Beyond My Stars

Tuli

1st day of Eloré. Location Outskirts of Circle City, Delan.

            “This is why I hate traveling.” Kit groaned as he looked at the burnt-up vehicle.

            Koryn huffed. “I told you not to push it over twenty-five, and you did it anyways.”

            I sighed. “Calm down, boys. Where are we?”

            “About a twenty-minute drive from Circle City, a tribe called Delan.” Koryn said as he ran a hand through his hair. “I’m going to go find us a spare tracker. Or, I’ll commandeer one.”

            Koryn kissed me before leaving, and after a minute I was bored with watching Kit try and fix the tracker. I went over to give him a kiss.

            “Where are you going?” Kit asked as he glanced back at me.

            “I’m just going to walk around. That’s it. I’ll be back before Koryn.” I waved to him before disappearing around the corner.

            Delan was pretty, very similar to Circle City and it was making me miss Maddie and Beth. I wonder how they’ve been doing. I wonder if anything has changed in the few days I’ve been gone. I wonder if I was the only human who had been marked?

            I walked through the tribe and found what looked to be an opened market like Heta. It was stunning, decorated with bright paper flowers, lanterns that looked like clouds, and twinkling white lights. It looked like decorations for a festival. As I looked at everything I seemed to be attracting attention, which wasn’t really that odd. I didn’t think anything of it. I passed by this pretty Kaji with bright pink eyes and a lovely smile.

            “You! You’re a human from Circle City, right? Please, come talk to me for a second.” She begged as she held out her hands for me to take.

            From what had happened over the past two days, I was worried about what this woman wanted. She seemed genuine, but it was hard to tell anymore. I was hesitant as I set my hands in hers. She pulled me to sit down in front of her, and I guess that’s when she saw it. My marks. I watched her eyes light up.

            “You…you’re marked. So, it’s true. Humans can be the companions to Kajian’s!” She exclaimed as I sucked in a breath.

            “Please, don’t tell anyone yet. We just need to get back to Circle City.” I pleaded with her.

            The Kaji held up her hands. “No, I wouldn’t dream of doing anything like that, monet. My name is Celle Tuli Verous. I told everyone. I told them that there was a reason that the captain took your ships, but no one believed me.”

            I sighed. “I’m Milady Fairchild. You think the reason they took us was because we can be a Maité of a Kaji?”

            “I can’t say for sure, but why else would they keep you and your people here? We’ve never had your kind here.” Tuli shrugged.

            “Wait.” I tilted my head. “Have there been other races besides Kaji on Kaja before?”

            Tuli smiled. “Yes, we have ambassadors and royals from the neighboring plants come frequently. There’s the planet Tortulo, planet Ambrosé, and planet Grongion. Since it’s the first day of Eloré, I’m sure we’ll have visitors from our neighbors soon. Did you not have your neighboring planets come and visit where you’re from?”

            I shook my head. “No, on my home planet most deny the existence of aliens. Almost to a fault. Our government would never allow us to know about the existence of anything. I believed we weren’t the only live planet in space, but I didn’t necessarily believe that a place like Kaja existed either.”

            “That’s so different from us! We travel to different planets all the time, well, not me. The military is only one who travel through space. May I ask? You have two marks, does that mean you found yourself to be the Maité of two Kaji?” Tuli asked as she smiled.

            “Yeah, they are brothers.” I said sheepishly, not knowing how she was going to react to that news.

            Tuli wiggled around in her seat. “That’s so romantic! How are you three celebrating Eloré?”

            I shrugged. “I don’t know what that is.”

            She shot up out of her seat and twirled around. “It’s a three-day long festival to celebrate the Maité season and those who found their life-partners. It’s a beautiful thing, that’s why the market looks the way it does. I hope one day I’ll be able to find my own Maité. How is it? Is it everything they say?”

            My mind flashed with memories with the brothers, I didn’t even know I was smiling. “I don’t know if it would be different if it was two Kajians, but it’s…more than I ever expected. I can’t help but fall for those boys every time I see them. It feels as if I had a sliver of myself that was filled by them. There isn’t anything I wouldn’t do for them.”

            Tuli groaned as she sat back down. “That’s what I want. Everyone here in Delan talks about me. Says I’m weird, too happy, that no one wants a female who can’t settle themselves down. I’ve never been anywhere else, maybe my Maité is somewhere else. At this rate, I’m going to grow old before I find him.”

            “Maybe, um, do you have a vehicle?”

            “Milady?! Where have you been? I’ve been looking all over for you.” Koryn’s husky voice made me smile as I came up to him, wrapping my arms around his waist. He tilted my head back to place his lips against mine.

            When he pulled away I smiled and tilted my head towards Tuli. “I made a friend. A friend who has a vehicle.”

            Kit came out from around the tracker. “Thank the moons, because all Koryn did was strike out.”

            He leaned in to kiss me too before going over to get something out of the vehicle. “This is Celle Tuli Verous, and is willing to let us drive her vehicle.”

            “But.” Koryn raised an eyebrow.

            I shrugged. “She wants us to take her with us into Circle City.”

            Kit sighed. “It’s not that easy, luvana.”

            “What do you mean?” I didn’t get it, what was the problem?

            Koryn rubbed the back of his neck. “It usually takes a few years to get residency in the Circle City.             You have to apply and be screened. I don’t know, Milady. I guess we could vouch for her and get her placed on the guest list while she waits for official residency.”       

             “Why do you want to move to Circle City?” Kit asked as he came over to kiss the top of my head.

            Tuli’s whole face turned red. “I want…to find what you guys have. I want to see if my Maité is there in the city. I’ve been here for twenty-two summers, and I’m positive my destined one is not there.”

            I looked at the brothers and let out a sigh. “Can she find her Maité even though the season ended?”

            Koryn nodded. “Yeah, it’s a little harder, but it’s possible.”

            “Are you sure about this, Tuli? You’re not going to take advantage of Milady’s kindness, are you?” Kit asked as he observed her.

            Tuli shook her head as she held out her hands. “No, never. No one has even been as nice to me as Milady has. She listened to my rambling, and didn’t judge me for it. Milady gives me hope that I won’t be alone forever.”

            “I didn’t know you were so inspiring among the Kaji community.” Koryn teased as his hand found my rear and squeezed.

            I giggled, giving him a wink. “I’m a very inspiring person, didn’t you know?”

            Kit wrapped his arm around my shoulders, Koryn’s hand still on my butt. “Oh, we’re very aware of that. What do you think keeps us going?”

            “Now your teasing me.” My eyes narrowed at him before glancing over to Tuli. “Tuli, are you crying?”

            We all looked to see her standing there staring at us, tears streaming down her face. “I’m sorry. It’s just…I’ve never seen anyone more connected than you three. It’s amazing, and I promise that I won’t cause any trouble while in the city. I just want to find this for myself. I don’t want to be alone anymore.”

           “Where’s your family?” Kit asked as he rubbed my arm.

            Tuli shook her head. “My father wanted a son, didn’t need a fifth daughter. He sold me to a stall owner at the market and after he took my purity I ran away to Delan. I opened my own stall selling clothes that I made to get by. I sleep in a closet in a family’s apartment and sew the clothes at the stall, please take me with you.”

            I felt bad for Tuli. She was such a sweet bubbly girl, a little strange, but aren’t we all in some form of way? I heard Koryn sigh, and Kit let out a sad noise that was almost a groan.

            “Koryn, I’ll put her under my name as my guest. You going to need your slot open for later.” Kit said as he looked over to his older brother.

            Koryn nodded. “Let’s go, we need to get back to City-Central before dark.”

            Tuli’s mouth dropped open. “You guys live in City-Central? That’s so awesome.”