In Enemy Hands Ch 10. 2

Here's the page for the whole story so far: http://machurch00.blogspot.com/p/in-enemy-hands.html

In Enemy Hands 


After they cleaned the mess Varo made, Varo took a shower to get the food off him. While he was in the shower, Adlar sat in the couch and commed Omori. He wanted a few minutes to speak to his brother alone.                      Later they would go together later to speak to Omori in an official capacity, but for now, he wanted to savor this. Omori’s features swam on-screen, and Adlar told him what he’d done and what he planned to do.
“Congratulation, my brother. I’m happy for you. Can’t say I’m surprised to hear it. I’ve never known you to alter course after you set your mind on something. So you removed the collar. You told him how you feel. Good. Does he feel the same as you?”
“Yes. He said he loves me too.”
“Excellent. Never thought I’d see the day a Helkan and Yesri mate, but stranger things have happened.”
“Oh? What to name a few?” Adlar asked.
“Um, not right off hand. But I’m sure there are some. Somewhere. Maybe. Huh. I might need to set the royal scribe on this task on second thought.”
“I see your sense of humor is still as dry as a desert.”
“At least I have one.” Omori waited until Adlar stopped laughing. “What? I do. Anyhow, you plan to claim him, you said. Do you know when? I guess I should tell you now you aren’t going to be able to do this quietly.”
“What do you mean? Of course we can. All I want is a simple ceremony. Maybe in your private garden with a few friends and… okay, why are you laughing again? Frack. I hate when you laugh. Nothing good ever comes from that.”
“You are my brother,” Omori said. “You are the second most powerful male on the planet and my heir until I mate—”
“Which you need to take of soon or find a way to live forever. I do not want to be king.”
“I got the comm message, thank you. Anyway, our people know you. You may be feared, but you’re also loved. Varo is a prince. Granted, a captured prince, but still a prince.”
“I’m not going to like this, am I?”
“‘Fraid not. Your mating will be announced universewide,” Omori said once again assuming the mantle of leadership. “The Yesri will probably not react favorably, but I’ll deal with that. Not much they can do anyway.”
“His father will probably blow a containment field.”
“Not just a gasket? A whole containment field? Omori’s professional masked slipped, and he chuckled. “Well, let’s just say… one can hope.”
Adlar snickered. He agreed. A noise sounded behind him, and he cringed. He turned and there stood Varo. Well, frack. How long has he been there?
Varo sat next to Adlar, but didn’t say anything about what he heard.
Omori noticed Varo. “Greetings, Varo, and congratulations. Adlar told me everything. I am sincerely pleased to welcome you to my family.”
“Greetings, Your Majesty, and t-thank you. That... that means a lot to me,” Varo said.
“None of that royal title rot when it’s just us,” Omori said, waving his hand. “You’re soon to be my brother-in-law, after all.”
“Omori hates all that bowing and scraping that comes along with being king,” Adlar whispered to Varo.
Omori rolled his eyes. “Please. So you do, so don’t start on me. Anyway, as I was saying, I’ll have the announcement on-planet once you set a date. We can do it in my private gardens if you’ll allow me to open the palace for a celebration.”
“Oh good gods, this is going to turn into a circus.” Adlar settled back on the couch and pulled Varo with him.
“That’s the price you pay for being royalty.” Varo nudged Adlar with his elbow.
“Indeed,” Omori said. “Our people need to see the two of you together, Adlar. They need to see the feelings between you both. It will help with overall sentiment.”
“Yeah, I don’t like this.” Adlar sighed. “You do realize the nightmare security will be, yes?”
“It’ll be handled. This is too big to be kept quiet so don’t ask that of me.” Omori glanced off-screen and frowned at something Adlar couldn’t see. He turned back to Adlar. “I have something to finish up here, and then I have session court. I can’t delay that. I’d like for you and Varo to attend me this evening for the final meal. We’ll talk more then.”
“Sounds good. We’ll be there.” Adlar said goodbye and shut down the comm.
Varo faced Adlar after the screen went black. “Are… are you sure you want to do this? It’s going to cause all sorts of ripples in your society.”
“I have no doubts. None at all. What’s life without some ripples? I’m not afraid to shake things up. Do you have doubts?”
“No, but it isn’t going to be easy. Besides how your people respond, there’s also my family. You jokingly mentioned my father blowing a containment field—and him being furious is a real possibility—but he could react in a totally different way than expected. You and your brother need to prepare.”
“What do you think he could possibly do he hasn’t already tried?” Adlar asked.
“The thing is, by mating me, you tie yourself to me—and through me… him. He might try to capitalize on our joining. He’d be your father-in-law, and as such he might try to claim the right to attend the joining.”
Adlar’s first reaction was to laugh. “Oh, he can claim all he wants, but Omori isn’t going to let him set foot on our planet. We’re certainly not going there for some contrived visit, either. I wouldn’t put it pass him to try to take me hostage and use me against Omori. Or take you hostage and use you against me.”
“He’d do anything to get his hands on the abundance of Black Phospolrock your people control. Anything,” Varo stressed.
“We are aware, believe me. Because of some species’ inability to take no as an answer, we had to set up Satellite Surveillance Network that surrounds out planet. The Yesri was the main one, though.”
Varo took a deep breath then exhaled slowly. “I’ll tell you why. Our kingdom is close to being bankrupt. My father has made some unwise investments, but that’s not all. He’s used money allotted to certain branches of the government for other… things. Things that only benefit him. Jewels, silks, whores, other homes, outrageous parties… it never ends. His spending is shocking, but he keeps spending instead of cutting back.”
“We knew he was greedy.”
“Greedy and reckless. For the past several years he’s upped taxes, but the economy is still horribly unstable. The middle class is unhappy with him and the rest of us in the ruling family. The poor are desperate. Things are bad, Adlar. Really bad.”
“Is civil war possible?” Adlar asked.
“Maybe. The rich keep getting richer and the poor keep getting poorer. My father ignores it all, but trouble is brewing under the surface. Now this. He will try something. This is too much of an opportunity for him to pass up.”
“For all the good it will do him.”
Varo took Adlar’s hand. “He may be vain and an ass, but he’s also ruthless. The only thing he cares about is money and power. Don’t underestimate him.”
“I won’t. Now come, let’s try the first meal again, shall we? I’m still hungry.”
Varo stood with Adlar. “I really am sorry about that. First time I had a meal in bed and I messed it up. I really can be a jerk sometimes.”

Adlar placed a quick kiss on Varo’s lips. “There will be more times, I promise. Many, many more times.”

TBC