Lady Samurai

Chapter 39

For the next few days Anna was forced to stay indoors. She didn't really agree with all these precautions, but gave in to the pressure of her adoptive parents, who were strongly supported by Kazuki. They did all the work now, at the same time keeping an eye on any potential danger. Kazuki even did some patrolling, just in case somebody was lurking nearby.

Of course, there was nothing to find.

Anna was both annoyed and relieved. But at least this meant that there was no danger and she would be able to resume her routine.

A few days had passed...

During the morning meal they were discussing the work that needed to be done that day, when Anna unexpectedly felt a bit queasy. With a measure of annoyance, but also with some concern she tried to remember what she had eaten the previous day. But soon the queasiness turned into nausea and she was forced to run outside. Only with a great effort she managed to hold on to the contents of her stomach until she was out of everyone's sight. Then she was violently sick. Again and again.

When she returned to the house they all looked at her with concern. She was a bit pale, but tried to turn it into a joke. "It must have been the fish Kazuki caught yesterday... It must have been very old and I got the worst bit."

They smiled, well used to these two constantly teasing each other. There was nothing more to say and the subject was dropped.

But the same thing happened the next morning. Anna was sick without any obvious reason. This drew some worried looks, but she tried to reassure them.

"It's nothing! I must have eaten something. I will be fine tomorrow."

But her sickness returned the next morning... and the next...

"My child." Haha decided to speak to her. She chose a time when both the men were out fishing. "You must realise what's happening."

"What are you talking about?!" Anna had been quite irritable these past few days.

"Kazuki-San and you have grown very close recently..." She left the sentence hanging.

"What has Kazuki to do with it?!" Lottie exclaimed. "He is supposed to protect me, not poison me!..." Her voice dropped off, an understanding finally dawned on her.

Never before had it worried her, although, of course, she knew that being intimate with a man had consequences. When she thought about it now, it seemed obvious... She was with child.

"Bloody hell! What shall I do NOW?!" She wrinkled her nose.

"Does he know?" The old woman seemed quite pleased with the news.

"Who?" Anna's mind was preoccupied with planning what to do.

"Kazuki-San."

"Oh..." Anna finally realised what her adoptive mother was thinking. "It's not Kazuki's." She confessed, a little embarrassed for some reason.

"Hmmm..." With the intuition of her age and experience, the old woman guessed the truth. "It's Lord Takeda's, yes?"

"Yes." Anna confirmed. "But I don't want you to say anything. To anyone!"

"You are going to hide it from him?"

"He cannot know! Or anybody else!..." At that moment the door opened, as the men returned home.

The old woman only nodded briefly, acknowledging Anna's request. She would not say anything.

Anna thought about it the whole day, trying to decide what to do. But it wasn't an easy decision. She was quite surprised with the dispassionate way she treated this problem. As if she was considering somebody else's life.