Authors: April Zyon
“
Good. I will ask him. We can
still go to see his family for at least a day so that they will be able to get
love from him but then we will stay at our apartment. I want to be close to
where you are. I need to be close to you,” she said once she had settled onto
the bed at his side.
Adira
wrapped her arms around
him and closed her eyes.
He started to stroke her hair
gently, running his fingers through it with care. “I’ll be at ease knowing you
are safe with him. I think you’ll find his family to be interesting. They can
be a little overwhelming at times, but you’ll like his mother, for sure. She’s
definitely the one who runs that family.”
“
I look forward to meeting them
all.”
Adira
rubbed her cheek to his chest and sighed.
His touch was so soothing. She didn’t know how she was going to sleep without
him doing this, but she had a feeling she wouldn’t sleep without him there with
her anyway. “I will be there for all of it, Fin. Your beating and when they
take you. I will stand witness to the blood you lose in my name. Please don’t
ask me not to.”
“
I wouldn’t ask you to not be
there since I know it would do no good,” he said. “Promise me not to do
anything, though, no matter what is said, or done. Remember to act like this is
an everyday occurrence. Chin held high, and lips sealed. You can rage about it
all you want behind the closed doors of our home, but nothing can be said out
in public.”
“
I understand. I will be the wife
that you deserve in life, Fin. I will make you proud,” she assured him and
prayed to all of the ancestors and universe that she would be able to keep her
word to her husband.
“
You already do,
Adira
. Don’t think that you do not. You are everything I
could ever want for the woman who is my other half. I know this will be hard
for you, and I am sorry. This is not the welcome to
Craegin
that I would have chosen for you.” She felt him press a kiss to her forehead as
he hugged her close to his side.
“
It is, however, the one that the
universe dealt us. I will survive. Once you have healed after what you have to
endure, what you must, then you can give me the welcome to
Craegin
that I do deserve. You can show me your home world. I look forward to seeing it
at your side.”
“
I look forward to showing it all
to you.” Shifting around,
Fintan
moved so they were
face to face. After pulling up the blankets around them, he wrapped her in his
arms once more. “There is a spot about three
days
journey from the capital that we will go to see. It’s one of my favorites.
We’ll spend the day there, and there won’t be another soul around. It’s very
private, and very peaceful. I think you will enjoy it greatly.”
“
Having
you all to myself without another being for miles around? I look forward to
it.” She touched her fingers to his lips, stroking them lightly as she did so.
“I’ve even been learning much of your languages as well. I’m trying to do all
that I can in order to fit in as a new member of the
Craegin
people.”
“
You fit in well already,
Adira
. Don’t let anyone say otherwise. Not that they could
anyway, but don’t you let them get away with it. I should also mention that
while I’m not around, Bracken is acting in my place. Only in regards to when
you wish to go out into public, nothing else, so no going and getting ideas.
Listen to him for me, please. He won’t guide you wrong,
Adira
.
Can you do that for me?”
She laughed and nodded. “I can do
that. I can also assure you that while I adore Bracken and think of him as a
brother, I do not see him in any way that closely resembles what we share in
our bedroom. He’s a handsome man, but he’s not you.”
“
You needn’t even notice if he is
handsome or not,
Adira
.” He frowned at her and tapped
the end of her nose. “You are messing with me again, aren’t you?
For shame on you, little wife.
That is all right, I’ll
remember this for later.” Sliding his arm around her waist, he drew her in
closer to rest his cheek against hers.
“
I certainly hope that you will
remember this later,” she said with a smile. “You can think about that while
you are in isolation. During that time think of me and what we will be
together. Ensure that you never feel down, please?”
“
If ever I feel down I’ll think of
you, and only you. I’ll think of everything that we’ve done together, and of
everything we’ll do together. I have quite a list to contemplate while I’m
waiting to get back to you. Make sure you are taking your vitamins, eating
right, and getting as much rest as you can. I won’t be up to it right away
obviously, but you’d better be ready for when I’m healed.”
“
I will be,” she promised. “I will
even tell Bracken that he needs to ensure that I eat well otherwise I will
forget.” She would be too worried about
Fintan
. “We
will get through this and then we will have our life together. You will have your
ship
back,
we will travel the stars together, and come
home when we need a break. We will have our happiness. I demand it.”
She was pretty sure she felt him
laugh at her words. “Yes, little wife,” he agreed. “I think we can manage that,
since you demand it. That reminds me, Bracken never did tell me who had my
destroyer. I think he’s been avoiding telling me.”
“
I thought you knew?” She pulled
back and looked up at him with a frown. “Your first-in-command refused the
position, saying you would be back. The ship is still yours. At least that’s
what I heard in the dining hall when I was there with Bracken a few days
earlier.”
“
No, I didn’t know. That bugger
Bracken has refused to tell me anything. I should have known. He couldn’t meet
my eyes any time I asked about it. Remind me to deal with him later when I have
the time and inclination to do so, would you please.”
“
Oh, that’s priceless,” she said
with a grin. “Well, at least you know now. You also know that your ship has
been in very good hands. At least I’m assuming so, right?” She wasn’t certain
how it worked with the
Craegin
, but to be a first
officer you had to have the respect of the captain and the training to back it
up.
“
You would be correct. He’s a good
man, well trained, and I’m actually shocked he didn’t accept the position. He
should have. I’d have wanted him to take it had I known about it. He’s more
than earned it over the years. While I’m deeply grateful he didn’t, since I
really wouldn’t have appreciated breaking in a new crew, I am a little surprised.
I may need to give him some additional time off to spend with his family, I
think.”
“
Perhaps you can have him come to
the home world, send a message to him now so that when he arrives he will be in
orbit and able to see his family while you go through what you must and then
heal after. This will give your entire crew a chance for a time home, and
your
orbiting stations a chance to ensure that your ship is
fully outfitted with everything that it might need. Take care of any faults,
damage, or missing supplies and so on?”
Fintan
drew back to look at her. He
cocked a brow, and a small smile curled his lips up. “You are quite the smart
one, aren’t you? I do like how you think. I’ll have Bracken relay a message
I’ll prepare when we are going down to the planet. It’s a twenty-minute ride
down.
Plenty of time to prepare a message for him to send
off.”
“
I need to tell you something.”
She pulled back so that she could look at him, watching him.
“On
why I thought of this.
Please understand that I didn’t think about this
until this moment.” She hoped that he didn’t pull back from her, prayed that he
would understand.
“
My brother, I don’t think about
this because to be honest he’s my brother and I don’t think about titles.” She
gulped a huge breath of air and confessed her darkest secret to him. “He’s a
Fleet admiral for the
Imarian
people. Petr van
Jahnsen
. I used our mother’s maiden name, Lora, in order to
keep me safe from those that would look to exploit him.” Her confession weighed
heavily on her and she literally shook with worry that he would turn from her.
But he had to know who her brother was. He needed the full truth of herself
before they landed on his world so that he wasn’t held accountable for her
brother’s actions as well. That’s why she brought up her older brother, the
only other man she cared about in her life. She knew that Fin was already going
to have to go through a great deal of trouble and grief from his superiors
because she was
Imarian
.
“
I know,” he said softly. She
could only stare at him. “
Adira
, you have a number of
the same mannerisms as he does and your resemblance to him is strong. He and I
have crossed paths on more than one occasion. I’ve studied him and his life
rather extensively.
Mainly to figure out a way to best him
during our confrontations.
He’s the one and only
Imarian
I’ve ever pulled back from during a battle. He thinks a little too much as I
do, so it’s very counterproductive in battle. I noticed a few things early on
in the crawler during our travels. Once we got onto Bracken’s destroyer I went
digging back through the archives of battle footage for the communication logs
and found a number of discussions I’ve held with him. None of which you will
ever see, mainly because they are not a very good reflection of who I am. I’ve
only been waiting for you to share with me. Thank you for sharing, by the way.”
“
You knew?” She let out the breath
she was holding and moved back into his arms. Sighing, she shook her head. “I
was worried about telling you,” she admitted and hugged him all the tighter. “I
hope that you are the only one who makes the connection. I love my brother, but
I love you more and I don’t want to make this a war for you to keep me safe.”
Because no matter what he went through she had a feeling that his people, much
like
hers, would do whatever they could to gain such a
valuable pawn in this war.
“
No one else will ever notice,” he
told her. “You never do any of the little giveaway movements in public, only
when we are alone. It’s when you are the most expressive, after all. The only
thing that might give you away would be the strong resemblance you have to him
in your eyes and nose as well as cheeks. Plus I’m one of the few
Craegin
commanders to actually have had numerous encounters
with him, and lived to tell the tale. And really it was the mannerisms that you
both shared that had me digging in and verifying what I assumed.”
“
I know
,
that’s why I would be so valuable to your people.” Her brother had been
responsible for far more than one ship being destroyed. She hated to admit
that, even to herself, but she knew it was the truth. “I am that expressive
with you in our quarters because of how free you allow me to be in those
moments. I can simply be me when I’m with you. Not the medical officer I was
raised to be, not the sister to one of the most powerful men on our worlds, but
me.
Adira
Daykin.”
“
Hear me on this,
Adira
. I won’t allow anyone to know who you are related to.
It will remain between you and
I
alone. Not even
Bracken will know if you don’t wish him to. That is your decision alone to
make.” He gave her a kiss and a gentle squeeze. “You are mine, and I will
protect you always. Now no more worries about your family for tonight. This is
our time,
Adira
.”
“
Thank you. I agree
,
no more talk about that.” She didn’t know if she would
tell Bracken or not. Not because she didn’t trust him, but because she didn’t
want him to have to keep that secret from his superiors. “We don’t have much
time left, do we?”
“
No, not long at all,” he said
quietly.
“An hour, maybe a little more.”
Fintan
drew her in closer, burying one hand in her hair,
the other moving to rest at her back. “I just want to hold you for a time, and
feel you close to me. I’m going to be without this for six very long days. Not
something I’m very happy about, I should mention.”
“
A very long six days,” she said
with a frown. “And then recovery time as well.” She hugged him once more and
nodded. “No more talking, just holding each other.”
Chapter Twelve
The lashing that she had seen
Fintan
take nearly killed her. It took every ounce of her
control to keep from screaming and lashing out against the ones wielding the
whip against her husband. Once the whipping was over she realized that Bracken
had taken her arm in his hand to ensure that she didn’t move.
“
Thank you,” she said with a deep
breath and allowed Bracken to take her from the courtyard where
Fintan’s
very public whipping had taken place. She was a
hot mess and she knew it. She was only a moment from losing her composure and
only Bracken holding on to her kept her from falling apart.
Once they were alone inside of
her apartment that she shared with
Fintan
, she turned
and began to sob against Bracken’s chest.
“
He’ll be fine,” Bracken said. He
was patting her back, but it was definitely a little awkward. “I know it
doesn’t look like it right now, but he’s strong,
Adira
.
He survived in that laboratory for three months breathing the air there. Even
if they had adjusted it slightly, it still wasn’t what we have here on
Craegin
and would have done damage to him. Beyond that, he
survived all the torture he was put through. This was minor in comparison to
that. I know that’s small comfort at the moment, but you need to keep it in
mind.”
“
I hate to see him hurting and he
is right now. I should be with him. I should be caring for him.” As a doctor,
she understood everything that could possibly come of the lashing. She
understood the infections that he could get since he wasn’t to receive any sort
of treatment at all.
“My poor
Craegin
commander.”
She wiped at her tears and cried all the more, all over
again.
“
He’s actually a general,” he said
softly. Taking her arm, Bracken led her toward the large sofa dominating the
space before the wall of windows.
This
was the first time in
Fintan’s
home and she finally
looked around. The place was very clean and modern, the lines crisp with steep
and glass with bits of chrome metals here and there as well. She wondered idly
how many bedrooms were in the home, but just let that thought travel out of her
mind when she thought of Fin in the box where he was now. Once he had her
sitting, he collected
her a
glass of water and a box
of disposable tissues. Sitting next to her, he let out a breath. “We have six
days to get through,
Adira
. I know it’s not going to
be easy for you, especially the nights, but I’m here to help as much as I can.
We can sit up and talk, watch the vids, or I can teach you some back room card
games that
Fintan
really wouldn’t approve of.”
She nodded while inside she was
dying a bit, but she tried to force herself to come together. She needed to be
strong for her husband. If he could take the punishments that were doled out
upon him without even a sound of complaint, then she could be strong and get
through the next five nights and six days. She could do this. She had to do
this. “Thank you. I would like that.
All of it.
I have
a feeling you will need a vacation from me once this is over and I have Fin
back with me once more.”
“
I might even want to hole up with
my family for more than a few hours at the time. I seriously doubt it, though.
They are more likely to drive me to insanity than you are. The first thing we
should do is get your mind off of everything for a time. I thought we’d remain
here for the night, and then go visit my family tomorrow. The women will want
to take you shopping as soon as they find out you’ve arrived on our world
without much of a wardrobe. I will apologize for that now, but they won’t take
no for an answer so I’m not even going to make a token protest.”
“
As long as they understand that whatever
clothing we purchase needs to be fitting for
Fintan’s
station, then I’m good with it.” She smiled and added, “Especially if we are
able to find anymore gowns like the wedding gown that you dug up for me. Fin
was very appreciative of that, I have to tell you.”
“
Yes, he let me know how
appreciative he was. Then he punched me for the backside of it. I’ll ensure
they know the restrictions he has on your wardrobe. I really don’t like having
to go into the training rooms with him. He hits really hard.”
She had to grin through her
tears; thinking about her far too sweet husband did that for her. “He’s
amazing. I love that man.” She had told
Fintan
, but
she didn’t think any other knew. “He is rather particular on who gets to see me
so scantily clad. While I understand that the gown was actually modest to some
of your people’s gowns, he didn’t appreciate it one bit. I think that with him
as my husband we will usher in a new fad in clothing.”
“
It was very modest, actually. But
he’s your husband and has a right to determine how much of you
is
seen by others. Not that he was complaining about the
dress, just the fact that I didn’t warn him about what all it revealed before
he got to see it. I may have held my tongue on that part. It was well worth it
for the look on his face, I should mention. And I never once heard you
complaining about what came of you wearing that dress. Are you going to tell me
now that you are complaining about the results of having worn that for your
wedding?”
“
If I recall I thanked you, many
times, for the dress.” She had loved the dress. She had loved how sexy she had
felt in the dress, but more than that, she loved the way it made
Fintan
react. She might have a very wide naughty streak in
her when it came to her man.
“
That you did. I made sure it made
its way into your bags to come here. It should be in your closet, actually, if
you’re ever of a mind to wear it again for
Fintan
.”
He looked to her and gave her hand a squeeze. “I’m going to warm something for
our meal. I’ll keep it light since I know you likely don’t feel like eating,
but you know you have to. Why don’t you go check out the rest of this place,
wash your face, and then we can eat?”
“
Thank you,” she said once more as
she rose.
“Something very light.
My stomach is in
knots right now and I don’t think I could eat anything too heavy.” She leaned
down and kissed Bracken on his cheek.
“For everything, thank
you, brother of my heart.”
She gave his shoulder a squeeze and walked
away so that she could learn her new home.
“
You are welcome, sister of my
heart. I should mention
,
I like you a hell of a lot
more than my actual sisters. You’re so much nicer to me than they are.” She
could hear him moving around as she began her explorations.
Inside
of their bedchambers,
Adira
moved to the holographic
photo display and touched it. She began to scroll through the images and
smiled. This was his family, she could see that. The resemblance was clear. The
images were from the past, if the look of Fin was anything to go by. She sighed
and touched an image of
Fintan
as he stood beside a
body of water. “I miss you already, husband.” With that she walked back to the
living room where she heard Bracken moving around. “I do like you, but I’m sure
that I will eventually start to annoy you as well. I believe that it’s in the
sisters’ manual?”
“
I seriously doubt it. But if you
do then I will do as I do with them, get on my destroyer and get to the other
side of the damn galaxy. I doubt even
Fintan
would
come all the way out there to find me so you could pester me some more.
Actually, I take that back, that would be exactly what he’d do.” Shaking his
head, Bracken waved her closer. “We’ll eat in here, keep it nice and informal.
I made you a bowl of some broth one of the cooks sent home with me. I figure it
should be more than enough for you tonight.”
“
I think you’re right. I’m not
feeling the greatest.” She was an emotional wreck. “Fin had your doctors give
me some sleeping medication patches. He told me that I needed to rest. But I
don’t want to use them. Please don’t tell him?”
“
I won’t as long as you get a few
hours now and again. If you don’t I’ll slap them on your ass personally. But
that’s for later, if it’s absolutely necessary. For tonight you should eat the
broth, and try to relax.”
“
I will try.” Because she knew
Bracken and if he said he would do something, he would. “Okay, let’s get
through this.
Together.
Right?”
She was thankful that she had Bracken to lean on right now. If she had to go
through this alone she was certain she wouldn’t survive.
“
Absolutely,” he said with a nod.
He settled down on the floor before the large table that sat before the sofa.
“Don’t tell
Fintan
we ate in here, would you. He
tends to get all prissy about such things. Although I’m pretty sure he’s done
it a few times, no matter how often he denies it. After all, who wouldn’t with
a view like
this.
” Bracken waved toward the wall of
windows where the sun was beginning to set.
Adira
stood once more and walked to
the windows that she’d only vaguely been aware of before. She looked out over
the planet and let out a breath. “Stars, this is incredible.” She put her hand
to the force field that served as the glass and smiled. The
Craegin
were definitely far more advanced than the
Imarian
.
She looked over the vistas before her and realized that all of the buildings
had force fields for windows, something her people didn’t have. The planet was
also extremely clean and well cared for. Again, not something that was
necessarily in her people’s city centers. The country homes certainly, but not the
large cities like this one. “It’s like every color in the universe has come to
this one moment in time. It’s reaching its power out over the lands and bathing
the people in its power. Incredible,” she admitted. “Beautiful,” she amended.
“
Definitely
one of the best views around.
Also why I like coming over here all the time. Besides the fact my sisters
aren’t here, ever. Now come sit down and eat,
Adira
.
You need to keep your strength up for when
Fintan
comes home. He’ll need you to look after him for a few days, as I’m sure you’re
well aware of.”
“
Yes, he’s told me what to expect.
However, I would like the truth.” She turned and walked back to him. “Tell me
exactly what it is that I need to worry about. Please tell me what it is that I
need to look for with him since I know he’s too stubborn to tell me himself.”
“
That he is.” Bracken set a pillow
on the floor at his side, and held out a hand to help her ease down. Once she
was settled, he watched her until she took her first sip of the broth. “The
biggest worry will be infection, and dehydration. He’s a trained soldier, so
he’ll know to ration whatever water they give him.
Same with
the food.
You’ll have to rehydrate him carefully, and slowly. Of course,
watching his output to ensure it lines up with what he’s taking in is also
important. Rare cases have the kidneys shutting down from the trauma, but as I
said earlier he’s been through worse so that’s likely to be slim. We’ll pick up
a bunch of supplies for you. Bandages, antiseptic cleansers, and ointments,
plus anything else you think you’ll require to treat the exterior wounds.”
Adira
nodded. “
I understand about dehydration
and what effects that it has on the body.” She took another sip of the broth.
“What about his mental state? How will he be after that long in isolation in
pain?” She then flushed and sighed. “He survived three months in hell on my
home world only to come back to this treatment. I don’t understand it. They
should welcome him with open arms and not a whip.”
“
There are many things about our
culture I’m sure you’ll find unusual. Same as I would yours, I think. But to
you they are what they are because it’s always been that way. Same as it is
here on
Craegin
.” He took a bite of some bread he had
on a plate by his bowl. “He’ll be okay mentally. Again, he’s a trained soldier,
Adira
. We go through worse things during the years
prior to ever setting foot on a destroyer, all in the event we get captured by
the
Imarian
people.
Fintan
was okay after his incarceration by the
Imarians
,
wasn’t he?”
“
He was in pain. I never want to
see him in pain again after this.” She knew that when he came out he would be
hurting. “Are you being fully honest with me, Bracken, on how he will be?” She
kept feeling like something was being left out and it was driving her mad. In
her mind she began to go through all that she knew about medical science and
related it as best she could to
Fintan
.
“
I’ve never gone through the
Shrev-Traka
before,
Adira
. I can only give you what little
information I’ve gleaned from the few males I know that have. He’ll need you to
be strong, to be there for him, and to help him through this. It’s a rough
event to have to be put through. He’ll likely be overly sensitive to sounds for
a time, the same with light. He’ll have been deprived of most of his senses
while in the cell. Don’t make sudden movements either. He might misinterpret
them as an attack until his brain catches up. I’m sorry,
Adira
,
but that’s all I have. I can do some more digging into the archives for you,
but right now that’s all the information I can give to you.”