As she rinsed her arms, a blush colored her cheeks. Being in the bathing pool brought back memories of the bathing pool on the crystal planet and all that had transpired in the room between them. She could feel the tips of her ears turning pink as visions of Jax came back to her – how he looked reclining in the water, and how she had made love to him there.

Suddenly, Brenda splashed the water angrily. {Jax could have told me. He *should* have told me. He knew how I feel about being a queen, and how important my freedom is to me.} She slipped down deeper into the bathing pool to allow the water to lap at her shoulders. {Jax is wrong. Even though I did come to him in the dungeon, I never *forced* him to ….. to take me. I couldn’t! As strong as he is, I could never *force* him to do…..}

Brenda’s self-justifications were interrupted by memories of that first meeting in the dungeon.

{Brenda rose to a standing position. "Well, if you are absolutely sure that you won’t accept my bargain…."

She closed her eyes in a grimace as more of their conversation came back to her.

Jax couldn’t be right. It was *his* choice – not hers. She had no alternative. He was the one who had insisted…….who had……

Brenda balled her hands into fists and slapped the water again. The words Jax had spoken to her in his Familiar tongue when he made love to her returned with a vengeance. Now that Tomassif had adjusted her internal translator, their meanings caused her to gasp aloud.

{"I take you to my mate, I forsake all others,

Hot tears of guilt began to roll down Brenda’s cheeks but then she started when she heard a high-pitched whistle. She looked up and her mood lightened when she saw a white predux flying just above her head. Brenda laughed aloud as the graceful bird coasted with outspread wings towards the huge tree that grew up through the center of Jax’s apartment. He landed on a branch and as Brenda watched in continuing amazement, another predux came shyly from deep within the foilage to join the first. The two birds moved closer until their long necks intertwined and they seemed to be but one creature.

"How beautiful!" she breathed softly, afraid to speak for fear that she would cause them to startle.

But it was Brenda who startled when she heard Jax’s voice from across the room. "My sentiments exactly," he murmured. When he caught her glance with his, Brenda seemed to lose the power to look away. As he approached her, she sat in the pool, mesmerized, her breathing growing more ragged the closer he came. He crouched down next to where she reclined in the water to trace a finger up the graceful curve of her neck. "Good morning, zira."

The fragrant hint of zilliang spice surrounded her as Jax’s finger lazily drew patterns on the side of her neck. The hypnotic power of his eyes wreaked havoc on Brenda’s anger. Finally, she managed to swallow hard and break the silence. "It is past morning, I fear, Familiar." The fire in his eyes faded a little and she pounced on the opportunity to move away from his reach in the pool. "You were gone when I woke, and since the water appeared so inviting......" She finally turned back to him. ".....I hope you don’t object to my using your bathing pool."

"Not at all." To her amazement, Jax remained crouched on the far side. "And I apologize for leaving you this morning. I needed to confer with my Chief Advisor on matters of some importance."

Brenda’s face grew somber. "Corinthon?"

"Among other things." Jax rose to his full height. "But let us not speak of such weighty matters this beautiful day."

"Jax," Brenda interrupted seriously, "the beauty of the day cannot make our differences disappear." She glanced down at the water and chewed on her lower lip. "We need to speak at length ..... to settle this.....impasse between us."

But when she looked up, Jax had come around to her side of the bathing pool. "When I invited you to Meer’an, Brenda, I may have deceived you with regard to some matters." His face colored with a guilty blush. "But I was truthful when I told you that I wanted to introduce you to the many wonders to be seen here."

When he held out a large bathing sheet, she cautiously stepped out of the pool. He folded his arms around her, facing her, covering her with the dry cloth as he did. Jax dispassionately helped dry her, but when he turned her around, he leaned down to speak close to her ear. "Can we not put aside our differences just for a while today?" She could feel his smile as his breath ruffled her hair. "After all, I have heard that a Torengi’s curiosity is quite.....boundless."

Brenda smiled, despite herself. "That is true, my clever Familiar," she replied, turning back to look into his crystal blue eyes. "So.....do you feel up to the task of guiding me around your amazing homeworld?"

Jax pushed a damp lock of hair off Brenda’s forehead, causing her skin to tingle where he touched her. "Rather, fair angel, I begin to wonder if Meer’an is prepared to appreciate such beauty come to life." He pulled back and extended his hand to her. "Come -- let me show you to my world."

She placed her hand in his, grasping it tightly as tears came to her eyes. "There is noone I would rather have show Meer’an to me."

*~*~*~*

Not much later, Jax and Brenda emerged from the royal apartments. He had surprised Brenda by ordering new caftans for her from skilled artisans on Tron. Tears came yet again to Brenda’s eyes when she found them, laid out across their bed in a rainbow of hues. Her eye was naturally drawn to a vivid pink and lilac caftan that seemed to shimmer as she slipped it over her head. A serving girl sent to assist her pulled Brenda’s hair back from her face, drawing it into a large bundle high on her head and securing it with strands of dark pink pearls.

The first thing that Brenda noticed, as soon as they left the confines of the main building in the castle, was the happiness of the Familiars. Men and women alike went about their tasks with smiles. No harsh tones or angry words came to Brenda’s ears. Brenda realized that it was not a giddy happiness or drunken frivolity that blessed these Familiars. It was a true peaceful contentment with their lot in life. A feeling of being right where they would have wished to be, their lives lacking for nothing.

And the cats. Everywhere that she looked, Brenda saw a multitude of cats. Some obviously older cats lay quietly in the sun, dozing next to their mates. Some mature cats ran past Jax and Brenda as they walked, chasing each other with all the abandon of youngsters. And kittens -- they rolled and pounced and fought each other, only to collapse next to each other with soft purrs and rumbles.

It was quite apparent that not only were the Familiars happy with their lives, but that they were equally happy as their alter egos. Brenda was about to comment on it when Jax stopped short and looked down at his feet. A large red ball had rolled up to him. His gaze next traveled to Brenda, and after giving her a secretive wink, his gaze fell upon the owner of the ball.

"Emlir!" Jax commanded firmly. He reached down to pick up the ball and then held it at eye level of a young Familiar girl. Her dark hair offset the brilliant blue eyes accented with topaz highlights that identified her as a Familiar. She could not have seen more than 10 revolutions of the primary sun of Meer’an. "Does this belong to you?"

Emlir blushed profusely and cast her eyes downward. "Yes, zir Jax."

Jax pursed his lips and shook his head. "And do I not recall that your parents specifically *forbade* you to play with this sphere until *after* your home studies have been completed for the day?"

"But zir Jax," Emlir pleaded, "I have but one assignment to complete and it is such a beautiful day......almost as beautiful as our new zira," she added politically.

Jax rose one eyebrow. "And what might that assignment be?"

Emlir sighed and frowned. "Advanced calculus and molecular physics, zir Jax." She raised sad eyes to meet his. "I find them *sooooo* tedious."

Jax handed the ball back to Emlir and leaned down to smile at her. "And you shall swear to me on your Familiar honor that you will complete the assignments prior to retiring for the night?"

Emlir’s eyes lit with happiness. "I swear, Zir Jax."

"Good." He straightened up and patted her on the head but did not return the ball. Instead, he heaved it far over her shoulder towards a waiting group of Familiar children. When Emlir turned to him with confusion written on her face, he tapped her on the nose. "Then if you wish to have time to enjoy your privilege, you had better work at retrieving your sphere quickly!"

Brenda watched as Emlir chuckled at Jax and then spun around to race after the ball. "So......it’s not a Familiar practice to discipline children?"

Jax held out his arm so that Brenda could link hers through it as they continued their walk. "Oh, we firmly believe in disciplining our youth for serious transgressions, angel." He looked back over his shoulder as did Brenda, and she gasped softly when she saw a group of frisky kittens playing roughly with the same ball that Emlir had chased only moments earlier. "But," Jax added, turning Brenda’s face back to his by putting a finger to her chin, "we also believe in allowing our children some measure of harmless mischief." He leaned towards her with a wicked smile. "This roguish nature is, after all, one of a Familiar’s most endearing qualities, do you not agree?"

Brenda tried to give Jax an indifferent smile. "It can be most attractive, yes." Then she blushed and the tips of her ears turned a soft shade of pink. "And then again, in some Familiars, I find it practically irresistible."

Jax patted the hand that was linked through his arm and they continued their walk. They stopped briefly to sample some delicious pastries that a vendor had just taken from an oven. At a tent displaying fresh fruit, Jax merely had to nod in the direction of some fresh playnard grapes and an entire stem was offered for their tasting. Jax broke off some of the succulent, rich purple fruit and fed it to Brenda, his eyes flaring as the juice dribbled down her chin. The erotic thought he sent her caused her ears to turn a shade that resembled the grapes.

They were almost back to the confines of the castle when Brenda noticed the heavy bunting being draped on the balconies. "Jax, look!" she exclaimed. "It’s your picture!"

Jax froze as he realized the motive for the display. "Yes, it is." He smiled and urged her forward. "Now, we really should be returning to our quarters, angel."

But Brenda wouldn’t be swayed. "No Jax, look! – who is that man pictured in the panel next to yours?"

"That is my Chief Advisor, Stefantok," Jax replied. "I spoke to you of him earlier, do you remember?"

Brenda nodded but still she remained rooted to the spot. "Yes. He seems to be much ….. older….. than many of the other Familiars." She placed her hand on Jax’s arm and gave him an innocent smile. "Which stands to reason, since you would want the wisdom of age to help guide you in ruling Meer’an." Brenda frowned as another banner was unfurled, but then another bright smile lit her face. "Look, Jax – it’s Scorpian! Will there be some special ceremony to honor his bravery?"

"YES, angel!" Jax enthusiastically seized the opportunity and was finally able to move her feet again towards the privacy of his apartment. "In fact, after the sun sets this very evening, we are planning a feast to show our appreciation for all that he did for us." Jax pointed to large groups of Familiars who seemed to be traveling in the direction of the compound’s main drawbridge. "Even now, the various tribes of Familiars are sending their representatives to be present for this celebration."

"How wonderful!" Jax had almost reached his goal of maneuvering Brenda inside the walls of the main building when she froze again and grabbed his arms in excitement. "Oh, Jax – do you think it would be possible – even though I am not a Familiar – for me to attend this celebration?"

Jax cupped the side of her face with one hand. "Sweet Brenda, there is nothing I would like better than to have you accompany me to the feast this night."

She giggled and clapped her hands like a youngster. "Oh, Jax, this has been the most amazing day of my life! And it’s not even over yet! How will I ever….." Brenda never finished the sentence as her eyes suddenly widened and the smile faded from her face. Jax could tell that she had seen something disturbing over his left shoulder, and he was fairly certain that he knew what was causing her distress.

Brenda pulled away from his grasp and walked around him to face the last of the banners. "Jax…..is that….." Her words were barely audible. Jax hung his head, not facing her yet. "……Jax….." He heard her breathing increase and anticipated hearing the sounds of foot-stomping shortly. He wasn’t disappointed.

"JAX!!" She had whirled around to face him yet he still dared not meet her gaze. "Why is MY picture on a banner?"

She was just as he had imagined when he finally turned to face her. Her arms were crossed across her chest; her chin lifted in defiance; her eyes blazed with passion, though not the passion he hoped to see. The toes of her right foot were keeping a staccato rhythm on the cobblestones. "Zira, if you will merely come inside with me and allow me to explain……"

Jax reached out to take her elbow in his hand but she jerked away from him. "No! You’ll explain to me NOW! If I allow you to take me into your apartments again to explain, we’ll only ……" Brenda’s voice lost some of its bluster as Jax saw pink coloring creeping up the tips of her ears. "I mean, you’ll start using those Familiar talents of yours to persuade me….."

Jax drew as close to her as the continued soundness of his toes would allow. "Brenda, please…..If you will just postpone further discussion of this until we are in private, I give you my word that I will not try to……" He lifted one eyebrow ever so slightly. "……persuade you….to do anything but consider attending the celebration."

Brenda took a long breath and drew back a little, but then she nodded quickly. She allowed Jax to take her arm, but their journey back to his apartments was made in silence. As soon as the door was closed behind him, the guard posted so that they would not be disturbed, Brenda drew her arm from his grasp again. She stomped to the far side of the room and faced him with barely-contained fury. But before she could start her usual dance of displeasure, Jax held up a hand, asking for her permission to speak first.

"Before you declare war on the floor of my apartment, angel, you should know that the feast tonight was planned without my knowledge."

"Without your knowledge??!!" Brenda tried to control her shriek so that everyone in the compound would not hear her. "Jax – you are the *king* here – how could *anything* happen without your knowledge?"

Jax grimaced and stared down at his feet. "Perhaps I phrased that incorrectly." He took a deep breath and then began walking towards her. "It has long been a tradition among the Familiars to honor bravery with a feast of celebration. As soon as we stepped through the tunnel entrance on Meer’an, word spread quickly of Scorpian’s valor. Even before we arrived at the castle, Stefantok had set the wheels in motion for a feast to honor Knight Scorpian."

Brenda was still fuming. She waved at Jax to continue as he paused to draw a breath. "In the meantime, word spread just as quickly that I had arrived with a new…….zira. My destined mate."

"Because all the other Familiars could see the marking you placed on me……."

Jax nodded. "When Taggertton saw the marking as well, he realized that the rumors were true. He met with Stefantok last night and preparations for the mating feast began even as we slept. The tribes of Familiars already on the way here only had more cause for joy."

Brenda chewed on her lower lip as more of her righteous indignation withered like last year’s leaves on the sotnat tree. {Jax spoke the truth when he said that it was done without his knowledge. Of course, he has *always* spoken the truth to you. Even from the beginning, he spoke of how he loved you…..something you have not yet been able to admit back to him……}

Jax’s voice brought Brenda out of her reverie. "By the time I met with Stefantok this morning, preparations were already complete." He dropped his head and chuckled to himself. "Industrious Familiar artisans who caught a glimpse of you as we journeyed here yesterday were turning out banners and sweets graced with your countenance by the hundreds."

"Sweets?" Brenda’s stance softened even further. "There are sweets that resemble my face?"

A soft laugh rumbled deep in Jax’s chest. "You…..and Scorpian! Can you imagine what he will say when he sees small replicas of his face by the hundreds on serving trays!" They shared a laugh, but then as he sensed that his toes were no longer in grave danger, Jax came close enough to Brenda to run his finger down the side of her face. "They try, but they can never do you justice, angel." He cupped her face in his hands tenderly. "Only *I* have had the privilege of seeing how your eyes light up when we make love." Brenda’s breaths came in ragged spurts. "Only *I* know how your beauty transcends time when I touch you in that one spot….."

"JAX!!" Brenda seized his wrists in her hands. "You promised me that you wouldn’t try …….that you we wouldn’t …….."

A smile crossed his face but he still held her fast, refusing to remove his hands. "True. But as we discussed before, a Familiar is mischievous by nature…." He leaned down to brush her lips with his. "……and you do find it most ….. enchanting."

Brenda’s body swayed towards Jax’s but then suddenly she pulled out of his arms and her spine stiffened. "NO!" Jax blinked his eyes as though someone had awakened him from a long sleep. "I will *not* allow my physical needs to rule over my intellect." She stepped several paces back from him. "Now explain to me what exactly is involved in this mating celebration."

"Does that mean that you will agree to attend with me? As my zira?" Jax echoed her paces, drawing close enough to her again to touch her.

"It means," Brenda replied, moving even further away, "that I am still gathering information in order to make an enlightened decision."

"Which is just further proof of what a wonderful zira you would make!" Jax smiled broadly but when he saw Brenda’s grimace and her toe began to tap again, he tried to match her gravity. "Actually, there are very few formal ceremonies involved." He walked over to a chair and seated himself with a sigh. "I introduce you to Stefantok – his age and station entitle him to such a prerogative. Then, after he has given his official sanction to the union, he introduces you formally to the tribes of Familiars."

Brenda seemed to again lose some of her bravado. "He has to …… approve of me?"

Jax smiled. "It is merely a formality, angel. And besides – if he finds some fault with you, I think perhaps he should consult the royal physician about losing his faculties."

Brenda walked timidly to a chair next to Jax’s. "And then what?"

"Then I join you and introduce you individually to the leader of each tribe of Familiars. There are welcoming speeches from some of the more prominent tribes, and then after much toasting and applauding, there is feasting and dancing."

"Dancing?" The light of curiosity sparkled in Brenda’s eyes, although she tried to hide it. "That might be a problem," she hedged, "since I am not familiar with any of your dances."

Jax tilted his head to the side, his accusing gaze causing Brenda to flush with guilt. "You know full well that the *dancing* is not what keeps you from agreeing to attend, angel." He sighed and reached across the table to take her hands in his. "I realize that this feast comes as a shock to you." He sighed and looked down at their joined hands. "I admit that I was just as taken aback as you are when Stefantok told me of it this morning." He lifted pained eyes to meet hers. "I know that we have not yet had a chance to discuss your ….. feelings…..about being my zira."

Brenda opened her mouth to object but Jax gripped her hands, causing her to delay. "Normally, I would not object if you didn’t wish to attend the feast this night. If you pleaded fatigue, I would not find it unreasonable after the adventures we’ve endured, and I would expect my people to understand this." He drew a long, slow breath. "But this celebration will be tempered with some sadness, Brenda. It has been a difficult time for the Familiars and, I regret to admit, they will find out this night that their tribulations have only begun."

"Sadness? And even greater heartbreak to come?" Brenda’s eyes grew misty. Even after meeting only a small sampling of Familiars that afternoon and a smattering of the children, she felt her heart breaking at the thought that they should ever have to endure something that would mar their happiness. She cleared her throat and pulled her hand from Jax’s to wipe briskly at the corner of her eye. "What do you mean, Jax?"

Jax began to idly stroke the back of Brenda’s hand with his thumb after capturing it again. "I never told you, but I was sent to Charporta in search of a young Familiar named Lukathan. He had originally come to speak to Corinthon as an emissary for the Council of Tron, to explore the possibilities of Charporta joining the Empire." He sighed and shook his head. "When Corinthon drugged and captured me, it was a most effective reply to my questions about Lukathan’s whereabouts."

"And you never found him……or heard him……in any other part of the dungeon?" Brenda’s voice was hushed.

"Never. It was Lukathan’s first trip away from Meer’an, his first time answering the natural Familiar urge to explore." Jax blinked his eyes rapidly, fighting back tears. "I should have never allowed a neophyte like Lukathan to go to Charporta – a world we had never explored fully before. And now it is my duty to give his family the news that he is lost to them forever."

Jax hesitated before going on. Although Brenda would find out the news about the closing of the tunnel entrance at the feast, Jax didn’t want to go into the particulars about it at that time. "And not only do I have to tell my people that one of them has been lost, but I have to tell them that Corinthon has evil plans to capture as many of us as he can." Finally he could no longer fight the tears that came to his eyes. "I know that when I tell them of Corinthon’s weapon – the gas – some of the pain and anguish I endured will be conveyed to them telepathically. I can do nothing to stop it. It is the Familiar nature."

Brenda wrenched her hand from Jax’s and cupped the side of his face. "Jax…..I never realized….."

Jax suddenly sat upright, blinking to banish the tears from his eyes. "I’m sorry, angel. It was never my intent to take unfair advantage of your emotions in persuading you to attend the feast." He took another deep breath and gripped her hands again. "I vow to you that if you agree to attend the feast with me tonight – as my new zira – we will spend as much time as you like tomorrow discussing our future in a rational, logical manner."

Brenda rose an eyebrow. "And if I decide tomorrow that I cannot stay here – that it goes against my nature? What will you tell the Familiars then – after I have already appeared as their new queen?"

He patted her hand. "Let *me* handle that problem, angel. Right now, all you need to do is consider this one favor I am asking of you." He let go of her hands and took her chin in his fingers. "One night is all I ask – one night to give the Familiars hope again." Sensing that she was weakening, he sat back a little and pursed his lips. "One tiny, *harmless* favor…….in comparison to crossing the ravneau, or facing bandits hurling deadly crystals….."

Brenda broke into laughter. "Oh……and I am *so* pleased that you won’t be appealing to my……what did you call it?…… my *emotions*…..in making this decision!" She sighed and sat back in the chair. "When you compare it to the favors I’ve asked of you, though…….how can I refuse?"

Jax leaped up from his chair and pulled her to a standing position with him. "You will attend, then?"

She gave him a half-smile, half-grimace, leaning towards him. "You know, if you *do* manage to convince me to stay here as your zira, we’re definitely going to have to do something about that rascally nature of yours!"

Jax swept her high into his arms, twirling her about and laughing. "You won’t regret this, Brenda!" He set her back down as she squealed in delight. "I’ll call several serving girls to assist you with your toilette." He was about to rush off when he turned back to her and pulled her into his arms. Before Brenda could object, his mouth seized hers in a passionate kiss, his tongue demanding and finding entrance to her mouth. When he broke the kiss, he saw the hint of amber highlights in her eyes. "I love you, you know," he whispered as he tenderly cupped the side of her face and stared into her eyes.

Brenda stood silently as Jax whirled away and was out the door of his apartments in a flash. After he had gone, she let out a shaky breath and sank into a chair, gripping the table for support.

"Oh, Jax……." she murmured. "If you only knew ….. I’m afraid I love you, too."

To be continued……

Music credit: "If I Loved You," by Richard Rogers and Oscar Hammerstein II, from the musical "Carousel"