Beginning of the whole story in Chapter One of The Slave Warrior
Back to Chapter 22 in The Slave Lady
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Laun walked into the room and saw there were envelopes and a few boxes on the small writing desk. She put the flowers on the pile. She paused and poked at one of the boxes before going to the bathing room. There were a few women servants waiting for her, a bath drawn. Laun thanked them and let the clothing she had borrowed be taken from her.
The color was washed from her face and her hair was brushed from the braid. The lavender scent from the soap washed the nervous feeling and smell from her and she felt her back relax as the soap was being used as lubrication for the servant’s hands. She was helped into the tub. The little pains she had been ignoring came out and she breathed through it, deeply and with concentration.
The servants did not let her fall asleep in the copper tub. She was happy about that, but also wistful as she stood and the weight of the baby was full on her back again.
They dried her off and put her into a different garment. A robe that tied around her with room to spare, but without the length to trip her up as the white dress had. Her hair was held up by a pin and her feet were in soft, shapeless slippers. She ignored the men kneeling at the edge of the bed and went to the writing desk.
She opened and looked at and categorized the messages and little trinkets that had been sent. Several others came in while she was at the desk, making Laun frown. Most were invites to have a meal. One was an invite to go see the harbor, and the man’s ship. There were little pots of perfume that Laun put off to the side. A small silver necklace was in one box, from the man who told her of his trip up the river.
And there was the paper from around the flowers. Laun unrolled it and found a block printed flyer for a traveling troupe. Laun expected that it had been the entertainers that had been hired for the evening. There was a small scrawl that Laun could make out saying, “Ask for Adelmar.”
None needed to be answered right then. It was far past first bell and Laun thought that anyone who expected an answer before the next day should wait on principal. She was tired, but she felt she had something to do. »Read More