The Royal Mate (Space Wars) (7 page)

“Always trying to get me naked,” she said with a laugh, wincing when she realized it had come out loud enough that everyone could hear. She turned in the seat and gave him her hip, knowing that he would make sure that she didn’t flash anyone that didn’t need to see her. She felt the cool touch of the swab, then the pinch of the needle. It was almost instantly that she felt her stomach calming and a relaxation filling her. “Oh, that’s lovely.” She turned and let him buckle her back up. She slipped her hand into his, closed her eyes, and allowed the darkness to take her away.

Chapter Twelve

Markus let her sleep until after they had landed in the bay and the others had disembarked from the tramp. Only when the ship was cleared did he unbuckle her and gently shake her. “Paisley, we’re here, little one. Are you going to wake up to see your first destroyer?” he asked when she made her cute face. Her nose wrinkled up and her expression took on a stubborn edge. He knew she was resisting waking.

“I don’t think I’m ready.” He loved the way that her voice sounded when she was all sleepy like she was right now. “I love waking up to your voice. Have I mentioned that?” Okay, so maybe she was such a lightweight with medication that she was a little drunk from it right now.

“You have mentioned it before, actually. When we were in the bunker and I woke you from our nap.” Settling in next to her again, he was not surprised when she moved her head to his shoulder and wrapped her hands around his arm. “Take your time and wake up. That medication hit you pretty hard, I’m starting to think. We’ll dial down the dose next time.”

“It’s okay, honey.” She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer. Her breath was warm against the side of his neck. “I think for now I need to get up and walk. Let’s get moving so they don’t think that you’ve bonded with a weakling.” That was something else he noticed about her, that she was constantly thinking of him.

“No one thinks you are weak, Paisley. Three of the men we rode up with threw up on their first trip to the orbiting station. Each new crew we get on board, there is usually one or two who are sick for anywhere from a week to a month until they get used to the unusual motions a destroyer makes. All too proud to take the anti-nausea medication. Believe me, no one is judging you for being upfront about the issue and accepting the treatment.” He did stand and help her to her feet. “We can walk around the landing bay until you feel ready and then move into the destroyer proper.”

“No one will be in here, right? It’s just going to be us in the landing bay?”

“Only us, little one. I promise.” He moved an arm around her waist to hold her closer to his side. Slowly they worked their way out of the tramp. When they were on the deck plating, he began to walk her around the ship. It was slow going at first with a few stumbles, but eventually she began to regain full coordination and was not leaning against him quite as much.

Finally, she said, “I think I’m ready.” Her voice was clearer now, her tone no longer sluggish.

“Good, let’s go get something to eat.”

“Will we be able to eat alone or will we be expected to share a table with the general and his people?” He could hear the uncertainty in her voice.

“Fintan will be checking in on the command deck and looking over reports. If he did not get waylaid by Adira on his way up there, that is. Right now there should only be a handful of crew in the dining hall. Don’t worry, little one. I don’t plan to throw you to the wolves yet.” Shaking his head, he led her out into the corridor and toward the lift. He kept her close to his side as they walked. Markus couldn’t wait until he could get her alone, but he knew that was still hours away. A shame, that, but he would survive.

Chapter Thirteen

Markus brought them to a stop before a door and pressed a button on the control pad next to it. A couple moments later it was opened to reveal a woman definitely not of Craegin birth. Movement behind her had Paisley looking down to a pair of big eyes peering up at her from a cherub face. “Hope we are not interrupting, Adira. Fintan thought it would be all right if we stopped around so I could introduce you to Paisley.”

“Not at all,” Adira stated with a smile, then glanced down at the child who was looking up at the woman at his side. “In fact, I would like to have some help if you don’t mind? Lennox and Morgan are both full of energy right now and I have a monster of a headache.”

Paisley bent to her knees and looked at the beautiful little girl before her. “Hello. I’m Paisley.” She held her hand out to the child, then looked up at Markus and Adira. “I just love kids so much.”

Markus was smiling, and Adira looked bemused. “You go and lay down. We’ll entertain the little ones. If we’re not here when you wake up they have kidnapped us, are holding us hostage, and you will need to send in a full platoon with treats to get us free,” he told the other woman. “Go on, we’ll be fine. Paisley has some experience keeping little ones in this age group on task, being a teacher.”

Paisley nodded and assured Adira that it was true. “I have missed children so much. It’s always fun to meet new children. These two I have heard a great deal about. Lennox, I hear that you are called The Little General, is that correct?” she asked with a smile.

After looking up at his mother, who nodded, he leveled a look on her and smiled. “Mama says I am like Dada.”

“In more ways than one,” Markus said. He bent to lift Morgan into his arms when the little girl made the pick-me-up hand motions. Waving Paisley in, he followed with the little girl on his hip and closed the door behind them. “He gets many of the same looks on his face when things are not going his way. I have to share something with you, Lennox—Paisley here loves to tell stories. I think we should give her a test to see if she can tell one that meets your high standards.”

When the little boy nodded, Paisley winked at him and took a seat on the couch so that they could settle in together. Once they did, Paisley began to tell the little man a story that her mother had told her so very, very long ago. She started to tell him all about the first war that her mother had ever been a part of, leaving out the really brutal parts of it all.

Morgan occasionally seemed to tune into the story but for the most part, she was playing with the buttons on Markus’s uniform and chatting quietly with him. Lennox, though, was enthralled, watching her intently the entire time she spoke. Every now and again she saw confusion on his face but it was always swept away by concentration.

At the end of the story, Paisley decided to girl it up
for Morgan and was adding in little bits and pieces about how her mother had went shopping on the new planet and was telling the little girl all about the new fabrics that her mother had also brought home for her. It was then that the little girl started to get interested in the story as well.

Morgan’s eyes widened when Paisley described the finished outfit. Her little mouth dropped open. “Pwetty,” she whispered in awe.

Lennox was watching his sister before realizing Paisley was looking at him. Meeting her gaze straight-on, he gave a little nod. Paisley felt like she’d passed a test of sorts. A quick glance to Markus found he was watching her with a crooked grin. “Good job,” he said.

“Thank you.” She winked at Markus. “And I have images of the final dress as well. I will show them to you sometime, Morgan. If you’re interested, that is,” she said with a smile. “And for you, Little General, I will show you Mom’s collection of medals. Images, of course, because those are all ones that she has earned over her career. I think perhaps one day you will have your own medals and that’s going to be an impressive bunch of them. I can’t wait to watch you grow into a big general, my little man.”

Throwing his arms wide, Lennox watched her. “He wants a hug,” Markus said. “Watch your hands, Little General, or you and I will be talking later.”

Morgan giggled when Paisley leaned in to accept the hug and kiss Lennox gave her. The little girl laughed even more when Markus brushed a kiss to her cheek and gave her a squeeze before settling her to a different position on his lap.

Paisley snuggled in with Lennox and watched Markus with Morgan. “You look good, you know that?” she told him. “I think that you and I should have at least one, maybe two one day. What do you think? We should have a few in our lives.” Having children with him would be fabulous—later, of course.

“Whatever you want, little one.”

She reached out to touch the child’s cheek gently. “You are such a beautiful little girl.” She had her mother’s coloring but her father’s eyes. She was stunning, really, and Lennox was General Daykin all over again only in miniature version.

“She is the only one who gets to sit in the command chair when they come up there to visit. It is amazing how well behaved a group of individuals become when they have a pair of little ears listening to absolutely everything they are saying. She also likes the various panels. Fintan thinks it’s because of the lights. Personally, I believe she’s plotting how to take over the galaxy. But she’s cute and everyone claims she would never do that. I think they are all in for a surprise one day,” Markus told her.

Paisley laughed and nodded. “I think you’re right. She’s going to take over the entire galaxy one day and I can’t wait to see it.” She stroked the little girl’s hair. “What do you two say about us going for a small walk? Perhaps we will go and explore?” She looked to Markus to find out if that would be okay or not.

“I’ll leave a note for Adira if she wakes before we return.” Lifting Morgan up, he settled the little girl next to Paisley before he got up. A moment later he returned to the three of them and held out his hands to Morgan, who bounced up onto the cushion, then hopped into his arms. “We are good to go. We’ll go down to the hydroponics bay and let them play on the grass while we watch close at hand on a bench or a swing. We should also grab the bag of toys from the box by the door.”

“Sounds like a plan. All right, Lennox, are you going to be my little escort since your uncle Markus is busy with Morgan?”

“I can carry the toys,” he said before holding a hand out to her. Taking his hand, Paisley let Lennox lead her to the box and waited while he lifted the lid to pull out a duffel. He couldn’t quite carry it, though, since the straps were too long for him to keep it off the ground.

“I will carry the bag, Lennox,” Markus said. “You need to be Paisley’s tour guide. Tell her all about the destroyer areas we go past on our trip down to hydroponics.”

After a moment to consider things, Lennox left the bag on the floor and took Paisley’s hand again. This time, he tugged her to the door.

“Yes, this is going to be my new home, so I’d love to get to know the destroyer with your help. You would be able to show me all of the good places to sneak and play, right?”

“Maybe,” Lennox told her. He threw a look over his shoulder, then up at her. “I will show you,” he whispered loudly. Behind her, Markus snickered. Apparently someone else needed to work on their whispering, too.

“One thing at a time. Today is showing Paisley where hydroponics is.”

Paisley glanced down at Lennox and grinned. “I think that if you point to one place or another I will get the hint and I’ll be able to come back and find it later. How does that sound?”

Her answer was a big smile from the little boy.

“I think we are going to have to watch them, Morgan. Paisley doesn’t realize she has fallen into Lennox’s trap easier than anyone else ever has.”

“She pwetty.”

“Yes, she is, very pretty. Like you, little angel.”

Paisley smiled at them both. “I think that you are very pretty as well, Morgan,” she told the little girl. “You and I are going to have a great deal of fun together. We’ll be able to have some alone time together and we will figure out just how to create some beautiful little clothes for you. We are going to try so many new things.” They would be learning and never know it.

Morgan clapped her hands and made a lunge for Paisley. Markus kept her from going too far but Paisley still got her cheeks squished and a wet kiss on her nose.

“And that is the Morgan sign of approval,” Markus said. Adjusting the little girl in his arms, he shook his head. “I did not even have to tell you about that one. Good on you, my little bond mate. Morgan loves pretty clothes almost as much as she likes digging in the dirt in hydroponics. Which reminds me, where do we not go in there, Morgan?”

“Signs bad, no signs good,” Morgan said with a triumphant look.

“I don’t understand. What do you mean, signs are bad?” She focused this question on Markus. “Are there times when people can’t go into hydroponics?” She hadn’t thought about the clothes being the key to Morgan. She just was thinking about having the child learn how to measure, how to cut, and the math involved in making clothes. There was actually a lot that a person could learn in the making of clothes.

“There are many rare plants, trees, and bushes in the hydroponics bays. Ones that could not survive on Craegin but because of the carefully regulated atmosphere in the bay they thrive. Not all are safe to be around, so they have signs with warnings on them and are fenced off. We taught the twins to avoid areas with the signs until they are old enough to read them and fully understand what the meaning behind them is. Signs bad, no signs good, like Morgan said.”

“Ah, that makes sense. I look forward to being able to learn all about the trees and plants and so on that are in the hydroponics bay. I can’t wait to learn about everything in my new home.” Because they were going to use this as their home.

“The bay is a relaxing place to go whenever you need a moment to recharge. I have often taken some downtime in there to read, or sit and listen to the waterfall. It’s amazing how that sound can wipe away all stress.” Reaching around her, he pressed the button for the lift and urged them inside. Lennox was the one to tell the AI what floor they needed to go to.

“Seriously, you guys have a waterfall here? That’s amazing. I’ve never before seen a waterfall outside of being on a planet. I can’t wait to see this.”

“It is not a big one, but yes, we have a waterfall. There is also a stream, pathways, benches, and swings. There’s a pond, too, with a few fish in there. Decorative and not to eat despite Morgan’s three attempts to catch one. Adira still thinks she wanted to kiss the fish but I am not buying that excuse.” The AI announced the floor at a low volume and the doors slid open. Lennox pulled on her hand to get her moving out of the lift.

Paisley let Lennox pull her out of the lift and grinned back at Markus. “Well, I’m sure that Morgan would have quickly put the fish back into the water if someone explained to her that the fish can’t breathe air and only water. Has anyone tried to explain that to her?” She looked once more at the little girl and felt her heart melting. Gracious, to have two such beautiful children of her own would be a blessing. She had changed her mind. She wanted twins just like the general and his wife had.

“We have, several times, actually. She claims it is for kisses, but there’s this look she gets when she is hatching a plan, so it has made us all wary and watchful when she is in there. No playing in the water, Morgan. The fish all need their rest today.” At his words, Morgan’s lower lip poked out and began to quiver. “Do not try that with me, little miss. We both know you are only doing it because there is a newbie here you think will fall for it.” That quickly the quiver stopped and Morgan heaved a put-upon sigh.

Paisley’s eyes went wide at the way that the child reacted and she giggled. She couldn’t stop it. “Oh, that’s too precious. You sweet little girl.” Then she looked down at Lennox. “What about you, Little General? What is it that you like to do that drives your parents crazy?”

Lennox gave her a smile that was pure innocence. When Paisley looked to Markus for answers, he shook his head. “He has tried to pilot the destroyer a time or two. Other than that and his penchant to wander off to various parts of the ship without letting Adira know, he is a good kid. He looks out for his sister and tends to let her get into all the trouble while he stands watch. They are still working on their signals, though.” Lennox stopped before a large set of doors and looked to Markus. Stepping around the little boy, Markus put in a code that had the doors sliding open to release a wave of humidity into the hall. “They’ll shut automatically behind us.”

She waited and heard the air pressure settle around them. Once that was done, she winked at Markus. “So is there a swing here that we’ll be able to use?” It had been one of her favorite things as a child, being pushed on a swing.

“There are a couple for adults, and we put in some for the little ones recently. Lennox, show Aunt Paisley where the swings are, please.” Setting Morgan on her feet, Markus let her dash off while he followed after the little girl. “We’ll meet you there. She has to do her rounds to greet her favorite plants first.”

“And fish?” Paisley asked with a laugh. “That’s funny.” She let Lennox take her hand and, after giving a wave to Markus, allowed the child to lead her away so that they could go find the swings. Her mind was already working on what might be useful for this area for the kids to help them find ways to get rid of energy.