“Empress.” Tora said, bowing to her.
Kim felt her eyes fill as they ran over Tora taking in his disheveled appearance. Wray had told her he was okay, but she could admit to herself that she was still concerned. She would never have been able to forgive herself if Fala had harmed him while she had run away.
“I’m so sorry.” Kim’s voice broke as she spoke and the eyes of all three males flew to her. What could she be sorry for?
“Kim…” Wray started before Tora interrupted him.
“For what Empress?” Tora asked, confused.
“I left you… I ran away…” Kim couldn’t believe she’d done that. “You are Wray’s first male and I abandoned you.”
All three males looked at her in shock. What was she saying? She thought she should have stayed and defended Tora? A female? It was not her place.
“You did what you should have done.” Wray told her angrily. How could she even consider that she should have stayed?
“You didn’t Empress.” Tora interrupted stepping into the room, closing the door. “I wouldn’t have known Fala was attacking if you hadn’t warned me.” Tora gave his manno an embarrassed look. “Then you distracted him by attacking Gyula… it gave me the advantage.”
“I ran…” Kim whispered.
“As you should have. What good would it have done for me to end Fala if Gyula ended you?”
“Kim…” Wray’s tortured tone had her looking to him. “Tora is correct. You did exactly the right thing.”
“Really?” She looked to him for reassurance that he wasn’t upset at her for leaving Tora.
“Really.” He told her pulling her close.
Kim snuggled into Wray’s embrace. She hadn’t realized that was bothering her until she had seen Tora. Hadn’t realized the depth of her shame. Tornian males lived their lives by the belief they should be worthy and fit… that they had honor. Kim could understand that. She just thought females should have just as much. For them to find her lacking…. Her eyes finally went back to Tora, taking in the state of his uniform
“What happened to you?” she asked, frowning.
“What do you mean?” Tora responded, looking down at his soiled uniform
“You’re a mess. That couldn’t have been caused by Fala.”
“No…” Tora gave her a confused look. “The river caused this.”
“The river?”
“Kim.” Wray puts a gentle hand under her chin, tipping her face towards his. “Tora saw you fall into the river. He went in after you.”
“What!” Kim turned shocked eyes back to Tora. “You went into the river? After me?”
“Of course.” Tora said, but he started to shuffle his feet in embarrassment. “You are the Empress.”
“And you are the future Emperor!” She exclaimed, pulling out of Wray’s arms. “What were you thinking?!! Risking yourself like that! Of all the stupid…”
“You are chastising me for saving you?” Tora couldn’t believe it.
“I…” Kim didn’t know what to say.
“Tora did as he should Kim.” Wray told her gently. “You are the Empress. It is what any male would have done if he had witnessed what happened.”
“But Wray… he’s your offspring… for him to risk himself… for me.”
“I was unable to save my brother…” Tora said finding his throat tightening as he spoke. “He was an amazing brother, he was never upset at being the second male. He always looked forward to being there to support me.” Tora gave her a steady look. “I had forgotten that. He would have greatly liked you, would have seen you as a partner in his little pranks.”
“He played pranks?” Kim asked, looking to Wray.
“Yes.” Wray told her. “Even on me.” He saw Kim smile and wondered if he should be worried.
“You reminded me of this, of how he lived, what he believed, not how he died. Because of that I know he forgives me for being unable to save him because he knew I couldn’t but he wouldn’t forgive me for not saving you when I could.”
“Tora…” Kim found her eyes filling again.
“He is right my Kim.” Wray said, pulling her close. “Tora did what any fit and worthy male would do for his Empress. Accept it.”
“Alright.” Kim said softly before she turned her eyes to Curador who’d been silent through the whole exchange. “But only once Curador scans him to make sure no harm has been done.”
“I am fine!” Tora started to protest, but the look in his manno’s eye had him snapping his jaw shut. “Of course majesty.” He said stiffly.
“You know.” Kim said, unable to stop the smile that was breaking across her lips. “I think I could get used to this Empress business.”
∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞
Reeve paid no attention to the Emperor’s warriors as they passed him with the bodies of the warriors Fala and Gyula had ended. Ended with the poison Reeve had given them. He had more important things to concern himself with, things like how he was going to explain all this not only to the Emperor but to Bertos.
Turning a corner, he collided with Yakar.
“Watch where you are going!” Reeve ordered shoving the Healer aside.
“Watch where you’re going!” Yakar fired back. He has had enough of those who thought they were better than he was. He was a Healer.
Reeve was about to berate the male some more when he realized just who it was standing there so angry.
“What are you doing here? Why aren’t you with the Emperor! Has she gone?” Reeve asked, barely keeping the hope out of his voice. It would solve all his problems.
“No!” Yakar bit out. “That female has refused to let me treat her. Me! The most sought after Healer in all the Empire!”
“Then who is treating her?”
“Curador!” He spat out.
“Curador! How could she possibly have known about him?” Reeve demanded.
“That Auyangian female told her. She said he was kind.” Yakar sneered. “Like females need kindness. They just needed to be calmed and remain in that condition.”
Reeve’s eyes turned assessing Yakar, as he continued to look at the Imperial Healer. He’d never realized their views on females were so similar. He wondered…
“Yet once you return to Tornio she will be yours to calm.”
“No.” Yakar said his anger growing. “I overheard the Emperor telling Curador that he would be the Empress’ personal Healer.”
“What! He can’t take him from Vesta without my approval!”
“As if you would refuse. He is the Emperor and this is what his Empress wants. They are also taking the two Auyangian clothiers.”
“No!” Reeve turned and ran a frustrated hand through his hair. He needed those two if he was to attract another female. Lady Estee had raved about the female’s skill and word had spread. He also had not yet been able to sample her.
“That female is a menace.” Yakar stated. “She will be the demise of our way of life.”
“I agree.” Reeve said, looking at Yakar in a new light. “Come Healer Yakar. Let us go to my private chambers. We have a great deal to discuss.”
∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞
“He is fine Empress. A few bumps and bruises that I have treated. There is no permanent damage and once cleansed, removing the stench of the river, he will be back to normal.”
“Did you just say I stink?!! Tora demanded totally offended.
“Yes.” Curador said smirking at him. “What? A Prince can’t stink?”
Tora looked to his manno but saw his lips twitching. Twitching! He thought this was funny!
“I was wondering where that smell was coming from.” Wray finally said.
“It could have been coming from Kim.” Tora spit out not realizing he had called her by her name.
“I’ve showered.” Kim told him huffily then smiled. “It’s all you Tora.”
“Then I shall remove my offending presence.” Tora said still unable to believe that someone had the gall to say he stun
k. As he turned, he felt the weight of the item in his pocket and paused. Turning back, he withdrew it.
“I believe this belongs to you.” he said and extended the blade to her, jeweled hilt first.
“My knife!” Kim exclaimed, eagerly reaching forward to take it. “Thank you Tora. I thought I’d lost it in the river.”
“It was along the bank where you fell in.” He told her and felt his cheeks darkening at her sincere thanks. “How did you ever come by a blade from the Kaliszian Royal family?”
“General Rayner gave it to me on Pontus.” Kim frowned. “He’s a member of the Kaliszian Royal family?” she asked, looking at Wray.
“Cousin to the Emperor. They are as close as brothers.” Wray told her and realized he owed Rayner a debt he could never repay. If he had not given Kim that blade, she would not have been able to free herself. Yes, he owed him a debt.
“Oh. So I insulted Emperor Liron’s ‘brother.'”
“Yes.” Wray said simply.
“You insulted General Rayner and he gave you a blade!” Tora looked from Kim to his manno and knew there was a story there, but saw in his manno’s eyes that it would have to wait.
“Yes. I’ll have to apologize.” Kim said looking at Wray.
“No Kim. You were correct in what you said and the fault was mine that is why Rayner gave you the blade. Now I want you to rest until Caitir returns with your meal.”
Kim was about to pull her hair out. “I’m fine!” she said for the umpteenth time. For the last two days, Wray had refused to let her out of bed, claiming she needed to rest from her ‘ordeal.' And Curador was no help.
Apparently, Tornian females secluded themselves once they conceived and allowed no male near her until after she ‘presented’ the offspring. Wray informed her that the male would give tributes to another female, usually the one that presented his female and she would help the female through the process.
Kim couldn’t believe it. She quickly informed Wray she wouldn’t be doing any of that. She wasn’t ‘secluding’ herself away. She was staying right by his side and in his bed.
The relief on his face had surprised her. Had he actually thought she wouldn’t let him near her? That she’d refuse to Join with him until after this baby was born? She quickly dispelled that possibility the night before, but he still was refusing to let her out of bed.
“You are with offspring Kim.” Wray ground out, since it was only the three of them in the room. “You need to rest.”
“I’m pregnant! Not sick! There is absolutely no reason for me to stay in bed.”
“But…”
“I’m not a Tornian female Wray. I’m not going to be acting like one now.” Ripping back the covers, she slid out of the bed.
“Curador!” Wray looked to the Healer for help.
“Sire, I’ve scanned her every day, there has been nothing to indicate she needs to remain in bed.”
“Goddess!” Wray said, turning away. He wanted to throttle Curador.
“Good.” Kim said. “It’s settled.” Walking over to Wray, she ran a soothing hand along his back. “Wray.” She waited for him to look down at her. “I vow to you that I am fine. The minute I think there is something wrong, I will tell you.”
“Not the minute. The second.” Wray demanded, his voice hoarse. “I cannot lose you, my Kim.”
“The second.” She agreed.
Finally nodding Wray wrapped his arms around his future.
∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞
“It is time Kim.” Wray told her the next morning. He had finished all his meetings with Reeve, had gotten his answers, not satisfactory ones, but answers none the less on how Fala and Gyula had been able to abduct the Empress.
He now wanted to get his Kim settled in House Tornio, present her to the Assembly of Lords and have her declared Tornian. She carried his offspring and he wanted her to have every protection under the Law.
“I’m ready.” Kim said, walking up to him. She knew he was concerned for her safety and she had to admit she wasn’t very fond of Vesta, Lord Reeve or his warriors. She avoided them as much as she could and had been grateful when Wray had brought down more of his warriors from the Searcher to guard her. Entering the outer chamber, Kim found Tora waiting.
“Empress.” Tora said then crossing an arm over his chest bowed to her.
“Kim, Tora.” She told him. “My name is ‘Kim.' Please call me that.”
Tora looked to his manno who just shrugged, telling Tora it was his decision.
“In private then… Kim.”
“Why only in private?” Kim asked, frowning at him. “If we’re going to be a family why the title.”
“Males are not allowed to directly address another male’s female Kim.” Wray told her, “Not directly, and they are never allowed to be familiar enough to use her name alone.”
“But I speak to males all the time.” Kim said looking from Wray to Tora.
“Yes.” Tora spoke before his manno could. “But you are… unique.” He said, trying to stop his lips from twitching.
“Did you just politely call me strange Tora?”
“Who me?” Tora asked too innocently. “I would never do such a thing… Kim.”
Wray enjoyed the banter between his male and Kim. It felt right, their teasing each other. They had yet to tell Tora about Kim’s condition and he wondered if they should.
“It’s up to you.” Kim’s statement had Wray looking at her. She turned from Tora and placed a hand over the place, their offspring rested telling him she knew what he was thinking.
“You would be… comfortable with Tora knowing?”
“He of all people has the right to know.” Kim said softly.
“Know what?” Tora asked, looking from his manno to Kim.
“When Curador examined her he discovered that Kim is with offspring.” Wray told Tora his arm going around Kim pulling her close as he watched Tora’s reaction.
“What?” Tora’s eyes went wide then went to Kim’s hand that still rested protectively over her stomach.
“I’m with offspring.” Kim told him.
“But… I thought it wouldn’t be possible…”
“It seems we were wrong and that the Goddess has decided to bless us.”
“How long have you known?”
“As I said, Curador was the one who discovered it when he scanned Kim.”
“Yakar didn’t notice it on the Searcher?” Tora found that hard to believe.
“I wasn’t with offspring, then.” Kim told him quietly and felt her cheeks start to pinken. “Your manno and I had not yet Joined.”
“So it is…”
“It is my offspring!” Wray told him in a hard voice. He would have no one doubt that, especially not his own male.
“Will it be fit?” Tora asked the question Kim knew everyone would be wondering when they found out.
“Curador has found no problems indicating it wouldn’t be.”
“He is going to need your support Tora.” Kim told him softly and felt her eyes fill at the thought of what her child was going to have to tolerate. “Even more than Van did.”
“What do you mean?” Tora demanded. Why would her offspring need his support?
“I know, from what’s been said, that had your manno taken another Empress… a Tornian female that there would have been a conflict between you and her offspring.”
Tora said nothing, just nodded stiffly.
“Conflict because some might want to support him as Emperor instead of you, even though you are Wray’s first male.”
“He would also be his first male, just from another female.”
“Yes… but no one is going to do that with this child.” Kim said sadly. “Because I’m not Tornian therefore he won’t be. Many are going to shun him, that’s why I say he will need the support and acceptance of his older brother, the future Emperor if he is going to survive.”
“He will be Tornian!” Wray denied angrily. “He is my offspring!”
&n
bsp; “Wray.” Kim turned putting a calming hand on his heaving chest. “He will be half Tornain half human. It’s going to make him different. Your people don’t seem to tolerate that very well. People being different.”
“What do you mean? Every House is different and we tolerate them all.”
“From every Tornian House, Wray. I’ve seen how even your warriors look at Caitir and Jael because they aren’t Tornian. They would look at me the same way if it weren’t for you. The Kaliszians are your allies, but there are those that see them as less, because they have to rely on you for food.”
Wray opened his mouth, then snapped it shut. She wasn’t wrong and he didn’t like it.
“Our child is going to be viewed that same way… because of me. They will think him small and weak... because of me. You and I can do nothing about that… because only Tora can.”
“What?” Tora looked at her stunned. “Me? What can I possibly do that my manno can’t?”
“You can accept him as your true brother, just as you did Van.” Kim told him. “It will show others that he truly is fit and worthy of being a Vasteri.”
“And if he isn’t?” Tora couldn’t stop the words, and immediately regretted them at the devastated look they put on Kim’s face before she turned away, to bury it in his manno’s chest.
“He will be!” Wray growled at Tora then lowered his head to repeat it in Kim’s ear. “He will be Kim. Curador had found no problems and the Goddess would allow nothing else. Not after all you’ve been through.”
“We’ve been through Wray.” Kim raised sad but determined eyes to him. “We’ve been through and you are right.” She turned back to Tora.
“The decision, of course, will be yours.” She said coolly. “No one can force you to accept him. I know this better than anyone else.”
Tora found he didn’t like her using that cool tone when she talked to him. Before, even when he didn’t deserve it her voice had been filled with warmth and caring. His thoughtless words had caused this and he needed to correct it.
“My apologies Kim. I did not mean to concern you with the fitness of your offspring. I was just… surprised. After all the strength and courage you have shown, I can’t believe any offspring presented by you, wouldn’t be fit and worthy, especially when combined with House Vasteri. He will change our universe.”