Calumbra 23 - Book 1: The Maid

39 - Ain't No Rest For the Wicked

After a couple of weeks, the work on Delaware's door was finished and she was free to go back and live there as she pleased. Trinidad visited her often as well as some of the other people of the household. Trinidad was fascinated by her growing belly and Tavit finally asked the question that was on everyone's mind.

"Trin, are you going to ask her to marry you?" he asked his brother.
Trinidad looked at him and shook his head. Tavit put his hands on his hips.
"Well why not? It's only the right thing to do."
Can't. he signed.
"Can't or won't?"
Trinidad shook his head. "Can't." he said.
"Why?"
Trinidad thought of a good way to explain but nothing sounded right. He sighed and his head hung.
"Monster." He said, signing at the same time. I am a monster and continue to turn into one.
"So? What difference does that make?"
This wasn't supposed to happen. I wasn't supposed to have kids. he signed angrily. What if... what if they get what I have?
Tavit moved his mouth to the side.
"Well..."
It's cruel to make a child knowing it could be like me.
"But you don't know what this kid is going to have. Maybe Delaware's own alchemy will go against yours and you'll have a perfectly normal child. Hell, it might even be mortal. Still though, what does this have to do with marrying Delaware?"
I can't stop from turning and it would be cruel to make her watch. She promised to kill me when my humanity was lost. It will make it harder if I am her husband. Maybe during the years we will be estranged and it won't be so bad...
Tavit threw up his hands.
"I give up. Do what you want. It's quite ungentlemanly to leave her with a child and not take up the role you put yourself into, accident or not. I miss when you were pretty much obligated to marry to keep face. This world is losing morale so quickly."
Trinidad smiled sadly. His brother would never know how much he really did want to ask for Delaware's hand, how much he wanted to be a family with her and their child, but there was no way it would work. He was changing all the time, he could feel it. He could feel when his humanity slipped sometimes, especially in the war. What if he slipped and never got back? He couldn't leave Delaware to watch his whole life unravel into chaos when she could live in peace and take care of their child. It would be cruel and more ungentlemanly to make her watch his descent than to give her a way out.
The door suddenly opened and July walked in, looking like she was thinking quite hard.
"July? What's wrong, honey?"
Seeming to come out of her thoughts, she looked around for a second and then closed the door, locking it. She then went to the window and looked out, closing it and locking it as well.
"July, what are you doing?"
"I'm making sure the coast is clear. I have something important to tell you both."
After watching her dart in and out for a bit, she finally seemed more relaxed and walked over to them.
"Sorry but we have a situation at hand."
"And that is?"
"Samson and Angelica have been secretly practicing alchemy. Why do you think Angelica looks halfway decent for her age? They are trying to find the immortality formula that Delaware's father 'supposedly' used on her."
"But she didn't get an immortality formula. It had to do with the lightning striking the transmutation circle her father made for her to get better." Tavit said, remembering what Delaware had mentioned before.
"That may be true, but they don't think so. They've found some aging formulas here and there but they want to be immortal... They're planning on killing you and I, Tavit, and getting rid of the Blackwood line so that they can inherit the mansion and the dukedom."
"How is that possible when Angelica can't have any kids anymore?"
"I'm sure there's a formula for that too." July said with a frown. "The point is, they are actively trying to kill us all, including Delaware and Trinidad."
Trinidad stood up more.
"How? They can't kill either of them."
"They don't know that. I mean, they do, but they think they can weaken them and then kill them for good."
There's no way. Even Delaware said that that's why we have to kill each other, because our alchemies are too strong.
"How did you hear all of this?" Tavit asked, lifting an eyebrow.
"I went to tell Samson about the news of Delaware when I stopped at his door, overhearing him talking with someone else. I would have just disregarded it if I hadn't heard him say, "How are we supposed to get Tavit's line out of the way if the real heir to the dukedom is being born?" I also heard him say he wanted Angelica to try and do something to the baby."
Trinidad let out a fearsome snarl and Tavit frowned.
"Over my dead body... We'll go and warn Delaware of this-"
I'll go. Just make sure Angelica and Samson don't know we know. I'll deal with them.
"Don't kill them."
Trinidad had walked to the door and looked over his shoulder. He grinned.
"No. Promises."

"So is there a reason you like staying in the cottage rather than the house?" Huntley asked, wiping down a shelf. "I mean, you could just hang out in the garden house."
"No offense, Huntley, but I would like my child to know he has options in life. If he sees me working as a maid in his first years, then he will think that that's all he has to look forward to. As much as I love doing it, doesn't mean he will."
"What makes you think it's a boy?"
"I don't. I just hate calling it an 'it' or 'child'. It's quite annoying. If I put a gender with it, it seems more personal."
"But what if it's a she?"
"Oh well."
Huntley laughed a little as Sully walked in with some firewood.
"I weeded the flower beds along the house and also chopped up some firewood for you."
"Thank you, Sully, you didn't have to do that."
"It's not a problem." He massaged his leg. "Seems like it'll rain tonight."
Huntley laughed. "You're like an old guy."
Delaware smiled at them as Coventry played around in her stomach. She couldn't wait until it was out of her –whatever it was- so she could see its face. She wanted to hold it and caress it and tell him she loved him... There was a knock on the door and Huntley went over and opened it.
"Oh, General Sexton, what a surprise."
"It's Dr. Sexton, or Radley if you suffice. I know it's hard to leave titles behind." He walked in and Delaware smiled. "You're looking well, Ms. Tate."
"Thank you. Arnold isn't with you?"
"Dad's pretty much decided he's retired now and letting me take over. I already knew a lot about being a doctor before the army so I just needed a bit of catching up. I never got to practice it... I'm here for your checkup."
"As I presumed. Boys?" Huntley and Sully looked at her. "I think it would be best if you left."
They looked at each other and decided to just listen to her.
As they talked outside, Trinidad came up in another car and stopped in front of the house.
"Hey, Uncle Trin." Huntley said. "She's getting an exam so you'll have to wait."
Trinidad nodded. How is she?
"Pretty good, I guess. I don't know much about pregnancy so..."
Trinidad nodded as they waited for Radley to get done. After a few minutes, he walked out and smiled at Trinidad.
"Congratulations, by the way. I don't think I've seen you since the news."
Trinidad actually blushed and looked embarrassed but nodded a thank you.
"Is she alright?"
"She's fine. Just making sure everything was going according to plan. She'll be getting bigger within in the next couple of months so be prepared to come and help her out. She's actually quite big for five months so it must be a big baby." Radley looked at Trinidad for a second. "Then again, his father is a tank."
Trinidad looked away sheepishly, feeling bad that his own size may cause Delaware discomfort. Radley smiled and left as the boys went back inside.
"Oh, Trinidad. What brings you by?"
He said nothing as he pulled the sheet from her belly and touched it softly, feeling a small nudge from the other side. Delaware smiled but rolled her eyes at it. It had become his tradition to come into the cottage, touch her stomach, and then speak to her.
"Are you done now?" she asked with a laugh.
He looked up and nodded and then turned to Huntley, asking him for a translation of what he was about to say. He started signing and Huntley watched for a few seconds.
"Uncle Trin said that my mother found out some interesting news in regards to Angelica and Samson. She said that they know that your child is Uncle Trin's and that means that technically the real heir to the Blackwood dukedom will be born. They are trying to kill my parents so Samson can claim the Blackwood estate since he doesn't really have one. They are also wanting to kill you and Uncle Trin but they want to know what the formula for immortality is."
Delaware frowned deeply at the knowledge and covered her torso back up.
"Are they idiots?" she growled.
"Yes." Trinidad said.
"He said that they are also going to try and do something to the baby."
Delaware gasped, holding her stomach. "Over my dead body."
"I'm sure that they would like that. Uncle Trin says that they want to try and weaken you guys and then kill you for good and they also think that the baby won't be immortal and so want to try and kill it before they have to find out."
"I hate when people think that they know everything." Delaware growled. "I'd like to see them try and hurt my baby. I don't care about me but if they hurt Coventry, I will send them to their graves."
Trinidad handed her a note. It would be my pleasure to assist you in that task.