Page 69 of Alien Prince's Fake Bride
She gives a little giggle in response, leaning into me as we walk.
It’s a sunny day, and many people have assembled outside the barriers that surround the royal part of the spaceport. They’re cheering, some calling my name and some trying to pronounce ‘Umbra’.
I stay calm and collected, as royal etiquette directs, not giving them any attention.
To my surprise Umbra draws breath and shouts “good morning!” in nearly perfect Khavgrese while waving one arm. It’s clearly her AI that has supplied the words, but the crowd reacts as if they suddenly come to life. They cheer and scream and yell ‘we love you!’ right back at us. People come running to join the crowd, and I know that the Imperial broadcasters willhave a wonderful day when they show the peoplethisnews item. A royal who talks to the crowd!
And why not? I follow Umbra’s example and wave and smile, too. “Do you like my princess?!” I yell.
The crowd goes crazy. “We love Umbra!”
The cheering is becoming ear-splittingly loud, and the people in the security detail are looking worried. Even the Calanians, the imposing Imperial Guards, are drawing closer.
“I love you too!” Umbra replies, waving both hands as we approach the land transport.
The crowd replies with a thunderous roar, hands and tentacles waving wildly.
I can hear the shocked muttering from my mother behind me.Shehas certainly never had the people cheer for her.
When we reach the transport, Umbra quickly drags me to the barrier and reaches her hand out to some of the children standing there, pushed into the metal grid that surrounds the transports.
“Thanks for meeting me!” she chirps before I gently but firmly lead her back to the transport to the deafening sound of hundreds of children squealing with glee.
She manages one last wave before the door closes and everything gets quiet.
Caret’ax gets in behind us, and the vehicle starts moving, hovering a hand’s breadth over the road.
“Was that too much, darling?” Umbra asks, eyes shining and cheeks glowing.
“It was perfect,” I chuckle. “That was exactly what they would expect from an alien princess. No Khavgren would ever have thought of it.”
“The royals on Earth sometimes wave to the people,” she tells me, leaning into me because there are two other people in this transport, the driver and a lackey, as well as Caret’ax. “I thought it would be all right.”
“It’s not something we usually do,” I inform her. “But now you should do it every time. It will irk some people. Our next stop is the Emperor’s palace. We will see my stepfather on hos Throne.”
“What’s he like?” Umbra asks.
I think about it. It’s a hard question to answer briefly. I didn’t have time to tell her much about Khav on the way here, being busy communicating with my generals and directing all the various battles that threaten to destroy the Empire. I should have told her more about my family. And maybe about me. The way it is, Umbra and I have either been busy running from death or been on a warship with every facility for me to run my armies and navies. I simply could not ignore my duties.
I take her hand and squeeze it lightly. “My love, the Emperor is old and sick. He was the brightest and most ambitious man in the Empire, once. But he got used to the power and to the luxury, and then he got sick. He seemed to stop caring about the Empire. Some blame my mother for that, saying she was a bad influence. That she was the real power. Well, perhaps she was. Or is.” I glance at the lackey, who’s sitting with his back to us and staring straight ahead as we make our way through the city. I have no doubts that everything we say will be reported to the Empress. But I don’t mind her hearing this. “But he can still make decisions, and he still rules the Empire. It may be apleasant experience to meet him, or it may not. Much depends on how he feels today. But I return married, only a few days after his command. I think he will appreciate that. But we shall see.”
Umbra looks up at me, and I can tell she has a lot of questions. But this is not the time. We’re supposed to be married, and everyone would expect me to have told her everything about the royal family, at least.
She understands the look on my face and leans into me again. “Such a beautiful?—”
She doesn’t have time to finish the sentence before the lackey sitting in front of us whips around in his seat with death in his eyes, tentacles tipped in dark red. The back of his chair drops to the floor to give room. In his hand I spot a long, thin blade that comes straight for my bare chest.
I reflexively reach for Bellatriz, but drawing a sword while sitting down is hard at the best of times, and I can’t make it. I realize for a sickening moment that I’m dead.
The blade suddenly flies out of the lackey’s hand and buries itself in the metal ceiling.
Caret’ax roars and throws himself over Umbra and me, massive hands going for the lackey’s throat.
“Don’t kill him!” I manage as I pull Umbra to the floor and crouch over her, making sure any other threats must go through me before they can reach her.
The driver stops and pushes the button in every royal transport that means ‘assassination attempt’. The doors fly open, and before I can take another breath, four security people throw themselves into the transport. No command is being shouted.They quickly slam a transparent sheet around Umbra and me and drag us out of the transport and into another, identical one that’s come up alongside. The doors slam shut, and the transport moves ahead at its maximum speed.
“Same destination as before,” I command. “The main entrance to the throne room.”
