Chapter Nine
Messallina did not like her husband's mistress. She would be crazy to do otherwise. Regardless of how the girl ended up being in her husband's bed, that girl was a threat to her and the child made this threat permanent.
She would be honest by admitting that she hoped that the other would disappear along with the child. That way, what happened would only be a painful reminder of a possible reality instead of an actual reality.
This world was like a chess game that could not begin again. Therefore, it doesn't matter what piece the pawn would eat, because that was the only way it could continue to walk. To hesitate once…would mean your permanent departure from the board.
However, she was not brave or cruel enough to kill a child…that was something that she could not do: a crime that would forever haunt her.
Yet she could wish for other factors to result in their death, as the child and the mother was a threat to her. Right now, she desperately wished for the child's birth to end in the opposite way. To end in death.
Preferably with the mother.
However, as she heard of what was happening, she could feel a little pity for the mother. The other seemed to truly been deceived just due to a charming smile and a few sweet words. In addition, she heard that the girl could not be attended by a midwife. Just in case she might make some dealing with the midwife. Therefore, the birth was attended only by the girl's mother.
The screaming and what she read about made her feel just a bit sorry for the other. Just a little bit. Not much and hardly any, but the fact that there was a little was surprising enough.
She herself was dressed in a plain shift, as if she was the one giving birth. After all, she would soon be putting on an act. A very difficult one.
The screaming was joined by a howl- the cry of an infant. The cry seemed loud, but that could be because it was getting closer.
"Messallina, get in the bed and hold this brat." Was what her mother said even as she used her free hand to yank her daughter. "Lord Tudur would be here soon."
"He did not bother to witness his triumph completely?" she said dryly as she obeyed.
"Lord Gramis would soon be here too. The news was immediately sent to their house." Her mother began as she examined the scene. "Make sure that you say that the child look like the father. That is the most common reaction."
"Well, he certainly won't look like me." She said dryly.
The answer was a sharp slap.
"This is your son now, Messallina. If you wish to continue being Lady Solidor, play your part correctly.
"Of course, Mother." Saying this, she placed a kiss on the infant's forehead in a rather loving way. "What do you think, mother? Am I not just like your? Hugging my child when the world watches, and slapping them with that very hand when you are alone to ensure that they smile at you?"
When the news of the birth was announced, the reaction in House Solidor was almost normal. It was as if they were truly celebrating because this was what you do when an additional member arrives in the family.
A son. The first son of the eldest son. The son of a daughter of an influential senator. Like any young child, he was a white sheet to be written, but unlike Larsa, this was a book that the members of the senate have easier access to.
"Let us go and see my first grandson." The empress implored out. "I know that Messallina will need to rest, but how can we not?"
"Yes, we shall." Gramis said. "Vayne and Larsa will come too. It will be a gathering of the whole family."
The thoughts of the empress were easy enough as she was whispering it out to her youngest son. However, Vayne thought that his father's mind was much harder to read. What did he feel about the grandson that he shared with the senate?
He himself was a bit curious at what would happen. However, there was one aspect of this that made him a bit regretful.
Would his sister-in-law be chained to the child and his eldest brother?
"We are here!" his mother announced before she began to speak eagerly. "Oh, it is a son, right? Where are they? How is Messallina?"
"Please, my lady, let me have a chance to speak!" Senator Meligeni said and his cheerfulness was probably genuine since he had many reasons to be happy.
"Father, Mother! Tudur will be very happy to see you." Ewein said, standing beside the senator. "A son, a healthy son!"
It certainly was a charming scene, Vayne thought. Messallina was holding the baby and looking at him so tenderly, while Tudur had an arm around the mother of his child even though Vayne knew that his brother did not like her at all.
Vayne could understand why his brother seemed so smug, but he was not sure what he expected his sister-in-law's expression to be. She seemed to be a loving mother whose only concern was for her child, but then, this was one elaborate performance with skilled actors and actresses.
"Doesn't he look like Tudur so?" The empress examined out as she dashed to their side with Larsa still in her embrace. "Oh, what a happy day this is!"
"What is his name, Tudur?" Gramis said. "My first grandson."
"Siorus. Siorus Solidor."
This would no doubt be a name that they would hear very often during the next few days.
Now that Vayne was sixteen years old, he would often be at the senate with his father and elder brothers. After all, he was the son of an emperor who was expected to do much for the empire, even if he would never be the emperor or a senator himself. This was good for him, because it meant that he no longer had to worry about people finding him at the senate when he shouldn't be there.
His two brothers were naturally already frequent visitors there. Thanks to them, Vayne realised that the senate was a dangerous place even when he was quite young. After all, it was a place where his two brothers, who often generated applauses and admirations, were met with coldness.
"Today, we discuss a severe matter." The chairman said. "It is the case of who would be the successor on the sad day when our emperor is no longer with us."
"A grave matter indeed." Gramis said, the word ironic. "I am not so young, this is true. But I am not so old as to need this preparation."
"I, too, believe that this sad day will be very far from us." Gregoroth agreed. "However, it is because this is such a thing that causes many families to fight themselves. We are not declaring who the next successor is; it would merely be to choose the direction so that when the time comes, your family could decide the successor more easily."
"…it is a pity to think that my own family will fight amongst themselves." The emperor said sadly, but the sadness was a deliberate one. Done for the sake of evoking pity.
"Sad, yes, but with such a power…any man might succumb." Gregoroth said.
"But Chairman, is it necessary to decide now?" someone called out. "As Lord Gramis pointed out, he himself is not so old as to need this.", while another of similar mind said: "Nor do I believe that both children would immediately be affected by our outcome."
"I do not seek to make my grandson the emperor." Senator Meligeni called out. "But I merely wish to establish his position so that I can help my daughter to give him the necessary education."
Unlike Larsa, the senators could have much more interaction. Despite the numerous attempts at preventing the child to meet his maternal grandfather, some attempts would be bound to fail.
Yet at the same time, many would fight against this for the very sake that some members of the senate would be too powerful.
Such a conflict occurs because both side felt that something had to be done now, as they were certain that the others would be doing something. To a certain extent, this was pointless because much could still change. Declarations were made to be broken.
The result would probably be a compromise but compromises were not always equal.
However, Vayne found himself rather annoyed. This was how the rulers of the country occupy their days with? Declaring who would be the possible heir when the decision would probably not even last long.
The boy that was responsible for all of this was asleep in his cradle, after he just spent a long time crying. As if this was not bad enough, the real mother had been weeping too.
"Lady Messallina, please do not punish my child for my transgression." The maid had implored out. She could be the baby's nurse for now, a pitiful consolation, but who knew what would happen in a few years time? "I know that I did wrong to you but my child…"
"If you are so sorry, then why did you sleep with my husband in the first place?" Messallina asked wearily. "Does it matter then, that you are sorry, when you have already caused me much harm?"
Tudur presented himself as charming without making himself the victim, so that he would not risk having the truth exposed. His crimes would be that which can be corrected by a few light slaps.
For a man to be faithful like his father…that was truly a thing of wonder. Therefore, few would truly condemn a loving husband for wanting to sleep with another now and then.
But the young girl paid more then what one expected. Not only did she lose her own child, her own family were to live under scrutiny for the rest of their life. There would be no complaining, of course, as the alternative was for them to be dead. Since Tudur presented the good side of reward, she suspected that her father was the one that threatened punishment.
"Siorus is my child, do not make that mistake again." Messallina said before she indicated the maid to give the child to her. "Leave."
"But Lady Messallina…"
"Do not make me ask again. Leave."
It has been a few weeks but she was still living in her parent's house, and no one answered her question of when they would be returning to House Solidor. Perhaps Tudur and Ewein felt that it was safer here, or perhaps they did not want others to see the child. However, it was temporary. A few months would probably be the maximum time that they could hide away.
Messallina knew that they had to go back, but she would much prefer staying here. Here, she only had to make a show of being motherly now. When she goes back to House Solidor, however, she would only be able to drop her act when she was sleeping.
Not to mention the emperor, Vayne was constantly alert. There were servants too, unlike the ones here, they were not watched and kept to their place by her mother with both rewards and punishments.
The best way to solve all problems would be for her to love this baby, to love him as if he was her own son. A child that she herself carried in the womb for nine months and anticipated the arrival instead of a child she had hoped to disappear.
It would be practical in the long run too, if the boy loved her and would side with her. He could be a good ally and defence against her husband. The irony itself was amusing.
The problem, however, was that she did not love this child, even though she was rational enough to not hate the child. She resented him for what he represented, yet she did not resent him.
If anything, she pitied him slightly.
She could even feel a slight empathy with her husband.
Was this not similar to his situation in the very beginning? He had to be bound to someone that he simply could not love, yet he had to make a show of caring for that person.
However, the pity did not last long as she soon moved on from the similarity of the situation. Tudur was not the only one in an unpleasant situation, as she was in the very same situation too! Nor was he at a complete disadvantage by marrying her.
This child would not only threaten her. When she has her own children, they would always come beneath him. It would naturally not bother Tudur as they would all be his sons.
She needed some sort of a security for them and for herself. One way would be to obtain proof of the child's parentage, but that was not easy. It could only be from the mother, but the mother would surely want this glorious position for her own son.
The doctor who helped her to fake her pregnancy? Leaving aside whether he could be trusted with her secret, he did not seem one whose words would carry weight, especially when the alternative was Tudur Solidor.
"But maybe you should always be the heir?" she whispered to the baby boy. This was actually not that bad a decision, since his father was a proof of how being the eldest son might not be a fully good thing. It was possible to expect too much of your legacy.
By having the honour of being the eldest, this boy would also receive many wounds due to that very same position. Perhaps by giving up on the position of being the oldest, her own children might actually be spared.
The child was crying softly, so she began to rock it. However, all of this seemed surreal. It was as if she was playing with a doll.
Author's Note: As I mentioned, Messallina's alignment would be evil, which means that she is selfish. However, she is not evil-evil. She wishes for Siorus to die, but she would not do anything to harm him, unless she was in a situation where someone or something she love would die if she did not harm him. In addition, even though she has yet to be able to love Siorus, she is actually looking after him and trying to be fair.
The senators are semi-arguing, it is the idea of whether they should make Siorus the heir, giving that he is related a senator. However, it is as Vayne said, it is pointless, as something would most likely come up and change the situation. However, this argument come up as both sides are afraid at what might happen if they do not. Messallina's father believe that if he does not speak up, his enemies might try to let Siorus have no chance of inheriting.