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There was too much in my head. Things were changing too quickly and revelations I never expected had me doubting my instinct of Saboa’s goodness. Good instincts were something Avalonians were renowned for.
All those years of petitioning him. The long walks to negotiate his support for whatever my cause was. It never occurred to me he always arranged for privacy while we discussed what brought me to him. I’d admired Saboa. No, I didn't love him, but he was a good man as far as rulers went.
Could my admiration grow to be more? Especially after he revealed his part in helping the Praldian natives all these years. My instinct around Saboa always told me I could trust his word. That he did care about the people. Did I believe his feelings for me were true?
Sighing, I realised it wasn’t as if I had any choice. Still, knowing he was behind those anonymous tips just to have a reason to spend time with me endeared him to me for more than just the respect I'd always had for him. There was also the benefit that joining with Saboa protected me from the Barbarian. If he ever found me, he wouldn’t dare try to abduct the wife of the most powerful ruling family in our system.
"Okay." Turning to the contract, I flipped through to the last page, ready to sign.
Grabbing the pen from my hand Saboa stopped me. "You need to read that first."
"Why? Have you got a clause that says I have to tie you up and spank you every third moon?"
Saboa, Stark, and Aldous actually laughed, but Aldous finally answered. "Lady Zira. This is a contract—a binding agreement. Once you sign it, you will be obligated to abide by it for the rest of your life. It states what is expected of you within a set time frame of your joining. There is a promise from the Prince to yourself regarding things you have requested, but with restraints. You must understand every aspect of what is being demanded of you."
Tired, I sighed. "Fine, but I'm starving. I need to eat, or concentrating is going to be impossible."
Stark walked to the comms. "Padget, bring dinner in, please… enough for four."
"Yes, Commander."
Taking a deep breath, I started reading.
ChapterFive
"Three children?" I balked. "No one ever has more than two in Avalonia. No wonder Cyra is overpopulated."
While Stark and Aldous sat at the table chatting quietly, Saboa and I ate dinner on the sofa while I read our contracts. Saboa already finished reading and signing, having only read to make sure the changes he'd requested were correct. I, on the other hand, was still only halfway through.
Saboa chuckled. "We need a son for each throne, Zira, and since the continuation of the throne in Avalonia comes from the King's sister, we will need a daughter as well. In fact, three is the minimum. We will need to keep having children until we have at least two sons and one daughter. So, if we have five daughters to start with, we will need to keep trying until we get our bare minimum heirs."
Staring at Saboa, I waited for him to say he was joking, but the other shoe never dropped. "Surely there have been occasions in your own history which have required the King's sister to bear more than two children to gain a male and a female heir?"
"No, why would it? The females select to get with child, and the males select what sex they will have."
Saboa dropped his fork to his plate. "The male selects the sex at any given conception?"
Surprised he didn't already know this, I nodded. "Isn't that the case with every species?"
"No, Zira, it's not," Saboa huffed. Now it was my turn to look dazed. "Most other species play a game of first in first served with male and female sperm competing to fertilize the female's womb. You say you can elect when to conceive?" Intrigued by his explanation, I nodded.
"That's also unusual. Most females go through cycles where there is a conception window. For Cyrans, that window is only six hours long on average and can happen anytime, day or night. For Praldians, it is over several days each month," he educated. "So, in Cyra, a couple trying to conceive will be given leave from work to ensure they are introducing fresh sperm to the womb regularly to ensure the opportunity isn't missed."
"So, you're a bunch of sex fiends, and you just use reproduction as an excuse to have it more often?"
Saboa laughed. "Well, none of the males ever complain about the extra practice." Considering me for a moment, his face grew more serious again. "Explain how it is for your people?"
Shrugging, I chewed another bite of meat, swallowing before talking. "I'm not entirely clued in on it. My mother gave me a book to put away for later on how it is done… how to force my body to reproduce, not the sex part. I'm pretty sure I've got that part nailed. Pardon the pun."
Choking on a piece of his dinner, Saboa looked at me with a raised brow.
"Anyway, from what I understand, when a woman is ready to conceive, she can meditate and bring her body into that phase of being. Then, during copulation, the male will only release the sperm with the sex chromosome they wish to have. I grew up with that as a common understanding. I didn't realize that wasn't the case for every other species."
"So, if you chose to get with child tonight, you could?" Saboa asked. He tried to hide an annoyance, but it was still slightly evident in his voice.
Shaking my head, I avoided his eyes. "As I said, I was never told the exact'how'to do it. I'd need to go home and find that book and learn first. But…" I looked up and met the Saboa's curious gaze. "I don't think it's a good idea."
Holding up my hand, I indicated he should let me finish as he went to argue. He held his tongue. "Prince Saboa, when my mother gave me that book, she instructed me not to read it until I was safe. She basically told me that while the Barbarian lived, I should put all thought of children out of my head. Eliora believed ruling men would seek out my womb for the same reason the Barbarian wants it. And once they had the heirs, my life would be worthless and expendable. She even paid a Praldian medic to examine me and sign official documentation that I was barren to deter possible suitors."
