9. Jesse
JESSE
“But there’s got to be a way to check that the algorithm didn’t make a mistake,” I said. “Surely you don’t want your prince to announce our mating and have a public ceremony, only for it later to be discovered it was all a programming glitch and his real mate is still out there.”
“There’s been no mistake,” Ambassador Helkhor insisted for the umpteenth time. “And if there is, he will know once he meets you.”
I perked up at that. So there was a way out of this mess!
“And how will he know that?” I asked, my head urging caution to my hopeful heart.
“He’ll scent you, and yours will speak to his, triggering his venom sacs.”
“Venom sacs?”
I did not like the sound of that.
“There are two types of Dragonii,” Helkor explained.
“The Mahtras Dragonii, which the royal line is, possesses wings which are capable of flights of small distances and glides for even farther, a prehensile tail, and venom sacs. The venom sacs used to produce two types of venom in our ancestors, but modern Dragonii now only produce one, which only fill once they’ve encountered their mate.
They’ll swell and begin to produce trace amounts of kasha, alerting the Dragonii they have met their fated one.
Then during claiming, the sacs completely fill, and when the bite is exchanged, it causes each mate to carry the scent of the other.
This mingling lets other Dragonii know they are claimed. ”
“But I don’t have venom sacs, so how would that even work?”
He smirked. “Sex also mingles scents quite strongly.”
I blushed. “Oh. Got it. So, if he sniffs me and I’m not his, he’ll know because his venom sacs won’t swell and make that stuff.”
“Kasha, and no.”
“You said there were two types of Dragonii?” I asked, curious now about the difference.
“Yes. A far more common genotype, the Buleri Dragonii resemble the Matras, though their wings are smaller and are only capable of short glides, and they tend to be of smaller stature.”
“Huh. And that Redondo guy who was adopted by the Mylos?”
“He’s a Buleri.”
“And the prince is a Mahtras, right?”
“As are most of the nobility. Mahtras genes are dominant and suppress Buleri ones completely, so if a royal mates with a Buleri, the offspring are always Mahtras.”
“Huh.” I had to admit that was interesting.
I wondered what would happen when human genes started mixing in.
Not that I’d ever get to find out personally.
Not only was I a guy and incapable of having babies, but Prince Johree was going to get a good long whiff of me and smell right away that I was most definitely not his.
“So, I get to meet the prince in private before any official announcement, right?”
Helkor inclined his head in agreement.
“Yes. It is tradition, and as he is a royal in the line of succession, it is one the Grand Council insisted on keeping.”
“In case Xeranos’s test made a mistake.”
“To give you both time to meet each other before facing the scrutiny of the public. Such things are best done together, giving mutual support.”
Right. So the official party line was that, but really, it sounded like they had their doubts too.
“And we’re meeting on New Haven? What about my land claim? I wanted to start a ranch. I know he won’t want me to, but -”
“Why would he not wish you to do so?” Helkhor asked me, interrupting.
“Are you serious? He’s a prince and the governor of an entire planet! He’ll want someone who can host tea parties and shit!”
Helkhor smiled. “I would be very surprised if that were the case.
The prince is infamous for disliking standing on ceremony.
And while you may need to participate in some official functions, given the nature of the colony, they are unlikely to be very grand at all.
Visits to other worlds within the empire, especially when at the Royal Court, are another matter, but those will be rare as you both will be busy in your own ways helping the colony grow.
I stared at him incredulously. “Are you saying my land claim stands, and my grant money to purchase building, seed, equipment, and livestock?”
“Indeed. Your being matched to the prince did not rescind any of that.”
Hot damn! Not that it mattered. I wasn’t his mate. They’d all see. I’d make sure of it, not showering and getting myself a little sweaty to ensure he got a real good whiff of eau de Jesse.
“Now, if you’d please pay attention to the protocols when greeted by those of lesser rank, and when it is appropriate to disregard the same,” he continued.
I sighed, going along with his lesson so he’d stop harping on about it. Besides, it would come in handy to know how to address the prince and his entourage if I ran into them afterwards and all. I didn’t like to be rude, generally speaking.