Rebellion and New Life

Chapter 15

Sil had cried for a little while. He was so worried about his health right now. He just felt like something was really wrong with him. The movements seemed to stop when he walked around the castle, but when he ate and tried to sleep were when he felt the movements, and they were getting stronger by the day. He felt weird feelings inside him. It was alarming him to no end. He was finally going to take La's advice and see what was going on. He hoped the Scientist would have an answer.

He had been avoiding the lab for some time after what happened with the stomach ailment the first time. But by now, he didn't have much of a choice.

Tek was upgrading a new Garthim when Sil came into the lab. "Hmmm." He whimpered to get his attention.

"What do you want, SkekSil? Can't you see I'm busy?" Tek demanded.

"Need Scientist's help. Health not good." Sil said.

"Huh?" His words made Tek stop what he was doing. "What?"

"Health not good. Something wrong with me." Sil replied.

"The same thing again?" Tek asked.

"No. Different."

The Scientist saw that the Chamberlain didn't have his usual smile on his face. His behavior was off completely. His whimper was different too.

"Different how?" Tek demanded. He looked him up and down and didn't notice anything right off.

"I... feel weird feeling in belly." Sil had both hands on his belly.

"Could be something you ate that didn't agree with ya." Tek said.

"No. Not pain. Something moves inside me!" He got more intense. "It's not stopping."

"That does sound... strange." Tek pondered curiously.

"Please, SkekTek. Need help. Answer." Sil pleaded desperately. "Movement in me was cause of table upset earlier."

"Alright. Go to the table in there." Tek said reluctantly. "I'll put this on hold for a bit, but then, I must get back to work on this Garthim."

"Yes. Must conquer Gelfling." Sil agreed.

Chamberlain was not about to explain his thoughts to the Scientist, about what if the General was trying to punish him from the great beyond. He went into the exam room and waited.

Tek didn't take long to come in. "Alright, lift up those robes, Chamberlain, and lay back." he ordered.

Sil did as told. His belly was now exposed. He was nervous about this.

Tek hadn't seen Sil's belly for some time. As he looked at it, it seemed... bigger. "You have been eating a lot lately. You have gotten fatter." he said.

"Get on with exam!" Sil exclaimed. He didn't want to listen to Tek mocking him.

Tek put his hands on Sil's belly next and began the process of some pressing, getting some wincing from Sil. He whined, baring his teeth. Tek felt something move beneath his hand.

The baby didn't like the pressing and it kicked out in resistance. It moved some more and Sil could feel it too.

The Scientist was shocked at what he was feeling. He lifted his hands off Sil's belly.

Chamberlain immediately rubbed on his belly. "Hurts."

"Chamberlain, who have you been with?" Tek asked.

"What?"

"Who have you been with? I'm sure you do know what I'm asking about!" Tek demanded.

"No. Not been with anyone." Sil said.

"SkekSil, this could only happen if you have mated. Now who is it?" Tek demanded again.

"Mated? Not know what you are talking about." Sil lied. He wasn't going to reveal who he was with to Tek.

"Chamberlain, you are with child." Tek declared. "That's what that movement is inside you."

Sil knew what that meant. He had known many a parent and child Gelfling that had served here in the castle before the war began. Rian too, along with his father. Sil had never expected to hear that he was going to be a parent. His eyes widened and he glanced down at his stomach.

"Scientist sure?" Sil asked worriedly.

"Quite sure. Something moved beneath my hands. You don't get movement like that if you're not. But the biggest problem will be telling the Emperor." Tek said.

"NO! Not tell him! I tell when ready. Not before." Sil demanded.

"And why shouldn't I tell him?" Tek asked.

"It's my business and I deny everything. Please. Not tell him. I am carrying baby, I'm the one who must tell." Sil simplified it.

"I can remove the baby. The Emperor probably will want me to anyway when he finds out." Tek said.

"NO!" Sil sat up and grabbed his belly. "Not cutting belly!" He stood up in a hurry. Some dizziness rose over him and he held his head. He had to sit down again. "Not feel good..."

"Lay down and rest, Chamberlain." Tek advised.

Sil moaned. He had to lay back. He closed his eyes. "Please. Not tell Emperor or others. I tell them when ready." he pleaded.

"You still owe me for getting me in trouble with the Emperor and for stealing my eye." Tek exclaimed.

"You still mad about that? I gave Gruenacks as gifts to make up for it." Sil replied.

"And they turned on me while you and the other Skeksis were fighting the Gelfling. Now you know what it feels like to be worried about something wrong with your body, just like when my eye was taken from me!" Tek exclaimed.

"Yes. Alright. I do. But baby must be kept secret longer. Not ready. Need time to think first." Sil said.

Tek could understand why. Younger Skeksis would be competition for the throne most likely. SkekSo wouldn't take that lightly. And probably not the other Skeksis either. Tek would be prepared to remove the baby if the Emperor ordered it, or Sil said he didn't want it in his body.

But then, Sil warned, "But if you so much as tell, I will deny it all. And I can make sure Scientist gets worse punishment next time. Or hold on Garthim army denied."

"This is only something you can hide for so long, Chamberlain." Tek declared. "And that's an empty threat. You better come up with something better than that."

"Just not tell them. I think of something. Be told soon enough." Sil said as he laid there. "I tell that you stealing essence from Emperor. I mean it."

"You wouldn't..."

"Watch me."

The dizziness soon passed and he got up slowly and left the lab. Tek promised he wouldn't tell at the threat. He was still surprised to see there was a baby Skeksis on the way. But then, he would want to study the little one. Could this also be another step away to adding to their clan? Their numbers were lower after the Gelfling fight, and there were so little of their numbers. Perhaps the Emperor could see this as a good thing, but what would the young one grow up to be?

Chamberlain went to the Illustrator's office. He had to tell her. He was still in shock himself, but she was the other half that had helped bring this on. Pregnancy had never happened before now with the Skeksis.

"I just saw Scientist." Sil stated.

"How did it go?" La asked.

"La, have something to tell you." Sil said.

"Yes?"

"La, you know that we have been together for long time now. We have kept on mating when we know we should not." Sil explained.

"Yes."

"Answer is not parasite. I find out that our mating gives us both child." Sil finished.

"What?" La questioned with wide eyes.

"We're going to be parents. I carry baby in belly." Sil said. He wasn't sure yet how she'd take it. His hands rested on his belly.

She was silent for many moments, but finally said, "No wonder you felt strong movement in your belly. I felt it too last time when you showed me."

"But how you feel about baby?" he asked her.

"I think it's wonderful, dear Chamberlain." she declared. She went over and hugged him. He hugged back. "Our love created something new. Mix of both of us."

"Unless my body did on its own. But our love do something to give me baby." Sil stated.

"And you were worried about being punished by SkekVar. He's gone, Sil. It's not him. The baby is a blessing to us." La said. "So the Scientist is absolutely sure though?"

"Yes. Total sure." Sil assured her. "I made sure he not to tell others before we are ready."

"This we can only keep a secret for so long though. What are we going to do?" La asked, worried.

They were both risking a big punishment for this occurrence.

Well, at least now the couple had their answer, but how was Sil supposed to continue taking care of himself? He had no clue what he would have to do for the baby, to make sure it made it to birth. The Skeksis clan encountered plenty of stress nearly on a daily basis among themselves. And then, there would be convincing the Emperor to let it stay among the courtiers. And Sil and La had to be the best parents they could be, and protect their offspring from some of the others.

Sil and La were already considered the lowest of the court in different senses, but Sil tried to reinforce his second in command rule. However, La was looked down upon so much more. The Emperor could also banish them both for their forbidden love and having had a baby together. SkekSo would find out that Sil was the 'mother' parent after he had it, but only if the baby looked anything like La would everyone know for sure that she was the 'father' parent.

Sil asked La if she felt any movements in her belly, and she said no. It was just him. He had just wanted to make sure she wasn't pregnant too. But there still remained the question of when was the baby going to be born...

"Do you know when it might be born?" La asked curiously.

"No clue. SkekTek not sure either. Might have to get bigger first." Sil replied. "But what do we do? I carry, but you help make it too."

"I don't know, Chamberlain. This is quite scary. You know we risk banishment, or worse." she pointed out. "The Emperor doesn't want competition."

"Yes. But look at numbers. Numbers gone down since fight with Gelflings. Must come up with good idea to convince Emperor it is not threat." Sil declared.

"Yes, we must. But how will we raise it? We have never had to deal with baby Skeksis before." La stated.

"Yes, this be the first one, or ones." For Sil, the thought of more than one baby gave him the chills. And the thought of having it forcefully removed scared him too. Why did this have to be so hard? "Do we want this baby? Scared of what happens. Could be having more than one too." He looked at her sadly.

"It's possible, yes. And it is scary for both of us, but more so for you since you have to carry it and birth it. Sil, we have had our servants taken away and some other things before. We can't lose our baby. Please, we have to try. We both are two of the gentlest Skeksis in the castle. I think we could make good parents if we try." La explained simply. She was already thinking ahead.

"Agree, SkekLa. Yes, we will try. We face what we will together." Sil said. They both knew facing any punishment would be hard, but they would do what they could for their baby. This was an innocent little life depending on them for its survival. They were both going to take it seriously. But for now, revealing the baby's secret was just something they weren't ready for. But, the other Skeksis would need to be told before it was born. They all had to be prepared for it.