The Worker Prince (11 page)

Miri shushed him again. “We always did our best to protect you.”

“From what? Reality?”

She winced at the intensity of his tone. “From things which might hurt you,” Miri said, her eyes pleading.
Please don’t ask for details.

“I’m not the one who’s being hurt here,” Davi said, his brow furrowing in frustration.

“Yes, you are. You’re feeling disoriented, as if this isn’t the world you thought you knew,” Miri said with gentle calm she hoped would ease her son’s mood. “That’s much the same way I felt when I discovered it.”

“You didn’t know it either?”

“When I was younger, about your age, my father protected me, too,” Miri said.

“What about uncle, was he also protected?” Davi asked.

“Your uncle was raised to lead. He didn’t have to be protected,” Miri said. Their father had been very hard with Xalivar.

“I’m his heir, yet I was protected,” Davi said, still confused.

“You’re not his son,” Miri said.

“He acted as if I was,” Davi said.

“He’s very fond of you, but the role of an uncle is different,” Miri said.

“He protected me because of you, didn’t he?” She saw by his expression that her face had answered for her.

As Davi turned away, Miri stepped toward him, reaching to touch his arm, but hesitating. “It was for your own good. I didn’t want you to be like him.” She’d brought him up to be compassionate, like her.

“I’d like to think I would never be that cold.” Davi grimaced as he said it.

“You believe what you’re taught to believe,” Miri said, hoping some justification might ease the pain of discovering his uncle’s cruel nature.

Davi turned back to her, shaking his head. “Humans are capable of intelligence. They can think for themselves, make their own decisions. You ensured I would learn that.”

“Yes, but your decisions are based on your sense of morality and justice. Xalivar believes slavery is the right thing for the workers,” Miri said.

“Because he doesn’t know any different?” Davi’s expression told her he refused to accept it.

“Because it’s the way it’s always been,” Miri said with a sigh.
Please, my son, no good can come of this attitude.

“A few select history lessons of the evils of the Vertullians, skipping, of course, our own mistakes or abuses, and any human being can be trained not to think about it?” Disgust filled her son’s face.

“This occurs in any society,” she said, sinking into one of the couches.

“Which makes it right?” Davi’s voice was loud as he fought to control his anger.

Miri glanced toward the door.

“What are you afraid he might hear, mother? About a baby sent from the stars perhaps? Events you raised your son to be ignorant of?”

Miri froze, her heart stilled within at his words. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d been this scared.
Please, gods, I don’t want to lose him.
She paused a moment wondering how to disguise her fear when she answered. “What are you talking about?” Her voice shook as she spoke.

“About this.” He reached below his uniform collar and pulled out the necklace. “A baby who came from the stars, a courier craft which crashed—we both know the story,” Davi said.

Miri’s face fell as she saw he knew the truth. Tears flowed from her eyes like rain and her shoulders sank, her knees weak. I
should have known it would cost me and kept that damn necklace to myself! Why didn’t I just take it before you left for Vertullis?
She took a deep breath to quelch the swelling desperation and anger inside.

“Isn’t that how it goes?”

“I’m sorry,” was all she could say between sobs.

“Why didn’t you ever tell me?”

“I didn’t know how,” Miri said. “I dreamed of a child of my own for so long, and there you were, a beautiful baby boy. The note asked whoever found you to raise you as their own—I love you.” She wanted to throw herself at his feet, beg his forgiveness, hold him and never stop.

“I’ve never doubted it,” he said. Collapsing onto the sofa, he put his face in his hands. “Everything I thought I knew about myself, about my world—it’s changed now. Who am I?”

“I’m still your mother. I raised you,” Miri said. She’d been so blessed when she found him and wanted to honor the gift of his birth parents’ sacrifice, so she’d given him the necklace and nickname. She’d never imagined they would find each other one day. More than once she’d wanted to tell him, not wanting there to be any secrets between them, but each time, she couldn’t bring herself to do it. If only she’d never seen the necklace or the note that told her his name.

“I met her,” Davi said, and she knew he meant his birth mother. “The girl the Captain tried to rape is my cousin.”

Miri collapsed on the sofa beside him, unable to control her tears. Even now all she felt in his presence was an overwhelming love for him. “I’m sorry you never had cousins or siblings …”

“I don’t care. I had lots of friends,” Davi said.

“Is she nice?” She wasn’t sure she wanted to know.

“Yes. And beautiful!”

Miri smiled, wiping at her tears. “I always did what I did because I love you. I want what’s best for you.”

“We both do.” Xalivar’s booming voice startled them both as they turned toward the door.

He stepped out of the shadows.
How long has he been there?
Miri wondered.
How much did he hear? Why didn’t we hear the door?

“You come here to my quarters unannounced—” Miri said, standing to confront Xalivar. Despite knowing his penchant for spying on people, she felt betrayed, disrespected.

“It’s my palace. I go where I please, when I please,” Xalivar said. “A worker boy raised in my own house!” He almost screamed it and she knew then:
He’d heard it all.

His fists clenched as he whirled to face her. “You had no right to keep this from me. To make this decision—”

“It’s the Borali Alliance’s palace, and I am your sister, not your subject,” Miri snapped. Her posture stiffened as the muscles tightened at the corners of her jaw.

“Stop acting as if you are the one who should feel betrayed,” Xalivar snarled. “He does not belong here!” His fists clenched and unclenched at his side, something he always did when he was furious. Davi winced at his uncle’s every word.

“He’s an outsider! In my palace, Miri! Have you no loyalty to your family?”

“Have you no loyalty to yours?” Miri demanded. “He’s been like a son to you his whole life. You loved him, as I do!!”

“Based on your lies—”

“I never lied,” Miri said. She’d never lied. She just hadn’t told him everything. The distinction had allowed her to feel she’d never misled him.

“You never told the truth,” Xalivar said, eyes narrowing as he glared coldly at her.

“And you never asked,” she reminded him.

“Have I been such a terrible nephew?” Davi demanded, his voice filled with pain. “For you to hate me so much …”

“You are an enemy of our people,” Xalivar said, frowning as his eyes met Davi’s.

“He is a human being!” Miri’s voice grew, getting louder, along with her desperation. How could Xalivar be so cold to his own nephew? She knew he loved him. Witnessing Xalivar with Davi over the years had been her only proof that her brother was even capable of love.

“He will never belong here!” Xalivar punched a button on a wall communicator near the door. “Manaen!”

Miri ran to him and fell to her knees, grabbing his arm in desperation. “Please, Xalivar. He’s my only son.”

“He just told you about meeting his real mother,” Xalivar said, emphasizing the last two words to make them sting.

Miri looked away, fighting tears again. “I need him!”

“Then pack your things!” Xalivar said, pushing her away. She collapsed into a ball on the floor at Xalivar’s feet as his fists clenched again.

“Don’t touch her!” Davi said, stepping forward. The door opened and Manaen appeared.

“The Captain is to be reassigned to Alpha Base on Plutonis at once. Get him suitable clothes and notify the commander,” Xalivar ordered as Manaen and Miri reacted, confused.

“He is wanted for murder, my lord, as we discussed—” Manaen said.

“Let the Council go to him, if they wish,” Xalivar said, with a dismissive wave toward his aide.

Miri screamed and grabbed Manaen by the leg. “No! He’s my son! Don’t send him away!”

“He’s sworn to serve the Alliance,” Xalivar said, “As are you,” then turned and marched through the door.

Manean motioned to Davi. “Come with me.” Pulling free of Miri, he turned toward the door. Davi followed reluctantly. The door whooshed shut behind them.

Miri collapsed on the sofa again, sobs bursting from her like gasps for breath. Everything that mattered had just been stolen from her.

O O O

Plutonis? The ice planet? Things had not gone the way any of the possible scenarios had played out in Davi’s mind. He was being banished, but not for the reasons he’d expected. Maybe he’d been wrong about Xalivar. By sending him away, Xalivar had protected him from discovery. It would be hard for Miri, sure, but at least he wasn’t being thrown out of the Alliance.

He’d feared the worst once his heritage came out, wondered if his uncle loved him the way he’d always thought he did. Now Davi hoped maybe his fears had been misplaced. Maybe Xalivar would make the murder charges disappear, too. Despite his anger and disappointment, Xalivar was taking care of his family. And Davi hoped Alpha Base would be a better adventure than Vertullis had been.

He couldn’t get the worker’s situation out of his mind. He had to find a way to change things. If Xalivar cared about him despite the revelations of his heritage, maybe there was hope he’d be open to considering that, too. It would take time, and it wouldn’t be easy, but Davi intended to e-post him about it as soon as he got settled on Plutonis. He was sure his mother would help, too. He reminded himself he had two mothers now. He would also have to let Lura know what had happened. She had been so worried when he returned to Legallis. He would e-post her, too.

He was still trying to wrap his mind around his new identity. It was a big change, and he had a lot to learn. He knew nothing of the workers’ religious beliefs, history, etc. Outside of anything he’d studied about them in school—mostly negative due to the Alliance’s slant—he knew very little about them, which needed to change. He would ask Lura for resources to begin his reeducation. It would be strange at first, but he had to start thinking of himself as a worker now. Everybody else would. That would be hard as well. At least, he didn’t have to change his name.

O O O

Xalivar had gone to Miri’s quarters after going over some reports with Manaen. Instead of the corridors, he’d taken a private passage only Royals knew about. He entered Miri’s main room through the back of her closet, slipping in unnoticed, to hear Miri and Davi’s conversation. Their words took him by surprise. And he’d never had to work harder to control his fury.
My designated heir sympathetic to the Alliance’s enemies! One of them!

Xalivar raged at Miri for allowing such a betrayal. Lonely and barren or not, she had no right to make a decision which put the Royal family at risk without consulting him! If word got out, it could jeopardize everything the family had worked for since his grandfather’s reign. He had to protect the family as well as the Alliance. So he’d isolate Davi in a remote part of the system until his true loyalty could be ascertained and full damage control achieved.

Damage control started with select, trusted operatives searching Davi’s quarters and office on Vertullis, clearing them of all personal belongings and references to Davi and his interactions with others. They then set about trying to locate anyone who knew the truth about Davi’s identity. It would take longer and be difficult, because interrogations would have to occur with neither the interrogator nor the subject knowing the full details. They couldn’t know. He wanted to control damage, not spread it. Davi’s worker family would have to be dealt with as well. He should have ordered Davi to tell him their names, but it could wait until his nephew settled in on Plutonis. He took care not to act in a way that might create distrust. He needed Davi to trust him now more than ever.

He sat gathering his thoughts, when Miri burst through the Royal passage, unannounced, into his chambers and pounded her fists against his chest. “How dare you send him away?”

“How dare you leave me no choice,” Xalivar responded. She always was far too emotional for her own good.

“Plutonis is the edge of the Alliance!” Miri said as he caught and held her fists before she struck him again. She shot him a cold stare.

Xalivar was glad then that he’d never married. He’d spent little time with women outside of a few social interactions and found himself unburdened by the guilt men always associated with such female stares. “Which makes it all the more likely he’ll be safer there,” he said.

“Safe from whom? You? The Council?” It was an accusation meant to cut him, but Xalivar fought the urge to laugh.

“Do you realize what would happen if his heritage became public knowledge?” Xalivar said, instead filling his voice with concern that might reach her. “We could lose the throne! It could undo everything our family has been working so hard for over the past five decades!”

“No one has to find out,” Miri said.

“How long do you think we could keep a secret like this with Xander on Vertullis, interacting with his newfound family?” Her ignorance sometimes amazed him. “I did what’s best for this family and the Alliance.”

“He’s my son. I should have a say,” Miri said.

“You’re not the High Lord Councilor. I am,” Xalivar snapped, turning away. “You’ll never understand the difficult decisions I am forced to make on a daily basis.” He cursed his father again for allowing her to be soft.

“I understand the difficulty, just not the choices,” Miri said, then whirled and disappeared back into the passageway. Xalivar sighed and hit the button on the communicator to page Manaen. It was time to find out if everything had been arranged per his instructions.

O O O

Alpha Base was the outermost post in the solar system for the Borali Alliance. Close enough to protect tourist haven Regallis with regular fighter patrols, Plutonis also had few inhabitants and even fewer visitors, thus fewer prying eyes to protect military secrets from. Even the base itself was hidden deep within a man-made cave created by terraform scientists whose technology wasn’t up to the challenge Plutonis posed them.