Chapter One
This is home now. Don’t think about the date.
Minnie stared across the awe-inspiring landscape of Erta’Aklann. Sky shuttles zipped across the bustling city of Traa in the valley below, and the solar tops of stately buildings and elegant houses shimmered orange and pink under the rising sun. Three white moons, visible on most days, floated serenely beyond a lush forest and a distant range of snowcapped mountains.
After six months on this planet she still wasn’t used to the surreal view from the palace. Well, she wasn’t used to a lot of things, but that didn’t mean she hadn’t found happiness here. For the most part, she loved Erta’Aklann and her new life with her husband, Zak, but when a holiday approached she always felt a little homesick for Earth. She sighed and focused on a flock of birds swooping amidst the white and purple flowering trees outside the city.
Don’t think about the date.
She tore her gaze from the scenery and moved to the large blue screens affixed to the wall behind the immaculately set breakfast table. The right screen displayed her husband’s schedule, and the left screen displayed hers. Both calendars also highlighted upcoming Erta’Aklann holidays as well as Earth holidays. She’d entered detailed information about Valentine’s Day in bold with large red hearts circling it, but still her husband hadn’t uttered a word about her favorite holiday.
A noise at the door pulled her attention away from the calendars. She turned as Zak entered their private dining room in his dress uniform. Her stomach fluttered at the sight of him in his most formal wear. He must have a speaking engagement today, or an important meeting she’d forgotten about. She glanced at the calendar screens again, finding his side empty today, and she shot him a questioning look.
“Prince Attab’s return from Earth has been delayed due to a malfunction with his ship. Don’t worry, all is well with my brother and everyone else aboard, but now I must fill in for him at the Parliament session today.”
But today’s Valentine’s Day . She tried to swallow her disappointment and failed, so she forced a smile and straightened her skirts as he approached in all his princely finery. Zak was the second born son of the King of Traa, and he’d once held an ambassadorship on Earth. He had many important duties to attend to, and she chided herself for thinking he would bother with something as trivial as Valentine’s Day. He’d done a sufficient job indulging her on Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve, and she supposed that ought to be good enough.
Except Valentine’s Day was her favorite holiday of all and had been since she was a small child. Joyful memories of passing out handmade cards and heart-shaped cookies to her family and friends flitted through her mind. She gulped past the burning lump in her throat and took her seat at the table across from Zak.
“You look lovely this morning,” Zak said as servants rushed in with their breakfast platters of fried cemma and an assortment of fruits native to Earth that had been cultivated in the palace’s greenhouses. “I said you look lovely today, Minnie. Why the long face? What’s wrong?”
She shook her morose thoughts away, feeling her cheeks grow hot under his intense gaze. His assessing black eyes shimmered in the chandelier light, offset by the rich golden hue of his skin. “Thank you, Zak, and nothing is wrong.”
One dark eyebrow rose up, prompting her bottom cheeks to tingle. He looked like he didn’t believe her, and that didn’t bode well for her. He rather disliked lies, even the smallest untruth. The many admonishments he’d doled out over the course of their marriage echoed in her head. Princesses who tell fibs end up with sore bottoms. Naughty wives are dealt with firmly on this planet, Minnie. Stop your pouting this instant, little princess, or I will take you over my knee and spank you right here in this dining room.
Her
This is home now. Don’t think about the date.
Minnie stared across the awe-inspiring landscape of Erta’Aklann. Sky shuttles zipped across the bustling city of Traa in the valley below, and the solar tops of stately buildings and elegant houses shimmered orange and pink under the rising sun. Three white moons, visible on most days, floated serenely beyond a lush forest and a distant range of snowcapped mountains.
After six months on this planet she still wasn’t used to the surreal view from the palace. Well, she wasn’t used to a lot of things, but that didn’t mean she hadn’t found happiness here. For the most part, she loved Erta’Aklann and her new life with her husband, Zak, but when a holiday approached she always felt a little homesick for Earth. She sighed and focused on a flock of birds swooping amidst the white and purple flowering trees outside the city.
Don’t think about the date.
She tore her gaze from the scenery and moved to the large blue screens affixed to the wall behind the immaculately set breakfast table. The right screen displayed her husband’s schedule, and the left screen displayed hers. Both calendars also highlighted upcoming Erta’Aklann holidays as well as Earth holidays. She’d entered detailed information about Valentine’s Day in bold with large red hearts circling it, but still her husband hadn’t uttered a word about her favorite holiday.
A noise at the door pulled her attention away from the calendars. She turned as Zak entered their private dining room in his dress uniform. Her stomach fluttered at the sight of him in his most formal wear. He must have a speaking engagement today, or an important meeting she’d forgotten about. She glanced at the calendar screens again, finding his side empty today, and she shot him a questioning look.
“Prince Attab’s return from Earth has been delayed due to a malfunction with his ship. Don’t worry, all is well with my brother and everyone else aboard, but now I must fill in for him at the Parliament session today.”
But today’s Valentine’s Day . She tried to swallow her disappointment and failed, so she forced a smile and straightened her skirts as he approached in all his princely finery. Zak was the second born son of the King of Traa, and he’d once held an ambassadorship on Earth. He had many important duties to attend to, and she chided herself for thinking he would bother with something as trivial as Valentine’s Day. He’d done a sufficient job indulging her on Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve, and she supposed that ought to be good enough.
Except Valentine’s Day was her favorite holiday of all and had been since she was a small child. Joyful memories of passing out handmade cards and heart-shaped cookies to her family and friends flitted through her mind. She gulped past the burning lump in her throat and took her seat at the table across from Zak.
“You look lovely this morning,” Zak said as servants rushed in with their breakfast platters of fried cemma and an assortment of fruits native to Earth that had been cultivated in the palace’s greenhouses. “I said you look lovely today, Minnie. Why the long face? What’s wrong?”
She shook her morose thoughts away, feeling her cheeks grow hot under his intense gaze. His assessing black eyes shimmered in the chandelier light, offset by the rich golden hue of his skin. “Thank you, Zak, and nothing is wrong.”
One dark eyebrow rose up, prompting her bottom cheeks to tingle. He looked like he didn’t believe her, and that didn’t bode well for her. He rather disliked lies, even the smallest untruth. The many admonishments he’d doled out over the course of their marriage echoed in her head. Princesses who tell fibs end up with sore bottoms. Naughty wives are dealt with firmly on this planet, Minnie. Stop your pouting this instant, little princess, or I will take you over my knee and spank you right here in this dining room.
Her
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