Dark Lord of Kismera: Knights of Kismera (53 page)

He tried to move carefully and slowly so as not to hurt her but she grabbed at his back to pull him hard into her.

He lay over her then, resting his weight on his elbows and thrust into her. Ki whimpered and he thought he had hurt her but she wrapped her legs around his hips and pulled him deeper.

Oh God, he thought, and followed her silent instructions on how she wanted him, and soon he was spilling into her as she cried out into his shoulder.

Drace rested for a second on his arms, trying to remember his name, when Ki moved under him. He came to his senses enough to realize there was enough baby to make it a tight fit between them.

“Oh, sorry hon,” he apologized as he rolled off to her side.

“Do not be. I just realized that I like to breathe.” Ki replied, sounding sleepy.

Drace chuckled softly, and settled her close against him.

Drace came awake with a jolt, trying to remember where he was and identify what had woke him. One hand moved to the bedside table as if to cut off an alarm.

There was another knock on the chamber door. “My Lord,” came a boy’s voice. “So Lar sent me to fetch you.”

“What’s wrong?” Drace asked quietly, already scooting away from Ki and reaching for his clothes.

“He bid me to fetch you, my Lord, and Lord Cearan as well. The little black mare labors. I came to you first.”

“Good boy. Go get Lord Cearan. I’ll be there as soon as I’m dressed,” Drace said, and then stubbed his toes on a stool. “Oh shit!” he breathed, hopping and holding the injured digits.

He limped over to the hearth and lit a twig, then a candle. With enough light he found his boots.

Ki stirred sleepily and he went over to give her a kiss. “What is it?” she asked without opening her eyes.

“Glory’s foaling. Go back to sleep, hon,” he said and adjusted the blankets on the bed for her. “I’ll be back soon.”

Ki gave a drowsy nod and was fast asleep again before Drace even found his coat. After quietly closing the door, he practically ran down the stairs and across the hall.

It was fairly warm in the barn with it closed and all the horses’ body heat. Drace pulled his coat off and went to the stall door.

So Lar stood off to the side so as not to disturb the mare. He had lit an oil lamp, using expensive oil from the coastal city.

“Did her water break?” Drace asked the horse master.

“A few moments ago, my Lord. This is her first?”

“Yes.”

The stable door opened and closed. Cearan came down the aisle. “How does she fare?”

“She is doing well,” So Lar answered, pride in his voice in being selected to oversee Lord MacKinnon’s prized horses.

They watched quietly as the mare lay down and stood back up, then repeated the process. Drace caught sight of a tiny hoof followed by its mate and finally the nose.

Glory came to Drace, looking for reassurance. He spoke softly to her, and she moved away. She found a spot in the center of the stall that suited her and lay down.

Drace looked around at the sound of a new arrival. Lexin silently moved down the aisle to watch the birth of his foal.

“Did I miss it?” he asked in a whisper, peering into the stall. The mare grunted loudly and he saw her lay down flat to strain.

“No, she’s just getting to it,” Drace said, amused by Lexin’s excited face.

The foal was positioned correctly, so now all they could do was wait. Glory rolled up on her side to look at her belly and then lay back down again.

Drace gave her some time and then he rolled up the sleeves of his shirt and went into the stall, talking soothingly to her. Glory gave a huge push but the foal seemed stuck at its shoulders. Drace eased to the mare’s hindquarters and continued talking to her to keep her quiet and down. He pulled the birth sack from the foal’s head and cleared its nose. He grasped the foal’s front legs above the ankles and, working with the mare’s contractions, pulled the foal at a slight downward angle toward her hocks.

“Come on, baby,” he encouraged, and then grunted as he pulled. He was careful not to pull too hard and damaged the foal’s legs. “One more time Glory. Come on, honey, you can do it,” he whispered to her. “Thata girl. Come on.”

The mare groaned loudly as she pushed hard once more, while Drace pulled. The foal’s shoulders came free and the foal slid out into the straw. Drace landed on his butt with the foal’s head in his lap.

“Good girl, Glory. What a good job,” he crooned gently while he tickled the inside of the baby’s nostrils with a small piece of straw. The foal sneezed, clearing ammonic fluid from its nose and then gave a high-pitched, shaky whinny.

Glory rolled up on her chest, and turned her head to nicker at her new baby, making little noises of greeting, her ears pricked forward intently. Drace stood, as she made a lunge to her feet and carefully turned to begin licking her foal dry.

Drace snuck a peek under the foal’s tail to check its sex. He looked up at Lexin. “It’s a boy,” he informed, moving away from the foal and new mother.

He left the stall and wiped his hands with a damp scrap of linen brought to him by one of the stable boys.

Drace knew that Lexin had hoped for a male foal. A stallion made a better warhorse and also gave the possibility of the use as a stud animal. Lexin looked pleased.

Drace, on the other hand, hoped for fillies out of the remaining four mares, to breed to Pride, Raven, or Leo in the future. With good care, Pride had many good years left, and Drace could look for a future replacement for him from their offspring.

Lexin slapped Drace on the back in brotherly affection. “We shall pray the birth of your child goes so well.”

And as quiet,” Cearan added. What little he knew of women’s birthing, he knew there tended to be a lot of screaming. He shuddered.

“Thanks for those encouraging words,” Drace said sarcastically, drawing chuckles from the other men.

“Do not fret, my Lord,” So Lar joined in. “There
will
probably be screaming, possibly cursing, and perhaps before she is done, the threat to your manhood with gelding. She will probably also tell you that you will never touch her again.” So Lar reached over to tussled the head of the stable lad who had fetched Drace.

Drace figured the boy was So Lar’s grandson.

“In the end, it will be worth all of it. And,” he gave Drace a knowledgeable wink. “Your woman will forget all, once the babe is safe in her arms.”

He gave the boy a light swat on his rump. “Get you to your pallet, boy. I will keep watch for now. You will be needing to rise early to feed the new mother. Birthing is hungry work.”

The boy hurried to his bed in the loft as instructed. The men stayed until the mare had passed the afterbirth and the foal had gotten to its feet and nursed.

Once assured both were doing well, Drace returned to the castle with Cearan and Lexin; they separated in the great hall to go their beds, knowing So Lar would keep a careful eye on things.

Ki woke when Drace crawled back into bed. She lay very still for a moment and then erupted from the bed to dash to the chamber pot to vomit.

“Please,” she begged when he checked on her. “Wash that smell off of you.”

Drace sniffed himself, his eyebrows drawn together in puzzlement. He had washed in a bucket at the stable, and while not fresh, he didn’t think he smelled.

“You smell of birth and blood,” Ki complained, the scents overriding the aroma of soap in her sensitive nose. She retched over the pot once more.

“God hon, I’m sorry. I didn’t think,” he exclaimed and went to the washbasin to soap up and rinse once more, even rinsing his hair. He pulled a lock of hair around to sniff it but only smelled the soap he had washed with earlier in the day.

He brought Ki a cup of cool water to rinse her mouth. She took a tentative sniff of him and sighed. “Thank you,” she said, her face still pale. Wearily, she rose and lay back down.

Drace gathered the clothes he had worn to the barn and laid them outside their door, and then went back to bed.

Before he could ask if she was alright, she spoke. “I attended a bad birthing before you came. I have been going with Estelle or one of the other midwives, to learn and to help since I do not go to the practice field anymore.”

“How was it bad?” Drace asked, putting an arm around her when she laid her head on his shoulder.

“Something went wrong and the child was born dead. Estelle said the woman was too narrow. The mother bled to death as well. Her mate was devastated.”

Drace could only imagine, as he held his own woman, feeling his gut tighten in fear. He tried not to let it show in his voice. “Everything will be fine, Ki. I promise.”

“How can you say that? It is the will of the gods, not a man.”

“You’re young and healthy.” He ran a hand over one of her hips, hoping she was wide enough through the pelvis herself. He swallowed hard. “Worrying will only make you sick. Try to think on the good things. As for the will of the gods, I will pray everyday. Alright?” He sent up a silent plea to Tala to take care of Ki and the baby.

Ki was worn out by then; she took his hand and squeezed it tightly.

He returned the squeeze and then rubbed her back in soothing circles until she went back to sleep, wide awake himself for some time after that.

DRACE WENT OUT to the stable after the morning meal and Ki and Cerise went with him.

Glory’s foal was on its feet and nursing, its little tail swishing back and forth as it suckled. Glory’s ears flickered in their direction briefly and then she touched her baby protectively on its rump. Satisfied he was safe, she went back to eating hay.

As they left the barn a sentry on the wall hailed them and pointed towards the sky.

Drace grinned at Cerise then, leaving her wondering what was going on. She kept her eyes to the sky in the direction the other two were watching. She caught a glint of sunlight reflecting off of iridescent scales. Soon the dragon came into view, its wings outstretched as it glided towards them.

With mighty strokes it slowed its flight and came to a landing by the practice field. The few warriors already at training knelt in homage and then resumed their practice further down the field. Nimbus walked in Drace’s direction and then stopped and sat back on his haunches.

Cerise stood with her mouth open until Drace closed it for her with his hand, and then led her to stand in front of the dragon. Drace and Ki sank to one knee in respect. Drace tugged at Cerise’s hand, getting her attention.

“Oh,” she said in surprise and followed their example. With her head bowed, she did not see the dragon move. She gave a startled squeak when cold air brushed her face. She looked up and came eye to nostril with the huge dragon.

“I would not have thought that the kinswoman of the MacKinnon would be so puny,” Nimbus commented and then moved back to study Cerise

Her feathers seriously ruffled, Cerise had several choice things that were not nice run through her mind.

She was startled again when Nimbus laughed. “I like that one, my Lady. Very imaginative.”

Cerise blushed crimson. “I apologize for my thoughts,” she said and then wondered that his breath had been cold. She had thought dragons breathed fire.

Nimbus snaked his neck out and breathed an icy fog over her head and then rested on his haunches once more. “I am an Ice dragon. We breathe cold and ice. I can create fire as a weapon only through magic.” Nimbus settled himself on the ground, crossing his front legs. “My Lord MacKinnon, I am very glad to see you. Would you walk with me in a moment?”

Drace dipped his head. “Of course, my Lord. I will meet you at the east gate.”

“Lady Ki, you are looking well,” the white dragon said. “I dreamed of the MacKinnon’s return, bringing his kinswoman with him. I am pleased it was a foretelling vision and not just a dream.”

A feeling of wellbeing overcame the dragon and he nodded to Ki and then cocked his head in Cerise’s direction. “Welcome to Kismera, Lady Cerise.” Another nod and he unfurled his wings. “Lord Drace.” With a bound and a great flapping of wings Nimbus became airborne.

Drace gave Ki a quick kiss and a wink to Cerise. “If you ladies will excuse me.” He walked out to meet Nimbus, heading in the direction of the large tree where they had met the first time.

Nimbus came to land next to Drace as he walked, folding his wings and slowed to an easy walk to match Drace’s pace.

“Lord Nimbus,” Drace acknowledged and continued walking.

“Arahtok was very wise to choose you, Dark Lord—and wiser still to hear you and send you back to us.”

“I’m very thankful to Him. This is where I belong and I have a future now with a wife and baby.”

“Tell me, my Lord, what happened in your life after the Lady Ki returned,” Nimbus asked. They came to the huge tree and he settled himself as Drace found his root seat.

Drace knew Nimbus could read his mind so he could not hide anything. He wouldn’t be able to keep anything about Maggie secret.
Let Nimbus judge me now and be done with it.

Drace related what had transpired from when Ki had returned to Kismera to when Drace and Cerise had arrived at Oralia. Nimbus made no comment over the incident with Maggie at her apartment. He did raise a heavy eye ridge at the trip Drace had made to New York to see a Ted Maxwell, the former lover.

Drace saw the scene replay in his mind as Nimbus listened to the story. He recalled crossing the busy sidewalk one week before they had left, climbing the steps to enter the museum in New York. He had been dressed in worn jeans and boots, and a heavy black Henley shirt, and his barn coat. For some reason he had decided to put a single braid at his temple and he had left the rest of his hair loose.

He had stopped at the information desk and, intent on his mission, gave the young woman behind it his warmest smile as he asked to see Ted Maxwell. Without even asking his reason for the visit, the flustered woman gave him directions to Ted’s office.

Drace knocked, and opened the door to Ted’s office, coming face-to- surprised face with the man. Drace took a second to study him before speaking. Ted stood up when Drace entered, and Drace saw he barely topped five-nine and was slightly built, almost skinny. He was handsome with dark blonde hair and hazel eyes. He wore a blue oxford shirt, tan slacks, and spit-shined brown loafers.

Judging from the immaculate way Maxwell’s short hair was combed and the carefully ironed creases in the man’s slacks, Drace could tell the smaller man was vain.

Maxwell looked up at Drace, flashing a barely tolerant smile. “May I help you?”

Drace returned the smile, and casually removed his coat, laying it over the back of the chair that faced the desk. “I think that you might be able to that.”

His deep voice caused Maxwell to look closer at him. The smaller man swallowed as he took in the visitor’s physique, obvious in the worn jeans and form-fitting shirt.

A corner of Drace’s mouth lifted and he crossed his arms over his chest tightening the shirt further over his chest and biceps. Maxwell went a tiny bit pale.

“I’m a busy man with a meeting in fifteen minutes. What do you want?” he said with forced bravado, as he gathered up a small stack of papers off the desk and stuffed them in a briefcase.

“I’m quite busy as well so I’ll come right to the point. I’m Drace MacKinnon—a friend of Maggie Shaffer—a very
good
friend. I know about you, Maxwell, and how you like to hit women. Does it make you feel like a man when you lay your hands on them?”

Maxwell face paled further, although his expression changed to one of outrage.

Drace uncrossed his arms, his hands casually slipped into the back pockets of his jeans. He looked relaxed but was anything but that. He wished Maxwell would try something. His palms almost itched with the desired to become fists and connect with the arrogant little bastard’s too pretty face.

“Get out,” Maxwell growled, grabbing up a brown sport coat and tugging it on, his motions jerky. “Get out of my office before I call security. I don’t know who you think you are coming in here like this…,” he came to a sudden halt with a startled squeak as Drace put a big hand on Maxwell’s shoulder.

“I’m someone who cares deeply for a woman you hurt once. I’d be willing to bet she hasn’t been the only one.” Drace squeezed hard enough to cause Maxwell to squirm under his hold.
“But,”
he leaned in until he was eyeball-to-eyeball with the now visibly sweating man. “If you ever lay hands on her, or any other woman for that matter, and I find out about it, I’ll find you and you’ll be begging me to kill you before I’m done with you. And
that
will be my pleasure.”

Drace smiled, a purely malevolent smile as he straightened and carefully smoothed the material of Maxwell’s jacket. He picked up his own coat and turned to look at Maxwell one last time. “Have a wonderful day,” he said and let himself out.

Behind him there was a muffled thud and the sound of the wheels of Maxwell’s desk chair as the man’s knees gave out and he sat suddenly. Drace grinned at the noise and headed back to the front of the museum. He gave the woman at the desk another heart stopping smile, and headed out onto the busy sidewalk once more, feeling Maggie’s safety a little more assured.

The only memory Drace tried to shield was the last visit to his parents’ graves. He felt Nimbus touch his mind gently, sympathetically, and then release him. He hadn’t realized he had closed his eyes but opened them now with a gasp. He looked at his hands, ashamed of what he had felt for Maggie, but not knowing how to explain it.

Nimbus studied him for a moment, looking thoughtful. Drace felt a slight tingle as some sort of magic went through him.

Nimbus cocked his head, listening and then shifted his bulk under the tree. “This woman was to be your destiny, your mate, in that world. Your destiny changed, but she still was important. Arahtok works in mysterious ways as does your god. Maybe it was as important that she meet you as you had need of her.” Nimbus moved one front clawed foot in a thoughtful manner. “Now you each move forward into your new destinies. There will be someone new in hers. You chose the woman closest to your heart.”

“Why do I feel so guilty? I feel like I cheated on Ki.”

Nimbus was studious again. “I do not know your term of ‘cheated’.”

“I feel I was unfaithful to her, although I didn’t…well, you know what I mean.”

“I do not think Ki will judge you harshly. The ways here are different. Women have the choice of who they wish to mate with. Ki would understand, I believe. You did not know at that time that it was even possible to return. Ki would have wanted you to continue on with your life. I also think this Maggie may have saved you from Zakar. If you had lost the fight with him, you may have also lost the chance to return to us. Your Maggie is a very brave young woman.” Nimbus tapped one big claw lightly in the dirt. “You have more important things to think about now.”

Drace looked up at the dragon and smiled “I am still so amazed. Somehow I knew with all my heart that Ki was pregnant, but to see her, to touch her—it’s so incredible.”

“You are a good man, Drace MacKinnon. You will be a good father. Raise this child with affection as well as discipline, as yours did with you. Follow their example.”

Nimbus rose. “When you have questions, ask them of me. Dragon children are not always so different from the children of men. But not just of children—of anything.”

Drace rose as well and they began to walk back to the stronghold. “Remember the last time we walked like this?” Drace asked. “I was certain Ki had a death wish for me.”

“Things have certainly changed since then, my friend,” Nimbus chuckled.

“Now all I have to fear is her puking on me,” Drace commented with humor.

Nimbus laughed, spooking a flock of birds. Dragon and man walked the rest of the way in silence.

Ki sat in front of an open window in her sitting room, sewing a tiny outfit, Cerise sat by her side, sewing as well. They had been working for a couple of hours and Ki finally set hers down with a frustrated sigh. She hated such domestic endeavors even though she could perform them. Right then she felt as if her eyes would cross if she sewed another stitch and said as much to Cerise, who laughed.

Ki gave Cerise a look that had Cerise wanting to squirm it was so direct. Making a decision, Ki stood and went to get her cloak. “Go and get your cloak. I have something for you to do.”

Cerise hurried to gather her wrap from her chamber and not until she was leaving her room did she realized that Ki had spoken to her in her soft, firm way and as a command, not a request. That would normally irritate Cerise as she hated to be ordered around. Ki was such a natural leader that most did not question or hesitate to obey. The only ones Cerise had seen get away with protesting was Cearan and Drace and to some extent, Lexin, none of whom would do so in public.

Cerise met Ki on the stairs, noting how carefully Ki was moving down them. “Is there anything wrong, Ki?” Cerise asked her, concerned.

“If I cannot see the stairs for this child now, however will I manage when I am close to term?” she replied in frustration. Ki was now six months along and the baby was definitely present for all to see.

Ki lead Cerise outside to where the warriors were on the practice field, getting a last hard work in before winter hit. So far the season had been mild but those who knew the ways of weather in Kismera were talking of snow and cold in two or three days.

Ki went to the end where Drace sparred with Cearan and Lexin. All three men had stripped down to just breeches and boots. Ki waited for a break in the action to interrupt.