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“Exactly.” Drevor smirked. “Currently, as you are unmated, but you are here by special visa, your adulthood status is guaranteed by the laws of your home planet. Once you mate Rane, however, you must subject yourself to the tribunal and Elffa will be able to claim you.”
“Right. So, how does me being pregnant change that?”
“Ah, see, there is an exception,” he grinned. “It was difficult to find, because it’s not a very common occurrence. However, there is precedence. All telfay must be cleared as adults, but only on Levtiram. There are telfay born on Holotulle, and they are subject to those rules of adulthood. There is a case of a female who was born and raised on Holotulle who met a telfay male from Levtiram. They decided to wait to mate until she moved to Levtiram, but while they were on Holotulle, she became pregnant. When she came to Levtiram, it was ruled that she, as a mother with legal guardianship, could not be put under the guardianship of another. She was granted her adulthood automatically just by virtue of being a mother.”
“And then she mated her male afterwards? I assume he wasn’t under adult guardianship?”
He inclined his head. “True, but it doesn’t matter. Once your adulthood is granted, it cannot be withdrawn. So, if you have a youngling, they are likely to grant it to you immediately. Then, once you mate Rane, she cannot claim guardianship over you any longer because, by that precedence, you will already be an adult, even once mated.”
“Oh,” Sandy blinked, understanding. “But where does that leave Rane?”
“Ah, that’s the best part. There have been couples that have mated wherein one was under adult guardianship. In those cases, the guardianship is automatically and immediately transferred from their previous guardian.”
“To their new mate?” Sandy guessed, smiling.
He inclined his head, smirking with her. “Their mate becomes their closest relative. More than that, legally, everything that belongs to one mate belongs to the other, so it wouldn’t be possible for another guardian to take care of their credz or belongings.”
“Ah. I see,” she said. “Do I have to be pregnant, or do I have to have given birth?”
“Unfortunately, it’s give birth. And I understand that will still be a long wait, but it’s shorter than waiting for a year to pass. So long as Rane doesn’t mate you, it won’t matter though. Your special visa lasts for a year as well. More than enough time to give birth through human or telfay gestational timing.”
Sandy hummed, tossing the idea over in her head.
It was a way out. So far, it was the only one they had found. Elffa certainly wasn’t going to put in an appeal on his behalf, and Sandy’s only escape – talking to the embassy – would mean having to leave Rane at her mercy.
“Does she know about this?” Sandy asked.
“As far as I know, she does not. However, that only means I haven’t told her. Nor have I heard her mention it. She is actually very knowledgeable about adult guardianship. She hasn’t maintained control over him all this time just by fortune’s grace. However, on the other hand, it is a very obscure, singular case. So, there’s a chance she might not know.”
“So, we don’t know.”
“Essentially.”
“Okay.” Sandy nodded. “I’ll talk to Rane about it. I mean, I’ll love my babies regardless of the reason they’re here – accidental, planned, or manipulation. That’s not really my problem. But he seemed terrified by the idea.”
“Because he knows what could happen. But only if you’re mated. I have to stress that. Our plans can only work if you two remain unmated. The moment he tastes your blood, it’s over.”
She frowned. “Tastes my blood? I thought he had to bite me.”
“That’s usually how it happens yes, but it’s not the only way. It’s actually a fairly common romance trope on this planet for a female to cut her finger and the male to lick it and discover that way that they’re mates.”
Sandy chuckled. “Wow. Okay. So, just don’t let him taste my blood.”
“Precisely. And you will think about the youngling?”
She hesitated just a moment before nodding. “Yes. I can’t guarantee anything. Rane has to agree as well.”
“I hardly expected you to do it on your own,” he smirked. “I won’t be able to contact you through your combot. It’s still monitored and there’s a chance she only knows that I’ve failed her, not that I’ve betrayed her. So, it would be best to keep her in the dark about that for now.”
Sandy nodded in agreement. “Very well. How do we stay in contact then?”
“Here.” Drevor reached into his pocket and pulled out a slip. “That is my home address. Memorize it, then destroy the paper. Elffa knows where I live, of course, but she doesn’t know that you know. If you need me, come visit me. If I have need of you, I will find you.”
“Hm, that sounds rather ominous.” She grinned up from the paper. “Something tells me it wouldn’t be wise to have you as an enemy.”
He didn’t respond, but there was a flash of humor and acknowledgement in his eyes that was honestly more intimidating than if he had just agreed with her. “In the meantime, while you’re discussing things with Rane, I will work on finding a physician we can trust. One that Elffa cannot buy, and one that is willing to help us.”
“I won’t be able to pay for a doctor.”
