214

Isabella

"It was just a rumor," I told my husband as he paced the length of the room, hitting one wall and then going to the next to do the same.

"We both know rumors are next to truth. It wouldn't be said if it wasn't seen at some point. But you're the same person that said the city thrived on rumors.

 Why is this one only different?" I questioned him, but the man continued his insistent pacing. He had taken off his shirt, leaving him half naked and making my eyes wander to strange places.

"Please," I begged him as I stood up. I took off my coat.

"You're making me dizzy," I said.

Damon stopped suddenly and looked at me. "And if the rumor's true?"

"Then we laid a trap. And I think traps are your thing… at least Julio's thing."

"So let's call the ultimate trap master and have him whip up something for us," I said as I reached up towards my husband's head.

***

The day after, Julio sat opposite me in the gazebo. "How could you not tell me you were pregnant?" He asked, his eyes wide and full of surprise.

"We both don't want anyone knowing about this. We have a reason for it," I added to my husband's words.

 "Besides, I think it's the best opportunity to draw out people that are against us. So what now?"

Julio asked, looking convinced.

"I heard a rumor through my husband that Kassandra is in the lower City," I cocked my head to the side as I observed Julio's reception.

 "You don't look very surprised," I said after a moment.

Julio shook his head. "I heard the same rumor a few days ago," he said.

"But honestly, I don't think it's real."

Damon shook his head beside me. "Even if it's not real, of all rumors I could hear, it's one that her mad cousin is around. I'm not taking chances," he said as he grabbed my hand suddenly and gave it a soft squeeze.

"I understand," Julio said after tapping his chin for a while.

"So… I'm guessing you want to use your pregnancy as a chance to draw the real truth out, right?"

I nodded my head. "But I don't know how this is going to work, Julio."

"I'll think of something. In fact, I do have an idea. You could say you're not feeling well and you're feeling pain all of a sudden. You could say that you're trying to recover and only attend meetings online.

Stop going out, stop socializing, make it seem like you're actually mourning the loss of your dead child or that you have a health issue that came from the gunshot," Julio smiled widely suddenly, making my heart nearly skip a beat in slight fear and apprehension. Instinctively, I placed a hand on my belly.

"So what does that do?"

"Sooner or later, the person spreading the rumors about your infertility is going to come out. Sooner or later, that person is going to pull the big fish. Cassandra is going to come out eventually. And I'm guessing our rumormonger is going to help us.”

***

Four months later.

I breathed out, feeling the weight resting on my bladder, but I couldn't leave.

"Sit still, Isabella," I whispered to myself.

 "What was that?" Donatella asked over the phone.

 "I'm just feeling a bit uncomfortable," I said, even though it was a lie.

"So much you didn't need to know the truth."

"Once the princess is back to full health, I'm sure we can carry on with the disbanding of the council," Julio said. From where I was, I could see that he was hiding a smile, and he shot me a wink as the camera zoomed in on his face.

"Thank you for all the help. I feel very much welcome and truly cared for because of you," I said, making sure I looked uncomfortable, although it was quite hard to tell, I thought to myself. I shook my head.

 "Very well then. Tell me about the constructions that are currently going on in the lower City," Damon asked as he turned towards Julio.

 "I have submitted a status report. We have cleared out one section of the slums on the Parava Mountains. Within the next few weeks, we'll begin construction as soon as possible.

“Timeline for the project," Damon prompted.

"Nine months," Julio said.

"It's not going to pass nine months," Damon reiterated.

 "I promise, my King," Julio said with a bow.

 "I think it's fine if we end the meeting."

 As soon as the screen went blank, I exhaled in relief and pushed myself to my feet.

 "Careful," Paula said as she helped me stand up.

"I am pregnant, I am not helpless, and it's because of you that I am beginning to get lazy!" I joked, poking at her own slightly swollen belly.

A few hours later, Damon sat beside me on the couch in the lounge that we had decided to make a few months ago.

 "I cannot stress myself by walking the long distance downstairs," I told him as he rubbed his eyes furiously that morning.

Granted, in his defense, it was quite early, but he was supposed to be able to listen to my grievances at any time of the day.

 Two weeks after the lounge was ready for me to lounge in, it was where my new meetings were beginning to take place.

"She is yet to show up," I said as he took off his shirt. His muscles had once again gotten bigger. I grabbed his bicep and squished it.

"Are you trying to say that I'm fat?" He asked with a raised eyebrow.

 "I'm not complaining," I said with a smile. "Speaking of Cassandra… Ted found something."

I felt my heart skip several beats, and the baby turned in my belly.

"Don't give me a heart attack," I said as I lightly tapped on his bicep. He bent to take off his shoes and then his socks before leaning back up in the seat.

 "He found Cassandra. She is in the lower City. Although… It's like she's tucked away in the house. Is anyone helping her?" I asked.

"Valentino.”