Cassandra's Challenge (81 page)

“Ten?” Cassandra pales just a little. She is
going to have to talk to Javiera.

“Yeah, I was only eight.”

“I know I was there.” Cassandra smiles at
her.

“So what’s up Aunt Cassie?”

“Well…I was wondering if you’d like to go to a
wedding this afternoon?”

“A wedding? Who’s?” Victoria’s eyes widen as she
stares at her Aunt. “Yours? You and the Admiral?”

“Yes.”

“Really? Reallyreallyreally?” Victoria is out of
her chair, jumping up and down.

“Really.” She has to laugh at her
excitement.

“I’ll have an Uncle William!”

“Yes you will.” William enters the room, hearing
Victoria. Leaning over he gives Cassandra a hard kiss. “Good
morning.”

“It is.” She touches the side of his face,
enjoying the look in his eyes.

“This is better than the baby! Ooops….” Victoria
stops jumping. “Sorry Aunt Cassie.”

“That’s okay honey, I told William you
know.”

“But I
promised
not to say anything.”

“I think we can forgive you.” He picks her up
smiling. “I see you got your Aunt to eat.” He looks at the empty
plate.

“She was
really
hunger. I told her it was
the baby.”

“You may be right.”

“Do Lucas and Kyle know yet?” Victoria
questions.

“I just got done telling them.”

“About the baby too?”

“Yes.” He watches her.

“Can I go over know then? I can tell Amina can’t
I?”

William looks at Cassandra to see what she
thinks. “Yes that’s fine.”

“Awesome!” She wiggles out of William’s arms.
“Bye!”

“Wait.” The Admiral’s voice stops her cold. “You
can’t just run across.”

“I forgot, sorry.”

“I’ll walk you over. I’ll be right back.” He
tells Cassandra as he follows Victoria.

Waiting Cassandra looks out the window to Lata’s
garden. It is a beautiful day.

“What are you thinking?” William’s arms go
around her.

“Just that it’s a beautiful day.” She turns in
his arms. “So tell me Admiral, what have you been doing today?”

“Oh a little of this, a little of that.” He
caresses her cheek. “Planning a Union.”

“Really…anything I can help with?”

“That depends I thought we’d have it in Lata’s
garden.”

“Sounds perfect.”

“I need to know what
you
want. I don’t
know how it was done on Earth.”

“All I need is you. You, your sons and Victoria,
but I’d like everyone else there if possible, including Jotham and
Barek.”

“I’ve taken care of that. Jotham’s agreed to
perform the ceremony.”

“Jotham? The King performs Unions?” She
frowns.

“He can, it’s not common, but it can be
done.”

“How is it normally done?” William hesitates,
“William?”

“A Guide usually performs the ceremony.”

“Like the one from the Temple.”

“Yes.”

“And we’re not having one because….”

“A Guide wouldn’t perform the ceremony.” He
watches the sparkle go out of her eyes.

“Why?” She asks softly.

“There are protocols, things that must be
determined before a Guide will perform a Union.”

“You had one with Salish.”

“Yes.”

“So it has nothing to do with my having
conceived.”

“No! Cassandra, it’s a formality, not everyone
has a Guide perform the ceremony. There are others who perform it,
it’s still recognized.”

“But you didn’t want to tell me. Why?”

William runs a hand through his hair, his
frustration showing. “I didn’t want you upset about it.” She waits.
“Some will consider it void when you become Queen.”

“If. Why?”

“Because we’re from two different Houses.”

“Let them try and void my Union.” Cassandra’s
eyes blaze. “And we’re
not
from two different Houses!”

“You’re Qwes Cassandra, that’s House of
Knowledge.”

“I also descend for Kayden.
That’s
House
of Protection.”

“They won’t see it that way.”

“I don’t care how they
see
it that’s the
way it is.”

William pulls her close for a quick kiss. That’s
all he’s allowing himself. “Let’s worry about it if it happens.
Right now I need to know what you what for the ceremony.”

“William…I don’t know how it’s done here. All I
know is I want to be your wife.” She puts a hand over his
heart.

“Go change. I’ll have Javiera come over, you two
can talk, find out what you want. Jotham won’t be here until 1430.”
He nudges her towards the bedroom.

“But William…”

“Cassandra, I’m going to be no help here, this
is something
women
talk about.” The lost look on his face
makes her smile.

“Well at least that’s the same as on Earth. You
men get all flustered with wedding details.” She gives him a
teasing look. “Are you sure you don’t want to join me? We are all
alone….”

William’s eyes flare into hers. “You’re a tease
sometimes.” He pulls her against his chest, kissing her until she’s
limp in his arms. Finally he releases her lips.

“That will have to hold me until tonight.” He
smiles as he watches Cassandra’s eyes start to focus again.

“I’m not the only tease around here.” She’s
breathless looking at him.

“That wasn’t a tease, it was a promise.” He rubs
his hands down her back one last time before stepping away.

“I’ll hold you to it.” She watches him leave
before turning to get dressed.

“Cassandra!” Javiera calls from the private
area.

“Be right there.” Pulling her hair up she heads
for the door. “Hi!” She has a big grin on her face.

“Hi…Hi…. What do you mean Hi! Get over here!”
Javiera sweeps her into a big hug. “A baby
and
a Union! This
is great!”

Cassandra hugs Javiera back suddenly tearing up.
It seems like a life time since she’s just been able to sit down
and talk to her, when in reality it’d only been nine days. She
hadn’t realized how much she needed to talk to a woman. William
had.

“Hey, are you okay?” Javiera leans back giving
her a worried look.

“I’m fine. I just missed you. So much has been
going on.”

“You’re telling me, gatherings, dinner with the
King, balls, Dadrian’s death, now a Union, and a baby.”

“I know and I’ve barely been able to talk to
you.”

“So we’ll talk now.” Javiera leads her to the
couch, sitting down. “Leander and Lucas are with the girls under
orders to keep them occupied. No interruptions.”

“That would be nice. Better than nice.”
Cassandra sighs.

“What do you need to know?”

“There’s the problem, I don’t know.” She gives
her a lost look. “Let’s start with the Union ceremony. Tell me how
it’s normally down on Carina, how was yours and Leander’s?”

“Well let’s see. We had it in the Temple at
Nias, just family and friends, a small union.”

“A Guide performed the ceremony?”

“Of course.” She sees Cassandra’s frown. “What’s
wrong?”

“Why would someone
not
have a Guide
perform the ceremony?”

“Not? Well…there could be some conflict between
the families, as in one not supporting the Union. In that case a
Guide would not perform the ceremony. Or it could be the couple
doesn’t want to wait for the formality. There is a mandatory
waiting period to see if one or the other changes their mind.”

“Or if they are considered from different
Houses.”

“Yes. But Cassandra they are still recognized,
just not in the Temple.”

“And how does that reflect on someone, say an
Admiral.” Cassandra’s eyes are steady as they met Javiera’s. “The
truth.”

“Some of the very traditional members of the
Coalition would look unfavorably on it. But Cassandra, you can’t
possible think that matters to the Admiral.”

“No I know it doesn’t, he could care less what
some small minded person thinks of him. But I need to know if it
could be a problem, for him, because of me.”

“So who’s performing the ceremony?”

“King Jotham.”

“Really!!!!” Javiera is amazed and realizes she
shouldn’t be. “Cassandra, for the King to perform the ceremony
means he supports the Union. That is
huge
! It will go a long
way with the traditionalists. King Jotham is very highly thought
of.”

“What else?”

“What do you mean?”

“At your Union. What did you wear?”

“
A Union dress. It’s a special dress a
woman picks her own, usually only worn on that day. I still have
it.” Javiera smiles.

“Color?”

“Traditionally it’s the House color but any
color can be chosen.” Javiera frowns. “We don’t have time for Pazel
and Kia to make you something special.”

“I have something in mind.” Smiling she thinks
about the violet dress she’d demanded made. “Javiera….you did take
Leander’s name didn’t you? I’ve always assumed you did but….”

“Yes, I know it isn’t very modern of me but I
wanted too. But Cassandra, that’s not something you need to worry
about.”

“Why?”

“Why? Because you’re Qwes. You’ll be Queen
Cassandra Qwes.”

“I’m Cassandra Qwes Chamberlain. I’ll be
Cassandra Qwes Zafar whether I’m Queen or not.” Cassandra’s tone is
firm.

“Cassandra…Really???” Javiera is shocked.

“Why is it such a big deal?” She’s truly
puzzled.

“You’re Qwes….”

“Chamberlain.” She argues back.

“But you carry the Qwes name.”

“And still will. Every woman in my line has
carried the name, but we change our last name to our husbands.”

“I….I guess I just never considered it. It’s not
how it’s ever been done.” To that has Cassandra smiling at
Javiera.

“And everything I’ve done so far has been the
way it’s been done?”

Javiera looks at her and starts to laugh. “No,
not one thing, the House of Knowledge is in for a surprise.”

“Yes, they are.” She thinks about Audric about
what he’s done then puts it away. That’s for tomorrow. “So anything
else I need to know about the ceremony?”

“I can’t think of anything else.”

“We’re going to have it in the garden.”

“That will be beautiful.”

“On Earth the groom would be with the…Guide, the
bride walks up to him, usually escorted by her father….” She has to
stop. It catches her off guard, she hadn’t thought about it, her
father…he wouldn’t be there to give her away. Neither will Peter or
Cyndy. Standing she walks to the window blindly looking out.

“Cassandra….” She holds up her hand, indicating
she needs a minute. “I’m going to call the Admiral.” Javiera
stands.

“No.” Cassandra’s voice is tight but firm. “Is
it done that way on Carina?” She turns to look a Javiera.

“No. Well maybe a thousand years ago, but not
today. The woman walks to her intended by herself, showing she’s
willing to be his wife.”

“Then that’s how it will be done.” She sits back
down.

“But Cassandra….”

“Javiera, there’s no one here to walk me down
the aisle even if I wanted them too. We’re on Carina, we do it the
Carinian way. William doesn’t need to know any different.”

“If that’s the way you want it.” Javiera isn’t
convinced.

“I do, which brings me to what’s said during the
ceremony.”

“King Jotham will go through the ceremony he’ll
tell you what to say. You just repeat it.”

“I can do that.” Cassandra takes a deep breath
and looks at her friend. “Now tell me about babies.”

“What?” Javiera laughs.

“William seems to be overly concerned to me,
about my conceiving. Why?”

“Because he loves you?”

“I’ve know that. But what else?”

“Well….Cassandra, I know you don’t consider it
an issue but you are rather
tiny
,” she sees her eyes flare.
“For a Carinian woman.” Javiera quickly adds. “And the Admiral is
rather
large
even for a Carinian man, it does raise some
issues on you being able to carry his child full course.”

“Full course, you mean term. What is a full
course on Carina?”

“Nine moon cycles.”

“Moon cycles?”

“Ummm, it’s been close to two moon cycles since
the Earth was destroyed.”

“And all moon cycles are the same length?”

“Within a day or two yes.”

“So a month, nine months. Same as Earth.”

“It’s the same?”

“Yes, but from talking to Victoria, there may be
a size difference, at birth. Amina was really ten hectic?”

“Ten hectic even. She was early. I told you I
had problems.”

“How early?”

“One moon cycle.” Javiera frowns thinking back.
“I thought I could do anything and then I fell. It was so stupid. I
was rushing, it’d been a long day, and I missed a step and fell. I
was in my sixth cycle, I start to bleed.” Javiera had to take a
deep breath. “They kept me in medical hoping I could make it the
full nine cycles but I only made it eight. I started to bleed
internally, there’d been damage from the fall they couldn’t repair
while I was carrying Amina. Once I delivered, there was a lot of
scare tissue. So they think it would be dangerous for me to
conceive again.”

“I’m so sorry Javiera.” Javiera just nods. “So
she was ten hectics at eight cycles. What should she have been?

“Oh eleven or twelve easily.”

“Really.”

“What are they on Earth?”

“Ten is a large baby.”

“Really…” Javiera looks at her, now she’s
concerned. “Cassandra…”

“But they can be bigger, depends on the
parents.”

“You need to find out how big Lucas and Kyle
were. It should give you an idea.”

“I believe Salish was somewhat larger than I am,
so that would have to be considered.”

“Still.” Javiera watches her friend.

Cassandra leans back thinking. William has valid
reasons to be concerned every pregnancy has its own risks, but she
honestly didn’t believe there would be a problem. Most of it was
instinct, the rest Sabah’s reassurance that her son would be
strong.