Lord Rospus looked a lot like Milleous.
He too, like his brother, showed a very robust and imposing physical constitution unlike most of the Incurseans.
However, Ben couldn't help but notice how Rospus seemed less, how to say ... flaccid? Yep, definitely, compared to the former emperor, with better defined muscles and also slightly taller.
The green of his skin was darker, with a series of more or less wide spots along the shoulders and the neck.
His eyes were small and piercing, bloody red in color.
Indeed, Ben had to admit that this guy was more fearful than Milleous.
"Ben 10, the savior of the universe" the incursean began with a mocking smile "I was hoping to meet you, but I had resigned myself to the idea that I would have to wait for the wedding day to see the promised husband of my niece"
-Attea is HIS niece? - Ben thought, arching an eyebrow.
Oh well, with a father like Milleous, there was little to be surprised about.
"Lord Rospus, what a pleasure …" Neptune intervened neutral, while slightly bowing her head in greeting.
"Lady Neptune" the other replied without even looking at her.
Seriously, he didn't even deign her a courtesy look, taken as he was from staring at Ben with an intensity that made the human feel uncomfortable.
"What are you looking at?" Ben blurted out, after a few moments of tense silence.
"Oh, nothing! I was just wondering what you were doing here" said Rospus "They told me that you had been locked up in your room and that you wouldn't have the permission to go out before the wedding, as the good, little, prisoner you are"
"Oh really? Well, they said wrong" Ben growled, deliberately skipping the fact that it was thanks to Jades (and Neptune apparently) if he had left that room, since the Omnitrix wasn't working.
"Prisoner?" Neptune repeated in a surprised tone "I'm afraid you misunderstood, my lord ..."
The Atlantean placed a hand on Ben's shoulder, who shivered under her touch -It is as cold as ice- he thought, giving her a brief glance.
"... Young Benjamin here is a GUEST, not a prisoner" the female concluded "Furthermore, if everything goes as planned, in two days he will also be the new master of this building"
-Two days, in two days I will be a married man- the awareness of this fact left Ben temporarily stunned while Rospus finally turned his attention to Neptune.
"Master, you say, my lady? Do you mean "master" as you have been in these years?" Rospus asked with derision disguised as courtesy "It doesn't seem to me a great leap in quality from being a prisoner"
"In fact, it is fortunate that Princess Attea isn't like my lord husband, don't you thing?" Neptune replied smoothly.
"Oh, there is no doubt about that" Rospus agreed, crossing his hands behind his back "Indeed, I wonder what will happen to our beloved empire since the future empress doesn't even seem capable of keeping her future groom on a leash ..."
"...What the hell is going on here?!" a female voice, familiar to all the three of them, suddenly burst out.
Attea entered the library followed by a couple of soldiers.
"Ah, so it was here where you were hiding" visibly irritated the princess hissed staring at Ben who returned the gaze with equally resentment "It seemed to me that Froguis had warned you that you are NOT allowed to leave your room"
"Well, I thought that I made pretty clear that I have no fucking intention of obeying you" the boy said, crossing his arms over his chest.
"Oooh look at him, you are not married yet and he already dare to answer you" Rospus laughed, turning to his nephew "Between this and the fact that he goes around freely and completely regardless of your orders, dear niece, I begin to think that you have chosen a mate that goes beyond your REAL possibilities"
"I think it is none of your business who I decide to marry, uncle" Attea didn't put even a bit of affection in saying the last word, on the contrary, from the way she was looking at the older incursean she seemed to want to kill him on the spot.
"Oh, but I just say it for your own good" Rospus insisted innocently "You are still in time to replace him with someone more ... docile" he continued "I can take Tennyson as a slave, if you like, I'm sure I could break his spirit better than you can"
Rospus looked at Ben with a smile that to call disturbing was an understatement.
-I'd like to see you TRY toad face- Ben clenched his fists, almost trembling with anger.
God, what would he give to be able to transform into Humungousaur and launch Rospus against the nearby wall.
However, he was still ready to look the idiot in the eye and tell him that, if it hadn't been for the slight squeeze on his shoulder.
Neptune hadn't taken her hand off his shoulder all the time.
She slowly moved her head in denial and ... it was strange, she seemed genuinely worried about the turn the conversation was taking.
"Of course, your prestige might be affected a bit, but still ..."
"Everything has already been established" Attea cut short "And there is nothing you can say to make me change my mind, I WILL marry tennyson and I WILL be crowned empress"
"Of course, dear" Rospus said "After all, mine was just a humble suggestion … you know HOW much I care about YOUR interests"
"Yeah, of course you do" the princess hissed.
Never heard of a more false exchange of sentences, Ben wanted to throw up.
"Well, I'd better go back to my business" Rospus said goodbye, heading towards the exit "See you at dinner, dear niece, Lady Neptune ..."
Neptune waved a greeting by moving her head while Attea didn't even bother doing anything like.
Attea turned to her stepmother.
"It was you, wasn't it?" she hissed, looking her badly "Did you send someone to let him out? Jades, I bet, you've always had a soft spot for that bum"
"I was just trying to be hospitable, dear" the woman justified, calmly.
"You didn't have the authority to do it!" the incursean retorted.
"Dear, since the boy will live with us for a while, I think it's right to allow him to familiarize himself a little with the environment" the other explained, interlacing her hands on her lap "You can't keep him locked up forever, after all and you know it"
"THAT'S NOT THE POINT …!"
"Er, excuse me! I don't know how it works here, but on Earth it's actually rude to speak of someone as if they were not there, you know?" Ben snorted.
"You mind your own business! Guards!" Attea snapped, turning to the guards "Accompany Tennyson to his room and this time make sure he STAYS there!"
"Darling, you are not thinking clearly" Neptune said, this time in a more severe tone "This aggressive attitude of yours will NOT lead to anything good"
"I told you …!"
"ATTEA!" the Atlantean declared looking into her eyes "If I am allowing myself to insist on this, it's because we both know that I am right and tell me, have I ever done anything that could damage you?"
Attea stared at her for several moments, uncertain "... No" she finally answered, bucking her shoulders.
-Wow, I've never seen Attea give up so easily- Ben thought, impressed.
"Then, please, trust me" Neptune murmured softly "My only wish is this situation to be as less burdensome as possible for everyone" she concluded, looking at Attea first and then Ben.
"Uff, fine!" the princess grumbled "Tennyson is allowed to remain in your company and that of your servants, but I warn you monkey boy!" she turned to Ben "If you think you can take advantage of the situation to escape ..."
"Oh, I assure you that unlike most of the people around you I am a guy of my word" the wielder of the Omnitrix snarled "I PROMISED to stay and I will but for the record, if I wanted to run away, I would have already found a way to do so, you can be sure about that"
"Good for you ..."
Attea gave him one last sour look before turning on her heels and leaving, she had much more to think about than wasting time with him!
-I hope Neptune knows what she's doing-
...
The Black Hole was a bar made in the style of a saloon in Undertown, its outer sign showed a purple neon black hole with alien writing circling around it.
Despite appearing outside like any other place, the bar didn't enjoy a good reputation, since it used to host a wide range of aliens ... let's say, difficult.
Bounty hunters, traffickers, even prominent criminals …
"Er, would anyone be kind enough to remind me what we're doing here?" Gwen asked, looking around annoyed by the many sidelong glances that several customers in the place were throwing at her.
To her as to grandpa and Rook for that matter.
Only Kevin seemed to be immune to them, probably because of his old reputation as bad guy.
"We are waiting for our pilot" Max said, tapping his fingers on the bar counter.
"If he goes to places like that he must be a tough guy, huh?" Kevin commented, who unlike his fiancée seemed to feel perfectly comfortable in that environment.
"He has a certain reputation, yes" Max nodded "He is the best pilot in the sector"
"Which sector, exactly?" Gwen asked, still doubtful.
"Belive me Gwendolyn, he is the only one who can take us to Neo Tongue Topia without causing a diplomatic incident, as he is a free mercenary not affiliated with the plumbers" Rook explained.
"Okay, but who is this guy?" the girl insisted.
"Well, his name is …"
"Rad!" a voice spoke behind them "Rad Dudesman, and you are my customers I suppose"
They all turned abruptly, facing the last type of alien they would have expected to find in such a place.
"Wait a minute" Kevin began, blinking "You're ... a DUCK?!"
...
So we finally met Rospus, the uncle of Attea, with whom our future empress does not seem to have exactly good relations and we have the entry of Rad.
I don't know about you guys, but I LOVE this duck! ^^
See you in the next chapter!
