Celestial Love (40 page)

26

“Are you ready?”
Bryan asked as he took Kalea’s hand and tucked it into his elbow.  She looked splendid in her long flowing formal gown of shimmering royal blue with gold trim.  Her hair was pulled up in some fancy style that just made him want to set it free. 

“Yes, but the more important question is…are you?”

Bryan hesitated a moment and adjusted his jacket which felt surprisingly stiff and uncomfortable.  Then he smiled and admitted the truth.  “I’ve given it a lot of thought since you mentioned it again yesterday, being back yet not being the Crown Prince anymore. I guess I should have had everyone address me as Prince Bryan once I left but to be honest I never thought of it.”  Smiling he turned and took both her hands in his.  “Truthfully, I fear Father will try to pretend nothing has changed.  I’m not even sure if Mark has returned.  If he hasn’t then that will make it even more difficult.  However, I take comfort in knowing that I am in God’s will.  I know He has a plan that is far greater than my father’s.  Now all we have to do it remind my father of that.”

The last
four days they had tried to block out all the stress and frustration that had become the norm since their wedding.  Limiting the crew’s access to them, they had talked and shared for hours.  Even simple things like working out together had been fun.

Now reality was back.  Today Bryan was to present her to the
Noble Assembly and his family.

Communication with
Saxionias had finally caught up with them last night and it was vague at best.  It seems both governments feared that the communication networks were unsecure.  All Kalea really knew about today’s schedule was that she was to attend this first meeting with the Noble Assembly and then she and Bryan would join his family for a meal.

Giving
his arm a slight squeeze Kalea said, “We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us.”

Bryan leaned in and gave her a quick kiss and a smile before leading them out in
to the corridor.  Surrounded by their security detail they made their way through the
Peacemaker
to the docking bay.

Sharing a smile, Kalea gave the signal and the
docking bay doors opened revealing the short passageway from the
Peacemaker
to Saxionias’ space station Alpha.  Kalea waited for Bryan to lead.  She knew how he was feeling, but not what he was thinking.  He wasn’t sharing and she wasn’t sure if that was because he was distracted or because he needed his privacy.

The forward security detail was stationed along the first hundred feet of Alpha station and at the end King Alexandros waited with a small party to welcome his son home.  Kalea took in their brightly colored garments and her first thought was how uncomfortable they all looked. 

They hadn’t gone very far into the space station when suddenly, Kalea couldn’t seem to breathe.  Instinctively she reached for her throat as it felt tight. She stopped walking and was becoming dizzy but before she could even try to explain, Bryan swept her up in his arms and darted back into the
Peacemaker
. 

“She can’t breathe
!”  Bryan called out to everyone as he ran.  The security detail fell in behind him as he rushed her to the Med Lab.

‘Try to relax.’  Bryan tried to calm her as he ran.  ‘I know that sounds crazy but
you’re going to be fine.  I’ve got you. We’re almost there.’  Rushing through the ship, he was so thankful he didn’t make a wrong turn as he quickly arrived at the Med Lab.  The team was ready and they quickly took charge as he laid her on the table. 

Bryan stepped back, but his fear mounted as he noticed the blue hue of her lips and the fact that she wasn’t even trying to share her thoughts with him.  Striving for calm he began to pray, asking the Lord to heal her and repeatedly sharing feelings of calm and hope, knowing it was all he could do.

In moments, that felt like hours, Kalea was breathing again.  “Slow steady breaths.”  Bryan heard Dr. Henderson say as she continued to work over Princess Kalea.

Trying not to wince from the intense headache
Kalea asked, ‘What happened?’ finally feeling as if she was able to catch her breath.  She didn’t realize that she hadn’t spoken the question aloud until Bryan voiced it for her.

“What happened to her?” Bryan asked the room in general.

Giving him a look, Dr. Henderson answered. “It would appear that something Princess Kalea inhaled caused her to have a severe allergic reaction.  This reaction caused the swelling of her bronchial tubes and prevented her from breathing.”  Looking back to Princess Kalea she continued, “We will now run extensive tests to determine what exactly caused the reaction and then find a way to prevent it from happening again.  However, as you are aware, the Royal Council must be notified and they will most likely require your immediate return.”

“They already have.”
Franklin said from the doorway to the Med Lab. Pierce had to step aside to let him in as he had been one step behind Prince Bryan from the moment he scooped Princess Kalea up into his arms and ran back to the Med Lab.

“We are to leave immediately.”

Kalea’s eyes flew to Bryan and she asked.  ‘How will your father handle this?’ Kalea asked and then coughed.

Instinctively
stepping forward, he was stopped again by a med tech.  Bryan’s feelings were a confusing mix.  Forcing himself to take a calming breath he quickly praised God that she was breathing again and then turned his mind to the problem at hand.  He knew his father would react poorly and there was even a small chance that the Noble Assembly would wonder if this was a trick.  Their primary concern would be about the overall agreement being fulfilled.  ‘Admittedly this could cause problems.  My primary concern, however, is you.  You know that, right?’

Kale
a nodded but her only answer was her feelings of sadness.  Bryan shared his also and then said out loud, “The only solution I can see is for me to stay.  I don’t want to leave you.  If I stay I can reassure them that you will return and that the agreement will be fulfilled.  I will also be able to allay concerns regarding the reality of what happened.   I will try to find out if this was somehow a planned attack or just a strange coincidence.  We have to find out who is behind this and the other incidents.  And if this wasn’t an attack, we need to know.  I can help with that from here.”  Bryan stopped talking aloud and asked Kalea.  ‘Please promise you will come back.’

‘I will, and not just to fulfill the agreement.’  Kalea gave him a slight smile from between the techs that were continuously moving around her.  ‘We
will stay in touch and I will be back.  Go, I will pray that God will bless your efforts.’

Bryan moved f
orward wanting to kiss her good-bye but the Med techs wouldn’t let him through.  “Sorry, Your Highness, but we cannot allow you to interfere.  When we have completed our scans you may visit.”

“I won’t be here by then,” Bryan answered, realizing that they hadn’t been listening to him.
With one last look he turned and headed toward the docking bay doors.

Franklin stopped him after just a few steps.
“If you go back to Alpha station I can’t allow you to return.  At least not until we are sure Princess Kalea is safe.”

“I know.  We agreed that I would stay here until you return,” Bryan explained.  “I can help from here.  Just keep her safe
and
bring her back.”

“We will keep her safe and when it is safe, we will return.”

“Thank you.”

F
ranklin nodded and together they made their way to the docking bay.

With little fuss
, Bryan returned to the space station and then the
Peacemaker
disengaged.  Just before it launched into hyper drive, Bryan closed his eyes and shared ‘I love you, Kalea.’

Primary C
haracter List

Estar Beta Characters

Kalea Newland
– Princess of Estar Beta and next in line to be Queen.  She is the ‘Hearer’ for her generation which is a special position of prophet or spiritual leader.

Queen Nadia
– Kalea’s mother.

King Douglas Newland
– Kalea’s Father and current ruler of Estar Beta as one of three in the Royal Council.

Royal Council
– A Council made up of one member of each of the three royal families on Estar Beta.  Together the men and women of the Council administer the kingdom of Estar Beta and its space ports.

King Charles Williams
- Royal Council Member of Estar Beta

Queen Larraine Hatchins –
Royal Council Member of Estar Beta

Advisory Board
– Non-royals that offer advice and expertise in various areas to the Royal Council of Estar Beta

Gilbert
Newland
– Kalea’s oldest brother.  His specialty is defense and security.  He is stationed on one of the most distance space ports.

Rose Lynn
Newland
– Kalea’s sister-in-law married to her oldest brother Gilbert. They live on a space port and don’t travel much.

Randolph Newland
– second brother of Kalea.  He specializes in environmental restoration and lives near the palace.

Alexis Newland
– Kalea’s sister in-law married to her brother Randolph.  They are friends and Alexis loves to organize things and is full of energy.

Uncle Evan Newland
– Kalea’s Father’s brother.  Professor at the University but also a frequent traveler.  Secretly high up in the intelligence, defense and security of Estar Beta.

Edward
– interpreter and coordinator of household personnel.

Dr. Wingate
– Royal physician on Estar Beta

Dr. Pauline Henderson
– Female doctor assigned to Peacemaker.

Franklin
– Kalea’s head of security detail. 

Jackson
,
Pierce, Danielson
– Kalea’s security detail

Beth
– Kalea’s personal assistant/security detail member

Saxionias Characters

Bryan Neil Alexandros
– Crown Prince of Saxionias, gave up his crown to marry Kalea so that her world would help his recover from centuries of neglect

King Alexandros
– King of Saxionias and father of Bryan and Mark Alexandros

Mark Alexandros
– Bryan’s twin brother.

Princess Jasmine
Alexandros
– Bryan’s sister

Nathan Stevens
– Head of Bryan’s security detail and personal friend

Kyle, Jonas and Harold
– members of Bryan’s security detail

Noble Assembly –
An assembly of Saxionias nobility that functions similarly to the Advisory Board on Estar Beta

Benjamin Kellerman
– Bryan’s computer whiz. Assigned as a weapons system technician.  He is Nathans younger step-brother.

Coming Soon in the

Celestial Love Series

Separation…
 
Deception…
 
Danger…

Can their fledgling love survive the trials and political intrigue that seem to be overwhelming?

A three strand cord is not easily broken.  A truth that Princess Kalea and Prince Bryan will cling to as they try to make a real marriage amidst the deception and danger that lurks in the shadows.