Brianna (44 page)

“I call bloodfeud,” he continued, “for the kidnapping and rape of my wife, Alalakan dem al’ Sheala.”

Audible gasps filled the Council chamber as the second rivulet of blood flowed down Marljas’ arm. A Gattan-Alalakan alliance of marriage would have profound interplanetary trade implications.

“Finally,” Marljas finished with a roar, “I call bloodfeud for the kidnapping, rape, inhuman scientific experiments, and addiction to mithrin of Sosha Kanicsdottir, a Gattan citizen!”

Loud voices demanded explanations as the third rivulet of blood joined the other two. Only the light pressure of Brianna’s hand on his arm kept Marljas from attacking Bakom.

“How do you answer these accusations, Rodak don al’

Bakom?” Brianna spat in a voice heard above the growing uproar. “Tell the members of your government how you and your friends use women as sexual slaves.”

“Lies! All lies!” Bakom shrieked. “I know nothing about those women! How dare you accuse me, the First President of the Academy of Science!”

Brianna simply turned to her husband. “Char?”

Jerking free of the guards, Char glared at Brianna then picked up a sealed envelope and walked to stand in front of the Council president. “Mr. President, would you care to view the rape of my sister and of the goddaughter of the Gattan ambassador by Bakom and his assistants now or later? We obtained enough evidence to support these and many other accusations when my family rescued the two women from a secret laboratory Bakom had for his private use. Even now, the police are combing through files and samples taken from three separate floors where he performed experiments secretly.”

All eyes in the room turned to Bakom.

“Well, Dr…”

The Council President never finished. Bakom sprang from the platform and fled across the room much more rapidly than anyone thought possible.

Snarling, Marljas leaped to the knife embedded in the floor and jerked it free. His catlike reflexes sent the blade flying after Bakom, who screamed and tumbled to the floor.

“Guards!” shouted the Council President, “arrest him!”

Council guards streamed into the chamber, fighting against the stream of Council members trying to leave.

However, before they could reach the door, guards wearing the uniform of the Medirian royal household filled the doorways and refused to allow anyone to leave.

Disgruntled and panicked Council members milled about the room. Some returned to their seats. Others scuttled from one door to another, seeking escape.

Rodane’s sharp eyes noted each and every one.

Pounding his gavel, the President eventually restored some semblance of order. “Prince Kavlalardrac, Medirian guards have no place in the Council Chamber of Drakan.”

Kavlalardrac bowed. “My sincerest apologies, Mr. President.

My guards must have heard the commotion and feared for my safety. I will dismiss them immediately. I would suggest, however, your own guards man the doors. Perhaps there were others here who joined in Bakom’s perfidies.”

Howls of outrage greeted that statement. Council members rose to their feet, some shaking their fists at being so accused.

Others loudly swore their innocence. All of them looked to the package that lay on the President’s desk—the one that held the lab videos.

“Wait until they find out there are fifteen more recordings and the police have made copies of all of them,” Rodane muttered to Ban. “Not to mention the copies we made for ourselves.”

Again the President pounded his gavel to bring order.

“Sergeant, take Rodak don al’ Bakom into custody until the police arrive. And set guards at the doors on your way out. No Council members are to leave without my permission.”

The Medirians melted away from the doors as the Council guards hustled Bakom from the chamber.

The President turned to Chardadon. “All charges brought forth by Dr. Rodak don al’ Bakom against the Alalakan clan are dropped.”

The blood had stopped flowing from Brianna’s arm, for she had been very careful to make sure the cut had been shallow.

Nevertheless, Char was furious. “Bandalardrac,” he said in a tightly controlled voice, “take Brianna to the shuttle.”

Crossing her arms over her breasts, she glared back at Char.

“Bandalardrac,” Char snarled, “you heard me the first time.

Take Brianna to the shuttle.”

Shrugging, Ban grinned lopsidedly and presented his arm to Brianna.

She chose to ignore him and turned to a still fuming Marljas.

“Brother, I wish to go home now.”

Snarling once more at the door where Bakom disappeared, Marljas turned his surly expression on Char and said, “Come, Bloodsister. My
wife
has need of me.”

They both ignored everyone else as they left.

The Council President locked his eyes with Char’s. “Are you sure, Alalakan don al’ Chardadon, that your wife is not Gattan?”

*

When he entered his family’s townhouse, Char stalked toward the jubilant voices coming from the drawing room. He was going to shake Brianna until her teeth rattled. How could she endanger herself like that? If Bakom had grabbed her, he could have used her as a shield. Jamiros grinned and raised his glass when he saw his son standing in the doorway.

“Congratulations, Char. Bakom is finished.”

Char accepted a glass from his smiling mother and acknowledged his father’s salute. Lifting the glass, he tossed its contents down his throat. The coughing and gasping that resulted had a laughing Wendjas pounding on his back.

“What is this?” He’d been expecting his favorite Deslossian red.

“A very old vintage of
troctikoc
brandy, my friend,” Wendjas answered. “Denieen insisted that we bring it with us. Be honored. It is very rare and complicated to brew. Gattan drink it only on momentous occasions, the birth of a child, the defeat of a blood enemy.”

“Give that to your enemies and you won’t have to worry about blood feuds,” Char growled when he regained his breath.

He gaze jerked around the room. She wasn’t there. “Where’s Brianna? I’m surprised she’s not here sipping this swill with you.”

Coming from anyone else, Char’s comments would have begun another bloodfeud. Wendjas, however, grinned more widely.

Chuckling, Xdana said, “Brianna swept into the house with Meri, as regal as any Medirian princess, and informed us that she was going to her room because she was ‘fatigued’. The only other person she wanted to see was Denieen because she owed her bloodsister an explanation and profound apology for misplacing her ‘first blood’ knife. Denieen is with Meri and her now.”

Char threw his glass into the fireplace. “Not for long.”

Still grinning, Wendjas said, “An angry man does not interrupt three women who wish to be alone with their thoughts.”

Char shoved Wendjas out of the way. “Stop spouting Gattan proverbs at me. She’s my wife, and I want to talk to her.”

Ban took a step towards Char, but Fionilina reached her brother-in-law’s side first. Placing her hand on his arm, she said, “I’ve never seen you so angry, Char. Your temper will do Brianna no good now.”

Char muttered an expletive as he shook off her arm.

However, Wendjas and, interestingly enough, Marljas moved quickly to block the doorway.

With an exasperated shrug, Fionilina returned to her chair.

Hushed silence filled the room as Char faced the Gattans.

“You are blocking my way,” Char snarled in a dangerously low voice. “I suggest you move. Now.”

Everyone in the room shifted uncomfortably as Ban hurried to his side and grasped his arm.

Char jerked free. “Leave off, Bandalardrac. Brianna is my wife, and she behaved totally irresponsibly today.”

“She acted in true Gattan fashion, Alalakan,” Marljas countered, obviously offended.

“Gentlemen, please…” began a now alarmed Jamiros. The unprecedented ties that had been forged with this Gattan family seemed to be on the brink of severing.

Char’s anger had not abated. If anything, it had grown hotter. Ignoring his father, he eased out of the embroidered jacket he wore. “Move now, Gattan, or I will move you.”

Xdana pushed herself out of her chair. “Char!”

The tension eddied about the room, and Ban’s gaze leaped from face to face. Now was not the time to reveal that he was the most dangerous man in the galaxy.

Concern, fear and anxiety were clearly visible on the faces of all present—except one.

Ban’s eyes snapped back to Fionilina’s and the amused and exasperated expression on her face. Fio wasn’t worried? What did she know that no one else did?

Ban searched his memories of all that happened in the Council chamber. Char had the right to be angry. Brianna
had
acted irresponsibly. Then he remembered a surprised expression that had appeared on Brianna’s face during the chaos that exploded after Bakom’s capture.

Realization dawned.

Ban’s bark of laughter cut through the tension. Delivering a staggering punch to Char’s shoulder, he said, “Think, man. Fio said Brianna didn’t need an angry husband
now
!”

Char threw his angry gaze at his cousin, but the subtlety of Ban’s remark began to register. His eyes widened and he returned his gaze to the grinning Gattans.

“I told you we only drink
troctikoc
brandy on special occasions,” Wendjas said. “Denieen insisted we bring a few bottles over with us.”

Shoving the now cooperative Gattan out of his way, Char bolted out the door.

The other inhabitants of the room stared at each other. Then all gazes locked on Ban. A broad smile on his face, he shrugged, sauntered over to the sideboard and poured himself another glass of brandy.

Xdana glared at Ban’s back. “Well, I never.”

A puzzled frown lay on Jenneta’s face. Then her eyes widened. “Brianna’s having the baby.”

The silence was shattered almost instantly.

Lorilana rose. “I must go…”

“Why didn’t she…?” Xdana said as she also rose.

The general exclamations of joy and surprise were hushed as the two Gattan once again barred the exit. “You will wait here,” Marljas said crossing his arms.

“I beg your pardon, young man,” Lorilana said haughtily, “but I am her physician.”

“She didn’t ask for you,” Wendjas answered. “She wishes to be attended only by Denieen and the Princess…and by the Alalakan.”

“Char!” Xdana exclaimed. “What does she want him for?”

Ban answered from across the room where he had gone to stand beside an equally amused Fionilina. “Custom on her planet, perhaps?”

“That’s what she told me,” Fio answered from her seat.

“Brianna expects Char to be with her when the baby is born.”

“Well, what are we supposed to do?” asked a miffed Xdana.

“Tradition demands that women of the clan be present.”

Ban chuckled. “Surely you’ve realized by now, Aunt, that Brianna doesn’t give a damn about tradition, at least not all of it.

How long,” he asked, turning to Fionilina, “were you going to keep quiet?”

Fionilina smiled triumphantly. “Brianna told me not to say anything until Char came.”

Xdana, Jenneta and Lorilana bent accusing gazes on her.

“And you agreed?” Lorilana snapped. “What if there are complications?”

“Denieen is a competent midwife who’s experienced enough to know if something is going wrong. An emergency minishuttle is standing by, just in case,” Fio answered smoothly. “I see nothing wrong with granting Brianna’s wish. My mother told me how much she hated having so many people gawking at her when she gave birth.”

Jenneta glanced at the two grinning Gattan in the doorway.

“Well, what are we supposed to do now?”

Rodane smiled broadly as he refilled his glass and sat down next to his wife. “I’m afraid you’ll have to do what the men of Drakan have done for generations, Grandmother. You wait.”

The three older women threw scathing looks at Rodane as he pulled his wife close.

Wendjas and Marljas laughed uproariously.

Supported by Denieen, Brianna walked back and forth across the room.

“There has to be…an easier…way…to do this,” Brianna groaned, gritting her teeth against another contraction.

“If we were on Mediria, you’d be in a birthing pool,” Meri said. “If you were home on the estate, you could relax in your tub, but this one is simply too small.”

Denieen pursed her lips thoughtfully. “Giving birth in water, how interesting. Less trauma for the baby. I’d like to come to your planet to observe this, Meri.”

“You’re welcome any time, Deni,” Meri answered with a smile. “Mother will be more than happy to show you our maternity hospitals.”

Brianna’s contraction passed, and she shook herself free from Denieen. Taking a deep breath, she grumbled, “That one was strong. Char better get his ass home soon.”

Meri and Deni smiled at each other behind Brianna’s back.

Both had been in her confidence and so knew that her labor had begun that morning before the Council session. Luckily for Brianna, she’d had no strong contractions until Marljas was bringing her home. After he’d dropped her off, he’d fetched Denieen. Brianna had been adamant about not having all of Char’s female relatives present at the birth of her child.

Therefore, Denieen had been very specific with her instructions to Marljas and Wendjas. Earlier Fionilina, who had happily agreed with Brianna’s wish not to be the main attraction of a three-ring circus—whatever that was—agreed to send Char up as soon as he returned.