Jacinda was doing neither with Barek, she was simply enjoying his company. Would it be the same if she were dancing with him?
∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞
Jacinda smiled up at Barek as he led her around the room for the first valsa of the night. “So to what do I owe this honor, Prince Barek?”
Barek smiled down at her, liking how she wasn’t afraid to ask the question. “I wanted to speak to you privately and knew this would be the best way to do it.”
“Privately?” Jacinda raised a beautifully arched eyebrow at him. “You consider this private ?” she asked knowing every eye in the room was following them.
“Yes.” Barek grinned at her. “Everyone might be watching, but no one can hear what we are saying.”
Jacinda found herself laughing at his logic. “That is true. So what did you need to speak ‘privately’ to me about?”
“I wanted to thank you for the visuals.”
“They cleared security?”
“Of course, there was never any doubt they would but…”
“There are protocols. I am not insulted, Prince Barek,” Jacinda reassured him. “Actually I find it a relief that your security is so vigilant.”
“Why?”
“Because you are the future King, but more importantly, you are the son of one of my friends. Lata would want me to watch out for you.”
“Do you really believe that?”
Jacinda wondered if Barek realized how much he revealed with that simple question.
“Yes, I do. Your mother loved you, Barek, very much. Her eyes would light up every time she talked about you. I swear if she could have she would have spent every moment of her day with you.”
“I thank you for that.”
“You don’t need to thank someone for speaking the truth.”
“Of course I do.”
Jacinda waited a moment before continuing. “So tell me. Why are you starting the Ball instead of your father?”
“Besides wanting to dance with a beautiful woman?” Barek gave her an incredible smile.
“I’m sure that line works with the younger women, Prince Barek, but it won’t distract me from my query.”
“Of course it won’t. You, Madame Michelakakis, are unlike any other woman.” His lips quirked slightly. “I suppose the answer is since I was here I thought I could deflect some of the rumors my father has always had to deal with after selecting his dance partner.”
“Ah, of course, about him favoring one Assemblyman over another.”
“Yes, but as I said before, the main reason is to thank you for the visuals. I looked at them last night and…”
“And?”
“And it allowed me to see my mother in a different light. And my father.”
“To see them as more than the figureheads you’ve always known them to be.”
“Yes. To see that she stood in some of the same places I have… it’s something I had never considered before.”
“I’m glad you enjoyed them.”
“I did, as did my father.”
“King Jotham saw them?” Jacinda wasn’t sure why she was surprised, but she was.
“Yes, he came in while I was looking at them. He’s promised to find her visual albums because of it, so I need to thank you for that too.”
“I’m glad. Lata would want you to have them. Family was everything to her.”
“Speaking of family… there was a visual included in the packet that I believe was placed there by mistake.”
“I’m sorry?” Jacinda frowned up at him.
“There was a visual of the Michelakakis family… Leander Michelakakis’ family,” he clarified.
“So that’s where it disappeared to,” Jacinda feigned innocently. “I am so sorry, Prince Barek. Javiera sent me the visual via my comm, and it must have gotten mixed up with yours.”
“I will make sure it is returned to you.”
“Oh, that’s not necessary. When I couldn’t find it, I just had another one printed. It’s already framed and on my wall.”
The music ended before Barek could respond and he led her back to Danton. “Thank you for the dance, Madame Michelakakis.” And giving her a slight bow turned to
∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞
Jacinda smiled up at Barek as he led her around the room for the first valsa of the night. “So to what do I owe this honor, Prince Barek?”
Barek smiled down at her, liking how she wasn’t afraid to ask the question. “I wanted to speak to you privately and knew this would be the best way to do it.”
“Privately?” Jacinda raised a beautifully arched eyebrow at him. “You consider this private ?” she asked knowing every eye in the room was following them.
“Yes.” Barek grinned at her. “Everyone might be watching, but no one can hear what we are saying.”
Jacinda found herself laughing at his logic. “That is true. So what did you need to speak ‘privately’ to me about?”
“I wanted to thank you for the visuals.”
“They cleared security?”
“Of course, there was never any doubt they would but…”
“There are protocols. I am not insulted, Prince Barek,” Jacinda reassured him. “Actually I find it a relief that your security is so vigilant.”
“Why?”
“Because you are the future King, but more importantly, you are the son of one of my friends. Lata would want me to watch out for you.”
“Do you really believe that?”
Jacinda wondered if Barek realized how much he revealed with that simple question.
“Yes, I do. Your mother loved you, Barek, very much. Her eyes would light up every time she talked about you. I swear if she could have she would have spent every moment of her day with you.”
“I thank you for that.”
“You don’t need to thank someone for speaking the truth.”
“Of course I do.”
Jacinda waited a moment before continuing. “So tell me. Why are you starting the Ball instead of your father?”
“Besides wanting to dance with a beautiful woman?” Barek gave her an incredible smile.
“I’m sure that line works with the younger women, Prince Barek, but it won’t distract me from my query.”
“Of course it won’t. You, Madame Michelakakis, are unlike any other woman.” His lips quirked slightly. “I suppose the answer is since I was here I thought I could deflect some of the rumors my father has always had to deal with after selecting his dance partner.”
“Ah, of course, about him favoring one Assemblyman over another.”
“Yes, but as I said before, the main reason is to thank you for the visuals. I looked at them last night and…”
“And?”
“And it allowed me to see my mother in a different light. And my father.”
“To see them as more than the figureheads you’ve always known them to be.”
“Yes. To see that she stood in some of the same places I have… it’s something I had never considered before.”
“I’m glad you enjoyed them.”
“I did, as did my father.”
“King Jotham saw them?” Jacinda wasn’t sure why she was surprised, but she was.
“Yes, he came in while I was looking at them. He’s promised to find her visual albums because of it, so I need to thank you for that too.”
“I’m glad. Lata would want you to have them. Family was everything to her.”
“Speaking of family… there was a visual included in the packet that I believe was placed there by mistake.”
“I’m sorry?” Jacinda frowned up at him.
“There was a visual of the Michelakakis family… Leander Michelakakis’ family,” he clarified.
“So that’s where it disappeared to,” Jacinda feigned innocently. “I am so sorry, Prince Barek. Javiera sent me the visual via my comm, and it must have gotten mixed up with yours.”
“I will make sure it is returned to you.”
“Oh, that’s not necessary. When I couldn’t find it, I just had another one printed. It’s already framed and on my wall.”
The music ended before Barek could respond and he led her back to Danton. “Thank you for the dance, Madame Michelakakis.” And giving her a slight bow turned to
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