Extraterrestrial Lives

13

To say that I was nervous is an understatement. I was terrified. I went from being a nobody, a nobody that was teased and tormented all her life, to being the crown princess of a people that cross ten planets. I was about to address all ten planets.

I want to throw up. Rafe holds my arm reassuringly and smiles at me. My nerves settle dramatically and I can breathe once more. He leans down and kisses me. Just our luck that's when the camera's turn on and the conference starts.

The king stands up to the podium and I'm glad that look isn't directed at me. He's beyond angry.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, if I can call you that after your remarkably bad behavior this day. I called this press conference to introduce you to your new princess. Yes, Maha has already married my son, but we will be having the official wedding televised later this year.

"I had hoped to do this under better circumstances. It was bad enough, having to declare my oldest son a traitor and sentence him to death, now I have to deal with the..." I felt it time that I step in.

I gently tug at his sleeve and he turns his attention to me. I nod to the podium and he nods.

"My new daughter would like to speak to you tonight. Princess Maha?" He steps down and steadies me as I step up.

Rafe steps up to my side and quietly gives me strength.

I allow my anger to do my talking. "I understand that there have been riotings all over this world and all the worlds that the king rules over. That's bad enough. That they started because of the treasonous acts of his son that he had to execute makes it worse. But the one thing that makes them beyond explicable is doing them in MY name.

"As was made clear in the trial," I had this point clarified while waiting, "I'm not from any of your planets. I'm from a planet that was destroyed by the Other's. The only survivor of nearly seven billion people. Now I know that might not seem like much for you since there is more than that here on the home world of yours.

"But it was the only planet that we were aware of as having life. We didn't know of you or the Other's. We aren't at this level of society, forgive me, weren't at this level since they are all gone. But you are all acting like them.

"I have lived through riots. Don't use me as an excuse to destroy people's lives. The business's, homes and lives that you destroy don't hurt Gearan. He's already dead. Doesn't hurt me, or the rest of the Royal family. The only people it hurts are you. How many of you have destroyed homes and business's of friends or even enemies because you thought you could use me as an excuse?"

"Well it stops now. I WILL NOT BE USED AS AN EXCUSE TO DESTROY anything in a riot. Stop acting like spoiled children that need to be spanked and sent to bed. Or in this case locked up in jail and fined heavy penalties. There is no excuse for this bad behavior. And it better stop now.

"I will hold a press conference where you can ask questions and get to know me when you act like grown ups." I'm still so angry that I'm shaking. There are no questions for me, which is a good thing because I wouldn't answer them.

Rafe helps me down and escorts me from the conference room. The silence remains until we are out of earshot.

As soon as we were out of the view of the reporters I pick Maha up and swing her around. "You were perfect." I told her laughing at how she told off ten planets worth of people, calling them spoiled brats was even better.

The king and queen soon joined us and although they are still sad because of my brother's execution they too were smiling at the put down Maha was able to do.

"Thank you Maha. Already reports are coming in that the riots are slowing down. The military commanders were laughing at you calling the people spoiled children needing spankings. They love you." My father reports and mother is smiling.

"Thank you. I hope all the riots stop soon. I've seen too many people lose everything to riots to ever condone or sanction them myself."

"Rafe go take your bride to dinner. She has done more than enough this day." Mother orders and this is one command I'm more than willing to obey. I salute her and pick Maha up and take off through the corridors back to our room.

"So, now that we're here where's our dinner?" Maha says before I let her down.

I don't speak just look at her and then kiss her.

Rafe tosses me a shirt as a knock comes at the door. It's one of his and covers me down to mid thigh. I pull up the covers as Rafe lets in the staff that bring us dinner. I watch my new husband, he looks good without a shirt. He supervises the placing of the food but doesn't pay any attention to the female servants that look at him in invitation.

The staff all know that we were married earlier. But that doesn't seem to matter to them.

Lucky for them Rafe isn't paying them any attention.

I get up out of bed and saunter over to Rafe and he wraps his arms around me and pulls me close. "Jealous princess? No need to be." He kisses my hair and gives the male servants the evil eye when they look at my bare legs.

"I find that I don't like the idea of sharing either," he growls.

"Stop growling it's not good for your throat. And you have no need to worry on that score." I can feel why he's finding himself short tempered. I smile, no one has ever wanted me like him.

Fortunately for all the servants they finished setting up the dinner soon after that and they left.

Rafe's balcony is enclosed by glass paneling for when there is bad weather. But that makes it so we can still use it. Tonight wasn't bad weather, just windy, but it was a very romantic setting.

The food was delicious and the company couldn't be better. Dessert was the best. Other than the trial, execution and riots, I couldn't have asked for a better wedding day.