The Great Succession Crisis

  Chapter Seven: A Long-Awaited Wedding

  Queen Isabelle’s throne room sparkled with the morning sun. At shir-or 5.00, the hall filled with sunlight, spilling dazzling displays of colour onto the floor from the many stained glass windows. In cerulean blue sat Queen Isabelle and Prince Consort Bevin. Wehe and Ejen sat in their side thrones in saffron. It was a beautiful morning. “Make way, make way for her Royal Highness, Anlei, Crown Princess of Beinan and for Lord Corann, Knight of Ten-ar,” called the heralds.

  In their emerald green and sapphire blue respectively, Anlei and Corann strode side by side through the throne room confidentially, crossing the many zhang to the proper honouring space for Her Majesty and His Highness. Knowing protocol, both issued the proper reverences, still hand in hand. Princess Anlei spoke first, “Your Majesty, may I approach the throne and address this noble court?”

  “You may,” granted Queen Isabelle.

  Anlei reluctantly let go of Corann’s fingers and ascended onto the dais at her mother’s side, “Your Majesty, Your Highness, peers of Beinan, I come to you with glad tidings of great joy which I hope will meet with your approval. My heart has chosen and my body has sealed he who shall wed me in the appointed shir-or. I am, in full accordance of our laws, now betrothed to be wed to one of the finest of Beinarian nobles.”

  “We are well pleased to hear you have chosen,” replied Queen Isabelle. “Is this your beloved whose heart and flesh is joined to yours?”

  “My people, may I introduce my chosen consort, Lord Knight Corann of house Ten-ar?” proclaimed Anlei, taking Corann’s hand ceremoniously and ascending the dais to the queen.

  Isabelle put her hand on theirs, smiling with approval, “Hand to hand, heart to heart, flesh to flesh, blood to blood. May this union bring both of you joy. May your marriage be fertile that the Gurun dynasty may continue after our deaths. And may the One whose faces are revealed as Abka Biya, Banumu Hehe, and Abka Gahun bless you both.”

  High Priestess Wehe blessed them, “Hand to hand, heart to heart, flesh to flesh, blood to blood, soul to soul. As your souls have found one another, let them never be parted again, in this life or in lives to come. Let your minds, hearts, and souls be ever enriched by one another. May your bodies be blessed with children who thrive and live many yen-ars after you are gone…and may you know only love for one another as long as you both shall live.” Smiling, Wehe embraced both in open court and kissed their cheeks.

  Bevin then rose and accepted a cup from his steward. Cups filled with nanla juice were handed to each member of the royal family. Bevin raised his chalice, “This is my daughter, the hope of Beinan. Long may she live in love, happiness, and peace. To marriage of Anlei and Corann!”

  “Anlei and Corann,” echoed the assembled peers of Beinan, drinking deeply. Anlei and Corann linked their arms as they drank the toast, glad for Bevin’s approval. Yet one approval Corann knew he would never receive, that of Cariadoc himself. Could Cariadoc ever forget that Corann was the instrument of his son’s disgrace? Would Cariadoc ever recognize Janus as the criminal and traitor he was?

  Not likely. As the crowds shouted, Corann could not help remembering his own father’s hatred of him – and the words of vengeance shouted as the guards seized Janus. Beinan was in danger, perhaps perpetually so. Corann took the first steps in securing Beinan away from that threat, but the road out would still be long and maybe, just maybe, impossible to avoid.

  Still frightened for his bride he knew the only thing he could do was wed her as soon as possible and conceive, as naturally as possible, her son and heir.

  With the betrothal announced, Corann was able to spend the night openly with Anlei in her room; in fact it was practically required of them by custom for the first seven beinors after the announcement. Anlei found herself becoming more and more eager for bedtime, some evenings even undressing herself completely and sneaking under the covers before Corann could come into the room, forcing him to undress in front of her. As terrifying as the first time had been, with practice, it was becoming easier, this expected conduct between them, almost a habit. She anticipated his touch, his kisses, the way the sheets and blankets felt. Every night, he bedded her at least twice and encouraged her to touch him, explore, feel and express her desires, even if he were asleep when she felt them. Losing sleep was part of being married, she was learning – or at least, being engaged.

  On the seventh night, Corann, kissed her very tenderly after finishing the first time and asked, “When should we set the wedding date, my love? How soon can we get married?”

  “How soon do you want to?” she asked him.

  “It is beinor 167; any chance we can pull off a wedding on beinor 1? Is 30 beinors enough? Can the staff do it that fast?” asked Corann, kissing her lips and neck. “Prince-Intended is not enough for me after all this time waiting for you. I want to be your husband. I love you.”

  Anlei caressed him softly, well pleased by him, “I want to be your wife. I don’t know about my gown, but if you want me on beinor 1, then take me on beinor 1, my love. Marry me.”

  “Who needs a fancy dress, my love? All we need is each other.” caressed Corann touching her seductively and starting a whole round of passion. Anlei breathed deeply, then pulled the covers over both of them as she let the fires of love consume her.

  “I Anlei, take you, Corann to be my lawfully wedded husband, to love and to cherish, to seek and to find, to need and to replenish all the beinors of my life. With my first soul’s breath I found you and with the last breath of my flesh I will keep you. Ever faithful, every devoted to you and to our family forevermore. So mote it be,” vowed Anlei, her pale lavender and white bliaut billowing in her gazebo for the small family wedding.

  “I Corann, take you, Anlei to be my lawfully wedded wife, to love and to cherish, to seek and to find, to need and to replenish all the beinors of my life. With my first soul’s breath I found you and with the last breath of my flesh I will keep you. Ever faithful, every devoted to you and to our love forevermore. So mote it be,” vowed Corann. Though it was not a Beinarian custom per se, Corann chose at this moment to also place a Beinarian silver ring on Anlei’s hand, “This is the promise of my love, Anlei. Wear it proudly as my true love and wife of my heart.”

  Turning to RK6 who dispensed a gilded Beinarian platinum ring to Anlei’s hand, she placed it on Corann’s finger as well, “This is my promise of my love, Corann. Wear this ring of my love proudly as my true love and husband of my heart.”

  Clasping hands and facing each other, they heard the nearby High Priestess Wehe instruct, “You have made your pledges and your vows as husband and wife and given the tokens of the same in the form of your choosing. Therefore, by the power vested in me as high priestess of Beinan, I pronounce you husband and wife…you may seal your marriage with a kiss.” Corann whirled Anlei into a spin, then dipped her and kissed her very passionately. Anlei returned his kisses, lingering and oblivious to the many friends and family gathered in the gazebo and in her garden. Finally Corann pulled her upright, releasing their kiss. The crowd applauded. They were finally wed.

  Corann put his arm around his wife and escorted her out of the gazebo. The formal, royal reception was to be held in the state ballroom and hosted for a much larger group of well-wishers. At the reception, they would need to behave as heiress and heir-consort, a role the knight found himself not quite willing to step into quite yet as he felt the soft grass under his shoes. Affectionately he kissed Anlei’s cheek and hair as they walked, careful not to undo the elaborate pins used to secure her hair into its curls, braids, and coils. Perhaps there was not much time to create the most regal of gowns for her…but the staff did do a beautiful job working on her soft, fine hair. Whispering in her ear, he asked, “Anlei, do we have a quarter shir-or before they need us?”

  “I think they can spare us a quarter shir-or or so…why?” she asked.

  “Let’s stay here in your roo
m for a bit, just you and I,” he beckoned.

  “Okay…” she consented, allowing the rest of her family to go on without her. Wehe and Anwell noticed the way the young couple cuddled and understood…the newlyweds needed a few moments alone together before facing that massive reception.

  When at last everyone left the garden and her royal apartment, she closed the doors and locked them, “So, my husband…what now?”

  “Come here,” Prince Corann beckoned seductively. She came. Corann unfastened the back of her gown, kissing her as he did so.

  “Corann, what are you doing?”

  “I think you know.”

  “What? Right now?” she trembled, feeling the stirrings that always came from the touch of his hands on her skin.

  Corann turned her around and put his hands up her skirt, kissing her passionately, “Do you mind, my wife? May I? Please? I want to be fully yours. We aren’t fully married until…”

  Smiling, Anlei understood, “Marry me, Corann.”

  Pulling down her gown and touching her, Corann sealed his marriage and pleased his bride.

  Anlei was pleased at the formal consummation of her marriage. Cuddling under the sheets in her bed after he finished, she reached for her fully sealed husband tenderly, “I love you Prince Corann. Always, my husband. Never stop being like this with me.”

  “Never, my love. You will always have my love, my body, my passion. I am yours,” trembling, he finished, kissing her intensely.

  “You held back before, didn’t you?” she observed, feeling a difference in how he touched her.

  “Before now you were not my wife. I was afraid despite the law…now we are sealed completely. I am yours and our duty lies ahead of us, my love. I cannot let that monster carry out his threat. I will not let him carry out his threat,” asserted Corann.

  Anlei lay back on the pillow, cuddling Corann closely, “Corann, what are you talking about?”

  “We are still in danger, Anlei…until we produce a viable heir to the throne under law, one way or another. As long as your womb is empty my love, our lives could be forfeit. But before this wedding, I did not dare try to perform my duty. I could not risk a challenge to the legitimately of our child, even with the law clearly stating a child conceived during the engagement is still legally the same as conceived after the wedding. I was conceived within a legal engagement and yet I was always under the stigma of that label of ‘bastard’ because my parents never formally married. I could not do that to us. The succession is already on shaky enough grounds trying to force it into house Gurun when technically it should belong to house Ten-ar. Bevin and I are both Ten-Arian, after all. Legally, Anlei, our son should be house Ten-ar. Anything else is going to be challenged down the road,” worried Prince Corann.

  “Was it love or fear that motivated what we just did, Corann?”

  “Both, my love. Forgive me for that. But don’t you know me by now well enough to understand that if you were killed, I would not be able to live with myself? If Janus carried out his threat—and he still might find a way—I could not bear the agony on my heart. That someone might yet take your life or your honour. Anlei, I love you. I would rather die a thousand times than allow anyone to spill drop of your blood. He came so close to raping you before you felt his body. Don’t you think I worry there might be a next time that I cannot stop?”

  Anlei saw the fear in his eyes, the utter terror and understood her husband she caressed him and laid her head on his chest, “What can I do to help?”

  “Let me get you with child. Secure our future by starting our family with me? Will you do an heir’s duty by letting me do my duty upon you? I promise, the process will be…extremely pleasant,” he kissed her affectionately.

  “We’re late for our wedding reception, Prince Corann, but after – I am yours. Secure my family’s future, noble prince. Do your duty to my family and my house. If that should mean confining me to my room for many shir-ors every beinor on end until our heir is quickened in my womb…then so be it,” smiling at him and kissing him she added, “Never in my training as princess did they ever teach me that I might enjoy the duty of conceiving an heir to the throne…..”

  “How do you like your responsibility, princess?” flirted Corann.

  Anlei flirted, “I…think I can handle it; how many sons do you want?”

  “Oh, I am happy to get you with child quite often, my princess. If you thought you were bedded before during our betrothal, I have not begun to touch you, my Anlei. I plan on taking every yen-ar I waited for you out on you most vigorously.”

  “You tempt me.”

  “That is the idea….”

  Aroused, Anlei breathed deeply, trying to assert control, “Come dress me, my love…we have a party to go to.” Anlei picked up her wedding gown and gently eased herself into it. With a teasing caress Corann refastened her gown, and then dressed himself. In three xiao-shirs they were on their way to the reception. Barely more than a quarter shir-or had passed. No one noticed.

  As Princess Anlei and Prince Corann entered the grand state ballroom, they felt somewhat different than before, as if marrying and consummating the marriage before the reception had somehow changed their relationship with their family and the court. Lord Cariadoc was absent from the crowd, but Corann did not expect him either. Instead he found Lord Culain, Lord Eisiq, Lady Elda, and Lady Cordelia talking in a small cluster near the high table. Corann’s mother Lady Cordelia, looked stunning in a pale blue gossamer kirtle covered in Beinarian diamonds, her long, thick hair carefully curled and braided into an elaborate hairstyle piled mostly above her shoulders and filled with pearls, jewels, and ribbons, her grey eyes sparkling even brighter as she saw her son and his bride and raised a fluted glass to the couple, “To my son and daughter-in-law!”

  Several near her overheard the toast and raised their glasses, joining her and echoing, “To the bride and groom.”

  Anlei blushed at the immediate attention from her mother-in law. Corann caressed her arm, “Good to see you too, Mother. It’s been a while.”

  “That was a quiet entrance, Son – what took you so long?” asked Cordelia quietly with a wink, her powers obviously sensing the truth.

  “Affairs of state, of course,” smiled Corann in reply. Well, it was the truth – from a certain way of thinking.

  “Already a prince. I’m impressed,” smiled Cordelia.

  “Well, I do have duties, you know. I did marry into house Gurun, after all and that does make me son-in-law to the reigning queen…” suggested Corann.

  “Of course,” winked Cordelia.

  Anlei looked at both of them, still waiting for Corann to introduce her. Corann caught the hint in her posture, “Speaking of, Mother, you remember Her Highness and my wife, Crown Princess Anlei, daughter of Queen Isabelle, daughter of High Priestess Wehe of House Miyoo?”

  Cordelia offered Anlei a Miyoo gesture of respect, then her hand in greeting, “Welcome to the family, Your Highness.”

  Anlei returned her gesture of respect, “It is pleasure and honour to see you again Lady Cordelia. Corann speaks very highly of you.”

  “I am glad; I think the Ten-Arian training suits him well. I heard what happened in the palace the night of your betrothal, Your Highness. I think if he had not pursued his Ten-Arian blood, things would have gone very badly for you. So it pleases me beyond words that you had that training. You’ve done well for yourself, my son. I am very proud.”

  Corann relaxed and embraced his mother, “THANK YOU, MOTHER. You do not know what that means to me.”

  Cordelia patted him on the back, “Now you two go enjoy your own reception; there’s plenty of food to eat, certainly, and I think the staff is waiting to you to sit at high table before they serve first course.”

  Corann bowed to his mother, “Of course.” Taking hands, he and Anlei took their places at high table. Queen Isabelle and Bevin took their places of high honour next to them on the
ir left while Prince Anwell, King Ejen and High Priestess Wehe sat on their right. Lord Eisiq, Lord Culain, Lady Elda, and Lady Cordelia assumed places of honour at high table. RK6 buzzed around the table and quickly communicated with other droids and with human servants that the first course was ready to be served.

  The first plates of food were barely on the table for the servants to begin serving from when young woman with blond hair of barely 40 yen-ars age wearing torn clothing, covered in bruises broke into the state ball room, a tiny, poorly fed infant in her arms. At her arrival, the festive music playing in the background stopped and all gaped at her. Barely strong enough to stand, she ran across the room to the high table, “Is it true? A priestess of house Miyoo is here?”

  Isabelle, Anlei, Wehe, and Cordelia all rose, but it was Cordelia who answered first, “We are here. Who calls upon the goddesses of mercy and kindness?”

  “You…you are the Lady Cordelia,” the girl cried out, smiling weakly.

  “I am,” she answered.

  “I … I am Ecter, daughter of Cariadoc, sister of Janus whose name is no longer spoken in the houses, this is my daughter by Janus, Miriam,” replied Ecter. At those names, Anlei gasped, realizing who the child was and remembering the horrors of her betrothal night. Corann was right.

  “I am Princess Anlei, whom your brother tried to…assault,” confessed Anlei, moving from her chair to the girl in sympathy. Corann feared for her, but could not stop her.

  “He succeeded with me, noble one.” Ecter handed Miriam to Anlei weakly.

  Anlei motioned for a cup to be given to Ecter. She drank desperately. Obviously the poor girl had not been fed or given any basics of life in some time. Once given some drink and some fruits, she was better able to speak, “Forgive my intrusion, great ones. But I knew only you can help me. Right before he left my family responded in vengeance against me and this child for your judgment against my brother. I do not think my father or my brothers will forget your noble and righteous judgment upon him. I fear retaliation against this house and this government. If not now, then another beinor or yen-ar to come, my brother is bound to pursue his revenge. Please, I know my family. They do not feel they must follow the same rules as the rest of our society and are happy to use religion as an excuse when it suits them. I know this is not true, but they see injustice in our world, hatred of our faith in the Shemai where there is none. They make religion an excuse for not taking personal responsibility for their lives.”

  Cordelia stepped forward, “What would you have us do for you right now, Lady Ecter?”

  “Take my daughter Miriam and raise her as house Miyoo, let her forget the shame of her siring. Raise her as a priestess to fight her father. Make her a hand of the goddesses. And if there is a mercy in your hearts, take me to the temple too. Train me in your faith. I am ashamed to be the daughter of Cariadoc and Jebez now. I am ashamed to be the sister of Janus. Let me learn how to fight those of my flesh and blood who would seek to destroy this royal house. Let me pray for the success of this monarchy and this constitution everyone else serves. And Your Highness, my half-brother, I do not know how, but if somehow there is redemption enough to one beinor call me ‘sister’ that is an honour I would ask of you….” begged Ecter.

  Corann walked around the high table and to his half-sister. He offered her his hands which she kissed like a servant, “None of that, Ecter. You have been through enough of that. Come here and embrace me as my sister. I have never had a sister before; it would please me to no end to have one now.”

  Weeping, Ecter rose and embraced Prince Corann, kissing his cheek, “Bless you, Your Highness and bless your new wife. May your marriage be full of children.”

  Corann kissed her forehead, “Say those prayers for us in temple, Sister, that we may be safe from the threats made against us.”

  Nodding and taking his hands, their eyes meeting and understanding one another with deathly seriousness, she promised, “I understand. Every beinor, Brother. Mark this vow. Every beinor.”

  Queen Isabelle smiled and took over as hostess, “Well done, everyone. So I should ask you, Lady Ecter, no one can take you to the temple until next beinor. We have a wedding to celebrate. If you would like to stay, my servants would be happy to offer you a proper dress so you can join us.”

  Ecter nodded, “Thank you, I would be most happy to stay and celebrate the marriage of my brother.”

  From this point, the rest of the reception flowed smoothly. The food tasted superb, the happy couple relaxed, and the dancing continued for three shir-ors. Finally Anlei and Corann had enough and bade the gathering good evening, retiring to Anlei’s apartment. Corann took her hand, teasing her verbally, “So, your highness, do you grant me permission to stay here tonight with you? We already fulfilled our requirement, so you could say no, you know.”

  “What? The bride not spend her wedding night with her bridegroom? Half the court would talk. No, Lord Prince Corann, I command you to sleep here tonight. In fact, I command you to not hold back anything towards me of a marital nature any longer. You, young knight, are required to get me with child as soon as you can. That is, if you think you are man enough to do it….” teased Anlei verbally and with her body.

  Corann picked her up and laid her on the massive bed, crawling on top of her, “Didn’t I suffer a major wound I’m still not 100% over by trying to show you how manly I really am?”

  “That’s battle. This is…different.”

  “Oh is it? So you want me to prove my worth to you as a husband, do you?”

  Anlei kissed him, her hands sliding under his tunic, “You think you can get me with child, do you? Prove it. I dare you to try.”

  “With pleasure,” smiled Corann, removing his tunic and sliding the skirt of her bridal gown up.

  The next morning, Corann woke finding himself tired, happy, his bride content, but with his shoulder hurting uncomfortably. It was shir-or 3.40 when the pain woke him, a little before dawn. Anlei slept contentedly against him after a full night of lovemaking. Stroking her hair, he hoped he had already quickened her womb with his efforts, but knew not to be quite that optimistic. Touching her bare back, he tried to focus on her, shutting out the pain. She was beautiful, an exquisite woman in every way, her body just as remarkably wondrous as the rest of her. Still suffering despite his best efforts to block it out, he kissed her and caressed her, trying to distract himself with her sensuality.

  Anlei purred from his touch, and then stirred a little, finally opening her eyes, “I love you.”

  Corann met her eyes, trying not to show his increasing pain, “I love you sweetheart. You realize this is the first morning I wake up your husband?”

  Anlei purred, “I love that word.”

  Corann kissed her, “Me too.” Anlei tried to caress him…then touched his shoulder. The agony flashed across Corann’s face before he could conceal it.

  “What’s wrong?” her eyes widened, fearfully.

  “I need to see the healer, Anlei. There’s something wrong with my shoulder still. It should not hurt like this.”

  “Do you want to go now?” worried Anlei.

  “No. It’s too early. Your family will be expecting us and if we come late, the whole court will find out and it will hurt us more. No, we will go to the family breakfast, then see Lady Cara. I want no cause for scandal in court. I bring enough of that just by marrying you.”

  “But you were born of a legal betrothal….”

  “Only Lady Cordelia, High Priestess Wehe, you, and I know that, Anlei. My mother sacrificed her honour to protect Cariadoc – remember the law? If Cordelia had told the truth, Cariadoc would have been forced by the Great Council to marry her formally—with no chance of divorce. He offered his token, she accepted, and only then did she accept him physically. If anyone outside the family knew that, it would destroy Cariadoc.”

  “But Cariadoc and his progeny by that other woman would threaten us!” e
xclaimed Anlei.

  “Well, no one said that life is fair. Two wrongs don’t make a right, Love,” reminded Corann.

  “I can’t believe you would protect your father at the expense of…us.”

  Corann shook his hand, “I’m not. I’m honouring my mother’s wishes. This is what she wants. I have to respect that. It is as much about her life and how she wants to spend it than it is about my honour. I would not force her to live other than she wishes. Surely a woman should choose who touches her and how she spends her beinors.”

  Anlei smiled at her husband’s goodwill and kindness, “No argument there. Try to rest a bit; we’ll get up soon, see the family for breakfast and then see about help for that wound.”

  At shir-or 5.5, the extended royal family gathered together in the family dining hall for a wedding breakfast for Prince Corann and Princess Anlei. Invited to the meal were Lord Knight Eisiq, Lord Knight Culain (a distant cousin of Queen Isabelle, as well as Corann’s mentor), Lady Healer Cara, Lady Priestess Cordelia, Lady Knight Elda, Lady Ecter, Prince Anwell, King Ejen, High Priestess Wehe, Prince Bevin, Queen Isabelle, and of course Prince Corann and Princess Anlei. RK6 hovered around, communicating the needs of the family to the human staff members. The table was splendidly laid out with several Beinarian juices, a Beinarian dairy beverage, ten different assorted Beinarian fruits including nanla, kelan, and kara berries, a wide range of cold breakfast breads, and numerous hot breakfast dishes, including meats, vegetables, breads, fruits, and combinations of these. There were even hot breakfast desserts and Belarian waffles with kara berry syrup.

  On a normal beinor, a family member would have to special request most of these hot dishes, but this beinor was different and the staff had prepared a feast for this large gathering to enjoy. The Beinarian version of cocoa which was placed immediately in front of Anlei and Corann as a special customary “good luck” token for their marriage – and hopeful speedy conception of a new heir to the throne. As the group chatted and sampled the buffet table of goodies, all stood at quiet attention as Anlei and Corann sat at their place of honour in front of the cocoa and raised their cups. Queen Isabelle toasted the couple with a raised glass of kelan juice, “To my daughter and her new husband. May the goddesses shine brightly on your marriage. May happiness fill your lives every beinor, and may you be blessed with children to bring you joy.”

  Anlei and Corann clinked their cups together and each sipped carefully from the hot cups, enjoying the well-prepared food and time with family. It was a needed respite before the storm to come.

  One shir-or later, Corann and Anlei entered the palace healing center. Lady Healer Cara greeted them, “Lord Prince Corann? What a surprise. Have you come just to say hello or is there something I may do for you?”

  “Actually, Aunt Cara, I woke up with severe pain in my shoulder. I did not say anything about it at breakfast because I did not want the court gossiping. But I’m feeling some rather stabbing pain in my shoulder still. I know I should have come to you right after I re-opened the wound but I was preoccupied in the xiao-shirs immediately following the attack by Janus. And after that…with the politics of the pronouncement….”

  “As your mentor’s sister, I understand. As a healer, it’s my professional obligation to frown on your delay seeing me. I know my brother spoke to you about the need to seek medical attention after any sort of injury. Just like him, you display a habit of not acting on that knowledge and neglecting your health,” acknowledged Cara. Turning to Anlei, she bowed courteously, “My lady… I am very strict about the confidentiality between healer and patient, particularly during diagnosis. I have found that most patients will not tell me everything while someone else is listening. May I ask you please kindly wait in the antechamber over here? My examination will not take long. Thank you.” Respecting Lady Cara’s professionalism, Princess Anlei stepped into the waiting area indicated and sat down into one of its many comfortable chairs.

  Lady Cara directed Corann to a diagnostic scanner and removed his tunic for his examination. She looked at Corann’s left shoulder, carefully attending to the healing around his sutures. The scanner showed unchecked internal bleeding. The wound was small, but not healing, “How bad was that fight with Janus?”

  “He knew exactly where to hit me. I started to bleed during the combat; yes, you warned me about over stressing the area until it was healed. There was little choice, Cara. He…tried to force Anlei into an unwilling sealed betrothal. I did what I had to in order to protect her life and her honour. He put a contraband device on her to get into her room and suppress her ability to fight him,” explained Corann.

  “Some sort of drug?”

  “More like a subliminal attack, the sort of thing that training in house Miyoo teaches one to counter—High Priestess Wehe must have foreseen I would need that training; it made all the difference. But…there was a physical struggle. I didn’t draw my sword, but we fought. It was life or death, Cara….”

  “I understand, nephew. Believe me I do; my scans indicate some unchecked internal bleeding, that is why your shoulder hurts so badly.”

  “What do you suggest?”

  “I need to go back in, it looks like. The surgery should only take about 10 xiao-shirs, and then I can release you to bed rest. I will give you a sedative to encourage you to sleep so you can heal faster. If you are a good night and sleep, you can return to duty in ten beinors and resume your responsibilities with regards to your wife,” diagnosed Cara.

  “Aunt Cara, may I ask you questions about fertility and well, procreation, healer to patient? Before I never felt I needed to understand the details beyond the basics of procreation. Now I am married I require further education. Are there natural techniques that can help Anlei and I conceive an heir quickly?”

  Lady Cara sat him down in a regular chair, “Corann, are you worried you can’t fulfil your duties with regards to the succession?”

  “I’m worried that Janus will strike again before I have the chance to. The only hope for us is to conceive son as quickly as possible. Once she’s given birth to our first son, I think the risk of assassination will significantly drop – but until then….” Corann met her eyes, his terror showing, “Can you help me? Can you teach me? I cannot risk civil war, Aunt Cara. I need to give her a son.”

  “There are natural ways to influence things, both the chances of conception and the gender of the child without resorting to anything that someone might flag as technology or a medical treatment. Our ancestors used these methods to control their family sizes long ago…and learned the best ways of ensuring male and female children in the right numbers and balances…since the proper proportions are so vital for our political and social well-being. None of these constitute real technology in the modern sense…they all predate our arrival on Beinan. So I think you are pretty safe trying them…no promises, but worth your while, I think. Now lay back and relax while I take care of that would. Once I’m finished I will send you home with some materials you will find useful in your family planning.”