Irudan was green. Its defining characteristic was the cover on its surface. There were lakes and oceans and rivers, but the world itself was green with only a few cities to mar the expanse.
“Lady Nakkua, are you comfortable for landing?” The taller of the two guards smiled politely.
“I am. All strapped in and ready. Thank you.” They had refused to give their names, and she hadn’t pressed them. They were servants of the Nakkua family and they had travelled to retrieve his proxy wife. They had no interest in her beyond following their instructions.
She had gathered that her status was an annoyance by the subtle comments the guards had given her. They had wanted a proper wife for Lord Nakkua and this arrangement was not approved of.
Rowen wasn’t good with people, but she knew hostility when it was directed at her. This was one of those times.
They landed precisely on a tarmac, and others were waiting to greet her. The guards handed her her bag and brought her out into the strange new world that smelled blissfully green.
The two prominent figures carried the colours of a Russian olive tree. Grey-silver skin, pale silvery green hair and paler eyes.
“Hello, I am Head Gardener Liahnarika Gez and this is my husband, Gardener Ilo Gez. Welcome to Irudan, Lady Nakkua. Would you mind?” She gestured to Rowen’s wrist.
Rowen extended her wrist and showed the bracelet. One of the quiet folk from behind the head gardener emerged and took an imprint of the band.
The head gardener smiled. “That is how we register aliens on our soil. Since you have to be married to a citizen to work here, we confirm that there is no one else with this pattern registered to it. It only takes moments.”
The person checking the registry smiled. “All is good. The registration is confirmed as viable.”
Rowen slumped in relief. She had had a momentary flicker that her invisible husband would denounce her and she would be expelled from the world.
Ilo chuckled. “Now that that is out of the way, come with us. Quarters and clothing have been arranged for you. We don’t use uniforms, but we do tend to favour a practical manner of dressing.”
Liahnarika smiled. “We understand that you are a plant healer. We have a greenhouse full of sick plants in this area alone. Do you do diagnostics as well?”
“Sometimes I can feel what is wrong. Sometimes it is just the standards of light, water and mineral content.”
Liahnarika looked at her sideways. “Would you be able to offer a demonstration before you settle in, or are you tired?”
“I am tired, but I also need to touch something living. If you wouldn’t mind, I would prefer the demonstration.” She had slept on the shuttle, but it had been difficult to relax with the cold attitude of the guards around her.
The couple smiled brightly and the cut of their sleeves seemed designed to show off the pattern of silver on their left wrists. The pattern did match, so she was in the presence of a mated pair.
Rowen didn’t even feel her band anymore. In the two days it had taken to get there, she had forgotten that it was there until she saw it.
“It is just the aliens that require a spouse to work here?”
Ilo shrugged. “We deal with dangerous and amazing plants. Someone has to be accountable if one goes wrong.”
That opened another thousand questions, but their path was taking them to a tube system that zipped along under the surface.
“Most transport is done by underground tube. Irudan is geologically stable for the most part, so they can take you around the globe in hours without disturbing the surface.” Ilo grinned. “We are very proud of our infrastructure, and we take pains to protect it and the plant compounds that are our greatest export.”
“How?”
Liahnarika smiled, “We have the planetary shielding, but we also have a Guardian outpost. They aren’t called upon often, but when they are, they arrive with force.”
Rowen nodded wisely before she had to give up and admit she didn’t know what the woman was talking about. “What is a Guardian?”
* * * *
“Your wife has touched down, Lord Nakkua.”
Skorin Nakkua looked up from the financial reports for the base, and he scowled at the face in the com unit. “Good. I hope she will be happy here. Do you have the fuel usage reports from last month?”
Devnin grinned and sent him the file. “You are not even curious about her?”
“Nope. I have wed according to my family’s demands, and now, they can shut up because it is done. They just said I had to get married, not live or sleep with the female.”
The second in command sighed. “There is more to life than defending the weak. You can have a life and still do your duty to your world. Many Guardians do.”
“Since when did you become such a nag, Devnin?”
“Since I am curious to see the female you knotted yourself to. Tell me you aren’t curious.”
“She has just arrived. She hasn’t settled in and the formal gatherings she will be required to attend will be soon enough to meet her. Oh, I don’t think they mentioned that to her. Well, she will learn soon enough. The Gezs will sort her out.”
Devnin laughed. “You didn’t tell her that she will have to attend a minimum of three events a month?”
Skorin shrugged. “I haven’t spoken to her, so no. She gets to be here in the gardens and she will pay a price for it.”
“That seems a little cold.”
Skorin looked at his second in command. “This isn’t a job for people who can’t keep their personal and private lives separate, Devnin. You need to remember that.”
Devnin sobered. “You need to remember that there is more to life than duty, Skorin.”
Skorin stabbed at the com unit and shut it off. His mother had been furious when he announced his formal union via proxy, but it was done. The woman was on Irudan and that was the end of it. He hoped she enjoyed her career in the gardens.
* * * *
Rowen was almost humming with excitement as she walked into the greenhouse filled with alien plants. The Gezs led her to an enclosed space.
Ilo said. “This is where we put the sick ones.”
“Where do you want me to start?” Her hands curled and uncurled eagerly.
Liahnarika smiled. “The plant down at the end is toxic, but the sap has restorative properties to some alkaline species. Can you work with it?”
Rowen set her bag down and walked to the shining sapphire shrub with hinds of emerald. She stroked her hands over the surface, not quite touching the plant. The leaves rustled and Rowen caught onto the difficulty the plant was having. “The pot is too big.”
Liahnarika stared. “What?”
“For it to grow the way it is designed to, it needs a smaller pot. This is a mountain plant that likes tight roots. I can revive it for now, but it needs to be downsized into a pot with at least a ten-inch decrease in diameter. It doesn’t like much soil at all. The toxic nature comes from the struggle to rise through the stone.”
Ilo was grinning. “I believe that you have passed the test. Restore the plant to health and the transplant will be scheduled for tomorrow, Gardener Rowen Nakkua.”
Rowen touched the plant and it plumped out, resuming an even sapphire sheen. She rubbed her hands on her bodysuit. “I am not affected by plant-based toxins. Never have been.”
Liahnarika looked grudgingly impressed. “We will show you to your quarters in the manor. First meal will be served at dawn, second at noon and third at dusk. You can always get your own meal from the dispensers.”
They were walking back through the greenhouse and Rowen looked around longingly.
“Where will I be working?”
Ilo looked at her. “We will begin you here for a few weeks and then consideration to putting you out in the great gardens will be given. Many of the trees are old and they can suffer illness that needs to be addressed in days. If a situation of that nature occurs, you will be sent for immediately.”
Rowen nodded. “Understood. Thank you both for your time.”
Liahnarika smiled. “The Nakkua family are good friends and we are aware of your situation. You might not be thanking us when you have to attend the first formal function as Lady Nakkua.”
Rowen chuckled. “No one here knows me, I am hardly likely to be invited anywhere.”
Ilo rolled his eyes. “You do not understand Irudan society. You belong to the family, so when they accept, you have accepted. I am guessing that Skorin married you to satisfy his family’s urge to have him representing them. You will be his proxy whether you like it or not. He is a very clever man.”
Rowen felt nerves rise where joy had just been. She had been conned, and if she ever met her husband, she was going to kick his ass.
The first week was spent going to and from the greenhouse. Rowen met with other gardeners and discussed the needs of the plants as well as the seasons that they would be facing once they were back in their proper place in the gardens.
Every time she realised that she was working in a plant hospital, she smiled. She spent her days grinning.
She was encouraging a pallet of new arrivals to steady after a soil imbalance when she heard Liah all her name.
“Rowen? I have someone here who wants to meet you.”
Liah and her friend were in the maze of plants, but Rowen stood and wiped her hands on a towel as she wandered toward the calmly chatting voices.
Formality between her and the Gezs was gone after her first four days at the greenhouse. They were no longer able to just supply the local area of the gardens, but also plants from across the continents. She had gained them more funding and social standing for their greenhouse. She was now Rowen and they were Liah and Ilo. It made things easier.
She came around the corner and an older Irudan woman with eyes like a hawk’s fixated on her.
“Rowen, this is Akadeel. Akadeel, this is Rowen.” Liah looked nervous.
Akadeel looked her over from head to toe. “Turn around, child.”
Rowen slowly turned, and when she faced Akadeel again, the woman smiled.
“You are biddable, that is good. I was worried that my son had picked a half-wit or a riot waiting to happen, but you are very presentable for an alien.”
Rowen frowned and then caught on with a sinking feeling. “Akadeel Nakkua.”
The woman extended her left hand and Rowen took it, placing her hand under it as was appropriate for meeting a social superior.
Her mother-in-law smiled. “Rowen Nakkua. Your work here is done for the day. We have a benefit this weekend and I know that you are not suitably attired. You require clothing and I need to learn more about you. This needs to be as seamless as possible for the family’s sake.”
Liah looked nervously at the matriarch before she asked Rowen, “How far did you get?”
“They are ready for transport, I was just chatting with them to give them a boost for the journey. They can go.”
Liah smiled. “You are a wonder.”
Rowen smiled. “I am doing what I love.”
Akadeel cleared her throat. “With me. Now.”
Rowen followed her and tossed the cloth onto a workbench as she passed. It seemed that she was going shopping.
She cleared her throat. “I can’t actually afford anything, madam.”
“You are a Nakkua now with all that entails. I will see that your accounts are set up and you have funds for whatever you wish to pursue.” Akadeel slowed her stride when they exited the greenhouse.
They paced together for a moment before Akadeel asked, “Do you always get so dirty at work?”
Rowen chuckled. “Only if I am doing it right. Should I change before we go, perhaps grab a quick shower?”
“No. We will take care of that at the salon. They are waiting for you and a quick solar shower should do wonders. My pilot is waiting.”
Rowen was suddenly nervous. “Pilot?”
“Indeed. We can’t get what I want here in town. The salon is two prefectures over. They are opening exclusively for us.” Akadeel smiled with a definite tilt to her chin.
Akadeel liked throwing money around and liked being exclusive even more.
Rowen rubbed her neck. “I am not sure if you know about the situation, but I am not trying to insinuate myself into your family.”
“I am aware of it. My son thought it would be an amusing out to wed an alien by proxy and carry on with his own affairs. I am not amused, but you are not objectionable and are bringing our research department a lot of fanfare in the community. Without meaning to, my son chose well. That amuses me.”
“I have only been here a week.”
“And yet, the ill plants are being returned to the soil and leaving room for more needy vegetation. You know your stuff.”
The pilot was indeed waiting outside the manor house. The vehicle was tall enough to get into comfortably and to sit upright.
“In case you haven’t ridden in one, that is a skimmer. Timor is my pilot and he will take us where we need to go.” Akadeel was beginning to brim with energy.
Rowen had been reading up on talents and psychic energy, and if she wasn’t mistaken, Akadeel had a talent and it seemed to be directed at shopping; either that or shopping was an intimate act for her and Rowen was just along for a very uncomfortable ride.
Timor nodded to them. “Countess Nakkua, Lady Nakkua.”
Rowen smiled and bobbed her head.
She sat next to Countess Akadeel and took up a prim pose. A moment later, they were in the air and zipping through pathways and switchbacks on a cushion of air.
“Do you often travel like this?” Rowen felt it necessary to break the tension. The world was moving past too fast for her to orient herself.
“Above-ground permits are only issued to certain few. Why have one if you are not going to use it?”
That seemed to sum it up. There were first class tubes down below that could be used for a modest fee, but if her mother-in-law wanted to use her permit, then they would use it.
Rowen was already familiarizing herself with the means to travel. Eventually, she thought, she would save enough to take a holiday in the grand gardens spotted all over the world.
Irudan held thousands of possibilities for her and she was only just beginning to recognize them.