Dimitri was barely able to greet his employer as the brooding man stepped efficiently from the launch and brushed past him towards the steps leading up to the path and eventually, Wyndemere.
"No disturbances," was all Dimitri caught from the muttering figure as he stalked up the steps and up the path, his stride strong and deliberate, his hands clenched.
Dimitri nearly smiled.
For the first time in months, he caught a glimpse of the Prince.
He gave his order to the launch captain, dismissing him for the evening and radioed in his update. The security procedure for evening lockdown would commence now.
Glancing at the sky as he buttoned his jacket closed, he wondered if the sudden chill that claimed the afternoon air was a second prelude to the meeting that was about to take place within the walls of Wyndemere.
The first being the black clouds that now loomed ominously around Spoon Island and stretched as far as the eye could see.
*~*~*~*~*~*
Mrs. Landsbury emerged from the sitting room just as Nikolas rounded a corner and strode towards her. She eyed him critically, taking little notice of the severe look in his eyes.
"You're saturated," she noted critically, holding up her hands, anticipating he might attempt to manoever around her. Nikolas let out a seething breath but stopped. He could not fathom ignoring her as he'd done the others. "I will not change!"
"Then remove your sweater," she instructed firmly. He obliged and she glanced at him once more. "My shirt is fine," he stated, running his fingers along the white cotton for emphasis. Taking no notice, Mrs. Landsbury turned and grabbed a pair of crisp black slacks from a chaise and held them out. "Remove your shoes, socks and pants. I already have a trail of water you've left behind you to clean up. I won't allow you to drip all over the furniture and carpets."
The guard nearest turned away discreetly and Nikolas let out another angered breath before doing as asked. Once newly dressed and handed his evening slippers, Nikolas placed his hand on the doorknob.
"We pulled some of your old wooden toys from storage,sir. For Ms. Karenin's children."
Nikolas paused and then regarded Mrs. Landsbury with an exasperated look, feeling his anger deflate nearly completely. Of course she'd readied for the precise moment when he would enter the room. He would not lash out when children were present, no matter how angry he was.
"Is that all?" he asked evenly. Satisfied with her accomplishment, she nodded, nary a trace of a smile on her face, although he knew quite well she was beaming from within.
Taking a cleansing breath, he entered the room, shutting the door quickly behind him before he lifted his gaze to look at the ex-wife he'd not seen in three years.
She looked stunning, as usual, sitting perched on the edge of a cream coloured ottoman. The lights were dim and nearby, the fire crackled, filling the room with warmth and a hint of an orange glow. At her feet sat two small children, a boy and girl of about the same age, playing with toys he'd spent hours with as a young boy. They all turned towards their visitor. Lydia arose slowly, her own training as the sole heiress to the Karenin fortune pushing her to her feet. She observed him, but waited for him to speak first. She sensed his anger, noting it was tempered now, Mrs. Landsbury obviously filtering some of it out of him. He stood rigidly in front of the door, his knuckles still visibly whitened from clenching his fists earlier. His dark eyes, as always, swirled with the mysteries he had never spoken of but had always twitched just beneath the calm surface. She knew the look all too well.
"Welcome, Lydia," he finally said, his tone cautious and of course, formal. "I was not expecting to hear from you."
"A visit was in order."
The children stopped their play and watched the stranger with curious eyes, but taking their cue from their Mother, they waited for him to take the first step.
Nikolas looked down at the children and knew instantly why Lydia had returned. A sudden ache filled him and his throat closed up, holding back the groan of pain that rose up from within. How could she?! The young boy stood and took his Mother's hand, hiding behind it. The young girl, however, rose and looked defiantly at Nikolas, her mane of curls much darker in colour than her Mother's but her eyes and demeanor was all Lydia.
"This is Nadia," Lydia indicated to the girl and lifting her hand gently from her son's grasp, she ran her fingers through his dark hair tenderly as his hands clutched her skirt for security. "This is Sevastian."
Nikolas barely heard the words. All he wanted was for the children to be out of the room and to the far end of the home so he could throttle Lydia for her deception.
Instead, he dropped to his knee and picked up the wooden giraffe Nadia had been playing with. Holding the well worn figurine in his hand, he ran his fingers along the faded colours. Nadia and Sevastian watched every second with rapt attention. So did Lydia.
"Did you know he has a name?"? Nikolas held the giraffe out to Nadia. She hesitated for a fraction of a second before accepting the giraffe. She shook her head.
"It's George."
Nadia held the giraffe up and stared at the black dots that were George's eyes. They stared back. He looked like a George to her.
"I called him George because a man I knew carved this for me and painted him for me and did the same for all the other toys here." Nikolas swept his hand over the wooden animals that littered the floor. "The others have names too, but George the Giraffe was first. He made a funny noise when he was happy."
"Really?"
Sevastian's soft voice came out from behind Lydia's leg. Nikolas looked and for a split second, caught the eye of his son before the young boy hid once again behind Lydia.
"I want to hear it." Nadia thrust the giraffe back to Nikolas.
"Nadia!" Lydia spoke sharply. "Please," Nadia asked hurriedly. Nikolas smiled and took the giraffe from his daughter and set the creature on the ottoman. Under the watchful eye of his children and ex-wife, he ambled the creature along the expensive fabric, making elaborate eating and drinking noises as he spoke the innermost thoughts in George's mind. Once he was sure both children had smiled at least twice, he made the terrific noise that was a combination of a seal, a cat and a macaw, or perhaps simply an enranged elephant.
Either way, it was loud, colourful and produced the desired effect.
Nadia let out a delighted laugh and Sevastian giggled loudly. Nikolas beamed at both cherubic faces, basking in the praise. A knock at the door was followed by Mrs. Landsbury entering the room with the young nanny.
"I thought a trip to the kitchens would be in order for the children." Her tone hinted that Lydia and Nikolas needed time alone before the children picked up on the tension between them.
Lydia nodded and the nanny held out her hand. Sevastian scooted across the room towards her, grabbing her hand. He turned back and grinned at Nikolas. Nadia frowned but finally agreed when a visit to the stables was thrown in for good measure. "I don't believe we've been properly introduced," Mrs. Landsbury stated in a jolly tone as she bent down and shook each child's hand officially. As it was customary, the children were drawn to her instantly.
"This is Nadia," Nikolas spoke up moving to stand behind the children.
"What a beautiful name! After your Grandmother, yes?"
Lydia nodded, a sad look about her face.
"And who's this handsome young fellow?" The young boy smiled shyly.
"This is Sevastian," Nikolas said softly. Mrs. Landsbury froze and everyone stilled with her. Slowly, the older woman looked from Nikolas to Sevastian to Lydia and back to Sevastian. Her lips trembled with emotion and she blinked back sudden tears. "An excellent name," she whispered fiercely. Sevastian nodded seriously.
"Shall we go see what treats hide in the kitchens?" Mrs. Landsbury asked, holding the door open. The children exchanged a private, awed look and nodded in unison. "Bye, Mama!" they called as they departed with the nanny. Mrs. Landsbury stared at Lydia and nodded ever so slightly before leaving.
The room was silent, save for the crackling of the fire. Nikolas poured himself a drink and one for Lydia. As he handed hers to her, he held his port in hand. "She'll love you forever for that."
Lydia took a sip and sat down on the ottoman again. "She's a good woman and she was always kind to me and of course, I owe Sevastian my life. It’s only fair I honour her husband’s memory."
Nikolas turned to face her, slightly embarassed. "I can't believe you'd remember him."
"I remember when we were children, you hung on Sevastian's every word. About horses and boating and the seas. You would boast to me at your newfound knowledge."
"And then you would ridicule me for copying Sevastian," Nikolas added.
Lydia set her drink down. "Well, it was bad enough that you knew something I didn't. I couldn't let you get away with showing off."
Nikolas looked at the liquid swirling about in his glass. "I miss him."
"I know you do." Her voice was surprisingly tender. “It’s a shame neither child will know their namesake.”
The remark brought Nikolas instantly back to reality. His anger returned as well. He bore down on Lydia in a sudden movement. “How dare you! How dare you keep them from me!” His eyes glittered as he continued. “Out of all the things you were capable of, I never thought you’d sink this low.”
Lydia swelled up, placing her hands on her hips. “Who are you to lecture me? Chasing after another woman while telling me that I had no right to pursue my own affairs! Insisting I remain faithful while you slept with another woman!”
“I was in love with Emily!” Nikolas shouted.
“She was married!” Lydia shot back. “All you could think about was what you wanted! You didn’t care about anything else or anyone else! So I did the same. I protected myself and then later on, my children from a man who treated their Mother like garbage.”
Nikolas shook his head in disbelief. “I would never have abandoned you.”
Lydia let out a mirthless laugh. “You abandoned me the moment you saw me walk into the room, Nikolas. I didn’t need to be pregnant for you to disregard me and treat me like the servant girl you bedded. You would have accused me of trapping you and then you’d spend the next twenty years mourning your precious love and the life you never had.” She rose and walked to a nearby window, small rivulets of water cascading down the panes of glass. “I lived in a house where my Father regarded my Mother with nothing but contempt. It killed her. I wasn’t about to live the same life.” Nikolas opened his mouth to speak but Lydia waved a hand in the air, silencing him. “Don’t tell me you didn’t loathe my being here because I know you did. Poor Nikolas and his precious beloved Emily, their wonderful life together marred by the arrival of the interloper Lydia Karenin, spinster at large.”
Nikolas shook his head. “Bitterness never suited you. You’re much too creative for that.” Lydia looked over at him, ready to launch another barb in his direction but stopped, not entirely sure why she did. Nikolas couldn’t squash quirking an amused brow. “There are some things I know about you.”
The frosty look returned. “Oh, I’m not bitter about Emily taking my place in your world. I’m well aware of your magical life.” She gave a wicked grin. “Tell me Nikolas, is Emily everything you ever wanted in a wife? Has your marriage to her been everything you dreamed of?”
Stubbornly, Nikolas refused to give in. “Absolutely, I love Emily and she loves me,” he declared blindly. The words sounded even more forced aloud then they had for months in his head.
Lydia replied with a roar of laughter. “Is that why I see her on the arm of Sonny Corinthos in every celebrity rag I see? Attending functions, dining at high end restaurants, jetting all over the globe.” She smiled sweetly. “Oh, but of course the caption reads that a spokesperson states they are ‘just family friends’ and nothing more. Is that your job Nikolas? Telling everyone that they’re just family friends and hoping that one day she’ll forgive you for your indiscretion two years ago?”
Nikolas simply seethed, his feet rooted to the floor as he listened to her bubbling voice.
She picked up her empty glass and sauntered over to the wet bar for more. “Have you been celibate this whole time?” She clicked her tongue in disapproval. “Poor Prince Cassadine, resorting to patiently waiting for his wife to throw a bread crumb or two at him in the bedroom.”
Like lightning Nikolas had crossed the room and taken her drink from her. He twirled her around, clutching her forearms and backed her against his desk. Pulling her against him, he watched with satisfaction as she took a few moments to regain her composure. “Is this what you wanted?” He growled against her neck, her perfume intoxicating him, “is this why you returned? Slap me a few times and beg me to ravage you?”
His eyes were wild, his skin blazing to touch and Lydia’s pulse sped a mile a minute. The memory of that night was burned into her and had not faded. “Of course not,” she spat back, knowing full well her spine was tingling with lust for a man she despised, or at least, wanted desperately to.
Nikolas pulled her even closer, leering ever so slightly and as much as she loathed to admit, the gesture produced its desired result as a slight moan escaped her lips. Nikolas smirked in victory and Lydia’s lips thinned with anger. “Bastard!” she hissed.
“Admit it. You came here to dangle my children in front of me, throw my shambled life in my face and then lead me to my bed chambers. In the morning, you’d leave without a backwards glance and I’d spend the rest of my days catching up with my children who’d always love you more.” Nikolas shook, a myriad of emotions swirling within him. Contempt, anger, sadness, loneliness and desire all fighting over his frazzled nerves.
“So what if it was?” Lydia’s reply was as brazen as ever.
“You should not have returned under the illusion I’d simply crawl for you.” Nikolas’s voice hardened, along with his resolve.
Delight danced in Lydia’s eyes, she could never resist Nikolas’s pompous demeanor when it came surging past the polite exterior. “No, that’s what the children are for. You must ache to hear them call you Papa, don’t you?” Her voice dripped with false sympathy.
Papa. To hear their sweet voices call out to him. Demanding his attention, looking for security, ready to show off and to bestow their love on. He swallowed hard at the thought. He wanted it terribly. “Of course I do.”
“Then perhaps you’ll invite us to stay longer than just one night.”
Nikolas’s lips curved, his smile almost sinister, all thoughts of Emily long ago vanished. All he saw was the incorrigible Mother of his children standing before him, her seductive charms, as always, playing a tune he could not ignore. “You’ll get what you want, I promise you that. You’ve earned the right.” His right hand clutched hers and he raised it to his lips. Gently he pressed a kiss to them, his dark eyes still zeroed in on Lydia’s. “Nadia and Sevastian will stay here. All of us will,” he declared.
Lydia’s mouth widened in surprise. This was not what she had originally conceived. “You plan on holding us prisoner?”
Nikolas released his grip on her and moved around to the other side of the desk where he opened a top drawer and rummaged around it. Lydia crossed her arms in front of her, still irritated that Nikolas had a moment of triumph over her. Nikolas found what he was looking for and rounded the desk once more. “You didn’t take it with you,” he said gently as he produced a small, black velvety box. Lydia’s eyes grew, instantly knowing what lay inside. “Nikolas, you’re mad,” she said in a breathless whisper, but she did not take her eyes off the box as Nikolas popped it open, revealing the dazzling wedding band she’d tossed on his bed the night she left.
“Perhaps,” Nikolas conceded, “but you are the Mother of my children and I will not relinquish them for anything.”
Lydia furrowed her brow. “There you go again,” she started impatiently. “I am not a broodmare!”
Nikolas took the ring and easily slid it onto her ring finger. “No,” he agreed. “You are my wife.”
Lydia laughed, hardly believing Nikolas’s words. “I haven’t said yes. I haven’t even accepted your proposal.”
Nikolas’s dark eyes glittered assuredly. “You will.”
Next
Back
Back to Short Stories