Periods

"Oh Henry….then take us with you, every time when you go away"

"It's not that simple to just take you out, you know. There's no decent house to stay in the beach, I also only sleep at the tent, taking the wind from the sea that never stops blowing. Alright, if the housing in there is finished, they will move their family there and make a settlement. At that time I will take you to go with me, but you also must learn how to ride a horse too. How about that?"

"Really? Henry….you will take us with you?"

"If the condition fulfilled. So, after Earl Stamfort return to his castle, you two also start to learn how to ride the horse, is that okay?"

"Yes! We do what you say, Henry"

"Now, give me a briefing about what happens during I leave, and report of the task that I give to you"

"Yes, Henry. But..."

"But what?"

"Can we wash our face and comb our hairs first?"

They ask that with shyly raise their head from my chest. I can't hold my laugh when seeing their face.

"Henry! You mean!"

"Hahaha…sorry, but you two look amusing, make me can't help but laugh. And people laugh when they happy right?"

"Henry….do you like our looks right now?"

"It's not like but also not hate. I prefer to seeing you two looks beautiful"

"Mmm…then let us wash our face and comb our hairs first"

They both stand up from my side and go to wash their face. I'm a bit relieved with their normal behavior when they wake me up, unlike what they do before I'm going on a mission. Frankly speaking, my butt still feels sore after riding a horse from the beach to castle town yesterday. If I can choose, I prefer to lie down on the bed all day to rest, but that impossible right? There're so many things to do and I have limited time to finish it.

Clara and Claire return to my left and right side after they finish wash up and comb their hairs. Now they look better and seems ready to tell me what I've asked before. But before they speak, I ask them the question that I have in mind since last night because I see their face still a little bit pale

"Before you tell me the story, answer my questions first. Clara, Claire, are you feel not well? Are you sick? I see your face a little bit pale since last night. What happen?"

Hearing my question, suddenly their eyes become teary and they bury their head in my chest again and cry. This makes me feel confused and has no idea about what's going on

"Hey? Why you two crying? Is there something terrible happen when I'm gone? Stop crying and tell me what happens"

They're still crying for a while before they answer my question.

"Henry…We're sorry! Please forgive us"

"Huh? What are you doing until need my forgiveness? You did not secretly have affairs with other men, right?"

For a moment, a bad premonition is flashing in my mind. There must be something bad that happens to them when I'm gone.

"Nooo….not like that. We will never let any other men touch us, except you Henry"

"Oh, then what happens?"

"It's….it's….our…"

They seem to hesitate to explain what happens. I must calm them down so they can speak without anything hold their tongue

"Yes? Just say it. I'm not going to angry or eat you alive because of that, right?"

"We….we have our monthly periods come…sorry Henry"

Huh? Monthly periods? Is that mean they having menstruation now? I almost cheered but I held that. If they have menstruation now is mean I don't have to please their sexual desire every night, right?"

"Are you saying, right now you have menstruation? Isn't that a common thing for women every month? Why do you need to forgive because of that?

"We are sorry because we can't make your seed grows, Henry…despite your hard work, it comes to nothing"

"Hey hey…Don't sad look like that. It's not that you can't get pregnant anymore. Relax, ease your mind, we still young, there's a long way spread in front of us to the future. If we fail today, we can try again next time. besides, I think that good for us"

They look at me with a blank expression

"Henry…you don't want a child from us?"

Oh my, they look at me with sad eyes, they misunderstanding what I mean. This is bad…..

"Hey, …it's not like that. It's not that I don't want you to bear my child. Alright, listen to me, if you getting pregnant before we married, the child will be called as my illegitimate child. You know what it means? That's mean if I have a legitimate child, he or she will get nothing from my inheritance. Do you think this will be fair for him or her? Personally, I want to make a fair treatment for all my child, impartial and on equal. It's hurt my feeling if I see one of my children get so many while the others get none. Also what if that kid grow up and hear people called him or her as an illegitimate child then he or she ask you why people call him/her illegitimate child, what will you answer him/her? Would you say that because he/she born from the parent without formal marriage? What if he/she ask why we don't marry? Are we not loving each other? How will you answer that question?"

I've paused my speech while taking a breath and look for their response. They said nothing and only stare at me with disbelief looking on their eyes. But one moment later, they both suddenly hug me and give me a raining kisses

"Henry my love….I never thought you will think about us and our future child to that extent. There's nothing I can say except: I love you more and more"