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04-17-2012 03:49 PM |
Final rough draft
“Keirn?”
“Mmphf?” A sleepy question.
Brinn raised her voice. “Keirn! Waken! It’s the child! It comes!” Her hand would be the next to assault his ear.
He slowly opened one eye, “Are you sure?”
Brinn painfully straightened from her bent position over Keirn’s ear, her hands on the swollen belly which hindered her. She glared at the one eye he’d opened. “It’s my body, I should know. The child will arrive by tonight.”
Keirn groaned and got out of bed. “All right, I’ll go for the midwife. You ready everything for the arrival.”
Breathing the cold morning air awakened the sleepy traveler. He had made arrangements with, Mara, the midwife of the nearby village of Asailia. A quiet village consisting of a few businesses, including the prerequisite tavern, the inhabitants were on the lookout for the woman listed on the flyer posted in the village square by the King’s Patrol. It’s fortunate there the picture on the flyer is unrecognizable and since most of the villagers are illiterate most of them would’ve forgotten Brinn’s name by now. It made it easier to make arrangements with the village midwife for her impending birthing but since he didn’t know if Mara could read, he felt a need to speak cautiously.
“Midwife Mara, my woman births soon,”
“When does she birth?”
“Soon.”
“Soon?”
“Soon…” King's grace! Is this woman hard of hearing?
“How soon is soon?” Doesn’t he know what I’m asking? “Most women know when the babe will birth.”
With the entire kingdom alerted to watch for Brinn, he didn’t want to take a chance of being turned in or causing trouble for this midwife. It was time for a bit of creative truth.
“This is her first birthing. So she isn’t sure when the babe will birth...”
“So, how do you know it’ll be soon?”
“She grows heavy with the child. She has, also, been having some pain which does not last long. I think it will be soon.”
“Ah, so you know about birthing babes?” that said with a flavor of sarcasm.
The sarcasm was not lost on Keirn but since she was the only midwife in the surrounding area, he dared not alienate her. “No, I haven’t, but the woman is quite obviously grown large with child and she is having pain. In my inexperienced opinion, it would mean the babe will come soon.” The urge for sarcasm had been forcefully contained.
“She’s having pains that don’t last long?”
“Yes, the last bout of pain lasted half a day then quit. She has small pains every day now. In my humble opinion, it will be soon.”
“I agree. Come for me when her time is nigh and I’ll help her.”
They discussed her fee for her services which was usually whatever the person could afford. Villagers usually didn’t have coinage, the King’s taxes being so high, so she had quite a bit of vegetables and poultry. “I don’t take cattle or swine. We don’t see horses around here.”
Mara turned to where three young girls were playing tag. “Ainie,” she called and turned back to Keirn. One of the girls, a pretty six year old, brunette with blue eyes, ran up to Mara’s side.
“Yes Mamma?” Mara looked down at the girl and smiled proudly. She looked back up at Keirn.
“This is my Ainie. If you don’t see me here, she usually plays here with her friends. Tell her I’m needed and she’ll let me know, posthaste.”
Keirn agreed to the arrangement and left after dispersing with the expected niceties.
Emerging from his thoughts and the memory of that day, Keirn quickened his step as he reached the village. He headed for the square, called that, not so much for its shape but for the businesses there, watching for the midwife or her daughter. Spying Ainie playing some game he didn’t recognize, he passed through the crowd of shoppers at a vegetable stand, and called to the girl.
“Ainie! She looked up at the sound of his deep voice and ran up to him, “Yes, Sir?” She’s a polite young girl. “Ainie, do you remember me?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Please tell your mamma she is needed.”
“Yes, sir!” She turned and ran to find her mother. Keirn watched her for a second, unable to believe what his eyes were seeing. No, it can’t be! It’s just my imagination! Her aura is so faint, that’s why I didn’t see it the first time we met. He’d seen that aura on only one other person…
Keirn thought of what he’d witnessed, in the village square, on his way back to the cottage. How is this possible? My family was massacred two generations ago. Grandmam said I was the last of my kind. If she had been further along with my mamma, they would have killed her too. Yet, there was no mistaking that child’s aura! I didn’t see one around Midwife Mara, so the child couldn’t be of her issue. Did that midwife take over the care of the child when her mamma crossed over?
Questions…there were too many questions to be answered and so little time to ask them. His time, if the prophecy was to be believed, grew short. Brinn’s time for crossing drew near. He didn’t want to believe it, but he had to go by the signs. He didn’t believe in asking, why me, but if there was ever a time for asking that question, now would be it. Keirn turned to walk back to the cottage and Brinn.
Still pondering all the above, he arrived at the cottage to find his bed stripped, the shulla mattress covered by an old quilt Brinn found somewhere. A harder mattress than she was accustomed to in the palace; she refused to lay on it until absolutely necessary. Brinn was moaning, bent over the child inside her, intense pain accentuated by her strained face and neck muscles. He wanted to do something to ease her pain, but nothing in The Craft would help her. For the one of the few times in his life, he was at a loss as to what to do.
“This will be the death of me! No woman survived to birth at the palace.”
“But this isn’t the palace, you’re safe here. All will be well. You and the child will survive.” It was what he said but didn’t believe. Brinn’s aura, never that bright, had dimmed even more. It was the child using what was left of its mother’s life force to birth.
The journey to find him had taken much of her energy. It was only by chance he'd decided to work on the stone wall that day. He should've been hunting to restock the larder, but it was such a nice day, he changed his mind. While heaving a stone into place; he'd seen someone duck back into the woods just as the sound of horses' hooves drew his attention to the road. Obviously, the person hiding had been around this part of the region long enough to know the sound of hoof beats meant trouble since only those from the palace or The Five had shod beasts.
Keirn brushed his hands on his pants and started across the meadow when he saw several soldiers stop and dismount. Ordinarily, he would’ve waited for them to come to him, but he couldn’t take the chance they would find the person hiding. A tall man, it took him only a slight increase in his stride to reach the road as their officer dismounted. “Spread out and search for the fugitive,” he heard the captain say as he drew near.
Keirn thought to mention the poisonous plants the patrol were searching through, but decided not to. Seems to me they should already know what it looks like then it’s too late anyway. They’ll have a nasty rash in the morning.
“What can I do for you?” Keirn asked.
"We’re looking for a missing woman from the Hill region," The captain pointed to an area opposite to where his men were presently searching and asked, “Have you searched over there yet?” He looked at Keirn and sighed, “I get a promotion then given the worst squad in the entire King’s Patrol. Some promotion! What did I do to deserve this?” Keirn shrugged his shoulders.
The captain watched his men stumbling through the plants. “They’ll have a nasty rash in the morning,” he said as if to himself. Keirn raised an eyebrow but didn’t say a word. The Captain pulled a much-folded flyer from his pocket and unfolded it to show Keirn. The face on the flyer roughly resembled a woman but he doubted even a mother would recognize the face on it.
“We’ve posted this flyer in the villages. She's wanted for theft of the King’s property.”
Though the face was unrecognizable, he knew the name on the flyer. He didn’t need to see the name on the flyer to know who was hiding in the woods. There was only one other person in the kingdom with an aura. He doubted the men would find her where they were searching but even they might find her if they decided to search further into the woods. He wanted them to leave before that.
"I've been working on that wall most of the morning. Your patrol is the first I’ve seen of anyone so far.” The King's patrol had a nasty reputation for a reason. Taking the King’s property gave them an additional reason for even more nastiness.
"Very well then,” the Captain turned from Keirn to where his men were searching. “Remount men, she’s not here.” As his men returned and mounted, he mounted his own steed and said to Keirn, “We've increased patrols throughout the kingdom. Get word to us if you spy the fugitive.” He signaled to his men, “Move out.”
Keirn watched as they disappeared down the road and listened until he could no longer hear the horses’ hooves. Keirn ranted as he walked back to where he’d spied the woman. “’Send word to us,’ he said...wanted for theft of the King’s property...,’ I’ve already spied her, not that I would tell him that! No one would turn in a woman to the patrol!”
“Brinn, it’s safe to come out now,” he called to where the woman was hiding.
His first impression, when she came out of her hiding place, was that of looking at a scarecrow in the fields from the way her gown hung from her body. It looked like she’d tried to clean up a bit from the dampness on the hem of her gown and drops of water on the bodice. He could tell she’d run her fingers through her hair though it was still stringy and matted in places, as if it hadn't been washed or brushed in more than a few days. She must’ve had a rough journey from the tears in the skirt over the tattered hem and torn sleeves of what looked to be a cast off maid’s gown.
The slippers she wore, though they had obviously been made of finer material when new, were now beyond repair. A toe peeked out through a rip in the front of one slipper; the sole of the other slapped the ground a second before her foot. The pouch, she held in one hand, looked like it had seen better days.
“How do you know my name?” Brinn asked, “Who are you and why did the voices lead me to you and why are they saying I’m safe now?” She took a few needed breaths. "Why didn't you tell them where I was hiding? It's a death sentence for anyone who hides a fugitive.”
"I recognized your name. They said you allegedly stole something from the king."
“Allegedly?”
Keirn remembered where he was when Brinn queried the strange word and explained, “An excuse to find you. I’m certain there’s nothing you could’ve or would’ve taken from the king which would have his Patrol looking for you.”
“But, I did! The voices guided me to what’s in here.” she held up the pouch then let her arm drop with it. “They insisted you would want what I have.” This piqued his interest. He wanted to see what could be so important for the Guids to risk the lives of Brinn and her child, but of first and foremost importance was their safety.
Keirn could see her aura fading. Not bright to begin with, it waxed and waned as she swayed on her feet. “There will be time to answer all your questions,” he said. He reached to grab her hand as she swayed once again, but she pulled away with fright in her eyes. What happened to her in the palace? “The Guids are right. You’re safe now.”
“The Guids?”
“Yes. The Guids. What you call the voices”
Keirn wanted to scoop her up and carry her to safety. It wouldn’t have been much of a burden since she looked like she weighed next to nothing; instead he said, “Come, I have a place nearby.” he picked up his food sack and headed for the cottage.
Keirn sighed. She’d not been able to replace the life force lost during that journey. No amount of food or rest had been enough to bring back the stamina she would need during the birthing process. Giving birth, he heard, was difficult under the best of circumstances; in the palace, with the best midwives the king could find. Here, where even the best of anything was a poor substitute for the dirt under the feet of the royal family, a weaker person had little chance of survival. He wished for another time and place to help her but that, too, was lost to him, so there was no help for her.
Though he was grateful when Mara arrived shortly thereafter, the appearance of another person with her alarmed him. Keirn took Mara aside. “Who have you brought with you?”
“She is my apprentice, Mae. She’s learning the art of midwifery to take back with her to her village.”
“This was not part of our arrangement…”
Mara interrupted him. “It might not be part of our arrangement, but if you look beside Mae you’ll see her belongings. She’s not going back to the village; she’s leaving from here for her home after the birth. Don’t worry; your fee will not increase.”
[I]That's not what I was worried about./I] Since the woman would be leaving right after the birthing, Keirn agreed to Mae’s presence.
The trio moved faster toward the cottage when Brinn let out a scream. When he tried to go in with the two women, Mara turned and stopped him with a hand on his chest. “You don't want to watch this!
Keirn moved forward into the cottage as he tried to warn her of Brinn’s words. "She is sure the birth of this child will be her entry into the life hereafter,"
She hustled him back out of the cottage. "I've been birthing babies since my mamma passed away from the plague, years ago. I haven’t lost a mother yet. They all believe they won't survive the birthing. Don’t worry! Everything is forgotten once they hold the babe in their arms. Go find something to do until the child is birthed. Now…out!"
That had been hours ago. He’d been all over his property trying to find things to do. He’d gone hunting for small game; repaired the stone wall, again; replaced missing thatching on the roof of the cottage and dozens of other small chores, trying to stay out of the way of the three women inside. A query, at midday, for something to eat, was met with a loaf of bread; a chunk of cheese; a slice of meat and another admonition to stay out.
Keirn split the last log, propped the ax against the shed and stacked the pieces on the woodpile. He mopped his brow with a sweat-soaked rag and exhaled loudly. He looked, with longing, at the tree-shaded cottage wishing he could go inside for food and a cold drink. He thought of Mara’s warning though and decided it might be better to find something more to do. There were still some fruit hanging from the trees and water from nearby rill would slacken his thirst for now.
His eardrums felt another scream, higher in tone this time. The cottage was centered on an acre of land he’d acquired when he arrived in the village. He was almost half an acre away at edge of his property, yet her screams were still painful. He didn’t understand how Mara and Mae endured Brinn’s screaming. Plateau women birthed their children in a calm, quiet atmosphere, he had a feeling her fee would be outrageous!
The intensity of the painful vibrations on his eardrums from Brinn’s screams lessened as the day waned into dusk. Doing yet another mindless task, he went about the property gathering kindling for the fireplace. It had been growing colder at night and the child would need to be kept warm. Thinking of night and cold, he shivered and wondered how much longer it would take for the woman to birth the child. It seemed to him, it shouldn’t take too much longer since Brinn said it would birth today.
Keirn thought of what she’d told him of, Tomas, the babe’s father, and the circumstances of the child’s conception. He wasn’t sure what he would do about it yet, but that Siiker wouldn’t like it.
“I knew he had a life companion, which was why I didn’t want anything to do with him at first.”
“Then why did you get involved with him?”
“I don’t know. He wasn’t as tall as I liked, as a matter of fact, he was a bit short than me and he squinted constantly. Quite frankly, I usually wouldn’t take a second glance at a man such as he but there was something about him, I couldn’t and still can’t explain, what drew me to him. My friends warned me about him and his ‘outings’ with other women but I couldn’t resist.”
“Hmm…” was Keirn’s only comment.
“He told me his contract with his companion was dissolved, but it hadn’t been announced yet to give her a chance to move out of their apartment. I believed him and went for an outing with him. When we stopped at a clearing, for midday sup, he said his heart was mine from the second we met,” she smiled. “He spoke of our future together after he was free, and I believed him.”
Here she paused, for a few seconds, as if to gain enough strength to continue. The smile disappeared as a tear slid down a cheek from her brimming eyes. “The next thing I knew, we were doing things I wasn’t sure I wanted to do. He took me back to the palace afterward and asked me to speak to no one about it until the dissolution was announced and to stay away from him, so no one would guess what was between us.”
Brinn started to weep softly but continued through her tears, “Keirn, I believed in us and the plans we’d made that day so I waited as he asked,” the anguish in her voice was unmistakable, “I spoke to no one of our outing or of what had taken place between us.” She covered her face with her hands.
Sobbing hard now, it was impossible for her to continue for a few minutes. Keirn moved from the stool where he was seated to her chair across the room. He gathered her in his arms and sat on the chair with her on his lap. He waited until the sobs had subsided to weeping.
“You don’t have to speak of this if it upsets you so much.”
She uncovered her face and said, “I must. You need to know what happened and why he must not know of this child’s existence. All will become clear.” Her sobs slowed down enough for her to continue.
“It was his contracted companion who finally spoke the truth a couple of months after our outing. The dissolution had not yet been announced and I had just realized I was with child. She came up to me, after court, and told me no dissolution of their contract had happened and that Tomas often used that fabrication to get women, such as myself, to go on outings with him. She sneered at me and said I wasn’t the first nor would I be the last.”
Brinn started weeping again but was able to continue. “She, also, spoke of the child I carried, though how she knew about it, I know not. She also claimed, as Tomas’s companion, she had the option to raise any child of his, even if she didn’t bear it.”
She lifted her chin and continued, “I went to Tomas, though he’d asked me not to. I needed to know the truth. He said his companion spoke truthfully.” Her head bowed again and her voice softened to almost a whisper, “I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. I thought he loved me, that he was different from the other courtiers in the palace. I slapped his face and walked away without speaking to him of the child I carry. Soon after that, the Guids started speaking to me.” Her head slipped down to his shoulder. The next words whispered in his ear.
“They whispered, at first, of danger. I didn’t believe them. What danger? I thought, what danger could there be for me in the palace? I might not have noticed women with child were disappearing had it not happened to a friend. Soon after my friend disappeared, the Guids warned me to leave.”
She continued, “They also spoke of the pouch I brought with me. They ‘showed’ me where it was and insisted I get it. I didn’t want to risk it when I ‘saw’ it was in the King’s chambers, but the Guids insisted they would keep me safe. I borrowed a maid’s gown, letting her think I wanted to fool a lover, stole the pouch from where it was hidden and escaped.”
Lost in memories, it was silence which brought him back to attention. So, the child must be birthed! Yet, there were no infant cries, only silence, from the cottage. Has she birthed the child yet or is she resting between pain and screams? Keirn thought he knew the answer to that question, something he didn’t want to know.
Silence.
Even at that distance, some kind of noise should've been heard from the cottage. Keirn waited, listening for any sign of life. The child was quiet, so was Brinn. Sighing, he carried an armful of kindling and split logs and began placing it around the outside of the cottage.
Silence.
He knew Brinn would be crossing over to the life hereafter, taking her place amongst the voices guarding her child. The Guids. They were an indication. Only the star child and the woman carrying it would hear them. He had watched, over the years, for signs of those who searched him, but hadn’t spied anything so far. This event would call to them. It was time for him to do what needed to be done.
So the prophecy had begun . . .
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