Pax Imperia (The Redemption Trilogy) (2 page)

However, before a medic could arrive, Marcus gently lifted her into his arms and turned to face Jon. “Take her,” he insisted. “Go with her and watch over her.”

“But, my Lord, what about you?”

The two men’s eyes met, a look of silent understanding passing between them. While they might have come from vastly different worlds, they both shared something in common; the woman in her father’s arms was the most important person in both their lives.

“I will stay here and put an end to this madness, before somebody else gets hurt,” Marcus insisted, gently passing Sofia to Jon. “Now go,” he ordered. Then he watched for a moment longer as the two of them disappeared into a tight circle of marines and the group hurried towards the exit. “Look after my little girl,” he whispered softly, before turning back to the stunned crowd.

As he approached the speaking podium, it was the first time the Emperor had addressed the Senate in over five years. The first time since the Imperium, the great Empire that had lasted over five generations, had been disbanded.

“I am Marcus Aurelius, Imperial Emperor, and my family has ruled over this Empire for five generations!” The words thundered out across the great hall, echoing off the walls, the last few words lingering in the air where they mixed with cries of indignation from some of the Senators from the rim worlds. However, unperturbed, he continued on regardless. “If it weren’t for my family, none of you would be sitting here today. It was only through our intervention we were all saved. For where would it have ended? How many hundreds of millions more would have died? Where would our great civilisation now be? Nowhere! Your ancestors would have been ashes on some distant planet or living in caves huddled around an open fire. My family saved us all and how do you repay us?”

Marcus held up his bloodied hands for all to clearly see.

“In blood. My daughter was chased across the galaxy like a thief, and for what reason? Simply because she is my own flesh and blood. And, as for me, I was tortured and imprisoned for half a decade. Why? Because I was unlucky enough to be born under this name. Now you all threaten war once again, to bring back the destruction my ancestors fought so hard to bring to an end the first time. But this time you do so in my name, in my family’s name.

Five hundred years ago you were all like children. Ungrateful, squabbling and constantly warring with each other. My family finally took away your sticks, waiting for you to grow up. Well, in five hundred years you have not changed. Still the same petty jealousies, the inability to look up from your own selfish wants and desires to see the grand scheme of things. To understand that we rule for all, not just a select few.”

The Emperor’s voice trailed off sadly, the silence in the hall replaced by pounding on desks and cries of outrage from many of the Senators. Therefore his next words were almost missed by many, as they were spoken so softly.

“Yet maybe I was wrong. As parents we all want what is best for our children. However, in the process of doing so, sometimes we forget that it is their life too. That they must be free to make their own choices, and learn from their mistakes. Occasionally they even surprise us, by making the right decision when we as their elders were blind to see what was best for them,” the Emperor commented approvingly. Remembering his own futile search to find a husband for his daughter, someone to love and care for her, when she had already found him.

“Often we would prefer our children stay as children forever. Letting go is never easy, but it is a part of growing up.” With a thoughtful expression, the Emperor turned to face the Senate again. Motioning towards two Senators sitting next to each other a few rows back, he continued. “While Emperor, I permanently stationed an Imperial Task Force between the adjoining systems of Procyon and Sirius, in the sure and certain knowledge that otherwise they would go to war with each other. Yet here I stand, five years later, and observe the representatives from these two great systems sitting next to each other. I see no war and hear of no death and destruction. Without the Imperial Fleet to keep them separate, they have had to learn to live and work with each other. They have been forced to grow up.”

Casting his gaze around the many astonished faces in the great hall, Marcus Aurelius, the last in that great line of Imperial Emperors, recognised his own time had now come, and gone. “Therefore, I stand before you today, not to demand fealty from you again.” The Emperor’s final words were almost lost in the sudden buzz of conversation around the room, but he continued on heedlessly. “But to bless this Confederation, to congratulate my daughter on its founding and to gracefully step aside.” By this time the room was ablaze with excitement, many Senators already on their feet clapping. Eventually the Emperor stepped away from the speaking podium, after delivering his final words to the crowd. “For my daughter has taught me the most important lesson I will ever learn. She taught me what is most important in life.”

“Friends, family and, most of all, love.”

*****

Jon brushed back a lock of hair from Sofia’s face, the steady
beep-beep
of the heart monitor as reassuring to him as the constant sound of her breathing next to his. She lay on the hospital bed next to him, his arms tightly clasped around her, as she reclined against his chest.

The doctors and nurses had tried insisting that he leave after she had been wheeled out of the operating theatre and placed in this white, sterile recovery room, explaining that she needed time alone to heal and recover. Jon snorted in disbelief at that prognosis, wondering where they had found these particular experts, as they knew nothing about Sofia. Instead, once they had finally left, with thinly veiled threats to call security and have him thrown out, he climbed into bed with her and gently, so as not to exacerbate her injury, gathered her into his arms.

His constant touches and whispered words of reassurance, finally allowed her to relax and fall asleep in his arms. That had been many hours before. He, however, just wanted to stay awake to relish the time they had together alone.

Dropping a kiss onto her pale skin, Jon promised himself he would never again leave her. “You are going to be fine,” he said, the words comforting himself just as much as they were meant to comfort her. “I am not going anywhere. I plan on staying here by your side, just like this, for the rest of our lives.”

“Was that another proposal?” Sofia asked sleepily, burrowing closer to his shoulder, her head still resting on his chest.

Smiling absently, Jon replied, “I didn’t know you were awake.” Taking a ringlet of her hair, he wrapped it around one of his fingers.

“How am I expected to get any sleep with your constant whispering?” she asked, her lips turned upwards in a smile. “Anyway stop avoiding the question. Was that another proposal? I must say it was about as romantic as your last one.”

Jon thought back, finally remembering saying something similar to her while they were in his bed, almost five years before. The day after they had made love for the first time. At the time he’d told her it was a promise for the future. But suddenly that did not seem enough for him. He wanted more. So, very quietly, so not as to awaken her if she had fallen back asleep, he whispered. “Yes, that was a proposal. Sofia will you marry me?”

After several moments of silence, Jon sighed, guessing she had fallen back asleep. Instead, she whispered, “I thought you would never ask.”

*****

Staring at the ring shining in the palm of his hand, Jon could not help but think there was no better ring to wed Sofia with than her mother’s. Something that many years before she had admitted to him was all that she had left of her. She was trying to hold back her tears, and mouthed a soundless
Thank you
, as he unhooked the chain from around her neck and slid the ring into his hand. However, before he could put it onto her finger, there was one other person’s approval that he sought.

With the ring still resting in his palm, Jon turned to face his soon-to-be father-in-law, lifting his gaze to look him in the eye, only to observe the older man’s sight focused on the object in his hand. “My Lord?” He asked hesitantly, unsure of the distant expression on the other man’s face. It might have been his imagination, but Jon thought he saw tears in the Emperor’s eyes before he nodded in agreement.

“I’m no longer your Lord,” Marcus gently reminded him. “You're soon to be my son and should address me as such.”

Jon thought for a moment, then with a quirk of his lips replied. “Dad?”

Marcus visibly winced. “Only occasionally,” he insisted, before adding. “Anyway, are you going to marry my daughter, or do you want me to find someone else?”

“I’m on it,” Jon laughed, turning back to once again face the pastor.

Now that a suitable ring had
finally
been found, the pastor continued on with the service. “Since it is your intention to enter into marriage, join your right hands and declare your consent.”

Looking Sofia in the eye, delicately slipping the ring onto her finger, unsurprised to find it was a perfect fit, Jon stated in a loud, clear voice. “Sofia take this ring as a sign of my commitment and fidelity to you.”

“Jon and Sofia,” the pastor concluded. “In so much as the two of you have agreed to live together in matrimony, have promised your commitment to each other by these vows, and the joining of your hands, by the authority vested in me by the Confederation, I now pronounce you husband and wife. Congratulations. You may kiss your bride.”

“Again,” Paul added from his side, good-naturedly.

Jon did not need to be told twice, and his mouth swooped down to catch his new wife’s upturned lips.

A few minutes later Paul added softly “I think you can
stop
kissing the bride now Jon.”

All in all, everybody agreed it was a perfect day for the wedding of the last Imperial Princess, Sofia Aurelius and Commander Jonathan Radec. The day was only slightly marred, at the very end, by the distant roll of thunder and the storm clouds appearing on the horizon.

Chapter One

Present Day

Planet Eden Prime, Eden System

Sofia Aurelius-Radec, the last Imperial Princess, wrapped her robe tighter around herself to ward off the morning chill. It was still early, several weeks since her wedding and the sun was only just starting to creep above the horizon. The early morning rays, pushing back the darkness, projected bands of colour across the domed roof of the Confederation Senate. The white marble colonnades, refracting the weak morning sunlight, cast streamers of red, yellow and gold, which all merged together until it seemed as if the Senate were aglow, on fire.

Nursing her first cup of hot coffee of the morning, trying to banish the last vestiges of sleep, she watched the steam rise from the cup, swirling and unfolding in the brisk morning air. Finally tearing her gaze away from the scene outside, Sofia turned back to her empty apartment and equally empty bed. She had been up for hours, having awoken cold and alone. Twisting the wedding ring around her finger, in what she had come to recognise as a gesture of concern, she wondered for the twelfth time that morning if she should just call him. However he was probably still asleep and, after all, it was she who had banished him from her sight the night before, claiming it was considered bad luck to see the groom on the morning of their wedding day. With laughter in his eyes Jon, of course, had pointed out to her that legally they had already been married for several weeks, but she had still stubbornly insisted, claiming tradition. Therefore she had nobody to blame but herself when she had awoken missing her husband’s warm embrace. They had already been forced to spend too many years apart and now she felt his absence even more keenly, when finally there was nothing left to keep them apart, yet…

She knew his absence was not the only reason for her lack of sleep. Her conscience had also been bothering her. Jon had bared his soul to her many months ago, telling her the truth about his deception, but she hadn’t done likewise. Sighing to herself angrily, Sofia reluctantly admitted there were still far too many secrets lingering between them, and they were never going to be truly happy until both had confessed all.

Yet Sofia had no idea how to tell Jon her secret. She had loved him for many, many years and his absence had weighed heavily upon her soul. Now that they were finally together, she was desperately frightened that if she told him the truth she might lose him all over again.

This time forever.

However, he had a right to know and, even worse, Sofia knew he would eventually find out about the shameful secret she had kept from him for so long. How terrible it would be if he found out from somebody else. No, it was better to hear it from her own lips. At least that way, after he knew the truth, she could get down and beg his forgiveness. On her hands and knees, if necessary, for the chance to explain why.

Turning once again to look outside, staring at the Senate, she wavered. Perhaps now was not the best time. After all, they were soon to be married, officially, and this time with all the pomp and pageantry due to her position as an Imperial Princess. Sofia once again suppressed the urge to throttle her father.

It was entirely his fault.

*****

“Absolutely not,” Sofia practically screamed, her eyes burning with anger. Stamping her foot and tightening her fists, she seemed prepared to physically strike her father.

“But princess—”

“Don’t you
princess
me,” she interrupted him. “I am not six years old anymore, father, and I am more than capable of making my own decisions, especially regarding
how
and
where
I am going to get married.”

The snigger that emanated from the couch made both protagonists turn round to stare angrily at the source of the noise.

“You’d better take care Marcus. She has a vicious right hook, and I should know, she has hit me with it enough times,” Jon said, in an amused tone. He was reclining on the sofa with his feet propped up on the antique wooden coffee table, his hands resting comfortably behind his head. With his sword resting on the edge of the chair, he watched both father and daughter with a considerable amount of interest. In the past he would have intervened in these arguments to protect Sofia from her father’s wrath. However, in this instance, she seemed to be doing a more than an adequate job of holding her own. Jon was most curious to observe the final outcome in this epic clash of wills.