Chapter 16

The weeks passed quickly and true to the physician's word, Vishi was showing by the second week and into maternity wear by the end of the third. Even though she was constantly reassured, she was still somewhat alarmed over the distention of her abdomen. Her belly protruded twice as far as normal. In fact on Earth, by appearance, she would have been thought ready to deliver by the end of the first month. And still her belly grew larger. She suffered no mourning sickness which was unknown among Grok mothers-to-be, but her back hurt constantly and her breasts were swollen and lactating by the third week. The physician smiled and told her she would need all the milk her body could make, for Grok babies were notoriously hungry.

As the weeks progressed however, Vishi came to accept her discomfort and body size. Although she rarely left the palace grounds, she went for long walks every day and watched her diet carefully, doing everything she could to assure the baby would be born happy and healthy. Never a singer, Vishi found herself humming to her child, even talking softly and reassuringly to him when she felt him move within her (no one had warned her about how hard Grok babies could kick). Eteenasa would sometimes join her on her walks or the two would wile away the hours talking. Sometimes Raynoor would join them, but his duties on the Council accounted for a great deal of his time.

Once, on a sleepless night, Vishi had ventured downstairs into the study. She was learning to read Grok and a particular volume of Grok mythology captured her attention. As she sat and struggled with the Grok word-pictographs, Raynoor entered, searching for some documents he had been working on earlier and felt he must finish before Council the next morning.

"Oh, I'm sorry," he said, "I had no idea..."

"I was just enjoying a bit of Grok mythology," she replied, rising to leave.

"Must you go just yet?" he asked.

"Yes, My Prince."

"I thought you were going to call me Raynoor when we were alone."

"That was a long time ago. We were different people then. Now I am Faunwa, you are my Prince. Besides, I have made a promise to the Princess."

"Haven't you ever wondered..."

"While I was Smay'Tai and later Eloi'Tai I often wondered what might have been, what we could have meant to each other. But that was long ago and far away. Now I take comfort in having your child, serving you and the Princess and hopefully the cause of peace."

"But," he asked, "there could have been so much more..."

"We cannot live in a world of could-have-beens my prince. You are Prince, soon to be Czar. You have a wife and soon a baby. I am the baby's Faunwa. I shall serve your son as I serve you, the Princess and the throne. For me there is and can be, nothing more. Good night My Prince."

"Good night Vishi Andarus. Sleep well."

But although she left quickly, she could not completely hide the tears.

One morning, some time later, Raynoor had come down to breakfast in deep thought. There was trouble brewing at Council again and he had spent a sleepless night.

"You worry too much," said Eteenasa pouring him some juice as Vishi sat opposite, nursing her daily glass of Bonwon juice which the physicians had told her was essential for the baby's development, but which Vishi found hard to stomach.

"Perhaps, but the Council..."

"Can go to Blardoc," smiled Eteenasa. "Your son spent a sleepless night as well."

"Oh?" asked Raynoor walking over to Vishi.

"Yes, My Prince. He decided just last night he wishes to be a Travphen player."

Raynoor laughed at the reference to the Grok game roughly akin to Earth's soccer, only much rougher.

"May I?" he asked, indicating he wished to place his hand on Vishi's enormous belly.

"Of course, My Prince. After all he is your child..."

His eyes sought hers as his hand felt her abdomen jump.

"... and the Princess's," Vishi added, turning demurely away.

As Vishi entered the fifth month of her pregnancy, Eteenasa was as radiant as Vishi. Eteenasa would soon have her child while Vishi had resolved herself to life as Faunwa. She would find contentment, if not true happiness, in raising the child as the son of the Czar and Czarina. The pregnancy was progressing well, although the physicians were still concerned about unforseen complications and twice Raynoor had, at Council, beaten down Quacut's attempts to undermine the peace process. Life was good at the royal palace. But that was not to be for long.

"What do you propose Quacut," asked his confederate, the two conferring in a secluded part of the council chamber.

"I had hoped to simply discredit that fool Raynoor and his ideas in Council, but apparently I underestimated him. On three occasions he has spoken so well as to rally the necessary number of ministers to his side."

"He argues well in Council."

"Don't remind me. I would love to..."

"We have discussed this before. He is too well guarded."

"Yes, I am aware any direct attack on the Prince would be foolhardy. But, if we cannot attack the dusilak (UT - Wild mountainous mammal of Grok) head on, we shall attack its lair."

"Yes" smiled Joukil, "and strike at its mate."

"And its offspring, Joukil, don't forget its offspring."

"What do you have in mind?"

"Didn't one of our cruisers just dock for repairs and refitting?"

"Yes, the Lapantak.

"Surely there must be two young, expendable, officers who can be talked into a patriotic mission."

"Yeeees," mused the confederate, "let me see what I can do."

"How much longer?" asked Raynoor a bit impatiently.

"The court physician says two months perhaps less," replied Vishi, as the three sat around the dinner table.

"Patience, my husband. The young one will let us know when it is time," smiled Eteenasa.

"And there is still the name," stated Raynoor. "Faunwa, I prefer Jontu but the Princess likes Raporta. What do you think?"

Vishi saw the Princess look up at her, both now expecting an answer.

"I think this son of yours will be handsome and charming and wise no matter what his name."

"Vishi Andarus, you should be a minister at council. You speak better than most and you certainly know when not to take sides," laughed Raynoor as he and Eteenasa enjoyed the moment.

"It is an old Earth custom to often give children two first names," offered Vishi.

"Two first names? I never heard of such a thing," countered Raynoor.

"But it does resolve the conflict, now doesn't it?" added Eteenasa.

"Hmmmmmm, yes, Vishi Andarus perhaps you have solved our dilemma."

"Raporta Jontu. I like it," smiled the Princess.

"You mean Jontu Raporta, don't you," replied the Prince.

"I have played diplomat as much as I care to for one day. I shall leave the two of you to negotiate a settlement while I retire for the evening," smiled Vishi.

"Are you all right, Faunwa?" asked the Princess.

"Yes, My Princess, just a bit fatigued. The baby is large and I seem to tire easily as the time grows closer."

"Well I hope you and Jontu Raporta have a pleasant night," smiled Raynoor playfully.

"Sleep well and we shall see you and Raporta Jontu in the morning," retorted Eteenasa.

"Good night My Prince and Princess. Both of us will see you in the morning," laughed Vishi and made her exit.

Less than an hour later the Prince received a message indicating a member of the Council wished to discuss a matter of utmost importance in the privacy of the Council chamber. Despite the late hour, Raynoor felt he must honor the request since he was told it came from Honmur, a constant ally in Council. Indicating he would return as soon as possible, he and his royal guardsmen departed the palace. Eteenasa read a while and then, she too retired for the evening.

All was quiet for the next hour as the palace guard settled in for another uneventful night. However, just before the Grok midnight hour, two figures surreptitiously crept into the palace unnoticed. Both moved furtively in the shadows and crept up the long staircase to the second floor. At the top of the stairs, one headed for the royal bedroom of the Prince and Princess while the other moved silently down the hall, approaching Vishi's room. He paused, listened for a long moment before gingerly opening the door and entering the darkened room. A stiletto appeared from under his cape as he crept toward the bed where he could just make out the figure of the sleeping Faunwa. Now standing over the bed, he hesitated, then lifted the knife above her swollen belly and hesitated again.

"The Gods, what am I doing?" he whispered, dropping the knife on the bed and turning to flee.

"Assassination not something you wish to have on your resume?" came the soft voice out of the darkness.

He spun as Vishi brought up a small night light which made their faces barely visible to each other.

"I... I..." he stuttered.

"Your name?" Vishi asked.

"Dianto Toynol, Third Officer of the Cruiser Lupantak."

"Why didn't you finish what you came to do?"

"I have killed in battle many times, some in hand to hand combat. Once I even fought Earthers. However, as I stood over you with knife in hand, I realized my war is with the enemies of the Empire. You Faunwa, and your child, are not my enemy."

"And neither is the Prince," she replied. "There are plenty of real enemies in the galaxy. You need not create them."

"I am sorry Faunwa. I beg your forgiveness." said the young officer, throwing himself on his knees at the side of her bed.

"I shall summon the Prince back from his meeting. Perhaps not all is yet lost."

"What do you mean?"

"You once swore an allegiance to the Czar and the Empire. Tonight you came close to betraying that allegiance, but in so doing, perhaps you have learned that the true enemies of the Empire are those who would have you kill sleeping mothers and their babies."

He said nothing, but Vishi could sense his agreement, knew because of her Eloi'Tai training that he was sincere.

"What a fool I have been," he said quietly.

Suddenly there was fright in his eyes.

"Blaknon! Another officer was sent to kill the Princess! Quickly, we must..."

At that moment Raynoor and several palace guards came bursting in the door. The lights were brought up full, Vishi slipping the unseen knife under the covers.

"Arrest him!" cried Raynoor.

"No, the princess is in danger!" cried the young officer.

"Princess Eteenasa is dead!" said the Prince, barely controlling the vengeance which raged within him, "killed by an assassin who I had the pleasure of killing myself. And now a second traitor in our midst. I think I shall cut your throat too. Just as your accomplice got what he gave, I shall give to you too!"

Vishi was horrified to hear of Eteenasa's death.

The young officer stood at attention, ready to accept Raynoor's revenge, but it was Vishi who regained her composure and spoke.

"My Prince, please hear me out. This is Third Officer Toynol of the Cruiser Lupantak. He overheard a plot on the ship and came here to warn us. When he found you were gone, he came here to protect me, thinking the threat was to me and the child. We had just surmised that the Princess must also be in danger when you arrived."

"Is this true?" asked Raynoor.

"The Faunwa is protecting me Prince, I..."

"He was ready to forfeit his career by disobeying orders and coming to warn me," added Vishi. "I think you have an officer here whose loyalty you will never have to question again. Is that not so, Third Officer Toynol?"

"That is most certainly true!" replied Toynol.

Raynoor turned to Vishi for a brief moment. The pain was evident in his face and Vishi felt tears running down her cheeks, both for him and for the woman she had grown to respect and admire.

"I was lured away from the palace by a false message so the assassin might strike. Who is responsible for this?" demanded the Prince of the Third Officer.

"Quacut Tomalker. He apparently used an intermediary in making the arrangements, but the plan is his."

"I shall enjoy cutting his villainous throat," said Raynoor, with a calm, almost palpable hatred.

"My Prince, before you exact that revenge, I suggest we talk," she said.

"I am through with talk. Now I act."

"My Prince, your heart is filled with both sorrow and hatred at this moment, either of which clouds the mind. May I suggest that if you simply rush off and kill Quacut, there will be many who will think you used the Princess's death as an excuse to eliminate your greatest threat to succession. Some might even believe that you..."

"That is preposterous!" cried Raynoor.

"Yes, to those of us who knew you both and the love you and Eteenasa felt for each other. But there are many who would use the situation against you. Let us think of a means of exposing Quacut and exacting the revenge you want."

"How?" asked Raynoor, impatiently.

"Toynol, does Quacut know you?"

"No, we have never met."