“A noble man. Should we make a comparison?” Teena pursed her lips and frowned. “This message is not at all very informative. I’d very much like to talk to Deni.”
“Well, they’ll be home in a few weeks, my love. You can talk all you want then.” With those words, Marljas’ father left his wife to finish her breakfast and hurried to their communication center.
* * * * *
Surprising everyone, Beti had asked to accompany Sheala and Sosha, and King Findalardrac had been more than happy to allow her to go for that was one less Aradab to bother him, he’d stated in the missive he’d sent granting Beti permission to go to Gattan.
Sheala was also grateful. She’d been uneasy about going to a planet full of people who thought nothing of declaring bloodfeud for imagined slights. Now not only would she now have Marljas and his family to protect her, she’d also have Beti. If some Gattan woman challenged her to a fight, there would be nothing Marljas could do about it because he couldn’t fight a Gattan woman except in self-defense. But Beti could. She might be an Aradab instead of a Gattan, but she was female.
Then she glanced at the young woman at her side. Sosha had told her she was also glad of Beti’s presence. She had been there the first time the Aradab had made a point of visiting Sosha as she recovered, casually discussing new fighting techniques since the Gattan no longer had claws. Beti had not once expressed any pity towards Sosha. She merely stated that life goes on, and Sosha must make the best of what she had. If she didn’t wish to do that, she should take herself off and die. Or, Beti herself would be glad to aid in her suicide. Sosha had stared at the Aradab then declared that she did not wish to die.
Also, a Drakian plastic surgeon had also managed to devise very natural-looking fingernails and attach them. They weren’t the claws she had grown up with, but they were certainly better than blunt fingertips.
At least they made her look more “human”.
As she entered the
Scrathe
, Sheala walked past the seats provided for passengers and continued to the control center, earning a wide smile from Denieen as she did so.
Once there, she slid into the seat usually occupied by the copilot. A few minutes later when Wendjas entered, he was startled to see Sheala where he had expected to sit. However, a slow grin spread across his face and he slid into the seat reserved for the navigator.
When Marljas stepped into the command center, he stopped for a few seconds then nodded. He said nothing as he slid into the captain’s chair, but he did lift her hand and kiss her palm.
Swallowing the lump in her throat, Sheala smiled as she gently pulled her hand from his.
Marljas slid into his seat. In a short time, the
Scrathe
had risen from Benishan’s landing pad. “We’ll be out of Drakan’s atmosphere in ten minutes, and as soon as the
Scrathe
clears the solar system, I’ll engage the space drive. We’ll be on Gattan inside of two weeks.”
“There’s a message from Father,” Wendjas said as he monitored the computer.
Sheala started to rise. “I’ll go back with the others.”
Marljas reached out and gently clasped her wrist. “Stay. You’re my wife, and I’ve nothing to hide from you.”
Drefes Cardesson’s voice filled the command center as his image appeared on the screen. “Greetings, my sons. Your mother and I have received your message. The information you sent was a great surprise, and we are looking forward to your return. Your mother and I, however, feel it is in the best interests of everyone if we wait to share the details of your message with the tribe until you arrive. Your mother also asks about her grandsons. They have been sorely missed. I hope the sea air was not too much for them.”
A noise sounded behind him and he glanced over his shoulder. As soon as it was quiet again, their father turned his attention back to the monitor. “We are preparing for your return. Kadis Jadisdotir has arrived and waits with some impatience. Indeed Marljas, she would have liked to address you herself in this message. She was not aware of your sojourn with Denieen’s parents.”
Marljas grunted. That’s what the noise behind his father had been. Good thing he locked the door to the communication center.
“He’s told Kadis nothing,” Wendjas stated.
“Enjoy the remainder of your sojourn. We look forward to your return with great anticipation.”
With those final words, Drefes’ image vanished.
The
Scrathe
left Drakan’s gravitational pull and shot quickly past its sun’s outer three planets. After thirty minutes, Marljas punched in the navigational codes that would take his ship home to Gattan. Then he turned his chair so that he faced both his wife and brother.
“Ban said Findalardrac of Mediria would be sending messages to the Queen. Father made no mention of those, so they have probably not yet been received. Nor did Mother inform Kadis of my marriage to Sheala.”
“Your mother is giving your tribe a chance to get to know Kadis,” Denieen said as she joined them.
Marljas grinned nastily as Wendjas chuckled.
Confused, Sheala looked at the Gattan faces surrounding her. “Why? Won’t your people prefer a Gattan princess to me?”
Denieen patted Sheala’s shoulder. “Kadis Jadisdotir has the temperament of a wet desert rat, Sheala.
She won’t endear herself to our people. She’ll be too busy trying to command them. She is what Brianna would call a ‘bitch’.”
“But she’s a princess,” Sheala began.
Denieen shook her head. “No, she isn’t. Even though Gattan is a matriarchy, the royal line descended through our king. Mattis, the queen, only became royal after she married him. The queen’s sister and niece are not princesses. What’s more, you have more royal blood in you through your Medirian ancestors than Kadis has.”
“And we don’t need another bond with the royal family,” Marljas snapped. It was his future they were discussing so nonchalantly.
“Another bond?” Sheala questioned.
“The
Leonine
tribe holds the royal title on Gattan,” Marljas continued more gently. “Our father and Krondal’s were brothers.”
Sheala stared from one to the other. “You mean the King of Gattan is your cousin!”
The three Gattan watched Sheala with varying degrees of amusement. Slowly the look of amazement on her face was replaced by mirth and she began to laugh.
Marljas began to grin. He didn’t know why she was laughing, but this was the first time this emotion had gripped her since she was kidnapped.
Denieen and Wendjas were also pleased with Sheala’s reaction, however, they were confused as well.
“Will you share the joke with us?” Wendjas asked.
Sheala gasped and slowly regained control. When she was able to talk once more she said, “Did anyone bother to tell Brianna that she is bloodcousin to the King of Gattan?”
Denieen allowed herself a short laugh and then countered. “Has anyone bothered to tell Krondal that he is bloodcousin to Brianna?”
* * * * *
Beti took the time Sheala didn’t spend with the twins. The Aradab made it very clear to both Sheala and Sosha that they needed to stop moping around and feeling sorry for themselves. Neither had claws so they needed to develop personal modes of self-defense, and there was no time like the present to begin.
All in all, Sheala had no time to worry about her and Marljas’ love life, and the two weeks it took to reach Gattan passed quickly.
* * * * *
“This is a very interesting tale you spin, Ambassador. How do we know you speak the truth?”
The Medirian grinned and presented a single sheet of paper to them. King Krondal accepted it and read the few sentences printed on it. When he finished, he handed it to his wife.
Her eyebrows rose as she quickly scanned it.
“Thirty days at half tariff,” Queen Mattis said evenly. “This is unprecedented.”
The ambassador’s grin widened. “The girl is dear to our family, Your Highness.”
Krondal leaned back in his chair and said, “So dear that you request a private audience instead of presenting this treaty in the usual manner.”
Jessilindra acknowledged his comment with a slight nod. “King Findalardrac has no ulterior motives for himself. He simply did not wish to cause undue problems for Your Highnesses.”
Queen Mattis laughed softly. “I wish I had your brother’s spy system, Jessilindra.”
The elder sister of the Medirian king smiled back. “The spies were unnecessary. This information came through family channels.”
“A family to which,” Queen Mattis countered, “I now belong.”
“Only through marriage,” Jessilindra demurred. “Technically, it is King Krondal who is now related to the Medirian royal family.”
The Queen sighed. “At least we have that to hold out to the Council. There are more than a few of our people who will not be happy with this marriage.”
Wisely, Jessilindra said nothing.
Queen Mattis stood. “Well, this will certainly require thought. Thank you for personally delivering the message from your brother, Princess Jessilindra. I’ll have suitable replies drawn up and sent to you.”
Jessilindra bowed deeply. “Thank you, Your Majesty—and may I add, welcome to the family.”
A loud sigh of exasperation escaped Queen Mattis after the door closed behind the Medirian ambassador. “A pretty predicament, this.”
“How so, my love?” Krondal asked as he rose and stretched.
“You know very well Jadis sent an offer of betrothal to your cousins’ mother on Kadis’ behalf.”
Krondal poured himself a drink from a selection of wines available on the table next to his chair. “This marriage between Marljas and Alalakan dem al’ Sheala is not a problem for us. I told you that Marljas was not interested in becoming Kadis’ husband.”
“But it is a logical arrangement.”
Krondal chuckled and put his arms around his wife. “If logic were all that entered into marriages, my sweet, I’d have listened to my mother and married your sister.”
Mattis smiled up into her husband’s face. “She’d have made you miserable.”
Krondal grinned wider. “So you would loose her on my poor cousin.”
Mattis snorted. “Teena and Denieen would have kept both Jadis and her daughter in line.”
Krondal threw back his head and roared with laughter. “So that’s why you agreed to your sister’s request, to let someone else manage her.”
Mattis laughed with her husband but quickly gathered her composure. “Hush, you fool,” she said playfully, “the servants will be coming soon. I think this marriage had best remain a secret until Marljas and his bride return.”
Krondal nodded. “It will give us time to marshal our forces, but Teena and Drefes will expect to hear something from us.”
“As with the rescue of Sosha Kanicsdotir, we will say nothing until the Medirian proposal is presented to the court. The tariff reduction does not go into effect for another week. Let’s just watch and see how Marljas and his new wife handle Kadis.”
“But we must inform Sosha’s parents of her return. And Jadis could still cause trouble. Marljas married without his mother’s consent.”
Mattis snorted. “Humpf! Half of the men on this planet marry without their mother’s permission, and we both agreed that it would have been cruel to keep the information about Sosha from her parents. That much I’ll tell Jadis. Her family has incurred blooddebt to Cadan. My sister has them putting the estate of Cloudhaven in order. A request to come and fetch their daughter will be less likely to cause comment coming from her rather than us.”
“From you, you mean. I’m only a mere male. As far as Jadis is concerned, the fact that I’m the king matters not at all. I am here only to sire a suitable daughter to take your place.” Krondal sighed and dropped his arms from around his wife. “And you know as well as I that Jadis will make Marljas’ lack of permission to marry an issue. She wants Kadis married to him, and she’ll stop at nothing to accomplish her goal.”
Mattis frowned. “We have had this discussion before, Krondal.”
Krondal locked eyes with his wife. His fell first. “Very well, my love. Continue to believe that your sister is no more than stubborn and misguided, but I believe this time you will finally see Jadis for what she really is.”
With those words, Krondal left the room. Mattis picked up the glass of wine Krondal had not finished and drained the contents. This disagreement about Jadis was the only thorn in her otherwise happy marriage. Her sister could be haughty at times, but she truly didn’t wish to harm anyone. Did she?
“Sheala! Look out!”
Sheala turned, spied Denieen’s sons barreling towards her and quickly stepped back. The two boys leaped through the doorway and disappeared down the stairs that had been rolled to the side of the
Scrathe
.
Denieen’s defeated sigh rolled over Sheala’s shoulder. “At least we’re back on solid ground, and they can get outside to use up all the energy they have.”
Smiling, Sheala nodded as she followed her sister-in-law out of the ship. For the last three days, Denieen’s sons had constantly asked when they’d be home, when they could get out of the ship, when they could stop being careful how they played, the list went on and on.