A Stranger Family

"Where are you from? How did you get here? How did you get all those scars? What are you talking to Auntie Kai about? How long will you be here? Are you going to stay forever? Have you met Thelma? Have you met the Gizbot? Gizzy's my friend. We play tag. Do you play tag? How many--"

"Stop, stop," Maru interrupted, laughing hard. He reached out to find Seamus' shoulders and held them.

"What?" Seamus asked, perplexed. "Why are you laughing?"

Maru shook his head, laughter slowly subsiding besides the occasional snicker. "You only remind me of a young boy I once knew. He was very curious as well."

Seamus perked up immediately. "Is he my age? Is he here? How old is he now? Can I play with him? Does he know how to play tag? Where--" His questions ceased as the old man's laughter grew again.

Lokaia was met by the laughter of both the Elve and human as she re-entered the med lab. She paused, staring. "What's so funny?"

Seamus grinned at her. "I don't know!"

Maru sighed deeply, shoulders heaving with slightly repressed laughter. "Hello, Niana."

"Hello," Lokaia replied, raising an eyebrow at Seamus as she set the tray of food down. "How was he while I was gone?"

"He was fine!" Seamus piped.

Lokaia frowned. "I meant you, silly." She tapped his nose with her finger and smiled.

"He behaved excellently," Maru said, nodding as he accepted a plate from Lokaia. "Thank you. He's a very... energetic child."

"'Energetic'," Lokaia repeated quietly. "Yes, I suppose you could say that."

Seamus glanced between the two adults, a suspicious look crossing his face as he attempted to understand the words hidden meaning. "Hey...."

"I'm going to be relieved at about 1400," Lokaia told Maru quickly. "By the Andromedan, Radu. You met him before."

Maru nodded. "Ah, yes, I remember him. I suppose I should finish my story before then, hm?"

"No, not necessarily. We could always continue tomorrow." There was a mixed truth to that statement. Lokaia was now so interested in the story of Maru's past, that waiting to hear the end did not really appeal to her. However, if she could hear it all before Radu came to relieve her (voluntarily or by force, she suspected) it would be all the easier to get some rest.

Maru visibly winced. "It is not that I am opposed to talking with you, Niana, but... the story is almost as tiring to tell as it was to live it. I believe I will try to finish it today. I will answer any questions you have afterwards, but...."

"I understand." Lokaia glanced at Seamus. "Shay, I think it's time for you to leave, all right?"

"Auntie Kaaaai! I don't wan--"

"I'll tell your mother where you were."

The boy's face drained pale and he ran from the room fast enough that Lokaia had to question whether or not he had been there to begin with.

Maru was laughing again. "Ah, I do miss children. I haven't seen them in so very long. My daughter...." Here, he paused, a sad smile replacing his laughter. "Well. Where did I leave off again?"

"Violet was asleep in your apartment and Jalan had just given you a message," Lokaia reminded him gently. She colored slightly at the mention of Violet. How in-depth would Maru become in his narration concerning her?

"Yes, thank you." Maru took a deep breath and smiled. "Well. Jalan's message...." *~*Continued: Part Six*~*

"Well?" Jalan prompted, smiling smugly. "Are you going to read it or not?"

I shot a nervous glance to my bedroom door. Anything to make him leave. "Yes, I will."

There was a pause. "Well?"

"What, now? Can you not just tell me now that you're standing directly in front of me?"

He grinned now. "I obviously can not, as I am sitting directly adjacent to you. Exempt by technicality, you know."

I scowled and reached for my compupad, grumbling about impossible Elvians I could live without when he laughed. "I am only joking, Maru. Joking! It is in regard to your birthday. It took you so long to reply, I came to talk to you about it myself."

"What of it?" I demanded, nettled. You can appreciate the position I was in and the many reasons why I wished Jalan to leave. One of those reasons was sitting in my bed at that moment.

Jalan waved a hand, ignoring my tone. "Standard procedure. You will be expected to present your female, make a toast, etcetera and so forth. I thought you might want to begin working on it now."

"Yes, yes, of course I will," I said hastily. I began to usher him from my room when his words suddenly reached me. "Wait... a toast? Why would I make a toast?"

"Oh, had no one told you?" he asked, expression far too innocent.

"...No... no one told me. What did they not tell me?"

He grinned. Jalan always seemed to enjoy knowing something I did not. "A party, dear friend!"

My eyes widened. "For a simple birthday and wedding? Whatever for?"

"Don't be ridiculous," Jalan scoffed, eyes still laughing at me. "The party is not for you. It is in victory over the rebels. I am merely holding it on the day of your birthday and wedding as a gift to you. A formal party with all manner of guests. Are you satisfied?"

I didn't really need to force the smile. Coming from Jalan, this was an extremely rare gift--something only a true friend would receive. I did feel satisfied. I nodded. "Yes, I suppose so."

Jalan grinned, knowing my train of thought all too well. "Good. Well, I shall leave you to your rest now. No work today. None until you are well again." He smiled and gripped my hand. "Rest, my friend."

I returned the smile and grip. "Thank you, Jalan."

He nodded, squeezed my hand once more and left the room. I followed, locking the door after him and leaned my forehead against the door frame. I sighed, relieved. I had an incredible urge to fall back to sleep as he had suggested, but knew that Violet was waiting, still in my room.

I stood and walked to my door, knocking lightly. "Violet? May I come in?"

"Yes, of course." Her answer sounded rushed and slightly breathless.

I entered and saw her standing beside the bed, leaning slightly against my desk. She looked positively uncomfortable. "Is there something wrong?" I asked, worried. "You are all right, aren't you?"

"Yes, yes, I'm fine." She met my gaze and abruptly turned again. "Maru... what is to be done with me?" She paused, watching my blank face. "I cannot stay here, especially not if you are going to be married. Any of the palace females would not keep my secret, and the same would be for your chosen woman."

"Violet," I interrupted, tiredly. "You have nothing to fear."

"But I do!" she exclaimed, allowing fear into her tone. "How could I be safe here when your wife would tell Jalan of a second woman?"

I sighed and sat on the corner of my bed, my face in my hands. "My wife will not tell Jalan of you."

The panic in her voice rose. "You cannot be sure of that!"

"Yes. Yes, I can."

"How?"

I raised my head to meet her gaze seriously. "Because there is no woman, Violet."

The shock was plain in her eyes. Silence hung heavily in the room and neither of us tried to break it, only stared.

"Why... why did you lie to him?"

I laughed, scoffing at myself. "How would it have looked if Lord Jalan's own Imperial Guard didn't even have a single woman lined up to be his wife? Usually, I'd be allowed five or six, but its widely known I don't like to associate with random females." I sighed, lowering my head into my hands again. "And if I don't produce such a random female before my birthday, I will have hell to pay with Jalan."

There was another moment of silence in which I felt Ayina sit on the other side of the bed. I glanced and saw her shaking her head. "Just when I believe I have something about you understood, Guard... you do this."

I smiled. "Well, at least you have nothing to worry about. For a week, at least."

"And then?"

"Then... I have no idea." Actually, I did. I had a very probable idea. And I could not volunteer it. I needed her to say it.

She sighed. "Is there no place I could go?" She spoke before I could answer. "No, I suppose there isn't." She paused and met my gaze slowly. "Maru... is there a way for you to guarantee me a seat on a shuttle?"

My eyes widened. "What?"

Her face was glowing with this prospect. "Yes... yes, I could leave, not just this portion of Miseth, but the planet as a whole! Jalan would never find me, he would never even try! I could be free!"

My heart sank to impossible depths. "Yes, you could. I... I will see what I can do." I rose.

"Maru?" The excitement was gone from her voice and I turned to her. "Are... are you leaving me now? That is... you will check now?"

Her expression and tone surprised me. "I only thought you wanted me to check immediately." I paused and said slowly, "Would you like me to stay?"

She stared at me, face blank. By now, I knew that to find her emotions, I only had to look into her eyes. And they told me she was frightened and alone. Yes. She wanted me to stay. Her pride kept her from saying it.

"Yes," she whispered. "Please stay with me."

My jaw threatened to drop. I've been known to be wrong a few times.

Our eyes stayed locked for a few moments before she dropped her gaze to her lap. Either the light was bad, or she was also blushing, her expression somewhat ashamed. Why? Oh. I'd forgotten to say something. It seemed a bit late now.

She didn't turn her head when I sat beside her, but her eyes flickered towards me. I was sitting awfully close. Tentatively, I stretched an arm around her back to rest around her shoulders.

There was a pause as neither of us moved, with me being uncomfortable and apprehensive. Then, without warning, she tilted her head, lying it on my shoulder. I relaxed, allowing my chin to rest on the top of her head. I might have been content to sit with her like that for all eternity. Except for one thing.

"I wish you would not leave."

A moment of silence, only half of which where I wished I hadn't said anything. Finally, she responded. "So do I." She shifted slightly, somehow coming to sit closer to me. "But where could I go?"

My fingers played across her shoulder idly. "I... you might stay here. At the palace." She didn't speak. "With me."

"To keep me safe," she whispered.

I swallowed hard. "More than that." I was whispering too, now. "Will you?"

"Will I?"

"Will you... will you m... um, will you...."

"...Marry you?"

I swallowed. "Yes."

She lifted her chin, moving until she met my eyes. Her fingertips touched my cheek, running down to the corner of my mouth. Gently, she pulled my face down to hers and kissed me.

Don't worry, Niana. Much as I’d like to reminice about the experience, I won’t. Only know that I’d kissed before and… I would have been glad for this to be my first.

Yes, yes, I’m summarizing. We kissed, it was beautiful, it was magical, it was amazing, etcetera etcetera, moving on.

We seperated. I was somewhat breathless and Ayina looked quite flushed herself. I found my arms wrapped around her and was surprised to note that she was settled very firmly in my lap. Once she noticed this herself, her flush grew to an embarassed blush and she smiled at me.

I couldn’t help it. I grinned like a fool. “So… we are engaged?”

It was too much for Ayina. She burst into giggles, nodding inbetween. “Yes, yes, we are, Guard.”

I joined her in laughter. It was an unexpected solution to both of our problems; Ayina needed somewhere to go, and I needed a wife. The most surprising thing about it, though, was that we were both quite happy with it.

Our laughter died down soon enough, leaving us with idiotic smiles on our faces. Ayina had made no move to part from me, so I felt no need to release her from my arms.

“You know,” she began, the grin falling from her face. “I….”

“What? What is it?”

She sighed, her expression sobering. “Maru, I… I do not love you.” My expression must have discouraged her because she quickly said, “I know that I could, but now I do not.” She paused, meeting my gaze with unsure eyes. “Does it bother you?”

It didn’t and that was for a few reasons, one of which was because I didn’t love her either. But I respected her and she was the closest I had come to ever loving a female. After all, I did need a wife.

I told her these things and she only smiled and hugged me.

I’ve never had something so complicated solved so easily.

"...And last, but most certainly not least, I thank my Lord, my friend, my mentor... Lord Jalan Batar Tero." I smiled happily and raised my glass in his direction. "To you, my Lord."

The audience burst into applause as Jalan beamed at me, nodding. Glasses around the room were raised and drained in his honor. I returned to my seat beside Ayina, careful not to glance at her. The only time I had been safely allowed to gaze on her was during the actual wedding ceremony. She had been dressed all in white, a contrast large enough to her hair to make it look like a small void was following her at her heels. It would be cut tomorrow morning, a disappointment to me and a great annoyance to her. I suspected our wedding night would consist of Ayina saying goodbye to every strand of her hair.

“Maru!” I turned to see Daut and Roscel approach, Daut waving. Roscel was looking a bit tipsy, no surprise.

I smiled. “Are you two enjoying yourselves?”

Daut grinned at me. “Indeed we are. It is a splendid party.”

“And a luscious female,” Roscel added, studying Ayina with more than slight interest. “Tell us, Maru, how did you hide such a lovely thing from us all? Where did you find her?”

It was a struggle to keep from glancing at Ayina with the fond smile that fought to appear on my face. “In the most unlikely place, Roscel,” I said instead. Briefly, I felt her fingers brush across mine. A secret shared between us.

Daut only laughed. “An ‘unlikely place’ indeed!” he exclaimed. “Smorf knows you must have kept this one locked up to keep anyone from getting at her.” He grabbed her chin, pulling it forcefully up to him.

I held my breath and prayed Ayina remember not to look him in the eyes. She hadn’t remembered the first time we had met.

But Daut only grinned, flashing me a look. “Purple eyes. Must have been what drew you to her, eh, Maru? Such a violent color, I always thought.” He cocked his head in thought. “There was another with this color before… do you remember, Maru? A boy, one of the rebels. You remember, don’t you? You killed him for his insolence, of course. But his eyes were this exact shade. It was unusual, that’s why I remember.”

I nodded. “Yes, I remember.” Leave, leave, leave.

Daut shrugged, smiling again. "Well, I will leave you to it then." He glanced behind him to see Roscel leaning heavily against the wall, eyes closed and breathing deeply. Daut laughed. "I will attempt to lead Roscel to his own room. Goodnight, Maru."

"Goodnight, Daut," I replied, trying not to breath a sigh of relief. They stumbled out of the ball room and I glanced at my watch. It was late. If we left now, no one would think anything of it.

"Get up," I ordered roughly, standing and walking myself before Ayina obeyed. I walked from the room with her following closely behind, a few joking remarks from other guards on my heels. It seemed like an eternity to my apartment door, though less so considering all of the palace male Elvians were in the ball room and were not bothering us.

With my room in sight and I succeeding in not fainting with relief, I calmly walked inside. As the door behind me closed, I turned. "Door locks," I ordered quickly. "Privacy mode."

As I turned, Ayina blew out an annoyed breath and fell into a chair. “That was quite insufferable.”

“True,” I nodded, lowering myself into a chair across from her. “But you handled it well.”

“Thank you. I suppose it was quite an accomplishment with those soldiers grading me like a piece of meat.”

“Violet: the other white meat?”

“Precisely.”

I laughed, her good humor lightening my own mood. “Still, the ceremony itself wasn’t so bad.”

She arched an eyebrow. “It could not have lasted even a full minute.”

I smiled. “Yes, that was one of the reasons.”

She laughed, sliding further in the chair. “All right, I’ll ask. What was another reason?”

My eyes met hers as seriously as I could force my expression to be. “You look beautiful.”

She stared at me for a moment before a slow blush spread over her pale face. She smiled. “Thank you, Maru. You… look very handsome.”

“I do?” I was startled. I thought the dark uniform clashed with my hair, making it look like I was on fire.

My expression must have been funny because she laughed at me. “You can give compliments, but not take them,”she said, not making it a question.

I felt my face heat as a blush fought its way forward. That only had her laughing harder. My face burned. “All right, all right, Tease Maru time is over.”

She didn’t heed me. She almost fell over in her body-shaking laughs.

“Violet--”

Laughter.

“If you don’t stop laughing now--”

More laughter.

“I’ll--” I stopped. What could I threaten her with?

She caught her breath amidst giggles. “You’ll what?” she demanded, daring me.

I said the first thing that came to mind. “I’ll kiss.”

She stopped, mid-giggle, staring at me. We hadn’t kissed since that first morning, not including the kiss needed to seal our marriage at the ceremony.

Her fiery eyes met mine. Her lips parted, slowly forming a grin. “Ha. Ha. Ha.” She watched me, grinning, daring.

I stood from my chair, crossing the two feet that seperated us. Reaching down, I gently caught her at the elbows and half pulled, half assisted her to a standing position. Waiting for her to yell at me, I wrapped my arms around her waist. She only stared. I wanted to give her a chance to say no. With my arms wrapped around her, I pulled her quickly, crushing her against my body. She flinched slightly, but her eyes never left mine. I lowered my lips to hers as she rose up on her toes.

I know, I know, summarizing. Just another mind-numbing kiss, nothing worth talking about.