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“I know who I’m agreeing to marry, thank you,” I cut him off. “If those are your problem areas, I have bad news. I am not budging on those matters.”
“This is entirely unprecedented.” Havi fumbles with the tablet, searching for a new way to tell me ‘no.’
“I’ll be the first human queen in your history,” I say. “You should get comfortable with unprecedented situations.”
As his mouth works silently on unspoken complaints, my husband-to-be sweeps into the room.
“What problem is so important that I had to rudely end a call with the other Ka’lakka early?”
“Are you aware of this pre-nuptial agreement that my lady has had her lawyer draft?” He stomps over to the king and thrusts the tablet into his hand, but Mak doesn’t take it. He simply glances at it.
“You have a lawyer?” One blue brow raises.
“I’m what we humans call ‘American,’” I explain.
He points his finger in recognition. “Actually, Pakka, my fellow Ka’lakka, told me about this. His mate loves her lawyers too.”
“My liege,” the advisor gently prods his arm. “The document—”
“What of it?” He asks, bored.
“There are some clauses in this document that are completely out of order, not to mention its existence at all is an affront to the mating call!”
“I recall telling you that whatever the queen wanted sealed in contract should be carried out exactly as she dictated. What’s out of order is the idea that you should question her every move. I shouldn’t have to intervene with her every decision. She’ll need to have more autonomy once we settle on Kar’Kal.”
“You have not yet heard the clauses!” he cries.
“Go ahead,” Mak says, folding his arms over his chest to listen.
“She will retain her Alliance citizenship!”
Mak nods. “Okay.”
“Furthermore, this means any child she bears will have Alliance citizenship too!”
The king shrugs. “Fine.”
“This document will allow for the dissolution of the matebond,” he says, paling near to color of paper. “Divorce! That bypasses Kar’Kali laws of commitment to a mate!”
I watch the king’s face carefully. His forehead twitches, but he doesn’t budge.
“Yes, and?”
“Do you realize this means that at any time she could dissolve the matebond, abscond with your heirs to Alliance territory, and you would have no recourse?”
“I must have done something quite terrible in this hypothetical scenario…” The king cracks a smile. He glances at me. “Was I very naughty?”
I’m so surprised by his reaction that I laugh.
“Your grace, this is serious.” Havi waves the tablet. “A king without a mate is one thing. A divorced king is another matter entirely! The scandal!”
The smile fades from Mak’s face as his eyes slide away from me and toward his attendant.
“I’ve heard your concerns, and I’m being serious when I say that none of this matters. I will agree to whatever she wishes.”
“You told me that re-establishing Kar’Kali traditions will be integral to our reinhabiting the planet, and I am simply implementing that when I say that this is far from traditional—”
“I’m not afraid of death. And I’m not afraid of divorce,” he says. “Approve it and tell me where to sign.”
