Epilogue

Jago

You’ll have guessed by now that we did make it back out of that wormhole and out of the rift. I was able to finish writing my version of my adventures, though I admit I didn’t get it done until months afterward. I had plenty of time to do that, cooling my heels on the planet Claey, which we found in the maze of the Colandus-50 star cluster, as advertised.

Queen Itaka didn’t want to let us leave once we arrived, especially when she learned that I wanted to return to Tygeria. She said King Davos, who I had to remind her was my grandfather, had been absolutely furious when he discovered that I had helped Niko to escape, and Niko had repaid my kindness by kidnapping me. She didn’t trust him not to injure me or Niko or put him in prison.

I tried to tell her he’d never hurt me, but I wasn’t sure about Niko. I’d forgiven Niko long ago for kidnapping me, but apparently, my family had not. She did finally come around and agree with the plan I’d come up with, though she said it was really risky.

I guess I should just say that my plan was to marry Niko in an actual, religious type ceremony, and just as soon as possible. I thought that would finally give me the autonomy I had been seeking for so long, and my family surely wouldn’t execute my husband. Probably not, anyway. Besides, I loved him and wanted to marry him more than anything.

It might even appease Blake, who was bound to be angry. I had left him in a bad spot—or I should say Niko had when he took me hostage.

However, Niko had done what he set out to do—killed the Pton emperor and saved hundreds of thousands, maybe even millions of lives—and though Niko had kidnapped me, he had agreed to marry me too, and that should count for something.

After all, Davos didn’t have a lot of moral high ground to talk when it came to forced marriages. And Niko had considered his planet to be at war with Tygeria. I was his enemy, in a way, so the circumstances weren’t all that different. We’d even brought the striker back in fairly good shape, considering the distance it had traveled, with only a few dings here and there.

That was my argument and I thought it was a fairly good one. I’d have a problem keeping Niko quiet, though, who kept saying he didn’t give a damn what Davos or anybody else thought. He didn’t need permission to take a mate, and it was nobody’s business but ours.

I begged him not to say that to my father, Renard, but he was making no such promises.

Itaka flatly refused to let us leave for Tygeria though, and Niko agreed with her. But at least he wasn’t arguing about getting married. He even agreed to invite the family to our wedding—for my sake, he grudgingly said—and I had to content myself with that.

It took over three months to make all the arrangements, and by that time, my father Renard was fit to be tied. Itaka’s king sent my parents a large “groom price” which consisted of a cask of jewels, gold and precious stones.

My omak told me on a private call that they had received it, and though my father gave it to charity, he admitted that it showed proper respect, acknowledged that we had saved a lot of lives by killing the evil emperor, and he’d calmed down a bit. He’d been mollified enough by the gift that he had agreed to walk me down the aisle, though there would be no talk of “giving me away to anybody,” he’d insisted.

I was still afraid he might make a scene.

Anyway, it looked as if there would be a large, angry crowd of Tygerians at the wedding, sitting on my side of the temple. My grandparents, all the uncles and their mates, and my various cousins had all said they’d attend.

I didn’t actually see my family until the day of the wedding. I was letting Itaka run the show, and she said it was forbidden in her religion for me not to be sequestered. Niko laughed when I told him and said she didn’t even have a religion, but I didn’t want to get on her bad side.

I thought Blake was still annoyed with me, or otherwise, he wouldn’t have taken no for an answer, but even he stayed away. Only Rakkur came to see me as soon as he arrived on the planet, defying Itaka’s orders. I was so glad to see him, I hugged him for maybe a full minute or two.

He laughed and pushed me away, shaking his finger in my face. “You’ve got a lot of people mad at you, and a lot of explaining to do.”

“I know, but at least everybody came, right?”

“Yeah, that’s true. Probably just in case a fight started, so they could get in on it.” He laughed at my expression. “Don’t worry. That fierce husband of yours looks like he can handle himself. And I don’t really think anyone will start a fight with Queen Itaka around. She may be little, but she looks tough.”

I wasn’t too sure about that, and it left me feeling nervous. “What do you think? Should I go talk to my omak and Blake?”

“I think they’ll come to you before the wedding. Write out a quick note inviting them, and I’ll take it to them.”

I scrambled to do just that and dashed off a few lines telling them I loved them and was hoping they were happy for me. I assured them I was happy to be marrying Niko, and I wanted them to get to know him. And that it wasn’t my idea not to see them before the wedding. I folded it up and gave it to Rakkur, who turned to leave.

“Wait, tell me about the babies.”

He smiled. “Oh, they’re both gorgeous. Fat and sassy. They totally have Tariq wrapped around their little fingers. You’ll have to visit soon and see them again.”

“I’d love to, but I’ll have to see. We’re not sure yet where we’ll be going from here. It’s probably not a good idea to go back to Pton.”

“No, Pton is much too far away. We’re back on Loros now, though, if you get the chance. Anyway, I have to get back and let you get dressed for your wedding.” He took my hand and looked into my eyes. “Tell me the truth, Jago. Does he make you happy? Does he treat you all right?”

“He treats me very well. And yes, I’m happy. Really. Except…”

“Except what?”

“I’m not sure he loves me. Not really. I think he’ll come around but…”

He looked at me a little uncertainly and tried to smile. “Okay, well, I’m sure you’re right. Try not to worry. I’m sure he’ll come around.” He held up the note. “I’ll take this to Blake and Anarr right now.” He gave me a quick hug and left.

The door opened almost as soon as he left, and Niko sauntered in like he owned the place. The timing was so suspicious I wondered if he’d waited for Rakkur to leave.

“You’re not supposed to see me before the wedding.”

He made a scoffing sound and came over to pull me into his arms.

“I just saw Rakkur in the hallway,” he said. “He looks much thinner than the last time I saw him.”

“Well yeah. The last time he was carrying twins.”

He smiled. “I think I really did make the right choice in keeping you, after all. It was close for a while between the two of you. He’s a beautiful boy, even fat.”

“Oh, and was that how I beat him out? That I wasn’t as pregnant?”

“Not the only reason, no. You have other qualities I’m fond of.”

He began nuzzling my throat.

“Stop it. You’re not even supposed to see me before the wedding.”

“But why not?”

“I don’t know. Itaka said it was bad luck or something.”

“I never heard that. But come and sit in my lap and try to convince me.”

He sat down in a big chair by the window and pulled me down, putting a hand up inside the pristine white robe Itaka had given me to wear.

“Don’t!” I cried out. “You’ll wrinkle me up.”

“Mm, I intend to do a great deal more to you as soon as this thing is over.”

He proceeded to show me, when a knock came on the door, and it suddenly opened before I had a chance to move or get up. Blake stood poised in the doorway, looking a little shocked.

“I hope I’m interrupting something,” Blake said, being a little rude as he boldly walked in and frowned disapprovingly at Niko. Yeah, he was still mad all right.

“Not at all,” Niko said, in a bored, world-weary voice. “I was taking my leisure with my fiancé.”

“Don’t you mean your hostage?”

“If I’d meant that, I’d have said it. You’re very handsome and well preserved, Your Royal Highness. But perhaps your hearing is going bad. At your age, they say the hearing is often the thing that starts to go first.”

I gasped and clapped a hand over my mouth, horrified.

“Omak-ahn,” I said, trying to get up. Niko held onto me effortlessly, his hand still up inside my robe, though I was trying to push it away. “Sit still, boy, you’re not going anywhere.”

“ Boy? Did you call him boy? ”

“He is a boy—he’s my boy. What else should I call him?”

Behind Blake, a shadow fell across the doorway and my fathers, Renard and Anarr were standing framed in the doorway, staring in at us. They’d obviously heard most of the exchange, as my omak looked shocked. I groaned and put my head in my hands.

Renard narrowed his eyes. “What’s going on here? We heard raised voices from the hallway.”

“This-this horny alien…person was insulting me,” Blake said accusingly.

Renard looked from Blake back to Niko and then shrugged. “Oh. Very well, Lord Dominiko. Please continue.”

My omak and I both gasped again, and my omak hit Renard’s shoulder. “Renard, behave yourself,” he said. “And as for you, sir, kindly stop insulting Jago’s grandsire.”

“I certainly meant no insult, Your Highness. I only meant to compliment him on how well preserved he is.”

Renard snorted and quickly covered his mouth. Anarr crossed over to put his arm through Blake’s and lead him to the door. “We’re leaving. I’ll see you at the wedding, Jago. Your father has come to take you down the aisle.”

They swept out together, and I lowered my head to my hands and groaned again.

But my father came over to bow to Niko, who quickly put me back on my feet and got up to bow to my father in return. “You know, Lord Dominiko, I think you and I might get along very well after all.”

“I hope so sir.” He gave another brief bow, and then my father turned and kissed me on the cheek.

I suddenly began to tremble all over. My father saw it and put his arm around me. “It’s just nerves. You do love Lord Dominiko, don’t you?”

“Oh yes,” I said, glancing over at Niko, who still had never told me he loved me. “I love him very much. I-I just hope he feels the same way.”

Reanard shrugged. “He’s here, isn’t he? Putting up with all this? I did the same for your omak and believe me it was under protest. But I loved him. And who wouldn’t love you?”

I hugged him hard. “I think you’re prejudiced. And I thought you’d be angry at me.”

“It does no good to be angry now. You made your own choices. I’m proud of you and Lord Dominiko for what you did. I look forward to sitting down with you both and having you tell me the story. That was quite the adventure. I’ll see you both very soon. I think it’s time for the ceremony. I’ll be waiting near the temple door for you, Jago.”

He left and Niko turned to me. “Jago…” but there was another quick knock on the door and Blake came back in without waiting for an invitation. He came right over and kissed me on the cheek. Then he turned to Niko.

“I think our little drama worked. Renard played right into it.”

“What? You mean the two of you had that all planned?”

“Of course. I knew Renard was planning to be an ass at the wedding and I didn’t want him to ruin it. So I told your Niko exactly how to win him over—by insulting me.”

“And you knew they were outside to hear it?”

“What do you think?”

I threw my arms around his neck. “I think I love you so much, omak-ahn.”

Blake’s cheeks turned a little pink, and he kissed me again. “I love you too, baby, but I have to go. I’m talking to your grandfather about offering Lord Dominiko a position as ambassador to the Axis for the Pton nation. If he wants it?” Blake turned to Niko.

“I…yes, I could do that.”

“Good. You could stay on Loros. Now that the old emperor is gone, it’s a new day. Maybe we can even learn to be friends.” He glanced over at Niko. “I love it when a plan comes together.” He turned to leave and then turned back. “Oh, I explained to your omak about our little drama, too, so he’s fine now and looking forward to your wedding. I’ll see you in the temple.” He continued on to the door but looked back at us when he opened it. “By the way, you both look very handsome.”

I blew him a kiss and he smiled and was gone, and it was just me and Niko. He held out a hand to me. “Are you ready, princeling?”

“I’m ready,” I said, and took his hand.

****

Lord Dominiko

The Claey temple was full of guests as I entered, most of whom were royal sycophants who didn’t know us at all and were only there to curry favor with King Anton and his new queen. The ones near the front, however, were all friends and family of Jago.

My grandmother was there, of course, but other than that, my friends were all light years away, in another galaxy and another world. The thought gave me pause for a second or two until I saw Jago, standing at the back of the temple, holding his father’s arm. He was everything I needed.

He was tiny next to the big Lycan, and absolutely beautiful. The white robe Itaka had dug up from somewhere for him to wear clung to his lean, perfect little body. His long, navy-blue hair fell down his back in a shining curtain, and his amber eyes glowed with excitement.

I’d heard him, while I was standing outside his room, waiting for Rakkur to leave, telling his uncle that he didn’t know whether or not I loved him. He didn’t know . What an extraordinary thing to say. The truth was, I didn’t know how not to love him.

From the time I first saw him, thoughts of him had totally consumed me, but I wasn’t a poet—as I frequently said. I didn’t come from a poetic people.

His father brought him down the aisle to me and I took his hand in mine possessively, perhaps even a little jealously. As Itaka once told me, he was mine, and I very much intended to keep him. I turned to look at his family who stared back at me with less than approving eyes. It would take time to win them over, but I could do it. Holding his hand tightly in mine, I turned back to the priest who would perform the ceremony.

I didn’t understand a word of it. I doubt that many there did. But that didn’t matter. The words sounded nice and would seal us together, and that was all that mattered.

As the priest finished, he turned first to Jago and in broken Tygerian, he asked—I think—if there was anything he wanted to say. My handsome princeling turned an attractive shade of pink and shyly shook his head. The priest then turned to me and asked the same.

“I heard you tell your relative that you didn’t know whether or not I cared for you…” I said to Jago. “Whether or not I loved you. So, I want to say, here in front of your family and friends, and just in case you ever foolishly forget again, that there’s never a time when I am not loving you. Never no t thinking of you.”

His beautiful little face lit up with joy at my words. “I love you too,” he whispered. “So much, Niko.”

I kissed him then for a long time. So long that the priest cleared his throat. Twice. But I didn’t care.

I loved my little prince without knowing why, or how or when or where it even came from. None of that mattered. But if it did matter to him…then I’d have to find a way to tell him. It had to be my own way, but if it made him happy, I’d find one.

Maybe I could even write a little poem if it made him smile.

As Jago said in the story he wrote about his adventures, everything had fallen into place. Things didn’t fall apart. The center did hold.

I pulled up his hand and kissed his little crossed fingers.

The End