Chapter 38

“I should be the first to congratulate my sister-in-law, that is, if I am not the last already.”

Emilia shifted on her stool to look behind her. Angus was standing by the door with his hands on the brass knob. As always he was in a dark red cloak and in his hand he held a quiver of arrows and his bow, his shoulder length hair was tied back and braided. He closed the door behind him and entered the room just as Emilia stood up to hug him, he was so tall now he bent low to accommodate her slight height.

“Angus, so good to see you. You weren’t here when I came back.”

“How can I be? What business does a second son have in the palace? I was out in the open fields practicing with shots.” He withdrew from her and held her shoulders. “My brother couldn’t keep the good news to himself, he told me the very moment I walked in through the door. It’s a surprise he isn’t shouting it from the roof tops.”

Emilia laughed. “I can't blame him, I too could hardly keep it to myself when I arrived. You should have seen how much I struggled to keep it to myself and wait for a better time to tell him about it.”

“There is no better time to tell anybody a news as good as this but now. I am going to be an uncle, I personally will announce to the whole village.”

Emilia slapped him lightly on the arm. “Your brother already beat you to that, he has a party planned out for tomorrow evening. It was hard work convincing him not to celebrate it today.”

“Ah, my good, old brother. I tell you he is itching to invite the court here to announce it.” He pulled his bow onto his shoulders. “I should leave you to rest, for a woman with child the ride from Intavia to Camelorn must have been stressful, you should have some rest.”

“You are beginning to sound like your brother. He was worried that if I so much as lifted my hand I might lose the child.’’

Angus chuckled as he hugged her once more. “He has every reason to worry, Willa has indeed blessed you. I should go now, my lady, I have a few lads I am training in the art of the bow and arrow.” He opened the door and went out.

Emilia sat back on her stood and opened her robe slightly to admire her belly once again. It felt surreal that she would have a child growing inside of her, a child that would take over the throne of Camelorn and rule with as much dignity and honor as Octavius had. She pushed her belly forward as she imagined how she would be in 6 months and chuckled at her silliness.

Just then her door opened again and Ilena walked in with a tray heavily laden with bowls and jars and a goblet. She came closer and laid the tray on the dressing table in front of her mistress. Emilia looked from her to the tray with a cocked brow.

“What is this, Ilena?”

“Herbal drinks for you, my lady. It will keep the baby and you strong and healthy.” In the bowls there were dried leaves and powdered stuff. She poured some water and wine inside the goblet and mixed it with the leaves and powder which she stirred until the contents were well mixed. She handed the goblet over to skeptical Emilia.

“This child isn’t even two weeks old and you want to spoil him already.”

“My lady already thinks she carries a male child."

“Any child is accepted but an heir to throne will make the people proud. A female child will be like me, she will be married off to be a queen in another kingdom.”

She looked in the cup and the mixture that was sweet smelling, she moved it closer to her nose and caught a whiff of dried berries. As she sipped the liquid Ilena went about her duties dusting the furniture, making the bed, she emptied the small bag Emilia had traveled with and arranged the clothes in them in Emilia’s trunk.

“Or she could marry Helos’ son and keep the kingdom. That would not be a bad thing.”

“I guess it wouldn’t. Let’s see what child the gods have given to me first before making plans, Ilena, that way we will avoid disappointments. If you don’t mind bring out my yellow tunic, I shall wear it tomorrow.”

“Yes, my lady.”

Later that evening as they sat together at the table Octavius made plans with Lady Amelia on the celebrations of the morrow. Emilia, almost bursting with excitement couldn’t keep herself from smiling at Octavius’s eagerness, he exhibited boyish exuberance that showed he shared her happiness. She could barely eat as she thought about the event of the next day and its significance. She couldn’t help think how happy her parents would have been if they were alive, how much more the late King Philip would have been. She looked at her husband who was eagerly making arrangements with the ever attentive Lady Amelia and could help but think that King Philip IV was a better man than his father. Though he never used the official title and still went by his name Octavius she thought it suited him for 4 was a strong number that stood for honesty, loyalty and her husband was all of those things and more. He proved his loyalty to their union every day, giving her no reason to ever doubt him. When she had first married Octavius she had heard and witnessed his father’s unfaithfulness to his marriage with his wife but Octavius hadn’t turned out that way and it gave her joy. All the promises he made when they just young lads blindly in love had meant everything to him which was why he stood by them.

Octavius looked the table at his wife and reached to hold her hand.