“You have a favorite, don’t you?”
“I do, but I want to hear what you think first.”
“The lace bodice. It’s sexier, for sure, damn near inappropriate—for a human wedding. But this is a Lexar ceremony, and I think it’s perfect.”
“Oh good, I like that one best.”
“I almost expected you to go with whatever the Lexar tradition would dictate.”
“I thought about it. Since the designer is half-Lexar, most of her work features aspects of their culture in some way.”
“I wondered about the color choices,” Veryn mused, admiring the dress’s blue trim and the dazzling beadwork. “Have you seen the collar yet?”
“No,” Nia said ruefully. “He says it’s bad luck for me to see it before the wedding.”
“Well, it’s a good thing I look good in blue. I imagine Bennu and Amun will as well. They’d look good in any color, really.”
“Yeah, well, you’re responsible for making Bennu look good, so go. Meet up with him and get yourselves sorted. I trust you to make good choices.”
“First, you force me into this room, and now you’re kicking me out.” Veryn frowned.
“We have two weeks to make this all ready, so get on it.”
“What if he’s busy?”
“Then make him make the time, since this is his last official duty before his vacation.”
“He’s leaving?”
“He’s taking a leave right after the ceremony to visit his family or something. He’s already passed off most of his responsibilities to the subordinates, actually. I walked by as they were discussing boarding protocols and whether to dock the Exemplar for the duration of his leave instead of carrying operations as normal.”
“How long is he going on vacation?”
“Half a year. Amun says it isn’t uncommon for a ship to come in for a few seasons or years at a time.”
“Isn’t this an odd time though? I mean, the Exemplar won’t be out that long, will it?”
“No. Amun and I have already spoken about that, and when our Senebti-Heset is over, we’ll both be coming back to the ship. Neither of us want to be on shore when it's time to take the fight to the Zacaedy.”
“Never thought you would. But what about Bennu?”
“No idea. You can ask when you go coordinate.” Nia shrugged. “He probably isn’t in right now, but his cabin is right across the corridor.”
“At least it doesn’t have an adjoining door,” she teased her friend. Nia’s room had been connected to Amun’s, and she always laughed about how he had such easy access to her. In hindsight, it made sense, since the exarch experienced the Lexar Mating Frenzy for Nia.
“Believe me, you’d enjoy that if you were having a fling.”
“But I’m not, and I’m happy as I am.”
“Uh huh. Just you wait; they’re going to get you on that throne soon and fling suitors at you, so they don’t run into this same heir business in the future.”
While Nia said it all casually, teasingly even, Veryn froze. It was true. Catherine never married. Never had kids to take over in her place. The council hated the fact, and the whole bothersome affair landed Veryn in the hot seat.
If Catherine had even adopted a few children, the entire mess would have been solved, her child at least trained from an early age to take the throne.
It isn’t her fault, Veryn grudgingly thought, dashing the judgmental belief. Catherine hadn’t owed a child or motherhood to anyone, not even Parliament. She’d been an exceptional queen, a wonderful godmother who would have taken Veryn in had it been necessary.
“Hey.” Nia’s voice broke through the gloom, and a soft hand came to her shoulder. Fingers curved then squeezed. “Are you okay?”
Veryn shook her head. “No. I’m not.”
“Wanna talk about it?”
“I’m....” A heavy breath shuddered from her lungs. “I don’t think I’m cut out for this.”
“Why would you say that?”
“Because I’m not a politician. I’m not a princess. I’m a farce.”
Nia frowned and took both of Veryn’s hands into hers. “You listen to me. You are a strong, intelligent, amazing woman. You’re a brilliant scientist and a kick-ass combat instructor. You’ll be a great queen who won’t be suckered by others or bullied into following their agenda.”
“You’re a really good friend, you know that?” Veryn squeezed the words past the tight lump in her throat. Nia had been an assignment at the beginning, but she’d come to love and respect her like a sister.
“Of course I am. And so are you. That’s why I know you’ll do great.”
“I don’t know how I feel about sacrificing my life to....”
To rule others. To be in charge of the galaxy and all things related to advancing humankind. It terrified her, knowing the survival of humanity relied on her making the right choices and maintaining an alliance with the Lexar.
I have Nia to help me.
Never mind that the last year of her time spent aboard the Exemplar had been to gather as much information as possible to report to Catherine.
Across the galaxy, at that very moment, no less than a dozen agents learned whatever secrets they could uncover about the enigmatic and powerful Lexar in the event humanity would ever be forced to end their alliance. They could not lose again.
“When will you have to leave?”
“After the wedding. While you two go off on the Lexar version of a honeymoon—”
“Senebti-Heset.”
Veryn rolled her eyes. “Yes, while you two are on your romantic Senebti-Heset, I will take a shuttle to Opsyssa and await the arrival of the HMY Britannia.”
“Getting the royal escort.”
“Yeah. I’m anticipating a long, tedious trip back to UNE space while a bevy of lawyers and sycophants try to catch me up on current politics and scheming. That’s going to be my new normal, I guess.”
“You can still have a life, hon. It’ll just be... different. What you make of it. And I swear I’ll never stop being your friend. But, for right now, since I’m still the boss of you—”
“Well, technically, you’re not—”
“My wedding makes me the boss in all ceremony-related duties, and you need to get with Bennu to pick outfits. So scoot, Your Highness.”
That was why she loved Nia. She made her laugh, even at the lowest of times. Dipping into a mocking bow, she headed out, already feeling lighter.
Nia vanished into the exarch’s suite before Veryn even reached Bennu’s door. She raised a fist to rap her knuckles on metal, paused, and sucked in a deep breath.
“Isis, please inform Jin-Bennu that I need to speak with him.”
“As you wish, Veryn.”
A moment of silence followed, leaving Veryn to bite her nails while awaiting the second-in-command to answer her call.
The door opened, but as large as he was, it was still as if she were staring at a wall. A wet wall. Water droplets trickled down his golden chest, and despite her best efforts, her gaze followed, lowering until the droplet vanished into the silk fabric tied around his waist.
“Princess, how may I be of service?”
“I…” Many thoughts came to mind. How did Bennu already know about her change of title? Amun must have told him. Was he wearing anything under that towel?
Another glimpse downward treated her to the outline of the Lexar’s two cocks beneath the thin material, and her mind went from practical to filthy in a fraction of a second. Veryn had a dozen ways he could be of service, and every single one for them involved riding his face or discarding the red cloth secured around his waist. Both. Both would do. She searched for words and struggled to retrain her attention from his impeccable abs.
Her attention found his chest, lingered. Words surged to her lips but never parted.
“I...”
What the hell am I doing? She forcefully jerked her attention up to his face, only to find the infuriatingly patient man
smirking at her.
“I came to coordinate our wedding attire.” It burst out as awkwardly as she knew it would.
“Ah. Then Nia has finalized her choice.”
He stepped aside and gestured in welcome for her to enter. His room wasn’t nearly as large as her guest suite, but bigger than her last room had been. Instead of a lounge for guests, he had a reed mat and a beautiful altar set up, as well as a sand garden that reminded her of the Zen gardens on Xiao. A little waterfall filled the area with the soothing trickle of water over stone.
It was oddly peaceful for a man who could rip Zacaedy heads from their bodies.
“Tea?” he asked once the door shut behind her.
“Aren’t you going to put on clothes?”
“I was about to sit for my evening meditation,” he replied. “I put this on to answer the door.”
Meaning he’d been naked before then. Her pulse kicked into overdrive at the thought.
“Oh.” Like a dimwit, she searched for words, only to gesture clumsily with one hand and blurt out, “I can come back later.”
“You are already here. So tell me, what do you wish to wear, Princess? I have no preferences and will follow your lead.”
Either he was too dense to realize she couldn’t concentrate with him wearing so little, or he took perverse pleasure in how hard she struggled to keep her thoughts private. They bounced wildly in her effort to remain focused and on task.
God, his thighs are massive.
Get a grip on yourself, woman!
I’d rather get a grip on him.
“I’ll take you up on that tea offer now. Thank you.”
“As you wish.”
He moved across the room and began heating water and setting up cups. She watched him pull out tea leaves and grind them in a mortar, each action deliberate and patient. He could have gone the easy route and used the ship fabricator, but he didn’t. At least it gave her some time to collect herself.
Veryn tapped her thumbprint against the jewel of a bangle on her left wrist, activating the virtual computer contained within the bauble. A holographic display expanded into the air for her to cycle through and direct. While she brought up color swatches, Bennu joined her with two steaming cups, perfectly frothed purple liquid within.
“Blue. Is that the color she has chosen?”
“It is. She wants blue to complement all the gold. Amun wouldn’t tell her anything but the metal type and jewel color of her collar.”
No matter how Veryn moved her left wrist, the image remained stationery. She scrolled through them with a swipe of her right index finger while balancing the cup of fragrant tea in her other hand. She hesitated on a geometric design with blocks of bold cobalt matching Nia’s dress, thin strands of gold woven throughout.
“Red would suit you better,” he finally said, his face impassive.
“It isn’t about what suits me, Bennu. It isn’t my wedding.”
“It is not, but you are there to represent the... bride. You are to be her Mut.”
“I am, but—”
“As the bride’s Mut, you are not expected to wear the same color unless you wish to do so. A complimentary color is typical.” He stepped close and idly thumbed through her display, stopping on a shade of deep burgundy.
So he had a point. She didn’t like admitting that he had a point, but her knowledge of Lexar customs ended when it came to their bonding rituals and the traditions related to romance.
Except for the Mating Frenzy.
Even that wasn’t common knowledge, a facet of their culture and biology she only picked up when Nia admitted Amun had to constantly restrain himself when near her.
“As I said, I will follow whatever you wish. I only thought to inform you that you are not required to match.” He shrugged his massive shoulders, muscles rippling.
Red was a good color on him too.
“Hm.” A few taps of her fingers adjusted the selection of clothing to reds and golds. Striking burgundies, plums, and other deep shades of scarlet. “Why do you say red?”
“Blue shades are too cool for you. They would make you appear icy. You have too much strength and passion for blue,” he said simply, as if stating something about the weather.
Strength and passion.
That was a first. One of her brows rose, but she humored him and continued scrolling through the selection of dresses until she found one that was to her liking. She hit the virtual dressing room option then extended her arm and tapped into the holographic projectors of the room.
“How does this look?” Veryn asked as twin beams angled from apertures in the wall and clothed her in a one-shouldered gown that swept to the floor in graceful waves of silk.
He studied her, arms crossed over his chest and lips slightly pursed. She couldn’t tell if he approved or not his face was set in such a neutral mask.
“It is quite lovely,” he finally said. “Regal.”
Oh. No.
Veryn banished the outfit with a button press and continued swiping for another. She’d never seen such a bored expression on a man’s face before in her life.
Why does it even matter if he likes it?
Again, it wasn’t her wedding. What mattered was that she represented Nia. On the other hand, it would be improper to don a dress flashier than the bride’s gown.
“What about this?”
The next bodice covered her entire chest and sent the straps crisscrossing over her shoulders behind her back with a high neckline exposing no cleavage.
He frowned, creating deep furrows in his brow. “No. That is far too restricting. Too... modest.”
For a man who claimed not to care and that he would follow her lead, he had a lot of opinions. Veryn huffed out an irritated breath and cycled through the next batch.
“You are displeased with me,” he added after a moment.
A lie hung on the tip of her tongue. She swiped another row of dresses. Each of them materialized in front of them in full length. “You pick one.”
“I do not have to wear it.”
She stared at him. Hard. Without another word, he selected a dress without much thought or hesitation and set it to display on her. The slitted skirt swept down to a point just below her knees. Walking across the room revealed teasing glimpses of her legs. The bodice sported a modest cut that didn’t threaten to spill her breasts. The back buttoned at her nape and left the rest of her back bare, similar in fashion to Nia’s dress but more subdued. He’d chosen a deep wine-red for the color.
“Isn’t it a little too flashy for my role in the wedding?” Veryn skimmed her teeth against her lower lip and studied her appearance. “In our culture, it’s seen as rude if members of the bridal party outshine the bride.”
“In a Lexar ritual, the Mut is seen as much as the bride. You represent her. You are a reflection of her, the woman she aspires to be. This is considered quite tame for a Lexar ceremony. Our women wear much less for both casual and formal attire. Amun and I shall both wear the traditional shendyt.”
I’m not one of your women.
In fact, she was soon to become the queen of all humanity if the current monarch didn’t survive her procedure.
Veryn sighed. “This will do then. Thanks.”
She tapped the Purchase button and let the program take her measurements. Less than thirty seconds later, an order was tailored to her.
"I will ensure my shendyt matches the color," he said after a long, deafening moment. Veryn nodded and backed away for the door.
"I'll let you get back to your meditations. Sorry for barging in on you."
"You did not. I invited you in."
Sometimes she hated how literal they were, but his response slightly pulled her from her depressive funk, enough to earn a small smile. "Only because I knocked. Anyway, I'll let you get back—"
"Join me."
"Huh?"
Bennu gestured to the mats on the floor. "Join me in meditation."
"Oh, I don't know....” He
said something about doing so undressed. She wasn't sure she wanted to have to deal with that. Worse, what if he wanted her to do the same?
Would that be so bad? Being naked with Bennu sounds like a bonus. The little voice in her head made a good point.
"You have many things on your mind. Meditation would help you find some clarity," Bennu said, once again sweeping his hand toward the mats in an inviting gesture.
"I'm not stripping down," she blurted, regretting the inelegance of the statement afterward.
Bennu stared at her. A long, awkward silence marked the span of time before he finally barked out a laugh. "Clothing is optional, Princess. I would not presume to request that you expose your body to me."
“Oh." Heat flashed to her face. “Thanks, but I have to let Nia know everything is arranged and figured out. I'll, uh... I'll just go do that now."
She backed her way to the door, banging her shoulder into the frame. She could have sworn Bennu smiled.
And it only irritated her.
"We'll talk again tomorrow," he said as the door hissed open. "Have a pleasant evening."
Pleasant evening, her ass. She was certain the man was laughing at her.
3
Bennu arrived at the crack of dawn—rather, the hour that would be dawn if they were planetside and not sailing through space bound for the Lexar home world. Solar schedules aboard all Nova Force vessels—even those assigned to the UNE—closely resembled the planet of their origin with dedicated sunlight hours. Corridors of the Exemplar and its many decorative windows would steadily glow with the shades of a pink and golden sunrise for the next half hour.
When Veryn first came aboard the ship, she spent many a morning admiring the phony view from the medical bay’s windows as digital colors converged and brightened with a realistic landscape from Aaru. Those rolling green hills dusted by lavender and pink had been glorious beneath a pink-streaked sunrise.
Now, she slept in and often missed that magical moment.
It wasn’t the same.
She wanted to see the real thing.
“Veryn?” Isis spoke in a gentle voice. “What message shall I relay to Jin-Bennu?”
Jin-Bennu Page 3