by Kat Brewer
“Are you alright?”
“Yes. God, that was awful. My head didn’t hurt this time, though. Maybe that’s a good sign.” She smiled weakly at her friend.
Kara frowned at her and felt her forehead.
“Perhaps you should see the physician again,” Kara said.
“No, I am sure it’s okay. I feel fine now. Let’s take that ride, the fresh air will do me good.” She walked determinedly towards the stables and asked the groom to saddle her horse and Kara’s.
Kara was still looking at her uncertainly, concern marring her features.
“Really, Kara. I know it will do me good.” Kara nodded and mounted up with her when their horses were brought forward.
They rode for quite a while, and when they returned to the stables, Cassie’s stomach began turning again. A wave of dizziness overtook her as she dismounted, and she blacked out just as she swung her leg over the pommel.
Kara cried out as she watched helplessly as Cassie fell to the ground, her head hitting hard against the cobblestones.
Leaping from the saddle, Kara ran to her friend, followed quickly by some of the grooms. Blood ran from Cassie’s temple as she lay on her side, motionless.
“Help me get her up, and someone go fetch the physician, NOW!” Kara shouted.
A small group of nearby warriors ran forward and helped Kara to carry Cassie’s limp body inside the Palace.
The women moved quickly with their burden to the door of Cassie’s chamber, kicking it open as they carried her inside.
Cassie’s men had been up for a while and were doing busy work while they awaited her return. They cried out when they saw the blood on their Mistress’s head.
Mika moved quickly and gathered her into his arms and walked rapidly to her bed, laying her down.
“She fell getting off of her horse. I have sent for the physician. Remove her clothing and put something comfortable on her. Tell the others to gather cloth for bandages and to heat some water.”
She clipped out the orders in her usual direct manner, and the men moved quickly to obey her commands.
Cassie stirred and groaned. She tried to sit up, but Kara pushed her back down as Aidan quickly removed her clothing and replaced it with a soft cotton shift.
Mika held a cloth to her head-wound, staunching the blood flow as they waited for the physician. Soon, the woman scurried into the room followed by her assistant.
“What has happened?” she asked as she set to work, checking the wound and cleaning it.
“She fell dismounting her horse. I believe her boot was caught in the stirrup,” Kara said. The little woman tsked and applied a poultice to the cut, efficiently bandaging the wound.
“Has she regained consciousness?” she asked.
“No, but she groaned and tried to sit a moment before you came in,” Kara replied. The woman harrumphed as she pried open one of Cassie’s eyes and checked her pupil.
She lightly slapped Cassie’s cheeks, much to the horror of Kara and her Commander’s slaves.
“Wake up, Cassandra!” The words were followed by a smart crack to the cheek.
“What are you doing? Stop that!” Kara cried, angry beyond words as she reached out towards the healer.
“Be quiet, young woman. I do not tell you how to fight; do not tell me how to heal,” was the woman’s unruffled retort.
“Now, see here! I will not just sit here and let you hit her like that.” Kara reached for the woman’s hand as she moved to slap Cassie again.
“For God’s sake, will you two shut up? My head is killing me,” Cassie growled, forcing her eyes open to glare at the near-to-brawling women. “Shit.”
“Do you know who you are?” the physician asked.
“A better question is do you know who I am? Because I am thinking seriously of killing you both if you don’t pipe down,” Cassie said huskily.
Kara choked on a relieved laugh.
“Humor me, Commander, and tell me your name,” the physician said.
“I am Lady Cassandra, Commander of the Queen’s Guard, and you are going to get me something for this headache, right?” Cassie said.
The physician smiled and reached into her bag. She pulled out a vial of brown liquid and handed it to Cassie.
Cassie pulled the top off and swallowed it quickly, knowing it would taste awful. She grimaced and gave Mika a slight smile when he handed her a goblet of water.
“What happened?”
“You fell from the horse and cracked your head on the stones,” Kara replied, and Cassie groaned in memory.
“Oh, God. Yes, I was so flipping dizzy, and then I blacked out. Good thing you were there, Kara. Thank you.” She rubbed her temples and felt for the bandage that was wrapped around her head.
She looked up at her men who ringed the bed and smiled. Just then, her chamber door burst open and Nera ran into the room. Seeing them at her bedside, she came quickly to her.
“Cassandra, are you all right? They said you fell again.” On seeing her friend sitting up, she smiled in relief. “What have you done now?” Nera chuckled.
“I blacked out and fell off of the freaking horse. I swear this is getting old! First, I get clocked by a limb, and now I faint and fall off. The poor horse probably thinks I’m crazy.” They all laughed. “Nera, were all of the survivors recovered? I gave the order before I rode off after that Trevian, but I forgot to ask about the rest of my women and Quinn as well.” They all froze and stared at her as her words sunk in.
“Cassandra, you remember? Has your memory returned?” Nera asked. Cassie frowned and rubbed her forehead.
She could remember. It was all there, and despite her headache, she laughed and jumped out of bed, launching herself at Nera and Kara.
“I remember! I can remember everything! Oh, my God! I am so happy! Yes!” She crowed, and the women grabbed her and hugged her tightly. After a moment, Cassie broke away as anger suffused her face. “I will kill him. I will kill him for what he has done. Nera, forgive me. I must go do something that will start a war.” Cassie spun and began rummaging through her clothing looking for her battle gear.
Her slaves stood in bewilderment and fear. They had not been told of what Nall had done. Nera took Cassie’s arm, stilling her frantic movements.
“Cassie,” she said.
Cassie turned to look at her Queen.
Suddenly, a dam burst inside of her, and she started crying. Loud, ugly sobs tore from her as Nera pulled her into her arms. All of her love for him, as well as all of the grief, anger, and betrayal, sobbed out and onto her Queen’s shoulder, and she felt Kara come wrap her arms around the both of them.
Finally, her sobs subsided to hiccups, and she stepped from their embrace, looking at them gratefully.
“Forgive me,” was all that she said. They assured her there was nothing to forgive. “You are the best of friends. I will not kill Nall. Not just yet anyway.” She wiped the remainder of her tears from her face with both hands.
“Cassie, will you be all right?” Kara asked, and Cassie caressed her friend’s face gently.
“Yes, I think I will be well now, thank you. Thank you both, for being my friends.” They smiled at her and hugged her tightly once more. The physician left an extra bottle of medicine as she went, and Nera and Kara followed not long behind her, leaving their restored friend to her rest.
Cassie got back into her bed and lay down. Kai placed a cool wet cloth on her forehead, and she caught his hand, bringing it to her lips. She looked up and saw they all surrounded her, literally wringing their hands.
They were frightened and confused by all that had just happened, so she patted the bed, asking silently for them to join her. They piled on and lay or sat around her, gazing at her expectantly.
“Mistress, what did Prince Nall do to you?” Mika spoke for the group, and his voice was hesitant.
Cassie sighed.
“He found me in the forest after I fell and took me back to his keep. He didn’t tell me he kn
ew me, and he led me to believe I was a woman of his country. He then courted me and eventually asked me to be his wife.” Their eyes were open wide in astonishment and then in anger at his deceit.
He would have taken her from them permanently if he had not been found out.
“I had no memory of anything, and I would have gladly become his wife. Then, King Darien showed up.” She watched as each of them battled with his anger and outrage before they looked at her again.
“It’s over now, my loves. I am returned to you fully. I will handle Lord Nall if the time comes. Let us just be grateful my memory has been restored.” She touched each of them gently, and they each managed a smile for her. She then relaxed back onto the bed and closed her eyes.
What was she going to do about Nall?
Chapter Thirty Two
The months passed slowly, and Cassie returned to her full strength with no lingering effects except for occasional nausea, but that, too, subsided in time.
It wasn’t until a morning several months after her return that she realized her leather breeches had become uncomfortably tight.
“Kara, I can’t figure it out, how am I getting fat?” The two women were lounging in Cassie’s rooms, enjoying a day off from training, and allowing Cassie’s slaves to pamper them. “Look at this.”
She pulled up the soft flowing tunic top that she had taken to wearing because of her growing middle. Kara gazed at her belly in fascination, and then, unbelievably, she laughed.
“Cassie, you are pregnant!”
“What? No. I can’t get pregnant; you know that.” Her face creased as she thought about all of the intestinal gas she had experienced lately. Could it have actually been the movements of a baby?
No, they told her she was incapable of having children, and that was sophisticated medicine.
Doubt assailed her as she took in the shape of her belly. It wasn’t formed of soft folds of fat; it was firm. Her eyes flew to Kara’s. “Oh my God, Kara…” Panic ran through her.
“Calm down, Cassie. A baby would be wonderful. We could train her ourselves to be the greatest warrior in Erla, second only to her mother of course,” Kara said with a grin.
“Kara, how can I tell for sure? Do you even have pregnancy tests in this world?”
“Let me send for the physician. She will be able to tell you immediately.” Kara motioned to Kai, and he ran forward to bow at her feet. “Kai, go fetch the Queen’s physician.”
At Kara’s words, the slaves’ collective attention shot to their Mistress. They had not heard the women’s talk about pregnancy, so they assumed Cassie didn’t feel well, and they rushed to her side to offer to assist her.
“You all can relax. I just have a question,” Cassie said, motioning to them to return to their cushions. She didn’t want to say anything to them until she was sure. Several minutes later, Kai returned with the physician in tow.
Cassie rose to greet her.
“Are you unwell, My Lady?” the woman asked.
Cassie could almost feel her men’s eyes on her, and she knew they listened intently. She took the woman’s arm and led her to her bed chamber as Kara and the slaves all sat impatiently waiting, watching the shadows on the wall outside of Cassie’s bedroom. Minutes dragged by, and they all shifted anxiously.
“Oh, my God!” Cassie shouted, and they all jumped to their feet as Cassie came tearing out of the room and kicked a throw pillow across the floor.
“Shit! I am pregnant! And, according to her,” she pointed an accusatory finger at the physician who was chuckling softy, “it is most likely Nall’s! That son of a bitch!”
She stomped around the room kicking cushions and pillows, ranting, and cussing for all she was worth. After the initial shock wore off, Kara started to laugh delightedly while her slaves came to her, beaming their happiness for her.
“Cassie, calm down,” Kara laughed. “It might be Nall’s or it might belong to one of your slaves. We won’t know until it comes. Besides, it will be yours, and that is all I care about!” She grinned at Cassie’s mutinous expression.
Cassie stomped over to the couch and flopped down, crossing her arms over her breasts and fuming like a petulant child.
“I am sending for Nera; she will be so excited!” Cassie nodded mutely.
Mika came and knelt in front of her and took her hands. Cassie looked into his sweet golden eyes.
“Mistress, please do not be unhappy. We are all very excited to know we shall have a child of your flesh in the house. We all wish to know the joy of raising your daughter and watching her grow into the kind of woman her mother is. I cannot wait to hold her in my arms.” He smiled into her eyes, and Cassie melted and leaned forward to embrace him.
Soon, she was surrounded by the rest of her men as they kissed and hugged her, sharing their happiness. The physician, forgotten, harrumphed and bid Cassie a good day, telling her that she would need to come see her once a month till she neared the end of her pregnancy.
Cassie nodded and thanked the woman. The door didn’t have time to close behind her before Nera swept into the room with a question on her face, as she had just been informed that her physician had been called to Cassie’s apartments. Kara jumped up and ran to her as Cassie’s men bowed respectfully.
“Nera, Cassie is pregnant! The physician says we will have a baby in a few months’ time!” Kara was exultant.
Nera’s mouth dropped open as she looked at her friend.
“Is this true? Cassandra, do you expect a child?”
Cassie pouted slightly and nodded.
Nera laughed and clapped her hands in joy. She then ran to her friend, hugging her tightly.
“I am so happy! An heiress for my Commander! I hope she gives you as much trouble as Danai gives me!” Nera laughed and clapped her hands with glee. “Oh, Cassie! A baby! How exciting! She will be so beautiful, just like her mother!” She leaned forward and kissed Cassie on the cheek, and Cassie finally smiled.
“Danai doesn’t give me any trouble. I think you exaggerate.” Finally, Cassie laughed. “I suppose I must accept this as I can’t change it.”
“You will have to cease training so hard; I will not risk the child,” Nera said, switching into experienced mother mode.
“Nera, I will not give up training. I have read in the past that any activity you are doing when you become pregnant is safe to continue until you are too big to move gracefully, and that is what I intend to do. Besides, being in good shape eases the delivery.” Nera sighed and looked at Kara.
“Very well, but you will only spar with Kara, and she will safeguard you during training,” Nera said firmly, and Cassie knew she needed to concede at least this much to satisfy her Queen.
“Yes, My Lady.” Cassie rolled her eyes and then yelped when Nera gave her arm a pinch.
“There are ways to punish you that will not harm our babe,” Nera teased.
Cassie’s men brought in refreshments and served the women as they lay back on the sofas.
“Oh, it’s our baby, is it? How come I am the one who gets to get fat and miserable?” Cassie grumbled with a smile.
“You will regain your figure, and even if you didn’t, I think your slaves would still desire you.” Nera flashed an appreciative look at the well-built men surrounding them.
The men quickly agreed and flushed under the Queen’s intense scrutiny, making Cassie laugh.
“You know we will do all we can to help you, Cassie. We love you,” Kara said. Cassie looked at her and smiled.
“I love you guys, too.”
“Well, this is getting far too emotional for me,” Nera joked, and the women laughed. They spent the afternoon chatting idly and receiving massages from Cassie’s slaves.
Months passed, and all too soon, Cassie became too large to train anymore.
Her warriors were excited and looked forward to the upcoming birth of their Lady’s child. They sent gifts of clothing, diapers, wooden toys, and silver rattles.
Nera had a master
craftswoman fashion an ornately engraved cradle, and Cassie cried at its beauty when it came.
She was much more emotional now, and her men were especially attentive to her emotions and needs. She knew she would have six male nannies to help her care for the baby and that she would never want for a single thing, and the thought gave her comfort.
She dressed one morning in her silken harem pants and top that she had tailored for her altered figure. The soft yellow color made her feel happy and relaxed until she looked down at her enormous mountain of a belly.
The baby was very active, especially when its mother wanted to sleep, but she was generally happy to feel its movements. Even now, when it was not so gentle and mostly aimed at her bladder, she was content to feel its presence.
Danai had been a constant companion to her of late; the little girl was fascinated with the coming baby, and she often told Cassie to hurry it up so she could play with it.
The child had been good company, and she was half in love with Garen. She always wanted to brush his long hair and told him that when she was older, Cassie would give him to her. Garen and Cassie both always smiled at these claims.
During the past few days, a fear had settled into her stomach, and she couldn’t shake it. With determination, she sat at her table and composed two letters. When she finished, she sent Aidan to ask the Queen if she would honor her with a visit.
Within moments, Nera appeared and hugged Cassie before they settled down on the sofa.
“What is troubling you?” Nera asked without preamble as her eyes swept over Cassie’s enormous belly as it appeared markedly lower today.
“I have written letters to King Nyles and to Nall.” Nera’s brows rose. “My child will be of Serlenn royal blood, and I feel it is only right that they know of the baby's existence. Nyles will have a grandchild, and I am sure that will please him. Also, it has occurred to me that this child may be a boy, and if my baby is male, then I would not see him become a slave. Forgive me, Nera. You know I love my life here and would not change a thing, but I would want my son to have the chance to grow up free, and as a Prince of Serlenn.”
