'You tell me that yes, I can do it. I know.
And I may do it, if I so choose.
You tell me that no, I cannot. I say, Oh?
I shall do it, since you refuse!'

-Richelle E. Goodrich
***

"You really shouldn't have pulled that stunt, out there."

Rayna gazed at Gillian's back, as he drenched a washcloth in the basin of warm water; proceeding with the task of cleaning his torso in quick, practiced motions.

"Then you too, should have been considerate enough of your bride. What do you think it did to my reputation, when you sneaked out of our house, the very morning after our wedding?"

He pulled on a fresh tunic, sighing irritatingly in the process.

When he faced her next, his expression was drained of all spirit.

"Just how long will we be doing this, Rayna? You know I love Lynette. No matter what you say, I cannot love you."

Rayna clicked her tongue at his words, whilst moving towards him with determined steps.

"You forget that we are married, Gillian. Only death can separate us now. As for love... we have our entire lives ahead of us. I am sure it will come to you eventually. Just free yourself from all the unnecessary bindings of your infatuation."

His unimpressed expression, was all the answer she had expected.

She found his inability to see- and grasp, a simple reason, was befuddling.
How could he be so dense?
How could he not see how well they fit together?

"I am going out."

His clipped tone, pulled her out of her reverie.

"Where are you going?"

Her frowning face was met with his stoic one,

"Nowhere that concerns you."
______________________________________

"Lyn..."

The urn in Lynette's hands, dropped with the shock of seeing Gillian in front of her father's workshop.

She felt the resurfacing of the stream of tears, that she had tried so hard to suppress in the last many days.

"You shouldn't be here."

Her voice came out firmer than she had hoped, allowing her the much-needed impetus of gathering the courage to push him away, when all she wanted was to throw herself into his embrace.

Gillian's face drooped with agony at her words, sending a pang of guilt through her heart.

No, Lynette.
You have to stay strong.
He is not yours anymore.

The memory of the betrayal she had felt at his words, when he had disclosed his ghastly mistake to her, slapped her conscience.

How could he do that?
Drunk or not, how could his heart allow him to embrace another woman?

Surely their love should have been stronger than that...

But alas! There was not much use in thinking of the bygones, now.

Gillian was married. To that woman.
How, or why it came about, was inconsequential.

"Lyn, please... Listen to me. I cannot do this. I just-"

His voice broke as he gazed at her with a painful expression.

"I can't live without you, Lyn."

Lynette moved past him, making sure to keep her face void of the pain that stabbed through her heart.

Keeping the urn beside the other equipment on the centre table, she spoke in a passive voice,

"Then you should learn to. You have a wife now."

Before Gillian could begin his heated protest at her words, Lynette's father entered the workshop.

"Gillian, I did not expect you here today."

The older man, looked at him with distrustful eyes, moving to shield his daughter from his gaze.

Gillian knew he couldn't fault him on that.
It had been less than a week since he had asked him for Lynette's hand in marriage; yet, here he was- married to the chieftain's daughter, and that too without any proper explanation.

Amongst their people, breaking your word, was akin to losing your honour. Hence, he had very well lost all respect he had, in Lynette's father's eyes.

And without a proper explanation for his actions- something that he couldn't really give him at the moment, Gillian knew he had to respect the wise man's decision.

He straightened his face, and looked at the ground in shame.

"No, Leon. I just... I wanted to ask if you would prepare another sword for me. My old one seems to be getting rusty."

Gillian knew the man could see through his blatant lie, but he could think of little else to say.

"I am afraid, I do not have the time to do so at the moment. I'll have to think about it."

Gillian conceded his defeat, passing one last pleading glance at a reluctant Lynette, before moving out of the workshop, with only a single thought ringing in his head-

Damn you, Rayna!
______________________________________

"How is your husband treating you, my daughter?"

Rayna doubted she could indulge her father into the difficulties of her married life.

When she had come to meet him this evening, her only intention had been to assure him of her comfort in her new home; she wanted to rest his doubts, in case he had heard of what had transpired in the arena that morning.
Although, to her relief, he seemed completely unaware of the incident.

She chose to present him with a soft smile, instead.

"Perfectly well, father. Gillian is very caring towards my needs."

Edgar sighed contentedly, seating himself on his chair. He then looked up at his daughter with an apologetic smile,

"I really wish you two would have some more peaceful time to spend together."

Rayna's smile dimmed in puzzlement.

"Why do you say so, father?"

Edgar chose to look at the slants of his hut's window.

"The king is purported to die soon. In his absence, the entire empire will be run by his sole heir, Prince Algar. And that boy... I am telling you, Rayna- he is more unpredictable than a summer storm.
Under the King, the clans were at least free to govern under their own jurisdiction; but now? Let us just hope the king survives; because if he doesn't, Gillian and the warriors will have a lot more than a simple excursion to deal with. I fear the imminent destruction of peace in your newly married life, my daughter."

Rayna doubted if her married life could be worse than what it was now.
She let out a small sigh.

"Do not fret over such matters, father. Our warriors are perfectly capable with dealing with any such threats."

As for her marriage- she didn't even let fate decide her destiny for her.

What possible harm could a mere mad-prince be able to do?
______________________________________

"An early excursion? But, Rayna, did you manage to ask the chieftain to exempt Kane from it?"

Rayna plucked a berry from the bush she stood before.

"You do not have to worry about that, Olga. Kane will be with you when you give birth this winter.
Don't tell me you doubt my word?"

Olga's eyes raised in alarm.

"Of course, not! I was just a bit worried... I was simply concerned for you. Now, you will have even less time to warm Gillian's heart to you."

Rayna popped one of the berries in her mouth; smiling with delight as its tart taste burst onto her tongue.

"Do not fret, Olga. I have faith in myself and my charms. Before this deplorable excursion starts, I would surely have found a way to win him over..."
______________________________________

There were many times when Rayna was in awe of her own good fortune.

A child...

Her, and Gillian's child!

A euphoric sense of victory flooded her mind, as she clutched her midriff.

After weeks of facing the bleak possibility of giving up on her quest of attaining her husband's affections, she was finally being shown a ray of hope.

There was no way Gillian will ever be able to ignore his own child!

"Are you certain?"

Her breathless question, was answered with a bright smile from the healer.

"Absolutely. You are with child. I can feel it's heartbeat."

Rayna beamed with delight.
This was all she had hoped for, since the moment she entered Gillian's hut that night.

His seed. His babe.

"All the signs are there. You said you feel drowsy, more than usual; also, the cravings and the tiredness. You are definitely with child, Rayna. The chieftain is going to be ecstatic to know this!"

The healer seemed just as happy as Rayna, as she imagined the various ways, she was going to disclose the news to the others.

Rayna straightened herself up from the cot she was lying upon. She held the older woman by her frail arm.

"No! Please wait until I have told Gillian. I do not want him to hear this from anyone else."

The healer smiled knowingly, patting her hand.

"Alright, my dear! As you say."
______________________________________

"This is marvellous! Isn't it, Olga?"

Olga stared at her grinning face with wonderment.

"O-Of course! This is- it's really wonderful!"

Her stammering reply, and disbelieving face, were of little surprise to Rayna.
She had known that the news would elicit exactly this sort of reaction.

She pulled one of her dresses from the trunk she had kept beside her bed; it was a sultry-red fabric- exactly the sort she would prefer to have on, when she made the joyous disclosure to Gillian tonight.

"Hmm... I think this will look good on me, won't it?"

She held the dress in front of Olga; her face lit with an expectant smile.

Olga gawked at the sheer, blood-red fabric. It was so unlike anything she had ever owned.

"It's beautiful."

Rayna threw the dress across the bed, and rushed to hold her in a tight embrace.

"Oh, Olga! I cannot believe it! I am to be a mother... Our children will grow up together. They will be playmates."

Olga's face was eloquent of her shock at seeing the unadulterated joy on Rayna's face; something that she had seldom witnessed.

"Yes, Rayna! Of course. It is most amazing!"
______________________________________

"You look tired."

Rayna commented nonchalantly, casting a glance at her husband as he readied himself for the bed- or the floor, in his case.

For, never in the last one and a half months of their marriage, had he ever shared a bed with her.

In the earlier days, his adamant behavior had amused her.
She had gathered, that it wouldn't take long for him to come back to his senses, and concede to her whims.

But soon enough, she realised the fault of her ways.

He was headstrong as a bull.
No antic she ever tried- no seduction, no charm- could ever bring him to lose his control.
He would not look at her, let alone succumb to her temptations.

Nevertheless, she was sure, that the news she had for him tonight, would be enough for him to let go of his childish anger.

"That is usually the case when you actually do some work, outside the comfort of your home. All of us do that. But you wouldn't know that, would you?
Because in order for that to happen, you will first have to get off your high horse- something that is highly unlikely."

Rayna chuckled at his grumbling words, finding his anger endearing.

She sashayed her way to where he stood, removing his clammy breaches.

She admired the taunt muscles of his haunches, only to get annoyed at the loincloth that restricted her view of the rest of him.

"Don't you notice something different in me?"

Gillian barely spared her a glance, as he cast a suspicious glance at the tumbler of water, she offered to him; it did not take him long to decide to forgo it; instead, choosing to pour himself a fresh set from the pitcher kept on the table.

Rayna looked on with a smirk, as he gulped it down, stopping only to wipe his mouth with the back o his hand, before putting it back on the table.

"How long are you going to be suspicious of all that I offer you? If I wanted to drug you again, I might as well have tampered with the water in the pitcher. There is nothing stopping me from doing that."

Gillian gave her a disdainful glance.

"Nothing can ever stop you from executing your evil schemes. I think you have established that by now. What you are forgetting is, that I no longer care. There is not much you can do to hurt me now."

The derision of his voice, irritated Rayna to no end.

She was getting to know a new thing about him- she did not like this version of him. At all.

"So bleak. I would have expected some fight from our commander."

Gillian thumped down on the chair in front of the hearth, leaning his head back towards the ceiling.

"This is all I can muster against someone like you. I have gathered that there is not much I can do to salvage you as a person."

His words irked Rayna, causing her to humph in exasperation. She moved to stand in front of him, her perusing eyes fixed at his upturned face.

"You haven't yet replied to my question."

Her question was met with an aggravated growl from him.

"I heard you. I just did not find it important to reply. What could it be? Are you possibly feeling eviller today? Or has your wretchedness managed to grow to a new level?"

Rayna dismissed his dragging tone, as a result of his tiredness.
She knew that once she told him about the child, he would forget about all his anger and resentment.

She kneeled in front of him, keeping a warm hand at his thigh. His muscle twitched, causing her to smile knowingly.
He might not have noticed her dress yet; but what she was about to say, will surely make him to that.

"You are a very boring husband, do you know that?"

An unamused grunt sounded from deep inside his throat,

"I am grateful for the compliment."

Rayna smirked, slowly dragging her hand up his thigh, causing him to stiffen.

"I just hope you won't make just as bland a father. Our child will need some warmth, after all."

Her words landed on Gillian like hot ambers of coal, causing him to jump up in shock.

Rayna straightened too, not in the least startled by his reaction.

"What did you say?"

His widened, horrified eyes, caused her to smile brightly.

She neared him with eager steps; taking his stiff hand, and placing it above the translucent fabric covering her stomach.

She saw his eyes trail over to the spot.

The dress she wore, provided little more than a soft curtain of red against the glow from the fire. Her skin shimmered beneath; her darkened nipples, standing taunt against the fabric.

She had wanted him to see for himself, all the changes that she had been feeling in her body- the unmistakable tightness of her rounded abdomen, the heaviness of her breasts, and the widening of her hips.

All the signs had been there for quite a few days now. But her unsuspecting self, had been unable to make the connection.

Nonetheless, now that she knew, she wanted Gillian to see the same.
And judging by his incredulous and stunned expressions, he knew just fine.

"No. This cannot be true."

His tense whisper, caused Rayna to frown in confusion.

Gillian pulled his hand away from her body; shaking it vigorously, as if needing to remove the memory of the touch.

"What do you mean? Of course, it is true! I went to see the healer today. She confirmed it. Can you not see the signs yourself? It is your child, Gillian! Our child! You are soon to become a father."

Gillian's spurned eyes landed on her with disgust.

"This must be another of your vile strategies. Yes, that has to be it! How low can you stoop?"

His eyes were spitting fire at her, causing Rayna to shield her stomach, protecting the child within, from his father's ire.

"I do not understand what it is, that you find hard to belief. We made love that night. Whether you like it, or not, it is the truth. You spent your seed inside my womb. We made a child together."

Gillian swung around, kicking the chair against the wall.

"No! I refuse to believe you! A child is supposed to be the result of the union of two people in love. In love, Rayna! I do not even remember that night!
And in case this is indeed true, then I cannot even be sure if it is mine. Considering your unchaste and vulgar disposition, it wouldn't be surprising if you planned this bastard with some man, just to set another tra-"

Rayna could not stop herself from landing a resounding slap on his face.

Nothing Gillian had ever said, had hurt her.
But this time, his words seemed to bore a hole in her heart; for they affected not only her, but their child too.

To call his own child, a bastard?
How dare he!?

Gillian's face recoiled from her blow, only to spin back to glare at her with a murderous look.

"You dared to lay a hand on me!"

Rayna's teeth gritted, as she raised her chin in defiance,

"And I will do it again, if you dare to utter another malicious word against our child. I care not what you say about me; but I will not hear another cruel statement against him!"

Rayna did not disclose to him, the hurt she felt at his perception of her.

She was well aware of the manner in which he regarded her. Through the years, she had even convinced herself to be unaffected by his hateful words and gazes. But this- him believing that she could lay with another man, after she lost her innocence to him, felt like poison.

It was too painful to ignore.

But he will never know that.
She will never allow him to see her weak. Not now; not when she had their child to think about.

Gillian dragged his vicious gaze to her abdomen, causing her to press a cautious palm against it.

When he next looked at her, his eyes held an icy rage.

Rayna could see the faint marking of her hand on his right cheek- a sight that sent a mild satisfaction through her heart.

"That-"

He spat the word with abhorrence,

"-is not my child. And it never will be. It was not made in my knowledge, and I will never own it."

Saying the words, he took his trousers, and left the hut with a ferocious gait; the door thudding behind his retreating figure.

Rayna stood still for moments afterwards, wondering how the night had gone so unlike what she had predicted.

Taking a deep, shuddering sigh, she blinked back her tears.
Stroking her abdomen, she whispered in a soothing voice,

"Your father is a madman, my child. He speaks nonsense.
He will love you, you'll see. Your mother is going to make sure of it."
______________________________________

Author's Note-

Hello to all my wonderful readers!

So, the drama is strife people 📛

There has been this new development. Rayna is pregnant! Surprise, surprise! (Duh!😂)

What do you think of Gillian's reaction?
Is it pretty expected?

Again, there is something BIG going to happen. The hints are there... Can you spot it?

Till the next time👋