Alien Romance Box Set: The Euthenian Battle Complete Series (Books 1-4): A SciFi (Science Fiction) Alien Warrior Romance

by Ashley L. Hunt

  Her father searched behind the young man. “The fowl?”

  “You said one fowl, and that’s what I brought you.”

  “Did I?” The man asked as he pushed Caleb out of his way to go outside. “Is it in that bag there, on your equine?”

  He managed to keep a smile on his face even after being shoved by the old man. “It is.”

  What an ass this man is. I’m sure his daughter will want to run from the awful man. Hopefully, she’ll be pleased I’m taking her as mine.

  Her father came back in with the bag. “So you’ve brought what I asked for. The girl’s yours.”

  Caleb said, with relief, “Thank you, sir.”

  Emerald’s father motioned towards one of the chairs. “Sit there and I’ll retrieve her. You said a missionary was coming here?”

  “She will be here soon.”

  “I’ll let her mother know she needs to get her ready,” Emerald’s father said then left Caleb alone in the room.

  Caleb sat in the chair, rigid as a board. He got what he’d come for, but worry hit him like a brick wall.

  What will she think of me? How do I look?

  A large mirror hung near the door. He grinned at his reflection. His six feet three-inch frame was well-muscled thanks to the strenuous work he did in the Euthenian forest, cutting down trees for new settlers who came from Earth to use to build them places to live.

  He straightened the collar of his white shirt he’d purchased just for this day. He ran a large hand over the front of his new black jeans and wiped a bit of dirt off his boot.

  With one more glance in the mirror, he gave his reflection a wink with his deep green eyes. “That’ll do.”

  A knock at the door had him grinning. He opened the door, finding the missionary. “Thank you for coming. Her father said, yes.”

  The woman was old and short. She said no words, just held out her hand. Caleb gave her the seeds which were her price for the service. They were apple seeds, four of them and came from the best orchard on Earth.

  Her smile told him she was in agreement with his offering. “Do you have anything special you’d care for me to add to the ceremony?” the missionary asked.

  Caleb thought a moment then said, “No. The same old thing you always do will be fine.”

  “What’s the girl’s moniker?”

  “Emerald,” Caleb answered. “Emerald is about to be my wife! I can hardly believe it! I’m thirty and came here a year ago with my family. I built my own home a little ways away from them. To have a woman to share my small home with will be a thing I’ve dreamt of. When I heard this man was putting his daughter up for marriage and then heard of her beauty, I jumped to come and take her as mine.”

  “But you came for her once before you told me,” the old missionary said.

  “I did, but I was a mess from falling into some mud and her father told me to get lost. I didn’t even get to see her then. But now not only do I get to see her, I get to take her home. It’s a dream come true.” Caleb found himself pacing and the nerves were making his stomach flutter.

  Her father came back, nodding to the missionary. The sound as someone cleared their throat made him turn to look back. That’s when he saw her.

  Emerald was small with delicate, creamy skin, long blonde hair, blue eyes, pink cheeks and lips. She was perfect. Fear ran through him as he gazed at the young woman who’d soon be his wife.

  She is too perfect for me!

  CHAPTER 2

  Emerald

  The squeal of a swine rang out and a large, black boar ran into the shed she’d been working in. “Where’d that come from?” Emerald shouted as it brushed past her, going straight for the clean hay she’d just spread out for their bovines.

  Emerald’s mother moved towards the door. “Stay in here, girl,” she told Emerald. She closed the door behind her, leaving Emerald in the dark.

  Emerald peeked out of the cracks surrounding the old wooden door. Another large swine was walking around. A black equine nibbled at the greens in front of her house. There was a bag hung across the equine’s back and something was making it move.

  Her father walked out to the equine and took the bag. He went back into the house with it. A few minutes later Emerald saw her mother come back out of the house, coming towards the barn.

  “We have to get you cleaned up, Emerald.”

  “Mommy, what is it?”

  “Follow me, we can go through the back door and sneak you into your room. You’ll have to have a quick bath. You’re dirty from tending to the bovine.”

  Once in her room, Emerald’s mother moved about, quickly making a bath so Emerald could clean herself. She soaked in the tub, watching her mother move around her room, gathering her things. She’d been shushed when she asked what was going on.

  As her parents were never ones to talk to her much anyway, she remained quiet as she bathed. Her mother packed a bag, so she knew she would be going somewhere.

  She laid out clothes on the bed for Emerald to change into then left the room. When she came back she had another case then left again. Emerald climbed from the tub and dried off then dressed in the clothing her mother had laid out for her. A brilliant blue dress which hung to the floor. A pair of shiny, black shoes which made her taller than the five feet, five inches she was.

  Making her way back to the bedroom, her mother said, “In this bag you’ll find the things I’ve saved for ya.” She pulled a silky, dark blue nightgown out of the bag. “This is for tonight, daughter. Your wedding night.”

  Fear froze on Emerald’s face. “Mommy, I’m getting married today?”

  “You are Emerald. The young man has come back with what your father asked for and he brought a missionary. Today is your day, girl.”

  Emerald paced back and forth, nervously wringing her hands. “Mommy, no! I’m not ready.”

  “No one is ever ready, but it happens just the same. He’s young and sturdy.” Her mother continued packing.

  A frown covered her face. “I have to go, don’t I?”

  Her mother’s eyes finally fell upon her daughter’s face, finding it pale with fear. “You do. Now let me put your hair in a braid and we’ll go out to let you meet your young man. Be glad it was a young man who brought your father what he asked for in exchange for you hand and not an old one.”

  Emerald stood still as her mother pulled her hair into one long braid. She laid it on one shoulder, a faint smile on her face as she admired her work. Slowly she looked up at her daughter, her smile faded back into the tight-lipped expression she usually wore.

  Emerald gave her mother a weak smile. “Thanks, Mommy.”

  Her mother took her by the hand. “Well, then, let’s get you to him.”

  At twenty, Emerald knew she was more than old enough to marry, but her life had been so sheltered. She was as innocent as they come, having lived alone with her parents on the farm where they produced milk for the other Earthlings in their settlement.

  Her heart beat hard in her chest as her mother led her to the little main room of their house. Her father, some old woman who held a book in her hand and a tall, auburn-haired young man turned to look at Emerald after her mother cleared her throat when they entered the room.

  Emerald was in shock at the rapidly progressing events, finding she couldn’t hear properly or think straight. She just moved her body forward, going through the motions.

  The young man was dressed nicer than he’d been the first time he’d come. She’d gotten a peek at him from her bedroom window before he was sent on his way by her father.

  The man came to her and took her hand in his. She noticed his made hers look so small. He was about a foot taller than she was and she had to strain her neck to look up at him.

  His deep green eyes were mesmerizing and she was in awe of his muscled body. “I am Caleb Booth, Emerald. I’ve brought your father what he asked for and a missionary to marry us today.”

  Quietly she spoke, “Okay.”

  Her fath
er blurted out in his deep voice, “Let’s hurry this up. These two have a long ride ahead of them.”

  The missionary asked them to say things after she said them. She told them to sign a paper and they did. Only after the missionary had left did Emerald really look at her new husband.

  Tasseled auburn curls with hints of blonde the sun had streaked it with made her want to touch it. Tall, broad-shouldered and handsome, she was very pleased with who she’d been given to.

  Emerald was about to leave her home and family, forever. Her heart began to erupt at considering never seeing her mother again. Her father’s dark eyes found hers, bringing the eruption back under control with his strict expression. She shook her head, tossing off her feelings.

  With a hug and a kiss, she told her mother she loved her. Her father’s hard expression proved harder for her to place a kiss on, so she hugged him. He didn’t hug her back, she found herself happy she was leaving the place she’d felt unloved in her entire life. Perhaps this young man would see fit to find a place for love in their new home.

  Caleb took her hand and led her out of the home she’d grown up in and to a life she was nervously excited about. But being so innocent, she was already fearing he’d be disappointed with her.

  CHAPTER 3

  Emerald

  The day was cool, and the ride was long as Emerald rode behind her new husband, her hands on either side of his waist. Tired, she leaned her body against his broad back.

  He smelled of soap and fresh water. Something about him made her giddy but calm at the same time.

  After quite some time of no talking, Caleb said, “Are you always this quiet, Emerald?”

  Emerald felt shy. “I apologize. I have no clue what to talk about.”

  “Tell me some things about you. Do you know how to cook, for instance?”

  “A few things. I’m no chef, I’m afraid. But you will not starve.” She pulled her head from his back and sighed.

  He chuckled and she found she liked the deep sound he made. “There’ s not a lot I’ll require from you, wife. Cook, clean, care for our children when they come along. I hunt for the majority of our food. You’ll have to learn how to clean the animals.”

  “Then I will learn,” she said. Her eyes ran to the sky where the two suns burned, one a bit brighter than the other. “Do you miss Earth, Caleb?”

  “Sometimes. We had a different lifestyle there.” He made a short laugh. “My family was wealthy and sometimes with wealth comes corruption. My father strayed from his marital bed and my mother told him if they were to stay married they had to leave.”

  “So, to get your father away from the other woman she made her whole family leave the planet?” Emerald found herself shocked.

  “We could’ve stayed, but we would’ve had to find our own places and ways to make livings as our parents had spoiled us terribly and we had no idea how to do it. Mother said the mansion was to be sold to pay for our passage to Euthenia. There was nowhere for us to go so I and my five brothers came with them.” He sighed and Emerald could tell things had been rough for him.

  “And the woman your father left behind? What about her?” she asked.

  “Not sure. He certainly never talks about her. That whole thing made me want to learn how to provide for myself and I have. I built my own home, but my brother’s stayed with my parents some kilometers away from where you and I will live.”

  The ride went on and they got quiet. Emerald took in the scenes as they rode past them all. To one side of the trail, they rode along there was a field of blue wheat. Somewhere near there must have been a small abode where the farmer lived who raised the crop.

  The other side of the narrow trail was left alone. A bordering field which was to remain vacant. Though after looking hard, she saw evidence of small campsites where people who were venturing into the forbidden cities would spend their last night before they made it out of the settlement area they were supposed to remain in.

  “Tell me, Caleb, do you yearn like so many to go to the cities of Euthenia?”

  He shook his head. “I have no want to go anywhere out of our borders. I have a few brothers who do wish to push their limits here. They constantly try to bring me around to their rebel cause. A thing I have no interest in.”

  “That’s a shame. Why does our kind have to always grasp for more than we’re given?” she asked him as well as herself.

  Emerald also had no want to take any more than she’d been given. She’d overheard her father many times though speak of storming the capitol and taking the castle.

  “Have you heard any of the talk which has been happening here of late, Emerald?”

  Her arms went around him as she rested her head again. “My father has said a battle is imminent. He and some of his friends held meetings in our shack. I’ve seen weapons in the rafters of the attic in the shack. I cannot tell you how happy I am you came for me. I want no part of any rebellion. And I’m glad to hear you don’t either.”

  A large, dark, red forest appeared. The smell of mineral laden soil wafted in the air.

  “Are we getting close?”

  “Yes, we’ll go through the forest for a while, and then on the other side is our home.”

  A new home was about to be hers and Emerald found her stomach knotting in anticipation and a shiver ran through her as she looked at the edge of the red forest.

  One of the two suns was eclipsing at the top of the tree line. Her heart pounded as she’d dreamt the same sight only just the night before. Her voice quivered as she said, “Caleb, look at the sun. What’s happening to it? Is it burning out?”

  He chuckled. “That’s an eclipse, Emerald. We had them on Earth as well. You’ve never heard about them?”

  “No! What does it mean? I mean, I dreamt of this last night.”

  “It doesn’t mean a thing. It’s a shadow falling across it, that’s all. The fact you think you’ve seen this sight before is just your imagination playing tricks on you.” He kicked at the equine’s flanks as the animal hesitated to walk into the dark forest with red hues and shadows.

  It moved forward with great hesitation. The light faded as they entered the forest, the sunlight filtered by the red trees and the fact one sun was disappearing.

  Emerald shivered at the cold, which took her. The lack of sun made it cooler than it had been. Caleb pulled at a bag, taking out a cotton wrap, and handed it back to her. “It gets kind of cold in here. I brought this to keep you warm.”

  “That was nice of you, thank you.” She pulled it around her narrow shoulders.

  Her eyes darted around at the many trees and bushes. “Have you heard any scary tales about these woods, Caleb?”

  “Not that I recall.”

  With a quivering voice, she said, “I’ve heard stories of lost little boys and girls who came into this forest and never came out.”

  His laugh filled the air. “So, I have me a wife who believes in fairytales and ghost stories?”

  Emerald’s cheeks flushed with embarrassment. “One never knows, Caleb. Don’t make fun!”

  Her eyes were wide as she looked up at the giant trees. Thousands of years old they were and she was in awe of their size and age. The fact the Euthenian’s were allowing the Earthlings to cut them down to build themselves homes was a thing she thought horrible. Though they did need something to build their homes out of.

  A scarlet leaf fell from a branch high above her head and the equine was moving so slowly she was able to catch it. “Look what I caught!” She held it out so Caleb could see it.

  “Well, seems you have a thing to remember the day I brought you home.”

  She smiled at his sentiment and held it to her chest. As if she’d ever be able to forget the day her whole life changed.

  The light began to glow as they neared the edge of the red forest. Emerald saw a meadow of purple grass with black stones strewn around as if they’d been tossed around with no regards to where they’d land.

  A stream trickled thr
ough the grass. Emerald’s eyes followed the clear stream of water. Then a house came into her view.

  Caleb turned and she could see he was smiling. “There she is, Emerald. Tell me what you think.”

  Emerald was near shock. The tiny house had a roof which looked as if it was made of the purple grass which surrounded the home on all sides. Red, wood walls were glued together with a gray, mud. The only word which came to her mind was, ‘horrid.’

  The scene surrounding it was beautiful. The wavy purple grass offset by the majestic red forest in the background worked well in nature. She supposed if built better, the home would look fantastic. It was a hut, no windows, one door and it was pitch black inside as the door was standing open for her to see inside.