Cursed By The Gods Book 1 and 2

Chapter 31

It was the early hours of dawn, it was still cold outside and the moon was still up but Emilia could barely sleep. She lay in her bed with Octavius by her side – he had taken to coming into her chambers in the dead of the night since the coronation. It reminded her of the Octavius she knew, the one who sent endless stream of love letters to her, the one who snuck under his father’s nose to visit her in her kingdom. She loved that he was back to his old self again coming into her room, slipping into bed with her and he never slept until he had sated the both of them to a point where they could do nothing else but sleep. But tonight Emilia couldn’t sleep, she had lain awake throughout the night and now that the morning was fast approaching she felt no better.

She eased Octavius’s tight hand from around her waist, picked her robe from the foot of the bed and slipped it on. She walked softly to the window to look out. The village was quiet, asleep, even the occasional drunk that lay in the streets had found his way back home. Over the houses she could see the fields with freshly turned soil, the people had been busy in the fields all week preparing for the rains. The harvest festival to the goddess of fertility and purity, Willa, was only days away.

As she breathed in the fresh air the knot in her belly eased, her nausea and unease passed. For days the feeling had persisted, her body was tighter and felt almost uncomfortable and she couldn’t even bare the sight of food. She had mentioned it to Ilena days ago but the old maid had said nothing, instead she had ordered a younger maid to get some tea with some herbs, it had made her feel better but days later the feeling had come again. The only time it eased was when Octavius came in at night to wake her with loving.

She heard a ruffle behind her and turned. Octavius was tossing in the bed, his right hand searching for her. It wasn’t long before he sighed deeply and went back to sleep. Emilia smiled, between his duty as king; attending Counsel Meetings and coming to her room at night he deserved to sleep. Her eyes ran over his body from his legs to his face before drifting to his hair. He always vowed never to grow it out, he always made jokes that only women wore long hair, when Angus had decided to let his hair grow Octavius had made fun of him but for a week now he had let his hair grow past the usual length. She liked it, it looked good on him, less womanly and more manly and irresistible. Even now his hair dark long hair swept against his shoulders spilling on the pillows in soft waves. She longed to go over and run her fingers through it but she feared if she did her nausea would return in full force.

As she turned on her heels to lean against the window she heard a scramble in front of her door. She started to disregard it as a rat or a stray dog that had found its way to the palace until a soft knock sounded. She heart leapt not out of fear but because it was unexpected. Octavius was asleep in her bed but he even never knocked and the servants never came into her room at such hours only when they wanted to fill her wash tub with hot water.

When the knock came again she walked carefully to the door, stood some distance away from it and ask,

“Who is there?” Her voice was low enough so that Octavius couldn’t hear.

“My lady?” the whisper was harsh and almost inaudible.

“Who is there?” Emilia asked a little louder.

There was a long pause and then the voice came clearer. “It’s Ilena, my lady”

Emilia hurriedly opened the door a c***k and peeped out. There in the dark was Ilena with a small fur coat around her shoulders and a small lamp with dying fire in it. Her hair dark hair peppered with gray was unbound in soft waves around her.

“Ilena,” Emilia murmured. She opened the door fully and with a quick glance at Octavius sleeping form slipped out. “What is it?”

Ilena put her index finger to her lips and motioned for Emilia to follow her. Emilia hesitated at the doorway. Ilena noticed she wasn’t coming with her so she went back and whispered under her breath,

“My lady, come with me I have something to tell you.”

“Tell me here.”

“I want to confirm my suspicions with you first. I suspect the gods have smiled on you again.”

Emilia frowned “What do you mean?”

Ilena took her hand and pulled her to an alcove where she dropped her lamp. She let go of Emilia’s hand, pushed her robe aside and laid her hand on Emilia’s belly. She appeared to be listening or feeling for something, after a while she pulled her hand back and eased Emilia’s robe together.

Emilia watched the smile spread on her maid’s face.

“What is it?“ she asked

Ilena closed her eyes with her hands together and whispered a small prayer of thanks to the gods of Intavia. When she opened her eyes she took Emilia’s hand back in hers with tears in her eyes.

“My lady, I think you must be pregnant.”

Emilia’s heart fluttered with hope but doubt lingered. The thought had crossed her mind but in her first pregnancy she never experienced the kind of sickness she felt now, yes she had had morning sickness but never constant feeling of nausea.

She withdrew her hands from Ilena’s and hugged it to her flat belly.

“I can’t be, Ilena. I appreciate your hope and concern but I can’t be. I wasn’t like this when I had my first child, you know that.”

“It differs, my lady,” Ilena said softly. “I know you are with child, I can feel it. I felt it when I touched your belly just now.”

“Ilena, it’s been years.”

“The gods answer in their own time.”

Emilia shook her head. It was something else not pregnancy, she couldn’t bring herself to think it, not after years of waiting of hoping. Her hopes were half dead, to bring them up again and have them dashed against the rocks would break her heart to a point past healing.

Ilena saw the sadness in her mistress’s eyes. She understood her disbelief and hesitance but she was sure her predictions were right. There was only one way to prove it.

“My lady, we should go back to Intavia to confirm. Remember the wise woman who confirmed your fears when you first thought you were with child?” she waited for Emilia to respond with a quick nod “We should visit her again and see if I’m right.”

“And if you’re not?” Emilia voiced her one fear.

“Then you shall have my head, my lady.”

Emilia stared at the dear old woman who had been with her since she was but a child. She longed for children, she longed for a younger version of Octavius wielding a sword and competing with the well trained soldiers of Camelorn, she longed for a younger version of herself who would draw the attention of men everywhere she went. To visit the wise woman of Intavia and learn that she was without child would be the final nail in her coffin.

But as she looked in Ilena’s eyes, at the light of hope that shown in her eyes she found strength to bear the truth no matter what it may be.

“I will speak to Octavius about it.”

“You don’t even have to lie about why you want to go. I got news from Intavia that Helos’s wife is with child and would be giving birth soon. He sent messengers two days ago to inform me, he wants you to come for the birthing.”

Emilia mulled over the information with envy. Helos had taken over her father’s throne when he died since his father was second in command and King Philip had refused to taken leadership of the small kingdom. She was genuinely surprised that Helos remembered her and wanted her to be present to witness the birth of his child.

She nodded. “I will do that”

Ilena nodded happily and hastened to go back to her room in the servants’ quarters.

Emilia waited till Octavius was done with the Counsel Meetings for the day before approaching him with her request.

“Why would you want to go to Intavia?” he asked with his hand on her cheek. “You are queen of Camelorn now, this is your home.”

“I just wish to see my kingdom one more time. It’s been so long. Besides, Helos has invited me to witness his wife’s birthing.”

Octavius frowned at the news. He knew how delicate the issue of children were to Emilia but as he searched her face he saw no sign of sadness or misery or even jealousy for that matter.

He leaned forward and kissed her forehead. “Okay. Do you need an entourage?”

“No I don’t. Ilena is enough.”