The dense undergrowth opened before him, as if the forest was sentient, accepting his passage with open arms. But it ignored the child, who moved through the undergrowth unaffected, like she or the forest was ethereal, leading him to a narrow animal trail. The child sprinted ahead, skipping over fallen trunks and scattered stones, before vanishing as the trail bent out of sight. He increased his pace, trying to catch her, knowing he must, less she lose him in the darkening mist.
An aged building appeared in a small clearing, constructed of a silverish metal, its surface tarnished and scared, the forest threatening to overtake its last exposed wall. A teenage girl, with long black hair similar to that of the child, approached the building. A tall, handsome man, who appeared to be chiseled from marble, emerged from a hidden door to greet the teenage girl, whisking her off her feet while kissing her passionately. The teenage girl giggled, running her slender fingers through the man’s long, blond hair, before allowing him to escort her towards the waiting building.
He moved, unable to stop himself, sprinting to her side and grabbing her hand. She turned in surprise, staring at him with obvious confusion. He knew her, an older, more mature her, but he knew her. He tried to recall her name, but could not, it slipping off his tongue the moment he tried to grasp it.
The handsome man spoke, or should have, no sound touching Trent's ears. But he knew what the handsome man was saying, telling the teenage girl to hurry, to follow him inside. Trent's heart screamed that he should never let go, because if he did, she would be hurt or worse, killed. She sensed his anxiety, providing him a gentle smile that made his heart melt, shaking her head slowly, letting him know she would be fine, that she needed to go, to follow the handsome man. But Trent clenched his teeth, shaking his own head furiously, refusing, pulling her clear of the building with every ounce of his strength.
She fought desperately, pleading for him to stop, to let go, as she was pulled further and further away from the handsome man, who shouted without sound for her to return to his side. Just as she was about to break free, he embraced her, holding her close, shouting he would never let go.
A brilliant flash filled the forest and everything went dark.
He awoke to a beautiful, black haired, teenage girl skipping across the small clearing as he exited the building, whisking her off her feet and kissing her deeply. She ran a gentle hand through his curly brown locks as he released her, giggling as he guided her inside. Over her shoulder, at the edge of the woods, shouting in anger without sound, stood the handsome man watching helplessly as Trent closed the door behind them.
The chime brought his eyes open, his head pounding in unison with the annoying tone. A warm body stirred at his side and the scent of fresh roses told him who it was even before his mind came fully awake.
“Trent,” Sasha questioned from his side, gently rubbing his chest as she blinked the sleep out of her eyes. “I had the strangest dream,” she murmured, hushed words unable to hide her wonder.
“Me too, but...but my head hurts...and I...I can barely remember,” Trent responded, his words pained.
Sasha frowned, her eyes filling with concern. “Do you feel better?” she asked. He considered her question, finding it odd. They were in their bed on the ABF Sasha and were about to leave for... His eyes went wide, this isn't their room.
“Where are we?” he whispered.
Sasha leaned in to kiss his cheek. “On the shuttle to Don'Alutia. It appears that the nanites released an excessive amount of dopamine while checking for additional damage and you became rather...enthralled with my beauty, my duke,” he frowned, ignoring his pounding headache as scattered memories of his past drunken exploits began to fill his mind.
“I didn't...” he said, fearful of what he might have done, melancholy threatening to take hold. What if he'd made of fool of Sasha, hurt her, hurt her ladies? He couldn't bear the thought.
“No, my duke. You were a little friendly and...touchy...but besides that, you fell asleep before you did anything you might regret,” she smiled, releasing her grip as she climbed out of bed, moving to the small bathchamber. He sighed, letting relief flow through him, but found it didn't remove his remorse like it should. Thoughts of what could have happened seemed to muffle the facts of what actually did.
“Do you remember anything about your dream?” Sasha asked as the sound of gently falling water touched his ears. He shook off the negative thoughts that seemed to stick to his very soul, forcing them to the back of his mind to deal with later.
“A little...I remember a forest and a little girl with black hair and...and a giant tree castle...I think,” the images that appeared in his mind were foggy and faded, similar to a fresh dream, but more substantial, as if they may have actually been real. Falling water continued to echo from the bathchamber and Trent stared at the open door, curious why Sasha didn't respond.
“Anything else? A trail or small building?” she question tentatively after a time, like she wasn't sure she actually wanted to know, but had to ask. He closed his eyes, grasping at the slippery memories, glimpsing them for a moment before they flowed free of his grip.
Then suddenly, one stuck. “Yes...a small building with a teenage, black haired girl following a tall, handsome man,” no emotion escaped as he realized what he had seen and who the black hair girl had been.
Sasha appeared in the doorway to the bathchamber, naked and glistening. “My duke...thank you, oh, thank you! It was you who stopped me. I didn't recognize you so I resisted, following what my mind told me was right. But you stopped me and changed the memory...it's now you...and only you,” Sasha cried as she dove into his arms. He smiled, feeling content, but not happy. Something was wrong. For the first time he could remember, he wasn’t excited by Sasha, by her touch, by her beauty, just unemotionally content.
“Sasha, I should be happy but...but something...something's wrong...” his voice trailed off. Sasha looked up into his eyes, fresh tears still rolling down her tender cheeks. Her expression flashed understanding; a kind, gentle smile growing on her lips.
“Do not worry, my duke. It is a side effect of the treatment, you should be fine in a couple days,” a frown replaced her tender smile. “And tell me the moment you have any negative thoughts or feelings. I do not care if you think them unimportant. I will not have you falling back into despair after all the work I've put into you. Do you understand?” she explained, expecting only one answer. He nodded. “Good. I love you, always remember that,” she kissed him again, droplets of water falling freely from her naked flesh as she skipped back to the shower. He sighed, locking his negative emotions away, just below the surface, not wanting to ruin her mood.
He pulled himself out of bed and waited for Sasha to finish before entering himself. A chime from the door reminded them both of the original reason they awoke. Trent quickly pulled on the company uniform they were using for cover to infiltrate Don'Alutia and nodded to Sasha.
“Enter,” Sasha instructed. The door slid open and Sir Seb'Losh peered inside.
“Sir Illion and Precursor Dei'Fil would like to speak with you. They say the matter is most urgent,” Trent nodded, looking to Sasha who moved to his side, placing a hand on his shoulder.
“Tell them we will meet th-,” Trent squeezed her hand, interrupting her trained response.
“Over breakfast...I assume this shuttle has a private dining area we can use?” he asked hopefully. Sir Seb'Losh nodded as Trent's stomach growled, garnering a chuckle from Sasha and a smirk from Seb'Losh. Trent forced a smile, acting embarrassed, but found little actual emotion born from the moment. They followed Sir Seb'Losh down the short hall and into a small dining area.
“Your Graces,” Sir Illion and Precursor Dei'Fil rushed to their feet, bowing deeply as they entered. Trent nodded his greeting as Sasha led him to the seats across from their guests, then moved to the automated food preparer, selecting the nutrient rich gruel he had become so fond of during their time of isolation on Alutia'Earth.
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��Feel free to eat while we discuss our business...if you like,” Sasha stated politely, but both men shook off the offer.
“No thank you, Your Grace. We ate an hour ago. But this should only take a moment.” Sir Ilion's tone became serious as he turned to Precursor Dei'Fil, who went “node locked”, eyes distant and expression tense. A projection of a starship appeared above the table.
“This is the NHA Bulk Freighter VTF Hero'So, a trade ship registered to a company named Romlittio Universal Holdings, which is headquartered in Vn'Oco. We received a general distress a little over an hour ago and I would like to forward the location to the ABF Sasha so they can investigate, being the only ABF starship within range,” Precursor Dei’Fil said nervously, beads of sweat appearing on his brow, which he dabbed with a odd looking gold cloth.
Trent studied the man closely, the Eye of the Emperor telling him he wasn't lying, but Trent's intuition screaming something was amiss. Sasha tapped his leg under the table, seeming to sense his unease. He nodded, not seeing the harm in allowing their starship to undertake a task while they were away.
“Very well, but Precursor Dei'Fil, you seem nervous. Is there something about this freighter you are not telling us?” Sasha asked.
The man tensed, looking between her and Trent, appearing unsure of himself or how he should answer, before clearing his throat. “It's a cover, Your Grace. The freighter and company are used as a front to transport members of the King's Service onto less then hospitable planets,” Precursor Dei’Fil explained. Trent sighed, glad the man hadn't lied. Sasha, on the other hand, looked dubious, turning to Trent with raised eyebrows. He forced a smile in response, with a quick nod, causing momentary concern to flash in her eyes as she must have sensed his smile false.
She turned back to Precursor Dei'Fil. “Be certain to fully inform Captain Daiyu of what to expect. I do not want any surprises, understood?” Precursor Dei'Fil, still wiping away the increased sweat on his brow, stood and bowed.
“Yes...of course, Your Grace. I will provide her a full manifest...the real manifest,” Sasha smiled her thanks. “If you’ll excuse me,” Precursor Dei’Fil hurried to the exit. Trent turned his attention to Sir Illion, who appeared to be staring at him curiously, the look in his eyes making him feel uncomfortable.
“Is there anything else, Sir Illion?” Illion jumped, seeming to have not realized he was staring, turning away in embarrassment while running a hand through his short brown hair.
“Ah yes...sorry...Your Grace. I just wanted to say thank you too Sir Trent for his kind words yesterday. I've never had anyone thank me for anything before,” Sir Illion’s words trailed off. Trent fought with his memory, having little idea of what the man spoke.
“You're welcome,” he said the first words that came to his mind. Sir Illion nodded while he rose to his feet, bowing deeply.
“After this is over I hope you will consider taking me into your service. Revenge can only drive one's life for so long,” Sir Illion's words betrayed a hint of darkness that lay hidden within his heart, but Trent knew it did not control the man, as did Sasha, based on the way she squeezed his hand.
“Of course, Sir Illion, we would be glad to have you. But you do realize what it means to be under our service...correct?” Sasha said seriously.
A sly grin spread across Sir Illion’s lips. “Better than most, Your Grace. If you'll excuse me.” He bowed again, leaving them alone to finish their meal. Sasha turned to Trent, her curiosity creeping across her face.
“So you do remember?” she asked, moving closer to his side.
“No, but he seemed happy and I didn't want to ruin it...” Sasha laughed, then kissed him on the cheek.
“My duke...you are too kind,” Sasha words should have made him happy, but instead, they fell into the dark vortex that now swirled within his being, sucking all his emotions into a pit so deep, he knew not how they could ever escape again.
*********
The multifaceted “valor” ball flamed blue as it ricocheted off a center post, angling directly for the 3 point hole in the wall that had just become the active goal. Regalia reacted without thinking, knowing this would be the killing blow if it was allowed to pass, and launched herself from a crease in padded floor, shooting across the zero-g arena at a tremendous speed.
Regalia's scream of agony echoed across the arena as she struck the “valor” with all her might, sending it back towards Yukie as her body continued streaking across the octagonal arena. It took only moments for the pain to fade and her to recover, but Yukie was ready, flipping herself off the ceiling to catch the “valor” as it ricocheted off the side wall, which caused the flame to vanish, before sending another perfectly aimed shot at a center pillar, adding the blue flame back to the “valor” that would ignite all the pain receptors in Regalia's skin if she dared attempt another return.
“Please...no...” her mother's sobs echoed from above, where she watched the match from the observation deck with a few off-duty officers, guards, and crew. But Regalia forced her mother's cries out of her mind, the pain being only a small price to pay. She had to win. Trent and Sasha were counting on her.
She spun, bringing her knees to her chest, and as she felt her feet touch the wall, pushed off with all her might. Her form was perfect, like a star god’s arrow flying across the zero-g arena. But it wasn't enough. The “valor” streaked millimeters past her outstretched hand, its flame licking her fingertips. A buzzer sounded, followed by cheers as the gravity returned. Regalia tucked herself into a ball and tumble across the padded floor to a stop, tears erupting forth.
“Regalia! Are you ok?” Yukie shouted as she sprinted across the arena to kneel at Regalia's side, her exhausted breaths mixing with Regalia's own. But she ignored the empress, knowing she had failed, failed Trent and Sasha. Familiar aroma engulfed her, pulling her into a strong embrace as a gentle cooing caressed her ears, trying to overwhelm the growing sorrow.
“You did well, my daughter. You were so very brave. I am ever so proud,” her mother's gentle words struck her heart, making it ache even more. She had lost. It didn't matter how hard she tried, she wanted to cry out. But the words wouldn't come. She barely able to force her watery eyes open, feeling her lips trembling, and seeing her mother and Yukie standing above, staring down upon her.
“One point me!” Yukie taunted, wagging a finger in her direction. All Regalia's self-doubt vanished, her will storming back a thousand times stronger than before.
“Thank you, Mother,” Regalia said, kissing her mother on the cheek, who blushed in surprise at the unexpected gesture, having finally started to conquer her reluctance at showing any emotion around Empress Yukie, and climbed to her feet.
“It will be your only point,” Regalia responded, her heated words so very unlike her. But she knew it was no longer time to be reserved, the competition having just begun. Yukie started bouncing in place, Ori, her pet catillian, hooting in excitement from her shoulder, both reacting to Regalia's fiery retort.
“Good! You are better this way. Let us bath and go to bridge to await the next competition,” Yukie grabbed her hand, pulling her towards the changing area.
Regalia followed in confusion. Why would Yukie not want to study as much as she could? Did she know something Regalia did not about the Noble Competition? The thoughts vanished as she glanced over her shoulder at her smiling mother, who nodded, telling her it was alright to go.
After entering the private changing area, they stripped off their sweaty, skintight bodysuits. Yukie pulled her into the shower with a giggle. Regalia couldn't contain her own joy as they both almost slipped on the slick floor.
The silence of their washing was only broken by the sounds of the gently falling water and Ori’s content squeaks, when a sudden question came to Regalia's mind, one she'd been wanting to ask for awhile. “Yukie, why do you want to see them so much?” Regalia asked. Yukie tensed, having been caught off guard. She turned to Regalia, furrowing her brow in deep thought.
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��I don't know...but I need to see, I must!” Yukie responded, her answer making little sense to Regalia.
She sighed. “But Yukie, you can learn about that through the noble training records....mother always said that a young girl should know of these things, so they would not be placed in unladylike positions,” Regalia lectured.
Yukie frowned, then started tickling her relentlessly. “Regalia! I've seen all the noble records that were ever made! But I don't care about that...only Trent and Sasha...don't you want to see as well?” Regalia barely escaped the onslaught, scurrying to the back corner of the shower like a cornered animal. But Yukie just smiled, returning to her washing.
Yukie's response was strange and Regalia didn't understand it at all. Why would you want to watch two people do something that was supposed to be private and only done between those that were in love? Then it struck her and her young mind tried to grasp the consequences.
“You love them,” she whispered to herself. But Yukie still heard her and froze, eyes going wide in horror.
“Regalia! That's...that....no, I'm just curious,” Yukie blustered, but her words faded to a whimper as, from what Regalia could guess, Yukie realized her words to be true.
“It is ok, Yukie. I won't tell anyone,” she moved to the empress's side, pushing a lock of silver and gold hair away from her shoulder and replacing it with a caring hand.
“Thank you, Regalia. I do love them so! Please don't tell anyone. Daddy would make me leave if he knew,” tears crept into the corner of Yukie's eye. Regalia looked at her thoughtfully, hugging the confused empress, her friend.
“I do not think he would, Yukie. It is probably why he's letting you stay. I know...because I love them too. They are my family, as they are yours,” Regalia reassured, knowing that Yukie's love was the same as hers, a love for family, but thinking she could become even closer if she could witness Trent and Sasha's intimacy. “But I still won't let you win,” Regalia whispered. Yukie froze, then hopped away, an unexpected smirk showing on her tear laden lips.
The Noble Petty, Complete Edition (Alutia Rising Series, Book 2) Page 55