Fear
Ava stood outside on the veranda that overlooked several gardens on the Palace grounds. She was still amazed at how vast and beautiful it all was. She looked around the easel that was in front of her, chalk in hand, as she sketched the tree when she and Zan first met.
"Miss Avalena," Jabari walked onto the terrace. "Miss Emilia has arrived."
"Thank you," she replied as he gave a nod and exited through the same door he'd come in at. She looked to her sister. "I didn't know if you'd come."
"You said it was important," the brunette shrugged. "Besides, I missed you." Ema smiled before she rushed into her sister's embrace.
"Are you okay?" Ava stepped back as she held her little sister by the arms. "Have they tried to hurt you?"
"No," Ema shook her head. "The wouldn't..."
"They killed our parents Ema; they would do anything!" her voice was stern. "We have to get you away from them."
"I love you, but there has to be another explanation." The young woman felt torn. "Ava, I just can't accept that they'd do something like that."
"Well they did," Ava stepped back as she felt the anger build up. "They're murders." She could feel her hands tingling with electric energy.
"Please," Ema was on the verge of tears. "They feel like parents and I love them too; I just feel so confused and afraid of what's happening to our family." She let out a sharp breath as a tear finally escaped. "Can we please talk about this later and move to something happy."
"Okay," Ava tried to calm herself, knowing how Ema was. She never could handle things well, she just retreats and ignores as if there's nothing wrong. "I'm just worried about you; I just think it would be better if you didn't stay there, at least for a while." She wiped the tears from her sister's face. "It can be like a little holiday."
"I just can't leave Ava," she'd calmed down too. "Besides, where would I go?"
"You could stay here," Ava continued after she saw the shocked expression on Ema's face. "I've already spoken to Zan about it; he thinks it's a good idea."
Ema shrugged as sarcasm spread across her face. "You're right, it's a wonderful idea," she waved her arms out to the side. "And the Queen is perfectly fine with this, I'm sure."
"She is," her answer was confident.
Ema smirked. "Well let's go and ask her now then."
Ava returned the same smile. "You can ask her right now; she's already here."
Ema looked around to see if Maya had walked out there but she saw no one else. "Well, where is she?"
"You're looking at her," the blonde said as her eyes lit up, a smug look washing over her features.
"What?" she squinted.
"Zan and I…" Ava left the sentence hanging as she held her hand out, dangling her fingers.
"Oh – my - good - ness," Ema said every syllable slowly, her eyes focused on the luminous stones that sparkled in the sunlight.
"The wedding is in six days," Ava said excitedly. "And then we're having the coronation a few days later. We going to officially announce it tomorrow at a luncheon Her Majesty Maya is throwing in our honor."
Ema hugged her tightly as they jumped up and down like the little girls they once were. "This is unbelievable."
"I know," Ava replied as they both stopped jumping and stepped back.
"Is it scary?" Ema questioned. "I mean, this is a big deal."
"You'd think it would be but no, I'm not scared at all." Ava smiled. "Fear is the last thing I feel."
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Vilandra sat a secluded booth in the back of the restaurant, sipping the tea the waitress just placed in front of her. She was supposed to meet Sanaa for lunch but once again, it seemed she may have been stood up. She decided to have lunch there anyways, since her mother had the four of them on such a tight schedule and she needed the break.
She looked down at the table, waving her hand to see the next set of menu options. She looked up as a shadow came over, knowing exactly who it was the moment she was being approached.
"Hello Princess," he bowed his head and then stared deeply at her with his haunting gray eyes.
"Ambassador Kivar," she said politely as the waitress walked by.
He slid into the booth beside her.
"What are you doing here?" she whispered harshly. "You have to stop this."
"Stop what my love?" He reached over to grab her hand but she snatched it away.
"Stop this, following me!" She quickly quieted herself. "Whatever this is that you're doing, it has to stop Kivar." Her eyes were pleading. "Please."
"I'm not following you Vilandra," he reached up and touched her cheek, tracing her bottom lip with his thumb. "I'm drawn to you;" he brought his face inches from hers, "just like you're drawn to me."
She stared back at him, wanting to protest his words but a part of her knew he was right. There was something inside her that was drawn to him and him to her but they weren't the only ones involved. She looked down as she thought about Rath, her family, a planet full of people that were depending on her and she could not let them down.
"Don't," she breathed out as he was pulling her towards him. She grabbed his hand and guided it away from her face.
"Don't what?" he stroked her hand. "Don't want you Loni, don't love you, don't know you and what you really long for."
"I already have what I long for," she said quietly as her eyes darted around the room, making sure they were alone. "Now please, leave me."
"As you wish Princess," Kivar whispered in her ear, his lips brushing against her lobe. "But that won't change what you're feeling." He traced his hand up her arm. "What you feel every time I touch you." He caressed her neck. "You belong with me Vilandra."
As he turned his head, Vilandra closed her lids, wanting to tell him to stop but a part of her wanted him to kiss her; wanted him to awaken that part of her deep within that only he seemed to bring out.
Kivar leaned closer and placed a soft kiss in her cheek. "Think about it my dear." He slipped out of the booth and walked away quickly.
She opened her eyes, shocked, as she reached her hand up, laying it over the same spot his lips were moments before. He scared her: how he showed up, the words he spoke, but mostly because it was not easy to watch him walk away.
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Maya sat in the conference room going over her list for the luncheon she was planning tomorrow. This would be her first official announcement that she would be stepping down as queen and that her son, daughter, a girl from Comoros, and a solider would be taking over the throne. It would be the first time she'd get all the reactions of her ambassadors, The Intergalactic Council, and leaders of other planets as well as a few other individuals.
Everything was moving so quickly for her but she knew she had to do what was necessary to preserve Antar's future and to make her beloved Zaid proud.
Zaid. She looked up at the image of him and reached her fingers up, tracing the lines of his face. I fear I can't go on without you my love; I still can't believe we lost you. She turned around as she heard a light rapping on the door and waved her hand to get rid of the memory of her husband's face. "Come in."
"Mother," Zan walked in slowly and shut the door behind him. "Are you alright?" Concern spread across his face as she saw the glassiness of her eyes.
"I'm fine," she cleared her throat. "I'm just working on the seating for the luncheon tomorrow."
"I thought Ava was helping you with that," he looked down at her.
"She is," she nodded. "But her sister came by so I told her to spend some time with her; I can finish up by myself."
"You were thinking about father again, weren't you?" he sat down next to his mother.
"I think you'll make a great Empath someday," she smiled at him.
Zan ran a hand through his hair. "Do you think I'll make a great king someday too?"
"I think you, my son, will be a great king the moment you take the throne." Maya looked in his eyes, thinking they looked just like his father's had. "And someday, I think you will be a legend."
"I'm not sure about that," his cheeks flushed slightly.
"No, you will." Her eyes had an eerie glow for about a second and then returned to normal.
"Mother," he'd never seen that happen before. "Is everything okay; did you see something?"
"No, it was just a feeling." Maya continued. "I meant what I said Zan. You have the best qualities of your father and of me, and I know that you will be a great leader."
"Thank you Mother," Zan looked at her. "It is okay to cry; you know that? No one expects you to be perfect."
"I do," she stifled a sob. "Zaid is counting on me to get you all through this."
He wrapped his arm around her. "We'll get each other through this, the way we always have." Zan paused briefly. "And together we will get Antar through this."
Maya allowed a few tears to fall as she leaned against her son. "Just when I thought I'd lost him completely," she smiled through tears. "I know he lives in you and your sister, and in every other life that he touched."
"And whoever took him away from us will pay Mother," his voice sounded husky. "I will find out whose responsible; I promise you that."
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Rath and Vilandra laid silently except for the sound of the breathing, her head on his chest while his was propped on one of her fluffy, lace-trimmed pillows. When he tried to leave, she begged him to stay, saying that she still had problems sleeping at that she only slept soundly when he was near.
He however was not asleep. Rath's mind was still racing. He'd called Courtney earlier that afternoon but she had to go, telling him she could hear a woman's voice with her brother and Zsar. She quickly hung up, saying she was going to check it out and get back to him. That was hours ago and he had to admit, thinking about how much time passed worried him.
Just as he was finally settling in and allowing his heavy lids to close, a tiny beeping began to come from the nightstand.
Vilandra stirred and asked sleepily, "What is that?"
"Shh," Rath reached for the communicator, silencing it. "Go back to sleep."
After she rolls to the side and curls herself into a ball, Rath kisses her on the forehead and then slides out of the bed quietly. He quickly ducked into the adjourning sitting room and pressed the button on the side.
"Rath," an image of Courtney appeared. "I'm sorry if it's too late."
"No," he replied. "I'm glad you called; is everything alright?"
"Yes," she smiled teasingly. "Were you scared General?"
"Of course not," he rubbed at his eyes, still recovering from the sleep he'd almost fallen into. "I was concerned."
She laughed slightly. "There were just so many people walking around and coming to talk to me; I didn't want to risk it."
"Do you think they suspect you of spying?" Rath's brows furrowed.
"No," Courtney's tone was reassuring. "I think they just want to make sure I don't find out anything accidentally."
"Did you?" his voice was impatient.
"Well I did find out who that woman's voice belonged to," she tucked her hair behind her ear.
Rath looked like he was going to jump into the hologram. "Let's have it Courtney; who was it?"
"None other than Princess Sanaa of Lantis," she looked like the cat that just caught the canary. "Interesting right?"
"Are you sure?" Rath questioned.
"I saw her with my own eyes Mr. General," the hologram continued. "And it looked like a pretty heavy discussion."
"What she say?" he stood rigidly.
"I couldn't hear everything because they quieted down and changed subjects after they saw me but before they noticed I was there, she said that my brother and Zsar were right." Her image shrugged. "She said there were wrong decisions being made and that she would support Kivar's cause as long as he kept his promise."
"His promise?" Rath repeated. "What does that mean?"
"I don't know but Sanaa and my brother becoming allies over any cause, especially his is strange." Courtney continued. "She'll probably only strengthen whatever it is he's planning and that can't be good. I'm actually kind of scared."
Rath didn't admit it but Kivar and Sanaa's sudden alliance and the reason behind it worried him too.
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Zan stepped into the bedroom quietly, trying not to make a sound. He wasn't supposed to be there but he found comfort in her presence. The moonlight filtered through the half opened drapes, casting a luminous light upon the golden curls that rested on her face.
"Are you going to stand there looking at me all night or are you going to say something?" Ava's voice came through the darkness.
"How did you know I was here?" Zan asked as he approached her bed. "I thought I was being quiet."
"Oh, I didn't hear you," she scooted up as he sat down next to her. "I felt you."
He kissed her softly on her lips.
"What's wrong?" she looked up in his eyes. "Something's bothering you; I can see it."
"Great, I'll never be able to lie to you," he laughed.
"Zan," she touched his face.
"I guess I'm just nervous about how everyone else will react to us tomorrow," he replied. "What if they don't accept us? We had so much resistance from our own council."
"But we won them over and we will win everyone else over," she replied. "This is your birthright Zan; don't let anyone make you feel like you don't deserve this."
"I'm just afraid that I'll let down my mother and my father's memory," he ran a shaky hand through his hair.
"You're entitled to be nervous, this is a huge responsibility but you'll do great, I know it." Ava looked deeply into his eyes. "Do you remember when you asked me to believe in us?"
He nodded.
"Now I'm asking you the same thing," she smiled. "I've seen a part of you, a strength and assertiveness that you hold back, don't. You are already a king; it's in your blood. You will be the man, the leader your father always knew you could be and I'll be by your side the whole time."
"You are the most amazing person I've ever know," Zan leaned in to give her a soft peck. "I love you, so much Ava. I don't know how I'd get through any of this without you."
"I love you too Zan." She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him sensually. She looked up at him coyly. "Are we done talking now?"
Zan didn't say a word. He pulled her closer and covered her mouth with his own, all his doubts and fears erased by the woman in his arms.
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A/N: i should of put it up sooner but i just got home, i was outta town since friday... anyways, thanks to all the readers and please review if you have a chance. it is a little shorter than usual but the next chapter should be up on either saturday or sunday.