The Alliance - 17. A New World

Aaron curled up in the captain’s quarters, nibbling on a pastry Mateio had made him. Algaer, the Faro had called it. The fox had hidden himself in the bathroom, showering, and had declined Aaron’s offer to join him.

Honestly, the elf was happy his offer had been declined. He may be better than most at keeping his wolf contained when he needed to, but he still had his limits. And Mateio seemed to push every one of his buttons when it came to his wolf. Aaron didn’t know what it was about the Faro. He had certainly never thought of himself being in love with a fox.

They were a day from Astara, and every minute that passed made Aaron more nervous. He had abandoned his people in their time of need. Would they still accept them as their king? And had Adara stepped up to lead them in his absence? She was still young, and still had so much to learn.

Even if he found the palace still standing, he had to begin the process of reassuring his people they were not in danger. A hard thing to do after an alien invasion had so easily taken them. Oh, and there was the small matter of his mate being an alien.

Aaron swallowed the last of the pastry and stood up. He stripped off his clothes, calling upon his wolf. Falling into the other form always seemed to help the king. His wolf had simple concerns, eat, sleep, and mate. Here his other problems seemed far away, and he could look at them without panic.

The wolf jumped back into the bed, licking up the stray crumbs that had fallen as he ate. Curling up, Aaron closed his eyes, breathing in the scent of his mate.

He was the rightful king. What he had done was for the benefit of the planet. It shouldn’t be hard to prove that.

The door opened, bringing with it the scent of wet fur. Mateio turned the corner, smiling as he found Aaron in his wolf form.

“Hello there.”

Aaron’s tail thumped happily on the bed, tongue lolling out in a wolfish smile. Mateio reached out an arm, his fingers scratching behind Aaron’s ear, and the wolf rolled over.

The Faro joined him on the bed, laying beside the wolf. His hand slid through Aaron’s fur as they lay quietly.

“All those years, reading and dreaming about your world. I never thought I’d get to go there. I mean, just finding Artemis’ writings was a challenge. I only knew about your planet because it was mentioned in a footnote in a book on Faro bondmates.”

Aaron cocked his head slightly, Mateio smiling at him.

“It was a project for school. Apparently a neko had been the bondmate of one of our ancient families, briefly. My people don’t talk about the Artegos much. They’re seen as traitors to the planet, and the Alliance. It’s a long story.”

Huffing quietly, Aaron set his head in Mateio’s lap, the fox moving his hand to pet his head.

“And now I’m bonded to the king of the planet. I thank Golaski every day for letting me find you. And I know there will be a lot of work helping you care for your people, but I want to do whatever I can to help you. I will prove to your planet that I am not to be feared.”

Aaron let his body grow out, shifting back into his elf form.

“You don’t have to show them anything,” he said quietly. “You are my mate, and they will accept that.”

Pulling Mateio on top of him, Aaron kissed the Faro.

“I love you.”

“I love you too.”

Itumak took a deep breath as he entered the kitchen. Ten hours from landing. Mateio was asleep, and Lian was following Itumak silently, a habit the neko couldn’t seem to get him to break.

Aaron sat in the kitchen, eating a salad. Upon seeing Lian behind Itumak, the elf pulled his food to the far corner of the small table, eyeing the Daknar warily.

“Calm down, he’s not going to eat your food,” Itumak said, rolling his eyes. “I need to talk to you.”

“So talk.”

“I’m leaving the palace guard.”

Aaron frowned, but nodded.

“You’ll still stay at the palace though, right?”

Itumak shook his head.

“I don’t think people are going to appreciate Lian being on the planet. Not after… well…”

“I see. So, you’re just going to leave the planet?”

“Probably. I can stay for awhile if you want, help you with cleaning up. But I was talking to Mateio, and he said he might be able to help me test into the fleets. It would be a show of good faith, you know? I mean, I’ll have to come back to Astara occasionally, but there’s a whole new reality out there now, and I want to explore it. Did Mateio tell you the Egaro home world is almost completely water?”

Aaron shrugged.

“Maybe Mateio and I can go there after Adara takes the throne,” he said, taking a bite of the salad.

“That’s it?” Itumak asked. “No tantrum, no attempt to get me to stay?”

“Why would I do that? You’re my friend, and you always will be. But eventually you’ll leave. At least this way I’ll get to see you occasionally. Besides, you’re right, Lian would probably be in danger on Astara. I don’t want to risk your mate for my sake.”

Itumak shrugged.

“I don’t know, I just thought this would be harder, you know? We’ve been friends for years.”

“And that isn’t changing. But you have to find your own path in life. I can’t do that for you, as much as I’ve tried.”

“Fuck me… When did you get so wise Aaron?”

He felt Lian staring into his back with alarm and Itumak chuckled.

“Relax Lian, that wasn’t an invitation.”

Aaron shrugged as Lian settled down again.

“Maybe it’s an elf thing,” he said. “Just do me one favour.”

“What’s that?”

“Try not to lead the Empire to a primitive world,” Aaron smiled.

Itumak laughed, shaking his head.

“Now is that any way to talk about your mate?”

“Probably not,” Aaron admitted. “But seriously, be safe, okay?”

“I’m not leaving yet,” Itumak reminded him.

“Just trying to get the awkward ten minutes of loving out of the way early,” Aaron smiled.

Standing, the elf dumped the remains of his dinner in the recycler.

“Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a fox waiting for me.”

“Pervert,” Itumak snorted.

“Oh, says the werewolf who’s fucking the Daknar.”

Aaron left the room with a grin on his face, Lian staring at his feet.

“Is he upset with me?” the Daknar asked.

“Not at all. Sometimes we say things that we don’t exactly mean. I know Aaron isn’t a pervert,” Itumak smiled. “It’s just how some people show their love for each other.”

“You love him?”

“Yes, but it’s a different kind of love. Now, what do you want to eat?”

Mateio sat in the cockpit, fingers twitching nervously. This was it. He was landing on Astara again, and announcing himself to the people of the world.

The planet hung in front of his ship, Reinard scanning it again. Mateio needed the fresh map to know where to land.

“Planet surface scanned,” the ship’s AI announced, a map appearing on a screen.

“Aaron, where do you want me to land?” Mateio asked, turning to the elf behind him.

“Probably the palace, if it’s still standing.”

The ship dipped toward the planet under mateio’s direction, quickly breaching the atmosphere.

A loud beeping filled the cockpit, Mateio frowning.

“There aren’t any Imperial ships around…” he muttered, his eyes scanning the radar.

“Well did you think my people might be a little trigger happy after an invasion?” Aaron asked.

The elf stuck his head out of the cockpit, calling for Itumak.

“I need the code for military craft around the palace,” he said.

Itumak frowned, closing his eyes.

“Fuck… uh… I don’t remember codes, but they should broadcast on 116,” the neko said.

Mateio’s hands flew over the radio controls, picking up static.

“Bogey over Astara City, not from the planet, I repeat, we have an alien bogey…”

“There,” Aaron said. “Can I message them?”

“We’ll try, but I’m not sure they can get it.”

Mateio pushed the ship‘s nose down further, eager to get closer to the ground. He didn’t know what kind of weapons Aaron’s people carried, but he was not interested in testing himself against them.

“Astaran Air Force, be advised the alien vessel contains King Aaron. Do not engage, I repeat, do not engage,” Itumak called over the radio.

They flew over a city, Mateio noticing several ruined buildings. The palace was up ahead, and he slowed the ship down, making for a flat grassy area in front of the building.

“So much destruction…” Aaron breathed.

“Affirmative, King Aaron aboard vessel. We have weapons locked. You will adhere to our flight path or be shot down,” a voice said over the radio.

“Golaski save us,” Mateio muttered, watching his radar.

He spotted no less than ten planes flying around his ship. There was no way he could survive the weapons from all of them. Setting himself behind the lead planes, the Faro followed the order he had been given.

They landed outside of the city. Lian breathed a sigh of relief as Mateio touched down on the ground. He wasn’t ready to die yet.

This was his first alien planet, and already it seemed so different from Narax. There the cities bowed to the law of nature. Here it seemed nature bowed to the planet’s inhabitants.

“Lian.”

Itumak touched the Daknar’s shoulder, staring into his eyes. Lian had to swallow down the tinge of fear he felt whenever the two soul looked him in the eye.

“The people here won’t like you. I want you to remain on the ship.”

He couldn’t leave Itumak. What if something happened? His place was at his soulmate’s side.

Opening his mouth, Lian uttered a word he had never thought he’d say.

“No.”

Itumak blinked at his defiance, his face turning sour. Briefly Lian wondered if he had gone too far. Was he about to be punished?

“Please Lian, it’s for your own safety.”

“Itumak, there’s no time. We need to get out of here before they decide we aren’t friendly,” Aaron said.

Itumak sighed, pulling his hand away from the Daknar.

“I want you to stay here. But if you insist on coming with me, then you need to stay at my side. Understood?”

Lian nodded, letting out the breath he had been holding. He followed Itumak to the door, the shapechanger pressing a button on the side of the ship.

The door opened and Itumak stepped out, his hands in the air. Lian followed him closely, hearing several strange clicks.

“Hold your fire!” Itumak yelled. “He’s with me!”

There was a solid line of beings standing in front of them, guns aimed straight at Lian. The Daknar gulped, tucking his wings in close. Suddenly he wished he had listened to his master.