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The OP MC 13 Chapter 2
🕑 Added 2022-08-16 03:24:48 +0000 UTC“Hey, Fred, wait up!” I called out as I ran to catch up with the king. “You’re going to need this back.”
“No, I’m done!” The king threw up his hands in surrender. “It’s up to you now.”
“You’re just quitting?” I scoffed. “Can you even do that?”
“I just did.” The king marched through the palace entrance and headed in the direction of his private suites.
I paused in the foyer as I tried to decide what to do. King Frederick was obviously not open to changing his mind right now, but maybe after he’d had some time to cool off he would come back around. Everyone had to blow off some steam every now and then.
I could also just reset to before the mob and before the king quit.
On the other hand, I’d been cleaning up the kingdom’s messes ever since I’d first arrived in this medieval fantasy world. Maybe now I could actually take charge and make a difference, but I was already responsible for an entire territory and several towns. I had other things to accomplish as well, namely killing the two supposed gods who longed for my demise.
I wandered back toward the wing of the palace where the ladies and I were staying, and I found the three women gathered in the common area. They looked up in surprise when I entered the room, and Zenda’s sapphire gaze flicked to the clock on the wall.
“That didn’t take long,” the Zaborian historian observed. “I thought you would be gone for a couple of hours.”
“Well…” I raked a hand through my hair as I considered how to approach the topic. “Things took a turn for the worst, and now we have even bigger problems to take care of.”
“What do you mean?” Caelia stood up and gave me a scrutinizing look. “Are you okay? What happened?”
“One question at a time,” I chuckled. “It started out fine. Everyone was listening closely while the king described the changes we were enacting, but then a riot broke out. The entire mob seemed hellbent on getting the king away from his guards, and I can only imagine what they would have done if they’d gotten the chance.”
“Oh, no!” Caelia gasped and covered her mouth with one hand. “Was he injured?”
“No,” I said. “Fortunately, I was able to carry him out of the crowd and back to the palace. Except that was when he handed me his crown and quit.”
“Quit?” Zenda blinked at me. “Quit what?”
“Being king,” I sighed. “He’s over it. So, now the entire kingdom is in my hands.”
I held up the crown to show them, and all the girls rushed forward to inspect it. I’d barely taken the time to look at it myself, so I scanned over the golden filigree and colorful ruby gems embedded in the metal. It had upward points every few inches, and it was heavier than it appeared.
I imagined it only grew heavier once it was worn regularly.
While I couldn’t blame the king for being tired of his responsibilities, it couldn’t have happened at a worse time. The God of the Plague was allied with the Goddess of Death, and they were both coming after me. Even though I didn’t need the king’s help to defeat the two foes, it would have been nice to know he had my back.
“What do we do now?” Zenda asked. “Do we move our homebase to Vallenwood?”
“I can’t leave my store,” Caelia argued.
“The palace would nearly fit the entire town,” Akina pointed out.
“To be honest,” I said with a sad shake of my head. “I’m not sure what to do next. I want to take care of Vallenwood, but I’m needed in Bastianville as well. It’s really going to be a lot to balance on top of defeating the god and goddess.”
“You won’t be in it alone,” Zenda reminded me in a soft voice. “All of us have your back.”
“She’s right.” Caelia nodded decisively. “We support whatever decision you make.”
“I know nothing about ruling a kingdom,” Akina said. “But I will do whatever I can to help.”
“What about the palace steward?” Zenda tilted her head to the side as the idea occurred to her. “She’s been managing the household functions of the palace for years. I’m sure she’d have the experience required to run the city.”
“All the royal household staff would be able to help,” I agreed. “I’ll call a meeting with them immediately.”
I’d spent a few run-throughs getting to know the people who worked for the king, and I’d learned a lot about the ins and outs of the palace. Several people worked together to help things run smoothly, and I knew they had the skills necessary to make a difference in the capital.
The girls and I continued to discuss possible paths we could take, and I admired their commitment to the betterment of the people. They were eager to help the common man, and I knew the entire kingdom would benefit from a better Vallenwood, so I decided not to reset just yet.
Instead, I called a page and gave the young man explicit instructions on who to gather together, but then I just had to wait for the arrival of the palace staff. I also sent a messenger to check on the king, but he quickly returned empty-handed with news that King Fred could not be found. I worked the muscle in my jaw as I considered whether or not I should try to find him, but the arrival of my guests distracted me from my thoughts.
Gervine Drokk, the steward of the king’s household, and the baker, Dael Andres, walked in holding hands, but they quickly separated and claimed a sofa. Arnoch, the treasurer, burped noisily as he came in, and he tossed himself into an arm chair like a teenager catapulting into a bean bag.
Reschain Freise, the chamberlain, folded his arms together and leaned against the doorway, but Pharen Lacey, the herald, stuck by his side. The head groom, Brommel, and the gardener, Nevil, both trailed dirt behind them as they entered the common room, and the head cook, Jacques, gave them a dirty look as he passed by en route to a sofa.
The kitchen maids all gathered around my lady companions like a flock of hens, and their feminine giggles filled the room. The last one to arrive was the jester, Montigo, but he reeked like a tavern and stale vomit, so I didn’t linger near him long enough to complain of his tardiness.
I’d met everyone while I was disguised as a common page, and they were unaware of the knowledge I had about them. I’d learned all about the day-to-day functions of the palace, and I knew which role each person present played.
Finally, the room was filled with the royal household staff, and I could tell from the curious looks everyone gave me that they didn’t recognize me as the page from a few days before. They all watched me expectantly, but I waited until all eyes were on me before I spoke.
“Some of you already know who I am,” I began. “Others may have known me while unaware of my true identity. I am Sir Sebastian, the God of Time, and I’ve brought you all here to ask for your help.”
Several sets of eyes widened in surprise, and a few people muttered to their neighbors about how I didn’t look like a god. Their comments didn’t faze me, and I waited for the chatter to die down before I continued.
“We have a situation on our hands that I wasn’t prepared for,” I said in an even tone. “King Frederick has abdicated the throne to me. He handed me his crown and walked off. No one can find him, so we have to assume he doesn’t want to be found.”
“So…” Reschain, the chief chamberlain, said in a thoughtful voice. “Does this mean you are the new king of Sorreyal?”
“No. Yes. Maybe?” I shook my head. “I’ve already got enough to worry about running my own territory. I can’t be shackled to the throne while my enemies gain more supporters. No, I need someone to rule in my place for the time being.”
“Perhaps a brother?” The jester burped. “Or an uncle. Nephew? Cousin? They don’t even have to be grown. I remember when kings were little more than children.”
“I am not from this world,” I reminded them. “I have no relatives here other than my women and my daughter. I left a good soldier in the Kotar Desert to act as Duke of the South, and my other reliable supporters are taking care of Bastianville while I travel.”
“We shall assist you in any way we can,” Miss Gervine said. “But you must instruct us on the best way to do so.”
“The populace cannot know the throne is being transferred so suddenly,” Reschain added. “We must keep this between ourselves until we come to a decision.”
“If you can expand your jurisdiction and duties beyond the palace into the city itself,” I said as I met each of their eyes. “Then perhaps Vallenwood could be saved from the brink of ruin. If you value your home, your jobs, and your kingdom, you will help me make sure the capital runs smoothly.”
There were nods of approval all around, so I continued to explain the new laws the former king and I had created, and soon, the entire royal household staff had a clear understanding of my plans for Vallenwood. I outlined my next steps, and I explained how I would work with the city guard to enforce the new curfew and alcohol limits. I tailored the little I knew about Earth’s laws into something that was applicable to the capital of the medieval realm.
“Speaking of moderating alcohol consumption,” I said as I took in the disheveled appearance of both the treasurer and the jester. “We have a few issues with overindulging among us here.”
The disapproving glares the other staff members directed toward the two alcoholics could have started a fire, but Arnoch avoided their gaze as he picked at his nails in a nonchalant manner. Montigo just burped again and blinked around at the other occupants of the room in confusion.
“What were we talking about?” the jester asked.
“You can’t day drink anymore,” I summarized with a sigh. “I need all hands on deck, and that includes you.”
“Hey, I wasn’t the one who lost their key,” Montigo argued as he pointed a blatant finger at the treasurer. “Even drunker than shit, I’m still sharper than that tool.”
“The fact that you admit you’re drunk right now speaks volumes.” I resisted the urge to laugh at his odd phrasing, but I didn’t want to jeopardize the point I was making. “But you make a good point.”
I turned to Arnoch and extended the palm of my hand. He glanced up at me with a confused frown, but then understanding dawned on his face, and he pulled away from me.
“You’re just as responsible for the security breach on the treasury as the two thieves who managed to steal your key.” I motioned for him to hand it over. “Besides, I don’t have King Fred’s copy of the key, so yours is the only one available.”
“Fine,” Arnoch groaned, and he pulled the golden chain from around his neck. “It could have been anyone who lost it. I’m good at my job.”
“You have a second chance to prove yourself,” I pointed out. “I’ll treat you the way your behavior deems you should be treated.”
“Done.” The treasurer clapped his hands together with an air of finality. “Now, if there’s nothing else, I have an appointment with a stiff drink.”
“Hear, hear!” Montigo lifted an invisible glass in a toast. “To your failure! I’ll drink to that.”
“Shut it, fool,” Arnoch hissed with unveiled disgust. “We are nothing alike.”
“Alright, alright,” I said in a loud voice as I raised my hand to cease the bickering before it could gain steam. “We’re all on the same team here, so I need you to put your bullshit excuses aside and work together. I don’t care if I have to pour out every bottle of wine or booze in this palace, no drinking until your duties are completed.”
“The people will not like it,” Reschain noted in a reluctant tone. “The guard will see an increase in crimes and violence.”
“True,” I said. “But the taverns can still serve until curfew, so we aren’t making them go completely cold turkey.”
Everyone looked at me in confusion, and I sighed as I raked a hand through my hair. I often forgot I grew up in a different world than everyone else, but it was amusing to watch the predictable range of reactions.
“What do we tell our families?” Jacques asked.
“Nothing, for now.” I fixed them all with a hard look. “No one else can know the king is gone until we have a better understanding of how to approach the problem of the empty throne. I can’t guarantee that I’ll be here all day every day because I still have other responsibilities, but Vallenwood remains my priority until the situation is resolved.”
“So, you want us to lie?” Arnoch arched a challenging eyebrow.
“No more than you already do,” I countered. “I’m sure you spew a bunch of false information to the women you bring to your bedchambers.”
“I saw him taking one broad on a tour of the treasury,” Montigo interjected in a tattletale tone.
Everyone’s eyes snapped to my face to see how I would react to the new information, but I kept my composure. It didn’t surprise me after everything I’d learned of the treasurer, but it showed yet another way the Goddess of Death could have known the exact location of the dark crystal previously stored in the king’s treasure room.
My mind returned to the black-haired, red-lipped beauty I’d encountered in the alleyway of a previous run-through, and I licked my suddenly dry lips. I didn’t have time to think about her or her alliance with the God of the Plague, at least not until I had things under control in the capital.
“All the more reason to keep the access to the treasury limited,” I said with a brisk nod. “I want the guard around that wing of the palace doubled, and I want them to have overlapping shifts so the hallway is never unsupervised.”
“Done.” Miss Gervine mirrored my nod. “I’ll alert the captain of the palace guard.”
I worked the muscle in my jaw as I surveyed the room full of household staff, and I was glad I’d gotten to know them enough to know their strengths and weaknesses.
“This campaign to clean up Vallenwood is going to work,” I said in a confident voice. “People will be proud of where they live again. Merchants will be drawn to our markets. Travelers will fill the inns. Businesses will thrive.”
“That’s all well and good for Vallenwood,” Brommel, the head groom, spoke up in a clear voice. “But what’s that got to do with any of us? We’re not going to be the ones sleeping on silk sheets and eating off silver platters. Yet you expect us to carry the brunt of the weight? It doesn’t sound fair.”
“I’ve asked very little of you,” I pointed out. “As long as you work with the wall guards to monitor the traffic in and out of the city, then you’re free to perform your normal duties. I was planning on giving everyone a huge pay increase to compensate for the new responsibilities, but if you’d rather stay where you are, I’ll make an exception.”
“How are you supposed to give us a pay increase?” Arnoch scoffed.
“With the contents of the treasury,” I said with a shrug. “Gotta spend it on something.”
“Wouldn’t it be wiser to save the funds until the city is thriving once more?” Miss Gervine sounded positively submissive, and it amused me to no end. “We will need to support not only the household staff, but additional workers to assist in our new duties.”
“There won’t be a thriving city without all of your help,” I said. “I could stay and oversee every detail like King Fred did, but I trust that you know your jobs well enough to grow beyond it. Meanwhile, I have bigger fish to fry.”
“What could be more important than the capital?” The herald, Pharen, sounded alarmed.
“Um, a lot of things,” I said, but I didn’t elaborate. “Does anyone else have comments or questions?”
As I swept my gaze over the gathered staff, I made a point to make eye contact with each and every one of them. Dael had remained silent during the entire meeting, but he had nodded along with everything Miss Gervine had said. The gardener and the maids also hadn’t contributed to the discussion, but I could tell from the looks on their faces that they were all deep in thought.
“Alright, well, it seems like we are finished for now.” I rubbed my hands together and gave them one last chance to speak up. “Let’s get this city cleaned up.”
The royal household staff began to file out of the room, and I overheard snippets of their conversations as they trailed into the hallway. Miss Gervine came to a stop right in front of me, and Dael was forced to stand behind her so they didn’t interfere with the flow of bodies.
“Be warned, Sir Sebastian,” the palace steward said in a low voice, and she fixed me with a shrewd look. “This is not a long-term solution to the problem. The people need representation in the form of a monarch. It is very similar to a parent-child relationship. I will do as you ask for now, but you can’t put off your claim to the crown forever.”
I nodded in understanding, and the Amazonian-esque woman patted me on the shoulder before she moved on. The baker, Dael, flashed me an apologetic smile as he followed in her wake, and I waved them off with a sigh.
The steward was right. This wasn’t a long-term solution.
I needed more minds on the problem.
The next person I wanted to talk to resided in a tucked away corner of the palace, and the maze-like corridors grew narrow as I neared the chambers designated for the royal mage. Viceroy greeted me with his eyebrows raised in surprise, but he beckoned me inside his rooms after only a brief hesitation.
“To what do I owe the pleasure of a visit from the God of Time?” The royal mage moved to a low table surrounded by cushions, and after he’d lowered himself into a cross-legged seated position, he gestured to one of the empty spots near him.
“Thanks.” I sat down and flashed him a grateful smile. “We have a lot to discuss. I took possession of your toy.”
“You have the crystal?” Viceroy’s eyes narrowed as he scanned me over like he could see through my clothes.
“Not with me,” I chuckled. “It’s safe. Only I know where.”
“Oh, good.” Viceroy turned to the steaming teapot before he served us each a cup.
“Not good,” I countered. “We can’t destroy it, and now my enemies are after it. This all could have been avoided if you’d shown some restraint in your experiments.”
“You sound like the king,” the royal mage huffed. “Did he send you?”
“Actually, he’s gone. He handed me the crown and left the palace.” I shrugged. “Looks like I’m in charge now.”
“I see.” Viceroy sipped his tea as he thought this over, and to his credit, he didn’t seem very shocked. “So, you need my assistance.”
“I do.” I nodded. “Everyone has a role to play, but I need your help ensuring the safety of the entire capital. Do whatever you have to do to keep potential threats out of the city, and keep an eye on the guards to make sure they’re doing their jobs.”
“Why me?” I could see him struggling to maintain a neutral expression when he was clearly offended by the task I’d offered him.
“Isn’t it obvious?” I arched an eyebrow. “You’re the second most powerful wizard in Sorreyal. If anyone can keep the city safe, it’s you. This is your chance to prove that there’s more to you than bitterness and rage. This can be your new toy.”
“I suppose that makes sense.” Viceroy didn’t meet my gaze for a long moment, but finally, he sighed and slumped his shoulders in defeat. “I will ensure the guards enact your legislation without fail.”
“Thank you.” I grinned. “Now, I just have to find someone who wants to be king.”
“Are you not accepting the throne?” Viceroy’s eyebrows rose in alarm. “You seem to be the obvious choice given King Frederick has no living heirs.”
“I’ve already got enough going on at the moment.” I shook my head. “But that doesn’t mean I’m abandoning Vallenwood, either. I’ll stick around to make sure the transition of power goes smoothly, but then I need to return to Bastianville to oversee my own territory.”
“I understand.” There was respect in the royal mage’s eyes when his gaze met mine, and I felt instant relief.
It helped having a powerful wizard on your side.
After my conversation with the royal mage, my next stop was Bastianville, but I had to gather the three women with me first. Caelia had her purchases bundled into packages, Zenda had two stacks of books, and Akina carried two baskets full of bread she’d made.
“Ready?” I chuckled, and they all nodded eagerly.
Everyone laid one hand on my back or shoulders while they grabbed their belongings with the other, and I performed the motions of the fast travel spell. The two amulets were like magnets for each other, and when I released the magic, we were teleported instantaneously across the map to Bastianville.
We were standing in front of the newly built castle I’d recently commissioned, and the first thing I saw was Elissa standing on the steps leading to the entrance. Our red-haired daughter Sorena was in her arms, but she was no longer the motionless infant she once was. Now, she grabbed at her mother’s dress and lifted her head up to look around.
“Bash!” the tiny goddess hurried down the stairs with our daughter in her arms, and I rushed forward to wrap my arms around them both. “We missed you!”
“Likewise,” I said as I planted a kiss on her cheek, and then I mirrored the gesture on Sorena’s head. “I have been eager to see you, but there’s been a lot going on.”
“Come inside and tell us all about it,” Elissa urged, and she turned to the three women behind me. “I’ll have a servant take your belongings to your rooms.”
My first wife had slipped effortlessly into the role of duchess, and she ruled with a tenderness I hadn’t expected from the fiery young redhead. She’d grown up with a strong role model, and her father had kept her close to his side while he founded the mining town of Addington, which later became Bastianville.
“Where’s Mahini?” I asked as I peered over her shoulder into the empty foyer. “How has she been feeling?”
The desert beauty was close to the end of her pregnancy, and we’d been anticipating the big moment for a while, but it seemed like my next child was a bit more shy than the first. Still, I was eager to see how she was doing, so I entered the castle in a hurry.
I wasn’t expecting the iridescent blur that launched at me as soon as I stepped into the cathedral ceiling foyer, and the not so little dragon knocking me off my feet. Nameless licked my face like an excited dog, and I scratched all his usual itchy spots until he finally jumped off me. He flapped his wings and returned to the rafters, but I could see the pleased expression in his stardust eyes.
Baby. Nameless preened his wings casually, but there was no mistaking his voice in my head.
I wasn’t sure what he meant, but before I could give it further thought, Mahini came down the stairs with the sun shining through the windows to illuminate her like a Renaissance painting. The desert goddess rested one hand on her belly as the other slid down the banister, and I was taken aback by her beauty and grace.
Evangeline came from the direction of the kitchens a moment later, and the first thing I noticed was how long her blonde hair had grown. The jagged edges jutted out at odd angles, but the sexy duchess pulled it off with effortless grace. Soon, the foyer was filled with the excited voices of all six women as they gossiped and bantered about recent experiences.
Then the conversation turned to our most pressing predicament: the Vallenwood throne. Elissa was beyond intrigued by the king’s sudden departure, but Mahini seemed more concerned with how much longer I’d be staying in the capital. Evangeline was already blurting out suggestions and ideas, and I struggled to keep up with her rapid-fire words.
“I sure am a lucky man.” I laughed. “As long as I have all of you, then I know I will come out on top.”
“Sometimes it’s nice when you’re on bottom,” Eva teased with a wink.
“Really any position works,” Zenda chimed in, and all the girls giggled.
It was nice to be all together again, but I realized I hadn’t been gone that long. It just felt like it had been longer because of how many times I redid the same day, but I’d managed to smoke out the thieves before I let time move forward again. The kingless throne wasn’t a problem I could fix with a few resets, but at least I wasn’t facing it alone.
We had a family dinner together, and I spent most of the meal bouncing Sorena gently on my knee. The infant was still too little to do anything fun, but I still managed to coax a few drool-filled grins out of her. I caught the women watching me closely, and I chuckled as I glanced around at their lustful gazes.
“You’re really getting excited about me playing with my daughter?” I shook my head. “Women are so strange.”
“You’re such a great father,” Elissa breathed. “Almost makes me want another baby.”
“Bash and I have started trying,” Akina announced in a shy voice, and the former desert dweller hugged herself as she glanced around at the other women’s reactions.
“Ooh, you will make such adorable babies!” Zenda gushed, and the Zaborian bounced up and down as she tugged on Akina’s arm.
“We will definitely have a beautiful family,” Caelia agreed, and I saw her cast a hopeful smile at her own belly.
“One baby at a time,” I chuckled, and I reached across the distance between me and Mahini to place my hand over hers. “We’ll be getting a new little one any day now.”
“The sooner, the better,” Mahini sighed. “This child is aggressive and active. While I’m proud to add a little warrior to the tribe, I wish his first enemy wasn’t my insides.”
“It’ll be over before you know it,” I reassured her.
“You’ll be fine,” Elissa agreed. “You’re stronger than me, and I survived it.”
“I wouldn’t say that,” Mahini argued. “We call you Skullcrusher for a reason.”
“Still.” Elissa shrugged. “You’re going to conquer this birth like you do everything else.”
“We’ll be right by your side the whole time, too,” Eva added.
We finished our meal and moved into the sitting room, but we broke up into smaller groups as we continued to converse. Mahini and I were curled up on one of the sofas, and I massaged her feet while she complained about the aches and pains of pregnancy. My excitement for the birth grew more and more as we talked, but I knew it could still be a while before the newborn made its appearance.
Nameless curled up in front of the fireplace like a cat, and Zenda took measurements of his growth while noting her findings in her journal. Caelia pulled out a knitting project, and soon, she was giving Eva and Elissa instructions on some simple stitches. Akina served some of her baked goods, and she explained the changes to the process she’d made with a bright gleam of excitement in her metallic-hued eyes.
I basked in the presence of my entire family, and I wished I never had to leave them ever again, but I knew duty would soon beckon me away.
I had kingdoms to run and gods to kill.
We went to bed late in the night, but everyone agreed Mahini deserved a night with me all to herself, so I wrapped my arms around the desert beauty from behind as we drifted off to sleep. I could feel the movements of our child through the skin of her stomach, and I smiled sleepily as imaginings of its face floated through my mind.
It was pitch black in the room when my eyes opened again, and I blinked around at the shadows as I tried to figure out what had woken me up. When I searched for Mahini in the darkness, my fingers came across wetness coating the sheets.
“Bash!” The pain and alarm in Mahini’s voice cut me to my core, and I shuffled toward the sound until my hands found her. “Bash, it hurts!”
“I could be wrong,” I said. “But I think you’re in labor. The baby is coming!”
I opened the palm of my hand and summoned a flame, but the light of the fire only illuminated my worst fears. The sheets were coated in blood, and Mahini’s nightgown was also red below the waist. The desert goddess gave me a terrified look, and my heart thudded against my chest.
“Bash, something feels wrong,” Mahini said in a quiet voice, and her chin quivered as she restrained her emotions.
“Everything is going to be okay,” I said, but I wasn’t sure what to do.
“I need my mother,” Mahini whimpered, and she reached over to grab my hand firmly. “You have to find her!”
“I will,” I promised. “But I don’t want to leave you alone. Let me grab the other girls first.”
Mahini nodded in understanding, but then her face scrunched up in pain. She leaned forward and supported her weight on her arms, and I rubbed her back in an encouraging manner until she shoved me away and pointed at the door.
“Okay, okay, I’m going.” I only hesitated one more time before I left her in the bedroom in search of the other women.
Elissa was the first to wake up, and I quickly relayed the situation to her. The fiery redhead jumped into action, and she shook the others awake as I left in search of Mahini’s mother.
I was satisfied that Mahini wouldn’t be left alone in her condition, but I raced through the streets of Bastianville. Aranini had a room in our castle, but her chambers were empty, so the only other place she could be was the apothecary shop where she’d been spending a lot of her time. Ever since the midwife had arrived in Bastianville from the Kotar Desert, she’d started to volunteer her expertise to the town’s resident herbalist, Theodora.
I pounded on the door of the apothecary shop until the skin of my knuckles was raw, but I heard the sound of rapid footsteps on the other side of the door. Theodora pulled open the portal as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes, but I rushed inside as soon as there was space for me to pass.
“Mahini’s in labor,” I said in a rushed voice. “Aranini is needed right now.”
“Oh, goodness!” Theodora’s face lit up with joy. “Another little one in the castle! How exciting.”
“We can celebrate once I know Mahini is okay,” I said. “She’s bleeding a lot.”
“Oh, no.” Theodora’s expression turned serious immediately. “I’ll wake up Aranini.”
The herbalist returned a short while later with the former desert dweller in tow, and Aranini had a shawl wrapped around her shoulders to cover her nightclothes. Her long dark hair was unbraided, and she rushed past me out into the streets of Bastianville.
“What happened?” Aranini asked. “Everything looked normal during her last exam.”
“I-I don’t know.” I raked a hand through my hair. “Is she going to be okay?”
Aranini stopped mid stride and turned to face me, and the much shorter elderly woman stabbed a finger in my face.
“If you think I’m going to let anything happen to my daughter or my grandchild, then you don’t know me as well as I thought.” The midwife resumed her fast-paced walk to my castle, but I hurried ahead of her to hold open the door.
Aranini rushed up the stairs and into my bedroom without another word, and as soon as she was by my wife’s side, I felt myself relax a little. Daughters needed their mothers during labor like a knight needed a squire in battle, and I was glad I’d made the effort to reconnect them. It had taken a perilous journey through the desert sands to find my mother-in-law, but she’d driven a hard bargain. I had to stop the war between the tribes and bring peace to her homeland before she agreed to return to Bastianville with me, but she’d stayed close to Mahini’s side ever since.
The ladies had lit candles and lanterns around the room, so the blood-soaked sheets were fully illuminated. I felt a knot form in the pit of my stomach, and I swallowed hard.
“What’s going on?” I asked as Aranini inspected my bleeding wife. “Is she okay? Is the baby okay? Is it coming?”
“Bash,” Elissa said in a calming voice. “Give her a moment.”
“Sorry.” I pressed my lips together into a thin white line. “I’m just worried about her.”
“We won’t leave her side,” Zenda assured me. “But maybe you need to take a bit to breathe. We’re doing everything we can for both of them.”
“Come on, Bash,” Caelia said as she guided me toward the door. “I’ll make you some tea.”
Over the course of the next few hours, the girls all took turns keeping me company, but they had their hands full with helping me stay calm. I paced until I was sure I’d worn through the top layer of the floors, and I froze every now and then to listen closely for any new sounds. Mahini growled and roared like a lioness giving birth on the savannah, and I had a feeling she was tapping into all her strength and courage to get through this.
Zenda attempted to distract me with her esoteric knowledge, but I was too distracted to retain anything she said. Eva gave me a tour of the updated nursery, and Elissa brought Sorena with her when it was her turn to calm me. Akina stress baked, and soon the whole castle was redolent with delicious yeasty aromas.
But none of it distracted me for long.
“Why is it taking so long?” I asked when Caelia came down for another shift with me. “Is she going to make it?”
Before the dark-skinned beauty could form a response, a shrill infant scream filled the air. I dashed up the stairs as fast as my legs would take me, and I barreled through the door just in time to see Aranini placing a crying baby on Mahini’s chest. My heart beat so hard in my chest I thought my ribs might break, but I took a steadying breath as I crossed the distance to my beautiful wife and child.
The tiny face was scrunched up in distress as it rooted around in search of a nipple, and the moment the baby’s little mouth found its way, a look of relief washed over its face.
Aranini placed a hand on my shoulder, and I flashed her a grateful smile.
“It’s a boy,” Mahini’s mother said with obvious pride.
It felt like my heart would burst out of my chest.
My first son was born.
