Chapter 28: Chapter Seven

ADA

My thoughts were interrupted by the plate of food set before me, a most welcome distraction. As we ate, Cayden spoke to Muireann and several other people in the hall.

I was puzzled by his sudden change in mood. He had been so silent since we left Kilcoran, and yet here, he acted like a different person.

Was it the other night? Was he still upset with Weylin? Or was it me? Did coming home make him realize marrying me would be a mistake? That our child was a mistake?

I stared at him, ruminating on all these questions.

“You look like you need a good wash and some rest,” Muireann said, standing over me. I felt embarrassed at the thought of what I must look like.

My hair was still wrapped up, and it had been almost five days since I had properly washed myself. “Come with me and I will show you to your house.”

Without a chance to speak with Cayden, I was ushered out of the hall. Muireann led me down the path to a fairly large house on the edge of town. The land reminded me of home, but it was more compact.

There was a stable with cows, pigs, goats, and chickens, and I noticed that Cayden’s horse was already there, tied up. The inside of the house was separated by a wall into two areas.

The first area had a firepit, table, and area for storage. The two men tending the fire were shooed away, and Muireann helped me out of my filthy clothes.

A bucket of hot water with different oils and soaps was waiting for me. I’d completely lost where we were in the conversation, but that didn’t seem to stop Muireann.

Once my hair had been dunked, scrubbed, and wrapped in a cloth to dry, we walked into the other room, where my new bed looked very inviting.

I finished drying myself off, trying to hide my naked body from my future mother-in-law. She seemed distracted, looking about the room for something.

A girl entered with a night dress and another day dress for me, and Muireann scolded her for not being here sooner. Muireann directed the girl to help me finish getting ready.

She removed the wet cloth and rubbed some kind of oil over my body. I was very aware that I was standing naked in front of two strangers. Taking a deep breath, I did my best to go along with it.

A few minutes later, Cayden and a much older woman entered the house, and things felt more crowded. I was no longer comfortable in my skin and awkwardly looked at the four sets of eyes staring at me.

“I brought Freja to check on Ada before she rests.” He stopped at the sight of me. I was trying to cover what I could with my hands, but no one seemed to care.

“Perfect timing, my son. There is a fresh bucket of hot water, so go wash, and I will stay with Ada as Freja checks her.”

Cayden was still staring at me, and from the look on his face I knew exactly what he was thinking. It was the thing we had both wanted since the other night.

For a second, staring at each other, it felt like we were the only two people in the room. That is, until Muireann slapped him on the back of the head and muttered to him to go bathe.

Freja, the town midwife, began feeling around my stomach. She had me lie down on the bed, maneuvering her hands all over until she nodded with satisfaction.

Freja turned to Muireann, while the girl helped me slip on the nightdress.

“She is about four months pregnant. The child is in a good position and appears to be responding well,” Freja said, and then turned to me.

“Seeing as your journey here was long, and it is clear your body is fatigued, you must rest as much as possible for the next few days... Child, do you know what I mean when I say ~rest~?”

I nodded my head in reply, but all I could think about was that I was already four months pregnant.

It was almost the end of December, and that meant for three months, I had trained, fought, and wrestled while my child was inside of me. I worried that I had harmed the baby in my recklessness.

“We’d better keep Cayden occupied then,” Muireann said. The two women laughed as Muireann escorted Freja out of the house.

She returned to make sure I got into bed to rest, telling me a slave would be sent to collect me for dinner. I tried my best to wait for Cayden to finish bathing, but the bed was so comfortable and warm.

It was layered with animal fur and blankets, absorbing the heat from the fire. It didn’t take too long before I finally succumbed to a deep sleep.