Chapter 16
Marriage ceremonies on Kettura were different enough from traditional first federation ceremonies that they sometimes weren’t legally recognized on other planets. Also, Giss and Zawri thought their decision to marry foreigners might lead to ill will on Orius. As a result, the women had chosen Endricane, which had close ties to Kettura and Orius, for their weddings.
A double celebration in Alorn, a famously lovely royal village on Endricane, was scheduled. But the two couples’ first stop wasn’t to be a castle or mansion. They traveled initially to a small village that had been home to Darx’s wife, Falise. Zawri loved it immediately because of the sweet free-roaming animals and adorable free-roaming children.
Giss noticed, though, that Larsinc, normally at home anywhere, was restless. “Go for a run and explore,” she finally whispered to him when he returned from pacing along the fence. “Exertion will do you good.” She glanced around the merry table, which was piled high with food. The warriors were enjoying Falise’s village’s hospitality and had brought the village presents of rich Kettura soil and any plants and fruit tree seedlings that would thrive in the Endricane climate.
Linc shook his head. “I’m ready for two days from now. I wish it was today.”
She set her hand on his leg and squeezed. “Soon.”
“It’s a farce that you sleep separate from me,” he said tersely.
Her small smile widened. “And now we come to the main reason for your discontent.”
“Meet me tonight beyond the tree line.”
“No,” she hissed in a whisper. “What if we were caught and it got back to the king? Being married in the Endricane royal chapel is a great honor. How embarrassing for Princess Lanamoar if one of her warriors was caught rutting in the woods with his reportedly innocent fiancée?”
“It’s a farce,” he repeated bitterly. “I can’t believe you agreed to a medical inspection.”
“Why? It’ll seal things. Being officially declared a virgin before my wedding night will make me eligible for certain posts on Orius. You know I think the rules are nonsense, but it will be easier to change the laws from inside the offices of power. Besides, an exam before and a second exam a few days later to prove we consummated the marriage will make our union unbreakable.”
“It will be unbreakable no matter what.”
She smiled and kissed his scowling mouth. “Don’t be cross. Please?”
He put his arm around the back of her chair. “I miss having you next to me in bed.”
She leaned near his ear and whispered, “I miss you too. And I promise we can stay in bed for as long as you like after we’re married.”
“Weeks then,” he said, the corner of his mouth quirking upward.
She laughed softly. “If that’s what you want.”
* * *
“Wake up.”
Larsinc opened his eyes, finding only darkness and a large shadow above him. Wild hair. The deep voice. Darx, he realized.
“What is it?”
“You’ll tell us. Come.” When Linc didn’t move fast enough, Darx added, “A ship with Orium markings.”
Larsinc rolled from the woven cot that had served as a bed the past two nights. He pulled on skin pants and strapped on his knife, then followed Darx out of the makeshift inn.
They hopped over a fence and met Detrey and Varse. “One of us stays behind to stand guard,” Varse said.
“You,” Darx said, then clapped a hand on Detrey’s shoulder and spoke to him. “You spotted it. Lead the way.”
“Let’s move fast,” Detrey added, breaking into a run.
Darx and Linc followed suit. They were mostly silent as they moved through the wooded area, leaving one village and passing another.
In a clearing, there was a spaceship with mercenary markings on the symbol for Orius. It was large enough to carry a dozen men.
“It set down at night. No one local came to meet it,” Detrey said.
