It took a couple of months to plan the wedding. In that time, Carly's three young children grew quickly. She could not believe that the Yuatja young grew in weeks, not years like human babies. By the time the wedding came around, her children and Ramses's adoptive son were walking, talking and reading... Carly tried to guess how old they were in human years and figured they would be about six to seven years old.
Pearl had grown quite healthy and was soon as tall as her sister R'ka-de. The two were often competing on who would be the winner in their little games. Guan-thwei followed his father Setg like a shadow and was often seen standing beside him imitating him, much to Setg's dismay at times.
Halkrathde had grown quite quickly and now stood taller than her own children; his berserker DNA becoming more apparent every day as he matured, his face subtly changing as well as his skin colouring becoming more brilliantly patterned and colourful. Whenever he came to visit, Pearl would race to see him, always laughing and playing with him exclusively. Carly enjoyed seeing them together so happy and content. Halkrathde made Ramses proud. He was learning quickly in the warrior ways, his latest achievement being the junior games where Halkrathde placed first.
Carly gave up trying to teach the Yuatja on how to do a human wedding. The rehearsals often ended in a fight or a competition.... In the end she decided she would do a simple Yuatja ceremony. The Matriarch insisted on having a special dress designed just for Carly after the recent events. It was a revealing white dress, lined what felt like silk and feathers. When Carly first tried it on, she was stunned on how breathtaking it was. Now she was having issues with how tight it suddenly had become. It didn't matter anyway, in less than an hour; she and Setg would be life mates.
The Matriarch walked in and smiled at Carly, "You look beautiful... but I don't remember the dress being tight on you...."
Carly nodded, "I know, and my boobs seems to be bigger also."
The Matriarch had a laugh.... "You and Setg cannot leave each other alone...."
Carly felt a bit awkward and confused..."What do you mean?"
The Matriarch tilted her head and laughed... "You are pregnant again!"
Carly went wide eyed and then shook her head...."Again? So soon after pregnancy?"
The Matriarch continued to laugh..."Yes, once we have a baby, the body is ready again... I suspect you are the same... and Setg must have some strong seed...." She was purring now. "I am so proud of him and moreso now that we have two possible princesses in line for the crown."
Pearl and R'Ka-de walked in hand–in-hand, imitating bride and groom. The Matriarch exclaimed "Girls, how did you get so dirty?" She got a damp towel and cleaned the girl's faces. "Now... into your dresses. " The two girls giggled and hurried into their dresses... The Matriarch sighed..."I always wanted daughters."
Carly smiled, "You never know, you and Ramses could still try.. You are young, your highness."
The Matriarch rolled her eyes. "My womb is barren. I've had every healer and test possible and nothing ... and please Carleee call me Lanah. We are family."
"Okay Lanah, but you and Ramses are hardly ever around each other... Remember you need sex to have babies." Carly looked frankly at her.
Lanah rolled her eyes, "Yes but I have duties to perform and I feel like babies are now beyond me. I have a clan to look after. Maybe when the girls are older and I have passed the crown on.... Maybe me and Ramses can go on this... vacation... you talk about."
Carly smiled. "You definitely deserve a vacation."
Lanah's smiled disappeared. "Ramses is going back to the home planet. Halkrathde is getting stronger and Ramses would like to see his education continued. I'm surprised he hasn't asked Setg if he could take Gaun-thwei."
Carly thought about it.... "My boy is so young still..."
Lanah nodded "But by the end of the year, he will be a teenager and with no training or education, he would not settle in well with the clan. It's the same with your girls... they need to go also, but since they are princesses... they need extra schooling on how to lead a clan. Besides, you will have a new baby soon; it will be easier to manage."
Carly was hesitant at first but the Matriarch was right, the kids grew too fast too soon and if they were teenagers by the year was out and having a new baby, it would be a rough time. Besides, if her daughters were to become future clan leaders, they would need that kind of education....What would I know anyway? I was a high school drop-out and all I could do was stripping. She imagined what she would do if she saw her daughters in a strip club and quickly agreed with the Matriarch.
One of Carly's bridesmaids came rushing in. "It's time!". Carly smiled, she had become friends with the girls rescued from Bekken and together they shared the steep learning curve of raising cross-breed young.
Carly quickly adjusted the dress and checked her makeup and hair before leaving the room. Ramses stood waiting to escort her to Setg, proceeding them were an armed guard in formal armour.
As she walked down towards the altar, she glimpsed behind and saw her children had paired off also, giggling behind her. Guan-thwei held R'Ka-de's hand and Pearl naturally latched onto Halkthrade's arm. Halkrathde looked very serious and kept glancing at Pearl to see if she was ok.
As she approached the altar, Ramses joined their hands together. The priest held a blade high and the pair offered their holding hands. The priest cut their palms together and held his hand out waiting for the groom's response. Setg passed him a small white cloth and returned holding their hands together, their blood mingling. The priest used the cloth to wipe the blade clean and placed both blade and cloth into a small box on the altar. He passed the box to Setg who walked to an alcove and placed the box there. Kneeling before alcove, he prayed. Carly knelt beside him and marvelled at the offering Setg had gathered. There was food, drink, furs, various blades and most curiously, the jewellery Carly was wearing when she first met Setg. Carly smiled and pulled out her offering, a small vial of perfume. They held hands and closed their eyes and prayed; the small attendance of friends were quiet until both Setg and Carly finished praying.
They stood together and raised their hands to the crowd, which responded in roars and howlings. They were now life mates.
Ramses ushered everyone into the hall and started the festivities. Food and drink were brought out from the kitchen's the adults scrambling for the choice cuts. The children ran about chasing each other, laughing. Everyone was laughing and smiling.
Setg brought Carly some food and soon she was scoffing it into her mouth. Setg smiled, "it's so good to see you eating so healthily. I was worried before when you were sick but you appear to have recovered. Carly took Setg's hand and whispered..."I think I am pregnant again." Setg grinned and whispered, "Good, I would love a big family with you." He kissed her deeply. He never thought he would have a love like this before.
The party wore on into the night and Carly saw that her human bridesmaids had partnered off with the Yuatja males. Benbei and his new mate, Sarah held her baby tightly and waved at Carly. Carly scanned the crowd for her other friend Kate and her baby. Her mate nearby, Carly identified him with his scar; a ragged mark across his chest. They too talked to Carly about performing the life mate ceremony as both had fallen deeply in love with their Yuatja partners.
Carly sighed, everything was perfect. Setg took her hand and smiled broadly at her, mandibles flaring.... "I'm glad you told me about the good news, I'll be gentle tonight....." Carly grinned back wolfishly "That's ok, I won't be."
Carly looked around and couldn't find her kids. Getting up, she searched the hall with no luck. She left the hall and found them gathered around the altar, Halkrathde holding Pearl's hand kneeling in front of the altar, the other kids behind them waiting to cheer. Carly was a bit concerned. "What's going on here?"
Halkrathde chimed in. "I am going to be Pearl's life mate." Pearl giggled and squeezed his hand tight.
Carly smiled..."Oh yeah? That means you have to kiss her, you know...."
Halkrathde blushed..."I.... I.... can do that...." And stiffly turned to Pearl and tried to make a kissy face, his face turning a brighter shade of red. Pearl squealed with laughter and pulled away slightly.
Halkrathde turned back to Carly, defiant.. "See? I can do it."
Pearl snuck up behind him and kissed him on the cheek. "Got ya!"
Halkrathde yelped and ran into the Matriarch... Carly laughed loudly but when she saw Lanah's face, she stopped.
"What do you think you are doing?" Lanah hissed.
Carly was confused... "The kids were just playing. Halkrathde was pretending to marry Pearl and Pearl scared him away. You should have seen it, it was funny."
Lanah hissed, "You should not encourage these things. Pearl and R'ka-de are potential future Queens and in most cases, the breeding is not chosen by the Queen, but by clan Elders. The queen may vote, but it's decided by majority.... In some cases; a competition... It's best not to fill their heads. And you can bet that Halkrathde will not be an option, no matter how good he is.... His own blood works against him."
Carly hissed back, "These are my daughters and they can marry and love whoever they want. You have Ramses, isn't that proof enough?"
Lanah sighed..."Ramses was chosen by the Elders at the time and has always won the option to breed with me.... Its only when the Elders discovered my infertility that they stopped trying to pair me off. Ramses doesn't love me the way Setg loves you."
Carly frowned, "How can that be? Ramses....."
Lanah shook her head. "No. But I could not ask for a better mate. Sometimes the Elder's options for breeding have been... questionable."
Carly still frowned. "Well there is nothing wrong with Halkrathde and if he and Pearl got together or whatever, I would be very happy. He adores her and what else could a mother ask?"
Lanah sneered "You would put his type on the throne?"
Halkrathde growled as best as he could, "I am a Yautja warrior and I will be the best. I will kill anyone who takes Pearl from me." Pearl grabbed his arm and smiled broadly. Halkrathde puffed out his chest, "I will never let Pearl go..."
Lanah eyed them carefully. "Then my young one, I will hold you to that. Excuse me, I need to go back to the party, this conversation has turned sour. Carlee, your children depart for the home planet tomorrow with Ramses, best to say goodbye to them while you have the chance."
Carly gasped and held her kids close, Halkrathde included.
Setg walked in, "What was that about? The Matriarch looks mighty annoyed."
Carly wept a little, "The kids are going to the home planet for training... And Halkrathde declared his love for Pearl and the Queen got pissed and said that Pearl and R'Ka-de would have their partners picked for breeding. What the hell? She said something about Halkrathde's type also... what's so bad about that?"
Setg tried to soothe his wife, "It will be ok. All the clans send their kids to the home planet for schooling. We will have more children to give birth to soon. Also, if my brother has daughters, they too will be in line to the throne. Then the Elders will have to elect a Queen once Lanah decides to step aside... and that could be a very long time... Lanah is still young. As for Halkrathde's type, he is from a... different type of Yuatja... That the clans have been fighting for a long time.... But he is being raised by clan and with the Matriarch's blessing... so there is nothing to stop him.... To be eligible for breeding with the queen, there is pre-requisites, medicals, competitions, hunts... I'm sure by the time comes around to getting there, we would have so many children that any one of our daughters can choose to be queen."
Carly smiled and hugged Setg tightly... "I love you so much...."
Setg purred and held her close... "So tell me again what happens on this... honeeeeymooon?"
Carly smiled back wickedly and pulled him to kiss. "I'll have to show you....."