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“It’s because he’s a bit spoiled, according to the uncle. He needs to mature a year or so, until the king’s council feel he’s ready, and then he’ll be crowned king,” Mikos said. “His father has recently died. His mother has just been remarried to…uh…his uncle, the new Regent.”
“Good gods.”
Ryan made a soft sound, shaking his head. “That sounds almost incestuous to me, not to mention highly inappropriate when her husband hasn’t been dead for more than a few days. Poor kid. No wonder he looks so angry.”
Mikos nodded. “Yes, but I remind you we don’t know what customs prevail on Loros. This could be commonly done in their culture, for all we know. I have people looking into it, but whatever the woman’s reasons were for what seems to us like a hasty, even ill-advised remarriage, we shouldn’t jump to conclusions. There are far greater issues at stake. Loros is strategically of vital importance to us, and the last thing we need is unrest there. The Pton won’t reach the planet for a while, but when they do, they must be met with strong resistance and invincible force. We need to show them that the Supreme Axis is powerful and unbeatable. We want them to turn tail and run back to their own galaxy, understanding that Tygeria and the Supreme Axis planets are more than capable of repelling their attacks. I want you at the forefront of this thing, Mikol, and in charge of the resistance forces. As the mate of this Kalen, that can easily be accomplished.”
“But can’t that also be accomplished without a marriage between me and this prince?”
“Do you have some objection to this young man?”
“Well no. I haven’t met him yet.”
“Then perhaps you can stop bringing up issues that might not happen. Marriage between my son and their prince will make Loros our closest ally. Loros was an Alliance planet during the war, so there’s bound to be some mistrust among their people and our other allies. By becoming the mate of their extremely popular prince, you may be able to gain some of the trust and loyalty that the Lorians feel for him. Likewise, our people will like it that he’syournobyo, and not the other way around.”
“Wait a minute. What exactly are you saying?” Ryan objected.
“Ryan,” Mikos began in the patient tone he sometimes used on Ryan, “You know what I meant.”
“Yes, I’m afraid I do. And let me assure you, Mikos, that it takes a hell of a strong person to be the nobyo of a Tygerian man—not to mention having his baby. I can guarantee you thatyouwouldn’t be able to do it.”
Mikol had to bite down hard on the inside of his lips to stop his smile. Again, because he valued his life.
“I never said a man or a woman or anyone who bears a child wasn’t strong and extremely brave. You know I’ve always been in awe of you, nobyo. Not to mention Blake.”
“You better not mention him where he can hear it. Why don’t you just rephrase that whole comment or better yet, retract it?”
Mikos took a deep breath. “There are still, unfortunately, some misguided and ill-informed people on Tygeria and some of our allied planets, whomistakenlybelieve that a person who has a child could conceivably be weaker than persons who don’t. Is that better?”
“No, not really. Those are stupid people, not just mistaken ones. Why don’t you just leave that out of your comments altogether?”
“Yes, nobyo, I will. Mikol, forget I mentioned that please. Though one day, you might want this young man to have a child of yours.” He shot a look over at Ryan. “Ifhe agrees.”
Mikol, who was used to this kind of back and forth with his parents simply nodded, only waiting for them to stop arguing. He knew how strong his omak and Blake, his omak-ahn were, and what formidable opponents they would make in battle. Ryan was a proven warrior, and he would bet that Blake might even be daunting too, even now. They’d made sure he knew that as he was growing up. He’d gladly fight alongside either one of them.
“Anyway,” Mikos said, looking back over at his son. “What do you think?”
“I think the prince is very good looking, from what I can tell in this picture, but what kind of person is he?”
“Don’t make up your mind based on that picture. It was taken at his father’s funeral, and on his mother’s wedding day to his uncle, for God’s sake,” Ryan said, shaking his head. “Just meet him and judge for yourself.”
“I agree,” Mikos said. “We’ll need a presence on Loros for some time to come. One of our own choosing, and it’s my hope that the two of you will one day rule together.”
“You mean for me to live on Loros?”
“No, not all the time. Your omak and mine would kill me. But I imagined you might split your time between the two planets. I don’t think the boy’s uncle would expect that, actually. I think he might have the wrong idea. He thinks Tygerian males are overbearing and domineering and would insist on making their mates live here on Tygeria. I suspect he simply wants the young man off his planet, and he thought this would be a great way to do that.”
“You say he has the idea that Tygerian men are overbearing—that’s wronghow, exactly?” Ryan asked, smiling over at Mikos.
Mikos wisely ignored his nobyo, a slight frown the only sign he’d even heard him. “I think the Lord Regent wants to get rid of the boy, and he thinks if he marries him off to you, you’ll eventually get him pregnant and lock him down here on Tygeria.”
Ryan snorted. “I doubt this Kalen will agree to be gotten rid of so easily. Or to get married for that matter. He may not agree to have children.”
“No. You may have to convince him to do all those things, I think. But who better to help him govern his planet and run his army than his mate?”
Mikol quirked up one eyebrow. “What makes you think he’ll agree to any of this?”
Mikos smiled. “It’s up to you to see that he does.”
