Whenever Chamberlain went to the Scientist for his exams every few days, he always made sure that none of the other Skeksis were around. Tek made sure too. This was just between them. If another Skeksis did come into the lab and saw they were together, they just made out they were talking of improving ways of getting the essence in a better way, when it was nothing of the sort. Or made something else up, like Sil was just getting a health checkup.
The Scientist was responsible for all Skeksis health checkups after all. Though it did seem suspicious of why Sil was getting all these health checkups again, and quite often.
One day, while Sil was having his weekly exam, his robes were pulled up and Tek was just examining his belly, feeling the child's movements. Sil winced.
"Finish, please!" Sil begged, holding his breath.
"Almost done." Tek replied. He finally let go of Sil's skin.
Sil let out a good breath of air. "Not have to press down every time." he said, rubbing his belly.
"I must to feel the child, Chamberlain. It's the only way to feel if it's still viable." Tek stated.
"I can say child is viable. Feel it move myself." Sil snapped.
"Yes, but when you tell the Emperor of it, you might need additional proof, until it comes." Tek declared. "Just when are you going to tell him?"
"My decision. I decide, not you. I still hold promise of what I do if you tell." Sil warned him. "And just how long do you think baby has before comes?" He still had a hand on his belly.
"From feeling it just now, and from the size of your belly, it shouldn't be long." Tek said. "But when it gets ready, you should know that you'll be in for a world of pain." he warned Sil. "No stopping it."
Chamberlain hated pain. He had already felt cramps going on lately. His practice contractions. If his child was born now, it would be premature, but might stand a chance, if he knew what to do.
"Any other advice on know what to do after birth?" Sil asked.
"I can only tell on what I've seen from other creatures, since Skeksis have never had childlings before." Tek replied and went on to explain the gory details. Sil was an adult and deserved to know the truth after all, in this case.
The gory details sent a shiver down Sil's spine. He wasn't looking forward to that, but he would do what he would to have his baby. He wouldn't give up on it.
"I have it, no matter what happens." Sil declared proudly.
"No matter what happens?" the voice of the Ritual Master asked.
That startled both Sil and Tek. Sil immediately put his robes down in a hurry.
Zok looked at them both in curiosity.
"Nothing, SkekZok. SkekSil just needed a health check." Tek replied.
"I see. The Emperor is demanding more essence soon." Zok declared.
"Yes, it will done soon. Very soon." Tek replied.
"Good. Do it after this." Zok demanded.
"Yes, Lord Ritual Master." the Scientist agreed.
Zok left the lab.
Sil let out a sigh of relief. "Too close."
"They all must find out soon, Chamberlain. You were almost caught this time." Tek warned.
"I know."
"No essence for you, you know that."
Sil whimpered. "Yes, know it." He began to push himself up off the table. He grunted at the effort that it took to put even the littlest bend in his upper belly to just get off the table.
"Try laying on your side to get up instead of sitting up. Roll off the table instead." the Scientist suggested, noticing his struggle.
"Try another time." Sil was willing to try anything to help himself move easier at this point. He was now on his feet and on the way out.
Tek still wanted to tell the Emperor so badly about Sil's secret. He glared after the pregnant Skeksis in red. He felt that he was a coward for hiding this secret from the others, but more so, the Emperor.
….
The last weeks of the pregnancy were taking their toll on the Chamberlain. There were so many times of near slip ups where other Skeksis were asking him what was going on with him and he would get so defensive and grouchy. He just wanted them to keep their distance. It even included the Scientist too.
Some of them didn't dare cross him. There were others who loved to see him humiliated. Like Ung and Na. Sil was asking for more food scraps than usual from the Slave Master. But he also took food from the Gourmand too, to sate the annoying hunger that he felt from eating for two. At least two. But he gave the Gourmand payment from those foods he found in the wilderness.
The shells on those plants that he was eating had an extra protein in it that he wasn't getting from anything else. It was like a second essence, so to speak. He was craving Gelfling essence, but knew he couldn't have any.
One time, La did travel with him on his daily excursion out in the wilderness to show her what he needed every day because of this craving. They were tasty treats indeed.
As for Sil's body, aside from his belly getting bigger, his back hurt more than ever. His pelvis has been widening all the time. The breasts felt all the more tender as they were filling with milk, even the ones on his belly. Constant bathroom runs. The movements were strong inside him. La loved feeling them.
"Like knowing baby is alive, but not letting me sleep well." Sil complained.
"Hopefully soon, he comes." La cooed in his ear as she was doing her best to support and comfort him. She was the only one he was close to at this time. Of course, he didn't dare cross the Emperor either.
Chamberlain also began sleeping more during the day when he didn't get his sleep at night. He would do what chores were demanded of him, but then, he would disappear to his room or the secret spot to sleep. La saw that her mate was exhausted.
Even some others told the Scientist and the Emperor of what Chamberlain was doing, that they had witnessed. "Hmm. Curious." Tek said, wondering in amusement. He was the only other one that knew what may be causing Sil's unusual behavior. But he still wondered: who was the other parent?
…
Sil and La tried to decide where their little one would sleep once he was accepted, hopefully. Maybe he could sleep in both their rooms. Sil did manage to collect a bunch of unwanted made robes from Ekt's chamber. He was just going to get rid of them and Sil was glad to take them.
Sil then split up the robes with him and La so they would make small beds for their little one when he spent time with both of them. This was done just barely in time before it was due to come. The baby would sleep on their beds with them.
…
By the 38th week, that Chamberlain had no idea how far along he was in time range, but he was totally miserable with the baby's weight inside him. It was more harder for him to catch his breath when he moved around. He had a different kind of gait to his walk. It was more of a limp really.
With the way things seemed to be so off with the Chamberlain's services lately and his odd behavior, one day, the Emperor did in fact, notice when he came into the throne room to take his usual spot that he did seem bigger in the belly that was causing him to slow down.
"What is wrong with you, Chamberlain?" the Emperor asked.
Sil swallowed. "What do you mean, Sire?" he asked.
"I notice a big limp to your walk. And you look… bigger than normal." So exclaimed. "And there have been reports of you having such off behavior for yourself."
Even SkekLa was worried at that remark. Would her mate finally reveal the big secret?
"I'm not bigger than usual. Must be seeing things, my sire. Just sciatica pains. Nothing new." Sil explained.
The Scientist was in there too. "That's a lie and you know it, Chamberlain!" Tek exclaimed. "It's time for the truth!"
"What truth?" the General demanded curiously.
"Nothing important. What I said before is all it is." Sil stated. He couldn't help but put his arms over his front to shield his belly from the others. He hissed at the Scientist angrily. He spoke in a whisper, "You are not to tell them, Tek. Remember what I will do if you tell them."
"What did you have to tell us, Scientist?" the Emperor asked.
Tek grumbled. "Just sciatica pains with him."
"Good." Sil remarked. "Not ready yet."
"You better be ready soon. It will be out soon." Tek growled at him.
"Get away!" Sil hissed.
La came up to stand next to him to take the edge off. "Anything I can do to be of service, my Lord Chamberlain?" she asked.
"After service today, Illustrator, hmm." Sil said. He kept his arms crossed in front of him so his sleeves kept his belly hidden from the others' views.
The Emperor let it go for now. He wasn't overly concerned. He knew as the Skeksis had aged that they had many aches and pains. His condition had probably more heavy burdens with his health than even the Chamberlain's. His lungs were deteriorating. The Darkening had ruined some of his body parts, like the end of his beak.
Tek began attending to the Emperor some more with his health, and that's also why the essence was so in demand, especially for him.
