Sometimes I feel just as cruel as Stein.
Maka never had an organ, so clearing her head with music had never been an option. Instead, she opted for a sword. At first, the trainees were resistant, and that was putting it nicely. The idea that they could possibly injure their princess was first and foremost in most of the young men's minds since that kind of behavior would most likely end with their heads on a pike. Or it would if Maka actually gave a damn.
This was one of the few times she would admit to being thankful for Black Star since there was no challenge he would refuse, especially in front of the group of men. Kilik and Ox looked on knowingly as this was a repeat but the other men seemed petrified, scared for their captain who was obviously treading into dangerous waters. She purposefully played it as recklessly as possible and Black Star never disappointed when it came to matching anyone's intensity.
At the first sign of blood, a simple split lip that Maka had barely noticed, the crowd erupted with unbridled nervous energy that honestly only added to her amusement. It wasn't until it was over and the two of them sat in the dust laughing that the men started to hum with a tentative interest.
"Not bad, princess," Black Star grinned. "Your prince knows you're fighting?"
"I invited him," Maka shrugged, "but he was meeting with the King."
Black Star looked out at the men now falling back to their own practice as the show had ebbed out. "That's been happening more often."
"Yes," Maka caught the rest, sure that this kind of conversation needed walls to keep outside ears away. "Perhaps tonight the two of you can discuss that after dinner in your regular fashion."
He whistled in reply, "You mean heir-making duties can be put on hold for tonight?"
In the circumstances, Maka fell back to brute force, slapping the back of his head.
"Hey," Black Star grumbled. "You can't do that in front of my men."
"Then keep our bedroom behaviors out of your mind," Maka hissed.
He snorted derisively, "I have my own bedroom behaviors to worry about."
"Disgusting," Maka shook her head.
The humor fell from his lips as he settled unintelligible eyes on her. "First month's almost up though, isn't it?"
"In a week I'll go back to the temple," Maka tried to cover the growing anxiety in her gut with a sigh. "As if that's any of your business."
"Definitely not," Black Star tried to produce a rough laugh. "Just…" his eyes glanced around the field before he leaned closer to her. "I expect a new kind of problem when it's no longer making an heir."
Maka let her voice drop to almost nothing, "Pregnancy can be dangerous."
"In more ways than one," Black Star glanced out casually again but when his eyes came back to her they were hard. "You done sparring?"
"I guess so… why?" She watched as Black Star stood slowly, his hand making a strange wave that Kilik and Ox caught almost instantly.
"Come this way." Black Star didn't wait for her, walking into the throngs of men back towards the barracks. Kilik and Ox pulled in tightly next to her as they continued to the door. It was only then that they split, and Maka watched them for a moment as they seemed to circle the perimeter. As soon as she was in the door, Maka turned and let her eyes scan the surroundings but Black Star was always a step ahead, the way the door to the captain's room in the barracks was arranged in such a way that led to very little view of comings and goings. It would be a blind spot for anyone even walking by.
Maka entered the door and for a moment the fear melted away, crushed by the well-spring of joy that tittered in her chest. "Stein," she just reined in the cry as she dashed further into the room.
"Nice to see you, Maka," Stein accepted her embrace with a soft hand on her head. "Or should I be calling you princess now?"
"Only Black Star has to," she laughed as she considered how much longer she'd be allowed the hug. No one would ever call Stein a soft man, but if there was one weakness in him it was for the people he actually let into his life, the children he fostered, the one he helped create, and the one woman he served. "But what are you doing here? And does that mean Marie's here as well?" Maka was hopeful for normal answers to both of those questions but as she parted from Stein the look on his face squashed that.
"I'm not here," Stein assured her.
"Technically, he's in the north with the soldiers you sent," Black Star corrected.
Maka let a weak puff of air leave her lips, "Which means something is happening."
"Something is always happening," Stein smiled as he settled down into one of the chairs at the war table. "Sit down, won't you?"
She exchanged a glance with Black Star who didn't seem interested in meeting her eyes before sitting down next to Stein. In an instant, she had cleared away the last of her dreams of a simple visit and tried to channel Soul. "What did you find in the samples we sent you?"
"Urdan root in the food, just as you expected," Stein nodded thoughtfully. "But your girl, Kim, expected as much with the information she's gathered. She passed along something else unexpected, that there's also been parmin flower being dried. It was in that mysterious tea you received."
"And that means?" Maka pressed.
"That your physician is suspicious and has upped the ante." While usually his eyes were nothing more than pale green pools, Maka saw the storm churning in them. "She expects not just to keep you from getting pregnant but to terminate anything that might have slipped her watch."
Maka rubbed a hand across her face as she inhaled slowly a few times. "If I had expected this was how I was going to be fighting a witch…"
Stein offered a sharp laugh. "I expect this is the strangest way, but you've both been smart to bide your time. While I'm sure it doesn't seem this way to you, she's yet to do anything particularly drastic. Keep it that way. Play the fools. But we have to consider your moves for when a pregnancy is announced." He narrowed his eyes as his mouth gaped momentarily but he instead waved a hand at her.
Maka risked a glance at Black Star who was still feigning disinterest, leaning against the wall. "Between Black Star, Soul, and I, is it really all that much more dangerous? Considering poisoning has been her main method, I assume it'll be more tea attempts."
"Don't underestimate how incapacitating pregnancy can be," he threw at her coldly. "And don't underestimate how much that pregnancy will put a fire under the witch. She wants and needs you gone in order to control Soul. I hope you realize she knows about your talent."
Maka shook her head slowly, "I haven't-"
"Marie told me what happened during the betrothal, the black blood transmission," Stein raised an eyebrow. "The witch was there for that. We can only deduce that she's smart enough to connect the dots."
She sighed, "I didn't have a choice."
"I'm not blaming you," Stein chuckled. "Just stating what should be obvious. His black blood has something to do with the Madness which is obvious from the samples of what she's been trying to make him drink, but I'm interested in the dream demon you said comes along with it. I've made something that I'd like you to get him to take and then between the two of you, you should make an effort to tap into that demon."
"You think it's safe?" Maka raised her eyebrows.
"Well," Stein shrugged.
"Did you tell Marie about it?" She offered with a huff.
"No," Stein grinned.
"Then not entirely safe," Maka rolled her eyes, "but you think it'll make him stronger?"
Stein nodded, that smile growing on his lips.
"Then we try it." Maka put out her hand, waiting as Stein turned to his bag and fiddled through it. He took out a sleeve of vials and handed the entire thing to her.
"Dose him once a week."
"If he agrees," Maka tempered the comment.
Stein sighed before taking his hand off of the stash. "Express that he'll need to be strong because I believe the two of you will have to part ways soon."
A little, delirious laugh left Maka's mouth, "No, Stein, that's ridiculous. Why would I leave him? I-" The panic fluttering in her chest cut her off. It was a desperate bird clacking against her ribs at the idea of that loss, the separation that she feared the most.
With as much emotion as a surgical slice, Soul served out her fate, "The safest thing for you is to go into hiding after the pregnancy is formally announced."
'No' wanted to immediately rush from her mouth and the muscles in her neck strained to keep it there. "I doubt the kingdom would agree to me being hidden away." The words felt alien and it was as if she weren't speaking them, the idea causing her to split.
"I still have some ideas to iron out, but…" Stein glanced at Black Star. "You'd be kidnapped. Obviously, it would be an arrangement that we put together and Black Star would be in charge of finding you as Soul's captain, but really he'd be protecting you."
Maka turned an accusatory glare towards Black Star, finding that barely-there attention on his face. "And you agreed to this already?"
"I do what I have to," Black Star shrugged.
The blame was easy to swell in his direction and Maka was helpless against the feeling. "Were you even going to tell him?"
"Don't lose your temper," Stein spoke for Black Star as he maintained his stillness. "I plan to meet him tonight when he leaves for his usual drinking round with Black Star."
"Which you already OKed, princess," Black Star chuckled.
Maka worked the idea between her teeth, her jaw tightening as she glanced between both men. "And I would go where?"
"Yet to be decided," Stein shrugged. "Think about it yourself and discuss it with your husband after our meeting."
"I didn't agree to this yet," Maka reminded him softly.
"Surprising, since you usually like the head-first jump," Stein grinned. "They say marriage matures you."
Black Star scoffed.
Maka barely bit her tongue before she sighed out, "I want to think about it."
Stein nodded but a sharp finger hit the desk. "You have limited time, but obviously it hinges on you, so you will make the final decision."
"Fine," Maka murmured. "I… if you'll excuse me." She stood quickly but Stein's hand shot out, grabbing her by the wrist.
His other hand was stuffed in his bag again and he produced folded paper and pressed it into her palm. "A letter from Marie."
"Thank you." Maka closed her fingers around the parchment and brought it to join the vials in her other hand. With her freed hand, Maka clutched Black Star's arm. "Bring him before dinner. He can miss it. I can't see him again until you discuss this with him."
"Got it," Black Star patted her hand but she wrenched it away as she quickly made her exit. He watched her go before turning to Stein. "Well, that went great."
"As expected," Stein shrugged. "Soul will see it rationally."
"Yeah, until she's actually pregnant. Then I'm not sure how logical he's going to be either," Black Star sighed.
Stein grinned and Black Star felt his skin crawl, "She is pregnant."
Black Star started the laugh but it stuck in his throat. "You don't know that."
"Her soul perception powers aren't strong enough yet since it's so faint," Stein nodded, "but give her a month, maybe two and she'll see the extra soul she's carrying just as clear as I do."
"Shit," Black Star muttered as he flexed his hand into a fist at his side. "You going to tell him?"
"Do you think that's a good idea?" Stein raised an eyebrow.
"Fuck if I know," Black Star barked back. "I wish you didn't even tell me, damn it."
Stein chuckled, "You can keep a secret, can't you?"
All of this was incredibly fishy. Not only was Black Star trying to talk him into carousing before dinner, but Maka was nowhere to be found to make any insistence against it. Then Black Star has the nerve to claim that Maka OKed it? If it wasn't my best friend leading, I'd assume I'm getting assassinated. But even with that, Soul gave in and started down the winding corridors. He was surprised to be led to the barracks, but Black Star had been known to stash goods in his command center and at least it spoke to Soul doing work instead of play.
He tried to be jovial with the soldiers on the walkthrough but Black Star's silence was starting to eat at him. Maybe, for once, it was going to be Black Star that needed to vent and Soul was oddly pleased with the idea of a reversal. That was until Black Star motioned him through the door. Soul's reaction wasn't entirely far off from Maka's, since a strange wave of joy hit him as he saw Stein's face again, but it was completely tempered and held at bay by reality. "If you're here, something's wrong."
"See?" Stein motioned towards Soul while smirking at Black Star. "Rational."
"Which means you've already talked to Maka," Soul sighed.
"Unfortunately," Black Star grumbled.
"What's that mean?" Soul nudged him.
"Soul, have a seat." Stein motioned towards the chair next to him, created an unsettling deja vu for Black Star.
Soul cleared his throat before following orders and collapsing into the chair, "Should I say it's nice to see you?"
"Well, I'll admit I'm happy to see you," Stein shrugged. "You're in much better health than the last time we were together."
Soul sucked his teeth, "Yeah, I'm at least doing better than mostly dead."
"And I hear your memory is coming back?"
He hesitated before nodding, letting his fingers clench into the top of his pants. "Yeah, with Maka's help and without the potions."
"This illness of yours is so interesting," Stein leaned on his elbows and Soul felt the chill of those analytical eyes. "It's like Madness, goes hand in hand with it, but so much more."
The tingle of searching back in his mind prickled the goosebumps on his neck. "Madness… that's what you have, right?"
"Well, we can all be taken by the Madness," Stein hurried through the words nonchalantly. "Some are just more susceptible than others. While I am, it also makes me much stronger but can lead to me not exactly being under my own control. I heard you had something similar happen."
"Yes," Soul answered sharply but offered no more. That memory he would prefer to bury even if sometimes in his dreams he relived the hand around her neck.
"Which is why Maka's going to work with you on harnessing it. I think there are some interesting possibilities." While the excitement of a new experiment always brightened Stein's face, his enthusiasm faltered. "But there's more we should talk about while we still have time."
Soul paused, risking a glance at Black Star. "I'm guessing you've already been briefed on this too, then?"
"I know what I need to," Black Star shrugged.
"I don't like secrets," Soul pushed again.
Black Star's lips curled into a frown, "And I don't like keeping them, so shut up and listen to Stein."
Begrudgingly, Soul followed the order. Stein didn't delineate, giving the same cold and calculated plan that he had given to Maka as Soul's hands clenched tighter into fists. "I didn't tell her where I plan on sending her since, well, I think that would have tipped her over the edge and she was already obviously displeased with me."
"So you lied to her?" Soul grimaced.
Stein bubbled out a bit of a manic laugh. "Technically, no, since I told her that nothing was concrete, and it's not. I told her to discuss it with you and perhaps both of you would decide. I think if you suggested it, not me, she'd be more amiable."
That settled in Soul's stomach like a rock. "So what do you need me to convince her to do?"
"To go to her father's," Stein grinned.
"Spirit?" Soul scoffed. "What, so he can think I'm shirking my responsibility again? That asshole-"
Black Star stifled his laugh but Stein did not, "I see you remember each other well. Which will give her even more incentive to listen if her rational, calm husband tells her that she should return home for safety even if he doesn't feel welcome in that home."
"Well, I wouldn't be going with her anyway, would I?" Soul snapped. "You expect me to let my pregnant wife travel a month's worth of distance with just my captain of the guard with her to her jackass of a father's house for, what, the rest of her pregnancy? While I sit here and do what exactly?"
"Hey, I would like to say that obviously, the only protection she needs is me, thank you very much," Black Star grumbled.
Soul shot him a glare, "Fine, but again, for how long? And what the hell am I doing other than missing my wife and my child that could be born without me," he finished in a strangled hiss.
"Babies are born without their fathers all the time," Black Star scoffed only to receive a dedicated punch to the gut from Soul. He grumbled through the 'oof' that expelled from his throat.
"For as long as it takes us to get rid of the problem here," Stein shrugged.
Soul balked as his stomach clenched tighter. "You mean, you and me take on Medusa while Black Star and Maka stay safe?"
"Well," Stein grinned. "I assume it will end up much more complicated than that, but… I'll need you to make a likeness of Medusa. You still draw, don't you?"
"I do, I can, but what does that have to do with anything?" Soul barely muddled through the words.
"I have a feeling that Medusa's meddling might go back further than just you returning to the castle. So humor me, make me the drawing tonight because I'll have to be leaving tomorrow." The palpable joy on Stein's face wore at both of the boys and Soul continued to fight against his stomach turning into a knot. "Other than that, I'll need you to also convince Maka to leave you. She didn't seem very sold on the idea."
Soul ground his teeth before looking back at Black Star. "You promise you'll keep her safe?"
"'Course. Who the hell do you think I am?" Black Star would have continued to preen if it wasn't for the anxiety on Soul's face. Instead, he planted a firm hand on Soul's shoulder. "I'm your best friend. So yeah, of course."
"I'll… try to convince her. I can say she'll agree but…" Soul sighed desperately. "I don't even really like the damn idea."
Stein tried to nod sympathetically. "But if we act quickly, there won't be much of a chance of you missing what you really want, the beginning of your family."
"Shit," Soul grumbled. "Fine, three months after we find out she's pregnant, once we get the temple to declare it…"
"Right," Stein nodded.
Black Star was relieved that Soul's eyes never fell to him.
"She's supposed to go next week, but she's said it's too early to tell," he muttered.
Please, shut up, Black Star begged in his head.
"Right. The earliest we'd possibly know is another month, maybe two," Stein was still nodding reassuringly and it was killing Black Star.
Soul strung along a few more curses under his breath before standing from the chair. "Like I said, I'll talk to her. I'll send the picture through Black Star later tonight."
"Again, it was nice to see you." Stein stood and extended his hand, pumping gently after Soul took it.
Black Star hoped the agony on his face could convincingly be explained away by simply being empathetic and as Soul turned to him he was relieved to see him buy it. "Come by late tonight, music room," Soul murmured as he patted his shoulder and moved past him.
"Sure," Black Star barely managed. He waited, watching as Soul exited and the footsteps were no longer anywhere near them. "You didn't tell him!"
Stein shrugged, "Maybe I enjoy watching you squirm."