Leslie Moore - Griffin's Shadow

Yes, he would, Jelena thought.

“Now, Princess! Push hard!”

Gritting her teeth, Jelena bore down and delivered her daughter into the waiting hands of the doctor. Exhausted after hours of labor, she relaxed into the mound of pillows piled at her back and let her mind drift.

For a while, the world dissolved into a soft blur. The angry wail of her newborn daughter and the delighted cries of the women surrounding her floated through her consciousness like clouds across the summer sky. She saw Ashinji, standing before her, his head cocked as if listening for something. The sensation of his presence felt so strong, she cried out to him.

“Jelena, wake up… It’s time to meet your daughter.”

Jelena raised her head and found herself tucked into bed. “I must have fallen asleep,” she murmured. She struggled to sit up and Eikko came forward to adjust the pillows. Some time between the birth and now, she had been washed and dressed in a clean shift. A wad of absorbent padding had been tucked between her legs to catch the last of the birth fluids.

She felt weary to her bones, but the sight of the doctor, standing beside the bed, holding a blanket-wrapped bundle, caused all weariness to vanish in a flash. Eagerly, she held out her arms.

At the first sight of her child’s face, Jelena gave in to tears. She could already see Hatora had inherited all of her father’s beauty.

Oh, Ashi, I wish that you could see our daughter and hold her in your arms!

“It’s time to give your daughter her first feeding, Princess,” the doctor said. “Here, let me help you.” She pulled open the loose neck of Jelena’s shift. “Just lay her head against your breast…Very good…That’s it…let her take the nipple…”

Jelena marveled at the strength a healthy suckling newborn could exert on a breast. The sensation felt a little uncomfortable at first, but as she got used to it, a contented pleasure settled over her.

“Where is she? Where is my granddaughter!”

Sen’s booming voice preceded his arrival at the bedchamber door.

“Sen, she’s my granddaughter, too, you know!”

Jelena smiled at her father’s exasperated reply.

“Your Majesty, Lord Sakehera, please come in,” the doctor called out.

Keizo swept through the door, Sen hard on his heels. Eikko and Sateyuka immediately dropped into low bows. Sonoe remained sitting at Jelena’s side, one hand stroking the new mother’s hair. Amara stood and beckoned with a wave of her hand.

“Come and see your granddaughter, the two of you!” she said. As both men approached the bed, the blast of male energy rolling before them made Jelena dizzy. Keizo bent down and kissed his daughter’s forehead.

“Well done, my girl. Well done.” He gazed proudly at the nursing baby. “She’s an Onjara, no doubt about it. Just look her!”

“Hah!” Sen exclaimed. “She looks like a Sakehera, my old friend!”

“Both of you are arrogant fools; Hatora is barely out of her mother’s belly! She doesn’t look like much of anything, except a wrinkled little plum,” Amara scolded.

“The birth went well, your Majesty,” the doctor said.

“How are you feeling, Jelena my dear?” Sen asked, his face alight with joy.

“Tired, but happy,” Jelena answered. “I think Hatora’s going to look more like Ashi than me. At least I hope so.”

Sen blinked back tears. “Finding you was my son’s greatest fortune.”

“Two new grandchildren in the space of a month!” the king exclaimed. Misune had given birth to her son just four weeks previously. “You must be bursting with pride, eh, Sen?”

“Oh, yes,” Sen replied. “‘Course, my son Sadaiyo has been preening like a damn peacock! He has every right, though, ‘cause my grandson is perfect!”

“Enough, you men. Jelena needs her rest!” Amara chided. “You can come back later.”

Keizo laid a hand on his friend’s shoulder. “Come along, old friend. I believe we’ve been dismissed. We’ll go back to my apartments and drink a toast.”

With much congratulatory back-slapping, Sen and the king departed.

“Hmmph…You’d think they were the ones who’d birthed this baby!” Amara sniffed, but her eyes brimmed with affection.

“Well, that’s it for now. I’ll be on my way as well.” The doctor bustled around, collecting her things. “Lady Amara, please make sure the princess takes a draught from this bottle later tonight. It’s a combination tonic and cleanser. It will help her to eliminate any residue left over from the birth.” The doctor handed Amara a small glass vial. “Mix ten drops in a half-glass of sweet wine and a little water.” She turned to Eikko. “Change your mistress’ padding just before you go to bed, then again four hours later. I’ll be round first thing tomorrow morning to check on mother and child.”

“I’ll see to it,” Sonoe volunteered.

Amara nodded and handed her the vial. “You’ll stay the night with her, Sonoe?”

“Yes, of course,” Sonoe replied. “You go on to bed, if you wish.”

“It has been a long day,” Amara said. “I still have to see to my other daughters, though, before I can rest.” She bent over to kiss Jelena’s cheek. “Sleep well, dear. Come, Doctor. I will see you out.”

After Amara and the doctor had left, Jelena relaxed back into the pillows and allowed Sonoe to place the now satiated and sleeping baby in the intricately carved wooden cradle by the bedside. The cradle had been a gift from Prince Raidan, and had come as a complete surprise. Jelena never expected anything from her aloof uncle, and his gesture had raised her hopes that someday, she might have a warmer relationship with him.

“Jelena,” Sateyuka called out softly. Jelena opened her eyes with a start, realizing she must have dozed off again.

“Oh, Sateyuka! I’m sorry! I know it’s late. You’re welcome to stay the night, of course.”

“Thank you, my dear.”

“Everyone must be famished,” Jelena murmured. The sudden hunger pangs roiling her stomach surprised her.

“I’ll send down to the kitchen for some food,” Eikko said and bustled from the room.

“I’ll sleep in here with you and the baby tonight, Jelena,” Sonoe said. “The weaver can sleep in the sitting room.”

Jelena knew she should be annoyed at Sonoe’s high-handedness, but she was just too tired. “I want both my best friends with me tonight, Sonoe. Sateyuka can stay in my bedchamber.”

“Jelena, I don’t wish to cause any inconvenience…” Sateyuka protested, but Jelena cut her off.

“It’s already settled. Eikko can make you up a pallet by the window.” Sonoe’s eyes narrowed and her lips tightened, betraying her irritation, but Jelena chose to ignore it.

Sonoe will just have to deal with it!

“I think I’ll rest now. Wake me when the food arrives.”

“Of course,” Sonoe murmured, bending over to kiss her lightly on the cheek.

As Jelena drifted off to sleep, the image of Ashinji once again appeared before her mind’s eye. For an instant, he seemed so real, Jelena tried to touch him, but then he vanished, lost to her once again. She dreamt no more of him that night.

Sonoe waited until everyone else in the room had fallen asleep before she acted. Silently, she slipped from Jelena’s bed and moved to neutralize the two hikui. She gazed with contempt at the hikui weaver lying unconscious at her feet. The servant girl, Eikko lay sprawled by the door, also unconscious. Neither hikui knew what had hit them, nor would they remember anything when they awoke.

With a wave of her hand and a quick, whispered incantation, she warded the bedchamber door.