"I was wondering if you were going to make an appearance this evening or remain hidden away from us commoners."
Terra looked up at Tamerlane when the door to his suite opened. She could see the flicker of surprise on his face to find her standing at his door. He glanced at the guards on either side of his door who were alert but staring ahead as disinterestedly as possible. They had allowed her to approach and press the access button to his door. Tamerlane could only assume it was because they were two of his normal guard who recognized Terra.
"I told them you were expecting me," Terra lowered her voice as she stepped closer to him. She tilted her head slightly as she smiled. "Do me a huge favor and don't have them drag me away. It would be embarrassing."
She had heard the aerial transport overhead several hours ago while the others had been getting ready for dinner. Terra believed Tamerlane would have been the only one with clearance to arrive in such a manner. His potential arrival was one of the main reasons she had not joined her family in going to town. In the hours since they had been away, Terra had not seen evidence that Tamerlane was present except for a few new guards whom Terra recognized as Tamerlane's personal protective detail.
"It is late and I am certain some of the guests have retired for the evening," Tamerlane stepped to the side and gestured for her to enter. "I would not want to disrupt the quiet by having you dragged back to your room. It might give others the wrong impression of those hosting this event."
"Wouldn't want people to think poorly of you and the Empire," Terra replied as she stepped into the suite Tamerlane occupied on the top floor of the palace. The only other room on this level was the suite Tyr and Beka were occupying. "I guess it would be odd for the Emperor to attend such a lowly event as the head governess' daughter's rehearsal dinner."
Terra's took a moment to look around the living area.
"I would never attend an event such as this for house staff," Tamerlane shook his head as he moved by her. "If anyone asks about my presence, it is being explained as … my father's wife's son is getting married. Therefore, I should be in attendance."
"Some might say that you are attending your brother's wedding," Terra teased lightly as she turned to follow him out on the private balcony. She knew Tamerlane despised it when Kindred referred to himself as Tamerlane's brother.
"I have a very serious problem if Kindred Hawkins is my brother," Tamerlane replied as he moved back over to the chaise he had been occupying when the door access sounded. The soft sounds of the party below filtered up to the balcony. However, the space was private and Terra assumed no one could see them up in the darkness overhead. He studied Terra for a long moment before putting his hand out to her. It had been nearly a month since that night in her suite.
"What problem might that be?" Terra asked as she walked over to the balcony railing and looked out over the palace grounds. From her vantage, she could see a little of what was going on down on the main terrace. He father was still sitting where she had left him.
"It would make you my sister," Tamerlane's voice was soft as he settled himself on the chaise once more. He could guess from her ignoring his unspoken invitation to join him, that she was not pleased with him at the moment. In the month since the night in her suite, he had not pursued spending time with her. He was aware that she had come by his office on several occasions when he had been busy. She had never left a message nor made an appointment. After Beka's words to Tamerlane, he needed Terra to make it known to her mother that she wanted to see him. Terra needed to make the effort to see him so her mother would know it was what Terra wanted. Tamerlane's tense relationship with Beka spanned both personal and professional. It was a delicate balance that he had to take special care not to upset.
"You already have one unclaimed sterile Nietzschean sister," Terra looked out into the darkness that surrounded the palace. She knew out there somewhere there were guards and security measure keeping the palace and the Nietzschean Emperor safe from any harm. "I can only imagine the horror of having to claim a lowly Human sibling."
"Seeing as how my father is Nietzschean, if you were, in fact, my sister, you would be an inferior half-Nietzschean instead of a lowly Human," Tamerlane replied after a pause. He was rather taken aback by her comment about Alexandra. Although he did not publicly claim Alexandra as his sister, as adults, it was her choice to remain unknown. "Besides that is not what I meant and you know it."
"How is your father?" Tamerlane asked as he looked back up at the night sky. It was much quieter in Alatopah than it ever was at the main palace. Even if Tamerlane ever wanted to make Alatopah his home, he never would because of the uproar which would be brought to this serene place.
"My father is fine. He has obeyed all of the guidelines and restrictions put on him by security. He has asked for permission for any excursions with the family while he has been on the planet," Terra crossed her arms over her chest. "I have forgotten how much he snores. I thought he and I could share a room for the few days he was going to be on Arktos. I slept on the sofa to get away from him. At least here, he is in the adjoining room next door so I can sleep."
"You should have requested his lodging be changed back at the palace," Tamerlane as he looked at her back. "Secure accommodations could have been made for him elsewhere."
"After your announcement in the courtyard that night, I did not believe that to be an option," Terra retorted as she glanced over at him. "You made it clear my father was my responsibility. I can hardly be held responsible for him if he is in another part of the palace out of my sight."
"I had your father assigned to your suite because I made, what appears now to be an incorrect assumption. I believed you would want to send every moment with your father," Tamerlane informed her. "Your brother shares that responsibility for your father's actions while on Arktos."
"Kindred is too wrapped up in Lex and this wedding to pay any attention to what dear ol' dad does," Terra shook her head as she glanced back over her shoulder at Tamerlane. "I have enjoyed spending time with my father. However, I did not need to spend every sleeping moment in his company."
"You are free of your responsibility this evening," Tamerlane pointed out cautiously.
"The two guards following him around everywhere make that well known. It is obvious you don't trust him … or me," Terra sighed deeply. "Dad and I had a lengthy discussion about expectations. I seriously don't think he would pull anything. But I am not risking my life on it."
"One would hope, given the recent past, that he would care more for his offspring than to put them in a precarious situation," Tamerlane suggested as he looked up at the night sky.
"My father's biggest problem is he never thinks he will get caught," Terra glanced over at Tamerlane. "For years he pulled heist after heist after heist and never got caught."
"Most career thieves, grifters and cons never think they will get caught," Tamerlane offered. "Hubris is their downfall."
"I have found underestimating one's mark tends to get one caught as well," Terra countered as she turned from the railing and made her way over to where he was laying on the chaise, looking up at the night sky
"Were I a normal, inferior male, Human or Nietzschean, you may have prevailed," Tamerlane replied as his eyes moved over to her when she came to stand beside the chaise. "At least in the beginning."
"Were you … normal … I would have prevailed," Terra replied as she looked him over slowly. He was laying on the chaise with one hand behind his head. The other hand was resting on his abdomen at the time. He was shirtless and wearing only a loose pair of dark colored pants. It was obvious he had been relaxing before retiring for the evening. Terra perched herself on the edge of the chaise so she was still facing him. "Who knew sleeping alone made one so supersensitive and paranoid that they could not rest when sharing a bed with another."
"I found sleeping with you … unfamiliar and a little uncomfortable. You believing you could leave my side was your first error that evening," Tamerlane challenged lightly as he reached over and ran the back of his fingers along her upper arm. "Opening a locked door was your second."
"Were you awake the entire time?" Terra asked as she moved a little closer to him.
"From the moment your stirred by my side," Tamerlane nodded as his gaze followed his fingertips as they trailed lightly over her warm skin.
"Why didn't you stop me?" Terra asked after a moment of silence between them. "If you believed I was up to something? Why let me go?"
"I hoped you were only slipping out of my residence to return to yours like you claimed to have done to your partners in the past," Tamerlane replied as his hand left her skin. "When you returned an hour later, it was obvious you had never left. I could only guess you were … sneaking around … snooping."
"Why didn't you say something then?" Terra raised her eyebrows questioningly.
"You would have denied it," Tamerlane shrugged as his hand returned to his abdomen. "And possibly altered your plans if confronted. I believed it best to allow you to continue with your ruse and investigate in the light of day."
"Has any of it ever been real?" Terra asked as her eyes searched his. "Or is it all part of the mind games you Nietzscheans like to play to prove your superiority?"
"One could ask you a similar question," Tamerlane shook his head ever so slightly. "Has it always been about a con or a scheme? Using me and my position to gain what it is you want or need?"
"The first time it was all about Caela. There was a plan. Using you was not part of the original plan. However, your interest created an opportunity I could not resist. The second time was all about Sahure, the Dragans and saving my life. And the lives of my brother and my father. You were my plan once we got caught. You were the only one who had the influence to gain our freedom. Once you took an interest in ensuring our freedom within and outside Nietzschean space, I saw no reason to do anything but encourage your … odd … protective nature," Terra leaned over him with one hand coming to rest on the chaise cushion next to his hip. "The third time I came because my life was confusing and uncertain and I needed time to figure out what I wanted to do. I left because I could not envision a future here, on Arktos."
"And this time?" Tamerlane looked down when her other hand came to rest on his.
"I came to celebrate my brother's achievements. I remained because, in a way, I was hiding from the temptations of life. I stayed to celebrate my brother and Lex tomorrow," Terra's eyes followed her hand as she caressed his hand then his abdomen. "And now …"
"And now?" Tamerlane's voice was soft on the night air as his fingers caught hers to still the light caress on his skin.
"I am beginning to see the … possibilities," Terra looked down as she toyed with his fingers. "Evaluating my options."
"Options such as …" Tamerlane allowed the words to hang in the air.
"I told Mom I would keep an eye on the guests and make sure everyone gets to bed safe and sound by 0100," Terra slipped her hand from Tamerlane's and gestured toward the railing and the terraces below them. "Especially my brother."
"They are all grown adults capable of not getting drunk and getting themselves to bed," Tamerlane caught her hand again as she started to push herself up from leaning over him. The gentle tug kept her from getting to her feet.
"I told my Dad I would be back," Terra replied as Tamerlane slow sat more upright from his reclined position on the chaise. When his hand released hers, it came up to caress her jawline slowly. Terra eyes held his as he leaned to brush his lips lightly over hers.
"Go. Get your father settled," Tamerlane's eyes searched hers for a long moment before his hand dropped from her face. "I will instruct the guards to grant you entrance if you would like to return afterwards."
"Dad and I have some catching up to do," Terra leaned and pressed her lips firmly to his. Before he could react, she got up from the chaise. "I can show myself out."
"As you wish," Tamerlane nodded as he watched her turn and hurry back towards the door to the inside. He was just about to relax back into the chaise when he heard his name.
"Tamerlane," Terra called back to him as she stood in the open doorway. She waited until he looked in her direction. "I would like to spend some time with my Dad. Don't wait up for me."
"Enjoy the rest of your evening," Tamerlane replied as he laid back on the chaise and looked up at the night sky. He was surprised to hear that she would not be returning. Then again, nothing was ever simple or easy when it came to Terra Hawkins.
Terra stepped inside and closed the door behind her. She had been surprised by his invitation to return. However, with her father waiting, Terra really felt she had no option but to decline.