Chapter 8

EIGHT

A zlun’s boots crunched against the alien soil as he crested the final hill, his muscles screaming in protest. The landscape before him was a painter’s fever dream—twisted trees with luminescent bark stretching their gnarled branches toward a sky painted in shades of deep purple and burnt orange. In the distance, the silhouette of a five-legged creature loped across the horizon, its eerie howl echoing across the barren plains.

“I spy with my little eye,” Venus’s voice came from behind him, slightly breathless but still full of mirth, “something that looks like it wants to eat us.”

Azlun turned, an eyebrow raised. “You’ll have to be more specific. That describes about ninety percent of this charming planet.”

Venus snorted, coming to stand beside him. Her hair, usually so perfectly styled, was a mess of windblown curls, and there was a smudge of dirt across her cheek. Somehow, she still managed to look regal. “Fair point. How about something that looks like a good place to collapse for the night without becoming an all-you-can-eat buffet for the local wildlife?”

Azlun’s eyes scanned the alien terrain, finally settling on a small clearing nestled between jagged rock formations. Bioluminescent flora dotted the area, casting a soft, ethereal glow. “There,” he said, pointing. “It’s defensible, and those glowing plants might keep some of the nocturnal predators at bay.”

“Ooh, pretty and practical. I’m impressed, Your Highness,” Venus teased, nudging him with her elbow. “Lead on, oh wise and mighty alien prince.”

Azlun rolled his eyes but couldn’t suppress a smile. “Your sarcasm is truly the highlight of this harrowing escape, my lady.”

They made their way down the hill, both on high alert. The day had been a gauntlet of dangers—massive creatures with too many limbs and not enough eyes, mercenaries with itchy trigger fingers, and terrain that seemed determined to twist their ankles at every step.

As they entered the clearing, Azlun’s tactical mind kicked into gear. “I’ll secure the perimeter and hunt for food. Think you can handle gathering water and setting up camp without starting an intergalactic incident?”

Venus placed a hand over her heart in mock offense. “Why, Prince Azlun, I’ll have you know I was a champion camper in the Royal Girl Scouts of Earth.”

“There’s no such thing as Royal Girl Scouts.”

“Shows what you know about Earth culture,” Venus retorted with a wink. “Don’t worry, Your Alienness. I’ve got this covered. Try not to get eaten by any six-legged bunnies out there.”

Azlun chuckled, the sound low and warm. “I’ll do my best to avoid becoming some creature’s dinner. Your concern is touching.”

“Hey, if you die, who’s going to carry all our stuff?”

With a final smirk, Azlun headed into the surrounding wilderness. The alien flora cast strange shadows, and every rustle in the underbrush set his nerves on edge. Finally, he spotted his prey—a creature that looked like the unholy offspring of a rabbit and a kangaroo with an extra set of ears for good measure.

“Sorry, little guy,” Azlun muttered as he set his snare. “But it’s either you or protein paste, and I’ve had enough of that stuff to last a lifetime.”

As he waited for his trap to spring, Azlun’s mind wandered to Venus. She was a paradox wrapped in an enigma with a side of sarcasm. One moment, she was every inch the polished political daughter, the next, she was cracking jokes that would make a Tharvian dock worker blush. And through it all—the kidnapping, the auction, their daring escape—she had shown a resilience that both impressed and attracted him.

The snap of his trap jolted Azlun from his thoughts. He retrieved his catch, silently thanking the creature for its sacrifice, and made his way back to the clearing.

The sight that greeted him made him pause. Venus had not only gathered water but had also arranged some of the bioluminescent flora into a makeshift bouquet at the center of their camp. She sat cross-legged, attempting to start a fire with two rocks, her face a mask of concentration.

“I see the Royal Girl Scouts didn’t cover fire starting,” Azlun said as he approached.

Venus looked up, blowing a strand of hair out of her face. “Oh, like you could do better with these alien rocks. For all I know, they’re some sort of petrified alien poop.”

Azlun couldn’t help it—he burst out laughing. “Petrified alien poop? That’s a new one.”

“Well, you try coming up with witty observations when you’re exhausted, hungry, and surrounded by things that defy the laws of Earth biology,” Venus grumbled, but there was a grin on her face.

“Here, allow me,” Azlun said, kneeling beside her. He pulled out a small device from his pocket, and with a click, a strong flame appeared.

Venus’s jaw dropped. “You had that the whole time? And you let me sit here banging rocks together like some sort of cavewoman?”

“You seemed so determined. I didn’t want to dampen your adventurous spirit,” Azlun replied innocently.

“Oh, you are so going to pay for that,” Venus threatened, but she was laughing now.

They worked together to prepare the meal, falling into an easy rhythm. Azlun built the fire while Venus skinned and prepared the meat, her nose wrinkling at the task but her hands steady and sure.

“So,” Venus said as they sat to eat, the aroma of roasted alien-rabbit filling the air, “does royal Tharvian training include a course in ‘Surviving on Hostile Alien Planets 101’, or is this a special skill you picked up in your spare time?”

Azlun took a bite of the meat, pleasantly surprised by the taste. “It was an elective, actually. Right between ‘Advanced Diplomatic Smiling’ and ‘Alien Etiquette: Which Fork to Use When You Have Six Hands.’”

Venus nearly choked on her food, caught between laughter and surprise. “Did you just make a joke? Alert the media! The stoic prince has a sense of humor.”

“I’ll have you know I’m hilarious,” Azlun deadpanned. “It’s just that most of my jokes are in Tharvian. They don’t translate well.”

“Uh-huh. Sure.” Venus grinned, leaning back on her elbows. The firelight danced across her features, softening the sharp edges of her face. “So, tell me about your family. What’s it like growing up with all brothers? I bet you had some wild parties.”

Azlun snorted. “Hardly. My idea of rebellion was sneaking extra dessert after state dinners.”

“Ooh, living dangerously. I’m impressed.”

“Well, we can’t all be daredevils like you and your sisters,” Azlun retorted, but there was no heat in his words. “Speaking of which, I believe you promised me some stories.”

Venus’s eyes lit up. “Oh, where do I even start? Okay, picture this: me, Raelee, and Mila, squeezed into Raelee’s sports car—which, by the way, goes from zero to ‘oh shit’ in about two seconds flat...”

She launched into a tale of high-speed chases and narrow escapes, her hands gesticulating wildly as she described how they’d managed to lose both the paparazzi and their security detail on a cross-country road trip. Azlun found himself leaning in, captivated by the way her whole face came alive as she spoke.

“...and then Mila says, ‘I think we lost them!’ Right as we crest this hill and see about five police cars waiting for us,” Venus said, barely containing her laughter. “I swear, I thought Dad was going to burst a blood vessel when he found out. We were grounded for a month, but it was so worth it.”

Azlun shook his head, chuckling. “I can’t even imagine. The most trouble my brothers and I ever got into was during our hunting trips with our father.”

“Oh? Do tell, Your Highness. I want to hear all about baby Azlun’s wild adventures.”

Azlun’s lips curved into a smile as the memories surfaced. “Well, there was this one time on the moons of Centauri Prime...”

He told her about the competition between him and his brothers, each trying to outdo the others with their hunting prowess. As he spoke, he found himself relaxing, the formal mask of princehood slipping away.

“...so there I am, covered in alien mud, trying to explain to my father why I’m holding the tentacle of a Centaurian squid-beast instead of the prized horn of a thunder-buck,” Azlun finished, grinning at the memory.

Venus was doubled over with laughter. “Oh my god,” she gasped between giggles. “Please tell me there are pictures.”

“If there are, they’ve been destroyed for the sake of royal dignity,” Azlun replied solemnly, though his eyes twinkled with delight.

As their laughter faded, a comfortable silence fell between them. Azlun stared into the fire, feeling more relaxed than he had in years. With Venus, there was no need for the careful diplomacy he usually employed. She challenged him, teased him, and somehow made him feel more like himself than he had in a long time.

“Venus,” he said softly, turning to face her. The firelight flickered in his dark, golden-tinted eyes, highlighting the seriousness of his expression. “I need to tell you something.”

She met his gaze, her blue eyes curious and a little wary. “What is it? You’re not about to tell me you’re actually a tentacled alien in disguise, are you? Because I gotta say, that might be a deal-breaker.”

Azlun chuckled, shaking his head. “No tentacles, I promise. It’s just... when we first met, this marriage felt like a duty. Something I had to do for the good of our people. But now...”

He paused, searching for the right words. “Now, it’s more than that. You’re more than that. I’ve grown to care for you, Venus. Deeply. And I want you to know that if I ask you to marry me, it won’t be out of duty or political necessity. It will be because I want to spend my life with you—tentacles or no tentacles.”

Venus’s eyes widened, her lips parting in surprise. For a moment, she was speechless, and Azlun felt a flicker of uncertainty. Had he misread the situation? Was he moving too fast?

But then Venus smiled, a genuine, radiant smile that made his breath catch in his throat. “Azlun,” she said softly, reaching out to take his hand. “I think I might be falling in love with you too. And not just because you’re my knight in shining alien armor.”

Relief and joy flooded through Azlun. He leaned in, cupping Venus’s face with his free hand, and kissed her. It was a kiss full of promise and a future they would build together—not as political allies, but as partners in every sense of the word.

As they broke apart, Azlun rested his forehead against Venus’s, a smile on his lips. “We should probably get some rest,” he murmured. “We’ve got a long journey ahead of us tomorrow.”

Venus nodded but made no move to pull away. “Just a few more minutes,” she said, snuggling closer to him. “I want to make sure this isn’t some weird hallucination brought on by alien atmosphere exposure.”

Azlun chuckled, wrapping his arm around her. “If it is, then we’re both hallucinating.”

As the fire crackled and the alien night stretched out around them, filled with the soft glow of bioluminescent flora and the distant calls of strange creatures, Azlun felt a sense of peace wash over him. Whatever challenges lay ahead—be they political intrigue, interstellar conflict, or simply figuring out how to blend their two very different cultures—he knew they would face them together.

And really, he thought as he looked down at Venus’s face peaceful in the firelight, that was the greatest adventure of all.