Chapter 22: Second child

Misaki sat at her desk practicing her penmanship. The quill scratched against the fine parchment to form elegant letters. Misaki heard the door swing open and rolled her eyes.

"I believe today is the day that the Duke bathes" Kira announced, smiling.

Misaki looked up from her writing.

"So it is..." she said.

"I'll be assisting the Duke" Kira announced. "For my lady can no longer do such tasks. It would also be best if my lady departed for that time."

Misaki raised an eyebrow. "What makes you think you can do as you please?" she asked.

Kira sighed. "Clearly my lady isn't going to assist him so I must. We mustn't burden you for you are heavy with child..."

Misaki didn't like the idea of Kira anywhere near Usui and she definitely was not letting her near Usui for a bath.

"That won't be necessary" Misaki said crisply. Kira's manners were very lacking. It was though Misaki was a servant that she was speaking to.

"I am only doing my duty" Kira said smiling. "Perhaps the Duke will need me for more things afterwards..." she said dreamily.

"I forbid that you go near the Duke" Misaki said angrily.

Kira smiled. "Deepest apologies, my lady" she said mockingly. "I don't take orders from you though. My orders come from the Grand Duke and I will be assisting the Duke in all his needs which you fail to fulfill"

"That is absurd" Misaki yelled, hitting her palm on the desk. "How dare you speak to me this way!"

Kira simply shrugged. "I ask that my lady would leave right now so the Duke and I may have privacy..."

Misaki had a hard time breathing. She has never been shamed like this in her entire life. She stalked up to Kira and slapped her across the face as hard as she could. Kira screamed and strangely tumbled all the way into the dresser, knocking things every which way. Glass shattered onto the floor.

"Help!" Kira screamed. "Someone help!"

People burst into the room. Everyone looked afraid.

"Misaki are you alright?!" Sakura demanded. "Is it the baby?"

"What happened?" Shizuko asked, steadying Misaki. She gently put a hand over Misaki's stomach. "What happened?!" she cried when Misaki didn't respond.

"Misaki are you alright?!" Usui called, rushing in.

"My lord!" Kira shrieked. "The D-duchess..." she sobbed. "She pushed me into this dresser!"

Misaki could stand this any longer. She was afraid of a miscarriage if her anger kept boiling.

"What is the meaning of this, Misaki?" Usui asked. He went to give Kira a hand.

"Stop right there" Misaki snapped. Usui froze. Kira cried louder.

"I will not have a maid shaming me in my own household" Misaki snapped.

"I didn't!" Kira cried. "Oh my lord, the Duchess is taking her anger out on me again! I did absolutely nothing!"

"I am not" Misaki replied evenly. "She comes in here taunting and jeering at me"

Usui walked over to Misaki. "What did she say?" Usui asked, his face grave.

"She ordered me out of the bedchamber to give you and her some PRIVACY!" Misaki screamed.

"I didn't!" Kira shrieked. "Don't believe her! She is just trying to rid me. I am innocent. I wouldn't dare defy her like that"

"Silence or else I'll have your tongue removed!" Usui yelled. The room was silent. It was possible to hear a pin drop.

Misaki clutched her stomach, feeling a cramp and pointed at Kira. "Takumi..." she said slowly. "You either send this woman away or else I shall miscarriage right here and right now!" Misaki announced.

"Guards!" Usui called without hesitation. He wasn't quite sure if Kira really had the idiocy to say those things to Misaki but that wasn't his concern. Even if for some strange reason Misaki was lying, she came first anyways. Two armed men came in.

"Take her away" he said gesturing to Kira who was still sprawled out on the floor. "Send her back to Grandfather" Usui said, still trying to gather his thoughts.

"No!" Kira screamed. "Please don't send me back! The Grand Duke will have my head!"

"Tis your own doing" Erika snapped, coming into the room. "The Duke will have your head anyways if you don't leave. Take her away!" Erika said looking at the guards. "Your heads will pay also if the Duchess loses the heir!"

The guards grabbed Kira and tried to drag her from the room.

"You can't send me away- I'm with child!" Kira blurted out. "The Duke's child! Usui!" Kira cried. "I'm pregnant with our baby"

Misaki felt a sudden horrible cramp in her abdomen. She clutched her stomach and felt her knees give.

"Misaki!?" the women shrieked, all trying to steady her. They grabbed her arms, trying to support her weight.

Misaki couldn't believe what she just heard. Did Usui betray her?

"That's a lie" Usui said calmly. "I never so much gave you a second glance" He couldn't believe what he was hearing. Kira had taken a step too far this time...

"How can you be so cruel?!" Kira demanded. "That is not what you said when you took my virginity! You said you loved me! You promised to marry me!"

"I would never be interested in someone like you" Usui snapped. "Get her out of my sight and have her examined."

"Please Duchess" Kira begged. "Have mercy! I carry Takumi's child also. You understand being a mother, don't you? You wouldn't kill a child of Takumi's, right?"

Misaki couldn't speak. Her mind was swimming and her chest felt stuffed up. She couldn't even breathe.

"Misaki!" Sakura shrieked. There was a small puddle of blood at Misaki's feet.

"Good heavens!" Erika yelled. "Get a doctor!"

"Send for a doctor!" Usui ordered. "Misaki!" he called. Misaki felt like she was part of a big nightmare. There was a second Usui child that wasn't bore by her...but by another woman. She refused to believe such madness. This was not happening.

"Its not true is it?" Misaki asked, feeling tears roll down her cheeks. Usui quickly picked her up and set her on the bed.

"I swear on my mother's grave" Usui said. "I never slept with her. I never even touched her. That child isn't mine if she is even with child"

Misaki felt the room dimming. "Whose baby is it then?" she asked, weakly.

"I don't know" Usui said. "Please believe me. My heart and body belong entirely to you and you alone. You have to straighten up or else we'll lose our child over a bunch of lies"

Misaki nodded trying swallow her tears. The thought was just too awful. She didn't want to miscarriage.

"Doctor's here!" Sakura yelled. "Save her!" she ordered.

Misaki heard strips of cloth being ripped and saw the bloody clothes being left in a pan.

"Someone save my child!" she cried. Usui gripped her hands.

"Keep breathing" Usui coaxed. "Our child is going to be fine" Usui reassured her though he was afraid himself.

"My lady needs to calm down" the doctor said, gently. "The baby is still there but its very unstable right now"

"Will everything be fine?" Usui asked.

The doctor nodded. Misaki let out a breath of relief. Usui pulled the doctor aside afterwards and had him examine Kira.

"Yes the maid is surely with child" the doctor told Usui in the hall.

"Is there any way to find out who is the father?" Usui asked.

The doctor shook his head. "I'm sorry but we will never be sure."

"Thank you, doctor" Usui said shaking his hand.

"It's an honor to serve you" the doctor said. "I will brew more medicine for the duchess meanwhile give her the regular broth she usually has," the doctor instructed.

"Get the duchess her daily broth," Usui told Erika when he came back into the room.

"Yes my lord" Erika said getting up from the bedside. Misaki was propped up by many pillows, her face pale and fragile.

"How are you feeling?" Usui asked, taking Misaki's hand.

"Fine..." Misaki said. "I was so scared to miscarriage" she admitted.

"Tis all that maid" Sakura said angrily. "Duke Usui, you must punish this servant!"

"Sakura..." Shizuko whispered. "We are guests here and shouldn't cause trouble"

"Trouble?!" Sakura exclaimed. "I will not rest knowing there's a mad woman on the loose."

"Don't worry" Usui promised them. "Kira is going back to Grandfather no matter what happens"

Misaki nodded. "I don't think I've ever hated someone" she said softly. "But she makes me hate her..."

"Shh..." Usui said. "Enough talking. You must rest. There's still a chance of a miscarriage so you need to stay very calm"

"Perhaps some warm broth shall do the trick," Erika said carrying a pot of steaming broth. She set it on the table and poured some out into a bowl. "Though it smells a little overdone" she said. Erika set the bowl onto the table and placed the spoon in.

"This looks much too hot also..." Erika announced. "Let me taste first" Erika said sipping a spoonful. She shook her head. "My lord will be blowing on this for awhile" she said carrying the bowl over to the bed.

"That's fine" Usui said holding his hand out for the bowl. Erika went to hand it to him but froze. The bowl slipped from her fingers and spilled onto the floor. Erika clutched her throat.

The women shrieked when they saw blood trickle down the corner of Erika's mouth.

"Erika!" Misaki screamed. Erika collapsed onto the floor, blood dribbled down her chin.

"The broth is poisoned!" Shizuko yelled.

"Doctor!" Sakura screamed, running down the hall.

"Get a pallet in here" instructed Usui. Shizuko rushed to drag a pallet over for Erika. The doctor came back, panting from running up the stairs.

"Save her!" Misaki screamed. Erika had sipped her broth. Someone had poisoned it! One sip and Erika was coughing up blood. Misaki shuddered. If she had drank it all...

"Kira..." Misaki hissed. She felt her stomach cramping again.

"I-I'm...f-fine" Erika said though her whole body shook.

The doctor crushed a black dust and forced it down Erika's throat.

"The charcoal will absorb the poison. How much did she have?" he asked.

"Only a sip" Usui told him.

The doctor nodded. "She will be fine" he reassured everyone. Sakura and Shizuko helped Erika wash up and lie down.

"I'm fine" Erika kept mumbling. "Just take care of yourself..."

The doctor checked on Misaki again and then went to go take a look at the broth.

"There's something wrong with this medicine" the doctor said examining the bowl. "There's...hemlock in it" he told Usui quietly.

"How did this happen?!" Usui hissed.

"Who is in charge of the medications?" the doctor asked.

Usui paused and walked out. "Bring me Kuno and Kira" he ordered.

The two were handcuffed and kneeling before Usui. Usui looked in disgust at them.

"Congratulations on your child, Kuno" Usui said while sharpening his sword. Usui needed something to do before he killed someone.

"M-my child?" Kuno asked. Usui saw him glance over at Kira which confirmed his suspicion.

"Yes, Kira is with child" Usui said casually.

"Tis not his!" Kira cut in. "My lord, Tis your child!"

"Silence" Usui said banging his fist on the table. "If you talk without me asking I'll slice off your arm!" Usui said pointing the sword at Kira's nose. Kira shrunk away from the blade.

"Kuno," Usui said, leaning back in his chair. "Have you slept with Kira?"

"N-no my lord," Kuno stammered.

"Tell me the truth!" Usui yelled, slamming the sword into the ground.

"Yes!" Kuno admitted.

"When?"

"Last month"

"Why?"

Kuno blinked. "Because she is a beautiful woman" he said seeming slightly confused.

Usui nodded. "Kira," he said slowly. "Did you try to kill the duchess?"

"No, of course not" Kira said.

Usui nodded, pretending to believe her. "Very well since you are with child, I will gift upon you a portion of the Duchess's daily broth. She has not had any yet," Usui lied.

Kira's face instantly paled. "I could never," she quickly said. "A maid should not have the same as the duchess"

Usui tsked. "But do you not speak to her as if you were outranking her? Do you not carry the same child as her?" he turned to a guard. "Get the medicine" he ordered.

Kira watched in horror as the bowl was placed in front of her. "I don't want to drink any," she said, her voice shaking. "I am healthy and don't need such things"

"And if I order you?" Usui asked.

Kira shook her head. "Please" she begged.

"What's wrong with it?" Usui demanded.

Kira burst into tears. "I saw Kuno poison it" she cried.

"What?!" Kuno exclaimed. "I never did such thing! It was you who wanted access to the Duchess's daily broth! Tis your bargain!"

"No!" Kira said. "I never would dare do such a thing"

"Duke Usui, she's lying"

"I'm not!" Kira sobbed.

Usui tapped his finger on the table. "Kira..." Usui said slowly. "You either tell me the truth or you drink you own recipe."

Kira shook her head. Usui looked over at the guard who nodded. The guard picked and the bowl and held Kira's head.

"No!" Kira screamed. The bowl touched her lips. "I'll talk!" she screamed. "I'll talk!"

Usui gestured for the guard to stand back. "Speak then. One lie and you lose a limb"

"I was jealous!" Kira cried. "I am a bastard child of a noble who never recognized me. The Grand Duke took me under his wing and raised me like a granddaughter. He kept me by his side for many years... He only sent me away when he heard you were married. He wanted me to report on everything you did!"

"What else did he tell you to do?" Usui demanded.

"Nothing" Kira replied. Usui picked up his sword.

"He wanted to make sure you didn't get involved in some campaign!" Kira shrieked.

Usui set the sword down. That made more sense. Of course Grandfather would care about that. Tora's campaign could affect every noble in the land.

"And the duchess?" Usui asked.

"I hate her!" Kira screamed. "She's not beautiful, barely noble and hardly a woman. Why should she have your child and live in luxury!? I despise that child in her! I wanted her dead! DEAD"

"I've heard enough" Usui said, getting up. "Lock them both up" he told the guard.

"W-where are you going!" Kira asked.

"I'm sending for the Grand Duke..." Usui said walking away. "He will decide your fate..."