Word Count → 3+ :: <3
Agitated as she was by her mistress' anxiety, Nana did not detect the other woman as she might otherwise have. When Talitha's sharp voice came from the darkness of the trees, both mare and healer jumped. The horse quickly swung around to face this new peril, her heavy frame intimidating and large. From the shadows, Alaine's keen eyes saw a shadow detach from the rest, and knew by the glint of ruby eyes that it was her son's favorite whore.
Soundlessly, she obeyed, slipping from the back of the rotund mare. Nana snorted, pacing backwards with heavy steps but remaining near, reluctant to leave her companion undefended in the glade but unable to deny her prey instincts of retreat.
When finally Talitha was in total view, the Apothecary allowed a look of surprise, and sudden pain, to filter across her face. She was pregnant - Caillen's children? - and heavily so, at that. It must have taken some effort to have made the trek to Cour des Miracles land, and thus, her reason must have been severe enough to warrant it.
The healer's dagger glittered in her hand, but Alaine knew it to be a useless weapon now. She could not harm a woman with child, especially if the children were her own blood. It pained her heavily to think that Caillen had not shared such news with her, for although they were in the womb of a foul wench, children were a blessing all the same. Pupils, rounded now to suck in the light, glanced about the small glade, searching for the massive form of her son. They flicked back to Talitha reluctantly as the woman spoke again.
Her words fell with strange notes of expectant doom on the ears of the colliewoman, and perhaps, in that instant, a small part of her knew. Ezekiel came to mind, a flash of hard yellow eyes and the fear within them, as she had seen him last. But sheer denial won out, and stiffening her posture once more, Alaine lowered the dagger to her side and took a step closer to the sinner. "Where is he?" Her voice sounded flat, hollow, even to her own ears. The beginning of a peculiar numbness began to spread through her, as her body prepared for the news that it almost already knew. All her waiting, praying, pleading, was about to come to an end. "Where is my son?"
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