Chapter 12: Match Maker

Arron had woken early after dreaming of the Princess's bodyguard all night. She had insisted they only danced formal dances with minimal contact. Any dances that required close contact she ensured they sit out. Part of him was happy to oblige, and the formal suit he had worn included a three quarter length coat. If she had moved close she would most certainly have felt the effect she had on him even, if it were hidden by the coat. He had been so rampant in her presence that he physically ached by the end of the evening.

He paced the large guest room he had been assigned and ran his fingers through his already rumpled hair. He spoke his thoughts out loud. "I don't understand what happened, other than the color of her hair and eyes she is no different from the other women at court. Telling me it was because she was a warrior was bullshit and she knew it." He had reached the wall of the room and turned for the hundredth time. "Her hair color and eyes are the same as mine, perhaps that's it?" He frowned. "But that would indicate a genetic similarity and I'm a human that has been under the plastic surgeon's knife ... is it more evidence they have done more to me than they admitted?

"Even if she were human like me, which I doubt - as I was told I would be on my own, I would not have had such a strong reaction towards her." He stopped pacing for a moment and analyzed how he had felt when he first saw her. It had been primeval, a basic uncontrolled animal response to her presence. He thought of her walking down the steps when their eyes locked. "She hesitated and stumbled for a moment." Realization suddenly struck him like a bucket of cold water, and he banged a clenched fist into an open palm. "Fuck, she felt it too!"

He started pacing again. "But that's impossible, she's a bloody alien for God's sake, there is no connection!" He felt his face flush at the thoughts that had been going through his mind when she was introduced. "And I'm a General in the Halycon Army, I can't go round screwing the ass off the Princess's body guard can I?" He licked his lips and his pulse quickened at the thought. Then he smashed one fisted hand into the open palm of the other again. "No you cannot, Arron Johnston, it's just not done!"

He turned again and walked to his dressing room, grabbed his normal workday leathers, dressed quickly then stomped out and down the stairs. "Right, an early morning inspection is in order I think, and during the journey I will avoid the Princess's bodyguard."

Minara sat on the chair leaning against the wall of her room facing the main door. After helping the Princess retire she had removed the far too revealing dress and tried to settle for the night. The only entrance to the Princess's apartments was through Minara's room. She was well aware that once the Princess married the Halcyon prince her services may no longer be required or her duties would be just that of Lady-in-waiting. She had been quite happy to move on and serve as a mercenary anywhere her services were required. The Grojani were surprised then intimidated by her and none were a match for her. Now everything had changed, and there was another Grojan on the planet, and he was an unpaired male, something that was normally impossible. The thought terrified her and excited her at the same time. And now she had to travel with him for weeks. She knew something would happen, it was inevitable, so should she run now or stick it out? If she stayed it would change her destiny, and she could be what she had been brought up to be. If she ran, she would remain forever the outcast with her filed teeth.

As these thoughts were running through her mind the door to the Princess's rooms opened. Minara jumped to her feet then relaxed as the Princess's head peered round the door. "Minara?"

"Yes, Your Highness?"

"Come and sit with me, I want to talk to you."

"Yes of course, Your Highness." I wonder what this is about? She stepped through into the Princess's rooms. Avia had already sat on a large settee in her night attire, her bare feet resting on a large cushion. She indicated a chair opposite her. "Sit, Minara."

Minara sat in the chair indicated and waited quietly for the Princess to speak. Avia regarded her for a long moment before taking a breath. "Minara, do you know the General Arron?"

Minara sighed, now I know what this will be about. "No, Your Highness, I have never met him until tonight."

The Princess raised an eyebrow. "Then why did you stumble on the stairs when you saw him, something you never do, then you hung back while we were being introduced." She smiled and her eyes twinkled. "I had the distinct impression the General Arron was fighting an almost overwhelming urge to throw you to the ground and have his wicked way with you, then and there, but instead of having some fun with him you borrowed a jacket to cover your low cut dress. She paused for a moment. "You have a beautiful body, Minara, you should use it more often, and sometimes it can be more effective than a knife!" She paused again for a moment, as if to let her advice sink in. "Anyway, you then spent most of the evening trying to avoid close contact. I want to know what is going on, and if the presence of the General is going to affect your duty to me?"