Extraterrestrial Lives

28

 The landing was definitely a crash landing. After making sure that my people are okay I release the door and we walk or rather stumble out of the ship. The other ships I had released had all chosen this spot and those people are also stumbling out of the ships. 

Rafe gets on his phone and calls for some transport. Emergency vehicles are already on their way. Every one is ordered to be checked out. Rafe doesn't like the idea of losing anyone due to a hidden injury.

He made sure that I was the first one checked out. They cleaned up and glued the skin on my head wound together. Beats stitches that I thought I'd have to get. "You're good to go Princess." The emergency worker says and I thank him. I slip away and head into the woods that are on the borders of the fields we landed in.  Fortunately the fields had been fallow so no harm to the farmer had been done. Although it will take some time for the fields to be workable again.

Rafe catches up to me before I can hide in the forest.

"Maha, please stop." He begs me but I don't stop, haven't I already given him everything?

"Don't leave me please," I hear the tears in his voice, but I can no longer believe that they are real.

"What the hell do you want from me Rafe? I've given you everything, I don't have anything more to give you. Why won't you just let me go?"

"If I let you go, where will you go?" Rafe answers me. He answered a question with a question, I hate it when people do that.

"I think you know where, Rafe."

"I can't let you do that Maha, killing royalty is illegal you know. If you use my knife then I will be charged with your murder. My knife, my wife, the people will have me condemned in no time. They love you Maha, if you take your life then mine will be required as well."

"Tell me another one Prince. The people love you, they tolerate me. You are enamored of our daughter and the people will be too. They don't need or even want me, not really. Just like you don't need me, not really.

"Just leave me Rafe. It will be better this way."

"Better for whom? Me, hell no it won't. They kept me sedated and in near coma conditions until the day I went for you. They had to to keep me from screaming. Better for our daughter? How is not having a mother better for her? Better for my people? Not a chance, it's because of you that the Other's might be defeated and my people were for the most part retrieved from their captivity.

"I don't see how any of us are any better off without you." Rafe has by this time come up to me and holds me to him.

"I don't know what happened to me the day OUR daughter was born. I was mesmerized, completely captivated by her yes. And to my shame I neglected you, ignored you and didn't even notice when you left. But that's not the case now Maha, I need you at my side. Only with you am I whole.

"Our daughter has been fussy and inconsolable since you've left, or so I've been told. She wants her mother. You need to come back to her, to us, to me. Please, Maha, we need you more than you can possibly imagine."

I look at Rafe, when he loosens his hold enough for me to turn. I wish I could believe him, I really do, but he's lied just one too many times. I look into his eyes and say, "I don't believe you."

My world falls apart right then and there. I've done too much damage. She has found the bottom of her forgiveness and there is no more to give.

My chest tightens and I find it hard to breath.

"I will return to the palace and stay at your side, well I'll be at the palace, until the threat of the Other's is done.

"After that I want my freedom. You can have your daughter, you made it very clear that she's not mine. She's the crown princess and needs to be raised at the palace under her father the king. I'm sure that there is some way to annul or divorce the marriage. You'll find someone else that the people will love because she'll be one of them."

Her words make it so I can breathe again. If I can convince her before the threat is over then everything will be alright. If not, Father is going to have to find someone else to take the throne.

Maha pushes out of my arms and goes back to where the people are. Soon she is swallowed and the people enclose her. I hear from here some of what they say. How can she believe that the people will ever forgive me if she leaves me?

The people are well aware that it was Maha that made it possible for them to leave the ship and return to Ziamlia.