"No approvals needed?"
"No approvals needed."
To his surprise, she was grinning, her multi-hued eyes glowing. He hadn't thought she would be so eager, given her skill at avoiding all her regular nishani duties.
"Thank you!" She looked younger than Talal, and he wondered what her age might have been. He restrained the urge to reach out to her. She wasn't yet at the level where she would feel comfortable with his touch. He returned to the console and turned it off.
"I saw your sister," he said.
"Sister? You saw Evey?" nishani demanded. "When? Is she here?"
"She is well, in her home."
Nishani waited. When he did not continue, she sat down impatiently, facing him.
"When did you see her?"
"A day ago." He was purposely vague, enjoying the fact that her full attention was on him. He rose and turned to go. Nishani followed and gripped his forearm with both of her small, soft hands.
"A'Ran, wait!" she commanded. "You can't start a conversation like that and leave! How is Evelyn?"
She released him when he turned, and he gazed down at her, eyebrow raised. A familiar look of determination was on her upturned face.
"She is well, nishani," he stated. "She sent your gifts and said to convey her news of a child."
"Evey's having a baby? How wonderful! Does she seem happy? What about Romas? Will he let her visit soon?"
"Romas is not likely to allow that, nishani," he responded. "Our clans are still on the verge of war."
"Because of what I did?"
"Because of what I did. I knew the risk."
She frowned. He turned and approached the door again, interested when she followed.
"A'Ran, if helping me drew you into another war, why did you do it?"
"It was meant to be," he answered. He slowed his brisk stride for her to draw and keep abreast.
"What was? Stealing me and making me a nishani?"
"Yes."
"So you feel we were meant to be," she clarified.
"I feel nothing, nishani. I know it to be true. I believe you feel it, too. It's the bond between an Anshan dhjan and his mate. We are bound together and to the planet, which will only come back to life when we return."
* * *
Like from my vision. His weren't the words she expected to hear. She walked beside him, pensive. He didn't regret what he had done, even if it plunged his war-beleaguered people into another war.