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IN LOVE AND WAR
CHAPTER FOUR: SHATTERING WORLD
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Roald whistled as he walked down the hallway. He had spent the night secretly watching his beautiful wife when at last she slept, her ebony hair cascaded across the pillow, and her body curled into his. Shinko was more than five months pregnant now, and her belly had grown immensely.
Tortall's war with the Yamani Islands had not progressed much farther than the Emperor sending the ships he had left to plague Tortall's trade ships. Shinkokami's anxiety increased with each attack. The nights that she slept peacefully were growing few.
Often, Shinko would sleep fitfully at night, waking three or four times and waking her husband as she climbed out of bed to amble about their bedchambers. The next day she would take an early afternoon nap. During this time, Roald would go out for long rides on his mount, Bravefoot. It gave him a peaceful time to think through his own frustration at the lack of sleep. The last thing he wanted to do was to take it out on Shinkokami. It wasn't her fault, not really.
"Hello, Mother," Roald said, smiling as they passed. Thayet stopped, placing a hand on her son's arm.
"We need to talk."
…..
Shinkokami shifted on the tall examination table, balancing a book on her large belly. Queen Thayet had insisted that the princess be examined weekly by healers, ensuring a healthy baby. Usually, Shinko was seen immediately by Duke Baird himself, while his assistants aided less important people, but this week the infirmary's schedule had been interrupted. The young matron of Kennan was delivering her first child. The difficult labor had gone one for almost twenty-three hours, taking the attention of all the healers in shifts. It made Shinko all the more nervous to hear them talk of possibilities of losing the mother or babe.
She turned back to her book, writing off her anxiety to exhaustion. The night before had been filled with terrible dreams. Some were of Yamani palaces and temples, burning from warfare. Some were similar scenes in Tortall. Some of the dreams were of her baby, dying at birth. Those were the ones that rattled her so severely that she had to get out of bed, even if she only wandered the room. She knew that each time she woke, Roald did as well. She was so grateful for him, but her neglected sleep was catching up to her, making his attentiveness annoying. He'd wanted to wait for Duke Baird with Shinko, but she'd sent him on his daily ride.
The baby kicked and Shinko dropped her book. She was always surprised by the signs of the life within her. As she rubbed her belly, the door opened and Duke Baird entered the room.
"I'm sorry to keep you waiting, Princess," he said with a vague smile. Shinko sat up, one hand lingering on her tummy as she undid the buttons that would expose it.
"I could hardly begrudge a little baby your attention," she said. "Is the child alright?"
"Mother and son are both doing well, thought health problems could arise for the little lad. Don't you worry, though, we're keeping an eye on him. Besides, the runts usually have more…shall we say…spunk in the end. My Nealan was like that."
Shinko watched the Duke's face as he spoke. He looked sad when he mentioned his son.
"You miss him a lot, don't you?" Shinko asked. The duke nodded and she continued. "I wish he and Yuki had stayed here."
"As do I Princess," Baird said. For awhile it was silent as he probed the baby with his Gift.
"I will tell the Queen that your child is as healthy as his, or her, father ever was," Baird said at last. Shinko smiled as largely as her Yamani training would allow.
"I'd appreciate that. You'd think I was a crystal chandelier the way she treats me."
Duke Baird chuckled. "She loves you like her own. You're a very lucky girl, Shinkokami."
"Thank you, Your Grace," she whispered.
Shinkokami fastened the buttons on her dress and gathered her book off of the floor.
Soon she was back in her rooms. Duke Baird must have noticed her exhaustion, for now she felt rested for the first time in days. The baby kicked gently and she smiled.
At a brief knock, Shinko went over to the door. A man in a herald's uniform was standing there.
"Can I help you?" she asked.
"I have a letter for you, from the Islands," the man said, bowing lowly. Shinko waited for him to straighten, then took the letter and dismissed him with a smile. The letter was from Yuki, probably a message to tell of her safe passage across the Emerald Ocean.
Shinkokami found a bowl of grapes that had been left for her in the sitting room, and found a place in the window seat. The letter smelled of sakura blossoms, Yuki's favorite scent. Shinko found that the letter was written in Yamani, and had to retrain her eyes to reading vertically.
Dearest Shinkokami,
It is my sad duty to inform you of the death of your parents. His Imperial Majesty Hijiko III, the Emperor of the Yamani Islands, issued a decree on the13th day of October that sentenced Lord Kiseki and Lady Jiaokami to death. Five of his best Samurai warriors entered their Yokto City residence and beheaded them.
I write this letter not to bring you sadness or to defy His Imperialness by corresponding with you, but simply to inform. Please remember that war or not, I remain your steadfast friend.
-Yukimi noh Diaomoru
Shinko felt hot tears jump to her eyes as she read. Her mother and father… dead?
