The Talamute Prince

I enter a long room with a sleek table and uncomfortable looking chairs. They look as though they were designed to guarantee proper structure when siting. I guess if you can't get comfortable you can't eat enough to get fat. In fact, they weren't designed to hold anyone of significant stature.

"Just follow me to the head of the table. I'll sit then you will then everyone else will sit. Same with the first bite." Patrick leans into my ear as a man by the door announces us. Every person including his mother rose to their feet. I held his elbow with my head held high. I notice most of the people at the table are dressed like myself. Patrick looked slightly different from the other men. His tux was blue while everyone else wore black. They all blended as I only watch out of the corner of my eye. His mother is standing to his side of the head of the table and his sisters to my side. His chair was elaborate and padded. The other chair was different from the rest as it had cushioned but it was exactly like the others in its shape.

"Bow to them." I curtsy as he bows. He sits then I sit and everyone else sits at the same time. The food is brought out and a strange table is sitting beside the both of us. There is enough space for a plate on either side of a protruding arch. The server places the plate on one side then press a fingerprint scanner on the side. The plate slowly passes under the arch as a blue sheet of light beams down across the plate. The entire surface turns green and the plate is handed to Patrick. I look down the table and notice it's only us that have one. I turn to watch my plate pass through and the color changes green as well.

"What are those?" I ask.

"They detect any substance that is added." Patrick answers.

"Poison checkers?" I wait as he takes his first bite of food then I take one so that everyone else can start eating but my curiosity gets the better of.

"I take it your family used people?"

"At one point yes, but when my great grandfather took the throne, he fell in love with one of them. He used pigs from that point on. It carried down to my father who used the animals too. He said it still wasn't right but better a pig be poisoned then a person's life." Patrick smirks.

"Our civilization use to do the same from what I've read. People were used at one point as well. Unfortunately, no matter how good of a king you are, there's bound to be someone who wants you dead." A glass of wine was put through as well.

"Why the fingerprint scanner?"

"Only the engineers that work on them and the servers who bring our food are able to turn them on. If something were to happen and someone decided to manipulate the system to not detect a certain kind of poison it would have to be someone could get into it."

"Oh." I take another small bite of my food as my wine is poured. It's slid through but this time it doesn't flash green. The platform the dishes slides through on turned red. The arch going over it sends out two sides that cover and lock the wine glass inside.

"I swear your majesty. It wasn't me." The guards come and grab the wine bottle, the table, and the man that had poured the wine.

"Get to the bottom of this now." Patrick slams his fist down on the table.

"Should we escort you and your queen back to your quarters?" The guards ask.

"Nonsense." I chime in.

"Laoonica, someone just tried to poison you." I have everyone's attention now.

"They can try all they want. I think we both know its futile." Patrick nods to the guard to take his leave.

"Are you sure?"

"Don't patronize the poor girl. If she says she is staying I say good for her. Why let those out to bring us down win." His mother speaks up. Maybe she isn't so bad after all.

"I'm fine, Patrick. I have no interest in cowering down or hiding from these feeble attempts. I can't die why would I be afraid of it. At most it might give me a bit of a stomachache and I'd be over it." reassured Patrick seems to calm down. I was curious as to who would have tried to kill me? Did my mother higher another assassin? Perhaps Patrick was trying to scare me, at this point I wasn't sure.

"I'm sure it was nothing more than a speck of dust that drifted into the glass." His mother said

"I would still prefer for her to be well guarded because I'm not convinced." Patrick watched the door and watched as everything handed to me was scanned with a new machine.

"Sire." it had been several minutes before a person came back with a panel with reports on it.

"You're sure?" Patrick's voice was terrifying. "It wasn't a piece of dust." He reads the panel.

"What was it?" I ask.

"A plant from the surface. It's one they use in mating ceremonies." I stare at Patrick with my mouth slightly gapping.

"I would say a challenge has been set son." His mother looks at me.

"What do you mean? What kind of ceremony? What does it do?" overloaded with questions my words spew out. I'm a little concerned about them trying to give me something for mating.

"I won't let them near you, my queen." Patrick brings my hand to his lips.

"What exactly do you think they are planning?" I don't want to eat another bite. I watch the others who seem to be engaging with each other all whispering about the fact someone had tried to poison the new queen. I look down at my plate and close my eyes for a moment.

"Laoonica, are you sure you're okay." He leans in this time whispering as he kisses me gently on the cheek.

"I'm fine Patrick. You don't have to worry about me. So, might I ask if there will be any entertainment during this feast? I remember sneaking in to watch dancing during my father's celebrations. I'm not really sure if your customs differ here."

"No, we..." His mother started to say. Patrick interrupts her.

"Music." He shouts to the side. A man standing by a panel in the wall presses a few buttons on the wall and some ball room music starts playing. His sisters all look at their mother who rases her eyebrows and watches as Patrick asks me to dance. I accept and we walk over to the side of the room.

"Well played, my queen." Patrick only speaks loud enough for the two of us to hear as he spins me around.

"I'm sure I don't know what you're talking about." there's a smirk stretched across my pink lips.

"Of course, you do. You just showed an entire room of important people that you won't be shaken. Are you still mad about the dress?" He seems genuine, but he's a professional liar.

"It's an ugly dress, but no. I'm not angry, just disappointed. I have very few freedoms growing up and my clothing has always been one of them. Perhaps if you told me what was expected I could have created something."

"Time works differently her than on the ship, or even your own planet. There wouldn't have been time. Next time I'll give you a warning." That wasn't what I was hoping for.

"What do you expect they're up to?" I change the subject trying not to start a fight here in front of all the people.

"It's got to be them trying to provoke me. What better way to bait a man than to mess with his most precious possession."? I pull away from him.

"I am not now nor will I ever be a possession, your majesty." I turn and walk away. I don't care if everyone is watching. Not only will they know I'm not afraid of the enemy, they will also know I'm not afraid of their king either.

"Laoonica, please..." I don't listen I just leave the dining hall and head back to the elevator I know takes me to my room. "Laoonica wait, please." Patrick grips me and spins me around in the middle of the hallway. I heat up my arms as he grips them.

"You, of all people you are not the one that should ever think that I'm nothing more than an object. If you treat me as one you will never win me back." I see his mother come up behind him.

"I didn't mean it that way, and you shouldn't be wondering off by yourself. If they're trying to get to you it's not safe to be alone. That plant that they put in your drink is a powerful aphrodisiac. It's believed to guarantee conception. It's not proven but if it worked on you, they would be able to sneak in and take advantage of you. This isn't some sort of joke. I'm going to assume that if alcohol makes you tipsy then this drug will work too." Patrick tries to grab my hand, but I jerk it away.

"I want to return to my room now, your majesty. I suggest you find someone to escort me, other than you." Patrick steps back toward his mother and speaks in a soft tone that I can almost not hear.

"I don't know what to do mother. I didn't mean to say it like that." Patrick glances at me but I don't look away neither do I allow any means of expression on my face.

"My dear boy what do you expect. You took the deepest part of her and used it against her. She will both love and hate you for all eternity. You must be patient her anger at what you've done needs time to fade. If it ever does, you have to be careful of your word when trying to sooth the flames of a woman's rage." His mother wasn't ever quiet. She wasn't speaking as loud as she was outside, but she wasn't speaking in hushed tones.

"Captain Jefferson." Patrick presses a radio on his shirt and within a second a man appeared from around the corner.

"Yes sire." with disappointment in his eyes Patrick motioned towards me.

"Please escort the Queen back to her quarters. It seems she may be slightly unwell after such excitement."

"I'm quite well I assure you; anger isn't a sickness." I step on the platform. the guard joins me and pushes the button to my floor. I keep my composure while Patrick is within sight. I stay quite in the elevator and on the walk to my room but once I was inside, I screamed as loud as I could into my pillow.

"Are you okay, ma'am?" I peek out from the top of the pillow I had grabbed and squeezed.

"Heather, right?" I ask. She nods and waits for instruction. "I would just like some privacy."

"I'm afraid we have orders not to leave you alone, your majesty." She bows and moves back to the table where she had been sitting when I came in. I stand and walk out to the balcony. It was the one place I knew they didn't follow. Even if there were just curtains separating me from them it was enough. I just needed to clear my head after all this day had been full of excitement and I was exhausted from it all.

"Aie yju zuyegovep." I hear a deep voice come from behind me and I jump.

"Who's there?" I turn but I don't see anyone. It's dark out and there is no light out here. The moon is only a sliver in the sky offering no help. I can smell a strange Fragrance blowing in the breeze. Trying to find the person talking is impossible as is my ability to understand what they are saying. I step toward the curtains then turn back hoping the light coming from them would help but it didn't. "Forget this." I light the flame on my hand just in time to seek the black-haired man smile and dive off the edge of my balcony. I rush to the edge but in this light, there was nothing more to see. I can't help but wonder why he didn't take the opportunity to try something. I turn and go back inside flopping down on my bed. I watch my maids rush to ready my things for bed as I wonder if I should bring this up to Patrick. I think I'll keep it to myself he seems stressed enough.