CTVF-008

Chapter 5

By Robin Gurl

It had been over two weeks since they had sent the DNA to the Garrison. Charles, Sven's right hand man, had hand delivered it himself. Since then, Romelle and Sven had done their best to learn how to take care of the baby now in their care.

Both looked exhausted as neither had gotten any sleep. The child didn't sleep through the night always waking up crying. It had taken them three nights to realize the child was hungry when it woke up. After that it became a little easier to deal with.

The nursemaids offered to take care of him but Romelle insisted that she do it. She didn't want to admit that she was loving this "playing house" with Sven. However, she couldn't tell if he was enjoying it just as much or not.

"Isn't this lovely? It's like having our own child." She said aloud that morning as she rocked the child in her arms.

"Don't get too attached he will be going back to his parents hopefully." Sven remarked as he read through the reports that had been delivered over night.

She stuck her tongue out playfully but knew he was telling the truth. She couldn't get too attached, he wasn't theirs. He had parents on Earth somewhere that were waiting for his return.

The baby gooed and giggled in her arms smiling up at her. Every time she looked into his eyes she was certain the baby looked like Sven. But that was ridiculous. Of course the baby didn't look like him. She was just seeing things and enjoying the day dream of them being together.

Sven watched her over the tops of his papers, gaze softening as he watched her play with the baby. Romelle looked beautiful with a child, she was going to be a wonderful mother when she get married. With the baby's dark hair it almost looked like his child.

Romelle was holding his child…. No their child.

He blinked and shook his head to clear those thoughts away. She and he weren't courting, she was a princess and he was a flyer.

Bandor was standing over his shoulder from where he sat and Sven shivered as he felt the icy gaze on his neck. He felt the younger boy lean over close to his ear. "Don't even think about it."

Sven cleared his throat and he stood up. "Bandor, please. You don't have anything to worry about."

"I know that glance in your eyes!"

Romelle looked up from the child to her brother. She sighed, "Bandor, stop! You're becoming a brat over this."

"He was looking at you! I saw him!"

"And what if he was?"

Her brother turned bright red grumbling. He clenched his hands into fists. "I think you know." Behind him Sven hurried out of the room not wanting to be the target of Bandor's anger anymore.

Romelle's gaze hardened as she stood up cradling the baby. "Bandor, I've had just about enough of you and your attitude towards Sven." She looked around the room then glared at her little brother. "Look, you've scared him away!"

"Good riddance. Romelle, people are talking. Even more so now that you have a baby and it looks like him." He tried to explain. "You're not even wed! Not that the advisors would allow that to begin with.."

The blonde stuck her nose up in the air as she normally did whenever he brought up this topic. "So what? Isn't it MY choice whom I choose?"

"Yes but Sven isn't one of the choices."

Romelle pushed past Bandor holding the baby tightly. "You will never understand, Bandor."

"Understand what?"

"What it's like to have everyone around you forcing you to marry someone you don't even know." She turns tears in her eyes briefly. "….Sven is the only one who doesn't hound me about this subject."

"M-Melle- wait! I-I was just …" He watches as she walks out wiping her eyes with one hand. It had been an up hill battle since she had turned 16. According to her advisors she fought them every step of the way in finding a husband. They had let it go to the wayside when Zarcon had attacked. He had never seen her interested in any man they had offered. Any man at all.

That was until she met Sven.

Bandor was convinced this rosey atmosphere would disappear the moment Sven was called back to the Garrison. Instead of being called back, he had been put on Polix as the ambassador and Garrison liaison between the planets. This made Bandor angry. Not only was he bewitching his sister but Sven was also taking up space on their planet. They had never needed any Garrison protection and certainly didn't need it now.

Sven wasn't going to win this fight. Not if Bandor had any say about it.

Sven glanced up from talking with some of the guards to see Romelle stalking out of the room. The baby was crying loudly in her arms. He walked over quickly and took the baby from her arms rocking him. "Easy, baby. What's wrong?" He then looked to the blonde who stood by his side. She didn't lift her head to look at him. "Romelle?"

She wanted to respond and pretend it was all ok but it wasn't. Nothing she ever did was going to make anyone happy. Bandor was never going to get along with Sven. Her advisors were never going to like him. Even if they did allow it, Sven would never date her. What would a flyer want with a princess? "…I-I'm going on a walk. I need some fresh air."

He watched her leave confused as the baby dozed in his arms. "..I don't understand women at all." The baby cooed as if understanding.