Page 34 of The Alien I Fell in Love with on Walpurgis Night

“Madame Georgiana, as I have told you many times, this is all real. You’re across the galaxy on what you call Kepler 186f. This is the real me. I’m not from Earth. I’m a citizen of the Alliance Empire.”

“I don’t call anything ‘Kepler 186f,’” I say and look around to gauge my surroundings again. “I’m in an exceptionally large house that could be European for all intents and purposes. You all could be wearing grey paint and black wigs. I mean you’re all speaking English. This is a game. This has always been an elaborate wealthy man’s game.”

Axl’s mother calls for the doctor and then says, “Axl, have you given this poor human woman brain damage?”

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Axl

“She does not have brain damage, Mother,” I say firmly, not taking my eyes off Georgiana. Now she realizes this is real. She’s pale. Tears are falling down her cheeks and just as she begins to close her eyes, I catch her before she collapses on the floor. After a few moments she tries to speak, but her words are unintelligible through her tears. She can’t catch her breath.

The House Zu doctor enters quickly followed by some of her staff. The women immediately take Georgiana away from me. I try to follow, but they raise a House standard. Men aren’t allowed to follow women to the infirmary who are not their family members unless they are married. I don’t bother showing them my marriage bracelet as I have just admitted to our marriage being a lie. Everyone in House Zu will know that now. There are no secrets in Houses.

“Axl let women attend to women,” my mother chides me. “We will heal her and send her back to Earth. We will put everything back in its place.”

“Madame Georgiana is not a thing, Mother.” As I stand here helpless to help Georgiana, I reflect that none of this feels right, but it’s unreasonable I should feel this way about a woman I only met a week ago. Isn’t this exactly what I told her all along? If she helped me get past the Alliance Force, then I’d send her back to Earth and she’d get the human money hidden in the cabin. But so much has changed between now and then, I feel like I’ve lived a lifetime with her already and I can’t imagine her not in my life.

“She did her duty to you,” Lia says. “Now you must do yours to your family. Mother wants you to marry Aru. You need to…”

“I won’t,” I reply, interrupting her. “Before I was more open to the idea of an arranged marriage because I hadn’t actually met a woman I cared about. But I love that woman,” I point to the door Georgiana had just been taken from. Both my mother and sister are visibly shocked I used the word ‘love,’ they see it as a kind of sickness. “And I will not have her sent home if she wants to stay.”

“Perhaps you should see the doctor as well,” my mother suggests. “What would you do with a human wife?”

“The same as I would an Alliance wife.”

“She’s human,” Lia points out unnecessary.

“One of the Lost People,” I counter.

“And the Lost People should remain lost. The Empire already has too many troubles, we don’t need humans here as well.”

“Blasphemy.”

“Stop fighting,” my mother says. “Axl, you have seven days. On the seventh day we will reconvene and Madame Georgiana will choose what she wants to do. I doubt she will want to stay. If she was special enough to make such an impression on you, the chance that she will want to stay in a place where she is a second class citizen is unlikely. But I want to give you the chance to let her tell you herself.”

“And if she decides to stay, you will accept her as your daughter in-law and give her full status as a member of House Zu?”

“You have my word.”

“Mother?” Lia says, “You can’t be serious. What if she’s an idiot and Axl is just being overly emotional? You know men. You can’t be suggesting we might let a human into House Zu.”

“This human woman fooled the Alliance Force and charmed Axl. She can’t be stupid.”

“She thought it was a game,” Lia counters.

“Wouldn’t you if you didn’t know aliens existed? I don’t know much about Earth, but I’m certain they do have enough technology to fabricate simulations. I stand by my offer, Axl. Seven days and let the human decide. When she turns you down I don’t want there to be any hard feelings. And just so we are perfectly clear, during this time you will treat this human as if any other woman you are courting. No kissing, no touching, no sex.”

“I agree.”

“This is a mistake. This will hurt the reputation of House Zu. There are already too many humans living in the Empire. Everyone knows humans would do anything to move to the Empire.”

“I’ve just spent a few weeks on Earth. I guarantee you most humans don’t even know the Empire exists. I think all humans want to do is to live in peace and not be abducted by aliens, and sold as pets. Mother is correct that Georgiana is smart and she will recognize quickly she’s not equal here. Whether or not love can overcome that, we will see.”

“Stop using that word. You are insufferable,” Lia says.

I remember Georgiana saying, ‘that’s what you love about me. I make you tell me you love me all the time. It frees your heart.’ I smile to myself; she does free my heart.

My mother asks Lia, “Do you agree? We all must be in agreement.”

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