Of Prophecies and Promises

Chapter 6

6

Dulsar… “Kiersten, are you alright?” Aiden’s voice whispered from behind her.

She had woken several minutes earlier, rolled away from her husband, and now clung to the edge of their bed. “Perhaps something I ate at the late meal isn’t agreeing with me. The room is tilting and my stomach is churning.”

She tried closing her eyes and swallowing several times to keep the nausea away. There was a quiet tap on their door. Aiden sat up and reached for the robe at the end of the bed.

“That will be Skyler. Early, even for her,” he said, glancing at the time on the screen in the corner of their chamber.

Tying the robe around his waist, he moved to the side Kiersten faced and helped her to sit up, which caused her pale face to turn a shade of green.

Quickly pulling her robe around her, he said, “Come in, Skyler,” then helped his wife to the lavatory where, even through the closed door, he could hear her getting sick.

Skyler came to stand in front of him, a mixture of emotions on her face. She knew what was happening to Kiersten, had seen it last night as she settled herself into bed and waited for Aiden to tell her a story. What she didn’t know was what would happen to her. She wanted to be happy for Kiersten and Aiden, and she probably would be, even if they sent her away.

Aiden’s brows drew together as he not only saw Skyler’s confusion, but felt it in his mind. Being Future Fae, telepathy was often as easy for her to use to communicate as her voice. Skyler showed him the face of his son that was causing Kiersten’s body to adjust to the new being. Aiden smiled, then shook his head.

“Oh, no, Skyler, we would never get rid of you. You are as much our daughter as any that would come from our love. You will be formally ours as soon as you are ready. Dulsar is your home as long as you choose it to be. We love you, Skyler,” Aiden explained as he squatted to her level and caught her as she ran the few steps into his embrace.

Aiden closed his arms around her, then lifted Skyler and stepped away from the door as Kiersten emerged, feeling marginally better, from the lavatory. With a large smile, Aiden included Kiersten in his embrace.

“Why are you so cheery? If I’m sick, that just means more meetings and communications for you,” she said, confused by Aiden’s reaction.

“On the contrary. Were you ill, I’d postpone my own duties to remain with you, keep you company, bring you all that you need.” He looked into Kiersten’s eyes and knew the words were inadequate for his feelings.

Kiersten’s expression softened, then she kissed Skyler on the forehead. “If I’m ill, you’ll need to take your lunch with Ceily. Hey,” she said, “why are you up so early?”

“Skyler has a few things to share,” Aiden began.

“Well, she can share them with me in bed,” Kiersten suggested and made her way back under the blankets but rearranged the pillows so she was sitting up. Aiden stretched out on the other side of the bed, and Skyler wedged herself in between them both.

Beaming up at the red-haired princess, she blurted out what she had seen. “You’re going to be a mommy, Kiersten! The next Prince of Dulsar is letting you know he’s coming.”

Kiersten’s face paled. “A baby? Hells bells, Aiden, I’m going to be sick again!”

Aiden chuckled. “You’ll be alright. We’ll have Dr. Ulcyn make sure of that.”

Dr. Ulcyn was the lead scientist of the team that developed the vaccine for the virus that was infecting some of the colonies in the Alliance. Kiersten had always been his favorite patient, especially since he cured her when she contracted the virus on Windmere. With the help of an unknown compound in Skyler’s blood, Kiersten was saved. She is the only being on record to have survived the virus.

Brushing the long, black strands back from Skyler’s face, Kiersten mustered a smile. “Why didn’t you show me?” she asked, tapping her temple.

“Because I knew you would be sick, and I didn’t want to scare you,” her voice got quiet.

“And,” Kiersten encouraged.

Skyler glanced at Aiden, and when he smiled, told Kiersten the rest of it. “I thought you might send me away, now that you’ll have your own baby.”

Kiersten's gaze went to Aiden, who raised a brow. She knew what he would have told Skyler. It was the same he had promised her on The Spirit of Dulsar in their race from Windmere to Suma. And the same promise, in slightly different ways, they had expressed to her several times a day.

The Princess of Suma spoke it again. “Skyler, we would never send you away. We love you like you were ours. Aiden and I will make it so as soon as you want. Dulsar is your home, as is Suma. No matter how many princes or princesses Aiden and I have, you will always be loved. I promise you that will never change. Understand?”

Skyler had tears in her eyes, and Kiersten didn’t bother to hold back her own. Kiersten gathered Skyler to her and looked at Aiden over Skyler’s head. Her eyes showed the swirl of surprise, wonder, and love.

Aiden, unable to keep the smile from his face, mouthed “I love you” to Kiersten, which had her smiling.

“Aiden, you might as well say it aloud. It’s not like I can’t see your words,” Skyler said, leaning back from Kiersten to twist around and look at him.

“I know. Sometimes it’s best to say some things with no sound,” he explained, getting off the bed.

“Where are you going?” Kiersten asked.

“To notify the ruling families that there will be a new addition soon. And to get Dr. Ulcyn to Dulsar as soon as possible.”

With that, the screen flashed on and found her mother, the Empress of Suma, in her Communications Room, a doting Sid bringing her refreshment and relieving her of her tablet that contained her list of items to accomplish that day.

“Empress of Suma,” Aiden began.

“Aiden please, it’s Charlotte, Communications Room or not.”

“Very well. Tell me, Charlotte, are you prepared to be a grandmother?”

It took only an instant for the words to cross space. Charlotte squealed, then turned to hug a stunned Sid.

“Congratulations to both of you! Your father and I are very excited. Oh! You’ll want Dr. Ulcyn to check and make sure all is well. I’ll pass along the good news and ensure he boards the next shuttle to Dulsar. Skyler, you must be excited to get a new sibling.”

“It’s a boy,” Skyler blurted out.

This earned another squeal from Charlotte and caused Sid to brace himself one more time as she threw her arms around him in excitement.

Aiden turned to look at Kiersten. “She’s loosened up a lot since Sid agreed to marry her,” he said.

That caused a squeal from Kiersten, followed by a pillow aimed in his direction. Catching it easily, he turned again to the screen and signed off with the Empress of Suma. Just when he thought his life could not become any fuller, he found it easy to expand his heart and include the new child growing inside his redheaded Princess.

Second Earth… Jules pressed the screen on his wrist com to silence the alarm. Sighing, then stretching, he rolled off his pallet to begin the evening. Exercises were followed by another visit to the cleaning tube, donning his clothes and weapons, and consuming a meal from the Quick-Kitch before leaving to track his charge.

It was full dark by the time Jules descended the stairs at a jog and exited the building. Turning left as the door slid shut behind him, he followed the walkway alongside the roadway that would take him to Paradise City. Not a separate place, but a city within greater Malhinda that was home to whatever the senses of every being desired. Food, screens, pharmaceuticals, games, and whatever fantasy was required for a being to reach s****l release. Jules had seen much as he became familiar with the city, and it was an education he’d need to keep himself and Gage alive. He’d begin with the games, and the ones he knew who owned certain corners. If he couldn’t find the Prophecy, he would wander into the other areas of Paradise City. Pulling his hood up to cover his bare scalp, sliding one hand under his cloak to rest on his laser, Jules confidently made his way into the night.

“Wake up, boy. Time to earn your keep,” Pel said, his thin face swimming before Gage’s eyes.

“We have a little food for you, then you need to chat with Chev and me about the games. Come on over to the fire when you’re ready. But make it soon.”

Pel moved away, and Gage sat up, unrelieved that he was still in Malhinda. Rubbing his hands over his face, he stood, rearranged his robe, and went to join the two who had stolen him from the village.

“Excuse me, Pel, but where is it that I am to relieve myself?” Gage asked.

“What?” Pel questioned, unsure as to what the boy was saying.

“I think he needs to piss,” offered Chev.

“Oh, well, you can go on the other side of the ruined transpo there or go in the building and use the working bowl that’s the third door down on the right. But for now, just use the transpo.” Pel waved in the direction of an abandoned mass transit turned on its side.

Gage followed Pel’s directions, and since he was still in sight of the men, decided to forego any plans to reverse his promise. Finishing that business, he came back to the fire and the makeshift benches Pel and Chev occupied.

They handed him a white, box-like container and gestured that he sit on a crate between the two of them. Gage sat and stared into the container. It didn’t smell bad, and he could even distinguish a few plant parts that lay amid the rest of what was in there.

“Sorry. We don’t got any extra spoons. You’ll have to use your own, or your fingers,” Chev said.

Gage dipped his fingers into the container, and with the first bite, realized how hungry he was. The container was soon empty, but his stomach wasn’t full. Perhaps this is part of his lesson, to be satisfied without enough food. He set the container aside, licked off his fingers, wiped the back of his hand across his mouth, then stared at Pel.

“So, boy,” Pel began.

“Don’t you think we need to know his name?” Chev asked.

Gage turned to look at the fatter man. “Gage St. Veritas, of the Holy Order, Monastery 137 on Second Earth.”

“Well, Gage St. Veritas, tell us how you know which cup the ball of rope was under, and when you knew which cube would show itself? You see, that’s the kind of luck Pel and I need.”

Gage looked from one to the other, then stared at the fire. He swallowed. How was he to explain to these strangers, who only wished to use him, what he didn’t know himself? He sent a prayer to Source to give him the words. If this was the path he was to now travel, then he’d need the tools. A part of him glowed at the prospect of having opportunities to expand on what he could already do, try to see how far he could push his budding talent, and if he kept his captors pleased, perhaps they’d allow him to return to the Monastery, or at least they’d relax their vigil. With a rough idea of how to proceed, Gage took a breath, asked that Source forgive him, a launched into a string of half-truths and guesses.