Sven

Mamma looks worried, not that I blame her. We usually don't come visit on a moment's notice like this, especially when she knows we should be on duty. God only knows what she's thinking. Romelle squeezes my hand, uncertainty in her eyes; I smile reassuringly and kiss her, then the four of us walk over to Mamma.

"Erik Sven, what in God's name are you three doing away from the Academy in the middle of the week?" Uh-oh. Rapid-fire Norwegian, not a good sign when company's present. I don't think Romelle's registered on her yet. "Your Onkel Michael will have a fit, you three going off without leave. And just who is this?" she finally nods at Romelle.

I deliberately answer her in English. "Mamma, vill you calm down? Onkel Michael sent us; you know ve vould never come vitout leave." I can feel Romelle trembling; gently I slip my arm around her and pull her into my side as Mamma's eyes narrow. "And dis is vhy. Romelle, dis is my moter, Anna Holgersson. Mamma, meet Romelle, refugee princess of de planet Pollux, und. . ." I take a breath. "Min fiancée."

Romelle curtsies shyly. "A pleasure, Lady Holgersson."

Mamma gives her the briefest of nods. ". . .Princess. Erik, this conversation is best continued at home. Come, all of you; the car is waiting." Without another word, she turns and walks away; Keith and Lance exchange glances with me and each other before following her. Which leaves me with a shaking Romelle.

Romelle

She hates me, won't even look at me. Oh, Goddess, why did I agree to come here? Sven's mother doesn't like me; he'll surely be a good son and send me packing as soon as he can. As my thoughts begin to race, his strong arms come around me, and I get lost in the scent of his cologne and him. "Easy, elskede," he whispers, calming me almost instantly. "Remember I luf you, und noting und novon vill take me from you. Not even my moter. I promise you dat. Now, are you ready to go?" He turns me to look at him, concern in his blue eyes, and I manage to nod at him. "Good. Mamma's an overprotective dragon, but don't let her scare you. She vill not force me avay from you."

His arm stays around me as we walk to the waiting vehicle, shielding me from his mother's impatient glare as we settle into seats. Keith and Lance sit on either side of us, Sven's mother takes the seat opposite in icy silence. Sven ignores her, holding my hand in both of his as we leave the airport. She continues to stare at me, clearly assessing and finding me wanting, just as my father always has, and suddenly I can't take it anymore. "Lady Holgersson, I am not familiar with Earth customs. But surely it is polite to get to know your son's fiancée before you pass judgment on her? I love Sven, he loves me, and nothing you do is going to change that!" Sven's arm tightens around me, and I hear Lance let out a low whistle, but all my attention is fixed on Sven's mother.

She stares a few minutes more, then unexpectedly she laughs. "Oh, very well said, prinsesse. And you are right; I beg your pardon. The last girl I knew Erik to be dating was . . . more interested in his money and dating a Garrison officer than Erik himself, and I was looking at you in that light."

"Trust me, Romelle's no Clarissa." To my surprise, the quiet, cold voice belongs to Keith. "We would have chased her off long before now if she had been."

Anna nods. "Ja, I have no doubt you would have. Still . . . this engagement seems sudden, Erik. I know you have not mentioned Romelle in our talks."

Sven says something in Norwegian; Anna looks startled, but says nothing as our vehicle comes to a stop in front of a house that could give our castle competition for size. Lance jumps out first and hands Anna out with a mocking bow; Sven helps me out next. "Keit, Lance, you have your usual rooms across the hall from Erik. . . who I presume is sharing his room with Romelle. Dinner will be at six; please, rest und freshen up, and I will see you all then." Anna leans in for a kiss to the cheek and some Norwegian words from Sven, then vanishes into the house.

Keith and Lance shrug, then pick up their bags and head inside, clearly very much at home here. Sven picks up his bag and mine, giving me that smile that melts me inside. "Come on, kjaereste. Let me show you . . . our room."

I follow him through a house imposing enough to put our castle to shame, up a sweeping staircase to a door at the end of a hall. Lance is just entering his own room, and puts his bag down to come talk to me. "See, everything worked out just fine," he smiles, pulling me into a one-armed hug. "Get some rest, you're safe here." Before I can say anything, or react to the unexpected contact, he's gone, leaving me with a nervous-looking Sven.

"I hope you like it here, elske," Sven opens the door, stepping back to let me enter. I've never seen such a room! One wall is floor to ceiling windows, opening on to a balcony with an absolutely breathtaking view of the city and the mountains beyond it.

"Oh, Sven!" I rush over to the balcony, not even noticing anything else. "This is beautiful! So romantic . . . your girlfriends must have loved it here."

"I suppose dey vould haf, if I had ever brought one in here." That's hard to believe; I turn to find Sven watching me from an enormous bed draped in emerald satin, looking strangely vulnerable. "You are de first girl I haf ever brought home, elske. Und you vill be de last. I never tought I vould love anyvon de vay I love you," he smiles again, "Certainly not so quickly."

It's the sweetest thing I've ever heard; I leave the window and go to his arms, sighing happily as I snuggle into his chest and listen to his heart. "I love you too," I whisper into his shirt. "I never dreamed I would love anyone." His arms come around me, and I feel his kiss brush my hair. It's the safest I've ever felt, and I burrow deeper into his embrace, feeling loved and wanted for the first time in my life.

Sven

Romelle in my arms is the best feeling I have ever had. She seems made to fit there, so tiny, her soft curves warm against me. I could spend the rest of my life just like this, and die a happy man. Carefully I shift to sit against the headboard with her, and she sighs, laying her head against my chest. "Tired, kjaereste?" I murmur against her hair, and smile when she nods against me.

"It's been a long day," she says, and I hear a hesitation in her voice. "Sven. . .who is Clarissa?"

I take a breath, forcing down the pain and rage that name always brings. "She vas. . .my girlfriend, several years ago. I loved her, at de time, und tought she loved me also. Any und everyting she vanted, I gave her. Und min gud, did she vant. I spent everyting I had on her, indulged every vhim she had." I feel a bitter smile stretch my lips, and stroke Romelle's hair to calm myself. "Keit und Lance told me she vas using me, but I vould not belief dem. Until I vas deployed for a navigation training exercise." The hurt wells up again, as though it were yesterday, and I swallow hard. "I vas supposed to be gone for tree monts; six veeks in, dough, my vater passed avay, und I vas brought home. After de funeral, I vent back to de Academy, tought I vould surprise Clarissa. Except I vas de von surprised. . . vhen I valked into her room und found her vit von of de instructors." Romelle gasps and throws her arms around me, giving me what comfort she knows how to give at this point. "I. . . valked out, vent and reported dem to de Commandant. . . den vent und got absolutely blind drunk. Und stayed dat vay for tree days."

"I. . . understand why you would; she must have broken your heart," Romelle says softly, raising up to kiss me gently. "How did you get through it?"

"Keit und Lance tracked me down vhen vord got out dat Clarissa vas expelled." I can't help but laugh ruefully. "Dey generously managed not to say 've told you so' und put me on deir couch until my hangover vas gone. Den ve got de place I took you to."

Romelle gives me a stricken look. "Sven. . . I never thought. . .everything you've bought for me. . .I don't want it, I don't want you for your money!"

I kiss her to hush her. "Shh, elskede. I know very vell dat you are not Clarissa, und dat you love me for me. I VANT to take care of you, I vant you to be happy, ja?" She nods slowly, and I smile for her. "Good. Never forget dat I luf you. Now. . .Mamma vill expect us vell rested at dinner; vhat do you say to a nap?" She slips over to my side, resting her head on my shoulder, and is asleep before I pull the covers over us. I look out at my home for a long time, banishing the demons of my past, before I settle in and join her.