Cassandra's Challenge

  “So why am I dancing with Jotham?”

  “As your host, it’s his choice.” She gives him a serious look.

  “If he has a choice then why? Won’t it be perceived he supports my Challenge?”

  “It will. You’ve impressed him, I never doubted it.”

  “William?”

  “Jotham knows what he’s doing.” He gives her a quick kiss. “Now for your dance lesson.”

  “Oh God, I’m a lousy dancer.”

  “Nice to know there’s something you’re not good at.” Stepping away he puts a foil in the comm. “Quinn gave me this for you.” Pulling out the second foil he puts in on the table. “Why are you interested in the Battle of Fayal?”

  “It’s not so much the battle as the Regulian ship. Something’s there, I just don’t know what.”

  As the music starts he pulls her into his arms. While it’s different from Earth music it still has a rhythm, it is almost classical.

  “This is what will be playing tonight?” Cassandra puts her arms around his neck as he pulls her closer, rubbing his hands up her back.

  “Or something similar, it will be very formal music.”

  “And this is formal dancing?” She strokes his neck.

  “No, this is me wanting to hold you.” Leaning down he captures her lips. He needs to hold her, just for awhile. Running through all the possibilities with Quinn and Marat brought home just how vulnerable she is going to be tonight. Even with extra security. Here in his arms she’s safe.

  Giggles have him lifting his head to find Victoria and Lucas in the doorway. Victoria smiling Lucas looking faintly embarrassed.

  “Hi Admiral, whatcha doing?” Victoria plops down on the couch.

  “Teaching your Aunt how to dance.” William hears Lucas’ snicker.

  “Good luck.” Tori giggles again.

  “Hey! I’m not that bad.” Cassandra complains.

  “Yes you are.”

  “Then we’d better get serious here.” He smiles at Cassandra as he moves her arm distance away. “One hand here.” He puts one on his shoulder. “The other in my hand. My hand goes right here.” He puts it on her waist. “Now follow me.”

  Watching his feet Cassandra follows, frowning in concentration.

  “There’s no frowning while dancing.” William tips her chin up. “Look at me.” With the hand at her waist he guides her around the room, moving around furniture to circle back.

  “It’s a waltz!” Cassandra suddenly realizes.

  “It’s called a valsa.” William corrects her.

  “Valsa.” She commits it to memory.

  “I think you were teasing me Tori. Your Aunt dances just fine.”

  “Well yeah, this kind of dancing, but she looks silly when she dances for real.”

  “I’d say it was the partner.” Cassandra smiles at him. As the music stops he pulls her in for a kiss.

  “This is just with me too.” He says against her lips.

  “Good to know.” Her eyes smile at him.

  “Now me Admiral.” Victoria jumps up off the couch.

  “You?” They both look down at her. “I thought this wasn’t real dancing.”

  “I’ll have to learn it sometime won’t I?”

  “Yes. Yes you will, so…” William looks at Cassandra a little at a loss at how to start.

  “Have her stand on your feet.” Cassandra backs away, enjoying watching them.

  “So Cassie shall we?” Lucas holds out his hand. Sliding hers into his he waltzes her around the room. While Lucas isn’t as smooth as his father, he is good.

  “So who taught you to dance?” Cassandra asks.

  “Mom, she really liked to dance. When dad was away Kyle and I filled in.” Lucas looks at her suddenly worried he’d said too much. But Cassandra’s eyes remain clear.

  “She did a good job. It’s a good memory.”

  “Yeah it is.”

  “My turn to dance with Lucas.” Victoria demands.

  Lucas steps back from Cassandra, gives her a slight bow then turns to Tori. Smiling Cassandra walks into William’s arms.

  “I told Hutu to send up third meal at 1730. That’ll give you time to eat before you need to change.”

  “Will there be any fudge torta?” Cassandra can’t stop herself from asking.

  “I’ll see what he can do.” He smiles at her. “You need to rest until then.”

  “I will but first I …” She’s interrupted by his portable comm.

  “Zafar.”

  “Admiral, I have King Jotham on the comm for you.”

  “I’ll be right down.” Gently he touches Cassandra’s cheek. “Lucas, you’re with me.” Together the two Zafar men leave.

  “Well Victoria what do you want to do?”

  “Can I go to Amina’s? I want to tell her I learned to valsa.”

  “I’ll walk you over.” She holds out her hand.

  Returning to an empty suite Cassandra pauses. She doesn’t feel like resting, not without William. She hasn’t told him about their child. Hoping he’ll be back soon she goes to the comm and puts in Quinn’s memory foil.

  “Princess?”

  Cassandra looks up to find Hutu has entered the suite.

  “Hutu? What is it?”

  “I’ve brought up third meal.”

  “What?” She looks at the clock time has slipped away from her. Looking back to Hutu she sees he’s carrying only one plate. “The Admiral’s been detained.”

  “Yes Princess. He said to eat without him.”

  “Of course.” She’d arranged for Victoria to eat with the Michelakakis’ so she and William could talk. Trying to hide her disappointment she smiles at Hutu. “Is there any fudge torta left?” Hutu lifts the cover to show her the slice of cake.

  “Thank you Hutu. Is there enough for the Michelakakis’?”

  “Yes Princess.”

  “Would you make sure they get some with third meal.”

  “Yes Princess.”

  “Thank you Hutu.” As he leaves she walks over to look at the meal Hutu has prepared. It smells and looks delicious sitting down Cassandra finds she has no appetite. She wanted to share this meal with William, to tell him he is going to be a father again. Knowing she needs to eat, not just for her but for the baby she picks up the forc. After several bites her stomach begins to revolt. Taking slow deep breaths she tries to calm her stomach.

  “No, that’s not going to work.” On a dead run she hits the bathroom. After several minutes she’s able to stand. Looking in the mirror she sees she’s still slightly green.

  “Crap.” Still shaky she takes a sip of water, waiting to see what happens. When it’s not immediately heaved back up she forces herself to move. Walking through the bedroom her stomach starts to settle, until the smell of food hits her. Quickly crossing the room she covers the plate and carries it to the formal living area.

  “No more of that.” Returning to the private area she looks at the clock. 1815. She needs to start getting ready, especially if she has to move slowly.

  William checks the time. 1845. He needs to get upstairs and change.

  “You understand the changes Jotham made?” He looks at Lucas.

  “Yes. I’ll handle it. You need to go.”

  Giving Lucas one last look he heads upstairs. In the bedroom he finds Cassandra in a black robe brushing damp hair. Seeing him she gives him a gentle smile.

  “Hi.” Leaning down he kisses her.

  “Hi yourself.”

  “I need to get cleaned up.”

  “It’s all yours.” After another quick kiss he heads for the shower.

  “Cassandra?” Turning to the sound of Javiera’s voice Cassandra walks out to the private area.

  “Javiera, what’s wrong?”

  “It’s Victoria.”

  “What? What’s happened?”

  “I don’t know, one minute we’re all talking and the next she wants to come home. She’s near tears. She’s in her room.” Javiera gestures towar
ds her suite.

  “Okay, I’ll handle it.”

  “Cassandra, you need to be gone in less than an hour.” But Javiera’s talking to an empty room.

  “Tori?” Finding the bed empty she quickly scans the room. Victoria is sitting in the window seat, hugging her knees to her chest.

  “Tori? What’s wrong?” Cassandra sits across from her. Sad green eyes look at her.

  “Tell me. Maybe I can make it better.”

  “You can’t.” Her sad voice tells her.

  “Tell me anyway.” She takes her hands in hers.

  “Do you know what today is?”

  “Today?”

  “Yeah, on Earth, do you know what today is?”

  Mind racing Cassandra thinks, it’s been fifty-one days since the Earth was destroyed. That had been early March.

  “It’s Mother’s Day.” Victoria whispers. “I only remembered because Amina was talking about all the different holidays they have here on Carina. How could I forget about mom?” Huge tears run silently down her cheeks.

  “Oh sweetie.” Cassandra pulls her into her arms. “I’m sorry…I didn’t think…..” She’s at a loss. She hadn’t celebrated Mother’s Day since her own had died. It always made her sad, thinking about what she no longer had. But for Victoria it was different.

  “They were going to tell me the big secret today.” Victoria burrows into Cassandra.

  “Big secret?” Cassandra’s stomach sinks, could Victoria have known.

  “Yeah, I was going to have a baby brother.” Cassandra closes her eyes pulling the trembling little body closer to her.

  “I know.” Tears seep out as she bows her head to Victoria’s.

  William is surprised to walk into an empty bedroom. He hadn’t been that long, Cassandra shouldn’t be ready yet. Walking into the closet he pulls on pants and a shirt before realizing the dress bag hanging open still has the dress in it. Something is wrong.

  In the private living quarters he finds Javiera.

  “Where’s Cassandra?”

  “In Victoria’s room.” She points to the partially closed door William’s stomach clenches.

  Entering the room he finds them wrapped together in the window seat. Walking over he hears Victoria say something about a big secret. But what she says next freezes him in his tracks.

  “I was going to have a baby brother.”

  “I know.” William sees the tears running down Cassandra’s cheeks as she comforts her niece for the brother she’d never know.

  It is easy to forget all these two have lost. They stood so well, adapting to all the changes. They make it easy on everyone else, to not to think about what they no longer had. Closing the distance between them he kneels down wrapping his arms around them both, pulling them close. Cassandra looks at him with sad eyes.

  “Snuck up on you?”

  “Yeah, both of us, you heard?”

  “Yeah.” Watery green eyes turn to him.

  “Hi Admiral.” The voice has none of the life in it from earlier in the day.

  “Hi Tori, tough one huh?” She only nods. “I’m sorry.”

  “It’s not your fault. Did you know I was supposed to have a baby brother?”

  “No, I didn’t.” William lets her talk.

  “I was. It was a secret. Mommy and daddy were going to tell me today. It’s Mother’s Day on Earth. I wasn’t supposed to know but I accidently heard them talking.”

  “Accidently?” Cassandra questions.

  “It wasn’t my fault they didn’t know I wasn’t in bed.” Victoria’s voice loses some sadness.

  “Of course not, they should have realized you were up.”

  “Yeah.” She’s quiet for a moment. “Anyway mom told dad it was a boy and that I would be a great big sister.”

  “You would have been.” William tells her.

  “I would have liked that.” The three are silent.

  “Aunt Cassie?”

  “Yeah?”

  “Aren’t you supposed to be somewhere?”

  “It can wait.” Cassandra looks at William and sees he’s in agreement.

  “But you’ll be late.”

  “So?”

  “So you hate to be late.” Shocked green eyes look into hers.

  “Some things are more important than being on time.”

  “Like me?”

  “Like you. I love you Victoria Lynn.”

  “I love you too.” Green eyes turn to William. “I love you too Admiral.” Tori wraps her arms around his neck.

  “I love you Victoria.” William hugs her tightly.

  “Aunt Cassie?”

  “Yeah?” She has to swallow the lump in her throat.”

  “I left my fudge torta over at Amina’s.”

  “Oh really?” She raises an eyebrow.

  “Yeah. Do you think I could go back over and eat it?”

  “Oh I don’t know. Maybe we should just throw it away.”

  “NO!!! Admiral, don’t let her!” Things were back to normal.

  “I think you Aunt’s teasing you.” William realizes it too.

  “So can I go back?” Her eyes plead.

  “Let’s go.” Rising up William helps them both stand. Walking out of the bedroom they find Javiera waiting.

  “Victoria’s hoping to go back with you and eat her dessert.” Cassandra tells Javiera.

  “Then we’d better hurry before Leander gets to it. He has a terrible sweet tooth.” Javiera looks at Cassandra then taking Victoria’s hand leaves.

  “What time is it?” Cassandra asks as she hustles back to the bedroom.

  “1930.” William informs her.

  “Shit! How bad is it going to be, showing up late?”

  “It couldn’t be helped. I’ll contact Jotham, let him know. After that it’s his call.” He watches as Cassandra sheds her robe on the way to the closet. She’s wearing black eadai with black leggings.

  “His call?” She hasn’t noticed William’s distraction.

  “On whether to start without you or wait.” He follows her into the closet.

  “Start what?”

  “The Ball. You and he will have the first dance.”

  “What?” She turns into his arms.

  “First dance. You. Jotham.”

  “Oh crap!”

  “It’ll be fine.” Pulling out his portable comm he contacts the King.

  “Jotham.”

  “We’re going to be late.” William tells his friend and King.

  “Excuse me?”

  “There was a situation here that had to be resolved. We should be there by 2030.” William runs his fingers over Cassandra’s collar bone.

  “I hope it was important.”

  “It was.” William disconnects as his mouth swoops down to capture hers.

  “William.” She gasps as he lets her up for air. “We have to get ready.”

  “We will, in a minute.” Lifting her, her legs wrap around him. Trusting him to support her, Cassandra’s hands release him taking him in. Pressing her against the wall William drives into her.

  “Yes!” Cassandra exclaims as he fills her. Already trembling she pulls his mouth to hers, losing herself in his taste. Moments later the world explodes.

  Holding her close, William rests his forehead against hers. She is his world. Holding her in his arms he holds everything.

  “William.” Raising his head he looks into beautiful sapphire blue eyes. Eyes full of love, for him. “We’re going to be late…er.” Those eyes smile into his.

  “Yes we are.” Reluctantly he releases her.

  “Dad?” William is pulling on his jacket when he hears his son’s voice.

  “I’ll take care of it.”

  “You’re late. You told Marat 1945, its 2000.”

  “There was a problem with Victoria.”

  “Victoria! Why wasn’t I told.” Lucas turns to leave.

  “Wait!” The authority in his father’s voice stops him. “It wasn’t something you could help with.
It involved her mom and dad.”

  “Oh.”

  “Lucas. Victoria’s mom was going to have a baby, a baby boy.”

  “Oh shit.”

  “She just needed her Aunt.”

  “Okay.” He looks at his father. “How’s she doing?”

  “Bouncing back, she’s a tough little girl.” Both turn as Cassandra enters the room.

  Tonight she’s in black, from neck to toe. The material clings to her curves until just below the top of her thighs then it separates into panels that tease the eye. Making you think you would see bare leg, instead black leggings. Her forearms are wrapped in the same material with strings of colored crystals connected to shoulder cuffs providing sparkle to the satiny material. Her hair left down, just grazing those shoulders.

  Cassandra looks at William. He’s in a different uniform, the pants deep violet with a black strip down the leg. His jacket snowy white making all his decorations stand out and sparkle. He is a handsome sight.

  “Crap Cassandra, you’re going to put Yakira to shame.” It’s the first time Lucas has seen her in her ‘Royal’ clothes.

  “What?” She pulls her gaze away from William.

  “He thinks you look beautiful.” William gives his son a hard look.

  “That’s exactly what I meant.”

  “We need to go.” William holds out his arm, she slips her hand into it.

  “Victoria.” Cassandra looks at Lucas.

  “Dad filled me in, I’ll head straight over it’ll be fine.”

  “She’ll want to go to bed early. It’s her way, her bed.”

  “I’ll keep her safe.”

  “Cassandra.” William waits.

  “Okay, let’s go.”

  The arrival of the Challenger doesn’t go unnoticed. Her escorts are all dressed in the formal white Coalition jackets, the pants indicating their House. The violet color a perfect foil for the black of the Challenger’s dress, the crystal sleeves sparkling.

  As Cassandra and the Admiral move into the room Marat and Tar stay a step behind, eyes scanning the crowd. A servant approaches offering tray of drinks in crystal glasses.