***Destiney***

Destiney sat at the monitor in hopes of hearing from King Siefer. He had remained silent for days now. She missed his voice and longed to hear him whispering words of love as he lay by her at night. Her heart ached with loneliness. The only time she forgot her lonely life was when she spent hours with Rowl. He had become her lifeline to sanity. She often dreamed of his handsome, lean face. It was so very different from the rugged features of most Milisarian men. She equated the leanness with kindness. She never noticed the steely determination in his eyes or the sneers he gave to those he saw as weaklings. She needed a friend and looked only at the surface. He gave her attention, and she cherished it.

Destiney met Rowl for lunch. She brought Scyon with her. She was so happy to have company that she missed the hatred that passed across Rowl's face when he noticed Scyon. He wiped it away almost instantly. He must not allow her to see how he felt about his brother's son. It would alienate her. Rowl knew that the baby was the one-person Destiney would choose over him without question.

Destiney casually asked, "How was training today? Is it becoming easier to handle a sword now?"

Rowl lied, "The all-powerful Nabvan will not allow me to touch a sword. I think he is keeping me from learning on purpose. He is jealous of our friendship and treats me differently than the others. He is cruel and punishes me for every tiny perceived infraction. No matter how hard I work, it is never enough. He was quite angry that you wanted me to miss training yesterday. I hope he does not seek to punish you as well."

Destiney was doubtful. She replied, "Nabvan is the fairest man I have ever known. Perhaps he does not realize that you feel singled out from the others. You did tell me that your training would differ from the normal version due to your lack of muscles. If you wish, I can speak to him on your behalf."

"I am capable of standing up for myself. There is no need to get him any angrier with you. I will endure the hardship as I always have. I have been alone since childhood." Rowl was happy to see pity in Destiney's gaze. He knew just how to play on her sympathies.

Destiney invited Rowl to join her outside. She wanted to let Scyon play on the hillside. The baby loved to pull the grass and watch the clouds soaring overhead. Once again, she missed the change in Rowl's expression.

Scyon crawled over to Rowl and pulled his long hair. Rowl tickled the little boy and managed to hide his angry scowl from Destiney. Unperturbed, Scyon giggled and went back for more. Destiney saw only what her heart wanted to see: a man who cared enough to play with her son and a baby enjoying male attention. In her eyes, Rowl was very good with Scyon. She planned to bring them together more often.

Destiney bumped into Nabvan in the open area. She decided to confront him about Rowl's treatment. She accused, "I have heard that you are treating Rowl differently than the younger trainees. It would seem that you are much harsher on him. You do not punish the others for less than perfect performance, yet you punish Rowl. What makes you treat him unfairly?"

Nabvan tried to be diplomatic. If he allowed his distrust of Rowl to show, Destiney would turn on him, and he would lose any leverage he possessed with her. He replied, "Rowl is far behind the other trainees. Though he is older, he did not grow up dragging a sword or building up the muscles he was born with. If he is to catch up and join an older class, he must work harder and longer. Someday, his life will depend on his ability to fight with a sword. If he considers hard work a punishment, then I am at a loss in how to train him. Would you rather I let him be? It could mean his death."

Destiney knew that Nabvan was right. She just felt empathy for Rowl. She had always felt singled out and alone too. She did not want Rowl to suffer. It would be her goal to make him feel wanted.

The monitor was beeping with a message. Destiney was excited. King Siefer had finally called. She brought up the message, and her hopes fell. It was only a message generated by the spaceship sending its location to be recorded in the records. Her husband still did not consider her important enough for communication. He was allowing their argument to keep them apart.

Destiney had a choice to make. She could take Scyon and visit Alexis and Nexxa, or she could hunt down Rowl for a walk through the marshes. She tugged boots over the legs of her body suit. She chose to find Rowl. She justified it to herself by imagining Alexis busy in the lab. Destiney knew she was using Rowl as a substitute for her husband. She admitted to herself that she was having an emotional affair. She hid her guilt behind the anger at King Siefer. If he did not care to spend time with her, he deserved to lose her to Rowl.

She left Scyon with the nurse and hunted down Rowl. He had just finished his shower after training. He was dressed only in leather leggings. His smooth, hairless chest drew her admiration. Destiney stuttered her question, "Would you go for a walk in the marshes with me? I am tired of being alone and waiting for a call that never comes. I have a few hours before I must see to duties. Please spend them with me."

Rowl invited Destiney in while he dressed. He took his time donning a shirt. He felt her watching his every move and made the most of it. Lonely women were easy prey for someone as experienced as Rowl. He excelled at seducing them. After he had his fill, he tossed them aside and went on to the next one. It would be a pleasure to take his brother's wife. The perfect revenge for his exile would be taking Destiney to bed.

Alexis caught sight of Destiney and Rowl headed away from the capitol building. She tried to get Destiney's attention and stop her. It was fruitless. Her friend noticed no one else. Her concentration was on Rowl alone. Alexis considered following them. Her manners precluded spying on a friend. She would make more time to spend with Destiney. If she were a better friend, there would be no need for Destiney to depend on Rowl.

Destiney strolled through the marshes with Rowl. It was good to be outside. She felt free for the first time in months. Her confidence was boosted by Rowl's attentiveness. She trusted him enough to complain about the king. "King Siefer is so involved with his duties that he ignores me. I begged him to take Scyon and I with him. He said we would be a distraction. I can not get his attention on a good day. How could I possibly distract him on a mission?"

Rowl found an opening and replied, "Your beauty would certainly distract me from my duty. He must be wearing blinders."

 

"He does not need blinders. He can only contend with one love at a time, and for now, it's his love of duty. He wants to make all the worlds work as one, and yet he can not make our marriage work. He has not spoken to me nor sent a message to me since his departure."

"He is obviously busy. He probably believes you are secure enough in the knowledge of his love to endure his absence." Rowl pretended to defend the king.

Destiney cried out, "That is not true! We fought before he left. It was the worst fight we have ever experienced. He left our chambers and spent the night elsewhere. The next morning, he left for the colonies. He did not even hug or kiss me goodbye. I had no chance to apologize."

"He should be the one apologizing to you. He does not deserve your love or your loyalty. Stop waiting for a message. Let it go. Enjoy your freedom while you can. He will come back eventually and expect you to welcome him home with open arms. You can make a decision about how you feel about him then. If you still love him, stay with him. If not, then move on to someone who can truly give you the time and attention you deserve."

Destiney felt that someone finally understood her. She had tried to explain her frustrations to Alexis, but she had always defended King Siefer. Everyone except Rowl thought it was fine for the king to put duty above love. It was gratifying to find a man that agreed with her and found the king to be wrong.

Destiney allowed Rowl to take her hand as they continued their walk. His grip was warm and strong, bringing forth hidden longing from Destiney. She did not want to desire Rowl or betray her husband. It was so hard to be alone and unhappy. Rowl filled the empty place in her soul. Such desires would never have crossed her mind if King Siefer had at least kept in touch. Destiney craved attention. She always had. It was partially the reason she had left Earth. Being part of a space expedition, looking quite different than the women on any other planet, and men fighting to marry her were the attention grabbers of her dreams. She had fulfilled them all. She needed more, and Rowl was willing to provide it.

Rowl could tell that Destiney's loyalties were changing. She was quickly letting go of King Siefer. His plan was working faster than he could have imagined. He just needed to keep Destiney away from Alexis and Nabvan. She still trusted them, and their opinions of Rowl were not good. They held some influence over her decisions, which could be a problem for Rowl. He had to get closer to Destiney.

Rowl tightened his grip on Destiney's hand. He tugged her closer to his side, using the uneven terrain as an excuse. He could practically hear her heart speed up as their bodies brushed against each other. He stopped by the seaside and let the waves wash over their feet. The four moons were always visible in the sky, even during the daytime. They watched as the largest seem to dip into the sea. Rowl took Destiney's face in a hand and turned it toward him. Her eyes shined with unshed tears. He could feel her hesitance as he leaned in for a kiss. Their lips met, and a sob came from her, yet she allowed Rowl to deepen the kiss.

Destiney jerked out of Rowl's hold and ran. She could not stay a moment longer. If she did, her sobs would turn him away. No man wanted to watch a woman cry over someone else. Confused, sad, and guilt-ridden, Destiney made her way back to the capital. She snuck through the hidden escape route that led to the king's quarters. Luckily, she was the only one who knew it existed. Not even King Siefer had found it. She had to stop the tears and clean herself up before attending to her duties. A queen could not appear devastated in her followers' presence. Her decisions would not be respected.

Dry-eyed and regally adorned, Destiney sat on her throne. She welcomed the Milisarians and concentrated on their problems rather than her own. Their petty issues were easy to deal with, unlike those of their queen.