"Hello," Kaylan whispered as I opened my eyes to find myself in bed. "Are you feeling better?" he asked.
I shook my head. I was feeling worse. I closed my eyes and fell back to sleep unable to answer or listen to whatever else is was Kaylan had said.
"She is coming around," I heard a voice say as I tried to wake. My eye lids heavy and my body weak.
"Don't move," Kaylan whispered. "Your infection spread you were out for days. We suspect the edged of the blade were poisoned as the maggots died," he explained.
"Nambi?" I asked.
"The same but as you were cut first you have had the worst of it. She is back on her feet now," he replied.
My stomach growled but I felt sick.
"Here try some sips of this," Kaylan said holding water to my mouth.
"We need to get her some food," Edwards voice spoke in the corner.
"No," I replied unable to face it.
"You must try a little," Kaylan replied.
"I feel sick," I replied.
"Because your stomach is empty. We have only been able to give you sweetened water with herbs to sustain you," he replied.
"I'm tired," I replied even though he had told me I had been unconscious for days.
"Rest whilst we fetch some food," he replied.
I closed my eyes and slept hoping they would not come back and force me to eat something.
I woke feeling something pushed into my mouth. It tasted wonderful. I opened my eyes to see where the chewing noise was coming from it was the little boy. Stood in front of me chewing the skin off a strange fruit and pushing the pieces of fruit he managed to bite off it into my mouth.
"Daddy said this keeps you strong," he said tearing at the skin of the fruit again with his teeth.
"It's lovely, thank you," I said.
"I had to sneak in as they wouldn't let me give it to you," he said and nodded to the bathroom window. He pushed another piece of the fleshy fruit into my mouth with his little fingers.
"What is it?" I asked him.
He shrugged and tugged at the fruit again with his teeth. My hands were too weak to even attempt to help him and my stomach became inpatient and growled.
He smiled and pulled what looked like a piece of hard bread from his pocket. It was a sweet and crunchy. I ate it all and as he heard voices approaching he ran to the bathroom and was gone.
"You're awake," Kaylan said as he arrived.
I nodded gently and met his kiss with a one of my own.
"Where is he?" Kaylan asked as he broke away from our brief kiss.
"Who?" I asked.
"The one who has made your face all sticky with fruit juice and your kisses taste of sweet bread," he replied.
I shook my head and tried to hide a smile.
"He has been trying to sneaking in here to feed you that for two days," he said.
I smiled widely unable to hide it.
"You will let him feed you but not me," Kaylan replied smiling back.
"I'm hungry now," I replied as I was.
"Good, I have soup for you," he replied. "Lets sit you up gently and I'll go fetch it off the table."
I sat up with his help, ready for my food.
"I will feed you, you are too weak," he said. He spoon fed me the soup gently, blowing it to ensure it wasn't too hot. It was delicious. Everything I tasted was delicious since I had woken from my illness.
"My stitches?" I asked him.
"Much better, and the fact that the maggots died helped us realise that the blade was tainted," he replied.
"Urgh," I said thinking about those horrid things.
"How did I survive?" I asked.
"My mother arrived to meet you and has a skill with such things," he replied.
"Your mother," I asked shocked.
"Yeah and my brother and sister," he added.
I sighed feeling as though I had let him down by not appearing the perfect wife.
"My mother helped with your wound and looks forward to meeting you when you are well," he replied.
"I'm sorry I've been so much trouble," I said as I felt the weight of my burden on him since our marriage.
"It is time for you to rest," he said as I had eaten enough soup. "Relax and I will come back later."
I closed my eyes and slept again. When I woke later I was surprised how long I had slept as it was dark and I couldn't see my hand in front of my face. I knew the bed was empty and Kaylan was not here.
I moved gently to sit myself up and take myself to the bathroom. It was on my return to bed that Kaylan arrived back.
"What are you doing out of bed?" he said rushing to help me back in.
"I feel better," I replied. "The food helped."
"I will fetch you some tea," he said propping up my pillows and rushing out the door.
My back, arms, legs and neck were aching from all the lying down. I eased myself back out of bed and put a shawl around my shoulders before venturing tentatively down the corridor to the garden. The smell of the fresh night air was so enticing I stepped out and enjoyed the softness of the grass on my feet. I held out my arms and tried to let the air freshen my bones.
Kaylan walked towards me and gave me a strange look.
"What are you doing out here?" he asked.
I looked at him and squinted. He looked strange in this night light, something different. His voice sounded different too was he getting a fever?
"I asked you a question," he said his voice full of command and gruffer than usual.
He would never speak to me this. What was wrong with him? He wasn't himself... then I saw it. My jaw dropped open in shock as I realised what I was seeing.
"Who are you?" I asked him.
"Who do you think I am?" he asked.
I couldn't stop staring.
"I think you are my husband's brother," I replied.
"You are correct," he replied, "Most people can't tell us apart. Well done and all without help. You were very fast at telling us apart," he said sounding impressed.
"You scowl and speak in tone my husband would never use with me," I informed him.
"Soft hearted Kaylan," he replied with a wry smile.
"And you are?" I asked.
"Layton," he replied.
"Hello I am..."
"Tahira, my brothers wife," he interrupted sounding bored.
"Yes," I replied.
"How is your wound?" he asked.
"Much better thank you," I replied pulling the shawl tighter as he looked me up and down. I suddenly felt naked.
"Good then you can get to the purpose of your marriage to my brother and produce an heir," he replied harshly and rolled his eyes as he noticed his word stung me.
"What you think its love? You are strangers. He brought you from a harem only a few short weeks ago. Half of that you have spent missing, ill or unconscious. Our mother is fuming that you are not with child," he said.
I couldn't speak.
"I assume you have at least managed to consummate this union?" he asked.
I nodded.
"I could be...," I said looking down at my stomach.
"You are not, our mother knows these things," he replied. "You will have to wait a cycle and try again."
I felt as though someone had snatched the promise of a child away from me and I was left feeling empty.
"You will do it properly this time. Our mother will make sure of that," he replied.
"What do you mean properly?" I asked.
He sighed and shook his head making me feel the most uneducated person alive.
"Why are you being like this towards me? I have done nothing..."
"I don't appreciate being dragged out here to meet my brother unconscious bride when I should be at home in bed with my own," he said.
"I apologise..."
"Save your apologies for someone who cares. Just hurry up and give my brother an heir so I can get home to my wife and do it properly or I will be forced to take you myself before the moon wanes," he replied.
I was unable to speak. I just stared at him in disbelief.
"Wh... why would you say something like that?" I asked him. "Kaylan would never allow it."
"Have you met our mother?" he asked.
I shook my head.
"When you do, you will realise that it is not what we want that counts, it is her plans and should anyone object they will feel her wrath and I strongly suggest you do as she asks," he said the look in his eyes convincing me to do just that.
"I don't want to lie with you," I said as the image filled my mind.
"Nor I, you," he said. "My wife is the one for me and I do not wish for this but if I am asked. I must."
"Kaylan won't allow it," I reiterated.
"So you keep saying and I am going to repeat that he will," he said with total belief in his own words.
"Did he sleep with your wife?" I asked.
"So I am told," he replied. "As such we are no longer as close as we were."
My heart felt a pang but also pity for the man in front of me who was subjected to the treatment I was most likely to receive. I had heard of it before where men were taken to bedding each others wives to produce a bloodline without delay.
"Do you have children?" I asked.
"Three boys," he said. "At least I think they are mine," he said sighing.
"Are you sure he...."
"Sure enough," he replied.
"I don't think..."
"Innocence," he said laughing and shaking his head.
"I will do everything I can to ensure we do not have to lie together," I informed him.
"I would appreciate it," he replied quietly and thoughtfully as he turned and walked into the darkness of the garden.
I turned and walked back to the house.
"Here you are?" Kaylan said appearing. "Come back to bed. You shouldn't be out here."
He led me back to the room and sat me by the fire rubbing warmth into my arms.
"You and your brother look the same," I informed him as he passed me the tea.
His expression turned to concern. "Layton, you have met him?" he asked.
I nodded.
"Was he rude to you?" he asked.
I didn't answer and tried not to cry as I wanted to say he was more than rude but held my tongue.
"I'd like to know what he said to you," he said and waited for me to reply.
"I can't remember it all," I said.
"Did you know it was not me?" Kaylan asked.
"Not at first but only very briefly. I wondered why you were scowling and being so rude, then I realised it was the brother you had mentioned earlier," I replied. "So I asked who he was."
Kaylan smiled at my ability to see through his brothers likeness to what makes Kaylan, himself.
"What did he say?" he asked.
"I can't remember exactly. He is not happy to be here away from his wife. Your mother is unhappy that I am not with child and I had better do what I was brought for and produce you an heir before the waning moon or he would have to take me himself as you did his wife," I informed him. "And that he doesn't know if his three sons are yours or his."
I looked down as tears stung my eyes as I was unable to talk or look at Kaylan. The thought of him being with another woman, fathering children with her was like living a nightmare. A nightmare I thought I had escaped when I married him. If I were married to another man I would have expected it but not of Kaylan, not after he promised only to be with me, me alone and that he was mine.
"Excuse me," Kaylan said excusing himself and left the room slamming the door behind him.
I sipped the tea all the while wondering what was happening. When he returned I was in bed ready for more rest and he was in no mood to talk. I could see from his knuckles that he had hit something or someone. I closed my eyes and tried to sleep as he sat in front of the fire and stared into the flames.