Segun

"Which House Klath was happy to pay," said Segun. He sat straighter then. I had not realized before I married into this family, and yes, I call it a marriage, even if the Church will not, how much the Cursed members advised their Trademasters. They had an instinctive and impressive command of numbers, giving them an advantage over any Yonsu. Jabin felt no shame in asking Rebus for advice on any trade matter, and the results proved Rebus correct. I found that Segun had the same talent, and I will need his help as I assumed more of the Trademaster duties from Jabin.

I chuckled then. The wealth of House Klath exceeded that of the Church, which spiked unholy jealousy in the Sharrs who ran it. I look forward to sparring with them as they take jabs at my new house.

I smile. Despite the circumstances, I had a good laugh over that, too. After the divorce, there was no bar from me taking Segun as my partner, which must have disturbed the head cleric of the Faith Progressive Church mightily. His sermons on the sins of the Cursed were most virulent for months to come.

And with that divorce came the overly quick marriage of my father to his lover, my ex-wife, who bore his child, not mine. Should I feel guilty that I was relieved of that burden? No, I will not. Father and Sela made their marriage bed and had to lie in it, regardless of the whispers and the extra tithes my father paid the Church to make the marriage "sanctified" in the Church's eyes.

Now, months after that trip, I paced outside Segun's door because Papa Rebus would not permit me entrance into the room. I was doomed to listen to my partner and my love cry out without being allowed to comfort him while he goes through this dangerous time. Men weren't meant to bear children, even the Cursed, whose peculiar biology was a cobbled-together version of human and Ostakian aboriginal DNA. Though wider than a human man's, his hips were not as broad as a woman's, and cursed were smaller in stature than a yonsu. This increased the danger of the babe hanging up inside the Cursed man, and they both die. The cruel Faith Progressive church considers this a blessing and will allow a cursed man who dies in such a way a Church burial. But even if, God forbid, Segun should die this night, I would not do that. I vowed upon the day I signed the partnership agreement that I would bury Segun any place but church lands. Instead, on that day I took him to Wren vineyards, Segun stood upon a hill overlooking the vineyards and made a startling declaration.

"If these lands are mine, I want this as my resting place. It will be Ostakis' reminder that no one can stay the love God ordains, whether that be Cursed or not."

He said this with his back to me while I hugged his waist. He twisted his head up to me to look into my eyes. "Say it is so, my love."

"Do not say that. I cannot contemplate your death."

He looked away then. "Death sits on a Cursed man's doorstep the day he is born. Understand that, dearest. Do not be deceived. We are happy now, and that is enough for me. It has to be."

I had grown alarmed then.

"Is there something wrong, Segun? With you? Or the baby?"

"The child is strong. I told you his name, right?"

"Many times. I will not misname him."

"Good," he said with a sigh. "Then do not worry. I will bring him to term."

He patted his growing stomach and then kissed me. As usual, when he did, I forgot my fears. How could anything happen to such a wonderful man?

Now that conversation reared up again, an additional barrier grew up between me and my love, and I had the unreasoning urge to tear open that door.

A hand clasped my shoulder, and I turned to see Jabin gazing at me with understanding.

"Don't," he said. "Allow him the dignity of not dying before your eyes."

"Oh, God, Jabin. Do not say that."

"Do you think I want to? He's my child. And he bears my grandchild. All of House Klath rests on him. But this is what it means to love a Cursed man. We must be strong for them so they do not waste their strength in being strong for us."

The floor fell beneath my feet then as I realized Jabin was right. I will not display weakness during my love's most desperate hour. He needed all his strength to survive this ordeal.

I nodded, and Jabin dropped his hand. We stood awkwardly in that hall together while we waited.

Then we heard the child's first cry and looked at each other. Terror shone in Jabin's eyes, mirroring the fear in my heart.

I will bring the child to term.

But that didn't mean that Segun would live.

The minutes ticked as we held our breath, waiting for someone to open that door, and I grew more desperate.

Finally, the click of the lock released, and the door opened. Rebus stood there with an unreadable expression on his face. There was blood on his clothes, and my heart froze.

"Is he—they?" said Jabin.

I don't wait for a response. I tore past my in-law into the room I shared with my partner to find him sitting up with a rosy glow on his cheeks. The child lay swaddled in his arms, and Segun beamed at him with pride. He looked up at me.

"His name is Arlan. And he's Cursed like me and Papa. Is he not beautiful?"

The babe fussed in his arms with little noises that were music to my ears.

"That's no curse, my love. It's a miracle. You both are."

The End