HELIOS

Chapter 35

The King sits back with his eyes closed and a frown on his forehead. Opening his eyes analyzing me he leans forward. "You are Alderox." He lean some more. "Do you see anything more? What about what you saw that one planet after another shall burn, a crimson fire?"

He stands and walks to the window. "The return of the Red Army is without doubt going to happen. Somehow you are the embodiment of the leader."

How can this be that I could be this ancient warrior. "Look, I don't know what exactly all this means and how or what part I play here. The one thing that I can be sure of, is that I won't lead some bloody galloping crusade across the Galaxy."

      "Some roads must be taken." He looks at Jahní. "Many times the choice is not ours."

      "That is bull crap!" I counter. "You always have a choice." That is the one thing that cannot be taken from you. You choose the path you follow. The King  disagrees with me; I can tell he does. I will not be forced to take the road that will lead to so much death and destruction.

       He sits back and decides it's time for a change in the conversation. "Now, about the immediate situation. The two of you can not be seen together." I brace for the worst case scenario. "I understand the power of pledging and that it is a driving force."

      "But, you did this without any consent from me. Jahní, you did this out of love?" He narrows his eyes at her. "Yes, you did, but you had a second motive." Jahní looks away from her father and even me. Her father I could understand, but why me?

      "Yes." She turns to me. "I don't think it would have made a difference, because I would pledge myself to him no matter the circumstances." She smiles at me then returns her attention to the King. "I won't deny that I knew that this would leave you with no choice. All my life I was taught that duty comes first, but when it comes down to it... I am selfish."

     I consider her words about duty, honor and responsibility. Those are the same things I was taught as well. With Jahní, I can't think straight.
the desire is great, and I'm not strong enough to resist.

     "Captain." I look to the King. I must ask to limit your time with my daughter, for your sake as well as hers." Yeah, I'm sure your worried about me the off worlder, and whatever else you call me.

      "Limit? To how often and how long?" That's not my idea of beneficial, at least not to me. "I mean she is by my understanding, my wife."

     The King does not react well to that statement, and seems to get a bit huffy. "Listen to me Captain; she is your wife because the two of you ran away, for nearly five days." He starts to pace the floor by the window. I notice that the rug is worn out in that spot, so he does this quite often.

"You are a guest on our world, and I could have you thrown off our world never allowing you permission to land here again." He looks at Jahní and she has a defiant expression, that makes him turn from her. "Don't look at me like that. You remind me of her too much."

"Her?" She asks sarcastically, which is not normal for Jahní. "You mean my Mother. I resemble her and I'm glad that I do, so you may never forget what you did." He turns reluctantly to her and suppressing his emotions, but I see that this is a soft spot for him.

"You would use that against me?" He asks the pain clearly heard in his voice.

"We will not be made to suffer, as my Mother did. I won't allow it." Jahní stands up weakly; I immediately offer my support which she gladly receives. "I can leave when I wish, for I have many places to chose from to live."