Leslie Moore - Griffin's Shadow

“Whatever changes are in store for us, we’ll face them together, love,” he whispered.

Jelena twined her fingers in his hair and kissed him.

“Mother, Father…Misune and I have an announcement to make,” Sadaiyo said. The family had just sat down to breakfast. Jelena had awakened that morning to more nausea, and had no appetite. Ashinji, ever sensitive to her mood, kept throwing worried glances her way as she slowly sipped a cup of tea.

“Well, what’s your news, Son…tell us,” Sen urged around a mouthful of bread. Sadaiyo took Misune’s hand and together, they faced Sen and Amara. “We waited to tell you because we wanted to be sure.” He paused for effect, then crowed, “Misune is pregnant. You’re to be grandparents!” Misune smiled triumphantly.

“Goddess be praised!” Sen whooped with joy. Amara rose from her seat, embraced Misune and kissed her on both cheeks. She then turned and put her arms around Sadaiyo, who seemed caught off-guard by his mother’s affection. Awkwardly, he returned her embrace.

“Today is a very good day for this family,” Sen said. He stood up, arms half-raised as if he, too, were about to embrace his son; instead, he reached out and squeezed Sadaiyo’s shoulder, then his arms dropped to his sides.

For only a moment, Jelena saw something she’d never seen before-Sadaiyo’s cold face transformed into that of a child desperately yearning for his father’s love-then, just as quickly, the child faded and the man returned.

“I’m glad I’ve…at last…made you happy, Father,” Sadaiyo said, a rough catch in his voice.

Sen sniffed and rubbed his eyes. “Yes…well…,” he huffed and sat down.

“Jelena, how are you feeling this morning?” Jelena looked up, surprised by her mother-in-law’s question.

“Not well, Mother, but it’s nothing, really,” she assured.

“It’s not nothing,” Ashinji countered. “Mother, Jelena has been unwell for nearly two weeks now.”

Amara nodded, a knowing look in her eye. “Perhaps it’s time to send for a doctor,” she said.

“Oh, no, Mother, please. I really don’t need a doctor.”

“Yes…you do!” Ashinji glowered at her.

Amara exchanged a look with her husband. “I believe I’ll send for one right now,” she said.

Jelena nodded in acquiescence. She knew when to give in.

Later that morning, as she and Ashinji waited in the sitting room for the doctor to arrive, Jelena, who had sensed a mood change in her husband beyond worry for her, prodded him to talk.

They had the room to themselves; Sen and Sadaiyo had gone out on official business, Misune and Lani had retreated to the bathhouse for a long soak, and Amara was upstairs dressing the twins.

“What’s gotten you so upset, Ashi?” Jelena laid her hand atop his and gazed at his profile. “I know you’re worried about me, but…”

“Yes, of course I’m worried,” he responded, then said, “That was the first time I’ve ever seen my mother embrace Sadaiyo like that. I don’t think he quite knew how to react.”

“Your parents are thrilled that their Heir is expecting his own Heir,” Jelena replied. “It means the House of Sakehera will continue after your father is gone.”

“Of course, you’re right…” Ashinji paused, then exclaimed, “Ai, Goddess!” He shook his head slowly, eyes closed. “I know it’s evil of me, but…I can’t feel any joy for my brother. I’m ashamed, Jelena… ashamed to admit I would secretly enjoy any misfortune that might befall him.”

“Oh, Ashi.” Jelena rested her head on his shoulder. “There is nothing about you that is evil. If you feel this way about your brother, then it is his own doing. He has tormented and abused you your entire life. You aren’t the one who should feel ashamed, it’s him!”

“Have I told you lately how much I love you?” Ashinji brushed his lips against her neck.

“Yes, but I can never hear it enough.” A knock at the door interrupted the moment. Amara had declined to accept full-time servants while they lived at Sendai, and so it was left to the younger family members to perform certain tasks like opening the door to visitors.

“I guess I’ll have to answer that.” Ashinji got up and exited the room, returning a moment later with a tall, gray-haired man in tow.

“Lady Sakehera summoned me to attend her daughter-in-law,” the man said to Ashinji.

“Yes, Doctor. You are here to examine my wife. She has been ill for nearly two weeks now.”

Jelena stood up and came forward. The doctor’s eyebrows shot up, but he swiftly recovered. “Come, let’s sit and you can tell me about your symptoms, my girl,” he prompted gently.

After Jelena had described the nausea and dizziness that had plagued her, the doctor nodded and asked, “When did you last bleed?”

Jelena had to stop and think.

It has been awhile, she thought. Gods! Could I be…?

Aloud, she said, “I…I think it was…well, before we left Kerala. At least two months…but I’ve been late before. I thought…I didn’t think anything of it.”

“Hmmm, yes,” the doctor replied. “Captain Sakehera, I need to examine your wife now. Perhaps you’d feel more comfortable waiting in another room?”

“Oh, no! Ashi can stay with me,” Jelena insisted.

“Very well.” The doctor indicated that she should lie down on the couch. After poking and probing Jelena with experienced hands, the doctor finished his exam by holding two fingers to the large vein in her neck for several heartbeats. He nodded once, apparently satisfied.

“Well?” Jelena asked. “Am I…?”

“Yes, my girl,” the doctor replied. He smiled and the creases at the corners of his eyes deepened. “And since you appear to be in excellent health, your pregnancy should proceed smoothly.”

“Ashi! Did you hear?” Jelena cried.

“I heard, my love…I heard!”

“Doctor, is it as I suspected?” Amara had appeared at the bottom of the stairs.

“Yes, my lady. Your daughter-in-law is indeed pregnant, and if she carries like most hikui women, she should deliver by next spring.” The doctor opened his leather satchel and removed a glass vial full of fine, white powder from its depths. He then poured a small amount of wine into a glass and shook a few grains of the powder into the deep red liquid, swirling it around until the powder had dissolved. Holding the glass out to Jelena, he ordered, “Drink this now. If you feel sick later, mix a pinch of the powder into a little wine, just as you saw me do, then drink it down. Just a pinch, mind! I will make arrangements with your mother-in-law to see you regularly from now until you deliver.”

“Thank you, doctor,” Amara said. “I will see you out.” After Amara and the doctor had left the room, Jelena wrapped Ashinji in a fierce embrace.

“Ashi, we’ve made a child!” she whispered and pressed his hand to her still-flat belly. “Our first child is in here!” She wanted to leap from the couch and fly out the window to soar high above the castle roofs. She longed to release the wild music in her soul and let the world know she carried a new life within her.

“My love…my beautiful wife.” Ashinji’s voice shook with the strength of his joy.

Slowly, Jelena ran her hands across her belly, savoring the wonder of it all.

Oh, dear Claudia…Heartmother! If only you could see me now! she thought. Your baby, your little girl. Soon, I’ll have a baby of my own . Hot tears flooded her eyes.

“The One has blessed us doubly this day.” Amara re-entered the sitting room and came over to kiss both Jelena and Ashinji.

“You knew, didn’t you, Mother?”

Amara smiled and touched Jelena on the cheek. “I’ve suspected for several days, now, but I thought perhaps you’d figure it out for yourselves.”