Cassandra's Challenge (74 page)

The Admiral stands by, as more and more people
approach, wanting introductions to the Challenger. He knows this
isn’t the time or place Cassandra doesn’t want it to appear she’s
using it that way.

“Princess.” He leans close. She turns her head
slightly and he sees the first hints of fatigue. “We need to return
to the Royal Wing.” He sees the slight flare in her eyes, and
realizes she believes there’s a problem. He gives her waist a
reassuring squeeze, her eyes settle.

“Of course,” Cassandra’s eyes sweep the group
surrounding them. “If you’ll excuse us?” It wasn’t a question she
turns to the Admiral waiting.

With his hand on her lower back he guides her
through the crowd, Lucas on one side, Kyle behind. At the doors the
guards make a note of their leaving. Walking down the corridor Kyle
moves to his father’s side.

“I assume it’s okay to leave without saying
goodbye to Jotham and Barek.”

“He won’t expect it. You’ve spoken with him
once.” Approaching the Royal Wing William removes the key from his
pocket.

“Report.”

“No one has approached the Wing Admiral.”
Nodding he unlocks the door. Once inside he secures the door. Marat
approaches.

“Report.”

“The Wing is secure Admiral, there have been no
intrusions.”

“Good. Initiate Eagle Nest.”

“Yes sir. Princess, Victoria is in Michelakakis’
suite.”

“Thank you Chief.” Marat nods then leaves the
room.

“Eagle Nest?” She asks.

“Let’s some of the guards rotate out.”

“How are they holding up?” She asks as they head
for the stairs.

“Fine, why?”

“There’s only ten of them William, we’ve been
running them pretty hard.”

“That’s their job.”

“For the Coalition maybe, this isn’t Coalition
business.” She stands on the first step, eye level with
William.

“They’re fine.” Giving him a quick kiss she lets
the subject drop, heading up to find Victoria.

William watches until she’s safely upstairs,
then he turns to his sons.

“We need to talk.” He leads them to the ready
room. Once there he sits behind the desk, looking at his sons.
“Opinions.”

“Cassandra handled herself like a true Queen,
she was controlled, respectful, not letting anyone push her
around.” Kyle comments first.

“She won over Umbarger. But Audric, he’d like to
see her dead.” Lucas stares at his father. “That’s who she’s
‘irritating’.”

“Prince Audric?” Kyle leans back thinking. “She
knew he had no Royal affiliation, no birthmark.”

“Cassandra does her research.”

“That’s how she knew he didn’t ‘earn’ any of his
medals.”

“Yes.”

“Did you know he was going to take a shot at
you?” Lucas asks.

“No, but I’m not surprised.”

“Yakira didn’t defend him.” Kyle looks at his
father.

“What?” William gives his attention to his
youngest.

“When Audric took a shot at
you,
Cassandra tore him apart. Yakira didn’t defend him, just let it go.
He was pissed about it.”

“It was more than that.” Lucas looks at his
father. “Everyone saw. Saw the difference between them as a couple
and you. You and Cassandra stand together, they stand apart. It
gave everyone a good look at what the House of Knowledge could be,
especially their Assemblymen.”

“There have been rumors,” Kyle looks from Lucas
to his father. “From the very beginning, Yakira’s intended, Vane,
was killed in a freak accident on Messene. Less than two months
later she weds Audric. Their son is born less than seven months
later. He was ‘early’.” Kyle watches his father. “It’s rumored
Audric can’t stand the boy, he’s fifteen now, Yakira lives her life
around him.”

“Not all rumors are true.” William states but it
raises some interesting questions.

“There’s more. They’ve kept separate quarters
since they were wed. Yakira consulted with a doctor that guaranteed
herself a daughter for her second child. An heir.”

“How can you possibly know that?” Lucas
demands.

“I’m the ‘smart’ one remember.” Kyle grins at
him.

“Vane died on Messene?” William stands walking
to look out the window.

“Yes.” Kyle watches him. “A climbing
accident.”

“Audric is originally from Messene. The Glitter
Man needed to get back to Messene. It’s not a coincidence.”

“You think he killed Vane so he could marry
Yakira and become Prince?” Lucas frowns.

“It’s possible.” William looks to Kyle. “Can you
get me all the Intel on the ‘accident’? Quietly.”

“Shouldn’t be a problem.”

“Do it.”

“Dad, you really think it matters?” Lucas
asks.

“I don’t know, Cassandra’s been working on
something concerning the Battle of Fayal, she’s sniffing something,
this might help.”

“Fayal?”

“Something to do with who translated the
Intel.”

“Scholar Olah.” William and Lucas stare at Kyle.
“What? I did a thesis on him. He was in charge of all data
translations from the Regulian ship. He died over seven cycles
ago.”

“How?” William demands.

“That transport accident in Kisurri.”

“The ‘freak’ one? Where only the last transport
rolled?”

“Yes….” Kyle pales at the thought. “He couldn’t
have….”

“Why? That was only one hundred people, compare
that to seven billion.” William’s eyes are hard. “Get me the Intel
Kyle, on all that, I want to know who he’d been in contact with
before he died. Go back a month.”

“Yes sir. Are the comms upstairs on full
security?”

“Yes, if you need more let me or Quinn know, and
Kyle, don’t let anyone know you’re sniffing.”

“Not a problem.” Kyle heads upstairs.

“Dad….you think it goes that far back?”

“It started somewhere. If he killed to get to
Yakira, he’d kill to stay there. After seven billion what’s a few
more.” William walks up to his first son. “Stay on your toes.”

“Aunt Cassie, you’re back.”

“Sure am, what are you up too?” She sits down
next to her.

“Javiera has us catching up on homework.”

“Really.” Cassandra looks at Javiera.

“I thought it would keep them busy.”

“It’s a good idea. You have what you need?”

“Yea, I’ve just been pulling it up on the comm.”
Javiera gives Cassandra the once over. They hadn’t talked about the
baby yet. She could wait until Cassandra was ready to talk. But
that didn’t mean she wouldn’t keep an eye on her friend.

“Why don’t you go eat, I
think
the girls
left you some fudge torta.”

“We did.” Victoria pipes up.

“I’ve got enough to keep them busy for a couple
hours. Eat, rest, it’s been a trying day.” Javiera shoos her
out.

“Have you been talking to William?” Cassandra
accuses laughing.

“No, but I will if that’s what it takes.”

“The Admiral always makes her eat.” Victoria
chimes in.

“Then she must, he’s the Admiral.”

Smiling, Cassandra leaves them. It felt good to
smile. Finding the suite empty she slips off her shoes.

“Ahhh, that’s heaven.” Picking them up, she
heads to the closet. Hanging up her white outfit she turns to the
bureau. Kia had made her a pair a jeans. She’d protested the whole
time but once Cassandra had discovered a material similar to denim
she’d insisted, had drawn a very detailed sketch. Pulling them out
she looks at them. Smiling as she pulls them on. The fit was
perfect, as she buttons them she realizes she’d better enjoy them
while she can, soon William’s son will make them impossible to
wear. The thought makes her laugh. Pulling on a shirt she heads out
to find food, bare foot.

Walking down the steps she thinks about what
William’s told her. Tomorrow there would be a private ceremony for
Dadrian. But William hadn’t said anything about going? Would he and
his sons normally have gone? Was there a reason they weren’t?

“Chief Marat.” Cassandra sees him at the bottom
of the step wondering if he’d know.

“Princess.” Marat watches as she approaches. No
one seeing her now would think she would soon be Queen. She’s
wearing some kind of blue jeans he’d never seen before, a very
casual shirt, loose hair and bare feet. Bare feet!

“I have a question I’m hoping you can
answer.”

“I’ll try.”

“Tomorrow there will be a private family burial
of Dadrian.”

“Yes.”

“Under normal circumstances, would the Zafars’
attend?”

Marat thinks for a moment. The Admiral is not
only related too but a good friend of King Jotham, his is Barek’s
second father, and their sons were friends.

“In my opinion, yes Princess.”

“Could you contact Deffand for me and find out
if he feels it will be a problem for them to attend?”

“Princess?”

“I think it will do them all good to be there
together, privately. Victoria and I will not be attending. If you
could do that?”

“I’ll do what I can Princess. It might be
awhile, the gathering is on going.”

“Thank you Chief.” She turns, heading to the
kitchen.

“Princess!” Hutu is shocked to find her in his
kitchen.

“Hutu, hello. I thought I’d come down and see if
I couldn’t beg a meal off you.”

“You only had to call.”

“I know, but I felt like coming down for a
visit. Anything you have is fine. Is that soup?”

“Yes Princess.” Hutu goes to the stove filling a
bowl. Setting it down, he hands her a spoon.

“Thank you.” She takes her first sip. “This is
wonderful Hutu.” He smiles and sets down what she’s come to know as
Carinian bread. Tearing off a piece she dips it in the soup.

“How are you adjusting here?”

“Princess?” Hutu gives her a confused look.

“I’ve never asked. Where are you originally from
Hutu?”

“I’m from the Latakia Region of the House of
Growth, Princess.”

“Well that explains how you’re such a good cook.
Do you have family there?”

“Several brothers, one sister, they’ve all
married, have children. They work together on the family
acreage.”

“It’s large enough to support them all?”

“Yes Princess.”

“So where are you in the mix?”

“Princess?”

“Oldest, youngest?”

“Youngest son, only my sister is younger.”

“And your parents?”

“They’ve gone to be with the ancestor’s
Princess.” Hutu’s look is somewhat sad.

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be, they are together, that’s how they
would want to be.” Cassandra nods her understanding.

“So you didn’t want to stay on the
farm….acreage?”

“No. I used to look at the stars and wonder what
it was like, really like to go there, not just in a simulation. So
since there were enough to work the acreage I left.”

“It would have been hard on your parents.”

“Yes, it was, but they also understood.” Hutu
turns to work on at counter.

Cassandra thinks back to her father, how he
understood her need to study. “They tend to do that, when they love
you.”

“Yes Princess.” Hutu sets a piece of fudge torta
in front of her.

Looking down she finds her bowl empty. Grinning
at him, she takes the forc he’s holding out.

“You’re going to make me fat if you keep making
this.” She closes her eyes taking her first bite. “Yummmm.”

“Good.” The Admiral comes up behind her, placing
a kiss on her head.

“Admiral, would you like some soup?”

“Thank you Hutu.”

Turning away Hutu rushes to fill a bowl. An
Admiral and a Princess sitting in his kitchen eating soup who’d
believe it? He’s been telling a Princess about his family. He sets
the bowl in front of the Admiral.

“So how many nieces and nephews do you have?”
Cassandra continues her conversation with Him.

“Hmm, at last count seven nephews six
nieces.”

“Really?!?” Her eyes widen. “Do you get to see
them much?”

“I get home when I can. It depends on the length
of the Admiral’s tour.”

Saying nothing she enjoys another bite. Hutu
can’t help but grin at her enjoyment.

“I should make my mother’s special fudge chip
wafers for you.” Hutu realizes he’s spoken out loud.

“Wafer?” Cassandra frowns. “Wafer…. You mean
like a cookie? Round.” She shows him with her hands. Hutu nods.
“With ‘fudge chips’. If you’re talking chocolate chip cookies I may
have to kiss you.”

“Uhhh…” Hutu’s eyes flash to the Admiral,
relaxing when he sees his grin.

“You’d better make some Hutu. If it’s what she’s
thinking, you will be a very lucky man.”

“Yes Admiral.”

“You done with that?” William looks at her empty
plate.

She blushes. “Yeah. Thank you Hutu.”

“You’re very welcome Princess.”

Standing, William helps her off the stool.
Looking down he sees her bare feet. She wiggles her toes at him.
Shaking his head, he smiles.

“Where are your shoes?”

“In the closet where they belong.”

“And here I thought we could walk in the
garden.”

“Sounds good to me.” Wrapping an arm around his
waist she lets him lead her out the kitchen’s garden door.

“You’re going to hurt your feet.” William tells
her as they walk along the path.

“If I do, you’ll just have to carry me.” She
teases. “Might hurt your back after all that torta I ate.” William
laughs at the thought of her being that heavy. They needed this, a
few moments of carefree together. Wandering Lata’s garden they find
a little peace.

“William?”

“Hmmm.”

“Why aren’t either of your sons named after
you?”

“What?” He looks down at her.

“Lucas and Kyle, why isn’t one of them named
after you? Is that not done on Carina?”

“It can be.” He walks her over to a bench and
sits down. “Salish named the boys.”

“What?”

“I was gone when they were born. She chose their
names.”