ÒWhat is it??Ó Kunzite said, worried from her apparent fear. ÒAnd do step in, Zoisite. Only strangers should wait at the door.Ó
Zoisite crossed through the doorway into the dimly-lit study. Delicately, she sat in an armchair, as if afraid of injuring herself. The deep indigo walls and polished mahogany furniture usually put her at ease, made her feel intelligent, important, but of course these were not usual times.
Kunzite stood, almost militarily it looked, and closed the spellbook heÕd been sifting through. He reached out a hand to take hers. She seemed so fragile, he almost didnÕt dare. Her slender arms wound tightly around her torso gave the impression they were the only thing keeping her from doubling over. What could cause her to become so agitated? Perhaps it was only some threat Nephrite had made, but more likely the issue was bigger. Was Jadeite hurt?
Zoisite fought, without success, to keep her voice from quavering.
ÒI-I-IÕm p-preg-pregnant.Ó
She coughed to break the silence she was sure would follow. Kunzite stepped back as if shot and waiting to fall.
His mind whirred; he couldnÕt think, couldnÕt breathe. He was vaguely aware of Zoisite biting her lip, a horrible habit, he would have to break her of it, as he fell back into his chair.
ÒOh. Are you sh-sh-Ó Kunzite cleared his throat forcefully with an inward chuckle. It seems IÕve caught the stutterings from Zoi-chan! ÒAhem. Are you sure?Ó
ÒOf course!Ó she replied. After hard days of debating with herself on how to give the news to her lover, Zoisite felt as if a great weight was lifted from her heart. ÒI ran at least seven aura-scans before I believed it myself!Ó she exclaimed with a giggle. ÒThere are most certainly two life forces inside of me!Ó
ÒHm,Ó he acknowledged. He rested his head on one hand and furrowed his brow. Some trigger was left unpulled. There was some forgotten obstacle, some danger, that tugged mercilessly at the back of his mind. It dared him to chase it.
Zoisite took note of her instructorÕs intense look. It had, many times, occurred to her that there was a chance he wouldnÕt want this. She moved to settle on the arm of the chair that he had so bluntly sunken into. Brushing the sterling fringe from his eyes, she whispered submissively, ÒYouÕre... happy, are you not?Ó
ÒOh, of course I am,Ó he reassured her. He was happy, but what was it that was bothering him so, demanding his attention?
ÒExcuse me, Sphalerite, IÕve some business to attend to now.Ó
ÒOf course, Lord Kunzite.Ó Sphalerite watched the Lord-General leave. Of course, Lord Kunzite, he thought bitterly, Of course you can depart at a momentÕs notice and leave the whole project up to me. You can do anything you want, so long as youÕre in her favor. ÒSoldiers win battles and generals get the creditÓ. Sphalerite hated to think what Queen Beryl would say to his response next time she inquired about the defense designs for this quarter. But if Citadel is a complete defeat, he thought, SheÕll have no one to blame but her precious first commander.
Kunzite was uncharacteristically glad to get out of there. He simply could not make his mind believe that the project with that lieutenant was more important than concentrating on the news Zoisite had given him the previous night.
A baby was going to throw his whole life off its current path. Well, that wasnÕt truly terrible. WasnÕt variety supposed to be the spice of life, after all? He needed some change. Too easily he was falling into a pattern. Not that there were any assassins powerful enough to require caution, but it was very dull doing the same things every day. Waking up, studying, working, reporting to the queen, none of it was very stimulating. But Zoisite sometimes came over at the end of the day, and there was never a dull moment with her.
Zoisite. She probably hadnÕt liked his reaction last night, hadnÕt thought heÕd been excited enough. Well, heÕd make it up to her somehow. Everyone knew it was better to appease the gods rather than chance their wrath.
Maybe not. She couldnÕt continue to be so selfish, there was another life she was responsible for keeping now.
She felt his presence before she heard his voice.
ÒHello, little one.Ó She didnÕt change her position, not even to avert her eyes from the ceiling.
ÒPyrite, Danburite, Tetrahedrite; which do you like, Lord Kunzite?Ó
ÒWhat about Parasite?Ó Kunzite smirked at his own joke. Zoisite sniffed and turned away. She was trying to hide how insulted she felt. Kunzite, of course, was not fooled. He drifted around to the other side of the bed and perched himself on it. Zoisite refused to look at him and instead tried to wipe an imaginary stain from his cape.
ÒI didnÕt mean that, little one. ItÕs just that a baby is a big change.Ó With one hand on her cheek, he attempted to coax her face back to look at him.
She looked down so as not to meet his eyes. ÒI thought you would be glad of it, my lord.Ó ÒI am, Zoisite. I am.Ó
ÒNo, Queen Beryl, stop!Ó Kunzite was screaming as he ran towards her. Tripping on what must have been some invisible force field, he fell hurtling towards the ground.
He woke up on what would have been impact. Frantically he patted the covers around him to make sure it had all been only a dream.
ÒWhatÕs wrong? You were mumbling in your sleep, Lord Kunzite.Ó
Of course Zoisite had woken up, being the annoyingly light sleeper she was.
Zoisite still waited for an answer, her jade-colored eyes staring a bit below his, gleaming almost imperceptibly in the darkness.
Kunzite rubbed her back to soothe her. ÒShhh,Ó he breathed, ÒNothing is wrong. Go back to sleep.Ó Obediently, Zoisite lay her head down. A few moments later her breath was in the slow pattern of sleep.
Kunzite thought back on his nightmare. HeÕd awoken after watching Queen Beryl thrust a dreadful sword into his babyÕs tiny body.
Like Herod. Kunzite had never heard that name before and knew at once that the thought wasnÕt his.
ÒYou little sneak!Ó he said, tickling the tender insides of ZoisiteÕs arms. She laughed and turned over. ÒWere you listening the whole time?Ó
ÒI knew something was the matter!Ó she said triumphantly, with a big stretch. ÒBut I still donÕt know what. You have extremely good mind shields, my lord, especially for someone who didnÕt know he had an eaves-dropper!Ó she giggled and moved her head over to rest in his lap. ÒCare to talk about it?Ó
Kunzite shook his head and wondered exactly how much she had seen.
ÒJust a sword in a baby. WhatÕs with the gruesome imagery, my lord?Ó
ÒGet out of my head! Gods, youÕre good. I didnÕt even realize you were still tapped in!Ó
ÒI had an excellent magic teacher.Ó She winked and and reached up to pull his head down for a kiss. A strange, upside-down kiss, but Kunzite didnÕt mind. He finally knew what, or rather who, he had overlooked before. Beryl, Kunzite sighed, What will she do to the new resident of the Kingdom?
When Zoisite woke up that morning Kunzite wasnÕt there. A look of irritation crossed her face. He was supposed to be helping her with that shield. I canÕt believe heÕs not here! she thought. ItÕs so unlike him to shirk his teaching responsibilities!
Kunzite was at the Athenaeum, having totally forgotten the promise to his student. As Zoisite was awakening he was looking through the Dark Kingdom Statutes, searching for a loophole that would at least let him get Zoisite out of the Kingdom. Because he knew that Queen Beryl would never for any reason let her warriors have a child. Connections like that could be manipulated, exploited, and Beryl would not stand for manageable warriors. And if she learned of the particular connection between two of her ranking warriors, it could be lights out for the pair of them. Love was completely abhorred in the Kingdom; it was considered too good, too holy. He had found laws governing that in his search. But still nothing that could save his little one, and he had been there since before the artificial sun rose!
ÒAll work and no play makes you a dull boy, Kunzite.Ó
Kunzite angled his head over his shoulder and then turned around in his chair upon seeing who had spoken. ÒHello, Nephrite.Ó He punched him playfully in the arm. ÒAnd for your information, I have a very interesting life, more than I would say for you.Ó
Nephrite leaned against a bookcase. ÒOh really? And in what hideout are you keeping this life? IÕve never seen it...Ó
ÒWhat are you doing here anyway, Nephrite? IÕve never known you to be such a researcher.Ó
He smiled. ÒI have a Ôcertain spell I need to find.ÕÓ
Kunzite groaned. ÒDonÕt you have anything more important to do?Ó
ÒHey, donÕt blame me; blame my raging male hormones. Besides, IÕll wager you havenÕt even looked at todayÕs helper-youma.Ó
Ech. Kunzite had always hoped Nephrite would at least stick to his own species. ÒOf course not. As part of the criteria for my interesting life, IÕm required to set my standards higher than a pair of ugly monsters.Ó
Nephrite harumphed. ÒCute monsters,Ó he corrected lowly.
The sun shone through one of the twelve skylights and from this Kunzite gathered that it was one oÕ clock. He stood and readied himself for a teleport home.
ÒLunchtime,Ó he explained. ÒGood luck Ôfinding your spell.ÕÓ
ÒIÕm being abandoned for food?Ó said Nephrite, wiping a nonexistent tear from his eye.
Kunzite smiled wryly. ÒIt does look that way, doesnÕt it?Ó His grin widened as he disappeared.
A smile was still on KunziteÕs lips when he arrived in the house he sometimes shared with Zoisite, but it soon faded. Instead of Zoisite welcoming him, she was pouting on the couch, conjuring all sorts of strange and obviously flawed energy patterns. All at once he remembered that he was supposed to have been helping her with her magic today. How could he have forgotten?
Zoisite pushed herself off the sofa and bowed to him. ÒSo pleased you could join me today, Kunzaito-sensei.Ó She walked out.
The caustic way she had said it, especially his name, made him want to wince.
Her anger was to be expected. He had never been one to forget her instruction days. She always took everything so personally, he wouldnÕt have ever dared.
However, she was also always quick to forgive him, as if she thought he would leave her if she became too difficult. So it was with confidence that he strolled down the hallway and knocked softly on the closed bedroom door.
ÒItÕs open,Ó came the hushed answer from inside. Kunzite opened the door, but he couldnÕt spot Zoisite anywhere.
He found her seated on the floor on the opposite side of the bed. On sight, she threw herself around his legs.
ÒIÕm so sorry, Lord Kunzite. I didnÕt mean to be so sarcastic. IÕm sure you had every reason to be out today.Ó Zoisite wiped a single tear from her eye and dropped her arms from around his legs. She had behaved foolishly and knew that Kunzite was disgusted by such obvious displays of self-abasement and subservience.
Kunzite had heard pregnant women often had mood swings, but heÕd never imagined that Zoisite could be moodier than she was normally. Ech, she had wrinkled his pants. He extended a hand to pull her up and she took it.
He gently tilted her head back so sheÕd look at him. ÒWhat do you say to having some lunch and then seeing to the spell youÕve been working on?Ó
ÒI say Ôyes,Õ milord.Ó She smiled as her teacher wiped a golden ringlet from her forehead.
Zoisite was undressing for a shower when Kunzite came into the bathroom, already in his robe and ready for bed. He carried an ivory brush which he ran continuously through his hair of similar color.
ÒZoisite, IÕve been thinking...Ó
ÒYou have commendable habits indeed, my lord.Ó She regretted the joke immediately. As if she had a right to tell him what was commendable!
ÒWhat?Ó
Zoisite made no move to explain.
ÒI was thinking,Ó he continued, ÒSheÕll never let you keep it.Ó
ÒHuh? Who and what, my lord?Ó
ÒThe queen. SheÕll never let you keep the baby.Ó
ÒOh.Ó Zoisite paused. ÒWell IÕll have to hide it from her then.Ó Hmm, that could be difficult.
ÒHow? YouÕll be as big as a little blimp in only a matter of months.Ó
Zoisite bit her lip in thought and then concluded he was absolutely correct. ÒI-I canÕt think about this right now.Ó She stepped into the shower and readjusted the curtain.
ÒLittle one,Ó Kunzite waited a moment, wondering if he should console her now. ÒIÕm fine,Ó she replied. KunziteÕs footsteps echoed through the great marble bathroom heralding his departure.
At that, Zoisite let out the breath sheÕd unconsciously been holding. Her giant sigh turned into a tiny sob before it was completed. She started to lean her head against the wall. The moment her ear touched the tile, ZoisiteÕs stomach constricted into a tight ball. How could her spirits have dropped from soaring to swimming in only a matter of minutes?
The showerÕs water was turned up almost to scalding, but the occupant wasnÕt bothered. She was concentrating on the problem at hand.
Zoisite was unable to reason how she could have been this ignorant. She had been so caught up in what Kunzite would think of her child that she had failed to think on what Beryl would do. And she wouldnÕt be able to keep this from the queen. Not only because of her conditioning to respect superiors, but as Kunzite pointed out, the pregnancy would become visually obvious. Her uniform would hide the extra mass in her tummy for a while, but not long enough. She would soon have to tell Queen Beryl the truth.
Oh that was the solution. The queen, knowing the whole truth, Zoisite didnÕt want to think about that. As difficult and often futile as deceiving the queen usually was, it couldnÕt be helped. She would just have to lie.
A slight growling noise escaped her throat. Every possible story she could think of to tell Queen Beryl made her or Kunzite, or both of them, look bad. She could take the blame off herself, and say her teacher had taken advantage of her, or the other way around and say she had forced herself on Kunzite. But weakness and lust were not well-received faults so much more than love was. Zoisite brainstormed a myriad of new ideas, all of them worthless. She couldnÕt bring herself to put Lord Kunzite in any kind of disgrace on her account. Then, her mind cleared.
Of course! She could leave him completely out of the lie. Just tweak some things like so and vo’la! A fib that wouldnÕt hurt anyoneÕs dignity, well, maybe hers a little. And a fictitious earthlingÕs, of course, but they were a pathetic breed anyway.
Zoisite rinsed the soap off her body and the shampoo out of her hair and carefully stepped out of the shower on to the freezing floor. She shivered in the numbing night air before slipping into her pajamas.
When Zoisite came into the bedroom, Kunzite rose to from the bed to comfort her. He knew that his impetuous little elf, overcome with maternal joy, never could have conceived of any problems. In fact, he should have told her when he first realized the danger, so her happiness could be cut off before it got out of hand. Except he hadnÕt wanted to agitate her if indeed he could have found a loophole.
Speaking of comforting, though, it didnÕt look as if Zoisite would need to be! Kunzite gazed after her with what he would have called a shocked countenance.
Zoisite noticed how her lover stared after her with no expression shown on his face. She knew he must be hiding some emotion. Probably disapproval. He gave her that look often enough.
Zoisite looked down and saw her legs colored pink, from the heat of the shower. ÒI know, I know. I shouldnÕt turn the hot water up so high, I could burn myself. Is that it?Ó
Kunzite wasnÕt really listening to her, but trying to fathom what she had to be happy about. ÒUh, sure, Zoisite.Ó She must have figured out a solution. Great. He would be sure to find out what it was in the morning.
Sun beams dancing painfully on his eyelids were what finally woke Kunzite. He yawned and sat up, seeing a small figure pulling on her boots in the corner. Curses! HeÕd slept late. Even Zoisite was up, and he usually woke well before she did.
Zoisite detected he was conscious and trotted over to say goodbye. Her teacher gently kissed her on the forehead and caught her about the waist. She twisted in his arms just as he was saying, ÒWait,Ó and evaded his grip.
ÒSorry, my lord, IÕm late!Ó she called after her as she coasted out the bedroom door. What could she possibly be late for? thought the one sheÕd left behind.
Zoisite ran down the stairs at an almost inhuman pace. She threw open the door and raced out of the teleport-hampering fields around KunziteÕs property. She fought for breath as she looked up to find where the synthetic sun was positioned in the sky. Ah, good, only a bit after nine. She wouldnÕt make too bad of an impression with the queen. Damn her if she did! Mistakes could not be afforded when she had such an important request to make.
She began to disappear.
The hampering wards had seemed such a good idea when Kunzite had talked about them. ÒTheyÕll enable us to be sure weÕre in control of traffic in and out of the house at all times. I donÕt want that pretty neck of yours slit by an assassin in the night, do I?Ó Ah, a good idea at the time, sheÕd agreed, but now when she had to rush to get off the grounds, the fields seemed such a bother.
Zoisite reappeared outside the queenÕs throne room. She desperately tried to catch her breath so she would at least appear to be stylishly tardy. No such luck, it seemed. Zoisite was admitted to court still panting like a puppy. She crossed one arm over her chest in salute and dropped to one knee to bow. Calming her thoughts, and her pounding heart, for that matter, Zoisite glanced around her. Kunzite was in her line of vision, and for a moment she halted in shock. HowÕd he get here before me? she thought. And for that matter, how could heÕve known where IÕd be?
As to his speed, she suspected her master was powerful enough to simply pass through the wards as easily as sheÕd passed through air. No running off the grounds for him!
ÒZoisite, speak!Ó Queen BerylÕs sudden yell sliced ZoisiteÕs head in two. Zoisite was not the most favored of the four generals.
ÒMy queen, I have a bit of news, and a request.Ó
ÒYes? Continue, Zoisite.Ó Queen BerylÕs voice lost none of its sharpness.
ÒI have c-con-Ó Zoisite noticed Kunzite off to the side as he became interested in what she was going to say and it threw her off. Zoisite tried again, And this time without showing weakness to the queen perhaps? ÒI have con-conceived by an anonymous earthling and here do request to keep the child as my own.Ó Queen Beryl was visibly taken aback, causing Zoisite to shrink mentally into a grief-filled ball.
Queen Beryl could not begin to express how surprised she was. Zoisite, that murderous, servile, snake with child? Unbelievable. She was about to deny the general her request and insist the pregnancy be aborted, one could not work properly with a bloated middle after all, but something strange was emanating from Zoisite. A tremendously powerful energy source... Queen Beryl delved into the mind of the woman kneeling in front of her to find the cause. She focused on the part of the mind that dealt with emotions, measuring the ones she found there, happiness, fear, shame, anticipation. She pushed aside happiness, it didnÕt emit this kind of energy. And fear, well, she knew what Zoisite would be afraid of, being denied her request, losing the baby, of course. But curiosity took control and Beryl peeked in.
What she saw gave her her second surprise of the day. It was ZoisiteÕs teacher and BerylÕs best commander. Why is fear connected to Kunzite in her mind right now? Does he punish her too severely? Is she afraid heÕll punish her for having a baby? Beryl look further, concentrated more. Aha! It wasnÕt Kunzite she was afraid of, no, it was the queen herself, for Zoisite was hiding him from the story. How sweet, she thought mockingly. But two of her warriors had made a child together, and she would have to put a sto- Stop. MetalliaÕs voice rang back and forth inside her mind. She reached a hand up to clutch her head, but turned it into running her fingers through her hair. Stop, Beryl, Metallia continued. A union between such powerful warriors as these would produce an offspring who would be a great asset to my armies. Let her keep it for now-now-ow-ow-w. MetalliaÕs voice echoed until it had completely faded.
Zoisite licked her dry lips and fidgeted in her bow. Queen Beryl had been silent for a couple of seconds now. How much longer would she prolong the agonizing wait?
She wasnÕt the only one having a struggle with patience. Far removed, Kunzite was in the crowd of youma courtiers, digging his into his open palm. When Beryl had reached her hand up so suddenly, he envisioned a dagger enclosed in it, a dagger ready to impale...
ÒThis is not news I would have supposed.Ó BerylÕs voice rang out through the silence. ÒAnd normally, I would insist on the immediate termination of the child, but,Ó My generals will tell lies to me, then I will lie to my generals. ÒBecause my forces are in desperate need of replenishing, I will grant you permission to carry the baby to full term.Ó
Zoisite screeched inwardly with joy. She could hardly believe her luck! With a respectful nod, she turned to go. Queen BerylÕs call stopped her.
ÒBut remember, Zoisite, the child will belong to Metallia, not you.Ó
Still, nothing could dampen her spirits. Zoisite kept control with difficulty. The challenge was trying not to skip out of the great hall.
