Chapter 12

TWELVE

T he familiar silhouette of the Arison Family Estate loomed before Raelee as her car wound up the long, tree-lined driveway. After days on the run, the sight of home brought a mix of relief and apprehension. Her brief taste of freedom had changed her, but the world she was returning to remained the same.

Raelee's hands tightened on the steering wheel, her knuckles white against the leather. Her time with Vex—their whirlwind adventure, the connection they'd forged—felt like a dream now. But it had awakened something in her, a fierce determination that burned brighter than ever.

As she pulled up to the house, Raelee caught sight of her reflection in the rearview mirror. The woman staring back at her looked different somehow—older, more resolute. A few strands of dark hair framed a face that seemed to have gained years of wisdom in just a few days.

"Show time, Arison," she muttered, climbing out of the car. The gravel crunched under her feet, each step bringing her closer to a confrontation she both dreaded and craved.

The house was quiet as Raelee entered, her footsteps echoing in the grand foyer. For a moment, she stood still, listening. The silence felt heavy, pregnant with the weight of unspoken words and looming confrontations. The tick of the antique grandfather clock in the corner seemed unnaturally loud, counting down the seconds until her world changed again.

A muffled voice drifted from the direction of the library, followed by a soft laugh. Raelee's heart lightened a fraction. Her sisters were home.

She found them gathered in the cozy library, a stark contrast to the formal opulence of the rest of the house. Zora was pacing by the windows, her auburn hair gleaming in the afternoon light. Mila sat perched on the arm of a leather chair, her fingers tapping out a restless rhythm on a tablet. Venus was rifling through a book with photos of modern-day architecture, her brow furrowed in concentration.

"Well, well, well," drawled, looking up as Raelee entered. "If it isn't our very own runaway bride. How was your little ‘vacation'? Did you bring us back any souvenirs? Perhaps a ‘My Sister Ran Away From An Alien Marriage and All I Got Was This Lousy T-Shirt'?"

"Rae!" Zora exclaimed, rushing over to envelop her in a hug that smelled of lavender and soil. "Thank god you're back safely. We were starting to worry you'd been abducted by actual aliens."

Mila, twin to Venus, joined them, her usual stoic demeanor cracking as she squeezed Raelee's hand. "Yeah, another day and we might have had to send out a search party. Or you know, actually tell Mom and Dad that their eldest daughter decided to go AWOL."

Raelee felt a lump form in her throat. No matter what happened, she'd always have her sisters. "Sorry for the radio silence. Things got a bit... complicated."

"Complicated?" Venus raised a perfectly manicured eyebrow. "Do tell. Did you perhaps run into any handsome strangers while you were out there living your rom-com fantasy? Perhaps a rugged diner owner with a heart of gold? Or a mysterious biker with a troubled past?"

Raelee felt heat rise to her cheeks, and her sisters' eyes widened in unison.

"Oh my god," Zora gasped, her green eyes sparkling. "You did! I want every juicy detail."

"I... may have met someone," Raelee admitted, sinking onto the plush window seat. Her sisters crowded around her, eyes gleaming with curiosity.

"Details," Mila demanded, setting aside her tablet. "Name, occupation, level of hotness on a scale of one to ‘makes you want to cancel an intergalactic arranged marriage.'"

Raelee laughed, the tension in her shoulders easing for the first time in days. "His name is Vex. He's... I don't know, maybe military? And as for hotness..." She paused, thinking of Vex's intense gaze, his strong hands, the way he'd looked at her like she was the only person in the world. "Definitely off the charts hot."

Her sisters exchanged knowing glances.

"So," Venus said slowly, a smirk playing at her lips, "I'm guessing you're not exactly thrilled about this whole alien marriage thing anymore?"

Raelee shook her head, her heart clenching at the thought. "I can't go through with it. Not now. I know it sounds crazy, but what I felt with Vex... it was real. I can't just throw that away for some political alliance."

"It's not crazy," Zora said softly, taking Raelee's hand. "You deserve to be happy, Rae. Even if that happiness comes in the form of a mysterious hottie you met on your great escape."

"But how are we going to get you out of this?" Mila asked, ever the pragmatist. "Dad's not exactly going to be thrilled about you bailing on an interplanetary treaty for a guy you just met. I can hear him now: ‘Raelee, sweetheart, I know you think you're in love, but have you considered the geopolitical implications of your hormones?'"

The impression was so spot-on that the sisters burst into laughter.

"God, that's terrifyingly accurate," Venus wheezed, wiping tears from her eyes.

Raelee took a deep breath, trying to control her giggles. She looked at each of her sisters in turn. "I'm going to Tharvis."

A moment of stunned silence followed her declaration.

"You're... what?" Mila sputtered.

"I thought you were dead set against this whole arranged marriage thing," Zora added, confusion etched on her face.

Raelee held up a hand. "I'm not going as a bride. I'm going as an ambassador."

Understanding dawned on Venus's face. "You're going to negotiate ."

"Exactly," Raelee confirmed. "I can't run from this forever. But I'm not about to let anyone dictate my future either. If I go to Tharvis, I can try to work out a solution that doesn't involve bargaining myself like some interplanetary bargaining chip."

Her sisters exchanged glances, a silent conversation passing between them.

"Well," Mila said finally, a slow smile spreading across her face, "if you think we're letting you go alone, you've got another thing coming."

Raelee blinked. "What?"

"Oh please," Venus scoffed. "You really think we'd miss out on the chance to visit an alien planet? Besides, someone's got to keep you out of trouble."

"And," Zora added softly, "maybe if we all go, we can renegotiate our own... situations."

Raelee felt a surge of affection for her sisters. "You would do that? But what about your lives here? Your work?"

Mila shrugged. "My research can wait. This is way more important."

"The firm will survive without me for a while," Venus said. "And I'm sure they'd love to have the first human designer with knowledge of alien architecture."

Zora smiled, a hint of mischief in her eyes. "I've always wanted to study extraterrestrial plant life. This is the opportunity of a lifetime."

Raelee looked at her sisters, overwhelmed by their support. "I don't know what to say."

"Say you'll let us come with you," Mila urged. "We're stronger together, Rae. Always have been."

Raelee nodded, blinking back tears. "Okay. Team Arison takes on Tharvis."

"Plus," Venus added with a mischievous grin, "if we're all there, we can come up with some creative ways to avoid our own alien marriages."

Mila snorted. "Or the ancient tradition of the Upside-Down Wedding, where the entire ceremony has to be performed while hanging from the ceiling."

"Ooh, I've got one," Zora chimed in, barely containing her laughter. "We tell them that according to Earth law, before marriage, the bride must successfully teach quantum physics to a goldfish."

Raelee found herself giggling despite the seriousness of the situation. "You all are ridiculous. I love it. Though I'm not sure how the Tharvisians would feel about us trying to marry their princes to aquatic life forms."

"Hey, for all we know, they might be into that sort of thing," Venus quipped. "Interspecies romance could be all the rage on Tharvis."

As the laughter died down, Raelee looked at her sisters, overwhelmed by their support. "You all would really do this? Come with me to Tharvis?"

Mila shrugged, her expression softening. "Of course, we would, dummy. We're in this together. Always have been, always will be."

"Besides," Venus added, "someone's got to keep you from running off with the first hot alien you see. Or hot maybe-military alien guy, as the case may be."

"Hey!" Raelee protested, but she was smiling. "Vex is human, thank you very much."

"Sure, sure," Zora teased. "That's what they all say. Next thing you know, you're eloping to Mars."

As the sisters dissolved into another round of giggles, the library door swung open, revealing Jack and Melanie Arison. Jack's eyebrows shot up at the sight of Raelee, while Melanie's face softened with relief.

"Raelee," Melanie breathed, rushing forward to embrace her daughter. "Thank God you're safe."

Jack remained in the doorway, his expression unreadable. "I trust you've had time to reconsider your... rash actions."

Raelee extricated herself from her mother's arms, squaring her shoulders. "I have, Dad. But probably not in the way you're hoping."

She could feel her sisters forming a supportive wall behind her as she faced her parents. The moment of truth had arrived.

"I'm going to Tharvis," Raelee stated, her voice clear and unwavering. "Not as a bride, but as an ambassador. I intend to negotiate terms that will benefit Earth without sacrificing my autonomy."

Jack's face darkened. "Absolutely not. The alliance?—"

"Can still happen," Raelee interrupted. "But on terms that respect both parties. I won't be a pawn in this game, Dad. I can't."

"This isn't a game, Raelee," Jack snapped. "This is the future of our planet we're talking about."

"I know that," Raelee shot back. "But forcing me into a loveless marriage isn't the answer. Let me go to Tharvis, let me talk to them. I can do this, Dad. Trust me."

Jack opened his mouth to argue further, but Melanie laid a hand on his arm. "Jack," she said softly. "Listen to her. Really listen."

A tense silence fell over the room. Raelee held her breath, acutely aware of her sisters' presence at her back.

Finally, Jack spoke, his voice gruff. "And what makes you think they'll listen to you? That they'll be willing to renegotiate?"

Raelee thought of Vex—his kindness, his understanding. She pushed the memory aside, focusing on the task at hand. "Because it's in their best interest too. A willing ally is far more valuable than a resentful one."

Jack's eyes narrowed, studying her. Raelee met his gaze steadily, refusing to back down.

"We're going with her," Venus chimed in. "All of us. To show our support for the alliance and to... explore our own options."

Surprise flickered across Jack's face. He looked at each of his daughters in turn, something like pride glimmering in his eyes.

Melanie stepped forward, taking Raelee's hands in hers. "You've thought this through, haven't you?"

Raelee nodded. "I have, Mom. I know it's not what you and Dad had planned, but... I have to try. I have to do this my way."

Melanie smiled, a hint of tears in her eyes. "My brave girl," she murmured. She turned to Jack. "She's right, you know. They all are."

Jack ran a hand over his face, suddenly looking every bit his age. "I suppose I can't stop you," he said finally. "But I want daily reports. And if things go south, you come home immediately. Understood?"

Raelee felt a weight lift from her shoulders. It wasn't full approval, but it was a start. "Understood."

Her father left at the interruption of one of his aides, leaving Raelee with her mother and sisters.

"Oh, sweetheart," Melanie murmured, stroking Raelee's hair. "I was so worried. Are you sure you're all right?"

Raelee couldn't help but laugh, even as she felt tears prick at her eyes. "I'm fine, Mom. Really. I just... I needed some time to think."

Melanie pulled back, cupping Raelee's face in her hands. Her eyes were knowing, filled with a mixture of concern and understanding. "And did you find what you were looking for? Or should I say who ?"

Raelee hesitated, glancing at her sisters. They nodded encouragingly, Venus going so far as to give her a not-so-subtle thumbs up.

"I think I did," Raelee said softly.

Melanie laughed softly, the sound warm and comforting. "Oh, sweetheart. I've known you were going to shake things up from the day you were born. I've just been waiting for you to realize it yourself. And as for your sisters..." She glanced at the other girls, her eyes twinkling. "Well, let's just say there are ears all around this house. I heard every word of your little alien escape plans."

"So... you're not mad?" Raelee asked hesitantly.

"Mad? Darling, I'm proud of you," Melanie said, pulling Raelee in for another hug. "All I've ever wanted is for you girls to forge your own paths. And if that path leads to rewriting intergalactic treaties and teaching quantum physics to goldfish, well... that's just the Arison way, isn't it?"

As they broke apart, Melanie's expression turned mischievous. "Now, tell me all about this mysterious man you met. He must be quite something to make you rethink an alien prince. Is he dreamy? Dashing? Devastatingly handsome?"

Raelee groaned as her sisters perked up, their eyes gleaming with renewed curiosity. "Mom!"

"Oh no," Venus grinned, settling back into the couch. "You're not getting out of this one, sis. We want all the details. And I do mean all of them ."