The Curse

Chapter TwentyFour- I Do

I gasp. "What...!?"
"It has the HeadMaster's DNA in it. There is no curing with the HeadMaster's special brew of poisoning." he says. "Besides...he rarely does it, so we haven't had much experimenting done for a cure."
"How long...do I have...?" I manage to spit out.
"Around nine-to-ten months," he says, sympathetically.
"I'm sorry, and...good luck." Then he walks out. I have decided not to tell Kuroji. It would put a damper on everything...the marriage, the ruling, the freedom...But...why me...!? Right when life feels right, something screws it up! And that something...like usual...was the HeadMaster. Shakily, I walk out and sit on a chair at the table Kuroji is at.
"What is wrong!?" he asks urgently. "I...have...something wrong with my stomach. It's just how I was born, it's just acting up now, for some reason. I won't be able to...um...have children." I lie.
Kuroji looks upset. "I am so sorry,"
he says, hugging me. I hate lying to him like this. "We'll be okay," he whispers.

A couple weeks later, I wake up to the smell of roses. I sit up--the bed is covered with them! I squeal of happiness and wonder where Kuroji is. I wander to my throne, where I see the most beautiful dress I've ever seen. Then I realize...it was my mother's old wedding dress. Kuroji must of found it at our old house. Then, I walk over to the table I say at when I confessed my love to Kuroji. There, I see cinnamon muffins and strawberry oatmeal. There's even a cup of tea...I take a sip...with a couple drops of blood! He payed attention to what I ate that night...then I hear him say from behind me, "You ready?" I turn, and there he is, grinning, in his tux. "Wait, but I haven't even started planning...!" I stutter, walking over. "I know, you were busy ruling. But what you didn't know was that when you weren't paying attention, I'd ask you little questions that would hint toward it. I managed, at the end of two weeks, to plan your perfect wedding." he says, his eyes beaming with excitement, meanwhile, doing jazz hands. "Oh my gosh, Kuroji...this is too much. I don't deserve this. I don't deserve you...!" I cry, running over to hug him.
The next thing I know, I'm looking at my reflection. I look better than I expected in mother's dress. It's velvet with red, shimmery, shiny, transparent designs at the bottom. It's a slim-fit that waves out at the bottom. And it fits just right. I take a deep breath. I'm ready. Here we go.
I walk under an arch of beautiful roses, and the "audience" basically consists of the EU-NH and the blood-stand vampire that I talked to a couple times. Finally, we are holding hands and saying, "I do."
I take one last look at him before we kiss--he looks so handsome in his tux, with his brushed and styled hair.
It's spiky, yet...smooth.
I mouth the words,
"You look amazing!" and he mouths back, "I know!" I laugh. I suddenly become extremely nervous when it's time, but he leads me through it and we kiss.
Kuroji and I dance and gaze into each other's eyes, and Sarah, Joshua, and Corey talked with us. And Sarah even baked a delicious cake, even though they still weren't feeling the best.
Little vampires of Hidden Valley I didn't even know brought us gifts of plenty. "Wow...though it was a rough start, it seems like they really like you!" Kuroji laughs. I rest my head upon his shoulder and sigh.
I wish it could always be like this.

Now he's once again running with me in his arms, and I ask "Where are we going for our honeymoon?" "Anywhere you want," he says, laughing.
I shrug. I try to look happy, but all I think about is my death in the near future.
We go to Panama City Beach Florida, and he spends his remaining human money for a penthouse suite. And yes, we have to keep our mouths shut in front of others.
At night we embrace each other, and know that even if I die, we will always be together, united.
The next day, we go to a quaint little tea shop. "Cheers!" he says, clicking his tea cup against mine. We laugh.
I look at the ground and get lost in thought. "Nobara...? You seem kinda...lost lately." he mumbles. "Nonsense, dahling!" I laugh in a terrible British accent.
6 months seem like 6 days, and time seems to be flying. Kuroji is always by my side. We are using our time to the fullest. I'm making sure of it.
One day, I wake up and my stomach hurts. I think it's the poison, but it's a different kind of hurt...it's strange.
I tip-toe to the bathroom and call the medical vampire and he pulls me aside and says words I never thought I would hear.
"Mistress, you are pregnant."
I stare off into space and whisper, "...You may go," to the medical vampire. He leaves silently.
I immediately start crying. Yes, my stomach does look more bloated. How did I not notice? Maybe because Kuroji's been taking me to a lot of restaurants lately...and I know Kuroji would never tell me I'm gaining weight. Even if the birth is successful...
My child...will not have a mother.

The next morning I almost break the news to Kuroji, but I decide against it. I am not even sure if it'll be born in time. "Nobara...are you feeling alright?" he says to me, grabbing my hand as we sit eating breakfast together.
"Yes, just...thinking about how we can't have a family." I grumble.
A pained look flashes across his face at the word family.
"Has Katoro visited at all?" I ask, changing the subject.
"Not really. She didn't even show up at the wedding." he sighs. I suddenly realize I wasn't even thinking about who he might want to be there.
I mean, I didn't really have much say in the wedding, but still...I didn't even talk to him about it.
I was just thinking about the poison coursing through my body.
Well...the kiss distracted me a tad...
"I am so..." "Don't be," he interrupts. "It's not your fault."
I look at the ground.
"You've been really depressed about the stomach news, haven't you?" he sighs. I nod.
"C'mon, lighten up! We still have each other." he says, rubbing my palms with his thumbs as he holds my hands. I weakly smile.
"Mistress, you are required at the throne." a guard says. I nod.
Kuroji and I walk to the throneroom and he stands beside me once I sit down.
Two vampires, hand-cuffed, stand before me. "They were caught at the borders murdering a human child." the guards report. I growl at them.
"I thought I made it very clear not to kill humans!" I shout.
"Ma'am--I mean, M-Mistress, my brother and I are allergic to animal blood." he stammers. I am caught off guard at this proclamation.
What do I say? Is this an exception?
No...one human turns into several being killed or traumatized even if they survive the draining.
Suddenly I hear a voice in my head.
"Don't you remember the substitute blood vile I gave you...?" his shrill voice whispers. I jump and yell.
I didn't think I'd ever hear his voice again.
The HeadMaster.
"I am...so sorry," I whisper, clearing my throat.
"Guards, give them some of the substitute blood viles. I order. "It tastes like human blood, but it's not...it's like diet human blood." I say, sarcastically. They nod. "Do we let them go?" the guards ask.
I breathe in and out and try to be a wise leader. "Yes. But I swear, if you do this again..." I hiss. They nod quickly, taking their blood viles.
"You are welcome to restock here anytime," I say.
They get unchained and let go. They now and say, "Thank you, HeadMistress, thanks you..."
I sigh and turn to Kuroji.
I suddenly realize something when I look at him. He is a great leader, and he would be a great father. If my baby is born before my death, all is in good hands. I smile and hug him.
That night, I hold Kuroji tightly, as if I'm afraid that when I let go, I'll lose him forever. He doesn't let go.
I cry myself to sleep and Kuroji rubs my back the whole way through.
I usually have terrible dreams about death and a baby child never being born or not having a mother. But tonight in my dream, Kuroji was there and he was teaching it all the things it needed to know. I sniff and stop crying.
This village will have themselves a great new HeadMaster.