The Commander’s Virgin Queen
Bailey Dark
Copyright © 2019 by Bailey Dark
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
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One
Axis
I scuffed my boot at the meticulously polished marble floor, ground my gloved fist into my palm, licked my lips, blinked hard five times, and bit my tongue. Was there really any way I could argue myself out of this one? It's not like I was already married, or had anyone in mind for the position, I just… I just had always thought I would be the one to pick if I chose to marry someday.
“Listen, Commander, this is a beautiful match—”
“You just told me she is one of the most difficult women you’ve ever heard of!”
Jase laughed. “Well, that’s not always a bad thing. I just meant difficult in that she’s… spunky… spirited… fiery… passionate…”
“You know, Axis. She’ll be… fun.”
I looked at the Beast King as she described my future alliance bride as fun. How was I supposed to argue with him? A slight smile pulled up the scar through his eye as he spoke. I took a deep breath and sighed.
"I serve at your pleasure, your highness. Of course, I will go to Serpul, at haste. And, of course, I have been worried about my Oceans. As you know, these last three months, I have withdrawn from the Special Operations Forces, where I was serving Alpha Jase and have just been serving my people on the Bristola Oceans. I do not understand fully why so many of my animals are dying, but it is the firefins and dolgons who seem to be at the highest risk, though plenty of the much smaller, less fierce animals are also dying in droves, down to the life-giving shrimp and bacteria. If this Princess of the planet Serpul, with all her high-science and spirited fun, can help, I shall be a devoted husband and the best alliance Farian can make.”
The Beast King Kajo nodded. “Thank you, Commander Axis. We are in your debt.”
I scratched my fairly unshaved chin. I had teleported to Capital City almost as soon as I had gotten the urgent call from the King. I hadn’t had time to shave, and I had been out on scouting trips with my sailors, trying to determine how many of my magnificent dragon dolphins were dying from what we were calling the blue flu. It was taking down some of the oldest, but also some of the strongest. It was making their lungs shrivel in the waters, preventing them from coming close to their traditional spawning shores, and decimating many of their feeding grounds. Was it in the water? Their food? In the coral? We weren’t sure. I needed an expert. Kajo seemed to think this Princess Ceritha was the one I needed.
She was at least the one Farian needed.
I looked at Jase, who was grinning at me. He jerked his head toward the exit just slightly. The Beast King was done with me. I may have gone to Academy just a couple years behind Kajo, but he was light years beyond me now.
“Thank you, your highness. I will report back to you when we have returned.”
“Indeed. Good luck.”
"Yes, sir."
“And, Axis?” I turned back to him. “You must find a way to get her on board with this. Your own resistance to the idea must not validate hers.”
I nodded. “Thank you, sir. I will do my best.”
Jase led me out of the throne room. He laughed as soon as we exited the ornate hall doors. He clapped me on the back and shook back his blonde hair. “Congratulations, comrade! Time to plan the bachelor party!”
I frowned at him. “I don’t think that’s how alliance weddings go.”
“Why not? You’re still getting hitched.”
“Well, how about I first propose the idea to her?”
"Oh, you don't have to worry about that." Jase waved my words away. "Our science emissaries and public relations staff have already pitched the whole thing. Her father is on board, and the alliance is set to take place. This was a formality on our side, too."
I swallowed thickly and ground my teeth. Did I mean so little? Jase’s face tensed as he realized the mistake he had made. “No, brother, I didn’t mean… We value you immensely. We just knew you would be willing to help Farian, no matter what. Especially because it really is helping Bristola. I mean, you know what this disease is doing to your Oceans.”
"Yes, yes…" The blue was truly hurting my oceans, which was, in turn, hurting the food supply to the rest of the continent, which was hurting our economy, which was hurting our exports, which was hurting our trades with other planets, which was hurting numerous other aspects of our planetary standing… Kajo hadn't needed to explain it all to me. "I'm on board, Jase. Truly."
Jase looked at me a moment, his brown eyes studious, brow furrowed as if he were trying hard to read me. I gripped his shoulder, the Emerona crest tattooed on my wrist with the waves and sunrise cascading around it, showing stark and clear against my darkly tanned skin. I nodded again. "I really am."
"Good! Then, let's go get a drink to celebrate before you take off. And maybe get you a shave and a haircut. And a shower. Everything about you says you've been out to sea for days. Now, that might be attractive to a mermaid-type princess-like Ceritha, I don't know, but I think her father would appreciate the good hygiene…”
I let Jase continue speaking
