CHAPTER 29

Nitiel looked around as he whirled Chloe on the impromptu dance floor. The back garden was packed with Terrans and Gaenthians alike, engaged in talking or dancing under the fairy lights.

It was unbelievable how things had changed for him. A month ago, he landed on Terra for the first time in his life. Alone. With thoughts of his military career ending. With concerns about his adaptation to life planet-side among Terrans as well as to his new job responsibilities. He was used to enacting military strategies, not talking about them. Could he handle living on Terra and working as a liaison between Commander Siriniel and Terran authorities?

Now, Nitiel called Terra his home. His previous concerns were a thing of the past. Living on a foreign planet had its difficulties, and conversing with Terrans sometimes involved miscommunication, but both experiences were rewarding in their own right. Particularly when at the end of the workday, he was not alone. He got back home to the most precious female in the galaxy. Lady Chloe Davison. His Loe.

It was only after they returned to Terra together 26 days ago that he learned he had been mispronouncing her first name. Nitiel had been convinced everyone on the station but him was getting it wrong, but as he and his niela began arranging their life together on her planet, the shameful truth became clear to him. But did his extraordinary female care? No. In fact, she insisted that he kept calling her Loe; she wouldn't have it any other way.

"Hey, babe. My eyes are down here."

Nitiel tore his gaze away from the full garden and looked down at Loe. The nickname she had for him was perplexing but borne out of love, so he didn't mind being compared to a newborn. In a way, he was like a newborn in her world, and she was his guide to knowledge.

"I know where your mesmerizing eyes are, niela." He gave her a twirl before pressing her body firmly against his again. At least, as much as her puffy formal dress allowed. They resumed swaying to the slow song the three-member band was performing on violins.

"Then why were you looking everywhere else?" Her soft smile told Nitiel she wasn't upset about not being at the center of his attention. A Gaenthian lady would have been upset about that, but not his Loe. She knew this evening was as much about warming their new house as it was about building interspecies bridges in an informal setting. She simply wanted to know his thoughts.

"I was thinking how lucky I am, Loe. A month ago it was just me, and now I have everything I need right here. A niela, a home planet-side, a job where I get to work for peace in the Solar System… Everything."

"Everything?" Her eyebrow rose. "How about offspring?"

"I told you already, Loe. I want babies with you, but when you feel ready and when the Goddess wills it after. I am fully content as is. Why do you bring this up again?"

She bit her bottom lip in that sexy way that made him want to taste her lips, guests or no guests. "Just checking. I know how you tend to disregard your needs in favor of mine." She ran a hand down the inside of his wing, where they had jointly discovered he enjoyed being petted. "I want to be sure you're happy."

Nitiel ran his hand down her back, where tiny buttons kept her bodice on. Later tonight, he planned to send them flying as he quickly freed her of the purple dress for the Terran tradition of home christening. "I am happy, niela. Are you?"

She smiled broadly, swaying her hips along with his. "You know I am. I've got the best Gaenthian in the world. I–"

"Just in this world?"

She rolled her eyes. "Fine, in the worlds. I love living in Rome, where fashion and history inspire my jewelry at every turn. I love our mansion and our own little park, where I can work on my creations out in the fresh air." She slid a hand to the center of his purple-vest-clad chest. "But most of all, I love how you come home earlier, now that this central location makes your flights to meetings across the globe that much shorter."

Nitiel nodded. The weeks they had lived in her tiny abode had been full of joy, but the long shuttle flights to his in-person meetings had left less time to spend together. He also wouldn't miss the tiny bed, cramped kitchen, and cleansing chamber, where he had bumped his wings into the furniture on a daily basis.

"Last but not least," Loe went on, "I can deliver my artwork worldwide… as well as in space!"

"The space courier company accepted your proposal?"

"Yes!" Loe stepped on his foot in her excitement, but she was too light and happy for Nitiel to mind. "I didn't get the time to tell you, not with the preparation for tonight's housewarming ball, but I signed a contract with them. When a human on the Jupiter station orders a piece of jewelry from my new website, the company will deliver my creation along with the monthly supplies from Earth. It will be a slow delivery, but a guaranteed delivery nonetheless. Of course, during our periodical trips to the station, we can do some deliveries ourselves. I can't wait to spread the word!"

"That's wonderful, Loe." Nitiel gave her another twirl that got a giggle out of her. Despite having attended several Gaenthian military balls with him as part of his new job, she was still getting used to his kind's style of dancing. Apparently, it was a combination of several styles on Terra no one danced at balls anymore. "Shayla must be excited too?"

"You bet. She never imagined her investment would expand beyond the planet." Loe rested her forehead on his chest, shaking with giggles. "Just saying that out loud, hearing how nuts it sounds… I can't imagine it myself."

He kissed the top of her head. "I can. I never doubted you would make your dream a reality." Nitiel had been ready to support that dream financially, but she had wanted to be an independent female, and Shayla had still wanted to invest in the expansion of Loe's business. Everything had worked out perfectly.

Loe caressed his wing again. "Like I said, you're the best. I'm the happiest woman in the worlds–"

"Eeee!" The loud squeal made Nitiel and Loe pause their dancing and turn toward the far end of the dance floor.

There, with hands and legs wrapped around her niel's torso, was Lady Trixie. She looked more colorful than the fairy lights, her hair bright green and her dress the rich red of Vrixiel's clan.

"Do it again, boo bear!" she demanded loudly, not caring for the guests.

Vrixiel spun around fast with his hands on her waist, keeping her from flying off when she let her legs drop and inertia made them fly perpendicular to the ground. Good thing there weren't dancers too close, or they would have gotten a kick or two.

Lady Trixie was incorrigible. But the smile she brought to the face of the usually serious Vrixiel was worth it. As was her unorthodox help in getting Nitiel and Loe together.

"Okay, I stay corrected," Loe said through a smile. "I'm one of the happiest women in the worlds. I'm glad they managed to come for the housewarming ball, what with your friend becoming a Subcommander. Then again, Trixie does not miss a party–"

"Did you say party?" a female voice sounded from behind. "A wedding party?"

Nitiel turned carefully so as not to hit the speaker with his wings. He had learned from experience that Terrans tended to stand too close to Gaenthians for their own good.

"Mom," he greeted, bowing low. It was hard to address her so informally, but Matilda Davison had insisted on it at their very first meeting two weeks ago. His proposal for a compromise in the form of ‘Lady Mom' had only caused a fit of giggles in both Loe and her mother.

"Nitie, my sweet boy." She pinched his bicep through his black shirt, smiling broadly, then turned her attention to Loe. "Tell me I overheard correctly, and you're making plans to tie the knot with your hunk of a man."

Loe rolled her eyes. "No, Mom, we were discussing this party. Are you having fun? I haven't had the time to check on you since the guests started arriving."

"Yes, yes, this party is spectacular." Lady Matilda ran a hand through her stylish blond curls. "I'm dressed like a princess, I got to meet the Italian Minister of Defense – don't worry about me, sweetie. Worry about the lack of a wedding date."

"Mom. We already told you: we're not going to rush it. Stop pushing, please."

Lady Matilda scrunched up her nose, much like Loe did when displeased. "You've had two weeks to think about it. How much longer do I have to wait? I have already set my sights on a dress for the ceremony…" Her sharp gaze swiftly refocused on Nitiel. "Nitie, you don't plan on skipping the wedding, do you? Without a ring on my daughter's finger, men around here will consider her fair game, just so you know."

"Mom!" Loe's cheeks reddened.

Nitiel wrapped his wing closer around his niela. "Mom, you have my word I will wed your daughter as per Terran traditions. Soon. You will be notified in a timely fashion to get the dress. Until then, any male who approaches my Loe with desire and is not deterred by her disinterest, will meet my wing."

Lady Matilda took in the golden decorations on the tops of his wings; they were an element of the ceremonial dress uniform and resembled the hard plates Gaenthians wore in battle both to shield their wings and to use them as weapons. Then she nodded. "That is acceptable. For now. But do not postpone, I'm not getting any younger!... Now, excuse me while I go talk with the Defense Minister some more." She plumped her large curls. "He's a widower like me and close to my age."

Chloe shook her head but had a smile on. "Go get him, Mom."

"And you go fix your hair, sweetie. There is a stray curl sticking out of your updo. Bye for now."

Nitiel bowed low in goodbye.

Loe sighed. "It's true, isn't it? My hair has managed to get messy even with all the hair spray."

Nitiel caught the single free curl and ran his fingers along the silky strand. "Not messy. Beautiful."

"Aww." She pressed her cheek to his palm. "Thank you."

"For what, niela? I only spoke the truth."

"I know." She put her palm over his chest. "You always speak the truth, and it comes from your hearts."

He smiled. "Both the upper and the lower. Then you know what I told Mom will happen: we will be wed soon. Don't worry."

"Nitiel. We've been so busy in the past month, planning a wedding has been the last thing on my mind. And we agreed not to rush it, the way it is usually done for nielas from Earth."

"It will not be rushed. But I was thinking… we should still hold it on the station. In the Arboretum."

Loe laughed. "Where you got chomped to near-death? Tell me more."

She resumed swaying her hips, and he followed. Admittedly, he had forgotten they were on the dance floor. They would soon have to return to socializing with the guests, but he wanted to have Loe to himself just a bit more. Pressed flush against him and in the safety of his wings.

"We could have the altar and the chairs for the guests on a meadow. Not the one next to the cibiris' enclosure," he quickly specified.

"Okay?"

"Commander Siriniel could officiate, provided there isn't an ongoing attack somewhere in the system."

A smile tugged at the corners of her lips. "And if there is?"

"We can bring a Terran official along with the guests, as a precaution. Food will be delivered from Terra, in case the guests don't find the Gaenthian dishes to their liking."

"I see…"

"Vrixiel told me his niela makes paper flowers and garlands professionally. I am sure she wouldn't mind making some, to decorate the hall for the wedding party. We could have real flowers as well, but I'm not sure how long they will last after an entire journey from Terra. And the ones in the Arboretum are not to be picked."

"Um…"

"As for the music, we could have recorded music from Gaenthia and a live band from Terra, like tonight's. At the end of the party, the two of us could leave by flying away with you in my arms or on Cheyda's back. She will be really happy to be included in the ceremony in some form."

"Uh, Nitiel?"

"Yes?" Only now did he notice Loe was giving him a strange look.

"How long have you been researching the wedding traditions of my planet and country?"

"Only while traveling to meetings and back."

She bit her bottom lip, mirth dancing in her eyes. "For weeks, you mean. I suppose you were also thinking about our wedding during that time?"

Nitiel's wings fluttered. "Yes. I've considered only a few things–"

Both of Loe's eyebrows shot up. "A few? You have the entire wedding planned, babe!"

He scratched the tip of his ear.

Loe caught his hand mid-scratch. "Stop that, you have nothing to be uncertain about." She pressed her soft lips to his knuckles. "I love it."

"You do?"

"Yes! The whole plan for a space wedding, the fact that you have a plan – I love it! I thought the wedding would be a chore for you, but you're actually excited about it."

He frowned. "Why wouldn't I be? I would be declaring you mine to the entire Terra. I would be celebrating the miracle of having you, niela. Excited is too weak a word to describe how I feel about our wedding."

"Oh, Nitiel..." She kissed his knuckles again, sending pleasant tingles all the way to his lower heart. Did I mention you're the best?"

A grin split his face: he hadn't messed up after all. "Possibly."

Loe grinned back. "Did I mention that I love you?"

His arms tightened around her. "Not since this morning, you haven't."

"Well, in that case…" Her hands slid up his chest. "I love you, Nitiel. My lord."

His wings cocooned them in, hiding them from prying eyes. "I love you too, my lady," he whispered over her lips. Then he took them slowly and deeply, savoring the taste of his niela. One he could never get enough of. If they weren't in public… The christening couldn't come soon enough.

When Nitiel broke the kiss and opened his wings, Loe laid her cheek against his chest on a happy sigh. "Who knew that running late for a business meeting would change my life?"

He smiled. "Me arriving right on time to collect you is what changed my life."

"Yeah, time is a relative thing… I used to be so focused on it, on not losing a single minute being unproductive, but now I know."

"What, Loe?"

"That no time is wasted when you spend it with the ones you love." She looked up into his eyes, affection shining in the green depths of her gaze. "Let's never waste time, niel."

He wrapped his niela in his wings once more. "Never, niela. Ever."

THE END