Page 5 of Alien Orc's Prize
It was time for that to change.
And it’s not like I was marrying just anyone. I’d be marrying literalroyalty. Mind-boggling as that was.
I once again wondered, a sick little worry at the back of my head, what exactly might be wrong with this prince that he couldn’t find a willing wife on his homeworld. This concern was only exacerbated by the fact that he hadn’t even shown up today.
Maybe he wasn’t too busy to come.
Maybe he was hiding.
As long as he isn’t cruel.
I was pretty sure I could put up with anything but that. Weird food, weird weather, weird customs. Weird dicks.
My face went hot.
“Luna?” Padreth nudged, and not unkindly. My eyes fell shamefully to his crotch, as if the bulge in his leather pants might give me some clue as to what I’d be dealing with. I yanked them back up lickety-split and squawked, “I’ll do it!”
And so it came to be that I was married in a wedding ceremony that lasted less than two minutes, to a man who wasn’t even my groom.
Go fucking figure.
CHAPTER 4
LUNA
Before I was medically knocked out to go through the wormhole that would get us to Orhalla, Padreth gave me hope about my future husband. I guess not really myfuturehusband, actually, since we were now officially married despite never having met. But my wedding-buddy-cum-chaperone was friendly despite the intimidating nature of his size and hard-boned face. He was conscientious and kind and generally seemed to want to make sure I was happy and comfortable.
It made me a little easier in my mind, thinking that Prince Gal might be similar. I figured, if Padreth was his advisor, they probably at least got along a little bit. I couldn’t see the advisor to a tyrant being as smiley and happy as someone like Padreth was. He was just toonice.
So nice that he actually looked like he felt a bit bad for my sake when he had to tell me that Prince Gal, aka my new husband, wasn’t there to greet me when I woke up upon landing on Orhalla.
“He’s… He’s not here?” I asked, voice cracking. I coughed a little and sat up slowly as Padreth watched me with whatappeared to be a mixture of anxiety, pity, and maybe even some irritation.
“No. I am sorry. He was detained by im… other matters.”
It was like he’d barely stopped himself from saying “important matters,” because he must have realized how that would have sounded. What could be more important than greeting your new wife and welcoming her to your world? A world she’d never even stepped foot on before now!
OK. So he’s a busy guy. Well, that’s alright, I told myself as I attempted to shake off the effects of the trip here.Maybe we won’t actually see each other all that much. Maybe I’ll just be like some interesting, novel decoration he wants around the background of the place. Unobtrusive and vaguely pleasant. Like a nice little fern. Or potpourri.
I was honestly too tired and dazed from travel to feel stung about the fact Prince Gal hadn’t come to collect me or meet me upon landing.
And then, when the shuttle doors opened, I was too overwhelmed by what I saw to feel anything besides total and obliterating awe.
Orhalla was beautiful. Literally breath-taking. I realized after a few frantic heartbeats I’d forgotten to exhale.
The landing pad was a huge, natural stretch of pale stone perched atop a dizzying array of white cliffs curving around exquisitely clear, bright water. The sun was so warm and bright I found myself squinting against it, dragging a heavy arm upwards to shade my eyes as it glanced merrily off the white stone and turned the rolling sea below into an undulating blue carpet inlaid with gems. The air smelled –tasted– of salt, and a cawing sound, combined with the swooping and spearing of wings in the air, told me seabirds thrived here.
I’d never seen a seabird before.
I’d never seen a sea, either.
Most of my life had been spent breathing in the sharp metal tang of decrepit old ships. This – the sun and the sea and the salt and the sounds – was a revelation. In that moment, I decided I didn’t care one bit what my husband was like. I didn’t care if he didn’t have time for me. Didn’t care if he didn’t even want me.
If I got to live in a place this beautiful, it would all be worth it.
Padreth hovered anxiously near my side, his arm subtly angled towards me for me to grab onto if I needed it. But I was able to make it out of the shuttle on my own. An exhausted, delighted laugh burbled up and out of my throat when the warmth of the sun touched my face and my feet hit the stone.
I would probably have stood there for ages, completely stunned and shuttle-scrambled, if it hadn’t been for the sudden cry of, “There she is! Hello!” catching my attention and making me turn.