Page 7 of Joven's Bride
Chapter Three
The next day Carly received a delivery, from the Narovian Interstellar Matchmaking service, her first indication that Joven had received her acceptance to become his wife. A box containing a dozen pink roses came from a local flower shop. Nestled inside were a pink velvet ring box and a card:
My sweet meomee,
I have no words in your language or mine to tell you what your agreement to become my wife and life mate means to me. In the tradition of your people, please accept this ring as a symbol of my commitment to our mating.
Your soulmate,
Joven
After reading the card, she picked up the ring box and just held it in her hand and rubbed her finger over the soft velvet lid. She drew in a breath and let it out. She was going to love it, no matter what. Opening the box, she gasped, amazed at the beauty of its simple design.
The unadorned, silver metal ring wrapped around a modest teardrop pink diamond. It was made to encircle the finger, leaving a space between the two ends. Her hand trembled just a little as she lifted the ring from its velvet bed to try it on. It fit perfectly.
Carly was still admiring the ring when her open laptop beeped to signal an incoming message. She knew it would be Joven; she had set her computer to beep only for his messages. Looking at the beautiful long-stemmed roses in the box, she deemed they would be okay for a few more minutes and went to the computer to view the vid-mail.
“Meomee Carly,
I was made to fight and kill the enemies of the Alliance, which I did for many years. The warriors who fought at my side were the only family I ever had. I was bred in vitro and grown in an artificial womb, never knowing the donors of my genetic material. There were many years in my life that I wearied from the purpose of my existence. During those times, only the possibility that I could one day find my soulmate and begin a real family of my own kept me centered on my purpose.
As you have studied the feline race, I have reviewed your marriage traditions. I have signed the marriage contract which is attached to this vid-mail for you to sign electronically and return to the agency. But now, I would like to make my marriage vows to you:
Carly Adrian, my precious meomee: I will love and respect you, honor and protect you, breed only with you, and share all that I have with you for all of my life.
Now for mundane matters. The agency will email you details of your travel arrangements. Before you leave, they will inoculate you, and inject a language module built from your own cells. Within a few days, you will be able to understand, speak, read, and write the common language. I have already received a similar module for your language.
You are allowed to bring fifty kilograms of your possessions, which will be scanned before loading. The agency will provide you a com-tablet that will enable us to communicate holographically as you travel to Glasica. The next transport leaves in two weeks.
Joven gave her a sexy smirk.
My beautiful meomee, you already know what to expect when we finally meet for the first time. So, as you said, it is good that we have time to get better acquainted in the meantime. My body reacts when I even think about mating with you.
“So, does mine,” she murmured to the screen. It would be so much better to talk in real time.
Joven Brendict strode into the Sasga Café, stopped and scanned the small dining room by sight. Spotting his friend at a corner table, he went to join him.
“Rader, it’s good to see you. I’m sorry, I didn’t arrange a meeting sooner.” Joven dropped into the chair across from Glasica’s Chief Law Enforcement Officer Rader Knight.
“I know you’ve been busy between patrolling the star system and recruiting your second team. I’m just glad the Alliance authorized funding,” Rader said. “I don’t scare easy, but I was terrified when that poacher’s ship made our flier crash. They are lucky Skye wasn’t hurt more seriously than she was.”
“Your argument in favor of space patrol was compelling,” Joven said. “Thanks for recommending me to head the team. Getting this job is why I decided to settle here. Your wife has fully recovered?”
“She has, and she is carrying our child. What about you? Did the agency find yourmeomee, yet?”
Joven couldn’t help smiling at the question. “They have, and she has signed the marriage contract. She is leaving Earth in just a few rotations. Then it will take about a hundred rotations before she arrives.”
“And it seems even longer waiting for her to arrive.”
“I told her that another woman from Earth was already here, so I’m sure she will want to meet your Skye. She was in the same city as your wife when the Drayids attacked. Her friend was in the perimeter of destruction and disappeared in front of her eyes.”
“It certainly convinced Earth governments they needed Alliance protection,” said Rader. “Now the Alliance Council is trying to make a plan to control the Drayids without starting another War.”
“I’m just glad we are not in a direct route from Drayid Territory like Modonne is,” Joven said. That would certainly make my job harder.”
“There are not enough females here to make us a target for slavers. Smugglers, poachers, and criminals on the run are all we have to deal with here,” Rader said. “Does your female know what she will do when she gets here?”
“She was a teacher of children on Earth. Perhaps she can become an instructor in one for the virtual schools here on Glasica. She was given a custom language module before she left Earth.” Joven smiled and raised and eyebrow. “We will also be trying to make children of our own and supervising our farm crops.”
