The Path of Water
By Arlia'Devi
Disclaimer: I do not own Spirited Away in any respect; all rights go to Hayao Miyazaki and associates. I make no money from this.
The Path of Water
XXVI: Cold
When Zeniba got to the palace, she hoped it wasn't too late. Her boots clicked on the marbled floor as she ran through the foyer, bypassing the receptionist and employees that congregated to the foyer. Haku, bless his heart, had notified staff of her arrival so she had no problems getting through. Not like she would have had problems, however, she would have gotten through – a few staff members would have been worse for wear, that is true, but nothing would keep her apart from her dear grandchild.
When Haku answered the door, relief flooded his features.
"Where is she?" she barged past Haku.
"Laying on the bed," he said, following Zeniba through the apartment.
"How long was she in the bath?"
"Twenty minutes. She just got out."
Zeniba ran into the master bedroom and Haku was in quick pursuit. Chihiro lay on the bed in a light robe. Sweat had formed on her brow again and she was panting heavily. When she saw Zeniba, she smiled gently and reached out to her.
"Are you in pain, dear?" Zeniba asked gently, taking her granddaughter's hand.
"No," she shook her head. "What's happening to me?"
Zeniba laughed gently. "I'm afraid this is all your dragon's fault, dear." She reached into the large black bag she'd brought with her and revealed a thin book of spells and some assorted ingredients Haku recognised. They were rare and expensive… He swallowed thickly.
"You see, Chihiro, dear," she said as she noticed Haku eyeing the contents of her bag. "You and Haku are very different people but probably the biggest difference in you is that you're warm blooded and he is cold blooded. How long have you been feeling like this?"
"This morning I woke up feeling this terrible."
"Have you been feeling sleepy recently?"
She nodded. "For about a week. I'm sleepy all the time."
"Zeniba," Haku warned lowly. He touched the book of spells Zeniba had brought with her and frowned.
"I see," said Zeniba, ignoring Haku. "Well, when you first said you were having a baby, I was so happy. As the baby grows, it develops systems that will produce its own blood. I had hoped the baby would have been more like you dear, and warm blooded, but it seems its more dragon than human. The child has cold blood."
Zeniba took out a small bowl and placed the strange contents of a packet inside it. They looked like strange little bean pods and when she began to crush them up, they emitted a weird smell.
"My body is rejecting the baby…," Chihiro muttered. Haku had rounded the other side then and taken up Chihiro's hand. She looked at him and frowned. "Is that what's happening?"
"Essentially," replied Zeniba. She kept her cheery tone to her. "But it's something that can easily be fixed, darling. Don't worry about that."
"How?" Chihiro asked.
Haku answered. "It's just a simple spell, Chihiro."
"Is the baby all right?" she croaked.
Haku nodded. "It's just fretting. It will be all right, Chihiro."
"Very simple spell," repeated Zeniba. Haku looked across the bed at her and narrowed his eyes. Liar, he thought. Chihiro squeezed her husband's hand tightly.
"I was thinking, Chihiro," said Haku gently and the woman opened her eyes blearily as he spoke. "We should think about some baby names. I'll get a book from the library or something and we could talk about some." He smoothed the hair away from Chihiro's face. "Do you have any in mind?"
She nodded and smiled gently, but didn't make a move to speak.
"What are they? Tell me."
"I didn't know I would have so many problems being pregnant," she said gently. "I thought the real trouble would be getting pregnant… because we were so different, I never thought-," she shook her head. "Now everyone that we've told… they will know I-,"
"Tell me them, please."
Chihiro closed her eyes. "I feel weird."
"It's all a part of the process," muttered Zeniba from the side.
Chihiro felt like she was slipping away. The room was spinning and she closed her eyes briefly. Her skin was tingling and her chest felt like it was beginning to get tighter. What was this feeling? What. A. Strange. Feeling.
It wasn't unpleasant, or horrible, it was just weird. She opened her eyes to see her husband talking to Zeniba. His mouth moved slowly, and the words sounded even slower. She could see every hair on his head. Every beautiful emerald strand. His nose was so slender and perfect. His eyes were narrow and beautiful. His lips, oh how she loved to kiss those lips. Haku noticed her watching then, and Chihiro loved it when a small smile graced those lips.
"What are you looking at, Chihiro?" he asked.
"You," she laughed. "You're so beautiful."
Haku looked to Zeniba. "Is this supposed to happen?"
Zeniba shrugged. "The spells been cast. It effects everyone differently. It looks like she's enjoying an extreme high."
Chihiro giggled and laughed, then she closed her eyes and sighed. Haku felt the baby – it was relaxed and unmoving, like it was in a deep state of conscious relaxation. At least it was still there, still alive. He sighed deeply. Zeniba was packing up her things into the leather bag again.
"Cup of tea?" he asked.
Zeniba smiled. "It's all right, Haku," she smiled. "I really must get back. There's a cake in the oven I hope No Face has taken out. I'll send you some."
"What…," he looked at Chihiro, who was mindlessly looking at something outside.
"She'll fall asleep in a while," she said. "The spell is very taxing, but should be complete in up to four hours. After that, she'll carry the baby and her body will stop rejecting it's blood. You should be thankful you caught it early."
"I am," nodded Haku. "Thank you, Zeniba. Your aid has been immeasurable to me."
"No need to be so formal all the time," she smiled well-naturedly. "She is my granddaughter. I would do anything for this family. When she goes to sleep, she will be fine. Have a good day."
Zeniba left the Palace then, and Haku slumped on the side of the bed, watching Chihiro and she closed her eyes, and then opened them again, and then closed them, repeating the action until she noticed Haku sitting by her bed. Chihrio smiled.
"Let's make love," she sighed. "I feel amazing. Let's make love."
Haku laughed. "Maybe later."
Her hand touched the inside of his thigh. "Why not now?"
"Because I'm tired," he lied. "Aren't you tired?"
Chihiro thought for a moment. "Maybe…" she replied after a moment. She smiled groggily. "Yeah… maybe."
Haku considered casting a spell, but resisted in case it just messed up Zeniba's, or played havoc with it and something bad happened. Instead, he rolled beside his wife and allowed his body heat and closeness to soothe her. As predicted, the woman fell asleep in a matter of moments and Haku slowly, carefully, detangled himself from his wife. Satisfied she would sleep soundly, he retreated into the office to do some work.
He phoned Ayne first and explained that Chihiro had fallen ill, and that he would not be able to make any of his appointments today. He heard the hesitation in his voice, but soothed that it would be fine, nonetheless, and asked of Chihiro and went about giving her well wishes, and then hung up. Haku huffed and looked at the documents that were still to be read and signed and filed. He sighed and dipped his pen into the pot of ink and began to work.
Was she dreaming? The beautiful baby was in her arms and was looking up at her with large green eyes. She held it carefully, but it felt strange, like she thought it would to hold her child for the first time.
"I'm your Mama," she smiled at it. The baby continued to look at her.
"What's your name?" she asked. "Tell me your perfect name, baby."
The baby shifted suddenly and Chihiro saw something out of the corner of her eye – something swept across the bedspread. A giant lizard – dragon's - tail ghosted over the bed. Chihiro followed it back to her baby, back to this perfect infant in her arms, only to see it yawn and exhibit rows of sizable teeth. W-what was this?
"Baby…," she murmured. Frantically, Chihiro looked around – looked for her husband, her friends, her parents, her grandparents. She looked back at the baby and gasped as something wet slipped through her finger. The baby was melting – melting into black goo, staining her skirts and her fingers, distorting and melting and dying. Chihiro cried out.
And then she was falling – falling and falling and never stopping through a deep dark pit. She screamed, but it seemed to go on forever and forever.
"Chihiro-," her name was being hissed somewhere deep down in the chasm. She convulsed and hit the ground as snakes began to slither over her calves and legs, sealing her to the floor.
"HELP ME!" she screamed. Everything was dark.
"Chihiro, wake up," the voice permeated the black space. She felt the sting of the snakes sinking their fangs into her flesh. She saw the goo of the melted child on her fingers. She screamed and cried.
"Chihiro!"
Chihiro bolted upright and fell into Haku's arms weeping and crying. The man simply held her, soothed her with a hand on her back and whispered words into her ear.
"It's alright. It was just a dream."
Chihiro hiccupped and sniffed against his shoulder. "What happened to me?"
Haku climbed onto the bed with his wife and smoothed back her hair from her face. She looked so much better, so much healthier. Pressing a kiss to her forehead he said,
"You were burning a fever. Zeniba came over, because it meant that your body was rejecting the baby. We saved it though, with a spell. That's why you feel like this. It's not a normal kind of spell. It's complex and deep," he smiled gently at her bewildered face. "It's going to take a while to recover from. That's why you had such strange dreams." He saw her look in his eyes blankly and frowned.
"Chihiro," he said levelly. "How much do you remember?"
She bit her lip and said, "I remember feeling sick for the last few weeks… and then, um – not much. Did that all really happen?"
Haku nodded. "I'm afraid so."
"And the baby?"
"Is fine now," he said gently. "You really don't remember what you did, and said. It's Tuesday, if that means anything to you."
Chihiro shook her head. "I think the last thing I remember is…," he laughed. "Saturday night."
"Oh," Haku muttered, remembering Saturday night. "Well at least you remember that. I pretty much blew your mind that night. I'm not too sure if I can do an encore."
Chihiro laughed and hugged her mate. His presence was so soothing and Chihiro could have stayed there for an eternity more. Eventually, however, her stomach rumbled and she knew she needed to eat.
"Um, dinner?" she asked.
"It's been delivered," he said gently. "But I have to go – there are some people I need to meet and things I need to discuss. Will you be all right here? I can have someone come in if you want?"
Chihiro shook her head. "It's all right. When will you be done?"
"Late, I'm afraid. But I'll try and finish quickly," he kissed her cheek and sighed. "Are you sure you'll be all right? I can send Ayne down. Please I would feel better. I don't want you here alone if you're not feeling well."
"I'll be fine. I kind of want some quiet right now anyway," Chihiro sighed as Haku got up. He returned a moment later with a fragrant dish and a bottle of water and handed it to Chihiro.
"Eat, please," he demanded. "Do you want me to draw you a bath? Light the fire?"
"Bath please," she hummed. Haku kissed her lips softly, then lingered and kissed them a little more fiercely. Chihiro kissed back with want and dropped her fork. Hearing the clatter, Haku laughed and picked it back up.
"I was so scared I'd lost you," he said tenderly.
Chihiro touched his hand. "You'll never lose me. I'll always be around." She sighed. "Do you really have to go? I really want you to stay."
He nodded. "Unfortunately. I'll try to be quick, however. I'll bring the rest of the paperwork back here. But don't wait up for me."
Chihiro accepted, and Haku left. She finished her meal in silence and then went to draw a bath. It was soothing and she rubbed oils over her swollen stomach. Images of that haunting, visual dream became apparent, but she pushed it back and decided to do something useful in between the time she wasn't drowsy. She went to the gift basket her parent's had given her, which was in the yellow room, still unpacked, and fished out a baby name book.
100,000+ Baby Names, was its title. Well, Chihiro didn't need that many baby names. Just one. Or maybe two. Or maybe four – a first and middle name for each gender would be nice. With a sigh she began flicking through it.
There were names from all sorts of origins, from many places within the human world all compiled into the one book. She looked at Japanese baby names, since they were culturally relevant, and Haku would have an interest to know the kanji of the name.
She started with the girls'.
Haku sat in his office going over paperwork. He'd spent the last three-quarters of an hour with Ayne, who wanted to know of Chihiro's condition. He'd sufficed to say she'd fallen ill with a fever but was recovering well, and did not elaborate any further than that, and then there were other meetings and things to discuss that he'd missed today. He'd been given a stack of paperwork – one of his most favourite things in the world – and had decided to retire to his office and burn the midnight oil.
There was a small knock on the door and Haku called for whoever it was to come in – perhaps it was Chihiro.
It wasn't. It was Senekular.
"My lord," he bowed and smiled.
"Minister," replied Haku, "what brings you out this late?"
Senekular smiled briefly. "I have always been more of a night owl, myself," he said. "I have heard The Lady was not well. I send her my best wishes."
"She came down with a slight fever," he lied politely, signing off on a grand to repave a part of the square. "She's recovering now. Everything is fine."
"I am glad," said Senekular, looking at the chair. "May I sit? I have something to discuss with you."
Haku nodded and motioned to the chair with his hand. "Of course. What matters do you have?"
"I was going to bring it up this morning," stated Senekular. "I realise that I have not been pleasant towards you, and I apologise for this," he cleared his throat. "I worked with Sar'onga for many centuries – I suppose you may say, to be working with someone so young like yourself came as quite a shock."
"Do not mistake youth for inexperience," replied Haku levelly.
"I did not," he replied quickly. "And I mean no offence to you. Simply, that you picked everything up here so quickly."
"I have known for a long time I was to take the Throne after Sar'onga died, despite the fact I thought he may live for many centuries longer," he muttered. "May he rest peacefully with the Lords."
"Yes, yes," Senekular muttered, "but the pressing issue is still the Western Lands. Of what have you heard?"
"No deaths, no soldiers infiltrating our borders on malicious orders, trade routes are still strong-," he cleared his throat. "Sometimes I wonder what made me think that the Western Lands were something to worry about."
"And you have met with Jaikomaru? You have spoken with this Lord?"
"Yes," replied Haku. "He seems intent on maintaining the peace between our lands. It is a commendable effort after everything past the Lords have done to influence a violet fission." He signed his name over a small bill and put it to the side.
"Is it not strange both lands lost their lords within the immediant time?" hummed Senekular. Haku looked up towards him then, and the man shrugged.
"I am simply stating a fact that some may have not noticed. Rami-tarng passes away, not from old age in fact, the man was quite young, and our dearest Sar'onga." He smiled and shrugged simply. "And perhaps it was a pact."
"Perhaps," Haku replied with a hum. "Doubtful. Who wants an early grave?"
Senekular looked to the fire that was burning in the corner of his room. "Some. Maybe a few decades in this job may change your tune, my Lord. It's taxing and demanding." He looked to the Lord then. "I hear that your new mate is expecting. Congratulations."
"Thank you."
"Do you hope for a son, or a daughter?"
"Either," he replied. "Do you have children?"
"Not at all," he said. "Will your children have any claim to the throne?"
"None unless they earn it," he replied in a small tuney-hum. "The bathhouse is theirs though. They can have that. I'm afraid, however, when I die, so will the river."
Senekular nodded. "I forget you're a business man. Good for our treasuries."
"Is it?" he replied with a small grin. "Ismene is Master of Wealth, or should I say, Mistress."
"Sar'onga enjoyed putting women to work - sacked the old Master of Wealth and reinstated a former whore," he muttered.
"Ismene has a quick mind and judgement skills," he replied. "My wife was telling me, perhaps we think ourselves above the human world, but there are numerous things they are better at than we are."
"Humour me," replied Senekular. Haku turned his head up at the tone.
"For sixty years, women have been rallying for equality in the workplace. They're now paid almost as much as the men, and some even run their own countries," he replied. "Perhaps we could take a turn out of their book. This is the first Lady the Lands have seen. I hope she won't be the last."
Senekular considered this for a moment and Haku went back to his paperwork while the man formulated a response.
"It is hard to consider women being anything more when the dearest old Lord simply picked them out from the chambers of his whore house," replied Senekular.
"I'm not saying it was the best way," rebuked Haku. "A father does not hope his daughter will be forced into such a position in order to make her way in the world. That is the way it has been in the past, but if the women has merit, has intelligence and drive, then she will be considered my equal. When we take mates, do we not consider them our equals? Do we not concede they are on the same level as we are?"
Senekular shrugged. "I have never been mated."
"Then you miss a great joy in life," he replied earnestly.
Senekular rose from his chair then. "Thank you for this chat. I has been pleasant."
Haku nodded his acknowledgement. "Have a good night."
"As to you. Send my well-wishes to the lady."
"You are kind."
Senekular bowed before leaving the office, closing the door gently behind him.
Thanks for those people who reviewed the last chapter. I really appreciate your continue support!
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I'm slowly writing a few chapters here and there for this fanfiction. We just past 450 reviews, which is so amazing! I can't believe it. Thanks for your time. Please remember to leave a quick review before you go this week.
~ Arlia'Devi