The Emperor’s Daughter – Chapter 13, Sayana

The winter festival was underway, and Sayana knew the whole court was aware of the fact she was pregnant. She was twenty four weeks along. How could they not? She was obviously showing now, and there was no hiding it under cleverly manipulated gowns.

The court had gathered in the great hall for that day’s entertainment when Karis rose to his feet. Everyone fell silent. “I will not delay today’s festivities long. By now we know it has become obvious Sayana is pregnant. We are expecting our daughter in the spring.”

“Are you sure it is a daughter, Your Imperial Majesty?” someone asked. “Not another son?”

“We have had several checkups with the Imperial doctors, as I know some of you have observed. We are quite sure we are having a daughter.” Karis fixed the lord who’d spoken with a wry smile. “As far along as she is, it is very obvious in the scans.”

“Have you thought of a name for your daughter yet, Your Imperial Majesty?” someone else asked.

“We will announce her name when she is born.” Karis was not telling the whole truth there. Sayana sighed. Neither of them could agree on a name and it was becoming worrying.

“Are you going to release Lady Vilemina now that you have announced what we already knew, Your Imperial Majesty?” Lady Beril asked.

“You know as well as I do, she is in prison for a different crime than anything dealing with Sayana’s pregnancy, Lady Beril. No, I am not releasing her.” Karis frowned.

“Did the princes know the empress was pregnant?” someone else asked.

“They were told before we decided to announce it to the court.” Karis glanced at his sons. Sayana was watching them out of the corner of her eye as well. They were sitting quietly, listening to Karis speak.

“Will the empress continue to play a role in the government even though she is pregnant?” someone else asked.

“She is pregnant, not dying. Of course, she is going to continue in her role as my equal and my partner.” Karis sounded slightly exasperated by the question. He sat down again and waved his hand. That was Lidia’s cue to bring out the entertainment.

“What do they think, just because I am pregnant I am useless?” Sayana kept her voice low, and her eyes riveted on the entertainers. “I may have moments of forgetfulness, but I am quite capable of managing my duties.”

“It was a man, my heart.” Karis answered her in the same fashion. “Either one who has no wife and children, or one whose wife used her pregnancy as a weapon against him. I would not worry about it too much.”

The day passed and then it was time for court. They joined the princes in the antechamber. “Two weeks is a ridiculous amount of time to be on show all day,” Meinard grumbled.

“We get a little break on the days of the high feasts,” Jair commented.

“That is not much of a break.” Ethian looked miserable. “And we have to endure the banality of the high feasts.”

“You are still not used to them, are you, Ethian?” Karis watched his youngest son with some concern.

“I will probably never get used to them.” Ethian sighed. “They are usually boring, the food is never all that good, and the amount of wine I have to drink just to get through the meals makes me dizzy and sick. It is awful.”

“You have a lifetime of them ahead of you.” Karis reminded his son of a fact that even Sayana didn’t relish the idea of.

“I am aware of that.” Ethian grimaced. “I only hope when I marry, I find a woman worth spending time with so there is something interesting about the high feasts.”

Karis smiled. “I am certain you will find the right woman, Ethian. There is no rush into getting married. Give yourself time. I was planning on waiting until I was in my thirties to marry, if the council had not forced the issue with Lynet. Give yourself at least until you are in your mid to late twenties.”

“Yes Father.” Ethian sighed again.

Meinard poked and teased Ethian until he snapped back, earning him a sharp reprimand from Karis. Ethian subsided, glowering at his brother. “Karis, could we perhaps give the boys the day after tomorrow’s high feast off from being on display?” She spoke quietly enough in Karis’ ear the boys didn’t hear her. “Let them have a break?”

Karis looked at her. “You think they need it?”

“Ethian is in a foul mood and it’s only going to get worse after the high feast. He may physically lash out at Meinard or one of the others.” Sayana was concerned. “He does have a temper and while he’s learned to control it, if he’s pushed past his breaking point he will snap.”

Karis nodded. “You cannot miss tomorrow because it is the high feast. But the day after tomorrow you five can have the day off. No need to show up at court for the whole day, and you can have private meals in the enclave. I will pass this along to the seneschal and he can pass it along to your servants. You can also pass it along to your servants tonight. I will inform the Imperial guard captain as well.”

The princes all looked at him. “That sounds wonderful. Thank you, Father.” Fallon looked relieved at the thought.

“Thank Sayana. It was her idea.” Karis gestured.

“Thank you, Mother.” Ethian managed a small smile.

“We all need a day off once in a while, and you five can afford to take one now and then.” Sayana sighed. “I only wish Karis and I could do the same thing. The inane comments I am going to get tonight now that we’ve officially announced the pregnancy are going to be a lot worse than what they normally are.”

The Imperial guards opened the door to the great hall, and the Imperial family made their way to the high table. They settled into their seats and waited for everyone else to be seated. After dinner, the princes left, and people began to circulate as they always did.

Yunus approached the high table. Sayana felt ill. The man still reminded her too much of Lord Vasco and she did not trust him in the slightest. Demetrios had discovered that his original watchers had been subverted, and he’d moved them to other projects, sending them to duty stations scattered far out in the galaxy, rather than letting them go and risking them being hired by Yunus directly. The new crop of watchers were all veterans of the Vasco affair who didn’t like the Maestri family any more than Karis and Sayana did, so they watched him closely. They’d already reported some illicit dealings which Demetrios had moved to put a stop to.

“Your Imperial Majesty, are you not worried that another child will muddy the already murky line of succession?” Yunus asked after making the usual bow.

“Not at all.” Karis gave every indication of being unconcerned. “The line of succession, as you put it, is already settled. It lacks only a year to be explained to the court, Lord Yunus. Our daughter will be far removed from that.”

“Then why have her at all, Your Imperial Majesty? Why not terminate the pregnancy when you first found out the empress was pregnant?” Yunus persisted. “Why bring another child into your family?”

“Perhaps because my empress and I wish to have more children, Lord Yunus.” Karis let his mask slip a little and he glared coldly at the man. “We have a son. Now we are going to have a daughter. We may yet have another child or two after this, as Sayana is still within her child-bearing years.”

“That would be most unwise, Your Imperial Majesty.” Yunus stared at Sayana. “It would put your empress at a very high risk.”

“Are you threatening my wife’s life, Lord Yunus?” Karis’ expression didn’t change but Sayana could tell he was angry.

“I would make no such attempt, Your Imperial Majesty,” Yunus responded smoothly. “However, there are many in the court who will.”

“I see.” Karis glared at the man. “This is in the nature of a friendly warning then.”

“Something like that, Your Imperial Majesty.” Yunus inclined his head. “Think about what I said before you have any more children. And I would guard this one well if you want her to live to be born.” With that, Yunus turned and left.

“He is threatening me and our daughter. I do not for a moment believe he is speaking for someone else in the court.” Sayana watched him go.

“I do not either.” Karis was watching him as well. “I will alert Demetrios.” A servant approached Karis and whispered something in his ear. He nodded. The servant slipped away. “It seems one of Yunus’ watchers recorded the entire conversation and transmitted it to Demetrios. He wants us to send a message to let him know when we retire for the evening.”

“I didn’t see anyone close enough to record anything.” Sayana looked around the room.

“That is good, my heart. If we had seen them, so would Yunus.” Karis let his mask return.

Sayana endured a few more hours of comments about her pregnancy, some well-meaning but most spiteful, before Karis held out his hand and she gratefully rose and left the great hall with him. They made their way back to their rooms. Once they were changed, they had Imre send the message to Demetrios.

Demetrios walked in. “Lord Yunus was feeling bold tonight, if he’s making outright threats against you and your daughter, Your Imperial Majesty. I’ve caught him making secured calls to a comm that doesn’t exist on any network on the planet of Notera. Lady Vilemina had two calls originating from Notera from a comm that we couldn’t trace in the days leading up to her part in the assassination plot on the empress. What do you want to bet they’re the same person?”

“That is a sucker bet.” Karis was obviously aware this could be Vasco’s secretary.

“Because it’s not on the network and is pirating the signal, we can’t pinpoint it precisely, but we have a general area. I have some of my top agents headed to Notera now to check it out. If he’s there, we should finally be able to catch him.” Demetrios had an anticipatory gleam in his eye.

“That man has been a thorn in my side for too many years. Do not let him get away again, Demetrios.” Karis was just as anxious as Demetrios to catch him.

“We’ll do our best, Your Imperial Majesty.” Demetrios looked convinced they had him this time.

Sayana hoped that they would finally capture Vasco’s secretary. “Karis, do we even know the man’s name?”

“No, my heart, we do not.” Karis frowned. “Lady Andrada, Vasco’s wife, did not tell us and when we asked her about it later, she seemed surprised by the fact that she never once heard her husband refer to him by name openly. They always seemed to know when they were speaking to each other.”

“Could the man be a psychic?” Sayana didn’t know what made her think of that.

“Possibly, and that’s a factor I never accounted for, and one I need to alert my team to be aware of the possibility of. Thank you, Your Imperial Majesty.” Demetrios turned and left.

“Quick thinking, my heart,” Karis told her approvingly.

“I just thought it odd that Vasco never once spoke to him by using his name.” Sayana considered their situation. “I constantly ask for Ardatha and her sisters by name, and you call Imre by name regularly. How else would the man know he was being spoken to if not by some other means? I suppose they could have set up a system of code words, but that would have made things ridiculously complicated.”

“Vasco was a complex man, but even I do not think he would have gone quite that far.”

“It’s late. We should go to bed.” Sayana yawned. “We have the first high feast tomorrow, not that I am looking forward to it.”

“I know, my heart.” Karis looked at Imre. “I think you are right though. We should go to bed.”

“I shall call for your servants.” Imre walked over and hit the button.

Ardatha called for Vai and Faviola, and the sisters helped Sayana change for bed. She curled up on her side. Karis settled beside her, and they fell asleep together.

The next day she rose before Karis and after a moment’s pause in the bathroom, made her way into the main room. Ardatha smiled. “Are you ready for your shower this morning, Your Imperial Majesty?”

“Yes please, Ardatha.” Sayana stared down at her stomach, feeling an irrational sense of anger at her expanding waistline. “And can you and your sisters find me a gown that makes me look radiant instead of bloated toad today?”

“Oh dear, feeling a little stressed today, Your Imperial Majesty?” Ardatha asked sympathetically.

“Just a bit.” Sayana scowled. “I think it was all the snide comments I got last night. Being pregnant is hard enough without the constant stream of rude remarks.”

“We’ll do our best to help you feel lovely today, Your Imperial Majesty,” Ardatha assured her. “Let’s get you a shower first, and then some breakfast with His Imperial Majesty. Then we’ll see about getting you dressed.”

“That sounds wonderful, Ardatha. Any meal where I’m not on display is a relief.” Ardatha called for her sisters and as soon as they arrived, they helped Sayana bathe and wrapped her in a robe.

Sayana read until Karis got up. “How are you feeling this morning, my heart?” Karis walked over and kissed the top of her head as he did most mornings.

“Like a bloated toad.” She gave him a sour look. “Our court has done nothing to improve my confidence.

“Do not listen to them. You are radiant and lovely as you always are. I see nothing wrong with you, and I should be the only voice that matters.” He smiled at her.

Sayana smiled. “Thank you, Karis.”

He wandered back into the bedroom with Imre following to help him with his shower. After his shower, he joined her still dressed in his robe and the two had a quiet breakfast together. After breakfast the servants descended on them to help them dress for the high feast.

The first thing Vai did was brush out Sayana’s hair. Sayana began to relax. It never failed to soothe her, either brushing her hair or having someone else do it for her. Then Vai combed in a light gel which meant they were going to curl it. Faviola and Vai began curling it. Instead of stopping at the lower third they curled it most of the way up.

This took some time given how long Sayana’s hair was. Once her hair was curled, they twisted it up into a long cascade of curls down her back held in place by black pins and accented by midnight sapphire combs. She smiled. They were dressing her in her favorite color that day, which she appreciated. Once her hair was done, they pulled out one of her gowns and helped her into it.

It was a dark blue silk gown, and it suited Sayana’s rapidly growing figure perfectly. They helped her get her swollen feet into her shoes and fastened the jewelry on. Faviola added some light touches with makeup, and she was finished.

“You look stunning, Your Imperial Majesty.” Vai fixed a hair pin that was threatening to come loose.

“The only thing left is the crown.” Faviola grinned.

“I hate that thing.” Sayana glowered at the state crown.

“So does His Imperial Majesty.” Ardatha laughed. “Imre says he’s been complaining about it for years.”

“Yes, but I am putting my foot down this time.” Sayana looked at the women. “Is there not a different coronet for the empress in the collection?”

“There is the everyday coronet.” Vai looked at her thoughtfully. “The one you usually wear to dinner with the court. It’s not as formal as the state crown though.”

“Bring me that one instead of the state crown. I’ll wear that.” Sayana crossed her arms stubbornly.

“You’ll shock the court.” Ardatha laughed again.

“They can be shocked.” Sayana glowered at the crown. “I am not wearing the state crown. It is too heavy and uncomfortable.”

Faviola and Vai disappeared, only to reappear twenty minutes later with the requested coronet. They set it on her head, and she joined Karis in the outer room. Karis saw what she was wearing. “You are going to offend the court by not wearing the state crown, my heart.”

“I don’t care. It’s too heavy and I refuse to wear it. This is the empress’ coronet, and it is still part of the Imperial regalia. They can just deal with me wearing it.” Sayana stared at him crossly.

“I do not object at all. If I thought I could get away with wearing the emperor’s coronet, I would.” Karis looked longingly at what she was wearing and sighed.

“Your Imperial Majesty, you can.” Imre gave him a bland look that Sayana knew very well by now. “It would be seen as supporting the empress if you wore it as well.”

“Then go get it, Imre.” Karis took off the heavy state crown. “I will gladly swap it out for this.”

Imre took the state crown and disappeared. He returned with the matching coronet to Sayana’s and set it on Karis’ head. “There, now it looks like it was a conscious decision on both of your parts.”

“Going forward, bring me this instead of the state crown, Imre.” Karis had a look of relief on his face.

“Of course, Your Imperial Majesty.” Imre smiled.

“We should go. We don’t want to be late.” Sayana made a face. “Well, I wouldn’t mind skipping it entirely, but that would scandalize the court.”

Karis snickered. Then he remembered something. “Do you have your vibroblades?”

Sayana stuck her hands up her sleeves. “Yes, they’re there.”

“We make it a point to put them on her before we put the gown on.” Ardatha gestured to Faviola. “That way she never forgets them.”

“Good.” Karis took Sayana’s hand and the two walked out of the room together. They were surrounded by their guards, and they went to the antechamber to wait for the doors to open. The princes were already there.

“We were wondering if something had happened to you.” Fallon’s worried expression eased.

“Just a slight wardrobe change.” Karis smiled at his sons.

“What wardrobe change?” Jair was confused.

“The crowns.” Ethian was quick to pick up on what his parents had done. “They are not wearing the state crowns.”

“These are still part of the Imperial regalia so the court can just deal with it.” Karis had a stubborn look on his face. “Those state crowns are heavy, awkward, and uncomfortable.”

Ethian looked around and said in a quiet voice, “Will I have to wear it?”

“We are setting a precedent. You can wear the coronet as well.” Karis reassured Ethian of the fact that he could do as he pleased, as they were.

“Good.” Ethian seemed relieved. Sayana didn’t blame him. He’d seen how heavy the crowns looked. He’d never worn one, but he had a good imagination. If his parents were rebelling, it was a guarantee he wasn’t going to want to wear it either.

The guards opened the doors, and the Imperial family moved in to take their places. Soon the great hall was full of people, and the first course was served. Sayana hid her distaste as the smell reached her. “Is this fish soup?” Jair asked.

“I think so.” Fallon watched his father take a bite and then took a bite himself. “Yes, it is.”

“This is disgusting,” Ethian grumbled.

“You have to eat it,” Sayana reminded him.

“I know.” Ethian sighed.

Sayana managed to choke down the soup, though it threatened to come back up. She drank some of her juice. A servant refilled her glass. The guards scanned the juice before it was poured into her glass. “This is not a good start to the feast,” Sayana muttered.

“Let us hope the other courses are better,” Karis agreed.

The first entertainment was a trio of musicians who played well together and soothed Sayana’s nerves. When they finished playing, the usual round of applause was given, and the second course was served. Sayana recognized the second course. It was a tiny green leafy vegetable, cut into wedges, and served with bacon, onion, and a sour glaze that she enjoyed. She ate that quite happily, though it looked like a few of the princes weren’t that fond of it.

The second course ended and a second entertainment, a comedic skit done by half a dozen people, was performed. The comedy fell flat for Sayana, though Karis and the princes laughed uproariously so she felt it was probably just not to her taste. After the performers took their bows, the third course was served.

Sayana began to feel decidedly unwell and lost focus on the food and the entertainments. She did pay attention to the fact that the dessert for this feast wasn’t chocolate. That would have made the night even worse. She sipped her juice and tried to pay attention to what was going on around her.

The princes glanced at Karis, and he nodded. They excused themselves from the table and were escorted out by their guards. “You are going to have to let them stay for the full feast one of these days, Your Imperial Majesty,” said one of the high lords disapprovingly.

“Next year, Lord Petre.” Karis sipped his wine. “After the last of them have turned eighteen.”

“And when will that be?” Petre insisted.

“Next fall, around the time I will be announcing who my heir is.” Karis kept his eyes on the court.

“Will it just be your heir who remains then or all the princes?” Petre asked.

“All the princes.” Karis glanced back at the high lord. “I am not singling out one son over the others even after I name my heir, Lord Petre. All will have jobs to do, and being an active part of the court will be one of the tasks they have.”

“Karis, can we retire early tonight? I’m not feeling well.” Sayana wanted to go lay down.

“Of course, my heart.” Karis stood and took her hand. He led her to their rooms. Imre and Ardatha were surprised to see them back so early.

“Your Imperial Majesties, is everything all right?” Ardatha asked.

“I’m not feeling well, Ardatha.” Sayana put a hand over her stomach. “I just want to go to bed.”

“All right. Let me call my sisters. We’ll get you changed and tucked into bed.” Ardatha looked at her worriedly as she called for her sisters.

“Thank you.” Vai and Faviola arrived a few minutes later, and soon Sayana was tucked into bed. She closed her eyes and willed her rebelling stomach to behave itself. She slid into a deep sleep.