Page 42 of Saving Lauren

“This is the bumpiest part.” I reassure her. “After we are docked, the vents need to air out and then we are ready to enter the Ring. There are probably others waiting for us. Most of our Warriors are traveling and do not come home very often. They will assume we have news of some sort because we are back so soon after leaving.”

“When did you leave?” she asks me. I think about that for a moment.

“I think we have been gone for about three months,” I say after I think about it.

T’Rak rises from his chair and O’Rec follows him swiftly.

“We must go, the airlock is about to open,” I tell L’Ren. I rise, taking her hand. Together we walk towards the airlock. I stand behind T’Rak and O’Rec, we form a V-line, just as we do in battle when one of us has something to protect. I know I am home, that I am safe, but my hand twitches above one of my blades.

The airlock is opening with a sizzling sound, air escaping through the doors, immediately you can hear the buzz of the Ring. I sigh as I relax. The door to the airlock slides away, revealing the people waiting for us come into view. I can see my mother at the front of the line. I smile broadly at her as her eyes light up when she sees me in good health. Then I see the shock registering on her face, when she looks at me holding L’Ren’s hand. L’Ren is sliding closer to me and clinging to my arm, I feel her anxiety pouring off her. I wrap my arm around her, so I can hold her; she grabs my harness instead.

T’Rak and O’Rec have flocked out to meet their family and friends. T’Rak has a brother who lives on the Ring and O’Rec has… followers. That leaves us with my mother. A couple of her friends are standing behind her. She just stares at L’Ren and me. Tears in her eyes.

“D’Var,” she says shakily. I gently pull L’Ren forward with me walking towards her.

“Mother,” I say, leaning in to graze her cheek with mine. An ancient Novaron gesture. I feel a tear making its way across her cheek as I present my mate.

“Meet L’Ren, my mate.”

My mother smiles broadly taking L’Rens hands in her. Enveloping her in her caring warmth.

“L’Ren, I am Kepti. I am blessed to meet you. Blessed to see my beloved son bring home a mate.”

L’Ren smiles at my mother. “Thank you, It’s also very nice to meet you. D’Var has told me a lot of things about you.” My mother beams looking at me.

“She is beautiful and kind, oh my son you are so lucky. I am beyond happy for you. You must come with me to my chambers, are you hungry?” She then looks me up and down. “Has he been feeding you nothing but noodles?” When L’Ren giggles my mother gently slaps my chest.

“D’Var! I have put so much time into feeding you correctly, yet you still survive on nothing but noodles. Come L’Ren, I have real food, with natural flavors,” she huffs and takes L’Ren’s arm in hers. L’Ren looks back at me questioningly, I smile broadly at her, sending her my reassurance through the bond.

“Let us go then,” I say. “I am suddenly famished.” The women both laugh, we start walking through the tunnels. My mother waves at her friends before we leave the docking station and they just smile and wave back, walking away in the other direction.

We walk through the tunnels, my mother starting to explain the Ring to L’Ren. The tunnels are open and spacious, even though half is enclosed for store space or communal rooms at most times. It must be all the windows facing the inner side of the Ring.

“This is amazing!” I hear L’Ren exclaim as I walk behind the females. “I can’t feel any height difference at all! The artificial gravity is remarkable.” She lets go of my mother’s arm and walks towards the windows.

“Look! We all should be walking up or down, but everything seems straight!” I smile at her enthusiasm. Her kind does not travel space like we do and though they are not primitive, according to L’Ren, it is clear that they are very far behind on technology.

“That is Arracate technology for you,” I tease her as I put my arm around her again. She snuggles into me. I am glad she is feeling more comfortable at the Ring. My mother stands behind us, just smiling, so we stand there for a few moments and then she ushers us to follow her to her home.

We passed stalls, vendors, and many, many people on our way to my mother’s quarters. Every person wants to know who L’Ren is and congratulates us on our mating. I forgot how fast news travels on the Ring, but I do not mind. I am very proud to have L’Ren as my mate. I need every male on this Ring to be clear that she is mine and mine alone.

Lauren

D’Vars mother is amazing. She is so kind and sweet. She tells me everything about the Ring. She points at all the different vendors in the tunnels, telling me who lives in the houses we pass. I absorb every drop of information, while I look around in wonder.

The air is crisp, the tunnels feel really open, while they sometimes are quite narrow. In between vendor booths and dedicated spots there is a wide-open tunnel. Sometimes there are houses on the edge, and it’s like a little village square. There are decorations in the center, like plants and benches.

As we enter a particularly lovely square, Kepti pauses.

“Please follow me,” she says with a smile still planted firmly on her lips. She walks towards a door on the edge of the square. The door slides open as she enters, we follow her in.

The living quarters are situated on top of each other, I see. It’s like a miniature flat building, with two doors on the left and two on the right side of the hallway. Two more doors on the left side at level one, two on the right side. A flight of stairs separating the doors.

Kepti walks towards the back left door on ground level. The doors slide open, with a press of her hand against the wall.

We enter a sleek, white apartment. The floors are a light gray, but the walls are white. The furniture, even the kitchen are all white. I see little specks of color on almost all the surfaces. It’s as if she can hear my thoughts because she spreads out her arms in a ta-dah fashion.

“Welcome to my home, mate of my son,” she says giving me the feeling this is a ceremonial greeting, so I bow my head in respect and say nothing. She smiles, walks towards me and grazes her cheek on mine, just like she did with D’Var. We pull our cheeks together for a second. She then stands up straight smiling at me.

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