Xanthee awoke hours later feeling groggy and fuzzy. "Where am I?" she moaned as a wave of nausea flooded her body. "What happened?" Comprehension was starting to come to her as she blinked Char's bizarre features into focus. In the darkness she hadn't noticed the deep purple shine of his long wavy hair. Nor had she noticed the piercingly clear violet eyes with almost cat-like pupils. Even through her awe she was able to harden her gaze on him. "What was in my drink? You drugged me!"
She started screeching hysterically and Char, in renewed anxiety, covered her mouth with his hand gently yet firmly, speaking soothing words to her to calm her. As she slowly quieted he loosened his grip and then jumped and yelped at the throbbing pain in his middle finger. "You bit me!" he said in utter shock, pulling both of his hands up close to his chest and massaging his finger.
Xanthee smirked in triumph, "Now, what was in my drink? Why'd you do that to me?" She reiterated.
Char blushed. "Honestly, I don't know what was in your drink; Jarok put it in there because you refused me…" he looked at his feet uncomfortably and let his arms hang limply at his sides. "Now you have no choice but to come home with me…" he said softly.
"What…do you mean?" Xanthee rejoiced in the chill that ran down her spine as the rest of her body had numbed in dread. "You don't just mean down the street, do you?"
"No," he said gently. He looked around, unable to face her for the guilt he felt. "Let me explain briefly what's happened. You are on a real spaceship with a prince from a neighboring world called Eden, where women rule primarily. When my sister died, the natural heir, I came to Earth seeking a woman who could help me bring equality to my home and possibly bring our worlds together in the future. However, Jarok, my advisor, felt extremely nervous about this trip and went out of his way to set the odds in my favor. He brought you on board and gave you a light dose of truth serum in order to ensure all that I had perceived in you was correct. Unfortunately for you, I was right and…" he paused and looked into her confused eyes with a heavy heart, "and that means you are 'meant for me', and there is no turning back for either of us."
Xanthee gasped as the realization hit her like a brick wall. "Wait…how did you know I was the one for you anyway?" She said with obvious skepticism.
He grinned through his sadness. "Our sense of smell is a bit stronger than yours…I could tell through your pheromones," he chuckled softly.
"Wolf…" she muttered as tears filled her eyes. Her body was wracked by sobs and with each convulsion a new tear would meander down her cheek, off her chin, and land with a soft tinkling on the floor. Suddenly she brightened as familiar arms enfolded her. She looked up into her lover's eyes and was repulsed by the sight of Char attempting to comfort her, awkwardly at best. She slowly made herself stop crying and looked him in the eyes. "Char, if you can prove to me that what you say is true, I'll…I'll agree to your terms. What choice do I have, really?"
He nodded remorsefully and took her delicate hand. He led her to the window and pointed to distant Earth now just a blue speck, and he pointed ahead to a star which he said his planet revolved around.
She shook her head. "Not good enough," and was promptly guided to a control panel where she spent a few minutes reading the specifications of both Eden and the Prince's Voyager, the ship that carried them. "Still a no-go; prove to me there's no atmosphere out there."
Regretfully, he led her to the airlock. "Breathe out, and signal when you're ready." At her signal he opened the door and quickly shut it again at her panic of not being able to breathe. "Alright…I…believe you. I…I also agree to your terms, as I said I would." Xanthee smiled although she felt pain deep in her heart. However, if there was no going back for lack of fuel and the preset course the specs showed her, she was going to go into her new life smiling. She was promptly rewarded with a smile from Char, and even managed to giggle a bit at his abrupt change in expression.
Char walked over to a safe and entered the passcode. As he turned around, his grin widened at the startled expression in Xanthee's eyes.
He came over and knelt before her. "Xanthee, though we have known each other for mere hours, I am sure in my heart that you are the one that will help me bring peace to Eden. And so, Xanthee, will you take this ring and thereby agree to marry me?"
She hesitated briefly as she remembered her other engagement ring from Wolf on her finger. She shrugged off the guilt eating away at her insides, but decided against sliding it off. She wanted to remember him, even if she could never have him again. She gracefully accepted the most beautiful and intricate ring she had ever seen and let Char slide it on next to her other ring, dull in comparison yet just as dear in her heart. Before she could change her mind, she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him with a deep-felt passion which she had previously thought she would forever reserve for just one man…the one man she could never marry now.