Chapter 4
Ding!
Zahra groaned as she lifted her head from the metal surface of her desk.
She must have dozed off at some point. Squinting around her room, her mind slowly caught up with her.
She’d fallen asleep while reading about the aliens…
and she couldn't remember anything that she'd read.
Wiping the drool from the side of her mouth, she tried to shake off the remnants of sleep that clung to her mind.
With another groan, she sat up, and ran her hands through her shoulder length blonde hair.
"Hello." Zahra greeted as she answered the call on her console. She sounded half-dead, her voice gravelly. She felt certain she didn’t look the most presentable, but… eh, she didn’t really care at this moment.
"Commander." The general’s voice burst through the console, a deep timbre that shook her delicate, sleepy eardrums.
"Sir." Zahra greeted as she suddenly felt thankful the general hadn't video called her. She must look horrible. For all she knew, she might have an imprint on her face from sleeping on her desk.
"It's time for an answer." He prompted.
Time? Zahra glanced over at the time at the corner of her desk. She'd slept the entire day away. That’s what she got for staying up so late.
"Yes. My answer is... yes. I will agree to the marriage. For one year." She felt it was important to remind everyone this would only be for one year. Not only to confirm it for herself but to everyone else.
"I'll inform them of your decision.” The general’s voice perked up. “A ship will arrive this afternoon to pick you up. Onboard you will be greeted by Holly. She's a cultural anthropologist, and since we met these aliens she's been the one who’s been studying their culture."
Good. Someone who might actually remember what she read, because she barely remembered a single word. So much for trying to read the night away.
"You'll be ready?"
"I don't have much to pack, sir." Zahra waved her hand to the military room around her, and then remembered they weren’t on a video chat. She'd been staying at a military space base since they'd been rescued.
"Good. I'll meet you on the planet along with other dignitaries. We figure a wedding should be a good place to mingle.” Then she heard the general snap his fingers.
"I meant to ask if you wanted any family members to witness the ceremony.
We wouldn't be able to have them there physically, but we could record it. "
Zahra shook her head. “No.” This might be a real wedding, but it was fake in all other aspects. There was no point to send it to anyone or bother anyone when it would be over in a year.
"We will see you there then." Then she heard the call disconnect.
"See you there." Zahra echoed to her console unsure of what she’d done.
____________________________
"I'm Holly." The short brunette smiled warmly, her long, brown hair framing her face perfectly. She stuck out her hand, and Zahra took it, shaking it briefly.
"Zahra." She replied, returning the other woman’s smile.
"Are these all your belongings?" Holly asked as her eyes skimmed over the couple of military grade bags Zahra had brought with her to the shuttle bay.
"I don't need too much." Zahra said with a casual shrug as she eyed the grey bags.
“That's fine. I know it'll end up being your husband's pleasure to provide anything you require."
"You do?” Zahra quirked a brow. "Have you met him?"
"No, but I've read up on a lot of information that they've sent, and it seems the males take pride in taking care of their women. To provide for you speaks volumes about the male.”
"You've read everything?" Zahra had dozed off before finishing the first file, and there'd been close to one hundred separate files.
"Give me time." Holly beamed as she held up a finger, seeming full of the confidence Zahra lacked.
"You must love this chance to be the first to study a new species." Zahra presumed as she eyed the overly cheery woman.
"Over the moon." Holly agreed with an eager nod. "And I'll be staying with you on the planet until your year is up."
"Glad to hear I won't be there alone." Hopefully Holly could keep her from accidentally breaking any laws or unintentionally insulting anyone. It would be horrible if she ended up in jail or worse. There were some alien cultures that punished the simplest offense with death.
A couple of human men stepped forward and grabbed her bags, hauling them onto the ship.
"Time to go meet my husband." Zahra still couldn’t believe it. She was about to be a wife. About to have a husband. She couldn’t run away and hide now. She had to be brave, brave for all the men and women who were ready to lose their life on the front lines to keep their families safe.
"Don't be too scared. I'll be by your side the whole time." Holly winked. "It was part of the contract. Your husband and no other Khuuz’eth is allowed to deny me from being by your side."
Zahra wasn't normally clingy, but she enjoyed the sound of having someone nearby. But she also figured there'd be times Holly might want to see or experience something unique to the alien culture, which would leave Zahra with some alone time.
"Of course, not on the wedding night." Holly chuckled with a shake of her head. “That will be between the two of you. And only between you two.”
Zahra froze in her steps. Wedding night. Duh. A marriage would include at least sleeping next to him if not actually sleeping with him.
"Which reminds me." Holly continued on cheerily missing the dumb struck look on Zahra's face. "They had a stipulation in there that you wouldn't be allowed on any birth control. Are you on any?"
"Oh, no. Not right now." Zahra said as she continued to think about having sex with Khaazai. From the few moments she’d spent in his presence, he’d been massive.
How exactly would a night… sex happen. She shook her head.
Maybe he didn’t intend to consummate the marriage.
A worry for a later time. For now, she needed to gain humanity another ally.
"Good, saves a visit to the medical office." Holly checked something off on her tablet that she carried. "Hmm, what else should we discuss?"
"How long until we arrive?" Zahra prompted. How much time did she have to compose herself?
"Ten hours. They've been kind enough to provide us with one of their shuttles, which has a faster engine."
"Oh." Zahra glanced around as they entered the dark interior. "That was nice of them."
"I think your husband is eager."
"Khaazai." Zahra uttered his name, almost unable to get it out as her nerves washed over her.
"You know him?" Holly turned and cocked her head as she continued to lead the way.
"I wouldn't say I know him, but we've briefly met."
"Sounds like there might be a story there." Holly winked over her shoulder at Zahra.
"Again, not much. Saved his life in a battle with the Sri’thaens when he and his men came to our aide."
"I could see how a warrior race like his might fancy a female who shows fighting skills."
"Warrior race?"
Holly nodded. "Their Emperor is determined by strength. He keeps the position for as long as possible... until he ages too much and someone younger and stronger overpowers him. Though from what I’ve read there have been a few Emperors who have held power even on their death bed because the people loved them so much. ”
"But normally the Emperor is overthrown by being killed?" Zahra grimaced. What kind of world was she about to drop into?
"Not necessarily." Holly shrugged a shoulder, seeming way too chill about this discussion. "The last Emperor was spared when he forfeited the fight to the current Emperor."
"Sounds like the justice system will be different to human ones."
Holly snorted. "You have no idea. Their justice seems to be resolved by what we might deem more barbaric means."
"And women?"
"What do you want to know?" Holly turned down a corridor, and Zahra heard the soft whoosh of the engine starting up somewhere deep inside the ship.
"Are they treated well? Same as the men?
Can a husband kill or beat his wife?" Zahra didn't want to marry a brute.
Then again General Bohler had reassured her that their agreement involved her not being harmed and returned in good health.
But... still... it wasn't like Earth was in a position to retaliate if they did harm or kill her and the Khuuz’eth had to know that.
"Mind you I'm still learning about them.
" Holly cautioned. "But from what I've read so far, their women are highly respected as life-givers.
But," Holly held up a finger in warning, "Cheating is a grave sin.
It's up to a wife's husband what her punishment would be.
Sounds like he can punish her or allow authorities to punish her. "
"And punishment might be?"
"Anything from a slap on the wrist to death. Up to the husband."
Great. Not that Zahra planned on ever cheating, but it still made her worry about accidentally breaking a law she didn't know about and losing her head quite literally.
Seeming to notice her discomfort, Holly laughed, "Don't worry too much about anything. General Bohler must like you because he made a contract stating you'd need time to learn their customs and laws. They agreed... kind of."
"Kind of?" Zahra stopped in her tracks. Wasn't like she could flee back onto the space port. The reverberations of the shuttle let her know they were already on the move.
"They agreed to leave it to your husband."
"Judge, jury, and executioner, eh?"
"With how eager your future husband appears, I doubt you have much to worry about." Holly reached out and grabbed one of Zahra’s hands. "Wait until you see the rooms. Their beds are so... comfy."
Zahra's eyes widened as they entered a cabin onboard the ship. The bed was circular and carved into the floor. But all the vibrant blues of the pillows and blankets called to her. Looked like a calming sea ready to lull her to sleep. And it was huge. Looked like a small pool. Then again, she supposed it was meant to fit an alien of Khaazai’s size.
"We only have ten hours before we reach their home world, and I'm sure you'd at least like a nap.”
"No, I'll be fine." Zahra cut Holly off.
"Okay, then we should sit down and go over some of these customs. Also," Holly basically skipped over to a metal chest and drew back the lid. "Your husband-to-be sent over these delightful pieces." She held up the fabric to her breast, a smile widening her lips.
"Maybe you should be the one marrying Khaazai.” Zahra half joked as she watched Holly twirl in a circle, clearly delighted by the clothing.
When Holly came full circle, she rolled her eyes. "I'm not the one who won his affections. Don’t think he’d be pleased to see me at the altar."
"Affections?" Zahra approached the chest as curiosity drew her feet closer, taking a peek inside the open lid.
Holly held out her hands, offering out the dress. Zahra accepted it and marveled at the softness of the fabric as she rubbed it between her fingers. The black material was swirled with a glimmering blue.
"Black seems to be a favorite color of theirs." Holly remarked as she dug through the chest. "And this is why I say affections.” She popped open another, smaller chest. "No man gives this much jewelry to a woman he isn't interested in."
"Looks like a bribe to me." Zahra commented as Holly held up different necklaces for her. Each necklace gleamed with magnificent jewels. The dull lights of the ship didn’t do the jewels justice. In sunlight, she felt certain they could blind a person.
Holly fished. "Where's your inner princess?"
"Wait," Zahra held out a hand," Khaazai isn't the Emperor, is he?" Her heart thundered in her chest as she waited for an answer.
"Oh, no." Holly shook her head. "Khaazai is the cousin of the Emperor."
Cousin of the emperor.
"How much power does an Emperor’s cousin have?" Zahra wasn't sure which was better, a man with power or a man without power. She didn't want to inadvertently insult the emperor when she inevitably left his cousin at the end of her year on their planet. Because that was what she would do. Leave.
"Not entirely sure. There isn't a whole lot of information on my pad about individual people. More just information about their people generically."
"Ah. Guess there'll be a lot for me to learn about him then."
"Isn't that the fun of a new relationship? The butterflies? The learning of each other’s quirks and what you love about each other?"
"Holly," Zahra laughed as she shook her head. "I think you forget this isn't a love match. It's an arranged marriage between two sides to form an alliance. This isn’t going to be my last relationship where I settle down for the rest of my life."
"Sometimes arranged marriages can result in love." Holly hedged.
"Have you seen their kind?" Zahra placed the dress back inside the chest. "He's less likely to give me butterflies and more likely to cause me to pee my pants. Those men are built like beasts. Massive shoulders. Muscled. At least from what I’ve seen."
"I haven't met any Khuuz’eth in person, but I've seen photos. Maybe not our classic definition of handsome but... there's an appeal to them. Don't deny it."
"Maybe when I've been around him more, I can let you know. So," Zahra clapped her hands together and plopped down on a cushion beside a low table. "Let's get learning."
"Okay." Holly plopped down beside her and placed her tablet between them.