Cassandra's Challenge (89 page)

“You are my life, my wife, and my Queen. I love
you.” Leaning down he kisses his wife, long and hard, much to the
enjoyment of those present.

“To Queen Cassandra and Admiral Zafar.” Quinn
proposes the toast. With glasses raised the toast is repeated. With
her husband’s arm around her waist Cassandra’s eyes sparkle as she
sips the Carinian champagne.

Looking around the room she sees their House,
filled with family and friends. The one she and William had built
together, on their own terms.

“And what are you two whispering about over
there?” She’s been watching Victoria and Amina, they’re plotting
something.

“Who us?” Victoria’s voice is sugary innocent,
her eyes mischievous.

“Yes you.”

“We were just thinking that maybe someone should
eat some fudge torta before it goes bad.”

“Goes bad?” Cassandra looks to see Hutu covering
his mouth.

“Well it
might
, and that would be a very
bad thing.”

“I couldn’t agree more. Why don’t you and Amina
make sure everyone gets a piece, then you two can have what’s
left.”

“Really!” The girls exchange excited looks.

“Really. Let Hutu cut it though, we might want
more than just a bite.”

“Oh man!” Victoria knows she’s caught but with a
smile heads to Hutu.

“What’s she going to be like at eighteen?”
William leans over to ask, smiling.

“Trouble. Lots of trouble. Won’t it be fun?”
Cassandra smiles back.

“Admiral,” Marat walks to the couple’s side.
“Majesty, King Jotham and Queen…Princess Yakira are at the
door.”

“Show them in.” William looks at his wife
knowing this is their life now. As they enter the room quiets.

“My apologizes for intruding at this time
Majesty,” Jotham gives Cassandra a slight bow. “I know it’s been a
trying day. I need to speak with the Admiral and Princess Yakira
was hoping for a few minutes of your time.”

“No apologizes necessary,” Cassandra speaks
first. “Let’s go to a quieter spot.” All eyes follow them as they
leave the room.

“Admiral if I could speak with you alone?” Will
raises and eyebrow to his friend.

“We’ll use my ready room.”

“Princess Yakira, it’s a lovely day out, would
you mind if we walked in the garden? I’d like to stretch my
legs.”

“Cassandra.” William frowns.

“I assume the King’s guards are still on
patrol?” Jotham nods. “Would you prefer I get Marat?” She waits for
William’s decision.

“I’ll let him know where you are. Where both of
you are.” With a nod to Princess Yakira he leads Jotham to the
ready room.

Opening the garden doors she allows Yakira to go
first, following she leaves the doors open.

“You really would have waited for Marat if
Admiral Zafar had wanted you too.” Yakira isn’t sure why she’s
amazed, not after all that happened today.

“Of course, his only concern is for my safety.”
Cassandra walks along one of the paths.

“And yet he allowed you to go through the
Challenge, knowing you were the true Queen. Knowing you would be at
risk. Why?”

“Because I asked him too.” Cassandra turns to
look at Yakira. And she realizes it’s as simple as that.

“What are you wanting Yakira?”

“To know what you’re going to do. So I can
prepare, prepare my family.”

“You mean your children.”

“Yes, this is going to be difficult for
them.”

“They’re beautiful children. Their resemblance
to their father is remarkable.”

“They look
nothing
like Audric!” Yakira
finds herself having to take a deep breath.

“I said their
father
, Prince Vane, not
your husband.”

Yakira’s eyes are wide with shock at Cassandra’s
statement. No one knew, only she and Audric. “How could you
know?”

“They are obviously brother and sister. They
look nothing like Audric.
Vance
was born seven months after
the Union. And Audric despises both of them.”

“Yes, yes he does.”

“Once things have calmed down, settled, and
you’ve had time to confer with your children. I would not oppose
getting the correct father listed on their proofs of birth.”

“What….” Yakira is stunned at the thought, that
she would be willing.

“You chose to marry Audric, that’s no reason to
punish your children.”

“I…thank you. They already know they will be
grateful.” Cassandra nods.

“Now down to business.” She walks into the
center of the garden. “I would like Assemblyman Bevington to
accompany you back to Kisurri, if he’s willing. To be my
intermediary during this transition, will you have a problem with
that?”

“No.”

“As it’s been over two hundred cycles since such
a transition there will be questions, for you, for me, for the
citizen of the House of Knowledge. Hopefully together we will be to
do this with the least amount of turmoil. There’s been enough of
that lately.”

“Agreed.”

“I’m hoping two weeks. Long enough for everyone
to settle, get used to the idea. Have you given any thought to
where you’d like to relocate too?”

“No all the buildings are owned by the House of
Knowledge.”

“I believe you had one built, in the Neva
area.”

“Yes, it’s near Vane’s parents.” Yakira refuses
to let herself hope.

“Would that be suitable for your family? Large
enough for your needs?”

“I…..yes.” Cassandra nods.

“Then it will be part of your compensation for
tending to the House, during my families absence. Other
arrangements will also be made. You and your children will not be
discarded.”

“Why? Why are you doing this?” Yakira has to
know. “It isn’t required, no one expects it.”

“Why?” Cassandra leans down to smell a rose.
“Why did you cast the first ‘guilty’ vote? He’s your spouse.” She
stands confronting Yakira. “Why did you agree with Kyle on my
Union? You could still be Queen.”

“Audric was guilty, he used me, my position, the
power of the House of Knowledge to murder. Not because he loved me,
because he wanted the power being my spouse gave him.” Yakira sees
the sympathy in Cassandra’s eyes. “Not like you. You were willing
to give up the throne of the most powerful House on Carina for your
spouse. And he would have let you.”

“He loves me.” Cassandra lets the simple
statement say it all.

“And you love him, it’s obvious, to everyone.
You stand. For each other, for what you believe in. The House of
Knowledge will need that, need both of you, to recover from the
damage Audric as caused. Your Union is valid its right, that’s why
I agreed.”

Jotham waits while Will contacts his chief of
security, informing him of the Queen’s location.

“She’ll have to get used to that.” William
raises an eyebrow. “Having someone always knowing where she
is.”

“She’ll handle it. There’s little she can’t,
given time.”

“And that’s what makes her perfect, for
you
, you’re the same way. Something I’ve always
admired.”

“What’s up Jotham.”

“Valerian was right.” William leans back in his
chair.

“About?”

“There was a High Council called yesterday to
discuss Valerian’s recent behavior. The rumors of the traitor, his
comments about the Challenger, about you.” Silence greets Jotham’s
comment, he smiles, his friend hasn’t changed. Rising he walks over
to pour them each a glass of ale, handing one to him.

“A preliminary vote was taken. You were chosen
to be High Admiral. But it was decided that the final vote would be
made after the Challenge was completed.”

“They wanted to judge Cassandra first.”

“She would be the High Admiral’s wife. It’s a
powerful position.”

“As opposed to being Queen.” Jotham smiles at
his friend.

“Yes, as opposed to being Queen.” Jotham’s smile
fades looking into his friends eyes. “The final vote was made after
you left the Assembly.”

“Carnot will make a fine High Admiral.” Taking a
sip of his ale William looks at his friend and King.

“Will, the vote was unanimous. We want
you
.” Jotham sees the shock in William’s eyes. “You’ve more
than earned the position.”

“Jotham….” He has to move. High Admiral, he’d
never considered it, considered the possibility of it. Even after
what Quinn had said. His wife is Queen, a powerful Queen. He turns,
“I’m not giving up Cassandra.” His eyes bore into Jotham.

“No one’s asking you too. Will, she is the
Queen,
your
wife, she made that quite clear.” Jotham smiles
slightly at just how clear she’d made it. “You were the choice
before the Challenge, Cassandra’s actions only reinforced that. She
stands Will. For you. For Carina. For what she believes in.”

It’s Jotham’s turn to lean back. “You realize
the two of you are becoming something of a legend. Apparently when
she presented herself as Cassandra Qwes Zafar the fleet went
wild.”

“What?” William sits back down. “They couldn’t
have gotten reports that quick.”

“Will, the Challenge was transmitted, real time
throughout the Coalition. Every planet, every ship, voice and
image, The Admiral’s Queen, that’s what they’re calling her.”

“She’s her own Queen.”

“True, but you’re her Admiral. She stands at
your
side.” Jotham wonders if he realizes how rare that
is.

“Jotham, I’m honored, but I need to discuss it
with Cassandra first. You and I know what it means to be High
Admiral. She doesn’t.”

“I expected no less. Tomorrow?”

“I’ll let you know once a decision is made.”
Jotham nods.

He finds her sitting on a bench in the garden,
her face raised to the lowering suns, eyes closed, boots off, a
gently smile on her lips. Hearing his approach she opens those
amazing eyes to look at him.

“I knew you’d find me.” Smiling she starts to
stand.

“Sit.”

“What’s wrong?” Her smile fades.

“Nothing’s wrong.”

“William.” She knows him. “What did Jotham
say?”

Looking at his wife he realizes she’s thinking
the worst, after the day she’s had he should have realized. He
needs to just tell her.

“Valerian was apparently right.”

“Right? About what? The man was insane.”

“The High Council voted to remove him.”

“What? William?” He watches her eyes start to
sparkle. “Tell me….”

“They voted unanimously for me to become High
Admiral. Whoa!” He laughs as she launches herself into his
arms.

“William that’s wonderful! You deserve it you’ll
make a
great
High Admiral!”

“Cassandra.” He kisses her to quiet her. “I
haven’t accepted.”

“What? Why?” Leaning back she looks in at him.
“Because of me.”

“Cassandra, you are about to assume the most
powerful throne on the planet. There are going to thousands of
decisions that need to be made.”

“And you don’t think I can make them?”

“Of course you can! That’s not what I’m
saying.”

“So what are you saying?” Slipping out of his
hands she stands walking away from him.

“That I don’t think this is the right time.”

“It probably isn’t the right time for me to have
conceived either. But I have. You’ve been offered the most
important position in the fleet. A chance to make High Admiral mean
something again, how can you say no?”

“You would have given up your throne for me!”
William rises along with his voice.

“That was totally different. It meant nothing to
me. This! You’ve worked your whole life for this!”

“And it means nothing without you!”

“What are you saying?” Cassandra pales. “They
asked you to dissolve our Union?”

“No! No….” William rubs her arms, finding her
chilled. “I’m not doing this right. Give me a minute.” Taking off
his jacket he wraps it around her, pulling her close.

“I told Jotham I needed to speak with you first.
Let me finish.” She nods. “The High Admiral….it’s every hour of
every day.”

“24/7 got it.” William raises an eyebrow at the
term, finding he likes it.

“I can be called away at a moment’s notice. Not
be able to keep appointments. Be gone for days at a time.” That
gets a frown from Cassandra.

“Why gone?”

“If there’s a battle I need to be
available.”

“Of course you do. But why can’t you come home
after?”

“Cassandra, it took nearly two hours for us to
get here from the Retribution.”

“It did? I hadn’t realized. I just thought it
was my trying not to vomit that made it seem so long.” William
rests his forehead against hers. Thanking the Ancestors for
her.

“That’s four hours round trip.”

“
William. Being Queen is going to be a
24/7 job. I can be called away at any time. Be needed anywhere. Am
I right?”

“Yes.”

“So all that is a wash. It doesn’t matter.” She
explains. “Now not having you next to me every night….I’m not going
to like that. Really not going to like that.” Touching his cheek
she already misses him. “But it won’t be
every
night.”

“Cassandra….”

“And if you play your cards right,” Stretching
she gives him a soft kiss. “You might be able to convince the Queen
of the House of Knowledge to give her husband, the High Admiral,
one of those fast little ships of hers. Totally outfitted for a
High Admiral’s needs of course, to get him to and from in the
fastest possible time.” She gives him another soft kiss.

“You’re serious.” William leans back to stare at
her.

“It’s time you start
using
your wife
instead of her using
you
.” Smiling she lets him know she’s
joking.

“Take the position William. It’s what you were
born to do, it’s
your
destiny. I’ll be at your side. I’m not
letting go either. We’ll work the rest out, it won’t be a perfect
life, but it will be
our
life.”