't understand half of it.
“But this? This is not information on need-to-know basis. I want one of you to tell me what went through your head when you didn't tell me the man who nearly killed me is back and targeting the city my daughter and I live in?"
It was peculiar seeing Cole worried but the look on his face when he glanced at the other commander was the closest Riley had seen him come to being concerned. He quickly fended the question for Harbor.
"I think he meant it literally," Cole said and Riley thought how unusual it was to have the green-eyed warlord as the peacemaker. "Yes, we knew the League was mounting attacks on the borders of the Alliance again. We have been holding them off for months.
“Yes, we knew they let Magorra off the leash again too. We even knew he was coming here but that's what he always does. I know you don't like this, Riley, but after your... accident, we thought it was better if you didn't know until the threat was right on our doorstep."
Riley hadn't turned her sharp eyes from Harbor. It was painfully obvious to her that the silver warlord didn't agree with the placating explanation.
"Is that so?" she asked, aware how quickly her voice was turning to pure ice. "Harbor, you answer this one. When were you going to tell me, then? If this is not being at our doorstep, what is? The moment when Magorra literally kicks down my bedroom door? Or Mya's!?"
Thinking of her daughter made Riley glance outside but there, everything was still perfect and serene. Mya was being helped climb a small tree by some older boys who were watching her like hawks, hands reached out to catch her.
"You are not in any danger from him," Harbor replied with an emotionless voice. "Neither you nor Mya. Every precaution has been taken. That is why we have patrols out there, risking their lives to observe Magorra's every move.
“If he was close enough to threaten you or our daughter, neither Cole nor I would be standing here. We would be in our flagships, making sure that monster didn't escape a second time."
Riley took a deep breath. It seemed her fateds had a wondrous gift to completely miss her point. Maybe they were doing it on purpose, she didn't know. It was likely, though, given that they weren't idiots.
"That is not what I asked," she said, stressing every word. "I know you would protect me and Mya! I know you would fight him if he came close enough to be caught! I asked you why the fuck don't you trust me when I'm so damn safe?"
Her voice had been raised too high, it seemed. People were turning their heads in the tiny park and Mya had stopped climbing, looking at them. Riley stepped into the shadow of the hovership, turning her gaze back on her fateds.
"The healers told us," Harbor said then.
"Harbor," Cole warned him, his deep voice growling.
It sobered Riley up a little. She had never seen Cole look like he might actually come to blows with Harbor. Now he stood there, his hands on the blades strapped to his thighs. Harbor met his gaze without even flinching.
"If you're going to throw those, do it," he said with a terrible finality. "Otherwise, stop posturing. I'm going to tell her the truth."
"They warned us not to," Cole said with a growl, letting go of the blades and crossing his hands over his broad chest instead, his face contemplative. "This is not a good idea, Harbor. You need to calm down first."
"What didn't they warn us about?" Harbor asked. "I'm perfectly calm."
This time, it was Cole who had nothing to say to that. Harbor turned back to Riley who was still waiting for an answer with all the patience she could muster.
"The healers told us you might be fragile after you emerge from the coma," Harbor told her. "That you might have nightmares, be easily frightene
d. Especially if the explosion or the accident was mentioned.
“We thought it was best if you didn't know anything about Magorra's plans. If the attack came, we would have taken you and Mya away from Taria and kept you safe. Then, possibly, given you some of the information piece by piece."
Piece by piece. Am I some kind of a pet to be taken care of?
"I don't have nightmares anymore," Riley said with anger burning in her blood. "I only had the one. You have no faith in me whatsoever."
"You still have nightmares," Harbor replied without missing a beat. "We just didn't tell you."
His cold gray eyes were regarding her and Riley was nearly torn in two by the warring emotions inside her. She knew what he was doing and the pain was so great it nearly did rip her apart.
If she got mad, if she yelled at him – it would be proof to Harbor that she was still unstable. That Magorra still somehow ruled her life, even if he might not be in the same star system as they were.
Riley refused to let that be. She was furious they hadn't told her but she didn't think she still held on to the accident. Magorra was a nightmarish creature, yes. That didn't stop her from living her life.
All she wanted was the truth. That was what she'd always wanted, in every story she'd ever written, including her own.
She took a step closer to Harbor, her eyes flashing. The warlord, predictably, didn't let a small female intimidate him, watching her approach with the same hard expression he'd worn throughout the argument.
"I'm going now," she said quietly. "Mya and I are going to see the festivities. We will buy sweets and see people and have fun. And maybe I will talk to you again when we're done. Did your damn healers warn you about this?"
With that, not staying to wait for a reply, Riley turned on her heel and left. She gathered Mya into her arms in the park and walked towards the celebrations, just the two of them.
“Are we okay?” Mya asked softly, looking up at Riley.
“Yes, baby,” Riley promised with a smile.