Of course, every spare moment I had, I was spending with my Princess. We had been sailing on StarChaser, we had gone out to more nesting grounds to take blood samples. I had followed her every word as she explained scientific measurements to me in the lab, I had invited her to command room meetings so she knew where we stood with tracking down the remaining pirates, we had gone horseback riding, we had gone flying in my speeder, and we had spent every night together in her bed… She had yet to come to mine, though. I was hoping she would feel comfortable enough to do that tonight…
Regardless, she was beautiful, strong, and smart, and she was mine.
As she came to stand before me, her eyes alight with joy at the ceremony, the whole of Bristola’s nobility and military elite gathered in the throne room, Catari overseeing the ceremony, I marveled at how far we had come so quickly from the woman who wanted to shove me out of her sailboat on Serpul. She loved me. I knew she did.
I took her hands and the lights in the throne room flickered.
Our mental connection was real. It could shatter glass.
“Princess Ceritha of the planet Serpul, King Kajo of Farian and your father, Ganot of Serpul have deemed an alliance marriage between you and Prince Commander Axis of the Bristola Oceans is necessary to preserve the oceanic species of our two planets. You have agreed to this arrangement, say Aye.”
“Aye.”
“Prince Commander Axis, say Aye.”
“Aye.”
“Serpul and Farian have long served each other as friends and allies, but this union will preserve this loyalty, pressing it forward into the future, making an even more beautiful relationship, with lasting rewards and sustaining a mentorship and collaboration across fields for the symbiotic progress of both planets, both of you say Aye.”
“Aye.”
“Bristola has a long history of the maritime…” Cartari launched into a history of Bristola and I held onto Ceritha’s hands.
“You are my Destin. I will be beside you forever.”
“I will protect you, too, you know.” She responded without hesitation to my words, but still hadn’t said she loved me.
“Oh yeah?” I liked her taunting.
“Hand-to-hand combat, remember?” Her eyes were laughing at me, her lips in the most irresistible shape that I wanted to kiss.
I smiled at her. “You are quite skilled, I know. And we can practice, often.”
“I’d like that.”
“…say Aye.” Cartari paused and we looked at him.
“Aye,” we chorused.
“Princess Ceritha,” Cartari’s eyes were shining with true admiration for the Princess and joy for me. “I declare you an official Princess of Bristola. Welcome to our shores.”
I held up Ceritha’s hands and the entire congregation cheered. I swooped her into a hug and kissed her long and hard. Sparklers had been passed out before hand and soldiers lit them as we walked back down the aisle, raining us in sparks that seemed no different than those that our kiss ignited magically on its on.
As we exited the throne hall, all the people swelled out behind us, congratulating us as we paused for the receiving line, before we made our way to the grand banquet hall.
Time to party.
Twenty
Ceritha
The sun was setting on the Declaration Ceremony day and it was just Axis and I left at the party, holding hands, looking out over the bay from the gazebo, splinters from the busted rafters still on the ground beneath our feet. I nuzzled my head into his shoulder and pulled his arm closer in between my breasts. He traced my cheek and jawline with his fingertips, then turned my chin up so he could kiss me sweetly and slowly, teasing my tongue at the end of the kiss with his tongue, snatching a pepper of kisses quickly and then dotting one on my nose.
I laughed and snuggled into him tighter. Goodness sakes… I just… I just adored him so much…
I took a deep breath. “I’ve been waiting to tell you something.” I kept my face buried in his chest. He soothed my hair softly and when I finally looked up at him, he was smiling. He gave me a little nod of encouragement and he took a deep breath, as if he were nervous and excited, as well.
“I have had a breakthrough with the blue. I think I know where it’s coming from in the scarlet firefin tribe.”
His brow furrowed, eyes narrowed, chin dropped and he looked down a moment. His mouth opened but he was quiet. “That’s… That’s good.” He cleared his throat. “What’s the breakthrough?”
“It’s in the shrimp population. They are carriers, eating the corral that is right by the frevel slue. The frevel is infected. We need to treat it. I know you said you had treated it before, but I think it is has mutated since then. The shrimp aren’t impacted, because they are too small, too simple of creatures. They don’t have the right type of cellular structure to impact. But when the firefins eat them, they are infected. I believe I can formulate a cleansing solution that won’t hurt the shrimp or any
