“Lady Bosh, not a moment passes that you stray from my heart and mind.”
Eric snickered.
“Don’t you dare tease him, Eric,” I warned.
“Fine, I’ll replay this sugary sweet display for Gary and let him do the teasing.”
I blew Quaid a kiss. Papa ended the transmission. I kissed Papa’s cheek. The sculpture of ocean waves that I had bought for Papa while visiting Epopeus rested on a wide pedestal underneath a light. Papa had told me that his favorite thing about it was that I had been thinking of him and my mother on Thalassa when I had purchased it. A knock sounded at Papa’s door.
“Enter,” Papa said.
The large, tall, muscular frame of my Uncle Kagan filled the doorframe. “Mother sent me to find you, niece. She said that I was to swoop you up, give you kisses, and carry you to her immediately.”
I walked to Uncle Kagan and wrapped my arms around his chest as best as I could. “I’m not sure if you are strong enough.”
“I’m stronger than that puny General of yours.”
I smiled up at the man I looked like. Uncle Kagan, Kane, and I had the same dirty blonde hair and green and gold eyes. However, the father and son towered over me. I laughed when Uncle Kagan lifted me up into his arms and kissed my forehead.
For the next few months, Grandmother visited me at the Palace daily. Nico refused to relent and allow me to leave the property. I had become truly annoyed with him for refusing to let me enjoy the serenity of the lake on my pleasure barge. Unfortunately, Phillip had agreed with Nico and didn’t think it was wise for me to be far from the infirmary.
Dr. Fotri, the Palace physician, hovered over me whenever Phillip slept. Grandmother enjoyed sitting quietly with me. The Lady Ettie Valen was well into her eighties but assured me that she had at least twenty years left in her. Grandmother had tried to teach me to embroider, but continually poking my fingers made me angry. Today, she had brought yarn and wooden sticks.
“They aren’t sticks, Teagan. Come sit by me,” Grandmother said as she patted the couch.
Violet put a stool under my feet and covered my legs and feet with a blanket. Kaoti stood at attention near the patio doors. I could see Yukihyo, Neema, Nico, and Thunderdrop playing on a blanket on the lawn. Yukihyo held Neema’s hands as she took a few wobbly steps.
“They are knitting needles. Now, pay attention. What color do you want?” Grandmother asked. I picked a ball of yellow, white, and orange yarn. “Watch how I make this loop. Now, you do it. Good. Slide the needle through like this and pull.” Slowly, I copied Grandmother. A very strong bond had formed between Grandmother and me. It was a closeness unlike anything I had ever before experienced. Through Grandmother, I knew what my mother’s love would have felt like. “Now, make loops over the needle like this. That is called casting on. Good.”
Soon, I had a little dangling bit hanging from my needle. It was soothing and repetitive. With nothing else to do other than spend time with my family and study new material for a history class that I was taking, I soon finished the scarf. Grandmother taught me how to cast off during another visit. I gave the scarf to Yukihyo. It was made of his favorite colors. My next ball of yarn was brown, bright pink, and blue. It was the ugliest yarn that I could find. This one was for Nico. Grandmother laughed at me.
“He fears for you and his son,” she said.
“I know, but thinking I am mad at him makes him feel like he is motivating me to fight. It keeps him from feeling helpless.”
Grandmother smiled sadly at me. After dinner the next evening, I had finished Nico’s scarf. I had gotten faster at knitting. He kissed me and told me he loved it. I rolled my eyes at him.
The only excitement that we had at the Palace was Neema’s birthday party. All of her little cousins were invited. Papa and Mrs. Tereas had not been impressed with the plans Yukihyo and I had been making and took over. Rather than cake, games, and presents, the Palace lawn was transformed with a baby petting zoo, a bubble machine, finger painting, and a shallow wading pool. I had never heard so much laughter. Also, I had to admit that I had as much fun as the children did.
I had begun to waddle to such an extent that I didn’t even feel like floating in the pool. I managed to sleep for a few hours at a time shifting from side to side. Every morning and evening, I had to report to the infirmary, but Dr. Fotri and Phillip allowed me to listen to Niklos’ heart beat and watch him on the monitor which made me happy. Both men had begged me to allow them to place my baby in an amniotic chamber, so they could repair my rapidly deteriorating heart. I had refused. I would protect my baby within myself until he decided he was ready to leave. Papa and Uncle Kagan had even tried to convince me. I had refused.
I had woken up in an even grumpier mood than usual. It didn’t help that Papa, Nico, Yukihyo, and Phillip were enjoying steaming cups of morning coffee on the patio. I scowled at them. “The first thing I want after Niklos is born is a cup of coffee.”
“My darling shall have whatever she wishes,” Papa promised.
As Otto, one of my butlers, held out my chair for me, my jaw dropped as my water broke. “Well, it’s a good thing we’re outside on the patio,” I said thinking of the mess.
They all pushed their chairs back so quickly from the table to stand that grating sounds filled the air. Otto had his arm around my back and my right hand in his right hand as he carefully led me backwards and away from the mess. The contractions began hard, fast, and close together. Phillip refused my request to go to my bed. Instead, he had a white-faced Nico carry me to the infirmary. Nico almost ran, but Phillip yelled at him to walk. Zeth, Zared, and Izaac had gone as deathly pale as Nico. I realized that they could feel my pain and felt sorry for them. As soon as Nico had placed me on an exam bed in the infirmary, my heart monitor began to rattle off loud discordant beeps.
“Out,” Dr. Fotri said to Nico as he pointed.
I held Nico’s eyes with mine as he stepped from the room to stand behind a plasti-glass wall.
“Teagan, you’re going to feel a little sting,” Phillip said. Dr. Fotri had begun cutting my pretty dress to shreds. When he touched my leg, I couldn’t feel it. With the frantic beeping, breathing became difficult. I looked up at the ceiling and wanted to close my eyes just for a moment. “Stay awake, Teagan. Look who we have here!” Phillip said. I heard a baby crying, and Phillip showed me a wailing little baby wrapped in a blue blanket. Phillip held him close, and I kissed his head that was in need of a damp cloth.
“Niklos, is that you?” I smiled at Nico through the glass. He took his eyes from me when Phillip placed Niklos into his arms.
Yukihyo stood with him, but rather than looking happy, they had awful expressions of fear and pain. I thought I felt tugging at my stomach but couldn’t see what Dr. Fotri was doing. Phillip returned and began attaching needles and tubes into my arms. That was the last I knew.
I woke up in a great deal of pain.
“Ow.”
“Hey, Cupcake. Open your eyes.”
I managed to do what Phillip asked of me. The room was dim. Phillip sat in a chair near my right knee. Thunderdrop blinked at me from the foot of the bed. Blankets covered me. While it was still large, my belly looked as it had three months ago.
“My baby!” I said in anguish.
“Hush. You’ll wake him.” Phillip pointed to a plasti-glass incubator to his left that was right beside me. I stared at my son.
“Oh, Phillip. He’s beautiful. Can I hold him?”
“Yes, as soon as he wakes up. He’s going to wake up hungry. I need to know how you are feeling.”
I closed my eyes and said, “My chest feels weird. It hurts but feels strange. My stomach feels hideous.”
“You have a choice. I can make you numb to all of the pain, and you can bottle feed Niklos, or I can lessen the pain, and you can nurse him.”
In resignation, I said, “just lessen it.” Phillip injected me with something that helped a little. I looked through the plasti-glass wall and s
aw Yukihyo and Nico passed out on gurneys. “You drugged them?”
“No, Dr. Fotri did.”
“What happened?”
“When you went into labor, you also went into cardiac arrest. Dr. Fotri delivered Niklos by caesarian section. Then, we replaced your heart.”
“Replaced?”
“Yes, you’ve got the finest, most technologically advanced heart credits can buy. Congratulations. No more heart problems for you. We have to continue to monitor you for a while and give you some medications, but they won’t harm Niklos. I promise.”
“That’s why my chest feels so odd.” I moved the silk robe I wore aside and tried to see my chest. “Thanks for putting me in this and not some ugly gown, and for keeping Niklos and me alive.”
Phillip handed me a mirror. Another patch with a monitor covered my new heart. I drew in a sharp breath. I was horrified. A long, ugly, red, sutured scar ran straight down between my breasts. I was bruised and swollen.
“The nanites will diminish it, Cupcake.”
“Show me my stomach.” Phillip stood, pulled back the covers, lifted the edges of my robe, and held the mirror so that I could see.
“Oh, no.” I covered my face with my hands. “I’m hideous. How can they still love me now?” I cried.
Phillip covered me up. “They didn’t marry you for your skin.”
I heard a rustling of blanket and looked at the incubator. Niklos’ tiny little mouth opened and closed. Phillip slowly lifted the head of my bed. Then, he lifted Niklos and placed him into my arms. Simply holding him hurt.
I whispered, “Hello, sweet little man. Look at you. You’re bigger than your sister was when she was born. How much does he weigh?”
Phillip smiled, “Niklos weighs twelve pounds.” That was twice what Neema had weighed. “You can hold him, but ask for help to lift him. You need to take it easy for a few weeks.”
“My goodness, Mommy’s boy is big.” Niklos began to whimper and snuffle at my chest.
“I’ll be right outside and give the two of you some privacy,” Phillip said.
Niklos eagerly took to nursing. “My goodness, Niklos. I’ll have to tell your daddy that the two of you have something in common.” I chuckled at him, gently burped him, and switched sides. Soon, he was sound asleep. Painfully, I scooted back enough so that I could lay him on the bed in front of me. I unwrapped him and looked at his little hands and feet. Softly, I laughed with happiness and pleasure. I glanced up to see Abbie and Papa watching us through the glass. I motioned for them to enter. “Isn’t he beautiful?”
Papa carefully hugged me and inhaled my hair. “I feared we would lose you.”
“With Phillip and Dr. Fotri around?” I raised an eyebrow and turned my head to look quizzically at Papa. A relieved smile spread across his face.
“Teagan, allow me to make a quick recording. Commander Bosh is rather frantic as are Jazon and Xavier,” Papa said.
I nodded and after he had the device prepared said, “My lord, Niklos and I are fine. I have a mechanical heart, am very sore, but I’m fine. Phillip would never let anything happen to us. You know that. Look at these little feet.” I held my pinky against the bottom of one of my baby’s feet and giggled. “He’s so soft,” I said as I ran my hands over his arms, legs, and chest.
“Smile for me, darling,” Papa said.
“Only if you record those two out there who managed to get themselves drugged,” I laughed as I pointed out at Yukihyo and Nico on their gurneys. Papa winked at me, and I laughed as he got close-ups. Abbie fussed over her grandson. “You can hold him, Abbie. I’m afraid my arms are tired, and my chest really hurts.”
“I’m thankful you are alright. We’ve been terrified.” Abbie wrapped Niklos in his blanket and sat with him in a rocking chair in the corner.
“I’m glad you’re here. I think I’m going to need a lot of help.”
“I’m not going anywhere,” Abbie whispered.
The next night, Phillip allowed me to take a shower. I had begged. The short walk from the bed to the tiny bathroom was miserable. I walked hunched over and clinging to Yukihyo’s arm. When he tried to come inside with me, I stopped him.
“I don’t want you to see.” I could only imagine pity or disgust clouding his features.
He entered with me anyway. Yukihyo stripped out of his clothes, folded them, and placed them on a shelf. He stepped into the shower and closed the door. I heard the water begin to flow. I let my robe slip from me and sat on the waste unit. At least Niklos’ painful pushing on my bladder was over. Finishing up, I caught sight of myself in the mirror. An ugly vertical scar ran between my breasts while an ugly horizontal scar made my already saggy stomach look even worse. If I weren’t desperate to wash my hair, I would hide my body within my robe and go back to bed. However, I knew that Yukihyo would not relent no matter how long I attempted to postpone the inevitable.
Opening the door, I managed to step inside. Yukihyo held the sprayer to saturate my hair. Then, he proceeded to wash and rinse my hair twice. I felt better but was afraid to look at his face. Yukihyo lifted my chin. He stared into my eyes with his, and I was stunned to see his white eyes laced with pink and gold.
“Never doubt for a moment that I want you, lady wife. These scars make you more desirable because you fought to remain in this life with me.”
My eyes swelled, and the end of my nose began to tingle. “I love you, Yukihyo Lee.”
“I love you, Teagan Lee.”
He turned off the water, wrapped my hair in a towel, and carefully patted me dry. The bathroom door opened, and Nico placed a pile of things on a shelf for me. He bestowed upon me the widest grin that I had ever seen and closed the door.
Yukihyo said, “He has been strutting around like an ice bear with a litter of feral cubs.”
I laughed. Yukihyo helped me with my undies and lady protection. Then, he dressed me in a soft blue gown and matching robe. Nico had replaced his mother in the rocking chair and hummed softly to Niklos. Someone had changed my sheets and blankets. Yukihyo picked me up and placed me in the bed.
“Woman, you have made us a handsome son,” Nico said.
“I’m glad you approve.”
“Hungry?” Phillip asked.
“Starving,” I answered. Phillip placed a tray in front of me. “Coffee!” I picked up the cup and inhaled deeply. With closed eyes, I savored each sip. “Oh, that’s good.”
I finished it before I noticed the pancakes, bacon, sausage, and eggs. I ate everything and had another cup of coffee.
The next day, Phillip and Dr. Fotri allowed Nico to carry me to my own bed. Then, I had a constant stream of visitors with flowers and gifts.
Chapter Four
With Nico seated beside me on top of the covers and Niklos in my arms, Papa had his communications director record us while he announced the arrival of Prince Niklos Tavere Cassian to the Parvac Empire. Huge celebrations ensued. Grandmother began to complain that the parties were keeping her up at night.
Days later, my entire family arrived when the Princess docked on Parvac. I was unable to stop smiling. After spending the day with me at the Palace, Gram informed me that she, Ethan and Sydney would be staying at the Valen Estate. Simon, Isidora, Cass, Eliot, Auria, Evan, ZeeZee, Sherman, and Gina were staying with me in my wing of the Palace.
Currently, Simon was on top of my covers and reclining against my pillows so that we could continue to visit during my mandatory rest period. “Lord Bosh sent a gift,” Simon said.
“That was thoughtful of him.”
“It upset Quaid when you said to Eli at the indoor market on Arachne that you were ashamed to wear a swim suit,” Simon told me. Simon gave me a small smile. His bright red hair had been trimmed recently. His pale blue eyes were full of love and patience.
“He heard that?” I asked embarrassed.
“Teagan, you were under constant surveillance while on Arachne.”
Thunderdrop, Cass, and ZeeZee had taken a break from watching Su
e, and gazed down from a large web adoringly at Neema and Niklos who napped in their cribs. While Neema’s white bed resembled swans readying to fly, Niklos’ crib had a headboard resembling the emblem of the Parvac Empire, a sphere surrounded by upturned wings, in gold. I imagined that Niklos’ crib had cost more than my transport. Isidora walked into my room with Auria and handed Simon a box. Then, they sat at the end of the bed curious to see what was inside of it.
I untied the pink bow. A card rested atop pink tissue paper. It was addressed to the beautiful new mother. Inside, it read, “Lady Bosh, to me there is no one more beautiful than you, but I would have you feel as beautiful as you already appear in my eyes. Quaid.”
I handed the card to Auria so that she wouldn’t damage her neck as she strained to read it upside down. Moving the pink tissue paper aside, I saw two clear plastic boxes with an odd-looking patch inside of each one.
“What are these?” I asked. Auria and Isidora shook their heads not knowing the answer either.
“I have no idea,” Simon answered.
“Maybe, Phillip will know. They look like nanite patches,” I suggested thoughtfully.
Quaid’s father, Consul Quinn Bosh, ruled the Laconian Sector jointly with Consul Cleto Dano. However, the Bosh fortune came from their family business, Bosh Technologies, where they manufactured programmable nanite patches.
Zeth appeared with Phillip.
“You needed me?” Phillip asked playfully with a grin.
Zeth, Izaac, and Zared had been so attentive that as soon as a thought or desire entered my head, they rushed to fulfill it.
“Yes, Quaid had his father send me a gift. What is it?” I asked.
Phillip picked up one of the clear protective boxes and let out a low quiet whistle so as not to wake the babies. “I’d say this one sells for about a hundred thousand credits.” He picked up the other box. “This one probably goes for almost twice that amount.”
“Well, what are they?” I asked beside myself with curiosity.
Omnes Videntes (The Space Merchants Book 4) Page 4