“They want our bloodlines to remain pure, my son.”
“It is not like she is from another planet. Her blood is Vesturion. She is one of us. Our rules need changing, Mother. They should have been changed years ago.”
“So like your father you are! Rowan, if you feel this strongly about it, you should approach the Council with your suggestion.”
“Father would kill me!”
“Sometimes you have to stand up for what you think is right, my son. If you don’t try, will you be satisfied to abide by these rules?” She was challenging me and what she said made sense. Instead of doing nothing, I could at least try.
“I think you are right, Mother. But when Father has a fit, I am going to tell him it was all your idea.” My eyes danced with mirth.
I was awarded with one of her disarming smiles. “Don’t you worry about your father, dear. I can manage him and he won’t ever know he was managed at all!”
She placed her palm on my cheek and said, “It is nice to see you smile, Rowan. It lights up your whole being.”
With a whirl of her silk gown, she was gone.
She had given me a lot to think about. If I wanted to pursue getting to know Annalise better, I would have to approach the Council. But before I did, I wanted to make sure it was worth my time. I didn’t want to spend hours over something that was futile. If Annalise consented to at least see me on occasion, I would go forward with my plans.
I was released from the medical facility the next day. I met up with Voldruk as we were checking out. He had not fared as well as I and was unable to endure as much of the water torture. Truth be told, I think he was the one that had come out on top.
We made our way to the Academy, comparing our horror stories. “How did you do it, Rowan? How did you maintain throughout it? I thought I would lose my mind in the chamber.”
“It was with great difficulty, I will admit. I put my mind in a different place. Another plane, if you will. I would not allow myself to focus on what was happening to my body. I have always been told the mind is much stronger than we think and can allow our bodies to do things we never thought possible. I guess there must be truth to that because it worked for me.” I dared not disclose to him it was Annalise’s face that prevented me from unraveling.
Voldruk just grunted and shook his head at me. We parted ways as I headed for my quarters. The first thing on my agenda was to locate Annalise. When I discovered her residence, I wasted no time in heading over there.
I lived in the Capital City of Aurora, which was where all the universal and Vesturion government offices were located. Annalise resided in a community on the outskirts of Aurora called Leato. It was a village where many of the working families lived.
Using my locator, I guided my speedster, a flying vehicle similar to motorcycles found on Earth, down the streets of Leato, seeking her residence. My eyes eventually landed on it so I pulled to a halt and headed for the door. There were children playing in all the nearby yards and they ran toward me, excited to see a speedster here. They circled my vehicle and I called to them, “Careful, do not touch anything!”
I approached the entrance and was prepared to knock when the door swung open to reveal an older woman, perhaps Annalise’s mother.
“My lord, may I help you?” she blinked with surprise.
“Yes, ma’am, I should like to speak with Annalise, if she is at home.”
She gaped at me in stunned silence. I shuffled my feet, not sure of how best to handle this.
“Er, is she? At home? Annalise?”
“Oh, well, yes,” she stammered. “Please, come in, my lord.”
“Rowan.”
Her brows raised and I supplied, “Please, my name; call me Rowan.”
She smiled then and I noticed the resemblance between mother and daughter. Annalise had both her mother’s eyes and smile.
“Annalise! Annalise, someone is here to see you!” she called out.
I heard footsteps patter down the stairs and there she was, standing in front of me in the flesh. She blinked with surprise, then her eyes widened in alarm.
She bowed her head saying, “My lord. What brings you to our humble home?” Her voice was strained. She twisted her fingers and stared at the floor.
I turned to her mother, who stood stock still in silence, and inquired, “May I kindly have a moment alone with your daughter?”
Her head began bobbing up and down as she backed out of the room.
“What are you doing here?” she hissed.
“Please, Annalise, look at me when you speak to me,” I softly demanded.
Her eyes met mine, and I felt myself liquify in her presence. My throat went dry and I licked my lips. My stomach fluttered as I spoke the words. “Annalise, I have come to ask if I may court you. Please hear me out. You have bewitched me. Your voice is like a symphony to me. I get lost in the depths of your eyes. The very thought of you hypnotizes me. I am yours to do with as you please. If you will only say the words so we can get to know each other.”
I unclenched my fists and extended my arm. I brushed my fingers across her cheek, beseeching her with my eyes. “Please, I beg of you,” I whispered.
“How?”
“I want to petition the Council. I want our covenant in this regard to change. But it won’t if someone... if
I
don’t try. And I cannot try if you won’t give me cause to. Please. You have captured my heart. I do not know how, nor do I care.”
She took one step then two, before launching herself at me. “Are you sure about this?” she asked as she wrapped her arms around me.
“Yes... yes! Never more sure of anything else!” I whispered into her silken tresses.
She lifted her head and her eyes locked onto mine. She placed her hand on my cheek and said, “You will be ridiculed. Your subjects will cause problems for you.”
I placed my hand on top of hers, wanting her to keep it there forever. “I care not about that. And it will all be moot if they change the covenant.”
“Promise me something.” She took a step back and slid her other hand into my hair. “Promise me if you get to a place where you find it not worth your time and trouble, you will be honest and tell me.”
“I promise, but I swear to you, that will never happen.” As I spoke, I took her hand from my face and placed it over my heart, holding it there. “As my heart beats, I know it will always be yours.”
“How shall we begin?” she asked, her eyes brimming with joy.
I was intoxicated by her response. I wanted to leap into the air and shout with glee. “I believe the proper thing to do would be to ask your mother if it would be okay.”
“Yes, of course, we must! Mother! Mother, come here!”
Her mother must have been eavesdropping, for the door immediately opened to her presence.
She was beaming with pleasure. “Yes?”
“Ma’am, I would like to ask your permission to court your daughter. I know it is not normally acceptable, but if all goes well, I want to petition the Council for their official permission. You do understand though, we must be discreet initially?”
“Of course, my lord. And yes, you have my permission.”
Annalise and I slipped out the back door and sat on a swing, talking. She told me of herself—how she finished her basic education and worked at the academy for a year. Her father worked at the space dock and she had one younger brother who was still in school.
She had a sharp mind and keen wit and was a pleasure to converse with. She was confident in herself, and like a breath of fresh air. She didn’t fall all over me like most females, but challenged me often when she disagreed with me. Annalise told me many times how handsome she thought I was, but nothing in this universe could come close to her beauty. Her golden hair was like a satin sheath that framed her face and I couldn’t look into her sapphire eyes without drowning in their depths. I could barely stop myself from ravaging her lips every time I saw her, and many times, her radiance left me speechless. I could stare at her for hours on end and be perfectly happy. This often made her uncomfortable, so I did my best to control this urge of mine.
I knew I was madly in love with her. My plan was to approach the Council directly after my graduation from the Academy, which would take place the following week. I felt that with Guardian status, the Council would take my request more seriously. I was positive it would take several sessions, but I was persistent, and where Annalise was concerned, I refused to take no for an answer. My stomach churned every time I thought about what lay ahead.
“Where are we going?” she asked as I pulled her hand, smiling. I indicated with a flick of my head and watched her as her eyes landed on the speedster.
Annalise’s head jerked back to me and her eyes grew wide as saucers. “Where?”
“I want you to meet my mother,” I softly told her.
“But, I didn’t think…” her voice trailed off.
“She knows about us and has asked to meet you.”
“Oh, Rowan, I do not think…”
“Please Annalise. You will like her. She is very kind.” I wanted so much for them to like each other and I knew if my mother met Annalise, she would see her for the lovely female that she was.
“Do you think this is wise?”
“Yes. Now come.” I guided her to the speedster and helped her up. I took my place in front of her and we soared away, heading toward the palace.
My mother said she would meet us in the back of the palace on one of the lower terraces. She stood waiting as we landed. I assisted Annalise and held her hand as we joined my mother. I felt Annalise’s palm become sweaty in my grasp, so I gave her hand a gentle squeeze. When we reached my mother, Annalise was trembling. I hated that she felt this way. I placed my arm around her as I made the introductions.
“How lovely to meet you, Annalise. But Rowan lied to me.”
My head jerked toward my mother, but I noticed a smile hovering on her lips. To my raised brows, she added, “Rowan told me you were a beauty, but he was wrong. You are indeed stunning, my dear.”
I felt the tension flow out of Annalise at my mother’s words. I looked down at her and saw her tentative smile.
“Thank you, my lady.”
“Come here, dear, and tell me about yourself. Don’t be shy around me. I will not bite.” Her words were filled with her smile.
“You know my Rowan has never expressed such a strong interest in any female before. I have been simply dying of curiosity over you.”
“Mother!” I exclaimed, exasperation filling my voice.
And so it went. It seemed my mother was thrilled at finally meeting the female who had stolen my heart and was eager to share my secrets with her. My face flamed with embarrassment more than once, and as it turned out, I was the uncomfortable one in this encounter.
As I began to think about taking our leave, I felt a sudden change in the atmosphere. I glimpsed his robes flying as he thundered, “Rowan, what the devil is going on here?”
I flew to my feet to face my father, but my mother beat me to it.
“Alexyon, why it is so nice of you to join us, dear.” She flashed him her smile that turned him to putty every time.
“Sharra, what is going on here?” he asked in a softer tone.
“Alexyon, I am sure you would like to meet Annalise, would you not?”
Mother had effectively diffused him. I still bristled, unsure of what his next action would be, but he stiffly approached Annalise, bowed to her reluctantly and said, “It is a pleasure to meet you.”
“My liege, the pleasure is mine,” she responded in a quaking voice.
He perused her until my mother cleared her throat, grabbing his attention.
Her eyes bored into his and I could only imagine the telepathic exchange taking place. My father’s face flushed, but he nodded once to my mother and then said, “Rowan, we will meet here later tonight to discuss this situation.”
In a flurry, he was gone as quickly as he had shown up.
I turned to Annalise and said, “I suppose I should take you home as I need to return to the Academy shortly.”
We bid my mother farewell and were on our way.
As I walked her to the door, she stopped and looked me in the eye. “There is no use denying your father’s displeasure at seeing me with you.”
“No, I suppose there isn’t. However, it will not deter me, Annalise. My mind is set regarding us and he will not change it for me.”
“Are you sure, Rowan?”
“I thought we had discussed this previously. I have never been more sure of anything. What must I do to make you believe me?” I tilted her chin up and looked into her lovely eyes. “It is you I want to be with, Annalise, and no other.”
My lips grazed hers and I took a step back. “I must go, but I will contact you later tonight. Keep your mind open for me.” I smiled and added, “Oh yes, you have bewitched my mother as well. She would never have said those things to my father otherwise.” The creases in her brow disappeared as she graced me with a radiant smile.
“Until later.”
That evening, I returned to the palace. When I arrived, the war of the universe broke out. My father regarded me with cold speculation. I didn’t dare utter a word.
“What are your plans with her?” he asked sharply.
“Alexyon, please. You promised you would remain calm and here you are already breaking your promise.” My mother was on my side, her words proving that.
My father raked his hands through his hair before throwing them up in disgusted resignation.
“I suppose I am outnumbered in this discussion. The two of you are in league with each other over this… this chit!”
“Do not dare speak of her in that derogatory manner!” I exclaimed, my eyes narrowing.
“Rowan is right, Alexyon. How would you feel if someone called me that?”
My father stared at us and stammered, “Well, it seems the two of you have already laid your plans!” His nostrils flared.
“Father, if you will but calm down, I will explain.”
“Calm down? Rowan, if you think my reaction is bad, think about your subjects and how they will react!” he thundered, the vein in his temple throbbing.
My mother went to him and circled her arms around him. She always had a knack for pacifying him and they had a deep, telepathic conversation. My father finally took a deep breath and nodded.