Part 14a
Isabel rushed down the hall, trusting instinct to find the rest of the group more than anything else. At one of the bends in the hall, she bumped into her brother.
"Izzy!" Max threw his arm over her. "Wondered where you'd gotten off to."
"I saw Alex again."
"You told him what we're going to do?"
"He didn't really need to be told," Isabel picked up the pace. "And Alex didn't sound too confident about it either. He said he had a bad feeling about it."
"Did he tell you not to do it?" Max stopped.
"No."
"Then it's okay. If we're not supposed to do, Alex would stop us."
"Max, I want him back. More than I've ever wanted anything in my whole life. But I don't want to lose Alex for the rest of eternity. What if we screw up his essence and I can't even have him in the next life?"
"Iz, we'll have him back in this one. I can't promise you a normal life or even a safe one, but what I can promise you is that you'll spend your time on B'ril with Alex. You will finally make some good memories out of being an alien princess."
"God, Max, you sound so cheesy? Alien princess?" Isabel teased him, batting his arm lightly.
"Hey, I get to be cheesy on purpose once in a while. King's prerogative." The two finally reached the formal parlor behind the Great Hall where the others were waiting. Kathana sat in a less formal version of her throne. Liz sat just to her right, trying to describe Earth to Kathana and telling the queen about what was once the life of the smallest of small town girls.
This place felt more comfortable to Liz than the Great Hall had been, though not as familiar as the lab. The plush fabrics and soothing scene of blues and purples. A vid screen featured a frozen image of a B'ril man Liz knew to be Kathana's husband, her father. Liz felt a piece of knowledge appear in her consciousness. Her father's name was Alteon and he had died early in an accident that sent his transport spiraling into the heart of the star at the heart of the V system, making a healing virtually impossible. When Kathana saw Max and Isabel enter, she put a hand on Liz and rose.
"I know you all likely wish to rest, but there are certain people who must see you. Not least of which are the people of B'ril. I'm sure that word has spread quickly that L'arala and the Royal Four have returned. This very news may be the encouragement the Resistance needs to rally against Khivar." Queen Kathana delivered her words as though they were a suggestion, but the meetings would definitely take place.
"We understand," Max had moved to Liz's side, his hand resting on the small of her back.
"And for these meetings, you will need to don more-" Kathana pursed her lips, "traditional attire. All of you."
She hit a panel on the arm of her chair and a contingent of the palace staff appeared, two males and three females. "These people will help you select appropriate ensembles for the afternoon activities."
"Now this part of the alien adventure I like." Maria said just above a whisper to Liz as they left the room, each with their own attendant.
**********
The women of Roswell found themselves in a large dressing area, a much more opulent version of a store dressing room. Given the opportunity, their attendants, who bobbed and quickly said their names, then brought out skids of clothing. It seemed the color of B'ril's Royal House was blue, while Antar's was purple. Liz and Maria's choices seemed to feature blue only while Isabel's were nothing but various shades of purple. With such a wealth of options and no idea what look she was going for exactly, Liz couldn't even narrow it down. Finally, her attendant, Kao, pulled several gowns for her. After a few trials, Liz finally donned a simple blue gown, very similar to what Kathana wore, in a rich blue that seemed to bring out dark highlights in her hair. Maria's ensemble reminded Liz of what Maria had worn to Prom, very loose and flowing in light blue. Isabel, however, put both them to shame in a purple dress, a full skirt that would have made anyone else look like a grape. The attendants flitted around, adjusting the clothes and using their powers to adapt hair and makeup, leaving all three with their hair flowing down. At last the attendants, who had spoken very little, pronounced them fit for Court.
"Thank you, your highnesses," the three chimed and left the room.
"Thank you,"
"I've never felt so much like a Barbie in my life," Maria half-whined as she tried to conceal a smile.
"I bet the boys are having an even worse time as Dress-Me-Ken dolls," Liz grinned and led the way back to the parlor. B'ril, perhaps because it was a matriarchal world, provided comfortable women's footwear: almost a slipper, light on the feet with a tiny heel. They reached the parlor and Liz was right, Max and Michael were already there and did not look as though they'd had a fun couple of hours. They were in deliciously tight pants with simple purple tunics and leather vests. Liz grinned at Max; the male traditional wear was a little more alien than the women's. Though the cut was a little different, the dress Liz wore was fairly close to some of Earth's fashions and didn't make her fool half so foolish as she knew Max and Michael both did. The tips of Max's ears were a bright scarlet and Michael refused to look up.
"As always, Michael, I am the better dressed half of this couple," Maria moved over to him.
"The officers of the Royal Army will arrive shortly and with their escort we shall proceed to the garden, where many of the people have gathered. Then I wish that you would speak with Noril to plan Ava's rescue." Mention of Tess quieted the group, who had managed to repress the recent events.
"I want to talk to Max," Michael looked up at Maria, who nodded, and her boyfriend moved toward Max.
Maria sighed. At least Michael had sort of excused himself this time. Maybe being in the presence of Royals and being treated like one was wearing off on him. Liz was talking with a worried Isabel. Maria moved about the room, looking at the cavernous space. It was almost larger than her entire house in Roswell. Walking along the wall, a hand brushed on the cool walls, she spotted something resting strategically on a gilded bench. It was an instrument of some sort. Her hands glided over the protruding polished pegs, careful not to move them. The strings were completely smooth, unlike the ridged wires of guitar strings. The body was smaller, more like a mandolin, though this had only six strings.
"L'arala tells me you were once M'lin," Kathana spoke from behind her.
"Queen Kathana!" Maria jumped and moved her hand from the instrument. She kept her eyes down and bowed her head. "Uh, yes, I guess that's true. I mean, I don't really have any vivid memories like Liz has. But I remember some of M'lin."
Kathana reached a hand to Maria and guided her face to eye level. "First, please call me Kathana. M'lin was the daughter of my husband's sister. She died early in life and M'lin always had a place at court while her father went off-world. L'arala was fortunate to have M'lin. She was almost a sister to her. And I can see that in this life as well."
"Thank you," her words were a reverent whisper.
"This is a qualtar, used by some of our most accomplished musicians. It was one of M'lin's favored items." Queen Kathana saw the hungry look on Maria's face. "I will have this sent to your quarters."
"Oh, Kathana!" A genuine smile spread across Maria's face. "Thank you!"
"Thank me by relearning how to play it and play for the Court at Ava's homecoming," Kathana's warm thoughts tensed Maria a little and she could suppress the shock of hate that raced through her. The queen, however, was distracted by the arrival of Noril and did not appear to notice Maria's reaction.
"Noril, we are ready?"
"Yes, milady." A contingent of troops, in blue and gold regalia, entered the room. Two soldiers moved to flank each person in the room while the others waited to accompany the entire group. Max moved toward Liz, but Kathana had already linked arms with her daughter. Max retreated to walk with Isabel.
"Daughter, I would speak with you-" Kathana paused, keeping her voice lowered. "You cannot seem. overly affectionate to Zan."
Liz looked alarmed. "I didn't mean to-"
"I know that you are only now becoming reacquainted with the responsibility of rank. And I don't want to punish you. I do know something about forbidden love." Kathana carefully nodded a head at Noril, her Prime who was leading and busy talking to Michael. Liz tried to conceal her surprise. Nothing in their body language, nothing in her demeanor had, to that point, indicated anything but pure professional interaction. "The last time I saw my daughter, she left in anger and she left with Khivar. The people's memories are long and imperfect. There were rumors that L'arala had allied herself with Khivar against Antar to overthrow Ava." "That can't be what happened!" Liz protested.
"I know, my child. But as the head of state, the representation of our world and our people, our family squabbles gain a larger theater and our mistakes, large and small, can affect all of B'ril, the entire system." Kathana glanced back at Max and Isabel. "I do not know what happened to my children on Antar. Every person who witnessed their fall, save Khivar, was slaughtered by his troops. If Alior hadn't managed to retrieve their bodies, there would be no Royal Four and Khivar would have no opposition to the throne."
"But Zan didn't love Ava," Liz had held back the tears. She could tell that Kathana was trying to save her hurt later, but to know that still Kathana sided with Ava's fraudulent marriage.
"I grow more and more certain that you are my daughter. You still have not learned that love often has very little to do with marriage. And even less so in a Royal coupling." They had almost reached the garden and stopped at the gate to wait for the rest of the group. Kathana looked directly at Liz. "If I could grant either of my daughters the love matches they desired, I would. But I want to protect them more. And, for now, your best protection is to conceal anything but a sisterly concern for Zan. Prepare to greet your people."
The opaque gate, the only archaic doors Liz had seen in the entire palace, swung open. The roar of the crowd swelled in Liz's ears and she realized that thousands of people were packed into the garden and thousands more watched vids from outside the garden walls. When Noril began to announce them, beginning with Maria and the cheers of a desperate people rocked each of them, Liz understood that whatever had happened in her last life, the Royals were still well-loved. It was when the seemingly unending procession of people started and one women began to cry when Isabel took her hand that Liz began to understand how important they were to these people. That, more than the trip across the galaxy, Tess's betrayal, the influx of memories, and all that they had faced, frightened Liz to her core.
The reception of the people lasted hours. Only when Kathana noticed Liz and Maria tremble as they reached for people that she directed the guards to cut off the line. Cries of disappointment and protest came from the throng, but Kathana was immovable and they were led to a suite of rooms near Kathana, the women on one side of the hall and Max and Michael on the opposite.
"Get what sleep you can while you can. I have several meetings with my generals for briefings, but I will send attendants with clothes and morning meal at dawn's break. A beautiful night," Kathana closed the door, leaving the five of them to their own devices.
"Let's take her advice and sleep. This is probably the last chance we'll have to enjoy palace bedrooms for a while," Max moved toward Liz and the nearby bedroom, but she pretended not to notice, unwilling to disobey Kathana but afraid that a night together in this palace would lead to the very thing Kathana had worried about. She smiled faintly, but didn't touch him.
"You're right, see you two tomorrow then?" Liz scuttled toward the bedroom. Maria shrugged and followed. Isabel gave Max and Michael hugs, then the three headed to bed.
*******
A trill of notes was getting progressively louder, pulling Isabel from a deep sleep.
"What the hell is that?" she barked. The door to their room opened and a fairly frightened attendant stood there. Isabel automatically used her powers to make herself presentable.
"Milady, the queen thought you'd want to know immediately."
"Know what?"
"Healer Tiersa has finished her work and awaits your group." The attendant barely had time to move to the side as Isabel ran out of the room to the lab. She slid through the halls, running faster than she ever had before. At the lab, she paused only long enough for Tiersa to look up at her, surprised.
"Lady Vilandra?"
"Where is he?"
"In the next room, but milady, there's-"
"Thanks," Isabel waved off whatever lengthy explanation Tiersa had intended to make. She waved open the door. He wasn't facing her and didn't seem to notice that anyone had entered. He sat on a long metal table, in a blue tunic, with some kind of data pad in his hands. For a moment, Isabel hesitated. Maybe he wasn't done, maybe.
Alex turned around. "Izzy?"
"Alex!" Isabel flew at him and landed in his arms.
"Isabel," Alex whispered and gave a patented Whitman smile. Isabel wasted no more words. Her lips met his and it was the same solid warmth that she had felt from a not-so-corporeal Alex the day before. Isabel barely noticed the data pad he had been clutching fall to the ground. She kept her hands on him and her eyes open, terrified that he would disappear or that this was a horrible dream. But she could feel him in her mind a solid presence, not a clear, but definitely there. Through the open connection, she tried sending him every memory of Alex she had. He hungrily returned the kiss in a way Alex never had before and drank in the memories. The kiss she started lasted until they heard the door again and a loud sob. They broke the kiss as Maria and Liz ended up sprawled across them both in a huge hug. Among her friends, in Alex's arms, Isabel rested her head on his chest just to hear his heart beat. No matter what happened with Khivar, she knew at this moment that Alex was the one she loved and she would fight for a long, healthy life with him at her side.
Isabel rushed down the hall, trusting instinct to find the rest of the group more than anything else. At one of the bends in the hall, she bumped into her brother.
"Izzy!" Max threw his arm over her. "Wondered where you'd gotten off to."
"I saw Alex again."
"You told him what we're going to do?"
"He didn't really need to be told," Isabel picked up the pace. "And Alex didn't sound too confident about it either. He said he had a bad feeling about it."
"Did he tell you not to do it?" Max stopped.
"No."
"Then it's okay. If we're not supposed to do, Alex would stop us."
"Max, I want him back. More than I've ever wanted anything in my whole life. But I don't want to lose Alex for the rest of eternity. What if we screw up his essence and I can't even have him in the next life?"
"Iz, we'll have him back in this one. I can't promise you a normal life or even a safe one, but what I can promise you is that you'll spend your time on B'ril with Alex. You will finally make some good memories out of being an alien princess."
"God, Max, you sound so cheesy? Alien princess?" Isabel teased him, batting his arm lightly.
"Hey, I get to be cheesy on purpose once in a while. King's prerogative." The two finally reached the formal parlor behind the Great Hall where the others were waiting. Kathana sat in a less formal version of her throne. Liz sat just to her right, trying to describe Earth to Kathana and telling the queen about what was once the life of the smallest of small town girls.
This place felt more comfortable to Liz than the Great Hall had been, though not as familiar as the lab. The plush fabrics and soothing scene of blues and purples. A vid screen featured a frozen image of a B'ril man Liz knew to be Kathana's husband, her father. Liz felt a piece of knowledge appear in her consciousness. Her father's name was Alteon and he had died early in an accident that sent his transport spiraling into the heart of the star at the heart of the V system, making a healing virtually impossible. When Kathana saw Max and Isabel enter, she put a hand on Liz and rose.
"I know you all likely wish to rest, but there are certain people who must see you. Not least of which are the people of B'ril. I'm sure that word has spread quickly that L'arala and the Royal Four have returned. This very news may be the encouragement the Resistance needs to rally against Khivar." Queen Kathana delivered her words as though they were a suggestion, but the meetings would definitely take place.
"We understand," Max had moved to Liz's side, his hand resting on the small of her back.
"And for these meetings, you will need to don more-" Kathana pursed her lips, "traditional attire. All of you."
She hit a panel on the arm of her chair and a contingent of the palace staff appeared, two males and three females. "These people will help you select appropriate ensembles for the afternoon activities."
"Now this part of the alien adventure I like." Maria said just above a whisper to Liz as they left the room, each with their own attendant.
**********
The women of Roswell found themselves in a large dressing area, a much more opulent version of a store dressing room. Given the opportunity, their attendants, who bobbed and quickly said their names, then brought out skids of clothing. It seemed the color of B'ril's Royal House was blue, while Antar's was purple. Liz and Maria's choices seemed to feature blue only while Isabel's were nothing but various shades of purple. With such a wealth of options and no idea what look she was going for exactly, Liz couldn't even narrow it down. Finally, her attendant, Kao, pulled several gowns for her. After a few trials, Liz finally donned a simple blue gown, very similar to what Kathana wore, in a rich blue that seemed to bring out dark highlights in her hair. Maria's ensemble reminded Liz of what Maria had worn to Prom, very loose and flowing in light blue. Isabel, however, put both them to shame in a purple dress, a full skirt that would have made anyone else look like a grape. The attendants flitted around, adjusting the clothes and using their powers to adapt hair and makeup, leaving all three with their hair flowing down. At last the attendants, who had spoken very little, pronounced them fit for Court.
"Thank you, your highnesses," the three chimed and left the room.
"Thank you,"
"I've never felt so much like a Barbie in my life," Maria half-whined as she tried to conceal a smile.
"I bet the boys are having an even worse time as Dress-Me-Ken dolls," Liz grinned and led the way back to the parlor. B'ril, perhaps because it was a matriarchal world, provided comfortable women's footwear: almost a slipper, light on the feet with a tiny heel. They reached the parlor and Liz was right, Max and Michael were already there and did not look as though they'd had a fun couple of hours. They were in deliciously tight pants with simple purple tunics and leather vests. Liz grinned at Max; the male traditional wear was a little more alien than the women's. Though the cut was a little different, the dress Liz wore was fairly close to some of Earth's fashions and didn't make her fool half so foolish as she knew Max and Michael both did. The tips of Max's ears were a bright scarlet and Michael refused to look up.
"As always, Michael, I am the better dressed half of this couple," Maria moved over to him.
"The officers of the Royal Army will arrive shortly and with their escort we shall proceed to the garden, where many of the people have gathered. Then I wish that you would speak with Noril to plan Ava's rescue." Mention of Tess quieted the group, who had managed to repress the recent events.
"I want to talk to Max," Michael looked up at Maria, who nodded, and her boyfriend moved toward Max.
Maria sighed. At least Michael had sort of excused himself this time. Maybe being in the presence of Royals and being treated like one was wearing off on him. Liz was talking with a worried Isabel. Maria moved about the room, looking at the cavernous space. It was almost larger than her entire house in Roswell. Walking along the wall, a hand brushed on the cool walls, she spotted something resting strategically on a gilded bench. It was an instrument of some sort. Her hands glided over the protruding polished pegs, careful not to move them. The strings were completely smooth, unlike the ridged wires of guitar strings. The body was smaller, more like a mandolin, though this had only six strings.
"L'arala tells me you were once M'lin," Kathana spoke from behind her.
"Queen Kathana!" Maria jumped and moved her hand from the instrument. She kept her eyes down and bowed her head. "Uh, yes, I guess that's true. I mean, I don't really have any vivid memories like Liz has. But I remember some of M'lin."
Kathana reached a hand to Maria and guided her face to eye level. "First, please call me Kathana. M'lin was the daughter of my husband's sister. She died early in life and M'lin always had a place at court while her father went off-world. L'arala was fortunate to have M'lin. She was almost a sister to her. And I can see that in this life as well."
"Thank you," her words were a reverent whisper.
"This is a qualtar, used by some of our most accomplished musicians. It was one of M'lin's favored items." Queen Kathana saw the hungry look on Maria's face. "I will have this sent to your quarters."
"Oh, Kathana!" A genuine smile spread across Maria's face. "Thank you!"
"Thank me by relearning how to play it and play for the Court at Ava's homecoming," Kathana's warm thoughts tensed Maria a little and she could suppress the shock of hate that raced through her. The queen, however, was distracted by the arrival of Noril and did not appear to notice Maria's reaction.
"Noril, we are ready?"
"Yes, milady." A contingent of troops, in blue and gold regalia, entered the room. Two soldiers moved to flank each person in the room while the others waited to accompany the entire group. Max moved toward Liz, but Kathana had already linked arms with her daughter. Max retreated to walk with Isabel.
"Daughter, I would speak with you-" Kathana paused, keeping her voice lowered. "You cannot seem. overly affectionate to Zan."
Liz looked alarmed. "I didn't mean to-"
"I know that you are only now becoming reacquainted with the responsibility of rank. And I don't want to punish you. I do know something about forbidden love." Kathana carefully nodded a head at Noril, her Prime who was leading and busy talking to Michael. Liz tried to conceal her surprise. Nothing in their body language, nothing in her demeanor had, to that point, indicated anything but pure professional interaction. "The last time I saw my daughter, she left in anger and she left with Khivar. The people's memories are long and imperfect. There were rumors that L'arala had allied herself with Khivar against Antar to overthrow Ava." "That can't be what happened!" Liz protested.
"I know, my child. But as the head of state, the representation of our world and our people, our family squabbles gain a larger theater and our mistakes, large and small, can affect all of B'ril, the entire system." Kathana glanced back at Max and Isabel. "I do not know what happened to my children on Antar. Every person who witnessed their fall, save Khivar, was slaughtered by his troops. If Alior hadn't managed to retrieve their bodies, there would be no Royal Four and Khivar would have no opposition to the throne."
"But Zan didn't love Ava," Liz had held back the tears. She could tell that Kathana was trying to save her hurt later, but to know that still Kathana sided with Ava's fraudulent marriage.
"I grow more and more certain that you are my daughter. You still have not learned that love often has very little to do with marriage. And even less so in a Royal coupling." They had almost reached the garden and stopped at the gate to wait for the rest of the group. Kathana looked directly at Liz. "If I could grant either of my daughters the love matches they desired, I would. But I want to protect them more. And, for now, your best protection is to conceal anything but a sisterly concern for Zan. Prepare to greet your people."
The opaque gate, the only archaic doors Liz had seen in the entire palace, swung open. The roar of the crowd swelled in Liz's ears and she realized that thousands of people were packed into the garden and thousands more watched vids from outside the garden walls. When Noril began to announce them, beginning with Maria and the cheers of a desperate people rocked each of them, Liz understood that whatever had happened in her last life, the Royals were still well-loved. It was when the seemingly unending procession of people started and one women began to cry when Isabel took her hand that Liz began to understand how important they were to these people. That, more than the trip across the galaxy, Tess's betrayal, the influx of memories, and all that they had faced, frightened Liz to her core.
The reception of the people lasted hours. Only when Kathana noticed Liz and Maria tremble as they reached for people that she directed the guards to cut off the line. Cries of disappointment and protest came from the throng, but Kathana was immovable and they were led to a suite of rooms near Kathana, the women on one side of the hall and Max and Michael on the opposite.
"Get what sleep you can while you can. I have several meetings with my generals for briefings, but I will send attendants with clothes and morning meal at dawn's break. A beautiful night," Kathana closed the door, leaving the five of them to their own devices.
"Let's take her advice and sleep. This is probably the last chance we'll have to enjoy palace bedrooms for a while," Max moved toward Liz and the nearby bedroom, but she pretended not to notice, unwilling to disobey Kathana but afraid that a night together in this palace would lead to the very thing Kathana had worried about. She smiled faintly, but didn't touch him.
"You're right, see you two tomorrow then?" Liz scuttled toward the bedroom. Maria shrugged and followed. Isabel gave Max and Michael hugs, then the three headed to bed.
*******
A trill of notes was getting progressively louder, pulling Isabel from a deep sleep.
"What the hell is that?" she barked. The door to their room opened and a fairly frightened attendant stood there. Isabel automatically used her powers to make herself presentable.
"Milady, the queen thought you'd want to know immediately."
"Know what?"
"Healer Tiersa has finished her work and awaits your group." The attendant barely had time to move to the side as Isabel ran out of the room to the lab. She slid through the halls, running faster than she ever had before. At the lab, she paused only long enough for Tiersa to look up at her, surprised.
"Lady Vilandra?"
"Where is he?"
"In the next room, but milady, there's-"
"Thanks," Isabel waved off whatever lengthy explanation Tiersa had intended to make. She waved open the door. He wasn't facing her and didn't seem to notice that anyone had entered. He sat on a long metal table, in a blue tunic, with some kind of data pad in his hands. For a moment, Isabel hesitated. Maybe he wasn't done, maybe.
Alex turned around. "Izzy?"
"Alex!" Isabel flew at him and landed in his arms.
"Isabel," Alex whispered and gave a patented Whitman smile. Isabel wasted no more words. Her lips met his and it was the same solid warmth that she had felt from a not-so-corporeal Alex the day before. Isabel barely noticed the data pad he had been clutching fall to the ground. She kept her hands on him and her eyes open, terrified that he would disappear or that this was a horrible dream. But she could feel him in her mind a solid presence, not a clear, but definitely there. Through the open connection, she tried sending him every memory of Alex she had. He hungrily returned the kiss in a way Alex never had before and drank in the memories. The kiss she started lasted until they heard the door again and a loud sob. They broke the kiss as Maria and Liz ended up sprawled across them both in a huge hug. Among her friends, in Alex's arms, Isabel rested her head on his chest just to hear his heart beat. No matter what happened with Khivar, she knew at this moment that Alex was the one she loved and she would fight for a long, healthy life with him at her side.
