Love and Consequences

"I don't see why you're so upset about your Uncle sending guards," Celeste says frostily to me without bothering to look up from the novel she's reading, "You told me yourself that you had been kidnapped."

I shift uncomfortably on the cool, clean sheets of the hospital bed and scowl at the pair of House Guards stationed in my private ward, resplendent in their maroon uniforms comprising of a double breasted jacket and slim cut trousers. A black arm band bearing the crest of the von Amsterg family announces their allegiance to the world. No weapons, but Uncle trains all his men to be equally proficient in fighting unarmed. The ward itself is a luxurious affair, large and well appointed a comfortable king sized bed, a wide screen TV and en suite bathroom. Honestly, its a really great set up, with the exception for the complete lack of privacy spoiling things.

The duo look expressionlessly ahead in response to my annoyance. Just as I am about to reply to Celeste though, one of the guards, a young demon man with a pencil mustache and gold framed spectacles over his bird eyes speaks up.

"Young master, we are both here to assist, and if necessary protect you." the guard says, "Combat is not our only vocation."

"Yeah. Yeah." I grumble, "I lived at Uncle's place for years. I know what you guys can do." This complaint gets Celeste's attention and she quickly looks up from her book and regards the guards with curiosity.

"What can you do anyway?" Celeste asks, an open and guileless expression on her face.

The more senior of the pair, a broad shouldered demon with his long hair pulled back in an elegant ponytail and his goat horns fashionably embossed with swirling patterns answers Celeste.

"We are the personal retainers of the von Amsterg family." the demon informs, "Our duties include preparing meals, cleaning the grounds as well as assisting our masters in their work and in a general capacity. Of course when the situation requires it, we fight to protect the honor and lives of the von Amstergs."

"Butlers." Celeste gasps as her mouth opens and closes like a fish out of water, "Tensei actually has battle butlers."

"Well, I don't need them." I mutter while making a shooing gesture at the guards, "Go back to Berlin or wherever you came from. Your master commands it."

"Unfortunately young master," the older guard calmly speaks, "the patriarch's commands take precedence over yours. And he was very clear that we are to stay here and assist you."

His younger colleague follows up smoothly, "This arrangement is not a mere whim of the patriarch, young master. Your medical condition requires it."

"What? Why?" I complain, "I feel completely fine."

A lie. Even now, I feel a dull emptiness in my chest, as if a sink hole had opened up within me and is gradually devouring my strength. It shouldn't be too serious though, right? Its not as if I have been put into intensive care or anything. I fight back the encroaching panic and plaster a strained smile on my face. The older guard, unaware of my internal struggle, merely gives Celeste a significant look.

"Its fine. She's a friend." I dismiss the guard's concerns.

The guard nods and explains, "Young master's injuries are not serious, that is true. However, the doctors have concluded that the stress of the past few days has caused damage to your spirit core. It will probably recover in due course, but young master cannot strain himself, otherwise it will jeopardize the healing process."

I breathe out a sigh of relief. So nothing serious after all. I should be back at one hundred percent after a few days of taking it easy.

"Well, its creepy having two guys watching over me all the time." I say, "Go outside and hang out with your buddies." Uncle had really gone overboard, posting a pair of guards not just at the entrance of the ward, but also within the ward itself. I did not have a single private moment to myself. What's really starting to annoy me is that I can't have a frank conversation with Celeste while these two are hanging around. And I really need to get that conversation going.

Celeste has been acting weird ever since she got here a few days ago. Acting all cold and unhappy with me, as if I had done her wrong somehow. But she nevertheless stayed by my side this whole time, only occasionally leaving the ward to eat or freshen up. I don't think she even goes home. Once I woke up in the middle of the night and found Celeste sharing my bed, cuddling up against me affectionately. Oh yeah, and those two guards looking on impassively. Talk about creepy.

That's not how someone acts when they're upset. Yet its also clear as day that Celeste is mad at me. She's cold and aloof, and doesn't bother explaining why she's sticking around and not bothering to go home, other than saying that Uncle has approved. The guards don't contradict her claim either. If anything, from the expression on their faces, they seem to pity her. Something has obviously happened, but no one wants to tell me anything.

What's even weirder is that no one other than Celeste has visited me so far. Celeste told me that Kira has been hospitalized as well, so that's one of my friends accounted for, but what happened to the rest? Its as if everyone had dropped off the face of the earth. The urge to just have my questions answered is growing intolerable. Dammit, I'll just shoot my mouth off and deal with the consequences later.

"What's wrong?" I ask Celeste directly.

"Nothing." Celeste sulks and buries her head back in her novel, ignoring me.

"Young miss," the younger of the duo says gently, "he will find out eventually. Better to tell him now." The senior guard doesn't say anything, but merely graces Celeste with a pitying look.

"Tensei knows what he did." Celeste harrumphs and gets up from her chair as she begins pacing about the room, eventually stopping in front of the drawn curtains of the room's only window.

"I don't understand." I protest.

"I'll be blunt young master." the senior guard reprimands, "We are here because the patriarch does not want history repeating."

My mind goes completely blank. What in the world is everyone talking about?

"We understand your feelings young miss," the younger guard says to Celeste compassionately before scowling at me, "but you know the young master's circumstances as well as we do."

Someone tell me what's going on. Anybody.

"The circumstances of your birth, young master." the senior guard continues, "For the sake of the von Amstergs, we cannot have a repeat performance. A clear legitimate heir must be established."

There is a knock on the door and a fresh pair of guards walk in. The duo give the incoming guards a grateful look and leave the ward without saying anything further. I feel their contempt for me radiate as they walk past my bed and leave with the end of their shift. Just before the door closes, I see the flash of an ugly trench coat disappearing around a corner. I try getting up from the bed to investigate, but the fresh set of guards gently push me back down. I turn to Celeste who has a morose expression on her face, clearly unconcerned with whatever may have been going on outside.

"Your Uncle said that as long as the matter is settled," Celeste murmurs, disappointment in me dripping from her voice, "you can have as many mistresses as you want. So don't worry about Sera and Kira."

Cold sweat flows down my back. Celeste knows. The guards know. That means Uncle knows as well. I feel the walls closing in.

"When ORPO picked you up," Celeste snorts, "an officer took lots of pictures of you and Kira. Its all over the tabloids."

When did that happen? I begin to panic. How am I going to explain this to everyone?

"Th ... That's ..." I stutter incoherently, but Celeste just regards me with a sad smile on her face.

"I thought things would be different you know? I really did." she says regretfully, "But you still can do the right thing Tensei. You can still be the man I believed in at the Academy."

"Right thing?" I repeat dumbly, my mind completely scrambled.

"Tensei." Celeste looks me straight in the eye.

"Irene is pregnant."