An Unexpected Return (7 page)

She bawled, seeking comfort in her mother’s arms. Even though the woman had not birthed her, Kalara had been her one constant.

“There, there, sweetie. I know it hurts, but I don’t think he meant to hurt you.”

What
? She pulled away. “He left me.”

“No, I didn’t.”

She spun around. Her heart stopped. “Aris?”

Jacobus stepped in the room behind him. “Look who I found in the waiting room.”

While she wanted to run into Aris’s arms, she remained cautious. “You didn’t leave?”

He reached out for her. “No. I thought about it, but I couldn’t. I love you too much. I was just so confused when I saw you with that man.”

Pangs of guilt returned. “But I didn’t—”

He closed the gap between them, pressing his finger to her lips. “I know.” Leaning down, he kissed her, transporting her into a world where only the two of them existed.

A throat cleared near them, yanking her back to reality. Her cheeks warmed. “Sorry. I guess I should introduce everyone.”

“Aris, this is Kalara and Jacobus, my parents.” She pivoted toward the couple who had raised her as their own. “I’d like you to meet Aristides, the man I’m going to marry.”

Aris reached out to shake their hands. “It’s a pleasure to meet you. Thank you for raising such a wonderful young woman, and I ask you to give us your blessing to be married.”

Her jaw dropped. She’d never expected this to happen, for him to be so formal about meeting her family and getting married. No, she’d hoped to elope, just as Kalara and Jacobus had.

“I have a good feeling about you,” Kalara said. “I know you will treat her well.”

Jacobus stepped forward, clasping Aris’s shoulder. “But if you don’t, I will hunt you down.”

Aris winced. “Duly noted.”

“Now go.” Kalara flicked her hands motioning them to leave. “Get on with your lives and be happy.”

What
? “But you’re in the
hospes
. I can’t just leave you here like this.”

“I’ll be fine.” She reached for Jacobus, staring up at him with complete adoration. “I have my husband here to take care of me. Besides, I believe you have another family to meet.”

“Yes, you do.” Aris scooped her up in his arms, making her head spin. “And I’m afraid, sooner than later.”

Chapter Eleven

Surveying the street before him, Aris sighed with relief. His family was nowhere to be seen. Could he get back to Tyto without them finding him, or would they discover his whereabouts before he had the chance? He inspected the view once more before setting Xia down and holding her hand. They had to reach his PSTV at the edge of Havmiola as quickly as possible. If they made it to Tyto, surely his parents wouldn’t turn her away.

“How do you think they’re going to react when you bring me to meet them?” She chewed her lip and clasped his hand tight. “I mean, our cultures have been enemies for ages. What if they don’t approve?”

The same thoughts had rolled around in his head during their entire time together, but he couldn’t let her worry. He’d remain by her side, no matter what. “They’re going to love you, because I love you. Nothing else matters.”

He raced with her, hand in hand through the streets, toward his waiting spacecraft. He finally had his love, and he would never let her go. After so many star cycles, he could finally be happy living on Tyto.

“Well, well, well, look who I ran into again.”

He came to a grinding halt and grasped Xia so she wouldn’t fall over.

Madelia stood in their path, her arms crossed and feet spread apart. “And toting a Terran woman, none the less. What are your parents going to say about this?”

Xia tucked herself behind him.

He sucked in a sharp breath. “What do you want this time?”

“Hmm, let’s see. How about revenge?” His former betrothed smirked. “Because, as much as I am unbelievably happy with Ben, you still set me up. I would have gone along with your plan had I known, but no, you didn’t trust me. And now I’m going to make you squirm.”

Xia whimpered as Madelia pulled her out into the open.

“Honestly, Aris, I didn’t expect you to consort with the enemy.” She circled his lover, examining her. “I hope you’re completely in love with him, because your life is about to take an unexpected twist. Trust me.”

He couldn’t stand the way Madelia glared at Xia, and he clasped his future wife by the shoulders. “Madelia, I’d like you to meet Xia. She is the woman who finally captured my heart, the woman I’m going to marry.”

Xia relaxed against him.

Madelia whistled, halting all movement on the street. “Oh, Thornton! Please bring the king and queen here. I’ve found the prince.”

Eyebrows furrowed, he clenched his fists. “You wouldn’t.”

She grinned. “I just did. No one messes with me and gets away with it.”

Aris willed his feet to move, to escape his parents’ scrutiny, even for Xia to pull him away, but they both stood frozen to the spot.

With his gaze on the approaching entourage, bile rose in his stomach.
Oh shit
.

***

His parents had refused to talk on the street—everyone around them had halted, expecting a confrontation—but instead, the royals waited for her and Aris inside an elegant minnica palace, one she’d never had the opportunity to visit.

Xia followed Aris toward the great hall, dragging her feet, trying to delay meeting his parents. Even with his words of reassurance, the tension in his body revealed his misgivings.

What if the king and queen of Tyto disapproved of her? Would Aris bow under their condemnation and leave her on Elatia? She hoped not, but couldn’t be certain. At least she would always have Kalara and Jacobus.

Aris ground to a stop. “We’re here.” He grasped her hands in his. “No matter what happens in the next few minutes, I will always love you. If we can’t be together on Tyto, we will stay here, go elsewhere. I will never leave you.” Drawing her in for a kiss, he shuffled her against the wall.

All of her worry melted away, his hungry mouth weakening her. She had no time to register his movement before he yanked her into the ballroom, still gasping for air after his kiss.

“Mother, Father!” He pulled her along behind him, and within moments, she stood before his parents, the royal couple of Tyto, not Otaria as she’d originally thought. Squeezing her hand, he took another step forward. “I’d like you to meet Xia, my bride-to-be.”

She froze as Aris’s mother gasped and slapped her hands over her mouth. His father examined her. “You brought a Terran before me? What were you thinking?”

The king’s reaction felt like a fist slamming into her gut. Why did Aris think this would work? If he hadn’t held her to the spot, she would have bolted. Nothing could hurt worse than being denied love.

The queen stood. “Leandor, look at her. Don’t you realize who she is?”

Leaning forward, he examined her. As he gasped, his blue face lost all color. “It can’t be.”

What did they mean? Her hands trembled, even with Aris holding one. Aris had promised to stay with her no matter what, but would he ever be happy without his parents’ approval?

His father stood and inched toward her. He placed his hands on her arms. “It is you.” His voice hitched. “You look just like your mother. Oh, Belle, where have you been all these years?”

“No, Father, this is Xia. She lives here, on Elatia. We’re in love and going to get married.”

Aris’s mother joined them, wiping away tears. “It’s no surprise you love her. You two spent much of your first year together on Otaria.”

“What?”

Aris’s question echoed hers. “What’s going on here?”

“Thornton,” his father bellowed.

A stout Terran man scurried into the room, huffing to catch his breath. “Yes, Your Majesty?”

Terran
?
I thought Otarians and Terrans didn’t get along
? W
hat is this man doing with the royal family
?

“My son has returned,” the king announced.

“I see, and I am most thankful.” The man nodded, wringing his hands together.

“Yes, yes.” The king waved his hand as if he was insignificant. “But look who he’s brought with him.”

Xia went immobile under everyone’s inspection. Who did they think she was? Did they somehow know her real parents? Would she be forced to face them? Her heart hammered in her chest, and she licked her dry lips.

“Impossible.” Thornton circled her and Aris. “I thought you were dead. If I would have known….”

She couldn’t take the mystery any longer. “I’m not who you think I am. My name is Xia and I was abandoned by my parents here on Elatia when I was a baby.”

Thornton winced. “No, your parents love you very much, Belle. My sister and her husband, your parents, were visiting Otaria, forging an alliance between the two planets. You were kidnapped from the government building on my watch.” He took her free hand. “Please forgive me. I only went to the washroom. When I returned, you were gone.”

Taking a step back, he stared at the floor. “We looked everywhere for you. We thought they killed you. Oh, gods, why did I stop looking?”

No, this couldn’t be. If she were someone else, then everything she’d believed her entire life was a lie. She wasn’t abandoned, but stolen away from her parents? And she’d hated her parents her entire life.

She swallowed the lump in her throat. “I….”

Aris wrapped his arms around her. “If she is someone I should know, how is it I’ve never heard you mention her name until now?”

While resting her head against his chest, she listened for their explanation. But she jerked her head when she heard the queen sobbing as she scurried away.

“Belle? Xia?” the king said. “Will you look at me, please?”

Rotating in Aris’s arms, she remained pressed against him, waiting to hear what the king had to say.

“It was always too painful to talk about them before, but your parents were our closest friends back on Otaria. When they lost you, everyone’s lives turned upside-down. Sure, Thornton stepped away from you for a moment, but it was one of my people who took you. I shouldered the blame and fled, unable to face your parents or the rest of Otaria.” The king wiped a tear away. “Some came with me, such as your uncle, but life was never the same. If only we’d known where you were.”

He paced in front of them. “We searched every nearby planet, halted all traffic in and out of the Petrogeous galaxy. No one had seen you.” Coming to an abrupt halt, he spun on his heels and stared at her. “I’m so glad Aristides found you. I only wish it had been sooner.”

“I have something I want you to see.” With a huge grin, the queen stood in the doorway, gripping an object in her hands. “Belle, it’s a picture of your parents.”

Although she never felt her feet touch the floor, she met the queen halfway.

“I’ve kept this picture with me for years.” She held out a color imagescreen.

Xia stared at the three people in the picture: a man, woman, and a baby. Blinking, she took in the woman again, as if staring at her reflection. “That’s my…mom, my dad?”

Hands rubbed her back, not Aris’s, but the queen’s. “Yes, they are wonderful people who love you with all of their hearts.”

Gazing up at the woman, she took a deep breath. “Will you…tell me about her, about them?”

“I will. And we’ll even contact them for you. It’s about time we put our differences to rest.” She squeezed her arm. “But later. We have a double betrothal ceremony to attend back on Tyto, followed by the biggest celebration ever. For Belle, our future queen, is not dead, but very much alive.”

Tears streamed down her face, even as she smiled. Aris pulled her into his arms and snuggled his face into her neck. “I don’t care if you’re Xia, or Belle,” he whispered. “I love you, and I’m going to marry you as soon as possible.”

Grasping his shoulders, she jumped and wrapped her legs around his waist. An unbelievable joy radiated from deep inside. For the first time in her life, she knew who her parents were, and had a man who would do anything for her. And no one could take that away.

***

As the freighter launched out the other side of the fold, towing his PSTV behind, Aris held his sleeping wife-to-be in his arms. She’d visited Kalara and Jacobus before leaving, to tell them what she’d learned about her beginnings, and to ensure they’d travel to Tyto to attend the wedding. Leaving Elatia, she’d wept as he held her, until exhaustion took over. And now they were almost home, with a life together to look forward to.

He held her closer, but flashing red lights throughout the cabin interrupted his contentment.
What’s going on
?

A crackle echoed through the communications system.

“We know you’ve found her!” The booming voice filled every corner of the room. “I’m coming on board to get my daughter.”

Xia stirred against Aris, then sat up. “Daddy?”

~ABOUT THE AUTHOR~

Jessica Subject started writing to encourage her daughter to read. Now she writes to keep herself grounded. Although she reads many genres, she enjoys writing Science Fiction Romance the most and believes everyone in the universe deserves a happily ever after. She lives Southwestern Ontario, Canada with her husband and two kids and loves to hear from anyone who has enjoyed her stories.

You can visit Jessica at:

http://markofthestars.com

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