Queen Merah Mudah: Part 2 (special preview)

My shoulders surge forward as I huff, relaxing my body from posing before her. I slouch down in the same chair again, staring at the chessboard. All the pieces are disarrayed from my aggravated slap earlier. I start standing them up where they lay, some on the board, others on the table. I look them over, wobbling the white queen back and forth under my finger.

“You’ve really got me under your thumb, haven’t you?” I hold the queen in my hand and look it over. “Perhaps spell is the more apt word here.” I lean back in the chair, holding the chess piece over my heart. 

The next morning, as I have breakfast with my mother, I notice she isn’t eating like she normally does and she has a perturbed look upon her face.

“Mama, is everything alright?” I lay down my teacup. “You’ve not touched your food.”

She sighs heavily. “I have some news to give you, but I am not sure how to go about it.” She looks down at her plate with a shake of her head. “I do not wish to upset you, especially when you have been dealing with so much as of late. I considered keeping it a secret, but Rossi advised me against it.”

“Mama,” I urge her gently. “Please, tell me, what is the matter? Are you sick?” I gasp in alarm. “Mama, what’s wrong?”

“I am not sick, not in that way at least,” she huffs. “It is nothing to worry about, at least for you. You have much bigger things going on and I don’t want-”

“Mama,”I cut her off. “Tell me.”

She looks at me, unsure and a bit embarrassed. She fidgets in her seat, sitting tall then laying her hands over her belly. “You’re going to be a big brother.”

I gasp in excitement and wrap my arms around her. “Mama! That is wonderful news! Oh but-” I smile slyly at her. “You and Rossi are not wed.” I bop the tip of her nose.

“You do not get to lecture me!” She shoves my hand away. “And no, that is what I was worried about. It is bad enough you have your own wedding to figure out, you do not need to be concerned with me.”

“Of course I do! How can you say such a thing?” I grin at her. “You and Rossi are the most important people in my life.”

“But he is a Hare,” she whispers softly. “What will the people think?”

“The people will think all sorts of things, but it doesn’t matter. You have made a child with love and that is what is most important, Mama. You’ve made me a sibling, one I can be proud of. I am happy for you and Rossi.”

She presses her forehead against mine. “I could not have asked for a sweeter son.”

“Maybe now you will get the girl you want,” I chuckle.

She shakes her head. “Thanks to you, I was able to learn that the gender of the baby does not matter, but the heart does. As long as I have another child like you, I will be happy. Merah Muda is growing on me, she will make a good wife.”

I’m stunned, more so than the baby news. “You like her now?”

“She’s growing on,” she insists. “I still do not understand why you keep her so close around you.” She rolls her a eyes. “But she is capable, smart, and quite possibly someone who will bring out the best in you, but I refuse to admit that out loud ever again.”

“I do really like her, Mama,” I whisper. “She scares me but in a fun way.”

Her eyes cut up and down me. “And you like that?”

I shrug. “It’s not the worst thing in the world.” I then grin at her and kiss her forehead. “I’m happy for you, Mama, and I’m excited for my new sibling.” I place my hand on her belly. “I hope they are the best things I love about you and Rossi.”

At tea that afternoon with Merah Muda, I know what I have to do, but I am not as worried about it as before. I stand to greet Merah Muda as she comes in and I kiss her softly.

Mama hiccups then quickly runs, going towards the window where she throws up.

“Not the reaction I was expecting,” Merah Muda murmurs.