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Like a typical Axis outpost, there was a huge Axis flag painted on the sides of the outer walls, along with fierce slogans and symbols written in Tygerian. It looked like a huge, round, silver orb hanging in the sky, studded with twinkling stars...and covered in graffiti.
Somewhere in that glittering, decorated ball might be the man Mikol had come all this way to meet, or if not, he would soon be there. The man who, if things went well, might actually become his husband, his nobyo, one day. And if thoughts of the man the night before intruded a little on that idea, then Mikol had to put them firmly away. Enough of that—it would soon be time to do his duty and meet Prince Kalen. He’d still make inquiries about the beautiful young man on Belline, but he had responsibilities he needed to face, and his duty lay elsewhere.
Blake had given Mikol one more bit of important information before he left. “Just remember to never,everbe alone with this Prince Kalen until you’re married. Never, do you hear me? Just in case you don’t like him—or you like him too much. You don’t want this prince to be able to say you ruined him and then be forced into a marriage you may not want. That’s what happened with your uncles Anarr and Vannos. Derrick too, for that matter.”
“Ruined? What does that mean? What happened? I never heard that about my uncles not wanting to marry. Were either of them hurt in some way?”
“No. Never mind what happened.”
“But were they forced into marriage?”
Blake gave him an annoyed and exasperated look. “No. They leaped into marriage like demented toad frogs and never looked back. Butyou… You just mind what I said and don’t be alone with Prince Kalen. The key word here isPrince. If you ruin him, it would cause a huge scandal, and you’ll have no choice but to marry him. I know you’re big and strong and not afraid of anything, but this Kalen might say something happened when it didn’t. I’m not saying he’d do anything like that, but you can’t be too careful.”
“But what would be the purpose? I’ll already be there to get betrothed to him.”
Blake shrugged. “Who knows? Maybe you’ll decide you don’t want him after you meet him? Maybe he’ll want to negotiate more favorable terms. Maybe more gold or power? Just be careful, that’s all.”
Mikol grinned. “What do you think I might do to him if I got him alone?”
“Ravish him, if you find him attractive enough.”
“What’s that?”
“Something that happened to both your uncles. And to me, for that matter. And I won’t have you accused of doing it too.”
“Wait. Are you saying my grandfatherravished you? What is that exactly?”
“Never you mind, and yes, absolutely he did. Now be careful, darling. You’re much too pretty for your own good, you know.” Mikol was always amused at the word “pretty,” which Blake said in Earthan. He knew that term usually referred to females or children, but his omak-ahn had used it on him all his life. And he still had no clear idea what “ravish” actually meant, though he didn’t have much trouble figuring it out. He was pretty sure it was a type of seduction, and surely not rape of any sort, but it still made him a little uncomfortable. He’d hate to be accused of such a thing, though he knew that back during the war and the years following it, a lot of crazy things had happened.
Mikol was a little shocked and definitely dismayed to see a large crowd there to greet him as he entered the space station. The Tygerian commandant of the station was on hand to welcome him formally, and people stood around to listen to the short speech the commandant gave afterward. The speech was all about building a stronger Axis of planets and how more such contracts as Mikol’s and Prince Kalen’s should and would soon be taking place to unite the far-flung planets of the galaxy. He praised King Davos and his consort for having so many sons and grandsons. The sons had all married outside their own cultures, as well. He said the subsequent generations would be able to join the entire galaxy before they were done. That was approximately what he said, anyway, but it was all a little boring, not to mention a wild exaggeration and no doubt meant to flatter King Davos—who wasn’t even there to hear it.
Mikol, though used to this kind of thing, was feeling fidgety there on the small platform they’d erected by the time the commandant was finally done. Luckily all that seemed to be required of him was a smile and a wave to the crowd.
It seemed that a visit from any member of King Davos’s family, especially one of the direct heirs, was a big deal, as his omak would say, and the officials here were treating it as such, making sure they gave Prince Mikol all the attention his illustrious father and grandfather might think he deserved. They even gave him gifts, which his guards took charge of. Finally, when all was said and done, and the reception wound down, Mikol left to go find his suite.
The lifts to the upper levels were made of some clear material that fully exposed him to the large group of people still milling around below, and a crowd gathered to watch him and Florin and their guards ascend to the upper floors. He endured it until they reached the top, and then after they got off the lift, he stood at the balustrade to look down at the still busy scene below. He was far enough up that the people below looked like small insects scurrying around the atrium. And that was how he came to be still there when Prince Kalen of Loros arrived at the station with his entourage.
“I think Prince Kalen has arrived,” Florin said from beside him, looking with interest over the rail beside Mikol. He was much too far away to tell if the prince was as handsome as his pictures indicated. Mikol could see that he was dressed all in black and had long black hair. His personal guard surrounded him, all dressed the same as he, along with another group of guards wearing different, brighter colors. As he came in, he was taken directly over to the commandant’s little platform, but he spared the man only a nod and a quick word or two and then strode off toward the lifts, followed closely by his guards.
Mikol noticed right away that the guards who were not wearing black like Prince Kalen and seemed to be almost herding him. The ones wearing his own colors stood back a bit.
Florin snorted a little. “Rude little thing, isn’t he? He left the commandant standing there looking embarrassed.”
“He’s not little for a Lorian. Humans are even smaller.”
“Like your omak? He’s pretty small compared to you and your father.”
“Don’t let him hear you say that. I commented once on how short he was, and he explained to me that a height of three helarens, which in the way humans measure, is almost six “feet” tall, and a most respectable height for anyone, other than for the ‘overgrown apes’ of Tygeria and Lycanus.”
“Oh…ouch.”
Mikol laughed. “And you know how good looking he is, even at his age. I have a theory about that. Tygerians live much longer than humans, by at least a hundred years or more, so I suspect my father is dosing him with something to increase his lifespan. Tygerian medicines, as you know, are much advanced over Earthan ones. Whatever he’s taking, it has no doubt preserved his good looks too.”
“If your omak knew that, he wouldn’t like it.”
“Oh no. He’ll kill my father when he finally figures it out.” He sighed. “Or maybe not. I can’t imagine him leaving us too soon. It would break my father’s heart. And mine too, for that matter.”
Florin was using a pocket-sized spy glass to peer down at Kalen and passed it over to Mikol. “Here, take a look for yourself at your intended. Is he like his picture?”
