-____________- 2.0

Chapter Twenty-One

-Siri-

Lewis’s elbow hit against hers, and she tried to ignore it, choosing to instead glare at her plate, suffering through Lewis’s family praising their Emperor.  She and Lewis were supposed to be at opposite ends of the long table, but instead Seth sat at the opposite end, thanks to much groveling and worshiping from Lewis’s family.  They attempted to get Audrey to sit in Siri’s place, but the Empress had been better at turning them down than her husband.  

Audrey poked her softly and leaned it.  “Don’t sweat it, Siri,”  she whispered, “Seth is used to this happening, and realize, whereas your family is completely comfortable eating with us, Lewis’s family isn’t.  It won’t happen every family dinner.”

Siri nodded and smiled briefly at her friend.  Her family had been almost completely silent, or having private conversations with themselves.  She glanced at Gavin, and caught his eyes.  She gave him an apologetic glance, and he rolled his eyes.  A loud clearing of a throat made Siri look up.  It was Lewis’s mother.

“Your Highness?”  She asked, and Audrey looked up from her conversation with Matt.  

“Yes?”

“I’ve been hearing some rumors around home, and I was wondering if you could clear them up.  Is it true that you have named your sister as the heir?  Don’t you plan on having children to be heirs?”

Siri’s jaw dropped at the nerve of the woman.  Her eyes darted to Seth, who looked like he was choking on swallowing his food, and then to Audrey.  Her friend had on a calm smile.  “That is an interesting rumor.  Well, it is true that we had talked about naming one of our siblings as heirs before, but...there seems to be no need.”  Her smile broadened into a grin, and she winked at Siri.

Siri tried to ignore her stomach’s flip-flop, but her anxious thoughts didn’t let her.  She stared wide eyed at her food.  What if she was pregnant?  With Tharren’s child?  

“Empress, are you saying that you are expecting a child?”  Lewis’s mother asked, to be answered with Audrey’s enthusiastic nod.  The older woman prodded Lewis.  “Lewis, honey, when do you and Siri plan on having children?”

Siri choked on her water and shot a warning glare at Lewis.

Lewis shifted uncomfortably in his seat.  “Mother, I don’t think Siri is interested in having children any time soon.”

“Preposterous!  Every woman has children.  It is her duty as a wife to become a mother!  Siri, don’t tell me you intend to leave me without a grandchild!”

Siri looked up to meet the woman’s eyes coolly.  “I feel like it is a risk, in this war, and with my direct involvement, to bring a child into the world.  I know what its like to grow up without a mother, and I wouldn’t want to leave any child of mine in the same position.”

Lewis’s mother raised an eyebrow and turned to Lewis.  “Surely she doesn’t intend to keep her job after the wedding!  You have assured her we can care for her now, she doesn’t need to work for money.”  She turned again, now facing Matt.  “Honestly, I don’t see why or how you could let your little sister work so hard, it’s simply unladylike.  It’s so sad to see how growing up with barbaric boys has affected her.”

Siri bristled at the insult to her brothers as the old woman smiled coldly at her.

“Never fear, Dearie.  I’ll teach you how to be a lady worthy of my darling son.”

Siri returned the icy smile.  “Now that you mention it, I do actually intend on keeping my job, even after we’re married.  Until Seth decides he doesn’t need me, I’m going to stay exactly where I am.”