The Healer Pt. 07

She hears Pelium rise and walk towards her; hastily wiping her face dry, she tries to focus on the pages in front of her—in her rush, she had grabbed Adger Gladstone's book on pregnancy and birthing. Before her, she sees the page about inducing labor; grabbing a quill, she dips it in ink and scrawls the recipe for the tea that the midwives use.

Pelium glances over her shoulder, "Raspberry leaves and wolfberries? Is that truly what they use?" There is a surprised tone to his words.

She forces her voice to come out evenly, "Yes. It causes contractions and after enough of it, if things go well, the water breaks on its own."

"Huh," he says surprised, "I wouldn't have ever guessed—that is an old recipe that they used to use hundreds of years ago." He ponders on it, "I know I read it somewhere, but I cannot think of the book right now. When things were less civilized and centaurs forced themselves upon women, that is what they would use to get rid of unwanted pregnancies. I suppose it does the same thing—timing must be the crucial element. If taken early on in a pregnancy it could expel the bairn before it could survive, but when taken later on it induces labor."

Coral's hand shakes as she dips the quill into the ink, "That is very interesting. I shall notate that, so that it can be avoided."

...

She walks in silence next to Quell, her mind spinning. Lynette has her arm threaded through Vadim's, her pace just as causal and slow as his though Coral wishes they would hurry up—she wants some mead. She didn't have any intentions of inviting her brother and sister, in fact she was hoping that Quell would come up with some reason not to attend so she could go to the tavern alone; it would have provided her with much needed time to ponder her new situation, but when she brought it up during dinner Lynette's curiosity made Quell politely offer for her to join them and then it was all downhill from there.

"Is there something on your mind, Coral?" Quell's voice cuts into her thoughts, causing her to jump slightly.

"No," she lies seamlessly.

He frowns, resembling his father, "You haven't seem yourself since you got back from Severton."

Clenching her cloak tighter around her, she offers an excuse, "Tomir has an interest in Margaret."

"All right...?" He says, still unsure why this would bother his mate so much.

"Margaret does not like centaurs," Coral states softly so that the other pair cannot hear her, "I have been trying to get her opinion to change but it vexes me so. I—I just feel like if I cannot get her to see things differently, then perhaps I will never be able to change anyone else's mind." Thankfully, there is truth to her statement.

"I see," he replies, "well, if they are meant to be mated, then it will be. All you can do is your best, my love." His sweet smile calms her nerves somewhat.

When they finally reach the tavern, the shocked patrons rise and bow to the Princes. Lynette shifts awkwardly and stands next to Coral, finding herself more at ease around her sister. Coral offers her a smile; she truly is glad that Vadim and Lynette were able to mate of their own accord and that Rainer didn't have to force them into anything.

Though a few customers offer up their tables, Quell insists against it; instead, they take a table at the back, somewhat tucked out of the way yet within view of the bar. It is a high topped table, just like all the rest and but instead of chairs, it has a tall bench near the wall. Vadim slips in on one side, Coral on the other; Lynette stands next to her mate though she shifts awkwardly, nervous in the new environment.

Standing across the table from her, Quell leans down onto his elbows towards Coral, "Perhaps when they arrive, you can let Margaret sit on the end? Then I shall allow Tomir to stand next to her." There is a gentle smile on his lips; though he would prefer to be next to his mate, he knows she wishes the others to be a match.

Before she can respond, she spots Tomir holding the door open for Margaret; the maiden looks nervous, her eyes quickly darting around the room until she sees her friend. Coral hastily nods to Quell and reluctantly scoots closer to Vadim.

Margaret offers a curtsey to the Princes, before sliding into the only available seat, Tomir filling the gap next to her. A barmaid makes the rounds to their tables, quickly getting them libations.

"I've never seen a bard before," Lynette says nervously. The men smile at her shelteredness.

Margaret drinks half of her mead before setting the glass down; she forces herself to speak, "I've only been fortunate enough to see one twice before. Do you remember, Coral?"

Coral puts a smile on to her face, "I'd hardly call that man a bard—I am pretty sure someone finally paid him to leave."

This brings a sincere smile to Margaret's lips, "Yes, I believe you are correct—though I thought for sure Mr. Piers was going to gut him like a fish. I think he compared his singing to the sounds of a dying goat."

Everyone shares a good laugh at it. Margaret tells the story, comforted by the fact that while they are around a table, she is unable to see the horse bodies of the centaurs. By the time they are on their second round, the bard begins to play a lovely ballad about a distant land.

Coral catches Margaret's eye; the maiden glances to Quell and back, asking without speaking. Hastily, Coral shakes her head, taking a sip from her drink. She watches her friend look over Tomir curiously, before returning her focus on the musician.

When his song changes to a story about a long lost love, Coral shifts uneasily. She has done her best not to look at or acknowledge Vadim the entire night, but though they are not touching, she can feel the heat coming off of his body. It makes her ache; if she had taken him as her mate, he would have no doubt rejoiced at knowing she was carrying a child but as it stands, her stomach twists into knots trying to foresee how Quell will react to the news. The song comes to an end; Coral cannot contain herself anymore and tears fall freely down her face. The room claps as the bard takes a break; she feels Vadim's large hand touch her forearm.

"Sister—are you all right?" His concerned voice draws Quell's attention as well.

"Yes," she replies, wiping her tears away, "it was just a beautiful song." She clears her throat, shifting her weight towards Margaret, "If you wouldn't mind, I need to use the privy."

Though Margaret rises and lets her out, she nods towards the rest of their party, "Excuse me, I do as well."

Coral pushes through the front door, the tears now falling freely down her face. She keeps her chin down, circling the tavern towards the back where there is an outhouse, though she stops short of it and presses her forehead into the dry wooden exterior of the building. Her arms wrap around her shoulders and she desperately tries not to sob.

Margaret's quiet footsteps come up behind her; the maiden's arms wrap around her hurting friend, drawing her close into a hug. She smooths down Coral's hair, not saying anything.

The rest of the evening continues on uneventfully; Margaret keeps a close eye on Coral, impressed by her ability to hide her affect in front of the centaurs. To ease the attention away from the healer, she keeps the conversation going despite her reservations about the half breeds. As she gets to know them, she realizes that Coral was correct—they are very much like humans.

After a few hours, it is Lynette who stifles a yawn. Vadim takes her hint, offering a charming smile to his companions, "It is getting rather late my friends; I think we shall see ourselves back to the castle."

Quell, who just got a fresh ale, converses with a few people outside of their group; Coral glances to Margaret, who gently touches her arm, whispering, "Thank you for coming out tonight, but if you wish to leave I will be fine."

Relieved, she gives the maiden a quick hug before rising and walking to her mate, "Quell?"

He laughs heartily at a joke from one of his friends before turning to Coral, "Yes, my love?"

She can see that he is enjoying himself and does not wish to interrupt his fun, as she could use the time alone to think, "I am very tired after my walk today, I am going to head home."

His smile fades; he gently reaches out and touches her face, "I do not want you to walk alone—I will come as well."

"No," she says, returning the smile. Gently, she squeezes his hand, "Vadim and Lynette are leaving, I shall walk with them. Please—stay as long as you wish. I will see you when you get back."

He glances up to his brother, who is slowly sauntering to the door, "Very well, Coral." With a smirk, he leans forward and kisses her tenderly on the lips. It comes as a surprise to her, as he has never shown this kind of affection in front of others but she gently returns the sentiments before leaving.

Outside, she discovers Lynette pressed against Vadim, sharing a kiss in the darkness. Coral feels her cheeks burn red when the pair break off their connection once she nears.

"Sister," Vadim's deep voice says, "I didn't realize you and Quell were coming home as well." He avoids her eyes, almost as if he regrets that she saw his intimacy.

Offering a quick smile, she pulls up the hood of her cloak, "Quell is staying for a while—I hate to intrude, but I figured I could walk back with you?"

"Of course," Lynette replies, remaining close to her mate as they begin their way back to the castle.

Feeling like a third wheel, Coral walks slightly ahead of them so as to give the pair some privacy. Her mind reels. She must tell Quell, but how, she isn't sure. She knows that centaurs never dance around the truth so the best plan of action would be to just say it like it is—I am pregnant. But even as the words echo in her mind, she feels her stomach turning; what if he thought she did it on purpose? The past month has been a whirlwind, everything happened so quickly. She knew the general idea of going into heat, as it was necessary to breed the livestock back home. Had she realized that she would have taken a centaur as a mate within a week of coming to Centuarna, she might have paid closer attention but she was so absorbed in having to choose between Quell and Vadim that she never gave it a second thought.

She knows he will be angry—or at least she thinks he would. Beyond their fight, she has never seen that emotion in him, and she never wants to again. When she realizes they are back in the castle, she speaks to Vadim and Lynette over her shoulder, not turning around lest they see the expression on her face, "Good night brother, sister."

Before they can respond, she slips away and heads to her chambers. Coral hangs her cloak up, removing her dress after kicking off her shoes. She stands there for a moment, before the fireplace; tentatively, her hand reaches down to her belly; she strokes her womb through the thin fabric of her shift, before jerking her hand away. Wrapping herself in a blanket, she drops down onto the mound of pillows, deciding that if she sleeps on it, perhaps tomorrow will give her a clear mind.

Try as she might, sleep does not come. In the silence, without the comfort of her mate, her anxiety wells up. She tosses and turns for several hours before rising, frustrated; Coral puts the small kettle on to boil to make some tea.

With a cup of steaming water, she carries it to her medicine case and digs around for her the container of chamomile. Pulling out three sachets, she looks at the one with chamomile in her right hand; then, to her surprise, in her left hand she sees the small containers of wolfberries and raspberry leaves. Coral breathes deeply, looking between her two choices. Either way, she knows that her life will never be the same going forward.

The door clicks open; the muffled clop of Quell's hooves on the carpet enter the room. His husky voice is surprised, "You're still awake, my love?"

"Yes," she says, choosing one hand, dumping the other back into her case, "I have been having trouble sleeping."