Supplement Scene 6: (Ileana's reveals her 1st pregnancy)
8888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888
It bothered Karsh that he couldn't see what Ileana was reading. With a hot August sun beating down, the two advisors were relaxing under an umbrella outside. Across from him, his wife was leaning back in her chair, her sunglasses sitting low on her nose, and her feet propped up. She wrapped her literature in some foreign book cover which he identified by the main fact that it was upside down.
"What are you reading?"
"You've asked me that like seven times now and I'm not going to tell you."
"Why not?"
"Cause it's my business."
He opened his mouth but closed it again, obviously begging or a 'please' was not going to work.
"Can I read it when you're done?"
"By the time I'm done with it, you won't need to read it."
"What if I still want to read it though?"
"Then I'll laugh." She gave him an innocent smile over her book.
From their hidden place behind the sculpted walls of the garden, the king and queen overhead the conversation. Miranda covered her mouth as she gave a small giggle, "How long do you think it'll take him to guess?"
"Hopefully not before she gets the chance to tell him."
"When did you figure it out?"
Aron thought about it for a moment, "I caught her checking her figure in the hall mirror. You?"
"I found her in the garden at dawn a few days ago. She was singing and just acting so elated. Then I asked her and she confirmed it."
"I'm extremely surprised that he hasn't gotten one hint yet."
She nodded, "He's not looking for it though, and we know what to look for."
8888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888
Dinner that evening was peculiar. With the girls gone away at school, Ileana, Karsh, Aron, and Miranda sat down for a nice meal like they always had in the past.
Ileana's eating habits quickly became the center of conversation.
"I didn't know you liked those." Commented Miranda when her friend sampled some food she previously had detested.
"I don't usually, but I just have this craving for it." Ileana took a bite.
"A craving? That's unusual."
Under the table, Ileana made a move to hit the queen's foot with her own, but Miranda anticipated her. Seeing the eyes of her old friend though, the queen decided that it wasn't really her place to tell.
Karsh seemed to prompt her though, "She has wanted some unusual food lately."
"It's nothing; I'm just branching out a little." Ileana put down a few pieces of food.
"Okay, no olives? Now I know something's wrong."
"Nothing's wrong, let's just talk about it later."
The conversation dissolved into nothingness and was replaced by the more traditional friendly banter. After dinner, Ileana and Miranda went to the conservatory while Karsh and Aron decided to play a friendly game of the Coventry version of billiards.
Ileana stood in the center of the room, staring up at the skylight and watching the stars in the night sky. Miranda had never seen her so entranced, so utterly captivated by the small twinkling lights billions of miles away.
"Are you alright?"
"They're just so beautiful."
Miranda looked up, "Yes they are. Why haven't you told Karsh yet?"
She sighed, "I wanted to be sure, and you're usually safe after three months."
"True," Miranda thought for a moment, "Well, you've been married a little over a year."
"And we've had years to spend together." Ileana paused, "Do you think he'll be happy?"
"I think he'll be ecstatic."
She breathed a sigh of relief, "I think he'd be happy too, it's just, Karsh surprises me sometimes."
"He does have some unique reactions."
"How did Aron take the news?"
"He was shocked at first, for a minute or so, and then he picked me up and spun me around. After that, when I told him how far along I was, he realized that I'd gotten pregnant probably on our wedding night."
They shared a laugh and Ileana turned her eyes back to the stars, "Everything seems so different."
"You're still in that stage, then. Just wait, near the end, you'll be begging for the baby to be born."
"Probably. Could I ask you not to tell the girls? I want it to be a surprise for them too."
"Sure, I'll tell Aron too."
They talked for quite awhile after that, under the stars the old friends conversed as if they'd never been separated. Away from servants and formality, Miranda was once again the woman she'd been before her marriage. Casual and friendly with no pretentious airs.
888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888
When Karsh finally came to bed after settling his old score with Aron, Ileana was already there and reading the book that she'd denied Karsh earlier.
The light beside their bed hovered near her head, illuminated the pages, "Hey honey. How was the game?"
"We're tied now."
"Oh good." She became engrossed in the book again.
Karsh undressed and crawled into bed beside her, "Is there any way I can get your attention?"
She closed the book and turned off the light, rolling over onto her side. Karsh snuggled up next to her, wrapping his arms around her.
"Do I have your attention?"
Laughing, she responded, "Yes, do I have yours?"
"Always."
"Can I tell you a secret?"
"Is it about that book you're reading?"
"Maybe."
"Will you tell me what it is?"
"Possibly." She grinned and grabbed the hand he'd draped over her, "Give me a second."
He heard her whispered chanting and realized that she was casting a spell on him.
"Ileana, what are you –" He stopped when he realized that she'd placed his hand on her stomach.
"What?" Karsh paused, his eyes closed; that spell had given him some sort of second sight. The life force of Ileana radiated through his fingers tips. It was loving, full of life, and irreversibly mingled with his own essence.
Something else was there though, a life force that was contented, pure, and entirely innocent. It was coming from inside her, completely surrounded by what he perceived to be maternal love. The second that the realization hit him, he opened his eyes.
"Ileana?" She rolled over to face him, her eyes wide awaiting him.
"Yes?"
"Are you?"
She smiled at him, "For the last three months."
Grinning, he pulled her close to him and kissed her, holding her face in his hands. When they parted, Ileana was breathless, "So, you're happy?"
"Are you kidding?" He laughed, "This is so great!"
As best he could, he hugged his wife to him, "We're gonna be parents!"
Cuddling, Ileana was laughing with joy, "After all this time, I'm gonna be a mother, and you're gonna be a father!"
That particular statement seemed to make him think, "I'm going to be a father."
She nodded, "You'll be a great one."
"You'll be a great mother."
They didn't need to say another word about it; everything was perfect as it was and they drifted off to sleep.
Hours later, the first rays of light of the morning broke over the couple in their bed. Still holding each other in the same loving embrace, their foreheads touching, fingers still curled around the others.
Like every other morning, the dawn was breaking, and unlike every other morning, nothing would ever be the same.
88888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888
Thanks for the reviews and responses! Please keep reviewing!
Since I got such a good response on my suggestion, I will be posting a new supplement scene, "Karsh and Ileana's Wedding Night."