Chapter 3

While Noah and I waited outside the Bay, a little ship landed. It was quite strange, red, and green with golden accents, I couldn’t recognize where it came from, in all the know galaxy I’ve never seen one like that. When I opened the hatch, instinctively took Noah’s hand. The ship scared me, so much that it was impossible to hide it from Noah.

                -Dad? – he said before I interrupted her.

I put my hand on his shoulder and with my finger, on my lips, I told him to stay silent. I pulled up the zipper from his jacket to hide his royal suit. To an unknowing eye, we were some plain father and son.

When the hatchet opened, I saw them. Two beings almost three meters tall, wearing armor and two light rifles. Four arms and a sharp tail. Zemedians, were rebel beings not affiliated with the Mara Empire. Their presence was unsettling, while I kept Noah calm, my other hand approached my gun’s case.

                -Pull him down. – I heard one of them saying.

Three more descended, each one of them carrying a corner of a stretcher. One of their elders was gravely injured.

They passed silently while the other two stood outside the Bay on guard.

Noah uneasy and inexperienced, crossed looks with of them, who quickly stopped looking at him given that he’d start crossing looks with me. I’m not sure if he got the message I was sending, I just know I’m still alive to tell the tale.

-Mister Neverender. – some minutes ran by until one of the nurses called my name.

I quickly nodded and took Noah, I carried him on my shoulders while entering the Bay. The best way to express how it felt to walk between two Zemedians, would be saying that it felt unreal, like walking between dead bodies that are still standing.

Once inside, the air was different. I finally put Noah down and gave him a smile.

                -Who were those? – he asked confused.

                -Zemedians. They’re a dangerous species. – I told him while trying to cut the topic.

                -Why? – he said, he didn’t show an ounce of wanting to leave the topic.

The nurse and I look at each other, he looked worried, but I’m sure that I looked way more concerned than him. After thinking about it for a moment I decided to tell him the truth.

                -They’re people that don’t recognize the empire’s law. They’re outlaws like the ones you see on your book. -

                -They don’t follow the rules. – the nurse added.

Noah didn’t say more about it.

I wished to erase that moment, but at that moment, everything was eclipsed by the big event.

                -This way please. – the nurse told us.

The doctors were inside the room, my surprise at watching more than one was big given that I didn’t expect that much attention at a little Bay like that one.

I put Noah down and hugged him. He took his hand out for me to take it, holding hands while walking inside the room. While entering, I saw the most beautiful woman in the universe, sitting holding a baby. I approached Arana, who didn’t take her sight away from our little girl.

                -She has your eyes. – I told her ironically. The little girl, in fact, didn’t look like Arana, in fact, she was a girl with fully human DNA.

                -She has your nose. – she told me while pointing to the nurse beside her bed, who was holding my other girl, a girl that was alike to Arana, with the DNA of a royal Mara.

                -Mister Neverender, let me introduce you to your two new daughters. – Arana told me, in a joking manner trying to hold the laughter she got while watching me that surprised.

Between laughs and repressed tears, I kissed Arana, with my heart fired up, full of incomparable joy.

Hours flew by. I fixed the payment to the Bay, where they offered a discount due to being a member of the royal family. I declined the offer, in fact, due to how much this family has done for me, it’s something that I’ll never be able to pay, covering the cost for the birth of my daughters was the least I could do, it was also a joy of mine.

After covering the expenses, I quickly visited Erek’d’s room. The old man and the son were asleep, but Erek’a greeted me happily. She told me about her brother, about a paying plan for a prosthesis, while I told her about the new members of my family.

Back in Arana’s room, I noticed that the Zemedians were gone. I felt enormous chills while remembering the arrival of the ship, unfortunately, that wouldn’t be the last time I felt those chills. While on that day I was enjoying one of my happiest moments, something I wasn’t aware of was that a sinister event was gestating.

Ignorant about my future, I entered Arana’s room again, where Noah was sleeping on the couch. The babies were taken to the nursery. Soon I sat beside Arana.

                -How are you? – I asked while holding her hand.

                - You think having a baby is hard. Nobody tells you how it is having two. – she said between laughs.

We silently laughed, trying not to wake Noah.

                -Well, I hope you sleep well tonight because tomorrow you’re piloting the ship. – I told her faking seriousness. She only turned to me lifting her eyebrow. My attempt of hiding my smile was futile.

                -I was thinking about the name, how you chose Noah’s. It’s supposed to be my turn, but due to them being two, maybe it’s fair that Noah names one of the girls. – she told me while looking at our son sleep.

I only nodded, followed by that I gave her a kiss on the cheek.

                -I saw your phone in his hand. –

                -I needed to give him something to remind him we’d never stop loving him. You should’ve seen how happy he danced that song. – I answered while bopping my head imitating Noah’s dance.

                -I don’t think Noah is the only one that needs to be reminded of paternal love. – she told me while looking at me a little concerned.

I remained silent after that.

                -We haven’t seen them since Noah. –

I simply nodded, trying to evade that conversation.

                -You gotta return someday and you know it. Even as an ambassador, there are certain luxuries that can’t last forever. -

                -I guess my mom will forgive me for not coming back if I bring her two new granddaughters. – I said with a laugh trying to hide my worries.

Arana simply kissed my hand, showing that she understood my feelings.            

-Tomorrow and the weekend we’ll go to Mara. What if after that we go to Earth? I’m sure Noah would love to discover more music from your planet. – she said trying to convince me.             

-I’ll talk kit with my life coach. – I said while raising my pillow.

                -You’re not sleeping on the floor. – she told me as an attempt at scolding.

                -Try to stop me, princess. – I told her in a mocking way.

                -If you talked to any of my brothers like that, you’d be sent to the dungeon for ten cycles. -

                -How is it that I was lucky enough to marry the best one from your family? – I told her while lying down on the ground.

                -Being a hero has its rewards. –

We both laughed and joked a little longer till midnight came. The next day would finally be the moment to name our daughters and time for the Neverender family took off once again to the unknown.

I was living my best life. I had no idea how little it was gonna last.