Leslie Moore - Griffin's Shadow

Sen fell silent, as if he knew Jelena needed a few moments to digest the astounding revelation he had just laid upon her.

My father is the elf king! How am I ever going to take this all in?

Jelena had lived with the shame of her mixed blood all her life, and even when she thought she had escaped racial bigotry, she had encountered it again, albeit in a less virulent form, among her father’s people. Now, she had just learned the blood of elven royalty flowed in her veins.

Will this make any real difference? I am still hikui…a half-breed, she thought.

The twins squealed in delight as their mother finished reading.

“Please, Mother…,” Jena begged, and Mariso breathlessly completed the sentence, “Read us one more!”

“No, girls,” Amara replied as she closed the book. “It is time for you two to go to bed. We must get up very early. ”

“Ooooooh!” the children cried.

“Girls! Do as your mother says,” Sen commanded, his voice stern, but affectionate. “You don’t want to get left behind tomorrow morning because no one can wake you, do you?” Mournfully, the two little blond heads shook in unison. “Very good. Now, come and kiss your old father good night.”

After Amara had taken the twins off to bed, Jelena resumed her conversation with Sen.

“What will all of this mean, Father?” Jelena asked. “If I’m truly the king’s daughter, does that mean I’m a…a princess ? Even though I’m hikui? You said my existence will complicate my father’s life. How so?”

“Keizo has a younger brother, Prince Raidan, who is officially his Heir, at least until he marries and produces a child…an okui child,” Sen replied. “So far, the king has shown no inclination to marry, and his longtime companion has not born him any children as yet. The prince…well, let’s just say he won’t exactly welcome with open arms anyone who could become a potential rival to his claim.”

Jelena frowned. “So you think Prince Raidan-my uncle-would view me as a threat?”

“Yes,” Sen replied.

Jelena shook her head. “I’ve gone from bastard half-breed scullery maid to king’s daughter in the blink of an eye… This is all so unreal.”

“What are you two talking about over here? You both look so serious.” Ashinji had come up behind her and he now slipped his arms around her waist. “You’ve been huddled with my wife for too long, Father. I miss her and want her back.” He planted a kiss on the side of her neck, then rested his chin on her shoulder.

Jelena’s breath caught in her throat, the way it always did when Ashinji kissed her there. “Your father had some important news for me, Ashi, about my own father,” Jelena explained. “I’ll tell you everything later, when we’re alone.”

Ashinji looked first at his father and then at Jelena. “I gather from the looks on your faces that the situation isn’t entirely good,” he commented.

Sen said nothing and Jelena turned her head to kiss Ashinji’s cheek. “Later, I promise,” she repeated.

“Well, then! I think we’d all best get to bed,” Sen said, loud enough to catch Lani, Sadaiyo, and Misune’s attentions. “We’ve got an early start tomorrow morning.”

“I’ll meet you in the stables at dawn, Father,” Sadaiyo said as he and Misune exited the sitting room, arm in arm.

“G’night, Father,” Lani murmured sleepily, planting a quick kiss on Sen’s cheek as she followed her oldest brother out. “’Night, Ashi, Jelena.”

“I’m still surprised that Mother and the girls are coming to Sendai with us,” Ashinji said after Lani had left.

Sen shrugged. “It’s been years since your mother saw the capital. I think she’s grown a bit restless out here in the country and wants to get a taste of the city for a change. I also know she’s looking to show Lani off… Not much in the way of useful young men this far east, you know. What better place to snag a rich young heir than at court, eh?”

Jelena remembered Ashinji mentioning his sister had taken a fancy to Misune’s older brother Ibeji.

Perhaps Father-in-law believes one match between the Sakehera and the Dai families is enough, she thought.

“Come, husband. Let’s get to bed,” she said.

Ashinji nodded in agreement and as the two of them headed for the door, Sen called out, “First light, children! Don’t oversleep!”

Later, as they lay snuggled together beneath the coverlets, Jelena told Ashinji everything his father had told her about her sire.

“If this is true and you really are the king’s daughter…it could change everything, Jelena,” Ashinji responded, his voice soft and pensive. Jelena could hear the worry behind his quiet words. She grabbed his chin and pulled until he looked into her eyes.

“It changes nothing, Ashi. None of us knows how the king will greet the news that he has a hikui daughter. He may reject me outright. Or he may acknowledge my existence but refuse to have any direct contact with me.”

“Or he might accept you with open arms and proclaim you his Heir.”

“You know as well as I do that I can’t be his Heir. It’s the law. Even if, by some miracle of the gods, he does accept me, I will still be your wife and a Sakehera first. My future is with you, no matter what.”

“I still can’t help but worry about where this all could lead,” Ashinji murmured.

He slid downwards and rested his head between her breasts. Tenderly, Jelena ran her fingers through his hair. “You’ll never lose me, Ashi, I promise,” she whispered. He said nothing and instead replied with his body.

As they made love, his caresses were gentle as usual, but at the same time, a little desperate. Afterwards, he held her tight against him, as if he feared to let go; even as they both drifted off to sleep, his arms never loosened.

"Jelena…wake up, love. We must get ready to go.”

Jelena groaned and pulled the covers over her head. She’d had some difficulty falling asleep last night, so it seemed as if she had just drifted off. Now, Ashinji was pestering her to get up.

Ohhhh, I don’t want to leave this bed. I’m too comfortable!

A little candle flame of memory sparked in her head. She sat up abruptly, and her forehead met Ashinji’s nose with a painful smack.

“Owww!” they both yelled.

“Ashi, are you all right?” Jelena cried, rubbing her head with one hand and reaching out to her husband with the other.

“Mmmmph,” he mumbled behind hands cupped over his nose and mouth. Jelena grabbed his wrists and pulled his hands away, then gasped with dismay.

“Goddess’ tits , your head is hard, woman!” Ashinji growled. “That is the last time I try to wake you with my nose pressed to your face!” In the feeble glow of the night lamp beside the bed, Jelena saw the slow trickle of scarlet that ran down from one nostril and dripped off Ashinji’s chin into his open palm. “Ai, this is going to really hurt later on,” he sighed.

Jelena bit down on her lower lip, unsure if she wanted to laugh or cry. Ashinji must have noticed her stricken look, for he immediately sought to reassure her. “I don’t think it’s broken, just bloodied. I’ve had plenty of these before, every soldier has. Don’t worry.” He crawled out of bed and padded over to his floor chest where he proceeded to rummage through its contents. He pulled out a piece of cloth and pressed it to his nose.

Jelena got up and sidled over to wrap her arms around Ashinji from behind. She laid her cheek against his head; even after a day and a night, the aroma of sweet almond still clung to his hair.