Page 101 of My Tiny Giant
“You didn’t exactly answer my question earlier. If you had to choose, where would you’d rather live here or on Earth?”
Their new hero status might allow them the choice.
“Well, smuggling you back to Earth with me would be much more complicated now that you’re the size of a truck. I can no longer hide you in my bra.” The teasing smile he loved so much twinkled in her eyes, playing in the corners of her mouth.
“Would you consider staying here, in Ravie?” He held his breath, waiting for her answer.
The priority was for them to stay together, either on Earth or on Tragul, or even on another planet if they had to. Logically, he understood Emma might prefer to go back home to her parents. He had no family on Tragul. But maybe because of that, the planet itself had become much dearer to him. Ravie was his home. He’d loved it, even wracked by war. He would love to see it grow and thrive in peace.
She sighed.
“I’m in the Army, remember? I still have over a year of my mandatory service term left. Besides, my parents will need me at some point. They’re not getting any younger.”
With the end of the war, the military agreement between Earth and Neron was not going to be extended next month, which meant that Emma’s Special Unit was leaving for Earth soon.
True to their vow to stay together, Emma had petitioned to remain behind as part of the joint interplanetary security force that had been formed to clear Ravie of the remaining fescods that still roamed the country. If approved, her contract could be extended for another year. But it wasn’t enough. Agan needed her for life.
“What if we got your parents here, too?”
“Like that’d be so simple?” She tilted her head.
“Ravil law promotes keeping families together. The war tore too many of them apart. If you can stay here, so can your parents.”
“Well, there is that ‘if.’” She stroked his arm. The glide of her small palm over his fur sent ripples of pleasure through his skin. He drew her closer to him.
“Would you ever consider leaving the Army? If you got an equal job here, of course,” he added quickly. He knew Emma well enough to understand she’d need to keep busy doing what she loved if he wanted her happy. And keeping her happy was now the most important mission of his life.
“When my military service term ends next year, I could apply to resign. But there’s no way for me to stay in Ravie, remember? There are no agreements on any type of immigration between our nations. And even if there were, would I be allowed to have an equal job in Ravie? Women don’t exactly have the same rights here, do they?”
“Legally, Ravil women have exactly the same rights as men. Culturally, a woman doing what is considered a ‘man’s job’ may present challenges,” he admitted honestly.
“Well, I’m not the one to back away from a challenge.” She smiled.
“Don’t I know that.” He drew her flush to him, really wishing they didn’t need to go out there, so he could spend the rest of the day between her legs and the night with his head resting on her chest.
“It may be difficult for me to stay, honey.” She leaned against him, pressing the side of her face to just below his chest. The flat soles of her sandals didn’t lend her any extra height to reach higher than that. “According to General Hicrai—”
“The general is not the one in charge of that. I’ll personally petition Governor Eehie for you to stay. I just need to know that staying in Ravie would be the life you want.”
“I want to be with you.” She gazed up at him, and he loved what he saw in her eyes. There was so much trust and devotion, it floored him. “As long as we’re together, I’ll live anywhere.”
“I’m going to marry you, my giant woman,” he said out loud what he felt deep in his heart. “No matter where we’ll end up living, you’ll be my wife.”
“Are you asking me to marry you?” She arched an eyebrow with a smile. “Because it doesn’t sound like a question.”
“It’s because it isn’t. You’re mine already. All we’ll have to do is to make it clear to everyone else.”
* * *
T HE CENTRAL PLAZA OF the City of Ravie was filled with people. Most of the Ravils were topless as Agan had predicted. I’d also spotted a few Voranians among them, their long dark horns sticking out above the crowd. From where I was standing, I couldn’t find Rick and the other guys of my unit in the crowd, but I knew that they were there, too. As the war allies of the Ravil, the entire Earth Unit had been formally invited to the festivities.
The stocky, two-story log buildings of the city were decorated with green and red banners. The white mushroom roofs shone brightly under the mid-morning sun. Bands played on the balconies adorned with flowers and the long, glossy leaves of the trees from the jungle.
Just like the city square, every cobblestone street leading to it was packed with people, leaving free only a sliver of space around the wooden platform in the center of the square where I stood next to Agan.
Governor Eehie—a tall middle-aged Ravil with no shirt but a long green-and-gold cape cascading down his wide back—gave a speech to the crowd. His wife, a stately woman with a richly embroidered shawl draped over her shoulders, stood by his side.
The Governor placed a golden sash over Agan’s shoulder to the thunder of cheers and applause.