Jacinda's Challenge (Imperial 3) (31 page)

Jacinda had silently absorbed it all, not wanting to believe it was possible but knew from experience that evil could exist where you least expected it. So, when Jotham had risen after takeoff and moved to the desk, she had said nothing, knowing how important this work was. But now after watching the fatigue grow on his face and in his tone, after listening to some of the comms he was receiving that had nothing to do with the matter at hand, she was beginning to grow angry.

She was seeing too many similarities between Jotham and Stephan.

They were both dedicated workaholics who didn't know when it was time to quit.

She lost Stephan because she hadn't made him slow down, hadn't made sure he had gotten enough rest. If she had done those things, maybe she wouldn't have found him dead in the garden from a massive heart attack, maybe she wouldn't have lost him dozens of cycles before she should have.

She and Jotham were just beginning this journey together. They were both a little tentative, both a little unsure, but if there was one thing Jacinda was sure of, it was she wanted to create a life with Jotham. A real, true, happy life. One that involved them really
being
together, not her just sitting here watching him work himself to death. She had been down this path before with Stephan, and she wasn't going to make the same mistakes again.

She was going to start as she meant to finish. Something she used to tell her children. It was time she did the same. Rising, she walked around to where Jotham was sitting and took the pen from his hand.

"Jacinda, what are you doing?" Jotham frowned up at her.

"You need to rest, Jotham. This can wait."

"I need to get this done."

"The world isn't going to end if you don't sign off this minute on a report about a proposed new hospital. Not one of the last five comms has been about Nuga. It's time for you to rest."

Chesney entered the room carrying another stack of papers.

"Are any of those related to Nuga?" Jacinda demanded, shocking both Jotham and Chesney.

"Ahh," Chesney looked at the paper then back to Jacinda. "No."

"Then they can wait as can any comms not related to Nuga. Jotham needs to get some sleep before we arrive in Kisurri. The first sun will be rising only a few hours after we arrive and I'm sure the High Admiral will be up."

"I..." Chesney's gaze flew to Jotham, obviously not sure what he should do.

"Jacinda, I need to get this done."

"Not tonight." She glared at him for a moment then turned her attention to Chesney. "That will be all, Mister Chesney, and please make sure everyone else knows they are not to disturb the King."

"I...yes... Madame," Chesney stuttered, quietly shutting the door as he quickly left.

"What do you think you are doing, Jacinda?" Jotham watched as she gathered up all the scattered papers on the desk, unconcerned she was mixing them up and shoved them into a drawer before slamming it shut.

"I'm doing what Chesney should be doing. What you should be smart enough to do and what I should have done with Stephan. I'm saying
enough,
and I'm meaning it. You're exhausted. What you're working on can wait, so it's going to. Now come, you're going to lay down and rest."

∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

Jotham allowed her to pull him up and lead him back to the bedroom of the shuttle. It was a room he rarely used, preferring to work while en route, but right now he had to admit the bed looked good, especially if Jacinda were lying down next to him.

He hadn't realized how much time had passed since the shuttle had taken off. He only meant to clear a few things up, but it seemed he had become immersed in his duties, as he always did.

Jacinda was right. He was tired. He should have realized it and stopped, but even with fatigue making him sluggish, he hadn't missed her reference to Stephan and the guilt she seemed to carry.

Once in the room, he kicked off his shoes and let himself groan as he rolled onto the bed. Yes, he should have realized he needed this. Rolling onto his back, he opened his arms.

"Rest with me."

Having kicked off her own shoes in the outer room, Jacinda climbed onto the bed and settled into his arms with a contented sigh.

With Jacinda in his arms, Jotham closed his eyes and felt the chaos of his world drift away. How had she known he needed this?

He needed to ask her.

He needed to ask her why she felt guilty about Stephan's death.

And he would.

In just a minute.

∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

Jacinda knew the moment Jotham feel asleep. It didn't take long, a testament to just how exhausted he really was.

Why had she let him push so hard?

Why hadn't she said something sooner?

Was she destined to make the same mistakes again?

∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

"You made no mistakes, my love."

"Stephan?" Searching for his voice she found she was in her garden, the three suns high overhead.

"Here, my love."

She found him kneeling in front of the 'mother' rose bush, clipping roses. It was exactly where he had been when he died.

"Get up!" She immediately reached to make him.

"Jacinda, it was no more this bush's fault that I died than it was yours."

"It was. If I had been firmer... paid more attention... gotten to you sooner."

"It would have made no difference. It was my time to join the ancestors. I had done all I was supposed to and it was time to move on."

"No! We were supposed to have many more cycles together. You were supposed to be here to see your son become an Assemblyman, to witness your daughter's Union! You were supposed to grow old with me! Carinians now easily live a hundreds cycles. I wanted to share them with you."

"Oh, my love. I did witness Danton become an Assemblyman. From here. A part of me will always live on in him, thanks to you, just as a part of me lives on in Ethan and Stephanie. That's what makes you my life mate. My life continues because of you. You allowed me to have the life I was meant to have. Without you, none of it would have been possible."

"Oh, Stephan."

"Now it is time for you to do the same for Jotham."

"What?"

"Did you ever wonder about this plant," he gestured to the rose bush. "Why its blooms changed?"

"Mother told me it would bloom the House color of the soil it was planted in."

"Yet it remained Healing Gold until after I met the ancestors."

"Yes."

"Your mother wasn't entirely correct in her assumption. She didn't know the whole story behind it."

"And you do?"

"I do now. You see, my love, the prince that loved your ancestor, the one that gave you this mark." Stephan’s finger gently traced the three spiral suns that adorned her chest. Looking down Jacinda suddenly realized she was wearing Stephan's favorite nightgown, the one he'd had specially made to reveal those marks.

"His name was Dallan, and he truly loved Pascua. As proof of that love, he gave her the Tausendjahriger Rosenstock, the ancient symbol of love."

"If he truly loved her he would have stayed with her."

"Oh, but it wasn't that simple. For you see, he also loved the woman that would become his Queen."

"What! That's impossible."

"Is it? Do you not, my love, also love Jotham?"

"But... but that's different! It never would have occurred if you were still alive!"

"Are you so sure about that, my love?" Stephan looked at her with no censure in his eyes. "I know you would never have betrayed me, never would have broken your vows to me, but
feelings
are about neither of those things. They just are, and Prince Dallan, unfortunately, had them for two women at the same time. One he had known for cycles and had grown to love. The other one he instantly fell in love with as soon as he met her. One he made his Queen and the other gave him his daughter. Both women knew about the other, but once Dallan said his vows to Rohanna he totally committed himself to her and never saw Pascua again. Instead, he sent the bush."

"I don't understand."

"It's not the soil that causes the blooms color, Jacinda, not in the 'mother,' it is the love between its caretaker and the man she loves."

"But I was its caretaker before you died and it only produced golden blooms."

"That's because you are a royal and although you loved me, someone from the House of Protection,
I
wasn't royal."

"But..."

"Jotham
is
royal and that's why the 'mother' now blooms two colors. You love Jotham, a royal from the House of Protection. The plant understands that and acknowledges that love."

"But I didn't love him when it changed!"

"It doesn't matter, the plant knew you would."

"But... I don't want to lose you, Stephan."

"Oh, my love." Stephan pulled her into his arms. "You can never lose me. You are my life mate, I am yours and the day will come when we will be reunited. But
that
doesn't mean your love for Jotham has to end, any more than him loving you means his for Lata must. The life with the ancestors is an amazing place, Jacinda, where love is celebrated."

"Yours and mine."

"Yours and Jotham's."

"Jotham's and Lata's."

"I'm confused, Stephan. I don't know what to do."

"Follow your heart, my love, just as you did with me. You followed your instincts. You made no mistakes and because of it, I was able to fulfill my destiny. Now you must do the same with Jotham. If you do, our world will continue on this bright new path... " Clipping a rose, he handed it to her.

Looking down, Jacinda was shocked to see not a violet rose, not a golden one. Instead, a tiny new bud was just starting to open. Its base, House of Protection violet, while the tips of its petals were House of Healing gold.

One House.

Looking back to question Stephan, she found him gone.

∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

"She's right, you know."

"Hmm," Jotham asked sleepily, enjoying the gentle fingers running through his hair. "Who is?"

"Jacinda."

"What?!!" Jotham's eyes flew open to find Lata smiling down at him. "Lata?"

"Hello, my love."

"What? Where?" His eyes flew around the room only to discover he wasn't on his shuttle, he was in the garden.

His garden.

Next to Lata's rose bush.

"Jacinda is right, you know. You will meet the ancestors before you should if you keep on as you are."

Jotham frowned at her. "What are you talking about, Lata?"

"You. You've always been destined for greatness, Jotham, but you will achieve none of it if you continue on as you are."

"I don't understand."

"I left you before I should have, my love, because I refused
to recognize the signs, didn't follow my instincts. I was young and stubborn and believed nothing bad could ever happen to me. After all, I was the
Queen
." She gave him a sad smile. "I was wrong and now both you and Barek blame yourselves for what was never your fault."

"It was my fault, Lata."

"No, my love, you did everything you could. The fault is mine. All mine, and I don't want you to make the same mistake."

"And what mistake is that?"

"The one where I thought I could handle everything alone. I couldn't, and you can't either. If you continue to try you will fail, just as I did."

"Lata..."

"Our world is on the brink, Jotham."

"The brink of what?" he demanded.

"Of greatness or great destruction. It could go either way and you are the pivot point."

"Me?" Jotham felt himself pale.

"Yes, my love, you. But you have to be there to make it happen."

"I don't understand, Lata. How can I possibly do more than I already am? I'm..."

"Tired. I can see that. So can Jacinda."

"Jacinda..."

"You love her, Jotham." Lata's eyes were soft and full of understanding as she spoke.

"Lata..."

"It's all right, my love." She reached out, running her fingers down his cheek, soothing him as she used to. "It takes nothing away from you and me. If I could have, I would have brought the two of you together sooner. I hated to see you so alone and struggling, but Stephan had his own destiny that he needed to fulfill before the two of you could be together."

"I worried..."

"That I would not approve." Lata leaned over and kissed his lips. "Jotham, she is the only woman I would approve of because she truly
loves
you."

"I know she cares about me, but love..."

"How could she not love you, Jotham? You're a wonderful man."

"I've made mistakes with her, Lata. I've been impatient, demanding, I expect her to do as I say."

"And does she?" Lata's eyes sparkled with mirth, knowing the answer.

"No. She argues with me. Tells me when I'm wrong."

"Good. Someone needs to."

"Lata, stop teasing me, I'm serious." Jotham suddenly realized he was discussing another woman with his life mate.

"And I'm so glad you are, my love." Lata looked at him with understanding eyes. "Jacinda
sees
you, but more importantly, she understands what your duties should entail... and what they shouldn't. She isn't going to let anyone, not even you, intimidate her. She will make a magnificent Queen."

"
You
are my Queen, Lata." Jotham sat up sharply.

"I am," Lata acknowledged, "but that doesn't mean she can't be too. It's always been her ultimate destiny, Jotham. You've seen it for yourself."

Jotham knew she was referring to Jacinda's royal mark, but for him to take a Queen from another House...

"What you're suggesting..."

"Will change our world forever,” Lata agreed.

∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

A steady beeping dragged Jotham from the deep sleep he had fallen into. Blindly reaching out, he hit the button to answer the comm.

"What is it?" he demanded.

"Majesty, we are fifteen minutes out of Kisurri," Chesney's voice informed him.