Jacinda's Challenge (Imperial 3)

“In his defense, Kia, Danton is a new Assemblyman and single. He has no idea how much time wives put into selecting their dress.”

  “Where did he think you were going to find a gown?”

  “In my ‘closet full’ of gowns.” Her words had Kia spinning around so quickly that Jacinda found herself taking a quick step back.

  “Seriously?!!” Kia spat out. “He thought you’d just go into your closet and pull out something? You! You are Jacinda Michelakakis, the late Assemblyman Stephan Michelakakis’ wife! You set the standard for elegance in the House of Protection! Every woman there tried to imitate you and never could! And he expects you to make your return wearing something ten cycles old? Oh, I could just wring that boy’s neck!”

  “I…” Jacinda looked at Kia in shock. “I… well thank you, Kia, but I’m not sure that’s true.”

  “Don’t argue with me, Jacinda Michelakakis. I’m a designer and I know what I saw and I know how many of those obnoxious women used to come to me demanding to know what you were going to be wearing so they could try to outdo you.”

  “They did?”

  “Of course they did, especially that obnoxious Madame Pajari. She went as far once as to try and bribe one of my assistants to steal a design.”

  “Seriously? Adelaide Pajari did that?” Jacinda while surprised, could see Adelaide Pajari doing just that. Adelaide’s husband, Elliott, had never been a very strong Assemblyman. He always wavered in his decisions, playing both sides. He would wait to see what the ‘popular’ vote was before he would cast his. He should have lost his position cycles ago, but still he kept being re-elected.

  “Yes, so after that I banned her from my shop.” Kia reached into a cabinet and pulled out a nondescript garment bag. “Now this just might work.”

  Gasping as one, all three women stared in astonishment at the gown revealed as Kia removed the protective covering. It was a long, trumpet mermaid-style gown in black. With a scooped neckline that was sheer, except for the violet beading around the edges that formed a thick ‘necklace’ before it moved down the bodice to create an intricate medallion snuggled between the bra cups.

  “I designed this gown cycles ago, playing with what Cassandra had told me about Earth fashions. I’ve always loved it, but once we arrived here, there never seemed to be the appropriate occasion to present it to Cassandra.”

  “Why wouldn’t there be?” Palma asked.

  “Because it speaks too strongly of the House of Protection, so she could never wear it for a formal event, not now that she is the Queen,” Kia told her.

  “Kia, it’s beautiful,” Jacinda whispered, her eyes traveling over the gown taking in its detailed simplicity.

  “Thank you and I think with just a few alterations it will fit you perfectly.”

  “Me?” Jacinda’s eyes shot to Kia. “Kia, I love it. It’s amazingly beautiful, but I couldn’t possibly wear it. I’m too old for it.”

  “Oh please,” Kia waved her hand dismissively. “I don’t care how old you are. You don’t look a day over forty cycles and when you were forty, you so would have worn this.”

  “I would have but…”

  “But what?”

  “I’m going with my son, Kia, not Stephan.”

  “So what? You are making your return, Jacinda, and I’m going to make sure you do it in style. Especially since that twit Adelaide will be there. What I wouldn’t give to see her reaction when you walk in wearing this.”

  “I second that.” Palma walked up to her sister, wrapping her arm around her waist.

  “Palma…” Jacinda gave her sister a put-out look.

  “At least try it on, Jacinda,” Palma encouraged seeing the desire in her eyes. “You know you want to. If you don’t like it, then we’ll look for something else.”

  “I guess it couldn’t hurt.”

  “Wonderful. Come. I’ll help you into it. Zee! Thoma! Bring refreshments for the ladies and then my alteration box.”

  “Yes, Madame Juruas!” Both assistants who had silently entered the room immediately left to follow her orders.

  ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

  Jacinda slowly turned so she could see the back of the dress in the mirror. She hadn’t realized when Kia had held it up that the beading of the scooped neckline hadn’t just circled around the back. Oh no, that would have been too easy for one of Kia’s creations. Instead, the ‘necklace’ had fallen halfway down her back with strings of beads radiating out from it. They attached to the sides of the dress making it conform to her body before it formed a jeweled belt at the small of her back.

  “Here put these on.”

  Jacinda gripped Kia’s shoulder as Kia lifted one of her feet to slide a strappy black four-inch heel that fit her perfectly.

  “How did you know?”

  “I still have your information on file, Jacinda.” Kia looked up at her for a moment. “Did you really think I wouldn’t? You were one of our first customers. You didn’t have to come to us, Jacinda. Neither of us is directly related to you. There was no reason for you to give us your support.”

  “Of course there was. Yes, you were just starting out, Kia, and while you and Pazel were both young, your talent was undeniable. It’s not like I didn’t benefit from it.”

  “You gave us more than that.” Slipping the other shoe on, Kia rose. “I know how you promoted us. How you encouraged others. Your standing in the House of Protection got so many women through the door.”

  “But it was your talent that kept them, Kia. You owe me nothing.”

  “We owe you everything.” The vehemence in Kia’s voice shocked Jacinda. “And now you will let me repay you. Come let’s see what the others think.” And Jacinda allowed herself to be led from the dressing room.

  ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

  “Oh, my ancestors!” Palma’s cup and saucer rattled as she set it down on the small table in front of her. “Jacinda….”

  “What?” Jacinda froze at her sister’s words. “Do I look that bad?” She knew her sister would always tell her the unvarnished truth.

  “NO!” Palma exclaimed her eyes running over her sister. “Jacinda, you look fabulous. Turn.”

  Jacinda took several steps as she turned, her golden-toned leg appearing through the high slit of the skirt while the single panel attached to the jeweled ‘belt’ at her lower back flowed gracefully behind her. She smiled as she heard Palma and Javiera’s gasps when the daring back was revealed.

  “Oh, Jacinda, you so have to get this gown,” Javiera whispered.

  “And the shoes. My ancestors, Jacinda, you have to get those shoes!”

  “You don’t think they make me too tall?” She stuck her leg out looking at the slender heel. “I don’t want to overshadow Danton.”

  “You can never be too tall, Jacinda,” Javiera told her absently her eyes still traveling over the gown.

  “Yes, you can, especially when you’re dancing.”

  “Seriously, Jacinda?” Palma gave her an exasperated look. “After all these cycles let it go.”

  “What are you talking about?” Javiera frowned at the two sisters. Even Kia looked at Palma questioningly.

  “Henry Jezek and the Annual Holiday Ball for the House of Healing when we were still at the Academy. Henry’s father was also an Assemblyman and they insisted that he and Jacinda dance together. I think they hoped it might start a romance.”

  “Right, like that was ever going to happen,” Jacinda scoffed.

  “Well not after that dance,” Palma agreed.

  “Why? What did this Henry Jezek do?”

  “First, you have to understand Henry Jezek is short and Jacinda was wearing this fabulous pair of shoes that she had begged Mom for.”

  “I didn’t beg, Palma.”

  “Oh, Mom, please?” Palma imitated in a high-pitched, girly voice that had Jacinda laughing. “Please… I promise I’ll take care of them! They go perfectly with my gown. Please, Mama? I couldn’t believe she caved.” Palma shook her head smiling. “It was the ‘
Mama’ that did it.”

  “Oh, like you didn’t get your way too. You were ‘Daddy’s girl.’ All you had to do was turn those big brown eyes of yours at him and he gave you everything you wanted.”

  “True,” Palma smiled unrepentantly.

  “Umm, excuse me,” Javiera interrupted. “Henry Jezek?”

  “Right, well with the shoes Jacinda wore, Henry’s eye only came up to here.” Palma put her hand level with her breasts.

  “And he stared directly at them the entire valsa.”

  “Seriously?” Kia asked.

  “Seriously and that wasn’t the worst of it.”

  “What was?” Javiera asked.

  “He kept licking his lips like he couldn’t wait to taste them.” Jacinda shivered in revulsion at the memory.

  “Why the little foabhor! Why didn’t you just walk away?”

  “In the middle of the King’s Annual Ball? In front of all the Assemblymen from the House of Healing? Mom and Dad would never have forgiven me. It was only one valsa.”

  “That you are still letting affect you. I know that’s why you always wore low heels around Stephan.”

  “Stephan would never have done that.” Jacinda couldn’t believe her sister would even suggest such a thing. Stephan had been nothing like Henry.

  “Of course not, but you still always made sure he was taller than you.”

  “Because he was.”

  “He wouldn’t be with those heels,” Palma gestured to the ones she was currently wearing.

  “No.” Jacinda suddenly found herself sad at the thought. Her Stephan would have loved this gown. “He wouldn’t be.”

  “I’m sorry, Jacinda.” Palma was instantly at her sister’s side all teasing gone. “I didn’t mean to upset you.”

  “You didn’t.” Jacinda squeezed her sister’s hand. “It’s just going to be so… odd being there without Stephan. Not helping him choose what to wear. Not standing beside him, reminding him of the wives’ names he’d forgotten.”

  “But Danton will be at your side and that boy is going to need all the help you can give him. The only women he’s ever interested in are the single ones.”

  “Isn’t that the truth,” Jacinda laughed, and that quickly her sadness evaporated. “I should send him a list of names to memorize just to torture him for giving me so little notice.”

  “It would serve him right,” Palma agreed.

  The rest of the afternoon passed pleasantly with the women chatting while Kia made slight alterations to the gown so it fit Jacinda perfectly.

  “Kia, I can’t thank you enough for doing this on such short notice. I know how in demand you are.”

  “It was nothing, Jacinda, especially not for you. Just make sure you instruct your son that the next woman he tries to pull this on may not be as understanding as his mother.”

  “Trust me, Kia, I will make sure he understands.”

  “Ladies, I have to go.” Javiera looked to the message on her comm. “I’ve had a wonderful time this afternoon. Palma, we’ll have to get together again soon.”

  “I’d like that, Javiera.”

  “Jacinda.” Javiera walked over and hugged her. “Don’t be a stranger. You know you are always welcome in our home.”

  “I know and know that you and yours are always welcome in mine. Montreux isn’t that far from Pechora. Amina will always be welcome in my home if she needs to get away or just wants a home-cooked meal.”

  “Thank you, Jacinda. I will let her know. Maybe it will convince her to go.”

  “What do you mean? I thought she wanted to go. Is there a problem I can help with?”

  “No. Not really. She’s just working on something with her father. I can’t talk about it, but she may put off Montreux until it’s finished.”

  Jacinda looked at Javiera and realized whatever it was, she was upset she’d brought it up.”

  “Well, no worries. No one will hear anything from us. Will they?” Jacinda looked to Kia and Palma, who she both knew could keep a secret.

  “Of course not,” they immediately responded.

  “You just let her know my offer is open-ended. Whenever she gets there, she is welcome in my home.”

  “Thank you, Jacinda. Now I have to go. Oh, I will send you that visual.”

  “Thank you, Javiera. Give Leander and Dell a kiss for me.”

  “I will.”

  Chapter Five

  “Hello, gentleman.” Jacinda smiled as she walked up to the two guards who were dressed in the colors of the House of Protection. They were protecting the door that led from the Public Wing to the more private wings of the Palace and she stopped several feet away. “I am Jacinda Michelakakis and I have something for Prince Barek.”

  The guards’ hard stares traveled over her for a moment before moving to the package she carried. One lifted the comm attached to his wrist.

  “We’ve received no notification to expect you,” the larger of the two told her.

  “You won’t have. I didn’t contact anyone to let them know I was coming.”

  “We can’t let you pass, Madame Michelakakis.”

  “Of course not, I totally understand.”

  As Jacinda spoke, the door behind the guards opened and Captain Deffand followed by Prince Barek stepped out.

  “Madame Michelakakis! How wonderful to see you again.” The serious look on Barek’s face turned into a blazing smile as he spoke.

  “It’s good to see you too, Prince Barek, and I thought you were going to call me Jacinda.”

  “Of course, I’m sorry, Jacinda,” Barek blushed slightly to Deffand’s amazement. “What brings you to the Palace today?”

  “You do.”

  “Me?”

  “Yes,” Jacinda laughed at the confusion on Barek’s face. “I returned from visiting my sister yesterday and have something for you.”

  As she offered the package she carried to Barek, the two guards immediately stepped between them knocking her back.

  “What do you think you are doing?!!” Barek angrily shoved his way through the guards to find Jacinda standing several feet away, her face pale. The package she had been carrying lay on the floor. “Jacinda, are you alright?”

  “I…” Swallowing hard, she took a deep breath trying to calm her racing heart. “Yes. Of course, I am. I don’t know what I was thinking.”

  Barek spun around to confront the two guards, but before he could, Deffand spoke. “They were doing their job, Prince Barek.”

  “Since when is shoving a woman their job, Captain?” Barek’s rage was easily heard.

  “Prince Barek,” Jacinda’s soft but firm voice interrupted him and pulled his furious gaze from the Captain to her. “Captain Deffand is correct. The fault is mine. It goes against every protocol for me to directly hand you a package that hasn’t been inspected by your security first.”

  “That gives them no right…”

  “It gives them every right,” Jacinda again interrupted. “They do not know me and were protecting their future King, as they should.”

  Leaning down, she picked up the package of visuals she’d gotten from Palma, along with one she’d ‘accidently’ slipped in and extended it to Deffand.

  “Captain.”

  “Thank you, Madame Michelakakis.” Deffand took the package.

  “Are those the visuals?” Barek’s question was directed at Jacinda, but his eyes were locked on the package now in Deffand’s hands.

  “Yes, and I have to thank you.” She saw the confusion on his face. “Palma and I had a wonderful time going down memory lane. We laughed until our stomachs hurt. We tried to attach comments to each one for you, about who’s in the visual, when and where it was taken. I took the liberty of making hard copies of them, but they are also on the memory foil that’s inside. If you have any questions just contact me and I will do the best I can.”

  “I… I can never thank you enough for this, Jacinda.” Barek’s voice was tight as he spoke. “You have no idea what it mean
s to me.”

  “Your mother was my friend, Prince Barek. She would have done the same for one of mine if the situation were reversed.” She gave him a warm smile. “Now I will get out of your way for you seem to be on your way somewhere. I will see you tomorrow night.”

  “Tomorrow night?” Barek’s question halted Jacinda as she started to turn away.

  “Yes, at the Assemblyman’s Ball.”

  “You will be there?”

  “Yes. My first son, Danton, is now an Assemblyman and asked me to accompany him.”

  “Then I will save a dance for you,” Barek smiled at her.

  “I look forward to it, Prince Barek.” With a nod, Jacinda turned and left.

  ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

  Deffand watched the gentle sway of Jacinda Michelakakis’ hips as she walked away. She was truly a beautiful woman inside and out and he wondered if he would ever find a woman half as beautiful and kind. He pulled his thoughts away from what he wanted, to what was in his hands.

  “These are visuals of the Queen?” His gaze traveled to Barek to see he too was watching Jacinda leave.

  “Yes.” Barek extended his hand. “You and I both know Jacinda Michelakakis would never cause harm to the House of Protection.”

  “I know that, Sire, but there are still protocols that must be followed.”

  “Those are private visuals, Deffand. Of my mother before she became Queen. Jacinda’s sister was kind enough to share them with me. I won’t allow someone else to view them, especially before I do.”

  Deffand could see that Barek was adamant about this and sighed heavily. Barek didn’t demand much. He had always seemed to understand the need for security, unlike his late brother, Dadrian, who had always pushed everything. For Barek to be this insistent meant these visuals were extremely important to him. Still he couldn’t just hand them over to him.

  “I will personally walk this package through security. It can be scanned and tested without being opened. No one will view what is yours, Sire. That is the best I can do.”

  Deffand watched Barek struggle and knew Barek wanted to argue further even while he knew he was right. Finally, Barek nodded jerkily.