Darcy’s end of the line was silent as he listened to Owen’s response. Owen’s excuses. Even after the other officer had finished speaking, Darcy was slow to follow up with an answer. The shuffling sound of papers had ceased, and the only sound to cut through the line was the squeak of a chair as Darcy leaned into it.
“No.”
One word at first. Clipped and damning, and managing to convey all of his disappointment in a single syllable. He leaned forward again. “There’s no more time. You will report to the Desdemona within two days as to continue your regular duties. The negotiations will be handled without you from this point out, and for your...well, for what can only be described as a failure, you will remain on the Desdemona for the remainder of her thirty-nine week deployment.”
He paused again a heavy sigh through the phone. “Perhaps, in the future, you will not regard the important assignments I trust you with as a means to take a vacation,” were apparently the words of a farewell as the line went dead.
“Your majesty.”
Julianna turned to the sound of her title to find Admiral Weatherfare waiting for her on the steps to the Chambers of the High Court. He approached her as the reached the top of the stairs, offering an arm to escort her. Her ears fell as best they could, given the placement of her crown, decorated with shells and gems. An embarrassment for the earlier afternoon came flooding back to her, but she kept it from showing on her face. She lifted the skirts of her dress with one hand. A proper dress, dark green and brocade with a modest neckline. She even wore shoes. Pretty and delicate heels. She didn’t care for the outfit, but it was necessary when dealing with nobility.
“Admiral Weatherfare,” she greeted, taking his arm and allowing him to lead her down the steps and towards the general direction of Leighton Castle. “Is there something that you need?”
“Your father would like to speak with you. He asked that I come escort you, as to ward you from getting...distracted.”
Ears fell again after so shortly returning to attention. Distracted, she could only assume, by Commander Hart, is what remained unsaid between them. She thanked the admiral tightly and from between clenched teeth and followed him to her father’s preferred office.
“Julianna.” Alex greeted her affectionately when the were reunited with him. Lanzo released her and her father was quick to take her shoulders in his hands and press a kiss against her cheek. Much in the same place that Owen had before he had abandoned her in the library. She tried not to think about that.
“What did you want to talk about?” She didn’t want to waste time getting to the point. She glided towards a chair and kicked off her shoes, in what was an obvious show of pouting.
The men exchanged glances behind her back. Lanzo shrugged imperceptibly and Alexavier sighed. Fine, they seemed to say silently together. It didn’t seem the queen was going to allow them to break the news to her gently.
“It’s about Commander Hart,” Alex explained.
“I assumed.”
Alex came to where Julianna was sitting, taking the seat next to her and reaching to hold one of her hands in both of his. Jules turned her head to look down at where he held her, before her gaze lifted to his face. “What about him?"
He squeezed her hand. “He’s leaving, darling. Our towers received a missive for him that detailed he would have to return to his ship.”
Her brow cinched together above the bridge of her nose and she pulled her hand away from her father. She immediately thought to what Owen had told her earlier about the telegram and how it had not at all been close to that. “Why are you telling me?"
“Darling…”
“Is he gone already?”
“We don’t think so. The Lanoria was still docked when I left to meet you at the courthouse.”
Leaning to pick up her shoes, she huffed as she stood, kicking the skirts and petticoats out from beneath her feet in an angry fit. “If he decides that he would like to discuss the remainder of our political dealings with me, he can arrange a meeting,” words were staccato with what could have been an onset of quick and angry tears. “If not, then I suppose our venture has been concluded and the C.A.F will be notified of the court’s decision.” When the dress was orderly in her hands to the point of effective movement, she left her father’s office without excuse or farewell. She could already feel the longing ache of loss, and something that stung behind her eyes like betrayal.
He was leaving.
He would leave. Because his business with her was finished.
“No.”
One word at first. Clipped and damning, and managing to convey all of his disappointment in a single syllable. He leaned forward again. “There’s no more time. You will report to the Desdemona within two days as to continue your regular duties. The negotiations will be handled without you from this point out, and for your...well, for what can only be described as a failure, you will remain on the Desdemona for the remainder of her thirty-nine week deployment.”
He paused again a heavy sigh through the phone. “Perhaps, in the future, you will not regard the important assignments I trust you with as a means to take a vacation,” were apparently the words of a farewell as the line went dead.
“Your majesty.”
Julianna turned to the sound of her title to find Admiral Weatherfare waiting for her on the steps to the Chambers of the High Court. He approached her as the reached the top of the stairs, offering an arm to escort her. Her ears fell as best they could, given the placement of her crown, decorated with shells and gems. An embarrassment for the earlier afternoon came flooding back to her, but she kept it from showing on her face. She lifted the skirts of her dress with one hand. A proper dress, dark green and brocade with a modest neckline. She even wore shoes. Pretty and delicate heels. She didn’t care for the outfit, but it was necessary when dealing with nobility.
“Admiral Weatherfare,” she greeted, taking his arm and allowing him to lead her down the steps and towards the general direction of Leighton Castle. “Is there something that you need?”
“Your father would like to speak with you. He asked that I come escort you, as to ward you from getting...distracted.”
Ears fell again after so shortly returning to attention. Distracted, she could only assume, by Commander Hart, is what remained unsaid between them. She thanked the admiral tightly and from between clenched teeth and followed him to her father’s preferred office.
“Julianna.” Alex greeted her affectionately when the were reunited with him. Lanzo released her and her father was quick to take her shoulders in his hands and press a kiss against her cheek. Much in the same place that Owen had before he had abandoned her in the library. She tried not to think about that.
“What did you want to talk about?” She didn’t want to waste time getting to the point. She glided towards a chair and kicked off her shoes, in what was an obvious show of pouting.
The men exchanged glances behind her back. Lanzo shrugged imperceptibly and Alexavier sighed. Fine, they seemed to say silently together. It didn’t seem the queen was going to allow them to break the news to her gently.
“It’s about Commander Hart,” Alex explained.
“I assumed.”
Alex came to where Julianna was sitting, taking the seat next to her and reaching to hold one of her hands in both of his. Jules turned her head to look down at where he held her, before her gaze lifted to his face. “What about him?"
He squeezed her hand. “He’s leaving, darling. Our towers received a missive for him that detailed he would have to return to his ship.”
Her brow cinched together above the bridge of her nose and she pulled her hand away from her father. She immediately thought to what Owen had told her earlier about the telegram and how it had not at all been close to that. “Why are you telling me?"
“Darling…”
“Is he gone already?”
“We don’t think so. The Lanoria was still docked when I left to meet you at the courthouse.”
Leaning to pick up her shoes, she huffed as she stood, kicking the skirts and petticoats out from beneath her feet in an angry fit. “If he decides that he would like to discuss the remainder of our political dealings with me, he can arrange a meeting,” words were staccato with what could have been an onset of quick and angry tears. “If not, then I suppose our venture has been concluded and the C.A.F will be notified of the court’s decision.” When the dress was orderly in her hands to the point of effective movement, she left her father’s office without excuse or farewell. She could already feel the longing ache of loss, and something that stung behind her eyes like betrayal.
He was leaving.
He would leave. Because his business with her was finished.
I fear no fate (for you are my fate, my sweet) I want no world (for beautiful you are my world, my true) and it’s you are whatever a moon has always meant and whatever a sun will always sing is you.
The following 1 user Likes megs's post: saronym
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Full Sail [Closed] - by megs - 10-15-2016, 06:20 AM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by saronym - 10-15-2016, 12:37 PM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by megs - 10-15-2016, 01:40 PM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by saronym - 10-16-2016, 09:53 AM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by megs - 10-16-2016, 10:43 AM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by saronym - 10-17-2016, 11:23 AM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by megs - 10-17-2016, 11:54 AM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by saronym - 10-17-2016, 01:23 PM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by megs - 10-17-2016, 01:54 PM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by saronym - 10-17-2016, 03:13 PM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by megs - 10-17-2016, 03:48 PM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by saronym - 10-17-2016, 07:08 PM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by megs - 10-18-2016, 09:34 AM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by saronym - 10-18-2016, 01:29 PM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by megs - 10-18-2016, 02:04 PM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by saronym - 10-18-2016, 03:27 PM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by megs - 10-18-2016, 04:20 PM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by saronym - 10-18-2016, 05:46 PM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by megs - 10-19-2016, 09:50 AM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by saronym - 10-19-2016, 03:18 PM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by megs - 10-19-2016, 03:55 PM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by saronym - 10-20-2016, 12:20 PM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by megs - 10-20-2016, 01:45 PM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by saronym - 10-20-2016, 03:22 PM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by megs - 10-21-2016, 01:09 PM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by saronym - 10-21-2016, 03:54 PM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by megs - 10-21-2016, 04:50 PM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by saronym - 10-22-2016, 11:39 AM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by megs - 10-22-2016, 01:17 PM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by saronym - 10-22-2016, 01:45 PM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by megs - 10-22-2016, 03:50 PM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by saronym - 10-23-2016, 01:53 PM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by megs - 10-23-2016, 02:23 PM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by saronym - 10-24-2016, 07:16 PM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by megs - 10-25-2016, 03:05 PM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by saronym - 10-27-2016, 12:02 PM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by megs - 10-27-2016, 12:33 PM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by saronym - 10-28-2016, 10:39 PM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by megs - 10-30-2016, 08:52 AM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by saronym - 10-30-2016, 12:47 PM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by megs - 10-31-2016, 03:16 PM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by saronym - 11-01-2016, 09:04 AM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by megs - 11-01-2016, 11:40 AM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by saronym - 11-01-2016, 08:01 PM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by megs - 11-02-2016, 11:20 AM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by saronym - 11-04-2016, 11:10 AM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by megs - 11-07-2016, 06:04 PM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by saronym - 11-08-2016, 04:20 PM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by megs - 11-09-2016, 01:58 PM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by saronym - 11-09-2016, 04:57 PM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by megs - 11-09-2016, 05:26 PM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by saronym - 11-09-2016, 11:00 PM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by megs - 11-18-2016, 04:30 PM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by saronym - 11-20-2016, 03:02 PM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by megs - 11-26-2016, 08:31 AM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by saronym - 11-26-2016, 01:28 PM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by megs - 11-26-2016, 02:29 PM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by saronym - 11-29-2016, 10:27 PM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by megs - 12-03-2016, 07:24 AM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by saronym - 12-04-2016, 05:30 PM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by megs - 12-06-2016, 02:37 PM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by saronym - 12-06-2016, 04:37 PM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by megs - 12-06-2016, 05:36 PM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by saronym - 12-06-2016, 06:40 PM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by megs - 12-07-2016, 12:46 PM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by saronym - 12-07-2016, 09:14 PM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by megs - 12-15-2016, 10:19 AM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by saronym - 12-18-2016, 11:07 PM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by megs - 12-24-2016, 08:02 AM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by saronym - 12-24-2016, 03:50 PM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by megs - 12-27-2016, 09:18 AM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by saronym - 12-30-2016, 12:25 AM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by megs - 01-02-2017, 01:49 PM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by saronym - 01-09-2017, 09:40 PM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by megs - 01-10-2017, 03:03 PM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by saronym - 01-18-2017, 08:10 PM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by megs - 01-19-2017, 09:39 AM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by saronym - 01-22-2017, 12:06 PM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by megs - 01-22-2017, 01:30 PM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by saronym - 01-30-2017, 10:57 PM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by megs - 01-31-2017, 02:56 PM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by saronym - 01-31-2017, 07:32 PM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by megs - 02-01-2017, 04:39 PM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by saronym - 02-20-2017, 08:12 PM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by megs - 02-21-2017, 01:04 PM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by saronym - 04-11-2017, 11:36 AM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by megs - 04-18-2017, 11:58 AM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by saronym - 04-18-2017, 06:25 PM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by megs - 04-18-2017, 08:16 PM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by saronym - 04-22-2017, 12:35 AM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by megs - 04-22-2017, 02:11 PM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by saronym - 04-24-2017, 12:41 AM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by megs - 04-24-2017, 11:10 AM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by saronym - 05-06-2017, 12:25 AM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by megs - 05-07-2017, 01:34 PM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by saronym - 05-08-2017, 12:09 PM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by megs - 05-08-2017, 12:55 PM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by saronym - 05-08-2017, 07:59 PM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by megs - 05-10-2017, 10:16 AM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by saronym - 05-12-2017, 07:48 PM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by megs - 05-13-2017, 01:12 PM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by saronym - 05-16-2017, 02:26 AM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by megs - 05-17-2017, 01:40 PM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by saronym - 05-18-2017, 02:27 AM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by megs - 05-19-2017, 03:38 PM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by saronym - 05-21-2017, 11:02 PM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by megs - 05-21-2017, 11:31 PM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by saronym - 05-22-2017, 12:12 AM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by megs - 05-22-2017, 09:41 AM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by saronym - 05-27-2017, 12:02 AM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by megs - 05-27-2017, 12:52 AM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by saronym - 05-27-2017, 01:26 AM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by megs - 05-27-2017, 01:11 PM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by saronym - 05-31-2017, 07:43 PM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by megs - 06-09-2017, 03:23 PM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by saronym - 06-17-2017, 08:54 PM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by megs - 06-22-2017, 09:23 PM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by saronym - 06-24-2017, 04:54 PM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by megs - 06-24-2017, 06:02 PM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by saronym - 06-25-2017, 05:37 PM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by megs - 06-26-2017, 01:23 PM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by saronym - 06-28-2017, 08:45 PM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by megs - 07-11-2017, 03:40 PM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by saronym - 07-14-2017, 01:29 AM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by megs - 07-14-2017, 06:50 PM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by saronym - 07-24-2017, 11:13 PM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by megs - 07-26-2017, 01:51 PM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by saronym - 07-27-2017, 02:19 PM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by megs - 07-27-2017, 03:58 PM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by saronym - 08-16-2017, 03:35 PM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by megs - 09-07-2017, 08:50 PM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by saronym - 09-29-2017, 11:43 PM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by megs - 10-01-2017, 01:44 PM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by saronym - 10-17-2017, 01:03 PM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by megs - 11-02-2017, 06:54 PM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by saronym - 11-29-2017, 02:21 PM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by megs - 11-30-2017, 03:27 PM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by saronym - 01-06-2018, 03:24 AM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by megs - 01-07-2018, 12:18 PM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by saronym - 01-17-2018, 01:08 AM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by megs - 03-18-2018, 02:38 PM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by saronym - 05-20-2018, 06:07 PM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by saronym - 06-04-2019, 09:48 PM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by megs - 03-09-2019, 07:25 PM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by megs - 06-06-2019, 05:58 PM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by saronym - 11-18-2019, 12:47 PM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by megs - 11-20-2019, 09:36 AM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by saronym - 11-25-2019, 05:48 PM
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - by megs - 11-30-2019, 03:45 PM