Jacinda's Challenge (Imperial 3)

  "Do you need a lift home?" Danton looked at his wrist unit and knew he would be pushing it, but he didn't want his mother to have to use a jitney.

  "No, my transport is just around the corner. I have a little more shopping to do, so I'll just drop off the bags in it." She paused to pull her ringing comm out of her shoulder bag. Seeing Jotham's code she silenced it, not wanting to speak to him on the street and in front of Danton.

  "You have your new transport already?" Danton frowned watching her silence her comm.

  "Yes, apparently Mister Taggs was able to obtain one sooner than he expected." She started walking again.

  "Then my call to him did some good," Danton nodded satisfied.

  "You called him?" Jacinda bit her lip, knowing it was Jotham's call that made the difference.

  "Yes, I know you told me to let you handle it, but I hated the thought of you without a way to get around."

  "Thank you, Danton." She stopped next to her transport unlocking and opening the back door so he could set her packages inside."

  "So you're sending coffee to Aunt Palma now?"

  "No, I'm actually going to Kisurri later this week."

  "You are?"

  "Yes." She looked down as her comm rang again with Jotham's code and frowned, why was he calling again?

  "Why?"

  "Hmmm," Danton’s question brought her back to the present. Silencing the call, she looked to Danton. "Oh, because I was invited. I'll be gone about a week. I was going to call and tell you tonight so you wouldn't think I'd 'disappeared' again."

  "Disappeared?" It was Danton’s turn to frown.

  "Yes, that's what Madame Nitzschke is telling everyone."

  "I'm sorry, Mother. I was just worried. Myesha was gone and she was there."

  "Yes, well, Myesha is going to be there off and on while I'm gone, but feel free to check in on her if you want," she teased.

  "You think I won't?"

  "I know you will, Danton. Myesha is a part of the family. I just don't want you to be concerned if she isn't there. I'll ask her to either call you or leave a note if she goes to visit her children."

  "I'd appreciate that because you're right, she is part of the family." Danton looked at his wrist unit. "I have to go, Mom, or I'll be late for my meeting."

  "Go." Jacinda kissed his cheek. "I'll talk to you when I get back."

  Jacinda watched Danton walk away, proud of the man he'd become then slipped into her transport to return Jotham's call.

  ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

  "Where have you been?" Jotham demanded answering her call on the second ring.

  Jacinda was surprised by the abruptness of his words. "I was out shopping and didn't want to talk to you on the street. What's wrong?"

  "There's been a development and I need to leave for Kisurri tonight."

  "Oh." She tried not to be disappointed. She hadn't realized how much she had been looking forward to spending time with Jotham.

  "I know it's rushing you, but can you be ready to leave by nine?"

  "You still want me to go with you?"

  "Of course! I could handle some things over the comm if you need more time, but we'd still need to leave by the rising of the first sun."

  "You'd do that?" Jacinda sat there unable to hide the disbelieving look on her face. "Delay an important trip? For me?"

  "I would, but I can only delay for so long." He looked away to take something handed to him by Chesney, she assumed, and she noticed the fatigue around his eyes.

  "Did you get any sleep last night?" she asked quietly.

  "No." He wrote on what was given to him, then handed it back.

  "I'll be at the Palace as soon as I can. No later than eight." She knew she would have to rush, but anything she forgot she could purchase in Kisurri.

  "Really?" Jotham's eyes shot back to her in disbelief.

  "On one condition."

  "What's that?"

  "You try and get some rest between now and then."

  "I can only promise to try."

  "Don't make me come over there and force you."

  "You're going to put me to bed?" Jotham found he was grinning at the thought, and knew he wouldn't be getting any rest if she did.

  "Get that look off your face, Jotham Tibullus." Jacinda fought her own grin. "That was supposed to be a threat."

  "It wasn't a very good one."

  "I can see that." She watched something else get handed to him. "You're obviously busy and I have a lot I need to accomplish if I'm going to be there on time, so I'm going to disconnect and get to it."

  "Do you need me to send someone over to assist you? I'm sure Chesney can..."

  "I'm sure Chesney has more than enough to do assisting you. I'll be fine." She quickly reassured him. "I'll see you when I get there. Try to get some rest."

  With that, she quickly disconnected.

  ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

  "Jacinda Michelakakis, what is going on?" Myesha unzipped yet another piece of luggage for her to pack.

  "What are you talking about, Myesha?" She pulled out yet another outfit that, while formal, wasn't too formal to pack. "I told you I was going to Kisurri, I'm just going a few days earlier than planned."

  "Yet you are packing the way you used to when Stephan was alive, and you knew what you wore reflected not only on him but on the House of Protection."

  Jacinda paused, looking at her friend uncertainly. "I am?"

  "Yes. Why are you really going to Kisurri?"

  Jacinda slowly walked over to the bed. She carefully folded and put the outfit in the luggage before sitting down on the bed. "I'm not going by myself, Myesha," she quietly confided.

  "I could tell that. What I can't figure out is why all the secrecy." Myesha sat next to her long-time friend. "We used to talk about everything."

  "I know, but this is... unexpected and complicated..."

  "Jacinda, you are starting to scare me." Myesha took her hand and squeezed it. "You were the wife of one of the most influential Assemblymen in the history of the House of Protection. You set the standard for grace, style, and what an Assemblyman's wife should be. Now you're acting as if you have to somehow step it up for this man. Why? There can't possibly be a man on the planet whose life you believe could demand more of you than what your life with Stephan did."

  "There is," Jacinda whispered.

  "Impossible. For that to be true, it would have to be King..." Myesha's voice trailed off, her eyes widening as she realized what she was saying. What Jacinda wasn't denying.

  "Jacinda..."

  "As I said, it was unexpected and is complicated."

  "Jotham..." Myesha could only whisper.

  "Yes. You can't tell anyone, Myesha."

  "The children don't know?"

  "No, very few know."

  "You were coming from the Palace when you had your accident."

  "Yes."

  "You are going to Kisurri with Jotham."

  "Yes."

  "Praise the ancestors, Jacinda." Myesha surged to her feet, running a shaky hand threw her hair. "He's the King!"

  "I know that."

  "He asked you to accompany him?" Her pacing slowed as she gave her a considering look. "To the House of Knowledge?"

  "Yes."

  "He is not trying to hide it, not if he's taking you there. The High Admiral is one of his oldest friends."

  "I know. I knew them both in the Academy."

  "You did?"

  "Yes."

  "King Jotham has fallen in love again!" A smile broke out across Myesha’s face. "Jotham is in love."

  "He hasn't said that, Myesha."

  Myesha only paused for a moment. "That doesn't matter. He will. He danced with you, the last dance at the Assemblymen's Ball. You're spending time with him at the Palace. He is taking you with him to Kisurri, to the House of Knowledge."

  "We are trying to keep it unofficial."

  "Right, because it will so remain unofficial once you're seen in Kisurri with him." br />
  Jacinda grimaced. "Hopefully that won't happen. We're going for Princess Sabah's christening. There are no public events planned."

  "Good luck with that."

  "Which is why I'm having so much trouble packing."

  "Well, this isn't going." Myesha reached in and pulled out the outfit Jacinda had just folded and put in the luggage. "There are too many visuals of you in this. Why didn't you go shopping?"

  "I was," Jacinda defended herself, but smiled as her friend moved around her room in a determined fashion. "But then Jotham called and we need to leave sooner."

  She watched Myesha go deep into her closet, returning with several hanging bags. Bags that contained clothing she'd purchased for the upcoming Assembly cycle with Stephan. The one he never got the chance to serve at.

  "These will be perfect."

  "I had forgotten about those."

  "I know." She paused to look at her. "Will you be okay wearing them... with Jotham?"

  "I..." Jacinda seriously thought about it. Those outfits had been bought when Stephan had been alive, but he never saw her in them and they would be perfect. "Yes, I'll be okay with it."

  "Good. Now for your shoes...."

  ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

  "Majesty, Madame Michelakakis has just entered the Palace grounds." Chesney stepped into Jotham's office informing him.

  "She is? Already?" He looked at the time and saw she was several hours early.

  "Have Deffand meet her."

  "He is already on the way, Majesty. He ordered the guards to notify him as soon as she passed the gate."

  "Good, have her things put on my shuttle."

  "Of course, Majesty. I'll also have yours loaded. Would you like her escorted directly to the shuttle or to your private quarters?"

  Jotham looked around his desk and started to gather up his papers. There was nothing here he couldn't do on the shuttle. If they left now while it would be late when they arrived, they would still be able to get a good night’s sleep and it had been too long since he'd seen Jacinda.

  "Have Deffand escort her to the shuttle and inform the pilot that we'll be leaving as soon as everyone is on board."

  "Yes, Majesty."

  Chapter Eighteen

  Jacinda silently watched as Jotham answered yet another comm, signed another document, and gave Chesney another order. It had been that way for two hours, Jotham sitting at his desk on the shuttle furiously working.

  When Jotham arrived on the shuttle, he had immediately zeroed in on her, wrapping her up in his arms and soundly kissing her. While the shuttle had taken off, he sat next to her, telling her of the explosion on Nuga, an important mining planet for the Coalition. At first it was believed to be the Regulians, but now they believed members of the House of Knowledge and the House of Protection were involved, which was why they were heading to Kisurri early.

  Jacinda had silently absorbed it all, not wanting to believe it was possible but knew from experience that evil could exist where you least expected it. So, when Jotham had risen after takeoff and moved to the desk, she had said nothing, knowing how important this work was. But now after watching the fatigue grow on his face and in his tone, after listening to some of the comms he was receiving that had nothing to do with the matter at hand, she was beginning to grow angry.

  She was seeing too many similarities between Jotham and Stephan.

  They were both dedicated workaholics who didn't know when it was time to quit.

  She lost Stephan because she hadn't made him slow down, hadn't made sure he had gotten enough rest. If she had done those things, maybe she wouldn't have found him dead in the garden from a massive heart attack, maybe she wouldn't have lost him dozens of cycles before she should have.

  She and Jotham were just beginning this journey together. They were both a little tentative, both a little unsure, but if there was one thing Jacinda was sure of, it was she wanted to create a life with Jotham. A real, true, happy life. One that involved them really being together, not her just sitting here watching him work himself to death. She had been down this path before with Stephan, and she wasn't going to make the same mistakes again.

  She was going to start as she meant to finish. Something she used to tell her children. It was time she did the same. Rising, she walked around to where Jotham was sitting and took the pen from his hand.

  "Jacinda, what are you doing?" Jotham frowned up at her.

  "You need to rest, Jotham. This can wait."

  "I need to get this done."

  "The world isn't going to end if you don't sign off this minute on a report about a proposed new hospital. Not one of the last five comms has been about Nuga. It's time for you to rest."

  Chesney entered the room carrying another stack of papers.

  "Are any of those related to Nuga?" Jacinda demanded, shocking both Jotham and Chesney.

  "Ahh," Chesney looked at the paper then back to Jacinda. "No."

  "Then they can wait as can any comms not related to Nuga. Jotham needs to get some sleep before we arrive in Kisurri. The first sun will be rising only a few hours after we arrive and I'm sure the High Admiral will be up."

  "I..." Chesney's gaze flew to Jotham, obviously not sure what he should do.

  "Jacinda, I need to get this done."

  "Not tonight." She glared at him for a moment then turned her attention to Chesney. "That will be all, Mister Chesney, and please make sure everyone else knows they are not to disturb the King."

  "I...yes... Madame," Chesney stuttered, quietly shutting the door as he quickly left.

  "What do you think you are doing, Jacinda?" Jotham watched as she gathered up all the scattered papers on the desk, unconcerned she was mixing them up and shoved them into a drawer before slamming it shut.

  "I'm doing what Chesney should be doing. What you should be smart enough to do and what I should have done with Stephan. I'm saying enough, and I'm meaning it. You're exhausted. What you're working on can wait, so it's going to. Now come, you're going to lay down and rest."

  ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

  Jotham allowed her to pull him up and lead him back to the bedroom of the shuttle. It was a room he rarely used, preferring to work while en route, but right now he had to admit the bed looked good, especially if Jacinda were lying down next to him.

  He hadn't realized how much time had passed since the shuttle had taken off. He only meant to clear a few things up, but it seemed he had become immersed in his duties, as he always did.

  Jacinda was right. He was tired. He should have realized it and stopped, but even with fatigue making him sluggish, he hadn't missed her reference to Stephan and the guilt she seemed to carry.

  Once in the room, he kicked off his shoes and let himself groan as he rolled onto the bed. Yes, he should have realized he needed this. Rolling onto his back, he opened his arms.

  "Rest with me."

  Having kicked off her own shoes in the outer room, Jacinda climbed onto the bed and settled into his arms with a contented sigh.

  With Jacinda in his arms, Jotham closed his eyes and felt the chaos of his world drift away. How had she known he needed this?

  He needed to ask her.

  He needed to ask her why she felt guilty about Stephan's death.

  And he would.

  In just a minute.

  ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

  Jacinda knew the moment Jotham feel asleep. It didn't take long, a testament to just how exhausted he really was.

  Why had she let him push so hard?

  Why hadn't she said something sooner?

  Was she destined to make the same mistakes again?

  ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

  "You made no mistakes, my love."

  "Stephan?" Searching for his voice she found she was in her garden, the three suns high overhead.

  "Here, my love."

  She found him kneeling in front of the 'mother' rose bush, clipping roses. It was exactly where he had been when he died.

  "Get up!" She i
mmediately reached to make him.

  "Jacinda, it was no more this bush's fault that I died than it was yours."

  "It was. If I had been firmer... paid more attention... gotten to you sooner."

  "It would have made no difference. It was my time to join the ancestors. I had done all I was supposed to and it was time to move on."

  "No! We were supposed to have many more cycles together. You were supposed to be here to see your son become an Assemblyman, to witness your daughter's Union! You were supposed to grow old with me! Carinians now easily live a hundreds cycles. I wanted to share them with you."

  "Oh, my love. I did witness Danton become an Assemblyman. From here. A part of me will always live on in him, thanks to you, just as a part of me lives on in Ethan and Stephanie. That's what makes you my life mate. My life continues because of you. You allowed me to have the life I was meant to have. Without you, none of it would have been possible."

  "Oh, Stephan."

  "Now it is time for you to do the same for Jotham."

  "What?"

  "Did you ever wonder about this plant," he gestured to the rose bush. "Why its blooms changed?"

  "Mother told me it would bloom the House color of the soil it was planted in."

  "Yet it remained Healing Gold until after I met the ancestors."

  "Yes."

  "Your mother wasn't entirely correct in her assumption. She didn't know the whole story behind it."

  "And you do?"

  "I do now. You see, my love, the prince that loved your ancestor, the one that gave you this mark." Stephan’s finger gently traced the three spiral suns that adorned her chest. Looking down Jacinda suddenly realized she was wearing Stephan's favorite nightgown, the one he'd had specially made to reveal those marks.

  "His name was Dallan, and he truly loved Pascua. As proof of that love, he gave her the Tausendjahriger Rosenstock, the ancient symbol of love."

  "If he truly loved her he would have stayed with her."

  "Oh, but it wasn't that simple. For you see, he also loved the woman that would become his Queen."

  "What! That's impossible."