The Fight for Peace (5 page)

“Oh come on, if you want me to list the little things bugging me you’d probably end up just dropping me in Kesmere before this flight is over,” Derrick tossed back. “Could have a good dinner, sleep in a very large room with a soft bed, have some quality red wine ...”

Jared laughed. “Sure. I’ll drop you off. You wouldn’t last two days before you headed to Rhiol to call me back.”

“True. Despite the changes I don’t like, that is true.”

Jared sighed but nodded. “So let’s see how these things fly solely on manual.”

Derrick swore.

Chapter 6

THE LADY GREY

MERIMARCHE

“Everyone knows you and Derrick were dating. No one cares if you continue to do so,” Jared told her.

Arinna pulled at the curled tips of her hair. “I care. It isn’t right,” she answered. Jared said nothing, watching her until she volunteered more. “Renault told me before he died that Eldridge used to accuse me of protecting Michael more than I protected Europe, that I refused to make risky moves if they threatened him. Renault thought it ironic considering how much David did to protect his son. But ... what if it is true?”

“So instead of being over protective, you send Derrick on the riskiest missions?”

“I didn’t send him to Crystal City,” Arinna snapped.

“No. He volunteered and he signed up for the Guard. He knows the risks, just as Michael did. We all do. It won’t change how you feel. I’ve never seen affection cloud your judgment or anger either, unfortunately. There are a few times I wished you agreed to let me blow something up.”

“Or take someone out?”

Jared grinned, before sobering. “You are the one who told me not to waste the joy life offered. I think you are making a mistake on this.”

“Are you giving me permission to break the rules, Captain?” Arinna teased, preferring not to have the conversation Jared was attempting.

“Yes,” he answered, serious tone canceling her attempt at humor. “Now go have some over the holidays!”

“Thanks,” she said dryly. “The orders to reintegrate—”

“Nope, go. Holiday leave. See you in two weeks.”

Arinna dug in her heels. “Don’t you dare push me out again. You know damn well I’ll go batty and call Kehm the second I get to Merimarche if you don’t talk to me now.”

“I should take away your communicator,” Jared said, cocking his head.

“You wouldn’t dare,” she shot back, crossing her arms. There was no way she’d admit the idea frightened her. They were equals now and who could order what was not entirely clear.

“You going to talk to me about Derrick?”

“I’m not ready to talk to myself about Derrick,” she spat in frustration.

“That’s a start. Yes, the orders have gone out. Most of the soldiers are on holiday break. After that everyone is being called up and the troops in the Defensive Guard will be integrated with the Active. Joint training under each of the Lieutenants in rotation. New recruits will be starting basic as well. We might be able to have enough soldiers to fight another war if the peace talks collapse.”

“You mean when,” Arinna said, sighing at Jared’s expression. “I’ll try to be more optimistic. It doesn’t feel right.”

That made Jared frown. “Shit. I was just getting hopeful. Fine, we’ll start to work on a plan B.”

“I could be wrong.”

“You are never wrong. Well, about the FLF. You are completely wrong about Derrick. Now go and have a nice holiday.”

“I really dislike you some days,” Arinna said, giving Jared a hug. “Call me if something comes up, or you think of anything, Captain.”

“I’ll call you just to chat and make certain you are being nice to Derrick.” She punched him in the arm for that. “See if you can get the Prime Minister to reconsider the monastery as the location for the peace negotiations. It isn’t just that I mind spending the next three weeks securing it and making it habitable ... I don’t like it and neither does Lieutenant Eldridge.”

“I’ll see what I can do,” Arinna replied, mind caught on hearing Jared refer to Derrick formally. Which was probably why he did it. No preference or disregard, that was her role. She was failing at it and she wasn’t sure how to stop.

The result of the conversation with Jared was that Arinna was nervous as she made her way to the hangar. The thought of two weeks with Derrick was making her rethink going, even if, for very practical reasons, she knew she had to. The sight of Byran frozen on the entrance platform broke her worry. She laughed as she joined him.

“I know you said the Guard had planes, but ...”

Arinna looked over the fleet of ten dactyls, each sitting on a hydraulic round platform. Nine were lowered for maintenance and storage, leaving the one they were about to take singled out like it was a display. A very futuristic, high tech display.

“Yup, we have planes. Where are Isabella and the kids?”

“Trying to keep Cerilla and Santi from enlisting for a few more years,” Isabella said with a sigh from the doorway behind.

Kieren managed not to laugh as she paused behind Isabella. “They wanted to see where we kept the swords,” she said.

“That would explain the awed look on their faces, very similar to yours, Byran, over the planes.”

“Ha ha. They’ve never seen a plane or they’d be more appreciative of these,” Byran said. “Really, I don’t mind taking a carriage. I wanted you to come, not escort us.”

“Nervous flyer?” Arinna asked with a grin. Isabella coughed on her laugh. “You are the Prime Minister now, and it is only a two-week vacation. So yes, you do rate a plane and Guard escort.”

Byran stopped grumbling as Arinna led the way to the dactyl. So she chose not to remind Byran that the events leading up to him becoming Prime Minister very much proved he and his family needed protection. That a Captain and Lieutenant called him friend simply made the reality of it a bit more pleasant. It was this reason that kept Arinna from calling off the ‘holiday’ leave because, really, it wasn’t vacation.

Derrick already had the systems online as Arinna slipped into the cockpit while Kieren showed the children how the harnesses worked. Derrick flicked her a glance as she sat.

“I can fly us there, Captain,” Derrick offered as he finished the pre-flight checklist.

Too many answers flooded her mind. It left her unable to say any of them. “Go ahead, Lieutenant. Pretend like I’m not here.”

Derrick didn’t react to her answer, continuing with procedure and rolling through the vertical liftoff and flight away from Prague as if it were a test. He was, of course, an ace student.

Arinna remained unable to frame any question that didn’t come across as an interrogation as Prague disappeared behind them. Finally she unclipped her buckle. “Let me know if you have any trouble,” she said and disappeared into the back, preferring to see how Santi and Cerilla felt about their first flight. She didn’t return and Derrick didn’t request her help the rest of the flight even for landing.

“I will not have you fighting while you are here,” Byran said to Derrick and Arinna as they unwound in Merimarche later that afternoon. Byran had them in his study, handing out wine without asking if she or Derrick wanted any.

“We aren’t fighting,” Derrick said with all the casualness he’d had at Kesmere and none of the military tenseness he’d held the last week in Prague. He seemed to be handling the change in roles better than her.

“I will not have you only talking of the peace negotiations the next two weeks,” Isabella chided her husband. Byran blushed. Arinna laughed. Derrick’s glance slid her way. It made her realize it was the first time she’d done so in his presence in ages without his needing to say. Jared had already pointed it out.

“No, but since you brought it up, we really need to find a location other than the monastery,” Arinna said.

Isabella sighed, pouring herself a glass of wine. “Get it out of your system. I’m only allowing this conversation today,” she said.

“I’d actually you rather rule it out,” Byran said to his wife.

“Byran, Captain Vries and I both are against it. Derrick was there and he agrees,” Arinna said, looking to Derrick for confirmation.

His gaze rested on her for a moment, long enough for her to realize she’d said his name, his given name. With a blink he reanimated. “It is nearly impossible to defend and has to be impossible to heat. Even with the dactyls, access is limited. There is only room for maybe three planes on the mountaintop between the building and the trees.”

“Yes, I know. I read the reports,” Byran said.

“Then why agree to it?” Arinna asked, leaning forward. “It better be a damn good reason.”

“Because it is a peace treaty and we shouldn’t have to worry about the building being indefensible?” Byran said. Arinna glared at him until Byran sat back with a sigh. “Would you believe the FLF doesn’t like it either? They’ve suggested six other places since that. But everything else is either too close, or in, Europe and I will not house a full contingent of their military here. I know damn well you will send Guard soldiers and they will send soldiers too.”

“The FLF is made up of soldiers. Even the politicians,” Derrick said.

“You are right,” Arinna said. “I’m sending soldiers. There are officers there now keeping an eye on the place so no one sets up any surprises while work is being done to clean out chimneys and move in some furniture that won’t come with fleas.”

“Oh this sounds lovely. I’m now officially happy not to be going,” Isabella said. “With that, the conversation is done and it is time for dinner.”

Merimarche was far different from Rhiol or visiting Derrick at Kesmere. It was a home as much as a manor and one used to raise children. There were no hidden rooms filled with secret computer equipment to remind Arinna of her role, especially her new official one. Derrick was as out of place as she, wandering the hallway and studying paintings on his way to his room after dinner.

Arinna told herself the reason she couldn’t settle was because she’d grown accustomed to the Guard base with its hive of activity, soldiers, and things needing to be done. After unpacking, she had nothing that was required of her. She stood in her room, glancing at the communicator with thoughts of calling Jared. But she knew one of his questions would be about Derrick. She didn’t want to think about Derrick. Instead of pacing her room, she opted for roving the manor.

The sun was setting when the sound of children laughing drew Arinna to a terrace. Byran chased Cerilla across the beach, Santi running after both as Isabella walked behind. The scene made her smile and ache.

“I think they are happy to be home,” Derrick said from the open French door.

Arinna moved aside from where she leaned on the rail, letting the motion invite him to join her, or not. She didn’t hear his footsteps and thought he’d left when he appeared next to her; he’d moved that slowly and quietly as if she was a deer he was afraid to startle.

“I’d forgotten how warm the coast of Spain is,” Arinna said as a breeze brushed her skin.

“Hah, after Irkrist, anywhere feels warm.”

Arinna smiled at that, remembering how she refused to worry while he was on that journey and the fear that suffused her when he’d been taken prisoner. On the heels of that came the longing for a reunion they’d never found the time for between emergencies and then swearing oaths to the Guard.

“You said once I should listen to Jared,” Arinna said.

The sound of the waves rose from the sandy beach even though it was too dark to see them. Another laugh came from further down the shore, this one sounding like Isabella. Arinna’s pulse jumped in tempo.

“Yes, I did. Are you fighting over something?” Derrick asked, concerned.

She felt his gaze on her, but she stared into the growing night. If she looked at him, she wasn’t certain if she’d see him as a soldier in her Guard or as the Earl of Kesmere. Or what he’d see in her eyes. She didn’t want him to back away.

“No. He gave me some advice and I was wondering if I should follow it.”

Derrick huffed a quiet laugh. “I trust him. You should too.”

“Good,” she said as she turned and kissed him.

Derrick’s hesitation made her regret not speaking to him first. Then he pulled her against him and returned the kiss with enough passion to make her forget worries that he no longer wanted this or that she shouldn’t be doing it.

“What made you change your mind?” he asked, lips lingering against hers.

“I told you, Jared,” she said. Derrick chuckled, the deep sound reverberating through her. “I can’t promise you this will continue when we are back in Prague.”

He stopped her with another kiss. “Two weeks,” he said, pulling away enough to see her face. “I’ll take that.”

“I need to apologize. Caring about you while you are in the Guard as well ... a lot of memories resurface, both good and bad. I don’t think I was ready for that.” The truth of it made her voice tremble.

Derrick pulled her closer. “I should have thought of that,” he said on a husky breath.

“You didn’t know me when I was married to Michael,” she said with a shake of her head. “Even so, I don’t think Jared realizes that is part of what is bothering me.”

Derrick held her until the evening grew cool enough that the warmth of him was not reason enough to stand on the deck. With the sound of footsteps and giggling children drawing closer, Arinna pulled away. Derrick gently brushed tears from her cheeks when he saw her wipe her eyes.

“I really should have thought about that,” he said.

“Thought about what?” Byran said as he realized they stood nearby. He stepped closer, pausing to see Derrick’s arm around Arinna’s waist. “Never mind,” Byran said with a smile. “Just carry on,” he added as Isabella drew alongside. Byran put an arm around his wife and walked with her along the path taking the long way around the house.