"Can you explain what just happened there?" I ask him while looking up into the night sky. There were planets of all sizes and colors that looked closer than the moon is to Earth.

          "Well my phone isn't my phone, it looks like one on Earth to avoid suspicion with you or anyone else. Our technology is a lot more advanced than on Earth, so while I was able to communicate with you on Earth with it, I was able to communicate with our leader as well." Vehicles are now stopping on the road and looking at Xavier and I, even pointing at us.

     "What's everyone's deal? Are you famous or something?" I ask looking up at him. He chuckles but shrugs his shoulders.

     "I guess you can call me famous, I'm a soldier that only protects the top of the top people here. Our leader, and you. I guess it's a sight to see one of us around in a public place like this. Not to mention everyone and I mean everyone knows who you are Hope. I think it's a crime if you don't know who you are." We continue walking up the road. I look back at the people we passed as they bow their heads at us as if we're royalty.

     "Are you still answering questions? I have a lot more for you." I look down at my feet as we walk.

     "Yes, until we get to a good stopping point to where we need to go." He starts to look around as more and more people are starting to take notice of us. He starts to drag me as he starts to walk faster.

        "What's his name? Like the guy in charge, what's his name?" I get out. I almost fall as I miss a couple of steps from being dragged.

     "Mardock is what everyone calls him." We stop abruptly, I run into him making us stumble. Xavier turns and looks back at everyone as they are now stopped and are starting to circle us. He takes off his backpack and reaches into it pulling out a small metal object. He looks around at everyone.

     "I have orders from Mardock that if anyone comes within two feet of her, you will be shot on sight. No exceptions." He yells out. I look at him with wide eyes and try to reach for the metal object in his hands, he jerks it away and out of reach from me.

     "You're not going to hurt anyone, I'm just fine okay," I look out to everyone, "I'll make sure that he won't hurt anyone." Xavier looks at me like I have five heads.

     "You're not in charge, at least not yet, I'm not taking orders from you." He grips my forearm and drags me a couple of feet away from the now-frightened people, they don't follow. I keep quiet as his fingers start to dig into my arm.

     Tall buildings are now surrounding us but a wider longer building is in the middle of the city, I'm guessing this is the destination I'm supposed to go to.

     "What if I say no to him? Is he going to kill me? Would be better than this torture. It's like you've turned on me, I don't even know who you are anymore. You wouldn't force me to marry a man I haven't even met yet." I mock him. He let go of my arm a while ago but I see him take a deep breath and look back at me.

     "Why do you think you've never had a boyfriend back on Earth? Answer me that one," he mocks back, "Oh, I know probably because the only boyfriend you're going to be able to get in life is Mardock." I look down at my feet a slow pain fills my heart, well he got me there. I look back up at him.

     "What about all the boys that asked me out in high school? Answer that for me." He begins to chuckle and I get a sinking feeling. 

     "Don't you think I wouldn't have said something to them? Why do you think they always came back and told you never mind or sorry?" He asks me. He's right, usually a day or so after they would tell me it's over and that would be the end of it. Why is he acting like a complete ass now? He was fine earlier. A couple of people run past us in the direction that we're going, basically ignoring us. 

     "Are they going to the same place we're going?" I quietly ask. Xavier shakes his head no.

     "They're heading to the stadium. Everyone is trying to get a seat to watch tonight's event. Our stadium is supposed to hold a couple of hundred-thousand people, not nearly enough for everyone on the planet of course, but I'm sure there's going to be watch parties surely." He says like I'm stupid.

     "What event exactly?" I wonder if he's getting annoyed with all the questions that I'm asking yet. Good, if he can be an ass to me, then I can be one back. 

     "To watch Mardock meet you for the first time. As well to attend his birthday festival at the stadium," we turn a corner and are now in view of the castle-like structure. "I'm bringing you to the fortress so the maids can clean you up and get ready. Someone will pick you up and I'll be waiting for you at the stadium. I'm supposed to escort you to him, to hand you off to him." He says the last part sadly like he doesn't want to get rid of me just yet.

     "I'm sorry for earlier, no one is really allowed to see you until the ceremony. We just landed on a busy avenue is all. Luckily, we were close to the city. Just, don't reach for what I had in my hand again. Our technology isn't like on Earth Hope. If you pressed the wrong button it could've killed everyone around us instantly. I'm pretty sure you or I don't want blood on either of our hands." He lectures at me.

     "Can you tell me more about... what's this planet called again?" I ask him. He quietly chuckles and nods his head.

     "Maliv, and yes I can. We're in another galaxy now, I think AB-3452 is the name we call it, but don't quote me, I'm not good at space and all of that. We're about, around 100 light-years from Earth from Maliv so that's something. Oh! I didn't know why I didn't think about this when we got here," he stops walking and turns to look at me.

     "Give Mardock a chance, seriously. Yes, he is the ruler of Maliv, but once you get to know him, he's actually a really nice guy, you HAVE to give him a chance Hope. I bet you think he's some dictator, but he isn't. Since birth, he knew what he was signing up for by marrying you. Life here is just like back on Earth except," he chuckles and looks up at the twilight sky now, "there are planets that are so close it looks like we could hit them, but we're safe." He looks back at me and continues walking.

     "Is there anything else I should know about Mardock or about Maliv?" I ask quietly.

     "We're a heavy army-based planet. It's because, well you see that planet right there?" he points to the giant yellow and blue planet, the one that looks like it could hit us at any minute, "we're not the only ones in this solar system. That planet is Dazora, they have... well they have a species there that does NOT like us and attacks us any chance we get. We have a force field around the planet that protects and alerts us when they're attacking us. It gives us a good little bit to prepare for whatever happens. 98% of the time we win, just... Mardock was in the armed forces he'll protect you and knows what to do just in case anything happens tonight, okay?" He looks up at the sky and sighs.

     We reach the gate and are stopped by a soldier yelling at another for maids and soldiers to come and take care of me and Xavier. The gates open and on the other side were 4 buff guards in dark gray armor like Xavier's and at least 10 maids all wearing the same outfit of ribbed black jeans and a flowy gray shirt. I turn to Xavier just as he looks at me.

     "This is where we part ways for now okay? I'll see you in a couple of hours." He starts walking towards the guard at the gate without even giving me a hug or anything. My heart starts to get heavy, goodbye then.

     I walk towards the maids and soldiers as one of the maids runs over to me and hugs me as if we're long-lost friends.

     "You look even more beautiful in person madam. I can't wait for tonight!" She lets go of me and gives me a long look. She looks to be younger than me with cyan long hair pulled up in a bun, and gray eyes with freckles dotting her ivory face and skin.

     "My name is Abbil, I'm going to be your caretaker and maid for the rest of your life! These are a couple of maids who will help you if I'm not there to take care of you, you'll grow to love them!" She giddily says.