Hailey sucked in a deep breath at that. Grace was a Cordisa to her brother-in-law and Sidhawk? Wow! “Grace, you lucky bitch! How did you get two, huh?” She hollered at her girlfriend and watched as Sidhawk set her on her feet, but pulled her back against his chest and wrapped his arms around her.
“Uh, Hailey. I don’t even know what that means. I am not a lucky bitch, I am a kidnapped bitch!” Grace shrieked at her best friend. “They barely even packed my clothes. All of my favorite shoes and my coach purses were left behind! If that is not the most unlucky thing you have ever heard, I will kiss your but!” Grace wailed in her British accent. It really was amazing that they were best friends when they were complete opposites. She was from Sussex originally, while Hailey was a dyed in the wool country girl. Her mom was even strange as she reminded Grace of an old-time southern’ belle of the cotton mansion. She just wanted to turn back the clock and go home.
“You will go nowhere woman. You are my and Sidhawk’s Cordisa. It will be our privilege to care for you and protect you and our young.” Kirrek started lecturing Grace. Hailey actually winced when he started. Sidhawk was about to lose the hearing on that side if he wasn’t careful with what he said to her. She could see Grace suck in her breath for an academy winning shriek, but thank Goddess she was interrupted by Loku on the intercom.
“My Prince, I am sorry to bother you at such an entertaining moment, but I thought you may like to know that you and your Cordisa are about to be Colti.”
“Oh Jarrek, let’s hurry. I want to be right there.” Hailey was about to jump out of her skin she was so happy right then, and it was the perfect way to kill an argument. Turning to her Momma and her best friend in the whole universe, she asked them, “Would you like to meet my daughter? She is going to be born right now.” Then smiled as their mouths dropped open in shock.
Epilogue
Hailey held her daughter close to her heart and smiled down at her perfect face. “Look at you. You are just the prettiest little angel that was ever born. You are so perfect and momma loves you, yes she does.” She spoke down to her sleeping daughter. She had not opened her eyes yet, which according to Second Senior Medical Doctor Krases B’el Whalekin – in charge of her beautiful daughter’s care was normal for a child born of an artificial womb. He tried to explain the science to her, but her eyes literally started to cross and glaze over, so he skipped the explanation on it and just told her what she really wanted to know. That her daughter was healthy and the Krakill had done nothing to harm her in any way.
She had pale red skin. A pale shade of pastel red. She had her daddy’s black hair, but it was thick and curly like hers. She had a little rosebud of a mouth and the cutest button nose. She knew that her daughter would continue to grow and her facial features would grow and change, but she was the perfect mix of her and Jarrek.
She was currently surrounded by Jarrek, her momma, Grace, Sidhawk and Kirrek. Jarrek stood behind her and helped surround her and the baby in the protection of his love. While smiling down upon his personal little miracle as he kept calling her. “We need to consider names, my love.” She told Jarrek.
“Do you have any that you have thought you might like to name her?” Sidhawk asked her.
“No. I have thought of many names, but was waiting for momma to get here to talk to her, and ask her opinion. I just couldn’t make up my mind. I thought of Destiny, Hope, Zyana and Laria after Jarrek and Kirrek’s momma. I am hoping that Jarrek will have some suggestions, like other girl names from his planet. Then I could kind of see what she reacted to and let her choose on her own.” She answered, still not taking her eyes off the little bundle of love in her arms.
“Zyana is a word in our language little bird. It means wonder, a miracle or other cause of intense admiration or awe. I think that name is a perfect fit to our own little wonder,” Jarrek said.
Helene leaned down and kissed her first grandbaby on the head. She was so happy she could barely contain it. That her daughter was so happy and had now given her this perfect little angel, she felt as if this was the reward. Kirrek and Sidhawk had explained that she would want for nothing and would no longer have to scrape to get by. Her daughter was to be the Queen of their planet, to rule at his side. Her biggest worry would be what to play with the newest Princess of Athria and trying to learn her new language. Although with their translators, they would understand her just fine and would soon learn her language, so the entire planet would be able to speak English as well.
She desperately wanted to hear the story of what had happened to her daughter and the adventure that she had been on, but for now was content with the fact that her daughter was alive, happy and a new mother. She did not care that her new son was a giant red man with a Mohawk, or that he was from another galaxy entirely. The glow to Hailey’s cheeks was a remarkable improvement. Stepping back, she looked to Jarrek and said, “I realize the new parents will wish to spend time with their daughter so if someone can show me to my quarters and steer me to someplace to get something to eat, I will check back in with you tomorrow. I want to get settled in and then I will want to hear all about this adventure Hailey has been on.”
Jarrek looked up from the perfect face of Zyana and answered his Marti. “Let me call one of my warriors who will be your guard while we are on this ship. They will be temporary quarters as we will be moving ships soon, so that I can take Hailey and Zyana to Athria. Space is no place to raise a family.” Running a finger down Zyana’s cheek, he kissed Hailey’s head and went to the comm unit, and gave his orders. Stepping back to his family, he went back to watching Zyana sleep against Hailey’s breast. Only when a warrior stepped to his side and cleared his throat did he raise his head again.
“Titus, I want you to meet Helene. She is my new Marti through Hailey. Please show her to her quarters, I have put her three down from my own. You are to be her personal guard while we are aboard ship. Show her how the prep stations work. Her luggage should already be in the room, so show her how to operate the closets and anything else she needs to know.” Jarrek told him.
Hailey looked up and smiled at Titus saying, “Don’t forget the cleanser unit. I had a hard time figuring out the waste disposer, as well, as how to operate the hand and body cleansers you have. If it were not for Sidhawk, I would have embarrassed myself.” She laughed and shook her head at the memory of trying to figure it out on her own and how she had scared herself thinking she was going to push a button and be sucked into space. “Good night, momma. I am so glad you are here. I promise that I will tell you everything tomorrow.” She promised and then leaned over to kiss her momma’s cheek.
Hailey watched her momma leave before turning serious eyes to Kirrek, Sidhawk and Grace, who would not let either man touch her. “Sidhawk I am so disappointed in you. Kirrek does stupid all the time from what you told me, but I explained my life to you on Earth and you still let him abduct Grace?” she told him. “If I did not have my hands full of this baby, I would have to hit you over the head with something very heavy.”
“Hailey, I do not think you realize the seriousness of what happens to us when we find our Cordisa. We are physically incapable of allowing her to disappear or escape us. We must hold her, touch her, and take her somewhere safe so that we can bond her. That my mate and Kirrek’s is the same person is a little bit of a surprise, as that only happens in cases of twins like Heathrick and Shemrick. They must share a mate. It has something to do with the parasite that inhabits them as embryos. There is scientific explanations, but I do not really know what they are as I am not a twin so had no need to be informed. Kirrek and I share a love bond and have for a thousand years, but” Sidhawk tried to explain, but was cut off by his Cordisa’s high shriek of, “how long?” He was going to turn to her and explain to her the same as he had explained to Hailey, but she held him off. She resettled Zyana, who had fussed, disturbed by Grace’s high pitch.
“Hush, Grace. The baby doesn’t like your tone,” and to Sidhawk, “I got this one Sid. I
will talk to her about symbiot’s and the age of your people and the history of the planet, a little later. Right now, I need to know, what is supposed to happen now?” Hailey asked and looked up to Jarrek.
“Hailey love, have you lost your damn mind looking to a man for an answer? What the hell happened to you?” Grace protested. Looking to a man for answers never helped a woman get anywhere in life. Make your own way and take shit from no one. This way if things go skitters, you had no one to blame, but yourself. Both she and Hailey had subscribed to this philosophy for quite some time.
“I think you are soon to find out, my friend. For now, can we both agree that we are all tired and need a nap before conquering the next problem?” she asked Grace and leaned a little more heavily against Jarrek.
“Yeah, sure luv. I know that being a new mum will exhaust you, but I want my own room.” Grace demanded.
“For tonight I will agree to that. I will not return you to Earth. I know that you do not understand what has happened to you, I will let you sit down with Hailey tomorrow, she can share her story, and you can share yours. Accept that you are now Athrian, as that is what you became the moment my brother took you.” Jarrek told her and then told Kirrek and Sidhawk to escort her to a room for the night and they would revisit everything the next day.
Hailey was a little apprehensive about Jarrek’s decree to Grace, as she knew that Grace was not going to take something like that lying down. She would see it as a challenge to do her best to get back to Earth. “Jarrek are you sure you should let them take her to a room?” she began before Jarrek stopped her.
“Hailey I can feel your anxiety over this. I will put a guard on her door so that they cannot bother her for tonight, and then you can talk to her tomorrow. For now, let us retire to our room and put Zyana to bed before her next feeding. How is that shot working?” He asked Hailey as he began steering her to their rooms. Hailey had been given a shot that would have her milk come in, as she was worried that the baby would need her milk to survive. They had had no children for thousands of years and so she was accurate that they did not have the necessary ingredients to feed a baby. They would have been able to manufacture something approximating a mother’s milk, but from the source was always preferred.
“I think it is working. My breasts are very tender and full right now. I actually want to get to our room to remove this gown. It is starting to restrict my movements and is becoming a little painful.” she told him.
“You should have told me right away, little bird. I would have thrown them all out right away. Nothing is more important than you and Zyana. If you need a moment to get comfortable, then they can wait for you.” Jarrek told her seriously, giving her a small reprimand with a low voice so as not to disturb his daughter.
Tomorrow would bring a new set of problems, but for now, Jarrek and Hailey were happy together, and enjoying the miracle that was Zyana. The rest of the world could pause for a moment while he enjoyed his Goddess given gifts, and if they did not want to wait, he would kill them and then go back to enjoying this time. He was going to have Hailey put Zyana down for a little nap while he showed her just how much he loved her and how happy he was that she had accepted him. His people were looking at an answered prayer when they looked at Hailey. She was everything he had ever desired and more that he did not realize he had needed in his life. After fourteen hundred and fifty years, he let the peace of this moment wash over him. It left him feeling humbled and so in love. He sent his desire for her pulsing through the link and felt her answering desire shoot back into him. He would spend a lifetime worshipping her, giving her his passion and Goddess willing more Cordisa’s for his people.
Annikatalamenaria, Goddess of All Life, or Annika to Hailey watched from her plane of existence, while some of her devoted followers fed her little snacks and brushed her hair. She watched as Jarrek and Hailey made love and heard Jarrek’s final thought, before he slipped into slumber. It was a prayer sent out by many of those onboard the ships just outside of Pluto in Hailey’s galaxy. She could only laugh as she replied, “Careful what you wish for, you may just get it, and it will sock you in the nose!” She had plans for the Athrians. They would thrive as a people once again. Well, only if they are able to convince their Cordisa’s to have them. She was a Goddess, but even that was beyond her purview…
Language Lexicon
Ansis – year
Colti - Parents
Cordisa – (feminine) heart’s fate; beloved
Corduva – (masculine) heart’s fate; beloved
Cruvek – equivalent to the curse word on earth of “Bastard”
Dek – hour
Domu - equivalent to earth curse word of “damn”
Faval – wait; stop
Jabir – bird
Jabir minka – my little bird
Marc – week
Marteo – (feminine) bonded mate and mother; wife
Marti – Mom; Mommy; Mother
Microsec – ½ of a second
Luzarian Worm – a slimy worm that emits a flatulence sound and secretes an ugly yellow puss that is extracted to help mix in with high dollar cleansing oils on several trading posts in the Elite Moons Luzarian Quadrant of space, as well as highborn households in the Ruzario Quadrant of the Nineteen moons sector . Highly valuable trade item, a rare but sturdy animal, that is not easily harmed.
Parasec – ¼ of a second
Prati – Dad; Daddy; Father
Pimba – a four foot tall domesticated cat that looks like the earth animal of cougar. Coloring can range from pale yellow to black and a brindle color. Can weigh up to 260 lbs.
Prateo – (masculine) bonded mate and protector; husband
Sec – second
Sect – day
Shivak loch croin – equivalent to the curse word on earth of “Son of a Bitch”
Versis – month
Verl – minute
Zilenta – A large spotted animal much like the earth animal panther, with the exception of spines around the rough of the neck. These spines can become raised if the zilenta feels in danger and will ooze a toxin that will paralyze its victim, giving it time to escape. Sometimes kept as pets as they are a wilder version of the Pimba, to which they are related.
Zyana – wonder, a miracle or other cause of intense admiration or awe.
In a war that has left the Athrian’s on the brink of extintion, they have been praying to the Goddess of All Life and searching the universe for a species that they could successfully interbreed with to try and preserve their race. The Goddess has heard those prayers and has led the future King to his destiny. If he can win her heart.
Knight in Shining Alien?: Athrian Warriors Book One Page 18