"She's the one!" shouted the boy to his blue-haired companion, his fair, deep voice trying to carry over the din of the crowd and the bass of the music. The blue-haired boy nodded although distaste was evident in all his features. The boy, wishing desperately to escape the roar and thrum of the club, grabbed his companion's elaborate sleeve and pulled him into the men's room. After the door had swished shut, both let loose a sigh of relief, and the blue-haired boy couldn't help but smile at the excited jittering of his friend.
"She's the one, Jarok…oh, Goddess, is she ever the one! Did you see her hair? It glimmered like gold under the evening sky…and that skin! How I wish I could touch that skin; looks soft and delicate as plampa. And that figure; the way those hips sway, the gentle fragility of her heavenly frame…" he sighed dreamily, imagining holding that same image of beauty in his arms ever so gently.
The blue-haired Jarok could only shake his head over his friend's quick attachment to a girl he had only glimpsed. "Well, if you do talk to her, don't say that. Don't want to scare her away that quickly, Char." He winked. "And do you really expect her to know what a plampa is? Let's go with 'peach'." Jarok gave him a thumbs-up and ducked, laughing, as Char took a playful swing at him.
"Yea yea, I know, they don't have plampas here on Earth. I just got…so excited, you know?" Char sighed again. "I've got to talk to her, Jarok!"
Jarok allowed his companion to grab him unceremoniously and haul him back onto the dance floor. He thought back through the past few weeks, trying to fulfill his crazy friend's wish of finding a woman, hopping from nightclub to nightclub where they'd appear less conspicuous than on the street.
One particularly humorous night out instantly came to mind. Her name was Lily, and she was a freak. She was dressed rather eccentrically, which is not so unusual in clubs. Then she explained that this was her normal attire. Jarok was then confirmed in his suspicions that this girl was not all there when she whipped out a roll of tape and stuck it to Char's fingers. She ran off to the bathroom, where she explained that the lighting was better. Char watched her flounce away with a dreamy look on his face, murmuring about her beauty and charming personality. After roughly ten minutes, she returned with grave news: Prince Char was due to expire any week now, as far as she could deduce from his fingerprints. That was when Jarok decided the time was right to drag Char away from this blonde-brunette-blue-redheaded girl and hop on to the next club.
He was jerked back alert as he bumped into Char, sending him in turn bumping into his dream girl. Jarok could have sworn that she made some asinine comment on his dancing abilities, but decided to hold on to his temper for now.
She was laughing and appeared to be extremely friendly, to Char's great relief. The more he spoke with her, the deeper he fell in love with her. "Care to dance?" he grabbed her small hand and clasped it between his. Wow, for once a woman that doesn't dwarf me…he thought with satisfaction. Her lovely face flushed with color.
"You…you don't even know my name yet!" she laughed and pulled away coyly. Her eyes darted, looking to see where one of her friends had disappeared to.
"Then what is your name, angel?" he looked at her and licked his lips, hoping against hope that she was the one. If she wasn't, he didn't have time to search for a new bride, and would have to settle for one of the overbearing females back home.
"Xan," she replied. She glanced around again uncomfortably then continued with, "Actually, it's Xanthee. But my friends call me Xan, long story."
"Jarok watched the two discreetly. I sure hope this works out and if not, good thing I brought these, he patted the sleep-inducing drugs in his pocket to reassure himself that they were there. One of Xanthee's friends had returned with drinks for everyone, which she received graciously.
"I…I wouldn't feel right dancing with you…I'm really sorry," Xanthee patted Char's hand. "I really just came here to have a look around." She glanced dolefully into his eyes.
Uh-oh…I don't like how this is going…Jarok thought, reaching into his pocket and taking the drugs out. As the two stared deeply into each other's eyes, one hurt and the other feeling regret, he silently slipped the drugs into the girl's cup unbeknownst to either of the two 'lovebirds'.
Char stared on as Xanthee looked away, tapping the fingers of her left hand on her cup as she sipped its contents. He noticed idly that something glittered on the third finger of her left hand, paying it no heed in his grief at being rejected.
Xanthee glanced back at him. "You know it," she paused to take another sip, amazed to find she had already drained the cup in her thirst, "it's not you, it's me…you see…"
Char leaped forward as her knees folded and caught her deftly before she could crumple to the ground. Panic started to overtake him. "Jarok? Is she alright, Jarok?" He held the unconscious girl delicately although his hands shook wildly, looking on dazedly as his friend rushed to reassure him.
Jarok leaned in close to whisper to his buddy. "Look Char, she'll be fine. Let's get her to the ship to heal up. She's perfect for you, congrats." Jarok patted Char's shoulder as he nodded numbly and stood up to follow him. He proceeded to lead his shocked friend calmly to the shuttle craft parked in the parking lot. As long as you didn't look too close, it appeared to be an ordinary car. He waited as Char got himself and the girl situated inside and then started the engine and headed back to Char's princely ship orbiting the planet. He remembered with clarity when Char's parents had given him the ship for his mission, reminding their son that a prince needed an impressive ship if he were going to hold on to his image.
Char was thinking much the same thing as he watched over the girl intently. He remembered vividly receiving the news of the death of his dear sister, making him the sole heir to the throne. However, as his home planet of Eden was mostly controlled by women, he had to marry in order to inherit the throne. Char wasn't content to just marry another woman and let the cycle continue; his sister, in her kindness, had showed him briefly what it was like to be equal to a woman, and he was insistent on continuing his sister's, and for that matter, mother's work. If that meant going to their sister planet which was ruled by men originally, so be it, Char would find a bride amongst these unique people with hair the color of earth and sunshine rather than the vivid colors of flowering plants. He stroke Xanthee's long, blonde hair, reveling in how smooth it was and making him think of sun and gold. What a beautiful creature she is…truly beautiful…Oh Goddess, please let her accept my proposal…