Caressa Moon (Princess X) Page 2

  He stood at a distance, watching her as she seemed to dance and glide in the water. It was not the first time he’d done this, and it was a part of her that he was already jealous of. What was it that she lost herself to? Why didn’t that carefree and angelic aura come out in his presence?

  He thought of the way she’d stiffened the first time he reached out to touch her cheek. He’d wanted to kiss her, but stopped himself. She was fierce and guarded. Every line he’d relied on to impress other women fell flat. The usual gifts were useless. Spending money on jewelry was thoughtless when the money could have gone to help the village. Flashing a smile she could not see, flexing muscles she refused to touch, sending compliments that came across as shallow, even to him, had all been a waste of effort.

  “I said I would marry you. You can stop trying to seduce me.” She’d finally said. Michyle was not sure whether it was an attempt to put him at ease, or to put him out of the misery of his clumsy courting.

  He knew she could recognize him by sound. He spoke his name every time he entered her presence. He would watch as a curious expression crossed her face, before it was covered by blank insecurity. He would take in her rich complexion, crisp and brown, generously kissed by rays of sunlight and get lost in the varied colors of her eyes.

  He admired everything about her. Her nose, small and round, sat over a mouth of plump, pouting lips and between two high cheekbones. Her hair, thick and curly, the shade of mahogany with flecks of red, was always tied in a braid that fell to the middle of her back. He sometimes imagined what that hair would look like if he were to take that braid loose, but had fought back the impulse to touch her hair on several occasions, even though the sweet perfume she used in it drove him crazy.

  He took a seat at the edge of the woods as she swam that night, and silently gave orders to his guards to leave her alone and let her swim. He was jealous of this moment that he was not invited to, but was happy to see her enjoying it.

  Caressa stayed in the water another twenty minutes. She had been back to the water more than a hundred times in the years since her father’s death. Her Aunt and Uncle had taken up residence in the village compound as her guardians. She knew from the moment they arrived they would not be interested in bringing the colony back to life. They had immediately cut the funds for nearly half of the bi-weekly Universal rations and the colonists had to begin chipping in more of their own money to survive. Within two years, the village compound had been close to desertion with only several hundred people willing to hang on, believing the day would come when Caressa would regain control and make their short-term discomforts worth it.

  Her aunt had justified the use of money for upgrades to the compound’s gates, walls and apartments. She’d reasoned that the village should be able to sustain itself on the colony and not rely on supplies from the Universal. Those supplies that individuals needed, they should pay for themselves.

  For the first time in a long time, Caressa allowed herself to wonder about the unexplained hands and unintelligible voice that she had encountered on the day of her father’s funeral. As she swam in the water on the night before her marriage, she felt that same edge of fear and despair and prayed that at least this would be enough to bring back the mysterious voice of her childhood. She wanted to be foolish and believe that it had not just been her imagination, or some illusion produced by nearly drowning.

  As she swam, she took inventory of all of the things that terrified her. She would be married. She would journey amongst the stars towards the central system and its technology that she knew so little about. She had to trust that Michyle would be a man of his word. He would safely see her to Mars; show her all of the technological possibilities, and journey back with her before the day of her eighteenth birthday, when she would claim full Sovereignty. It was a lot of trust to put in someone that she had only known for three months.

  Risa and Waylon had offered to go with her. But she knew it was important that the two people she trusted most stay behind and make sure there was a colony left to resurrect upon her return.

  She took a final lap before slowly making her way to the edge of the lake. She reminded herself why she was doing what she was doing. The village was poor and dwindling in size as people took various opportunities to leave.

  This was her only chance to bring her home back to its former glory. She’d remembered the stories of the magic touch her mother had brought to the colony. Her mother had managed to help her father bring the village from near hunter-gatherer status to a collective compound that housed, fed, and clothed every family. Everyone who remembered her loved her. Caressa, by contrast, had been unable to do much for them and felt nearly useless to them.

  As she left the water for the final time, she accepted that it was her destiny to leave just for a short time in order to help make the colony better. She made it to the shore and sat down, letting the cool air engulf her, knowing the guards were there, waiting.

  They always were. She knew that he, Michyle, was there also. She knew he cared for her. She could hear it in his voice, in the way he stood up for her in the presence of her aunt and uncle, and also in the way he confirmed that he would not marry her unless it was truly what she wanted.

  He was not the first to make that journey across the Universe to meet her and propose marriage. Being acting Sovereign made her very attractive. However, every other man had told her that being mostly blind was a problem. Some of them spoke too loudly. Others expected her to accept their shortcomings if they would accept her handicap. All of them expected her to be grateful for their attention. But Michyle was different. He whispered to her when they were alone. His breath caught every so often when she spoke to him, and he looked at her. She could tell that he really looked at her and saw her.

  Never in her life had she wanted to see someone as much as she wanted to truly see him. He was smart and generous with all that he had to offer in terms of technology for the colony. She was grateful that she could always see the light surrounding his smile. She could always recognize the sound of his boots on the floor. She could smell the scent of his cologne, even when only a hint of it wafted on the air. She loved that even now, he kept his distance; he let her keep her moment. Even as he watched, she was touched by his efforts to protect her, even the night before they were to be married.

  She waited to stand up; she knew that when she did, the guards would come out, pretending that they had just found her. They would wrap her in towels and blankets and usher her to the compound where a hot tub awaited. Risa would be waiting for her as well. She took in a deep breath and stood up. She heard the commotion as the guards moved forward and held back a smile as the smell of Michyle’s cologne became stronger.

  She knew he would return to the compound later. It was important not to give the impression of impropriety to what was left of the village, which was still protective of Caressa. The news of her engagement had been met with excitement, until it became known that she would also be leaving them for almost a year. Michyle’s arrival had sparked some debate about whether he was good enough for her. When asked directly, her reply was always, “Time will tell.”

  When she returned to the village compound, she was greeted by silence. Waylon opened the gate for her and took the time to thank the guard staff for their continued diligence. She knew that he found it hard to be angry with her, even when she took risks with her safety.

  He led her through the corridors of the compound even though she knew the way on her own. He didn’t mind it, and neither did she, knowing it would be the last time they would share the same home for a very long time. She remembered that day he pulled her from the water. How strong and secure he was. Over the years he’d taken on as much of a father’s role as he could. Her aunt and uncle were her guardians and had the last say in her education and upbringing. But, whenever he could, Waylon gave an encouraging word, taught her useful skills, and assured her that there was more to life than the walls of the compound.

  He wal
ked her all the way to her apartment where Risa waited with a list of chastisements a mile long.

  “The night before your wedding, Caressa?” Risa took her by the elbow and ushered her into the apartment.

  “Good night,” Caressa said to Waylon with a mixture of guilt and gratitude that spanned all of the years he’d cared for her as the door closed on him.

  Chapter Four

  Caressa stepped into her apartment and let Risa guide her to the bath that waited.

  “What will you do when he takes you to his home?” Risa asked.

  “I will try to be on my best behavior,” Caressa promised.

  Caressa took her time stripping off her wet clothes and allowed Risa to help her into the water.

  “Michyle is a good man.” Caressa said. “He reminds me of Waylon… and I think maybe my father too.”

  “Yes,” Risa agreed. “I think your father would have liked him.”

  “So, isn’t it time you told me all about what to expect?” Caressa asked, teasing.

  “I am sure you know more about what to expect than I do.” Risa quipped good-naturedly.

  “Is it like in the stories?”

  “Sometimes,” Risa answered honestly.

  “We haven’t even kissed yet,” Caressa admitted.

  “Well, do you want to kiss him?”

  “I think I do.” Caressa admitted. “Tell me what he looks like.”

  “You already know what he looks like,” Risa said, half-chiding.

  “Tell me again, so I can dream about him,” Caressa pleaded.

  “He’s tall.” Risa started. “You are tall yourself, but he still stands head and shoulders over you. He’s not too old; his hair is thick and black, with no trace of gray hair, not even on his moustache. His shoulders are broad and thick, more than twice the size of yours. He’s not fat, but he isn’t completely lean either. He’s solid, a mass of muscles. His eyes are kind, large, and crystal blue. He wears only the best cut of clothes.”

  “And the best mixture of cologne,” Caressa cut in.

  “That is a matter of opinion.” Risa smiled to see the unconscious smile play across Caressa’s face. This was the latest in a series of whimsical smiles she’d seen on the girl since Michyle’s arrival. She let a tear drop from her eye and was surprised when Caressa lifted a finger to trace its journey.

  “Happy or sad tears, Risa?”

  “How did you..?” Risa began to ask, but cut herself short to clutch the hand against her cheek.

  Caressa was all too aware that this would be their last chance to say goodbye to each other. She was the only mother Caressa had ever known. A year apart would be hard.

  “I can see some things, Risa. Even things harder to see for others,” Caressa said. “I will miss you too.”

  Risa hugged Caressa and held her close as she would have a little baby.

  “You let me know if he is in any way cruel or unkind to you. I will send for you immediately.” Risa let the tears fall from her eyes as Caressa held onto to her.

  “I will.” Caressa promised as she made her way into bed and under the covers. Caressa tried to prepare herself for the journey that was ahead.

  She awoke the next morning to the warm feeling of sunshine on her face. She took in a deep breath and was surprised to be greeted by the sweet smell of her favorite orange lilies.

  “Rise and shine!” She heard her aunt’s almost shrill voice sing from the doorway. “Michyle sent over twelve dozen lilies to fill your room and bathroom, and he also left you a message. I put it on the night table. Hurry down to breakfast. The wedding crew will be here midday to get you dressed and ready. ”

  Caressa opened her eyes. The vibrant red in the calm plants that filled her room sent her heart racing. She reached over and picked up the note that was left for her. She sat on the edge of the bed and opened a folded piece of paper to be greeted by an audio recording.

  “Good morning.” Caressa smiled at how calm and reassuring his voice always seemed to be, but also took note of the tiny bit of insecurity that managed to seep through. “I wanted to see you this morning and reaffirm that you were going to meet me this afternoon at the altar. It occurred to me that I will not be able to see or even speak to you until the end of the day. Do you realize there has not been a day in the last three months since our meeting that we’ve not spoken? Strange to me, it seems as if somehow it has been my entire life that I’ve known you. I imagine that I will be a wreck until I am able to set eyes on your calm beauty once again.”

  Caressa smiled, beside herself. It was a love message: the first one she had ever received, and it was perfect. It took several weeks for Michyle to pick up on the fact that there was nothing special he had to do to make her marry him. He was kind and attentive. He treated her like a person; that was enough. In fact, she’d almost been frustrated by the shows of flowers and showering her with seemingly disingenuous compliments. It all made him seem so false. At last, she told him to stop the seduction altogether, that it wasn’t necessary. After a half a day of near silence, he politely told her he could not stop.

  “If you plan to be married to me, get used to it.”

  Caressa hadn’t expected that. She felt herself melt remembering those words and listening to his message. She had to admit to herself she never expected to fall in love. She also never expected a man like Michyle to fall in love in with a woman like her.

  “I have sent you twelve dozen lilies, your favorite. One dozen for every hour that I will be missing you today. As you walk down the aisle, if you get nervous, remember I am at the other end, smiling, and waiting.”

  Caressa closed the message and stood up and walked to an arrangement of lilies. She looked at them through the lenses in her eyes. She pulled one from the bunch, smiling as she carried it through the Sovereign’s apartment and to the dining room.

  “It seems like a waste of money to buy flowers for a blind girl,” she heard her aunt say just before she stepped into the dining room. Caressa paused, nonplussed at such a callous comment.

  “It’s his money to waste.” Caressa replied as she tucked the lily in her hair behind her ear. Caressa could see her aunt frown at the comment, knowing that it was a dig at the money her father had left which her aunt and uncle had squandered on the extravagances of their position as her guardians while neglecting the colony as a whole.

  “Every girl deserves to be treated like a princess on her wedding day.” Her Uncle Harold reasoned, trying to ease the sudden tension. “It was a wonderful gesture of romance.”

  “Yes.” Caressa smiled. “It certainly was.” She tried not to worry about the money that her aunt and uncle had spent. However, she’d never liked being treated like a burden, especially knowing that her father had left enough for her future and the future of the colony with or without marriage. But, now that the money was gone, her marriage to Michyle would set things right. This was why she had gone to see the matchmaker more than a year ago.

  When the matchmaker mentioned a possible connection with Michyle, Caressa’s first impulse had been to shrug it off as impossible. With all that he had, why would he travel the distance just to see if marriage to the acting Sovereign of a poor colony could be possible? However, at the matchmaker’s insistence, she said if he were willing to see her, she would not be opposed to a meeting. Michyle arrived three months after that.

  What she knew of his colony was very little. There were big flashy cities, a large beautiful countryside, and everything in between. Michyle was a businessman with a country house and what he called a sky deck apartment, where he could land and take off in his sky transport. The only thing she was used to in the village was the massive compound that housed everybody.

  Caressa did not truly understand the term “businessman” because her colony, Elle Star, was simple, barely sustaining itself with agriculture and textiles. She knew they would spend most of the time in the city on Michyle’s home planet of Mars. He told her this is where the bulk of the technology she w
ould want to have on her colony would be.

  “It’s going to take a long time to bring those things to Elle Star.” Caressa had sighed at the enormous task.

  “Well, we do have a lifetime to do it.” Michyle reminded her.

  After a day of preparation and dressing, Caressa found herself at the doors just before the aisle that she would walk down to get married. Her dress, a loose fitting sleeveless gown of white trimmed with gold thread, flowed beautifully around her body as she walked. She was scared. She thought about the lake. She thought about running. She heard the music as the doors swung open. Her uncle stepped to her side and held her arm, guiding her carefully and steadily towards the altar.

  She was calm when she saw it: Michyle’s smile. It outshone everything in her line of sight. They made it to the end of the aisle and she stood next to her soon-to-be husband.

  They were not allowed to touch until the end of the ceremony. Though it lasted no more than ten minutes, it felt like an eternity. When she at long last felt his hand reach for hers, she knew that it was time for their first kiss. She was more than ready for it. When his lips finally, softly, pressed against hers, it was warm, and in the end, to her mind, all too brief.

  Michyle inhaled Caressa’s perfumed hair for the entire duration of the ceremony. He was not sure how he made it through; it took every ounce of dignity not to grab her arm and drag her to his ship right then and there. As soon as the proclamation that they were now married was made, he took her hand and watched as she closed her eyes. He leaned in, knowing he had to stay in control. The five seconds that his lips touched hers were nothing less than intoxicating. He pulled away, afraid to scare her by coming on too strong. He smiled as her hand gripped his tighter and tugged him closer. He leaned in again and kissed her long and deep.