Sloane

by D. A. Stafford

  Everyone scrambled outside to greet the royal family. Everyone was nervous, including herself. What if the queen didn’t like the progress they’d made? What if they threw Cloray in prison for his crime? What if Lian and Lyon decided they were done with her and want to leave? She wouldn’t blame them. She couldn’t give them what they wanted . . . or needed . . . which were children.

  Putting the thought away, she went outside with Cloray to greet everyone. The boys were all smiles this time as the queen descended the platform with her guards and the kings at each of her sides. Next were Looch, Leigh, Jessie, Marie, Gade, and Aryn, with a smattering of guards.

  She noticed they were all dressed very casually. Queen Maya’s hair was pulled back into a bun and she had on shorts and what looked like one of Jessie’s t-shirts. Cloray came forward and bowed. “Queen Maya, it’s a pleasure to see you and the royal family again. The children and I are so excited for your visit.”

  Cloray raised back up to his full height, awaiting the queen’s greeting, but she said nothing. Her eyes just bore into his. Her stare withered him to one knee and his head bowed in supplication. “Your highness, I . . .” Cloray’s speech drifted off.

  The queen finally made her way to Cloray. She took his head in both hands and kissed the top of it. She then whispered something only he could hear into his ear. Sloane watched Cloray’s body visibly relax.

  Queen Maya turned her attention to her. “Sloane, please come forward.” Sloane hurried to the queen’s side and bowed. “Rise, child, and please tell me about these precious children and what you’ve been up to for the last two weeks.”

  “Well, we’ve spent most of the two weeks getting to know each other, but the children have made the royal family many pictures and crafts. As Cloray said, they were all so excited for you to come today.”

  The queen surveyed the children’s smiling faces and finally declared, “Let us go inside and see your accomplishments.”

  The boys parted, so the queen and kings could lead the way. Looch, Leigh, Jessie, Gade, Aryn, and Marie were close behind them. The younger children got over their shyness and grabbed on to the queen’s hands, along with everyone else’s hands they could.

  Sloane could tell Gade and Aryn weren’t wild about any male holding Marie’s hand, but relaxed a bit when one of the younger boys tapped their leg. When they looked down, the child reached his hands up to be picked up. The brothers looked up at each other, gave a forced smile to one another, then Aryn picked the child up. In fact, the two men picked up four boys each and had them dangling from each arm and their backs. It was a sight to see.

  Finally, Lian and Lyon ushered the remaining boys inside, leaving Sloane and Cloray, who was still frozen in place on one knee, outside. She came up to him, placing a hand on his shoulder. “Are you all right Cloray?” His head came up to look at her, but he looked to be in shock. “Cloray?” she asked again.

  A small smile creased his lips. “Yes, Sloane, I’m more than all right. I’m elated.”

  “That’s great, Cloray. Is it something Queen Maya said?”

  Cloray came off his knee, grabbed her up in a hug, and swung her around. “The queen is very pleased with my service. She’s not only going to try to find my brothers, but it’s her request that I attend all choosings. I’ll be her personal guest at each choosing, until my mate is found. She said I’ve given my life in servitude for the children and she’ll repay me in kind.”

  “I’m so happy for you, Cloray. You deserve the recognition. You’re a special person to take care of these boys. Being a mother, father, teacher, and protector can’t be easy. The Goddess handpicked you to fulfill this role for those children and she couldn’t have picked a better person.”

  “Thank you for your kind words, Sloane. Come, let’s catch up with the rest of them.”

  Once inside, Cloray split off from her to attend to something in the kitchen. Sloane continued to the activities room to find that the queen had a younger boy propped on her hip, looking at some pictures the boys had drawn. The kings looked relaxed as they were being shown the crafts the boys had made for them. Jessie watched as Looch and Leigh played with the older boys a board game she didn’t quite understand yet.

  Marie was with the queen, looking at the pictures. The boys would gently tug on her hand to show her the specific picture they’d drawn. Gade and Aryn kept a close eye on Marie as the boys crawled over them like a jungle gym.

  Sloane settled in with Jessie and conversed about her pregnancy, her husbands, and life in general. Jessie truly deserved all the happiness this world had to offer and, from the looks of it, she was bursting with it and had some to spare.

  After a while, Lian and Lyon entered the room with Moloky and his brothers, Zeen and Dea. Lyon spoke first. “Your highness, if I may have your attention?”

  Everyone stopped what they were doing and looked at the five males. The queen responded, “Of course, Lyon. What can we help you with?”

  Moloky looked to Lian and Lyon for confirmation and they nodded. Sloane could see Moloky swallow and take a deep breath, bolstering his confidence. On the exhale, he blurted out, “I would like a position at the palace.”

  King Raiden quirked his eyebrow. “As what, young man?”

  Sloane watched as Moloky looked back at Lian and Lyon again for guidance, but the men stood stock still with their eyes forward. Moloky turned back, gathered his courage, and said, “A chef, your highness. I also need my brothers to come with me as well.”

  King Raiden scoffed a little, making Moloky’s confidence wane. “Young man, the palace is a place of great importance. We meet with dignitaries from other worlds. We can’t just bring you to the palace without knowing your skills.”

  Moloky looked disappointed until King Taavi winked at him. “Yes sir, I’ve many things prepared for you and the royal family to try today. You’ll see they showcase my abilities.” With that, he waved his hand toward the dining area.

  With the help of her husbands, Jessie ushered the rest of the children outside to a makeshift stage where Marie was poised, ready to dance. Marie didn’t have on a fancy costume like she did at Jessie’s wedding reception, but she still looked whimsical. The boys quickly took their seats on the ground, fascinated by Marie and her toe shoes. Music started to filter throughout the backyard. Marie didn’t miss a second of the music and started dancing. Sloane recognized the piece. It was Moonlight Sonata by Beethoven.

  Arenians obviously had found a way to duplicate Earth music. Maybe they found a way to charge Earth electronics, so they could listen to downloaded songs. Whatever it was, she was happy with the outcome. It made the whole scenario feel like a community theater for underprivileged children. When Marie was done dancing, the boys clapped and asked her questions about her funny shoes. When they were done asking questions, Marie sat next to them.

  Gade and Aryn stood and politely asked the boys to spread out in lines, from shortest in front to tallest in back. Sloane watched as the boys complied with the men’s wishes. Gade started talking about the history which had devastated their female population. He went on to explain how the Goddess had punished Arenian men for their slovenly ways. Gade and Aryn both turned their attention toward Marie. “Each and every female is a gift from the Goddess herself. They’re beautiful, delicate, and fierce in their own way. It’s an honor the Goddess has blessed us with such intricate creatures to be our mates.”

  Sloane watched Marie stare doe eyed at the two men. Jessie cleared her throat as all eyes were going back and forth between Marie, Gade, and Aryn. The two brothers weren’t deterred by Jessie’s interruption because they continued to stare at Marie in silence. Sloane smirked as Marie snapped her head to Jessie then down at her hands clasped in her lap, embarrassment evident on her red cheeks.

  Gade invited the princes up to the stage to join. All four men stripped off their shirts. “Wow” was all Sloane could think of. It’s not like she was interested in them, but she could appreciate the male form as much as
the next woman. She’d yet to see an Arenian male with a beer belly. Even elderly Arenian males were in shape. They didn’t carry their youthful bulk of muscles any longer, but morphed into a leaner athletic build.

  The four men in front of her and the smattering of guards who helped with the exercise had broad chests and glistening muscles on tight bronzed skin, running down to narrow waists. She could tell Marie was trying not to look but was also appreciating the male form. Aryn instructed the children to follow their movements and join in. It wasn’t until the men started to maneuver in what Sloane would consider to be something close to tai chi, that she noticed Marie’s gaze fixating on Gade and Aryn.

  Sloane watched as the men moved in slow, fluid steps. Their muscles flexed and rippled as they continued with their choreographed dance, and that’s what it was—an artful dance of battle. She was mesmerized by the sight. They continued the same movements over and over again until all the children were practicing the dance with them.

  When they were done with the exercise, they broke off into groups based on their size and age. With the help of the princes and guards, they taught the boys some fighting techniques they could use immediately. The boys seemed to gobble up the information like candy. She could tell they were excited about the prospect of protecting a female. It was like they were bred for it.

  When they were done with the fighting techniques, they again formed into their lines. Gade explained they were to follow along, and when they understood the mechanics of this exercise, they’d repeat it with them. With that, Gade let out a bellowing war cry that made the women jump. The other men didn’t miss a beat and answered with equal ferocity as they too wailed their war cries.

  Sloane noticed this time that the men’s movements were forceful and jerky. Along with their chuffs, grunts, and roars, they occasionally slapped their chests or thighs to create a rhythm to their movements. It was a very animalistic and primal feeling. The boys followed suit as they did with the other exercises.

  When some of the boys were too shy to roar, the men would come in line with them and do the movements in front of them, roaring loudly and waiting for the boys’ roar in answer. The boys were eager to please anyone, so they’d roar loudly to the man in front of them. The men were never rude or disrespectful to the children. They were all so patient and careful as they could be, given the nature of what they were teaching.

  When they finished and were dismissed, Coyak came running up to her. “Did you see? Did you see? I’m a warrior now,” he said with pride.

  “You certainly are, but can you make sure you don’t tackle any orax until you’re at least the age of majority?”

  Coyak smiled. “Of course, fara.”

  Chapter 14

  The queen and kings weren’t done talking with Moloky and sampling his food, leaving Cloray, Lian, and Lyon to attend to them. The guards, Looch, Leigh, Gade, and Aryn entertained the boys while, she, Jessie, and Marie slipped away to a sitting room, so they were able to speak freely.

  Sloane started the conversation with, “Marie, how are things going with you, Gade, and Aryn?”

  Marie’s cheeks flushed crimson. “There’s nothing to tell. I’m not interested in men.” Looking down at her hands, she whispered, “Especially after what happened on Earth.”

  She and Jessie both patted her forearms. “I didn’t mean to bring up a sore subject. I never want to cause you pain and I’m positive Gade and Aryn would never hurt you either. You just have to give them a chance.”

  Jessie waved a hello to her. “That’s like the pilot calling the stoner ‘high’. What about you, Lian, and Lyon?”

  Chuckling, she said, “It’s different. It’s not like I don’t like them, it’s just that they’re trying to repopulate their world. I can’t even give them one child, let alone several.”

  Jessie scrunched her eyebrows together. “Sloane Sullivan, don’t give me that cock and bullshit story. The Earth women coming here to Arenia aren’t all in child-bearing years. Some who are old may just find companionship. The younger girls will stay with their mothers if possible and be protected until they can decide for themselves what they want. Everyone’s situation is different. For goodness’ sake, I was a virgin until I met Looch and Leigh. Do you think in a million years I thought, ‘I’m going to lose my virginity to an alien’? No. I didn’t.” Jessie took a long breath and continued. “I just know, those two men would do anything for you . . . anything.”

  “Oh, Jessie, I think I blew it. Their mother and fathers came here the same day we spoke, and I guess their super-scent abilities—or whatever you call them—implied I wasn’t interested in a bond with Lian and Lyon. I really like them, Jessie, but I can’t give them everything they want or need. I . . .”

  Jessie held up her hand to halt her speech. “What do they want?”

  “Huh?”

  “Have you even asked them if they want children?” Jessie asked with a quirked eyebrow.

  Sloane was about to argue with her friend when she realized she’d never asked them. “Well . . . I’m sure they’d . . . want . . . children. Right?”

  Jessie leaned close and patted her knee. “Since you don’t seem sure, I’m going to assume you haven’t asked. You need to talk with them.”

  Sighing, she agreed, “You’re right. I guess my other issue is I’ve made a mess of things with their parents. How do I even start to repair that? You know I grew up in that type of environment and their rudeness is something I won’t tolerate. I don’t want Lian and Lyon to become referees every time we all do something together. It’s not fair to them or me.”

  “I won’t pretend to know what it was like to grow up with parents like yours. I know you’ve told me several stories of your parent’s cruelty and my heart hurts for you, but the only thing I can say is that you’ll never know until you try.”

  Sloane nodded. There wasn’t much she could say. She made the mess and she’d need to fix it.

  Jessie started to bounce a little in her seat. “Oh! I know! This is one of the things I wanted to talk to you about. The queen and I have been talking for the last two weeks about not just this orphanage but all the orphanages. With the influx of so many Earth females, it’s been a financial strain on the crown. They’re having a difficult time finding extra funds to help support these boys, when they have and still are transporting over two million Earth females back here to Arenia.” If possible, Jessie’s eyes brightened even more. “I suggested we do fundraisers at some willing, prominent houses. I just know if the queen asked Uri to host such an event, she wouldn’t refuse no matter what Queen Maya asked. It would boost Uri’s status in the community and it would get you close enough to talk with her.”

  She was a little perplexed. “I don’t understand. How would a fundraiser get me close to Lian and Lyon’s family?”

  By the way Jessie looked like she swallowed a canary whole, Sloane knew she wasn’t going to like what was coming. “You see, Sloane. We all do our part to help these boys. The princes explain the day-to-day operations and overall welfare of each orphan, I advise the queen as to my thoughts,” waving her hand to Marie, she continued, “Marie came today to help, as did Gade and Aryn . . .”

  “Jessie! Get on with it. You’re freaking me out,” Sloane said, exasperated.

  Taking a deep breath and squaring her shoulders, she finally blurted, “You’ll need to attend all fundraisers and rub elbows with these people to see if you can convince them to donate more money.”

  “No way! I’ve spent my whole life staying away from people like that. Why would I want to . . .”

  “The children,” Marie finally spoke.

  Both women looked at Marie in query. After several long moments, Sloane took a deep, cleansing breath and said, “You’re right. I’ll do it.”

  Marie and Jessie beamed smiles at her. “Great! I’ll let Maya know, and we’ll get something started. It won’t take long to organize. I would say a week or two at the most.”

  “What about Zar
a, Riley, and Teagan? Are they going to help?”

  Marie spoke this time. “Riley is preparing to go back to Earth to harvest as many plants she feels will be best for crossbreeding here on Arenia. Zara went back with her uncle to his farm. Now that she has choices, she wanted to figure out what she wanted to do with her life, before she did anything else.” Marie dropped her head down to her lap. “Teagan went with her. Zara’s uncle, Taka, assured her she’d have her own cabin. I think she felt like a third wheel at the palace, so she decided to go with Zara and help at the farm. I’m sorry you didn’t get to tell her goodbye, but it all happened so fast. Honestly, it was the happiest I’ve seen her, if you know what I mean.”

  She did know what Marie meant. “It’s okay, I said my goodbyes when I came here. I had a feeling I wouldn’t be back.” Sloane huffed a breath. “I’m happy for all of them, but is it safe for Riley to go back home? What about Earth men? Isn’t it risky?”

  Sloane noticed Jessie square her shoulders and a determined mask carefully slipped into place. “I’m not going to sugarcoat it. Most Earth men are shot on sight.”

  She flinched at Jessie’s declaration. “You can’t do that. That’s genocide.”

  Sloane watched her friend’s pain-filled eyes as she explained, “Most are so ravenous with MEDS, it’s a mercy killing. I’ve watched a couple of videos of what the Arenian warriors are facing, and it’s not something I want to watch again, nor would I like for others to see. It’s very disturbing.” Sighing and trying to put a smile on her face, Jessie continued, “The good news is, the warriors think they’ve secured the remaining Earth women they can find. The women are awaiting transport. Some warriors are going back across the planet and doing a more thorough search for anyone they missed . . . male or female.”

  All Sloane could do was nod. What else was there to say? On some level, she knew life on Earth ceased the moment the men got sick with MEDS. It was like finally realizing she wasn’t going to be able to have children. It wasn’t the same when the doctor told her she was going to have her entire reproductive system taken out as it was when she was lying in the recovery room, knowing she wasn’t able to have children any longer.