Ellie looked at Valentin by the small candlelight and wondered if she had ever liked someone so much. Then a servant came, she thought the man was going to offer them more wine, but instead he had her IC with him. “Madam Elloisa, as per the Marriage Pause, you have received an emergency message.”
The servant handed her the IC.
Ellie took it and looked at it. It was a message from her mother. She dropped her IC on the stone patio and froze. She didn’t move to pick up her IC, so the servant did it and tried to hand it back to her. When she wouldn’t take it, he left it gently on the table and walked away.
Valentin was no idiot he assumed her mother had returned to the living. He waited for Ellie to articulate her emotions.
After a few minutes, Ellie picked up her IC again. It was a message from her dead mother. Her body seemed to be running through every emotion imaginable. She put her IC back down on the table without reading the message, because it was impossible to focus, “Is my mother alive again?”
“According to my sources she is alive, but I know nothing else.”
“And you didn’t tell me?!”
“Elloisa, it’s not something that I wanted to mention unless I was completely sure.”
“You’re talking about this as if it’s not a big deal. She was dead. My mother was dead. And all because of me,” Ellie said emotionally. “She’s my mother and now she’s back and I’m here. I’m not where I am supposed to be. And no one thinks it’s important that I know what’s happened? What is wrong with people? All everyone does is talk about family here. I am her family, but no one included me. Not even you.”
“People are healed from even death quite frequently, but sometimes they do die again,” Valentin explained desperately wanting to calm her. “What would be the point of telling you your mother is back to tell you she died two hours later?”
“I would want to see her for those two hours,” Ellie said tears running down her face.
“I understand, but even from Alliance Planet Two you couldn’t reach the Capital City within two hours on a transport.”
“I still can’t believe Jei did this without telling me. Without including me.”
Valentin waited for her mind to get there, bracing himself for the inevitable.
“And you, you should have picked a different time for this stupid Marriage Pause and not used my vulnerabilities to your advantage. I’m so angry at everyone right now. Everyone is playing me like a pawn,” Ellie was so furious she couldn’t think straight. She stood, threw what was left of her wine on the stone floor, picked up her IC and stormed off. Unfortunately, she was going so quickly she didn’t realize when she hit 800 meters, and she promptly passed out on the stone floor. Mostly from the Marriage Pause bracelets, but also from the emotional shock and the all the wine she had drunk.
Valentin picked her up a few seconds later and carried her to her bed. She was conscious and annoyed but not fighting him, which he took as a good sign. “I’m sorry that I saw an opportunity and I took it. I view life as moving forward Elloisa and so does Admiral Jei which is why you were not included at the hospital. Your life will move forward whether she continues to live or not. I’m not saying that to be brutal, but as a fact alone. I’m not immune to your strong feelings for her. I also care deeply for my mother, but I know my own future is not dependent on her living or dying because I’m no longer a child.”
Ellie could hear his words and despite their not being a massive age difference between them she could feel that he had lived so much more than she. She was so overwhelmed she couldn’t say anything. She simply allowed him to carry her to her bed and lay her down.
“Do you want me to go? Or should I stay? Should I read your mother’s message to you? Or will you read it yourself in private?” Valentin asked without emotion, standing over the bed.
“Will you stay and you read it to me?”
Valentin nodded. He took her IC and sat on the bed. He held one of Elloisa’s hands while he read the message. He began by saying, “It has been sent from Admiral Jei’s private GC account and properly marked as ‘confidential and urgent’ so I must only assume it is authentic and that your mother is truly alive and well again.”
My Dearest Sweet Ellie,
This is the strangest sentence I will ever write; I am back from the dead. Admiral Jei and Doctor James among others have brought me back to life. I am currently traveling to House Rega. There is nothing more I want than to see you, but Jei has told me of your current circumstances and although he does not fully approve of you giving this Outcast a chance, he also admits that this man’s lack of Imperial rank is the only thing he holds against him, which means to me, this man that you may love and want to marry, is probably very special person and you shouldn’t throw away your future opportunity with him, because this side of the galaxy is so obsessed with ritual and order, just to see me a week earlier. Rest assured I will be here. I will wait for your return at House Rega on Alliance Planet Two. Try to enjoy your time on Reima Two and the husband stealing. I am proud of you for finding your own way here in this world that is so different from our own. You’re so much stronger than I ever was.
Love,
Mom
Ellie was crying by the time Valentin finished reading the message. “Read it again,” she said through the tears, and he complied.
After the second time, Valentin pulled her close to him and ran his hands through her short hair. After a few minutes he said, “You can go now if you want.”
Ellie looked up into Valentin’s blue eyes, “Do you want me to go? To end this?”
“No,” replied Valentin. “I only want to let you know that I understand if you feel you must go. I want you to stay Elloisa. I want us to finish this and for you to return to Alba as an engaged woman. Isn’t that what you want too?”
Ellie looked into his eyes seriously weighing out everything, “On the condition, that you never keep any information about my family members secret from me ever again. I won’t commit myself to someone who thinks they need to manipulate me to get what they want.”
“I was being selfish because I have never wanted to be with someone as much as I want to be with you now. I promise I won’t always be so nervous and exacting. I don’t want you to go,” Valentin said. When Ellie didn’t reply he added, “I’ll never keep information about your family members from you ever again. You have my word.”
“And I’ll add it to our marriage compromises.”
“We don’t do those on Reima Two.”
Ellie looked at him in shock, “I guess the Empire has really swayed me then. If we marry, we will have an Imperial marriage compromise agreement.”
“Bound by who? Neither one of us will be Imperial citizens. You’ll have to trust me as I’ll trust you.”
Ellie thought about this. By choosing Valentin she would be throwing away so many safety nets that existed in the Empire. Am I strong enough to do this? she questioned herself.
“If only I was a doctor,” Valentin stated after Ellie had been quiet for more than a minute, lost in thought.
“What? Why?”