We jump out for the last one and my stomach feels queasy, but I hold it back and breathe to gain my bearings. I look out and there is a planet, though it seem to be covered in ice. It's really looks inhospitable from up here. "Where are we?"
"It is Cohtahn-ahar the ice planet that was one of my Mothers holdings she acquired a long time ago, when she first Pledged herself to my Father." She banks the fighter heading towards the planets surface. "All of my Mothers holding passed to me when she died." I hear the sadness in her voice when she speak of her Mothers passing, and I can sympathize with her because of my Father.
I look at it again, and now that we're closer I can see sporadic settlements dotting the surface. "Hold on Ant, we're about to enter the atmosphere." The fighter starts to shake and buck roughly and I tighten my gut to keep it from shaking too much, but soon we get through it and everything smooths out. "Are you alright?" She asks with concern.
"You bet." I give her the thumbs up. We are still moving at break neck speed and I wonder why. "Jahní, why are still moving so fast?" I ask her.
"This a royal family holding, there are satellites that monitor it for security reasons. In ten minutes one of them will pass directly over the Palace." I understand, since no one knows where we went the eye in the sky would give us away. The Kings security forces would be all over this place in no time.
"So how far are we from the palace?" I ask her.
She looks at her instruments. "About eight minutes." she responds.
"Eight minutes!" I exclaim. "Thats cutting it kind of close don't you think."
I can't see it, But I'm sure she has a devilish gin on her face right now. "It will be fine." She says, but I feel the increase in speed, as she skillfully maneuvers the fighter down on the hard deck map of the Earth. Up ahead I see a mountain and at the top of it sits a palace, that seems to have been carved right out of the stone it self. It is a magnificent structure, with tall towers and defensive Parapets and murder holes. Firing slits dot the first two levels. And that's after you overcome the mountain. It's imposing.
She gains altitude circling to the rear of the palace, and a bay door is opening. A place to hide the fighter, and not have to expose yourself to the cold. "My Mother loved this place; it was her solace to be free from palace life and duties." This has to be very nostalgic for Jahní. She deftly swings the fighter into the bay landing with the softest touch. She is a spectacular pilot. Probably one of the best I've seen.
She winds down the engines opening the canopy; we both jump out of the fighter and I am impressed with it, and the ease with which it flies. I hear a voice and I turn around to find where it's coming from. An older Majah-tu approaches us and Jahní Takes off her helmet just dropping it on the ground. She goes up to him and just hugs him like you would a dear family member.
I take off my helmet and I place it on the wing of the fighter, and the old Majah-tu is looking at me as Jahní turns smiling so brightly. She speaks to him in their language and he nods, but doesn't smile at me. "So you are the human that we've heard so much of." He says a matter of factly, with a very heavy accent. He motions for us to follow him, but I get the feeling that he's not to thrilled to see me.
Jahní walks with me by my side and we're still wearing the armor. "I'm sorry about his reception to you. His name is Kohan-To. He has been serving my family for a very long time, and he was very loyal to my Mother." She looks at him smiling. "However, he disagrees with what I'm doing."
I look around at the palace and it's very quiet. "Is He the only one living here?" So he knows about us.
"Oh no, there are the rest of the staff who are waiting in the main hall." She says and I feel better somehow, to know that he's not the only one that I have to deal with. He leads us to the main Hall where the rest of the staff is and it's a mix of ages here, from young to old.
Kohan-to speaks to them in their language and they all turn to me, and I feel like the class science project. Though they all bow towards Jahní and then to me. I incline my head to them and some of the females even smile at me. I can see some of the looks they give of interest.
As we move on Jahní leans into me. "The girls are excited to see such a handsome off worlder. I'm almost jealous at how they reacted." She smiles at me, with a mischievous glint in her eye.
"Jahní, I only have eyes for you and you know that." She takes my hand and squeezes. Kohan-to stops at a door and opens it.
He turns to me. "This is your room Captain." I look into it and it's nice, with a cozy feel to it.
Turning to him I incline my head. "Thank for your help." He bows and then leads Jahní to the door next to this one. As she walks I notice that even with her armor on her womanly figure is not obscured. Jahní turns and looks at me smiling, with that same look in her eye as before. She knew I was checking her out. I grin sheepishly and duck into the room.
Once inside I realize that there is a change of clothes laid out for me on the bed. It looks like it will fit me, but how do they know my size. Jahní must've been planning this for a while, without anyone finding out. The room is warm, but not overly so. I change into this Majah-tu clothes and they are comfortable. It's trousers and a shirt, very breathable and easy to move in; next to it is a cloak of animal skin of some kind, so I throw it on to see if it fits. I look into a mirror that is in the room, and I study myself. I look like some medieval player on some stage, don't get me wrong it's just not my style.
A knock on the door makes me turn, wondering who it could be. I walk over and open it and Jahní is standing there wearing a beautiful gown that just accentuates her shape. It glitters with silver and gold inlaid into the cloth. She's also has a simple silver circlet, with a single diamond like gem in the center that sits on her forehead. "You... look stunning."
She smiles and she looks so much like a Queen right now, that I feel like a troll before her. She is not human and her beauty is etherial, like something out of a fairy tail. "I would like to come in if it's fine with you."
"Please, come in." I invite her in to the room I'm using and I offer her a chair. "So, What can I do for you my Princess?"
She smiles at me. "Ant, there is something I want to explain. Why I chose to come here." She looks down then she turns her gaze to the window. "My Mother loved it here, because she did not love my Father."
"What?" I'm taken aback by her statement. "Why?'
"My Mother's family belonged to the Farmer cast, that was where she was born." She looks at me. "Her eye where blue, as are most of her families." She extends both her hands to me and I take them kneeling down before her. "I love you Ant and I do not want my Mothers fate, to be mine." My God this is awful. "My Mother died of a broken heart and not even her children could save her."
"How did your Mother die?" I ask, not really wanting to pry.
She looks into my eyes, as tears begin to well up in hers. "She took her own life." The tears roll down her cheeks. I don't know how to comfort her; this is something different than anything that I've experienced, in my life. "It happened on Majah Prime, so this place has been my home for many years until... I found you." She produces a small box and she opens it facing her at first, then she turns it around. There are two identical rings in it. Golden circles with a blood colored stone set in it.
"It was here in solitude that she would find herself and reset her mind; it became her solace." She stays silent for a while. "That is until my Father forbade her to come here; she was spending more and more time at this place." She lets out a short breath. "I would come with her every time, so she wouldn't be lonely."
She looks down at the rings. "I'm not aware of your customs when two wish to pledge themselves, but normally the male is the one to seek the maiden." She shyly looks up at me.
"It's the same in my world, for the most part." I look at the rings, and I never imagined that a woman would ever be the one to ask for my hand. "So, what is the usual response to a proposal?"
She sits back contemplating the rings. "This is not a proposal. These are pledge rings."
Wait minute. "When you mean pledge rings... they're wedding bands.?" She nods the affirmative. I look at them and they're beautiful, but is this right for us to do in secret like this. I look into her silver eyes and I see fear, doubt and anxiety. But also... I see love. Our love spans time, as it has always been ours to have. I hold her trembling hand steady. "I accept you." I say to her.
The joy on her face will be forever burned into my memory; she stands up pulling me with her. "These rings once put on will never come off unless one of us die. They are called life rings, For with them we can feel the warmth and heart beat of the other" She looks at me earnestly. "We Majah-tu join ourselves for life and the rings represent that commitment. Can you accept that?" The Lord Knows what I want and she's right in front of me.
"I can accept that." She pulls the first ring and gives it to me she then takes the other ring.
"I Jah-Jahní, before the Creator pledge my life and my heart to you and no other until death." She slips the ring on my finger.
"I Antonio Valdez, before the Creator pledge my life and my heart to you and no other until death." I repeat after her slipping the ring on her finger. She then takes my hand with the ring clasping it tightly with her ring hand, and I can feel it burning. Then My whole body seems to heat up and she then kisses me passionately and I can feel her emotions, and my body begins to match hers.
I hold her tightly to me being lead by her emotions and mine. I pull away from her and I scoop her up taking her to the bed. We are a burning ball of fire as we undress each other. I have never felt this before, and we make love like wild animals. I can't clearly describe how this all works, but I feel her and she can feel me and this goes on all night until we're both exhausted and fall asleep.
The light coming through the window is dim. It's another day and Jahní is still sleeping. I sit up on the bed and gaze at Jahní taking in the beauty of her. I can still feel the smoothness if her skin, her warmth and her passion. Will it always be this way? Is it like this for all of them? She said her Mother did not love her Father; did she love another?"
Getting out of bed I walk over to the window and a snow storm is raging outside, and my mind is still a bit fuzzy. But that was amazing what I felt; her heart was in me and it was that rhythm that my own heart followed. I don't think her Father will be pleased at all when he finds out about this. In the same token I don't really care what he thinks, or anyone for that matter.