His Highness the Duke (14 page)

Kendall‘s home on a fueling dock. Aeron got the impression that there was a greater

story there. When she asked why Kendall had come to the Qurilixen ceremony, the

woman artfully changed the subject as she started talking about mining ores and space

fuel. Apparently, Kendall was in the process of getting certified by the Exploratory

Science Commission as a Fuelologist and Station Engineer. Since she lived on a space

fuel port, the certification made sense.

―I‘m not sure how much you know about mining,‖ Kendall said, ―but this planet

is one of the only mineral rich sources of the
galaxa-promethium
, a semi-radioactive

element that not only has stable isotopes but whose elements can be harnessed to fuel

long voyaging starships. Normally, only very trivial amounts of the element could be

found naturally.‖

―Who are your people?‖Aeron asked. She tried to hide her suspicion. Kendall

expressed interest in the mine and knew a lot about fuel. If she wasn‘t interested in

marriage like the other brides, then what was she doing here? Sure, Aeron wasn‘t there

for marriage either, but what were the odds more than a couple brides had ulterior

motives on the trip? Was Kendall a spy?

―They are called Haven, like me, Kendall Haven,‖ Kendall said.

It wasn‘t exactly the answer Aeron had been looking for. She opened her mouth

to ask more specifically about the woman‘s race, but the door slammed open, cutting

her off. Bron stood, hair and clothes covered with dirt. His eyes glowed yellow, though

his body carried little other evidence of a shift.

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―What happened to you?‖ Aeron demanded, quickly standing. Relief flooded her

and she hurried toward him. She didn‘t realize how scared she had been until that

moment, looking at his dirty face.

―Spoken like a true wife,‖ Alek muttered, stepping past his brother to move

toward the table. Aeron frowned at the man. Alek‘s return expression was unreadable,

so she chose to not answer.

―It is nothing for you to be concerned over,‖ Bron dismissed. He rubbed lightly

at his wrists and she saw thick red marks on his flesh as if he‘d been bound.

―Nothing to be concerned over?‖ Aeron repeated in disbelief. Was he serious?

―How can you say that? You disappeared. There was no trace of you anywhere and

then you come back, looking like you clawed your way out of a gravesite, and you say

it‘s nothing to be concerned over? Are you daft?‖

―Were you,‖ he paused, ―concerned about me?‖

His Qurilixian accent rolled softly over her. A look of pleasure crept into his eyes,

as the corner of his mouth lifted.

―Well, I…‖ Aeron mumbled. She wasn‘t sure when or how, but he had come

closer. His heat radiated over her. Even though he smelled like the forest floor, she was

drawn to him. She felt a strange sensation in her brain, as if he was inside her mind,

whispering words she could not understand, urging her to say things she didn‘t know

how to say.

―I doubt your wife would dishonor our family name with worry,‖ Alek said

loudly, reminding them that there were two other people in the cabin. ―No woman

would want a weak husband that hides behind her skirts.‖

―Dishonor?‖ Kendall asked loudly. ―How is being worried about someone

dishonorable?‖

―You should trust the will of the gods, and in the strength of your man,‖ Alek

answered, as if it was a well known fact.

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―So now it‘s a man thing?‖ Kendall asked. ―I‘m not sure I like your tone. Are you

implying that women are weaker than men? That we should just sit back and let the

men folk handle everything?‖

Aeron‘s first instinct was to give the other couple privacy, but she didn‘t move.

She wanted to hear the answer.

―Yes,‖ Alek answered without hesitation.

―Yes?‖ Kendall repeated. ―Did you actually just say that?‖

Alek looked confused. He shot a hard glance at his brother.

Aeron turned to Bron. ―Is that what you think? Men are to rule over women?‖

―I would not say rule,‖ Bron answered, his tone much more careful than Alek‘s

had been. ―But I do know women should never rule over men—save perhaps the queen

over our people, or noblewomen over those beneath her station so long as it is done

with benevolence. Between husband and wife there is a clear distinction. Do you not

wish for a husband that can protect you and make you proud?‖

―There can and should be compromise, but men who are guided too easily by

women are not real men,‖ Alek added. ―Such a man could not protect you, provide for

you, give you strong sons.‖

―And a woman‘s role in marriage is where? Cooking and having children?‖

Kendall demanded. If Alek had been a smart man, he would not have answered that

question. Aeron almost cringed for him as he opened his mouth to reply. She would

have felt sorry for him, if the two men weren‘t making her just as angry as Kendall

appeared to be.

―Yes,‖ Alek said. He did not relent. His eyes began to glow gold in the light.

Aeron closed her eyes briefly. This wasn‘t good. Was Alek an idiot?

―I see,‖ Kendall spat. ―It‘s a wonder your gods bothered to give us women brains

at all when really all we needed were bellies to hold children and hands to serve our

master husbands.‖

―I did not say—‖ Alek began.

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―Do not say another word,‖ Kendall warned, lifting her hand toward his face. ―I

have had it with men in my life trying to tell me what to do. We had an arrangement, if

you recall, and I expect you to keep to it.‖

Aeron, understanding Kendall‘s anger, and feeling it to a lesser degree, turned to

Bron. ―You believe as your brother does?‖

Bron nodded. He honestly looked confused, as if he couldn‘t understand what

had made the women so upset. ―I think you would want a strong husband. Why would

you wish for a man who cowers behind your skirts and who drops his sword at the first

sign of trouble? Such a man is not a man. Such a man would not bring honor to his

family. Such a man cannot protect his family.‖

Her mind swam with thoughts, taking a dramatic turn. ―Why would we need

protection by sword?‖

―The Var,‖ Bron stated. ―Our enemy. Many believe there will be another war

soon. If there is, we will be expected to lead our men to battle.‖

―Sword battle?‖ Aeron swallowed. She had known this place was primitive, but

it never occurred to her that the minor skirmishes referred to in the Galaxy Brides‘

uploads were code for all out hack and slash war.

―Yes. The sword is an honorable weapon.‖ Bron nodded, as if such thing was

common knowledge in the galaxies.

―You defend yourselves with swords?‖ Aeron shook her head. They would not

stand a chance against the Tyoe.

―It is the way of battle,‖ Bron said.

―Kendall!‖ Alek ordered behind them. Aeron turned just in time to see Kendall

storm out of the front door. ―Kendall, the forest may not be safe. I need you to stay

inside while we—Kendall!‖

Aeron jolted as Alek marched past her to go after his wife. When she was alone

with Bron, she took a step back.

―I do not understand your look of displeasure,‖ Bron said.

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His Highness The Duke

―I‘m just worried about—‖ She stopped herself, realizing what she was saying.

Aeron turned her gaze from the front door where Alek disappeared to where she now

stood alone with Bron.

―Do you need me to prove my worth to you?‖ Bron stiffened.

―No. I have no wish to see you go into battle with your sword drawn.‖ Aeron

frowned. ―Should we go after them? If there is a threat in the forest—‖

―Should I be insulted that you doubt not only my abilities but those of my

brother?‖ Bron‘s expression had become tight and his eyes hard. ―I have never had my

name so insulted, but to hear such things from a wife!‖

―I am not your wife,‖ Aeron shouted back, surprising herself with the

forcefulness of it. Maybe it was a combination of the worry she‘d felt when he was

gone—a worry she was apparently not supposed to feel. Maybe it was the long days

journeying over alien terrain with a ceffyl. Maybe it was the fact that she was torn

between telling him about the possible attack and insisting on talking directly to the

king. These people would not survive an air raid. Swords would do nothing against a

fighter ship zipping across the sky. She took a deep breath. ―Are you sure it was these

Vars who attacked you?‖

―I do not wish to discuss the Var,‖ he snapped. ―We must settle this matter of

you being my wife.‖

―There is nothing to settle.‖ Aeron couldn‘t keep looking at him. His anger

frightened her and his presence rekindled her desires. The emotions contradicted each

other. She turned her back on him and made it to the table where the uneaten food had

gotten cold.

―Why are you resisting this marriage?‖ he asked. ―Why can‘t you accept what

we have?‖

―I accept what we have done.‖ She couldn‘t think about the fact that she was

dying because of it. She wished she could blame him, but she had been the one to

mindlessly take him while he was tied to the bed. She had no one to blame but herself.

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―I cannot mislead you into thinking I accept a marriage. In the long term, we would not

work. We barely work now.‖

―You have not given us a chance to work.‖

―I know I will not be satisfied spending the rest of my days cooking and having

babies.‖ She looked at the plates of food she had made. She did enjoy making the food,

but it was because it was not expected of her. She didn‘t want to be forced into such

housewife duties. Her existence might be boring to some, but it was hers. She liked

listening in on secrets and helping people with her thorough attention to details.

―Perhaps Alek stated the position too bluntly. These things you say are not all

life with me will be. I offer much more than cooking and babies. And if you do not wish

to cook, then I will find someone who will. Honor is not just about the duties we

perform but in the way we act every day.‖

―What happened to you? You‘re covered in dirt.‖ She didn‘t want to talk about

marriage and children.

―I was captured in the forest. I awoke beneath the ground. I was working on

freeing myself when Alek found me.‖ He said the words so matter of factly, as if such a

thing was a normal occurrence.

Aeron shivered. ―You didn‘t see who took you?‖

―No.‖

―Then how do you know it was the Var?‖ Aeron didn‘t look at him but felt him

moving behind her. She focused on him, sensing where he was in the room.

―Who else would it be but our ancient enemy?‖

―Is that how the Var normally fight?‖ Aeron touched the edge of the trencher,

tracing it as she pushed the plate away from her.

―No. Not usually. This is very far north. Normally they stay south of the

borderlands. If you must know, it is very unlike them to take an enemy without facing

them. Perhaps they were coming back to deal with me. As a nobleman, they could have

felt my capture was worth the risk of our mountain terrain. If I had not allowed myself

to be distracted by your presence, I would not have been taken.‖

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His Highness The Duke

She ignored the last comment. There was no way she would take the blame for it.

―You said you were related to the king and that you are a nobleman here?‖

Aeron finally forced herself to look at him. Her eyes met his. He‘d come closer, but not

close enough to touch. She was glad for the distance. Bron nodded that he was both. ―I

work as a civilian contracted analyst for the Federation Military. The reason I was on

the Galaxy Brides‘ ship was to come here to warn you.‖

―We are not part of the Federation Alliance. Why would the Federation send

you?‖ He crossed his arms over his chest. She hated the look on his face—the suspicion

and unspoken accusations.

―No, it‘s not like that. The Federation didn‘t send me. They didn‘t give me

permission to come. I‘m a civilian and if this was sanctioned, they would have sent a

trained operative to make contact with you. That is why I had to get a ride on the

Galaxy Brides‘ ship.‖ She swallowed nervously, wishing he would take his steady gaze

off her. She felt like a soldier about to be interrogated by a superior officer. Her words

were soft and nervous. ―I hope I‘m doing the right thing.‖

―Tell me.‖ It was an order. There was no mistaking the tone.

―As far as I understand it, the Federation has little interest in your planet or your

people, but for one thing.‖

―Our mining operations,‖ he concluded.

Aeron nodded. ―They have you labeled as a primitive planet with no military or

scientific value other than the ore. And, since you mine the ore, doing the manual labor

yourselves, they see no reason to interfere with your world.‖

―And that is the way we prefer it,‖ Bron said.

She ignored his irritated injections, as she continued, ―About five months ago, I

intercepted some data. When I reported it to my superiors, they refused to get involved

because you are not part of the alliance. So long as they get the ore, they said they

would be keeping their hands clean of the whole situation. I was ordered to stop