Jacinda's Challenge (Imperial 3) (20 page)

Jotham was silent for several moments thinking back over that time. Will
had
suddenly changed during their fifth cycle. He'd always been near the top of the class, but suddenly he was acing everything. He became the guy to beat and he still had records on the walls of the Academy.

"She saw you for what you really were, not what you were trying to project."

"Just as she sees you for who you really are. A man first, and then a King, unless you make her view you differently."

"Which is what happened with how I addressed that note."

"Yes." Will eyed his friend trying to decide what to say then decided to just say it. "I've known you all my life, Jotham. We've seen each other through some good times and some bad ones."

"We have."

"One of the things I've admired most about you is steadfastness. Once you decide on something or someone, that's it. You’re solid. That doesn't mean you're inflexible and can't change when necessary, but not about what's important. You knew Lata was your Queen from the moment you saw her and you never changed your mind. You stood beside me when I arrived on Carina with Cassandra when we both knew you had doubts. You did that because of your faith in me."

"I seem to recall not being as supportive as I could have been."

"Totally understandable. You are my friend, more than my friend, and you were looking out for me. Let me look out for you now."

"In what way?"

"By telling you to pursue Jacinda."

"She isn't interested, Will." Jotham found he had to look away from his oldest friend.

"She isn't interested in the
King
," William stressed. "She's interested in
you
. In
Jotham
. I've never known you to back down from something just because it was challenging, Jotham. Don't start now."

"What if it ends badly?"

"Would you have given up one day with Lata just because it ended badly?"

"No."

"Then don't do it with Jacinda. She's a mature woman who knows who she is and what she wants. She's not going to play games with you, Jotham. She's going to tell you what she really thinks. Can you handle that?"

"You say that as if no one has ever told me no before. As if everyone bows before me."

"Of course you are right, my King," Will smirked as he stood at attention and gave Jotham a full Royal bow.

Jotham reached out and shoved Will. "You’re an idiot. How does Cassandra put up with you?"

"She loves me." Will laughed before turning serious. "Take the chance, Jotham, at least then you'll know for sure."

Chapter Twelve

"Jacinda?"

Jacinda turned when Myesha called out her name. "Myesha, what are you still doing here? I thought you'd left to visit your grandchildren for a few days."

"I was just on my way out when the comm rang."

"It did?" Rising, Jacinda brushed the dirt from her knees. "I didn't hear it."

"Yes, well... I told him I would find you."

"Him?"

"Yes... King Jotham."

"King Jotham is on the comm?"

"Yes." Myesha gave her a speculative look.

Slowly, Jacinda removed her gloves and moved to the house. "Alright. Thank you, Myesha, have a good time with your grandkids."

"I'll see you in a few days." Myesha had worked for Jacinda and Stephan most of her life. She and Jacinda were friends, but she knew there were times when Jacinda wasn't able to confide in her and this was one of those times.

"Alright," Jacinda spoke absently as she moved into the house. She wanted to berate herself when she stopped at the mirror to make sure she looked presentable. Taking a deep breath, she moved to sit down in front of the comm.

"King Jotham," she greeted, forcing a pleasant expression on her face, "to what do I owe this unexpected call?"

"Hello, Jacinda." Jotham let his gaze travel over her face taking in the warm, dewy glow of her skin, telling him she had just come in from outside. He also took in the cool look in her eyes, telling him she was still upset with him. "How are you?"

"I'm fine. You?" She forced herself to ask and realized he looked even more tired than he had earlier.

"I'm fine. I've just returned from the Bering."

"Yes, I saw the christening."

An uncomfortable silence followed her words. "Jacinda...." He closed his eyes and rubbed his temples. "I'm sorry, for the way I acted in the garden and for the note I sent."

"You’re sorry for your apology?" Jacinda found herself teasing him, wanting to ease some of the pressure he was obviously under.

"No!" His gaze captured hers through the comm. "I'm just sorry for how I delivered it."

"You didn't. Nicholas did." Jacinda felt her breath catch as she was suddenly pinned by Jotham's amazing, violet eyes. She had forgotten just how beautiful those eyes were.

"Are you teasing me, Jacinda Michelakakis?"

"Obviously not very well if you have to ask."

"You'll forgive me then?" A hopeful look passed over his face.

"There's nothing to forgive. I overstepped."

"You didn't. You were only showing your concern, as a true friend would. My relationship with Dadrian... it’s complicated and I would prefer not to discuss it right now. Can we just let that go for now, Jacinda?"

Jacinda let her gaze travel over Jotham's face. She heard the sincerity in his voice and saw it on his face. She had never lost a child. Who was she to judge how someone handled it? "We can do that," she told him quietly.

"Thank you." Jotham felt a weight lift and decided to push while she seemed agreeable. "Have dinner with me tonight."

"King Jotham..."

"Jotham," he interrupted. "Please, Jacinda. Call me Jotham." He watched her look away, watched her take a deep breath, and knew their future hinged on her next words.

"Alright." She met his gaze head on. "Jotham."

"Good, now have dinner with me tonight."

"Jotham, I don't think that's a good idea."

"Why?"

"Why? Because you are the King."

"So?"

"So?" Jacinda asked growing flustered.

Jotham found he liked the flush that was beginning to grow on her cheeks. He found he liked stirring Jacinda Michelakakis up. He wondered how far he could take it.

"Yes. So. I've been King nearly my entire life. It's not like I did anything to deserve or earn the position, it just is."

"You may not have done anything to
deserve
it, Jotham, but over the last forty cycles you've certainly
earned
it. The House of Protection has flourished under your reign. The true test of any monarch is if when he leaves his House it is better off than when it was placed into his care. You've certainly done that with the House of Protection."

Jotham found it hard to speak after her heartfelt words. Was this what he'd been missing since Lata had died. The absolute support of someone that knew he wasn't perfect. That knew he was just a man.

"Thank you, Jacinda. You don't know what that means to me, especially coming from you." He paused for a moment. "Have dinner with me tonight."

"Jotham..."

"Do you already have plans?"

"No, but..."

"Then have dinner with me. Save me from having to eat a miserable dinner alone."

"Oh please, Safford has never made a miserable dinner in his life."

"True, but I would still be eating it alone."

Jacinda's mouth dropped open as Jotham pouted at her over the comm. It was adorable. It was unexpected. It was irresistible.

"Did that look work with Lata?" she found herself asking then could have kicked herself when his expression froze. Damn it, she'd done it again. She knew Jotham didn't talk about Lata the way she did Stephan. Why did she keep forgetting that?

Jotham forced himself to breath, to not respond the way he had for the last thirty cycles. Jacinda wasn't trying to be hurtful. She was a caring, loving woman and she spoke of those she loved and cared about even if they were now with the ancestors.

"Most of the time," he admitted giving her a slightly uncomfortable look. "It got me out of a great many misunderstandings when we were first seeing one another.”

"I can see why." Jacinda only paused for a moment before responding. She knew what it had taken for him to tell her that. "It works very well."

"So that means you will be having dinner with me tonight?" Jotham jumped all over her words.

"Jotham, there's no way you can just clear your schedule on such short notice."

"I can. I am the King." He smiled as his words caused her to laugh.

"Yes, you are, but my guess is that some of those people have been waiting a very long time to meet with you. You can't just cancel."

Jotham found his smile fading. "True, but I still want to have dinner with you."

"How about a late meal? After your scheduled meetings? What time do you think you will be done?" She saw him look down and knew he was looking at his schedule and saw him frown.

"My last meeting starts at nine."

"Seriously? You let Chesney schedule you until nine at night?"

Jotham heard the outrage in her voice, yet wasn't sure who it was directed at. "Being King doesn't have set hours," he began.

"Of course it doesn't. It's a twenty-four/seven job, but that's for emergencies and events. It doesn't mean your
daily
appointments need to run that late! Chesney needs to realize you have a life! That you need time..."

"Jacinda!" Jotham's words cut off her growing tirade.

"What!"

"Chesney scheduled it that way because I asked him to." Silence greeted his statement.

"Why would you do that?" she asked confusion clearly seen on her face.

"Because it keeps me busy," he admitted.

"Jotham..."

"Have dinner with me."

"You have a meeting."

"Have desert with me then. I'll have Safford make Fudge Torta."

"Oh, you don't play fair."

"I'll play anyway I need to if it means I'll get to see you tonight." Jotham saw the shock on her face. "I
need
to see you tonight, Jacinda."

"Alright." Jacinda found she couldn't refuse him, not when he spoke so honestly. "But not for dinner and not for Torta. It's not fair of you to ask Safford to make it on such short notice."

"He wouldn't mind."

"I would. Your Chef does an amazing job, Jotham. He's in early every day making sure your meals and the meals for anyone you have a meeting with are properly prepared. To expect him to suddenly extend his day for me..."

"As I said, for you, he wouldn't mind. I don't know how you've charmed so many of my House, but you have."

"I think you are overstating that."

"I don't. I'll have the limisin pick you up at 9:30."

"I'll drive myself."

"But..."

"Jotham, I'll drive myself," she said firmly.

"Fine." Jotham finally agreed, but he wasn't happy about it. "Drive up to the secure area. I'll have Deffand meet you and bring you to my private chambers."

"Alright, I'll see you then."

"Until then." Jotham nodded then ended the comm.

∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

Jacinda leaned back in her chair and couldn't believe what she'd just agreed to. Did she really want to do this? To start something that couldn't go anywhere? Yet she was drawn to Jotham in a way she hadn't been to any other man, and that included Stephan. She and Stephan, because of their age difference, sometimes struggled to find common ground. She'd found it invigorating in the early cycles, she'd learned so much when she thought she knew it all. It had sometimes been a trial, but she wouldn't change a minute of it.

Yet it wasn't that way with Jotham. They had the same reference points, knew the same people, and were at the Academy together. It was something she'd never had with Stephan and she found she liked it.

Looking at the clock, she realized she had time for a short nap before she needed to leave. Rising, she went to lie down.

∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

"Do you realize how beautiful you are?"

Jacinda opened her eyes to find she was staring up into her life mate’s warm brown ones. "It will fade with age."

"Yours won't because it's not just on the outside. Your beauty runs through your entire being. You are gold, Jacinda. House of Healing gold."

"I'm glad you think so." Reaching up she cupped the cheek she so loved.

"I don't think it. I know it." Leaning down Stephan gently kissed her lips. "I realized it the first moment I saw you, sitting there across your parent's table, your eyes so suspicious."

"I was so sure it was a set-up, at least until my dad said you were from the House of Protection."

"I'll never forget the moment you realized it. You raised that eyebrow at me like you do." He gently caressed said eyebrow. "And it was like a challenge, one I was more than willing to accept."

"I didn't realize I was doing it."

"You always do it, my love. You always conveyed so much with this eyebrow. Amusement. Shock. Understanding. Questions. Anger. I so relied on this eyebrow," he gently touched it, "during our life together, especially when dealing with other wives. Somehow, you always seemed to guide me without having to say a word. "

"You give me too much credit, Stephan. You were the one with the silver tongue. All you ever had to do was open your mouth and women fell all over you, me included. Every woman in the House of Protection hated me, not because I was from the House of Healing, but because I'd captured your heart."

"You did that, my love, and you still have it, even though I am gone."

"Stephan..."

"Shhh, my love." Stephan pulled her close. "Don't cry, you know how I hate it when you do that."

"I just miss you so much, Stephan. So much."

"I know. You've been alone for too long. You were never meant to be alone."

"What are you saying?" Jacinda looked up at him not sure if she was hopeful or frightened. "Will I be joining you soon?"

"No! Jacinda, no," he instantly denied.

"Why not? Don't you want me with you?"