Ransom

“We have come to claim the princess. She was born of our royal line, and now that she is no longer hidden behind many layers of destructive influence, it is time she came home.”

“First of all,” Astaria says, stepping forward so she is closer to them than I am. “You don’t claim me. I’m not a toy in the bottom of your cereal. I’m not a prize you won in a grab bag. I’m my own person, and I… What’s that?”

Savork has unsheathed his weapon, which is usually a good way to get killed on my ship, but he is merely holding up a sword. An ethereal weapon that glows from the interior with a bright light that spears upward to the stars above.

"This is your blade, Astaria. This is the weapon you were born to wield. Come take it, and your place on the throne.”

“It comes with a throne?”

“The throne of Farillas Thandurbrae.”

“What the hell is a Farillas Thandurbrae?”

“That was your mother’s name. The throne will take your name if you claim it, Astaria Thandurbrae.”

“A new second name,” Astaria murmurs.”Nice.”

I see her eyes lighting up with the reflection from the blade. She has been searching for this weapon all her life. She has always known it belonged to her somehow, a mystical connection to something powerful and beautiful that always came across bloody and brutal.

“Go,” I tell her. “Take up your destiny.”

I did not need to tell her that. She does not ask my permission. A blade like that must draw her inexorably toward it. I see an expression of joy and enchantment passing over her face as she steps ever closer to that beautiful weapon. Her fingers reach for the pommel slowly, almost hesitantly. They are about to wrap around that exquisitely carved handle when she pauses.

“Wait.”

“Yes?” Savork keeps the weapon held out to her.

“You have known of my existence for as long as I have been alive, almost twenty years.”

“Yes.”

“But you left me. Alone. Locked up. Going mad. Becoming…” she doesn’t finish the sentence, but I think we can all finish it ourselves with an almost endless series of words. “Why should I take your throne now? What’s the catch?”

“There is no catch, princess. We were unable to free you from your prison, but now that you are free, you have the right to claim what is yours.”

“No. You said you were here to claim me. Not to give me things. It’s a cool sword, but I’ve made better.” She clenches her hand and puts it back down by her side.

The aliens seem truly confused by her reluctance to simply take the sword and become their queen, but I believe Astaria is being sensible for once. That is more astonishing than the blade or the the faye.

There is a thoroughly awkward moment. Apparently, the faye contingent didn’t consider the possibility that Astaria wouldn’t welcome them with open arms and joyful acceptance. They may be beautiful, otherworldly, and powerful, but all of that means nothing in the face of her refusal.

“Why don’t you all come eat,” I suggest. “You must all be hungry.”

The silent and you can explain yourselves there hangs in the air unsaid.

Dinner will also be a chance for my crew to inspect their ships more fully. I have been informed that basic scans are revealing absolutely nothing, as are the limited inspections we’ve made. The ships appear to be made of conventional materials, albeit made more flashy than most, and the propulsion systems are standard. It is a mystery how they managed to come upon us, there one minute, gone the next. Some kind of cloaking tech is at work, and I want it.

Chapter Nine

Astaria

We are getting dressed for dinner. Blackmane says we should look our best, but I am not convinced we should bother. Unfortunately, I always look gorgeous, so it is difficult to impart an air of disinterest.

“Do we have anything uglier? This is too pretty.”

“You’ve wrapped a bed sheet around yourself, Astaria. Get dressed, or you’ll be doing it…”

“With a sore hide,” I sigh. “Yes. I know.”

He looms over me with an expression of intense, well, intensity. Sometimes I can’t read his emotions. He’s just sort of a big burly grrrr thing.

“I don’t like them,” I tell him. “They’re up to something.”

“Of course, they’re up to something. Everybody you meet will always be up to something, Astaria. The goal, if there can be such a thing, is to be up to something as well.” He flickers a wink at me, and I suddenly understand, yet again, because I truly seem to keep forgetting that Blackmane is not in any way stupid.

“What are you up to?”

“I am learning. We have not encountered the faye before. The longer their ship remains in my hold, the more opportunity we have to learn about their technology.”

“That’s why you asked them to dinner. So you can keep scanning their ship?”