He wasn’t coming.

         Armina Caedise closed her eyes, her head bowed by a pain so sharp it was physical. Her hand fell reflexively to her belly. Flat still, it was, but if the midwife was right about what she’d told Armina this morn--and the woman usually was about such matters--it would not be flat much longer.

         Armina was pregnant of Elios Malicae’s baby. The joy she had felt at first subsided leaving only anger and fear and finally gnawing panic as the hours waned and Elios did not arrive.  Even now she was scolding herself for being gullible, and stupid to trust the enemy of her household.  Now the thought dawned on her, what would they do to her when they found out about the child? No, no they could never find out. She could imagine her confrontation to come when she would return home.

         “Fool,” her mother would cry. “What were you thinking, carrying on with the likes of him? He is our enemy and yet you slept with him? Beside he will not wed you. Did you actually think...” She could even hear her mother’s voice laughing at her. Only to glare, “Whore! That’s what you are the devil’s whore!” Picturing the resounding slap right after only made her wince.

         Armina would likely get her ears boxed for good measure and have to endure the pain in her brother’s eyes and the sneers of the boys she’d snubbed.

         And all because of the child she carried, and was beginning to despise. Blaming the unborn child, a symbol of her misfortune. For she did not want a child of someone who betrayed her, left her, and seduced her with empty words and hollow promises.  He said he loved her. He’d promise to wed her against their families wishes in the three years when he returned from the education his father insisted upon. Ironic how both their families hated each other for centuries, and forgotten the reason but the hate was apparent in both houses. And yet they loved each other or so she hoped he had the same emotions for her. Now she wasn’t so sure whether the words that he had given her were lies or truths. But she remembered the words well. “You will be ten and eight then,” Elios said, holding her close to his bare body as their racing hearts slow. “Together we will make our own magical world. Just you and I.”

         The memory of their loving warmed her chilled blood, giving her heavy spirit hope.

         Elios loved her. He would come. He was just late, that had be to it.

         Armina pulled her cloak a little tighter and watched the trail. An hour passed. And then another. Her shoulders slumped, he had truly lied, empty words and promises. Four hours she had been waiting. Soon it would be nightfall. If she didn’t leave soon, she’d be riding home in the dark.

         As the sun sank slowly behind majestic mountains, Armina untied her stallion’s reins from the branch and mounted. She felt as creaky and stiff as an old woman, as though someone had been beating her. Well, she’d get that beating soon enough, when her mother and father found out she was carrying an enemy's bastard child.

         It was fully dark by the time she approached the onyx gates of the Caedise Household. Orion poked his head over the wall and scowled down at her.

         “Out late ye are, M’lady.”

         “Aye.” She was so cold it seemed her feet were made of ice as she dismounted in the courtyard. Caedise Castle glowered down at her in the gloom stern and disapproving. Light shone from the narrow slits in the great hall a story above. Her family at supper. Her stomach rumbled, but she couldn’t face them. Instead, she sneaked in through the kitchens and up the back stairs into her chambers.

         Shivering, she undressed in the dark and crawled under the silk blanket. Then and only then did she let fall the crystalline tears that burned the back of her eyes. She wept as she hadn’t wept in years in anger and utter disappointment. When the storm passed, she dozed, awakening at first light.

         What was she to do? Huddled under the covers, she devised and discarded a dozen plans. Only one course made sense. She must ride and risk her life by going to Kantian and see Elios. Only then could she decide what must be done.

         No one was about when she saddled her stallion. To the guard at the gate, she lied about having an errand in the village. The five-mile ride to Kantian passed too quickly and too slowly, with her stomach in knots, her nerves a-jangle. By the time she reached Kantians gate’s, she was dizzy with dread. Her voice shook as she gave a made up name to the guard in the gatehouse. After a long wait, the small door set in the drawbridge opened, and a soldier in armor motioned her forward.

         “What do you want?” The man inquired warily.

         “I-I’ve come to see E-Elios Malicae.”

         “Alone?” He scowled and looked about, as though expecting men to sprout from the rocks at her back.

         “He’s not here.”

         “Not here?”

         “Konin,” the soldier snapped. “He’s gone to Konin.”

         “But-but he was not supposed to leave for a fortnight.”
 
         “Plans changed.”

         Nay. He can’t have gone...not without word. Stunned, Armina swayed in the saddle. “Why?” She whispered.

         The man’s eyes narrowed. “Who are you?”

         “A-Armina Caedise. I-”

         “Caedise!” His eyes narrowed. He stepped closer, hand to sword at the sound of the enemies’ name, shoving his scruffy face into hers.  “Now why would enemy scum be doing asking after our Elios? Did ye think to lure him into a trap? Get ye gone before I drive ye away with the point of my sword.”

         Armina wheeled her stallion and sent it careening down the steep trail, more to outrun the terrible pain than to escape the man’s threats. He’d left. He’d left her without a word. The dreadful finality seemed to pound in her head in cadence with the stallion’s hoof beats. By the time she reached Caedise Castle, the pain had hardened into anger once again.

         She’d never been one to trust easily. With a lethal combination of intelligence, gentleness and sensual seduction, Elios cajoled her into trusting him. How he must have crowed over his triumph over his enemy’s daughter. More when she had surrendered her innocence. She was enraged with him, herself, and the unborn child within. She should have known better.

         The Caedises were at the noon meal when she cantered into the courtyard. No one came to take her stallion, so she led it to the stables herself. She unbuckled the girth, then braced to the slide the heavy saddle off.

         “Let me,” commanded the gravelly voice.

         Armina squeaked and turned. “Oh, ‘tis you, big brother.” She inclined her head in a greeting to him. Cid, a warlord and slave trader from the middle east had come for a haste visit to the house. And ever since the man laid eyes on her, she could sense something more than just brotherly love. It wouldn’t have been a surprise for Armina was the beauty of the household.  It was no sin to actually love another’s sibling it seems normal in the new age of times that they were in. The Age of rebirth of the human mind or as those in her house called it Krakishka.

         “Where’ve you been?” He demanded. The gloom in the stables emphasized his statuesque features. Cold like ice and as unfeeling.

         “R-riding.” The last thing she wanted now was company. “I should get inside.”

         “A moment.” He plucked the saddle from the stallion’s back as though it weighed nothing and set it in the straw.

         “The stable lad can see to him when he’s finished eating.”

         He took Armina’s arm  and escorted her from the barn. But when she started towards the Castle door, he steered her around the elegant gardens.

         “Cid?” She was slightly frightened for he was still a stranger to her, little of him she had seen while growing up.

         “I’ve been waiting on you.”

         “Why?” Armina stopped, fear clutching at her battered nerves. “It is Mama? Colin?”

         “Mother and Colin are well.” He stopped in the shadow of the willow tree that stood feet from the back door, yet still kept hold of her arm, as though fearing she’d run off.

         “What is it then?”

         “You have not noticed, but I’ve had my eye on you.”

         “I-I have not.” She’d been to caught up in her feelings for Elios and in making the most of the time they had.

         “Why?”

         “I’m in need of a wife,” A smile grazed his lips as cobalt depths stared at her intently bringing her hand to his lips. “And who better than you, delicate flower.”

         Armina blinked.  Mist pools gazed at the lustful way his eyes stared at her. A sigh escaped her lips she did not need this now, not after Elios. “Why are you telling me this?” She asked warily. Cid began to frown upon noticing this, but hid it none the less.

         “Because I need a wife, and I think you need a husband.”

         He looked at her stomach, and she fancied those cobalt eyes of his could see through her gown and shift to her womb.

         Armina shifted uncomfortably. “I do not know what you--”

         “Aye, you do. And you are a clever girl and sensible...for the most part. You’ll not be wanting to tell your family you are breeding with no husband offing.”

         “How can you know?” She demanded.

         “You have the glow of a girl who’s well and truly caught. But I care not as long as I can call you my own,” A hint of a smile tugged at his lips. Yes, truly he did not care for he would add her to his hefty collection of concubines.  This was making Armina uncomfortable. “And I chanced to overheard your conversation with the midwife the other morning.”

         “Oh.” Armina wanted desperately to sit down.

         “Here.” Cid grabbed her arms and led her to a wooden bench. “Can’t have you tiring yourself and risking my babe.”

         “You--you’d claim another’s child as your own?”

         “Aye, I would,” his voice falter only to caress her cheek lightly with his thumb, “it would be aiding my sister. Would it not?”

         “Aye,” She nodded, and yet her mind screamed out. Nay. But for once she agreed with her older brother. For once her mind over ruled her heart.

Nine Months Later...

         Sunlight streamed through the tree branches within the largest of Cid’s gardens, painting patches of light upon the ground. Overhead, leaves rustled, while the fountain in the center of the courtyard sang it’s never-ending melody of falling water. Despite the pleasant surroundings, one soul was in turmoil.

         Armina sighed, she was homesick.

          Ever since arriving to his big brother’s estate in Yankorina. Pondering about her mother’s well-being as well as Colin’s she had sent many letters telling them of the surroundings lying about feelings of happiness and giddiness. But the truth was that she was miserable, lonely, and angry. Placing her hand over her swollen stomach, somehow the child brought her a sense of  dread. As times went on she hated the unborn child growing within her, despised it for the fact that it only reminded her of  Elios.

         True, she had been given the best of everything. Clothing, jewels, exotic foods, anything to bring a smile upon that very face, but she cared naught  for it. Sitting upon a bench. Clad in her thinnest lounging robe, adorned by a single green jewel on a carved chain, she seemed abstracted, the picture of a Lady in repose. Her skin the color of cream and seemed even fairer by the contrasting mass of gold-red hair that tumbled about her shoulders. Cheery lips, full and seductive, parting with a breathless sigh.

         “Armina,” Cid called to her for Armina to rise from the bench she had resided in. Turning towards the direction to the one who called her, her brother, no, her husband now.

         Just as she stood an incredible pain tore at her stomach, her waters broke soaking her robe and sandals. “The baby!” She cried, gasping between each tremors of pain, doubling over clutching at her swollen middle. Instantly, the concubines were surrounding her. Cid Caedise shouldered his way through the crowd and picked up his wife and sister,  his heart being torn by the cries and moans of anguish she gave. He carried her out of the garden through corridors and halls to her private chamber.

         Armina clutched tightly at his robes gasping as tears trickled down her eyes. Gasping as another came, sobbing, mist pools glittered from the low flames of her chambers. “It hurts! Please, brother, make it stop!” She screamed  as yet another pain much stronger than the last over came her entire body.
 

         Cid was afraid for her, scared. He had learned to love his sister with a sensible heart of gold. “Shhh, don’t worry Armina everything will be alright. AKIMA!” He cried out only for the midwife to soon usher him from the room, closing the door behind her. His nerves were knots, hands clasped behind him pacing to and fro. He heard each muffled scream that his wife gave from within the chambers.

         Armina struggled for two days. The child was large, and turned the wrong way.

         Four times the midwife turned the baby to the correct position and four times did the baby reverse itself.  Finally, in desperation of losing one if not both, Akima turned the baby a fifth time and, finding it’s small shoulder, gently grasped it and drew the child slowly down the birth canal.

         But Armina was tired, pushing and gasping at each tremor and stinging sensation. She longed for rest. “Push M’lady! Push! For the life of that child! Push!”

         Her golden-red hair matted on her face which was only covered in sweat. She could only sob, the pain, the frustration. “I-I can’t.” Was all the managed between a sob and labored breath. Her chest heaved as she attempted one last time, pushing the child within her that tore her from within.

         Another scream was heard from Armina, her back arching tears glittering from her cheeks. Feeling the baby huge between her legs. In one last ferocious effort she pushed with all her might and last of her energies. Hearing the thunderous wailing of a child and the faint words of Akima.

“It’s a girl!”

         Armina could only manage to smile, for once the burden of her child had brought her a sense of peace. Mist-glazed pools looked at the child that the midwife was cleaning, a bird of paradise. Her skin was gardenia-fair, her eyes a wonderful gray, like the mist that covered the ground at moonlight, and she already had a thick head full of gold-red curls from her mother. Feeling blood seep into the very sheets, she knew her end was near but at seeing her child, no longer was she afraid but to bring as something as beautiful into the world, she smiled once more.

         Cid burst through the door, coming to his young wife’s bedside. No longer could he stand out there any longer knowing that his beloved Armina was in pain. But instead he was awarded with a child promising of beauty in the future. Only for Armina to stare at both stepfather and child calling out one single name before her body took the ever-so-needed eternal rest. “Daen, that will be your name.” It was the whisper that left with the wind, but sure indeed, the broken hearted brother and husband heard it loud. Blamed the death on the child of beauty that he cradled in his arms. Armina’s thick lashes bowing before rosy cheeks that no longer held their warmth, for death had taken her. His dear sweet Armina. Gone forever...