by Poppy Rhys
“I cannot take this!” Val’Zun wheezed, trying to get up again and failing. Gi’Ren was nowhere to be found near Lucia’s wing of the residence. “Loo-Sha,” he panted, snarling on a moan as she walked past him in her nightgown, legs covered in mixed fluids. “Back away,” he barked and groaned, trying to stand again.
“Zun, what’s wrong?” Lu reached out but stopped at his snarl. Soren emerged, his pants pulled all the way back up. He offered his brother an arm and Zun took it, staggering to his own feet and heavily leaning on Soren.
“This house is so messed up,” Frellie threw her hands in the air and left the wing. “When she’s really in labor, someone please wake me.”
Soren half dragged Zun through the curtains; followed by the sound of the shower turning on. Lucia’s brows rose as she turned back to her family. “Well.”
“Try to keep it down dear,” Grams chastised. “Non-humans and roaring in the middle of the night is the stuff of nightmares.” Her gaze slunk back to the green puddle on the ground and she carefully stepped around it, leaving. “Goodnight sweetling!”
A little while later, once her family was gone, Lucia ventured into the cleansing room. Soren was leaning up against the sink counter and Zun was sitting on the floor of the shower, still panting as cold water ran over his body. Lucia grimaced. “Is he going to be okay?”
Soren grinned, kissing her forehead and then looking back at his poor brother. “He will live.”
“Yeah, but he came all over the floor in front of the family,” she whispered.
“I can hear you,” Zun growled. “I am very aware of what happened.” He went on to pant about ‘fucking pheromones’.
Pressure released in Lucia’s abdomen and a gush of fluid splashed under her. She looked down at the puddle and back to Soren and Zun who were both staring at her. Lucia nodded furiously. “It’s time!”
****
An hour later, Lucia was on her knees in the gathering room, surrounded by her bleary eyed family as she breathed through another contraction. Gi’Ren had finally been found, hiding on the terrace as he tried to get his body under control. He and Zun sat beside Soren in the first ring of cushions, watching her with black gazes. Lu could tell they were nervous, since they’d never seen any birth of any kind.
Lucia had been wiped down and bathed in lavender scented water to help calm her. The robe she wore buttoned at the bust and flowed open down to her ankles. As she sat there, everything in front exposed from the belly down, she focused on inhaling through her nose and exhaling through her mouth. Women in her family took turns coming up to rub her shoulders and lower back, as was customary.
Dr. Trex was there too, to monitor her health. She didn’t mind and he’d become somewhat a part of her family over the months. His excitement about the birth was cute, and she knew she was in good hands.
A sharp pain stole her breath and ruined her concentration. She leaned forward, planting her hands into the thick fur of the lome hide. Nova rubbed along Lucia’s back, working through the tightened muscles and reminding Lucia to breathe.
The windows were open and the sweet smell of night air wafted through. Lucia sucked it up hungrily, filling her lungs and exhaling. The calming symphony of singing insects helped her concentrate through another contraction.
“She’s coming fast,” Grams commented as she traded places with Nova and rubbed Lucia. When it felt like her uterus was being ripped open on another contraction, Lucia let out a wail that had Soren and his brothers rising up quickly before being waved to sit down by Grams. “This is normal,” she reassured them.
Sweat began to bead Lucia’s skin and she moaned once the contraction was over. Nova came back, sweeping Lu’s hair into a bun so it was out of her face. Grandma Ryla began fanning her and Lucia sighed, sitting back on her knees.
On the next, quick contraction, she was being urged to her feet. Nova and Frellie held her up and Soren was ushered in front of her. Lucia shook as her body clenched and cramped. Soren’s hands that had been cleaned with the same lavender water were ready to catch. Grams instructed him how he should position his hands and how to support the babe because it would be slippery.
“I think I am going to faint,” Zun swayed against Ren who grunted. Lucia huffed a laugh in spite of the pain and it was quickly replaced by a strained scream as the muscles in her neck pulled while she pushed downward. Frellie and Nova held her weight upright while coaching and feeding her positivity. Soren looked worried when more liquid mixed with blood ran down her leg before Grams reassured him it was fine.
Lucia’s knees gave out with her next contraction and push but the women held her up, never letting her falter. Lu threw back her head to gulp air and the sweat burned her eyes. Grams patted her face with a cold cloth, helping relieve some of the heat and moisture.
“I can’t do this,” Lucia sobbed and shook as she strained again.
“Just a little more, sweetling,” Grams crooned, fanning her. Lucia screamed on the next push and Soren’s groan of anguish was loud. Lu struggled to breathe and her shoulders rattled with the force as she bore down.
“There we go,” Grams gushed. “She’s crowning. Soren’s ready.”
Lucia sucked in air and huffed as water leaked from her eyes. She frustratingly turned her head to wipe her cheek on her shoulder. It felt like the bones in her pelvis were being shoved from her body.
“A couple more pushes,” Grams coached, wiping her face again.
Lu steeled herself and as she screamed out into the room, her muscles stretched and burned like fire as she felt the babes head release. Grams words of glee and encouragement had Lu straining one last time and the babe slid free with a rush of liquid that poured down her legs.
Lucia gasped and shakily cried when the tiny wails of the babe lit up the room. Her body sagged against her mother and she looked down to see Soren cradling the pale blue, tailed babe as Grams wiped the blood and fluids from her. Her head was full of thick dark hair and it made Lucia so happy at that moment that she didn’t have to worry about a bald daughter. The thought alone made Lucia sob-laugh with the ridiculousness of it.
Soren looked up at Lucia and his grin of awe was contagious as he returned his gaze to the wailing youngling in his large hands. Dr. Trex pinched the umbilical cord and handed Soren a smooth knife. He continued to cradle the babe with two hands while another pair held the cord and swiped through it. Dr. Trex did a quick scan and announced she was ten pounds even.
“Oh dear,” Nova gasped.
“I…,” Lucia continued to breathe heavily. “…am amazing.” Her family chuckled. Lucia was encouraged to continue to push the afterbirth as her stomach was massaged to help ease the way. The gooey blob was caught in a bowl with a splat sound. Zun began swaying to the side and Gi’Ren caught him and slapped him across the face to snap him out of it. Lucia shook with tired laughter.
“She is small,” Soren commented and lifted her to his face. He pressed his nose gently to her forehead and scented her. “A healthy youngling weight on Melierun is fifteen.”
“My uterus isn’t that big,” Lucia paled, finally allowed to sink to her knees after she was wiped down by her Grams. Her robe was removed to be cleaned and stored for keepsake or until she labored with another youngling. Soren settled the wailer into Lu’s arms and when offered a breast, she latched on. Lucia dipped her head to press her nose against the babe’s skin, closing her eyes and breathing deeply.
“What is her name?” Grams asked. Lucia looked up at Soren and they shared a knowing smile. It seemed fitting to name their youngling after the woman who inadvertently brought them together. And it was the only name they could agree on. He leaned down to kiss her forehead.
“Her name is Re’Len.”
Chapter 22
“I suppose this means I’ll have to officially quit my job,” Lu sighed a week later while she looked down into the amber eyes of Re’Len, the color so much like her own. Her tiny diamond pupils did a little jig while Angus cooed
at her. Lucia’s family balked, tsk’ing her that she’d even consider going back now.
I guess that settles it.
You were getting tired of being shot at anyway.
Too true.
“You will have a new job,” Val’Zun said, reminding her of her task to help convince his people humans weren’t ‘dirty, lesser creatures’. He was anxiously pacing the back of the den, waiting for his turn to hold Re’Len again. Lu bit the inside of her cheek to keep from smiling. Just as Lu predicted, Re’Len had Val’Zun and Gi’Ren wrapped around her tiny fingers in just a few days. Between the brothers and everyone else, Re’Len barely left a set of arms. They still bristled when she referred to them as ‘unca Zunny’ and ‘unca GiGi’, but that didn’t bother her in the least.
Soren was besotted with the babe and all her mixed features of both their species. Re’Len’s color had darkened, but she was still a lighter shade of dawn blue. Her eyes were Melier, with the exception of sharing Lu’s color. She had flimsy, little human fingernails and toenails, and a light dusting of pearly scales that fanned the sides of her neck, her shoulders and in a small path down her arms. A few scales swept along her temples as well. They were a darker blue, matching the Melier’s tone and the rest of her skin was smooth like a human instead of textured. The thick, dark hair on her head was full of silky, wispy curls and it was coal black like Nova’s. Soren said all females on his planet had black hair, so it was probably from his side of the gene pool. Re’Len’s tail was hairless, but Soren assured her it would grow fur in time. All younglings had naked tails, apparently. That appendage certainly made diaper changing tricky.
“So when can I start planning the partnership ceremony?” Nova asked eagerly and the entire room groaned. She blustered, “What?”
****
“We must leave, Val’Ja,” Val’Zun scrubbed his head, frustrated. “It is no longer safe to linger.”
“Val’Zun is right,” Gi’Ren joined in as they all spoke in hushed tones on the terrace, evening darkness closing around them. “The Trepnils are out for blood. The king and queen want us back on Melierun. They know you are alive now. Trepnils showed them the vid. They are furious.” Gi’Ren sighed like a heavy weight was on his shoulders.
“The longer we stay, the more risk we take of Trepnils getting closer to Loo-Sha and Re’Len,” Val’Zun growled.
Soren nodded, scrubbing his jaw and pacing. That could not happen. Not again. The Treps wanted Soren, but they would take what they could get. If they could not have him, they would take what was his, just as Ta’Ra’Enn did.
Trepnil emperor Vu’Mal’Su was prideful and blood thirsty. When Soren and his brothers invaded Commander Ta’Ra’Enn’s ship, killing all but a few, he had taken it as a personal offense. It obliterated the treaty his people and Trepnils had agreed to at the end of the Melier and Trepnil war he’d been captured in. The treaty would’ve been void if his parents had found out about his enslavement, even if Soren hadn’t killed Ta’Ra’Enn.
Soren exhaled roughly. He was tired of war, of fighting. Peace was all he wanted. Peace to be happy with Lucia and his family. Too many had died in that war before he was taken. How many more would die in this second one?
“After the induction ceremony, we leave,” Soren decided. He needed to be part of Dor Nye’s Assembly in order to help bridge his world and Lucia’s.
Val’Zun and Gi’Ren nodded once in agreement.
****
Lucia stood with the rest of the hall as they and the world watched another generation of the Herana residence pass along its seat. Gramps stood with Soren as the seated officials presided over the ceremony. The first part began as Gramps spoke the words of abdication.
“I, Dougal Herana of Curra of Dor Nye, of sound mind and decision pass my seat of Assembly to Prince Val’Ja of Melierun, Soren Herana of Curra of Dor Nye and bestow upon him my blessing that he may serve with an unbiased reasoning and uphold justice of this planet.”
The seated officials nodded their heads in acknowledgement. “We of the Assembly accept this,” Mr. Topla said and turned his gaze to Soren. “Do you, Soren Herana, accept?”
Lucia nibbled her bottom lip as she began beaming while watching Soren. She lightly bounced the pleasant weight of Re’Len in her arms as her nerves bunched with the anticipation of it all. Val’Zun and Gi’Ren were on either side of her, their chests puffed with pride, which caused Lu’s grin to hurt her cheeks. A few months ago, the both of them would’ve been horrified that Soren would want to be any part of the human trade planet.
“I, Prince Val’Ja of Melierun, Soren Herana of Curra of Dor Nye, accept the responsibility and honor of the seat of Assembly being passed to me. I will serve with an unbiased reasoning and uphold justice of Dor Nye to the best of my ability, until such a time that I choose to abdicate my seat.”
Once again, the seated officials all gave their nod of agreement, one by one. “We accept this. Prince Val’Ja of Melierun, Soren Herana of Curra of Dor Nye, you are now the second seat holder of the Herana residence from this moment forth.”
The crowd erupted and cheered their approval, the noise deafening and Lucia joined right along with them. She laughed and wiped her happy tears from the corners of her eyes and tried to calm an upset Re’Len who had no idea why everyone was hooting and hollering. Lu watched as her Gramps and Soren embraced, smiling and looking all around them at the cheering audience. When his golden gaze landed on Lucia, they shared that smile that made the world around them silence and melt away.
****
Soren watched as Lucia said her goodbyes to her teary eyed family; family that had become his in the last few months. They kissed and fussed over Lenny, what everyone had started calling Re’Len, not wanting to see her leave so soon. It had been three days since the ceremony and Soren and his brothers had been teetering on the thin line of agitation, unbeknownst to anyone else.
Lucia had been nervous about traveling with Lenny so soon after giving birth, being a first time mother and needing the women of her family near. Soren didn’t think that’s what was really bothering her though. She was nervous about his world, his people and most of all, his parents. Soren couldn’t find fault in that, since he was nervous and he’d been raised on Melierun.
As Gi’Ren helped Lucia and Lenny climb the ramp into the ship, Val’Zun and Soren lingered a ways back and slowly followed.
“Val’Ja,” Val’Zun began, taking a breath. His brow was wrinkled like something was disturbing him. “When you and Loo-Sha come back to Dor Nye, I-” he scrubbed his forehead. “…you know our customs. I would like to join you. Will you allow this?”
Soren eyed his elder brother critically, noticing how nervous and distressed he looked. Soren began to understand what exactly Val’Zun was asking. He’d started to admire Lucia, even though he’d be sore to admit it aloud. Humans were beneath Melier, that’s what they had been raised to believe. He could see Val’Zun struggled with his warring feelings of prejudice and budding fondness for the Herana’s and was glad he never had that struggle. By the time he remembered to dislike humans, he already loved Lucia and respected her family.
“I do not mind, but you will have to ask Loo-Sha,” Soren grinned and laughed when Val’Zun paled and gulped. His hand squeezed his brother’s shoulder with encouragement as they entered the ship and the door slid shut behind them.
THE
MELIER
HOME WORLD
Is now available on Amazon!
The continuation of Lucia’s story as she adjusts to life with her new family. Not only is she completely out of her depth dealing with the Melier’s deeply rooted hatred of humans, but she’s trying to come to terms with Melierun’s disturbing culture, and unorthodox mating customs, in the midst of a war she has no idea about, with an unseen threat that’s determined to end her. All while trying to play nice with her monster-in-law, and gain her respect.
The new life of an ex-bounty hunter is looking worse by the day.
&nb
sp;