Chapter 43
I looked at her with disgust.
Her facial expression changed from a pleading one to a darker and threatening look.
" This is all your father's fault, If he had not insisted on marring your stupid commoner mother, I wouldn't be here. I hated it here, The hate, I had for your parents kept me sane here." An evil chuckle escaped her.
" That will never be reason enough to justify your deeds."I said and walked away.
I heard a thud but I never looked back.
The Queen gasped. A hand flew to her mouth. She remained staring at my back and I could sense the furious workings of her mind."
After the King's burial. The palace held a fest to celebrate his life and the victory against the Kanjis.
I was almost two months pregnant, when we buried the King... Seven more days was allocated to abstainance from meat, manual work, intimacy between couple, funerals for commoners and bathing. It was only after the seven days that I took a bath and felt alive again.
I hadn't talked to Prince Sepo during that time as he had been busy been Prince regent and I had missed him.
It has rained the whole day and was still raining when I went to his chamber but he was not there, he hadn't been for days, I decided to wait for him.
I had had oil lamps lit in the room. So when he came and saw me. His tired looking face lit up.
" I wanted to come see you after bathing?"
" I know, you can bath, I'll wait for you here.
It didn't take him long to come back but I had slept when he came back.
" So much for waiting."
He came and held me from behind bringing me to him
" You seriously going to sleep when you husband is here?"
" I fell tired"I answered him without moving.
He reached for by breast and gently squeezed, I winced out in pain startling him.
" Sorry." he whispered.
"I have missed you so much. He told me his erection taut.
" So did I, don't be sad anymore because your grief is my grief."
He looked into my eyes in the dimly lit room and reached for me. I could tell, he needed this to stay sane in the palace.
He was apart from me, when he asked me a question.
"Zae, are you pregnant?"
His voice was very commanding.
" Are you pregnant?"he asked me again.
" Hmmmm, why would you ask me that?"
" Because, I know for a fact that, you are pregnant but I want to know why you didn't tell me."
" I don't know what you are talking about, I mean why wouldn't I tell you if I was right?"
He gave out a sad chuckle
" Sometimes, I don't know who you are, You are so mysterious it's hard to understand you."
" You are blowing this thing out of proportion, am not pregnant, I swear I would tell you if I was." I said, my voice had a hint of guilt, because I had already decided that I was really not keeping the pregnancy. I had more reasons to not keep the pregnancy than I had to keep it.
He quickly dressed up and left the room.
" Where are you going?" I asked..
" you'll see..."
When he came back, he wasn't alone anymore. He came with an old royal midwife.
" Can you come here Zae."
" I hurriedly wrapped myself with a chitenge and went to the ante chamber.
I was surprised to see the woman in the ante chamber.
I looked at the woman and Prince Sepo, my brain working harder than usual.
" This is the most experienced midwife in the palace. She had confirmed your pregnancy to me by just looking at you today but since you are saying, you are not, there is no harm in her checking you physically.
I was speechless,
"So you don't trust me?"I complained.
" Stop wasting time and Let the woman check you Zae."
" This is not necessary." I glared at him
" Why?" he asked knowing the answer.
" Because, yes, yes am pregnant ok..." I said bitterly.
The woman sensing he services wasn't needed anymore made obeisance and left the antechamber.
" Why didn't you tell me, you know how I have longed to prove myself and get you pregnant, have an heir."
" Because I wasn't going to Keep it."
" Zae!!!"
Prince Sepo slapped me across the face. " And you say Queen mother is evil."
The slap had surprised me. He must have felt the pain as blood started coming out of his nose and he felt disappointed with himself and his actions.
" Am sorry Zae."he said coming towards me.
More than the pain I felt for the blink of an eye, what hurt me most was being compared to Queen Maliwa.
Tears welled up.
" You think, this is a blessing?"I sneered.
Moving away from him. The stench of the blood that was now on his bare chest too waffled the air as he cleaned his nose.
" It's just a little baby... ofcourse, he or she is a blessing."
" Then choose between this child and me."
" Stop being stupid, there is no comparison."
" Just choose!!!..."I shouted.
" I want you both..."
"If it was a normal woman, having us both wouldn't have sounded absurd right now but in your case, you just came out of the water with a dry fish."
" What that supposed to mean?"he stared at me with a questioning look.
" It means my prince, that because you are my husband, I am to die after giving birth to your child." I paused to let it sink in.
" Have you ever asked your self how you survived that spear attack from the Kanji?"
To my surprise, Prince Sepo was calm so I was convinced being an intelligent man he must have figured that part out.
" Yes, I can heal you involuntarily, no matter where you are. This gift the gods gave me has an Antidote. You! How that is even a gift is beyond me.
If I get pregnant and have your child, I'll die after giving birth. This my Prince is where your choosing comes in." I was taunting him.
Prince Sepo's jaw dropped, he did not seem to be able to take in the words. His open mouth moved but nothing came out. A strange hunted look entering his eyes as if he stared inwards at his own spirit and saw only grief and horror.
" But my Prince" I continued.
" I really want to avenge my parents, you know that's what I had wanted the most since coming here. If I keep this child, I won't have that opportunity, If I don't, I won't be able to face them in the afterlife.
I can avenge my family and still get pregnant for you, I'll work hard and I'll make it happen."
He began began shivering like one suffering from epilepsy. His eyes rolling to mine with a piteous expression.
"Are .... you ... telling me... Zae, that once you give birth.... you die?" His phrases breaking out in spasms, from his enormous effort at self control.
" Yes, my Prince."
Prince Sepo's mind spun back over the years, tearing a veil over his eyes.
