The woman in the bed wailed and flopped down, the women beside her wiping her forehead and offering encouragement.
“Nobles,” Plumestra snorted as she leaned in, her hands getting deeper. “They won’t follow advice, expect miracles, and forget to pay. Demanding or stupid or both. No, don’t push,” Plumestra warned the woman. “Catch your breath and give me a chance to shift the babe.”
Avice winced. The room was over-warm and smelled of blood, sweat, and feces. The
poor woman’s legs splayed wide, her belly heaving. No effort at modesty here, that was certain.
All for a squalling mite that latched to a tit. Avice looked away.
Mira, however, was fascinated. “Breech?” she asked, getting closer.
“Aye.” The midwife eyed her. “How much experience have you?”
“I have attended three births,” Mira said.
“Three, eh?” Plumestra shook her head. “Then roll up those fancy sleeves and aid me. This one’s decided feet first works just fine.”
Mira shed her cloak without another word and started on her sleeves.
Avice lost patience with all of them. “The Queen requires your services,” she announced over the woman’s panting. “Immediately.”
“I refused Queen Kara, who wanted me at her beck and call in the field of battle, what makes you think I will serve Queen Satia?” Plumestra removed one bloody, muck-covered hand and reached to guide Mira’s. The wailing grew louder. “Feel its head?”
Avice decided to focus on a spot on the wall. “The Queen bears the heir to the throne and demands your service.”
“So that’s how it’s to be? Now? With my hand up this lady’s womb?” Plumestra snorted. “Let me guess, I’m to drop everything and rush to her bidding or she’ll lop off my head.” Her attention shifted to Mira. “Now have a care, we shift gently, you see? But we needs be swift as well, for the fluid’s gone and this one needs to be breathing. You push, I’ll pull.” She lifted her head to the woman on the bed. “Anstra, you just breathe now. Bear down only when I tell ya.”
Avice pressed her lips together and waited.
It didn’t take long, with Mira and Plumestra working together. There was shouting and pushing and what all, and then the screams of a naked, female infant pulled from the belly.
“Healthy lungs,” Plumestra said as Mira beamed. The babe was handed off to one of the waiting women as the other cut the cord, saying the ritual prayers. Plumestra wiped her hands. “Now the work’s not done, Anstra. Catch your breath and we’ll work on the afterbirth. In the meantime,” she turned and glared at Avice.
“That was amazing,” Mira bubbled as she watched the babe cleaned and placed on her mother’s breast. She wiped her hands and rolled down her sleeves. “A new, precious life.”
Plumestra’s face softened, but hardened again as she caught a glimpse of the bondmark on Mira’s wrist. “And who do I have to thank for bringing me to the attention of the Queen?”
“Guildmaster Forterran,” Mira spoke before Avice could stop her.
“Well, I will have to thank the Guildmaster for his thoughtfulness,” Plumestra said. “But my answer’s still ‘no’. Find one of them that serve the nobility and leave me to my own.”
Mira went wide-eyed, clearly startled. They were not in a position to accept a “no.”
Something the Guildmaster had said clicked in Avice’s head. “A charter.”
Plumestra turned back, an eyebrow raised.
“A guild charter,” Avice repeated, pleased that she’d caught the older woman by surprise.
Plumestra’s eyes narrowed. “I suspect Guildmaster Forterran mentioned that as well?”
Avice nodded. “And I’ll not pretend I have the authority to offer it. But Queen Satia does.”
“And she might,” Mira piped.
“I see,” Plumestra said slowly.
One of the older females swaddled the babe and took it into the outer room. Cries of joy and delight greeted her.
