December2
Chapter 03
Laelia approached the double doors to the audience chamber, still muttering imprecations. The majordomo was back in his place, and directing the servants busily returning the palace to order. His stoic facade cracked a bit when he saw Laelia approach and he quickly bowed and opened the door personally.”The Empress is safe and sound, Your Highness.”
Laelia tossed a quick look of surprise at him, as she went inside the chamber. The Court had returned to their spots but were chattering animatedly, in contrast to the quiet murmurings of her first entrance. Laelia went to one knee in front of the Empress and bowed her head.
“Your Imperial Majesty, the attack has been successfully foiled, with all attackers eliminated. The palace is now secure.” Laelia reported, then stood, with her arms clasped behind her back.
“An impressive performance, my dear. So that explains why the Lord and Lady felt you were the best Shadow Priestess.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty. I have had the good fortune to be trained by the best teachers in Aubine.”
“Before I forget, Lady Bethania? Will you do the honors?” She turned towards a lady in dark green silk embroidered in gold who stepped forward at her Empress’s summons.
“Certainly, Your Majesty.” A deep breath then, “By Order of the Empress! The Court is dismissed.” The Court obeyed, bowing to the Empress as they left the chamber.
The Empress leaned forward and whispered into Lady Bethania’s ear.
“One moment: The Empress requests the presence of her family.” Lady Bethania left the chamber after her announcements, bowing as she left the room.
Laelia drew her blade, then knelt on both knees, and spoke, “With this blade, I pledge my name, my honor and my service to the Empire of Boratia.” She extended the sword, now softly glowing with a gray light to the Empress, who took it and spoke, touching Laelia on her bowed head.
“I accept your pledge, Laelia of the Shadow Order.”
Laelia stood up, and accepted her blade, sliding it back into its sheath. I apologize, Your Majesty, but I have a pressing duty to perform. I was told that one of the maids is in need of a midwife, and I have training and experience in that area.”
“It is not proper for an Imperial Princess to be a midwife to a servant.” Cornelia sniffed.
“Begging your pardon, Grandmother, but my oath to you does not supersede the oath I made to the Lord and Lady to serve the people of Elysia, be they royal or common.” Laelia sketched a bow, then turned on her heel. As she walked down the carpeted aisle, a shimmering light surrounded her body, the dispersed, leaving her wearing a white blouse tucked into a highwaisted skirt that flared out at the hem, just covering the tops of her white high buttoned heeled boots. A gray cape with black trim and lining that had flipped up with the speed of her departure and a white cap covering her hair completed her Light priestess uniform. She disappeared through the hastily opened doors leading to the rest of the Imperial Palace.
Messalina looked at her husband, who nodded , then quickly bowed to the Empress, still wearing a look of shock, then took off running after her sister. Holding her skirts up to almost her knees, she rushed through the hallways after Laelia, disappearing in the distance.
“Laelia, wait!” Messalina called, waving wildly. Laelia stopped, and half-turned. “I really need to quit sitting on my bottom so much. I could use some more exercise, especially if I have to go chasing after you. Though Robert would appreciate a bit less of me in our bed. Four babies in seven years takes a toll on one’s girlish figure,” she lightly complained. Her sister hastily covered a grin, yet a little bit of a snorting laugh escaped.
“I could show you some exercises to do, a little bit of self-defense, if Robert won’t mind. It wouldn’t be a bit of trouble, a bit painful for you, but not a whit of trouble for me.”
“Mean woman! To return to the subject at hand, would you care for some assistance? I’ve a bit of my own, and have helped with births at the castle.” Messalina turned businesslike.
“Extra hands are always welcome.”
“Good.”
The two sisters walked companionably together, catching up on twenty years of missed history as they navigated the twists and turns of the ancient palace, showing the various improvements and additions made to the building in the intervening years. After a few false turns, and some garbled directions by servants shocked to see members of the Imperial family invading the Lower Palace, Laelia and Messalina arrived in the servant quarters. A plain door in a drab hallway carpeted in serviceable carpet over peeling linoleum and painted an equally serviceable dark green, both colors chosen to help hide the traffic and dirt. A single sideways glance was exchanged between Laelia and Messalina, then they went inside.
The assistant head housekeeper, dressed in black with a large apron tied around her voluminous middle along with two other maids, also in black with white aprons and caps. The laboring mother to be was in bed. All four women gaped in awe as Messalina and Laelia entered the room.
“Greetings. I am Laelia, trained in midwifery by the Lady, and I offer my services.” Laelia sat on the edge of the bed and smiled down.
“I’m called Neva, milady. You was the one who ran off those Daevas?”
“Yes, Neva, I am. So, tell me, how far along are you and has your water broke?”
“I’m three weeks early, my water already broke and I’m having pains every twenty minutes.”
“Excellent.” Laelia stood up and turned to the assistant housekeeper. “I require plenty of fresh water, clean cloths, clothing and linens.” She said, turning businesslike.
“Yes, milady. Do you require the water t’ be boiling?” she enquired, pausing at the door.
“I’ll take care of the boiling, thanks.”
“Of course, milady.” She bobbed her head and left on her errands, along with the two maids.
“Now, Neva. How are you feeling? Well other than being in labor?”
“Do you think I could walk around a bit? I’m not used to being abed during the day.”
“Certainly, dear.” Laelia efficiently assisted the nightgown clad Neva out of bed. “Now, let me feel the belly. I need to find out some details.” She gently laid her hand on Neva’s belly and concentrated for a few seconds, glowing a soft white.
“Well, it seems the baby is ready and anxious to meet his mama. And you seem to be in good health so we shouldn’t have any trouble.”
“Him?” Neva asked, wonderingly.
“Yes a healthy little boy. When did your husband die, Neva?”
“A few weeks ago, milady. He was unloading a ship at the dock and got caught in a cargo net and was crushed. He would have been so happy to find out we’re having a healthy son. This is my third pregnancy, and the farthest I’ve gone. The first two ended really early and they were both beautiful little girls.”
“My sympathies, dear. One more personal question before we get down to the business of helping this baby come into the world, you left the Light order to marry?”
“How did you know? Oh yes, I forgot. Once trained, one can always sense another even of a different order.”
“Well then. I want some fresh air and light in this place. Being in such darkness! Its a wonder nobody’s come down with soft bones from a lack of sunshine and air.” She bustled about opening a window, for they may have been the Lower Palace, they were no means in the dungeons and basements. Light flooded in and Laelia popped her head out to see who if anybody would be startled by Neva’s birthing cries. Laelia still had her head out the window, while Messalina was helping Neva walk around when the assistant head housekeeper, a Mrs. Flatilia, accompanied by the two maids bearing cloths and a footman bearing a large kettle full of water.
“Milady! Will you be needing anything else?” She took one look at Laelia hanging out the window and squawked. “Tis enough of a scandal to have an Imperial Princess downstairs, but to advertise the fact! The Empress will be livid and extra picky for a week!”
Laelia slowly pulled her head in, and turned a level gaze on the indignant housekeeper, speaking in a cold tone
“First of all. I only answer to three people in this world, and I’m still getting used to answering to the third. Second. I am a sworn and trained Shadow Priestess of Aubine. I serve the Lord and Lady jointly and with no prejudice to those who need my assistance. And third. As you have stated so eloquently, I am an Imperial Princess. You are an assistant head housekeeper, and should be doing your job, not passing judgement on a member of the Imperial Family and a priestess to boot!” The housekeeper blanched then blushed then blanched again as she endured Laelia’s well deserved tirade.
“My humblest apologies, milady.” Mrs. Flatilia nodded stiffly and left the room, closing the door with a firm click.
“I’m awfully glad I didn’t have to worry about offending the servants’ sensibilities in Aubine. We only had a few, mostly to help with the laundry and cooking.” Laelia sighed.
“Would the Lady accept me back into her service, d’you think?” Neva asked
“I cannot speak for the Lady or the Lord, and all I can say is speak to them, and they’ll give you an answer. Of course you will be welcomed in Aubine if you feel you need sanctuary.”
“Laelia, if you are to take your place as Mother’s heir, which you are as I cannot inherit as I married a ruling male, and our elder sister is an Oracle, you’ll need a lady’s maid to help with dressing.” Messalina interjected.
“Milady, I would be honored to serve you. I remember as an apprentice helping the full fledged Sisters with their court robes and also helping with their hair. Mrs. Flatilia always thought I had allowed a male to leave me pregnant.” She laid a hand on her belly and panted a bit. “Oh that was a bit stronger.”
“Neva, love, can you hop up into bed and let me examine you? I need to check a few things I have to eyeball-your dilation and such.”
“Oh, certainly, milady.” The two sisters helped Neva into bed and she scooted down, to allow Laelia to quickly check the progress.
“You can call me by my first name, especially under these circumstances.” Laelia chided gently, replacing Neva’s nightgown, then wiping her hands on a clean towel.
“If you’re sure, mi-I mean Laelia.” Neva stuttered, blushing brightly, then she almost doubled over. “Ohh,” she groaned, panting a bit.
“Getting stronger, now. Let’s stay in bed, now, unless you feel like you could walk some more?” Laelia commented, looking at Neva. Messalina looked up, from where she was occupied in arranging the necessities: the cloths in one neat pile, the basket for the baby, with its first outfit from knitted hat to booties and a diaper lovingly arranged on top of the bedding. Towels were in their own pile, as were the clean linens for afterwards, as well as a fresh nightgown for Neva.
Laelia double-checked, then smacked her forehead. “I knew I was missing something!”
“What? What did you forget?” Messalina looked up from counting towels.
“Should I be worried?” asked Neva, worriedly.
“It is fine. I just forgot my bag of instruments and medicines. You might want some pain releif in a bit so you can be more comfortable.” soothed Laelia, concentrating a bit, then reaching intoseemingly thin air and pulling out her black delivery kit, then opening it and inspecting the contents. “I have everything we need and if we need hot water, well, then I can take care of that.” she said, snapping her fingers and making wispy flames appear.
“Dark magic?” Messalina asked.
“Yes, can’t use it too much or I’m wiped for a day, but I can pull enough power in case of an emergency.” Laelia said, plumping Neva’s pillows. “Now, Neva, do you need the bathroom or a drink of water?”
“I think I could definitely use a drink right now and the bathroom in a bit. It seems rather warm in here now that I’m under all these blankets.”
“Let me pull some of these off, then,” Messalina fussed, pulling all the coverings except for the top sheet down to the foot of the bed. “Is that better?”
“Much, thank you.” Neva twitched around a bit, then another pain hit. “pant-pant. Oooh, they’re getting close together. Anyways I have a question: I’ve always wondered what it was like in Caranthia. I read a lot of books while in training and went to the lending library after I married, and have always been interested in the place.”
“Oh, it’s a lovely place, lassie. Misty hills covered in purple flowers in spring, green grass in summer and carpeted with fall leaves in the fall. All the men wear kilts done in their clan plaids with shirts underneath and the women wear their plaids as shawls over their dresses. Not quite as urban as Boratia, and quite a bit more rough around the edges. Why, just last year, Robert had to put down a clan war. He made a fine sight, riding off, wearin’ his plaid and swinging his sword.”
“Sounds wonderful. Was it a big change when you married?”
Messalina sat down in a chair next to the bed, and folded her hands in her lap. “Well, to be truthful, yes. See, my mother and stepfather were killed while we were returning from Caranthia after doing the betrothal contracts, which originally allowed an engagement of two years when I turned eighteen so that I could get used to the quirks of the country I would help my husband rule, but well I and Laelia were left orphaned. Laelia was only six months old at the time, and I was told to find someplace safe for both Laelia and I, with Mother’s dying breath. So I asked for Sanctuary from the Lady and we were in Aubine, where I left Laelia to be raised in safety and I went to Caranthia to marry Robert, so I would be safe as well. Was a dreadful shock to this city girl. The castle was the largest in Caranthia, but it was barely bigger than the Imperial Summer Palace. The capital city was half the size as Boratia, and not as paved. And I was shocked, to tell you the truth to see all the bare skin on men! I blushed red for a week before the wedding.”
“So that explains why Laelia is a priestess instead of being a princes, well she’s both, but oh you know what I mean!” flailed Neva.”
“I’m still getting used to the princess part actually. Tell me, Messalina, sister to sister, I will have to go shopping in the morning, won’t I? Especially since I doubt my robes will stand up to constant wearing and neither can I. Five layers of silk is heavy and oh the bother of walking just so so the layers don’t slide off.”
“Oh yes. I’ll get one of the cousins to get you something to wear to the shops, and have the Court seamstress take it in if needed. The dressmakers, shoemakers, glove makers and milliners will all rejoice when they hear of the long lost Imperial Princess who needs a new wardrobe befitting her station. They already are celebrating Antonia’s debut and will be even happier with TWO Imperial Princesses to kit out.” Messalina smiled, patting Laelia’s hand. She flopped onto the bed dramatically holding her hand to her forehead.
“Oh goodness. I’m used to a few changes of clothing: the daily robes I wear, my formal robes, my Night Sister uniform, and my midwife uniform. I wouldn’t know the first thing about being a lady of fashion and managing all those clothes!”
“You could use Neva as your lady’s maid and the other lady’s maids in the palace can show her how to do the fashion things: hair, etc. That old biddy of a assistant housekeeper is going to make Neva do all the nasty stuff as payback for being told off by a Princess.”
“We’ll discuss this after Neva has had her baby. We shouldn’t try to run her life for her, Messalina.”
“I hate to interrupt, Laelia, but pant, pant, oh OW, I think the baby is definitely ready. I’ve gone a bit quicker this time, I think.”
“Excellent, now let’s get the finishing touches done and we’ll have ourselves a baby. Have you thought about names?”
“My husband was named Titus Silvanus Flavius, a younger son of the Flavian Clan. He was working at the Port for his family, but when he was, pant, pant, oh OW, killed when he was helping load a barge, his mother turned me out of the house, saying I was not allowed to come back. I started showing a week later and the bitch said we’ll take care of you till Titus’s daughter is born, then we’ll raise her in the Flavian clan. I came to the Palace instead, since I didn’t know if I could go to the The Lady’s Temple, since I had been married.”
“Oh goodness! Lady Flavia is a royal witch, and I’ve seen Grandmother at her worst. Grandmother despises the Flavians. She only allowed Lady Damia to appear at Court since she is a distant member of the Clan and not in good odor with Lady Flavia.”
“Neva, they would have given you sanctuary, love. But how were you to know, anyways. The option of Sanctuary is kept quiet, or else we would have a lot of unhappy brides filling up the Temple and expecting hand and foot service. It has been the custom to have a first marriage arranged, then once you’ve provided three daughters, then you can divorce your husband and marry for love. Mother had been widowed, but still caused a sensation when she married Frederick and added his name to hers.”
“I went to college in Zenobia, but never got any attention for my last name from the school or any of the students. Messalina love, I know its been twenty years since you saw me, but let’s concentrate on Lady Neva and we’ll catch-up later. I’m sure Grandmother would like to know what I’ve been up to while I was in Aubine.”
Chastened, Messalina bustled about, getting the necessities close to the bed, while Laelia poured water into a clean bowl, murmuring a spell under breath to warm it up so she could wash her hands, saving the rest for later.
“Messalina, I’ll need you to help Neva with her pushing, and get her water is she needs it. It is almost time for this wee one to see his momma.” She laid out a tray, covered in a clean white cloth, and laid out her tools then covered them with another clean cloth. The basket ready for its occupant was pushed close to the bed on the opposite side of Messalina.
“Speaking of Pushing, I think it’s time, Laelia.” Neva said, panting a bit from her contractions.
“Excellent.” Laelia went over to the water bowl, rolling her sleeves up and washing to the elbows in the hot, soapy water. Messalina flipped the hem of Neva’s night gown above her knees and helped Neva lay her bottom down on a oil cloth lined terry pad to protect the sheets. Laelia did a quick check then washed her hands again.
“The hurry up and wait is always so fun, isn’t it?”
“Oh yes. My youngest, Emilia, I had the quickest labor but then I had to hold her back so the midwife could make it up the stairs to the birthing room. Emilia was her last delivery, the poor dear. Robert gave her a comfortable pension and made sure her cottage was on the priority list of repairs. I insisted on it and I’m also paying a girl to help cook and clean out of my income.”
Neva started panting a bit harder and the women jumped into action. Messalina coached Neva into constructive pushing, while Laelia was ready to guide the little one into the world. Thirty minutes later, Neva gave a mighty push and his head came out and Laelia quickly cleaned out his mouth, then as Neva pushed one more time, Laelia guided his shoulders out and he slithered into her welcoming hands.
“Congratulations, Neva, you have a healthy baby boy!” Laelia beamed as she laid the wet and very messy baby on Neva’s belly. Neva reached her hands down and touched his little head while Laelia cut the umblical cord, and the baby started squawking.
“I’ll call him Titus Frederick Flavius after his father and yours, Laelia.” Neva smiled, as Messalina efficiently cleaned up the fussing baby then handed him back to his eager mother for his first meal.
Laelia looked up from where she was cleaning up Neva and delivering the afterbirth, and blushed. “Thank you. I’m sure father would have been very pleased to have such a fine boy named after him.”
Neva finished feeding baby Titus and smiled. “I hate to ask, but can I change? I feel really sweaty and my nightgown is soaked through.”
“Oh certainly! No bother at all. Do you want a sponge bath as well since you can’t have a real bath for a few days, as well? I think Titus is worn out, the poor thing.” Laelia helped Neva out of bed and the two sisters quickly helped Neva tidy up, then crawl back into bed for well-deserved rest, making sure the sleeping baby was in arm’s reach.
“Will you be all right for now? I’ll have one of the Sisters from the Temple come and help you with the wee one until you recover. I don’t trust that old biddy Flatilia.” Laelia asked.
“Oh yes. I’ll get some sleep and just enjoy the baby. But you don’t have to have a Sister come. I’ll be fine.”
“I insist. I would normally help, but…”
“If you insist then, Laelia, I won’t argue. Flatilia kept me on my feet from sun-up to past sun-down.”
“What! Why that sour hateful old biddy!” Laelia’s eyes flashed almost silver from the flare of temper. “Just because somebody is from a clan in bad graces with the Empress does NOT give the housekeeper the right to be hateful.”
“Grandmother is going to flip to hear that a Flavian wife was treated so shamefully, regardless of how she feels about the clan. I’ll personally explain to Grandmother that one of the servants took it upon herself to determine how someone who was seeking sanctuary was treated.” Messalina promised.
“I’ll come and check on you in a few hours, and I’ll send a message to the Temple. Oh goodness! The driver! He’s been waiting for all this time!” Laelia rushed out of the room, skirts held in her hands. Messalina tidied up, putting soiled linens and cloths in a basket and replaced the instruments and tools of Laelia’s trade.
“Get plenty of rest, Neva. And congratulations on the beautiful baby boy.” Messalina gently pulled the door closed and turned to go back upstairs. Flatilia stood there, with a disapproving look on her face.
“Shameful. That Imperial Princesses should debase themselves to serve a Flavian slut and help her deliver her bastard.”
“Ma’am, which I am only using as you are technically my elder, you are employed by the Imperial Household. And as such, I would advise you to keep such hateful thoughts behind your teeth, and to be more respectful of your employers.” Messalina squeezed past the housekeeper who was sputtering indignantly, then made her way through the warren of halls in the Lower Palace to the Upper Palace and her grandmother.
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