Jacinda's Challenge (Imperial 3)

  ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

  Jacinda smiled up at Barek as he led her around the room for the first valsa of the night. “So to what do I owe this honor, Prince Barek?”

  Barek smiled down at her, liking how she wasn’t afraid to ask the question. “I wanted to speak to you privately and knew this would be the best way to do it.”

  “Privately?” Jacinda raised a beautifully arched eyebrow at him. “You consider this private?” she asked knowing every eye in the room was following them.

  “Yes.” Barek grinned at her. “Everyone might be watching, but no one can hear what we are saying.”

  Jacinda found herself laughing at his logic. “That is true. So what did you need to speak ‘privately’ to me about?”

  “I wanted to thank you for the visuals.”

  “They cleared security?”

  “Of course, there was never any doubt they would but…”

  “There are protocols. I am not insulted, Prince Barek,” Jacinda reassured him. “Actually I find it a relief that your security is so vigilant.”

  “Why?”

  “Because you are the future King, but more importantly, you are the son of one of my friends. Lata would want me to watch out for you.”

  “Do you really believe that?”

  Jacinda wondered if Barek realized how much he revealed with that simple question.

  “Yes, I do. Your mother loved you, Barek, very much. Her eyes would light up every time she talked about you. I swear if she could have she would have spent every moment of her day with you.”

  “I thank you for that.”

  “You don’t need to thank someone for speaking the truth.”

  “Of course I do.”

  Jacinda waited a moment before continuing. “So tell me. Why are you starting the Ball instead of your father?”

  “Besides wanting to dance with a beautiful woman?” Barek gave her an incredible smile.

  “I’m sure that line works with the younger women, Prince Barek, but it won’t distract me from my query.”

  “Of course it won’t. You, Madame Michelakakis, are unlike any other woman.” His lips quirked slightly. “I suppose the answer is since I was here I thought I could deflect some of the rumors my father has always had to deal with after selecting his dance partner.”

  “Ah, of course, about him favoring one Assemblyman over another.”

  “Yes, but as I said before, the main reason is to thank you for the visuals. I looked at them last night and…”

  “And?”

  “And it allowed me to see my mother in a different light. And my father.”

  “To see them as more than the figureheads you’ve always known them to be.”

  “Yes. To see that she stood in some of the same places I have… it’s something I had never considered before.”

  “I’m glad you enjoyed them.”

  “I did, as did my father.”

  “King Jotham saw them?” Jacinda wasn’t sure why she was surprised, but she was.

  “Yes, he came in while I was looking at them. He’s promised to find her visual albums because of it, so I need to thank you for that too.”

  “I’m glad. Lata would want you to have them. Family was everything to her.”

  “Speaking of family… there was a visual included in the packet that I believe was placed there by mistake.”

  “I’m sorry?” Jacinda frowned up at him.

  “There was a visual of the Michelakakis family… Leander Michelakakis’ family,” he clarified.

  “So that’s where it disappeared to,” Jacinda feigned innocently. “I am so sorry, Prince Barek. Javiera sent me the visual via my comm, and it must have gotten mixed up with yours.”

  “I will make sure it is returned to you.”

  “Oh, that’s not necessary. When I couldn’t find it, I just had another one printed. It’s already framed and on my wall.”

  The music ended before Barek could respond and he led her back to Danton. “Thank you for the dance, Madame Michelakakis.” And giving her a slight bow turned to join his father.

  ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

  “My, my, my. Aren’t you just full of surprises tonight, Jacinda.” Evadne ran an assessing eye over her friend after Prince Barek walked away.

  “Why, Evadne, whatever do you mean?” Jacinda asked, her eyes sparkling as she turned to her son and held out her hand. “Danton. Shall we?”

  “I would love to, Mother.” Taking her hand, Danton led her to the dance floor.

  ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

  The rest of the evening passed quickly for Jacinda. She danced, she caught up with old friends, and she was able to introduce her son to some of the most influential men on Carina. Over all, except for its start, it had been a perfect night.

  She watched as Jotham made his way around the room, making a point to talk to every Assemblyman and their wife. It surprised her how long it had taken him to make his rounds, for normally he left long before the last dance whose first notes had just started to play.

  She was just about to ask her son to join her for the last dance when she suddenly found Jotham standing before her.

  “King Jotham,” she bowed slightly.

  “Madame Michelakakis. Would you do me the honor?” Jotham held out his hand, palm up.

  Jacinda paused for only a moment before she placed her hand in his. “The honor is mine, Majesty.”

  Eyes followed the couple as the King led Jacinda to the floor. They watched with interest as his hand went to her waist, his fingers just brushing the bare skin of her lower back as her hand settled delicately on one of his broad shoulders. After a moment, with their other hands clasped, they began to move as one to the music.

  Jacinda silently but confidently allowed Jotham to lead her around the dance floor, ignoring the looks they were receiving. She wasn’t sure why Jotham had singled her out like this. It was common knowledge that he rarely danced more than the first dance at any Ball, and never the last, not since Lata died.

  “I would like to thank you,” Jotham’s words were spoken quietly so no one dancing close to them could hear.

  “For what, Majesty?” Jacinda found she had to look up to meet his eyes, even in her heels.

  “For what you did for my son. The visuals…” Jotham paused seeming to gather his thoughts but Jacinda spoke first.

  “I didn’t do it for you. I did it for Barek… and for Lata.” She watched Jotham’s eyes darken with pain.

  “Yes, well thank you anyway.”

  They danced silently for several moments.

  “How did you know?” The quietly spoken, tortured words had Jacinda’s eyes shooting up to Jotham.

  “Know?”

  “That he needed to see them? Barek has always kept his feelings about his mother close, even from me. He never once asked if there were any visuals.”

  “Perhaps that is because you’ve made it abundantly clear that you don’t wish to see any visuals. Barek has always been sensitive, like his mother. He would never intentionally want to cause you pain.”

  “Yet he said something to you.”

  Jacinda saw the flash of pain in Jotham’s eyes before it quickly disappeared and she realized it hurt Jotham, that he felt he had failed his son. “He didn’t actually say anything, Majesty. We were talking and he made a comment that so reminded me of Lata that I mentioned it. It seemed to surprise him, that something of Lata lived on in him.”

  “He mentioned something like that to me after Victoria’s Union.”

  “Yes, well that would make sense.”

  “Why?”

  “Why?” Jacinda frowned up at him. “Because Unions are about families, they are about love and new beginnings. They inherently make us think about where we come from, who we come from. I’ve never attended a Union where I haven’t thought of my parents. For Victoria’s to have Barek thinking about his mother is only natural, especially when Victoria’s mother miraculously returned from the dead.”

&nb
sp; “I never gave it a thought.”

  “No, but Lata was your wife, Majesty, and the relationship between a husband and wife is very different than that between a mother and child.”

  “That is true.” Hearing the music begin to change Jotham suddenly realized how quickly this time had passed and how he didn’t want it to end. His next words were out of his mouth before he could stop them. “Have lunch with me tomorrow.”

  “I… what?” Jacinda couldn’t hide her surprise.

  “I have enjoyed talking to you, Jacinda. Which is surprising considering how our last one ended. I would like to continue this conversation and since we both need to eat...”

  “I… alright.” Jacinda couldn’t believe she was agreeing to this. “At noon?”

  “Will one work for you? I should be able to clear my schedule by then.

  “Alright. One it is.”

  The dance ended and Jotham took a step back. A quieter tune began to fill in the background conversations. Turning to lead Jacinda across the floor to Danton he suddenly stopped and looked at her. “What was it that Barek said that reminded you of Lata?”

  Jacinda found herself blushing. “You know we literally ran into each other, don’t you?”

  “Yes.”

  “Well, after we decided we were both at fault for not looking where we were going he informed me he’d never found fault with having a beautiful woman in his arms. That’s when I informed him that he was definitely his mother’s son because only Lata could give such an inane compliment and make you believe she was completely sincere.”

  Jotham stared at her silently for several moments then tipped his head back and laughed, a deep laugh that few rarely heard from their King.

  “You are right, Madame Michelakakis, my Lata truly did know how to deliver a compliment.” Turning he led her across the floor. When they were just steps away from Danton, he leaned down to whisper in her ear. “But, in this case, my son was stating the truth. You truly are a beautiful woman, Jacinda.”

  ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

  Adelaide Pajari stood beside her husband, silently fuming, her eyes never leaving the couple now alone on the dance floor. Jacinda Michelakakis! How Adelaide despised the woman.

  She didn’t belong here. Never had. Not as the mother of an Assemblyman and especially not when she’d been the wife of one. This is the House of Protection and her parents were both from the House of Healing.

  Adelaide believed Jotham’s greatest mistake, well besides having a Union with that little nobody, was to endorse Stephan and Jacinda’s Union. He should have done neither, for Jotham was a direct male descendant of King Shesha and his Union should have been to someone whose royal background was just as strong, like her. It was what his mother had wanted. She, Adelaide Pajari, could trace her own ancestry back to King Shesha’s daughter.

  Adelaide’s father and his father and his father had all been Assemblymen for the House of Protection. Her mother had been a member of Queen Johanna’s inner circle and it had been agreed that Jotham would wed her. Instead, the King and Queen had suddenly died and Jotham had married Lata and she’d been forced to accept Elliott Pajari as her husband to maintain her family’s position after her father lost his seat in the Assembly.

  Now Jotham openly danced with a woman from a weaker House. A woman who had nothing to offer him, who couldn’t influence a vote in his favor. Even his son had danced with the woman. Well, she wouldn’t allow her family to lose out again. Adelaide had arranged for her daughter, Shosha, to be assigned to the Guardian. Once it left, Shosha would gain the affections of Prince Barek, thanks to her ancestry and her mother’s maneuvering. If not, there was always the option Rani had taken to conceive Dadrian. Of course, Jotham had refused to wed Rani but Adelaide would make sure that didn’t happen to her daughter.

  Chapter Seven

  Jacinda checked her hair one last time in the mirror then stuck her tongue out at herself, before heading out the front door. Why was she fussing like this? Why was she nervous? She’d met with Jotham before. What made this time so different?

  ‘Because you are both single this time,’ that little voice in her head answered.

  ‘Ridiculous!’ Jacinda thought to herself. She and Jotham had both been single at the Academy and she hadn’t felt like this around him. Sure, he had been handsome and charming back then too. Girls would stop and watch as he and Will Zafar would walk by, but he represented everything she was trying to get away from. Politics. Being in the public eye.

  So why was she having lunch with him? It would only stir up rumors if others found out. Well, it was too late to back out now and really what’s the worst that could happen?

  Driving through the imposing gate of the House of Protection, Jacinda was just getting out of her transport when she found Captain Deffand approaching her.

  “Captain,” she greeted.

  “Madame Michelakakis,” Deffand smiled at her as he held out his hand. “If you don’t mind, I thought I would drive your transport and take you to an entrance that is closer to the King’s Wing. It will save you a long walk.”

  Jacinda was silent for a moment, realizing what he wasn’t saying. He was going to drive to the private, secure entrance where King Jotham’s transports were kept. Where people could come and go in total privacy. Reaching out, she gave her transport fob to Deffand.

  “Of course, Captain.” Moving around to the passenger side of her transport, she found Deffand there first, opening the door for her to slide in. “Thank you, Captain.”

  “Madame Michelakakis.”

  It was a short, silent drive, and Deffand expertly handled the transport, slowing down only so the guards lining the outside of the Palace could verify who was driving and that the transport posed no threat.

  “You and your men do a good job protecting the King.”

  “Thank you, Madame Michelakakis. It is our only priority.”

  When the vehicle pulled up to the entrance, Chesney was there to greet her. “Madame Michelakakis, welcome.” Mister Chesney approached her smiling.

  “Mister Chesney, I’m pleased to see you again.”

  “You too, Madame Michelakakis. If you would follow me, King Jotham is currently on a call but wished for me to reassure you that he would not be long and for me to escort you to the King’s Garden.”

  “Of course,” Jacinda nodded her head not at all surprised that Jotham had been detained. There were many times when Stephan would arrive late for a meal because something had occurred and he had only been an Assemblyman. As King, she imagined it was a hundred times worse.

  Following Chesney, Jacinda realized she really was a great deal closer to the King’s Wing than she’d thought. Especially with the corridor that Chesney was leading her down. She had expected to enter the hallway that connected the Royal Wing to the King’s Wing. Instead, she was entering what appeared to be the King’s sitting room.

  “This way to the garden,” Chesney gestured with the sweep of his arm for her to proceed him through the open doors on the other side of the room.

  Stepping out, Jacinda found herself in the most beautiful garden she had ever seen. Whereas her garden was nearing the end of its last full bloom for the season, this one was nowhere close. “It’s beautiful.”

  “It is and there is always something blooming.”

  “I can see that.” Jacinda looked expectantly down the path. “Am I allowed to explore the garden while I wait for the King?”

  “Of course, Madame Michelakakis. If you follow this path, it will lead you to where you will be having your lunch today.”

  “We’re eating in the garden?” Jacinda’s smile was brilliant at the thought.

  “Yes, Ma’am, as it is such a beautiful day King Jotham thought you would enjoy it.”

  “He thought right. Thank you, Mister Chesney.” Turning, she started down the path.

  ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

  “As I’ve said before, Assemblyman Pajari, I am not going to support anything less than
a full funding for our joint venture with the House of Knowledge. We are the House of Protection and this new system falls under the authority of this House.”

  “But, Majesty, the House of Knowledge is more than able to absorb the full cost of the program. They are the wealthiest of all the Houses and we could use those funds for more important things.”

  “There is nothing more important than the protection of our people, Pajari, and it matters not that the House of Knowledge can fully fund it. The House of Protection will do its part. Now, this discussion is finished. Good day.”

  Jotham disconnected the call and rubbed the back of his neck, trying to relieve the tense muscles. Dealing with Elliott Pajari always irritated him. He couldn’t stand the Assemblyman and if it were in his power he would have his seat taken from him, but there were very specific grounds in which an Assemblyman could be removed and irritating the King wasn’t one of them unfortunately.

  “Majesty.”

  Chesney’s voice had him looking up to find the man had entered his office while he’d been lost in thought.

  “Madame Michelakakis has arrived. She is currently touring the gardens.”

  “Thank you, Chesney.” Turning in his chair, he gazed out the window that overlooked the garden and watched as Jacinda moved along the path pausing every now and then to smell a flower. Rising, he walked around his desk. “Give us twenty minutes then have the meal brought out and make sure we are not disturbed.”

  “Yes, Majesty.”

  ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

  Jacinda couldn’t believe the beauty of this garden. She remembered its sorry state the first time Lata had shown it to her. Queen Johanna had no affinity for gardens, feeling it was beneath her to waste her valuable time on it. She left it to her gardeners to care for, demanding only that they produce the blooms she desired for inside the Palace.