After a couple of unimaginable days with my husband, we’re about to take off in his craft to go to my new home, the palace in the capital of the Euthenia Nebula. My heart’s pounding. I’m not at all happy about leaving my home.

To top things off, Kerr doesn’t act the same when we’re around other people. I have to walk a step behind him and speak only when spoken to. He’s told me that’s how people act where I’m going, and I have to follow the rules.

It has my knickers in a twist, and I can’t stop feeling this helpless sensation. But my inner strength fights the helplessness, making me quite irate with the man I must share my life with.

How can he be soft and gentle, so loving but then so hard as nails? It’s enough to drive a woman insane. And his father! Oh! That man seems to think I’m one cut above an animal.

It seems most people from other planets don’t like Earthlings. Kerr said he has my back, but when his father says derogatory remarks against my kind he doesn’t say a word to stand up for me.

I’m sitting in a deep chair made of pale pink leather as Kerr and his father join me in what Kerr calls the courtroom. I lower my eyes as he’s told me I must do as men come into any room I’m in.

I wait for what seems like an eternity for him to allow me to speak. His hand touches mine. “Kataline.”

When I look up, he’s smiling at me. “Yes, sir?”

He pulls me up. “Join me over here as we take off. You expressed concern over flying and I’d like to offer you support as we start this journey.”

I smile and go with him to a long sofa, and we sit next to each other as he holds my hand. His father takes a seat across from us and frowns. “Why would you be afraid to fly? Have you never flown before?”

“No sir, I have not. Until the day of the wedding, I had never left our estate.” I look out the large window and see we’re moving, but I didn’t hear or feel a thing. “My, we’ve already taken off.”

“See, nothing to be getting anxious over,” Kerr says, and he gives my hand a squeeze.

His father clears his throat, and I look back at him to find him looking at our clasped hands. “The idea of keeping someone trapped in one place for so many years is quite barbaric. You are twenty-three years old. You are telling me you have been left in the same place all those years?”

“Yes, sir. The estate is large though and only a few times did I feel trapped. Not often. I have my theories of why the females like me are kept from everything.” I stop speaking as he holds up one hand.

“You have theories?” He chuckles as does my husband, igniting a streak of pure rage in me. “My dear girl, your blood may be made from that of Earth’s finest, but you are inherently female on top of being from Earth. Your theories are most likely incorrect and of low quality.”

“May I be alone, husband?” I snap.

Kerr holds my hand tight. “Why?”

I glare into his eyes. “Because I am not used to being talked down to. That’s why.”

“You should get used to this. It’s how you will be talked to once we get home anyway.” Kerr smiles, and I find I’d like to slap the smile off his handsome face.

My heart is pounding, and I feel like I just might go off and really get myself into trouble. “Please, sir, may I go to our sleeping chamber?”

“No. It won’t help you to acclimate to your new life if I allow that.” Kerr releases my hand and points out the window. “Just watch the sky turn from blue to black and don’t worry about a thing. No one’s asking you to think anyway.”

Keeping my mouth shut, I turn and look out the window. I’ve never been one to curse, but expletives are bouncing around my brain. This will prove harder than I ever imagined.

I try to focus on the gorgeous flying ship we’re in. It’s much like an extremely upscale yacht. A bit larger though. The cabinets in various areas of the vessel are made of a dark, red wood. Kerr told me they were crafted out of some of the ancient trees in the red wood forests on Euthenia.

The entire ceiling has lighting behind it, making it glow overhead. Little remotes in each room can be used to control the amount of light produced and when turned completely out in space, leave one in the most darkness there is possible.

That’s a thing Kerr cannot wait for. He wants to couple in that deep darkness, he thinks it will be otherworldly, which I bet it will. Alone, Kerr and I get along better than I could’ve ever imagined. Perhaps that’s why I get so mad when he acts differently around others.

Kerr’s father laughs a bit, bringing me out of my inner thoughts, and then says, “You have your work cut out for you, son. I told you this would not be as easy as you thought. She has been raised much differently than the females of our planet. The strap may be a thing you have to carry on your side with this one.”

My body tenses with his words and Kerr pats my leg. “Father, please. Kataline will learn how things are done. As far as people from her planet go, I’m sure she’s a far cry from most.”

My jaw is tight from holding back the barrage of words I want to throw at the men. Even Kerr’s compliment is derogatory.

“I just hope your offspring gain your superior intelligence, Kerr,” his father says, and I can’t stop myself.

I get up and walk out of the room and go to our bedchamber. Kerr doesn’t say a word as I leave. He can beat me until I’m black and blue if he wishes, but I will not sit and let anyone talk about me like that.

Once in the small chamber housing a large bed and little else, I sit on the side of the bed and try hard not to cry.

All things in this room are done in shades of silver. Except for the bed which has been covered with a white cloth, soft as the downy feathers of geese. Kerr said it’s a cloth made from the fibers some insect on their planet makes.

Kerr comes in and holds a small tray in his hands. “Kataline, we were about to eat. I know you’re upset with the way my father talks. He’s old and thinks outdated things. It’s one of the reasons I accepted you as an award. I want to change the way people see females on our planet.”

“Then why let him talk the way he does?” I snap.

He sits next to me and places the small, covered silver tray on the bed. “He is the king. No one can tell him not to think or speak in any certain way. I’m sorry it’s like that, but there’s not a thing I can do. Here, eat something.” He pulls the lid off the tray, and I nearly pass out.

Small, wormy creatures move about in what looks like dirt. “Kerr, what is that?”

“Good for you,” he says. “The base is a nutrient mixture, and the protein is hand raised in incubators until they reach the perfect size to give their full content to nourish our bodies.”

“It looks like worms in dirt, Kerr.” I look at the little things move in and out of the dark soil. “It must taste terrible.”

He takes a tiny, silver spoon and fills it then pops it into his mouth. He swallows without chewing and my stomach clenches. “It really has no flavor. Our planet is not like yours. We don’t consume food for any reason other than to nourish our bodies. It’s impractical to do so and leads to obesity. Here, try a bite.”

I hold my hand over my mouth. “Kerr, no! Yuk! Please tell me there’s some food here I can eat.”

“You can eat this food. Here just let me put it in your mouth, and you simply swallow.” He scoops up another tiny spoonful and moves it towards my mouth.

“Kerr! Stop! I will spit that out!” I scoot away from him, and he frowns.

“You will have to eat what we have, Kataline or you'll waste away to nothing. I will not have that. There really is no flavor to it, so what is your problem?” He places the spoon back in the bowl and looks at me.

“They move, Kerr! They move!” I shake my head. “Why do they not even cook them? It’s beyond disgusting!”

“We don’t cook them because it takes the nutrition away. You swallow so quick I swear to you that you never feel them move in your mouth. Now get back here and let me place a bite in your tenacious mouth.” He scoops another bite as I shake my head. “Now!”

His sharp tone has me doing as he’s said and I close my eyes and open my mouth and in goes the stuff. “Swallow!” he orders, and I do.

I open my eyes and smile. I didn’t taste or feel a thing. “Did you really put anything in my mouth?”

He nods. “I did, and you swallowed it. Was it so horrible after all?”

“I didn’t feel or taste a thing.” I run my tongue around my mouth and wonder how that is.

“See. Here, let me give you another bite. It’s not nutritional unless you consume at least five bites.” He fills another small spoon, and I close my eyes and let him place it in my mouth. As soon as I feel the spoon leave my lips, I swallow.

I giggle. “You may have to feed me like this until I get used to eating bugs and dirt, husband.”

Kerr leans in and gives me a kiss on the cheek. “Then I will do as you need me to. I know it seems as if I don’t have your back like I told you I did, but I really do. Only in front of others, we must maintain the decorum my planet requires. In due time, you and I will rule, and I swear to you we will make changes.”

Kerr’s mix of stern and soft are somewhat confusing, but I have to admit I respect him for not bending to my will. “Thank you, husband.”

He smiles and says, “Now you must be punished for leaving the room without my permission, Kataline.”

I may have spoken too soon about this respect thing after all!