Impulse (21 page)

“Sire Cochrane, I would be honored if you would share this dance with the princess,” the prince said. I looked into her dark, sultry eyes. It was not a difficult decision.

“The honor is mine,” I said. Serosian made as if to say something to me, then shut his lips again as I took the princess by the arm to the dance floor. The crowd parted for us and the orchestra broke off the song they were playing to start a new waltz.

“I fear both my experience and my dancing skills are lacking, Highness,” I said to her. She smiled.

“It's no matter. I will pick you up if you miss a step and fall,” she said confidently. Now I smiled.

“I believe you would.” We swung out to the center of the dance floor as the crowd began to applaud. On the third turn I spotted Dobrina in the crowd, just in time to see her turn and stalk determinedly away from the festivities. I felt a lump form in my throat.

Big mistake
, I thought.

Just as my concern for Dobrina came to the fore, the princess engaged me on another line of battle.

“If Levant joins your Union, will you be willing to support feminine equality and religious freedom?” she asked, no, more like
demanded
of me.

I was startled. “I haven't really thought about these things, Princess, except in passing conversation with the prince. My position is—”

“You are the highest ranking member of your contact party. Are you telling me you don't have the power to negotiate such things?” she said.

I stumbled a bit but quickly recovered as we spun around again.

“Princess, this is a
military
mission. By rank I am third in command. My royal standing gives me no special dispensation to negotiate such matters,” I said.

“So you cannot include these terms in our agreement? Do I have to tell my brother that you are a powerless puppet?” She was growing angry with me now, but still we spun to the music.

“Diplomatically I hold the senior rank. But any agreements I make would have to be cleared with my compatriots—”

“Sire Cochrane, my people, especially the women, look to me as the cultural leader of our world. My standing allows me to negotiate these issues for all of Levant. If you are not empowered to act, just tell me now and I will find another dance partner,” she said.

I was stuck between my roles as a navy officer and as royalty, but I had to make a decision or risk blowing the entire mission, at least the diplomatic part. I made my decision.

“I will take your requests to my contact party, if we can reach an agreement on terms,” I said firmly. This now put the negotiating onus back on her and seemed to quell her anger a bit. The Levantines were serious about their haggling.

“You would support language in our agreement that encourages the promotion of women's roles on Levant if we join the Union?” she asked. That was simple enough.

“I would.”

“What about religion?” she asked. “We have a mixed population: a Maronite majority and a small Muslim minority. Would they all be welcomed by the Holy Church?”

That was more difficult. I seemed to remember reading
something
about this once in the Union Concord. I decided to take a risk. “Serosian speaks to all matters regarding the Church, but to my reading of the Union Concord Agreement, as long as the Levant government pledges loyalty to the Union and secular law is obeyed, then religious pluralism is acceptable, if not preferred,” I said.

We spun around the dance floor one last time as the music concluded. It was easily the most important and eventful dance of my life.

“Then I believe, Sire Cochrane,” she said to me as the crowd applauded, “that we have an agreement.” I bowed to her then as I had seen Prince Katara do, and she returned the gesture. I took an extra step then, pulling her hand to my lips and kissing it again.

“I believe we do, Princess,” I said, then escorted her back to the table, there to resume our social duties for the evening.

D
obrina was noticeably absent for most of the next hour. Only when the prince insisted we take a walk in the royal gardens did she return, and even then she avoided eye contact with me at all times.

We walked in pairs, Katara and I together, trailing the ladies, with Serosian, Kemal, and the others following behind us. Katara had a cigar and offered me one, which I lit, even though I had no idea how to smoke it. I sensed we were nearing the conclusion of our negotiations and our mission on Levant. If
Starbound
had received Serosian's signal, then they should be entering Levant space soon, and I would be able to return to my more natural duty as a navy officer.

The women were in pairs as well, and I noted that Dobrina and the princess were together.

“So tell me, Cochrane, now that you've met my sister, what's your opinion of her?” the prince asked.

“Very impressive,” I complimented her. “In many ways.”

“I agree. So tell me, what are your intentions toward her?”

“Intentions?” I thought about that a second. “Actually,” I said, “I was wondering what her intentions were toward me.”

“Come now, Cochrane, a woman can't have intentions toward a man, at least not in our society. Is it really that different in yours?” Katara asked.

I shrugged. “Not really, no. The man still must be the suitor. But I am a bit puzzled by your meaning of the word ‘intentions,'” I said. The prince stopped then, as did all the others, leaving us with a considerable space for private conversation.

“Would you consider marrying her?” Katara asked out of the blue. I was stunned.

“I hardly even know her!” I blurted out. He waved his cigar, like he was discarding bad business advice.

“As if that matters. This is about politics, my good man,” he said and started walking again. I followed.

“I think I hate that word.”

“I understand your reticence,” Katara said. “But our culture is different, Cochrane. We seek to bond ourselves to our allies by more than just financial and military means, and the strongest bonds are family bonds. Surely you agree with this?”

The mention of family turned my thoughts toward to my brother. If Derrick were here, he would be dealing with these issues, but he wasn't. I had to step up and make the decisions now.

“I do agree, Prince. Family makes the strongest of bonds,” I said.

“Then you can see the wisdom of joining our two families?” This time I stopped our walk.

My thoughts turned to Janaan's earlier warning about accepting any proposal that was offered, even if only under unlikely conditions. I rushed through the scenarios in my mind.

“With respect, Prince, you must realize I am still a young man. If I should marry now, what if the next world demands the same of me? And the next? And the next? There is only one of me to go around,” I said.

We started walking again.

“So your answer is no?” he said.

“I did not say that. Your sister is a fine and capable woman, and quite attractive. Would you have her married to a man who spends years in space? Returning home only briefly for short leaves? Or would you have her come with me, and lose her to Levant for those many years?”

“That would not be my first choice,” admitted the prince.

“So let us reach a compromise,” I said. Katara eyed me.

“I'm listening.”

“I will agree to marry your sister, on the condition of my
not
being married to another woman of royal standing before the end of my navy service. That way I am free to make political alliances for the benefit of the Union, you retain the companionship of the princess, and if things work out, I can return to Levant in the future and our two families can be joined,” I offered.

“How long?” said the prince.

“I'm twenty-three now, so say, seven years?”

“Five,” he said. I nodded agreement.

“Five it is.”

“And we can announce the engagement before your departure?” Katara asked.

“If the princess will agree to marry me,” I replied.

“Oh, she will, I guarantee it.” Then the prince took a long puff on his cigar and held out his hand to me.

“I'd say our negotiations are concluded,” he said. I took his hand and shook it.

“I agree. Thank you, Prince Katara,” I said. With that, the prince went over to the women, his arms spread wide.

“Ladies! Back to the palace! Our negotiations are completed, and we have much to celebrate!” The court ladies all erupted in cheers and then the prince whispered in Janaan's ear. She stopped and looked back at me, her smile revealing her pleasure at the news. Then she turned and said something to Dobrina. The look of shock that crossed the captain's face was obvious, but Janaan was already off with the group, running back to the palace. Dobrina turned and glared at me, then went off on her own in a different direction.

I hardly noticed as Serosian came up and stood beside me.

“I hope you know what you're doing,” he said. I thought about that for a moment, then took a slow puff of my cigar.

“Actually, my friend, I have no idea,” I said.

We were celebrating in a private two-story drawing room filled with books from floor to ceiling, a fire burning in a huge fireplace at one end, a billiards table occupying the other. There were about two dozen revelers celebrating with us. Janaan was in a corner with the ladies, taking congratulations, while the prince, Serosian, Kemal, Salibi, and I took up another corner. We'd been at it for an hour, and the buzz of our “good news” had made its way around the court in a flash. Dobrina, I noted, had gone to her room immediately upon reentering the palace, and I doubted I'd see her again tonight.

I had taken congratulations from many a courtier I didn't know, most telling me I had made a wise choice in choosing a Levantine bride. I smiled through it all. Though I'd never thought I'd be involved in any kind of arranged marriage, especially one with political overtones, I had to admit the
idea
of the Princess Janaan as my future bride, even if conditionally, wasn't something I was entirely resistant to. She was beautiful and certainly quite capable in many capacities, both in political qualities and no doubt domestic ones. She would make a fine wife for a young viscount or duke. But just now I was still a commander in the Union Navy, and my heart's desire was to explore the universe. And, quite frankly, between Janaan and Dobrina, I was unsure where my true romantic feelings lay.

After another half hour of making small talk and drinking, I was starting to yawn. The prince graciously allowed me to withdraw and I did, leaving Serosian to tend to completing business matters. The Historian never seemed to require sleep.

I went over to my prospective bride and bid her goodnight with another kiss of the hand, but the court ladies were having none of it.

“We must have a proper kiss!” said one of the courtiers. I smiled at Janaan, who looked up at me expectantly through her dark and alluring eyes. She stood and I drew her to me, our lips meeting pleasantly for a moment, then lingering a bit longer than expected. This drew “ahhs” from the ladies and applause. I bowed to them all, then made my way out the door and up to my room.

I hesitated a moment at Dobrina's door, but decided against knocking. What I had done was what was required of me, as she had asked me to do, and I hoped when this was over she would see that. I remembered Serosian's advice to treat her as a woman when we were “off duty.” Right now I suspected that the woman in her would be hurt and angry.

A few minutes later I dismissed the servants and crawled into my own bed, tired and wondering what the day ahead would bring after such a busy night. I found, however, that sleep eluded me, and after nearly an hour of tossing and turning I called down for some tea to be brought up.

I was out of bed and sitting in a side chair when the knock came at my door.

“Come in,” I said. A female servant in a dark cloak, with a hood covering her face, came in and set the tea tray down on a table near the only light in the room. I noticed it wasn't one of my regular servant girls, but I couldn't see her face in the dim light. No matter. I rubbed at my eyes as she poured a cup for me and then added a bit of cream, just as I liked it. I wondered if the staff had been observing my habits during our stay. She handed me the cup and saucer and then said, “Is there anything else, Lord?” so faintly I could hardly hear her.

“No, thank you,” I replied, then took a sip. The tea was sweet and the warmth relaxing. I watched in the dim light of the lamp as the servant girl withdrew to the door and shut it, then locked it from the inside. She walked toward me then, pulling back her hood.

It was Janaan.

She dropped the cloak onto the floor, revealing an elegant silk nightgown underneath, then came and sat next to me on the floor, wrapping her arms around my legs in a gesture of submission.

“Janaan—” I started.

“Please wait,” she said. I looked down into her eyes. God, she was
beautiful
.

“I cannot come to you as your wife,” she continued. “I don't know if I will ever be able to. So I come to you now as a servant girl. Command me, and I will obey.”

I set the tea down and reached out to her. She pulled my hand to her face. “I have no wish to command you, Janaan. Only to please you, but . . .” I trailed off.

She looked at me expectantly, then her expression turned sad. “But you cannot marry me, can you? It is because of her, isn't it? Do you love her?” she asked.

That question evoked a swirl of emotions in me. Thoughts of Dobrina and the beautiful and alluring woman before me crossed paths through my mind. Finally, I made my decision.

“I think so,” I said. Her face fell, the disappointment hard to contain.

“Then you should be with her,” she said. “She is a very lucky woman.” At this she stood to leave, and I stood with her and took her hands.

“Don't misunderstand me, Janaan,” I said. “Were the circumstances different I would gladly marry you this instant. I still have work to do, but the promise I made to you is real. If I am unmarried in five years to this very
day
, I will return to Levant and marry you without a moment's hesitation. If you would still have me, that is.”

She smiled bravely, then said: “Would you grant a princess one request?”

“Yes,” I replied.

“Take me in your arms and kiss me, as you would if we were husband and wife,” she said.

There were all kinds of implications to her request, but I couldn't deny her, nor did I want to. I took her in my arms and our lips mixed sensually for a long moment. It was pure pleasure, and I lost myself in the moment.

The knock at the door startled both of us, and broke our embrace. The guard at the door didn't hesitate to open it and come in, disregarding our privacy. “Apologies Sire, Highness,” he said. “There is an urgent matter. You are both required in the prince's military command center, immediately.”

Janaan grabbed her cloak, and I put on the nearest set of clothes from my closet. Then we rushed out the door, our moment of passion forgotten in the face of the unknown.