Chapter Eight
It was so much harder.
Sure, Lumi could lie in bed and enjoy it. The heat made it all possible after years of being warped and forced to think he loved it. It was the only way he could fuck now, but something was different.
After three years of being a pleasure slave and spy, he wanted to go back. He wanted his freedom and to pretend nothing else existed besides his main goal of getting to slurp on the Prince’s cock or ride it.
Except maybe more would have existed. If Jaki had only wanted info, why had he cupped Lumi’s face and been so gentle with the spy?
People didn’t act like that to those who were committing treason.
He’d even promised Lumi would be safe. He’d seemed so genuine, and Jaki didn’t have a reputation for lies.
It wasn’t like Lumi had a choice. He had to do what Tivar wanted.
Tivar said he had one last chance to try. If he wasn’t pregnant in one year, that was it. Tivar would go ahead with other plans. He didn’t say what they were.
Lumi figured he partly meant war, not that he cared.
His life wouldn’t truly change unless he died, and even though he focused on surviving, it wasn’t like he had anything to live for at that point.
Why would he care what Tivar planned? Maybe he’d die in the war.
If so, Tivar likely had a way to ensure Lumi would never be rescued or free.
At least Jaki had lived. News of his death would have been heard everywhere within a short time, and Tivar would have said something so he could gloat. Lumi had aimed for the lower ribs to ensure he didn’t hit the heart or pierce the lungs.
The memory still jabbed his chest. He could have killed Jaki, and he didn’t want the only person to have shown any real warmth and care to bleed out alone in the forest.
He hadn’t been back for a full month when he woke up one night.
The chain rattled slightly as he rolled over, and the cuff on his right wrist was heavy.
He had enough slack in it so he could wrap both arms around his midsection.
The cramps in his stomach didn’t feel like the ones that came after a bad meal or if one had to sit in the privy.
They were deeper and where his uterus was.
It was a sign of pregnancy for an abundant male and happened at the four-week mark. It meant they’d already conceived, and the uterus, unused until then, was preparing itself to grow and accommodate the baby that was already forming. They would likely pass after several hours or last a day at most.
His breath came in short gasps as he tried to think back.
He hadn’t wanted to have a random courtier's baby, or worse: his half-Uncle’s child.
He knew Tivar had intended for anyone to fuck him because it didn’t matter who the other parent was thanks to Lumi being a true Cleel.
If he became pregnant, he would have been forced to leave earlier.
If not…well, it was Lumi’s fault for being unable to conceive.
Tivar would never admit it if he were infertile.
Tivar made all the rules, but with his freedom, Lumi had managed to find a little gumption in him to make sure he could avoid something he didn’t want.
He’d found a way to get the good herbs to prevent abundant males from conceiving.
Women only needed one serving a day, but the ones for abundant males were a little different.
They only lasted a few hours, so he’d taken them as needed.
They did nothing for sperm, so if he had fucked a woman, it would have been possible to impregnate her.
When the guards came to get him that one morning, he hadn’t had time to take them, and the last dose had worn off by then.
Prince Jaki had fucked him in his sitting room.
Lumi hadn’t worried about it and figured he’d be fine.
After all, it was just one time, abundant males weren’t absolutely guaranteed to get pregnant if they had sex with their heat, and maybe he was the one with an issue.
Just like with women, there could be an internal issue, and he’d have no clue.
The first few brutal rapes at a young age could have wrecked him inside even though Tivar had healed him. Some said that it was possible for stress and trauma to forever ruin something in an abundant male.
That was the only time he’d had sex without the protection of the herb while at court, and he’d taken it shortly after returning to his room.
It was supposed to have a good chance of working too since the conception didn’t happen at the exact moment of ejaculation.
The lady he’d gotten the herbs from said he could do so if he ever forgot, but it was better to not forget.
And now there he was with the cramps for the first time in his life.
It might be Tivar’s since he had no herbs now, but he shouldn’t have the cramps for nearly another week if that was so because he hadn’t been back for a full month.
Mother had given him a book on abundant males after his first heat, and it said the first warning sign was pretty standard.
It was probably Jaki’s baby because the timing was just right. Also, it had to be because he didn’t want Tivar’s seed growing in him.
Before, he’d never wanted to have a baby at all. His first reason while young was because it sounded dreadful for his stomach to grow big. Pushing out a baby sounded even worse. Later, his second reasoning was because it would be Tivar’s.
It wasn’t like he had a choice now, and maybe it wouldn’t be so bad. If it was Jaki’s child, it would be like having some part of the Prince with him. Jaki had tried to give him something no one else could and gotten a glimpse of things beyond the facade.
If Tivar had gotten ahold of him later…Still, Jaki had attempted to offer safety even though his half-brother was a treasonous spy.
He shifted away in the bed and curled up in a tight ball as he thought about a miniature version of Jaki. Tivar would do most of the raising since it would be “his baby” with a secret mistress who died in childbirth and the next heir.
It would have a better life than Lumi, and maybe he would get to see his child. Surely, Tivar could grant him that in exchange for an heir. Lumi’s child would love him.
His eyes filled with tears as he shifted his cuffed wrist and realized something.
Perhaps he’d never get to see the child.
After all, what if the kid blabbed about his Father who was kept locked up at all times and chained to a bed by one wrist?
Eventually, the child would realize it wasn’t normal, and no one else had a parent who was kept in such conditions.
Then again, Tivar probably wouldn’t want a baby, a toddler, or a small child pasted to his hip every second of the day. If he ordered the child to keep quiet later, Lumi could watch it, and he'd also breastfeed it as a baby. Tivar couldn’t do that.
The skylight slowly turned from black to dark blue while the sun struggled up, and the cramps remained. It had to be Jaki’s baby and not Tivar’s spawn. He thought about the Prince’s hand cupping his face.
He’d meant it. He would have truly tried to keep Lumi safe.
A horrible thought occurred to him: If Lumi was infertile and couldn’t conceive like Tivar said, it didn’t mean his seed was useless.
Tivar hadn’t elaborated on what would happen later after a year.
What if he planned to get a woman, keep her as a prisoner, and force Lumi to fuck her?
It could be another abundant male, but a woman would be easier to find.
Either way, the baby would work as an heir with a Cleel male creating it.
A second prisoner would be a big problem, and Tivar would have to be careful to keep them hidden so the servants never suspected anything. Lumi wouldn’t be able to say no either. Tivar would threaten to hurt the other or kill them to make him comply.
The thought of being forced to rape anyone turned Lumi’s stomach.
Tivar shifted and rolled onto him with his morning wood. Lumi didn’t push his heat right away to ease things.
“I have the cramps,” he whispered.
Tivar paused with his prick in his hand. “What?”
“The deep cramps around my uterus-they started hours ago.”
“And you didn’t wake me?”
“You were tired, and you’re busy all day. I figured you’d want to sleep, and besides, I still have them now. There’s a baby in me.”
Tivar stared down at him, likely wondering if he was lying.
“You did what nobody else could,” added Lumi.
At least there wouldn’t be another prisoner if Tivar was planning to warp his little brother a bit more.
Faint pride flashed on Tivar’s face, and Lumi felt an old hint of disgust rise.
He quickly squashed it. Surviving also meant keeping any disgust down and never allowing it to show.
He couldn’t let himself feel it either or he’d go insane.
He tacked on a smile instead even though the effort was tremendous.
“I did. It took you long enough to do something worthwhile with my seed, but I’ll finally have my heir.” Tivar frowned. “You better not be lying.”
“I’m not.”
Tivar cocked an ear. “Hmm. We’ll see.”
Lumi usually received toasted bread and tea in the morning.
The servants knew they were to never enter the King’s rooms for any reason whatsoever, so they left the tray outside of the sitting room door.
Before, they must have imagined Tivar enjoyed complete privacy which can be hard to come by for a King who keeps a court.
They thought the King’s new pleasure slave stayed in his rooms, and he was the only one allowed in Tivar's private quarters.