4th day of the 3rd month 650th year of the 8th era

Jeemo paced her room, wringing her hands. The pit of her stomach roiled, and unease rose to her breast. She stopped and placed her hand on her breast. Her hand felt her heart racing.

A tap on the door diverted her, and Kai stood at the door.

“Do you need help, Miss?” Kai asked, her hands held at peace in front of her.

Jeemo took a deep breath and nodded.

Kai stepped forward and started to undo the buttons on Jeemo’s shirt and slid it off.

“Whatever happens tonight will change my relationship with him,” Jeemo said.

Kai tossed the shirt onto the bed and unbuckled the belt that held Jeemo’s skirt up.

“If him and Mum get along, I could end up betrothed to him,” Jeemo said as her skirt fell to the floor and she stepped her feet out of the garment. “If Rolando and my mum don’t hit it off, then my relationship will be ruined forever.”

Kai squatted and collected the skirt from the floor. “I don’t think your mother will dislike him,” Kai said.

“Why do you believe that?” she demanded.

Kai smiled at Jeemo. “Tonight’s guest arrived yesterday and personally replied to the invitation at tea.”

“So … they have already met?” said Jeemo and she resumed her pacing. “That means my mother liked him. Oh great, it’s not a matter of if they will get along; tonight is a mere formality.”

“If this is the man that you want,” Kai said, “I am sure your mother would understand.”

“What about the others?” Jeemo asked. “Do I have to sit through the rest?”

Kai opened the wardrobe and laid out a beautiful white dress on the bed. “If you want to cancel the others, all you have to do is declare your intentions to one.”

“If I do that, then I will have to get married. I am not ready to get married.”

Kai folded the old clothes and set them in the wardrobe. “If you did get married, you could go on a trip, sort of like a holiday. Maybe that will help you adjust to the new situation in life.”

“I wish I could talk to Araki.”

“Your nephew? How could he help?”

“He always had his head on straight and we got along really well. I wish I could ask him his opinion.”

“He went on a mission to Ashford. Didn’t he?”

“Yes. Mother told me that he went to her family in Ashford,” Jeemo said. “Some sort of diplomatic mission.”

Kai approached Jeemo and slipped the white dress over her head. Jeemo pushed her arms through it without thinking. The dress fell to her knees and hugged her hips and breasts. Kai did up several buttons at the back and brushed the dress down, smoothing out any wrinkles.

Jeemo looked down at the dress she was wearing. “Interesting choice. Why this one?”

“I think it is your best-looking choice,” Kai said. “It shows off your best features and has a lovely colour that flatters those green-brown eyes you have.”

Jeemo nodded, stepped into a pair of matching shoes, and then strode out of her room, with Kai in tow. “Is Mother ready?”

“Yes, she is. Mother has been waiting for you,” Irrawella said, standing at the entrance way, dressed in a sheer blue backless dress with a deep neckline.

“Mother, you are as beautiful as ever,” Jeemo said, giving Irrawella a kiss and a quick hug.

A knock at the door sounded at the same time as the clock chimed. Albert stepped up to the door and adjusted his collar before looking at the ladies.

Irrawella glanced at the clock sitting next to the door. “Right on time. Imagine that.” She nodded to Albert.

Albert smiled and pulled the door open.

Rolando stood at the door, dressed in an elegant dark green suit with a cream shirt and dark blue cravat. He looked beyond Albert and locked eyes with Jeemo. He grinned at her.

Albert turned to let him in. “My Lady, Rolando Vera has arrived.”

“And on time.” Jeemo flushed, her cheeks turning red underneath her deep brown skin.

Rolando stepped across the threshold, took Jeemo’s hand, and bowed to her, placing a light kiss on her hand.

Jeemo’s red face grew even redder. She hid a smile behind her other hand, supressing a giggle.

“Albert, Kai, please inform Chef that we will begin momentarily,” Irrawella instructed.

“As you wish,” Albert said, and escorted Kai on his arm out of the room.

Kai giggled as she walked out of the room.

Rolando stood and then bowed to Irrawella. “We don’t have to start right away; I am more than happy to start with a cup of tea.”

“Chef would not be happy if we let his carefully timed creations get cold.” Irrawella smiled and stepped towards the door to the dining room.

“I would not want to upset the master chef,” Rolando said with a mirk and offered his arm to Jeemo.

“You would not want to,” agreed Jeemo, taking his arm. Her cheeks were inflamed red and her butterflies had settled. This seemed so right to her. His arm seemed just the right thing to hold onto. Natural almost. A warmth spread to her belly and radiated out to her extremities.

They walked arm-in-arm into the dining room. The usual ten-seater table had been removed and a four-seater table had been positioned in its place. It was lavishly set out with a golden candelabra in the middle. Flickering light from the candles cast the room in a soft ambience and provided a faint smell of smoke to the large room. Three places were set with silver utensils and fine crockery with gold trim. Rolando set Jeemo down in a seat, and then placed Irrawella down next to her, and finally took the opposite seat to Jeemo.

Jeemo looked at him properly for the first time. His blue eyes were as deep as the ocean, and his light skin glowed in the candlelight. His features were soft apart from his nose, which was sharp, giving his feature a gentle loving look.

“Rolando, tell me about your family,” Irrawella said.

Rolando smiled and looked into Jeemo’s eyes. It was as if he was peering into her very soul. A shiver ran through her. She pushed down the warmth spreading through her legs.

“I was raised by my mother until I came of age and then my father insisted I come with him on his business trips. When we got here, he established a trading post and now he runs the business from here.”

“Doesn’t your mother miss you?” Jeemo asked.

Rolando smiled at her again. A flush of heat ran through her.

“My mother and father had a unique relationship, one that was not familiar in nature,” he explained.

Chef came out of the kitchen and stood at the empty space on the table. He was overweight with wispy white hair and a thick flab of skin hung off his face. He was dressed impeccably in white trousers and shirt, a tall hat sitting on his head. He smelled faintly of wine. “Tonight, I have prepared my speciality roasted pheasant with legumes and tubers. For dessert we have berry pie and cream.”

“Thank you, Chef,” Irrawella said, smiling.

Chef bowed and then departed. Two serving girls in white tunics placed plates of well-cooked meat and vegetables covered with a healthy serving of gravy in front of each of them and poured a rich fruity red wine into crystal goblets.

Rolando picked up his cutlery and began to cut the roasted pheasant into small pieces. He smiled at Jeemo. “My parents had a child rearing arrangement. There was no love between them. My mother was beautiful, and she was proud of the fact and she had no qualms about letting my father know that she wouldn’t be faithful after I was born.”

Irrawella gasped. “My mother tried to try teach me that he was a weak man because he didn’t lead men into battle and that he was a lowly merchant.”

Sorrow swept over Jeemo. This beautiful man had suffered being the tool of a vindictive mother to get back at his father.

“I am sorry I asked,” Irrawella said, wiping a tear from her eye.

“It’s not a problem,” Rolando said. “Every family has a bitter story. After I came here, I saw a very different man than my mother portrayed. It took me a while to reconcile the weak pitiful man she had painted with the commanding and powerful man I saw. She had wanted a man that would be there for her and wait on her every desire. Unfortunately, my father couldn’t do that. None of my mother’s lovers were able to, and they soon departed, leaving her a grieving mess of a woman.”

Jeemo reached across the table and placed a hand on his. Her heart ached for him. This man needed comfort and a stable life, and he had not gotten that from his mother. She made up her mind to give to him what he had lacked: love and support.

He gazed into her eyes. “When I first laid eyes upon Jeemo, I knew that she was the woman for me. My father had said I needed to provide myself with an heir before I could take over the business before he gave it to me. I didn’t just want to plant my flag in a woman and have her produce an heir like my father was required to do. I want a partner in my life.”

Jeemo looked at him and her heart leapt to her throat. That was what she wanted, to go on adventures and see the world.

“Jeemo, I know this is presumptuous,” Rolando said, standing form his chair and walking around to beside her. He dropped to one knee. “I have loved you from the moment I saw you. I want you not just to help me start a dynasty, but would you please join me as a partner in life and business? Would you make me the happiest of men and please marry me?”

Jeemo gasped and covered her mouth with her hand.

Rolando, shaking, half stood and took her hand in his. He then knelt before her, and with his free hand he pulled a small box from his jacket pocket. It was a well-crafted box with a deep brown veneer. He deftly opened it and presented it to her. Inside was a golden band carved with an intricate pattern. On the top stood a large diamond and arrayed around it was several smaller precious stones, each one a different colour. Together the whole spectrum of colour was present. Rainbows flashed out from the ring, refracting the light from candles and spilling a multitude of colours all over the room.

“What do you say, child?” Irrawella said.

“Yes,” she whispered, the words barely heard. Waves of love, excitement, and desire washed over her. Tears leaked down her face.

Rolando smiled, stood, and gathered her into a big hug. He broke it and placed the ring on her finger.

Happiness she had not known existed washed over her; she would be able to make her mother happy and still get to live the life that she had always wanted. A life of adventure and love, just like the stories she had grown up on.