22 part 2

"So your family line decides how you fight," Rithô said.

"Normally. I mean our families are also in charge of the training of the children so," I shrugged. I was very unconcerned. "I figured that kind of thing was universal. I mean you look like an Osprey. So it makes sense that your parents did as well."

"My parents were both much smaller. Royal Nephit all have my size and markings but we are born at random."

"Seriously? Royals are random?" I asked. Most royal humans were born. There had been some uprisings in history that had displaced the originals. "Talk about genetic roulette."

"Roulette?"

"Oh it is a game. Basically it is a numbers and colors game. There are many numbers assigned under two colors. The goal of the game is to get the color and or number right. Genetic Roulette refers to how ones parents effect their children. For example me. My dad had very dark skin but my mom was pale. I won the Genetic Roulette Jackpot by being a golden tan color."

"I think I understand. Humans all have looks based of their parents."

"Exactly. Some times those parent pairings results in some interesting outcomes." Like my hair I silently added.

He nodded seeming interested in knowing but but seemed eager to answer my question. "Yes, we are for lack of better term random. I am the youngest of the Nephit Princes currently and the last to find a mate to form a suitable match with. How are Human Royalty picked?"

"We aren't picked. We are born. Whichever child has the closest bloodline to the original ruler is typically the inherentor. In my case I was the only option so..." Yeah my people would be pissed when they learned their king had failed to have a son. Funny since the first Bast had been female. "So why am I here anyway? I thought we were going to the station so I could negotiate terms with a IPU diplomat."

"They did not tell you." Rithô's face darkened as realization hit him. "Would you mind if I explained on the way to your room?"

I was shocked. I stood from the medbay bed, "Yes of course. I was unaware I would be given a room to stay in."

"There are a number of rooms prepared for visiting females. I do not know if you will find the Royal room to your liking but hopefully it will do until better arrangements can be made. You are very different from my people."

I followed closely at his side as we walked out into the hall. Sure enough natural light was filling the halls. "Do you have two suns?" I asked. I looked up and noticed two different suns.

"Yes."

"And they don't cook you alive? Your atmosphere must be extremely thick."

"How many suns do you have?"

"One. We just have the singular Sun. Although there are a number of names we have given it over the years."

"Only one. I do not believe I know many planets like that. I would like to get you settled before Prince Cepheus arrives. He will want to make sure you arrived safely and I do not want the event last night to be the only thing you can tell him about since your arrival. Speaking of I must ask Princess Venus, did you have intentions on taking Princes as mates?"

"Yes," we began walking again. "I had tried to find a suitable marriage among my kingdom's males. Marriage is an official mating. Typically Human females only take one male as a mate. It is a life long pairing."

"May I ask why?"

"A few reasons. One being that our males have been known to get aggressive with eachother when they live in tight quarters. The fights often spread to us. There also the fact the human males understand very little about how mating actually works. Or at least how it should work. They do not care past knowing how to mate. Some are not so bad, there are in fact a few that are great mates to their females.

Most females can not consistently have multiple children. It has been so long since a female was born directly into a royal family. As you already know my body adapts quite well. Human females are more likely to die in childbirth than any other way. Most of us do not even live to see twenty five sun revolutions. Those who survive the first birth normally have long lives. Each child after the first makes pregnancy easier for the body to handle.

For a royal female it is far less of a problem. Our bodies are designed to handle more. We take the strain of carrying a single child without much problem. In fact many Royal Females who were only pregnant with one or two offspring led soldiers in battle." He looked down right horrified at the idea. "It was believed that fighting while pregnant would assure the birth of strong leaders," I laughed.

"So it is rare for a common female to have multiple children?"

"Extremely! Only about one in every thousand females get pregnant with multiples to term. Of those maybe one or two will survive."

"So even if they had multiple males it would make no difference."

"Yes. After I got tired of trying to find a suitable mate and failed to among my own Kingdom I decided to try for political match. I might not necessarily be the happiest with the arrangement. I know I would not be very happy with it. Marriage to a male I know nothing about and never seen before. Still it would help ensure the safety of my people. There was also the chance that I would find a good match."

"So would you be open to taking more than one male?" He seemed almost hopeful and I realized what was happening. His question made me jolt. I felt my brain connect the dots.

"Are Princes coming here? To see me? Am I here because I am a potential mate for you and other Princes outside my race?"

"You will not be forced by any of us. We wished to meet you after Misha informed Conta, an IPU diplomat, that you had considered a political mating. We were wanting to meet you and let you meet us. If you like any of us then you may of course see how things proceed. We had assumed you had asked for the arrangement be made. I see now that was not the case. That you were not even awear I had invited you here to be more comfortable while meeting with your potential mates."

He seemed upset and that bothered me for some reason. He seemed a nice enough guy although he looked like a bird with hands. "Prince Rithô, please do not misunderstand. I am not against making a cross race mating but I know nothing of universal customs. I do not know what to expect. You look like a bird from my planet. If you are like them then you can fly. I can not. Can you accept that without aid, your mate will never fly next to you?

I mean there is a lot to consider. I mean I do not even know how I would decide. Do you mate with multiple females? Am I expected to take multiple males as my mates? Surely you realize there is more to this than just political matching."

"Indeed. These are all questions that will need to be asked of each of us. I will answer you. I do not think I would mind having a mate who walks. I am capable of flight with my wings which I suspect is the connection to flight. I find it interesting that you have flying creatures on your planet yet you do not fly yourself. I will not take multiple females. Nephit males mate for life although it is common practice for females to take multiple males. You will find most females in the universe will mate many males. Very few females claim mates for life. It is expected for them to take multiple males because a single male can not provide protection when he is out hunting.

I can not speak for all the Princes who are coming but you will find that most of them expect you to take more than one of us. A few I am sure look forward to it."

"Why?" We were nearly at the top floor now. I had found it amusing that a planet filled with bird people had steps to get between floors.

"The answer is simple Princess Venus. If we mate you than we are mate brothers. We would be family."

"It would ensure the safety of their own people as well."

"Yes. Most of us have known each other for rotations and get along well enough. I would see no issue sharing you with how ever many Princes you deem worthy as mates. Many of us would consider it an honor.

This will be your room for as long as you care to stay. If you need anything you only need ask. I will leave you to relax now Princess. Please think it over. I do not know if you could care to like me as a mate but I like how honest you are."