After Kimaya’s graduation, Matthieu posed with her and her extended family for rounds of pictures outside the Ruya Royal Academy. The journalists asked several questions, which they all roundly ignored. He made certain to stand behind and between Kimaya and Vidya, hands on their shoulders, as other family members grouped around in various ways. Only when her family moved off for individual videos of Kimaya did he whisper for Vidya to stay with them to help dissipate the attentions.
As they grinned for the photo op, Matthieu finally made a statement. “The Imperial Family supports excellence in education. Lady Kimaya’s accomplishments are noteworthy because she’s determined to perfect her knowledge and skills, driven to stand out above all other people. That’s the kind of determination I see in all the members of my family.”
Moving his hands to grip the ladies’ waists, he concluded, “It’s especially precious when ladies show themselves to be more capable than men. Ladies with brains; who can resist them?” He exchanged a smile with the giggling Kimaya, but he made sure to turn his smile toward Vidya’s surprised laughter, too.
The party at Ruya House began with an enormous luncheon, with Matthieu seated between the sisters. He was impressed that Vidya needed no help whatsoever with her meal.
“Everyone has been instructed thoroughly on how to set the places for me.” Vidya smiled, lightly touching each implement. “The fish is here, the vegetables are here, and the starchy complement is here.” She pointed subtly at the areas of her plate before inhaling. “Balafi for the fish, imported mellowshrooms, peppers, and onions for the vegetables, light curried rice for the starch. Dinner rolls there, wine there, water there. The only non-standard item I have are these small packets of towelettes so I can clean my fingertips before and after I eat.”
Matthieu asked her about other accommodations she needed on a daily basis. He was amazed at the number of ingenious items Vidya could use to do almost everything a sighted person could. For example, the brass herringbone belt she had worn yesterday, which wrapped twice around her waist, had controls in what had appeared to be the cobra-headed belt-buckle that would stiffen the belt into a cane.
“And my palm pad even has several ways to interpret graphics, although it took Kimaya a long time to help me learn them. Some colors are hot or cold, some vibrate at different rates when touched, and some produce hums. Photos are difficult to interpret, but simple graphs and charts are very easy.”
“I wonder if we could teach you how to matrix,” Matthieu mused. He described matrixing to the fascinated Vidya and Kimaya together. Both were eager to learn how to do it, discussing several ways they could arrange to have all the data represented by tactile inputs instead of colors.
He motioned to a Sentinel to call the Imperial Palace with the request that no one tear apart the current three-week-old matrix in the planning room unless the room was desperately needed for an emergency. “Let’s have you both visit the Urban District soon. Kimaya, do you have plans for the summer?”
“Well, I was going to take two college courses, but I have a week’s break right now. How about it, Vidya? You’ve never taken a vacation. I’m positive you could set aside your duties for a week. There’s not a soul who would let any problem crop up, especially if they know you want to get out for some fun for a while.”
Vidya was wistful. “I would love to. I’ve not been to the capital since the accident. I would need help learning to traverse Ruya Manse again, though.”
“I was thinking of having you both visit the Imperial Palace,” Matthieu said. “We could put you in a suite on the second floor, if you wish. There are no suites on the ground level, you see.
“And there’s a lot to experience there. Grandmother designed everything to be as self-sufficient as possible.” He described the Imperial Palace and grounds for the rest of the meal.
Matthieu and Kimaya were invited with Sunay and his lady friend to open dancing with Duke and Duchess Ruya. As they danced, Matthieu asked, “Does Vidya dance?”
“She did before the accident. She even studied dramatic dancing. We have a studio she used for practice.
“After the accident, we used it for her physical therapy, but when she’s alone, she still dances. I think it’s her way of expressing her deep emotions and creativity, but she doesn’t like for us to watch.”
“Do you think she could handle a traditional dance? I’m certain everyone would look out for her.”
Kimaya was thoughtful. “I’m not sure she would remember the moves. You lead very strongly, but if you were to intersperse comments on moves you intended to make, such as a twirl, a pass, or a spin, I’m sure she would love it.
“She usually spends her time at these parties listening to gossip and making sure everything runs smoothly. Everyone loves her, and they all confide in her because she always helps them solve their problems.”
Matthieu danced with Kimaya and other family members a few times before he approached Vidya, who was indeed seated on a special padded bench with an aunt, settling some issue. “Lady Vidya, would you like to dance?” he asked loud enough to be heard over the music. “Kimaya says she thinks I’m a strong enough dancer that I could keep you from mishap.”
Vidya’s wide-eyed, unfocused gaze showed her apprehension, so Matthieu gently took her hand to raise her from her seat. “You’ll never know if you don’t try,” he offered. She smiled, so he put one arm around her to guide her to the dance floor.
He did concentrate on giving her instructions, and everyone gave them a considerable space in which to move, but soon Vidya was enjoying herself immensely. The dancers moved closer once they realized Matthieu had everything under control. He didn’t need to give her any instructions at all during the second dance, and during the third they even managed to converse a bit.
“When do you think you’ll have everything ready for the trip? I should tell the Sentinels about our revised flight schedule,” Matthieu said.
Vidya huffed a short laugh. “The servants have probably already finished packing for us. I spoke to Mother, who had them get right on it. We can leave whenever you wish.”
Matthieu laughed heartily. “Kimaya said you run a tight ship; I can see she was entirely correct. Twirl,” he cued, keeping one hand high on her raised hand and his other hand on her waist as she turned.
“I usually fly myself with one Sentinel as co-pilot and the rest in the back. The back compartment can hold six people, so I’ll let two of them fly and sit in the back with you and Kimaya. We were planning to leave at 23:00. It’s a three and a half hour flight, so that should put us at the Imperial Palace at the end of the demi.”
“It sounds lovely,” Vidya said. “But, did you not just miss a pass? I was rather expecting one, though you were talking.” Matthieu laughed again, passed her from one arm to the other, and led her on.
◊ ◊ ◊
Once they settled in the back of the air car, Matthieu had them listen to the pre-flight checks of the pilot. He described flight procedures once they were in the air.
“Uncle Brian has even given my sisters instruction on how to fly. Aimee can manage it fairly well, but Desiree is accomplished already, and she’s only going to be fourteen this Midsummer.”
“I would love to learn,” Kimaya said fervently. “I’ve always feared being dependent upon other people for transportation.”
“I’m not certain Brian has been cleared to fly again yet, but we could have Theo or someone else teach you,” Matthieu said jovially. “I wonder what Bernard and Rowena have the Clan doing this week? Do either of you swim or ride?”
“I used to swim,” Vidya said shortly. “I’ve not tried since the speedboat accident.”
Matthieu looked at Kimaya’s solemn face. “If you’d like to talk about it, we do have three hours before we land,” he offered gently.
He nearly wept at one point when they discussed some of the grueling hospital scenes, arms around both ladies, but for whose comfort he couldn’t say. Vidya had had three major surgeries to correct skeletal or musculature problems after the accident.
“I’m certain Renee or someone would have maillots in your sizes,” he said. “If you would like to try. If not, there are plenty of other activities.”
“I’m not certain I’d care for people to see all my scars,” Vidya said frankly. “I remember feeling beautiful when I was a deb, so I always have the servants or Kimaya check me carefully before I leave my room.”
Matthieu took her hand. “I say you are beautiful enough for a thousand ladies, because you know what’s important in life. And scars are just nature’s way of telling people how strong you are, that you’re a survivor.”
Kissing her hand, he reminded her, “Just let someone know if you’d like to try. If you’d prefer to wait until 03:00, when everyone is asleep, that would be fine, too.” Putting some enthusiasm in his voice, he asked, “Would you like to learn how to ride horses, at least?”
◊ ◊ ◊
The first two mornings, the Clan absorbed the Ruya sisters into their activities as if they had always been Imperial Protocol Academy students. Monday and Tuesday, Matthieu and Theo took the Ruyas out to lunch and dinner at four famous restaurants in the capital.
On Monday afternoon, Matthieu showed them the matrix, and on Tuesday he and Theo took them to the stables, but Vidya was too intimidated by the huge beasts to ride. Uncle Josef’s wife Roberta was offering a seminar Wednesday morning in the workshop, so Matthieu and Theo took the sisters on a long, wandering tour through the Western Courtyard.
They handled the rabbits for a while, making sure Vidya felt everything from the hutches and their latches to features of the rabbit run, and even some rabbit pellets, describing how they were composted along with the chicken coop’s leavings and other organic waste from harvesting the animals for the occasional meal. Matthieu tucked Vidya’s used towelette into his pocket, and they headed for some of the more forested areas.
Theo was escorting Kimaya to see the grotto, so Matthieu told Vidya about the merengue bird’s nest his cousin Grace had found. “Do they sing?” she asked.
“Yes, though it’s a rather odd series of sounds. Would you like to go there? The area is very private, but I’ll have to help you through the ground cover.”
“That sounds nice.” Vidya had a knowing smile; Matthieu figured she and Kimaya might have helped to set up this situation as an opportunity for some light romance.
It took fifteen minutes to guide her there, but soon he took off his jacket for her to sit upon, held her arms to point out the area of the bird’s nest, and was lounging beside her with one arm behind her back. The eggs had hatched, so Matthieu described the flight of the parent birds to feed their young as they listened to the chirps and birdsong.
Soon enough, he was nuzzling her ear along with his whispers, and soon after that, he had his other arm across her lap, giving her soft kisses around her face as she closed her eyes and breathed heavily, running her hand along his arm.
He finally put his hand to her face for a kiss on her lips. For all the tenderness in his approach, he was astonished at the electric passion they both felt. He wasn’t sure if she was pulling him or he was pushing her, but they found themselves reclining in mere seconds amid last winter’s leaf debris.
When she threw her leg over his hip and virtually pulled him on top of her with it, Matthieu moaned at the pressure of his erection on her body.
“Oh, God, Vidya, please.” He backed off a bit. “I… I’m not… I can’t….” He buried his face in the curve of her neck, moving his hips to rest beside her. They lay like that for a while.
“I do have a contraceptive implant,” Vidya said reasonably. “It’s very convenient to avoid that messiness.”
“I don’t want to hurt you,” he whispered.
“How could you hurt me? Jeff and I were lovers before the accident,” she said plainly. “No other man has ever shown me attention since then. Seven lonely years. Yet here you are.”
She caressed his body with both hands. “I’m so skin-starved I would’ve groped you in the air car if there hadn’t been so many witnesses. As it is, it’s already Wednesday, and you’ve wasted two days finding us a place to be truly alone.”
“Well, we aren’t truly alone. Sentinel video monitor feeds cover every bit of the Imperial Grounds.”
“Arrrgh!” Vidya groaned, pounding one fist on the ground. “What’s it going to take to get our clothes off?”
Laughing, Matthieu kissed her. “Well, I usually invite the lady to my suite. Would you like to spend the night with me? And what would Kimaya think?”
“Are you kidding? She would personally pack my valise and haul it to your bedroom for me!” Sobering a bit, she added, “But she might want to stay in your extra room so she can attend me the next morning.”
“Your suite has a second bedroom; mine doesn’t. And Theo could always bring her to us in the morning. Does she have her eyes set on him?”
“To open her, at least.” Vidya chortled. “We’ve been wondering why it’s taken you men so long to make your legendary Sinclair moves on us.”
Matthieu laughed softly. “Well, but we’re not just looking for bedmates anymore. We’re looking for lady wives.”
He caressed her tender face and brushed back strands of hair. “Would you care to spend some time with Grandmother and Renee this week? I could stand to shadow Grandfather and Father to see what’s going on in the Empire.”
Doubt shone on her face. “I wouldn’t want to interrupt them during their duties.”
He gave her another kiss. “Let’s have lunch with them. If they ask you to visit with them further and show you what they do of a day, you’d get an idea of the working life of the Imperial Family. If you think you could handle it, we can start dating in earnest. If not, you’ll go home after having had a nice vacation.”
“Dating in earnest? How?”
Matthieu told her about the potential four-month assignment at the Biodefense Task Force. “Two hours by ground car, but I’m sure I could have a private air car stationed there to fly into Ruya City and the duke’s private landing pad. Fifteen minutes to fly; that’s less than it takes to walk from one corner of the Imperial Palace to the other. Hell, instead of living on the base, I could take an apartment in the city and fly to work of a day.”
“What time is it?”
“Almost 11:30.”
“If it takes half an hour to get back to the Palace, we have an hour to goof off before lunch.” Vidya grinned. “How about you come here and tell me what you’d like to do with me when you finally get me to your room tonight?” She ran her hands up to his head and pulled him in for another deep kiss.
◊ ◊ ◊
Grandmother and Renee must have known by their idiotic grins that Matthieu and Vidya had come to some sort of an understanding. They asked when the Imperial ladies were going to lunch and invited themselves along, with Matthieu suggesting, “Or, we could just have lunch here, no?”
By the end of lunch, Matthieu was sitting back in his chair, listening to Renee and Vidya talk about how to calculate the dinner requirements for balls. Vidya pulled out a towelette, cleansed her fingertips, took her palm pad out of her vest, and gave Renee specific equations on how she determined the protein requirements by age and gender in order to minimize food waste. Grandmother asked about her palm pad and its adaptations, so Vidya pulled out her earpiece and a couple of other useful tools.
Since Matthieu knew that was going to be a long presentation, he asked, “Would you mind terribly if I go check up on Grandfather? Please have a Sentinel alert me when Vidya needs me to attend her.”
Grandmother nodded and absently waved him off so she could immerse herself in Vidya’s explanations. He exchanged amused smiles with Renee, gave her a kiss, and went to Grandfather’s office.
He slipped into the office with some files and two data cards, slid them on Grandfather’s desk, and went to the back row to sit with Richard, Patrick, and Kyle as they listened to twenty dukes discuss with Father and Grandfather the way they would like to see the reparations strategy investigated.
“We each have at least two trusted people we can detach for at least two months,” Duke Broadsworth was saying. “It’s not that we don’t trust the students or professors you have lined up. It’s that our people are trained in political concerns as well as administrative concerns, so they may spot political problems beyond the mere financial dealings the business students would.”
“How soon could your people be ready?” Father asked.
“My two candidates could be ready within 26 hours,” Duke Strauss declared. Several other dukes seconded that. “We all have their qualifications with us.”
He removed a data card from his pocket, and the other dukes followed suit. “With twenty of us present, that would be forty candidates for ten study groups. If Sentinel selects all of them, four per group, but even if we were to have one per group, we would be satisfied.”
Grandfather gestured to his grandsons; they all went to relieve the dukes of their data cards. “Patrick, Kyle, would you see these profiles downloaded onto one data card and given to the appropriate people? Please bring one copy back to me. Thank you.”
Matthieu and Richard sat back to listen to the rest of the discussion. Kyle showed up ten minutes later to hand Grandfather one data card, but he slipped back out.
There were two more meetings after that, one with Phillip and four ministers, and one with Chief of Sentinel Security Andrew Wilkie. Matthieu stood. “Do you need us to leave, Grandfather?”
“No, you may stay.” Grandfather and Father proceeded to get into a lively discussion about Brian’s personal capabilities and recent computer activity. Father argued he could be put back to work; Grandfather was still hesitant. Chief Wilkie had no opinion either way.
Grandfather finally asked, “Matthieu, Richard? What do you think?”
Matthieu said, “I think he’s enjoying his vacation while still feeding his curiosity. Ask him if he wants to work, and what kind of position he would consider.”
Richard seconded him. “I’ve never seen him so happy, yet he always helps us out when we have questions. He could attach himself to the Protocol Academy, or Sentinel Imperial Palace Command, doing a lot to help us all without being assigned a specific position in the command structure. He could be our Colonel Xavier.” Chief Wilkie had a good laugh.
“Colonel Xavier it is,” Grandfather said. “Will that be enough for you, Zhaiden?”
Father snorted. “I guess it’ll have to be. Is there anything else, Chief?”
Wilkie glanced at the Imperial Grandsons. “If the young Princes would excuse themselves.” Matthieu and Richard subsequently bowed themselves out and left.
“Odd,” Richard said as they strode toward the nearest lift. “You’d think the Chief would have brought important concerns up first before discussing, ah, Xavier.”
Matthieu flashed him a broad grin. “That’s true, unless a development happened this morning to give him cause for concern.”
“What development?”
“Oh, just a certain scion escorting a certain Ruya to a romantic interlude,” Matthieu hinted.
Intrigued, Richard grinned and hummed in speculation. “Oh, really? The lovely Kimaya is willing to be wooed?”
“She is, but it’s the lovely Vidya I was wooing,” Matthieu informed him. “Who has now spent at least five hours with Renee and Grandmother, and who held their complete interest throughout lunch.”
Richard gasped. “You’re kidding! You would…?” At Matthieu’s raised eyebrows, he said, “Yeah, you would.” He hit the button for the third floor.
“Is there some objection you or anyone else might have?”
“No.” Richard shook his head. “We were all just surprised you dragged her along. Even the gossip columnists have speculated that their parents had Vidya come along as chaperone.”
Matthieu laughed and laughed, holding his sides and refusing to tell his curious and frustrated half-brother anything else by the time he made it to his suite.
◊ ◊ ◊
There were no state dinners that night, so Matthieu and Vidya sat at the table with the Imperial adults, while Theo and Kimaya sat at the table with the Clan. Vidya was seated to Grandfather’s right and fully understood the honor. She listened more than she spoke, and when she spoke she asked more questions than anything.
Her few comments were always pertinent, insightful, and even helpful when she suggested the Imperial Family should hold a small state dinner with the Galactic Assembly Representatives and ambassadors of the ten planets hosting the reparation trade fleet auctions to discuss the situation.
“After all, they’ll want to know why you’re increasing activity in their star volumes,” she explained. “If there were to be a small but unusual influx of visitors to Ruya House, I’d want to know why in order to see to their needs.”
“Excellent thought. Thank you, Lady Vidya.” Father grinned at Matthieu. Renee said she had an opening next Tuesday. Grandfather grinned at Grandmother’s saucy wink.
Sophia asked Vidya, “Would you like to go to the Imperial Opera this weekend? The Imperial Box is rarely filled, and you can meet some of the other family members who live at the Stargate Compound.”
Vidya responded with real enthusiasm. “I would love that, Your Highness. I’m certain Kimaya would, too. Which night would that be?” They made arrangements for Friday.
By the end of dinner, everyone but Grandmother and Grandfather had asked Vidya to call them by name. She was invited to join Matthieu at a state dinner on Saturday, to which she replied, “I’d prefer to learn more about the dinner before I agree. Would that be okay?”
Renee assured her she could accommodate them if she were informed by Friday. All the adults made sure to shake her hand before she and Matthieu met up with Theo and Kimaya for a walk out in the western Imperial grounds.
◊ ◊ ◊
Matthieu and Vidya had been chatting in his suite for some time before a Sentinel delivered her valise. “Would you like to check over your belongings?”
“No, thank you. I’m certain Kimaya included everything.” They cuddled and kissed a while before she asked, “Are we waiting for something?”
“Yes, but I hope to make it a surprise. Let me tell you about the adjudicators who’ll be at Saturday’s state dinner so you’ll know whether you want to attend.”
“Okay, one moment.” Vidya pulled out her special palm pad and a small plug-in device. “I’m ready.” As Matthieu began to speak, she ran the fingers of one hand quickly over the face of her palm pad to run searches on the datanets, holding her other fingers still on the adaptation that presented the results in some kind of thermal alphabetic code.
“You say Sir Humboldt has been in that position for years, but his public data file says only two years.”
“Well, two years is plural,” Matthieu grumbled, causing Vidya to laugh. He had her tell him how she accessed the public datanets while they spoke, and finally a maid knocked on the door.
After she had deposited her burden in the bedroom and left, Matthieu asked Vidya if she needed to prepare herself. “I have something I need a few minutes to do.”
“Show me to the restroom and bring my valise, then.” Vidya was all smiles.
Matthieu put on pajama bottoms, spread the freshly-laundered trillfaun blanket on his bed, set out the edible massage oils on his night stand, and turned out the lights. Vidya opened the restroom door and stood silhouetted in its doorway, which opened to the area of his open bedroom door.
He gasped to see the elegant silk nightgown she wore, which reached to the floor but showed amazing curves her regular clothing hid as a matter of course. Hurrying to her, he slid his arms around her waist before giving her a deep kiss. “You are so beautiful,” he murmured, twining his fingers in her hair.
“You haven’t seen my scars, yet,” she reminded him.
“Ah, but I have something for your scars,” Matthieu said with another kiss. “Massage oils.” He led her to the bed. “And something special. Here’s the bed.” He guided her hand to the trillfaun blanket.
“My word, what’s this?” She immediately sat down and ran her hands along the blanket.
“Trillfaun fur from Venturi. I just had it laundered, which was why we were waiting.” He got an arousal just watching the thrill on her face.
“It’s so lovely,” she whispered. “I never imagined such luxury.” He encouraged her to scoot back and explore the dimensions of the enormous bed. “My word,” she whispered again in wonderment.
Taking her into his arms, Matthieu murmured, “I even turned off all the lights so I could immerse myself in the darkness with you. So I could bathe in the light of your soul,” he crooned, cupping her face for another kiss.
Her three surgical scars were thin, but long and ragged with several offshoots, although any gown with short sleeves would cover them. Matthieu asked about the sensations she could feel as he massaged them with oils.
“Don’t worry, the rest of my skin is more than making up for the lack of sensation in those areas.” Vidya laughed, long and low. “I’ve never felt so pampered in all my life.”
Soon she was gasping as his tongue explored her, wordless pleasure expressed in graceful stretches and gestures. He closed his eyes to revel in the taste and feel of her skin and movements, glancing only occasionally at the mindless joy on her face in the dim lights from the courtyard. He accomplished the gentleman’s quest with two fingers and tongue before he moved to cover her with his body.
He kissed her a long time before he finally entered her with his gentlest stroke. As Vidya’s hands ranged his body, she encouraged him to take his pleasure of her. “Yes. Yes. Show me what you need. Abandon yourself to me. I’m here for you.”
Matthieu’s heart nearly burst with joy at that point, for no lady had ever given him express permission to simply experience lovemaking on his own behalf. He closed his eyes as she experimented with angling her pelvis until he cried, “There, yes, ah, right there!”
He grew wild at the hypnotic movement of her hands, stroking up his spine as if encouraging his sexual energy to rise to the top of his mind. Finally, with a few sharp exhalations, he moaned long and loud as the wave of orgasmic energy whited out his mind like never before.
“Oh.” Matthieu’s lips traced their way to Vidya’s. “I’ve never.”
“Never what?” she murmured, hands still moving.
“I’ve never had such an intense experience before. I can’t pinpoint what it was, exactly.” He stroked her hair. “All I know is that I want to try to find it again.”
Vidya smiled. “And I want to let you. That was beyond my imagination.” She wrapped her legs around him. “Since you had your way with me, can I have my way with you?”
He was still laughing at that when she finally encouraged him to lie on his back. He did have to reach for the oils, but the sheer comfort of letting her explore and anoint his body intrigued him.
She expressed an odd mixture of skills and ignorance, so he took some time telling her about the book used by his family for their sexual education. After experimenting with some lesser erogenous zones, she concentrated on the main one.
“Please, please,” Matthieu begged. “Let me touch you, too. Tell me what you want.”
“I’m not finished having my way.” She went back to her determination to lap up every molecule of oil.
“Oh, God, but I want you in my arms,” he groaned. “Please, let me sit up.”
He arranged the pillows against the headboard and helped her straddle his lap. “Oh God. Much better.” He dove for her lips and encouraged her to ride him with his hands on her hips.
It took over an hour, for as they read each other’s bodies, Vidya would speed up or slow down according to some internal compass. He managed to get one thumb in just the right position to encourage her movements.
She ended up lightly bucking in his lap as she leaned in an exquisite balance into his other arm, which was gripping her lower back firmly, and against his angled thighs, with her back across his knees, hair streaming across his legs, her hands running along his shoulders, arms, and chest. She peaked quickly at that point. As she slowed her movements in exhaustion, Matthieu rolled her on her back so he could achieve his own bliss.
He maneuvered the pillows under her head to support them both. Pulling at the sides of the trillfaun blanket, he soon had them cocooned in its splendor, and they snuggled in to rest.
“I’m having a hard time trying not to fall in love with you right now,” Vidya whispered.
Matthieu kissed her. “I would have you abandon yourself to it. There’s not enough love in the world as it is. No matter what the future brings, this night is a gift that’ll always sustain us when it’s hard to get through a day.
“To know we shared this moment, that we were here together, and that we blessed each other with our love, is all that really matters.”
“I can do that,” she said.