The Anialwch Connection
Chapter 2
Akira placed a piece in the puzzle and retrieved her hot drink, looking at Quade over the rim. The more she knew about him, the more she loved him. Yet, after nearly four years, their relationship had become stagnant. He obviously cared for her, but he didn’t appear to want a permanent relationship with her. At first, she had thought it was because of the reputation of Lochfowk women. Maybe it was, but he had easily fallen into a relationship with her. He dropped by to see her several times a week when he left the hospital in the evenings. Sometimes they talked and worked puzzles, and sometimes they made love. She couldn’t imagine life without him, but she didn’t want to go on like this.
“Saskia and Pieter invited us to the celebration tomorrow night.”
He nodded, searching for a specific piece.
“Are we going?” Akira prompted him.
He glanced up at her, his dark eyes searching hers in that way he had of reading her mind without giving a clue what was on his. “Do you want to go?”
Of course he would go. Donte was his son and he wouldn't miss a celebration that included him. What she wanted to know was if they were going together – or if she should go at all.
“I think we should.”
He shrugged and went back to his search. “Then we will go.”
He had answered the question she asked, but not what she needed to know. She waited, trying to work up the courage to tell him. There were two things she didn’t want to see on his face after she told him; hurt or indifference. She carefully placed her cup on the table.
“After the celebration, I’m going back to Lochfowk.”
His head jerked up and his confused gaze fixed on hers. “Why?”
He didn’t look hurt or indifferent. He looked surprised. Of course. Why not?
“I think I’ve taught the clinic everything I know about nursing in the last four years, don’t you?”
He sat up in his chair, the puzzle forgotten. “I hadn’t thought about it that way.”
She met his gaze. “How had you thought about it?”
He studied her face for a moment before responding. “I don’t want you to go.”
“Why; because I’m a good nurse?”
“No, but you are that.”
“Because I’m good in bed?”
His neck colored and he avoided her eyes as he reached for his cup. “It’s more than that and you know it.”
“Really? Tell me how it is, because I’m confused.”
He took a sip of his drink and set the cup down. Finally, his gaze lifted to hers. “I love you.”
“But…?”
He frowned. “What do you mean?”
She sighed. “Oh come on, Quade. We’ve been in this relationship for four years. Why would you think this is all I want? I don’t understand why it is all you want.”
He shrugged. “You've seemed happy with it.”
She resisted the urge to get up and walk away. That wouldn’t solve anything. Of course, neither would this conversation. Obviously, their goals were incompatible. There was no point waiting for the celebration. He didn’t want to go anyway.
“Akira?”
She looked up at him and waited for his question.
“What is it you want?” He asked.
He was possibly the most intelligent man she had ever met. How could he not know what she wanted? Maybe he simply wanted her to make things clear. She leaned toward him; her hands folded in front of her.
“I want a permanent relationship. I want to exchange vows with you.”
He watched her for a long time, his face void of any expression that would give her a clue about what he was thinking. Maybe he didn’t want to hear that, but if so, he shouldn’t have asked. Finally, he leaned back in his chair.
“I want that too, Akira, but I don’t know how all this is going to work out. I didn’t feel I had the right to drag you into it.”
She frowned. “All what? Drag me into what?”
“The Prophesy.”
He hadn’t been the same since he had gone to the Baigh with Rianne and Donte. He had told her what they discovered. At the time, The Prophesy had been overshadowed in her mind by the information that Lochfowk Mascots had the gene of the anura. At least the Mascots of other colonies had the gene of a mammal. Hers had been an amphibian. It had been humiliating to her, but Quade couldn’t understand why it made any difference.
To her way of thinking, the gene modification was fact. The Prophesy was guesswork about the future of the colonies.
“Why would The Prophesy prevent us from exchanging vows?”
Quade sighed and leaned his arms on the table. “The colonists are supposed to turn on the Mascots. They may try to kill all the rulers.”
“Maybe; or the entire thing may be a figment of someone’s imagination. In any case, as your mate, I would be at your side. You know that, don’t you?"
“Exactly, and it might be the very reason they would turn on you.”
It was a relief that his reluctance was due to concern for her safety and not the reputation of the promiscuous Lochfowk women.
“If The Prophesy does happen, it won’t be for a while, right? Not until Celyn turns nineteen. We could have that time together.”
He nodded. “It would be more than I had with Anika, but the outcome could be the same.”
Donte's mother had died giving birth to his children. They'd had less than a year together because of the plague. Anika had been his second wife – obviously the love of his life. She could never replace Anika, but that didn't mean they couldn't have a meaningful life together.
“If I knew they would execute me next year for being your mate, it would be worth every minute I spent with you.”
He smiled. “Thank you for that, but it isn’t that simple. When the time comes, I will be backing Donte all the way – even if it means my death. I can’t expect you to be there for me when I might not be there for you.”
“Oh, I see. You couldn’t be there for Anika.” She looked him straight in the eye. “I wouldn’t expect any less of you. Part of what I love about you is your sense of honor. You’re so gentle and caring.” She sighed. “I understand. I don’t want to push you into something you don’t want, but I hope you understand that I don’t want to go on with this kind of relationship either. I have been patient with you, but I have not been content. Settling for any kind of relationship with you in order to be with you is demoralizing for both of us.”
He leaned back in his chair and retrieved his cup. He sipped on it, a reflective expression on his handsome face. Finally, he lowered the cup and his gaze lifted to hers. “Do you have your vows ready?”
“Yes.”
He smiled. “So do I.”
They solemnly exchanged vows there at the table. He stayed at her cottage that night and helped her move her things into his home the next day. They would attend the celebration that evening in Bergen as mates.
***
When Donica answered the door and saw Kenyon standing outside, she rushed into his arms and hugged him. "Oh, what a pleasant surprise! I've missed you so much – and Nana and Papaw – and Donte and Rianne – and Dad. I haven't even had the opportunity to see Petra yet. Come in and I'll fix you a hot drink. Tell me all about what has been happening in Libertad and Bergen. What brought you to Lockfowk?"
He laughed as he looked at her swollen stomach. "It looks like you've got some news as well. When is it due?"
She wrinkled her nose. "In a few weeks. In all my imaginings about the joys of pregnancy, I never envisioned feeling like bloated carrion. The doctor insists it is only one baby, though."
She could say things to her brother that she would never think of saying to anyone else. He had a strange sense of humor and usually stated exactly what was on his mind in an amusing way.
He laughed as he followed her into the kitchen and dropped into the chair she indicated. "Where's Chait? How is the campaign going?"
"He's campaigning in Bree right now." She poured water in a pan and set it on the stove. "I haven't seen much of him lately. He's always travelling."
Kenyon nodded. "I suppose that's all part of running for President." He leaned back in his chair and put one ankle on his knee. "Why Bree? Isn't that the little outpost in the mountains where the Nyumbani attacked and took Akira captive? That's where Beier was held captive, wasn't it?"
In one breath, he had made the similarities between Nyumbani and Lochfowk colonies clear. She nodded. "Beyer spent most of his captivity on a farm near there. Bree is the closest settlement to the Anialwch Palace and it has grown in importance since Lochfowk began trading with them."
He nodded again. "I see."
She sat down at the table. "So, tell me what has brought you to Lockfowk."
He smiled. "I'm here to escort Mai and Sima to the ceremony. I hoped I could take my little sister as well."
"Chait doesn't want me to travel and I don't feel like it anyway. I'm a little concerned about being away from Bergen when the baby is born, but Lochfowk has the best medical care on the planet." She smiled. "Besides; it has Chait."
He didn't say anything
"Tell everyone that I love them and I'm thinking about them."
Kenyon's somber dark eyes held hers a moment. "I'll tell them. They will be disappointed, but they will understand." He suddenly smiled. "Well, maybe you'll be able to travel in a few months and we'll see you both then."
By "both" he meant her and the baby, not her and Chait. No one in her family liked Chait, but they never said anything. They welcomed Chait because he was her mate. Chait said he admired her twin brother, but sometimes his actions toward Donte spoke otherwise.
Kenyon had been a captive of Lochfowk for thirty years. During that time, he had repeatedly tried to escape and it had been Chait who led the group sent to bring him back. Chait said that he was only doing what he was told. If he became president, he would be able to make his colony better.
They sat in uncomfortable silence for a moment until Kenyon changed the subject. "Beier has been trying to keep us informed while Donte was in the service. He's been Pieter's assistant. He helped develop the trade between Anialwch and Lochfowk while Donte was in the service. He has helped unite the colonies."
That was true, but Donte wouldn’t like the way it was being done. When he found out, Donte would want some changes made. That would likely lead to a rift between Donte and Papaw again. They wanted the same thing, but they had fundamental differences about how their goals should be achieved. Donte had learned to submit to Pieter because he was the ruler, but this would be different. When it came to The Prophesy, Donte was the chosen one, not Pieter. But then, Pieter’s public opinion of The Prophesy was that it was nothing more than folklore. What he privately believed might be another thing. Both Chait and Pieter were being influenced by Ness, Chait’s running mate, who thought those who subscribed to The Prophesy theory were weak-minded. Ness had never met Donte, but Pieter and Chait should know better. Actually, they did. Neither of them believed Donte had a weak mind, but they didn’t want to be considered weak-minded – which ultimately made them weak-minded, didn’t it? Of course, she didn’t actually think either Chait or Pieter were weak-minded. It was a toss-up who was more stubborn, though.
She shrugged. "I don't see Chait very often. Mostly, I stay here at the house and try to stay out of politics."
"Have you met Chait's running mate, Ness?"
"Yes, briefly."
Actually, from the time she met him, Ness had made her feel uncomfortable. Like Kia, Sima’s vice-president, he was close to what she might describe as evil. They both seemed to be motivated by self-gain. They liked having power over others. She had the feeling there was little they wouldn’t do to promote themselves.
He lifted his brows. "There is a rumor that Ness wanted to make an all-Mascot council."
"Yes. Chait wanted to enlarge the council, but...I heard Papaw wanted to make his cabinet Mascots too."
Kenyon gave her a wry smile. "I don't know what he wants, but he doesn't appoint his cabinet members – they are elected by the people of Bergen. I understand that, in Lockfowk, the President appoints them. Bergen's cabinet members represent the public but Lochfowk's council members each represent a specific group."
"True. I think Donte would agree with Chait about enlarging the council, but he would never agree to it being all Mascots. Ness says that Mascots should take control so that if the colonists turn on the Mascots, they will be able to subdue any uprising."
Kenyon studied her face a moment. "They don't believe in The Prophecy, but they want to be prepared for it." He shrugged. "I don't think it matters what Donte thinks about what happens in Lochfowk, but I'm sure he would object to Pieter appointing any cabinet members."
She nodded vigorously. "Yes, and I'm afraid it would cause a rift between them again. If Donte keeps saying that Colonists and Mascots should have equal opportunity in government, he's going to start trouble."
Kenyon's laugh was a brief expulsion of air. "I think sparks are going to fly between Pieter and Donte no matter what happens." He shrugged. "I think Pieter knows how Donte feels on that matter. I think we're on the verge of major change. Maybe that's what The Prophesy is all about.
"No. Donte says The Prophesy is going to happen when Oriel returns."
"All that is theoretical. The politics of it is fact." He grinned. "And speaking of politics, you seem to know a lot about it for someone who tries to stay out of it."
She smiled. "When your mate is campaigning, you're bound to learn things."
He lifted his foot off his ankle and leaned forward, placing his hand over hers. "I know you're in a difficult situation. Hopefully, all this will soon be over and we can all start working together."
She gripped his hand and leaned forward, kissing his cheek. "I hope so – and I hope you visit me more frequently. This isolation is the worst part."
He stood. "I'll make a point of visiting more often."
Soft Science Fiction
