Chapter 30 #3
It had been difficult, of course it had been, and he'd made it harder because of the circumstances that had pushed me into the creche.
But that didn't matter now. Or, it did, but only because it was the foundation we'd worked to rebuild together. I angled my body closer to his, nudging him with my shoulder and smiling. His eyelashes fluttered, just a little, before his chin shifted upwards and he smoothed away any uneasiness.
"I would like to say that the many creches we met with during our stay on Sozamia were welcoming to Sashen, given what he has been through.
Unfortunately, this has not been universally true.
We had anticipated that we might be afforded some privacy while Sashen adjusted to life with a creche and acclimated to our culture; this was not the case.
It is a testament to his grace that he has comported himself with dignity and patience during our time on Sozamia.
We do wish to extend our most sincere gratitude to the crecheless abaya of Radiant Ward who were sure to treat our Sashen with the respect and care he deserves.
I invite and encourage any who wish to return to Xitera to send messages directly to our home on Thelessia, as we will be accepting petitioners upon our return. "
Right. Well, the rest was up to me. I looked out at the crowd and was pleasantly surprised to see that the weapons provisioner, the pink sephear Imisu, had come down to watch.
I locked eyes with her, her mandibles flaring with happiness, and when I spoke, I addressed her directly.
That was less daunting than talking to the whole galaxy.
"I've never really had time in my life to – think about things," I said.
"And Araxis has encouraged me to really reflect on what I want in my life.
The last time we were at a media panel together, he said that he respects my autonomy, and he's shown that to me every day since we left Thenat-6.
Even when I found the culture shock to be…
a lot, or the welcome into abayan society a bit chilly, Creche Thiel has very quickly become my family, and there is nowhere I'd rather be than by Araxis's side.
I'm happy to say that I feel like I have my feet under me now; I know travelling to Xitera will be another adjustment for both of us, but we're excited to take up residence in Adralne and start our next chapter together.
I am eager to meet the many fine abaya who live in the city of spires and am honoured to soon be able to call Xitera home.
" I assumed the live translation would take care of that for the viewers who didn't speak abayan.
The sephear's eyes glistened with interest as she listened.
I took a steadying breath, and continued.
"Araxis and I have spent a lot of time talking about what we want our future to look like, and it's been important to both of us that we look for ways to acknowledge who I am as well.
Anyone who watched the Galactic Tournament knows that I have a…
fraught relationship with the place I came from, but there are still some cultural traditions that feel meaningful. I –"
Suddenly, the words left me. I wasn't sure how to explain this part, because it felt simultaneously disingenuous and incredibly vulnerable, like somehow it could be both a lie that meant nothing to me and a deep truth I was having a hard time looking at.
The silence stretched as I turned it over, and then Araxis raised his hand to stroke the shape of my shoulder, his palm steady.
I leaned into him a little more, and set myself back on track.
"I've also spent a lot of time with different people from across the galaxy, who have their own beautiful cultural traditions, some of which made more sense to me than the ones I grew up with, and some of which were kind of like echoes, but in a way that felt more authentic and welcoming to who I am as well," I continued.
"And – you know, I'm going about this in a very long way, and really, I think we've said the important and serious part, haven't we? "
I glanced at Araxis, whose mouth twitched into a smile as he nodded. "Yes, beloved, we have," he murmured.
I turned back to the crowd and found the weapons provisioner; there was a flash of movement near her waist and I realized, with a shock of delight, that a yellow sephear child was standing at her side, wide-eyed and practically vibrating with excitement.
There she was, my biggest fan. Well, I'd make sure today was a day she'd remember.
When I smiled next, it was genuine. "What I'm saying is that we've made a decision: after we get to Xitera and formalize our standing in the Hall of Records, we're going to be throwing a party and everyone's invited.
If you can't be there in person, we'll make sure it's on broadcast, because as hard as times feel right now, we think that love and kindness are worth celebrating.
So, here it is." I looked back at Araxis, heart stuttering against my ribs as I made sure my smile was firmly in place. "We've decided: we're getting married."