The hangman's first love

19 Between life and death

Trigger warning: death

~~~

Lloyd Garmadon was no longer sleeping when they entered the guestroom. The nobleman stood next to the window and stared with reddened eyes into the void. His body seemed tense but he didn't respond in any way when Cole, followed by Zane and Pixal, came into the room, though he must have noticed them. Cole considered approaching him, but it didn't seem like the earl was interested in any kind of interactions right now. So he looked over to Harumi instead. The woman trembled and breathed heavily but not a single sound left her lips. Jay stood behind her and massaged her shoulders. Both women were awfully pale and after only one look at his wife's tensed eyebrows, Cole knew something was off. Very off.

"Pixal?" Jay asked quietly. "Would you please be a doll and prepare the living room for Earl Garmadon? I think he needs a drink or two."

"I already told you, I won't leave her," Earl Garmadon snapped.

"By all due respect, Earl Garmadon but this is not an open theater here. A woman is giving birth. That's truly not a place for a man. Give her some room to breathe and wait outside!"

Cole admired Jay for keeping her nerve and even daring to stand up to a nobleman. "Do you need anything, Darling?" he asked and his wife nodded. "Lots of hot water and clean cloth."

Harumi's eyes opened and a bright, unnatural looking smile appeared on her face. "There you are!" she said to Cole. "Are you curious about your first child? I guess you have to wait a bit longer." She laughed, but only seconds later, her body tensed and she groaned in agony.

"Stop that, Harumi. You know that is not my child."

Even when she was in pain, a laugh escaped her mouth and it sounded way too hysterical to be real. "What? Are you ashamed now? Did your poor little wifey think you're loyal?"

Jay's face was totally blank, but Cole was sure she tried to understand what was going on right now. Poor Jay, she didn't even know what that beast was talking about. Cole really wished, the pater would have taken his time to explain everything beforehand. "Stop it!" he growled but Harumi was unimpressed. She tilted her head back and looked at Jay.

"Aw, poor little kitty! Didn't he tell you? He fucks with all the girls at the brothel. So, what is it like to help deliver your husband's lover's baby, huh?" she scoffed. "Especially since you weren't able to give him a child on your own until now."

Cole gasped. The pure horror he felt mad him unable to respond in any way. He never expected so much spite in the young woman's heart! So far he had known her as a gentle flower, grateful he had offered her a place to live and work at when she had nowhere else to go. And now there was so much oozing poison that tried to destroy everything it might touch.

"Harumi!" he yelled after a few seconds that felt like hours, but Jay simply shook her head, and snorted.

"Oh please, don't feel special, honey. You're not the only woman who can lift her skirt above her head. It's really not that big of a deal to sleep with a married man. Spare your breath, you'll need it during your next contraction."

"Jay, I -" Cole felt the urge to explain everything but she interrupted her husband abruptly. "Not now! Everyone has to leave the room. We don't need any curious bystanders at all!"

"No! I can't leave her alone!" The earl put his hands on his hips and positioned himself at the end of the bed. "I'm not leaving."

"By all due respect Sire, she is in good hands." Jay looked him straight in the eyes. "I know the line between personal and business matters very well. But you Sire, are standing quite literally, in the worst possible spot for the upcoming events. I'm certain you don't want to see what's about to happen down there and I'm pretty sure Harumi doesn't want you to see that either."