All Novel Sweet
48
“Tomorrow morning would be best,” Jinnae said. “I want to confirm the children have completed their gestation period. The mother indicated they were early.”
He nodded to the two then entered SennLann’s room again. Bright gold eyes tracked him across the room until he stood beside the bed.
“The doctor is going to release you and the children in the morning. I will pick you up then.”
She nodded staring up at him with a slight smile on her lips.
“You seemed surprised to have twins. Are they uncommon?” he asked.
“I have never heard of twins being born to the Phem Kalos. We have single births only.” She looked up at him with a nervous expression.
“Well, they’re beautiful, like their mother. The doctor is just going to run some scans to make sure they have developed fully since you mentioned they are early.” He looked at her. “How early were they?”
“A full day!”
“A day. Just one. On a gestation period of a little over six months.” He stared at SennLann with exasperation. “I think they will be fine.”
“What are their names?” SennLann sat up and looked at him eagerly. His eyebrows went up.
“Uh, I wasn’t expecting to have to come up with names for them,” he said hesitantly.
“You have claimed them, so you must name them,” she insisted. More uneasiness for Jack.
“The Phem Kalos seem to have very structured names, SennLann du Kess for instance. I don’t know how this structure works so picking a name that follows-”
“Do not use Phem Kalos names for the children. They are not from Phem Kalos. They are the first of us to be born on another planet! They deserve something new!”
Jack grinned. “Ok. I will think on it tonight and have something by tomorrow.” He dipped his face down and kissed SennLann. She purred as he pulled back. “You get some sleep and I will see you in the morning.”
“I must feed the babies before I sleep. Could you bring them to me?” she smiled up at him.
He nodded and lifted one and held it up to his face. It really did have the sweetest face. He set the child down on SennLann’s chest and went back for the other. He thought this one’s face was slightly more heart shaped than her sister’s. He had something to work with in identifying them with new names. He set the child on the other side of SennLann and both babies began feeding.
It took around fifteen minutes for them to get their fill and SennLann was fading so Jack carried the twins back to the incubator and left the three beauties sleeping. He left and found Diana talking with the Chief Physician.
“Ah, Jack! I was just telling Diana that her baby is doing very well. Less than three months to go!” Jinnae said.
“That’s wonderful!” Jack said with a wide grin. He walked over and gave Diana a hug and kiss and he felt the woman relax in his arms. He pulled back to give her a questioning look but she just shrugged it off with a smile. He turned back to the doctor. “SennLann told me the children were born a day early.”
“A day? That’s it?”
“Yup, so…”
“I’ll still check but that shouldn’t have much of an impact on their development,” Jinnae said with a frown.
Jack nodded with a smile. “Can I take this one home now?” he said with his arm around Diana’s shoulders. The doctor nodded and smiled in return. She set off to look in on her three new patients.
As Jack walked Diana back down to the lobby he looked her in the eye. “What was that before?”
“What was what?” she replied.
“You were all tense when I hugged you.”
She blushed and looked away. “It was nothing.”
“No. Talk to me.” He stopped in the hall and took her hands in his.
She hesitated then looked down as she spoke. “The doctor told me how you saved SennLann. How you told her she belonged to you.”
He shifted from foot to foot in his embarrassment. “It was a Phem Kalos thing. I saw FennLann doing it with her and saw how it seemed to comfort her. She was slipping away. I was terrified she was going to die. I didn’t want to lose her.
“Sometimes… sometimes I need to be bitten too.” Diana said meekly.
Jack glanced at the nurse who overheard Diana’s comment as she passed by and saw the woman was looking at him with wide nervous eyes.
“It’s just a figure of speech!” he said to her and the female rushed away leaving behind the scent of her spicy musk.
“Let’s go home before I’m accused of being a serial biter!” he moaned.
Jack managed to go for a good and uneventful run the next morning though he realized his runners were shot from the previous days dunking in the canal.
When he got back Diana joined him in the shower and he took her hard and fast from behind pressing her against the wall. She was particularly energetic that morning. He playfully bit her on the shoulder with a growl afterwards and for the rest of the morning she was walking around with a content, satisfied smile on her face. He could only shake his head at her behavior. He went to the hospital and brought SennLann home with the girls.
Queen Elissa and Karrel visited in the afternoon for an informal naming ceremony. He asked for their patience as he arranged a call to FennLann. Once connected he brought up the video on his display in the living room. Jack had SennLann wait in the bedroom doorway out of the camera’s range.
“Hello Jack Danner! Greetings Queen Elissa and Karrel, Diana Haven. To what do I owe this honor?”
Jack spoke first. “First off we’d like to give you our condolences for the loss of your father.” FennLann smiled and nodded so he wasn’t in too much pain from that.
“Second, I suppose a congratulations is in order. I understand you’re now the King of Phem Kalos.” A broader smile and a nod from FennLann again. “Also a congratulations on your wedding.” FennLann’s face broke into a full grin on this one and Jack had to grit his teeth to keep the smile on his face.
“It’s been an eventful week for you.” Jack said calmly.
“Indeed it has!” FennLann smiled.
“SennLann gave me your message yesterday.”
FennLann’s smile froze. He carefully adjusted his facial muscles into something resembling a neutral expression. “Was it mal-”
“Female.”
Jack saw the relief sweep through the frame of the Phem Kalos ruler. “good… good…” he murmured to himself and looked back at the screen.
“You shed yourself of all responsibility for SennLann yesterday. You… shunned her.” Jack said with a carefully controlled voice.
FennLann must have picked up something as his eyes showed wariness. “It is the Phem Kalos way.”
“You knew what this would do to her-”
“IT IS THE PHEM KALOS WAY!”
“Did you forget that you lost her in combat to me? Did you forget this?” Jack asked as he lifted the amulet FennLann had awarded him from inside his shirt.Property belongs to Nôvel(D)r/ama.Org.
FennLann’s mouth worked but he couldn’t speak. He gave himself a shake. “But I was with her in your home! You made no objection! Did this not mean you rejected her?”
“NO! I didn’t object because you made her happy and what I wanted for SennLann was to be happy! She was no longer yours yet you acted like she was. Again, this made her happy. What you did yesterday voided ANY claim you have on her or her offspring.”
He looked offended. “Of course it does. That was its purpose. As I said it is the Phem Kalos way.” FennLann was getting control of himself back. “I am sorry for your loss as well.”
“Hold that thought.” Jack gestured for SennLann to enter the room and to stand next to him, holding the twins.
If FennLann’s eyes could have popped completely out of his head in surprise they would have. Not only was SennLann still alive but she was holding… two children. “Two?” he squeaked.
“Twins. My twins. May I present Adina and Zaina Danner, citizens of Altaria.” He’d have to confirm that last part with the Queen but it had just come to him and it felt right. SennLann was purring loudly and FennLann must have heard this. He looked shaken.
“There haven’t been Phem Kalos twins since the beginnings of our recorded history. This means-” he began.
“Checkmate.”
FennLann jolted and looked at Jack, puzzled at first, then it sunk in. Jack had introduced him to the Earth game Chess and he’d become very frustrated at not being able to master it. Quite frankly, he sucked at it and much preferred Arm Wrestling. In this meeting he was King and he was facing a Queen and her Knight. He’d already admitted he’d sacrificed his pawn. There was nothing for him to do.
“Well played Jack.” He paused to get control over himself. “Much happiness to you… and your family. Queen Elissa, Karrel, Diana Haven.” The line disconnected.
Jack turned to his guests sitting on the couch.
“Next time you’ll inform me BEFORE you potentially drag us into a war!” Queen Elissa barked at him.
“Mother, there was no way FennLann would have gone to war. Jack was right when he said Checkmate.” Karrel said with admiration in her voice. Unlike FennLann, Karrel took to Chess immediately. She also cleaned Jack’s clock each time they played. Truth be told he didn’t much care for the game either.
“My apologies Queen Elissa but I needed to ensure he wouldn’t pull any stupid moves to get control of the twins. As he confirmed, they are beyond rare and likely highly valued. Considering how poorly the Phem Kalos treat their women I had no idea what that would have meant for them. By formally acknowledging he had no claim to them in front of you I took that threat from the table.” Jack said and bowed respectfully to her.
“Adina and Zaina Danner. Why does only one of them have your last name?” Karrel asked.
“No, they both have Danner as a last name. It’s just a less awkward way to say it. Less repetition. Adina Danner and Zaina Danner.” Jack explained. “Can they get Altarian citizenship?” Jack asked the Queen.
“Unless the children were born within an embassy’s walls, within its sovereign territory, Altarian citizenship is automatically granted,” she answered. “Where were they born?”