Their Slave, Their Princess (BWWM) (3BKS) COMPLETE #wattys2019

Chapter Three

Cayla was tired, the gown she wore was heavy, and the shoes hurt her feet. She didn't know about all the other women still smiling, and gracing the room below with their beauty, but she had, had enough of fake grinning, and using her intelligence for small talk. If you wanted to know how to pull resources, and save your country from famine, she was your girl. If you wanted to outsmart a politician, Cayla was willing and able to advice, but...discussing the best dress, or best car to buy made her nauseous.

Plus, it wasn't fair that her father had already left earlier, along with her mother. She'd been forced the grin, and play host until she'd been able to foist the role off on her brothers and sidle her way out, by way of larger server who'd hid her perfectly.

The palace hadn't changed much, long hallway, frowning ancestors glaring down upon them in disapproval, Cayla couldn't help giving the finger to a few, just for laughs of course. Not, that she would do anything like that in front of her mother.

Jesse Dain didn't not play with disrespect, though as far as Cayla was concerned her mother should start with lecturing their wild aunt, who'd become wilder after marrying her trixian husband years ago. Pregnancy hadn't even slowed her down long enough.

Hearing voices, Cayal paused, coming to a four way, where the hallway diverged from one another. To her right were her chambers, but to her left she glanced down and saw a light on in her father office. She glanced back to her right, but giving into her curiosity, she slipped off her heels and tip-toed towards her father's office. She felt her adrenaline pump at the idea of listening in on some major political dealing.

**

Aine stared hard at the flat screen, his thoughts far off.

"They won't settle for a dignitary," Talith spoke from behind him. He, Quincy, and Talith, had all found themselves having this late-night meeting, after Aine had received comms from the base on Mars, that still only a few humans knew of.

"No," Aine said as he turned away from the large screen, and took a seat behind his desk. His bright blue eyes narrowed, he lifted a hand and rubbed at his temples. "They want a royal, related with the direct line to be present at the trade off."

"Do they not trust that we will deliver on our promise to their sector?" Quincy, voiced his question from where he stood leaning against the wall. His yellowish eyes dark, "Haven't we proved ourselves more than trustworthy when we joined the DERA?"

Aine scoffed, lowering the hand rubbing his temple to the armrest, "They think of us as a Galx planet, there is nothing stopping us heathens from betraying them."

"Funny, as they were the ones who nearly pushed us to the brink." Quincy, his tone dangerously low. "So, who do you wish to send?"

"Astonia sector wishes for the woman in two sun dials," Talith said, using their old words for time, "It won't be possible, as both Prince Jahen and Celios are due to return to the military academy in two months."

"How many have been chosen?" Quincey asked, his eyes focused on Aine this time, "I thought we were only able to get agreements, from China, Britain and US for this offer."

"The others allowed their women to volunteer, if they wished to," Aine answered simply, sighing, he turned his narrowed eyes towards Talith, "They truly desire a royal to meet with?"

Talith nodded, his own expression troubled, "I understand your reluctance to allow a family member beyond this galaxy after what happened to Uri."

Aine nodded, not saying anything. Instead he continued to think hard of which royal they could send, he could try his brothers, but those two idiots could be anywhere. Literally, anywhere in the universes. Closing his eyes, he inwardly groaned. He hadn't even believed the countries would give permission for them to send human women beyond the galaxy as chattel, but they had, but only for women in their prisons. Which had raised a hundred other questions, and humanist issues, he'd argued with even his wife. Though she'd eventually agreed with some of his reasoning, but not all...No, Jesse wouldn't simply agree with anything.