by M. K. Eidem
"Oh, Trisha," Aaron murmured into the top of her head as he continued to hold her tightly. "I'm so sorry."
Leaning back, Trisha frowned up at him. "For what?"
"For being so absorbed with the needs of others that I didn't see how ill you were becoming. That I kept pushing more and more responsibility on you."
"You didn't do any of that, Tío Aaron," she denied. "I knew I was sick before any of this began."
"So why didn't you tell me? Why did you lie?"
Trisha sighed. She'd known she'd have to explain her actions to her tío. She just hadn't thought it would be so soon. Looking around, she saw that they were alone except for Ull, who had come to stand beside her and Dr. Monroe, who was behind her tío. "I didn't lie to you."
"You said you were getting your annual screenings."
"And I was. I only missed the one right after Mamá died. I couldn't bring myself to see a doctor again so soon. I went to the next one and got the results the day Lisa and the girls went missing."
"That isn't any reason for you not to tell me."
"Yes, it was. If you had known I was sick, Lisa and the girls wouldn't have been such a high priority to you."
Aaron knew he couldn't argue with that. After losing his sister, he would have concentrated all his energy and power on trying to help her.
"You still should have told me."
"Would you have made me Earth's Representative if you'd known?" she challenged. She already knew the answer but saw it in his eyes. "This is where I needed to be, Tío, what I needed to do. I knew what it was going to cost me personally and that you would be upset, but the future of our people…" She looked behind stretching out a hand to Ull, "of the Known Universes, was more important than a single life."
"That is not truth," Ull growled, taking her hand. "Not when it's your life."
Aaron took in the joined hands before looking to Ull. "I will never be able to thank you enough for what you did, Warrior Ull."
"No thanks are needed, Mr. President. Trisha is the most important thing in the Known Universes to me."
That had Aaron's eyebrows shooting up.
"Can we discuss this somewhere else?" Trisha asked, this was private, family business and while she trusted Dr. Monroe not to repeat what he heard, she still wanted to be alone with her tío when he found out she would be leaving with Ull.
"It will be discussed later," Ull growled, pulling Trisha closer to his side. "You need to eat and rest. If that can't be done here, we will return to the Protector."
"That won't be necessary," Aaron quickly said. He wasn't willing to let his niece out of his sight again yet. "A meal is on its way to Trisha's quarters, and as soon as she eats, she can rest."
"I would like to draw some blood before all that," Dr. Monroe finally spoke.
"Trisha will not endure any of your tests until after she rests," Ull growled.
"It's just a blood draw," Monroe argued back. "It will take little to no time, and I can do it in her quarters. Then while she's resting, it can be analyzed and compared to Trisha's past medical history."
Trisha put a hand on Ull's arm. "That would be fine, Dr. Monroe. I know you need to confirm Healer Zo's findings because it's going to change how our world deals with disease, all disease."
∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞
Trisha groaned, rubbing her stomach as she leaned back in her chair. Her tío hadn't just ordered her a meal; he'd ordered her a feast complete with soup, salad, rolls, and dessert. It had all tasted amazing, and while it felt good to have her appetite back, her stomach needed time to adjust to full meals again.
"Are you alright?" Ull had been watching her closely as she'd eaten. He hadn't liked it that Dr. Monroe had come with them into Trisha's quarters, but the Healer had told truth. It only took him a few minutes to draw the vials he wanted, and he'd left. Now his Trisha needed to finish her meal so he could get her into bed to rest.
"I'm fine. It's just too much food." She looked at her tío. "I would never have ordered this much for myself, and you know it."
"You've lost too much weight."
"Well, I can't gain it all back with one meal." She looked at Ull. "You need to eat too."
"I am fine."
"It's just going to go to waste if you don't eat some. Here," Trisha picked up a piece of bread and drizzled it with some honey. "Try this and tell me if it tastes like the hunaja found on Betelgeuse."
Ull gazed suspiciously at Trisha's offering. Trisha knew how much he liked hunaja, and he doubted anything could compete with the delicacy from his homeworld. Still, he opened his mouth and let her feed him. A delicious sweetness immediately filled his mouth, and he fought back a groan, but Trisha gave him a knowing smile.
"I told you we had something similar."
Ull swallowed then licked the remaining sweetness from his lips before answering. "It is delicious."
"It also comes in a variety of flavors depending on the pollen the bees collect."
"Truth?"
"Truth. I'll see if we can get some for you to try."
"That can be arranged," the President spoke, making them remember he was there. "Now, I want to know what's going on between the two of you."
"What's going on is that I'm in love with Ull," Trisha responded, reaching over to cover one of Ull's hands with hers.
"And I am in love with your niece."
"Trisha, I know you're grateful for Warrior Ull saving your life, but don’t misinterpret those feelings for love."
Ull stiffened at Aaron's criticism, but it was Trisha that responded. "I am a grown woman, Tío. I know the difference between gratitude and love. I know this comes as a shock to you, but growing up, I saw how devastating losing the love of your life can be, and I've seen you refuse to love anyone because of your career. While there's no guarantee that I won't end up like Mamá, I won't live my life as you have chosen to, Tío. I love Ull, and now that I have a life to live, I choose to live it with Ull, wherever he is."
Aaron paled at that. "What are you saying, Trisha?"
"I'm saying that when Ull returns to his homeworld, I'll be going with him."
"But…"
"No, my Trisha."
Ull knew she loved him. It was in every touch and look she gave him. He also knew she loved her tío. The male had played an important role in her becoming the female she was. He knew how painful it had to be for her to choose between the two of them. As her male, it was his responsibility to protect her from this type of pain. But how could he? His place and future were as the Lord of Betelgeuse. It's what he was born to be, trained for, but where did that leave Trisha? Would she be satisfied being the Lady of a Lord? While things were changing in the Tornian Empire, Trisha would still never be able to do what she could on Earth. Could he do that to her?
The Goddess had blessed him with a female. She'd told him to love her, cherish her, and to sacrifice for her, promising that if he did, he'd discover he'd sacrificed nothing that mattered. He'd do as she advised.
"You will not go to Betelgeuse with me, my Trisha."
"What?" Trisha's gaze shot to Ull. "Ull? What are you saying?"
"I'm saying that I will not let you sacrifice everything you are, everything you can do for your people for me."
"That's my choice."
"It's the wrong choice. For no one else can do what you can here. Not just for your people, but mine as well as the Kaliszians."
"So, where does that leave us?" she whispered.
Ull frowned at that. "Together, of course."
"But you just said…"
"That you will not be going with me because I will be staying on Earth with you."
"What? But Ull, you're the first male."
"And I always will be, but my brother Vali is more than capable of being the next Lord of Betelgeuse. He has a better temperament for the position than I do."
"What you mean is he isn't abrupt and arrogant?" Trisha teased to stop the tears that had filled her eyes from falling.
"But what will your manno think? Your family?"
"They will understand, especially my mother."
"And Emperor Wray?" the President asked, pulling Ull's gaze to him.
"Will do what he believes best for our people, just as you do," Ull gave him a nod of respect. "But he won't force me to abandon the female created just for me. Especially when she is the one Queen Lisa sent me to find in the first place."
Aaron looked from Ull to his niece, and what he saw was the same strong bond that had existed between his sister and Martin. He hadn't stood in the way of their happiness then, and he wouldn't stand in the way of his niece's and Ull's now.
"Welcome to the family, Ull."
Epilogue
Three months later
"Lisa? Lisa, can you hear me?" Trisha sat before the newly installed comm in her and Ull's quarters, trying to connect with Lisa on Luda. She and Lisa had been sending voice messages back and forth over the last few months, but the advanced relay stations were now finally operational so they could see and talk to each other with minimal delay. The black screen in front of Trisha began to lighten until Lisa's image appeared, causing Trisha to all but squeal. "Lisa!"
"Trisha!" Lisa's excited response quickly followed.
"Oh, my God, you look so good." Trisha took in her friend's fuller face. it was a look Trisha remembered from the late stages of Lisa's pregnancy with Miki. "How are you feeling?"
"I look pregnant," Lisa laughed, "Feel like a beached whale, but otherwise, I'm fine."
"You're sure?" Trisha ran a more critical eye over her friend. Trisha was no doctor, but Lisa's color seemed a little high to her.
"Yes. Hader and Rebecca do daily scans. They'd do them hourly if Grim had his way, but there's no reason to."
"You’re carrying a Tornian baby, Lisa. From what I've learned, they tend to be a bit larger than human ones."
"They average between ten and twelve corzites, pounds on Earth, so yes a bit larger, and this little girl," Lisa rubbed her belly, "is at about eleven right now. But she’s perfectly healthy, and while my readings are elevated, they’re no higher than during my last trimester with Miki."
"The deep repair unit hasn't been able to help with that?"
"I haven't been able to use it yet."
"What?" Trisha looked at her in disbelief. "Why not? I can't believe the difference it's made for me and everyone else that's used it. Not only does it eradicate the Karkata parasite that's caused all the cancers on Earth. It eliminates the 'impurities' that cause high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, and scores of other diseases. It's also been able to reverse the effects of Parkinson’s and Alzheimer's. Chancellor Khatri's father, who was once a brilliant physicist, suffered from late-stage Alzheimer's. After using the deep repair unit, he was back to being who he'd always been."
"That's wonderful, and I bet it's gone a long way in calming down the fanatics." Lisa read the reports on how protests and panic erupted when the World Leaders announced the arrival of the Tornians and Kaliszians along with what the Ganglians had been doing.
"It has, along with Wray and Liron, each sending a ship full of the units. There are still a few claiming we were all under alien mind control and that our females are going to be sold into slavery, but the majority have calmed down after hearing the stories from the returnees and now see it as a good thing. Now stop trying to distract me. Why haven't you used the deep repair unit?"
"I never could get anything passed you, could I," Lisa sighed.
"No, so talk."
"I haven't used the deep repair unit because we're not sure if the unit would consider the baby a parasite and try to eliminate it."
"What?" Trisha's eyes widened in shock.
"Until you were treated, Tornians had forgotten that the unit clears out parasites and impurities as it repairs extreme injuries. They have no records of their females using the units once they've conceived. Not even Isis used it, and she's never heard of any female who did. So I'm not willing to take the chance, especially when I'm feeling fine. Although Grim insists that after I present, I'll use it."
"Good. My guess is it will help in your recovery." Trisha could still remember how gingerly Lisa had moved after delivering Miki.
"That would be nice. And just so you don't worry, I did have Carly and Miki use it. Even though we now know it was a parasite that caused Mark to be sick, I didn't want to take the chance."
"And…"
"They’re absolutely fine."
"That's a relief."
"It is."
"Has Dr. Adams arrived yet?"
Dr. Monroe had compiled a list of OB/GYN's he'd thought might be interested in the groundbreaking experience of assisting in the delivery of interspecies offspring. Dr. Adams had been at the top of that list. After being contacted and expressing an interest in the opportunity, the OB/GYN had been extensively interviewed then sent on the next ship, which happened to be heading to Luda.
"No, they’re still two days out."
"Well, hopefully between Dr. Adams, Dr. Mines, and Healer Hadar, we'll get some answers and make sure every pregnant female, whether they’re human, Tornian, or Kaliszian, is taken care of."
"Rebecca and Hadar have been doing their best, but with there being pregnant females on four different planets…"
"That's a lot of areas to cover. Have the guidelines Rebecca sent out to the other Healers helped?"
"Yes, but every male, including Grim, wants a Healer specifically trained for Earth females on hand at all times, and Rebecca can't be everywhere at once."
"Well, that's going to take some time, so hopefully, Dr. Adams can help bridge the gap until more physicians are cleared."
"Hopefully, not too much time." Lisa's hand absently ran over her belly again. "Now that's enough about me. I want to know about you and Ull."
"Ull and me?" Trisha frowned at her friend, "I already told you all about that in my earlier transmissions."
"You did, but I know you left a lot out, so spill."
Trisha found herself laughing. This was one of the reasons she and Lisa had become such friends. After all they'd been through together, they knew when the other one wasn't being candid.
"I'm not exactly sure what else to tell you."
"Tell me you really love Ull. That it's not just because he saved your life?"
Trisha felt her mouth drop open at Lisa's accusation. It wasn't fair or true, especially after what Grim did to her. "Tell me you really love Grim, and it's not just because he came back for the girls?"
"That's entirely different."
"Is it? He kidnapped you then forced you to agree to Join with him and only him in exchange for getting the girls."
"Truth," Lisa quietly agreed, refusing to lie to her friend, "But once I got to know Grim, I couldn't help but fall in love with him."
"And you don't think I could have that same experience?"
"I know you could, just as I'm hoping other Earth females do. It's because of Ull that I'm asking."
"Why?"
"Because Ull isn't the male I would have chosen for you. Hell, he wasn't even the male I wanted to go to Earth. Wray chose him.”
"Why? What have you got against Ull?"
"Nothing really, it's just the dark, angry vibe I got off him. Even after he helped Ynyr with the problems within House Jamison, he still seemed so angry at not being chosen during the Joining Ceremony. Even Miki noticed."
"Ull harmed Miki?" Trisha refused to believe that.
"No!" Lisa immediately denied, "Miki's just gotten more… sensitive to certain things lately."
"And Ull was one of those things?"
"Before I left, Princess Miki warned me to beware of the dark when it speaks to me." Ull startled both females when he spoke. They'd been so wrapped up in their conversation, they hadn't heard him come in after his comm with Emperor Wray. Leaning down, Ull gave his Tris
ha a quick kiss then looked to the Queen. "You may rest assured, Queen Lisa, that darkness no longer whispers to me. My Trisha has seen to that."
Lisa watched the two share a look that revealed their deep and intimate connection and realized it was just as strong and just as real as the one between her and Grim. All the fears she'd had since Trisha had told her they were in love faded away.
"I'm relieved to hear that, Warrior Ull. Trisha is precious to me and mine."
"As she is to me, Majesty," Ull's gaze was unwavering when it met hers.
"Then, we understand one another."
"We do."
Lisa shifted uncomfortably in her seat, her gaze going off-screen for a moment before looking back to Trisha. "I need to go. We'll talk soon, Trisha?"
"We will. Give the girls a hug from me."
"I will." With that, Lisa ended the transmission.
Spinning in her chair, Trisha stood, stepping into his waiting arms. "Your comm with the Emperor didn't last very long. Is everything alright?"
"That depends on how you look at it." Ull knew she'd been concerned about the Emperor's reaction to his remaining on Earth. They'd sent transmissions to his family, informing them that Vali would be taking over his duties, feeling they had the right to be the first to know. He knew Trisha was worried about how they would react, and while shocked at first, they eagerly welcomed Trisha into the family. Ull knew he had his mother to thank for that, and he would, as soon as possible.
"What do you mean?"
"How do you feel about being a Lord's Lady?"
"What? Wray is forcing you to go back to Betelgeuse?" She couldn't believe it and would have pulled out of Ull's arms if he hadn't stopped her. "I'm getting Lisa back on the comm. This isn't right, and if your Emperor can't see that…"
"No, Trisha, stop. Wray's not forcing me to go anywhere."
"But you just said…"
"He wants me to become Lord… of Earth."
"What?" Ull couldn't have shocked her more if he'd tried. Had Wray decided to invade? "But we have leaders."
"And you still will. I wouldn't be the Lord over the people of Earth, only the Lord over the Tornians that come to Earth."