Chapter 8
CHAPTER EIGHT
Selena
Things settled down after my outburst, and I returned to my spot between my nestmates on the lounge chair.
Xylo cleaned Meti up while Odelm and I fed the twins.
When she fell asleep, Royak asked to hold her as she slept.
He and Vikvez doted over her as if she was theirs.
It was cute, and I felt no bitterness at the scene.
I kept an eye on Zirene to see if he showed any signs of jealousy and was relieved when none came.
After the twins had their fill, my nestmates cleaned them up.
Ayces and Pavryn each took one. I mentioned they enjoyed being near each other, and that caused a flurry of questions that overwhelmed me.
Xylo and Odelm took over and answered them, for which I was thankful.
Even though I was still upset about my breastmilk drying up, I realized the benefits of having an alternate feeding option.
Having the ability to allow others to feed them when I wasn’t around gave me a sense of ease.
Zirene said once the cubs were old enough to hunt with a mentor, things would be easier.
Over our delivered lunch, Zirene spoke of his plans to please the CEG Assembly during our appointment tomorrow.
He felt if he gathered a collection of doctors and scientists whom he trusted to respect my wishes, it would force the Assembly to let everything be.
I was an Aldawi Prince’s Mate, and the cubs were his.
They might become future leaders in the Aldawi Empire, something that hadn’t crossed my mind until now.
“If you have Vikvex as our Primary Aldawi Doctor and Xylo as a Senior Scholar, why not hire Senior Healer Chyox and his Assistant Healer Usthu too? You enlisted Pavryn to be our cubs' mentor, but what about hiring Hatchery Manager Ayces also? Xylo has worked with his co-workers for over five years, and they all have worked well together since they found me. We both trust them. You trust Vikvex and your half-brother, Pavyrn.” I spun my body toward Xylo. “Aren’t your fathers well-known healers on your home planet? Couldn’t we enlist them to work for the Aldawi? ”
His pupilless teal eyes widened as he looked between Zirene and me.
“Yes. They are famous for their work. They both stated they would settle wherever we colonized once I gave the word. That is, if they are welcomed.” His gaze landed on Zirene.
“That leads me to my next subject.” Zirene peered at the Circuli princes. “Selena told me you had something to ask me.”
Both Princes glanced at me with shocked expressions as they figured out what I told Zirene. I shrugged and snuggled closer to Xylo’s side as Odelm’s tentacles tightened around my legs.
Z’fir pulled his gaze from me and spoke up. “You stated there would be a reward if we brought Selena to you right away and kept her safe and healthy.”
“We request assistance to find a planet for us to settle on,” V’dim finished, his eyes still focused on me.
“Don’t shame Selena for telling me,” Zirene snapped, his voice laced with authority.
It caused the room’s focus to shift to him.
“She asked me for a wish earlier before everyone came together.” He paused, trying to soften the hardness in his voice.
“She asked me to help you find a planet, so the Destiny wouldn’t continue to roam aimlessly once we finished our business here.
” He glanced toward me. “What she doesn’t know is the place I built for her over these past years would also be perfect for your needs. ”
“It can’t be…”
“Yes, Selena. Our dreamscape world is based on a real place. All those times I took you traveling along the island and asked you about your opinion on everything? That was my way to find out what you liked and what you thought I should build where. As my Seedbearer, I needed to give you something of huge value and elaborate in detail. I am giving you the water-based moon that circles Lunkai, the capital planet of my star system. She is yours to do with whatever you please. Currently, it houses a gem mining team, a specialized military academy, along with my office when I am visiting between missions, housing for civilians as you wanted it, and your royal property. There are three habitable islands that could house a population of about one and a half million before it becomes strained.”
Standing, I leaped over the back of the lounge chair, and stopped before him, unable to believe the news as he watched me in shock.
“It is too much.” I murmured, trying to search for the first sign he was joking.
His eyes softened as he wrapped his arms around me, tucking me into his bare chest. A rumble escaped him as he tightened his hold on me.
“I am the Second Prince of the Aldawi Empire. If I didn’t give you something of such value, others would think I was trying to insult you.
The moon is yours. The gem mine itself can provide enough funds to build whatever you want and fund the community’s needs.
All you have to do is name it when I sign it over to you. ”
“I don’t know anything about managing something—especially not a moon!” I exclaimed as my hands gripped onto the fur on his chest.
“I already thought about that. My other half-brother, Vagren Ayvar, would help as your elected enforcer. He has been in charge of organizing the moon and supervising everything. He is being paid to manage the moon how you see fit. Your orders are final, and only the Sovereign, Royak, or I can override it.”
I pulled my face from his chest. “You truly have been planning everything.”
He brushed back my hair with his paw as he smiled down at me. “Only the unknown makes me uneasy. Now, what are you going to name your moon?”
“Destima. I once read it somewhere. It meant to love across the stars in some butchered sense. I thought it was pretty.”
“Then, it shall be named Destima.” He pulled his gaze from mine and studied the Circuli in the room. “What are you planning on doing with them?”
Turning around in Zirene’s arms, I looked at the other princes.
“Remember when I said you guys were thinking about the future wrong? That you could promote someone else to be the leader or change how to govern your species? If you settled on Destima, would you give up your leadership to Zirene’s half-brother Vagren and me?
The moon would be under my ownership, but it could become the sanctuary you wanted.
The small number of nestqueens you have could settle and start families.
I am sure after some trial and error over the next few years, we can settle on what to do with any improvements you may need. But for now, would that suffice?”
Suddenly, all of the Circuli within the room scrambled to the floor, kneeling their foreheads to the ground.
“We swear ourselves to you, Selena. And to your clan. We were renounced by our society and were explorers, hoping to find a new beginning,” V’dim announced.
“Now the Stars and the Fates have answered us, and we shall serve you, your clan, and the Aldawi Empire,” Z’fir swore.
They baffled me. I felt uncomfortable by their display as both of my nestmates joined their comrades.
I was just giving them a part of the gift Zirene gave me.
It would feel wrong to have a home to go to and have them part ways, not knowing when they would have a place to their own.
Especially after they spent all these years searching and did not find anything to fit their needs that wasn’t already claimed.
“Get up, all of you. There is no need for this.” They all glanced up, confused by my reaction.
“You guys broke the first rule of the room. Seriously, get up. If you are so thankful for this, then help me come up with infrastructure for the Destiny’s crew.
I am lost when it comes to everyone’s needs. ”
“We could use the dreamdome to plan. I can relocate enough dream-engineers to have everything built by the time the Destiny arrives. It would take ten days. That would give the princes time to organize where the crew would stay.”
“Dreamdome?” I asked, confused.
“It is something Aldawi use to build blueprints in their dreamscape, along with other things. Dream-Engineers take the blueprints and enter them into a fabricator, which takes a fraction of the time needed to build the designed object. The only restriction is the planner's imagination.”
“How is that possible?” I asked, unable to comprehend the capabilities needed to do such a thing. If the Aldawi had this power, what stopped them from taking over the whole galaxy? Why did they allow minor species to continue like the Circuli to live in their territory?
“Aldawi technology. Something no other species has in CEG. They keep trying to steal it but are never successful. The Aldawi are the only species with the ability to dreamwalk—other than you, Selena,” Royak explained.
“And you have a dreamdome here?”
Zirene nodded and tilted his head toward the doors behind him.
“The Royal Aldawi Commons has the only one available on the space station. It is through those doors. We could enter it now and make plans.”
“Who would watch our cubs?”
“Vikvez, Pavryn, and I can,” Royak volunteered.
“If there are multiple powerful Aldawi in the dreamdome, it can cause issues with getting things mapped out since they can all effortlessly control the dreamscape—even unconsciously. This is between you, Zirene, and the princes,” Royak chuckled. “Besides, I plan to visit often.”
“Do you even know how to take care of cubs? I thought males typically aren’t around females and their cubs?”
Royak glanced at Pavryn as Vikvez answered, “If the male has a Seedbearer, he can take the cubs from her to raise once they are weaned. Royak may not have the experience, but I have aided many high-ranking males in taking care of their newly acquired cubs until they are old enough to have a hunting mentor and go to the academy. That is where Pavryn comes in. Between the three of us and the supplies you have in this room, we won’t fail to care for your cubs.
They are the future of the Aldawi Empire, in one form or another. ”
His reasoning was sound, but I hesitated, realizing this was the first time I was consciously leaving my cubs behind with someone outside of my clan.
I knew Zirene trusted them, which helped ease my anxiety.
My excitement trying something new—which sounded amazing—overrode my doubts.
I hoped the cubs behaved while we were in the dreamdome.
“I trust you. It is just my motherly instincts kicking in.”
All the Aldawi males laughed loudly. I watched them in shock, along with the rest of the room.
“You are funny, Selena. An Aldawi female with new cubs would be highly aggressive and wouldn’t even allow any of us near them or their cubs.
You have been tame—even with your outburst earlier,” Zirene chuckled.
“Not that voicing your feelings to us was uncalled for. Even other females in other species wouldn’t allow this many males around them at this vulnerable time with newborn offspring.
You are making everything easier on us by being as relaxed and understanding as you are. ”
“That is because I haven’t had the chance to sit down and process everything,” I shrugged.
“Let’s see this dreamdome of yours.”