The Fight for Peace (9 page)

“That all?” Jared asked, still disgruntled.

“One more you know,” Arinna said, keeping her gaze on Derrick. “Damir Stovik.”

“Damir is there?” Derrick asked, sitting upright.

“He’s the one who questioned you,” Arinna said, confident she was right by Derrick’s reaction.

“Yes. I think he is the Chief Intelligence Officer or something. If he is there, you need to leave,” Derrick said.

“Excuse me?” Byran asked. “We should call off peace talks because of the presence of one man?”

Derrick gave Byran a sheepish glance. “Not you, though I would, and have, recommended that. No, Arinna should leave. He’s the one who told me about the FLF designing a string of bases as traps for you and Jared. He implied someone else had authorized the idea ... but if it wasn’t him then he had a lot to do with carrying it out. He wants you dead, but he won’t come at you with a gun. At least not where you can see it,” Derrick said.

“I agree,” Jared said into the silence meeting Derrick’s statement.

“I hate it, but I do too,” Byran said. “I’m a target, but I’ve been one for all of two months. They’ve wanted you dead for years, Arinna. Very badly based on how they acted today.”

“You’re agreeing with them?” Arinna asked, surprise knocking some of the edge from her attitude.

“Well, not just for your safety,” Byran admitted. “It is proving to be a little difficult to talk peace when one of the members inspires bloodlust. Not to mention if a gun had been in the room, you’d be just as happy to shoot first.”

Arinna laughed. “True.” She sat forward, taking a long breath. “So if not me, who?” This time her gaze fell on Jared.

“Lieutenants Assad and Faronelli,” Jared said without hesitation. “They’ve handled the arrangements to prepare the site and so are familiar with its ... weaknesses.”

“Not both at the same time,” Derrick said. “If I can make a recommendation,” he added hurriedly as both Arinna and Jared’s attention snapped to him. “The FLF wouldn’t let the same guard escort me two days in a row so that they wouldn’t get too familiar with me. A rotation would keep everyone fresh and on their toes.”

“I like it,” Jared said, sounding a little smug.

“It will give different perspectives. I agree if you find it acceptable, Byran. It is your life they will be responsible for protecting.”

“I trust you,” he said. “But I don’t want you here.”

Jared snickered at that, earning a smile from Arinna as she spoke, “Kehm, are you still on the line?” She continued at his affirmative, “Give Lieutenant Assad the order that he is going to be responsible for safety at the peace negotiations. I’ll leave at his arrival.”

Chapter 10

DANIELLE LE MARC

WHILE THE KING’S AWAY

Fully half of Parliament didn’t return after the short holiday recess, even though Europe was currently in peace talks with the FLF and measures would have to be decided. Danielle paced across her office, wondering if MOTHER had ever been this frustrated. She stopped and laughed. Yes they had, but not by Parliament’s absence. Only by their involvement.

Danielle had refused to beg Byran for a seat on his delegation to the peace talks. She’d wished him well, made a few hints, but refused to request attendance. Because she knew Byran would make her apologize for the attack on his family, and mentioning that to him broached dangerous waters. He could read people too well. He’d see that she had some involvement or she’d say something she shouldn’t know. Danielle had worked with Byran long enough to be aware it was best to avoid his interest when she had something to hide.

So Danielle remained behind, queen of a half-filled chamber of mediocre politicians, most of whom supported Byran. Her father would have laughed. Danielle had so absolutely proven he was right. She wasn’t up to the le Marc heritage of political power. He’d risen high enough to be one of seven who controlled Europe. She couldn’t even inspire attendance.

Three of those who had met with her before recess didn’t bother returning. The ones remaining wanted to whisper covertly in the hallways, even if what they said consisted mostly of disrespect and rumors. It made her realize how pathetic of a position she was in. The majority of Parliament was uninterested in running the government, even if they were unhappy with it.

Danielle had no interest in taking more extreme measures. Her stint under arrest had been dissuasion enough. She wouldn’t risk following similar plots to those Miralda and David had created. They resulted in imprisonment and death. Which left her unsure what to do and frustrated.

“I would think the other Senators would be more outspoken that the elections were not simply delayed, but cancelled,” Sari said.

“It has barely been a month since the bombing,” Evan pointed out. “I think the memory is too fresh for people to think beyond it to what has been lost.”

Danielle almost spoke. She stopped herself when she realized she was going to defend Byran, to suggest he would certainly schedule elections as soon as he returned from the peace negotiations. It was a cause he was too passionate about to let go. But Sari and Evan didn’t know that and she wouldn’t protect the man. So she said nothing.

They met for lunch at the same café where she and Byran had planned the proposal. After days of imploring her to meet with them, she’d finally relented. With few friends and fewer who were interested in becoming friends despite wealth, or besides her wealth, it was nice to have someone to commiserate with.

“That the war has been going on these last four years, even if at a reduced level, is a lot for people to take in,” Danielle said instead.

“Yes and some of those responsible for hiding it are still very much free and in power,” Evan grumped.

Danielle laughed quietly. “I do not disagree with that sentiment.”

“Is there nothing we can do?” Sari asked. She was looking at Danielle.

Danielle shifted in her chair, not wanting to admit how lost she felt. “What do you want to achieve?” she hedged.

Sari shrugged. “Elections, at the very least that should happen. Europe was united in desiring that. We are undergoing peace negotiations through a leader that may or may not represent what the citizens of Europe wish.”

Danielle blinked at her. “That is very ... true.” As Evan launched into a need to gather more Senators to support that idea, Danielle’s mind and eye drifted across the café. She remembered it filled with passionate Senators seeking to help Byran and her with the election proposal. What had stirred them to action hadn’t been Byran. What had brought most of them out of their lethargy and to their duties had been spurred by citizens demanding action. People stirred by Isabella through articles, letters, and well written speeches.

“We don’t need Parliament,” Danielle said, cutting Evan off mid-sentence. “What I mean is Parliament is not the place to start. There aren’t enough Representatives who are interested.”

“Obviously,” Sari said. “Look at attendance.”

“So we need to get them interested. You made a very excellent point, Sari. I think we can do a lot with it,” Danielle said with a smile she’d inherited from her father.

It was a simple plan. Better yet, it was one that Danielle had seen work. She gave Evan and Sari a brief outline, tasking them to write drafts of the first articles. Danielle went home to search through her papers on the election proposal. Buried between drafts of the proposal was a list of newspapers Isabella had mailed articles to.

“I’ll send the articles,” Danielle told Sari and Evan two days later when they met at her house in the evening. “The papers will recognize my name from the articles on a need for an election. It should help us get noticed.”

“Especially with so many stories about the FLF and the peace negotiations. These will be going against most of what is being written,” Sari said.

“Most of what is written now,” Danielle pointed out.

Danielle had seen interest generated where none had been before until it had consumed the continent. Sari’s argument was brilliant. Byran did not represent the people. Evan found a second angle. Did Europe really want a peace treaty with an enemy as aggressive as the FLF, especially a month after a bombing in Prague?

Danielle made certain every article hammered home the current government worked without the sanction of the populace it purported to represent. Evan had an aide track down the attendance and voting records of all Representatives. The dismal numbers emphasized their point. This government wasn’t functioning and it needed to be fixed before Europe signed a deal with an enemy. Otherwise how could there be a guarantee the agreement made wasn’t as self serving as what MOTHER would have crafted, Danielle wrote. 

“They will want an alternative to ease fears of new attacks,” Sari pointed out as they worked together to draft articles.

Evan snorted. “Easy enough. The FLF came to us for a truce. They must be in a worse position. I know we mutually do not like the leaders of the Guard, but they have done well for Europe. Praise the actions of the Guard, especially taking out the weapons bunker and sending a spy into the FLF city. Otherwise, damn the FLF! If they are worried enough to want peace, they can wait until we are ready to agree to discuss peace.”

“You’re right,” Danielle said. “I don’t particularly like praising the Guard, but it is a good argument. We’ll use it.” 

It took longer than she expected to write truly convincing articles. A week passed, but the efforts felt worthwhile. Danielle sent them to every newspaper on the list, using contact names that Isabella had so kindly written. To Danielle, that was the best part. She was using what she’d learned watching Byran and Isabella to remove them both.

Two days after the articles were mailed, anxiety kept Danielle pacing through her home. Waiting, Danielle was quickly learning, was not her strongest ability. Living in a dark manor with too many rooms lead to depressing worries. If this nervousness had risen before her arrest, Danielle would have called one of her lovers. Passing the time had not been so much of a problem. But as Derrick had so snidely mentioned to her, she hadn’t been proven innocent. Parliament had declared not enough evidence to condemn her. She was tainted by association with MOTHER and its plots.

If she stayed in, Danielle feared she’d call Evan and that was not an interest she wanted to encourage. He had a good enough mind, but nothing else about the slightly overweight and balding Senator struck her fancy. So she went out, exploring a city that had once held open every door to her, invitation in hand or not. After walking by lit houses of former friends and not finding the gumption to knock, Danielle looked for someplace else to go.

She told herself it was an upscale bar when she walked through the doors of a small establishment located near Parliament. But she didn’t really know. Danielle hadn’t ever gone to one. At the hour she was out, she was normally at a ball or having sex. She was still trying to orient herself and get the bartender’s attention along the packed bar when a man appeared at her elbow. He snapped his fingers, whistling when that didn’t work, and then glanced at Danielle with humor.

“You have to know how to get her attention. Crazy in here this time of night,” he said.

“I wouldn’t know. Either how to get the bartender’s attention or if it is crazy in here normally,” Danielle said.

“Yeah, thought I didn’t recognize you,” he replied. “Missy, I’ll have a porter and the lady will have?”

“No idea,” she said. “I usually drink wine.”

“And not in bars,” he said. “Let’s try a martini for the lady.”

“You don’t have to buy for me,” Danielle protested as he handed over a few bills. “I’ll be fine.”

“See, I don’t think so. You’ve never been to a bar and don’t know how to order. I’m thinking you need someone to show you around before you end up someplace dangerous.”

She would have refused. But he was cute. Medium brown hair cut as a long buzz with enough length on top to drop towards his gold flecked, light blue eyes, which had more laughter in them than she’d seen in a long time, kept her from telling him to get lost. She was looking for a distraction after all, and his lips looked very kissable.

“I’m Danielle,” she said, offering her hand.

“Kristoffer,” he replied, voice taking on a Finnish accent although a twist to his lips made a mockery of it. “Call me Chris,” he added with a nicer smile.

She happily obliged. The packed room required them to stand close to each other while they claimed room on a tiny ledge for their drinks. The heat from so many people combined with a roaring fire had Danielle stripping off her coat, which required a lot of flexing and Chris’ help. His gaze lingered on her chest. She opened the top three buttons of her blouse.

“What is a society lady like you doing out in a bar? No good parties tonight?” he asked as he found a peg for her coat.

“I see the Representatives all day in Parliament. I don’t exactly want to spend my free time with their families.”

“Oh you are a Senator then? Very nice,” Chris said, eyeing her over the rim of his beer glass.

“And you?”

She expected a tradesman of some sort. He was built with a strong body so that she wouldn’t have been surprised to hear he was a carpenter or stone mason, even though his hands didn’t look roughened. She was trying not to think about his hands actually. His reply knocked all such ideas from her mind.

“I’m a Warrant Officer in the Guard.”

Danielle’s choice was to spit her drink back in her glass or cough on it. She tried to hack delicately even if she was no longer interested in creating a good impression. Chris took her glass out of her hand, offering a napkin.

“Not expecting that, were you?” His eyes still danced with amusement.

Danielle hesitated with the words to tell him to leave her alone on her lips. Instead Evan’s intentions to praise the Guard came back to her, as well as her admission that they served a purpose. Chris could serve a purpose too.

“No. With the recent attack ... well I wasn’t thinking I’d be running into soldiers off duty,” Danielle answered instead.

“We are having peace talks, remember?”

“True ... so when do you have to go back on duty?” she asked.

Chris’ glance tingled against her skin. “Not till morning.”

It had been a long time and more than several lovers since anyone had stayed the entire night in her bed. Between needing to sneak due to her father’s disapproval, and then discovering that married men made avoiding proposals and attachments much easier, Danielle hadn’t been with anyone who had the free time and lack of commitments to stick around for more than a few hours. But as she woke at dawn to find her hand on Chris’ bare chest and his eyes flickering awake with the same intensity in them from the night before, she thought she could enjoy the current arrangement.

An hour later when she finally considered it time to get showered and dressed before they were both late for their respective days, Danielle asked Chris, “So things are fairly quiet right now in the Guard? I imagine there is security for the peace negotiations though?”

“Yes, but I’m not on that,” Chris said as he buttoned his shirt. “Lieutenants Assad and Faronelli are keeping an eye on those.”

“Really? Not Captain Vries and the Lady Grey?”

“It’s Captain Prescot now,” Chris said, leaning forward and kissing her lips. “So best watch your mouth and no, Captain Prescot is keeping an eye on Europe.”

Danielle slipped her hand under the shirt he was trying to tuck in. “And Captain Vries?”

Chris swatted her hands, which made her fight back. The next thing she knew was that Chris had her pinned to the bed as he kissed her. “Feisty, aren’t you? Why are you curious about the Captains?”

Danielle laughed. “I’m in Parliament, silly. I’d like to know who to request updates from.”

“You request them from the Chief Communications Officer,” Chris said, pulling her upright as he stood. “I haven’t heard much about Captain Vries. He isn’t in Europe and he isn’t at the peace negotiations. I think he is on a different mission somewhere.” Chris shrugged.