insisted, and finally I just withdrew. A male can only be rejected so many times.”
“Surely she wanted you to claim her. She came to this ship with you. She knew your intent,” Lo'San said.
“She said I did not give her a chance to be herself. She kept insisting she needed to establish herself first. She said she’d always stood on her own feet and paid her own way and she would not be a kept female. I only wanted to keep her at my side. I didn’t mean to keep her from her dreams.”
“Maybe she’ll be back,” Synclare said.
“The night before I asked Quin to make arrangements for her to work with the Consortium if it was at all possible, she returned from her girls’ night having had far too much to drink. She called me by a silly name and offered herself to me. She told me it was now or never, but even I, as much as I’d pushed and tried to make her accept me, could not take advantage of her vulnerability. She was not clear headed. When she woke the next day I asked if she still wanted my claim. I told her I could not continue as we were. Either I claimed her, and she me, or other arrangements had to be made. She refused and said she had no knowledge of offering me the opportunity to claim her. I moved my things into temporary quarters that day. Several days later she was hired by the Consortium on Quin’s recommendation and then she was gone.”
“You didn’t even tell her goodbye?” Synclare asked.
Ba Re’ shook his head. “It hurt to even look at her. I simply gave her her dream and let her go.”
“You have my deepest sympathies, Ba Re’. I cannot imagine the difficulty you endure each day,” Lo'San said, reaching out to take Synclare’s hand in his. “The nights are much harder than the days,” Ba Re’ admitted.
“Any time you want company, you know where to find us. Any time you want to talk I’m here for you,” Synclare said.
“Thank you, Synclare. It has been a relief to speak of it to a female who might understand her,” Ba Re’ said.
“I’ll reach out to her, see what she has to say,” Synclare said.
“It matters not. What’s done is done,” Ba Re’ said.
“That’s not true. I know she cares for you. She talked about you all the time. I know she cared!” Synclare said emphatically. “I’m not sure why she thought she couldn’t have both you and her work, but it’s ridiculous for her to insist she can’t have you until she’s established herself professionally.”
“She has said I was… overbearing. It means too hard, yes?” Ba Re’ asked.
“It means you are too pushy. It means you wanted things your way only and expected her to be okay with that,” Synclare said.
“It is my way! I meant no harm. I wish to be valued for me, as she wishes to be valued for herself!” Ba Re’ objected.
“I know, I know. I’m not saying you did anything that you need to apologize for. But I’m beginning to think you both need to learn to communicate,” Synclare said.
“I told her what I wanted,” Ba Re’ said.
“And when she told you what she wanted, what did you say?” Synclare asked.
Ba Re’ lifted his chin slightly, a sign of defiance.
“Did you tell her that you would do anything you could to help her get all she wanted and you’d support her in her dreams?” Synclare asked.
Ba Re’ looked from Synclare to Lo'San who watched him, waiting for an answer. “No,” he finally said.
“What did you say?” Lo'San asked.
“I told her that her life would be full, as would be mine, whatever it brought. That she was my Ehlealah and we were meant to be together. Anything that took her away from my place on Command Warship 1 was not feasible within our bond.”
“So basically, you said, too bad, you’re stuck here and you’re going to have to learn to like it,” Synclare asked.
“No. I told her of my feelings for her. I told her of how very much I valued her and cherished her!” Ba Re’ said defensively.
“But you gave her no hope for the things she wanted out of life,” Synclare explained. “You didn’t try to compromise. That’s most likely why she didn’t accept your claim. She wanted more for herself than just hanging around this ship day after day waiting for you to return to your quarters. And