I'm sitting on my bed, undoing the elaborate hairstyle Kailan did, being extra careful to not let the horns clatter to the floor. The noise would surely wake Mother. One horn comes loose, and I quickly grab it with one hand while fighting my hair with other. Setting the horn reverently on my bed, I begin working on the second one, thinking.
Kailan had almost kissed me. At least, I think he did. My heart has never fluttered that fast and no one has ever held my chin with such gentility. His touch, too, hadn't felt cold as usual. Instead, it seemed to grow warmer with my skin. For the smallest second, our breaths mingled, dancing together. What would it feel like to kiss him? To be kissed by him? And then his bargain, and my suggesting the child be from his seed.
My face warms, my cheeks nearly burning my eyes. What would that be like? I've never been touched by a man, and I don't have any friends to tell me what it feels like. I'm definitely not asking my mother. I sigh, slipping the last horn from my hair. I stare at the pair, resting on my bed. Kailan had said they suit me. They're quite similar to his own, I realize. Not as large, but just as curled and smooth, resembling a ram's. I wonder if they shimmered in the light as his did in court.
In a matter of a few hours, I went from blindly looking for Kailan to nearly kissing him. And all I have left of this night is a pair of ram horns. But where will I hide them? If Mother finds them, she'll definitely ask questions. If she finds them at a later date, I could just say I found them when I went for a walk. Rams shed their horns... don't they? I don't know, and hopefully Mother doesn't either.
I open my closet, shift to the clothes in the back, and put each of the horns in a pocket. Mother doesn't rifle through my clothes unless they're dirty. There's no reason for her to go through clean dresses.
Only feeling slightly relieved, I crawl quietly into bed. But I can't sleep. My mind keeps going back to Kailan. I wonder what the tithe is. Breena had said it was a sport, but I've never heard of it. Does Kailan enjoy it as much as Breena?
I toss and turn, falling into a fitful sleep, dreaming of cat-men and dancing until my feet bleed. Kailan's there, standing against a wall with his arms crossed, watching me with a frown as I cry for a reprieve.
I bolt awake when the rooster crows, the morning sun blinding through my open window. In my haste to cleanse myself of the Fair Folk, I must've forgotten to close the drapes.
With a groan, I roll out of bed and change into my work dress. Back to the daily routine of minding the farm. The animals need feeding and eggs need harvesting so they can be sold. After yesterday's mishap, I need to be the first in town today.
Mother's still in bed when I walk by, and I'll be damned if I disturb her. I've been doing these chores for almost a year by myself. I'm not about to wake her up so we can talk while we work. My slackjaw would probably tell her about last night and then I'll be on house arrest. No thank you.
I go to Betsy's stall first, filling up her water and food before releasing her into her pen. She's struggling to walk today, her legs wobbling uncertainly, her breathing becoming labored.
"No, no, no. Please, Bets, not today. Any day but today. I need to go to market."
Her wide eyes meet mine, full of panic and pain, and I know there'll be no market adventure for me. For a split second, I think of waking Mother. I know nothing of the birthing process. I've been fortunate enough to only have to deal with chickens so far, and they only lay eggs.
Betsy lets out a horrified whinny and I can't leave her. Patting her neck, I try to soothe her, to keep her calm. I talk sweetly to her as she pants. To my complete surprise, she drops onto her knees and lays on the ground, watching me closely. I stay up by her head, not wanting to witness the actual birth, crooning to her and stroking her head and neck.
She whinnies again, her legs flailing as her breathing becomes erratic. She slams her head against the ground, and I quickly grab it. "Oh no, girl. Don't do that. I imagine it hurts but don't injure yourself."
Her nostrils flare from her breaths. Her eyes seemingly plead with me to help her, but I don't know how.
"Okay," I say, taking a deep breath. "Okay, girl. I'll go look and see how it's coming along, okay?" My stomach clenches but I tell myself it's for Betsy. I have to see how the birth is progressing.
I crawl down to her hind end, crounching behind her tail, and recoil. Two hooves are sticking out of her, which terrifies me. "I have to get Mother, okay, girl? I'll be right back."
I rush into the house. "Mother! Betsy's having her foal and I don't know what to do!"
She drops the bowl in the sink and runs with me. "With some luck, this'll be easy. Otherwise you'll need to stay."
I nod, not fully understanding but not wanting anything to happen to Betsy, or her foal. "The hooves are coming out first."
"Well, that's a good sign then. If the head follows, Betsy will have an easy birth." She crouches behind Betsy like I had, gently pulling on the foal's legs. A snout pops out next, and Mother exclaims with excitement, "You got it, Betsy. You're a mighty lucky horse, yes you are." She coaches Betsy through it until the foal is fully birthed, lifting its head up and looking around. Betsy does the same, gazing upon her baby with obvious relief. She gets up, nuzzling her baby.
Mother walks over to me, wiping her hands on her skirt. "Let us hope your first born comes as easily."