Planet Tierre

Chapter 17

CHAPTER 17

Luna:

Surprisingly, I slept really well. It must be the eternal darkness. No light to wake you up naturally. Or maybe it's the surreal feathery bed that feels like you're being lifted up while being massaged. Or maybe it's because I'm just tired. Tired of crying and feeling sorry for myself.

I opened my eyes and looked around Aimee's room. Surprisingly, humans and Tierrans don't differ much. I just notice Tierrans' fondness of the circle shape. Almost all of the objects are circle. Or at least oval.

I couldn't help but wonder about the people I left behind on Earth. Mom, Pops, Shannon.

I think of her every time. I miss her. And I miss my parents. Will I ever return home?

I slowly crawled towards the edge of the bed to peek at Aimee on the floor. There, I found her staring back at me, surprised herself. I jumped back and returned to my side of the bed, a little embarrassed at being caught.

"Good morning," I heard her say while still being on the floor.

I didn't reply. I wanted her to feel that I'm still very, very angry.

"You know, you can't ignore me forever," she continued.

Then that moment, the door burst open and Fructuosè came in. "Aimee-lin, what are you doing on the floor?"

Aimee immediately sat up and sat down on the edge of the bed. "I was just... testing the floor," Aimee's face started to turn red.

Fructuosè just smirked and crossed her arms on her chest. "Really? Testing the floor for what?"

"Shut up Jaja." But then Aimee stood up and hugged Fructuosè tightly, her face nestled snugly on the crook of Fructuosè neck.

I sharply inhaled without meaning it, causing Fructuosè to look at me and smile sheepishly. "Aimee-lin, your bride is starting to get upset."

I instantly removed my gaze from them and just looked at the ornaments in the room. I don't want Aimee to start getting ideas that I would want to marry her.

Fructuosè laughed softly. "Aimee, stop being a kid just because you were kicked out of bed. Now get ready because your parents are very confused and have many questions for the both of you."

I looked at them then, seeing Aimee's face become uncomfortable.

"Aimee, just come to the dining hall okay? Both of you," then she smiled at us and bowed before going out.

I heard Aimee sigh. Then she turned to me and held her hand out. "Let's go meet my parents."

I sudden nervousness enveloped my whole body. "Dressed like this?" I looked down on my pj's and back to her.

She smiled at me softly. "Don't worry. You look beautiful. And they won't have any idea that you're wearing pajamas."

I gulped and took her hand timidly, indeed feeling the slight tremble in hers and knowing that she's as nervous as I am. Then she led us out of the room and down the grand staircase.

"Whatever my mother says, know that I love you," Aimee said.

I didn't have any time to reply because we arrived at the main dining hall of some sort. My eyes widened as I watched several similarly dressed women get up from their seats and bow at us. I gripped Aimee's hand harder while she just gave a gentle squeeze back, as if calming me.

Then, one of the women spoke. It's weird. Her lips were moving erratically and I'm pretty sure what she said were not even close to the English language, but all I could hear was:

"Welcome, Queen Aimee. And Queen Luna."

My brain is confused.

"You may take your seats." Aimee replied with a smile. It's so unusual. Her tone carried a certain elegance and power, with even a little bit of arrogance. So different from her sweet, playful voice. But I guess you develop it when you're superior to everyone on your planet.

Aimee pulled me along and pulled the chair out for me while everyone else gasped. I looked down, feeling shy from all the stares I was getting.

Then Aimee sat down beside me, both of us at the head of the table. I looked up to see who was sitting across me and my jaw went wide open. A woman who could be a duplicate of Aimee was staring at me with sharp, emerald eyes. She must be Aimee's mother, no doubt They look so hauntingly alike and it's killing me. She doesn't even look old. She looks like she’s in her late 20’s.

She must be Nadia. Her cold gaze can seep to my very core.

Then my gaze shifted to another woman sitting beside her. The woman immediately smiled warmly. She too looks to be in her late 20’s and has this rose red hair. And this must be Aimee's mom. Gia.

Tierrans are very attractive people. Is this the result of millions of years of evolution?

"Everyone, you've met my bride, Luna," Aimee started.

"Indeed, she is lovely, your highness," a woman seated at my right said.

"Thank you..." I mumbled shyly.

"Queens do not speak incoherently. Remember that, now that you will become one yourself." Aimee's mom twin said with a cold voice.

I hung my head and didn't speak anymore.

"Mother, please..." Aimee said with a pleading voice.

"Nadia, let the girl be. She's just nervous," the woman seated beside her, Gia, said. Then she smiled at me. I felt grateful for that.

"Queen Aimee, may we know when will you two produce an offspring?"

"Soon, elder Duhàk. Soon."

I whipped my head to Aimee in disbelief.

"But we wish to have a definite date. So that we may welcome the little Princess."

Their discussing the future. My future! And I have no control over anything. Then, as I was near panicking, Aimee held my hand under the table and looked at me. "What do you think, love? When will be the right time for you?"

I just stared at her, hiding my furious state.

Aimee smiled and put a hand on my head to pull me closer and kiss my forehead. Then she turned back to the one who asked the question. "We will discuss it. I promise."

The woman who asked the question just nodded.

"Does the new Queen have any special needs?"

"No. I already brought some of her medicine. But I will ask some builders to create an astronomy and technological laboratory just for her."

"Does the new Queen have an interest in the sciences?" another one asked again.

"Yes. And she wants to be an aeronautic engineer. Can you also find her some of our best pedagogues?"

"As you wish, Queen Aimee."

Aimee smiled and turned to me. "You're gonna be an aeronautic engineer baby. Taught by the best in the galaxy. Tierrans lead all other species in all technological aspects concerning physics and we pride ourselves with advanced communication systems."

I gulped and still didn't say anything. But at that time, the smell of bacon filled my nostrils. And just like that, several maids came in carrying trays of... food. I think.

"Queen Aimee, we made use of the ba... baycon you sent to the kitchen. And we sought out the best substitutes for what you described to us. I hope you will like my creation."

Aimee's obsession in bacon is just... astounding.

A covered tray was placed in front of me. I was still staring at it, picturing what kind things were inside. Will it have live, wiggling, squirming, bug-like creatures? Or some gross, slimy-...

Aimee removed the cover for me.

It looked just like a normal bacon and pancakes.

And that makes me more suspicious.

"Eat up, wifey. You're gonna need some strength."

I nervously picked a... spork? They have sporks!

I then cut a small bit of pancake and just shoved it inside my mouth, eyes widening when the bite literally melted inside my mouth like cotton candy.

"It's good, isn't it?" Aimee said, grinning. "We don't have shortening, so it's a bit tough on the first touch. But we use a special sap from our tree that reacts to saliva and breaks the enzymes down so that you won't have trouble chewing."

"It's good," Then I got some more and put it in my mouth.

There were also a few colored liquids passed around. I eyed them, until Aimee patiently explained them to me. "Those are our 'fruit juices'."

Aimee reached out and poured some on a glass. It's a beautiful, glossy red color. It reminded me of a strawberry.

"Here. Try this," then she handed it to me.

I gladly took it and put it on my lips, pleasant fruity smell hit my nose, making me want to drink it all. I took a sip, and the moment the liquid hit my tongue, my face scrunched up.

It was so sweet, but also so incredibly sour. For the sake of good manners, I didn't spit it out. I swallowed it and put the glass down while Aimee burst out laughing.

Everything in the room went silent and just sort of froze when they heard Aimee laugh. I looked around and they all honestly looked amazed.

"Luna, you should have seen your face. It was epic!" Then she laughed again.

And just when her laugh was fading, she breathlessly added. "Oh god I love you," then she continued eating while shaking her hand. And with that, breakfast went on peacefully.

**************

We're inside a giant see-through hamster ball. Aimee was beside me while Fructuosè was seated beside Aimee's right. We were strolling downtown with the two serving as my tour guides.

"And right there is where your statue will be built. All queens have their statues on display in the main park."

Indeed, I saw some Tierrans beginning to clear a patch of land.

"Love, you will really like it here. Everyone is so nice," Aimee smiled at me. "Oh wait, I'm gonna stop here. I have to greet a friend. Is that okay?" She asked me.

I shrugged my shoulders, making her smile. She gave me a hug and excitedly went out to go inside some kind of store.

"Aimee is so cute."

I looked at Fructuosè curiously. "Uhm... excuse me?"

She just smiled. "Oh, don't get me wrong. I don't plan on stealing her away from you. I just think that now, she is really cute. She's being a child again."

I was still confused.

"She never got to have a normal childhood. I don't think she even know what childhood means. We grew up together, but no matter how normal she may look, she was just… raised differently. Even differently from me." I saw a look on her face. It's a look of pure adoration. "But when she's with you, she looks so ecstatic. Without a care in the world. You bring her youth back. And I'm thankful for that."

I nodded and watched Aimee talk to a woman, her face indeed radiating.

"But when she's with you, she also looks so sad. It's a strange combination, really. And it bugs me," In my surprise, she reached for my hand and grasped it tightly. "Please, Luna. Do not hurt her anymore."

She sighed and removed her hand. "I know what she did was wrong. Morbidly wrong. But still, I know you care for her. And dare I say love her? So please, just think about it. If you really don't want to be here, I'll help you escape. I'd bring you home. Just-…think about it okay?"

I was really surprised by her revelation. And I was tempted to say yes. So I just nodded.

Fructuosè smiled widely. "Great! Now that we're on the same page, would you like to hang out with me? Your girl's best friend?"

I smiled back timidly. "Uhh... sure."

She smiled mischievously and closed the opening of our 'car'.

"What are you doing?" I asked. Aimee was still oblivious of what Fructuosè just did.

"We're gonna hang out, you and I. I’d love to show you around without Aimee making you uncomfortable. We'll have the best times of our lives," she grinned.

Confused, I tilted my head and threw her a questioning gaze. She took that as a yes and sped off, completely leaving Aimee behind.

"What about Aimee? Who's gonna take her home?" I asked.

"She's a big girl. She can go home by herself."

"You're crazy!" I yelled but then smiled. Her cheerfulness is contagious.

"Yes I am!"

"Where are we going?"

"To our labs. Aimee mentioned that space interests you. So that's where we're headed." Then the car sped up even more. I just smiled and sat back. She is really an interesting person.

I watched as she pushed some more buttons on the car and finally, she had the car on auto drive. I waited for her to get less busy. And then, I asked something that's been bugging me for a while.

“Fructuosè, why does Aimee call you Jaja?"

At the mention of her nickname, she turned towards me and grinned. “When we were just starting to blossom into adulthood, Aimee and I stumbled upon your planet’s intranet communications.”

“You mean, the Internet?”

“Yes,” Fructuosè laughed softly, looking like she was reliving some memories. “Aimee and I we’re just starting to discover the wonders of s****l pleasure when we stumbled upon human pornography. It was my first time seeing a p***s and I admit, I was intrigued. The particular video we watched was titled ‘Jaja’ and ever since, Aimee has called me Jaja as an inside joke.”

“You two seem really close.”

“We are. We shared a few girls before and had the most memorable adventures together.”

My brows creased. “And by share, you mean…?”

“Absolutely destroying the V? Then, yes.” Fructuosè laughed.

I scratched my head. “Is s*x really not that big of a deal here? I mean, how many s****l partners has Aimee had?”

"Aimee is really picky, so her total score is lower than normal. But let's see..." She had this look of concentration on her face. "About 140, give or take a few Tierrans."

Okay, that I didn't expect. How in the world?

"How did she sleep with that many women? And that was her being picky? I'd love to know your numbers!"

"Well, threesomes and stuff. Different women everyday. My number is 307." Then she grinned.

"How can you two find THAT many Tierrans to hook up with?" I am utterly speechless.

"Well, if you haven't noticed yet, Aimee and I are very attractive." She laughed.

I sighed and nodded. How true.

****

We finally arrived back at the palace.

I did have a fun time with Fructuosè . She was such a nice, cheerful person. I'd love to hang out with her again. We had lunch at this kind of restaurant and I didn't even notice it was lunchtime. It's always night in this planet. But I strangely like it. The serene glow of the moons and stars makes it look like the time in the afternoon when the sun had just set. Not too dark, not too bright.

"You were fun to hang out with." Fructuosè said, giving me a small hug.

"You too."

"Well, you better go to your lady love," she grinned and nudged me repeatedly.

"She's not my lady love." I rolled my eyes.

"Yes she is. She will be waiting for you in either her office, or her chambers."

I nodded and gave her a final wave before I went inside. Several maids stopped and bowed at me before returning to their works.

I have to get used to that.

I climbed the stairs and checked her room but there was no Aimee there. Then I went to her office. Just when I was a few meters away, I heard shouting. Shouting and angry voices.

"You are one *beep* ignorant child. Do you have any idea what you have just done?" A voice rang out, full of conviction.

"Mother!" I heard Aimee's desperate voice. "I know what I did. It's wrong, but it feels so right. Why can't you just be happy for me?"

"Aimee, what you did is unforgiveable. Out there is her mother, wondering where you took her daughter to. Her friends, her loved ones. How are you going to explain her disappearance?"

"A vacation. I said we were going on a vacation."

"And a month later and she still doesn't come back?"

"I... I'll think of something."

"What a *beep* *beep* you are indeed. Return her immediately if you still want to be queen."

"Oh my..." I can't help but whisper. Is her mother threatening to disown her? Because of me? And what's with the beeps? Is my decoder censoring cuss words?

"I don't care if I don't become queen. You can have the title back. Now please get out of my office."

"Aimee, I can and I will report you. Don't make me do it. Don’t let me be the reason you are exiled from your home."

"Mother, I don't care. You can't make me leave Luna."

I heard shuffling and immediately scampered away from her study to avoid being caught. When I entered Aimee's room, I put my hand over my pounding heart. It took a few seconds to process what I heard.

I can go home. I'll see my mom and dad. And Shannon...

But… what about Aimee? She will lose everything. She will lose her title, her family, and her whole planet if she was indeed to be exiled.

Without meaning it, a few teardrops spilled from my eyes. It's so hard. 

A knock made me jump away from the door and furiously wipe my tears away. Just when I finished wiping, Nadia came in, completely ignoring me. Then she sat down on the edge of the bed and looked right through me. Those piercing emerald eyes chilled me to the core.

"A billion dollars," she simply said which confused me.

"What?" I stuttered.

"A billion dollars for you to go home and never see Aimee again. I'll even provide your ride and all other necessities."

“Who do you think I am?” I was aghast. "Aren’t you Aimee’s mother? Why are you doing this?"

"You don't love my daughter. You will only hurt her. So it's better that the both of you just move away from each other," then she sighed and looked away with a far off look on her face." She has suffered enough."

I mustered all the courage I had in my body.

"I'm sorry. But I can't do that."

She looked up, quite surprised. "Why?"

"This is between Aimee and I. No matter what my decision is, it’s between the two of us. You can’t just bribe me with money."

"You're going to end up hurting her more. Just leave and never look back. Are you willing to sacrifice your happiness? You do know that she will never set you free. You need my help."

I nodded softly. "I admit I want to go home. I want to go home and see my family, my friends, and my girlfriend."

Nadia's head bobbed up at the mention of girlfriend, her face softening for a fraction of a second before returning to being cold and stoic.

"But with the short time that we spent together, I have also grown to love your daughter. If she truly needs me, I will support her. Even if it meant staying here forever." I finished.

She gave me a measuring glare and stood up. "I've never been a mother to Aimee. And it's too late for me to try now. However, it will never be too late for me to stop this mistake. You better make the right decisions." And then, she walked out, leaving me speechless.

I released the breath I didn't know I was holding in. I felt sweat dripping from my brows. Was that encounter really that intense?

I dropped on the bed, feeling exhausted. And within a few more minutes, my eyes closed and I drifted into a dreamless slumber. I didn't know how long I was out, but I was awoken with an arm around my waist and a soft, whiny sob behind me

"Aimee? Are you crying?"

I tried to turn around but her grip around my body tightened and she buried her face on my back. "No! Don't look at me!" And she continued to cry. I could feel wetness from her tears on my back.

"I don't understand. Why are you crying?"

She didn't respond. All I could feel was the gentle rocking of her body from her cries. And it's very upsetting.

"Aimee, don't cry please. Just-"

"Do you want to go home?" Her voice was tender and very fragile. It spoke of hidden fears and desperation.

I tried once again to turn around and face her, but she held me down.

"Why are you asking me this?"

"Please... just answer me. I need to know. Now."

I sighed and decided to answer her truthfully.

"Yes."

Her arm wrapped around me loosened its grip until she removed it completely. The bed shifted a bit when she sat up. "You may leave tomorrow. I'll give you a ship and some provisions." Her voice cracked in the end, making my heart ache.

I turned and saw her back towards me while she buried her face in her palms. "Can you please leave me for a while? I don't feel so good." She said, her voice full of pain.

I reached out and put my hand on her shoulder. "You didn't let me finish."

I sighed and sat up beside her. "Aimee... you asked me if I wanted to go home. Yes, I do want to go home. But will I leave you?"

She looked up at me, face red and eyes brimming with unshed tears.

I smiled weakly. "No. I won't leave you."

Now her face showed confusion. "What?"

"Aimee... I'm staying." And, with a final intake of air, I sealed my fate.

"And yes. I'll marry you."