Drews Troubles - Aya Ch. 03

To all,

This now the last part of the THREE-chapter story that was supposed to be a TWO-chapter story about Lord Drew's Daughter Aya. She is below age, therefore there will be NO SEX with her in the room.

I also must apologize if you are not familiar with the other strings I am running. This is not a stand-alone story.

Chapter 1 has focused on her growth in Cat culture and the beginnings of her adventure. Chapter two dealt with her adventure gone wrong and this chapter with the repercussions of that adventure and her growth into something else.

Any aliens, real or imagined, are purely a construct of my twisted and warped mind.

I thank everyone so much for reading my stories and enjoying them.

As we enter and play in this year of 2021, please stay safe and sane.

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"I would talk with this one," the Emperor growled pointing at Aya, 'Do you know how to play the game of chess?' he mentally sent her.

'Oh yes your majesty' she replied.

'Then gather up your stolen piece and let's play a game or two. No letting me win to curry favor. Do you understand?' the Emperor sent.

Aya nodded and smiled, 'let him win?' she thought, 'fat chance.'

The Emperor turned and ordered the staff to handle the rest of the supplicants.

He then turned his attention to Biani, standing very confused in the middle of cats, all in motion.

"Tell your servant that she can wait in the kitchen and get something to eat while we play, and maybe talk of peace." He paused and looked at his daughter and son.

'You two will join us. If this young one is any good at all, you may learn a thing or two about losing.' Commented the Emperor.

A human ran up to the small gathering and dropped to his knees. Aya was shocked to see a human but he did not show his shock only obedience as he stared at the floor. He looked Hispanic so she asked "Habla Espanol?"

He was shocked and looked up and nodded. She told him Biani's name and that she was a Commander in the Navy and that she should be treated as such. He was to eat with her and answer any questions she had. She looked over at Biani and gave her a quick nod looked at him and gave a slight head movement. Biani gave a quick nod and left with him.

"You need to dress your slaves better when they come to court," commented the Princess as they walked into the alcove.

"She is not a slave but holds the rank of Commander in our navy. She is in charge when we are in our little ship. We do not have slaves on our planet. My father Lord Drew demanded that all slaves were to be set free and all beings that immigrate to our planet are free." Aya finished knowing that she had stepped into taboo areas of discussion.

There was absolute silence as she took her seat at the table.

'As for her attire, she is who she is. Nor helped dress me. But Biani being Biani, she stayed in her flight suit. Freedom of choice has its positives and negatives. I felt it was a positive thing to get dressed up and I have the pleasure of sitting with an Emperor playing chess. She made her decision to stay in the only uniform she brought. She is now in the kitchen eating with the servants.' Aya finished and waited for the Emperor to make his first chess move.

Aya could tell that this whole set up was a political move to find out how strong her Cat clan was.

She started to feel that same itch. The princess was trying to drill into her head again and not being very subtle about it. Aya decided to play the game in her own direction and mentally went at the Princess. She was so shocked at the lack of serious mental shielding. Without really trying, she was in the Princess's mind before she realized it.

She looked around and saw little subterfuge, just sadness. She quickly pulled away from poking about in the head of the princess.

"My apologies," stated Aya not knowing what else to do.

'For what young one? Stating the silliness about slaves?' asked the Princess when could see her father was deep into thought on his first move.

"For looking where it is not polite, without permission. That is what I am apologizing for." Aya admitted.

"Are you saying you looked into my mind without me knowing?' asked the Emperor with a deadly tone.

"No! no, your Majesty, into the Princess's mind. But she started it...twice!" Aya stated, sounding like the 14-year-old...sorry...14 ½ year old she was.

"Impossible!" stated the Princess, standing to her full height and trying to look like a seriously pissed off regal.

There was a chuckle behind the Emperor and then the Emperor. The Prince was watching the issue and could not help from laughing.

"My sister is renowned for her mental acuity and she does not like to be shown up. Let's see how we can judge whom has more power." He seemed to be having too much fun at his sister's expense.

He reached over to another small table in the room and took what looked like playing cards. He started to shuffle them.

"Another game from Earth your Majesty?" asked Aya.

"Yes, my old 'friend' was full of them on cold rainy nights." He stated with a dejected and sad look.

The Prince laid a card face down in front of the Princess and one in front of Aya.

"Protect your minds and see who can read the card of the other," demanded the Prince.

Aya felt the itch, but it never made it anywhere. It took no time to slide past the princess's eyes and look at her card with her vision.

'Did you specifically pick that card for her or was this really random?" asked Aya.

The Prince cocked his head full of questions but responded, "No, the cards were drawn randomly. Why do you ask in that way?"

Aya pondered whether she should respond. But so far, the truth had kept her alive, so she decided to stay with the truth.

'Her 'Queen of Hearts' has many meanings. There are people that use these cards to read fortunes and tell the future. Her card can mean love will come into her life. Or that she will find true love, soon.' Aya froze, but knew she had to continue, 'Another meaning was coined by a famous human author in a story called Alice in Wonderland. It was a story about a young, overly curious girl that falls down a...rabbit hole...small furry creature, sending mental pictured in the way of Cats, that lived in the ground. And wakes up in a magical kingdom.'

'Sounds like you my young traveler,' commented the Emperor.

The Prince leaned over the Princess and flipped her card over, the Queen of Hearts. The Prince and King gasped.

'In more ways than you know your majesty. My father does not know I am on this adventure. I...ran away on an adventure so I maybe receiving the Queen of Hearts treatment when I get home. The Alice in Wonderland version of the Queen of Hearts...well she was insane. She lopped off her servant's heads, or anyone's head, whenever she was upset.' Aya finished and just shrugged.

'Well? What card does the girl have?' the Emperor demanded of the Princess.

"I do not know Father. I could not break through when I tried before, nor this time, even with her being so close."

The Emperor just sat and looked at Aya. "Are you really that strong that you can hold back the strongest of us?"

"I am...unique...in some ways your majesty. Please do not blame the Princess. Many have tried, teachers, friends...and others. The only two I cannot shield away, is my father and my cousin. Both are odd in their abilities but honorable and just men, human men. They have talents 'gifted' to them by unusual means."

Aya reached forward and grabbed her card and casually flipped it over...the Joker. No one seemed to react.

'I assumed you had chosen this card to make a point with me.' Aya stopped for a moment and looked at the bewildered Emperor, Prince and lastly the Princess. 'I presumed you knew about the wicked Queen of Hearts and was poking fun at your sister. I have two brothers, so it would be exactly what I would do.' Aya paused again as the others chuckled and admitted a truth to the comment.

'But you could not be more correct regarding giving me the Joker. In our folklore and beliefs, it is a 'wild card' it can be anything in some games. It is an outlier of either good or bad omen. It is truly me in this situation.'

Aya looked at the Emperor and decided to stay on track.

"I believe it is a sign of a good omen. We came to spy and see if the Dragons had finished you off. We could have obliterated your Destroyer but decided to be compassionate. We allowed them to live because they were only doing their duty. We risked our lives because it was the right thing to do." She paused again. She knew things they wanted to stay hidden. The question was, stay political or admit to the knowledge?

"My cousin is in direct contact with the Elders. We have made peace with the Dragons or at least the Clan that has been attacking you. We have made an uneasy peace with the Zito, what we all call the Roaches. We have blended the medical knowledge of many species and it has only made us stronger. We are offering this help with whatever you need. And there is a desire by the rest of the Cat clans to offer our hand in friendship and peace."

Aya, never known for her diplomacy, decided to keep pushing ahead. But she knew in her heart she was entering truly dangerous ground. She looked deep into eyes of the Emperor.

"I know you are very ill," and she waved off the immediate reaction of the Prince and Princess, "And before you ask, I did not, and would never, break the traditions of my people by looking without asking. Part of me, is an empath. I can 'feel' things. I don't what it is, but I know you are deeply ill." She paused again.

"The Pride had many medical problems over the years. The original Lord decided, late, to embrace foreign medical knowledge. The Pride has gathered in other clans and found that the inbreeding has caused multiple genetic distortions, epidemics, lack of cubs, loss of cubs upon birth..." she could see the looks between the Prince and Princess. The Emperor's eye never left her.

"The birth of my siblings and myself is testament to that combination of that medical knowledge. My father was pure human when captured by the Pride. He went through many medical procedures that started to change him. He went through one horrific procedure that bought him the ability to communicate like Cats. Before the old Lord died of battle wounds, he injected his genetic makeup into my father. It profoundly changed him. He can only sire Cat cubs, with the old lord's genetic makeup." Aya paused hoping they believed what she was trying to explain.

"My birth was a mistake, But the first that proved that interspecies pregnancies were possible. My birth name, in an Earther dialect called Arabic, means 'Miracle'. My siblings and I are miracles in a way. I am Aya Daughter of Lord Drew but the direct descendant of the old Lord. Daughter of Else, human and our Cat Ambassador to Earth, the home planet of humans."

There was no talking when she finished her speech. She had three full grown cats towering over her.

"It's your move," commented the Emperor.

Aya went through a whole series of internal debates with herself regarding that small comment by the Emperor. That was until she realized he had moved his kings' pawn out two squares to start play. She smiled at the intended, or unintended double entendre.

"Your Majesty, I really do believe that was my comment to make." Aya commented as she matched his move with her king's pawn.

He looked at her for a moment, and then began to chuckle, the chuckle turned into a laugh and the Prince joined in laughing. The Princess missed the whole dialog and could not understand why the men in her life were being idiots.

When he brought out his horse, Aya knew where this was going. She matched his move, just to confirm and out came his bishop. He had learned from an intermediate player that knew advanced strategies. So, she was back in a quandary, should she beat him quickly, or draw it out to talk...or?

"So, your Majesty. I am not sure if betting on games of chance or skill is allowed. If so, can we make this game interesting?"

"More interesting than playing chess with an Emperor?" he countered, with a slight Mona Lisa smile as he continued to make moves.

"Of course not, your Majesty. I was just thinking that If I could get the destroyer fixed, I could take that to my Cat space and bring back selected medical and other specialists." She paused for effect and brought out her bishops.

'I think it would be excellent to carry over a delegation to begin the discussions of peace, maybe the two in the room with us? Royalty would show the desire for Peace. It would also provide a chance for sharing from one Pride to another?" calmly stated Aya as she continued to shift her pieces.

The Princess blushed and turned her head. While the Pride was open to the sharing of genetic material and procreation between clans, some of the older isolated clans became more dogmatic regarding the norms of the breeding pits.

"It is something to ponder," commented the Emperor, "My younglings tend to be very picky when it comes to breeding. There is not yet any royal Cub to roll on the carpet with. How many Cubs has your father sired?"

Aya bushed and it could be seen on her unfurred face. She was not used to thinking of her 'poppa' as a sexual being. Much less the breeding machine he had become after he became Lord of the Pride.

"Umm," she stated "134 your majesty. No, I am sorry, with my two latest siblings through lady Target 136."

There was silence, and it became uncomfortable.

"You speak truth?" asked the Princess in a whisper.

"Yes, it is true. The change made in my father, created a potency and another change in the Pride. Large litters are a norm again." Aya finished somehow embarrassed to be talking about her father like a prize Bull or Hog.

There was still silence, but Aya had to respond to the silence.

"Your Majesty, Prince and Princess. This change was not wrought by magic but by plain science. 5 of us are multi-species. The rest are pure Cat. They...we have all been raised, including myself and my brothers in the normal Cat Creche. The two newest members of our family will be raised in a new creche version that is more welcoming to mixed species." Aya paused again being a bit embarrassed.

'That is probably because of me. I lost my temper and almost killed a full-grown youngling. His teasing pushed me over the edge and I..." Aya did not finish her train of thought.

There was silence again.

"The illness you spoke of must never be spoken of again." The Prince commented, 'Do you understand how we must trust you in this?'

"Yes, and I will keep it within me. I make that solemn and personal promise." Aya stated crossing her heart with her finger now that she had explained the meaning.

"So, about this 'betting idea' you forwarded?" The Emperor asked trying to get to a better discussion.

"What do you have to offer me in wager? After all, there is not much you have to offer since you are wearing clothes from my castle."

"Well...since I am a princess while sitting here with you, I was going to offer Commander Biani against the broken destroyer and maybe a handful of your slaves to help me fix it? Of course, Peace in the galaxy and the medical help are already offered and are no part of a wager."

'So, one upstart foreign navy Commander against my Destroyer? Well, the slaves have been useless lately, so you can have as many of those as you can carry. All for a game of chess?" the Emperor scrunched up his face and leaned across the chessboard with a slight snarl.

Growing up around cats her whole life plus the feeling she was receiving from the Emperor made her want to giggle. Let the Old-timer try and bully the younger, smaller player.

"No, your Majesty, the wager for Commander Biani is that I can beat you in our next 5 moves, each of course." Aya stated while trying not to gloat.

'Impossible!" stated the Emperor.

Aya just smiled and shrugged with palms facing up with the most infuriating smile on her face.

The Emperor, trying to swallow the audacity of this young welp turned to his son. 'Go find this 'Commander' and bring her here. If her life is in the balance, she should be part of it.'

The Prince turned starting to chuckle at the consternation of his father over this youngling actions. He broke out in a fit of laughter before he reached the kitchen.

He found this "commander' talking a foreign earther dialect with one of the domestic slaves. The dialog stopped as the Prince approached and the earther slave slammed to his knees and placated himself.

"You are the Commander of the small spy vessel?" Biani Hissed at what had to be a slip from Aya, but nodded her head, 'You have been summoned by the Emperor. It seems you are a...'pawn'...being used by your friend to lure my father to his demise. This should be fun to watch." The Prince commented with and extended chuckle.

"What has she done now?" Biani asked frustrated.

"Why bet you in a game of Chess. I am not..." the Prince was rambling a bit thinking.

"WHAT! That little shit...OOOF" Biani was starting to stride to the alcove when she was yanked off her feet and pushed against a column a meter off the floor.

The Prince was now nose, to nose with the Foxy and being deadly serious.

"Be careful with your words and actions 'Commander.' You are not in the local tavern and not at home. You are in my home. My Father is the Emperor and will be treated as such. I have not seen him enjoy the company of another foreign creature for quite a while, but he likes your friend. You will stand there and watch, no comments, no flinching. Is that completely understood?"

He slowly lowered her to the ground and towered over her. Biani had her head tilted up and they were still nearly nose to nose.

"Do we have an understanding...Commander?"

"Grrr" came out before words and her canines were showing. "Yes, your house, your rules."

The Prince released her, and they walked with some minor dignity into the alcove.

'Awe, the pawn arrives,' commented the Emperor mentally.

"Good morning your Emperorship," stated Biani and she could hear the translators growling their translations. Biani stared at Aya with daggers in her eyes. Aya just smiled and shrugged.

There were growls back from the Prince, "Your Majesty, is what is expected in this form of communication. And due to your special place in this contest...well we shall see."

Biani turned to Aya and their eyes met, "Aya, what is the bet?" Biani tried to say calmy.

"Checkmate in 5. And please refer to me as Princess Aya while planet bound" Aya said and watched as Biani's fur came up along her back and making a crest up between her ears. She was going to carry the 'discussion' further, but she heard something from the direction of the Prince.

Biani's eyes left Aya and shot up to the Prince. She ground her teeth in frustration and then nodded her head to the Prince before looking away.

"So, it's my move?" commented the Emperor as he brought out his queen. Aya was confused.

'We both have one horse, both bishops in play, the pawns are scattered to the wind and I have my rooks out, why his queen?" she just shrugged and moved her pawn.

The Emperor was confused, he expected her to become more aggressive like his old friend. He moved his bishop over and took her pawn.

"Check" the king announced, enormously proud of himself. Her horse took his bishop.

He moved his queen, "check" he stated again.

The game was not going the way Aya intended it to go. The strategy he had started with was gone and she was afraid she was missing something deeper. Her Poppa would really be mad at her if she lost a perfectly good Commander due to her uppity ego. 'The moves were too easy, there must be something deeper," she thought.