Author's Notes: Sorry for the late post. There was a mini crisis at work, but now, crisis adverted and on to some more baby snatching adventures. . At any rate, some notes about this story. This story takes place long before our current heroes were ever thought of. For this U-hopping segment, I decide to go way back to the beginning with Vincent, the ultimate evil and villain in the current It's All Relative storyline. (definitely a candidate for the Evil Baby Orphanage, even if he is fictional). I feel really guilty for not being able to write a web fiction so this idea prompted a series of short vignettes about our characters, with the first being Vincent Akukami. So I hope you enjoy this post and if you want more U-hopping action go to the Strange Little Band LJ community and join and read all the baby stealing craziness (and read SLB and all the other contributing authors work, you will not be disappointed).
Now without further adieu, I present "Secret Son" also X-posted to my personal blog.
Secret Son
The carriage ride from Idriova castle to Hirotaka's was pretty uneventful. The countryside was beautiful, but she had already seen it when she came to Idriova castle nearly a year ago to "seek refuge from the world" as her father put it. Everyone in their little town knew that she had been kicked out for being seventeen getting knocked up. It wasn't her fault, but she heard the mumblings and murmurings of the city folk. She had asked for it. She got what was coming to her.
Now Hirotaka wanted to see his son and Iracine couldn't deny him, lest she be beheaded or hung.
Vincent yanked the strands of her black hair and whined for her to continue bouncing him on her knee. She had been doing for the past hour. Before then she was rocking him, and before that she was tickling him, and before that she was singing to him. She knees were killing her, he was quite heavy for a nine month old, but every time she'd stop for just a moment, he'd start protesting. She already several scratches and bite marks from his fits.
"You're spoiling him, Ira," her lover, Oliver, said. "Don't give him the power."
Iracine chuckled at the thought of having a power struggle with a baby, but she knew Oliver was right. She couldn't bare to see her son in discomfort though. He was just a baby, but he was a cursed wolf and life was would be difficult. She could afford to indulge her son for just a little while longer.
"This is a good workout," Iracine said. "If I can keep this up, I can have this baby bulge under control in a few hours time."
Oliver sighed and stretched out his arms. "Come to me, Vincent."
The child looked confused and gave an apprehensive whine. "Come on, Vincent. Go to Rem." The child, thankfully went to Oliver and Iracine sighed with relief. She looked at the pair; Oliver with his brown hair and blue eyes and Vincent with his snow white hair and lime green eyes. Oliver certainly wasn't obligated to be in Vincent's life, but she hoped that he would be regardless. Oliver was more of a father to Vincent than Hirotaka was.
Iracine wondered why Hirotaka suddenly wanted to see Vincent. Was it a publicity move? She heard that Hirotaka's wife was unable to produce a male heir, maybe he wanted some way of showing that it wasn't his fault. His seventeen year old mistress was able to have a son, aside from the white hair, freaky green eyes, and dangerously sharp teeth, a perfectly healthy son.
"Mr. Remmington, Ms. Andwendyl, we have arrived at your destination," the driver said.
Oliver spoke up. "Thank you... er..."
"Anderson." Iracine filled in. Oliver's face was bright red. Iracine turned to face Hirotaka's castle. It appeared to jut out from the earth like a black blemish.
Iracine took a deep breath. She felt Oliver slip his hand into hers, while carrying Vincent with his other arm. Together they walked towards the castle.
* * *
Hirotaka saw Iracine from the window and narrowed his eyes. She was with another man and that man was holding a child that was clearly not his. Hirotaka knewthat was his son he could tell from the boy's white hair--maybe the only thing they shared. Hirotaka sent his wife out to be pampered for the day, she had been so depressed with the last miscarriage and all. He honestly didn't care about that, but that was the story he would tell the press if they ever asked. He needed her out of the way so he could talk to Iracine, the woman that should have been his wife, the mother of his son.
"Is that him?" a woman said from the shadows. "Do you even know the boy's name?"
"Does it matter? You'll have him soon enough," Hirotaka said to the woman.
"You can't do this on your own," she said. There was a tap on the door. "So I've enlisted in some help."