Open by Ashley Fox Page A

midwife talking to the King, saying the problem was
that her mother was not widening to allow the babes passage. Now it
was clear they were beginning to panic. Her mother
hadn ’ t eaten or slept at any
point, she was becoming increasingly weak. She heard them speak of
poppy and blades. She knew mamma could die if the babe
didn ’ t come soon, that both
mother and babe could die. The tears threatened once
more.
    She wouldn ’ t let that happen. She had seen the herbs they had given her,
none were what Cerid had told her of. Some were beneficial, yes,
but not the best. Earlier her mind had shifted to something Cerid
had told her of and in her desperation she had sent Tansy to fetch
them. Her maid had not argued, but she left with red rimmed
eyes.
    Where was she?
    Her door opened and Mera spun round, rushing
to meet Tansy in the hallway.
    “ Do you have
them? ”
    “ Yes, yes! I
picked the best ones I could find, only the bushes closest to heat
of the kitchens had any left, I thought for a moment I would have
to find some dried. ”
    As soon as
Mera had heard the yes, she grabbed
Tansy ’ s arm and pulling her
toward the door. Soon they were rushing down the halls, heading up
the few flights that led to her
mother ’ s rooms. Those they
passed spared taunt glances their way, sympathy vying with the fear
that some new and terrible news hurried their footsteps. The guards
immediately let her through. In the formal parlour Llew sat by the
window, when he looked at her she could see him pale and worn,
gangling limbs tucked all askew. The king sat at the table,
slouched, his face long and drawn, beard and hair unkempt, clothes
unchanged now for days. A healer and the midwife was standing
before him, talking quietly. At her entrance he looked up and Mera
saw despair on his face, his eyes hollowed and dark with a
threatening grief. She remembered then that
Llew ’ s mother had died in
childbirth, taking what would have been a daughter with her to the
Otherside. She felt a flash of sympathy, but
didn ’ t let it
settle.
    “ I need to
see my mother. ”
    The women looked at her in annoyance at her
rude interruption, but the King just stared at her for a moment, a
painful sympathy written there. He nodded.
    It was enough. She stalked through the door,
Tansy at her heels. As they had agreed earlier, the door was closed
firmly behind them. Immediately Tansy began to look by the drinks
cabinets, searching for the wine Mera had prepared. She trusted her
to gather what was needed.
    Mera walked
through another door, the one that led to her
mother ’ s bedroom. A window
was thrown open to permit cold gusts of wind and sleet, whilst a
steady fire burned in the hearth. The bed had been stripped down to
simple white sheets and coverlet. Her mother was standing, shakily,
over a chest of draws. Her hands white knuckled where she gripped
it, bent at the waist and panting. Mera immediately went to her,
firmly rubbing circles on her lower back. Her mother had said it
helped last time. When the contraction had passed, her mama looked
at her with her beautiful brown and green eyes, lines of fatigue
framing them. She spared her a small smile, trying to push her hair
away from her face.
    “ Help me sit,
daughter. ”
    Mera led her to the bed, helping her to lower
herself down. When she was finally comfortable, enthroned on
pillows, she let out a sigh, heavy. Closing her eyes, her hands
continuously moving over her belly. Tansy entered, relief on her
face as she held the wine. She set about putting it in a warming
pan over the fire, stirring in plenty of honey as instructed.
    “ Mama?
I ’ ve bought you some wine,
and a little fruit. You need to keep up your
strength. ”
    Her mothers
eyes opened, one hand seeking Mera ’ s. “ No, no more of
that foul concoction. I cannot think with it, it makes me feel
sick. I am not hungry. Please, my sweet Meredith, my little wild
girl, sit with me. I need to tell you …”
    “ No. No, you
can tell me