Chapter 3: Royal Reception

When the Marvel arrived on Hala, Melody was delighted to see a few royal guards on the platform to greet them. She kept looking out the window, trying to see if E'tann was with the guards, but she couldn't see who the guards were meant to protect just yet. The guards were good at their jobs; they wouldn't allow anyone to see their charges from that distance. Just because they recognized the ship didn't mean they trusted that the ambassador would be flying it. They still remembered how Noh's ship had been taken from him when he was captured in their invasion of Earth. Sure, the Marvel had escaped, but that didn't mean they were any less wary knowing she could be persuaded to carry her passengers unwillingly in order to keep them alive.

You're drooling, Celeste teased her sister from where she was sitting at a computer console, and Melody broke away from the window to stick her tongue out at her.

Oh, like you're any different when you and the Ghost Punk get together.

Actually, I am.

Sure. Just keep telling yourself that. Melody waved her sister off in favor of zipping over to the door as soon as the Marvel landed, bouncing on her toes as she waited for the door to open.

Noh chuckled as he made his way over as well. "If I didn't know better, I'd think you were preparing to completely abandon your family at Christmastime," he teased.

She glanced up at him and then, seeing his teasing smile, pulled a face at him. "I haven't seen my boyfriend in a long time, okay? You totally can't talk, the way you and Mom are all the time."

"Don't let your mother hear you saying things like that," Noh advised, though he couldn't quite hide his smile. "If she thinks you're as involved with the prince as she and I are, she won't approve of the match — and she already thinks I only approve because of the political implications."

"I can actually hear you when you think about the fact that our family is going to be royalty, Dad. You think it's hilarious that you showed up in this world as a conqueror and still managed to take over Hala, even if it wasn't the way you used to do things," Melody pointed out.

"You have to admit that it's quite the happenstance."

"Didn't fall in love so you could put your name on an empire, Dad," Melody teased.

Noh laughed out loud and reached out to push her shoulder lightly. "That isn't what I meant, and you know it," he said. "I think the situation is amusing, but I wouldn't have picked out this match for you if I thought you didn't love him." He smiled wider until it reached his eyes. "I was able to find love for myself; I'd never deny that same opportunity to my children."

"You're such a softie," Melody said, though she went ahead and hugged him all the same, since he was practically asking for it.

Noh smiled and wrapped her up in return, then kissed the top of her head. "What can I say? Being a father is one of the best things I've ever done. I wouldn't trade your happiness for a hundred empires."

"But maybe a hundred and one?" she teased.

Noh laughed again and pretended to think about it. "Perhaps," he said, and she laughed and pulled back from him so she could sock him in the shoulder.

"Why am I not surprised that you two are already ready to get out there and mingle with the noblemen?" Jubilee teased as she and Ael came ambling around the corner. "Couldn't wait for the rest of us, could you?"

"Melody couldn't; I was simply keeping her company so she didn't make a scene rushing out of our ship," Noh said loftily.

"Oh, sure," Jubilee said, then skipped over to where he was to steal a kiss. "You're ridiculous, you know that?"

"You remind me often enough that it would be impossible for me not to know," Noh replied.

"Good, then I'm doing my job."

Melody shook her head, though she looked past her flirting parents to the empty hallway. "Where are Celeste and Sying?" she asked. She couldn't believe that her speedy siblings were the late ones, especially when she knew everyone on board was ready to get out and stretch their legs.

"Sying's helping Krissy chase down Ariel and put her dress back on," Jubilee said, smiling even wider. "Speedy little streaker that she is."

Noh chuckled. "Imagine the guards' reactions if Ariel escaped to greet them that way."

"They wouldn't know what to do with the cutest alien elfling the universe has ever known," Melody finished for him, knowing his mind was already headed that way.

"Exactly." Noh pulled Melody over to kiss the top of her head, then headed for the hallway. "I'll go help," he said.

And what about you, slowpoke? Melody projected to her sister.

Mind your own business.

Melody bit her lip. Celeste sounded snippy, and they simply didn't snap at each other. Hey, I'm really sorry you and Jayce—

Don't. Celeste cut off her part of the telepathic conversation, so Melody couldn't see the rest of her sister's thoughts, but it didn't take a telepath to know her sister was jealous that Melody got to spend the holidays with E'tann while Jayce was on Earth. I'll be fine. Just let me finish this letter.

Oh, did Jayce reply?

Actually, he sent one around the same time I did, Celeste said, sounding more like herself now that she had something sweet to gush about. He's just as disappointed as I am, but he also got to see Lily climbing all over Daken, so he said he understand why Noh wouldn't want his granddaughter taking part in the Akihiro Climbing Olympics.

Exact words, I'll bet.

Of course. You've met him, right?

I have and he's hilarious. Melody smiled to herself. You two should totally get married.

No way is that going to happen before you get married, Celeste shot back. Everyone knows you and E'tann are practically engaged. The only reason he hasn't asked you yet is politics.

And distance.

Nope. Politics.

Melody chuckled and shook her head. Pretty sure you're wrong on this one. He lets me in his mind, and I think I'd notice him thinking about an engagement. He's not good at hiding anything from me. Besides, we're still young.

Not in Kree years.

Yeah, but last time Grampa Wolvie put the fear of God in him, he made it pretty clear that E'tann isn't allowed to do anything with me that isn't Earth-age-appropriate.

Ouch.

Yeah. He was tiptoeing around me for the rest of the time we were together.

I think the only reason Grampa Wolvie hasn't done that to Jayce yet is that he heard Peter Quill telling Grammy K about Gamora's strict talk to Jayce and Nina about what potential partners are really after.

Melody visibly winced. I don't want to know.

You really don't. Jayce was accidentally projecting some of it last time we hung out.

Oh, eww.

Yeah. Celeste sighed. I'll be right there. I just have one more paragraph. Think you can be patient a little longer?

I suppose.

Love you too.

Melody smiled, though she couldn't quite stop herself from bouncing in place as she waited for the rest of their family. They didn't want to come out of the Marvel in a piecemeal fashion when they had royal guards waiting for them, after all. Even if they were on vacation, they still had protocol to follow.

But eventually, finally, Melody's whole family had gathered together, and Melody caught her dad chuckling under his breath and purposefully taking his time telling the Marvel to open up. And then, to her utter amusement, the Marvel preempted Noh and opened up before he'd asked it to.

And then, Noh laughed outright when Melody passed him and trailed her hand over the Marvel with a whispered, "That's right you approve."

Noh shook his head and then took a few steps to catch up with her, putting his arm around her shoulders. "She wants you to be happy," he told her. "That ship has always been protective of you children."

"And she totally wants another wedding. The last few supercharged her so much that she didn't even droop during all the crap that happened with Apocalypse," Celeste put in, catching up to the two of them without missing a step, as if she'd been part of all the teasing and conversation leading up to that moment.

"I'm afraid a wedding here on Hala wouldn't be quite the same," Noh admitted. "But let's not speak of such things where we can be overheard," he added in a whisper only their family could hear.

"You're the one talking out loud instead of projecting," Celeste pointed out, blinking up at him innocently.

He chuckled and pulled her over to kiss the top of her head as they walked. "Have I told you both how grateful I am that you turned out to be so much like your mother?"

"Funny; she keeps telling us how much she loves that we're like you."

Noh smiled more genuinely. "And I hope for both of your sakes that you find someone who will have that exact argument with you for the rest of your lives."

"You're such a romantic," Celeste said, grinning up at her father even as the royal guards approached them. The Lee-Varr family might have followed most of the protocol required of the ambassador when they visited the royal family, but that didn't mean they would hold back from showing how much they loved each other. Publicly and often.

By that time, of course, the guards were used to how open their family was with their emotions, so they didn't say anything about the way Noh was wrapped up in his twin daughters. Instead, the head guard stepped forward and then bowed slightly. "Ambassador," he said. "We were surprised to hear you were coming to visit. Our understanding of the Terran calendar is that you would be spending time with them in their celebrations at this time of year."

"Usually, we would," Noh said. "But we decided to celebrate the holidays away from the crowd this year for personal reasons."

The guard raised an eyebrow but didn't ask questions — purely because it wasn't his place. But Melody and Celeste both could hear him coming to all sorts of conclusions in the thoughts he wasn't trained enough to shield from them, and they shared glances and giggled, wondering if their dad knew just how much gossip followed their family around.

Melody smiled to herself when she realized that a few of the guards in particular were already regarding her in the calculated way they regarded Sinta's family. The way things were going between her and E'tann, they were already preparing to try to protect someone who could zip out of their sight in a second.

She nearly laughed when she realized that they were all worried about keeping track of her.

Still, as much as she loved getting caught up in romance, she wasn't actually sure that she was ready for something as big as marriage. And she wasn't even sure E'tann was the one for her. She liked him, and he was cute, and he treated her well, but she didn't want to get married just because he was a decent guy. She wanted to make sure she loved him and not just the feeling she got from kissing him. And yes, she was aware of the difference, despite all the teasing she endured.

They followed the guards down to the palace, where, as always, Sinta personally came to greet them. Their families had actually become friends, not just because of political expediency, and Melody liked the way she could hear her dad and Sinta thinking about how deeply they cared for each other's welfare, even though their words were much more formal and stilted.

Jubilee wasn't as formal, though. She always greeted Sinta and his family with gusto, especially E'tann's little brother. (He wasn't so little anymore, but Jubilee blatantly ignored that, to his growing chagrin.)

But Melody looked past her parents and their small talk to where E'tann was standing in his royal regalia. She loved seeing him all dressed up when he and his family would formally receive them, with the star of Hala over his forehead and his robes draping just so over his shoulders.

Good Kree genes right there, she thought and then caught herself and double-checked that she was really just thinking about how hot her boyfriend was and not how "superior" the Kree were. She wasn't entirely sure this time around whose thoughts they were, and she decided that she for sure needed to sit down with her mom after this trip was over. She hadn't realized how much Kree indoctrination was in her head until recently, and now, she wasn't sure if it was more insistent lately as she got closer to the throne or if she was simply paying more attention and therefore caught more moments like that.

Probably a little bit of both.

Either way, E'tann had definitely grown into his muscles even more since the last time she saw him. Everything fit him slightly better than it had before, and he looked much more like the future king than the shy, nervous prince she'd first met. Sure, she knew that he was still just as nervous about taking the throne as he'd ever been, but he'd gotten a lot better at hiding his insecurities.

When he caught her gaze and realized that she was staring at him, he smiled and then projected to her, You look amazing too, you know.

Melody blushed, especially because she knew her mother and sister had heard that compliment. E'tann wasn't yet good enough at projecting to keep his side of conversations private, though she was trying to teach him how to direct his thoughts. If they did end up getting serious, she supposed that he would get better when they saw each other all the time and not just whenever their parents decided to get together. Plenty of time to practice.

But there she was again, thinking about the future when she wasn't even sure that was the future she wanted. Better to live in the moment and appreciate her cute, attentive boyfriend.

So, she made her way over to him and pulled him into a hug, surprised when he broke form and kissed her before the hug had ended. Usually, he was much more reserved about public displays of affection.

Not that she was complaining.

He grinned at her, still holding her in his arms long after the hug had ended. "It's good to see you, especially as a surprise," he said.

"Dad really wanted to get away from Terra for a while," Melody admitted.

"Oh?" E'tann raised one eyebrow.

"Nothing bad," she promised quickly. "An old teammate of his that he's never gotten along with was being friendly with Ariel, and that was unacceptable."

E'tann still looked interested, leaning toward her - or maybe he just wanted another kiss. "Should I be concerned about your niece?"

"She's fine," Melody promised. Then, when Ael pointedly cleared his throat, she blushed and looked over her shoulder to see that almost everyone there was watching them. She grinned and then turned back to him. "And what's going on with you? You're not usually this…"

"Open?" he offered.

"I was going to say 'affectionate'..."

"I thought you would appreciate something more like what I've seen from your family on Terra," E'tann said, then paused. "And to tell you the truth, I'd rather be seen out and about with you than deal with the families who keep sending their sons and daughters my way hoping that I will forget about my Terran curiosity."

She nodded slowly. "Ah. You're making a statement."

"A statement that I'm not interested in anyone but you?" E'tann pointed out. "Yes, yes, I am." With that, he stepped back and offered her his hand with a gallant bow, looking much more like the prince he usually was. "Would you like an escort to your quarters?"

Melody broke into a crooked grin. "Yes. Yes, I would."