“Samar, do the introductions, yes?” her father said.
“Oh, is that why you brought me along?” Samar’s lips quirked.
“I thought you should serve some function.”
“Of course. Nalini, this is Prince Jorg of the Star Kingdom, eldest son of King Jager. That’s important, I understand.” Samar arched his eyebrows, conveying the desire to roll his eyes without actually rolling them. “As is the fact that he’s from a hereditary line that hasn’t been broken for more than twelve generations. It was his direct ancestor, King Ansel, who expanded the original Kingdom into the Twelve Systems and left its distinct and unique imprint on all of known humanity.”
Samar sounded like he was reading this introduction out of a book. Or that he’d been forced to memorize it.
“Does that mean he believes he’s better than us?” Nalini smiled at Jorg to make sure he knew it was a joke—even if she wasn’t sure it was.
“Naturally,” Samar said. “You know how grubby and pedestrian it is to actually earn your way to a title.”
“I did not say that,” Jorg said coolly.
“You didn’t not say it.”
Jorg turned his back on Samar and looked Nalini up and down.
She wished she were in something more glamorous than her galaxy suit and felt silly when his gaze lingered on her purple tassels. Even though Tristan teased her about them, he was always playful, and she didn’t truly feel that he was judging her. Jorg’s nostrils twitched. With judgment.
Jorg was elegantly dressed in finely tailored if unimaginative filigreed dark-green trousers and tunic, with a royal cloak that matched the hull paint of his ship. His shoulder-length hair was combed back from his sharp face and long nose, the style making him look overly slick and ready to make deals. He wasn’t unattractive, but he also didn’t make her heart zing. To be fair, few men did, and it hadn’t been until she’d gotten to know Tristan that she’d started fantasizing about him. The kiss had helped that along tremendously, but as she eyed Jorg’s thin and judgmental lips, she found the idea of pressing hers against them unappealing.
After checking out her galaxy suit—or maybe her figure underneath it, his gaze lingering on her chest—Jorg bowed to her. “Princess Nalini. I am pleased you’ve finally arrived home and that you appear safe and uninjured. The sultan has informed me that some of his Miners’ Union colleagues of dubious taste may not wish us to marry, even though it will clearly be beneficial for both of our governments to form an alliance.”
“Clearly,” Nalini murmured.
“You two youths will have plenty of time to get to know each other at the ball tomorrow night,” her father said, smiling and patting them both on the shoulder, though Jorg grew stiff at the touch. “I must speak with Nalini now, and she’ll need time to unpack and prepare.”
“Of course, Sultan Shayban,” Jorg said.
Nalini stifled a groan. She hadn’t forgotten about the ball, but she hadn’t been keeping track of the days, and she hadn’t realized it was so soon.
“As I told Nalini a couple of weeks ago,” her father said to Jorg, “the Frost Ball, attended by numerous important people in our system, will be the perfect time to announce your betrothal.”
“I agree,” Jorg said without hesitation.
I don’t, Nalini thought, but she forced herself to smile again when the two men looked at her.
Tristan was behind her, as befitting a bodyguard, so she couldn’t see his face. She doubted he was reacting outwardly, but she wondered what he thought.
“Samar,” her father said, “see if the prince needs anything. Nalini, join me in my office as soon as you’re able. Your android has been repaired and will be along to unpack any belongings you’ve acquired along the way.” He glanced at her boot tassels. “Pilot Jenna and your yacht made it back with your luggage early last week. I suppose we shall call this your salvaged craft?” He extended a hand toward the combat shuttle. “It was reported as lost and adrift.”
Of course it was.
Nalini looked over her shoulder to Tristan. “Is salvage the right term for what happened after Dubashi’s men tried to kidnap us?”
“Unless they wish to suggest another word to explain the incident, Your Highness,” Tristan said.
Even though they had discussed that first names wouldn’t be appropriate in public, his distant formalness stung. Jorg was watching their exchange, and he frowned and looked Tristan up and down, as if noticing him for the first time.
“That is a knight’s weapon, guard.” Jorg pointed to the pertundo. “You have no right to carry it. More than that, I suspect you of having stolen it.” Jorg looked toward Nalini’s father as Tristan’s face grew even more masked and difficult to read.
“I’ll relinquish it if the rightful owner comes and finds me, Your Highness,” Tristan said, “but as I’m certain you know, you’re a guest in this system, and the Kingdom has no jurisdiction here.”
It was a more challenging statement than Nalini would have expected from Tristan, and Jorg curled a lip.
“For now, perhaps, but I should think your honor as a man would compel you not to use a knight’s weapon when you are clearly not a knight.” Lip still curled, Jorg looked Tristan up and down again dismissively.
Something in the words seemed to surprise Tristan—though he kept that frozen mask up, it took him a few seconds to respond. “A bodyguard cannot worry about his own honor. He must do what is necessary to protect his charge, and I am more capable with the weapon than others.”
Nalini’s father clapped his hands firmly. “Enough of this. We have a ball to get ready for. Nalini, come. I will have the story of the last few days from you.”
Nalini felt like a child being called to her father’s office to explain herself, but since it meant leaving Jorg behind—and poor Samar, who seemed to have been assigned guide duty—she walked after her father without hesitating. When Tristan strode after her, she glanced back and caught Jorg glaring at him again. Tristan had said he barely knew the prince, but now she wondered if that was true.
15
Tristan stood in the silk-draped hallway outside the sultan’s office, his hand resting on his pertundo as he waited for Nalini to finish her meeting with her father. The pertundo that was his, damn it. What had Jorg been implying?
A bland-faced butler in gray silks and a wide black sash—the uniform that the non-combat palace staff wore—walked up the hallway carrying a drink tray. Usually, Tristan saw robots and androids performing such services, but some of the residents preferred being waited upon by people.
Instead of passing by, as Tristan expected, the butler stopped beside him in front of the sultan’s door. He placed his back to the wall and held his tray patiently, as if he expected to wait for a while.
Tristan nodded at him but didn’t attempt a conversation. Until the butler spoke to him.
“You’ve made unwise decisions,” the man murmured.
Tristan almost snapped a sarcastic response but caught himself, realizing how rare the butler’s accent was in this system—and how familiar. Kingdom. Could this be the contact he hadn’t had time to locate before leaving?
“How so?” Tristan kept his tone equally quiet and moved his lips as little as possible.
“You shouldn’t have spent all those days alone with her.”
News traveled fast…
“There was little choice. Who are you?”
“In the beginning, perhaps, but on the way back, her escort offered to take both of you aboard one of their ships, and you chose to remain alone together on that shuttle.”
“Nalini chose.” Tristan was on the defensive, and he almost felt threatened, as if he should draw his pertundo, though the butler—the Kingdom spy—bore no obvious weapons. “And nothing happened.”
“Nobody will believe that. The prince knows who I am—call me only Dom here—and already pulled me aside to ask if you’re sleeping with her.”
Anger tightened Tristan’s muscles
, and heat rushed to his face. “Then you can tell him that nothing happened.”
For the first time, the butler—Dom—looked at him. “I find that unlikely, but even if it were true, it wouldn’t matter. Appearances are everything in this realm.”
“Nalini—the princess,” Tristan corrected, realizing familiarity would only hurt him here, “—said that it wouldn’t matter if she took a lover from among her staff, even though that’s not what happened.”
He’d been so careful not to let it happen. After all that, would he be punished, as if it had?
“To her family, likely not. To Prince Jorg? You know how the Kingdom feels about such things. He would prefer a virgin—he let that be known—but was at least heartened to learn that Princess Nalini was not as promiscuous as many of her sisters. I’m sure learning that you’ve been alone with her for the last two weeks has changed his opinion—especially since you were sent to spy on her and ensure she was ready to step into his embrace.”
Tristan wanted to gag at the idea of Jorg embracing Nalini. He didn’t want to think of any man doing that, but if she were to wed someone kind and honorable, he might have been able to wish her happiness.
“If he wants a virgin, he can marry someone else,” Tristan muttered.
“If I were you, I would go to him and make sure he knows you’re still loyal. He can ruin your career with a word, and I saw the fury in his eyes when he first learned you were alone with her. If you truly did not touch her, make sure he believes it.”
Tristan ground his teeth at the idea of pleading to Jorg for his career or for anything, but he didn’t say that he wouldn’t. What was at risk if he didn’t straighten things out with Jorg? And how could he? He couldn’t truly say he hadn’t touched her, not after that kiss.
“I thank you for your advice,” Tristan forced himself to say, aware of Dom watching him. “I was supposed to report to you about anything that happened to the princess.” He didn’t truly want to report anything about Nalini’s activities or words, since it seemed a betrayal to spy on her, even when that was why he’d been sent here. But the Kingdom should know how Prince Dubashi felt about this alliance, since he might make further trouble. “Are you aware that the son of Dubashi was the mastermind behind the kidnapping attempt, and the one to pay off Sergeant Habib and get his assistance?”
“I heard some of it, yes. Say no more here.” Dom waved to the hallway. It was mostly empty, but a robot with a vacuum attachment worked on the wall silks farther down. “I’ll send you my chip contact ID and encryption software so you can write up a report to transfer directly to me.”
“Yes, sir.” Tristan did not know the man’s rank but assumed it was greater than his and that he worked in Royal Intelligence. He was probably an officer.
“Don’t forget to talk to the prince. Say whatever you must if you want to be welcome on Odin again.” Dom headed off down the hall without delivering the contents of his tray. “And go to him on your knees.”
Tristan didn’t bother holding back his grimace.
Based on his previous interactions with Jorg, he doubted any diplomatic campaigns launched from his knees would work. He would have to figure out some other approach. He wasn’t ready to accept that his career might already be over. After all the years of training he’d endured, the thought of losing his dream was too depressing to contemplate.
* * *
Nalini sat on one of the cushions arranged around the meeting table in her father’s office and waited for him to join her. He was grumbling under his breath about technology and pushing a memory card in and out of the slot for his built-in projector. She caught herself glancing toward the door, wishing she’d dared to invite Tristan to come in with her, rather than leaving him in the hall. It was the appropriate place for her bodyguard—it wasn’t as if something would threaten her in her father’s office—but she’d stopped thinking of him as just the bodyguard long ago.
Which was the problem. She kept thinking of that kiss they’d shared instead of how she’d soon be expected to share kisses with Prince Jorg.
“She’ll be along shortly.” Her father waved at the door.
“She?” Nalini shifted her expression into one of polite inquiry, realizing he’d caught her looking at the door and thinking of Tristan. Even though her father couldn’t know her thoughts, he wasn’t completely lacking in perception. He might guess.
“Your android. I know you consider her a friend.”
“Oh, Devi. Yes, good.”
“Here we go.” As a holographic projection appeared above the table, the lights dimmed, and her father sat cross-legged on one of the cushions. “Prince Jorg brought this, but he made it clear it’s King Jager’s offer, and that the full support—and resources—of the Kingdom are behind it.”
“Do we… want their support?” Nalini didn’t know yet what this was about, but a video started playing, showing a large cylindrical space habitat with numerous rings and spokes. It was an animation rather than actual camera footage, and she didn’t recognize the structure, but the green-gray moon in the background looked like Rama in their system.
“You know we need it. A marriage and official alliance will insinuate much to Dubashi and the rest of the Miners’ Union families, but having a Kingdom habitat in our system, close to Middle Belt, will leave nothing to misinterpretation.”
“Jager wants to build a habitat in our territory?” Nalini thought of dead Sergeant Habib’s belief that the Kingdom would encroach on their system and life would change for everyone—change for the worse. Had he been correct?
“He wants you to build a habitat in our territory.” Her father raised his eyebrows. “Your future palace and a station and habitat capable of housing twenty million. He thinks you have the knowledge and ability to develop it and oversee building it, and that you and Prince Jorg can live there in our system. He promises he won’t try to extend Kingdom rule beyond its walls, and you’d be there at Jorg’s side to help him govern under Jager’s guidance. He did stipulate that he wants ship bays sufficient to house a military fleet, so your habitat will be able to defend itself, and so there’s a force nearby should we need help.”
Her father’s tone was neutral, as if he didn’t want to influence her one way or another, which surprised her. This sounded like everything he’d wanted. Did he plan to leave the decision up to her?
Graphs and data sets popped up around the proposed habitat. Twenty million people? That would make it one of the largest habitats in the Twelve Systems, if not the largest.
Nalini leaned in, squinting at the dimensions. It would be the largest. She’d go down in history, at least for a time, if she were the one to design and develop such a project. She’d need engineers and architects on her team, since her specialty was financing and making deals, not actually building, but she had plenty of people that she worked with regularly with space-station experience. She’d have time to finish her current project on Oceanus, but she could put a team together capable of doing this.
They sat in silence as a fifteen-minute presentation ran. Jager had even recorded a few minutes of himself making a pitch and stating that Jorg and Nalini would be responsible for this together. The Kingdom would finance the purchase of the necessary materials from her father, so the sultan and his family would win.
“It’s intriguing,” she said. “I wouldn’t have guessed King Jager knew or believed that I was someone capable of taking on such a project. I assumed he just wanted one of your children and didn’t care overmuch which one. Other than Jorg presumably wanting a female. The Kingdom seems to be a stickler for that.”
Her father grunted. “He requested you specifically from the beginning.”
“Because he knew I could do this and that it would tempt me? And also because he wants a toehold in our system and believes this is something we’d agree to?”
“I do believe it’s a very deliberate offer,” her father said. “Dubashi hasn’t heard about it yet, but I’m certain he will object
vehemently and perhaps want to go to war to stop it, but if we have the Kingdom military to back us, we could stop caring about what Dubashi thinks. Maybe Jager would even wish to get rid of such a volatile neighbor.” He sounded so wistful.
“He is the one who was responsible for my kidnapping attempt.”
“So I understand.”
“Father, I know this is what you want, but do you trust them? Jager? Jorg?”
Her father rested his palms on the thick carpet behind his cushion and leaned back on them. “We would have to keep our eyes open and be very careful in dealing with them. Jager is a man of great ambition, and he’s still young enough to cause a lot of trouble for the rest of the systems. The Kingdom ruled all of the systems once. Many believe Jager wishes to make that a reality again. They’ve been building up their military resources for decades. He is in a position to strike soon if he wishes.” He stretched a hand toward the projection. “I’ve decided that this offer is for you, not for me, and you are the one who must decide if it appeals to you.”
“But I’m to marry Jorg no matter what?” She wished her father would leave that decision to her.
He frowned. “You would be foolish not to, my daughter. We are not without power and money, but to marry into the Kingdom’s royal family would ensure that no matter what happens, our family would come out ahead. We would not have to worry if the Kingdom came to conquer our system.”
“Do you think that’s likely?”
“It is a possibility. It has been generations since the Miners’ Union was unified in anything but our name. Few would come to fight with us against such a force. In our current state, we could easily be annihilated by a Kingdom fleet.”
“So we are either with them or against them? That’s what they said?”
“Not blatantly, but I believe it is implied.”
“I understand, Father. You’ve given me much to consider.”
As Nalini headed for the door, she wondered what Tristan would think of all this. He might have insight into Jager and the Kingdom that her father and his intelligence gatherers lacked.
Knight Protector: a Star Kingdom novel Page 16
