Page 7 of Home

“Here, Kitty,” Vivian said, patting her leg with her hand.

Still yowling unhappily he returned to Vivian’s side and remained there as they resumed their walk down the ramp.

“Prepare yourself,” Quin said, his eyes scanning the crowd just as Zahn’s were.

“For what?” Vivian asked, looking around for something to be prepared for.

“My mother has broken protocol, she’s coming this way.”

“Oh! I love Eula!” Vivian exclaimed, letting go of Quin’s hand and attempting, though failing at moving quickly ahead of him as she began to wobble in an unbalanced manner.

“Vivi!” Quin snapped, taking a quick step or two to reach out and grab her hand. “You will stay beside me, you will not rush down the ramp — you are huge with youngling, and you will stay safe!”

“Please,” she said, her voice eerily calm as she stared directly into his eyes.

“Please what?” Quin asked, less than patiently as his mother quickly approached.

“You forgot to ask ‘please’,” Vivian said coldly.

“Please,” Quin said exasperatedly. “I’m merely worried for your welfare. We are not on the ship any longer and there is more to consider here, not to mention you are not as graceful as you are when not carrying another being inside you.”

“I’m perfectly capable of walking on my own. And they are your people. There is nothing to fear.”

“All is not always as it seems. Not even on Cruestace. Please, just humor me.”

“Fine. But you will find it in yourself to speak kindly. Or I’ll go back to the ship. I think I might like you better when there, than when here.”

“He’ll adjust!” Eula said as she threw her arms around Vivian, having finally reached them. “He’s just snippy because he can’t control all things here like he could there.”

Quin watched as Vivian melted into his mother, the Sovereigna’s, arms. “I missed you so much!” Vivian exclaimed.

“I missed you, too, daughter!” Eula began escorting Vivi down the rest of the ramp, their arms looped together as they spoke animatedly.

“Glad to be home!” Quin called out.

“And we’re glad to have you home,” Eula answered, grinning at him over her shoulder as she and Vivi continued until they reached ground level.

Quin’s father, Sovereign Zha Tahl was waiting for him at the bottom of the ramp and shook his hand, patting him heartily on the back the moment he set foot on the ground. “Welcome home, Quin.”

“Thank you,” Quin said, his eyes focused on Vivi and his mother as they stood to the side and spoke excitedly.

Zha Tahl smiled as he watched his son watching his mother and mate practically forget that they were there. “She’s waited all our married life for this. And now that the youngling of her youngling is almost here, the excitement grows daily.”

“I understand that. But Vivi is easily overwhelmed. She tires easily and will not take the time to rest herself,” Quin grumbled.

“Then let’s get her home quickly. We’ll all make sure that she gets the rest she needs.”

“Good luck with that,” Quin quipped. He turned to the ramp again, taking up a position beside his father, acknowledging each of those who’d chosen to remain in service to himself and Vivian as they moved planet-side. As the last of his entourage joined them on the ground, Zha Tahl’s security came down the ramp after them, while workers loaded bags and trunks onto cargo charies and secured them for their trip to the palace.

“Bye! Bye, Mother!” a familiar voice shouted.

Eula turned, holding her hand over her eyes to shade them from the glare of the suns as she looked up at the top of the ramp and the open hydraulic doors where some of those remaining on board the warship were standing and waving. Zeroing in on her eldest son, she waved exuberantly, jumping a little in place. “Bye, Rokai! We love you!” Eula called back.

Thrilled that his mother had broken protocol and let it be seen that she was excited to see him, he grinned and blew her a kiss.

Eula returned the gesture and waved again as the doors began to close. “I wish there was time for him to visit,” Eula said.

Rokai caught sight of his father, standing ramrod straight, watching him. Straightening himself up, Rokai mimicked his father’s posture and saluted him with a fisted hand and forearm over his chest.

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