“Feeling better?” he asked.
“Oh, much.”
“Good. Come meet us on Naxa.”
I frowned. “Naxa is dreadful.”
Different advertisements began to fade on and off of my screen. There were skiing trips, sledding adventures, snow pod races, and guided hunting and nature excursions.
“The locals have taken the concept of tourism to heart. There are plenty of activities with which to amuse ourselves.” The moment that my expression told Simon that he had convinced me, he grinned.
“I’ll talk to everyone about it and contact you later,” I said and ended the call.
During dinner when I had everyone in the same place, I brought up the subject of Naxa. Nico and Yukihyo looked up at me and then smiled at each other. However, they were not the only ones excited to visit Naxa. Izaac, Zared, and the others were eager to join the hunting party.
“I am sure that Fitz and Eli would be happy to serve as your escort on Naxa, lady wife,” Yukihyo said.
“I would indeed,” Eli agreed.
“I suppose a short trip to Naxa will be okay. Let me make some arrangements,” Fitz said. He kissed my hand and went to another room to make calls.
The next morning after playing on my surfboard, I was resting on a large blanket on the beach and listening to the waves and the calls of brightly plumed birds. Zared walked to me and handed me a nice hot cup of coffee. My Omnes Videntes had me under constant surveillance, and it wasn’t limited to outside threats.
“Thanks!” I sipped it.
“Prepare yourself,” Zared warned.
Looking up and down the beach, I spotted them. They were rapidly closing in on my location. At least they were wearing shorts. I imagined how their dangly parts would probably look if they were running naked and laughed. It was obvious that both General Luca Braga and Vice Admiral Dario Galerius had been doing sit-ups and push-ups before beginning their staged run.
“Princess Probus, what an unexpected surprise,” Dario said.
Luca grinned and flexed his pecks at me. I scowled at him in return.
“Yes, I’m sure. After all, it is so improbable that I would be enjoying the private beach of House Jiri.”
“Oh, don’t be like that, Princess. Are you still upset with me?”
“Yes,” I said as I narrowed my eyes at Luca.
“You were enjoying your massage until you realized it was me. Do I so displease you?” Luca asked.
“I told him he resembles a bear cub more than a man,” Dario said.
With a frown, Luca moved a hand over his chest. “I’ll have it removed at once,” Luca promised.
“No!” I said before I could stop myself or stop thoughts of Luca with his hairy chest and legs pressed against me while his hands rubbed me all over. My heart rate sped up, and my Parvacian hormones attacked. I put my coffee down, stood up, and grabbed my board. “Okay, bye,” I said as I began to wade out.
Rather than cooling my libido, the water moving over my skin heightened my sensitivity. Jumping up, I laid on my stomach on my board and paddled out. From the splashes I heard, I knew they were following me.
“Your pheromones compel them,” Zared said in my mind. He showed me an image from Thunderdrop’s memories of chasing a large female spider with Cass.
“Go swim somewhere else,” I yelled back at them just as a wave hit me in the face, knocked me from my board, and sent me under. Panic and ocean water filled me as I struggled to resurface. I swam with all of my might to the surface, but touched sand instead of air.
Suddenly, strong arms were around me as I was held against someone’s chest. Powerful kicks propelled us to the surface. My eyes and nose burned. I coughed and struggled to drag in any bit of air. Terror seized me as I failed. My back hit hard sand, and air was forced into my mouth. I turned to my side, coughed out the water, and gratefully dragged in ragged breaths of air.
“You’re alright. That’s it. I’ve got you. Calm down and breathe.” Dario rubbed small circles on my back.
Zared draped a towel around me, and I used a corner of it to dry my eyes. There was no dainty or polite way to deal with my nose, so I gave up and blew it on my towel. Zared took it and wrapped me in a clean one. I realized he had been calming me since my initial terror.
“What is the meaning of this? With all of you imbeciles guarding her, she almost drowns? It is unconscionable for our Princess to be surrounded by incompetence.” The voice belonged to Licinius.
“She had a little fright. She’s fine. It happens to most everyone at some time or another,” Dario said.
“Princess Probus should be kept safe and not allowed to engage in such reckless activities,” Licinius said angrily.
I glared at him. “So, do you think I should be kept in the Palace?”
“You have your choice of beautiful homes in which to reside on each planet of the Empire. There are many activities in which ladies happily engage themselves.”
“Yes, I’ve been trapped in my sitting room doing those things for months. That was what I was doing when you staged your brilliant capture. Remember?” I asked in an angrier tone. I stood and faced him. “I’m fucking sick of your shit, Licinius. You can’t control me, tell me what to do, or force me to spend time with you.”
Licinius stared at me with dark eyes. “Certainly, you do not mean what you say. Along with the fright you just suffered and your unstable hormones, you aren’t thinking clearly.”
“What? Seriously? Oh, I wish I had my blaster. I’m not going to marry you. I don’t care how brilliant you think you are. You and I do not get along and never will.”
Licinius gave me a considering smile and clasped his hands behind his back. “Give me a chance to change your mind over dinner tonight.” I looked at him like he was crazy, but he kept talking. “After a little rest, you will be less irrational.”
Something inside of me snapped, and I erected a thick wall of ice around myself. The commotion had attracted Izaac, Rozz, and Traviz, who stood near Zared with shocked expressions. I pulled upon my bonds to them and strengthened my wall.
“Inquisitor Licinius, you displease me with your disrespect. I will no longer tolerate you. You have insulted me. You have invaded my privacy recording me as I made love to Zared. You threatened me, threatened to show the recording to every news feed. Rather than a thermal recording, they might prefer if Zared and I were to make our own film as I pleasure him. Don’t you think?” I stood within inches of him. “I can think of all kinds of things I want to do with Zared, Fitz, Nico, Quaid, and Yukihyo.” I brushed my hand against Licinius’ cheek and sent wave after wave of pleasure crashing through him. He went down to his knees before me in the sand. “For someone so brilliant, you should have realized that it would be better to have me as a friend instead of as an enemy.”
I lifted his chin and smiled down into his glazed eyes. “Speak rudely to me again, and I will cut your tongue out myself. Understood?”
He nodded. I slapped him with every bit of strength I had leaving and angry red welt.
“Understood?”
“Yes, Princess Probus. I meant no disrespect.”
“Shut up. All you have done is disrespect me, and I deserved it for allowing you the power to manipulate me. You have taught me an important and valuable lesson, one I won’t forget. For that, you will live. Go to your ship at once and leave within the hour.” I looked up and down the beach. “Luca, be a dear and get my board for me.”
Luca ran off down the beach. I walked to the edge of the shore and let the water work away at the sand on my toes. Luca received a kiss on the cheek for bringing me my board.
“May I swim nearby to keep you from drowning, your majesty?” Luca asked.
“You may.” I stayed in the water until the men on the beach had stopped arguing, and Licinius was out of sight. Then, I called Luca over. “Will you please carry my board back to the house for me?”
“Yes, Princess. I’d be happy to do anything for you.” He t
ook my board from me. “So, before we were interrupted, you were giving me an order. Would you please repeat it?”
We were knee deep in the water. Luca had my board balanced on his shoulder farthest from me. I rolled my eyes at him.
“Princess?”
I scowled at him. “Dario is wrong, and you know it. However, it might also be that I have a thing for bears.” Luca looked at me in shock before a huge grin spread across his face. “Yukihyo makes me the most beautiful rugs from the bears he hunts.” I smiled sweetly.
Eli and Zared, along with several of Praetor Jiri’s guards, had escorted Licinius away. Yukihyo waited for me with his arms crossed over his chest and his mouth in a flat line. Thunderdrop crouched on the porch railing.
“Chitter. Chirp chirp,” he admonished.
“Didn’t you learn anything from Isidora while we were on Chione?” Phillip asked as he handed Neema to Yukihyo.
“Well, I slapped him. I didn’t punch him. However, I wasn’t thinking about Isidora at the time.” I walked up to Phillip.
My new father met my eyes before walking around me. “Vice Admiral Galerius and General Braga, please join us for refreshments.” The men accepted his invitation.
Servants brought us towels. When Neema saw Dario, she held her hands out to him. After all, he was the one who had given her the starship walker. With a pleased expression, Dario took our daughter and sat with her while she smiled and patted him. I wondered what she’d get next. Yukihyo laughed.
“Sit,” Phillip ordered. I sat. “You sprained it,” he said as he cleaned my wrist, applied a tiny pain patch, and secured a gel wrap around my wrist. “Was it worth it?”
I looked at my swelling wrist, smiled, and nodded.
Later that day, we returned to the Empress, and by evening we had returned to orbit with our course laid in for Naxa. It was no surprise to me that Dario followed us or that Luca had returned to his commandeered duties on my ship. I was surprised when Papa called.
“Teagan, I understand that Inquisitor Licinius has upset you. However, might your punishment of him be excessive considering his efforts were meant only to win you?”
I felt heat fill my neck and face. “No! I don’t think it was excessive. I’m sure it hurt me more than it hurt him,” I said as I shook my wrapped wrist at the vid-screen. “How can you defend him? I don’t want anything more to do with that arrogant, manipulative, controlling, jerk. In fact, I think I’ll order Kaoti to blast Licinius if he gets within twenty feet of me. Better yet, I’ll blast him myself.”
Papa scowled at me.
“What? He’d better be glad that all I did was slap him. I wanted to fling sand in his eyes and whack him in the head with my board. The jerk told me I was irrational!”
Papa continued to scowl. “I take it you have not seen a newsfeed since your encounter?”
“No. Why?”
The left corner of my screen showed men blasting themselves bloody in the streets of I didn’t know where. Next, a video containing snippets of a thermal me and Zared appeared followed by my argument with Licinius on the beach. I frowned at my swim bottoms. They had been stuck in my butt crack for everyone to see. I cringed at my slap of Licinius, who had been rendered helpless at my touch. The broadcast came complete with subtitles. With a few of Papa’s taps to his screen, a reporter became audible.
“Many lauded Drex Licinius as a genius in securing Princess Probus’ attentions.”
His co-anchor said, “That is no longer the case. Inquisitor Licinius seems to have taken things too far.”
“Indeed, the Warrior Caste is in an uproar over his use of extortion against Princess Probus.”
“It has been confirmed that Houses Galerius, Braga, Gordian, and Cyprian have declared war against House Licinius.”
“Yes, and standing with House Licinius are Houses Asper, Varro, and Decius.”
“Let’s take a look at recent developments.” The screen showed more violence. Most of the fighting was on Daphoene.
Papa stared at me, tapped his screen, and showed me lists of stupid warriors who had gotten themselves hurt.
“Teagan, in the future, remember this. Should you show the tiniest displeasure, there are men who will make it their life’s mission to avenge you.”
After our little chat came to an end, I sat and quietly watched more news footage. The Houses siding with Licinius were livid that I had taken a third Laconian husband. Their shared sentiments made me fear for the new and fragile peace Parvac had formed with the Galaxic Expanse. I had no idea how to fix any of this, but I knew someone who might. I called Ambassador Jiri. When he saw me, a pleased smile spread across his face and reached his eyes.
“Princess Probus, to what do I owe the honor of your call?”
My mouth was a frustrated line, and I could feel the wrinkles of concern on my forehead. “Have you seen the news?”
“I have been apprised of recent developments.”
I thought for sure his brother, my new father-in-law had told him everything. It had all transpired literally in his backyard.
“What should I do?”
“Have you spoken to the Emperor?”
“Yes,” I said with an annoyed frown.
“What advice did he give to you?”
“He told me to be very careful about expressing my anger. I didn’t ask them to pick sides and start shooting.”
“No, you did not. However, among the Warrior Caste, there have been underlying hostilities for generations. You are the banner under which they may unite and settle ancient disputes.”
When Ambassador Jiri said nothing else, I asked, “What should I do? Should I go to Daphoene to meet with them?”
He pondered my question. “No, that would send the message that they can control you with their actions. However, you do not wish to appear callous to the disquiet.”
“Disquiet? They have declared war upon each other, and it’s my fault for slapping Licinius.” I lifted my hand for emphasis.
Ambassador Jiri raised an eyebrow at me. “Yes, that was uncalled for. In the future, should you wish someone slapped, you have hundreds of men at your immediate disposal who would gladly slap Licinius or anyone else for that matter. There is no reason for you to exert yourself. Nico’s seat of power is Apellan. It would be best if you were to meet with representatives of each house there. However, they may expect that course of action. With your permission, Nico and I will discuss how best for you to address the Warrior Caste.”
I nodded. “Thank you. I knew I could depend on you.”
Ambassador Jiri held my eyes with his. “I am at your service. However, I also have the honor of becoming your uncle through marriage. House Jiri always protects its own.”
Leaving my room, I found Yukihyo. He and the others already knew what was going on, but I still told Nico about my conversation. Nico was grinning, and his eyes sparkled with excitement.
“What?” I asked him.
“You are a glorious creature, woman.” After looking at him for a moment as though he had lost his mind, he explained. “Bringing a small war to Apellan is just what my troops need. I have neglected them for months. Will you stroll through their ranks with me carrying our son in your arms?”
“Nico, this is serious.” His grin widened even further. “Yes, Nico. I just want the fighting to stop.”
He frowned and said, “A few skirmishes are good for our men. We are a society of warriors. A little fighting and a few minor battles are good practice.”
I stared at him in consternation and looked around the room. Kaoti was slowly bouncing on his toes but otherwise appeared to be his usual stoic self. Eli’s expression was frightening.
“Eli?” I asked.
Staring straight ahead, Eli said, “His treatment of you should not be tolerated.”
Silently, I called out to Izaac. While standing in parade rest, he said, “Your desires for a peaceful resolution will come to nothing. Meeting with the leaders of the houses is pointless. They are
not ready to see reason. They are ready to see blood. We will protect you, the children, and Lord Yukihyo at all costs. No one will take you from us again, and insults to you will be rewarded with death as is my brother’s right.” Izaac’s silent explanation conveyed with it no emotion other than conviction, and it frightened me.
The Empress seemed to lift. It was odd to notice the starship changing course. Violet had felt it, too. She jumped up and ran for her bathroom with Kaoti right behind her. Eli and Nico went to the lift.
“Keep them calm,” Eli ordered Izaac. Then, the lift doors hid him from view.
Realizing what was happening, I activated the wall-mounted vid-screen and selected the view from the bridge. The Empress was putting distance between herself and two Parvac Warships that were engaged in battle. Weapon’s fire jarred each ship with enough force to alter their positions. Currently, Dario attempted to stabilize his ship after a blast streaked across his prow turning his ship with its strength. Dario returned fire striking Licinius’ ship while evading blaster cannon fire.
“What are they doing? Are they crazy? We could all be killed.” My yelling woke my babies.
All it took was my breast for Niklos to become content, but Neema was another story. She cried and screamed. I looked quizzically at Izaac wondering why he was unable to comfort her. When we realized what she wanted, Yukihyo began spewing out a series of exasperated sounding Laconian words that I didn’t know, but that had the hybrids laughing. Yukihyo put Neema into her starship walker in front of the viewer. Her tears stopped.
“Bam! Bam! Bam!” she said as she hit her firing buttons.
“Put me through to them,” I ordered. A channel opened, and the screen divided between Drex Licinius and Dario Galerius. “Stop it! What is wrong with the two of you?”
The fury on his face made Dario almost unrecognizable. The purple and black bruising on the side of Drex’s face made him almost as strange to me. My eyes swelled with tears. How could I have been so hateful and violent? I hadn’t been defending myself from a physical attack. Striking Licinius had been spiteful and cruel. He had been helpless at my feet. Was I turning into Nathan Green?
Omnes Videntes (The Space Merchants Book 4) Page 24