Ginny

GINNY

" I don't understand why I have to wear this." I tug at the heavy veil. "I mean, he knows what he's marrying, doesn't?"

I've been cleaned, poked, primped, and starched for the last two nova-hours, and I have finally had enough. I quickly appreciated there's no going back, even if I wanted to, which I don't. What I've seen so far is light years ahead of Britannia , and a definite improvement. But nerves are getting the better of me, and I'd quite like to get this over with.

My choices went out the window the moment I was in the wrong place at the wrong time. I do not want to marry an alien, but what else can I do? The veil restricts both my vision and my breathing, and panic is rising within me again. They all seem nice here, but what if it's all friendly until they announce the main course is human?

"It is required for the species you are marrying. It is expected."

"He could be marrying a sentient blob then," I mutter, given this does not fill me with confidence.

What sort of species expects their bride to be covered from head to toe in material this dense?

My chief primper, a female Lepke called Kitri, all fluttery wings and twisting antennae, sighs. "It is how it is done on his planet, according to his customs, and you want to start your marriage the right way, don't you?"

I refrain from saying I'd rather not be getting married at all, but since the alternative was death, it doesn't exactly suit the occasion.

"If he wants to marry a rubbish ghost, fair enough," I say, mostly to myself.

From outside the room where I've been getting ready, there is the deep sound of a gong.

"Time to meet your husband," Kitri says.

"Don't you mean husband to be?" I query.

"Oh, you're already married the moment you signed the contracts. The ceremony is just to ensure the parties don't eat each other on sight."

At least the veil hides the way I blanche. "Has that happened?"

"Only once, before we introduced the ceremony," Kitri says happily. "Now everything is fine."

Absolutely nothing about this sounds fine, at all. But what else can I do? I let Kitri lead me to the doorway.

"Are you ready?"

"I feel oven ready," I reply and, even through the fabric, I see her frown as my joke falls flat. "Yes, I'm ready," I add.

She presses her wrist comm against the side of the door, and it slides open silently. I'm presented with a circular room, and at the far end is a being the likes of which I've never heard of, let alone seen.

He is huge , well over seven foot, if not closer to eight. His shoulders are almost as broad. Balanced on a neck the size of my waist is an impressive bull head, topped by onyx horns which taper up toward the ceiling in sharp points, banded here and there with precious metals. These catch the light, twinkling at me. A mane of black hair falls down his back, and some flops forward between his horns, over his face. His liquid eyes narrow as he stares at his bride, and he widens his stance, muscles on his exposed chest flexing.

Vast muscular thighs are poured into the tightest of deep red pants above a set of hooved feet. His hide is a dark, dark brown, fading to tan in places and looks soft to the touch. He places his hands on his hips, Henry the Eighth style, and I'm not kidding when I say I'm relieved to see, not hooves, but fingers, albeit six of them on each hand.

This alien is impressive from the ground up. Imposing and regal, he doesn't seem to be as interested in me as I might have hoped.

I hoped? Really? This is a transaction. It's hardly the love story of the galaxy, .

It strikes me, probably far too late, I should have asked more about the motivations of the males who look for brides via Starlight Brides. But instead, I feel a hand in the small of my back, and I'm pushed forward, down the aisle marked out in white against a blood red carpet while a gong continues to toll.

Stood next to the massive male is a smaller one, dressed in long robes. His pale hide is dull in comparison to the big bull.

"King Asteron." Piet stands behind a small altar. "Meet your bride, Gina of Earth."

And with that announcement, Kitri throws back my veil, and I am suddenly exposed to my new husband.

The king.