Twelve Lords

by Max Jager

  With a half glare as he smiled, Chiren stood up and leaned over the table and kissed Kiara. "I think I am going to go and see what our father's are talking about." He then turned and gave Yokiyo a bow. "My Lady."

  Crossing her arms as she turned and glared at him, Yokiyo sighed. "When are you going to stop call me that?"

  Laughing as he winked over his shoulder. "I won't."

  Shaking her head as she sat down, Yokiyo let her glare turn to a soft smile. "That boy. But he keeps you happy that's all I care about."

  Reaching out and taking her cup of tea, Kiara nodded. "I have to admit Mama that the life I have had here in the North with Chiren is surprisingly content. I enjoy it."

  Smiling as she looked at her second daughter pregnant for the first time. Imae had four, Seiji had one, and now Kiara was going to have one. Six beautiful grandchildren that she gets to watch grow up as well. Then she giggled when Kiara gave her an odd look. "Your grandmother is not thrilled with the fact that she caught a horrible cold either. She had every intention on coming here with us to be here with you when you have your first child, since she was there when I had you."

  "I wish she could have come but I understand why she didn't." Laughing Kiara turned and looked out the window. "But I also know I can expect her and Grandpa soon as she can get over it for a while." She then turned back to her mother and let her eyebrow arch. "By the way. Does Father intend to step down anytime soon?" When she got a shocked look on her face Kiara sighed as she closed her eyes and dropped her head. "Really Mama do you really think that Chiren didn't tell me that Katana is acting Lord while you are here for a while? Soichiro did that with Chiren right after we got here for the month that they spent in the South with Nyoko and Kamatari because he had intentions on stepping down the next spring. And he did a year ago. It is a perfectly logical question."

  "I am not."

  Turning to see her father coming in, Kiara gave him an odd look. "Then why didn't you just ask Grandpa or Umarus to be in charge?"

  "He has to learn. He cannot learn just by having things explained to him as you learned when we put you in charge of the defense of the palace. He has to do it." Crossing his arms, Kiyoshi closed his eyes as he took a deep breath. "It will be a process. But we went to the East for a couple of weeks last year and he was able to manage and do well. But he is no where near ready to be Lord yet."

  Laughing as she pictured her brother's looks when he would be made to do something, Kiara smiled. "I can just imagine his looks when you told him that. But it is good for him to….." But then she flinched as her eyes went wide. A small cramp in the bottom of her belly was there, then gone. When it didn't come back she shook her head to her mother as she put her hand under her bellow. "It wasn't. I don't think. I have been getting small cramps for the last week. But nothing ever comes of it."

  Standing, Yokiyo walked over to her daughter. She had been through this three times and seen many others go through this as well. Touching her daughter's stomach she flinched herself as she gasped. "You don't feel any pain right now what so ever at all Kiara?"

  Shaking her head as she gave her mother an odd look Kiara let her head fall to the side. "Nothing at all. I was hoping that the cramp that I felt would come right back. But nothing. Mama what is it?"

  Keeping her hand on her daughter's really tense and tight belly, Yokiyo was thinking. She shouldn't be this tight unless she was in labor. Either she had a super high tolerance of pain, or something was off about this pregnancy. "Let's just say that I have a hunch. You have shocked us time and time again growing up. I think that this is another thing that you are going to shock us on. Your belly shouldn't be this tight unless you are in labor, but you don't feel any pain. Humor me. Let's go to the birthing room and have someone send for the midwife."

  Seeing how serious her mother was, Kiara nodded. "Alright Mama. It's just down the hall some." She then stood and walked with her mother toward the room. "Do you really th ink that I could really be in labor but not feel any pain from it Mama?"

  Keeping her hand on her stomach as she tensed and relaxed some, but then tensed right back up, Yokiyo nodded. "I am all but completely sure that you are in labor. Come on now."

  X

  In just a whirlwind of a few moments, Kiara found herself laying on the bed in the birthing room, Chiren on one side, her mother next to him, and Emiko on the other side while the midwife walked in the room. She was absolutely terrified at the moment. To think that she could have been in labor for who knew how long and she didn't even know it! Though she tried not too, she kept going back to wondering if something was wrong with her baby.

  Kissing her forehead, Chiren wished he could just stay there. But Kiara would order him out and insist on doing things the way that they should be done. Any moment now he may be ordered out. "Settle down Kiara. Just focus. Nothing is wrong with the baby. It still has a good strong heartbeat."

  Nodding as the midwife moved to check and see what was going on, Kiara closed her eyes as she held his hand tighter. "I just hope it stays that way."

  After checking on her Lady's progress the midwife gasped as she nearly fell over. Not only was she in full labor, but she was nearly ready to start pushing! "My Lord I must ask you to leave. It will not be long now and you will have your first child. Out with you now."

  Flinching, Chiren and Kiara looked at each other with wide eyes then he seared her mouth with his. "You got this Kiara." Then kissed her again and left the room.

  Kiara's eyes were super wide as she lay there and looked at the midwife as she turned and rushed to the door to get her assitants. "Am I really that close to having my child?"

  Nodding as they hurried and rushed out to get water and some soft cloth for the baby, the midwife nodded with a smile. "Indeed My Lady. I cannot believe that you feel no pain right now. This is usually the second most painful thing about having a child, being so far along in labor."

  Moving up and taking Chiren's place, Yokiyo held her daughter's hand as she closed her eyes and took a deep breath to keep calm. "It's alright Kiara. You just have a high tolerance of pain. And you know it now so if there is another one for the two of you, you will know when you get close to being due you can have it watched."

  "Right." Kiara just lay there and focused on keeping calm. Whenever she got upset, her child would get upset. She couldn't do that. And she was terrified that something was wrong with him. She wasn't going to be able to fully calm down until she had her child in her arms and could see for herself that he or she was alright.

  X

  Pacing in the hall, Chiren knew that everything was fine. He was still worried since it wasn't all over yet. But he could feel her, he could still hear the heart of his child if he focused. But what was puzzling him is that she was so far into labor and she felt no pain at all. "I just don't get it."

  "Don't get what Chiren?"

  Looking up to see Mizareke standing there, Chiren smiled at her as he sighed. "How it came on so fast. It won't be long and you will have a baby cousin that you can help Kiara take care of."

  Smiling at his son's answer as Mizareke then ran off to play again, Soichiro looked at Kiyoshi. "But it is odd. To be so far along in labor, and not feel any pain. Some of the strongest females I have ever known feel pain in labor."

  "That is strange. However both are fine. It could be another way she is special. Like her memory. Or that she was born with the ability to use purification just like her mother." Turning his eyes to Soichiro, Kiyoshi sighed. "So long as she is not in danger nor the child it is alright."

  X

  Having had her water broke, Kiara lay there as the midwife watches her. This was rather embarrassing to her. But she understood. She felt no pain. No pressure. She would have no way of knowing when the baby was coming to push otherwise. Looking up at her mother she sighed. "Mama. Why do you think I don't feel any of this?"

  With a laugh as she kept her smile, Yokiyo brushed her bangs away from her eyes. "Honey you are special and you
know that. From the fact that you are a demon birthed by a human. You have a perfect memory. And you can use human purification that kills other demons. The fact that you don't feel labor pains is not something to worry about so long as the baby's heart stays strong. Just be glad, this is no fun at all where pain is concerned. You just get to relax until it is time to see what you have."

  Rolling her eyes as she smiled some, Kiara sighed. "I know that Mama but it is still stressful when you think about it. You can't feel anything, just the small movements of the baby. I had no idea that I was ever in labor. That isn't a good thing you know."

  "I can see that. You will have to watch as you get close to time with the next one. But right now lets just focus on this one." Yokiyo started to close her eyes when she heard a loud gasp. Jerking her head up as the midwife moved she blinked. "What is it?"

  Taking her place where she needed to be, she looked at Yokiyo and Emiko. "The head is starting to crown. It is time to push and see if we have a pup or a cub."

  X

  Flinching when he heard what the midwife said, Chiren froze as he watched the door behind his father and Kiyoshi. He could hear the movement in the room. Then he heard the growl of Kiara as she started pushing. To him it was like time stood still. Then suddenly there was a wail from behind the door.

  His eyes going even wider, Chiren felt like he could fall over at any second. That was a baby cry. His baby! Closing his eyes as he leaned against the wall he focused his senses on the baby. If only it were a boy, Kiara would get her wish. This baby was all cub. A strong healthy cry and a strong heart. 'Oh man.'

  Turning a small smile to Soichiro as he smiled, Kiyoshi kept his arms crossed. "Now you need four more to catch up to me."

  Turning glare with a growl on him, Soichiro crossed his own arms. "And from what I hear you are going to get to put a great in front of Grandfather soon anyway so don't start with that.

  But both moved as Chiren was suddenly there when they heard footsteps. Watching as the door opened to reveal Emiko standing there with a small cub in her arms. Soichiro reached out and put his hand on his son's arms. "I think we can add another leopard to the family."

  Carefully handing the cub over to her son, Emiko smiled as tears streamed down her face. "And the legacy of being Lord. You have a son."

  Flipping the blanket back, Chiren smiled as he took in looks that mirrored his own. "She got her wish. This is what Kiara wanted, a leopard heir to the North."

  His eyes misting as he looked from father to son, Soichiro sighed as Emiko moved to his side. "He looks even more like my father than you do Chiren. Names?"

  "I don't know." He then moved in the room and handed his son down to his mate as he smiled at Yokiyo. "You got your wish."

  "Wish?" Watching as Kiara smiled brightly as she cradled her infant, Yokiyo couldn't help but smile, but didn't know what he meant. "What do you mean that she got her wish?"

  Looking up at her mother, then right back down to her son, Kiara sighed. "I told him that whether it was this baby, or another. If we ever only had one boy, I wanted the boy to be a leopard. To keep with the line of leopards for the North. And I got my wish on the first go."

  "I see." Watching the new family, Yokiyo smiled up at Kiyoshi as he came to stand next to her. Add in a eight year old human and it would be nearly exactly the same as when Kiara was born. She then turned back to Kiara and Chiren with her hands on her hips. "Now what will his name be?"

  Having looked many times at the portrait of Chirio, Yori, Soichiro and Motoichi when they were young, and now seeing her infant and the way his hair was, even with it being as short as it was, she knew. "I know." Looking up at the questioning eyes of Chiren, she smiled at him as she sighed. "He looks just like the portrait. Chirio. After your grandfather. It would be fitting."

  "You are sure?" His eyes wide at first, to him and Kiara it was like no one else was in the room with them. "You are sure that you want to name him after my grandfather?"

  "I am. You are alright with it?" But then she sighed when he kissed her as he laid his hand on the baby's head.

  Pulling his lips from hers he smiled as he turned his silvery eyes down to his cub. "I am more than alright with it. Chirio. It does fit."

  Stepping up and smiling at his second grandson, Soichiro had a look of longing in his eyes as he remembered the look on his father's face when he did something good or was just in a good mood. "He not only looks the part, but I do believe that he may just be just like his great grandfather. Whom I know would approve of the name."

  Moving over and taking her grandson again, Yokiyo giggled as he turned his silvery eyes up to hers and sighed. "Number six and perfect." Then she gasped as she turned to Kiara as she was effortlessly lifted by Chiren and smiled. "Oh by the way, with you being in labor when we got here, I totally forgot to tell you. According to Imae and Sanzo, the way they are acting it won't be long before you are a Great Aunt and we are Great Grandparents. It looks like Torakus and Shian are close to mating."

  Laughing as Kiyoshi growled, Soichiro shook his head. "See I am not the only one." Seeing all the confused faces he stepped aside with Emiko and followed Chiren and Kiara toward their room. "Your father told me that I had four more to go to catch up to him. I told him that it wasn't going to be long before he had a great grandchild and I got growled at too."

  Moving to the bed as Chiren laid her down, Yokiyo handed her daughter her son and smiled. "In any event. It is time to let the new family bond and we will be back to morrow to see him more." She then kissed her daughter's head and smiled. "He is perfect Kiara. Just like you were."

  "Thanks Mama. Father." Smiling even bigger when her father smiled at her and winked, Kiara turned her attention down to her infant son. "My Chirio."

  Moving on the bed next to her, Chiren smiled as she leaned into him and put a hand on his son's small head. "Still isn't real is it. That we have him."

  "I have been saying that since you told me that I was pregnant with him. Now that he is here, I have so many emotions I don't know what to do about them." Letting out a content sigh when he kissed the side of her head. "But you know that. And I can feel the same ones coming off of you."

  "Of course. I have you. We have him. Everyone is healthy and happy. I couldn't be more content right now." He then laid back and pulled her with him as she rolled and laid his son between them. With her arms wrapped around him, he draped his arm over her and smiled as he watched her just look at him. This was the most picture perfect moment ever. Now if only they knew for sure that Noke was dead somewhere, it would be even more perfect.

  But he also knew that even at a young age. With Kiara for a mother, him for a father and everyone else around him. His son was going to be strong enough to handle that wolf before he was half grown.