Stars Series

Chapter 8

8

The chime signaling someone was requesting entrance to his quarters pulled Marcus from his study of a report sent by a lieutenant of the Colonial Air Force. He was standing in an effort to keep his concentration on the screen before him, blinked several times, then rubbed his eyes as he gave the command for the door to open. Turning, he raised a brow at his visitor.

“Am I interrupting?” Aiden asked.

“Yes, but I could use the distraction. Come in.”

Aiden stepped over the threshold and the door closed behind him without a sound.

“Have a seat,” Marcus gestured to the sitting area.

Aiden stepped behind a low rectangular table and sank wearily onto the cushioned sofa. With his elbows resting on his knees and hands hanging limply, he stared up at the wall that held a computer monitor that was six meters square and showed several different screens with multiple programs. The one in the middle, which was enlarged enough to consume the majority of the devise, displayed a report of some kind. Aiden read a few words, and his request from a week ago came back to him. He turned to look at Marcus as his brother joined him on the sofa.

“So, you have information about the Vancurelians?”

“Yes, but I’ll only share after you confirm what I heard about you and Ceily arguing in the corridor.” His face was lit with possible confirmation of the gossip.

Aiden leaned back against the pillows and sighed. “I had it all planned. I’d be unavailable to meet with Mother, and I wouldn’t be forced to partake in her elaborate schemes for the wedding.”

He paused as Marcus snorted and mumbled, “Unavailable.”

“And it would have been successful, had she not charged Randall and several of the Royal Guards to locate me. They must have notified her when they encountered me in the corridor on the way to my quarters. She was irked that I had been avoiding her. I thought if we remained in a public area, she’d capitulate and withdraw her demand that I fulfill her incessant lists.”

Marcus chuckled.

Aiden scowled at him. “Anyway, we stepped inside my chambers to hide from some of the household staff that rounded the corner.”

“Even if the staff hadn’t observed the two of you, the story the guards told would have been just as entertaining.”

“That may be so, but confirming a story regarding Mother and me is not why I came to see you.”

Marcus’s smile faded.

“It appears Queen Ceily and Empress Charlotte have decided the Princess and I should become acquainted prior to the ceremony.” Aiden closely watched his brother’s expression. He himself had traveled the cycle of emotions from excitement to doubt to fear to anxiety and back to excitement. What he saw on Marcus’s face was skepticism.

“I find it difficult to believe Ceily would revolt against the custom and allow you to view the bride before taking vows. After all, this whole arranged marriage is steeped in tradition.”

“I know.”

“And you came here because you don’t know what to think about their idea.”

“No. Yes. I don’t know,” Aiden answered and pushed off the cushion to pace in front of the screen. “At first I was excited. I would be able to see her, speak with her without half the galaxy observing and judging my reactions to her. Then I thought, what if she’s boring, or annoying, or unintelligent? That instigated concerns of being tied to this woman for the rest of my life, which brought me back to meeting her for the first time and what if she doesn’t like me?”

When Aiden finally paused for a breath, and ceased pacing to stand in front of Marcus, his face wore the signs of panic. Marcus put his hands out to preclude any further babbling from a Prince who had been so protected that he hadn’t any, or much, experience with women. He could understand his brother’s anxiety. Marcus, who had several encounters with women, still found it difficult to tread around the female s*x.

“Pause a minute. First of all, your worry has affected your thinking. You have the opportunity to meet her prior to being at the altar. Even if all your concerns are true, there is nothing you can do to change the outcome. The two of you will take vows and spend your lives together, whether she is beautiful, interesting, and smart… or not.”

“You’re not helping,” Aiden accused as he crossed his arms over his chest.

“You shouldn’t be nervous. After all, you’ve had experience with women, right? Or were you just bluffing?” Marcus narrowed his eyes at his brother, waiting for a sign he had lied when they had talked in the Holograph Room.

Aiden uncrossed his arms and spoke around the question. “I’m just requesting your opinion regarding possible plans of action on my part.”

“What do you wish for regarding this encounter?” Marcus tossed back.

Aiden resumed his pacing. “I want to meet her, have her be everything I desire.” He stopped and stared out the window where trees lined part of the walkway that meandered through the garden, stretching the length of the family’s quarters. This was the root of it. Here was the reason he was anxious about the ceremony, had hidden from his mother, and was confused about meeting his bride. The thoughts that swirled in his mind with “what ifs” all returned to the single idea, the only requirement he desired.

“I want to be in love with the woman who will be my wife,” Aiden stated as the realization became fully formed. Whatever her physical features or personality, Aiden believed all would be well if he was in love with the Princess.

The relationship between his own parents was one he emulated. They shared in the decision-making and the ruling of Dulsar. Anyone in their company for a short time could easily observe their feelings for each other. Aiden imagined it would be a different household, and his childhood would have contrasted greatly from what it was, if Ceily and Levon were dispassionate, or worse, if they despised each other. He believed that if the marriage between the Princess and himself was filled with love, then any obstacles Source placed in their way could be overcome. Aiden turned to face Marcus and wasn’t sure which of them had grown the biggest eyes, he for stating the realization aloud, or Marcus for hearing it. The spell was broken as Marcus leaned back against the pillows and laughed.

“Brother mine, you have completely lost whatever sense Source graced you with. Love? The entire arrangement is archaic enough without you believing that you want to be in love with your wife. That isn’t what marriage is about.”

“And you, who slinks away when a woman continues to show interest after the two of you have… been together, has an enlightened insight into marriage? You are afraid of committing to one woman, fearful of developing permanent feelings for her,” Aiden smirked, thrusting his hands into the pockets of his trousers.

Marcus pushed himself to his feet. “‘Been together’? Of all the possible verbiage, this is how you choose to describe the most incredible physical sensation in a man’s life? Why not copulation, procreation, mating, s*x, i*********e, or—”

“Halt the lexicon lesson. You’re envious because I have a woman with which to be attached to throughout the years of my life, while you refuse to look further than the next female who you find between your sheets.”

“We’re not discussing me. You’re the one with issues regarding women. Or at least this one particular woman.” Marcus moved to the window and looked out at the fading light and the shadows cast by the foliage in the garden. The lights automatically illuminated the inside of his chambers softly so as not to disturb the occupant or alert them of the change from natural to artificial lighting.

“The type of marriage you should expect is one of tolerance. The two of you were chosen to be joined so Dulsar and Suma could continue to lead the Alliance. Do you think the Princess would be matched with you were she not pleasing to the eye, uneducated, or did not possess enough brain cells to generate original thoughts? Aiden, this is a marriage for politics, for power, for the future. This is not a union where love is required, or even needed.”

Aiden shifted so Marcus could observe his reflection in the glass. “You’re wrong Marcus. I need it.”

Marcus saw the desire in his brother’s eyes. He didn’t know why he fought so adamantly against Aiden’s ideals. A small voice in his mind whispered that Aiden’s beliefs were valid. Not just that he knew what he wanted in his lifelong relationship with the Princess, but that love was worth wanting, worth asking for. He inclined his head to his brother’s reflection.

“Then I wish for Source to grant it to you.”

Aiden’s eyes softened, and he tipped his head in thanks.

Marcus turned then to face him. “And what will you do if you are not in love with the Princess in the few days you have before the ceremony?”

“Hope that I grow to love her. And that she returns the emotion.”

“Do you plan to convey all this to the Princess?”

“Perhaps.”

“And if she doesn’t share your sentimentality?”

Aiden shrugged, not sure how to answer. With his epiphany, came calmness. The panic and anxiety over meeting the Princess had melted away. But the thoughts hadn’t gone far, as Marcus’s questions brought them back.

“Do you have anything positive to share?” Aiden asked in an attempt to change the subject as he gestured over his shoulder to the report that his brother had received.

Marcus’s eyes flicked to the screen above Aiden’s head. “Positive, no. But definitely more information.”

Aiden turned around to look at the screen. “Tell me what you’ve found.”

Marcus moved to stand in front of the wall. “Replay text report from Lieutenant Henshaw,” he instructed the computer.

The screen blinked and restarted on the first page. Aiden walked over to stand next to his brother and began reading the text.

“Which race has given the Alliance the most grief in recent years?” Marcus asked as if Aiden were a student still in university.

“That depends on how recent and what kind of trouble. The Tamplians have been violating commerce codes with their trade in s*****y and the increase in the illegal market goods that are appearing on several planets.”

“Worthy guess, but no.”

“The Vancurelians, with their refusal to become full members in the Alliance, have been more inclined to be involved in skirmishes in the Taurus Galaxy. There’s a rumor that the Vancurelians are taking a portion of the slave trade and the Tamplians are becoming annoyed. But neither of those are reasons enough for the Alliance to wage war on the Vancurelians. Besides, if they weren’t the ones who performed a majority of the mining operations in the known universe, the rest of us would not have the things we’ve grown accustomed to.”

“Correct on the second attempt.” Marcus glanced sideways at Aiden. “I had forgotten you studied history, as well as politics.”

Marcus glanced again at the screen as the text scrolled, then moved to the Quick-Kitch in the next room. Pressing the keys for two glasses of water, he waited quietly. He knew how far Aiden had read when he heard inventive expletives coming from the sitting room. Removing the two glasses from the tray, he walked back to the screen. Aiden had taken to pacing and snatched the glass from Marcus on one of his passes. As Aiden drained the glass, his eyes flicked back to the screen.

“Halt text,” he said, then handed the empty glass to Marcus. “When did you receive this report?”

“About an hour ago,” he answered, handing Aiden the full glass.

“Is there any proof to what the Lieutenant has reported?”

“Unfortunately, no. We know where the vessels were soon after the outbreak on each of the colonies, and that the Vancurelians seem unaffected by the virus.”

“Do you have any information on the virus? Where it comes from, how it’s transmitted?” Aiden drained the second glass of water. He walked past Marcus and took the empty glass from him on his way to the Quick-Kitch. Raising his voice as he went around the corner, he continued with the questioning.

“If we possessed more knowledge regarding the virus, we would be able to have a direction in which to encourage the researchers to find a cure, or an antidote.” Aiden pressed the key for wine and waited for the glasses to fill.

“Someone is way ahead of you. There’s been enough research done on the virus that a vaccine has been developed,” came Marcus’s voice from the sitting room.

“How could that be? There have been only four infected planets,” Aiden responded as he came to stand in front of Marcus and handed him a glass of wine.

Marcus sipped before he answered. “Four that are confirmed. There could be others who were infected, and they all perished before they had an opportunity to signal for help or are far removed from starship traffic and therefore their demise hasn’t been recorded. Besides, certain scientists only need one or two breakouts before they’re able to develop something to counteract the illness.”

The brothers looked at each other and answered in unison, “Suma.”

Aiden felt behind him for the back of the sofa and rested against it. “If Suma has an antidote for this virus, how are they distributing it? Where do they send it, and how do they determine which colonies might need it?”

Marcus again tasted his wine. “Computer, display image of Suma.” The text screen minimized and the rotating red and blue planet with swirling clouds appeared on the screen.

Aiden stood, then turned to watch the video. “It appears there’s some information I need to gather. I can search for what has been developed.” He turned to look at Marcus. “Contact the Lieutenant. Discover what else he knows regarding the Vancurelians.”

“And the Tamplians. They’re often the ones that provide the workforce when colonies are established. They help build the cities and set up primary trade,” Marcus added.

“Which gives them an excuse to continue their presence on newly settled planets and take it upon themselves to protect their investment.”

“If we don’t know anything about a cure for this virus, or much regarding the virus itself, how are you going to locate any information?”

Aiden smiled and flicked his gaze back to the screen. “I’ve got someone on the inside.”