“Baris sent you,” I said.
Maja nodded. “I am to help you prepare for the protocol of the engagement ceremony tonight and with anything else you require.”
My eyes narrowed. Hardly subtle of Baris to send a spy disguised as a personal assistant. Might as well do the Fremmian thing and call her out now. Anything else would be weak. I said, “So you’re a spy.”
The woman shrugged. “I report to Her Majesty.”
“Why are you here?” I seriously doubt Baris would do anything to help me.
“Her Majesty is concerned that you will embarrass her son, His Royal Highness Aster, the King and Queen, and therefore all the Fremm people.” Maja’s expression was blank and she stared straight forward, making no eye contact. Her hands clasped behind her back.
I asked, “Were you in the military?”
Maja nodded. “Yes, Your Highness. I served in the Navy.”
Clever, I almost didn’t notice her trying to butter me up. “Call me Evie, please. I’m not a princess.”
“You are the mate to Prince Aster,” Maja said, eyes darting quickly to me and then away. Was that regret in her voice?
“What if I don’t want you here?” I asked.
Maja turned her head and looked me directly in the eyes. “I strongly discourage that, Your Highness. The engagement ceremony is highly complex and there are many people who want to see you fail.”
Failure was not an option. Aster was my mate, ceremony or no. Nothing would change that. Still, not making a fool out of myself and not embarrassing Aster was a rewarding idea but not as rewarding as savoring the sour look on Baris’ face when I rose above her low expectations. Oh, I would savor that moment.
I nodded. “I could use your guidance, Maja, but only if you call me Evie.”
Maja smiled, the marks of pleasure burning briefly on her cheeks, the first signs of emotion.
We started with basic court greetings and curtseys. You’d think I was an uncoordinated goofball the way she made me bow and bow and bow again until just right, thighs aching from the slight bend to the knee and the minimal dip, head lowered so the back of the neck was exposed.
Next was how to properly address His Dreadful Majesty Emre and Her Tremulous Majesty Baris. Your Majesty first, Sir and Ma’am after that. I could remember the phrase but my accent was terrible.
“Why do you sound like you’re a lef farmer?”
“Farmers are noble,” I said, indignation flaring in my stomach. “They feed us with the sweat of their labors. We should honor them, not mock their speech.” There were so many worse things to be than farmers and I already knew I sounded like a bumpkin.
Maja laughed. It was hard not to laugh with her. A warm pleasure spread in my chest, knowing I found a friend, even if she was a spy. Better the spy you know, I reasoned.
“I didn’t want to like you,” she said eventually, when the last of the giggles left.
So many reasons to not like me. “Because I’m a disgrace to the honor of the royal family? Or because I’m a fragile human?”
Maja shook her head but did not explain. “Queen Baris does not like you.”
“Which she made very clear last night,” I said sourly.
“The queen believes that even with tutoring on proper behavior, you will still fail.”
And Baris gets a pat on the back for trying to help the weak little human who just wasn’t good enough. My fist clenched in frustration. If Baris wasn’t the mother of my mate...
I said, “So even if I don’t fall on my face tonight, she holds claim over my victory.”
Maja nodded.
I’m beginning to understand why Aster spends so much time off planet.
I need to have an adult conversation with Her Tremulous Majesty. The idea filled me with dread. One problem at a time. Get through tonight and then Aster and I can return to tranquility and simplicity aboard his ship.
The sun moved low in the sky; it was nearly time.
Maja opened a large box and held up a leaf green dress. The fabric was a rich velvet without unnecessary ornamentation. The neck swooped low but hit me just right to display my generous bosom without being vulgar. The waist was snug but the fabric flared out into a full skirt. It swished wonderfully when I walked, accentuating the movement of my hips.
“Jaren is a marvel,” I said, admiring the back of the dress in the mirror. It was simple and tasteful, which was exactly how I wanted to present myself.
My curly hair confounded Maja. “We don’t have hair like this,” she said.
I suppose not, I haven’t seen a lot of curly headed Fremms running around. I took the brush and swept my curls into a loose half bun. Pins held the bun in place and the curls not captured cascaded down the back.
Maja produced a small box containing cosmetics, all suitable for my light brown complexion. The selection was small but it was a miracle finding anything not tinted blue.
Aster arrived as I waffled between two shades of red lipstick. Clutching both tubes in one hand, I flew down the stairs and into Aster’s arms. The big man enveloped me, lifting me off my feet and buried his face into the crook of my neck, taking a deep breath. He wore a crisp white uniform with gold emblems at the collar and cuffs. It hugged his athletic form perfectly and I could feel his hardened muscles moving underneath the fabric. A man in uniform never turned my head before but my head is completely turned now.
His lips claimed mine and fire danced across my body. My flesh tingled where he touched and I craved more skin contact. Our lives should be this simple with embraces and kisses at the end of the day.
With a sigh, he set me down, then his nostrils flared. “You are not alone,” he said. The jagged marks of jealousy and alarm flared on his cheeks and neck. Yeah, Fremmian was a complicated language. If I ever got the accent down, there was still the luminescent body markings to interpret.
“Maja has been helping me prepare.” I held up the lipstick tubes as if to prove my point.
At the sound of her name, Maja descended the stairs. She carried a creamy white coat made from Fremmian wool. Maja kept her eyes to the floor, avoided looking at the prince as she handed the garment to me. This was more than humility before rank and had everything to do with the stunned look on Aster’s face.
Maja helped me into the wool coat. Asymmetrical with a single button on the side, the collar draped into a flattering cowl. Soft and airy, the warm fabric covered the dress without ruining the silhouette; perfect for the chilly weather.
“What are you doing here?” Aster asked, finally.
“The Queen sent me to help prepare Her Highness.” Maja kept her eyes downcast as she spoke but the markings of tender regard emblazoned on her necks and brow betrayed her.
Huh. I watched Aster watch Maja, who avoided looking at him.
Aster reflected the same regard but smoothed down the front of his uniform in an awkward, uncomfortable effort to keep his hands busy. “It is pleasant to see you again,” he said.
Double huh.
Was Maja an old flame? I never really thought about Aster’s life before I meet him, about his friends or old lovers. Cold dread flooded the pit of my stomach, and a shiver ran down my spine. What did I know about Aster at all? Hardly anything. We spent the last two months aboard his ship in an extended honeymoon but didn’t do a whole lot of talking. Well, some. I rambled on about my girlhood adventures with my sister, Vera, on Earth and Aster listened with endless patience. He hardly mentioned himself.
Now I’m beginning to wonder why.
Aster took my hand, rubbing his sky blue thumb across my palm. “You are beautiful,” my komplan said.
Sincerity glowed on his hands and the visible areas of his neck, nearly making me lose my train of thought. Everything in our relationship moved faster than light; we needed to slow down to a human speed and that opportunity wasn’t on the horizon. My fate was tied to this man and I knew nothing about him.
Chapter Five
Aster
Te
rrans were difficult to read. They never said what they thought and their skin gave no clue to their emotions. Total mysteries. Still, after two months, I have picked up on Evie’s subtle body language, like her flared nostrils and the stiff, angry manner of her walk.
I like watching her walk, the sway of her hips as those legs eat up the ground. Sometimes the walk is languid with a sensual rhythm. Sometimes her walk is brisk and efficient, stepping with just enough movement to get the job done. Tonight her walk is none of those things. I watched the woolen fabric swish over her dress, her arms tucked in at her side, like an aggressive bird ready to beat its wings.
The only solution for peace was to run down the list of possible reasons that my mate is upset, because it was my duty to please her, and the list was long.
The transporter was in the old stone barn with the grass roof. Transporters were an Edder technology we reversed engineered. Power hungry, they were good for planetary surface travel and little else.
Evie blinked in the relative darkness of the barn, her Terran eyes not as sensitive as mine. She ran her hands down the front of her sweater in a nervous gesture. I pulled my mate towards me, holding her perfectly curved form to mine.
“It is only the smallest sensation, my mate, like a sneeze,” I said, thinking her nervous about the transporter. Terrans had a healthy mistrust of Edder tech.
Evie squirmed in my arms, but not the delighted, aroused squirmed I desire but hostile and angry. She pulled away from me. “I know what that is, you big idiot. Do we have to take it?”
“The alternative is a three hour journey in a skimmer.”
She snorted, chin held high. So, not transporter nerves.
“What troubles you, kompli?” I asked.
Evie threw her hands in the air and shouted, “Who the hell is she!”
“Maja?”
“No, the other beautiful woman who is clearly attracted to you.”
Yes, she is angry, perhaps even jealous. I was no saint before I found my kompli. I appreciated the female form and shared pleasure with enthusiastic partners but now when I look at any woman who is not my mate, they are pale and washed out. Evie is the only one in color, sparkling with life.
“And where the hell do you go every day! I don’t like being left here by myself.”
“Chem stays with you daily,” I said.
Her face reddened. “He does not.”
“He is guarding you.” My voice gruff, offended at the notion that I would leave my most precious mate unguarded.
Evie took a step back in surprise at my tone. “Then why don’t I see him? It’d be nice to have someone to talk to. It was nice talking to Maja…”
I kneeled, ignoring what the stone floor could do to my freshly laundered uniform, and took Evie’s hand. She tried to pull away but I was stronger. “Every day I humble myself with the Ministers and the Union Ambassadors.”
“You’re not a humble person,” she said.
“No, but my father is correct that my actions have consequences and I must play the political game until the situation is resolved.” Until we are married, legally bound together in the way our hearts have already determined.
“You father is king,” Evie said.
“Yes, and even he must work with the Ambassadors. I work to secure our future.”
“And Maja?” Evie asked, armed folded over her chest.
Frustration flared in me. I don’t want to hurt Evie but not sharing the complete truth will hurt her human sensibilities, too. There is no good choice here. I resolved to do the Fremmian thing and give the blunt truth.
“Maja and I were lovers,” I said.
Evie’s eyes grew wide but she said nothing.
“She is Chem’s sister. She is clever and kind and attractive.”
“I noticed,” Evie said quietly.
“She is from a good family. My parents wanted a match between us for a long time, so I offered marriage.”
“Is that the broken contract with the Bakken family?”
“Yes.”
“You broke an engagement for me.”
“I would do anything for you.” Strangle a snarling kiopatt with my bare hands, cross the burning sands of the desert on my knees, anything.
“How long ago?” she asked.
“Does it matter?”
My rhetorical question broke Evie out of whatever trance she was in. “Of course is matters! She has feelings for you!” Evie paused and then shook off my hand. “Your mother knew this. She sent a woman still in love with you to drive a wedge between us.”
While sounding very much like how my mother worked, I doubt it. “No, Maja is the appropriate person to help. I trust her with my life.”
“Your life, how comforting. What about me?”
I reached out and pulled her towards me, my arms wrapping around her hips. I rested my head against the gentle slope of her bosom. Her hands beat against my shoulders and back but I did not release her.
The scent of her arousal was strongest here. A good verbal fight always excited my mate. It wasn’t a contest for dominance but a need for affirmation. Again, humans are strange.
My hands traveled up the back of her smooth legs, marveling at the firm muscles in the calves and the softness at her thighs. I pushed up the green dress and pressed my face into the apex of her thighs, where the scent is strongest.
“You are my life,” I said.
The blows ceased. “What are you doing?”
Demonstrating my loyalty. “What do you think?” My hands tugged down the black lace panties to her knees, exposing the thick curls of her sex. One hands spread her legs open and the other stroked the slick folds.
“We don’t have time,” Evie said, voice wavering.
“It’s our party, kompli,” I said, watching my finger work into her and the way her hips responded. “They will wait for us.”
I pressed my face in, tongue lapping at her clit and my finger working her warm channel. She purred. She tasted better than anything in the galaxy and I wanted every drop. Fingers dug into my hair, pressing my face in tightly. Her hips rocked and she rode my hand. I will admit, I enjoy the arguing and I greatly enjoy the reconciliation.
She came on my tongue and I lapped up the nectar. Boneless, she slumped against the wall.
“You are a smooth talking blue devil,” she said finally, resting her hands on the top of my head, stroking my hair gently. “But I’ve mussed up your hair.”
“And you are jealous of shadows.”
Her chest swelled with a deep breath. “God, I want to hate you sometimes.”
“Your jealousy is a waste of energy,” I said. “Even if I wanted another woman, which I do not, I could not be with them. It is physically impossible, such is the strength of our bond.” The thought of another woman makes me nauseous and my cock soft. There is only Evie with her soft curves over strength, her temper and her laughter.
“But Baris wants us to fight,” Evie said.
“We will not give the queen this victory,” I said. “There is no battle here.”
“And Maja?”
“Can pine. I feel kindness towards her but that is all I ever felt. You are the only woman I crave.”
“Then why did you propose if you only felt ‘kindness’ for her? That doesn’t seem fair.”
How to explain. “When you go to the palace tonight, you will feel all the eyes on you: eyes of family, servants, the ministers and their staff and the collective eyes of the planet. My entire life I have never been alone but I have also never been…”
“It’s lonely, you’re telling me?”
I nodded. She understands many things. “I could wait for my father to find a suitable bride and hope she was pleasant, hope we tolerate each other, or I could marry a woman I knew, who was kind and beautiful, the sister of my friend and from a family that would be a good match. So I took the rare opportunity to make my own decision. It was a limited choice but it was my choice.”
Evie stroked the back
of my head. “Agency. I understand that. So why didn’t you marry?”
“I was given a commission and a ship,” I said, “to learn how to be a leader, I imagine, but also to stop making trouble. Being on my ship was more freedom than I had ever experienced. And then I found you.”
I had a standard commission, monitoring trade routes for smugglers and pirates. There was the occasional confrontation, enough to keep it interesting. Distress calls from disabled vessels punctuated the routine of monitoring. Our clash with the Edder a few months ago was the most conflict I’ve seen as captain. Part of me yearned for a more exciting commission but without this one I would never have found Evie.
“How long? Since your proposal?”
Terran concepts of time are not our own. Their little blue planet rotates much faster than Fremm. “A year? Maybe a year and a half. It is hard to say.”
She gave a light giggle. “That’s no time at all. You break hearts, run off in a spaceship and then return almost immediately with a new bride. You’re making this hard, Aster.”
I don’t know what she meant at all. “They will be waiting for us,” I said.
Evie pulled away and straightened her outfit. “Let’s get this over with and get back to the ship, okay?”
I agreed. Our two months on the ship was an uncomplicated pocket of stolen time, but the real world intruded. Now I must deal with my brash actions and hopefully we can return to our former contentment.
The transporter hummed and pure white light surrounded us, then the inside of my nose tickled and I really had to sneeze. Evie gave a high pitched sneeze.
The light vanished and we were at the palace.
Chem waited, hands folded smartly behind his back but clearly impatient. His keen eyes went from me to Evie and back again, and gave a tired smirk. Nothing gets past my second in command.
“Finally.” Chem had the good sense not to make a snarky comment about distractions. He handed Evie a golden ear cuff. “Put this on.”
My mate gave him a skeptical look. “It is a translator,” he said. “Discrete and ornamental.”
“Those things hardly go together,” Evie said, holding up the cuff. I took it from my mate and put it on. It attached at the top of the lobe with an edifice of summer flowers. It secured again at the bottom, a thin chain dangling between the two points, complete with a tiny golden bird and a glass bead. My warrior’s fingers were not made for such delicate work. Evie leaned into my hand and closed her eyes in a content sigh, previous anger vanished as quickly as it arrived. Terrans.
Bride of the Alien Prince: Alpha Alien Romance (Alpha Aliens of Fremm Book 2) Page 3