Poella

What's another sibling?

    I woke up to screams. They shot through my dreams like barbed spears: invasive and painful. I recognized them as my mothers - the baby was coming. I was not allowed to be near my mother when the baby was being born - the superstition said a sibling's wants would latch onto the baby's spirit and influence them. I called bullshit. Historically, it was actually very dangerous to have siblings present for the birth because if they didn't approve of the baby's father...well they'd kill the baby. They say we have evolved as a species - I disagree. Wouldn't it be better to kill a baby and have it never experience true pain than to let it live a tortured and cursed life with siblings wishing it dead?
    Even through I couldn't be near my mother, I could be in the building next to her, which is where the man would be. I couldn't resist - I've been called wicked, but if I was being honest it wasn't completely unwarranted. I didn't need all my weapons to make a point, that would have been overdoing it. Just a few knives would send the message I wanted - you're lucky. So I made my way from the roof to the only room in the next building that had a light on, through the window of course.

                     ~~~~~

    He had been relatively calm, aside from the screams that came from the woman who had agreed to carry his heir. She was one of the best - a good, strong woman who kept herself healthy and didn't waste her time on men who couldn't pay her what it was worth to carry and birth a child. He was casually grazing the book in his hands, unable to truly focus but able to keep his mind preoccupied. But he needed a break from endless words so he looked up and instantly wished he hadn't; in front of him, crouching in the open window was the eldest daughter of the woman carrying his child. And she had a reputation. He was speechless as she looked him over before raising her eyebrow, unfolding from the ledge and settling down on a cushion.
    His eyes never left her and he was reminded that he hadn't taken a breath as she inhaled deeply. He could see that she only had about four knives on her, which meant she purposely left the rest of her weapons somewhere else. He was lucky and he knew it. There was a saying that if a Haligwae warrior left weapons behind, you were safe. But you couldn't always be sure.
    "What are you thinking about?" He managed.
Poella looked over at her new sibling's father.
    "Not much," she replied, letting her gaze drift from his face, down his sitting frame and across the floor toward the screams.
    "Are you excited for your newest sibling?" He leaned in, "I mean, it'll be fun right?"
    Poella knew he was searching for an answer she wouldn't give. But she was truly indifferent to his presence so she replied with, "What's another sibling." in the flattest voice she could produce. Then she returned and held his gaze. She wanted desperately to let a smile crack to watch his expression, but it would be abusing her abilities and against her code. She had nothing to fear with a new sibling in the picture - she no longer lived near her mother, hadn't in years. She had actually come home to visit her mother and the other clan leaders; the baby had been a surprise. But, she reminded herself, she couldn't resist a little intimidation. After all, she had a reputation to live up to.

                    ~~~~~

     "How do you think Poella will react?" the midwife's assistant stabilized Makhera's shoulders and held her hands. Tehkiri looked over Makhera's body at her assistant, which only made the air thicker as Makhera yelled again.
     "She..." Makhera clenched her teeth as a contraction ripped through her. Even though this was her seventh child, birthing wasn't any easier. "She has other things on her mind."
     The assistant didn't agree but her "hmmm" was drowned by another shriek.
     "This has been your hardest birth." Tehkiri was grabbing more herbs and warm towels, "even more than the third one and he was...challenging."
     "The offer was too good to pass up." Makhera managed before she had to focus again.

                   ~~~~~

     Poella could feel the baby's father watching her, fidgeting with the tassels on his coat. She had no to reason to kill the baby, but people were always wary of a first born who came back during a sibling's birth. Especially if the first born was a Haligwae, she thought ever so cynically. She let her eyes dart up to meet the baby's father, who started and then stared down at the closed book in his lap.
     "What are you reading?" She was truly bored.
     "Pardon?" the father couldn't quite believe she was asking him a question.
     "What are you reading." She received a black stare. "The book, what is it?" The blank stare continued. Patience they said, is a virtue they said, she mumbled in Unkali.
    "Oh!" the father looked in his lap. "It's the studies and philosophies of Pia Tullme, the last emperor."
    "Interesting." Another wealthy, out-of-touch elite.
    "His thoughts on societal duties I have found quite telling. For instance, he proposes that the population should all do equal work, which I agree with. However, he also believes that it is necessary to have disparities in wages and personal or family resources as this is supposedly a key motivator. This is where I think Pia Tullme was out of touch."
    Poella was pleasantly surprised. Not so out-of-touch elite after all. Now she understood why her mother had agreed to have his child this late in her life.
    "Let's take me for example. I have collected a great deal of wealth, both from my family and my own enterprises. It would make much more sense then, for me to provide resources or opportunities to those who have less in order for them to work better. Large disparity in wealth does not equate to equality in society, but rather benefits those who had more to start with."
    A scream ripped through the air, startling the man. It had been relatively quiet until then. He turned, wide-eyed to Poella and she could tell he worried for the health of his child. But she was not. Like she had said, what's another sibling. She worried more for her mother.
    "Your mother is a strong woman." He was trying to make conversation.
    "Stronger than most."
    "I did not pressure her. I..." He was nervous again.
    "I know." Poella paused, moving a hand to a knife, "That doesn't mean I won't..." She paused again. Take revenge wasn't quite right, but that's pretty much what she meant. She didn't need to finish her sentence however because, thankfully, Tehkiri came through the door.
    "You can come now." This was directed toward the father, who glanced at Poella before getting up. Poella nodded toward the door, glad that the birthing was done.