CHAPTER FIFTEEN
 
 
 

Brailian and his wife looked in the small, sealed cubicle, then at each other.  "How is she?" he asked the healer walking up the hall toward them.  "She's my former wife."

"She is?" the healer asked, looking at her notes.  "Did she have a third?"

"No, they made her take her trials when he nearly died," his wife said grimly.  "Her son is our godson.  How is she?"

"She should be fine.  The fever is lowering itself. The babbling she's been broadcasting is also diminishing with the other healer forcing it to do so," he said lightly.  The pirate in front of him gave him an odd look.  "She's fine, Lord Brailian.  She's a strong woman, and her mind will still be intact.  The others are also healing.  The healer she allowed to treat them was very competent.  He slowed the progression very well once he started to treat them."

"The child?" Brailian asked.

"In quarantine.  Her clan refused her admittance until she was no longer carrying the virus."  He looked at them.  "I don't blame them, this is the most virulent I've seen this old virus in quite a while.  She doesn't know where her parents picked it up from, or else we'd be sending out warnings to everyone.  They're trying to track her bloodline to see if they know."

"Very well.  Keep us informed," the wife noted calmly.  "Her mate is on his way here at top speed."

"She's been babbling about her son."

"With his older sister, the Empress," Brailian said dryly.  "Or else we'd be sitting him and sitting on his father so he wouldn't bother you to get in there with her."  That got a small smile.  "Tell us if you need anything.  She was adopted into my clan by the priestesses."  He walked off, going to report to Brast so he'd slow down a bit.  He had nearly burned out his engine twice and it had only been a day.  He got his sworn-brother on the screen and smiled. "She's fine.  Her fever is coming down.  The healer from Alectran is stopping her from babbling mentally and keeping everyone up.  She should be fine within a few weeks."

"Her ship?"

"Both ships were towed in.  The temple has taken over the Marak'd ship to have it cleaned for them.  They're also housing the elder of the family's clan so someone can be nearby to check on them.  Her ship is going through cleaning right now.  They've managed to save some of the agricultural samples she had on the ship and have them in quarantine to make sure they haven't been mutated by that virus as well.  By the time she's ready to head home, her ship will be cleaned completely and we'll have a stripped bolt replaced in her engine."

"I've been meaning to do that," Brast admitted.  "Leave that, I can do that."

"You'll be pacing outside the contamination cell," Brailian said dryly, smirking at him. "Now, slow down a bit so you don't have to drift into port.  She's not going to die.  There's no need to destroy your wave engine."

"Fine."  He keyed in something and the ship's progress slowed a bit.  "Better?"

"Much.  Is your son going to be able to live at the palace while you're gone?"

"He'd better," he said dryly.  "His older sister had better not be putting him in the nursery either," he said calmly.  "You can call her to check on him for me if you want."

"Sure.  I'll do that in a minute.  Anything else we should do?"

"Have a drink waiting," he said grimly.  "I'll need one."  He waved and cut the connection.

Brailian got comfortable on his couch, putting his feet up.  "Call Palace, connect to Constantine," he ordered his system.

"Palace of the Empire," an upbeat male voice said, forming a picture on his screen of a young man with a pleasant smile.  "How may I direct your call?"

"I'm Constantine's godfather, Brailian.  Brast asked me to check on his son.  I need to speak to Constantine."

"I can transfer you to the nursery," he offered happily.

"No, to Constantine.  He's not to be in the nursery.  He's too young."  The man frowned.  "Trust me, kid. You don't want him in there.  He's every bit as volatile as his mother, Sivya, is."  The man nodded and transferred him to Constantine, her face appeared on the screen immediately.  "Where is your brother?"

"In the nursery."

"You put a high level infant Thinker with a fire talent in the nursery, Constantine?"

She sighed and shook her head.  "He's a baby, that's where they go."

"Your father will beat you soundly."

"He's still an infant."

"A Thinker," he corrected.  "If he's not surrounded by loving thoughts, he'll go wrong.  Should I send someone to pick him up?"

"No," she snorted.  "His parents have to come back this way."  He frowned at her and she wilted a bit.  "But they're needed here.  I put her in charge of trade negotiations."

"Which is very nice of you, Constantine, but she's got a severe case of a space virus. Your father has nearly burned his engines out twice since he left, and you're damaging your baby brother's mind.  Would you rather I take care of him?" he asked again, staying gentle with her.  She looked like she was about to throw a fit.  "It's no problem.  We've got ours here as well."

"Fine," she sighed.  "I'll send him with a Space Marine.  Just make sure they come back."

"Of course."  Brailian watched as someone came running in to whisper in Constantine's ear, making her groan.  "Is something wrong?"

"My brother just tried to fight the dark by lighting a wall on fire," she said grimly.

"Then have him sent here, dear.  I'll watch out for him and I can keep him from doing such."

"Fine.  I'll get one of the faster Marines here to do it.  Expect a jump ship."  She hung up.

Brailian sighed and put his head back.  "Dear, fix a spot for Cabiael, he just tried to light the palace nursery on fire."

"Why?" she asked from their nursery.

"He didn't like the dark.  Constantine had him put down there."

"How long before he gets here?"

"She's handing him to a Marine with a jump ship.  Maybe before his father."

"Fine.  I'll set him up a bed in our room."  She came out with their son, handing him over.  "There, Fyester, your father."

"Hello, son.  Would you like to see Cabiael again?" he asked with a smile.  "Your uncle Brast is on his way.  Computer, call Brast."  Brast's face popped up. "Constantine had him in the nursery, where he got afraid of the dark and lit a wall on fire.  He's coming with a Marine."

"Thank you, Brailian.  I'll be there soon," he promised.

He waved the baby's hand.  "Take your time.  She probably won't awaken tomorrow."

"Fine."  He cut the connection to yell at his daughter by himself.  How dare she do something like that!

Brailian snuggled his son, making him giggle and poke him on the lips.  "Yes, soon, the insanity will come back and you'll get to play with many others, Fyester," he promised, giving him a kiss on the forehead.  He put him down to wander around, watching as he purred at the table his father had his feet up on.  "You sound like a cub," he teased, tickling him.  His son giggled and wandered off to look out the windows.  It had a very good view of the port and he loved watching the ships.

~*~*~*~
 

Sivya woke up and looked around the small room she was in.  She found something under her hand and felt it, finding a button.  It depressed easily for her, bringing a healer jogging to her.  "Where am I?" she asked in a hoarse whisper.  She noticed the energy field that had been across the door was now wrapped around his body to protect him.  Anytime anything of his came into contact with her it tingled.

"You're at your home temple, sister," the healer said quietly, checking her forehead and then her pulse in her neck.  "Those pirates you picked up were ill from a space virus.  You caught it as well.  Would you like something to drink?"  She nodded, accepting his help to sit up.  He gave her a sealed container, letting her sip from the hole on the top.  "There, you drink," he promised.  "You'll need it to get better."

"My mate?" she asked.  She was lowered back to the bed.

"Is at his brother's to rest.  He's just gotten in and your son has just been brought."  He pushed her hair back behind her ears.  "You rest.  You'll need it to heal.  Once you're no longer contagious we'll let you have him in to visit.  For now, sleep and heal."

"How long?" she whispered.

"A few more days, priestess.  You sleep."  He walked out.   The energy field stayed on the door.

Sivya shifted until she was comfortable on the small bed. "I wonder what happened to the son this time," she muttered, not fighting the sleep come over her.

The healer tapped on the main door of the temple, walking out to bow at the altar.  He looked at the priestesses.  "She's fine.  She's had some water.  She's back to sleep now.  Her spouse?"

"Has landed and is at his brother's, like you told her," the head priestess said with a small smile.  "As has their son.  I'll tell them that she's awakened once and has went back to sleep."

"Thank you, priestess.  Is she one of you?"  She nodded. "How, with a living mate?"

"She was Brailian's," she said simply.  He nodded, understanding that.  "Is there other news?"

"The others have responded to treatment and should be released soon.  Their clan elder has been informed of that and is awaiting them while doing some supply shopping."  She nodded.  "The child's clan?"

"Won't even come near the planet until she's been thoroughly cleaned and cleared."

"As I thought," he agreed.  "I'll leave you to your counseling.  If you need me before my next shift, yell."  He bowed again and left, going back to his quarters.

The priestess looked down at the people coming out of their training classes.  "Who's the messenger today?  I have one to take to Lords Brailian and Brast."

"I am," one of the young priests said with a smile for her.  "Do I get to stop and play with the children?"

"Fine," she agreed.  "Bring me paper and pen."

He nodded and jogged off to find the writing implements and bring them back, wiping off his sweat on the way.  Then he accepted the short message with a bow and a grin, jogging out of the temple and down the street to the Lord's house.  The guard at the door gave him an odd look.  That's when he realized he hadn't taken the time to put back on clothes.  "Sorry.  She wanted a messenger."  The guard let him inside with a scowl, so he calmed himself as he walked, going to one knee to bow before the planet's keeper.  "A message from the temple, Lords.  May I play with the boys?"

"Go ahead, Ambri," Brailian offered with a smile as he took the message.  "They're presently pretending to sleep so they don't drive us insane."  The priest smiled and went to the nursery to play with them.

"He likes the kids?" Brast asked, looking a bit confused.

"He adores children.  He was one of sixteen out of his mother's two husbands."  He opened the message and smiled.  "She's done the first awakening and asked about you and the son. They gave her fluids and put her back to sleep."  He handed over the message. "You can go terrorize them tomorrow, Brast."

"Thank you."  He read it over himself, smiling at the nice words.  "Should we send one back?"

"No, this was just information.  High Priestess Kithana doesn't usually like to send messages that need replies.  You will be required to make a good offering to the temple this year."

"We've also got to negotiate for Cabiael's teaching," he added.  Brailian shuddered.  "Exactly.  Zapesia."

"Does she get an allowance?"

"Some.  Not a lot.  Not really more than a shopping allowance."  He shrugged.  "I'll be raiding the family funds for that."

"Do you have any of it left?"

"Some," he offered.  "Then again, we do own that planet so we'll be able to do something.  I suppose.  Somehow."

"I could float you a loan," he offered.

"No.  It's not an issue.  I'm sure something can be done.  Even if we do end up on Zapesia so he can study with the fire priests."  Brailian shuddered.  "He's the one who got the fire talent. I'm just happy his mother has water abilities."

"No more going to the desert for you," Ambri teased from the doorway.  "Should I change your son for you, Lord Brast?"

"Please," he agreed.  "One less for me to change."

"Thank you, Lord Brast."  He headed back to change the baby's diaper. He brought him out, letting his father kiss him on the forehead.  "Here, all changed.  He was trying to nibble on Fyester's nose."

"He seems to like that," Brailian assured him.  "I believe some day in the future they'll be together."

"He's to be a priest," Brast said patiently, taking his son.  "Don't eat your friend.  That means you won't have friends."

"If you do nibble on him, leave enough for the rest of us to hug," Brailian said, patting him on the back. "Ambri, are you staying for dinner again?"

"No, Lord Brailian.  We're having my favorite tonight at the temple."  He grinned at the baby.  "I'd offer to take you back with me, but your father might get possessive and steal you back like a proper pirate."

"Yes, I will," Brast said with a grin for him.  "I'll bring him over tomorrow.  That way you can play with him and to distract you from your studies."

"Thank you, Lord Brast.  He's a very sweet baby."  He bowed. "I'd best get back.  Fyester is sleeping soundly," he reported.  He bowed again.  "Have pleasant dreams, Lords."  He turned and jogged out, heading back to the temple. Where he reported what had been said.

The priestess smiled down at him.  "I've often said you should be the father to many priests instead of a priest yourself.  If he does, we'll make allowances for your playing tomorrow."  He beamed.  "Go eat after you finish dressing.  You're not a pirate's treasure, Ambri."

"I'm sorry, priestess."  He beamed as he went to his cell to change.  He wasn't going to miss his favorite dish.

~*~*~*~
 

Brast nodded at the priest sitting behind the altar.  "My mate?"

"Behind us in the quarantine section," he said, pointing at the doorway.  "She's not well enough to host you today.  You may sit and stare at her however."

"Thank you.  Come, son, let's stare at the mother."  He walked back there, sitting across from the cell she was in.  "Usually those sort of places are very bad," he instructed his son.  "But when you're sick and at the temple they're fairly nice and pleasant.  Much nicer than a prison cell."  His son squealed and tried to bounce up and down on his lap.  "Shh, let your mother sleep, son.  She needs her rest so she can come back faster."

The healer walked down the hall, taking the baby to look over.  "You look very well today."  He walked into the cell, stretching the forcefield around them.  "There, you can pat her for a moment," he offered.  The baby squealed again and patted his mother until she woke up and looked at him, then he babbled and patted her some more.

"Hi, son."  She reached up but the healer drew back.  "I can't touch the field?"

"You shouldn't.  It could rupture and that would kill someone his age."  He put the baby back then came back to check her over.  "Well, you look much better today.  How is your head?"

"Sore."

"As it should be," he promised gently, smiling at her.  "Let me check one more thing and I'll let your husband come up to the force field while you sit in a chair."

"Thank you."  She let him press on her chest, only wincing a bit.  "Did I have a lung infection?"

"A slight one," he admitted.  He picked her up and sat her in a chair, bringing her a blanket to cover herself.  "There you are.  I'll leave for now.  Do not sit up too long and don't worry if you fall asleep."  He walked out, leaving them to talk across the field of energy.

"How do you feel?"

"Better than I did the last time I woke up.  Was that today?"

"Yesterday," he said with a gentle smile.  "Within a week you'll be able to go home with me."

"Within a week, I'll be insane without something to do."

"We can't bring things in with you," he said dryly, smirking at her.  "They'd have to burn it."  He looked around, seeing the small corner communications computer. "I can bring you files.  Trade agreements should put you to sleep often enough."

"Can you?" she asked happily, grinning at him.  "Thank you, Brast."

"You're welcome."  He held up their son.  "Constantine is in deep with us.  She put him in the nursery, where he lit a wall on fire to dispel the darkness around him.  She was not happy."

"She'll be even less happy when I yell at her," Sivya said calmly.  "Do I just have that one?"

"Three now," he admitted, shifting his son around. "Are your spots gone?"

She looked at the parts she could see, then rubbed a hand across the back of her neck since she remembered it itching.  "I feel scabs."

"Then it may not even be a week," he offered gently.  His son squealed and tried to bounce some more. "I'm not letting you down.  You'd try to crawl in there and would get sick."

"He can't pass the force field."

"He can, he's stubborn enough to do that," Brast assured her.  A young woman walked down the hallway.  "We're being good," he assured her.

She smiled. "I'm sure you are but he should be in with the other priests in training."

"He can't even walk yet," he protested.  He noticed his son was scowling.   "Sorry, we're going to be talking to his mother for now."

"If you're sure," she offered. She smiled and pulled something out to throw it at him but Sivya grabbed her through the field, pulling her inside.  "Let me go!"

"You just attacked my mate and son.  I doubt you're moving."  She looked at her husband.  "Perhaps you should talk to someone?"

"Priestess," he called softly.  "One of yours just attacked us and my wife is being unreasonable."

Ambri walked down the hall, smiling at the baby.  "Hello, Cabiael.  Are you being a sweet baby?  Would you like a story?"  He held out his arms and the baby lunged up to hug him.  "May I, Lord?"

"You may," he agreed, handing him over.  Then he pointed at the other one.  "She tried to throw some sharpened pins at us."  He picked one off his lap and handed it over.  "My wife is not happy."  He pointed at his wife again.

"So I can see, she is quite a priestess," Ambri said with pleasure.  "I'll have someone get her."  He walked the baby off.  "High Priest, sir, someone just tried to attack Lord Brast.  His wife has her wrapped in the force field."

"I'll send someone to stop her.  It's probably another rehashing of that old war."  He flicked his fingers.  "Go read to him."

"Thank you, priest."  He walked off giving the baby silly faces and cooing at him.

The High Priest walked back there, shaking his head.  "Dear, let her go," he said gently.  "She is being stupid and forgetting her vows.  She'll be doing extra meditations tonight and for a very long time."  Sivya released her, then went back to her seat. "Thank you, priestess.  That shows wisdom and judgement.  As did the beating of that stupid, arrogant punk on Riven."  He walked the other priestess off to deal with her, putting her back in her cell.  "That fight is over with for you," he said quietly.  "You may not do such things again.  Even if you hate him, you may not attack him.  It is not right for a priestess to do so."  He locked her in there and walked off.  "Meditate on your stupidity."

"Fine," she pouted, sitting down to do as ordered.

Brast smiled at his wife.  "We'll make a real pirate wench out of you yet," he praised.  He tossed over the files he had carried over, he did know his wife after all.  "There, for you to do."  She smiled at him, flipping through the first one.  "Make notes on your ideas and save them on the communications system, then you can send the files out.  That way there's no contamination."

"Thank you, Brast."  She gave him a gentle smile.  He shifted, but smiled back.  "What are you doing while I'm stuck in here?"

"Checking on our accounts to see how much is in there so we can afford our son's future educational costs.  I've got some money saved," he assured her with a smile.

"I have some things that are mine stored at one of the temples," she offered.  "We should find out how much that's worth too.  Unless I have to hand it over?"  He shook his head. "Good to know.  We should just barely make it.  Unless Constantine gets upset again and has Kathal or someone raid the house for our things, claiming that we're not due them anymore."

"If she tries, I'm beating her soundly," he promised gently.  "Was that a prediction?"  She shrugged.  "Did you see it in a dream or in meditation?" he asked patiently.

"It is the future, but it is the person after Kathal," a priest called from the doorway.  "We've already alerted Constantine so she can set her foot down and leave standing orders. Then again, he is too young to be trained.  You will have a few years and by then things will have changed for the better once again."  He walked in with two bowls, handing one to Brast and sliding the other through the hole in the bottom of the field.  "There, lunch, priestess.  Eat heartily, it is very good."

"I remember the food being excellent, thank you," she said with a small smile.  "Thank you for feeding my husband as well."

"It is not a problem.  When he's back here he can't be out tempting the new priests to break their vows."  He walked off, smiling happily to check on the others.  "Ah, you're still here," he told someone a few cells down. "I'll bring you lunch as well.  It's very good today."

"Thank you," an older man agreed, bowing to him.  "Give praise to our Lord for me."

"I always do, my old friend. You rest, I'll be right back.  I'll come through the back way so the others aren't bothered."

"You were tempting the priests?" Sivya asked her husband between slurps.

"I try very hard not to," he said with a grin.  "I never do it on purpose."

"As long as you only tease them, I won't complain," she assured him with a smile.  She finished her food and set the bowl down, getting comfortable again.  She yawned.

"Go back to bed, Sivya.  I'll be back later.  Go to sleep."  She shook her head.  "Now, Sivya.  Before I have to complain to the priests."  She frowned at him, starting to pout.  "Now, Sivya.  Or else they'll have to keep you longer and our son will start to eat Fyester again."  She gave him an odd look as she climbed back into bed.  "He was sucking on his ear this morning.  Fyester climbed into bed with him instead of me."

"Oh, good.  He'll need friends."  She tucked herself in.  "Are you going back to Brailian's?"  She yawned again.

"I'll be right here for a few more minutes and then I'll be back again later tonight."  He watched as she fell asleep, getting comfortable to watch her for a bit.  A priest came by with his son, who he took back.  "Thank you."

"He's no problem.  Getting him off to the right start is a pleasure.  He'll be very important some day to help us stay strong.  Then he'll have children after he breaks his vows for the third time."

"That's good to know," Brast said, looking down at his napping son.  "He'll be fine?"

"Unless he decides to go off the deep end and turns himself into a fireworks display."  He shrugged and walked off.

"Don't do that, son," Brast said quietly.  "That would probably hurt quite a lot."  He heard his son snore and smirked.  "Fine, I'll put you back in bed.  We can come back tonight."  He stood up, taking the napping son with him.  He nodded at the priest who had brought them food.  "We'll be back later."

"Of course you will.  We'll help her work on those files."  He smiled at their backs.  They were very cute and it was nice to see Brast not fighting for a change.
 
 

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