Beauty and the Space Beast: A Space Age Fairy Tale (Star-Crossed Tales) by J. M. Page

Author:J. M. Page [Page, J. M.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Red Lily Publishing
Published: 2016-11-13T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter Two

Ben

Prince Bennett was used to being trapped. Trapped by his lineage, by expectations placed on his shoulders, by the walls of the palace. But he’d never been trapped by gravity.

Flying had always been his refuge. The thing that came more naturally to him than even walking. The vast emptiness of space called to him like it had his ancestors millennia ago.

And he was grounded.

He walked through the vast empty halls without purpose, his eyes drifting towards the windows and the dusty orange sky beyond. The days grew longer and longer and there was little comfort to be found without flying. He couldn’t stand to be locked up in the palace any more than he could stand being grounded, so he ventured into the city.

Tensions ran high in the walled city of Terranys lately. While the diplomats and bureaucrats squabbled about tariffs and tolls, the citizens were going without. With all flights grounded — in and out — there had been shortages, and the river of wealth that generally graced their economy had run dry.

Opinions of the royal family were not favorable.

But Ben was never one to let that stop him. When he first joined the Space Academy, other pilots treated him differently because of his heritage, but he quickly shut them up.

If he was going to be grounded, he could at least be well-hydrated.

It was only a couple of blocks to his usual watering hole, but as soon as he pushed the door open, Ben knew something was amiss. The general rowdiness that normally greeted him was replaced by stony silence as thirty pairs of eyes burned straight through him.

He held up his hands, palm forward, the universal sign for ‘I’m not looking for trouble.’

All around the bar, projected images of his father spoke about the political troubles and economic crisis. The Terranys News Network kept it playing on a loop, constantly reminding people why they were so disgruntled. Reminding Ben why they looked at him now, not as a brother, but as an other.

“Your Highness,” sneered a young guy in a pilot’s gray jumpsuit, stepping up to offer his barstool. He looked barely old enough to be in a place like this, but his friends snickered behind him and Ben decided not to engage. It wouldn’t do him any favors to teach the kid a lesson in respect. Not with so many scrutinizing eyes already on him.

He made his way to the very end of the bar, turning so that his back was against the wall and he could see the entire establishment.

“You shouldn’t be here, you know,” said Alex, the bartender.

“Stop giving me life advice and pour me a drink,” Ben answered.

Alex huffed and walked away with a pronounced limp. His souvenir for his time in the Space Force.

He returned with a frosty mug for Ben and the Prince took a long pull, savoring the bittersweet flavor.

“I mean it, Ben. There are whispers of a coup, an uprising at the very least. You shouldn’t be out in a place like this, not without protection,” Alex said, his voice low and strained.

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