Victoria's Challenge

  “Here you go Peter, Cyndy.” Lucas hands two glasses. Cyndy sniffs then smiles.

  “Whiskey?”

  “Carinian Ale.”

  “Wonderful,” Cyndy says after taking a small sip.

  “Mom, dad, Brett, I’d like to formally introduce you to Colonel Barek Tibullus. He is High Consul for the Coalition Fleet and Lucas’ oldest friend. He’s also one of my best friends.”

  “Barek, this is my brother Brett.” Victoria motions him over.

  “Nice to meet you, Brett.” Barek holds out his hand, remembering, Brett shakes it.

  “My mother, Cyndy Chamberlain.” Barek bows slightly to her and when she holds out her hand, he kisses the top.

  “Truly a pleasure, ma’am, I see where Tori’s beauty comes from.”

  “Well aren’t you a charmer.” Cyndy smiles at him while Peter frowns.

  “And my father, Captain Peter Chamberlain.” Victoria beams.

  “Captain Chamberlain, it is truly an honor to meet you, sir. Cassie and Victoria have told me a great deal about you, about all of you.” His look encompasses all of them. “It’s easy to see where they get their love and commitment to family and friends from.” Barek holds out his hand, waiting.

  Peter stares at him for several minutes before slowly shaking his hand. “You know Cassie, Colonel?”

  “Dad, Uncle William is Barek’s second father.”

  “Second father?”

  “Like what Aunt Cassie is for me, a godparent.”

  “Is that so?” Peter raises an eyebrow, still glaring at Barek.

  “Yes Captain, I visit them whenever I’m on planet.” Barek refuses to be the first to break eye contact.

  “That’s enough boys, stand down.” Startled, both men look at Cyndy. “Don’t look at me like that, Peter Matthew Chamberlain. I’ve lived around you military types long enough to know when you’re playing my gun is bigger than your gun.”

  “Christ, Cyndy!” Peter laughs.

  “Come on everyone, let’s sit.” As chairs and couches are filled, Cyndy directs the conversation.

  “So Barek, what does a High Consul to the fleet do?”

  “I handle disputes that arise between members of the Coalition and make sure our laws are properly and fairly enforced.”

  “You’re a lawyer.”

  “I…” He looks to Tori.

  “Yes, that would be a fair description mom.”

  “Barek handled the Falco matter.” Lucas quietly tells them. “I told them about it.” Barek nods.

  “What happened to her?” Peter demands.

  “She was found guilty on two counts of attempted murder, and one count of sabotage of a Coalition vessel. She was sentenced to life at Vatsa. It’s a prison for the criminally insane.”

  “That’s it?” Peter demands, not at all satisfied.

  “Dad, what did you expect them to do? Yes, she caused a great deal of harm but no one died. She is truly crazy. You should have seen her interview recording. The woman actually thought she was having an ongoing relationship with Uncle William.”

  “Explain to me how you gained access to that recording?” Barek’s voice is deceptively soft. “It was sealed.”

  “Well… let me see… how exactly…” Victoria hedges tapping her chin.

  “Victoria Lynn! Tell me, you didn’t break into those files!” Barek stands towering over her and at 6’ 7” he towers well. Lucas motions to Peter to remain sitting when the man tenses.

  “I did no such thing!” Victoria stands, hands on her hips, squaring off against him. “The file was just sitting there on Jotham’s desk. What was I supposed to do, not look at it?”

  “You were in the King’s private office, alone!” Barek can’t hide the shock in his voice.

  “Oh please!” She flicks her wrist. “Your father told me I could wait inside while he dealt with some pissed off Assemblyman. He knew I wasn’t going to take anything!”

  “No, you just read it! He’s going to be pissed Victoria!”

  “Not if you don’t tell him.” Her eyes plead with him. “It was one time, Barek, over eight cycles ago, come on, I had a right to know! All anyone would ever tell me was that it had been handled and not to worry about it. You could have told me. I asked you. Repeatedly!”

  “You were ten!”

  “So? I needed to know.”

  Barek runs a frustrated hand through his hair. “Victoria Lynn, if I didn’t love you I’d beat you.”

  “But you do. Love me that is, so are we good?” She touches his arm.

  “We’re good.”

  “And Jotham?”

  Barek sees the honest concern in her eyes.

  “I should tell him just to watch you squirm.” He sighs. “Never again, Tori.”

  “I swear. Thank you, Barek.” Stretching up she kisses his cheek, turning back, she realizes everyone’s listening intently.

  “Victoria Lynn Chamberlain.” Cyndy stands up.

  “I am soooo busted.” She whispers out the side of her mouth to Barek.

  “What have I told you about eves dropping?” Cyndy demands.

  “But…

  “You went into a King’s private office and read his files?!” Cyndy questions.

  “Only one…”

  “Madame Chamberlain…” Barek tries to interrupt and is shocked when Cyndy silences him with a look and one finger, indicating that he should wait, before returning her attention to her daughter.

  “This is totally not acceptable. What kind of example are you setting for your brother?”

  “But he wasn’t even born yet!”

  “That’s beside the point young lady.” She turns back to Barek. “Now what were you wanting to say Barek?”

  “Madame Chamberlain, I think you may have misunderstood.”

  “Oh no, I sure I didn’t and call me Cyndy. I hope I can call you Barek since you're part of the family.”

  “I…” For the third time in his life, a Chamberlain woman has him stuttering. Barek lost his mother at such a young age that he isn’t used to a woman treating him as a son. His father yes, even William to a point, but that is men, this is different. Cassie treated him as a contemporary and Victoria a friend but this…. this is an instant acceptance as only a mother can.

  “Of course you may call me Barek and I would be honored to call you Cyndy.”

  “Good.” Cyndy nodded. “Now what do you think I misunderstood?”

  “My inferring that my father would harm Tori, he loves her as if she was his own. She’s had him wrapped around her finger since the day she arrived on Carina.” Barek informs her.

  “I seem to recall her doing that to her grandfather and father too.” Cyndy shoots Peter a disgusted look.

  “What did I do?” Peter raises his hands helplessly. “I’m sitting here not saying a word.”

  “Don’t think I never knew about all those times you took her swimming in that mountain pool when I’d strictly forbidden it.”

  “I… but… Christ… Yes of course, your right pix… Cyndy. I never should have taken my daughter swimming.”

  Barek watches the interaction between the couple a little in awe. Here is this giant of a man, well by Earth standards. A leader of men, stuttering and stumbling all because of a woman barely 5’ 4”, he turns to Lucas smiling.

  “You are so screwed my friend.”

  Lucas returns his smile. “I know, isn’t it great?”

  After dinner, Peter’s eyes nail Barek. “Your father is a King?” Barek tenses, knowing things will change now.

  “Yes. My father is King Jotham of the House of Protection. I am his heir.”

  “What’s that mean?” Brett breaks in on the two men.

  “It means that one day Barek will be the King of the House of Protection,” Victoria tells him.

  “That’s a lot of responsibility for a young man to carry,” Peter says quietly.

  “I’ve always known it was my destiny.”

  “That’s a good thing to k
now,” Cyndy interjects settling in next to her husband. “Knowing one's destiny makes life easier and harder.”

  “Yes.”

  “You ever need a break from the pressure and responsibilities, you come see us. A person needs a place where they can just be if you know what I mean. Jacob, Peter’s father liked to find old furniture and repair it when things were bothering him. And my Peter here, well, he just likes to punch something until he works it through.”

  “So that’s where Victoria it gets from.” Lucas looks at her.

  “I remember when dad used to go into the barn and workout.” Victoria looks to her father and tells him why. “It made me feel close to him when I did the same.” Peter’s eyes fill with tears.

  “It was a good night wasn’t it?” Victoria slips her shoes off as they enter their quarters.

  “It was. Your mother totally charmed Barek, can’t say I’m surprised,” Lucas says securing the door.

  “Mom always had a way about her.”

  “She passed it onto her daughter.” Walking up, Lucas rubs her arms. How is he going to tell her? “Victoria…” Her smile fades.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “Tomorrow… when the Arrow heads back to Carina…”

  “Yes?”

  “I won’t be on it.” He watches the joy leave her eyes.

  “What? Why?” Sighing, he rests his forehead against hers.

  “Stannic. High Command doesn’t want it to appear I’m receiving special treatment, because of who my father is, when it’s one of the charges against Stannic.”

  “It’s not even close to the same thing! Damn it Lucas, I’m tired of this foabhor interfering with my life!” She runs a frustrated hand through her hair. “How long?”

  “Just to the end of my tour, less than two moon cycles.” He kisses his way down to her lips and feels her arms wrap around him. Walking her backwards, he lowers her to their bed never breaking the kiss. Reaching between them, he rips her shirt open filling his hands with the weight of her breasts.

  “Lucas….” She gasps as her head falls back, exposing her neck to his hungry mouth. Her fingers dig into his back when he devours one breast eadai and all. Hooking a leg around his, she arches offering him more. How she’s suddenly naked, she doesn’t know but she’s not going to complain. The most important person in the universe is in her arms, Lucas.

  “You are so beautiful,” He whispers. Bracing himself over her, he can’t take his eyes from her. Her hair, radiating around her, the perfect foil to her pale skin, those vibrant green eyes burning into his full of love and desire for him, only him. In them, he sees everything he’s ever wanted.

  Rising up, she pulls his shirt off. “I need you, Lucas.” She lets her fingernails lightly scrap his abs as she latches onto a nipple.

  “Yes…” Groaning, he cups the back of her head with one hand pulling her leg higher with the other grinding his hips against her. “More!” He demands when she releases him, giving the same attention to the other.

  Sliding her fingers down, she quickly loosens his pants to grip his firm bare ass, grinding him even tighter against her. She cries out when he forces himself away from her to stand but he’s quickly back, settling in between her legs.

  Covering her, he captures her lips in a wild kiss and his shaft nudges her entrance. Wrapping her legs around his hips, she pulls him home into her hot wet sheath. His eyes bore into hers as he moves in her, watching every emotion pass through them, storing them away to relive while they’re apart.

  “Lucas….” Her voice tight with need, nails digging into his shoulders, she’s so close.

  “Give it to me Victoria, all of it!” He demands, pounding into her until her entire body tightens around him. Throwing her head back, she cries out, climaxing hard.

  “Yes!!!!” Lucas roars as she pulls him into heaven.

  There aren’t enough hours in the night for all the love they want to share. Time is their enemy and too soon, it’s stolen away. With her lying across his chest, Lucas runs is fingers through her sweat-dampened hair. They’d slept little during the night, not wanting to waste those precious moments on sleep but now he needs to wake her. The Arrow will arrive soon and she needs to prepare her family.

  “Victoria….” He whispers, kissing her temple. “Victoria honey, you need to wake up.” He runs light fingers up and down her spine.

  “Lucas?” Her voice is rough from lack of sleep and her many cries of satisfaction during the night.

  “You need to wake up, baby. The Arrow will be here soon. We need to get your family ready.” Sad emerald eyes meet his. “Shh, it’s only for a little while. Less than two moon cycles.”

  Burrowing deeper into his arms, she tries to pull herself together. She knows he’s right, after nine cycles, two moon cycles is nothing but she’s going to miss him so much. How can she do this? How can she leave him?

  “Victoria.” She hears the conflict in his voice. She knows he doesn’t want to be separated any more than she does. She has to be strong…. for him. Rising up to rest her chin on her hands on his chest, she smiles. Not the one she usually gives him, she just can’t, but one that conveys her love.

  “It’s okay. I’m okay. I’m expecting lots of communications though.”

  “Every day,” He promises, pulling her up for a deep kiss. Before it can become more, the comm center rings. Sighing, Victoria rolls to her side so Lucas can answer. Watching his firm tight ass walk away from her, it almost makes up for the interruption, almost.

  “Zafar.” He puts it on speaker.

  “Major, the Arrow is three hours out. The High Admiral wants a short turn around so you have four hours.”

  “Understood Admiral, the security detail has been notified?”

  “Yes Major. They’ll be ready.” Lucas disconnects.

  “Security detail?” Victoria rises walking to him.

  “Yes. Dad sent the Arrow before we found out about Stannic. Quinn isn’t taking any chances.” His eyes devour her.

  “I don’t understand?” Unconcerned about her nakedness, she leans a hip against his desk.

  “Because of the leak of classified information, dad has increased security, Quinn handpicked the extra security.” He watched her process the information.

  “Okay, I can understand that. He increased it for Aunt Cassie and the boys?”

  “Yes and throughout the Palace.”

  “Good.” She pushes away from the desk heading for the bathroom. “Are you going to scrub my back or what?” She throws over her shoulder, a teasing smile on her face. Squealing, she runs as Lucas surges out of his chair.

  He knows she needs to get to her family, but Lucas can’t deny himself the pleasure of brushing her hair. He loves her hair.

  “You’ve packed?” He doesn’t like the thought of her things being gone.

  “Just a small bag, I have a closet full of clothes at the Palace. I couldn’t bring myself to….”

  “I’m glad.” His eyes meet hers in the mirror. “It’ll be like you’re still here. I’ll take care of them.” Saying nothing, she nods.

  “If you don’t sit down and relax, I’ll have Bliant give you something and knock you out!” William stands in front of his wife. “Sit!” He points and Cassandra knows she’s pushed him to his limit. Sitting in the conveyance that’s brought them to the landing area, she looks up at the sky.

  “Where are they?” She complains. “Are you sure….”

  “Cassandra!” William has never seen her like this, not even in those first days after the Earth was destroyed. His normally logical, controlled wife is as impatient as a two-cycle child.

  “I know… I know…. I just can’t…”As she goes to stand, his look stops her.

  “They are on their final approach.” He walks over, squatting down to take her trembling hands. “Another five minutes, that’s all and you’ll have your family back.”

  “The rest of my family.” She puts a hand on his cheek. “I can’t wait for you to meet
them William.”

  “I know. I know my love but you have to calm down. It’s not good for you or the baby.”

  “I’m fine.” She takes a calming breath. “I just need to see them, to know it’s real, that they are alive and safe.” Her fingers dig into his hand as the Arrow comes over the wall of the palace and lands. William helps her stand.

  Victoria looks at her family as the Arrow sets down and smiles. They handled the trip to Carina well. She made sure there were visuals available for them to learn about their new home, and she worked with Brett on his reading. Standing, she can’t keep the tears from her eyes, they’re here, they’re safe.

  “Welcome to Carina. Welcome home.”

  Cassandra takes a hesitant step towards the Arrow as the hatch opens. Guards appear first, lining the pathway, reinforcing those already there. Victoria appears next, searching for and finding Cassandra, nodding to her as she steps aside so her father can take his first step onto Carinian soil.

  “Peter!” Cassandra’s strangled cry has Victoria swinging around to see her Aunt breaking away from Uncle William to run towards them. William motions the guards away, while following close behind.

  Peter watches in amazement as his baby sister runs towards him. She’s older, but there is no doubt it’s his Cassie, or that she’s heavily pregnant. He takes no more than a few steps before she launches into his arms. Wrapping his arms around her, he staggers back at the impact, a supporting arm steadying him.

  “Oh God, Peter! Peter, oh God!” Pulling back, she frames his face as tears run down hers unchecked. “Oh God!” She buries her face in his neck.

  Peter closes his eyes and lets himself just absorb the moment. He is holding his baby sister in his arms. She’s not dead. “It’s okay, Cassie. I’m here.” He holds her as close as he can with her stomach protruding the way it is. “Calm down Cass, you’ll make yourself sick.” His childhood nickname only has her crying harder.

  “Cassandra.” Its William’s concerned voice that finally gets through to her. Pulling away slightly, she gently kisses away the tears streaming down her big brother’s gaunt face.

  “I’m okay.” She looks at her husband, seeing the concern in his eyes. “William… William this is my brother, Peter.”