Minder (5 page)

Chapter Ten

Shopping with her guard and Vaiu was usually fun, but the ache in her back was driving her nuts. Aleyn had to fling her parcels at one of the guards when her stomach got in on the action.

“Madam! Are you alright?” Vaiu held onto her as she doubled over in pain. The ex-leman was now engaged to be married to a charming Earl who worshipped the ground she walked on.

“I think his tiny lordship is trying to make his entrance into the world. We had better get back to the palace.” The wrap that Von had put over her belly gave her enough support and she was able to walk well enough between contractions.

The instant that they did hit however, she buckled over and held her enormous belly until they passed. Her guard wanted to carry her, but the classes that she had taken with the midwife had advocated walking to bring on labour. The two kilometres back to the palace should do it.

It was a slow progress, but one of the townspeople had run to the palace to alert Baileez. He came out to get her just as a particularly crippling tightening of her uterus was racking her.

“Why did you walk out, Aleyn?” He scooped her into his arms and carried her bulk back to the palace.

“I needed some more things for the baby.” She felt the hostility an instant before the moron struck. “I am so not in the mood for this.”

“For what?”

The assassin plunged out of the crowd that had gathered to watch Bai bring her home. She simply looked at him and fed him her labour pains. “That assassin twit. The idiot thought that you were vulnerable because you were caring for me.”

Baileez looked down at her. “What did you do to him?” He looked over at the man writhing and clutching his belly and groin.

“I just gave him my contractions. All of them. He should be out of it for a while.” She was smug as her guard took up the assassin and Bai’s fought their laughter.

“Is it very painful, love?” His murmur was against her hair and she felt the depth of his concern.

“It is just a necessary part of the process. A few hours from now and we will have our son.”

“Hours? I don’t know if I can watch you like this for hours.”

“Then look away. The baby will come when it comes.” She was feeling serene despite the pain. Hooray for endorphins.

“Ten fingers, ten toes and his father’s propensity for fur. He is beautiful.” Aleyn admired her son and looked up at Bai from where he cradled her.

“You are beautiful. I don’t know how you did that. Perhaps we should keep him an only child.” Bai’s voice was shaking. Watching her in pain had caused him distress. He had sworn, cursed and finally she had him sent out until he could behave himself.

“I always wanted a house full of children and we have a very large house, Bai. There will always be pain in life, but the pain of childbirth wears off. One day buys a life.”

“What about the months of pregnancy?”

She craned her neck to glare at him. “You said I looked lovely.”

“You were lovely. But you were also uncomfortable. It showed in your face and your hormones were insane. Von went on his first vacation ever when the mood swings kicked in.” He was rubbing his chin against her hair and she knew he was smiling.

“You males here on Hickom have had it far too easy. I am willing to have more crib midgets if you are.” She nuzzled at her new production. “What shall we call him?”

“It is Hickom tradition to not mention the name until the formal ceremony. For now, why don’t we call him baby? He will receive his true name in one month.” He was proud of his solution.

“Fine, but it will be weird. Calling a baby, Baby, will be strange for a month.” She was tired. So very tired. She nodded off in the arms of her husband while holding her baby. He would keep them both safe.

The official stood before the thrones and Aleyn smiled as Baileez flushed while the child squalled. He had to raise his voice to be heard, “And so I name you Zaileez of Hickom, child of Aleyn by Baileez. May you hunt well.”

The group raised their voices in witness, “Zaileez. Welcome Prince Zaileez of Hickom.”

Bai stood and held the screaming infant up, then when the chanting stopped, he handed little Zaileez over to his mother with no small relief.

She draped a heavy cloth over her shoulder and freed her breast, putting the shrieking heir to the throne to her breast. The silence fell immediately. “I told you, you should have let me feed him before the ceremony.” Her lips were twitching in amusement, her words echoed around the chamber and a ripple of laughter followed.

Baileez merely massaged his temples and then sat up, looking like the proud father he was. The laughter continued and the official even cracked a grin. “Zaileez of Hickom, named in joy. May he know it and bring it to his people.”

“That is an edict that I can get behind.” The heir, named in joy, was eating noisily. When his mother removed him from cover and burped him, the room erupted in laughter once again. The baby started to fuss and she touched his mind. The tiny curious thoughts were calming. She withdrew her touch and smiled down at him. When he reached out with his small thoughts and touched her mind, she jumped and looked over at her husband.

“Bai?”

“Yes, dear?”

“We may have a problem.”

“Do you need to change his nappy?”

“Worse than that.”

“I thought you said there was nothing worse than that.”

“He is going to need Citadel training.”

“Well, hell. He takes after his mother.”

About the Author

Viola Grace was born in Manitoba, Canada where she still resides today. She really likes it there.

She has no pets and can barely keep sea monkeys alive for a reasonable amount of time. Her line of day job tends to be analytical which leaves her mind hopping to weave stories. No co-worker is safe from her character analysis.

In keeping with busy hands are happy hands, her hobbies have included cross-stitch, needlepoint, quilting, costuming, cake decorating, baking, cooking, metal work, beading, sculpting, painting, doll making, henna tattoos, chain mail, and a few others that have been forgotten. It is quite often that these hobbies make their way into her tales.

Viola’s fetishes include boots and corsetry, and her greatest weakness is her uncontrollable blush.

Her writing actively pursues the Happily Ever After that so rarely occurs in nature. It is an admirable thing and something that we should all strive for. To find one that we truly like, as well as love.

Viola can be reached at this email:

[email protected]

Viola’s website is located at:

http://www.violagrace.com