AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Luckily, my will is not put to the test.
“Fine,” says the human. “I will be your nieces and nephew’s nanny—on one condition.”
“And what is that?” I growl, danger underlying my question.
“I want you to send someone to my house and get a few of my things.” She stands tall and proud. I’m unwillingly reminded that she is remarkably attractive. “If you’re going to unceremoniously force a new living situation and job on me, the least you can do is get some of the things I wasn’t given time to pack.”
I bristle at the idea that anything from her human hovel would be necessary when she’ll have access to much of what the palace offers. However, I don’t want to continue this confrontation.
Already, I’ll have to command my pages to never repeat what they’ve just seen. I don’t want it getting out that I’ve let this woman get away with blatant disrespect.
“Consider it done.” I wave my hand, demonstrating that such a foolish request is beneath me. Without waiting to hear any more from this stunning, infuriating female, I stalk down the dais and head for the door.
I’ve secured a caretaker for the triplets. I should be pleased with that success, yet somehow, I’m even more frustrated than before.
LIARA
Iturn and watch the ruler of the Ocean Kingdom storm away. Both his powerful shoulders and the pointed ridges of his spine strain against the fabric of his shirt. The spine continues, rising out of his collar and up the back of his shining head. Locks of beautiful dark blue hair cascade down.
His colored head, which I would like to throw something at.
Kravath—who deserves no title as far as I’m concerned—is the most arrogant, imperious, entitled person I’ve ever met. Everything he just said made me so angry I could barely see.
He thinks that what he wants is the only thing that should matter! How does that make for a good, fair ruler?
Fuming, I turn back around to stare at the three sobbing Kiphian toddlers. The attendant previously in charge of them has fled, as have all of the others in the room. I’m alone with a trio of alien children who I know nothing about.
What in the hell am I supposed to do now?
I remember the one trying to bite the Kiphian wrangling them all and sigh. I wonder if these royal triplets have been raised as badly as Kravath clearly was. Grudgingly, I take a steptowards them. Then, I really, truly look at the little ones and feel my heart soften.
The pale green child is crying so hard, sobs are becoming hiccups. All three of them are holding onto each other, like they’ve got no one else in the world. I guess, given Kravath’s behavior, they don’t.
“You can’t be that different from human children, can you?” I croon, keeping my voice low and pleasant as I approach. “I can’t tell how old you are as easily, but we’ll figure that out together, won’t we?”
I sit on the floor an arm’s reach away from the triplets. I note that only one, the pale blue child, has the line of nubby points that will grow into a spine. A little boy, then, and the other two with smooth backs are little girls.
“Hello there,” I wave, slow and friendly. “I’m Liara.”
The trio’s weeping slows, but doesn’t stop. They gaze at me with distrust, even as they gasp for breath in between sobs.
“A star came down and went ker-splash,” I say in a singsong, beginning the first little rhyme I think of. “And all the little children laughed! The pond went bright and then went dark. But suddenly, they heard a bark!”
The triplets are mostly hiccuping now, their faces still wet but with no new tears flowing.
“From the water bounced a dog, his coat as bright as moonlit fog,” I continue. The youngsters begin to inch towards me. “The children clapped and reached right out, and stroked their new friend on his snout. A fallen star become a pup, to always love and cheer them up!”
“Pup,” says the lavender little female. “Pup pup pup pup.”
“Oh! You like that word?” I smile and try to figure out if she’s old enough to be verbal. If she were a human child, her size would suggest yes. Since she’s Kiphian, I simply can’t tell.
“Pup.” She nods, staring at me.
“You don’t have dogs here on Kiphia,” I say, since talking seems to calm them. “But other animals can have pups, too.”
The little girl cocks her head at me. Then, as though listening to an inner signal, she clambers into my lap. At once, the other two are doing the same. They are not small, and suddenly I have a pile of wriggling toddlers all over me.
“Okay, okay,” I laugh. “Hold on, let me help you.”
