Birthright

With Jaisyl’s introductions done, Dustin and the others turned their thoughts to their onward plans. “So, where do you want me to fly us next?” Sammie asked, mouth half-full of biscuit as she lounged back in her chair. “We rounding up more allies or going to take a swing at the enemy?”

Dustin frowned and glanced over at Meli and Trea’k. “Neither. We’re headed back to Earth.”

That got everyone’s attention - they’d not left Dustin’s homeworld that long ago, and to return so soon would have previously meant that an emergency summons had arrived. Seeing the worry in all their faces - besides Jaisyl who hadn’t been aboard long enough to learn how things worked - Dustin raised his hands quickly. “It’s nothing they’ve sent me. It is important and fairly urgent though.”

The women looked at one another - all save Trea’k and Meli, who smiled over at their lover. Dustin returned the smile, then gestured to them. “We have some new arrivals to welcome soon, and the three of us have talked.”

Meli interrupted. “As I said earlier, I do not care where I have our twins as long as you are with me… oh, and as long as Bleu provides the medical support.”

As the slime woman nodded her agreement, Trea’k set down her cup and smiled. “In my regard, my mate, I will be satisfied anywhere that we are together and on this ship. Sola is my home, my… hive. If I am here, I do not care where Sola is at the time.”

Eyes flickered over to Emely at that point - the redhead blinking before she realized why, breaking into a dopey grin. “I didn’t think about it yet,” she said softly, finding the tips of her fingers suddenly very interesting as she prodded them together, “but wherever sir is would be ideal. Umm… Though maybe in a pool? It’s supposed to be easier for Feliax if we’re in water at the time. There’s plenty on Sola, plus I’m sure Rye could rig up the baths if needed and…”

Dustin cut her off with a smile before her rambling could derail any further. “We’ll organise for our child Emely… Or children I suppose, you haven’t scanned to find out how many we’re having yet have you Bleu? Right, well we’ll organise for your giving birth a bit closer to the time, kitten. For now, the focus is on my three firstborn. If any of you have a preference for where you give birth I’ll always try and arrange it, but as neither Trea’k or Meli does… I kind of want my first offspring to emerge in the light of the same star I was born under. So, with that in mind, back to Earth. Unless anyone has any objections?”

The intake of breath from ten different throats when Jaisyl raised her hand at that point was dramatic, and Dustin’s confidence that the situation with the princess had calmed down rapidly faded. Thankfully, the Tho’unn woman seemed to realise something was amiss. “Sorry… I was told that this was the gesture in human culture to ask a question?” Jaisyl’s tone was confused - and accompanied by enough exhales from the others present that Dustin was surprised the walls didn’t bulge.

“It is the correct gesture,” Emely began, her eyes flashing, “but it depends on context. In the context of someone asking if they have any concerns, objections or anything like that it usually means that you have one that you want to raise.”

Jaisyl’s face fell, and she lowered her hand. “I…” she paused, bit her lip and tried again, a regal calm coming over her features. “I appreciate your information, Lady Emely. Forgive me, ambassador - I will attempt to improve my understanding of your culture in the future. I, naturally, have no objections to where your children are born - but I do have a question regarding our journey?”

Dustin noted that Meli had put a restraining hand over Emely’s at Jaisyl’s use of a title - he and his wife both knew how much their redheaded tomboy loathed the idea of being in any kind of authority position - and nodded to the black and white princess to continue. “What’s your question, Jaisyl?”

The princess glanced at the others present before she spoke, seemingly trying to work out how best to phrase her inquiry. “Will you not be reprimanded for returning to your home system so soon after leaving?” she said at last, adding “I understand that you only visited the worlds of my father’s empire, which cannot have taken you more than a few months at most. Surely your government will be angry at your return, even if you have achieved an alliance with my family?”

Around the room, women exchanged glances. Dustin looked to Emely and Meli to find the right words to explain - but the redhead was in no mood to be cooperative, and his wife was busy soothing the Feliax woman’s temper. Taking a moment to sip his drink and think, he was about to reply when Naera chimed in.

The plant woman had been largely in the background the entire time - even during the introductions she’d merely mentioned that she was the main chef aboard, keeping it to just her role rather than her entire personality. Now however… “Dusty is given free reign more or less by his government. Firstly because doing so has been nothing but positive for Earth and gotten them a lot of friends - powerful friends - far more quickly than you might expect from an ambassadorial mission, and secondly because he’s basically a war hero at this point.”

Seeing Dustin’s eyes flick to her, the green-skinned woman shrugged. “It’s true, Dusty. Even if you ignore the way you saved me, freed Aricia’s people and that whole business with the cluster, you were one of the main figures during the battle for Sol. I keep tabs on culinary information that comes out of your homeworld in case there’s something new to try - did you know they’ve named a cocktail after you? That’s about as major an accolade as you can get in my book if you’re a warrior.”

Jaisyl was having a hard time connecting the story that Naera had just given with the man in front of her. Sure, he was an ambassador, and certainly the women around the table seemed to care for him. Given their words and the expressions they made when they looked at him, she was even half-convinced that he really was the father of the children growing in several of their wombs, despite his lack of horns. But a war hero? That was surely an exaggeration. Still, she had started this, she needed to explain why…

“I only raise it as I do not wish your connection with my people to be marred by your government reprimanding you during my first visit to your star. I… am trying to fulfil my role as a bargaining chip between you and my father as best as I am able,” she said at last, trying to convey sincerity in her tone. She might have been pushed into this situation, but she was still a princess and she would live up to the expectations that were set for her, no matter what.

Dustin’s voice cut across her thoughts. “You don’t need to try so hard,” he said, smiling at her. He smiled a lot, she observed vaguely, as he continued “and you’re not a bargaining chip. I meant what I said to your parents before we left - in a year, you can return to your homeworld and find a match that suits you.”

He just didn’t get it, did he? Finding a match wasn’t - would never be - her decision. That her father had apparently been thinking of her request for a warrior when he’d paired her up with the hornless human was shocking in the ****, let alone the idea of allowing her to actually choose her husband. That was for the lower classes - those for whom relationships were transactional between individuals, not between nation-states.

The irritating man was still talking, and she belatedly turned her attention back to his words “…so I want everyone to be happy on my ship - or at least as happy as they can be. That includes you, whether you like it or not. Spend some of the next few days settling in; Aricia, would you mind helping the princess find her way back to her quarters for now? I showed her where it was earlier, but I probably overdid it with showing her around so I’m not sure if she’ll be able to find it on her own.”

Jaisyl frowned. “I am perfectly fine staying here…” she began, before the butterfly woman gently rested a hand on her shoulder.

“I doubt it,” Aricia giggled, eyes flickering across to where Emely was leaning in to Meli affectionately. “You made it pretty clear you don’t want to umm… consummate? Your marriage? And well, when Emmz gets that look at the moment…”

As Jaisyl stood up awkwardly, understanding from the Lieviran’s words making her blush despite herself, the Rabyth woman whistled. At first, the princess thought it was some kind of crude catcall - she wouldn’t have put anything past the scruffily dressed blonde, but then to the her shock part of the wall of the room slid away to reveal a vast mattress-floored chamber beyond. Swallowing hard at the implications, she turned and hurried out after the departing butterfly woman with as much regal grace as she could manage.