An Alien Love

The Goddesses Visit

Crossing the room to the giant bed with the canopy that held the picture of the sun setting vibrant and orange in the sky from his home planet, Jewlo lay back wishing he was home walking the gardens with his mother once more. He could almost feel the fresh breeze that carried the smell of turned dirt and flowers blooming before ripening to fruits. As his eyes drifted slowly closed, he could feel himself being dragged into dreams.

The light from the daystar was warm on his skin. His mother held his arm as she had on those long walks taken. The leaves of the tree rustled softly together with the breeze.

“What troubles you, my son?” The voice of his mother was like a song. Jewlo often thought that hers was the voice of the goddess incarnate. Her face was kind and pleasant. Looking once more at that comforting face, Jewlo couldn’t fight back the urge to fall to his knees and hug her like he would when he was a child seeking guidance.

“I am afraid, mother. There is no hope left, is there?”

“Nonsense. What makes you feel like this?” His mother kneeled with him on the ground and held his face in her hands, forcing him to look into her eyes. The deep teal of the ocean with the green flickers like seaweed floating on the surface was relaxing. Her platinum hair blew gently in the breeze around them.

“We have to find compassion to be compassionate. How can these women be compassionate to the beings that took them from their homes and their families? How can a slave love its master?”

“There is always hope as long as our people are alive.”

Kissing his forehead, Jewlo’s mother stood and held a hand down to him. Jewlo took the hand and stood to look around the garden at the goddess's smiling statue. When he turned back to look at his mother, she was gone and Jewlo was alone in the garden once more. Walking towards the statue, he could hear a whisper in the wind and in the rustling leaves.

“Have faith.”

Hands on his shoulders woke Jewlo from the dream. One of the servants that his father had sent with them stood looking down into the prince's face. Jewlo looked around his room, the smell of the garden still filling his nose.

“My lord, it is time to wake up. The lights in the women’s rooms have come on and they will be getting their first meal soon.” The servant stepped back quickly. The food tray rested near the chair and the servant busied himself in the closet preparing the outfit Jewlo would wear that day. Jewlo sat and rubbed his eyes, chasing the remaining sleep from them.

“Gitev, I will choose my clothing today. Thank you.”

“Of course sire.” And with that, the servant left the room, pushing past Kanoch as he entered to do the morning brief.

“Nervous your highness?” Kanoch stopped just inside the door, a small smile playing on his lips.

“What makes you ask?” Jewlo shoved a bite of bread covered in jam into his mouth hastily before moving to look at the selection of brightly colored cloth.

“You told me once that when you get nervous it helps to focus on mediocre tasks for a bit, to give your mind something to do other than worry. It seems to me dressing is your mediocre task.” The smile spread wider on Kanoch’s face as the Jewlo turned from the closet to stare at him.

“I had hoped you’d forget that.” The prince smiled back and then, with a flurry, began busying himself with the mediocre tasks that would get him through until his visit with the woman that could help save his people.