A/N: I don't think this one has an episode to go with it. This was all additional... additions. :P Enjoy the update, and have a lovely Thursday, dear readers! And a huge welcome and many thanks to 'mystery' for the review!


Chapter the Twelfth

"I hope that she makes her decision sooner, rather than later. I am anxious as well as fearful." Kuru lay on the bed with his legs propped up against the wall and his hands resting at his sides.

Well, one was resting. The other was playing a game with Feya's hand to see how close he could reach it before losing all self control and grasping it entirely.

He lost the battle almost as soon as he'd begun.

"You miss Manjipoor," Feya said in understanding. She too was laying "up-side-down" as the Princess called it. Though Feya thought it more sideways than up-side-down.

"Yes. It is almost time for the Elephant Festival. I had hoped the princess might be persuaded to participate in the honour of bestowing this year's wish to Anala's choice. But she may not want to have such a prominent role if she does not desire to be the princess any longer."

"If she stays…" it took the smallest of movements and a great deal of courage for her to move her head so that she was looking into his eyes, "Will we go to Manjipoor?"

Kuru nodded slowly. "If she relinquishes the throne, I will be deprived of my duties as her servant. I will be sad to go, but you and I belong in Manjipoor. If… if we ever have children, I would wish for them to be raised there.

"It is home," he remarked softly.

"Ever…" Feya breathed. "You have no wish for children at present?"

"I had not thought of it," he admitted. "Why do you ask?"

Feya's eyes went wide. "It is only that I have not used the poultice for so long, because I thought you wished for children!"

Kuru sat up a little, supporting his head with a fist. "I do not understand. You can… choose, and… prevent…?"

It was Feya's turn to nod, though she avoided eye contact this time. "There is a special poultice made with Manjipoorian herbs that is used to prevent a master's seed from impregnating his slave." Her voice grew softer. "Masters do not wish to father slaves that have no useful function for the first few years of life. I had been using it before… I used it the first time, for the ritual… but once we were married, I did not think I was required to! I am most sorry! Forgive me, I did not understand!"

Kuru swung his legs over the side of the bed to sit straight up. Feya moved as well, but at a much slower and more cautioned pace.

"This is very unexpected," he murmured. "I was not prepared… But the princess does not know!"

"What of the princess?"

"By royal law, and agreement of the elders, I am required permission of the princess to father children!" He looked to her with worry. "Is it possible that now you could be…"

"I… do not know. I am not certain of anything. Only that I have caused you trouble again, and I am sorry."

"I would not be sorry if you were with child," he admitted, lips quirking into a smile. "However, if that is the case, and we have not asked permission of the princess…"

Feya's lip trembled slightly.

"I will ask her now! I will do my best to persuade her that this is a wonderful thing!" He stopped before he'd quite reached the door. "It is… is it not? That is, if it is indeed true?"

Feya nodded, encouraging his determination.

All afternoon, Kuru looked for opportunity to broach such a delicate subject with his princess. She was known to "freak out" as she so often accused others of doing, and he did not look forward to the exchange.

Still, for the permission to enlarge his family… for Feya to have his children…

He thought back to before he was enlisted in the service of the princess, when he'd play with his small cousins. He swallowed back a lump in his throat. Though he had not considered it before, now that such a possibility loomed before them, Kuru had to admit he wanted children very much.

Marcus was in conference with Alex all day, making it difficult to get her attention. He was attempting to patch up the emotional turmoil he'd caused unknowingly when the Princess of Manjipoor bore her heart to him and he mocked her for it. Kuru felt a little sorry for the young man not being aware of the reasons behind Alex's obvious irritation towards him.

Kuru tried not to be rude, but waiting for an audience with his princess was increasing his anxiety by the moment. It was after the fourth time he appeared in the doorway with a subtle cough and a, "May I speak with you on a very important matter?" that Alex relented.

"Hang on, Marcus. I'll be right back."

"What? To talk to him?"

"Relax. It'll only take a minute."

Once alone in her room, Kuru knelt on one knee as he used to in the old days.

"Kuru, what are you doing? You stopped doing that silly bow ages ago."

He did not defend himself, but went straight to the heart of the matter. "Princess, I humbly ask in Feya's place that she be granted permission to have a child."

Alex balked. "Are you serious? Why does she want to get pregnant? Isn't she like… fifteen years old or something?"

Kuru made a face. "Nearly."

"She's fourteen and wants to get pregnant?!"

"May already be…" he slipped in.

"What? Kuru, what has that girl been up to? And why would you care if she got…" She read the silence in his seriousness. "Kuru! Have you been…?! Have you and she…?"

"It is all right, Princess! We are married!" he reassured her.

"Married?! Okay, that's it…" Alex was pacing again. "Ever since that girl was brought here, everything's gone topsy-turvy. My life is a soap! Nothing makes sense anymore; I have no idea how to deal with all this!"

Kuru was crestfallen.

"I don't mean she's a bother! I like Feya! But I'm dealing with the possibility of never seeing my family and friends ever again, and moving to Manjipoor permanently. I need time to get used to all this before you and Feya start…" she trailed off, unable still to comprehend, "married!?"

"Princess, if I may… it is part of the royal duties to put the needs of one's people first. I am but an unworthy servant to you, and would not presume to advise you in your decisions, but this is something your mother was known to have said both to her subjects and in private. I am sorry for disturbing you at such a time. I will leave, now, and await your decision." He turned and walked slowly away.

"Wait!" she stopped him. "If I don't give permission… then what happens?"

Kuru sighed. "She will be banished from Manjipoor, and the child given into slavery."

"If she's already pregnant. Maybe she's not!"

Kuru nodded sadly. "As you say, she may not be. But if she is not, you are stating that we are not to attempt to change things. That she is to remain motherless until you are ready for her to have a child." He did not put it as question. In his mind, her answer was clear as the waters at Nanpoom.

"Kuru…"

"It is all right. I will spare you the trouble of explaining yourself further to the mere husband of a slave."

"You know I don't see you two as servants."

"But you certainly treat us as such when it is convenient for you."

And with that, he was gone.

Alex returned to the front room, even less willing to be patient with Marcus than before. His own attitude didn't help things.

"What's with all your private conversations?" he whinged, "Are you guys dating behind my back or something?"

She wouldn't have taken him seriously, except for the glum expression she was met with. Alex scoffed. "That's ridiculous. Kuru and I are not in a secret relationship."

"Well, how do I know you're not just saying that? Maybe you haven't made up your mind about me, so you're playing the field a bit?"

"That's nuts! There's no way…!"

Marcus was disbelieving.

"Look, you know that girl with him? They're married. I lied about them being cousins. She was his slave from Manjipoor, and then he brought her here and apparently liked her enough to marry her and she might be pregnant, so there's no way Kuru and I could be together. No." She shook her head for emphasis.

"You've gotta be kidding me. I know exactly what you're doing here, and I don't like it."

"What?" she blinked, trying to work out how he discovered her secret.

"Alex, if you're not interested in dating, or you need space to think, just be honest with me."

"I am being honest with you! It's all true!"

"But you lied about them being cousins, and you lied about being sick. You didn't show up for the recording session…"

"Yeah, I know, and I'm sorry! But I'm telling the truth now! I do want to be with you, I just… I can't tell you everything…"

"Just forget it. If you think you have to lie to me for me to understand… I don't think this is going to work between us." He picked up his book bag and shook his head in disappointment. "I get the message. You don't have to explain. It's over."

The feelings Alex experienced as she watched him walk away were strange to her. She was disappointed, of course, but not devastated as she had been when attempting to share her secret. She knew who he was now, and that she could do better.

Feya and Kuru had also seen Marcus take his leave. Kuru had returned to apologise for raising his voice, and Feya insisted on making her own apologies since it was she who caused the predicament, and it was she that he asked permission for.

"Is he to be tied and pelted, now?" she whispered as Marcus stalked away. "The princess looks very unhappy."

"He certainly deserves it," Kuru answered.

Much to his surprise, Feya bravely sauntered into the room and knelt before the princess. "Please forgive this wretched slave! I am to be blamed for Kuru's request, so it is my fault your assignation was not as you desired. You may punish me as you see fit."

Alex turned around from the CD's she was mindlessly rearranging. "That's okay, Feya. I'm fine."

Kuru entered with great caution. "Are you certain, Princess? Your heart is not seriously wounded by his spurning?"

"Yeah! I'm fine! I guess… it's better this way. I could never tell him about the secret, and now I can move on." She smiled and elbowed him playfully. "Maybe there's someone in Manjipoor for me. Someone hotter."

"I do not see what bodily temperature has to do with anything… but does that mean you are seriously considering…?"

"I have to tell JB and Amanda, first. And…" she inhaled, "I've decided… I'm going to tell my parents."