Page 32 of Alien Prince's Fake Bride
“Is there a tradition for marriage on Earth?” I ask. “I mean, you clearly understand the concept. But perhaps there’s something special you’re supposed to wear or say. We can probably use some of those things if you want, although it has to be done by Imperial rules and traditions.”
“I’d like to wear a green suit,” Umbra says. “Dark green, with splotches of lighter green here and there. Thick boots that go above the ankles. Black. And I should have a gun. Do you have handguns on your planet?”
I bring up some pictures of guns on the screen. “On my planet and all over the Empire’s army bases. There’s even a good few of them on this ship. We can look for a suitable one later, but the base probably has a better selection. That’s an unusual outfit you described, but it will look perfectly alien. Anything else?”
She taps her lips. “I should have a maid of honor. Another woman who can be my assistant and support me through the ceremony and the rituals.”
“Bellatriz, are there noblewomen among the officers on Grefve?”
“Checking… there are two. There’s Colonel Sigise Grast of the House of Topiuz and a Captain Girael Borrana of the House of Sekepte.”
My mood brightens a fraction. “Ah! Grast is a highly renowned. I pinned a medal on her myself just two years ago. Perfect!”
“Should we rehearse the ritual?” Umbra asks. “I’ve never seen a Khavgren wedding before.”
I scratch my head with a tendril. “I’ve seen too many to count. But they’re all different, and ours will be short and efficient. Suggestions, Bellatriz?”
“I suggest something like this: The Pontifex declares the purpose of the ceremony and invokes the protection of all the gods. Then both your identities are affirmed. Then there’s the exchange of Syntrix rings. That will be extra important for this fake wedding as a symbol. Then the vows, which can be short. The Pontifex will state them, and you two will simply say ‘this I vow.” Next the Pontifex will join your hands and pronounce you married. And then… normally, this is when the final wedding documents are signed. You two will have to either pretend to sign them or just ignore that part.”
I allow myself a tight smile. “Quick and efficient, as suitable for a soldier prince marrying an alien soldier ambassador. Minimal room for error. I like it. What do you say, Umbra?”
14
- Umbra-
“What are Syntrix rings?” I ask. That’s the only part of the thing I didn’t completely understand.
“Rings are a symbol of being married,” Mareliux explains. “We each give one to the other. They are crystal rings that can pulsate with Syntrix on rare occasions, if the couple are in particular resonance with each other. I doubt ours ever will.”
“Then what happens? After the ceremony?”
He sits back in his big chair. “We spend some time with the soldiers there, giving them a feast, laughing and trying not to get drunk. Then we retreat to the ship, take off, and set course for Khav itself. Easy.”
And that’s where I have to start acting,I think to myself. Acting like I’m in love with Mareliux.
It might not be that hard. I do feel something for him. Horny, mostly. A little bit in awe of his obvious qualities. But love? No, that’s not it. He abducted me, kind of gassed me, and thenpressured me into agreeing to his scheme. To love him, I’d have to get past that.
I don’t need to be a genius to see that if even the slightest thing goes wrong with this fake marriage plan, then I have a big problem. I don’t know how seriously these guys take that kind of fraud, but I imagine that with a prince, it’s pretty damn serious whichever way you look at it. And if they need a scapegoat, chances are they’ll pick the alien girl who’s not even from a planet they’ve heard of.
It’s a sobering realization. I’m risking alothere.
“This is actually really dangerous,” I say out loud. “For me, I mean. What if something goes wrong? What if they don’t believe us? What if you…desertme?” My voice cracks. Damn. This is all happening so fast, and suddenly it all hits me. My first meeting with an alien civilization, and I’m already guilty of fraud. Not a good thing for Earth, either. It could ruin our reputation for a long time.
A tense, awkward silence descends on the control room.
Then Mareliux gets up and comes over to me, taking my hand. “Come on. We’re not needed here, and I want to show you something.”
I wipe my sudden tears of fear as we walk out of the control room of the ship, get into an elevator, and exit in a new room. This one is simply a glass ball with space in every direction, even below us. We’re standing on a transparent floor in the middle. There’s furniture in here, soft chairs and chaise lounges for sitting on and lying on while looking up at the infinity.
Mareliux still holds onto my hand and points to the dome above us. “That’s real.” He points to the floor. “That’s a projection, andthe dome above can also be projected on. We use this room as a place for entertainment when we have a crew onboard. But I like to just stand here and look at the stars.”
Bellatriz translates, but she does it so well I keep forgetting she’s there. She times everything perfectly and makes it seem like I understand what Mareliux is saying, all by myself.
The sky out there is incredible, totally strewn with stars, all shining steadily like I could never see them from anywhere on Earth. Only from the Space Force station in orbit have I sometimes seen it like this through the tiny porthole, but I never had a chance to relish the sight of deep space. “I understand why. It’s marvelous.”
“It is.” He turns to face me fully, his laser gaze holding mine. "Umbra," he says, his voice serious, "I understand your fear. This situation is unconventional at best. And it must seem scary to you. It certainly does to me. But I swear to you, by the Syntrix and by my honor, I will not let harm come to you. That is my vow. And that’s a real vow, not a fake one."
He steps closer, his grip on my hand firm but gentle. "If at any point this becomes too dangerous for you, if the deception is at risk of failing catastrophically, I will ensure your safety. I have resources. I will make contingency plans with the Grefve garrison. I can arrange for you to be extracted. Even from Khav. To go somewhere safe, away from any fallout. Back to Earth, if that’s your wish."
