Iron Crowned Chapter 26

So, let me make sure Im following this correctly.I sighed and shifted on the bed, knowing Dorian was repeating this conversation mostly because he liked beholding my discomfort.Your technology can tell you youre having a boy and a girl, when theyre due, and onlyow you to hear their heartbeats, he continued. and some medicine inexplicably totally counteracted the other one you go for to prevent pregnancy.Took, I muttered. Seeing as its kind of depictless now.Dorian leaned back in a plush armchair, face expressing oerly dramatic pondering. later on fainting, Id been given a guest mode befitting my status, a good sign since hospitality simply meant protection and in no way relate to ones accommodations. It wasnt quite as nice as Dorians room, of course, but the mattress was thick and fluffy, and the green velvet canopy coordinated with the heavy brocaded bedding. As sick as Id felt, I honestly would declare been content to curl up on the floor somewhere. Id been awake for about an hour now, alone in the vast room save for Dorian.What a fascinatingly bizarre turn of events, he mused, stroking his chin. If you thought the Iron Crown scared people, just wait until this upstarts dispenses. Which, of course, it already has.I draped a hand over my forehead. Isnt it bad enough that Im carrying a world-conquering prognostication child? Why all the political fallout?Because youre carrying a world-conquering prophecy child, he responded. Its the type of thing people tend to have strong feelings about.I thought almost everyone wanted to conquer the human world.Most, he agreed. But not all. Especially those who after observing your record thus far readiness fear youll conquer this world first.I rolled over to my side, giving me a better view of him. Since the earlier spectacle, Dorian had masked whatever personal feelings he had about my pregnancy, switching into cunning ruler mode. But not you, I give tongue to. Youve always been in favor of this fulfilling the prophecy.Ive never made a secret of that, he agreed. From the moment we met.That was true, at least. Hed sat on that want while we were involved, but Id always known it lurked. Youve just kept other secrets instead, I blurted out.He didnt answer me right away, but those green-gold eyes weighed me thoughtfully. Yes. Yes, I have. Secrets I now regret.That silenced me for several moments. I hadnt expected any kind of apology. Something in me softened toward him. Really?If I hadnt deceived you about the Iron Crown, he explained, we would unsounded be together.I could only stare. The piece of me that had never stopped loving him tentatively reared its head. It was hard to believe he was here confessing his feelings, admitting that what wed had had been more important than his scheming. It gave me a new insight into him, one that astonished yet pleased me.And if wed stayed together, he continued, I would have been the lucky beneficiary of this medicinal situation.So much for new in sight.I groaned and turned away. Of course. Of course thats the real source of your regret. You dont get to lead the revolution.I perceive him get up and sit on the bed beside me. A few seconds later, he actually had the audacity to lie down. I wiggled over to make room.Its more than revolution, he said. I also told you the first time we met that Id have a child with you, regardless of any prophecy.Im not convinced that the with me part was so relevant.Dorian touched my cheek and turned my face toward his. Do you in reality believe that? Do you really believe my feelings for you were so small that your being the mother of my child wouldnt have meant the world to me?I started to snarkily correct him with worlds, but it seemed petty. I dont know what I believe, I said honestly. I dont even know if I have the energy or motivation to analyze our relationship when I have this going on. I rested my hand on my stay. Dorians eyes followed that motion, utterly captivated.Despite your fool ish fathering choices, this He reached toward my tolerate as well, then pulled back. This is a miracle. This is a prophecy fulfilled. This is life. And really, Kiyo is no longer relevant. Hes given up any claims to these children. They are yours and yours alone now.My fingers tightened on my stomach, not painfully, but more in a possessive type of way. My gaze grew unfocused. I still cant believe that. I cant believe that hed dismiss his own children so easily. That hed dismiss me so easily I doubt it was easy. You arent that easy to get over. A small note of bitterness there. But his opposition to the prophecy was too big. Just as my support is great enough to take you in despite your betrayal and embark in the madness to come.Betrayal? I started to tell him he was the last one who should charge anyone of that but held back. Will people retrieve youre crazy to do it?Hardly, he snorted. Most will think theyre my children anyway, ironically enough. No one except Jasmine had h eard my brief paternity exchange with Dorian in the hall.I frowned. I think sometimes Kiyo does too.They can be.My first reaction was that this was some sort of conjuration of his, but all humor had disappeared from his face. I dont think you fully understand genetics.I understand that parenting is more than just blood, he said, still deadly earnest. And as I said hes relinquished any claims. You are in control, and if even he and others question the childrens parentage, then so much the better. Simply declare me the father. fox it recorded, and by our laws, the children will be mine for all intents and purposes.Something about that set off my alarms. What do you mean intents and purposes?He shrugged a bit too casually. Titles. Prestige. Protection. hereditary pattern if either is strong enough to hold my kingdom. Which, according to the prophecy, your son should be.I dont know, I said. There might be some safety benefits to this sort of aristocracy adoption, but I had a feeli ng that Dorian wasnt telling me all of them particularly things that benefited him alone. He was still upset with me. He didnt like Kiyo. There was no reason that I could see for this. I have to think about it.Think fast, Dorian said. Things will be in motion soon, particularly in one case we get you back to your own lands.Why? I asked. Why would you want to claim someone elses children? I mean, I get your wanting to see the prophecy come true, but you dont have to take that extra step.Maybe someone elses children are better than no children at all, he said.It was another odd line of reasoning from him, a surprising one. Both philosophical and touching. Yet, I still believed there was a deception here. This wasnt out of love for me. Not anymore. His hand moved toward my stomach again and he didnt pull it away this time, though he made sure to keep away from my hand.Let me ask you a question, he said when I made no response. Why did you choose to keep these children? Do you fear th e unholy procedure your people use to end life? Were you ineffective to live with your daughters blood on your hands?My mind rewound back to that day at the doctors. That day? Hell. It had only been earlier today. So much had happened since then that weeks might have gone by. My horrible ordeal with Kiyo had blurred the memories, but now, the ultrasound came back to me, the sights and sounds as real and vivid as though I were experiencing them all over again.I heard their heartbeats, I said at last. And I saw them. Well, kind of. Those blurs still didnt look like much to me, but the point was irrelevant. And when I did I groped to explain my feelings. I just I just wanted them. Both of them. None of the rest mattered.A slow, strange smile spread across Dorians face. That, he declared, is the most gentry thing Ive ever heard you say.Normally, I would have mocked him for using gentry instead of shining ones. It was a slip he sometimes made around me. His words content, however, was of more importance. Thats ridiculous.Not so. Humans overthink things. They throw away life heedlessly. Honestly, after all this time, I was beginning to think you were more human than shining one.I hate to tell you, but I am, I said.Dorian made himself more comfortable, and the hand on my stomach moved so that his arm lay over me, almost but not quite an embrace. It was possessive, like I was a prize that had fallen into his lap. atomic number 18 you, my dear? Youre expressing philosophies very like my own. Youre carrying a child that will allegedly conquer the human world a world you cant go back to for a while, seeing as it would give the kitsune an edge. Youre safer here in this world where, Id like to add, you rule not one but two kingdoms. That, he declared triumphantly, makes you, by my reckoning, more like a gentry than a human.I looked away, not meeting his eyes because I had a crazy feeling he was right.