Total pages in book: 33
Estimated words: 31078 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 155(@200wpm)___ 124(@250wpm)___ 104(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 31078 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 155(@200wpm)___ 124(@250wpm)___ 104(@300wpm)
“I don’t mean to criticize, Mama, but why do you allow him to get away with so much? Whenever he tells you to come, you rush to him. Whenever he makes a decision you go along with it. When do you ever get your way?”
“I get my way quite a bit. There’s a saying on the planet where we come from, you catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.”
London frowned. Her mother often used old Earth sayings that confused her. “What does that mean?”
“It means that I know my place. Your father is the Emperor. How would it look if I were to countermand his every decision in public? He’d lose the respect of his subjects. Sometimes you have to use what you have to get what you want.”
London’s eyebrows furrowed as she tried to figure out what her mother was trying to say. “I still don’t understand.”
“Well, for instance, when your father is in one of his moods where he won’t listen to reason, I’ll give him a back rub or dance for him. I let him know that he has my support in all his decisions. When Blaze is fully relaxed he’s more open to suggestion. How do you think I talked him into agreeing to that two year reprieve you’ve had? Or when he thought Jayru was too young to go on that scouting mission he’d had his heart set on. I was the one who put the idea in his head.”
Comprehension dawned then. “You’re the reason he allowed me to choose my own mate?”
The Queen nodded, smile lines appearing at the corner of her eyes. London still thought her mother was the most beautiful woman in the world, with her youthful figure, rich dark skin and delicately shaped features. It wasn’t hard to see why the Emperor couldn’t keep his hands off her. People often told London that she looked just like her mother. Except for her lack of height, lighter skin, and subtle differences here and there, they did resemble each other.
“Why did he change his mind then?”
“Your father loves you very much and wants to see you settled and happy.”
“If he wants me to be happy then why is he forcing me to marry Zahn? Maybe I can take care of myself. I’m not a little girl anymore.”
Her mother lifted one perfectly arched brow. “Then stop acting like one. You’re twenty-two years old, well past the marriage age here, and while I don’t necessarily care for the arranged marriage thing either, it’s your duty. Your father has gone through a lot of trouble to find someone he feels will be worthy of you. This has been weighing heavily on his mind because he knows that once you’re married, you’ll go live with your husband. It will break his heart, but it’s his responsibility to ensure you make a good alliance.”
“It would make him sad to see me go? The way he’s been lately, I would have thought he’d be happy to see me go. After all, it’s not like I’m his real daugh—” She stopped herself when she saw the look in her mother’s eyes.
Standing up, the Queen shook her head. “I’m just glad your father isn’t in here right now. Those words would really hurt him. Your birth father didn’t care enough to stick around, but Blaze worships the ground you walk on. I see you’re not in the mood to listen to reason at the moment, but I don’t ever want to hear those words from your mouth again. I suggest you grow up and do it fast. You can’t always get what you want, but sometimes life has a funny way of working things out.”
Shame washed through London. She couldn’t believe she’d actually uttered those words. Maybe her parents were right. Zahn wasn’t her ideal mate, but if her father thought he’d make her a good husband, then maybe she should at least give it a try “I’m sorry, Mama.”
The Queen bent over and gave her a kiss on the cheek. “London, you are a joy to us. You’re smart, beautiful, and the subjects love you. We only want your happiness. Why don’t you stay here and give what I said some thought and I will talk to your father?”
“Thanks. I love you very much, Mama.”
“And I you.” The Queen blew a kiss to her as she sauntered out the door.
London sighed when she was alone again. Her parents were right. She had responsibilities to fulfill and the last thing she wanted was to let them down. But how could she marry someone she didn’t love? And worse yet, how could she even think of taking on such a momentous step in her life when she didn’t feel quite whole?
Chapter
Two
EARTH
Matt glanced at his watch for the fourth time. Where the hell was his date? She’d been in the bathroom for at least twenty minutes. Either the food didn’t agree with her or she wasn’t coming back. He could tell by her reaction when they’d met that there were no sparks on her end.