A/N: Thank you MC and Kaffee, once again you are my superheroes. If you are interested in the musical selection mentioned later in this chapter I suggest youtube the first piece being eitetsu hayashi & shinichi kinoshita Shi-bu-ki
the second piece being Senzoku Gakuen College of Music drums (I don't have the translation from the Japanese, but it's mesmerizing to watch, and lastly, Marcin Patzalek's Storm. Enjoy LLAP
The moment Letant walked in the door Agnes paused her practice and sniffed the air. As he approached her she turned to him, "Are you wearing...perfume?"
Letant's head quirked to the side, "I am, I put it on this morning. I'm told human males often perfume themselves for dates." He raised his eyebrows, "Well?" He held his hands out and turned, "Do I look sufficiently presentable?"
Agnes put down her guitare, knowing her practice was over. She knew he wanted attention. "You have trimmed your hair, and that is a new suit." she eyed him up and down, "I'd say you look remarkable. Are you picking her up, or are you having her picked up."
"Unfortunately, I have a meeting just before the luncheon, with Garak of Cardassia. So I am sending my pilot to pick her up, complete with flowers and chocolates."
"What no ritual pole dance?" Agnes said crossing her arms over her chest.
Letant snickered, "Did he really do it? I was convincing when I explained that it was an important human custom, but I didn't think he would actually do it."
She shook her head, "Can I give you some advice, Father?"
"Of course, I welcome your council." Letant said pouring himself an ale.
"Stay close to her, don't leave her hanging in the wind. She is a young, simple, teacher, who is probably not accustomed to mingling with heads of state, borish ambassadors, and the type of ego driven characters that will be on parade. Given that this is the romulan cultural performance, the focus is going to be on you as you announce and introduce, whatever you don't cast a further light on her."
Letant sighed, "I hadn't thought of that."
"No one we know does, because we became a part of this life and grew into it. We no longer think of that sort of thing, but as I practiced I thought about it."
"Should I cancel and do something more comfortable for her?" Letant asked worry now evident on his face.
'Well, there will be a battle of the bands at the Launch pad next Monday night. There will a lot of just normal people around. You might suggest that as a second date, just to give her balance. In honesty, if you do pursue a relationship with her, she needs to truly understand what she is getting into. Your life is normal to you, you've been in government for a long time, and it's not going to change."
Letant slid his hand down her shoulder and took her hand. She jerked her hand back with a gasp, and Letant instantly apologized, "I'm sorry, oh Precious, I am sorry, I forgot."
"It's ok, you were just...loud." she touched her fingers to her temples, "And..I love you too." she added softly, "Where are we sitting? What is the arrangement?" she asked blinking away the sudden rush of his thoughts and emotions.
"You will be on the left of me, Tina will be on the right. Ambassador Lojal will be next to her, then T'Les, Solok, and Garak, the Cardassian." He chuckled, "I put Lojal next to her so she'd not be captivated by anyone else's conversation." he said with a wink.
Garak was following Letant out the doors of their meeting. Letant seemed to be in a rush, and Garak, ever curious quickened his pace to stay in step with the romulan. Letant turned, "Is there something further you wish to discuss, Ambassador Garak?"
The cardassian gave a bright cheerful smile, "Why, no, Praetor, I was simply walking with you as I believe we are sitting at the same luncheon table. Such an honor to sit with you, by the way."
Letant waved Agnes over, "Ambassador, this is my precious daughter, she will show you to our seats, before she must ready for her performance."
Agnes cut between Letant and Garak giving Letant time to escape and meet his date on the stairs. Garak grinned, "How does a ravishing young lady come to be the daughter of Letant?"
"It's a fascinating story," Agnes replied, walking him in the opposite direction as her father, but said nothing more.
"One you aren't going to tell me."
"Not even a little."
"What if I were to tell you that there are...Section 31 agents in this crowd." Garak said in a mock conspiratorial tone.
Agnes didn't flinch, but it took a tremendous effort not to, "I'd tell you that there were also Tal Shiar and Obsidian order agents in the crowd too. Nothing and no one here is exactly what they seem." She gave him a polite nod and pointed to his chair. As he sat the vulcan's arrive, "If you'll excuse me, I must ready myself for the performance. I do not wish to disappoint my lord praetor."
Letant arrived just as the car was pulling in front of the embassy steps. He moved and opened the door for her, "Ms. Tina," He said practically glowing, he took her hand to help her out of the car, "I ask your forgiveness for not being able to pick you up myself. I had a meeting."
She gingerly took his hand as she stepped out of the car, "It's...ok." she said softly, clearly intimidated already by the heady surroundings, "Am...am I dressed ok for this?" It was her nicest dress, but not fancy.
"You look stunning." He said not taking his eyes off of her.
She blushed a deep red under the weight of his gaze. "Thank you."
He carefully wrapped her hand in the crook of his arm, "Today is a special day, Ms. Tina. We are having a cultural exchange through the next several weeks, and today my people's culture is being highlighted during the lunch. What you will hear today has not been heard by non-romulan ears, ever before. It pleases me that I get to share this with you."
"Wow! As a teacher that appeals to me. I confess, I don't know much about Romulans at all."
He could see that she was almost ashamed of herself so he spoke, "That is common, Ms. Tina, my people have been xenophobic for a long, long time. Very few people know much about us. But I will be an open book for you, whatever you'd like to know don't hesitate to ask."
When they arrived at the table everyone was there but his daughter, this pleased him because he was going to have to introduce the cultural display and now his date would not sit alone. Tina noted that when Letant arrived everyone at the table stood. He smiled warmly, "Ms. Tina, I would like you to meet Ambassador Lojal of Vulcan and his attache Osu Solok. This is T'Said T'Les one of the newest members of the Federation Council, and this gentleman is Ambassador Garak, of Cardassia. My good lady and gentlemen, this is Ms. Tina, teacher, and my date for this lunch."
The vulcans raised the ta'al nodding to her and Garak was grinning a jackals smile, "Greetings Ms. Tina, welcome." he said, of all the people there he was the only one that saw that Letant's date wanted to melt into the floor. It amused him all the more that Letant seemed oblivious to the fact he had just scared the poor girl to death. Garak spoke up, "Teaching, a much more noble profession than the one we have chosen to engage in. We'd love to hear all about it." He was being kind, he didn't completely trust Letant, but had it not been for the Romulan help at Chin'toka, Garak wouldn't have his homeworld back, and Letant was directly responsible for that help.
"Thank you." Tina replied softly as Letant pulled out her chair for her. He lifted her hand and kissed her knuckles, "I will be back momentarily. They are waiting on me to start this function." He placed her hand on his chest, "I won't be a moment."
Tina watched Letant take the podium, not looking away for fear she was going to have to speak to one of the dignitaries sitting at the table.
"Greetings, friends, allies, and compatriots," Letant said as he reached the podium, "It is a great honor to speak before you today. Today, of all days, the first time a Romulan Praetor addresses not only the cream of the Federation, but all of her allies as well. In a gesture of goodwill and peace, we of the Romulan Empire offer some of our most ancient traditions today. No alien ear has heard or seen the musical performances we share with you now, since the time our people tread the sands of Vulcan itself. The first piece performed by my daughter and Lotak, Emperor's drummer, is called the Raptor's wings, and was an ancient call to war. The second piece is called The Hearts war, a drumming of the Romulan heart, it is played by the Romulan royal musical college. Lastly, we pay homage to our human hosts with a human piece interpreted by my daughter on a human guitar, as requested by our Vulcan cousins. May our art aid you to glimpse the complexity and richness of our culture and begin to bridge the divide between our peoples." He nodded and the crowd of three hundred clapped politely.
As Letant returned to his seat the curtain rose and food began being discreetly served. In the center stage was a large muscle bound Romulan, bare chested except two leather straps bisecting his large chest muscles, his legs were covered in robe like pants, with the seal of the empire printed boldly down the legs. Agnes stood next to him in similar attire, her womanly chest bound only by ceremonial binding, her long hair pulled into a single braid that fell down her back and she had in her hand an unusual looking stringed guitar
As soon as Letant took the first sip of ale the slow rhythm of the drum began. "Are you ok?" He whispered to Tina, who was now engrossed in the show.
"I'm fine...this is just…"
"A lot to take in?"
She nodded.
Before he could say more Lojal leaned forward, "Is your daughter not, vulcan?"
"She is." Letant said with a grin.
"It is….improper for a vulcan woman to display herself so immodestly." Lojal blinked, "She is..clearly unmarked. Are you...advertising her for a bride?"
Letant laughed, "You mean her smooth un-bitten neck and shoulders. I hadn't thought of that, no, but it is a traditional Romulan garment she wears, and she is my daughter." he chuckled and looked at Tina, "Romulan cousins are very uptight."
"Unmarked, un-bitten?" Tina asked shifting in her seat.
"It's vulcan, custom, or instinct to mark one's mate on the neck with a bite that scars. That's why all the vulcan women you see are completely covered, unless they serve in the temples." Letant chuckled.
Tina glanced over the vulcans, who even she could see were growing tense with the conversation. "Oh." she squealed, "I'd never have imagined. You all seem so….austere."
Garak saved the moment, "It's a Cardassian custom as well. See how much we can learn about each other in such exchanges." he raised his glass.
Solok joined in, "As you say, Ambassador." He tried to avert his eyes, and felt a jealousy burning in his chest that everyone was looking at Agnes that he foreably repressed.
When the song ended everyone stood and clapped and the stage cleared to be filled with thirty drums and as many males and female romulans all dressed identically. Tina clapped enthusiastically, "That was good, very good."
Letant smiled, "Thank you, my dear, I am very proud of my people's art."
The crowd settled the drums began. It was dance and music as each move of the drummers was in synch in such a way as to tell their story. Letant leaned down to Tina, whispering "I am so glad to have you here to enjoy this with. Old diplomats become jaded with new experiences, but seeing you enjoy this experience is like enjoying it myself for the first time."
She grinned and blushed, "You are very sweet."
At the end of the second piece a great many more people applauded, this time, including the Klingons, since they interpreted the story to be a war between two lovers.
When Agnes took the stage the last time, she was dressed in vulcan robes as she began to play. Solok leaned toward his mother and Lojal, "You will be most intrigued by her skill at this human instrument."
In the distance, another vulcan stepped briefly out of the shadows to get a better view of the stage. He had been surveying the crowd all night, and watching Letant's table with curiosity. He grew a little bolder and moved closer.
T'Les was the first to stand and clap as the guitar solo ended, the rest followed. Letant walked up to the stage, one of his aids handing him a blue rose which in turn he gave to Agnes, "Thank you all for your attention. Now, let the true lunch begin."
The finger foods and drinks were cleared away and the real food began to be served. Letant returned to the table with his daughter. He kissed her on the cheek, "Well done, Precious, you have done yourself and Romulus a great service."
"Thank you, Father." she replied and then looked to T'Les, "I hope I did not disappoint, T'Sai."
"It was very pleasant." She said with a nod, "My son was not wrong."
When she sat down, Garak leaned forward, "I keep getting the sensation that we've met before, but I can't think I'd forget such a ravishing creature."
Agnes looked up at him, "I'm sure we haven't met." That was lie, they had met on Deep Space 9 before her change, but only briefly when she asked him what was good to drink at Quarks. It seemed like a lifetime ago.
Through lunch, the vulcan's were largely silent, Garak was talking to Agnes about nothing in particular, which she took as being some kind of test or game he was playing since Cardassian people weren't big into small talk, and Tina and Letant spoke amongst themselves. In the end, Lojal excused himself first, citing a meeting with the Trill delegation.
Agnes, who was starting to develop a headache, stood and excused herself, "I'm going to retire and meditate." she paused, "I will see you, Osu Solok, this evening for practice."
Letant took that a good sign to depart with Tina, "Can I see you again?" he asked taking her arm in his, "Or has this chaos put you off?"
"I-I think, we can see each other again." she said softly, "Something a little, well, a little less than this?"
"I have just the thing," Letant said opening the door to the car for her, "May I kiss you?" he asked exploring the line of her mouth.
"Yes." she replied.
He placed his hand on the back of her head and gently ran his lips over hers before carefully pressing against her lips and pulling back to whisper, "Until later, Ms. Tina."
Tina's legs about gave out. She felt grateful that she was leaning against the car or she'd have made a complete fool of herself. "See ya later." she squeaked out as she slid into the car.
Letant turned on his heels with a bright smile, it was a wonderful day.