Avren: An Auxem Novel

by Lisa Lace

We slept the rest of the night in each other's arms, skin to skin. I had never felt anything like that before.

  We would arrive at Susohn today, and I wondered what kind of reception we would get. I had suggested that he drop us off on Earth, but he would have none of it. He said we had to recover on Susohn because they have healing springs that would help us over our trauma. But I wondered if he thought we could somehow make this work, and that's why he was taking me home. Because he truly did want to be with me.

  What if he did love me? And I wasn't even thinking about how I felt about him. That was a big can of worms I had no desire to open.

  The hot springs sounded good to me. But the thought of facing a planet full of Susohnnan, all with the prejudice that Dar had shown when he had first met me? That made me a little nervous. And so did the thought that he was serious about me and maybe wanted to...marry me?

  I laughed, but I couldn't stop dreaming.

  I couldn't be the queen of an entire fucking planet. And what about the fact that I was human? There were so many roadblocks to us being together that it was ridiculous.

  And yet, I was going to Susohn with him. I must be crazy.

  We dressed when the lights came up in our room. And he gave me a long lingering kiss in the doorway before we went to find Jared. We needed to discuss what would happen when we arrived.

  DAR

  I tried to ignore how beautiful Kenna looked, dressed in a plain, beige dress that draped to her feet and swirled when she walked. Not because I didn't appreciate her beauty, but because I did, and it made me want to take her back to bed again.

  The dress was standard issue, and she had chosen it because I had told her that it was the hot season back home. Usually, she wore pants and shirts, not dresses. Although, come to think of it maybe she wanted to make a good impression.

  I imagined how I would feel if she had been taking me home to meet her mother or father. I immediately felt nervous at the thought, and she didn't even have any parents. I had a mother who just happened to be the former queen. Kenna must be anxious as hell. I would have to try to ease her mind though I didn't see how I was going to do it. My mother is a she-dragon and one of the biggest bitches I've ever known.

  She loves me and treats me pretty well, but there's a reason our world prospered even after my father died. She had to deal with everything on her own.

  She's strong. And decisive. And opinionated. She doesn't hesitate to speak her mind. And she knows how to make things happen. These are all good qualities when you're talking about a leader. Not usually the qualities that make a person a kind mother or friend, though.

  I love my mom, and I don't usually take her sharpness to heart. I know she's lonely sometimes — or maybe even a lot of the time. I rule the planet now, but she can't help telling me how SHE would do it, which can be annoying. But I do listen because she possesses wisdom. And she was right more often than I care to admit.

  I sighed deeply, thinking about the enigma that was my mother. All of that didn't change the fact that she was a scary, scary woman and if Kenna was anxious, she had every right to be. I didn't tell her much about my mother. I was saving us both the stress.

  That was all without taking into consideration my mother's feelings about humans.

  KENNA

  I watched on the viewscreen as we approached Dar's home planet. It was a yellow ball with patches of blue and green.

  He came up behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist, kissing my cheek. I leaned back into him, loving the sense of peace he brought me.

  "It's a sandy planet with lots of deserts. There are only small patches of water and vegetation," he murmured in my ear. "The Susohnnan all live around those green and blue spots because they're the only habitable places on the planet."

  They had a tiny number of Susohnnan, in comparison with the overpopulation of humans on Earth.

  "It looks stunning," I said.

  "Keeping the planet beautiful and healthy is of utmost importance to us."

  It reminded me of Gran and what she had believed. She should have been Susohnnan.

  "I'm a little worried about going into the lion's den," I said. "It's a dangerous animal on Earth. A very long time ago, they would throw people into the lion's den as a punishment and let the lions eat them alive."

  Dar pulled away from me, and I turned. He looked disgusted. Oops. I better watch what I say on this planet.

  "I know. It was horrible," I said quickly, realizing that I had put my foot in it yet again.

  "That's how you are thinking about this?"

  "No. No. It's an expression that means someone feels they're going into a situation where everyone is going to be quite unfriendly, and there may not be a way out."

  "Oh." He looked unsure of himself, which surprised me. Usually, he seemed quite confident. What could make him look like that? "Look, Kenna. I have to tell you the truth. I didn't want to make you more nervous, but I can't let you go into the lion's den unprepared."

  "What are you talking about, Dar?"

  This was definitely making me more nervous.

  "People find her dangerous. She became queen after my father died. And she led the Susohnnan for many years before I became king. Our planet prospered under her rule. She's an excellent leader. She's just not so good at interpersonal relationships."

  "Okay."

  "And you know what I used to think about humans?"

  "Yes," I said, giving him a look.

  "Times that by..."

  I waited as he considered.

  "A hundred."

  My mouth dropped open.

  "You're kidding."

  "Sorry. No. Where do you think I got my beliefs from?" He shook his head.

  "Why are we even doing this, then? Coming here was insane. Just take us home to Earth, Dar."

  I suddenly felt my lips covered by his, and it took my breath away. He kissed me until I forgot who I was and who he was and where we were. When he let me up for air, I stared at him, dazed. He gazed back, his face serious. I could see his chest rising and falling with his uneven breathing. Then he spoke.

  "That's why we're doing this," he said, turning back to the viewscreen.

  I blinked several times. My brain was totally scrambled.

  He glanced sideways at me and noticed that I was still stunned. His face broke into a grin, and he put his arm around me and squeezed, laughing.

  "All right, you big oaf." I said, and I couldn't help smiling too. "You do have a point."

  "I hate to interrupt you lovebirds, but I need you to land this thing, Dar." Jared said, coming up behind us. We both turned. "Hey, Kenna."

  "Hey," I said, smiling.

  "The readings I'm getting on the atmosphere are like nothing I've ever seen. I have landed shuttlecraft before but never in conditions like this. So, I think it would be better if..."

  Dar interrupted him.

  "No problem, Jared. I haven't done it a million times, but I'm trained, and I have landed on my planet before. I'll see you later," he said to me and gave me what was probably supposed to be a fortifying smile. I smiled back and watched the two men walk out of the room.

  Then my smile disappeared.

  I felt oppressed by the sight of the planet, now completely filling the viewscreen, and getting closer and closer. It looked menacing, and I shivered. I understood why Dar wanted to do this. I honestly did. With such strong feelings between us, we couldn't just ignore them. And it seemed silly because I had just met him, but already I didn't know what I would do without him.

  Still...

  I also couldn't see how this could ever work. He had just told me I had about a million strikes against me with his mother. She wasn't the kind, old, queen mother that I had pictured her, and would also be actively against me, trying to save her son from the off-world human slut.

  I cared about Dar and wanted to be with him. And he clearly cared for me and wanted to be with me. But we had this whole thing between us where our cultures despised
each other and his mother would probably hate me on sight before she even got to know me. Even if she did get to know me, I was no charmer of mothers. I couldn't be convincing or winning, or whatever it takes to get your partner's mother to like you.

  I didn't even know why Dar seemed to like me so much. No one had ever paid me much attention before. Gran had loved me, but she was my Gran, she had to love me. I doubted if Dar's mother would even bother to look at me, never mind love me.

  I laughed at the thought.

  It was all so pointless. I continued to stare at the intimidating yellow planet growing ever larger on the viewscreen. No matter how much we cared about each other, we could never overcome the barriers between us.

  The universe doomed our relationship from the start.

  DAR

  I walked into the throne room that had been the Susohnnan royalty's place to greet visitors. I supposed it had also welcomed home prodigal sons for hundreds of years. The room was immense, and once we were through the large double doors, a servant closed them behind us with an ominous thud.

  There was a long yellow carpet that lead up to two thrones set upon a dais. Kenna stood on one side of me and Jared on the other. I didn't look at either of them as I began the long walk to my mother, seated on the left throne. She wore a long traditional yellow Susohnnan dress. She had pulled her black hair back and tucked it away underneath her crown.

  She looked terrifying to me, and I knew and loved her. I couldn't imagine how the others were feeling. I glanced at Kenna, and she looked back at me, eyes wide. She looked completely out of her depth. I wanted to give her a smile, but I couldn't.

  I didn't spare a glance at the numerous courtiers who were milling about in the open area on either side of the carpet. They had probably heard that we'd landed and had come to get the first bits of juicy gossip. The vultures.

  When we arrived before my mother, I made the sign of The Three, and the others did too, as I had shown them — making a triangle with their hands and touching it to their foreheads.

  Jared and I, then, dropped to one knee and touched our foreheads to the bent knee in a Susohnnan bow. Kenna made a Susohnnan curtsy, which she managed quite nicely, from what I could see out of the corner of my eye. It involved sweeping the skirt of her dress back and forth three times and then swirling in a circle to the floor until she was sitting.

  When we completed our bow, she was getting up as gracefully as any Susohnnan female and gave my mother a tentative smile.

  My mother didn't return it.

  "Hello Mother," I said, going up to the dais and kissing her on the cheek. She did smile then.

  "Darvish, what's this you've brought with you? And how did the negotiations go?"

  I gave her a look and stepped back down into line with Kenna and Jared. She did not overlook this gesture of solidarity and looked more sharply at my companions.

  "The negotiations were terrible as you predicted, and I'm sure you're already aware. The terrorists did not arrive for the negotiations. The humans came earlier than expected. They trapped us on the planet and then bombed us. We barely escaped with our lives. These are my friends." I glanced at Kenna, but she didn't react to my use of her word.

  My mother examined her more shrewdly, looking back at me with a mildly displeased look on her face.

  "They helped me escape and saved my life more than once. This is Kenna DeAndrea," I gestured at Kenna.

  "Hello," Kenna said.

  "...and Jared McKinnley."

  "Nice to meet you," Jared said, giving a curt nod.

  My mother nodded politely at each of them.

  "I haven't heard those names before. So I am assuming that you are not Susohnnan. Which descendants of the Great Race are you?" My mother looked deceptively innocent when she said this, but I had a feeling she already knew who they were. Her spies were everywhere and had probably told her the whole story.

  Kenna glanced at me and drew herself up.

  "Human," she said meeting my mother's eyes directly with what could only be called a look of defiance. I felt my face light up at this display of courage. The room went silent.

  My mother's only reaction was a tiny tightening of her lips.

  "Ah," she said, with no expression on her face. Then I watched her turn on the charm and charisma that had made her such a great leader for so long. She smiled, and her beauty showed through her age. For a moment, part of what had enchanted my father shone through her tough exterior. "I am very grateful for your valiant efforts on my son's behalf. We will provide you with whatever provisions you wish and safe passage anywhere in the galaxy as a token of our appreciation."

  She gave Kenna and Jared her benevolent monarch look, not meeting my eye.

  "Mother, I have invited my friends to stay here at the palace to recover from our ordeal. It is customary," I said, playing on her sense of tradition. There was murmuring among the courtiers. "I will be taking them to the healing springs."

  "Very well, Darvish, I would not want you to have to break your word. And, of course, the offer for provisions and safe passage still stands, once you have recuperated," she said to the humans.

  I narrowed my eyes at her, but she ignored me, lifting her voice and addressing the people who stood in groups of five or six, here and there throughout the room.

  "Court is adjourned for the day. Thank you all for coming out to welcome the king home." Then she turned her glance to me. "Darvish, will you join me for tea once you've got your guests settled?"

  "Certainly, mother," I said respectfully, knowing that it had been an order, not a request.

  "That went well," Jared commented as we made our way towards the guest wing of the palace. His voice dripped sarcasm.

  "I think I'm going to throw up," Kenna said, holding her stomach. She did look a little green.

  "Are you serious?" I said, looking for an urn or something.

  ""Kind of," she said, sighing. "Your mother is a dragon." At my look of confusion, she explained. "A fierce mythical beast that breathes fire. No offense."

  She gave me an apologetic look.

  "None taken. I could have told you that, but I didn't want you to be any more worried than you already were."

  "Does your mother know you're sleeping with a human?" Jared said, apparently enjoying the conflict, seeing as it wasn't his.

  "Shh," I said, looking around. "She doesn't. But she has spies everywhere, and I don't want her to find out through them." A thought occurred to me. "How do you know I'm sleeping with a human?"

  He had the decency to look a bit embarrassed.

  "You guys aren't exactly quiet. That was an awfully small shuttle craft."

  Kenna turned beet red and put her hand to her face.

  "Oh geez," she said, and he laughed out loud.

  I would have been offended but to see him smile was great. He had been quiet and quite depressed since we left the space station. I was taking any signs of life as a positive. Live had put Jared in an awful situation. Both Kenna and I were hoping that he'd be able to move on from it.

  We walked up a flight of stairs and arrived at their rooms.

  "This is the guest wing. Here's your room, Jared. And Kenna, yours is across the hall. You will find an en-suite bathroom where you can get cleaned up. The servants should have already stocked your drawers with Susohnnan clothing in your size. I have to go for tea with my mother now. Wish me luck."

  "Good luck," Kenna said. She stood up to give me a peck on the cheek. Her eyes were sympathetic.

  I sighed. The interview at court had been mild compared with what getting chewed out by her in private was going to be like. I wasn't looking forward to this.

  "I'll see you both at supper tonight, okay?" I said, looking from one to the other.

  "Sure, man," Jared said, clapping me on the shoulder. "If you make it out of this tea alive."

  I grinned.

  "Sounds good," Kenna said. And I could tell she would rather not be left alone but she knew that I had to do t
his. I hoped we would be able to spend some time together once I convinced my mother that them being here was a good idea.

  Could I possibly convince her?

  "But mother, you don't understand."

  "I know that you have brought humans to our home, and I don't like it. You know that they are inferior and violent. What would possess you to bring them here? You could have dropped them on Earth as you went past."

  "I couldn't, mother, because they are my friends. I was following protocol." But she was having none of my excuses.

  "You're not making sense. There are no protocols that say to bring humans to our planet."

  "No, but there are some that say when people have done a great service to others, they are to be treated with respect and honored in the home as if they were one of the family. I want to take them to the healing springs."

  "That's people who have done us a great service, not humans. And there is also a statute that dictates that a Susohnnan king may not associate with members of an inferior species."

  "What?" I said, looking at her like she was crazy. I had never heard of such a law.

  "Look it up. You had an ancestor who thought she could take up with a Neeran. Her father thought otherwise. He outlawed her behavior and made sure none of the royals would ever make the same mistake again. She and her Neeran partner were separated. It states very clearly that Susohnnan royalty may not consort with the descendants of The Great Race that have regressed. And humans, as you well know, are one of the descendants that have regressed quite horribly. Look at those awful terrorists. They nearly killed you."

  I just stared at her, not saying anything. I didn't know what to say.

  "The law is quite clear. Investigate it for yourself if you would like," she said, picking up her teacup and taking a tiny sip. She was oozing satisfaction and victory.

  I tried not to show how horrified I was. She was a lawyer, and she would not lie to me, so there must be such a statute.

  Our situation was more dire than I had thought.

  "Mother..."

  She interrupted me before I could say anything.

  "So, what is your relationship with this...female?" Her nose twitched in disgust as she said the word.

  I felt anger rising inside of me.