Jacinda's Challenge (Imperial 3)

by M. K. Eidem

  Jacinda watched her son pale at her words.

  "I would like you to leave now, Danton."

  "Mother...." He rose unsure of what to do. His mother had never spoken like that to him before with such disappointment and hurt in her voice and eyes.

  "Leave, Danton, before things are said that can never be taken back."

  And unlike the strong, confident man that had arrived just a short time ago, full of self-righteous anger, he left wondering when he had become everything he'd sworn he'd never be.

  ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

  Jacinda’s legs trembled as she sat down on the couch. She knew her children were going to be shocked and would need time to adjust but she never for a moment thought they would expect her to end the relationship.

  When had she stopped knowing her own children? Rising, she looked around the room and felt the walls closing in on her. She needed to get out of here. Needed to be able to breathe.

  Striding into her bedroom, she threw what she’d need into a bag, left a note for Myesha, and headed out the front door.

  ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

  "Majesty," Chesney leaned over speaking quietly, when Jotham turned his head to listen, the others in the meeting continued to speak. "Madame Michelakakis has just arrived. Green reported she seemed unusually... quiet."

  Jotham frowned, wondering what was wrong. "Thank you, Chesney. Gentlemen, let's take a short break. Chesney will see to anything you need." With that Jotham left the room to find out what had happened.

  Striding into his Wing, Green walked up to him. "She is in the garden, Majesty."

  "Do you know what happened?"

  "No, Sire. All I know is that Assemblyman Michelakakis arrived and shortly after he left she informed me she wanted to come here."

  "Alright, thank you, Green." Jotham was about to leave then turned back to the Lieutenant. "And thank you for getting Jacinda home safely last night. She told me how heavy the rain became."

  "It was my honor, Majesty. She is truly a special woman."

  "She is," Jotham agreed then left to find that special woman.

  ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

  He found her in the center of the garden, her arms wrapped around her waist, staring at Lata's rose bush. Walking up behind her, he wrapped her up in his arms and pulled her back against him.

  After a moment, she relaxed against him with a heartfelt sigh.

  "What's wrong?" he asked, dipping his head to nuzzle the shell of her ear.

  "I didn't mean to interrupt your day."

  "You didn't." He kissed the soft skin behind her ear.

  "I know you were planning on back-to-back meetings today so you could clear your schedule for tonight."

  "Doesn't matter. You are what matters, now tell me."

  "I just didn't think my children would react the way they have. I mean I knew they would be surprised, shocked even, but..."

  "But? What did Danton say to you?!!" Jotham demanded.

  "How do you know it was Danton?" She turned, putting her arms around his waist and looked up at him

  "Because you told me you were going to be talking to him today."

  "Green told you he arrived at my house this morning." She didn't make it a question.

  "Yes," he answered her honestly. "I take it he didn't react well to the thought of his mother being involved with another man."

  "You know I don't think that even crossed his mind. All he seemed to care about is that it was you, and how it would affect him, affect his career." The tears of hurt she'd been able to hold at bay began to fill her eyes. "After I demanded he leave, I just couldn't stay there so I came here to you."

  Jotham's touch remained gentle as he wiped the tears that ran down his love’s cheeks even as his anger for her son grew. He would never have believed Danton would hurt his mother like this if Jacinda hadn't told him herself. Perhaps Danton wasn't the man Jotham thought he was.

  "I'm glad you did. You always can, you know. Come to me."

  "I know," she gave him a watery smile, "that's why I came, but I didn't mean to disrupt your schedule. I just wanted to walk in your garden and clear my head."

  "I'm glad. Did you bring a bag?" His hands ran down her back, molding her body to his. Jacinda smiled up at him, a sexy little smile that had his heart beating faster.

  "I did," she told him stretching up to teasingly kiss his lips. "So you'd better get back to work so we can have our evening together."

  "We will. Will you be staying here all day?"

  "If you don't mind."

  "I don't mind at all," except for the fact that he'll be wishing he was with her all day. "Contact Chesney if you need anything. Otherwise, know you have free run of the Palace. Nothing is off limits to you. Do you understand?"

  "I... Yes. I do. Thank you."

  ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

  Adelaide Pajari had a smug smile on her face as she walked through the doors of the Palace. It had taken her cycles to get to this point. Cycles of suffering and sacrifice to get her family back to where it belonged, a power within the House of Protection.

  No woman now had more influence than she, well other than Evadne Terwilliger did, but really how much longer could that woman go on? Adelaide had been worried; she could admit that to herself. Jacinda Michelakakis had been an issue in the Assembly but with her husband's death, all the influence that peasant from another House had disappeared and had become hers.

  Had Adelaide realized that was all it would take to get rid of Jacinda, she would have found a way to end Stephan Michelakakis cycles earlier than his natural death. Her own husband, Elliott, should have realized it and brought it to her attention, but he was weak. If Stephan hadn't met the ancestors before that b’osh, Cassandra's, challenge she would have done the same to Stephan as Audric had done to Vane, the love of Queen Yakira's life.

  Now, her conscience was clear and she was one step away from becoming the most powerful woman in the House of Protection. Once Shosha gained Barek's attention and she 'accidentally' conceived, then she, Adelaide Pajari, would rule the House of Protection. Just as her bloodline was always meant to.

  Right now, her husband was in a meeting with King Jotham and several other Assemblymen. A meeting Jotham had requested because he knew just how important Elliott was. Well, he wasn't, not without her, but Jotham would never know that. Men were so easy to manipulate.

  Her smile slipped as she turned and spied Jacinda Michelakakis stepping into the room from the Public Garden. What was she doing here? Striding across the room, Adelaide confronted her.

  "You don't belong here, Jacinda Michelakakis!" she demanded. "You're not even from this House! You need to leave."

  Jacinda hadn't noticed Adelaide until she'd been in her face, and while her words hadn't surprised her, she could tell they had Kort, who had been trailing discretely behind her.

  Slipping a hand behind her back, she made a 'stop' gesture that she hoped Kort understood.

  "Why, hello, Adelaide. What in the world are you doing here?" she asked in the most benign of voices.

  "Me? I belong here! You, on the other hand, don't!"

  "And why don't I, Adelaide?"

  "Because you are from the House of Healing! It's where you should have stayed!"

  "Really?" Jacinda raised an eyebrow at her. "King Jotham has made it quite clear that he believes the integration of the Houses is a good thing."

  "Yes, well he is wrong in his beliefs."

  "You are challenging King Jotham?"

  "Of course not! I am simply stating a known fact," Adelaide told her as if she should understand.

  "Known to whom?"

  "Anyone with any breeding, which is something you've never had," barked Adelaide.

  "Really? Do you really believe a little drop of royal blood received generations ago gives you the right to judge me? You don't even have a birthmark."

  "It's more than you have," Adelaide sneered at her. "Now you need to leave before I call security."

  Kort
, who had remained silent during the exchange, finally spoke up. "Is there a problem here, ladies?"

  Adelaide's eyes were cool and dismissive until she took in the uniform Kort was wearing. "Yes, Lieutenant. This... woman... doesn't belong in this House. She might even be a threat. As an Assemblyman's wife and loyal supporter of King Jotham, I demand you remove her."

  "You've gone too far this time, Adelaide," Jacinda told her.

  "I haven't even started yet, Jacinda."

  "Lieutenant," Jacinda turned to Kort, "I believe it is time for me to leave."

  "Yes, Madame, I believe it is," Kort agreed.

  "That's right, Lieutenant, get her out of here. That's an order!" Adelaide's smile turned vicious as she watched the retreating back of the woman she had always hated. She didn't even see that Kort guided Jacinda toward the more secure wings of the Palace, instead of out of it. She was too busy wallowing in her supposed triumph.

  ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

  "You should have let me handle her," Kort told her as he escorted her to the King's Wing.

  "She is an Assemblyman's wife, Kort. Do you know what could have happened to you if you had confronted her? How it would have reflected on this House?"

  "You are the King's..."

  "Companion," she finished for him. "As such I will never be a recognized figure in this House. Ball or no Ball. Adelaide Pajari wasn't stating anything that others won't be thinking. Now if you'll excuse me, I'd like to be alone."

  ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

  "Gentlemen, I believe I am up to speed, so let’s call it a day." Jotham looked at the Assemblymen around the table and saw the quickly hidden surprise on their faces as they gathered up their papers and left Jotham's office.

  "Majesty, this is your schedule for tomorrow." Chesney handed it to him and waited to see if he wanted to make any changes. After a moment, he saw Jotham nod.

  "That will be fine, Chesney. Thank you."

  "Your last meal will be arriving in approximately an hour. Would you like it set up in the garden? The temperature there is perfect for it."

  Jotham thought about it for a moment. Jacinda loved the garden, but he also wanted some privacy.

  "On the patio."

  "I will inform Morven, Majesty."

  "Thank you. I'll see you tomorrow, Chesney. Goodnight." Rising, Jotham went to find Jacinda.

  "Goodnight, Majesty." Chesney smiled at Jotham's back. He was liking the changes Jacinda's presence was making.

  ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

  "There you are," Jotham's words had Jacinda looking up from the book she was reading. She was curled up at the end of one of the couches in his living room, her legs tucked up under her, looking beautiful and graceful even though all she was doing was sitting there.

  "Here I am," she smiled up at him, closing the book. "Are you done for the day?"

  "I am. " He sat down next to her, tucking her bare feet into his lap as she turned to face him.

  "How surprised were they?"

  "They?"

  "Whoever you were meeting with. I mean it's just past six. I'm sure they thought the meeting would run late, very late."

  "Yes, I guess they were slightly. They'll just have to get used to it. I have a life beyond them now. Thanks to you." Leaning forward, he gently kissed her lips.

  Jacinda let Jotham's words soothe her as they touched and kissed. This was where she was meant to be, and she wouldn't let what her children, Adelaide Pajari, or anyone else thought change that. Wasn't that what she had told Danton just that morning? Maybe it was time she truly lived up to her own words.

  "I love you, Jotham."

  "And I love you." He reached up tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "What did you do today?"

  "Not much, I wandered around the Palace, reacquainting myself with it. I was surprised to see how little it had changed in the last ten cycles."

  "Was it supposed to?" Jotham frowned questioningly.

  "Well, I expected to see at least some changes, especially in the Public Wing."

  "Why there?"

  "Well, the Public Wing is basically a reflection of the House of Protection itself. It is all that most of the population sees, and that is why it needs to accurately represent our past, but also needs to be a reflection of the present and our future."

  "And you don't feel it currently does that?"

  "Oh it's got the past down perfectly, but where is the work of the current artists, where are our latest achievements displayed, such as the Guardian? Young people come here to learn about who they are and where they come from. The older ones... many of them come here to remember."

  "I don't understand," Jotham frowned at her. "Remember?"

  "You've never noticed those that come and just sit in front of certain exhibits? Like the one of the Battle of Fayal?"

  "I... No. I guess I haven't."

  "Madame Lindgren comes on the anniversary of the Battle every cycle and quietly sits there all day. She lost her father, brother, and husband in that battle."

  "How do you know that?"

  "I saw her sitting there once and sat down next to her. She told me all about how her father loved her mother. How her brother and husband were best friends and joined the Coalition together, and how all three served on the same ship. Their bodies were never returned to Carina, and she said it comforts her, makes her feel closer to them when she sits there on that day."

  "I see. I take it that wouldn't be something you would remove."

  "Ancestors no!" She looked at him in shock. "Update maybe. Maybe make it more interactive with recordings from those that survived; telling of their experience and from those, like Madame Lindgren, telling of the cost. Make it real for those that see it as just history."

  "That’s an incredible idea."

  "It's one Evadne and I discussed when she and I were Co-Chairing the committee in charge of that room. I'm surprised she hasn't implemented it by now. I thought she took over that committee."

  "I'm not sure who is chairing it now, but I do know that you should be the one in charge of it. Your ideas are groundbreaking."

  "Oh, I couldn't!" she immediately denied.

  "Of course you could. You have amazing ideas and you've done it before."

  "No, Jotham, I don't mean that I couldn't handle it, I mean that I couldn't. That position is always held by the wife of an Assemblyman, at least since Lata's death."

  "You're saying Lata used to be in charge of that?"

  "Yes," Jacinda frowned at him. "It's part of the Queen's duties. Of course, she normally selects a committee from the wives to do the actual work. It was always considered the highest honor to be chosen for it."

  "And Lata chose you for it."

  "Along with some others."

  "I see. I’ll check into who is chairing it now, and see what they have planned." He leaned over and gave her another kiss. "Now, how would you like to have last meal on the patio?"

  "I think that sounds lovely."

  ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

  "That was wonderful, Jotham." Jacinda set her forc down and leaned back in her chair.

  "I'll let Safford know you enjoyed it," he told her as he refilled her wine glass. "Do you have any preference for first meal?"

  Groaning, she rubbed her stomach. "I can't even think about that right now. Whatever you normally have will be fine, as long as it includes coffee."

  "Pittaluga's coffee."

  "You remember that?" she asked raising an eyebrow at him.

  "Of course. It's important to you, although I have to admit I was as in the dark as Will. I didn't know Pittaluga sold the beans. You, Jacinda Michelakakis, are obviously very special to Mister Pittaluga." Jotham leaned back in his own chair as he watched Jacinda blush. "Oh, you have to tell me what that blush means."

  "It's nothing," Jacinda waved her hand dismissively and then rose from her chair. "Shall we walk off that wonderful meal?"

  "We can," Jotham wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her close as they starte
d down a path, "but you're still going to tell me."

  "It's nothing, really."

  "Then tell me."

  Jacinda thought back, trying to decide what to tell him. "Pittaluga's hasn’t always been where it is now."

  Jotham frowned thinking back. "It hasn't?"

  "No, forty cycles ago it was on the edge of the Trunt District."

  That told Jotham a lot. The Trunt District forty cycles ago hadn't been a very prosperous area, still wasn't, and he realized it was something he hadn't given proper attention to. Once Barek started taking over some of his duties that would change.

  "I discovered the original location not long after my Union. I was exploring Pechora, trying to learn my way around, and the smell of that wonderful coffee pulled me in."

  "You were in the Trunt District? Alone?" Jotham's hand tightened around her waist protectively.

  "I didn't know any better. As I sat there, Mister Pittaluga served me the best coffee I had ever had. Then he warned me that I shouldn't come back, that it wasn't a safe area for me. He even walked me back to my transport so he knew I wouldn't be harmed. When I arrived home, I told Stephan about it, thinking he would find it humorous. He was furious."

  "As he should have been," Jotham whole-heartedly agreed, a cold shiver running down his back at what could have happened to her. "Fuck, Jacinda, what were you thinking?"

  Jacinda shot him a startled look. Jotham rarely used profanity, it was a sign of how upset he truly was. "I didn't know any better. I was new to Pechora, and as someone from the House of Healing, no one was willing to tell me it was dangerous."