Stephanie's Challenge

by M. K. Eidem

  "Make sure it doesn't," the High Admiral bit out. "Send me the details, and I'll make sure there is an escort available."

  "Thank you, High Admiral. You'll have it within the hour." With a quick comm to Burk, Stephanie had all the information she needed and relayed it to the High Admiral.

  With that crisis taken care of, she comm’d Chandra and set up a meeting with the Palace Guards for the next day. That set the tone for the remainder of her afternoon, and before she knew it, Nick was standing in her doorway.

  "You're back early, Captain," she said, wondering why she hadn't been informed Jotham had returned to the Palace.

  "Actually, I'm not. Jotham decided to take a few more meetings while on the Bering so we only just made it back in time for him to have last meal with Jacinda."

  "What?" She looked at the time and was surprised to see how late it was. "Why wasn't I informed you were on planet?" she snapped.

  "I'm informing you now, Commander," he told her stiffly.

  Stephanie ran an aggravated hand through her hair then leaned back in her chair. "My apologies, Captain, you are not at fault here. It's been that kind of day."

  "Lots going on, I take it," Nick said, relaxing his stance.

  "That would be an understatement."

  "Anything that I can help with?"

  "No, everything's been handled. I'm just waiting for Burk to contact me, but that won't be until after last meal."

  "Then let's get out of here, and I'll make you something to eat."

  "Another one of your amazing omelets?" she asked hopefully.

  "Oh, I think I can do better than that," he grinned. "So secure your comm, and meet me at the outside door."

  "Where are you going?" she asked.

  "To grab my bags, unless you've changed your mind about me moving in," he said pausing.

  "You know I haven't," she told him.

  "Then I'll see you in a few." Turning, he left her office.

  Stephanie found herself smiling as she shut down and secured her comm. Not at the thought of the delicious food, Nick was going to prepare, but because she was going to get to spend time alone with the man she loved. Even with as hectic as the day had been, she'd found herself missing him. Closing her office door, she secured it then exited the Guard Wing to find Nick talking to Craig, with two bags at his feet.

  "Commander," Craig said quickly coming to attention.

  "At ease, Craig. Is there a problem?" she asked.

  "No, Commander, just updating Nick, I mean Captain Deffand, on a few things."

  "That will be fine, Craig. Meet me in my office in the morning." Nick leaned down and grabbed the large duffel in one hand then swung the uniform bag over his shoulder as he stood. "Good night."

  "Good night, Captain. Commander."

  "Good night, Craig," Stephanie said, then after opening the exterior door for Nick, followed him out. Neither of them noticed Craig's shocked look.

  "That didn't take you long to pack," she commented as they walked across the lowly lit path.

  "I packed this morning."

  "I love a man that thinks ahead."

  "Really?" he asked, his eyebrows going up and down suggestively.

  "Yes, or at least I will," she teased back. "Once he feeds me."

  Chuckling, he stopped and waited for her to open the door to what was now their home. Once she did, he motioned for her to precede him, then followed her inside.

  "I'll take these into the bedroom." He lifted his arms indicating his bags. "Then I'll get started on last meal."

  Stephanie followed him, and once in the bedroom took the garment bag out of his hands. Walking into the closet, she told him, "I cleared out the left side of the dresser for you."

  "You did? When?"

  "After you left this morning," she responded and shrugging out of her jacket hung it up on her side of the closet. "I couldn't get back to sleep."

  "Are you okay?" He was immediately at her side. "Did I hurt you?"

  "Hurt me?" she frowned at him then understood he was referring to their second round of sex that had been quite... energetic. "Of course not. I'm not that breakable, Nick."

  "I know," he said caressing her cheek, "but you're still mine to protect and no one hurts what's mine, including me."

  Stephanie tipped her head into his hand. "Back at you. Now are you going to feed 'what's yours' or am I going to have to cook tonight?"

  "Oh, so now you're threatening me?" he teased, leaning down to capture her lips for a quick kiss.

  "Are you saying my cooking is so bad that it's a threat when you've never even tried it?"

  "Let's just say I prefer not to find out." He turned her to face the door and keeping his hands on her hips, walked her out in front of him. "Especially as I had the staff send over something special for tonight."

  "You did?" she asked over her shoulder. "What? When did you have time?"

  Nick smiled at her rapid-fire questions. Walking her into the kitchen, he pulled out a stool for her to sit down on.

  "I comm’d the kitchen while Jotham was in one of his meetings and had them send over some zebu."

  "Zebu?" Stephanie's eyes sparkled in anticipation. "Really? It's been ages since I've had that."

  "Which is why I'm preparing it. I want to make sure it's edible."

  "I'm not even going to argue with you about that because my grilling skills are even worse than my cooking ones."

  "I'll remember that." Nick pulled two bottles of cold brew out of the cool unit. Opening them, he handed her one.

  Stephanie sat back and sipped her brew as he pulled a wrapped package out of the cool unit. Setting it on the counter, he searched the cabinets until he found the grill pan and placed it on the cooking unit to heat.

  "Are you capable of making a salad or do I need to do that too?" he asked, taking a sip of his own brew.

  "I'll have you know that when it comes to making a salad, I'm the High Admiral, King, and Queen all rolled into one."

  "Oh really?" He didn't even try to hide his disbelief.

  "Really," she said and setting her beer aside went to the cool unit and gathered the items she wanted. "Prepare to be amazed."

  Nick just smiled as he turned to season the meat. "How do you like your zebu?"

  "Medium rare."

  "A woman after my own heart."

  "I thought I already had that," she said, setting her ingredients down on the counter. She'd meant that teasingly, but when she turned to get a bowl she found him directly behind her, his hips pinning her against the island, all humor was gone from his face.

  "You do," he growled.

  "Nick..."

  "Never doubt it, Stephanie."

  "I don't," she said, cupping his face between her hands, her gaze searching his. "I was teasing. Why would you think differently?"

  Nick closed his eyes and forced himself to calm down. He hadn't meant to react that way. He'd never been insecure in any of his past relationships, but then none of those women had been Stephanie. Apparently, his conversation with Jotham had affected him more than he'd thought.

  "Nick?" she encouraged quietly.

  "I'm sorry," he said turning his head to gently kiss each of her palms. "It's been a long day."

  Her gaze continued to search his, and while she could see he was being honest with her, that still didn't explain why he'd reacted that way. Something had happened today. But what? He'd been with Jotham all day... he had been with Jotham.

  "What did Jotham say to you?" she demanded angrily.

  "It’s fine, Stephanie."

  "No, it’s not. Not if it's upset you like this."

  "It was nothing that I didn't anticipate, except for being informed you offered to resign your position." He gave her a hard look. "What in the name of the Ancestors were you thinking?!"

  "I was thinking that you mattered more to me than any position ever could, including that of being Commander."

  That cooled his anger faster than anything else would have. F
or her to say that he was so important to her that she'd give up the most powerful non-Royal position in the House of Protection... How could he be angry at being loved like that?

  "Now stop trying to distract me," she demanded, her anger still burning. "What did Jotham say?"

  "Basically that our involvement will cause a great deal of controversy, especially concerning his and my relationship."

  "Ancestors, I'm so sorry."

  "You have nothing to be sorry for. As I said, I expected that Jotham and I would have to have this conversation once he found out about our relationship. I just didn't expect to have it today."

  "I should have let you know I was going to speak with them," she said quietly, her anger dissipating. This was her fault after all.

  "You should have let me come with you to speak with them," he corrected. "Why didn't you?"

  "We'd already decided that you would be moving in with me. I didn't want them to somehow find out about it from someone else."

  "I agree that would have been a terrible way for them to find out, but that's not the reason you went without me." When she opened her mouth, he put a finger across it. "What's the real reason?"

  She didn't speak for a moment, then finally admitted, "I was worried about Jotham's reaction and didn't want you there to witness it."

  "You were trying to protect me."

  "Of course. I love you," she told him simply. "You are a pivotal member of this House, Nick. If Jotham reacted badly, it could have affected your relationship."

  "That would have been between Jotham and me."

  "But it would be because of me."

  Nick sighed and pulled her close, letting his forehead rest against hers. "I know this is all new. Some would even say sudden but its not, not for me. You've been the only woman in my dreams since the day I met you. We're in this together. That means that a decision that affects both of us needs to be made by both of us. There are going to be enough people trying to put obstacles in our way. We don't need to help them."

  "Oh Nick." She reached up and caressed his cheek. "For the record, you've been the only man in my dreams since the day I met you too. I fought it. Tried to tell myself there was no way it could work but I was wrong. And you're right that nothing can come between us unless we let it. So I promise that in the future I'll do my best to discuss things with you first."

  "That's all I ask, and I'll do the same."

  "So," she returned the subject of Jotham, "after Jotham grilled you, he told you we had his support?"

  "Yes." He kissed the top of her nose then moved to check the temperature of the grill pan. "Did you really think he wouldn't?"

  "No." Finding a bowl, she returned to the island and began making the salad. "He said he would when I talked to him this morning, but my mother was there, so while he expressed his concerns I don't think he was as forthcoming as he wanted to be."

  "He might have tempered his words, but I can tell you from experience, if Jotham had truly been against our relationship, your mother's being there wouldn't have stopped him from saying so."

  Stephanie thought about what Nick said as she chopped the vegetables she'd selected. If anyone knew how Jotham reacted to situations like this, it was Nick. "So you're saying he's really okay with it. That he was just testing our commitment to each other?"

  "That's the way I see it," he told her, the steaks sizzling as they hit the grill pan. "If this were just going to be a casual thing, he would have had a completely different reaction. He's still trying to figure out how to navigate his newly expanded family."

  "Navigate?" With the salad made she started on the dressing.

  "You Michelakakises are a rather unusual bunch," he said, trying to be diplomatic.

  "Unusual?" she asked looking over her shoulder. "We're not unusual, just an ordinary family."

  "Which for Jotham is unusual. While he and Barek have always been close, it's not a relationship like you and your brothers had with your father or that I have with mine. At least it wasn't until Jacinda entered their lives. As for Dadrian, well I wouldn't be revealing any Royal secrets to say their relationship was strained."

  "Hmm," she said noncommittally. She would never reveal that she'd actually met Dadrian during the one cycle he'd served in the Coalition. He'd been an arrogant, entitled foabhor, who had always demanded extra security when it wasn't necessary. Thankfully, she'd only had to deal with him once.

  "Anyway," Nick continued not noticing her silence, "Jotham is still learning that not everything needs to be handled as the King. It's why I understood how he would approach me."

  "And how was that?"

  "As a King first and a father second," he told her flipping the steaks.

  Stephanie wasn't sure how she felt about that. She'd had a father. An amazing, wonderful father who she'd loved and missed every day. So while Jotham would be her mother's husband, he would never be her father.

  "He's not trying to replace your dad, Stephanie. He respected him too much. All he's trying to do is what Stephan would if he weren't with the ancestors."

  "It seems I'm still learning to adjust too."

  "We all are, Stephanie." Coming up behind her, he gave her a quick hug before reaching into the bowl to swipe a chunk of vegetable. As he did, he noticed that every piece was identically cut and arranged in a colorful swirl pattern. "That's impressive."

  "I told you I make a mean salad and you haven't even tasted my famous dressing yet."

  "Famous?"

  "Famous," she proclaimed then slapped his hand away when he reached into the bowl again. "Now go watch the meat. I don't want mine burnt."

  "You wound me," Nick said, stumbling back as if she'd stabbed him in the chest, causing her to laugh. "I would never burn zebu."

  "Good, because I'm hungry." She was just reaching for the plates when her comm pinged that she had an incoming transmission.

  "Go answer that," he told her. "I'll finish getting this ready."

  Giving him a grateful smile, she walked down the hall and placed her hand on the security panel. Once her identity was confirmed, she entered her office.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Stephanie activated her high-security comm system, and Burk's face filled the screen. She could tell by what was behind him that he was inside a shuttle.

  "You're ready to take off, Captain?"

  "Yes, Commander, and as soon as I disconnect from you, I will notify Bering Command that we are en route."

  "Very good, Captain. Safe travels. Notify me immediately if you encounter any problems."

  "Yes, Commander."

  Disconnecting, Stephanie shut down her comm and exited her office, but her mind was still on the shuttle. There shouldn't be any problems. Burk knew what he was doing, and with three military ships as an escort, no one should dare attack the ship. But still there was always that chance, and if something happened to her brother while under her protection... she wasn't sure she could live with herself.

  Walking into the kitchen, all the dark possibilities that had filled her mind faded when she saw Nick had moved everything from the island to the small table she hadn't noticed before. Candles were burning on the table, and he had dimmed the lights.

  "What's all this?" she asked quietly, sitting down on the chair he'd pulled out for her.

  "I wanted our first meal as a couple to be special," he told her sliding her chair in before taking his own.

  "We ate together last night," she reminded him.

  "But we weren't officially a couple then. Now we are, and I want it to be memorable."

  "And you don't think last night was?" she asked, not realizing she'd arched an eyebrow precisely as her mother did.

  "Oh trust me it was, but tonight is going to be even better, and do you know why?"

  "Because we're eating zebu instead of omelets?"

  "No, because I get to sleep all night with you in my arms."

  At that, Stephanie knew if she weren't already in love with Nicholas Deffand, she would be.
Who would have thought that beneath that tough, emotionless exterior that the King's Captain presented to the world, was the heart of a romantic? Reaching across the table, she squeezed his hand.

  "I love you, Nicholas Allen Deffand."

  "And I love you, Stephanie Anne Michelakakis. Now eat before all my efforts to impress you go to waste.

  "You don't need to impress me, Nick. You just need to be you."

  ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

  Stephanie stood in the Daily Operations room of the Palace and let her gaze travel over the guards standing at attention before her. Chandra had scheduled two such meetings, this one and one later today, so the guards currently on duty wouldn't be excluded.

  "At ease and be seated," she began and waited until everyone had settled before continuing. "Good morning."

  "Good morning, Commander," the room replied.

  "I'm not going to keep you long since I know some of you have just come off shift and would like to get some sleep, and others of you have a rare day off. All of you have proven why Captain Chandra chose you to be a Palace Guard for the House of Protection. Your commitment and professionalism during some trying times have been unsurpassed. I know your numbers have been reduced, making an already demanding job even more difficult. It hasn't gone unnoticed, and I want to let you know that help is on its way. Yesterday, the High Admiral agreed to allow those from the House of Protection, who are currently serving in the Coalition and trained in security, to apply for the Royal and Palace Guard training programs. Those that complete the program will be allowed to resign their commissions and serve their House."

  She heard rumbles of discontent fill the room and raised her hand to silence them. "I realize some of you might not view this as a favorable thing because you want the chance to become a Royal Guard yourself. I completely understand, because that's the one position I've always dreamed of attaining, and now I never will because I'm no longer able to pass the endurance portion of the program."

  Her words caused a shocked silence to fall over the group, and she gave them a slightly sad, half smile. "In all truth, I'm no longer able to pass the same endurance program you did to become Palace Guards. Knowing that, do you see me as unworthy of being your Commander?"