Chapter Nineteen- Spark
Achilles sat on the couch, Briseis leaning back into him. Her legs stretched the rest of the couch length, dress draping over and spilling onto the floor. He held her tightly as she slept, head resting in the center of his chest. The brown curls fell and covered his arm, both of his hands in her's, resting on her rounded belly.
She was three months pregnant and showing a lot. To his memory, she wasn't this big with either of the boys at this point. She shifted a little, moaning quietly. He smiled, leaning his face into her hair to get a strong scent of jasmine. The nights were that of late summer, the heat hanging on until the sun truly left the sky. But Achilles made sure she had a shaw draped over her while outside.
The majority of her first month was spent in complete fear. She didn't do much, even with the boys. They spent time with her, but under strict rules that they couldn't jump or rough house around her. The servants, who loved their Princess Briseis, did everything they could to make her comfortable. Carlonia took to watching over the boys when Achilles could not.
Kyte was the first of the two to figure out what was happening to his momma. Since he was still pretty small, when he hugged her, his face pressed against her stomach. When the usually soft skin was harder and rounded, he got worried.
"Momma, not sick," he asked finally, waiting a whole day in fear.
"No, sweetie, I'm not sick."
"But tummy isn't the same." She looked a bit shocked at first. Smiling, she leaned over and whispered the truth in his ear. She sat back and watched the broad smile cross his face.
"Baby? Baby!" He bolted off the bed and down the hall to his brother. He had a similar reaction. Now the boys made a point of being very careful around their mother. Achilles was greeted that day by both boys telling him they were going to be big brothers. Briseis just sat on the bed, covering her face to prevent a burst of laughter.
Now that the sun was down, he wanted her inside, away from the cold night winds. Moving quickly and softly, he got from behind her on the couch and lifted her into his arms. She was never heavy in the first place, the child within her not adding much. He placed her sleeping form on the bed and watched her sleep.
"Momma, can Kyte and I go swimming today?" Briseis looked to Achilles who sat on the floor, wrestling with their youngest.
"You have to ask your father," she said loud enough that Achilles looked up.
"Ask me what?"
"Can we go swimming today?" Achilles nodded and put an end to the struggle. He picked up Kyte with both hands and flipped him over, placing him unsteadily on his feet. The boys laughed and quickly exited the main balcony to change.
"Do you feel up to going," he asked, sitting on the table directly across from Briseis.
"No," she said, shifting in the chair. She took his hand and squeezed it. "I've done enough chasing today for the two of us (she and the baby). I'll stay up here and watch." Achilles nodded and kissed her softly on the lips.
Briseis watched the three of them walk on the sand towards the sparkling sea. It was a beautiful day and she knew the water would be warm. Kyte sat on Achilles' shoulders, turning and waving to her on the balcony. She waved back, eyes cradling the image of her boys all together.
Once they reached the water edge, she sat back in the chair. Closing her eyes, for the fourth time, she imagined what the baby would look like. Since Kyte looked like her brother and Pat like Achilles' cousin, she hoped this child would resemble its father.
Off in the waves, the boys swam and jumped, being swept up by Achilles and swung around in the foam. She went to move when a sharp pain hit her.
Cramps. Then another one.Cramps, she thought again. But two more followed.
No.
She remembered the last time she felt this. She lost a child after those pains had subsided. Clutching at her dress, she leaned forward, cringing. The pains were pinging within her.
"I'm not losing this child," she gritted through her teeth. Tears started to spring from her eyes. They traced salty trails down her cheeks and onto her chin. She pressed lightly on her belly, praying under her breath. Why did the Gods want this child again? Why this child again?
The pinging lasted for a long ten minutes. When they stopped, she opened her eyes, not seeing blood anywhere. She pressed her hands to the roundness. From within, she felt a faint, but solid kick. Smiling, she thanked the Gods for not taking the child from her.
Now that she was eight months pregnant, Achilles' nagging instinct to watch her every move kicked in overdrive. He didn't want her to walk far or run at all. He prefered if she rested more, sitting somewhere where he could keep his attention on her. But he remembered this was Briseis, and she wasn't going to listen.
She and Carlonia went on walks down the beach after he would leave for the main hall in the city. The boys trotted along side them, racing and playing around. He would return home as they just started to turn on the beach to head back. He was frustrated and worried, watching from the entryway of the main balcony to see them as they came towards the terrace.
"You shouldn't go so far. What if something happened?" It was an honest and well-founded concern. Briseis looked at him with eyes of glassy brown. She wanted fresh air and only had this much energy every once and a while when she was with child. He knew she didn't do this on purpose, but still...
"I won't go so far then."
"I prefer you not go at all."
"Achilles," she said, exasperated by the nth time of having this conversation. She walked out onto their balcony, overlooking the water. The anger in her grew as he continued to talk.
"You are so close to the child's birth. I don't want anything to happen and you not be here."
"Achilles, I'll be-" she started but stopped. Hand pressed to her stomach, she leaned forward slightly, eyes shut. Immediately, Achilles was at her side.
"Briseis? Briseis, what's wrong?" The pain passed as she shook her head.
"Nothing. Nothing's wrong." He went to say something but she walked inside quickly and behind her changing screen, signalling she wanted to be left alone. The sound of the boys running down the hall caught his attention. He walked to the door, standing for a second before exiting. He gave a small sigh and walked out, shutting the door behind him.
Heavy breathing came from behind the screen. Briseis sat on her chair, hand on her head and belly. It felt like contractions but not as strong or defined. She hoped they were fake ones again. But the pain still hurt like the real thing.
"Not yet," she whispered, rocking back and forth to eleviate the pain a bit. "Please not yet."
It took a good fifteen minutes, but the pain finally stopped.
He couldn't sleep. Something about Briseis kept him wide awake. She lay next to him on her side, the blankets sliding over her without impediment. He watched the rise and fall of her shoulders as she breathed, making sure they weren't uneven.
Something was wrong when she went and hid behind the screen. He knew it deep down she didn't want him to worry. But she was so close to the child being born, all he could do was worry. She didn't come down for dinner and when he came up to see her, she was fast asleep. He let it be for now. He didn't want her to get angry and go into labor too soon.
He closed his eyes and ran the pattern of the stars over in his head. It always put him to sleep.
He walked on the beach, the wet sand retaining his feet prints. He looked up ahead and saw a baby's bassinet on the sand. As he neared, the sound of giggles and gurgles came from within. He came close, looking over the edge. The blankets were pulled up and being pushed around with little hands and feet.
Without warning, a wave came far up the beach. It swept around the bassinet and took it out to sea. He dived in after it, reaching out to take hold. But as his hand neared, the rocking water carried it further and further away. He swam with all of his strength, always coming close, but always losing it.
He went pretty far out, his hand just touching the bassinet when a huge wave crested above them. The water covered him, sucking him under for a moment. He struggled against the current and resurfaced. But as he scanned the water, the bassinet was gone.
Achilles shot up from the bed. A cold sweat lightly trickled down his back. He rested his head in his hands, breathing a bit heavier. The wind blew across his back, turning the cold into ice on his skin.
"Achilles?" He turned just as Briseis sat up next to him, one arm on his shoulder, the other touching his hand. The brillance of her eyes warmed him again. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing," he said, taking a deep breath. "Just a dream." He pressed his lips to her fingers that held tight to his shoulder. She smiled lightly, kissing his shoulder.
As they lay back, he wrapped his arms around her. His hands linked with her's and rested over the round of her belly. The baby was still there, within her, not beneath the waves. He pressed his face into the jasmine scented mess of hair, adjusting back into sleep.
I'm sorry I haven't updated in a few eons, but unfortunately, spyware kept redirecting my Fanfiction editing page to some stupid search page. My apologizes.
Anthestria