"Release her!" I heard a voice shout above the crowd. A hush fell over them as Max's mother pushed her way between them.

"We demand justice!" A man yelled. Others cheered behind him.

She stood inches from me and looked out into the swarm of people. "Justice will be served." She announced. My eyes drifted up to her face. It was emotionless. This was the woman who had given her blessing only days before?

"We know your son's in love with her! Do you expect us to believe you?!" The man yelled again. This time the crowd remained quiet. Every face was turned to Max's mother.

"You've been misinformed," She began, "My son has been promised to his childhood friend and daughter of your faithful servant. They will be married on the morrow."

I couldn't breathe. My mind rejected what I had just heard. No, God, no...anything but that. Let me die to this mob rather than to live to see my love married to someone else! I deserved death, but this was beyond death. If I died my soul remained...if I witnessed Max marry another then my soul would be an empty shell. He was my soul. "Let them kill me." I whispered, tears streaming down my face. "Please, let them kill me."

She turned to me a cold eye on me. "You'll die as will your friends but not today.You will die in my time not in yours."

"My daughter is also announcing her engagement my son's second in command ," She went on, "In the midst of our tragedy, let us rejoice in new beginnings. We will conquer!" The crowds let out wild cheers.

"And the foreigners will be dealt with?" The man asked.

"They will be imprisoned in my home until their deaths." She promised.

I was brought back into the home. The men released me in the same room I had had my first conversation with Max in. I stared at the empty space where he had stood that day only a few weeks before. My heart felt like it was being ripped from my body and cut open, bleeding for all to see.

The door shut softly behind me. Max's mother dropped into a chair and released a heavy sigh. "I'm sorry, Liz." She simply said.

"Does he know?" I hoarsely asked.

"No," She admitted, "But, Liz, he must marry Tess. It's the only way to keep you three alive."

I threw myself on the ground next to her, placing my head on her lap. "Death is easier than what you are asking of me." I cried. Tears soaked her dress as I laid there, her hand gently stroking my hair. It was little consolation that she didn't plan on having us killed...I wanted death. I was not beyond begging for it. Living under the same roof as Max and his bride until we all grew old...never touching him...never being able to express my love for him...yes, death was better.

"Max loves you, Liz, and if there was any other way I would do it in a heartbeat, but to make my son witness your death- that I will not do." She sadly confided. "I know it's cruel what I ask...it is the only way, Liz."

"No!" Max said, slamming the door behind him. "No, you can't make me marry Tess."

"Max, you have to! Liz was almost killed by a mob only minutes ago. Do you think they'll stop if they believe you're planning to marry her?"

"We'll go away," He adamantly told her, reaching out his hand to me. I took it and he held me as I shook with uncontrollable sobs. Run away...yes we could run away...all of us.

"No, son, you are a leader. Your people need you."

She was right. We couldn't run. Max had to be here. His people were relying on him to save them. I tugged myself free from his grasp and looked into his face. I ran my hand along the side of his cheek as he gazed at me, bewildered. "I love you." I whispered.

He shook his head. "Don't do this. Don't give up. I need you!"

His face contorted with pain. Pain I was causing him. "You have to marry her." I slowly told him, making up my mind then and there that he was hers. Max belonged to his people and Tess. He was no longer mine.

I couldn't feel my body as I watched tears spill from Max's eyes. Everything was numb. I disassociated from the scene. It was over. "I don't care what you say...I won't marry her."

"Then I'll give myself to them. I won't let you destroy yourself for me, Max." I replied, stepping away from him. I couldn't look in his face anymore. I couldn't bear to see the torture I was causing. I had to make him understand that I would let his people kill me before I allowed him to turn his back on them.

The silence in the room filled me. It was as if it was coming from my mind. A calm swept over me. I dried my tears and drew strength from the idea that I was saving him. If I couldn't save our future, I could at least take solace that I was doing the right thing. I loved him so much that I could let him go and I would suffer alone.

"If you're both forcing me to do this then I have one request." Max finally said. His voice full of defeat. I hated to hear him sound like that. It would be over soon, I reminded myself. "Tomorrow I'll marry Tess on the condition that tonight Liz and I can be alone."

My head spun in shock. It was the last the thing I had expected. The shock deepened when his mother agreed. Tonight I would be with him...for the first and last time.

***

That night I prepared myself. I wouldn't let the thought of what would happen in the next day ruin this night. I had to cherish it for the rest of my life.

I heard Tess' cries from the next room as she learned of the news. My mind wandered. Briefly I thought about Kyle's body lying there as I had removed her from it. Tears welled up in my eyes. I wanted to scream...to even kill my own people. How could they have murdered the innocent?! What kind of blood ran through my veins?!

Maria entered my room, interrupting my angry thoughts. "Michael told me." She said, flatly.

"Maria, I'm sorry."

She forced a tight smile. "So am I."

I hugged her as we both let out one final display of our emotions. She told me how Isabel had ran out in the garden when her mother told her. Alex had followed her, telling her that she had to do it. Michael had sought Maria out. He had accepted his duty, holding her as she cried. When he told her about Max's condition he told her he had insisted on the same when the time came. It was all we had. Soon it would all just be a memory and that memory had to hold us until we passed into the next life.

Not long after she left, Max came for me. We went to a small house that was on the edge of their land. There we made love. Hands clasped together, our souls rising closer to the heavens. Rain fell heavily during the night as we forgot about the morning and lived for the moment. Max taking me into the beyond. Soon there wasn't a Max and Liz...just one being. A being joining every cell, every thought, every feeling. We made love over and over again.

"I will always love you." Max mumbled as I threw my head back.

We held each other, the dawn beginning to illuminate the room. I turned to him and smiled tenderly. "Forever I'll know in my heart that you and I were married that day in the chapel."

He nodded, kissing me gently on the lips. "We were."

Had I have known what was to happen I would've never let him go. I watched him get dressed and head out the door, glancing back at me with a heart wrenching look of pain and disillusionment. We said nothing in those last moments, only held each others eyes, but it was as if a thousand words and feelings passed between us. Finally he tore himself away and closed the door.

I listened from the house as the church bells rang, as the crowds clapped...as my heart broke. An hour later the church bells rang again. I knew it was done. I moved to get dressed. There was nothing else left to do. Putting on my clothes, the video-communicator fell from my pocket- turning it on. I heard the conversation between the leader of my people and whom I had thought were scientists.

"I want to move on quickly. Finish there and precede to your next destination." My leader instructed.

"What about the surviving population?" One of the scientists asked.

"Another ship is in route for the planet. They will assemble the survivors when they arrive and confine them. I want you to go to Earth as soon as possible."

"Yes, sir!" The communicator went black. Earth? They were planning to attack another planet?! Why? What could they possibly be searching for?

I had to let Max and his mother know. I swung the door open, only to be knocked backwards. The ground violently shook. The familiar sounds of destruction echoing in the afternoon breeze. As soon as I was able to regain my balance, I ran outside. Smoke filled the air. My heart began to sink as it cleared. There, in the distance, my fears were confirmed. The chapel had been reduced to rubble.

I ran as fast as I could, tears blinding me. There was no signs of the ship that had done this. Please, let him be alive, I prayed as I got closer. When I finally reached the chapel my hope disappeared. It was nearly level. Stones were piled where it had been. A few injured people wandered confused as I passed by.

"Max?!" I called. No answer. I grabbed an old woman who was stumbling past me. "Your leader...where is he?!"

She turned to me frightened and pointed to the collapsed chapel. "NO!" I screamed, running to the rubble. I began to tear into the stones. "Max?! Max?! Can you hear me?!" I yelled.

"Liz!" I heard behind me. I whipped around to see Alex. "He's under here, Alex!"

Alex shook his head. "He got out." I started to sigh with relief until I noticed how pale he looked.

"What's wrong?"

"He and Isabel have been hurt. Tess and Michael are...are dead. It's pretty bad." He quietly said. He had been crying. I knew it then. I knew that Max and Isabel were dying too.

Alex grabbed my hand and lead me to the other side. At first I only saw Maria laying her body over Michael's. She didn't look up as I stepped around her. That's when I saw him. He was on the ground, next to Isabel. Their mother hysterically crying as one of the counsel members was trying to talk to her. I kneeled besides Max. There was blood everywhere. His eyes fluttered open. I took his hand.

"Liz..." He muttered in obvious pain.

"Don't try to talk." I told him, putting my hands on both side of his face. I covered it was feverish kisses as if they would magically heal him. He managed to place his hand on my back. His shallow breathing becoming more labored. "Just rest."

"Dying" He choked out.

"No. Don't say that. You're gonna be fine."

"Isabel?"

"She's okay." I lied even as I saw Alex gathering her in his arms, rocking her lifeless body.

A smile passed across his face. "Good." He coughed and blood trickled out. "Liz....always." He said, drawing his last breath.

I kissed him on the lips and closed his eyes. My sorrow so deep that tears would not even come. "Always, Max." I replied.

***

I don't remember much about the following days until Max's mother came to my room. She was smiling. I was in awe. "Liz, they're going to live. My babies will live again!" She announced, hugging me.

She explained that with the information I supplied, the counsel had decided to recreate Max, his sister, Michael and Tess. They were being sent to Earth in human bodies to grow up safe and come back to free their people. For the first time since the night with Max, I actually felt happiness. I begged her to let me go with them. That they could kill me and send me to Earth. She shook her head in sorrow. She had tried but the counsel refused to let Alex, Maria and I go. It was only to be the four.

I watched as the babies were created. Human DNA mixed with their DNA then frozen. Plans carefully were laid out for their escape along with two counsel members. One being the man who had been there when Max died. The ship had arrived by that point and we were put under arrest. All of us. We became slaves to my people. Answers as to why this happened never surfaced. Even now, I can make no sense of the atrocity.

Two years have passed. Today I watched what was left of my love secretly fly off the planet, bound for Earth. I write this story so that future generations will know what really happened to their leader. I was here. I knew him. I loved him.

I will not wait to see if he returns to free us. My health is frail as is Alex and Maria's. We are counting the minutes until our death. It is the belief of my people that when you die, you pass onto the next life. You choose where your soul will fly. Mine will fly to Earth. I will find Max again. I'll know him. I'd know him anywhere. His soul joined with mine and I will let that guide me. Soon I will be together with him and nothing will stand in our way.

Max, I'll love you always...