T'Beth was at home, flipping through the day's accumulation of phone messages when she found the transmission from Sydok. Music was playing softly, but she no longer heard it. Stunned, she sat back in her chair and reread the words on the screen. Suddenly she felt tears coming and wanted her daughter out of the living room.
"Bethany," she said over her shoulder, "go do your homework now."
The nine-year-old began to argue. "But Mom…"
"Now!" T'Beth said in an unusually sharp tone. Homework, like so many other aspects of Bethany's life, was becoming a daily struggle.
As Bethany huffed away to her room, T'Beth could feel her husband's attention settle on her. She was glad that their young son, Louis, was already in bed. Turning toward Aaron, she spoke just loudly enough for him to make out her words.
"My grandfather is dying."
Aaron rose from the sofa and came over to her. "Sarek?" he asked.
T'Beth shook her head and the movement sent tears spilling down her face. Ever since she was child, sickness and death had sent her into a panic. Swallowing hard, she said, "No. Jo-Ree. Jondar Jo-Ree on Sydok."
Aaron rested a hand on her shoulder, and the palpable warmth of his love helped steady her. Aaron had never met Jo-Ree. T'Beth had not returned to Sydok since their marriage, either. When Jo-Ree last saw Bethany, she was five. The old patriarch had only seen images of Louis.
"I'd really rather not go," she admitted, "but I have to. It's the Sy way. There's no such thing as a funeral. People visit the dying, not the dead. I want him to see how Bethany has grown; I want Louis to meet his great-grandfather." She laid a hand atop his and looking up at him, pleaded, "Come with me. I know you're busy at Starfleet, but I can't do this alone."
Aaron's expressive eyes studied her. She knew what he was thinking—that she wanted him with her because of Ap-Pakesh—because of Bethany's biological father. And it was partly true.
Gently smiling, he leaned over and his neatly trimmed beard tickled as he kissed her forehead. "Of course I'll go with you," he said.
Relieved, T'Beth spent the evening pondering the conclusion of one life and the approach of another. Though Jo-Ree would soon die, it was consoling to think of her new half-sister on the way—Spock and T'Naisa's baby girl, due in December.
oooo
Jondar Jo-Ree had spent most of his life as a politician. He lived in a fine house situated in the grassy countryside beside Sydok's Royal Palace. For a few years it had been T'Beth's home as well, and when Bethany was born, Jo-Ree had welcomed her into the world, never raising the question of paternity. But surely he had heard the rumors about Ap-Pakesh.
Now, as she stood with her family at Grandfather's bedside, she suspected that he was still sharp enough to observe Bethany's growing resemblance to the royal family. Jo-Ree's final illness had left his great body shrunken and his voice wispy, but the same silvery mane of hair flowed over his monogramed pillow, and his amber eyes seemed as lively as ever.
Jo-Ree smiled and tried to lift his arms as T'Beth kissed his bearded face. Blinking back tears, she introduced Aaron and little Louis. Bethany needed no urging. She did not know that Jo-Ree was dying, so she went to her great-grandfather and hugged him without a trace of fear.
One of Jo-Ree's attendants showed T'Beth's family upstairs, to a pair of bedrooms that had been prepared for their use in the coming days. The entire ground suite had been given over to Jo-Ree and his visitors. Abundant gifts of flowers and food were enjoyed by the well-wishers who thronged the house from morning until night. The celebration would end only with his death. It was the Sy custom to meet life's end in this manner, but T'Beth wondered if she was the only one praying for Jo-Ree's soul. Back home, she had completed her instruction in the Catholic faith, and though she had not yet decided to be baptized, she shared their belief in intercessory prayer.
Later that day, T'Beth was at the buffet filling a plate for Louis, when her calm shattered at the sight of a small entourage leaving Jo-Ree's room. Prince Ap-Pakesh and his Lady-wife had come to pay their respects to the old parliamentarian, and now they were mingling with the other guests. Her heart pounding, T'Beth hurried Louis and Bethany to an inconspicuous corner of the dining table. Aaron was nowhere in sight. Hoping to avoid detection, she sat with her back to the royals.
Before long she heard a deep voice behind her. "Cris-Tabeth."
Her blood froze. She had no choice but to stand and face him, along with the humiliating memories his presence evoked. She was turning around when Aaron joined her, and they met Ap-Pakesh together. The princeling had changed very little. Tall, tanned, and resplendent, he looked T'Beth and her family over. T'Beth repressed a shiver as his eyes lingered on Bethany.
Only this morning the girl had said, "Mom, you never want to talk about my father. I know he's Sy, but what's his name? Why can't I meet him?"
As always, T'Beth had replied, "Aaron is your father."
"No, he isn't," Bethany had argued. "He's Lou's father, not mine."
"Aaron loves you and provides for you," T'Beth had told her. "He's even given you his name. Those are the things that make a father."
Bethany had retreated into a sullen silence that was becoming all too familiar. The girl was precocious and headstrong. Though both she and Louis attended a Catholic school in Scottsdale, the wholesome atmosphere at St. Bernadette's had done little to improve her temperament. Sometimes when T'Beth looked at her, she saw herself at the same age. She saw trouble.
It was a relief when Ap-Pakesh spoke a few kind words about Jo-Ree and then took his entourage from the house.
oooo
"Lou, did you ever see such beautiful people?" Bethany asked her brother dreamily the next day. "Did you notice the clothes they were wearing? And the jewelry?"
Louis was advanced for a boy of three, and it annoyed Bethany that he showed little interest in the regal visitors, preferring instead to study the schematics of Sy aircars on his Padd. Gazing out the window at the Royal Palace, she pressed her nose to the glass and yearned to know what lay beyond the high stone walls. It was exciting to live right next to royalty. She had never forgotten Sydok and the sweet smell of the Royal Orchard when the trees were blossoming and every breeze carried the scent. She had missed her kindly Grandfather Jo-Ree, too. She was sorry to see him sick and weak with age, but he would get better.
In the afternoon, a former playmate surprised Bethany with a visit. Ty-Morr was a bit older than Bethany and had grown very pretty. When Bethany was five, they had been inseparable friends. Now Bethany looked with wonder at Ty-Morr's rich Sy clothing and jeweled armbands.
"I'm living in the palace now," the girl said proudly. "My mother is a consort. Come on, I'll show you the Royal Gardens."
Breathless with excitement, Bethany found her mother and poured out the information, begging, "I can go, can't I, Mom?"
Mother looked at Ty-Morr without smiling. "No, Bethany," she said quietly. "You and Ty-Morr can play here."
"But I don't want to play here!" Bethany protested. "I want to go with Ty-Morr! I want to see the palace close-up!"
"No," T'Beth repeated firmly. "Keep that up, and I'll send Ty-Morr home."
Crushed with disappointment, Bethany almost began to cry. Ty-Morr took her by the hand and led her back into the bedroom where they were alone together.
"It's not fair," Bethany complained. "I'll never have a chance like this again."
"Ask your father," Ty-Morr suggested. "Maybe he'll say yes."
"He's not my father," Bethany declared.
For a moment Ty-Morr thought quietly. Then she said, "Listen, just wait until tonight. When everyone is asleep, I'll come for you. No one will ever know."
oooo
The house was still when Bethany crept down the stairs, tiptoed past Grandfather's room, and slipped outdoors. Just beyond the back porch, Ty-Morr was waiting. Stars shone brightly overhead as they walked hand-in-hand, sweet feelings of friendship radiating through their empathic touch. The grass crushed by their shoes smelled pleasant in the cool air as they approached the palace.
They reached a heavy wooden gate set in the stone wall. As if by magic, it opened at Ty-Morr's verbal request. "I'm voice-printed," she explained.
Bethany shivered with anticipation as they entered the Royal Gardens. Ty-Morr took off running down an illuminated path. Bethany followed and began to laugh as Ty-Morr darted in and out among the flowering plants and the statuary. The chase ended abruptly at a door set in a sidewall of the palace. Ty-Morr issued another voice command and they entered the palace together. Bethany stopped to stare at the polished marble flooring, the golden walls, the ornate murals. As she slowly looked upward, her mouth opened with amazement. Even the ceiling was beautifully adorned.
Ty-Morr caught hold of her hand and pulled her down stunning hallways. At last they entered an opulent bedchamber carpeted in burgundy with pink floral sprigs. Ty-Morr opened a huge closet and pulled out a green velvet outfit trimmed with white fur.
"Here," she said, "this is much prettier than yours. Try it on."
Bethany backed a step. "Oh, no! We'll get in trouble."
Ty-Morr laughed. "It's mine, silly. It's all mine."
Bethany gaped at the clothing, at Ty-Morr, and at the entire room. She wandered to an intricately carved table laden with fresh fruit and sweets. "Yours? This is all yours?"
Ty-Morr laughed again. "Of course. Go ahead. Eat whatever you want. Everything that's left will just get thrown away."
Bethany thought of her life back home, where desserts were strictly monitored. With a thrill of pleasure, she chose the largest pastry and sank her teeth into the delicious treat. Then she quickly ate another.
An hour passed. Sated with food and fun, she lay atop Ty-Morr's bed, fingering her velvet outfit, thinking with regret that she would soon have to leave. How shabby even Jo-Ree's house now seemed in comparison to this place.
As if reading her mind, Ty-Morr said, "Beth-Any. Why don't you stay here with me tonight? This bed is huge—it'll be fun sleeping together."
Ty-Morr's bed was huge, and soft, and made with the finest satin sheets. Bethany wanted badly to stay. Feeling resentful, she complained, "You know my mother wouldn't let me. I have to get back before anyone notices that I'm missing."
"You don't always do what your mother says," Ty-Morr reminded her. "You sneaked out, didn't you? Why not stay here and have some more fun? What harm will it do?"
Yes, Bethany thought, what harm would it do to stay a few hours longer? So what if Mom got angry? It would be worth a little punishment to spend the night in a place like this.
Though her conscience gave an uneasy stir, she ignored it.
oooo
Bethany was gone! In the morning, Jo-Ree's house and property were searched twice over, with no success. Fear gripped T'Beth's heart. Where could the girl be? Her bed was rumpled and her pajamas cast aside. Only one set of clothes and a single pair of shoes were missing, so it was doubtful that she had run away.
As T'Beth considered the possibilities, her thoughts kept returning to young Ty-Morr. And to Ap-Pakesh. "Yesterday, Bethany was upset," she told Aaron. "She wanted to go with her friend and see the palace, but I wouldn't let her."
"Then that is most likely where she is," he said worriedly. "I'm calling the authorities."
oooo
Daylight from an alien star was streaming through the long lace curtains when Bethany awoke. With a start she sat up in bed and gazed with fresh wonder at Ty-Morr's sumptuous chamber. Her Sy companion was nowhere to be seen. Throwing back the rich coverlet, she slipped from the satiny sheets and began to pick up the toys she had left scattered on the carpet.
She heard Ty-Morr giggle. "Beth-Any, what are you doing?"
Bethany turned and found her Sy friend near the bathroom doorway. Ty-Morr worked a switch on the wall. A woman entered the room and bowed.
"Pick up," Ty-Morr commanded.
Bethany watched in amazement as the woman obediently gathered the toys and returned them to a closet.
Ty-Morr said to the servant, "We want breakfast. Marsh eggs with thinly sliced bell-melon, the yellow kind. And fresh pastries; these are stale." She looked at Bethany. "What do you want to drink? Chocolate? Coffee? It's imported; only the finest."
Bethany's eyes widened. "Coffee? But we're only…"
"Okay then, coffee," Ty-Morr interrupted, "and bring plenty of sweet cream."
Bethany was devouring the tasty breakfast when she said with regret, "After this, I have to go home…"
"Not yet!" exclaimed her friend. "You haven't seen our gardens during the day…and besides, there's someone who wants to meet you. Someone important. It won't take very long, but first you have to get ready."
Bethany was not looking forward to the punishment at home, so she let herself be persuaded. Ty-Morr prepared a perfumed bath in her luxurious marble tub. Later, she dressed Bethany in red and purple brocade, and arranged her curly blonde hair in a Sydok style.
Bethany balked when her companion began applying color to her eyes and lips. "Mom doesn't let me wear makeup."
Ty-Morr smiled and applied the cosmetics anyway. Bethany was startled by her own reflection in the mirror. "I look like a grown-up lady!"
"Come on, lady," Ty-Morr said. "It's time to meet your admirer." And she led Bethany down a series of marble hallways.
"But who am I seeing?" Bethany asked impatiently.
"The Princeling Ap-Pakesh," Ty-Morr finally revealed. "My mother is his first consort. This year I'll become third consort to his brother Aba-Pakesh."
There was that word again. "Consort?" Bethany asked.
"It's like a wife."
Bethany was stunned. "You're getting married? But you're only…"
"Ten is the Year of Choosing," Ty-Morr said with importance.
They had arrived at a richly carved door, cream-colored like the ivory keys on an old piano. After pressing a chime, Ty-Morr worked the door-lever and waved Bethany inside. "He awaits," she said.
Bethany entered alone. Behind her she heard the door close, and her heart began to pound. What did a prince want with her? With Bethany Pascal of Scottsdale, Arizona? Standing in the shadows like a frightened mouse, she let her eyes wander over the strange but magnificent room. The walls and ceiling were paneled with dark wood that gleamed as if freshly polished. Thick red drapes covered the windows. The only light came from two lanterns mounted beside a doorway through which she could see a wide sleeping couch draped with furs.
Gradually her eyes adjusted to the dim lighting, and she was startled to find a man seated quite nearby on a velvet-cushioned bench. It was the royal visitor in Jo-Ree's house, and his amber eyes were on her. Now she realized why the visitor had seemed so handsome and captivating. He was a prince!
The princeling smiled, revealing perfect white teeth, and patted the seat beside him. Enraptured, Bethany sat on the bench and gazed up at him. Wavy Sy-blonde hair framed his tanned, clean-shaven face. His smooth upper body was bare, except for an open embroidered vest and ornate bands around his biceps. He smelled like leather and spice.
Touching her hair gently, he said, "How lovely you are—so very Sy in appearance."
Blushing with pride, she answered, "I think you're lovely, too, Sir Prince."
He broke into laughter and she laughed with him. It seemed like a dream as he gazed into her eyes and taking her hand, pressed it to his lips. The empathic feel of his affection made her go warm inside.
The prince reached into the pocket of his vest and brought out a sparkling red jewel suspended on a delicate gold chain. "A treasure for my little treasure," he said, placing it around her neck.
A shiver of excitement ran through her. Gazing in wonder at the big jewel, she asked, "Mine? Mine to keep?"
"Yes, and it is only the beginning," Ap-Pakesh promised.
Bethany's joy gave way to reality and her spirits sank. "But…but I have to go home now."
"Beth-Any," his voice soothed, "are you not happy at my palace?"
"Yes! Oh, yes…but…but…" And with a blush she admitted, "My mother doesn't even know I'm here. She'll be upset."
"Not at all," he assured her. "We have contacted your dear mother and she has given permission for you to remain with us as long as you like. After all, you were born on this planet. You are a citizen of Sydok. You have every right to stay."
"As long as I like?" She could scarcely believe her good fortune.
He nodded. "You will have a special chamber all your own, and my servants will attend to your needs. You will be my own dear treasure."
"Oh, yes!" she exclaimed. "This is so much nicer than Arizona."
oooo
In an upstairs sitting room, the local constable seemed condescending as he took a report from T'Beth and Aaron. They were gathered around a table and there had been very little to tell.
"It sometimes happens," he said, "with girls her age—approaching the Year of Choosing."
"Girls her age!" T'Beth retorted. "She's only nine years old."
"Exactly," said the constable. With an air of boredom, he tucked his small datapadd into a pocket and stood. "We will make some inquiries."
Aaron waited until the constable left before saying to T'Beth, "The Year of Choosing. What did he mean by that?"
T'Beth glanced over at Louis, who was watching a video on a wall-mounted screen. Sick with worry, she switched to French so there was no possibility of him overhearing. "Aaron, c'est une honte. A disgrace. The Year of Choosing refers to the age of consent for girls. Here, a man can have his pick of ten-year-olds."
Aaron rarely displayed anger, but now his brown eyes flashed. "Mais, c'est scandaleux! Why does the Federation stand for it?"
"Oui, pourquoi?" she wondered. "Too many evils are permitted in the name of 'personal freedom' and 'tolerance of societal norms'. A society in moral decline will find ways to justify even the vilest behavior."
Aaron rose and began to pace. Switching to Standard, he said, "I don't trust that fellow to do much of anything, and since Bethany is probably at the palace…" He came to a halt and his jaw set with determination. "I'm going over there."
"Yes, one of us should go," T'Beth agreed, "but not you. I'm part Sy. I've been to the palace and I know someone there who might help us…if she's still alive. You can stay here and keep Louis out of trouble."
Across the room, Louis perked up at the sound of his name. He hopped off the sofa and came over. "Mommy, we haven't prayed for Bethany. Shouldn't we pray?"
T'Beth sighed. It was true. She had been too frightened, too distracted, to offer a single word of prayer. "Go ahead, Louis. You pray."
Closing his eyes, he bowed his dark head and joined his pudgy hands together. "Dear God," he said, "when Mary and Joseph were searching for the boy Jesus, you helped them find him in the temple. Please help us find Bethany now. She's not always nice, but we miss her."
Only a child would offer such an honest prayer. "Amen," T'Beth finished for him.
A few minutes later, she stood at the palace gate and asked to see an old Sy-jeera named Mu-Raka. With a cloak over her head, she entered and made her way to the chamber where she had once received instruction in the Ancient Arts. Mu-Raka had grown even more gnarled and wizened, but her rheumy eyes retained a sparkle of youth. Affection radiated from her as she received T'Beth's embrace. Propped among the pillows of her couch, Mu-Raka listened intently as T'Beth told her about the circumstances surrounding Bethany's disappearance.
"Young and restless," Mu-Raka said. "Another discontented girl-child. Too many of them find their way behind these walls. If she is here, I will tell you. Give me time."
oooo
With the passing of the days, Bethany began to lose track of time. Here at the palace, there was no need for clocks or calendars. Everything occurred at her word: meals, play, baths, bedtime. She was fast becoming the center of her own universe, and the more demanding she grew, the more Ap-Pakesh seemed to delight in her.
The princeling satisfied her every whim. Each day, he took her walking among the flowers in the Royal Gardens and let her pick as many as she wanted. He let her strip green fruit off the orchard trees and throw it in the splashing fountains. He sent her to be pampered at the Royal Spa. He showered her with gifts even more expensive than Ty-Morr's. Sitting Bethany on his lap, he spoke of her beauty and lavished her with caresses.
One morning Ap-Pakesh told her, "Today you will come to the stable and see my horses. We can go riding together."
Bethany frowned. "I'm not like my mother. I don't like to ride horses. They're too smelly…and besides, I could get hurt."
The princeling smiled amiably. "Alright then, my little taskmaster. What do you want?"
She whispered the answer in his ear and he laughed aloud. She didn't know what was so funny, but she liked hearing him laugh. All she had said was, "I want to stay with you forever."
oooo
A light rain was falling from the night sky when Mu-Raka's messenger came to the door. Half wild from waiting, T'Beth seized the boy by his shoulders and loosed a spate of questions. "Where is she? Where is my daughter? Has Mu-Raka found her?"
The boy put a finger to his lips. "Quietly," he said. "Come along with me. Hurry."
T'Beth did not need to be told twice. Grabbing her cloak, she left Louis in Aaron's care and rushed off into the storm. With her face concealed by a hood, she followed the boy's quick stride over the wet hillside, into the palace. The architectural beauty was lost on her. At every turn she hoped to see her daughter, but there was no sign of Bethany.
They arrived at yet another door. The boy stopped. "Open it," he said, and hurriedly walked away.
T'Beth drew in a deep breath. Her hand trembled as she reached for the ornate lever and turned it. The door slowly swung open, revealing a luxurious bedchamber. Atop the bed there was a movement.
"Who are you?" A girlish voice snapped in the tone of someone accustomed to commanding inferiors.
T'Beth recognized Bethany and her heart leaped with joy. Quickly closing the door behind her, she drew back her hood.
Bethany's face froze at the sight of her. "I…I thought you went back to Earth," she stammered.
"Without you?" T'Beth walked over to the bed. Her initial happiness faded as Bethany shrank from her. T'Beth stared at Bethany's expensive clothing, at her jewels, at the artfully applied makeup. "What's been going on here? Are they holding you against your will?"
Bethany's amber eyes flamed. "You said I could stay! You gave your permission!"
"I did not!" T'Beth said emphatically.
With a petulant lift of her chin, Bethany declared, "I like it here. No school. No homework. No one telling me what to do. I'm giving the orders now. I have servants and they do whatever I say. They give me whatever I want."
T'Beth had heard enough. With a swift maneuver, she caught hold of the spoiled child and dragged her off the bed. Setting Bethany on her feet, she gave her a shake. "Little girl, what you need is a royal spanking! Just wait until I get you home!"
Bethany wrenched her arms free. "No! I'm not going home! I'm staying! They don't treat me like a child here! At ten, I'll be a woman!"
"At ten? A woman? Hardly!"
"I'm ready," Bethany declared with a toss of her blonde curls. "He's only waiting until…"
T'Beth gasped. "He? What have you been up to? Who is this boy? Tell me his name."
Bethany blushed, but her voice was proudly defiant. "Not a boy. A man. The First Princeling of Sydok. Ap-Pakesh."
The revelation sent an icy wave of shock through T'Beth. It was all she could do to speak. "Ap-Pakesh has a wife. He has six consorts."
"I know," Bethany said impatiently. "I'll be the seventh, but he loves me best. I suppose you'll say I'm too young—that he's old enough to be my father. Well, I don't care."
Sick at heart, T'Beth gathered herself. "Bethany. Ap-Pakesh is your father."
oooo
The child who returned with T'Beth was subdued, if not fully repentant. Jo-Ree's house had emptied of the daily deluge of visitors, and Louis was safely settled into bed. Aaron held his arms out to welcome Bethany, but she ignored him and started upstairs.
"Wait for me in my room," T'Beth ordered.
The girl gave no response as she continued on her way. T'Beth drew off her drenched cloak and hung it on a hook near the door. She was so close to tears that she could barely hold her voice steady. "Aaron, she's been with Ap-Pakesh. She knows he's her father."
Aaron took a moment to absorb the news. "So this was his doing, after all. He wanted her."
A fresh influx of anger steadied T'Beth. "Ap-Pakesh wanted her, alright—in his bed, as soon as she turned ten."
Aaron's jaw dropped. "Her own father?"
Quietly she explained, "Since Ap-Pakesh and I weren't married, there's no legal recognition of his paternity. Sy royals sometimes choose even among the offspring of their consorts. Grandfather worked hard to end that practice and raise the age of consent, but he was always overruled. This is a very sensual society. When I think about what might have happened to Bethany…" The words choked off. "I had to tell her the truth about Ap-Pakesh. She's suffered a shock, but something tells me she's still infatuated with him and his hedonistic lifestyle. The sooner we get home, the better."
"Cris-Tabeth…" Grandfather's weak voice sounded from the downstairs bedroom.
T'Beth worked to calm her rioting emotions, then took Aaron's hand and went in to see Jo-Ree. She had not disturbed her grandfather with Bethany's disappearance. Now that the girl was safely home, perhaps she could touch him without transmitting too many negative feelings.
Kissing his bearded face, she said, "You had a lot of visitors today, in spite of the rain."
"But not Bethany," he lamented. "Has she grown tired of her old grandfather?"
"Never," T'Beth assured him. "She went away, but she's back now. Come morning, you'll see her."
After bidding him a good night, T'Beth went upstairs and found Bethany right where she had been told to wait, sprawled unhappily on the bed. Stripped of her jewels and other finery, with her face scrubbed clean of makeup, she looked the part of a dejected child. But T'Beth knew that her daughter was no ordinary human child. Bethany was three-quarters Sydok and sexually precocious.
Sitting down beside her, T'Beth said, "Bethany, you've know the facts of life for nearly a year, but there's more that you need to learn. I know. I have Sy blood, too. I remember how it felt when the hormones started to work. Back then, I didn't know God or trust Him to help me. I made some terrible mistakes that left me feeling miserable. I didn't understand the value of chastity—the proper, wholesome use of the bodies God has given us. Once I began to know God, He helped me to do better, but my past behavior left me very susceptible to someone like Ap-Pakesh."
At the mention of her father's name, Bethany sat up and glowered at her.
T'Beth forged on. "I was unaccustomed to Sy ways…and he seduced me. Bethany, Ap-Pakesh knows that you're his child, but wanted you as a consort, anyway. I'm not saying that he's an evil man. He just doesn't know any different. To him, girl children born outside of marriage are amusing playthings. He doesn't see you as a daughter. Aaron does…and you should thank God that He's brought such a good and loving father into your life."
"But my father is a prince," Bethany pouted. "I'm royalty!"
T'Beth sighed. "Ap-Pakesh is your biological father, but since I was never his wife, Sydok society doesn't consider you royal. Darling, I know you're unhappy right now. You feel as if you've lost something wonderful—a fairytale world. But believe me, indulging yourself never brings true happiness. The only lasting happiness comes from trusting in God and doing the right thing."
Bethany's frown deepened. "You always want me to be good. You want me to do everything the Christian way, the Catholic way. But why should I? You had Lou and me baptized, but you're not."
The words caught T'Beth by surprise. But Bethany was right. T'Beth sent the children to a Catholic school and expected them to follow the dictates of that faith while she hung back, never fully committing, as if none of it was really important. How, then, could she expect Bethany to take the Church's moral concepts seriously?
"Well," T'Beth admitted, "now you've given me something to think about. I want you to go downstairs and give Aaron a decent hug. And tomorrow you'll visit your grandfather; he's been asking for you."
No doubt relieved that she had escaped the promised spanking, Bethany obeyed.
oooo
Early the next morning, T'Beth took her final leave of Jo-Ree and headed with her family to the war-torn town of Aneeba. Aaron wanted Bethany to see a less glamorous view of Sydok before journeying home. Aneeba was still suffering the aftereffects of bombardment from the last Sy-Don hostilities, and the grim daily realities were in stark contrast to the luxurious life in a palace. Families crowded together in crude shelters built from rubble. Smoke rose from open fires, where people tended pots of vegetables gleaned from little garden plots. Children in faded clothes ran barefoot through the muddy lanes, playing with sticks and stones.
When T'Beth wondered aloud why these children were not invited to the Royal Palace to share in the princeling's delicacies, Bethany looked on in silence.
In a renovated area of town, they visited an orphanage. There were no fine bedchambers; the children slept in sparsely furnished dormitories. No rich, colorful clothes; the orphans wore simple uniforms. No servants here; the children themselves shared in the daily chores.
"Their parents are gone," T'Beth told Bethany in a low voice, "killed in the war or by other misfortunes. They have no one else to care for them, but it's safe here and they're given a solid education."
Bethany turned toward her and spoke for the first time. "Mom, can we take some of them home with us?"
They had passed from the dorm to a play area. Heartened by her daughter's change of attitude, T'Beth gazed at the orphans wistfully. Soon many of the girls around Bethany's age would be paired off with interested men. "Oh," she said, "I wish we could…"
Aaron nudged her. "Look over there—have you noticed? She must be half human."
The girl appeared to be nine or ten years old. Her wavy hair was light brown. Instead of Sy amber, her eyes were a rare shade of blue.
T'Beth pointed her out to the woman guiding them through the facility.
The woman explained, "Her name is Rose Ellen Darby, and she just turned ten. Her mother was Sy. Her father was a human working for Catholic Charities. They died in the final bombardments when she was just a baby. Rose Ellen is a sweet-natured child, but…" she dropped her voice "…her mixed parentage has made her all but unadoptable. There are her looks, of course, but she also has very little touch-empathy."
T'Beth's temper heated. "Oh, I see. Not very popular with the men."
Aaron heard the anger in her voice and placed a restraining hand on her arm. Quietly he asked the guide, "She's Catholic, I assume?"
The question took T'Beth by surprise. Aaron was not a religious man.
"One would think," coolly answered the guide. "In any case, it is not our policy to promote foreign beliefs."
Bethany tugged at T'Beth's other arm. "Mom, she could share my room, my clothes. She could be my sister."
T'Beth was touched by Bethany's plea and felt nothing but sympathy for the halfling girl…but these were real live children, not puppies in a pound…and there was also Aaron to consider. Turning, she looked into his eyes, expecting a swift, adamant "no".
Instead, she found unshed tears welling. "Have you forgotten?" he asked her. "I was orphaned as a child, too."
"That's right," Bethany seconded. "Mom, Dad...please?"
It was the first time since Bethany's palace escapade that she had called Aaron "Dad". Before either he or T'Beth could formulate a response, little Louis went over to Rose-Ellen and said, "Would you like to come home with us?"
oooo
That day, Rose Ellen did not go home with them. Legal matters took time, T'Beth explained. They must all be patient. If God wanted Rose Ellen adopted, He would arrange it, just as He had arranged for T'Beth's long-overdue baptism. The ceremony took place at their home parish of St. Bernadette. Grandfather Jo-Ree had died, but Spock came with his new wife, T'Naisa, who was getting bigger all the time from her pregnancy. Bethany's teenage Uncle Jamie was there, too, and Aaron joined them at church, as he did on very special occasions.
In early December, Rose Ellen finally arrived in Arizona and officially became a Pascal. Bethany eagerly took the girl under her wing and explained how things worked in the household. "T'Beth is called 'Mom' and Aaron is called 'Dad'. You can call our brother 'Louis' or just 'Lou'."
They were of a similar height, which meant they could share clothes, just as Bethany had planned. On the first day Rose Ellen went to school, they wore matching blue plaid uniforms. Bethany held Rose Ellen's hand and sensed her nervousness as she introduced her to Sister Clare.
Bethany happily explained, "Rose Ellen is my sister now. She's just come from Sydok, but she speaks Federation Standard, like us. She didn't know anything about Jesus, or even Christmas. But Mom's working shorter hours at Starfleet so she can help her learn things and settle in."
The good nun smiled and nodded as if she had not already heard the entire story from T'Beth. In a sweet Irish brogue, she said, "Welcome, Rose Ellen. And what a lovely name. Here, I have a little somethin' for the both of you."
She reached into a desk drawer and from her store of treasures brought out a pair of pins bearing a colorful image of Christ the King. Beaming, Sister Clare fastened one on each girl. "In honor of Rose Ellen's first day. May Jesus guide you to the riches of His loving heart."
Looking down, Bethany studied the little medallion, and it seemed more precious than any jewel lavished upon her by Ap-Pakesh. She was glad T'Beth had found her and put an end to her dangerous relationship with the princeling—her own blood father. In confession, she had told a priest all about the trouble on Sydok that began when she chose to disobey her mother. His advice had sounded very much like Mom's.
Happiness didn't come from trying to hurry into womanhood. It didn't come from being selfish and demanding. Happiness came from a thankful heart. It came from thinking of others instead of herself. Now if she could only remember it…
oooOOooo