Khaazai grunted. "Maybe. Hard to know for sure when I haven't spent much time around her. I think I could like her though. I think she could like me. At least… I hope she could."
"What drew you to her?"
"Probably her ability to fight." Khaazai growled low in his chest as he remembered their fight the night of their wedding. Even if he had been holding back. "You must see her, Vera. She is like a goddess, both in looks and attitude. She would make a good wife for a general, and our children would be ready to take on the universe.”
"Bring her here.” Vera insisted, seeming very eager now to meet Zahra. “Allow me to meet this woman who has finally made a husband out of my brother. Perhaps I can aid you in your quest to get to know her and convince her to stay after the year.”
"I will." Khaazai promised. "Prepare my chambers. I'm bringing my wife to our home. To show her off and to show her where we grew up."
Vera clapped her clawed hands together, absolutely delighted. "Everything will be ready for your arrival." She promised.
"See you in a day." Khaazai ended the call with the push of a button. Now it was time to find his wife. Probably holed up in her rooms like the last nine months. He deserved a chance towin her over, and if she wouldn’t make the time for him, then he would make the time.
Conveniently, their rooms were attached by a door. Rising, Khaazai strode over to the door and rapped lightly with his knuckles. When no answer came after several moments, he lost his patience and tried opening the door. It didn’t budge. With a growl, he dug his claws into the crack between the wall and the door and pulled the door back with brute strength.
When he created enough room, he walked into her room. He spotted Zahra sitting at a desk, little black devices sticking out of her ears as she worked on a couple of tablets. Her eyes darted back and forth as she looked at one and then the other. Preferring her work over him.
Approaching from behind, Khaazai ran his hands from her shoulders down her arms. Zahra jolted a bit before she turned her head to the side and glanced up at him.
"Khaazai." Zahra greeted him as she reached up and removed the devices from her ears.
"Tonight, we leave for my family lands in the mountains." Khaazai informed her. "It is tradition for me to show off my wife to my family and people."
"Oh." Zahra blinked those lovely eyes of hers several times.
"How long will you need to pack?" Khaazai asked, giving her no room to say no or try to convince him to let her stay here.
"Not too long." Zahra mused as she glanced about and pursed her lips. "Why haven't I heard anything about this before? Holly’s been pretty good about keeping me up to date on traditions here."
Because you've hidden yourself away from me, he wanted to say.
Instead, Khaazai opted for something more diplomatic as he said, "It doesn't surprise me. There are many traditions my people adhere to these days. You've only been a part of our culture for about a day since you’ve holed yourself up here for so many months."
He’d tried to be non-confrontational, but Khaazai couldn’t help some of the bitterness from entering his voice.
Zahra’s eyes narrowed on him as she caught onto his tone. He didn’t know a whole lot about human non-verbal communication, since it did differ from his people. But he’d learned to know narrowing of eyes meant she wondered if he'd just accused her of something. He supposed he had despite trying not to bring them into a disagreement. A fight was the last thing he wanted.
"I guess I can work from there." Zahra said with a shrug as she turned her attention back to her pads.
"No. You won't be able to work there." He said quickly.
When Zahra opened her mouth, Khaazai growled with his growing irritation. "The human general will hear of any refusal on your part. And so will the emperor." He threatened, hoping she valued the alliance more than trying to avoid him. "See you on the shuttle pad."
"I won't be able to work." Zahra tried not to sound like a whiny child, but failed as she complained to the general about Khaazai’s new demands.
His family home with limited signal. She worried she wouldn’t be able to find a reason to keep space between them. After their wedding night, she’d realized Khaazai was the kind of man who could win her heart. And it scared her.
A lot.
There was something about him. A pull like she was being drawn in. After their passionate wedding night, she’d fallen asleep in his arms, cocooned in his warm arms. Safe and sound, wanting to never leave the comfort she found.
"How many times do I need to tell you to think about this like a vacation?" General Bohler sighed with a shake of his head. “Most soldiers would jump at the chance to get away from the front lines. Explore the new culture, Zahra. Enjoy the food.”
Zahra huffed as she rolled her neck, popping it. "Fine. A vacation." He was correct. A lot of soldiers would jump at the chance to switch places with her. The Sri’thaen war was bloody and full of death. Everyday lists were rolled out with names of the dead for families to check on loved ones.
"Maybe your husband will impress you, if you give him a fair chance." The general continued. “You have to admit, you haven’t given this marriage a fair go. And if you don’t you might threaten the alliance we’ve spent so much time creating.”
“They’ve spoken with you.” Zahra frowned. Khaazai must have gone to his emperor to complain about her hiding away, and she couldn’t be mad about it. It wasn’t like she was trying at all to be a wife.
