Warrior's Mind (Book 2 of The Warrior Chronicles)

Chapter 48

They walked slowly to the gardens while the children ran in front of them, pushing and pulling at each other and singing songs Leyla didn't recognise.

"The birth ceremony is one of our most important ceremonies," Diana began, all the while keeping her eye on the kids. "You see, when a woman is very close to giving birth, you can read it on her face."

"Her face?" Leyla wasn't sure what she meant.

"There are signs," Diana smiled, casting her a glance. "I will teach you the art of face reading after the wedding. But about the ceremony - once we know a woman is very close to giving birth, the High Thinkers are called for a celebration. It is important that the unborn child feels the energy of our community. That it knows it will arrive into a world that waits with love and acceptance."

A world of love and acceptance. Did such a world really exist? Leyla followed Diana around the tall hedge into the central gardens, her step faltering at the sight before her. Strings of colourful flowers hung from wooden pillars in all directions, the fountains were lit in shades of blue and green and flower petals adorned with tiny lights floated on their surfaces. Beautifully dressed women and men stood around tables full of delicious looking food and drinks while children danced to the lovely music coming from the musicians gathered beneath the Teacher's dome. But what surprised Leyla the most was the sight of fire flies. There seemed to be thousands of them, floating like little twinkling stars amongst the celebration.

"It's beautiful," she said in awe.

"Then we shouldn't waste it." Raphael's voice came from beside her. Leyla turned, surprised that she hadn't heard him draw near. "Mother, if I may?" He looked to the Teacher for permission.

Diana placed Leyla's hand in her son's. "One dance, then you must attend to your duties."

"Yes, Teacher." Raphael bowed, closing his fingers around hers. Leyla fought the urge to pull away, reminding herself that she needed to be amicable as Raphael led them out towards the dancers. A cheer went up at their arrival, hands rising to hearts and foreheads as they greeted them in turn. Raphael tipped his head forward in acknowledgement, then pulled her closer to dance. Leyla squirmed involuntarily at the heat of his hand on her waist, then forced herself to keep still.

"You're still mad," he said once they started to move. It wasn't a question, so Leyla didn't respond. Starting a fight would be counter productive.

"The gardens are beautiful tonight, don't you think?" she said instead. Nice and neutral.

Raphael turned them around a waving couple, then looked down at her. "Evading is not like you."

Was he claiming to know her? She looked away, finding it hard to hide her derision.

"Lying is also not something you do," he went on, spinning her slowly around another smiling couple. "I know that, and yet I doubted your honesty. I'm sorry."

Leyla looked up to face him, unable to believe what she was hearing. The Prorex was apologising? She could have sworn he was not the type to say sorry and yet she saw real regret on his face.

"You believe me?" she asked with uncertainty. 

"Yes," he nodded, turning them yet again. "I should have believed you from the start. I'm sorry I didn't."

Another apology. What was going on? She saw Annabelle standing at the edge of the dance floor with her father, laughing at some jest or another. 

"Then do would-be-murderers not get punished in the Light Kingdom?"

"I believe that you believe you were pushed. The rocks on the bank are treacherous, Annabelle was close by, you had reason to suspect she might not like you..." Raphael held her closer when she stiffened. Then he was holding her chin, lifting her gaze to his. "I don't want to fight with you, Leyla. Try to understand, please.  While we do have punishments for would be murderers we have never had to use them. It is not something that happens here. Ever."

As angry as she was, Leyla could see that Raphael believed what he was saying. He thought too highly of his Kingdom and too highly of his lover to see the truth. Plus there was no proof other than Leyla's word that Anabelle had pushed her and he had found an explanation for that too... she forced herself to relax. Raphael had to trust her if she was going to get away. He had to believe she had given in.

"I understand," she said and his answering smile was so bright that she wanted to clobber him over the head. Why did he make it seem like he cared for her one moment and not at all the next? 

As the music came to an end, Raphael brought them to a stop and held up his hand. As if on cue, the orchestra lowered their instruments and everyone turned to look at them. Still holding her hand he called out, "May the mother, please step forward."

A petite blonde with a protruding belly was brought forward, her husband and a little boy holding her hands. The father and child stopped a few paces away, while the pregnant mother came to stand right in front of them with a smile. Raising her hand to her heart she tipped her head, "Leader." Then she raised her fingers to her forehead and faced Leyla: "Little Teacher."

Guilt rose up inside her as Leyla accepted the greeting. It might be true that she didn't have much of a choice, but she was pretending in front of all of these people, in front of this mother and her unborn child...and they did not deserve to be lied to.

"Brave child," Raphael smiled at the woman's belly. "We are waiting for your arrival. Your mother, your father, your brother, the entire Kingdom waits to see your smile and to give you love. May your journey be blessed."

"May your journey be blessed!" the gathering echoed.

It was impossible not to feel the acceptance and care that the Light people felt for their unborn member. Was this what it meant to have a family? Raphael took their joined hands and laid it on the pregnant woman's belly. The heat under her palm was astounding, but it was the gratitude in the mother's eyes that clogged Leyla's throat. She thought of the smiles on the children's faces as she came off the boat, the warmth of Diana's embrace, Delphine's concern and Michael's eternal friendship. If things had been different...if the Leader had told her about her parents and Raphael hadn't shackled her with the bracelet...if things had been different, could this have been her place of acceptance? Could this have been her home?