“Your death—”
“You prefer those that serve you to cower, don’t you? Dread your displeasure, fear your reprisals,” Plumestra observed coolly.
Mira couldn’t even breathe.
“I am old enough that I no longer care to play games. Lop of my head if you wish,” the midwife said. “A quick death would be fine with me.”
“It doesn’t have to be quick,” Satia snarled. “Or perhaps I will lop off your husband’s head. Nightsoil Guildsman, I believe?”
Mira froze.
Plumestra’s eyes narrowed. “You go too far, missy.” The midwife turned on her heel, her skirts swishing the floor she spun so fast. “Send your executioners. Your guards know the way.”
Mira couldn’t take it anymore. “What matters most,” she blurted out, “is the health and safety of the babe.”
The two stubborn women went silent. Mira could not breathe for the weight of that silence.
Satia broke first. “I would ask for your services for the birth of the heir,” she said, her tone cool and formal. “I would ask that you take up residence in the Palace perhaps two weeks before the birth.”
Plumestra heaved a sigh and turned back to the Queen. “One week,” she said, just as cool and formal as the other.
“Very well,” Satia agreed.
Mira remembered to breathe.
“I would ask that you take my advice, based on years of experience,” Plumestra said, “and forgive my plain speaking.”
“Agreed,” Satia sagged back on her pillows and grimaced.
“Let see how the babe is doing,” Plumestra started to roll up her sleeves.
“Must you?” Satia asked, shifting on the couch. “I—”
Plumestra raised an eyebrow.
Satia sighed. Mira released her grip on the dagger and stepped forward to help pull back the blankets. “You will speak to no one of this,” Satia growled.
“Yes, of course,” Plumestra said.
Mira watched, fascinated, as Plumestra felt the babe and checked between the Bonded’s legs, quickly and surely, all the time asking questions about diet and bowels and activity. ‘Twas masterfully done, to be sure. Mira let herself relax now that the weight of the birth was off her shoulders alone. She’d have someone to ask, someone to guide her. The relief was immeasurable.
When she was finished, Plumestra began to pull up the blankets and Mira hastened to aid her. “The babe is well and you don’t have much longer to wait.” Plumestra started rolling down her sleeves.
“Surely I am in the early months yet,” Satia said.
The midwife narrowed her eyes. “If you wish that to be true, so be it. Then I tell you the babe will come earlier than one might expect.”
Satia huffed.
“Some women bear easy, some bear hard,” Plumestra continued. “From what you have experienced so far, I suspect you will not have an easy time of it. Forget the stories you have been told. Birth is hard on a woman’s body.”
“I know that.” Satia glared at the midwife.
“Knowing and experiencing are two very different things,” Plumestra said. “Still, there are things we can do to make you more comfortable. For one thing, laying about like a wounded cow is of no use.”
Mira closed her eyes as Satia sputtered in rage.
“Yes, I know, execution,” Plumestra said. “Do so after I give the advice that you will certainly ignore. You need to move more. Outside. Long walks. It will aid in the swelling and unblock your bowels. As to your stomach, no more sugar in the tea. Unsweetened weak tea and dry crackers to go with it when the sickness hits. No more sweets of any kind and avoid spices and garlic.”
