Thanks everyone who reviewed. My reviews have been going down a little but thats okay. I read through everyone's feedback. There is going to be much more drama and those who don't like Misaki's baby. I'm sorry she already has the baby but I will try my best to make the chaps fun and eventful. This chapter is much longer and sorry for the cliche quote Usui says... x.x sorry sorry sorry
Chapter 18: United
Kira stood by the kitchen door. She carefully nursed the bruises on her back from the beating she received. Tis a small price to in order to have the Duke notice her. She sent letters back to the Grand Duke every week to report on the family but that was not her main goal. She refused to remain a maid. A beautiful woman like herself deserved more.
The Duchess Misaki was now with child which opened a window of opportunities. As long as Kira waited patiently there will be a time where the Duke will have needs and Misaki will be too heavy to fulfill. Men are all the same... Kira just needed to be sure she could tempt the Duke into giving her a second glance...
Usui jogged upstairs to grab his sword which he left in his bedchamber. As he neared his room he heard sounds of glass breaking and yelling.
"This is not what I want!" a muffled voice screamed.
He couldn't help laughing. Misaki's moods in the mornings these past months were especially dark. He felt sorry for the servants.
"Whose head am I lopping off today?" he teased as he came in. Misaki stood in the center of the room looking furious. There was a shattered bowl on the floor.
The maids not sensing Usui's teasing all dropped to their knees begging for forgiveness.
Usui held up a hand and walked over to Misaki.
"What's wrong, darling?" he asked gently.
"No one is getting me what I need!" Misaki yelled.
"Erika" Usui called.
Erika got up and kneeled before Usui.
"My lord..." she said quietly.
"Why aren't you taking care of the duchess?" Usui asked. "You know upsetting her like this is bad for the baby."
"A thousand apologies," Erika said. "Duchess keeps telling us what she doesn't want. We are rather unsure what she does want..."
Usui smiled. "I see...you are all dismissed" he said waving off the servants. Erika bobbed her head and departed. Usui carefully stepped over the shards of clay.
"Having another tantrum?" he asked.
Misaki threw her hands up. "I am not having a tantrum" she yelled. "All I wanted this morning was something sweet and bread like!"
"And what did they bring you?" Usui asked, trying to pacify his wife.
"Cake and tarts" Misaki yelled, throwing a book on the ground. "How is that bread like?!" she snapped. "This is all your fault!" she yelled at Usui.
"My fault...?" Usui asked amused.
"Yes all your fault. You're the one who made me carry this child! You also have a household with nothing sweet and bread like!"
Usually during Misaki's mood swings, Usui went with whatever Misaki said, right or wrong.
"My deepest apologies" Usui said. "I can sleep in a different room if you'd like"
"I'm already with child, you fool! Besides I'm keeping you where I can see you!" Misaki said throwing a shoe at him. Usui humorously caught the shoe and set it down.
"It's so stuffy here!" Misaki continued. "I can't breath...I'm going to die!"
"Darling, what would you like me to do?" Usui asked.
"You-" Misaki clasp a hand over her mouth and rushed to the bucket by the bed.
Usui calmly rubbed her back and kept her hair out of her face. After she finished, Usui had her rinse her mouth and sent a servant to empty the bucket.
"Calm down" Usui said rubbing her chest in slow circular motions. "You'll make yourself sick"
"This is all your fault..." Misaki said bursting into tears. "I'm not ready for all this but you forced me to have this baby..."
"Yes yes" Usui consoled. "I'm the villain. I will never make you have children again. Alright? Don't cry, darling..."
"But you will! You need to have a son and if this is a girl then I need to have another one"
"Yes yes" Usui said nodding. "You are absolutely correct."
"And I feel miserable always cooped up! We can't ever do anything entertaining anymore. I can't even ride my horse..."
"There there" Usui said wiping Misaki's tears. "I promise to think of something for you to enjoy. Now can we stop crying?"
Misaki sniffed a few times and nodded.
"I'm going to get what you might want to eat now okay?" Usui asked gently.
Misaki nodded again.
"Good girl" Usui said hugging his adorable wife. He kissed the top of her head and reassured her that everything was going to be fine.
He whispered something to a maid and sent her off. Soon several maids came back with silver platters.
"Find one that you like" Usui said gesturing to all the different types of bread. "If there isn't one, I'll send for more"
Misaki slowly looked around the table and began sampling each one.
"Mmm..." she said closing her eyes. "This is what I wanted" she said holding up a loaf of cinnamon and raisin bread.
"I'm glad" Usui said helping himself to a random piece. "See darling" he said. "There was no need to get upset over such a small thing. We can just look a little deeper"
Misaki smiled and took Usui's hand. "I love you, Takumi" she whispered.
"Because I found your craving?" Usui teased.
Misaki blushed. "Because you understand me the best..." Misaki stood on her tiptoes and planted a kiss on Usui's lips.
Usui could taste the sugary cinnamon. He grinned at her. "Careful darling..." he said. "Or else I might have to disrupt your breakfast for some cravings of my own"
Misaki blushed. "You wouldn't starve a pregnant woman would you?" she retorted.
"Hmm..." Usui said wrapping his arms around her waist. "Depends on how she behaves..." he said.
Misaki finished off the last slice and licked her fingers.
"Thank you, Takumi" she said.
"How are you going to thank me?" Usui asked.
"Perhaps I will write you a note" Misaki said casually. She leaned against Usui and breathed in his familiar scent.
"I don't want a note..." Usui said.
"You don't?!" Misaki asked in mock horror.
"I mean- er..." Usui was afraid to start the water works again. "I would adore a note handwritten by Misaki but I was thinking of something right now..."
"Bread?" Misaki asked holding up a piece.
"No" Usui said flatly. "I don't want a piece of bread..." He tossed the bread onto the table and swept Misaki off her feet. "I want you..." he growled.
"I thought you like bread" Misaki teased.
"Hmm...I like you better" Usui murmured. His hand trailed along her stomach which had a small bulge now. "...much better," he whispered.
Their lips were practically touching but not quite.
"Do you love me?" Misaki asked.
"Of course" Usui replied. "You are the only woman I ever want to be with"
"Not because I'm the only woman you can be with?" Misaki asked. Usui nuzzled her neck.
"Ask me anything" Usui prompted.
Misaki laughed and pulled down the bed curtains. The gauzy fabric drifted down, secluding them.
Misaki racked her brain for the a question Sakura would ask.
"If you had to choose between breathing and loving me...which would you choose?" Misaki teased. Sakura thought it was a romantic question but Misaki thought it was foolish. Why would anyone choose not to breath...
"If I had to choose...I would use my last breath to tell you 'I love you'" Usui said, smirking.
Misaki stifled a laugh. "Alright" she said. "I'll be the naive maiden and believe you"
Usui smiled and pressed his lips against hers. Misaki closed her eyes and kissed him back.
Misaki slipped on her dress and quickly smoothed out the loose skirt.
"Here" she said draping a shirt over Usui's shoulders. "Mustn't let you button your own shirt" she teased. Usui smiled.
"Woe is me..." Usui agreed.
There was a brisk knock on the door and Kira barged in. "Good afternoon my lord" she said cheerfully.
"No one said you could come in" Misaki said cooly.
"Oh I thought that was just for the maids" Kira said looking confused.
"You are a maid"
"I am the Duke's personal servant surely I have some leverage there" Kira said fluttering her eyelashes.
"No..." Misaki said, beginning to button up Usui's shirt. "Please leave"
"Oh let me get that" Kira said almost knocking Misaki over. Usui grabbed Misaki's arm before she could stumble.
"Kira!" Usui snapped.
"Oh, I'm so sorry. I just wanted to help!" Kira exclaimed, her hands not leaving his shirt.
"Please leave" Misaki said through her teeth.
"But my lady, the Grand Duke wishes for me to help the Duke with his dressing and in these few months I haven't so much seen the Duke, much less serve him" Kira whined.
Misaki felt a cramp and winced at the pain.
"Misaki are you alright?" Usui said putting his hand over her stomach.
"Get out!" Misaki yelled at Kira.
"But-"
"Kira, disappear" Usui ordered sensing Misaki's darkening mood.
Kira left in a huff and Usui quickly helped Misaki sit down.
"Deep breaths" Usui encouraged. "Was there really a need to get so upset?" he asked.
Misaki glared at him.
"You are absolutely right" Usui amended. "She'll be sent to the kitchen"
"Her rudeness to me is beyond belief" Misaki said shaking her head. "Never in my life has a servant treated me like a dog or something... Must she stay?" Misaki asked, sadly.
"I don't like her any more than you do. I caught her writing letters to grandfather yesterday. That...I don't really care about that but the way she angers you, breaks my heart"
Misaki pouted. "I can't believe you would have a personal maid..."
"I don't!" Usui said defensively. "I don't want her anywhere near me"
Misaki looked doubtful.
"I'll make this up to you." Usui said smiling. "I have a surprise for you"
"Really?" Misaki asked, her dark mood lifting.
Usui nodded. "Close your eyes" he said, leading her somewhere.
"Open them" Usui said after they stopped. Misaki could hear laughing. She opened her eyes.
"Sakura! Shizuko!" she exclaimed, hugging her friends. "How did you get here?" she asked.
"The Duke wrote to the Countess" Shizuko explained. "Told her of the baby and so the Countess sent us here to take care of you!"
"We'll be together again!" Sakura cheered. "Oh the baby!" Sakura squealed, gently placing a hand over Misaki's stomach. "Does it kick yet? What's his name? Can I be the godmother?"
Misaki laughed, feeling all her stress leave. "Slow down, Sakura. The baby's only a few months, of course it doesn't kick"
"No fair" Shizuko complained. "I want to be a godmother too"
"All of you" Misaki promised.
"My lady" Erika greeted, coming down the hall.
"Erika" Misaki said pulling her friend over. "These are my friends, Sakura and Shizuko. Girls, this is Erika, my most loyal companion in the household"
The girls exchanged hellos.
"We'll be taking extra care of Misaki!" Sakura promised. "Oh I love babies..." she said dreamily.
Usui wrapped his arm around Misaki's shoulders. "Am I forgiven?" he asked.
Misaki tried to fight a smile. "Perhaps..." she said, kissing him on the cheek.
"Awwww..." Sakura sighed.
Misaki smiled sheepishly. "Have we shown them a room?" she asked Usui.
"I'm putting them right in this hall" Usui reassured her.
"Perhaps we should have Erika in our room also!" Sakura suggested.
Erika shook her head. "That is most kind of you..." she said. "But I am simply a servant"
"Nonsense" Misaki cut in. "We should have had you move out of the quarters a long time ago"
"Thank you then" Erika said smiling.
"Misaki shouldn't you be resting?" Shizuko asked.
Misaki rolled her eyes. "I'm quite fine" she promised.
The girls went to go settle in and Usui insisted Misaki rest anyways.
"I'm glad you sent for them" Misaki told Usui as he fed her a bowl of broth. The broth was a mixture of herbs that would keep her and the baby healthy.
"I knew you'd be pleased" Usui said, spooning another sip for her.
"Thanks..." Misaki said.
"For you, anything..."
Kira stood in the tiny room. She slowly undressed before a man. His eyes roamed over her. Kira smiled and let the last of her clothes drop. The man lifted his hand and traced the curves of her body.
"So when do I get access to the Duchess's daily broth?" Kira asked.
"After I am satisfied" the man replied.
"Promise?" Kira asked innocently.
"Of course" the man breathed. "Now come"
Kira allowed herself to be led to the tiny cot. The man eagerly laid her down.
Kira wanted to scream at his touch but resisted. She imaged the Duke instead of the lowly servant and it became more bearable.
She clung to the bed sheet and smiled. One step closer each day...