by M. K. Eidem
“Are you sure you want to do this, Lucas?” Jotham forces back a smile as startled eyes turn to him.
“Of course I do!” Lucas cannot believe Jotham can even ask that. “I’ve waited nine cycles for this day.”
“Then relax.” Jotham's smile breaks free. “Your wait is over.” He nods to the entrance of the garden. Lucas whips around and his heart stops.
There she is...his heart whispers. The only woman he will ever love. Standing between his father and hers, she is the most beautiful thing he has ever seen. Looking at her, he is stunned. His eyes fly over her, falling to the violet belt before moving back to her love filled eyes. She is wearing violet. His House color, stating for all to see where her loyalty lies….with him. Not Cassie. Not the House of Knowledge. Without conscious thought, he moves to her.
William sees the stunned look on his eldest's face as he realizes what Victoria is stating for all to see. Remembers feeling the same way when Cassandra had done it.
“Hi.” Victoria says softly when Lucas stops in front of her. Without a word, he leans down to capture her lips in a reverent kiss that has every woman sighing. Pulling back, he sees tears fill her eyes.
“I love you, Victoria Lynn.” He gently wipes the happy tears away with his thumbs before stepping back, looking to the men flanking her. Slowly, Peter and William take the hand from their arms and extend them to Lucas, but as he takes them, both hesitate. Lucas quickly looks from one to the other. Reluctantly, they release her and her tears flow again as she looks at them, the men who had raised her.
“Thank you, Uncle William.” Sliding her hands from Lucas’, she frames William’s face, gently kissing his cheek. “For having Lucas. For helping him become the man, he is today. The man I love. For loving me and letting me be a part of your family.” Tears flow unashamedly down the High Admiral’s cheeks at her words.
Turning she looks to her father. “Thank you, daddy, for never giving up on me. You showed me what true love was. That it stands in good times and bad. That it never lets go. Not once it has touched you. I’ve found that, daddy. Thanks to you. With Lucas. He loves me like you love mom and I’m holding on, I’ve got a good grip.” Kissing his cheek, she feels his arms wrap tightly around her before releasing her so she can turn to Lucas and her future.
“Thank you.” Lucas looks to each man and knows they understand him. Taking Victoria’s hands, he leads her to their future.
Jotham smiles as Lucas and Victoria walk towards him. The ancestors have truly blessed them this day. Showing them that nothing is impossible if you love. He wishes Lata was here to see this… when a breeze gently touches his cheek, he realizes she is.
“Family and friends, we are here this day, to witness the Union of this man and this woman. Do you, Lucas Matthew Zafar accept this woman, Victoria Lynn Chamberlain, as your wife? To love, honor and protect her until you meet the ancestors.”
“I do. I will never lose my grip.” Jotham raises an eyebrow at the addition.
“And do you, Victoria Lynn Chamberlain, accept this man, Lucas Matthew Zafar, as your husband, to love, honor and protect until you meet the ancestors?” He learned with Cassandra that ‘obey’ was not something the Chamberlain women agreed to.
“I will and beyond.” Victoria smiles up at Lucas, this day is perfect.
“Zafar! Where is my son?” The harsh voice has all heads turning. Lucas quickly pulls Victoria protectively behind him. Barek steps in front of Amina.
“Stannic!” Cassandra is furious. "What are you doing here?” Angrily, she stands to confront him, only to have William step between them, protecting his family.
“Stannic…” Peter snarls, spinning around, his eyes turning deadly as they zero in on the man that has brought so much pain to his family.
Stannic stares with disdain at the smaller man moving towards him. He knows who he is and shows him no respect. He and his worthless family deserved to die on Earth.
"Assemblyman Stannic to you, alien.” He sneers. Dismissing Peter, he turns his attention back to the High Admiral. "What have you done to my son, Zafar?” He moves confidently forward, knowing the High Admiral cannot touch him. He is not in the Coalition and the Queen… well she's female, as for the others, they are from the House of Protection... they know they cannot touch another House’s Assemblymen. Therefore, he is shocked when suddenly he's jerked off his feet from behind. His eyes fly to the enraged ones of the Queen's brother.
"How dare you!” Stannic bellows. “I am an Assemblyman! No Carinian may touch me!” His eyes widen when the man raises a fist.
“But I’m not Carinian, now, am I?” Peter replies with a menacing smile.
"Peter, no! You can’t!” Cyndy grabs his arm, stilling an arm that has regained its full strength. Stannic smirks, at least one of these aliens realize how important he is.
"Cyndy?” Peter questions roughly, his eyes never leaving Stannic.
"Not with that jacket on. Blood is a bitch to get out.” Her soft voice is a sharp contrast to the harsh words. “Take it off then kick his sorry ass."
"Of course, pixie.” Peter quickly drops the stunned Stannic, handing his jacket to Cyndy.
“No one screws with my family, ass hole.” Cyndy glares at Stannic before pulling Peter down for a hard kiss. “Take out the trash, baby.”
“With pleasure, pixie.” Peter smiles, reaching for Stannic again, his first swing sending the Assemblyman flying through the garden’s entrance.
Victoria watches in disbelief as her father slugs Stannic but she won’t say she’s sorry. How had he gotten into the Queen’s private garden?
“Stay here, Victoria.” Lucas orders. Jotham nods that he will protect her as Lucas moves to back up Peter. Suddenly, only women and children are left in the memory garden and the sound of flesh hitting flesh permeates the air. Ignoring Lucas’ order, Victoria moves towards the entrance.
“Victoria, no,” Jotham orders. While he knows he can’t personally become involved in the fight, he wants to, oh how he wants to. Quickly stepping around Victoria, Jotham blocks the garden's entrance, making sure he can see while keeping the others inside.
"Crouch down a little, Jotham," Cyndy demands, she has pushed a chair up behind him but even standing on her tiptoes she can't see over the King. “I can’t see a thing.” She shoves at his shoulder.
Jotham looks at the tiny woman in shock. Who would have thought someone so small and fragile looking could be such a spitfire. Looking to Victoria, he realizes he should have known.
Peter advances on the man currently shaking his head on the ground, ignoring those forming a circle around them. Peter had learned a great deal about Stannic when he searched for his spies in the Palace. His parents had been commoners who worked within the House of Knowledge under Yakira's mother. It had been there, in the Palace that Stannic learn just how much power an Assemblyman could have, especially if he had the ear of the Queen.
Stannic had become powerful during Yakira's reign, thanks to his friendship with Audric. Cassie exposing Audric and taking the throne changed all that. Stannic lost his power base and had to rely on threats and intimidation to maintain his status of Assemblyman. Peter was going to end that.
"Get up Stannic.” He orders.
"You'll pay for this.” Stannic spits out slowly rising. He had been the best fighter in his Academy class back in the day and while it's been a few cycles, he has no doubt he can handle this puny alien.
Peter smiles as Stannic moves into a fighting stance. He wants nothing more than to teach this foabhor a lesson, for Tori, for Amina and for every other person Stannic’s terrorized. Peter waits for Stannic's first move. He doesn’t have to wait long.
Stannic lunges at the smaller man sure that his size will overpower him. Peter simply twists and steps aside at the last second to bring his elbow down sharply on Stannic’s back sending him to the ground again.
"Is that the best you've got Stannic?” Peter taunts, smiling as rage fills the eyes that whip up to his
. "No wonder your son is so pathetic."
"You know nothing about Gad!” Stannic rises quickly this time, striking out with rusty moves that Peter easily blocks.
"I know he attack my daughter.” Peter swings for the first time, connecting with Stannic's jaw causing him to stumble backwards. "And she put him down.” Every man there hears the pride in Peter's voice.
"The little bitch got lucky!” Stannic spits out, blood dripping from his spilt lip.
"Not hardly.” Peter circles Stannic, taunting him. "Then he went after Amina and failed there too."
"No, he didn't.” Stannic grins evilly thinking he knows something they don't.
"You mean because you found out about the turminan filter?” Peter sees the shock spread across Stannic's face. "We know all about that Stannic. About your spies in the Palace and you forging Coalition documents. You have broken both House of Knowledge laws and Coalition ones. Gad told us everything, saving his own ass, it seems he has no more loyalty than you do."
"You lie!” Stannic sputters, his face turning red. "My son would never betray me!"
"Kayden nallag death to the traitors descendents.” William’s voice, while quiet, carries a father’s rage.
Stannic looks at William in shock. That is his passcode. How had the High Admiral gotten it? If he had it than he has access to his files and if he has access...” Stannic pales at the thought. He has to get out of here! Looking at the men surrounding him, his eyes move from Barek to Leander, to Lucas, the High Admiral and then the entire Queen's Guard before returning to Peter. That is his way out, Stannic thinks, through the Queen’s brother.
Peter sees Stannic’s mind racing as he realizes he’s trapped. Stannic thinks that he, Peter, is the weakest link, he is not.
“Bring it Stannic.” Peter challenges, setting his back foot, bracing for Stannic’s attack.
Stannic’s first swing is fast, faster than Peter expects and he blocks it with a forearm, then spinning Peter knocks Stannic's feet out from under him with a leg sweep.
Stannic roars his rage at being on the ground again, jumping to his feet, his breath is suddenly gone, as Peter sinks his fist deep into Stannic’s soft belly, lifting him off his feet with the force of this punch.
Stannic gasps for breath as he drops to his knees.
"You're finished Stannic.” Peter tells him then with a right hook he knocks him out.
“Mom!” Victoria exclaims, seeing Cyndy shove the King.
“What?” Cyndy quizzes, still trying to see over Jotham. “Nothing better than watching your dad in action.”
“I totally agree, move Jotham.” Having handed Sabah to Javiera, Cassandra pushes on Jotham’s other shoulder.
"Mom!” The chorus of young voices has both women turning to see the shocked faces of their children, looking at each other they giggle.
“Ooops.”
“Ladies, I believe you need to tend to your children,” Jotham tells them trying not to smirk.
“Where’s the fun in that?” Cyndy whispers under her breath but she moves to Brett. “It’s okay honey.”
“But dad…” Worried eyes look to the entrance.
“Will be just fine. You wait and see. No one bests your dad in hand to hand. Especially not some cocky little Assemblyman.”
“Thank you, pixie.”
Jotham steps aside as Peter reenters the garden, a little mussed but otherwise unhurt. Moving directly to his wife, he pulls her close giving her a hard deep kiss. “Even you could have taken that piece of shit out.”
“Even me?” Cyndy raises an eyebrow at the implied insult.
“Because you are so skilled,” Peter quickly tells her.
“That’s what I thought you meant.” She pulls his head back down for a kiss that tells him she knows exactly what he meant.
William moves to Cassandra, pulling her into his arms. He hadn’t liked standing aside, letting Peter handle Stannic, but he also knew it would have made things more difficult for her if the ‘King’ attacked an Assemblyman. While he hadn’t been able to touch Stannic, he’d thoroughly enjoyed watching Peter handle the little foabhor. A few of the moves had some interesting applications for the Coalitions Shock Troops. At Cassandra’s raised eyebrow, he chuckles.
“Your brother is a man to be reckoned with. You should have seen him.”
“I would have, if Jotham hadn’t been in the way.” She gives Jotham an irritated look. “You know, I am the Queen.”
Jotham decides to take the high road and say nothing as he returns to his original position.
“If everyone would return to their seats,” he commands. “I believe we have a ceremony to complete.” After several minutes of laughter and confusion, everyone returns to their original places.
“Lucas…Victoria…” Jotham looks to the smiling couple before him. “You have stated your intentions towards one another in front of family, friends and the ancestors. The ring?” Jotham sees the surprise in Victoria’s eyes as Barek hands Lucas the ring he had designed for her.
The exchange of rings was an out dated custom on Carina. At least it was until Cassandra and William exchanged them at their Union. It was slowly starting to return. Victoria had not been aware Lucas wished to honor the tradition.
Lucas holds the ring out for her to see. It is a simple band made of two very different metals that swirl together to form a third. “It represents us, our love,” Lucas tells her softly. “Two separate and different people, who’ve come together and are now one. Never to be separated again.”
Victoria looks up at him with joy, tears filling her eyes and holds out her hand.
“Victoria, with this ring I make you my wife.” Lucas tells her, his voice full of love.
When Jotham would have continued, Amina interrupts holding out her hand to reveal the matching man’s ring.
“What? How?” Victoria looks at her friend.
“When your mom found out what Lucas was planning, she knew you’d want to do the same.” Amina enjoys seeing the surprise on Lucas’ face. Victoria turns to her mother sitting with her father’s arm around her and their eyes meet. That connection they had always had, mother to daughter, had never been severed, not even after all the cycles and distance. Cyndy knew what her daughter wanted and needed and made sure she had it.
“Thank you mom.” Cyndy just smiles and nods.
Taking the ring from Amina, she turns to Lucas. “Lucas, with this ring I make you my husband.” Looking from his hand to his eyes, Victoria sees her future.
“Lucas, kiss your wife,” Jotham tells him.
Framing her face, Lucas leans down, giving her a hard, reverent kiss.
“Ladies and gentleman, I announce the Union of Lucas and Victoria Zafar.”
Smiling, Jotham steps back to see his son’s gaze, not on the new couple but the vision in purple who has happy tears running down her face. Amina. His eyes sharpen as he looks back to Barek. Perhaps it is time he took an interest in Victoria’s friend.
About the Author
Michelle has always loved to read and writing is just a natural extension of this for her. Growing up she always loved to extend the stories of books she'd read just to see where the characters went. Happily married and the mother of two, who are nearly out of the house, she's found she has time to write again. You can reach her at [email protected] or her website at http://www.mkeidem.com she'd love to hear your comments.
Additional Books
Cassandra's Challenge: The Imperial Series
Grim
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