the Leathermines

Back to Chapter 12

 

 

“I think you are having what are called soft contractions, Laun.”

Kell and Lucaris were looming over Laun in the bed.  Laun had been feeling odd for most of the morning, as if she was in need to pee, but then it would just stop.  A few times, it felt like she was being brought towards an odd orgasm that never really made it.  She mentioned it to Gem and she had found the healers.

“It may just be your body getting ready because it is early, but you may be going into labor.  You are going to have to stay-”

Laun pushed her tunic down and struggled to push herself up off the bedding.  “No.  My back doesn’t hurt and I can walk on my own right now.  I am not staying in bed because you hens think I might pop at any moment.”

The women healers looked at each other.  Lucaris softly put her hand on Laun’s arm and said, “If you feel as though you can’t walk or your water breaks, yell.  Someone will hear you.”

Laun nodded.  “At least here, they will.”

Kell colored slightly.  “That was a miscalculation on how sturdy you were, Laun.”

Lucaris looked at the other healer and squinted slightly.  Not getting an answer that way, the small shaman bounced once and was off the side of the bed, missing the lounging form of one of the wrestlers on the far mat and bounding over him.  “Well, if you are going to be wandering about, I think I will go and see how my herb hunters are doing.”

Laun sat at the edge of the bed and looked up at Kell.  “Assumptions.”

Kell squinted at Laun as Lucaris grabbed the empty water pitcher and left with it.  “Laun, I don’t understand.”

Laun shrugged.  “Most of the time, I don’t either.  And then I start annoying people with my questions.  I cut through the assumptions.”

Kell sat on the bed next to Laun and put her hand on the bare leg of the Princess.  “What assumptions do you need to cut through?”

“Not me.  You.”  Laun looked at the healer.  “I feel you need to ask me things.”

Kell nodded.  “You are smart.  You keep saying you are trained on things.  I do see your results...”  The healer looked over and could just see the top of the wrestler’s head as he slowly read one of the children’s books Gem had brought from the Hawkwell Mains.

Laun put her hand over Kell’s.  “I am constantly training.  Others as well as myself.  Even when they don’t think they are...” Laun’s voice became soft as she sat very still as her belly tightened.

Kell waited until the look on Laun’s face was not so focused.  “Are you sure you are going to be wandering the household?”

Laun had a smirk on her face as she said, “Wandering, no.  Getting where I need to go, yes.”  Laun held Kell’s hand.  “There is always something to do, and the cot is still downstairs.  I did miss the last several days.  There are things I need to do.  The blessing has to be today.”

The healer nodded.  “So, until you fall over, you push yourself.”

Laun smiled.  “That is how I was trained.”  Laun’s smile changed to a wistful one.  “I was told that the Dance Master died in one of the more successful raids on the barricade.  He was one of the first people to push me.  Me and the other dancers.”

“Do you miss him?”  Kell’s stern bedside voice was softer.

There was a nod and Laun said, “And all the others who went before and after him.”  She became quiet and looked out the window.

“I am not a mind healer.  I would normally just give you something to sleep.  Thank you for telling me at least this little.”  Kell put as little pressure on Laun’s hand as she could as she tightened her grip, squeezing Laun’s hand to show that Kell was there for her.

Laun looked back at the healer and smiled.  “Thank you.  You have a different way of looking at things and, even though we may not always agree, I do like that you see things differently.”

Kell nodded.  “Thank you.  Well.  Don’t push yourself too hard.  No bringing in the harvest single handedly.”

The women laughed between them before Kell helped Laun up and out of the room.  They parted at the stairs as Laun went up to see what the Masons had been doing in the room above hers.

She had not been to the room Falmir had occupied since the beginning of the visit.  He had always been where she could find him elsewhere.  Stairs really were not friendly to her.  Avoiding them was one of her goals in life, but she wanted to see what the noise that morning had been all about.

There were stones missing in the wall.  That was the first thing she saw.  Then she saw that some of the window was gone.  She did not say anything and observed through the doorway as the workmen on the scaffolding chipped away on new stones, measuring every few strokes of their big wooden hammers on the metal chisels.

The glass for the window had been taken out and placed on the bed, most of the connecting leading still in good condition.  Laun could see where some repair may need to happen once it was put back in, but it was not one of the things that had to be dealt with right then.  The big bench that had been made was still there and being used as a workbench by the Mason’s people.

“Hoy, Princess!  Need a sit?”  One of the stone dust covered men stood from the bench and waved to the marred sheepskin surface.

Laun sat and saw the men around her do little nods to her before going back to work.  The Mason was on the outside scaffolding and leaned in through the hole.  The smell of the smith in the courtyard below came in with him, a thick smell that competed with the sweat and dust in the room.  “Hin- Laun.  I’ll be right there.”  Laun could hear him telling the men outside where to place something and then he climbed into the room.

“Checking up on me?” he said over the noise.

Laun smiled a little and said, “Just wondering who was up making noise before I was this morning.”

The Mason brought his bushy, grey eyebrows together for a moment and then looked apologetic.  “I’m sorry, Lady.  You were asleep downstairs.  It was cool this morning and I wanted to get going as soon as I could.”

Laun nodded.  “I understand.  With the weather and heat-”  Laun sucked in a breath.

The men around her paused.  “Lady?”

Laun held up a hand until she could speak.  “Not to worry.  Just my body preparing for the true pain.”

Several of the men nodded before going back to chipping and such.  The Mason put down a piece of pulp paper next to one of the workers and put his foot up on the bench next to Laun.  “How far along are you?”

Laun shrugged.  “Over eight months.  And I have twins.”

His eyebrows met on his forehead again.  “If you break your water here-”

Laun shook her head.  “Just put it into the mortar.”

The Mason laughed.  “That would be something for the legends, wouldn’t it.  People already put too much into our guild.  That would just lend a touch of the Green Mother to it, wouldn’t it?”

Laun smiled and had a low chortle in the back of her throat.  “Speaking of which, Lonn, how are things going with the various repairs?”

He scrunched up his nose as if he was smelling something off.  “The main tower is the primary problem child here, as you know.  But having the chimneys brought to our attention made a few other things come to light.”

They discussed things for a while, Laun being appraised of the problems that the leaning chimneys showed the Mason and his crew.  Paper and charcoal was used to diagram for Laun the little places that made themselves into big problems.  The tower was not as much of a problem as getting to one of the inside walls of the northern chimney was.  There were beams and roof and stone and brick and too many planes to work comfortably right then.  The tower was being worked on as the Mason made plans for the rest of the repairs.

Lonn stood up off the bench again and propped his foot back up.  “I do want to see how this chimney system here works.  I have only run across something similar over by Dry Port.  Theirs started with metal but was replaced over the years with stone and brick.  This one was all stone from the beginning.”

Laun shrugged and shifted on the bench.  “I have no idea.  Most of the maintenance lists were destroyed last year.  One reason you guys have to be here.  No way for us to know how to make mortar.  We didn’t even know about the quarry until it was stumbled upon in a hunt.”

Lonn flexed his leg and foot on the bench.  “Information like that has no price.”

Her braid was around to the front and Laun looked at the little bell at the end of the braid.  She put her hand over the bell and said, “Which is why you and your men are here.  I thank you for your efforts.  I just hope that it all goes well and you can finish the majority of these repairs before first snow.”

“Yes, Highness.”  Lonn looked at the men around him.  “It’s not working on the Palace or the Great Church, but it keeps us busy and honest to our work.”

Laun pushed herself up off the bench.  “I should leave you to your work, then.  Having a cow like me knocking into things would not be helpful.”

The Mason held out his hand and bowed over the one Laun placed into it.  “I hope you have a good day.  I am sorry for waking you with our noise.”

Laun waived her hand dismissively and started out of the room.  Several people were on the landing, waiting.  Laun sighed and waddled slowly out to them.

“Laun, we were wondering...”

It took several hours for Laun to get to the Great Hall.  Dealing with minor issues as people approached her delayed her from first going to the privy.  Talking with people shifting things in and out of store rooms to get a sense of what they had took some time as they had to show her every thing they were moving.  Resting along the way, sometimes on a bench, sometimes on someone’s knee as they knelt for her was far too often for Laun.  Runners would get water or milk for their Lady as she rested, Laun always grateful for their help.

The cot set in the Great Hall for Laun was not the most comfortable, but Laun reached it and waived people away as fatigued sleep overtook her.

There were several people on the benches around her cot when Laun woke several hours later.  She looked at the legs she could see and then propped herself up on her elbow to look around.  The new ward was there, Ali next to her trading knot tying techniques on a few pieces of twine.  Disa was stitching into something, the lines between her eyebrows deep as she concentrated in the slight gloom of the Great Hall afternoon light.  Gismer was sorting out a few pieces of paper, making notes and drying the ink with light whistles.  One of the protectors was on the bench next to Ali, trying not to look like he was interested in what the child was showing the stablehand.  A soldier was next to Disa, his hands between his knees whittling a piece of scrap wood into something.

Laun wiped the back of her hand across her chin, feeling the drool that had been coming from the corner of her mouth.  “I hope I wasn’t snoring, too.”

Disa didn’t look up but said, “It was cute.  Like a little stranded fish.”

Ali looked up and said softly, “I think it was the bubbles that did it for me...”

“If I had anything to throw at you-though my aim is bad.”  Laun laid back down and said, “I wouldn’t be holding court in my sleep if there wasn’t something going on.”

The soldier looked up and said, “Highness, it has been dealt with, but there was an intrusion across the Grey.”

“What kind of intrusion?”

The soldier sat up and looked at the little cup he was carving, blowing some of the curls of wood away.  “We thought it was a scout force to begin with.  Found dug holes under the barricade in that area big enough to get a man through.  Followed the tracks in the mud until we were able to find the culprit.”

Laun waited for a moment and then said, “And?”

“Found a sow and her piglets.  We tried to round her up, but had to kill her.  Brought the carcass back.  The piglets are in with the other pigs now.”  The soldier smiled.

“That should make everyone happy for a while.  Thank you, Private.”  He stood and saluted, his hand covering the blade he was holding until his hand came back down.  He continued to carve as he strolled back out of the Great Hall.

The protector shook his head and said, “That was the easiest hour’s duty.”  There was laughter and giggling from the others.  “Laun, I was sent to tell you that the archers need supplies.”

Laun shrugged from her prone position.  “What am I supposed to do about it?”

He looked at his hands for a moment.  “Our fletcher was one of the last casualties.  He hadn’t shown too many people how to do things.  We are down to about one hundred flights of arrows.”

Laun closed her eyes.  “We will have to put out a call at meeting to see if anyone else knows how.  In fact, you may want to see if anyone in the remaining military knows how to do that.”  She opened her eyes.  “Anything else?”

He nodded.  “Edgar said that he is going on long patrol.  Outside the barricade.”

“No wonder you looked uncomfortable.  Thank you.”  The protector stood and nodded to Laun and the other women before going to the kitchens.

Gismer looked up and handed a paper down the line of people to Laun.  “Lists of what Gyrip brought, and what he took with him.  Wanted to confirm the...rocks that he took.”

Laun looked at the list and nodded.  She handed it back up the line and Gismer stood.  “Oh, Gismer...  Has Geralk shown you the codes from Marie and Markle?”  He nodded.  “Do you understand them?”

The scribe shrugged slightly.  “I can understand the code from Markle better.”

She smiled and said, “Good.  At least someone knows how to read it other than the List Master.  With the fletcher and all...”

Gismer looked slightly grim and nodded before he went back towards the tower.

Laun waited, expecting more reports or demands or news from the three women left on the benches.  None of them seemed to be making a move to say anything, so Laun let herself fall into a doze.

Tables and benches were being moved about when Laun suddenly woke again.  The fires were lit on either end, the light needed more than the heat in the room.  Laun knew that it was close to evening meal and wondered where her time had gone.  She knew, into the hole that was sleep.

Disa was still there, but she was quietly directing the arrangement of the Great Hall for that night’s meal from the bench.  She saw Laun’s eyes open and smiled.  “Good evening, Lady.  I hope you are up to the blessing tonight.”

Laun pushed herself up and sat on the cot.  She rubbed her face and found more drool.  “I might as well use this, not the water from the Grey for the ceremony...”  She wiped her hand on her tunic and smiled at Disa’s laugh.

Things around Laun were being moved to accommodate the ceremony.  The tables were being wedged together to make enough room for a clear spot around the cot.  A few things were on the floor next to Laun’s cot and she looked them over, approving of the items gathered for the blessing.  The smells from the kitchens were making Laun’s mouth water, the first time in a while.  She was usually hungry, but nothing had whetted her appetite for at least a week.

It was going to be crowded.  As many of the household, the soldiers and the entertainers were going to try to get into the Great Hall as possible.  The blessing was an event when there was just one child.  There were five, and five mothers standing for their children.  Laun smiled knowing that all of the mothers had gone through the ordeal and had survived.

As the people came in, Laun saw that the mothers and babies were all sitting on the benches around the cleared space.  Pillar and Lucaris came to Laun and sat at one of the benches to either side of the cot.  Pillar had helped Laun with the changing of the ceremony for the multiple babies and it was only right that the shamen couple both be there.  Laun was happy that the Bishop had gone back with Dreng.  That would have been more awkward.

A round of tea and fresh pressed cider was passed out from the kitchen.  People quieted and Laun saw that the mothers were all there.  She waited a few more minutes until it looked like all the people that were going to be there had crowded in.  Laun stood and looked around.

“Should we put out a call that there may still be floor space in here?”  There was laughter.  She heard people at the kitchen doors in the wall behind her and there were people packed in the other doorways, too.  Laun waived to the mothers and they all stood and came forward.

Pillar and Lucaris stood on either side of Laun.  A candle was handed to her from one and it was lit by the other.  Laun raised the soft tallow candle above her head.  She looked up and then brought the candle back down.  She moved to the right and then to the left, centering the candle to her chest before starting the push out forward when there was a flare in the flame.

Laun did not drop the candle, but she was startled.  Most of the people around her were also startled and nervous laughs came from some people.  She moved the candle forward and back and paused.

“From the darkness, we bring the light.”  

“The Darkness shall not overcome-“ The call from those gathered of the response phrase was loud in the room, waking one of the babies and making him cry.  There was laughter and it took a moment to calm the baby.  Laun passed the candle to Pillar and Lucaris handed her a bowl with a silty water in it.  There was a phasma fly floating on the top of the water.  Laun dipped her finger into the water and brought out the delicate insect.  There was no where to put it, so she wiped the insect onto the back of her hand to deal with later.

“We come from the water.  We come from the land.  We came from the darkness and we will go to the darkness.  For our lives, we live in the light.”  Laun put her hand into the bowl and scraped out some of the sediment from the bottom.  She lifted the muddy fingers and pressed her fingers to her forehead.

Laun put her hand back into the water and said, “We welcome five babies into the world tonight.  New life for the family, the household of Salam-Dir.  They are born free and shall grow free.  If any are to ask, these brothers and sisters are of the Salam-Dir family.  They are siblings.  Protect each other as you grow.”

Laun motioned her head to the closest mother and she stepped forward.  The first to publicly name her child.  The first to have the child’s forehead and feet pressed with the mud of the Grey.  The first to have everyone in the room intone, “May the light keep you from the darkness and the land provide for you.”

Five times.  The tears were running down Laun’s face before she had touched the first baby.  She turned her head several times and wiped her face on her shoulders to be able to keep going.  The last of the bundles had been undone, their wiggly contents wetted and blessed.  The mothers were sitting again, hands of lovers and loved ones on arms and shoulders as they all looked at Laun.

She was feeling drained.  Tired.  She turned to hand the bowl off and the phasma fly she had wiped and forgotten fluttered.  It’s lightly glowing wings tickled Laun and she almost dropped the bowl before Lucaris caught it.  It had dried out and was now ready to try to find the marshy areas on the land again.

Most eyes followed the darting phasma as it went over the heads of those gathered in the Great Hall.  Somehow, it found it’s way to the courtyard door and out into the cool night.

Laun had some more things to say, but after the airy flight of the phasma, there was nothing she could really do that was more poignant.  She took the candle from Pillar and blew it out.

Orgia’s staff knew that was the signal for actual evening meal to start.  With the sow having been brought in, there was pork and apples that night, served with as many greens as could be gathered without making the land bare.  The bread trenchers that were made were thin, many wooden and metal trenchers and plates being used by people.  Laun was concerned that they still did not have enough to last the Summer, let alone going through Winter, but the slice of bread she had on her wooden trencher was delicious and filling and sopped up the juices from the pork beautifully.

The pressing duty that Laun had to do for right then was over.  She felt something in her relax as the babies were passed around the room in their swaddling.  Laun recognized the quilt that had been used for many of the small blankets-a quilt that had been on Lady Hellon’s bed for years.  It was appropriate that something that had started to wear from age and use was redone to keep the new generation warm and safe.  Her own babies would need such, but she really did not want to think about that.

The people started to disburse after the first round of food and conversation.  It was still crowded and noisy, but there were paths through the seated populace. Geralk came to Laun part way through the meal, a slightly damp parchment in hand.  Laun wiped her hands on her tunic and took the parchment and smiled when she saw it.

“For you and the library, Laun.”  Geralk looked pleased and rightly so.  The illumination had been done in a simple style, the wording telling of the gathering and some of the ceremony, though the generic wording was slightly wrong as he had done it over the course of the last month.  All the babies that had been blessed that night had their names listed.  Laun raised her eyebrow at the man when she saw places for her own.

“Thank you for this.  I hope to keep you busy with more than this type of work, but thank you.”  Laun handed it back and Geralk stepped back a pace before turning into the crowd.

Adelmar came through and sat at one of the benches near Laun after making a bit of a bow.  “That was quite some show.  How did you get the phasma to do that?”

Laun smiled and shrugged.  “I didn’t.  I thought it was dead, but I didn’t have anyplace to put it as I stood there.”  Laun leaned closer to him and said, “I think it was a good ending, though.”

The magician rubbed his bearded chin and nodded.  “Happenstance.  I don’t believe in it.  But if so, these children are truly blessed.”  He held up his tankard and tapped it against Laun’s mug.  They drank together and started to discuss a few minor things.

Verat, shadowed by Gem, came through the room and bowed to Laun.  He stood until she motioned to one of the benches and he sat, a little stiffly at the edge of the bench.  Gem came around and stood behind Laun, a brief touch on Laun’s shoulder before the blonde became still.

“You have sought me out, Verat.  How has your first few days been here at the keep?”  Laun put the mug of tea to her lips and quietly sipped as she watched the man.

He tilted his head and lifted a shoulder in a half-hearted shrug.  “Freedom is nice, but I am used to more than this.”

Laun nodded.  “When you are used to the city noble way of living, coming out to the country can be hard.  Not much to be done about it at present.  It is going to take me  a while before I can let our defenses down.”

The clapperless bell nodded and looked away slightly.  “Not having a room to myself is the hardest.  I don’t think I have ever shared a room with anyone.”

Laun saw the string and tugged, saying, “Oh, that is a shame.  I am sure that there are some of our women who would be willing to share their rooms with you.”

His eyes went to his hands and Laun saw a bit of a blush.  “Thank you for the offer, Lady, but that is not necessary.”

Laun smiled.  “We should talk about that in private, then.  I have a feeling that you may have several offers from others of the household, if your likes were known.”  She caught his eye as he looked back up, a look of shock hardly covered.  She tilted her head and nodded, mostly to herself.

A small hush came over the people near one of the kitchen doors.  Several of the protectors stood, the menacing look on their faces and postures quieting others around them.  Laun looked over and could not see through the bodies, but knew that whomever it was, they were coming towards her.  She felt the dried mud on her forehead as her eyebrows came together in concern and stopped herself from scratching as her eyes followed the moving silence.

Flanked by Kell and Hazalam, the assassin was making his way through the Great Hall.  His arm was strapped to his chest, his head being held high as he walked between the people in the room.  He came to the clear spot by the cot and bowed as well as he could and then waited.

Laun felt the energy in the room change.  Fount had been siting near one of the fireplaces, Hunter by the other and Laun could now see both of their black haired heads as they forced their way closer.  Laun could hear blades being drawn from sheaths around her, a smell of bloodlust heating the Summer night higher.  Gem behind her had stepped closer and Laun could feel her body heat at her back.  Hazalam made a few signs and Laun knew that the man was ready for his delayed confrontation.  With the calmness she saw on the three who approached her, she thought she knew what it was going to be.

Laun stood with only a little difficulty and motioned the man forward.  He stepped forward and then knelt.  His head went down briefly and then up again, looking Laun in the eyes.  It was public.  Very public.  If he were to try to kill her, he knew he was dead before he had left the ground.

“You have come to me.  Have you made a decision as to your fate?”  Laun did not have any blades on her right then.  She felt naked, though she knew that almost everyone around her had at least one dirk or dagger on them and in hand, some many more than that.

He bowed his head and said, “I have, your Highness.  If you would have me, I would join you and your rogues.”

Laun held her hand to the side and with a word over her shoulder, Gem put her onyx pommeled knife into it.  “You are cutting all ties to the life you had before, renouncing the contracts and duties you have?”

His head stayed down as he said, “I renounce all that I was before, all contracts and duties, to start following you.”

Laun stepped forward, a hushed surge starting and ending in that one movement.  “I accept you at your word.”

He looked up and said, “As you will, I will do.”  He saw the bared blade in her hand and his jaw muscles started to work as he looked up at her.  Laun stepped closer and put her hand on his cheek, a small smear of almost dried mud from the Grey coming from one of her fingernails.  She smiled and pushed slightly.  He resisted for a moment and then his head went to the side.  Laun placed the assassin’s dagger along his neck and drew lightly along his skin, a breath in and a drop of blood coming from the man.

Stepping back, Laun held the knife out to the side and let the blood drip from the blade to the stone floor.  “Your old life is dead.  Your new life begins.  I accept your blood and your hand as mine as you accept my hand and word into you.”  She held her other hand to him and he kissed the back of her hand.

There was a hushed murmur through the crowd.  Laun handed the blade back to Gem and motioned the man from the floor.  She said in a low tone to him, “What shall you be called?”

He stood and bowed his head slightly.  “I am new again.  I have no name, Highness.”

Laun looked at him and thought for a moment.  So that others could hear, Laun said, “Welcome to Salam-Dir and to my rogues, Evan.”  She lowered her tone again and said, “You are still to be watched.  Mainly by our healers.”

He nodded, a fleeting smile on his lips as he awkwardly bowed and stepped back slightly before turning to Kell.  The healer was trying not to smile as she motioned and they made their way back through the crowd.  Hazalam nodded to Laun and followed the newest member of their group.

Laun sat, suddenly very weary.  She drank the last of her tea and burped slightly.  She nodded to those on the benches around her and laid down without a word.  She was tired and sleep took her within moments of her body being prone on the cot.

There was a rocking sensation that Laun woke to.  She was being carried in the cot, four people holding the corners.  They were at the privy within a few strides of her waking.  She was helped to and from the facilities and then back on the cot for the journey up the stairs to her room.  She was helped into bed, a light cover over her as she had the pillows and blankets propping her for the rest of the nights sleep.  A body was behind her as she fell back asleep, a tin whistle lightly playing a lullaby.