Voices - M J Marlow (i can read with my eyes shut txt) 📗

not have
an unwilling wife.” He saw the chronometer. “If you will excuse
me; I promised Melaura I would teach her some more Hazri folk
song.”
I did not know how much longer I could stand having to
spend time with prince Tal; even with Aden at my side. It was not
as if he were cold or cruel; he was, in fact, quite gentle and giving.
I did not know how to deal with this kind of behavior. He looked at
me as if I were the most wondrous thing he had ever set his eyes
on every time he came to get me and it made my skin crawl. I
could not talk to my Grandfather about it; he had set this
chameleon on us in the first place. Today I would give my
statement to the Counselor and the next would find us on our way
to Vulcan for the Tribunal that would decide my fate. I was finding
it harder and harder to be angry at Aden. Once I accepted the fact
that he was a victim in this matter as well as I; my mind was open
to him. I wasn’t at all certain that I didn’t want to remain married
to him; and that confused me.
“Your Highness,” a pretty dark-haired woman smiled as I
entered the Counselor’s office. “Counselor Aitli will see you
immediately.”
“Maya!” I beamed as I saw the professional attitude slip
and she smiled at me. She put her arms around me and we
embraced. “How are you and your little one feeling?”
“Better every day,” Maya smiled back at me. She showed
me into the office and I looked around the comfortable
surroundings. “My father should be with you shortly. Afterwards,
we can get a drink.”
I nodded agreement to that offer and turned back to my
perusal. There was nothing sterile about this place. It was set up to
make anyone feel at ease; I knew this was on purpose. Aitli came
into the room and held his hands out to me. I was enveloped in his
embrace for a moment and felt calm flow through me. I knew he
was doing this for me and I let him know my gratitude. He laid the
back of his hand along my cheek and stepped away to indicate the
room.
“Please make yourself comfortable wherever you will,
Princess,” he said in his deep, warm face. I hesitated and he
frowned. “If you would prefer another Counselor?”
“No,” I shook my head. “I know you did what you felt was
best for me.”
“But you are tired of people deciding things for you,” Aitli
nodded his understanding. He joined me over by the waterfall and
pool set up in the corner. I sat for several moments just enjoying
the tactile sensation of cool water and the dancing colors of his
fish. “Shall I explain how this will go, Your Highness?”
“I was training on the Solace as a counselor,” I told him
before we began. “I have some idea of what this will entail, but,” I
continued as I looked at him; “I will be honest enough to admit
that the thought of you dancing in my mind does frighten me.”
“Dancing in your mind?” Aitli smiled at the image. “You
have a quite poetic way of phrasing things, Your Highness.” He
smiled and nodded. “Laura then.” He pressed a control and I knew
he was recording us. “Tell me then, Your Highness,” he said
softly; “what you remember of the events leading up to your
marriage to the prince Aden.”
I told him everything I could remember of my abduction
and waking up on Chandras. I admitted my memory was vague and
my impression that my kidnappers had kept me drugged until just a
few days before the Ferengi took us away. He asked brief
questions as we went over what had happened that day Aden had
married me while I was in a drugged state and unable to refuse.
When the testimony was over, Aitli brought me something to
drink. I felt myself floating off and knew he had done something to
help me calm down. He helped me lie back against the cushioned
bench near the pool and turned off the recorder.
“There is a trauma in your life,” he said as he pressed
certain points on my body and froze my limbs; “that is keeping you
handicapped, Princess. We will deal with that now.”
I was floating back down the years and found myself
standing watch as I was born. I saw my mother and father, so
proud and in love. News of my birth was sent out immediately and
my Hazri and Hazri relatives sent congratulations. As happy as
that made my parents, there was one notable lack of response that
wounded my mother greatly. She had hoped he would respond
once he knew he was a grandfather.
“He will regret his inflexibility, my heart,” my father, so
handsome with his gray-blue eyes and flame-red hair frowned. He
held us close and I felt the warmth of his love enfolding me. “He is
losing much by his unwillingness to let go of past hurts.” His hand
moved over my hair gently and the love shining in his eyes warmed
my heart and melted away the fear of recovering these memories.
“What shall we call our little princess, my love?”
“Maura and Lienna,” my mother rolled the names of my
two grandmothers around and smiled as she looked down into my
sleepy eyes. “Melaura.” She nodded and smiled up at her
husband. “Yes?”
“Melaura,” Alric nodded. He took me into his arms and
rose to his feet to present me to people I did not recognize. But the
fire red hair declared them to be Hazri, and the older one looked
enough like Aden for me to know he was his grandfather. “Your
Excellency, Your Highness,” he smiled at the four year old boy
standing at his grandfather’s side; “May I present to you our
daughter, Melaura.”
“Your future princess, Aden,” Leonid smiled as he took his
grandson’s hand and laid it on my tiny one. “May you always be
her champion, May she always be your heart.”
I woke up and I was in tears as I remembered everything
about the six years I had lived with my parents. I felt as if a part of
myself had returned to me and I looked at Aitli in gratitude. He
helped me to my feet and Maya and I left his office. Aden was
waiting for me and the calm and peace I had felt faded almost
immediately. He followed until Maya had to return to her duties.
Then he took me to the shops and we spent the rest of the
afternoon examining different items. He showed me several that he
thought his sisters and aunts would like to have. As we sat for a
meal, he told me about his household. He spoke with such passion
and such true emotion that I began to see more to him than before.
This was not a cold-hearted monster. This was a man who was
devoted to his people, proud of his family, and capable of deep
feeling. But was he a man I wanted to spend the rest of my life
with?
“It’s too soon,” I said softly as I rose and walked away
from him. He followed me to the Observation Deck and we stood
looking out at the stars in silence. I finally turned to look at him. “I
am just a child, Aden,” I said to him bluntly. “You are asking me
to leave everything I have ever known; everyone I have ever loved,
for a life with you in a foreign place. I don’t know that I can do
that yet. I need time…”
“You would consider accepting this union,” Aden broke in,
stunned; “if I gave you this time?” I looked hesitant and he raised
my eyes to his and searched for something. “I realize that you are
young, Melaura, and confused by all the changes in your life. I
would not pressure you if I were free to decide for myself.” His
expression was one of true regret. “I can not rest the future of my
people on the hope that you might agree to remain with me.” He
saw me hesitate. “I will leave the matter for now, Melaura. I have
duties I must see to and you need to rest.”
He saw me to my apartment and I went in quickly so he
could not touch me. I got myself a drink and went to ready myself
for bed. I froze as I saw Tal seated there on my bed. I backed away
and turned to call the guards. He clamped his hand over my mouth.
He dragged me back to the bed and held me tight.
“You will tell no one of this visit, Melaura,” he said
harshly, “or people you care for will begin to have ‘accidents’.” He
shoved me down on the bed. “I will come to you every night,
Princess; unless you do as you are told.”
“How did you get in here?” I asked as he caught my wrists
and yanked me close. He merely smiled and claimed my lips. He
pushed me back and I knew he was going to hurt me. “No,” I
whimpered against his lips. “Stop it…”
“You will not argue with me, Melaura,” Tal broke in, his
lust plain now. He ran his hand along my body and I stiffened. “I
cannot resist you any longer.” He took me then, with an urgency
that left me stunned. He got up and dressed and I watched him
begin to vanish, his finger over his lips. “No one knows, or
someone dies,” he reminded me before he disappeared.
“Your Highness?”
I looked up and saw two guards standing there. I assured
them that it was merely a nightmare. They left me alone and I
curled up on the bed and sobbed. Was there nothing that would
keep Tal away from me? Even on a Federation station, he had
managed to get to me to issue his warning and take me as if I was
his personal property. I couldn’t let him hurt the people who cared
about me, but was I willing to surrender to his foul attention? My
sleep was very restless that night. I would wake up feeling like he
had been there watching me or touching me and sit upright to see
no one there. The next morning I had to be wakened after I finally
fell asleep out of sheer exhaustion. I dressed and went down to
have the morning meal with Maya. She took one look at my pale
face and took me to the Infirmary.
“Nightmares,” I told the two women. I could see neither of
them believed me, but I could not risk Tal hearing I had said
anything. The Doctor gave me a sedative and kept me in the
Infirmary. When I woke up later that day, Natan was standing at
my bedside, holding my hand. “I’m fine, Grandfather.”
“Don’t lie to me, child,” Natan said as he leaned his cheek
against mine. “If he is doing something to threaten you…”
“I am fine,” I insisted again as I saw Tal coming towards
us.
“I heard you were indisposed, Your Highness,” Tal said as
he kissed my hand. His eyes searched mine and he knew he had
won for now. He had his tool to handle me. “You are feeling better
now?” I nodded and he helped me down. “Then we shall share a
meal together.”
I did not argue with him. I caught Natan’s worry as we
passed and I shot him a look asking him not to make trouble. He
followed us and he made certain that he was seated between Tal
and I as we took a table in