Sabiki appeared stunned. “The two of you are bonded. How is this possible?”
Several of the Laconian women turned their scrutiny to us. Sabiki cast her senses over me. It felt like a warm prickling sensation on my skin. Yukihyo gave her a huge smile.
“My mother bonded us.”
“Ruyo!” Sabiki’s face appeared stricken.
“Mother, Aya, Adini, and Ashura live on Parvac. My sisters have nine children between them.”
“No, they are gone. I felt their loss.”
“We felt powerful tranquilizer darts as they took immediate effect.”
Yukihyo handed Sabiki a vid-chip. She pulled a handheld vid-screen out of an inner pocket and clicked the chip into place. I heard my mother-in-law’s voice. Sabiki began to make choking sobs. A woman put an arm around her. Yukihyo gave Neema to me.
Hearing her, Neema said, “Ma!”
“Yes, that’s Grandmother. She will be so proud of you for saying her name!”
“Ma!”
I had no idea what my mother-in-law was saying in the recording. Rapid, simultaneous conversations in the native language of Chione occurred all around us. Occasionally, Yukihyo said a few words in answer.
“Teagan!” I turned when I heard Hiroshi and carried Neema toward him. She shrieked and held her thickly covered arms out to him.
“I wondered if you were ever going to show up.” I kissed his cheek. Hiroshi gave my cheek a kiss in return as he took Neema into his arms. He wore a thick coat and gloves like the rest of us.
“Uncle Hiroshi has missed you. We must persuade your mother to travel on Tora to our next destination.”
I felt an arm behind my back and another under my knees as I was lifted off of my feet. A wet kiss landed in the center of my forehead. “Hello, Cupcake. Have you been eating properly?”
“I’m sure you’ll tell me if I haven’t.”
Carefully, Phillip placed me back on my feet. I hugged him as tightly as I could through our thick coats. “I’ve missed you,” I whispered.
“I’ve missed you, too. Thank you.”
“For what?”
“You gave us all kinds of research data through crew member reports during your stay on the Hadrian.” Phillip gave me a naughty grin. I banged my head against his chest. “You could open up a brothel for Laconians and keep your clothes on.”
“Phillip! Shame on you.” I frowned and whacked his coat covered chest. He laughed.
I felt Simon’s approach before I saw him. Isidora was on his arm. I wanted to throw myself against his massive chest and hug him like always, but my throat closed, and I blinked rapidly. Isidora and I curtsied to each other.
“What is this, sweet cousin? Is there no hug for me?”
I glanced at Isidora. Simon closed the distance between us and held his arms out to me. I went to him, planted my face against his shirt, and slipped my arms around him under his jacket. I forced myself not to cry. Then, I thought of my picture with Simon, Eliot, and our spiders and lost my battle. Losing Simon would kill part of me, a big part.
“It’s alright. We will never lose each other. We are bonded together now and always. Can anyone truly love you without loving me?” I shook my head against his chest. “Can anyone truly love me without loving you?” I shrugged.
“You’re a lot easier to love, Simon.”
He handed me a pink silk square. I dabbed at my eyes. He waited until my eyes met his pale blue ones. Even though I now knew that Nathan Green hadn’t been my father, the ache of not being loved remained with me. I heard Neema whimper and felt Yukihyo’s full attention return to me. The horrible ache subsided, and my thoughts focused on the pretty pink shade of the silk square.
Quaid moved toward Isidora, bowed to her, kissed her hand, and said, “Lady Montgomery, marriage has made you more beautiful. Please allow me to escort you to the third floor shops. While our spouses conduct their business, I can buy you a souvenir of your visit to Chione.” He led her into a lift.
Simon put his arm around my waist and we followed. Yukihyo and Hiroshi followed with Eric.
“How was the space station?” I asked.
“Trambelus was profitable. Most of the visitors to it are there for ship maintenance and repairs. They can be there for days or weeks and are eager for any novelty or amusement. We sold them silks, medical supplies, and gear purchased on Ephors,” Simon told me.
We stepped out of the lift. Sabiki and the other women followed us. The first thing I noticed when the lift doors slid open were the food stalls. Grinning, Simon led me toward them. “What would my sweet cousin like?” I pointed.
We stood in front of the counter. Steam rose from the contents of a large metal bowl.
Sabiki said, “Dolajees, Lady Ponidi?”
“Dolajee are mushrooms. Dolajees are stewed mushrooms in a thick meat soup,” Yukihyo explained.
“Yes, please,” I said with a smile. I paid for a bowl and handed it to Simon. “Go give that to your wife.”
“Why?”
“Every time I have mushrooms, I end up pregnant.” Simon laughed and took the bowl to Isidora. I noticed an enticing smell and wandered over to it. “I want this.” I held out my heavy onyx bracelet to pay. A lady gave me a deep bowl and a spoon. I sat and ate. My eyes closed in pleasure as a deep craving I didn’t know I had was satisfied. It was a plain soup of fish and wilted green leaves. I went back for more. “Do I even want to know what this is?”
“It is fish and cesridi.” I gave Yukihyo a quizzical look, but he got up and bought his own bowl. Hiroshi joined us at our table with Neema. Nico went for the dolajees.
“Cesridi?” I asked.
“Seaweed,” Yukihyo clarified.
While we had been sampling the local cuisine, the ladies had been making a recording for Yukihyo’s mother. As of yet, long range communication was not possible from Chione to Parvac. Quaid sat with Simon and Isidora a few tables away. Phillip had already disappeared with a woman. Eric was busy giving his shark grin to another one.
“We will be watching while you are with Simon,” Hiroshi said.
I placed my spoon in the bowl and returned it to the counter. I walked to Quaid and rested my hand on his shoulder.
“Did you want to visit some stores, Simon?”
I was afraid Isidora might still say something hurtful. Even though she had said she wanted to start over, my experience was that if someone hurt you once, they would do it again and again. Isidora was still eating. She was a slow eater. I had gone through two bowls to her half a bowl.
“Let’s give it a try. Ethan is very pleased with all that we have already managed to do. Father is satisfied enough with our trade with Parvac.”
“I miss them.”
“They miss you, too. Isidora and I spoke to Mother and Father. Mother told me to send you her love. She wants you to know that Sydney is a nervous wreck. Auria is due soon. Eliot overreacts to her every discomfort. ZeeZee doesn’t ley Auria out of his sight. Gram and Ethan are laughing at all of them.”
I wished I were with them. I took a breath and turned away. I didn’t want to cry in front of Isidora a second time in a matter of minutes. I couldn’t go home. I had responsibilities. Simon caught up to me as I entered a store that sold thick coats and gloves.
I said, “I could have stayed on Arachne my entire life and been content.”
Simon snorted at me. I turned to him with wide eyes. “I don’t believe that. You are like Eric. You get bored after a few weeks on the ground. You would tire of visiting the same shops and long for the stars. After your son is born, you can come home for a few months.”
I whispered, “Do you think they will let us?”
Simon kissed my nose. “I do.”
We left the store and walked toward another one. I heard growling coming from it. I peeked inside. Small bears were in a tall pen. Other pens lined the walls. “What is going on here?”
“These are kept as pets and as protection against predators,” Isidora said
of the bear cubs.
I jumped. I hadn’t realized that she and Quaid had followed us. Reluctantly, I let go of Simon’s arm, feeling a twinge of sadness when I did so. Simon was my first true blood relative who had ever made me feel safe and loved. If Isidora decided that I wouldn’t be around, I wouldn’t be.
“These are bred for food,” she said indicating goats and chickens.
Stepping in front of the goats, I petted them over the top of the pen. “You just mean for cheese, yogurt, ice cream, and eggs, right?” I looked at the goats’ cute faces with their little beards. “These are cute goats.”
“That’s right, Teagan,” Simon said quickly. “Like Yukihyo told you, only the dangerous mean goats are hunted for meat.”
I sighed in relief. “Here are videos of the horses they sell. Note how thick their hair appears,” Quaid said. I looked.
Next, we went to a hunting supply store. As soon as Simon used the words protective Arachnean silk, they dismissed him. I was forced to use the same ploy that I had used before to get their attention. Walking to the counter, I said, “May I see your most powerful hunting blaster, please?” I rested my hands on Niklos and smiled. The man looked to Quaid who nodded his permission. “Seriously?” I asked with a raised eyebrow.
Quaid winked at me. “You don’t look old enough to purchase a hunting blaster.”
“But?” I touched my own blaster.
“Have you ever purchased your own blaster?” Quaid asked.
“Well, no. Enforcer Flint gave me my blaster on Arachne after that Parvac soldier almost killed me. I bought a hunting knife and another for Kaoti. How old do you have to be?”
“Twenty-five is the legal age. You can purchase defense shock sticks and can be given a blaster for protection, but only one that stuns.”
“No wonder my shock stick didn’t keep him down. Buy me one, Quaid.”
“No, I’ll protect you.”
The man came back with a heavy looking blaster. It was as long as my leg. “This will put down an ice bear, Lady Bosh.”
I was surprised he knew my name. Quaid took my hand and kissed my fingers. “How much is it?” I asked.
“She’s twelve thousand credits.”
I looked at Simon. “This is my business investment, right?”
“Of course, you have no affinity for web retrieval.”
I allowed the man to scan my chip. “Shall I box it?”
“No, sir.” Simon handed me a few yards of fabric from one of his pockets.
“Excuse me, ladies and gentlemen.” I held up the fabric. “Whoever can shoot a hole in this fabric wins this brand new blaster hunting rifle.” Along with the locals, some of our Parvac and Militia soldiers were visiting the store. “It looks like you have a firing range in the back of your store. Would it be possible to tack this up?”
“Sure. It’s your money,” the storekeeper said.
We watched from behind the safety of a plasti-glass wall as customers took turns taking a single shot at the fabric. The shopkeeper checked it after each hit. An older man with white eyes and hair to match took a shot with the rifle he had just had repaired at the shop. It was an ice bear gun. It tore through the fabric just as six shots from Gary’s blaster had done about a year ago. I smiled. I thanked the gentleman for his help and asked him to accept the new rifle for his troubles. He was very pleased.
“Now, then, sir. About the protective Arachnean silk,” Simon began.
I moved aside. “Quaid, may I buy you a gift from this manly store?”
“No. I did enjoy seeing you at work. You let his customers sell your fabric for you, generated interest, and gained good will.”
“Yes, and all of that for twelve thousand credits. If you had told me that I could spend that much without any worries two years ago, I would have thought you had hit your head.” I took Quaid’s hand and walked into another store. A few feet away from us Yukihyo and Hiroshi were busy buying crates of vegetables. Neema saw me from her perch on her Uncle Hiroshi’s shoulder.
“Mommy!”
I laughed, and we walked to them. I smiled and held out my hands. Hiroshi smirked. I understood why when I took her. “Oh, Uncle Hiroshi didn’t want to change you?”
“Mommy,” Neema said with a sad little frown.
“It’s over there,” Quaid said as he pointed out the restroom.
I frowned. For some odd reason, I was developing a pervasive fear of public restrooms. I looked around for Nico.
“I’ll go with you,” Isidora said.
“I’ll check before you enter,” Quaid said. I glanced up at his black eyes and short blonde military haircut.
“Are you wearing a protective shirt?” I asked as we walked toward the restroom. “Remember what happened to Gary?” I teared up imagining Quaid hurt. He kissed my temple. When I looked at his eyes again, white sclera showed.
“Yes,” he said as he made a motion with his hand. Two guards appeared and stood with Isidora, Neema, and me.
Nico strode toward us and handed me Neema’s bag. He followed Quaid into the restroom.
“Mommy,” Neema said in an unhappy tone of voice.
“I know. Mommy will clean you all up.”
Quaid exited the restroom with a red faced boy and a girl. Nico followed with a smirk and said, “All clear.”
We went inside. I changed Neema. Then, I sat in a chair and fed her. My left side was still painful, but thankfully, she didn’t grind her gums together on me.
“You and Simon work well together.”
I smiled at Isidora. “Being with Simon is …. Everything is simple when I’m with my cousin. He, Eliot, Eric, Ethan, Sherman, and Gram make me feel connected and whole.”
Isidora nodded. “Your Laconian blood binds you together.”
“Do you come from a large family?”
“I have brothers. I married young. When I learned that I couldn’t have children, my husband and I divorced. I became bitter. My brothers married and had families to join after our mother past away. Simon filled my heart with hope and joy when he looked into my eyes. It felt as though a heavy mountain cracked and fell away from me. Then, when I saw you and your husbands, I was overcome by my shame. I don’t want to be the bitter and angry me of a few weeks ago. I want to be who I became when I met Simon.”
Sighing, I said, “Okay. Will you please hold Neema for me so I can use the restroom?”
Isidora’s eyes spilled over. “I can hold her?”
“Will you?”
“Oh, yes.”
I put a cloth over Isidora’s shoulder to protect her dress before placing Neema in her arms. Neema cooed at her. Isidora began to sing a soft Laconian lullaby to Neema. I went to a stall, took care of matters, and then washed my hands. I put cold water on a few paper hand towels and held them to my bruise for a moment. When I returned to the chairs, I saw yet another person who had fallen under the power of the jade disks.
“Do you want to carry her around for a little while?”
“Yes, I do,” Isidora said in a baby voice.
Picking up Neema’s bag, I held the restroom door open. Simon, Yukihyo, Nico, and Quaid looked at us. Simon teared up when he saw Neema in his wife’s arms. I scowled and rolled my eyes at him. Phillip wouldn’t get mushy over it. After we finished our shopping, we temporarily parted ways.
Yukihyo had worked out a plan for visiting his former home. He along with Nico, Quaid, Kane, and Hiroshi had planned our arrival, itinerary, and departure. Hiroshi would take us there in Tora. Eric and Kane were each sending soldiers in fighter ships who would set up a defense grid and then remain with us.
Thunderdrop and Cass detested Chione. Cass chittered angrily at Simon in the transport from Tora to Kane’s ship. However, once Cass entered the Imperial quarters and saw Thunderdrop and Sue, he became more forgiving. Yukihyo had shown Thunderdrop mental images of his home which resulted in Thunderdrop’s request to remain on the warship with his octopus, fellow spider, Chef, and Lorca. Thunderdrop blinked his bl
ack pearl eyes at me and showed me images of the flowering bushes and sheltered stream of the house on Coronis that Grandmother had given us.
“Yes, I miss it, too. Also, I miss Abbie, the Valens, and Papa. However, I’m really curious about where Yukihyo grew up with his family. I’m sorry it’s too cold for you and Cass. I’ll miss you. I love you.”
“Chirp! Chirp!”
Pierce put together the bag containing Neema’s supplies. Lorca fussed over us and made sure we were dressed warmly. Nico carried her bag for me. Then, he raised an eyebrow and said, “Since I’m carrying the bag, Yukihyo should have to change the next one.”
I smiled and nodded in agreement to humor him. We all knew I would be changing the diapers. Simon drove us to Tora.
“Teagan, what you did, trusting Isidora with Neema, I don’t think you realize how much it meant to her or to me. Thank you. After the way she treated you, I didn’t expect you to give her a chance. Most women wouldn’t.”
“Oh, Simon. She loves you. Also, I tend to have low expectations when it comes to how people treat me for some reason.” Simon winced. “Do you want to see where Daddy grew up with Grandmother and your aunts?”
Neema laughed and kicked her feet inside of her coat. She had outgrown her bracelets. I handed her a rattle. Simon parked and closed the ramp. We waited in the transport for the bay to warm up before opening the doors and getting out. I followed Yukihyo into our quarters where he placed Neema in her bed and removed her coat. Nico and Simon put our bags down. Nico helped me out of my coat. I looked through the bags until I found the one I had filled with gifts for Kaoti. I went to the door to go to find him only to see him about to signal for entry.
“Kaoti! I was just coming to find you. These are for you. Come sit down and see.”
Kaoti liked his socks, gloves, and house shoes, but he seemed impressed by the stones board.
“Princess, this is a thoughtful gift. I will pass it on to my children and grandchildren.”
The Parvac Emperor's Daughter (The Space Merchants Book 3) Page 25