Jacinda's Challenge (Imperial 3)

  Jacinda had dropped down to her knees hugging the boy. "It beautiful, Brett."

  "You really like it?" he asked with questioning eyes.

  "I do, there's just one problem with it."

  "What's that?" he whispered.

  "You didn't sign it." Jacinda smiled at him. "Would you? Then I can have it matted and framed because I know just where I want to hang it."

  "Really? You're going to hang it up?"

  "I am. So will you sign it for me?"

  "I didn't know I was supposed to..." He frowned at the drawing. "Where?"

  "Well most artists sign it in one of the lower corners, where it can be seen but not distract from the drawing, but it's up to you where you want it."

  "Mom?" Brett looked up to Cyndy, silently begging her for help.

  "Sign it here, Brett." Cyndy pointed at a spot about an inch up from the lower right hand corner. "That way people can still see it when it's framed."

  "Both my names?" he asked.

  "Yes, baby," Cyndy told him.

  After clearing a spot on the table, Brett carefully took the portrait from Jacinda and set it down. Reaching down, he pulled out his precious colored pencils and after several moments of contemplation chose a color.

  They all watched as, biting his lower lip, Brett very carefully printed his name.

  Brett Chamberlain.

  "Is that okay?" His concerned little eyes turned to Jacinda.

  "It's perfect, Brett. Thank you." Leaning down she kissed his cheek and Brett blushed.

  "Can I go play with the boys now?" Brett looked to his father.

  "Go ahead," Peter told him smiling.

  With that, Brett carefully put away his art supplies, grabbed his bag, and took off running.

  "Thank you, Jacinda. You made his day." Cyndy squeezed her arm.

  "He made mine. I can't wait to get this up. You really have to see about getting him an art teacher."

  "Already done," Cyndy told her. "Cassandra contacted Director Birgin and he recommended someone that will be here today."

  It had taken several more moments of hugs and goodbyes before Jotham had been able to escort her to the shuttle, and they had departed for Pechora.

  ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

  "He is truly talented," Jotham told her leaning over to gaze at the portrait. "Do you really have a place to hang it?"

  "Oh yes, it's going right above that small table along the wall between the living room and kitchen." She already knew the mat and frame she wanted.

  "On the wall between the living room and kitchen?" Jotham frowned thinking about where she was suggesting and what was already there. "But that's in the main traffic area of the house. You already have an arrangement of visuals there. All of you and Stephan."

  "Mm-hmm," she said absently, still looking at the drawing. "I'll find somewhere else for them. I always wanted just one visual there but never found one large enough that seemed right. This will be perfect."

  "You would take the other ones down?" Jotham didn't try to hide his shock. "The visuals of Stephan and put one up that included me?"

  "Yes." Jacinda frowned at him. "Why are you so shocked?"

  "I don't know, I guess I just didn't expect you to be willing to replace Stephan with me."

  "I'm not," Jacinda instantly denied, turning to face him. "You can never replace Stephan, Jotham, and I don't say that to be hurtful, but Stephan was my husband for nearly thirty cycles. We had children together. He will always be an important part of my life, of my past, one that I will always proudly display and talk about, but that doesn't mean I can't make room for you. You are part of my future and I'm just as proud of that."

  Jotham felt his throat tightening as she spoke, never in his life had he felt so humbled yet overcome all at the same time. Jacinda was making room for him, not just in her life, but in her home, in her family, and in her memories. She was willing to openly display to everyone just how important he was to her without reducing Stephan's importance. It was something he had never thought possible, but again, she was proving him wrong.

  "I don't know what to say," he told her leaning forward to kiss her. "Except that I love you and I will forever thank the ancestors for bringing you into my life."

  ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

  Jacinda let out a heavy sigh when she was finally able to close her front door and shut everyone out.

  Jotham hadn't wanted her to go home. He had wanted her to go stay at the Palace with him, even though he would be busy until after ten with meetings catching up on all that had occurred while he was gone.

  They had argued, but he'd finally agreed she needed to return home as long as she took Deffand with her and let him sweep the house before she entered.

  Jacinda had only agreed because he allowed her to notify Myesha before they arrived, so she wouldn't be alarmed.

  "I take it, it went well?" Myesha asked in a way of a greeting.

  "Yes and no," Jacinda informed her, collapsing on the couch.

  "Oh, you are going to have to explain that, Jacinda Michelakakis." Myesha handed her one of the glasses of wine she'd poured when she knew Jacinda was on her way. She knew her longtime friend/employer, and whenever she returned from a trip, the first thing she always wanted was to relax with a glass of wine.

  "Oh bless you, Myesha." Jacinda took a small sip before she started. "Well, let's see. After a rather bumpy start, Cassandra and I were finally able to find some common ground."

  "The Queen took a disliking to you?" Myesha demanded.

  Jacinda smiled at her friend bristling on her behalf. "I won't say it was 'dislike' exactly, it was more her being reserved and cautious. I am a stranger after all, one brought in to the inner sanctum of her family. It didn't help that I took her sister-in-law Cyndy out of the Palace to meet Palma... without Royal Guards."

  Myesha choked on the wine she'd just sipped. "Without Royal Guards? Jacinda! What were you thinking?!!"

  "I wasn't," Jacinda admitted. "I just wanted to get her to Palma."

  "Why?"

  "Because back on Earth, before she had Victoria, Cyndy had been a professional singer."

  "Really?" Myesha gave her an intrigued look. "Was she any good?"

  "If her voice now, which she claims is rusty, is anything to go by, then she must have been exceptional."

  "Palma thought so too?"

  "Oh yes."

  "I still can't believe you didn't take any Royal Guards. Praise the ancestors, Jacinda, she is a Princess!"

  "I know, and, believe me, Cassandra tore into me about it, but in the end it worked out. Cyndy is going to meet with Birgin and he's even going to meet with their son, Brett." Jacinda smiled wishing she could be there to see Birgin's reaction to Brett's drawings. She would have to remember to call him and find out.

  "Why would Birgin want to meet with Brett?"

  Instead of answering, Jacinda opened the folder she'd set on the coffee table and slid it toward Myesha.

  "Oh... my... ancestors...." she whispered in awe, making sure she set her glass far away before leaning in for a closer look. "I thought he was just a boy, a child."

  "He just turned nine," Jacinda told her.

  "What!" Myesha's eyes flew to Jacinda and saw her nod that it was true. "This is amazing."

  "I know. I'm going to contact Kasmira to have it matted and framed."

  "But Kasmira restores art."

  "I know but, Myesha, this is truly a masterpiece. A first of many I believe that we will be seeing from Brett Chamberlain and I want it treated properly from the very beginning."

  "It will also help that she's family and won't tell anyone of the subject matter."

  "Well, there is that but I don't care who she tells. It's going to get out sooner rather than later... it already is."

  "What are you talking about?" Myesha demanded. "I haven't said anything to anyone!"

  "Oh, Myesha! No! I'm not saying it's because of you! I never doubted you wouldn't say anything. No, I'm talking about Step
hanie."

  "Stephanie?"

  "Yes. It seems she and Palma ran into each other and Palma told her I was in Kisurri and that she needed to talk to me. She found me in the Public Wing of the Palace and... let's just say she didn't take my being there with Jotham well."

  "She'll come around, Jacinda." Myesha reached over to squeeze her hand. "It just surprised her. You know how she idolized her father. She's not going to like anyone else at your side. King or not. Give her some time."

  "That's just the problem, there isn't going to be much time." Jacinda took a deep breath then looked at her friend. "I'm going to be attending the Royal Ball... at Jotham's side."

  "Jacinda...." Myesha's hand covered her mouth in shock. "The arrival of the Royals at that Ball is broadcast not only across the planet but also throughout the fleet! You arriving on Jotham's arm..."

  "I know. I need to talk to Danton and Ethan about it, so they're prepared." With a sigh, she finished her wine and stood. "I guess I should get on that. Myesha..."

  "I'll unpack for you. Don't worry."

  "Thank you, my friend." Jacinda turned to leave then paused and turned back. "Are you going to be okay with this, Myesha? With all these changes? Jotham has insisted I have security which means they are going to be around the house. Watching and checking on who’s coming and going and that includes you."

  "I'll be fine with it, Jacinda." Myesha tipped her head to the side, thinking. "You know, the real problem is going to be Madame Nitzschke."

  "Oh, praise the ancestors!" Jacinda closed her eyes, her laugh holding no humor. "I'd forgotten about her."

  "Yeah, well we'd better warn your security. They may be the ones in need of protection if she gets hold of one of them."

  ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

  "Young man! Young man!"

  Lieutenant Green turned from speaking to another guard and frowned at the woman making her way up the sidewalk. He didn't believe her to be a threat, except to his sense of style because the clash of colors and patterns she was wearing hurt his eyes.

  "Young man, I want you gone! This a respectable neighborhood and I won't have you loitering around here." When she turned to make her way up the drive, Kort moved to intercept her.

  "Madame, I'm sorry, but I can't allow you any further," he told her firmly.

  "Allow me!" Madame Nitzschke shrieked. "Allow me? This is my neighborhood, young man! Do you know who I am?"

  Kort wasn't about to admit that he didn't. The last few days had been a whirlwind of assessing and choosing the correct guards as King Jotham had ordered for Madame Michelakakis. They were still compiling information on her family, friends, and neighbors.

  "Madame Nitzschke," Jacinda called out having just stepped out her front door when she'd heard her neighbor start in on Lieutenant Green. "How are you today?"

  "I'm upset that's what I am! How dare you, Jacinda! This is a respectable neighborhood and you have men lining up outside your house!"

  Green looked at the woman in shock. Did she really think they were here to see Jacinda? He saw Jacinda wasn't shocked.

  "Madame Nitzschke," Jacinda clenched her teeth. "I would like to introduce you to Lieutenant Kort Green. If you notice his uniform, you will see he is a member of King Jotham's Royal Guard."

  "You think that makes it okay that he and all these other men," she waved her hand around wildly, "are loitering around out here!"

  "We are not loitering," Kort stepped between the two women. He had enough of this old biddy. "We are Madame Michelakakis' security."

  "Security! What have you done now, Jacinda?" Madame Nitzschke demanded trying to step around Green, who was blocking her. "Move, young man."

  "No." Green gave the woman a hard look and several other guards moved in to back up their Lieutenant.

  "Lieutenant," Jacinda put a careful hand on his arm. "Let me by. I have known Madame Nitzschke for cycles. She's no threat... except to someone with fashion sense." She said the last part quietly and while she heard the other guards snort, her eyes remained focused on Green. When he finally nodded, she stepped around him.

  "Madame Nitzschke, I'm sorry I wasn't able to give you advance notice of the added security around my home. I've always appreciated your concern for your neighbors safety and welfare."

  Madame Nitzschke sniffed at her, but she did stand a little taller. "Someone has to do it."

  "I know and you've been doing a wonderful job. Lieutenant Green here," she gestured behind her, "and several of his men are now going to be patrolling around my home."

  "Why?"

  "There's no reason for you to know that. What you need to know is that you don't have to worry about them being here." Jacinda smiled at her. "Now if you'll excuse me, I was just on my way out. Have a wonderful evening, Madame Nitzschke." Turning, Jacinda walked away.

  Kort watched as Madame Nitzschke gave him and his men one last go over before she spun on her heel and clicked away. Turning, he found Jacinda moving toward her transport.

  "Madame Michelakakis!" He ran to catch up with her. "What are you doing? Where do you think you're going?"

  "I have some errands to run, Lieutenant."

  "I wasn't informed you were going anywhere."

  "Well, I'm informing you now."

  "That's not how it works, Madame Michelakakis. You must inform me first and then I will decide if it advisable."

  "Look, Lieutenant." Jacinda rounded on him, causing him to take a quick step back. "I know you have a job to do, but I have a life to live and I am not going to let you decide if I can. Right now, I'm going to Comorin to have last meal with my second son, Ethan, and his family at his home. Now, you can either get in my transport with me, get into yours and follow behind me, or stay here. I really don't care, but I'm going." Sliding behind the wheel she slammed her door.

  Kort found himself racing around the transport getting in the passenger side, as he yelled for the men he wanted to follow and the ones he wanted to stay behind.

  "Now, Lieutenant," Jacinda spoke as she backed out of her drive. "We need to set some ground rules."

  "Ground rules?"

  "Yes. First, my name is Jacinda. I understand there will be times you will need to address me as Madame Michelakakis, but I prefer Jacinda. Second, I will try and I stress the word try, to give you advance notice of where I am going and when. I'm new to this level of security so you're going to have to be patient with me."

  "Madame Michelakakis..." When she gave him a hard look before returning her gaze back to the road, he quickly corrected himself. "Jacinda, my job is to keep you safe, no matter what."

  "I understand that, Kort. May I call you Kort?"

  "I... yes, of course," Kort stuttered.

  "Good. Now back to the matter at hand. I understand your job, but what you have to understand is that there isn't anyone out there that wants to hurt me."

  "You can't be sure of that, especially now that you are with the King. There are bound to be some that are not happy about that."

  That had Jacinda quietly thinking. There were going to be some that would be upset that she and Jotham were together. To the purists, she would always be from the House of Healing and that meant she should never be with someone from the House of Protection.

  "Point taken, Kort."

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  "Oh, Jacinda, it's so good to see you. Come in." Kasmira hugged her mother-in-law pulling her into the house.

  Kasmira absolutely adored Jacinda, although it hadn't started out that way. Jacinda had intimidated her at first, after all she was the wife of a powerful Assemblyman, she was beautiful, and she was the mother of the man she loved. It hadn't taken her long to realize that while Jacinda was all those things, she was also just a woman that loved her children and wanted them to be happy. After that, they became great friends.

  "Ethan is running late, you know how that is." She was about to shut the door when she saw the man standing there... a man wearing a Royal Guard uniform. "Ah... Jacinda."

&n
bsp; "Hmm?" Jacinda looked behind her. "Oh. Kort, this is my daughter-in-law Kasmira Michelakakis. Kasmira, this is Lieutenant Kort Green of the King's Royal Guard."

  "Ma'am," Kort nodded to Kasmira.

  "Lieutenant," Kasmira replied. "Please, won't you come in?"

  "No thank you. Madame Michelakakis, we will be outside." With a slight bow, he turned and walked down the path.

  Kasmira slowly closed the door then turned to give Jacinda a questioning look.

  "Yes, I know I need to explain, that's why I'm here. But first, where are my grandsons?"

  "They're at a sleepover. I'm sorry. They were already gone when you said were coming. Do I need to go get them?"

  "No." Jacinda was disappointed but realized it was probably for the best. "Let them stay. This is going to be difficult enough without upsetting them too."

  "Jacinda?" Kasmira put a concerned hand on her arm. "Are you okay?"

  "I'm fine." Jacinda squeezed her hand reassuringly. "Honestly, I just have some news I need to tell you and Ethan."

  "Okay." But Kasmira didn't sound convinced. "Let’s go into the living room and sit down. Ethan shouldn't be much longer."

  "Could we go into your workshop instead?"

  "My workshop?"

  "Yes, I have something I'd like you to frame for me." She lifted her hand to show her the large folder she carried.

  "Alright."

  ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

  Kasmira stared in astonishment at the drawing before her. She didn't know what to say. What to feel. Intellectually, she could look at it, and know she should be seeing a simple, pencil-colored drawing because that is what it was. But emotionally, it was so much more. Every line was perfectly placed, capturing the motion and emotion of the couple on the paper.

  It was a masterpiece.

  It was shocking.

  It was Jacinda and King Jotham.

  Personally, she didn't know how to react to that. How would Ethan?

  "The artist is Brett Chamberlain."

  "Chamberlain?" Kasmira forced her gaze from the content of the drawing to the signature in the lower corner, no not a signature but a carefully printed name by what seemed to be a childish hand.