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Description
Every woman is nervous on the day of her wedding. This had sounded like a cliché when my mother had told me this, but now on the threshold of the same event my body was displaying all the signs of a blushing bride. Perversely, my mind was utterly calm. It had better things to worry about. Like the discovery I had been working on for the last five years.

The scheduled unveiling should have taken place a while ago. But my parents dropped this bomb on me. Marry His Highness, Alexander Petraeus Marcus Maxmillian the VIIIth, Prince and heir of the Andromeda Galaxy, and the last family to retain ties to Earth. In my opinion their claim to be the last family with pure Earthen blood was their only claim to fame. Of course, my opinion didn't matter. The people worshipped the royal family. And they controlled the biggest political, economic and social faction in the universe.

My family was one of the last few traditional families left. We had lost all our wealth but our status still meant enough for my father's word to mean something. It was inevitable for Zara, the brilliant, biological cosmologist daughter of the oldest family of the Whirpool Galaxy to be betrothed to the prince of the Andromedan Royal Family.

I, Zara, did not have a choice in the matter. The people decided for me. Any decision made otherwise and we would have been overthrown. I have never been one to rebel anyway. With my marriage would come status and wealth to add to my own. Love was one thing I did not expect from the union though. During our last meeting Prince Alex had made it clear that he would do his bit for an heir but would be going his own way after that. I could spend all the money I wanted, go wherever I wished, and I could take lovers discreetly. I demurely agreed. He had been known to be violent on occasion, and I wasn't going to test the theory for myself.

Besides, as long as I got everything I wanted, how did it matter if he went to another woman's arms to satiate himself?

- - -

A week after the wedding and I was in funeral finery instead of one of the extravagant pieces in my wardrobe. He'd keeled over unusually fast. I'd put the powder in his dinner on our wedding night. He should have taken at least a week longer. Maybe some of that lard outlining his body had reacted with it and speeded up things a little. Not that it mattered really. I wonder why they don't expect a Physical Cosmologist to know anything about biology?

I pulled on my silk black gloves and put on a suitably distressed expression. My husband of a week had already left for the world beyond. Poor, poor princess. At least the people wouldn't be mourning for long. I just had to give some of the obvious signs during the funeral - nausea, dizziness – and maybe even faint at the end of it all. I patted my tummy fondly. Noone would have any cause for complaint.

I would have to give up on revealing my discovery to the world though. If they saw this compound, they'd know what I'd done. Good thing the release had been rescheduled. I'd just show them one of the many things I've discovered over the years. It pays to keep your cards to yourself.

Description
Every woman is nervous on the day of her wedding. This had sounded like a cliché when my mother had told me this, but now on the threshold of the same event my body was displaying all the signs of a blushing bride. Perversely, my mind was utterly calm. It had better things to worry about. Like the discovery I had been working on for the last five years.

The scheduled unveiling should have taken place a while ago. But my parents dropped this bomb on me. Marry His Highness, Alexander Petraeus Marcus Maxmillian the VIIIth, Prince and heir of the Andromeda Galaxy, and the last family to retain ties to Earth. In my opinion their claim to be the last family with pure Earthen blood was their only claim to fame. Of course, my opinion didn't matter. The people worshipped the royal family. And they controlled the biggest political, economic and social faction in the universe.

My family was one of the last few traditional families left. We had lost all our wealth but our status still meant enough for my father's word to mean something. It was inevitable for Zara, the brilliant, biological cosmologist daughter of the oldest family of the Whirpool Galaxy to be betrothed to the prince of the Andromedan Royal Family.

I, Zara, did not have a choice in the matter. The people decided for me. Any decision made otherwise and we would have been overthrown. I have never been one to rebel anyway. With my marriage would come status and wealth to add to my own. Love was one thing I did not expect from the union though. During our last meeting Prince Alex had made it clear that he would do his bit for an heir but would be going his own way after that. I could spend all the money I wanted, go wherever I wished, and I could take lovers discreetly. I demurely agreed. He had been known to be violent on occasion, and I wasn't going to test the theory for myself.

Besides, as long as I got everything I wanted, how did it matter if he went to another woman's arms to satiate himself?

- - -

A week after the wedding and I was in funeral finery instead of one of the extravagant pieces in my wardrobe. He'd keeled over unusually fast. I'd put the powder in his dinner on our wedding night. He should have taken at least a week longer. Maybe some of that lard outlining his body had reacted with it and speeded up things a little. Not that it mattered really. I wonder why they don't expect a Physical Cosmologist to know anything about biology?

I pulled on my silk black gloves and put on a suitably distressed expression. My husband of a week had already left for the world beyond. Poor, poor princess. At least the people wouldn't be mourning for long. I just had to give some of the obvious signs during the funeral - nausea, dizziness – and maybe even faint at the end of it all. I patted my tummy fondly. Noone would have any cause for complaint.

I would have to give up on revealing my discovery to the world though. If they saw this compound, they'd know what I'd done. Good thing the release had been rescheduled. I'd just show them one of the many things I've discovered over the years. It pays to keep your cards to yourself.