The Journey's End (16 page)

“Probably all the testosterone filling the room,” she
muttered.  Nori glared across at the marines.  “Try being a girl and growing up
with 25 nagging overprotective older brothers that rotate in teams of five. 
Then talk to me about feeling barbaric.”

“In our defense.”  One of them finally deigned to speak
directly to them.  Malik was Captain of the guard, a six foot hardened soldier,
who could probably kill a man with his pinky toe.  “You were a quiet little
thing.”

“And tiny.”  Another one added in a voice like a thunder
cloud, which was actually his normal voice.  “Just an itty bitty little girl
who disappeared like smoke whenever we took our eyes off for a second.”

“Took us a while to figure out you could take care of
yourself.”  Malik grumbled.  “Not until ‘the incident’.”

Nori groaned, slapping her hand to her forehead and bowing
her head in apparent pain.  “Please not that again.  Aren’t you tired of
telling that story after all these years?”

There was a chorus of no’s and Menelaus finally smiled,
because it was clear that the men saw Nori as family.

“She was sixteen…”

“And scrawny…” that thunder voice again.

“Like yay big.”  Malik put a hand out and showed a height
that was three feet from the floor.  Then rolled his fingers together and
looked through the hole he made.  “and skinny.”

“Like a funny little bird with no feathers.”  Another armed
behemoth offered.

“Save me now,” Nori muttered, her head still down.  Menelaus
chuckled.

“Lara had her first date with that annoying little speck
Niles the fifteenth of Aegue.”

“Stupid little bastard,” someone muttered from the side.

“He got handsy and there was poor Lara trying to get out of
the situation without being rude.  Those were her words by the way, when her
father asked her why she didn’t slap the shit out of the kid, or at least yell
for help, since we were all keeping our distance but well within range.  She
said she didn’t want to be rude.”  There was a round of head shaking all
around.  “Nori was not so worried about etiquette.”

“Nope.”

“She surely was not.”

“Never has been, come to that.”  Someone else interjected
and had Nori’s head snapping up and glaring in his direction, but the others
were going on.

“Walked right up to the little prince.”

“He had what a foot and 100 pounds on her?”

Everyone nodded or grunted agreement. 

“She grabbed him and yanked him away from Lara, who was
crying…quietly.”  More head shaking.  “and threw his sorry ass three feet and
slammed him into that big column that holds up the arbor on the garden deck.”

“Never been the same.  Still wobbles when you lean on it.” 
Thunder voice shook his head sadly.

“If
you
lean on it, I’d be shocked it doesn’t crumble
to dust.”  Another voice interjected making everyone laugh but the big man, who
just harrumphed.

  “Point is, we didn’t worry so much about Nori after that,
and she was always real good at looking after Lara.”  His voice got scary
firm.  “Doesn’t mean we would let anybody get away with what you tried.”  Then
he shrugged it off.  “Course, if she really wanted to get shy of your ass she
would have just cracked your head like a walnut and been done with it.  So we
are at a loss as to what the proper course would be.  Do we beat you down, or
wait and see what Nori does to you?”

More head nodding and grunts of agreement.

Nori sighed long and loud, then turned to face the men
taking Menelaus’ hand.  “I love him.  He loves me.  He’s my lifemate.  End of
discussion or talk of future beat downs.  Are we clear or do I have to deliver
some beat downs of my own?”

Menelaus, who had froze at her words, watched the men shrug
and look at each other.  Then grunts and head nods.  They might have said
something more before they left the room, but all he heard were the words
looping through his head. 

“You love me?”  He asked, his voice gritty. 

She turned back around to face him fully and had to take a
deep breath when she saw the lightning flashing in his eyes.  “Yeah, Your
Highness.  I love you…”  She would have said something else, probably something
insulting but she was too busy being kissed to within an inch of her life.

Nori was exhausted, but in a good way.  They had managed to
make it to her cabin before she ripped off Menelaus’ clothes but he had
definitely taken the initiative after that.  Now they were squeezed into a
single bunk and she was enjoying the feel of his hard body pressed to hers and
his hand trailing up and down her back.

“I find myself in a quandary.”  Menelaus spoke and his
arrogant tone made her smile.

“What’s that?”

“A quandary is a state of perplexity or uncertainty over
what to do in a difficult situation.…”

She laughed interrupting him.  “Funny, Your Highness.  What
is your quandary?”

“I am concerned for the welfare of my people but do not have
the courage to face your adoptive father after defiling his daughter so
thoroughly.  Do you think we could call for a progress report.”

Nori was laughing before he finished.  Her face buried in
his chest while she shook with mirth.

“Mayhap the Lady Lara would not mind doing us a small
favor?”

She was shaking her head even as she lifted it to meet his
eyes.  Her own sparkling with suppressed laughter.  “I’m afraid you’ll have to
face him sometime, your whimpiness.”

He rolled her under him with a playful growl.  “Now who has
a tone?”

Then he was tickling her and she was too busy laughing to
retort.  Menelaus was mid chuckle when there was an imperious knock on the
door.

They froze, like two kids caught being naughty…cause that’s
what it felt like.

“If you two are done frolicking we have an update on that
pesky little planetary dispute you were so worried about.”

Menelaus dropped his head with a clunk when he heard the
unmistakable voice of the ambassador himself.  Nori giggled and then covered
her mouth appalled that the girly sound had come from her.

“I’ll expect you in my ready room in twenty minutes.”  Then
he was gone and they were left in the silence he left behind.

“Mayhap the Lady Lara would care to take that meeting for
us?”  His voice was muffled against her chest where his head had landed; even
so she could hear the dry humor behind his words.

Nori laughed again, then pushed him off and got dressed.

Menelaus sighed, watching her until her body was covered
before he stood to do his own preparations.

***

“The Great Nesmet of The Wosite, whose benevolence is all
reaching, has agreed to this meeting with the understanding that peace is
always a first course of action, but not the only one.”

The speaker was a blue robed, bald Wosite who Nori had seen
before.  His name started with a J and she was sure she remembered hitting him
at some point.  He stood behind and to the side of the Great Nesmet himself,
who had been sufficiently stone faced and superior until he had seen the Lady
Lara and her guest join the gathering.  Now he was busy shooting daggers
equally between Lara, her newest rescue, Nori and Menelaus.

Which led Nori to wonder what Lara, or her new friend knew
that he had hoped to bury on Lenosh.

She looked the lady over carefully, wondering who she really
was.  Small and young she looked diminutive and fairy-like standing beside the
taller Lara.  She held herself regally though, and her eyes were as gold as her
hair.  She was stunning, though she lacked Lara’s standard beauty.  There was
something arresting about her face, and her skin was almost luminescent. 

Instead of the robes she had worn when they pulled her with
them from the transport to Lenosh, now she was wearing nanite armor, not too
dissimilar from the kind Nori wore herself, standing together they would
probably be about the same size.  Still, there was a silence and stillness
about the girl that drew the eye.  She would have fetched a high price on
Lenosh, which was probably why that sweaty Captain had fought to keep her on
board, even after Nori broke his arm.

“I understand that.”  The Ambassador said, his voice
carrying through the room.  “We appreciate your willingness to work out your
differences through an arbitrator, per your charter with the League of
Planets.”

Nori tried to keep the smirk off her face. 
Meaning you
have no choice because it’s in the contract you signed.  So much for
benevolence.

“As you may or may not be aware we have a truthsayer amongst
us who has volunteered her services in settling this dispute.”

He motioned up the woman she had rescued with Lara, and Nori
felt her brows wing up.  A truthsayer was rare, as in, you found them cropping
up in the populations every hundred years, maybe. 

“I protest, this woman was in my employ until forcibly
abducted off a Wosite transport ship.  She should not be here, but safe on
Wosite.”

The ambassadors brow winged up and he looked to the young
female.  “Is this true?”

“It is not.  I was forcibly held on Wosite when my abilities
were discovered.  When I refused to work for the great one,” and there was that
snide tone Nori always expected when someone said the name.  “I was threatened
with life as a slave on Lenosh.  When I still refused, I was sold to a slaver
and was placed in the transport for delivery.  The Lady Lara discovered my
situation when she was forced onto the same transport.  She assured me her
sister would be along soon and that I would be rescued as well.  Her words were
the truth as she knew it and were soon proven correct.”  She took the time to
nod her head in thanks towards Nori, who tipped her chin back, having no idea of
the back-story until that very minute.  “The Lady Nori did not know my plight,
or abilities.  She had no reason to take on so many armed men to get me free
when they had already agreed to free the Lady Lara, she did anyway.”

Menelaus leaned down beside her and whispered in her ear. 
“Was there something you forgot to mention?”

“Shh, no talking during peace discourse unless it’s your
turn.”

He nipped her ear making her shiver.  “Later.  We will have
words.”

“Now I stand before you once again a free woman, and as a
truthsayer I cannot lie, so I offer my services in the name of that truth.” 
Then she looked right at Nesmet the great.  “You did say to me on more than one
occasion that the truth would set me free.  Today, it will actually be true.”

“She is clearly biased.  I refuse to work with her, or
participate in this farce.”  He turned to go, his people following.  He was
stopped short by the marines blocking his way.

“She is a truthsayer, tested and registered.”  Tryne’s voice
cut through the room.  “For her treatment you can be arrested and charged. 
Your people sanctioned.  She has agreed to forgo charges if you agree to this
proceeding and the truthsayers participation.”

Nesmet the Great turned and faced the room.  “Why would she
do that?”

It was the truthsayer who answered.  “The cause before us is
more important than one woman.  I want to avoid a war, and I owe my rescuers
the chance to have their arguments heard.”

“You will lie in their favor.”

“You know she cannot.”  The ambassador interrupted.  “It
goes against her very nature to do so.  Only speak the truth here and you will
be dealt with fairly.”

The unspoken, try to leave and there will be consequences,
was obvious to everyone.

“Very well.”  Nesmet gritted out.  “I will agree to the
proceedings.”

“Then let us begin.  King Menelaus, you have brought a
charge against the Great Nesmet Leader of the Wosite people.”

Menelaus stepped forward, his voice clear and strong when he
spoke.  “I bring the charge of false imprisonment and conspiracy to overthrow
my government and install his own puppet on the Kenoshan throne.”

“It is our right to direct the governing of your people.  We
were content with your rule until you closed the borders, clearly an act of
aggression against the Wosite and an indicator that you seek to rule over more
than Kenosha.”

“So you did contact an enemy of the King and plot to put him
on the throne instead of the present King?”  The Ambassador asked.

“As is my right when their King is obviously power hungry
and bad for business.”

The ambassador turned to the truthsayer.

“Menelaus spoke the truth, as did the Wosite, though he is
unsure of his own veracity.”

“Lie,” the great one spat, looking less great.  “We have the
right to seek change in their government when it goes against the welfare of
the people.”

“Which people?”  Menelaus asked clearly.

“The Wosite are the superior class, their betterment is the
betterment of all.”

“You do not see the Kenoshans as equal to the Wosite?”  The
ambassador asked.

“They are criminals, rejects of our society that choose to
cling to primitive ways and have not the intelligence to rule themselves.”

“He believes everything that he is saying.”  The truthsayer
said when the ambassador looked her way.

“So you hired a mercenary to capture Menelaus and the lady
Nori, then scheduled him for termination without trial?”

“He was guilty.”

“Of what?”

“Of closing the gates!”  Nesmets red face paled and then he
backtracked.  “It was a pre-emptive strike against our people.”

The Ambassadors brow winged up, then he turned to Menelaus. 
“Why did you close the gates?”

Menelaus looked at Nori. 
Uh-oh.
  She thought even
while he was speaking.  “So that my wife could not leave me.”

The ambassador turned to the truthsayer. 

“Truth,” she said.  “On Menelaus’ part.  The Great one is half
and half.”

“Which half?”

“He ordered Menelaus’ death because he closed the gates. 
However, Nesmet does not believe it was an act of aggression against the Wosite.”

“It doesn’t matter.”  Nesmet pointed a finger at Menelaus. 
“He has no right to interfere in our business.”

“If he was indeed your subject that might be the case, but
since I have looked over the original charter your ancestors signed with the
League of Planets, I know that hundreds of years ago when you entered the
League, your people made no claim on the Kenoshan side of the planet.  Therefore,
as a ruler of his people, he has every right to refuse trade with you, or
anyone for that matter, and to close his borders at any time.  Much as you did
when you sent League visitors, including the Lady Lara, forcibly away from your
planet.  My question would then be, why send them to Lenosh when there are
League planets so close by?  Indeed, why send them at all.”

“To protect them.”  The great one stuttered, looking
frantic. 

“From what?”  Menelaus asked drily.  “My people do not have
advanced weaponry.  Against the defenses and technology of the Wosite we would
be as ants in a flood.”

“I could not take the chance.”

Nori stepped forward.  “Did you send Lady Lara to Lenosh to
sell along with the truthsayer, in order to make a profit to offset your trade
delays?”

Everyone looked at her and then back at the great one.  But
she kept going when he looked to have gone mute.  “At first I thought you were
just trying to do away with any possible witnesses, but it was more.  You are
all about profit, people do not interest you, and the Lady Lara would have
brought a tidy sum.”  She felt her control reaching a breaking point at just
the thought of what could have happened.  She was aware that her eyes were
lavender and her nails had extended.  She did not want to lose control here,
but she was very much afraid she was going to.  She caught the scent of Nesmets
fear.  She licked her lips.

“I can verify that there was a large deposit to his accounts
just before the transport departed with the women.”  Everyone but Nori and
Menelaus turned to look at Tolan Lark as he walked toward them, a mini terminal
in his hands.  She was too busy studying Nesmet’s pulsing throat and Menelaus
was too busy watching her.

“I saw it when I helped the King and Queen escape Wosite
prison.  I did not make the connection, because quite frankly it was too high
for a single woman, even two, but a truthsayer and the Lady Lara, that would
make sense.”

She closed her eyes and willed herself to calm, but it was a
losing battle, her cat was seething with rage.  She turned to her mate in a
moment of desperation; hers full of remorse for what was going to happen.

When he saw her eyes, Menelaus knew.  Just that fast he was
across the room, picking her up bodily, and crushing her to his chest.

“I have you.”  He felt the growl against his throat, as he felt
fur burst along her skin.  “Lara is all right.  No one is hurt.  Come back to
me Nori.”

She clutched at his shoulders, her face buried in his neck,
where she could do serious damage if she lost control, and he couldn’t have
cared less.  “Come back Nori.  You don’t want to hurt anyone.”

“Yes I do,” she hissed, against his jugular.  “I want to
take off his head and pull out his spine.”

“But you won’t because then we would spend the next fifty
years on a rehabilitation planet, instead of ushering our people into the technological
age.”

He felt her still, then she canted her head enough to look
at his face and grasp out, “We?”

He caught her face between his hands so that she could not
look away.  “If you think you are going anywhere without me you are out of your
mind.”

She shuddered in his arms, her eyes searching his. 
“Lightning in a bottle.”  She whispered, closing her eyes.  When she opened
them again they were a beautiful grass green, wet with tears.

He closed his own eyes and pulled her in tighter, ducking
his head to touch hers.  “I thought I had lost you.”

“So did I.”

Finally, they started to recognize the silence in the room
around them.  “Are they all looking at us?”

“Probably.”

“Great.”  Nori pulled away and looked around seeing only a
plethora of space marines.  They were circled like by a continuous wall of
armor.