Chapter 28

TWENTY-EIGHT

M ila’s feet crunched on the alien foliage as Roq led her through the wild lands. The air was thick with the sweet, spicy scent of bioluminescent flowers that pulsed gently in the fading light. She inhaled deeply, then quirked an eyebrow at Roq.

“You know,” Mila said, her voice dripping with sarcasm, “when you said ‘surprise date,’ I was thinking more along the lines of dinner at that new anti-grav restaurant, not ‘potential death march through alien wilderness.’ Should I have worn my ‘Hike Now, Science Later’ T-shirt?”

Roq glanced back at her, his silver eyes twinkling with amusement. “And miss the chance to see you tromp through the underbrush in those adorable hiking boots? Never.”

Mila snorted. “Careful, Your Highness. Flattery will get you everywhere... including lost in a jungle of man-eating plants.”

As they crested a small hill, Mila’s sassy retort died on her lips. Before them lay a clearing transformed into a luxurious campsite that put their previous “glamping” experience to shame. A large, opulent tent stood in the center, its fabric shimmering like liquid starlight. Soft, glowing orbs hovered in the air, casting a warm, intimate light. A table was set nearby, laden with covered dishes that promised delectable treats.

“Holy Heisenberg,” Mila whispered, momentarily stunned. She quickly regained her composure and shot Roq a suspicious look. “Okay, who are you and what have you done with my tech-obsessed, romance-is-illogical prince?”

Roq chuckled, guiding her toward the table. “I’ll have you know, Dr. Arison, that I am perfectly capable of romance. I simply choose to express it through complex algorithms and energy efficiency improvements.”

“Ah yes, nothing says ‘I love you’ quite like optimized power grids,” Mila deadpanned, but her eyes were soft with affection.

At the campsite, Roq lifted the covers off the dishes with a flourish. An array of both Tharvisian and Earth delicacies was revealed, the colors and aromas mingling in an enticing display.

Mila’s eyes widened as she spotted a familiar dish. “Is that... grilled shrimp?” She looked at Roq, impressed despite herself. “Did you dismantle another quantum reactor to power an inter-dimensional food portal or something?”

Roq’s grin was both proud and a little sheepish. “Close. I now owe your sister Raelee a favor of truly terrifying proportions. Apparently, smuggling Earth seafood past interplanetary customs is quite the challenge.”

“Oh boy,” Mila laughed. “I hope you’re prepared for some truly embarrassing royal portraits to start circulating the galaxy.”

They sat to eat, the conversation flowing as easily as the wine Roq poured. Mila relaxed, though she couldn’t resist peppering their chat with her trademark sass.

“So,” Mila said, taking a sip of her wine, “not that I’m complaining, but what’s with the five-star jungle resort? Did you accidentally reprogram all the cleaning bots to be evil again?”

Roq clutched his chest in mock offense. “That was one time! And may I remind you, it was your coding that made them develop a taste for royal tapestries.”

“Details, details,” Mila waved her hand dismissively. “Seriously though, what’s the occasion? Did you finally realize that my ‘Earth bacteria are fascinating’ rants are actually brilliant performance art?”

Roq laughed, reaching across the table to take her hand. “Can’t a guy just want to wine and dine the woman he lo—“ He caught himself, a flicker of something Mila couldn’t quite identify passing over his face. “The woman who somehow makes environmental crisis management sexy?”

Mila’s heart skipped a beat at his near slip, but she played it cool. “Flattery will get you everywhere, Your Highness. Especially if ‘everywhere’ includes that ridiculously comfy-looking tent.”

Roq stood and offered Mila his hand. “Walk with me?”

“What, the five-star dinner and luxury glamping wasn’t enough? Now I have to exercise?” Mila grumbled good-naturedly but took his hand anyway.

He led her to a small clearing nearby where the bioluminescent plants were in full glow, creating an otherworldly ambiance. Roq turned to face her, his expression suddenly serious.

Mila’s sass-o-meter pinged. “Uh oh. You’ve got your ‘I accidentally set the lab on fire again’ face on. Should I be worried?”

“Mila,” Roq began, his voice low and intense. “When we first met, I saw our relationship as a duty, a necessary alliance between our worlds. But you... you changed everything.”

“Roq,” Mila started, her heart racing, but he gently shushed her.

“Let me finish, or I might lose my nerve,” he said with a nervous chuckle. “You see, I had this whole speech planned out. Very princely, very dignified. But standing here with you now, all I can think is how much I love the way you can silence an entire room of stuffy diplomats with one well-timed eye roll.”

“It’s a gift,” Mila quipped, but her voice was soft.

Roq slowly lowered himself to one knee, reaching into his pocket to pull out a small box. Mila’s eyes widened, her usual snark deserting her.

“I know this is an Earth custom,” he said, opening the box to reveal a stunning ring. The stone seemed to glow from within, shifting colors like the aurora borealis. “But I wanted to honor your heritage and to show you that this isn’t about duty anymore. It’s about love. My love for you, sass and all.”

“Oh, Roq,” Mila whispered, her voice thick with emotion. “If this is because I threatened to release those embarrassing childhood holos of you, I was only joking. Mostly.”

Roq laughed, the sound rich with affection. “Mila Arison, brilliant scientist, fierce protector of worlds, and the only woman who can out-snark an entire royal court. Will you marry me? Not because of any agreement or alliance, but because I love you and want to spend the rest of my life trying to keep up with your wit?”

For a moment, Mila couldn’t speak. She looked down at Roq, this man who had gone from a duty to her everything, and felt her heart might burst. But old habits die hard, and her sass came to her rescue.

“Well,” she said, pretending to consider, “I suppose someone needs to keep you from accidentally destroying the planet with your well-meaning but occasionally disastrous experiments.”

Roq’s face fell for a split second before he caught the mischievous glint in Mila’s eyes. She dropped to her knees in front of him, taking his face in her hands.

“Yes,” she said softly. “Yes, you adorable, brilliant disaster. I’ll marry you. Someone has to keep the sass levels in the royal court at an all-time high, after all.”

Roq’s face lit up with joy as he slipped the ring onto her finger. He pulled her into his arms, kissing her with a passion that left her breathless.

As they broke apart, Mila rested her forehead against his. “I love you,” she whispered. “So much. Even if you did just propose to me in the middle of a jungle that probably wants to eat us.”

Roq chuckled, his breath warm against her skin. “I’ll have you know I thoroughly scanned this area for any man-eating plants before setting up. I’m nothing if not a considerate fiancé.”

“My hero,” Mila drawled. “Saving me from carnivorous flora one romantic gesture at a time.”

They made their way back to the tent, shedding clothes as they went, pausing every few steps to share heated kisses and playful caresses.

Later, they lay tangled on the plush bedding, Mila’s head resting on Roq’s chest as they gazed up at the star-filled sky visible through the tent’s transparent roof, Mila couldn’t resist one last quip.

“You know,” she mused, tracing lazy patterns on Roq’s chest, “for a guy who once called romance ‘an illogical waste of resources,’ you sure know how to sweep a girl off her feet.”

Roq grinned, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. “What can I say? You’ve corrupted me with your Earth ways. Next thing you know, I’ll be writing poetry about your eyes.”

“Don’t you dare,” Mila warned, but she was laughing. “I have a reputation to maintain. Can’t have the galaxy thinking I’ve gone soft.”

“Your secret’s safe with me, Dr. Arison,” Roq promised solemnly. “I’ll tell everyone you accepted my proposal with a detailed PowerPoint presentation on the benefits of our union.”

Mila snorted. “That’s more like it.”

“I still have a question to ask you.”

“Oh?”

“I’ve been putting off for fear of what you might say.”

“What is it?”

“Do you want children?”

She lifted her head up and met his gaze. “Why do you ask like you’re worried.”

“I don’t know. It’s a given in a royal family that offspring are a must, but I don’t want you to feel the burden of it if you don’t want that. I know your career is important to you.”

She laughed and patted his naked chest. “What are you talking about? Earth women have been having babies, managing families, and growing their careers since the beginning of time. Why can’t I do it too?”

His eyes widened. “You mean…you want children?”

She grinned at his shocked face. “My sisters and I all love and want families with children. We were just against being brokered into marriage instead of allowing us to find love. But with a relationship and marriage built on love, of course, I want a real family, a real marriage, and children too. I want it all.”

“You don’t know how happy that makes me.”

She kissed his chin and laid her head back on his chest. “Stop worrying so much. I’m a rebel with a cause most of the time, but I’m not stupid. I love you. Let’s make a baby.”

As they curled their bodies over each other, surrounded by the sounds of Tharvis’s nocturnal life and the steady beat of Roq’s heart, Mila understood what true happiness was.

Not quite the end yet…