Summer

Author: RNN Gwen or gwendolyn24
Email: gwen@roswellatemysoul.com
Category: Max and Liz, sort of
Rating: Starting PG but it will DEFINITELY end up NC-17

Disclaimer: I don’t now Roswell, or its characters. I wish I did cause I know I would do a better job than JK.

Authors Note: This is a prequel to Winter. I suggest you read THAT first. Winter was an attempt to fix the crappy last half of Season 2. We found out some interesting stuff about Max and Liz. I don’t want to ruin the first half of Winter, so I suggest that you read Winter first.

This is the story of before. Before Zan, Vilandra, and Rath were killed. It is about WHY Max falls in love when he is 8 with a girl he just glimpses across a schoolyard. Like I said, READ the FIRST HALF WINTER FIRST. LOL, ok, ok, I am just saying that was the order I intended. J

There is no Maria, Kyle, or Alex. I don’t want to reveal too much. Please enjoy the read.

Part 1

Zan was so sick being a royal. He was sick of having expectations placed upon him just because of who his father was. He had spent the last 4 years at the University. He had been excited to go, to get out from under the restrictions of being an heir to throne. It was not what he expected.

He had always been a good student, but he felt that his professors were grading him as their monarch not as just another student. He had tried to concentrate on his studies, but the women would not leave him alone. They would try anything to catch a king. The first girl he had bedded had tried to trick him into marrying her. That made him withdraw even more.

He went to class and hung out with Larek, that is when Larek wasn’t in his room with a coed, and Rath. They were his best friends. He had close friends, but he just never felt comfortable around everyone. His father assured him that this would change once he graduated.

He had just two weeks left and then he would be able to get away. He would follow in the tradition of Kings for as long as space travel had been possible. He would travel the universe. It was supposed to be a trip of learning from other cultures and gaining experience. It was meant to make him a better ruler. He was excited because it would give him a chance to be just plain old Zan.

Rath and Larek would be coming with him. They were going to be his companions. The three friends would have a grand adventure. He had 5 years to himself then he would be expected to come back and take over rule of the planets. He would be expected to marry whom ever his parents had chosen. He would have to become his father.

But he had three years to himself, three years to find who in fact Zan really was. He was excited and the closer it drew near the more excited he got. Larek was anxious to move on to the alien women. Actually, that was probably because he had already gone through most of them on Anatar. Rath was excited just to get a change of scenery. He wanted to travel the stars, see what else was out there.

The graduation ceremonies couldn’t end quickly enough. Zan had practically stood up and ordered the commencement speaker to sit down. Larek had been late; he was in the supply closet with Aoryn. How did he DO THAT???? He was lucky. Girls were just attracted to him because he was so handsome. Zan was ready to be just as wild and crazy. He looked at Aoryn and wondered how much pleasure she could give him too. Two more hours and he could be that bold.

No sooner had the class been set free than three friends ran to the ship waiting for them. Zan had insisted that they be the only three to go. He wanted everything to be as normal as possible.

Their first stop was a planet called Cramid. It was a world much like his own. That was the problem. He had to announce that his space ship was approaching. That meant people would know him as the Crown Prince of Anatar. He wanted to go somewhere that he could just blend into. Somewhere they could slip in quietly.

They asked a trader if he knew of such a place. For 50 denars he had a star chart that would take him to just the place.

Elizabeth Grant was fighting an uphill battle. She was in only woman in her Archeology program. Given the fact that it was 1921, and women just recently been given the right to vote she should have been amazed to even be there.

She knew she was the smartest in her class. She could out think any man in the department, including most of the professors. It had taken her two years to win them over, and now it was going to all be for nothing. Her goal was to be a Professor; she was going to be Dr. Elizabeth Grant. Unfortunately with only a month to graduation she couldn’t find a program to accept her.

She got turned down everywhere she had applied. One ignorant man from the University of Pennsylvania actually had the nerve to tell her that maybe if she took more care in her appearance that she might catch a husband and then she could have children and forget all about her ‘crazy fantasy’. She would show him!

Her father was a wealthy steel baron from Pittsburgh. He offered to make some calls for her, she told him she would handle it. He probably indulged her too much, but she was his only child. Elizabeth knew she could get herself on somewhere she just hadn’t knocked on the right door. She got herself into college didn’t she?

However time was running out. She needed to find something before graduation. She wasn’t going to give up. She would try another country. She was corresponding with a college in England. If America didn’t want to educate her, she’d just have to go somewhere else.

Her father saw her off on the docks. He was going to miss her. She was going to be so far away, but she was strong. She was smart and he knew she could take care of herself. She had always knew just what she wanted and how to get it.

He remembered the day she had decided she was going into archeology. Elizabeth was 8. She had just read a book about Ancient Egypt. She asked him to order, as may books as he could find. “I need to know everything I can, so I can go there and find treasure for myself.” He smiled at her and said, “Elizabeth honey, those men are archeologists. They go to school for a very long time before they can do that.” She watched her little face wrinkle up, “Well I guess I have to be one too.”

She was making the same face now. She was trying to make sure she had everything. “Elizabeth, you have checked it three times. If you forget anything buy it when you get over there.” He motioned for her attendants to take her bags up to her room on board the liner. He was glad at least she would let him send help over with her. “Now you be careful, and write me once a week.”

“I love you daddy. Thank you so much” She threw her arms around her father, and hugged him.

“Never telling me I couldn’t because I was a girl.” She quickly turned and walked up the gangway.

Part 2

Earth was nowhere near the planet Anatar was. They had barely learned to travel by air. Their ship could land undetected. They could blend right in.

Zan had been living it up in New Orleans. He was experiencing different cultures and gaining experience just like he was supposed to. In fact he was sure they had visited every brothel in the blue light district, and bee thrown out of almost every bar. Zan was free. Free to do what ever he wanted.

Larek as always was in the middle of the action. He woman all wanted him; the men would gather round to hear his funny stories. He was having a good time. Larek liked earth, and he was glad that Zan had stopped being so introverted.

Rath was having a great time too. They were just three men having the time of their lives.

Then one night as they were stumbling back into their hotel room, they saw a flashing coming from Zan’s bag. They had a message, and if they were being bothered, it wasn’t good.

Zan was right the news could not have been worse. Rath’s father the regent of the 3^rd planet was dying. Rath was needed at home right away. They had to cut their visit short.

“Short! I have only been away for 6 months! I am to have 5 years.” Zan dreaded the thought of going back to that planet.

It was decided that Rath take their craft home and when Zan’s time was up he would have a cruiser pick him up. They walked Rath out into the swamp where they had hidden it.

“Well miss you Rath. I will see you when I return. Be safe.” Zan would really miss him. It had been the three of them since before he could remember.

Rath did not want to go but duty commanded. “I am sorry to be leaving you, but my mother will be needing me now. I will welcome you upon your return.” She waved his hand over the door and it opened.

Elizabeth was enjoying herself. She had just been selected to join an expedition down the Nile River in Egypt. This had been her dream. She had to compile research for her thesis, but she hadn’t quite narrowed her topic yet. She was hoping the trip would help her with that.

Two months in Egypt, and she was having a wonderful time. She enjoyed a freedom that she didn’t have anywhere else. She was wearing shorts! She couldn’t believe that she could wear something so comfortable. Back home, or even in England she would be in long skirts and cinched. Out here in the middle of the desert, she had a freedom like nowhere else.

They were looking for a rumored tomb. She was in the Valley of the Kings. She was sitting there one night after a hard day of digging when she looked around her. She wondered what it would have been like be here during the time of the burial. She imagining what it would be like to be there. When she felt a presence behind her.

She sat up and it was one of her fellow students. He wanted to ask her if the next time they went into town if she wanted to have dinner. She was polite and declined. She had too much to do to accomplish to get side tracked by a romance.

She knew they way the men looked at her. She never tried to coax them on. In fact she had no idea why they were so interested. Sure she was pretty but she never did anything with her hair, and she was always reading a book. Currently she was reading one about pyramids recently found in South America.

She had been through the pyramids here only once. Her work was here in the valley. The first chance she got she would visit them again, but right now she was tried. She barely made it inside her tent when she fell asleep.

Part 3

Zan had been on earth for a year. He had just about had his fill of women and drinking. He wanted to see what this diverse planet had to offer. He booked a passage for them to Europe. Larek thought it was a great idea. He was probably sick of it too. He had heard they had monarchies there. Not like his. These were tiny didn’t even cover an entire continent.

They arrived in England. They toured castles and towers. He read about history and visited museums. He was intrigued by the many cultures that coexisted here. “I can travel for les than a day and find 3 languages.”

Larek liked Earth too. They could travel all the time and never wake up in the same country twice. Europe was interesting, but they longed for the lush greens of their home worlds. They took out a map and hung it to a wall. Zan gave a dart to Larek. “Close your eyes and throw it. That’s where we’ll go next.”

Larek shut his eyes and let it fly. He heard a thud and opened them back up. “Huh, looks like a place called, “Peru”

Elizabeth’s ship was about to depart. She had more research to do. It had come to her the weekend she had visited the pyramids. She would write her doctorate on comparing the ones in Middle America and the ones from Ancient Egypt. She decided to go to Central America and start looking for herself.

It took weeks to get there. She hated being back in her western clothes. How could she go back to full skirts when she had been able to wear shorts for a year? She would be glad to get up in the mountains of Peru.

She had been in Peru for six months and loved it. She had found her conclusions and wrote her dissertation in record time. She had to present it to her board of professors back in England. She pouted. She wanted to stay there because she thought she was close to something, she was trying to find a city high in the mountains. She would present her findings before a review board in 2 weeks. She had to leave at once. She would be coming back, however she hoped that when she did it would be Dr. Grant.

When she got back to England things when smoothly. She met with the board and she presented them with the paper. She had sent a copy ahead, so this was mostly a formality. She went back to the house she was keeping up and tried to keep herself busy waiting for their decision.

She wrote to her father, and told him about Peru and that she hoped to return to pick up where she left off. She opened the door because she thought the postman was there, and she received a pleasant surprise, “Daddy!”

Mr. Grant was in England on Business and it had been to long since he had seen her. She gave him her note, and told him all about her travels. How she wanted to go back and look deeper for a connection. She gave him a copy of her paper. He promised to read it when he got back to the states. They spent the week together catching up on the past year and a half.

Thursday afternoon they were returning home from a lunch and going to the bookstore, when a letter arrived for Elizabeth. She saw whom it was from, and got excited. She ripped it open and froze. “What’s wrong, Elizabeth? Is it bad news?”

Two weeks later she was on her way back to Peru. She was close to something, and it was waiting for her there.

Zan and Larek arrived at the Yucatan Peninsula and it was like they were on their third world. There were so many climates and cultures here that you would never have to live in the same place twice. They had read that once there were a powerful people which ruled this area a thousand years ago. Zan had wondered if the Pyramids here were like the ones he had read about in Egypt. He wanted to see them for himself. Larek agreed this would be interesting and they felt off to find a guide to take them through the jungle.

Part 4

Things were not coming along as well as Elizabeth had hoped. She had found a few artifacts that told her something had been here but not the level of civilization that he hoped to find. All the signs had been there what was she missing?

Professor Becket had joined her in her search. He said when he read her theories about the separate civilizations with pyramids he thought she was on to something. She thought maybe he enjoyed a little more than her mind, but she didn’t really give him a second thought.

They had been pouring over inscribed disks they found. They didn’t know what they meant, but it seemed them that it had similarities to Egyptian hieroglyphics. She was determined to figure it out.

She left Dr. Becket and their campsite and decided to take a walk and maybe see if the jungle would whisper to her its secrets.

Larek and Zan were running through the jungle. They hadn’t seen another living soul since their guide had dropped them off. It was as if they were the only ones left on the face of the earth.

They were setting up their camp next to the river when Zan picked up a tent pole. He heard Larek ask him a question and he turned around ask him to say it again. Next thing he knew Larek was going for a swim. Zan fell over laughing.

“Oh you think that is funny, Zan.” Larek swung back cupped his hand and splashed a wall of water over his laughing friend. Zan jumped in and they got into a water battle. They continued their competition into the set up of the tents each working faster and faster to get done first. Simultaneously they yelled “DONE!”

Zan had a smirk on his face as he looked from the mountain to Larek. First one to the waterfall up there and back. Ready! Go!” He took off like a flash.

Elizabeth thought it had been forever since she had a bath. The mountain pool looked so inviting. She looked around. “Liz” she said out loud to herself. “You are the only human being for 100 miles.” She untied her hair, stripped off her shirt and pulled down her shorts and swum under the waterfall. It felt so good stood under the rushing water letting it flow down her body. She shivered finally caring more about the cold than being clean. She swam over to the other side. The rocks were warm from the midday sun.

There was a large flat rock, and it looked like a perfect place to feel the sun on her body. Out of just personal modesty she pulled on her shorts and just draped her shirt back on. “Oh I could just fall asleep.” She got her hair out from under her and closed her eyes. She already turned her thoughts back to those disks.

Zan was almost out of breath as he crested the hill. He saw a large pool at the bottom of the falls. He ripped off his shirt was about to jump in when he was stopped dead in his tracks. It was a woman. He almost stepped on her.

He eyes were transfixed. He couldn’t move his world started to go in slow motion. He must have been having a vision. He was in the middle of Peru on a mountain. People haven’t lived here for thousands of years. Maybe he was hallucinating. He had to be.

Elizabeth was lying on her back and feeling the sun beat down on her face. All of the sudden she felt something blocking her light. She peeked open one eye to see what it was. She could see the outline of a man. Who would be up here? She opened both eyes to get a better look.

Zan’s heart stopped. She looked at me. He looked into his eyes and could swear he could see generations of his children. He could see into her soul. He shook his head a little to clear his head. What was that? He just kept staring into her dark eyes.

Larek crested the hill and noticed Zan was staring down at something. He stopped to catch his breath. There was a woman on the rocks, and her shirt was unbuttoned. Larek wondered what an earth woman would be doing out here by herself. He was a little intrigued, and walked towards them.

Elizabeth was looking into a pair of gentle hazel eyes. His gaze was invading her soul. She couldn’t pull her eyes away; she looked right back into his. She pulled herself up on her elbows. She wasn’t even noticing that she shirt was barely covering her nipples.

He kept opening his mouth to say something to her. Deep breaths Zan, deep breaths. He wanted to sound intelligent, witty like the man of her dreams. Just say hello before she thinks you’re insane. “Would you be my queen?” Oh great now she KNOWS you are.

“What?!?” Elizabeth giggled at him. “Excuse me?” Did he just ask me to be his queen? Who was this person standing over her? She sat up and shaded her eyes with her hand

“I mean, Hi. Um, Hello.” She smiled at her. Then his eyes wandered down and noticed her shirt was wide open. He darted his eyes over to the water.

Larek noticed the woman too. She had a presence about her. He was drawn over to her. He laughed at Zan. Oh smooth, just ask her to be the queen. She’ll think your nuts. Oh well let her think Zan is crazy. Larek could rush over and sweep her off her feet. He looked at her shading her eyes and saw a perfect nipple peek from out of her open shirt.

Elizabeth noticed him pull his gaze away, and she remembered. HER SHIRT! Oh god she let a man see her naked. Her face blazed red. She scrambled to her feet and turned away from him and couldn’t button fast enough.

Zan felt a hand on his back. Larek! He had completely forgotten about his friend racing behind him. He turned and saw Larek smiling at her. Damn it! They always went for Larek. Why did he have to be here? But Larek disappeared when he heard her voice again.

OK shirt buttoned now lets try this again. “I thought I was the only soul up in this mountain. Hi my name in Elizabeth, Dr. Elizabeth Grant, actually.” She noticed another man behind him. “Hi, would you like me to be your queen too?” She flashed a smile and darted her eyes back towards the first man, who was still opening his mouth and trying to speak.

Part 5

They had talked for a long time up on those rocks. She was a professor. They said didn’t know women were allowed such pursuits. She was a little irked at first but they seemed genuinely amazed, not condescending. She talked for a while forgetting for once about her quest to be the worlds most famous scientist.

Zan and Larek were sharing the same thoughts. She was amazing. There wasn’t enough word to describe her. Her eyes lit up when she talked about her work. She was quick and witty. When she asked them to follow her down and join her for dinner, they go up so fast they knocked each other over.

When Dr. Grant returned for the evening she had two guests. Larek and Zan they had said to call them. They said they were traveling through Peru, and seeing the ancient sites. The two parties would probably be seeing more of each other. Dr. Becket noticed that Zan had been stealing glances at her all night, Larek too. When she stood up to go into her tent, the two visitors both stood up and offered to walk her back. He knew the response, “I think I can handle it.” After Elizabeth had left the fire area, Dr. Becket thought he would share something to these poor souls. “I have known her for two years. The only way that any of us are ever going to see the inside of her tent is if she needs us to lift something heavy. She has one goal and that it to be a famous archeologist. The problem is she will be. She has a mind as marvelous as her body. One in a million our dear Dr. Grant.” He stood up they could find their way back to their own camp. “I feel sorry for the men that fall for her. She doesn’t show the slightest interest. I gave up long ago.” Too late for them, he thought to himself, they were already gone.

Larek thought he would try to steal some time alone with Elizabeth. He woke up early and left Zan a note saying he would be off exploring. He knew she always went down to the river in the morning to wash her hair. He would accidentally bump into her when she was on her way back.

Larek stood behind the tree watching her. She threw her wet hair back out of the water. He wanted to go and help her. He was in love. She was wrapping a towel around her head, when Larek made his move. “Dr. Grant, hello. Nice running into you this morning.”

“Are you guys going to need supplies from town anytime soon? I am running out of some things. I was thinking, if you want, you could ride into town with me.”

Zan was getting upset. He saw them talking. He saw the way that Larek looked at her. She was better than that. He wasn’t going to let Larek treat her they way he had seen him treat women again and again. Zan started walking up to them casually.

Elizabeth could feel him. Before she could see Zan walking out of the tree line she knew he was there. Her knees wobbled a little. SNAP OUT OF IT! You have a plan. You have things you want out of life. Do not let yourself go all gooey over a man. ‘But he is so mysterious’ I SAID STOP THAT! Her logical side was starting to lose this fight.

“So what are you guys up to? Did I hear you say a trip into town? That sounds like fun.”

“Great! I’ve been wanting to get another pair of hiking boots” Liar, you just want to be with her Zan said to himself.

“Well it is settled then. I’ll bring around the jeep and we’ll meet right back here.”

The drive into town would require an overnight stay. It took to long to get there and back in daylight. Zan would welcome a chance to get her away from her work, he was hoping he could get her to look at him the way she looked at old stone buildings.

Larek was excited too. He wanted to dance with her. He wanted pull her close and make her forget than Zan even existed.

Elizabeth pulled up in front of the hotel and thought how wonderful it would be to sleep in a real bed. She loved her work, but sometimes she wished that would include a mattress and clean sheets. She was going to try to be a normal girl tonight. That part of her brain finally won. She checked into the hotel and ordered a bath.

Part 6

Zan and Larek had ordered their own rooms. Things between them were getting kind of tense. They were both totally in love with Elizabeth, they had been friends for so long, and now a woman was coming between them. But it wasn’t just any woman, if it was just a woman, Zan would have stepped aside. They always were drawn to Larek anyway, but she was different. Zan was going to have to talk to his best friend.

Zan knocked on Larek’s door, and stepped inside. Larek was dressing in the mirror. Why did his best friend have to be so charming? “ I need to talk to you.”

Larek was checking his hair in the mirror, “I know we do. It’s about Elizabeth isn’t it?”

They hadn’t really gotten much settled. They both felt something when they looked at her. Basically they decided to let her pick, so far she hadn’t really taken an interest with either of them. That was the plan, until they saw her descend the stairs into the lobby.

Zan’s heart stopped beating again, and his world started to go into slow motion. She hardly resembled the woman they had separated form in the lobby 2 hours ago. She was wearing a long evening dress with satin gloves. Her hair was curled and she wore a most amusing hat. He could die at this moment and have lived a perfect life just to have seen her tonight.

Elizabeth Grant the Archeologist had transformed herself into Elizabeth Grant the woman. It had been so long for her that she barely recognized herself. She almost felt silly, but she wanted to feel feminine, so her logical side would have a hard time taking over. She hoped that all this primping would do the trick.

Larek was amazed to. He had been hoping to take her back to his room tonight. Larek had the whole night planned in his mind. He was going to have her drink wine with him and he would break down her defenses with his stories. He would make her his before Zan could even make his first move.

Elizabeth reached the bottom of the steps and noticed that most eyes in the room were on her. I must look ridiculous, she told herself. I am way to over dressed. But then she met Zan’s eyes. She could see that he wanted her. Fire burned in his eyes.

Zan almost threw her over his shoulder and ran up the stairs to his room. He looked over at Larek and figured he was thinking the same thing. It pissed him off.

They had a wonderful time. They danced and drank and danced some more. Elizabeth thought she would fall over if she had to dance one more song. Larek excused himself for a moment and they were finally alone. A slow song began to play, Zan offered his hand and they started to dance. He held her close and their cheeks touched. The desire between them could be felt through their clothes.

Elizabeth could feel his hot breath on her neck. She could feel herself melting. Her strong wall she built up to forge her way through the man’s world she wanted to conquer, was smashed into a million pieces.

He pulled her out a little and looked deeply into her eyes, Zan thought he could see an answer in her eyes. She wanted him too. He knew it. Their gaze was locked on to each other. He was about to kiss her.

She could feel it coming, she suddenly found something interesting on the wrist of her glove. She couldn’t let it go there. She had a career; this was going to endanger it all. She knew if she kissed him she would want to spend the rest of her life with her lips touching his. “I think I need to sit down”

When he lead her back to the table, she said “I think I am going to retire to my room.” For a moment he had hopes she meant for him to join her, but then she said “Good night.” And almost ran out of the room.

Larek watched the scene from the doorway. He knew that this wonderful woman was in love with his best friend. He slowly turned and walked out of the hotel.

Sunlight was peaking through her curtains. She had a knock at her door. “Dr. Grant, Dr. Grant there is an urgent telegram for you”

She sat up and threw on her robe and opened the door. She read in the paper, and started crying. “Please have someone come up and get my bags. I am checking out at once.”

I received a telegram saying my father is very ill and he requests my return home. I have to leave you. I need to ask something from you. Could you please return and tell Dr. Becket about my whereabouts. Could you please have my things shipped back to me? Make sure you include the disks I have found. I am enclosing money for this.

I fear I may never see you again. It may be that fact which allows me to be this honest with you. Last night I allowed myself to fall in love with you. I knew if we kissed I would lose myself. I would like to thank you for reminding me I am more than my research. I am also a woman.

When I looked into your eyes I realized how you really see me. I am sorry that fate never allowed me to show you that back.

Part 7

Zan took the keys she left and started the jeep. Larek jumped in the passenger side and they tore off. They arrived at the campsite in about half the time it took them the last trip. Zan begged Dr. Becket to tell him where she was from. He would be accompanying the crates back when they were shipped back to her. He couldn’t stop thinking about her. He was in love. He had forgotten all about being a future king.

Larek reminded him while their where on the steamer. “Zan what do you hope will happen between you and Elizabeth? Larek wasn’t being completely honest with himself about why he was bringing this up. He didn’t want to see Elizabeth get hurt but there was a little more. “Nothing can ever evolve between you. She is deserves more than what you can give her.”

“All I know is that when she’s not around I go crazy, and when she is near me I have my balance. She completes me.”

“Zan you are the future King of Anatar and it’s planets. How do you think she would feel about you if she found out you were an alien. Your life mate is being chosen to strengthen your family. Just remember that.”

Upon arrival in Pittsburgh, someone claiming to be sent from Mr. Grant met them at the station. He was just expecting the packages not these two men asking questions. Yes he told them, Mr. Grant would be fine. Once his daughter arrived he turned the corner and was regaining his strength. Three trucks were brought with him for all the stuff she had collect in Central America.

Zan and Larek and about 10 crates arrived in front of the Grant estate. He looked at the brown stone structure and thought it rivaled any of the castles he had seen in Europe. Elizabeth Grant was a wealthy heiress. Back on his home planet she probably would have been on the royal court.

Her parents would have loved to see him take an interest in her. Here on earth he was just plain Zan. A traveling vagrant with out a home or much money other than what he could create with his powers. Her father would probably cringe when he got a look at the man traveling around the world following his daughter.

“Miss Grant is out at the pool. Mr. Grant would however like to see you both first.” The butler led them through a grand hallway and into a library.

From behind a large, dark colored wooden desk, Liz’s father was staring down Zan and Larek. After studying them carefully for what seemed like forever, he slowly rose and motioned them to the chairs on their side of his desk. “Please, gentlemen, have a seat.”

He cleared his throat. “So Larek and Zan. My daughter was awaiting her belongings but she didn’t say anything about you coming. She mentioned your names in passing, but she wouldn’t say much more. In fact she seemed a little sad when she spoke of you. Now you appear at our doorstep unannounced. I do not know what you intentions are, but they better be honorable. I love my daughter. She is the strongest person I have ever met. But dealing with men are new to her, break her heart” he leaned in to make his point clear, “and I will have you killed. Do we understand each other gentlemen?” HE sat up straight in his chair again. “MARTIN! Please show them to the pool area.”

Zan reminded himself to stay on John Grant’s good side. He was reminded of his father’s dealing with some of the Lords. This was a test of his character, to see how he would react. Zan looked back into his eyes and said “Mr. Grant, Elizabeth is an amazing woman.” He turned to Larek and asked to be left alone. He turned his attention back to Mr. Grant, “I am in love with her. I have nothing but the purest purpose in coming here today. Your daughter has my heart.”

God help the boy, he thought. He has got it bad. “She is out by the pool. I know she will be happy to see you.”

Elizabeth was relaxing by the pool. She was basking in the sun. Her mind went back to that day on the rocks in Peru, the moment when she had met Zan. She was daydreaming about him and her becoming one on the rocks. She was 24 and had only kissed one boy before, she had never really been interested. Zan had made something inside of her turn on. She was still just as determined to have her career, but she was for the first time thinking bout having a husband.

She was imagining what Zan would do to her on their wedding night, when she heard a voice. “We have got to stop meeting like this.”

He had been staying at her house for a month. They had been having a wonderful time. She was showing him her world.

Where she grew up. He learned that her mother had died when she was born. Her father had pulled through his grief and raised her himself. If her father was the person responsible for the strong, intelligent woman she was today, Zan knew he had to be a great man.

When he looked into her eyes he could feel all her emotions, including how much she loved him. How she looked at him made him think he could conquer anything.

He wanted to share his secret with her. He wanted to tell her all about himself. That he was the Prince of a system of planets. That one day he was destined to be the king, and that if she just said the word he would disappear with her on earth and just be Zan.

Then one night they were walking through the gardens after dinner, and the mood just hit him. He had to kiss her. He had been holding out, knowing that once they crossed any physical barriers that they would go to far. He didn’t care anymore.

She had just been laughing about something Larek had done in Peru, and the moment took him over. He looked deeply in her eyes and said “Elizabeth, Liz…” He crushed his lips to hers, drinking of her lips. He could feel her leaning into him. She put her arms around his neck and he wrapped his around her waist. They were pressing their bodies against each other. Kissing in the darkness.

When they finally broke apart, he was going to tell her. He wanted to with every molecule in his body, but he couldn’t. What if she rejected him, what if she threw him out of the house, told him he was a freak and she could never love someone that wasn’t human.

That night Zan was trying to sleep, but his dreams where of Elizabeth running away from him, telling him she could never understand. He sat up in bed and yanked back the covers. He started to pace around the room.

Elizabeth was pacing in her room just down the hall from Zan. She had wanted to go further with him tonight, but she felt something stopped him. What could it be? She was going to go talk to him. She needed to find out what had stopped him. She was hopelessly in love. She was feeling a little out of control. She needed to get her feet back under her. Did he really care about her? She knew he was holding something back. She had seen it in his eyes a lot of times. They needed to talk. She opened the door to go to his room, and jumped back into her room. He was still up and he was going into Larek’s room.

He put on a robe and went into Larek’s room. He had come to a decision. He wasn’t going home. He was going to wake up in the morning and ask Mr. Grant if he could marry his daughter.

Larek sat up in bed and really wasn’t that surprised. He wasn’t sure how to answer him. He had no clue how to deal with any of this. Since they were little Zan had been the future king. He could have anything he wanted. He was going to be the kings of planets some day. Zan was smart and everything seemed to come easily to him. Now he had found a love so great that he would throw it all away. Larek was envious. He mulled that over for a minute.

“She might surprise you Zan, maybe she will understand. She is very intelligent; I don’t think she is one to jump to any conclusions.”

“What if I tell her I am the future King of a distant solar system and then what I have to go back? I can’t be without her ever again.”

“Elizabeth is a very special person. The universe for some reason over vast distances brought you two together. I think it would almost be blasphemy to not listen to what it is trying to tell you. You belong together.

Larek was quiet for a second; “I do have to say Zan that when I see you with Elizabeth I get upset with my self.”

Elizabeth had heard every word. She knew there was something special about him, she always knew he was different. No men of this earth had eyes like that, and none had ever looked into her the way Zan did. Heard their conversation end and she ran back down the hall to her room.

Ok Elizabeth think this through. He was and alien. He was a king. He could probably have his choice of 50 million women, but he wanted her. He was going to throw everything away for her. She couldn’t believe that anyone could ever love her that much. She walked back out in the hallway, and opened the door to his room.

She didn’t say anything to she just slowly walked over to him. She let her robe drop off her shoulders and crumple in a heap around her feet.

He had to be asleep. Was Elizabeth naked in his room? His mind just couldn’t comprehend what was going on. His senses were on overload.

She walked over to him and out her hands on his neck. Then she kissed him. Elizabeth broke off the kiss and grabbed him by the wrist and led him over to the bed. She ached to feel him inside of her. She untied his robe and pushed it off his shoulders. He was only wearing the bottoms of his pajamas. She kissed him again pressing their upper bodies together.

Her bare skin rubbing against his chest gave him goose bumps. He shuddered as chills ran through his body. “Liz , wha…..” A finger to his lips stopped him.

If we start talking I’ll lose my nerve, she thought. With trembling hands she tugged at the waist of his pajamas. Enjoying the feel of his hips as she slid them down. Soon they would be bringing her pleasure, and she could feel herself getting lost in this moment.

Zan stepped out of the pants around his ankles. He was naked, and alone with the love of his life. The world was perfect. He almost stopped her, but he was going to marry this girl he knew it. He also knew she needed him now. He lifted her up and laid her down on the middle of the bed. He crawled in beside her and pulled up the covers.

When Zan’s lips touched her neck she shuddered. His hands were roaming all over her body. He trailed kisses down to her navel, and then licked his way back up. He brought his mouth back up to hers, and they kissed again. His tongue coaxed her to come and play, she arched into the kiss and he made love to her mouth. His hand slide down her body and up inside of her thigh. She gasped when he touched her soft folds. His fingers found her entrance and decided to test her excitement.

She could feel his hand inside her thighs and arched into it. She wiggled against him. Zan wanted to replace his fingers with his hard erection but he wasn’t sure I she was fully aware of what this all meant. He knew she was a virgin. Was she ready to be with him in that way?

Zan looked into her eyes looking for her answer. Then she said her one world for the entire night. “Please.” He kissed her in a silent reassurance. He would always take care of her. She was giving herself to him. She would be his and no other man’s. No other moment of his life could be so perfect. He positioned himself on top of her, gently spreading her thighs with his knee. Ran the tip of his arousal between her folds, when he was over her and in position he looked one last time for her approval, she looked at him and he knew this was right. He slowly entered her.

Their eyes were locked in a soulful stare. They could almost make out what the other was feeling. Finally he gave one swift push and was completely buried inside of Elizabeth. She winched a little and then relaxed. He started out slowly giving her a chance to adjust. When she started to arch her back, his movements became more aggressive. She was feeling it too. They were moving together and quickly coming to the climax of their lovemaking. When they finally tumbled over the edge they were looking into each other’s souls.

Zan held her close until they fell asleep. He dreamed about them going back to Anatar, and making Elizabeth his true queen.

Zan woke up and frowned a little when she wasn’t there. She probably just went back to her own room so her father didn’t kill them both. A smile immediately came to his face and was stuck there until he opened the door to her room. Her bureaus were open and her clothes were gone. On her dresser was an envelope with his name on it.

Part 8

He was sick of making progress with this girl only to wind up with a note. He took it and put it in his pocket, and ran down stairs to confront her father.

John Grant, was wondering what had been going through his daughter’s head last night when she woke him up and told him that she was leaving to go to Egypt. There was a expedition being lead by someone she went to college with in England, and she needed to get away and think. She always thought better when she was near the pyramids she said. She needed to give him up. Something about his destiny.

When Zan came flying down the steps in the morning. There was no denying what she was running away from. His daughter had found her true love, and was scared.

Zan pleaded him to reveal where she went. When John said he had to think about it, Zan ran upstairs and packed his suitcases.

Larek saw the dread in his friend’s eyes when Zan woke him up. She was gone again. OK the next time he got a hold of her he was going to tie her to the wall, he ranted. OK enough of his crap, if her father wasn’t going to tell him where she went then he would just have to use some good old-fashioned alien know how.

He concentrated on her face. He closed his eyes and reached out to her. She was on the train heading across Pennsylvania. Zan opened his eyes and said to know one in particular. “Off to Europe and then Egypt.” He would leave directly for Egypt. She was always drawn towards pyramids. He knew she would end up there.

Before leaving he told Liz’s father of his intentions. Mr. Grant had know that he was losing his daughter, and Zan’s intentions of marriage cam as no surprise. He just hoped his daughter was smart enough to say yes.

On the train ride to the coast when Larek left their room to get some lunch, Zan finally got the courage to open the envelope.

“She loves you so much she would give up her own happiness so you could live out your destiny. I think that makes me love her even more.” Larek shook his head in wonderment of Elizabeth, “She understands Zan and she loves you.”

“I have to get her back. I’ll make it work. I have a year left on Earth. I’ll figure out something.”

Three weeks later he was waiting in Giza. He knew she would be there. He was right

She was walking up the mall area and went over to lean on a large block of stone. She bent over and, wait a second, was she throwing up? She looked awful.

How could she be this sick? She had royally screwed up her life now. She was pregnant in a foreign country, signed on to an expedition, and the father was god only knows where.

She put her hand out to steady herself against the wall; here it goes again. She threw up right there in the sand. She was feeling worse by the second, she started to feel herself drift off. Right before she blacked out she thought she heard someone calling her name.

“ELIZABETH!” Please he pleaded let her be ok. What was the matter with her? He picked up her small body and ran with her to his car. Larek was leaning on the hood. When Zan came running over with Elizabeth in his arms, he jumped up and opened the door. “We need to get her to the hospital, now.” Zan rode in the back seat holding her. They were on their way to the British Hospital when he noticed blood covering her skirt.

Realization hit him. She was pregnant with his child, but was losing it. He started to cry and rocking her back and forth. If they didn’t get her somewhere soon they might lose her too.

They reached the hospital and Zan carried her in his arms across the street. He ran into the reception area, “She’s dying! Please help me!”

Doctors and nurses were running in and out of her room. Zan paced back and forth in the hallway jumping on anyone leaving the room for information. Finally a doctor came over and asked if Elizabeth was his wife.

The doctor looked up at him and said she would be fine, but their baby didn’t make it.

She would be fine; she would be fine. All right he didn’t lose her. They were going to have a baby. The thought of her having his child made him feel bitter sweet. They had made a baby, but it died and almost took her too.

He had thought today would be a happy reunion. He had a whole speech planned to ask her to marry him. He had come prepared to convince her to let him in. He had not even thought about this. He asked the doctor if he could go in. She wasn’t awake but he could go in and wait.

Elizabeth woke up with Zan curled up in bed beside her. How in the world did she get here? Where WAS here? “Zan? Zan what are you doing in Egypt?”

Ok thank you God, she was awake, and she seemed Ok. “Liz I knew you would turn up at the pyramids and waited for you every day this week.”

She hadn’t even known yet. He explained the events of the previous day. The doctors just said she needed some rest then she would be fine. “As soon as you get better we are going to be married. I don’t care about anything else. We’ll make it work. Do you understand me? No more running from me. I love you Dr. Grant. We belong together. I take it you have signed on for an expedition. I’ll just have to learn how to dig.”

Boy he had been saving all that up for a while. “Ok Zan. I will be honored to be your wife. But what happens when you have to go back?”

Liz’s father received a letter from his daughter. There was a lot to tell. Zan found her. Mr. Grant had never doubted that for a minute. They had gotten married in a tomb. A little odd but to his daughter that was probably better that the finest chapel he could afford. They were going to stay in Egypt until the dig permit was over.

They had spent the last few months in the Valley of the Kings. They stayed behind while most of the crew had gone into town. They had decided to start trying to have a baby again. Zan grabbed a blanket and had led her off into the desert. It was so romantic. He had spread out the blanket and they sat stargazing. She asked him where his home world was, and then she asked him questions about other planets he had been too. She leaned back on her elbows and tilted her head back. He attacked her neck and traced kisses across to her shoulder. Liz’s arms fell out from under her and she was laying back with her hair spread out behind her.

“You are so beautiful. What did I ever do to deserve you?” Zan looked down and gazed into her eyes.

The stars and the wind seemed to be urging them on. Something about this night just felt right. “I don’t know. Maybe you don’t” She laughed and pretended to try to get up.

It was great being here like this. It was hard to tell where she ended and he began. Zan was touching and kissing every inch of her bare skin. Liz was running her hands through his hair, along his back. She pulled him up so she could kiss him. They tore at each other’s clothes. The sense of urgency was almost primal. He thrusted into her, eliciting a loud “Oh, Zan!” Their bodies moved and they arch to meet each other. Zan could feel himself losing control he thrusted deep and exploded inside of her.

For a long time they just lay there in the moment. He shifted up to his one elbow, and watched her breathing. Her eyes were scanning the stars, she was so beautiful. At that moment there was nothing else in the world just them.

And somewhere deep in the night, almost undetectable to their eyes the V pattern forms in the sky and pulses brightly.

They walked back to the encampment and went into their tent. Zan thought he could feel Larek. He looked back out and sure enough there he was. “Hey. We haven’t seen you in months. Where did you get to?”

Larek looked inside and saw Elizabeth. He had to catch his breath, how could she get more beautiful every time he saw her? He wanted to tell Zan he was too much in love with his wife to be around all the time, but he had more important news. “Zan the orb went off two days ago. They are coming to get us in a month. We have to go back.” He didn’t want to look at her, he couldn’t he knew that Elizabeth’s face was pale. It was the news she dreaded to hear.

Part 9

Zan wouldn’t sleep for the next couple of nights. He was worried she would try to runaway again. She had promised him she wouldn’t, but he wasn’t going to take any chances. She still hadn’t made up her mind to go with him yet, but she wasn’t going to miss one moment of the next month they had together.

In fact Elizabeth wasn’t going anywhere for one other reason. They expedition she was on, they was close to something. That big find she had always wanted her name on was right around the corner. They had found an empty tomb, it had been damaged by looters and they had even damaged the hieroglyphs, but Elizabeth thought something just didn’t seem quite right. Some of the markings that you could see through the damage were in the wrong place. Like the tomb they had found wasn’t really done for a final resting place. She would just sit in there for hours looking around, or sitting with her eyes closed.

Then one night after 5 days of everyone thinking she was nuts, She came running out and said she had found something. “Well I noticed the book of the dead wasn’t right in fact it was just as if someone was just making it look right. That seems just wrong to me. Anyway tonight I figured it out come on, everyone. I’ll show you.”

Once in side the 3 professors and Zan watched her in awe. How she ever saw it they had no idea. She saw their looks she explained. “You see here it talks about ‘WHERE’ they are buried instead of here. It was like they didn’t want to gods looking in this tomb but somewhere else. Also over here is says a we instead of I.” She could see the light bulbs click. “So I was thinking that maybe that the door over here for the spirit could maybe be an actual doorway, and look what I found.” She had chipped away a light layer of plaster and saw a doorway with the seal still intact.

Everyone started to get excited. A sealed door, they couldn’t find any signs of tampering. They all raced outside to get their tools. They slowly broke away the door. When I light was shined inside, a golden wall peered back to them. They had to clear out to let the ancient air to be refreshed over night.

The next morning they were ready. Liz had been given the honor of crawling through first. There wasn’t much room to move around. There was a giant sarcophagus in the small room. This was an unusual find. None of them had ever seen on quite to big.

“She was a queen!” There had never been a queen’s resting place found in the Valley of the Kings. They were popping the lid and they found a papyrus. Elizabeth was a transcriber and she set to work. When Zan had stopped by to see if she wanted lunch she shooed him away. Was she crying?

At dinner she told them she was ready to tell them what it said, and that the note explained everything. It was a note from a long dead king, to his wife and his son he had buried in a wall. She cleared her throat, and read out loud. “He addresses it to, ‘My dear queen. My first wife. My closest advisor.’ This letter is one of the most extraordinary finds, well you’ll know why after I read the rest.” She continued, “ ‘May the gods accept you swiftly to take you from this world that causes much pain. I must confess that the pain it mostly from the void you left the universe to fill. I pray you have been placed among the stars so when I look up into the sky I can still have you with me. My heart instructs me to lie in here with you, however my duty and birthright hold me here to lead my people. I only hope I am the king you have always told me I am. I am going to meet you one day in this next life, and I hope you will be proud to stand up among the gods and call me your husband. Take care of our son for me. I have seen him. I am sure that he has your eyes and you spirit. He comes to me in my dreams, but you always call him away so quickly, please when you read this allow him to stay a little longer, he is just giving his father a few moments of peace. The last time I saw you I was upset set with you, I am very sorry. I know I will see you in the next life. Please do not be angry with me but your chambers were not and grand as a queen of your greatness warrants. I was thinking only of me. I could not bear to have you that far away from me in death. Your ever loving husband.”

Zan had to wipe his eyes when she was done. He was horrified at the thought of sharing that king’s fate. He knew what it is to feel that way about a woman. In fact the letter hit a little close to home. He had to excuse himself.

All the Professors gathered around in amazement. They had personal correspondence form a Pharaoh to his queen no less. No one had ever found anything like it. They had the two mummies and the giant sarcophagus.

Dr. Grant had her once in a lifetime find. It took the next 2 weeks cataloguing and removing the items from the small queen’s chamber. She felt tired but she figured that was from the long nights she was putting in. But when Zan called her over to the tent for their last dinner together on earth, she wretched. The both looked over at her and remembered the last time she did that. She was pregnant. They both just kind of knew. Any thoughts she had of letting him go back alone were quickly dismissed. They were going to have a baby.

Zan was so excited. He knew it would work out this time. Their baby would be fine. On Anatar there were better doctors. He was glad they were going home now. His people would be able to take better care of her.

They got up early the nest morning and made their escape in the desert. She thought it was funny they would be victims of another Mummy’s curse. “They opened the tomb and mysteriously vanished.” It was kind of amusing. Elizabeth tried to keep her mind focused on such things, because if she thought about what she was doing she would have thrown up again.

She was meeting her husband’s people for the first time. What if they hated her? What if she got the whole way back and they decided he couldn’t be married to her. What if they questioned her being pregnant with his child? What if they just plain old hated her? She definitely wasn’t Queen material. They just sat around all day and, and, what the heck did a queen on Anatar do? She was contemplating for the 1,000^th time running away, but then she looked up at Zan.

He was smiling at her. He could look into her face and tell that she was worried. For some reason he wasn’t. He was taking the wife he loved home to meet his parents, and she was going to have his baby. What could be wrong with the world? He kissed the furrows away. “My parents are going to be as in love with you as I am.”

Just then Larek showed up. It was going to be hard being with them for the 4 weeks it took to get home. They had been the best of friends, even when they were both courting Dr. Grant. But something happens when you go after the same woman, one of you won’t get her and it will change your relationship forever. He supposed he would have to get over it. It was hard to avoid people even on a royal star cruiser. “Hello Elizabeth. Hello Zan, are we ready to go back home?” He could tell she was nervous. “They’ll love you. Don’t worry, and if it doesn’t work out, you can always get a divorce and marry me.” Larek had a teasing tone in his voice, but every word he spoke was true. Larek’s heart sank when he heard Zan’s reply. “If you think I’m letting you raise my son your you need to have your head examined.” Larek, tried to feel happy for them he really did. “Congratulations” was all he could get out. Thank god the shuttle craft chose that moment to land.

Part 10

The Queen looked out the window of the craft and saw three people waiting instead of the two she had expected; there was Zan and Larek, and a woman. A woman her son had his arm around. The door opened and she walked down the steps the embrace her son. “Zan is had been to long.” When she pulled back her hug he said. “Hello mother I have missed you.”

Zan was nervous. He wanted this to go well. He wanted Elizabeth to feel welcome. “Mother, this is my wife, Dr Elizabeth Grant.” He put his arms around her shoulders in a protective maneuver.

“Hello, I am honored to meet you. I would like to thank you for razing such a wonderful son.” She smiled at her mother in law. Should she do anything special because she was a queen? Calm down, Elizabeth; she told herself ignore the whole queen part. She then opened up her mouth and said “ Boy, Zan if it was this hard for you to meet my father I am very sorry.”

Zan lovingly smiled down at her. “Well unless my mom threatens to kill you, I think the two can’t quite compare.”

What did he just say he father did? “He did what? Oh daddy is always trying to sound so tough. He wouldn’t do anything to you.”

“I wouldn’t be surprised if he did. I think if anyone came in and wanted to take you away from me I just might threaten to kill them too.” He flashed a playful smile down at her. He was statement was in jest but every word was true

“Za-an,” she rolled her eyes at him, and she looked up into his eyes. Deep looks started to pass between them.

Queen Nori had ever seen her son so happy. He had always been shy and introspective. While she was studying this new son of hers, she crossed over to Larek. It appeared that Zan had forgotten everything except from what was in her eyes. She was smiling trying to remember being young and in love. “Larek, are they always like this?”

“You mean the only two left in the universe? Yes. I’m still not used to it.”

Zan had asked the captain to take them to Pittsburgh and her father’s house so she could say her goodbyes. They shuttle made the trip in about 10 minutes. Liz had tears in her eyes when she come out of the house. Her father was away, at meeting s or something, so she wrote him a note telling him about the baby, all about Zan, and that she hoped that one day she could come and see her.

Zan asked her what was wrong and she said that he wasn’t there so she left him a letter. Zan held her close and kissed the top of her head. His heart went out to Mr. Grant he knew what it was like to get a good by letter from Elizabeth.

They lifted off and out of the atmosphere. She felt sick again, she wasn’t sure if it was because of the baby, or that she left the only planet she had ever known. Zan had his arm around her and felt her go wobbly. “Liz, are you Ok?”

“I am fine but I think I need a bathroom.” She barely made it through the bathroom door. That was a close one. Zan was right behind her. “You don’t have to watch me throw up you know? I think I can handle that by myself.” She shut the door in his face.

Zan wondered why that news seemed to sadden his dear friend. Shouldn’t he be excited for me? “Yes that is why I am glad we are going home. We should be back on Anatar soon and hopefully the doctors can make sure the we don’t lose this one again.”

Elizabeth had never seen anything so magnificent. The Royal cruiser was like a luxury cruise ship for the stars. Elizabeth had never really cared much about money. She always had plenty of it but never noticed how much anyone else had. With Zan it was hard not to notice. When he said he was a king, she had no idea the magnitude or what that meant.

“This is yours?” She said looking out the shuttle window. “We don’t just have passage on one of the cabins?”

He laughed at her and said. “I told you I was the king of a Anatar. I guess I just thought you figured out the rest of it, besides it never came up.”

“That’s because when I fell in love with you I thought you were a traveling student. I didn’t care that you were poor.” But then why did it worry her he was so rich?

“It actually belongs to the people of my system. They are just kind enough to let the royal family use it at their discretion.” Ok only half a lie, no reason to make her run for the escape pod.

Elizabeth was still a little in shock, when they entered the docking bay, and stepped out into nothing she had ever seen before. She looked around and thought out loud. “I guess there isn’t much need for an Egyptologist here huh?”

Queen Nori was right behind them, she hadn’t expected this, nor had anyone on board. The initial shock was wearing off and she needed to have a talk with her son. She left Elizabeth with Larek, and excused both of them. “Much has happened since you left Zan. I would like to talk to you in private.”

Elizabeth and Larek were left behind. Larek had her to himself for a while, that thought made him smile. “Well Elizabeth, let me show you the ship we’ll be traveling on for the next month.” He extended his elbow for her to accept and he gave her the grand tour.

They were touring the ship and she noticed that people were bowing in respect. She couldn’t believe that it was for her, so she looked at Larek. “Are you a royal too? Cause I know I am not the one they are bowing to.”

Larek looked at her and smiled. “My father is a regent to one of the planets, kind of like a Grand Duke on your planet. So now they are bowing to me, but you better get used to it. When we get back Zan has his coronation ceremony, and you will be the Queen and everyone including me will be doing it.”

“Larek, why would anyone ever make me there queen? That is the wackiest idea I have ever heard. ME! Queen Elizabeth! Ha!” She had the funniest look on her face and she was kind of staring off.

How could she view herself as nothing special? She was the kind of person that rose to the occasion taking everyone one she knew up with her. She had to have the strongest spirit he had ever seen. Larek lost himself for a moment in the hallway, and he kissed her. It was gentle and soft. As soon as his lips touched hers he found himself again. He had just kissed her! Oh god Zan was going to kill him. Literally, he would if Elizabeth was his and someone disgraced her like that. He was ready for her to start screaming at him. Instead she spoke softly.

“Larek, I think you are a wonderful man. I know your feelings for me is the reason you haven’t been around for the last couple of months on earth, but I hope we can change that right now. I think you are wonderful, but I am in love with Zan, he is the other half of my soul. I don’t think there is any reason to tell him about what just happened but I do think that is should never happen again. Do we understand each other?”

“Good now I will be needing a good friend when I get there and I was hoping it would be you. Now why don’t you tell me where the bathrooms are located, with the way I have been getting sick, I need to be prepared.” And she continued as if that moment never happened.

Zan could not believe what was coming out of his mother’s mouth. He was not leaving Elizabeth behind. “I had to go across the galaxy to find her, there is no way I am leaving her here. We are part of each other now. I am not going back without her. She is from a fine family, she is educated, smart, funny. Oh mother, she is so many things. I can’t even imagine my life without her.”

“Yes Zan, but your father and I had hoped for you to make a match within one of the ruling houses.”

“Mom did you know that she is probably the smartest person I’ve ever known. She makes we want to be a better person. She is an Egyptologist, which is probably something maybe 20 women on her planet have ever done. She researches ancient cultures to learn from them. She is, well she is the other half of my soul. Every time I look at her I wonder then I am going to wake up and realize it had to be a dream because I could never find such a woman if I looked a thousand years.”

“But you are to be a king. DO you think there is any chance that she is like that girl from college that we almost had a scandal over?” The second it came out she saw the look on her son’s face and regretted ever uttering such a thing.

Zan’s face showed a mixture of rage, hurt, and disbelief. He was starting to cry it could have been from any or all three. He tried to hold back tears. He had to keep telling himself it was his mother saying that because if it were anyone else they would have been dead. “Do you know what she did when she found out what my destiny? Found out I was a king? She left me. She went to the other side of the planet so I could forget about her and be free. I had search for her. And do you know what? I barely got to her in time. She was pregnant with my child and started to miscarry. Elizabeth almost died too. DO YOU KNOW HOW RESPONSIBLE I FEEL FOR THAT??? She didn’t want to get in my way, so she left and almost died. I had to beg her to come with me. In fact the only reason I think she didn’t run away from me again is because she is pregnant again.”

His mother took this all in and cried for her son. He loved her; she was his life mate. She had just wanted him to think about what he was doing. She should have know her son would have thought this through. He wasn’t done just yet and she let him finish before speaking again.

“Unless you’ve been to earth you’ll never know how hard she had to work to become a Doctor of Archeology. She had to be strong; people turned her down told her she couldn’t do it because she was a woman. We were at a dig in Egypt when we received word you were coming. She had just made a find that she had been waiting her entire career, no her life to find. She had to leave to come here with me. I have taken her away from the only dreams she has ever had. Let me assure you mother that making herself a queen is the FARTHEST thing on her mind.”

“I am sorry Zan. I should never have spoken such unkind words about your wife. I just wanted you to make sure you knew what you are up against she is not one of us. You will take a lot of criticism. I will do everything in my power to make her feel welcome I promise. But I know members of the council will have words over this.”

“Let them as long as I have her with me I can overcome anything. She has changed me. She looks at me and sees a great man and leader, and wanting to please her she makes me rise to me that person. Wait until you get to know her mom, you’ll see what every one who has ever been lucky enough to be in a room with her sees. Larek even agrees with me.”

“Larek agrees with you and you allowed her to be alone with him. Go find that girl and bring her here where she is safe.”

Zan ran down the hall to get her. He asked a house keeper if she had seen them and she motioned in the direction they went off into. He followed the hallway and is curved along and saw them there talking. Then Larek kissed her. LAREK KISSED HIS WIFE! He was frozen in anger, then he heard what Elizabeth said to Larek, and he felt sick She thought he was a wonderful man? She wanted to change that? ‘oh on not Liz’ But then when she said she loved him and that it should never happen again, he softened up and realized how much she loved him.

He should have to worry about anyone coming between them. It made him feel a little sorry for Larek too. What would he have done if she had picked Larek over him? Probably be miserable, he tried to put himself in Larek’s place. Zan understood how being around Elizabeth made someone feel, so he decided to handle it the way she did pretend it never happened. He decided to cut around and ‘bump’ into them back at the lift.

Elizabeth’s first meeting with the Queen went well. Elizabeth was worried that Zan’s mother would be judging her from the moment she came in the room, but to her surprise Queen Nori was nothing but supportive of their union. She would talk to the king, and make sure people were ready for the surprise of a new wife. They had not been officially married in an Anatarian ceremony, but that was going to be taken care of before they reached the planet. It made Elizabeth feel everything was going to be alright.

Zan had surprised her and had his men bring in her crates from Peru while she was in charting with her father. It was a nice surprise to have things to work on. Even if she would never get published, she could work on translations.

Half way through the trip her sickness stopped. Dr. Elizabeth Grant was beginning to feel like her self again. By the time they reached the reached Anatar she would be ready for them. She had already been the one in the room everyone stared at. She was used to that from carving a place for herself in a man’s profession. She had dealt with people saying she didn’t belong. She had been given cold shoulders and nasty comments.

She had proved them all wrong back on Earth. God help anyone that had gotten in her way. She would attack this new situation with the same voracity; she would prove them all wrong again. She just had to keep telling herself that she belonged, and they would soon believe it too.

Two weeks out of their trip they received world that Zan’s father had died of a heart attack. Zan and Liz were coronated on board the ship.

Part 11

A funeral was no place to make you debut. Elizabeth understood that and stayed behind during the services. She would be there for her husband as much as she could. It was a frightening time. A new planet coming under new power, and she was the power it was under. It was all very confusing. They had a ball planned for next week, and Zan’s mother insisted that they go through with it. Zan’s father was going to formally introduce the young couple and with Elizabeth starting to show her pregnancy they couldn’t really afford to wait much longer.

Kivar had heard that Zan was returning with a new wife. An earthling, how could he be so foolish. There were already whispers of controlling him. Kivar always stood back from all that. H knew they would never do anything as bold as he was planning. Kivar wanted to assess this all for himself. He had decided to stay on Anatar after the funeral and wait for the ball. He couldn’t believe they were going thought with it. He would be there now where was his formal coat?

Elizabeth was trying to get dressed but her hands were shaky and she felt like she was going to be sick again. Zan came over and tried to calm her down. “Just remember you are their queen.” He smiled down and kissed her bare neck. “You can’t begin to convince me you are scared. Have the same determination as when you wanted to become a Professor. You traveled Earth by yourself and you swam naked I in the mountains of Peru. You are amazing. The moment their eyes gaze upon you they’ll see exactly what I did, what Larek did, what I am suspecting everyone that has ever known you sees.”

Ok that was it. All their guests be damned. He pushed his wife into her large closet and actually melted the lock shut. They didn’t notice when his mother came in to see what was keeping them or did they hear her walking around the room. She had heard them all right and guessed it would be sometime before the king and queen would be ready for the party.

Two hours later they emerged from their rooms. Nothing about them except for their tardiness gave a clue about what they were doing.

There celebration was to welcome the young couple, to present the new Queen. Kivar had heard ripples of decent over the King’s choice of life mates. He figured that this emotional man would be east to control. When Kivar arrived that was not the Zan he had found at all, he was sure of himself. Then Kivar noticed HER. She must be the new queen. She had a group of 5 consulates wrapped around her finger. He walked up and asked one that he knew for an introduction. “Queen Elizabeth, may I present to you Lord Kivar.” Kivar took the hand she extended and gentle kissed it. When she smiled at him, and restarted her story, Kivar knew exactly what Zan was thinking the first time her met her. There was just something about her. Kivar tried to get a conversation alone with her, but there were a lot of people there to wish them well. So Kivar just watched for a distance.

Elizabeth was not far from Zan’s side the entire night. He had constantly kept a hand to her elbow never letting her wander far. Zan had traveled the galaxy to find his strength and wisdom and he had found it in Elizabeth. Zan was much stronger than Kivar had imagined. That made her is greatest strength, but also his mortal weakness.

Half way into the evening Zan and Elizabeth stood in the front of he throne room. He had an announcement to make. “My friends we here tonight to welcome my Queen to Anatar, but there is also something else I would like to share with you. We will soon be celebrating another edition to the royal family. Queen Elizabeth is expecting our first child. “ Cheers went up.

When Kivar learned of the pregnancy, he knew that time was short. He would start a conflict between some of the houses. They had bee at odds for a while all it would take was a few choice whispers and it would erupt into something that would require the King’s attention. He had planned on having the king killed and have himself declared the royal consulate, he would rule that way.

Elizabeth’s head was spinning. She had met so many people. Zan’s sister Vilandra was there she had come on for the funeral and had decided to stay on. She met Rath apparently he was on Earth too at one point. All the council members and royal houses were represented. She head was spinning with all the names and faces she knew she was expected to remember. She hoped to see Larek there but to her disappointment he never showed. She was getting tired and she wanted to retire to her room.

They didn’t get much privacy in a palace. There was always someone wanting something, pulling your attention to another problem. Like she really cared what color the flowers were. She wanted to be with Zan. He had to go in a few days to a peace summit with Kivar. He would be gone for two weeks. They were saying their goodbyes.

His fingers ran down her body, caressing her soft glowing skin. He wanted her to know just how much he was going to miss her in his bed. He gently held her wrist and lead her into the bedroom. He moved behind her kissing the back of her neck gently lowering her dress and kissing the newly exposed skin. He was kissing down her spine to the small of her back. She was moaning low in her throat. He knew this always excited her. He spun her around to face him. He smiled at the site if her, he loved the way she looked naked, especially now. He gently placed her on the bed and kissed her again. He wanted her to know just how much it pained him to be away from her. He moved down and placed his wet mouth over her nipple. She gasped. He had 3 hours until he left and he was going to spend it naked with her.

He whispered into his sleeping wife’s ear. “Goodbye my love. I well be back before he arrives. I promise.” He took one look back into the room where is sleeping wife had just made him the happiest man in the universe. He sighed when he realized that once outside this door he had to be the King again.

He had been away for a week and he had gotten and urgent message that something was wrong with his wife. However, the summit was not going so well and he had to choose between discussing the trading lanes with two competing planets or being by her side. At first he had made ready his ship, but then he talked to her on the phone she would be fine, Rath was watching over her for him. He had to get these things settled. He wanted his son to rule a united council of planets didn’t he? She was right she usually was. SO his body stayed but his mind was with her.

*********************************************************************

On Anatar, Elizabeth was sick, too sick. She couldn’t even take deep breaths. Something was wrong. She knew it. He had wanted to come back to her, but if he had know all this about her, he would have come back right away. He needed to make a strong showing. He needed to let them know he wasn’t his father and that he was in command. Leaving to be by her side would have shown weakness. There were bigger things at issue than just the two of them anymore.

At first Elizabeth thought it was just the morning sickness happening again. Something about them needing to be together, but she soon knew it was something far worse. She was writhing in the bed unable to breathe. She could feel her baby struggling in her womb. It wanted to live but what ever was wrong with her was making him just as ill. Liz was at the brink of death people were running in and out of her room. One of the doctors had asked for privacy, and everyone but the guards at the door left. She remembered the doctor leaning down as if to listen to her heart and instead looked into Liz’s eyes. Liz was given injection. “Soon I will be in his bed and you will be a distant memory.” She could feel herself dying.

**********************************************************************

Zan ordered that the negotiators work around the clock, so he could get home sooner to her. Three days later he was on his way home, to her. He could hold her and heal her. Be with her, and soon they would be welcoming his son.

***********************************************************************When his mother herself met him at the port he KNEW something was wrong. Horribly so. She touched his shoulder and started to cry. “Where is she? Where is Elizabeth?” He demanded to be taken to her now.

His mother just looked down at the floor and then up to the heavens. “Your son was born today.”

He braced himself against the wall, and sighed. Oh good news then, but his mother’s face didn’t tell of good news. “Elizabeth is dead, isn’t she?”

Zan ran through his Palace, yelling her name praying she would come out and hold him. Tell him it was all some cruel joke. She was fine and their son would be born into this world any day. When he reached the door to his bedchambers. He saw her. Still laying in the bed.

She looked like the first time he had seen her. She had just hiked up a mountain and was enjoying a water fall, stretched out on a rock. She was beautiful. He wanted to say hello but instead “Would you be my queen?” came tumbling out. She giggled at him, and blushed. She was his from that moment on. Now she was gone.

He ran his hand down her body and she wasn’t as full as she was before. His son had been born. He was a few weeks early. He was excited for a second, until he remember his mother had said they lost him too. He could feel someone enter the room, his mother had finally caught up to him. “Where is my son, mother, and why didn’t you let me know I was in danger of losing them?”

“She didn’t want us to worry you. You serve a higher purpose now. She understood that.”

“We didn’t know until it was too late to save both of them. I had them do everything.”

Part 12

Zan demanded to have his son brought in. A nurse brought the tiny boy in a warm blanket. He looked just like he was sleeping, Zan expected him to stretch and open his eyes. Zan started talking to himself. “He can’t. He’ll never open his eyes.” Tears were streaming down his face. He whispered ask to not wake up Elizabeth or his infant son, “Please everyone leave us. I need to be alone with my family” The servants scurried out of the room. Rath lingered for a moment and retreated out the door. His mother stayed to be with him. She was afraid of what he might do if she wasn’t there.

She never got a chance to finish her thought. He turned his powers on his mother and threw her out the door shutting and locking it behind her. “LEAVE ME ALONE!!!!!!!!!”

“I’m sorry Elizabeth, I am here now. I’ll protect you. I only left you for a little while. Did you get a chance to see your son?” Zan was sitting on the bed. Her lifeless body was draped across his lap and he was holding her cradled in his right arm. He held his son in the crock of the other arm. Zan held the son up next to her face. “See him Liz, god he is so beautiful. He looks just like you.” His face was clenched up his eye were squeezed tight. Tears were falling all over her. Liz was pale now. He wanted to see her smile that reached her eyes. He wanted to watch her chew on her lip and she poured over some ancient texts. He wanted hear her breathy gasps as he entered her body. “Please. Dear god, NO! NO! You can’t take her from me. It is not fair! DO YOU HEAR ME GOD? I AM KING ZAN RULER OF ANATAR AND I COMMAND YOU TO BRING HER BACK!!!!!!!!”

When that didn’t work he whispered through tears. “please, please, you can take me. Oh please take me.”

“Liz, Elizabeth honey can you hear me? I can’t do this alone. What good am I with out you?” Zan kissed her cold lips. He kissed his tiny son’s cold forehead. He wanted to die. He would. Zan decided that he was just going to lie in the bed with his wife and child until death took him too.

Zan would not allow anyone in the room. He locked himself in and wouldn’t come out.

She sent for Larek. He left at once and was at the royal palace the next morning.

“Zan? Zan, it’s Larek. Can I please come in?” He tried the door. “Zan please.” He heard the door unlock.

Larek didn’t want to see her like this. Limp lifeless lying in a bed in a dark room. Zan was sitting on the bed beside her, holding a tiny bundle in arms. No god there baby was dead too. He wanted to remember her like she was in Peru, on a desperate quest to find an ancient secret. Well, Elizabeth, he thought. You just uncovered the biggest mystery of all. He started to cry. “Zan we can’t leave her like this. We need to make sure her soul passes.”

“No” Zan was just staring out the window. He had been doing it since Larek had come on the room. He assumed he had been staring out of it for hours.

Oh god now was not the time to be bringing that up. “Zan, I didn’t…..” No that is not what should be talked about now. Concentrate on her. “Then you know how I am feeling right now, but Zan I know she needs to be taken care of.”

“She should have chosen you. I killed her. If she was with you, or even if I had stayed with her on earth, she’d be alive right now.” His eyes were stilling gazing out into the night.

“Do you think she wants you to die? She loved you so much, she never would want to see you like this. She is probably giving you one of her looks right now.” He smiled when he thought about that.

“I failed her. I failed my son, son.” Zan finally looked from the window and down to his son. “He doesn’t even have a name. He should have been the next Zan. He should have been a king. Now he is dead because I could not protect him.”

“My son,” and then he said it to make it real to him. “My son’s name is Zan.”

But we do need to make arrangements. They need a proper burial. Do you think she wanted her final resting place to be in your bedroom?”

“No she was an Earth Queen. Her life was not here; she only died her. She lived her life was in Egypt. I want her final resting place to be in a tomb like the Queen’s of Egypt.”

‘NO! THIS IS MY PLACE. No one else will get it right. Please sit with her.” Zan got up and placed his son into his wife’s arms. “I’ll be right back. Do not let anyone in here. Do you understand?” Larek nodded and Zan stepped into the hallway to tell his mother what he wanted.

Larek looked at Elizabeth she just couldn’t be gone. Larek put his head in his hands and sobbed.

**********************************************************************

Zan had decided on a pyramid for her. He just knew she would love it. He had a pure white marble sarcophagus made for her. He had a smaller one made for Prince Zan. He forced them to work around the clock he hired everyone he could. The entire kingdom stopped Zan wanted this done now. He didn’t care how just that it was done.

It was not anywhere near the size of the ones she had studied, but he knew that just the fact he had remembered what made her happy would be enough. Queen Elizabeth’s body had been prepared, and so was the body of Prince Zan’s. They would have the funeral in two days.

Zan followed the traditions of her beloved Egypt and had her belongings sealed in with her. Zan couldn’t stand to have an open funeral. He asked Larek, Rath, Vilandra, and Larek to stand in silence with him while the priest said the blessings. Zan was saying his last good bye when he remembered something from their final day on earth. He asked them to please hold on, he needed to do one more thing. He got a pen and paper and wrote to his wife like the Pharaoh of long ago.

‘My dearest wife, my best friend, the other half of my soul, I am trying to make my way in this world with out you and our beloved son. The only thing that prevents me from crawling in there with you is the thought that you would be angry with me for giving up. You always told me I was a great man and now I am trying to live up to that. I know we will meet again. I am glad our son is there with you, a young boy’s place is with his mother, but please let him know how much I love him. You ever devoted husband.’

He rolled up the paper kissed her goodbye for the last time and placed it in her hand. “You can close it now.”

Part 13

Zan visited his family everyday. He told them both about his life, and what was going on in his kingdom. He tried to imagine what she would be saying back, he would picture her little expressions. Zan was still pretending she was still here. Everyone was starting to worry about him. It had been 3 months since she passed and he still talked to her everyday.

His mother worried. Kivar had been building up power. She had taken over the running of the kingdom for her son. When Kivar offered his sister as a means to bring a peaceful solution to the revolution the Queen saw starting. She said she would talk about it to Zan. He needed to move on she thought.

Kivar’s sister Ava was beautiful, she would had been after Zan since they were children. She would get his mind off of Liz. Queen Nori was sure of it. She just had to convince Zan of it. This would not be easy.

When she told Zan that Elizabeth would have wanted him to make a marriage that ensured his place in power. She knew she manipulated him. She just couldn’t stand seeing him like that anymore. He needed to move on.

Ava was a bad choice from the day of the wedding. She would order people around the palace, and when Zan was near she would hang in him. His mother knew he still snuck out all night and talked to Elizabeth. She knew Ava was a mistake.

Zan had stopped trying to even rule. He didn’t want do be anywhere near Ava. After 6 months when they still hadn’t produced an heir to join the blood lines. Kivar’s patience was up. He had attacked.

Vilandra had been seeing Kivar; the queen had eyes. She never thought that Kivar would be so cruel to her family. Kivar never loved her he was just using her to get information about their defenses before he launched the assault. Vilandra had been furious.

WHY HAD SHE DONE THAT! WHY DID SHE EVER LISTEN TO KIVAR! Both of her children were dead. She had to do something.

Zan had been so happy on Earth. He had been meant to have a long and happy life with her. Queen Nori would make things right. She would send them all to Earth.

Kivar had gotten power over Anatar, but he still had not taken control from the regents. Larek had offered her a safe place to get everything ready. The queen gave explicit instructions to the scientists. She sent one team out to send samples of human DNA. While they other team set to work on making incubation pods portable.

Queen Nori tried to content herself with the fact that she was making things right. She asked to be alone for a minute. Everyone left the small ship.

“I hope I have done right by you my children. I hope that someday you can forgive me for taking your spirits back from the light. I am sending you to Earth. I have tried to give you everything you will need to thrive there. I asked them to give you each a special power, something that if you would have had in this life you might have been better served.”

“Rath you are a warrior. You were my sons second in command, you died trying to save my son him, but you were out numbered. I wanted to give you he power to be a great warrior. Protect them well; I am counting on you.”

“Vilandra you were always so trusting, and sure of yourself. If you only could have seen what Kivar really wanted. I hope you will used your power to figure out whom to trust.”

“Zan, my poor son.” She leaned in to whisper to him. “I have given you the most special gift of all. I have given you the power to heal. Liz will never be able to be taken from you again.” She looked around the room to make sure she was alone. “I have arranged to have Elizabeth join you. She is all human so the pods will not work, however I promise you will see her again.”

“Ava, you and your brother can go straight to hell!” She took a pin and poked a small hole in the back of Ava’s pod. She was about to do the other one when someone came in.

She prayed that the clues she had given them would be enough to make sure they knew exactly who Ava was. She put her finger’s to her lips and kissed them. She placed the kisses on her children’s pods, and walked back into the lab.

Elizabeth had finally deciphered them 2 days before she died. She had always been so secretive about them, not wanting any help, she would say, “I think I can handle it.” Zan was at the conference, and she needed to tell someone so she asked for Queen Nori. She had figured out the symbols. Elizabeth showed her the translation, and she was so proud of herself.

Elizabeth still had the disks sitting on her desk when she fell ill that night. The queen was look for something to write with when she noticed the writing on them. It was the symbols used by the granolith. Elizabeth had deciphered the language of the granolith. Queen Nori quickly picked up the translations and hid them in her pocket. Only the King of Anatar should have been able to decipher that. Bigger question was how it got on disks found in the jungle. There wasn’t time to ask those questions.

Claudia’s ship was about to depart. Queen Nori handed her a book made from solid gold it contained their story, it was written in the language that Elizabeth had found on the disks she had been working so hard on. She knew if anyone would be able to figure all of this out it would be Elizabeth.