Glad Tidings

Writers: Estelle, Miriah
Date Posted: 3rd December 2020

Characters: Asaile, Brina, Riadem
Description: Asaile receives the news she has been waiting for
Location: Sunstone Seahold
Date: month 7, day 20 of Turn 10
Notes: Mentioned: Bryvin, Tarani

Asaile

Brina

Though Asaile stepped quietly through the hallway, the ladies that
followed her as her new retinue were not as silent as the new Lady
Holder. The Ladies chattered softly amongst themselves, some speaking
of the latest fashions, some of rumors about newly arriving young men
that wished to prove themselves to the Lord Holder. The maids,
however, especially Lady Asaile's maid's were quiet, looking between
themselves knowingly and with hidden little smiles.

"Excuse me, Ladies, I would like to speak to Lady Brina privately."
The Ladies paused in their chatter and at a gesture from one of the
newest, Humari, they dispersed, leaving only Asaile's two maids.
Asaile looked at the door to Brina's office and tapped on the door.
"Lady Brina, may I have a word please? It's important."

"Of course, Lady Asaile. Please come in." Brina put aside the list she'd
been working on and stood, a warm smile on her face. In a corner, her
maid Lioran also rose, the skirt she'd been mending draped over her arm
as she curtsied. "I hope you're feeling better today?"

"A little, yes. Thank you." Asaile dismissed one of her maids and came
in. She swallowed and her hands fidgeted as she smiled quickly at
Lioran. "Lady Brina," she took a breath and then smiled, just a little.
"My time...it didn't come. It did after the wedding. " She
remembered
how heartbroken she'd been, but when she'd told Bryvin of her failure,
he'd been kind and understanding. "But this month, it hasn't.
And
I've started feeling very ill in the mornings and afternoons. "

Brina gave a little gasp and she reached out to take Asaile's hands in
hers. Although she told herself at once not to get too excited, that it
was still very early and the Lady Holder was very young, she couldn't
quite keep the spark of joy from her eyes. "Do you think - have you seen
a healer?"

The sight of the happiness in Brina's eyes brought a full smile to
Asaile's expression even as her own eyes moistened. "I think so. I've
not been yet, but my breasts have felt sore as well, much more than
before my monthlies." She squeezed Brina's hands in her own. "I think
my Lord's seed has rooted, Lady Brina. I think I carry his child in
me. I was hoping that you might help me arrange for a Healer to come
here to check. I don't want to make a fuss or cause rumors if I go
myself and I've failed again, but I would very much like to make sure. "

"I quite understand. Shall I send Lioran for Journeyman Riadem? She's
very discreet," Brina suggested. Behind her, the maid quietly folded her
sewing away.

Asaile nodded. "If you would, yes please, Lady Brina. And would you
mind terribly staying with me while he's here? He's a Healer, but he's
also a man and I wouldn't want to appear inappropriate." She released
one of Brina's hands to lay on her belly. "And, honestly, I'm
nervous. I've not told Lord Bryvin of my suspicions yet. "

"Of course I'll stay. Come and sit down." Brina nodded to Lioran, who
curtsied again and silently left the room while her lady led Asaile to
the comfortable easy chair where her brother often sat when he visited.
When the girl was settled, she spoke again, her voice low though only
the one maid remained. "No matter what the journeyman says, I hope you
won't feel that you've failed. Sometimes it takes time; it did for me. I
know Lord Bryvin will still love you dearly, whether or not you have
children together."

"My purpose as a wife is to bear him children, Lady Brina, and to bring
honor to my family " Asaile's voice was soft, but resolute. "My mother
was only able to bear two daughters and my sister, well," she sighed,
"she will never marry. She has the mind of a child. My uncle died
without a wife to give him children and my grandfather only had two
children. I'm the last of my line." She laid a hand on her belly. "If I
bear a male child, he may not be the heir to Sunstone Seahold, but he
could be the heir to Beryl Peak. I can't fail, Lady Brina. It's too
important, not only to Lord Bryvin, but to my family too. "

"That's a heavy weight to carry." She spoke with sympathy, hiding her
concern. It would be hard on the child, too, if there was one, boy or
girl, with such a valuable hold as Beryl Peak at stake. If the death of
Lord Rorrigraf had released Lady Tarani from her engagement, it had made
Lady Asaile's position more constrained. "But it's still very early. And
perhaps we'll have good news." The symptoms did sound promising.

"It is. I was hoping that perhaps Tarani would be happy with my
grandfather and that she might give him a direct heir. I did so want to
call her family." Perhaps it was a selfish wish, but now it didn't
matter. She offered Brina a hopeful smile. "I do want to give Lord
Bryvin children. It's my fondest wish. I'm hoping that I've caught."
She paused and glanced at her maid, speaking just as softly. "May I ask
you a question of a rather personal nature?"

"Yes, certainly," Brina replied, wondering what it might be. She
regarded the Lady Holder with clear brown eyes, reassuring her. "We are
sisters, after all, so you can tell me anything."

Asaile shifted in her seat, her cheeks pinkened at what she was going
to ask. "My mother, she told me that once a woman got with child, a
husband would cease his attentions on her until after the child was
born. " Her mother's instructions about the wedding had been truthful in
part, but hadn't been wholly accurate in what she'd experienced. "Was
that true with your husband? Is that what I should expect?"

Brina was quiet for a moment, considering what she would say. "I think
it differs from man to man. When I was expecting my daughter, my husband
and I had been married for many Turns. We'd come to be comfortable with
each other, and he was loving, even...intimate to me for most of the
pregnancy. It isn't wrong and it won't harm the child. I've heard that
other men prefer to stay apart from their wives. Sometimes it's out of
consideration." She leaned closer and took her hands again. "Whichever
he chooses, you shouldn't worry. Trust that he loves and wants the best
for you."

Asaile nodded slowly. Bryvin had been nothing but tender and gentle
with her whenever he came to her bed. If he chose to stay away, she'd
miss his attentions, but again, it was his choice. She had little say
in the matter. She squeezed Brina's hands in thanks. "I know."

The older woman smiled. She'd called Asaile sister, and Lady of the
Hold, but it felt more as though she was giving advice to a daughter.
That wasn't a pleasure she'd imagined she would experience again. "You
know, I don't think it would be improper for you to ask him to stay, if
that's what you'd prefer. I think he'd like to hear that."

Asaile's face flamed bright red and she looked down. "Oh, I don't
think I could ever be so forward. I wouldn't even know how to tell him
that." She was about to continue when there was a rap on the door and
she looked up, her breath catching. As the maid led Riadem into the
small room, she flushed and looked back down again.

Riadem was surprisingly understanding as to why he was brought to the
Lady Brina's quarters. But there was a reserve about him, as though he
would have rather been elsewhere; he remained, however, professional
in his manner. "Lady Brina, Lady Asaile, I understand that there's a
suspicion of a pregnancy that you'd like confirmed?"

"Well, it isn't mine, Journeyman," Brina said lightly, hoping to ease
Asaile's nervousness. "The Lady Holder has had some signs, and we hoped
you could examine her."

"Of course. " His smile was brief. "Lady Asaile, you will have to
disrobe down to your shift please. I'll step out to allow privacy. When
you're ready, please lay on the bed. You'll need to have your shift up
to your waist, but you can cover yourself with a sheet for modesty
unless I need to examine you more directly. "

Asaile flushed, looking at Brina for confirmation. When it was given,
Riadem did as he outfitted and stepped out. Her maid helped her shed
her gown and arranged her carefully on Brina's bed. Asaile held Brina's
hand tightly as Riadem was allowed back inside.

After washing his hands, Riadem kept the exam thorough, but as brief
as possible. Palpitating her abdomen, he concentrated, then paused.
"Forgive me, Lady but I'll have to touch you to make sure."

Asaile's face was flaming red by the time he finished, her grip tight
on Brina's until he finished and moved away to wash his hands once
again. "Well, Riadem?"

Riadem hid his expression well; he'd wanted to be wrong, if only to
spite Bryvin. His voice was even. "Congratulations, Lady Asaile. You're
with child. It's very early, mind you. You'll need to see me in two
sevendays. We should be able to hear the heartbeat by then."

Brina gave a soft gasp and turned to Asaile, all smiles, her arms open
to embrace the girl. "Oh, that's wonderful!" Such examinations were
never pleasant, but this one had brought the news they'd been hoping
for. "My brother will be so happy, as will the Hold."

Asaile gasped, sitting up at the news. As Brina embraced her, the look
on her face was beatific and full of her own joy. "A baby! Lady Brina,
I'm having a baby!"

Riadem nodded in confirmation, his smile appearing pleasant. "Yes,
Lady. When you're ready, you can come to the infirmary and we can talk
over some tea about a good diet and what you can expect over the next
months. A another child for the Lord Holder must certainly be
celebrated. " He inclined his head. "Lady Brina, Lady Asaile, I'll be
leaving you now. I'll say nothing to the Lord Holder and allow you the
honors of informing him. Have a good day." He slipped out, pleasant
smile falling the moment he stepped out of the door.

Asaile didn't even notice him leave, so caught up in her own happiness. "A
baby, Lady Brina! I'm having my Lord's child. I hope it's a boy! And I
hope he's happy!"

"I know he will be." The young Lady's joy brought back memories of the
moment when Brina had discovered her own pregnancy, how she'd been
thrilled and terrified all at once at the thought of the tiny life
growing inside her. She smiled. "Will you tell him right away? I'm sure
no Hold business could be more important than to hear this news."

"Do you think I should?" Asaile hurriedly got up and dressed with the
help of her maid. She couldn't help but constantly touch her belly,
still flat and trim beneath her gown. "I can hardly believe it myself.
I'm going to be a mother." Her eyes welled with sudden happy tears
that she quickly brushed away. "I don't know what to do first." Her
thoughts scattered everywhere. "After I tell him, of course."

"The first thing to do is to sit down, put your feet up, take a deep
breath and relax," Brina said, laughter in her voice. "And then, you can
make a list of everything you need to do, and when. You can't go wrong
with a list." It was something she'd often told the young ladies. "But
after you tell him."

"Yes. A list." Asaile nodded, still beaming. "I'll make a list. After
I tell Lord Bryvin."

Last updated on the December 14th 2020

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Glad Tidings