"The vote has already started!” Bertos yells to the Assembly. “Nothing he says can be considered!"
"That is incorrect Lord Bertos." Lord Oryon stands. "Even if the vote has started, the accused has the right to plead his case." All eyes look to Luuken.
Chapter Twenty
"It... it was the perfect plan." Luuken stutters looking from Wray to Kim. "For years my manno has been trying to gain the support needed to be named King of Luda, never quite succeeding until your female arrived, even then some were hesitant but when she conceived they became more than willing to support him...if females were obtained for their Houses.”
“Why would they believe he could achieve this?” Wray demands of Luuken.
“Because of the educators, he assured them that he would be able to program them so the females would do exactly as they were told.” He looks to the females now filling Grim’s House. “He lied." His gaze moves, coming to rest on Kim, causing Wray to stiffen. "Empress Kim refused to let Healer Yakar near her, so he was unable to obtain the necessary scans to fully influence the females. All he was able to accomplish was short term influences and to consistently plant the thought that Empress Kim was to blame for them being taken.”
“What do you mean short term?” Wray demands.
“The educators influence lessened with time. If the Joining Ceremony had occurred as scheduled the females would have been manageable…doing as they were instructed…reinforced by what Risa told them in the females chamber. However, the female…Queen Lisa…prematurely removed her educator, agreeing to join with King Grim causing a delay. King Grim also refused to allow me to finish guiding her, so I was unable to get her to recant her joining with him, thus removing all the females from his House. With the females gone, Lord Bertos,” He eyes shoot angrily to his manno. “Would have the support of the six Houses that voted to send the Searcher to Earth and could remove King Grim from Luda, having himself named King.”
Wray’s eyes move to the Lords of the Houses Luuken has mentioned, a few look totally stunned, telling Wray that they hadn’t realized what they had agreed too, but the rest are distinctly ill at ease. Looking to another of his Captain’s, guards move to secure the entrances to the Houses, allowing none to leave.
“What do you know of King Rask’s and Captain Busto’s deaths?” Wray goes on with his questions, he wants it all.
“Only what my manno has recounted to me countless times.” Luuken replies. “King Rask was the target. Removing him, would start the process of reestablishing the true rulers of the Tornian Empire, House Berto.”
“Your ancestors.” Wray acknowledges.
“And Risa’s.” The Assembly gasps in shock, for while many knew of Bertos lineage, none knew of Risa’s. To have a male and female from the same House join…it is Emperor Lucan all over again.
“The attack on Grim?” Wray says through gritted teeth.
“Captain Veron is correct, Risa arranged it. She and Lord Bertos had been joining for over a year by then. She wanted to be Empress, he promised to make it so. She knew King Grim would never challenge you for the throne, so he needed to be eliminated.”
“Adana?”
“All Risa, she was angry Grim survived and decided she could become Empress on her own. She distracted the Empress while they were eating, placing the skua berry on her next bite. She planned to put one on Prince Tora's plate, but the Empress became ill so quickly that she put it on hers instead.” Luuken doesn’t understand what he is seeing cross the Emperor’s face, it looks like he’s…remorseful over his first Empress’ death. Why would that be? He got what he needed from her.
“Risa was certain you to accept her offer to be your new Empress.”
“Van.” Wray demands his jaw clinching.
“Years later Risa finally forgave my manno for his failure, agreeing to join with him. Together they planned Van’s death. Undermining the bridge so that when his transport crossed it would fail.”
“All this so he could be named King of Luda.” Wray says angrily.
“And with your death, Emperor.” Luuken acknowledges.
The entire Assembly sits in shocked silence as Luuken finishes exposing House Guttuso. How could something so evil have been allowed to flourish for so long without anyone knowing? Some had known...some had worked with Bertos against the Emperor. Where did they go from here?
Risa sits quietly raging, as Luuken reveals what has taken her years to accomplish. That stupid, weak, pathetic male! This is what she gets for giving Bertos a second chance. For giving into her feelings for the only male, that has ever satisfied her. Failure! Again!
"Imperial Guard, arrest Lord Bertos and Lady Risa, escort them to the floor so this Assembly may pass judgment." Wray orders.
"Touch me and you will die!" Risa snarls as guards move towards her. "You cannot pass judgment on me!" She yells at the Assembly. "I am female! No matter what I do I can never be harmed!"
Rebecca watches the events unfolding around them with disbelieving eyes. This...all this is because someone wanted what wasn't theirs. Lives destroyed, because Bertos and Risa wanted the throne, because Luuken wanted Luda. She looks to Kim sitting stiffly in her chair as Wray stands, ordering the arrest of Risa and Bertos, this was never her fault. All she done is fall in love and get pregnant. Frowning she watches Kim suddenly pale then lean over grabbing her belly.
"Lisa, Kim's in trouble." Quickly Rebecca stands, moving for the door, only to be blocked by Callen.
"Move." Rebecca shoves against his chest.
"You must remain seated Rebecca. It is for your safety." Callen tells her softly.
"To hell with my safety! Kim's in labor!" She sees he doesn't understand. "The baby's is coming! I'm a doctor damn it, let me by!"
Hearing Rebecca, Lisa's eyes quickly fly to Kim who is bent over, pale and gasping for breath.
"Grim!" Lisa pulls on his arm to gain his attention. He hasn't heard Rebecca over the noise of the Assembly. "Wray needs to get Kim out of here. She's ready to present!" Grim's shocked eyes move from her, to Kim, to Wray.
"Wray!" Grim's roar breaks through all the confusion, pulling his brother's attention from Risa, pointing. "Kim!" Whipping around Wray barely catches her as she slides out of her chair groaning. Every eye flies to the Emperor's area at Grim's roar. Lisa turns to find Rebecca struggling with Callen and hears her comment.
"Rebecca...you're a doctor?" She doesn't hide her hopefulness.
"Yes, ob." She throws angrily over her shoulder. "Now tell this blue idiot to move so I can get to Kim."
"Oh thank the Goddess." Lisa turns back to Grim. "Grim, we need to get to Kim."
"She is being taken to their Chambers." Grim looks to the chaos erupting, now that Wray has carried the Empress away and knows he must step in for his brother.
"Cease!" He roars in the most terrifying voice Lisa's ever heard, causing her and everyone in the Assembly to jump, looking to him.
"Imperial Guards remain at your posts! Lords you will control your Houses or I'll have you on the floor! No one leaves this Assembly unless I so order it!" He looks to House Guttuso. "Secure House Guttuso.” He looks to the floor. "Korin, secure Luuken. Hadar you are needed in the Emperor's Chamber. Veron to me!" As all rush to do as he's commands, Lisa can't help but be filled with pride. Grim is in his element, doing what he does best. Commanding men, protecting the Empire, now she needs to do her part.
"Grim, we need to get to Kim." She tells him again.
"I must remain here my Lisa." The conflict is easily seen in his eyes at least by her.
"I know. But Grim, Rebecca is a healer from Earth.” She sees his eyes widen in shock. “I know, I didn’t know either but she needs to be with Kim, she can help." Grim first looks to Rebecca who nods then the other females who are all standing, waiting his decision.
"Please." One of them pleads. "We understand now. This isn’t her fault. Let us help her." He watches in amazement as they all nod their agreement in helping a fellow female.
"Alger! Agee!" He roars.
"Yes my King!" They immediately respond.
"Both Guard will escort the females to the Empress, stay with them, and protect them. Send the Imperial Guards back to help maintain order here."
"Yes sire!"
"Lisa..." Grim looks to her.
"We will be safe Grim. All of us. I promise. Now do what you must." Giving him a quick kiss, she takes the girls hands, quickly leading them away.
“God Wray!" Kim cries out as another contraction hits her, stronger than the last. "Make it stop!” She pleads.
“Get the Healer!” Wray orders the agitated Guard that’s followed them into the Chamber.
“No!” Kim cries out, she's not letting that male touch her.
“Kim…” Wray pleads.
“Move.” Rebecca shoves her way past the males blocking her from Kim, when one moves to grab her, Callen shoves him back.
“Do...not...touch.” He growls lethally at the smaller male.
“What is the meaning of this?” Wray demands moving to protect Kim.
“Wray.” Lisa quickly steps between them. “This is Rebecca. On Earth, she was a Healer. A female Healer. What we call an ob/gyn. She can help Kim. It’s what she specializes in, women and babies, offspring.”
“Truth?” Wray looks hard at Rebecca.
“Truth. I need to check her, see how far along she is.” Wray looks to Kim who nods her consent. Rebecca quickly moves to her side.
“Mommy?” Lisa turns realizing she’s forgotten about her daughters.
“Girls.” Turning, she realizes the room is filled with pale Guards and nervous females. “Everyone out!” She orders and looks to the female that had pleaded with Grim. “What’s your name?” She demands.
“Abby.”
“Abby, will you watch over the girls for me?”
“Yes.” She looks to the other women. “We all will.”
“Thank you. Girls, you are going to go into the other room while Kim has her baby.”
“Can’t we stay mommy?” Carly asks her eyes full of excitement.
“No baby. This isn’t the place for you. After the baby is born okay?” She waits until both girls nod. “Now you go with Abby and the other women. You can tell them all about Luda since they will be going home with us okay?”
“Okay mommy. We’ll tell them about Cook and the garden and the Raptor and…”
“That’s good Miki. Agee.” She looks to her Captain.
“They all will be protected Majesty.” He bows to her.
“Thank you. When Hadar gets here send him in.”
“Yes majesty.”
With the room, clearing Lisa sees Wray reluctantly moving away from Kim.
“Where do you think you're going?” She demands.
“Males are not allowed…” He starts.
“Bull shit. Get your ass back next to Kim.” She points. “She’s going to need you.” Wray looks at her shocked, not only for the way she’s speaking to him but that she would demand he stay.
“Wray!” Kim cries out as the next contraction hits.
“What do I do?” He looks at Lisa franticly.
“Slide behind her, support her back, take her hand, and talk to her.” Lisa moves to her other side.
“Hey Kim. How you doing?” She asks gently.
“This sucks!” Kim grits out.
“Yeah, I remember. Rebecca?” Lisa looks to her.
“Her waters broken, I need towels, string and a knife, this baby isn’t going to wait long.”
“Knife!” Lisa grabs Wray’s arm.
“It to cut the cord Wray!” She tells him.
“What?” The doors suddenly open and Hadar rushes in.
“Thank the Goddess. Hadar explain to Wray what cutting the cord means, I need to get towels.”
“Emperor…” Hadar looks in astonishment at what the female is doing between the Empress’ legs. “What Lisa means is severing the life line, giving the offspring life outside its mother.” Wray starts to relax only to stiffen when Kim cries out again.
“Shit!” She cries out.
“Do something Hadar! She is in pain!”
“It’s normal.” Rebecca speaks before Hadar can.
“No!” Wray denies.
“Look.” Rebecca stares down Wray. “She’s having a baby. It’s painful. It’s messy. How could you possibly think otherwise?”
“Because males are never allowed near a female once they’ve conceived.” Lisa answers, returning with an armload of towels. “Hadar, do you have your scanner?”
“Yes. Who is this female?” He looks questioningly to Rebecca.
“Sorry. Rebecca, Hadar, Grim’s Healer. Hadar, Rebecca a female Healer from Earth.”
“Truth?” He looks to Lisa his eyes wide with excitement.
“Truth. Now scan Kim.” Lisa answers Rebecca’s look. “It’s like a hand held ultrasound machine.”
“Really!” Rebecca looks at the device then Hadar. “Use the damn thing I need to know what’s going on in there.” She orders.
Lisa moves to Kim’s other side, using a damp washcloth to wipe the sweat from her brow. “You’re doing really good Kim.”
“It hurts so much.”
“I know but it’s worth it, trust me.” She gives her an encouraging smile. “Just think, in a little while you’ll be holding your baby. Wray, take her hand.” She waits until he does. “Now on the next transaction Kim, squeeze, it helps, believe me.” She looks at Wray knowing he doesn’t understand what’s about to hit him.
“You’re fully dilated Kim. On the next contraction I want you to push.” Rebecca informs her.
“What?” Kim looks at her in shock.
“Push. The baby’s ready, you’re ready, on the next contraction you’re going to want to push. Do it.”
“Wray?” Kim looks at him with scared eyes.
“You can do this my Kim. I am here. Together we can do anything.” Wray looks deep into her eyes before giving her a deep kiss. Kim rips her mouth away as the next contraction hits.
“Oh God!” Closing her eyes Kim pushes, squeezing Wray’s hand for all she worth. Wray grunts in surprise at the strength of his Kim.
“Breathe Kim.” Lisa encourages. “Short breaths, through your mouth.”
“Grip your knees Kim and push. Come on.” Kim turns bright red as she pushes.
“That’s it Kim, keep pushing, I see the head.” Kim falls back against Wray as the contraction ends.
“I can’t Wray. I just can’t.” She cries.
“You can my Kim. You are the strongest female I know.” Lisa moves to support Kim as Wray moves to face her. “Do you remember the Ganglians? You never let them break you. Break your spirit, even when you believed there was no hope. Remember what you said to me?”
“That no one, nowhere, no how, gets the better of Kim Teel.”
“That’s right. You fought for yourself. Now you need to fight for me, for our offspring. I know you can do it my love.”
“Come on Kim one more push.” Looking into Rebecca’s encouraging eyes, she nods and as the next contraction hits her both Lisa and Wray help her.
“Oh…my…God!!!!!” Kim grunts as the unbearable pressure that’s been building suddenly releases, closing her eyes she falls into Wray’s arms, totally spent. A soft cry that quickly turns into a wail has her eyes flying open, gripping Wray’s arm she pulls herself up.
“Rebecca?” She asks trembling.
“Congratulations. Mommy. Daddy. It’s a girl and she’s perfect.” Laying the baby on Kim’s belly, she looks to Wray. “Ready to cut the cord Daddy?”
Wray is pale, his large hands trembling as he cuts were Rebecca indicates, giving his daughter a life of her own.
"Nicely done. Now," Rebecca quickly wraps the baby in a towel and places her in Wray's trembling arms. "Here's your daughter Wray."
Tears run freely down the Wray's cheeks as he gazes at his daughter. Moving as if he's carrying spun glass, h
e places the babe in Kim's out stretched arms.
"She's beautiful my Kim.” Wray tells her his voice full of awe. “Just like her mother."
All heads turn when Lisa and Rebecca enter the room. "It's a girl. Mother and daughter are doing fine." Rebecca announces and every woman starts laughing and talking at once.
Hadar stands behind them in amazement at the true joy these females are expressing for the good fortune of another. Tornian females would express jealousy and feel threatened. Looking to the Guard, he sees they too are shocked even with everything the Queen has expressed.
"Mommy can we go see her?" Miki asks, jumping up and down.
"Not yet baby, Wray and Kim need some time alone. Maybe later okay?"
"Okay." Miki replies but her disappointment is easily heard.
"I would very much like to discuss with you what you did for the Empress." Hadar carefully touches Rebecca's arm as he makes his request. "There is so much we don't know. Are you more prone to having females? Are the risks greater with more presentations? You are so much smaller than our females, was there anything unusual with the Empress’ presentation?"
Turning Rebecca gives him a tired smile. "I'd be more than happy to discuss it with you and you can explain all your devices to me. That little scanner is amazing." Hadar smiles back happily.
"Of course. Is there anything special I should be doing for the Empress and..." He searches for the word they used.
"Baby." Rebecca supplies.
"Yes...baby." Hadar finds he likes that word, it is so much warmer than offspring."
“She seems to be doing well. Her color and breathing are good. We’ll need to check her again in a few hours, Kim too.” All heads turn and voices cease as the Emperor enters. His eyes quickly scan the room taking in both the King and Queen’s Elite Guard.
“Where is my Guard?” He demands.
“Majesty.” Alger steps forward to answer his question. “King Grim sent us to protect not only you and the Empress but also his family and those under his protection, while he took control of the Assembly. He requested your Guard return since they would be more familiar with Tornio.”