Chapter 15: Meeting His Parents

I woke with a start. Something was wrong and I knew it. I had been in this "hospital" room now for about three days. I visited Oliver about five times a day, for my one-hour period with Lara guarding my door to ensure I got every minute of my hour. Yet, for some reason, I knew that deep in my gut, something was wrong. The alarms no longer ring when I get up so I slipped carefully out of my bed and walked over to Oliver's room. The door slid open and I screamed. Oliver was gone. I began searching Oliver's room for clues as to where he was at as Iman entered the room and touched my back.

"He is gone Alexis Perry," said Iman.

Tears fell from my eyes as I sobbed, "Why didn't you wake me? Why did you let me hold his hand so he wouldn't die alone?"

Rashad looked at me with a confused expression and said, "He is not dead Alexis Perry."

"What?" I asked confused.

"The Queen ordered he be taken home," said Iman. "It all happened rather quickly."

"He ... he's home?" I asked.

"Yes Alexis Perry," said Iman, "and the King and Queen wish to see you."

"You're not going without me," said Lara as she stood by the doorway.

I smiled to see the only creature who I felt was on my side. "I want my clothes."

"I knew you would," said Lara.

Lara helped me dress as I could still barely move my arms. It felt nice to wear my jeans and t-shirt again and soon we were in a small shuttlecraft, flying to the planet's surface. My shoulders ached from my getting dressed and my frantic search for Oliver. Now was the first time I was glad I was wearing a short sleeved t-shirt so it didn't bother my wrists. Iman wanted my arms secured so I wouldn't cause more damage to my shoulders, but I refused. As the shuttle flew to the planet's surface, I looked around and saw a beautiful world with colorful plants and trees, well; they looked like trees, and large buildings. Creatures of all kinds seem to walk around freely, and pay little attention to our craft as we flew over.

We landed at what I presumed was the castle, or the home of the King and Queen. Lara and I were escorted from the craft and down a long hallway with unique carving and designs on the walls. I wondered if this was a history of their people or just artwork, but chose not to dwell on it. Soon, we entered a large room, what I would call a throne room, where I saw a large crowd had gathered. Our escorts led us through the crowd and stopped at the edge. Before us were two people, a man and a woman. They were dressed in bright colors, and wore what appeared to be fine jewels on their hands and around their necks. I heard the clicking sounds I had become familiar with and Lara leaned down and whispered, "We're being announced."

I nodded my head but said nothing. The King clicked back and the escorts stepped away. I started to follow but Lara grabbed my arm to stop me and I quickly understood. The King began to click at us and Lara put her hand up as to stop him. I heard what sounded like a gasp from the crowd behind us as Lara said in English, "My Lord, Alexis Perry does not understand our language and she will not be able to answer any of your questions."

The King looks furious and the Queen said, "So you are the one they call Alexis Perry from Earth."

"Yes Your Highness," I said with a quick curtsy. I heard a gasp from the crowd around us as everyone looked at me with a confused expression. I was like I'd just insulted the Queen. I looked at Lara and she had the confused expression on her face so I said quickly, "Forgive me. In my world, this is how we greet royalty."

The Queen smiled and said, "I see. Here that is seen as an act of disrespect and war."

"Oh," I said. 'Great! I'm getting off to a fantastic start with his parents.'

"My Queen," said Lara, "I am Lara. I am the sworn guardian of Alexis Perry."

The Queen raised her hand and said, "I know who you are Lara. Your father was a fine guardian. His loss was profound."

"Thank you my Queen," said Lara.

"So," I said, "you wanted to see me. What's this all about?"

Maybe it was because my body still ached from the pain, or the fact she'd stolen the man I love from me without warning, but I wasn't in the mood for the formal hullabaloo. The crowd gasped again and Lara nudged me, as if to tell me to be quiet. I raised my hand at her and ignored her. The King snapped, "Watch your tongue Earth creature."

"Hey!" I snapped. "You're not the first bully I've dealt with! I mean, just because you weren't willing to get your royal hands dirty doesn't mean I'm going to cow down to you now!"

"You need to show respect you inferior Earth creature or I will—"

"You'll what?" I barked. My temper was at its max and I just wasn't in the mood. "What more can you do to me that your psychotic nut-job trackers didn't already do? I've been tortured with nightmares from hell, beaten, kidnapped, choked to the brink of death, nearly raped multiple times, and I watched the only man I've ever truly loved beaten senseless and nearly killed before my eyes. SERIOUSLY! What the hell more can you do to me? Honestly, King, death would be a blessing at this point."

Before the King could respond, the Queen raised her hand to stop us and said, "What do you mean?"

"Oliver told me-"

"Who?" asked the Queen.

'Shit!' I didn't know his name and I only heard the clicking sound once that I recall. "Oliver, your son. That was the only name I have ever known him by," I said truthfully.

"She is speaking the truth my Queen," said Lara. "She has always called him Oliver."

"Continue please," said the Queen as she nodded her head.

I swallowed and spoke in a calmer voice. I realized my shoulders were starting to really hurt. "Oliver told me that he always wanted to explore space, and you encouraged him to do so. You even gave him a gift to give to the one he wanted for his life-mate. He also told me that the King hired these trackers to find me and to retrieve the item. What Oliver didn't know was who the trackers were, I knew as Fleck and Wyman, or just how ruthless they could be."

"Continue," said the Queen.

"Well," I said. I felt a bit braver, a bit calmer, but more achy and sore. "About three and a half Earth years ago, I met your son. He took me out for a magical night and then disappeared. He said to me later that he left because he feared the trackers would bring me harm, but he left some guardians behind to protect me, just in case."

"Wait," snapped the King. "What guardians?"

"My father and my brother, My Lord" said Lara coldly.

"When Oliver learned they had been killed he came back, only the trackers had already found me. One of them put this thing in my arm and used it to not only follow my movements, but torture me with these horrid nightmares. It was only when the trackers nearly killed me in my apartment that Oliver took me to his ship and had his medical staff heal me. They saved my life. It was then we learned there was a tracker on his ship and neither of us was safe."

"How did he find the tracker?" asked the Queen. I could tell I had her attention.

"When the trackers kidnapped Alexis Perry, she sent a coded message that told us who among us was the traitorous tracker," said Lara.

"Who was this traitor?" the Queen asked.