Jacinda's Challenge (Imperial 3)

  “Relax, Danton. You will do fine.” Her words traveled only as far as his ears as she squeezed his arm reassuringly. “They are just men, like you.”

  “I know.” Danton looked to his mother. “Did I tell you how beautiful you look?”

  Jacinda chuckled, her eyes twinkling as they looked up at him. “You are just trying to make up for that ‘you have a closetful of gowns’ comment.”

  Danton had the grace to blush. “Well, yes, that was an entirely inappropriate comment for me to make and I’m sorry.” He let his gaze travel over what she was wearing and knew it hadn’t come from her closet. “You do look beautiful, Mother.”

  “Thank you, Danton.” Jacinda knew he was sincere and silently thanked Stephan for giving her such a wonderful son. She knew Danton was going to do a fantastic job as an Assemblyman; his nervousness was proof of that. If he were already comfortable with his new responsibilities, then she would be worried.

  Together they paused at the entrance of the Ball Room each taking in the room before them. For Danton, it was his first time seeing the Ball Room decorated for an Assemblymen only event. He’d only been here for ‘family’ and ‘public’ events and it had never looked like this.

  For Jacinda, it was like entering an old, familiar room. She’d spent so much time in this room in the past and it appeared not much had changed. The same tables were still set up, tall ones for those who wished to stand and lower ones with chairs for those that preferred to sit and talk. The food area was still being set up along the same wall, serving only the finest the House of Protection had to offer. Waiters wandered through those gathered offering them crystal flutes filled with the finest House wines.

  Banners of violet floated down from ceiling to floor between the doors that opened to allow the perfumed air from the garden to flow into the room. The crystal chandeliers were polished so they sparkled. Right now, they blazed brightly lighting the entire room but Jacinda knew that as the night progressed they would be dimmed and would send out shards of color, illuminating those that chose to dance.

  “I…” Danton trailed off.

  “It’s amazing, isn’t it?” Jacinda smiled at her son. “And now you are a part of it, Danton. Come, let’s get a drink.” She and Danton had no more than picked up their flutes when a familiar voiced called out.

  “Jacinda? Jacinda Michelakakis. Is that you?”

  Turning around, a smile broke out across Jacinda’s face as Evadne Terwilliger moved toward her. Evadne was the wife of Assemblyman Evander Terwilliger, the longest sitting Assemblyman in the House of Protection. Evander was a powerful man and Evadne was considered the reigning ‘Queen’ of the wives. They had also been good friends with her and Stephan.

  “Evadne.” Jacinda hugged her old friend. “How are you?”

  “I am fine. But you… let me look at you.” Evadne stepped back, holding Jacinda’s hands out so she could run a critical eye over her old friend. “Praise the ancestors, Jacinda! How do you keep getting more beautiful the older you get? If you weren’t my friend, I think I would hate you.”

  Jacinda tipped her head back and laughed. “I need to see you more often, Evadne. You are good for my ego.”

  “You have no ego, Jacinda, it’s one of the things I love most about you.”

  “Of course I do and it’s the dress that is so beautiful, not me.”

  “It is a stunner. Turn,” Evadne ordered.

  Jacinda knew better than to argue when Evadne got that look in her eye so she made a slow turn revealing the starburst back.

  “This has to be one of Kia’s creations.”

  “It is.” Jacinda finished turning to face Evadne. “I was lucky enough to be in Kisurri when Danton invited me to join him tonight.” Jacinda turned to Danton, who had been standing quietly behind her and put her hand on her son’s arm bringing him forward. “You remember my first son, Danton, don’t you, Evadne?”

  “Why yes, of course.” Evadne’s gaze ran over Danton. “You look just like your father, Danton.” She leaned in and whispered loudly. “If it hadn’t been for my Evander and Jacinda here, I would have made a play for that man.”

  Danton stiffened slightly not sure how to respond until his mother started to laugh.

  “Evadne Terwilliger, you stop that right now,” Jacinda admonished her friend, knowing this was how Evadne vetted many a new Assemblyman. “Danton might take you seriously and then where would you be?”

  “With two gorgeous men?” Evadne wiggled her eyebrows up and down at Jacinda.

  “You, Evadne, are incorrigible and I will not have you corrupting my son.”

  “But what if I want to be corrupted, Mother?” Danton smoothly leaned over and kissed the back of Evadne’s hand. As he rose, he watched Madame Terwilliger blush.

  “Definitely your father’s son,” Evadne was slightly breathless as she spoke. “He did that exact same thing at his first Assembly Ball.”

  “Evadne, are you trying to replace me with a younger model?” Evander Terwilliger walked up behind his wife and put a possessive hand on her lower back.

  “You know I would never leave you, Evander, but if I were…” She smiled up at her husband before her eyes returned to Danton.

  “Danton Michelakakis, Assemblyman Terwilliger,” Danton introduced himself as he held his hand out to the senior Assemblyman.

  “Evander, Danton, there is no need for titles between us as we are equals.”

  “No, we are not,” Danton instantly denied. “Assembly… Evander, but I hope one day we will be.”

  Evander silently assessed Danton for several moments before nodding his approval at his response. “I have no doubt of it, Danton, that is unless you entice my wife away. I always had to keep a close eye on her when your father was single.”

  “Oh, Evander!” Evadne playfully slapped her husband’s arm. “You are going to give Danton here a terrible opinion of me.”

  “I could never have a terrible opinion of a woman as beautiful as you, Madame Terwilliger.”

  Evander watched his wife of over fifty cycles blush at the heartfelt compliment and knew having a Michelakakis back in the Assembly was going to be interesting. “Definitely your father’s son.” His gaze turned to Jacinda. “Jacinda, it’s wonderful to see you again and don’t you look amazing.”

  “Thank you, Evander.” Leaning over Jacinda kissed her old friend’s cheek. “It’s wonderful to be back even if it’s only for a night.”

  “I wish it were more than that. You and Stephan always found a way to liven up this event.”

  “I don’t believe we did it alone.” Jacinda’s eyes were sparkling as she spoke. “As I remember, you and Evadne were the ones responsible for Assemblyman Cote and his wife’s incredible dance.”

  Evander burst out laughing, drawing the attention of those nearby before he straightened and his face became expressionless. “I have no idea what you could possibly be referring to, Madame Michelakakis. As I remember it, I was talking to King Jotham when that occurred.”

  “Of course you were, Evander.” Jacinda didn’t try to keep the laughter from her voice.

  “Jacinda? What are you doing here?”

  Danton watched all humor leave his mother’s eyes, her face becoming an expressionless mask at the nasally question. Looking to the Terwilligers, he saw it was the same. Turning, he watched a thin, bird-like woman walk up to them, her eyebrows drawn so tightly together that they nearly touched.

  “Hello, Adelaide.” Jacinda turned to face the one Assemblyman’s wife that she had never been able to stand.

  “What are you doing here, Jacinda?” Adelaide asked again stopping several steps away, making no attempt to keep her voice down. “You are no longer the wife of an Assemblyman.”

  “No, I’m not.” Jacinda readily agreed.

  “My dear, is there a problem here?” Assemblyman Pajari walked up to his wife. Where his wife was thin and angular with sharp features, Elliott was soft and round, but his eyes were just as beady as his wif
e’s as they traveled over Jacinda.

  “Yes. I was just trying to discover how an ‘outsider’ could have been allowed into this esteemed gathering.”

  “Now, my dear, I’m sure there is a reasonable explanation as to how Madame Michelakakis was able to gain entrance.”

  “My mother is here because she was gracious enough to accompany me, Assemblyman Pajari.” Danton angrily eyed the other man, not liking his tone nor how his eyes seemed fixed on his mother’s chest.

  “Your mother?” Elliott frowned, looking from Jacinda to Danton, his confusion easily seen.

  “Yes, Elliott,” Evander spoke, his tone neutral. “It seems you forgot to read up on the new Assemblymen. Again. Danton here is Stephan and Jacinda’s first son. He will be taking Turner’s seat in the Assembly.”

  “I must have missed that.” Elliott gave Danton an assessing look but made no move to welcome him into the Assembly.

  “That makes no difference,” Adelaide piped in, all but sneering. “This is a Ball for the Assemblymen and their wives, not their mothers.”

  “An Assemblyman has always been allowed to bring whoever he wished to this Ball, Adelaide,” Evadne reminded her in a hard voice.

  “Of course he is, but for some reason this new Assemblyman doesn’t understand that means someone ‘significant’ in his life.”

  “My mother is ‘significant’ in my life, Madame Pajari,” Danton ground out.

  “Yes, yes of course, but you are obviously too young to understand my meaning. It is for an Assemblyman’s potential wife, not his mother. Your mother should have explained that to you, but I suppose she was so desperate to be seen as ‘important’ again that she didn’t care how it reflected on you.”

  “Potential wife?” Jacinda finally spoke and while her words were polite they carried the cloying sweet hint of sarcasm. “Was that what Bebe Bouchard was? A potential wife?” She turned her gaze to Elliott and watched the flush that started to climb his neck.

  “Bebe Bouchard?” Adelaide choked out, her face paling.

  “Yes, Bebe Bouchard,” Jacinda said loud enough to draw the attention of those near her.

  “I have no idea who you are talking about,” Adelaide denied.

  “You don’t? How strange. I’m sure Elliott introduced her as your niece,” Jacinda frowned as if confused. “But wait, I must have misunderstood, it has been over twenty cycles because you are an only child. Aren’t you, Adelaide?”

  “Yes,” Adelaide forced out through tight lips. “So you see…”

  “So she must have been your niece, Elliott. Is that right?” Jacinda’s gaze pierced the Assemblyman’s refusing to allow him to look away.

  “Um… no, I too am an only child,” he finally admitted, his wife sending him an angry look.

  “Really? Then who was she? Why was she with you?”

  “As I said, you are mistaken, Jacinda.”

  “Oh no, Adelaide, I am not,” Jacinda cut her off. “I remember her quite distinctly. We were all surprised when Elliott arrived with her on his arm instead of you. He was positively bubbly which was confusing after he told us you were in Atrato, recovering from some illness. We were all very concerned. Weren’t we, Evadne?” Jacinda looked to her friend and saw her fighting a smile.

  “Yes,” Evadne nodded her agreement. “I do recall that.”

  Jacinda knew she had just put Adelaide Pajari in her pompous place and was going to let it end there, but the little twit just wouldn’t let it go.

  “Neither of you know what you are talking about! I can only hope that your son has a better memory than you do and knows his place in the Assembly. Otherwise, he won’t remain there long.”

  “Really, Adelaide, you want to go there?” Jacinda’s eyes went cold and her voice hard as she glared at the other woman. If this b’osh wanted to attack her son, then the gloves were coming off. “Because I distinctly remember a great deal more about that particular ball. I remember how Bebe danced with your husband. How she was pressed so tightly up against him that others stopped and stared.” She watched as Adelaide turned bright red before she spun around and stomped off. Elliott quickly followed looking like he wanted to crawl into a hole.

  Silence reigned for several moments before Evadne broke out laughing and wrapped her arms around Jacinda. “Oh, Jacinda, I have indeed missed you. The look on Adelaide’s face… priceless.”

  “I’ve wanted to put that self-important little b’osh in her place for cycles but now...” Jacinda looked to Danton. “I’m sorry, Danton.”

  “Don’t be, Mother. It sounds like that was a long time coming.”

  “It was, but you have to work with Elliott and I’ve just made that more difficult for you.”

  “Don’t worry about it, Jacinda,” Evander reassured her. “I’m sure you son will be able to handle him.”

  ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

  Jotham and Barek silently followed their guard as they entered the Public Wing of the House of Protection. Tonight was the annual Assemblymen’s Ball, an event that Jotham knew he had to attend but one he no longer enjoyed. Every cycle he had to choose a wife from one of the Assemblymen to dance with and then for weeks after, he would have to deal with the rumors that he was favoring that Assemblyman.

  “Father.”

  “Yes?” Jotham looked to his son. It had been cycles since Barek had been on planet for this event, normally he was out with the Fleet.

  “Would you mind if I took the first dance for the night?” Barek looked at his father as Jotham approached the closed door to the ballroom.

  “You wish to address the Assemblymen?”

  “No, I’ll leave that to you. I just thought I could help deflect the rumors of favoritism you always have to deal with after the Ball.”

  “You know of that?” Jotham hadn’t realized his son had.

  “Of course, I may not always be here, but that doesn’t mean I don’t know what is happening here.”

  “No. Of course not.” Jotham looked at his son with new eyes. “I would appreciate you taking the first dance.” Jotham began to smile. “It will be interesting to see the Assemblymen’s reaction. Do you have someone in mind?”

  “Yes,” was all Barek was able to say as Deffand opened the doors and their arrival was announced.

  ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

  Everyone in the room turned as the music that had been softly playing changed. The doors to the ballroom, that had been closed when the last Assemblyman had arrived, now opened to reveal not only King Jotham but also Prince Barek, both looking amazingly handsome.

  Barek wore his official Coalition uniform, pants of deep violet with a black stripe running down the outside of each leg and a pristine white jacket, displaying his rank and medals for all to see.

  Jotham was not wearing his full ‘royal’ attire, which consisted of his crown and robe. Jacinda knew he wore this during the opening of the Assembly. But he still wore a subtler and more comfortable version of it. His jacket was solid, House of Protection violet, the royal crest of an arrow emblazoned across his chest in black that matched his pants. The combination gave him an aura of power and strength that he seemed to carry easily.

  Jacinda hadn’t been sure how she would feel at seeing Jotham again after their last meeting. She was still angry about what he had asked her to do, but in hindsight it had been what prompted her to offer to get the visuals for Barek. Seeing him now, she found herself struggling to maintain that anger.

  ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

  Jotham moved through the crowd stopping to say a word to an Assemblyman and his wife here and there on his way to the steps that would lead him to the seats slightly raised where the King and Queen always sat. He accepted the fluted goblet of wine from a servant before he ascended to where he would address his Assemblymen.

  “Greetings and welcome to the Assembly Ball,” Jotham began.

  “Greetings,” the room responded to him.

  “Tonight I am honored to welcome back those of you who have served me
and our people so well and faithfully in the past.” He raised his glass slightly. “And to welcome those new to our Assembly, who I am sure will do the same. Assemblyman Dobos and Madame Dobos,” Jotham found the new Assemblyman in the room and raised his glass to him. “Welcome.”

  “Welcome,” the room repeated.

  “Assemblyman Gully and Madame Gully,” Jotham acknowledged the second new Assemblyman. “Welcome.”

  “Welcome,” the room again repeated.

  “Assemblyman Danton Michelakakis,” Jotham stressed the first name slightly and paused for a moment when he realized who was standing next to Danton. “Welcome.” This time when Jotham raised his glass he drank.

  “Welcome!” The room seemed to be more enthusiastic this time and it warmed Jacinda’s heart as she too drank to the new Assemblymen.

  Typically, Jotham would now be required to officially start the Ball by choosing a woman to dance with. Instead, and to the shock of many, he turned and walked up the steps to take his seat.

  Barek, handing his glass to a passing waiter, smiled and nodded to those he passed, but did not stop moving until he reached Danton and Jacinda Michelakakis.

  “Danton,” Barek extended his hand.

  Danton shook Barek’s hand, his face revealing none of his surprise or confusion at being singled out. “It has, Prince Barek.”

  “With your permission, I would like to steal your mother away for the opening dance.” Barek extended his hand to Jacinda.

  “I would be honored, Prince Barek.” Jacinda placed her hand in his and as Barek led her to the center of the dance floor, the music started.

  ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

  Jotham leaned back in his chair, his eyes focused on Jacinda as his son confidently maneuvered her around the dance floor. She looked beautiful, easily the most beautiful woman in the room despite her age, or maybe because of it. She smiled and laughed as she danced, comfortable and confident with who she was and her place in the world. So many women when they danced with either himself or Barek would giggle and flirt and it wasn’t only the young ones. Some of the older, more experienced women would try to use the time to advance their husband’s agenda. Jotham knew Jacinda was doing neither with Barek, she was simply enjoying his company. Would it be the same if she were dancing with him?