Beatrice opened her eyes slowly. She glanced to her side, although she was quite sure that Dennis was not going to be there. Why did she care anyway? She sat up and placed her hand on her lower abdomen. The feeling of unease that she had felt since the previous morning came back to her again. She couldn't even sleep well last night, not because of this matter, but because the omlette made her feel so sick. She even felt nauseous envisioning it in her head. A knock interrupted her train of thoughts. "It's katrina." A voice said. "Come in." Beatrice said, as the door slowly got pushed open. "Good morning my lady." Katrina greeted, closing the door. "Morning." Beatrice mumbled in response. "Oh my! Why do you look so pale, my lady?" Katrina worriedly cried out, when she saw Beatrice's face devoid of any color. "I am never eating Omlette again." Beatrice said absent mindedly. "I am fine, just a bit nauseous, that's all." Beatrice said. "Just a bit?" Katrina said disapprovingly. "It looks like the nausea kept you up all night, I will rather say." Katrina said. "I am just glad that he wasn't here, I would have been in for it." Beatrice glanced subconsciously to Dennis's side of the bed. "Where is he anyway?" She asked. "I am not too certain, my lady." Katrina replied. "That's fine." Beatrice replied.
After freshening up, Beatrice went to Dennis's office, since she was already accustomed to seeing him at least once a day, though he never bothered to see her. She knocked on the office door, and a lady with black hair and light brown eyes came into view. "Greetings, my lady." Cornelia said with a slight bow, knowing fully alright who Beatrice was. "Who are you?" Beatrice asked, having not seen this face before. "My lady." Katrina intervened and stepped closer to her. "She is the assistant of my lord, she came here just a week ago." She whispered. "Well, I am not surprised that he didn't inform me, why would he?" Beatrice said, with a sigh. "My name is Cornelia Revaparis, my lady." Cornelia said, gesturing for them to enter. "I didn't come to stay." Beatrice said bluntly. "He isn't in, is he?" She asked. "No he is not." Cornelia replied. "Any idea of when he is coming?" She asked again. "He didn't tell me- all I know is that it might take a while, since the old head also went along with him." Cornelia replied. "It is quite a serious affair then." Beatrice pondered. "When he comes back, kindly inform him that I called on him." Beatrice said, turning away, Katrina following suit. "Of course, my lady. Have a lovely day." Cornelia replied. Unknown to the two, Cornelia's eyes glistened maliciously for an interval.
Beatrice sat in the terrace, enjoying the autumn breeze. To think that winter was fast approaching. The birds chirped happily overhead, as they engaged in a friendly competition, diving and swooping. "There you are." Sylvester said, as he walked up to her, a glass of milk in his hand, looking displeased. "Sylvester, please." Beatrice began, as she felt her nausea returning. "Don't tell me you are going to make me drink that?" She looked up at him, with watering eyes. "What does it look like?" Sylvester quipped back, a little irritated. "I am very disappointed in you, Katrina." Sylvester said, turning to the maid servant, who fiddled with the helm of her uniform. "It's not her fault, she really did try to get me to drink it." Beatrice said, making Sylvester turn to her. "I could barely keep breakfast down, regardless of a glass of milk." "What is that supposed to mean?" Sylvester asked, raising a brow. Beatrice looked away. "Katrina." Sylvester turned back to the maidservant. "Does this imply that Beatrice is on an empty stomach right now?" Sylvester asked. "Well.." Katrina stammered, her eyes darting around. Sylvester Pratically face-palmed at this point. "You.." He began, with reference to Katrina. "You know she is pregnant, and yet.. and you.." He turned to Beatrice, once more. "I thought you were excited about being a mother? Seriously." Sylvester was speechless. "Get her ready. I will have a coach to take you to Anna's place."
***************************************************************
The carraige rode on in broad daylight. Sylvester was sitted inside the carraige, his eyes closed, hands folded, head leaned back. Katrina and Beatrice were seated on the otherside, feeling awkward. "Sylv." Beatrice began, but there was no response. "Sylvester, are you angry?" Beatrice continued. "What does it seem like?" Sylvester finally opened his mouth. "I am sorry, Sylv." Beatrice said, downcast. "Apologies won't change anything." Sylvester said, finally opening his eyes to look at her. "If you had told me this earlier, everything would have been fine. Anna has medicine for this kind of thing. Or would you rather the morning sickness kill you first?" Sylvester asked, his tone obviously angry, and as though in response to his anger, the carraige jerked. "Have these fools forgotten how to ride?" He cursed. Not only was he angry, he was taking It out on everyone. "Katrina, I specifically assigned you to Beatrice because you are a mother, and you already know what to do, and what not to do. You supposed to guide her. Not her telling you what to do." He berated. "Forgive me, young Master." Katrina apologized, head lowered. "Beatrice, don't ever repeat this again. How do you expect the child to grow properly, if the mother isn't eating the way she should? I don't want this child to look malnourished or deformed in any way when it is born, when I have all it takes to feed the entire kingdom If I so desire!" Sylvester continued to chide them. "I was being stupid, my apologies." Beatrice said. The carraige stopped, and Sylvester looked out the window. "It seems like we have arrived."
**************************************************************
They stepped into a small shop, which was already crowded with locals. Those that recognized Sylvester, bowed their heads immediately, for the lad did not step out much. "Sylvester! You should have written a letter or something. Why come on such short notice?" Anna said, bustling out of her room, delightfully surprised. "Even I did not expect to show up here." Sylvester replied. "Come in, Come in. I will attempt to you quickly." She said, ushering them in. "Hey!" A commoner cried out. "My wife and I have been waiting for you to attend to our child, since the morning. They just came, why are they being attended to first?!" Beatrice glanced at their direction, and saw the commoner was dressed In poor clothing, his hands rough and covered in scars. Either a farmer or blacksmith. The guard next to Sylvester wanted to silence this insolent pest, but Sylvester signaled for him to stop. The man's wife was also trying to get her husband to sit, as she had likely recognized who he was. "And so?" Anna was the one who spoke up. "They have more money and wealth than you could ever accumulate In ten years, why shouldn't I attend to them first? I have a family to feed too, you are not the only one trying to survive." This was more than enough to Hush the man, and Anna clicked her tongue, ushering them in. "An ant trying to stand up to an elephant, some people really don't know their league." She said, as she sat down. "So, what is the matter today? How is my lady doing?" If Anna's countenance was like a storm earlier, it was as bright as sunshine now. "Nothing really- just that I am struggling to keep the food down." Beatrice mumbled. "That's normal, especially In the first trimester. I have just the thing." She said, bringing out a bottle. "Just take this." She said, handing over the bottle with yellowish liquid. "It's ginger." Anna said, when she saw that Beatrice seemed perplexed. "Just take that along with some warm water In the morning, it should help." Anna said. "If the result is still the same, or If it gets worse- do inform me."
After that, Anna just gave her an all round check up, feeling her pulse and all, to make sure everything was going on fine. With no issues to worry about, they were dismissed. "You can come in now." Anna told the man, who made a ruckus earlier. Beatrice and Katrina were at the front, while Sylvester was behind. Discreetly, without anyone knowing, Sylvester tossed a small sack filled with gold coins at him. "Take it, you are going to need it." Sylvester said, as he walked past, not even bothering to look at the two faces, that gaped at him In shock.
The sun began to set over the horizon. As day made way for night, a woman in a corporate clothing walked down the aisle, until she came to the place where the carraiges were being maintained. She met with the coach man, who was busy greasing the wheels of the carraige. "I know you took lady Beatrice out today." She said, her light brown eyes filled with ferocity. "Now tell me- and don't even think of making up a tale, where exactly did she go?"