Jacinda's Challenge (Imperial 3) (19 page)

"Thank you, Jacinda. I may take you up on that."

"I hope you do, Nicholas. The older I grow, the more I cherish those I call friends. Be well."

"You also. Lieutenant." Bowing once again, he turned and left.

∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

"Mother, what's going on?"

"What do you mean, Stephanie?"

"Why was the King's Captain coming here?" She gestured to the door Deffand had exited through. "What message was he delivering to you? Who was it from?"

"Stephanie, you are a smart, intelligent woman, I shouldn't have to explain the obvious to you."

"Mother!" Stephanie ran a hand through her hair. "Are you telling me that message was from King Jotham?"

"As I said, smart and intelligent." Jacinda walked over and took a sip out of her glass of wine.

"But why would he be sending you a private message? You're not involved with the Assembly anymore."

"No, I'm not."

"So why then the private message? Why have it delivered by his own Captain? If it were any other woman but you, I would think..."

"Would think what?"

"Well, that there was some type of... personal relationship between the two."

"You don't think that Jotham would want that with me?" Jacinda raised an eyebrow at her daughter.

"Mom, are you telling me..."

"I'm telling you nothing. I'm just wondering why you would think it impossible for Jotham and I to become involved?"

"I... a... well... You're my mother."

"I am aware of that."

"He is the King."

"I'm aware of that too. He is also just a man, Stephanie. A man with a lot of responsibility. We've known each other since the Academy. We have a lot of history together. A lot in common."

"Yeah, but still..."

"Still what?"

"I... I guess I just never thought of you with anyone else but Dad. I mean I know he's been gone ten cycles now, but still."

"I will always love your father, Stephanie. He was my life mate, but that doesn't mean I want to remain alone for the rest of my life. Stephan wouldn't want that."

"I know but... Jotham?"

"Relax, Jotham and I are not involved that way." She saw the tension leave her daughter's body.

"Then why all the secrecy."

"Because, just look how you reacted to a simple note of apology. Others would think just what you did if they found out."

"Apology? Why did the King feel he needed to apologize to you?"

"It was just a misunderstanding that's now been resolved. Let it go, Stephanie."

∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

Jotham sat in the garden and silently looked at the envelope Deffand had brought him. It had taken him two days to write it. Two days, where he thought about what Will had said and what Chesney and Nicholas had said. But mostly about the dream he had with Lata.

Had he really talked to Lata as Will said he had with Kayden? Or was it just his mind telling him what he wanted to hear? In the end, he decided the least he needed to do was apologize for his actions, and Jacinda's response would dictate his next action. Opening the envelope, he pulled out the single piece of paper and read.

Majesty,

While I thank you for your apology, it is unnecessary.

I am the one who is sorry for overstepping the bounds of propriety and causing you discomfort.

No amends are necessary and you can rest assured the incident is forgotten.

May the ancestors watch over you.

Madame Michelakakis

Jotham reread the cool, impersonal words and felt a pain unlike any he had felt in cycles, maybe ever. She was refusing him, that came through loud and clear in her response.

She wasn't going to have dinner with him. Or do anything else with him for that matter.

Rising, he found himself walking to the center of the garden to Lata's rose bush. It was such a beautiful thing, he knew Lata would love to see it like this. To know that it still flourished.

A gift.

Like love.

A gift from Jacinda's mother.

Jacinda had known her mother loved Lata as if she were one of her own. Had known about the gift and it hadn't upset her.

A child that
wasn't
hers and yet Jotham had found it hard to love a son that
was
his. A son that didn't come from his Lata and somehow Dadrian had known that. Was that why he had acted the way he had?

What did that say about Jotham as a man? That he withheld his full love, his full acceptance from his own child?

Jacinda had made the right decision not to get involved with him.

Obviously, he was a man who didn't know how to love.

Turning, he walked away from the bush not noticing that the bush drooped slightly.

∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

It was several weeks later while eating first meal that Jacinda found herself once again watching Jotham on her comm. Stephanie had left for Kisurri. Danton was busy with the Assembly and Ethan and his children had visited earlier in the week. Life had returned to its normal routine. So why was she so unsettled?

Looking at Jotham's face broadcast from the space station, Bering, the christening ceremony had been going on for nearly an hour and she thought he looked tired as he moved to the podium. He stood before a massive window that gave a magnificent view of the Guardian, ready to depart on its maiden voyage.

"For thousands of cycles our people have gone into space. We have created vessels to carry us and as in ancient times we named them, for they nurture and care for those on board when they are so far from home. Today we christen the Guardian. May the ancestors watch over those she carries and return them safely to us."

Everyone watched as a bottle of the best champagne the House of Protection produced was shot out of a launch tube to shatter against the Guardian's hull. Slowly, she began to back out of the space station, to the applause and toasts of those invited to the ceremony.

Leaning forward, Jacinda turned off the comm and sent a silent prayer up to the ancestors to watch over those brave souls on the Guardian. That they returned safe and whole and if they could especially watch out over Prince Barek, she would be eternally grateful for she didn't think Jotham could survive the loss of another son.

∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

"You look tired, my old friend." William leaned back in the chair in his office on the Bering.

"I'm fine. How are you doing? Your first son just left on the flagship of the House of Protection."

"Lucas will be fine. Neither of us would have allowed him to assume such an important position if we didn't believe it."

"True. Still he's out there without you."

"So is Barek. They've both been there before. They'll be fine, especially with Victoria with them."

"Yes she'll keep them in line," Jotham agreed smiling.

"And what she can't handle, Amina will."

"Amina? Amina is on the Guardian?"

"Yes." William frowned at Jotham's reaction. "Her program for detecting the Regulians new stealth ship is nearly finished. It just needs real-time testing. She wanted to be on board to handle any corrections that might need to be made."

"Why wasn't I informed?" Jotham demanded. "Was Barek?"

"Why would you be? Why would he? It's a Coalition matter." When Jotham opened his mouth only to snap it shut, William raised an eyebrow. "What aren't you telling me, Jotham?"

"Nothing I'm sure of."

"Bullshit, you're sure enough to question a personnel change that shouldn't concern you at all."

"Amina is a member of the House of Protection. One of my people. I'm always concerned about them."

"She is also a member of the House of Knowledge. Cassandra thinks of her as a niece. Do you really think I'd put someone my wife loves in harm’s way?"

"No..."

"But... I hear the 'but,' Jotham. What's going on? Why would Barek be interested?" ‘
Why would Barek be interested?’
William thought to himself, then it hit him. "Barek is
interested?
" He half rose from his seat. "In
Amina
!"

"I believe so," Jotham finally admitted. "Sit, Will. Barek hasn't admitted as much, but... I know my son. I saw how he looked at her during Victoria's Union. How he instantly moved to protect her when Stannic stormed in."

"Do you have a problem with that?" Will could see it on Jotham's face.

"No. Yes. Damn it, Will, she is so young!" There he'd finally said it. It wasn't that he thought Amina wasn't 'worthy' of Barek. It wasn't that he had a problem that she currently resided in the House of Knowledge. It was her
age
.

"She's the same age Lata was," William reminded him quietly.

"I know and that worked out so well, didn't it."

"Jotham...." Will gave his friend a sympathetic look. "Lata didn't die because of her
age
. She died because she got caught in a landslide."

"She shouldn't have been there!" Jotham surged to his feet. "She should have been in the Palace where she was safe."

"Life is a risk, Jotham." He watched his friend begin to pace. "You have to live it or what's the point?"

"And you would feel this way if it was Cassandra?"

"Jotham, I watched her stop breathing on the Retribution. Valerian attacked her during the Challenge. You didn't see what she went through to deliver Sabah. Do you really think I haven't felt what you've felt? I've just been lucky enough to not lose her."

"You have been," Jotham agreed with him.

"What's really going on, Jotham? I don't feel like this is about Amina and Barek. I think it’s about you and Jacinda."

"There is no me and Jacinda."

"Why not?" When Jotham didn't answer, William frowned. "Jotham, why isn't there a you and Jacinda?"

"Because that's what she wanted. I screwed up. In the garden. I sent her a note apologizing. Her response was very cool, letting me know she wasn't interested in pursuing a relationship."

"You sent her a note?!!" William didn't try to hide his disbelief.

"Yes." Jotham gave him a confused look. "What else was I supposed to do?"

"How did you sign the note?"

"'
King Jotham
,' of course."

"Seriously?" William gave him an exasperated look. "Is that how you signed notes to Lata?"

"Of course not! I wasn't King when we met."

"Don't be obtuse, Jotham. You know exactly what I mean."

Jotham began pacing again. "I signed them '
Jotham
,'" he finally admitted.

"Why?"

"Why? Because it was Lata. It was personal. She never saw me as my position."

"Jacinda does?"

"No," Jotham finally admitted.

"Then why send her a Royal apology instead of a personal one?" William leaned back in his chair steepling his fingers under his chin. "You addressed her as Madame Michelakakis too, didn't you?"

"Yes."

"And you really expected her to respond warmly?"

"I..."

"You were protecting yourself, Jotham." William rose to move to the front of his desk and leaned back against it, crossing his arms over his chest.

"I was?"

"Of course. No man likes to be rejected, especially from a woman like Jacinda. I can still remember how it felt when she rejected me."

"What?" Jotham stopped pacing to stare at his life-long friend in shock. "When? She's only been widowed for ten cycles. You've been married to Cassandra all that time!"

William raised an eyebrow at how passionate Jotham had suddenly become, he was even clenching his fists. Oh yes, his old friend was definitely interested in Jacinda Michelakakis.

"Relax!" William ordered trying not to laugh. "It was back when we were in the Academy."

"The Academy?" Jotham frowned, his fingers relaxing. "You said you remembered her. You never said you dated her."

"Because I didn't. Did you not hear me say she rejected me?"

"She did? When? I don't remember you even pursuing her."

"Yes. It was right before she graduated and you don't remember because I didn't 'pursue' her. I happened to sit next to her in the cafeteria."

"
Happened
to sit next to?" It was Jotham's turn to be disbelieving.

"Okay, I followed her in and made sure to sit next to her," William laughed. "She was beautiful, even though she went to great lengths to downplay it."

"I never noticed."

"That's because she wasn't Lata and she avoided you... and me."

"Why?"

"That's what I wanted to know too, after all I was a good-looking man. She was a good-looking woman. It should have been simple."

"You honestly didn't put it to her that way." Jotham found himself smiling at the thought. Even
he
knew you couldn't approach a woman like that.

"Of course not." William was affronted that Jotham would even suggest such a thing. "I was a smooth guy back then, remember?"

They both laughed as they remembered Will's past as the playboy of the Academy.

"Yes, the girls all loved you."

"They did. All but Jacinda."

"You saw her as a challenge."

"Yes, after all I was seventeen and knew it all."

"We sure thought we did, didn't we?”

"Yes. Jacinda set me straight, politely of course." William frowned as he thought back over that conversation. "You know I think that was the first truly serious conversation I ever had with a woman. I know after it, I thought about my future differently."

"What are you talking about, Will?"

"Jacinda... after all my best lines and still no effect on her, I finally just flat out asked her why and do you know what she said?"

"No."

"She said that while I was a handsome, smart, intelligent man she had no desire to one day be the wife of the High Admiral."

"She said that?"

"Yes, amazing isn't it? That she seemed to see my future so clearly. Until that moment, I had never given the future that much thought. I just wanted to get out into the Fleet. The thought that I might one day have this position," he looked around his office. "I never believed I had that potential, Jacinda did. After that conversation, I buckled down with my studies and took our training a lot more seriously."