Childbirth Recollections

Chapter 8: Poetry

Disclaimer: These characters don't belong to me. They never have, and never will, as much as I might wish it otherwise. They belong to Tamora Pierce, who doesn't get nearly as much credit as she deserves. Her stories are wonderful! The plot, and most of the memories, is mine, though. I also own Harold, Alessandro, Alexander, Risa (because I'm calling her something other than what TP called her), Lucy, Gregory, Alyss, Kelandria, and almost all the children:)

Baroness Illane of Mindelan was downstairs talking to Lalasa and the children of Mindelan. Conal and Inness were talking to the men-at-arms. Neal and Lady Alanna were still inside that gods-damned room with Kel, waiting for the local midwife to turn up. Alanna was hoping that she'd bring vervain with her. The Goddess was needed. Duke Baird was talking with some of the ex-convicts from Haven and New Hope. Yuki was taking care of her children and talking to Princess Shinkokami. Prince Roald was talking with Merric and some of Kel's other invited guests. Lord Wyldon was talking with Lord Raoul. Everyone was waiting for Kel's husband to arrive.

Nobody noticed Sergent Domitan of Masbolle sneaking upstairs and into Lady Keladry's bedroom. The very air he breathed smelt like her. There was her glaive, leaning against the wall in the corner where she had left it that morning. And above the bed –

It seemed Kel had adopted an idea of some of the court ladies. Above her bed was a sweet dreams bag. Carefully leaning over, Dom picked it up and opened it up, tipping the contents onto Kel's bed. There was a griffin's feather, presumably from the baby griffin she was saddled with during her squiredom. There was a strand of red yarn. While most of the red yarn Kel had picked up in Scanra had been sewn back onto the head of Meech's doll once the party had returned to Tortall, it seemed Kel had kept a strand to remind her of the adventure and the courage of the refugee children she loved dearly. Here was a button that looked suspiciously like one Dom had lost at Steadfast. He could swear it had been sewn on tightly to his tunic, but it had gone missing. Maybe she still did love him, even if it was as a friend.

Here was a lock of Neal's hair, left over from their infamous duel.

The refugee's of New Hope were getting restless. No attacks had come for a while, so they were getting bored. Neal kept making jokes that were more than slightly off colour. Kel had decided to see how well he would cope if she 'took offence' to something he said. Therefore, she challenged him to a duel. Neal practically fainted. They took it outside the walls, and onto a flat patch, were swords were drawn. Kel didn't really want to hurt Neal, so she was careful. After twenty minutes of fencing, Kel took a swing at Neal's head, close enough for a tuft of hair which was sticking up to be severed. This time, Neal really did faint.

Kel had kept the tuft to remind her of that day. That tuft of hair had always annoyed her. It wouldn't lie flat.

Dom smiled at the memory. It was always fun to see Meathead scared, especially when it was his love doing it. Then he sighed. While she was his love, he wasn't hers, and hadn't been for quite some time. He picked up the next object. A Yamani coin, from her time in the Islands. That must hold many memories for her. Looking down at the pile of objects remaining, a piece of paper caught his attention. It was old, and slightly yellowed. To his untrained eye, it looked about three and a half years old, give or take. Carefully, he smoothed it open. Words, written in blue ink jumped out at him. As he read what was written on that fateful piece of paper, his heart sank, and he sank onto her bed.

My dearest Keladry, it read.

Although I had to leave you,

I hope you will forgive.

For as long as the sun does shine,

My love for you will live.

This silence does oppress me,

I know you wish it so,

But this I swear with all my heart,

And I want everyone to know:

The day you do not love me

Is the day that I will die,

My heart will wither in my chest

With a godforsaken cry.

I will be ripped to pieces,

My heart beyond repair.

I will go to the Peaceful Realms,

And hope you find me there.

I love you.

The note was unsigned, but Dom had no doubts about who had written such a poem to his Lady Knight. A silent tear ran down his cheek.

Alessandro was still upset, even after talking to his beloved grandmother. Quietly he slipped into Kel's bedroom. An unknown man was sitting on her bed, tears pouring down his face. Quietly, so as not to disturb him, Alessandro slipped his hand into the man's. The man looked down into the small boys face, and took a deep breath. This boy needed comforting more than he himself did.

Lalasa had finished talking to the Baroness. While she did love children, Lalasa was still off men. Just because no one had tried to take her on in a while doesn't mean that there wasn't a nasty bastard out there, waiting to pounce. Her father had seemed a nice, quiet, gentle man when her mother had gotten an interest in him. It was only once they were married that he began to show his true colours. Lady Kel had always tried to teach Lalasa to defend herself, as well as show her that not all men were like that. Slowly, Lalasa was beginning to trust those of the male gender. Why, in one of her talks with Lady Kel, Kel had poured her heart out to Lalasa…

Kel had come in for a new dress fitting.

'I'm going to that ball at Queenscove. Yuki and Neal both invited me. It's Alyss's naming ceremony, and afterwards, there's to be a ball!' The Lady Knight had sounded so thrilled, which was slightly odd.

'May I enquire as to whom are to be named as gods-parents, my lady?' Lalasa inquired.

'Oh, Lalasa, that's just the thing! I don't think it should be me, as I'm already gods-mother to Gregory and Elena. Having all three children as my gods-children would seem strange, don't you agree?'

'Don't you think that when Alyss is old enough to consider life, she'd feel left out as the only one of the Queenscove children not to have her beloved Aunty Keladry, Lady Knight of Tortall, as a gods-mother? I know if it were me, I would. Happened to some people at the village I grew up in. There were four children in the family, Gibbs, I think they were called. Only the eldest didn't have the same gods-parents as the others. The Millers (that was the name of the gods-parents) had four children also. The eldest Gibbs became best friends with the eldest Miller girl, and was quite upset that her best friend's parents were not her own gods-parents, even though they were gods-parent of all her brothers and sisters. In the end, the Millers adopted her as an honorary gods-daughter. Don't you think that baby Alyss would feel the same way?' Lalasa pointed out. 'My lady.' She added, just in case she wasn't being respectful enough

'I never thought of it that way,' Kel said. 'Though I suppose it's a fair point. I guess it would save a lot of heartache and hurt feelings for me just to accept. Alright, Lalasa, you've convinced me.'

'Who else gets the honour, my lady?'

'Oh, stop calling me 'my lady', please, Lalasa. I put up with it when you were my maid, I put up with it when other people are around, but really, I don't want to put up with it if there's no one to see or comment if you don't.'

'Yes, my lady.'

'Right. Now you're just teasing.'

'Yes, my lady.'

'Oh, shut up, you!' Kel laughed.

'Well, my lady, if you insist!'

They were silent for a while, and then –

'Lalasa?' Kel spoke hesitantly.

'Yes, my lady?'

'I- I'm in a spot of trouble.'

'Tr-trouble, my lady?'

'Not trouble, exactly. And not with a man, exactly. It's just- well, Cleon seems to be acting more like he did when we were squires. He's married, but he seems like he wants me, but he's married to that stuck-up prig he calls a wife. It's almost like he wants me to be his mistress. But I'd never do that. Never. And, well, Dom, he seems strange. He's just as handsome as he was before, but, he seems different. Less there. More out of the way. I don't think I love him anymore, and I keep thinking about Cleon, but I don't love him either. Oh, what am I to do?'

'My lady–'

'Kel.' Kel said firmly

'Kel, I'm not really the best person to talk to about this sort of thing.

It had taken a very long time, but Kyprioth had finally rounded up most of the tricksters. Only one trickster with the power to do some serious damage was missing. The Graveyard Hag. Using a charm he had learnt from his dear sister, Kyprioth bound the tricksters' powers, so they could not interfere. Interference at this time could be –would be- fatal. Though Kyprioth resented being called like a dog, George was right. He was in debt.

Kyprioth sighed. There was only one thing or it. He needed to get his sister in contact with the lioness, and fast. And that would mean giving up on his dear cousin the Hag.

Far below, the village midwife felt herself being picked up and dragged towards the castle.